OOOO! I'm on a role! I guess my muse just had a total breakout with this story. I hope you guys like the new developments.

Chapter 13

(Kenshin)

I groaned as I opened my eyes. My body was afire with pain; the major points my ankle and my throat. I turned my head, looking around me. Enishi was just walking into the room, and he smiled evilly. "You're finally awake."

I let my cheek fall back to the floor, too exhausted to waste my time. My eyes drifted closed again, but I was suddenly yanked up by my ponytail. I yelped, tears springing to my eyes unbidden. He backhanded me, his hand landing across the forming bruise where he had hit me before. I hissed in pain, cracking my eyes open.

His furious face hovered in front of mine. "Are you ready to atone for what you have done?" He released my hair, and then it fell loose around my face, considerably shorter. He waved my topknot in front of me. "I don't think you'll need this."

I growled, but he picked me up by my gi. His sword flashed as he cut at my clothing, not bothering to avoid my flesh. My hakama was sheared off above my knees, and I flinched as he cut into my thighs.

He carried me somewhere, his grip on my gi preventing me from looking around. My hands and ankles were still shackled, so I could do nothing.

His grin reappeared. "Prepare yourself Battousai." I had no time to react as he threw me. I landed in a pot of water, and immediately began to scream as the burning water scaled my skin. I flailed, struggling to escape. I could almost feel my skin burning.

Enishi pulled me out after not long. My gi had fused to my skin, and I struggled to bring my hands around to claw it from my body, but to no avail. The man laughed at my pain. He threw me to the ground, the harsh ground on my glossy red skin pure agony. He pulled my arms above my head, unhooking the clamps and shackling me to the wall.

I merely breathed, my body trembling. My attention was called when a white hot poker came into my view. I shrank away from it as it neared my scarred cheek, my eyes wide in fear.

Enishi chuckled. "Afraid?"

I couldn't do anything but stare at the poker that was resting dangerously close to my skin. I was terrified beyond belief, and I could feel my breath and heart speeding up. My fingers began to tingle above me, as did my lips. He grinned. "You're hyperventilating. How funny." My eyes flicked to his face, and then my body was sent spiraling into pain as he rested the poker on my left shoulder. My vision whited out as I screamed, twisting my body to try and escape the pain. My vision was fading…Reality fled.

(Enishi)

I watched as he writhed, satisfaction in my mind. I had only just begun to torture him and already he was cracking. I removed the iron, and I was surprised when he kept screaming. I frowned, putting the poker down. He continued shrieking, twisting in the shackles. I studied him pensively. His eyes were wild and glazed, and I growled, grabbing his neck and pushing him against the wall. His screams were choked off and I watched as he focused now clear eyes on me. "Would you shut up!" I snarled, tightening my grip.

All color fled from his lips, and his breath quickened. I finally saw true fear in his eyes, and somehow it didn't inspire the reaction in me I had hoped for. I started to speak again, but he suddenly began to gasp, his body trembling.

I raised an eyebrow as whistling gasps began to escape him. I released his throat, backing away a little. He continued to gasp, and I grew surprised as his lips began to acquire a bluish tinge from lack of air.

I watched with curiosity, when his body fell limp and all sound ceased. I could almost hear his heart fail and stop beating. I jumped for him. "Breathe you!" I cried. "I can't play with a dead man!"

I unshackled him, pulling his unresponsive form to the floor. I pulled something from my pocket, a syringe. I had known I might nearly kill him, so I had prepared a serum that would contract the muscles in his heart, hopefully restarting it. (Does Musei know if this exists? Does Musei care? Nope!)

I plunged the needle into his chest, injecting the liquid into him. His body jerked and he began to cough. I pulled the needle away and tossed it over my shoulder.

"Kuso Battousai." I snarled. "So eager to die? I will not allow it! You belong to me! I decide when you die!"

He said nothing, merely slumped down unconscious. I growled again, furious with the small man in front of me. I kicked him roughly, sending his thin body skidding across the floor. His face twisted in pain, and he slowly opened his eyes.

I stalked over to the door, clenching my fists. I would leave him alone for now, before I killed him myself. I could have more fun with him later. 'Besides,' I thought with a smirk. 'Torture can come in the form of staying alone, without food and water, and steadily worsening conditions.'

(Kenshin)

After Enishi left I passed out, not waking for a long time. When I woke again it was dark, the only light coming from the still smoldering coals of the fire beneath the pot I had been thrown into earlier. I groaned as my body reminded me painfully of what had happened. I tried to move, but every movement sent waves of agony through me. I felt tempted to use my magic to heal myself, but when I tried to do so my magic sparked and died. I grew afraid as my wings flickered into view. I tried frantically to hide them, but it didn't work.

I swore reflexively. My magic was gone. I was too weak and used up. I sighed, settling back down against the floor. Enishi would discover my wings, and use them in other ways to torture me. For now I was just glad he was gone, so I could spend time and recover my strength.

I rested fitfully, drifting in and out of dreams and nightmares. I relieved Tomoe's death quite a few times, along with my own father's. I woke myself with my own screams more than once. I sighed again, wrapping my wings around myself for the slight warmth they gave. They were battered, the feathers no longer shining and ragged. I shivered in the cold room, and gave into sleep once again.

I was so thirsty. My mouth was a parched desert, my throat so dry I could barely swallow well. I rubbed at my hand, pinching some of my skin as Hiko had taught me to check for my condition. I sighed heavily, wincing as it hurt my throat. I was severely dehydrated, and the last time I could remember having a drink was nearly 3 days ago. I was going to die if I didn't find some water, and soon.

I had tried to use the pot that had been used on me earlier, but Enishi must have had it emptied while I was unconscious the first time. There was no water, no food, nothing in the room. I was hungry, though the feeling had faded into just a bit of lightheadedness and weakness. I looked out the tiny window, frowning when I saw the sky darkening again. Nighttime was the worst; it was always freezing cold and too dark for me to see anything around me. I was growing to fear the time I had usually worked the best in.

Fear. That was a new concept for me. I had never really felt fear during my years working at the Battousai, but now it was present almost constantly in my mind. I had told myself that I wouldn't crack, but Enishi was insane, and I had no protection whatsoever from him. And now, with my wings out and visible it would only get worse.

As the room was shrouded in dark I curled up in my corner, wrapping my arms around my knees and my wings all the way around me. It provided very little warmth, but I did what I could to keep from freezing to death. I shivered as the room's temperature began to plummet.

I fought the tiredness creeping around my mind, but soon I lost the battle to the darkness, slumping to the floor in the cold.

(Enishi)

I finally decided to return to the room in the late evening of the 4th day. I was totally surprised that when I opened the door I saw him curled in a far corner, chest still rising and falling, although barely. He was so skinny I could see every rib. He had been thin when I had first caught him, but the days without food had worsened it. He was pale and his eyes were sunken far in. There were black circles around his eyes, evident signs of little sleep.

But what really shocked me were the two feathered wings attached to his back. I crept closer so I wouldn't wake him. I wanted to study these wings. They were faded, just like the rest of him, but quite large and obviously capable of carrying him in flight. I grinned to myself. 'Time to wake Battousai…'

I moved forward and planted my foot on the left wing, twisting my heel into the flesh. Battousai came to with a loud scream of agony, frantically trying to pull away from me. I lifted my foot slowly, and he looked up at me with dull eyes. "Good, you're awake."

I pulled out an object from my pocket, a whip I had been preparing for the last four days. Battousai's eyes widened as he looked at it, and he shrank away from me in desperation. I unfurled the whip in one smooth motion and slashed it across his pale back. He screamed, back arching as the whip cut a deep laceration into his skin. I whipped him again, this time cutting across his chest. Again he cried out, trying to scramble away from me. His pain thrilled me, and I looked over to see my sister standing near me. "Tomoe…" I murmured. Her eyes were sad, her face in a frown. "I will make you smile again. His payment for your death!"

I continued to lash the Battousai, and I finally decided to quit when he was reduced to sobs, merely crying on the floor as I hit him. I snorted in disgust, tucking my whip into my back pocket again. "Pathetic." I looked to Tomoe, confused to see her still sad. I shook it off, and sent for a doctor to send down some water. He could go without food, but he needed water soon or he would die. I could not have fun with a dead man, as I had said before.