Crimson Butterfly
A Fatal Frame Fanfiction
By Chendzee'a Li
www.chendzeea_li@hotmail.com
All characters belong to Tecmo.
Chapter 6
Questions and Answers
The darkness was oppressive, nearly pliable. Thankfully, the meager amount of moonlight filtering through the warped and cracking walls offered enough illumination to keep the girls from breaking their necks. It was a small comfort, as the dull blue glow cast ominous and tortured shadows that seeming crawled along the rotting walls. Mayu, clinging closely against her sister's arm, rested her cheek against her shoulder. The warmth of contact comforted her. In the silence, she could hear the gentle sigh of her breath and the beat of her own heart. It was a welcoming sound amid the soft groans and creaks of the floorboards as they walked.
Mio looked fondly down at her and smiled gently.
"You okay?" She whispered.
"Uh huh." Mayu murmured, giving her arm a soft squeeze. "Just a little tired."
"Me too, we'll rest once we find someplace safe."
"I don't think any place in this village is safe…" Mayu replied with a sad sigh.
"Hush now, we'll be okay." Mio responded, kissing the top of her head.
Mayu smiled at that, Mio's confidence was reassuring.
Arriving at familiar door Mio paused as a chill breeze washed over them.
"It's cold." Mayu shivered.
"Yeah, it leads outside. Come on we can get downstairs from here." Mio explained, opening the door. Stepping out onto the balcony, they looked down onto a small garden.
"Oh!" Mayu shirked. "It's raining too." The proclaimed meekly.
The shower was faint and the gentle drum of the raindrops hitting wooden shingles made for an oddly soothing sound.
"Come on." Mio gestured, towards the wooden staircase circling the garden.
"These boards are slick so be careful."
"I will." Mayu nodded as they moved forward.
They'd made their way halfway down the stairs when a voice echoed behind them.
"Why do you run…."
Bringing up the rear, Mayu was closest to the ghost. Spinning around in fright she fell backwards. Mio was there for her and caught her easily. Looking up she saw the spirit. A tall man, old and gray, with stern cold eyes.
"Leave us alone!" Mio proclaimed while fumbling for the camera as Mayu moved behind her.
"You were born for this purpose…." The ghost hissed then faded before Mio could banish it.
Mio felt ill at the notion and pushed it from her mind. Turning around, she looked to Mayu who stood silent.
"Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.
Nodding wordlessly, Mayu turned and continued down the stairs.
"Don't listen to them." Mio said sternly as they hurried as fast as they dared down the stairs. Upon reaching the door, Mio paused in fear. The last time she went this way she encountered a terrible entity, powerful and overwhelmingly terrifying. From what she'd learned so far, she had a feeling that the thing was the Kusabi she kept hearing about.
Pressing an ear to the door, she listened for the awful keening the creature produced. Only silence and the soft patter of rainfall greeted her ears. Opening the door, she stepped in slowly. She stood stiffly, dreading that she may encounter the abomination once more. The room was disturbingly peaceful considering the drama of earlier. Bathed in a soft blue glow, the chamber seemed magical as the gentle sound of tiny bells rang from some otherworldly origin. Mio found herself paralyzed with fear and paused just inside the doorway. Oblivious to her worries, Mayu slipped by and continued into the chamber. Snapped out of her daze, Mio blinked in fright as her sister rounded the corner.
"Mayu!!" She whispered sharply then hurried after her.
As she turned the corner she saw the open area of the chamber, the same area that was previously strewn with ghostly corpses. Standing at the center of the room, bathed in shadows was Mayu. Mio breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward. Her vision shimmered briefly and for a brief instance Mio saw the girl in the blood soaked kimono in Mayu's stead. The girl tossed back her head and cackled silently at her before vanishing as quickly as she appeared. Mio paused, and stared worriedly at her sister. Her face was in shadow, and she seemed listless. Stepping closer, Mio reached out fearfully, afraid that she'd turn into something horrible at the last instance. Instead, Mayu simple looked up slowly at her. Wordlessly, she offered a sad smile.
"What is it?" Mio asked, taking her hand.
"Its nothing…" Mayu smiled weakly.
"Are you sure?" Mio asked again unconvinced as Mayu shuddered and looked around worriedly.
"Mio… hurry up… lets go… we have to get out of here."
Mio's eyes widened in fright. Taking her sister's words to heart, she hurried for the door. Sliding it open, she then rushed into the dark hall beyond.
Shutting the door behind her she leaned against the wall and let out a heavy sigh. Memories of the kusabi flashed in her mind and it chilled her to the core.
Mayu stood silent, watching her.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Mio asked, moving towards her.
"I don't want to kill anymore…" Mayu mouthed quietly, her eyes vacant.
Mio's blood froze.
"Mayu…" She said gently, taking her by the shoulders. "You didn't kill anyone."
"I have to get…to ritual…." Mayu whispered, slowly looking up at her.
"Stop that, you're scaring me." Mio frowned.
"For the village…." Mayu continued, tears forming in her eyes. "We were born for this purpose…"
Mio nearly panicked and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Mayu, you have to snap out of it, don't listen to them." She shouted, shaking her briskly.
Blinking uncomprehendingly, Mayu looked at her a moment.
"I'm okay…" She finally whispered.
"Are you sure?" Mio frowned.
"Uh huh." Mayu nodded, offering a faint smile.
"You're worrying me."
"I'm sorry…" Mayu sighed regretfully. Leaning forward, Mio kissed her brow tenderly.
"It's okay, lets just go." She said quietly then took her hand.
Mayu nodded in agreement and the two hurried on. They didn't go far before a voice called out behind them.
"Why do you run?" The voice whispered. Mio recognized it as belonged to old man they'd encountered on the stairs. Turning around slowly, Mio was relived to find the hallway empty.
"Kurosawa…" Mayu mumbled.
"What?" Mio asked, looking at her.
"The ceremony master… he presides over the village…"
"Don't think about it. Let's just go." Mio said firmly, taking her hand.
Mayu followed quietly, content to trust her sister's decisions.
The oppressive aura of the house was like an entity on itself, heavy and ominous, eternally pressing down on them, threatening to crush them with dread.
Time seemed forgotten after awhile. Wandering the dank and rotting halls, Mio paused and slumped down onto the floor. Silently Mio stood over her, her dark eyes glittering in the dim light.
"Everyone's dead…" She mumbled sullenly. "It's our fault…."
"Mayu…"
"We're going to die here…"
"Stop that, we'll make it…." Mio frowned, not believing it. Still, she had to be strong, for Mayu's sake. Rising to her feet, she looked around. They were lost and the house was huge. She had no idea which way to go and it showed. Still, Mayu was trusting, and hung by her side.
"There…" Mio sighed, pointing to an ornate, sliding door.
With a low rustle the door slid open amid a cloud of dust.
"Mio!" Mayu shrieked as a tall figure loomed just inside the doorway. Clad in ancient armor it was built like a man but its face was fanged and inhuman.
Mayu brought up her camera and fired the shutter. The flash illuminated the room and the thing before her. In the brief light Mio quickly realized the figure was nothing more than a old suit samurai armor, complete with demon mask.
Letting out a short laugh, she stooped over to catch her breath.
"Is it okay?" Mayu asked fearfully.
"Yeah…" Mio chuckled, stepping into the room. "It's just some old armor."
"Oh… I thought…." Mayu mumbled, trailing off.
"Me too." Mio smirked looking around. "Look at this place…" She mouthed in awe. The small chamber was full of antiques, even older than the village itself. Ceremonial masks hung from the wall alongside ornate kimonos and other relics. At the center of the chamber stood a tall hexagonal bookcase lined with old rotting books, scrolls and tomes. The chamber was lit with candles, even though by all appearances the chamber hadn't been entered in unknown years. That fact alone was enough to unsettle Mio who kept a wary guard. Curious, Mayu examined one of the books.
"Careful…" Mio warned.
"It's okay…" Mayu mumbled, thumbing through one of the cracked and yellowed books.
Needing a break, Mayu rested against a near wall and watched her sister with a look of concern.
"You shouldn't read that stuff. There's no telling what's in there." She warned.
"I know… but perhaps there's something in here that will help us." Mayu offered.
"I suppose." Mio admitted, joining her. "Anything interesting?"
"Not yet…" Mayu mumbled, her tone somber.
Sighing, Mio circled around to the other side of the bookcase. Inspecting the various writings she noted they all dealt with rituals and sacrifices. Bristling at the thought, she snagged a random tome and thumbed through it.
It didn't take her long to piece together some of what happened to the village and the realization chilled her. As she read, she found herself transfixed and quickly lost track of track of time as she moved from tome to tome.
Slender hands snaked around her waist startling her momentarily.
"You scared me." She smiled warmly, feeling Mayu press close against her back.
"I'm sorry." Mayu murmured, resting her head against her shoulders. Setting the tome aside, Mio caressed her hands in thought as she savored the welcomed contact.
"You're warm." Mio whispered.
"I think I'm catching a cold." Mayu murmured sleepily, her breath dancing warmly across the base Mio's neck. Shivering slightly from the sensation, Mio closed her eyes as an uncomfortable silence reigned. Without realizing it she became keenly aware of the form pressing against her. The delicate curves and soft features scented with the wispy soaps and perfumes.
Without thinking, she found herself pressing back against her. Mayu responded, nuzzling against her neck quietly as her embrace tightened. Shifting her legs lightly, Mio felt an unfamiliar tingle wash over her, the sensation was made her heart jump and her breath quicken. Unnerved and embarrassed and she turned to face Mayu, a soft rosy glow on her cheeks.
"Um…. You'd better keep warm then…" Mio countered, trailing off.
Mayu looked into her eyes searchingly; unsure of what she found she meekly nodded and released her. On impulse and feeling the need to reassure her Mio gently took her face in her hands. Kissing her brow tenderly she then offered a small smile.
Mayu blushed but brightened visibly.
"Um…" She mumbled, brushing her hair from her eyes. "Did you find anything…?"
"Huh?" Mio blinked then stammered. "Oh, oh yeah…" She frowned, running a hand through her hair. Turning, she retrieved the tome she'd been reading. "The Crimson Sacrifice Ritual…" She started, then grew somber as the severity of their predicament crept upon them once more.
Unwilling to startle her sister, she loathed the idea of telling her what she'd learned. Still, she deserved to know and knowledge was power.
"I think I know what happened to the village…"
"The Kusabi…" Mayu replied.
"Among other things…" Mio nodded.
"The place that must not be seen…" Mayu continued darkly.
Again Mio nodded then looked at her quizzically.
"You know all of this already?" She asked
"They whisper to me…." Mayu replied a creeping sadness in her voice.
Mio frowned at that but continued.
"The abyss…the pit…a gate to hell… that which must not be named. The Crimson Ritual seals it away, appeases it…"
"They failed…" Mayu nodded.
"And the Kusabi…that thing…it's the folklorist, they killed him. The tome speaks of a hidden ceremony in which they sacrifice an outsider to appease the darkness. They wanted to buy time until a second Crimson Ritual could be tried."
"Yes…" Mayu whispered.
"But there wasn't one was there…." Mio frowned.
"No… something happened." Mayu muttered her voice distant.
"The book speaks of repentance… the cost of failure… The gate bursts forth and engulfs the land…"
"Yes…" Mayu whimpered.
"The Crimson Ritual…." Mio frowned gravely. "Performed by twins, where…." She paused, unable to continue.
"One kills the other." Mayu finished solemnly, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.
"They want us to complete the ceremony…" Mio trembled.
Mayu choked and hung her head.
"It's not going to happen." Mio proclaimed firmly.
"They're not going to let us leave…"
"Yes they will, we'll find away out of here. Besides, if they kill us, how can they complete the sacrifice."
"They only need one of us…" Mayu answered darkly. A cold choking fear strangled Mio, rendering her speechless.
Shaking her head in an attempt to deny the their fate, Mio threw the tome aside and took Mayu by the hand.
"Let's go, we've stayed here long enough." She said briskly with false bravado. Nodding obediently, Mayu followed behind as they hurried from the chamber.
As they made their way along the dim halls, Mio's mind began to roil with worry and torment. Looking back at Mayu, she offered small smile. Worried and strained, Mayu returned the smile the best she could. Mio could tell she was in pain and paused.
"Your leg?" She asked, knowing the answer.
"I'm okay." Mayu assured her. "I won't slow you down."
"You're not slowing me down." Mio lied. Due to the old injury Mayu was never particularly fast and in her present state she was slowing considerably.
"We can rest a while." Mio offered.
"No." Mayu insisted, straightening. "I'm okay, really."
Mio studied her intensely a moment.
"Poor thing." She thought sadly. "She's trying so hard."
"Lets just go…" Mayu whispered. "Please."
"Okay…" Mio nodded, then paused. "I heard a voice…" She said quietly, then hurried towards a nearby door.
"Why am I trapped here…" A mans voice said hauntingly.
"The folklorist…." Mio said quietly recognizing the voice. Proving helpful before, she took a chance and opened the door.
Inside was a small unassuming chamber. One side of the room held a large heavy door with a small barred window set halfway down its surface. Before the door stood the apparition she'd encountered earlier. Turning, the ghost walked through the heavy door while muttering quietly.
"A ritual to sacrifice outsiders…." It whispered. "Could it be…?"
Mio turned towards the heavy door. Grabbing the iron handle she pulled it with all her might. With a creak the door opened to reveal metal gate, sadly it was locked tightly and beyond the gate was a small chamber filled with old books, scrolls and artifacts. In one corner of the small room sat a desk and on the floor a simple moth eaten mat. The spirit was gone and Mio frowned in disappointment.
"This must be where they kept him…." Mio said sadly.
"Look at this place…." Mayu frowned. "This must be where they keep their religious texts…."
"I suppose…" Mio frowned, not really interested in reading any more religious tomes. Perking up she pointed to the desk inside the cell.
"Look!" She proclaimed.
"What?" Mayu frowned curiously. On the desk sat a familiar looking journal. Rummaging through her backpack Mio pulled out its twin.
"It's just like this one, this has to be where they kept him. Perhaps it can tell us how to get out here."
"But the gates locked…" Mayu responded sadly.
Grumbling under her breath, Mio glared at the gate in annoyance. Twin locks sealed the bars, both as solid looking as they were ornate.
"The keys have to be somewhere…. Come on…" Mio grumbled. Taking Mayu by the hand she hurried back into the hallway. Mayu winced in pain at the quickened pace but didn't protest. Entering the hallway, Mio looked around purposefully, there options were limited, they'd explored most of the house by her reckoning. A voice caught her attention and she looked up the hall cautiously. A man stood near a set of double doors. Tall and intense Mio recognized him as the ghost on the stairs, the master of the house Kursawa.
"Lock up the man who came to find out about the Ritual… Let us prepare to make the Kusabi… I shall hold on to the keys…. We cannot let him escape…" The ghost whispered, oblivious to the girls' presence. With that, he turned and faded through the doors.
Mio remembered passing the doors earlier, they'd been locked. Waiting a moment to make sure it was clear, she crept to them with Mayu at her side.
Taking a breath, she pushed tentatively on the door. With a groan, the door opened revealing a massive family shrine. In fact the room seemed more like a small temple, complete with altar and candelabras.
"Oh my…." Mayu breathed.
Stepping further into the chamber, Mio looked around worriedly. She'd only made a few feet inside before the door slammed shut behind them.
"Oh no!" Mayu cried out, startled.
A loud ring of chimes sounded followed by heavy footsteps. Pulling Mayu behind her, Mio raised the camera prepared for whatever was approaching them. The chime sounded again and a staff appeared, passing through the altar easily. At the end of the staff hung metal rings, the sources of the chime. A figure appeared next, cloaked in robes and holding the staff in hand firmly as he walked. Mio had seen the ghost before, or at least one similar. The ghost's face, like the previous one before was cloaked in cloth.
"Accept your fate… and become the sacrifice…" The ghost said sternly, then stepped forward menacingly.
End Chapter 6
To be continued.