KirikaRainyday

Gun Masters Heart Masters (Not finished)

(Chapter one- The Strangers Meet)

The night was cold, ever so cold and so was the heart of one young woman. Her name was Kara Stone, and she was anything but a normal girl. Aside from her short black hair and virtually red eyes, she also carried a 92S double-action Beretta; too much gun for any normal girl to handle.
Though the night was cold the air was filled with the scent of newly baked soufflés. The delectable odour gave Kara a kind of warm feeling, even though she knew it wouldn’t last long. She passed the restaurant and headed straight for a rather tall building. Inside, a young man who merely bowed to her and gave her the hand gesture to follow him greeted her.
“Please sit,” he said pointing at a small, empty table. She did as asked and took her seat.
“May I ask where my client is?” she asked looking around.
“Of course. The master had to run off for a moment, but he’ll be with you shortly.”
“I see,” she said resting her eyes. The man bowed once more and left. “I didn’t know that they bowed here in Paris. How odd.” A little while later another man entered the room, along with three others. Kara rose when she saw them and shook hands with each of them before once again taking her seat.
“So sorry for making you wait, my dear, but I’m afraid I had a bit of business to attended to,” he said in his ever-so unique, French accent.
“It’s nothing,” she said.
“My name is Adrien Aimé, these are my associates Alphonse Bruno, Frédéric Gilbert and Laurent Pascal,” he said introducing them.
“Yes, I know.”
“Do you? Then you must know why we asked you here?” he asked interested.
“All I know is that you’ve lost someone very important to you. To your organization anyway.”
“Is that what you call us? We’re more of a mafia, actually,” Frédéric clarified.
“I’m aware. You go by the name of Avrum Burg. You’re mortal enemies with Le Monde.”
“Well she certainly did her homework,” Laurent complimented.
“I wouldn’t say we’re mortal enemies exactly, but the fact that we don’t get along, this is true,” Adrien said standing up and walking over to a large window. Since they were on the top floor of the building he looked down at all the people walking by.
“Sir?” she asked confused. Suddenly, Laurent slid a picture of a blond young man to her. His eyes were a cold blue, but he had a very blissful look of his face.
“That’s one of our leaders. Unfortunately he was kidnapped a few nights ago in his own home. Whoever did it was a professional, defiantly not any normal member of their mafia. His house is and always has been under heavy guard after all.”
“And you want me to find him?”
“No. We know where he is, all we need you to do is get him back for us,” Adrien explained; clearly the brains of the operation.
“Then it was Le Monde that took him?”
“Of course it was! Those good-for-nothing bastards should all rot in hell!” Frédéric shouted, bagging his fist on the table.
“But aren’t you doing, the exact same thing as them?” she asked curiously.
“What did you say? How dare you compare us to them you little bitch!” he screamed. Adrien just closed his eyes and looked down sadly.
“That’s enough, Frédéric. It wouldn’t do well to anger her,” he said.
“Well how can I help it? She compared us to those murderous connards! We’re nothing like them! Those bastards have no feelings!” Frédéric argued.
“I said that’s enough!” Adrien said turning towards him. Frédéric remained fumed a while longer, and then his rage slowly subsided.
“I’m sorry,” he said calmly.
“It’s all right. To be honest, it’s none of my business anyway. I usually don’t ask these kind of questions,” she said miserably.
“Of course you don’t,” Adrien said bending over the table. “That picture will help you find him, if you’ll accept the job.” Kara just picked up the picture and examined it.
“Please help,” Alphonse said in a worried, yet soft voice. “He’s are best leader. Without him we’d be lost. Le Monde will overpower us and this whole city will become a battle field between us.” She didn’t answer, just pondered.
“How much?” she asked quietly.
“Money?” Laurent asked.
“Yes. How much if I complete the job?”
“Fifteen hundred in American,” Adrien answered.
“Fifteen hundred?” Kara asked surprised. “Really? Then that can only mean that either he’s an extremely important man or no one else would take this job,” she said looking at them with fierce eyes.
“Well he is important, yes, but it’s not that no one would take the job, it’s that no one will take the job now.”
“Why?” she asked confused. The men all sighed sadly.
“Since you’ve now asked you have the right to know,” he said.
“Bullshit, Adrien! We don’t have to tell her anything!” Frédéric shouted.
“We owe her the professional courtesy.”
“We don’t owe her shit! She hasn’t done a damn thing for us yet!” he continued.
“But what if she decides to?” Alphonse asked nervously.
“Then that’s her own choice!”
“Is something wrong with him?” she asked. Suddenly everything went quiet once again.
“I have to tell her,” Adrien insisted.
“No you don’t!”
“I agree with Frédéric, but not for the same reason,” Laurent said. “That’s something completely private, and not even we’re supposed to know about it. He doesn’t want anybody knowing and we wouldn’t if we hadn’t seen him that one night.”
“I don’t want to cause any trouble between you, nor do I have any intentions of making you say something you don’t feel comfortable saying, but if this secrete is so big then I’ll have no part in this assignment,” she said tossing the picture back to them. “I’m sorry, but unless I’m told everything… I just don’t work that way.”
“Wait!” Alphonse shouted. “Please! Please save him! Claude isn’t just our leader but he’s our friend. I’d go and save him myself but I can’t. I’m just a wimp and I can’t do anything on my own, but you can do it right? Please help him! They’re probably torturing him as we speak!” he cried.
“Claude?” she asked confused.
“That’s his name. Claude Fadder,” Frédéric said sadly.
“If this man is so important to you then tell me the truth, or I’m leaving.” The room went quiet yet again. The silence seemed like it would last forever until Adrien opened his mouth.
“Claude, Claude has Hematuria!” he shouted.
“Hematuria?”
“It’s a infection. An infection of the―”
“I know what it is,” she said.
“We fear that if the enemy finds out they’ll use it against him!” Frédéric said infuriated.
“I see. And will this slow me down?” she asked.
“We’re not sure. He also has monophobia so I can’t really say. It did the last person who accepted the job.”
“And what happened to him?” she asked, probably knowing the answer.
“He died,” Adrien said sadly. “Apparently Claude fell victim to the sudden pain and fell behind. When he noticed he went back for Claude and got himself killed in the process.”
“So then, you expect me to not only break into a place, god knows where, kill a bunch of people, find Claude and then basically carry him out of there? I may be strong but look at me; I am just a girl after all. There’s no way I’ll be able to carry a fully-grown man if he falls.”
“Exactly! I don’t know why we even bothered summoning you! You can go back to America or Canada or wherever the hell you’re from!” Frédéric ordered.
“Don’t tempt me,” she said slyly.
“Oh I hate you! What a cheeky little child you are! You couldn’t save someone if they were running away from a bee!” Frédéric screamed. He then switched his language to French. Naturally she could understand him, but it was interesting to listen to nonetheless.
“That’s enough!” Adrien shouted. “Frédéric! You would do well to learn when to shut up!”
“But sir! This girl isn’t qualified! Why did you even pick her? Out of all the other good old, French assassins! Why her?” he asked.
“Because she’s the best.”
“Yeah right!” he laughed.
“Frédéric please. Don’t you think that’s there’s been enough fighting and arguing?” Alphonse asked twitching his fingers. Frédéric went to say something else but once again stopped his self.
“Perhaps, this wasn’t such a good idea after all?” Laurent thought.
“All I can think about is Claude! What if he’s already dead?” Alphonse asked restlessly. “He’s my best friend! Won’t you help him?” he asked turning to her.
“Don’t bother asking her for help, Alphonse! She’s nothing but a brat!” Frédéric said. Kara then stood up and headed for the door. Before she left she stopped for a moment.
“I don’t want the money in American. I would like it in forints. I want to go to Hungry after this,” she said. “I’ll also need a better debriefing from Mr. Aimé, and Mr. Aimé only.” Alphonse quickly went from a concerned face to a joyful one.
“Thank you so much!” he shouted.
“Don’t thank me yet. I haven’t yet returned with him,” she said leaving.
A short while later Kara and Adrien stood in his office alone. He handed her the picture again with a smile. He almost looked like Claude, with his short, light brown hair and also cold blue eyes.
“Thank you for doing this,” he said graciously.
“Like I said before, don’t thank me yet. I haven’t brought him to you.”
“I know, but thank you nonetheless,” he smiled. “Now, we know where Claude is being kept,” he said handing her a small blueprint. “This is only one of their many buildings. Our source tells us that he’s being kept in the basement, but he could be wrong.”
“Interesting. Is this source reliable?” she asked.
“Of course. Now there’ll be guards at every entrance or exit or whatever you want to call them. The only way you’ll be able to get in is by―”
“You can’t know for sure so just give me the blueprint and I’ll figure it out myself. Let me do this my way or I’ll end up being killed like the last guy.”
“You defiantly know how you like to work huh?”
“Naturally,” she said.
“Very well then,” he said handing it to her. She folded it up and shoved it in her sweater. She wore a long sweater and pants that were the colour mahogany.
“Uh, you also don’t want to be too conspicuous, so do you want me to give you some money to go buy some better clothes?” he asked.
“You don’t actually think I work in this do you? These aren’t my work clothes, these are just casual.”
“Oh, my apologies!” he said embarrassed.
“Don’t worry about it. My appearance tends to throw a lot of people off. I’ve even been let go because of it. Well I wouldn’t say let go exactly; it’s more like being turned down. Someone would send for me, take one look at me and then tell me to scram.”
“It won’t do anything for you if people can’t see past your looks,” he said sadly. He then smiled and pinched her cheek gently. “And you’re so cute too,” he teased.
“Don’t,” she said flicking his hand away.
“Sorry. Anyway, that blueprint should give you all the advice that you need. All we can do for you now is pray. Pray for you and Claude,” He said, his smile fading.
“Of course. However, something’s been brothering me.”
“What’s that?” he asked.
“How did you get these blueprints?”
“Well actually, before we became enemies, we both owned that building until they took over it completely.”
“I see. I’m sorry for asking.”
“Not at all,” he said smiling once more. She just looked at him miserably and turned away. When she was gone Frédéric, Alphonse and Laurent all gathered together with Adrien.
“So do you think that, she can really do it?” Alphonse asked hesitantly.
“Of course she can. She is supposed to be the best after all,” Laurent said putting his hand on Alphonse’s shoulder.
“I wouldn’t get your hopes up, kid. She only accepted the job because of all those insults I threw at her back there,” Frédéric argued.
“Do you think so? I don’t,” Adrien believed.
“Really? And why is that?”
“Because she just doesn’t strike me as the kind of person who would do something just because someone called her names; she’s too mature for something like that.”
“Then is it the thrill do you think? Maybe because someone else failed, now she’s going to try?” Laurent asked.
“No, I don’t think it’s that either. She does strike me as the kind of person who likes a good challenge, but not in that way,” Adrien continued.
“Then what? Surely it wasn’t because of the money,” Alphonse wondered.
“Nope, not that either. I actually think it was because of you, Al.”
“Me? What did I do?” he asked blushing.
“I think it was because of your compassion for Claude that made her go. I think it was because you cared about him, we cared about him so much that she just couldn’t say no. That’s the kind of person she is,” Adrien answered.
“That’s really cute and all but I don’t buy it,” Frédéric butted in.
“Of course you wouldn’t, because you’re emotionless,” Alphonse said giving him an unhappy glare.
“That’s right, but look who’s taking. Did you even get a good look at that kid? She didn’t smile once, and her voice is even quieter then yours, Al. You can’t honestly stand there and tell me with a straight face that she wasn’t emotionless.”
“Obviously not. Otherwise she wouldn’t have gone,” Adrien said standing up for Alphonse.
“Oh whatever. You guys are so ignorant. There’s one born every minute,” Frédéric said walking away.
“I just don’t get him. Why is he like that?” Alphonse asked.
“Because every group has to have someone like him. If there isn’t at least one jerk it isn’t a complete group, or mafia in our case,” Adrien chuckled.
“I heard that you dick!”
“Sorry Frédéric,” he said controlling his laughter. Alphonse looked at Laurent nervously.
“So do you think she’ll pull it off? She was just a kid after all, even younger then me,” he stuttered.
“I don’t know. With that infection of his she still might not make it, but we’ll pray for her anyway,” Laurent said despondently.
“Yeah, I hope so too,” he said. “I hope that he won’t have another spasm during the rescue, and I hope to God that they come back alive.”

(Chapter two- Silent but Deadly Rescue)

As Kara walked down the street silently the smell of those delicious soufflés faded away and the cold air brought chills down her spin, but it wasn’t just the air, but the feeling of the mission as well.
“A man with Hematuria and monophobia? Why would they have such a wimpy guy in command of such a large and important group?” she thought. “No matter. His Hematuria might slow me down but then again his monophobia might move things along. If he’s so afraid of being alone then it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”
The cold air blew harshly, and felt like knives carving through her chest. She usually didn’t get cold but this frosty night air seemed to bother her quite a bit. Even through her long, thick beige coat, yellow turtleneck and thick, green cargo pants, she felt naked.
Even though it wasn’t completely winter it was freezing, however there hadn’t been any snowfall. The people hated the snow, Kara could hear them talking as she went on. They said how it slowed things down and got in the way of business. She loved the snow; in fact it was about the only thing she did love.
Eventually she came across a very busy street in a very busy town. The building itself just happened to be a casino. She tried frantically to get past the loud and rushing people but even though she was defiantly incognito, alas, she was caught.
“You there, girl! This is a restricted area for members only!”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m too young to gamble and I wouldn’t do it anyway,” she said as he approached her.
“Then what do you want, kid? Get the hell outta here!” he ordered.
“Actually you look like a pretty useful guy. Could you perhaps do my a favor?”
“Like what?” he asked confused.
“Well you see, it’s like this,” she said running behind him and jamming her gun into his back. “If you don’t want me to blow your spine out then come with me. Nice and easy,” she said hiding it well.
“You won’t get away with this,” he warned her.
“Just keep moving,” she said leading him through the crowed. The man gave out horrible insults and lectures on the way, but she just ignored them.
Finally, after surviving their way through the huge horde of people, they ended up in a small alleyway where she pushed him forward and sheathed her gun. The man, who was only about five-foot six, no taller then her, quickly turned around to face her.
“Do you have any idea who I am?” he screamed.
“Yes,” she answered knocking him out. A few minutes later he awoke tied to a chair with his figures sticking outward, due to the mousetraps that were attached to his swollen hands.
“You bitch!” he screamed. “Where am I? How dare you do this to me! Do you know who I am?”
“Judging by the way you carry yourself and judging by that badge that you wear, I’m guessing that you’re a proud member of La Monde,” she said appearing from the shadows. The room was very dark, but from where he was seating there was some visibility.
“Yeah, and who are you?” he asked struggling to get free.
“My name is Kara Stone. I’ve come simply to retrieve someone’s friend.”
“Avrum Burg sent you huh? They want their precious leader back,” he said with a malevolent smile.
“Does death frighten you?”
“What?”
“Does death frighten you?” she asked again.
“It’s doesn’t scare me, but I don’t want to die if that’s what you mean.”
“Well then you shouldn’t have angered the wrong people,” she suggested. “No matter what, you’re going to die today, but you still have a choice. You can either die slowly, or quickly.” After she had spoken his eyes went colossal with fear.
“You bitch!” he screamed. “You’re just a kid! What can you possibly hope to accomplish? You sick little bitch!” he cried.
“I’ll give you that choice. I’m going to leave the room for a while. Don’t bother trying to escape because you won’t be able to. When I return I’m going to ask you some questions, and if I think that you’re lying then I’m going to cut off one of your fingers,” she said.
The man suddenly went silent. His useless attempt at escape seized and his swollen hands suddenly felt numb. He didn’t bother trying to scream for help or insult her. He didn’t try making any noise to gain any help, because now he knew full well that help wouldn’t find him.
“So then, what’s you’re name?”
“G-Gaston. Gaston Martin,” he said fearfully.
“Well, Gaston. You should know I hate both those names, but I’ll still give you that choice. Decide wisely for I will return very soon,” she said standing up and walking towards the door. “Choose.”
When she was gone it remained quiet, until Gaston’s breathing became heavier and heavier. He began to twitch and scream and bop around, so much so that the chair fell over. Tears rolled down his eyes as he struggled ever so hard to release himself from the tight ropes and mousetraps.
His screams filled the air as he tried desperately to pull himself towards the only window in the room. He tried using his chin as an ore and his knees as a motor, but sadly, the ropes were so tight that he could barely even move them. He ultimately gave up and rested on the ground in a cowardly fashion.
“Trying to escape I see?” Her sudden voice terrified Gaston so bad that his fear even allowed him to jump slightly in the air. Kara just stared at him miserably and flipped him right side up again.
“Please,” he whispered feeling ill.
“I’m sorry?”
“Please! You don’t understand! If I tell you anything they’ll kill me!” he cried.
“They’ll kill you? Idiot, I’ll kill you!”
“Please! Is there a way I can get out of this without being killed?”
“Sorry, but you chose your fate the moment you chose to join La Monde. Did you think that putting your life on the line like that would be all fine and dandy?” she asked.
“So no matter what I die?”
“Yes,” she said again.
“Then I’m not going to tell you anything!” he screamed. She simply shrugged and grabbed hold of his left hand. She swiftly pulled out a knife and held it close to his first figure.
“No! No! Stop!” he shirked, but I was too late. Kara had already begun to carve, and with each blow becoming deeper and deeper his cries and screams became louder and louder. When she was done she threw his finger aside and brunt the wound shut.
“There,” she said removing the lighter.
“You fucking bitch!” he screamed. “You sick twisted fuck!”
“Yes I am, and things will be a lot worse if you don’t answer me.”
“W-what do you want from me?” he cried.
“I want to know where in the casino is Claude Fadder?”
“I-I don’t know, man, I don’t have that kind of knowledge!” he lied. Kara shrugged once more and brought the rusty knife to his middle figure now.
“Oh God no! Wait! Please! I know! I know! I’ll tell you!” he screamed. She removed the knife gradually.
“Do tell.”
“He’s, he’s being kept in the basement, on, on the lowest floor. He’s in a concrete room. It’s sealed up with a big metal door and the only way in is by using the key,” he admitted.
“Where’s the key kept?” she asked.
“That I really don’t know! I swear!” he lied again. Once more she shrugged and this time cut his middle finger off for real, not matter how much he screamed and begged. She threw that aside just like she did that last.
“You cruel bastard! I hope you die like a dog!” he shirked.
“The key?” she said holding up the knife.
“Okay, okay! Jesus help me,” he whined. “It, it’s kept in the keepers office. T-that’s on the top floor!” he promised. “You can get there by taking the elevator if you’re dressed as a receptionist. The rest you’ll have to figure out yourself!” he cried.
“As a receptionist? Where exactly can I confront one?” she asked. The man just lowered his head and began to weep. “You don’t know?”
“I… I don’t!” he cried.
“It’s okay. I believe you,” she said calming him. He just looked at her contently.
“Please, make it quick,” he begged.
“Sure,” she said taking out her gun and pointing it at his head. He then lowed it and smiled gratefully.
“You know, if it had been Le Monde, they probably wouldn’t done it slowly anyway,” he said. There was silence once again, and soon after their followed a loud bang; a gunshot.
“For your crimes on this earth, you are sure to be damned. However, I’ll say I prayer for you nonetheless.”
A while later Kara stood outside, back in the alleyway. Her face looked just as miserable as ever and as she continued to walk she crouched down quickly behind a garbage can and gagged, throwing up a small amount of vomit. She then stood up, whipped her pretty much clean mouth and continued on.
In time, she had returned to the casino, and this time instead of going in the long way, she took a little side trip. She snuck around back and quickly but skillfully climbed up the fire escape. When she opened the door the alarm sounded, which was that much better for her.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm,” the announcer said. “Someone has set off the fire alarm. Please head for the back of the building in a calm and orderly fashion. Those of you in the front of the casino please saunter to the front doors. Refrain from using any elevators or stairwells at this time.”
Everyone immediately went in to a mad panic and through all of the screaming, running and crying, Kara ran calmly through it all. The guards remained in their spots of course, but because the people were easily blocked their view she was able to slip right past one and head on through the restricted area. After all, people rarely notice things that are right under their own noses.
“A fired alarm?” a deep voice said from behind a door. Kara listen carefully.
“Yes sir, but it could very well be phony. Not only would this be the second time Avrum Burg tried something, but the back door to the fire escape it what set it off and I can’t seem to get a hold of Gaston.”
“Very well then. If you see or smell anything then notify me right away, but tell all of the guards to move a muscle,” the deep voice ordered.
“Yes sir!” another said leaving the room. Kara quickly hid beneath a small table and waited patiently for the younger man to walk by. When he did she quickly ran into the keepers room with her gun ready to shoot.
“Who the hell are you?” he screamed.
“That was easier then I thought. I didn’t have to dress as a receptionist,” she said walking towards him.
“Do you know who I am?” he screamed picking up his walky-talky. “Hello! This is Gallé! I need someone up here no―” but Kara shot it right out of his hand. He quickly fell back holding his wound in the process.
“I’m looking for certain key. Do you have it?” she asked, still pointing her gun at him.
“Y-yes! H-here!” he said digging through his desk. “Take it!” he said throwing it at her.
“This is for the basement door?” she asked examining it.
“Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you’re going to get in to? Do you know who I work for?” he screamed.
“Yeah,” she said shooting him in the head. “I do.”
As she left the room she quickly pulled her body sideways and avoided an attack. When she got the time to look over she saw that young man again, the one who left the room.
“How dare you!” he screamed.
“How dare you,” she said back. “You can’t tell me that you’ve never killed someone before?”
“Oh but I have,” he said pulling out a bunch of throwing knives, which he kept in his vest. “And I’ve done it many times!” he laughed.
“Knives,” she said jumping out of the way as he threw them. He kept a smile on the whole time, and just when he thought he had her, he looked down astonished, only to see that she had jammed his own weapons into his chest.
“Such speed…” he coughed out.
“I hate knives,” she admitted. He just laughed happily and then died. After that bloody fiesta she made her way into the basement where it took her a while to find the door. When she did she noticed two guards with guns.
“Only two? How did the last guy die anyway? He must have been a really low class assassin,” she said sarcastically.
“Who’s there?” they screamed, but before they could even look at her she shot them ever so swiftly. She was unbelievably fast, for what was supposed to sound like two separate gunshots, only sounded like one.
She quickly ran over to the door, stuck the key in and turned it. She waited patiently for the door to automatically open, which took a little while. When it finally did she took her time going in, and when she realized where she was she gasped, for piles and piles of money surrounded her.
“A safe?” she thought. “This is the casino’s safe,” she said. “That bastard lied to me,” she said heading for the door, but she soon stopped. “No. No, there was no lie in his eyes that time.”
She quickly turned back and searched around. She climbed and slid down the piles of money, never grabbing any for herself. She looked and listened but she could see or hear a thing. Then it hit her, a small sound coming from further in. She followed it cautiously and nodded when she saw Claude sitting there with his arms around his legs and his head lowered sadly.
“Of course there are no other guards in here. Your fear of being alone is a perfect weapon against you,” she whispered. Her voice reached Claude like wings on air and he gasped as he looked up at her hastily.
“My name is Kara Stone,” she said. “I’ve come to save you.”
“Kara?” he asked softly. He then smiled, got up and hugged her tightly.
“We have to go,” she said without hugging him back.
“Of course,” he said cheerfully.
“Just stay behind me and you’ll be safe.”
“Right,” he said ducking behind her. She thought she heard another noise but she didn’t want to say anything to him.
“Lovely outfit,” he complimented.
“That’s moment is not the time for talking,” she hinted.
“I apologize.”
“No need. Just don’t speak again,” she ordered. They slowly made their way back to the outside of the safe safely, or so they thought. As they moved outside, there were at least twelve guards standing there waiting for them with their guns ready and willing.
“Now what?” he asked looking at her.
“Stay calm,” she said guarding him.
“Amazing. She’s just a child,” he thought. “But why? Why would a child choose this kind of path?”
“It doesn’t have to be done hard, girl. Just give us back Fadder and you’re free to go,” they laughed. “Don’t worry. We won’t hurt him, or you if you leave.” Kara looked at his torn clothes. He was dressed very nicely, with his beige polyester pants, crimson vest and navy jacket, but the tares and drops of blood were obvious signatures of abuse.
“I’m sorry,” she said putting her gun away. “But I’m afraid I can’t let you have him.” The men chuckled, as Claude stood there. “Keep laughing,” she said malevolently.
(Chapter three- Pain is Everything)

“I won’t say it again, girl. Just push him back into the safe and we’ll let you leave in once piece,” another man promised.
“I’m sorry but I just can’t. I wouldn’t want Mr. Fadder to be mistreated in my absents,” she continued.
“This isn’t any or your business kid, now put him back or we’ll shoot!” another warned.
“Yeah? Go ahead,” she said walking along side of them, guarding Claude the whole way.
“Kara…” he said fearfully. “Don’t die because of me!” he cried.
“Silence! You don’t even know me so what do you care?”
“I’ll say it once more, girl! Put him back!” a leader yelled anxiously. “Shooting a child just isn’t my style.”
“What’s the difference between killing a child or killing a man? A life’s and life nonetheless,” she said with her arms out.
“Alright then, don’t blame me. Fire!” he shirked. As the other men pointed their guns and pulled the trigger Kara pushed Claude against the ground, reached for her knives and threw them at most of the front shooters.
“W-what the hell happened?” the survivors shirked.
“You can’t ever hope to beat me with that kind of speed!” she said reaching for her gun once again. As she pulled it out the other men shook in fear, all except for one.
“Come on now men! She’s just a child, and a girl moreover!” he said pointing his gun at her. As he pulled the trigger the remaining men quivered as they watched their comrade fall to the ground with a bullet wound in his head.
“I-impossible!” one screamed.
“W-what the hell are you? Those eyes!” another asked. As they all coward before her she stood up slowly, never taking her reddish eyes off of them.
“Sinners…” she whispered. Her eyes looked insane, so fierce. She started at them a while longer as they backed away slowly.
“Who are you?” the man asked again.
“I am one who punishes, plunders and kills. Look into my eyes and try to convince yourselves that I won’t kill you slowly. Can you possibly do it?”
“What? What’s wrong with you?” they cried as they dropped their guns. “How, how can this much fear come from a little girl?”
“Run,” she said malevolently. The last few men headed her words, turned and ran away screaming. As they left her eyes seemed to turn sane again, as if her sudden thirst for blood had vanished.
“What did you do?” Claude asked as she collected her throwing knives from the remaining bodies.
“It’s something I like to call the Devil’s Glare,” she said.
“The Devil’s Glare?” he asked curiously.
“You see, I kill off most of my enemies, but I don’t really condone butchery. It’s because of this that I’ve been able to accomplish a fearful glare that seems to convince people that I’m a demon.”
“Like the devil,” he said understanding.
“Precisely,” she said handing him a gun. “I’ve been able to do it since I was little, I don’t know why. But anyway, I trust you know how to use one of these?”
“Uh, I’ve practiced with them in a shooting range before, back at the club,” he admitted.
“That’s really it?” she asked annoyed. “What kind of mafia leader are you?”
“Well, like you I don’t condone killing. It seems that the quickest way to bring harmony to this country is by joining the mafia I’m in. We believe in peace and tranquility, but Le Monde will do anything to avoid such paradise,” he said taking it from her.
“If what you say is true, that your beliefs are so strong, can you bring yourself to kill a man?” she asked. Claude’s smile disappeared as he looked at her frightfully. “Because if you can’t do that then I mind as well take that gun back,” she said holding out her hand. He just tripped her hand gently and placed the gun in his pants.
“I can kill if I have to,” he admitted.
“I see, so then it hasn’t just been fake targets has it?” Claude just stared at her seriously. Suddenly an alarm sounded, not the fire alarm, which had ended a long time ago, but a red alert.
“They know!” he shouted.
“Time to go!” she said grabbing his arm and leading him down the hall. They had just barely been able to avoid being caught as the guards ran by them. Her and Claude managed to duck between two opened doors to cover themselves.
“Where’s the girl? Find the girl and we’ll find Claude! We cannot afford to let them get away!” the guards yelled.
“Lock off every exit!” another shouted.
“Damn,” she said sliding both of them into the now safe open. “It looks like we won’t be leaving the way I came,” she said bringing out the blueprints. “However, there happened to be an exit here that they probably don’t know about,” she said pointing to one on the top floor. “We can climb down later.”
“But what if there’s guards there too?” he asked.
“Then we kill them,” she said carelessly. Even though she wasn’t trying to sound funny Claude giggled slightly.
“Just like that huh?”
“Just like that,” she promised. “Let’s go.”
“Of course,” he said following her. As they took off Claude’s new smile disappeared again, not behind a serious look, but a painful one this time. As his breathing grew heavy and he began to sweat profusely, he fell to his knees in great agony. He let out small moans as he slid his hands gently between his legs.
“Claude!” Kara said running back to him. As she did, she managed to spot a gun head pointing at her from behind a door. As the enemy shot she quickly slid out of the way, pulling her trigger shortly after and shooting him through the wood.
As a small gagging noise sounded and the body hit the floor, Kara stood up swiftly and ran over to Claude. She put her hand on his shoulder to examine him. When she noticed where he was holding himself she knew.
“Your Hematuria?” she asked. He nodded slowly, shivering and moaning as he did so. “I see. So that’s how the last man died.”

Naruto Character Copyright: Ninja X (not finished)

(Chapter 1- the team)

The three sat there quietly awaiting their new sensei. None of them looked at each other. Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino sat beside each other but faced opposite ways with their arms crossed angrily. Hinata Hyuugo preferred to stand and look outside one of the windows in the room. It was so quiet that Ino just couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Oh my god I can’t take this! Hyuugo tell me? What did you think when you found out you got stuck with a loser like Sakura?” she yelled.
“Me?” Sakura said rising from her seat. “You’re the one nobody wanted to be paired with! We got stuck with you!” she shouted back.
“Oh whatever! Hyuugo?” Ino turned to her.
“Hyuugo?” Sakura yelled.
The room was once again quiet, not even the girls breathing could be heard, as Sakura and Ino patiently waited for their answer.
“In my opinion you’re both a couple of loons. I got stuck with both of you,” she said coldly.
“Wha!” they cried with huge eyes.
“How could you say something like that? I mean, I am the better one right?” Ino screamed.
“You? You’re the one who pissed her off!” Sakura yelled. Suddenly the door opened and a man with spiky gray hair walked into the room wearing a black mask.
“Is this the Ino residence?” he asked happily.
“Uh yes. Who are you?” Ino asked eyeing him up and down.
“Why, I’m your sensei,” he smiled. They stared at him strangely, all except for Hyuugo that is.
“You look pretty young to be a sensei. How old are you?” Ino asked getting into his face.
“That’s none of your business,” he said.
“Well sure it is. We’re going to get to know each other over time anyway aren’t we? So what’s your name, we’re you from, what’s your background? Japanese? What’s with the mask, what level sensei are you? What’s your training tactics, and most importantly, how am I supposed to know if you’re hot or not if you’re wearing that freaking mask?” she screamed.
“Whether I’m hot? Huh?”
“Leave him alone Ino!” Sakura said putting her hand on Ino’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to forgive her, she’s not very refined.”
“Oh, and like you are? What about that time at the ramen restaurant when you started badmouthing the manager because your soup tasted wrong?”
“Ah! You bitch! You swore never to bring that up again!” Sakura said choking her.
“It was hilarious! She got all pissed off because some poor new guy made the ramen and it tasted kind of funny so Sakura started swearing at him, and then the manager came out to protect his worker so she stared badmouthing him too! All over a stupid thing of ramen! Ha!” she yelled out while fighting back.
“Oh yeah? Well who’s fault was it that I was so mad that day anyway huh?”
“I’m very sorry Kakashi-sensei. They’ve been rivals since they were six,” Hyuugo said bowing to him.
“Hyuugo Hinata? You’re one of my students?” he asked surprised.
“Huh? Wait a minute, you two know each other?” Sakura asked as they stopped shouting.
“Yes I do. She used to live in my village back home, but I haven’t seen her since─”
“Since?” Ino asked curiously.
“Since─”
“Since?” Sakura asked.
“Oh Hinata it’s so good to see you!” he said hugging her.
“Do you see flowers?” Ino asked.
“What’s with that?” Sakura asked confused. Hyuugo just stood there like a tree giving him a blank look.
“Sensei? What are you doing?” she asked.
“Oh sorry. I know you don’t like hugs,” he laughed letting her go.
“What I don’t understand is why he’s so happy to see her,” Ino whispered.
“Well it looks like you two girls have finally settled down. Let’s go outside and get to know each other a little before training begins, kay?” Kakashi and Hyuugo walked out together while Sakura and Ino stayed behind, still holding each other’s necks. They gave each other a malevolent look.
“You let got first.”
Outside Kakashi sat down on some metal bars as Hyuugo just stood there, like she usually does. Nothing was said, and Sakura and Ino were still inside. The sun was setting and the scenery was beautiful. Kakashi sat there quietly starring at Hyuugo, but she didn’t say anything; just stared back.
Kakashi sighed, “Huh… it’s like you’re unhappy to see me.”
“That’s not it. I’m still unhappy that we have to have a three-man cell.”
“Too much huh? Maybe this will be good for you. After all, you weren’t very social as a child and you sure don’t look it now,” he said happily. “But you know what really bugged me?” he asked.
“Hum?”
“The fact that you almost never smiled,” he said hinting her.
“I’m glad to see you, but I won’t smile if that’s what you’re getting at.”
“Why not? There’s nothing wrong with being happy.” Hyuugo turned away from him, closed her eyes and looked down sadly. Kakashi stared at her puzzled, he thought that something was wrong.
“Kakashi-sensei?”
“Yes?” he asked.
“How are you and the others? The other villagers I mean?” she asked.
“They’re doing well,” he answered playing with his bandanna, which covered his right eye.
“And you?” she asked again.
“Fine,” he answered.
“No you’re not,” she said looking at him over her shoulder. “You still haven’t gotten over it have you?”
“No. I think you’re the one who hasn’t gotten over it,” he said walking over to her. She looked away again as he put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her sadly. She looked at the ground miserably, knowing what he was going to say.
“Hinata, when this is all over and your training is complete, why don’t you come back to the village?” he asked.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“No Kakashi-san, no not this time,” she said.
“You still need us Hinata, you know you do.”
“No, you think I do,” she said stubbornly. Kakashi sighed and moved his hands form her shoulders to around her body and hugged her gently.
“I never thought that I’d find you in a place like this. When I saw you in that room I just wanted to hold you tightly. Everyone in the village thought that you were dead, including me, and then to find you here… how could you lie to everybody like that?” he asked.
“Forgive me but I just couldn’t stay,” she said. Kakashi removed himself from her and then smiled.
“I understand,” he said happily.
“To be completely honest, I never thought that you’d become a sensei, sensei,” she said flickering half a smile.
“Well that makes two of us,” he laughed. Just then Sakura and Ino walked out covered in bruises and dust.
“What happened to you two? You look like hell,” Kakashi said holding back his laughter.
“We couldn’t decide on who would let go first so we just beat the crap out of each other until one of us let go,” Sakura said slouching exhaustedly.
“Ironically, we both let go at the same time,” Ino said falling over.
“I feel for you sensei,” Hyuugo said. “Out of all the cells to take over you got stuck with us all-girl team.”
“Don’t say such things Hinata,” Kakashi said.
“Yeah really. If we’re going to be a team then you have to be more dependant and trusting of us,” Ino said getting up.
“She’s right you know?” Kakashi said agreeing.
“I prefer to work alone,” she said turning away from them.
“Yeah I know,” Kakashi said smiling.
“Well anyway, we’re all here now so─”
“Oh right, of course. I wanna know all your names, your dreams, likes, dislikes, all that stuff,” Kakashi said.
“Us? What about you?” Ino asked.
“Me? Well I suppose I can tell you, only after I see what this guy wants of course,” Kakashi said pointing behind them.
“Huh?”
“Oh thank goodness,” the man said catching his breath. “I’m so glad you haven’t left yet.”
“Why?” he asked curiously. The man cleared his throat and opened up the scroll that he was holding.
“By order of Lord Hakage, Hatake Kakashi is to train Yakushi Kabuto along with his other three cell members,” the man read.
“Are you serious? But that’s way too many!” Sakura whined.
“Yeah, and not only that but it’s against the rules!” Ino said.
“Don’t whine to me kid, I’m just the messenger!” he said bolting.
“What a smock,” Sakura said slouching.
“You said it,” Ino said agreeing. Kakashi turned to the young man and smiled through his mask.
“Yakushi is it?”
“I don’t mind if you call me Kabuto,” he said smiling and pushing up his glasses. Sakura and Ino nearly fainted from love.
“We got Kabuto? My god, he’s hot!” Ino said.
“Yeah! I can’t believe that no other group got him!” Sakura said with hearts in her eyes. Ino looked at her angrily.
“And what makes you think he even likes you?” Ino asked.
“Oh whatever, you’ve got no chance!” Sakura said returning that look. Sakura ran up to Kabuto swiftly and grabbed his hand.
“K-Kabuto! M-My name is Haruno Sakura,” she said completely love struck.
“And my name is Yamanaka Ino,” she said grabbing his other hand.
“Uh, it’s nice to meet you,” he said smiling. The girls laughed happily while trying to push each other out of the way.
“Huh? Hyuugo? Is that you?” he asked walking away from them.
“Hey, is it just me or is she getting all the attention?” Sakura whispered.
“Yeah really. What makes her so special?”
“Hyuugo?” Kabuto said walking up to her. She didn’t face him; she had her back turned.
“Hinata Hyuugo, it is you!” he said happily. She didn’t say anything but he hugged her. Sakura and Ino both screamed brokenhearted.
“What the, first sensei and now Kabuto? How close are they anyway?” Sakura cried.
“I don’t know but Kabuto has never been known to just hug a girl like that,” Ino said.
“I know,” Kakashi said walking up to Kabuto and Hinata. “I thought that she was dead too. Surprised aren’t you?”
“Oh yeah!” Kabuto said letting go. “Hyuugo, how come you never told anyone that you were alive?” he asked smiling. Hinata turned slowly to face them.
“Let’s not make a huge production out of this shall we?” she asked looking over to Sakura and Ino. Kakashi didn’t look at them, but he sighed and nodded.
“As I was saying before. Your hopes, dreams, hobbies and such?” he asked sitting back against the poles.
“I’m not even going to ask,” Sakura said sitting down.
“Ah, good idea! Everyone sit down beside someone and introduce yourselves,” he said lifting his finger and smiling. When everyone was seated, from Sakura to Kabuto, to Kabuto to Ino, to Ino to Hinata, Sakura began to introduce herself.
“My name is Haruno Sakura. My hobbies are studying and passing exams. My dislikes are failing and I hate Ino!” she yelled pointing at her.
“Ah!” Ino said falling sideways.
“My dream for the future is one day be known as the smartest shinobi in the world!” she yelled enthusiastically.
“Very not bad,” Kakashi said. “And you?” he said referring to Kabuto.
“My name as I’m sure you all heard, is Yakushi Kabuto. My hobbies include painting, resting in the sun and long walks on the beach,” he said.
“Oh he’s so cute!” Sakura thought.
“He’s so sweet!” Ino told herself.
“I don’t have very many dislikes. I guess it’s just rude people and perverts, you know, stuff like that.”
“I see you haven’t changed a bit,” Hyuugo said with her knees up to her face.
“If you mean that I’m still a gentlemen then thank you,” he said smiling at her. “My dreams for the future are to get a good wife and to defeat by older brother
and restore honor to the Yakushi name,” he said turning serious.
“Oh! Did you hear that? I said he wants a good wife!” Ino said starring at him.
“Who’s his brother?” Sakura asked herself.
“I see,” Kakashi said quietly. “And you?” he asked referring to Ino.
“Oh, my name is Yamanaka Ino. My hobbies are chasing guys, dating guys and dumping them. My dislikes are when a guy dumps me first and Sakura!” she yelled pointing at her.
“Ah!” Sakura yelled falling sideways.
“My dreams for the future are a secret,” she said sticking out her tongue and winking.
“Well didn’t she turn out interesting,” he said softly. “And last is Hinata.”
“My name is obviously Hinata Hyuugo. If it had been any other sensei I probably wouldn’t have answered any questions like these, but since it’s you I’ll make an exception,” she mumbled.
“Gee thanks,” he said sarcastically.
“My hobbies include training I guess. There are plenty of things that I dislike so I won’t name them. I don’t believe in dreams, but there is someone that I’ve sworn to kill.” The other’s eyes went colossal, all except for Kakashi that is.
“Thought so,” he whispered leaning forward. “Anyway! I guess I’d better teach you guys something now!” he laughed.
“Ya think?” Ino sighed.
“Now wait a minute! You were supposed to go first sensei! So tell us who you are!” Sakura yelled.
“Me? My name is Hatake Kakashi. I suppose my hobbies are training kids, that’s why I became a sensei you see? I also like hentai, but I really shouldn’t tell you that.”
“Hentai?” Sakura asked disgusted.
“Just as I though! He hides under that mask because he’s an ugly pervert!” Ino yelled standing up and pointing at him with a glare of victory.
“Ugly pervert?” he asked confused.
“Well that’s it isn’t it? Why else would you wear that mask?” she wondered.
“Because it makes me look sexy and mysterious,” he laughed.
“Uhh!” Ino sighed sitting back down.
“My dislikes are enemies and yaoi. I also hate seeing my students sad so if something’s wrong just tell me.”
“There’s an incentive for you. Share your problems with the hentai-man,” Ino muttered.
“My dreams for the future are none of your business, but you might know someday,” he said standing up. “But anyway, I guess I’d better teach you something eh?”
“No kidding!” Ino screamed.
“Well actually you’d all better go home and get some rest tonight and meet me at the old training ground tomorrow, and don’t eat, unless you like throwing up,” he said turning away.
“Huh? Hey wait a minute!” Ino screamed “I thought that you were going to teach us something now!”
“Well not now, but tomorrow.” he said hopping off.
“What the hell?” Ino said angered.
“And just like that he’s gone,” Hyuugo said sarcastically.
“This is so unfair! All the other groups are out having classes and we’re stuck here with Mr. Hentai!” Ino whined.
“Yeah really, why did we get stuck with him anyway?” Sakura asked.
“You two should be honored,” Hyuugo said.
“Huh? Why?” they asked together.
“Because Kakashi sensei is known for his most unusual training tactics,” Kabuto interrupted.
“Unusual?” Ino repeated.
“Yeah, take a look,” he said handing her an old book.
“What’s this?” she asked confused.
“This book has every sensei and student there ever was during the past five years. It tells you how many people passed and failed,” he said. Ino rolled her eyes and then looked through it carefully.
“W-W-What the hell?” she screamed.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Sakura asked pushing her face in.
“Ah! N-Nobody’s ever passed his class!” Sakura yelled.
“Uh, it’s, it’s no big deal right? All it means is that he’s a total loser at being a sensei right?” Ino asked with a sarcastic smile.
“What it means is, that no one has ever been good enough to beat his tests,” Hyuugo explained. The two girls gasped in great disbelief.
“What do you mean no one’s passes his tests?” Ino asked.
“Exactly how it sounds. No one has ever passed with him. He is known as the toughest, meanest sensei there is. Maybe not when he’s off duty, but when he’s training you he’s very fierce,” Hyuugo explained.
“Are you serious? No way!” Ino screamed. “That’s totally unfair! Why would they stick us, well, me with a sensei so rough? After all, I am a girl!”
“And that proves what? You can still do it,” Kabuto said smiling at her. Ino almost fainted at the sight of his smile.
“Well if you say so then it must be true,” she laughed.
“Uh, well, I didn’t mean for you to get your hopes up too high,” he said.
“Aw it’s nothing! I can beat him and all his tests! I know it!” she said flirting with him.
“Hey, Hyuugo? How does sensei know you so well?” Sakura asked. Hinata didn’t answer. She just stood there starring at the ground.
“I’m leaving,” she said walking away.
“Hey wait!” Sakura yelled.
“I’m leaving,” she said again. And with that she disappeared.
“Huh? Where the hell is she going?” Ino asked.
“I just asked her a question and she left,” Sakura said.
“Would you stop pissing her off?” Ino screamed.
“What? I didn’t do anything to her! You’re the one she’s sick of!” Sakura yelled infuriated. Kabuto sat down and smiled at the two of them.
“Hinata Hyuugo is, not a very social person. Don’t take it personally, she probably just didn’t want to talk with you,” he said.
“But why?” Sakura asked.
“Hyuugo has never really been one to answer questions. You now how she answered sensei’s question just now?” he asked.
“Yeah, so what?” Ino asked confused.
“Well that’s not usually something she does,” he said.
“But, Kabuto, how come? And just what are your connections with her anyway?” Sakura asked.
“Yeah, Kabuto. I’ve been wondering that myself,” Ino said.
“Hyuugo and I, Hyuugo and I go way back,” he said.
“How far back?” Sakura asked.
“Please don’t ask me these questions,” he said looking down sadly. When Sakura saw the pain on his face, she stopped asking.
“Well come on! What are we waiting around here for?” Ino said putting her arms around Sakura’s shoulder.
“Let’s go, Kabuto! Let’s go get a couple drinks!” Ino laughed.
“We’re too young to drink!” Sakura yelled.
“Yeah so? I’ve got a couple coolers at my fathers! Come on, we’ve just graduated! Let’s go get plastered!” Ino yelled. Kabuto just starred at them happily as Ino danced around with Sakura and singing stupidly. Kabuto tilted his head back and rested it on his arms.
“So, Kakashi. I wonder what it was like for you when you saw Hyuugo again. I’ve give about anything to know what you’re thinking right now,” he thought to himself.
“Hyuugo. You’re now my student but, are any of us ready for this?” Kakashi wondered. He stood not too far away from his students. He could just barely see them in the distance.
“If I teach you, will it only be so that you can exact your revenge on the ones you hate? If I know one thing about you, Hyuugo, it’s that we’re not ready to be sensei and student.”

(Chapter 2- the challenge)

The next morning, early, early in the morning Hyuugo stood at the old training ground as instructed. She stood there with her hands in her pockets and she looked fierce. Kabuto was he second one there. He greeted her with a smile and a wave.
“Oh you’re here already? You’re early,” he said walking up to her. She gave him a malevolent look, like she did to everybody else, and then looked away from him.
“It’s one of my talents, being anally punctual,” she said.
“Yes I know. When we were kids you were always the first one there, even if you were sick,” he said smiling at her.
“I was never sick,” she said.
“Yes you were. Do you remember that time when we were training with Kakashi-sensei? He was only an apprentice then but he offered to teach us because our original sensei was very mean to us.”
“He wouldn’t have been callous towards you if you hadn’t befriended me,” she explained.
“Perhaps, but that’s just too bad. He was the jerk, not you. He had no reason to hate you, Hyuugo.”
“Didn’t everybody?” she asked. Kabuto sighed sadly.
“Anyway. That day we were training with him you were so sick that you fainted right then and there, right in the middle of a spin-and-kick. You landed on your leg wrong and twisted it and you couldn’t walk on it for over a week. But you, as always, pushed yourself to your limits didn’t you?” he asked.
“I ended up breaking it,” she said. “Yes, I remember.”
“Yeah, so do I. I still can’t believe that you didn’t even cry. Kakashi felt so bad that he carried you straight to the hospital and ordered the doctors to tie you down so you couldn’t go anywhere until you healed. Have you still not forgiven him for that?” Kabuto asked.
“There was nothing to forgive. He only did it to protect me,” she said.
“But you seemed so mad at him after he did it,” Kabuto said.
“I was angry with him, yes, but that doesn’t mean that I hated him for it.”
“I see,” he said smiling.
“Tell me, Kabuto? Have you ever heard the story of the cow, the fox, and the bird?” she asked.
“I don’t think I have,” he said confused.
“There’s a story that goes something like this. Once there was a little bird that broke his wing. He was struggling to get away from a hungry fox and he asked a cow to help him. The cow said yes and he shat on him. When the fox walked by he asked the cow if he’d seen the bird, and naturally the cow said no.”
“Wait! The cow shit on the bird?” Kabuto asked disgusted.
“The fox then thanked the cow and ran off in search of the bird once more. When the fox was gone the bird jumped out and scolded the cow. The cow listened well, and after the bird was finished the wise cow said, just because someone does something uncomfortable to you, doesn’t mean that they’re not trying to help you.”
“Oh, I see.” Kabuto said understanding.
“Kakashi-sensei, you see, was the cow in that situation. I was the idiot bird.”
“Don’t refer to yourself in such a way,” Kabuto said.
“But it’s the truth. At the time I didn’t understand why sensei was being so harsh, but then I realized why. Of course, only after I had said hurtful things to him did I figure it out.”
“We all make mistakes, and besides, you were only ten at the time,” he argued.
“I’m aware of that, but still, I didn’t have to be so malicious towards Kakashi-sensei,” she said.
“I’m know he forgave you the second you were finished badmouthing him,” he said smiling at her once more.
“Perhaps, but I still hurt him deeply,” she insisted.
“That may be so, but─”
“Don’t speak! Sakura and Ino are approaching,” Hyuugo interrupted.
“Yes, I can hear them, and it sounds as if they’re fighting again,” he said laughing.
“I’m telling you it’s wrong!” Sakura yelled.
“Well maybe to you, but I guarantee that in the east everyone is doing it. It’s the new thing now!” Ino argued.
“Well I think it’s wrong, and I think that your logic is screwy! No one in the east is doing it!” Sakura yelled. “And even if they are I don’t care! Lima beans with soy sauce is just wrong!”
“Good morning, girls,” Kabuto said smiling at them.
“Good morning, Kabuto!” Ino screamed.
“Hey, good morning!” Sakura imposed.
“And good morning to you too, Hyuugo!” Ino said running in front of her. Hyuugo just stood there for a few seconds starring at nothing.
“Yo,” she said.
“Oh, she’s so cold.” Ino whined. “But even so, she’s so cool! She’s like a female version of Kabuto!” she said holding her hands together and rubbing them against her face.
“She’s also really cute too, I really wished she’d wear a dress every once in a while,” Kabuto added.
“Ah! Ino is crushed! He wants to see her in a dress but not me? It’s not fair!” she told herself.
“I know what you’re thinking, Ino and you can forget about it. Someone like you doesn’t stand a chance with Kabuto, especially since Hyuugo is so much batter looking then you, but then again, who isn’t?” Sakura said smiling malevolently.
“Why you little!” Ino said stopping herself. “Well I don’t know, Sakura. I don’t believe he ever said anything about wanting to see you in a dress,” Ino said proudly.
“Huh? Shut up you egotistical brat!” Sakura said jumping on her.
“Stop the you two! You should save your strength for sensei’s test. Who knows what kind of surprise he has in store for us,” Hyuugo warned.
“Now that you mention it, you probably do know don’t you?” Sakura asked getting up.
“I know nothing, just that he’s a tough sensei who sets up difficult challenges.”
“Hum, I see.” Sakura said in disbelief. “And what about you, Kabuto?
“Huh?” he asked puzzled.
“Well don’t you know what kind of test he’s set up for us?” she wondered.
“Aha! Sorry, but sensei was always kind of mysterious to us, or to me anyway. All I know is that he makes up these really difficult tests and is generally late,” he said scratching his neck.
“Late? How late?” Ino asked annoyed.
“Uh, well… not too late I suppose,” he said.
“He’s always late, and not just a little late but extremely late,” Hyuugo added.
“Extremely late? This guy isn’t a sensei; he’s a freaking lunatic! He’s nothing but a hentai-reading, unpunctual, masked-perverted slob!” Ino screamed. As she said these things Hyuugo began to walk toward her.
“I’ll bet he’s the most irresponsible sensei there is! It’s just not fair! Why did I get stuck with him? Someone up there must be having quite a laugh!” she yelled. “Man, when he gets here I am going to kick his─”
Just then Hyuugo grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her close to her face. She gave Ino and malicious look and then threw her to the ground. She then turned away from them and stared at nothing again.
“Uh hey? Did I do or say something wrong?” Ino asked shocked.
“It’d be wise if you didn’t say anything negative about our new sensei, at least not in front of Hyuugo,” Kabuto said helping her up.
“How dishonorable of you, to say such things about sensei like that,” Hyuugo said upset.
“I’m very sorry big sister! It won’t happen again!” Ino whined.
“See that it doesn’t,” she said. The four of them waited for their sensei patiently, well somewhat patiently. Ino juggled and moved around and twitched agitatedly. Kabuto, Ino and Sakura all sat against each other, back-to-back, tired and board, but Hinata just stood there starring at nothing.
“Jeez, this is taking forever!” Sakura yelled.
“Hey big sister! If you knew that it would take this long then why did you come so early?” Ino asked curiously.
“I still like to be on time, even if he is late.”
“Oh I see,” Sakura said nodding.
“Big sister is so honorable!” Ino shouted.
“Just call me, Hyuugo. I don’t believe in the whole sister bit,” she demanded.
“Sure thing, big sister!” Ino yelled. Hyuugo looked at her, rolled her eyes and then turned away from them again. Suddenly Kakashi showed up out of nowhere behind them. Hyuugo turned and bowed to him, and that’s when the other’s caught on.
“You!” Ino said pointing at him. “You are beyond lateness!”
“Sorry, but what can you expect? I’ve only been here once,” he said smiling at them.
“Only once? Are you saying you got lost? You’re driving me crazy man!” she complained. “I mean, here we are starving and sensei-less, while all the other teams are out there somewhere doin something important and─”
“So you’re hungry are you? Haven’t any of you eaten?” he asked.
“No sir, you told us not to yesterday,” Sakura said rising up.
“Very good then. We can finally begin your first lesson!” He laughed. He quickly set a clock down beside three trees and three lunchboxes.
“This clock is set for twelve exactly. The time is currently nine, ten. You have exactly two hours and fifty minutes to get these three bells away from me,” he said holding them up. “Chances are that none of you will get a hold of them.”
“Huh? What does that mean? And what’s with the lunchboxes?” Ino asked.
“Well as I’m sure you all know, a full grown man can eat quite a bit, especially a man like me. If none of you can get a hold of a bell then you’ll be tied upside down to those trees and be forced to watch me eat your lunch,” he said cleverly.
“What? Is that why you told us not to eat breakfast?” Ino screamed infuriated.
“Yep!” he said laughing at his own heartlessness.
“But sensei! Don’t you think that that’s a little too harsh? I mean, even I’m hungry and I usually don’t eat breakfast,” Kabuto whined.
“And trust me, you’ll be even hungrier after this exercise.”
“You, you’re a monster!” Ino shouted.
“And I guarantee that you won’t be getting a hold of anything, Ino,” he said.
“But sensei? There are only three trees. What if none of us gets a hold of a bell? How come not all three of us will be tied up?” Sakura asked.
“And now that you mention it, there’s only three lunchboxes and bells too,” Kabuto added.
“It’s quite simple really. There’s only three lunchboxes and bells because some one is going to starve no matter what. If someone is to get a hold of all three bells then one person is defiantly screwed,” he explained.
“Well that explains the lunchboxes, but what about the missing tree?” Sakura inquired.
“Well quite simply, I’m sure that there’ll be someone here who at least touch a bell. If that happens then they can’t eat here, but while the others are hanging out, sort-to-speak, that person can go home and do whatever they want,” he clarified.
“Oh yeah? And just who do you think will touch one?” Ino said angrily.
“I’m not going to mention any names, but I’m sure you can guess,” he said.
“That’s not fair sensei! You can’t give special treatment to students just because you knew them in your past life!” Sakura complained.
“Favouritism has nothing to do with it. Facts are facts, and I know that someone here is most likely going to touch or even get a hold of one,” he explained.
“And what if she doesn’t?” Ino asked.
“Then I’ll hang them upside-down to that tree over there,” he said pointing to a single tree in the middle of the land. “Does that satisfy you?”
“Yes!” Sakura stated.
“Very good, then let’s begin. You can do anything you want to me, but unless you take me seriously and strike to kill then you won’t get anywhere,” he said.
“Strike to kill?”
“Ready?” he asked as everyone prepared themselves. “Begin!” he shouted. Everyone except Ino quickly rushed away and hid.
“Huh? Hey? What the hell you guys?” she said looking around.
“Lesson number four. A ninja must hide himself properly before a enemy,” Kakashi stated.
“I know what lesson four is! I did go to school you know!” she said angrily.
“Well then do something,” he insisted.
“Heh! Fine then!” she said reaching for her kunai; the other’s watched from afar. Kabuto hid safely in a leafy tree, while Sakura hid under some giant plants. Hyuugo hid on the inside of a hallow oak tree and was able to see outside of a small hole in the bark.
“To be quite honest with you, sensei, you really don’t look all that tough,” she said smiling insanely.
“What’s with this kid?” he asked himself.
“I have to warn you, sensei, my lust for blood is unheard of when I’m angry,” she said raising the weapon.
“She’s got mad, absolutely insane! Why? What’s with that look in her eyes? It’s almost frightening! Not to me, but if she were to look at a kid or someone her own age like that!”
“Well? What’s the matter sensei? Aren’t you even going to attack?” she asked crazed.
“Not at all. I’m waiting for you to attack me,” he said.
“Why? What difference does it make? Attack me first!” she demanded.
“What’s with Ino’s eyes? They’re completely different, even the colour,” Kabuto pointed out.
“It’s called Burakku Shoushaku. Ino’s black sight is a sign of death. Her eyes turn completely black and see into your mind. They give her the ability to see your worst nightmares, and then she uses it against you, making it seem like a reality,” Sakura whispered.
“A reality?” Kabuto asked looking back at them. “What an overwhelming weapon.”
“Even thought she really hates me, she’s never used it one me, and I’ve actually only ever seen her use it on one person before. She’s usually very careful with it, and doesn’t use it unless absolutely necessary. This is actually the second time I’ve ever seen it, and it’s been nearly six years since the last time,” Sakura explained.
“Six? So then you were only six yourself huh?” Kabuto asked quietly.
“Pay attention. This might prepare us for the future,” Hyuugo instructed. Kakashi stood there calmly, not falling under Ino’s spell. She squinted her eyes angrily and stared directly at him, but this only frustrated her.
“What’s wrong? Why won’t it work on him?” Kabuto wondered.
“Maybe he’s just too strong of a shinobi to fall for such lame tricks,” Hyuugo replied.
“No, that’s not it. It’s been a while, but I remember Ino’s father saying something to the extent of, in order for her curse to work properly, she need full eye contact with both eyes, but his bandanna is covering his left eye,” Sakura whispered.
“So it won’t work at all?” Kabuto asked.
“No, it won’t,” she answered. Ino eventually got so infuriated that she just stopped her curse and ran towards Kakashi with her kunai.
“Die!” she yelled driving it towards his chest, but suddenly he disappeared, twirled around her and brought her to the ground.
“Not bad. Actually that’s a lie, it was bad, but at least you struck to kill, so I guess that means you’ve started to respect me,” he said sitting down on her.
“Eh! All it means is that you’ve pissed me off!” she screamed.
“Perhaps, but you still struck to kill,” he said proudly.
“Get off of her!” a young child screamed coming out of nowhere.
“Huh? Who’s that?” he asked confused.
“Get off of my big sister!” she screamed.
“You’re what?”
“Kaede! What the hell are you doing here?” Ino asked, her eyes going back to normal.
“Huh? Who’s this now?” Kabuto asked.
“That’s Kaede, Ino’s little sister. She’s harmless but annoying and always gets in the way. She’s a constant irritation and always following her big sister around.
“Get off my sister!” she said grabbing Kakashi by the arm.
“Get out of here, Kaede! Go home!” Ino yelled.
“But sister!” she cried.
“Now’s my chance!” Hyuugo said pulling out her kunai. She quickly whipped it towards Kakashi and hit him in the side of the head.
“Whoa! That’s overkill, Hyuugo!” Sakura yelled. Suddenly the body disappeared into a puff o smoke, and then turned into a log.
“I knew it,” Hyuugo whispered.
“Huh? A substitution jujitsu?” Sakura said.
“There!” Kakashi said jumping on front of her. Sakura screamed and nearly fainted.
“What? But? How did you?” she asked speechless.
“It’s a dead give away when you toss your weapons at me like that,” he said smiling.
“Huh? I didn’t throw any weapons at you!” she yelled confused.
“Sure you didn’t,” he said sarcastically.
“Ah!” she screamed running off. As she ran away Kabuto snuck up behind him and grabbed him by the back.
“Tough luck Kakashi-sensei!” he said smiling.
“Yes it is, for you,” he said laughing.
“What’s so amusing?” he asked looking down. It only took him a matter of second to realize that this Kakashi was a fake.
“Damn it!” he said trying to run away, but the real Kakashi had already set a trap for him. As Kabuto struggled to get as far away as possible from him he tripped a wire, his foot got caught and he hung upside-down in a tree.
“Not the tree that you were supposed to get tied up in, but close enough,” Kakashi said appearing before him.
“You’re tricky, sensei,” Kabuto said.
“I sure hope your blood doesn’t rush to your head to quickly. Later,” he said walking away.
“Damn! I can’t believe I allowed myself to fall for such an old trick! Oh well, at least it’s an easy trap to get out of,” he thought reaching for his weapon. “Uh? Where are they exactly?” he asked himself, while searching his pockets. He slowly looked down with a blank expression.
“Wha! Oh crap! I dropped them!” he yelled starring at all his weaponry that was on the ground. He tried reaching for it as the tree just barely moved up and down as he did so. It was actually a rather hilarious demonstration.
“Dai-I still can’t reach them!” he said. “Hey sensei! You aren’t just going to leave me here and go are you? Hey? Hello?”
“Fascinating. Sensei was able to force Kabuto and Sakura out of hiding so easily. Either he’s a really good shinobi, or my teammates are just idiots,” Hyuugo sighed while watching from afar.
“I don’t get it. Why would sensei think that I tried to attack him like that? Come to think of it, where did those kunai’s come from? While I was watching they just sort of came out of nowhere,” she wondered.
“There you are,” a weak voice said from behind her.
“Huh?” Sakura said turning around slowly. “Ah! Kabuto! What are you doing up there? ” She shirked.
“Our sensei tied me up!” he said struggling to get loose.
“Uh! H-Hold on, I’ll help you!” she insisted.
“Look out behind you!” Kabuto shouted, but it was too late. Sakura screamed at the sudden sight of Kakashi.
“And now it’s your turn!” he said fiercely.
“No wait! I didn’t do anything!” she said as he went to grab her. Suddenly a shruiken fell before them.
“Who?” Kakashi said turning to see Hyuugo. “Of course,” he said happily.
“Come,” she said giving him the hand gesture.
“I’m coming!” he said running after her. As he went to grab her, she turned into a log. “No way! A substitution jitsu!” he said looking back over his shoulder.
“There, go,” she said releasing Kabuto and giving Sakura the chance to escape. “Hide yourselves better next time,” she said taking off. Kakashi smiled once again.
“So then, she has improved,” he whispered.

(Chapter 3- The Challenger)

Hyuugo stood there, starring at her sensei. He smiled back; though he was wearing a mask, she knew he was smiling. Hyuugo then scoffed and cracked half a smile.
“Tying up your students only to get them out of your way. So is that your plan, to take us down one by one? I wonder what would happen if we all took you on together?” she asked.
“You’d all lose. Setting Kabuto loose only prolonged his defeat,” he explained.
“Prolonged huh? So then you really think you can take us all on?” she asked again.
“Of course I can,” he answered a little superciliously.
“What if there was ten of us, or maybe twenty?” she asked persistently.
“Defiantly,” he continued. Kabuto, Sakura and Ino all watched and listened from a distance.
“What is she doing?” Ino asked.
“We’re very lucky today,” Kabuto whispered.
“Huh? Lucky how?” Ino asked annoyed.
“She’s going to use it, something that she probably hasn’t used in a long time.”
“Use what?” Ino shouted.
“Just keep a close eye on her, you’ll soon see,” he said starring at her seriously.
“So what if there was say, thirty of us?” she asked in the distance.
“It still doesn’t make a difference,” he said vainly.
“Perhaps forty then?”
“Why does she keep asking him that?” Sakura asked Kabuto.
“She’s looking for a right answer, the one she wants,” he said.
“The one she wants? I don’t get it,” Sakura said looking back at them. “I mean, won’t he answer the same thing no matter how many times she asks?”
“So you can beat forty of us? Well what about fifty? Perchance sixty, all with your level of fighting skills?”
“Well, lets not push it too much,” Kakashi said.
“There it is! The answer that she was looking for!” Kabuto shouted. Suddenly Hyuugo smiled and put her hands together.
“Art of the Doppelgangers!” she shouted. Suddenly a large puff of smoke engulfed the entire area, and when it cleared there were forty-nine extra Hyuugo’s.
“Impossible!” Kakashi shouted astounded.
“Whoa, no way!” Ino screamed.
“I know that technique! It’s called the Secret Clone Jutsu!” Sakura elucidated.
“No you’re wrong,” Kabuto said. Sakura looked at him offended. “The Secret Clone Jutsu is used only to create exact doubles of you and that’s all. They’re usually used as pawns to trick enemies or fall into traps. They’re also empty shells that don’t think for themselves.”
“Oh I see,” Sakura said.
“But this jujitsu, the Art of the Doppelgangers, those that are not empty shells, are able to follow exactly what the master is thinking and also, they’re a lot more human-like,” he said.
“What?” Ino said confused.
“You see a clone would just blindly go into battle, but a doppelganger will think about it. Of course it would do as the master asks, but say you sent in into a dangerous area before you to check things out. A clone would foolishly walk into the trap and set it off. However, a doppelganger will think about it, and if it sees the trap it will automatically try and destroy it.”
“So in other words and doppelganger will fight until the end, whilst a clone will not?” Sakura asked.
“But only to protect it’s master. I guess you could call it an obedient child that always follows it’s master’s orders,” Kabuto said.
“Incredible,” Ino exclaimed. “Big sister’s even better then I thought!”
“Big sister?” Sakura said annoyed. Kakashi just stood there, starring at all of them amazed.
“You really have become stronger haven’t you?” he shouted. “I remember that when you were younger all you were able to do was make about ten of them, and going over that would exhaust you!” he said.
“Well I’ve been practicing since then. I try to keep up with your skills,” she said.
“Well that’s a nice try but you still won’t win,” he said.
“What? What does he mean she still won’t win?” Ino yelled.
“Because she won’t,” Kabuto answered calmly.
“What? Why?”
“Back at the village, when she was younger, that jutsu was always her best technique. She was actually the only one of us who could use it, and some of the older kid couldn’t either. Most of them were only able to make clones and nothing more, and not very good ones either,” he said sadly.
“So then how can she possibly loose now?” Ino asked.
“Because, even though she’s become much stronger now, Kakashi-sensei still, well just watch,” he instructed. Sakura and Ino turned their attention back to the fight.
“I’m sorry I have to stand you up but I can’t let you win,” he said putting his hands together as she did.
“It can’t be helped,” all the doubles said.
“This is it! The ultimate fight!” Kabuto shouted.
“Art of the Doppelgangers!” Kakashi screamed. Once again there was a huge cloud of smoke and as it cleared, hundreds of Kakashi’s appeared.
“He, he can do it too!” Ino exclaimed. As the other’s watch from afar, Hyuugo and Kakashi’s doubles all smiled as they all charged at each other. As they kicked and punched each other’s doubles while searching desperately for the real one, Kabuto and the girls watched in awe.
“But wait, shouldn’t we, shouldn’t we do something? Shouldn’t we help her?” Sakura said holding her hands up to her face as if in the need to pray.
“No! Though it’s quite true that sensei’s attacks are more lethal, he won’t hurt her badly, and Hyuugo would be offended if we were to interfere,” he said.
“But this is wrong! The ultimate fight is the ultimate massacre!” she shouted.
“Sakura you crybaby! Suck it up already! Can’t you see that nothing bad is going to happen! Every time a clone is hit it’s dematerialized anyway! It’s not like they’re killing a human life or anything!” Ino screamed angrily as the fighting continued.
“I just can’t watch! It’s disgusting! They actually bleed!” she said covering her eyes.
“She’s a bit of a wimp isn’t she?” Kabuto asked.
“You have no idea. She’d faint if she saw her own blood!” Ino said rolling her eyes at her. As they turned their attention back towards the fight there was an unexpected yelp of pain. One of the few doubles left flung to the ground and struggled to sit up. Kakashi stood there as the rest of his doubles disappeared.
“Found you,” he said.
“Looks that way,” she said whipping the blood from her lip. As her doubles disappeared he could see that she was covered in dirt and blood.
“Are you okay?” he cried.
“I’ll be fine,” she said, still sitting there. “After all, I’m not dead.”
“Well yeah but,” he stared at her injured legs and worn out clothes. “You overdid it!” he shouted.
“If you were hurting that badly then why didn’t you stop?” Kabuto shouted revealing himself.
“There you are,” Kakashi mumbled.
“Kabuto! You just gave away your position, and the other’s as well!” Hyuugo hollered.
“I’m sorry, but why did you have to push it?” he yelled again. “And sensei, you didn’t have to go so hard on her!”
“I had no choice!” he said.
“It’s all right, Kabuto, Kakashi-sensei. I had to do it to get this,” she said opening her left hand. Kakashi and the others looked at her amazed as she exposed one of the three bells that Kakashi had hidden on himself.
“She actually got one!” Ino shouted.
“No way! After all that?” Sakura screamed amazed.
“Thought so,” Kakashi told himself. “I didn’t expect her to get it so soon though.”
“Hinata! You did it!” Kabuto shouted. “But wait, why did you free me first, if I had just attack him straight afterwards then it would have only added to your competition,” he said.
“I didn’t matter, besides, I knew you and the others would be to cowardice to attack him dead on anyway,” she said coldly.
“Huh? That’s not very nice!”
“She’s saying that out of sympathy,” Kakashi thought. “It seems, that she doesn’t like getting close to people after all.”
“Something wrong, sensei?” she asked looking over to him.
“Of course not! Are you okay?” he asked again.
“I fine!” she said standing up and then falling back down in agony.
“I’ll carry you!” Kabuto said trying to run over to her.
“If you come near me then I’ll attack you,” Kakashi said fiercely.
“Why?”
“The battle’s still on between you and I. So come near us and I’ll have to fight you,” he explained. After he walked over to Hyuugo and picked her up, regardless of her own will and carried her over to where the lunchboxes were. “Just rest now,” he said happily.
“Yes sir,” she sighed.
“Well,” Kakashi said surprised. “That’s the first time that you haven’t argued with me,” he said.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be more then ready to argue with you tomorrow,” she said. Kakashi rolled his eyes sadly.
“Is she really in so much pain that she won’t get up again?” he thought.
“It’s not like her,” Kabuto said to himself. “It’s very unusual to not to push herself like this. Maybe she’s changed. Or maybe,” he thought looking over to Ino’s little sister.
“Hey kid, why don’t you come and watch from here?” Hyuugo said with a sweet smile. “Don’t worry. You’re sister will be just fine,” she promised.
“Uh, well,” she hesitated.
“Just do it, Kaede!” Ino ordered.
“Y-Yes big sister!” she said running over and sitting down beside her.
“I’ve never seen Hinata smile like that before, at least not since that time,” Kakashi whispered.
“Why is it that she’s only nice to kids?” Sakura thought. Hyuugo closed her eyes slowly and rested on the tree that she was against.
“Is she okay?” Kaede asked.
“She’ll be fine just as long as she doesn’t push it. So that can be your job, if you truly refuse to go home,” Kakashi offered.
“My job?” she asked confused.
“I want you to make sure that she doesn’t move from this spot,” he explained.
“Oh, okay! I can totally do that!” she said happily.
“Good, and in the mean time, you’re sister will be trying to get a hold of these,” he said revealing his bells.
“Those are mine! I’m hungry!” Ino said dashing towards him. Once again Kakashi managed to escape.
“Now where’d her go?” she asked aloud.
“Kind of annoying isn’t it? Hyuugo does the same thing,” Kabuto said.
“Well let’s go find him! The sooner I get a bell the sooner I can eat and go home with Kaede!” Ino ordered.
“Well,” Sakura sighed. “I guess we’re starting again.”
“Say, Hyuugo?” Kabuto said leaning in front of her. “How exactly did you get a hold of his bell?” he asked. Hyuugo opened her eyes gradually.
“Well…”

Circle (sigh, not finished but probably one of my best)

(Chapter one- The Hellish Circle)

We all sat quietly in small a circle. I was at the end, considering the order we were speaking in. First we started with a young man named Kevin Gabner. He was apparently in his late twenties, but he looked much younger then that. When I first met him I thought he was nineteen or something.
His reason for being stuck in this godforsaken nuthouse was clear; Kevin had been a cop working with the FBI I suppose. He seemed to have witnessed a terrible accident. When he was on the job a there was an explosion at a preschool and he, and a few others were assigned to clean up the mess.
“Fingers! There were fingers everywhere! Some of them still had paint on them!” he cried wrapping his arms around himself and shifting his body backwards and forwards. His big blue eyes went colossal as his short black hair swung back and forth.
“Take it easy, Kevin. We’re all here,” the doctor said comforting him. Such a waste I think, he was such a handsome man, probably a real lady-killer. He could have had a fantastic life if not for his career. I guess a job truly does kill someone.
We moved onto the second man, Tallen Coe. He was just as handsome, in his mid-twenties. He has long blonde hair, a few freckles and beautiful green eyes, god I wanted his eyes.
He was locked up in this hellhole because the poor bastards wife left him, took his sons and ran off. Technically it was a kidnapping, but because she’s in Canada our guys can’t touch her, or his kids.
“She took my boys!” he screamed. He wasn’t a bad father; in fact it was the wife who was insane. He was just the right man who got married to the wrong woman. I kind of felt sorry for him.
“What did I do?” he yelled.
“Easy, Tallen. You haven’t done anything wrong,” the Doc promised. Tallen was admitted because after the cops failed to get his kids back, he tried to kill himself. Apparently his brother paid him a surprise visit after the news of his wife and sons. His brother was sure surprised to find Tallen with his head stuck in a gas-powered oven.
“I think you’re sick!” the third member yelled, a woman in her twenties with long black hair and an angry-looking face. I’ll tell you, this woman looked permanently pissed off.
“Now come on, Kalua. That wasn’t necessary,” the Doc said calmly.
“I’m right! Tallen, not only did you risk your life, but you also risked the lives of all the people in your apartment!” she yelled infuriated. This Kalua character was a real bitch. She was admitted for the same reason as Tallen, except instead of the stove she slit her writs.
“Kalua, maybe it’s best if you keep comments like that to yourself,” the Doc suggested.
“Well in my opinion he should just kill himself and get it over with!” I also think that she had some anger management problems.
“Kalua please…” the Doc said giving Tallen a pitiful glare. “That’s enough.”
“Why do you pick on him?” I asked with my arms crossed and my eyes closed. Would it be surprising if I told you that I was a girl? Apparently with my short black hair and guys clothing it was hard to tell.
“He’s an idiot!” Kalua yelled. “An absolute idiot!”
“You’re not one to talk. You’ve been admitted for the same reason,” I said calmly.
“Shut up! I didn’t put other people’s lives at risk!” she yelled.
“Does it matter? The only reason you cut yourself was because it was the quickest thing to do. The heat of the moment! So tell, me if there were no knives what would you have done?” I asked.
“Excuse me?” she said upset.
“Korin!” the doctor yelled. He didn’t like me, the things I said scared people and so did the things I did.
“I was only curious,” I mumbled. “I find attempted suicides to be quite interesting.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Kalua yelled.
“Nothing, so I like to say, but then what am I doing here? What are any of us doing here? Just because our minds work differently we have to live here instead of among normal people?” I said.
“What is normal?” asked a girl who had been quiet the whole time.
“Good question.” I said softly. “Normal is something everyone else is and you are not.”
Stella Elms, age fifteen. She also had long black hair, but unlike Kalua hers was straight and down to her waist. Kalua’s was curly and only exceeded down to her shoulders. Also, Stella was pretty.
“You’re a bitch!” Kalua screamed.
“Maybe, but it’s good to know that I’m not the only one.” Tallen let out a slight giggle at my words.
“What are you laughing at?” she asked looking over to Tallen and rising from her seat.
“Sit down, please!” Doc ordered. “And that’s enough from you!” he said pointing at me.
“Doc… the last person who pointed his fingers at me never used them again,” I said fiercely. The doctor gradually pulled his hand away.
“You’re crazy!” Kalua screamed.
“Aren’t we all?”
“That’s it!” Kalua said attacking me. She quickly jumped on me and wrapped her hands around my neck, squeezing tightly. She screamed and swore at me but I just laid there, not fighting back, not screaming for help.
“Kalua!” Doc yelled running towards her.
“You can’t do it,” I whispered. “Your specialty is killing yourself, not others.”
“Shut up!” she screamed. I looked into her eyes as she did mine. My eyes, my horrible reddish eyes, they tended to scare a lot of people. Her grip began to loosen, but not because the Doc was trying to pull her off. She soon sighed and let go.
“I told you,” I said getting to my feet.
“Maybe I won’t kill you, but believe me, one day there’ll be someone,” she said settling down.
“Of that I have no doubt,” I agreed. Some people considered me a genius; others figured that I was insane. I don’t judge myself too much, but I don’t think that I’m anything special.
“My specialty might not be killing people, but yours is!” she yelled disgusted and taking her seat. That wasn’t true. I was admitted here because I was convicted of killing my abusive father. As much as the bastard deserved to die it wasn’t I who killed him, kind of a letdown actually.
“Korin, did you really kill him?” Stella asked.
“Would you believe me if I told you otherwise?” The room went quiet as Stella looked away from me as if she’d said something wrong.
I wasn’t insane, but I pleaded insanity in court. My reasons for this were unknown to all but my lawyer, my only friend, Darren Riley, who just so happens to be a member of the LAPD.
You see? I figure that if I get better here then I can be released in a few years. After being released I will go out in search of my father’s killer, but not to avenge him, to avenge my little sister and brother who were also mutilated by this murderer.
The only reason I’ll be released is because the cops couldn’t find enough evidence to support their accusations against me to lock me up. I could’ve got off but I couldn’t risk it, so I pleaded insanity. It was either that or a few years in prison and I sure as hell wasn’t going there.
I know fully well that when I finally do get out of here they’ll be watching me, waiting for me to screw up, but I’m only going to be killing one person, the man who took the only things I loved away from me.
“I believe you! I believe everything you say!” Rick yelled. Rick Brookline, age thirty. He has short red hair and wore glasses over his dark green eyes, possibly the tallest man in the whole ward.
I reckon he’s about six-foot three or something. He is a real wimp and sadly, lets a lot of the people around here pick on him. The really sad part about it is that he’s so tall that he could probably use his height to his advantage, but he doesn’t. I suppose he hasn’t focused much on his strong points. I think he’s also a little… slow.
However, he was extremely skinny so if he did get some attitude he wouldn’t have the muscles to back it up. Honestly, I could push him over so easily. There’s been talk on whether or not he’s anorexic, but obviously he’s not or he’d be in a hospital not this hellish place.
“Thanks, Rick,” I said annoyed. He was hyperactive, stuttered a lot and for some reason he was in love with me, which was kind of sickening considering that he was thirteen years older than me. I was seventeen, nearly eighteen. I realized that I could have left a while ago, but the only reason I stayed with my old man was for my sibling’s sake.
“I really do believe you!” he stuttered.
“I heard you the first time,” I said without looking at him. This guy was admitted because his wife killed herself. Once again he’s an innocent victim here. She was extremely depressed and her meds she refused to take. He did nothing wrong to upset her, she was just medically depressed.
I guess that after she died the poor guy went crazy and thought that he’d be forever unloved. He was put in the ward because some girl accused him of rape, which clearly he didn’t do; she just wanted his money. When he was put in front of the judge they must’ve realized that he was crazy.
He admits his love for me once or twice a week; mostly he just follows me around. I have had a few offers for marriage, but I’m sure I’m not the only one he stocks around here. I’ve seen him follow around some other girls. Young, old, I don’t really think he cares about age.
“Does anyone else have anything to say?” the Doc asked after the few minutes of silence. Rick then smiled a grabbed my hand.
“I l-love you!” he confessed.
“Why don’t you just shut up, Rick!” Kalua yelled. “Only your dead mother could love you!”
“Why do you pick on everyone, Kalua? You’re mean,” Stella said with her knees up to her face.
“I’m mean? Honey, it’s the world that’s fucking mean!” she screamed.
“Did you know that people say the word fuck because they are too stupid to think of a better word?”
“Shut the hell up, Korin! I don’t need any English lessons from you!” Kalua shouted. It’s too bad really, because Kalua has such an attractive name. It really is a shame that she’s ruining it with her attitude and looks.
“That’s enough! Please just take it easy.” Doc said. There were two other members in this hellish circle of ours. Neither of them had spoken or even moved. Well actually the younger one was about to get up when Kalua was choking me. Arix Becklaham and an elderly man named Vincent Price; don’t make fun of his name.
Arix was British but was only born there. After his birth his parents moved him around for years. I like Arix myself, and for some reason he likes me. We enjoy talking, nothing fancy, just talking. He’s been to and mastered so many other cultures. I liked that about him, especially since I had a huge interest in multi-culture.
Arix had long blonde hair, a light beard on his chin, cold green eyes and really nifty-looking glasses. He was tall but not as tall as Rick, although he was more buffed. I think the main thing that really fascinated me about Arix was that he was almost always smiling. I mean, here’s a man who’s stuck here just like me and he’s always smiling about it. He was very mysterious, and he was the only one who I knew nothing about, not his age or why he was here, nothing but what he tells me.
The other man, Vincent, was fifty-five. He’s here because he murdered his wife, or so they say. I take one look at this serious but quiet old man and I just can’t see a murderer. He’s another strange one that keeps me wondering. He pleaded insanity as I did, which technically means that the cops didn’t have enough evidence on him either.
A few more minutes went by. The Doc kept looking at his watch and at all of us. He wanted us to talk, but it seemed that we were all in bad moods today. He scoffed and wrote something down on his clipboard. Rick still had a tight grip on my hand but I still didn’t look at him; just sat there staring at nothing.
Suddenly the Doc checked his watch again and at the same time a clock sounded. We all stood up and headed for the door.
“Okay people! Remember that we’re back in here bright and early tomorrow so be sure to come,” Doc reminded us. “And what time is that?”
“Eight thirty!” Rick and Stella shouted. I released myself from his grasp and headed for the door, ignoring another one of his marriage proposals.
“Not you, Korin! I need you to stay for a moment,” he said getting up. I slouched over and sighed.
“What?” I asked turning to face him.
“Just wait until everybody leaves,” he said hinting the others. After they left he sat me back down. I guess he wanted to have some sort of one-on-one chat.
“Korin, I know that you don’t want to be here, but you have to be less aggressive towards the other patience.”
“Me aggressive? I do believe that it was Kalua who was straggling me.”
“That may be true but you know what she’s like, you can’t antagonize her.”
“Doc, honestly. Do we have to go through this again?” I asked annoyed.
“Look, I know that your going through a hard time here but I think―”
“Hard time?” I laughed. “Doc, I’ve been accused of murdering my family in the most inhuman way. I’m locked up in a nuthouse, my name will forever be scarred and I don’t get along with any of the patience’s. There are people out there who want to kill me, there’s a maniac walking around who’s the real killer and I’ve got his label,” I said calmly.
“Well, uh…”
“No one believes a single word I say, I have no friends, no one on my side, and the meds you bastards have me on are causing me to forget what my frigen siblings even look like! Don’t you see that if I forget what my siblings look like then I’ve lost everything?” I screamed.
“Okay, okay, please just calm down,” he said.
“Doc, you have no idea what it’s like to be me! I would kill myself if I didn’t have some unfinished business!”
“Uh, K-Korin―”
“So don’t try to feed me any of your physiological bullshit!” I said rising from my seat. I quickly turned away and ran outside the door, leaving the Doc all alone. As I ran down the hallway I accidentally ran into Arix, who took one look at me and hugged me. After a few seconds I pushed myself away.
“What?” I shouted.
“You’re crying,” he said with a smiling.
“No I’m not!”
“No, not physically, but I can see your invisible tears,” he said. My eyes widened at his words.
“Just leave me alone,” I said.
“I’m afraid I can’t,” he said, not letting me go. “When I see a beautiful young woman crying I just have to do something.”
“Arix,” I sighed. “Why are you even in here?” A little later I sat in his room with a cup of tea in my hands. He sat down in front of me with a friendly smile.
“Are you okay now?” he asked.
“I’m never okay,” I admitted. He laughed slightly.
“You’ll be okay.”
“Arix, why are you here?” I asked again. He sighed and took a sip of his tea. He then stood up and looked out his window sadly.
“I’m sorry if I said something wrong,” I said watching him.
“No, not at all,” he said smiling again. “I’m in here because the world is just too big a place for me.”
“Too big of a place? So then you were self admitted?” I asked astounded.
“I guess you could say that.”
“But why?” I asked. “Why would you want to be stuck here?”
“Well,” he said sitting back down and staring at me. “When you’re an adult you do a lot of stupid things. You do things you’re not too proud of and get involved with the wrong people,” he said.
“So then you’re afraid,” I finished. He didn’t answer me, but I think that he was surprised that I understood. I took a small sip of his delicious tea as he continued to stare at me astonished.
“I know it’s wrong of me to hide out here, but this is the only home I’ve got now,” he confessed.
“What about your parents?” I asked, seeing how much I could get away with. It was rude I know, but I really wanted to know more.
“They both died. My father had a heart attack years ago and my mother died just recently.”
“I’m sorry,” I said feeling embarrassed.
“It’s all right. I only admitted myself a while ago so she didn’t even know. My mother died thinking that her son was a well-behaved, successful young man,” he said happily.
“But then, you lied to your mother. She died never knowing the truth. Don’t you think she would’ve wanted to help you?” I asked. His smile faded and once again I felt embarrassed.
“I-I mean, uh, well you, you seem like you’ve got a problem. I guess all I’m saying is that she probably would’ve liked to help you solve it, or something like that.” I felt sick; I was being too nosy. I figured that I was really hurting Arix. Stop talking you idiot!
“Korin,” he said softly.
“I’m sorry, I should probably leave,” I said standing up.
“No, no! It’s all right,” he said waving his hands at me.
“I’m really not trying to be rude about this.”
“I know, you’re just one of those curious folks,” he laughed. His smile had returned but it was completely fake. I only knew because I put on the same face all the time. In truth, the only time I smiled for real was when I was with my siblings. Now, I’ll never smile again.
“It’s really all right, if I stay?” I asked unsure.
“Yes really, please sit.”
“I don’t want to be a bother, and isn’t your roommate due back any minute?”
“Yeah, but it’ll be all right. It’ll be all right,” he promised. I just sighed and sat back down.
“So, do you have a problem?” I asked.
“Sort of, but it’s not anything that you can solve.”
“Try me. I’ve solved lots of people’s problems before,” I said. It was actually true; I was the quiet kid in school that all the students came to for help. I didn’t know why, I guess I was just a good problem solver, and not to boast but everyone whom I spoke to had his or her problem solved. I even had teachers talk to me about their problems.
“Well, this problem―” Suddenly Arixs’ roommate walked in and cowered at the very sight of me.
“M-Murderer!” she shouted. “Murderer! Murderer!”
“Be quiet, Kaitlyn or the guards will hear you!” Arix warned.
“Good! What is she doing in here, Arix?” she shouted.
“It’s okay,” he smiled. “Just settle down.” She slammed the door and ran over to him, ripping the tea out of his hands.
“Are you crazy? She could have poisoned this!” Kaitlyn yelled.
“That’s highly unlikely considering that I’m the one who made it,” he said with a sarcastic grin. She looked at me blankly and then stuck her finger in the cup, stirring it around. She then sucked the liquid off of it, never taking her eyes off of me.
“This… is not poisoned.”
“Is that a surprise?” he asked.
“Yes!” she shouted. “If she must stay here then stay exactly twelve meters away from her! She could have poisoned her nails! Don’t eat anything either, not until I’ve taste tested everything,” she ordered.
“Uh, Kaitlyn? Don’t you think you’re being a little eccentric?”
“No I’m not! She’s a killer, and she’s going to kill someone in here soon, I can sense it!”
“Come on now, Kaitlyn. Can I have my tea back?” he asked. Kaitlyn Bell, age sixteen. She was loud, annoying and also addicted to cocaine. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, this place is also a narcotic, alcoholics, and suicide anonymous center. This place was actually best known for its NA, AA, and SA programs.
“Just have her out of here before seven tonight!” she demanded, handing him back his tea. She talks fast, gets overzealous and sometimes forgets what she’s talking about, but all and all she’s pretty harmless.
She’s obviously younger then me but acts much older, with her long brown hair in a bun everyday and her fancy unadulterated clothes. She even wore makeup to bring her big brown eyes out, though in my opinion she doesn’t need it. She really was beautiful, she just didn’t realize it.
“Don’t worry, with you here I’ll be gone long before seven,” I said sipping my tea again.
“Well good!” she yelled. “I’m going to the bathroom and you better be gone by the time I get out!” she warned. After she left Arix looked at his watch.
“Is it that time already?” he asked aloud.
“What time you got?” I asked curiously.
“It’s nearly seven.”
“Figures.”
“The guards will be doing the nighttime checks soon,” he warned.
“Yeah, maybe I’d better go,” I said getting up and handing him my empty cup. “Careful, I may have poisoned the rim,” I said giving him a slight smile. He just laughed.
“As for your problem, you can tell me when you’re ready, or not at all if you like,” I said heading for the door.
“Sure thing.”
“Oh and by the way,” I said with my hand on the doorknob. “How did you get that watch? Patience aren’t allowed to have things like that.”
“Well I happen to know where all our possessions are being kept and I feel really naked without my watch so…”
“You sly devil,” I commented. He just laughed again. As I opened the door to leave I paused and then whispered, “Your roommates doing drugs again.” Arix shot up and started pounding on the bathroom door.
“Kaitlyn! Open the door, Kaitlyn!”
“Need some help?”
“No, just uh, don’t tell any of the doctors and I’ll take care of it!” he begged.
“It’s not a good idea to hide something like that from them.”
“I know but if she’s caught doing it one more time then she’ll go to jail!” he said still pounding.
“You’ve got a big heart, Arix, but if this keeps up she’s going to die of an overdoes.” I explained. Arix stopped knocking and put his hands on my shoulders, giving me a worried expression.
“Please, don’t tell,” he whined. I thought for a moment and then nodded.
“All right, Arix, I won’t report it.”
“Thank you,” he said.
“But if I catch her doing drugs again, then I will tell,” I warned. Arix sighed and nodded in agreement.
“And so will I,” he promised. “Do you hear that Kit? If you do this one more time then we’re gonna tell!” he yelled.
“You guys suck!” she yelled through the door. “How the hell does that whore know when I’m doing them anyway?”
“I can smell it, Kaitlyn.”
“How can you? It’s coke!”
“Well it was just a feeling, but now I know for sure,” I admitted. “I could also hear you snorting.”
“Shut up! You fucking suck!” she cried.
“Now come on, Kaitlyn. Just come out of there and we’ll talk,” he said calmly.
“Go away, Arix!”
“I can’t do that! When I hear a beautiful young lady trying to hurt herself then I have to do something!” he said. I gasped when I heard him say it.
“Arix…” I whispered. “He likes to help everyone,” I thought.
“Now just come on out,” he said. There was no answer for a while, not even a sound. Then the doorknob began to move as the door opened, revealing Kaitlyn with white power on her nose. She was sobbing slightly and hugged Arix.
“Why? Why can’t I stop?” she asked.
“It’s okay,” Arix said. “You just need a bit more help. We all do.”
“Kaitlyn, where did you get the coke?” I asked curiously.
“Korin!” Arix yelled.
“No, it’s okay,” she said letting him go and wiping her eyes with her sleeve. “I, uh, got it from this guy outside. He stands out there everyday and sells drugs and stuff to the other patience.”
“Oh my god!” Arix shouted. “Are you serious? How come I don’t know about this?”
“He only goes after the desperate-looking people,” she sniveled. “Drugs, alcohol, you name it. All you have to do is ask and he’ll get it for you.”
“And I’m guessing he sells it for an astronomical price?” I asked cupping my chin.
“Yeah. Everything.”
“What are you thinking, Korin?” Arix asked concerned.
“I’m thinking, that I’m going to make an awful lot of enemies tomorrow.”

(Chapter two- Friends or Foes)

The next day, after another one of our pleasant little group therapies, I waited outside to see who the next unsuspecting fool would lead me to Kaitlyn’s supplier. As I waited I couldn’t help but laugh at the fact that you can’t spell therapist without using the words the, and rapist.
“Any luck?” Kaitlyn asked sneaking up behind me.
“Sadly no,” I said looking around.
“Why are you doing this anyway? You don’t even like me.”
“Do you want to get better or not?” I asked giving her a serious glare.
“I do, but―”
“Then let me stop this guy,” I said looking back at the hoard of people. Kaitlyn was a pretty good kid, a little screwy but not all bad. The sad part is, that I probably could have been friends with her had she not thought that I was a psycho killer.
“He usually hangs around the back gates.”
“You could’ve mentioned this earlier,” I sighed.
“Sorry, but do you really wanna do this?” she asked again.
“What’s the problem? I thought you wanted to get clean.”
“I do but, if you do stop this guy all of the other people around here might hate you,” she warned. “After all, he is giving them what they want, which is more then we can say for the doctors here.”
“Even if that’s true, if they end up hating me then I’ll have pretty much the same relationship with them as I do now,” I scoffed.
“How can you be this way?”
“What way?” I asked confused.
“Don’t you want any friends? Does human life annoy you that much?” she yelled.
“Humans are annoying, cold and unforgiving, but that’s not what I hate about them.”
“What do you hate then?” she said upset.
“The fact that they don’t listen enough. With most people all they do is jump to conclusions and only want to see things their way.”
“I’m not like that!” she promised.
“Yes you are. For example, you think that I’m a murderer, and without even hearing my side of the story, that’s the conclusion that you came up with. You believe that I’m a killer so much that you won’t even give me a chance to explain, just like the doctors here.”
“All right, fine!” she said following me to the other side of the ward. “Then I’ll listen! What do you have to say?”
“You’re all ears?” I asked leaning against the wall.
“Yes.”
“Fine. What really happened was―”
“Hey girls!” Arix said waving to us.
“Quiet! She was just about to tell me how she killed her family!”
“She was?” Arix asked giving me a fearful look.
“And that’s another thing I hate about humans. They’re always lying.”
“Oh you really think you’re something else don’t you?” Kaitlyn mocked. “Like you’ve never lied before!”
“Not once,” I said.
“Yeah right!” she laughed.
“Hang on a second here! I thought you were going to put a stop to this drug guy?” Arix said confused.
“I’m still looking. Kaitlyn said that he usually does his dirty dealings around here.”
“He does but, he doesn’t seem to be around today.”
“That sucks,” Arix said sadly.
“Defiantly,” she sighed.
“Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions,” I warned. “We can’t just quit after three seconds.”
“We’ve been out here since therapy ended, which was like an hour ago.”
“I’ve been out here for that long, you only found me a little while ago,” I said.
“Well sure, but I was looking for you.”
“I’m sure,” I said in disbelief. We waited together for a while longer before Kaitlyn gave up and went back inside.
“Guess it’s just us now, huh?” Arix asked with a smile.
“Yep,” I said with my hands in my sweater pockets.
“I uh, don’t want to be a bother but, what exactly were you going to tell Kit?”
“Oh that? She promised she’d listen to my story, but as usual she didn’t.”
“Well then tell me,” he said interested.
“You?” I asked astonished.
“Yeah me. Why not?”
“Well, I figured that if I told her she’d just forget later.”
“Were you going to lie to her?” he asked.
“Of course not!”
“Well then why not tell me?” he insisted.
“Fine,” I said sighing. “What really happened that day, when I came home from the store, was I found my old man lying on the ground. I figured that he’d just collapsed again from too much beer, but then I noticed two things. One, that he didn’t reek of alcohol, and two, that there was a puddle of blood around his head.
“You mean that it was coming from his head?” Arix asked.
“Yes,” I nodded. “I walked over to him slowly and lifted his head, only to see that his eyes and tongue had been cut out.” I waited a while, looking over to Arix and absorbing his reaction. He was a little white, and I knew that the rest would disturb him.
“Go on,” he said as I turned my attention on the yard again.
“After I saw him I started to panic, cause you see, my brother and sister were home.”
“You have siblings?” he asked.
“More like, had.”
“No,” he said silently.
“I searched the house frantically. I finally came into my basement, and that’s when I saw…”
“Korin?” he asked as my body began to shake uncontrollably.
“That’s when I saw…” I couldn’t finish. I wrapped my arms around myself quickly and lowered my head. Thank God I wasn’t facing him; I couldn’t bare it if he saw my face at this moment.
“Korin, please,” he said sadly. “Don’t force yourself to tell me.”
“I saw them!” I shouted. “I saw them both, hanging from the pipelines! He’d cute out their eyes and tongues too! But that’s not what killed them, oh no! That bastard had to go and cute their figures off too! But what really killed them was the knife that he stuck in the temple of their heads! This way they’d move around as he raped them!”
“K-Korin…” Arix said shivering. He had turned white as a ghost and felt like puking.
“Can you believe it? What they blamed me for? How could they suspect that I raped and murdered them like that? My own brother, my own sister!” I shirked.
“Please stop it, Korin!” he screamed, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Don’t you cry! I didn’t cry, so don’t you cry! All I did was get angry!”
“You, you didn’t cry?”
“No! I couldn’t! How degusting is that? That I can’t even cry for my own siblings? I’ve forgotten how to cry!”
“Korin!” he said turning me towards him. I wasn’t crying, but he hugged me anyway, squeezing me harder then he ever had before. “How?” he cried. “How can you forget?”
“Because…” I said settling down. “After living with a man like my father, you just forget how to cry, otherwise you cry every day.”
“Your father?” he asked loosening his grip. “What do you mean? Now that I think about it, you didn’t get all emotional over his death.”
“Well, that’s because I hated him,” I said releasing myself from Arix.
“You hated your own father? But you loved your siblings so much,” he said wiping his face.
“That’s because they didn’t do this to me,” I said pulling down the collar of my shirt. Suddenly Arixs’ eyes grew ten times bigger.
“Is that a―?”
“A scar, from where he stabbed me.”

Spirits love and Demons hate (not done...)

(Chapter 1-Demons and spirits)

“I remember, I remember you… Naoe.”
“K-Kaori, how is this possible?”
“Ari Nari Tonari Anaro Nabi Kunabi Bai!”

It was dark, very dark, and the smell of rotting flesh filled the air. A girl and a young man ran through and old abandoned warehouse- exorcising spirits.
“Mistress Kaori! How many more must we exorcise?” Naoe said leaning against the wall in great fatigue.
“I don’t know. I’m not sure, and I am well aware of the pain you’re in but remember that you were the one who decided to follow me against my will,” she explained.
“Yes I know, and I’ll keep on following you until death.” There was a certain ache in his voice, which told Kaori that he was in deed in pain.
“Then you must continue to exorcise these spirits with me and keep your word. Unless you flee, which is what I’d rather you did, you must fight and not give up. That was your promise to me.”
Naoe’s eyes widened and then he smiled at her words.
“Yes I know, and I don’t intend to break that promise either. I will follow you, till death.” Naoe explained.
Suddenly another spirit emerged out of the ground and ran towards them with a sword, slashing at them angrily. Kaori rushed in front of Naoe and put her hands together.
“Ari Nari Tonari Anaro Nabi Kunabi…” As it came closer she closed her eyes and concentrated. “Bai!”
And with that final word the spirit disintegrated before them.
“Mistress Kaori, I’m so sorry, I should’ve been paying attention. If that sprit had actually hurt you I─”
“Don’t worry yourself with it. I’m fine and so are you.” Kaori said. Her eyes were a dark reddish colour and her hair was a short black and she was very beautiful. She wasn’t smiling; in fact she hardly ever smiled. Her eyes were blue however, when she wasn’t fighting or angry.
Naoe was quite the opposite. He was a very handsome young man and he had a grayish-silver colour to his short hair and he had beautiful colourless eyes. He did, however, not smile but he did more then Kaori, and he always smiled around her.
“Do you think that that, was the last sprit?” He asked.
“I don’t sense anything. I think we’re done here.” She said looking around.
“Good, then I’m sorry in advance.” Naoe said falling forward.
“Naoe!” Kaori yelled running to his side. She pushed him onto his back and saw quickly that he had fainted. She placed her hand against his right side and then looked at her hand. He was bleeding through his dark gray tuxedo, bleeding badly.
“Too much excitement for you huh, Naoe?” She asked rhetorically. She then put his arm around her neck and shoulder and pulled him up off the ground.
“Come on. Let’s go home.”
The next day Naoe awoke in a warm bed and in a bright tenement house no less. The tenement was actually owned by Kaori, and although it was a rather huge place she only allowed so many people to stay there, as she and Naoe were not humans themselves.
Naoe got up slowly, moaning and holding his wound as his did so. He was wearing new pants but no shirt. He chest and side had been wrapped in bandages and his clothes had been folded neatly beside his bed.
When he was fully up he walked over to the sliding door and opened it to reveal the beautiful outside ocean. Kaori was standing against the railing of the tenement with her chin and hands against it. She was fixated on the glimmering ocean.
“Good morning Kaori.” Naoe said cheerfully. Kaori stood up straight and looked over her shoulder at him.
“Good morning. How did you sleep?” She asked.
“Surprisingly well thank you. Did you do this?” He asked referring to his wounds. Kaori nodded while turning to completely face him.
“Does it still hurt?”
“A little, but not nearly as much as yesterday.” He said smiling at her.
“Naoe-san!” Yelled a high-pitched voice from afar. Naoe’s smile quickly faded as he looked behind him with an uncomprehendingly annoyed look.
“Naoe-san dearest!” Yelled a beautiful young woman wrapping her arms around him.
“Nagahide-chan.” He said staring at her.
“Oh I was so worried about you! When Yumaru-san brought you here last night you looked like a wreck. Then she told me you were beat up by thugs and I was so mad I was going to go out there and give them a piece of my mind. But then she wouldn’t tell me where it was you two had the fight.” She smiled.
“Nagahide-chan, look we’re kind of in the middle of something so maybe later.” He wondered.
“Aw! But I wanna talk now, is that all right Yumaru-san?” She asked looking at her; she was still hanging off of Naoe.
“Any other time I would allow it Nagahide, but not today, we really were talking.” Kaori explained.
“Oh, well in that case I’m sorry.” She said letting go of him.
“Call me if you need anything, chow!” She said running off.
“Now there’s a word you don’t hear everyday, chow.” Naoe said with a smirk.
“It was rather clever of them though.” Kaori said changing the subject.
“Huh?”
“That they decided to attack us at the warehouse last night. Of course it isn’t a big surprise. They did build that old place over a once vast and popular gravesite.”
“How vile.” Naoe said.
“For someone to build a warehouse over a gravesite, it’s absolutely barbaric. It’s no wonder those things came back as vengeful spirits, it’s no wonder they…”
“You mustn’t trouble yourself with things like that too much my friend. You should be resting right now.” Kaori told him. She looked back out to the water. The ocean was calm and sparkling and there was a warm and soothing breeze. The sounds of little waves and chimes crashing together just made the perfect comforting noise.
“But still, how can people be so disgusting? People went to visit that gravesite everyday to grieve and for what, all they’re mourning was wasted the second that warehouse was built.” He said angrily.
“It was not wasted Naoe. For the dead still heard them. But when those tears could no longer be shed and those spirits could no longer hear their loved ones, they grew angry, confused, and malevolent. The worst thing for a wonder soul is to be forgotten. And because no one could grieve for them any longer, they thought that they were in deed forgotten.”
“I did notice that not all of the souls came back. There were approximately two hundred and thirty-five graves but we only exorcised about one hundred and twenty-nine. So what happened to the other one hundred and six?” Naoe asked.
“They were either not wondering souls or they were just fine with being forgotten.” She claimed.
“As for me. I don’t think I could handle being a wondering soul or being forgotten. Dead alive, I don’t think I could handle being forgotten by someone. Especially someone I love.” He added.
“Hey Naoe? Why do you want to protect me?”
There was no answer. Suddenly everything seemed to go quiet, not even the waves could be heard. Naoe looked down sadly.
“Well I, I guess it’s because I─”
Suddenly the phone rang. Naoe rushed to answer it.
“Ohio? Yes, yes that’s right, you have the right residence. What?” He shouted in shock. Kaori looked at him over her shoulder. When he hung up he ran to her.
“There’s something going on at Koshien high school. The students and teachers are going mad and the ones who aren’t are saying they’ve all seen ghosts!” He said.
“At Koshien? Of all the places why there?”
“We can ask questions later, right now we should go.” He said running back inside and grabbing his clothes.
“Naoe?” Kaori said through the doors as he got changed.
“Must you come? The situation at Koshien sounds intense and dangerous. Are you sure you want to accompany me? Even in you injured state?”
Naoe opened the door and stepped out in his work tuxedo.
“I will follow you till death.” He said. Kaori nodded semi-sadly in permission.
Naoe and Kaori walked away from the tenement and over to the parking lot. They walked over to a remarkably outstanding black Subaru car.
“Would you like to drive?” He asked.
“Don’t make such jokes Naoe. I’m only sixteen after all and I don’t even have my G1 yet.” She said.
“Besides, you always do the driving.”
Naoe laughed and opened the passenger door for her. As she got in she thanked him. He then closed it after bowing to her and then got in his side.
“You know Naoe. We’re not Japanese, you don’t have to bow to me like that.” Kaori said as he started the car.
“Yes, but we’re in Japan, and I think it’s only fair that we follow their customs.”
“Perhaps it is best.” She wondered.
When they arrived at the school Naoe opened the door for Kaori; he really is a gentleman.
“Naoe? Do you sense it?” Kaori asked standing in front of the school.
“Yeah. There’s someone here controlling these sprits.” Naoe answered.
“These aren’t sprits.” Kaori said closing her eyes. “Their demons.”
Naoe’s eyes widened colossally.
“W-What did you say?” Naoe asked astonished.
“Come Naoe, let’s go.” She said heading towards the school.
“B-But mistress Kaori! Demons are much harder to exorcise then sprits, ah.”
Kaori stopped in her tracks. She didn’t turn to face him, nor did she speak. Everything grew quiet yet again. Naoe stood there, not knowing what to say or think. Had he upset her? Had he hurt her? Had he complained too much this time? As he stood there feeling dead, he waited for her to say something, and even though only seconds had gone by, it felt like an eternity.
Kaori opened her mouth to say something, “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”
Naoe’s heart felt a sharp pain, like a knife cutting through his chest. Kaori left him without saying another word, and Naoe fell to his knees.
“If I don’t want to? But I always want to. I just don’t understand why she’s always so cold. Why is she always trying to do things alone? My master, why are you so solitary?” He asked.
Kaori entered the school. She walked quietly down the corridors looking through windows and classes. Thee entire school had been evacuated because of the demonic possession over it.
“Students said that the first place they saw a ghost was around this area. But that’s strange, I sensed a huge demonic aura when I was outside the school, but now that I’m in here I can’t even sense a single demon. That’s just not possible.” She said aloud.
She continued to concentrate and look around, but no matter how much she tried she just couldn’t sense anything.
Suddenly something hit her in the back and flung her across the hall. She dragged herself up slowly.
“They were all their waiting for us.” She said looking around.
“Oh right, I mean me.” She said correcting herself.
“I am known as Takimaru Takaway of Setsuna. I go by the present name of 3-A, student number four, Kaite Miyazaki.” A young man with long black hair and a schoolboys outfit on said.
“Present name?” She asked standing up.
“So then you’re the one controlling the demons. And you even hid yourself among your former classmates didn’t you? Why would a boy of your stature want to do something like that? Also, what are your intentions for attack the school and it’s citizens?” She asked confused.
“You’re defiantly a very powerful spirit, so why would you─”
“You have no idea what it’s like to be a boy who can see things like me! I’m not the one controlling these ghosts here, they are! They control themselves! This school was built over an accent burial ground for criminals. As luck would have it I can see them, and they asked me told help them.” He explained.
“And you did?”
“Shut up! Of course I did! I can’t stand them, any of them!” He cried.
Kaori looked at him miserably.
“You mean you’re teachers right?” She asked. The boy’s eyes widened.
“And your classmates correct? You can’t stand them? They’re the ones. I understand. It must be tough being a boy in high school. But I don’t think you’re all that terrible. Did everyone bully you? Is that why you hate them? Tell me, if you are a possessor then why do you attended school?” She asked.
“Well I, it’s because I─”
Suddenly the boy’s eyes turned a dark red, like the colour of blood.
“Stop this nonsense!” A deep voice screamed. Takimaru grabbed his head and fought with himself.
“But she speaks the truth! I didn’t want any of this!” He said.
“Fool, she’s only playing with your mind, trying to trick you!” The voice continued.
“No! The only one playing with my head is you!” He yelled throwing his head back and forth. Then he was completely gone and his body stopped moving around.
“Reveal yourself demon.” Kaori demanded.
“My name is Kaze Kisaragi. I was once one who ruled this land and for it I was slain.” He said through Takimaru’s mouth.
“Slain by Hikaru Yamaguchi. Yes I’ve heard the stories.”
“They were no mere stories girl. He was a hired assassin by the town I apparently demanded too high of taxes from.” He said vainly.
“They were too high you wretch. You demanded an astronomical fee of one hundred pounds from the farmers and workers and they starved to death. They couldn’t pay for water, food, clothing, baths, any necessities at all. The land was ravaged by disease and people suffered because of your filthy rule.” She stated.
“It wasn’t my fault that they couldn’t afford it. And even so, they had no right to take my life.”
“Perhaps not, but I don’t think rights concerned them too much, and anyway, after your death the people were able to elect a new and better governor and after twenty years or so of hard work the land did again prosper. But tell me something, why did you attack this school? It may have been built over the land but─”
“Let me ask you something. Did you happen to notice anything about the people I attacked? How many it did?” He asked.
Kaori thought back. He had only driven three teachers insane and only fifty-eight students. What kind of ties did they have to the assassination?
“Call it fate but those people are actually reincarnations of some of the villagers who survived my wrath.” He explained.
“Reincarnations? So you exact your revenge on innocent beings who know nothing about their pasts?” She asked shocked.
“So what if I do? Nothing you can say or do will change my mind. I feel no guilt, I feel no shame, and in fact I’m kind of enjoying this.” He laughed.
“You’re disgusting, but I have come to stop you.” Kaori told him.
“I’ll never stop! Not until I hunt down that bastared Yamaguchi and kill him!” He screamed.
“So tell me. What do you plan to do if his reincarnation doesn’t attend this school? Will you leave and hunt him down? It could take you forever.”
“I don’t care how long it takes me. I will kill him! My soul will not rest until I do!” He sneered.
Kaori put her hands together like before. She closed her eyes and concentrated all her energy on him.
“Unfortunately for you I cannot, will not let you do that, not to him or anyone else. You drove them mad because you didn’t want them dead, but because you wanted them to suffer. I’m sure they will die eventually because of your demonic curse but they’ll probably commit suicide first won’t they?” She asked.
“That was my plan. There is no other way to escape it, and believe me, what those people see right now, they will want to escape it.” He laughed.
“And you want them to commit suicide so their souls will go to hell right? Well I’m so sorry about foiling your plans Kaze, but I cannot allow you to harm any more people. Ari Nari Tonari Anaro Nari Kunabi.” Kaori looked up at him furiously.
“Bai!” She shouted.
Kaze laughed as he blocked her Bai attack with some sort of energy barrier. Kaori looked at him astonished.
“Have you forgotten? I have taken over the body of a possessor, and since you’re one too I know just how to block every one of your attacks. And I also know, how to attack you!” He yelled lashing a beam of blue light at her from his hands.
She jumped out of the way just it time; the attack clipped her stomach causing her to fall back.
“Damn, if I attack him with my exorcising powers he’ll just block or absorb them, and if I block him he’ll wait for the perfect opportunity to strike me again. How can I beat him if he has a possessor’s body in his possession? Do I kill him, no. I can’t kill another possessor if he’s virtuous.” She told herself.
Kaori kept up her barrier but Kaze kept throwing attacks at her, not even giving her time to fight back. Every second counted to him and he wouldn’t give any room to attack him. He throw so much power at her at once that her barrier was beginning to break. She closed her eyes tightly thinking that it was all over when suddenly, Naoe jumped on her and pushed out of the way just before the beam broke through.
“N-Naoe?” Kaori asked looking up at him.
Naoe smiled at her kindly while helping her to her feet.
“I finally understand now Mistress Kaori, why you’re so cold towards me. It’s exactly why I don’t want you to fight, because we’re friends. You care about me don’t you?” He asked.
Kaori just looked at him miserably and then she looked away as if she were embarrassed.
“Think what you want.” She said.
Suddenly Kaze began to scream and Kaite just barely returned to his senses.
“M-Miss p-please. If you can’t help me, kill me!” He cried grasping his head.
“Shut up you fool! Have you any idea what you’re saying?”
The boy’s eyes blinked from red to white as he argued with Kaze.
“Please Miss! Please kill me! I don’t want all those people’s deaths on my shoulders!” Kaite screamed.
“You have no choice! I was you who decided to join me!” Kaze shrieked.
“Yes that may be but, it, it’s never to late to change.” He said.
Tears started to flow slowly down his cheeks. Kaori looked at him with her same miserable look and Naoe looked at him sadly. Even though it didn’t look that way for both, nether of them wanted to exorcise him.
“Please hurry! I don’t know how much longer I can hold him back!” Kaite cried.
“I’ll send you all to hell!” Kaze screamed.
Kaori stepped forward.
“Is that what you want? What you truly want Takimaru of Setsuna?” She asked.
Kaite looked at her and smile while he nodded. Kaori put her hands together again and closed her eyes. She waited a while, just until the boy stopped shaking with fear and then, “Bai!”
Kaze yelled uncontrollably as he was forced out of the boy’s body. The boy also screamed as Kaze was torn out through his chest. The scent of blood filled the air, as did the colour as Kaite fell to the ground. Kaze looked at his unsightly demon body of bones and rotting flesh. He still had on cloths that had been drenched in sand and dust, but what stuck out the most was the expensive jewels and crown that he was still wearing.
“No. It isn’t possible! You damned brat, how could you force someone as powerful as me out of him so easily? Me, someone who sold my soul to Lucifer himself in exchange for the power to get my revenge?” He yelled in anger.
“Bai!” She repeated, and with that Kaze disintegrated before their eyes.
Naoe looked at Kaori strangely.
“So easily? You mean he really didn’t know what kind of power you were capable of?” He asked.
Kaori walked over to Kaite who was nearly dead. She put her hand under his head and looked him in the eyes. He coughed up blood but smiled at her as he did so. There was no use on calling for help, for this boy was going to die no matter what. The demon was torn out of his heart and he was bleeding nonstop through the heart.
“You held back to save the boy.” Naoe said understanding.
“And in the end I still couldn’t save him.” She said sadly.
Kaite grabbed her by the shirt in pain, but even though he was in pain he kept smiling. He tried to speak but the blood in his throat made it almost impossible to understand him. He said what sounded to Kaori like a thank you.
“Just remember that it was your choice.” She said.
Naoe stood over her and looked at the boy, he then looked away disgusted by his bodies state; Naoe just can’t handle that kind of thing. When Kaite was dead Kaori placed her hand on what was left of his heart.
“Oh God, please find this lost soul and give him salvation, guide him to the heavens where he shall spend the rest of eternity. Forgive him of his sins and save him.”
Both Naoe and Kaori at the same time let out a small, “Amen.”
Suddenly a very bright light, almost impossible for the human eyes to withstand, without going blind rained down upon them. The body remained dead but the wound in his chest disappeared and so did the blood. When the light vanished Kaori stood up over the body.
“Make it look like a heart attack. I don’t want the police involved Naoe.” She said. Naoe nodded and put his hand on his shoulder.
“You did very good Kaori. I’ll get to work on it.” He said smiling at her.
She nodded and walked towards the exit with him.
“Hey? How about I make us some tea when we get back huh? How’s that sound?” He asked.
As they walked away from the school a long shadowy figure appeared on the roof of the school. The reflection of the moon off of its glasses indicated that the figure was watching them. One of the other only visible things was his smile.
“So it is her then. She really is strong, she doesn’t disappoint.” It said happily.
The next day Naoe awoke to see Kaori sitting beside him; they share the same room, and it’s huge too so they have plenty of room.
“What’s that you’re reading?” Naoe asked referring to the paper in her hand. Kaori set it down next to him so he could read it.
“I found that when I was surfing the web last night after we got back. Did you know that Lord Kaze Kisaragi actually demanded a fee of one hundred and twelve pounds from the farmers and workers? I was off by twelve pounds.” She said.
“It’s no wonder the people starved, and that was only tax.” Naoe said disgusted.
“And look at the date that that happened in Naoe.” She said. Naoe read over it carefully. When he found the date he gasped.
“1406, that, that was four hundred years ago!” Naoe shouted.
“I know. Imagine. He carried his hate for over four hundred years. It’s almost amazing what hate that strong can do to a man.” Kaori said depressingly.
“Yeah, but it’s still no wonder they killed him.”
“You’re forgetting Naoe. They didn’t kill him, his greed did.”

(Chapter 2- The New Possessor)

The day was still young and there was much to do. Kaori sat in front of her T.V. and switched it to the news. Naoe stood in the kitchen beside her making amacha-zuru tea for the both of them. She turned up the volume so he could hear it from where he was. It was in Japanese, but the reporter said as fallows.
“Reports confirm that the three teachers and fifty-eight students who were rushed to the hospital last night from Koshien High recovered this morning after what they though was paranormal activity. No one knows for sure why these people went insane but the police believe it was an elaborate prank by a boy named Kaite Miyazaki. It’s possible that he used movie technology to create ghosts before the student’s eyes, but did all the physical harm to them himself.” She said.
“This evidence became apparent to police after the body of seventeen-year-old Kaite Miyazaki was found on the floor of the school late last night. The boy was said to have died of a heart attack, even though his parents said he was perfectly healthy. This only helps prove that he probably died of too much excitement. On top of that, most of the students who were hospitalized agreed to have attacked rather harshly towards Kaite.” She continued.
“So he had parents.” Naoe said sadly.
“How sad. We really could’ve used another possessor on our side. Of course, I don’t think that he would’ve helped us anyway.” Kaori said.
“Why?” Naoe asked.
“This particular possessor probably wanted to live a normal life for once. He thought he’d try living as a human just this once, but it seems that no matter how hard we try to do that we either don’t fit in or we’re hunted down by something greater then bullies, we’re hunted down by demons. No matter how hard we try, we just can’t escape it.” Kaori explained.
Naoe poured the tea sadly. He knew that what we said was the truth. He also wondered why he kept on living as a possessor. He tried convincing himself that it was because he was a loyal and fateful servant to his mistress Kaori and that he would choose to truly die when she did, but the real reason he carried on like this was…
“Tell me Kaori. Just why is it that you choose to continue living as a possessor?” Naoe asked curiously. Kaori turned off the T.V. and walked toward Naoe to receive her tea.
“Well Naoe old friend, I guess it’s because I want to continue exorcising spirits. I want the future for people to be uninterrupted by these creatures we call demons and spirits and even possessors like us. I guess I feel obligated to help people.” She said sipping the tea.
“Is that the real reason?” He asked looking somber.
Kaori took another sip of the tea. Naoe watched as he waited patiently for his question to be answered. When the cup was empty she placed it one the table and whipped her mouth with a napkin.
“You know something Naoe? You make by far the best tea I’ve ever tasted.”
He looked at her sternly but she still didn’t answer him. Nether of them moved until there was a knock at the door. Kaori walked over and answered it leaving Naoe deep in though again.
“Lieutenant Hiroshi? Here to collect your reward I suppose?” She said letting in a very tall man dressed in a policeman’s outfit with. He was Japanese, unlike her and Naoe.
“I did as you asked. I took care of the boy’s autopsy and now pay up monster!” He yelled.
“Hey! Don’t you dare talk to her that way!” Naoe yelled protectively.
Kaori put her hand out, giving Naoe the silent gesture to calm himself. She just nodded to the lieutenant in gratitude.
“Naoe. He did as asked, please pay him.” She said.
Naoe stepped forward and reached into his hidden pocket in side his tuxedo’s jacket. Although he never agreed paying that horrid man, he always did as Kaori asked unless it had a negative impact on her life. Hiroshi grabbed the envelope, which contained the money.
“Dr. Itsugi’s is payment is there too, as well as the rest of your comrades. I trust that they’ll get it?” Naoe asked.
“Are you implying that I would steal it? Unlike you monsters I am human you know.” Hiroshi said infuriated.
“Which makes you more violent and selfish then any other being on this planet.”
“What’s that?” He asked giving Naoe the same angry look.
“It’s a fact that humans are the most greedy creatures alive. As a result you’re likely to take that money. Just keep in mind that that money was paid to us by the government so if you should steel it you will be the one hunted down, not us.”
Hiroshi grabbed Naoe by the collar of his shirt and pinned him against the wall.
“You bastard! How dare you!” He screamed.
“Gentleman! Not in my house.” Kaori said calmly.
Hiroshi looked at her and then back at enraged Naoe. He let go of him and then started to laugh as he backed up towards the door.
“You know it’s funny. You work so hard to destroy all these monsters but in the end there’s always two left, you.”
And with that he was gone. Kaori poured herself another cup of tea as Naoe kept staring heatedly in the direction Hiroshi had left in.
“Calm your self Naoe.” Kaori said sipping her tea again.
“We need the police on our said right now so you’d do well not to upset him.” She explained.
“Yes but─”
“Without them on our side complicated exorcisms like this recent one wouldn’t be possible, the public would surly find out about us, and if that happened everything people believed in, that belief of God or reincarnation or heaven would no longer live. People would surly give up on life so easily if they new the truth about death. Perhaps that’s the reason why we live so miserably.” She said.
“Miserably?” Naoe thought.
“They all have their opinions about us my friend, but we must not let them cloud our judgment. Those who know are just people who have sadly been wrapped up in this like us. That’s why we must keep our existence secret, because I have seen how the humans who know about us live, and I don’t want that for other people. I’m just thankful that a lot of police are possessors like us, luckily for them though; they can keep it a secret.” She continued.
Naoe looked away sadly. The cliché the truth hurts was defiantly a truth.
“Mistress Kaori? What did you mean when you said that we lived miser─”
“Naoe-san!” Nagahide said jumping on him.
“N-Nagahide-chan, it’s you again?” He said annoyed.
“Whaddaya mean? Can’t you say hello to me just once? Jeez Naoe-san, can’t you be happy to see me just once?” She asked a little annoyed.
“Kaori brings me all the happiness I need.” He answered.
“That’s not a suitable answer!” She yelled.
“Maybe not, but it works for me.”
Nagahide gave him and angry scowl and then for some reason smiled at him. She let go of him and backed away.
“You know what Naoe-san? You’re a tough guy to get, but that makes me all the more determined to make you mine!” She said running.
“How annoying. Japanese women are supposed to be, you know, so shy, and then she comes out every single day and admits that she loves me, she just comes out and says it─”
Naoe stopped himself. He looked at his own hands with a shocked facial expression.
“Maybe I should be more like her?” He thought.
“Naoe?” Kaori asked looking at him confused.
“Oh ah, it nothing. I was just thinking about how much a missed the old days here in Japan, you know? How they always had omiai’s with people.” He said with a laugh.
“Really? I don’t think that arranged marriages are all that great, but that’s just this persons opinion.” Kaori told him.
“Well perhaps they aren’t the best, but there was a lot less flirting between people, and women certainly weren’t popping up out of nowhere and jumping on men.”
“Speaking of jumping on men, how are your wounds now Naoe? I couldn’t help but notice the painful expression your face mad when she wrapped her arms around your sides.” Kaori asked sounding concerned.
“My wounds? Oh well, uh, they seem fine now. They don’t hurt anyway if that’s what you mean.”
“They’ve healed? A little bit I mean. I’m just a little concerned because the other day, before the school’s incident that is, when that demon hit you he scratched you quite deeply with his claws.” She explained.
“You’re afraid that when you exorcised him his soul may’ve escaped from hell and got into my body through the wounds he caused?” He said boldly.
“You didn’t have to put it so problematically.” She said.
“My apologies mistress.”
“It just bothers me that we haven’t heard from Lu yet about that soul. Being a demon he should have gone to hell but we haven’t been contacted yet.”
Kaori stood up and walked over to Naoe. She put her hand against his chest where his heart was and closed her eyes. Naoe looked at her strangely as she did so. After a couple of seconds she removed her hand and backed away.
“I don’t sense anything yet, it hope it stays that way.” She said.
Naoe smiled and nodded.
“It shall.”
Just as she was about to say something their phone rang yet again. Naoe was closeted so he was the first to answer again, which he usually was the only one who answered it.
“Konnitchiwa? Oh governor Yakamori-san, hello. Yes we did, the boy yes. I know, it’s very sad. What? You want her to do what?” Naoe yelled.
Kaori got up and walked into the kitchen to see what Naoe was yelling about.
“But governor Yakamori-san I, but Kaori is, yes but─”
“What is it Naoe?” Kaori asked confused.
“But last time that happened the parents killed themselves, they’re better off knowing a lie!” He screamed.
Naoe stopped and said nothing into the phone. Kaori said nothing either and patiently waited. Naoe gripped the phone tightly.
“Very well, I understand sir. Goodbye.” He said hanging up.
“Naoe what it is?” Kaori asked again. Naoe looked at the floor sadly with his hair over his eyes so she couldn’t see his eyes.
“H-He wants you to speak to the parents of Kaite.” He whispered sadly.
“Speak to them? The truth you mean?” She asked.
“Yeah. He said that the parents wanted to know the truth and that they deserved to know. He wants you to do it.”
“Don’t look so sad Naoe old friend. If they truly want to know they deserve to. No parent should have to live the rest of his or her life not knowing the truth about how their child died, even if the truth takes it from them.”
In the late afternoon her and Naoe went to visit the parents of Kaite. Kaori told Naoe to wait in the car while she talked with them. She knocked on the door and waited for an answer. After a while a Japanese woman slightly opened the door to see who was there.
“Konnitchiwa. Eago o hanashiamsu ka?” Kaori asked.
“Yes I speak English.” The woman answered.
“Mrs. Yamazaki I assume. My name is Kaori Yumaru. I’ve come─”
“I know why you’re here. Hum, a foreigner with a Japanese name? That’s not usual.”
“Well I was born in Japan so it was only natural I was given a Japanese name.” She said.
The woman closed the door and stepped back. Kaori could hear her unlocking it to let her inside. When the sound seized she opened the door all the way and gave Kaori the hand gesture to go in. Kaori removed her shoes and bowed before entering. When she was inside she took a seat on the couch like the woman had instructed. She then sat down on a chair directly across from Kaori as if she were in a counseling session.
“I want to know, I want to know everything about how my son lost his life.” She said with a handkerchief in her hand. Kaori could also she that she had been crying a lot via the smudging of her eyeliner.
“Where is Mr. Miyazaki?” She asked before beginning.
“My husband passed away thirteen years ago. Kaite was all I had left.” She said sadly.
“I see. Well then, please know that what I am about to tell you could and possibly will ruin your life. What I am about to tell you must remain confidential between the both of us or else your life will be forfeit. Once I tell you what I am about to there is no going back and know that if you try to kill yourself I will not stop you nor will I help you.” Kaori told her.
“My life has already been ruined, since the day God took my family from me.” The woman said angrily.
Kaori nodded and then began telling the story, the story about possessors, about hoe her son had really died, about heaven and hell, about everything. When she was done the woman stared at her with wide teary eyes in disbelief. She fell to her knees and started laughing in a most crazed way.
“Hah, ha! I-It’s not possible. No it can’t be. My son possessed by a demon? But he was such a good boy. And now you’re trying to tell me that he was a possessor as well? I gave birth to a monster? Ha! Ha! Ha!”
She let out the loudest of laughs and screams all at once. Tears flew everywhere as she overwhelmed herself in the most depressing thoughts imaginable. She crawled around on the floor holding her head but she kept on her crazed smile the whole time. Kaori just sat there and watched miserably, it wasn’t anything she hadn’t seen before.
“So then God hates me? God does doesn’t he? He’s abandoned me just like when my husband died!” She got up and grabbed Kaori by the collar of her shirt and pulled her close to her zany-looking face.
“You know what I do every night huh? Do you? I pray! I get down on my knees and pray every single fucking night and all for what? What a wasted effort! What wasteful wishing! Was he even listening? Did he even care? Where did I go wrong? What the fuck did I do?” She screamed.
Kaori grabbed her hand and gently pulled it loose of her clothes.
“I’m very sorry for your loss Mrs. Yamazaki.” She said getting up and heading for the door.
As she left the woman stood there with her head down low. She continued smiling and crying.
“You could’ve helped him though right? You could’ve saved him?” She asked grabbing a cutting knife that was on the coffee table between her and Kaori; it was for cutting the fruit on the table. She snuck up behind her before she opened the door.
“So why didn’t you?” She screeched driving the knife downward to Kaori.
Kaori dove out of the way just in time causing the knife to hit the door. Kaori didn’t say anything; she just laid on the floor starring at her miserably. The woman continually pulled against the handle of the knife until it broke free of the wooden door. She turned towards Kaori with and angry look this time and raised the knife ready to kill her.
“Mrs. Yamazaki please. I think it’s only fair that I warn you that you can’t possibly hit me with a human weapon.” She informed.
She drove the knife towards Kaori again without heeding her words but something stopped her. Kaori had quickly put up a possessor barrier so no matter how hard Miyazaki tried she couldn’t get through. She kept slashing at Kaori angrily but eventually gave up and fell to her knees. Once again she began to cry.
“Why? Why won’t you let me kill you? Why won’t you let be take out my sadness on you?” She screamed.
“Because murder is a sin and I still have many people to save before I die again.”
“How dare you! How dare you say that to me after what you did!” She yelled.
Kaori stood up and looked upon the woman sadly.
“It doesn’t matter anyway. I’ll be with my son soon enough.” She said putting the knife against her neck.
“Huh? Mrs. Yamazaki wait!” Kaori yelled going for the knife, but it was too late; Yamazaki had slit her throat long before Kaori had even told her to wait.
Kaori bent down over her and put her hand on her throat to stop the bleeding but she pushed her hand away.
“No let me go. Let me see my son…” and with that she died.
Kaori put her down against the ground slowly. She looked at the body and then at her blood covered hand. She was of course expecting this to be the outcome because this hand happened many times before; only this was the first parent that Kaori had had to tell the truth to in a long time. Kaori got up and took a scarf out of the closet and the tied it tightly around Yamazaki’s neck. She then lifted her onto her back and dragged her across the floor.
Naoe waited patiently in the car for Kaori. An hour and already passed and she still hadn’t come out, but the rule was that Naoe did not go in after her unless two hours had passed by. That didn’t concern him too much though; he was more fixated on what Kaori had said to him earlier, about living miserably.
“She said miserably. What did she mean by that? Is she really all the miserable with me? Do I make her unhappy?” He thought.
Suddenly he saw her walking up to the car with Yamazaki against her. When he saw her he panicked and jumped out of the car to help her. Without saying a thing he got out and grabbed the woman off of her.
“Mistress Kaori, you’re bleeding!” He said.
“Oh no, this is her blood.”
“No, no! I’m referring to your shoulder there!” He said pointing.
There was a cut in her clothes and her shoulder was in face bleeding.
“You know something Naoe? I’ve always found the human body fascinating, like how you don’t feel pain sometimes until you actually see you’re hurt.” She said cleverly.
“Does it hurt?” He asked worriedly.
“A little now, but there’s more important things to worry about right now. As I’m sure you can see, Yamazaki-chan killed herself after the news of her son’s death. Please put her in the backseat and I’ll explain what we’ll do with the body on the way home.”
Naoe nodded and put her in the backseat as ordered. When they were on the road Kaori began to tell him what happened and why she killed herself. She was holding her shoulder as they drove.
“She blamed god you know?” Kaori said.
Naoe looked at her surprised and then back at the road.
“All she wanted was to live a happy life with her son and husband just like Kaite wanted to live happily with his family and school life. And then she blamed god for being unfair, when really it isn’t god who’s unfair, it’s life.” She said.
“Everyone always seems to want god to do things for them but he won’t if they won’t do it for themselves. As much as the pray and beg and cry he won’t give it to them. Does that seem heartless to you?” She asked.
Naoe didn’t answer. He didn’t care whether the question was rhetorical or not, he wasn’t going to answer her.
“She’s not with her son is she?” Naoe asked sadly.
“No she’s not. She died with a smile because she thought she was going to see her son and husband, but suicide is a sin and for that she’s been damned.” Kaori answered.
Naoe watched the road carefully but whipped his eyes with his sleeves because he was in fact weeping.
“It’s just so sad. This thing called Sin, why is suicide among it? If people are unhappy with their lives why is it such a bad thing to end it? It’s as if god enjoys seeing people suffer, because if someone is suffering as bad as Miyazaki was, death is the only escape isn’t it?” Naoe asked.
“It’s a sin because god gave them that life and extinguishing it to him is like being ungrateful for receiving it. It’s like a sweater your mother would give you at Christmas but you’d never wear it because it’s so ugly and you don’t ever wear it because you’d be embarrassed, but to her it’d be called ungrateful.”
Naoe thought back on that word.
“You ungrateful little shit! I give you everything but you’re so ungrateful! You won’t even go to school!” Shouted a woman.
Naoe was looking back at his past. He stood in the kitchen with a red slap mark on his face. His mother stood over him with a bottle of vodka in her hand and she looked like a complete wreck.
“I got a call from your today! He said that you weren’t there again! What the hell is a ten-year-old boy doing skipping school?” She screamed striking him again.
“Naoe the road!” Kaori yelled.
He quickly swerved out of the way of a truck.
“Ah, sorry.” He said.
“What’s on your mind Naoe?” She asked curiously.
“Oh well, I was just thinking about the time my memory came back to me is all.”
“You were ten right?” She asked.
“Ah, yeah ten. And you were four right?”
Kaori nodded but she never really liked talking about her childhoods.
“Um, just out of curiosity but, what do you plan to do with this body?” He asked looking at it through the front mirror.
“I plan on saving her.” She said.
“What? You don’t mean?”
“Yep, contact Luke as soon as we get home, she’s the only one who’s studied that kind of thing enough.”
Naoe smiled happily.
“Old Luke eh? I haven’t seen that idiot in quite a while.” Naoe said.
“Doesn’t he go by the name of Carasooma now? He changed his name when he moved to Japan right?” Kaori asked.
“Ah, yeah last time I heard.”
“Good, no doubt he’ll want to go by that name rather then Luke then. When you reach him please tell him that I’m looking forward to his company.” She said.
Naoe just nodded happily, a little overjoyed that he’d get to see another one of his old friends again.
As soon as they got back to the tenement Kaori made sure that all her costumers were inside or gone and then allowed Naoe to quickly carry the woman inside. He set up a nice bed inside the closet and the put her inside. Then he rushed to the computer and contacted Carasooma that way. It was a while before he logged on but Naoe did eventually reach him. The conversation between them was as fallows:

Luke Cuthbert I presume?

How did you know? Is this Naoe-san?

Oh good you do remember me. Look, I need you to do Kaori and I a little favor.

How come you guys never contact me unless you need something?

Because we’re busy, always busy. We need you to save a soul for us.

Kaori-chan does? Her heart’s still as big as ever I see.

Don’t mock her.

I wasn’t mocking only saying. I’ll gladly help if you’ll tell me where you live.

We live in a tenement called Gochiso down in Kobe. It’s on Mai Street. Call the number 555-1331 if you have any trouble finding the place.

Gotchya. It’s been I while old friend, do you have a better-looking vessel then before? Better then mine?

I don’t know, and I really wish you’d prefer to these as bodies, vessel just sounds like such an inhuman way to put it.

Excuse me. Well anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing you again.

That’s what Kaori said too. Well, see you then.

Wait! How did you know it was me?

Easily. Who else would have such an innocently stupid name? “I possess something special,” what the hell?

Was I being too predictable? I wanted to make sure you knew it was me just in case you ever needed me. Should I put something more complicated like “I have a body and a mind that functions much differently than any other humans because I still have my memories from my past life?”

Goodbye Luke.

It’s Carasooma now! Logging off…

Naoe laughed as he shut the computer off. He stood up and walked over to Kaori who was watching the news again.
“I got a hold of him.” Naoe told her.
“Good.” She said fixated on the screen.
“You know something Naoe? I’ve watched so many thrillers in my lifetimes and not one has ever scared me and it’s the same with a lot of people, but I think that the thing that scares everybody is probably the news.”
Three days passed and Carasooma still hadn’t arrived at the tenement. Naoe was angry that her couldn’t reach him and Kaori was also getting somewhat impatient because she had a corpse in her closet that was beginning to let off the most dreadful odour.
“We shouldn’t let it get to us Naoe. We know what Luke is like, he’s probably just lost of taking his time.” She said.
“Yes but, he must know that we have the woman’s corpse. How rude of him to take this long.” He said upset.
“Don’t worry. It won’t be long now, after all Luke doesn’t live in Kobe and in fact lives in Hokkaido so it’s going to take him a while to get here.” She said feeling patent once again.
“That man is so…irresponsible!”
Naoe thought back to his past again. He pictured himself in the kitchen with his mother after she had struck him again.
“You’re an idiot Caleb! You’re so irresponsible!” She screamed.
Naoe looked down sadly again.
“Yes but─”
Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door and a woman’s voice.
“Hey Naoe-san! Kaori-chan! Come on; are you guys in there? Open up already!” The voice ordered.
Naoe did as the voice asked and he opened the door. As he did he revealed a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair to her waist and the most gorgeous blue eyes you’ve ever seen. She gave Naoe and Kaori a great big smile. Kaori just looked at her miserably but Naoe looked at her like he had gone crazy.
“L-Luke Cuthbert?” He asked.
“No I told you! I go by the name of Carasooma now. Carasooma Asagiri at your service!” She said winking.

(Chapter 3-The female/male possessor and the even newer possessor)

“Luke Cuthbert? N-No way you didn’t?” Naoe asked astonished.
“Yes I did! I’ve chosen to have─”
“The body of a woman, yes we can see that.” Kaori said cutting her off.
“Again?” Naoe asked.
“Well of course. It’s been over seventy years since we’ve last seen each other, why can’t you just be happy to see me? Besides I act a lot more ladylike then most women do. I’ve been playing the role of a woman for over one hundred years now and I’ve loved it. Plus I’m hot too!” She said laughing.
“Well, whatever. I guess it is nice to see you again, and let’s just say that you’re a lot easier on the eyes then the last time we met.” Naoe said insultingly.
“Hey what’s that supposed to mean you ass?” Carasooma yelled.
“Well come on let’s face it, you were one ugly girl the last time we saw you.” Naoe said smiling at her.
“What? How dare you! Take that back, I looked like a beautiful Japanese woman! Take it back!” She screamed.
“Okay I’m sorry, is this what happens when you get your period?” He asked.
“What? What did you say?” Carasooma yelled.
Kaori was quite happy to see them getting along so well. They actually always acted this way, but the truth was they really were good friends. And although they were fight Kaori couldn’t help but flicker a small smile, which caught Naoe’s eye but he didn’t say anything. Kaori cleared her throat.
“Carasooma! Could you please do what you came here to do?” Kaori asked looking depressed again.
“Uh, oh right the body! It must really stink by now huh?”
“That’s because you took so long getting here!” Naoe yelled.
“Well excuse me! I’m sorry but I got lost!” She argued.
“Well that’s your own fault, besides, I told you to call me if you got lost!”
“You know men don’t ask for directions!” She said.
“You’re not a man you’re a woman! Or whatever!” Naoe said.
“Oh yeah? Well it doesn’t matter anyway because I…lost the number.”
Naoe sighed.
“Same old Luke.” He thought.
“A-Anyway Kaori-chan, what about this body?” She asked curiously.
“It’s a mother who wanted to go to heaven with her son and husband and live happily but unfortunately for her she committed suicide in order to do it.”
“Oh I see. Well have you even confirmed that they’re even in heaven?” Carasooma asked.
“I can check with Lu but I’m sure that they already are.” Kaori said.
“Check anyway. I don’t want to go and do this if they’re not even there to greet her.” Carasooma said.
Unexpectedly, the room turned very dark but everything was still visible. The three head a deep mans voice that sounded like a laugh. The looked around but couldn’t see anything, but Kaori already knew what was going on.
“Lu.” She said annoyed.
“No, not Lu, his son. I like to go by the name of─”
“Damien, yes I know.” Kaori said cutting him off.
The room became a little lighter but not much and a young man with long black hair and tight dark clothes entered the room out of nowhere. He had blood red eyes and pale skin and he wore pinkish glitter on his lips. He had a devilish smile on his face as he approached them.
“So Kaori? You intend to take another soul from my old man? How very devious. I’ll tell you what though, I’ll gladly hand Hitomi Miyazaki’s soul over to you if you like, which would make your life and Luke’s job so much easier wouldn’t it?” He asked. He had such a beautiful voice.
“But there’s a price to be paid. I don’t make deals with demons.” She said.
“Oh but you have before, only with me though right? Why not again? And I never for the deal upon you. But if you don’t accept my help I will try my hardest to make Carasooma’s job a living hell and like many souls before you may or may not help this one.” He said.
“Why you! You sick prick!” Naoe yelled defending Kaori.
“Silence dog.” He said holding up his hand.
As he did do a huge ray of dark energy blasted from his hand and into Naoe. The ray was so strong that it knocked Naoe back into the wall. Kaori and Carasooma ran over to him and sat him up.
“Naoe? Are you okay?” Kaori asked.
“Yeah, kid really, packs a punch.” He said shaking off the pain.
“If you’re going to act this way then get out Damien.” Kaori ordered.
“Oh I am sorry, truly I am. But how about you hear my offer first. You get the soul if I get a kiss.” He said.
“A kiss, from who?” Carasooma asked.
“Why from who else? From Kaori of course.” He answered.
Naoe’s eyes opened wide and he shot up, ran towards Damien and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
“You’re disgusting!” He yelled.
“Even if you do choose to strike me it won’t change anything, in fact it’ll probably just piss me off.” He said still smiling.
“Why you─”
“Naoe!” Kaori yelled. Naoe stopped and looked over his shoulder to see her.
“Let him go Naoe. Words are only mere words.” She said.
Naoe held on for a bit longer and then let go. He backed away and stood beside Kaori with his arm out in front of her just a bit to be extra prudent.
“Damien, I accept your offer.” She said.
Naoe and Carasooma looked at her as if she was foolish.
“Mistress Kaori! Please no!” Naoe screamed.
“He won’t play any tricks, he won’t put any spells on me. Unlike his father Damien is a lot more honorable.”
Damien nodded and smiled malevolently at her words. She walked towards him still unsure if she made the right choice. When she reached him he pulled her into his arms but he did not kiss her right away.
“Look into my eyes Kaori Yumaru. What do you see?” He asked.
“I see darkness.” She answered.
“Strange, I see the exact same thing in yours.”
Naoe watched him filled with resentment towards himself for letting his master kiss him and for Damien for being so crude. He pushed his hands into her back causing her to come forward and kiss him. There were no tricks as promised and the kiss was not dirty either. There was no tongues or no sucking of the lips; it was just a long passionate kiss.
Naoe looked away in great disgust and Carasooma starred at them in shock. After a while Kaori began to push herself away but he would not let go. Naoe could hear her struggling to break free of his monstrous grasp and he grabbed Damien’s arm in fury.
“Let go of her now you sick freak!” He yelled.
Damien did as he was told and set her free. She fell backwards into Naoe’s arms and he held her gently to protect her from him.
“She’ll be alright. She’s probably just a little dizzy because she was panicking and couldn’t breathe very well. I have to say though, such a lovely kisser she is, and with the body of a sixteen-year-old how quaint.” He said licking his lips.
Naoe just stared at him wanting to bring pain to every piece of his body.
“Tell me something Naoe boy, did you feel hatred towards me when she was kissing me, or jealousy?”
Naoe’s eyes opened wide in shock. What did he feel?
“Perhaps it was both then? Either way I will keep my end of the bargain just as she did. Do your usual exorcist thing and you shall easily receive the woman’s soul. Chow.” He said disappearing.
“Kaori, mistress Kaori?” Naoe shouted.
She opened her eyes slowly breathing normally again.
“N-Naoe? We can save her now.” She said happily.
Naoe closed his eyes to shield his tears and then hugged her tight.
“How could you, how could he? That bastared!” He shouted.
“It’s okay Naoe. I got nothing out of it.” She stated.
Naoe let her go and stood up. He walked sadly over to the closet door and picked up the woman. She stunk badly but she was kept very clean non-the less. Naoe turned to face her and Carasooma.
“Well then I guess we should get going hum?” He asked with his hair covering his face. Kaori nodded and followed him into another room where they placed the body on a futon and got in their positions for the ritual. Carasooma sat on her knees next to the woman and place both her hands on the corpses chest.
“On Bosara Bokisha Boku. Descend from the futile underworld! Let this soul go free!” She yelled.
Suddenly the whole room lightened, the same blinding light from when Kaori saved the boy. The only difference was this time the body disintegrated, leaving no trace of clothing or blood or any evidence that the woman was ever there. When the light disappeared Carasooma sighed and fell backward.
“Luke!” Naoe said concerned.
“I’m fine, I’m just a little tired. But that was so nice and easy, I guess that Damien really does keep his word.” She said happily.
Naoe looked down again.
“Oh I’m sorry Kaori-san.” She said embarrassed about bringing it up again.
“It’s fine. I’m just content about helping the woman.” She said politely.
Naoe stood up and walked over to the door.
“Naoe-sama?” Carasooma asked curiously.
“I just, I can’t believe that you kissed him.” He said angrily.
“Naoe, there was nothing I could do. Would you have me stand ideally by and do nothing to make Luke’s life easier?” She asked.
“Well it’s just that you─”
And then before he could finish he pried open the door. The three stared in shock and disbelief when they saw what they saw. Sitting there against the wall in tears and fear was Nagahide. She gripped and little box in her hand that was probably filled with cookies or something like that for Naoe.
“T-That girls b-body. It, it just, what?”
She looked up slowly at an astonished Naoe. He held out his hand to help her up but she just backed away in fear while starring at his hand. He walked toward her calmly trying to settle her, but no matte how hard he tried she only became more fearful.
“H-H-Help! Police, somebody!” She screamed.
Naoe covered her mouth quickly but her voice was so blaring that it could be clearly heard through his hand. Kaori got up quickly and ran over to them. She was kicked and hitting Naoe but he wouldn’t let go no matter how much she hurt him. Kaori quickly squeezed the top of Nagahide’s shoulder causing her to faint.
Naoe sighed and placed her on the floor gently. The three of them looked at each other in confusion.
“Quite a predicament we’ve got ourselves into.” Kaori said.
“Yes but what now? Should we erase her memory?” Naoe asked.
“No. You know how much I hate doing that. Getting rid of all her happy childhood memories, and I know they were happy, just look at the way she acts.” She answered.
“But then, what’ll we do?” He asked again.
Kaori looked at Nagahide, then at Naoe and then at Carasooma. She sighed and then put her hand against Nagahide’s forehead.
“I’ll have to tell her.” She said.
“But Kaori! Forgive me but I don’t think that’s such I good idea. I would be wrong to make such a happy person so unhappy!” He said.
“I’ll only show her things about us possessors, how we came to be and what happens when we die, that is all.” She said.
Naoe nodded in agreement. He stood up but moaned while doing so.
“Naoe? You alright?” Kaori asked.
“Yeah I’m alright. She just kicked me really hard.” He said grasping his stomach wear his wound was.
Kaori watched him walk over to the door and then set her attention back on Nagahide. She closed her eyes and when she did so a tiny blue flash of light covered up most of her forehead. Nagahide was now seeing all there was to know about possessors and spirits.
When she awoke she saw Naoe and the others standing over her. She looked very miserable.
“So then you guys are─”
“Yes monsters, we know. We’re very sorry about this Naga-chan.” Carasooma said sadly.
“No. I was going to say─”
She stood up and walked over to Naoe. He thought that she was going to hit him but instead she jumped on him hugging him.
“Totally assume! You’re so cool! You’re like o hundred or something right? So that must mean I have good taste in men! You’re hot, smart, kind and extremely sincere! So here I am with a possessor! Oh thank god, I though you guys were like murderers or some shit!” She laughed.
Carasooma looked at her with a blank look.
“Ah? What the hell? That’s not quite what I was expecting.” She said.
“A person like Nagahide is another one of those people I’ve always had trouble understanding. She’s one of those people who can find a way to be happy through any and all hopelessness. Me myself, I just think that people like her are afraid to be sad, perhaps because they hate the feeling so much that they can’t stand it. That’s the reason I don’t like making happy people so miserable. I don’t want to scare them.” Kaori said.
Carasooma looked at Kaori and then at Nagahide with a smile.
“Or maybe it’s because she loves Naoe too much to care about their differences.”
“Love is another thing that I don’t fully understand.” She said.
“Don’t you worry Kaori-san!” Carasooma said slapping her on the back.
“One of these days you’ll come to know the beauty of love.”
Naoe pushed Nagahide off of him.
“But then, so you’re all right with this?” He asked.
“Well of course I am silly. Just because you’re a possessor thingy doesn’t mean that I can’t still love you does it? Besides, if you just die you can come back and if I tragically die before you I can become a possessor.” She said.
“No!” Naoe shouted.
“Having a life as a possessor is not something I want for you, and besides, it’s not as simple as it sounds. You can’t just become a possessor. You’re lucky to become one on your first try, but mostly that only works if someone helps you, and even with that it’s difficult.” He said.
“But then how did you do it all these years?” She asked.
“Well, I had a lot of help my first and second run through, but after the third time you become a pro at it if you know what I mean.” He said.
Nagahide smiled wickedly.
“Pro? You know for someone who’s like a hundred you’re dialogue is very modern.” She said.
“That’s because over the years we adapt to the language in which others around us are accustomed. For example, you speak Japanese because you’re a Japanese woman, but you also speak English because you went to school and had it taught to you. I however merely remember it from my past and had to learn many other languages after I was reborn.” He explained.
“So then, you aren’t always born into a Japanese family?” She asked.
“Matter of speaking I was originally an Englishman. Over the years I’ve been reborn into other cultures and thus was forced to learn their languages from birth.” He said.
“You make that sound like a bad thing. So how many languages can you speak anyway?” She asked interested.
“I haven’t been reborn into every single country, and I’ve also been reborn into some countries more than once so I don’t speak all of them if that’s what you’re thinking, but I speak fluently in Hungarian, Dutch, Taiwanese, English, Japanese, German, Russian, Chinese, Polish and Portuguese.” He said with a smile.
“Really? Cool, and what does Kaori-chan know?” She asked facing her.
“Oh, well I, I can speak the same nine languages as him as well as Siamese, Greek, Egyptian, African, Afghanistan, Australian, Asian, Indian and old Czechoslovakian. Giving me a total knowledge of eighteen languages.” She said.
“Holy crap, you’re the Tower of Babble itself.” She yelled amazed.
“And what about you Carasooma-chan?” She said looking at her next.
“They’ve got me beat. I can only speak English, Japanese, Egyptian, German, French, Dutch and Spanish.” She answered proudly.
“Gee, is that all?” She asked sarcastically.
“Ah, yeah it is.” She said laughing.
Naoe leaned over to whisper to Kaori.
“If I didn’t know any better I’d say that he was flirting with her.” He said.
“Easy Naoe. You know how Kyle is, he likes playing his little love games, let him tell her he’s a man on his own.”
“You mean Nagahide-chan doesn’t know?” He asked shocked.
“How much information on us did you keep limited anyway?” He cried.
“Like I said, I wouldn’t tell her anything about us and our past. Besides…”
Kaori and Naoe looked over to see them chatting like typical young girls.
“They seem to be getting along famously.” She said.
Suddenly the phone rang yet again.
“What the hack’s that?” Nagahide asked shocked.
“It’s our phone.” Naoe said picking it up.
“Konnitchiwa? Oh yes sir. But that’s the third time this month!” Naoe shouted.
Kaori looked at Carasooma with a stern look, letting her know that trouble couldn’t be far. Carasooma nodded and then stood up.
“Uh you know what Naga-chan, you really should be leaving now because we have to be somewhere right now. But before you go you have to swear not to tell anyone, swear.” She ordered.
“Well yes but why do you─”
“Good. Well in that case we’ll go and get our nails done some time okay Naga-chan?” Carasooma said smiling while pushing her out the door.
“Okay, okay. Well later then.” She said leaving.
When Nagahide was gone she walked over to Kaori and stood beside her as they waited for Naoe to get off the phone.
“So what did you think of her?” Kaori asked.
“A little rough around the edges but all in all she’s a good person, she’s hot too.” She said.
“Luke, please don’t─”
“I know I won’t. But she does already know we’re possessors so if I do end up l

Onigumo-san/Naraku (Obviously its not done yet)

(Chapter one: The Secret Bandit)

In the feudal era in Japan, being a demon or being a victim of a demon was a casual everyday thing. Being a priestess or a priest was also a very common thing, as their jobs were to destroy or imprison demons using incantations, spells or chants. As a result of these gifted people, demons were always setting out to do the same thing a priest or priestess was meant to do, destroy enemies.
For the longest of time demons and humans waged war against one another, each believing that demons and humans could never live together in the same world. Sharing the earth was out of the question, and demons used humans for nothing but nourishment or their own personal pleasure.
Humans never used demons for anything, hence they had no propose, or so the humans believed. Every so often there would be a kind demon with a conscience and sometimes even wanted to help the humans rather than their own kind, but the humans, being the most selfish, vile and untrusting creatures on earth, never allowed a demon to help them, and the demon was often killed in a most inhumane way or cast out of the human world.
Unlike demons, humans weren’t only fighting them, but other humans as well. While demons worked together to destroy all humans, humans didn’t work together and waged war among themselves as well.
Demons convinced that humans would bring about the destruction of themselves, eventually left the humans and vowed to one-day return to the land that was rightfully theirs, after the humans had vanished.
So years went by, quicker then expected, and years turned into decades, and decades turned into centuries, and no demons returned to the land. Though there were always some living there, the numbers were never as great as they were many years ago, and most of the demons left the leftover humans alone, but there were some who had no doubt that one day, the demons would return.
“Sister Kasa-sama?” said a small voice. A girl with short black hair and reddish eyes turned to see her little sister awake, lying in her bed.
“Sister, where are you going? It’s not even dawn yet?” she asked.
“Don’t worry Kaede-chan, I’ll be back soon,” she answered in a quiet voice.
“But where are you going at this hour?” she continued.
“I have to practice my archery. I couldn’t help but notice that my aim is a little off during the night.”
“I see. Then may I come?” she said persistently.
“No. Stay here and sleep.” With that Kasa-sama left the wooden house. Her sister, Kaede-chan, did as she was asked and stayed behind, but she couldn’t help but wonder what her sister was really up to. She knew she wasn’t going to practice her archery because she had left her bow and arrows next to the fire.
Outside Kasa-sama picked some herbs and put them in her sleeves. She was wearing a typical priestess outfit. The long-sleeved, white top and the red bellbottom pants. This symbolized the fact that she was indeed a priestess, but a very young one without a doubt. She looked like a thirteen-year-old, though really she was no older then seventeen.
When she was done picking the herbs she walked for about ten minutes before approaching an old cave. She looked at it for a few seconds and then made her way inside. While she walked through the darkness she heard terrible moaning, moans of pain. At that very moment the sun began to rise and it lit up the cave just enough that she could see, not perfectly, but well enough to see the walls and stones.
“W-Who is it?” a man’s voice asked agonizingly. Kasa-sama slid carefully down the rocky hill in the cave and then walked over to a man wrapped completely in bandages from the toes up, except for his mouth and right eye.
“K-Kasa-sama, why did you come? Go away, l-leave me alone,” he bagged. Kasa-sama did not heed his wishes and sat herself down beside him. She lit a small fire, far away from him, but close enough to see him perfectly.
“Are you still in pain? As much as yesterday?” she asked gently.
“Uh, go away!” he screamed. “P-Please! Let me die!” he yelled, and then he coughed from the shouting. She leaned forward and undid the bandages around his waist, revealing terrible cuts and burns. She then pulled away from him and removed the herbs from her sleeves. She put them in a small wooden blow, which was already there; she had it there from the day before.
She continued to take the herbs and crush them hard enough for them to turn into a thick liquid. When the herbs were no longer solid she dipped her hand in the bowl and then rubbed the greenish slime onto his wounds.
He screamed terribly as she showed no signs of mercy or pity. This sound kept on for a long time until she had done his entire body and then wrapped it back up. After a few minutes his pain subsided and the cold liquid felt soothing against his painful burns.
“Why do you keep coming back? W-why do you continue to help me?” he asked again.
“Are you hungry? I can go back to the village and fetch you some breakfast if you wish,” she said dogging his question.
“Why won’t you answer me?” he said softly. Kasa-sama was a most strange priestess. She hardly ever smiled and seeing others in pain didn’t seem to bother her.
“I’ll ask again, are you hungry?” The man gave her his best smile through his pain.
“There’s just no point in arguing is there? You won’t answer me,” he said. “Very well. Even if I refuse breakfast you’ll still bring it won’t you?” Kasa-sama nodded silently. “Then I am grateful.” Kasa-sama nodded again and left the cave. When she returned to the village the villagers had awaken, as always. Kasa-sama had been seeing that man for about a week now, but no one but Kaede-chan knew, and she didn’t dare to ask any questions.
“Lady Kasa-sama!” a child shouted running up and hugging her.
“Keido-kun, what is it?” Kasa-sama asked; she didn’t hug him back.
“I was just wondering if you could teach me how to use a bow and arrows again,” he said with a smile.
“Have you eaten?” she asked cleverly.
“Not yet.”
“Then go and eat and we’ll see,” she told him. The boy ran off as Kasa-sama returned to her hut.
“Sister Kasa-sama,” Kaede-chan said with breakfast already prepared.
“Kaede-chan? What’s this?” Kasa-sama asked surprised.
“Well, it’s just that, you weren’t here so I decided to prepare breakfast. It’s your favourite, rice and miso.” Kasa-sama sat down at the small table on her knees.
“Thank you for preparing this, but it really wasn’t necessary,” she said miserably.
“Oh no, it was my pleasure,” Kaede-chan said smiling. “Besides, you’re always making my breakfast.” Kaede-chan helped herself but Kasa-sama didn’t touch a thing.
“I see.”
“What’s wrong?” Kaede-chan asked. “Don’t you want it?”
“Yes, but do you mind if I eat it outside?” she asked. Kaede-chan sighed sadly. She lowered her head and then nodded.
“Not at all. Go eat outside,” she said. Kasa-sama watched her sadly, picked up the bowls of food and then left the hut. She felt bad about leaving her little sister all alone every morning to eat, but she also wanted to help that man for some strange reason.
Kasa-sama returned to the cave only to see the man trying to move. It was causing him pain to do so but Kasa-sama didn’t stop him, she just stared at him silently. When he noticed her he stopped and hit his back against the ground.
“Uh! K-Kasa-sama?” he yelled, shocked at her sudden presence. She slid down the small rock hill again and ran over to him. She moved him back onto the straw matt she had laid out for him without saying anything. She then covered him with a man’s blue kimono. “Kasa-sama, are you mad at me?” he asked.
“No,” she said feeding him some miso. He swallowed it slowly, as it hurt his throat while it went down.
“You are angry with me aren’t you?” he asked again.
“No, I said I wasn’t, but you probably shouldn’t try to move again. Just remember as long as you’re in this cave I can help you, but if you are to leave then my generosity can no longer assist you,” she explained.
“I’m sorry,” he said sadly. “Am I ever going to be able to move again?” Kasa-sama fed him some more miso. She fed him until the bowl was almost empty.
“No,” she answered. The man began to breath heavily in panic. “At least I don’t think so, but if you’re as strong as I think you are who knows?” She fed him the last bit of miso and then moved on to the rice.
“Are you not hungry?” he asked.
“I don’t eat breakfast, I just prepare it. For the last few days however, I’ve been making twice the food and my sister thinks it’s for me,” she explained.
“You’re sister?” he asked curiously.
“I have a little sister named Kaede-chan. She’s nine.”
“That’s the first thing about your life you’ve mentioned to me besides your name. Don’t you want to know anything about me?” he asked curiously.
“No,” she answered.
“Well, my name is… Onigumo-san,” he said.
“Onigumo-san? I’ve heard of you. You’re not a legend but I heard that you’re part of a large group of mercenaries.”
“I was anyway, but we were really thieves,” he said.
“So then you were a bandit,” she said feeding him the rice.
“I was. So are you going to kill me?”
“No.”
“You are an odd priestess,” he said, and then he let out a small scream and grinding his teeth painfully. Kasa-sama stopped feeding him and put the food aside.
“Where does it hurt?” she asked.
“W-Well I’m embarrassed to say.”
“Tell me or I can’t help,” she said bringing out the extra liquid from the herbs.
“It’s… the groin area,” he said squinting in pain. Kasa-sama removed the kimono swiftly.
“That’s because you’re urinating.”
“Oh God,” he said in great humiliation. Kasa-sama did feel somewhat sorry for Onigumo-san, because he had suffered so much, and because he had just done the most discomforting thing known to man, but when he looked at her she wore a face that wasn’t just miserable, and although she wasn’t smiling, he knew that everything was going to be all right.
Later that afternoon Kasa-sama returned to the village once again, after changing Onigumo-san’s bandages again.
“Lady Kasa-sama!” Keido yelled running to her.
“Keido. I’m sorry I had something to attend to. I’m free at the moment though, we’ll go for that lesson now,” she said.
“Hey Tsubaki-sama? Have you noticed something strange about Lady Kasa-sama lately?” asked a man as Kasa-sama walked away.
“Now that I think about it I don’t think she’s ever here in the morning.” Kendo answered.
“What could she possibly be doing?”
“Do you think it’s, you know, a man she’s seeing?” Kendo wondered.
“Couldn’t be. Lady Kasa-sama assured us that she’d never fall in love and that her only duty was to this village and the people, not to her heart,” Tsubaki argued.
“Well if you ask me that’s far too much for such a young girl to promise. It’s not really fair either. She has so much weight on her shoulders already; I don’t think it’s fair that she can’t have any love. Besides, she made that promise eight years ago, she’s grown since then.”
Kendo was a rather tall man, about six foot four with long yet straight black hair and a small beard. He wore a green robe with black cords and he always kept a sword on his back. His eyes were a dark brown and his skin was rather pale for a man of his age, he was thirty-eight years old and a samurai.
Tsubaki was the complete opposite. He was a bit shorter, about five foot five with long black hair but pulled back in a ponytail instead of left down. He had no facial hair but he did have one of his ears pierced and he wore a white legged, kimono instead of a robe. He kept his sword on his side and he on a purple-beaded necklace all the time. He was a bit younger then Kendo, about thirty-five.
“But what if I’m right?” Kendo asked. “It could be love.”
“I don’t believe it for a second. Lady Kasa-sama always keeps her promises or she doesn’t promise things at all,” Tsubaki explained.
“Well maybe we should follow her next time, just to be sure,” Kendo suggested.
“Are you mad? She’d have our heads! Do you have any idea how scary Kasa-sama-sama is?” Tsubaki asked sending a shiver down his own spine. Kendo gulped loudly.
“Now that I think about it you’re right. She’s extremely scary,” he agreed.
“What are you gentlemen talking about?” Kaede-chan asked sneaking up behind them.
“Ah! Oh, it’s just you Kaede-chan. Don’t sneak up on us like that, we are old men after all,” Kendo said.
“Sorry, but big sister, Kasa-sama says you’re only old when you hit forty-five.”
“That’s sweet of her. Hey Kaede-chan? Speaking of Lady Kasa-sama─”
“Sorry?” Kaede-chan asked confused.
Further away from the village Kasa-sama taught the young boy. After a few minute of showing him how to properly hold a bow for the ninth time, he shot the arrow and missed the tree they were targeting.
“You’re doing very well Keido-kun, but you need to aim higher. An arrow only hits its target if the shooter has the arrow pointing upward just right.” The boy aimed the arrow again and missed. He looked down sadly and then fell to his knees, dropping the bow and arrows.
“I give up, it’s useless!” he whined. Kasa-sama picked up the bow and arrows and pushed it against his chest.
“You can’t give up, because if you do then everyone around you will. Even if you’re the only one and it’s extremely hard, you have to keep trying. Then others will follow.” She stood up and walked over to the tree. She took out her knife, which she keeps hidden around her waste in her pants, and carved a circle into the trees bark.
“Once you’ve worked out the arithmetic of the target you can’t miss. Try and hit this spot,” she ordered. “You must try for I have injured a tree for you.” The boy grabbed the bow and arrows once more and aimed upwards. He didn’t hit the circle, but he did hit the tree. He smiled slightly at his small success.
“You see. Just keep trying and I know you’ll get it, Keido-kun.”
“Thank you!” he yelled happily.
He kept on practicing as Kasa-sama walked off into the distance. She could still hear the arrows hit the tree, but she could no longer see the boy. Kasa-sama looked up into the sky and then closed her eyes. The wind blew gently through her short black hair as she listened carefully to the world around her.
Suddenly the wind stopped and Kasa-sama knew something was wrong. She looked around suspiciously and anxiously. She could here something stirring in the sky, but she was unable to see it, then the sky was engulfed with demons.
“Keido!” she screamed running back to him. A demon was already there, chasing him around.
“Lady Kasa-sama, help me!” he screamed. She quickly shot a purification arrow at it, and the demon disappeared. She then ran over to Keido, and after realizing he wasn’t hurt she pulled him onto her back and ran for the village.
“Everyone! Demons are coming!” she yelled. Everyone quickly went into a state of panic. Children cried and women worried as the men and other priestesses stood by her.
“Everyone don’t panic!” she said handing Keido to his mother. “Mother’s and children take shelter, men and priestesses prepare for battle!”
Everyone did as they were told. Kasa-sama stood in front of everyone until the demons were in sight. The large number surprised everyone, everyone except for Kasa-sama that is. She swiftly took up her bow and arrows and shot two at a time, whipping out a large number of them. When the demons began to land men took up their swords and slashed at the demons angrily.
“Get away from our village!” they screamed.
“Go back to where you came from!” Kasa-sama and the other priestesses purified the demons and destroyed them. Most of the priestesses and priests were used for making barriers and incantations, so in other words they were mainly used for defensiveness, but not Kasa-sama, she was more suited to a life of battle.
“Just hold on for a bit longer villagers! There aren’t too many left!” she yelled. Suddenly Kaede-chan ran out with her bow and arrows. “Kaede-chan! What are you doing? Go back inside and shelter yourself!” Kasa-sama yelled.
“No! I can do this just like you can!” she screamed. Suddenly a demon came swooping down behind her, but Kasa-sama jumped in the way just in time to save her, however the demon clipped her shoulder with its teeth.
“Big sister!” Kaede-chan screamed feeling responsible.
“I said get back inside!” she said holding her wound. Kaede-chan looked at her petrified and then nodded. She stood up and ran quickly back inside the hut.
“Lady Kasa-sama, are you all right?” Tsubaki asked helping her up.
She lay on her back but pointed her arrow upwards and shot a demon just before it was about to attack Tsubaki. It was an amazing shot; she had just barely missed Tsubaki’s face and shoulder.
“I think I can hold my own,” she said standing up. The villagers fought bravely until the demons either died or turned away. In the end there weren’t any casualties and only a few men were injured. Kasa-sama held her wound, but she showed no sign of pain. She sat down trying to catch her breath.
“Sister Kasa-sama!” Kaede-chan said running to her. “I’m so sorry!” she cried wrapping her arms around her tightly. “I thought I could, do what you do! I thought I could help!” she yelled. Kaede-chan hugged Kasa-sama’s back, because she wasn’t facing her, but Kasa-sama could tell that she was crying.
“It’s all right Kaede-chan. Besides, it doesn’t hurt.” Kaede-chan continued to cry.
“You’re so strong. Why can’t I be like you?” she asked.
“I’m not strong Kaede-chan. Not strong at all.” Just then Kasa-sama’s eyes widened, as she remembered the man she was caring for in the cave.
“Onigumo-san!” she screamed.
“W-what? Who’s Onigumo-san?” Kaede-chan asked wiping away her tears.
“Kaede-chan! You stay here and tend to the wounded, I have to be somewhere!” she said shooting up.
“But sister where are you going?” Kaede-chan cried, and then she realized.
“That’s the same direction…” she then stood up and ran after her.
Kasa-sama ran to the cave, bow and arrows in hand. When she noticed that the cave had been infiltrated with demons she dashed inside. When inside she found Onigumo-san surrounded by six other demons.
“Mmmm, he looks tasty. True he reeks of rotten flesh and is covered completely with bandages, but he still carries blood,” one of the demons said licking his lips. Onigumo-san shook violently in both agony and fear.
“I think I’ll have one of his legs,” one of the demons said grabbing it tightly. Onigumo-san screamed in pain as the demon pulled on his tender body.
“Let go!” he shouted.
“You heard him! Let him go, murderer!” Kasa-sama screamed angrily. She grabbed an arrow from her back and shot it and the demon. It vanished just like all the rest. She quickly slid down to him once more and moved in front to protect him.
“You! The bitch from the village!” one of the leftover demons shouted.
“Yes, leave this place if you value your lives,” she warned.
“K-Kasa-sama! Don’t!” Onigumo-san bagged.
“Why should we fear you? After all, you’re only a mere child and there’s five of us and only one of you. Now die!” he said driving his fist forward. She bolted out of the way and shot him as well. When he too vanished the other four demons stared at her astonished.
“I’ll only say this one more time. If you value your lives, leave this place and never come back again,” she ordered. The other four demons looked at her and then at themselves. They waited for a while and then ran out of the cave. When they were gone Kasa-sama moved Onigumo-san back onto his straw mat and once again covered him with the kimono.
“K-Kasa-sama, you’re bleeding!” he said putting his weak hand over her wound.
“It’s nothing. Forgive me; I should’ve known better to put ofuda talismans around the cave.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” he said. Suddenly Onigumo-san looked over her shoulder and made a worried expression.
“Kaede-chan? Why are you here?” Kasa-sama asked. “I told you to stay behind and help the wounded villagers.”
“Big sister? Who, who is this man?” she asked fearfully. “A bandit?” Kasa-sama removed Onigumo-san’s hand from her shoulder and laid it gently on the ground. There was no answer, not for a long time.
“I’m nursing him back to health,” she said. Kaede-chan gasped at her sister’s kindness.
“But he is isn’t he? A bandit?” she asked again.
“Yes, however he still has a right to live.”
“So that’s why you keep coming here everyday?”
“Yes. He needs my help or else he’ll die.”
“It would be for the best,” Kaede-chan said coldly. Onigumo-san sighed sadly.
“She’s right,” he said. “Just kill me. Then I wouldn’t be such a burden on you anymore.” Kasa-sama shook her head.
“No, I won’t kill you,” she said. Onigumo-san and Kaede-chan both sighed once more. Kasa-sama looked over at Kaede-chan with a stern look.
“Uh, I, I’m very sorry for following you sister. I meant no harm,” she said.
“What you meant was none of my concern, the harm has already been done.”
“I’ll do anything! Please give me a chance to make things up to you!” she cried.
“Very well,” Kasa-sama said standing up. “He’s in a lot of pain again. I’m going to go out and find some herbs and then bring them back here. Until then I want you to guard him,” she said handing her, her bow and arrows.
“But sister─”
“I’ll cover the cave entrance with ofuda to protect you, but if there is a strong enough demon that can pass my barrier then please try your best to protect him. Flee if you can’t.” Kaede-chan nodded feeling a sense of duty. Before Kasa-sama left Kaede-chan stopped her.
“S-sister Kasa-sama?” she said hesitantly. Kasa-sama turned a bit, just enough to see Kaede-chan.
“You should know, it was Tsubaki and Kendo who asked me to follow you the next time you ran to wherever it was that you went everyday,” she warned.
“I see. I’ll deal with them later,” she said, not meaning it in a malevolent way. When Kasa-sama left the cave she pulled some long strips of paper from inside her shirt. She then put her four figures against her forehead and chanted.
“Tenma raibu iiya motto!” she said. The paper was engulfed with a blue aura and Japanese calligraphy formed on it. When she was done her chant she threw the three strands of paper onto the cave. One taped to the top of the opening, the other on the left side and the last piece on the right. When she was done, she left to find the herbs. Back in the cave Kaede-chan faced away from Onigumo-san and wore a rather malicious look.
“You there, y-young lass?”
“It’s Kaede-chan,” she said angrily.
“Yes, tell me, w-what does your sister like?” he asked.
“What do you mean what does she like?” she asked turning towards him.
“You know? What does she enjoy? Flowers, makeup?”
“I don’t know, why is that any of your business?” she asked rudely.
“I was just wondering. I, I wanted to repay her for saving my life so many times.” Kaede-chan could see that the man was in pain, but regardless of his condition she never gave him a pleasant look.
“Well I don’t know what she likes. Sister Kasa-sama isn’t very open with people or the things she likes.”
“Not even to her own dear sister? Kasa-sama really is an odd priestess.”
“That’s Lady Kasa-sama to you!” she scoffed.
“Sorry, lady Kasa-sama. But for her to not even be open to you, there must be something you know she likes?” Kaede-chan looked away from him and pulled her knees up to her chin. “You don’t look like her,” he said. “You are a beautiful girl, but you d-don’t look like her at all, I just don’t see it. Are you really related?” he asked. Kaede-chan looked down sadly.
“No, we’re not,” she admitted.
“Then, you must be a friend, or a friends daughter?”
“No. I’m just an orphan. Sister Kasa-sama took me in when I didn’t know what to do. After my parents died, I was devastated and I didn’t want to stay in an orphanage. One day I was out gathering food when sister found me. She saved me from a bunch of demons. Since then she’s let me live with her, as I’m sure you can imagine I owe her a lot,” she said.
“Y-Yes. So your parents were killed by demons?” Kaede-chan looked back at Onigumo-san infuriated.
“No! They were murdered by bandits like you!” she screamed. Everything went quiet. Onigumo-san looked at her sadly as she turned away from him again.
“I’m sorry,” he said sadly.
“Yeah, well you should be.”
“If you killed me,” he said. “Would you be at peace?”
“I’ve often wondered if just killing one bandit would be enough, but sister told me that killing was never the path to revenge. She said killing would only make me lower then the killers themselves.”
“Spoken like a true Wiseman,” he said. “Say, Kaido-chan?”
“It’s Kaede-chan!”
“Right. How is it that even you don’t know what your sister likes? Or is that just your way of skillfully dodging my questions?” Kaede-chan looked over to him again, this time with a calmer look.
“You really want to do something nice for her?” she asked.
“Yes, as a thank you. Even though I want to die, I still want to show my gratitude.” Kaede-chan stared at him, examining his terrible injuries. His bloodstained bandages couldn’t help but make her feel some pity for him.
“It’s true that Kasa-sama-sama is very secretive, but if I know anything, it’s that she really likes music. She has the most beautiful voice you’ve ever heard, but she never sings for anyone. I just so happened to have come across her singing a few times, and though she can sing, she enjoys hearing other music best. Her favourite instrument to listen to is the shakuhachi.”
“Shakuhachi? As in the traditional Japanese flute I’m guessing.”
“That’s right. I didn’t actually expect someone like you to know of such a refined instrument.”
“I know of it. I can play it,” he said. Kaede-chan looked at him surprisingly.
“You can play a shakuhachi?” she yelled.
“I can. And I’m pretty good at it if I do say so myself. Perhaps if my fingers can heal I can play it for her.” Kaede-chan looked away sadly.
“Uh, yeah certainly.”
“I’m back,” Kasa-sama said walking into the cave. “I trust everything went well?” Kaede-chan didn’t answer.
“Yes, everything went well. I was just having a friendly conversation with Kimori-chan.”
“It’s Kaede-chan!” she screamed. Kasa-sama put the herbs in the bowl once more and crushed them like before. Kaede-chan watched curiously as she did so. When the herbs were liquid again Kasa-sama started to unwrap the bandages, but then stopped.
“Kaede-chan, children should not see such things,” she warned. Kaede-chan stood up quickly and ran to the exit of the cave. “If you should see Tsubaki and Kendo, tell them that I’m catching some fish and I’ll be back later. I’ll figure out what to tell them later.”
Kaede-chan nodded and left the cave. After she left a young man entered the cave wearing a red kimono. His hair was purple and tied back in a ponytail and he carried two paper fans. His eyes were a raspberry colour, and his skin was nicely tanned.
“A demon!” Onigumo-san shouted.
“It’s okay, I asked him to come.” Onigumo-san looked at her astonished.
“You asked him to come? But he’s a demon!” he said fearfully.
“I know. His name is, well actually he likes introducing himself,” she said rolling her eyes. The demon jumped over to Kasa-sama blissfully.
“My name is Gojo-kun Shioji-kun, born and raised right here in Japan!” he laughed.
“Full of enthusiasm isn’t he?”
“My good man, this world is made up of enthusiasm! Without it it’s dull and dead.”
“In my opinion the world is made up of pain and suffering,” Kasa-sama said. Gojo-kun laughed and hugged her tightly.
“For a priestess your outlook on life is really bleak,” Gojo-kun, said with a smile. Kasa-sama flinched a bit as he hugged her.
“Lady Kasa-sama, no, your wound!” Onigumo-san said apprehensively. Kasa-sama held her wound miserably as Gojo-kun removed himself from her.
“You haven’t even tended to your own wounds yet?” Onigumo-san asked.
“No, I was busy looking for herbs for your wounds.”
“My wounds are not important! You must always come first!” he bickered.
“Don’t worry. Arguing won’t change anything and besides, you’re forgetting that I, Gojo-kun Shioji-kun is here!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Onigumo-san asked confused.
“Well, just watch!” he said placing his hand over Kasa-sama’s wound. Onigumo-san watched curiously as a strange blue glow formed around Gojo-kun’s hand. After a few seconds he removed it and Kasa-sama’s injury had completely healed. Onigumo-san just looked at Gojo-kun astonished.
“I see. So then you’re a peaceful demon.”
“I come from a land where humans and demons live together, or at least they did,” he said sadly.
“Did?”
“My village was destroyed many years ago by demons, and since all we could do was heal most of my people and the humans were whipped out. After that I came here, injured of course, and Kasa-sama nursed me back to health. I’ve lived here ever since.”
“So he’s going to try and heal me?” Onigumo-san said untrustingly. Gojo-kun rubbed the back of his neck and made a ridicules face. “Well actually, I’m only an apprentice Healer. I was just learning when the attack on my village occurred,” he chuckled.
“What?”
“My apologies Onigumo-san, but Shioji-kun is still in the early stages of healing and magic. However, he may be your only chance.”
“I understand,” he said gratefully.
“Don’t worry. Shioji-kun may seem a bit unorthodox at times, but he is reliable.”
“Unorthodox? What’s that mean?” Gojo-kun whined.
“Come back later tonight when there isn’t so many problems. My people will surly be looking for me, no matter what my sister says.”
“Sure,” Gojo-kun said getting up. “After the moon rises?”
“Yes, that would be a fine time,” Kasa-sama said nodding.
“See you then!” he said disappearing.
“He’s reliable?” Onigumo-san asked in disbelief.
“Sometimes…” Kasa-sama stood up and then headed towards the exit of the cave.
“You’re coming back tonight aren’t you?” he asked. Kasa-sama nodded but didn’t look at him. His visible eye formed in such a way that made it look like he was smiling. Kasa-sama then left, as Onigumo-san said his farewells.
Later that night Kasa-sama had told her sister her plan to restore Onigumo-san to his original state, but Kaede-chan did not agree.
“But big sister, do you think that to be wise? After all, he is a bandit. If you did manage to treat him, how do you know that he won’t continue with his dire ways?”
“I don’t know. Onigumo-san just doesn’t strike me as the kind of person. One who would betray me like that? I have a feeling that he’ll change for the better.”
“But how can you be sure?” she asked worriedly. At that moment Kasa-sama stood up and put her hands on Kaede-chan’s shoulders.
“Let your grief go, only then can you be more trusting.”
“But Kasa-sama, you said not to trust anyone,” Kaede-chan said. Kasa-sama just shook her head and looked into her little sister’s eyes.
“There’s a difference in not trusting anyone, and not trusting the right person. Onigumo-san is the right person, one that you can trust.”
“But how do I know that?” she asked.
“Well, has he ever given you a reason for you not to trust him?” After she asked there was silence. Kasa-sama just cracked half a grin and headed for the door. “Just try to get along with him, I’m sure you’ll find that he’s a decent man, even if he was a bandit.”

Piczo