Episode Three The Secrets of The Blood Red Sakura
Title: Catharsis
Genre: AU, Paranormal, Horror, A lot of sarcasm, if it counts.
Rating: PG+
Characters: Chinen-centric, Hey!Say!7
Summary: It was meant to be a late-night program, another episode on a bunch of rumours and nonsense, another weekend spent fishing for ratings from lovers of the supernatural. What it was not supposed to be was a complicated police case, a string of murders and missing persons and an inexperienced reporter lost in the middle of a forest/scene of the crime with just a Handycam.
Disclaimer: I own the plot and the idea. Characters based on Idols from Johnnys Entertainment, where external media is used it will be credited.
His head hurt.
He shifted in the warmth of the cover, completely enveloped in comfort. Slowly but surely, he became aware of time and its passing. His body was becoming restless, starting with twitches of his fingers and ankles to a neck readjustment to rid of a rather nasty spasm.
It seemed like it was daytime, his closed eyelids glowing orange from whatever light there was beyond. His ears picked up the sound of soft chatter close by.
"Look, this is weird, isn't it? I mean something happened to the previous head of this project as soon as he reached here and now Yuri-,"
"Listen, the police is not here to hunt down evil spirits or banish ill omens, I'm still sticking around because there is a police case here now and I need to question Chinen-san after what happened yesterday,"
"What time is it?"
Yuri realized he had probably scared the two men to death by sitting up so suddenly and glaring up at them, panic and apprehension possibly on his face but... there was no time for formalities right now.
"Yuri, are you alright?"
Yuri blinked confusedly as Taro-san dropped by his futon which he realized was the only item in a small room.
"Yeah I'm okay," he responded trying to force himself off the mattress and onto the cold floor.
"-but we are screwed if I've been sleeping through shooting time!"
"It's late afternoon, we got here yesterday...,"
Yuri flinched as pain spread all over his body, minor movement suddenly making him dizzy. He felt Taro-san's strong grip on his shoulders and he clenched his eyes shut, hoping for the spell of vertigo to pass as abruptly as it had come.
"We-," he breathed out shakily as the room finally stopped spinning. His heart was pounding in his ears.
"We need to start shooting... now!"
Taro-san looked concerned, hesitant even but before the words could come out of his parted lips Yuri interjected strongly;
"We are not canceling the project!"
"You disappeared overnight Yuri! Then the next morning you come walking out of the forest like a zombie, right in the middle of a police investigation and dropped unconscious right before them! How is that not a matter of concern?"
Yuri pursed his lip, not realizing Nakajima was now behind him, arms folded as he watched the producer with curiosity.
"I wanted to get some preliminary shots, I took a wrong turn and slipped... I got lost but found some campers, spent the night with them,"
"Can you describe these campers to me?"
Yuri whipped his head around at the detective's question, whose pen was already on a very abused notepad and held up both hands.
"Look, I'll take you to them, but give me at least today to make up for lost time,"
Nakajima frowned.
"I will not take your disregard for the police lightly,"
"Detective I'll have to charge my camcorder and then I'll hand it to you... it has everything and everyone on tape,"
The young officer sighed, hands folded.
"Fine, I'll be sticking around you though, until you do,"
"Sure, whatever pleases you... Taro-san get everyone together... we need to get to that tree,"
~*~
"Gennai-kun hurry up with the sound check will you?" Yuri grumbled, making the already flustered intern almost trip. Satisfied with the lighting, Taro-san shook his head, continuing to find the best angle to get both the pretty Idol and the magnificent and ancient tree into one breathtaking shot.
Yuri gazed up at the vivid red flowers, the heavy foliage decorating the branches of a massive and very old tree.
The Blood Red Sakura.
He looked down at his notes as the Idol, Ohmura took dainty steps to stand between the gregarious roots in a blood red kimono. Their young guide stood behind the crew, mesmerized by the starlet.
"Okay Ohmura-san, do you remember your lines?" he asked. She nodded gently, not wanting to upset her intricate and heavily decorated updo.
"Okay, Taro-san, Gennai-san?"
"Okay," "Check,"
"Action!"
Ohmura placed a palm on the tree and looked directly into the camera.
"The village of Koyakura, a beautiful retreat deep into the forests of the north. The people of Koyakura, a peace-loving folk living in perfect harmony with the overwhelming presence of raw nature. Life here is quiet, simple... instead of the buzz and clamor of the city is the sound of birds, farm animals, running water and the wind amongst the leaves. Open to tourist, the locals though friendly to the occasional tourist are wary of interference. They are happy within the confines of their quiet little world... their little piece of heaven on earth. However... a land so untouched by industry has much to offer and in the past, there have been many attempts to commercialize this district. But all to no avail. What exactly is that deters change here? What force of nature fights so viciously to protect its secrets and its secret keepers?
Join me, Ohmura Mai and my team, as we embark on a journey to uncover the secrets of this village of the Blood Red Sakura."
"And CUT!"
Yuri nodded, satisfied. This girl was good.
"Does it really bleed?" she asked him as her make-up artist and manager began fussing about her.
Yuri shrugged and looked at the guide who nodded vigorously.
"Yes it does sir, once my friend stood under it when it rained and when he moved away we saw that his shirt was all red from behind as if he had been leaning against wet paint!"
Yuri raised an eyebrow.
"So someone painted the trunk?"
The guide looked flustered.
"No no, then another kid stuck a knife in it to carve out his name and his lover's name and it started bleeding!"
Chinen looked at Taro-san who pulled out an army knife from his pocket.
"Mai-chan move away please," he commanded taking large steps towards the tree. Yuri took out his phone and began recording as Taro-san stuck the knife into the hardwood. Yuri dropped his phone, feeling a sting in his chest.
"Nothing's happening," Mai chipped from behind as Yuri bent to pick his device up, rubbing his chest with a frown. He looked up instinctively, feeling a prickling feeling at the back of his neck. He froze, fear gripping his very bones at the sight of a pale gangly figure, shiny long black hair falling all over its body from the head, sitting amongst the branches. He couldn't see a face but could tell that it was looking right at him. He jumped and tripped backward as Taro-san exclaimed out loud and suddenly all eyes were on him. The figure was gone.
"Sorry man," Taro-san chuckled apologetically, but then excitedly pulled his knife out. True to the tales... a heavy, thick red liquid began oozing out from the wound in the trunk.
Mai screamed a little.
"Bring a container a bottle or something, we should get this sap and analyze it properly,"
"Don't do that!" their guide yelled fearfully.
"They say it is the blood of the spirits of the people that disappeared in the forest, you will be haunted if you take it with you!"
"Taro-san maybe you should listen to the young man," spoke the Idol's manager looking highly uncomfortable. The make-up artist bounced excitedly on her heels pointing at Mai.
"I've seen those movies... it's always the Idol or actress that gets possessed and then she kills everyone and then she carries the spawn of evil to spread it all over the world-,"
"Seriously?" Mai looked at her, disturbed and irritated all at once.
Yuri was still on the ground, heart hammering in his chest as Gennai and Taro-san collected the sap anyway. He flinched as he heard a bell in the distance.
Besides their response to the red tree sap, everyone was so normal. Why was he seeing... hearing things.
Behind him the makeup artist was chasing Mai around.
"Beware Mai... the spirits are coming to possess you!"
A/N: Sorry it took forever to continue this. Hope you guys are still interested :p