So far so good. When I wrote this Fatal Frame story, I kinda wanted my readers to also feel like they're playing the game at the same time. We haven't gotten any news of a future upcoming Fatal Frame game yet but we're definitely due for one! In the meantime, I came up with this story idea for fun. Hope my readers are having fun reading it! Enjoy!

Chapter 4: The Soul-Binding Ritual

The Fujiyama siblings successfully escaped from the dangers of Matsumura for the time being. Shou brought Ume back to their navy-blue Ford Explorer where she was sitting on the passenger seat trying to catch her breath from all the running. Thankfully Ume was no longer coughing up petals but she was in very bad shape. Shou decided to leave his little sister here to rest up until she was feeling stronger. Ume had been massaging her chest and waiting for the sick sensation to simmer down, but she looked up and gave Shou a little weak smile to reassure him.

"I'm fine now," Ume told him. "It doesn't hurt anymore, see?" And yet Ume couldn't stop worrying about her own heart. She had Hanahaki disease too and if she didn't do something about it… Ume couldn't think about that now.

As soon as he was sure Ume was okay, Shou turned away and looked in the direction of Matsumura. They couldn't leave town….not yet. And besides, their dear friend was still somewhere in the village. Shou decided to go look for Aimi himself. "You stay here. I'm going to go see if I can find Aimi," Shou said.

Ume gave Shou's hand a reassuring squeeze before leaning back in the passenger seat and closing her eyes to rest. His sister would be safe in the car on the outskirts of town. But just to be safe, Shou took out a flashlight from the glove compartment and also picked up the Mystic Mirror that had been tossed in the backseat and decided to take it with him. At least that'll way he'll have something to defend himself with against those restless ghosts… Now Shou returned to the lonely town of Matsumura to learn more of its history and secrets.

Armed with the mirror, Shou was once again walking among the empty dilapidated houses by himself. Now that he knew of the dangers, Shou was constantly on guard. People have died in this very village. Those suffering from one-sided love succumbed to the Hanahaki disease. And this made him think about Aimi… She was here somewhere. And every time Shou pictured her face in his mind, it sent his heart aflutter and he was filled with strong emotions. He hoped Aimi was safe. He wanted to see her… Shou stopped walking when he felt another sharp pain inside his chest. It was the second time this happened. What did it mean?

Before he went any further, Shou happened to reach into his jeans-pocket and pulled out the Lotus Plate Key that he found back at the Tsuchiya Cemetery. Perhaps he could start with figuring out what this key unlocked? Walking further into the town, Shou did a quick calculation in his head. This path led back to the cemetery that was in the eastern part of town. So Shou decided to start heading north of the town, in the direction of the mountain. While he used his flashlight to explore some of the uninhabited houses, he stopped when he noticed someone walking in the distance. Shou had to squint his eyes to see who the dark figure was. And then he immediately recognized it…

"Aimi?" he realized. He watched as Aimi Hanazawa walked right around the corner and went out of sight. She was heading towards the mountain too. "Aimi!" Shou called out. He broke into a run and hurried to catch up to her.

Shou ran around the corner too and up ahead he saw Aimi crossing an arched bridge before vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. Shou decided to follow her. Upon reaching the bridge himself, he happened to stop and look over the side. He could see the river down below, could hear the sound of rushing water. Suddenly he felt the Mystic Mirror grow warm in his hand. When Shou looked up, he saw someone slowly walking across the bridge toward him. At first he thought it was Aimi… but Shou quickly saw that it wasn't. Instead he backed away upon seeing the dead woman for the first time.

The woman appeared to be dressed in a grey-blue kimono that may have once been fashionable but was now tattered and ripped. But the scariest thing about her was that she had a drenched appearance…and her neck was covered in what was unmistakably blood. The implications were disturbing… Shou took a couple more steps back as the Slayed Mistress began to advance on him. Unfortunately she blocked him on the bridge so he had no choice but to fight back.

Shou held up the mirror and remembered how Ume used to do it. Carefully trying to capture the ghost's reflection in the mirror, Shou waited for the Mystic Mirror to grow hot in his hands before letting out a blinding flash. As he hoped, this stopped the Slayed Mistress in its tracks but she kept coming for him. As Shou kept the mirror pointed at the ghost at all times, his eyes was constantly drawn to the bloodstains that pooled around the ghost woman's throat. Was it possible...that she was killed here on the bridge? Suddenly the Slayed Mistress disappeared… Shou didn't lower the mirror, he had a feeling she wasn't gone. But while he was searching carefully around for her, Shou cried out when he felt something icy cold grab his leg from below.

Looking down, Shou spotted the ghost attacking him from beneath the bridge. The Slayed Mistress held his foot and seemed to hold him in place. Shou struggled hard and managed to free his leg and took a couple steps back as the ghost sank below the bridge and out of sight. With the mirror in hand, Shou waited for the ghost to appear again. Then Shou turned in time to see the Slayed Mistress on the other side of the bridge, moving toward him with arms outstretched and her lifeless eyes staring at him. Holding the Mystic Mirror in front of him, Shou concentrated with all his might and delivered the coup d grace with a powerful blinding light.

Shou watched as the Slayed Mistress grabbed at her slashed throat in pain, stumbled over the side of bridge and fell over it and out of sight… When the sound of the wind and chirping crickets returned, that's when Shou knew it was safe again. Shou looked over the bridge but it was pitch dark down there and he couldn't see much. Now Shou was able to proceed and he headed for the dark looming mountain before him. Aimi was there… He had to find her.

With the flashlight in hand, Shou was able to follow a trail up the mountain. This was probably the path that hikers used to take. As Shou went further and further upward, he wondered if this is where Aimi went. Soon Shou ended up reading a fork in the road. There were multiple paths to take. Shou used to his flashlight to read the signpost that had different directions to certain places. To the right was the Takayama Mines, to the left of the mountain was the House of Severance, and straight ahead was the Shrine of Oath. After a moment of deciding, Shou kept heading straight toward the Shrine of Oath. It seemed to be the closest. Shou continued to follow the path upwards while being careful to follow the trail and watch his step.

Just when Shou was wondering how far he'd traveled, eventually the ground began to even and Shou managed to reach the top of the mountainous hill. Up ahead, Shou saw a large magnificent shrine before him. Brightly lit lanterns lined along the path and Shou thought he saw someone standing at the doorway. A woman in an orange kimono… It was only for a brief second that when Shou blinked, she'd vanished… Shou thought the ghostly woman looked familiar. Now he headed for the shrine and reached out to pull open the doors to gain entrance. What was this place? What was the Shrine of Oath?

Entering the shrine, Shou saw it was even grander inside. The shrine was in surprisingly good shape despite being abandoned for so long. Although it still showed signs of neglect with all the dust and was in disrepair. The doors closed behind him as Shou stepped inside and looked around with the flashlight. It didn't look like anybody's been here in a long time. Then the first thing Shou's flashlight shined on was a little altar which contained lit candles and in its center a lovely vase filled with peonies. The flowers were arranged in such an artistic style that Shou recognized it as Ikebana. While Shou was admiring the peonies, that's when he spotted the notes lying on the altar. Using his flashlight to see, Shou was able to read what was written on it.

Genda's Note 5

Matsumura is run by the local village headman. A priest who resides in the mountain shrine and keeps peace and order in the town. The shrine is also known as a place where one can learn the art of Ikebana, also known as "Flower Arrangement." According to some older documents I found in the library, this shrine was also once known by another name. The Shrine of Oath… Just as I figured, this shrine was once used to cure those who suffered from Hanahaki Disease.

Long ago, there were two known rituals that were performed in order to rid themselves of this affliction. The Soul-Bonding Ritual and the Severing Ritual. I wasn't able to find the rest of the pages that gives further information on these rituals. For some reason, these practices ceased altogether and nobody has ever witnessed these rituals being performed for centuries. Nevertheless, this doesn't stop people from coming to the village in the hopes of having their love reciprocated.

Apparently there is another shrine on the mountain called the House of Severance, one where they can forever sever their feelings and love for the object of their affection. While this ritual was successful in curing Hanahaki Disease, it came at a high price. Those who have their flowers cut and removed will forever lose their love for that person forever. Such a tragic fate and one not many are willing to endure.

As Shou finished reading the notes, he was intrigued by this latest information. "So there is a cure for Hanahaki Disease," Shou thought to himself. "The House of Severance." Shou knew that it was the only way. He had to bring Ume to this place if he wanted to cure his sister. But for now, Shou needed to find Aimi. So Shou decided to go exploring further into the shrine. Shou headed for the door that was just on the left side of the altar and saw that it was unlocked. Soon Shou was walking down a long dark corridor with only his flashlight to light the way. For some eerie reason, it was especially cold inside this building. Shou was aware of his own beating heart and he continued to feel pain inside his chest. At the end of the corridor, Shou reached a large hallway with more paths to take. There was a corridor to his left, old rickety stairs that led to a second floor, and to his right Shou saw a shadowy person slowly walking right around the corner.

"Aimi?" Shou realized it was Aimi. She was here. "Aimi, wait! Wait up!" Shou called. And then he hurried down the corridor to his right, eager to catch up with his friend.

Turning around the corner, Shou saw Aimi heading out a door and disappearing beyond it. When Shou tried to hurry after her, the door slammed shut. But when he tried pushing open the door, to his dismay, the door wouldn't budge. Then Shou sensed a ghostly presence was sealing the door shut. Shou stood there with a troubled frown and wondered what to do. And that's when he felt the Mystic Mirror warming up in the palm of his hand. When Shou held up the mirror, to his amazement, the Mystic Mirror seemed to gain a new ability on its own.

Shou pointed the mirror towards the ghostly aura and when he looked into its reflection, he saw something very different. Instead on reflecting the door, the mirror was showing some other place. In the reflection, it appeared to be a place filled with potted plants and flowers. By the looks of it, it seemed to be from somewhere outside. Maybe there was something there? Now Shou turned and headed back down the corridor to see if he could find the place that was reflected in the Mystic Mirror.

Now Shou wondered where else to go. He gazed over at the staircase and curiously wondered what was up there. There Shou began to carefully climb up the old wooden rickety stairs that creaked underneath his shoes. When he reached the top, Shou found himself stepping into a little library filled with books of all kinds. Using his flashlight to investigate, Shou examined some of the book shelves. Most of the books were dusty and tattered. However one book-tile caught Shou's eye. There he pulled out a notebook and noticed some interesting handwritings on it.

The Language of Flowers

"Hanakotoba" refers to the art of assigning meanings and symbolism to flowers. The ancient art of Hanakotoba has been practiced for centuries and to a lesser extent continues today. In the Japanese culture, presenting flowers have a special meaning to them. The following includes the most common flowers with meanings.

Daffodil = Respect

Anemone = Sincere

Lavender = Faithful

Zinnia = Loyalty

Sweet Pea = Goodbye

Poppy = Success

Hydrangea = Pride

Bluebell = Grateful

Shou studied the written chart and found it fascinating. He decided to keep it with him. Then Shou went over to explore the bookshelves on the other side. Most of the books haven't been touched in a long time. However Shou did see another notebook that caught his eye. Carefully pulling it out so as not to tear it, Shou saw that this one contained the very information he'd been looking for. Perhaps this would give him the answers he'd been seeking.

Soul-Binding Ritual

The origins of this ritual are inspired by Kokuhaku, which means "confession." It is done when a man or woman declares their love for another and hopes to begin dating. In the case of the Soul-Bonding Ritual, this became a practice to also cure those with Hanahaki Disease. It's believed that when one's love is returned, their flowers will wilt away, restoring their heart.

The Shrine of Oath offers a special place known locally as the Covet Courtyard; a specially designed place by the priest to allow those to confess their love. It was here that sufferers of Hanahaki Disease brought their love interests in order to create a bond. According to local legends, Covet Courtyard was the very same place where the daughter of the Kimura lord was once married. It has since then become a popular spot for lovers to explore and for love confessions to take place.

After reading through it, a lot of thoughts went racing through Shou's mind. "This is it. This is the answer. But Ume is…" Shou knew it was no good. His sister wouldn't be able to make a love confession. So this wouldn't help her. He knew there was only one way to cure Ume's disease. "I have to take her to the House of Severance. It's the only way now." But before he did anything else, he needed to find Aimi. She was still here. Satisfied that he had the information he needed, Shou turned and started to leave the library. But then he happened to notice a square-shaped window with moonlight pouring out. There Shou went over to the window and peered outside it. He saw a magnificent sight.

He could see below him a large courtyard filled with large rocks and brightly lit stone-lanterns. The most beautiful and most exotic hibiscus flowers decorated the garden which especially would look breath-taking during daytime. A large pond filled with lily-pads and stepping stones led to a gazebo that was right in the middle of pond. And standing there in the gazebo was Aimi Hanazawa… Shou tried calling out to Aimi but she didn't respond. Maybe she was too far away. Aimi stood perfectly still in the gazebo and seemed to be completely out of it. Shou needed to reach her…

Shou turned away from the window and went back down the stairs. Now he decided to explore the corridor to his left. At the end of the hallway, Shou came upon another door that was unlocked. Here Shou found himself stepping outside of the building where he could see a dirt-path leading away from the shrine and into the trees. Using his flashlight to light the way, Shou decided to see what was back there. He could still hear the chirping crickets and the sound of the wind blowing through the dark trees. Finally Shou reached the end of the path and was surprised to see what appeared to be a large greenhouse.

Even in the darkness, Shou could make out lots of plants and flowers being housed inside. It made sense. Flowers were probably grown here in order to use for Ikebana or other ceremonial uses. As Shou stepped closer to the greenhouse and shined his flashlight to investigate, that's when he remembered something. The Mystic Mirror had shown him a reflection of potted plants and flowers. Could this be the place? Now he went straight to the entrance and tried opening it. But to his surprise, he discovered that it was locked. However Shou did find a strange-looking padlock that seemed to keep the door firmly locked.

With the help of the flashlight, Shou saw words written on the padlock. Words he was able to make out. "The Lock of Loyalty… Written in Japanese below that was flower names also written in Japanese. Suisen, Anburoshia, Rabenda, Jinia, Suitopi, Popi, Ajisai, Buruberu. Shou was feeling stumped as he wondered how to solve this padlock puzzle. Wasn't there any way to unlock it? After studying the flower names, that's when an idea occurred to him. Pulling out the notebook he found earlier in the library, Shou realized it contained clues. Going carefully over the chart, that's when Shou realized the puzzle was easier than he thought. Now Shou bent down to turn the knobs on the padlock until it connected to the right flower. The Zinnia flower…

Shou heard a "click" and the padlock easily slid off. Tossing it aside, now he had access to the greenhouse. Taking a deep breath and preparing himself to face whatever horror could be lurking inside; Shou opened the door and stepped into the greenhouse. Upon entering, it was hot and humid inside, and he caught the scent of fertilizer and flowers. The shelves were filled with potted plants and gardening tools. One shelf contained bonsai trees that used to be sold to the tourists. Now that Shou was here, he could feel the Mystic Mirror growing warm in his hand. There was something here…something ghostly…

Shou slowly began to walk along the aisle of shelves, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Some of the plants and flowers were withering away due to years of neglect. Shou was already starting to feel beads of sweet at his forehead and his heart was pounding nervously. The mystical aura of the mirror grew stronger when Shou approached what appeared to be a pile of ivy. This was it? Shou could feel it. There was something here. Shou tried using the mirror and spotted what appeared to be a ghostly Beckoning Hand among the ivy leaves. The Mystic Mirror let out a shining flash and the ghostly aura disappeared. The seal had been broken. Without warning, an ivy vine shot out and wrapped itself around Shou's wrist. In a panic, Shou furiously tried pulling his hand free. And just when he successfully freed himself, that's when the ghost made its appearance known to him.

Shou backed away at once when he realized lying on the ground before him had been a body. A body wrapped in ivy vines. His eyes widen in horror as the ghost of an old woman rose before him. The Lonesome Old Woman's whole body was wrapped in ivy vines. Her arms, her legs, and vines were even wrapped around her head and eyes…making her blind and unable to see. Despite this, the Lonesome Old Woman's vines floated snake-like and seemed to act like feelers… Shou's heart raced as the Lonesome Old Woman seemed to float menacingly toward him.

The Lonesome Old Woman's mouth gaped open which revealed her crooked teeth and the sounds of her heavy wheezing sent icy chills down Shou's back. As Shou kept his eyes on the ghostly old woman and held up the Mystic Mirror to exorcise her, unfortunately he accidentally bumped into the shelf and a pot fell to the floor with a loud shatter. Shou yelled out as the Lonesome Old Woman zeroed in on him and her ivy vines tried wrapping themselves around Shou's neck. Luckily he managed to break free and ran to put distance between him and the ghost.

When Shou turned around, he saw the Lonesome Old Woman was aimlessly floating around, but he could see her snake-like vines swaying through the air. The ghost was trying to locate him. With determination, Shou held up the Mystic Mirror and aligned it so that it faced the ghost. Gathering enough spiritual energy the Mystic Mirror let out a powerful flash that absorbed the ghost. The Lonesome Old Woman staggered back by the force of the mirror. And as Shou focused on capturing the ghost's reflection in the mirror, he cried out again and looked down to see ghostly vines slithering around his leg from the floor. Kicking his leg free, Shou looked up in time to see the Lonesome Old Woman lunging for him with all her ivy tendrils aiming straight for his throat. Shou held up the Mystic Mirror as a shield with perfect timing and there was a final powerful flash that sent the Lonesome Old Woman flinching.

Shou watched with pity as the Lonesome Old Woman let out a bitter wail while vanishing into thin air. Finally all was quiet again, and Shou knew it was time move on. With nothing else to find here, Shou left the greenhouse and returned to the Shrine of Oath. Returning to the hallways, this time Shou was able to head back the right corridor and to the door that led outside to the courtyard. Shou pushed the door open and stepped out onto the porch where he could see the beautiful courtyard for himself. And as Shou took a couple of steps to explore, his eyes fell on the gazebo and he could see someone still standing there.

"Aimi?" Shou called out. It had to be her. He'd seen her here earlier. Shou carefully walked on the stepping stones so as to slip into the pond. "Aimi, it's me. Shou. I've been looking for you…," Shou started to say.

But when Shou shined his flashlight over at the shadowy figure, Shou's heart dropped like a stone when he realized it wasn't her… Aimi wasn't here anymore but instead it was… "Naoki?" Shou said in surprise. The sound of his voice seemed to have alerted Naoki to his presence. Shou watched uneasily as Naoki slowly turned to face him. When he saw her face, Shou gasped and nearly almost dropped the flashlight into the pond.

"Why…couldn't you…love me?" Naoki asked. It didn't sound like a question. More like an accusation. Bright orange lilies burst from Naoki's chest and her neck. Her dead eyes glared angrily at Shou. "Why couldn't…you love me" she repeated. Shou couldn't answer and instead sadly hung his head in shame. Naoki Sugitani was dead…

"I…I'm sorry," Shou said sincerely. "I'm sorry." It was the exact same thing he told her last time. Unfortunately it wasn't what Naoki wanted to hear from him now. Or at least not her restless spirit…

Without warning, Naoki started to advance on Shou and he quickly saw that she was hostile and about to attack him. As much as Shou didn't want to, he had to use the Mystic Mirror to defend himself. It was the least he could do for Naoki. Shou turned and headed back to the grassy ground for more room to fight. When he turned around with the mirror ready in his hand, he saw that Naoki was pursuing him. Anger was all he saw in her eyes now… Shou held up the Mystic Mirror and pointed it at Naoki as she moved in to lunge for him again. The Mystic Mirror grew warm and strong until it let out a powerful exorcising flash. Shou didn't know if he was imagining it or not, but the mirror seemed to be getting stronger with more and more souls it captured.

Shou ducked out of the way as Naoki's ghostly hands tried reaching out for his neck. Putting distance between them, Shou held up the mirror and kept it pointed at the ghost at all times. Naoki was relentless in her attacks and wouldn't let up. And as Shou tried to keep her at bay at all times, suddenly she plucked an orange lily from her chest and fired it at Shou. The attack caught him off-guard but he yelled out when suddenly orange-lilies were starting to grow all over him like a parasite. Shou frantically tried ripping off the orange-lilies that were already starting to drain his health. His heart racing and his adrenaline pumping, it wasn't easy ripping off the flowers.

Somehow Shou managed to get all the flowers off him just as Naoki was taking the opportunity to attack him again. Shou was able to hold up the Mystic Mirror and caught Naoki's whole reflection before the mirror gave a powerful blinding flash that sent the poor girl reeling in shock. Naoki let out a heartbreaking scream before stumbling back and falling onto her side. Before she vanished from sight, Naoki seemed to have some regret in her actions as she hung her head and avoided Shou's gaze.

"I wish…you could have loved me… too…," was Naoki's final bitter words before disappearing. All that was left was a luminous orange lily on the ground. Shou gazed sadly at the orange lily and felt compelled to touch it. When he reached out to gently touch the flower, the flashback of Naoki's memories contained within the flower appeared before his very eyes.

(Flashback)

Standing by the large maple tree by the school courtyard, Shou and Naoki stood facing each other. Shou waited for Naoki to say something but she seemed to be struggling with her shyness. And just when he thought she wouldn't say anything, Naoki finally blurted out her love for him. Naoki confessed her deepest feelings for him and how she'd wish to become his special someone. She said all of this very fast that Shou barely understood her at first. And then Naoki waited for his response…

Shou smiled embarrassedly and found her love confession flattering. Which was exactly why he had to tell her what was truly in his heart. "I'm sorry, Naoki. But I love someone else…"

Shou hated to see the crestfallen look on Naoki's face, to see her trying to hold back tears. Hurting Naoki was the last thing he wanted to do, but he had to be true to his heart. And even though he didn't return her feelings, Naoki Sugitani must have never stopped loving him even now.

Once the flashback was over, Shou finally understood. It was too late for Naoki Sugitani. It still made him feel guilty to know that her love for him was what ended up being her downfall. But the same fate awaits all those who suffered Hanahaki disease. All the more reason to find Aimi Hanazawa… Shou stood alone in the shrine courtyard and looked over to notice a door that seemed to lead out of the shrine. Shou wondered what to do now. Should he continue the search for Aimi? Or should he return to Ume and try to help cure her? It wasn't an easy decision to make but in the end, Shou decided to retreat for now. He was out of breath and shaky from that scary encounter with a former classmate. He would have to find another way to catch up with Aimi. For now, he had to make sure that Ume was okay.

Naoki Sugitani's fate is truly unfortunate. She's a scary example of what happens to those who willingly allow the Hanahaki Disease to claim them. And it's the same fate that could befall Aimi and Ume. Yeah, I've done a lot of research into Japanese customs and symbolism and it's all pretty interesting stuff in case anyone wants to look it up. As you've already figured out, flowers play a big role in my story. Thanks for reading! More to come soon enough!