...to think I nearly did NOT post this chapter because I was so tired :'D

The song that's going through this chapter and up to 9 is Minty by Volant!

I only own Cora, Emily and this plot! Nothing else belongs to me.

Don't forget to review!

One week later…

"My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, and they're like-"

"Matt, shut up!" I growl at the ghostly ginger standing next to my bed and I don't hesitate to throw my pillow at his face. Sadly, it doesn't hit him and instead goes straight through to the floor.

Since Em and I first met Edd, Tom, Matt and Tord, we've been talking a fair bit to them, making conversation about what our lives are like in this 'future' world (Apparently they still thought it was the 21st Century). Two days after finding those guys, Em used the mirror technique in her house to discover that three of her ancestors 'chilled' there too; Eduardo, Mark and Jon.

Since, we've been visiting each other's places on alternating days, today being one where I to head to Emily's. Also, all seven of the 'ghosts' have started to move onto face-to-face conversation more often, which is kinda hard when all that you can see is a near-transparent figure after being used to seeing them opaque in front of reflective glass.

"Hey!" Matt protests, "It's a day where you're with Em, right? I was trying to wake you up."

"Matt, I'll be honest with you. You succeeded because your singing is so bad it sounds like a crossbreed of a cat and a whale dying."

I hear Edd, Tom and Tord lose it laughing in the living room and I think Tord is crying from it. Did I just have a remark that bad? So much for honesty.

"But hey," I reassure the ginger, "A little practice every day doesn't hurt. Goes a long way actually. Sorry for being so deathly honest with you. Now can you please get out my room so I can get dressed?"

"…was that a pun?"

"Just get out." I don't know how I'm able to contain my smirks and giggles until Matt's out the room and I'm throwing on my clothes. Ah well, at least he's a good alarm clock with that voice.

Within 15 minutes I'm dressed and have had a bite to eat before I start making my way to Emily's in the not-so-usual way…by attempting to leap over the fence and falling on my face, grass now being in my eyesight, my glasses somehow unbroken.

"What was that loser thing you were trying to do?" The Brooklyn accent of Eduardo is what turns my face away from the plant life and into his translucent figure, his hands on hips.

"Uh…parkour?"

"Pfft. Emily could do better than that."

"Why do you think she's my best friend?"

"Hmph. What's the plan today?"

"Beats me." I then spot Emily opening a window and leaning out of it before she waves at the both of us just as an idea pops up, "Hey Em! Wanna binge-watch the entire Star Wars saga?"

"Cor!" She calls back, "I was gonna ask you that! Jon's been practically begging to see it!"

"Well, at least three of us are nerds for space."

"Not me," Eduardo mutters, "I'd rather listen to Fall Out Boy."

"You will be a nerd like the rest of us by the time we're done," I retort, "Mark as well. The third one is called Mark, right?"

"Course, Cora."

"Well, I guess I better make an enter-esting entrance, eh Eduardo?" I don't hesitate to hide my smirk or giggles as the said 'ghost' facepalms.

"Cor, that was horrible." Em laughs.

"You're picking it up off that loser Edd, are you?"

"Nah, I was already good at puns."

Given a few hours consisting of staring at six episodes of the saga, 12 toilet breaks, Em and I gorging ourselves stupid on pop tarts and almost countless moments of internal pterodactyl screeching, I'm proven right: All three of Emily's ancestors are in love with Star Wars and are now begging for more. Em and I however are firm.

"Tomorrow."

"But Em's at Cora's tomorrow!" Jon pouts.

"The day after then." I reply, "You're all gonna have to wait."

"Y'know, for century-old 'ghosts', you guys do have a tendency to act like five-year-olds." Em remarks.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!" I yell, leaping off the couch, "Burn!"

Eduardo, to our surprise, faints before waking up 5 minutes later. Mark has an eyebrow raised at Em and Jon's jaw is practically on the floor. Emily just looks ridiculously pleased with herself.

"What now?" She asks.

"MarioKart tournament at my place?"

"Will Edd and the others let my boys in?"

"I'll convince him. Trust me. They're gonna love a good tournament and they'll be betting so much it'll be ridiculous. And of course they're gonna love a Rainbow Road race."

"I'm gonna murder you on that track."

"Sure you will," I tease, winking.

Per my expectations, the crew are eager to let their rivals into the house once I mention the MarioKart tournament.

The rest of the day passes as a joyful blur: me and Em racing each other on the Nintendo as our ancestors cheer us on and take bets before the rare dual win, then the after-party in the basement, 1980's music blaring out of speakers found in Matt's junk-piled attic.

Em and I sit out from the music for a short time, our arms around eachothers' shoulders and we start talking about what's going on with the 'ghosts' as the seven ancestors bust out bad dance moves to 'Power of Love.'

"I don't think those guys are really ghosts." I sigh, catching my breath.

"Maybe not," Em agrees, "I've actually stuck my hand through my crew and noticed they seemed to have something like…a glitched image of themselves for a split second before they keep moving on. They didn't even notice it."

"Glitched? You mean like, pixelated? D'you think they're holograms?"

"But there is no way sentient holograms exist, either. So lifelike and human. Have you not seen the multiple times people have tried to do stuff like that? They failed and stuff got crazy."

Em's right. Not only had it been a classic trope in old sci-fi novels and movies, but it was proven back in 2060. Some dude had tried to make an android so much like a human, with emotions, desires and a sense of knowledge, but 47 years of his research went to waste when a few months later, the android was broken down into scraps because it killed some kid without regret. There was some crazed debate over whether sentient AI would co-exist with us, and multiple sci-fi fans attempted to secretly recreate the guy's original android. When they released them to the public, they rapidly all went haywire and had to be shut down. Even Ed, who was studying robotics at Uni, knew there was next to no chance of making a sentient AI.

"Maybe they're like, puppets." I shrug, "They could all be played by my dad and uncles and your dad and relatives for all I know, willing to peer into our private lives without our knowledge." I suddenly feel my heartbeat rise up a little bit faster at the thought.

Em ponders this for a short while.

"It's not a nice thought or possibility, but that's theory one."

"What's theory two?"

"They're actually ghosts."

"Nope. Theory three?"

"Em, Cora! You two gonna dance again?" Edd calls from the sidelines, the music changing to 'Workin Day and Night.'

"This song's like, from the 1970's!" Emily yells back over the noise as she stands before pulling me up, "I thought this was an 80's party?"

"Em, let's just get on the floor and groove. I like this song a lot anyway."

At the end of the day however, nothing is of more relief to me than the feeling of not bothering to change into pyjamas before flopping still fully-clothed into a deep sleep on top of plush blankets.