A/N: Check the end of the Chapter for Notes.

The light flickered on, for the second time this evening, with the opening of a door following soon after. The two had been gone a while, but none of you had mind to be worried. It was cognized that you were all staying in somewhat of a manor with winding paths in every direction. Regardless of their presence, the movie just kept going on, and soon all were enveloped back in.

Thus so, their return sent you into a panicked huddle.

Misaki looked like a Monster in the doorway. And her partner looked alot like Viktor.

" What? " Sayuri went ghost white. Why was everyone looking at her like she was a monster? Why? Why? Why? She turned her head to the silent girl beside her, and revelled in the fact that she too couldn't tell her why. Everything was turning to a nightmare tonight. She didn't want this anymore..

" Why are you all looking at me like that?.."

" You.. Yo-You just scared us. What took so long? "

It was very apparent that something was holding Misaki back – knowing her, if she wasn't physically barred from speaking, she would speak. But there she stood, lips compressed permanently into a parched, lipless line. In addition to looking braindead, she was still leaning on Sayuri like her leg was broken. The remaining three also slowly noticed that along Mii's face and neck, only her left side, was red and inflamed. Perspiration dripped idly down from the hair-stuck forehead, onto the brows, between the eyelashes, and down the chin. Brows of which were furrowed in a changless look of detest. The more you saw of her, the more you realized she really did look like a monster.

" O-Oh.. I'll explain in a second. Misaki.. Needs to lay down. "

The duo limped carefully over to her small, peach pink twin bed. There was an intent watching of Sayuri peeling back the covers, and tucking the other girl in. Though she accepted and relaxed unreservedly into the bed, the traumatized look was burned into your minds despite her facing the wall.

" [Name] " She said, not even making move to look at you. Again, you jumped. Chee looked at you, but Tairu remained staring at the circus unfolding in front.

" W-Yeah, Say? "

" I really need to talk to you. I'm-, " She played with the bottom pleating of her skirt. Not shyly; anxiously. She bent to the dresser beside the bed and stuffed something in each cardigan pocket, then walked to the door. " I'll need you to follow. "

She knew what she needed to do. Though she could only take few precautions before doing so, she would not let any harm come to you when it came down to it.

-

It was incredibly silent. This slumber party may just be the reason you'll never get any slumber again period. The dark kept everything to imagination. Sayuri spoke up, tentatively.

" I wish you could have my room. And I lived somewhere else, like with my Aunts. "

" Why's that? " You figured it was an odd subject. From the sight of the perfectly clean room, It didn't look like she hated it.

You couldn't even see her well in the dark. If she took a sharp turn, you would most likely lose her.

" The reason I don't eat dinner with my family is because they're much different than me.

I used to think people would hate me because of it.. "

" ..They don't, " She added casually. Oh. These were stairs..? Atleast there were candles lit on the way down.

" But it's been hard convincing myself that they have nothing in common with me. Because they do. "

She stopped midway down the steps and sighed. Things now dropped to a whisper.

" I have a question. Do you know Souichi? "

Well, you nodded in the dark. But what did Souichi have to do with people not liking her family?

" You're related to him? "

She went very quiet.

" Souichi is my brother. "

You felt your stomach sink into your ass. If theres anything scarier than being left outside at night, accidentally eating glass, almost getting hit while crossing the street.. It'd be whatever this was.

" He's here? "

She answered honestly. " Yes. "

" Where are we going? To him? To your mom? " It was hard to continue the whisper, but you managed. You felt her hand feel for yours, and something cold be placed in the heart of your palm. It didn't tick, so it wasn't a watch.

" Please remember. The south-er you go, the more you're likely to be in the wrong parts. These stairs, going up, are north-most in the house. "

You nodded again slowly, then realized she probably couldn't see you. Assuming the "wrong parts" are just run down parts, or something, why don't they get rid of it? Or is that Souichi's terrain? They give him a roaming area like an animal?

" Okay.." You mumbled, dropping the ?compass? into a pocket. Whatever you did to get yourself in such deep shit, you're going to search and destroy it as soon as you get home. Maybe even start praying to God. The anticipation was enough to make you want to cry, run and eat your weight in food. But you don't know the way out, especially not in the dark.

You could run and have no Sayuri and no direction, or you could follow and brace for impact. Besides that, you're not the best runner on impossibly long-wide flights of stairs.

" Souichi asked me to bring you to him.. "

It remained silent.

" My brother would pulp him. " She reassured you, " So I know he doesn't plan on pulling anything. I'll be right outside the door, anyways; Just call out. You wont be there for more than a few hours, he said.. "

Few hours?! You've never even been around him alone for more than a few minutes. God this sounds awful.

" What do you think he wants? "

The soft patter of feet could be heard, so that meant Sayuri was resuming her walk down the steps.

" I think he thinks you know something. Something with popularity, If I had to guess. I wouldn't know, I talk to him twice a week. "

" Really? and you live together? "

" Yes. " Despite feeling impossible, it got colder the more you walked on the steps. " He's been this way since he was young. Maybe he's trying to learn how you manage to get friends? Socialize? "

" If he wanted to know that, he would've asked you, not me. " Twas the truth. Sayuri was pretty, popular, and she didn't loom behind people like he did. Obviously. " Who knew a day in November could be so eventful.."

It felt like she ignored the remark, but really she too was fumbling with the dark. " We should get to his door any second. "

When you did arrive, the door swung open before she could knock or touch the handle.

" HelloHelloHelloo. " The voice cooed.

" Hii. " You replied. The room was almost as dark as the stairway, but you shuffled in, looking for Sayuri to follow. She did not. The door swung closed abruptly and you turned to see.. also noone.

You put on your best fake smile for the complete darkness and spun back around slowly. Through gritted teeth, you sputtered out something to quicken things up.

" 'Ichiii. What's Up? "

A match was in front of your face in an instant, and you focused your eyes on it.

" Huhuhu. You put effort into captivating my senses, but are shy when we speak. "

You furrowed your eyebrows at whatever he was saying.

" Oh-Haha.. Yeah. "

The match moved away, but his face got closer, much closer to yours. You could feel the heat of his nose next to you, sniffing in. Not greedily, but enough to feel inspected.

A divine scent, he thought.

" H-Heyyyy Souichi, Could You turn the light On maybe? "

He slowly walked away. One dim light did turn on. It was one in the centre of the room, it required the pulling of a cord. Souichi was turned away from you though, fiddling nervously with his hair and clothes.

" My hair is a mess. " he confessed. " I didn't.. " He didn't except you to want the light on? Really, what is the deal with this dude?

" Oh, I don't think it is! " You lied, forcing all the poise and niceness you could. You dropped the smile since he couldn't see, it was beginning to hurt. You resumed a small smile.

" Reaally? " he mirrored excitedly. " I do permeate charm, after all. Huhuhu~ " Your hair seems to be in a permanent state of beauty. He stayed in place, gazing at you from afar.

You looked around the basement and marveled at all the witch stuff and voodoo dolls, clothes strewn about and random items he kept in the basement.

" I like.... Your.. Dolls. "

Oh... He honestly didn't think he'd get this far.

He nodded, hoping you'd see the pretend confidence as real confidence. You didn't.

" Can I sit somewhere while you ask whatever you wanted to ask? "

He slowly pointed to the couch in the side of the room and you sat down. This was going alot better than before. Why was he so unbearable during school?

" What will you do in Highschool? "

He appeared, impossibly close to you.

" I-I'm picking classes in [Favorite subject].."

He began playing with your hair idly, sniffing it, rubbing it between his fingers, then dropping it as if in deep observation.

" What a waste.. " Cue his smile slowly starting from the left side of his mouth, until he couldn't hold his cheekly little laugh in any longer.

" Wuh? Waste in what? "

He ignored you and continued the silence, now playing with you clothes and momentarily pinching parts of your skin. Not hard at first; places where skin was loose.. your wrist, cheek, upper arm. You unintentionally flinched away when he pinched your ear.

" Oh. ow. " You lamented.

" Do you think you'll ever marry? Have tons of babies? Running around, fat and trying to keep them all from trouble? "

" ....No? "

He seemed not to like the answer. What would this fool know about kids..

" Why not? " he urged, as if someone ripped his favorite toy out of his hands.

" I dunno. "

He sat silently and then leaned his head on yours. This was not peaceful though, as he seemed to let out a fit of giggling periodically. You were all too scared to make any moves at all.

" Kekeke...Tonight is a success for me.. Yes, success sucesssss.. " His hair, with a permanently wet appearance, draped against your face. Instinctually, you shut your eyes as to not get some in them as he was so close.

Souichi rarely knew what he wanted from such lousy girls. The attention of a particularly pretty one, however, is something he shivered in delight for. He stared deliberately at you and could not make out a major flaw besides your rotten attitude and equally rotten friend. He's incredibly happy she's unavailable right now.

" You're vulnerable right now. All for me? I'm really the only one who deserves it. huhuhu~ "

" Uh. Oh. " You could not lie, this was all alot. A boy, even if it was just Souichi, was incredibly close to you. Rubbing your face and hands with his thumb - Staring at you with an unreadable expression until he breaks for a laugh or grooms himself obsessively like a fly. There came a moment when he reached his tongue out and it connected with the right side of your cheek, making you shiver and hold in a scream. He is.. creepy.

Trying to cover up your distaste and moving away, you exclaimed, " Oh-Hey-I-Just-Remembered, why didn't you go to the party? "

" The girls would be all over me. " He said, truly confident this time, " And I can't have that, really. Contrary to the popular opinion, I'm loyal to whomever deserves it. "

You stifled a laugh. The girls would be all over him. People whispered about him because he muttered a storm during class, just like he was muttering right now.

" Okay, that sounds cool. "

" [Name], you are a very valuable asset to my life. Has anyone made you aware? "

"..No? "

" Your intellect almost mirrors mine. And you're not a selfish creature like all the other females I circle. " He wasted no time. He was delighted with your behavior! Like a well trained dog almost.

" At first I was sure I should kill you. He He He~ but it was really just that mammoth. "

So much for teaching him how to socialize. That was your best friend he was speaking of. You got uncomfortable again..

" I know you want to get away from it, I tired her up and made it impossible for her to speak! It's my best work. "

" How did you do that? "

".. You take a doll, and do whatever you want with it. However, you must wait until its 1-3 in the morning so it really works. "

" Could you take the tape off, and instead make her grow a mustache? That'd put her in alot more panic.."

" So it is true, you too despise that beast!

I could burn her right up, " he proposed frantically, grabbing your hands, " Never again would you have to see her.."

" Oh, no.. The hair would do. " You said carefully. Holy shit he wanted to set her on fire.. He scoffed as if you were holding something back, or being shy and overly kind.

" [Name], I think the difference between us is that I'm simply not afraid of the length of my power. " He picked up the doll that signified one of your classmates, Kuroda his name was, and hammered it to a piece of wood. He then picked up the 2x4 and lay it back down doll-first. Putting his feet against each side, he did so with the intention that the poor doll would be squashed for a second. Eventually he levitated the pressure.

" Kukuku... Excellent. "

He slinkied back over, nails that you did not see prior to this rolling around in his mouth.

" Is there anything else you wanted to ask? " A yawn came soon after and it was apparent you were tired. He stared pensively.

"...You want to sleep here? "

You paused. " No thank you. "

He frowned in despair. Its like the color was washed from his face.

" I'm sleeping in Sayuri's room, It's much warmer. Feel free to visit, though.. "

He perked up at this notion. Oh, that made sense.. It was cold regardless to him, the basement was probably freezing in the November wind. Especially for someone with enough blood. Oh, sweet tasty blood.

" Go then. " He did NOT have to tell you twice. You stood up in the middle of him telling you once, and greeted the beautiful, refreshing open door.

The voice was just below his normal speaking voice, but against the silence of the empty stairway it seemed just loud enough.

" Oh, but I'm always watching... Ehe..."

-

In the limited light of the stairway, you made it back up. The trip was much shorter when it was just you speed-walking, plus there was only one way to go. Unless you got spun around somehow, you're aware that you're going north; Up.

The rest of the house is incredibly unfamiliar, and you accidentally walked into a room with a very old man sleeping in it before you reached Sayuri's dwelling.

It was your turn to feel like a beast emerging a cave. They all stared with wide eyes, silent, not a scream in earshot.

" Hullo. " You said, unsure of what you should be doing...

" What did he do to you?! " Sayuri looked like she was about to burst into a fit of tears. Oh brother.

" Nothin' " You half-lied. " He didn't do anything to me. Misaki should be fine, now. "

You held out the compass in a closed hand towards Sayuri, but she pushed it back towards you. Shrugging, you plopped the compass right back into your pocket.

" Are you sure you're fine, [Name]? I could get Kouichi t- "

" If you got your brother on him for something like that, Souichi wouldn't know semi-alright from deathly wrong. Keep this energy for a time where we need it. " Knowing souichi, he probably really doesn't. It was not a terrible big deal for you. Yes; this whole ordeal made you queasy, and you think when you get home you'll have all the dinner and lunch you'll have in the future up for display, but it wasn't something he needed to be beat to close to death for. You emerged feeling very.. different about souichi. You hate him deeply, infinitely, but you're curious. What is he? How is he the crooked heir of a perfectly normal family? And why does he like you so much? There's definitely prettier girls in the class, like Anja or or the transfer student, Caliope. You're saving his next beating for Big M either way, she deserves to beat him close to death for whatever he did to ..scald her? Anything he did should be coming back around soon.

It was about 1:00 when you all thought to get ready for bed, but a good portion of you lay sleepless where you were. And that familiar crawling in the attic and walls was very occupied this night.

-

A/N: More.

1. Misaki and Sayuri get back to the room (obviously disheveled) and everyone else (you, tairu and chee) look at them like they're crazy. Obviously.

2. Sayuri freaks out for a second then puts Misaki on her bed.

3. Sayuri gives you a compass and makes you follow her to Souichi's room to uphold her half of her deal.

4. She reassures you then the door opens, And you walk into the dark room

5. Souichi bothers you and once you ask about Misaki he confesses he did magix on her, and that he'd kill her if you wanted (He is under the presumption that you secretly hate Misaki, and alludes to believing that she is an Ape.)

6. You offer that she grows unwanted hair instead so he wont harm her anymore (physically atleast).

7. He joshes you for a while longer, then lets you free from his liar/Basement room.

8. You got lost but made it back to Sayuri's room and everyones staring at you. Sayuri asks what happened etc

9. You deny help and everyone (You, sayuri, misaki, chee and tairu) finally 'sleep' but you can hear Souichi scaling the walls the whole night.