Hinamizawa Hell
"Revealing Demons" Arc: 2
Ch. 9: Setting the Stage
"Phew…almost died there. Come on Keiichi, you can do this! You're a man with the undying flame of Mion Sonozaki in his heart. Besides…if I can't do this how would the other club members react? I bet they'd…*gulp* submit me to a punishment game of unspeakable evils…"
The thin air atop the side of the ragged cliff almost sent Keiichi stumbling off the nearby ledge; a plummet which surely could have made him as flat as a pancake. He was alone on the final flight of his journey; Komoto off probably a ways away watching him. This final part of the trip had to be by his hands; only he could accomplish this task with no help. After having trekked through miles of land, almost falling off a wooden bridge and being nearly cascaded down a torrential river, Keiichi finally managed to arrive at the cliff area. As of now, he was midway up the cliff, scaling the vertical obstacle with nothing more than rope, some clips staked into the rocks and his bare hands. His hands and arms were already at their limits; blisters and cuts all along his palms and forearms. He had fallen a few times in the first attempts at scaling, but his resolve in his failures only strengthened his success. Having no experience with kind of skill, he was confident that after managing halfway up the cliff he could finish and reach the top. After that, it was only a matter of time before he accomplished his long sought goal.
Blood stained the surfaces of many rocks; his pain increasing with every reaching arm he took. His legs dangled from time to time, almost losing his footing on the loose rocks. However, as bad a shape he was in, he strove on without any regrets. He had asked himself many times if this pain and never ending hell was worth it, but when her name came up in Keiichi's mind it was indeed without doubt; Mion was worth the world to him. He smiled as he climbed onward; not even caring about his tattered clothes or pained muscles anymore. With this mentality, and after hanging on the cliff side for what seemed like a day, he eventually reached the top. With one last heave of his body, Keiichi managed to throw his weight onto the flat surface, finally basking in the solid ground once more.
After resting for a few moments, Keiichi slowly sat up and peered around his new surrounding. He could see all of the land below in the distance; its majestic view almost stunning in every way as the sun rose high that afternoon. The wind blew quite hard; however, he welcomed it with open arms; the air cooling his sweat-drenched body. Taking his canteen out, he gulped down some water, enjoying its refreshing qualities. After taking in the view he turned around, wobbling a bit from all the tension in his body, and gazed upon an odd spectacle.
In front of him now was a shrine not bigger than the size of his house. Weeds and grass overgrew its grounds, with even a tall tree growing in through one of the windows. A taller peak towered over the shrine; its tall shadow masking it from any viewer below. There were no indications of what the shrine possessed, but all Keiichi could gather was that this shrine belonged to the Sonozaki family.
"Geez, no wonder it was so hard to find. Mi-chan's mother was right about this place: completely deserted and almost impossible to reach…I wonder why their family had such an old place so far away from Hinamizawa…"
He cautiously walked up to the front steps of the shrine, making sure not to make any mistakes from that point on. At first he tried to slide the door open, but unfortunately with the passage of time, it seemed, the door was sealed shut from natural elements. He sighed and shook his head, knowing next that he had to do the manly thing. With the thrust of his foot, he sent the door flying into the house; surprised that he even did it on the first attempt. After almost more than a week out in the wilderness, Keiichi had became much stronger than before; his muscles more toned along with his now darker tanned body. Keiichi even believed that his body had grown taller, probably at least two inches over those days. He chuckled at this thought, but for now was more concerned with completing his task.
The inside of the shrine was run down, its walls torn to near shreds and grayed out from the many years of horrible upkeep. Layers of dust covered the floor, and even the halls smelled of old incense from time's past. The floor, as solid as it was, was the only thing that remained in prime condition compared to the old and brittle wood of the ceiling and surrounding doors. Moving from room to room, Keiichi scoured the area searching for a specific box. This very box, possessing a carved, crescent flower design on the outer shell, held a valuable item. Mion's mother required one task of him to grant his greatest desire at that time: retrieve the contents of the box to them before the Watanagashi Festival. If he did this, Keiichi was sure that he and Mion could achieve their utmost happiness. This was a decision he made alone, something he was sure of that could relieve Mion of most of the stress and responsibility her family placed on her shoulders once and for all.
Passing into what looked like a kitchen, Keiichi found nothing interesting in particular. Many contents were strewn about; old pots and pans to cooking utensils and broken plates. Such items littered the floor and tables; with each of the plates bearing the Sonozaki family crest. Moving to another area, he found some old bedrooms with pictures of Mion's early family members. Though he recognized none of them in these photographs, he had realized their formal manners and serious expressions; even in the children. This was Mion's heritage; a strict family with the responsibility to watch over the village. After returning these old photographs to their respectful places and going through nearly every drawer and closet, Keiichi moved on yet again to another room, this time, noticing its sealed doorway.
Talismans of all sorts were stuck to this doorway, almost as if sealing away a dark spirit from leaving this shrine. Keiichi thought of no other area which held the item he required; exhausting his search in every other room before. This last area needed to be entered, and for that Keiichi disregarded the talismans. Sliding the door, this time with ease surprisingly, he cautiously went into the dark room, letting his eyes adjust to his surroundings. He found the windows sealed with dark cloth, to which he removed to let light in. The bright light, now illuminating the room, revealed astounding artifacts to Keiichi.
In this room, Keiichi discovered a tall statue depicting the deity of Hinamizawa, Oyashiro-sama. Its cold, stone figure was posed in a meditative position, its eyes peering into the depths of any viewer's souls. Keiichi could only guess that this statue was a family heirloom for personal worship, further providing evidence to the Sonozaki's firm belief in the village's protector. Now standing in front of the statue, Keiichi looked over the many cushioned seats and candle poles on each side of the deity figure. This room, he theorized, was a place of prayer; not in as bad a shape as the other rooms of the shrine. Taking it all in for a moment, Keiichi's gaze finally passed over a metal stand; a cushion holding a unique cherry-wood box.
His lights lit up instantly upon seeing this item. Swiftly, he rushed to the box, but not before giving thanks to the deity in providing this much wanted artifact. After finishing his prayer, he slowly reached for the box, marveling at the beautiful flower design of the shell. Feeling the box in his hands at last, he somewhat became worried with how light it felt. He didn't know exactly what was to be found inside it, but finding a box to be that light troubled him. His worst fears were confirmed upon opening the container, finding nothing but dust filling its depths. Pouring what little contents it held onto the floor, Keiichi's hopes suddenly became bleak.
"It's…gone…"
His murmured words were of disbelief. All this time; these two weeks of fatigue, blood, sweat and near death experiences were all in vain now. His mind went into overdrive, wishing that this was just a bad dream and that somehow there was still hope. Sitting on one of the cushions now, he pounded the floor until his fist bled.
"Damnit! Damnit Damnit! This can't be possible! I came all this way for dust! It has to be here, I know it! There has to be something you're missing Keiichi. Think!"
After calming down a few moments later, Keiichi began to think more rationally again. He closed his eyes, trying to replay the important details that Akane Sonozaki told him. Her words now reverberated in his head, trying to provide clues to where the item was.
"Kei-chan, if you decide to take this task on, and succeed in it, then what you want can be made possible. You will be considered worthy by my family if you reach the top of the cliff and recover the contents of the crescent-flowered box. The required item lies in this box, last time my mother told me. This item has remained in that shrine for countless years, and if you want your wish granted then you must retrieve it as a symbol for your will. I have faith in you Kei-chan. Make me proud, and don't lose faith even when you can't seem to attain your goal. Just remember, your fate will be just as mysterious as Oyashiro-sama's stance on the matter…"
"My fate will be just as mysterious as Oyashiro-sama's stance on the matter? What kind of advice is that? Hmm…"
Keiichi got up, dwelling on this thought for some time. He wondered about the statue before, thinking it unusually different than the ones back in the village. For one, those statues of the deity always stood with at least one palm stretched outward. This statue, however, was the first of its kind that Keiichi had seen. He'd never seen a meditative Oyashiro-sama, taking upon a rather unusual…
"Stance? This statue is different from the others. Maybe Akane-san was trying to tell me something about this Oyashiro-sama statue…even the stone is different."
As revealed, Keiichi found the stone to be a much lighter material, even hollow after he tapped on it with his knuckles. Everything seemed more mysterious by the moment, sparking his interests and hopes once more. There was a puzzle here, and Keiichi was determined to solve it.
"If my theory is correct…then the answer lies in Oyashiro-sama's stance. Its stance will be as mysterious…as my fate! Maybe if I…"
With all his might, Keiichi suddenly threw all his strength into the statue, now sliding it along the wooden floor to the side. Successfully moving it, he found his efforts paid off, now revealing a hidden compartment in the floor. Eagerly reaching down into the dark hole, Keiichi felt the wrappings of a clothed item, pulling it to the surface above. It was a dusty, brown clothed item tied with white rope and attached with a thick scroll. Taking of the scroll, he read the written message, doing his best to translate the old writing.
"To whomever discovers this ancient relic, the Sonozaki family finds you worthy of all trials and tribulations. Bear this as a symbol of your strength, your resolve and your heart. Oyashiro-sama has guided you today to this relic, now go forth and bear this as you will. Signed…Oryu Sonozaki?!"
Keiichi was astounded by reading the author's name. This item must have belonged to Oryu long before, replaced here on her own accord for such a test. Mion's mother even said a similar test was needed to be taken for such an occasion as the one asked of by Keiichi, but never did he think it was this sort of test. To have his wish granted, he thought he would have to undergo another torture device, but this time it really was the legitimate test.
Revealing the item inside by untying the cloth, he smiled as his eyes gazed upon another flower-designed box. Though much like the first one, this one actually had weight to it. Opening the container slowly, the biggest grin of Keiichi's life now formed over his lips; no words able to even express his happiness. It was over; he had accomplished his goal once and for all. After admiring the item for a bit, shocked as to what it really was, he gently felt it in his hand a bit, somewhat drawn to the main piece. It almost reminded him of past lives for some strange reason, but after giving it some thought he found the idea absurd. Quickly wrapping the item with great speed in the cloth, Keiichi threw the item into his satchel and ran outside. He yelled in joy to the outside world, announcing his success at last.
"HA HAH! I DID IT MI-CHAN! I…finally did it! We'll finally…be happy together."
His joy was sent in all directions around, wanting his message to be heard by everyone. Now that he had the item at last, Keiichi had one thought left on his mind; return to Hinamizawa and back into the arms of Mion. Making sure to fasten his ropes to the sturdy tree, he began his descent back down the cliff, repelling with great speed over the next hour. Going down faster than he came up, he would eventually reach the bottom by dinner-time. From there, he would meet up with Komoto and both make their way back to Hinamizawa. He could imagine it now; presenting the item to Mion's parents and finally explaining to her all that had occured, and all the while he would have his wish finally granted for their happiness.
But unknowingly to Keiichi, what he thought of when returning would be much different than expected, for his love had already made her own decisions in achieving their happiness. This method, unlike Keiichi's, would involved death, bloodshed, torture, and sadism at its best for her plan of revenge.
It was three days before the Watanagashi Festival, and everyone was preparing for the upcoming event. Vendors had started setting up their booths; using every available hand to set up the positions of the wooden structures. Banners announcing the festival dates and times were posted everywhere in the village and surrounding areas, hoping to bring in a larger crowd than last year. Trucks came and went with special food orders, most of the shipments being stored in the vendor's own respective businesses and houses. This one time of the year, it seemed, was the week where the village seemed the busiest. Everyone pulled their part in the efforts to make this festival spectacular, however small in each way volunteered by the villagers.
As many villagers strolled around outside on that bright summer day, Shion Sonozaki had found it hard to walk with such fatigue lately. The past week had been unusual for both Satoshi and she. They suffered terrible bouts of insomnia, experienced hellish nightmares and even got sick one night; succumbing to some sort of food poisoning after a late dinner. That same night, Shion actually had fear of being pregnant, thinking that she was having morning sickness or sorts, but after seeing Satoshi ill as well she was somewhat relieved from this idea. She couldn't handle a child yet, even more so, didn't know how her family would react. For the most part, they hadn't had the best of days lately, sleeping in most of the day and taking time off from work. Satoshi, though, still worked his job while Shion stayed home, hoping to keep up with his work and still save some money. As disappointed as she was, she knew he couldn't afford that luxury as she did; seeing as her boss was her own uncle at Angel Morte'. Summer classes were over, so she had time off before the next semester for her schooling. Rest, now, was probably a good idea, so most of the day she slept in and at night lied down next to Satoshi, easing his nightmares by gently stroking his hair.
If their nightmares were after effects of the illness, she hoped that they would soon dissipate. From what she could remember, Satoshi, Satoko and herself were underground in the Sonozaki torture chamber. She couldn't remember too well about what happened, but she did know that Mion was there as well. Somehow, her sister seemed really mad at them over something having to do with Keiichi. She was terrified in the dream, that much was certain. Even when she woke up, she felt pain in her sides and chest. Satoshi found similar effects in his dream as well, but from what she speculated it was all from the food poisoning.
She sat down on a nearby bench, tired from just moving around that afternoon. She sighed and closed her eyes, wondering what the others were up to.
*Sis is definitely with Rika-chan helping with the preparations, Satoko and Hanyuu are practicing for the ceremony and Rena's with her boyfriend again today. Damnit, there's nothing to do with everyone gone. Maybe I'll just go home and watch a movie or something…*
After sitting on the bench for an hour, enjoying her time by watching everyone else go about their day, Shion decided to get up and go home. However, as she was about to rise from the seat she noticed in the other direction Mion walking alone, wearing a white kimono. She seemed unusually happy today, almost skipping as she walked down the road. Shion remained where she was, a little hesitant of seeing her sister at that point. She dwelled on the fight they had in the locker room that past weekend, remembering how agitated and odd Mion had acted. Even seeing her cry was unusual, but she couldn't blame Mion for succumbing to the stress. Everyone had their breaking limits.
As Mion came up she turned and smiled, cheerful for once. She was probably anticipating Keiichi's return, given that it was three more days till the Watanagashi Festival and his expected arrival. If everything was as Mizuho said, then he should be back before the start of the festivities. Mion looked at Shion, smiling as if there was no stress on her shoulders. Somehow, though, Shion could tell that Mion was acting a bit…too happy.
"Hello, Shi-chan. Nice day, isn't it?" Mion's eyes weren't dull anymore, yet, there seemed to be something on her mind. Remembering her dreams, Shion felt a little scared of her sister; her mere presence brought back some of the memories of the dream. She gulped and spoke hesitantly to her sister.
"Y…yeah, it is. Everyone's so busy today that I thought a nice walk would do me some good. Are you done today with the preparations and meetings?" asked Shion. Mion just nodded happily, stretching her arms a bit.
"Yeah, it's pretty much done today. All I really need to worry about is having the festivities' schedules organized and make sure everyone is doing their jobs. We'll have another meeting the night before the festival, then that's all I really need to do besides taking my place in the meeting house. Everyone is going to be doing some kind of party and get together for all the hard work done, but I'm not going. I'd rather do something else…something fun." Mion sat down next to her sister, sighing from all the work done that day. Shion just weakly smiled, trying to lighten the mood a bit.
"I guess you're not really going to be able to have your "Battle of 8 Evils" this year, huh?"
"No, not really. When Kei-kun gets back, I'll spend most of my allotted time with him at the festival. What I'm actually looking forward to most is when his parents head out on their trip. Two whole weeks, just me and Kei-kun, alone…" Mion closed her eyes, smiling at this fact. Shion just nodded in response, happy that her sister was going to get time with her love alone.
"That's good; you deserve to be with him. He hasn't been that much of a slave to you this summer, given that everyone's been so busy…" Talking about Keiichi had made the conversation awkward for both of them. It brought back the memories of their fight, and both knew that it was something they had to talk about. From this, Mion spoke before Shion, breaking the tense atmosphere.
"…umm…Sis, I want to apologize for what happened in the locker room the other day. It wasn't like me to do something like that…" Mion's smile faded, becoming emotionless at this point. Though she sounded sincere to Shion, something just didn't feel right about it all. Maybe, she thought, her sister was being truthful and that it was she who harbored resentment for Mion after being treated like that. She decided to pass it off, letting it stay in the past.
"Don't worry about it, Mi-chan. We've had worse problems, and you are under a lot of stress lately. I'm the one who should be sorry, if anything. If we…well, you know…" Shion remembered their darkest secret, something their family didn't know. It involved their switching when they were young, something that could have changed the fate of the headship if never tampered with. Mion just nodded to this, not giving ill thought to it.
"If that happened, I would have never met Kei-kun and you would have never met Satoshi-kun. Let it be…" she sighed and got up, eager to get home now. Mion put another smile on, looking down to her sister with sincere eyes.
"Listen, how about I make it up to you by cooking dinner for you and Satoshi-kun tomorrow night? I'll even make our favorite for the occasion. What do you say?"
Shion thought this over for a second and found no harm in it. It was a good way to spend time with her lonely sister, and even Satoshi and she could make a day of it.
"Sure, why not. We'll be over at 7. We'll even bring some food too!"
"Great, I look forward to it. See you later then…"
Mion walked back towards her home, but unknown to Shion she bore a very evil smile. Her eyes became glassy and dull again, basking in the fact that the first part of her plan was now being carried out with precision. Her first actions will begin tomorrow night, when her first victims would be snatched and stored away for later. Everything was about to unfold now with utmost simplicity; the perfect plan.
"Ah, Rena-chan, you're finally home. Are you feeling better after getting out for a few days?"
"Yeah Dad, staying with Ryuu-kun did some good for me. Did anything happen while I was away?" asked Rena. She had entered her father's study, returning from at least four days at Ryuu's apartment. Over those four days, she was able to help clean up, spent some time outside with him, brought him lunch at his job and even had a couple date nights with him. It was like a mini-vacation for her; one she had the utmost joy in experiencing. Even at night with him, well, was magical in its own way; mere thoughts of those special memories bringing intense blushes to her cheeks.
"That's good. Nothing in particular happened, but Mion-sama did come by in hopes of talking with you. She wants you to call her when you get a chance."
Rena somewhat froze upon hearing this. She still held some fear of Mion in her heart, but after giving it some thought she felt that maybe all Mion wanted was to talk about the pool incident. Why else did she want to see her? There seemed to be no other reason, so to be on the safe side in case something went horribly wrong, Rena decided on bringing her weapon when the time came. For now, she would rest up at home and give Mion a call later tonight.
"Oh, and Rena-chan; something came up for my business meeting, so I'm going to be absent till next Tuesday."
"Wait, so you'll miss the Watanagashi Festival entirely?"
"I'll be here for the Cotton Drifting Ritual, but after that I'm going to be in a frenzy catching a ride to Kyushu. I should be able to make it if my travel arrangements are met."
"Oh…that's good at least. May Ryuu come over to stay while you're gone?" she looked at her father, putting on a cute expression. Her father just laughed, patting her head.
"Hmm…you know how I feel about you and boys Rena. I respect what you do at his apartment, but if he stays under my roof then I want you to promise that the two of you won't do anything naughty, ok?"
"Oh Dad, come on, I won't be a little girl forever," she joked. They both laughed at these remarks, just playing around with each other. Her father knew Rena had grown up over these last few years to become much stronger physically and mentally, so he respected whatever decisions she made. If not for her, even, he would have ended up with that woman Rina. After finding out she blackmailed wealthy men like him and conned money out of their bank accounts, he immediately cut off any ties to her. Rena had better judgment than he, and for that he saw her more of an adult than a teenager.
"Rena, be safe. You know how I worry about you sometimes. You mean the world to me, I hope you know that." Rena smiled back to him, giving him a hug. He nodded, and went back to his intense work, shuffling various papers around and managing a couple complicated books.
After dinner, Rena went to her room, deciding to call Mion around 8 that night. It took a little courage to do so, but eventually she managed to dial the number and converse with her friend.
*Ring*
*Ring*
*Ring*
"Hello, Sonozaki residence. Mion speaking…" Mion sounded happy, almost a little out of breathe; as if she rushed to pick up the phone.
"…hello…Mi-chan. It's Rena…"
"Oh…hey…um, what's up?" Mion sounded a bit hesitant to Rena, from which she speculated that Mion was also concerned about the pool matter.
"My father said you came by the other day. I'm sorry that I was out. I went to see my boyfriend for a few days…"
"…"
Rena heard the silence on Mion's end, unsure of how her friend was going to respond. She could have also sworn that Mion cursed under her breathe, mumbling words to herself for a few moments. But as soon as she heard that, Mion quickly responded.
"Oh, you were with your boyfriend, huh? That's cool…you must have had a blast being with him for four days…"
"Umm…yeah. It was nice to get away for awhile. I really needed it. So um…tell me Mi-chan, why did you want me to call, I wonder?"
"It's just that…I wanted to apologize to you about what happened at the pool the other day. I was just…really stressed and what you said made me mad. I'm so sorry about that Rena-chan…I didn't mean anything from it…"
Rena began to well up with tears, glad to know that Mion wanted to put this behind them. She trusted Mion; having thought of her like a sister over the years. If Mion was truly sorry, she would forgive her for anything.
"Mi-chan…you're my best friend. If you were mad or something, you should have talked to me. I just want you to know…that after what happened I was hurt. I was even angry with you for what you did, but if you are truly sorry then I'll forgive you for it. Ok?"
For the second time, Mion went silent again. Rena couldn't even hear her breathe over the phone, as if the last comment caused inner turmoil in Mion's thoughts. Wasn't forgiveness what Mion wanted? Was she doing the right thing?
"…thank you, Rena-chan. Listen, I need to get to bed early if I'm gonna wake up tomorrow. Can…we talk about this tomorrow night, maybe on a walk near my family pond?" Rena could hear the eagerness in Mion's voice, so she had no choice but to agree to this request.
"Sure…I'll see you then."
"Ok, thanks Rena-chan. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight…"
With that said and done, both women hung up the phone and, oddly enough, both looked at the receiver stand for a few moments. Where Rena was glad to move on from their misunderstanding, Mion, on the other hand, only grinned widely in her madness; cackling maniacally throughout the manor. Everything was coming perfectly together. Her first 2 traps were set, now all she needed to do was manage to capture Komoto, Rika, Satoko and Hanyuu sometime on the night of Watanagashi. If she managed to slip out and lure them away into the woods, then it would be all too easy to capture them and set her final plan into motion. She could easily get Komoto, but in order to establish a plausible alibi in case the police questioned her later, Mion had to let the young club members perform the ritual in front of everyone before making her move. Only then would she be able to carry out her plan with perfection.
It was around 7 the following evening when Shion and Satoshi finally arrived at the Sonozaki home. Entering the front door and taking their shoes off, Satoshi and Shion both recognized the fragrant aroma of Mion's cooking; delectable foods being stir-fried on skillets in the kitchen. The sound of the fire blazing from the stove top could be heard down the hallway, to which they moved. Coming into the kitchen, they found Mion hastily busy in cooking the food, looking as if she was putting her heart and soul into her creations.
"Hey Sis. How are you doing today? The food smells delicious!" piped Shion. She brought over a dessert to eat after dinner, putting it in the fridge for the meantime.
"Hey Shi-chan. The food will almost be ready, so just set the table and we'll all be set." She looked over to her sister, smiling as happy as the other day. Shion was quite hungry, even drooling from the smell of the food from what Mion could tell. However, as her gaze passed over Satoshi, he noticed he seemed quite tired; yawning with one hand to his mouth.
"Muu…sorry I'm so tired Mi-chan. I've been working a lot this week even after getting sick. Don't worry about me." Mion just looked at him with a frown and nodded. When she turned her gaze back to the food cooking in the skillet, she smiled in anticipation for her first trap. She put on her façade again, looking like the caring Mion, and began dishing out the food to the others. Thankfully, she managed to get Satoshi and Shion out of the kitchen for a bit, so as to set the trap up.
"Satoshi-kun, why not put some water on your face to wake up a bit? And Shi-chan, can you go down the hall and get the soy sauce bottle for me in the cupboard? I forgot to refill the containers today."
"Yeah…that sounds like a good idea."
"Sure, no problem Sis."
As they both left the kitchen, Mion quickly retrieved a bottle from her pocket and began to pour some of its contents in their drinks. Seeing the mixtures bubble in Shion and Satoshi's glasses made her silently giggle; making her ponder how it will all end. When they returned, she acted as if she just finished the preparations for the dinner, putting the pots and pans in the nearby sink.
They sat down to dinner and said a quick prayer before eating. Taking the first bite so as to not cause any suspicion, Mion gratefully gulped down the food in her stomach, though she wasn't hungry for food at all; just hungry for revenge. Her heart and mind went into overdrive, her forehead sweating a little as she watched her sister and Satoshi start sipping on their drinks. She continued eating, as if nothing was happening. To gauge the effects of the drugs, Mion started up a random conversation after she was sure they drank enough.
"So, Shi-chan, what have you been up to this past week?" she grinned.
"Hmm? Not much really. My studies are done for the rest of the summer, and I've had some hours done here and there at Angel Morte'. Nothing of interest really."
"And what about you Satoshi-kun? How's your job going?" Mion noticed Shion suddenly start to yawn, making her giddy on the inside over her plan coming to fruition.
"Hmm…my job's going real well. Dr. Irie is teaching me so much at the clinic, and I'm still getting paid to do work too. It's a…good tradeoff really….augh…I don't get…why I'm so tired…" Satoshi now yawned again, his eyes now displaying clear signs of drowsiness. They slowly drooped, his head sinking lower by the moment as he sat in a daze-like state. Shion watched as Satoshi slowly acted as if falling asleep and then suddenly realized that the room started to become fuzzy. Mion merely continued eating some of her food, watching with apparent amusement now at her first two victims. In moments, Satoshi's head dropped onto the table, missing the plate of food in a comical sense. His hands slipped from the table, hanging at his sides as his body slowly moved out of the chair.
"Hey…Satoshi-kun, what's wrong? Wake…up…" Shion turned to face Mion now, her eyes almost going wide with fear. Her sister's glassy, dull eyes were glistening now; causing Shion to instantly fear for their safety. Mion had done something; her sinful deed about to become very terrifying. After smiling evilly, Mion's lips suddenly curled up and twisted; her pupils now dilated with insanity.
"OH, SOMETHING WRONG DEAR SISTER? IS THE FOOD TOO DELICIOUS WITH MY SECRET INGREDIANT? I THOUGHT GRANDMOTHER'S SLEEPING PILLS WOULD SPICE THE FOOD UP FOR YOU!" Mion maniacally yelled at Shion now, her hands slamming onto the table. Using her arms length, Mion towered over Shion while watching with utmost pride; Shion herself succumbing to the effects of the sleeping pills and slowly blacking out. Mion rose out of her seat, inching forward to her threatened sister. In vain, Shion tried to fight off the drugs, but it was in vain. Mion just laughed into her face, all the while Shion crying in terror. She could barely speak, finding her strength dwindling by the second.
"Mion…why…"
"Oh, you'll know soon enough! YOU'LL FIND OUT IN THE FUN FUN TORTURE CHAMBER!" Mion cocked her arm back, taking her time enjoying this next move. As Shion was about to black out, she watched her sister suddenly send a whopping punch into her head; a massive amount of pain eroding her consciousness. Shion's limp body fell to the floor, some blood dripping down her forehead as the chair shot back into a wall from the impact. Neither of the two moved from the floor, their bodies limp and motionless now. Mion hovered over the table, breathing hard while peering at her handiwork. Satoshi and Shion were out for the count; a successful trap triggered with simplicity. She sat back in her chair, her dull gaze ever present.
"I…finally did it. What a shame though, I was expecting at least some resistance sister. Oh well, you were annoying anyway, so what do I care, right?" She finished her food and went over to Shion's bag, reaching her hand down into its depths. After a few seconds of searching, Mion pulled out a much needed weapon: Shion's beloved taser. After arching the device once, she was confident that it was fully charged. Smiling, she pocketed the item and now bent down to Shion and Satoshi's bodies.
"Serves you two for your lifestyles. Why should you get all the fun, Shion, while I'm toiling away playing elder for the village? Oh, don't worry, I have a nice punishment set up for you guys. You'll just love what I have planned. Oh well, time to throw you two in the cells…"
Dragging their unconscious bodies outside, Mion had previously positioned a wheelbarrow to cart them over to the underground dungeon. No one was around thankfully to catch her in the act; not even Kasai at least. She heaved their combined dead weight with ease into the carts, not giving care to even their slightest injuries. Using the cover of darkness, Mion shuffled them over to the steel doors. Having already set up the illuminated lights in the corridors, Mion now dragged their bodies down the stairway; their legs hitting every step with a large thud.
Using some rope found earlier, Mion bound both her sister and her lover tightly, making it impossible for escape to happen. Using some clever rope ties, she managed to seal both their arms and legs without problem; sticking them in separate cells for the remainder of their stay. After tossing them in the cold, damp structures she pulled out a set of keys, first locking Satoshi in his cell securely. Moving on to the opposite end where she placed Shion, she noticed her twin beginning to stir a bit. The drugs, she found, probably weren't as effective as originally thought seeing as the pills were crushed and mixed into the drink. Even the blow, she considered, should have knocked her sister out for a while more.
"Guess you're stronger than I thought. No worries though Sis…"
Shion slowly opened her eyes, looking up to Mion. Her mind was hazy, almost too hard to concentrate on anything really. She murmured a bit, trying to find the strength to speak. Mion stood with both legs on the side of her body; demonic eyes piercing the darkness of the prison cell. Shion looked up in terror, choking on Mion's sinister aura around her. She did her best to speak, even over the pounding headache caused by the punch.
"Mion…"
"Shion…just shut the hell up…"
With no explanation given, Shion couldn't fathom why Mion was doing any of this. It all seemed normal; just a quiet evening with her sister and boyfriend over a nice dinner. She never saw something like this coming; disturbed to the core to witness her sister commit such an act. She tried to plead to Mion, demanding an explanation. All she could see was her dark eyes, lifeless with the person she thought was once her twin sister. In moments, Mion placed her own taser to the left neck side; just smiling evilly as she pressed the button. It was as if she had no regrets or reason anymore. Whatever reason she had left was driven by hatred and something terrifying; a demon.
And the last thing she remembered for the beginning of the nightmare created at Mion's hands was the taser's electric buzzing noise; her body feeling as if every ligament and muscle contorted and stretched beyond control. Her mind went blank; as did her body begin to shake from the electric charge. The next time she woke up, there wouldn't be just Satoshi and herself who suffered Mion's unexplained wrath. More victims were soon to follow.
With Shion incapacitated, Mion walked out of the cell and locked it shut, hanging the keys on a nearby hanger inside the viewing room. She breathed a little easier now; the adrenaline wearing off for a bit. However, the night was still young, and there was more to be done.
"Heheheh….you're next…Rena!"
*Ring*
*Ring*
"Ah, Rena-chan. You're right on time. Give me a sec to get my sandals, ok?" spoke Mion, the darkness of the night shrouding her eyes and facial features. Rena smiled to her, holding a bag tightly at her side.
In a few moments, Mion came running out to the side entrance wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She seemed like she just ran a mile, her body covered in sweat. Rena just passed it off, thinking it was the humidity of the night. They began walking along the path towards the pond, passing by various flower gardens and tall trees. Mion kept her hands above her head, smiling eagerly.
"So Mi-chan, umm…what else did you need to discuss with me?" asked Rena. She wore some comfortable jeans and a tank top, feeling rather hot that night.
"Oh, just a couple things. You're not in any hurry, right?"
"Not really. My father's busy with his work and I won't even see him at all till Tuesday really. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, just curious. That's good at least…" she spoke, smiling in the darkness. They continued to walk some more, now coming to the turn that went to the steel doors. Rena just stopped at this point, wanting Mion to get whatever she had to off her chest.
"So, as you were saying before?"
"Well, I have to be sincere with you Rena…" Mion kept her back turned, as she went over to the pond and looked at the swimming koi fish under the moonlight. "…I've had these odd thoughts lately…"
"Odd thoughts…like what?" Rena was genuinely curious, wondering what Mion had been feeling unusual about.
"Well…the thing is, I've been getting these feelings lately that…when you and I first met Kei-kun, that you had a crush on him. Is that true, Rena?"
Rena was taken back by this question. She didn't understand why this mattered now; she had a boyfriend who she loved dearly. If anything, her feelings for Keiichi were just a thing of the past.
"Mi-chan, if you want the truth, then yes I did have a crush on him, but I don't anymore. I've found someone I can truly say I love, and I can tell you that it's definitely not Kei-chan," stated Rena. She just smiled to Mion, finding no harm in it.
"So…I was right then. You really did have feelings for him. It must have crushed you when he picked me, huh?" Mion's tone of voice was different this time, almost darker. Rena remained where she was with a bit of caution, wondering why Mion was bringing these weird questions up now. Mion, though, just bent down, putting her finger into the pond while watching as the koi tried to nibble at it.
"Mi-chan…well, yeah I was hurt for awhile. But I accepted it and moved on like any good friend would. I wanted you two to get together, so I even helped push you two in the right direction sometimes, I did! Why are you asking me these questions?" Rena was getting a bit confused and frustrated, unable to understand why Mion seemed like she didn't believe her. She started to feel a bit fearful; warning signals going off in her head. She didn't give in, though, as she strove on to reach some comprise in this situation. However, any little fear she held skyrocketed in moments after hearing Mion's reply.
"Why? Because…I think you're a lying whore…you bitch!"
Rena stood there, dumbfounded with confusion at these words. She smiled weakly, thinking she misheard her friend, but it wasn't some dream; Mion was really calling her these terrible things.
"Mi-chan…" she uttered, hurt.
"You're a liar, Rena. I know you better than anyone else. I saw the way you've been trying to steal Kei-kun from me while I was absent. I bet you were so heartbroken when he chose me over you that you couldn't take it. I bet you even prayed for bad luck to befall me; praying to Oyashiro-sama to carry out the deed. Oh, how much of a fool could you be?" Mion's words were filled with accusations and malice. She stood up, not even facing Rena yet. Rena, though, became infuriated with these accusations, trying her best to retaliate.
"I NEVER did such things. I would never betray either of you like that!" she yelled, not getting any reactions from Mion. She tried her best to now cry now, feeling the pain in her heart grow increasingly each moment.
"So…you're just going to deny it to the end, huh? I thought as much. You hate it when others lie to you, but when you lie its all ok, right? You fucking hypocrite…"
Rena had enough. She rushed up to her friend, spinning Mion to face her head on now. The moment she saw Mion's demonic and terrifying eyes, though, she wished she never did; instead, she wished she ran home and locked every door she could. It was too late, as she felt the prongs of the taser device up against her stomach; close enough to be stunned and too close to not escape.
"LIAR!" screamed Mion, unlike ever before. The cicadas stopped crying the moment she yelled, hearing even the birds in the trees flock together and take flight in fear.
Mion sent a long electrical charge into Rena's body, enjoying the display of Rena passing out and her body twitching with every second. Her friend's eyes dilated, her mouth now gaping from the pain. Rena's mind succumbed to the darkness, everything becoming a blur. All she could hear from that point on was Mion's laughter, the words living on in her memories as a reminder of what madness really accomplished. And all the while, Mion didn't stop the onslaught of the taser; her friend going mad with every push of the button. She watched with pure ecstasy as Rena's body shivered and twitched from the charges.
"A HA HA HA HA! TIME FOR YOUR PUNISHMENT GAME, RENA!"
Her rage was terrifying; unrelenting to those around her.
Blinded by turmoil and hatred, she lost all reason.
And still, her friends tried to soothe her heart.
But it wouldn't be enough, not until she understood the truth.
That truth, in truth, was her sin.
Next time on "Hinamizawa Hell", "Revealing Demons" arc, ch. 10 part 1: Watanagashi
Can you believe in this?