Get Out Alive
Chapter Two
I awoke in a damp cell, its frigid stone floor was the only respite for my throbbing migraine. Without opening my eyes I covered my ears and hummed to myself trying to drown out the screams and the sloppy sound of flesh hitting flesh that filled the air. I held back the bile, 'it's not real, only a dream.' The phrase became my mantra, hoping if I denied hard enough none of this would be real. Little did I know the levels of hell I would have to endure.
9 Years Later
She walked down the hall with a solemn expression, something rarely found on the deity's face. It was the eleventh young girl that month that she had to ferry. Each one with scars running so deep even their soul wasn't left unscathed. She approached the large doors to her bosses office and after a light knock entered.
"Mae's soul has crossed Lord Koenma." She liked to think of herself as tough skinned but even the strongest of them succumb eventually.
"Call Yusuke and the others, I hate to ask this of them however under the circumstances their assistance is a necessity." She nodded and quietly left, the sooner they figure this out the more girls they can save.
She touched down at Genkai's temple, the easiest place to start looking for the team, thankfully she didn't have to look too far.
"Boton?" Yusuke was sitting on his mentors porch.
"Oh good you're here!" Boton rushed to him, "Koenma needs to see you."
"Woah woah, hold on. I don't work for him anymore he can't just order me around."
"Please Yusuke," tears welled in Botons eyes making Yusuke take a step back.
"What's going on?" He hadn't seen much that would subdue the reapers bubbly personality.
"Oh it's horrible, Koenma needs you and the others. I'll track down Kurama and Hiei if you can get Kuwabara."
"It's really bad isn't it?" Yusuke asked. Boton nodded.
"Koenma will fill you in, please hurry." She called over her shoulder before disappearing into the sky. Finding and recruiting Kurama was easy, it was Hiei she had to worry about. No matter where she looked he was no where to be found, she didn't want to waste time trying to locate him so with a bit of disappointment she returned to the Rakai. The three other boys were waiting in Koenma's office when she arrived.
"What's going on that you needed us again?" Yusuke was lounging in one of the chairs. His body language implied he didn't care but he watched Koenma with rapt attention.
"Within the last month eleven human girls ages 10 to 14 were abducted and killed. Each one had traces of demon energy on their bodies, each one was tortured, experimented on and then killed."
"Isn't this more Hiei's job since he's on border patrol or something?" Kuwabara asked.
"If the girls were being taken to the Makai then yes, however all of this is happening in the human realm"
"Why did it take you this long to get us!" Yusuke shouted.
"We didn't see the correlation at first since the demon energy was so miniscule, then we had a tracker on the energy. He was killed before we could get any information."
"So what do you know?"
"The demon isn't very strong physically. He's more of a mad scientist. The only reason the energy is on the girls is because he has direct contact with each one. Most girls are taken from the Tokyo area but he doesn't limit it to there."
"How do you know it's a he?" Yusuke questioned. He'd fought his fair share of crazy demon bitches. Koenma looked down and it was immediately understood.
"The scars he inflicts follow them in death, he's literally marking their souls."
"How long has this been going on?" Kurama who had remained silent finally spoke.
"We've traced it back at least ten years."
"Ten years?!" Yusuke jumped out of his chair, "Ten fucking years! How many girls have died?"
"When we re-examined the files a total of 27, 11 of those in the last month."
"Why so many so quickly?" Kurama asked.
"We're not sure, we think he's trying to recreate something but we don't know what. The las-"
"Lord Koenma!" His blue ogre Jorge burst unceremoniously into the office. "Another girl was taken, right out side of Mushiyori city."
"Send us there now! If there's a trace of this bastard, we'll find him." Koenma nodded to Yusukes demand and set a portal. Hopefully this would all be over soon.
My back rested against a sakura tree, being back in the human world so close to my old life felt wrong, like a sick joke meant only to torment. Itachi was slipping, he was so desperate to recreate what he did to me but without the horrible side effects. The dumb bastard should know taking so many girls in such a short time will get him noticed. However what little faith I had in the Rakai intervening diminished years ago.
"What are you doing Yuna? You're supposed to be watching the girl." I glanced up through my bangs at the traitorous bitch. Kimiko, who I had grown up with, who at one point I considered closer then a sister. Now all I considered was the best way to rip her head from her shoulders.
"She's not going anywhere, she's tied down for fucks sake."
"I don't like your tone Yuna, do we need to do some more training." She tapped the small band on her right wrist. The tiny device held a button that sent electricity through the collar on my neck. Itachi's fatal flaw when creating me was making my defenses superior to his own. He couldn't weasel his way into my head like he did to the others. Instead he resorted to conditioning me like a mutt. And Kimiko was his faithful rat, the only reason she got a remote was because of all the times I've tried to kill her. I stood up and faced her, my height may not be intimidating but without the collar I could end her life with my pinky finger. I pushed past her and headed to the abandoned ware house.
"Good girl." She simmered a gleeful smirk on her lips. I stopped walking but never turned around.
"You know Kimiko one day I wont be collared. And when that day comes you will beg me for months to end your suffering." I continued to the building without seeing her reaction, she knows I meant every word. Seeing the newest captive bound to the table brought back bad memories. She was young, 14 maybe. Then again we were all young. She shakes when I approach her. She still has enough hydration to produce tears.
"Please can you help me?" She sobs.
"Do you want to die?" It's a question I ask every time I'm alone with any if the girls. She shakes her head no, tears still pouring down her cheeks. Eventually she'll say yes, they all do, they just don't do it soon enough. By the time I get to them their soul is already maimed.
I nod and retreat to the far end of the room.I hear Itachi return and begin whispering quietly to his rat, they should know I can hear every word they say. I can also hear three sets of footsteps rapidly approaching. Is this it? A small bubble of excitement rolls around my stomach. I want to see them die. Stepping out of the building the two stop talking and turn to me.
"What are you doing Yuna? Get back in there." Itachi commands, he doesn't have his remote because he relies too heavily on his rat.
"I can't miss this." I smirk. He reaches for Kimikos arm intending full well to press the button.
"Hey asshole!" Three young men approach the shoddy set up. "Where's the girl?" Itachi and Kimiko both turned to address them.
"I don't know what your talking about kid." Itachi replies. I move quickly, if the new comers try and stop me i'll have wasted my only chance. For a moment I see them about to yell but it's too late, I severed Kimiko's arm from an inch below the elbow. She screams and clutches her bloody stump while blood spews out of the hole. Itachi pulled Kimiko to him and ran. There is a reason the wimp has survived as long as he has, he's fast, faster then I could ever dream to be. However lugging around his useless rat will slow him down and I may have a chance to kill them both. I pursue and hear the other three on my tail.
"Where's the girl?" The black haired man screamed. "Don't make me shoot you!" It doesn't take a genius to figure it out, there's only one building. Pushing energy into my legs I increase my speed and the three fell behind. In the distance I could see Itachi and Kimiko, I will catch them.
A hard force collided with my side sending me spiraling across the ground. A moment later a demons sword bit roughly into my neck. Pushing energy into my legs I swung them around and landed a solid kick to his knee. Giving me enough time to roll out from his sword. A large gash ran from my wrist to elbow and steadily leaked blood. I didn't have time for this demon, so I ran. I needed to catch Itachi, they needed to pay for what they did. The demon sprang up again landing a solid punch to my solar plexus. Winded I swung at his face with my good arm. Unfortunately he dodged. I was sick of playing this cat and mouse, summoning my bow I turned to him, the violet energy crackled in my hands as I set the shot. He smirked, the arrow flew toward him and he stood still with only inches to spare it spread out into a net encompassing his entire body and sending him to the ground. Its not my strongest attack by far but I needed distance between us. I was gaining ground on them, another two miles and they'd be mine. White hot pain erupted from my temple, so shocking it sent me reeling to the ground. Through blurry eyes I watched Itachi and his fucking rat disappear into a portal.
"What the Fuck is your problem!" I rounded on the demon. I kicked, punched, flipped, and every time he blocked and landed a hit. It was infuriating. He was toying with me, none of his blows had been fatal. Excruciatingly painful but not deadly. Blood flowed steadily from the deep cuts on my legs and torso. I had never seen someone so fluent with a sword, it would be hauntingly beautiful if I didn't want to kill the bastard.
"Hiei!" My vision was blurring when I heard them approach. "I knew you'd show! Did you catch that guy?" I chanced a glance at the two boys. The red head and the leader.
"Obviously he didn't you dumbass, he was too busy getting in my way!" I turned to the little demon, "You stupid fucking bast-"
I took a shuddering breath, my ribs protesting the entire time and attempted to open my eyes. It took three tries before they finally fluttered open, a stone wall greeted me. Honestly I would have preferred death, imprisonment was far worse in my opinion. My wounds were crudely healed and my right eye was swollen shut limiting my vision. However the collar was removed and I was thankful I hadn't awake for it.
Two weeks passed since I was brought here. I was going stir crazy, the tiny cell was cramped and the lack of the sun was disorienting. The days bled into each other and all too soon my scratches on the wall could no longer keep the time. I could hear the other prisoners shuffling about, no one screamed, no one cried out, hell they didn't even talk. The silence that kept me on edge, reminding me far too much of my first years at Itachi's. Everyday was the same routine, wake up in darkness, pace until the food was brought in, try to calm down enough to eat, fail, then pace until sleep overwhelmed me. If this was how they broke their prisoners then they did a bang up job, I don't know how much more I could take.
The sound of keys and the scrape of a lock made me stop dead in my tracks. My door flew open, the light blinding in its intensity. It was a guard, his features covered by a heavy black mask, next to him stood the redhead and the leader.
"Lord Koenma requests your presence." The guards gruff voice was muffled by his full face gear. He held out handcuffs before I even took a step toward him.
"Wow escorts and jewerly. This Koenma guy really knows how to treat a lady." I snarked, honestly I'd go there nude if it meant time out of the cell. The hallways were long and eerily throat like. When we arrived at Koenmas door I balked. Who in the Fuck needed a door that big? I heard Enma is a big guy but come on. How the hell do they open this bitch with the jaws of life?
"Ahem..." I jumped and stared at the young ruler. I hadn't even noticed I was handcuffed to a chair. "My detectives inform me you attacked the demon they were after. But you were there before they arrived, if that's the case why did you attack him?"
"Are you fucking kidding me?" I asked.
"Um no." He looked appalled.
"I thought it was obvious that I want that bastard dead, him and his little rat bitch."
"Why can't we find any record of you or how your associated with this demon."
"Itachi, his names Itachi. Wow, spirit world you sure have a lot of shit you don't know."
"Please if you could just give us information on him and yourself we can get this taken care of." He rubbed his temples.
"I don't believe that."
"And why not?"
"Because I lost faith in the Rakai a long time ago. As far as I'm concerned you can't do shit. " I spat. "My name is Mizushima, Yuna. I went missing from the human world 9 years ago and no one came to find me."
"I'm sorr-"
"Its a little too late for apologies. You want to find this dick I'll give you all the information I have on one condition."
"What?" Koenma asked with apprehension.
"I want to kill him and his bitch. No trial, no jail. There is enough evidence against this ass to warrent the death penalty, however I see fit." He studied me for a long moment, weighing the pros and cons of my bargain.
"I believe we can make that exception this once." He leaned forward in his chair, elbows resting on his desk. "Now what do you know?"