As he walked down the gloomy hallways, the steps became more and more steep. The air also gradually filled with moisture as he walked. It seemed this place had been here for a very long time. After Zelos had been walking for an hour or so, the long tunnel started to look like it would end. Zelos began to run, and stopped abruptly at the end of the hallway, peering into the huge open space that now lay right before him.
Zelos could barely believe his eyes. Even though the room was dimly lit, he could still see various machines of torture lining the walls. He didn't want to look at them, because they had caused thousands of people so much pain. And now it would cause the only person in the world he really cared about pain, or even her death.
"SHEENA?" Zelos yelled desperately.
Kuchinawa, who was standing on the opposite side of the room, turned around to face him.
"Ah, we've been expecting you." He said.
Zelos turned to face Kuchinawa after he heard his voice. His eyes immediately shot to Kuchinawa's left, to where Sheena was. She was sitting in a chair, tied to it in the same way that Orochi was. Rope was also covering her mouth. Zelos quickly ran closer to her.
"Sh-Sheena! I'll save you, don't worry---!"
"Not so fast." Kuchinawa said, zipping in front of Zelos and stopping him dead in his tracks.
"Let me go, you little---" Zelos said, reaching for his sword.
Kuchinawa grabbed his hand.
"Why are you doing this to her?" Zelos asked, out of breath.
"Because…" Kuchinawa said calmly.
Before Zelos could do anything, Kuchinawa quickly pulled out a rope and tied his hands together. Then he pushed Zelos over, and quickly tied his feet together.
"HEY! Why the hell? LET ME GO!" Zelos screamed, now on the ground.
"I will, after I see your face…"
"What?" Zelos said, sitting up.
"After I do this…" Kuchinawa said as he pulled out one of his daggers.
"What're you gonna do with---?"
Kuchinawa started walking towards Sheena. Sheena's eyes filled with horror as she kept them on the dagger. A small, muffled whimper came from her.
"NO! PLEASE! DON'T DO ANYTHING TO HER!" Zelos screamed, his face filled with fear.
There's the face I was talking about… It's priceless!" Kuchinawa laughed.
"Why are you even doing this? It doesn't make any sense!"
Kuchinawa's face changed from a demonic smile to a frown.
"You really don't get it, do you?" Kuchinawa said.
"Get what?"
"Ugh, you're hopeless."
"Just tell me, please! I'll do anything to save her!"
The grin came back.
"Anything?"
"Yes!"
"Okay!" Kuchinawa said, putting the dagger back. Both Zelos and Sheena relaxed a little.
"Let me have Sheena, then!" Kuchinawa said.
Zelos looked at him with complete surprise this time. Sheena looked down at the ground.
"Wha--?" Zelos said. "Is that what this is all about? How did you find out---?"
Kuchinawa walked towards Zelos.
"You see… One day, Sheena came back to visit Mizuho, and when she saw me, we decided to talk for a bit."
Flashback.
"Oh, hey, Kuchinawa!" Sheena said, cheerfully.
"Ah, I've been meaning to talk to you."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Okay, what about?"
"About your friends… From that journey that you got yourself tied up in."
Sheena started to become a little suspicious.
"What about them?"
"Well, what do you think of them?"
"Oh, well, they're all really nice!"
"Hey, what about that red-haired one? Every time I saw you with that group of people, you were always standing right next to him."
"I-I was?" Sheena blushed and looked down at the ground.
Kuchinawa's eyes narrowed.
"I knew it…" He said.
"What?" She looked up, surprised.
"You really do love him, don't you?"
"Wh-What? Well… I dunno..."
"I thought-- you loved…Me."
"Oh, Kuchinawa…!"
Before she could say anything else, Kuchinawa ran off.
"I had no idea…" She said to herself.
End Flashback.
"That's when I found out that she loved you." Kuchinawa said.
"But--!"
"If I can't have her, no one else can!"
"So you're basically saying… You're torturing her, because you love her?" Zelos said, tears streaming down his face.
"Y-You don't understand!"
"That's so selfish!"
"SHUT UP!" Kuchinawa screamed at him.
Zelos stopped talking.
"If you don't let me have her, she's dead!" Kuchinawa said, pulling out the dagger again. They both stiffened.
"But--! Please! I love her…!"
Kuchinawa's eyes filled with anger.
"That's it---!" Kuchinawa yelled, and ran towards Sheena. She became stiff again, and her eyes filled with fear.
"NO!" Zelos said, trying desperately to stand.
Kuchinawa brought the dagger to her arm. The cold blade touched her skin, and she jerked away from him. The ropes held her in the same spot.
"Kuchinawa---!"
Kuchinawa gently pushed on the blade, and blood dripped down Sheena's arm. Sheena closed her eyes and screamed, and her voice was again muffled by the rope tied around her mouth. Her face soon became wet with tears.
"OH MY GOD! PLEASE! STOP! Zelos screamed, crying hysterically. He frantically pulled on the ropes tying his limbs together.
Kuchinawa lifted the blade.
"Then let me have her!"
Zelos stopped trying to escape.
"Okay… Just stop hurting her." He said.
Kuchinawa smiled.
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How's Zelos gonna get out of this one, I wonder? Hmmm, I guess you'll just have to see!