Chapter nine:
The host club following the woman head into the country side through some woods and to a place that unless you knew where to look you would probably never find it.
The woman gets them inside then she gestures for Haruhi to be put on a single bed.
The house looks to be a one story place with the bathroom being in a small area attached to the house but no door so you can kind of see inside it.
There is bottles on the shelves and it shows the place of a healer possibly from a magic movie or something.
The woman begins looking through her stuff as Haruhi is put on the bed where she sits.
The others step back as the woman puts the bottles back not grabbing anything.
The woman goes over to Haruhi. "It'll be best if I did it the old fashioned way." She says to herself. She kneels in front of Haruhi taking a look at Haruhi's wound on her leg. "Hold still." She tells Haruhi. She reaches forward and acts like she's going to grab Haruhi's leg with one hand on either side but her hands hover not far from Haruhi's leg.
A warm looking soft yellowish white glow appears around her hands and she does this for a few moments before stopping.
She pulls away and Haruhi's leg is healed. "It wasn't a bad wound." She says. "Easy fix." She turns away as if to silently tell them to now leave her alone.
"You can use magic." Tamaki gasps.
The woman looks grumpily at them. "You're still here?"
Kyouya moves forward as Haruhi gets up finding it's like her leg was never hurt. "I have a question for you." He says.
The woman looks a little more grumpily at Kyouya. "Why are you still here?" She questions for a second time.
Kyouya pulls out the photo and shows it to the woman. "Are you perhaps the one that helped them?"
The woman grumbles. "I'll play your game as long as you get out." She turns fully to Kyouya taking the photo and looks at it. She gasps and seems to be remembering something.
….
The boat finds the docks and the group gets the twins ashore.
The twins look up at the tower that truly looks amazing, magical yet a hint of evil at the same time.
Kaoru can't help but grip Hikaru's hand a little tighter.
….
The woman looks to Kyouya demanding. "Where did you get this?"
"Just as I thought. You did help them." Kyouya says pushing up his glasses that always seem to be falling down. "They are our friends. The group we were fighting when you saved Haruhi here." He gestures his head to Haruhi. "Are a part of the group that took them. We were about to go after them when we were attacked."
The woman blinks as all that Kyouya says sinks in. "Well yes I did. Truly it was something I wouldn't wish upon such young boys."
"May I ask how you helped Kaoru? The one that has the eye patch in the photo?" Kyouya asks.
"Please miss healer?" Hunny pleads putting on a cute face.
The woman slightly glances away. "My name is Maxine." She retorts. "Well I'll tell you this. The poor child's eye was badly damaged." She turns back to them. "I did my best for him."
"What did you have to do?" Haruhi asks. "What you did for me?"
….
Hikaru and Kaoru are taken up the steps until they find themselves facing Hans in what could be a throne room.
"Long time no see you two." Hans says and he definitely looks like an evil ruler who has done his best to remain handsome. He looks to Kaoru only to frown. "My my what's this?" He doesn't get up from what could be considered his throne chair. "You defiantly seem to be missing something." He moves so he has one of his arms resting on the arm rests up so he can put his cheek on his fist to support his head. "Your left eye doesn't even a scar." He says.
"Of course not." Kaoru responds.
…
"No." Maxine says. "It was much too damaged. Truly a terrible wound."
"Then how did you heal him?" Hunny asks.
Maxine goes silent for a few moments.
….
"Almost makes me think you are an imposter. I expected a scar to be left behind." Hans says.
Hikaru and Kaoru remember what happened.
Flashback:
It had been a regular day of work at first.
But this time Hans had an idea.
"Ok listen." He tells, Kaoru, Hikaru, Parry and Cathy. "Last time I walked past a spot I think I found a way that might help all of us escape or possibly find a weakness." He gestures for them to follow him.
They do and they sneak around doing their best to just seem like they are working as they go until finally they sneak in through a crack that leads deeper into what they are building.
The walls show that it's like a cave with some work done on it.
Hans leads them to a spot.
"Are you sure about this?" Hikaru asks.
Hans brings his hands up to the wall and starts to try to dig his way through. "It has to be here."
"HEY!" A voice says making them all freeze.
Oh crap they've been found!
Fearfully they turn to see three of the people that imprisoned them.
"What are you doing!?" One demands.
The kids fearfully take a step back but they are trapped between the wall and these three people that helped imprison them.
"Planning to escape?!" Another one of the three growls. "Alright who's idea was this!?"
The kids try to press themselves against the wall quite fearful.
"It must have been that ginger haired boy." The third one snorts. "Looks of a trouble maker on that one."
Then suddenly Kaoru is roughly scooped up.
"Kaoru!" Hikaru tries to get to Kaoru as his brother is being carried away as if he isn't even a human being but the other two force them to stop.
"You'll be having your own punishments for following him." One of the two left growl.
The kids metal bracelets that are the cuffs binding them get turned into cuffs as the holders float over to bind them. They are taken away as Hikaru struggles.
"Kaoru!" Hikaru continues to call his brothers name. "KAORU!"
"Shut up!" One of the two people from the three with the other kids slams a whip down hard onto Hikaru's back then slams a foot right to where the fresh wound would be.
Hikaru gasps and stumbles forward in pain.
Kaoru is also struggling and whimpering out his brothers name. He wants this nightmare to be over! He is taken to one of the rooms that has a place to tie Kaoru up.
The person ties Kaoru to the pole like crystal so he can't escape.
Then he takes a step back as another person working for the ones that imprisoned the workers comes in.
"This one needs to be severely punished. Teach him a lesson hard that he will never forget." The one that brought Kaoru in explains.
The other smirks. "No problem." He grabs a sword that is a little big obviously made for the worst punishments. "When I'm done he won't dare misbehave again."
Kaoru can't help but stare wide eyed in horror at the sword.
"Time to teach you a lesson brat." The one with the sword hisses as he begins to approach.
...
Meanwhile the other kids that had been a part of the group are being taken somewhere as they head outside.
Some of the other workers look over to them.
Hikaru looks wide eyed and pleading. "Please! We can stop them!"
"Shut up!" One of the ones taking the kids gets angry and slams a whip onto the back of Hikaru's neck harshly.
Hikaru gasps and stumbles forward a little but manages to stay standing.
The children continue to be lead away then separated. Each going to get a punishment as they are tied up like Kaoru.
There is one person each waiting to punish the kids.
The kids get whipped multiple times then attacked with magic such as being shocked.
...
Kaoru tenses as he knows great pain is going to come.
The sword is raised then it is brought down onto Kaoru.
Kaoru screams out in pain.
The sword is pulled away as Kaoru hunches forward as much as he can while still being tied up.
He is slightly shivering as the pain courses through his body.
"We're just getting started you brat." The one with the sword chuckles.
…..
Hikaru struggles trying to get free.
The whip is raised again but then suddenly there is sounds that is like fighting.
The one punishing Hikaru turns to the entrance way into the room. "What's this?"
Hikaru looks up hopefully.
Could it be?
Suddenly Hans comes into the room with a sword.
"Get back to work!" The one that was punishing Hikaru raises the whip to strike Hans.
Hans dashes forward slicing the ones side then races to Hikaru to cut the binds.
Hikaru looks gratefully at Hans.
The one turns with a growl. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Hans smirks and lets out a low laugh that has Hikaru sensing something wrong with Hans.
Something isn't right… It's like he's changed.
"Go." Hans tells Hikaru then charges towards the one.
Hikaru dashes out to go to find his brother. He sees the revolution going on. He moves to begin searching for his brother. He tries to follow the direction he saw Kaoru being taken in as he dodges the fighting going on.
"Take this." Cathy hands Hikaru an extra sword as he passes by her.
"Thanks." Hikaru takes it and keeps going. "Kaoru?" He looks for any sign of his brother.
Finally he is sure he's on the right track as he can feel it inside of himself.
…..
The one punishing Kaoru pauses hearing noises.
The one that brought Kaoru to the room hisses. "Don't just stop. Keep going. I will investigate what's going on." He turns to leave then suddenly Hikaru bursts in and attacks the surprised one that was about to leave. He is knocked to the ground into unconsciousness.
Kaoru hasn't really noticed as he's still hunched over in pain.
Hikaru quickly moves to the one with the sword and stabs his back.
The sword is dropped and Hikaru pulls his sword out of the man's back.
The man tries to attack Hikaru but gets stabbed in the stomach making him gasp only to fall to the ground as Hikaru removes the sword.
He races over to his brother. "Kaoru!"
"Hikaru!" Kaoru's voice gasps happily with a hint of pain.
Hikaru cuts the ropes binding Kaoru and Kaoru falls forward. "Kaoru!" He drops the sword and falls to his knees like his brother. He notices that there is blood on part of one side of Kaoru's face.
Kaoru brings a hand up as if to check it but he flinches and pulls his hand away that now has blood on it.
"Your hurt." Hikaru says very worriedly. He moves so he can take a look as he tries to gently get his brother to show him. "Let me look."
Kaoru looks up to his brother.
Hikaru gasps as he looks to the wound on Kaoru's eye regarding it with slight horror and worry. He looks around for something knowing it would probably help if he had something to put over it. "Hold on." He says getting to his feet. "Stay here." He looks for anything that might help then he notices that the one with the sword seems to have the medical eye patch and a spare one that hasn't been open just sticking out of his pocket. He grabs the spare one and goes to Kaoru opening it then putting it over Kaoru's eye. "There." He says. "Does that feel a little better?"
Kaoru nods. "Yeah a little."
"Alright." Hikaru gets to his feet and Kaoru does the same. He grabs the sword then slices a part of the clothing on the one that had the sword so he can clean his brothers face and hand.
After that they head out and find that the revolution is still happening but the ones that had been enslaved seem to be winning as the time of hard work they were forced to do have made them stronger.
"Look out!" Grandpa Robert suddenly jumps in the way of Kaoru and Hikaru taking the hit if a magical blast heading their way. He is destroyed right in front of them but neither of the twins were hurt because of the blast.
"Hans might need help." Hikaru says as they try to remain strong for Grandpa Robert even though it hurt them badly to see that happen. "We can't lose anyone else."
Kaoru nods and they head to find Hans.
When they find him Hans is standing a room with about four or five of the evil people around him looking dead.
"Hans you're alright!" Hikaru says in relief.
Hans turns and even Kaoru can sense something off. "What happened?" He ass noticing the eye patch. He goes over and moves it to look before putting it back. "I see." He says not needing any more information.
Cheering comes from outside meaning that they have won.
"We can go home!" Kaoru brightens.
"I think we should finish the tower." Hans says. "Not as slaves this time."
Hikaru and Kaoru turn wide eyed to Hans.
"You can't be serious!" Hikaru says. "Don't you want to go home?"
"What home?" Hans points out. "Think about. We have nothing left. If we just left in search of a new place then all we'll be is trash. I am sure of it."
"You don't know!" Hikaru counters. "We could be welcomed with open arms!"
"Or they could be like those that imprisoned us!" Hans snaps.
"What happened to you?" Kaoru asks sadly. "This isn't the Hans we know."
"I have come to see the truth." Hans says. "Now let's stay and finish this. We only belong together."
Hikaru shakes his head. "No. We don't have to finish this damned tower!" He says. "Why would we?! It's the reason we were treated the way we were!"
"I want to go home." Kaoru whimpers.
"Since you don't want to finish the tower then if you ever returned to the tower of life then I would kill everyone." Hans says in warning.
"Come on Kaoru." Hikaru takes his brothers hand and they leave.
They head out and climb onto one of the boats.
Hikaru goes to the very front. "WE CAN GO HOME!" He calls.
But then suddenly before anyone can say anything the ships are suddenly being destroyed.
Kaoru and Hikaru are knocked away.
Hikaru say Hans seeming to use magic just before the ships were destroyed. "Hans….. Why?"
Kaoru realizes that it was most likely Hans work.
When they awaken they are on an unfamiliar shore.
Hikaru is the first to get up then Kaoru.
"What now? Hans is right about one thing… We don't have a home to return to." Kaoru says sadly.
Hikaru goes to his brother and puts an arm around him. "We'll figure out something."
Kaoru nods trusting his brother.
They continue until they find a city that seems so big, strange and mysterious due to the fact that they had been imprisoned thus didn't know much on the outside world. They are hurt, dirty and have nothing but the ratty clothes they were wearing.
"Are you lost?" A woman's voice says.
The two turn and see a woman. They wonder if she is going to hurt them.
She takes in their looks. "Do you have any place to go to? Where is your parents?"
The two look to each other sadly.
"Oh you poor things." The woman gasps as the nonverbal response was enough. "Well why don't you come live with me?" She offers. "I promise to take care of you."
Hikaru looks hesitant but as Kaoru could sense the good of the woman steps forward as if to say ok. Hikaru trusts his brother and the two follow the woman hand in hand.
End of flashback.
"Yes. Like it's an imposter." Hans hums. "Well I suppose lucky for you things happened earlier than I had thought it would. I thought it would take longer." He turns away slightly in thought then shrugs and glances back to them as he continues. "I have high doubts that you will be cooperative willingly." He says. He gives a nod and the twins are taken away.
They are taken away to be put in a room where they will be kept until it is time for whatever Hans has planned to begin.
Hikaru struggles but they are put into a cell like place though it is more comfortable than the kind they were put in as slaves.
They don't have a way to get out now.
"We'll wait till they open the door." Hikaru says his plan. "Then we escape and try to stop whatever it is Hans is planning to do."
Kaoru nods.
Hikaru brings his brother into his arms. "It'll be ok." He soothes.
Kaoru snuggles close to his brother closing his eyes letting Hikaru hold him to comfort him in which he finds Hikaru is more comforted if he is comforted.
Now it's the waiting game.