Chapter 11: The Beginning of the End
"Once upon a time…" she whispered numbly to herself, "Once upon a time I was happy…" She felt her stomach reel as her face twisted in pain, her vice-like throat clamping on her breath as sobs racked her body.

Why did it have to be like this? Why did it always have to be like this?

Why couldn't they just leave her alone? Why couldn't she have a "happily ever after" with him?

She took in a deep breath, steadying herself. Her face relaxed as the trails of her tears chilled in the breeze.

"Is it too much to ask?" she continued, her voice flat. "Am I being too selfish?"

She turned onto her back, her kimono dirty from lying on the bank of the familiar river. She closed her eyes. Ever since she could remember, she was attracted to rivers, moving bodies traveling forever onward as they dismissed their surroundings and the lives around them.

She could picture the little hovel she had lived in as an orphan in Shanghai. She could picture Enishi, his clothes torn and filthy over his equally battered and neglected body, lying weakly and helplessly as she brought him oranges.

Even back then his eyes had had the same intensity.

Tears formed under her eyelids, and she clenched her jaw as her throat ached.

She opened her eyes, then yelled suddenly, "Why does it have to be like this! Why can't I love him? WHY CAN'T THEY JUST LET US LOVE EACH OTHER?"

"No need to shout," a voice answered. She inhaled sharply, sitting up to see that a man was sitting before her on his haunches, a smile stretched across his face.

She frowned at him; his expression reminded her too much of a happy feline with a mouse under its paw.

Past

She walked down the hall, toweling off her hair lazily. The floor creaked under her feet as she passed through the silent rooms, heading to her small calligraphy station that was placed outside under the patio.

She tossed the towel on a sofa, picking up her small black comb from a table as she continued on her way. She ran the wooden teeth down her silky wet hair, smiling as she recalled the feeling of Enishi's fingers running through her hair…

She blushed; she really was such a love-struck little girl.

She paused, her skin prickling uneasily. She wasn't sure why, but she had felt a flash of discomfort. Was there someone there?
"Lindo?" she called, even though she knew the servant girl was probably at her own home, enjoying her day off. "Enishi?"

No one answered, and she really hadn't expected anyone to. She usually spent most of the day by herself or with Lindo; hardly anyone else came into this part of the mansion.

She couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling, however, as her eyes crinkled with the frown on her face.

She stood perfectly still, listening intently. After a few seconds, she shrugged, brushing off the discomfort as she turned to head outside.

But then…

Present

"What do you want?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously.

He smiled coyly, "Simply to reward your efforts. It must have been difficult, coming all this way for nothing." He cocked his head to the side as he reached into his pocket. "Here is enough to get you back to the mainland and to keep you happy for days to come." He held out a pouch of jingling coins to her, his innocent expression unwavering.

She scowled at him, "You're…you're from the syndicate, aren't you?"

He shrugged cheerfully, "Does it matter?"

She stared at him, her blue eyes probing into his façade in search for a clue, a weakness, anything to warn her of this man's intentions.

He looked familiar, she couldn't deny that. Had she seen him before? Had they met?

"How long have you been watching me?" she asked, still studying him.

He took on a thoughtful air, "Well, a few days? Or was it a week?" He laughed to himself, "I'm no good in keeping track of days. Honestly? Enough to affirm your misery. I don't blame you; that ungrateful man is hardly worth the effort." He smiled in a seemingly reassuring manner. "It's all right; I doubt he'll bother you again."

She snorted, replying curtly, "I know. I don't plan on seeing him again."

"I understand that." He rested his chin on the palm of his hand, "Haven't you been away from home long enough? Don't you wish you had your old life back, your old job? I'm sure you could find a simple way of life in China."

His matter-of-fact comments unnerved her; she couldn't help but distrust his crooked smile, his squinty eyes watching her as if they knew something she didn't, glinting with the contemptuous safety of that knowledge.

Her eyes widened, "You—you were that man…" He arched his eyebrows at her in polite surprise. Her scowl deepened with her realization, "You're the drunkard that came into my shop that day, babbling about the syndicate and Enishi."

His smile ebbed away slightly, revealing a much more dangerous man, "You've done your part in this little game. It's time you leave."

A shiver passed through her, causing her skin to prickle as her face flushed with discomfort, "How long have I been playing into your hands?"

He gave her a disdainful sneer, "You and that impotent man are so stupid, thinking you could escape the syndicate so easily."

She shot up, staring down at the Chinese offender with a hint of fear.

He got up casually, "Are you sure you don't want to leave now?"

Her eyes hardened and she took on a defensive pose, "Like hell. I'm not through with my business in Japan."

He reached behind him to the two swords strapped to his back. "Pity," he smirked, "I'd rather not kill such a pretty girl."

She clenched her fists, recalling the lessons she had had with Enishi...

Past

She opened her eyes groggily, wincing as a knife of pain jabbed the back of her head. She felt as if the world itself was throbbing with the thick beating of her heart as she screwed her eyes shut again, afraid to come to the realization that…

Her hands were tied uncomfortably firm behind her, and her mouth was gagged with a rag, making it hard to breathe.

She curled into a ball, attempting to disappear from this horrible situation. Had she been kidnapped? What were they going to do to her?

"So you're awake," a hard voice said. She didn't release herself from her position, as if ignoring her captor would make him go away. She couldn't help recognizing the voice, however, recalling the night at the party when she had been pulled into a dark room…

"When does your master come home?" the man asked in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Is he due soon? Tell me, why isn't he here?" His voice had a threatening chime to it as she chewed on the rag in her mouth nervously, mentally pleading for Enishi's return while cursing her helplessness.

-

Her mind drifted as her body cramped from being too tense for too long. It had been hours since they had first taken her, leaving her slumped on the ground with only her thoughts to pass the time as her wrists became raw with the chafing of the thick rope. She had spent her time trying to force her hands out of the bindings, but it accomplished nothing and only added to her list of injuries.

It was dusk. Enishi would be coming back soon.

One of the men rushed in quietly, then leaned down and grabbed her up roughly by her collar.

"He's here," he said in a hushed tone as he pushed her along in front of him, his body pressed to hers, "Don't say a damn word or I'll kill you."

She gnawed violently on the rag in her mouth, wishing it was any of her captor's limbs.

She was pushed down as he kneeled beside her; she stared with wide eyes through the crack of the door, gazing at the familiar courtyard with newfound trepidation. So she was still in the mansion…

Enishi was probably inside, looking for her. It wouldn't be long before he opened the door and…

The second man appeared on her other side. Mei-mei's eyes widened in horror as she realized he was carrying a rifle and calmly positioning it in the crook of his arm.

"Hold her," the rifle-bearer muttered to the other. The man beside her nodded, grabbing her hair from behind and pushing her torso onto the floor, her face uncomfortably squashed on the ground near her knees.

Damn it, now she couldn't see the door.

She began thrashing, whipping her body in hopes of attracting Enishi's attention and making it difficult for them to aim. Her handler growled, fighting her attempts by nearly flattening her with his weight. Her ribs were being crushed as he dug his elbow into her back, but she found she could still thrash her legs.

She whacked anything solid around her, trying to make loud noises, until she felt a cool edge on her throat.

"Stay still, bitch, or I'll kill you," the gunman hissed threateningly, pressing a small dagger to her throat. She stiffened, her eyes widening frantically in fear, shock, and horror.

The door on the other side of the courtyard opened; Enishi stepped into the garden. His eyes were narrowed, wary and calculating, as his right hand gripped the hilt of his watou tightly.

Mei-mei felt a surge of relief in seeing him prepared for battle.

Then she heard the click of the rifle beside her.

She let out a muffled scream as the deafening bang of the gunpowder let loose the thick bullet. Her ears were ringing as a small cloud of smoke impaired her vision, dreading seeing Enishi sprawled on the ground.

She blinked after a few seconds, realizing Enishi wasn't on the ground. In fact, he wasn't even in the courtyard.

"Damn," the gunman muttered, reloading.

"Whoever the hell is here, come out," Mei-mei heard Enishi's voice state calmly. Her eyes searched within her line of vision frantically, but she didn't have time to find him as she was forced up roughly, a knife pinned to her throat as she was pushed forward.

She stumbled outside, her captor close behind her with the cold blade still chillingly close to her throat.

"Stay where you are, Master Enishi," the man growled behind her. Her eyes continued their search, and she finally found him. They widened, realizing he was on the roof, looking down on them with a livid expression in his usually stoic eyes.

Another shot rang out, but Enishi was too quick. The tiles seemed to explode as Enishi materialized a few feet away, now growling ferociously.

"Let her go," he spat, fists clenching and watou glinting in the half-light.

"Not a chance," the man behind her chuckled, and once again another shot rang out. Similarly, Enishi dodged easily, landing farther down the roof.

"I suggest you sit still," the man roared next to her ear, "If you don't, I swear I'll kill your whore!" Enishi visibly stiffened, but the intense look in his eyes didn't lessen.

"That's better," the man said maliciously, and even though she couldn't see him, she knew a very evil grin was on his face. "You and your little doll have caused us way too much trouble. This all ends now."

Mei-mei didn't listen to the captor's words, staring at the white haired man, her heart pounding out all other sound in her ears. She had never seen him so angry, so ferociously enraged, his even breaths coming out sharply as veins seemed to throb all over his face. His storming eyes were pinned onto the man behind her.

Even though she wasn't the intended target of his murderous expression, she couldn't help shivering in fear.

She blinked; another sudden shot thundered; he disappeared.

She could feel the shock, the sudden ripple of disbelief as it passed through the body of the man who was pressed to her. She felt as if she could hear the sweaty tightening of the hilt of the dagger, as if preparing to defend himself, before it dropped to the ground altogether.

She heard herself scream, the warm liquid spattering into the air around her, coming down in a messy hail. Her cotton dress stained vividly as she watched the head of her captor fly through the air and over her own head, landing with a dull thud a few feet away.

Her legs gave way and she slumped onto the ground beside the dagger, which was now covered in the man's steaming blood.

Enishi let out steady huffs as his eyes searched for his remaining prey.

She couldn't help recoiling in fear. She looked at the dagger once again, then turned around and grabbed it with her hands. Though it felt like minutes, in seconds she had cut through her bindings, her hands working frantically with the adrenaline coursing through her shocked body.

She wanted to get up and run, but she could still hear his even and bloodthirsty breath. She couldn't move.

She was terrified.

His eyes snapped to the opening of the room she had been held captive in. The gunman was standing at the door, shaking with fear as he pointed the rifle at Enishi.

"D-don't come near me!" he shouted, sweat running down his face as his eyes darted from his friend's head, to Mei-mei's blood-splattered dress, to Enishi's piercing gaze and red watou.

"I-I'll shoot your head off! I'll kill you!" he continued to babble. Enishi seemed unfazed by his threat, getting into his stance with grim resolution.

"I-I'LL SHOOT HER! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" He pointed the gun at Mei-mei, but that only served to steam up the already riled tiger even more. He launched himself forward, and with a clean swipe the rifle and the man's arm were lying on the ground beside him before he could even pull the trigger.

The gunman let out a pained howl, staring at his stump in terror as his eyes bulged. They darted to Enishi, who grabbed him by his shirt and launched him to the ground. The gunman landed in a pathetic heap only a few feet in front of Mei-mei. All she could do was stare as he sobbed and pleaded for his life.

Enishi walked forward, towering over him and Mei-mei as he glared down dangerously.

Slamming his foot onto the man's back, grinding his heel into the bone in a way that eerily mirrored her own captor's previous actions.

"Who the hell sent you?" Enishi hissed as the gunman continued to sob, clawing at the dirt with his one arm in attempts to get out from under Enishi.

"D-don't kill me," was all he could babble as the dirt on his face turned into mud. He stared at Mei-mei, still pleading, "please, don't let him kill me…"

Enishi stabbed his watou into the man's shoulder, causing him to scream in pain, his body writhing as Enishi hissed once more, "Answer my question: who sent you?"

"Stop it!" Mei-mei heard herself cry. "Enishi! That's enough!"

"Let me go, let me go!" the man pleaded, but Enishi only looked down on him coldly, ignoring Mei-mei's protests as he twisted the watou to the side, causing the man to holler in pain once again.

Mei-mei cringed as she watched his show of agony. He kept staring at her, his eyes wide and red from crying and begging.

He no longer looked like the man that had held a knife to her throat, and soon he would only be another blood covered corpse, just like…

"Enishi!" she yelled, getting up and launching herself towards him. "Let him go!"

He reacted instinctively, pulling the long sword out of his victim's shoulder, slicing it through the air in front of him as she put her arms up in shock, shielding her face.

She fell to the ground with the force of his swing, her right arm still in front of her as she stared at him through the gap of her fingers.

He was staring back, his eyes wide with horror.

Blood was pouring out of a large gash that went up the length of her forearm. She didn't see the actual cut, but she watched in complete bewilderment as blood poured onto her white dress in a steady stream from her arm.

She turned her arm towards herself, barely beginning to comprehend what had happened as the pain slowly spread.

He began to move towards her, making to help her, but her head snapped up and she gave him a frantic look of dread.

"Stay away from me!" she shrieked, clutching her arm to herself as her entire body shrunk back. "Stay away!" She used her legs to push herself farther away from him, moving herself along the dirt ground as her terrified eyes continued to stare at him warily.

He couldn't say anything. All he could do was stare mutely as she finally got to her feet and ran inside.

He stood in a daze for a few seconds, the image of Mei-mei's horror-struck face still vivid in his mind.

He turned and saw the gunman lying on his back and breathing heavily, the stump of an arm staining the ground around him with blood. He saw the ragged and limp body of the second man, his head, and the shocked expression still frozen on it, lying dumbly on the ground a few feet beside it.

He shivered.

Note: The past and present do seem a bit…disconnected in this chapter, but I think this and the next one kinda go together, so you have to wait until the next one to see what I mean. :D

Well now, I have but one comment: CHECK OUT WHITERABBIT'S FIC "FAIRYTALE"! It's for her OC exchange, where authors pick other OC's and make a little project about the characters (a short fic, some fanart, whatever). She's doing mine (whee!) and is writing a set of poems all based on Mei-mei, Enishi, and this fic in general!

How cool is that? Check out my profile for a url. XD

If you enjoy this fic, even just a little, and like reading poetry, you should definitely read the first two poems she has up. :)

And don't forget to review.