A/N: My God, I apologize to all of you readers out there, I've been stuck with tons of stuff you wouldn't imagine... For example, my mom dissapearing and then my father abandoning me... Everythings sorted out now, me and my sister are good, so I'm gonna try and get back into the writing. It's a good way to deal with problems.
Chapter Five:
Evil Angel
I sat on my small bed in the large, extravagent room, though the only lights came from a few black candles that had been lit. That was all the light I was permitted. I glared across the room to my 'gaurd', Kureno, who sat by my door, reading. There were no windows so I couldn't get out that way. I sighed, falling backwards on my bed with a thump and a few little coughs, curling up on my side I grabbed my music box, and turned it on.
"Turn it off," growled Kureno. I rolled my eyes, but did what he said, and shut the lid on the small panda bear statue in the middle, pulling out my beads that Kyo had given me when we were younger. I suddenly had a distant flashback.
"C'mere, Mii-chan...!" Kyo called, he was sitting under a tree, traces of fear in his eyes. A smaller me smiled brightly and using my crutches (I had 'broken' my leg the other day after a 'visit' to Akito-samma) to wobble over to him.
"You know how everybody hates you and me, and our animals in the zodiac...?" He whispered.
"Yeah, Kyo-kun... Are you finally gonna show me your true form?" He nodded slowly.
"Close your eyes, Mii-chan." I nodded, smiling, and did as told. "No peaking." I pouted, but closed my eyes. I felt his bracelet slip around my wrist.
"I want you to always keep this, Mii-chan." I nodded. "Now open your eyes, please don't be afraid." I opened my eyes and smiled, hugging him.
"I could never be scared of you Kyo-kun."
I smiled softly to myself, and slipped the bracelet on my wrist, examining the ivory beads with a critical eye, when someone knocked on my door.
"Come in," mumbled Kureno. A grave looking Hatori came in, papers in his hands.
"Kureno, please wait outside while I discuss some things with Miku-chan." Kureno rolled his eyes, hissing something under his breath that suspiciously sounded like 'i hope he rapes you'. I flipped him off, and he shot me a glare.
"Watch your body-language, Miku-chan," Hatori said, his eyes laughing. I grinned, rolling my eyes.
"Whatever you say, Master Hatori," He shook his head with a light chuckle, and sat down, but his eyes seemed haunted. I furrowed my brows and scooted beside him, poorly muffling a cough in my elbow.
"What's wrong, Ha'ri-chan?" I asked. He sighed, looking down to the papers.
"Well, two things... Good for you and bad for you."
"What's the bad for me one?" I asked slowly.
"Kyo fractured his leg in a fight with Yuki, he won't be able to walk for a while."
"Then what's the good news... That's not so bad, but I hope he'll feel better."
"He will, once he stops complaining and takes his pills... I diagnosed Akito with cancer today, lung cancer. It's a strange gene, so I'm shipping you off to the summer house, because your immune system wouldn't be bale to block out the germs, and I wouldn't be able to treat it soon enough. Kyo, Tohru, Momiji, Haru, Yuki, Ayame and I will be coming along as well. Like a mini vacation..."
"That is good-ish news... How long does he have?"
"A few years."
"Wow..."
"But he's more irritable, and wants to talk to you privately."
"When?"
"Tonight after your dinner and treatments."
"Allright... not like I have any choice in it." Hatori nodded and after three hours of treatments, I felt extremely sore, and a little less energized, as I ate my dinner of Onigiri.
"Ready to go?" Hatori asked quietly once I dropped my chopsticks and pushed away my leftovers. I nodded, and he helped me stand, glancing at the bracelet on my wrist.
"Miku-chan... how do you feel about Kyo-kun?" Hatori asked as he supported my weak body down the hall.
"He's practically a brother... but, why, Ha'ri-kun?" I asked skeptically, stopping to look searchingly into his eyes. He looked away and continued walking.
"No reason... just... curious, is all." He stopped in front of Akito's door, when we heard a loud thump, before yelling, and a maid scurrying fearfully out of the room. I took a deep breath and walked in.
"You think you're just gonna go to that Summer House, getting stronger?!" He shouted, as I kneeled before him. "You really think that you can leave me here to die!! No, you're gonna help me survive this somehow," he got deep in my face, "just like your mother did for my father." he hissed. My eyes went wide in confusion.
"What...?" I started, only to be smacked.
"Only speak when spoken too!" He harshly scolded. I bowed my head, not even daring to touch where he had backhanded me. "You will be staying in my room tonight, your yukata is in your room by now, get ready and be back here by sundown. Now, OUT!!" I scrambled to my feet and stumbled out the door, tears in my eyes. Hatori helped me to stand straight, and by the raging look in his eye, he had heard what Akito had said.
I whimpered, tears sliding down my cheeks as I clung to his chest, burrying my face in his neck. Hatori held me tight, shaking slightly, and then pulled back, helping me to my room in silence. He stayed in, turning his back to me as I got dressed.
The yukata was a nearly translucent white, it went down to my mid-thigh, and had sleeves that wrapped tightly around my arms and lean shoulders. It had a V-cut and was incredibly tight once I had tied the thin obi. I topped it with the deep crimson haori, holding it tightly around my body as I looked in the mirror. The clothes made my pale skin seem like it was glowing in the dim light. I applied light blush to add a little color, a dash of red sparkle around my chest and my eyelids, and shimmering red lipgloss. I gulped, biting back tears at the inside of my cheek.
Hatori held me close as I walked back to Akito's room. I layed a shaking hand on the door, and Hatori encompassed me in his arms.
"It'll be allright..." he murmured in my ear. "I can't stop him but I'll be here for you... you look beautiful, Miku-chan..." And then he let go, leaning over my shoulder, and opening the door for me.
I hesitantly stepped in, jumping when the door slid shut behind me. Akito gave a cruel laugh, and slipped off my clothes, smiling as I gave a whimper.
For the first time that night, as I sat in the dark corner of the large matress, the silk sheets wrapped tightly around my bare form as I muffled my coughs, I prayed for the first time in my entire life. I was shaking from the physical exertion, and from fear and pain. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
"If there is another God... please take pity on this one... ease his soul, and save me." I whispered. "My life, I don't think can be worse... but please don't prove me wrong... He once said he was my friend... now look what he's done to me... betrayel... Someone save me from this evil angel... Amen." I cried into my arms, unable to sleep as I trembled and coughed with my silent sobbing.
When the morning sunshine came, a maid walked in. She gave me a pitiful look, Akito a scalding glare, and layed the breakfast on the table. She walked towards the door.
"Don't..." I whispered painfully, holding out my hand. She gave me a pained look, and left. "Don't leave me to die here..." I finished to myself. "I know now... I wanna live... I wanna live for Ha'ri-chan... And Kyo-kun... And Shi-shi-chan... and Aya-chan... I don't wanna be alone anymore... I don't wanna surrender to him..."
My crying got worse and worse, till I couldn't breathe. I clutched at my chest, just as Akito woke up. He cursed.
"HATORI!!" He yelled. Within a few seconds, Hatori was sliding in. He took in the sight, and paled, but when he heard me hacking, he came over and kneeled beside me.
"Why can't I... I breathe...?" I murmured. Hatori picked me up in his arms.
"You need to stop crying and calm down, Miku-chan... Calm down." I shook my head.
"I... can't... why can't... I ... breathe?" I cried, before falling unconcious.
