A/N: So I've had this stored away for a while, working on it whenever I could get online. I figure that tonight's as good a night to post this as any, since it's right before the weekend begins.
This is a collaborated effort between myself and PreseaTheKitsune; Her being the initial creator of the idea, us both working this together, and myself choosing to upload it here. Any credit that goes to me must also go to PreseaTheKitsune.
So....this is just an idea we wanted to see work, and this was the end result. Somewhat reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast...not really.
Disclaimer: For any and all characters mentioned, I do not claim them as my own. They are from Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, property of Atlus. Nor do I really WANT to claim rights to them, because that would involve a team of lawyers banging down my door and I don't really want that happening.
oOoOo
On the outskirts of town, there once was a family of detectives. It was a detective family that was generations old and the best in the land. They had but one child; a young son whose curiosity was to make him follow in his family's footsteps. At a young age, his parents died and his grandfather took her in, raising him to succeed, not knowing his parents' death lingered on his mind. He knew how old his grandfather was, but his grandfather's death was still unprepared to him. He was still believed too young to live alone and was to be sent away.
Approaching the estate, he was to be taken away... however, he never left. The bodies of the people were found the next day outside the gates of the estate. Nobody understood what happened, but the next evening when another group went, only one returned. The survivor was at death's door, raving about a cloaked figure, chains, and a bright yellow eye. The wounds were fatal; no more was told. The estate was boarded up, never to be approached, but sometimes, dead people are still found, too foolish to heed warnings.
"Eek! Senpai! That story's too creepy! Why are you telling us?!"
"Cuz we're going there, tonight."
oOoOo
The full moon shone ominously in the night sky, partially obscured by hazy clouds and making their visibility lower than it was already. A chill breeze rustled the distant trees and rustling the long grass in the front yard of the old, boarded up estate. Situated on the outskirts of town, the manse was of western design, two stories high and despite the boards covering the windows and entrances it still looked impressive in comparison to the smaller homes of Inaba. The overgrown yard was covered with weeds and long, wild grass, and was enclosed on the inside of a large, black-painted iron gate of a fence that wrapped around the entire plot of land. The only way in was through an old gate, rusted with age.
Souji clicked on his flashlight, holding a golf club in his other hand. He looked back at the others as they grouped around the gate. Yukiko clicked on her own flashlight, a fan in her pocket while Chie was shifting on her feet nervously, flashlight bobbing. Rise stood very close to Teddie, who was shaking with fear. Yosuke was balancing a flashlight and two wrenches in his hands, and Kanji was standing casually, holding a flashlight loosely in one hand.
"So, is everyone ready to go in?" Souji asked. The group was silent, each looking warily at each other. None of them really knew why they were going to explore this old run-down estate. To disprove the rumors? Perhaps, but a lot of stories surrounded the place...
"S-S-Sensei, a-are there r-really...g-g-ghosts here?" Teddie asked, looking over at Souji.
The grey-haired teen shrugged. "That's the rumor..."
"Feh...there ain't no such thing as ghosts..." Kanji grumbled, cracking his neck.
"Heh, then why're you shaking, Kanji?" Yosuke asked, grinning.
"I-I ain't shakin!" Kanji growled, looking away and going rigid.
"Let's go." Souji declared. He turned and opened the gate, which let out a loud, long CREEEAK as it swung. Souji led the group to the front door, using his golf club to pry the wood off. He pushed the door open and looked inside.
The front entrance opened up to a large entrance hall, which split into several corridors. A grand staircase occupied most of the entrance, leading up to the second floor. There were three main corridors, which led to what appeared to be a dining room, a living room, and back further into the estate respectively. Old pictures in elaborate frames decorated the walls, covered in dust. Cobwebs were abundant everywhere.
Yukiko stood close to Souji, biting her lip as she peered inside. Rise was still on Teddie's arm while Chie marched boldly in, glancing around, "... Seems like a normal house."
"Just... dirty," Yukiko muttered.
"Yeah...Talk about your fixer-upper, huh?" Yosuke asked, walking in after Chie.
Kanji walked in after the others, cracking his neck. "...Ain't nothin' here." he said.
"Y-Yeah! L-Let's head back!" Teddie said, taking a step back.
"Hey, we haven't gone that far in yet!" Chie said, now a little more confident. She was walking into the entrance hall, passed the grand staircase.
---
A bright yellow eye opened upstairs and glanced around the room. Someone... here?
---
"Wow... this is all Western architecture," Yukiko said, now looking around too. Souji nodded in agreement, examining the tables and picture frames on the wall.
"...Yo, Senpai, wha'ssat?" Kanji asked, glancing over at Yosuke, who had pulled something out of his pocket.
"Huh? Oh, well, in case there is a ghost here..." Yosuke trailed, showing Kanji a small piece of paper with a seal mark on it, like the talismans that were decorated around a shrine.
"... You brought talismans... wow," Chie said, shaking her head. Yukiko sighed and shook her head; she ran a hand along the banister of the stairway.
"...you serious?" Kanji asked, unimpressed.
"H-Hey, it doesn't hurt to come prepared!" Yosuke protested, pocketing the talismans. Chie rolled her eyes.
Teddie gulped and turned, staring down a hallway. Was something there? He could have sworn something in the shadows had moved...
Rise walked in with Teddie and jumped, "D-Did you hear something?"
"I-I dunno..." Teddie stammered, squinting in the darkness. Rise looked as well, but she saw nothing.
"Uh...L-Lets go see what Senpai's doing!" Rise said, tugging Teddie over to where Souji was.
Souji, on the other hand, was staring at a photo. In it was a family of three; a serious-looking man with blue hair, a kind-looking woman with a smile, and a young male who looked uncomfortable. Souji frowned, remembering the story. Was it true, then?
"Huh?" Kanji blinked, looking up at the family of three. "Who're they?" he asked Souji as Teddie and Rise walked over.
Souji shook his head, "I don't know... but it could be the family..."
"Eh? Family?" Kanji asked, blinking.
"You don't remember?" Rise asked, looking at Kanji. "Jeez, Kanji, you need to pay attention more."
"Yeah. The Shirogane family," Souji said, "They were detectives... only had a son according to the rumors."
"So...They the ones who lived 'ere?" Kanji asked, staring at the picture.
"Yeah, according to the stories..." Souji said.
"Hey, Yukiko! Where are you going?" Yosuke asked, watching as the dark-haired girl walked up the stairs.
"Oh, well, I wanted to look upstairs," Yukiko said, coming back downstairs, frowning. She looked around, "...? Did someone hear that?"
"Hear what...?" Yosuke asked nervously. "Don't start doing that, Yukiko...I'm scared enough as it is."
"It sounded like... rattling." Yukiko said, turning back to the stairs.
Shiiiik....
Yukiko looked up, "... you can't tell me you didn't hear that..."
"I...I think I did..." Chie said, shaking a bit.
Shiiiik.... shiiiik....
Souji turned away from the photo, one eyebrow raised. Kanji looked up as well. "Th' hell was that?" he asked. Both Teddie and Rise froze, hearing the sound. Rise scooted behind Souji, shaking.
Yosuke gulped, looking up as well. His hand unconsciously reached for his talisman.
Shiiiik.... shiiiik..... shiiiik....
"...W-We should leave, Sensei!" Teddie said, tugging Souji's sleeve. As soon as he moved, the shadows seemed to shift. A sudden hiss sounded through the room. Then, they started emerging slowly like demonic apparitions. Vague shapes formed, hand-like claws extending from shadowy masses of bodies. Their piercing yellow eyes glared at the small group.
Teddie and Rise both screamed, Teddie dropping his flashlight. They cowered behind Souji, who raised his golf club defensively
"What the hell are those things?!" Kanji exclaimed as the Shadows neared them.
"How should I know?!" Yosuke yelled moving back with the others as the Shadows forced them into a huddle. "G-Get back!!" he yelled, swinging a wrench at the creatures. Souji did the same, keeping them back with his golf club.
Suddenly, there was the sound of metal striking metal. The club flew away from Souji's grasp. He whirled around to see what had struck, and he froze.
"..."
A black figure with a billowing coat and muffler loomed over him. Its head was bandaged loosely and arms hidden in long sleeves. It seemed to be floating, because the bottom of the coat billowed freely, like a phantom. The only thing that could be made out was the bright yellow eye looming out of the darkness... but then a faint glint of metal shone in the flashlight light, giving the kids a small glimpse of two long-barrel revolvers it held in each hand.
Rise shrieked. Teddie screamed. Chie and Yukiko's eyes widened and both were frozen in terror. There were two loud clatters as Yosuke's grasp went limp and he dropped his wrenches. Kanji gulped, shaking in fear. Souji stared in shock, unable to move.
For a few tense seconds, nobody moved, frozen in fear at the figure. Souji finally blinked, then snapped out of his shock.
"RUN FOR IT!"
Rise and Teddie screamed again, running for the exit with Kanji. Yukiko and Chie jumped and bolted... further into the house on accident. "Chie, wait!" Yosuke yelled, running after Chie while Souji ran after Yukiko. The creature looked at them both as they ran and just seemed to float there. Its yellow eye swiveled back to the two remaining. It raised a gun and fired.
Yosuke ducked a bit as he ran once he heard the shot of the gun, panic and adrenaline burning through him. Souji ducked as well, the bullet striking the wall just a few inches from where his head had been.
The figure looked around, but then floated after Souji while its chains snaked after Yosuke and Chie.
---
As the figure pursued those still in the house, the Shadows pursued Rise, Teddie, and Kanji. Rise screamed again, bolting out of the door with Teddie and Kanji following close behind them. The Shadows hissed, but paused at the door's frame. They growled, glaring at the three, before turning and receding back into the house.
Kanji looked back at the house and slowed down as he realized they weren't being chased anymore. He slumped over with his hands on his knees, panting heavily.
"Wh-Where's Sensei and the others??" Teddie asked, still trembling.
"Are they still inside!?" Rise exclaimed.
"I thought they were behind me!" Kanji yelled, turning back to the house. The three of them jumped at the sound of another gunshot.
---
Back inside, Yukiko was running frantically through the house, trying to find the exit. She had run inside by mistake, and now that thing was--
"!! AAAAH!" She screamed, suddenly feeling something grab her hand. She turned and automatically smacked whatever grabbed her.
Souji looked back at her, rubbing his cheek. "Oh god! I'm so sorry!" Yukiko cried.
"Never mind that! Come on!" Souji exclaimed, his eye catching movement and the faint glint of a gun barrel just down the hall. He barely managed to pull Yukiko out of the way and around to the next room as a shot was fired. That... thing was following them! His heart was pounding so hard, adrenaline running like crazy.
---
"Wh-What are we gonna do??" Teddie asked, shaking. It had been a long time, and there were a lot of gunshots, and the others still hadn't come back out.
Kanji growled, and then started running back to the house.
"Kanji-kun! That's the wrong way!!" Teddie yelled.
Rise looked after Kanji, "Kanji! Come back!"
"We gotta get 'em outta there!" Kanji barked back at them. He was almost at the entrance when the door suddenly swung open, Souji and Yukiko running out.
Kanji skidded to a halt, turning back to Souji and Yukiko. "S-Senpai?!" he asked. "Where's Yosuke-senpai an' Chie-senpai??"
"They're not...! Dammit!" Souji snapped and ran back inside.
"!! Wh-wait up Senpai!" Kanji yelled, running after Souji into the Estate. Yukiko remained outside with Rise and Teddie.
---
"Chie!!" Yosuke yelled as he ran after her, grabbing her arm to stop her. "Chie, we gotta get out of here!!"
Chie jumped as Yosuke grabbed her, but then latched onto him. "I wanna go home!" she cried.
"I know, we'll--!!" Yosuke began, but let out a cry and suddenly fell to the ground. Chains were wrapped around his ankles, pulling him down and causing him to drop his flashlight. Chie screamed as she was caught by the chains too. They thrashed in the grip of the chains, trying desperately to break free, but they held tightly. In the faint light of Yosuke's flashlight, a dark shadow appeared in the room behind them, yellow eye glowing.
Yosuke trembled as he saw the figure and its glowing eye. Somehow in his thrashings, he got hold of his talisman. In desperation, he yelled out and threw it at the monster, hoping that maybe there was that one-in-a-million chance it was a super-powered talisman like in his videogames.
The figure blinked, flinching at the talisman. Suddenly, the chains loosened.
"Huh??" Yosuke blinked. The chains were loose, but it wasn't from the talisman. The figure was actually holding onto the talisman, staring at it almost in confusion. The chains were slack due to its diverted attention.
"Yosuke! Chie!" Souji's voice called through the Estate. Chie slipped out of her chains, Yosuke pulling out shortly after. Both took off, running towards Souji's voice.
The creature looked up, surprised that Yosuke and Chie were gone. It glowered and the chains rattled after them.
Chie almost crashed into Souji as she ran into them. Souji gasped, "Where's Yosuke?"
"I.. I..." she panted.
"Guys, wait up!!" Yosuke yelled from further inside the Estate.
Souji shook his head, "Just get going!"
She nodded and ran out the door.
"Senpai!" Kanji yelled, looking back as Yosuke ran. "Hurry up!"
"Hurry Yosuke!" Souji yelled, but then his eyes widened.
The chains snapped to Yosuke, grabbing him fast. They bound his legs and arms, constricting him tightly and pulling him back. Yosuke's eyes widened as the chains grabbed him and pulled him deeper into the estate. He screamed, thrashing with all his might against the stubborn chains.
"Yosuke-senpai!!" Kanji yelled, but froze. The figure floated into the room, guns pointed at Kanji and Souji.
With difficulty, Souji tackled Kanji to the ground as the figure fired. He scrambled to his feet, "Yosuke!"
Kanji scrambled to get up, watching as the chains pulled Yosuke into the darkness. He gulped as the guns were on them again.
Souji didn't notice. "Yosuke!" he yelled, about to run in again.
"...Dammit, Senpai move!" Kanji yelled, grabbing Souji and pulling him away just as the gun went off. Souji stared in the darkness when Yosuke's screams rang through the darkness. The guns were pointing towards them again. He clenched his fist and turned, running out.
Kanji looked back as Souji ran to the exit. He glanced once back at the figure, and where Yosuke was dragged away, before turning and running away with Souji.
The figure blinked, watching.
"Senpai, we can't just leave him!!" Kanji yelled after Souji as they ran. The exit was in sight, but...
Souji was about to say something, but a bullet choose then to whizz by his face. He didn't want to leave Yosuke behind, but with that damn thing behind them, there wasn't much they could do. The two of them ran out the door as fast as they could, looking back. The figure appeared at the door, but then stopped, staring. Its guns lowered and it just stared at them. Slowly, the door closed and the boards sprang up, returning to their place.
"Sensei!" Teddie exclaimed, running over. "Where's Yosuke-san??"
Souji panted as Yukiko and Chie ran over, frowning. Rise stared at the estate, her head tilted. Finally, he looked up, "Y-Yosuke.... i-is still in there..."
"Whaaa?!" Teddie exclaimed, his eyes wide. "B-But Sensei, he...he could..."
Kanji growled, looking away. "Not much we can do starin' down two barrels..."
"We... we have to go back and save him," Souji said, getting to his feet, "We have to find him."
"... W-We almost got killed and you... How!?" Chie exclaimed, "How do we go in and fight that... thing!?"
"... Has anyone ever gone in during the morning?" Yukiko asked, "All the stories are at night."
"Huh?" Teddie asked, blinking. "N-Night?"
"Hn...Yeah, I don't remember hearin' anything about daytime." Kanji said, nodding. "Think that thing'll still be awake then?"
"Who knows... we just have to find Yosuke," Souji said, "Come on..." He turned towards the gate, his head low. The others hesitated, but there was nothing they could do but follow. All they could do now was pray that Yosuke survived long enough for them to reach him...
---
It was too dark to know where he was in the state, and he was too frantic to care.
Deep inside the estate, Yosuke was struggling against his chains. They had fastened themselves tightly around his legs and arms, making him helplessly pinned. The more he struggled, the more the chains seemed to constrict around him
"D-Dammit!" he said, gritting his teeth. Where were the others?? They had to be coming soon, right?? The chains wrapped even more, some moving up around his throat and face, slowly piling and darkening his sight. Yosuke tensed; these things...were they going to suffocate him?! He trembled, watching the chains continued wrapping around him. Then, all at once, they tightened.
Yosuke let out a pained cry, which was somewhat stifled as the chains closed around his throat. He tried to move, but it was futile. The chains kept their hold, but then they loosened. Shoes clicked on the wooden floor and the chains fell from his face…
... just enough for him to see the figure had returned.
Yosuke's face paled and his eyes widened as the figure approached. He watched as the figure raised a gun, and he squeezed his eyes shut...
...and was surprised when it hit him in the head with the butt of the gun. His vision darkened and he slumped over, unconscious.
The figure waved a hand and the chains latched to the ground. Some tore through Yosuke to reach the ground, but the figure didn't care; Morning was coming soon.
It left Yosuke as is, slowly returning upstairs, and entered one of the dark rooms; It was dusty, but it had a dresser with some picture frames, a bookshelf with decaying novels, a chair fallen on its back, and a small bed in the corner. The door just closed behind the figure.
Rest... needed...
A/N: And that's the first chapter. Regardless if you like it or not, please comment.
oOoOo