It was moments like this that Akane regrets her pride, her inability to refuse a challenge even if she knew that she was just walking right into someone's trap. Cursing silently, she adjusts her hold on the arm of the candle holder, feeling its smooth surface heating more and more with each passing moment.
Walking in a darkened hallway of an unfamiliar house, she feels herself shiver slightly, not sure if it was from the cold breeze brought by the late night or the small terror in her chest.
This was supposed to be a nice mini vacation. A little get away out of town before they start school again. No one said anything about dares. Dares that included walking in a dark hall way, a candle, a mirror and a legend. Just because she was strong doesn't mean she wasn't scared. They were out of town, a little more than six hours away from home, on a really old house, of course she was scared!
Seeing the steps that led to the second floor, Akane began going up, the floorboards squeaking with each step. Akane bit her lip, tucking her long hair back, she covered the small flame as she takes a step. She's doomed if it ever went out.
Stupid Yuka-chan. Who cares about an old myth? They could have just told scary stories and stayed in the room cuddled up in their safe, warm blankets. Instead, Akane was here. In the dark, with nothing but a candle to protect her.
You don't need a bokken, Akane-chan. You just have to go upstairs, three rooms on the left, the last one. It has this beautiful mirror. You just have to old up the candle in front of it and chant the words there. My grandmother did it when she was young in front of that very mirror! She says it really works!
Hmp. As if she'd really see her future husband there! Yuka-chan's really gullible! Being the one on the task to confirm it didn't mean that Akane was gullible too… well maybe a little.
The farthest room on the left. Walking towards it, she takes note of how small the space was. It almost looks like a broom closet. Maybe a bit bigger than that. She held the door knob with her free hand, dust clinging on her palm. This room must have not been used in ages…
The door opened with a small squeak. Stretching her hand with the candle to get a better view of the room, Akane sighed in relief as she saw a window, the moon adding to the small light of her candle. Walking inside, she notices how there really isn't anything in the room. Just space. And the one painfully obvious furniture on the room. It was covered in a cloth but Akane already knew what it is. After all, it was why she was here.
Taking a handful of cloth, she hastily pulls it off. The sooner she gets this over with, the sooner she can return to the room with her friends. She instantly regrets the action as dust scattered throughout the room. She closed her eyes instinctively. Coughing, she frantically waves her hand in the air in attempt to clear it.
And then she sees it. Her breath escapes her for a moment.
Yuka-chan was right; the mirror was beautiful.
Hesitantly, Akane daintily touched the cool surface of the frame, her fingers following the swirl of patterns. Intricate designs and small jewels decorated the edges. It was gold plated, a bit dusty but still lovely. Finally, her lithe fingers touched the mirror. The surface glinted with the moon light, just at the right angle for the tiny jewels around it to glimmer beautifully, enhancing its magnificence. The small flame from her candle added to the effect. Akane wondered why it was left here in this abandoned room when it could very well be the center piece of the house. It was old, she can tell from the darkening edges, but it still reflected the image of her hand where it connected with the mirror with crystal clear precision.
Her eyes travelled from the reflection of her hand to the ones looking back at her. She gasped silently. Suddenly, it's as if there was a different girl on the reflection. As if the Akane on the mirror was entirely different from who she was. It was still her but… Were her cheeks that rosy, maybe it was because of the scare earlier? And is it just her or is her frame more, dare she say it, feminine? Had she been smiling, it's as if her lips were curved in a soft almost breathy sigh of a smile. But those details didn't register as much as the change in her eyes. How it seems so different, so far from the ones she saw just this morning. Her brown eyes, always strong and determined, strangely glinted with a look of soft fondness, trust and… something entirely unfamiliar.
She blinked rapidly; once, a flash of short hair, twice, trice, and when she opened her eyes, it was her again. No strangeness. No unfamiliar emotions swirling in the depth of her eyes.
She suddenly felt a small sense of loss. Shaking those thoughts off, Akane looked at the mirror again, task returning to her.
Let's just get this over with.
Placing the candle on the small table in front of the mirror, Akane took out a pocket watch from her pocket.
You have to do this the exact moment the hand strikes 12, Akane-chan! Or it won't work at all!
Akane sighed, 11:56. She's tempted to go back saying it didn't work. Honestly, they weren't kids anymore! Who would have thought her friends were dumb enough to believe that if you chant words in front of a mirror at midnight they would see their future husband? Or if all goes down, a demon, or so the legend says. Her agreeing and squealing in excitement with them until she picked the wrong straw did not mean anything!
Tick tock, tick tock.
11:57.
She could just go back but… maybe she might be a little sort of curious if it would work.
Her future husband… what would he be like? Maybe he'd be handsome, polite, intelligent, sweet, gentle, tall... maybe like a certain doctor she knew… oooh the possibilities!
Yep. She wasn't doing this because she believed that ridiculous myth. It was just… it was a shame not to do it since she went through all of this trouble. And… and her honor! She couldn't fake out of a challenge, right?! Right…
Tick tock, tick tock.
11:58.
She hears a brief splash of water from her left. Looking towards the window, Akane remembers that there was a koi pond at the back of the house just like the one in her home. The movement of the fishes sometimes causes splashes. They must have bigger fishes here… She wonders if Nabiki remembered to feed the koi's today. Akane looks back to her watch.
11:59
Akane gulped, her palms sweaty. Her heart beat accelerating.
Akane-chan, you have to follow exactly what I say, okay?
Tick tock. 57.
With a gulp of air, Akane looked at the mirror, a steel look of determination. This is it.
You have to look at the mirror.
Tick tock. 58.
She'd know for sure if he was the one for her or if she should just give up. A tiny voice in her heart whimpered a 'please be him'.
The candle light danced teasingly at the mirror, lighting Akane's face.
Candle in front…
Tick tock. 59.
Then say the chant. Not with your mouth, though! With your heart! You have to say it with your heart!
What the heck did that even mean?
The grandfather clock from outside clanged rightfully.
Now!
A gust of wind, the candle's small flame danced with it, once, twice;
Akane closed her eyes tightly, heart pounding she chanted with all her heart.
'Mirror, mirror, show to me the person whose soul is bonded to me!'
The flame went out.
Opening her eyes slowly, she stared back at her reflection. Or at least what she could see with the moon light. Nothing. Just her reflection. Her. Not him. Not anyone. Just her.
She sighed in disappointment. Really, what did she expect? She knew this was a phony legend. At this rate, she'd never know if she should stop pinning on Dr. Tofu… Did she really have a chance, though? To him she was just a child. Then, there was Kasumi. Her shoulders slumped as she felt around the table for her candle.
Might as well go back.
Turning towards the door, she outstretched her hand to feel her surroundings.
Darn it, it was dark! Great. Now she had to walk in the dark. Stupid dare. Stupid myth. Stupid mirror. Stupid wind. Stupid window. Couldn't even do its job righ-
Wait… The window was closed when she entered the room. Then how did the wind-
Looking towards it, her heart stopped, her stomach fell as she saw it wide open. Simultaneously, her outstretched hand bumped into something warm, hard, beating.
The legend says, if it fails, a demon would appear instead.
Turning her head slowly, as if to delay her impending doom, Akane looked in front of her, and saw dark eyes staring back at her.
"EEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
2018! Anyone still alive in this fandom?!
