Prison, many months ago...
"Dolly..." a girl shouted, coughing from the smoke as she carefully walked through the flames. She darted around in search of her beloved, but she was nowhere to be found.
"Dahlia, where are you!?" she shouted, desperately walking past the growing stream of fire. She coughed again. "Please...we have to go..."
It couldn't end like this. It simply just couldn't. After all the time she and Dolly spent together, getting to know one another, and helping each other through their struggles...she couldn't just let it end like this...!
Hold on, Dolly, the girl thought, looking determined. I'm coming! I'm getting us out of here and we'll-!
Her mind was cut off as an arm was wrapped around her mouth, silencing her. She struggled to break free, but it was futile as a needle was thrust into her neck, injecting a strange concoction that made her sleepier by the second.
As she began to lose consciousness, the last thing she saw Dolly-her beloved's-smile...and how cruel and demonic it had been.
. . .
June 19
Train Station
"Sir, are you sure both of us have to go to Kurain Village?" Iris asked, crossing her arms as she gave her mentor an irritated glance. "Don't we still have a few cases to work on?"
"Those cases can wait, Flower," Diego said. "There's always a time to balance work or other things. That's one of my rules."
Of course, it is, Iris rolled her eyes at hearing those five words again. It was only yesterday that Diego told her that the both of them had to go to Kurain Village for a Channeling Session he had set up months ago.
To say that she didn't want to go would be an understatement. She'd rather be locked up with the most ruthless criminals than go back to her old childhood home! Diego insisted she'd come with her, however.
Because of that, Iris took the time and decided to wear her old attire back when she was a nun at Hazakura Temple. It consisted of a white demon-warding hood that went down the upper arms, a purple kimono with pink sleeves that was secured by a red obi, a pair of handless gloves that covered her lower arms, and her treasured purple magatama, this time adorned by large flowery designs.
Iris had to admit, it felt great to wear her old nun attire again. Even though she didn't like going back to Kurain Village, it didn't mean she had thrown away the customs and traditions it had taught her.
Those were some of the few good things that came out of it after all...
"And considering your cousin Maya is there, I thought you'd be thrilled to see her," Diego chimed in, glancing at the board on the time of the train's arrival.
"I am, sir, it's just visiting Kurain Village means seeing...her again..." Iris hissed, an ounce of venom spewing out of it. "Do I really have to go? I can at least keep tabs on our law firm if I stay."
"Sorry, but you can't," Diego said firmly. "You have to come with me."
"I don't see why though..." Iris muttered with a pout. Normally she'd follow her mentor without question, but this time, however, she had a lot to ask.
To keep you safe, Flower, Diego thought with a frown. Part of him regretted not telling Iris about his true plan with Maya, but he knew if he did, she'd freak out. Especially since it involved her twin sister...
I'll tell you all about it when the time's right, Flower...
Diego coughed for a bit, then checked his watch. "She better be here soon...the train's almost here."
Iris raised a brow. "Who are you-?"
"IRIS!" a loud, familiar voice shouted from afar.
"Ini?!" Iris shouted in surprise as her best friend ran up and hugged her tightly.
"How's my bestest friend in the whole world doing!?" Ini asked happily, hugging her even tighter.
"C-can't...breathe..." Iris wheezed out as Diego chuckled at the sight.
Diego then heard the sound of the train coming their way. "Get ready, girls. Our train's coming."
After a few minutes of waiting, the train arrived and Iris, Diego, and Ini quickly stepped inside. The train ride was long, so Diego decided to take a nap while Iris and Ini looked at the view of the forest and mountains outside.
It started as an awkward and silent ride, the only audible sounds being the train motioning forward and Diego's loud snoring. Iris and Ini stayed quiet throughout, however, barely avoiding eye contact. Ini was originally happy to see her best friend again, but a certain past event prevented it from being a truly enjoyable reunion. Iris felt the same way, twiddling her thumbs as her mind dwelled on what had happened between Ini and her previously.
But when it was too much for both of them to handle, they knew they had to speak up.
"I'm sorry for calling you a bitch!"
"I'm sorry for slapping you!"
Iris and Ini went silent, having said their apologies at the same time.
"No, it wasn't your fault!" they both exclaimed in unison. "I'm sorry!"
Ini giggled at how in synch they were at apologizing.
Iris, on the other hand, sighed in mild annoyance. "Okay, this is, getting us nowhere. "I'll go first. I'm sorry for slapping you."
"It's okay, Iris, I totally needed it honestly," Ini frowned, looking down. "That thing with Welly-I mean, Wellington-I...I just wanted someone to love me for me, y'know? Mom and Dad never really liked my career choices and, like, kicked me out when I told them about it. And Mimi was just starting to be okay with it...so when he stepped in...and when that...thing happened...I didn't want to think..."
Ini's voice cracked and tears started to come out of her eyes, but when Iris tried to offer her a handkerchief, she waved it away. "You're a good friend, Iris. I talked to Mr. Armando about it for a week now and...I want to move on from it. Mimi would've wanted me to. So I'm gonna keep working on my thesis and figure the rest out myself ."
Ini's eyes met Iris and she smiled at her. "Thanks for all that you and Mr. Armando did for me..."
Iris smiled back. "It's alright, Ini, and if you're ever in trouble, Armando and Co. Law Offices has your back."
Ini laughed before a thought came up her mind. "Y'know, your firm thingy would, like, sound cooler if it was Hawthorne and Co. Law Offices! Kinda rolls off the back of your, like, tongue. Haw~thorne~!"
Iris laughed nervously, a little uncomfortable at hearing her family name be used so positively. "Let's not talk about that. So you're working on your thesis at Kurain Village?"
Ini nodded enthusiastically. "Yup. I wanted to, like, go back to Hazakura but...bad memories, y'know. So when Mr. Armando told me that he knew a spirit channeler and he was gonna summon a spirit, I knew I, like, had to go! And besides..."
Ini reached into her bag and pulled out a camera, displaying it as if it was the Holy Grail. "I'm gonna take pics of all of it! For the thesis."
"Isn't thesis information supposed to be confidential?" Iris pointed out, jabbing her finger at Ini's camera, smirking mischievously. "Pictures aren't really allowed."
Ini sweatdropped and scratched her head. "Who knows...it might, like, come in handy...it'll be totally cool to have a pic of a spirit channeling too!" as she said that, Ini stood up slightly and made a few dynamic poses with her camera. "It'll be the discovery of the 20th century!"
"We're already past the 20th century, Ini..." Iris sighed, shaking her head until something came up in her mind. "By the way, do you know who Sir is channeling? And why for that matter?"
Ini tilted her head. "You, like, don't know?"
"He never told me."
Ini shook her head. "Not really, no. But it's going to be, like, super exciting! Seeing a channeled spirit! This is going to be the most awesomest day ever!"
Iris just sighed. She loved her best friend's enthusiasm and cheer. It was usually very infectious, recounting the times in her childhood when she had her mood lightened because of Ini, but today...she couldn't help but feel tense about going back to Kurain Village...and she knew there was one reason why.
. . .
June 19, 1:25 PM
Kurain Village
"We're here! We're really here!" Ini exclaimed happily, pulling out her camera and taking pictures of everything she saw, while Diego just watched in amusement.
Iris, on the other hand, could only stare at her surroundings with both nostalgia and dread.
"My old home..." she whispered to herself, wandering around and scanning the vicinity of Kurain Village. It looked the same as she remembered it. The rustic, thatch-roofed houses, the majestic cherry blossom trees, the bus stop...it was as if she never left. But she could never be so sure about that, there was still the Ma-
"Hey, Flower, we gotta go!" Diego called out to her. "Fey Manor's just around the corner!"
"C-coming, Sir!" Iris said as she ran to catch up to Diego and Ini, but stopped as she suddenly had a feeling that she was being watched. She turned around...but saw no one there.
Strange, Iris thought. Must be my mind pulling tricks on me.
. . .
Fey Manor
"Hello!" Diego called out in an attempt to get some attention from the people inside the manor while Iris and Ini stared at the building. Ini stared at it in awe, taking as many pictures of the elegant building as possible; Iris, on the other hand, just stared at it. It was the same old building to her, just with a few slight changes. And she certainly didn't feel the wonder Ini was feeling from it.
Hearing small footsteps behind her, Iris raised a brow and turned around. She saw nothing at first but was surprised to see a little girl-probably 8-years-old-popping her head out from the bushes.
"O-oh, h-hello there," Iris stammered, but the little girl just looked at her nervously. "I-it's okay, there's no-"
"Pearl?" a familiar voice said behind Iris, getting her attention. "Bad girl."
Iris turned and flinched as she finally saw that woman again in all these years. Her hair was black and large, tied to resemble a traditional Japanese hairstyle. She also wore a black kimono with various kanji written on it and a yellow obi wrapped around her hips to keep the kimono fastened.
She looked older and somewhat different compared to the last time Iris saw her, but she knew without the shadow of a doubt. It was her.
"You..." Iris growled, her hands balling into fists; but the woman ignored her, having focused on the little girl named Pearl.
"How many times must I tell you not to follow suspicious strangers?" the woman said to Pearl sternly.
Strangers?! Iris thought, offended as she stared at the woman with narrow eyes.
Pearl stood up and lowered her head as she walked to the woman. "I'm sorry, Mother."
Iris' sputtered in surprise as she gawked at Pearl. Mother!?
"Goodness," the woman said, kneeling and placing her hands on Pearl's shoulders. "What if you fell and hurt yourself?"
Iris stared at the girl for a moment, having realized her resemblance to her cousin Maya Fey...but to think Morgan had another-
"Are you, like, the one in charge?" Ini said excitedly, taking a step close to the woman. "Can we see the ghosts now? Can we!?"
The woman stood up and gave Ini an intimidating glare. "Well, who might you be?"
"Isn't it rude to speak to your guests like that, Morgan?" Diego chimed in, stepping in front of Iris and Ini in a protective manner and giving Morgan his signature cocky grin. "It's not really doing wonders for your reputation, esteemed head channeler."
Morgan gave a quick glare at Diego before turning to Ini. "My apologies. I am Morgan Fey."
She then gestured to Pearl. "And this is my daughter Pearl. Yes, I am the head of this village. However, I am not the one conducting the channeling today.
"Today is Mystic Maya's first channeling session and she wanted it to be with someone she considers..." she paused, giving a hateful and disgusted glance at Diego, "a family friend."
"Aww, I knew you'd like me, Morgan," Diego grinned teasingly, to which Morgan groaned in annoyance.
She then narrowed her eyes venomously at the veteran lawyer. "I am only doing this out of Mystic Maya's request, you coffee chugging cretin. If I had my way, you would be banned from this Village for life. Especially considering the...unsavory character you brought with you."
Morgan then turned to glare at Iris, who didn't hesitate to glare back at her in return, while Pearl looked on at the two of them uncomfortably. Soon enough, Morgan managed to calm herself and gestured everyone to come inside. "Please come in, everything is ready."
Diego nodded and followed Morgan while Ini skipped merrily in their direction, leaving Iris with Pearl. After a moment of awkward silence, Iris turned to face Pearl, who looked at her with nervous eyes.
"I-It's okay, I'm not here to hurt you," Iris reassured her with a friendly smile. "You're name's Pearl, right?"
Pearl didn't answer, still looking at Iris nervously.
"M-my name's Iris, but I think you already know that," she continued. She needed to be clear about this. "I'm your-"
"Pearl, go to your room," Morgan said from afar. "Important matters are going on."
"Y-yes, mother!" Pearl said before running off. Iris extended her hand a bit as if she was trying to call Pearl back.
"I suggest you keep my daughter away from your affairs," Morgan sneered, earning a glare from Iris. "Come now, the channeling session is almost upon us."
Iris opened her mouth, wanting to protest, but she had enough self-control to silence herself. As soon as she, Diego, and Ini got to Fey Manor's meditation room, they quickly knelt in a prayer stance in front of the Channeling Chamber, where the session will soon take place.
Iris did so without fail, her posture perfect and her mind clear. Diego was relaxed and laid back, simply waiting for Maya to arrive. Ini, on the other hand, was ecstatic as she continuously tapped her fingers, struggling to stay still and not ask a million questions about the chamber. They waited for a few moments for Morgan to return as she was preparing Maya for her first spirit channeling session.
"Sir, I need to ask," Iris whispered to her mentor. "Who exactly are you trying to summon?"
"It's nothing to worry about, Flower," Diego gave his protégé an assuring smirk. "Just a dead relative, is all."
Iris frowned as she could tell her mentor was lying. She opened her mouth to further confront him but was cut off when Morgan showed up again.
"Everyone, please correct your postures," she said to them.
"So we're going to see Maya now?" Diego asked impatiently, to which Morgan responded with a glare.
"What impudence! That's Mystic Maya to you! She is the last of the head family's bloodline, the Kurain School of Channeling's legitimate successor."
"But aren't you the head now?" Iris asked, staring at Morgan suspiciously. "You did say so yourself..."
"Yes, I did say that," Morgan answered, narrowing her eyes at Iris, "but I am only acting as temporary head, at least until Mystic Maya comes of age and masters the technique. I am still a member of the branch family after all."
One of the shrine maidens then appeared and said, "Mystic Maya is ready."
"Then let us begin," Morgan said, clapping her hands.
A sliding door opened and Maya stepped inside with two shrine maidens following beside her. Unlike the usual spirit medium outfit Diego and Iris usually saw her in, Maya wore a completely white kimono and a regal crown-like headpiece.
"Maya..." Diego mumbled quietly while Maya and the maidens walked to the door to the Channeling Chamber.
"We shall now begin the Kurain School channeling," Morgan announced.
One of the nuns handed Maya a box containing the key to the Channeling Chamber. Maya took the key and opened the door before slipping the key into her kimono.
When Maya turned to face the direction of the Manor's three guests, Diego stood up and bowed respectfully to her. He then took a glance at Iris, gave her a reassuring smile, and joined Maya as they stepped inside the Channeling Chamber.
"During this ritual, none may enter this Meditation Room or the Channeling Chamber," Morgan said to Iris and Ini. "Please do not forget that."
As soon as everything was set inside the Channeling Chamber, the two shrine maidens closed its entrance with Maya locking it in the inside.
"Now the Channeling Chamber has been completely cut off from the world," Morgan said. "Let us wait patiently in the Main Hall."
Morgan then turned to guide the two women to the aforementioned location. Ini followed along, excited to ask Morgan a plethora of questions about the Kurain Channeling Technique. Iris, on the other hand, remained worried and unsure. She turned and looked at the doors to the Channeling Chamber. It didn't feel right to just leave Diego in there. Something felt off, but nevertheless, she had to obey him. Hesitantly, she turned her head and followed Morgan to the Main Hall, hoping for everything to turn out alright.