Fatal Frame III: Butterfly of Darkness

Chapter I: It Began with a Letter…

The skies over the circuit board city of Tokyo was a surprisingly dark red, a spattering of dark grey clouds complimenting the almost foreboding tonal range of the crimson above. It had just passed the middle of the day, creeping up slowly to two o'clock. However, the sky wasn't the focus of our events, nor was the time of the day. Taking ourselves quickly to the outskirts of Tokyo, to the rare areas of countryside surrounding the immensely technologically advanced Eastern city, was the Amakura residence, a not too shabby, renovated farmhouse owned by one Amakura Mio. Once the victim of the horrid events of the All God's Village, the pains of reliving the experiences of so many people, harmed by malice, the murder of her own twin sister, Amakura Mayu to appease the gods, having had to watch her breathless body be thrown into the Hellish Abyss by the Mourners who attended the unholy ritual itself, along with the Veiled Priests… Now, what was she? The recently divorced mother of one, namely Amakura Ryu, seventeen and obviously male.

However, this had gotten a little too much for her, and hence the occasion for a small vacation. Where to? Well, she'd heard how good the people who lived at Osaka were… An obvious stereotype, but it was well worth a try. Then again, when your going to a hotel where right next door is the 'Kabuki-cho Hot Spring and Beauty Spa', the reputation for good food is slyly pushed aside. Unluckily for Ryu, he'd been left at home. Then again, maybe it was for the best… Especially taking into consideration recent events in his life…

"Mmm… Not today, mum…" Came the gentle groan from one of the bedrooms of the aforementioned farmhouse, as the male slept. Surrounding the medium sized tatami room was the wall-coverings of your typical teenager: Random posters of singers, primarily female (and half the time, wearing extremely revealing clothing), with some of your idolized males, one of them in particular being Gackt. At least three of these pictures contained the face of the overly feminine males face, in all manner of clothing, from Samurai Gackt, to Les Miserables Gackt. The only other noticeable feature was the low-down table in the centre, a black cased laptop on top, with a wall scroll on the wall directly to the left, Kanji trailing down it spelling out 'Words without actions are meaningless'. Yet, the futon to boy was currently sleeping in (which didn't look at all comfortable) was against the far right hand wall.

Underneath the simply white covers, his head against two over-sized, plump pillows was Ryu. Currently, only the face of the albino silver haired male could be seen. Slightly pale, natural tanned Asian skin was obvious, two large, deep red eyes, hidden behind the two Asian coloured eyelids covering them, before finally, this silver hair was the reason for his arousal. Two long strands began to slide down his face, stroking across his noses, causing it to wrinkle like some sort of human rabbit, his restlessness finally turning into a full awakening, groaning once again, with equal tone as before. "Muuuum… I don't want to go to school today…" He began to whisper softly, the lids beginning to slide across the rather pretty orbs, opening half way before blinking. Following this blink, there was two more quick blinks in succession, his only sights being a blurry vision of the electric alarm clock beside his futon, the numbers and letters spelling out '1:53PM - Sat'. "… Is that the time already…?" The boy spoke outwards, groggily as he simply turned over onto his back, to stare upwards at the plain white ceiling, "… I really can't be bothered to get up…" Ryu commented half-heartedly, continuing to gaze upwards to the plaster-blocked Heavens, before beginning to sit up ever-so-slowly, as much as his body wanted to react to his thoughts. As the male slide up at an angle, the soft, white sheets began to creepingly trail down his body like two pale, tender, sensual hands, across his chest first, revealing the same coloured skin across a slightly muscled body. Enough to give tone, but not enough to really stand out too much. Two average length arms, linked onto delicate, tiny hands before reaching the hourglass curves which Ryu called his stomach, the beginnings of a six-pack beginning to try and fight its way through the tight skin across his tummy, the obvious result of repeated years of martial arts - Mainly Tae Kwon Do, and Kenjutsu to be specific. The covers finally ended at the edge of his black boxers, the covers still hiding his thin, equally as curvy lower ligaments for a few seconds more before with one sharp movement, his brain was given a good kicking into second gear, rising to his feet, stumbling back slightly as the male shook his head, reaching up to his full height of 5'6".

"Now, to get some stuff actually done today…" Came the comment simply. It was a habit. Albeit an egotistical habit. I mean, whats wrong with speaking to the only intelligent person in the room? Conveniently, the door to his cabinet was right next to his futon, the boy turning around to slide the shoji door open, before briefly flicking through random garments. As they came to his grasp, Ryu flicked his wrist, sliding out a black button up shirt with it's hanger, throwing it to the top of the futon, along with a pair of extremely long, baggy black trousers, panning out around the end of the feet with an amazing amount of material, enough to almost drown ones feet, before from underneath them, he threw a pair of white socks quite successively to the pile after the trousers had made their home on top of his futon clothing pile. His hand moved back to the grip on the shoji door, sliding the door back to its original closed position, as the male put his shirt aside, picking up his trousers, putting one leg into the leg hole and sliding them up easily, putting his other leg in and bringing them up to his rather extended hips, buttoning it up and quickly sliding up the zipper on the front, following this up by grabbing at his shirt, and simply flinging the material on, adjusting the collar down before leaving it open. Picking up one of the socks, he went up on one foot, hopping slightly as he attempted to get it on, switching legs as this was done, now hopping forward to the shoji leading outwards from his room, stumbling a small amount as the second sock was in place, landing rather near the door with his balance, sliding the door open, and stepping out.

Turning to his right as he exited the room, the young boy made another turn soon enough, reaching another shoji and sliding it open, stepping into the bathroom. All it was, was a small shower in the corner, a toilet in the left corner, with a sink in the middle of the right hand wall as he walked in, snatching up his brush, and heading out again, roughly closing the door behind him. The brush was brung up quickly to the back of his head, pushing some hair from his face with his left hand, as the back sections of his hair was brushed flat, one part after another, only then the true length of his hair evident. The back of his hair reaching just below his shoulder blades, as fringe reaching down and covering his ears, cascading down the two relatively unbuilt shoulders. Continuing down the hallway, past two more doors, while still combing his hair, Ryu wandered his way lazily into the front room, via another shoji door straight ahead of him. This room, like the rest, was just as minimalistic. In the centre was a cheap leather sofa, in front a varnished wooden television stand, with a slightly aged 32" Sony television. In the far right hand reaches of the room was another brown, varnished piece of furniture, a dining table of Western import. Heading past this, he took a quick right past one of the shoji-less openings in the wall, which led down a tiny step to the front door.

Opening up the front door, which was another shoji - How original - Ryu made his way up the small stone pathway up too the letterbox, taking out envelopes, before turning on his sock-covered heel, making his way back into the house closing the door before taking his right. Now back in the front room, he placed his brush on vanished table, before tapping the button under the cordless phone, which was on the stand it stood on, initiating the annoyingly stale voice of a certain female, as he seated himself on the leather sofa, pressing the 'On' button on the remote control which laid on the right arm rest, bringing up 'Shinsengumi! TV'. This took his attention for the moment, staring at the screen for a few seconds as 'Usagi! Usagi! Nani nani Usagi?!' came on, some amateur animation for young children playing, as some tiny crocodile played with a large beach ball, with his friends, which obviously included a giant bunny. Namely, Usagi. Finally, this female voice came audible, as he began to flick through the envelopes in hand.

"Welcome to the Japan telecom inbox messaging service. You have two new messages." Stated the voice, following up with everyone's favourite 'Beep!' as it moved onto its first message. "Electricity bill…" Ryu sighed, flipping to the next envelope in his hand, "Magazine subscription confirmation…" "Hello, hunny!" One again, the voice perked up, obviously female, "Its just me, Ryu. Just wanted to make sure your doing alright. Will you phone me back when you finally decide to wake up?" Mio teased, softly, before a tiny giggle ensued, followed up by another 'Beep!'

"Ryu-kun! Where have you been all summer?!" Another female voice followed up after Mio's introduction, as Ryu skipped to the next envelope before stoically before his eyes widened slightly.
"… This… This writing…" The boy whispered to himself, staring at the white envelope, with simply 'To my beloved…' written on the front, the voice continuing in the background.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to come out for a drink with me a Yuji-kun? I hear Hiroko-chan has been missing you too, lots of love! Byeeeeeee!" The voice cut off, as did the phones current function. At this moment in time, Ryu simply stared down at the envelope, as if fearful to open it. Was this… Was this some sort of… sick joke? Flicking it over in his hands, his thumb pulling open the right corner before ripping it sidewards, before his fingers wrapped about the tiny slip of paper inside, pulling it out. It even… smelt like hers… "This is her perfume…" He commented to himself solemnly, before hesitantly opening the paper up, to some rather elegantly wrote Japanese.

"Dear Ryu," He began to slowly read out loud to himself, eyes wide, "I've finally had time to write to you. You don't know how lonely I've been without you, but with the move and all, it's all been a real hassle. I knew I should have told you, but the thought of us being split apart… I couldn't bare to let you know, but now that everything's settled, I can finally tell you whats been happening… My parents recently moved, and I ran away… They didn't like you, that's why they wanted me to come too, but I've found a place… This tiny village, in the forest north of where you live…. It's beautiful, the people are so helpful and kind, and we'd be able to live here, together… We can't break our promise, right? You told me you'd love me no matter what happened, we'd be together forever, and I believe you… I'm so happy I could finally write to you again… To my beloved, Tokijiro Kasumi."

This caused the male to simply stare, in disbelief. How could she be writing to him? This wasn't possible… To hear something like that from the girl you were in love with should be something great, right? Most people would think that, but…

There was a quick flash in his mind as he stared at the letter, hands shaking abit as a small flash of events came through his head.

An almost empty park, the pink blossoms of the sakura trees surrounding him felt and looked grey, and the two others there, one male, one female. Ryu knelt at a gravestone, hair stuck to his face, as long, salty tears trailed down his face, whimpering in-between soft gasps, the girl squatting down slowly, her arms lightly wrapping themselves around his front, laying her face his shoulder, "Oh Ryu-kun… I'm so sorry… But c'mon… We have to get you something to eat. You'll starve at this rate, and if you stay out here much longer your going to catch something and seriously hurt yourself…"

It began to become apparent what this was, as Ryu was wearing a black suit, the girl hugging him wearing a black short dress, the male behind her wearing the same as Ryu. It was a recent funeral. "I don't care…"

"… Ryu-kun…" The girl softly replied, swallowing gently as the male behind her touched her on the shoulder. Turning her head slowly to look at him, she looked down to Ryu, before beginning to stand up, being welcomed in by the arms of the male.

"We'll see you later, Ryu-kun… Stop by our house when your ready, okay?" He spoke slowly, as Ryu stared longingly at the gravestone, as the couple began to slowly walk away, down the stone path away from the mourning male, as another strike of lightning came from behind, illuminating the front of the stone. The words 'Tokijiro Kasumi' etched onto the stone in front of him, before reality took over his mind once more, as he continued to stare.

"But she… Died…" Ryu whispered to himself softly, an unearthly silence passing over the room, apart from the television in the background playing its strange sound effects as the bunnies played with each other. Only one thing could describe the events which were about to unfold in Ryu's participation of his mothers destiny…

'Something wicked this way comes…'

OOC: Phew! Well, looks like my inspiration has come back. I hope you guys enjoy my ficcy. Please review it! Unless I get some good feedback, or indication that more is wanted, I won't be continuing this ficcy. ' Ja ne!