Thorns and Lilies
Chapter 11
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.
I watch what is happening before me with much disbelief. Yeah. After all this
time, believing is still hard, much more, accepting. I have never seen something
like that - so much anger, so much hatred, so much pain. My master is winning,
and even if you can't see the entire situation, just plainly looking at his eyes
says something like he got the dominion. Yeah. We got the dominion, for we are
one. He is winning, and so am I. Yet, it is not visible in my eyes, and I could
never be thankful I am right behind him, and he can not see the grievous
expression drafted in my face.
I looked down, as I gripped that girl's wrists. What is her name again? Ah,
Keiko. She is a sweet - looking brunnette with those brown eyes that bore
through drenched clothing and to my whole being. Honestly, I have not the
fraction of intention to hurt her. The way she looks at me as she tries to get
free made me want to quit everything and I hate myself. It is just so hard to be
harmless and please my master at the same time. I just don't know what to do.
Yusuke , yeah that is the name. He is walking to my master in rage, his eyes
burning with fire. Seeing me atop of Keiko is making him mad. Seeing Sayuri -oh-
Michiko hurting is making him very mad. He looks very familiar, but I can't
remember. I guess my memory is already rusting.
Kurama is equally mad, but it was not as discernible in his calm face. Kurama is
always calm and I can't believe after all that I attempted to eat him, he still
managed to toss to me his leather coat. He knew I am cold and the chills are
just so much for my pride so I accepted it.
Balling both of his fists, the tall ugly guy who most people within the circle
have referred to as Kazuma, is also drawing closer to my master. He looks
furious. Perhaps because of the girl he was beside to who I dimly remember
Kurama calling as Yukina - she is also tied up now and was in midst of
discomfort.
Then, that mysterious lad which I can not remember being introduced to is also
nearing my master. He is short, but with a sturdy figure. He hates my master, I
know. But I don't know why. Maybe because my master Kentaro has tied up the
women and it just bugs him how my master can be so dastard to tack women. Or
there can be some other reason.
I bit my lower lip. Keiko has stopped squirming. She is looking me like an
innocent girl and my appetite decreased. How the heck can I be so hungry when I
see those girls suffering? Gosh. I may be a vampire, but I'm also a girl and it
is bothering me to witness creatures of my kind in that condition. Sometimes, I
wonder how my master can be so ruthless. From all those time that I was with
him, I began to comprehend his personality. He has abducted me from my real
master, Raizen and made me swore a pledge to serve him. I refused to say it,
because I know he may try to use me and throw me away afterwards. So I suggested
to say a vow that bounded us together as one. That way, he could not just throw
me like a piece of garbage without throwing himself away. But only this time
that I realize what is the meaning of the vow I have said. And somehow, I know
Kentaro's victory not only depended on him, but to me. Not only that, but the
girls' lives are also in my hands. Partly.
A part of me wants to serve Kentaro faithfully. He has taken care of me, fed me,
supported me. I learned to trust him, and I know he trusts me. He even claims he
loves me, but that I don't believe him. He should have set me free if he really
loves me. But what I know, he is too in love with Sayuri - and Michiko. No
matter what name, he is still in love with that girl. I just know even when he
has refused to set her free either.
But another part of me wishes to stop. I can't bear to see those girls meeting
the same fate as I have. Kentaro wants to own all of them. I just hate the way
he treats women, like their dolls to own. We are not dolls. We have feelings and
thoughts. We are the same and as equally strong to the men. Or, maybe even
stronger. Who could have known?
Koenma is standing some feet away from me in the dark side of the grove. Looking
solemn, he fiddles with a piece of paper on his hands. I wonder what it is. It
was glowing, nothing like an ordinary paper. How I envy Botan! I can't help
wishing I have a master like him - an understanding, compassionate and
kind-hearted man who treats women like real people. Maybe that is why I have
fallen for him so easily. If there is a chance I can live another life, I'll
choose to serve him instead of Kentaro. I won't need to have to say those cruel
vows I have said. I know Koenma will not intend throw me away after he uses me.
I just know. I will serve him dutifully and do my best. What Kentaro has not
realized is what a poor servant would really like is only to be loved. Loved by
her master. And as far as I know, Kentaro has not loved me . Not even a bit.
Kentaro laughs out loud. And so does the wind. It swirls ferociously, as
ferocious as it had when Kentaro arrived. My eyes entangled dusts. Instead of
rubbing my eyes to wipe it out, I just blink . Kurama's coat danced wildly with
the wind. Goosebumps appeared on my skin as I shuddered. The surroundings
suddenly becomes so dark that the trees seem to disappear. Only the moon remains
in its place, but that can't be an evidence that we are still in Ningenkai. I
can never trust my eyes.
The four surrounds me and my master, readying themselves to attack. It is Yusuke
who is the one nearest me. But I can feel it is Kurama who is really targeting
on me, so I leap and landed on my feet, some feet in front of my master. Kentaro
leaps too. Immediately, Yusuke takes the opportunity and carries Keiko with him.
Kentaro, noticing them, aims at the two, but Yusuke quickly got away and Kentaro
misses. I saw the mysterious lad appear behind him, but before I can even shout
my warning to my master, I feel a strong wave of ki. It is that carrot-top. He
threatens to pierce it to my back in one move. Kurama is on my left side,
nearing me while the short lad aims his katana at my master. Kentaro vanishes
away only to appear behind the mysterious lad, missing the lad's hit. He opens
his hand and opens them to release another wave of fogs. It is the carrot top
behind me that stops him, threatening to wound my back if Kentaro hurts the
short lad. Kentaro then, closes his hand as the short lad disappears so briskly.
Kentaro sees my situation, and instantly, he hurls sparks at the carrot top.
Both me and the carrot top leap from our places, and the sparks hit Kurama.
Kurama's body trembled as the sparks hit him. I just hate seing Kurama like
that. After all, it is his coat that I am wearing. I want to go, very badly, to
stop my master from doing it, but I can't. Fogs wraps at Kurama's body and it
seems to squeeze the life out of him. The other three attempt to attack my
master in vain, even if they come from different directions successively. They
are only victorious in stopping Kentaro from killing Kurama with his sparks. All
of them, much to my dismay, have quit assaulting me and are concentrating mainly
on Kentaro. I want so direly to let them know I am his weakness, but I can't. My
master will be very displeased.
I witness them, one by one, fall down to the ground in defeat as Kentaro gives
out that smug smirk. The mysterious lad is in Kentaro's right, his katana on the
ground beside him. Kazuma is one the other end, lying face down. I am on the
other side with the short lad , sinking to the ground. I wonder where Keiko,
Koenma and Genkai are. Dusting his hands, he turns to me, saying , "Do your
job, my dear Ayane."
"Oh no. The fight isn't over yet," a voice joined in. I spin to my
position to see who it is. It is Yusuke, trying to stand up. His shirt is
stripped off, his chest is bare and a blood is trickling form his lower lip. He
grins. He really looks very famliar. Just then, I remember. He is the son of my
former master, Raizen, the lad which the oracle had predicted to be the one to
defeat Kentaro. I raise one brow. I thought he has a long hair. But one thing
for sure : he is more good-looking than his father. I watch wordlessly,
realizing the the fight has just begun.
But before the attack, I hear a firm but compassionate voice, commanding to
stop. Looking up, I saw Koenma, walking in slow strides from Yusuke's left and
Kentaro's right. His whole body is glowing, and the white paper is floating in
front of him. The wind begins to blow furiously again, even a lot harder than
the previous. Koenma's hair waves with his garments gracefully. Yusuke rubs his
eyes. Kentaro's long hair, like Kurama's coat also prances wildly.
"Stop all of this!!" he orders clamly, but firmly. Yusuke's face shows
surprise, but Kentaro was grunting. Koenma is some ten feet away from them. I am
nearer, maybe just five feet away from him. He quit walking. "Kentaro,"
he calls at my master. "Go back to where you came from and leave Ningenkai
alone."
My master is still grunting, I know. Yusuke sends Koenma a disbelieving gaze
which seems to say, 'Really ? what made you think he'll listen?'.
"You stay out of this, Enma's son!" Kentaro retorts. Turning to me, he
yells: "AYANE !! Do your job!"
I look at him helplessly. Kentaro looks at me - a deathly poisonous look. Koenma
and yusuke is starig at me, waiting for my response, until finally, Koenma
understands my condition that he speaks again. "Leave her alone, Kentaro."
This time, Kentaro really looks at Koenma in rage. He abhors the way Koenma
orders him to stop and leave Ningenkai alone . He loathes the way Koenma orders
him to leave me alone. I am his personal property and it is an offense to be
ordered to leave me alone. He is insulted, I know. I can feel his temper rising
even faster than a speeding car running 150 miles per hour . "You mind your
own business!!!" he booms out at Koenma angrily.
A grim expression is written on Koenma's face. "Then, I have no
choice." And with that, he shuts his eyes and encircles his hands on the
light that cradled the piece of paper. And with that, he wishes for my master to
die. His words echoed back to me and I sink even deeper in my position. His
words keeps on echoing back to me menacingly. Kentaro, on the other hand, takes
it as a joke. It all happened to be so slow. I see him, opening his palms and
aiming them at Koenma disgustedly. I know Koenma will be hurt, if not die with
that blast. Before it can reach him , I have stood up and ran in front of him my
arms out stretched. The blast hit me , penetrating to my garment and to my
chest. I know it can kill me. I know it will kill me. Kentaro is looking really
very mad at Koenma, so there is no way he intends to spare Koenma with his
sparks. I scream out, feeling such pain on my body. Blood gushes out. And right
before me, I see Kentaro in the same pain. He has killed himself, just by
shooting at me. I drop down at my feet - helpless ,hopeless and hungry. I can
still feel high voltage of electricity running to my while body. Koenma catches
me, and he puts me down, cradling me in his arms. My eyelids seem to be getting
heavier and heavier and opening them became an effort. But I try to open them
anyway. The sight of Koenma brings me happiness, even in pain, even in death.
Worry is on his eyes and...... I can't be sure, but I hope I am not mistaken. Is
that love?
"What have you done?" he asks me, holding my hand. "Why did you
do it?"
I shake my head, raching out to stroke his cheeks, muttering the words I have
always been afraid to say. The fogs around Michiko and the other girls have
vanished and the surrounding is back to its normal setting of Ningenkai - with
the moon, the stars, the trees and the lake.
Kentaro is still alive, I know. I am still alive. I know my master is watching,
but I say out the words anyway, even when I am already paining just lying there.
" I love you, Koenma." I take his hand and press my cheeks unto it,
and finally I kiss it. Koenma squeezes my hand. I can feel many eyes boring into
me, those who Kentaro attempted to own and attempted to kill. Yet, I am not sure
if they stare at me with laughter, with anger or with sadness. I have always
wondered if someone will cry when I die. And it is just so ironic that now, when
the time finally has arrived that my question will be answered, I am too weak to
see for myself. The only person I can see is Koenma. And tears are forming in
his eyes and fall on his cheeks. That is one of the happiest moments of my life
-- the time when I'm dying.
Kentaro is shouting curses at me. He is still unwilling to accept my defeat. Our
defeat. He tries to shoot out sparks at Koenma, but I immediately find out about
it. Quickly, I pull my hand from Koenma's and feel the grasses of beautiful
Ningenkai. I can feel something in my hand. It was the mysterious lad's katana.
I push Koenma away from me as he looks at me questioningly. Abruptly before he
has teh chance to stop me , I stab the katana deeper in my chest and to my
stomach. Koenma looks at me in surprise, pullinng the katana from my body and
pushes it away . Hethrows his arms around me tightly . I want to thank him , but
I am just too weak. My eyes are already falling to an endless sleep. And, I
know, so are Kentaro's.
November 1998 © Sakeena