Mayu's Promise
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Fatal Frame II.
"You promised that we'd always be together…"
I'd wanted to believe it, but deep inside my heart, I'd always known it was a lie. You were so much stronger than me, so much more independent… And though you never said it, I could tell that it bothered you how clingy I was and how much I relied on you. How ironic that my plan to injure myself and bind you to me forever with guilt would backfire so terribly.
"We can't be together forever."
You and I were born together. We grew up close, with you never letting me out of your sight because you knew I needed you-because you felt responsible for the accident that had left me this way. But it was only a matter of time before we drifted apart. People grow up, they fall in love, and they have kids… I could only follow you so long. Eventually you would leave me behind.
"Are you leaving me again?"
I dreaded the day you'd get married, abandoning me and promising yourself to someone else for all eternity. What about the promise you made to me? Didn't you promise me that you'd stay by my side-that we'd always be together? I feared living alone, knowing that my every waking moment would be filled with thoughts of you, while the hours I spent asleep would be filled with dreams of you and what once was and could never be again.
"Don't leave me…"
More than anything, I dreaded the day I'd get that phone call-the day that I would be told my beloved sister, who I hadn't seen in what seemed like forever, had died. How wouldn't matter. Whether you went peacefully in your old age or suffered some horrible accident tragically young, I would be left alone. And knowing it would most likely be the man that had stolen you away from me or one of your children that would give me the news made it all the worse. I'd rather be there when you died. I want to be the one who hears your last breath, who watches your eyes close for the last time. I'd even settle for staring into your wide eyes as all sign of life leaves them, staring as if in a trance as the last of your blood drains from your body from some gaping wound.
"Please…"
Sometimes, I would fantasize about your husband going first, in the vain hopes that you would come running to me for comfort. I'd secretly be overjoyed, but I'd do my best to seem sorry, as any good sister should. I would urge you to come over right away, while plotting a way to convince you to stay with me forever. But if you had kids, I realized, they would keep you away or provide support in my place. That's when I started to dream up a different scenario.
"Everyone…died."
'Dear sister,' I would say. 'While you were out, something terrible happened.' Then I would go on to tell her how her entire family had been killed in a fire, crushed when the house collapsed, or murdered by some unknown assailant. Sometimes, I liked to imagine myself as that unknown assailant, coming up with horrible ways to kill them. I smiled gleefully as I thought of the blood pooling beneath the husband she had yet to find or strangling the life out of the kids she'd yet to have. The more terrible the scenario I came up with, the stronger my sister's grief-the stronger her need for me-would be.
"The Lost Village…"
It hadn't been an accident. I'd heard rumors about that place. Those who wandered too far into the forest were spirited away and trapped there for all eternity. Trapped for all eternity…with you. How wonderful that idea seemed. When that butterfly appeared, almost as if it were calling me, I chased after it, knowing you would follow. And we both wound up in the Lost Village. You were so determined to find a way out, but I couldn't let that happen. So I forced myself to leave your side, knowing you would abandon all else to look for me. That was when I met Sae…
"Why didn't you kill me back then?"
Though I'd known of the village, I hadn't known about the ritual. When Sae possessed me, I saw her memories and felt her pain. I could understand how she felt better than anyone. But when I decided to guide Mio to where the ritual would be completed, I didn't do it for anyone but myself. I wanted her to kill me, knowing that we could use the ritual to become one forever. It was my dream come true. And with the secret frustration I knew Mio felt for me, I'd thought it would be easy to tempt her into taking my life away with her bare hands.
"I was waiting…"
But Mio had proved more stubborn than I'd thought. She'd managed to reunite Sae with her sister, allowing them to complete the ritual and free the village. At the last minute, before they jumped into the Hellish Abyss to be together forever, Mio had saved me. She hugged me desperately, sobbing and saying how glad she was she'd made it in time. This should have touched me, but all I could do was look up coldly as the Kurosawa sisters rose from the abyss as a single butterfly. More and more glowing red butterflies poured out from the darkness, fluttering around as if mocking me with the fact that they would be together with their sisters forever.
"No matter what happens…I'll forgive you."
I'm angry, there's no doubt about that. My face is expressionless as you take my hand and help me to my feet, but it takes great effort not to let my anguish show. I'd planned for us both to die here, suffering together forever as damned spirits in this hellish town. A momentary flash of rage causes me to grasp you with both hands, grip tightening against you flesh and causing you to yelp. You try to pull away from me, but I don't want to be apart from you anymore today. I really do forgive you. As I feel your pulse beating in sync with mine, I know there's no way I could ever hate you. Your lips move, but no words come out. You don't need to apologize to me, dear sister. This is enough.
"So it's alright…"
When I had left you behind to enter the Kurosawa house, ignoring your cries, I could tell you thought it was all Sae's fault. Surely her anger and sorrow over her sister's betrayal had tainted me. My desire to die at my twin's hand was really from her insanity. But I think I was already mad long before she possessed me. That seems like the most logical conclusion as I release Mio, barely catching a glimpse of the butterfly-shaped bruise on her throat as her body falls back and disappears into the Hellish Abyss. A lone red butterfly slowly ascends from the pit. It hovers above me, and I feel as though it is staring into my soul. The beautiful creature continues to move upwards, fluttering faster now, as if trying to escape me. But I don't cry or chase after it. Instead, I just stand there, staring up at the place where it disappeared.
"Kill me."
Months later, I stand amongst weeping relatives and friends at her funeral. Her body had naturally never been found, but it had eventually become clear that she was never coming back. My face is devoid of any emotion, and the wetness on my face is caused only by the rain that is pouring down from above. Those around me mistake it for tears, and I can hear them whispering about how terrible it must be for me to have lost my twin sister. One relative comments that it must be like losing a part of oneself. It's true. A part of me did die the day I killed Mio in the Lost Village. But sacrificing a part of myself was a small price to pay, I think, smirking as I touch the butterfly-bruise on my neck.
Because now, Mio is mine, and I'll never let her go again.