A/N: Ding! At long last Capter 12! Please comment, I'd really like to know how I'm still doing. I believe I'm nearing the end of this tale soon and I still haven't thought of a more appropriate title for it :( Well, I'm sure one will come eventually, hopefilly...Ok and somehow I messed up the uploading of this so it's probably going to be labeled with the wrong chapter cos I accidentally loaded the wrong file as chapter 12 sorry...pls enjoy anyway.
Ban and Himiko began to head towards the door to the alter room when Ban stopped at the door. Himiko looked to him, "What?" she asked. Ban glanced at her before over looking the room, "Maybe we should check if there's any more viles or bottles here." Himiko nodded and went to check the other part of the room while Ban turned and check the side with the door. There wasn't much on the other side but a hole in the far wall on the floor and a small alcove to her left, she checked the alcove and found a vile by the small withered flower pitcher. "I found one Ban," she said grabbing it, when she turned to leave the alcove her eyes fell on the hole in the wall. She thought she saw something on the ground so she walked over to investigate. When she reached the hole and knelt before it she reached down and picked up a small yellow package. The markings on the front indicated that it was "Type-Zero film", but she had no idea what that was. She was holding film for the spirit camera, she knew that, but she had no idea what "Type-Zero" meant. She walked over to Ban still investigating the small package, he walked up to her and took what she was holding. He read the labeling as well, but shook his head to indicate he didn't know what that meant either.
"How many are in there?" Ban asked her. Himiko looked again at the package but couldn't be certain. "I'm not sure, five maybe?" she replied looking to him again. Ban remained expressionless but winced inwardly. "Well, not a lot to experiment with now is it?" Himiko looked on at him, "What should we do with it then?" "Hang on to it for now, when the time comes when you need film use it, we'll find out what happens then," Ban answered. Himiko nodded, "Ok." "You got an herb vile right?" "Yeah," she responded. "Good, I think we shoul-" Ban began but Himiko cut him off quick. "I think we should go now!" she said in a forced whisper as she stared at the door. 'Shit,' Ban thought. "What is it now? More blind guys?" Ban asked in a hushed voice. Himiko shook her head, "It's her," she replied in the same hushed tone. "We can take her Himiko," Ban said looking to her. Himiko looked at him, her eyes imploring for them to just leave as she bit her bottom lip, but she looked to the door again and simply nodded.
Ban moved to the door first while Himiko took a deep, slow breath and readied the camera. He put his hand on the door and looked to her, she nodded to him and he slid the door open fast; there she was, pale and green in complexion and staring vacantly forward at Himiko. Meeting her gaze Himiko felt unnerved but clutched the camera even tighter, but just as quickly as she appeared before them she vanished before both their eyes as voices filled the room in her wake. Ban whirled around surveying the room quickly for any sign of her, glancing over Himiko noticing her eyes on him and full of fright. When he saw nothing he whirled quickly around the door into the hall and searched there; nothing...yet. Ban motioned Himiko with his hand to follow then moved forward through the hall, he heard Himiko's reluctant foot steps beneath the hum of noise. Over and over they both heard the woman's voice echo through the house, "Why?.......I kept waiting for you......why? Why?......" Himiko was now close behind Ban as they moved together out of the short hall and into the main hall. Despite his desire to search the rest of the house for any more viles, bottles, or even now film, he decided Himiko's plea was the best solution. Time was of the essence for Akabane and Ban also had Ginji and the others to think about. They moved together out of the main hall and into the entrance room without incident. The way out in front of them Ban took longer strides, much to his horror however pale hands reached out of the wall to his left and closed in on his face. Their touch was like ice and Ban let out a short cry. Himiko was equally surprised by the sudden attack, but at Ban's outcry she gripped her camera and snapped a shot. The circle was glowing bright red and when the shot was taken the woman released Ban and seemed to falter back into the wall. Himiko lowered the camera and ran to Ban, quickly grabbing him by the arm and jerking him forward. He hadn't collapsed though his breathing was labored, but she didn't want to risk taking the time to properly help him up and to the door and leave them both vulnerable for another attack. When she reached the door she jerked him forward to the wall freeing her hand to open the door. Ban hit the wall but used it to support himself, as she opened the door and went through he lunged himself forward into the entranceway floor. As he fell to his hands and knees inside the woman appeared behind him seemingly looking down at him. Himiko shot forward and slammed the door shut, the voices stopped suddenly, Ban and Himiko took a second to catch their breath but Himiko grabbed Ban's left arm and knelt down to hoist him up as quickly as she could. Ban wasn't completely helpless so when he realized what she was doing he put all his strength into standing up and walking and the two of them went through the front door out into the open once more.
Once outside Ban stopped prohibiting Himiko from walking further, when she jerked back from his halt she looked at him. "Hang on a sec, let me catch my balance, I think I can walk on my own." After a minute Ban put all his strength into standing on his own and took his arm from around Himiko's shoulders. He placed his hand on her right shoulder to help him balance, but then nodded to Himiko. She nodded in response and they both moved forward; back to the mansion.
As they walked Himiko thought about Akabane, she hoped he would be ok locked in that cell, but how had he gotten there in the first place? Himiko thought on this a moment, only to be distracted by another thought, 'The cell, didn't it have two locks?" She turned to look at Ban as they walked, "Ban, let me see that key," she said. Ban looked at her, then with his free hand reached in his pocket and pulled it out. Himiko took it from him and examined it, it was a rusty old key on a small key ring, there were no markings of any kind on it. Ban watched her, "What Himiko?" he asked. "Weren't there two locks on the cell door? And didn't you say that both locks had a design on them?" "Yeah," Ban raised an eyebrow at her, "One was light and the other dark, so?" "Well, this key has no markings on it at all, not to mention there's only one key..." she said staring at the key again. "Himiko, not all keys are decorated to match the locks, and it's not impossible for one key to open multiple locks," Ban replied an exhausted expression on his face. Himiko grimaced, Ban was right, but she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that this wasn't the key they needed. They pushed on however, nearing the great gate leading to the mansion. As they passed Ban glanced up at the left house where they had left Ginji and Kazuki, not a sound came from it, and Ban couldn't shake the feeling that something might have happened.
Ginji breathed steadily, he never relinquished his barely breathing friend from his arms. Kazuki however had grown too anxious, Ginji's silent answer simply confirmed his fears and was trying to think of what to do next. Did he dare strike out on his own and leave his friends here? The idea of splitting up shook Kazuki's nerves to the core. He knew that if Ginji and Shido were in danger Ginji would snap out of his daze and defend them, but Kazuki feared for himself. His Fuuchouin string style of fighting was of no use or even protection here, but Ginji didn't seem like he was snapping out of his daze fast enough. Seconds crawled by like hours and Shido's condition didn't look like it would improve with time alone. Kazuki glanced around the immediate area, there had to be something close by, he knew that if the worst should happen suddenly that Ginji would not be too far to help.
"Ginji, I'm going to look around here for any more bottles of holy water, alright? I won't go far though, you need to snap out of this, we have to help Shido, do you understand?" he asked his friend in a slow, but even soft voice. Ginji didn't look at him, he simply nodded in response. It wasn't as much of a response as Kazuki hoped for, but it was better than no response at all. Kazuki quietly rose from beside his two friends and cautiously moved forward. The open tatami room they faced was sparsely decorated and wholly dilapidated. Straight across the way in the darkness Kazuki could make out a folding screen alined with the far left corner of the open room. A small tattered unlit lantern stood on the floor in front of it, yet Kazuki could tell that even if he had the means to light it that would simply set the whole lantern ablaze along with the rest of the house. He cautiously turned to his right, that side of the room was the only true wall the room had and it was sectioned off in three segments. The first two, which were closest to him, were open sections while the third which was furthest and aligned with the folding screen, was an actual sliding door closet. The second section by the closet displayed a large broken urn as well as a long tapestry draped behind it on the wall. There appeared to be nothing in the first section at a glance so Kazuki had decided to move toward the closet. However as he moved he thought he saw a shadow of something move in the corner of his eye, he froze now staring at the first partitioned section waiting for the worst; one of those little girls or even the woman with the broken neck. As he looked on though nothing came except the realization that the movement he'd caught had actually been the movement of light coming from the dim windows behind Ginji and Shido. Kazuki relaxed a little now, but his eye didn't leave the first section, he saw something else now. There appeared to be a small object on the ground there, he moved slowly closer kneeling down when he was close enough. His hand timidly reaching for the little dusty object as if he were afraid it would bite him. His hands grasped it though without incident and it appeared to be a small brown vile. Kazuki wasn't too sure what he was looking at but he got a small rush of excitement all the same. He moved swiftly and quietly back to Ginji and Shido.
With his free hand Kazuki shook Ginji's shoulder somewhat aggresively until Ginji acknowledged him by looking up at him. "Ginji-san, what is this? Is this useful? Can this help Shido?" he asked trying to speak firmly but calmly. Ginji's eyes flickered and he began nodding his head with growing intensity, "Yes, yes that will help!" Ginji instinctively reached for the vile with a newly freed hand and began to pull the top off with his mouth. Relief swelled over Kazuki at Ginji's revival and also at so quickly locating treatment of some kind for Shido. Once the top was off Ginji let it just fall from his mouth and he began adjusting Shido with one arm. "Kazu I need you to take some of the medicine on your fingers and feed it to him." Kazuki nodded and did so immediately. He noted Shido's lack of response from all the recent movement and opened his mouth as wide as he could depositing the medicine as far back on Shido's tongue as possible. Once the first bit was there he used both hands to close his mouth. He wasn't sure how long it would take to dissolve there but was hopeful when after a short moment Shido winced, possibly from the taste. Kazuki quickly pushed his fingers all the way in the vile scooping up as much of the rest as he could then pulling Shido's mouth open again for the next round. Despite his reaction Shido still didn't have the strength to resist so Kazuki was able to put the second and bigger deposit of medicine on the back of his tongue. Both hands free again he shut his mouth all the way, after another moment however Shido was wincing harder and actually started coughing and moving on his own.
Coughing hard like he wanted to hack up what he'd just been given Shido start to lift himself out of Ginji's hold. Kazuki beamed, he was going to be ok. "Eck, what WAS that shit?!" Shido demanded as soon as he could speak. Ginji smiled, "Some kind of herbal medicine." Kazuki looked at him amazed, "You know what that was?" Ginji looked at Kazuki now sheepishly, "Not really, but that's what Himiko-san calls it, and Ban and I have both had to take it already so I do know it's ok." Kazuki shook his head in disbelief, "Well it tastes terrible," Shido declared getting to his feet finally. He was still visibly shakey but from his speech they all knew he would make it just fine now. Ginji and Kazuki stood with him now, Ginji putting his hand on Shido's shoulder. Shido looked at him still wincing from the taste. "It does," Ginji said, "but it's better than dying." Shido scoffed, "That's debatable." The three of them managed to laugh quietly among themselves.
"Now what Ginji-san?" Kazuki asked looking to him. "Well, now that we have Shido we need to get out of here to meet up with Ban. Hopefully him and Himiko-san have been able to rescue Dr. Jackal by now." Shido shot Ginji a glance, "Did I hear that right?" Ginji smiled sheepishly at Shido, "Did I just hear 'rescue' and 'Dr. Jackal' in the same sentence, and in that order?" Shido asked still disbelieving. Ginji nodded. Shido leaned against the wall for support, "Oh God, what the hell?" "We were all called for Hevn-san's assignment, so that makes us all on the same team. We need to get out of this place Shido, and we're not leaving anyone behind," Ginji said quietly but firmly. Shido's eye met Ginji's, they were firm as his quiet tone, but Shido scoffed all the same. Ginji frowned at his friend's reaction, even though he understood it all too well. "I really don't want to hang around here to discuss this please," a nervous Kazuki said beside them both as his gaze darted around nervously. Ginji nodded and Shido steadied himself away from the wall. "Lets go then," Ginji said taking the lead back the way he and Kazuki had come. "Back that way!?" Kazuki said a little frantic. Ginji looked back and smiled warmly at him, "Yea Kazu, don't worry, we'll be fine now." Kazuki nodded nervously as he and Shido began to follow.
Ban and Himiko reached the central gate leading to the mansion across the river. Himiko looked at Ban, "Think you can stand on your own for a minute?" "Yeah," Ban answered lifting his weight from her. He wobbled in place for a moment before he steadied himself. Himiko stood beside him until he'd steadied then went to the gate and pulled it open. The doors were stiff but no impossible for even a girl to pull open, despite their intimidating size. She'd worried for a moment before she opened them that she even could, but when they opened near effortlessly she didn't show any trace of the previous worry as she turned back to take Ban's arm again. He let her take his arm but he didn't let himself put all his weight on her again. He'd rested enough on their walk there, he needed to focus himself so Himiko could be free in case of another ghost attack. Himiko felt that he wasn't relying on her as much now, but she didn't say anything or relinquish his arm. He may have not been putting his weight on her now, but she could tell he still needed her for balance. They walked silently across the bridge. With Ban focusing on handling himself their pace picked up quite a bit from the slow limp they had gotten to the gate with when he depended on her completely. Despite focusing on walking Ban had gotten a surge of ease, it felt like Ginji and the others were ok. He smiled inwardly at that but made no mention or motion of it to Himiko. Something else, though, had quickly taken the place of ban's worry for Ginji, it was Himiko's obvious concern that something was wrong with the key they had found. He never liked to admit it to Himiko too often, but her intuition was always on the mark, and this worried him now too. He was sick of this place and not at all happy about risking so much for a murderer like Akabane, if it were up to him he'd just leave him in this hell hole and get the hell out himself, but he knew that both Himiko and Ginji wouldn't settle for that. Ban's expression soured a bit when he thought of just how the hell he got himself into situations like this. Himiko caught the expression on his face between her own thoughts, "What's wrong?" she asked him. Ban sighed, "Nothing, just still pretty exhausted." Himiko looked at him a moment but then looked on ahead, they were almost at the mansion gate. She knew he was lying about what was wrong, but she chose not to press it. They reached the mansion gate without incident and Himiko pushed them open without too much effort. Once in the courtyard the looked at their options for just a moment. Surveying the front door and the supposed 'back door' they moved again toward the back door.
Once inside they moved slowly down the stairs to the dirt floor of the basement. When they reached the bottom of the stairs they stopped and cautiously peeked around the corner. They looked at the well and the walls around it for anything suspicious. When they deemed the coast was clear they began walking again toward the well to the other door at the end. However when they reached the well the temperature plummeted suddenly and they both froze in horror as two of the blinded men appeared before them. These were the same as the one they fought beneath the first house where they got the old key. Himiko quietly grabbed the camera and looked at Ban who was already waiting for her gaze. Their eyes met and she instant saw both the fear and the patience for instruction. Without a word she motioned with her free hand for him to stay very still. He nodded slowly in response turning his eyes back to the ghosts who were now turning their heads from side to side trying to 'hear' them.
Himiko began moving slowly backward away from Ban with her eyes on the ghosts. In sync both ghosts stood upright and moved forward toward the sound. Ban froze with terror at Himiko's boldness to make a sound, but he realized after a second that she was trying to lead them away from him. Despite the fact that he could walk on his own now he was still in no shape to fight anything. He remained perfectly still and silent and the ghosts moved closer. Himiko stopped moving at their first response, they moved closer but stopped when they seemed to lose the sound and began turning their heads from side to side looking for the sound again. She held the camera up and it glowed furiously red when the ghosts were turned to the side. The earlier fight with these guys hadn't left her mind, she knew how they would react and looked behind herself to formulate a plan. She only had so much room behind her to move away from Ban, she looked again ahead of her, with two of them that made the fight longer and harder. She could lead them away from Ban only for a short time, she knew she could kill one without having to double back; not two though, that changed things. Himiko was going to have to kill one quickly but have to double back somehow with the other. She lifted the camera again to her eye and waited for the red circle. The two were a little too far apart from her angle to catch them both in the same shot so she focused on the one closest to Ban's path and aimed. When the red circle came she snapped her shot and brought the camera down from her face with lightning quick reflex. The ghost she hit rebounded from the hit then came at her swinging, Himiko was forced to move back a few steps which triggered the other to move closer as well. She remembered they only swung three times before they stopped to search for sound again so she only took the necessary steps backward. Himiko was just barely out of range of the ghost's last swing leaving him barely an arm's length away, this made her very nervous.
During the first ghost's rebound Ban had duck down quickly and quietly in order to not get hit by one of the wild swings. His balance threatened to betray him by letting him fall to the ground but he was thankful the well was just in reach to steady him. Once he was ok he looked back to see Himiko. He didn;t like the situation, the one she'd hit was now right in front of her while the second hovered only inches from where he crouched. He saw Himiko ready the camera again on the ghost in front of her and Ban held his breath as he watched. When she snapped the shot the camera was down and she was moving backward very fast. The first ghost reeled and started swinging furiously again while the second began moving toward her. Himiko had to dodge all the way to the wall while trying to be mindful of the second ghost coming her way. She stopped on the second step, and luckily both ghosts halted again seeking sound. Himiko focused her breathing to be minimal so as not to attract attention yet she was in desperate need for oxygen. Her nerves were shaking her, she was both impressed with herself and terrified at how bold she was having to be here. She hoped with everything she had in her that the first ghost would die on the next shot, she was running out of room to run. Bringing up the camera again she waited for the red circle on the first ghost, when the time came she snapped the shot and as she'd hoped the first one disappeared, however she hadn't realized that in that shot she managed to hit both ghosts so the second one came barreling at her. Terrified at this realization she turned and ran to the top of the stairs, turning to see him still coming for her she inched to the side and froze. The ghost stopped inches from her
Ban had heard the commotion and waited for the sound of the door slamming shut behind her, when that sound never came after all the commotion of running had ceased he knew she was in trouble. Ban took the risk and called her, "Himiko," he said in a normal speaking volume. Himiko watch the ghost before her horrified as Ban spoke and it turned toward him. She waited with baited breath to see what would happen next, and just as she feared when Ban had not seen the ghost come after him he began moving around and making more noise. When the ghost pursued she was both relieved and frantic, Ban had given her the ability to move again giving her a chance to kill this thing but she didn't think Ban could survive more than one more hit from anything. She heard Ban's pace trying to quicken and she tore down the stairs toward them. The ghost stopped in its tracks at the new sounds and both Himiko and Ban did the same. All three of them stood very still and the ghost began to search for sound again. Himiko took a step forward, the camera already trained on the ghost, and it turned toward her. Gliding a little ways toward her it stopped and searched for sound again, she waited for the red circle and snapped the shot when it came. Ripping down the camera she this time wove her way around the ghost as it came at her swinging. Ban's side of the room now behind her she had more space to play with. She looked behind her at Ban and smiled, he smiled back at her and then she looked to her other side behind her noting where everything in the room was. The ghost stood only a couple feet from her searching for sound again. Himiko readied the camera and snapped the shot when it came. Bringing down the camera she moved more calmly out of the way. When the ghost stopped its flailing again this time it was at an angle a slightly greater distance away from her. Himiko became more confident, only two more shots and this one was down too. She glance around her planning out her next moves and snapped away when the shots came up. In a matter of minutes she had the second ghost down without any incident.
Ban watched her newfound prowess with the camera and grinned inwardly; yet something else for her to get a big head about. He chose not to say anything to her and simply nodded at her when she smiled at him triumphant. He walked over to her and they walked to the other door together. Once through Himiko helped steady Ban as they went up the stairs. Anticipation wet the stale air now, they were almost to Akabane's cell; it was almost the moment of truth as to whether they had found the right key or not. They rounded the hallway corner and walked more quickly now, as they approached the cell they saw that the outer door had been closed. When they reached it Himiko tried to open it but it didn't open. She panicked for a moment but then Ban handed her the key they had found and sure enough it fit and unlocked the lock on the door. This was both a relief and an ill omen to them, and once inside the looked into the seemingly deserted cell. Himiko walked up to the bars as Ban stood in the now open doorway.
"Akabane?" Himiko said aloud, but no response came. There was sound of movement or breathing. Himiko looked back at Ban afraid, it was worse than they had feared. Not only had they not found the right key, but now they had found no Akabane at all.