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Once through the door Tsumi was greeted with an interesting sight. A path lit with bright orange pumpkins with cheerful faces carved into them. This place, it felt so familiar Tsumi could feel it in her core. It was almost comforting as she stepped through the door not even paying attention to the fact that it had shut behind her.

Its brighter here than Tsumi expected but she followed the path the pumpkins provided until she reached a rather expansive field filled with glowing orange flowers. This place felt calm and peaceful so even as she spotted the tombstone not far away she wasn't deterred. Instead she approached to examine it, looking first to the dried yellow flowers before her gaze shifted up at the writing.

'Here Lies Ginji.'

Ginji...she did not know this person but her fingers still drew across the tombstone. If anything this was a pleasant place to be laid to rest.

Tsumi was about to move on to complete her task when she suddenly heard a noise. Thump Thump. She looked down at the base of the headstone and heard it again. Thump Thump. Clutching her scissors and the bag she knew what she had to do. Ginji didn't need it after all right? The goddess had said.

Slowly she knelt and first pushed the flowers aside before she began to dig. Scoopfuls of earth were set aside until she started to uncover what she was looking for. The figure underneath was pale, fair of skin with light silver hair. Her eyes only lingered on his face shortly before she turned to the glowing yellow heart which she had to collect.

It was easy to remove thankfully, it gave her hardly any trouble but as soon as she grasped the heart an image flooded her mind. Pictures..no..a scene.

'Where are we going?' Tsumi felt like she was asking but her voice was so small.

'Far away we can't stay here.' Ginji said.

'But why not? What if mommy and daddy return?'

There was a pause and a sad look before Ginji reached down to pick her up. 'They'll find us, don't you worry. Until then I'll look after you.'

'Promise?'

There was a sad smile and a nod. 'Promise.' He took his free hand and drew it across his chest. 'Cross my heart and hope to die.'

Blinking Tsumi wasn't sure what she had just seen. A place in her chest ached after what she had just seen but she didn't exactly know why. Shaking it off she placed the heart in the bag. Perhaps she would eventually find out. Or maybe the goddess would have answers.

As the memory faded Tsumi resumed her struggling but to no avail. Ginji, her brother, wasn't going to let her go. Unfortunately she couldn't die here. She had to live for the blessing of the goddesses but perhaps if she ascended to be one of them she could come back. She could come back for him. If only she could reassure him of that.

Instead she did the only thing she could think of a drew up the scissors she held tightly in her hand and plunged them toward her brother sharply. They struck true and with a shriek his figure faded away. Wildly Tsumi tried to swim for the surface to breath but thankfully she didn't have to work hard. The water vanished as quickly as it came leaving her on her hands and knees coughing up what was left in her lungs.

Wiping at her mouth she turned her head to look around but there was no one in sight. Maybe it would be best if she hurried back. The door was right there after all.

Quickly getting to her feet Tsumi moved too the door but couldn't help but glance back. For a second she thought she saw her brother again, standing there with a hallow expression and the scissors clenched in his hands but as soon as she blinked he was gone again. With a deep breath she continued through the door trying to escape.

Arriving at the shrine for a new blessing Tsumi was faced with a different goddess. This one seemed a little more intense, stroking her scythe like it was a fond pet. As far as facing her fears went Tsumi wasn't so sure but she took the dagger that was handed to her watching as it grew rusty and stained. Apparently that meant she was ready but as she turned to figure out where she needed to go she found herself waking up.Strange, she didn't remember falling to sleep.

Sitting up from her position Tsumi shielded her eyes as she looked around trying to block out the bright lights. It was so different than the dark grays she had been used to. Shifting she looked at the metal table underneath herself and wondered if she had just been dreaming about going to the shrine for a blessing. If not this was surely a test so she pushed herself off the table and had a look around. It would do her no good to stay here.

Her first stop was the door which she thankfully found unlocked but when she looked out into the hall she found it just as empty and bright as this room. Exiting she started to walk but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard something slam shut. She turned thinking the door she had just walked through would be closed but it was surprisingly still open. Odd.

This place was a maze, unnervingly clean and bright. Tsumi actually longed for the darker grays she was used to so when she saw an exit she headed for it no questions asked.

Thud

The sound made her stop again and look back but the door she had left, from what she could tell, was still open and there was no one behind her. After a brief look around she turned and started walking again.

Thud

As Tsumi turned again she felt her chest tighten in alarm. There stood a figure though she couldn't tell much about them other than they were moving toward her at a rapid rate with what looked like rusted scissors in their hands. She took a step back to get away but the pounding of footsteps down the empty hallway followed by a screech brought the creature closer with haste. There was no time to run, no where to escape.

Terror tore through her as the black figure was basically on top of her, a clawed hand grasping at her neck. It was that feeling that jerked her back into motion, running down the hall to find an escape. When she finally found a door it was, of course, locked. Why wouldn't it be.

Tsumi tried to jiggle the handle but finally notice what it said. Passcode? Looking up she noticed the keypad at face level on the door.

Thud Thud Thud. The creature was getting closer every moment and Tsumi wasn't sure what to do. In her panic the world around her began to blur and she saw a glimpse of something.

"Once upon a time-"

"How is it that so many stories start out with once upon a time..?"

"...Once upon a time," Tsumi continued, sprawled out across the couch with her head rested on Ginji's leg. "There was a dark wizard that on a high mountain that overlooked the nine kingdoms."

"And they always have magic.."

"Shhh I am reading shh shhhh." To drive her point home Tsumi jabbed a finger in Ginji's side with made him flinch and laugh.

"Alright alright, I'll be quiet." He mused.

Staring at Ginji a moment longer to make sure he would keep his word Tsumi continued. "This wizard was powerful and wished to rule not one but all of the nine realms. The spell he would need required a lot of work and the darkest of magic. A blood sacrifice of noble blood and the heart of someone pure."

Tsumi continued to read for a good hour or so until she managed to drift to sleep mid sentence, her brother scooping her up to take her to her room.

(35-5=30)

Looking around some more Tsumi spotted another slip of paper. Snatching it up she looked them over closely. It was hard to figure out what they meant with the thud thud thud happening in the background but finally she managed to fit the pattern together. In a hurry she entered 0, 2, 4 and 5 into the number pad and the door slid open fluidly allowing her escape.

(25 Escaped!)

Continuing to run Tsumi found herself at a new place. A haunted house of sorts. From here she wasn't sure where to go but as she paused she felt the dagger in her hand stir and as she looked at it the dagger began to glow a bright red. The goddess' words echoed in her mind and she knew what she had to do now. She had to face him. Face her fears.

When she turned he was there. She didn't know how, it certainly hadn't taken long for him to reach her but it didn't matter. He had his scissor poised and her dagger was just as ready. At the same time they leaped and as the made contact another memory flooded her vision.

Tsumi found herself running down the hallway of a large house, the awkward feel of shoes pinching and rubbing her feet but unfortunately she had to wear them. It was a requirement to stay in the house. Right now she had a goal though and the painful shoes would not slow her down. She was searching for something...no...someone. Tsumi had been all over the house so far but had yet to check outside.

Coming around a corner Tsumi stopped in her tracks when she found the person she was looking for standing at the front door, their hand grasping the doorknob but they weren't moving.

"Ginji!" She ran toward him and took a hold of his sleeve. "I thought you had left I hadn't been able to find you all day."

Ginji's hand had tightened on the doorknob, hesitating before he released it and turned to face his sister.

"I was worried you were going to leave me here with him. You know how angry he-" Tsumi was cut off as Ginji pulled her into a tight hug.

"Listen carefully, Mitsu." Ginji whispered keeping her close so that his voice wouldn't have to carry. "Always watch your back around that man. Don't ever let him know you're scared okay?"

Tsumi was confused, the tone of his voice was off, cracking in places and it worried her. Her arms loosely wrapped around his waist as well but when she tried to pull back to look at his face a hand came up to keep her where she was.

"Remember the music box I gave you? The one from Mom and Dad?" He waited until she nodded. "Be sure to keep it close, listen to it and remember things are never as dark as they appear. The moon will always light your way in the dark after all."

"Why..are you telling me all of this? What's wrong Ginji?"

Ginji took a deep breath and finally pulled away but he turned back toward the door quickly, though Tsumi could have sworn she saw something glimmer around his eyes. "I'll be gone for a little while. Not long. Just a small trip but I want to make sure you'll watch out for yourself that's all. You will be sure to be careful?"

"Where are you going?"

"Mitsu....will you be careful?"

She paused getting a terrible feeling she wasn't going to get an answer. "I..I will."

"Good." And with that Ginji reached toward the door again and opened it up and stepped outside. He paused for a moment as if unsure but slowly closed the door behind himself.

Not wanting him to just leave that way Tsumi opened the door again but...he was gone. She stepped outside and looked around but Ginji was no where to be seen. His scent wasn't even in the air...it was like he had just vanished.

"Ginji...?" Her voice was small, scared and somehow she knew she wasn't going to see him again.


When Tsumi came to from her little vision she was face to face with the black figure. Well, at least as face to face as possible considering he was so much taller. "G...Ginji..." As she looked down she saw that her dagger had met its mark and he in turn had missed with the scissors. They clattered to the ground as the figure took a staggering step back before collapsing to the ground. As they fell back completely their form began to dissipate leaving the dagger behind.

Slowly Tsumi moved to retrieve it a painful feeling welling up in her chest. The dagger was a bright red now and as she touched it the door to the haunted house opened. That was likely the way out. Turning toward the house she began to walk only to turn around for a moment but the figure wasn't there.

"...Sorry.." She mumbled though she didn't feel like that would make anything better. But with that said she left to head back to the shrine.

Arriving at the shrine again Tsumi was a little surprised by the new goddess there to greet her. The others had been rather intimidating but this one...this was seemed very friendly and sociable.

Cookie? Tsumi looked to the offered cookies and took one with only a little hesitation, looking up at the Goddess' beaming expression as she did so. She didn't eat it, however, she only held onto it for the time being.

It was hard to piece together what the Goddess was saying about emotions and love but she figured she would go along with it. Love sounded like a positive emotion so how bad could it be really?

Following the Goddess as she beckoned her forward Tsumi headed toward the long table, staring at the two sets of jars sitting there. One was pink and the other was blue, the only two colors in this world of gray beyond the blue core alight in her chest. Hovering over the jars Tsumi wasn't sure which to choose since both gave off a different feel to them.

Finally she picked up the blue jar. It matched her core color after all so obviously it was the better choice. Looking at the little tag she saw the words 'Drink Me' written in bold lettering. This was no doubt what the goddess wanted so Tsumi lifted the jar and tilted it back to drink the contents. Instantly she felt a rush of concern and dissatisfaction. There was a pressing feeling like she had forgotten something like leaving the lights on or a door open. What was it?

As her agitation grew the table began to spin though only the top. A cloth began to unfold in front of her and as everything settled Tsumi could see the assortment of treats offered. She wasn't entirely sure she had liked the drink and the cupcake looked so pitiful and small and the chocolate looked rather...malicious. Finally she just grabbed for the candies and popped a few into her mouth with a sudden guilty sensation to quickly follow. Maybe it was from eating the candy? They weren't her's after all and she had failed to ask if she could have one. They made her thirsty though leaving her mouth feeling like cotton. If only there was something to drink.

Drinks arrived shortly after that thought in the form of tea. There were a variety of cups to choose from but Tsumi quickly settled on the red one. As she lifted it to her lips to take a sip a new feeling washed over her. Panic made her heart begin to race but when she looked around there was no immediate threat. Her body began to tremble as her vision blacked out and a memory flooded her mind, a memory she could have sworn was once her own....