Slowly, my responsiveness started returning back to me, but my vision was still filled with darkness. My head pounded with a distant, lingering pain.
(Why... is it so dark...? Eh... Ehhh?! Why can't I speak or move?!)
At some point, I couldn't even tell anymore if I was, in fact, awake or still asleep. I tried to move my arms and legs, but it was no use. My mind starting filling with strokes of confusion.
"Struggle all you want. It won't help ya one bit, little girl."
Someone's voice echoed through the open room. Judging by that, I figured that the room was almost empty.
I felt someone touch my hair rather softly.
"Hmmm... your hair are exactly my type, but unfortunately, we don't seem to get along. Such a waste... Hmhmhm, no matter, I will still take some of these ol' locks! It won't stop me!!!"
(W-Who is this annoying person?! I seriously hope it isn't who I think it is...)
The person slowly untied the blindfold on my eyes, giving me a brief moment to scan my surroundings. I was indeed in an abandoned looking room with a single person. I also noticed that I was tied to a wooden chair by ropes. I looked up to see the person directly.
(It IS him!)
It was of course none other than the masked man. The man took out a blade from his sleeve as he pointed it my way, a look of excitement deep within his eyes.
"It's you..." I mumbled under my breath.
"Of course! Who can it be? After all, I was the one who captured you in the first place upon Master's orders."
(Master's orders? Captured...? Wait... how did I end up here again...?)
For a moment, I had a small lapse in memory about what happened before the time I woke up, until the man chuckled, "What's this now? You don't remember? No matter, if you wish it, I can continue where we left off to jerk back that memory of yours~~"
I suddenly got a zapping feeling.
(I'm getting nothing but a feeling of trouble from him! It's even worse that I can't recall...! What if he already made a move WHILE I was unconscious?!)
I closed my eyes, thinking that he would kill me, but the expected pain didn't seem to strike me at all. Rather, I felt something strange on my hair.
"*gasp*"
The man started cutting some of my hair with his blade.
"W-Wha-- Stop that, you freak!"
I wrestled to get my hands free in order to stop him, but the man just laughed in delight as he shot, "Ahaha! These hair... BELONG TO ME! I am, very, truly lucky to have such a beauty with me the entire time! Hahaha! You can't do anything! You are simply useless! USELESS!!!"
More and more slashing sounds could be heard as the man maniacally swiped his blade through my dark pink hair.
"Stop it...! STOP IT, I SAID!!!"
I screeched as I somehow managed to break free from the rope tied on my legs and knocked the man off his feet, dropping him straight on his back. He grunted in pain as his blade slipped towards my side.
"You psycho! Now you have done it!"
Effortlessly, I balanced the blade from my right foot in an attempt to shoot it towards my right hand, but...
.
.
Before it could reach my hand, The man's other knife clashed with the blade, slamming it against the wall with a dull click.
(Shoot!)
The man got up leisurely. He then took off his mask, finally revealing his face.
"*gasp* W-Woah..."
His appearance left me taken aback with wide-eyed. His red eyes glowed viciously, complementing his pale - almost paper white, skin. I knew that combination anywhere. This man looked...just like a vampire! Just like dad!
"Ahhh... That managed to get your attention I see. A dirty trick you just pulled off... Although, gotta admit, it did refresh my muscles." The man spoke as his body cracked all the way.
I didn't feel the least bit disgusted; I was actually pretty angry and still dazed by the man's looks.
"Hmm...? Why are you staring at me like that? It's creeping me out..... Oh! Is it because you can't resist this flawless face?" The man winked with curled up lips.
I seriously thought I was going to puke! The man grinned widely as he looked back at me with a teaser face. I just averted my gaze, sighing.
"Oh please... Who would want to look at that?" I teased back.
The man made a 'tsk' sound as he took a step forward. I had a feeling that this man could be Jean, but I still wasn't sure. After all, Raizo merely described Jean's appearance - it was left to my imagination.
(If he WAS Jean, then shouldn't he also be having two eye colors though...? It doesn't seem to add up...)
As I was lost in my own thoughts, I felt a sharp pain on my neck.
(Huh?!)
It was then followed by a cold liquid flowing down my neck. I quickly realized that I had been cut badly. I looked up to see the man's face only a few inches from mine as he smirked happily.
"What are you now--"
"A-A-A! Your movements will just sink the knife even deeper so I generously recommend that you sit back and enjoy what I have planned for that precious neck of yours..." The man slid his bony fingers around my neck, making me shudder slightly.
He could threaten me all he wants, but I would never just sit back and wait for the others to save me as if I was some maiden in distress.
(I have got to do something! But... what?!)
Just as I was planning for some strategies, I again felt an insane pain on my neck, but it was somewhat different than before. It felt like countless needles were poking my skin.
"Arghhh...!! D-Didn't your boss or whatever say that I am n-needed alive?"
I tried resorting to some reasoning with him, but the man just shrugged as he spoke, "He did say that, but I don't think he'll mind if I just modify you a bit so..... NOW I CAN ENJOY IT! Ahahaha!" The man's body twisted with delight.
I saw a thread and needle from the corner of my eye standing still on a metal table.
(Wait - Is he planning on giving me stitches?! How much of a lunatic can he be?!)
Talk about misleading first impressions...
"You will look just like a doll. A pretty, hollow, soul-less doll. Don't worry, I will take good care of you then HAHAHA!" The man cackled loudly as he drew the needle close to my neck which was still bleeding.
The way his words echoed in my brain made my last nerves tremble with fear. I really had to escape now, there's no other option!
He then continued, somewhat regaining his sanity, "After I stitch that wound on your neck, I will then stitch a smile on your face after I cut your lips and then use my knife to take out your eyeballs only to replace it with beady eyes!
I will then rip your fingers out and replace them with some wooden ones! You will look so CUTE!!!! AAAHHHH, I AM DYING JUST BY IMAGINING IT!"
Okay, this man has clearly gone more than insane. I have no words to even describe how crazy he sounds right now. His true personality made it even harder for me to believe that the once cold and menacing man was the same being as the one standing right in front of me.
I have misjudged him, big time! Now I will never let him get away with his wishes! Plus, I am pretty sure that is not what his master would want...
I grappled one last time with the ropes, but they wouldn't budge at all.
(If it has come down to this then...)
I smiled slightly as I looked at the approaching man.
"Yes, smile just like that!" The man boomed as he shot the needle at my face, but...
I was quick enough to fall back on the ground, or rather, on the chair which broke into tiny wooden pieces.
(Ouch, I knew that would hurt...)
I heard the man sounding annoyed. I then quickly got up on my feet with the ropes still tied to my body. I squirmed my way towards the blade which was on the wall, but the man threw a knife in my direction, cutting only a few of my front bangs.
I don't care about my hair at this point. They already feel horrible so I figured I should just concentrate on the fight. I jumped up and caught the blade's handle from my mouth before dropping it in my right hand.
The man dashed towards me with a loud, irritated scream, but again, I was quick enough to rip the ropes with the blade. He only managed to slice the air as I leapt to the side.
The blood from my neck was still dripping down, but I didn't care. That's the least of my worries right now. I faced the crazy man as he gritted his teeth. He was so annoyed that he even managed to break his mask in his left hand.
"You... YOU CANNOT ESCAPE NOW THAT I HAVE THE WHOLE DESIGN! It is PERFECT!!! JUST PERFECT!"
The man dashed towards me like a leopard and dodged my every blow. Just when he was a few centimeters away from me, I struck him with the energy blast from my hands.
His rage has blinded him in the fight. I have clearly won now.
This time, it was me who bolted towards the recovering man. I jumped high with great strength as I raised the blade, and dove right at him.
I managed to slash his right arm in which he held the knife. As soon as he screamed in misery, I held out my hand in front of his face and shot the energy ball.
He broke what looked like the entire wall as soon as he made contact with it. That's how intense my last attack was. I poured most of my energy in it, after all.
I panted as I fell on the ground, kneeling on one leg.
After a few minutes of a breather and double checking the man for any tiny twitches, I got up, kicked the door open and was just about to leave when I felt something on my back like a big cut. Soon after, the pain struck me.
"Y-You...!" I grumbled.
"You really shouldn't turn your back on your opponents like that... I really cannot imagine you, of all people, killing me." The man murmured as he got up and brushed off some dust, seemingly unharmed.
I turned around to look at him, but he just punched my face, throwing me out of the place. I bulldozed a few walls as I fell out in the open forest.
"Hmhmhm... Time to say your prayers girl because now you will only feel my wrath in the form of brutal improvements!"
Once he was just centimetres away, he, knelt down and grabbed hold of my chin, whispering in a chilling deep voice, "Any last words, girl...?"
"W-Who... exactly are you....?" I managed to voice out.
The man got back up and bowed dramatically with his left hand behind his back, before speaking again, "Oh, that's right! I haven't formally introduced myself until now, have I? Pleasure to meet you once again - I'm Hirato, my master's right hand man~"
(Heh... His master must be pretty crazy to trust a man like HIM to lead on his own...)
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~To be continued...