Hiten groaned as he stirred, the sun was bright and the room was scorching. He peeled off his wife beater and swung his legs over the bed. He had passed out with his boots on, but took note that they were now neatly placed in the corner. He looked over his shoulder and saw Abi curled up tight beside him. Rolling his eyes he got to his feet, there had to be running water somewhere to wash up. He fixed his braid as he made his way down the hall.

As he approached the lobby he heard faint voices, whispering. Two of the girls? He shook his head when he saw Kagura and Jakotsu. He would ask them to be useful somewhere but he didn't care all too much about them. He avoided their path and jumped when he turned around to the sight of Bankotsu.

"What the hell?" He whispered harshly and Bankotsu merely shrugged, not the least bit intimidated. "What do you want?" He walked outside, knowing Bankotsu would take it upon to follow.

"We need to plan…something." Bankotsu said anxiously, scratching the back of his neck. Hiten arched his brows as he walked, not bothering to look at him. "We kind of all talked last night…about ourselves. We aren't related much at all. Where were you actually?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I was getting some much needed sleep, drinking isn't much of a priority to me." That was a lie. If Hiten had found out before this morning when he saw the empty bottles that they had found liquor, he wouldn't hesitate to join in. Hell, he'd make it a point to get drunk. It would've been a nice escape.

"Well…we didn't all get shit-faced. So you and Abi then?" Bankotsu looked over and Hiten went to make a remark, baring his teeth in frustration, but chose silence instead. It would just go where it shouldn't if he continued.

"We need to find a way out." He said dryly, going into what looked like it had once been a convenience store and digging around. Bankotsu sighed and sat up on the counter.

"No…not yet." He stated simply, he wasn't sure he'd ever seen Hiten move as fast as he did to look up at him. "If we can't get out right away, and we don't have anything prepared, we'll just as well die here. We need food and water, and we have a good amount of ground to cover. I bet we haven't even seen half of this place." He pointed out and the edge of Hiten's lips twitched, just a little. He was the one being irrational now; he didn't like the idea of this dimwit outsmarting him. But he didn't argue.

"You're right."

Bankotsu lead them back this time. Hiten's face showed distaste, he hadn't found any source of showering. If it made him feel any better, none of them had. Then again, they didn't bother to look…

"We need to split up." He started and everyone at the table, mostly exhausted pale faces, looked up to him. They all gave the same, blank, empty stare. They were just as sick of it as he was. "We need food, water, and any type of clue to figure out why we're here…or where. It'll be easiest this way." He started.

"I'm not working with any of you." Kagura glared and he returned it. There wasn't time for protest, and if anyone started, everyone would drag it out.

"I'm with Ban…" Jakotsu said without hesitation.

"Shut up!" Hiten cut them off before anyone else could comment or complain. "I'm going for water, I don't give a shit what any of the rest of your little 'teams' do." He scanned the small group before him. He didn't want to have to tolerate Bankotsu and Jakotsu, Ryura was just another cocky asshole. He had a broad who was ready to take on the world and one who was too scared to say much of anything. He chose the happy medium. "You." He pointed to Abi, who blinked up and cocked her head.

"Hm?"

"C'mon…you can come with me." He waited and she slowly got to her feet, approaching him and standing beside while the others awaited some type of order or command.

"We didn't even plan anything." Bankotsu scoffed.

"Why is everything between you two? What makes you both so damn special, don't we get a say in anything?" Kagura stood up, proud of her argument and Bankotsu bit his bottom lip, turning to look to Hiten who wouldn't waste time shutting her or anyone else down for argument's sake. Hiten had already left it seemed, and Abi with him. That only pissed him off; who did he think he was; who did they think they were?

"You're coming with me and Jakotsu." He spat and Kagura's eyes grew wide, emotions flooding in. Words that were ready to escape her tongue, but she saw the small smirk Jakotsu had. Clearly their little discussion had given him some trust with her. So far, he was the only one she actually bonded with. The other two she wouldn't trust at all.

"….fine." She said unexpectedly. She could tell it threw Bankotsu off, too. He was lining up his comebacks mentally, but it ceased with her submission.

"We can try to get some hints since there are more of us, you two can handle food?" He asked and Ryura shrugged. He would take it for a yes, Ryura wouldn't really agree to anyone's orders in a way that was obvious, anyway. "So 24 hours…and I guess whenever they get back…"

"What makes you so timid?" Hiten asked irritably. They had been walking in silence for some time now, and the heat continued to take its toll. They should have waited until sundown; that would have made more sense. He looked over and she shrugged, staring ahead of her as they walked. "Don't lie, there's a reason."

"There's not a lot to say, really." Her tone was sharp, like when he had first approached her. Maybe she was bipolar. For now, it was his diagnosis.

"Sure there is. Alright, who did you think I was keeping from you?" He asked and she scoffed, avoiding his gaze. She was more outspoken when they were alone or maybe when she was alone with anybody. Either way, he viewed it as another way that she owed him, for getting her away from those nuts.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She mumbled and he could tell she was growing annoyed, it only tempted him to push her further. Why not, everyone else seemed to get acquainted.

"Don't fucking lie to me, I hate liars." He furrowed his brows, still watching her. He observed her gestures, crossing her arms and tapping her finger on her forearm. He couldn't tell if she was nervous or aggravated, she still wasn't facing him.

"I don't care if you hate me or not." She whispered and he waited, thinking of something. He was getting somewhere, and she seemed somewhat stable. Maybe he should have gone with Bankotsu. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he didn't really mind the bastard as much as he pretended to. Bankotsu was actually rational, and at least they could make conversation. If not, it wouldn't be a tension-filled silence; it'd be a comfortable one.

"Yeah, well let me tell you something, nobody's going to have your back around here the way you shut yourself out. If you keep this up, I won't either. You wouldn't care, right?" She let out a long sigh in response and he rolled his eyes and mouthed 'whatever'. It was a useless attempt.

"…I thought you knew where my daughter was…" She mumbled; he stared.

Bankotsu dug through another abandoned-type building. He sent Jakotsu off to wander a different floor, but hadn't given Kagura much of a task. So she watched him absent-mindedly. She hoped to speak with him now, after what she'd learned from Jakotsu. She wanted to see if it was the truth, if she could get through to him, and maybe get what had been bothering her off her chest and mind forever. She crouched beside where he was on his hands and knees digging. It seemed like a heap of old furniture thrown together, but he was as curious as a child. She held her hand out and hesitantly poked his shoulder. He tensed up before looking over to her, panting from the heat and his labor.

"What's up, you find anything?" He asked and she frowned. That was all he expected from her; then again he trusted her enough to take her along with him, even after she tried to blatantly threaten him.

"I need to talk with you." Another statement she'd said that caught him off guard. He crawled out of his little space and plopped on the floor, wiping the sweat from his face with his palms. That didn't help much. She sat on her hip, holding her weight up with her arm. "What do you remember…during the time you were at war?" She could see in his eyes he tried to remember. He was trying to grasp anything that would satisfy her, but it was blank.

"Nothing." He finally admitted and she looked to her lap. His answer crushed her, just a little. Still, a little pain was pain and it was unavoidable really. Kagura had gotten used to getting hurt.

"How about any of the months you were home?" She asked with a dose of hope, but doubt couldn't help but to dominate her emotions. She still didn't look up to him, but he was studying her.

"No…I'm sorry." He whispered and she nodded, looking around before getting to her feet. He grabbed her wrist and she pulled it back. "Can you just tell me already?" It was more of a plead than a demand, which almost made her pity him.

"It's not worth it." Clearly, she wasn't either. Not to him. She made her way down the hall, leaving him in wonder.

She fixed her hair in the mirror; it had been a while since she dated anyone, always having restrictions. But this guy was different, she could tell. She could finally get out of her bastard brother's house and move forward, not necessarily the jump-in-his-arms type of thing, but he promised he'd help her get away however he could. And she believed him, even if they had only been together a month.

Kagura was always so eager for hope, though.

There was a light knock on the door and she made sure her makeup wasn't smudged in the least. She grabbed her heels and wobbled as she put them on while going to answer the door. Her skintight dress wasn't helping much. She couldn't even remember the last time she got to dress up, it excited her. She opened the door faintly panting, and smiled.

"Hey…" Her smile went flat with his slur. She scrunched her nose and took a step back as he advanced to give her a kiss. Of course, nothing could ever be perfect for her. Not even for a night.

"Maybe we should do this another time." She felt stupid, almost ready to cry, getting all dolled up for another loser that couldn't even show up at her doorstep sober. He shook his head and let himself inside, shutting the door behind him. She went to open it back up only he held it with his palm. She glared and attempted again, only for him to pull her to him, his toned arm around her slender waist.

"I have to leave tomorrow…" He whispered in her hair as she squirmed at the pressure. She looked away; he never told her that. Sure, he was in the army, but he didn't tell her he'd be gone so soon. He began kissing her neck and she pushed his face away.

"Then I guess I'll just see you when you get back." She quipped, more out of hurt than anger. He took it for the other, and became angry himself. Or maybe it was just his drunkenness that did. She didn't really know.

"That's it? You make me see you for a month and can't even put out when I might die?" He scoffed and she rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to wipe the tears before they fell. How many times had he used that line? He pulled her more forcefully to him and ignored her struggles as he laid her back on the couch.

"Stop it…go fuck someone else if that's you're only concern." She warned, grunting under his weight and feeling the string of her panties snap. Her face flushed, he wasn't about to harm her, he wouldn't do that.

"Shut it…not like you really meant anything anyway." He lifted her dress and she struggled to pull it down, only his weight was between her legs. He smirked at her attempts as he unbuckled his pants.

"I said stop!" She kicked and hit and even tried to bite him, but it was all useless. He had no problem holding her hips up, or forcing himself in. He had no problems when she screamed and cried. He ignored her pleas and begs.

He was like the rest, he proved it to her.