Author Note: This chapter begins after Aimee's been kidnapped. In other words what happened to Aimee during Ch. Thirteen. The next chapter will be what happens next.
(Aimee's POV)
I groan feeling little stones dig into my belly and tear at my face. I blink my eyes open only to be met with near darkness. A flicker of light shines far away down the hall, allowing me minimal visibility. I stare out the crusty black metal bars fearing He would come back and finish his fun. I twitch my fingers, my arms resting at my sides motionless. I twist my head till it rests on my chin. Everything seems to be fine, I think. It could have been a lot worse. I shiver remembering what He did to me after the kidnapping. So much pain, I whimper. I drag my hands till they rest at my chest. Palms flat against the ground I push up. I hiss as the long tears in my back open up and bleed freely again. I feel the blood trail down my back to my stomach and watch as it drips onto the ground, a dark spot on the dark ground.
"Shit." I mutter dragging my knees under me. I grit my teeth as I push myself up onto all fours. I pant from the exertion on my tired, sore body and from the pain. I watch as my limbs quiver. I freeze hearing footsteps. My entire body begins to shake. I watch as a shadow slowly hovers closer. I close my eyes as the footsteps get nearer. I feel a boot tap my thigh. I tense waiting for the oncoming blow. A sigh comes from above me. I squeeze my eyes tighter; my nails dig deep into the earth. Somebody kneels next to me.
"Hey." Someone whispers in my ear. My eyebrows knit as the voice strikes a familiar chord. I open my eyes and turn towards the voice. I gasp.
"Katsuo." I rasp my voice hoarse from screaming. He stands up and looks down at me, pity shining in his eyes like tears. His eyes trail over what little is left of my shirt and back. Slivers of my shirt dangle towards the ground exposing my battered skin.
"He sure had fun with you." He whispers. I grin at the ground, watching the pool of blood grow.
"He sure did." I whisper tears blurring my vision.
"Oh, Aimee-" He whispers mournfully.
"Don't." I order. "No pity. Do you understand me?" I growl. "I can take my licks." I whisper slowly lowering myself back to the bloodstained ground. I grimace as my warm blood meets my soft flesh. My entire lower jaw is stained with blood.
"How are we going to get out of this?" I ask Katsuo. His eyes widen.
"You actually believe we'll get out of this." He whispers. I turn my head to the side to get a better view of him.
"You don't?" I ask. He kneels down next to me.
"Aimee you can't honestly tell you think we're going to survive this." I could feel a heat rising within me.
"You cowardly as-"
"Now is that anyway to treat your cellmate, Aimee?" I shiver as Hiro's voice drifts towards us from behind the bars. I cringe back as my eyes meet his.
"Not nearly as ugly as you were Aimee. Death is quiet an improvement for you." Hiro sneers. Katsuo hisses at Hiro.
"Speak to her again and I'll tear out your tongue." My eyes widen as waves of energy pour out of Katsuo. Hiro steps back his eyes widening for a split second before returning back to their arrogant gleam.
"I hear human organs were a delicacy in your village, Katsuo." Hiro laughs, spitting out Katsuo's name like poison. I laugh. Hiro and Katsuo look down at me. I glare up at Hiro.
"The tongue is a muscle not an organ, dumb shit." Hiro glares down at me.
"I see why Toguro took his time with you." I wince hearing His name. Hiro smiles with satisfaction.
"At least you know your place." I growl. I push myself up into a sitting position, ignoring the pain. I glare at Hiro.
"Where my place is…is by my friends and family, not in this hole." Hiro sighs.
"For a split second I actually thought you might have something important to say." He sighs again. "Well I'm off to destroy the world."
"Why?" I call after him. Hiro pauses. He turns his head to the side, looking at me from the corner of his eye.
"What?"
"Why are you doing this?" I ask looking him in the eye. Hiro chuckles.
"You want the long drawn out explanation all evil guys do. Why am I doing this you ask?" He chuckles. "Because of my Grandfather." He must have seen the confusion on, not only my face but Katsuo also, because he sighs and faces us.
"I'll humor you, for now. From the very day of my conception my Grandfather utterly despised me. He repeatedly told my mother that an abomination was growing in her womb and that she would be better off cutting the thing from her belly. The day I was born my Grandfather scorned me and would have nothing to do with me. My mother and father were influenced by my Grandfather. They didn't mean to be cruel to me, to ignore me, but they did. They died eventually, in a car accident. Quiet a boring death if you ask me." He smiles and looks at me with distance eyes.
"I was sent to my Grandfather's. He was to be my guardian. He treated me so cruelly, putting me through grueling training and never letting me rest. My Aunt saw my depleting state and eventually took me away from my Grandfather. She was the only one that treated me with any kindness. Sadly she was mentally unstable and psychotic. She actually killed fifteen men while I was in her care. She chopped them up into little pieces and fed them to our three dogs. By the time they caught her I was old enough to be on my own. I raised my self. Stealing food, living in shelters, it was my own life. No one could control me then one day I met a demon." He paused and looked down at me.
"Do you know the difference between a human and a demon, Aimee?"
"Minus the obvious." I hiss standing up. Katsuo wraps my right arm around his shoulder. His arm slips around my waist. Hiro chuckles.
"Humans are a disgusting and deceitful species. If a human wishes to kill you then they sneak around and stab you in the back, but a demon will come for you. They won't sneak behind your back; they'll attack from the front and tear out your throat. They won't make excuses for what they did. They'll admit to it. A human will lie and hide their act as if it's a horrible thing."
"Is there a point to this?" Katsuo growls.
"You still don't see the reason why humans should all die."
"We're not all like that." I whisper.
"Deep down we all are." Hiro says before he disappears around the corner.
"Katsuo?"
"Hm?" He asks.
"Are humans really like that? Are we all selfish creatures with no soul?" I ask looking down at the ground. I could feel shame building in me. How could someone as nice as Saytou do something so cruel? If he was capable of something like that, then what would I be capable of?
"Aimee! Don't you dare listen to what that prick says!"
"But-"
"But nothing." He growls. His eyes often. "You are one of the most loyal and kind people I know. You hate violence and detest seeing other people in pain, even lowly demons like us. You have no reason to doubt yourself or your friends." I smile leaning into him.
"You're right, but we still need a plan about getting out of here."
"I don't think getting out is our problem. Killing Toguro is though."
"He's immortal. How do you kill an immortal?"
"By making them a mortal." Katsuo grins.
"And how do you suggest we do that?" I ask doubtful. Katsuo lets go of me. My legs shake but don't give out. Katsuo steps away and reaches for me.
"Give me your hands." I place my hands in his callused hands. His grip tightens on my hands.
"Close your eyes and empty your mind." I snort. Katsuo glares at me
"I'm sorry, but-empty your mind? Your sound like-"
"Yeah. I know. Now just empty your fucking mind!" I huff.
"Sorry." I take deep breath and close my eyes. I slowly exhale releasing all thoughts. A sorta serene calm washes over me in a matter of seconds. A feeling nags at me telling me to open my eyes. In a flash of light I'm standing in a arena. I look around at all the drooling demons. I hear that bone chilling laugh. Before I could turn around fingers wrap around my neck and pierce my body. I scream and begin to struggle. I pull at the fingers trying to get a breath of air.
"Think about what you have to do." Katsuo calls from behind me.
"What the hell are you two doing?!" Hiro yells slamming a fist against the bars. I yelp releasing Katsuo's hands. My eyes fly open. I freeze seeing Toguro standing next to Hiro. My body shakes all over. Toguro smirks as does Hiro.
"It seems we have some guest. We've all ready invited them in, so why don't we all greet them." Hiro says. Katsuo and I step back hearing a metallic clanking sound. The cell door opens up.
"Come Aimee." Hiro says holding out his hand. I step back towards Katsuo. Hiro frowns.
"That's not nice." He looks back at Toguro and nods his head. I see a flash of white before I feel warm blood trail down my back. It isn't mine. I turn around awaiting the horror. My eyes widen seeing Toguro's fingers piercing Katsuo's heart. Katsuo's eyes dim.
"No!" I scream. Toguro removes his fingers and constricts them around me. I cringe as Katsuo's body falls to the ground with a fleshy thump. They drag me down the hall. I scream as the ground scraps my back. Toguro pauses at the end of the hall.
"Let's have a little fun, shall we?" Toguro grabs my hair and pulls me to my knees. I glare at him, my teeth clenched against the pain. I scream as Toguro's fingers pierce my lungs. I cough up blood.
"Toguro, we don't have time for this." Hiro warns. "Get her to the cave." Hiro disappears down the hall. I sob and shake all over. At least with Hiro here Toguro was somewhat decent. Everything starts to go blurry. I feel a slight wind as my eyes slip closed. I could feel a haze of darkness wrapping around me. I groan as we arrive in another part of the cave. Toguro throws me away from him. I grunt as I land on the ground, skidding a few feet.
"Have fun." Toguro chuckles before disappearing. I close my eyes as everything goes quiet. The darkness closes in, shrouding me in a peaceful state. I feel like I'm floating in a warm pool and nothing can hurt me. Everything will be all right.
'Aimee!' My eyes twitch as a voice calls my name. I open my eyes to see silver hair. I gasp seeing Koska's face. Tears roll down my cheeks.
'Koska.' I whisper feeling joy build up in my chest. Koska smiles at me before turning and walking away. Panic builds in my chest, causing my breathing to become erratic. I gasp feeling my lungs constrict as fluids fill them up. I am not going to die like this!
"-die!" I open my eyes just in time to see Toguro's fingers come towards me. I reach out and guide his fingers into my shoulder. Blood covers Toguro's face and mine. I could see Toguro's death in his eyes. But how? Think about what you need to do, Katsuo's voice whispers in my mind. For you Katsuo.
"Burn in hell." I growl. I slowly release my energy into Toguro.
"What are you doing?!" Toguro yells. I smile feeling Toguro's fear. Toguro pulls back but I hold tighter. I could feel the essence of my powers coming forth. Warmth engulfs me.
"No!" Toguro screeches. If I die, you're going with me.
"Aimee!" Koska screams. I smile knowing that my family will be safe. This is my end, but their beginning.