Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly

Prologue

"Didn't we always promise each other...that we would always be together?'

A flash; a young girl was lying on the ground, her leg sprawled to one side in a painful way. Something ...had happened, but what? One minute, she was behind her sister, then the next...she was gone.

'Mayu? Mayu...I'm sorry...I'm sorry!'

Mio Amakura snapped back to reality, as the sound of the stream flooded her ears, the light reflecting in her face. Just then, she felt hands on her shoulders, and she looked up, seeing a familiar face looking back at her. It was her face, but it wasn't her face. It was the face of her twin sister, Mayu.

'We used to play here all the time.' Mayu said, with a happy smile.

'Yeah, we did.' replied Mio, a little hesitant as she mentally shook the thoughts from her mind. The sisters were in a forest they frequently explored as children. Their favorite spot was by the stream. The two of them could listen to the water all day, and sometimes, they did.

'All of this will be gone soon.' Mayu sighed. She was referring to a construction project that had been announced. Something about a dam being built. Mio didn't like to think about it. After all, her favorite spot to relax would soon be underwater.

'Is your leg okay? Does it hurt?' Mio asked, turning in her spot to look at her twin. Mayu's leg was bandaged at the knee. Mayu clasped her hands behind her back and shrugged.

'It does a little, but I'm fine.' she assured Mio, taking a seat so that their backs were touching. While the two looked identical, their personalities were different, as was often the case with twins. Mio was the younger of the two, and the more courageous of the girls. In fact, Mio had discovered the area they constantly visited, braving the unknown without a thought. Mayu, on the other hand, was timid and modest, and liked to be cautious, unlike her sister. She envied Mio for being so brave, wishing to be more like her younger sister. Unknown to Mayu, Mio had unspoken regrets of her own.

Mio's eyes drifted to her sister's leg, and she felt a pang of guilt come over her.

'Mio?' came Mayu's voice.

'Yes?' Mio asked, wondering if her sister would bring up the memory of when they were younger. By the sun goddess, Amaterasu, Mio felt she had to say something, unless the guilt consumed her. Unseen by the sisters, a crimson butterfly floated by; the harbinger of something that would put the sisters to the test.

'Um, never mind...It's nothing.' Mayu finally said. She'd decided not to speak her mind, as was typical of her timid nature. Mio looked back at the stream, going back to the memory of that fateful day.

"Mayu, come on! Come on!' Mio encouraged her sister to follow her through the forest. Without fear, Mio ran along the ledge of the slope she ran on. One slip, and she could get hurt, but Mio was a fearless girl and she ran on without a second thought to the danger.

'Mio, please! Don't leave me!" Mayu was slower behind her sister, trying to keep an even footing on the ground. However, fortune was not on her side, as her foot slipped, and she fell down the slope. The only thing Mio heard...was her sister's scream as she fell.

Once again, Mio forced her back to the present.

'Mayu, about that time back then...' she started. She was going to say everything she needed to, but when she turned around, Mayu was gone. 'Mayu?' Mio scanned the forest around her, noticing Mayu limping away, towards...something she couldn't see. Mio jumped to her feet, begging to follow behind.

Mio rounded a large tree, catching glimpses of her sister walking further away.

'Mayu, where are you going?' Mio called out, to no avail. Without watching her surroundings, she had passed by a small shrine, at the base of the tree, and a cold feeling blanketed the area. Mio froze in her tracks. What just happened? Why was the warm air suddenly...so cold? It was as if all life had vanished from the area. The forest was now dark, and foreboding, and Mio had the feeling that something...horrible had happened nearby, but she had no idea what it was. It also felt as if something was sneaking up towards her. Shoving the dread away, Mio's eyes landed on her sister, but Mayu was now dressed in...an old-fashioned white kimono? How, and why, did she change so fast? In an instant, her sister was back in her regular clothes, and Mio continued running after her twin.

'No, stop! Wait!' she called, desperately reaching for Mayu's hand. After a few more otherworldly occurrences of Mayu's attire changing back and forth, Mio finally grabbed her sister's shoulder. However, that proved to be quite the shocking ordeal. Suddenly, Mayu's face was replaced with an unfamiliar woman...a woman being strangled by the hands of an unseen person. In a flash, everything was back to normal. Mio looked down at her hands, shaking. It was as if...she were strangling the unfamiliar woman. It felt so real. Once again, Mio was alone and her sister was nowhere to be seen. The forest seemed more densely populated by tall trees, which closed in around her, and the moon was full and bright in the now darkened sky above. However, a path nearby was illuminated by old-fashioned lanterns nearby. She saw light from a fire up the hill. Had Mayu gone that way? It made the most sense to her.

Mio made her way up the path, towards whatever light she could see. Luckily for her, the path she was on was well lit by box lanterns, and the trees had been cleared to allow such a path. As she looked for her sister, Mio was flooded with thoughts on what had just happened. This path hadn't been there before, and whoever she was chasing, it hadn't been her sister. That girl had been dressed in a traditional white kimono. It was something her parents might have worn for ceremonies, but she and Mayu hadn't ever worn one yet. The girl looked to be around her age, a teenager. And what about the woman, being strangled by disembodied hands? Mio felt as if she were seeing it happen, but also strangling the woman at the same time. Something very strange was happening, but Mio's only thought was to find Mayu and escape.

Mio slowed her run, as she neared the top of the hill, looking towards the sky as she did so. The light she was running towards was indeed coming from torches, Before her, stood a Torii gate. In her Japanese culture, the Torii gate signified the transition from the everyday world to one of respect and sacred tradition. The gate meant there had to be a Shinto shrine nearby. Perhaps she'd find Mayu there. After all, her leg wasn't in perfect condition.

'I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.' came a sorrowful voice. Mio was shocked to see the woman in the white kimono standing there, her back to Mio, and her face in her hands. Had something happened to her and someone she cared about as well? Mio wondered if she could help, as she closed the gap between the two of them. As Mio went around the girl, a crimson butterfly flew past her. It looked otherworldly, almost.

Mio found herself in front of some sort of flat rock, encircled by towering rocks and tied with rope around each of them. It looked like a ritual site, if Mio was being honest.

'Where is this?' Mio wondered as another crimson butterfly flew by. She followed it with her eyes until...'Mayu?' Mio had finally found her sister!

Mayu turned around to face her; a whole kaleidoscope of red-colored butterflies flying up behind her.

'The Lost Village...'Mayu said mysteriously. Looking at her sister in return, Mio walked closer to the edge of the hill. Down below, was a long abandoned village, suddenly in the forest that had once been nothing but trees, a feeling of dread coming over Mio.