Smoke filled his eyes and lungs. He tried to look around, coughing and wheezing.

He felt something in his hands. Something cold, metallic, and wet.

"Freedom isn't given freely."

He didn't care about anyone here. Nobody but Lori.

"To truly be free, you must claw your way to the top. You must use everyone around you to claim that freedom."

Slash!

His eyes opened and he found himself alone, in a dark hotel room. The digital clock beside him said 3:00 AM.

Sitting up, he wiped his brow and sighed.

Triki had told him about a mysterious mansion, where people were disappearing at. He suspected it was the work of an Esper, and wanted to check it out before someone else could.

Unfortunately, it was nearly impossible for Graywater's master to leave the heart of the city, so Yamato had gracefully offered to go instead.

Really, he had his own plans but Triki didn't have to know that.

Yamato got up and changed. It may of been the night still, but he wished to leave as soon as possible. He only stopped to rest to gain some energy back, just in case.

He quickly left the hotel. The moon was barely out, but he could see perfectly fine without it to walk to the nearby bus stop.

Fortunately, the next stop was a mere thirty minute wait, being at 3:40. He knew this from the day before, when he checked the schedule. He would have been out earlier for the bus before if not for his...dream.

He hummed a soft tune, that akin to a music box. He clutched the music box in his bag, rubbing the wood with his thumb.

"What a lovely tune." An echoey voice said softly.

An old man smiled at Yamato. He offered himself a seat next to the younger man, his mustache wiggling due to the elder's shaky lips.

"Where are you going at this late hour?"

Yamato glanced around, then smiled.

"Just an old house."

"The old Sakura mansion? I wouldn't go there if I were you."

Yamato raised his eyebrows.

"How did you know?"

"That's the only old house around here, that I know of. Danger lurks there for a man such as yourself."

"I can take care of myself, thank you." He almost wanted to show this chap a taste of his power, but decided that would be excessive. He just slept to keep his energy high, not to use it all up on an old man.

"What dangers are there, anyways?" Maybe he knew something that would be helpful.

"A maiden in pink, she takes all who enter her domain and kill them for her own sick fantasy."

"Maiden in pink? Does she happen to be-"

The dusty road was disturbed by a loud bus. Yamato waved the dust away from his face, closing his eyes.

When he opened them again, he saw the bus wide open for him. The old man was nowhere to be found, probably on the bus already. He stood up and entered.

"Five coins please!" The driver said cheerfully.

Yamato placed his coins into the awaiting fee box, then ventured out the old man again.

First three rows, empty. Ok, maybe he liked the middle.

Not in the middle.

Perhaps he wanted the back seat?

It didn't appear so.

Yamato stood in bewilderment. If not on the bus, where did he go?

"Hey, sit down back there." The driver yelled back. "We've got to go!"

"Excuse me," he jogged back up. "Did anyone else come in before me?"

"Uh, no. You were the only person at the bench, I believe?"

"Yes," a woman in the front said, "you were alone."

"But an old man, he was there. I swear."

"Are you schizophrenic?" The driver asked, "do you need medicine?"

Yamato was taken aback. He glared at the driver and put his hand in his chest.

"No." Yamato said in annoyance, then turned and took a seat in an empty row. He didn't feel like talking to anyone anymore, not when he just lost someone who seemed to know something about that mansion.

The bus rumbled and began to move once more. Yamato stared out the window, chewing on his tongue.

Where had that old man gone to? He was just an elderly guy, he couldn't have gotten far. No, no, Yamato wasn't the crazy one. All the people on the bus must be the crazy ones or weren't looking. Because the old man was one hundred percent real.

Yamato tapped the window as the landscape outside rushed past. He wondered how big the mansion was. It was supposed to be burnt, but how burnt? Maybe he could buy it if he liked it enough. Who would be living there anyways? After he found the cause of the disappearances and got rid of it, perhaps he could live there. Part time, of course. He quite liked the area, and wouldn't mind having a season home there. But only a season home. Some specific groups were getting on his nerves. If they found him, it would be such an inconvenience. In a place like Graywater Plains, he would be less likely to be found, but it would be soooo annoying to kill someone and deal with the body. Maybe he should look into a furnace. Yes, a furnace would do wonders for clean up. He'd have to figure out how a furnace worked, but how hard could it be? He could easily figure that out. He was so smart, smarter than his poor little sister. She never did get a full education like he got to. She was the brawn to Kokuzan, and he was the brains. A private tutor would be nice. But she'd have to go out to the tutor, she liked to move too much for the tutor to find her...

"Stop 66G! Camellia Avenue! Stop 66G!"

It was his stop. He got up and, making sure he had everything, stepped off.

"Save travels!" The driver said, tipping his hat to Yamato as he exited the bus.

Yamato peered around at the dark avenue. He checked his phone for the address, and with it in hand, started walking.

It wasn't long until he found the taped-up entrance of the manor. He simply waved them away and continued on the dark way.

It seemed to get darker and darker the deeper he went. He wasn't scared or anything, but he did began to feel that something a little more complex than the shadows of the night were at play.

Suddenly, the darkness melted away and he was standing at the foot of a metal gate. Beyond the gate, was a fully in tact mansion, illuminated by the full moon.

He carefully opened the gate, half expecting it to crumble in his fingers. It didn't, to his satisfaction, but he did wonder why this manor was still in tact despite what Triki had told him.

Did that bastard lie to him? Was this some joke? What did he take him for?!

Yamato went to the flowers about the manor's edges, keeping his distance as to not trigger his allergy. They were all pink, all preserved, all identical, all perfect.

"Strange..." Yamato muttered. "It's not the season for these flowers..."

He backed up and looked at the actual manor itself. His eyes landed on one specific window. Where all the windows were obstructed by curtains, this one was not.

He blinked, and when his eyes opened again, new eyes were staring down at him. He gasped and blinked again.

Gone. The eyes, gone.

"That little..." Yamato growled and rushed to the door and opened it. He was expecting the illusion to disappear, for the inside to be the real destroyed mansion. He wanted Triki to call him and laugh in his face. He really, really, wanted someone else to pop out to tell him the truth that he got tricked.

Instead, what he got was a fully furnished, nicely, no, perfectly clean hall. There was nothing burnt, no ash or anything.

He quickly pulled out his phone only to find no service. His back up service was also interrupted, leaving his phone useless.

"This is so stupid...Triki!" He yelled into the manor.

Not even the howl of the wind responded.

Inhaling, he walked into the manor. His footsteps were loud against the wood floors. He felt a little bad walking on such perfect floors, so shiny he could see the reflection of his shoes. But he had to get to the bottom of this.

"Hello!" He yelled out after walking for as long as he could stand. "Is anyone here?!"

A door creaked from beside him. He jumped, swiftly turning to see a girl peeking out at him.

"What are you doing in here?" Despite looking stern, her top lip quivered.

"I apologize," Yamato said quickly, "I was just told to come here by a partner, you see."

"Oh?" The girl came out of the room, and Yamato got a better look at her. She wore nice clothes, neat make up, but most disturbing to him, her hair was pink.

'Maiden in pink...'

"Why did this partner tell you to come?" She asked. "Oh, never mind. I'm happy to share my perfection with someone like you."

"Perfection?"

"Yes. Look at my work," she gestured, to the floors, "I worked very hard to shine them. It took all day."

"You shined them yourself?" Yamato shifted in his feet. "In a mansion like this, don't you hire maids?"

"Never!" She looked like he called her something awful. "Everything is only perfect if I do it. Mother will surly love it, then."

"Ah, I..." he trailed off as the girl got awfully close to him. He felt his nose begin to itch.

"Don't you think they're perfect?" She asked. "Bend down, you can see your reflection."

"No, thank you, I can see the reflection of my feet just fine."

"I suppose so..."

He nodded slowly, taking a step back from the girl, sniffling back the mucus that was forming for some strange reason in his nose, and asking, "By the way, what is your name?"

"My name is Sakura,"

"My, what a beautiful name."

Sakura's face flushed, and she smiled. "Tell me your name, now."

"Yamato."

"You also have a beautiful name." She said, playing with her hair.

"Thank you." His eyes watered. What was going on? There was no flowers inside!

Sakura smiled widely, examining his face.

"What a shame...you've got a scar."

"It's inevitable, we all get them."

"It's just your face is so perfect except for it. Without it, you would be the prettiest, most perfect man alive."

"Aha..."

"Ehe!" Sakura bounced backwards. "Mother needs me now, please feel free to explore!"

The girl was now gone, and Yamato turned on his heel and booked it for the exit.

'Nope.' He thought at he passed the many doors and windows of the manor. He was not going to deal with a crazy at this time of night. Triki could shove it if he thought he would go along with this. Screw the season home, he could find another place!

The exit must of been getting closer. It had to be, he'd been running for ages.

The door he came in from was in sight. His pace quickened, then he slid to a stop and took the doorknob and wiggled it.

"Damnit!" He hissed. "Why is it locked!"

He turned around and ran back where he came from. There should be another exit, right? In a place this size, there had to be.

He slowed his pace until he was at a walk again, looking at the windows and doors.

The windows were a no-go, since they were all fastened shut. Even if he could open them, they were too small for him to crawl out of. Besides, shattering the glass might alert Sakura or her mother.

The majority of the doors were guest rooms, so many that it almost felt like it was meant to be some sort of weird motel rather than a home. All were perfectly clean and identical, like as if they were all pictures taken of one room and stuck into the rooms.

Finally, he found a room that was different. Unlike the guest rooms, it looked lived in, despite being neat. Next to a desk and dresser, was a window that had the perfect view of a cherry blossom tree, which was in the perfect state of blooming.

Yamato slowly approached the window and stared out in awe. Cherry blossom trees were always so special to him, despite being allergic to the flowers that bloomed on them, and he always took a moment to appreciate the beauty.

How was this one perfectly in bloom, though? It wasn't the right time of year. Perhaps there was a greenhouse that he couldn't quite see. He suddenly sneezed, sniffling as if a flower had been shoved into his face.

"Excuse me?" Yamato whirled around to see Sakura looking angry at him.

"Pardon, why are you upset?"

"This is mother's room! You can't be in here!"

"Oh, I apologize. I didn't know."

Sakura sighed but loosened up. "I forgive you. I'm sure mother will too."

"About that cherry blossom tree..."

"Oh, isn't it beautiful?" Sakura giggled and went to Yamato's side at the window.

"Yes, but it isn't cherry blossom season. How is it growing so perfectly?"

"That's my secret," Sakura said cheekily, "me and mother love to sit by it and watch the blooms fall."

"Ah."

"Would you like to see it up close?"

"I would love to, but I'm allergic to flowers, you see."

"Oh." Sakura's face dropped but she quickly fixed herself. "That's what windows are for, though, right?"

Yamato nodded slightly, looking back at the tree.

Sakura looked down at her toes and got closer to Yamato. His allergies began to flare back up, but he held it in.

"Actually, there's another, better place we can see the tree," Sakura admitted. "It won't make your allergies attack either. Can I take you?"

"Yes, you may."

Sakura snatched Yamato's wrist and dragged him away. Her cold fingers made him shudder in surprise. He didn't expect her to grab him in such a way.

"Your hand is cold."

"Is it?" Sakura giggled. "Don't worry, silly. It's just my body trying to maintain temperature."

No, it was abnormally cold. Dead cold. But not dead, because Sakura was right there touching him and moving him. His wrist became increasingly itchier the longer her hand stayed on. Cold and itchy? What a strange feeling. Perhaps-

No! Now's not the time for thinking, Yamato! He had to find a way out.

"Er, Sakura," Yamato said. "When will we get to  the viewing spot?"

"It's not far, I promise. It's just past this gate, let me check if there's anything in our way. It's a bit of a mess over here, I'll be right back."

As she said this, her hand left Yamato and traveled to a tall, old, and dirty gate surrounded by vines and leaves. As she opened it, pink vines crinkled against the gate and her shoes. Yamato watched her descend a flight of stairs that led down to a darkened area below, so dark he couldn't see her once she was gone only a few steps.

Once she was gone, he quickly removed his glove to see what could possibly be irritating his wrist. Nothing on his glove or his coat, but his wrist was spotted with hives as if he wore a flower bracelet with particularly pollinated flowers.

Except, it was in the shape of a hand print.

Unbelievable. Ridiculously unbelievable. Of course it was a flowery Esper.

"That's it..." he mumbled to himself as he slowly stepped down the stairs.

Enough of this madness! He'd had enough! The amount of foliage had to be a sign of an exit, right?

He stepped around a turn and froze on the small steps.

He'd never been to Graywater Plains for more than a couple hours at a time, so he obviously never needed to know much about the plant life. He'd originally thought the pink vines up by the gate were nothing more than native plants.

Obviously, he was a fool for thinking that.

Humongous, flesh-like vines overtook the landing below. The tiny tendrils were closest to him, but as they got farther and farther away, they grew bigger and bigger until they were a horrifying mass of fleshy pink that gave an intense pink glow.

Yamato turned on his heel and ran up a few stairs before he stopped and stared at the gate.

No, the gate was gone. Now, sakura blooms were in it's place. Dumbfounded, but mostly terrified, he ran back down to make sure his eyes were working. Of course they were.

Trapped.

No.

No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no nO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

"Sakura!" He yelled out. "I know you're doing this! Let me out this instant!"

Sakura suddenly appeared. She eyebrows raised in confusion and her mouth gaped in worry.

"Yamato," She said softly. "You're not trapped down here."

"Those damn flowers trapped me! Make them go away!"

"What flowers? The only flowers are the ones from the cherry blossom tree."

"Up there, the gate—i-it's not there, you-!"

"Please calm down," she whispered loudly, "there is nothing trapping you in here."

She reached for Yamato again, but his hand smacked her's away in a swift motion of terror. Sakura whimpered and stepped back, her eyes wide and fearful.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Yamato!" She screamed. "But please, there's nothing there! Please, come here!"

She desperately reached for him, but he began back up the stairs.

Those flowers were just flowers! They would annoying his allergies but that had to be it!

"I don't need to know you any longer!" He said as he grabbed the flowers and madly pulled at them. It was as if it never ended. Flowers upon flowers, obscuring his vision in a blur of pink pain.

"I'm a changed person, I'm perfect now! You can be changed, too! Please, just come back to me now!"

Vines grabbed his limbs, flowery scents corrupting his body. They irritated his skin and made his eyes water intensely; it was like he was dying

...no.

NO.

HE IS THE MOST POWERFUL ESPER. THESE FLOWERS ARE NOTHING.

NOTHING, NOTHING!

NOTHING.

NOTHIng

nothing

nothing

nothing

nothing