Author's Note: Welcome to Halloween 2024! I started this part months earlier. Then I came back to it in October and it snowballed all the way into this. I had to admit, it was a struggle to write out what I wanted. But I rose ahead and got it done. I had been sitting on quite a few ideas for quite some time. My favorite is the final part of this halo. It started with a song I heard for Welcome to Nightvale's weather. When I saw the album cover, it just built from there. My brain is going to need a short rest before I figure out what I am doing next week. For now, enjoy your Halloween candy.
Halo Thirteen: Christmas:
This day started with finding a body and ended with a hit-and-run accident.
The housekeeper was the one who made the call on Christmas morning. She wasn't supposed to be there. However, she got invited to come over via text. The message looked kind of weird. She tried to call but got no answer. The housekeeper knocked on the door. No answer.
"Kamiya-san? Kamiya-san?" she asked. No answer. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the key. The first thing she noticed was how cold the living room was. The housekeeper took a step back. Part of her wondered if she should call the police or not. She poked her head inside.
"Kamiya-san?" she asked. The housekeeper took off her boots and slowly walked inside. Right away, something didn't feel right. She made her way to the kitchen.
She let out a loud scream at what she saw.
The victim was a twenty-one-year-old woman. Her body sat at the head of the table. She had a green paper crown on her head. The woman was dressed up in festive red and green. Her dress looked like it was made of silk. Jewelry decorated her neck, wrists, fingers, and ear lobes. Her glasses were cracked. A golden fork was closed in her right hand. Her eyes were wide open. The look of terror was permanently etched on her face.
She wasn't the only body at the table.
The rest of the bodies sat at the chairs. Mother, father, younger brothers, and younger sister. All of them dressed up in the same festive red and green as the girl at the head of the table. Dad looked like Santa Claus. Mother looked like Mrs. Claus. The boys were dressed like elves. The little girl was a reindeer. They looked like they had been dead longer than the girl. The table was covered in food and plates. They were all posed in a disturbing image of a Christmas family dinner. Family photos were decorated around the room. All of happier times.
Nakamura winced as he took a step back.
"Damn," he muttered to himself. The CSIs got to work. Nakamura had his eyes on the girl at the head of the table. The victim's name was Kamiya Asuna. She had just graduated from Todai.
Or so her family believed.
"What's the deal here?" one of the CSIs asked. Nakamura rubbed his forehead.
"The housekeeper found the bodies this morning," he said. "It was supposed to be her day off. She said that she was invited over for Christmas breakfast." The CSI paused for a moment.
"You don't think—"
Nakamura quickly put up his hand. "We don't know that yet. We just have to follow the evidence."
"Yes sir," the CSI said. "But tell that you don't suspect…" Nakamura didn't answer. He turned back to the bodies at the table. The younger children were bagged up for processing. The detective shook his head. The CSI was right, but part of him hoped that this was different this time. He walked over to Asuna at the head of the table.
"What did you do to your family?" he asked. Asuna's corpse sat there and stared with empty eyes.
Christmas was supposed to be joyful today. But this is the Wasteland. And we can't have nice things in the Wasteland. This winter further stuck the knife into the city.
There was an art exhibit that opened yesterday. It was going to be open from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day. This wasn't an ordinary art exhibit either. Nothing sweet and Christmas-related here. Oh no! The theme was Seemingly Normal Photographs with Darker Back Stories. Some of the pictures were known by true crime junkies all over the world. Some not so much. They came from all over the world. The art curator told the stories behind each picture. Everyone gathered around in morbid curiosity.
However, there would be one photograph that would spark the unraveling of one girl's psyche.
Celty and Shinra made their way to the hospital. A nurse, Kiki, stood outside, waiting.
"Thank you for coming," she said when the couple approached her. Kiki sounded so uneasy as she shifted around in place.
"[What happened?]" Celty typed on her PDA.
"I was at the art exhibit today when it happened," the nurse said. "I didn't see what happened, but I heard someone scream."
"Is she okay?" Shinra asked.
"Yes, come with me," Kiki said. She led the couple into the hospital.
"From what I heard, she fainted," she said on the way there. The nurse broke down the story from what she observed as they walked down the hall.
Chiharu was sitting in the hallway. She stood up when Celty, Shinra, and the nurse approached her friend's room. The angel had a grim look on her face.
"[How is she now?]" Celty wrote on her PDA.
"Sleeping," Chiharu said.
"What exactly happened?" Shinra asked in a calm voice. The angel took a deep breath.
"I wasn't thinking," Chiharu said. "I just wanted to get her out of the apartment today."
"[So what happened?]" Celty typed. The angel rolled back her shoulders.
"I invited her out with me to the photo exhibit. I don't know. It wasn't my thing, but she had been in her room for days. I figured going downtown would do her some good." She leaned back against the wall.
"Everything was going well. The curator led us on a tour of each photograph. The lady talked about each story in a rather chipper way." Chiharu rolled her eyes as she said that.
"Anyway, we came across a certain picture toward the entrance to another gallery. The curator was going on about its morbid back story. Noriko froze in the middle and fainted. She kept mumbling something under her breath before she hit the floor." Chiharu pulled out her phone.
"It was this photo in particular," she said. Chiharu held out her. Celty and Shinra leaned in for a closer look. The image in question was of a black and white photograph. A couple, a man and a woman, stood by the ocean. At first, they looked like they were going to embrace. But upon closer examination, the woman looked so distraught. The man looked to either be pushing her into the waves or pulling her into an embrace. Giant waves rose behind them.
"I don't get it," Shina said. "What about this picture would make her faint like that?" Chiharu braced herself for what was coming next.
"The couple in the picture just lost their nineteen-month-old son in the ocean," a voice spoke up behind them. The three of them looked up to see Kiki was still with them. She lifted her head and cleared her throat.
"I'm sorry," she said. Shinra waved her off.
"It's fine," he said.
"Anyway, she helped Noriko and me get here," Chiharu said as she pointed to the nurse.
"I ran in after I heard the screaming," Kiki added. "The doctor said that she was going to be alright."
"[Thank you so much]" Celty typed. The nurse bowed and headed back down the hall. Chiharu looked over at the room door next to her.
"What happens now?" she asked. The couple looked at each other. Shinra shrugged.
"Talk to her, I suppose," he said. The girls eyed him in an odd way.
Meanwhile, Noriko was still asleep in her bed.
Rocchi was out of the hospital now. He's been out for weeks. However, the man can't rest. However, the gang leader wasn't looking for revenge. First, there was someone that he needed to talk to. He walked up to the Kawamata door. Chikage knocked on the door. He was doing all this on impulse. Still, it needed to be done. The man looked up when the door opened. Hideki stood at the doorway with a dull expression on his face.
"Uh… who are you?" he asked.
"Is Kana-san here?" Chikage asked.
"Why?" the other man asked. He narrowed his eyes at him. The gang leader had a stern look on his face.
"There's something I need to speak to her about," he said. Both men stood at the door, not saying a word. Hideki looked Chikage up and down. What did this young man with the eyepatch want with his wife? He didn't believe that his wife was cheating on him. It wasn't in her. Kana loved him and Juichi too much to do something stupid like that.
"What do you need to talk to my wife about?" Hideki asked. He's asked the gang leader this question before. Chikage always had a bit of a time trying to break it down for the older man.
"Honey?" he heard behind him. The men looked up to see Kana walking to the front door. She didn't have her hair up. However, she didn't look like she had just gotten out of bed either. Hideki looked over his shoulder.
"Some guy who wants to see you," he said. His wife froze in her place. She slowly picked up the place as she walked up to the front door. Kana poked her head out from under his arm.
"Yo," Chikage said with a wave. The woman had a stern look on her face.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. The biker gangster had a serious look on his face that mirrored hers.
"We need to talk," he said. Kana pressed her lips together. She didn't have to ask what about. The woman stood up straight next to her husband.
"Come in," she said. Hideki whipped his head around with a confused look on his face. His wife turned to him with a look that said, "I'll explain everything later." Kana retreated into the house. Rocchi bowed his head toward Hideki and followed behind. The husband frowned and shook his head before closing the door behind him.
Mikado made it back to Ikebukuro alone. He met up with Anri in a small café. The couple sat in a booth in front of a window. They didn't speak at first. The distance between them became even more uncomfortable. Mikado stole a glance at her before looking out the window across the street.
"She's back," he said at last.
"Do you mean…?" Anri started to ask.
"Yeah."
"How bad is it?"
They've had this same conversation before. Mikado already vowed to himself that he would be honest with Anri. When he heard her, she looked like she had a rough night. The last thing she needed was to be lied to. It would be easier to do so, but that would make things worse. The truth would hurt no less than a knife dipped in venom.
"There was Marin this morning. She's tried to seduce me twice. Masaomi kissed me when we were looking for Sonomi. And then…"
"And then?"
Mikado still wouldn't look at her as he said the next part. He needed to tell her the truth. "I had a one-night stand with a married salaryman." The tadpole glanced over at the mother of his child. Anri stared at him but said nothing. Part of him wished that she would. Then she asked him something that almost made him fall out of the booth.
"Are you okay?" Anri asked. Mikado whipped his head around. She stared at him, waiting for the answer.
"No," he said, shaking his head. "No. No, I am not okay." Her silence prompted him to keep going. Mikado exhaled as if breathing out his dignity.
"I am seeing her more often now," he pushed himself to say. "She wants me to give myself over to her. Yokubo said it herself. She isn't making me come to her."
"She… isn't?"
"No. She doesn't find pleasure in making her victims come to her." Mikado began to remember the visions he had just before he left that salaryman alone in the hotel bed.
He called her the Harlot. She was naked and her pale skin stood out in the darkness. Silver chains held her knees and thighs together. Mikado had never seen so many arms before in his life. Two of her hands were tearing open her body. More hands were covering her genitals. From the open wound in her body sprung a silver shrine made of skulls. Mikado had yet to figure out the significance of that vision yet. Something told him that wouldn't be the last time he saw the Harlot.
"I don't know what to do," Mikado admitted. Meanwhile, his girlfriend sat uncomfortably in her side of the booth.
"I saw her again," Anri said in a quiet voice. Mikado turned his head.
"What?" he asked. He didn't need to though. Both of them knew what she was talking about.
"When?" Mikado asked.
"Last night," Anri said. Her boyfriend wanted to touch her, but he knew that he couldn't. The omen had already come for her.
"Did she say anything?" Mikado asked in a low voice. Anri's eyes lowered down to the table. She mumbled her reply in an inaudible tone. Despite this, Mikado was still able to hear her. His blood ran cold.
"What did you say?" he asked. Anri lifted her gaze toward him. All of the color drained from her face. Her voice trembled as she repeated the question.
"Are you bathed in the blood of the lamb?"
The napkin fell out of Mikado's hand. That's never happened before. If that rabbit girl asked her that question, that must mean…
He reached over and grabbed Anri by the hands.
"I'm so sorry," he said. Tears began to fill his eyes. Anri had tears in her eyes as well. Both of them mentally braced themselves for what was coming next. Mikado wanted to believe that there was still hope to turn this around yet, but that was slipping away as fast as it was coming.
They had until July to figure out how to stop what was coming. They might not even have that much time at this point.
Even still, something inside of the couple refused to let them give up so easily.
Nakamura was hard at work again. The latest murder had him hung up. Asuna's dirty secrets played out before his eyes. On the surface, Kamiya Asuna looked like the ideal daughter. Perfect grades, wicked smart, popular with many friends, loving family, about to graduate from university, and a bright future waiting for her. However, Nakamura took a closer look through the witness statements he collected this morning.
Apparently, everything was going great for Asuna. But by her junior year of high school, something went horribly wrong. The pressures of school and society kept building on her. Her former friends said that the girl always looked like she was in pain when she smiled. She cut off all of her friends and mostly kept to herself in her room. It didn't help that the girl's parents had high expectations for her. Life became hell for Asuna by her senior year.
Kota sat back in his chair and sighed. He could see where this was heading. Tokyo University had no records of Asuna about to graduate. In fact, she had never enrolled there at all. What had she been doing in the three years she was allegedly going to school?
He needed to back up a little bit.
Something happened to Asuna during her junior year in high school. She stopped caring about school and her grades. Her parents tried to get her back to the way that she was. (Nakamura guessed that mental health wasn't a priority for them. Nor did they stop to try and figure out what was wrong with their daughter. Maybe, just maybe…)
His theory would be confirmed by the medical examiner. The family had been poisoned just as he and the other police suspected. They still had last night's dinners in their stomachs. Asuna didn't have any food in her stomach. She must have known what she was doing on that faithful Christmas Eve.
Nakamura looked up when he heard a knock on his door.
"Enter," he said.
"I'm coming in," a small voice said. The detective watched as his door opened a crack. A woman with long dark hair poked her head inside. Kota blinked for a moment.
"Oh, it's you," he said.
"Is this a bad time?" she asked. Nakamura shook his head.
"Nah," he said. "What's on your mind?" The woman slipped into the office. She closed the door behind her. Nakamura looked confused.
"What's the matter?" he asked. The woman looked up at him. He could tell that something was on her mind.
"What is it?" Nakamura asked again. She lifted her head.
"What will happen if the DK finishes their Circles of Hell tour?" she asked. The detective gave her a funny look.
"Circles of Hell tour?" he asked. The woman nodded. Nakamura narrowed his eyes.
"I'm sorry… but who are you?" he asked.
"Oh! I'm Ogura," she said. "Ogura Mitsu." It took the detective a moment to connect the dots.
"Oh! You're one of the rookies, aren't you?" he asked.
"That's right," Ogura said in a chipper tone. She joined back in the spring. Nakamura sat back in his chair.
"To answer your question, I won't let that happen," he said. "I'm going to catch this guy before we reach the pits of Hell." Nakamura didn't tell her about the Awakusu breathing down his neck for answers.
"But what if you can't though?" Ogura asked. "What then?" Nakamura gave her an odd look.
"Where is all of this coming from?" he asked. The rookie pressed her lips together nervously. Nakamura's face dropped as he put it together.
"You can't keep looking at all of that garbage on the internet," he said. "Those nutjobs are just looking for attention with their obsession."
"But…" she said. The detective sighed.
"Look," he said. "They are just mad because they can't use their cell phones. So they are just looking for something to do. I am going to catch this guy and bring him to justice. Do you understand?"
"Well, uh…" Ogura said.
"Do you understand me?" Nakamura asked again. The rookie lowered her head.
"Yes," she said. The older man leaned back in his chair and drew another breath. He was going to have to solve this case faster before things got out of hand.
"Anything else?" Nakamura asked. Ogura shook her head. The detective's eyes moved over to his computer screen when he noticed that he had a new message.
"Hm?" he asked himself. Nakamura moved his mouse to the email and clicked on it.
"Oh…" he said when he read the subject line of the message.
"What is it?" the rookie asked. She came around to his computer for a look. The rookie only got to see the subject title for one second before Nakamura closed it open.
"Oh…" she said.
"Yeah," he said, nodding. Things just might have gotten harder. Or easier, depending on what this email has to say.
Shin remembered the day his family died.
July 7th, 2015
He got up and went out to get a haircut that day. Nothing special. Just a trim to look nice and neat for tonight's show. He used to be the host of a late-night psychology show. Tonight's episode was going to be a special one. At first, Shin wasn't too keen on this.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked his producer last week.
"Of course!" he said. "This will make a killing with the ratings." Shin looked at the file in front of him. Chou Mori and the rumored "tadpole experiments" were in front of him on the table.
"Is there proof that any of this is true, though?" he asked.
"When has that ever bothered you?" the producer asked. Shin took a moment to think about that. He did have a point…
Shin threw up his hands.
"I'm in," he said. With those two years, he set himself and his family on the path that would change everything. But at the time, he was blissfully unaware of what would transpire that night. This was just another horrific case of abuse that he would be examining, right?
During the production meeting, Shin thought about treating his wife to a mini picnic around lunchtime. After all, it would be the last time in a while they would spend together as a couple for a while. Their daughter would be with her grandparents for most of that Sunday. Today felt like the perfect day after all.
December 24, 2015
It was going to be another Christmas alone. Shin stared off into the dark living room. Once again, he hadn't bothered to try and decorate for the holidays. Shin even went as far as to dodge his in-laws and old friends. (He just couldn't bring himself to face them and their looks of pity.) It was going to be just another quiet day to wallow in his pity.
But then there was a knock on his door.
Shin lifted his head. Here we go again. It was probably a neighbor or an old friend coming to check on him. Might as well try and get this over with. The former television therapist looked out the peephole. A confused look came over his face. A pale woman with long midnight blue hair stood outside. Shin opened the door.
"How long did it take for you to find me?" he asked. "How bad is it this time?" Michiko didn't waste any time. She clenched her fists by her sides.
"Do you want to take revenge for your family?" she asked. "I know where the people who did this are." The woman didn't need to say anymore. Shin lowered his eyes.
"What do I need to do?" he asked.
Hijiribe Ruri dropped a new single for Christmas. She said it was for charity. The money was going to the battered woman's shelter in Ikebukuro. However, there were rumors going around saying that there were subliminal messages hidden in the music. That alone was getting fans and the lovers of morbid things curious.
"I heard her song makes women turn against their men, kill their children, practice witchcraft, and become lesbians."
"You might end up joining that man-hating cult she's in now."
"So this song is a recruitment tool?"
But something so ridiculous couldn't be true, right?
Saburo hated the song. He reluctantly gave it a download. Maybe a little bit of him hoped that his idol was still in there somewhere. Saburo couldn't finish the whole song.
"This is awful!" he shouted. Kathy watched as he deleted the track from his phone.
"What's wrong?" she asked. The man looked up with a frustrated and disappointed look on his face.
"It's not the same!" he said. "They ruined her!" Saburo looked ready to cry. Kathy tilted her head to the side. She couldn't understand him at times.
Saburo wasn't the only one to be disappointed in Ruri's new single.
Aka-chan winced at the music in her little headphones. She ripped them off and threw them across the room.
"Yeah, I don't like it either," Shiki told the child. The Awakusu weren't feeling the new single either.
"What is this sad garbage?" Kazamoto asked. Aka-chan whimpered as she folded her arms across her chest. Shiki just shook his head. In their eyes, Ruri had fallen off in quality. Mikiya loudly cleared his throat.
"Can we please get back on track?" he asked. The men went quiet as they settled back into place.
"Why is she in here again?" Aozaki asked, pointing at Aka-chan. The child cocked her head to the side. A bodyguard pushed her out of the room and closed the door.
"Anyway, now where were we?" Mikiya asked.
"Betrayal to one's country," Shiki said. The men looked at each other for a beat.
"Who would fit into that sin?" Kazamoto asked. That the men couldn't answer for the time being.
Despite the mixed reception Hijiribe Ruri's had sold for many hits, downloaded over 500,000 times, and played almost into the ground. It didn't matter the reason how or why.
Her song provided the perfect distraction.
More visions kept filling everyone's heads. It wasn't limited to the tadpoles anymore.
Two nights ago, Shin was sound asleep in his bed. He never slept well around Christmas time. Given the tragedy he suffered two years ago, it was easy to see why. Nao always loved Christmas. He used to be able to drive the family around the city just to look at the lights.
Now, they just looked so lonely. Shin wished that he could make it stop. Therapy from his former colleague was somewhat helpful. In fact, he just got off of a Skype call with her.
"I'm so sorry to call this late," he said.
"It's fine," she said. "We can begin." After the session, Shin took a shower and went to bed. He closed his eyes as soon as his head hit the pillow.
However, he wasn't alone.
She's been watching him sleep since winter began. Was it really a she? It's so hard to tell with the long black hair covering its face. The pale emaciated form made it worse. Right now, she's huddled over his head, looking down. She let one clawed finger get closer to his head.
What are you doing?
Physically, Shin is still asleep. He didn't know how it was possible for him to be in bed and to be able to see her at the same time. The creature kept her face down toward his sleeping body. Shin on the outside slowly shook his head. This was the first time that he's interacted with this creature.
Who am I?
Yes.
She didn't move her head. Shin didn't know how to handle this. Maybe he wasn't asking her the right questions.
That's when he heard her speak again.
What did you say?
Daddy, why did you have us killed?
Shin felt like he couldn't breathe. His eyes widened as he started to float backward. W-W-What did you say?
She turned her head like she was a zombie. The man gasped as he backed up. A grotesque mouth formed like a broken-out rash.
Darling. I am waiting for you in Hell. The voice sounded so deep, like a low growl. Shin wanted to scream, but it felt like something was clawing at his throat. He couldn't move. Things got worse when the creature with the mouth rushed toward him.
That vision was all it took to stir him into action. Shin suddenly had an idea of what he needed to do.
%%%%
Shinra had this dream last night. Actually, he can't tell if it is a dream or if he keeps slipping into another world. Either one, he found himself in an empty version of Ikebukuro. Everything looked so dull around him.
"Celty? Celty?" He couldn't even hear his own echo. The doctor began wandering around, looking for an exit. The roads all looked the same. He hadn't seen a single person in sight. The doctor couldn't figure out how he got here. Shinra didn't even remember how he got here in the first place. He looked down at his right wrist.
"Are you trying to pull me somewhere?" he asked. Suddenly, Shinra lifted his head. He had that feeling that company arrived under his nose. He slowly looked up at the sky.
There had to be seven of them at least. Only, these weren't shadows. Not in the way that he was used to seeing them. They looked like pale women dressed in worn clothes. They kept their heads down as their long black hair obscured their faces. Their wailing was laugh enough to pierce through his ears. Shinra took a slow step backward. However, he was not afraid. The doctor pressed his lips together. He only had one question.
"Who did this to you?"
The wailing grew louder for a second before quieting down. Shinra bowed his head.
"I understand," he said. The doctor turned and walked down the path that he needed to go. There will be more of them to come. After all, Hell is empty and the devils were already on the loose.
%%%%
Mikage was starting to see things out of the corner of her eye. She already met her in her dreams. There's a target on her baby's back. Mikage had to weigh her options. She couldn't see herself as a mother. Motherhood didn't suit her. So what was there to do?
The martial arts instructor had the feeling of being watched. She kept this to herself, but she knew better than to keep it to herself. It was just like when Izaya started to get paranoid before his death. At the time, he didn't make any sense.
"What are you talking about?" Mikage asked in bed the night of conception. Izaya never gave her a straight answer. She started to get worried about his behavior.
Now, she was starting to understand why.
Mikage was opening up the dojo for the day when she first saw what she was capable of. She had just locked the door. The woman looked out of the corner of her eye.
"Come back to try again, huh?" she asked. Mikage knew that she would have to try and be careful. She could fight but she was also in the first trimester. Still, the martial arts instructor couldn't let her guard down.
The smell of ash and something burning caught her nose. Mikage looked over her left shoulder. A blackened, winged figure came flying toward her. The mother-to-be whipped around into a fighting stance. What looked like a skeleton in charred flesh stopped, floating in front of her. The humanoid face didn't make the creature look any better. They stared each other down. The creature began sniffing her down. Mikage hid her confusion under a cold gaze.
What was it doing?
The creature stood up straight. Mikage noticed something in its eyes. Was it looking at her in pity? The martial arts instructor slowly lowered her hands.
"Hey," Mikage said with a confused tone in her voice. The blackened creature shook its head before flying up into the air. Mikage was standing in from of the closed doors staring up at it. The martial arts instructor didn't need to ask what that was all about.
%%%%
Katori had to come a long way to find her father. She had been watching over Mikado in the darkness. However, something else caught her attention. It all started that first night she found that black straw doll hidden in the wall.
Something told her that wasn't the last one she needed to find.
Before she met up with her father, Katori needed to go one more place before she had to exorcise whatever was trying to kill her father and the other tadpoles. Katori closed her eyes and drew her fingers around into different characters. She chanted under her breath. The girl vanished into thin air.
She opened her eyes and found herself in the middle of an empty street. Katori took a look around. It looked like a standard small town that she heard about in the "good old" days. The energy around her felt like electricity. The power lines to her left stood like a prison guard. Katori traced the source to an abandoned factory down the road. She began her trip toward the building.
The girl put her hand to the door. There was no warmth or cold to it. Katori closed her eyes and took a listen. At first, all she heard was white noise. The girl deepened her concentration. The static started to get softer. Then it got quiet.
Katori yanked her eyes open.
"There!" she said. The girl teleported inside. The smell of metal and rust greeted her nose. Katori didn't even flinch. She had work to do. Her eyes scanned the darkness. She used her senses as she kept walking. The girl held up two fingers and chanted under her breath. A little light formed at her tips. The air started pulsing around her. Katori's chanting grew faster. She could feel her heart beating with her words.
The girl froze in her tracks.
"There you are!" she shouted. Katori ran down the path she was on. She wound up in front of an old rust-covered tank. A thick black light glowed around it. The pulsing around it was so heavy. Katori drew out a charm and said another chant. She slapped it down on the metal surface as fast as she could. The air started to heat. Katori could hear a high-pitched keening wail right behind her. The girl closed her eyes and waited it out.
Suddenly, it all stopped.
Everything went still around her. Katori's eyes scanned the room. She closed them and took a listen. Good. One spot down, a countless number to go. The girl held up two fingers and drew more characters in the air. She vanished in a flash.
Since then, she's been hard at work with destroying the charms. Katori is doing this by herself. However, the girl has been in the shadows. But now the situation has changed. They are going to have to meet.
Christmas Evening
"Hello father," Katori greeted Mikado on the streets.
Noriko awoke moments later. Chiharu, Shinra, and Celty were all sitting in her room, waiting. The angel rushed over to her side.
"Nori-chan, are you okay? What happened to you?" she asked. The other girl stared at her with big eyes.
"I don't want to ride a tricycle. I want to ride a big girl bike," she said in a high-pitched childlike voice. The couple and her friend sat looking confused. Chiharu slowly covered her mouth.
"Usagi?" she asked.
"Usagi?" Shinra repeated confused. Chiharu turned her head.
"We used to stay at a place when we were kids," she said. "We called her Usagi."
"[Why is acting like this?]" Celty typed. Chiharu shook her head. Noriko kept looking around like a hyper little child. She turned to her friend.
"Kuma-chan?" she asked. Chiharu did her best to play along.
"Yes," she said, pointing to her nose. Her friend tilted her head to the side.
"Why do you look so old?" she asked.
"Old?" Chiharu asked.
"Uh-huh," Noriko said. She happened to look across the room and see herself in the mirror.
"Why do I look so old?" she asked. Celty and Shinra were at a loss for words. This had never happened before. They had never seen her regress like this. How long was this going to last? What was it going to take to get her back? Noriko jumped out of bed.
"I want cake!" she said. The girl took off running down the hall with her arms out like an airplane.
"Noriko!" Chiharu shouted. She took off running after her friend. Shinra and Celty looked at each other, not knowing what to do.
But Artemis stood off in the corner, looking worried. She had seen it happen. Was this going too far? No, this had to be done. The problem was that the New Year would be coming and the game was going to reach the crucial part. That trip to the art gallery might be a huge misstep in this round. It might have let something in that no one was paying attention to.
As it stood, everyone was going to have to keep an eye on Noriko if they were going to keep her from breaking down—again.
That might not be so easy with so many distractions unfolding on Christmas alone.
Kadota doesn't know how he ended up like this. Oh wait, yes he did.
"You wanted to see me?" he asked.
"That's right," Anita said. She had such a stern look on her face. The man could already predict where this conversation was going to go.
"Where are we going this time?" he asked.
"Your choice," the woman said.
"Alright," he said. The pair began their work down the crowded street. He would have to get to work until this evening anyway. On the outside, they looked like a cute couple enjoying a nice Christmas afternoon together among the crowd. She even held his hand. He cleared his throat and looked away for a moment.
"Just tell me how many days we have left," Kadota said.
"I'm afraid I can't do that," Antia said.
"You don't know, do you?"
"None of us know when it's all going to end." Her words came out as he predicted. This time, she would be the one to speak up.
"How are you doing?" Anita asked. Kadota turned his head. He hadn't expected her ask him that.
"Fine," he said. He noticed the look on her face.
"Now, Kyohei," Anita said. "When I ask you how you are doing, I don't want an answer to placate me. I really want to know how you are doing. So, I am going to ask you again. How are you doing?" How did she manage to do that? Her words held so much of a command over him without trying. He dropped his shoulders.
"I'm hanging in there," he said. "There's been so much going on." They came up to a stoplight. Anita just listened by his side. Kadota felt like he didn't have any choice but to keep talking.
"Honestly, I have no idea what is going on," he said. "All I know is that I don't like it."
"I don't like it either," Antia said. The light changed to walking. There was one thing that Kadota already was going to ask. His companion looked up at him.
"Well, go on," she said. "Ask me." The redhead looked like she was itching to tell him. Kadota rolled his eyes.
"Fine, why are you here?" he asked. Anita gave him an all-knowing smile.
"When this is all over, I want you to take me on a tour around the city," she said. She put up her hand before he could ask.
"Nothing more, nothing less," she said. "Just a little tour around the city, okay?" Kadota threw his hands up.
"Fine," he said. Anita bowed her head.
"Thank you," she said. They arrived in front of the Taiwanese place. The redhead gave him a curious look.
"No Russia Sushi today?" she asked.
"Nah," Kadota said. "I don't feel like it. That okay?"
"I don't know mind," Anita said gracefully. Kadota let her go inside first. The man followed her inside.
Across the street, Anita's male companion watched them, shaking his head.
"Nothing good can come from a relationship between a witch and a human," he said to himself. He resolved to keep an eye on Anita and Kadota. He would have to be the one to keep her on track if they were going to put an end to this game.
The man tucked that note in his head as he teleported into the restaurant. For now, he was going to hold back and observe.
Sachiko lay the bed in the hotel room. Three days ago, she got a strange box in the mail. There was no return address. The detective put her ear to the surface. It didn't sound like it was ticking. Sachiko looked around before taking the box into her apartment.
She stared at the box as it sat on the kitchen table. Who the hell sent her this big box? Something inside of her told her that she needed to open it. Sachiko walked up with an open pair of scissors. She ran the blade along the seam. The box opened with a pop. Sachiko looked inside.
A confused look came over her face.
"What the hell?" she asked. The detective looked at the kit in the box. On top, she found a note addressed to her taped down to the top. Sachiko ripped it off and opened it. She took a read.
Dear Whore,
I will be putting you on call while I am away from my apartment. Inside this box is everything you are going to need. Do not open it until you reach the address below. I will call you when you get checked into the room. You are to stay in the room for a while.
Sachiko stared at the note with a trembling hand. "Whore". Something about that word filled her with rage but made her feel hot at the same time. Who the hell was this? What did they mean by"on call"? Her eyes scrolled down the page. Something about this address was so familiar… Wasn't that where the"thou shall not commit adultery" case scene was? The detective became even more confused.
"Why would they have me go there?" she asked. Something inside of her told her that she had to go and look. She couldn't place a finger as to why. Maybe she could find a clue to what she was looking for?
Sachiko shook her head. There was no way. Was she really going to go to that hotel on her own to see who was putting her at his beck and call? There had to be something else going on. She pulled out her phone and opened up the email app. After writing a quick message, she headed to her room.
The detective stared at the ceiling. She checked in here last night. The receptionist didn't ask any questions. They gave her a quick look before looking down. Sachiko paid in cash without a single word. After she got the keycard, the detective turned and hurried to the elevator. The whole ride up she tried to wrap her head around what she was doing. Sachiko leaned against the wall and rubbed her forehead.
"Why am I doing this? This is crazy. This is crazy." She looked up at the ceiling.
"Right?" Sachiko didn't even call for backup or let anyone know where she was. Well, she kind of did let everyone know where she was with that email. Only that she was taking one more look at the crime scene. They wouldn't question it on the surface. Sachiko stood up straight and took a breath.
The doors opened in time. She collected herself and began her walk down the hall.
Sachiko has always been in the room for three days now. The detective only left the room to go to work. On the surface, she would act like everything was normal. No one asked any questions. The detective just acted like nothing was amiss. She would come back at the end of the day with no questions. Room service was delivered to her. It was always her favorite foods too.
But what was she doing here?
Every evening and morning, she would get a phone call from a man who would give her commands. They started out as simple at first. Drink water, eat, bathe, etc., etc. Sachiko complied without question. She didn't have an answer as to why. The detective felt like she needed to do it. It was like waiting for some great reward that she couldn't comprehend.
Then, it happened on Christmas.
Sachiko looked over to her right as the phone rang.
"Hello?" she asked. She sat up as the words slipped into her ears.
"I am coming up to our room. Be ready for me in ten minutes." The other end of the line disconnected. Sachiko lowered the receiver.
"Yes, master," she said. Her eyes became dark and empty. A darker sensation took over her mind.
Now, the detective sat waiting on the bed for whoever her master was.
Kitano just came back from his Santa walk. He sat down on the couch and breathed out. It was going to be another Christmas alone. Shoko was visiting the children in the hospital again. (She probably went to see Kazuya again. The therapist thought that he should do the same today too.) He had no idea what Chisa was up to.
Still, there was no time to rest. The inner circle had so much to do. Kitano pulled out his old reliable tape recorder and hit record.
Junko made it back Rampo Biotech. She dragged a large sack through the back door. It took work to get the test subject here. The nurse had been waiting for months to do this. Now, she had the perfect chance to act.
Junko smiled and giggled to herself as she unlocked the back door. Her attention turned to the sack in her arms.
"We're going to have so much fun together," she whispered. "I have just the thing for you." The nurse pulled the sack into the building with her.
Osamu was on his way out of the building's sleeping quarters. She was up and waiting for him. There was something he always wanted to try with her. Christmas felt like the perfect time to do it.
"Going out to see her?" Ryota asked as he sat on her bed.
"Uh-huh," his handler said. The horseman of famine smirked but said nothing. Osamu looked up at him in the mirror.
"What do you plan to do today?" he asked. Ryota shrugged.
"Not much, just being around," he said.
"Ah," Osamu said. "I'm heading out now."
"Have fun!" Ryota shouted. His handler waved him off before heading out the door.
Aya sat at her desk in her office. Despite it being Christmas, her patients were still going to need therapy. She decided to do it over Skype. Her office found a workaround for the lack of cell phone reception. Aya was just going to check in on how everyone was doing for the holidays.
She called in with her first client of the day.
"Good afternoon."
"Uh… hi…"
"How are you doing today?"
"Fine, I guess."
"Now what do you mean by that?"
"Well… I had a long night."
"What happened?"
The patient sighed. "I was hoping to have a quiet night in last night."
"Take your time if you need to."
"Thank you. I live alone. I haven't had anyone to celebrate Christmas for…" They counted up in their head for a moment.
"Forty years? Maybe…"
"What happened?"
"I got home from after a night out with a friend. I decided to turn in for an early night. I was walking home when I noticed a thug and his girlfriend were fighting outside a bar. I tried to ignore them as I walked by. I vowed that I would keep to myself tonight."
"What happened next?"
"He slapped her."
"Oh no."
"I turned around as soon as I heard it. That's when I got a good look at the girl. She had a healing black eye that she tried to hide with make-up. The girl was cowering as who I thought was her boyfriend raised his arm to hit her again. I… I just couldn't stand for it."
"What happened? Did you do something?"
"Yes."
"What did you do?"
"I made my attack."
"Did you…?"
"Yes."
"And how did it feel?"
"I… I don't know anymore. I just…"
"What?"
"I don't know anymore."
"Don't tell me you're going to quit the mission."
"No, it's not that."
"Then what's the problem?"
"I don't know. I'm just tired."
"How long do you have time to talk?"
"I don't know."
Aya gave the old man a little smile. "It's alright. I am going to be here with you all afternoon."
"Thank you."
"Would you like to start with breathing exercises again?"
"Yes, please."
"Good. Let's begin."
Etsuko is alone again for Christmas. It helps her concentrate better. The rest of the inner circle couldn't understand her.
"Does she have any family?" Daichi asked three days ago.
"Not to my knowledge," Junko said.
"Her personal life is personal," Kitano said. "She'll talk to us about it if she wants to." He never pushed Etsuko about her private life. She never indulged any details either. They kept their relationship on a professional level. He did try to invite her out on New Year's Eve one year.
"You can come by and have dinner with my family," Kitano offered. The doctor politely declined. Since then, he didn't try to invite her out. Kitano just let her be. However, Etsuko did call Kitano around Christmastime.
"Hello?" Kitano asked on the phone.
"Did you just get in from your Santa run?" Etsuko asked.
"Yeah."
"Another success?"
"Yep. Are you working today?"
"Yes. Are you?"
"Maybe later. Anything else?"
"No, just checking in."
"Alright, goodbye."
"Goodbye." Etsuko hung up and got back to work. She would see everyone in the office again tomorrow.
Daichi got the rare moment to spend Christmas with his family. He had to get permission to do this.
"Sure," Kitano said.
So here Daichi was. That apartment was packed with family. Most of the adults hung around in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Daichi playfully chased around his little cousins. Yuuko watched all of this unfold in the corner. It was rare that she saw him come to life like this. He always looked so serious in the lab. Yuuko just couldn't get it. She frowned as her handler caught one of the little cousins in his arms.
"I don't think I like this," she said to herself. Still, Yuuko can't harm his family. They are no threat to him. Daichi looked up at her.
"Everything okay?" he asked. The horseman forced herself to smile at him.
"Yeah!" she said. Daichi gently patted her on the head.
"If something is wrong, talk to me," he said in a low voice. "I can't stand to see a pretty face like yours looking so sour in the corner." His words were soothing enough to make her perk up. She couldn't tear herself from his gaze. Yuuko's cheeks turned bright red.
His sisters looked at them from across the room. They didn't know who this weird girl was and why she was here. Everyone just accepted it without any question. Yuuko glanced over at Daichi's sisters and cut them a cold smirk. The girls looked away and pretended to be talking about something else. The horseman couldn't help but smile to herself. Maybe this won't be a bad Christmas after all.
Kitano hit stop on his recorder. That was it for his notes for the day. All that was left to do was make a couple of calls and be done for the day. Okay, he was going to do a little more work. What? Just because it was Christmas didn't mean the girl had to stop for anyone.
Speaking which…
It's now Christmas night. The Wasteland's poison wasn't done just yet. There are so many Christmas parties happening inIkebukuro. Some wholesome while others… not so much.
We're going to take a look a one of the latter.
Third Dream
Mikado awoke to the sound of humming. The old smell of lemons burned in his nose. That creeping sense of dread crawled up his spine. The tadpole yanked his eyes open.
Another room.
The silk blood-red sheets stood out from the black of the room. They matched the shag carpet under the bed. The diamond chandelier looked like something that Yokubo herself would've picked out. The black lace curtains blocked out any hint of light.
"No… Not again."
At least Mikado was still dressed this time. He had on a white robe and nothing else. Wonder why she granted him this type of mercy tonight.
He turned his head when the door opened. Mikado braced himself. Who was it now?
"Hello? Is anybody in here?"
The tadpole didn't dare to move. His heart pounded against his chest. She poked her head into the room. The deep red eyes glowed in the dark.
"Hi!" she said. Mikado's cheeks felt warm. This time, it was a kitsune staring at him. She looked innocent in her baby face.
"Are you Mikado?" she asked. The tadpole stiffened up.
"Who's asking?" he asked. The woman smiled as she as slipped into the room. She did look rather attractive. She looked like she was about in her early twenties with pale skin. Her long black hair blended into the darkness. The woman came across as nervous.
"Hi…" she mumbled. Mikado already knew what she came here for.
"Look," he said. "I don't know what you heard around me…" The kitsune walked up to the bed. She seemed different compared to the other women who came through these rooms. Some of them were so bold with their desires. The others were more subtle. This one could be hiding her true intentions.
Why else would she be in this room?
The kitsune walked over to the bed and sat down. Mikado couldn't read her face. She shifted uncomfortably.
"Um…" she said. The tadpole sat up straight.
"What do you want from me?" he asked. The kitsune's face turned bright red. Her thoughts skipped around in her head. She bit on her lower lip. There's only one thing on her mind.
"Please… fuck me," she said.
That's all they wanted in these rooms. The women and girls were different, but the request was the same. What was the goal here? What did Yokubo want from him?
Mikado pressed his lips together.
"Look, I don't know what you think I can give you…" he said. She looked up at him. Her desperation had a strange appeal to it. She started to stiff her body around on the bed, heaving her chest up and out. The woman was making sure that he got a good look at her cleavage. Mikado remembered the rumor about him liking girls with big boobs. Some of the women in these rooms would do anything to give more attention to their breasts. It wasn't like he could deny it. One look at Anri and they were sold on the idea.
"I have a girlfriend," Mikado said. He found that protest never worked. The non-human women saw that as a challenge. Right now, this kitsune didn't even blink. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Mikado was so caught off-guard. They always tried this little trick. Whether it was to shut him up or bend him to their will, the kiss was the default move.
He wasn't going to give in so easily this time. The tadpole managed to break away from the kiss.
"Hey," he said. The kitsune gave him an innocent doe-eyed look. Mikado gulped.
"Look… I don't think I can give you what you want," he said. "It's not you. You are an attractive woman. But I can't do this anymore to my girlfriend." That's when he noticed her looking him straight in the eye. She took him by the cheeks.
"She doesn't have long to live."
The kitsune said that so quietly. Mikado's stomach dropped.
"Who told you that?" the tadpole asked. It was then he started to see her true colors. This just changed everything. He tried to think of ways that he could get out of this. However, he didn't get time to think straight.
She leaned in and kissed him on the lips again. This time, the tadpole didn't know how to react. The kitsune playfully nudged him back onto the bed. Now, it was his turn to feel helpless. She sat up and pulled her obi apart. Mikado looked away as the kimono fell open. Her naked form sat on full display in front of him. More of her words slipped into his ears.
"Cover your eyes. Hide me inside your spine."
"What?"
The kitsune leaned in and kissed him again. This time, she reached forward and untied his robe. It was he who slipped his tongue into her mouth. The taste of him drove her to distraction. She moaned in his mouth. In Mikado's mind, he saw another nail being driven into the heart against the cross. How long would it take before the heart ran out of flesh for nails? The tadpole didn't know how much more it could take.
He had to come up with a way to stop this.
That is so hard to do when a kitsune in heat is kissing on his chest and stomach. All attempts to stop her weren't going to work. As Mikado lay there and took it, he could see Yokubo standing in the corner smirking at him. She took another sip of red wine as she enjoyed the show- again.
This was her domain in his head after all.
Still, the darkest night isn't here. Think of Christmas as the beginning of the end. Sure, there have been many beginnings of the end since this game started to heat up in this timeline.
But this one is different.
More visions fill the heads of the people in Ikebukuro. Some of them are so vivid that they are starting to question reality.
Erina, Hifumi, and the strippers had to work on Christmas. The waitresses couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right.
"This is so lame that we have to work tonight," Miku complained as she circled the pole. "I would much rather be at home cuddling with you." She was facing Erina on that last part. The truth tadpole's cheeks turned pink. Hifumi gave off a low whistle.
"Um… Uh… Um… Uh… Um…" Erina stammered out. Her eyes quickly shifted away.
"You can come and spend Christmas with me, darling," one of the men said at the front of the stage. Miku stuck out her tongue and worked her body back up the pole. Hifumi glanced over at her fellow tadpole.
"Since when are you and her…?" she asked. Erina looked so bright red.
"We're not! At least… Not yet," she said. The waitress looked away, covering her face. Hifumi reframed from saying a word.
"Shut up!" Erina shouted.
"I didn't say anything," her coworker said. She walked off, trying not to laugh. Erina took in heavy breaths. Why did she have to go and do that?
Meanwhile, one dancer named Mayu sat at her dresser, trembling. She had a thousand-yard stare as she looked in the mirror. She couldn't get the images out of her head.
There was an old playground in her childhood neighborhood. Nature has reclaimed the land. Moss and grass had taken over everything. There was a single swing set that sat in the middle of the park. The sky looked like it had just finished raining but the sun hadn't come out yet. Mayu took a step back, shaking her head.
"I don't know why I am here," she said. She happened to look down at the puddle on the ground. Mayu felt her heart jump into her chest.
"Ayane… -chan? But you died!" Mayu turned to try and run away but she ended up in an empty hallway. The dancer shivered. She saw a woman her age walking in front of her. She had her eyes down on her phone. Mayu tilted her head.
"Wait… I know her!"
The young woman didn't turn around or look up. Mayu felt a sinking feeling form in the pit of her stomach. This was where she disappeared. The police never had any answers. Mayu pushed them to keep going, but the case was shelved.
Then came a low grumbling sound. The woman in front was too engrossed in her text to notice. Mayu reached out screaming to her. Her voice came out silent.
Suddenly, clawed black hands reached out to grab the woman. She didn't get a chance to scream. The hands grabbed her so fast that she couldn't hold onto her phone. They dragged the woman into the wall. She tried to scream for help. In a flash, she was pulled into the wall. All that was left was her smartphone. Tears filled Mayu's eyes.
"So that's what happened to you, Kimiyo," she said. The tears ran down her cheeks. Suddenly, Mayu was warped out of the hallway.
Suddenly, Mayu found herself standing on an empty road. She recognized this place. The dancer put her hand to her chest and shook her head.
"No…" she said. "No… No!" Mayu's feet seemed to move on their own. She found herself walking down the road. Step. Step. Step.
The dancer walked further down the dark and empty road. Her heart thudded in her chest. She tried in vain to turn back around. Mayu has had this dream before. She didn't want to relive what was coming next.
Suddenly, the dancer stopped. It felt like her head was being pulled upward with strings. There were eight of them this time. The women hung in the air with no faces. Their clothes looked so worn and dirty. Despite having no faces, their wailing made Mayu's ears hurt.
"Please! I can't help you! What do you want from me?! Please leave me alone!" Mayu's shouting got swallowed up by the wailing. She grabbed the sides of her head and sank to the ground. She reached her breaking point when she heard a voice whisper one thing in her ear.
"Why didn't you come back for me, nee-san?"
She ended up running out of the dressing room, screaming.
Makoto woke up in his own hell. In his mind's eye, he could see a dying forest around him. He looked around at the dead, blackened bones standing in for trees. There wasn't a single sign of life in sight. The blackened ground made his feet hurt.
I should not be here.
Makoto forced himself to start walking. Where was he going to go? The destination wasn't on his mind. The man thought he was going to be sick. The nausea crawled up his throat. He needed to get out of here as soon as he could.
It didn't help that he could feel a pair of eyes on him. Against his better judgment, Makoto turned his head.
A woman covered in blackened bark stared at him. He couldn't tell where her black dress began and bark skin ended. Her black hair hid her face. A small black cat sniffed at her finger. Makoto pushed himself to keep going. He turned when he heard a low moan.
A child with black eyes stared at him. Several other pale faces and black eyes wailed behind her. A few looked like skeletons already. Some of their hands tried to reach out and grab him. Makoto backed up as fast as he could. He turned and started running.
He ran until his legs gave out. Makoto collapsed onto the hard ground, panting. His body began shaking. Who pulled him into this hell? The man closed his eyes.
I want to go back.
He opened his eyes when he heard a low whistle. There she was again. The woman's white skeleton kimono stood out in the darkness. She looked like she was floating off the ground.
"Oh, it's you," Makoto said.
"Tell me why you're here," she said.
"I don't know. I don't want to be here. Get me out of here."
"No." She didn't even bother to help him up. There was no emotion on her face.
"So… what? Are you here to watch me suffer?"
"No."
Makoto froze. "Then… What do you want from me?"
"Nothing."
Makoto lifted his head. The woman never took her gaze off of him. He noticed that there wasn't a hint of maliciousness inside of her. He struggled to sit up.
"Who are you?" he asked. The woman didn't answer. Instead, she put her hand on his head. Makoto's eyes went blank. His mind went blank. Suddenly, he saw a wash of blue.
At first, he was floating in the air. Waves swirled around underneath him. Makoto could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He could see what was swimming around underneath. The bones of what looked like a dragon looked well hidden to the naked eye. The people in their boats couldn't see it. Makoto felt a forming in his throat. Suddenly, the skeletal dragon started swimming away. For a collection of bones, the creature was surprisingly agile.
In another instance, Makoto found himself under the water. He could see that he was now in what was described as a graveyard. So many bodies were chained down, trying to float back up to the surface. Some looked rotted to the bone while others still looked fresh. Makoto swam back, shivering.
Why are you showing me this?
He locked eyes with a little girl standing in front of him. She wasn't like any of the bodies chained down in their final resting place. Her hair was the only thing obeying the laws of physics in this cold murky water. Her little white dress looked fused with her skin. Her eyes glowed white in the dim. She walked up to him faster than his eyes could keep up. Makoto didn't get a chance to react. The child stuck out her hand and shoved him backward. The man disappeared into the void of black.
When he opened his eyes, Makoto found himself back in his room. He sat in the dark, panting with Noriko sound asleep on his lap.
Katori ignored the many shadows floating around in the sky. They were getting more frequent lately. She already knew that time was against all of them. Still, she got to meet Mikado in person. From there, her work became easier. The girl would have to get moving right away.
She kept her sickle out by her side. Katori kept her guard up at all times. There was something that she needed to check on first. It wouldn't take long, but it was important. She knew just where to look.
"Come on. Where are you?" She slowed down her steps as she kept walking. Katori's ears caught the sound of hooves on the pavement. She stopped in her tracks. The girl looked over her shoulder. There was something glowing bright in the darkness. She could make out the antlers on the head. Katori lowered her sickle as the creature got closer. The poor beast looked like it was struggling to remain standing. She walked up to the lights herself. When Katori got a better look, she saw the extent of the damage. The deer's veins were glowing a bright gold. Her eyes could cut through the darkness.
Katori slowly reached out her hand.
"Hey, buddy," she said in a calm tone. Her fingers reached on the wrinkled fleshy skin. The deer lifted her head in a lethargic way.
"How are you doing?" Katori asked. "Hm?" She looked into the deer's eyes. It was a miracle that the body hadn't fallen to pieces yet. This creature was quite the fighter. She had survived so much after all. She wanted to stop the Woman in Red as well. The deer nudged Katori on her hand. The girl shook her head.
"No," she said. The deer looked up at her.
"No," Katori said. "Not yet." She took the deer by her face.
"I'm so sorry to do this to you," the girl said. "We're not at that part yet. I'm hoping that we never will. Until then, please hold on a little bit longer." The deer lowered her head and snorted. Katori closed her eyes.
"Thank you," she said. The girl murmured a little blessing over the deer before she sent her on her way. Katori was tempted to follow her but didn't want to draw too much attention to the creature.
"Good luck," she whispered. Katori herself got moving. She needed to get back to her father as soon as possible. The girl held up her hand in the air and vanished.
You would think that would be the end of that. Boy, you would be wrong.
The night wasn't over yet.
Dear Elle,
You have no idea how significant your life will be toward this game. No, no. For all you know, you are just another girl in university. For your… what? Twenty-one years of existence? Let's go with that. For your twenty-one years of existence, you have just been you. You were born to a Japanese mother and a black father. You have never wanted for more or less. You were just a little princess in your parents' eyes.
You grew up in a happy, comfortable life. Only child showered with love. You've had an average life. Good grades, close friends, decent social life, good family life, and a couple of standard romances. We know everything about you. You are currently in your senior year of college. You finally decided on what you wanted to be. When you were a kid, you always wanted to help people. For years, you tried to figure out how. You altered between being a nurse or a teacher. You finally chose to become a nurse.
Sadly, you will never become a nurse. For tonight, you are going to die.
Why is that?
It's nothing personal, really. You are just going to be part of a greater good. You have no idea how your sacrifice will play into the bigger picture.
Tonight, you will be out with your friends at a Christmas party. This will be the one time that your friends talk you into going out with them. They told you that you don't get out enough. You end up agreeing to go. What choice did you have? You didn't have any other reason not to go. The party will be nice. Not exactly your thing. Still, you try to make the most of it. You smile and laugh over drinks. Pretty soon, the party gets to be too much for you. You will have a bit too much to drink. Your crush will offer to walk you back to your dorm. You turn him down.
That will be your last mistake.
In your tipsy state, you dance around in the street. Look at you. You are just lost in our little world. You aren't thinking about what you are going to do tomorrow. You aren't thinking about the exam that you have to take on Monday. You aren't thinking about how you are going to spend New Year's Eve break. You aren't thinking about graduating in the spring. You aren't thinking about the nursing program you are taking in the summer. No, no. You are just in the moment. Dancing around in the empty street close to two in the morning. I can see you with that cup in your hand. You look like a little angel dancing in the street. You stand out in your long light blue dress and long black coat. I can see why he is in love with you so much. If I wasn't taken by another human, I would have stolen him from you.
But it was not meant to be.
Anyway, you are in your little dance in the street. The music plays so far away that only you can hear it. You will not see the black 2015 Toyota Voxy speeding toward you. Their headlights stand out in the darkness. You will never see it coming. One minute, you are lost in your little buzzed dance then…
Bam!
I never thought you would look so beautiful sailing through the air. Like a little angel taking flight into the sky. Rolling up and flying. It will be a shot flight, but it will look like you are flying in slow motion. Almost like in the movies. Almost. You will land on the asphalt with a thud. Well… a thud and crunch. One of the men will get out of the car and look down at your crumbled form just lying there in the road. He will take one look and then jump back into the car. Your life will be slipping away as that Voxy speeds away in the dark. You will still look beautiful like a doll cast away on the ground. Who knew the red would look good with your black wool coat? It will soak into your gray scarf and black stockings. It would've been better if your boots went flying off your feet too. Oh well. It can't be helped, I guess. Your body will not be taken away to the hospital until about 3:29 a.m.
DOA by 4:17 a.m.
I just feel bad for the little Awakusu princess who has to be the one to witness your demise. That child has been through enough. Mother still in a coma and grandfather murdered by the Dante Killer. Now she has to see you die for the name of bringing the End of Days. She will have more trauma to come, but that is neither here nor there. We're talking about you here.
Now, I know what you must be thinking. Why you? What have you done to be murdered in such a manner? Who could hate you enough to run you over and speed away? Why are you being sacrificed for a game you know nothing about?
Simply put: He loves you. You are his favorite. To kill a favorite will ignite a war. Your death will make him so angry. He will seek out revenge all because of you. I can see it now. The world coming to an end through a poisoned war all because of your sacrifice. It will all be glorious!
You always wanted to help people ever since you were a little girl. Well, you are helping more people in this game than you will ever know. You might not have lived a significant life, but your death will be more divine than you will ever know.