Hakkai: *holding a piece of paper that will soon be known as chapter 11 of this fic* Onna-san is once again in hiding.
Onna: AM NOT! Besides, didn't I ask you guys to be patient? And YunCyn-san's right. Stories like these would be boring without such twists. ^^
Yaone: *sighs* Onna-san doesn't own us or any of the characters that appear in this fanfic. All rights belong to Kazuya Minekura.
Hakkai: And here you go for your reading pleasure. Please enjoy! O_^
*****
Lirin sat on the floor, curled into a small ball as she rested her head on her arms. The darkness did nothing to ease her discomfort, her breathing coming out in ragged gasps.
She knew she wouldn't last long in a cell like this. Dark, damp, enclosed. She would run out of air if no one came to save her.
Trying to control her breathing into short, shallow pants, she stretched her legs and arms to remove the kinks on her joints.
It was so dark. So dark she couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. The door felt cold, as cold as the ground beneath her. She shivered. Her school uniform did little to warm her small, lithe body. Lirin wrapped her arms around herself, hoping to coax some warmth into herself.
Everything was so still, so quiet, she'd be able to hear a pin drop.
The air around her began to grow thin, her breathing slowly turning into gasps. She breathed deeper, trying to get as much oxygen into her lungs, and blinked rapidly, to keep her vision from blurring.
Click!
Lirin's head shot up. What was that?
The keyhole on the door turned, and she positioned herself to do battle. She wasn't going to let them take her without a fight!
The door slowly slid open, and Lirin could see three forms beyond the door, standing among large lumps of black on the ground. They stepped closer to her, one of them holding a small flashlight.
She kept herself tensed and prepared to strike, but just then one of them stepped into the soft glow of the light.
Lirin's eyes widened with relief and joy. She recognized that brown hair and golden eyes!
"Naze...?" Yaone murmured, the barrel of the gun still pressed against her hair. "Naze, Hakkai-san...?"
"Sumimasen," he said as his fingers closed over her gun. "I didn't have a choice in this matter..." He placed the gun in his pocket and wound ropes around her wrists, her hands behind her back.
Shufa smirked. "Kanan's body would be ready for you, Hakkai-san, if you would just complete this task my lord has set for you."
"Hai," he answered flatly.
Yaone could feel tears gathering in her eyes. He still loved her, still clung to her memory. There was no room for another woman in his heart, and he had betrayed her. How could he? Not after she had developed all these feelings for him. Now he was going to hand her over to people who would kill her.
No. He's not worth her tears. If she was going to die, she'll die fighting. Yaone squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed her sobs. She wasn't going to cry. She will not give them that satisfaction.
"I'll go call the master," Shufa said coyly and turned to go to the next room. "Enjoy her while you can, Hakkai-san. For this will be the last you'll see of dear Yaone."
Hakkai didn't answer. She smirked again and left the room.
Yaone kept her eyes averted to the ground, refusing to look into his jade-green eyes. She knew if she did, she would burst into tears and become weak in her resolve. And she cannot afford to do that.
She felt rather surprised when Hakkai loosened the bonds around her wrists and pressed a smaller gun on her hand. Then he gently began to wrap the rope around her wrists in such a way that it looked like he had tied her up firmly, but just one small movement on the part of her right arm would render both her arms free.
She gazed at him questioningly, finally meeting his green eyes with hers. He seemed to understand the question in her eyes and whispered close to her ear.
"Trust me..."
Two guards stood in the darkness of the hall, positioned to see anyone who would dare to attempt entrance. Guns and grenades were within reach, placed beside dirty plates and bottles of beer.
Both laughed boisterously, making snide remarks on the women they encounter.
"My woman wouldn't obey a single thing I say. She would always want to go out with her friends and start a women empowerment group. One time, I caught her doing just that in my house."
"Damn, man. What did you do?"
"I beat her senseless until she was knocked out. And I didn't even care to bring her to hospital."
"You rule! She had that coming."
More laughter followed. He watched as the flame-haired girl in front of him clench her fist, green eyes flashing with rage. The boy beside her placed a hand on her shoulder, golden eyes watching him for the signal.
The guards drank more of the beer, and slowly their speech began to turn slurred. It's time.
He nodded at the taller man beside him, and they both sprung into action.
"What the-"
"Hey-"
The blade cut through the thick, dark air, effectively injuring the man who had dared lift a finger against the said woman. With the sound of chains, the blade returned to its owner, connecting to a long staff.
"Chi. You shouldn't be so violent. Women won't like you that way," he said, grinning as the man slumped to the ground.
Two gunshots resounded in the hall, rendering the other man shot in the back, incapable of moving any of his limbs. "Hn. I don't really think that I care this much."
"Why are you here then, Sanzo?" the smaller boy asked as he knocked both gangsters unconscious with his staff.
"Urusai," the blonde lawyer muttered as he moved towards the door. "Let's just go in and get Hakkai."
"O-Oi! Matte!" Lirin cried as she ran to catch up.
"He's here," Shufa crooned as she re-entered, followed by a man with slanted eyes and light blue hair. The rest of his features were hidden, though, and Yaone could not recognize him.
"Welcome, my dear. I see that you have been... properly cared for," he smirked at her, eyes roaming over her body. She felt violated at that stare and her eyes glinted dangerously.
She would have pulled her arms free if Hakkai did not tighten his grip on her wrists.
"Ahh, Hakkai. Finally we meet. You have done well, my loyal one. Your dear Kanan's body will be delivered to you soon," he laughed as he stepped closer into the light.
Yaone's eyes widened as she recognized him. "You-"
A sharp intake of breath. "Qing Yi Se..." Hakkai murmured. "I thought-"
"Thought you had killed me eh? Well, I did lose a lot of blood. Thankfully Shufa here has found me and nursed me back to health. She's very useful, Hakkai. Much more useful than the little bitch you have in front of you."
"You... you!" she spat out as she struggled against his hold. "Bastard!"
"Now, now, my dear. It's that sort of language you use at your superior that got you in trouble in the first place. Let me show you what a woman's place is," he grinned as he turned to Shufa. "You have done well."
"Thank you."
"You do know what is to be done. Your last task of obedience."
"Yes, lord."
"Good," he nodded, and to Yaone's shock, he drew a gun and shot Shufa point blank to her head.
The girl's body jerked at the impact before falling to the ground, blood staining the cold, concrete floor.
"Shufa-san! How could you use her like that?!"
"Her spirit has already been broken by her abusive father. I only picked up what he left off and played to her low self-esteem," Qing Yi Se smiled cruelly. "Don't worry, my dear. You're next. Hakkai?"
Hakkai walked to her side, green eyes still pleading with her to trust him as he raised the gun to her temple. "Gomen nasai... Yaone-san..."
She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting to feel the bullet tear through her skull.
Trust him, he said. Did that mean she wasn't supposed to move her arm, free herself, and do what she has to do?
She was no closer to an answer as she felt the press of the barrel against her skin. Yaone opened her eyes, glaring at the monster that did this to Hakkai, to her.
A loud noise resounded as the door suddenly seemed to crash to her left, making her jump in her spot. Just then she felt the cold metal of the gun leave her temple and heard the loud noise of a gunshot.
Yaone immediately ducked and moved one of her arms. The rope slid easily from her arms and she rolled into a crouching position, her gun trained on Hakkai.
But he wasn't even facing her.
His gun was smoking, pointed at the direction of Qing Yi Se, who now had a gaping hole in his shoulder.
The gang leader coughed up blood. "Y-You-!"
Hakkai didn't mince any words. "It's all over, Qing Yi Se. Turn yourself in."
"N-No," he gasped, still grinning through the blood dripping down his chin. "I-I still have.. the girl... still have one over you..."
"I don't think so," Yaone heard Gojyo's voice from the corner of the room. She turned to face them.
"W-What?!"
"NYAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Lirin taunted, sticking her tongue out. "I'll get you for what you did to me and my brother!"
"I owe you interest from the beating your guy gave me!" Goku declared, staff in position.
"And there's the bullet you placed in my brother."
"I don't give a damn."
Qing Yi Se staggered back. "Y-You-! The e-elite mercenary s-squad! The S-Sanzo-ikkou! B-But how-"
Hakkai cocked his gun. "You forget that there are actually four members to the Sanzo-ikkou, Qing Yi Se."
The villain's eyes swivelled to Hakkai's face, his countenance distorting into rage. "YOU! You betrayed us!"
"On the contrary," Hakkai smiled. "I'm what you call a double agent. When your men called me and blackmailed me into helping you, I went and did some research of my own. You never did have Kanan's body. Sanzo had her cremated to put you guys off track."
Double agent? That means-! Yaone's heart began to sing. He didn't betray her after all!
"W-Who sent you-?!"
"Oh, just a judge named Kanzeon Bosatsu, and her trusty aide, Jiroushin."
"A woman!" he spat out.
"Quite right. Now, turn yourself in."
"N-NEVER! You'll never escape alive-!" Qing Yi Se cackled and took out a small remote control. "You'll all die with me-!"
Yaone heard Sanzo curse. "EVERYONE DUCK!"
She didn't stop to see if they did, just got up and rushed to Hakkai when Qing Yi Se pressed the button.
Immediately the entire area was bathed in bright light, smoke appearing in every corner, the air around her burning her skin. But she paid no heed. She only had one thought in her mind.
"HAKKAI!!!"
"YAONE!!!"
*****
Onna: Hee! ^^ Epilogue comes next! I hope you guys have enjoyed reading as I have enjoyed writing! See you on the flip side!
Hakkai: Yare yare desu ne.
Yaone: Another bomb?
