Enjoy ~*~

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Square Enix.

Chapter 32: The Mansion pt II

"Is it just me, or does this look like so much fun!?" Xion squealed, a bright smile on her face as she turned to face the group.

"It's just you." They responded in unison, their voices full of irritation.

"This place is pretty big," Tifa looked around in awe. She's never seen anything like this before, her interest in its vintage look was what kept her here otherwise she would've never agreed to go with Xion in the first place. "Should we split up?"

"Splitting up is what gets you killed," Hope said without a thought. Realizing the others were giving him crazy looks he nervously changed what he said. "I-I mean it's not the best thing to do…ha ha."

"Do we have another flashlight?" Terra asked.

"Yeah," Noel pulled one out of his hoodie pocket. "Right here."

"Noel you go with Hope. Xion, Terra, and I will go together." Tifa instructed.

"Um, did you not just hear what he just said?!" Noel argued, referring to Hope's creepy sentence.

"Are you scared?" Xion slyly grinned at the brunette.

"Of course," Noel retorted. "We're in an abandoned mansion in the middle of the night, alone!"

"Why are we splitting up anyway?" Terra asked Tifa.

The ravenette raised her eyebrows. "Oh, you didn't tell them Xion?"

"If I did these sissies might have never come," Xion crossed her arms against her chest. "There is said to be a girl who still lingers here, a lingering sentiment. She's blonde and wears a white dress. Apparently some people see her looking out the window when they walk past the mansion."

"So we're here to see if we see her?" Hope let go of Noel's hand. "It's not like this story can be true, right?"

"Mhm!" Xion happily nodded, her arms falling to her sides.

"Mom!" Roxas yelled running back downstairs after noticing Ventus wasn't home.

"Yes, Roxas?" His mother answered from the living room. The blonde stood behind the couch his mother was sitting on. She was watching television.

"Really, The Goonies mom?"

He shook his head away from the thought. "Where's Ven?"

"He said he'd go out to get some things for me, from the town."

"You sent him out there by himself?!"

"He'll be fine sweetie," His mom turned to face him. "He's a big boy…strong too. Just like you!"

"Are you joking," Roxas' eyebrows furrowed as he clenched his fists. "There's a difference between him and I. I'm not impaired! You can't treat us the same."

"Why not honey, the doctor said he's been recovering," She stood up and walked over to her boy, placing a hand on his shoulder. With a sigh she said, "If you're so worried go and find him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind your company."

Roxas brushed her hand from off his shoulder before giving her a deathly look and heading out the door.

"It's been becoming hard to tell whether I like my past with Riku better than this present," Sora played in the park's grass with his blitzball. He moved it around slowly with his feet, trying to train himself into learning new maneuvers. "He notices me! Back then, after he had forgotten, I would've never imagined talking to him again."

"You look happy." Riku's familiar voice stung Sora's ears making him jump. He knew the snow-head was coming but it still startled him. Sora heard the teen sigh.

"You don't have to sneak up on me," The brunette quickly turned to face the latter. "I'm sure you're perfectly capable of grabbing my attention with 'hello' or 'Sora' like a normal person would do."

"It's not like I was trying to scare you," Riku combed his fingers back through his hair. "And you're the one who's far from normal." Sora frowned, slouching his shoulders. "You wanted me to help you right? I mean that is why I'm here."

"Yeah," Sora responded. "I can't get the ball during the game ever when we practice."

"Well for starters," Riku kicked the ball from under the brunette's foot, making Sora grunt as he fell into Riku who was supporting him with his arm. "Keep a stronger stance." He began to adjust Sora's shoulders, pushing them to straighten up the brunettes back. "You also lack aggressiveness."

"How will being aggressive help me if I can't even get the ball?"

"I'll demonstrate," Riku rolled the blitzball in between them as if they were starting a real game. "Try and get to the ball first."

"We already know that I can't, Riku." Sora sighed, slouching over once again.

"Just keep your stance strong and try, I'll go easy," Riku grinned. "I promise."

"I should listen to him." Sora stared at the snow-head intently, waiting to see if he would try and make the move first. He saw Riku roll his eyes and decided to take the ball in that second. "Unf!"

"What the…?"

The next thing he knew the brunette hit the ground. "Why did you just do that?!" Sora whined, rubbing his lower back as he sat on the grass.

"Simple, because you got to the ball before I did." The snow-head smirked, hoping Sora got the point of what he was teaching him.

"Oh yeah," Sora got up, dusting himself off and walking over to Riku. "I can be aggressive too!" He playfully shoved Riku, pushing the elder a couple steps back.

"You're so lucky I'm allowing you to do that."

"Why did we have to get into this?!" Tifa shivered, seeing another abnormally large spider crawl across its web.

"Because it's cool, that's why!" Xion smiled as she looked around all of the furniture in the room.

They decided to split up with Tifa, Xion, and Terra taking one half of the mansion while Noel and Hope took the other half. So far the trio had made it through four rooms, finding nothing that had any interesting value to it what so ever.

"I feel like this is a waste of time," Terra sighed as he stood near the door holding the flashlight. "We've been through four rooms already, and nothing's happened. If this place was really haunted, I think at least a window opening or a door closing would've happened to us by-."

The door made a slamming nose behind him as it shut so fast that it blew some wind past him. Suddenly Terra's heart stopped, his face distorting into a look of being absolutely terrified as the girls stared at him in shock.

He gulped. "Shit, shit, shit!" The brunette ran to the other side of the room, holding the flashlight at the door.

Xion put her hand to her mouth, trying to suppress her laugh. "If that was a ghost I think it likes to have fun!"

"That's the only door out of this room." Tifa looked at Terra and Xion.

"Well I'm not going to try and open it if that's what you're suggesting!" Terra yelled. He was still shivering.

"Hey," Xion placed her hands on her hips. "I opened the door last time. It's your turn Tifa!"

Tifa looked at the door and then back to Xion. Taking a gulp she looked at the door again. "If I die tonight I want you all to know that Noel confessed to me about liking Hope during one of our practices." Xion and Terra raised their eyebrows.

"Is that really all she would have to say before her death…?" Terra thought.

Tifa slowly went towards the door, her heart beat increasing with each step she took. She reached the door, taking a deep breath before placing her hand on the door knob. "It's freezing!" She turned it. "YES!" She turned around to look at the others, excited. "Guys it's-!?" Her excitement soon passed as she saw the doorknob in the hand she had raised. "BROKEN!?"

Xion face palmed. "We're doomed!"

"You would never really hurt me," Sora smiled. "Would you, Riku?"

Riku looked away from the young boy, rubbing the back of his head saying, "If you would like to think that, then sure."

Sora reached his fingers towards Riku's face. Feeling the tips of Sora's fingers touch his skin, Riku looked down at the brunette from the corner of his eye. "He's just so…," Sora moved Riku's face to face his. He went on his tip toes and gave the snow-head a kiss. "Perfect." It was soft and sweet, similar to the last kiss the shared. Yet it seemed to have more feeling.

"Fuck." *

Sora moved about an inch away, separating their lips, before opening his eyes and seeing the blush on Riku's face. "Ack!" He became flustered, beginning to flail his arms in embarrassment. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have…I just…s-sorry! I'll go home now!"

Sora turned around about to run from the scene, but Riku held him back by grabbing his wrist. "No," He was looking down at the grass. "Stay." He pulled the brunette in close to him, embracing him.

"Riku…" Sora said softly.

Riku held Sora's head against his chest, his fingers laced through his soft spikes.

"I've denied it for so long now."

Sora's eyes went wide.

"Does he remember?"

"I had liked you since middle school," The two sat down in the grass, Sora still being held by Riku. "You were in my music class, but Beat was too and so I thought you would never like me because you were always so happy around him." Sora began to feel a pain within his heart. "I had decided to wait for the boy I can't remember but it gets harder and harder to suppress my feelings for you each day. As long as you're here, I don't think I can wait for him."

"Riku," Sora looked and into the snow-head;s eyes. Grinning he said, "I've liked you since middle school too!"

"Why can't I tell him the truth?"

"I know," He gave the boy another kiss. "Idiot!"

"Noel, this is boring!" Hope's expression fell flat as he looked around yet another unappealing room. "This place isn't haunted by anything except dust!"

"Maybe we should go back and look for the others then." Noel tried to refrain from staring at Hope too long, looking at the corner of the room.

"I guess so," The boy sighed. "What a pointless adventure. And I'm so sleepy."

Noel took his phone out of his pocket, checking the time. "This can't be right."

"What?" Hope went up close beside Noel, looking at his phone.

5 pm.

"It was five before we had gotten on the train," Noel flipped his phone back closed and placed it in his pocket. "This place must be messing with it."

Just then Noel and Hope jumped, hearing a loud crash and feeling the floor rumble beneath their feet. Hope wrapped his arms around Noel's waist, holding him tight in fear.

"What the hell was that?!" Noel thought, moving his flashlight shakily around the room. Nothing was out of place. "Whatever happened must've been in a different room."

"Noel, I don't want to be here anymore!" Noel could feel Hope's heart beat fast against his stomach.

"Let's go then." Noel maneuvered to grab Hope's hand as he turned around and began to run for the main entrance, but he felt Hope drop to the floor as if he was a dead weight. He looked back to see Hope lying on the ground.

"I'm so scared I can't move my legs."

"If this was a life or death situation you'd definitely be the first the die." Noel complained as he helped Hope get on his back.

"No, because I have you with me!"

Noel began to blush, but quickly shook it off trying to regain composure. "Take the flash light."

Hope grabbed the flashlight and held it over Noel's shoulder.

"I'm surprised you came looking for me," Ventus and his brother were holding bags in their hands, on their way back home. "Considering you don't want people to know about both of us."

"I have no idea what Mom was thinking, letting you out here by yourself," Roxas kicked at the rocks on the ground. "I'm still pissed about it!"

Ventus leaned over and gave Roxas a kiss on the cheek. "It's okay, I'm fine. Mom realizes that, I wish you'd realize it too." The blond smiled.

Roxas struggled to find words to say, biting his lips as they began to quiver. In this silence, he heard voices. "Stop." He whispered to Ven, putting an arm in front of him to stop walking.

Looking over at the park, they both saw two familiar figures. Roxas raised a brow.

"Is that Sora?" Ventus' mouth opened wide.

"I think so." Roxas squinted his eyes, trying to get a clearer view. "Why is he with-" His thought process stopped when he saw the two kiss. Furrowing his brows he looked towards Ven. "Let's take a back road." He moved quickly with Ventus following him.

"Is something wrong, Roxas?"

"No!"

"WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Tifa yelled banging on the door along with her other two friends. They were all screaming and more and more things in the room began to crash around them, a shrieking laughter piercing their ears.

"Let us out, let us out!" Xion cried.

To their surprised the door opened, and they all tumbled through trying run as fast as they could. Tifa looked back at the door, seeing a pale blonde haired girl in a white dress standing beside it. "Oh no!" She quickly looked away.

Upon reaching the main entrance they ran into Hope and Noel.

"We're leaving, ASAP." Terra told them.

"What happened to you guys?" Hope saw the wild expressions on their faces.

"Tifa, you look like you saw a ghost!" Noel commented.

"Leave now, questions later!" Xion said before Terra opened the door and they all ran out.

Watching the door shut behind them, the blonde girl pouted. The ruckus calmed down around her. "Why do you guys always have to chase people away?" She asked what seemed like no one.

But you could hear the slight hush of a voice that responded to her.

"It's fun."

"Well, not fun for me," The girl crossed her arms against her chest, an angry look on her face. "I have to go home now guys. I'll come back tomorrow night!"

She went towards the large back door, sliding it open.

"Bye bye, Namine."

Sora moved the blitzball along with his feet as he slowly walked home.

"In the end he told me we can't be together, because if we are it might affect the team."

Reviews are loved!~

"Fuck" * - I just wanted you guys to know that the 'fuck' was Riku's thoughts, just in case that was confusing.