X/1999 Fan Fiction ❯ Haunted ❯ Haunted ( One-Shot )

Disclaimer: X, et.al. are © CLAMP, et.al. Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara, et.al. are © Suzuki Kouji, Nakata Hideo, et.al. Story is written by Silver Wind. The song Secret Game is composed by Kajiura Yuki for the anime series Noir.

Warnings: Sei+Su (implied), Fu+K (implied), spoilers for Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara, timeline screwing for Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara. And no, Seishirou OR Fuuma don't appear here. This story is strictly about Subaru, Kamui and two ghosts. XP Well, okay, Keiichi appears for a little bit. XP

Summary: Sumeragi Subaru is asked to exorcise a supposedly haunted apartment building. But what do he and Kamui find there?

Archive: my site and CLAMP Fic Archive only, thank you very much. ^^

Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara, or officially titled Dark Water in English, is a brilliant drama-horror movie, based on the novel by Suzuki Kouji (Ring, Rasen, Loop) and directed by Nakata Hideo (Ring, Ring 2). Basically, it's about a single mother and her daughter who moved into a nearly abandoned apartment building. There, they were disturbed by many strange and frightening phenomenon. The ending is kinda surprising, so if you haven't watched the movie, and don't want to know it... well, please don't read this fanfic then. ^_^;;;; And no, it's not like The Others. -_-;;; Trust me. XDD

an X/Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara crossover fanfiction:
HAUNTED
by Silver Wind
mail - site

come to me
we never be apart
the sun you see is me
no more pain
no memories remain
now you can play with me
- Secret Game (Noir OST 2) -

"What? A haunted apartment?"

Segawa Keiichi grinned, "I know you don't trust me, Shirou-kun, but I'm just telling you what other people said. The apartment building now is abandoned because no one could stand to live there!"

The two boys were sitting together under one of the huge trees that were scattered all over CLAMP Gakuen. And the class president obviously felt that a horror story was a good way to spice up their lunchtime.

Kamui frowned doubtfully, "Are you sure that building isn't just used by criminals or junkies as their hideout or something?"

"I don't know, honestly," Keiichi shrugged, "But then again, I heard that the people in that neighborhood has requested an onmyouji to look around the building. And if there is indeed a ghost, they beg the onmyouji to exorcise it."

"An onmyouji?" the shorter boy raised an eyebrow.

***

Kamui entered the kitchen in the mansion and found Subaru, reading a book with a mug of tea in front of him.

"Subaru!"

The onmyouji looked up and smiled, "Welcome back, Kamui."

"Hey," he smiled too, "What are you reading?"

"Oh, just one of my onmyoujutsu books," Subaru lifted the book up, "I found this lying around in the clan's library."

"'A Mystic Person From Java'?" Kamui read the title aloud, confusion forming on his face, "Java as in Indonesia's Java?"

"Ah, so you know," he laughed softly, "Yes, the one. This book is about a famous shaman from the island."

"Heh," The boy nodded thoughtfully, and then he snapped his fingers, "Hey, are you the onmyouji that Segawa-kun was talking about this afternoon?"

Reflecting that he could never read the book further for the day, Subaru slipped a bookmark in the book and closed it, "Segawa-kun? What do you mean?"

"Segawa-kun told me there's this haunted apartment building, and an onmyouji has been requested to exorcise whatever spirit lives in it. You're the onmyouji, aren't you?"

"My, how fast the rumors has traveled," he replied dryly, "Yes, I'm the onmyouji. The clan asked me since I'm in Tokyo and all that. I'm going to the building sometime this night. Want to join me?"

"Hmm," Kamui put a hand under his chin in mock-seriousness, "I have a homework, though. An essay in history... exorcism... an essay in history... exorcism...," he shook his head sadly, "Wah. It's so difficult to make a choice."

Subaru grinned, "Well, I wouldn't want to deprive you of your historical curiosity, of course," he put a hand on Kamui's shoulder solemnly, "I suggest you do your history essay, then."

"Yeah, right," he muttered, smiling innocently, "What time do I have to be ready?"

***

"Tell me again why we have to be in this supposedly haunted building at 2 a.m. in the morning?"

Subaru gave the boy a bland look, "Because if I do it in daytime, lots of people would gather here to watch."

"Ah. Yes, lots of people. Companions. More human beings. Not just two insane Dragons of Heaven who could be attacked by an angry ghost."

"Hey, you chose to come instead of working on your history essay, remember?" the onmyouji replied calmly.

Kamui muttered something rude under his breath. He looked at the abandoned building doubtfully. Although Subaru had assured him that no one lived there now, faintly he could hear the sound of water dripping from inside. Well, water dripping was fine. It was normal. He heard it often.

But not at 2 a.m. in front of a building that was rumored to be haunted and had to be exorcised by Subaru.

Damn.

No, water dripping definitely was NOT fine.

Kamui looked around him suspiciously, "Well, I AM the Kamui," he mumbled to himself, "No ghosts can defeat my super psychic power, right?"

Silence.

He ran a hand through his tousled hair, "Right. Now if only I can convince myself about it."

Silence again.

"I KNEW I should've stayed home and done my homework. But noooooo... of course I had to prove that there's a ghost here."

Subaru's lips twitched and Kamui shot a glare at him. Of course, it amused the older man even more.

"Kamui, this is just a routine job," he grinned, "It'd be an educating experience for you. Besides, you can frighten Segawa-kun with your story later, right?"

"Hah."

The onmyouji tugged Kamui's hand and they both entered the building. Kamui raised an eyebrow as he stared at his surrounding. Yes, as he just suspected, the inside was even gloomier than the outside. Wonderful.

Momentarily ignoring Kamui, Subaru looked around him and he involuntarily shivered.

Kamui noticed it and he touched Subaru's shoulder, "Subaru? Are you okay?"

He turned and half-smiled at the boy, "Aa. But can you feel it, Kamui?"

Kamui tilted his head to the side and frowned thoughtfully, "Something... is pressuring me. And it feels awfully cold and damp here. Don't you think so?" he shivered too.

"Yes," Subaru replied grimly, "There's a restless spirit here. But that spirit is accompanied by another one. Calmer, more gentle."

Unconsciously, Kamui moved closer to Subaru, who was, after all, one of the best onmyouji on the face of this Earth.

"Can you pinpoint where they are?" he gave the shadows a suspicious glare

***

"Oh, this is just getting better and better," Kamui muttered as he stared at the darkened apartment in disbelief.

Subaru had lead Kamui to an apartment in the upper levels, saying that the energy was the strongest there. Kamui pushed the door open carefully, creating a creaking sound which seemed very loud in the silence around them.

The onmyouji touched a finger on the dusty table, trying to feel the remaining aura in the room.

"Subaruuuuuu..."

He turned to find Kamui staring wide-eyed over his shoulder. Slowly he looked back and saw a small figure lurking in the shadows.

"Oh shit," Kamui nearly hyperventilated as he realized that there was indeed a ghost in the building.

As the figure moved closer to them, both Subaru and Kamui gaped when they saw its appearance. It was a little girl, wearing a yellow hooded raincoat and a red bag. Her long hair was covering her face, but the most shocking aspect was her skin. Her skin was wrinkled, green and on some places, it had melted, showing the flesh.

"Oh shit oh shit oh shit," the boy whispered softly beside Subaru.

The onmyouji stared at the ghost, feeling sympathy towards her. But all the ghost knew was the two men were a threat for her. Water pooled around her, moving towards the two Seals. Subaru pulled the boy behind him at the moment the ghost released a psychic blast towards them. In reflex, Subaru threw several ofuda swiftly, creating a kekkai around him. And although he was surprised, Kamui simply raised a hand, his psychic energy forming a shield to protect himself.

Behind the kekkai, Subaru slowly knelt, "Please relax. We mean you no harm. Please believe us."

The child spirit calmed down a bit, but even Kamui could feel her distrust towards them.

"Can you talk?" Subaru gently asked.

"What do you want?"

The new voice surprised them. Kamui whipped around, energy forming in his opened hand and ready to attack. They found a woman standing across the child. She was beautiful, with gentle eyes and smile.

"The other spirit," the onmyouji whispered.

The woman spirit glared at them, but Subaru didn't feel any malice or distrust. Instead, he felt fear from her. Subaru put his hands together and started to chant. He threw ofuda to both spirits. The spell papers created glowing pentagrams of light which trapped the two ghosts.

"Subaru!" Kamui whispered in a horrified tone.

He put a hand on the boy's shoulder, "No, don't worry, Kamui. I merely gave them back their appearances before they became spirits."

The light died, leaving a little girl with smooth and unblemished skin in its path. However, the woman's appearance remained the same.

Subaru smiled faintly, "Little girl, you're not afraid of me anymore, right? Would you talk to me now?"

"I want my mama," a soft voice from her replied.

"What's your name?" he gently asked.

She pulled back the hood of her raincoat, revealing wide innocent eyes and a frightened expression, "Mitsuko. Kawai Mitsuko. Oniisan, where's my mama?"

Kamui glanced at the beautiful woman but she slowly shook her head, still eyeing at both of them in a mixture of fear and distrust.

Subaru frowned as he tried to find an answer for her, "I'm sorry, Mitsuko-chan. But I don't know where your mama is. What are you doing here?"

"I'm alone. I don't want to be alone. Mitsuko is scared!" the words ended in a high-pitched shriek.

At that, a force blasted both Subaru's kekkai and Kamui's shield. Kamui reflected that if it had been other people, maybe they'd be dead by the force of Mitsuko's fear and anger.

"Please stop. You're scaring her," the woman finally said, stopping to stand beside Mitsuko.

"Who are you?" Subaru asked softly.

She bowed down, "My name is Matsubara Yoshimi, onmyouji."

Subaru raised an eyebrow and inclined his head slightly in respect.

"Are you Mitsuko-chan's mother, Matsubara-san?" he looked alternately between the two ghosts, but found no similarities.

Her lips twitched and the ghost actually smiled, "No, I'm not."

"Then why are you here with her?" Kamui asked curiously.

The woman closed her eyes briefly and her face twisted in pain, "My daughter and I moved to this building years ago. As Mitsuko was very lonely, she tried to take my daughter away so I would stay here with her."

Kamui let out a startled gasp.

"Obviously," she contined in a resigned tone, "I preferred to save my daughter. I chose to stay and accompany Mitsuko here."

"Your daughter?" Subaru inquired again.

"Lives with her father," Yoshimi smiled bitterly, "She came here once and I had the chance to talk to her. But I left when she said she wanted to stay with me again."

"She didn't know you've become a spirit," he concluded.

She laughed sadly, "I think she still doesn't know, onmyouji."

Silence fell upon all of them for a few moments. Subaru noticed that Yoshimi had put her hand on Mitsuko's shoulder and that seemed to calm the child.

"So what now?" Subaru broke the silence first, "You do know that you don't belong here anymore, don't you? Do Mitsuko-chan and you want to move on? I could help you to do that."

Mitsuko raised her head and she looked at Subaru fearfully, "Oniisan wants to throw Mitsuko out? Just like papa threw mama out?"

Subaru and Kamui exchanged looks. Yes, this was definitely just getting better and better.

"Mitsuko-chan, do you want to tell me why you were alone?" finally Subaru asked.

The girl pursed her lips, hands tugging her raincoat nervously, "Mama was always busy. She didn't like Mitsuko. One day, she just... left. Mama never came back. Papa became sad. But Papa yelled at Mama before and maybe Papa told Mama not to come back. After that, Papa was always at the office. Nobody ever picked Mitsuko up from school!" tears fell from her eyes.

Yoshimi kneeled down and put an arm around the crying girl. She glared at Subaru, but the onmyouji calmly stared back. And then she bowed down her head and said nothing.

"It was raining," Mitsuko continued softly, voice shaking with tears, "Mitsuko came home, alone. The water tank upstairs wasn't closed. Mitsuko climbed to look. And then Mitsuko's red bag... Mama bought that bag for Mitsuko, Mitsuko's red bag fell into the tank. Mitsuko tried to get it... dark!"

"And then you were here," Subaru finished a little sadly.

Kamui clenched his fists tightly, "People should've had a license exam to become parents!"

Subaru silenced him with a look.

"Mitsuko-chan," Subaru began slowly, "Are you happy here? Do you not want to go somewhere nicer?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, fear creeping back into her voice.

"You don't belong here anymore, Mitsuko-chan. You're making a lot of people angry, sad and scared if you stay here," the onmyouji said as gently as he could.

"But...!"

"Mitsuko-chan, I know that you're lonely. I know that you're angry. I understand your feelings completely. I was lonely too. I was angry and sad too. Because just like you, the One that I love the most abandoned me. And I was angry at everyone. I didn't think it was fair for me to be sad while everyone else was happy."

The girl stared wide-eyed at him, "Oniisan also feel that way?"

"Yes. Yes, I did," he looked at the inverted pentagram on his hands, invisible to ordinary human's eyes, "But not anymore. You see, Mitsuko-chan, when my Special Person left me years ago, I almost died inside. But then I realized that I'd never get him back if I'm not alive. So I live."

"But oniisan said that Mitsuko doesn't belong here anymore! How would Mitsuko get Mama back?"

"Mitsuko-chan, you can't," Subaru said patiently, "But even so, you're not making it easy for the people who lived here. You made it difficult for Matsubara-san and her daughter, right?"

The girl bowed her head down, "Mitsuko was jealous when Mitsuko saw her and her little girl. Mitsuko wished that Mitsuko had a mama like her."

"But you made her daughter thinks that her mama doesn't care about her anymore," Kamui interjected softly.

Mitsuko turned her wide eyes at the boy, "Really?"

Kamui knelt down to her level and smiled sadly, "Yes. You took her away from her daughter, didn't you? Mitsuko-chan, my Special People have abandoned me too, you know. There were this girl and boy that I care about so much..."

"And then what happened?" she asked curiously.

"He killed her in front of me," he closed his eyes briefly, ignoring the familiar pain in his heart.

"But that's horrible!" Mitsuko exclaimed heatedly.

"Yeah, it is," he smiled painfully, "But when you go to the other side, maybe you can see her. She was a very kind and lovely girl. You would like her."

"Oniisan, do you hate him now?" she asked again.

Kamui seemed surprised, and then he smiled, "No. No, I don't hate him. I can't hate him. Just like Subaru, I intend to bring him back no matter what."

"But Mitsuko can't do that anymore, right?" she asked sadly.

"Right," Kamui held out a hand to her, "But if you want, we would give a message for your Mama from you. Do you want that?"

"Oniisan-tachi can find Mitsuko's mama?" she reached out and put her hand in Kamui's.

"Oh, trust us. We could and we would," a hard light glinted in Subaru's single eye. He couldn't wait to see the cruel woman who had abandoned Mitsuko.

Mitsuko squeezed Kamui's hand tightly, "Oniisan, tell Mitsuko's mama that Mitsuko loves her. Mitsuko doesn't understand why Mama hates Mitsuko, but Mitsuko doesn't hate Mama. Mitsuko just doesn't want to be alone anymore."

Kamui nodded and he pulled Mitsuko into his arms. He hugged the crying girl and wished he had known her much earlier.

Yoshimi knelt beside them and softly caressed Mitsuko's hair, "Do you want to go now, Mitsuko?"

She looked up and grinned through her tears, "Yes. Oniisan-tachi, thank you. Mitsuko hopes oniisan-tachi would get your Special People back."

Matsubara Yoshimi put an arm around the child and laughed, "Thank you, onmyouji. If I may request something to you?"

"What is it, Matsubara-san?" Subaru asked the woman. He admired her strength and kindness towards Mitsuko, so he would try to do what she requested of him.

"Please find my daughter, Ikuko," she said wistfully, "And tell her how much I love her. She has been a wonderful child, and tell her to be strong in this life. And when she has children of her own, tell her to love them. Tell her never to abandon them," she finished in tears.

Subaru smiled and bowed, "I will, Matsubara-san. I will. And I'm sure that Ikuko-san would understand and do every word that you said."

"Thank you. To you too, young man," she reached out to touch Kamui's cheek, "I also hope you will get him back. And I'd be sure to look for your other Special Person there," she winked mischievously.

"Kotori. Her name is Kotori," Kamui bowed down respectfully, "Farewell, Matsubara-san. Farewell, Mitsuko-chan."

Subaru started to chant again and bright light engulfed both spirits. Yoshimi clasped Mitsuko's small hand in hers and the two of them smiled, the first happy smiles in years.

"Farewell, onmyouji. Farewell, young man," Yoshimi's voice faintly said

Mitsuko yelled over Subaru's chant, "Bye-bye, oniisan-tachi!"

***

Kamui and Subaru looked at one another as they exited the building. The dawn had arrived and the building was bathed by its light.

"Well, that's certainly more entertaining than history essay!" Kamui said cheerfully.

Subaru laughed, "Good to hear that."

He yawned, "I just hoped that I'd get a chance to sleep in class later," he nods seriously.

The onmyouji shook his head and put a hand under his chin in deep thoughts, "I wonder if Takamura-san would help me looking for both Matsubara Ikuko and Mitsuko-chan's mother..."

"Oh, don't worry about it. He would," the boy said confidently, "Just ask Imonoyama-rijichou and tell him that this is a matter of ladies in distress. He would do everything in his power to help you," he gave Subaru a serious nod again.

"Great idea."

***

Subaru knocked on the door firmly. He was standing in front of an elegant-looking house. But he couldn't help noticing the rigid and cold atmosphere and wondered if Mitsuko's mother was just like her house.

The door opened and a beautiful woman appeared to greet Subaru. The onmyouji raised an eyebrow and reflected that yes, Mitsuko's mother was exactly just like her house was.

"Yes? How can I help you?" she asked coolly.

"Kawai Akemi-san?" Subaru asked in a tone that matched hers.

Her posture went stiff, "Not anymore. It's Takahashi Akemi now. Who are you?"

Subaru looked her up and down and a hard light again glinted in his eye, "Very well then. I will be brief. I come bearing a message that you'd probably like to hear. It's from Kawai Mitsuko-chan."

She sneered, "I'm sorry, but I have nothing to do with that girl now. Thank you and please leave."

She started to close the door but Subaru calmly put a hand on the door and pushed it open.

"Perhaps you don't know who I am, Takahashi-san," he said coldly, "But I am Sumeragi Subaru, the 13th head of the Sumeragi clan. I'm an onmyouji, and Mitsuko-chan's spirit asked me to give you a message from her."

The woman paled, "Spirit, you said? What do you mean?"

"Oh, you don't know? I'm not surprised. Yes, Mitsuko-chan is dead, Takahashi-san. I had to calm and exorcise her ghost from an apartment building a few days ago. The very same apartment building that you used to live in with her."

She didn't answer, but she had to grab the door for support as her legs trembled.

Subaru ignored it and kept going, "She said, I quote, 'Oniisan, tell Mitsuko's mama that Mitsuko loves her. Mitsuko doesn't understand why Mama hates Mitsuko, but Mitsuko doesn't hate Mama. Mitsuko just doesn't want to be alone anymore.'," Subaru looked at the woman in barely contained contempt, "Such a kind child, she was. I'm sure you're happy now, Takahashi-san, because right now you indeed don't have anything to do with her anymore."

Her face was parchment-white, and her eyes were unfocused.

"Well," Subaru bowed mockingly, "I have fulfilled my promise to Mitsuko-chan. I wish you a good life, Takahashi-san," he smiled coldly, "You're going to need that."

Subaru turned around, leaving the shocked woman still holding on to her door.

***

The onmyouji looked at a picture in his hand again. As predicted on by Kamui, Imonoyama-rijichou really did magic and produced complete informations of Matsubara Yoshimi's daughter, Ikuko.

"Hey, look. They're leaving," Kamui pointed at the building.

The girl was a junior at a public but respectable junior high school. Subaru and Kamui were waiting for her to give Yoshimi's last message to her. The students burst out from the school gates, seemingly full of energy. Some of the female (and male) students spotted Subaru and Kamui and started to whisper excitedly to one another. The onmyouji seemed oblivious of it, but Kamui had to stop himself from blushing because of the giggles and squeals. He focused his attention into looking for Ikuko instead.

Kamui nudged Subaru, "Look. That's her, right?"

A cute girl walked towards them, her ponytail swinging side to side as she bounced animatedly. She was surrounded by her friends who chatted and laughed cheerfully about this and that.

"Looks like she still has a good life," the boy smiled and Subaru nodded in agreement.

Subaru put the picture in his coat pocket and approached the girls.

"Excuse me," he called out politely, "Matsubara Ikuko-san? May I have a word with you?"

The girls gave Subaru and Kamui curious looks. Kamui desperately hoped that they didn't think him and Subaru as perverts or something like that.

"No one really called me Matsubara Ikuko anymore...," Ikuko looked at Subaru in surprise, "Ah... sure. We could talk here, right?"

Subaru realized her slight distrust and smiled, "Of course. I just came to give you a message from someone you love."

They both, followed by Kamui, separated themselves from the crowd. Ikuko gave Subaru a questioning look, ready to bolt if she was in danger.

"I am Sumeragi Subaru," he smiled disarmingly, "I'm an onmyouji. Recently, I was requested to exorcise the apartment building you used to live in. Do you remember it?"

"Oh, of course," she nodded, "My mama and I lived there years ago."

"Yes. Well, I met your mother, Matsubara Yoshimi-san, and she asked me to bear a message for you, Ikuko-san."

"Wait! You mean that Mama is still in that building?" she frowned.

"Not anymore now. She has gone to her proper place," he answered calmly.

"What do you mean?"

Subaru ignored her question, "Ikuko-san, I will give you the exact words she said to me. Matsubara-san said, I quote, 'Please find my daughter, Ikuko, and tell her how much I love her. She has been a wonderful child, and tell her to be strong in this life. And when she has children of her own, tell her to love them. Tell her never to abandon them.'"

Ikuko listened in silence, her eyebrows knitting together in deep thought.

"Ikuko-san, my duty is finished here," Subaru bowed down to her, "Please take care of yourself. I'm sure that Matsubara-san wants that of you. And please listen to her message. She meant it from the bottom of her heart."

Subaru started to walk away. Kamui inclined his head slightly at her and followed his friend.

"Wait!"

The two Seals turned around.

"Sumeragi-san," Ikuko bit her lower lip, tears forming in her eyes, "My mama is dead, isn't she?"

Subaru only smiled, "Please take care of yourself, Ikuko-san. Farewell."

Ikuko followed their departure with her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks and her friends crowding around her, demanding to know why she was crying.

***

"Ne, Shirou-kun!" the class president stopped his frantic running beside Kamui, trying to regain his breath, "I just heard a rumor about the apartment building again!"

"That building isn't haunted anymore, right?" Kamui smiled victoriously.

Keiichi gave his friend a suspicious look, "Shirou-kun, do you know something that I don't know?"

Kamui laughed and ran away. Keiichi followed, demanding to be told what had happened.

FIN

Notes:
this fanfic was inspired by the rumors about a haunted house at Pondok Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia. As this house has been all over the news, gossips and horror shows here, and I've been watching (and reviewing for a local magazine) Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara again, no wonder this fanfic came into existence. *sweatdrops*
The book that Subaru was reading really does exist. I forgot the exact title, but it was something close to it. I found it at a local bookstore, stared and just STARED. ^^;;;;
The background of Mitsuko's family is created by me. On the movie, it's just said that the mother abandoned her family, and that's it. Poor kid. -_-;;;
I ignored the timeline for Honogurai, because the main setting of the movie is on 1999. And Ikuko met her mom's ghost 10 years after that. Ah hell... screw the timeline. ^__^;;;;;

Feedbacks, pleaseeeee... ^^

Finished: September 28, 2002.