Asylum

Asylum(n.) - 1. A place of safety; refuge 2. An institution for the care of mentally ill, aged, or poor people: a term now rarely used (Definition taken from Webster's New Compact Desk Dictionary and Style Guide)

Eluding Pain

Hiei continued to stare as Ayana shook with trepidation. Tears were now spilling down her face, dripping to the floor at her feet. He didn't know what to do or say so he decided to just be the silent observer.

It was a few minutes later before Ayana finally relinquished her grip on the sword, letting it clatter to the floor as she collapsed onto her hands and knees. Isabella smiled softly as she picked the katana up from the floor and returned it to its sheath, then walked over to Ayana and laid a hand on her shoulder, saying, "You know I don't want to torture like this but if you're going to continue avoiding this, I'm going to take steps to push you along."

Ayana didn't say anything in response, still trying to calm herself down. Isabella deemed that enough and headed toward the weaponry to return Hiei's katana to it's place.

Ayana finally sat back on her heals and closed her eyes as she asked, "Hiei, why are you here?"

Hiei didn't answer her but Isabella did as she came back. "I invited him to come. I think this involves him now."

"It doesn't," Ayana bit out, her eyes still shut. "Don't drag him into this. The patients aren't supposed to know."

"Tasha knows," Isabella pointed out.

"She's different. None of the other patients knew me then."

"But how do you know that Tasha is going to keep her mouth shut?"

"She's been doing that for five years, hasn't she? She can survive for another hundred or so more."

Hiei was finally sick of this. He didn't really care for this and knew that being here wasn't doing him any good so he turned to leave.

"Hiei wait," Isabella called. "Despite what Ayana says, you are apart of this whether you care to be or not."

"Hn. Send me a card," Hiei snapped.

Before anyone else could say a word, Hiei unlocked the doors and left. He decided that his room was the best place for solitude at the moment so he took to the stairs and finally found himself sitting on the edge of his bed, more perturbed and confused than when he first set out to brood.

Now he knew that there was definitely something up with Ayana. She was supposed to "confront" something but was hesitant to do so, but what was it? Supposedly the crazy girl knew about it, knew Ayana 'then' and was supposedly keeping her mouth shut about it. Isabella was determined to get Ayana to confront this thing of hers, face her fears. The most pressing question was how did this involve him? He saw nothing that tied him to Ayana and hoped that there was nothing that tied him to her. He'd rather be clueless than find out that there was indeed something that connected the two of them.

Hiei, seeing that he was getting nowhere with his brooding, shoved away all his thoughts and tried to enter that lapsing state that he had obtained earlier. It didn't take too much effort on his part for it to happen and he was once again unmolested by his own thoughts, troubles, and past memories. The sweet peaceful void had once again taken a hold on his mind, putting Hiei at a prepared ease. He was still tense to the point where he could defend himself if someone disturbed him but he was also washed over with a sense of tranquility.

But he was again intruded into but not by a patient or employee, but the morose walls of his room. How it happened, Hiei was still unsure of, but the walls suddenly shoved their stories at him, shattering his peace of mind and replacing it with the turmoil, burning anger, pain, and suffering that had once inhabited within their box. These feelings were strong, almost renewed by something, and they pressed unabated into Hiei's own mind that he was beginning to feel them in himself.

These were not his feelings though, but someone elses. What were his were the memories of his own pain and suffering that were unleashed in the stead of the mirrored emotions. Hiei was unaccustomed to all this holding place in his mind, especially when he was being intruded upon by an outside thing. He struggled to suppress all these depressing and tormenting memories, from both himself and that past inmate, but they were virulent and incorrigible, striking swift and fast at his senses; Hiei, despite his strength, didn't last out and finally succumbed to the memories that fought for dominance.

Screams erupted from a closed and locked door, a fierce pounding was heard from inside. No one stirred in the night because of these disturbances; they were used to that inmate's fury and has since ignored the antics.

Just as suddenly the screaming and pounding had started, it quickly ceased and nothing was heard from the room any longer. Inside, a shrouded figure sat in the middle of their dark room, shuddering and crying. They began to whisper to themselves, "I will die here. I will die here. Nothing will please me anymore. I must die, no matter the price."

What no one could see were the small incisions this inmate was making into their own wrists with their fingernails. The cuts were as cleanly made as if they were put there by a knife but, seeing as weapons were disposed of to a safe chamber, the patient was left to make use of their other sources. As they continued to repeat the mantra to themselves, their index finger pressed lightly against the middle of their wrist and slid straight down until they reached the crook of their elbow. Sucking in their breath, they watched the blood flow from the wound for a few minutes before the wound quickly scabbed over, then closed itself, only leaving a pencil-thin scar.

"I MUST DIE!" They screamed, enraged suddenly by the healing that had occurred.

He was alone, once again, traveling through Makai and headed for Jigure's place of residence; he was going to get the Jagan implanted into his brain no matter the pain it caused him. He was used to pain, used to finding no solace in anything or anyone. An implant was next to nothing compared to this dark weight on him, forever suffocating him with its hatred and dark plotting. He now knew the truth of the world; that no one truly could care for him. In reality, everyone he came in contact with was plotting against him and he could see it in the way they talked with him, in their eyes and mien; they did not look to him with honesty and sincerity. Only when they planned to murder or deceit him did they play the role of a caring and sweet person.

He had already exploited their plans though, so they were never carried out. He either killed or escaped from them to once again be on his own. No one would ever succeed in trouncing him; he was too quick for them and to smart to fall into their traps.

Nails embedded in the drywall, body shaking with their anger and self-loathing, the tortured inmate whispered in defeat, "It's all my fault. I am sin in a physical form is what I am; stained and dirty, shunned by my own kind for what I've done. I was forsaken, driven mad, and contained."

The tears were flowing down their face as they continued, "But I must right my wrongs. Please, Isabella let me make up for my wrong doings."

Isabella, the owner of the institute, stepped forward. "What do you want to do?"

These memories were abruptly cut off when a knock came at Hiei's door. He finally resurfaced from the tormented memories of himself and the past occupant. He had not see their face, didn't know whether it was a male or female that had been there, and the voice sounded nothing like any he knew.

Standing, Hiei walked over to the door and opened. Isabella stood there, a thoroughly shaken Ayana standing behind her. Hiei could see that if Isabella did not have a tight grip on the woman's wrist, Ayana would have sprinted down the hall; from what was lost to him.

"What?" he asked bitterly.

"We seek your audience," Isabella calmly replied.

Hiei glared down at her. "Why?"

The girl returned the glare and answered, "Let us in and you will find out."

"N-no Isabella. Don't do this. N-n-not now!" Ayana began to struggle against the witch, vainly tugging at her wrist. Hiei didn't know what else to do, knowing that if he didn't move and permit them in, Isabella would surely make him.

The demon stepped aside and Isabella slowly began to tow an frantic Ayana in. Her eyes were wide and frightened, almost convulsing, attempting to free herself from her captor. "Isabella! I-I don't w-wa-want to do this! There h-has to be a-a-another way!" She began to cry as her feet inched closer and closer to the threshold and she whimpered.

Isabella ignored any and all Ayana's pleas and continued to tug and pull the girl inside the room. Finally, Ayana had past through the door and in to the room.

What happened was almost immediate. Ayana dropped to the floor, letting out a dreadful scream, convulsing and twitching madly there; something was happening to her, which was obvious, and it caused her pain. Hiei stood and watched, at a loss for anything else to do in the matter. Isabella stood nearby, a look of pained satisfaction on her face; this was something she had to do, no matter the ultimate suffering it caused.

And the suspense is probably torturing some of you now, isn't it? I would think that, while reading, you learned of things that may have at some other time been elusive? Chapter ten is soon in coming, so don't worry your little minds over the posting of the chapters; I have gotten over the major writer's block and now my only meager block is the press for time and when I can free myself enough to write. I'll make time for it though, that I can assure you.

Tata, luvs.
.Bloodrunner.

PS. Have you ever looked Fanfiction up on Wikipedia? I did today and it was all quite interesting to read about. Check it out sometime; it's riveting (but I may be exaggerating slightly on that account)