[Terpeniya]
by kitsune_jade
The Other Side of the Moon
Everything started out with a very simple suggestion from Hikaru of a weekend trip to Rougetsu Island located south of Honshu.
"Touya, it’s summer and we don't have any games to play for the next few weeks! It’s the perfect chance to have breather," he said during their lunch at one of his favorite ramen shops.
Akira glared at him. "Go is my life and I like. I don't need a break from it."
Hikaru just snorted and rolled his eyes at his rival.
"Seriously, I can't believe you. This trip would be good for you. It can help build your character and -"
"What do you mean build my character?" Akira asked indignantly. "For your information, I’m fine as I am!"
"Yeah, whatever, Touya. Come on. It would be fun. The sea, the beach, cooking at night. Ghost stories by campfire!" Hikaru exclaimed happily while slurping down the rest of his ramen.
Sighing in resignation, Akira muttered albeit reluctantly that he is going. "Only because I'd never hear the end of it from you."
"Damn right." With a grin, Hikaru stood up and paid for their meal, dragging Touya along. "I know you'd see it my way."
Akira smacked Hikaru on his head while the other protested lightly before giving him an impish grin.
"Race you to the station! Last to get there pays for lunch for a week!"
"Shindou!" Not wanting to lose against the other go player, Akira ran muttering under his breath how he would make the utter suffer in front of a goban next time they played.
Two weeks later, Akira found himself inside an old abandoned hospital somewhere in Rogetsu Island. It was the middle of the night and he only had a flashlight. And this was just because he followed Hikaru when he saw the other boy leave the inn they were staying in with no explanation.
Akira tried calling out to him, but the other didn’t seem to hear him. Hikaru was focused on something or someone, but he couldn't really tell as he could only catch a glimpse of his rival every now and then. It was hard for Touya to not lose track of where the other was heading.
He saw Hikaru enter an old building, calling out a word which suspiciously sounded like Sai. He could have heard wrong since he was too far away.
The surrounding area was filled with tall, looming trees. The place was dark except for the parts illuminated by moonlight giving the place an eerie atmosphere. Cursing Hikaru under his breath, Akira cautiously approached the door leading inside the hospital. Pulling open the door, Akira peered in, pointing his flashlight inside. There were dusty and broken furniture in what looked like a lobby.
Akira entered inside, his heart beating fast. He felt like he was in one of those horror games Hikaru loved playing and any minute now he'd find himself surrounded by dead beings.
"Shindou decided to go out on his own of all time. He’s so dead the moment I find him," the young man whispered as he carefully made his way across the lobby, hissing in annoyance every now and then when he hit a broken chair or nearly tripping over small pieces of wood lying near the remains of what was the counter.
As soon as he got near a huge staircase, he saw a bright flash of yellow as someone ran fast up the steps. Just ahead of that person was a silhouette of another with long-hair wearing clothes that seemed to be from ancient times.
"Shindou!" Akira called out, running after his rival. Hikaru was gone by the time he got up the next floor. There were two corridors, one each leading to the west and another to the east. Gasping for air, he contemplated on which direction to go. He vaguely remembered Hikaru heading west, but somehow his instinct was telling him to not go there.
Running his fingers through his hair in frustration, Akira shone his flashlight toward the west corridor. Curtains hung from the beams across the narrow pathway, pictures and masks adorned the wall. He shivered as his eyes fell on the creepy masks.
"I swear, Shindou. I am going to make your life so miserable after this," he muttered as he walked toward the narrow corridor. The whole place was still, except for the occasional creaking sounds coming from the old wooden beams and soft whisper of the wind. He was halfway across when he heard a noise that suspiciously sounded like a woman crying came out from somewhere.
Curious and concerned, Akira searched where the sound was coming from and chanced upon a room, its door engraved with the kanji of the moon. The cries seemed to be coming from inside the room. Gently, Akira opened the door and he slowly entered the room. It appeared to be some sort of library with various shelves and cabinets. In a far corner, a girl with long black hair wearing a kimono was sobbing. She seemed to be the around his age..
Akira went to her and asked softly, "Are you alright? Are you lost as well?" The girl stilled and stopped her crying. She answered softly without facing him.
"I'm fine now and no, I am not lost."
"You’re not lost?" Akira asked, puzzled, gazing warily at the girl. "Then why are you here?"
"Waiting for a kind-hearted fool like you to fall for my ruse," she said before turning around to face him.
The young man gasped in shock, moving back in horror. The girl in front of him had eyes that were gouged out, the sockets bleeding. Her mouth was drawn in a grotesque smile, jagged teeth gleaming in the pale light. Before Akira could move, the girl lunged at him, the force of the impact sending him crashing into one of the glass cases filled with what looked like old cameras.
Akira tried to breathe and force the hands strangling him away but to no avail. Her grasp was too tight, too strong. Helplessly, he tried searching for anything that he could use hit the girl, no, monster when his eyes fell on one of the cameras lying near him. He tried to reach and grasp the old camera.
Akira was almost unconscious because of the lack of air. His vision was filled with the gruesome face of the monster just hovering a few inches away from his face. Her words echoed in his head.
"Take my place and die! Take my place and die!"
He gritted his teeth, putting all his strength in slamming the camera he held straight at the face of the girl. Screaming in anger and pain, she temporarily lost her grip on his neck and it was all what he needed to get away from library.
Akira ran like he never did before. Behind him, he could hear the monster shrieking out the painful things it would do to him once she caught up. Touya ran and ran into the corridor heading straight to the east wing. He was quickly getting tired and his breath came in gasps. He could feel his legs aching and his muscles screaming for him to stop, but he couldn't. His life depended on it. Turning on a corner, Akira met a dead end.
Despair coursed through his veins. He'd die here chasing after his stupid rival. He'd die before he even got to the final round for a titles match. He'd die here without knowing who Sai really was. He'd die in this island just because he agreed on Hikaru's stupid, stupid suggestion.
"Shindou, if I do die here, I swear I am going to haunt you forever!" he vowed in anger as he watched as the monster approached, an evil smile playing across its face. Out of nowhere, a gentle voice whispered in his ears.
"Use the camera. Take a picture of it."
Shivers ran down his spine. No one was there, well except that thing. With nothing to lose, Akira aimed the camera at the girl and took a shot. A bright light flashed and a scream of agony pierced through the air.
Gaping, he watched as the girl writhed in agony and slowly disappeared. Not quite sure what happened, he fled and headed back to where he came from.
He slipped quietly back to the west corridor. As he was about to reach the end of the corridor, he saw a glimpse of the person he was looking for.
"Shindou, wait!" he shouted. He called out to the other boy gain and again as he tried to catch up. Just when he thought he finally caught up with him, Akira saw Hikaru disappear into a portal as a man wearing period clothing led his rival into it.
"Shindou!" Akira called out. Hikaru didn't turn, but the man did, red eyes glowing in the dark. Touya heard his words, though he didn't see him move his lips.
"If you want your friend back, come and find him. Solve the riddle of the Lunar Melody and find us. Find us if you want to see your friend again."
"What do you mean by that? What is the Lunar Melody?' Akira cried out, but the man vanished without answering his question.
Questions filled his mind, his heart beating painfully in his chest as the words of the mysterious man echoed in his head. He'd never see Hikaru again if he didn’t find them.
No way he’s letting Hikaru disappear in his life just like that. Sure it was Hikaru's fault they are in this trouble anyway, but he wasn’t about to abandon him. Sighing helplessly, Akira noticed the atmosphere around him turn eerie. Shadowy figures were moving toward him, a dark, suffocating pressure coming from them.
Looking for a way of escape, he saw a small door to his right. But in front of it were several spirits flickering in and out guarding it.
"I just love my life," Akira groaned as he made a dash towards the door, raising the camera and taking pictures of the ghosts as he ran past them. He knew he looked stupid, heck he felt silly using a camera as a weapon, but if it would help him finding Hikaru….
"I swear, when I find Shindou and if we survive this, I am killing him myself," Akira swore as he finally exited the area, a new-found determination in his steps.
= = =
A female figure stood unseen, watching the young man leave.
Things had just gotten interesting and enjoyable, she thought - a smile pure of malice gracing her lovely face.
The Other Side of the Moon
Everything started out with a very simple suggestion from Hikaru of a weekend trip to Rougetsu Island located south of Honshu.
"Touya, it’s summer and we don't have any games to play for the next few weeks! It’s the perfect chance to have breather," he said during their lunch at one of his favorite ramen shops.
Akira glared at him. "Go is my life and I like. I don't need a break from it."
Hikaru just snorted and rolled his eyes at his rival.
"Seriously, I can't believe you. This trip would be good for you. It can help build your character and -"
"What do you mean build my character?" Akira asked indignantly. "For your information, I’m fine as I am!"
"Yeah, whatever, Touya. Come on. It would be fun. The sea, the beach, cooking at night. Ghost stories by campfire!" Hikaru exclaimed happily while slurping down the rest of his ramen.
Sighing in resignation, Akira muttered albeit reluctantly that he is going. "Only because I'd never hear the end of it from you."
"Damn right." With a grin, Hikaru stood up and paid for their meal, dragging Touya along. "I know you'd see it my way."
Akira smacked Hikaru on his head while the other protested lightly before giving him an impish grin.
"Race you to the station! Last to get there pays for lunch for a week!"
"Shindou!" Not wanting to lose against the other go player, Akira ran muttering under his breath how he would make the utter suffer in front of a goban next time they played.
Two weeks later, Akira found himself inside an old abandoned hospital somewhere in Rogetsu Island. It was the middle of the night and he only had a flashlight. And this was just because he followed Hikaru when he saw the other boy leave the inn they were staying in with no explanation.
Akira tried calling out to him, but the other didn’t seem to hear him. Hikaru was focused on something or someone, but he couldn't really tell as he could only catch a glimpse of his rival every now and then. It was hard for Touya to not lose track of where the other was heading.
He saw Hikaru enter an old building, calling out a word which suspiciously sounded like Sai. He could have heard wrong since he was too far away.
The surrounding area was filled with tall, looming trees. The place was dark except for the parts illuminated by moonlight giving the place an eerie atmosphere. Cursing Hikaru under his breath, Akira cautiously approached the door leading inside the hospital. Pulling open the door, Akira peered in, pointing his flashlight inside. There were dusty and broken furniture in what looked like a lobby.
Akira entered inside, his heart beating fast. He felt like he was in one of those horror games Hikaru loved playing and any minute now he'd find himself surrounded by dead beings.
"Shindou decided to go out on his own of all time. He’s so dead the moment I find him," the young man whispered as he carefully made his way across the lobby, hissing in annoyance every now and then when he hit a broken chair or nearly tripping over small pieces of wood lying near the remains of what was the counter.
As soon as he got near a huge staircase, he saw a bright flash of yellow as someone ran fast up the steps. Just ahead of that person was a silhouette of another with long-hair wearing clothes that seemed to be from ancient times.
"Shindou!" Akira called out, running after his rival. Hikaru was gone by the time he got up the next floor. There were two corridors, one each leading to the west and another to the east. Gasping for air, he contemplated on which direction to go. He vaguely remembered Hikaru heading west, but somehow his instinct was telling him to not go there.
Running his fingers through his hair in frustration, Akira shone his flashlight toward the west corridor. Curtains hung from the beams across the narrow pathway, pictures and masks adorned the wall. He shivered as his eyes fell on the creepy masks.
"I swear, Shindou. I am going to make your life so miserable after this," he muttered as he walked toward the narrow corridor. The whole place was still, except for the occasional creaking sounds coming from the old wooden beams and soft whisper of the wind. He was halfway across when he heard a noise that suspiciously sounded like a woman crying came out from somewhere.
Curious and concerned, Akira searched where the sound was coming from and chanced upon a room, its door engraved with the kanji of the moon. The cries seemed to be coming from inside the room. Gently, Akira opened the door and he slowly entered the room. It appeared to be some sort of library with various shelves and cabinets. In a far corner, a girl with long black hair wearing a kimono was sobbing. She seemed to be the around his age..
Akira went to her and asked softly, "Are you alright? Are you lost as well?" The girl stilled and stopped her crying. She answered softly without facing him.
"I'm fine now and no, I am not lost."
"You’re not lost?" Akira asked, puzzled, gazing warily at the girl. "Then why are you here?"
"Waiting for a kind-hearted fool like you to fall for my ruse," she said before turning around to face him.
The young man gasped in shock, moving back in horror. The girl in front of him had eyes that were gouged out, the sockets bleeding. Her mouth was drawn in a grotesque smile, jagged teeth gleaming in the pale light. Before Akira could move, the girl lunged at him, the force of the impact sending him crashing into one of the glass cases filled with what looked like old cameras.
Akira tried to breathe and force the hands strangling him away but to no avail. Her grasp was too tight, too strong. Helplessly, he tried searching for anything that he could use hit the girl, no, monster when his eyes fell on one of the cameras lying near him. He tried to reach and grasp the old camera.
Akira was almost unconscious because of the lack of air. His vision was filled with the gruesome face of the monster just hovering a few inches away from his face. Her words echoed in his head.
"Take my place and die! Take my place and die!"
He gritted his teeth, putting all his strength in slamming the camera he held straight at the face of the girl. Screaming in anger and pain, she temporarily lost her grip on his neck and it was all what he needed to get away from library.
Akira ran like he never did before. Behind him, he could hear the monster shrieking out the painful things it would do to him once she caught up. Touya ran and ran into the corridor heading straight to the east wing. He was quickly getting tired and his breath came in gasps. He could feel his legs aching and his muscles screaming for him to stop, but he couldn't. His life depended on it. Turning on a corner, Akira met a dead end.
Despair coursed through his veins. He'd die here chasing after his stupid rival. He'd die before he even got to the final round for a titles match. He'd die here without knowing who Sai really was. He'd die in this island just because he agreed on Hikaru's stupid, stupid suggestion.
"Shindou, if I do die here, I swear I am going to haunt you forever!" he vowed in anger as he watched as the monster approached, an evil smile playing across its face. Out of nowhere, a gentle voice whispered in his ears.
"Use the camera. Take a picture of it."
Shivers ran down his spine. No one was there, well except that thing. With nothing to lose, Akira aimed the camera at the girl and took a shot. A bright light flashed and a scream of agony pierced through the air.
Gaping, he watched as the girl writhed in agony and slowly disappeared. Not quite sure what happened, he fled and headed back to where he came from.
He slipped quietly back to the west corridor. As he was about to reach the end of the corridor, he saw a glimpse of the person he was looking for.
"Shindou, wait!" he shouted. He called out to the other boy gain and again as he tried to catch up. Just when he thought he finally caught up with him, Akira saw Hikaru disappear into a portal as a man wearing period clothing led his rival into it.
"Shindou!" Akira called out. Hikaru didn't turn, but the man did, red eyes glowing in the dark. Touya heard his words, though he didn't see him move his lips.
"If you want your friend back, come and find him. Solve the riddle of the Lunar Melody and find us. Find us if you want to see your friend again."
"What do you mean by that? What is the Lunar Melody?' Akira cried out, but the man vanished without answering his question.
Questions filled his mind, his heart beating painfully in his chest as the words of the mysterious man echoed in his head. He'd never see Hikaru again if he didn’t find them.
No way he’s letting Hikaru disappear in his life just like that. Sure it was Hikaru's fault they are in this trouble anyway, but he wasn’t about to abandon him. Sighing helplessly, Akira noticed the atmosphere around him turn eerie. Shadowy figures were moving toward him, a dark, suffocating pressure coming from them.
Looking for a way of escape, he saw a small door to his right. But in front of it were several spirits flickering in and out guarding it.
"I just love my life," Akira groaned as he made a dash towards the door, raising the camera and taking pictures of the ghosts as he ran past them. He knew he looked stupid, heck he felt silly using a camera as a weapon, but if it would help him finding Hikaru….
"I swear, when I find Shindou and if we survive this, I am killing him myself," Akira swore as he finally exited the area, a new-found determination in his steps.
= = =
A female figure stood unseen, watching the young man leave.
Things had just gotten interesting and enjoyable, she thought - a smile pure of malice gracing her lovely face.