CHAPTER 4

Death

The horizon blazes gold and amber, still pushing up against the descending blue darkness, desperate for a few more moments to shine. I estimate it to last an hour more before collapsing. Fine by me - an hour's plenty of time for me to complete the task at hand. Even after that, the twilight will remain to light my way, and the rod cells of my eyes will patch up any holes it leaves.

How fitting for the sun to be setting as I finish what this past day has thrown at me. As the light leaves this land, so will Joanna - although her I certainly don't wish to return by dawn. This day will be self-contained. After the ghost is gone, it's back to my… back to my normal life.

I groan to myself. Why'd I have to go and phrase it like that? Whether I like it or not, at least today's had things happen. Unlike every other day.

No, not now, Red. Calm down. This is supposed to be a joyous occasion. You're getting rid of the problem, and you'll get to sleep in peace tonight.

I breathe in the cool, fresh air. Smells like pine. Alright. Let's go.

I end my sunset-watching by the graveyard's edge and enter the forest. After some scrambling around, I locate the path from earlier today and follow along it. Every once in a while, I absentmindedly reach for my right thigh only to feel the touch of denim. Feels so weird not having the scabbard and knife there… but I need to have them hidden in my backpack. I should look unarmed for the best impression.

I do hope the kid's still here. If she isn't, I'll have to move this to tomorrow. I'm rather sure she's stuck around, though, as she seemed like someone who'd be there for a new, scared ghost for as long she could.

"Pi-pi-pi-pi-pi!"

A wild pidgey's call? Isn't it a bit late for that?

I look around, and indeed, there's a small, brown bird sitting on the top of a nearby young pine. It stares back at me with its beady eyes, curious.

Hrmh, as cute as you are, you should fly away. You may be in an early enough state to still be raised to sentience by someone, and in that case, you could become a witness.

I try to walk past its perch, but it only flits closer, hopping from branch to branch. Its eyes are still pinned onto me. What does it want? Treats? Even the wild mon in this town are domesticated…

I stop and face the bird. "Shoo."

"Shoo," it repeats with a slightly higher pitch. Ah, great, already mimicking.

"Come on, get outta here," I hiss, flicking my hand.

The pidgey responds by leaping onto it. It sits down, fluffy feathers spreading over my glove, and looks at me with its cheeks puffed, as if its was smiling. Gods, what am I, a cartoon princess? This bird needs to go.

I raise my other hand, preparing to smack the critter off… but no, I couldn't bring myself to do that. I'd break feathers, bend them funny, and ruin its perfect array of quills. Perhaps snap one of its hollow, delicate bones whose light frame allow the creature to be one with the air.

There's no satisfaction in destroying something like this. It doesn't break beautifully. It's only elegant if intact.

I sigh and lower the raised hand. I rotate the one holding the pidgey to be palm up, the bird taking little steps to follow, and gently scratch its plumage with my thumb. The bird leans in, its eyes narrowing in enjoyment. I can feel its warmth even through the glove's wool. Good thing I have gloves, anyway. Sweet as this mon is, it's wild and could have diseases or parasites.

"Jo-to-to!"

Another birdcall from behind. The pidgey takes notice, the small crest on its head rising.

A pidgeotto has appeared on the branches of the trees I've passed. "Pi-jo-to-to," it warbles.

I nudge the pidgey with my thumb. "Think your mom wants you."

The mon is reluctant, but eventually takes flight and follows its red-crested elder out of sight. That takes care of that.

I continue along the path to the cabin. Some way in, I hear rustling and steps. Another traveller. I slow down to a creep and scan the area ahead, looking for anything - and there it is, a figure. Pink at the top. It's her.

I take some time to observe her. She appears to be alone, gathering firewood or something of the sort. So far she's unaware of my presence, or perhaps she's just ignoring me. I doubt she'd be so calm if she saw my real aura and recognized me. Proof of the seal working as intended. Always worth the scars.

I breathe deeply. Alright. I take off my backpack to check one last time that all of the equipment is there - and it is. The knife is still there in its scabbard too. I feel the back pocket of my jeans. The napkin is present, the instructions to the exorcism and the memory-erasing seal both written on it. I'm all set.

The first act can now begin.

I step out of hiding and head right for the pink-haired girl. She finally stands up straight, having heard my approach, and faces my direction. She flinches.

"Hi," I greet, expressionless. "Michi, was it?"

"Where is your aura?" she responds with no delay. She's tense like a stantler in the headlights. Looks like I caught her off guard.

"Aura?" I feign confusion. "I wouldn't know, can't see 'em."

She stays silent for a while, then changes her posture quite drastically. Her feet root themselves firmly to the ground. Her hands curl up into fists. "Well, whatever. What do you want?" she barks, though her voice is unsure.

"Listen, I'm sorry about the way I acted yesterday. I'm not good with people."

No response, no change in body language.

"But I think I can help Joanna."

The wrinkles by her brows smoothen just a bit.

"That's her name," I add. "Has she told you that yet?"

"How do you know her name?"

"I knew her."

The wrinkles disappear completely for a brief moment, then doubt brings them back. "How so?"

"Well..." I look elsewhere. "I knew her, I don't think she knew me. It was complicated. You see..."

I crouch. She takes a step closer. I suppress a smile.

"She moved to Pewter some time ago," I continue, "near my apartment. I saw her go by every morning."

"You were neighbors?" Michi asks, rather dismissively.

"There's more to it than that, just keep listening."

She crosses her arms, but does as requested.

"Well, the thing is… you can probably tell by her face that she was really pretty. But you haven't overheard her talk with her friends and family. She wasn't only beautiful on the outside."

That phrasing brings memories of poking around her corpse. Haha, yeah.

"She was friendly, caring, witty, funny. I kind of… got a crush on her. But as I've said, I'm not good with people. I was too awkward to talk to her. So I just settled on watching her go by and eavesdropping on her calls..."

"That sounds pretty creepy," Michi interrupts.

"Yeah, I'm weird, I get it. But I know something pretty important."

"What's that?"

"A few weeks before she disappeared, she started talking about something creepy. That she felt like she was being followed. She thought she had a stalker."

"Was it you?"

"No, I thought so too at the start, but this guy wasn't harmless like me. He was dangerous. He'd given her letters. They'd said some pretty uncomfortable, harassing stuff."

"...Like what?"

"I really shouldn't tell a kid like you."

I sit down fully on the forest floor, having gotten tired of crouching. She comes a few steps closer again.

"Every few days, she'd get another letter, until one time she got a note on her kitchen table. It was too much for her. She was going to tell the police, but when she left her house, the stalker attacked her. I saw it happen. He drugged her and took her away."

"So why didn't you call the cops?"

"I panicked. I was sure they were going to think it was me. Some time later, her relatives showed up to ask around about her, since she hadn't called in a while. I told them I hadn't seen anything because… I just didn't know what to say. Of course I felt terrible about it later on, and… I feel even worse now, knowing she died..."

What a shame I can't really cry on cue. It'd really sell this.

"But now that she's been reincarnated," I continue with a brighter expression, "her kidnapper can be caught and brought to justice. She only needs to remember, and I think I can help with that."

I get up and approach. Michi raises her palm at me.

"No, no, no. Stay where you are," she commands.

As told, I stop in my tracks, but I still keep speaking. "If I tell her about her old self, the phone calls she made, the names of her relatives and friends... it could jog her memory. Then she could help locate the kidnapper and testify."

"Why should I believe you at all?" she asks. "You could have made this all up for all I know."

I form a saddened expression and stare at the ground.

"I… can't really give any proof," I respond. "You just have to trust me."

"I'm not gonna do that," she says, stern.

I sigh, then take off my backpack. "Fair enough… but if you won't let me see her, then you should at least let me give you something."

"What's that?" she asks as I unzip the bag.

"She carried it with her at all times. She dropped it when attacked. If any item will remind her of her old life, it's this." While I speak, I quietly open the vial and pour just a bit of its contents onto the rag. The moment is near.

She takes the last few cautious steps toward me to peek inside the bag. She does not see a scarf or any accessory of the like, but -

I pounce at the girl, shoving the rag onto her face. My free arm locks around her as we fall on the ground with a thump. She screeches, wriggles, but it does no good with the cloth muffling her sounds and my limbs pinning hers down. She's a pichu, and the arbok has got her.

I can't hide my smile, not that I would even try.

Oh, how it invigorates me, catching and trapping people like this! She squirms and squirms, but I'm just too strong, only amused by her useless attempts. It's like playing with an ant - no, even an ant can bite. She can't do even that!

Little by little, her motions become lazier and lazier. The spores are taking effect. When she's sufficiently limp, I let go and fetch my backpack.

"Smart of you to doubt me," I say as I kneel before her. "But not that smart to get so close."

I unzip the bag and pull out scissors and a roll of duct tape. Having cut off a piece, I glue it onto her mouth and stroke it a couple of times to make sure it sticks. She lets out a weak whine.

"Oh, don't worry. I just need you still and silent for the next phase."

I flip her body over and bring her little wrists together behind her. With the tape, I wrap them up firmly, and then repeat the process for her ankles. She won't be able to walk with me to the cabin, but I'm a big guy. I can carry her just fine.

"There we go." I get up and brush off the spruce needles and mold that have stuck to my clothes. I return the equipment to my bag, retrieve my scabbard from it and reattach it onto my belt. Feels good to have that there again.

I look down at the bound girl's face, which is discomforted, the strongest emotion one can really feel when drugged up like this. "You know, it's a shame you didn't ask me why I came to Pallet," I say. "I had a whole story planned for that. Well, anyway..."

I zip the bag shut and hoist it onto my back, then crouch by Michi to flip her belly-up once more and edge my arms beneath her body. She flails, but only with the power of a magikarp on land just about to run out of oxygen.

"Come on, kiddo, let's go see your friend." I lift her up. She's lighter than any of the women, of course, but she's still basically a bag of water and therefore has some weight to her.

"Mhhh…!" That was probably an attempt at a scream.

"Oh, please, you deal with ghosts," I purr and lean close to her face. "Surely I can't be that scary?"

To her credit, what she's giving me right now is the angriest droopy-eyed stare I've seen.

Because I like being an asshole, I lean even closer, right next to her ear. Nose to her temple, I take a deep sniff. She growls. I chuckle.

"I'm just kidding!" I straighten myself and begin to walk. "I'm not that weird."

I find my way back to the path, eyes well adjusted to the darkness by now. She doesn't do much to stop me. She probably knows well that she can't.

The pidgey gone, the forest is silent, save for the distant wind and traffic. It's rather tranquil. I can almost hear Michi's heartbeat.

I eye the now-sunless horizon, though keep glancing at the ground every once in a while. The sky's edge is a lovely shade of crimson, broken up by dark stripes formed by the tree trunks in the way.

"What a pretty forest this is," I sigh. "I'm lucky to live near it… and I gotta admit, that cabin you have there looks pretty neat. It's got a real nice atmosphere to it. You've got some spirit, taming that to your own use."

I shift her slightly in my hold to look at her better. Her face is a bit more alert. She's slowly recovering, and using that energy for more versatile emoting - fury has gained two partners, confusion and fear. She's probably wondering what the hell is going right now, why someone who's apparently kidnapping her is making smalltalk. Rather one-sided smalltalk.

"Since guts like yours are rare to come by these days, I'll ease your worries," I continue. "Let it be known that I'm not going to kill you or even harm you. You know, provided your friend cooperates. If she gets difficult," I whisper, "I'll be difficult."

I stare into her eyes for a moment, my walk seized, to make my point. Her wide blues tell me I got it across. Satisfied, I continue on.

In just a couple of turns, the old building emerges from between the bushes. Its exterior is darkened by night, but its windows shine a faint light. Someone's there.

"Your time to shine, little friend..." I crouch to retrieve my knife from its scabbard and bring it to Michi's ankles. She tenses up. Aw, baby's scared of the pointy object.

As soon as the tape is sawed through, however, she jerks back her legs and launches a powerful kick in my direction. Thankfully, having recoiled in time, the blow doesn't strike me. It did catch me off guard, though… it seems that she may have been saving up her energy for that. This creature's got a brain. However, I've got a knife.

I lean back in and take the blade to her neck. She freezes with a whimper, almost as an apology.

"That 'difficult' thing?" I growl. "Goes for you, too. Now, just play nice and let me do what I'm here to do."

I prompt her to get back up. Defeated, she complies, and we march to the center of the opening. Alright. Now, it's negotiating time.

"Hey, Joanna!" I shout at the building, apparently startling Michi with the sudden noise, given her minor flinch. "I have your little friend here. If you don't want her to get hurt, you should come out right now. And do it slowly. If you do any sudden motions, my hand might just slip!"

I scan the area for any motion, but none comes. No new sounds arise, either. Just the noises of the environment and the tense breathing of me and my hostage.

"The hand's holding a knife, if you weren't yet aware," I continue.

It doesn't seem to have any effect.

"Come on, now, Joanna! I know you're somewhere around here. The light's on, for Gods' sake. You think I'm stupid?"

Still silent. Man, she'd better answer soon, or this is gonna get complicated.

"Tell you what," I shout. "I'm gonna count down from ten, and if by then you haven't shown up..."

My left hand latches onto Michi's neck, prompting a panicked screech from her voicebox. She's just like a squeaky toy. Fun.

"...I'm gonna slit her fucking throat. Alright? Alright. Starting now." I loosen my grip of the girl's neck, but only to draw her closer by the torso.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven…"

Joanna's really taking her time. She's not gonna leave the girl for dead, is she? That's not the woman I stalked. But could she be overwhelmed by her fear? Her sense of self-preservation?

"Six, five..." I shout louder. Are you not hearing this, Joanna? Michi's trembling. Even I'm unsettled.

"Four!"

"Maah!" a wail sounds out.

I stop. That's her. Oh, thank fuck. I won't have to improvise. Both Michi and I exhale from relief.

"I can't understand that," I shout at the cabin. I'm pretty sure the voice came from there. "Come out. Slowly."

Something peeks out of the cabin's door. Then it thrusts itself into view. A black shadow carrying a golden, familiar face. The creature's leaky, maroon eyes look miserable.

I smile. "Hi, Joanna."

Her ghostly fingers grab the edge of her mask a bit more firmly.

"Do you remember me?" I ask, walking towards her, Michi shuffling along. Joanna stays put. She's learned she's intangible.

Having received no response, I continue. "I have good reason to believe you do, or that you will, given enough time. But even if that's not the case… I can't have you floating out and about, flaunting that face. Someone might end up finding out the truth. Do you know what that truth is, Joanna? Do you remember?"

She hugs her mask.

"Well, whether you do or not, let me say it anyway so little Michi here can also know. It's not like she'll remember it after I'm done - I've got a special seal I know to take care of that. But first..."

I look at the cracked cabin door. I look back at the ghost.

"I'd like for us to take this inside."

Four seconds pass before Joanna actually realizes I'm asking her to lead us in and opens the door. Maybe dying does something to your wits.

Dragging Michi along, I follow Joanna in, not once taking my eyes off the ghost. The action is shared. But as the door closes, I can allow myself to study the interior of the building.

It seems that this shack is only two rooms big, the one we inhabit being the bigger one and the smaller being behind a door. Here, there's a fireplace made of bricks, a table surrounded by two old benches carved from wood, a full-body mirror with a crack in the glass and some mattresses and blankets in the corner. The walls are made of dry yellow-brown planks with shreds of white paint on them here and there. Above the fireplace hangs a picture frame, but whatever that frame held has been lost to time long ago. Now, nothing but a ripped, black mess can be seen.

The light source of the shack is a rusty oil lamp on the bench-flanked table. The flame's outlines are completely blurred by the smudgy, dusty glass around it, but its glow is still strong and lively.

"An oil lamp, huh… must have been lit by you," I say to Michi, who only gives a nervous glance in response. "You really are resourceful, learning and using older technologies when newer ones aren't available."

I nudge her toward the bench. "Anyway, sit here, won't you." She does, and I lower my backpack next to her, trying my best to still keep the knife close to her throat while doing so. Neither her or Joanna try anything, so I must be doing a sufficiently good job.

Keeping that up, I dig out the roll of duct tape and, using my teeth as a second hand, tie her shins together. I put the duct tape back away.

"A bit weird for me to tie your legs twice during the same session, I know," I mumble. "But I wanted you to walk with me during that previous part. I needed the extra hand for the knife, you know. But I didn't want you kicking me during the carry before."

I sit next to Michi and wrap my knife-arm around her shoulder. It's the most comfortable posture to take while still tightly holding the girl's life in my hands. Definitely not comfortable for her, though, but that's half the fun.

"So, who am I? What happened?" I start. "Well, I'm Red Akai. The man who killed you, Joanna. That part you may have already guessed. But I assure you, this wasn't any passing hit-and-run or street stabbing. No, this was premeditated, cold-blooded murder."

Now, I know the whole 'gloating about your crimes' thing never ends well for the bad guy in movies, but cut me some slack. I never get to gloat - well, I did once, but that was a while ago and it wasn't with someone I'd actually killed. Anyway… I have to keep my victims unconscious until the beginning of the ritual, and after that, there's really no room for improvisation. It's a lovely experience, don't get me wrong, but I don't have free rein to do what I want. So now that the opportunity has presented itself, you're damn right I'm gonna take it.

"But why? Well, it wasn't personal, really. It could have been any other healthy, beautiful young woman. HE doesn't discriminate within that group. Who is HE? The god of chaos HIMSELF, of course. HE whom I worship, for whom I seek out women like you to sacrifice to. Strap them down, cut them open, drink their blood and eat their flesh. This all to please HIM - and myself - so one day, HE may merge with me and bring about a new era, ending this rotten, spoiled, imperfect one. No more laws but the one of the jungle. No more of the prey ruling the predators. Paradise for me and my kind. Not so great for you weaker beings…"

Okay, babbling a bit now. They probably get it. I should move on before I overdo it any more. I mean, it's only gonna get darker from here, and that lantern may start running out of fuel.

"Alright, I'd say I've sufficiently introduced myself. Let's get back to the reason why we're here."

I extend my hand to Joanna, palm up. "I'm gonna need you to give me that mask."

"...Maa?"

"Are you questioning me?"

Without warning, I grab Michi's chin with my free hand and raise it high. Her throat is fully exposed. Her breathing gets a lot more distressed.

"Did you forget the situation you're in? Do you want to see this severed? Because I will make that happen," I growl, own breathing strengthening as well. I know that I myself would love to see that severed.

"Mah… m-mah…!"

The fluid from the ghost's eyes spurts out like blood from a bad cut as her face contorts to an agonized, terrified expression, but the red vaporizes the moment it hits the floor. Her fingers, grasping the rim of the mask like a cliff she was hanging by, tremble furiously.

"It's just a mask," I whisper with a worried expression - feigned, naturally. "It's not worth an innocent child's life."

I extend my hand again. Chin freed, Michi shrinks like a squirtle withdrawing into its shell.

Joanna keeps shivering, but makes no other motions. Not giving it, huh?

"Alright, I guess I'll have to do this again…" I sigh. "Ten. Nine."

"Maah! Mah!" she howls, urging me to stop, it seems. She takes one of her hands off the mask, shakingly offering the golden object forward with the other.

It's one of those moments where I know for sure I'm supposed to feel bad, but I just don't.

Calmly, I grab the mask - involuntarily shuddering at its surprisingly cold touch - and draw it to myself.

"I'm glad you chose this way, Joanna…" I breathe deeply. Almost over. "Not only is it beneficial for me, but most would consider it morally correct. You're living your second life, the girl her first. It's just common sense."

The mask doesn't seem to be getting any warmer… well, what can you do. Has to go on the face, no matter how uncomfortable. Not like a woman's face is gonna fit well on mine with this jawline, anyway. Oh shit. It's not gonna change my face to hers or some karmic shit like that, right? No, no it won't, they definitely would've said it in the book. Just put it on.

With a discomforted grunt, I place the mask onto my face. The chill singes, but I've gone through worse. But what's odd is that… this fits really well. Like a second skin. Oh my Gods, it better not have actually… I'm gonna take it off real quick to -

Hey.

Hey, get off...

What the hell, did you freeze onto me or something? Get - it won't… Oh Gods, it won't - I can't breathe, I -

The other hand! I need the - gotta sheathe the knife, fuck, but it'll be fine, Michi can't get away, I just need…

I hook my nails under the mask's rim. Pull. Fuck, that hurts! But I have to! I need to breathe! It's… it's sticky now, warmer? Where's the rim? It's gone, but my face is covered! Lips, get the lips apart! I did, but there's something, a membrane…? Nails, nails -

Pop, it popped, air, air, gasp, I'm breathing, I'm breathing again, breathing, oh Gods yes, yes. Just breathe now. You need air. Breath in, breath out, lungs refreshing, I'm alive, I'm alive.

Gods. Okay. I'm on the floor. Wheezing. What was I doing again? Joanna! I need to kill Joanna! Where is she?

I stumble upright. It's so blurry. Everything's blurry, but there's brown and gray but no black or red or - something's appearing. That's her. That's her! Strike!

The hilt of my knife already rests in my palm. I can hear the blade gleam as it's yanked out. The wrist bends with grace as the arm raises the weapon. The metal is an extension of me. The sneasel's claw, the scyther's scythe.

Joanna's so clear now, now in this split second before her demise. Her black is the deepest black, her red the most vivid of reds… like blood. More. More of it, now. She will bleed.

Slash.

Yes, she's full of it. The warm, sticky, salty, wonderful red fluid. And flesh. She has flesh. She's corporeal. She feels pain. She's dying.

Again!

The black smoke enveloping those guts is torn like wrapping paper. That's what it is. A present. A gift for me for being this way. Strong. Agile. Bloodthirsty. A hunter.

Stab! This time it's a stab! The blade slides into her body, through it, into the wooden wall behind and stopping. Look at her, pain in her eyes, slipping away from this world to the void. Where she belongs. There should only be one life. I only have one life. No one else deserves more.

The smoke melts. It flashes to a white glow. Fire, white fire. It spreads to her whole body. Eats at its edges. I can't take my eyes off her terrified expression. She knows she's dying. She knows I'm killing her. I am ending her. The flames grip her by the temples. One last look, and she's swallowed by the blaze.

Gone.

The light is gone. Joanna is gone.

No more.

It has been done.