Title: Himuro Mountain

Author: Evil_Little_Dog

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: 1013 owns all of this, except what was filched from Fatal Frame.

Summary: Mulder finds something that interests him.

Late yesterday, a human body with no limbs was found in Himuro Mountain, located in the southern region of the prefecture. The body's hands, feet, and head were all torn off. The police is investigating the case as both a murder and accident. The body has not been identified, but it is believed to be a man around the age of 30. The police are also taking into consideration that a body, mutilated in the same manner, was found in the same location 15 years ago.

Mulder sat up straighter, rereading the article. There wasn't much of it, and it'd come to him in the usual way – in with a batch of other clippings, from the Lone Gunmen, and their sources. Stuff they couldn't review with their limited funds. Things that he could look into, with the FBI's resources, as long as he could prove it to be a legitimate expense.

In theory.

Opening the drawer of his desk, Mulder took out a few sunflower seeds, popping them into his mouth and chewing the shells off. He spat the shells into the garbage can and turned the seeds around in his mouth, chewing them as he re-read the article. Turning away from his desk, he searched through the books on the shelves, skimming his finger over the top of them. Grabbing one on Japanese folklore, he snatched it out, opening to the index and began skimming through the words. Tapping his finger on the page for the legend, he flipped back to the appropriate page, skimming it, even though he remembered exactly what it said from when he'd read it before.

Japan was out of their jurisdiction. Way out of their jurisdiction. There was no way he could go there and have the FBI pay for it. Falling back into his chair hard enough to make it squeak, Mulder stared up at the ceiling and the pencils stuck into it. He laced his fingers behind his head, studying the pencils, as if they could offer some insight into the problem. A memory tickled in his mind, and he closed his eyes for a second.

The door to the office opened, making Mulder's eyes pop open. Scully strode through, a paper cup of coffee in one hand, her briefcase in the other. "Good morning, Mulder. Any alien abductions from the night before?"

He straightened slightly, jerking his chin at his desk. "Just this."

Scully took the clipping and read it aloud. "Mulder, this is…where is Himuro Mountain, anyway? Japan?"

"Uh huh."

"And you really think we can just fly over there to investigate?"

"Not really," Mulder said. "But there're enough similarities between those two bodies and some that have been found on the Indiana-Kentucky border," he hopped to his feet, heading for the file cabinet to dig out a folder, "that there could be a tie-in. There've been mysterious light sightings in a rural area, and then the bodies."

"And you believed these are connected in some way?" Scully sucked on the inside of her cheek the way she did.

Mulder handed her the file. "I'll let you be the judge of that, Scully."

She accepted the file, raising her eyebrows as she began reading. After a few minutes, a frown furrowed her brow, and she flipped from the pages in the file and then back to the newspaper clipping. "There are some parallels, Mulder." She ignored the scoffing sound he made. "Some parallels don't mean much. There were people who were dismembered the same way in the Middle Ages, Mulder, and you have to know it."

Sighing, he nodded. "Yeah, you're right. But what are the odds, that someone in Japan is murdered on the same night as someone in Kentucky?"

Scully carefully closed the file, laying it on his desk. "Well. I suppose going to Kentucky is less of a stretch than going to Japan. And," she held up her hand to forestall Mulder saying anything. "I just happen to have a friend in Japan. He and I went to school together, and he got a job in Japan on the police force. He might be willing to do some investigation for us, or at least get some more information, if I email him."

Mulder beamed. "You are just the font of surprises, Scully. I'll make the flight arrangements." Getting to his feet, he grinned. "Let's go to Kentucky."

"Yeehaw," Scully muttered, not quite under her breath.

X X X

They limped back off of the jet, Mulder literally hobbling, Scully offering as much support as she could, though her face was set in a 'I told you so' expression. "Not one word, Scully."

She scoffed, deep in her throat.

"Not one word." His finger shivered as he pointed it at her.

Scully raised her eyebrows, pursing her mouth.

They made their way out of the airport and hailed a cab. Mulder all but fell into the back seat, groaning. He wanted a drink. A stiff one. And a lot of aspirin. Not necessarily in that order.

"Long trip?" the cabby asked in a sing-song accent.

"Too long," Scully said, giving Mulder's address.

Mulder wrapped his coat more tightly around himself. Three days of slogging in and around the Ohio River left him feeling waterlogged, not to mention, he'd twisted his ankle in some hole trying to chase what he'd thought was a suspect.

"That was a cow," Scully had told him, after she'd helped haul him back to his feet. "A cow!"

Mulder sighed, hunching in on himself now. They hadn't solved any mysteries, and probably made the locals think they were insane. Great way to promote the FBI in the outlying areas. Skinner was gonna flip his lid.

That drink sounded better all the time.

~ end ~