Chibisensei: As you can tell from the chapter title, I'm formally introducing Nekozawa & Hikaru into the plot. I do like Nekozawa, but he just makes too good of a villain to pass down. Also, I really appreciate reviews. Just…please don't flame me. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Warning: Blood & angst

Disclaimer: Does it look like I own Ouran?

Chapter 3: The Executioner & His Assistant

Kyoya stared blankly at Tamaki. "…"

Tamaki, seemingly oblivious to the growing awkwardness, continued to blabber on. "Never fear, Mr. Ootori! I will defend you to the bitter end! You have nothing to worry about!"

Kyoya pushed up his glasses. "I don't believe I selected counsel yet," he stated. "Nor do I believe I will be in need of such Mr-" Kyoya paused in confusion as Tamaki retreated into a dark corner.

"Father was right," pouted Tamaki dramatically with an air of gloom. Kyoya cocked an eyebrow. "I should have been a cattle herder," continued Tamaki.

"…" In Kyoya's mind, a picture of the blonde being chased by a herd of raging cattle came to mind. He couldn't hold back a snicker.

Tamaki turned his head to the glasses wearing man despondently before crawling further into his corner of woe. A few minutes passed before Kyoya cleared his throat.

"Out of curiosity, what are your credentials?" he asked.

Tamaki stood up, his mood instantly changing to that of hopeful glee. "I graduated top in my class and passed the bar exam with flying colors."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow. Was this idiot really a competent attorney? "I see, but I still do not require your services."

Tamaki adopted a serious expression that Kyoya found didn't suit him. "I don't believe you understand, Mr. Ootori. Being tried for a Seven Sin crime is not unlike being tried for witchcraft in Salem during the 1600s," explained he, lifting his eye patch. "I lost my own trial before I could even call character witnesses in my defense." The sight Tamaki's glass eye was disturbing. The quality seemed poor and it wasn't lifelike in the least, most likely the reason he kept it covered. Kyoya couldn't help feeling a bit unnerved by it. "This was punishment for a single charge of Vanity, Mr. Ootori." Tamaki lowered the patch back over his left eye. "You are charged with 5 counts of Greed. The prosecutor is my precious 'daughter' Haruhi so I know those charges will not go away." Tamaki paused briefly before starting to gush how adorable and smart his "daughter" was.

Kyoya adjusted his glasses. "In that case, I suppose it would be in my best interest to request counsel." He glanced at Tamaki. "You have experience with these types of cases?"

Tamaki's expression once again changed to glee & he nodded enthusiastically. "As Haruhi's 'father', I'm the only attorney to win a case against her! My precious daughter learns so fast!"

Kyoya could have sworn he saw sparkles dancing around Tamaki with that last statement. For the time being, he decided to ignore the biological impossibility of Tamaki being the prosecutor's father. Even though everything in his mind told him to tell this seemingly bipolar man to "hit the road", something else told him that he just might be what he needed. "Very well," stated Kyoya. "I accept your proposal to be my attorney."

Tamaki practically jumped for joy. "I promise you won't regret it Kyoya! I can call you Kyoya now, right? Right? Kyoya?"

Kyoya almost sweatdropped. Just what had he gotten himself into?

Prisoners & staff alike cringed as a loud musical shrieking echoed along the walls in the most maddening way. The culprit: a female prisoner with a violin…a very musically untalented female prisoner.

"Hey, I'm really getting the hang of this!" gushed Renge Houshakuji proudly, sawing the bow across the strings like a mad woman. The owner of the violin, a sympathetic guard named Ayame Jonochi, held her ears in an attempt to block out the horrible noise. Only one person was unfazed, his flowing cape cloaking him as if he was death itself. To most, he was not that far off. He was Umehito Nekozawa, Ouran's executioner.

"Ahem," coughed Nekozawa. Everything got quiet as they noticed the man in the shadows. Ayame gulped nervously & took the opportunity to snatch her instrument from between the bars. "My little helper & I will require some quiet to work," continued Nekozawa, shooting a look at Renge. She paled. "Please keep the noise to a minimum or some…discipline…may be instilled to remedy the situation." He looked behind him. "Isn't that right, Hikaru?"

The elder Hitachiin twin nodded once. In his long sleeved prisoner uniform, no one could see his bruises. Not that it mattered. He had stopped being seen as one of Nekozawa's victims the first time Nekozawa had him…discipline…a fellow inmate. Hikaru looked down at the ground. Each time he broke one of their bones he pictured the person as Nekozawa. Each scream he caused he heard as Nekozawa's. It was the only way he had to keep the sanity he had. He had to do it. He had no choice.

Nekozawa turned an assessing eye towards the rows of cells. His gaze stopped on one holding a young man no older than 17. Nekozawa grinned. "Mr. Nozonu," he started. "You're up."

Nozonu's face turned sheet white. "N-no!" he yelled. "I have an appeal in the works!"

"Which was denied this morning," said Nekozawa. The executioner looked at Ayame. "Miss Ayame, if you would be so kind…"

"Y-yes, Mr. Nekozawa." Fumbling in her pocket, the young guard pulled out her ring of keys & clumsily unlocked Nozonu's cell.

Nekozawa turned to Hikaru. "Start the preparations."

Hikaru's gaze snapped up to his "employer". The dark, hateful glare he sent him was enough to turn Nozonu a new shade of white. With clenched fists, the elder Hitachiin turned & stormed towards the execution chamber.

Unknown to most, Umehito Nekozawa was not the sadistic public employee they thought he was. In reality, he was a sadistic former death row inmate. Two years prior, Nekozawa was sentenced to death for practicing human sacrifice for his black magic rituals. He was brought to the execution chamber 3 times. Each attempted execution failed. Some said it was due to the incompetence of the executioner, others said it was due to faulty equipment, but among the prisoners that knew him as an inmate, there was a deep seeded belief that it was because of black magic. The law of Ouran of the time stated that if the executioner failed to execute a prisoner thrice, the prisoner's sentence would be vacated. Still, it would be a gross miscarriage of justice to allow Nekozawa free to practice his art among the citizen population. In a rather "clever" move by the D.A., Nekozawa was offered the job as Ouran's executioner. It was win-win in the eyes of the Court. Never again would they have an incompetent executioner. The guilty would pay proportionate to their crime. At least that was how it started. With the passing of the Seven Sins legislation, Ouran's executioner was granted unparalleled discretion as to methods of punishment & execution among the prisoners of Ouran Penitentiary. Since then, not a day went by when the floor of the execution chamber was not covered in blood. Hikaru came to know that well. The execution chamber was the one place Kaoru couldn't help him. His brother could only watch him with helpless guilt as he spiraled further and further into madness. More & more often, Hikaru began to question whether being spared execution was actually a blessing. Even if the Court allowed no action to be taken against his brother for having his life spared, Kaoru would still hinge his fate on his. He knew Kaoru wouldn't leave him & that thought was as painful as it was soothing. Kaoru would be forced to watch the brother he saved morph into a monster. Kaoru was already burdened enough with the guilt over what he had to do to him. Hikaru stared down at the blade (which was basically a large machete) he was currently washing. It was times like these that it took every ounce of will power he had not to turn the blade onto himself to end the nightmares; but, that would negate all that Kaoru did for him. He couldn't do that to his brother, to his family.

Outside, he could hear the shouts and struggles of Nozonu as he was forcefully dragged towards the room. Hikaru lay the blade down as the creaky steel door burst open. With an emotionless face, the Hitachiin twin walked towards the metal table as Nozonu was forcefully thrown onto to it. Almost robotically, he tied the young man down.

"Let me go!" screamed Nozonu. "Please!" Hikaru looked down at the pleading young man. Tears of fear were now flowing freely down his face. Hikaru couldn't stand the sight. "Please..." It made this too real. "Please don't kill me." Before Nozomu could utter another plea sweet darkness enveloped him as Hikaru's fist connected with his face.

Nekozawa walked to Hikaru's side. "My, such a temper you have," he complimented creepily. "But, you ruined the fun part."

Hikaru glared at Nekozawa before re-checking the secureness of the restraints. He walked towards the machete, vowing to himself he would one day use it to decapitate the cloaked man behind him. If there was anything that could justify cold-blooded murder, that man was it.

"I am not blind as to your motives, Hikaru," continued Nekozawa. "Even so, you are my little helper & I believe the time has come for you to spread your wings, so to speak." Hikaru froze. "Since Mr. Nozonu here is no longer struggling, it presents a very promising opportunity. I would like to see what you have learned from your observations. After all, you can't just 'prepare' & 'clean up' forever." Nekozawa walked past the frozen Hitachiin twin & picked up the machete and grinned at his reflection on the blade. "By the way, I let the D.A. know that I heard rumor that your brother was possibly up to something. A plan to take my life perhaps?" Hikaru's head snapped towards the executioner in shock. That wasn't true!

"Oo rahking ar!"** came Hikaru's throaty yell. It was the best he could do without a tongue.

"I'm a liar?" echoed Nekozawa. "Is that what you said? Can you testify to that?"

Hikaru clenched his fists tightly, drawing blood from his palms. How many fucking ways was it possible to be fucked over by this guy? Hikaru's eye twitched. Nevermind.

"I didn't think so," he smirked. "Now…" He held the machete up. "Shall we get to work?"

Haruhi sighed as she skimmed over the evidence against the defendant again. Tamaki had no chance this time. It would be a miracle if he could even prove that this Kyoya Ootori was anything other than a cold, manipulative bastard. Haruhi, herself, highly doubted the man was as bad in person as he was on paper, but she had been wrong before. Either way, she & the defendant would have to have a face to face meeting. She would decide after that what she would do.

"It's normal to be nervous your first time," said Nekozawa calmly. "Take your time."

Beads of sweat dripped down Hikaru's face as he held the machete over Nozonu's throat, his anger forgotten as the realization of what he was going to do seeded itself in his mind. He couldn't even delude himself into picturing Nekozawa this time because…the truth was…Nozonu wasn't. None of them were. They were all just like him. No matter how tough or angry they looked, they were afraid. They were afraid of death; they were afraid of Nekozawa; and now they were afraid of him. The machete trembled in his hand. No. If he didn't do this, Nekozawa would take advantage of it. He couldn't let his brother get in trouble for his insubordination. Kaoru went through so much trouble for him! He-

"Here, allow me to help," stated Nekozawa. Time seemed to slow as Hikaru felt Nekozawa's cool hand over his own, gently pressing the blade against Nozomu's carotid. A soft groan came from the man as he began to regain consciousness. Panic overtook Hikaru as Nozonu's eyes opened & slowly began to focus. He couldn't do this! He couldn't do this! He couldn't do this! He couldn't-SLASH!

Nozomu's eyes widened as the machete sliced through the side of his neck. Blood splashed across Hikaru's face as the severed artery gushed out like a geyser. Each weakening pump of Nozomu's heart brought a new spray of red. A strangled gurgle was the last sound that escaped Nozomu before he stilled, his eyes becoming unfocused & dull in death. Nekozawa's hand slowly left Hikaru's.

"See? It wasn't so bad," said Nekozawa. "You did quite well for beginner."

Hikaru felt sick. He had no idea what had just happened. Desperately, he wrenched himself from the executioner's grasp & ran, vomiting into the sink nearby. The blood; he could taste it. He could feel it dripping down his face. He threw up again as Nozomu's death burned into his memory. The cit had been so deep it had cut halfway through the man's windpipe. He couldn't have killed him! It would have taken a lot more pressure to take the man's head half off…right?

Nekozawa walked to him & placed a hand on Hikaru's shoulder as heaves racked the elder Hitachiin's body. "Execution is an art," he stated. "You will come to see its beauty in time..." He paused to allow a sadistic smile to stretch across his face. "…my assistant."

Kaoru shoved his hands in his pockets as he made his way into the death row wing. He had really been hoping to get Hikaru out of this mess. He looked down. Before he had left Haruhi's office she had said something unusual.

"Tamaki may be oblivious, but he is a good friend," she said cryptically. "You should talk to him sometime."

Kaoru crossed his arms, his curiosity peaked. Maybe he should thank Tamaki after all.

Haruhi's Legislation Notes

Ouran Penal Law 140:1 Pride

The crime of Pride shall be defined as "a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority". The lesser crime of Vanity shall be defined as "excessive admiration of one's own appearance". 140:1 may be charged if any such behavior is displayed in public.

Ouran Penal Law 140:2 Penalties

1. For the lesser crime of Vanity, the offender shall lose an eye.

i. Should more than 2 counts of Vanity be charged at a time, he/she shall be deafened.

ii. Should more than 3 counts of Vanity be charged in a lifetime, the individual shall executed by method of drowning

2. For the general crime of Pride, execution is mandatory.

Ouran Penal Law 140:3 Restrictions

1. The charge of Pride cannot be brought against those less than 13 years of age

2. Only 140:2:1 may apply to the mentally disabled

3. The charge of Pride shall be dismissed if the state fails to meet the burden of proof

**"You fucking liar!"