Second Higurashi when they cry fic 4
"Hello who's out there?" Takano noticed them.
"Looks like we got caught" said Shion.
"Isn't it us who caught them?" asked John.
"You two spying on us or on a date?" asked Tomitake.
"More like wondering what you two are doing" said Shion "it looked like you were trying to pick the lock."
"Which is a bad idea since a demon god lives in there" said John.
"I am not a demon" said Hanyu.
"Well you two caught me, we're trying to break into the warehouse but no-one's supposed to know okay?"
"Hey don't they keep the tools for the rituals in there?" asked Shion. "No-one is allowed in there except for the Furude family and a small select group of people."
"Because entering leads to getting cursed" said John.
"I wouldn't curse anyone" said Hanyu.
"Okay done" said Tomitake.
"Good work Jiro, at last" she opened the doors.
"Aren't you just a little bit curious?" asked Shion.
"I already know what's in there" said John "it's nothing good."
"Good relationship with Rika after all" said Shion "so I'm seeing what's in there anyway."
"Okay I'll keep watch out here" said Tomitake.
"Then the rest of us can take a look" said Takano. They went inside anyway and the light was turned on revealing a statue of Oyashiro or who everyone thought was Oyashiro.
"Its better than the one at the other shrine" said Shion.
"John, how long have you lived here exactly?" asked Takano.
"About ten years" said John.
"Then you know about the other meaning of the Wataganashi festival?"
"Intestines" said John; he'd been creped out by that part of the show "what Rika was doing was tearing out cotton from a futon rather than organs from a person."
"Why yes, that's the idea. That once the villagers here had demon blood inside them and used the festival to feast on the flesh and blood of a victim." Light was shined on the torture tools.
"You are a sick human being" said John.
"So quick to judge, are you going to make sure I die this year?"
"I won't deny it's a tempting thought" said John 'course her guards hiding all around the village would probably stop me.'
"John" Shion was a little taken back.
"Why wait, all these tools around and alone I would be easy to have accident why you could kill me right now if you really wanted to" said Takano with a smile. Hanyu kept shaking her head and giving him a pleading look.
"Tempting" John noticed the signs of carrying a concealed gun now "yet I wouldn't want to dirty the place."
"I imagine so; being a man of two worlds you really can't dirty much of anything can you?"
"What?"
"You really should be more careful lest you end up being cursed as well" said Takano. John felt slight itching on his neck.
"Hey" Tomitake opened the doors "are you almost done in here the dance is over so everyone is heading to the stream."
They left abruptly going their separate ways.
"John what was up with you being so hostile to Ms. Takano?" asked Shion.
"There's something rotten about her I really don't like and that just confirmed it" said John.
"So did you hear it too?"
"Hear what?"
"That banging sound."
John took a moment to glare at Hanyu who looked down in apology "nope not a thing."
"Mi" Rika grabbed him from behind and Shion excused herself.
"About time" said Satako.
"You and Shion really had to take that long" said Mion.
"Try not to go missing for so long" said Rena.
"You missed the end of the dance" said Keiichi "yet Rika did it perfectly."
"Except for the subtle mistake at the end that she always makes" said John.
"Mi" said Rika looking down.
"I kid Rika I'm sure you did it perfectly" 'you've certainly had enough practice.'
"Well come on John get some cotton and throw it in the stream" said Mion.
"I'm going I'm going." John got the cotton drifting part out of the way and did his best to ignore the feeling he was being watched. 'Don't get paranoid, don't get paranoid don't activate the syndrome…' he caught Takano giving him a knowing smile out of the corner of his eye for a moment and that made him shiver.
The next day he checked as was normal for him now and saw he was in London this time.
'Not good.'
"John" his mother came in with a knife "good to see you awake, school starts soon you don't want to miss it."
"I won't" said John staying as far away as possible.
"By the way, did you sneak out last night?" she asked.
"What?"
"You went somewhere you weren't supposed to didn't you?" she asked. "I know you did."
"W-would you please put that down?"
"Just where did you go John?" she approached with the bloody knife in her hand.
'Blood, no it's the syndrome stop being paranoid, stop it!'
"I'd like an answer young man" she said with slit eyes "if I don't get one I'll be upset."
"I didn't I promise you."
"Okay then, don't keep Rika waiting."
"Of course I won't."
"And John" his mother added "it doesn't matter."
"What doesn't?"
"No matter which world you run to or how far you run it doesn't matter, you will never escape" she softly touched his face while he was shaking "we will always find you. So be a good boy and get dressed for Rika" she left him and the cicadas sung in the background.
'Get under control, under control, don't go crazy.' John got dressed and saw to Rika.
"Good to see your well today" said Rika.
"Just barely."
"Are you feeling sick again today?" asked Rika.
A little but it should pass" said John.
"You've been getting sick quite a bit lately" Rika noted.
"That's illness for you it comes and goes" said John "now we should be going."
They reached school and had a mostly normal day well normal till it was mentioned that Tomitake and Takano had been found dead as usual around this time of year. Then the Priest in charge of the Shrine had gone missing as well.
'The only one not creped out is Rika, though I guess she's used to this kind of thing by now.' Now it was a matter of how to stop things from getting out of hand. Things were very different with only a few variables constant so what could he change to prevent things from turning ugly? "It just seems so hopeless."
"What does?" asked Rena.
"Rena you're strong enough."
"Strong enough for what?"
"If I start dragging a baseball bat around like Satoshi" she got the serious look on her face "promise me you'll knock me out, tie me up and keep me that way till I'm sane again" said John.
"Why would you say such a thing?" asked Satako who'd overheard.
"Whose Satoshi?" asked Keiichi.
John was now seeing why Rika had just given up hope of changing things; the only alternative was a suicidal depression. Getting a good outcome just didn't seem possible.
All of a sudden the Suntetsu in his pocket felt like a good tool to take to his own neck. His own itching neck.
"Ah ha I know what's wrong!" declared Mion.
"Do you?"
"Yes you're not the real John!"
"What?"
"What do you mean he's not the real one?" asked Keiichi.
"It's simple; the real John has been killed and replaced by a Mysteron clone!"
"A Mysteron clone?"
"So any moment now the green rings are going to talk to us?" asked Rena.
"But he hasn't called us Earth Women yet" said Satako "so maybe he regained his humanity and is depressed at being a clone."
"So then he'd be like Captain Scarlet" said Rika.
"How on earth have you heard about that show?" asked John.
"What do you mean how do we know, you're the one that introduced it to us" said Mion.
"Remember we went over to your house once and saw you watching it" said Rika.
"What is Captain Scarlet?" asked Keiichi.
"An old British TV show, but it's a really good one" said Mion "even though it uses puppets."
"I always thought the puppets made it cuter" said Rena.
"You would" said John rolling his eyes yet it did help his mood. 'I can't just give up, no matter how insane things may get.'
"Sounds interesting" said Keiichi.
"Maybe not for you" said John "it's a show full of paranoia fuel" 'and that's the last thing he needs.'