Chapter 17

( Yay. My muse is back. Mwahahaha. I seem to be saying that a lot these days, don't I? So... Three chapters left! On the plus side, this is the first in a series of eight Sheelos fics. I added two more. XD On the downside or it can be the plus side, depending if you like the pairing I'm writing a Kraine fic before I continue the series. So… Anyways. On with teh fic.)

Many hours had passed since the young woman's capture. She was bound to a tree, and in a sorry state. Her hair, once held back in a sleek raven bun, was clumped with mud and sticking out at odd angles. Her clothing, the likes of which probably cost a small fortune, was as dirty as if she'd rolled in the mud. Not to mention damp… The rain had not ceased until well after they'd entered the forest, and she was soaked to the skin. Only now was she beginning to dry. All her battle scars from the journey, and even some places where no scars were present, stung as if the wounds were fresh. Yet none stung more than the sharp stabbing at her heart.

The chains that bound the summoner's wrists behind the tree were impenetrable, unbreakable. Even if she'd tried to escape, it would have been impossible. But she didn't even try.

Conicere lay where she'd dropped it. They'd ordered she drop it, then back away. Though she lacked a bit on the 'backing away' part, so they pulled her away. One of the smaller, snakelike men went to grab it, but he received that same shock as did Zelos, their precious source, more than once. Another tried. You can guess what happened. After that, the men all gave it a ten foot radius, or so it seemed. None of them wanted the shock that sent two of their own yelping into the forest. So it lay there, a mere foot past the extent of her limbs. Even if she'd tried to reach it, she couldn't. But she didn't even try.

The night had passed, as had the morning, and still she hadn't said a word. They had taken her to their camp, which was surprisingly close to where she'd collapsed the night before. She knew not what they intended to do to her, or even when… But if she knew anything of Kage, it would be cruel, and soon.

Morning faded to afternoon, which faded to evening. The hours went by, and still she sat, silent and seemingly stoic. The occasional sneer was sent her way, but nothing she couldn't fake oblivious to. Even when her entire village was slaughtered, the pain had started to fade by the next evening, if only slightly. This pain, however, only seemed to intensify the more she thought on what had happened. It didn't help at all that she couldn't get her mind off it.

Tears bordered her eyes, threatening to burst their dam and slide down her cheeks. By now, her eyes burned with the saltiness of her teardrops… Yet still she couldn't stop them from coming. Now, however, she could not just disappear into the earth, as she had attempted the previous night. She couldn't just fade from existence, fade from this cruel reality, fade from this pain she felt so acutely. So the tears kept on coming. Yet she stubbornly blinked them away; if there was one thing that she couldn't do, it was to let Kage see her tears. Deep down, she knew she was to die, though what sort of torment would occur first was still a mystery. She guessed she had two weeks tops. Four days minimum, they could probably cram enough torture in by then. The ninja was the last of her kind, and she could not disgrace her people, alive or dead, by going out crying. Even if she'd tried to push the tears away, she couldn't. But to keep them from showing, that was something she could manage. Had to manage. There was no other way.

Yet she failed at the one thing she had a chance of succeeding at. By the smirk on the brunette's face, he'd seen the tears she fought so hard to hide.

"Whasamatter? Miss your idiot lover boy?" Kage sneered, striding over to stand above her. Sheena felt a strange twinge of satisfaction that he too avoided her card. Yet to his words, she remained silent, merely turning her head rebelliously. He snorted in amusement. "You really fell for him, didn't you? Pathetic. I expected better from you. A true ninja could tell if someone really cares, or if they were merely acting like Zelos." He spat, his words mocking her very being. She didn't look at him, couldn't look at him. But she couldn't just sit there either.

"Shut up…" She murmured, as loud as she could trust her voice to hide the pain his words inflicted. Was he truly just pretending that whole time? 'It makes sense... More sense than anything I could have come up with. My god, I'm such an idiot!' He smirked even wider, knowing he'd struck a nerve.

"Ooh, does the truth hurt? He played you, Sheena. I bet he was laughing at you in his mind every time you fell for his lovey-dovey act." Continued the muscular brunette contemptuously.

"Shut up." Her voice was a little louder this time, a little stronger.

"You're a disgrace. So hopelessly in love with someone who doesn't give a damn whether you live or die."

"Shut up!" She cried, his words digging into her chest like a knife. Her gaze met his, and the flame of defiance it held shocked even him, from one so hopelessly broken as her. Yet it only fueled his fire.

"Every bat of his pretty-boy lashes was part of an act to lure you in, to bring you closer to him, to me." He continued, delivering the finishing blow. She gasped slightly, as if struck.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" She screamed at her tormentor. Pushing against the chains 'round her wrists with all her might, she at long last fought her restraints. She intended to break free, and to pound every inch of pain back into that smirking face of his. Yet when she found she couldn't, she sank back against the tree once more. And at last the tears could be bridled no more. Sheena Fujibayashi cried the tears she'd vowed not to cry. She cried the tears of defeat, while lying helpless at her enemy's feet. 'I truly am pathetic...' At these tears, Kage seemed satisfied. He smirked once more, turned, and walked back into the bustle of the camp. Yet the weeping did not cease. They were silent tears, silent enough not to attract attention, yet they were tears nonetheless. And as the moon rose over the horizon, the summoner fell into a fitful sleep, tears still glistening silver on her cheeks.

(Sad, yes, and definitely short, but I had to have that in there, else her next chapter won't work. Heh. I had to get Kage in there to poke at her feelings so she got out of the lifeless grief-stricken state and more into the hateful state. Though she's still sad, and very much so. Read and Review! D)