I think I've finally figured out a way to stop Satsuki. It's not a straightforward method, but it's also not completely noticeable for hopefully a long time.
Satsuki and I have been training a lot more often. I don't really understand why, considering Ryuko is no match for her without me. Beyond that first encounter with Ryuko, there was one other occasion that ended up with her fleeing yet again with more injuries than before. She was persistent, but trying to go head on without anything to back her up was foolish. It was also so uncharacteristic of her to do something so rash.
When we transform, I usually just take in the amount of blood necessary to function at optimum performance. I remembered back to the time before Ryuko had gotten over the embarrassment of wearing me, when I had to suck in much more blood to work well. It put a lot of strain on her body and her blood count ran down quicker, making her more likely to run from a fight sooner.
If I could apply the same technique to Satsuki, we could avoid a confrontation that could last long enough to seriously harm Ryuko.
We've transformed two times since I started this, one in training and one against Ryuko herself. I didn't drain as much blood with training; I didn't want her to become suspicious of my intentions. I only took about a half more in training, and two times as much in actual combat.
I took a certain black glee knowing that I was causing her to fault in her movements. She breathed a lot heavier when maneuvering complex routines, had to concentrate harder in what she was trying to do, and leaving her more vulnerable for a well-placed attack from Ryuko.
Satsuki's shown a decline in responsiveness and health ever since I executed my plan. She often times had to lean against a wall or use her Bakuzan similar to a cane when walking due to her stumbling so often. She refused to show this weakness in the company of others, but when we are alone, like in the hallways, she'd succumb and let her weight rest on one of the two.
A twinge of guilt won't give me enough motivation to stop doing it. I will stick to this through the very end.
The only issue I've found from this plan is that there is way too much blood for my reservoirs to hold. I've had to remain out of stasis and semi-stasis for more than half a day for my reserves to drop back down to a normal level I was accustomed to. With so much available, it gave me a certain high, a toxic effect that while I enjoyed, it kept me from being fully aware of everything around me.
I haven't been worn by Satsuki today. There was a male servant, one whom I've come to known as Soroi from Satsuki, that came into her room this morning. He stopped in front of where she laid and rested a hand on her shoulder. Lightly shook, and she eventually woke up. I didn't really hear what he said because I was in semi-stasis, but I saw some small movements from her before he exited. When she woke up, she dressed in one of the white robes and left as well.
I sat here for about an hour, alone, allowing the excess blood I've been taking from Satsuki to run its course so that I'd be left with enough room for more the next time she tried to abuse my power. With so much to waste, I decided to spend the rest of my time in front of Junketsu.
There wasn't really much to look at since he was asleep. I studied his details, watching as dust motes floated in and out of the rays of light. Watching them as they landed on him and covering him in a thin layer of dust. I wish I was that dust mote right now; free from the shame and embarrassment of being violated by the enemy by being used by them. I briefly wondered how Junketsu felt about being used as like a cheap toy, only to be thrown back into the drawer once it's served its purpose.
And an idea popped into my head.
I still had a lot of blood to spare. Gathering some up from my reserves, I drew it into my mouth and spit it towards him.
Most of it missed and landed on the wall, but a few drops landed on the edge of the white fabric, disappearing within seconds as the sleeping Kamui drank. Moments later, Junketsu's eyes snapped open, pink and blood red colors jumping crazed in search of more blood. The nails holding him back strained, and one on his arm even managed to pop off and prick me from the force Junketsu had propelled it at.
Junketsu eventually stopped thrashing in place, opting to stare at me. It was intense underneath his imposing stare. I felt small, diminutive, and very cautious despite his inability to move from where he was pinned. I couldn't even hold his gaze. But I still spoke.
"Kamui…" I began, but I had nowhere to go from here. It'd be illogical to think it wouldn't work; it was more illogical to wake him up without a plan to go with it. Or even just something to talk about.
He didn't respond to my silence. His stoic gaze pierced into me as he lifted his now-unbound arm and waved it toward himself. He was gesturing for me to come to him.
Of course it would be stupid to do so. He was my enemy. To be in such a near proximity to him while he was awake was most likely a death wish. And yet, I felt compelled to do so. I woke him up for selfish reasons on my end, wanting companionship. Whatever he wanted so soon, perhaps it was worthwhile?
Warily, I shuffled over to him, extending one of my arms towards him. This was stupid, this was such a stupid idea and I shouldn't be doing this—
It's too late to go back now. His arm already knotted around me and was dragging me up toward his body. I made an awkward noise, fully supported only by his arm. It quickly wrapped around my body, trapping my body against his.
My reactions were sluggish as though drugged. I was so full of energy a few moments ago and now I feel as though I'm about to enter semi-stasis. Struggling was such a tiring action.
Hahh, what are you doing? That doesn't feel very good. You're biting into me or something, but I can't see it because my eyes are covered by your body.
I don't know what he was doing but it felt disgusting. Things were wriggling inside my body, messing with the blood stored inside my fibres, sucking it out. The feeling of it flowing involuntarily throughout my body was a truly unsettling thing to experience. I twisted against his grip, whimpering pathetically with my attempts to get out of his hold.
I knew this was a bad idea. He's stealing my blood. It feels so weird and good and horrible at the same time. I knew I shouldn't have done this. I can hear him making quiet groans; it's fascinating to hear his voice. So he can speak. He just refuses to do so. Oh, it's starting to slow down. He's squeezing me too tightly. His tie is rubbing against my right eye and that feels nice—
Ugh, he's forcing the old dried up reserves he had through my body. He's pushing it with the blood I consumed, pushing it back into me. Oh, this is nauseating. It's going to block my reserves or keep me from consuming as much or something. I don't know.
He kept taking and taking, and I was starting to get worried that he'd take more than I'd be able to sustain myself off of, but then he stopped. I was dropped to the ground, a small amount of blood leaking from his mouth. There was a trail near my mouth as well, and I quickly absorbed it. I pushed away, bumping against the wall parallel to his. I peered at him from the corner of my eye, unable to stare full front. He was observing me as though that did not just happen. It was easy to feel vulnerable under his scrutinising.
I shook off the nail that had pricked me, slowly dragging myself away from him and back to my original place out of his range of view. I was so desperate for any semblance of what I could call a feasible relationship, even if that meant with another Kamui of the enemy faction.
It was most likely the amount of blood that he'd drawn that had worn me out so much. Stasis sounded really good right about now, even though I didn't need it. I didn't need it.
But I'm so tired.
I would fight off stasis. I need to be in semi-stasis.
Good afternoon Junketsu.
.o
Someone moving into the room woke me up. It didn't take more than a long haired silhouette to let me know it was Satsuki.
She wasn't walking very steadily. She was shaking and using the wall to walk and it was such a pitiful sight to see. She stepped on the hem of my skirt as she edged her way to the bed, but I didn't make any movements.
Her robe dropped and she paused, hissing as it fell off. It still hung off of her left arm, the one balancing her against the wall. Her hair remained draped in front of her, so I was given an unobscured look of her backside.
Curiously, I turned where I was on the floor and surveyed Satsuki's current state. I never really took the time to observe Satsuki's body when it was so bare. I can't say it's bare even with her clothes off.
Her skin was covered in scars and bruises. They littered the back of her thighs, her back, arms and I'm pretty sure if she turned around, they would continue across the entirety of her front. It painted a picture of damage that was common for injuries received from battle, but also depicted a disturbing reality of abuse, if the ring of finger print bruises on her upper arm was any indication.
I don't remember seeing the bruises where they were when I last saw her bare. These ones were recent, so it was a question of who was doing it to her. Since I wasn't with her today, I didn't know. She didn't wear me even though her mother commanded her to do so every day. Something isn't right here.
Was I really doing the right thing by harming Satsuki in battle? Who was the real victim here anyway?
No. Satsuki is the enemy. You do not worry about the enemy nor question the morality of your actions. You are supposed to be helping your escape further along, not hindering it.
Satsuki eased herself carefully onto the bed, one leg, and then the other. Lowered herself down, wincing the entire time and pausing more than once when she accidentally rested too much weight against a particularly damaged area. She didn't bother to crawl under the blankets; she grabbed the edge of one side and flipped it over her.
Idly, I noticed one of the servants coming into the room and replacing the nail that was missing from the sleeping form of Junketsu. How did they know that one of the nails had been removed?
Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to give him that blood. I wasn't going to use it for much anyway with the plan… Maybe this is what I could do with the extra amount of blood.
Junketsu started twitching shortly after the servant had left. A few minutes later and he stopped. Upon closer inspection, his eyes were closed and he was in stasis. I know he would never go into stasis again willingly. That servant had done something to him.
Ugh, I hate that I've become even slightly dependent on someone else for affection. It's not even affection. It's plain and simply "being used" by Junketsu. And yet I don't want to lose him as the only thing I can relate to.
.o
The battle with Ryuko went swiftly as usual. Satsuki ended up with a busted lip and various sizes of cuts on her arm from blocking Ryuko's attacks. The blood loss was minimal, considering most of it was being diverted into me. Ryuko was suffering less damage now that Satsuki was distracted from dizziness, and I was happy that I was able to do something other than help our enemy.
I've seen Satsuki retreat enough times to know how much it hurts her pride. She hates having a weakness dangle over her without a way to correct it. She would clench her fist and grit her teeth whenever she stepped back from Ryuko. She'd snarl once no one was around, gripping her hands together, and remaining like that for an indefinite amount of time.
And then she'd detach. She'd let go of those feelings, breathing out coolly and relaxing her posture. It was how she dealt with her frustration. It was a quiet process that didn't draw attention to her out of character display.
Satsuki laid herself down on her bed as she usually did after a strenuous fight. I was stripped, left to lie on the side of her bed this time instead of on the floor. I felt out of place being on her bed; her shifting form too close for comfort. It wasn't the same as with Ryuko.
She moved under the covers, hair clinging to her back, covered in sweat from her battle. She never took a shower after a battle, unlike Ryuko, which surprised me at first. One would think someone of her stature would be more concerned about personal hygiene (those wounds could get infected if left untreated and brewing in filth and grime left over from a battle), but she definitely has her surprises.
When she stopped stirring, I went towards my one source of sanity.
I couldn't stay away from Junketsu for long.
I shot blood back up at him, and the nail that had been replaced shot right back out, not secured tightly enough by the servant the night before. He calmed down much quicker this time, and that intense stare was back. It didn't show even the slightest signs of confusion—why had I returned after what he did yesterday? He was probably wondering that, though I had no intention of answering it.
That arm stretched, beckoning me forward. It's so dangerous, but to lose control to someone I could trust—
I can't resist.
The blood rushed through both of us this time. Junketsu moaned openly, not even hesitating with the blood transfer. Of course, no one but us could hear it. I couldn't help but yelp at the intensity of it all, arching away from him yet pressing in further. He was cycling my blood through him and back into me, and it felt good.
I can hear him chuckling at the noises I was making. It wasn't laughing; it was more like a huff that was off-putting and disturbing.
When he finished, I was left with roughly half of my reserves. He'd left an equal amount for both of us rather than taking as much as he could the last time. Interesting.
"Interesting. So it was you who keeps waking him up. I figured as much."
I swerved around so quickly I almost suffered whiplash. The room was engulfed in light; Ragyo Kiryuin stood in the doorframe, leaning against it.
"Naughty Kamui. He was supposed to be asleep for quite longer."
She stopped at the side of Satsuki's bed to lightly stroke Satsuki's head. It didn't look right.
"Satsuki has been showing more signs of fatigue than usual. While I trust my daughter is getting proper rest and training, it's no coincidence that she's so worn out recently."
I still didn't move from where I was sitting, paralysed by her presence. I don't like what she's trying to get at here.
"It looks like someone's been taking more than they need. What a greedy, naughty Kamui."
She was approaching me and I felt inexplicably trapped under the throbbing form of Junketsu.
"And do you know what happens to little Kamuis who are bad?"
I don't want to find out. Something shot toward me and pricked me in the centre of my body. It only took a few seconds for whatever the thing was laced with to take effect. I looked down. It was the same type of nail that they used to keep Junketsu on the wall and in stasis, and there were three of them inside me.
"Bad little Kamuis get punished."
Three nails were much more effective at pushing the drug into my system faster. I was immediately shoved into stasis without a chance to protest.
.o
Ragyo wasn't in my line of sight when I woke up.
A man had poured a vial of blood onto me, the same kind that had been used to wake me up when I was first brought in to the Kiryuins. I jerked, but was unable to move, restrained by two very tall men dressed in white coats.
I could hear Ragyo's voice say "Commence!" from somewhere. I scanned the area for where she could be, but the walls surrounding us were a reflective black, extending all the way to the ceiling (which was a bit too low compared to the other rooms). Even if she were watching this, I wouldn't be able to see her glow.
They folded out the ends of my sleeve lapels and attached them to metal prongs on the top of the plane, and the bottom of my skirt was clamped down by the lower prongs. It held fast, and with how tight it was I was unable to slip away from its grip.
One of the men disappeared from my view, and I heard a small beep. There was a humming that quickly became a loud buzzing all around me. I felt cool air blowing at my back. I was indifferent to it at first, but the force of it grew in intensity and suddenly it was too warm for comfort.
Ack! So hot!
The steam was blasting from beneath me and passing through my stretched threads. It was much hotter than anything I'd ever felt in my life. I writhed in my bindings, trying to move out of the path of the steam but unable to do so, stretched so tightly.
Don't think about it, don't think about the pain. Think about Ryuko. Ryuko would turn down the setting on the iron if it was too hot, and then she would soothe that pain by giving it a light massage. She would—
I can hear something shifting under me, metal sliding quietly aside, gears locking into place, even through the roar of the steam. My threads were beginning to loosen from the prolonged exposure to the heat, and I felt very…out of it, for lack of a better term. I didn't feel solid; my threads have never opened this wide before. So much air is rushing through me…
Ryuko would tell me to sit on the ironing board. She would pat it and I would obey—
Something is touching my threads. It's barely noticeable, but it's brushing into the holes that the heat has opened. It's all over my back at first and I can feel the touches becoming more pronounced as they moved. And now it's sliding into my front section too. I can't see what it is though and something is telling me that I shouldn't be so calm about this.
Oh, no wait. I can see something protruding, but I can barely see it from this perspective. It's shiny and tiny; it looks like it tapers to a point. There were thousands of these poking through the holes of my fabric. I'm not sure what they're trying to accomplish here.
The steamer powered down, filling the air with dead silence once more. The stretcher I was on loosened up to the point where my fibers were no longer pulled taut. I immediately contracted them to a more comfortable state, but there was something preventing them from closing all the way.
I lurched. This feeling is so alien. Having something touch every single part of your body like this… Any time I twitched I could feel the slide of metal against threads, and while it wasn't unpleasant, it was definitely foreign.
They'd stuck pins inside of me while I'd been expanding.
Again, I'm not really sure what they're trying to accomplish here. Big deal, they stuck pins inside of me. After a few minutes of rubbing against them, sure, they've become uncomfortable, but it's not that bad.
The man turned to me with what looked like a knife in his hand. He lowered it to my threads, and roughly sawed back and forth. It aggravated my threads, pushing and bending to the metal but not even close to breaking.
"Hm, it's still not weak enough for a regular blade." I heard him say.
He took out a tiny pen from one of his coat's pockets, fiddling with it for a bit before directing it at me. I watched as a small beam of light shot out from the end of the object, and contacted directly with my midsection.
And I screamed.
It hurts so much. Oh, oh, gah, it hurts. I can't even move away now because the pins are keeping me gagged and bound. He's cutting through me and it hurts hurts
He stopped. I'm still burning and I can feel where he cut me and it's still burning.
My threads weren't as structurally sound when they weren't in a cluster. Now that there are pins inside of the bindings, it's weakening my ability to withstand certain stresses. A laser wouldn't be able to cut my frame, naturally, but now that I don't have a solid bond on my stitching, it's letting the laser hurt me.
Oh. He's not done. He's not done he's going to cut me in half. Please don—ah! Don't cut me in half. It hurts so much, so bad, I wish I could go into stasis but I can't with this much stimul—
I'm in two pieces now. I can still feel where the laser cut through the weak bonds. The threads around that area have loosened so I'm not stretched as far, but the pins are still keeping me in place so he can do more harm.
I can feel him cutting through my right half again into segments, but my sensitivity seems to have dulled considerably.
My Banshi threads are exposed and out in the open, connecting my two halves. Banshis cannot be cut by lasers even if I was spread like this. They hung loosely, a lewd peak into my inner-oh, stop touching that. Erotic almost—
He's cutcutting right iiinto where my ri ight eye should be hhhhurts—stop! Too sensitive, too pain! Seeing white can't see can't see—
The pain is gone. It's dulled down. I can feel it still there. He's still cutting. I can't feel it but I can barely see him. My vision is…I can't focus. My body can't even twitch anymore. I can feel the individual pieces. They hurt. It all hurts.
You're talking to someone up above. It's too bright to see—oh, it has to be Ragyo. You're holding up that thing that dissected me. Stop touching me. I can see you showing her my cut up body.
Where are you taking me?
I heard the word "test two", or maybe it was just "test". Maybe I'm thinking up the rest of the words. It's so hard to thithink when you bump into something and it ends up irritating all of my pieces. And it makes the pain worse.
I'm floating and now I'm on something really hot.
Why is it so hot in here?
It's even hotter than the steam. The edges of my pieces are singing in agony.
I can be put back together.
No, I can't.
I'm going to die.
I've never had a reason to be afraid of death. A kamui can't die. I could stand intense heats and being cut into many pieces. There's no way I could die short of a nuclear explosion.
I'm afraid of death now.
.o
Note: Senketsu got set on fire here in case that didn't come across well enough. Just enough to burn the edges of his pieces so that he couldn't be put back together.
