Pt 7

"Hey Kirai, congrats. I heard about the fight."

"Thanks." Hikari eyed her back.

"Okay, what the hell is going on here? It's like you didn't want to win."

"It was a stupid move, made out of a stupid want to show off."

"But you won."

"Yes, I suppose I did, if you could call it winning." Hikari resisted the urge to turn her to face him. She hated to be touched.

"Is something wrong Kirai?" She sighed, a soft, vaguely audible sound.

"Nothing. I'm just going to be gone for a while, that's all." His nose wrinkled.

"Gone, gone where?"

"I don't know yet."

"Cut the crap! I want a damn straight answer!" He lowered his voice when she winced; he didn't know how loud he was right then but something worried him. He didn't like the feeling that she couldn't tell him whatever it was that had frightened her. "Please Kirai, I'm worried about you. I know there's something wrong and I just want you to let me try to help you. Is that too much to ask?"

"Your brother saw the fight. He's taking me some where to train me. He says before he's done he'll break me."

"Damn!"

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Shikijou looked up as the door to his room was flung open. Calmly he turned back to his small table.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm trying to eat, what does it look like?"

"Damn it Shikijou, you know what I'm talking about! What the hell do you think you're trying to do to Kirai?"

"Wine?"

"What?"

"Do you want a glass of wine?"

"Like hell I want wine. I want answers!"

"I never discuss such trivial matters over good wine. I always wait until I'm finished, no exceptions. So you can either stand there until I'm done or you can join me. It's your call; I don't leave until morning so there's plenty of time." Nonchalantly he took a sip of the wine and continued his meal, blatantly ignoring his brother.

For a few minutes, Hikari merely watched him in anger. Finally he sank down into the proffered chair, eyes never leaving Shikijou's face.

"Much better, otouto. Now, be a good boy and have some." He took a tentative sip, just to please his brother. He finished it and slowly his anger began to fade. Like it or not, he couldn't be mad at his brother forever. After all, they were all they had. Finally Shikijou's cup was drained down to the dregs.

"Okay, now can we talk, niisan?"

"If you insist."

"Why do you delight in torturing Kirai? What has she ever done to you?"

"It has nothing to do with what she's done, little brother. She is merely the type of woman who seeks to be unreachable. It's a challenge I just can't pass up."

"You do all of this for a challenge?"

"Why do you concern yourself with that girl? She's just some wretched girl that you found in the forest. You've taken quite an obsession with her otouto, why?"

"She's a person Shikijou!"

"She's a slave."

"We don't know that!"

"It's obvious. Look at her closely, brother; look at her eyes. No free yokai has that kind of terror in their stare."

"Any terror there was probably instigated by you!"

"Stop being so naïve. Doubtless she was someone's property before you fond her. She cannot be allowed to do what she wants; slaves must have someone in control of them all the time, they're different that way. They must not be allowed to have free will or they will destroy themselves. You'd be better protecting her if you'd stay out of my way."

"That's crap."

"Remember the tournament rebellion? We were on the human side then but news still got to us, even there. Do you remember what happened?" Shikijou waited for an answer but got none, and so decided to answer it himself. "The slaves couldn't decide among themselves. Some fought with the lords, some fought for freedom and others fought for power. By morning thousands had been slaughtered by fellow slaves and their bodies left to rot in the sun. nothing was accomplished. Slaves have no soul; they are possessions.

"It's not true!" Hikari hit the table and several dishes clattered to the floor. "It can't be!"

"Look at yourself: like a child defending his favorite toy…come to think of it, that's exactly what you're doing." He stood up and walked calmly to the door, leaving his brother steaming. He paused in the door. "You have to remember otouto, slaves aren't really people. On a value scale they would be next to nothing."

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"Next to nothing…"

Kirai's eyes widened as the words echoed in her head. She thought it had been a dream – watching Shikijou and Hikari debate over the value of slaves – but now she wasn't so sure. It seemed too real. Even though they were on opposite wings of the castle she still felt like she was there. And those words…next to nothing…why was that phrase so familiar?

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Her room was dark and still. Nothing stirred save the dancing moon rays. The pale, silver light barely illuminated the figure. Her sleep was not peaceful like the surroundings. She tossed fitfully in her sleep, nightmares raging through her mind.

A second figure crept into view, stealthily eyeing the sleeping girl as he moved closer…

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Boton shot straight upright in bed. Something wasn't right.

"Damn it Boton, get a grip on yourself and get some sleep!" Nothing she did would get rid of the weird feeling. She reached for her robe and subconsciously headed to Kirai's room.

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"Rise and shine dear." Kirai jumped when cold fingers brushed against her face.

"Damn you! What the hell do you think you're doing!" She clutched the blankets to her in an attempt to hide her not so descent state of dress. Shikijou chuckled.

"Just waking you up. You're so cute when you're angry." She turned even redder with rage.

"You said sun-up!"

"I changed my mind. If I had waited 'til then, you'd have already been awake…and I so looked forward to waking you up."

"Damn it; get the hell out of my room!" He snickered.

"You're the slave in this situation, dear. You don't have any authority here. I can do what I want."

White blinding pain exploded in her neck as he produced a blood-red stone on a chain around his neck.

"Do you know what this is, Kirai dear? It controls you. You can't do anything without my permission." A scream tore from her throat as a flame flickered through the stone. He smiled sadistically, tracing a line down her leg. "That bit of metal on the back of your neck gives me direct access to your nervous system. It renders you basically helpless."

"Why…why the hell didn't you just use it to kill me…to begin with?"

"I never planned to kill you, but my stupid brother went messing around with the plate. I had to re-activate it first." The thin fabric separating his fingers from her flesh made a soft swishing sound as he traced the hem.

"Damn you bastard!" She tried to shove him off but the searing pain took over. As his hand slipped under her nightgown and between her legs, the stone glowed brightly.

"This reacts to my feelings. You can't win Kirai. You can never win."

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Her breath caught in her throat as she watched the scene within. She had to do something now!

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Shikijou's head shot up as a horrific crash echoed through the room.

"Sorry Kirai, totally my fault!" A cheerful voice rang out from the outer room. "I'll replace it!"

"Damn!" Shikijou muttered and shoved himself off the kitsune.

"Hey, Kirai! You in there?"

Kirai looked up as Boton bounced into the room. The blue haired girl looked around but Shikijou was nowhere in sight. Long curtains flapped in the night breeze from the open window. She ran right to it and peered anxiously through. Satisfied that no one was there she shut and locked the windows.

"Are you alright?" Kirai nodded slowly.

"How did you know?"

"I'm not sure. I just woke up with a nagging feeling and headed here. Why do you let him do that?"

"Some weird thing he's hooked up to the back of my neck, it shuts my body down when he feels it necessary. I can't get it off."

"Let me see." Still a little in shock, Kirai turned slowly to avoid more pain. She winced when Boton tried to pull it off. "It's not coming. I'm sorry."

"That's okay."

"What's going on here?" Both girls looked up to find Hikari in the doorway. "Did something break?"

"It was…"

"…an accident." Boton looked back at Kirai. "Everything's fine; thanks for checking up on me Hikari."

He looked unconvinced.

"Well, if you're sure…"

"We're fine." He nodded and left.

"Why didn't you tell him!"

"It won't do any good. This is a battle I've got to fight on my own." Boton sighed.

"I wish you all the luck in the world Kirai. You're gonna need it."

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