The Untold Ritual
By Houou Kazoku-Kaga
Disclaimer: I don't own Fatal Frame 2.
Ryokan Kurosawa threw up the trapdoor in the Tachibana House. The nerve of him to ask if he had second thoughts about the ritual!
Ever since Ryokan could remember, he had resented his twin brother Hirokan. If it hadn't been for the fact that Hirokan was born, Ryokan could have lived a normal life. He had long been awaiting the day when they could perform the ritual.
And at last, that day has come. The Osaka twins, Ryoko and Kyoko, were supposed to be the maidens this time, but they hung themselves rather than go through with it. So the ten year old Kurosawa boys were up.
And now Hirokan was beginning to chicken out! He asked Ryokan, while they took their tea, if he ever thought of getting out of the ritual. Ryokan had erupted, knocking over the tea and storming out.
Ryokan could hear a thump. Hirokan was following him. Ryokan went upstairs and out the door to the Bridge of Heaven toward the Kiryu House.
There he went to the one place he knew Hirokan would never go. The room once occupied by the twins. Rumours were abundant about the fate of the family, the best known one being that the Remaining and a doll of the twin murdering the head of the household.
Ryokan settled down and slept undisturbed through the night.
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The next morning, the priests entered the Kiryu House and found Hirokan outside the twins' door.
"Where is your brother?"
He pointed to the room. One of the priests went into the room and came out with Ryokan, who was rubbing his eyes.
"It's time."
"Finally!" Ryokan said, now fully awake.
The priests led the boys back to their house, and through the rooms until they reached the corridor with two pathways. One priest led Hirokan down one path while Ryokan went down the other path.
In the room right before the path to the X, the priests tied the red cord to the twins. Hirokan tried to hold Ryokan's hand, but Ryokan steadfastly kept his arms folded.
Their father, the Ceremony Master, was awaiting the boys at the X.
"Ryokan, Hirokan, you two are doing the village a great service, and I am proud of you."
"Thank you, Father," Ryokan said with saccharine sweetness.
Hirokan sat down on the slab and lied down. Ryokan sat on top of him.
"Will my death really make you happy?"
"Yes!" Ryokan immediately said. "I've hated you since I knew we'd have to do this ritual."
With that, Ryokan began to strangle Hirokan with gusto. He squeezed harder until Hirokan became limp and the red cord broke.
The Mourners came, picked up Hirokan's body, and threw it into the X.
Endings coming soon.
