The following day, Takuma and Hanabusa sought out Akatsuki privately to speak to him about their discoveries. Akatsuki left Ruka in Senri and Rima's care for the time being and headed to Takuma's room.
"I think what we found should answer your questions, Akatsuki," Takuma said, laying several sheets of papers on his desk. "Hanabusa and I brought along here whatever we could find."
"Thanks, both of you. Now, let's see what we have here."
"Do you know much about the long-time war between the Kain, Shiga and Souen families?" Hanabusa asked.
Akatsuki's features tightened. "My kinsmen don't talk much about it."
"The Souens were descended from a male pureblood generations ago," Takuma explained. "One who mated with the daughter of a pureblood. What happened next still remains a slight mystery. None of the records in the library say why it happened, but they do mention that several members of the Kain clan, along with the help of another pureblood from the Shiga family, grouped together and murdered the Souen pureblood."
Akatsuki frowned hard. "That's not something I've heard of."
"It's just here. See?" Takuma pointed a long, pale finger at one of the lines inscribed on a yellowish paper.
Akatsuki's eyes followed the characters swiftly, taking in all the information. "It's not hard to guess what happened next," he commented.
Hanabusa nodded. "Precisely. The Souen clan vowed revenge on the Kain clan after they discovered who was responsible. Without mercy, they hunted them down like animals and slaughtered every Kain they could get their hands on. The Shigas got let off; seems the Souen family failed to discover they too were involved. As far as we know, the feud goes on even now."
"Silly, really, if you think about it," Takuma said. "To think that the murder of a single pureblood could set off such a long chain of hatred and revenge."
"Purebloods are considered a sacred existence, remember?" Akatsuki reminded him. "There's no way any clan would just forget such a murder."
"Shall we proceed?" Hanabusa enquired. "There's more to this then what we've said."
"Yes, yes, go on."
"The Shiga clan has long been renowned for their single-mindedness," Hanabusa read out. "And for their ruthlessness. They're not the kind of folk who can ever forgive or forget any offenses against them. Hurt one of them, and your life is immediately jeopardized."
"How exactly does the Shiga clan fall into all of this?"
"They've been friends of the Kain clan long before even the Souen pureblood was murdered," Takuma responded. "Though the Souen family didn't target them for the murder of the pureblood, the Shigas were furious when they found out what happened. They took an oath to stand by the Kain clan, as they had been doing for ages, and joined forces to attack all the Souens they could find."
Akatsuki let out a long, slow whistle.
"A surprising change came about when Hitoshi Shiga and his wife Kazuko Shiga came into power," Hanabusa continued. "Contrary to most of the Shigas, the duo was kind, gentle, wise and longed for nothing more than peace between the three clans. The two of them spent their whole life fighting a peaceful battle for reconciliation. Until they were murdered brutally more than a decade ago, by unnamed perpetrators from the Souen clan. No reason is given for their murder."
"Mmm." Akatsuki nodded. "Akemi is an orphan."
"What?" Takuma's head jerked up at once. "You're saying that Hitoshi-sama and Kazuko-sama are Akemi-san's parents?"
"Yes," Akatsuki sighed.
"Well, that is something," Hanabusa remarked, his blue eyes widening. "Akemi-san seems nothing like them."
"How do you know Akemi's parents, anyway?" Takuma enquired.
"That's not important," Akatsuki hastily replied. "Ichijou-sama, just proceed, please."
"Alright." Takuma cast Akatsuki a funny glance momentarily, before going on. "Of course, there was no way on earth the Shigas would forgive such a murder. They struck back after that, hard. More Souen blood was shed than before. The Kains joined them, and the cycle of hatred continued. Hitoshi-sama and Kazuko-sama had been most beloved to both clans."
"This is the part I hate most," Akatsuki muttered.
"You want to hear more, or should we stop now?" Takuma asked, not failing to note the look on Akatsuki's face.
"Go on, Ichijou-sama."
"The Kains apparently have some connections with the Hunters Association," Hanabusa said. "Determined to exact revenge on the Souens, the Kains communicated with them and agreed to pay them a huge sum if they succeeded in exterminating the Souen killers."
"And they did succeed. I know what happens next. It was my own father and mother that brought about the death of Ruka's parents and almost killed her. "
There was a very long, tense silence in which one could hear a pin dropping onto the floor. Takuma and Hanabusa stared with open mouths at Akatsuki, unable to believe their ears. In a shadow of a whisper, Takuma managed to utter, "Your own parents brought about Ruka's darkness and despair?!"
At this point, Akatsuki became aware that someone was listening outside. Stiffening with shock, Akatsuki fiercely gestured to Takuma and Hanabusa to be silent, before striding across silently and yanking the door open.
Ruka stood outside, paler than a wraith. Her eyes seemed to see nothing, and yet were filled with enough malice and hatred to burn a hole right through Akatsuki. Neither of them seemed able to move an inch.
"Ruka..."
Without a word, Ruka spun round on her heels and vanished down the corridor.
Ok dokie, now you know why!!! Thank you, reviewers, for your constant support!
