Chapter 2: Doubt
Part A
Should one day the Furudes and man once again begin to commit the sinful act of blaming others for evil; should one day when the demon awakens its eye into this world; the Oyashiro-sama belief will wane and the statue will crumble, in which the Onigari-no-Ryuo that was entombed inside it will once again reveal itself into this world.
This will symbolize the resurrection of the sins that the Furudes have forgotten in times past.
From the New Edition of the Book of Keima
"It's a pleasure to have you with us again, Akasaka-san," Mion spoke with a genuine smile. She was happy to see me, there was no doubt in my mind, but she was holding something back behind her smile. It bothered me greatly.
"It's great to see you too Mio-uh, Mistress," I replied as I bowed my head to her.
Mion straightened her posture. She took hold of the object in the black cloth and rested it on her lap again. She peered to her left.
"Are we done here?" She was speaking to a man who sat in front of the crowd. I think he was one of Mion's advisors. "I think we discussed our plans long enough."
"Of course, Oyabun." The man stood up and faced the crowd. "You have your orders! Now get outta here, all 'a ya! We got work to do!"
The people nodded their heads and spoke amongst themselves as they left the house. There were eight people left. There was me, Takuma, Satoko, Mion, and four of her bodyguards. They stood at her back and at her sides, even when she was still sitting down. I'm sure that this place was secure, so why did Mion need at least four guys covering her? Was she paranoid about something? Or were they just being overzealous to protect their boss?
"You'll have to excuse my men here," Mion stood up. Satoko stood the second she did. "You can't be too careful nowadays! Ahaha!"
I didn't like that laugh. It was forced.
"Mistress," Takuma spoke up. "I brought Senpai here to-"
"Call me Mion!" She giggled…again with that eerie laugh. "You're among friends!"
Takuma took a quick look at the bodyguards. I guess he didn't feel comfortable calling Mion by her first name, especially in front of her own men. Everybody referred to her with honorifics; I couldn't blame Takuma for being uncomfortable by acting so informal, especially when you're talking to a mob boss.
"O-Okay…Mion. I brought Akasaka Senpai like you asked me to. He said he'll help figure out everything."
What? Mion asked for me? This wasn't Takuma's idea?
"I see." Mion approached me. She got off of the platform and stood before me.
I took a step back.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Akasaka-san?"
Her eyes…they glistened. I sensed a lot of emotions as I dove into those emerald pools. Mion was holding something back, just like with Satoko. Mion made an effort to hide whatever it was. She smiled at me and spoke very friendly, but I could tell something was bothering her. The subtle tone in her voice, the dark giggle, the shimmering vermillion eyes…this wasn't the same Sonozaki Mion I knew!
"See something you like? Has Uncle Mion's face struck you with awe? Ahaha! Ohhhhh, what will your poor wife think when she finds out how you're attracted to me! Hehehe!"
I shook my head. "I-It's not that! I just…you…you look really different."
"I do? How so? Do tell!"
Mion grew to be quite an impressive girl. Everything about her figure was perfect, save for the bags under her eyes. I didn't see a wedding ring on her finger. She wasn't married? I'd thought by this time she would've had a husband to settle down with. Maybe it was for power reasons. Usually, the man took the reins and controlled the business. Mion was too independent for that, much like her grandmother. Mion was the woman who wouldn't let you boss her around. She learned that very well from Oryou.
I shifted my eyes. I glanced at Satoko.
She was staring at me. That cold and malicious stare remained with her. It made my bones shake. How could someone who was such a sweet, albeit mischievous little girl, have such a terrible leer?
"Mmm? Oh well!" Mion walked passed me.
Satoko and the guards followed her. Mion stopped abruptly in the middle of the room.
"Come to the Sonozaki Head House," she said. "It'll be much safer if we talk there."
"We'll be there!" Takuma spoke. "We'll follow your car straight to the House!"
"I'd feel much better if you two rode with me." Mion looked over her shoulder. She smiled at us with her eyes closed. "I don't want anything unfortunate to happen to you both! Hehe!"
That sentence made my skin crawl. All of my courage died when she said that. I thought I could handle this new Hinamizawa, but I sorely mistaken. Everything I knew was dead. I didn't recognize this new world that I was in. Who were these people I spoke to? Who were these two women that I used to know? Did they die with my old Hinamizawa as well?
The four us were escorted by Mion's bodyguards. We descended the shrine steps. Mion was speaking to Satoko. I couldn't read Mion's mouth because the guards were blocking my view of her. She laughed at one point. Satoko didn't even budge. Her eyes were locked forward. It was like she was ignoring everything Mion said to her.
There was a black limousine parked in front of Takuma's police car. The motor was running. One of the bodyguards opened the backseat doors for Satoko and Mion. The mob boss entered first, with Satoko following after her. Takuma and I climbed in as well. We sat on one end of the limo while they sat on the other. Mion tapped on the glass with her stick, which separated the passenger section from the front seats, just as one of the bodyguards grabbed shotgun. I saw the silhouette of the driver nodding his head. He ignited the engine.
I looked out the back window. The remaining guards hopped into the police car and started that one up. They drove the way Takuma and I had taken to get to the Shrine. What was that all about?
"People will get uneasy if they see a police car following a Sonozaki limo," Mion said. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. "They're taking it back to the station for you."
"Uh…thanks, I guess…" I uttered dumbly.
The ride was long and miserable. The road was smooth and very easy to drive on, but the aura in the car was too much for me. It was so quiet. Nobody said a word.
Mion crossed her legs and laid her hands, as well as her stick, on her stomach. She was very still. Was she sleeping? She hadn't made a move since we left the shrine ten minutes prior. I was beginning to worry.
Takuma was twiddling his thumbs around. He was growing very uncomfortable with the silence. He moved his eyes around the car, he tapped his foot, and he shifted in his seat a few times. He even patted his forehead with his handkerchief. That handkerchief always got me, come to think of it. He always had it on him. His head perspired all the time whenever I went out on patrol with him back in the day. It was because of that black suit he so loved. He knew very well how hot Hinamizawa was in July, but he still wore it anyway. It was his thing, I suppose.
Satoko was a statue. She sat neatly and gazed out the window. A couple of strands of her hair fell across her face. She didn't brush them behind her ear or anything.
I noticed her eyes in the reflection. Her image reflected in such a way that it seemed as though she was looking right at me. I became lost in her eyes. I wanted to discover what she was hiding. She hadn't said a word to me since we saw each other for the first time in a decade. I wanted to talk with her. She was the closest person to Rika. I wanted to have that chance, to let her know I was here to help.
I felt like a moron when Rika came into my thoughts again. That was why Satoko wasn't herself. Her best friend was gone and all she had left was Mion. I understood where she was coming from. Even then…didn't she have any hope? Didn't she have any light left in her soul? Her eyes were so dark. Their luster was gone…as was any happiness she once had.
Satoko's look captured me. She had grown into a mature woman. Her face looked soft to the touch, her legs shined, her hands were very delicate, yet a tad rough, and she was developed rather nicely. Seeing her made me think of Miyuki. Miyuki was a beautiful girl, but I hoped that she would be as beautiful as Satoko when she grew up.
"Satoko," I suddenly spoke.
She didn't look me.
"Um…Satoko?"
I reached out my hand to her leg.
Her eyes moved to see my hand.
A searing pain passed through my hand. It felt as if she had driven a knife through it. The cold steel sliced through my flesh and impaled my bone. My hand went numb. I drew it back and firmly placed it at my side. I tuned my face away from her. I didn't want her to catch me looking at her.
"Satoko doesn't like to be touched." Mion yawned.
How did she do that? Her telepathy was scaring the crap out of me!
"Oh," I replied, just as dumb as before. "I-I'm sorry…Satoko."
Again, no word from the silent beauty.
"Don't worry about it!" Mion opened one of her eyes to see me. "Just sit and relax, Akasaka! We'll be there soon!"
I nodded. I sat back in my seat. I peered at Takuma. He shrugged and kept quiet. If only it were that simple for me.
The Sonozaki Head House was almost restored to its former glory, or infamy. It almost looked exactly like the home I remembered all that time ago! It looked great compared to the other places in Hinamizawa! Seeing the repaired edifice gave some of my confidence back to me. It was good to know that all of the old Hinamizawa wasn't lost!
The gardens were a wonderful green and the flowers were very vibrant. The clear blue stream slowly drifted by us, and I heard the cries of the cicadas as they rustled in the bushes. The old Hinamizawa was still here! I recalled those cries! I knew them! I loved them! This was the only place in the whole village where I heard them!
We disembarked. The bodyguard that rode with us escorted us into the living room. Once he left, one of Mion's servants came with a tray of tea for each of us. Mion placed her stick down and sat very dignified at the head of the small table, with Satoko by her side. She took gentle sips, as Takuma gulped the entire thing down. Satoko and I just held our cups. We didn't take one sip. She was looking at me again. What did I do? Why was she giving me such a nasty look?
"Akasaka," Mion broke the silence. Thank God. "How're you enjoying Hinamizawa?"
The sarcasm was hard to swallow.
"It's…it's different from what I remembered."
Mion nodded twice. "How was your trip here?"
"…It was nice…"
"Your hotel is comfortable?"
"Yeah…"
"How's your wife doing?"
"Uh, Mistress?"
"Mion." She giggled after she corrected me.
"Erm…yeah…Mion. I appreciate your politeness, but I think we have something to discuss. That's why I'm here." I looked at my cup for a minute, and then back to her. "I heard Takuma said that you asked for me?"
"I did!" She opened her eyes. "Hanzaemon says you were the best cop the precinct had!"
I scratched my head. "I'm nowhere near as skilled as my predecessor! Thank you, though!"
"Awww! He's modest!"
Takuma cleared his throat. "I told Senpai here all about the Keima Clan and their presence in Hinamizawa."
Mion was still smiling. "Quite the group of fanatics, aren't they? I'm surprised though: I didn't know such silly people could get their hands on such good lawyers to protect them no matter what they do! Everybody's buying those scripture books in Okinomiya and elsewhere! Does Akasaka also know about the other activities of the Clan?"
"I've only heard some things," I said. "I heard about the Abbot and how he likes to give sermons every now and then."
"Ahaha…Abbot Ayatsuri. He's an interesting character!" Mion took another sip from her cup. "He claims he was the first to acknowledge Kami Ousama in his human form! That was when the deity walked the fields of Hinamizawa, back in 1982, I hear!"
"So he saw Keima Katsurou?"
"The story goes like this: Keima did something to piss off the Kimiyoshi Family when he was here in 1982. Old man Kimiyoshi, rest his soul, got a group of men to try and run him out of the village. Ayatsuri was one of those men. He said Keima spoke with such emotion and eloquence in his voice to them, despite being confronted by so many armed men. Ayatsuri heard his voice in his heart. It touched him and he switched sides. He defended Keima, and soon after, the other men from Kimoyoshi's band joined him!
"Since that day, Ayatsuri had a deep connection with Keima. After Keima had vanished at Onigafuchi Swamp, Ayatsuri found that tape Keima had made. Ayatsuri then founded the Keima Clan, and then made his little cult official with the Order of Keima, the name they use today. And you know what the funny thing about this story is? You can read all about Ayatsuri's story in the foreword section of the Book of Keima!"
Abbot Ayatsuri. I didn't like the guy at all. Dr. Nise and Takuma spoke about him with disgust, and now Mion told me some of his life story. What possessed him to think that Keima Katsurou was some sort of god?
When I researched Katsurou's family, the history of the Onigari-no-Ryuo came up. The Keima Family's reward for protecting the sword for Furde Ouka was to control and manipulate demons, as well as commune with the deceased. That was pure fantasy though! It was a good idea for a story, but this was real! Katsurou was a human being, end of story. He had no divine powers! Hell, he wasn't anybody!
"Ayatsuri is not only the founder of the Order of Keima, but he's also the author of the book! Every word that's in there comes straight from him, minus the transcription of Keima's tape." Mion put her cup down on the table. "He's the one who's pulling the strings for every Keima follower!"
I listened closely to her. "You're sure it's this guy?"
Mion scoffed at me. "Haven't you read what he wrote? He flat out threatens the Sonozaki Family, the Furude Family, and the Kimiyoshi Family!"
"How so?"
"In the book," it was Takuma's turn now, "he says how the enemies of the Clan must be destroyed. According to the history of the Keima Family, the rift between the Three Houses and the Blessed House, which would be Keima, began when Katsurou's father left Hinamizawa. The man used to work as a shrine priest with the former Furude Head. When he left, Furude supposedly cursed the Keimas.
"You know about Oyashiro-sama's taboos, right? If you leave the village with no intent to return, you're cursed? Well Katsurou, in his tape, said that the curse involved a demon, whom he later defeated and took its power for himself. He made that tape to teach others how to conquer their own demons, so they can become as powerful as he was. Because of that tape, Ayatsuri created a new religion."
Mion continued the discussion.
"Ayatsuri's convinced his blind sheep that my family is responsible for Keima Katsurou's death, as much as Kimiyoshi was. They believe he put a hit on him and asked my family to kill him. That's why they murdered Kimiyoshi." Mion stopped smiling. "They beat him to death."
"...Did they…" I wanted to get this out. "Is that true?"
"Everybody knows that they did, but there's no substantial evidence that incriminates them. They even got away with killing Rika too…"
Satoko's eye twitched. She folded her hands into fists.
I felt tears coming on, but I held them back.
"It's ironic how the weapon they used to commit that crime was the same piece of evidence that they fought the police for possession over."
"You mean the Onigari-no-Ryou," I said lowly.
"Yes."
I pondered that for a moment. "Wait. Something's confusing me. When I came to the scene where Rika had…when I got there, I found the sword! It was broken! If they did do that crime, then why would they break the sword and want it back?"
Mion shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe they shattered it to throw suspicion off of them. People know they hated the Furude Family for cursing Keima, so it makes perfect sense why they would go after Rika! They had to have broken it so they could have created some sort of defense for themselves!"
Takuma tapped his finger against his arm. "That's sword's special to them though. They remember the Keima Family's mission: to the protect the sword at all costs, so that's why they fought the police for it. They wanted the ownership so they could continue the Keima duty! Something's up! They wouldn't break their holy trinket like that! There's gotta be something that we're missing!"
I thought so too.
"There has to be some explanation for this!"
Mion folded her arms. "I still think they're behind it all. Everything is in their book. The hate towards the Three Houses, the Baptism, everything; I know they did it!"
"Maybe you're right, but the thing about the sword doesn't sit well with me." Takuma huffed. "I hate them, but I know there's something else at play here…"
I didn't know what to believe. The Keima Clan had their motives and as Mion said, the Great Fire and the deaths of Rika and Kimiyoshi were foretold. The whole Book of Keima was a piece of evidence!
If the book were to be presented as evidence for the crimes, however, it wouldn't be long before the Clan got off scot-free. They could say it was a piece of apocalyptic literature, a message from their god of what would happen no matter what. They had religious freedom and they could flaunt that right as much as they wanted. Their lawyers would make sure that nothing would stick to them.
There was a death threat letter sent to Kimiyoshi ten years ago. Rika's name was also in that letter. That was a catalyst for my investigation with Takuma back then. That was one of the first things that introduced me to the Clan; it introduced me to Kami Ousama.
I was about to ask Takuma what became of the letter. I was going to ask him if the department ever used that in court. After all this talk about their prowess in the field of law and how they could get away with anything they did as an official religion, I already knew the answer to my question. That letter met the same fate as any other scrap of proof against them: inadmissible.
"Either way," Mion said as she took her cup back. She took a large gulp. "It doesn't really matter now! I got those bastards right where I want them! There's no way that they can defend themselves against this!"
She was very sure of herself. Her smile returned.
"Oh, that's right!" I got excited. "Takuma said you had something on them!"
"That I do! I actually have a couple things on them!"
Mion pulled something from the inside of her kimono. It was something wrapped in a white handkerchief. She placed it on the table in front of us. Before I could take a look at it, Mion still had something else to show us. She turned her back to us.
She pulled the sash from her waist. She allowed the kimono to drop down to her lower back. I saw the image of the demon tattoo engraved on her back. It was a horrifying beast. It thirsted for blood and for the flesh of humans. It was a thirst that could never be quenched.
It hurt my heart to see that tattoo. I knew Mion since she was sixteen. She was a sweet girl, despite being a tad rough and rude at times. Her skin looked very soft to touch and it shined in the light of the living room, but that image of the demon stained her body. Why should a lovely woman like her have to bear something so hideous?
I ran my eyes up and down her back, until I saw a wound. It was on the back of her left shoulder. It was a small hole. Was that a…gunshot wound? It appeared to be recent. Some of her blood had dried near the hole. I wanted to take a closer look.
I sat behind Mion. I was extremely careful not to let my eyes wander to other places of her body.
"May I?"
"Go ahead." Mion adjusted the drooping kimono and shifted her shoulder to me.
It was a really bad wound. There were burn marks around it. The wound was deep. I also noticed small cuts around the hole. Those must have been from the instrument used to retrieve the bullet.
The bullet must have been stuck deep in her shoulder. Judging from the burn marks, I assumed that the weapon had to have been fired at close range. If that was the case, the barrel of the gun had to be pressed against her shoulder when it was shot. Mion was lucky. The gun that was used couldn't have been that powerful. If it was, say, a Smith and Wesson, her whole shoulder would have been blown out.
The gun couldn't have been a 9mm. Those guns fire rounds quick enough for them to go in and out of their victim. This bullet had been stuck in Mion. The weapon had to be a revolver. A revolver fires rounds slow enough for the bullet to become lodged in the victim, ensuring the maximum pain and a possible infection if the wound isn't treated properly.
After I finished looking at her shoulder, I went back to the table. I opened up the handkerchief. I found a snub-nose revolver and a flattened bullet. The bullet was covered with dried blood.
"As you can tell," Mion spoke. She slipped her kimono back on and tied the sash around her waist. She faced me. "This was an assassination attempt."
"Assassination?" I understood it perfectly, but just the thought of the word hit me hard.
"You see that bullet there? That was stuck in my shoulder! It hurt like hell!" She tried to laugh it off.
"…How'd this happen?"
"I was taking a walk through the forest to get some fresh air from being in my house all day. I had some guards with me. We came to a clearing when there was some rustling behind us. My back was turned so I didn't get a look at what was going on.
"I heard grunts. The guard who was blocking my back was shoved to the ground. I tried to turn to see what the problem was, but before I did…I heard the gunshot." Mion reached over her shoulder and touched the bullet hole over her robe. "I hit the ground while the other guards wrestled the assassin to the dirt. The guard who was shoved down scooped me up and rushed me to the Head House.
"Dr. Nise came right away and treated me." She flinched at the memories. "She used tweezers and a scalpel. I swear, it hurt a lot more when she was digging that thing out of me than when I was shot! She eventually retrieved it, and I've been caring it and the weapon ever since."
I gave her an odd look. "You've been caring these everywhere?"
"Of course I have!" She spoke to me like I was an idiot. "I'm not gonna let them sit around so those Clan bastards can steal them!"
"Why didn't you turn them in to the police?"
Mion laughed. "I was waiting for you to show up!"
"Me?"
Takuma looked at me now. "The death threat and every other piece of evidence we gathered against the Clan was deemed inadmissible in court! They always made sure that somebody screwed up in the courts so nothing could be used against them! It's like that Houjou Teppei case!"
Ten years ago, Houjou Teppei was released from prison earlier than planned. He was charged with the abuse of his niece and the abuse of his missing nephew, Houjou Satoko and Satoshi. Teppei had been in prison until somebody thought it was a good idea to let him go. Takuma and I looked into it. There was definitely foul play in the justice system, but we never received any more leads in the case. We were going to find him and interrogate him, but we were too late. A Sonozaki had gotten to him first. I had always thought Mion was behind it, but Takuma had said something before that puzzled me. He was apologizing to Mion about a mistake he made. What did that entail?
"Somebody messed up and let Teppei off the hook back then," Takuma continued, "and now all of our evidence is useless against the Clan! You can't trust anybody anymore!"
Mion spoke now. "I didn't want this golden opportunity to be botched up like the other times! I had to keep this safe! It's the perfect thing to use on these guys! It'll stick!"
"How do you get that?" I asked.
"We have you!" She smiled at me. "You're a piece of the puzzle, Akasaka! Together, we can nail the Clan and figure out all of the secrets that they're hiding! We can save Hinamizawa!"
I looked down at the floor. "I don't see how just a gun and a bloody bullet are gonna take down a giant organization…"
"These are the first step! The next step is down below!"
"Down below?" I raised my brow.
"The torture chamber! Ahaha! This is another thing I have on the Clan!" Mion jumped to her feet. Satoko stood up with her.
"Huh?"
"Come with me, Akasaka! I want you to meet a very special friend of mine!"
Her playful laugh and her bubbly tone disturbed me. What did she mean by a "special friend?"
Part B
The door to the torture chamber screeched open. The noise was enough to make my ears bleed. Mion led the way, with Satoko behind her as Takuma and I followed after her. I heard growls and grunts coming from the room just ahead. It sounded like a caged animal was trying to break free from its restraints. What the hell was it?
Mion opened the last door. She walked into the chamber with Satoko and Takuma. I entered slowly.
The room was dim, as there was only one light bulb dangling from the ceiling. The room smelled like blood and urine. I gagged the second I entered. I wanted to leave immediately when I saw the man chained up before me.
There was a man restrained on an elevated wooden cross. His fingers, his wrists, his ankles, and his neck were held down. He fought to break free, but with his poor physique, he couldn't even dream of breaking through. He was at our mercy.
"Why, hello there, Kenji!" Mion giggled again. "How are we today?"
"Fugg you! Lemme outta dis ding right naw!" He spat at her.
His accent was hard to distinguish and his words sounded like gibberish. I had to pay close attention to everything he said just to decipher it.
"My, my! You're quite feisty since the last time I saw you! You seemed kind of composed when you tried to kill me! Hmm…is being chained up exciting for you? Ahaha!"
This was the assassin she spoke about?
"Ahmma tell ya right naw! Yuz better lemme go, or Ahmma get mah frienz to kill yaw ass!"
"You already tried that and it didn't work before! Ahaha! You're so funny, Kenji!"
Kenji gnashed his teeth and uttered a few more obscenities to Mion.
"Is that anyway to talk to a lady? Besides, you have trained officers of the law here! I'd watch what you say from now on! They could be recording what you say!"
Takuma chuckled and pulled out his tape recorder from his jacket pocket. "That'd be a no-no, right, Kenji?"
Kenji kept silent.
"Hey, Hanzaemon-san," Mion smiled at him. "How about we play a little game? It's been ages since I played one!"
"I'd be delighted!" He folded his arms, still holding the recorder.
"Satoko?" Mion turned to her. "Wanna play a little club activity with us?"
Satoko cocked her head.
"You should play too, Akasaka-san! It'll be fun!" Mion poked at my chest.
"Ah…I think I'll pass…"
"You can't pass in a club activity! You have to play! Don't worry though, you're part won't be too taxing!"
What was she getting at? What was she scheming here?
Satoko went to the corner of the room. She picked up a few things from a pile of all of the torture instruments around us. My stomach was starting to churn. Satoko came back to the side of the cross. She was holding a hammer and an assortment of nails. They were all rusty and jagged. They had been used before, I could tell by the dark red spots on them.
Oh God…
"I hereby declare Kenji," Mion said proudly, "as an honorary member of the club! This gives him the right to participate in today's activity! I wonder what type of game shall we play today…Hanzaemon-san, any ideas?"
He stroked his chin. "How about we play that new game you just made up?"
"Great idea! That's wonderful!" Mion turned back to face Kenji. "The rules are so simple, Kenji, even you can understand them! Here's how it's gonna work: Akasaka-san here will ask you a variety of questions! All you have to do is answer them truthfully, and to say them loud enough so Hanzaemon-san's tape recorder can hear you! If you can do that, we'll let you go!"
Mion's lips curled. I could just make out the drool that was starting to drip from her mouth.
"But if you're a bad boy and try to lie, Satoko will drive a nail through the joints of your fingers! If you answer incorrectly at least three times, then you'll have to play the punishment game! Sound like fun?"
Kenji spat again. "Go ta Hell, ya damn bitch!"
"Ahaha! I knew you'd love it! So! Let's begin! Akasaka-san? Ask him any question you like! Just keep your questions simple though, Kenji's not too bright here!"
I was being forced into this. I was being forced into torturing this poor man. He was a Keima activist, and he deserved any fate that he got, but he was still a human being! I wanted this to be a simple interrogation, but Mion was pulling out all the stops! She was being completely irrational! How could this solve anything? How would hurting this guy make things any better?
I stood at the foot of the cross. My breath was trembling. No words were coming out of my mouth. I couldn't do this…! I couldn't be involved in this! I refused to!
"I…can't do this…! Not like this!" I mumbled. I squeezed my fists. "This isn't right...!"
"Aw!" Mion sounded irritated. "You're no fun! You disappoint me, Akasaka! Fine then! Hanzaemon-san, will you take his place?"
"Sure, why not?" Takuma stood at the foot of the cross.
I stood back and sat next to the wall. Mion was standing near the exit. She was holding that stick in her hands. She was smiling at me. She wanted me to see this. She wouldn't let me go until I saw everything. I tried not to look…I really tried…but I couldn't help myself…
"Let's get started." Takuma held his recorder out. "I'm gonna ask you a simple question, Kenji. You were the one who tried to kill Sonozaki-san a few days ago?" He clicked the record button.
Kenji looked at Takuma, then at Satoko. She already had a nail in between her fingers. She was gripping the hammer tightly.
"…Yea…Ah did…" Kenji whispered.
"What was that? Louder."
"Ah did! There, ya happy ya little sonuva bitch?"
Takuma clicked the button again. He played it back to make sure he had Kenji's voice clear enough so anybody could hear it. When he was satisfied, he held out the recorder again.
"You're a member of the Keima Clan, aren't you?" He clicked the button again.
"Ah belong ta da Ordah of Keima! What of it?"
Takuma repeated the process every time he'd get an answer. "How long have you been a Keima activist?"
"Ah ain't no activist! Ah'm a holy wawwior! Ah fight fo Kami Ousama!" Kenji hollered.
"A holy warrior? Is that what you said? Um…tell me about Kami Ousama's beliefs. Is there anybody in particular he doesn't like?"
"He's gawnna save us! He gawnna save all da faithful people! He's gawnna punish da one's who keeled him!"
Takuma nodded his head. "He's gonna punish who exactly?"
Kenji was quiet.
Takuma shook his head. "You can only win the game if you answer me correctly, Kenji! Just think, in a little while, you'll be free to kiss Ousama's ass when you get out of here!"
"Whad you say you little…!"
Satoko hit Kenji in the stomach with the hammer. He coughed and tried to catch his breath.
"Let's try this again. Who is Kami Ousama gonna punish?" Takuma raised his voice a tad.
"…Dem Furude and Kimiyoshi people…"
"But he already punished them, hasn't he? Didn't he kill them?"
"He wanted dem to die." He was evading the question.
"Okay then. This brings me back to my first question: why'd you try to kill Sonozaki-san? What'd she ever do to you?"
Kenji looked at Mion. She waved at him with her fingers.
"…I dun know nutin'…"
"But you said you tried to kill her! I got a bunch of witnesses that can testify to that as well!" Takuma smiled. "C'mon now, you had to have a reason for attacking her!"
Keni shook his head. "I got nutin'…"
Takuma laughed. He sounded...happy!
"You're lying, Kenji! I know you are! I can tell by the way your eyes shift, the way your lip trembles, and the way your ears turn red! You had a reason, don't you? Just tell me the truth!"
"Get lost, ashhole!"
Takuma closed his eyes and chuckled.
Satoko positioned the nail over the joint in Kenji's thumb. She raised the hammer.
"H-Hey, wait a sec…! Ah'm…!"
Blood spurt into the air. The nail ground against the bone of his thumb. His shriek filled the entire chamber. Kenji was a wounded animal. He hissed and squirmed where he lay.
I held my mouth. I was going to vomit. Mion walked over to me. She sat down behind me and held my shoulders. She massaged me. I heard her whispering to me.
"Satoko's been practicing carpentry! She's pretty good, isn't she?"
I dared not to turn around to see Mion. I imagined those vermilion eyes staring deep into me, with that forked tongue licking her lips.
Takuma put his foot on the cross. "That's strike one! I'd think carefully about your next answer!"
Kenji cursed at him. I expected Satoko to hit him again, but she didn't. She took another nail and waited for her moment.
"Why'd you try to kill Sonozaki-san?" Takuma repeated himself.
"…She…she's a Sonozaki…"
"So?"
"…Dey keeled mah gawd…Kimiyoshi made'em keel him!"
Takuma clucked his tongue. "A sad story, ain't it? Poor Kami Ousama…"
"And dem Furudes! Dey cursed'im! Dey betrayed'im! Dey betrayed da holy honah given by Ouka!"
Takuma's eyes flashed. "You don't like the Furudes? You know I heard that the heir to that Family died ten years ago! She was murdered!"
Satoko hand twitched.
Takuma moved over to Satoko. He put his hand on her shoulder. He rubbed her gently.
"She was killed…left there to die like that with her stomach ripped open! Satoko-chan didn't take too kindly to that, did she?"
Satoko's mouth fidgeted. She was grinding her teeth together. The sound was just like when the nail pierced through Kenji's thumb.
"So that brings me to this question: did you or anybody from your Clan kill Furude Rika or Kimiyoshi Kiichiro for that matter?"
Kenji blinked his eyes a few times. "Ah dunno what yer tawkin' about! Nobody did dat! Ah wanted revenge on Sonozaki fo keeling mah gawd! Dat one was on me alone, but we did nutin' to dose Furude and Kimiyoshi people!"
I watched him closely. He was looking at Takuma directly in the eye. He didn't shift his eyes, or move his body, or anything! He was being serious! Could he be lying again though?
Takuma didn't speak for a while. He was trying to read Kenji's face like I was. I didn't understand it! Nothing about Kenji made me doubt him! There was nothing to be suspicious about! I…I think I believed him! I don't know why, but something was telling me that he was being truthful!
He knew he was caught for attempting to assassinate Mion, he owned up to that. With Rika and Kimiyoshi, he didn't seem to be lying. The fact about the broken Onigari-no-Ryuo came to me. It was shattered; no supporter would destroy it if they wanted to follow the sacred duty of the Keima Family! That was a holy weapon used for the sole purpose of slaying demons! I didn't think they would stain their treasure with human blood, even if it was a Furude's or a Kimiyoshi's! Something wasn't adding up! I believed Kenji was telling the truth!
Takuma closed his eyes.
"Dem Furudes cursed Kami Ousama, and da Holy Book say dat dey and dem Kimiyoshis were gawnna suffer! We didn't do nutin'! We was gawnna let Kami Ousama take care of'em! It was promised dat he would! We was waitin' for sumthin' to happen and-"
"You think I'm stupid?" Takuma laughed again. "You really think I'm gonna buy that?"
"Hey! I tawking da truth!"
"You hate the Furude Family and the Kimiyoshi Family!" Takuma glared at Kenji. He was yelling. "You sent death threats to them!"
"…Ya ain't got proof!"
"You know, another thing bothers me too! You admitted that you tried to kill Sonozaki-san because you hate her Family! They supposedly killed your god when he was human and you said that you wanted revenge! I don't care if you said that you acted alone! Don't give me that crap about letting Kami Ousama punish the Furude and Kimiyoshi families! You and your Clan killed them in cold blood, just like you tried to do to Sonozaki-san! You hated them so much that you bludgeoned and mutilated them both! Their deaths were about revenge too! You and the Clan are behind everything!"
"Ah-Ah ain't lyin', man!" Kenji was shaking. His voice was cracking. "We-We didn't do dat! We didn't keel no Furudes or anybody! Ah said I tried to keel Sonozaki! Dat's it! Ah'll take dat one! We ain't guilty of anythin'!"
Satoko placed the nail over Kenji's index finger.
"Ah'm tellin' the truth! We didn't do nutin'! Ah'm bein' honest! Listen ta-!"
She flashed her teeth and swung the hammer down.
The nail drove through the joint on his finger. Kenji's squirming intensified. Tears streamed his eyes and snot dripped out of his nostrils. The pain was excruciating. I turned my head and held my mouth again.
Mion stroked my shoulders with her fingers. I sensed that she was smiling. She was enjoying this! I looked to Satoko for a moment. The fire in her eyes was raging! Her canines jutted out. She was a rabid huntress waiting to sink her teeth into her prey! The animal was wounded and he was trapped, all that the huntress had to do now was pounce and go for his jugular vein!
"Strike two!" Takuma took his foot from the cross and rubbed his forehead. "You're really pissing me off, Kenji!"
Kenji cursed and squirmed some more. "B-But…Ah'm serious! We didn't do nutin'! We didn't keel them!"
"That's bull and you know it!"
"Ah swear! Ah swear to Kami Ousama we didn't do nutin'!"
Satoko grabbed another nail. She slammed it into Kenji's middle finger.
"Argh! Ah swear! P-P-P-Please stawp it! No moah!"
She brought her hammer up again.
"Ah'm beggin' ya! Please! Ah'm innocent! Ah didn't keel them!"
"STOP IT!" I yelled.
I threw Mion's hand off of me. I got back on my feet. Takuma was taken aback by my outburst. Mion was just staring at me. Satoko's gaze was still locked on Kenji. Her arm was shaking. Her hand was twitching violently as she held the hammer. It took everything she had to stop herself from swinging it down.
"What's wrong, Senpai?" Takuma asked me casually.
I raised my voice. "Is this how we conduct investigations now? We torture our suspects? Has everything completely gone to Hell while I was gone?"
"Senpai…"
"And you! What the hell are you thinking? Are you actually enjoying this? Are you getting off on the idea of hurting this guy? I heard you laughing!"
"He's a Keima activist…!" Takuma was looking around the room. He was trying to avoid me.
"And that justifies it? I hate the Clan as much as everybody else, but this is going too far! I thought you of all people would have a shred of decency! I suppose not! You're the one who disappoints me, Detective!" I said that word as harsh as I could at him. "How could you approve of this? You took an oath to uphold the law and act with integrity! What's gotten into you, idiot?"
Takuma cast his eyes down. He looked like a kid who was being scolded by his parent.
"Akasaka-" Mion started now.
"You!" I grabbed her by the collar of her kimono. "What the hell happened to you too? You were a sweet kid! Since when did you turn into a blood thirsty killer? Huh? Answer me, Mion!"
Unlike Takuma, Mion stared me down. "…Hinamizawa's different! The old rules don't apply anymore! You have to win by any means necessary! That's what I'm doing!"
"So torturing and killing is justified?"
"Don't bark at me!" The vein in her head pulsed. "It's your department and your court system that screwed everything up! It's because of your system that lets these animals run amuck in my village! I tried to play by rules, but sometimes you have to bend them! Besides, I'm doing everybody a favor!"
My grip tightened. "Killing begets killing? Is that it? How could you? I don't care how evil these people are! It doesn't give you the right to do this!"
"So I shouldn't avenge the ones I love?"
"This isn't the right way to do it! This is only gonna make things worse! This is wrong and you know it!"
"Ha! I don't believe that!" Mion laughed at me. "Akasaka, this is a different Hinamizawa than you know! We're at war! I'll do whatever it takes to come out on top! I'll do anything to protect the people I care about! If I have to murder, cheat, steal, and damn a few souls to Hell, then so be it! I'm not gonna let them get away with this any longer! I won't allow it anymore! If I could, I'd kill every last one of them myself! I'd crucify all of them and stand them up so all of Hinamizawa could see them! I'd spill their blood all over the fucking place!
"If you don't like the way I run things around here, then just shut up and leave! Go back to Tokyo! Turn your back on Rika, on everybody! I don't need you if you're gonna act all high and mighty about a worthless piece of trash like this guy! I thought you wanted to help us! I thought you'd be the one who would change everything!"
"Mion…!" I shook her violently. "You…you…you damn fool!"
A pair of hands grabbed my wrists. My hands broke free from Mion, as a fist connected against my cheek.
I hit the dirt hard. I rubbed at my cheek as I struggled to sit up. Satoko towered above me. Her hands were fists. Some blood from my mouth was smeared against her knuckles. She scowled at me.
Her eyes burned brightly. I saw the reptilian slit. I was her prey now! She was hungry for my flesh and thirsty for my blood! She was going to take those nails and she was going to impale me to that cross! She wanted me to die!
"…Don't…ever…" she said. Her voice was dark…devoid of a soul. Satoko was a demon! "…Touch Mion-san again! If you do…I'll kill you…!"
"Satoko…!" I stood up. I looked her straight in the eye. "You're the one I surprised about the most…"
That scowl made me sick.
"You would never act this way! The Satoko I knew would never do things like this! Who do you think you are?"
Her knuckles cracked.
"What would Keiichi think if he saw you right now?"
She gasped. Her eyes widened. Her mouth slowly opened up as she furrowed her brow at me.
"What would Shion think of you?"
Satoko raised her fist again. "Don't you talk about Nee-nee like you know her!"
"Satoko!" Mion shouted at her. "That's enough!"
She looked at Mion and then at me. Satoko didn't have her fill just yet, but she reluctantly obeyed. She lowered her fist and went back to Mion's side. If Mion didn't step in just then, Satoko would have acted on her promise…!
"I think we're done for now," Mion said quietly. "Kenji! You still have one strike left! I'll be back to take care of you myself! Just relax for a little while! Be a good boy and I might consider taking those nails out!"
I couldn't deal with it anymore. I stormed out of the torture chamber. I didn't want to see Takuma, Mion…or even Satoko. The friends I had known for so long were lost to me. They really had died with my Hinamizawa. Demons had taken their places. They inhabited their bodies and devoured their souls. They weren't themselves. I didn't know these people. I didn't recognize them.
I walked out into the gardens. I stomped my feet as I passed through. My heart was on fire and my head was about to implode. I never should have come back! I never should have returned to Hinamizawa! I knew it was a bad idea from the very start! I should have stayed with my family! What was I thinking…?
I heard other footsteps behind me. They were following me. It only enraged me. Couldn't they leave me alone? I didn't want to see them! I wanted nothing to do with them!
"Senpai! Wait up!" Takuma called out to me.
"Just stay put!" I shouted.
They stopped following me.
"Senpai…?"
"I'm going back to Tokyo! I knew this was a mistake! Just do whatever you want! Kill whomever you please! I don't care! Let it be on your heads! I'm not taking part in this any longer! I don't want this kind of justice! I don't want it!"
"But…Senpai…!"
"Hanzaemon…" Mion said sorrowfully. "It's his decision."
She came up to me. She touched my arm.
"The driver's still at the front of house. Just tell him your destination and tell him it's my order for him to drive you. I'm not going to stop you, Akasaka…I'm sorry things turned out like this…"
I yanked my arm back. I walked off.
"I'm sorry it had to be this way…Akasaka…I really am. I…I thought you'd understand…"
"…I understand perfectly." I glanced at her. "Mion…that mark on your back…is there any truth to that legend?"
She blinked at me. She turned her head.
"The way I see it…it's what you've become."
Mion's eyes opened wide. Her bottom lip started to tremble. She hid her face from me. I saw that the ground was becoming moist under her. Tiny drops of water fell upon it. She was trying to contain herself. Was she…crying?
"Senpai! Please-!" Takuma made one last attempt.
"Let him go…just leave him be…!" Mion turned her back. She whimpered as she walked back into the house. Satoko followed after her.
Takuma was still watching me.
I closed my eyes and turned my head back. I shook my head and continued my walk.
I looked out the window of Mion's limos. The driver acknowledged my wish to go back to the hotel after I told him about Mion's order. I watched the clouds grow darker, the wind slice through the withered leaves on the trees, and I watched the people struggling to rebuild some of their houses. I sighed hard. I was giving up on everything. I was giving up on them…and on Hinamizawa.
I knew I was going to regret coming to the village. I knew I was only going to get hurt by what I would see…but I didn't know it would hurt this much. I washed my hands of everything. I wanted nothing to do with Hinamizawa anymore. There was nothing for me to save. There never was. After Keiichi, Rena, and Rika died, it was all over. There was no point in putting faith in that place anymore.
I was only wasting my time. The first chance I'd get, I'd get a ticket back to Tokyo. I'd take Yukie and Miyuki on a vacation. I wanted to forget about Hinamizawa…about Mion and Satoko…about everything.
I couldn't do that though. Hinamizawa was part of my life. Though, that part of me died when I laid eyes on the village, and when I saw how much Takuma, Mion, and Satoko changed. The Clan was responsible for everything changing, I admit that, but Mion's methods were completely without merit. She had no right to torture people, or to put them through the same fate that the Clan did to her friends and family. Nobody had that right, not even the law.
I closed my eyes and folded my arms. The sooner I left Hinamizawa, the better. I couldn't stand one more second in this cesspool. My beautiful village had turned into a wasteland, where violence and corruption reigned. All the beauty, all the fun memories…and Rika's sweet smile…they were all gone and I wouldn't get them back.
The driver stopped at the hotel. I thanked him and slammed the door shut. I made it up to my hotel room and threw myself on the bed. I peered up to the blank ceiling and held my forehead in my hands.
Just a little bit longer, I told myself. I'd be out of here and back in Tokyo in no time. I just had to keep my mind on home. However…the Clan was there too. They were everywhere. I couldn't escape them. They latched themselves onto me the second Hinamizawa was engulfed in flames. They had become a part of me, a part of my past, present, and future. I just had to accept it. I feared for my family though. Maybe we could move again…but I hated to put them through that again. I had to do something though.
I picked up the telephone in my room. I needed something to lift my spirits. I dialed a number. I needed to hear their voices.
"Hello?" She picked up the phone. Her voice was already starting to warm my heart.
"Hi, Yukie."
"Mamoru!" She squealed. She was fretting over me. "How are you? Are you doing okay? Are you hurt or anything?"
"I'm okay, don't worry! I just wanted to call and hear your voice!"
"Oh…well that's a relief! How's the investigation going?"
"I…erm…I'd rather not talk about it…"
"Oh, I see! It's top secret stuff! I won't pry then! Ahaha!"
Sure…let's go with that.
"I'm surprised to hear from you again so soon! Didn't you call me this morning? You must really love me, huh?"
"…Of course I do!" I smiled.
"So…is everything okay? You sound a little down…"
"It's nothing. It's just that a lot of things have changed…I'm just trying to relax right now. I'm taking a break."
"…I'm sorry, Mamoru."
"You don't have anything to apologize about…" Mion's tattoo flashed in my head, along with Satoko's feral eyes.
"Do you want to talk about it? I know you can't talk about the case, but maybe you can get some things off of your chest. I'm here to listen to every-! Hey! Calm down!"
"Yukie?"
"Yes! He's on the line right now! Come on, don't be selfish!"
"Is everything alright over there?"
"Oh, it's fine! It's just-stop it! It's your daughter! She's trying to rip this thing from my ear!"
Miyuki! I laughed.
"Put her on! Maybe she'll calm down a little and give you some peace and quiet!"
"Okay! H-Hey! Okay, okay! Here! Geez!"
The phone was being passed off. Miyuki was scrambling to hold the phone correctly.
"HI, DADDY!" she yelled into the mouthpiece.
"Ah!" I held the phone away from my ear.
"How are you? You're doing okay, right? Right?"
I slowly brought the phone back to me, "Yeah, everything's fine, calm down! You almost blew my ear out!"
"Heehee! Sorry about that! I just really miss you! It's soooooo boring without you!"
I smiled widely. I chuckled to myself.
"Grandpa doesn't buy me anything! He just wants me to study for school! He's getting on my nerves! He's pissing me off!"
My smile turned into a frown. So that's why she missed me…was I only good for buying her presents? She was so materialistic! I really did spoil her too much!
"Ah-ah-ah! Watch your mouth!"
"Oops! Y-You didn't hear that!"
"I kinda did!"
"No you didn't! It was…uh…the TV! Mom was watching one of those shows again!"
I smirked. "Well that actress on the show sounds an awful lot like you…"
"I know! Pretty freaky, right? Ahaha!"
That kid! Even when I caught her doing something unladylike, such as swearing, she still managed to weasel her way out of a lecture! She was too much! She irritated me when she did that, but I still loved her to death.
"Well, just don't use that kind of language, please. Boys don't like it when a girl talks like that!"
"H-Huh?"
"What would Tenchi think if I told him you cussed all the time? You think he'd stop looking at you?"
"D-Daddy! How do you know about Tenchi?" She was frightened.
"I'm a cop! There's nothing I don't know about! Haha! Just like that one time, for instance, when I noticed that you baked cookies for him because it was his birthday! Then there was that time when you read that poem in your composition class about him, but you just changed his name so nobody would know! Your diary has plenty of interesting stuff about him! Oh! There was also that time you-"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up! I hate you! I hate you!"
Ah…the "I hate you" defense! There's no other love in the world like when a daughter says that she hates you! When she says that, it means you're doing something right as a father!
"Hahaha! I hate you too!"
Miyuki growled at me. "H-He's just a guy at school! I-I like him…but…we're still working on that! I think he likes me too…but…but…"
"Then just ask him out! Don't be so bashful!"
"A-A-Anyway! How's Hinamizawa?"
I relaxed on my bed. I tried not to think about it, but I also didn't want her to worry.
"It's fine. It's different, but it's fine."
"That's good…um…er…"
"Miyuki?"
"Daddy…you…you didn't really read my diary…did you?"
I smirked again. "You have a diary?"
"What? But you just said that you read my diary before!"
"Haha! I made that part up! Your mother told me everything about that Tenchi boy!"
"WHAT!" she screamed into the phone.
"But your diary interests me now! What kind of stuff do you put in there anyway…?" I acted suspicious just to annoy her even more.
"Grrr...MOM! I'm gonna kill you!"
She dropped the phone. I heard her and Miyuki yelling at each other.
I cracked up. I held my stomach and kicked my legs out. I loved screwing around with Miyuki! She was so gullible and so innocent! You could tell her anything with a straight face and she'd believe it! While she was easy to take advantage of, my evil powers were only to be used for comedic purposes only. If anybody took advantage of my daughter in any way, whether it was this Tenchi guy or anybody else…let's just say that they would be missing!
"Thanks, Mamoru." Yukie got back on the phone. She was angry with me."Now I'm gonna have to hear that girl yelling at me all night!"
"Hahaha! I'm sorry-ahahaha! It was too good to resist!"
"Shut up! Someday, I'll get you back!"
"I can't wait for that! Hahaha!"
"Ugh! You're such an ass!"
"Daddy!" I heard Miyuki in the background. "Mom swore! She's being unladylike! Do something!"
My smirk got bigger. "I think that was the TV Miyuki! You're imagining things!"
"What! You jerk!" Miyuki stomped off.
"Ahaha! Okay, that was kinda funny! I'll give you that one!" Yukie tried to hold in a laugh.
I chuckled and rubbed at my stomach. Now I was hurting! I guess this must be my punishment for angering my daughter so much!
"Mamoru?"
"Yes, Yukie?" I tried to calm down.
"…Will you be coming home soon? I really miss you…"
I was about to answer her when one of the lights on my phone flashed. I was getting another call. Was it from Takuma? Or was it Mion? I was getting angry just thinking about them.
"Can you give me a second, Yukie? I got another call."
"Sure! I'll be right here!"
I clicked the button for the second line.
"Look, I'm going and that's final! Now leave me the-"
"I'm sorry to disturb you, sir, but I believe you have the wrong person."
That didn't sound like Takuma. The voice sounded older and kind of creaky.
"Oh, man! I'm sorry, sir, I thought you were someone else!"
"It's quite alright! I'm used to being yelled at! Haha!"
"I'm still sorry though!"
The line was quiet for a moment.
"Uh…excuse me, but who are you calling for?"
"I wanted a chance to speak you, Akasaka-san!"
What? How…how did this guy know my name?
"Who…who is this?"
"I heard that you were in the area and I have no one else to turn to! Things are really intense here, aren't they? I could use a detective as skilled as you are!"
I was quiet. The fact that he knew my name, and that I was a detective, stunned me. Just who was this man?
"I'd like to talk with you about my situation sometime soon! How does tonight work for you? Say…midnight at the old junkyard in Hinamizawa? I insist that you come! We would be honored to have you! All I ask is that you come alone…unarmed of course!"
"Who…who the heck are you?" My voice trembled. Fear wrapped around my body. It was strangling me. My whole body was growing colder by the second.
The man had a friendly laugh. "My name is Ayatsuri! I'm the Abbot of the Order of Keima! It's a pleasure to finally speak with you…Akasaka Mamoru-san!"
