Black Rock Shooter, Honest Hearts

0: You can't rescue me

"Shut up!"

She started and her whole body screamed in pain as the sudden movement upset the wounds covering her entire body, but she ignored it all. She could only focusing on Yomi's furious face.

"Yomi, wai-."

"I said shut up, Mato!"

Yomi's hand lashed out, and blue eyes widened in fright. Before Mato could say anything, the chains tightened around her entire body and she chocked in her breath, fighting to keep from throwing up when the wave of pressure washed over her. The bloodied wound on her side almost burst open again, and a little voice in the back of her head told her that a just a nudge more and the metallic staples that kept the wound closed would snap off.

Pitiful croaks came from her mouth and her fingers twitched, grabbing and pulling desperately on the chains around her arms, looking for something, anything that could get the torture to stop.

"Just shut up already," a venomous voice growled in her ear and she managed to open her eyes a fraction, catching a glimpse of the most beautiful eyes glaring poison down at her.

A black hand covered her mouth and metallic, clawed fingers dug into the sides of head, letting blood run down the sides of her face. The pressure of the chains and the grip on her head became unbearable, her chest was all but ready to explode at any second now and she couldn't even scream in pain!

Then everything stopped.

The chain loosened its hold on her but before Mato could gasp for breath Yomi slammed Mato's head against the wall behind her. The tall girl sauntered back, letting her captive helplessly sag on her bonds. Mato choked, gagged and coughed as she tried to bring precious air back into her burning lungs once again, she barely noticed the new explosion of stars flashing behind her eyelids or the chunks of debris raining down behind her.

She froze at the sound of a voice whispering, almost lovingly. "You always were such an adorable idiot, Mato. Like a confused puppy."

"Yomi, I-."

Mato's blue eyes widened in shock at the method Yomi used to silence her now. Their lips met for an all too short moment before parting again. Yomi's lips were stained with blood that she licked away. "You... Mato you'll stay here. Always here where you won't run away, can't leave me ever again," Yomi's quiet words almost escaped Mato. So faint and sad...

So angry...

"I-I never left you, Y-Yomi."

"Liar."

That simple word was like a slap to the face to Mato. She felt as if the world was spinning and she was falling at the same time.

"You betrayed me already, but never again."

"Yomi, I-I would never, never hurt you," Mato said in a quivering voice. "I-I could never hurt you, I would never think of-of doing anything like that!" The idea that she could have done anything to Yomi, her Little Bird... no, it couldn't be right! There was no way that could have ever happened... "I would rather die before ever hurting yo-."

The chains around her neck suddenly tightened so hard that Mato felt the skin breaking open, the links grinding against strips of her black blood. Anything she had tried to say died out in a choked scream. They kept on crushing her neck until Mato started to see spots dancing in front of her eyes, but Yomi's words were so clear.

"I know you, Mato, I know that I can't trust your word any more. Such a good liar you are, always looking me in the eye, telling me how much you loved me, but you replaced me without a second thought! Tossed me away like a piece of trash when you found somebody better, didn't you? That's how much I was worth to you, how much I ever meant to you. I was only the friendless rich girl you took pity on and you only kept me around because it amused you. But don't worry, I will never, ever, replace you, Mato."

Yomi stood up and took a step back. The chains immediately eased up, leaving Mato coughing up bloodied spit.

Oh god, I'm a mess...

It was several long seconds before Mato could breath again, still breaking into coughing fits. "You... don't want to be rescued, do you Yomi?" Mato whispered, letting her head hang low. The sound of Yomi's chuckling darkly made Mato clench her teeth, trying to keep the tears from spilling.

"You could never rescue anybody, Mato... I thought you would be my knight in shinning armor, that you would make things better, that you would fill this void, but no."

Mato tried to shrink away from the look in Yomi's eyes, but no matter what, she couldn't look away. Hopelessly drawn into that acid green glow that promised only pain.

"Not a knight, not a prince, not my savior..." Mato flinched with each title, feeling lower than the lower. "You're just fine where you are now. Here where you can never hurt me again, where you will never hurt and never leave me."

"I couldn't rescue you..." Mato whispered, a shuddering sob making her body tremble, she finally let the dam break. Maybe Yomi was right. Maybe Mato did deserve this.

"You can't rescue me."

Mato flinched as if Yomi had struck her again.

This is what she wanted, didn't she?

She wanted to be with Yomi, no matter what.

What was the point of fighting then?

Bloodied, chained, broken and defeated, Mato nodded.

Yomi's face split in a delighted and twisted smile of victory as the little blue star finally stopped burning.