Crimson Butterfly
A Fatal Frame Fan-fiction
By Chendzee'a Li
All characters belong to Tecmo.
Chapter 9
Lost daughters…
The interior of the house was in bad shape, its wooden fame grayed and bowed with age. The latticed, formally papered walls near the foyer lay bare and skeletal. Bathed in the glow of her small flashlight, they cast long web like shadows along the near walls. Dust hung in the air, thick and choking, this place hadn't been disturbed in a long time. Moving cautiously, Mio made her way to the interior of the house. Ceramic urns and pottery stacked along the walls, giving the impression of an artisans abode. Kiryu house, she noted, barely remembering the sign she'd noticed over the door.
Not wishing to dally, she set about with the intention of finding a way to the covered bridge outside. Fueled by a desire to find her sister, she moved without caution until a soft voice whispered ethereally through the darkness. It was a young girl, her tone haunted with weary sorrow.
"I don't want to kill you…" It said quietly.
Mio shuddered, her skin tightening, it sounded as if it were behind her. Spinning about she scanned the darkness wide-eyed, her light cutting through the dusty murk like a laser. Movement to her left caught her attention and she jumped with a start as she saw two girls, young and slight, their backs to her as they ran into the shadows. They each had long flowing ebon hair and wore finely made black kimonos.
"Don't kill… Don't Kill…Why…" One cried out pleadingly, before fading into nothingness.
Then as quickly as it started, all was still, all was silent. Startled by the brief apparition Mio slowly scanned the darkness, her features trembling.
"I can't…" She choked, trepidation washing over her.
"What if she's dead?" She reasoned, fear tainting her thoughts. She hated herself for thinking such a horrible thing.
"I'm a monster..." She thought bitterly, loathing seeping into her consciousness. Then, imperceptibly it changed, changed into something different. Quickly anger rose replacing her fear, anger at herself and at her predicament. This is how it always was. Guilt, guilt and shame, that's what drove her onwards, guilt ruled her life. Guilt for what she'd done so long ago. If it weren't for that wretched day all those years ago, so much would have been different. She'd have been different, and perhaps she'd even have a life. Perhaps, even a boyfriend, a chance for happiness, something other than a crutch for an infirmed sister. It was Mayu's fault, she's the one that fell, if only she hadn't slipped, she was always falling behind, always holding her back and now she always would… Unless of course she had died… what if she had… what if she was dead…. She could escape… she could have her own life…what if…
Horror wrung all color from Mio's face. This wasn't her… she'd never wish such a thing. She loved her sister, loved her more than life itself.
"Still…" The thought was still there, lingering like a nightmare. It was a selfish thing, clinging to her mind.
"What if…" She hated herself.
She loathed it, refused it, denied it and forced the thought back into the deepest depths of her subconscious. It was to late though, the beast was out and it whispered to her.
"What if…"
Misery threatened to consume her and she let out a wracking sob. She fell to her knees and cried. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She sat there, in the darkness, bathed in her torment for a short while before settling.
She had to find her. Mayu was alone, alone in the darkness, waiting for her to save her. Shakily, she rose to her feet, her eyes red and swollen from her tears.
"I'll find you…" She whimpered, putting one foot in front of the other as she regained her composure. Sniffling she scanned the room. A door lay before her, half ajar. Tentatively she pushed it open with her free hand and peeked inside. The room was spacious a greeting area for guests. A thin latticed window lined a section of the wall, bathing the room in pale moonlight. She paused in the doorway, unnerved as she noticed an eerie addition to the room. Dozens of small dolls hung in the air before, her, each with miniature nooses tied tightly around their necks. They were all similar in appearance, garbed in black kimonos with inky black hair covering the majority of their tiny pale faces. Mio stiffened, she could easily imagine them coming to life and cackling wildly as some monstrous thing from beyond time devoured her.
She put the thought out of her mind. Mayu needed her. Clenching her jaw, she pushed through the forest of miniature nightmares, their wooden bodies clanking hollowly against each other. Making her way across the room she slid open the far door.
"I don't want to kill anyone anymore…" A ghostly voice echoed; it was one of the girls from before, continuing her plea. A chill mist wafted through the doorway from the dark hall beyond. Mio closed her eyes a moment then entered. The house was large, though not as formidable as the Kurosawa abode. It still however held an intense sense of malice and unnatural cold.
Mio put it out of her mind and continued on at a measured pace, she had to find someway to reach the covered walkway. Fortune shined upon her, rushing through the twisting passageways, she all but stumbled into a small area of the house containing a modest staircase. Rushing upwards she followed it as it snaked around a bend and opened into long cobweb filled hallway. Treading carefully, she pushed through the dusty webbing, her footsteps creaking loudly against the rotting wooden floorboards.
She passed several rooms along the way, each of them full of lost memories of the long dead. She thought back to her home, the small apartment Mayu and she shared. How, if they never returned, what memories would that place hold? Would it be a happy place, or would it become twisted and sinister like this village.
"You're going to die here." Her subconscious whispered. She ignored it, more pressing matters where at hand. She'd found the bridge. The door leading outside opened with a dull creak, having warped from rain and rusty. The covered bridge beyond fared little better. It's latticed walkway heavily sagging in parts, its planks crumbling. How Mayu made it across was beyond her.
"What if she didn't" She thought with a grim frown then hurried out to see if she'd fallen through. The bridge was more or less intact and there was no sign of her below or even a struggle. A good sign, Mio sighed, hold her chest in relief. Growing more confident that Mayu had escaped the apparition, she continued across the bridge to the door beyond. It was locked, tight.
Denied, Mio kicked at it in aggravation, the assaulted it with her fists in a fit of helpless anger. Tired, hungry and spent, she quickly slumped against it wearily; she had to find another way. As she sat pondering, something opened the door from which she'd come. Creaking open, Mio could see nothing beyond its frame, only pitch. Sensing a chill, she was startled to see her own breath forming steam in the cold air. Something was near.
"It hurts…." A voice cried, it was a woman, though it sounded pained. Mio was about to stand when it appeared. It was the ghost Mio had seen following Mayu. It wore a simple kimono with soft gentle features, giving the impression that she was a kindly woman in life. No longer though, for now its head rested against its right shoulder in a grotesquely boneless manner. Its neck was like taffy, abnormally long and looking as if it'd been twisted fully about. Black eyes, with dull white pupils gazed sideways as it approached. Its mouth working blandly like a fish pulled from water.
"You… too..." It muttered.
"No…" Mio stammered, shakily raising the Camera Obscura.
The ghost seemed either too caught up in its own pain to notice or just didn't care. Instead it tottered from foot to foot in an awkward gait. Mio paused, unsure of its intentions and unwilling to provoke it. Then it focused fully on her, its eyes wide in pain. Raising its arms, it lumbered forward, its head roiling about on its shoulders.
"It's hurts!" It wailed, its hands clawing hungrily.
A flash let loose from the camera as Mio jumped back. The force of the eldritch light caused the ghost to spin away, its head flopping about with the sickening noise of grinding bone and pulped flesh. Mio nearly vomited and was thankful when the thing collapsed onto its knees and faded. Pausing, to make sure all was clear, Mio then took a wary step forward then ran back into the house. The oppressive aura quickly overtook her once more and her shoulders slumped wearily.
An apparition glimmered before, her, a man, his features drawn up in thought as he scanned a journal. Pacing, it looked about, oblivious to her presence. It was the folklorist and for that Mio was relived. He seemed to be searching, muttering to himself as he lurked up the hall. Mio followed, careful not to disturb him.
"The two houses are connected by heaven and earth…" He whispered, pausing to scribble in his journal. Looking about once more, he then looked towards Mio causing her to start. Fear crept through her, she'd encountered these memories of him before and never once had they acknowledged her.
Moving quickly he rushed towards her causing her to backpedal. Pressing herself against the wall she was surprised when he hurried past and looked at the door leading to the covered bridge.
"If the bridge represents heaven…. Then the earth must be…underground..." He babbled enthusiastically then faded away. Mio sighed in relief, bless him, he was trying to help her.
Hurrying back down the small side stairs, Mio returned to the main body of the house to begin her search. There had to be a cellar of sorts, a basement. Her searching quickly led her to a fair sized bedroom. It was lavish compared to the other drab rooms she'd seen about the house. There seemed to be two of everything in the room, laid out in a mirror reflection of each other. Prayer mats lay on the floor; neatly paired before a small family altar. Quaint dolls sat atop display tables and finely crafted, child sized Kimono's lay neatly folded atop a small dresser. It took little imagination to realize this was the room of twins, most likely previous shrines maidens. Mio paused, there was a violet covered diary lying atop a small writing table.
Holding her breath Mio scooped it up, it was brittle, the pages dry and cracked. Carefully, she opened it and scanned the insides. She'd been correct; this was the room of former shrine maidens. Two young girls named Azami and Akane. The contents of the journal were disturbing. Akane had been forced to strangle her sister as part of the village ritual. It was readily apparent by the raving scrawl that the remaining sister went insane with grief. There was also something about a doll created by her father to comfort her. Little more was legible after that other than contradicting rants about death, a desire to kill the doll and never wanting to kill again. The writings seemed similar to the back and forth babbling of a schizophrenic. Closing it with a sigh, Mio set it down and continued on, there was nothing to help her here. Another door led from the bedroom and she was about to continue on until something made her pause.
There was a presence in the room with her. Taking a breath, she clenched the camera tightly in preparation. Slowly, she turned her head to glance over her shoulder. Two girls, the same as before knelt on the mats behind her, their backs to her, the two seemed lost in prayer. Mio turned to face them but they faded as quickly as they appeared. Startled, she backed out of the room and shut the door behind her. Turning, she rounded a corner leading into a hallway and came face to face with one of the girls. She was a small child with long black hair covering her face leaving only her thin bluish lips exposed.
"I can't kill anyone anymore… I don't want to kill…." She whispered, walking forward as if sleepwalking. Horrified, Mio turned to put some distance between her and it. A scream escaped her lips as she encountered the other right behind her. A mirror image of the other it raised its arms and grabbed her leg.
"Let's stay together forever…" It whispered as mind numbing cold raced up Mio's leg. A choking cry issued from her as she kicked wildly to free herself. It was no use, the thing was incorporeal and merely hung on like clinging smoke.
"Don't kill... Why do you kill…?" The other whispered, falling to its knees.
Fueled by fear fed adrenaline Mio fumbled with the Camera Obscura and flashed it. The blinding light caused the clinging apparition to fall onto its back with a sound similar to a collapsing stack of wooden blocks. It then faded into the ground. Drained, Mio fell to her hands and knees.
"I don't want to die…" One of the girls whispered, reappearing at the end of the hall.
"I don't want to kill her…" The other sounded as it rose from the floor nearby. On hands and knees Mio scampered away from the two only to find herself face to face with one. They were shifting about, teleporting.
"I don't want to kill you…." It muttered quietly then reached out to grab her face. Mio dropped on her stomach and rolled away, thankfully the ghosts were slow moving. Pulling herself upright she leaned back against the wall and brought the camera up as the ghost turned to regard her. The bulb flashed and the ghost collapsed again with a hollow wooden thud.
"Kill…" It whispered, reappearing from the wall across from her. Mio rose to her feet, she had to get away. Her leg was still numb from the ghost's attack. The squeezed past the one still standing in the hall and it lunged feebly at her while the other vanished back into the wall. Moving to the nearest door, Mio found it firmly shut, a numbing sensation crept into her hand as she tried it again. They were holding it somehow, she was trapped.
"Stay with me…." The twin ghosts said in unison behind her. Mio let out a low sound, similar to a trapped animal and she turned to face them. They stood together, side by side.
"Kill…anyone…" They whispered then moved forward. Mio brought the camera up, this time trying to catch them both in the viewer. A flash brightened the room and this time a scream let loose from one of the twins while the other fell again with a tell tale hollow sound.
Mio thought back to the diary, it had mentioned a doll, something to keep the reaming sister company in her grief. One of the twins wasn't real, she realized and bit of confidence crept into her. Focusing her mind she tried listen for possibly distinct signs to tell them apart. One appeared to her side, phasing up from the floor. Quickly, she stepped away from it as it lunged and it stumbled onto its hands and knees with a wooden thud. The fake, Mio realized, and then turned to find the other. It stood at the end of the hall, watching her. Hurrying, Mio let loose a flash. The light illuminated the whole hall and the ghost lets out tortured scream while clutching its face. Backing away, it phased through the wall and vanished. Mio readied herself, and looked about wildly. Panting, she lowered the camera, it was over. Slumping, she sat down wearily to regain her strength.
"She fights for you…" A girl's voice echoed vainly. It was soft, melodic yet tainted with a contemptuous bite.
"She loves me…" Mayu whispered, afloat in darkness.
"Do you believe that? She'll abandon you…in the end…Like Yae abandoned me… then you will die…"
"No… Mio will…"
"Save you…? Silly, sad, pathetic girl… she can only save herself… if she continues to resist she will die… you both will die… Besides…You shouldn't have such faith in her, she resents you, you know... At least I appreciate you… You know what needs to be done…There is no life for you anymore, do you really think she'll continue to look out for you? Everyday she hates you more, and you know it. With us at least you can free her from her miserable life, she can be happy. All you need to do is convince her..."
"Let her go…"
"That's up to her… She cannot leave until it is done…"
"She loves me…"
"No, she pities you… it's nothing more than guilt… she'd be glad to be rid of you once she realizes it. Do what needs to be done…! You have no choice, she has, no choice… Silly girl... It is already in motion, one way or another… one of you will die…"
Rested, Mio stood, something troubled her making her felt uneasy, she recognized the sensation. Something was wrong, Mayu was in trouble. Reaching down her shirt she retrieved Mayu's necklace and held the charm tightly. The stone was warm to the touch and holding it gave her comfort. She was alive, of that much she was certain. Closing her eyes she concentrated on her sister, praying to give her the strength to hold on.
Adrift in the shadows, Mayu's features trembled and a tear rolled down her cheek.
"I see…" The voice muttered quietly with a tone quavering with subdued rage. Mayu could feel the dark presence fading, leaving her alone in shadow. "I think then perhaps, that she needs to be put in the right frame of mind…" It whispered harshly.
"No…." Mayu whimpered, unable to resist.
Renewed with purpose Mio hurried through the previously sealed door. Beyond lay another hall lined with small bags of ceramic glaze and other odd bits of crafting supplies. Shinning her light along the dusty hall she tried the first door she came to and peered inside. Someone was inside a woman by the looks of it, wrapped in a blanket. Startled, Mio jumped a second before realizing it was only a mannequin. Still, mannequin or no, she gave it a wide berth. The room was a small family shrine, like similar other she'd seen throughout the village. She was preparing to leave when a distant voice, a man's voice caught her ear. Searching for whence it came she found it issuing from a hole in a near wall. Tiptoeing, she cautiously peeked through the hole. Beyond lay another room, a workshop of sorts and a bent old man toiled within. He was toying with a large doll of some sorts and babbling to himself.
"Hmm it seems there aren't enough pins… Touching the doll again makes it start… 2 inches it's still too long. Azami… your right arm is almost finished…. The first ring moves the soul, and the second gives it... vitality. The other two rings give it heart, and balance its movement… It's as if it's really alive…really alive."
Mio made a face; the doll was the spitting image of the twin ghosts that attacked her earlier. She continued watching the man a moment until he turned and headed out of view, his voice fading away. The sound of a door creaking open in the hall drew her attention. Cautiously she went to the door of her room and peeked out. At first nothing was amiss, but then she noticed another door down the hall had opened, it lead into the very shop she'd seen.
Trying her best to be quiet she crept to the door and listened for any signs of movement. There was none, and she scampered inside. The shop seemed long abandoned and a thick layer of dusty cobwebs covered everything. Doll parts and wooden toys lay scattered about and in one corner of the room there seemed to have been a fire. A work desk lay at the end of the shop; its wooden frame buckled with age, atop it sat a dusty journal with faded yellow pages. Shinning her light on it Mio carefully brushed away the layer of dust. It was the toy maker's journal, the father of the twins who now haunted this place.
Scanning through the pages with care Mio hoped to find any mention of an underground path. It didn't take long; in fact it went into detail about it the path, sealed behind a mechanical lock at the back of a display room.
"Kill me…" A voice whispered behind her.
Jumping up Mio spun. One of the girls stood behind her, her arms handing limply to her sides.
"Kill me…" It pleaded again then faded.
Mio stared quietly at where it stood. She pitied whatever torments it endured but finding her sister took priority.
"You can't get out…" A voice whispered out in the hall, it was a man's the toymakers.
Mio crept forward, raising the camera.
"I'm sorry, but they won't let you leave…" The voice continued, she could hear footsteps now, walking away. Poking her head out the door, she saw the last door at the end of the hall slide open. It led back into the foyer, where the hanging dolls waited.
"Can you help me…Where is the display room?" Mio called out, throwing caution to the wind.
"The device is broken…" The voice whispered to her from deep inside the foyer. Mio crept to the door and paused, fearing to enter the room.
"It was a mistake… to create such a thing…. Akane…. I'm sorry I only wanted you to be happy…."
"I can help, if you help me… please… help me find my sister…" Mio called out pitifully, inching closer.
"She missed her so much… Akane…. When Azami died… she wouldn't talk… wouldn't eat…. I made that thing… to be with her… to comfort her…. But I was mistaken… Something entered it… one should be allowed to grieve, there is no substitute…"
"I'm sorry for what happened, I really am…but…." Mio sighed.
"It possessed her… my little girl… I couldn't loose her too; I had to destroy it… Azami tried to tell me…she'd become a butterfly…. There was no need for a substitute… she was one with Akane but now it has them both…"
"Let me help then, perhaps we can all be free." Mio tried, hoping to get some kind of reaction.
"I can't loose them again, my little girls…"
Anxious, Mio entered the room and looked around. The toymaker waited for her, standing in the corner eyeing her suspiciously, his ghostly for shimmering.
"It killed me… before I could stop it… now we're all together…. The village took care of that… it hung them both…."
"I'm sorry…" Mio sighed. "I can put them to rest, if you help me…" She offered.
"What?" The ghost frowned, looking at her. "You won't take them from me again."
"That's not what I…" Mio stammered, backing away.
"You'll not harm them again!" It said with a harsh whisper.
"I…!" Mio winced, moving to the door only to have it slam shut.
"I know you now…" He nodded, raising his arms and gesturing like a puppeteer. "Why must they endure this… this ritual?"
Mio found her earlier fears realized as the many hanging dolls sprung to life around her. Shouting in fright, she swatted at them wildly with her hand, their touch searing her flesh with icy pain.
"Kill one half the twin shrine maidens…" The toymaker whispered, as he began to fade away.
"Wait!" Mio shouted, clamoring away from the swarm of chattering lifeless dolls. Raising the camera, she ignored them the best she could, knowing who she needed to stop. The light flashed, and the dolls fell to the ground harmlessly. The toymaker, jerked back slightly as if surprised then hung his head.
"This is how it is then…" He said softly.
Mio paused, but ready to use the Camera once more. The toymaker, his features shimmering slumped to the floor with a weary sigh.
"I… I'm sorry…." He whispered, looking up at her.
"Me too…" Mio said softly, backing away as he collapsed before her, his ghostly form melting into a vaporous mist at her feet. A pang of regret tore at her heart as she stared quietly at where he fell. She didn't mean for this to happen, she didn't mean for any of this to happen. Sighing, she prepared to leave when something glinted near her feet. Shinning her flashlight downward she jumped slightly at the sight of two disembodied eyes looking back up at her from the floor. They were made of glass, much to her relief. The Toymaker must have had them with him which had to mean they were important. Kneeling, she carefully picked them up and placed them in her pack. The oppressive aura of the house seemed to diminish slightly as she continued her search for the second path.
Something was with her; perhaps it was Mayu reaching out to her, or the spirit of the Folklorist or even the toy maker. Whatever it was, she felt oddly calm as worked her along the darkened hallways. It didn't take long, and she soon discovered the room the journal spoke of. It was a small room, lined with ornate shelves stacked with glowing candles and beautiful tiny dolls in traditional robes. The room had a powerful aura about it, something dark and sinister lingered here and it didn't take long for Mio to discover its source. At the end of the room were the twins, standing atop lavish pedestals. Mio froze waiting for them to attack.
However, nothing happened. Leaning closer, she noticed, they were motionless and covered with dust. More dolls she realized then breathed a slight sigh of relief. Behind the dolls, stood an ornate device with a carefully from which stood a carved lever. Moving earnestly, Mio pulled it and stepped back as click sounded in the floor followed by clockwork whirring. Then all was silent, it seemed the toymaker had spoke the truth, the device was broken. Defeated Mio dropped to her knees and sighed. She had to think of something. Glumly, she looked up at the twin dolls. They were perfect copies of each other, except. Mio stood abruptly and went to the right doll and brushed back its hair. Its eyes were missing, leaving behind only black voids. Yanking off her pack, she fumbled through its contents to retrieve the glass eyes. Quickly, she popped them into the sockets and tried the lever once more. This time the click was followed by a heavy shifting and the tinkling of music box. The dolls began to turn on their pedestals, as the music played, until both faced each other. Then with a loud scrape a section of the floor pulled away to reveal a staircase.
Mio gave a hoot of success then gagged as cold hands grabbed her neck. The dolls had come to life.
"Why did you kill…?" It whispered, its grip causing her throat to seize.
The other ghost stood on the pedestal before her, its features haunted.
"Kill me…" It said softly as its hands shakily rose to join her sisters around Mio's throat. Mio granted the ghost's request all too quickly and flashed the camera straight into its face. The blast of magical light enveloped the ghost in its glow. Screaming in pain, it collapsed to its knees in broken sobs as it came apart like drifting smoke. Mio felt the cold hands around her neck loosen then fall free. Turning, she saw the doll, shudder violently, then fall backwards off the pedestal. Hitting the ground it broke into its component segments the crumbled away leaving nothing but dust and clothes.
Gagging, Mio lurched forward and down the musty stairs, having no greater desire than putting that wretched place behind her. Her throat burned, and throbbed, and she wondered if she'd ever be able to speak again. As the pain subsided, she took in her surroundings. She was in a cave of some sort, a tunnel. Coughing, she shone her light up the path; it was slick with mold moisture and devoid of any sort of light save hers. This had to be the place, she reasoned and pressed forward, careful to watch her step on the slick stone. The tunnel wasn't long at all, but a section seemed to have collapsed at some point. She could feel a breeze billowing through a pile of to her side. Most likely all the tunnels under the village were connected at some point.
She had made it about halfway through the tunnel when it hit her, a mind numbing sense of dread. Something was down here with her, something horrible, something dark. The feeling was akin to knowing you were about to die and was helpless to prevent it.
"Where are you going?" A woman's voice whispered in the darkness. The voice was cold, lifeless, and all together unnatural. The hair rose on the back of her neck as the cave began to shine with an unnatural glow emanating from behind her. Mio closed her eyes, her mouth going dry, slowly, trembling weakly, she began to turn. At the end of the tunnel stood the woman in the white, blood soaked kimono. From under hooded eyes, she gazed at her, and then threw back her head to laugh manically, shrilly.
Mio's eyes went wide as saucers and she immediately ran for her life.
"Are you leaving me again?" The ghost called out to her mockingly. Certain that she put some space between she and it; Mio turned and brought the camera up to confront the spirit. It was in her face, inches away and lunging towards her with a wide insane smile. In a total panic, Mio screamed wildly and fell backwards onto the cave floor.
A dark deadly chill washed through her, a feeling akin to drowning in icy water, it caused her heart to spasm painfully in her chest. Even being near the thing was killing her. Screaming manically, she clawed the ground to get away, ripping away fingernails in the process. Rolling over, she wildly pressed the camera flash as it reached for her. Nothing happened; instead the camera let out a mechanical whine and grew hot enough to burn her hands. Crying out in pain and fear she dropped it then lunged away with all her remaining strength. The ghost laughed wildly, shuffling in its kimono with startling speed, its arms outstretched with the promise of a deadly embrace. Pulling herself to her feet once more, Mio ran screaming blindly into the darkness until she hit a staircase and tripped. Her face smashed into the wooden steps with a bone jarring thud. She tasted blood and she felt herself growing faint from the blow, but the cackling fiend behind her drove her up the stairs. Passing through a doorway, she slammed it shut behind her and fell to the floor with a choking sob. She'd lost Mayu, she'd lost the camera, and she'd even lost her light. Blind, helpless and alone, she acknowledged the fact that she was going to die….
End Chapter 9
To be continued.