Okie, this story has been revised...not a lot, but some parts, particularly the part before the story begins. Why? If you read this story, you'll know why. Violence and darkness cannot coexist with...silliness. XD
This is a rapefic, very dark and has a lot of suggestive themes. If you are offended by...well pretty much anything, follow these three easy steps:
1. Move the arrow over to the back button.
2. Click on it.
3. Never come here again.
You all know who you are.
I wrote this not because it was stuck in my head for almost a year, but I wanted to explore Suzaku's sadistic character, and experiment with the dynamics of his emotion. He was not "born to be bad"; If he was(before he died) able to understand the emotions of humans and admit he was wrong, then it is possible that there is something good underneath all that crap in his heart.
For those of you who have reviewed before, understand that I have merged the prologue and 1st chapter into one chapter, because it was lame that way it was before. Meaning you'll probably have to review anonymously if you want to give your opinion on chapter "3".
Prologue
"Koenma, I'd like to ask for permission to access the City of Ghosts and Apparations."
Koenma gazed down at the rather puny man before him, who crouched low in a respectful bow. He was heavily clad in gold and red armor, and well equipped with bow and arrows, a sword, and a line of cutlass knives sheathed on his belt. His long, violet hair hung in curtains across his shoulders. His appearance spoke of honor and justice, just as any worthy knight would carry within his heart.
"I see...another bounty hunter..." Koenma said softly.
The man nodded. "Yes. I am Kodoku, and I want to kill the four Saint Beasts."
"Yes, I know that. It's pretty obvious," Koenma replied curtly, "Yet you do realize that those who have entered the city never came out alive?"
"Yes, I understand that. But I assure you that I am different; I am much more experienced in battle, and know about spirit energy. King Yama even approves of me," Kodoku boasted.
Koenma crossed his arms slightly. "Oh? Well then, I may as well let you go. I'll have to create that breach again." He jumped from his desk to call for his ogre, who was in a different room, sorting approval papers. He turned to look at Kodoku, who stood in a stoic manner, his golden-eyed gaze piercing through the air. He was different, yes, but there was something he still lacked...
"You sure about this? Those Saint Beasts are not worth underestimating," Koenma said and raised an eyebrow.
Kodoku sighed heavily in irritation as a response, and Koenma took the hint very well as he quickly set off to the ogre's room, shaking his head in disapproval.
"I can't stop him," he muttered to himself, "I just know he's gonna die for sure."
After a few minutes of talk with the ogre, he came back to Kodoku, who was shifitng around impatiently; Koenma felt a tinge of disgust for this knight's arrogance. He handed Kodoku a map, which showed him where the entrance the Makai lay.
"And this is a map of?" Kodoku said in a low voice.
Koenma paused to ponder at his rudeness, when Kodoku knew very well that he was in the presence of the ruler of the Reikai; he was an honorable man, yet that was all he had. He lacked some of the other important characteristics that defined a good warrior. Yet Koenma was curt in his response, knowing that it would get rid of Kodoku as soon as he knows where to go.
"Tokyo, Japan, a city in the Ningenkai."
Tokyo, present day.
Today was just like any other day.
For Hikari it never changes. Different days only appear if you do something about it-something accomplishing-or, perhaps, something the opposite of that. It only appears if you are willing to take the time and effort to revise your monotonous, daily schedule, like revising a tiring essay you never wanted to do in the first place. In other words, take time off your procrastination; for it will continue endlessly and cause you to do nothing about it, just like your repetitive days and that little essay, because your desire for change will never be strong enough.
This is what Hikari is experiencing, the isolated "outsider" of her highschool. She was eighteen, quiet, beyond the definition of shy, very self-contained, and many other characteristics that would also provide reasons for her lack of desire for change. Troubles that come from the family are likely reach the mind of their innocent child. Her parents, poor in money and in work ethic, would rather live a life of free-time partying, drinking, and gambling than to waste their "precious time" with some child they never wanted. Her mother is thirty-three while Hikari is eighteen; once the math is done, a mutual understanding will be reached.
Despite all this, Hikari managed to mature and stay away from her parent's influences, all the way up to the age of eighteen. She was a perfectly mild-mannered girl, with beautiful red hair, emerald- green eyes, and a tall, thin figure. Her face possessed a look of wisdom and loneliness merged into one.
Yet some people at school would not take it that way; everyday, she was tormented by a group of students who considered her to be some "crazy, drug-dealing junky" and "one-who-drinks-for-kicks", all because of her parent's lifestyle. It was the typical judging of a book by its cover. They never knew that, in truth, she was just as normal as everyone else, only less open and less social; they just didn't care for the truth, a rarely used tool that most people would not rely on for various, pathetic reasons. A common reason for this is obvious: peer pressure and the desire to stay within their own "crowd"are primary factors. Anything else is practically superfluous.
Hikari couldn't blame their ignorant minds, though. Some had seen her parent's disgusting lives before. Once, she brought a friend (at least, it used to be her friend) to her house, mostly because that friend insisted on coming over. When Hikari opened the door for her friend Yuki, there was much to take note of; the lazy lump on the couch called "father", and the busy, scraggly-haired female figure known as "mother". Everything else looked gray and dirty, as of some ancient party occurred a long time ago and left nauseating legacy.
"I'm home," Hikari announced as she and Yuki walked inside. Neither her father or mother paid any heed to this; they only hear two words, conjured from the mouth of a girl they never wanted, and learn that she is home. They didn't even notice that she brought a guest home. Father and mother only concentrated on one thing at a time, and Hikari was their last priority.
"Oh dear, I forgot I had to meet my parents at the mall!" Yuki blurted outand rushed out the door. She never spoke to Hikari again; instead, she spoke to a lot of other people about what she saw.
Hikari was glad that at eighteen, this would be her last year at school. Afterwards, she would be able to get away from her parents and taunting peers and start a new life. She posed good grades, and was blessed with intelligence in a run-down, dangerous slum. There could be many things open to her. This was the thought that kept her happy for an entire month; or, more precisely, whenever she walks home from school. One day, however, her joy did not last.
Hitan, a careless boy who treated girls like common, vulnerable objects, thought today was a perfect day to seize Hikari for his own practical uses; a dark, rainy environment. He hid behind a dumpster and waited quietly for his prey to appear, while he covered himself with a black raincoat. A shadow concealed in a blanket of fog. Through the haze of the heavy rainfall, his eyes locked on to his victim; a girl drenched from head to toe, holding a large bag filled with textbooks. Her damp clothes sagged from the weight of water and stuck to her skin. Her hair, once a vibrant red, became a dull, brownish color. She walked with discomfort, which Hitan took full advantage of, and leaped from his hiding place.
As soon as he reached for the girl, Hikari was already aware of his presence. She stumbled backward in attempt to dodge him, nearly falling into the dirty puddles below. Hitan caught her just in time. Her green eyes met with the dark tunnels of his gaze, sharp yet amused.
"You again," she muttered in disgust. It was hard to see his drenched face, but she knew he was using that horrible smirk of his.
"You remember me...I'm flattered," Hitan said in a mock-innocent voice.
Hikari pushed him away as soon as she was brought upright. Her body suddenly shivered uncontrollably. His hands...they had a terrible, icy feeling to them, yet they seemed to burn through her flesh. She absolutely detested it when he touched any part of her; it seemed as if his touch covered her in filth. Hitan kept his mischievous smile on and regained his balance, much to Hikari's dismay.
"It's been awhile ever since I saw you. I mean, you're always running away from me," Hitan said with a chuckle.
The nerve of him! She thought furiously, you treat me as if I'm your girlfriend! She would have loved to say "I have a reason to", and watch that irritating smirk melt away. But she knew better, and her hopes of crushing Hitan's pride are only at the bottom steps. She let her anger simmer within her stomach and remained silent.
"Hey, you wanna come with me and, uh, do stuff?" Hitan asked, but Hikari shook her head.
"I have to go," she replied hastily, and turned away from him. She couldn't let this keep up any longer...her stomach churned with dread.
"Hey, come on, I just wanna hang out with ya!" Hitan whined, but Hiakri kept walking away, ignoring his plead. As rain continued to pour, it soon shrouded any visible sign of the girl. Hitan stood dumbfounded, but suddenly irate at the same time. He can't-no, he wouldn't-let her get away like that. She wasn't far; she was close enough to bring her to the ground-
"No...you're not walking away that easily!" Hitan yelled in a fury and lunged for Hikari.
In a rush of struggles, Hitan managed to capture Hiakri easily as though she were made of straw. He carried her over his shoulder, while Hikari screamed for help and kicked helplessly as her only defense. Hitan only gripped her tighter as he turned into an alleyway. His ears rang as the girl continued to release her deafening wail.
"You little bitch!" Hitan spat, "Stop doing that banshee scream of yours!"
The delinquent opened a door to a warehouse, and threw Hikari to the hard wood floor. A sharp gasp of pain escaped from her throat as she struggled breathe in some of the damp, cold air. Her body, paralyzed from the impact, refused to move; it ached with terrible, stinging pain. Hitan let out a soft cruel laugh and bent over to face Hikari, who was coughing and sputtering. He gripped her damp hair and tugged at it, forcing her to look into his mischievous, empty gaze.
"Now you know why you shouldn't mess with me," he whispered, "It could cost you a lot more than you think."
Hikari whimpered, but there was nothing more she could do; Hitan had her like a bug over his foot. She could only wait for the inky nightmare to pass...
"Tch, someone is coming," he said icily.
The injured girl could hear the voices of people near by, just what Hitan promised, which were gradually growing louder; one, a deep, throaty voice, and another that seemed to be coming from a child. Hitan was about to pick her up when he felt something loose underneath his foot. He shifted himself, and beat a fist on the place where he crouched; to his surprise, a large trapdoor cracked open, and a wash of green light lit the dark sobriety of the room.
"W-what the hell?!" Hitan moved away from it, thinking the mysterious aura might be poisonous.
Hikari managed to lift her head to see the frightening phenomenon. The green light filled her eyes, blinding what little she could see; a look of consternation fixed itself onto her face. It was so alluring but so malicious-like...
At the same time, someone burst through the door.
"Hey!" a voice rang out, startling Hitan, "What are you kids doing here?"
Hitan, being a slow-witted boy, couldn't find any excuse to use, so he got up as quickly as he could. Hikari found the strength to lift herself form the hard wood floor, but Hitan grabbed that back of her shirt and pulled her towards him.
"Ow! Let go of me!" Hikari shouted and vied to free herself from his grasp. The man, who was watching by the doorway, advanced towards the boy. Hitan froze, until he suddenly thought of his next move.
"Have little men to stick up for you, eh?" Hitan hissed menacingly and grabbed Hikari's body, lifting her from the floor. "I'll make you scream more than anyone could ever imagine!"
Giant footsteps echoed in the empty warehouse as the unknown man approached the two. He reached for the boy's arm, pulling him away with impeccable strength. Hitan tried to keep himself from dropping his prize.
Hitan let out a soft cry as a jolt of pain clawed into his shoulder. "Ow, you're pulling my arm off! Let go now!"
The boy attempted to tug his arm away from the man's grip, but it proved futile. The hand that held him was capable of snapping it into two like a twig. Hikari was frozen with terror, unable to move. She was slowly slipping from the arms of her inimical foe. The trapdoor was below her, patiently waiting for her to drop into its mouth.
"Shut up," the man growled, "Your coming with me. You and that little girl."
"I said, let go, you stupid fuck!"
"Shut up!"
Muscular arms wrapped around his waist and hoisted him up, high above the floor, and prepared to carry him away. Hitan continued to protest and spew insults, until a scream pierced his ears.
Hikari was dropping head-first into the trapdoor.
The man cast Hitan away and tried to catch her, extending his arm long enough to grab her leg, but he only swiped at air. He was a moment too soon; her head hit the edge of the floor with a ponderous blow as she toppled into the hole, snatching away her consciousness. She plummeted into the unknown abyss, which was filled with that strange, emerald-green aura. The man's roar of frustration was the last thing she heard before everything around her was concealed in a blanket of darkness.
An unusual rumble of thunder resounded in the air.
Hikari blinked a few times, and finally opened her eyes to find the same man crouching next to her, apparently waiting for her to regain consciousness. Her entire body ached with anguish as her senses slowly came back to her. What just happened up there? She fell through that mysterious trapdoor, and next thing she knew she was here. She felt rocks underneath her, and assumed she was on some rocky soil. Wait...
Rocky soil?
She quickly sat up, and realized that where she lay was definitely not the warehouse; she was outside, and somehow that trapdoor led her to a completely different world. The air felt dry and musty, and everything around her looked dark and death-like. It was nothing like where she lived. The man, who wore armor and a sheathed sword like a knight, soon noticed her awakening. He glared at her with brilliant, golden eyes.
"Thanks to your boyfriend, you fell through the trapdoor...and now I have to deal with you," he said in a low voice.
Hikari knew he must mean Hitan. "Hey, he's not my boyfriend! He just-"
"Whoever he is, I could care less," he interrupted, "What a reckless fool he was."
Hikari stared at him. Who was this man? Obviously he had some mission to do, if he dared to come to this ungodly place; this meant that he was definitely a knight, but a rather rude and aloof knight to be exact. He stared into the horizon for a while and mumbled many things, some of which was slightly audible for Hikari to hear. He did not make eye contact with her once, save for a forlorn glance. Soon he stood up and threw his arms in the air.
"I can't go back when I just got here," he grumbled to himself.
"No, please don't. I can't go back," she whined, while the knight shook his head in disapproval.
"Hmph, babysitting. Don't worry," he growled in a sarcastic tone, "Since I don't want to waste my time going all the way back to your home, you're coming with me."
Hikari sighed with relief. She didn't care how impertinent this man was; to be back up there, with Hitan possibly waiting for her to come out of the trapdoor, was a terrible death wish; she didn't want to return home, not for a long time. It was safe enough here, with this knight...at least, she hoped it was. Something in her heart was nagging her with fear and suspicion; being an unearthly land, something incredibly inhuman must lurk here-and that must be why the knight came here.
As Hikari followed him, she noticed a gigantic castle ahead, overlooking a small, ghostly city shrouded by fog. A crash of thunder startled the girl, causing her to look up into a dark, stormy sky, where brilliant flashes of lightning slit through the air. Another barrage of thunder shook her frail body. Why did it take her so long to notice a raging thunderstorm?
"E-excuse me," Hikari said quietly, "What's your name?"
The knight was silent for a moment, keeping his eyes fixed on the gloomy castle ahead of them. "Kodoku."
"Oh...okay," Hikari said, and continued to follow Kodoku.
After what seemed like hours of trudging through an empty ghost city, the two finally arrived at the gate of the castle. There was barely any light in it, save for a few torches that hung on each side. Hikari cringed at how dark and gloomy it was and wanted to turn back, but Kodoku caught her arm and dragged her in.
"You're coming and staying with me, whether you like it or not. I'm not going to waste more time by searching for a child like you if you run away," he said icily.
Child? Is that what he thought she was? It irked her to realize how rude this man was. Yet she knew that if she did run and try to find a way home, something might find her and kill her; it just wasn't worth the risk, especially if this knight won't help her get home until his business is finished. Therefore she went with him into the haunting tunnel, without saying another word, while clinging to his arm for some comfort, much to Kodoku's annoyance. She walked cautiously and repeatedly looked around her, making sure that nothing was stalking her. At the end of the tunnel, she followed him down a corridor, until they reached a large doorway. Kodoku stopped by it and turned to Hikari.
"Listen up. Being the coward you are, you had better stay within sight of me, even when the Stone Beast shows up,"he lectured, "You'll be in much more danger away from my sight than you are now."
And I'd get into serious trouble with Koenma, which I don't want to have to deal with, Kodoku added, though without giving it sound. Hikari nodded weakly, but inside, she suddenly did feel like saying out of this room; Stone Beast? How can she be safer with this knight once his enemy arrives? Confusion and dread clouded her mind, until Kodoku dragged her in by the arm again.
"Ouch! Please, don't do that," Hikari whimpered, but Kodoku ignored her.
"Hey...didn't you hear me?" she demanded, but the knight interrupted her this time.
"Hush! He comes!" Kodoku hissed.
Hikari looked around her. She could see nothing but pillars, gray stone, and flaming torches, which produced only little light, making it rather to difficult to see anything. Soon her eyes adjusted a little more, and revealed an astonishing sight-a large, rocky figure emerging from the floor, slowly but with a subtle grace to it, as if the floor were nothing more than water. A stone tail curled in the air like a scoropin's. It's maw was curled into a grin of amusement.
"Another one?" the Stone Beast said in a low, thundering voice, "Hmph. I'll just slaughter it, like I did with all the other's who dared to challenge me!"
Kodoku stepped forward. "Let's hurry up and get this over with," he growled, "Suzaku's the one I'm really after, not some giant turtle named Genbu."
Genbu laughed in response. "Believe me. You're not worth his time."
"You had better be in this exact same spot when I'm thorugh with him," Kodoku hissed to Hiakri. He drew his sword and lunged for his opponent, who waited for him to make his move first. Hikari stood by the doorway, shaking with fear, but kept to kodoku's word, and watched the battle commence. Kodoku leapt into the air. She watched Genbu sink into the floor as the knight swung his blade at it. Metal clashed against stone, a spark of energy bursting from the impact. An avalanche of rocks tumbled from its wound. The beast soon disappeared into the floor, and Kodoku landed in the place where Genbu used to be.
"Don't underestimate me, Kodoku," the air rumbled, "I already have you figured out."
Kodoku scanned the area around him, waiting for Genbu to surface. Hikari observed his surroundings as well, hoping she would notice the coming danger before it was too late. A few heartbeats later, the beast's tail slithered from the floor. It shot toward the knight with quick precision. Kodoku definitely looked unaware-
"Kodoku, look out!" she screamed as loud as she could, "his tail!"
"Girl, shut up or he'll come after you!" Kodoku yelled fiercely, but it proved to be a sad mistake; he turned around, right at the precise moment the tail struck him. Flesh, bone, and armor shattered as cold stone impaled him, gutting him straight through the heart and neck. A heavy river of blood gushed from the wound and splattered on the floor, creating a dark crimson lake that glittered under the flickering light of torches. Kodoku, wide-eyed and paralyzed with shock, dropped his sword into the growing crimson pool. His body shook and twitched uncontrollably with the last ounce of life he had left. Soon the rest of Genbu surfaced from the floor, slowly but triumphantly. He wriggled his tail playfully, savoring the pain and severing he caused.
"What a fool," Genbu laughed victoriously, "This fight was much too quick, even for me."
With a quick snap of his tail, Genbu tore through Kodoku's left side, mutilating his arm and practically tearing off his head. Both pieces of the knight fell into the pool of blood, while Kodoku's head clung to what little was left of the neck. Soon, the pool expanded as more of the crimson liquid continued to feed it. Hikari collapsed to the gorund, sick from the scene before her and frozen with fright. Wild words formed in her mouth.
A tiny whimper was all she could muster. This has to be a dream, she thought bitterly, this can't be real at all...
Genbu prodded Kodoku's head with the tip of his tail.
"I'm sure Byakko will love this treat I have for him," Genbu said and cackled with a thundering laughter that shook Hikari's body. She suddenly felt angry at the beast for doing such a thing..
"Stop it!!! How can you be so cruel to him!"
Hikari gasped and threw her hands around her mouth; why did she just do that, when it clearly caught the Stone Beast's attention? She had to run, before she would be killed as well.
Genbu turned to face Hikari, who was already backing away toward the doorway, her eyes wide with fear. Another thunder of laughter echoed within the room.
"What do you plan on doing about it, hm? You're just another weak, pathetic human like Kodoku," Genbu said. He raised his tail, and prepared to strike the frightened girl.
Before she could escape, she heard the soft swish of moving air, and instantly, she felt a terrible impact on her head as the stone tail struck her. In one heartbeat, everything around became black.
r&r...liked it? Hated it? Needs improvement? You'd better tell me before I post chapter 3...or 2, I can't remember which...