Chapter Four

Kurama followed Kayama to her home. The way consisted of three bus rides and a three mile walk to the outskirts of town.

Her rules were to keep up to thirty yards between them, and to be silent, speaking not even to the specters of his mind.

When they arrived at her house, she turned and signaled for Kurama to stay put where he was.

Khristsfer was waiting for her behind the door. He reachd out and grabbed her behind her neck, dragging her into the room.

"Where in the Hell have you been?" He asked, shaking her. He didn't wait for an answer, but slapped her across the face so hard Kurama could almost feel it from his spot in a tree across the street.

"I was-" she was cut off by Vicky's kick to the face.

"Hmm… I wonder how long it will take me to break her jaw. Shall we find out?" Vicky asked Khristsfer.

Kayama tried to run, and actually got to her room, but unhappily didn't get the door closed. Kurama couldn't see her from his perch, but from her screams, whatever they were doing to her were too gruesome for him to ever want to see.

He wasn't supposed to see this! Kayama thought, feeling ashamed at letting him see her siblings beating her. She remembered staying long nights in his arms, away from her abusive family the only times she felt like more than a punching bag.

He didn't know what it was, but something was making him want to help her. Something making it hard to stay where he was. Her screams had stopped but he felt uncomfotable knowing she was hurt.

Kayama, in an attempt to spare him the experiance, and with superhuman effort, stopped screaming. She knew the torture would only get worse because of her lack of reaction, but even if he didn't remember it, she loved him and was not willing to let him suffer in any way.

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Khristsfer watched as his older sister beat his younger sister. It wasn't something he liked in particular, just something that was needed to keep the girl in check. She wouldn't fight back until her heart was completely cold and unfeeling. Then, she would no longer feel anything for Kurama, making her ust that much weaker. She wouldn't be able to use her plants any longer due to her inability to feel. He would have her kill Vicky, then he would kill her, and have both of their powers and be alone in his power.

Then she stopped screaming.

This pissed Vicky off. In an attempt to get more out of the girl, she made the torments longer and much more painful.

"Vicky." I said, a warning for her to stop. Kayama was close to death, the only way she could have possibly stopped screaming on her own.

"But-" Vicky protested. I glared at her and she paused.

"No. Leave her be. She has to go to school tomorrow and fool the boy. He saw the last marks. I don't wnat him suspicious." She looked like she had something else to say." No arguments." I added.

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Kayama was grateful to her older brother as he ceased the torments. The both of them left her room and spoke in hushed tones.

She was exhausted. Notscreaming was easier than she thought it would be. Mulling over that thought, she went to her mirror. Her face was red on one side. She'd had worse.

She saw Kurama sitting on his tree branch across the street. She subtlely waved him over.

He was there much sooner than she expected. "Are you okay?" He asked urgently.

"I'm fine. Look, we need to get something from my brother. He has my sword, the Right Hand of Cassiel. I need it to avoid detection. I can't go into his room though."

"What makes you think I can get it?"

"You are the best bandit in all of the Makai. That's what."

"I'm not living as a demon anymore. I can't help you." He felt bad the second he said it, but didn't want to go back on his word to himself.

"Okay. Then can you do one thing for me?"

"What?"

"Take this, and be me for a while." She handed him a seed to the Illusion Plant, a Makai plant that temporarily turned the consumer into the person of their choice.

"Fine. Just be quick about it." He took the seed and she slunk off around the house to her brother's room.

She saw her sword up aginst the wall in Khristsfer's room, and felt a bit of anger that her sword was being so mistreated. She refocused herself and got back to the task at hand.

Khristsfer was not in his room. She took advantage of this and crept in as quietly and quickly as she could. She could not feel safe until she had her sword in her hands and her powers restored.