It had been at least three since Lazhu had sent Tadashi out with the group of three. He remembered meeting Karasu and Fukuro, but the girl never crossed his mind. Kirishige Tsuru…she looked about his age. He sparked up a conversation. "So, Tsuru-"
"Oh, please, call me Kiri. It's what everyone at my old Academy and the orphanage called me. I apologize for I am a bit of a talker. Tadashi, right? Nice to finally work with you. This is a great opportunity because I can finally get away from the Y/D Hunter Corps-" Tadashi's eyes widened as he pulled his sword on her. She raised hands and backed away. Fukuro stepped in.
"Hey! Hey, chill out, man!" Fukuro drew her knives to Tadashi.
"Explain yourself then!" Tadashi wasn't aware that he was making a scene. Kiri Stuttered.
"It's not like that, it isn't what you think. I hate killing and I've never killed in my entire life! I was forced to join at a young age!" She seemed to have said that quickly, then was out of breath. Tadashi put his sword away, Fukuro put her knives away and the group continued walking. Tadashi began to think that this was the same girl who chased him and Tsukiyomi through the ruins of Whither. Kiri continued to speak as they walked.
"Corporal Charlotte follows the orders of the president of the corporation, Captain Liang Yan. I honestly don't understand why Miss Lazhu chose me to help you when she knew I was part of the corps. I mean, I get that I'm skilled with archery but I don't know how that will help you guys get outside of the walls. Am I going with you to escape the walls or am I just assisting you because I would love to get out of here. Getting outside of Moonrose, I mean. I'm looking forward to it but-"
"Okay, shut up! We get it!" Fukuro interrupted, "We should be focused on more important things. Not getting outside! If you didn't know, names' Fukuro. This is Karasu-kun, as you can tell, he doesn't talk that much! Miss Lazhu was very smart to choose Karasu and me for this job. We're probably the smartest and strongest team here anyway!"
Tadashi was getting irritated. Now wasn't the time for messing around and arguing. The thing that mattered most right now wa getting Tsukiyomi back. He was in Darkai. Once they reach Darkai, they needed to find a way to get in. Tadashi felt stuck. He broke a promise to the person who he said he would help. Now that person is gone, trapped. Could Tadashi really trust this group? A corps hunter skilled with a bow, a yokai child, and a human. He felt hopeless.
They boarded a boat that would take them to Zinnian tomorrow. He felt like it would be forever until he would get to Tsukiyomi. The group rested on the boat until they reached Zinnian. Kiri had greeted him with a plate of breakfast.
"We've reached the borders of Darkai. Here, you need your protein." Kiri said, handing Tadashi the plate. He ate it quickly and got ready to leave the boat. Once the group departed from the boat, they were left standing outside the gates that lead into Darkai. They had been closed for years it seemed. Tadashi felt like giving up until Fukuro spoke up in her excited and hyper tone as usual.
"What if I fly over?" She suggested. Tadashi was confused.
"Fly over?"
"Yeah, fly! I'm an Owl Yokai. besides , we'll reach Tsukiyomi-san quicker." With that, a dark purple aura seemed to surround her as she began to transform and grow into a giant owl. She knelt her wings so everyone could get on. With a big swoop, she flew up and over the wall. Before they knew it, they had gotten closer, Tadashi had gotten closer. They had made it, Tsukiyomi was inside. They were going to get him back, Tadashi was going to have him back.
Water stung his eyes, his hair was pulled and scrubbed. The guards pulled him out of the tub as he squirmed, trying to see through his blurred vision. They dried him with cotton towels, torn and rough. They dressed him in a white kimono, the clan's color, the symbol on the back of the kimono. One of the guards held a sharp needle and golden earrings. They pierced the needle through his ears while they held him down. Tsukiyomi already had three piercings before. He bit his lip as they pierced more, four, five, six. The amount was punishment for how many times he had been gone or escaped. They did three more on his other ear. Tsukiyomi felt the blood rushing down onto his shoulders exposed by his loose kimono. Leaving his hair down, the guards dragged him away. Back down another hall, back to the west quarters. Two big doors, golden embroidery on both, that was the throne room. The room where Kibishi sat on his ass counting money or reading letters and books while one of his 'Pets' sits on his lap. But he didn't have any Pets anymore. He did have Tsukiyomi back though.
One moment, the doors were open, the next, they were closed and locked, leaving Tsuki with the man who he feared most. The room was quiet with Tsukiyomi holding back tears. This was the only room in the Chi palace that was nice and taken care of. Tsukiyomi looked carefully at the throne. There was no way out, he was helpless. Kibishi held a whip, a weapon for punishment. There was no choice, no consent, no way out. He fearfully locked eyes with Kibishi. A smile formed on the Yokai King's face as he said quietly, "Come…"
Tears forced their way out as Tsukiyomi walked slowly towards the throne. Each step closer, a memory of the place filled his head, bad memories. He kneeled in front of Kibishi, laying his head on the king's lap. Kibishi's hands brushed through Tsukiyomi's onyx hair. "My Mina, beautiful, lovely, perfect Mina. Why do you always cry? There is no reason why you should need to shed a tear." Kibishi wiped away the tears that fell with his long, black nails. Tsukiyomi felt like a child, but it wasn't a good feeling. Not like how he felt when Tadashi hugged him. Tadashi. Did Tadashi even know where he was? Why would Tsukiyomi even expect Tadashi to come looking for him, when all he has done for Tadahsi is be stubborn and take everything that Tadashi had given him.
The doors of the room open. Tsukiyomi perks up from the king's lap. Three guards came in, one holding a letter.
"What is it now? Can't you see I am busy? I can have you beheaded for this!"
"Apologies, my king. We received a message that the Y/D Hunter corps wants to meet with you. They just so happen to be waiting in the meeting hall, your majesty."
"Fine! We'll be there. Now leave!"
The guards left in a hurry. Tsukiyomi thought of Whither. The hut, his home. He wanted to go home. He thought he would forget home soon anyway, since he had forgotten a lot of things already. He would soon forget about Tadashi and the hut and Miss Lazhu, all the people he had met. He'd eventually forget the pain and the sorrow and how to feel. But he had a little hope that Tadashi would come and find him here. He had hoped that if he got out he could tell Tadashi things. If he heard things in this meeting Kibishi had to go to, they could save people. It would be too dangerous to ask what the meeting was about. It was dangerous to be curious. If only Tsuki hadn't been curious when he was young maybe he would-
"You're awfully quiet. And I just noticed that necklace. Where did you get it?"
"Nowhere…" Tsuki said stubbornly, holding it in his palm.
"Don't lie, Mina. You know what happens to liars here. Now tell the truth, where did you get it?"
"Wall Clorina."
"So you have been traveling?"
"Yes…"
"Alone?"
Tsukiyomi paused, he hesitated. If Kibishi learned about Tadashi, Tadashi would surely be killed. So he lied.
"Yes."
"Good! I can't imagine my Mina being with another. If you had been in love with someone else I would just have to kill them. I'm sure they would also try to come looking for you~" Kibishi stroked Tsukiyomi's hair. Tsuki was nervous, scared that Tadashi would come looking for him.
"You're nervous, why?"
"I'm not."
"We don't have to keep things from each other. You can tell me anything."
That wasn't right. Those words had reminded Tsuki of what Tadashi had told him. 'I don't want to keep secrets. If we are going to be with each other for a while, it would be wise if we just told each other things.' It wasn't the same. Nothing of what this man said was the same as what Tadashi had told him. The words didn't have the same meaning.
After what seemed like an eternity of caressing and speaking, Kibishi dragged Tsukiyomi with him to the main hall of the Chi palace. Well, not dragged, more like carried. Tsukiyomi had no choice anyway, there was no where he could go, no where for him to go. He was trapped, so why would he run?
They entered the main hall, two big golden doors that led into a big dining room with chandeliers that lit the high ceiling. A long table filled almost the whole room. Guards stood by all of the doors in the room. There was food on platters and plates, a human in uniform sitting at each seat on one side of the table, and on the other, yokai and demons in uniform. At the end of the table was what looked like an empty throne, Tsukiyomi assumed it was for Kibishi. Kibishi took a seat at the end, placing Tsuki on his lap like a child. The food that laid on the plates was nothing ever served outside of wall Darkai. It was called Darkain food and meals. No fish, no fruit, no food what so ever served was recognizable to Tsuki. Some of it might as well just have been human meat. Just wine and meat.
Tsukiyomi tried to keep his eyes to his lap, it felt like everyone at that table was staring and whispering about him. They were watching him, their eyes pierced his skin, burned and tore it apart. Stop staring, stop staring, stop staring, stop staring, stop-
"There's no need to be afraid, my dear, Mina~" Kibishi whispered into Tsuki's ear, but that was the problem. It seemed there was a reason if everyone was staring. They were killers. They would kill Tsukiyomi for being the way he was.
Kibishi tapped his wine glass and everyone at the table became quiet.
"I very well appreciate you all for coming. I was not aware we would all meet again so quickly. If I remember the correct reason for being here, it is for the collection of money, resources, and walls taken over. As far as expenses, my slaves have counted 29,687,500,00 in Frayan gems, 1,192,300 in Veldonian pieces, and 840,2112 in Rose Coins and of course, billions of Moon Money. From all of your whispering I'm sure you have heard the news that I have not attended any Wall Leader meetings but I have only done so for very excellent reasons. I have found something that I have lost for a while and I plan to take very good care of it. Now then, General Liang Yang, is it? You came here to ask about the production of your 'Hunter Gear'. You know that takes a lot of money from Darkai going into Fraya. The materials are scraps from this wall but they are still expensive and handmade, you know this right? You humans want everything to go your way. Is that why you and your corporation haven't killed me yet, General?"
General Liang Yang, one of the highest ranked generals of the Y/D corporation, sat silent. Kibishi continued,
"The technology my clan has created for you, is it not good enough? You keep coming back. No humans nor hunters ever come and it's a smart decision not to, but yet you yearn for more of my powerful materials for your 'Hunting Trinkets'. I'd like to address the walls being taken over by my clan members. I should say it is a success. To dispose of the walls that are unclaimed."
Tsukiyomi's eyes flickered as the sound around him began to blur and become muffled as the people around the table began to speak all at once. Maybe the information being spilled was a good thing to tell people, that is, if he ever got out. He eventually fell asleep in Kibishi's arms.
Tsukiyomi flinched awake, staring at a blank ceiling. He tried to sit up only to realize he was once again restrained but this time to a mattress. His clan kimono was undone at the top, exposing his chest. He was scared, what had happened? Wasn't he just in the meeting room asleep, everything was fine, right?
He looks over to the sound of the metal door in the room opening. Kibishi entered with a bottle of some sort. He looked furious. Tsukiyomi then figured something bad was about to happen to him, he began to squirm in the restraints.
"Mina, who is Tadashi?" Kibishi asked, Tsukiyomi's heart dropped. How did Kibishi figure out who he was? Tsuki played dumb.
"I-I don't know who you're talking about."
Kibishi slammed his fist on the now closed door. "DON'T LIE TO ME, CHILD! WHO IS TADASHI?"
"How do you know about him?"
"I asked you a question first, you answer first. Who the hell is Tadashi? Is he your lover? You said his name in your sleep!"
A thought sparked up in Tsukiyomi's head, but it quickly went away. "Tadashi is a companion. He promised he wouldn't let anything bad happen to me ever again. Meaning, he'll come and find me and kill you!" Tsukiyomi yelled, stubbornness in his tone. Kibishi charged at his detained body, putting a knife too Tsukiyomi's throat. Tsukiyomi stopped struggling as the knife poked at his neck. Kibishi smiled and started to open the bottle, pulling the knife away as Tsuki was still. "My Love, do you remember what happens to people here when they lie?"
Tsukiyomi's eyes widened as the bottle was getting closer to his lips. He began to struggle again. He started to scream and yell, just like he used to…
"STOP IT! STOP IT! I DON'T WANT IT!PLEASE! KIBISHI, PLEASE PLEASE, PLEASE! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! I'M SORRY! PLEASE! I'LL DO ANYTHING!! PLEASE!!"
His screams were interrupted by the choking of the liquid going down his throat and into his system, his veins, he could feel it.
"You call me your master, child." Kibishi said, continuing to force the liquid down Tsuki's throat. Tsukiyomi coughed as the pouring began to stop, noticing red scales form on his skin, his fingernails growing long and black and fading to his fingers. He began to feel weak. His sight was blurry, he felt tired but excited. Powerful. Kibishi hovered over Tsukiyomi. "Poor little child. You really are a tragedy. All tired and weak. You know I love your yokai saide. You should show it to me more. Only me, lovely Mina."
Tsukiyomi felt Kibishi's long black nails over his now bare chest. Flinching, a memory came to mind. The drink, it was an aphrodisiac. He remembered hearing it was for people to make love or something. He didn't want that. He wanted to forget. He was afraid but he couldn't show it. He felt dead. He couldn't feel his body but he could feel the hands of the man above him. All he could do was cry. He didn't want this, he didn't like this. But no wasn't an option, stop meant nothing, nothing seemed to work, Kibishi was always in control. It didn't stop, no didn't have a meaning anymore. Kibishi continued.
"You must understand that no one else in these walls, in the world of darkness we thrive in, no one else will love you like I do. Whoever this companion of yours is, will die. I can not be killed off easily. I will kill him and once he is gone, Mina, we can be together forever again. You are mine, you belong to me, you alway have. I love you, I love you, my Mina, my beautiful Mina."
Tsukiyomi breathed heavily, only thinking. But somehow, he mustered up the strength to spit a word or two.
"Tadashi…"
"Don't say that name! Say only my name, Mina! Call me Master!"
"Tadashi."
"Enough, boy! Say my name!"
"Tadashi is mine."
The door slammed open and through his blurred vision, Tsukiyomi saw a familiar figure appear.