HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAHA I'M BACK NOW PLEASE READ CHAP 3 I'M SORRY IF MY STORY SUCKS HAHAHAHA LOLS ROFLMAO
But seriously, I do hope you enjoy.
Tohru's fingers hovered over the left mouse button. Gritting her teeth, she thought of Kinko Yamoto over and over again. The anger and hatred rising up in the pits of her stomach made her sick. If she did this, then she was no better than that evil wench. Shifting her hand swiftly to the CLOSE button, she clicked on the button and jumped into bed, thankful that the warm blankets absorb a little of her troubles, allowing her to drift to sleep.
"Tohru, here's your breakfast! After you're done, please wash your own cutlery and plate."
"Yes, Mum!"
Tohru smiled and hummed a little tune, feeling a great sense of achievement as she had conquered her own feelings of bitterness toward Kinko. After she was done with a few house chores, she ran upstairs to get her schoolbag before setting off for school.
In the subway, Tohru waited for the train alongside an especially dense crowd. Thinking that she'd be slightly late, she took out her cell phone to inform her friend to not to wait for her. At the exact moment she held her cell phone a little loosely to set the clasp on her bag, a young man bumped into her.
"Ah…"
Tohru bent over to pick her cell phone up immediately. Just at that moment, a girl of petite physique brushed past her shoulder. All at once, Tohru was affected with a strong feeling of nausea. Cold sweat burst out of her pores, peppering her forehead. She had to use the floor for support. The nauseous feeling was somewhat alike that of when she was being plagued by nightmares last night. Sweating profusely, Tohru lifted her head and focused on the retreating figure of the girl.
Her hair was as dark as Cimmerian nights, but standing out in stark contrast was skin as fair as virgin snow. She was dressed in a sailor uniform which almost matched her hair in terms of colour; the only skin showing was her hands and her knees. Almost on cue, she turned around and stared in Tohru's direction. Her face, although that of a child, carried no emotion to the point that it was like a perfectly sculpted mask made of the fairest clay. Her large, doe-like eyes stood out like blood on snow, literally. Clearer than any ruby Tohru has ever seen, they should have been beautiful, apart from the fact that they were as cold and dead as the actual stones. The mask's mouth parted, and Tohru stared, transfixed.
"You will need me in due time. When it comes to that, do not hesitate, for revenge is not for the weak."
It was impossible that such a quiet, mellifluous voice could be heard over the hubbub of the crowd, but those words reached Tohru's ears as though they were in front of each other.
"W-w-who…who are you?"
Ignoring all of the commands her body were telling her, Tohru stood up with great difficulty, only to lose sight of her in the crowd. It was as though she had vanished into thin air.
"..."
Tohru stared blankly into space, confused and upset that even though she had not seen the girl before, she found her to be strangely familiar.
"Hey, Tohru, come over here, quick!!"
Tohru had made it to the lesson right on time. Throughout the whole lesson, she was distracted with thoughts of the girl. Her face was etched onto her mind. The teacher had given them a math question to try out, but Tohru did not even lift her pencil.
The strange thing was that she was not the only one being distracted.
The whole class was giving shifty looks to each other, so it was impossible to determine the cause of the disturbance. Tohru gave Kinko a stealthy glance. The blond was the only unaffected one, examining her long, manicured nails set with an abundant amount of gemstones. It was difficult to explain why, but this made Tohru extremely uncomfortable.
*BANG*
An uneasy silence settled over the class like a dark cloud. Nobody had even noticed the teacher had left for his next class, irritated that his favorite class was putting on a poor performance today.
Progressively, everyone made for their friends' places, discussing something in a feverish manner. Even Tohru's friend, Kumi, beckoned to her urgently.
"What is it," Tohru asked apprehensively. "Why is everyone acting so strangely?"
"Haven't you heard?! Kinko's father is missing! She was lying about the other day, she claimed. Said that she couldn't put up with him anymore. It was on the front pages of the news today. Well, seeing as they are such an influential family, it is no wonder, but the surprising thing is that Kinko was laughing to herself on the way in, announcing to everyone that she killed her father with more enthusiasm than ever!!…h-hey, Tohru? What's with you?"
The blood drained from Tohru's face, leaving a face as white as paper. The blood pounded in her ears, and her heart slammed repeatedly against her ribcage. A wave of nausea washed over her once again, but this time, it was quite different. She grabbed the sides of Kumi's desk to steady herself.
"I-I-I…I can't…I can't believe it…Mr. Yamoto…so he did get sent to Hell after all...and it was all because I told him to talk to Kinko--! " Tohru covered her face with her hands shakily, drawing an extended breath.
Clenching her fists till their whites show, Tohru stalked to Kinko's face and drew herself to full height.
"Yamoto, how could you--!! Do you know how much he cared for you?! You…you selfish, spoiled, ignorant brat!!" Tohru shrieked at the top of her voice, her gaze filled with vicious venom.
Kinko stared back and smirked. "You again. You're so strange. What's it to you? He's MY father. I do what I like with him. He was of no use to me, what's more, he suffocates me with his nagging, his caring, his everything. If I were stronger, I would have gladly taken the task to end his life with my own hands, but I couldn't, so I let the Hell Girl do it!!" Kinko then proceeded to giggle. Her giggle sounded genuine, and from the looks of it, she really was savoring what she did with relish.
*CRASH*
Anyone who was not listening to the heated conversation taking place between the two switched their attention over to the scene. Tohru, breathing heavily, withdrew her bruised fist. Kinko twitched and moaned in pain as she lay in an awkward position, her legs remaining on her chair but her body on the floor. The whole class was taken aback, all the girls and the boys in a state of muted shock.
Nursing her red cheek gingerly, Kinko got up on her elbow. Her eyes flared and her nails dug into her palm, leaving small and precise cuts. "You, YOU BLOODY BITCH!!! I swear, I will set those Yakuza on your sorry ass! You won't be leaving the school with a single, undamaged limb!"
Unfazed, Tohru gave her an icy cold stare. It was at times like this when clichés like 'looks can kill' come to mind.
Kinko stood up and swayed uncomfortably, disturbed. She made a beeline for her schoolbag, obviously unwilling to stay when that madwoman is on rampage. Her fingers brushed against a thread on her leather bag and she glanced at it. It was vermillion, like fresh blood, and it was somewhat phosphorescent. It was also familiar.
A hideous grin invaded Kinko's pretty features.
Turning to Tohru, who was as still as a statue, she spat. "Fucking bitch, you will regret what you did today. I will do something that not even those Yakuza can do to your body!" She then proceeded to run out of the classroom, screeching with laughter.
The buzz after the commotion was certainly something to be reckoned with.
Sitting down on a random classmate's seat, Tohru nursed her throbbing head. She bit her lower lip as tears of anguish and hate ran down her cheeks with wild abandon. Even her friend stayed away from her, shocked at the sudden outburst which was so unlike her gentle self.
"Sending me to Hell, I guess. There is no limit to her stupidity…" Tohru mumbled as she wiped her tears away, but to no avail.
It was then when it occurred to Tohru that she was fighting against time. She had no choice but to send that pampered bitch to Hell before she herself got sent there first.
This time, there was no hesitation, no guiltiness, nothing. Tohru started clicking the refresh button as often as she could manage as it neared 12:00am. After her 74th click, the same page that she had visited was found. Her brown eyes reflected the red flame on the pitch-black screen.
"Kinko Yamoto."
She executed the steps like a seasoned butcher to a piece of flesh, clicking on the button that will seal Kinko's fate.
Strangely exhausted at an action that did not require any hard labor; she remembered that she had not taken her dinner. She stood up, thinking of making a sandwich with the cold chicken and ham in the fridge.
"I am surprised that you put such tasks such as filling up your stomach before exacting true revenge."
Tohru spun around, to find the same girl that she saw at the station in her room. She had neglected to turn the lights on, so the only visible parts of the girl were her face, eyes, knees and hands, giving the illusion of a floating head, which was very damaging to Tohru's disturbed mind.
Tohru stuttered uneasily, "Uhmm…yes, I did call for you…I was just--"
"So you wish to exact vengeance upon the one you truly hate?"
"Well…yes. I do. She--"
"Understand that if you truly wish for vengeance, you must pay a price. I will carry out the deed for you once you enter into an official contract with me."
"P-price..? A contract, as in like, an official lawyer's contract kind of thing??" Tohru questioned, confused.
"Something along those lines, the only difference is that no signature is needed. If I send the hated one to Hell for you, you must pay for the sin with an equally heavy price. After you die, when your soul departs from your physical body, it will never go to Heaven. Instead, you will be doomed to spend eternity in the most miserable and torturous pits of Hell, forgetting what peace and comfort feels like, losing the capability to feel any joy. Knowing that, would you still be willing to exact vengeance? "
"W-wha…" At a loss for words, Tohru stumbled into her chair, hands shaking. She looked up to speak and saw that she was in a very different place. She looked around wildly, awestruck at the beauty of this serene place. It seemed as though the whole world was bathed in a reddish tint, and a setting sun shone brightly to the right. At her left, millions of beautiful cardinal spider lilies swayed under the weight of the sparkling dewdrops, decorating the petals like gemstones. At her right, a river sparkled like a mass of precious stones. Behind it, mountains resembling as though they were bathed in blood stood majestically. A quaint traditional Minka* stood behind her, still undamaged and beautiful. The Hell Girl stood in front of her, her back towards a Herculean tree. The pristine red eyes of hers are all the more outstanding in this breathtaking place.
"W…who are you..?" Tohru had assumed that she was some sort of representative from an eccentric and shady assassination company of sorts, as funny as it sounds.
"I am Ai Enma."
Tohru's gaze shifted to the trio standing motionlessly behind her. There was an elderly man dressed in a dull colored yukata, his shoulders adorned with a bright red scarf. His expression never seemed to change; always smiling with his eyes closed. Beside him, a beautiful woman with fair skin and dark hair was smiling too, but she was doing so in a sultrier manner. She was dressed in a pretty azure kimono decorated with contrasting red flowers and green leaves. She was wearing it in a rather provocative way, exposing her shoulders and the top of her bosom. A bright red obi was tied in the front, rather than the back. At her left was a good-looking man, who looked slightly older than Tohru herself. He was dressed rather casually, in a blue hooded sweatshirt and jeans. His hair covered the left part of his face, and he was smiling slightly. Tohru just had to look twice…thrice…four times at him, repeatedly and shyly. Maybe a fifth time wouldn't hurt…
"Wanyūdō."
"I got it."
The elderly man threw the end of the scarf over his shoulder and transfigured into a black straw doll with a string a red as blood tied around its neck.
"EEEEEEEEK!! Oh, my god…" Tohru began backing away as Ai stretched the doll toward her.
"If you truly wish to exact your vengeance, you must undo this red string's knot. Once you do, you enter into an official contract with me. When one is cursed, two graves are dug, and after your body dies, your soul will immediately be ferried to Hell."
Stretching her hand shakily, Tohru took the doll from Ai. "So I will only go there after I die…I still have a long ways to go, and one lifetime is enough for me. Kinko…if only you were not like that…" And with a deep breath, Tohru yanked the string with all her might, shutting her eyes against the flow of tears. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was back in her old room, holding nothing but a red string.
*thump*
A hand covered thinly with bubbles pulled the pink shower screen back. A head of wet blond hair looked out from behind it. Soft, melodious music flowed out lazily from the speakers located at the four corners of the ceiling. Penteli, Carrara, and Yule marble flooring along with basins complimented the Galala walls, and Louis Vuitton towels hung from the gold-plated rack.
"Mother...is that you?" Kinko called from the gold-rimmed bathtub in her king-sized bathroom. Getting no reply, she shrugged and rested her head on the bath-pillow. "Ah…this is the best. After all the shit I had to take at school, this bath just washes it away like those problems never existed. Stupid girl, she wouldn't have the balls to do such an atrocious deed! Ha ha!" She looked down at her chest, where a small black tattoo was etched. It was very recent, though this did not require a needle and ink. She shrugged again, looking at the ceiling, where a LED screen was switched to her favorite channel.
Suddenly, the electricity was cut. Kinko froze, but recovered quickly. "Mother..?" The whole Yamoto residence was as quiet as a grave. Her own beating heart was almost audible now. Even the water droplets from the tap ceased.
"MOTHER?! ARE YOU THERE? PLEASE SWITCH IT BACK ON!!!"
Using her rising voice to cover up her fear, Kinko dreaded the obvious fact; her mother had left for another bout of Japanese mahjong with her friends. "Grrraaagh! Why is it that everything had to go bad for me today??? I know my cell phone is here somewhere…"
All of a sudden, the moon reappeared behind the thick cover of clouds, illuminating a good deal of the bathroom. Kinko sighed in relief and motioned to finish her bath, when the water moved before she even stood up.
Something is in the bath.
"…"
A violent shudder ran through her body. The shadows shrunk, and now the bath was illuminated as well. Submerged in the bath along with Kinko was a mass of brown and blonde hair. Multiple hands, stretching from the water, as thin and crooked as branches gripped the sides of the bathtub until the white of their knuckles showed. Slowly, the mass of hair rose above the water and beneath it; a face of deformed mouths and drooped eyes stared at Kinko.
"WwhhyYyYY…YaMOto…KIIInkooO…YoUR FAtherRRr…"
A jumbled mass of barely decipherable speech tumbled out of the mouths in warped voices.
"F-F-F-FATHER..?? T-T-TOHRU TA-TAKUECHI??!! W-WHA…" Kinko screamed as she stepped out of the bath. Pulling a bathrobe around her naked body, she lifted her right foot hurriedly out of the bath, but a scrawny hand stuck out from the water and grabbed hold of it. Her left foot slipped under the smooth marble and her head collided with the marble countertop, causing her to black out.
"….oo…lo…hello…"
Hearing a distant voice, Kinko opened her eyes, desperate to find someone to seek comfort. She looked around and saw that she was in her school. "Wha…?" Sitting up, she saw that a boy with hair over his left eye was squatting beside her. "What's wrong with you?" The boy asked, frowning.
"I'm in school…why would I be here?? Hey, you, is it night time already?" Kinko got up hurriedly. She looked around and saw that a lesson was on. She observed everyone's heads, they were all normal. Had she passed out somehow? It's impossible…if not--
"Teacher, this girl broke my watch as she fell on me! I want compensation!!"
"What?" Kinko turned to the boy, who held out an ordinary watch. "That piece of junk? I did you a favor when I broke it! If it is money that you want, I got it!"
The boy turned on her angrily. "You can't pay for this, you wouldn't have enough!"
Upset, Kinko spat at him. "I, Kinko Yamoto, would not have enough money?! Even the thought of it is hilarious!"
The teacher turned and waved a newspaper. "It is true, Yamoto, your father died of unknown reasons, and all his assets were transferred to charity funds. So, to make things simple, you are now officially broke."
Her mouth was left open in utter shock and terror. "Im…Impossible…! I--"
"Alright…since you don't have any money, I'll just have to take your life to appease my anger." The male then proceeded to take out a kitchen knife from his desk, grinning as the light reflected off the blade.
"What?! Are you freaking crazy?! My life for a watch, don't fuck with me!!!" Kinko screamed, genuinely terrified. All of her classmates turned around with blank faces and wielded knives, slowly walking towards her. She gave a last scream and ran towards the door, shutting it with all her might. A female teacher dressed in very inappropriate clothing with dark hair tied up in a pony tail, and deep brown eyes walked to her, eyebrows raised. "Ara ara, what's this? Such un-ladylike behavior. Kinko Yamoto, isn't it?"
Breathing hard, Kinko had no more energy left in her to snap at the teacher. She just simply frowned, and said softly. "You're going to regret it, teacher. No one insults the Yamotos and lives to see a new day in absolute peace." The lady teacher grimaced, and hugging her books closer to her very exposed bosom, she whispered, "Looks like we'll have to teach this brat how to be nice, eh?" Upon the end of the sentence, the Yakuza girls appeared from behind the teacher, each wearing hideous smirks and grins.
"Hey, Kinko-chan~. Looks like you're in a bit of trouble, huh? Need our help?"
"You girls are just right on the time…now; do help me whip up this stupid bitch!"
A girl with 5 piercings on her face produced a penknife. She and Kinko exchange brief smirks. "It'll be our pleasure, Princess." In a flash, a deep slit appeared on Kinko's thigh. Horrified, she screamed and stemmed the wound with her skirt. "What the fu--" Another girl spoke as she walked over to Kinko calmly. "You see, Princess, us girls were sick of your antics for a long, long time. You bitching at us, telling us what to do, as if we were your slaves…it just freaking drives us up the wall, you catch my drift?" Kinko shivered as the girl scratched her face gently with metallic blue, studded nails.
"Let's give you a little something that might change your attitude a little, hmm?"
All at once, the girls rushed past the lady teacher, who had a sultry smile and was crossing her arms, to Kinko, who was cowering at the wall, trembling in absolute fear. Blows were dealt on her arms, stomach, legs and face. Even her sensitive areas were not spared. Tears flowed as Kinko tried to defend herself in vain. "S…STOP, PLEASE, STOP IT!!! PLEASE…I PROMISE I WON'T DO IT AGAIN, PLEASE! ARGH!" She screamed, her pleas falling on deaf ears.
And suddenly, the assault ceased. Kinko could not even move a single muscle. Gingerly, she twitched and looked up to the ceiling, where a raven-haired girl dressed in a black kimono with floral designs stood effortlessly. The girl spoke in an extremely soothing yet somehow highly disturbing voice.
"Pitiful shadow bound in darkness, bringing suffering and pain upon people, tormenting them. Your soul drowns in your sins. How would you like a glimpse of death?"
Kinko wept in fear and horror as she watched the ceiling caved in on her, and darkness swept her away like a flood.
The sound of something hitting water brought Kinko back. Above her, the sky was neither black nor blue. It was a deep purple, and instead of a moon or a Sun, a dim light in the form of four petals shone down upon her. She sat up, and she saw an endless river, where thousands of quaint lanterns drifted lazily, as there seems to be no current flowing through the river. The same girl who spoke to her was looking ahead, rowing the boat without uttering a single sound.
"H-hey, you. Turn this boat around! I will give you as much money as you want!"
"Oh-ho, money, is it? Now that is something I like," the teacher she saw at the corridor earlier appeared beside her suddenly. "It seems you and I can get along well, Princess~" The lady then embraced her, transfiguring to a skeleton as they got closer.
"GAAAAK! GET AWAY FROM ME, FREAK! AHHH!"
The screams ensued, and Ai just rowed on silently. "You're coming with me, we're going to Hell."
"Tohru, are you sure you're okay? You're not swimming?" Her friend, Kumi waved from the shallow end of the school's swimming pool.
"Y-yea, I don't feel too well. I didn't bring my swimming suit anyway..." Tohru called back, sitting alone at the stands. She made sure no one was looking before she pulled down her uniform, exposing her chest. A new black tattoo adorned spot above her heart, as a reminder of her sin. Maybe she might even see Kinko again..?
~~~~おわり~~~~
A: OH GODS. THIS TOOK ME FOREVER. I'm truly sorry that I have been gone. Oh, well, not like I have been missed, eh~ ;P
I kinda went wild on describing the characters. See, I really like the Hell correspondence team. Ichimoku Ren and Honne Onna are my favs~ I feel like I haven't done them justice at all. Reviews would be awesome, so please go crazy~! Oh yes, does Kinko seem like a bad enough girl??? I'm not too sure; I wanted her to be as snobbish and irritating as I could get her to be. Heh heh heh. Oh well, enough of me. I'm terribly hopeful that you would like this chapter, so puleezz give me lots of reviews~~. ));