Chapter 10: Revelations


I hate him.

Her mind screamed those words over and over, a painful continuous rant in her head as she stumbled into her small room, ripping off the suffocating cloak and throwing herself on the Western-style bed. Her fists clutched the thin fabric, ripping it as she stretched it in frustration and pain.

I hate him.

Her mind was running a horrible movie in her mind, pausing at the most ghastly moments and slowing down all the pain.

The metallic and stifling stench flooded her senses. She could see the pool of blood seeping slowly towards her as she backed away, her stomach doing backflips and her heart pounding. She managed to throw the screen open and fling herself outside, ripping the cloak away from her mouth as a wave of vomit erupted from her. She stood there, her eyes burning from the pain in her throat and the disgusting taste in her mouth making her more nauseous. She turned to look back at the corpse behind her, as if checking to see if it had really happened, then threw up again, the sight overpowering and weakening her.

The flavor was still in her mouth, along with the bitter iron taste of blood, as if she had actually tasted it.

She curled herself into a ball, the lump in her throat suffocating her as she trembled.

She had never felt so helpless.

Earlier that day Say had come up to her, a solemn expression on her face as she explained exactly what they were all trained to do.

"We take out the trash for him. It's why we're here, and now it's your turn."

Although Say's face and voice had been calm, almost stoic, Kyouri could see the sadness in her dark eyes, as if she was somehow asking for forgiveness.

Kyouri had refused at once. There was no way she was going to spill blood for that bastard. Say had just gazed at her quietly, then asked a simple question:

"What's it like? To be in love, I mean."

That question had thrown Kyouri off, the anger and disgust she had been feeling earlier towards Say, her cousins, and her uncle fading.

She had looked at her hands, wondering just how to answer such a question. Finally, she was able to respond.

"It's like… like feeling complete. Happy. Content. There's nothing missing. Everything is beautiful. It's beautiful."

Say had looked at her, smiling though her eyes were filled with such sadness.

"It sounds nice, I wish I could experience it, though someone like me never will."

She had faced Kyouri, her eyes still soft and naked.

"Don't forget what it's like, Kyouri."

Kyouri buried her face into her covers, trying to smother herself.

I can't forget, I will never forget.

That was why she did it. She killed that man for those people. Her friends. The person she loved.

So why? Why did she feel like this? She felt filthy, as if every inch of her was crawling with dirt and vermin. She could never be clean again; the stench of the blood she had spilled would always surround her.

But it was for them…

She had a reason for doing this. She would always have a reason.

It was a good reason.

They would want…

…Would they?

What would you do, Sanosuke?


"Ah! Here comes Kyouri-hime!" grinned Rei, "Late, as usual." Kyouri walked up to the group, her eyes shadowed. "Well?" Rei edged up to Kyouri, grinning devilishly, exposing two fangs. "How'd it go?" Kyouri's fists clenched as she ground her teeth together, bowing her head to avoid the girl's sneering expression.

"Leave her alone, Rei," Say said suddenly, jumping down from the roof.

"I wasn't doing anything but inquiring about her first assignment, onee-san," Rei responded with an innocent air.

"She doesn't need your shit," Say frowned, so unexpectedly direct that Rei was shocked into silence.

"…never again…" Kyouri whispered, her head bowed and her fists still clenched.

"What was that?" Rei asked, furrowing her brow.

"Never again," she repeated with more determination. "I will never kill for him again." Kyouri didn't have time to react before she found herself sprawled on the floor, her face throbbing where Rei had punched her.

"Just who the hell do you think you are?" Rei hissed, deep and intense loathing burning in her eyes. "Do you think you're so much better than us that you can refuse when we can't? Do you really think you have any say in this?"

"I don't care, I'm not doing it again," Kyouri replied, her eyes also burning with anger.

"Then I'll do him the favor of killing you!" Rei seethed furiously, charging the energy that flowed in her to her hand. She pounced forward, plunging her fist down into Kyouri. Rei looked up from the crater of glass she had left around her to find Say looking down at her, Kyouri on the ground behind her.

"Why the hell did you save her?" Rei growled, pulling her hand out of the glass, shattering it as she did.

"I didn't save her," Say responded coolly, "I saved you."

"BULLSHIT!" Rei yelled. "I will be doing father a favor by killing off that wretch! SHE DOESN'T DESERVE TO LIVE!"

"IT IS NOT UP TO YOU WHETHER SHE LIVES OR DIES!" Say roared, raising her voice for the first time, her face livid with anger. "And you!" She reached down and pulled Kyouri up by the front of her clothes roughly. "Are you forgetting why you're here?" The earth around Say swirled dangerously. "Are you forgetting who you're doing this for? Will you let them die?"

Kyouri gazed at her steadily, "I would rather have them die than taint their names with the lives of others." Say's aura flared, the ground now rippling around her.

"I should kill you," she hissed in a voice so low it was hard to hear. "I would be doing you a favor."

"Be my guest," Kyouri grinned bitterly. The earth around Say began to rise as she seriously considered it, but she was stopped by a voice.

"Say-san, please desist." The ground stopped pulsating as Say froze, turning her head to see the eldest daughter standing on the path. The girl's blood red eyes bore into Say, causing her to slowly loosen her grip on Kyouri's clothes. Kyouri stepped away from Say, straightening her gi as she avoided her gaze.

"Kyouri-san," Ichijou said as she transferred her indifferent gaze to Kyouri, "I was hoping you could join me for tea." Kyouri was so taken aback by the offer that it took her a minute to comprehend what Ichijou had said. She glanced at the demonesses around her; Rei gave her a look of utmost hatred while Say resumed her impassive air.

She remembered the humility they had always shown to this demoness, and bowed her head, "I would be honored, Ichijou-sama."

Ichijou dipped her chin once, "Then please follow me to the sitting room." Kyouri didn't look back at the girls as she trailed behind Ichijou's long kimono, not wanting to see Say's reaction.

As soon as both girls had gone, Rei turned around and slammed her fist into a nearby tree, sending splinters flying everywhere and into her already bloody hand.

"THAT WRETCH!" she yelled furiously as her two younger sisters looked on in fear and Say gave her a look of disdain.

"What the hell are you getting worked up about?" Say asked.

"I hate her," Rei fumed, digging her nails into her palms.

Say rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh, "I've always known you were the territorial type, but I never figured you were the jealous type."

"I am not fucking jealous!" Rei snapped.

"Then I'll ask again: why the hell are you getting so worked up?" Say smirked, even though there was nothing funny about the situation.

"I have my reasons, but jealousy isn't one of them."

Say's smirking face shifted quickly into a serious one, "Do you think she's lucky? Just because she got to leave this place for a few years you get to torture her for the rest of her life? What the hell will that achieve?"

Rei smirked, "Causing her to suffer is the only way I'll be appeased." A column of sand appeared from the ground and slammed into Rei, throwing her into the tree she had previously punched and knocking the air out of her. Say stalked up to her as she gasped for air, her usually calm eyes once again furious.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Say snapped. "We are all in the same position; none of us deserve harassment from others."

"Have you really forgotten?" Rei asked, struggling to stand up. She finally did, and looked into her older half-sister's eyes. "Have you already forgotten Issui?" Say froze upon hearing her younger sister's name, averting her gaze. "Do you remember what happened to her?"

"How could I forget?" Say murmured, "How could any of us forget?"

Rei nodded, a sick smile stretching across her face. "She ran away. She actually got away. I was… I was so happy." Her voice was slowly rising in volume. "If she could do it, then why couldn't I? Then…"

Her electric blue eyes were swirling with emotion, though Say carefully avoided them. "He caught her. I should've expected it. Do you remember what happened to her?" Say didn't answer. She didn't want these memories brought back. "He tortured her, whipped her, burned her, anything to cause her pain. It went on that way for two weeks; he would go down to those disgusting dungeons, that horrible place that reeks of death and pain, almost every day to find other ways to cause her misery. Then, on the last day, he brought us all down there."

Say couldn't help trembling, remembering the same memories that were flashing through her sister's eyes as her voice escalated further. "He wanted to set an example. 'This is what will happen to you if you run away.'" Rei's voice shook as her body trembled with rage. "She was a mess, a bloody, stinking, pathetic mess. She was almost indistinguishable from the girl I knew before. Then…" Her sick smile twitched as she struggled to keep her voice from cracking. "He killed her. I was glad he did, she was in such pain." She looked straight into Say's eyes. "Do you remember?"

"Of course I do, dammit," Say muttered angrily, looking away. "How could I forget her?"

"And now," Rei's voice was almost hysterical, echoing in the courtyard around them. "That little wretch comes prancing in here after ten fucking years, and he does nothing. He didn't lift a finger towards the girl."

"Even though you may not see it, Kyouri is suffering as much as Issui."

"Bullshit. If she was suffering as much as Issui, she wouldn't be getting these stupid ideas in her head about defying him. Don't you get it? She doesn't understand! No one can beat him!"

"At least she's trying!" Say snapped.

"Issui tried! And look where that got her!"

"She still never gave up, and I doubt Kyouri will too."

Rei turned away, still shaking, "Then I guess she's gonna die too." Say was unwilling to answer and confirm her fears.


Kyouri walked into a large room, still following Ichijou, on the other side of the mansion. She blinked heavily, her eyes adjusting to the sudden change in light, and barely recognized the figure sitting at a table when he spoke.

"Ohayou, Kyouri," he said, his silky voice sending shivers down her back.

"Ohayou, oji-sama," Kyouri responded, although she was freely glaring at him. He smirked at this.

"I heard you have a problem with your job," he continued as Ichijou served tea for all of them.

"Yes, I do," she responded. "I refuse to kill others. Sell my body or my soul if you wish, just don't make me kill others." Her uncle shook his head condescendingly, giving her a piercing look.

A smile stretched across his narrow face.

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

All Kyouri caught a glimpse of was the face of a young girl, pale grey eyes and chilling white hair framing her face as she reached up and touched Kyouri's forehead, before everything around her was plunged into darkness. The last thing she saw in her mind's eye was a pair of blood red eyes boring into her heart, always staring and all-knowing.


Note: Oooh, there's a reason why Rei's been so bitchy! (notice how none of them call each other "bitches," I think it'd be stupid to call a cat that :D). I wanted to give her a good reason for being so mean to Kyouri; I mean, even I have to admit she was really extreme.

Well, I hope you guys liked this chapter, though it was kind of short. It took forever to post it! The first version of this chapter was ridiculously long, and ridiculously crappy! I mean, seriously! It was so bad I had to completely scrap it and rewrite it! I'm glad I did, this version's a lot better…

Anyways, if you didn't hate her uncle before, you should now. And just wait until I'm through with him! Heh heh…

Reviewer Responses:

FairyMage: Well, I guess you know what was weird about them now, ne? It's all that idiot uncle's fault (-hiss-). I hope stuff's okay with you, it really took you a while to get this chapter done and I really hope I'm not stressing you more than you already are (you sounded like you were pretty busy in the last review you left me). Still, thanks a lot for the changes you made, it's a lot better (whoo!). Guess what? IT'S SNOWING AGAIN! (-rips out hair-).

WhiteRabbit5: Wow, you liked it… T-T. I like the change of tone too, since I've been feeling a little depressed lately and this helps :D. Thank you! I can't believe Kyouri's been bumped up into more than "that OC," it feels good to have someone say that! And you can't really talk about extensive use of an OC, since you have a whole series surrounding one XD. Yeah, it was corny, but it's a mushy romance fic, so that's okay (woot!).

OmasuOniwabanshu: I really like the Japanese supernatural stuff; their demons kick ass (XD) so I naturally had to put one in my fic! RuroKen is also a little "supernatural," too. I mean, come on! A guy that got mauled, torched, and shot in the head and still has enough in him to attempt to take over Japan! Puh-lease (joke XD). What I like about RuroKen is that, although the character's may be a little far fetched, they're still, well, human. So I'm trying to keep Kyouri as "half-demon-ish" as possible. :D

K.T.Kyouko: O.o You live in AZ? Oh, I am so sorry! (let's pity ourselves for a while… okay, that's enough XD). Ya, well, I have a beta-reader now! So I'm hoping to cut down on the grammar errors! (I go back and look over the stuff you said I got wrong, and it just makes my skin crawl, ech). Glad you liked it!

Rayne-chan: I'm still continuing! Thank God! (-hands over a tissue-).

You guys think this chapter was interesting? Just wait until the next one (-evil laugh-).

I got FIVE EXCELLENT reviews for the last chapter! It was so wonderful! If you're reading this, please don't forget to review!

Oh! I hit 60 reviews! (-waves flag-)