It's update time!
Lily was fast, so fast. She was already pounding across the pavement by the time that Miku managed to scramble to her feet. But Mayu was faster.
"No, you don't!" Mayu tutted, throwing her axe with ease. There was a sickening thud as it met its target.
"Lily!" Miku paused, eyes widening.
"Run!" Lily's voice, coming from the other side of the truck, was disturbingly raspy. "She can't get both of us, you idiot!"
Mayu only laughed. Miku doubted the knife-thrower believed that.
Still, Miku scrambled out of the truck and hit the ground hard, her weak legs buckling. She was scrabbling across the ground before she got to her feet, desperate to get away. She didn't take time to consider her odds or wonder at where she was going. She was in blind survival mode.
That lasted about as long as it took Mayu to throw the knife. It embedded itself in Miku's leg.
The pain shooting up her leg was tremendous, the worst pain Miku had ever felt in her life. It was as though the knife was coated in acid, eating away at her skin, down to the bone, all the way up to her waist.
Miku collapsed to the ground, looking at the knife in shock. A few yellow and white petals littered the ground. In Miku's mind, Mayu's taunting voice echoed. "Have you tried pulling your flowers off yet? You can't, but I can. And it would really hurt …"
When had she said that? It didn't matter. Nothing mattered except the agony coursing through her body. She couldn't even think of running, or of what was going on around her. All she could think about was the fire coursing through her veins.
How long did she sit on the dirty pavement, screaming in pain? Long enough for her voice to give out into hoarse shrieks. Eventually, Mayu came to her.
"Hey! That's no good!" Mayu grabbed her by the arm in a vice-like grip.
"No! No, let me go!" Miku's voice was hoarse, barely there. There was no chance of using the magic, even if she could feel it coursing through her. Besides, she had never felt less powerful in her life.
Mayu leaned down and tugged the knife out of Miku's leg, slicing through a few more petals. Miku let out a hoarse sob. Mayu examined the blood with interest. "Now, if you're not quiet, I'll cut every last flower off. And I'll start with your face."
Miku clamped her lips shut. She couldn't imagine the pain.
"There! Isn't that better?" Mayu giggled. "Now, let's go see your friend."
Mayu forced Miku to her feet and shoved her back towards the trunk of the car. She had to stumble to keep pace with the girl.
When they got there, Lily was set up in the back of the truck, arms and legs bound with rope. She was slumped forward, and Miku could see the blood stain spreading along her back.
"Gosh, you're a fighter, aren't you?" Mayu grinned as she shoved Miku into the trunk with her. "Give me a moment while I take care of this one … Y'know, it's really luck that you had rope. If you didn't, why, I would've just broken your arms and legs if you tried to run away!"
Chilled and full of pain, Miku couldn't even struggle as she was tied up. She believed what Mayu said about breaking her limbs.
When she was done, she turned back to Lily. She grabbed her by the hair and yanked her head up, eliciting a groan.
"You know, that little friend of yours went much quicker," Mayu laughed. "Did the diva give you her final message? So sweet." She mocked brushing a tear from her eye.
Lily closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. She shook her head, trying to dislodge from Mayu's grip, but it didn't do any good.
Mayu plopped down next to Lily, humming. "Yeah, it's too bad that Miss Meiko didn't let me play with her. But I guess she didn't transgress as much as you did." She giggled. "Oh, well! The two of us can have some fun, at least!"
"Don't – Don't touch her!" Miku tried to use the magic, but fear and pain stole it from her. That coiled snake in her stomach seeped out of her the same way that blood seeped out from her leg. It was thicker than blood usually was, and it smelled like grass and leaves. Miku retched.
"Shush!" Mayu waved her knife in Miku's direction. "Your friend doesn't have duct tape, so if you're not quiet, I'm just gonna have to cut your lips off!"
Lily groaned helplessly. Mayu laughed.
"Oh, now, don't you start! I'll give you something to cry about, if you'd like." Mayu tapped the bloody knife to her lips, almost thoughtfully. "Your friend cried too, you know. During her trial. I wonder, does Miss Meiko want me to give you a trial, too? I don't think so, not with the evidence being what it is."
She began jabbing at Lily with the knife, short, shallow stabs. Lily gritted her teeth, clearly refusing to scream.
"Ah, but why are we talking about her, anyways? It's not like she was important. In fact, she's rotting away in hell now, huh? Just like her parents." Mayu stopped stabbing abruptly, looking at Lily with glee.
Lily shuddered, finally speaking. "Don't."
"Aw, why not? You certainly sounded excited when you asked me to kill them. What was it you said? You said you never wanted them to hurt her again. It's almost funny when you think about it, isn't it? Considering how she ended up."
Lily's face worked, desperately trying to hold back tears.
Mayu continued on, hardly even noticing Lily's appearance. "Yeah, I mean, you might have gotten her away from them – and I killed them, just like I promised! But in the end, she really wasn't well protected at all. I mean, you saw what happened, right?"
Miku gritted her teeth against the tears that threatened. Lily was being strong, and she had no right to cry in the face of the other girl's tragedy.
Mayu laughed. "Y'know, you're the one who told her to go to the circus. So, really, you wound up being much more dangerous than her parents, don't you think? Do you think she blames you?"
Lily didn't say a word. She opened her eyes, and despite the clear pain on her features, she glared daggers at Mayu.
"Mmm, well, you'll be with her soon. I guess you can ask her then." Mayu yanked on Lily's hair. She pulled a long, heavy blade from her skirts. "Any last words?"
Lily's face worked. Then, with the last energy she could muster, she spat a bloody glob of spit into Mayu's face.
The girl made no move to wipe it away. Instead, she laughed. "Feisty! Well, we can put a stop to that."
With one clean motion, she chopped the trapeze artist's head off at the neck. Blood poured from the wound as her body slumped to the ground, the head still held up by the hair clutched in Mayu's fist.
Grinning, Mayu turned on Miku, holding Lily's head high. "If you have anything to say to her, say it fast! I hear severed heads remain conscious for a while after they're cut off."
Miku stared at the head, unable to turn away. The blonde's eyes were opened, and in her shock all Miku could think of was how they were blue – a darker blue than Luka's, but the very same color. She wondered if Miki thought about Lily's eyes as much as Miku thought about Luka's.
When it became apparent that Miku wasn't going to say anything, Mayu shrugged, dropping Lily's head unceremoniously to the trunk of the car. "Hm! It's too bad Miss Meiko didn't let me keep her. I could have kept her alive for days! She wouldn't have felt much like spitting on me, then!" She giggled and wiped the spit from her face.
Miku struggled against her ropes and sobbed, but it was no use. Whatever magical powers she had, her physical weaknesses ate away at them.
Mayu turned to Miku and shook her head. "Aw, you're really scared, huh? I guess that makes sense, but it's sort of silly! I mean, look at you." Mayu gestured with her bloody knife. "Hardly beaten up at all. You're just missing a couple of flowers, and you're carrying on like you got your leg chopped off!" Mayu laughed. "You see, if it were up to me, I would've killed you and kept Lily alive. She would have been more fun to play with. She had spunk!"
Miku looked at the tangle of blonde hair and blood that had been Lily's head and felt ashamed. She doubted the other girl would be carrying on like this, had their positions ben reversed.
Mayu heaved a sigh. "But, it's not up to me. It's Miss Meiko's decision, and I'll always listen to her!" She turned to Miku. "Now, I don't have her powers, but I think I can make you sleep just fine."
The last thing Miku could remember was the heavy, metal hilt of Mayu's knife, driving towards her head.
So, uh ... This hurt me more than it did you. But Miku just isn't done with our circus just yet!
- Jillian Maria