Disclaimer: Same as always...don't own it, never will. Sorry the last chapter was so bad...I was sick and didn't want to write, but I couldn't leave you hanging.
It was the middle of the night, and a bleak night at that. Everyone at the main house was asleep, even Akito. But, there, blending perfectly because of their dark clothes, huddled two figures. The wind chilled their blood, and tossed sand in their eyes, but they hardly noticed.
"I can't believe we're doing this." Shigure hissed, leaning in as not to be heard. "Why are we here anyway, Yuki? I though you hate Kyo."
"I promised Miss Honda we would." The rat muttered, biding his time, they would have only one chance. "And I do hate that stupid cat."
Shigure was glad the darkness hid his smile. "I see."
Yuki rolled his eyes, and moved so that he was ready to bolt. "Listen, I'll go. I want you to stay here and watch, okay?" His voice softened, "And Miss Tohru will be fine, I told Hatori what we planned. If Akito goes after her, he'll have a big problem on his hands."
The dog watched as Yuki darted off into Akito's house. Yes, he could only imagine what Akito would have to deal with. Hatori would naturally have the whole family against him by then.
"Be safe, Yuki."
*
Kyo's eyes opened, and at first all he could see was white. Then, his vision cleared. He was chained to a wall by his arms, legs, and neck. Whoever had put him here was smarter than the cat would have at first thought.
"Man, what did I do to deserve this?" He muttered, dry blood holding one eye shut.
"You were born."
Kyo was so astonished he could hardly breathe. There, standing in front of him, was Kazuma, Tohru, and the one who had spoken...
"Yuki..."
*
Yuki made his way around Akito's room like the thief he was about to become. He refused to look at the bed, lest he see those eyes open, staring at him. So, instead, he looked for the book.
'Yuki, I'm sure Akito knows where Dargaard Keep is, and I also believe there's something in that book that he didn't want anyone to see. When ever I even glanced at it, Akito glared so fiercely at me. It's the book, I'm sure of it.' So had Shigure told him.
Sitting on the desk was the leather-bound book, and as Yuki's hand closed over it, there was movement from the bed. The rat of the zodiac turned, but Akito's eyes were closed.
Breathing a sigh barely audible, Yuki turned and walked back to the door, prize in hand.
"I'll be taking that back."
The prince turned, mouth open in a silent cry. Akito's eyes were open.
*
Hatori turned over in his bed. He wasn't asleep, no, not with Shigure and Yuki doing what they were doing. He didn't know why he got up and pulled on his clothes, nor did he understand why he ran toward Akito's house, he just went.
He saw Shigure before the dog saw him. But when Hatori neared, his friend turned, a look of horror on his face. No one said anything out loud, they just acted.
"Akito!" Shigure shouted, grabbing the whip he was about to bring down on Yuki for the second time, when Hatori pulled Yuki out of the house, and helped him up.
"Are you sure this is wise?" The dragon asked, "He will kill you when you return."
Yuki grinned, "No, its not wise." He looked at the other houses, lights were starting to flicker on. "Hatori, be careful." He clutched at the book, "And protect Tohru."
Shigure raced out of the house, "He's all yours Hatori!"
Hatori grabbed Akito as he leapt at the dog, pinning his arms at his sides. Yuki began to run off toward the woods, but Shigure turned back.
"Ha'ri..."
Hatori smiled lightly, "Go, Shigure."
Shigure went.
*
"Master! Tohru!" Kyo cried, "Can you get me down? We have to get out of here."
Kazuma blinked, "No, my son. We are here to watch as our Queen sucks the very soul out of your body, and then uses it to plague the world of darkness."
"What are you saying?!"
"we are here to destroy your mind, Kyo."
Kyo's head dropped, "Tohru...?"
*
Tohru tossed in bed, her mind fervently going a mile a minute. For some reason, she couldn't relax, couldn't sleep. All she could think about was the way she had acted around Yuki. She was sure he hated her, for he hadn't returned at all.
"Yuki?" She sat bolt upright when her door opened.
"Sissy? What's going on outside?"
Tohru sighed, "Kisa..? I don't know." She pulled aside the curtains to see the entire zodiac outside, holding back an enraged Akito. No, wait, she didn't see Yuki or Shigure...
"Oh no..."
*
"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?"
Yuki glanced over his shoulder as they ran off deeper into the forest, "Having second thoughts now?"
The dog grinned cynically, "Not really, but...Where are we going?"
Yuki stopped mid-stride, and opened up the leather book. "You were right." He said shocked. "This is all about Dargaard Keep."
*
"Stop, Tohru." Yuki commanded, his tone icy. "I alone want to torture him. I alone have the right."
The others stepped back as the rat came forward, swinging a short sword. "This should be quite fun."
Kyo could only stare in horror as the sword got closer and closer. Yuki grinned, Kazuma laughed, and Tohru cheered. No one was around to hear him scream.
*
"Are we going in the right direction?" Shigure asked, head on his hands. He had been patient for the last hour as they delved deeper and deeper, going faster than humanly possible. He wanted answers now.
"Shut up, dog." The book closed with a snap. "We're almost there. Around that corner is a waterfall, and behind that; The dungeons of Dargaard Keep."
*
"Let go of me, Hatori!!"
The dragon held on to Akito as best as he could. If he let Akito go now, he would surely go after Tohru. The zodiac members were all standing as close as possible, with each trying to be the farthest away. Ayame alone came up to Hatori and asked him what had happened.
Hatori, eyes shot, managed to clench out a sentence. "Get the family away from here, and get Tohru...Away."
The snake blinked, before asking Kagura to calmly lead the others back to their houses. But suddenly everyone stopped, for in the time period it took Hatori to speak that sentence, Akito had mustered enough strength to break free. He now held Hatori by his neck, off of the ground.
"I'll kill you, just like I'll kill them when they return. With or without that outcast!"
"Hatori!"
Akito turned, grinning with a sort of morbid pleasure. "Ah, Miss Honda. I'm so glad you could make it." The grip on Hatori tightened, while the dragons limbs began to slow down. "In time for me to kill this traitor."
"Hatori!!" Ayame cried, his eyes narrowing. "Akito, you've gone too far!"
And with everyone watching him, the snake of the zodiac strode forward, and dealt the head of the family a solid blow to the head.
"I've been wanting to do that for a while."
*
"It's red."
"I can see that, Shigure."
"It's blood."
"Yup."
"Real blood?"
"I already answered that."
Shigure stared, mouth open as Yuki leapt nimbly over the blood that flowed from the cliffs, and toward a cave opening. "You coming?"
Shigure followed, but truth be told, Yuki hardly cared. The book stated clearly that 'The falls ran with the life's blood of its prisoners.' Silently he wondered what he would tell Tohru if Kyo's blood had already taken a trip over these falls.
*
Kyo's eyes closed at last, swollen shut. The last thing he saw was Yuki and the others vanish. They never were really there, they were apparitions. With real weapons. His body fell from the wall, and then he was moving. To some new part of this hellish place? He wasn't sure, but he was sure he didn't want to go.