( Insert Onimonogatari ost: Kura Yami. )

( Tayuya's perspective. )

...

W-what...?

Just... just who is this lady?

W-what is she talking about? Is it true?

Seishi takes one step foward. "What are you plaining to do with us..?" S-She sounds angry...

The lady looks... amused? One silly smile appears in her face. "What is it with you and that paranoia? You are too young to be like that~" ...I don't like the way she said that.

B-but still, I wonder what she meant earlier. "...W-what is it? What do you mean with one solution?" Please, we need something, anything to get out of here.

"Tayuya, don't listen to h-"

"Good that you asked." She says, making Seishi stop talking. "..You see, there's some friends outside of this place, friends that want to help people like you. I help them by searching people in need in places like this." She smiles, sounding happy. "Of course, I'm only one of the many people that seek to help those in need... even if I'm not very good at it." She points at herself, sounding and looking embarassed, but it disappears in a moment. "They are coming here after an while, inside one wagon, looking for volunters to go with them. So I thought that you two would be interested in it." ...She seems to finish explaining.

...

This...

...

This sounds so great!

We could get out of here!

Out of this hell hole!

Who knows what we can find out there! We could...

...We could be free!

Finally!

"Where would we go if we went with them?!" I can't hold back my happyness! Someone really came to help us!

She lets out an giggle. "You two would become travelers like them for some time, and in doing so, you would visit plenty of places, places that you could want to stay and live if you so choose."

That sounds wonderful!

"...What are you really planning?"

...

What?

"...Don't worry. I'm being honest about it. " She gives a little giggle, again. "The wagon will appear after two hours or so by now. When they appear, you have my word that I will call for both of you." She starts walking away. "Remember, be ready and grab anything you think is necessary." She slowly disappears from view... fading in the darkness of the trees.

...

She left.

...

Is just both of us now.

That-THAT WAS SO RUDE! Seishi! " Sei-"

"Why did you listen to that thing?"

"Wha-" Why do you sound so angry about it?! "What do you mean with that!? I'm... I'm trying to get us out of here! What's wrong with it!?"

"...Why are you considering to listen to one complete stranger?" W-Well.. I- "We aren't despaired enough to hear someone like that, someone that hasn't even been here for too long, and just take his word as granted. We can leave alone by ourselfs, with no help. Following her is a bad ideia."

...

"Really, we don't need anyon-"

"You didn't change at all." She stops, one curious look in her face.

Even though I trusted in you...! "I thought you would think about how I felt about this... BUT NO!" I push her away from me. "You are the one who's not despaired! I'm begging for help Seishi!" Her eyes get wide open, surprised. "I hate this place! You know that! People are always trying to play around with us! They don't like me or you! But you just...! You just-! You don't even care!" She's not looking at me anymore, but instead, her attention is at the ground... Again."Is almost like they don't exist to you!" I-I can't stand looking at her, not like this. " S-sometimes... is almost like I don't exist for y-"

"Are you done?" -!? "...Whatever, do what you want. I will just go along with what you decide." She starts walking away...?

"S-Seishi..?" W-wait..!

"Don't." ..She doesn't stop.

...

Did I...

Did I say something wrong?

...

I-I don't think I did.

No... I didn't...

Maybe...

...

'Whatever'?

Why would you say that? Are you not happy? Or you just don't care?

What is wrong with how I'm doing this? We are going to be away from here. I don't know why you wou-

...

...Hmph, whatever them.

Yeah! Walk away! I don't care!

We are getting out of here, you shoudn't be mad at that.

But nooo~! Is whatever Tayuya, nhe-nhenhe! I don't care!

Yeah! Whatever!

Whatever!

You Idiot!

Idiot! Idiot!

"...Idiot..." Arghh!

...

W-well, if you don't care then... y-you should stay!

...

N-no. That's wrong.

You won't stay here.

I don't want you to stay.

W-we, together, are going out of this place, you liking or not!

Together..

Okay, okay.

I should go and... walk faster.

...I should walk faster!

They are coming in two hours!

Quick!

...(Moments later.)...

Alright, I'm inside.

Errh, I should start with... uh... maybe...-PWUFF WHATEVER! PUT EVERYTHING IN A BAG!

AH! ONE BAG!

I need to find one!

Eeeh...

Where can I find one?

...

You know what? I'm just going to use the blanket.

W-WHATEVER! Y-yeah! It just needs to help! That's all!

Uhmm..

Should I put everything? Really? What if the blanket rips apart..?

O-oh no... I don't want to leave anything behind..!

Oh! I know! I will use two blankets! Y-yeah! That should work!

...(One hour later)...

Took long enough! I got everything!

Well, everything that we need at least... I guess?

I putted some stuff I stole from the annoying nuns. One pocket watch thingie..? It says what time it is. We stole it, but we don't use it outside... because Parrot was looking around for it. I don't think we ever used it, but it's pretty, so that's fine.

Some bibles, because Seishi liked to say that we could burn it to warm ourselfs when we got throwed out of the orphanage. I don't get what they are about, something something Sage of the Six something.

Some matches. We could use it, instead of smashing rocks against each other to create some little light-thingies called sparks. Seishi taught me about the rocks creating them when we want outside a little to create a campfire, it was really weird, but a bit fun.

Some clothes. We need clothes. I stole from some of the kids...

Eeewww! Why did I do that?! Throw away! I will just steal some spare clothes or something from where the orphanage keeps it, later.

My toys! I have the super poofy haty doggie! I call it Maiya! She's cute! I stole from one of the kids and hid it here, beneath my pillow. Is not like she took good care of it anyway. I also have this one that Seishi created, which is a weird... thingie... with a shell where is the mouth and with fins instead of hands. I don't a name for it yet. Is really fluffy, for some reason. I also created one for Seishi! Is... one cat? I don't have sure if it looks right... the place of the eyes are X and it has no mouth... W-well, I didn't have anything to work with it... Is also pretty small... and I don't know how to create dolls that well. Seishi said it was fine, but she had a funny look in her face when staring at it sometimes.

I also found some food that doesn't expire easy, I think.

Seishi said that expired food is bad. This food lasts for a while, like, one really long time. Is canned. I don't have sure if it tastes good. On the other hand, is canned stuff, so we are good, I think? She said is good. I took it from the shelves when no one was looking some time ago.

Eerrh... do I have everything? I could walk around and see if there's anything else we need. But... it would takee sooo looong! I don't wanna!

Take too long...?

Time...!? What time is it!? Aaahhh! Shiit! Shit!

T-the pocket watch! Y-yeah!

...

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME IT WAS BEFORE I GOT HERE! AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!?

EEeehhh... I should be fine! The lady said that she would look for us! Yeah..!

I'm going outside then. Just to make sure she finds us... wait where is Seishi?

...

Whatever, she should be waiting outside by now...

...

Okay.

Let's go.

( Some time later.)

AAARRGHHAAaah!

This is taking so looong!

How much time I have been in this!?

...Yeah! I checked the pocket watch before coming out in here! So, aahhmmm... good for me.

...

FORTY FIVE MINUTES!? HOW THE FUCK!?

Where is that lady at?! I don't like to stay waiting for this long! AARGH!

Oh shit. Someone is moving in the bushes.

...Oh. I forgot that at night, stuff is more dangerous.

..IS NIGHT! OH GOD! WHAT I'M DOING OUT HERE!? NNNOOO! IT HAS PASSED MIDNIGHT AT THIS POINT! Oh yeah, pocket watch.

Eeehhh, yeah. Already passed. Uhum. I'm screwed.

...

WHY THE FUCK I'M LOOKING AT THE WATCH AND NOT WORRYING ABOUt WHERE IS-... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!?

...Oh.

Hey Seishi.

She looks funny at me. "...Are you okay?" W-what kind of question is that? I'm completly... Erhh...

Okay, fine... Uh... I admit.

"You spooked me a bit." Her expressions doesn't change at the moment, until realization slowly starts to appear in her face.

"Oh." She looks sad... Wait what? Sorry?

Uhmmm. "H-hey... why do you look sad?" I mean, eerrh...

"...You are just imagining things. Don't worry." Her face becomes inexpressive, as it normaly is. "But, I'm curious. Why are you here this early?... Nevermind, I already know why." Yeah, sure you do. You always do.

Her focus shifts towards... nowhere. She starts looking down at the ground.

Ah Yes, the ground, again.

She always does that when her interest is lost. Not the sky, one wall, someone or something. Is always the ground when she loses interest.

..Is really annoying.

Sometimes, I don't have ideia of what is going on inside her head. I mean, I don't mostly know what goes on in it, but I like to think I do.

Is better than not knowing.

But, right now, maybe something changed... and I don't even have sure about what.

...

Uncomfortable is... unusual to feel around her. Yes, she is weird, awkward and too much silent to me sometimes... But, is comforting to have her staying around me.

But now, I don't want to stay around her. Not because she said or did something wrong... Is just... It feels like she doesn't want to be around me and that makes me want to stay away from her, but she doesn't move and that makes me not want to move and-... I don't like this.

It doesn't feel normal. She seems more down than normal. Sure, quiet as usual, but I can normaly feel that she... is not sad around me. I don't know, I just feel like she's happy...?

And now, looking at her, it just makes me feel like... something is wrong.

And I don't know what.

...

...?

Something is moving around the bushes...

Is that... The Lady?

...Yes, finally.

She stops, staring at us with relative surprise. "Oh my, I didn't expect to-... Huh." She looks surprised for a second when looking at Seishi, and one smile forms in her face. "Glad to see you joining us." Seishi doesn't respond, more interested in the ground than her.

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm excited! "Hey hey! When is the wagon going to come and take us?! I wanna see it!" Uuurrgh... I'm such a kid.

Her attention is caught by me. "Heheh, just some minutes by now. You know, I was planning to go see you guys at the window in your bedroom, but you guys weren't there." She sounds a bit annoyed. Oops. "But, at least you two were here, right where we talked last time, so that makes things easier." She looks behind herself, looking at the bushes from where she came from. "You guys can appear now." Wait what?

From the bushes, little people start moving outside, showing who they are.

They... are more kids? Really!? Aah damn it..

Wait, is that Tsuki!? And the... Urgh, it had to be that idiot.

Nice scar in the neck, dumbass.

Tsuki is the first to move closer. "H-hi Tayuya..." She says, being as shy, for some reason. "I-I didn't think you would come..." She looks both a bit surprised and happy. I don't know what about.

Well, I don't mind you coming with us, but... "Why are these clowns coming with us?" I point at the other kids, which includes that idiot who knocked me out at that one time.

"Ah-hahahmmm~." The Lady looks surprised. "Tayu~ you can't call them that~. Please, they just want to leave as much as you do, so don't be mean." The kids look annoyed by me calling them what they are, but seem to calm down after the Lady's explanation.

...Huh?

What do you mean as much as I do..? You don't know how much I hate this place. And you don't know them that well.

Don't compare me with those kids.

...I look at Seishi.

Her focus didn't change. She keeps looking at the ground, ignoring everyone around us.

...Whatever.

I look away from her.

I'm still a bit mad... just a bit.

Anyway, just how many people did the Lady brought here?

One, two, three... six kids? Huh. Wait, what if they said anything to the nuns about this..?!

ARGH! They wouldn't be that dumb, right?...

Aarh whatever! They can't stop us if we go away right now!

...I think.

"...When are we leaving?" ...Seishi is talking. "I have sure we shouldn't stay here for long, right?" While still looking down, she kicks a little rock away, making it land next to the Lady's feet. "I also think you have more problems to deal with in the future... We should go already." ...That's not cool. Be more grateful Seishi. We are finally going to get out of here!

Uuurgh...

The Lady just smiles. "You are absolutely right. We should go by now." Her smile disappears though, letting out one sigh. "...If only they came in the right hour..." As she said that, one noise that sounds like... a wagon? This sounds starts to come from somewhere beyond the trees. Her smile comes back. "...Just in time." She starts walking towards the sound, calling the kids to follow her, and they together start entering the dark part of this forest.

We should follow as well! How exciting!

I start walking after her, giving a few steps ahead... but I stop to look behind.

Seishi doesn't move.

...

...

Urgh...

( Insert: Celeste Original Soundtrack - 17 - Little Goth. )

...Alright.

I walk, until I'm in front of her.

I place my hand in her shoulder, while with the other hand I wipe away the hair that is covering her face... she looks a bit pale.

You shouldn't look like that. "...Don't worry. We are going to be fine. I'm sure she's trustworthy" ..She doesn't respond me, however, she starts walking, shruging off my hand from her shoulder, not once looking at me. "...Come on Seishi! We never trusted in anyone like this before! Give her at least some respect!" Urgh, she keeps walking.

...If you want to be that way, then fine, be that way.

I start walking faster than her, getting almost ahead.

As if I will let you-WOaah SHIT!

D-damn, I...

I slipped... and she holded me by the shoulders.

O-oh... "S-sorry..." She shrugs and takes her hands off, walking a bit far away to give me space.

Damn... Stupid ground with mud and dirt and stupid rain. "Watch your step." Urgh... Now I have to look at the ground like you the entire day!? Aaahh give me a brea-... Oh.

She looks tired.

I... Maybe... I think I have been a bit mean.

Seishi starts walking away.

...

I walk to match the same speed as her.

My body moves more closer.

We are walking side by side now.

My sister is coming with me.

...

I'm sorry... But, you should know how much this means to me, how much it should mean to you. If we can get out of here, think of the loads of stuff we can do together..! Things we never thought of! "...Just think about it, Seishi. The outside can be more larger than we thought." She gives me a side look for a moment... and sighs, shaking her head.

Heh, she has given up. Kinda.

Thank you, sis.

I feel like I'm doing us a favor.

I finally found one way to escape..

I'm not going to let you ruin this... not for yourself.

My and your freedom, we can find it, beyond this place... But, if you don't even like the ideia of getting away from here, then you don't want freedom.

I don't like that.

You won't stay here.

And... I won't let you.

...

My hand finds the way to grasp her's.

I squeeze it.

She doesn't respond...

Or so it seemed.

But she gives a weak squeeze back.

...

No need to hold back my smile.

I move my shoulder next to her's, close enough to start touching. I move my head next to her ear. "...It's going to happen. Our home, our dreams, we are going to make them happen. We can do it. Believe me." ...Her head slowly falls onto my shoulder in way that doesn't hurt to walk, and leaves it there...

We are entering the dark part of this place... the light of the moon can't enter it, the leafs blocking any sort of help.

The darkness is almost blinding.

...

She's a bit short, compared to me.

My sister... is important.

I hope she understands that.

If she doesn't, then... I will prove it.

...

We are reaching the end of the forest...

Finally, we can-...?

(Insert: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure - Yami no Fuichi Yori. No loop.)

...

W-what is t-that..?

What is happening...?

"W-What are y-you doing..?" T-The Lady... The kids... What...?

The Lady... turns around. The same smile still on her face. "Aaaaww~! There she is~!" She claps her hands, seeming happy. "See? I told you that there was more~..!" She's talking... with those man...

T-they...

...

They putted shackles... in the children... an-and... t-they made them form a line...

O-one of the kids is bleeding...

Oh God... Oh no...

No, i-it can't be...!

I...

I...!

We were going to...!

...

Please... Tell me this is a prank. Tell me this is just one terrible joke...!

..-!?

S-Seishi is pulling me away from here..!? Oh God... Please tell me this is a lie..!

Why are we running...? No... Please... I don't want to run...

We were so clos-!?

A-AARGHWW!? MY ARM!? N-NO! LET ME GO!

*T-Thud!

S-SEISHI!

N-NO! She's on the ground! "Woah... This one thinks pretty fast, doesn't it?" H-He's pulling her face up... BY THE HAIR!? "I bet they won't be too much interested in the ones that like running awa-...? What are you looki-" Y-You... bastard...!

HOW DARE YOU!? HOW DARE YOU!? LET ME GO! LET ME GO, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!

"HohoWOAAaah! Slow down! You are a feisty one, aren't ya?!" Guh!? " Slow down... I said SLOW DOWN!" UuGH!?... A-asshole...! M-my head... i-it hurts! "Huh... that's better... Heeh...Heheheheh! I think they are going to love this one..!" P-Piece of shit... I'm going to kill y-

"-You really are trying hard, aren't you?" You bitch!

Why...!?

WHY!?

"WHY WOULD DO THIS!? I-I thought you w-would free us..! So why?! Why?!" For a moment, she seems stunned...

Until her smile comes b-back.

Her eyes become vague. Her smile becomes more and more...wide."Haah...Hahah..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAHAaAaAH-" W-wha-!? "-Haaaahh~! Y-you really believed in that... right!? Oh dear~! You are such a cute child~!" H-How dare you..! "So misinformed... You WERE free!" W-What!? "...Don't you see it? The moment you steped out of the orphanage, the way you believed in me and how you ignored any danger warnings... You had control." W-what are you talking about..!?

"D-Don't joke with me!"

She doesn't stop. "You choose to ignore the danger, because you could. You choose to come with me, because you could. You choose to trust me, because you could. You were free, because you did these things, because no one said that you should do them. This... WAS your freedom! You HAD freedom!" S-she recomposes herself.. "But now..? I took that away. You are not free anymore. You... are MINE!~" Her smile grows bigger...

...

H-...How coud I fall for this..?

Did I...

Was I really that dumb..?

I...

I'm so sorry..! I'm so sorry Seishi..!

I-I failed you...

"...Will you shut up already...?" Wh-who!? "How pathetic of you... Treating a kid like that." S-Seishi? "And the worst part... is that you are feeding her with lies." W-what? "...Believe or not, she's free." The man, holding Seishi by the hair, has his hand slowly dragged down by Seishi, who's making her head face downwards forcefully, downwards to have the Lady in her vision... "I don't care about what you say about her... she's free. No matter if you shove in her face what she has done, she's free." ...S-Seishi...

"Tch..! SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!" The man pulls her head upwards again, making Seishi do one expression of pain...

But still, she forcefully continues to try face the Lady, who's with a weird look at her face... "N-no matter if you say that you own her... She's FREE!" The man is having difficulty to hold Seishi back from looking at her, but still tries to pull, making my sister in more pain...Leave her alone already...! "I don't care at all for what you have to say... My sisteris FREE! MY TAYUYA IS FREE! If there's someone who's not free in this world, then that person would be YOU!" S-Seishi..

The man pulls too hard her hair, pulling bits of it from Seishi's head, which is enough to make she free! And she starts running against the person holding me..!

*T-Thud...!

(Insert: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure - Sekikamen. No loop.)

T-TOO FAST! WHAT THE-!?

The Lady... she... was there... and now she's not?!

How's that possible!?

How can anyone be this fast!?

Seishi is on the ground again, but, now with a foot in her back..! H-Hey! "...Is not often that I hear this sort of thing, and even more so coming from a brat." S-She takes a hold of some of Seishi's hair..! What is with you people and that disgusting obsession with our hair..!?LET HER GO! "...Your hair is really pretty~... But you don't seem to mind losing some of it, do you..?" She p-!?

"Ghh..." S-she pulled more of Seishi's hair...!

NO! "STOP! LEAVE HER ALONE!" L-leave my sister alone..! Please..!

She ignores me, facing down my sister. "...Maybe, just maybe, if we meeted in a different place, one different hour and time..."She takes off her foot, walks on front of her fallen body, and crouchs down. "If things were less chaotic, less twisted..." S-she grasps her chin and forces Seishi to face to l-look at her..?! "Yes... Maybe I would consider what you said." She smiles. "Just kiddin'." Bl-blood..?! Her nails are that sharp!?

P-please... leave her alone!

"I b-beg you, please! Please leave her alone...!" My voice doesn't come with the strenght I want...

S-she doesn't look at me..

"But the thing that took my attention the most... It was your eyes~!" The Lady's face gets closer, pulling my sisters face more up, to see her eyes better. "Yes... so much fire~!" W-what are you doing? "I really love this kind of eyes... Ah, since you don't mind losing some of your hair, I'm sure you won't mind losing one eye... yeees~? " S-she shows a knife that she was hiding? W-what are you doing!? "Trust me, it won't hurt... too much." N-NO! PLEASE!

Oh God, please no! PLEASE! I BEG YOU! HEAR ME!

"STOOP! LET HER GO!" JUST STOP!

"Aaaggh-aahgh-" NOOOO! "-aaaAAaarrRRAAAAAAHHHH!" SEISHII! "RRrraahh..! Haahh..! Haah..." O-Oh God...

"...I changed my mind..." She drops her head to the ground... God... Thank you, for having mercy... "Because, it would be a waste, right? I will leave you with the two of them... even if I'm not sure if the other works anymore." S-she laughts. "Who cares? Is just one eye, they grow back don't they? But still, I'm really, really excited to know what they will show me in the future~! There were only two people who showed me this kind fire." She's not smiling anymore... "But they are dead already. Don't die easily, little bird." She turns Seishi's face to look at her, with her feet. "...See? I have freedom... You, on the other hand, doesn't has any, even more now." She stands up and gives a brief glance at me, only to look at Seishi again. "...You two will be transported with the other kids to somewhere where this... Freedom you speak of will be put to the test. I wonder, what will become of you?" She starts walking away... "Take them, we lost too much time here." She orders the two man that were standing still until now.

...

Damnit... Damnit all..!

...

The man holding me starts moving. "Let's get going then. Come on." I'm pulled away, to start walking towards that cursed wagon.

The other person is picking Seishi by the arm, lifting her up. "Is just like a cockroach." He pushes Seishi foward. "Is just like she said, start moving." He kicks her back...

...

Just stop breathing and die..

Curse you...

I curse all of you...

You will all die...!

I promise you this.

To ALL of you, I promise the most horrible death.

You unnecessary brutality, your unnecessary actions.

Your entire existence.

I will make it GONE!

GONE I SAY!

"...Put them inside with the others. Put the cuffs on as well. We don't need any other precaution beyond that, they are just children after all." Curse you... "Also, take everyone's bags and see what they brought with them. Maybe we can sell something of value from these brats. Try finding use of what's not food. " You bitch...

Not even God will protect you.

People like you should stop existing.

Curse you! CURSE YOU!

"CURSE YOU ALL! I WILL MAKE SURE YOU ALL DIE! DID YOU HEAR ME!? YOU WILL DIE! DIE! REMEMBER ME, YOU HUMAN SCUM! JUST DIE ALREADY! DIEE! DIEE!" I WILL GET YOU! ALL OF YOU!

"...Heeeh~! How cute~! Your sister doesn't seem half bad either..."

This damn rat walks near me.

Smiling.

"Must be nice, to go in a family trip."

\~[Insert from FlyntofRWBY's channel - (RWBY) This Will Be the Day We Waited For]~/

~(The Journey To Hell.)~

...

Fucking pieces of shit.

They putted us inside the wagon together with the others.

They made two lines of kids. A group of four stays at each side of the wagon.

Each group of four is conected by one chain, it goes around my belly and goes to my shackles. So, if I move, the other three will have to move as well. Same with the other side, they have one chain conecting all the four there in the same way.

The line where I am is made of me, one black haired kid, a blonde one and a kid with... Red hair.

In the other group is... Seishi, Tsuki, that guy who Seishi has bit the neck in the past and one girl with brown hair and silver eyes.

The wagon is the kind that stays covered, so no one can see what is going on inside unless they get inside and see by themselfs...

Is big enough to hide all the kids.

We can't escape... There's at least six people surrounding the wagon, without counting the driver.

That's what I discovered, after some time calming down...

I think it passed one hour or something by now. The wagon didn't stop once. It's really shaky in here.

Everyone is silent most of the time, the only ones who talk are the... the damn bastards that took us...

...

God... Seishi's eye... Her right one is...

I think... She can't see with it...

The lad-...That thing didn't take her eye out. But still, I don't know where the knife cutted Seishi's eye. It could have cut the middle, the corner, the... I don't know. Seishi didn't take her hand off to me see, and I can't get closer, because those damn pieces of shit would notice me moving with this damn chains.

...She didn't say a single word after what that monster did. Kept staring at the ground and ignored anyone asking if she was okay.

She ignored even me.

...

...Why would someone be so cruel...? Why did my sister need to lose a eye? W-why did I believe in one stranger in the first place..?

...What is wrong with this world...?

I didn't want this. I didn't. I didn't!

Fuck...

C-curse that t-thing..!

...

W-we need to get out of here..! We just need to find a way! There's always a way!

Okay...! OKAY!

...

...

...

Okay.

I can do this. I can find a way out of here. I need to find a way out of here. I s-should try and find one doctor for Seishi, maybe we can fix her eye! W-we can't go back to the orphanage, no way that's happening. We are not welcome there anyway and this guys will probably go back and try to find us if we escape, searching for us. We run to the forest and... try to s-survive.

I shouldn't have just accepted the Lady's help... I don't even know her name...

B-but... what if they catch us...?

If we all go together, they have more chances to f-find us.

...

S-should I... leave them all? I know some of them... and we don't like each other...

M-maybe is for the bes-...

No.

They don't deserve this.

We ended here for the same reasons. It's not fair. Getting used by strangers like this, that play with our feelings, just for me to run away all by myself? With only Seishi with me?

Is. Not. Fair.

...Why are we trapped like this? What have we done to deserve this kind of stuff? I just wanted to stay away from that place... not to end in a worst one.

I don't deserve this. Seishi, the kids, and anyone else...

No one deserves this!

WE DON'T DESERVE THIS!

T-that's why... I'm going to take us out of this thing. All of us.

Nobody will be left behind.

They will all come with me.

...Either liking or not, they will all come with me.

And my dream...

It's not going to end here.

Not like this or ever.

Its all that I have...

...

It's all that both of us have.

And any asshole who gets in our way will regret it. I will make sure of it.

...Alright, enough of this.

Who are all the kids that ended here?

There's Tsuki, Seishi... and the rest.

...I just realized that I don't know half of the people's names in the orphanage, if not even less than that.

Well... that's a start. I should ask their names, share the plan and run away. Victory comes with a start..! Or that's what Seishi says. "..H-heey dude. W-what's your name..?" Aaaahh kill meeee~! "I-I mean, do you have one or something..? Woah! No! I didn't mean that!" Ruuuuuhhmmmmmm! Fuck thiis~! I don't need to make a good impression anyway! "Urgh, just tell me your damn name already. " I regret this.

"...J-Jagaimo. I-it's Jagaimo." Ah, that dude. I remember you. The clown.

Uhh, can't choose our allies I guess. "...You should talk lower, we don't need any attention from those guys." Come on, I don't want to have some friendly talk. We need to get out of here, quick. "Look, I need you to whisper to the guy at your side about everything I say, got it?" I have a good enough plan. It should work, if we do it right... I think.

Okay, when the time is right, we will all run towards the forest. After we hide together, we pick some rocks and destroy the chains. We run away in groups of two. That's it... y-yeah, I don't know where we will run away to... But is better than ending in whatever is the place they are taking way in hell I'm going back to that hellhole, and I don't even know the way back.

Either way, we just need a distraction, anything.

"I-I shared your plan with the other two." He says, whispering.

...Oh, he obeyed me.

Huh. That's... sort of cool.

I mean, he should, because I would kick his ass if he didn't!... If I could.

Whatever, this means one side knows the plan. Now I need one way to warn the others... or maybe not. It's pretty simple. If one group runs, the other should follow. If they don't, I bet Seishi will make them. It can work without sharing the plan with them.

Alright... Now the distraction.

I don't want anyone here to be the distraction. So, this means that I need something else... but what? If we don't do anything here, we can't expect a miracle happening in the outside. We can't throw stuff, because we don't anything here to throw outside to catch their attention.

W-we don't have anything that we can use...

...

This... this is it? I don't have anything? Is that all?

How I'm supposed to create a distraction like this? We are all in chains, my bag isn't here and... that's it. We don't have any way to-...There's something happening outside.

"D-do you hear that?!" Yes clown, I can hear it. Let me pay attention will you.

"Shhhhh!" I silence him. Putting my ear next to the wood, I start trying to hear better.

"-ET AWA-" ...Okay, there's some shouting. "-ROM THE HILLS! THEY ARE COMING!" What's this about? "-EED UP THE DAMN WAGON!" Wait, what?

W-OOUuaahh! T-the wagon is starting to shake too m-much!

I-I don't know what this is about, b-but we need to get out of here now! Like, RIGHT NOW!

I start getting up, the other three notice this, and they get up as well. The other group is staring at us, terrified, with only Seishi getting up and pulling them by the chains with her left hand, her right one still on her eye. They get up as well.

I walk near the exit of the wagon, open a little gap and try to see what is happening.

...There's people fighting a bit far away. The wagon is speeding up... but is still a bit slower enough to jump, even if hurts. There's trees in both sides of the road.

We need to jump.

I look behind me, at my line of chains.

I take a breath... and open my mouth to scream. "FOLLOW ME!" ...We jump.

*T-T-THUMP

"FFFUuuuck." It hurts. Damn it. " C-Come with me! To the forest! " I can't stop to whine about me getting hurt. We need to keep going!

"I-it hurts..!" Freaking...!

"JUST MOVE YOUR STUPID ASS WITH ME!" I don't have time for this crap! Move with me, idiot! I start running to the forest, my line following me and the other group keeping up.

Really, it had to be the damn clown to speak up like this.

I snort.

Fuck that. Who cares if it hurts!? Our freedom is on the line because of those pieces of-...

Just calm down and keep running. I can complain about this later.

...

(10 minutes later.)

Argh! Running is so hard with this chains!

Okay! Let's stop and pick the rocks! We need to get rid of this things! "STOP!" They are a bit slow, but they obey me. "Take some rocks and start smashing against the chains." They start picking up rocks...

Well, almost all of them.

Seishi is staring at me.

Uh... Did something happen? "What's wrong..?" She stares me some more, then smiles... wait what?

She smiled. Seishi smiled. Why? "I'm proud of you." Whahhawafups... Haaah?! "Sorry... I didn't do anything to help you with all of this. I just... stayed there, sitting and doing nothing." N-now she looks sad.

...Oooh shut your damn mouth.

You are the only one that needs help here, with that stupid eye of yours.

I wouldn't like you helping me when in pain.

"W-whatever... j-just take one rock already. We need to be q-quick." UURGH...! Why can't I say what I think for once!? I wanted to sound cool in front of her after doing all this stuff! Gaddamnit! You babbling idiot!...

Still doing a sad smile, Seishi shakes her head and starts looking for one good enough rock to break the chains holding her group.

...I should do that.

*Cling~ *Cling~ *Cling~

One pair of kids are helping each other. The silver eyes girl is hitting her chains together with the red haired kid. They seem to know each other. I don't know their names still.

...Anyway, I think we are going to stay here for a while.

I just hope it isn't for to long. It would be a bad.

(3 minutes later.)

*C-CLANK!

OH! The silver eyes did it! She's free!

Their group is giving a little celebration. Seishi doesn't seem to care though, still smashing the rock against her chains.

...Yeah, we should keep trying to break them. We don't have time to be happy for only one breaking it. I mean, we can happy about it later... just not now.

Mine are almost broken... I think I picked the wrong rock to do this.

Anyway, we should be alright by n- *THWAK!

GARH!? W-WHAT!?

I-is... some sort of knife? WAIT! SOMEONE THROWED THAT!? AT MY FEET!?

*Thump.

S-someone jumped down from one tree...! S-shit...!

"Look what we got here. A bunch of brats." One guy appears from the bushes, holding some kind of sword. "I bet they are the merchandise that our bird told us. So they runned here eh?"

...We wasted too much time...

FUCK! "RUN! RUN!" FUUCK! WE NEED T-...

...We are surrounded.

But not by the Lady's group. No, this guys are more in numbers. Maybe more than double compared to the Lady's group...

...How didn't I notice this sooner..?

How did they find us? Why now? Who are these guys?

"RUN YOSEI! GET OUT OF HERE! FAST!" One of the kids screams to the silver eyes girl that got free... her name is Yosei.

They seem to be arguing about something... doesn't even matter. We are surrounded. There's no way that she's getting out of h-!?

(Insert - Ajin Main Theme.)

The kid tackled one of them! But he didn't knock him out of his feet. Yosei starts to run past them, the man trying to catch her... But they aren't!? The kid punched him in the nuts and starts going towards the other trying to catch Yosei, dragging all the attention to himself.

...He fell down. The chains holding him. The kids didn't move to help him, so he fell down, being pulled.

"ARRAAAAAHH! YOU FUCKING SCUMBAG!" The thug who he punched in the nuts starts running towards him, sword raised. The kids tries to go away, but the chains still hold him from moving away from the thug.

The thug brings down his sword.

"AAAAAAHHHH!?" The sword hits his stomach. Since the angle was awkward, he didn't slash the entire stomach, but it went deep.

"O-OI! WE NEED THEM ALIVE, FUCKING IDIOT!" One of the thugs says, angry.

...I-I can't move.

...I'm s-scared...!

G-GOD..! Why is this happening!?

"What about it!? The bastard punched me in the balls! FUCK YOU!" He r-raises his sword again..!

D-DON'T!

*C-Cling..!

O-one chain..? Someone blocked the sword with a chain..?!

..SEISHI?!

(Seishi's perspective.)

Uuurrhhh... My arms are going to become noodles like this..

"..? What the fuck are you trying to do, kid? Get the fuck out of my way..!" H-he puts more strenght in the sword...

I pulled the chains from my left arm and grabbed it with my right hand, forming some sort of improvised shield if used right. The idea was to use it to stop this person's sword by blocking it...

It worked well enough, but I didn't think past this part. So I need to do something, and quick.

My arms are starting to shake, and so are my legs with my defensive posture.

...

How great. I'm hating the outside world more and more as time passes.

"Get away already. If you don't, you are going to become a puddle of blood." He starts to put even more strenght than before...

...Whatever. I'm tired of this. The one who should stop is you. Who cares? That's why I hate this. They didn't stop. Who cares? My arms are getting hurt. He's strong. Why am I doing this? I want to live. They broke it. My chains annoy me. Break. They wrapped it around his neck.

Do the same.

I take a quick step back, while putting less force to hold his sword. His sword, though distant enough to not slash my head, cuts the left of my nose. It hurts. The sword hits the ground, the chains beneath it. I rush, steping in his arm and trying to jump closer to his face. My jump is difficult, with the kids not cooperating by not moving their asses, slowing me down a bit, but I manage to pull them with me, though just because they decided to aproach, even if they didn't want to.

My body hits against his shoulder... I hold his clothes with force.

This is it. Do it. There's no reason to say no. They don't need someone like him. Do it. DO IT. DO IT!

The thug tries to catch me, releasing his sword in the process.

Good.

I crawl around and get in a position behind him, in his back.

Do it.

I start wrapping the chains around his neck. His arms trying to reach me, until he realizes what I'm trying to do. He tries to get them off from him.

Too late.

The neck is wrapped by the chains... I punch his head and I jump down to his right side, pulling the chains with more strenght than necessary. He crouchs.

"PULL IT!" I scream at the other kids, who are conected by these chains.

At first, they don't obey... until they realise what I'm trying to do.

Then they grab it.

They pull it.

And I pull as well.

"GRrrhh! Urrrghahh..!"The man tries to grab me, trying to reach me with one of his hands, relative despair in his eyes.

The kids in unison pull him away from me by some steps. I keep trying to hold my ground, my feet don't leave the dirt... but I'm still dragged a bit foward, the dirt leaving a trail of my feet, that I so much am trying to attach to the ground.

...The thug seems to be having more trouble than me though.

His face is starting to change color. His hands trying to take off the chains, only to leave cuts in his neck, cuts from his nails digging deep in his own flesh in despair, trying to find one gap between the chains and the neck.

It would be easier to everyone if your neck snapped.

The kids eyes are closed, only pulling and doing nothing else.

The other thugs... They don't move. I don't care what the reason is. After all, we don't have much too lose here anyway.

What was supposed to be 2 minutes seemed more to be entire 2 hours...

But, we finally manage to make him stop moving.

Some of the kids are starting to cry. The two who are with me pulling the chains didn't open their eyes, and they didn't stop pulling.

Neither will I stop... even if I'm feeling uncomfortable. I want to make sure it's dead. I don't need more surprises than necessary.

..."I-I c-can't do this anymore...!" One girlish voice says and I feel someone releasing their grasp on the chains... and slowly, the other one seems to follow suit.

I don't stop... The body starts falling in my direction and... O-oh... I...

...

I didn't stop...

...

He's dead.

His mouth is wide open, saliva dropping from it. His eyes went to the back of his head, only white can be seen. The chains marked his neck, it's like a tatto now, but has many cuts around it, fault of his nails digging too deep and without stop. I think we broke his neck with the chains in the end, but it could very well be from asphyxia.

...

That's... a bad way to die, I suppose.

And I did that.

I killed him, with the help of little kids.

...Adrenaline.

...Anyway, doesn't matter.

Not for now at least. I have time to feel bad about myself later... If we don't die that is.

Should I receive a medal from trying to have a moral highground or faking feeling bad? I'm really a idiot.

Tsuki is vomiting some steps away from me. Is disgusting.

Maybe I don't care about death, at least not how I used to.

...

Sometimes, I don't know what to think of myself. Of course, there's nothing good in death. But, if someone threats my life, I'm bound to defend myself. I should defend myself. My life is precious... Or at least it should be considered. Life itself is precious. That's why I-...

...As I said, I should feel bad about myself later. This, right now? No. Not now.

After all, if I distracted myself even further than normal, I would never notice this person clapping.

*-lap~! *Clap~! *Clap~!

I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't notice the person who took my eye... "I'm impressed~! I really, REALLY didn't expect this coming from you~." She walks towards us, not minding the thugs.

I place my right hand at my eye.

...And I realize why me and everyone else wasn't attacked while we were doing what we were doing.

It's because the thugs can't or don't want to do anything.

If it is a 'they can't', this means that this person has already stopped them from doing anything, which translates the question to one 'what and how did she do it?' And I don't have ideia.

If it is a 'don't want to', this means the thugs didn't like their partner enough and just left him to die by kids, which I find counterproductive, because it's a waste of time and maybe resources. Or, this thugs are under command of the Lady, which also explains why we aren't dead yet. But that's unlikely, because we wouldn't be attacked at the wagon in the first place if that was the case, meaning another useless counterproductive situation. But this might be one group completly unrelated to the one who attacked the wagon, but if that's so... it doesn't sound right for me.

So, it's one 'they can't'. Meaning that I won't get any answer from this... unless I ask.

I look stare at this... what is appropriate to call this sort of person? Ah yes, one sadist. "...What did you do to them?" She stops, surprised.

"Oh... I forgot that the people from around here are like barbarians~! You guys don't even know what ninjas do~, silly me." ...Ninjas. "But, how fun~! You are a bit smarter than I expected~." Annoying. "But yes, I did something to them. It's called... go read a book." She smiles.

...So much for that. The only thing I learned is that she's one of those... Ninja.

"Heheh~! Don't be mad, kid. Here's one tip. It starts with G and ends with U." She stops smiling. "Either way... You and the rest caused a lot of trouble by running away from us. What are you? A bunch of idiots? Yes, you brats are idiots. Does everyone here wants to die that badly?" She points at the kid who I... Saved... "Look, he's dead. That would be you guys if I didn't stop these gentleman." She points at the thugs. Who still didn't move a feet. "Congrats, you are all alive because I need you guys alive. Money talks you know. Form the lines and let's go." She makes some hand signals...? Her man start moving next to the thugs. "By the way, I loved the show, Seishi-chan~. Watch mine now, kay?" ...

...Her man are starting to slice the thugs throats.

The thugs don't seem to react. But, after falling to the ground, their bodys start to convulse.

I look behind me.

The kids formed their lines. Closing their eyes and covering their ears.

Tayuya is trembling.

...

I wonder why? Who do I think the fault is? Look at it. She's almost crying, and is all my fault. Why didn't I stop? He should have died in a less bad way, a quick one. This day just keeps getting worst and worst as time goes on. I didn't want to see her like that. She doesn't deserve this.

I'm the worst.

...

I move closer to her.

(Tayuya's perspective.)

Death. Death.

Death. Death. Death.

People dying. One of the children died.

He's dead. And it's my fault.

All my fault.

He's dead.

Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead dead deaddeadeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddeadeadDEADDEADDEADDEADDEADDEADDEADDEADDEA-!?

...

...Someone grabbed my shoulder.

I...

I look up.

...Seishi? "S-Seishi I-" ...She looks angry.

She shakes her head. "It's not your fault." Her right hand leaves her eye... which is shut. "You couldn't know things would end this way." Her face looks angry... but is not at me?

...

But it should.

If I didn't mess up, you would still have two eyes.

If I didn't mess up, your hands wouldn't be covered in chains.

If I didn't mess up, we would be much more away from this guys.

...If I didn't mess up, we wouldn't be here in the first place.

If I didn't mess up, we would have one home.

If I didn't mess up, no one would have died...!

...It's my fau-

"It's my fault."

...

Bullshit.

"...It's fucking not." I step away and take her hand off from me... She looks surprised. "You are always saying that! Shit like 'It's not your fault, Tayuya. I should have done something.' Or 'It's not your fault, I should be doing this in the first place.'. Well, guess what? That's fucking bullshit." Really bullshit.

She keeps looking at me, the surprise doesn't leave her face. "It's my fault, because you always accept what I have to say, no matter how dumb it is, just to make me happy. It's my fault, because we always end with trouble, only 'cause I wanted to find one. It's my fault, b-because I insisted to leave the orphanage sooner than we should, even if you keept saying how bad of a ideia it was... It's MY fault, Seishi. You know it is... and I k-know it is." She doesn't respond, only keeps staring, shocked.

"...And you know what? I always disliked that. Because, you are always right when you don't think is a good ideia... that's why I hate when you do that. It's like lying..." Her mouth shuts closed. Her eye browns narrow. She starts to stare the ground.

I'm not done. "So, say it. Say it only this once. Say that it's my fault, please.." She doesn't look up. "...Say it Seishi." She still doesn't look up. "...At least look at me."

...

"It's not your fault."

...

Y-You idiot...

"It's true that you did all that... But, really, it's my fault for letting it happen in the first place." Her face lifts up, her only eye looking at me. I can't figure out how she's feeling about this.

She takes a breath, and starts talking again. "It's true, I thought that letting you getting away with only a sermon would make you more happier. Not having to deal with people saying how bad of a kid you are. But... I can't say with an clean head that you are one bad kid." ...She holds my hands. I look down to see her's. Red and marked by the chains.

She had to kill someone because of me... It's not fair.

"Sure, you have done bad things. Had broke some stuff, stealed and even hurted other people... But, I can't see you as horrible kid, because you are the only one who treats me nicely." ...But you still ended this way, because of me.

"Even the nuns that we liked the most, would look at me with a face as if they tasted something bad from time to time..." She smiles. Blood drips from her bleeding nose, one big cut in it... It's going to scar. "In the end, if things went wrong, is because I letted it happen..." Her smile changes to one blank expression... How can you say that..? "So, no, it isn't your fault. Not when I could have done something to light up the situation or make it less worse... It's all mine."

...She looks down.

Her hair is ruined. Strands of hair spread wildly to all sides, covered in mud and dirt.

...

You are one mess right now...

I didn't do my job as old sister...

And now you have scars. One kid died because of me. We are going to one place where the hell hole from where we came from before could be called paradise.

I'm dragging all this kids around trying to be some kind of...

Some kind of Hero... and now we are suffering together because of it.

And is all my fault...

How bad of a sister I am..?

I can't even protect you when I need.

...

I can't protect anything when I need.

"...And if you don't believe me. if you think any of this is your fault... then..."

She..."I forgive you."

...She h-hugs me...

"You don't need anyone else but me to forgive you, Tayuya. Because there's nothing for them to forgive. You didn't do anything wrong. But, I forgive you. Because, maybe, you are feeling responsible for this chaos... and you aren't." Her voice is like... of one mother. Is gentle and soft. "And if anyone says that you are, they can get hurt or die for all I care. You are not responsible for the mess adults make or let happen, only to leave kids to take care of it in their places. You are young. Young people make mistakes. And I forgive you." ...You don't need to repeat it over and over again...

"Now, let's go, before they hurt us to get in the wagon." ...She stops the hugging, walks some steps back and...

Holds her hand up at my direction.

"..."

She stares me, waiting.

"..."

F-forgive huh..? T-that's so chessy and dumb a-and...

...

...

I take her hand.

My vision gets blurry.

And I hate it.

...

But...

Her hand, It feels warm.

(Inside the wagon, days later.)

...

The mood of everyone is ruined.

Tsuki doesn't stop crying. Jagaimo is hiding his face against his knees that he hugs all day.

The rest looks lost or angry.

Seishi... is being herself. Blank and no emotion. Staring at the ground.

I wonder how she can be so calm in moments like this...

No. She isn't calm. She just... hides it, I think.

Thinking... yeah, I had some time to do that.

...Now that I think about it... Seishi sometimes called herself a coward.

I never got what she meant with that, and still don't. I also don't get what she thinks is good and what is bad. And calling me weird from time to time and then hiding her smile doesn't help...

I asked why she calls me weird. She said that it was because I did things that she didn't understand, things that she doesn't call normal. But, she said that it wasn't a bad thing. said that she liked me the way I am.

...After all this time, I think I can call my sister weird.

The silence she makes annoys me, moving her mouth sometimes seems impossible. And when she does, is like a half answer. I ask 'what are going to do?' and she says 'things'. Urgh...

She also forced me to learn this... weird words from time to time. It's for your own good Tayuya this and Tayuya that. I learned these difficult words and what they mean. Funny, because I didn't want to learn.. but, she seemed to have fun teaching me, so I just dealt with it.

I think I like what she taught me... but I'm not going to let her know that. Never. Is okay to teach from time to time, not everyday.

Sometimes she's like one statue, like right now. Staring at one place without moving, only blinking from time to time. Her face looks lazy and she doesn't even look to be having fun.

From time to time she makes funny faces and noises, like one 'pff' or one 'gasp'. It comes from nowhere and it sometimes scares me, because statues don't move to make weird noises.

I asked what makes one person weird from her once. She said that if I compare someone with another person, they rarely won't share the same characteristics. When they share the same things, is considered normal, because plenty of people act and like the same stuff. She said that I was weird, because I didn't act like other kids...

...I think I get what she means with that now.

...

My sister is weird. But I don't want her to change, because she likes me the way I am.

Because I'm weird.

I think that's how she thinks...

...

I'm weird. But that's okay. Because Seishi is as well.

She likes me the way I am.

...And I like Seishi the way she is.

Even if she annoys me sometimes.

...

Even though she killed someone...

But she didn't have choice. Right?

What would I do in her place?

I...

I would stay frozen in place, just like when that kid g-got killed...

At least Seishi tried something.

But I didn't. And I hate that. It makes me feel weak. I want to be strong, stronger than anyone. If I say things like 'I will protect them' or 'You are safe with me', and if I don't have anything to back these words up, then... is nothing but a silly lie.

...And I don't like lies.

Lies are what brought us here.

The only one who can help us is ourselfs.

Adults lie... She lied about helping us.

And now we are going to God knows where.

All because of one lie.

...

I won't let anyone play around with me like that again.

Maybe I won't notice it. Maybe it will be too late by one point.

But I won't forgive anyone who lies to me with bad intentions.

Never.

That's why... I NEED to be strong. Strong not only for me, but for Seishi as well.

I'm supposed to protect her and that's what I'm going to do.

I'm going to protect her against anything. No matter what it is about, I'm going to stand by her side... because she's the only one who stood for me when no one has.

I'm going to pay back this kindness. Even if it means to make someone bleed...

...

I don't like the ideia of killing anyone. And I don't have sure if I ever will get used to that.

But I hope for things to get better. Is the least I cand do.

I can hope.

No, I will make it better. For sure.

Everything.

This place, this people, everything else.

This world.

I won't let it stay this way.

...

I have decided.

I'm going to change this world, no matter how long it takes.

For me and the people I care about, for our happyness... or whatever it is that I'm trying to reach.

Either way... I'm going to try. I don't know how I'm going to change anything. But I will.

For me and for her.

Are we... stopping? The wagon. It's stoping.

The cloths blocking the outside light suddenly are opened. I cover my eyes, the chains making noises.

After moments, the light is less stuning. I open my eyes.

...And there she is. The demon who dragged us.

Smiling.

She looks at everyone, stoping to analyze from time to time. She looks satisfied. "...Six kids. I think that's good enough." She whispers, only loud enough for me to hear, since I'm the most next to the exit. "Well, get out. You all need to leave mommy's wing and explore the world~!.. Or just die, I don't know~." Nobody moves. "...If the little birds don't want to walk off the cliff, I will push you all." Burn in hell.

...

Seishi gets up. Noticing this, though scared, Tsuki gets up as well. The other guy, who Seishi has bite in the neck, gets up murmuring something while making one angry face.

I should get up as well, even if I don't want.

We all start moving out of the wagon.

I step outside... and look around.

We stoped in the middle of the road. The road has trees in both sides. Nothing strange... Why did we stop here?

"Follow me, little birds." The rat asks us, walking into the forest.

Her man start pushing some of the kids. They push me...

And we start walking.

(Hours and hours later.)

It's starting to get dark.

We didn't stop walking since we left the wagon. My legs are starting to hurt.

They don't let anyone stop, they keep pushing, slapping our heads and screaming for us to continue.

...I'm really going to make them regret this. One day.

One day...

There's no path. Only bushes, weeds and trees. I even have a cut from one spikey plant, didn't notice it until later.

We won't be able to come back from where we came without one sign of some sort. And we can't escape, the rat is too fast and strong, is like it isn't human. Her buddys won't make it any easier as well.

The only option now is to hope for some miracle... And I don't think anyone is coming to help anytime soon, not where we are.

"Stop." The rat says, and all the kids obey. I'm getting more and more angry with this. "Alright. Kisu-tan and Hoshi will make the campfire. Mui and Dori will watch over the brats. The rest will hunt something. I will take anything that's worth eating from the kids bags to prepare." ...How can I hate you more than I already do..? Nevermind, stupid question.

...

Kisu, Hoshi, Mui and Dori... Huh?

...

I will remember your names.

More like I need to, if I ever want to meet you guys again.

I sit down, nothing better than watch this idiots trying to light this place up.

Gathering pieces sticks of wood here and there.

Bunch of assholes. Hope for one of you to burn your hands while at it.

...Oh, Seishi is sitting not too far away from me...

...

I, slowly, try to get next to her, trying to not to draw attention from anyone.

She's staring at that Rat messing with our stuff.

I'm finally next to her. She didn't notice.

She still didn't notice me.

...

*Sniff~...

I make one noise with my nose.

She makes a little jump in place, and gives one suprised scared look at my direction.

Oops.

Now she's pouting realizing it's me, her eyes narrowing...

"Sorry." I sort of grin at her, trying to apologize and sound sincere... I don't actually regret it though. Heheh~.

(Seishi's perspective.)

...

You are not sorry at all, you little... red headed something.

...

I'm not good at calling people by bad names, or at least I think so.

Ah well, I'm sure no one minds it.

Either way... that was surprising, sort of.

Is this what people called jumpscare while watching movies? Even if I'm just watching one crazy woman stealing stuff from our bag. "Don't do that again... I didn't like it." ...Maybe she will continue doing this because I'm complaining...

uh... Think before saying anything next time then, you impulsive dumb creature.

She's does one smug face. "Don't worry, I'm not doing it again." She's going to do it again.

...I stare at her, feeling drained. "...At least try not giving me one heart attack next time." My heart can only take so much before I get older... Aren't I already old in a sense? Indeed. Make life interesting again by putting one adult in the body of a child will you, I'm sure everyone appreciates your efforts and this show of horrors, God.

...Still, things really have got messed up now, haven't it? I didn't expect th-... more like I knew it was one possibilitie, but I didn't actually believe or wanted it to ever be the case. But here we are, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by adults who want to make profit by stealing and selling children, or at least what I think to be the case.

Is just like my old times, as surprising as it can get. The past life was something else.

...

Still, I don't feel anger. Only disappointment.

Maybe I have reached one state of mind where I just deal with things as they come... and that sounds somewhat pathetic. I don't like the ideia of just accepting things without some resistence. But... maybe that just means I'm getting more tired, which wouldn't be amusing and neither one good thing. If anything, is scary. Because the more tired I am, the less of resistence I will give.

Acceptance shouldn't be given easily to anyone. It must be earned or deserved, or just both.

Or maybe I'm just getting more and more lazy because that's jusy how I am, which I wouldn't mind too much, but the situation doesn't allow me to be. So no, being lazy is bad, until I finally find myself the luxury to be lazy.

And with the way things are going, lazyness is going to kill me.

Where will my days of relaxation go..?

I truly enjoy just doing nothing... it comforts and helps me thinking in more deeper subjects, subjects like sleeping and sleeping... and sleeping.

Sleeping, such an deep subject.

But yes, it helps me think about the future, people, ideas and idealisms.

Anything that I consider worth thinking about.

...With time it became one opportunity to pass the time with Tayuya.

My partner in crime, even when she's so hyped and too much motivated sometimes, she seems to rival my interest of relaxation. We talk, mostly her, about the things we did in today's adventures. I read my children books histories for her, which helps me develop her little brain more... and it brings me pleasure in seeing that she's growing knowing better than most children her age when she talks with me about something one child wouldn't normally.

Well, her vocabulary could use some work without being so vulgar, but I can't change that.

I taught her to analyze things at any possible moment. Not only because it helps her growth, but because is one good way to pass time, to both be more careful and creative.

...And when we are all getting sleepy, she tells me about her dreams and her wishes before joining the dream worlds. She lost that trait of hers. Maybe she got bored from repeating about the same dreams over and over again to me.

...But I didn't.

I enjoyed listening to her.

Her dreams were my bedstories, if that makes sense.

...

But it also made me question if I was an necessary piece to achieve anything that she wanted.

And I still don't know if I am.

...

Yet, I'm still here now.

And that's not going to change, not unless she wants it to... or if I think is necessary.

I don't want to it be any of these cases, and besides, change scares me.

Why change something that already works..? Won't it bring unnecessary problems that we once didn't have? Is it going to be worth in the longterm, and can someone prove that it's going to be? Even if it is for the better, who's to tell that it won't be meaningless if something we once... loved... gets destroyed in the process..? When it costs everything..?

The doubts don't change, because they are reasonable concerns.

But... change comes and happens regardless if we want or not.

I'm just hope that what I feel now doesn't changes anytime soon, unless it shows me something else that I want, but not to substitute what I already have, rather, it would apply more.

And...

I'm close.

Whatever it was that I was searching for in tha past... it's closer.

It's both exciting and scary, though it brings motivation when nothing else does...

And...

I feel like I know what it is.

...

She sleeps against my shoulder.

Is just like we are back at the orphanage, like nothing is wrong with the world around us...

I will do what is necessary for her best.

...

How weird... is this more like one parent looking after their child kind of relationship..?

"You must understand this... I don't and won't ever love you." Probably not the case. Comparing my relationship with Mother is overrated at this point, I assume.

Or maybe I'm just getting the grasp of what it means to care about someone deeply..? So much that you are willing to do anything for their sake. And if that's the case, how far I'm willing to sacrifice in order to protect her..? Will it be little... or everything? Will I die trying? Or will I change my mind..?

...I don't know...

...And maybe I shouldn't try...

...But still, I'm going to find out...

(Tayuya's perspective.)

...

W-...whah...

...

...Where am I..? What is... this?

The ground is... a black thing...? My wrist is submerged in black water...?

Is h-heavy... I can barely move...

And the sky... I can't see the sun...

Is like one rainy cloud... one of storms...

It's raining.

Dead trees, half of them beneath the water...

...What is this place?

"...Y-youuu...rrrr..." -!? W-what is this!? WHERE!? WHO'S TALKING!?

"W-Who's there..!?" I look around, I'm starting to sweat. I don't see anything. "P-please, where are y-..." ...

...W-what is this...?..!

He's emerging from the water...! His skin is rotting...!? "T-TaAayuU...Aaa..!" W-WHAT THE H-HELL ARE Y-YOU!? "...IT iS... YoUR fAulT..."

I try stepping away..! But is too hard to move! "WH-WHO ARE YOU!? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?" H-he stands still, his stomach c-cutt. H-His organs spilling out.

The smell... is disgusting.

H-he s-smiles... The black liquid falling from his mouth... His eyes... Empty holes, c-crying the same damn black thing..!

"..Whhoooo..?" ...His arm moves, slowly... I can hear his bones b-breaking... His finger points to his open stomach. "nAmeEe.."What the hell you mean by t-...

"RUN YOSEI!"

Oh... T-this can't be happening! No, please G-God...

I didn't want this.

"...YoUrrr fAult... " He moves closer."YOUu diD t-THiiS" And closer.

...-!

T-there's more..! More coming out of this black water!?

"Your-FAuLt-did-To mE-MOnSter-yOuUuu kiLleed M-wHy diiid Youu-mEeeE-wHy!?-EvErYtHinG is Lost-DEEeeeEEVii-DieeeeeEEEhhh..! dIeE- hOw C-coUld yo- liArr..! Mooonster!"

I'm surrounded.

I...

I killed them.

It's my fault.

They all DIED.

All of them.

Because of me.

"You killed us."

...

Is true.

People who I didn't even know the names of.

I killed them all. All of them, because I lied. I didn't save them. I only made people suffer. There's nothing here but my failures. I h-hate it... All the things I said I would do... only to fail at every single one of them. Bringing hope to everyone, only to end in their deaths.

...G-God...

I'm in hell.

"pAy for Your sin."

"TaaAayuu..!"

...Their hands grab my arms and legs...

...Dragging me lower and lower...

...

Is better this wa-

'Is not your fault.'

...

It is.

'Is mine.'

It's not.

'It is not your fault, not when I could have done something.'

...

But I...

'I forgive you.'

...S-Seishi...

'You don't need anyone else but me to forgive you, Tayuya.'

...

Light.

One rush of hot wind spreads in my face as the skies open.

The light free to illuminate everything in it's way.

The demons scream, running and pushing each other out of the way.

The once black and heavy water disappears from around my body, becoming clean.

They continue screaming at me, hiding in the distance, where light didn't put interest.

It's only me now in the eyes of the light.

...Is blinding...

From the blinding light, one hand appears, offering my way out of hell.

...

I touch it.

(Days later.)

...

We have been walking for one while. She just stops when she is hungry, and that takes too long. I decided to call the lady Rat from now on, after I realized that I called her that half the time by now. Rat doesn't help us, feed us or tell us to drink. We got to do that on our own, but she doesn't because she has our stuff. Two people come with us when we want to find something to drink or eat. They call us idiots or stupid brats when we take something that can only harm ourselfs. Jagaimo eated one strange looking fruit, making him look sick and close to d-... close to something...

The weather is changing all the time. From hot to windy, from windy to cold, from cold to rain and so on.

I don't know how many days we have been walking. I didn't bother counting.

...Anyway.

There is things I don't like with the weather.

Too hot is too hot. Makes me stinky and I feel my back touching my clothes.

Too cold is too cold. I enjoy it more than hot weather, but is still sorta of hard to not get sick.

There's rain. I don't like rain. But compared to hot and cold is fine.

Windy weather is what I like. There's many reasons, but the one I like the most is about making me feel flying... If it was for me to be something, it would be a bird, and if I could choose, I would be one hawk.

...But instead, I don't have wings. I don't have claws. I don't look intimidating. I'm just... Tayuya.

I'm just Tayuya. Weak, angry and... I don't know. Maybe that's it.

The nightmares just seem to get worse and worse. I almost didn't try sleeping anymore, but Seishi insisted, saying that I'm going to be okay and that there's nothing to worry about the nightmares, that they are just that, nightmares.

Dreams...

...

I won't give up.

Not like this.

I'm Tayuya. I'm angry and weak, too weak.

But if there's something I won't ever feel bad for having, that thing would be hope. The hope for my dreams to happen.

This is just the beggining.

...?

She's making a hand signal for us to stop? Either way, everyone stops moving.

Rat looks at one direction, from there appears one man with glasses and silver hair. Rat starts walking to face him. "We have what you asked. Where's the money?" She doesn't seem to like this guy.

He looks at us, looking... disappointed? "...There are less than what I expected." Fuck you.

"Hmmm... We had some troubles." She doesn't look offended or like she cares too much.

They most know each other... Wow, did you figure that out by yourself Tayuya? Give me break. At least comment in something that is worth more your attention.

...Fuck it. It helps to make a plan and calm me down, kind of, a little bit.

Anyhow, they are talking to low to me hear. I should look around. Don't have anything better to do.

Trees, leafs, some rocks... no birds? There isn't any insect... Oh well. The others are acting the same way as before, Tsuki cries and the rest does nothing. Is funny, they aren't even that hurt.

One of us died. The other one escaped, somehow. And I didn't know their names.

Maybe I got too used to Seishi to try knowing other people.

...Maybe I don't care as much as I thought I did.

Cool. I'm what Seishi calls antisocial.

...That sucks.

Ah... Rat seems done talking with Four Eyes. "...It was fun while it lasted, little birds." She says, passing next to Seishi and touching her shoulder. She crouchs to say something, but I can't hear it... and then she she gets up again and continues walking away, disappearing in this forest's maze.

She's gone.

I guess we ended where we are supposed to be...

So, where did we end?

The four eyed idiot walks and stands in front of everyone, everyone being just us, the kids. "Well now, I welcome you all to your new homes." The places one hand in his chest, grinning. "My name is Kabuto. If you all could kindly follow me now, it would be appreciated." He turns around and walks further ahead.

...I feel like we are not alone. Of course he wouldn't be. Asking nicely the brats to follow him not expecting some kind of resistence is dumb.

...I don't want to risk it. I risked enough last time, it didn't end well, at all.

My feet start moving, and with this, the other brats behind me follow as well.

...

The silence annoys me. The wagon was silent enough with just Tsuki and Jagaimo crying in the background. The rest was cursing and I guess praying. Seishi was just being herself. But the most annoying was me doing nothing during all this time. Like, I didn't feel like it. And that's what is annoying.

But it draws too much attention to even speak in there.

...I'm not in there anymore. And I'm tired of being quiet.

Well, if I'm going to draw attention, might as well not hide it.

"Hey, where are you taking us?" The brats behind start murmuring, maybe they are angry.

"...You and the others are being taken to one secret place to live." He says, paying half attention.

That doesn't help.

The rocks are more interesting than this, but whatever. "Is it going to be fun?" Yeah, that's for sure going to be the case. We are gonna all start an campfire, sing some weird songs, cook and tell spooky stories.

Of course I don't believe in that. Stupid question.

He takes a look behind. Maybe he's wondering what the fuck I was thinking when I asked this question. The problem is, I have no ideia. "...Well, maybe it depends on how you like to behave, I think." ...This guy isn't fun. I bet he's gonna take us to drown somewhere.

...I have been thinking about death a lot lately.

...

M-maybe I should give nicknames to people. There isn't much elst to do and I don't know some people's names after all.

Jagaimo, Tsuki and Seishi... I will think about it later.

...Nah, Jagaimo is gonna get one now. He's part of that asshole's gang.

Let's see. The bitey necky guy... Muscle Head.

His partner, the blonde dude, Coward Cat.

Jagaimo, since he's from the Muscle Head's gang, is going to be Stupid Clown.

...Works for now. No need to get criative with this.

Now, I should think about Seishi's and Tsuki's nicknam-...

What is that..?

"..." Four eyes.. Kabuto leads us inside the entrance of this thing. I don't know how to describe it... but is like someone has digged one hole big enough to someone go in. "Don't you all get distracted now. We don't want you all to get lost." We listen and go deeper inside, following him.

It goes down and down, having torchs in the walls to light the way.

Some time passes. We reach the end of the stairs.

Is one huge room. Too much space. In this room, many more children making lines.

What I can assume as guards, of some kind, stay in the cornes, the doors and next to the children. I guess that's the security of this place. Their clothes are weird though.

"Stand still." Kabuto asks us. We stop, some more reluctant than others. He... starts taking off our chains. "Now, you all should go and form a line with the others." He points in one line lacking children. "Go there, try not making any trouble." I guess I don't have much of a choice. Let's go th- "Except you." ...Who? "The red head one hiding her eye, come closer." ...

I stand still, looking at rest of them go. The other kids have their own reactions. Tsuki looks scared. Muscle Head seems annoyed. Jagaimo is shaking. And the rest is the rest, not looking back and continuing walking.

I turn around.

Seishi revealed her eye.

...

The center of it was cut, one grotesque mess.

...Damned Rat...

Kabuto stands still for a moment, before oppening his mouth. "I can remove your eyeball and give one eyepatch. It's just useless now." ...Seishi doesn't react, just staring at him with disinterest. "Or I do you want it still?" He asks.

...I wonder what is going on inside her head.

(Seishi's perspective.)

-ther words, is useless.

I will have to depend on my right ear to know when someone aproaches or not.

The muscles of my eye will constantely annoy and distract me. I need pressure to maintain the eyelid closed all the time, so my right hand is always in there to make sure I don't accidentally open it.

So, yes, I want it removed and I want the eyepatch.

But can I trust you?

That's what I'm going to find out. "...Why would you do this? I don't know where we are, but I'm sure it will involve in some sort of death to people in here, or maybe worse." He stares, his eyes give almost no indication of surprise, almost. This is the hard to impress type, maybe? "It would be a waste. Don't you think?" Is almost like talking in one job interview. But who's being interviewed?

He stares, his expression not changing, until one side grin appears in his face. "...It would be a waste." So, this place is dangerous in the end. Less of one concern and more of an huge problem. "But, you seem interested in it, don't you?" Weird, for someone to mantain their composore when one child is this bold and critique... Just who are you? "You should follow me." He turns around and starts walking away, not waiting for my answer.

I look behind me.

...

I give what I can only assume as one sily smile.

Knowing Tayuya, she won't just let them take me away out of her view. It becomes even more obvious that she won't at all leave me alone by the look in her eyes.

...I'm not the type to talk her out of this. She's too sturborn.

She starts walking. Tsuki tries to stop her by putting one hand on her shoulder, but Tayuya slaps it away. Tsuki looks hurt by this, Mazushi seems angry at what Tayuya just did and that other kid who's name I don't know seems just conflicted.

Doesn't matter.

I turn around and follow that man, Kabuto. The other kids will go to their lines from fear to be caught in whatever mess Tayuya may put everyone into. Ah yes, the kids in the walgon often talked bad about her when she slept, the exceptions being Tsuki and, surprisingly, Mazushi. I guess Mazushi only cares about hitting me more than Tayuya in the end.

...Fine by me.

We keep walking away from them, following this man to what I can only assume to be one problem.

He looks behind. "..Hm? I thought I said for all of you except this one to go to the line. Why are you here?" He doesn't stop walking.

Tayuya doesn't answer him.

I might as well do it in her place. "...She's my older sister. We don't like staying away from one another." Not really the older one, but I don't even have sure, might as well be.

He shrugs and lifts his hand next to his face, pressing his fingers against his glasses. "Do what you will, this won't be pretty." He sounds somewhat annoyed, but that could be just one impression.

Tayuya, hearing his answer, walks faster until she's at my side.

"..Hello." I greet her.

She smiles.

"Yo!" What are you? One gangster? Who uses yo anyway.

...I think it kind of matches with you.

...Maybe I'm the weird one in here by not using yo. It sounds easier to say as well.

"We are here." Kabuto announces, oppening one door and steping inside.

And inside we go, Tayuya just behind me.

She's always trying to watch me back.

And I guide the way.

...Oh. That's one pleasant surprise.

Technology. Finally.

"Well then, sit in there and let's do this." He points to one hospital sort of bed. "I will go ahead and say, you will be put to sleep with anesthesia and other chemicals. But, I think this isn't going to be a cake walk for your partner to see. "...I didn't expect anything else, really.

I didn't also expect him to be one medic... Is he now? "Are you one medic?" I ask, while starting to sit down.

He turns around, eyes closed and one grin in his face. Who makes this sort of expression anyway? "Well, did you came expecting for me not to be one?"

...Hm. "I was expecting you to take me to someone else. No offense." I wouldn't recognize one medic at first sight anyway... Oh, joke opportunity. Huh.

...

Maybe I'm being too passive about people around me.

Mistake.

I probably should analyze them more. Learn the correct posture. Learn their habits and hobbys. Learn what they like and dislike. Learn about their mistakes and right choices. What they want and what they don't need. How much they are willing to go after it and how much is needed to persuade them to not.

Learning about someone isn't simple. It takes too much time if they aren't willing to give away the answers themselfs.

That's how it was before. It's still the same now.

And yet...

There's obvious quick answers that you get by just observing.

..And I continue to ignoring this.

One mistake after another, even though I'm responsible for my sister's safety, and still don't get more careful.

I don't seek to understand or gain knowledge from what doesn't interest me. That's why I'm completly deserving to suffer from this lack of care.

First was my ignorance of ninjas and their mysterious so called powers. I didn't take it as one fact, but truly just one silly bed story for kids to be less stupid and more behaved. Now, ninjas are real, and the only thing I have seen so far is their super human speed and whatever that was, whatever that sadist woman did. What else are they capable of? How can I fight this beings? Can I do the same as they? If yes, can I do better? If I don't get the answers that I need as soon as possible, I'm going to die like one useless excuse of... sister.

...

After all this years, I'm still not used to be called and compared to the opposite gender, and neither I'm that used with the ideia of being someone's sister. But here I still am.

Is still hard to believe I died, but I know I did, because I'm not natural in any sort of way.

...Yes, reincarnation can be called the biggest prank at this point, and not the fun kind.

"-ooi, are you there?" Eh... I look at him. "..You really spaced out there. Are you sure you want to do this?" Ah, yes. That pathetic excuse of human said it would be a waste to take it out. But is useless anyway, so out it goes.

I move a bit to get sit in one more comfortable way. "Don't worry, I was just thinking about..." The word still sounds stupid. "..Ninjas." He stares, blinking. "I never saw one before we got captured. I still don't know what they are capable of. I'm curious." No need to hide my curiosity, there's nothing to lose after all.

His hand moves upwards, lifting his glasses closer to his eyes.

"...So, from where you came from, ninjas are not normal?" He seems amused. "Well, they are more normal than you think. And they also are capable of many things." Like spitting fire I suppose.

...

The lady...

"But yes, I did something to them. It's called... go r-Don't be mad, kid. Here's one tip. It starts with G and ends with U." If she's a ninja, then she did something with them, something not elemental related... What did she do?

"Do you know about something that ninjas do that starts G and ends with U?" I'm not sure if this makes sense to him.

He seems to think for a bit, staring away for a moment, until he seems to realize something. "...I guess the word you are searching for is genjutsu. Do you know what it does?" I shake my head. "Genjutsu is one category of jutsu that is in the illusionary catergory. It's related to the change of perception of people's surroundings and making them see or feel things that aren't there. In other words, create illusions and control one or more of the five principal senses." ...So that's what she did, with those thugs. "...By the way, I still don't know your name." Ah.

Well, as thanks for the help I guess. "Is Seishi. I don't have any last name." He hums to himself.

"..Huh, well Seishi-San, if you could kindly cooperate for me to take your eyeball out, I would appreciate it." Bold. Is almost like one joke, and maybe it is in a way. "Well, lay straight and don't get scared with the needles I will put." Just great. More nightmares for my sister.

...Speaking of which.

"...Tayu." She ignores me, lost in her own thoughts, her eyes focused ahead. "..You don't need to be here if you don't want to." Her reaction is immediate. Her eyes slightly wider than before.

Her faces becomes angry, determined. "I promised. I'm not leaving you alone." Her steps towards me are firm, but slow, giving one impression of calm, which I doubt to be what she's felling. "I'm staying." Her left hand grasps mine with care, a nice show of her gentle side, which still manages to surprise me to this day. "After all, I'm the older one." She smiles, with great audacity, but with a bit of... sadness.

...

I smile nonetheless, an weak smile. "Thank you." She seems happier, her grasp gets stronger. I'm glad. My attention goes to the man who's for some reason helping me. "I'm ready." As much as one can at least.

I release her hand and lay down. Tayuya takes some steps away and I focus my vision in the ceiling.

...Got to admit, I'm a bit nervous.

"..Well then, let's start the procedure." Seems like he was preparing his equipment. "Pull your shirt up for me to attach these." It seems like he intents to use that to read my cardiac activity in the monitor? Is that how I say it? Either way, Tayuya seems angry and he realizes that. "...Is necessary. You are not a medic, are you?" She reluctantly shakes her head. "Then, become one or just don't stop me." He says, sounding amused.

Too bad she's not done yet. "If you try something funny, I'm going to make you regret it." How nice of my sister, trying to maintain my nudity protected from vile beings in this... Well, now I feel awkward. I didn't realize what th-oh God... Why. Don't tell me that in the future I will need to deal with other situations like this? Now this makes life truly more of-urgh...

Whatever, I will just deal with it.

I lift it.

...Really hope to be able to kill people in the future after this.

Anyone.

Really.

"Loud and clear." He doesn't seem to really take her seriously.

...Pain.

He plugs the thing. Turns on the monitor and sees my cardiac signals.

Just realized something. "Are you not supposed to have some help?" Dumb life choices of mine, not asking such thing more sooner.

He just shrugs and gives me one half grin. "I will have you know that I'm the most competent person in here. Also the only one who's able to do this alone." Oh, my hopes and dreams are given hope... not really.

Still... I feel like this person, even if he seems suspicious, is realible.

After all, even if it sounds arrogant, I always had confidence in my judging capacity around people's personalitys and capacitys. So, is quite the surprise to realize that this is my first good personality judgement in years.

Without counting Tayuya. She was a mystery after all.

This kind of person wants something. It just happens that it won't harm me in the proccess, or at least is what I think.

...Still, what a dumb decision to just come here.

Too late to regret.

Let's get over with this.

"I will put the mask to apply the anesthesia. If you feel like sleeping, it means is working." Hm. He puts it.

...

The gas starts being released... and I'm starting to feel affected. I feel... Gooood~. Should I need one of these when I feel like sleeping and entering in a coma...? Heheh... Whaat...

...Oh my..! I'm feelin' it maan~

Look at me Tayu~

See ya Tayu~.

...

I love ya...

Heheh~.

(Tayuya's perspective.)

...That's weird.

Seishi is smilling, lazy kind of smile.

Reminds me of Parrot when she was drunk, but much more, eehh, relax?

"...Is she going to be fine?" I ask the four eyes. I don't trust him. "Really, if you try to hurt her in any way, I will-"

"As I said, you are not a medic, so believe me when I say I know what I'm doing." He doesn't look at me, focused in Seishi.

...Shit head.

"...Fine. So tell me what I can do to help." This makes him laught a bit.

I have no ideia of what he's doing, but he's messing around with her eye... It's making me want to vomit.

"Trust me, you only need to wait." I look away, I'm feeling sick. "...Actually, I need you to grab that scalpel and cut this." He points to-wait what? "Quick, your sister shouldn't stay sleeping forever, right?" Oh God.

Wh-"WHAT A SCALPEL IS EVEN!?" WHAT THE FUCK!?

"Is like a butter knife. All metal and is made to cut flesh and other messes. Is right there in the counter." He keeps pointing somew-oh I see it. "Quick." He turns around to keep doing whatever it is he's doing.

..! Fuckingpieceofshietwhyisheevenaskingmetodothiswasn'thegoingtodoitallbyhimselfwhat fuckinbull-"OKAY!" I GOT IT! I run back to him.

"..Congrats. Now, cut this part here." Oh God this is disgusting.

"DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT YOU COULD DO IT ALONE!?" W-what if I cut something wrong!? Aawwhhhh..!

"Yes, I could. But I don't want to." He keeps pointing where to cut. "Now, careful to not mess this up. We don't want to make she bleed and die, do we?" D-damn you..!

A-Alright... I-I can do this.

I aproach the scapel to whatever this is called... and..

And it...

It Touches.

...(Hours later.)...

It's done...?

"Congrats." This.. "You followed my instructions and managed to take her eyeball out. It's over." This guy, this asshole, just shoved it all to me and almost didn't help. Oh God.. he almost didn't help. "You have potential to become one medical-nin. I expected you to just mess it all up. Impressive." The asshole continues talking, one silly smile on his face... "How are you called again? Tay-"

"Are you done with whatever you are doing? Is she going to wake up?" ...

"Yes, she's going t-"

I take the scapel and jump, aiming for his head.

It hits, but not what I wanted.

My feet meet the ground, the scapel penetrating his hand. "..." He's still smiling. The audacity. "It seems you are the kind to do what you say you're going to do." He raises his hand, dragging me with the scapel a little up. "I think we haven't done an good first impression to each other." The scapel starts leaving his wound, leaving one deep cut in his palm. I touch the ground again with my feet, ready to break this place if I need to. "I'm Kabuto Yakushi." -!? His hand is glowing?! "An medical-nin of sorts." ..It closed. The wound closed... wha- "And I want you to become my apprentice." ..!?

..."Y-you got to be kidding me. You just made me cut my sister's eye out. Don't say shit like that, you fucker." He takes his glasses off, takes one cloth from his backpocket and starts cleaning it.

Fucker.

"As I said, we haven't got along in the right foot. And you have some potential. So you might want to consider it as one apology." ...The only apology that I want from you is when you are laying on the ground and bleeding. Stop kidding with me, scum. "Besidess, your sister seems interested in learning about ninjas. You can get info about what she's curious about by learning with me." ...W-what? "Yes, the info your sister wants and a bit of knowledge for yourself. Doesn't sound like a bad deal, does it?" He stops cleaning and starts putting back in his backpocket, while putting his glasses on. he grins. "What is your name?" ...

Info for Seishi. Learn about ninjas myself and about healing wounds.

I can heal her wounds in emergency. Seishi's wounds.

...

But I need to be careful.

"...I'm Tayuya. And if you pull something like that off again, I will kill you." ...I don't think I can kill him. But I will try.

He gives one little laught, weak and fake. "Tayuya... huh? Well, Tayuya-chan, I feel like we are going to get along well." He offers his hand, to shake.

"...Nice meeting you, Kabuto. I think we... can get along." At least until I don't need you anymore and find stabbing you more and more like a great idea.

...Until then, I won't screw this up.

...(Some time later)...

(Seishi's perspective.)

...Wow.

I know how dangerous chemicals are now.

I felt great.

I mean, I slept for the most part of it, but wow, did the start of it feel good.

Is this how drunk people feel? Or is the lazy part of me being amplified by the anesthesia? Either way, I'm willing to find out a safer use for me to abuse of it in the future. How about I... create bombs? Sleep bombs? Ah yes, please. A little bit of gas never hurted anybody... I mean, when it isn't intented to kill, so in that scenario is quite hurtful.

Ignoring that, we are walking out with me having one new eyepatch. Is useful and I feel more energetic than normal.

Truly, more than normal and that's saying something.

Tayuya told me of what happened while I was out. She said that the man made her do most of the surgery without his help, only with him guiding her hand in what he sayed to be too hard for an kid. Now that she did it, and apparently without killing me, she's his apprentice.

...

So that's what he had in mind.

...Got to admit, he's one incredible opportunistic bastard.

One girl without her right eye's vision that has one sister. This is one opportunity to either gain some experience that he didn't have before in this surgery or to test someone, that someone being Tayuya.

Why her of all people? Is exactly because she's my sister that he choose her. What do I mean? Is simple. Tayuya would do her best to not hurt me and would be extra careful in one test of his. Her extra careful behavior towards me would make her chances of surpassing one of his tests more probable, because she wouldn't want to make one big mistake and maybe kill me in the proccess.

...And that's how we know who was being interviewd.

Tayuya.

My dear Tayuya.

I'm so proud.

But at same time, I want to torture this man and make him regret it.

I won't in any sort of sense accept being used as an test dummy.

And yet, in the other hand, Tayuya is going to gain something important.

Info.

Info about this ninjas.

So, I suppose I can forgive this man as long that in the longterm it benefits us.

Still, he's gonna die in the future by me, probably. Doesn't matter if I forgive him or not.

...Is it wrong for me to do this?

"Dangerous people are everywhere. They will do anything with you, things that are against your will. It doesn't matter how close you thing you are of them, one backstab is always prepared... and it comes with one poisonous knife. Remember that; everyone is one enemy if they have the potential to be." She says, her breath stinking of alcohol.

...

No... it's not wrong of me to plan his death.

He's guiding us towards... somewhere.

I still have no idea of what is this place for.

Kabuto. One ninja, or as he says, one medical-nin.

I hope that Tayuya learns a lot from him. And when she can't anymore...

We will make sure that doesn't become an problem.

...

But not yet. We need the info.

I need it.

...Either way, this man is guiding us to what I can only assume to appear like one prison like place, might I add, rooms for prisoners.

So that's how they are going to maintain control of so many people. That's expected. But I still don't know what is this place's purpose.

"You two are placed in the cell 306 together, since you are siblings and we don't expect you to cause problem." The cell's door starts to open. We step inside, not much of other choices.

Two beds. One sanitary vase. No windows, we are underground after all.

That's it.

He sighs, sounding both annoyed and tired. "Now, have fun. Tomorrow is going to be a long day for us." He says, starting turning away and leaving.

But I still have one question.

"If you don't mind." He looks behind, giving a side look. "What is going to happen tomorrow?" He stops looking, his head turning ahead.

"...You are going to find out in your own." His hand rises to the level of his head, it shakes from side to side. "Until then, don't die both of you." He says, in one almost joking tone.

The cell door altomatically starts to close, and that it does, making one metallic sound when it reaches it's end.

The noise makes Tayuya jump, who's not used to seeing moving bars and such noises.

I wonder if this is a good thing. Probably is, no reason to not be.

...Good memories?

...

"I don't like that guy." Tayuya says, obviously annoyed, and walking towards one of the beds, the one connected to the right wall of this cell. " He asked me to do his job. HIS JOB! I was so mad! And I could hurt you if I wasn't careful enough! AND I'M SURE AS HELL WOULD! BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK I WAS DOING! AARRRRGGGH!" She does what I assume people call angry jump towards the bed, making one fuffly impact sound.

Is almost comic in a way. But certainly not a good thing when Tayuya does it, because it means that trouble and rambling is coming to haunt me for a while.

Deal with the consequences of being her sister, I suppose.

I wonder if someone relates with this? Even if someone did, I won't find them here, and probably never will.

Which means, this is just me against the beast, without help.

Fun.

"-hen some stupid assholes come out of nowhere and just-" Oh dear, she's really mad to be cursing this much around me. "-Fucking around with us! FUCKEEERS! AAA-HMMMMHHH!" She's screaming against the pillow, hugging it with anger. Sort of cute, but poor pillow.

I move my feet, slowly, not worrying in going faster.

Moments pass in silence, Tayuya's face still against the pillow.

I'm near enough now, and I can't help but think this is one perfect opportunity to just... relax.

Yes, to relax.

The past days have been nothing more than just chaotic and full of stress senseless events. People dying without good reason and people dragging everyone around, for money and some laughs.

And now, I realize that after all is done, we actually have some peace and privacy, to just relax.

And I believe that Tayuya needs it more than anyone else in this room, which is only me.

...How about one bed story? Would that be too insentive considering our situation? Or would bring it comfort by showing some similarity with our peaceful memories? Should I ask first? Or should I just maintain silence?

"...Hey, Tayu." Her head shifts a bit, just enough to show her slightly narrowed eye. "...Do you want me to tell you a bed story?" Is in moments like this that I just can't help but go with what I consider to be the most logical thing to do, which is asking if I even should do something about it.

...(The tomorrow)...

...

I'm awake.

As expected, cuddling is the most relaxing form of sleeping.

...But she doesn't stop hugging. Which means that for me to move I would have to wake her up.

So be it.

I start to get seated in the bed. Unfortunaly, this bed feels like one rock, but on the bright side is less destroyed compared to the last ones we used to sleep in.

She's holding my arm.

My hand moves towards her shoulder, to start shaking her. "Tayu, is time to wake up." Speaking of time, I have no ideia of what time it is.

"N-nhoooo... lemme..." My arm is crushed by her mighty force, my muscles turn into one gore mess and I start bleeding towards one horrifying death full of regrets and one twisted cynical monologue... Not really, she just hugs harder. "...Mo-more time... awwah.." I wonder if I'm going more and more towards an completly wrong sense of humor or something else totally irrelevant to jokes itself.

How nice.

Anyway, wake up swee-... Uh... I don't like the ideia of acting like a mother, thank you. "Wake up Tayu. The day is young." Is this what mothers say to their children? I mean, I don't want to act like one, but I'm curious to see her reaction. "If you don't wake up, no food for one whole week." I'm one hypocrite, maybe acting like one mother is fun. Yes, starve the children. Starve them all.

"Whaah.. waah.. what?.. Seishi?" It's me. "W-what time is it? Is too soon..." I bet we slept more than we normaly do, at least compared when we were with those thugs. I would consider this a blessing, truly. "...Oh. We are still here." Sorry, I don't know how to teleport, at least not yet.

..This sounds like one interesting topic to pass the time.

Indeed, teleportation may be possible. I'm not sure if that's correct, but if people can control elements, then we surely are able to discover people who can control other things, the combination of the elements itself and anything else that could potentialy be made a weapon of.

How incredible. This isn't the Earth I'm used to, so I can imagine the possibilities. How exciting wouldn't it be to just find more diverse ways to kill people?

Irony, I'm not looking foward for this for some reasons.

Maybe I'm not easy to get excited by this. Maybe I just don't mind remaining to having what I already have and maybe that doesn't make sense. However, there's no excuses for my lack of curiosity that I recently developed towards science, math, philosophies, ideologies, life, death and anything related to Earth. The only reason for why I still bother with then is because they are relevant to our everyday lifes, to some extension.

Maybe these things among others are just means to entertain people? They indeed made me pass the time thinking, but I'm not sure if considered them fun, and if I did, do I still consider them that? Fun?

The only things I consider fun right now are... passing time with Tayuya...

That's about it?

...That's about it.

Then, anything else I do is only for obligation? Like...

Ah...

I guess that's considered morbid by people.

Amazing.

...Let's stray away from that train of thought.

Either way.

Tayuya ignored my statue form long ago and just walked past me to see the outside, or at least as much as the bars allow and as far as her head can fit between them.

I start moving my feet out of bed.

...

"So?" Hmm? "What do you think is going to happen with us?" Ah.

Since you are asking. "I have some guesses. But I don't like any of them." She grabs the bars, starts shaking them back and fort, making noise. "You told me about Kabuto being able to do some kind of... magic? To heal his hand? Anyway, I don't know for sure what will happen with us, but I think there will be more people like him around here. And that's bad enough." She just sighs and releases the poor bars.

Then she walks away a bit... only to turn around and run at full speed to jump and dropkick the bars.

*BANG~

*THUD.

...

..."You could have just kicked it like one normal person." She's on the ground, whining. After the impact, she just fell to the ground in one straight like pose, which reminded me of one piece of lumber being droped in the ground, straight down and without care.

Maybe that's one lesson to not let Tayuya do things that are bound to hurt herself.

...

No. People often learn with their own mistakes.

Do you understand that Tayu? Your suffering is justifiable.

I'm amused. "Don't worry, it could be worse." I crouch a bit to take her hand and pull her up. "Really, you could have broke some bones in the worst case scenario." She rolls around so that her back is facing me. "...You did wrong, pouting won't help you." It actually will, but you don't need to know that.

I stand and walk to her front... She's trying to hold back tears from the looks of it.

That's not good.

"Don't worry Tayu. Even if it hurts it will pass. It just means that you shouldn't do it ag-"

"T-that's... that's not it." She gets seated, her back again facing me, hugging her knees. "Is not hurting." She hides her face against between her knees, her voice sounding weak. "I'm fine."

...This isn't anymore about dropkicking the bars, is it?

I sit on the ground, crossing my legs and rest my hands, more precisely my palms in the middle point of my legs, in which I don't have sure about how is called, I forgot, but it's bellow the kneecaps.

"We didn't end where I wanted us to end..." Disappointment is high in her voice, as well as a little bit of anger. "And I said that everything was going to be fine..." The anger is more easier to notice, but still covered by disappointment. "I'm sorry, Seishi..." .

...I see.

...But. "I don't care." Her head moves up in surprise, still not looking back. "I only care if you are okay. Don't worry about what I think about how we ended here, because I don't care." She starts looking behind, I see her face. Water goes down from her eyes and I'm not sure if it stopped or if she's still crying. "I care about what you want to do now." She starts to shift her body, seating in one position that resembles mine.

She looks... disappointed. "...I feel like that's bad." She stares and starts to reach for my right hand with both of her hands. She grabs it, is a bit warm. "You should care more about where we are." She takes one look at one especific point of my face, probably the eyepatch. "..." She starts playing with my hand... seemingly absorved in squeezing and moving my fingers to random directions, carefull to not hurt me somehow. "...Is weird to just do what I want." She sounds annoyed.

Is that so? But is it wrong?

I don't feel like it is.

"I don't mind it." I stare at her interaction with my hand, which feels weird, but not uncomfortable. "I like doing what you do, is good enough to me." She continues playing with my fingers, queezing a little bit stronger than before as time goes on. "I don't see the problem." I really don't.

...Uh, she starts to squeeze too hard my index finger, it hurts a bit. "You don't see the problem..." She looks up and stares at me, her eyebrowns somewhat furrowed. "Well, if you like doing what I do, try having fun." How rude. "If is like that, I guess I don't need to worry about some stuff..." The pressure against my index finger stops, only to notice that she resumes in playing with the others.

"Is not hard for me to have fun." I'm not sure if I believe in myself in this case. "We could play a game." She stops, releasing my hand and allowing me to take my hand away.

Her questioning look is somewhat confused and naturally curious. "Like what? We don't have much to play with in here." She starts to incline her body foward and backwards in an slow motion. She's bored.

"Let's play rock, paper and scissors" Her questioning look becomes one somewhat annoyed and amused look. One pout I guess?

"That's not fun." She stops the cycle of boredom motions, instead choosing to cross her arms and start pouting, looking down. "I can think of much more fun stuff to play in here." She says, somewhat not really meaning it.

Well, about that. "You want me to have fun, right?" Little she needs to know about what I consider to make me have fun, indeed, no need. "Let's do this, I like this game."

Eyes closed, she moves her head to the side... moves to the other... keeps humming... and..."...Fineee~. But only because you are asking." That's cute, I suppose.

"Let's begin then." I move my left hand up. "One, two, th-"

*C-CLAANK~

..."Get up brats. Move." One man asks us, at his left another one.

Tayuya doesn't look happy with the interruption.

No one can guess, but I'm quite...

Annoyed.

But of course, I don't allow it to show, not this easily.

Tayuya looks ready to start complaining, but I stop her by suddenly getting up, attracting her attention.

Sadly, even if she doesn't want to, she stands up with me as well.

I walk and start guiding her outside, and to whatever is the place that they want us to go.

(Minutes later.)

They gave us numbers.

Those numbers are supposed to be our names from now on.

We received white clothes with these numbers attached in their backs. We putted them on.

I'm going to be called 073 from now on by these people, or in one more sophisticated way, Subject-073.

Tayuya is 080. No ideia about what caused this gap between our numbers, but is probably unnecessary concern.

There's one incredible amount of concerns with this new changes.

Being called subjects isn't a good thing in my book. In other words, we may be considered test dummies for something that I yet need to know.

Tayuya reacted in the way I expected, angry and cursing people's existence. It seems that she has grown from her care about whether or not I hear she cursing against people.

Either way, we are walking towards what I can assume to be our objective.

Now I need to find out what it is.

And is going to be throwed in my face nonetheless. How delightful.

We enter the room... and it is huge, huger enough to be considered one little football camp.

There's even bleachers.

...

Reason for concern is more higher than ever now.

And I excluded plenty of possible scenarios.

Only four remain, and they are all bad.

There's one some sort of circle line in what I assume to be the center of this room. We are walking towards it. There's plenty of people, more accurately speaking, plenty of children.

Six adults and something about twelve or more children.

I don't see anyone that I recognize.

We stop and I stand beside some child. Tayuya remains at my other side, which is left.

Another line of children. Diagonal. How perfectly annoying.

One man starts walking, one clipboard in one of his hands. He stands in front of the center of the line of children, some distance away so that he can watch everyone.

He opens his mouth. "Attention! We are going to start one of the new daily activities in your lifes from now on. So open your ears.. or we are going to cut them off." He takes a moment to himself, and starts talking again. "We are going to call you by your numbers. Two people will be called. Those two will fight until someone breaks something, someone gets knocked out, or until I have seen enough and ask to stop... and I don't plan in ever asking that." One grin appears in his face.

...

Believe or not, this is the less worse of the possible scenarios in my mind.

...

I'm relieved.

But that's still a problem.

We are in danger. Tayuya is in danger.

"To the new brats. We will begin now. When called, walk inside and to one corner of the circle. The second person called go the opposite side of the first number called." He sounds happy. "Well, number 023, go inside the ring, show them the drill." And so one child, twice my size, starts walking towards one conner of the circle. "Let's see... then, how about number 080?" ...Huh?

I look to my side, Tayuya looks a bit shocked to be called first.

"Number 080. Get to the ring."

...

No...

I take her hand, as unnoticiable as possible, no one seems to realize. "Tayuya, don't." I whisper too much lower than I need, but I hope she can hear it.

I don't want to see this happening.

There's no reason for this event to continue.

She seems to have heard me... but shakes her head, nervous. "...I need to." ..What do you mean with an 'I need to'? There's no reason to you-"If I don't... it will just bring more problems." She tries to take my hand off.

...Don't speak or behave like that.

I can deal with any problem that comes to my face.

You don't and certainly shouldn't feel responsible for whatever mess that comes to our faces.

I'm the adult her-...

How can I say that? How can I prove that? My behavior is as pathetic as of any child.

If I really acted like one adult, I wouldn't be as impulsive as I am now.

"Sis... please." ...What should I do? I don't want to let go. Besides, why should she really go instead of me? That's what I said before to her.

I can go instead of her.

Yes, there's nothing stopping me.

I ca-"Number 080. Come on already. I don't have time for this bullshit." The ma-soldier asks.

My attention comes back to... Tayuya?

...

She's there already.

She walked away when I wasn't paying attention.

She's in there. She's going to get hurt.

Why. Why didn't I realize sooner that she had just walked away. How I didn't notice. How-

"..Took you long enough." The responsible for us says.

...Tayuya, even though I say to be smarter than most kids, is still a idiot.

One emotional idiot.

There was no need for her to go there.

I could volunter.

But then she wouldn't allow.

She's the kind that would go first if the opportunity presented itself, and if she thought to be necessary.

Is almost like one self sacrifice. Going foward to death if it meant she would achieve whatever it is she wants.

I undermastimated her.

...How pathetic.

...I'm stupid.

"Begin." As he says, the fight starts.

The kid called 023 moves first, lauching himself foward. In something among the lines of three or four seconds, he reaches her.

Tayuya, somewhat surprised, doesn't seem to know how to react with his speed, but moved her body out of the way of a punch aimed at her head, and so rolling away.

023 continues his pursuit, his feet positioning himself to jump at her direction, not stopping for a second.

Tayuya prepares herself by moving her arms against what seems to be a kick towards her stomach, it hits, her body moves back from the impact. The kick seems to be strong enough to suspend her in the air for half a second, enough time for the child to punch her cheek and make her go to the ground with a thud.

...He hurted her.

Tayuya quickly gets up, turning and facing his way. Seemingly pissed off, she takes iniciative this time, by making a sudden and quick jump aiming for one jab in his face. Since he's much more taller, one jump is reasonable enough, however, jumping is never a good option unless you are despaired.

My Tayuya. My precious sister reaches the face of 023, but the hit doesn't stun or surprise him.

He takes advantage of her incapacity to move while in the air, making her go back to the ground harder than before by another punch in her face.

...

She obviously is not match to him. Not only he looks more experienced, but he also looks to be much more older. He's tall enough to not get hitted easily in the face and is tough enough to just shrug off any attacks that can't be considered strong enough.

He's far away from our current level.

No one new here can match him.

But even so, still, I want... to make him suffer...

To make him bleed...

But I can't.

Because I'm not the one on her place.

That damn idiot should have listened to me.

She should have let me deal with this.

Now she's going to...

Going to what?

...Die...?

...

...And who it is to decide such a thing?

Who decides who lives and dies? Would that be God? The people? Life or death itself?

...That's wrong.

If I had to choose someone... if there was anything that would be fair...

Then...

It would be-

(Unknown character's perspective.)

"-and with that, the recruitment is over for the month." Takeda finishes his report.

Everything is going nicely. How nice. How good.

Your job is done. Go away. "Thank you Takeda-san. You can go now." Takeda realizes that he's not necessary anymore and starts walking away. I'm glad you are smart enough to know when you aren't needed, Takeda.

Finally, to the important things.

"..You really don't give Takeda a break, Hiru-san." Kabuto points out the obvious, surely expecting a complain, as always.

Kabuto.

You should just stop breathing and die.

"Is none of your concern, Kabuto. What is important now is-"

"I know. You are curious about whether or not we found potential fighters. The answer might be more disappointing than you think though." He smiles, not at all caring about the fact he just interrupted me.

Ingrateful bastard.

"And? What is it? The results." I hope for good news and results, not stupid smartass answers.

"As Takeda sayed, we have one good amount of children and adults. The exact number is 40 when it comes to children. 60 when it comes to adults. We made sure that the providers were trust worthy and that no information was given to the base in their way back in here. But I guess you are only interested in the children, aren't you?" Kabuto seems curious about why I'm so focused in them. "Are you keeping some sort of secret? After all, you especifically wanted for those barbarians to target that orphanage." Of all times to ask me about things, this is one of the most annoying ones.

"I had info that the place existed and that we never touched it. Maybe you are overthinking, Kabuto." This should be enough.

"..." He stares, hoping to see something, anything that might give out that I'm lying or acting. He looks away, not finding anything. "I guess I am." He takes out his glasses, apparently to clean them, and that's what he starts doing. "The orphanage gived eight children as we asked, one died and another one has supposedly escaped, probably dead by now as well." Amusing.

He finishes the cleaning, inspects it for a moment and puts them on, in acceptance. "They were separated and put in different sectors. Two are in the test chambers by now, one is in the Coliseum, and the other three are put to study the basics of chakra." One in the Coliseum already huh? Tough life, quick death.

Two in the Test Chambers? Why though, we should have everyone being educated by now. Stupid kids are annoying. The faster they learn, the better.

The test chambers are for the ones that should immediatly be tested, both because they seem to have potential and not. The ones who don't are going to be discarted and used in different experiments, while the ones who succeed are going to either going to end as good useful soldiers or suicide maniacs.

However, it really does sound like a stupid thing to do, to put 2 of them already in there.

We don't do that unless we really want to see them die and to make bets on who dies first and who gets to survive.

In a way, is not that much different to the coliseum.

And Orochimaru doesn't seem to enjoy us to do it for fun, unless he does it himself, which he never did.

Anyway, if I'm not mistaken, they probably will survive. Is the first day after all. Tsuda usually goes easy on the first timers... at least for the first day. After that, they will be on their own.

But the most amusing of all would be the coliseum one. The brat is dead.

"Tell me if the coliseum one survives, it sounds interesting." It would be a good laugh if it survives, which I doubt it will... hell, it will be funny if it dies.

"...How cruel of you, smilling like that." He stares the table, not facing me anymore. "There's plenty of potential in the two that are in the test chambers." Ah, you make it sound like it's a big deal. "..Heh, don't look at me like that. I mean it, they look capable... especially one of them." They sound as capable as someone is when it comes to try making one fire jutsu, only to burn themselfs to death.

"What? Are you interested in one of them now?" I don't think anyone should take this guy's attention, he's not trustworthy after all. "I didn't take you to be the kind to get interested in people's lifes unless necessary." I stare at him, questioning his choice of words.

Of course, he's not that kind of person to care about someone. But I want him to say something about it.

What is it that I'm missing about this?

"Don't get me wrong, if it dies then it's useless. But if it doesn't, then I can make something out of it. Tools are useful, as long as they work... which is way I said you would be disappointed, because I didn't find others with potential as of now."

"..." How did I manage to find someone so boring to spend my time with in this damn stupid place? "Whatever you say." I should make myself something to drink. Anything will do.

"I think you will have interest in it's twin sister. She's not the type I like to work with." ...That does sound interesting, and funny. Someone who you aren't willing to work around with eh? Good enough to me.

"And who's that one? You got me interested." He realizes my shitty grin, which makes him sigh and just shake his head in disappointment.

"...You will know when you see her." How helpful of you, asshole. "She's in the test chambers, you should go and look around." I might just do that, because she sounds like someone who will get in your nerves.

I get up.

"...Are you going now? I thought that you would remain here to discuss more about-"

"You suggested me to go there and look around. And if it's company that you want, come along already." This room is disgusting and talking about anything else is making me bored. "We might as well see if you tell the truth, and if it isn't true, then is going to be fun laughting at your face when they die." It does sound like one ideal day. Going to cross my fingers in this one.

Kabuto gets up, without as much enthusiasm.

We both walk out of our little reunion place and start walking towards the Test Chambers, Kabuto leading the way.

Is funny that only two people manage this whole place... Excuse me, is funny that only one person manages this place and still has one reunion room.

How unnecessary.

Oh well. Is not like it's hard to manage it, but maybe I should have some support from time to time to get some fun in here.

"...We are her-"

"STOP! I SAID TO STOP BRAT!" ...What is that?

"...It seems we joined in the perfect time." Says Kabuto, a look of relative surprise in his face. "And of all people, I didn't expect her to be the one making this mess."

..Tsuda is holding back a girl in what I could only assume to be in her five or seven years. Her hands are clenched and covered with blood. In her face she wears a eyepatch, that looks quite similar to the ones we have in reserve. But the thing that takes my attention the most... Is her inexpressive face... such face that yet being so hard to read, shows a hint of such incredible wish to hurt, kill and burn... and all that is focused in one person that... that..?

Heh... What the hell?

I can't help but smile, smile until it starts to hurt.

You said this was the one who you couldn't work with, Kabuto?

"Tsuda... what happened?" Kabuto breaks my focus. Damn you, I was feeling so happy moments ago.

"A-ah sir! This DAMN brat! I was testing one of the new kids with Number 023, when this kid just suddenly came out of nowhere with a rock! And hitted him in the back of the head! 023 didn't have time to do shit about it! And then she kept punching where the rock penetrated and... and then this mess." He finishes explaining.

Kabuto seems a bit unwilling to accept this as answer, his face having a annoyed look.

But for me, for me this is good enough.

I mean, look at it! Is beatiful! His head became a smashed tomato! Hahahaha!

"Send her to-"

"No."

...

"What?" Kabuto doesn't seem happy with my answer.

"I said no. Let me take her." I can't stop smilling. It hurts, but I can't help it. "I will take care of her myself." God has sent me my little gift, and I want it, and I will fight for it. "Our talk ends here, Kabuto." Kabuto stares, stares until I start to ignore him, my focus only on my gift.

Scarlet hair... this gives me a good impression. Is a rare color somewhat. I wonder, is your heritage something interesting? One blood test should give me my answers, and if not, then it will give enough info for me to work around.

She looks so innocent, if you ignore the blood and little fragment of little pieces of brain in her face.

I aproach the monster. The new pinnacle of my studies. The thing I was trying to find for so long, and there's nothing that can stop me. Nothing can stop me after all this time. No one will dare question my authority. No one will stop me, and if they try, they will fail miserably.

Aww... how long I have waited. And it's so young. There's so much to do with something like that. Just imagine it's infinite potential. The possible capacities. Is too bad that it lacks one eye though.

The thing looks to be in one weird state between moving and observe.

It's waiting for one opportunity to attack.

It reminds me of that damn snake and it's pets.

...But now it's mine.

Only mine.

The beast notices my observation and stares at me, wondering who I am.

She thirsts for blood.

Nothing more proper to do if not to take you away now, yeah? Yes, come with me, little one.

I take the thing's arm and start dragging it along with me towards my own laboratory. It resists for a moment, until what appears to be realization in it's eyes. I wonder what it's thinking. How smart it is or how smart is going to be capable of being... but too smart sounds like a bothersome issue. Too smart demands rebelious actions. I need to do something about it. But what? How?

...I might have just the right idea.

We reach my personal lab. No one comes here without my permission. Even Kabuto knows that I'm overprotective of what goes inside and outside of here, so he dares not set foot unless I'm along and giving permission.

It's perfect. No one will bother us here.

I let go of the thing's arm after dragging it to one chair. I'm curious about how she behaves when in situation she doesn't undestand. I need to. In order to make my future possible, I need to understand this creature.

If it behaves like one animal, then I'm going to consider it one animal. If it behaves like one monster, then I'm going to call it one. If it acts like one child, then...

First, analyze it's blood. Take bandages while at it, in case she hurt herself, the tourniquet and alcohol. She may have been cut in some places while playing with that idiot's head with that stupid sharp rock of hers, somehow. I take the bandages, torniquet and one disposable syringe.

The vacutainers are in my pocket already.

I walk back to her.

..Heh, is almost like she's not affected by the change of scenario. It's almost like a trance.

If it doesn't talk, then it's useless to me though. "Hello, can you hear me?" The child doesn't react for a few moments, but her eyes change direction and focus on my face. Good. "I'm going to take care of you from now on. In order to do that, I need your blood. Don't resist." If it does, then I will make sure that it regrets it.

She stares, apparently without reaction, but she raises her arm to my direction.

...Satisfactory enough. Good girl. But I still want to hear your voice.

I put the tourniquet, a bit of alcohol, prepare my syringe and take her arm.

The syringe touches and penetrates her arm in direction of her vein.

There doesn't seem to have much reaction to the pain.

I prepare the vacutainers and start the proccess.

The necessary amount of blood fills the first vacutainer.

Removing the first, I put the next and start the process all over again, until they are all filled.

..Now that's for me to have fun with later.

"What's your name?" She asks.

..That's surprising. It can talk. I also wasn't expecting one question at all coming from her.

That's good enough, I think. "Call me Hiru." Now, give me yours. "And what do you call yourself?"

"...Seishi."

...(Hours of tests later)...

The results are here.

I learned the kid's name as well.

It calls itself Seishi; six years old, has an twin sister whose's name is Tayuya, which I found inconcious when I first saw Seishi herself. She lacks one of her eyes, apparently the dealer was a bit rough with her. Her personality is still a mystery though. Is she the silent type that actually is just shy or is she a little piece of pyschopath? Is obvious which I think to be the more possible one.

Seishi's blood type: A-

Which makes this much more difficult for one blood transfusion. I wonder if we have subjects with the compatible blood type, better yet if we even have it stored. We probably do. I should give a more detailed check later, my memory is not the best.

Slightly malnourished and anemic.

No surprises, because she's from one orphanage. She may be smaller than most people as she grows, whatever she will do about this is none of my concern as long as she makes it work, and survive that would be.

Ignoring this, everything else seems to be in the norms.

...

If possible, I will take care of this and more issues in this wee-no, today. I need to take care of most of it by today. There's nothing more pathetic than in the longrun she just dies in the middle of it. Suppliment pills maybe? Sure. Her imunologic system should be weaker than the majority. Is no sort of a miracle that she isn't affected by any infections and diseases at this point in time, or maybe she just recently deal with a cold? If so, her imunologic system is much more stronger than expected. Doesn't matter. Is good enough.

Either way, I need her to survive at least one week in here. She has the potential, because she's young and doesn't seem to mind senseless killing. She's the closest thing to what I want about perfection in one soldier... or at least it looks like it. Let's see if she survives at least two days from here.

Her sister will make a fine replacement if anything happens, unless she dies as well.

Anyway, the proper care should happen by now.

Kabuto will annoy my lack of presence.

Or maybe not.

Ah, I should question this thing.

Finally, the fun begins.

"Seishi." Her eyes look up at me. "Do you know what ninjas are?" The basics first.

"..." She blinks.

Come on child, give me something.

"If I'm not mistaken, the manager of the orphanage once told us that ninjas are some kind of powerfull superhumans that can control the elements as they please with something called chakra. I don't know anything more than that." ...That sounds like one terrible explanation. "However, I came up with theories about how they do what they are said to be capable of doing." Stop for a moment, I realized something.

"You are quite formal in the way you speak. Did someone teach you that?" Is abnormal for some kid to talk like that.

"..Someone in the orphanage is responsible in teaching children. I asked her help." At least you are not a complete waste. Surprisingly, you are talking quite a bit right now.

"I see. Can you tell me about the theories you came up with about chakra?" How smart are you?

"..Everything comes from somewhere. In order for them to spit fire and control the wind, there should be some kind of interaction with that energy. If the energy is external or internal is in question to me." Hoh? "But I have the impression that it is internal, because I often felt some kind of energy inside my body, it felt unnatural." Funny, is that how children feel when they first detect their own chakra system?

The child has one lazy expression in her face. It almost gives the impression that she didn't sleep in weeks. "If chakra is produced inside me, then the same should applie to other people." Sounds fair enough. "But what is weird is that chakra appears to control more than elements." Oh yeah? "I once saw people being in some sort of vegetative state in the middle of battle. It was almost as if they were hipnotized." ..Genjutsu. "They didn't do anything until they died." Ah, I guess your adventure until you reached us was really fun, wasn't it? "The lady confirmed that she did something with them. She sayed it started with G and ended with U." She finishes her little story.

Well, I got just the answer. "It's called genjutsu. One special ninja art where the ninja manipulates the brain with their own chakra, alterating for some period of time one of their senses or just giving some sort of illusion." I'm somewhat impressed.

"I already knew that." ...

...

"Then say that before I explain what it is, brat." Seriousy, who does th-

"It can't be helped, I wanted confirmation." -..She shrugs, looking at the ground.

Pff... I guess I got how smart you are.

Smart enough to annoy the shit out of me that is.

I don't like smartasses. "What you think about what we call jutsus? How does it work?" Answer that, smartass.

"..Chakra apparently is capable of transforming itself into elements. And if not that, it helps in the manipulation of elements around the user." Is accurate enough, and that annoys me.

"You are correct. But you don't know what chakra even is." It's saddening that this is all that it learned, but I didn't expect much, and she's smart enough to figure some things by herself... more or less.

..."Here's the deal. You survive your tomorrow fight test and I will teach you about anything you want, but only that subject. Whatever else you learn won't be by your choice." Sounds like a good enough deal to a child, but I'm forcing her to know things she doesn't has interest.

She blinks. "Why are you helping me?" Naive. I'm helping myself.

"From time to time, people here teach those who they think to have the potential they were searching for. You just happen to fit my criterias." That's all you need to know.

She seems to silently accept this as answer.

I think I had enough. "It's time for you to get back to your cell. And be warned, the next time you do something like you did, which was interrupting someone's fight, you will face the consequences." Well, it didn't happen now because I was there, because I couldn't care less, but we are trying to find good soldiers, so we don't need any of that happening again being caused by the same person.

Still. "You aren't facing any problems now because I got curious, so behave yourself outside of here, you might just get rewarded for your good behavior." I need to incentivate her after all, at least a bit. "Now go, there's someone waiting outside already." I wave her away.

The outside would be Kabuto, obviously.

How kind of him to wait outside like a moron for ten minutes. Now he's going to be the one that guides she to her cell.

Freaking genius.

(Seishi's perspective.)

Is incredible how annoying some people are capable of being, isn't it?

Doesn't matter. I got one interesting deal, or at least I hope so.

It doesn't matter how insignificant it is, it will all be good enough info, and he seems to capable of providing what I need.

There's no reason to complain as long as he says what I want him to say.

Who is going to benefict from each other the most? Me, the child? Or him, the adult?

I wonder what is it that he's hiding from me when I took his interest. What is it that he expects me to do?

It sounds like I will only find out with time... and that annoys me.

Either way, I open the door with relative trouble, because I'm somewhat small to reach the doorknob.

Waiting outside is Kabuto, arms crossed and his back hitting the wall ahead of me.

He seems impassive. "...Hello Seishi-san."

...San?

He gives a little laugh. "There's no need to make that face. If you don't like something, just say it and I will try to not make you uncomfortable." He moves away from his position against the wall, standing in front of me like one normal person.

Completly normal. How normal, isn't it? Indeed, there's nothing wrong with him.

He's completly normal.

..Yes?

..As if.

"Hiru said that you would guide me to my cell." I explain, already expecting his disappointed expression. Apparently, he's not here for me, but to talk with Hiru for whatever reason.

Probably because I smashed someone's head and didn't get punished for it.

"Only him to do something like that..." Kabuto starts walking away, with an sigh. "Follow me." I start following him.

...Kabuto.

Is abnormal to me to decorate someone's name. I guess they are good enough to give me a good first impression, aren't they? How impressive. How incredible. They really are beyond the average person, aren't they?

I suppose so.

I hope they die.

"So? What did you two talk about?" Kabuto asks, apparently trying to figure out what he wanted with me.

"He took blood tests and tried to understand why I did what I did." It's half a lie.

"And what did you say?" An stranger's curiosity should be considered one sin.

"That I felt like doing it." I'm not sure if that's a good enough answer.

"...This sounds like one excuse. Can you give me more details?" He asks.

You don't actually want to know, do you? You are just hoping that I will give you somehow an answer to what you really want to know.

"What's wrong?" He seems to try to make me more willing to talk by expecting me to be too deep in my thoughts, hoping for me to come up for one excuse for my behavior...?

...More like I'm annoying myself than being deep in thought.

"I didn't like what I saw.. and I wondered how he would react if I showed a bit of the pain he was inflicting." Is this what you wanted?

"...And how did you feel?"

"I didn't feel anything."

"..."

...

"..Is that so?" Kabuto seems to give up in continuing the topic.

...And who said I was finished talking with you?

"Hey, Kabuto." He looks behind to my direction, giving a side glance.

"Do you have fun watching children hit each other to death?"

...

He doesn't show any reaction.

Moments pass in silence.

...and just like that, he faces foward again, choosing to ignore my question.

As if he didn't hear it.

I smile.

...(One day later.)...

Hiru has plenty of expectatives on me.

Is understandable.

If something impresses you, you are bound to expect it to do whatever it did again in order to maintain their expectative of you.

That's how first impressions work.

That's how human interactions seem to start with.

But what I did yesterday was nothing but one lucky opportunity.

After all, I was expecting him to be unware of me coming from behind, as all people with common sense expect.

It worked. And he died.

But now I'm going to be on the holofotes.

This won't be lucky.

This will be a fight until someone dies.. or at least until someone get's knocked out.

Will I die? Because I won't mind killing.

Apparently, I really don't care.

...But why?

"073, come foward."

The instructor calls me.

My feet move on their own, answering his call.

I feel his eyes at me.

He seems to remember yesterday.

Yesterday.

When I came back to my room, Tayuya was crying.

And I don't know why.

"...Number 074, come foward."

Did she feel responsible for her loss? Did she feel like she didn't do enough? Or because she was trying to prove something? I don't know, and I hate not knowing about it.

I had to just remain at her side until she stopped crying.

It's not fair.

She didn't deserve to end that way.

And I didn't know a good way to make she feel better.

I hugged her until she feel asleep.

It felt like I didn't do enough.

Like I didn't do anything to make it better.

I didn't do anything to make she feel better.

...

She deserves someone who knows better how to handle this.

I don't know if I'm fit to this task.

I had to ask my guide to leave her alone, just for today.

He had pity.

She's sleeping now.

"S-Seishi..?"

...I look up.

"S-Seishi..! Do you remember me!?" Brown hair. Blue eyes.

Looks to be two years older than m-

..I know you.

"Seishi! We don't need to-"

"Shut it, we are starting." Instructor says, interrupting her.

"..P-please Seishi.. I don't want to hurt you.." She begs me.

..You? Of all people, for you to hurt me?

Are you that delusional? Are you still the same as before?

Pathetic, naive, weak, friendly and concerned with strangers?

You didn't change a bit, did you?

...Then, this isn't a fight.

This is one execution.

"..What was your name again?"

...Silence.

I'm not surprised.

She looks shocked.

"..Begin." With my answer, the instructor takes this as me being ready.

I don't waste time and run towards her.

She doesn't react until I'm close enough to hit anything bellow her head, so I jump and try going for the head, not expecting any reaction like one counter hit.

Surprisingly, but not really, she inclines backwards, which makes me miss. However, she was just taken by surprise and slips, falling down, her back hitting the ground.

My body falls at her's, and I end in top of her. Her mouth is open, almost like she was about to scream, but no sound comes out. But her expression is enough for me to understand that she would scream of pain.

I ignore that. Is irrelevant.

I put my hands against her throat.

She realizes what I'm doing. Her hands try to desperately take mine away by force, but she's too weak.

She never was the kind to focus in creating fisical strenght in her body.

There's no surprises.

Always too sociable.

Always trying to make friends.

Always annoying.

...Always trying to take Tayuya away from me.

...Is this childish from me? To be jealous of you?

Her face starts to turn purple from the lack of oxygen.

She's crying.

...Pathetic.

You were always that kind of person.

Always willing to cry when it fitted the scene.

Always trying to make yourself a pathetic excuse of a victim.

You didn't change a bit, did you..?

...

(Insert: Goblin Slayer Original Soundtrack - Child Demon Slayer Story)

...

I let go.

She gasps for oxygen.

Her eyes are no longer from someone concerned about hurting me.

They are eyes full of fear, as if it saw it's whole world being crushed.

I never liked you.

But that doesn't mean I ever wanted for you to die.

Especially by my hands.

After all, you would need to be someone I hate for me to do such thing.

But I don't hate you.

You were willing to become someone special to my sister, when no one else bothered to.

When even I didn't bother to.

And for that, thank you, Tsuki, for being special to Tayuya in some way.

..I get up from her body.

She crawls away from me, not for a moment taking me out of her vision.

...And yet, this is not mercy.

Mercy would be for me to grant you death.

However, mercy is often thought to be what I have just done.

For me to leave you alive.

This mercy is nothing but an little lie.

"..The winner is number 073. You two, get out of the ring." Instructor doesn't care if I leave her alive or not. Is not necessary to kill someone in order to win. Just to make them give up or be unable to continue.

I start walking away.

...And yet, she will die, not by me, but by anyone else who's more willing to continue what I didn't.

Tsuki never had the will or strength of an fighter.

Never had a reason to.

She probably never would want to.

And that's why, more than anything else, if I ended her life here, it wouldn't anything else but mercy.

...

God didn't have mercy.

I'm still here.

...And there's nothing that will obligate me to change that.

I will remain here.

I will make God regret this choice.

I will make everyone who opposes me bleed.

There will be no reason or justificative.

There will not be any kind appeal of hypocrite justice.

They will just die, and no one will be able to do anything about it.

It doesn't matter if it takes too long.

Doesn't matter if I lose limbs because of this.

What matters is that this will be my little revenge.

Such reveange, that actually has almost none of my necessary motivation.

Such reveange, that people would call to be just one joke.

Such reveange... that almost has no reason to exist.

...It's our revenge.

"...You are one good child, Tsuki." I look behind me, at her horrified expression. "But, you are going to die like this."

And with that, I leave the stage.

I can only notice the silence I once wanted in the orphanage.

...And it doesn't feel like anything I wanted.