5. Amputation

"Please don't do this," Hato whispers, "I – I'm your friend."

Kaito's frigid eyes stare into his soul. "Then prove it. As long as you're able to duel, you will forever be a Fusions warrior." He pauses and pushes Hato's bangs out of his eyes, his voice turning soft. "Is that what you want? To be someone else's puppet?"

Hato shakes his head. "I don't want anyone to ever hurt me ever again," he sobs, no longer able to hold back the tears. "I thought you were going to help me." His body shakes and he pulls his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around himself and burying his face into his knees.

"I am going to help you, but first you must help yourself. You're going to have to be strong and break ties with Academia. Can you do that?"

Hato sniffles and looks up. He scrubs away his tears with the sleeve of his jacket. "I – I will be strong."

He is handed the scissors. Hato doesn't understand. "What? I thought you were going to do it."

Kaito shakes his head, an unkind smile on his face. "You must save yourself, Hato. Cut the strings that bind you to evil; repent for your sins and your soul shall be set free."

Hato can't stop shaking. He stares at the scissors. He knows what he must do. Follow Kaito's will or die. There are no other options; he will not continue to be a weapon. "Will it hurt?" He already knows the answer.

"Yes, but you know it's what you must do. You know it's what you deserve. Cut the strings, Hato." Kaito's voice is getting impatient. Hato must act now.

Hato opens up the scissors and slides his right little finger in at the joint closest to his hand. He closes the scissors. His little finger drops into his lap, blood squirting out of it. Hato's mind goes fuzzy from the pain, but he can do this. Kaito takes his hand and wraps gauze around it to stop the bleeding.

The ring finger is next and it goes just as quickly. Hato can't help the little whimper that escapes his lips, and Kaito shushes him as he wraps it.

This is what he must do. This is what he must do. Hato repeats those words and continues, the middle finger coming off clean. He catches a glimpse of bone peeking out between the tendons and muscles. He almost loses it and nearly retches right there. He has to stay strong. If he can't prove to Kaito that he's willing, then Kaito will kill him and move on with his life. Hato can't let that happen.

He can't feel the pain of his index finger because his entire hand is burning. Hato tries to give the scissors back to Kaito, but he shakes his head. "The thumb too." His words leave no room for argument.

Hato nods numbly and tries to still his hands enough to get his thumb into position. He grips the handle and the blades cut into either side of his thumb, slicing through flesh and stopping at the bone.

"It – it won't," Hato sobs, but he's unable to finish his sentence. Kaito takes Hato's hands in his and together they finish the act. The bone crunches, shattering instead of popping clean off. Hato screeches from the pain and Kaito backs away, leaving him shaking and crying. He can't watch as Kaito bandages the last of his fingers.

"Do you feel regret for your sins?" Kaito's voice is the voice of God, and Hato is his Lamb.

"Yes."

"Then tell me what you have done."

Hato tears his sight away from his disfigured hand up to Kaito. Light shines down from a cracked window, illuminating Kaito from behind. He looks heavenly, and Hato knows he made the right choice. He bows his head. "I have killed people and I have made their deaths more painful than necessary. I have betrayed my family…"

"They're no longer your family," Kaito corrects. "I'm your family now."

[bad end]