They'd obeyed the first rule.

The same went for the second, third, fifth, sixth, and seventh.

It was the eighth rule, though, that they hadn't obeyed. And of all the rules it was the worst you could possibly ignore.

A day before they went to Hollow Bastion—38 hours exactly—was when it happened: They we're bored, Axel was anxious, and Demyx wanted to keep Number VIII's mind on anyone but Roxas.

So he suggested a Ouija board.

"A Ouija what?" Axel mused; eyebrows raised and a bad feeling boiling in his stomach.

"A Ouija board. I've seen them used all the time in Halloween Town; apparently you can contact spirits with them."

There was a pause, and during it Axel wondered what the mentality of Number XI was. Demyx was more of a timid, lazy person and for something like this to pique his overtly picky interests was… odd none the less.

Axel's stomach didn't like it one bit.

But still, he decided to bite.

"Alright then," Number VIII said with a sigh. "Let's do it."

Meanwhile, his stomach was a furnace.

Rule 1

Always play with two or more people.

An hour-long trip to Halloween Town later, they were back at the castle setting up the session. A small table with two seats on either side, four candles on each corner of the table, and lights completely off.

They stood before the table; Axel holding the planchette tight in his hand, Demyx with the board clutched between his fingers, and both with pockets full of as many silver objects as they could scavenge.

Demyx gingerly laid the board on the table while Axel dug furiously through his pockets to pick out the silver coin he'd found in Port Royal. Demyx pulled out the chain to a necklace and a thimble; both snatched from Neverland.

They placed the silver pieces on the board and gave one another a wary look—a final confirmation of what is to come.

Rule 2

Place silver upon the board

"This is going to work, right?" Axel asked as he watched Demyx take a cautious seat on the right side of the table.

Number IX's eyes scanned the setup; throat so tight he could barely utter out the other's name. "Axel," He squeaked, "You have to have an open mind for this to work. Remember what the woman said?"

The pyro grimaced as the face of the sagging old zombie woman flashed across his mind; her cracking voice recited the rules that Demyx had haphazardly scrawled out onto a piece of paper. "Always play with two or more people, place silver upon the board, have an open mind, never ask about God, have respect for the spirits, always say goodbye, and never let a spirit go through the numbers or alphabet."

At least the lines of number IX's cutesy, feminine writing distracted from the sinister reality of the situation.

Demyx gave Axel a questioning look as number VIII sat down. "Wasn't there an eighth rule?"

"What?"

"I remember writing down eight rules… right? She said the eighth was the most important. Didn't she?"

They shared a moment during which the candles constantly flickered—showing Axel was in deep thought.

"Well," He sighed, concerned smile showing against the shadows of the candlelight. "it must not have been important, then, if we forgot it."

Rule 3

Have an open mind

1 hour and 30 minutes into the 38 hours before Hallow Bastion and the two Nobodies sat anxiously hunched over the Ouija board beneath them. The sweat dripping down Demyx's face glowed against the dim light of the candle as they curved around his wide, scared eyes. His fingers trembled, and every once in a while he would jump before cursing at the fact he'd moved the planchette himself.

On the outside, Axel was calm and focused, while on the inside, he was just as on edge as Demyx. It caught number IX's attention when, if he would jump, the flare of the candles would burst for a split second; signifying Axel's own flinch.

It was 15 minutes into the ritual when Axel moved his hand to touch Demyx's before caressing it. Number IX's gaze- puzzled, hopeful—shot up into his companion's.

"Relax," Axel breathed, "we have to relax. I'm right here, Dem. We've seen worse."

Demyx, caught in Axel's emerald stare, noncommittally nodded; feeling a delightful flutter in his stomach. His body started to lean foreword—an invisible will pulling him—as number VIII tilted his head downward. The pyro's name floated past Demyx's lips, their hands perfectly still upon the planchette, and they kissed for the first time in what felt like eons.

Then Axel started to move the planchette.

"That's not funny," Demyx giggled against Axel's mouth, "you're not scaring me."

Axel pulled back slightly, eyes wide. "Me?" He gawked, "You're moving it, aren't you?"

Horrified gazes mirrored as both Nobodies turned their head to the board below; the candles bursting at the sight.

"Oh god," Demyx muttered.

"Oh god..." Axel reapeated.

The planchette had moved to the panel that read "Hello".

Rule 4

Never ask about God

Happy Halloween.

To be continued...