I have returned! I hope you like this chapter. I think it lives up to the other chapters, just please, please, PLEASE! Review and tell me what you think. I'm sorry if it wastes too much of your time, but it really helps me if you waste it. Seriously. I love your reviews, and I love writing, but I really need the help.

I'm getting more reviews from GAIA ONLINE! YEESH! It's even on a special forum. Yeesh...

Seriously! PLEASE REIVEW!

---Hikari---

Chapter 3: Crimson Butterfly: Camera Obscura

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Sorry! ;

Ed collected himself quickly before scanning the room, looking for any other zombies that were in desperate need of elimination. Al soon joined him, searching every nook and cranny of the area for anything lurking around uninvited… aside from themselves.

"Hey, Brother, check this out!" Al said in a lowered voice, so as not to catch the attention of anyone in the vicinity. The suit of armor began digging into a box as the elder turned. Ed gasped. "Are you sure you want to pummel through…" Al pulled out the camera he'd been looking at. "… that?" Ed finished lamely, waltzing over to Alphonse to inspect the camera.

The blonde turned the camera over in his hands, making sure it wasn't rigged or anything, before, defeated, he handed it back to Alphonse. Al handed a packet of paper to him soon after. "I found this with it." He announced, as though it wasn't obvious. Edward unfolded the paper and read:

Camera Obscura

Research: Chapter 1

I inspected the well today, the one all the townsfolk are afraid of. Nothing unusual happened when I approached. It wasn't until this camera caught my eye that things got interesting…

It seems this device is a… visual portal of some sort, between our two worlds: the worlds of the living and the dead.

Upon clicking the camera, I found the picture distorted and blurry. Then, to my awe and surprise, arms appeared, reaching out toward me!

I lifted the camera again, to be sure of what I'd seen. The silky black appendages lunged for me yet again, though this time, it felt as though they were pulling me forward, beckoning me to investigate deeper into the well.

I did.

I immediately wished I hadn't.

The letter cut off sharply with that sentence hanging in the air. Ed stared at the paper, perplexed by the words that were obviously laid with the camera on purpose.

"Well, Brother? What is it?"

Ed snapped from his daze as Alphonse shook his shoulder. "Huh? Oh, it's, um, nothing. Don't worry yourself about it." Ed stuffed the paper hastily into his pocket. Al may only be a year younger than me, Ed thought, protectively. But I'm not letting him get his mind wrapped around this junk. Better him thinking it's just a random camera.

He smiled, looking to Al. "Well, since we're here, best to try to find that guy, right? Maybe he's here somewhere… And, while we're at it, maybe we can find a way out ourselves."

Al nodded, taking a step forward… and regretting it.

"AH!" he cried, stepping backward. A woman had jumped onto the platform, her hair hanging deeply into her face. Concealed by the locked of black, her face was nearly invisible, but behind them, Ed knew, he probably didn't want to see… unless….

Ed stepped forward, paying no heed to his cowering brother. He merely chuckled to himself that he was afraid of such a petty joke. "Um, hello? Can you hear me?"

No response.

"Okay… What's your name? Are you hurt?"

Still, no reply.

Ed took another tense step forward, until Alphonse pulled him back. "Brother, don't." he pleaded. "She's not what you think." "Come on, Al!" he replied instantaneously. "There's nothing strange about this wo-"

A sharp pain sprang to life in the back of his head. Ed went flying forward, crashing headlong into a cabinet.

The last thing he saw was the distorted face of the woman: blood stains still dripping and fresh on her face; knife wounds ground deep into her eyes; one lip was actually hanging off of her face.

The last thing he heard, on the other hand, was his brother screaming in terror as the monster leaped forward, intent on delivering the final blow to the disorientated boy.

A bright flash of light, strangely, the thought, resembling a camera flash, flooded his vision; then, everything blurred out, and seceded to darkness.

Al shrieked as the monster lunged for his brother. Out of pure instinct, he lifted the camera.

A satisfying CLICK! emanated from the camera, followed by the horrendous cry of the woman as she faded away into the night, leaving nothing but a small, black pendent in the shape of a tear-drop behind to hint of her existence. For a moment, Alphonse stood their in shock. How could a camera kill a monstrosity such as that? He pondered.

That's when he recalled his brother's state.

"Brother!" he called, rushing to the elder Elric's side. He inspected the golden-eyed boy head to toe, only finding a small, but deep gash on the back of his head. He sighed with relief, and sat waiting for his brother to awaken. For when he did, he'd have a lot of explaining to do about that paper… a lot…

About half an hour later, a crackling noise cut through the silence. Al jumped in fright, the cracking almost as bad as a scream in the night. He stood, gathering his courage, and then walked slowly to where the sound was coming from. Pushing aside piles of junk from the desk, he came across a small radio with a small diamond in the middle of it.

It was a curious piece of work: a bubble shaped dome stuck out from the top-middle of it with a slot under the plastic. There were dials to change the bass of it, but no channel dial or volume. Nothing but the one dial. Speakers were built into the device, but were more prominent than normal speakers. Yet another infamous piece of paper- handwritten, I care to add- was placed beneath it, which Al gasped without hesitation.

Spirit Reader:

Installation One:

Something of my own design; I've always been fascinated by the thought of inter-world communication. So, when I heard of the idea that thoughts could be stored in a crystal pendant, I had to try it. I collected a pendant of one of the young twin girls in the village and placed it in this: my latest invention!

It was a complete success, though the thoughts I heard, she had no recollection of thinking of.

The crystal rambled on and on about rituals and escaping before it.

I found later that that, her not recalling that is, was a lie. She knew full well where those thoughts came from.

A ritual is performed every year or so in this town that sacrifices 2 siblings to the gates of Hell to appease the Gods.

I did a little more investigation.

(A few lines down…)

Use:

Insert the pendant and listen. That's all there is to it!

Al did as he was told and put the tear into the slot. The crackling became louder and he could vaguely make out words from the jumbled mess. It was whispered, as though the voice was weakened, but still heard.

I… have to escape…The gate has… opened! I must get away… before it… is too late. The death is around ( a sharp intake of breath is heard) It's damning… us all! We are… doomed to the … Repitence! Help… me… Help… us… Get… OUT!

The thought ends with an ear piercing cry of such despair and anguish that it pained Al to hear, and he pulled the pendent out.

"Crimson…… Butterfly……" a voice rang out. Once again, Al felt he knew the voice, but ignored it.

Sighing, he returned to his spot next to his brother, counting his breaths… it was the only assurance that he had survived, if not only for a moment longer.