Damn it's been a while since I last updated. Hmmm, got a new job and all, plus we actually have a band running now. Anyway, I figured I should get my ass back in gear, hate leavin' a project unfinished…. It's what, 6:13 in fuckin' morning?….. Ugh, sheepy, sheepy… Plus, Subdivision by Rush really doesn't help you wake up either…….Leave me and my Cocoa Pebbles alone and read on young padabongs….. That, and I really can't come up with a way to describe the ghosts and setting at the moment to get a scare/chill factor out of ya'll…But I'll figured something out… Off to reading other stories as research WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

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Chapter 6: Inside Calligrapher's Mansion

Wow, this place really was a drag. Saiyuuri walked around, the room spinning around her in its own gigantic spectrum. She could imagine what it was like to live her BEFORE it was trashed. It must have been nice to live in such a huge, wonderful place. Shredded red and deep purple drapery hung from the rafters, where the wood had been gutted from the ceiling. The ceiling was stained and water-damaged, much like the rest of the wall and wooden banisters. A grand staircase awaited them in front of the entrance, but further back in the room, leaving a huge space for an entry hall. Several boards were missing from the floorboards, with an area by the stairs that had been gouged by decay. In this particular area, it seemed the entire floor had fallen in, leaving a large empty space below, which the depth she did not care to know. There was a cold draft that came from what appeared to be the ceiling and walls. As she went further toward the stairs, she noticed that some areas had painted glass windows. At the top of the staircase, the painted window, darkly themed with orange and red tints, making it seem to be painted by blood, showed a terrified woman being pulled through a wall. She snapped a picture of it, and a dark shape seemed to brush by through the light. She didn't see it again, so she merely brushed it off as a play on light and shadow. She looked to Mio and Mayu who seemed to be bickering over where they'd start first, and looking at the blueprints for the house, so she made her way over to look at it as well.

Mio looked up and saw Saiyuuri headed their way. Oh, great, the noob, come to share her opinion. Why does Mayu always pick the airheads…? Saiyuuri looked at the blueprints and seemed to be deep in thought.

"Where do we want to start first?" Mio almost fell over.

"Um, you didn't happen to see that's WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING DID YOU?"

"Actually…" Saiyuuri spoke a bit nervously.

"Oh, just leave to Mayu to pick someone so bright. I thought you picked a genius, the way you spoke of her," Mio taunted.

"Mio, not today, please." Mayu seemed to be a bit irritated.

"Huh?... You feelin' okay…Mayu?..." Mayu didn't reply, seeming lost. "MAYU!"

"Huh? Wha? Oh…" Mayu snapped back to reality. It might be a bit difficult to stay on track during this trip. "Um, maybe we should go around and assess damages, see where we can and can't get to first. You know?"

"Yeah. Sure. Why not? See what the years have done to this old place." Mio took part of a copy of the blueprints, picked up a bag, and brought it over to Saiyuuri, where she dropped it, which kicked up a lot of dust. "Wow this place is older than I thought." She handed the blueprints to Saiyuuri, with a pen. "Alright, let me explain this. If you find any unmarked passages, or anything important worth noting, write it on the blueprint, mainly physical features though." Mio reached in the bag and pulled out a notebook. "Important findings? You write it in here. Make sure to write the corresponding, room/hall/door number alongside each note. This pen," she held it up. "Has multiple colors. In the event that you find something changed, no matter how drastic, mark it in with the red color. Like the gap over there. Mark it in where it is." Saiyuuri marked a red line reaching from the staircase to the wall to the right. "Good, now onto black. Write notes in black on here for notable facts, like…" She paused to think. "Oh, I know. Let's say you find a door that requires a special key, or puzzle. Mark that, then come back later. In the event that you find an unmarked path or room, do your best to draw it in."

Mio went back over to Mayu, who sighed, and started going through the rest of the equipment.

"Mio, how do you want to do this?"

"Oh, I just assigned her the first floor!"

"Well, you left that out…"

"Erm, whatever… What floor do you wanna' take? Second or third?"

"Second I guess."

Mio fished out the blueprints for the second and third floors. Despite the fact it was on top, the third floor was bigger than the first and second, and much more complicated. "Alright, well, I'm off. Miss you guys already." Mio walked up the stairs, each creaking with its age and absorbed moisture. Mio wondered how a place so nice could have become so shabby. Oi, this was gonna' be a long few days.

Saiyuuri looked around and observed the place. Some of the windows were rather dirty and the thin, white, shredded curtains flowing with the draft didn't help any. It looked like a werewolf had broken in and wreaked havoc upon the place. I really hope that's not what happened. 'Cause I'm DEFINATLEY not a werewolf hunter, not to mention they don't exist…

"Why…" Saiyuuri looked up.

"Um, hello?...Someone there?" What was that? I'm too young to be hearing things. Mayu and Mio most likely. She continued to look around, grabbed a sheet that covered some furniture, which dust flew from when she moved it. There was a faded orange tint to the white parts of the sofa, which was striped with gray. There were some gashes in the sofa as well. Some parts were a brownish red. Uncollected evidence from a murder maybe? Or someone just had a bloody nose…. The more likely of the two. She noticed the gashes in the sofa were a bit more than gashes. She backed up and snapped a shot of the battered piece of furniture. Her camera spat out a picture, a picture she hadn't taken…. It was a picture of two girls, who looked strangely similar to Mayu and Mio, only younger and wearing school uniforms. One was standing while the other sat on the ground helplessly clinging to the other's hand. It was visible that one leg was injured, as she wore a brace around her knee. This was strange. Maybe her parents tried to take a picture of them at some point in time, and the camera…jammed? Maybe they were friends and she hadn't known it. Anyway, she took another picture of the sofa. It came out normal this time. She observed the slashes. It spelled something out, which she worded soundlessly. A chill ran up her spine.

"WHY!" Something seemed to whisper loudly in her ear. She looked to a nearby mirror and saw a person behind her. Mayu? Floating above her? Looking like she wanted to strangle her? She screamed, turned around, and found nothing. Okay, maybe she WAS getting old. People didn't fly. At least, normal people didn't. She decided to hurry and get out of the room. She walked hastily toward the door, opened it, looked back, and ran into Mio.

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Y'know, I think that would be really friggin' creepy if somethin' like that popped up behind me, let alone in a room like that….. but that's just me. Then again, I think that would be really cool, and the pink teddy bear that's looking at me and seems to follow me is really creepin' me out, too….. AHA! I KNEW IT! One day, teddy bears with gay colors really WILL take over the world….but I'll be ready. Look out you viscious teddies of doom! I'm waiting for you. I'm waiting. (Puts on military armor, gets a machine gun and duffel bag, then dives into the ditch in the front yard) THERE'S ONE!(caps a teddy in the forehead)