But then, he stopped, pausing mid-air on top of his chest where his mark of humiliation was burnt unto him. Yagen lifted a hand to caress the mark on the courtesan's chest. He was so thin that his ribcage was visible through his skin. He can feel it, his heart beat, hear his breathing. He had known Souza for so long, ever since this mark was carved into him, no, not the fake memories he currently had, but the original one that had happened so long ago.
When Souza was first taken from Lord Imagawa Yoshimoto from the battle of Okehazama, when he was modified and had that name carved into him, how he had looked when Yagen entered the display room. Souza had sat so elegantly on the display, like a fallen bird, so fragile and lost….broken. Everything he knew was robbed away from him and he was reduced to a mere decoration owned as a trophy for the demon lord Oda Nobunaga.
He was a sword no longer use for war but served instead as a trophy for recognition.
Now he looked even worse, with nothing left of him intact.
"I can't," Yagen muttered, getting up.
"What's the matter?" Souza asked quietly, taunting even. "Will, you not hold a broken bird that you've been cheated into paying?"
"That's not it." The tantou retreated, cupping a hand to his face. "Souza, not like this."
Souza glowered at him, getting up slowly as well. "Who are you?" He finally let curiosity get the better of him.
"You asked me just now if you knew me, that if we have known each other," Yagen started. "We do, Souza, far longer than you've known."
"I-I don't understand." The courtesan stumbled, holding on to his robes.
"You do!" Yagen replied desperately, looking straight at him, "I know you still remember me!"
Souza stared at him in disbelief. He couldn't comprehend what he was saying.
"You're not a courtesan, Souza, you're not even human!" Yagen started "You're a sword of the Samonji clan, made by the great Saemonzaburo!" He pleaded, spluttering each word without care. "You were owned by Imagawa Yoshimoto but was taken by Oda Nobunaga, carved and mutilated, you were used as a display and a symbol of conquerors, you've dismayed over that even until today!"
Souza was already backing away from him, clutching his robes tightly. His hand pressed against his head as pain marred through his temple. What was Yagen saying?!
"You manifested in our current master's citadel, do you not remember?!" Yagen was had grasped on his shoulders to stop him from going any further, "You failed a mission, time distorted and now you don't even remember me!" He shook him so desperately, searching for a sign of recognition in the courtesan's eyes, "Please, you've got to remember! Souza Samonji!"
Souza's memories were flashing through his eyes, but this time, it was a mix of what he believed and what he do not remember. The time in Yoshimoto's house as an apprentice, that time he was at put on display, that time he was violated, that time he watched everyone left for war without him-
Which is real?!
"No...quiet, shut up!" Souza cried out, both hands on his head as a shrill noise broke through his conscious, deafening to him.
Yagen stopped, noticing that there were tendrils of black and purple around the sword. The air was growing cold and the courtesan was flickering with a burst of energy.
"S-Souza…" Yagen called out to him, extending his hand.
"Who...am I…" Came Souza's soft whisper. He had bend over, clutching his head tightly. The information must've hurt him so much that Yagen had started regretting for pouring it all out so quickly. "Souza...I-I'm sorry." The tantou replied.
Souza was still quiet, flickering with the faint energy. This is bad.
"Souza…?" Yagen called again, but Souza only hit his hand away, looking up with animosity. "I...must save my brother." He muttered, getting up. Yagen backed away, shocked by the miasma he was emitting. The purple glow had faded but something was definitely wrong with him.
He reached for the door as he tied his robe simply to cover himself. Yagen called after him but the courtesan ignored him, pacing down the floor like a soulless zombie. "If I am...not even...human...what is the point...of my nightmares…?" Souza muttered as he swayed down the hall. "Which one am I...a sword that served no purpose or a rotten flesh…?"
"Souza!" Yagen ran out to catch up, but Souza too has increased speed in his stride.
Where did they take him?
Sayo. My little brother.
If I can't protect myself then I will protect him!
My brother shall know not the corruption of this world, my brother will not be a victim of his cruel reign!
The Shinzo quarters is located at the back of the teahouse. With a house of almost a hundred courtesans, half of them were kept here to train before they can be sold off for their first. Sayo had been taken here in light of the incident but he wasn't so calm in following their orders, so much so that they had to keep him in a room locked with a wooden door. They would house some of the more violent or disobedient ones here. Sayo remembered being in one long ago when he first arrived here with his brother.
He rattled the door harshly, hammering the wood until the pad of his fist had started bleeding. "Let me out…" He begged, quietly slipping down to the floor. "Nii-sama...needs me…" They had come into the room and taken him in the dead of the night. He didn't know clearly what happened and only overheard some conversation about Yuri running away and their intention in making him a Kagema too.
His attempts in running back to Souza's side has landed him in this room instead. His voice was already hoarse from shouting and he silently wondered what did they do to his brother.
Suddenly, he heard a commotion outside. People were shouting and loud footsteps thundered on the floor as if someone was running through the hall with great speed.
"Someone stop him!" Someone shouted. He could hear a few yelps and shrieks of people getting pushed out of the path of whoever's running down the hall.
"Tori-niisan?! What are you doing here!" Someone yelped and Sayo heard another tumbling noise.
Tori? Nii-sama!
"Nii-sama!" Sayo shouted again, hammering the door. "Nii-sama, I'm inside here!"
"Sayo!" The voice drew near and Sayo heard someone unlatching the door from outside. The door swung open, revealing his disheveled brother, running towards him and pulling him into his arms.
"Sayo, are you alright?!" His brother hold him at arm's length to have a good look at him, turning him slightly to make sure there weren't any injuries. Sayo shook his head to reassure his brother. Other than a few bruises from the house's rough handling, his was fine. Souza's face was far worse than his. Souza took his hand, noticing the blood on his fist. "Let's get out of here," His brother muttered, carrying him up easily.
"Tori, you got your brother….now come back with us…" Ranmaru was already at the door.
"You are only going to take him away again, so no." The courtesan replied, backing away.
"Tori...If you come quietly, we promise that we won't separate you both again." Ranmaru pleaded, walking into the room slowly. "Please, I don't want to hurt you."
"You guys promised me that years ago...and now you tore my brother away from me!" Souza snapped, rage rising in him. His head was still ringing with pain, the tension between his fake and real memories throwing him into deeper confusion. "I...I don't even know what is real anymore...but I know that...I will not let you all have Sayo!"
He didn't even know what was happening. But the pain was real. Sayo was staring in disbelief at the flickering of purple energy his brother was emitting, but he held on tightly anyway, trusting in his brother the most. Suddenly, Souza ran forward, attacking with a sword that he had pulled out of nowhere, formed by the purple miasma that surrounded him.
The sword's blade was sharp but it shone with a dark shadow. Ranmaru had jumped away with surprise but Souza was startled too. He studied the blade and before Ranmaru could stop him, bolted out of the open door.
Sayo clung to him anxiously, wondering what was going on. The hallway outside was strewn with others who had been pushed aside by Souza earlier. Far ahead, Hasebe was leading a team of guards towards them. Sayo felt Souza's grasp on him tightened as he backed away and ran down the opposite direction, pushing down anyone in their path.
They bolted down the corridor as fast as their feet could carry them, turning the corners and dodging guards as they run. "Nii-sama!" Souza warned when the road was clogged up by guards who had noticed them, pointing and running towards them. Having nowhere left to go, Souza pushed his way through the shoji doors beside him, running across the room and jumping out of the window. The grass was soft under his feet and the lanterns that lined the garden provided no hiding space for them. Everyone in the garden, customers and courtesans, attendants and onlookers noticed them immediately, but Souza had no time to stop. He heard shouting behind him and quickly pick up speed, when someone jumped on him, causing him to fall over and drop Sayo.