CHAPTER 3: EIKO'S PAST

4 years ago, Cho Gonou thought he had lost everything. His girlfriend, his sister, his sanity and his humanity. The day that poor Kannan was taken to the 100 eyed demon's castle, little Eiko was also taken with her to serve as the 100-eyed demons reserve toy.

"Kannan-oneechan!" Eiko screamed as she was thrown into the cellar while Kannan was taken to the 100-eyed demon

Scared and crying, Eiko sat in the corner of her cell. Horrible thoughts of what the 100-eyed demon might do to her flashed in her mind. "Oniichan…dokonani…?"

Hours passed. Eiko felt like she had been trapped in that cellar for days already.

Then the door to her cell opened and a youkai came in with a devilish look in his eyes. This scared Eiko a lot. He slowly walked towards her. "I'm sure the 100-eyed demon wouldn't mind if I played with you for a while…" a devilish chuckle followed these words. Eiko shivered in her corner. As the youkai finally put his hand on Eiko's cheek and slowly advanced for a kiss, Eiko noticed he carried a knife then quickly grabbed it to stab the youkai straight at the heart. The youkai fell dead in front of her and she dropped the knife. She was so afraid now. She trembled so much that she wanted to scream but was able to suppress her scream and took this chance to escape.

Still shivering from what she has done, Eiko found it hard to stand up, let alone run for her life. She thought about looking for Kannan but her fear took over and she made her escape. Leaving poor Kannan to a very cruel fate. Just as she escaped, though, was the time that Gonou came to the castle and had already killed about 900 youkai's in his quest for vengeance.

Poor little Eiko ran and ran until she finally collapsed and lost consciousness. The next thing she knew she was lying on a soft bed. A youkai with crimson hair and amethyst eyes was standing next to her bed. She suddenly sat up on her bed and startled the youkai. "Good to see you're finally awake…"

Eiko didn't answer him. She was still trembling. Then more youkai's entered the room. "Hey Kou…oh…so she's finally awake…" said a tall youkai. "Oh good…she's awake…looks like the remedy I gave her worked quite well…" said a youkai with violet hair. "Hey! How are you feeling?" asked an energetic young youkai with orange hair. "Lirin keep your voice down…" said the youkai with crimson hair and amethyst eyes. Eiko trembled at the sight of these 4 youkai's but managed to speak in a soft voice "Who…Who are you? where am I? What am I doing here?". The youkai with long violet hair looked at her with a sisterly expression on her face, sat on her bed and took her hand. This gesture almost made Eiko jump in fright but somehow the way this youkai held her hand soothed her. "Don't worry dear…we won't hurt you…I am Yaone…this is Dokugakuji…that young youkai there is Lirin-sama and this is Kougaiji-sama…he's the one that found you in the woods…" Yaone said as she introduced herself and the three others who were with her. "I found you scathed and unconscious…so I brought you here to get treated…" Kougaiji told her

"I see…"

"Ne…what's your name?" Lirin asked her

"Uhm…" thinking whether she should trust them or not, Eiko took her time in answering their question. They saved you, and they introduced themselves anyway. They even told you they wouldn't harm you, so why not trust them?

No way! They're still youkai! You can never trust youkai!

Sensing that Eiko is still uneasy, Yaone repeated what she said earlier "Don't worry dear…we won't hurt you…we promise…now…please tell us your name…"

"Its…Eiko…" she replied in a soft tone. "That's a nice name…nice to meet you Eiko-san…" Lirin said happily

Weeks passed and the whole Kou-ikkou have gained Eiko's trust and confidence. They have even become attached to the sweet little girl. Yaone taught her everything she knew about creating cures and poisons, Dokugakuji taught her how to defend herself, Lirin served as her constant playmate and partner in crime while Kougaiji became Eiko's new oniichan. Everything was okay with them but Eiko still couldn't stop thinking about how Kannan was doing; if she ever escaped the 100-eyed demon. If she'd ever see her real oniichan again. Kougaiji and the others were well aware of this and they still tried their best to make her feel at home. After 2 years of staying with them, Eiko has grown into a fine, intelligent and strong-willed girl. Kougaiji, Yaone and Dokugakuji were all very proud of her. As for Lirin…

"Ok…now…3…2…1…" and as Dokugakuji stepped into the clear and stepped on the trick wire a bucket of glue fell on him covering his whole body. "What the…" he said while trying to wipe off the sticky substance "Now!" Eiko cried as she and Lirin pulled on 2 wires that let a whole bunch of feathers fall on Doku. "Why you little…" Dokugakuji began while trying to get the feathers off of him "I'll get you two for this!" Lirin and Eiko fell on the floor laughing, "That's such a classic!" "Dokugakuji is a chicken!" "That's it…you two are in so much trouble! Grrr!" Dokugakuji played along and started to chase the two. "Run before he catches you!" "Run from the chicken!" Eiko and Lirin shouted while running from Dokugakuji.

"Kougaiji-sama…" Yaone began "I know…that little girl really has something different in her that can really capture you and force you not to get mad at her…" Kou replied while still looking at Eiko with such fondness. "Hai…she's really something isn't she…"

This didn't last for too long though, because after 2 months, Dr. Nii approached Eiko while she was out looking for Lirin. "Ohayou Eiko-chan…" Dr. Nii greeted Eiko with a fake smile

"Oh…Ohayou Ojiisan…ne…have you seen Lirin-chan anywhere?" Eiko asked him

"Lirin-sama and the others are not here now…they went on an important errand…" Nii told her

"Oh…I see…I guess I'll just wait for them to come back then…" said Eiko

"Oh which reminds me…while you're waiting…would you mind coming with me for a while? I want to show you something…" said Nii with a devilish grin from under his glasses

Without knowing (and since she was bored) Eiko went along with Dr. Nii. He led her to his lab and then closed the door behind her and locked it tight.

"Eiko-chan!" Lirin shouted as she ran about the castle trying to find her playmate

"Lirin what's wrong? Why are you shouting?" Kougaiji asked her

"I'm looking for Eiko…I haven't seen her all day…" Lirin told him

Kougaiji looked worried. Lirin was right, they have been in the castle all day and yet he has not seen Eiko at all. Dokugakuji and Yaone then came running towards Kou and Lirin. "Kou!" Dokugakuji began "Its bad…"

"Why? What's matter? What happened?" Kou asked

"Its Eiko…she's being used as a specimen for Nii's twisted experiment…" Yaone told them

Kougaiji's face lit in horror and anger. Lirin managed to blurt out what! Then they all dashed towards Nii's lab. As soon as they got there, Nii has just come out from the confines of his laboratory.

"Where is she!" Kougaiji suddenly grabbed Nii by his lab coat and raised him "Where is she!" he repeated

"She's sleeping soundly in the tank Kougaiji-sama…" Nii chuckled "I haven't even started to work on her…"

"You scum…" Kougaiji raised him even higher but Nii was still as cool as ever.

"Gyokomen Koushu told me to get a youkai and make it into the perfect puppet to get the sutra from Genjo Sanzo…" Nii eyed Kougaiji who was now burning with anger "But why get a youkai when I can turn a normal human into a youkai…"

"You worthless piece of crap! How could you do that to her!" Dokugakuji joined in

"Now, now…I haven't even started working on her yet…and also…" he pulled out a remote from inside his lab coat pocket "With a flick of this switch…I could kill her, you know…"

"You wouldn't…" Yaone began

"Oh? Try me…" Nii told them and dared to flick the switch. Kougaiji put him down and left without another word, followed by Yaone and the others.

For the next 3 months all Kougaiji and the others could do was scowl at Nii and Gyokomen when their paths crossed in the castle. And then finally…

"Kougaiji-niichan…" a soft familiar voice called out

Much to their surprise and relief, they saw Eiko standing by the doorway. Trembling and crying. The once adorable little girl was now a full demon.

"Eiko-chan!" they all said in chorus as they ran to her

Kougaiji hugged Eiko tight as she cried on his shoulder.

"Oniichan…Ojiisan…he…" Eiko's words were drowned in tears

Kougaiji wiped her tears and said "Shhh…stop crying now…"

"Damn that Nii! I'll make him pay dearly for what he's done!" Dokugakuji grumbled

"Doku…as long as Eiko is now safe…that's all that matters…" Yaone told him and he agreed

"Eiko-chan! I was worried about you!" Lirin said as she hugged Eiko from the back

"Lirin-chan…"

Yaone was able to make a power limiter for Eiko. It was the small choker that she always wore. As time passed, Eiko still shudders at what Nii did to her but learned to accept that her DNA has already been altered and there is nothing she can do about it. She still went on with her normal day-to-day routines. Playing with Lirin and pulling countless pranks on Dokugakuji and escaping somewhere to be alone. 3 months after, while she was taking a walk in a forest, she came across a small jet-black panther cub. It was hurt and so she took it back to Houtou castle and treated it. The panther then became attached to her so she named it, Flare.

"Time to get to sleep now Eiko-chan…" Hakkai told her

"Huh? Oh…hai…" Eiko replied as she snapped back to reality

She didn't realize she was reminiscing her own past while Hakkai and the others got ready for bed. She lay down beside Hakkai and let him embrace her as she slowly fell asleep.

A/N: Koniichiwa…hope you guys liked this chapter…I hope you guys read and review my fic too…It'd mean so much to me…thanks…