A/N: Past few days have been hectic what with trying to register for college courses. I'm hoping to finish at least most of this fanfic before school starts again.
Chapter 7:
Monster... The word rang over and over again in Hiyori's ears. She could hear nothing else. Not even the background noises of the alarms, the shouts, and the commotion from outside. Hiyori stared at the smoldering remains that used to be her prison. Yes...this was the kind of destruction that monsters caused. She was the supreme being of a deadly force.
Hiyori had experienced physical and emotional pain several times before to the point where she'd grown used to the trauma. However, this was something on a totally different level.
With a satisfied look, Konoka watched the emotions registering on Hiyori's face. She could see fear, despair, and anger, but to her disappointment, no indication of acceptance. In her mind, Konoka acknowledged that it was only natural. Hiyori had never recognized the full potential of her powers until now. Eventually, with time, her niece would transform into the perfect villain: cold-blooded, malevolent, and ruthless.
"It is alright, my child," Konoka soothed. "Be happy. Your heart is finally ready."
If looks could kill, Hiyori's glare would have sent Konoka to her grave. In a split second, Konoka found the tip of Kogarasumaru pointed at her throat.
"You're right. My heart is finally ready to do what I should have done the first moment you stepped into my cell," Hiyori said. "I'll kill you."
"Hiyori-chan!"
Hiyori's expression of rage was replaced with terror, when she saw Kanami and all her other friends staring at her in disbelief. Their mouths were wide open with shock at the sight. Hiyori swiftly lowered Kogarasumaru, face red with shame. What would her friends think of her now? Would they allow her to explain or would they jump to conclusions, judging by what they saw?
Konoka grasped her throat, coughing and gasping for air. With a dramatic swoon, the Origami ambassador fell to the ground. Ellen and Kanami immediately ran to her side.
"What happened here?" Kaoru demanded, gesturing to the wreckage of the room.
"Juujou Hiyori did this," Konoka choked. "And she tried to kill me!"
The girls turned to look at her, eyes black with accusation. Hiyori didn't need to read their minds to know that they thought she was guilty.
"Hiyoyon, please don't tell us that's true," Ellen begged.
"No!" Hiyori protested, her eyes wide with fear. "T-That's not what—"
"She's lying!" Konoka spat. "Look around you! Think about what you just saw!"
Mai stared at Konoka's glaring face before looking at Hiyori, who had hung her head. Her flowing hair covered her face like a curtain. Although it was clear that Hiyori threatened Konoka with her okatana, the purple-haired Toji knew in her mind that Hiyori would never resort to violence without a good reason.
"But why would Hiyori-chan try to kill you?" Mai questioned.
Konoka spluttered, "Isn't it obvious?" before pointing an accusing finger at Hiyori, adding, "That friend of yours isn't the kind of person who she seems to be."
"Care to elaborate?" Kaoru frowned.
Sayaka added firmly, "Hiyori is our friend and we all accept her for who she is."
"That's right," Kanami said. "Hiyori-chan would never try to hurt anyone."
"Really? If that's true, then why did she point her okatana at me? Why have you agreed to lock her up in a cage?" Konoka rebutted. "Why does she shy away from society's curious eyes? Has it really never dawned on you that you all just truly think of her as a freak?"
Kaoru and Sayaka stole glances at each other from the corners of their eyes. If Maki hadn't told them to be cautious of Konoka, they would have thought of her as just someone who was just superstitious and paranoid. Still, just recalling the sight of Hiyori's okatana pointed to Konoka's throat, made Sayaka and Kaoru doubt a little.
"I'm the Origami ambassador and it is not just my duty to obey the Origami family, but also protect those they are in command of," Konoka snapped. "And once everyone sees just how dangerous Juujou really is, you can be assured that they'll take care of her properly this time by finishing what Shidou Maki should have done earlier. By cutting off her head!"
Hiyori's head shot up, her eye ablaze with energy as she glowered at her aunt.
"Shut up!" Hiyori yelled, thrusting her okatana towards Konoka's heart.
Konoka only had time to squeeze her grey eyes shut, before Mai pushed her away, letting Kogarasumaru bury itself into her chest. A large spray of red liquid gushed from the wound, staining the white floor and her uniform. Ellen let out an ear-splitting scream at the horror of it all. It was just so sudden and unexpected that everyone's mind went blank.
"Mai-chan!" Kanami screamed.
Hiyori felt her world collapse right when she saw her blade pierce her friend. Her worst fear of hurting someone she loved just became a reality. Her eyes turned red and swollen again, as her tears made a reappearance.
"M-Mai?" Hiyori choked.
Mai just gave her one look of disappointment before crumbling to the floor, clutching her wound in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding. It was useless though. Kanami threw herself down beside her friend, sobbing, before turning to Hiyori with traumatized eyes. Hiyori could see the fear and despair in all of her friends' faces, and desperately hoped she'd find some sympathy in them. She didn't see any and honestly expected that. What she just did was unforgivable.
A few seconds later, a group of soldiers and Tojis from Osafune Academy barged to the scene. Seeing Mai wounded on the floor, one of the soldiers immediately called for medical help. The others cautiously pointed their weapons at Hiyori. Just that one gesture made her heart break.
With everyone's gaze on her niece, Konoka couldn't help letting a smile of victory cross her face. Sayaka and Kaoru both had their hands on the hilts of their okatanas. Ellen couldn't help hiding her face with her hands. But the best part was seeing Kanami, broken and looking at Hiyori with dismay. This turned out better than Konoka had hoped. She didn't expect the purple-haired girl to push her away. For Konoka, this was her triumphant moment.
"P-Please," Hiyori blubbered. "I didn't mean to…"
"Hiyoyon…" Ellen sobbed. "You hurt Mai-Mai."
In a moment of desperation, Hiyori turned to Kanami.
"Kanami, please. You promised you'd stay with me. Please," Hiyori begged. "Please-take my hand."
She reached out to her best friend, her hand shaking. Even though Hiyori tried to control the turbulent emotions within her, her hand still glowed with the same blue energy that surrounded her. Kanami stared at Hiyori's stretched out fingers with a nauseated gaze.
Although it wasn't very noticeable, Hiyori could see her best friend slowly backing away from her. The aradama Toji's insecurity of being superfluous in Kanami's life was now replaced with the fear of Kanami not wanting her at all. Her body shook violently as ragged sobs left her throat. She didn't even notice the soldiers inching closer towards her, weapons poised to fire. Sparks of lightning flickered around Hiyori, as she kept her hand stretched out in front of her.
"Kanami?"
"Hiyori," Kanami gulped.
The fact that Kanami didn't even call her "Hiyori-chan" gave Hiyori all the confirmation she needed. Without another word, she dashed to Kagari and took her in her arms. Because of her super-speed, Kanami only had enough time to catch a glance of Hiyori's grief-stricken face before she fled into the night, leaving behind a trail of blue lightning.
"Halt! Stop right there!" a few soldiers commanded, but their cries fell only on deaf ears.
"No, Hiyori-chan!" Kanami yelled, activating her utsushi and dashing after her. "Wait, stop!"
"Kanamin!" Ellen called.
"Stay with Mai-Mai!" she ordered the others, before racing after Kanami.
The two Tojis ran after their friend, but even with their utsushi activated, they struggled to keep up with Hiyori's speed. As she ran, Kanami couldn't help remembering the despair on Hiyori's face. The first time Hiyori went on a rampage, Kanami didn't go after her and she refused to let Hiyori slip from her grasp this time. She had to apologize. To apologize for not taking her hand. For not being there for her. For not being a good friend.
"Hiyori-chan! Wait, please!" Kanami pleaded.
"Hiyoyon!" Ellen called.
But it was no use. Eventually, the two Tojis had to stop from exhaustion, sorrowfully watching their friend retreat into the distance. Hiyori was gone.
The tall, threatening mountains far away from Tokyo were an isolated area. The fact that there were no trails contributed to this. Hardly anyone entered the miles of forest and rocky terrain, due to the high chance of getting lost. Also, the rumors of the abandoned shrine hidden deep within the forests kept people away from the surrounding regions. The lone figure walking through the vast expanse didn't care the least and was not disturbed by the darkness of it.
Oblivious to the growing lightning storm above her, Hiyori clutched a wailing Kagari tighter to her chest as she staggered through the wilderness. Her delicate skin was sore and bruised from the several times she had stumbled. Downhearted and inconsolable, Hiyori couldn't help thinking over all that she lost. Her friends, her sanity, and what little hope she had left—all gone in one night.
"So, you've finally come out of hiding."
Hiyori didn't have to turn around to guess who was behind her. She unsheathed Kogarasumaru, trying with difficulty to hold Kagari with her other arm. However, she knew it was pointless. She couldn't fight without putting her daughter in danger as well.
Tagitsuhime detached herself from the tree she was leaning against and approached Hiyori with a slow gait. However, for the first time, Hiyori saw that the aradama princess did not have her usual complacent expression. In fact, it almost looked affectionate.
"Don't come any closer," Hiyori warned. "Leave my daughter alone."
"You're clearly a fool if you really think that I would dare hurt my own child," Tagitsuhime countered.
She stared at the small bundle in Hiyori's arms with a soft look, saying, "She looks just like me."
Hiyori didn't know exactly how to react to this, but she didn't loosen her grip on her okatana. All she saw in front of her was just another threat.
"So, mind telling me what caused you to fly out of the birdcage?" Tagitsuhime questioned, never taking her eyes off of Kagari.
"You knew where I was the whole time?" Hiyori sneered.
Rolling her eyes, the aradama princess scoffed, "As an evil god, I'm many things, my dear little crow. However, I'm not stupid. Now, out with it."
"You want to hear you were right all this time, don't you?" Hiyori said, with a sarcastic smile.
She sneered, turning her back to the aradama princess, and let out a sigh. "Well, you were right. 'Once an aradama, always an aradama.' I'm just a monster like you."
"Aw, my poor darling," Tagitsuhime crooned, hugging Hiyori from behind.
Hiyori tensed up, disgusted, as her skin crawled. Tagitsuhime's touch was as cold as she remembered, and her secure grip just as suffocating. The Heijou Toji tried to squirm away, but only froze once she felt Tagitsuhime's breath near her ear.
Tagitsuhime whispered, "So now that you say you're a monster like me...why don't you embrace that and be one?"
Outside of the emergency room in the Ichigaya hospital, Kanami couldn't stop pacing up and down, her breathing erratic and unsteady. Kaoru felt she would go insane from watching her. The rest of their friends looked just as glum, as they waited for word on Mai's condition.
After Ellen and Kanami had dashed after Hiyori, Sayaka had clutched Mai's hand like a lifeline, until the emergency services took her away. The white-haired Toji couldn't bear the thought of actually losing Mai. To her, Mai was like the older sister she never had.
When a nurse came out, they all jumped to their feet with their faces lifted imploringly to him. Their expressions asked what their voices couldn't. Did Mai make it? Would she get better? The nurse pulled down his mask with an expressionless face.
"She'll be fine. The wound thankfully was not that deep," he said. At once, the strained air was lifted and the girls let out a sigh of relief in unison.
"However, Yanase-san needs time to recover. She is still not in a condition where she can move freely about," the nurse added.
"Thank you," Ellen said, with a bow.
When the nurse left them, the five friends looked at each other. While it was a relief that they hadn't lost Mai forever, the girls still felt an empty hole inside each of their hearts. It was as though they were reliving the pain from when Hiyori got absorbed by Tagitsuhime. But this time, the sorrow came with a greater sense of guilt.
Their despondent thoughts were interrupted when Kaoru's phone started ringing. The pink-haired loli frowned when she saw the words "Director Slave-Driver" on her screen.
"Kaoru!" Director Maniwa's sharp voice yelled. "Where are you?!"
"At Ichigaya hospital," Kaoru grumbled. "Yanase Mai was injured."
"Well, will you and Itomi Sayaka hurry to the administration bureau at once? This is a state of emergency," Director Maniwa said.
"A state of emergency?" The loli raised an eyebrow.
"Origami Yukari and Akane...they're gone!"
A/N: Well, hope this chapter was interesting enough. Writer's block is one of my worst enemies.
FYI, I won't be able to post chapters as frequently this week, due to being busy. Hopefully, I'll be able to post a chapter before Saturday, but we'll see.