Chapter Text
PROLOGUE!
Clouds lazily drifted through the blue syrup sky. A nice day despite everything that was happening to Minamoto Kou. He had headed to the red house per his ‘teacher’s’ instruction, with Mitsuba of course. He had crammed his odd dreams into the back of his mind. Repressing the memories that obviously weren’t real.
And Mitsuba had…he’d saved him. Pushing him out of the way as some strange creature opened the door. And Kou had left him, he had left him. He was too scared, he’d always been a wimp.
And tonight, he was going back. He was heading there with backup. Teru, Akane, Senpai, and Aoi-Senpai were all accompanying him. They had informed him that they were in a ‘new timeline’ , a new present. And they needed to get back according to Teru. Akane and Snepai were less set on what they wanted to happen. Kou didn’t know what he wanted to happen…it seemed like it didn’t matter. His best friend died either way. But still in the other universe he was just as alone. His mom was…well he couldn’t even stand to say and his dad would hardly care about them. Teru would be even more distant and cold and it seemed as if everyone died.
He shouldered his bag, not wanting to think about it. He couldn’t believe Mitsuba was dead, at least not yet. He had to hope, didn’t he?
He opened his bag, staring at Mitsuba’s camera. The lens was cracked from when Mitsuba had dropped it to save him. It had only been a couple days and the scene never stopped playing in his head. Over and over and over.
He hadn’t seen anything, just the click of a door and suddenly Mitsuba was gone. Ideas of what could’ve happened with that supernatural weaved in his mind. Horrific visions of blood and gore and death. The corpse of his friend hanging from the ceiling of his dreams, hung with the string of thoughts.
Of course now his dreams were even worse than before. He hadn’t slept since that day and it was admittedly taking a toll on him. His eyelids sagged and threatened to close (though he fought valiantly) His body creaked and his joints were stiff. His back weighed heavy with anxieties and requirements.
He pressed his hand to the smooth metal doorknob and pushed it open. Kou stomped down the stairs, shaking as he went. Trying to calm himself down and face his friends downstairs. Whom were also preparing for their journey.
Kou swallowed and rounded the corner, pressing against the wall and watching the scene unfold before him. Teru was double checking his sword was sharp and was handing out weapons to the others. Yashiro-Senpai was eating a snack that Kou didn’t know where it came from. Akane-Senpai was arguing with Tiara as she begged to come along.
Kou took a seat next to Yashiro-Senpai, leaning against the chair back and double checked the items in his bag. He had food (granola bars and sandwiches), water bottles, a pocket knife, and of course Mitsuba’s camera. He would return the camera to his friend today.
Yashiro-Senpai watched him with a pitiful look in her eyes as Kou absently rummaged through his bag.
“Are you nervous?” She asked, tilting her head with a smile of concern.
Kou was startled by the sudden interest in him and dropped his bag, he swiftly picked it back up and triple checked that the camera was alright. “Oh um kinda I guess” He responded quietly, eyes slightly watery. He was so embarrassed, why was he crying already right now? Emotions were on edge he supposed.
Yashiro nodded, as if she understood everything the blonde exorcist was going through. It was comforting. “Well I’m here if you want to talk Kou-kun.” She turned to him and smiled, the corners of her reflecting eyes crinkling.
Kou stared at his hands, fiddling with the knobs on the camera in his hands. “Thanks, Senpai” He smiled, not meeting her eyes. Keeping his gaze on the memory catching device.
Yashiro-Senpai was cute, the young Minamoto supposed. She had pretty long hair, he liked the clips that adorned her hair. She looked good in any outfit, even if her ankles were fat. He could see why he might’ve had a crush on her. But, he really didn’t love her like that anymore. Besides, even if he did, she was dating Hanako-kun.
The more memories he recovered the more the worlds parallelled. If he hadn’t dragged Sousuke along with him to the red house then this world would be near perfect. How could he be so stupid? So naive?
He stuffed the negative self thoughts back into the back of his mind. Self deprecating roasting could wait until Mitsuba was back to make fun of him himself.
Teru stared at the blonde, watching Kou’s hollow eyes search the camera for traces of life. The older brother walked over to his younger brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hey you alright?”
Kou stared at Teru, shaking his head to snap out of his dissociated trance. Kou scanned his brother’s face dully. He felt as if he was barely there, feelings scarce and chest empty. “Oh yeah I’m fine, thanks…” He reassured, grinning weakly at the pro exorcist.
“Are you sure? You’ve been staring at that camera for a while.” Teru noted softly. As to not provoke the younger boy.
“I’m sure” He looked around the room, “When are we going?”
Teru kissed him on the top of his head, “Soon.” The tenderness from Teru was new to Kou, he didn’t love it if he was being honest. Everyone was tiptoeing around him when he was fine. He was fine.
“How soon?” Kou tapped his foot, anxious to go.
“In a couple minutes” Teru assured, “Alright?”
Kou nodded, expression blank and body filled with anxious ticks. His eyes searched the kitchen and the living room, they were connected by an open hallway. The group were all still scrambling like ants. Kou impatiently shook his leg, eyebrows knit together.
The group clearly noticed Kou’s fretful mood and quickened their pace. In the span of the time it took the group to finish getting ready, Kou loaded and unloaded his backpack 4 times, flipped through his bag 6 times, and fiddled with Sousuke’s camera about 6-7 times.
Note: >;) (and you thought you were safe…please save me)
And finally, Teru tapped the young exorcist’s shoulder. Informing him it was time to leave. Kou eagerly rushed over to the doorway, slipping on his shoes and opening the door. Tapping his foot on the floor, nerves jittery, muscles tense, and emotions on edge.
He beckoned everybody to come with a tight lipped forced smile. Akane-senpai, Yashiro-senpai, Teru, and Aoi-Senpai all followed after each other. Teru had to make Tiara stay home, though she was eager to follow. Akane-senpai was twirling the chain of his stop watch in between his fingers. Yashiro-senpai had slung a backpack over her shoulder, neither her nor Aoi had weapons, which seemed odd. Teru was carrying their father’s sword and supernatural restraining beads. No matter what, Kou still thought that they were unprepared.
The most they’d done was rest and eat and think of what weapons they could use to face the new Hanako/God(?) of this world.
Outside the Minamoto household the sky was tainted with yellows and orange. Sun setting over the mountains that fenced in the town of Kamome. Purple cotton candy clouds dotting the sky. The sun bathed the group in golden light as they stepped outside.
The pavement outside the Minamoto house was cracked and dandelions bloomed out of it, crumbling from years of neglect. Teru attempted to pull up the Red House on Google maps but as soon as he entered the numbers, Teru’s phone glitched. A message popped up on the screen ‘location not found’ and it bricked. Static echoing in the empty evening streets.
The squad was unnerved, but they pushed through. Kou vaguely remembered the location, it was near Mitsuba’s apartment. That’s how he got there in the first timeline. So, to say, Kou was assigned the navigator.
He bumbled through the instructions, he’d hardly been paying attention anyhow. Why would he? Of course Yashiro-Senpai helped him along, she had also been there before. Until eventually the group arrived at the decrepit house.
Splintered wood lined the house’s once stunning memory. Its iconic red roof was in shambles, the roof pieces falling onto the overgrown weeds in the yard. The gate entrance was taped off with police tape and its stones crumbling.
It wasn’t how Kou had last seen it, it had once been a beautiful house with a luscious yard and now it was reduced to rubble. The blonde turned to look at the group, trying to tell them it was different than it had been. But when he turned back it was exactly how it was in his memory.
The walls were smooth and freshly painted, the lawn filled with flowers of nearly every variety, and its namesake the red roof was pristine and a livid red.
Kou stared at it, mouth agape, though he swiftly moved on. He followed Yashiro-Senpai, the others already in the yard, to the door. And suddenly the setting changed again, shifting back to its ruined state.
Akane-senpai opened the door cautiously, perhaps expecting a jumpscare. Though his fear was met with nothing except the eerie silence. Which was honestly worse than a sudden jumpscare. The winds whistled through the empty streets, the red house surrounded with other regular houses but they all seemed empty. As if abandoned long ago.
Akane-Senpai took a careful step inside the house, treading carefully as if the rotted floorboards might collapse under his weight. The red head paused, looking around the room. Scanning and searching for threats. After he found none, he called for the others to follow after him.
The batch of ghost hunters followed Akane-Senpai in suit. Trailing one after another into the house, each one consuming the contents of the house with their eyes. Kou walked in last, heart pounding with fear. Each thump echoing in his ribcage.
“Are you okay?” Yashiro asked, slowing her pace to match Kou’s.
Kou snapped out of his thoughts, looking at Yashiro with wide puppy-like eyes. “Yeah I’m fine.” Why did people keep asking him that?
Yashiro smiled, sympathetically yet again. Kou figured it would be a repeat of the usual conversation of ‘Are you okay?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Are you sure?’ ‘yes’ ‘can I do anything to help?’ ‘no’ A tedious experience Kou would rather skip.
“Well if you ever need to talk-” Yashiro started.
“Yeah, yeah” Kou grumbled, he didn’t mean to be such a dick but it just came out like that. He had too much on his mind to deal with managing his tone.
As Kou entered the room he saw its familiar properties. The double doors that Kou couldn’t open last time. The open space and staircase leading to the second floor. The only differences were the plants sprouting through the old wood, and the glass littering the floors. The still and sinister atmosphere putting the whole gang on edge. The air between them tense.
They investigated the premise, all pulling out their phones and turning on the flashlight app. They split up into groups. Teru, Akane, and Aoi all going with each other. Leaving Yashiro and Kou to themselves.
Kou stuffed his hands into his pockets. Despite in his memories being close to the radish legged girl he was still uncomfortable around her. Yashiro clearly noticed but she never noted it. Maybe he was just too worried about his friend to be concerned about his relationship with his senpai.
Yashiro, as always, initiated their conversation, “So…Mitsuba-kun huh?”
Kou tensed up, out of everything that’s what she said? He was defensive of his relationship with the pink-haired fellow and he didn’t know why. “What do you mean?”
“Oh well you just…seem really close to him and well…you’re trying to save him so” She laughed, clearly rigid from the awkward situation, “I was wondering what your relationship was with him…?” She chuckled again.
Kou hunched over, cheeks splotched with red. He didn’t know why he was so uncomfortable disclosing what his relationship was with Mitsuba. He cared for the boy deeply, and they were friends. Best friends even, but sometimes it felt even deeper than that. A relationship Kou couldn’t describe. He debated what he should reply with for a time. “We’re….real good buds?” He said, his sentence as dopey as his facial expression.
“Buds, huh?” Yashiro said. For some odd reason the daikon radish didn’t seem to fully believe him.
There was an agonizingly long silence filled with thorny opportunities of speech. Kou anxiously fiddled with his phone. Searching the room they were in, it was empty. Kou felt Yashiro’s gaze on the back of his head.
“So,” She leaned against a table against the wall, “do you like him?” Yashiro said bluntly.
Kou stuttered, his cheeks flushed a color of red that matched the roof, “Wh-what?!” He asked, obviously flustered, “Do I..like him?!?!?!”
Yashiro stared at him, looking like she regretted her decision to purpose the topic.
“Of course I don’t like him!” Kou stomped his foot, “I-I just…we’re friends!”
Yashiro rolled her eyes, “I don’t think ‘just friends’ walk around the school festival holding hands,” she scoffed.
Kou’s jaw nearly dropped, not expecting that counter. He didn’t have a combative statement. “I-I- can’t we just- It’s not like I’m- and he’s- well-” The blonde stuttered helplessly, he couldn’t even form complete nor coherent sentences.
Yashiro smirked and leaned into Kou’s personal space, clearly enjoying herself, “You seem way too red for just talking about someone you don’t like!” She accused.
Kou covered his bright red face with both hands. Peering through his fingers. “Well- I- maybe I- I don’t know” He sighed, “Let’s just deal with this after we make sure Sousuke is okay. Then we can deal with defining my ‘feelings’ or whatever.” He made air quotes around the word feelings.
Yashiro smiled, tilting her head in understanding. “Well tell me if you need any” She poked him in the ribs, “love advice. I’m kinda a pro”
Kou snorted, getting ready to say a witty comeback. Enjoying the banter. But out of the corner of his eye he spotted the jarring night black door. He turned around slowly and there it was the door that had appeared right before Mitsuba pushed him out of the way. “Was that always there?” He asked quietly, voice shaky. Pointing a trembling finger at the door.
Yashiro turned around and followed Kou’s gaze, “What? No.”
Kou’s heart raced as he placed his hand on the doorknob. He twisted it. And pushed it open slowly. The doorway gave away to stone spiral staircases that faded into a black abyss. Kou was sure that whatever was at the bottom of this gloomy stairway was where Mitsuba had been dragged too.
He put his foot out, entering the descending hallway. It was quiet with a faint melodic echo of softly moving waves. His shoes tapped against the stone, loud against the stone in the empty room. Then suddenly the door slammed shut behind him. The sound reverberating in his ears, the empty darkness of the room swallowing him whole.
“Yashiro-senpai?!” Kou shouted, panic laced his voice. “YASHIRO-SENPAI?!” He repeated, but louder and more urgent.
“Who’re you talking to, Minamoto-kun?” A familiar voice asked from behind him.
Kou turned around and was met with…Mitsuba. He felt relief swell in his chest. Mitsuba’s pink hair was still styled exactly as it had been the last time Kou’d seen him. His uniform was pristine and his bag was slung around his shoulders. The only difference was that he didn’t have his usual camera around his neck.
“Sousuke?” Kou asked with a smile.
Mitsuba smirked, “Hey Minamoto-kun”
Kou grabbed him by the shoulders, “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?!” Kou asked, a tone of urgent concern to his voice.
Mitsuba laughed as if he didn’t know what Kou was talking about. Like nothing had even happened at all, “I’m fine, what are you even talking about?” He said in a sing-song voice. Mitsuba glanced at Kou’s bag and smiled once he caught the exorcist looking at him.
“Are you…okay?” Kou asked, tone soft like he was talking to a child. Mitsuba’s movements and speech were odd, too calm and sharp. Unnatural.
Mitsuba tilted his head, his smile peculiarly wide, “I’m great, Minamoto-kun!” He reassured, grabbing Kou’s hand.
Kou startled, face red and shock in his eyes from the sudden touch. He snatched his hand back. “You’re not…acting great.” He frowned.
Mitsuba smiled, but his eyes were blank and cold. He didn’t seem quite there, so to say. “What do you mean? That’s silly.”
“Are you okay?” He repeated this time more seriously. The conversation wasn’t going anywhere, Mitsuba answered the same. Reassuring that he was just swell and nothing happened and Kou was just ridiculous. No matter how many times Kou asked, Mitsuba always answered the same. Kou wondered if this was how Teru and Yashiro-Senpai had felt.
Mitsuba smiled at him, leaning closer to Kou and grabbing both of his hands. “Hey wanna see something? It’s really cool, I promise.”
Kou paused, glancing around the stairway they’d been standing in for the entire conversation. Kou had been so happy to see Mitsuba before and now there was something odd about how the pinkette behaved. It had made the interaction leave a bad taste in his mouth.
“Sure?” Kou said, clearly unsure. Not wanting to follow after Mitsuba but feeling as if he needed to. To assure his…friend was alright.
Mitsuba beamed, an almost genuine smile. A light through the broken mask. That alone made all of Kou’s worries dissolve. But then again, why was the boy so excited? The excitement made everything seem even more creepy.
Mitsuba dragged him down the staircase, Kou tripping multiple times on the cracked stone. Mitsuba teasing him for his clumsiness. Though his teasing was a lot more stunted than his usual expert tomfoolery. As they descended the shaft of steps the shadows leaned into them. Surrounding them and swallowing their morbid forms.
Mitsuba’s hand was soft as Kou clung onto him. Following after him hesitantly. Uneasiness followed after the two boys as they strided down the staircase silently. The only sound their soft footsteps and vapid breathing.
The stairway rounded and twisted, stone transforming and leading them on like a serpent. Treading on its stone scales, slowly walking into the abyss.
“Where are we going?” Kou finally asked, his voice stark and contrast to the silence.
Mitsuba didn’t turn around, his face un-able to be seen by the blonde, “I told you didn’t I?”
“You…didn’t.” Kou said, fear creeping up his spine and grasping at his throat.
“Oh, it’s just a wonderful place.” Mitsuba cooed, voice void of emotion besides the fake joy, “A land of the Gods.”
Kou was growing more and more concerned by the moment, Mitsuba had never talked about Gods before. He hadn’t thought the photographer believed in Gods, so why the sudden interest? “Gods, huh?” Kou asked, “What…Gods?”
Mitsuba didn’t respond, the sound of waves crashing against stone had grown louder and louder as they walked down. The silence crept into the air again. “We’re here” Mitsuba said, voice light and joyful.
As the stairs broke away they revealed a round, flooded room with a crackling stone well in the middle. The pair walked in, the water sloshing around their feet. The air inside was stale and spine chilling. Kou scanned the room, shivering from the chill of the air.
Mitsuba turned around and smiled at him. A toothy smile that was unnaturally wide. Except in place of where Mitsuba’s eyes and nose should have been there was just a hole. A black hole that swallowed the upper two thirds of his face.
Panic shot through Kou’s chest as realization dawned in his mind. He frantically drew raiteijou from where it was hanging besides his waist. Mitsuba clutched Kou’s wrist surprisingly hard. Kou thrashed against the pinkette, trying to wrench his hand away from Mitsuba who was surprisingly stronger than usual.
If only Mitsuba had been as strong as usual, Kou could well easily beat him. (Not as to say Mitsuba was weak but actually yeah he was)
Kou gasped, lungs ragged and tore. Struggling and fighting against Mitsuba’s rapacious hands. Kou’s heart pounded as he aggressively flailed. Mitsuba hauled the mediocre exorcist closer and closer to the well. Inch by inch. Water sloshing around their legs.
Kou frantically waved his exorcist staff around, until finally it made contact with the possessed boy. Kou gasped and yanked his wrist back swiftly. Mitsuba’s body jolted and convulsed in pain. The pinkette’s eyes returned and collapsed.
Kou caught the falling boy in his arms. Body warm against his fluctuating chest. Mitsuba’s eyes were distant until he finally met with Kou’s. Mitsuba’s eyes widened and trepidation dawned on him.
Kou felt perturbation linger in his mind, doubt still stark and untrusting towards the boy in his arms. Making sure the spirit had been exorcised from Mitsuba. Slowly but steadily the pink haired boy’s body started to dissolve. Flaking and turning into tiny petals of disintegrating skin. The blonde exorcist stared at Mitsuba blankly, too caught up in the moment to hear the footsteps shambling behind him.
“Sousuke what’s…what’s happening to you?” Kou asked, scanning Mitsuba’s form with apprehension.
Mitsuba smiled weakly, propping himself up against the young Minamoto. “I’m fine Minamoto-Kun, just a little….” He looked down at his gashing wound that you could see right through, “scratch.” There was no blood, at least.
“Why-? That should have…that should have only exorcised the ghost from you. N-not hurt you at all” Kou said, genuine caring in his voice as his hands hovered over the wounds. Arms hugging taught around Mitsuba, “Why is it-? Souske.”
Mitsuba smiled at him and cupped his hands around Kou’s face. Gazing into Kou’s sky blue eyes with love in his own pink eyes. “Kou” He whispered, soft and full of pity. The first time Mitsuba had actually referred to him with his first name, plus no honorifics, it made Kou’s heart whine.
“What? What?” Kou said, turning his head to see all of Mitsuba’s pale face, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Mitsuba smiled harder, crinkling the corners of his eyes, “Listen, I got my memories back and…” His breath hitched, “...well I want you to change this world back to the old one.”
Kou shifted through Mitsuba’s rose eyes, “Y-you’re coming with me though. Right?” Kou asked desperately, though he knew the answer. His friend was…
Mitsuba smiled like he was looking at a little child, “Kou, I think you already know the answer.”
“You can’t be- you can’t leave…” Kou grabbed Mitsuba’s soft subtle hand and pressed it to his forehead, “You can’t leave me.” His voice cracked.
Mitsuba started dissolving quicker as it inched further up his body. Mid-torso and legs almost completely gone. Leaving gaping holes in the exorcists' beloved.
“Hey, hey, don’t cry.” Mitsuba said, wiping Kou’s unnoticed flowing tears from his face. Kou barely acknowledged it. “I’ll see you when we’re back in our old timeline.”
“But you’re dead in either one…” Kou pleaded, voice cracking and watery. Salty tears falling onto his tongue.
Mitsuba’s expression fell serious, “Trust me, Kou. This one is worse, there’s more. Much more dead.” His legs were completely gone.
“What?! Does this have anything to do with-!” Mitsuba stopped him mid sentence. Halfway up his torso, his hands started dissolving from, evaporating from Kou’s own hands.
“Just listen to me alright?” His tone became more insistent and more urgent, “I’ll see you back and I-” He quickened his words, they ran into each other. His arms, “I wanted you to know thatIreallywillmissyouandI-”
Kou let his arms fall slack, the air between them empty. Mitsuba was…gone. Dead. His best friend and the person he cared most for was dead.
Yashiro grabbed Kou by the shoulders. The blonde was still staring at his hands, what had Sousuke been going to say? The thick legged girl shook him violently.
“Sorry what?” Kou asked, tilting his head. His eyes innocent and shock still circulating through his veins. He looked like he was in a different world. Nene looked concerned, she drew a knife from her bag. It had intricate carvings at the hilt.
She held it protectively, swinging it around her and the dazed boy. “What happened?”
“Sousuke- he’s-” Kou couldn’t even bear to finish the sentence but Yashiro clearly understood.
“I’m sorry…” Yashiro said, comforting him and rubbing circles into his back. “But, listen, Hanako-kun- he’s been…the new Hanako-kun’s the one responsible for this. Whatever the clock keepers changed, well now he’s possessed by the red house and now he’s…killing people” She said her breath uneven. She glanced down at Kou. “The others are coming soon.” She reassured him.
Kou straightened up, his knees weak and wobbly. He pressed a palm to his throbbing head, “O-Okay, good.”
He felt something thick and slimy wrap around his ankle, his uniform soaking up the slime coating its suctions. A tentacle. Snaking its way from the stacked stones of the well. Kou froze, his body rigid and unsure of what to do next. Expression resembling that of a deer in headlights.
It yanked him back, dragging his form backwards. His knees scraping against the water covered stone. Yashiro latched onto his outstretched hand, trying to unfree him from the slimy curled claw of the tentacle. The two’s shouts weaved together and filled the room. Kou turbulently kicked his leg at the detached octopus limb.
Yashiro moved to the tentacle, sawing the part attached to Kou’s leg with her knife. The tentacle spasmed as black blood blossomed out of the wound at the tip of Nene’s knife. Until it finally detached and shriveled back into its den.
Kou tried to slow his breathing, yet he couldn’t stop his racing heart. “Wh-what was that?”
“Kou-kun. Leave.” Yashiro said, her voice insistent and her attention focused on the well.
“What? No!” Kou said, Yashiro’s stance one ready to fight. “I can help, I’m not weak!”
“Go get the others alright?” She said, voice calm and persuading.
Kou stared at her, he may have been an exorcist but he wasn’t as strong as Teru. He could help. “Alright…I’ll be back.” He said, turning around. Leaving Nene with only a knife to protect her. Yashiro was a fighter but maybe not that much. Kou ran up the stairs.
The darkness enveloped him almost immediately. He skipped steps. Feet landing and thudding loudly on each step in the enclosed space. He ran smack into a wall instead of turning, his shoulder hit it and pain seared through the contact place. He quickly recovered and burst through the black door at the top of the stairs.
He took a break for only a moment, resting his hands on his knees and hunching over. Oxygen tore through his throat every breath and his heart thundered in his ears. He clutched the slimy wet fabric of his uniform, tears threatening to spill out of his wide eyes.
He sniffed and wiped his face off, he didn’t have time for this. He needed to hurry. He stood up, frantically trying to wipe the redness off of his skin.
He examined the room he was in, it was the main room they’d entered through. The door underneath the staircase. No one was to be seen. He shakily called out his brother's name. When Teru didn’t respond he tried Akane-senpai, he didn't call back either. Aoi-senpai didn’t respond either. No one did so he moved further into the room. Trailing his hand softly on the rim of the wooden stairs. Fear stuttered in his heart and whispered into his mind, what if they were gone too?
Luckily the alarm lasted only for a scant few seconds, because Teru and the rest of his group pounded down the wooden stairs.
“Kou? What’s wrong?” Teru asked as he reached the ground level, seeing his little brother’s distressed state.
“Nii-chan!” Kou said, sweat running down his forehead still trying to gulp down the lump in his throat, “It’s Yashiro-Senpai, she’s in trouble!”
Teru grimaced, gripping the sword that hung next to his belt, “Alright, where is she?” He asked, shouldering past the younger boy.
Kou pointed him to the door, showing his brother and his group the entrance he’d left from. “It’s right down here.” He said, double-checking that everyone still had their faces.
“Alright” Teru said, his expression serious, “Stay here, Kou.” He instructed.
Kou felt embarrassment and anger rise up in his cheeks, “What? Why does everyone think I’m useless? No, I'm coming with you, Nii-chan!”
Teru sighed and shook his head condescendingly, he had expected his younger brother to say that. “It’s not up for debate.”
“I can help! I’m the person who’s been here the most so I should-” Teru stopped him.
“Kou, as I said. It’s not up for debate.” Teru said, rubbing the crease in between his eyebrows.
“I’m going with you!” Kou insisted, that wasn’t up for debate either. He couldn’t just stand by and let more people he love die again. He’d already left Yashiro-Senpai, and he wasn’t just going to let anyone else go inside that hellhole. Well at least without him.
Teru just sighed and continued to massage the muscles in between his overworked eyebrows. He breathed out loudly. Akane-Senpai and Aoi-Senpai standing awkwardly behind the two feuding brothers. “You know what, fine. If you want to kill yourself fine. Just fine!” He said, his voice trying to contain his anger. Turning away and opening the door, the door hit the wall with a loud BAM!
Kou flinched first at Teru’s harsh tone of voice, and then flinched again at the loud noise of the door against the wall. He frowned and pushed past Teru who was standing in the doorway. Knocking him in the shoulder and walking dully down the now almost familiar staircase.
His disquiet creeped up the quiet corridor. His older companions trailing behind him, somehow even more anxious Kou was. Kou enjoyed being the leader of the group, he enjoyed feeling some sort of control in this awful situation.
They stumbled down the stairs and into the underground enclosed room. Kou’s heart pounded in his torso, Mitsuba’s touch still lingering. Trails left by fingers on his hands, torso, and his face. His beloved’s gaze etched into his mind.
The group skidded, someone was talking in the room. Kou couldn’t make out what the voice was saying, the voice sounded like an adult male. He craned his neck to see around the rounded edges of the cobblestone steps.
The first thing he saw was Yashiro-senpai’s pale face, her eyes closed and absentness echoed in the girl's empty face. She was being held in the spike of a tentacle attached to a certain brown-haired young man. His shirt tucked crisp into his belt, his features were defined and older than Kou was used to seeing.
It was Hanako.
At least this timelines version of Hanako, the one who got to grow up a bit. And now he was just a vessel for the red house. Just something used to kill people. First Mitsuba and now Yashiro-Senpai. And now he’d probably die too, Akane and Aoi and Teru, they’d all die. And they wouldn’t get to change it back to the old timeline, they’d never be happy. None of them would. Happiness was an ignorant prospect.
Kou tried to swallow the lump forming in his throat, silently as well. Teru shushed him, pressing a finger to his mouth. Kou glared at him. Did he really think that Kou couldn’t do anything? That was unacceptable.
He barged into the chamber, waving his staff and screaming. Teru shouted after him but Kou didn’t even pause. The staff made contact with Yugi-Sensei’s torso, lightning coursing through the figure. Yet he did not convulse nor even stutter. He grabbed the blonde by the head, slamming him into the wall of the well.
Kou’s vision went blurry and something warm spilt onto his forehead. Teru rushed after him, splashing loudly and slashing Yugi-Sensei across the arm that was holding Kou down. Yugi-Sensei turned coldly to face the skilled exorcist, he smiled but the smile didn’t reach his empty black eyes. Teru fought valiantly, violently waving and cutting at the possessed mystery.
Kou finally regained his senses, his head popping up and watching the scene before him. Resting his hands on the well. In front of him Yugi-sensei and his brother battled, Akane and Aoi cautiously joining in. Even against all three of them Amane was still winning.
His gaze wandered along the walls, finally landing at the bottom of the well. Beneath him all of the house’s victims. Bodies piled upon bodies and at the top of the pile was Mitsuba. His pink hair sprawled out among the corpses, a bright beacon on top the jagged rocks of rotting skin. There were bags under his eyes and his skin was so pale it was almost blue.
Yashiro lay next to him by the well, not yet in the pit. Kou lugged her up and propped her against the well. He stared at them and barely noticed the commotion behind him. He took a deep breath, and charged at the supernatural.
Barging into battle, screaming at Amane. Venting his rage, he did some damage. They all did, combined they should’ve overwhelmed Amane. But he didn’t. He didn’t even flinch. He fought excellently. Blocking and swatting away their many attacks with ease.
Akane handed him something, it was round, metallic and cold against his hand. Kou checked his hand, inside it rested a stopwatch. Akane’s stopwatch. The one that could control time, “Why’re you giving me this?” He asked, looking up.
“Listen, Kou-Kouhai. I want you to go to the big clock and rewind time, alright?”
“Why’re you giving this to me though?”
Akane laughed, holding his bleeding side. “Well I doubt that Ao-chan would ever do it, she’s too stubborn and I- you can do it. I know you can.” He smiled, crinkling his eyes. An earnest moment that Akane wasn’t known for. “I’ll meet you later, trust me”
“I don’t wanna leave you guys” Kou whispered.
“This is the most important job, it’ll save all of us, even the lost.” Akane assured.
Kou frowned, his eyes watery, “Okay” He wiped his eyes, “Okay!” He said again, this time more sure, “I’ll save you all” He said running the path of the house.
Quickly making his way to the door and soon to the school. It went by fast, the landscape behind him blurring and fading into nothingness. His heart pounded and his lungs were shredded, a painful cramp shooting through his side.
No matter how much he panted though, he never stopped. Not even for a moment. Maybe it was adrenaline pushing him forward, maybe it was fear at this point Kou didn’t care he just kept going.
Finally he arrived at the iron gates of the school, the metallic gates stretched into the sky and should’ve been locked. As soon as Kou pushed them in the slightest they flew open. It seemed too easy but Kou didn’t question it because he really needed a win.
The school courtyard was only illuminated by a scarce few stars. The blonde stumbled through it, tripping multiple times on rocks or slipping on the seemingly freshly watered grass. His eyes darted around the blobs of black and gray and dark blue, his mind rowdy.
He pressed the cool metal of the stopwatch against his forehead and thought of all he’d lost.
END OF PROLOGUE