Author's Note

Start of Season 7

Rohan Kishibe's Adventure

*Rainbow Dash's POV*

*Yawn!* Gonna be visiting Morioh today. It'll be nice to stretch my wings and legs.

A muddied Blossom was chasing Blake down since the young fox was avoiding a bath.

Blossom spoke "Blake, you get back here right now young tod!"

The two zipped past me as Buttercup landed while snickering.

Buttercup spoke "Hope the squirt doesn’t learn his lesson the hard way."

I tease "You're one to talk wolfgirl, you got pups on the way. Twins in fact, plus it's only a matter of time before Bubbles has kids."

Buttercup spoke "Still dunno why I let Butch talk me into waiting until after we got hitched."

Danyelle spoke "My guess would be that he didn't want a repeat of what happened to Brick and Blossom. Which reminds me, Bliss has a kid on the way."

"How many?" I asked.

Danyelle spoke "According to what Elia told me, Bliss has just one on the way."

"Oh." I noted.

Danyelle spoke "But from how excited she looked, she might wanna have more."

Danyelle burped out a letter suddenly.

Danyelle spoke "Wonder what's this about."

I spoke "I bet that Master Hand fella finally figured...."

A pair of alicorn foals land on my head.

Newlestia spoke "Gah, I am so sorry about Thunder Star and Cloudy Dream. They're a pair of troublemakers, just like their father."

Pyre spoke "Odd thing to say, since it could've been the other way around."

Newlestia spoke "Oh hush you."

Pyre spoke "Well, let's just hope that zombie and enderman haven't been causing trouble."

Pigment was heard hissing at the Enderman in attempt to scare it off.

Newlestia spoke "Talk about timing."

The Enderman didn't seem all that tall from how I was told.

Zoey spoke "Calm down Pig! That isn't a real Enderman!"

But then it suddenly grew.

Pyre spoke "Well, that is a real Enderman, but it's different from the rest. You can call it the black sheep or the... Well, you get the idea."

Zoey spoke "But you should never look an Enderman in the eyes or it will attack you."

Pigment was doing that while hissing, but the Enderman didn't get angry and attack or scared and run away. It just stayed still while looking at her.

Zoey pulls Pigment back away.

The Enderman asks "...What's wrong?"

Newlestia asks "No way... Is that you Endario?"

Endario asks "Hmm?"

Newlestia spoke "My original name was Steve."

Pyre spoke "And mine was Alex."

Endario asks "...What? But how?"

Newlestia spoke "It's a long story."

Pyre spoke "Oh, these two are my and Newlestia's kids. The colt is Thunder Star and the girl is Cloudy Dream."

Endario asks "Huh?"

"Okay, I think I'm gonna visit Morioh now." I said.

Buttercup asks "Hey, hold up. Think I can come along?"

"Really? Think you can handle it?" I asked.

Buttercup spoke "Heh, if I can handle Butch at his best, I can handle anything."

Ichigo soon arrives with Shizue in her arms.

Ichigo spoke "I'm going too and you're not telling me no. I had ascended into an alicorn in Morioh anyway."

Ichigo then used a warp ring to Morioh.

Buttercup spoke "Heh, you’re hardcore."

Ichigo spoke "Much like Zoey, I can't hide my animal features anymore."

Butch shows up.

Butch spoke "You might as well count me in, there is no way I'm letting my wife get hurt."

Buttercup playfully punched Butch in the shoulder. “You gettin’ soft?”

Butch spoke "Good grief Butters, you have pups on the way. It's only natural that I get worried about you."

Buttercup teases "Eh? You sayin' you like me more like this?"

That left Butch blushing and flustered.

Brick was stuck in a tree trunk since he had gotten pranked by Pierce.

Brick spoke "I'm gonna kill that sheep!"

Butch spoke "Hehe, I like a good prank."

The five of us went through the warp ring and into Morioh.

Automatically, Ichigo was back in cat Mobini form since her alicorn half had messed up her cat DNA.

Ichigo spoke "Ah, sorry about this. It's because my cat DNA got completely messed up and I can't fix it. Not even alicorn magic, draconequus magic, genie magic or mystic dragon magic can fix it."

Buttercup spoke "*Surprised* WHAT?! *Excited* Yo! That's so awesome!"

That left Ichigo surprised at that.

Zoey, Dren, Anzu and Pigment follow the group. Zoey was also in Mobini form, Dren was back in Cyniclon form yet Anzu remained a Mobian cat.

Zoey spoke "She's not the only Mobini though, I'm one as well but I'm also a princess."

Ichigo spoke "Yeah, definitely like looking in a mirror."

The nine of us moved before meeting up with Koichi at the town map.

"'Sup!" I called out.

Koichi spoke "Huh? Oh, hello."

Ichigo asks "Josuke around?"

A voice spoke "Koichi. And I see there are others with you."

We then turned around, seeing nothing at first.

The voice spoke "I'm over here."

We looked again, seeing a male Smeargle Poke-Mobian by the map, making Koichi yelp and Ichigo hiss.

Koichi gasps "R-Rohan Kishibe?!"

Rohan asks "Now, now, you don't have to be so defensive. My days of causing you harm are long past. Besides, after reading your history with Heaven's Door, I find myself filled with a deep sense of respect for you. I'd go so far as to say we're two peas in a pod. Wouldn't you agree? *Chuckle*"

Ichigo spoke "*ears flatten* You don't understand the pain I had gone through before I had met Josuke."

Rohan spoke "Hmm... Now then, I'd like to ask you a question if I may. *Brings out a map* You see, I used to call this area around here my home until I was four or so. I've spent the day trying to find my old residence. Nostalgia must have gotten the better of me. Recalling one's childhood is central to a manga artist's work. However, those memories belong to a four-year-old, so they're a little bit foggy."

Koichi spoke "Oh."

Zoey spoke "You could ask Danyelle to help you with that, she can see past and future events."

Koichi spoke "As much as I appreciate the offer, I need to find the answers personally. *Places hand on town map on the board* That's why I need your help. My question concerns this town map. There's something odd about it."

Buttercup asks "Huh? Odd how?"

Rohan spoke "Look. This is the soba shop Arisugawa, Kisara drugstore, and the Owson convenience store. They're situated right to left."

Butch asks "What're you getting at?"

Rohan spoke "Now take a look at the shops themselves. From the right, you can see Arisugawa, Kisara drugstore, and then..."

We saw a huge gap between the drugstore and convenience store, that gap being an alleyway.

Rohan asks "*As Koichi gasped in shock* You have Owson on the far left. See?'

Dren spoke "Uh, yeah, we can see that!"

Koichi spoke "Huh? That's weird. The map doesn't show a road between Owson and the drugstore. What sloppy work."

"I dunno, seems really odd." I noted.

Rohan spoke "Koichi, would you and the others tag along? I would be forever in your debt if you'd be my guide for a bit."

Koichi spoke "Huh? Well, I'd like to, but the thing is..."

Rohan spoke "That's the response you give after I ask so politely? Fine. Have it your way. I didn't realize showing me around for a few meters would be such a burden."

Koichi asks "He sure is self-centered. *Sigh* I can only spare five minutes. Okay, sensei?"

The eleven of us went into the alleyway, passing by a vending machine on the way as I was still in my mobian form.

Rohan spoke "Strange, isn't it? I'm checking my official shoin press ultra-detailed map of Morioh, and it makes no mention of this street existing."

Koichi spoke "On the bright side, since your map had an error, you might get a gift certificate at the bookstore."

Ichigo spoke "I have a bad feeling about this you guys..."

We kept walking forward and turned right, seeing a postmail box with stepped dog dung in front of it as Koichi groaned at that.

Rohan spoke "Blast it. This map is absolutely useless. Take a look, everyone. It doesn’t show the Yonemori, Honma, or Onadera residence. There are mistakes everywhere. The bookstore’s going to owe me more than two or three gift certificates."

Koichi spoke "Rohan-sensei, this place looks like it’s been abandoned."

Zoey spoke "Definitely weird. I mean, the houses in the area look totally empty."

Rohan spoke "And look. Even the vending machines are out of order."

Ichigo was shaking in fear.

Ichigo mewls "I'm scared...."

Shizue asks "…Momma?"

Rohan asks "Hmm?"

We went left, only to find ourselves at the same mailbox!

Koichi spoke "What the-It’s the same mailbox. We made our first turn at this corner when we came down the alleyway. This is too weird."

Buttercup spoke "Yeah, one of the weirdest I’ve seen."

Koichi spoke "Somehow we’ve managed to end up right back where we started."

Rohan spoke "But we turned right, left, then right. *Gulp* Keep your guard up. There could be an enemy nearby, manipulating things with their Stand."

“Say what?!” I gasped.

Pigment spoke "It not that, we got spirits.. two in fact, female human and male dog."

Rohan spoke "If you would, have Reverb fly overhead and search the area."

Koichi spoke "*Gasp!* Yeah, of course. From up there, it can see where we need to go. Reverb Act 1."

Reverb Act 1 came out and flew up into the air before it flinched with a gasp and came back down to Koichi.

Rohan asks "What's the matter?"

Koichi spoke "There was something up there. I don't know what, but someone just grazed Reverb."

Rohan spoke "Are you sure? I didn't see anything."

Koichi spoke "I know something came into contact with Reverb."

Pigment spoke "That was a dog, I sense there more to this than we think."

Pigment glances towards a human female with a pink dress.

Pigment spoke "You a ghost right? I ghost type Mewtwo."

The girl asks "Oh? So does that mean you all are lost?"

We flipped around, seeing a human girl.

The girl spoke "I would be happy to be your guide."

Rohan spoke "A girl."

Koichi spoke "She must be the enemy Stand User."

Rohan spoke "*Grabs his tail and draws something in midair* Heaven's Door!"

Out of the drawing came a Stand, making the girl gasp.

Rohan spoke "And with the flick of a finger, victory is mine."

The Stand fully appeared as it flew at the girl and touched her face, making it split open with book pages before Rohan wrote something on one.

Rohan spoke "We should be safe now. I've written commands in her pages, so she won't be able to harm us."

Koichi spoke "Sensei, that was amazing. It's like you launched your drawing into midair."

Rohan spoke "I've made quite a lot of progress with my Stand. That said, it still doesn't work on haters like Josuke, who wouldn't know art if it hit him in the groin. *Looks at the girl's pages* She and I are on the same wavelength."

Ichigo growls "*Hiss!* Watch it, buster!"

Rohan spoke"Oh, dear. She's just an ordinary girl. Not an enemy."

Koichi asks "Huh? So she's not out to get us?"

Rohan spoke "That's right. You can't conceal anything from Heaven's Door."

Pigment spoke "She not enemy! Nor is dog! They both dead."

Rohan spoke "I don't see any dog, and I find that very hard to believe. *As Ichigo suddenly covered Shizue's ears with Zoey and Dren doing the same to Pigment and Anzu* Her name is Reimi Sugimoto, age 16. Her adress is 312 Kotodai, Morioh. That's not far from here. She has no boyfriend, and her measurements are 82, 57, and 84 centimeters. There's a mole by her left nipple, and her first period came at age 11 in September. The first time she kissed a boy, he rammed his tongue down her throat."

Koichi spoke "*Blush* That's just about enough, Rohan! If the girl's not a Stand User, then I refuse to allow you to read anything else about her life!"

Rohan spoke "Alright, alright. I get it. *Uses Heaven's Door on Koichi before writing something down* Take it easy. "I will forget everything that has just happened." There."

Whoa, Rohan made Koichi forget about any of that extra info as the pages closed with Reimi getting back up.

Reimi spoke "I'd be happy to guide you. Really, this place trips a lot of people up. Several of these alleys look the same."

Zoey slaps Rohan upside the head.

Zoey spoke "Stand or not, you should never reveal personal information about women!"

Rohan spoke "Ignoring that, please point us in the right direction, and we’ll be on our way."

Reimi spoke "Absolutely not. A simple explanation won’t cut it. I’m your guide, so follow me."

We started to follow Reimi before she brought out a pocky chocolate stick. “Want one?”

“I’m good.” I responded as the others respectfully declined.

Reimi spoke "If you’re sure. But you still have to hold onto the end. *As Rohan did that before the stick snapped* Uh-oh. Better be careful. Some girl is gonna dump you."

Rohan asks "*Eyebrow raise* Really? Where’s your proof?"

Reimi spoke "Pocky fortunetelling. The break tells me all about you. You’re majorly self-centered, and you have a habit of pushing other’s buttons, don’t you? That’s why you’re going to get dumped."

Rohan spoke "Get a load of this, everyone. Now we know she’s off her rocker. She actually thinks I’m self-centered. You’re about to find out two can play at this game. Light pink nail polish means you’re afraid of love. That’s very telling. You often let love slip through your fingers."

Reimi spoke "*Gasp* No way."

Dren spoke "You forget though Rohan, my species takes romance seriously."

Zoey spoke "Dren has a point, I can't leave him for my previous boyfriend since I'm not human anymore."

Rohan spoke "I use psychological prodding over fortunetelling. But enough about your love life, Miss Reimi. Something else is weighing on your mind."

Reimi was silent for a bit. “Have you heard the story about this house? It’s said it was the scene of a murder 15 years ago."

Koichi asks "Did she say a murder?"

Rohan spoke "Yes, she did."

Butch spoke "Whoa."

Buttercup spoke "You said it."

Reimi spoke "No one lives in the house now. It’s empty. Here’s why. This story was told to me by the old lady next door. It happened in the dead of night, while the young girl was sleeping soundly in her bedroom. She awoke to a strange dripping sound that seemed to be emanating from her parents’ room, but she couldn’t be sure. *As Koichi, Ichigo and Buttercup gulped* The sound puzzled her. “Daddy. Mommy.” she called out, but she never heard a reply. However, the girl wasn’t particularly scared, because she was accompanied by her trusty dog."

Rohan asks "Her dog?"

“Really?” I asked.

Reimi spoke "Yes. He was a big guard dog. In the darkness, she’d offer her hand to him under the bed, and he’d always responded with a whimper and a lick. Arnold was her constant reassurance, but the dripping that had stolen the girl from her peaceful slumber continued for several minutes. Finally, she’d had enough. Her curiosity drove her to investigate."

Koichi asks "What happened next? *Gulp*"

Reimi spoke "She found Arnold with his throat slashed, hanging from the coat rack like an old pelt. The dripping sound was coming from him, the sound of his spilling blood. *As all of us gasped at that* Suddenly, she heard a voice coming from under her bed. “Your hand is so sweet and tender, sweetheart. Whimper, whimper. I’ve already murdered your mommy and daddy.” And then he attacked the girl, killing her where she stood!"

Koichi, Ichigo and Buttercup screamed as the green girl squeezed Butch.

Koichi spoke "Tell me that story was just your way of joking around!

Reimi spoke "*Laugh* Sounded pretty real, didn’t it? You babies. That’s for the nail-polish crack. *Giggles*"

That helped all of us calm down with a sigh of relief.

Koichi spoke Jeez, my heart can’t take stuff like that."

Zoey spoke "That was three years before I had Anzu though so the timing fits."

Pigment spoke "Killer still on loose. We find him before more murders happen."

But then Rohan, Buttercup and I heard steady dripping as we turned around, making us gasp as the three of us saw a male labrador retriever before it faced us, revealing a bleeding slit throat.

Rohan spoke "*Gasp!* That means…"

Reimi spoke "Yes, as the little one noticed, the young girl in the story was yours truly. Arnold and I only exist as ghosts."

That made all of us gasp as Arnold approached Reimi with her petting him.

Rohan spoke "Th-They’re ghosts. It all makes sense now. Heaven’s Door could only access her living memories. This has never happened to me before."

Reimi spoke "You all stumbled upon the area where I met my end 15 years ago. I guess we’re on the same wavelength. This place is the gateway between the living and the dead."

Koichi, Ichigo and Buttercup screamed in horror.

Rohan spoke "Come on, everyone. Run!"

Rohan grabbed Koichi as all of us ran/flew, before we soon found ourselves going in circles.

Rohan spoke "Grr. We’re stuck. Koichi, call Reverb. It can give us directions from above."

Koichi spoke "She and that dog must have been the ones who made contact with Reverb earlier."

Rohan spoke "Never mind that. Just do it!"

Koichi summoned Reverb Act 1 as it flew into the air before crashing into something.

Koichi spoke "Eh? What? A wall appeared in the sky."

Rohan spoke "No, that’s not it. Reverb’s actually touching the ground.

Koichi spoke "Huh? What in the-"

Koichi was in the air, upside down as Reverb Act 1 was touching the ground.

Rohan spoke "I can’t believe this, but you’re the one who’s floating."

Koichi fell onto his back as his Stand withdrew.

Reimi spoke "There’s only one way to truly escape. Anything else is futile. I’m the only one who knows where it is."

Rohan asks "This doesn’t make any sense. How do we fight a ghost?"

Koichi spoke "Please, whatever you do, don’t possess us."

Reimi spoke "Hold on just a minute. Quit treating me like a vengeful spirit. I haven’t done a single thing to any of you, but somehow you’ve found a way to scare yourselves half to death."

Ambertwo spoke "Reimi, stop it. Can't you see that little Mewtwo with the group? She's able to see us easily."

Reimi spoke "Anyone here can see us."

Ambertwo spoke "Oh, right."

Reimi spoke "Listen, neither of us trapped you guys here. We’re standing between the living world and the world of the dead. Wait a second. Some of you hold some kind of power, right? And you said they’re called Stands. Maybe that’s why you’re mixed up in all this."

Rohan asks "So you’re really not here to attack us?"

Reimi spoke "You’re even more suspicious than I thought. I guess I’m proof of that stone tape theory. Once I became a ghost, I was bound to this place. I’ve been here 15 years. In all that time, I’ve never stopped pleading with people to listen, to let me share my story. But you guys are the first who truly listen."

Zoey spoke "As part of the Ogami family, I will personally see to it that the person responsible for your death will be arrested."

“Zoey, I don’t think it’ll be that easy. At all.” I pointed out.

Reimi spoke "I gave you my word I’d help you get out of here, so that’s what I’m going to do, but after I finish the story."

“There’s more?” Koichi, Ichigo and Buttercup asked.

Reimi spoke "Now, as I was saying, the murderer, before I got a look at his face, his knife found its wait into my back. It was late and dark, and I was doing my best to flee. I died, but my killer still lives. As the girl said, he’s living a life right here in Morioh. *As all of us gasped* That’s what I’ve been aching to say. But as your friend pointed out, not only is he in town, he’s blended in."

Rohan asks "Let’s back this specter train up. Why are you confessing all this to us?"

Reimi spoke "Relax. I’m not asking any of you to catch him. I just need you to tell someone who will. You can tell the cops or anybody else you think is up to the task."

Rohan asks "Slow down. Why should that kind of responsibility fall on our shoulders?"

Koichi spoke "Rohan-sensei!"

Rohan spoke "Compose yourself. I think it’s best we remain levelheaded. It’s an absolute tragedy. I’m sorry your life was stolen from you. But that still doesn’t explain things. We find the murderer so you can get closure? That all seems rather pointless, doesn’t it? You’d be better off letting go of this world. Surely moving on to the next world would be a better existence than haunting these alleyways."

Zoey spoke "Given that Ichigo still hates scary things, it's taking all her willpower not to freak the cuss out."

Reimi asks "Tell me, do you have any idea how many innocent boys and girls have gone missing from this town?"

Rohan spoke "No."

Reimi spoke "Then you should know it’s eight times the national average."

Koichi gasped at that.

I spoke "It's enough that the royals, myself included, are getting involved with this case. Last thing we need would be a bunch of Mobian kids, Poke-Mobian kids, Equian kids, Digi-Mobian kids, Pal-Mobian kids and Cyniclon kids going missing."

Reimi spoke "Do not worry, because as long as they stay out of Morioh, they won’t get hurt. But it gets even worse. Some of those who have gone missing are being slaughtered in silence. And he’s behind it all."

Ichigo spoke "Perhaps I should leave Shizue with a trusted babysitter if this is so the case..."

A pair of 25 year old Cyniclons show up but their child was missing.

The female Cyniclon spoke "*voice was laced with fear* Our five year old daughter has gone missing..."

The male spoke "Vanessa and I are worried that Lakota might be in danger."

“Hold on, how did you get here anyway?” I noticed.

The male spoke "We and our daughter were walking through town before finding ourselves in this alleyway. We tried to find a way out, but couldn’t as Vanessa and I decided to discuss if we should find help when Lakota just wandered off without us knowing."

Dren asks "No way... Vanessa? Biscuit? Is that you?"

Vanessa asks "Dren?"

Dren spoke "It's me alright."

Biscuit asks "Huh. You lookin’ a lot bigger since we last met. Puttin’ on some weight?"

Zoey asks "*ears flatten* What did you say about my husband?"

Dren chuckles "You’re one to talk, Bis. Given your clothes, you’re a chef."

Anzu giggles "He could put Wesley to shame!"

Dren spoke "*Snicker* Make sure he doesn’t hear that, otherwise he’d take it as a challenge."

Vanessa asks "Who's the kid?"

Zoey spoke "The cat is Anzu, the Mewtwo is Pigment."

Biscuit asks "Wait, what about the woman?"

Zoey spoke "Who, me? I'm Princess Zoey Ikisatashi, granddaughter of Princess Luna Ogami."

Vanessa spoke "…That’s a mouthful."

Koichi asks "Wait a minute! *To Reimi* You can’t be serious! This is still going on, and no one’s done anything?!

Rohan asks "Hey! You can’t just say things like that! According to this story, you didn’t even see his face. How would you know what’s going on?"

Reimi spoke "I know, because I see the souls of his victims dominating the skies! It’s as clear as day! *Turns around before showing her scar* The wounds on their souls are the same as mine!"

Ichigo covered Shizue’s eyes as Zoey and Dren did the same with Anzu and Pigment with some of us giving a gasp.

Koichi spoke "It’s horrifying. That gash is so deep."

Reimi spoke "I can’t speak with those traveling to the other side, but I see them depart over and over. He’s fueled by a twisted obsession. One I know all too well. Morioh has always been my home, and for 15 years, it’s stood in the shadow of murder. It’s terrifying, and on a personal level, it’s utterly humiliating. When they finally detain that wild animal, my cherished Morioh will have a new reputation. All of Japan will know it as the home of a monster."

Ichigo spoke "I swear on my magic and wings that we will capture that prick and bring him to justice!"

Zoey spoke "I'm with my fellow royal on that one."

Dren spoke "Agreed."

Reimi spoke "But none of that changes the fact that we have to stop him as fast as possible. He’s preying on someone as we speak, and there’s nothing at all I can do. Whose life will be ripped away from them next? You still have blood pumping through your veins. *With tears* If you won’t take back Morioh’s peace and dignity, then tell me who will, and I’ll ask for their help instead! I really hope you’ve taken what I’ve said to heart. I’ve nothing more to say."

Koich spoke "*Shudder* Well, I heard you loud and clear, and I’m shocked no one knows about this. There has to be something we can do here."

Rohan spoke "*Chuckle* How altruistic, Koichi. *Starts to walk away* This smells like trouble. *Stops to think* Although, this vicious killer could be a good source of inspiration. It all seems like it’d make for some interesting manga."

That made us gasp, surprised that he considered to help.

Rohan asks "Can we get out if we go this way?"

Koichi spoke "Don’t buy the good-guy act. It’s obvious that he has ulterior motives. And when it comes to trustworthiness, the guy’s shady at best."

Rohan asks "*Sigh* Did you hear a word I just said?"

Dren spoke "*looking at Rohan* I don't trust you at all but if we are to stop the string of murders, I don't see any other option."

Pigment spoke "No look back either."

Reimi spoke "hen we're agreed. I'll show you how to get to the exit."

Koichi asks "Huh? The exit? Where do we find it?!?"

Buttercup spoke "Yeah! Point us the way, sister!"

Reimi spoke "*Points behind her* If you go past the mailbox, you'll find it on the left."

Koichi spoke "Yeah!"

Ichigo spoke "Alright!"

Reimi spoke "Hey, slow down! Trust me, you don't want to rush it. There's a rule to making it through."

We suddenly stopped as we heard a voice.

A voice spoke "I should know, I originally founded this paranormal area."

Someone tall appeared, revealed to be Stolas as he carried a 5-year-old young Cyniclon girl.

Zoey spoke "Oh thank goodness, we owe you one Stolas sir."

Dren asks "Could you lead us out of this place sir?"

Stolas spoke "Don't worry, you're already on your way."

Lakota spoke "Mommy! Daddy!"

The girl ran towards Vanessa and Biscuit as they hugged each other.

Rohan asks "There's a rule?"

Reimi spokeYes. Once you make it past that mailbox, you'll see the exit about 20 meters away. No matter what happens around that corner, I need you all to promise you'll never look behind you."

That left us confused.

Rohan asks "Why not? What would be there?"

Reimi spoke "That's just the rule for passing to the next world. *Pets Arnold* Even Arnold and Pigment understands something as simple as that."

Koichi spoke "Okay. If a dog and baby can handle it, I guess there's no reason I wouldn't be able to."

Rohan asks "And if we do look back, what happens then?"

Reimi spoke "Well, putting it in layman's terms, your souls would be dragged into the next world. Put bluntly, you would die."

That made us gasp in shock.

Stolas spoke "No need to concern yourselves, it's rather easy. Like time, you only need to face and move forward."

All of us started moving forward as we passed the mailbox, before we felt something eerie, making us shudder.

Rohan asks "Did any of you feel something?"

Koichi spoke "Yeah. When we passed the mailbox, something flew past our legs and went behind us."

Reimi spoke "Remember, eyes front. Just stay calm, and you'll be fine."

Ichigo spoke "We can't ask Midnight and Joseph to help us, we're on our own."

We continued moving forward as that eerie feeling grew stronger.

Koichi spoke "You feel that, Rohan-Sensei? There's some kind of ominous presence creeping up behind us.

Rohan spoke " Yes, I'm aware. All of us are.

We then heard growling from behind us.

Koichi spoke "*Gasp!* Something's there. I don't know what, but there's something right by my head."

Ambertwo spoke "Shrug it off, guys."

Reimi spoke "*As we took the left turn* There will always be something trying to make you look back. I know it seems scary and overwhelming, but as long as you don't look back, it can't do anything to cause you harm."

Ugh... Feeling sticky all of a sudden.

Koichi spoke "There's something warm and running oozing down my neck. Ignoring this thing's gonna be a lot tougher than you're making it sound."

Stolas spoke "Not far now. Reach that light ahead, and you'll safely return."

"What?" We gasped.

Koichi spoke "But I can't take anymore of this, and it's so far away. Let's run for it, everyone!"

Ichigo spoke "*As Shizue kept her eyes closed* No need to tell me twice!"

"I hate taking it slow!" I growled as Ichigo and I started flying forward with the princess carrying Shizue.

Reimi spoke "Panicking will make it worse! *As everyone else went after us. It'll try to trip you and knock you down."

It didn't take long to reach it.

Reimi's Voice spoke "You're safe now. You made. *As the three of us stopped* You can turn around now. Go ahead."

We couldn't help but pant as we sighed in relief while turning around.

Koich spoke "I've never been so terrified. Thank goodness it's ov-"

Reimi spoke "No, that wasn't me! Don't look back! It's trying to get you to turn around!"

Rohan spoke "*As the three of us gasped at that* You idiots."

Stolas spoke "This is unheard of!"

Reimi asks "Guys, if only you had waited for us. But this didn't happen when I came through here by myself. Why'd they trick them?"

Ichigo, Koichi and I saw darkness behind the others as swarms of arms and hands came out, grabbing the three of us as we screamed before they grabbed us and pulled out our Stands.

Reimi spoke "Koichi, Rainbow Dash, Ichigo, no!"

Rohan spoke "Huh, I don't get it, but if we don't look, we're good to go, right? You and your friends lucked out, Koichi. You're all with me. *Grabs his tail and draws in the air, summoning his Stand* Heaven's Door! I'm taking your ability to see. You're welcome."

Heaven's Door lunged at the three of us before touching our faces, making them open like books while making us flying back a bit before Ichigo, Koichi and I saw absolutely nothing, making him gasp and flail his upper body around in panic.

Rohan spoke "You and your friends can calm down, Koichi. I'll reinscribe your ability to see."

We heard scribbling before our book faces closed with Koichi, Ichigo and I able to see again. We then noticed everyone having made it out in one piece while seeing the alleyway between the drugstore and convenience store being gone.

Rohan spoke "The alley between the convenience store and the drugstore, it disappeared.

Koichi spoke "*Sigh* I'm just glad we're back."

Shizue hugged Ichigo, glad she was okay as we noticed Stolas looking like a normal owl mobian with a pair of red sunglasses on his head.

Stolas spoke "I'm glad all of you are unharmed."

Zoey spoke "*tail fur was fully fluffed out* LET'S NEVER SPEAK OF THIS TO THE OTHER ALICORNS!!!"

Ichigo spoke "*tail fur was fully fluffed out* Agreed!"

Dren chuckles "Heh, you two truly are like twins."

Zoey and Indigo blushed in embarrassment at that.

Reimi spoke "I'm afraid this is as far as we go. Well, at least until he's caught. When that finally happens, Ambertwo, Arnold and I will look back, and we'll be reunited with our families. Peace and dignity must return to Morioh. Only then can we find rest. We'll be right here if you ever want to talk about anything. You guys don't be strangers, okay? And it was good to see you again, Stolas. I'm here if you need me, little Rohan, Mr. Koichi, and everyone else. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for listening to my story."

The spirit trio then suddenly disappeared.

Zoey spoke "Let's never mention this to Orion though."

Rohan spoke "She had some nerve. Where does she get off calling me "little Rohan"? What an audacious ghost girl. But, still, Reimi Sugimoto, she has an unyielding spirit, and that's something to be respected. For 15 years, she's waged a fight for the living with nothing but her courage and trusted companions."

Later, Buttercup and I accompanied Rohan as we found ourselves at a graveyard, looking at the Sugimoto family grave before finding Reimi's name on it.

Rohan spoke "There it is. Reimi, age 16. I never doubted her story, but it's nice to have evidence."

I spoke "I'm no Danyelle but I can assume she might have known you back before she died."

A voice spoke "Ah, we have visitors."

We turned around, seeing an old male monk.

Monk asks "You wouldn't happen to be Rohan Kishibe, the manga artist, would you?"

Rohan asks "*Stands up* Uh, sorry. Have we met before?"

After a minute...

The monk spoke "Let's see. I'd say you would have been about four when it happened. It doesn't surprise me you have no recollection of that night. So I'll start by saying your house was close to theirs. The night of the incident, your parents left home for the evening. Apparently there was some urgent business that needed attention. Your parents and the Sugimotos were very close friends, so they left you with them while they handled matters elsewhere. *As the three of us gasped in surprise* Rohan, that night, the one that claimed the lives of the Sugimoto family, you were there and the only one rescued."

Rohan asks "*Shocked* I was there?"

The monk spoke "You were able to survive that nightmare, but once you were in police custody, you started crying and repeating this sentence, "Big sis Reimi snuck me out the window and saved me." Reimi risked everything to get you to safety before the murderer could find you."

Rohan spoke "*Shadows over his eyes* Now it all makes sense. No wonder she acted so familiar. *Starts walking away* And I learned something else. My Heavan's Door, it can't reveal my distant memories or personal fate. Huh."

Buttercup spoke "Come on, let's find Josuke."

"Right." I agreed as the two of us took off and soon found Josuke and Okuyasu meeting up with Koichi and Ichigo.

Koichi spoke "We're telling you, we really met a ghost! The girl you saw in this picture is named Reimi..."

Josuke spoke "*As Koichi kept explaining* Yeah, I get it. I already said that we believe you."

Ichigo asks "Say Josuke, wasn't Reimi's death around the same time you had gotten sick?"

Josuke asks "*As Okuyasu looked at the photo* Huh. I dunno. Anyways, if she's gonna be around, we should probably meet your ghost friends, too. But fair warning, guys. If we go to Midnight or Mr. Joseph about all this, you can bet they'll have one question for you. "This unknown killer, is he using a Stand on his victims?"

That really caught us off guard as none of us really had an answer for that.

Ichigo spoke "Um... Well..."

"Hay if I know." I shrugged.

Buttercup spoke "Got nothin'."

Koichi spoke "Uh, I guess we really don't know."

Josuke spoke "Well, in that case, *Stands up* it's up to the police and courts."

That left us shocked.

Koichi spoke "What are you saying?! There's a bloodthirsty murderer loose in Morioh!"

Josuke asks "Yeah, I know that, and I'm telling you that Midnight and the Speedwagon Foundation aren't going after an ordinary killer, no matter how twisted he is. Now take a deep breath. He's managed to avoid the police for over a decade, and they're supposed to be the best. It's not like we're gonna summon him like waving down some taxi by force of will alone. Let's stay calm and take things slowly and carefully. So what did ol' Rohan have to say?"

Koichi spoke "He said the same thing as you, Josuke."

Zoey spoke "That Ambertwo girl was a clone though..."

But then Josuke gasped as he grabbed Koichi and pulled him back as a white car stopped right after.

Josuke spoke "Be careful, Koichi! You have to be alert when you cross the road!"

Koichi spoke "I'm sorry for the trouble."

The driver window closed before the car steadily drove off.

Zoey growls "Who was that jerk?"

End