DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING BUT THE FANCONCEPT OF THIS FANFICTION.

Warning: This chapter is heavily psychological and horror orientated.

-x-X-x-

悲しみの向こうへ: 第二

(Kanashimi no Moukou He: dai-ni)

'The Feeling of an Only Child'

If I can make my way to the other side of sorrow,

Then I'd rather not feel anything beyond this anymore.

-x-X-x-

''Allow me to repeat myself,'' Arakaki said with hollow eyes as she took one step closer, ''What have you done to Yori-kun?''

Miyuki had remained sitting, far too shocked to stand like the brunette.

My eyes were eagerly flickering between both Arakaki and Miyuki, wondering what was about to happen next.

Ito looked back to Kobayashi's face before frantically getting off him. She never released her knife.

''I...I...I...'' The redhead stuttered as she took more steps back, away from Miyuki and Arakaki. But it seemed to be her priority to get away from the body of the person she had just brutally murdered. Arakaki walked over to Kobayashi's corpse, each step she took eachoed in the empty room. She kneeled down next to him, her knees covered in his blood, but she didn't seem to care. Her lifeless eyes just stared into Kobayashi's.

''Yori-kun...'' she whispered, reaching a hand out to stroke his head lovingly. I furrowed my brows in confusion—didn't this girl realize that he was dead? Why was she so... so calm?

I looked over to Miyuki to see that she was shaking, shivering, looking at the scene before her with wide, uncomphrehensive eyes. She couldn't move. I could feel my nails digging into my palm again. My knuckles turned white.

Was this how everything took it's course?

''I... don't... what's... why...?'' Ito's trembling voice only hindered her speech as she stared at the bloody knife, horror written clear on her face. Miyuki just looked at the two girls with terrified eyes, and I winced when she shook more violently.

''Akiko-san.''

Ito looked up from her weapon to Arakaki's back, which was crouched down, facing her. I was disturbed by that girl's still-calm attitude despite the situation.

''Why did you do this to Yori-kun?'' Arakaki asked. Ito's eyes flashed with anger.

''He... he tried to kill me! I had to do something to protect myself!''

''Was it necessary to resort to killing him, and in such a brutal fashion?''

Ito's eyes widened at Arakaki's question. She looked down at her feet, her body was trembling. This Arakaki girl was starting to make me feel uneasy with her way of handling things. I didn't like that look in her cobalt eyes.

''I... I don't know what came over me... It was like someone was inside of me, controlling me!'' Ito said. Arakaki stood, not turning.

''Someone inside of you, was it?'' The brunette repeated as if she took that as her answer, and turned around to face Ito. ''Is that the truth, Akiko-san?'' After she asked that question, she walked over to her friend. Ito's eyes grew wide as she looked up. I gulped, asking myself what she was doing.

''I...'' her voice trailed off as Arakaki stood a few feet in front of her, her cobalt eyes still looking at her with a hollow gaze.

''Are you unable to answer... because it is a lie?''

Ito glared at Arakaki, while I blinked at her dark voice.

''You're wrong!'' Ito said, ''And its because of you it went this far! How do you think I feel, killing the one who means most to me?!'' Arakaki's expression never wavered as tears poured from Ito's eyes. I noticed that their eyes never averted each other's gaze.

''If you really loved Yori-kun, you would've never done that,'' Arakaki narrowed her eyes. ''Also, there's no reason for you to have these feelings for him.'' She brought her left hand up to clasp over her chest. Taking in the glare that Ito was giving her.

I frowned in confusion; provoking an obviously emotionally unstable person who has a knife in her grip was definitely not something sensible to do. It was the exact opposite. What was going through Arakaki Kiku's head?

''Because Yori-kun's girlfriend...'' A small, eerie smile graced her lips. ''...Is me.''

Ito gasped when she wiped her tears, and wasn't able to answer.

''Isn't that right?'' Arakaki asked, her smile unfazed. Ito shook her head, her eyes clenched shut.

''I also...'' She opened her eyes to glare at Arakiko. ''I also wanted to be his girlfriend! Just for that reason I let him do whatever he wanted and endured everything! Something you could never understand!'' She clenched her fists tightly, ''But what have I received for doing all that?! Nothing! Why?!'' Arakaki's smile disappeared, I was sure that it wouldn't be long until Ito would do the same to Arakaki as she did to Kobayashi.

''If it's for Yori-kun...'' Arakaki said, her eyes softening. ''If it's for Yori-kun, he's right over there.'' Arakaki turned her head slightly to look at Kobayashi's corpse with sad eyes. ''How about you ask him yourself?''

Ito's face showed horror as she looked at the minced corpse, wrinkles gathering around her eyes. The trauma was catching up to her. Soon her hand shot up to her mouth, and she fell to her knees before throwing up. She coughed and gasped for breath, not noticing Arakaki taking her right hand from behind her, holding a shining object. My eyes widened in horror as I noticed that glint.

''Please allow me to confirm...'' Arakaki held the the object by her side—a dagger. Ito stood back up and looked at her with a shocked expression. A small gasp escaped my mouth as I was asking myself where she had gotten that knife, but more than anything else I was asking myself if Arakaki has also gone insane. The ginger-haired girl gasped when Arakaki held the dagger up. ''...if what you are saying...'' She dashed towards Ito.

''...is true or not.''

Ito's eyes showed fear as she held her razor up for defense, but Arakaki held her hand down and already had her dagger by her neck. The calm, humble face of Arakaki Kiku showed a small, sinister smirk before she swiftly pulled her blade back, slashing Ito's neck.

It took me a moment to register what had just happened.

Yes, Arakaki had also definitely become insane.

Strands of red hair fell to the ground, and blood sprayed out of her wound. Soon Ito's eyes rolled back before she fell over into a pool of her own blood.

My eyes were wide, and my mouth parted slightly. I couldn't believe that children were able to go to this extent.

I heard the gasp from Miyuki and turned to look over to her, and she was making an expression anyone would make if they witnessed something as traumatic as that. Sweat rolled down the side of her face, her eyes were wide with the irises reduced to a mere dot. Her breaths were short and uneven, and her body was trembling.

''Miyuki...'' Eventhough my voice was unable to reach her, I wanted to say something, anything.

But the words died in my throat.

I could see her perplexion morph to disgust, making me frown in confusion. I turned to see that Arakaki had bent down and started to disect Ito. Miyuki flinched everytime she heard the blade slicing flesh and cutting bones and I frowned deeply when I saw her shiver. I twitched, because the noise of Arakaki disecting the girl was getting to me as well. But I was a death god. And a captain in that society, no less.

I couldn't imagine how Miyuki saw this as a normal, little girl.

Blood flew out rapidly and formed a pool under Ito after barely any time. Arakaki stood back up, her eyes still hollow, her hands and dress soaked with blood, and her cheek smired with the crimson liquid. This was the first time I have ever witnessed insanity taking form of a calm, emotionless attitude.

Blood dripped from Arakaki's fingers as she looked at Ito's dead body, which was cut open, showing all her organs and bones.

I couldn't see Ito's face.

Rather, I didn't want to see it.

''Just as I thought...'' Arakaki said, ''It was a lie after all.''

I furrowed my brows in confusion.

''There's nobody inside.''

I tried my best to keep my horror from showing.

That was the reason why she killed and disected her...?

Miyuki shivered violently when she saw Arakaki turning around to stare at Miyuki, who was a few meters from the brunette. I could feel panic stirring from my stomach. ''Higurashi-san, you said that you live in this facility.'' she said, starting to walk over to Miyuki, who gasped before scrambling to her feet. She then ran over to the trunk and grabbed a long, boning knife from inside it before holding up in defense.

''Don't come any closer!'' Miyuki warned, and my eyes flickered with anticipation. Arakaki was looking at Miyuki over her shoulder, then turned around to walk towards her again. ''I'm serious! STAY AWAY!''

''If you do live in this facility, then you should be aware of what goes on here.'' Arakaki's eyes flashed for a split-second, ignoring Miyuki's warnings. ''You should have been aware of what could happen.''

Miyuki flinched. ''...That they were able to go to this extent... was unknown to me.'' I remembered Natsume's words, telling me that she couldn't even dream of it.

''Is that so?'' Arakaki asked, standing in front of Miyuki, who glared at her, despite how horrified she was. I bit my inner lip, furrowing my brows.

''It is so,'' she said, ''Why did you kill Ito-san like that, Arakaki-san? You didn't make yourself any better than her.'' Miyuki blinked when a small smirk appeared on her lips.

''Whether or not I am on the same level as Akiko-san is irrelavant to me.'' Arakaki's smirk broadened. ''I'll kill everyone who tributed to this result.'' She held her dagger up. ''That includes you, Higurashi Miyuki-san.'' With that Arakaki dashed towards Miyuki. My eyes widened and I instinctively tried to run forward to protect Miyuki, but a hand stopped me. Natsume.

''Calm down, Hitsugaya. This is just a memory. There's nothing we can do yet.''

I furrowed my brows as I looked ahead to see that Miyuki had dodged, but her arm had a large gash in it as a result. Dammit...!

''Arakaki-san! Please come back to your senses! ARAKAKI-SAN!'' The brunette never listened and just continiously tried to strike the black-haired girl.

I gritted my teeth, and resisted the urge to rip this barrier apart with my bare hands. All I could do was watch. Watch Miyuki suffer. I couldn't stand it.

Miyuki dodged and blocked the attacks, but during the struggle she was being forced back by Arakaki. Soon other wounds became apparent to me. Miyuki's cheek was scratched, her leg scraped, her side nicked. But Miyuki was too horrified to pay attention, and gasped with obvious terror as she felt her back come up against a corner of the room. She started to panic as Arakaki came at her again with a sinister smirk, her arm raised to attack.

She clenched her eyes shut, unconsciously holding her knife up, and flinched. She awaited death.

''MIYUKI!'' Her name just escaped my mouth, and my composure was shattered to pieces.

She snapped her eyes open when she felt weight from her blade. Soon after that the gasp of Arakaki. Miyuki stared with shock written clear on her face at Arakaki Kiku, who had the long knife impaled her right through her chest. Her cobalt eyes were wide.

I gulped. This was... This was how Kuchiki Rukia accidentally killed Shiba Kaien.

''C-Curse...you...'' she whispered before blood gushed out her wounds and mouth, soaking Miyuki with it. With her last strength, Arakaki tried to bring her dagger down at Miyuki, but failed. Life drained from her as she released the handle of the weapon, and fell limb, having Miyuki support her body because of her boning knife.

Miyuki just stared ahead with shaking pupils, and slowly slumped to her knees, Arakaki's corpse coming along down with her. She opened her mouth to speak, but her uneven breaths filled her lungs. Wrinkles had gathered around her eyes, and her brows were in a terrible frown. She first looked at the minced corpse of Kobayashi Yori, then the open one of Ito Akiko, and finally down at Arakaki Kiku, who was killed by herself.

''Miyuki...!'' The pain in my palms couldn't even register compared to the pang in my heart when I looked at the black-haired girl.

I was torn between looking away and staring intently, but a singing voice caught my attention.

Kanashimi no mukoe e to tadoritsukeru nara,

(If I can make my way to the other side of sorrow,)

It caught my attention because the voice was Miyuki's. I looked around fanatically when I realized that the singing wasn't coming from the memory.

''Miyuki?!'' I called, ''Miyuki, are you there?!''

''Oh shit.''

I turned to Natsume who looked inside the barrier with wide eyes. I followed her gaze and gasped at what I was staring at. The Miyuki of the present, was hovering over the younger Miyuki. The child was holding her head in her hands, screaming, sobbing, and not noticing her older's appearance whatsoever.

My pupils shrank at the transperant form of the Miyuki I knew.

''Mi-...Miyu...ki...'' I whispered, shock overwhelming me.

Miyuki patted the child's head during her song. My eyes softened as I felt a blush fill my cheeks when I listened to her voice. But it soon faded when I heard the meaning of the lyrics.

Watashi wa mou iranai yo nukumori mo ashita mo.

(Then I don't need warmth or tomorrow anymore.)

It was a song of giving up in life.

''Sehr gut, ZeroZero-chan! Ausgezeichnet!'' The doctor had come in and was smiling. Obviously his foreign words were all praises. However, his praises were muffled and weary.

The child didn't pay any attention on what was happening. She just sat there, her head in her hands. Miyuki stroked her hair softly, her eyes saddening, not noting the doctor at all.

Seijaku no yami ni maiorita yume wa...

(The dream that landed in the darkness of silence...)

Eventhough a group of doctors came in to move the corpses away, no one noticed the older Miyuki's presence; as if she were a ghost.

Who...? Tsukanoma koboreta oou no hikari...

(Who...? Is the light that briefly spilled on my cheeks...)

Miyuki kneeled down next to the child, her soft hand never leaving.

Why...? Morosugita sekai todomeru sube wo shirazu ni...

(Why...? Without knowing the method to stop an all-too-fragile world...)

Her black-gloved hand reached for the bloodied knife.

Tada watashi wa negatteta...

(I was simply wishing...)

She held the blade right next to the child's neck.

Sou...

(That's right...)

Both Natsume and I were shocked when we listened to Miyuki's words.

...Bokyaku wo.

(For oblivion.)

I heard Natsume gasp as she clapped her hands and smacked them against the barrier, and after white sparks filled the air, it shattered. I stared at Natsume in confusion and shock as she ran towards Miyuki. She clasped her hands together again and a sword appeared in her hands. She raised her weapon over Miyuki and brought it down swiftly, making Miyuki's transparant form disappear into thin air as the blade ran through her.

''Natsume, what the hell—?!'' I asked, dashing over to her. Shock was clear on my face when I saw that the whole background became a void of black. No memory was visible. Natsume flashed me a hard look before pointing over her shoulder. I saw Miyuki standing in the distance, looking at us. Her eyes were emotionless, her face expressionless.

''That was just a part of Miyuki's consciousness. Just like that one over there; they're not Miyuki,'' Natsume said. ''We'll have to keep an eye on her if she tries to kill her past again.'' I furrowed my brows when I glared at her.

''Kill her past? Was that she was trying to do just now?'' I asked; she nodded in confirmation.

''Killing your own past means certain death. Do you want that?'' My eyes shot her a hard leer when she used that mock. I looked ahead when the memory re-appeared, only this time there was no barrier seperating us from it, we were standing in it. Soon I saw that we were in the same room as when we arrived in this realm for the first time.

''Miyuki's room,'' Natsume said, looking at the crouched down figure on the bed; Miyuki as a child. ''This is about a year afterwards. It seems as though that song triggers other memories within Miyuki.'' The countless drawings on the floor caught my attention. All were drawings of a family; a mother, and father and a child. They all were the same three people- herself, and her parents. I eyes rested on the girl who was drawing, her back facing us. She never showed any signs of being aware of our presence.

''She used to draw all the time. It was the only thing she could do to get the most realistic image of her parents she could,'' she said, crossing her arms. ''That's why she practiced it to perfection.'' I furrowed my eyebrows when Miyuki's sketches of me crossed my mind.

''Her parents... when will we see what happened to them?'' I asked, Natsume closed her eyes and sighed. Slowly, her eyes opened.

''Right now.''

I frowned in confusion before the door opened, and the doctor stepped in. A smirk appeared on his face, and Miyuki looked up with wide, scared eyes. I was giving him a sinister glare.

''H-How do you do, Eigenmann-san?'' Miyuki asked in a meek voice, he smiled.

''I'm doing very well, ZeroZero-chan~ Thanks for asking!'' he said, ''I've got big news!'' He held his pointing finger up. ''You can see your parents, they're here!''

That's when I saw the everything fading to black again, where only Natsume and I stood.

''Hitsugaya,'' she said. ''What you are about to see... will be hard to bear. Are you sure that you...?''

''I'm sure. I will save Miyuki.'' My resolution was obvious to me. ''I'll do anything for that.'' I heard Natsume's scoff.

''Good to know.''

As if someone had flipped a switch, the black void changed to another background. It was in the same room as the one where Miyuki had her nails... I shook my head. My eyes landed on two figures tied to two wooden planks.

Miyuki's parents.

I turned my head to the side to see Miyuki inside a cage. Her hands held the metal bars so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Tears were streaming down her face, her body trembling and her expression was miserable.

''Tou-san... Tou-san...!'' I furrowed my brows when I heard her wimpers, and turned my head to the planks and realized that the father had his head hung low. He was motionless, he wasn't even breathing. I narrowed my eyes in comphrehension; he was already dead.

''The father lasted over seven hours, tortured to death,'' Natsume said and she gestured to his neck. ''Cause of death was the damage to the jugular. But those events weren't necessary for you to see.'' I glared at her.

''Why is that?'' I asked, she shrugged.

''Miyuki's subconsciousness would've showed them to you if they were.''

The door opened and revealed a woman with black hair who looked very similar to Miyuki's mother, her ice-blue eyes pierced right through the air. Slowly she made her way inside the middle of the room, standing right in front of ther mother. She glared at the woman, and looked like she would've attacked her if it weren't for those chains bounding her to the wood.

''YOU MURDERER!'' she yelled, her voice was dripping with venomous hatred. This was quite a differernt character from the one who tried to kill her own daughter a week ago in Seireitei.

''Your husband died?'' the other woman asked casually. Miyuki's mother flinched, looking away from the father's corpse. ''Ah, I see.'' She smirked. ''You watched his final struggles before death, didn't you?'' A sadistic laugh escaped her lips she closed her eyes.

''How dare you, Haruka! Killing so many, killing Kazuma! You're just like that old bastard of an old man of ours!'' Those dark blue eyes were flaring with hatred as she said those words. It made sense to why then why they both looked so alike; they were sisters.

I turned to see that Miyuki just looked on with shock apparent on her face, as if she had never even knew that her mother had a sibling.

''What do you plan on doing with my daughter?!'' she asked, and cringed when she saw that sadistic, insane smirk on her sister's lips.

''....Let her also witness her mother's death as well, Ayano-nee.''

Miyuki's mother gasped, and Miyuki held the bars tighter.

''STOP! DON'T KILL KAA-SAN!'' Miyuki yelled, her voice was begging. I frowned, knowing the inevidable as I cradled my head with my hand.

Higurashi Ayano died. This was a memory of it happening.

But still... seeing Miyuki's face like that, made me want to hope...

The woman laughed out loud before turning to face Miyuki with an insane grin.

''You're pleaing for someone's life? Eventhough you killed my own daughter?'' Miyuki blinked before her eyes widened. She gasped and her pupils trembled, and I frowned deeper as I peeled my eyes open at the woman's statement.

''Ma...Masaka...'' Miyuki whispered, ''A-Are you saying that... Arakaki-san was...?!'' A psychotic grin cocked the woman's lips.

''Kiku was the only daughter of both Arakaki Katashi and me, Arakaki Haruka,'' her eyes narrowed, ''And you are her cousin... as well as her murderer.'' I was nearly as shocked as Miyuki when I heard that.

''I didn't mean to kill her!'' The young girl yelled, and I winced when I heard desperation rising in her voice. ''It was an accident! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!''

Arakaki scowled. '' 'I'm sorry'? Do you honestly think that could possibly mean something for a mother?'' Her eyes narrowed. ''You didn't just stand there and let her kill you. That is your sin,'' she said as she raised her knife. Miyuki gasped, terrorfied as she saw the blade flying and impaled her mother' arm.

Higurashi's eyes were wide and she gasped in pain, blood gushing out from her wound. Arakaki grinded the knife against her arm, making her sister groan in pain, and her mouth was fixed to a wide grin which showed nothing but insanity.

I was not bothering to try and hide my horror.

''Please, let her go!'' Miyuki's tears flew down her cheeks. ''I don't care what happend to me, just please let Kaa-san go!''

''This is what is going to happen to you,'' Arakaki said, her eyes widened as she continued her grinding. ''No matter how much you yell, your plea will be ignored. She can't be saved, she can't be helped.'' She turned to look at Miyuki. ''The only thing you can do is just watch and taste her suffering!'' With that, she flicked her wrist to create a new gash, making blood pour out again from Higurashi's arm, and another yell of agony escaped her lips. Her arm was twitching from the pain.

'The only thing you can do is just watch and taste her suffering', huh? A bitter smirk crossed my lips, but it soon morphered to a cringe.

That was the exact same situation I was in right now.

''Stop it!'' Miyuki yelled, her face showing pure horror. Her eyes were wide, her brows furrowed as she screamed for mercy. ''STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT!''

Miyuki was screaming from the top of her lungs, and I flinched when I heard that.

Arakaki pulled her knife out, her face returned to have a calm, but insane perplexion. Higurashi was panting in exhaustion. ''There we go,'' she said, and her eyes zoomed to look at the trembling girl next to her. ''How about this, then:'' she slumped her shoulders, her head tilted to the side as her grin widened. ''Say that you're sorry one thousand times. If you do that, I'll release Ayano-nee.''

Miyuki bowed her head. ''Gomen nasai, gomen nasai, gomen nasai, gomen nasai, gomen nasai,'' Miyuki chanted as fast as she could, and Arakaki stabbed her sister's other arm, making her yell out in pain. ''Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai!''

I suppressed a wince when I saw Miyuki's form, and clenched my fists to prevent them from running everything through with Hyourinmaru.

Arakaki laughed out loud again as Miyuki's chanting never stopped, the pace of her apology never wavered. ''You were always the one who had all the love from everyone. You were always favored by everyone, weren't you, Ayano-nee?'' she asked, Higurashi's face still showed pain and agony. ''You were always Okaa's favorite. I wonder if she'll come along and save you, scolding me again?'' Arakaki stabbed her arm again, ignoring Miyuki's high-pitched, continuous chant of 'Gomen nasai'- 'I'm sorry'.

I was looking down at the floor, my head gripping my scalp and I shivered, listening to Miyuki's pleas.

After Higurashi gasped in pain, her head tilted to the side, her eyes were hollow. ''Ayano-nee. Can you hear me?'' she asked in a soft voice. But she soon noticed that Higurashi was knocked out and slapped her square in the face. ''Hey, listen!'' she yelled. Higurashi jerked up, awake.

''Do you know what sins you are guilty of?'' Arakaki asked, ''Do you know how difficult you made life for me?'' Higurashi glared at her.

''I made no one's life difficult. It was your descision to become a murderer! You killed people, Haruka! Do you not understand what that means?! I couldn't just let you run around on a murderous rampage!'' she yelled, ''Even while you were married to Katashi-san, even while you were pregnant and even after Kiku-kun's birth! You couldn't stop killing people! There's a limit to how much things can last, no matter what your condition was, just like that kuso-oji! (shitty old man)''

''I told you because I trusted you, Ayano-nee... you betrayed me,'' Arakaki said, she tilted her head to one side, her eyes softening and empty. That look reminded me of Arakaki Kiku's eyes. ''Because you told me off to the police, I had to kill Katashi so that he couldn't take me to custody... I had to give Kiku up...'' She licked the back of her knife, the grin returning. ''Did you know? I was going to meet my little girl today for the first time after nine years... but when I arrived, I was told that she went missing. I found her, though, at the end a year ago in a coffin. These 'Wahrheit' people are very kind, aren't they?'' she tilted her head further. ''Thanks to them, I can have my revenge to the two people who I want to suffer most.'' She stabbed her arm again, making Higurashi gasp in pain as blood flew out. She pulled her knife back and repeated the attack.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I looked on.

''Argh!...Ah! Hng! Arghhh...!'' Higurashi's voice was clouded with agony, but soon she didn't give out a yell after she was impaled by the blade. Arakaki grinned madly as she eyed her sister.

''What's the matter?'' Her grin widened, ''Can't you feel anything in your right arm anymore?'' She tilted her head to the other side, her brows cocked. ''In that case, how about I go for your left one?!''

Her knife flew and pierced right through Higurashi's left hand, making her cringe in pain, but no cry escaped her lips. Arakaki pulled the blade back again.

''What's wrong? You'll make me happy by screaming.'' She smirked, ''Let me guess, you think by not screaming you're defying me?'' Higurashi looked up at Arakaki with a cheeky smirk... one which looked identicle to Miyuki's. A bitter smile crossed my lips. There's only so much cockiness can do, huh?

''As if I need to defy the likes of you.'' Arakaki frowned at her sister's answer.

''I've always hated that superiority of yours, little sister.'' Arakaki's scowl deepened. ''As if you were a lot higher than me. As if you were the better of the two of us.'' She held her knife up, a smirk crossing her lips. ''You're not a heroine,'' She held the blade's tip right in front of Higurashi's face, making her gasp in shock. ''Nor are you immortal.'' She pulled her arm back and stabbed her sister's with full force, repeatitively. Higurashi gritted her teeth, and turned her head to face her daughter; Miyuki.

''Sweetheart...'' she whispered, smiling warmly at Miyuki's shaking, sobbing form. Her eyes were wide with obvious horror, her body was trembling, tears were pouring down her cheeks, her brows were furrowed, and sweat was rolling down her face.

This was by far the worst condition I have ever seen Miyuki in. I slowly made my way over to the cage, my heart feeling a dull pain everytime I got closer; because I always got a clearer view of her miserable expression. ''Miyuki...!''

Eventhough Arakaki wasn't ceasing her rampageous attacks, Higurashi's expression still never wavered. ''Be strong. Never give up... never get beaten down, no matter what happens.''

''DON'T YOU DARE IGNORE ME! LOOK AT ME, BITCH!'' Higurashi stayed unfazed, but flinched ever so slightly when Arakaki stabbed in harder in her rage.

''Live... Even if only a minute, a second, live longer. Live longer to survive as long as you can.''

''DON'T FUCK AROUND WITH ME!!!''

''Kaa...san...!'' Miyuki tilted her head down, sobbing as she looked down to hide her tears.

''Miyuki!'' The girl jerked her head up, startled by Higurashi's exclaim, and widened her eyes at her mother's bright, loving smile.

''...Aishiteru.''

''AHHHH!!!'' Arakaki roared, and the echo of her knife piercing Higurashi's chest rang through the room. I gasped when I saw Higurashi's blood going right through me, and splattering against Miyuki's cheek.

Those words of love were the last which left Higurashi Ayano's lips. Miyuki could only watch her mother's head tilt to the side, her eyes rolled back and lifeless.

''Kaa-san...Kaa-san... No...'' she whispered, her voice was shaking. She soon brought her hands to her head and cried. ''NOOOOOOOOOO!!!'' I cringed violently when I saw Miyuki, her face covering her face, screamed and cired from the top of her lungs.

''Oka, look! I'm better than Ayano-nee, see?!'' Arakaki said to the whole room, her hands rising up. A grin only a psychotic could muster fixed on her lips. But soon she gasped as she looked ahead. ''I... forgot Oka's final and only wish... I promised her... that I'd take care of Ayano...it was the only thing she ever asked of me...'' She screamed in despair before holding her face in her hands. ''Oka will never come back to me after what I've done!'' she said, ''After... what I've done!''

She looked over to Miyuki's crying form, her face burried in her hands. Then turned to face her sister's corpse. She looked up to the ceiling and let her hands fall limb to her side.

''HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!'' she laughed, her grin returning, her pupils shrank to a mere dot. ''Oh, what the hell? I knew it all along. The fact that this side of me has been a demon for a long time...''

I turned to look at Miyuki. She wimpered and cried, tears flowing down her eyes like rivers.

''HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!''

Why... Why did she have to go through all this?!

''Dammit... DAMMIT!'' I yelled out, blood soaking my fists.

I felt a figure next to me, and saw that it was a girl with raven hair from the corner of my eye. My body whipped around to face her before I opened my mouth to whisper her name, amethyst eyes stared up at me. My face showed pure shock.

''Miyuki...''

-Owari-

A/N: Okay, for those who don't know, 'Aishiteru' is about the strongest way you express love in the Japanese language XP

Now, I have a guest, (a good childhood friend of mine), so I'm not so sure if I can continue updating in this pace. But I'll try! I need to entertain her... though now she's playing NDS which involves her drumming to J-pop music. I know. Lucky... XD

Thank you for all those who reviewed! I treasured each an every comment! Please review this chapter to tell me what you think!!!

Special thanks to Dragon of Twilight for betaing this chapter!!!

Haa, I love torturing my characters XD

~Hate it? Love it? Something it between? Can't decide?
Review, review, REVIEW!!!

.Jibun no Omoi
Ones Memories.