Until the Darkness Dies
Act - 3: Teleported

Yaketsuki
Yaketsuki
Hagarenai tenohira no ato
Chigireta tsubasa de sitsuku somaru kumoma wo saite
Jouzu ni hanebataku watashi wo mitsukete

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Alyssa paced about her room. The 15-year old looked about her surroundings and sighed. Being a Rooder was harder than anyone could ever imagine. Putting murdered spirirts to rest isn't all fun and games! The clock laying on her desk read 2:56 PM. She'd survived attacks from people maces, acid, and axes yet she was still alive and healthy. She exited her room and walked the dim hallway to her mum's room, "Mum's out, I don't think she'll mind me messing with portal. Expecially when the Subordinate on the other side's already banished." She stepped into Nancy's room and strode over to the clock, "Now how did it go?" Alyssa began to insert the winding keys, but the clock struck 3 on its own, "Conveneit."She thought to herself. The secret door to the left opened, revealing a small room containing many bottels and a large design drawn on the floor. She uncorked her own bottle of holy water and walked into the room, glancing about to make sure there wasn't anything she might need laying about. After investigating several open books, she splashed holy water onto the symbol. The water fell in crystal like drops before splashing onto the ground. Upon impact energy radiated from the spot and the symbol began to glow. Satisfied, Alyssa stepped into the center of the portal shut her eyes tightly as she felt the powerful energy carry her away.

How could this have happened? Ralph stared at the cold, grey ceiling. Tears were begining to form in his dark eyes but he refused to cry. Why had Jemima, his dear sister, his only true remaining family, taken her own life? Just what had been going on? What had she read? A part of him wanted to know, another was afraid. He feared if he read the book, he to would be driven to the same madness. Memories flashed in his mind. Memories of Jemima as the happy child she'd always seemed to be. He'd only seen her cry once. That was years ago when they were children. Jemima had broken one of his blades, his pride and joy at the time, and he'd lost control of his temper and yelled such hurtful things at her. She'd always been sensitive. The poor girl had taken every word to heart and cried all night, thinking that he really hated her for her clumsy mistake. He remembered her choked sobs, and then remembered her dead. Her mangaled body laying motionless. Oh God had he ever said he was sorry for being so cruel? He felt a tear run down his cheek, but put up little resistance. Was it his fault Jemima had jumped from her sanctuary and to her death? The tears were falling freely now. Had he really been so horrible to her, and then what she read pushed his dear sister to her limits? Oh how he wished he was just dreaming. Just a horrible nightmare that he'd do anything to wake up from. He closed his eyes and imagined the scene. He'd wake up, and there standing over him would Jemima, tapping her foot with an impatient look. She'd scold him for sleeping in so often and drag him from his comfortable spot. Ralph opened his eye's. No Jemima. No click of her heels. No silly complaining. He'd wished so many times that she'd leave him be in the mornings, yet now he wanted her there more than ever. Ralph cried as he remembered her laughing, her dead, her taunts, her dead, her apoligizing, her dead. It felt like a part of him was missing, and how he longed for it to return. Jemima'd never cried for her parents as a child, she'd always run to him. She depended on him. She'd always trusted him to be there for her. He was her older brother, if only by a couple moments, and he was supposed to protect her! Now she was dead. He'd failed her. She couldn't depend on him to help her. She couldn't trust him to have run over and stopped her. She couldn't have hoped that he'd grab her hand just as she fell and save her from her horrible fate. He hadn't protected her! He'd failed Jemima! Ralph rolled onto his side and hugged himself for comfort, "I'm sorry, Jemima. I'm so sorry." was all he could choke out through his sobs.

Alyssa looked about her new, unfamiliar surroundings. This wasn't right. She was supposed to be in a torn up alley, not a castle! What was she duing here? The Rooder looked to her feet to splash the water back on the portal so she could go home. Alyssa gasped as she realized the portal was no longer there! Okay so she was gonna be stuck here for a very long while, no biggie. She skimmed the area once more. It was apparent that she was no longer in her own time period, way back in the medieval ages probably since she was in a castle and all. The ceiling appeared to be several feet above her, with several interesting designs painted upon it. Stone statues lined the walls and her refelction was clearly visible in the floor. In the center of the large, seemingly pointless room, was an endless spiral staircase. Alyssa hesitantly walked closer, trying to see how high it went, but it appeared that in went on pass the distant ceiling. Once more she turned and noticed three doors. One to the West, South, and East. Before she could make a selection of which one to choose, the East door opened. The school girl froze and looked for a place to hide, but none was available. She had to admit she felt rather stupid standing int he middle of such a large, expansive room doing absolutely nothing, but the maid didn't seem to notice her. Alyssa took careful note that since her outfit was green, and everything else was either white or grey, she'd stick out rather well. So she decided she was invisible to the people of this era. Alyssa let out a sigh of reliefe, and the maid instantly froze in position. Alyssa stood dead still as the women looked in her direction, "... I'm hearing things. Loosing my mind over the whole matter. Can't let it get to me. Gotta focus." She spoke to herself with an odd amount of worry. The Rooder instantly picked this up. What was this lady muttering about? The maid exited the room through the West door and Alyssa followed after. Maybe she wasn't here by accident. The unknown woman scurried up many stairs and rounded many corners, unaware of her follower. Alyssa watched her walk down a long a narrow hallway. She took note that there was only one door, as far as she could see, and that was to the left. The woman took in a deep breath before seemingly gathering the courage to knock on the door. There came no reply, but the maid spoke anyway, "Master Ralph? Dinner is being served." She hesitated before adding, "I'm terribly sorry for the loss of Miss. Jemima." She stepped back from the door and retraced her steps back down the stairs. Alyssa, however, did not follow. The young girl stood there for a moment before approaching the same door. She examined it quickly and reached for door knob. Locked. She jumped back as the door was slowly opened, and as her eye's met that of Ralph's. Once more she froze. Calm down girl, he can't see you. Breath in, breath out, "Who are you?" Alyssa gasped and backed away. He can see me! He can see me! He can see me! The boy looked her up an down, "Where did you come from?"
"You can see me?!" She blurted out. Well I'm sure he can now...
"Of course I can." He raised an eyebrow at her and crossed his arms. She was an odd one.
"Er...Um..."Way to go Alyssa, you're making a great first impression, "I'm Alyssa, and I'm not from around here obviously."
Ralph said nothing. She reminded him of Jemima, in an odd sort of way. Both of them never thought before they leaped. He felt sorrow taking over once more and turned away from the strange girl. She quickly calmed down, and slowly everything fell into place. There had to be a subordinate of some sort around. They'd killed a girl named Jemima, who was somehow connected to this boy. OK she has that much figured out, and now was the time to ask a stupid question, "Um, Ralph, who exactly is Jemima?" Yup, stupid question. For as soon as she mentioned the name the boy had an instant look of pain, which he quickly replaced with anger, "What does it matter to you?" He snapped back. What did it matter? Everyone knew Jemima around here anyway! Alyssa winced, seeing she'd upset him. Which was clearly not a good thing, "I didn't mean to upset you, I'm just highly curious." She quickly replied. She watched as he calmed down slightly, a sad look lingered in his eyes, "It's alright. I guess if you didn't know you couldn't have ment any harm." His voice was suddenly quiet and deppressed, "Jemima was my twin, she..." He struggled with his words, "She commited suicide just a few days ago." Alright, brother and sister, now to find ou-wait...suicide? If Jemima had commited suicide, then there couldn't be a subordinate and she wouldn't be here. Well she couldn't have been dropped here just for sight seeing purposes. This had to have been a carefully disguised murder. Ralph spoke again, "Well, Alyssa, you should probably-"
"Master Ralph whom are you speaking to?" Both turned to see a new figure had appeared. A man dressed in formal clothing stood there and stared at Ralph. Ralph stared back, then looked at Alyssa, then back at the man. Alyssa again, the man, "But..." He watched the schoolgirl wave her hand in front of the stranger's face to indicate she couldn't be seen. Was he going insane? Seeing strange girls appear and talk to him certainly seemed crazy. The man tilted his head at Ralph, who quickly spoke up, "It's nothing. Just thinking outloud." He then walked past the two people and turned down a hallway. The person standing next to Alysaa shuddered and pulled his coat around him tightly, "Sure is cold around here." And continued down the hall. Alyssa stood in silence for awhile. She watched Ralph go, then the man leave. Left with no other option, she pursued Ralph. Clearly he played some part in this web of mysteries she was entangled in, and she wanted answers.

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Burned on
Burned on
The inerasable scars left by the palms of my hands
Sever a rift in the red-stained clouds with my torn wings
See, I can flutter better than you thought

Please note: This fic is one of those "Alternate Universe" kinda things. Alyssa has never encountered the Scissor Twins, nor has Lord Burroughs tried to steal her heart. We shall pretend he went after some other unfortunate school girl. I know Jemima did not commit suicide originally. I read their little book atleast 50 times. Her and Ralph were killed by an angry crowd armed with rocks. I do know Lord Burrough also had a son named William or something like that, and I don't really care. He's dead to so we don't care about him, but it's probably better to pretend he never excisted. He was so rarely mentioned in the game, only once actually, that even if he did star in this fic no one would know who he was. So if you have any further concerns as to why someone is not appearing, why things are different, why I'm messin with the castle layout, you can keep your damn opinions to yourself because this is MY Alternate Universe and I say shut the hell up. Do have a pleasent day =)

Also note: That no cruelty was ment in the above paragraph, I'm just very tired(It's currently 1:42 AM) and have no desire to hear complaints on my ideas and opinions. Again, do have a pleasent day =)

Clock Tower 3 and all its chara (C) Capcom
Chou("Butterfly") is property of Fatal Frame 2(Project Zero 2) and is (C) Tecmo
This fic and its storyline and related ideas are (C) KID (Me)