Satoshi grabbed Penelope by the collar of her blouse and pulled her close.
"What do you mean by that?" he demanded. "Are you saying Sasaya's going to die?"
Daisuke grabbed Satoshi's arms. "Hiwatari, let her go!"
Reluctantly, Satoshi let go of Penelope. She closed her eyes and heaved a tired sigh.
"I can't talk when I'm surrounded by purity," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "That was one of the things I had to give up. The snow is so pure that it wouldn't allow someone as impure as me to talk to you, even if it was for a good cause. This building allows me to speak, but it hurts to talk any louder than this. I hope you can understand me."
Daisuke and Satoshi sat down in front of her.
"What are you?" Satoshi asked.
Penelope smiled. "I mean you no harm. I'm not from this world. And I guess I'm human."
"Um, Penelope-san, what's going on?" Daisuke asked. "Why are we here?"
"This is a dimension in which you are meant to suffer. My words could very well destroy you, but I don't want that to happen. I need to tell you to take care. Strange things are going to happen if this goes on any longer.
"If what goes on any longer?" Daisuke asked.
"I assume you know how those beings were created."
"Yeah, when a magic ceremony was interrupted."
"What kind of magic ceremony was it?"
Confusion crossed Daisuke's face. "I don't know." He turned to Satoshi. "Do you know?"
The anger on Satoshi's face vanished a little and was replaced by sheer confusion. "No."
Penelope opened and closed her eyes slowly before telling them the answer.
"It was alchemy."
"Owwww . . ."
Chie opened her eyes slowly. She sat up and felt sharp pains all around her body. She was about to scream, but thought it wouldn't be wise and simply sucked her breath in sharply through her teeth. She had several small cuts from the glass mirror. Blood was running down a few of her wounds and her head ached from falling on the hard, rock floor of the other side of the cave. Silently, she started to cry.
I don't get this, she thought as she hugged herself and trembled. I'm cold and wet and I hurt all over. And Ku-chan's acting crazy. I don't want to be here! Kiku-san, Dai-kun, Giku-chan, Anko-chan, please help me. Someone please help me!
"The lie of the light."
Chie gasped. She recognized the voice. Slowly, she turned around and saw Sasaya standing behind her.
"Ku-chan," she whispered.
Sasaya grabbed Chie's hair and pulled. Chie let out a short cry, but that just made Sasaya tighten her grip.
"Do you know what that means? It means that everything is lie. Light isn't always good. Light can be darkness as well. And besides, who can judge these things? What does anyone know about light and darkness anyway? What most people recognize instantly is the darkness. The darkness brought forth by stupid emotions that make others do stupid things."
"Ku-chan, please, let go of my hair," Chie pleaded.
Instead of letting go, Sasaya pulled the girl's hair even harder and slammed her face against the cave well several times. Chie cried and yelled, but Sasaya wouldn't stop.
After a few more minutes, Sasaya let go of her hair. Chie drew her hands up to her face. She had a bloody nose and her lip was bruised. Her forehead felt wet with bloody scrapes.
"Told you," Sasaya said with strange satisfaction. "I don't look like that type of person who would mercilessly hurt you, do I?"
Chie looked up at her with rivers of tears and blood running down her face. "But you're not! Ku-chan, this isn't you. You would never do something like this."
Sasaya slapped her and grabbed her by the collar of her dress. "I'm not Ku-chan, you damn bitch! Never was, never will be. I'm Sana, the one you mercilessly killed." She raised her other arm and Chie gasped. The other hand held the sharp stiletto with its sharp edge pointing at her!
"Die!" Sasaya shouted and brought down the blade.
Chie squeezed her eyes shut and shouted, "KU-CHAN!"
A stupid fly is buzzing around my room. Out, fly, out! Anyway, the next chapter's going to be kinda sad.
