Disclaimer: I do not own the Fatal Fame series, they belong to Tecmo
A/N: Set before the events in Fatal Frame III, perhaps slight AU in later chapters
Summary: Kaname Ototsuki, a young man which was offered a chance to study with a well-known occultist Dr. Kunihiko Asou in the city. Will he keep his promise to his lover, or will he leave her?
A beautiful afternoon. The golden sun hung in the west horizon, almost sank completely into the other side of the world. Almost everybody have returned into their own houses. Only a young couple was left, spending the rest of the day together beneath a sakura tree. The woman tensed. Her resting head returned into a normal sitting position from her lover's shoulder. A mixture of surprised and worried expression sprouted on her face.
"What? Study in the city?" She asked. "Are you sure about that?"
"Yes my dear. A famous occult master, the folklorist named Dr. Kunihiko Asou had offered me to study with him. I'm really interested in his field of study, and it's a great opportunity to develop myself as well as taking part in his interesting researches!" The man's lips formed a smile and his ebony eyes glowed as a tone of excitement was heard in his voice.
His lover clad in purple floral kimono with smiled a bit, but then her smile was wiped off her face, replaced by a streak of disappointment which bent her head low. "But Kaname, you promised me before! I thought… I thought…" Her words became so shaken of her tries to prevent drops of tears from running down to her cheek.
"Reika? Are you alright?" His excited expression had transformed into worry. Did I say something wrong? He thought. Gently he placed his hands surrounding each of Reika's arms to comfort her and waited for a response. She didn't say a word. Didn't she want her lover to go studying? Was she afraid of being left alone and forgotten? A glimpse of realization suddenly came into his mind, reminding him of a promise, a vow he had sworn to her at the same place they're sitting right now- beneath a blooming sakura tree which was located right in front of their small and peaceful village entrance.
A calming smile painted on the man she called Kaname's lips. "Reika, don't worry," He paused. "I will return as soon as I have finished," His eyes could see Reika's watery eyes like a morning dew as she raised her head upwards. "I will marry you as I have promised." His gaze locked into hers, exchanging an unseen power of their strong affections.
"Promise me, that you won't leave me alone, that you will return someday?" she asked hopefully.
"Of course, I promise…" A sense of suspicion reflected in his eyes. "Did you see something… Wrong?" He could felt Reika's body shivered a bit as he said this. For a brief seconds she paused, trying to collect her words to describe her vision.
xXx
It was dark, as if it was going to rain. A gust of cold air soaked into my bones. The wind was still howling loudly. I woke up right in front of the torii gate, an entrance to my village and looked around. What happened? Everything was in ruins, more than a half of them even covered with soil. No, mother, father! I tried to get up and rushed into my house- or ruins of my house. "Ah!" A terrible pain rushed from my ankle to my entire leg. My ankle was swollen, and a huge bruise was painted all over it. I must have tripped when I fell, or something heavy fell on it. I have to hurry, I thought. I tried to crawl and ignore the pain that now have spread to all over my body. Tears started to run down my face as I saw bodies scattered among the ground, half buried in the soil.
My vision started to blur. Everything became dark and I lost my consciousness. I opened my eyes once again. There a woman stood tall in front of me. I noticed four other women too behind her. "Are you ready?" She smiled warmly. Kindness reflected on her face. Who could these women be? I studied her appearance from the head to the toe. All of her raven hair was tied in a bun which was wrapped in a piece of sea-blue cloth. Her kimono top and hakama was in a similar color, but slightly lighter. All the women behind her shared a similar appearance with her, except that the one in front of me wore a large white obi on her waist.
"Yes," I said without any clue of what the woman was talking about. I just felt an urge to say that, as if it was an answer to a question which determined my fate. The four women without obi helped me get up and placed me on a small open palanquin. The stinging pain once again pulsed all over my body. My sight started to blur again as they carried me slowly outside the village. Everything turned monochrome, and all I remember was seeing the top of the torii gate, dangling dangerously as if it will fall upon anyone unlucky.
xXx
She recalled her vision she saw last night. What should I tell him? She thought. "I… I see myself alone… Waiting endlessly for you in somewhere I don't know…" How could I… How could I say this to him…
Kaname's eyes widened. Her visions had always been accurate, almost as accurate as an old experienced fortune-teller who lived in the village. Yes, he knew about the fact that his lover possessed a strong sixth sense, an ability which had interested, as well as consternated him sometimes in his years of study. But he never expected to hear this from this woman. "Reika, are you sure it's not just an imagination?" he asked curiously.
"I-I'm pretty sure… I saw it quite clearly, and you knew that I'm not that kind who likes daydreaming or exaggerating things…" She replied. Her eyes were casted downwards again.
He scratched his not-itchy forehead, thinking of sentences to say. Was she lying? He tried to remember if she ever lied to him before. I knew her. He thought. She wasn't the one who tell lies… But still, something in his heart told him. She didn't tell everything. Yes, she hid something. She knew something I don't know, something burdening her thoughts heavily. Something she couldn't tell anyone… Even myself.
"Kaname?" He heard a familiar woman's voice calling him.
"Ah… Yes, Reika?"
Her usual smile and cheerfulness have come back into her as if nothing has happened. Kaname suddenly felt her warm hand on his, her fingers gripping them tight. "If it is the best for you, then go, I will wait for you, even if it took forever," she said lightly, seemed like she has forgotten everything she said about her vision, while her lover's face still unmoved of surprise, his eyes wide open and his mouth slightly ajar. She chuckled. "You look funny like that!"
"Huh, what? He laughed too as his mind travelled back into his head. He returned his grip to her, holding her arms closely to his chest. "Hear my promise Reika," he smiled. "I, Kaname Ototsuki, promised that I will return to this village, and marry the girl I loved the most, Reika Yukishiro."
She surrounded him with her arms and hugged him. "Thank you Kaname…" she whispered.
"Reika, it's almost dark!" An old woman's voice called, quickly separate them from their hug. Reika's mother, calling loudly from their house which was just one house away from the entrance.
"Coming, mother!" She answered. "Ah… It's my mother, I have to go home. See you later, Kaname," She threw him a smile before turning around and strolled back to her house.
"Bye, Reika!" He smiled too, more likely a smile to himself as Reika had already turned back.
How do you like the first chapter? Please tell me what do you think. I will update soon as I have time. :D
Reviews and constructive critiques are welcome.