The Redheaded Assassin

“The Redheaded Assassin”
Chapter2: Pain


“Uggh” was the last thing they heard then the next thing they saw was a red stain, the blood of the demon spread on the screen.

No one knew about it. It was hidden from the eyes and ears of most. So much so that even Yomi’s (if he were still alive) six keen ears would not be able to sense or hear any sound coming from that particular room. Because that room resides in the deepest underground part of the castle, deep enough that even the merest touch of sunlight or deep-rooted tree is not able to reach that dark, cursed place. This is where she put herself, to isolate herself from the eyes and ears of the public, to save her mate and herself from shame.

Yes it was shameful. She was shameful for allowing this “thing” to happen to her. TO HER: the second strongest in Makai, after Raizen of Tourin died; the third lord of the land; the most powerful demon woman ever to rise was here in this hidden underground room – no more than a prison – waiting for death, begging for death. A death to end this torturing pain; a pain she’s never experienced before; never contemplated. It is more painful than the time she was a slave and tortured almost everyday. No, this is far more painful than that. Not only does her body suffer but also her mind. Perhaps even her soul is being ripped apart…

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhUGGGGGGG!” A shout; disturbing and obviously in distress.
“Hah, hah” comes the struggled breath.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..no more! No more!” she’s crying now. She’s never cried before: she’d shed tears once but after that vowed never to shed another until this day – the day the pain is just too much, and she no longer has any control of her body. Her eyes shed tears without her permission and even that provided no relief from her pain.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk… you’re much too loud. Your voice pierces my eardrums.” From the darkest, farthest corner of the cavern a figure can be seen. Though shrouded in darkness, one can be sure that the figure has a glorious body. The silhouette shows well toned-arms. Green orbs sparkle maliciously; the peridot the only color to break the inky blackness of the cave. Though she cannot see it, but she knows that the figure is smirking, mocking her.

“Y-you?” is the only word she’s able to form before she bites her lower lips to suppress another cry. She closes her eyes to hide her pain yet she’s unable to stop the sound of pain that she herself cannot quite believe emanates from her.

“… poor, filthy, little bitch… can you feel the pain? Hah! You deserve no less than that, you lying traitor!”

“Wh-what are you d… AHHH! Here!!!!?” She falls to the floor and hugs herself in the hope that she can lessen the pain roaming her whole body, torturing every fiber of her flesh, but her effort proves useless.

“Why am I here? It’s payback time! Don’t you get it, yet? I suppose even your mind has ceased functioning, ne? Then again, it can’t be helped when you’ve spent fifty years living in pain. Do you even remember my name?”

“Y-you?! AHH! Huhuhu! Stop t-this… n-no more…” She has never begged anyone, but she’s so close in doing so now.

“It must be very painful,” the soft alto replied, green eyes alight in the dark, and she was sure the smirk had become a wide, devilish grin.
“Stop? Why should I? You deserve every single pain… go on… keep shouting, keep crying… those sounds are music to my ears… your pain is my pleasure. ” The figure stepped out of the shadows and revealed shiny, crimson hair almost like flowing blood over that oh- so-innocent face, smiling like a child given a sweet. It was wearing an all-black ensemble: something resembling a sleeveless, black dress; black elbow-length gloves; black, knee-high combat boots; and on its back, a full-size, thin sword almost as tall as the figure itself. Full, pink and lovely lips spoke calmly, almost sweetly, though the words were neither of these things. The figure walked towards her. Kneeling in front of her, he leaned forward, patting her head as a master would pet his dog.

She flinched and tried to shove the hand away. Again her effort was in vain and it only caused her more pain.
“A-AAHHHAHHHH…” she’s not ashamed anymore. It is pointless after all. Anyone can see and tell that she is dying in pain.

“For fifty years I have carefully plotted your death. You should be honored. I’ve never given anyone such special treatment or the attention as I have given to you,” the beautiful redheaded assassin continued. “And as I expected, you played your part very well, living everyday in pain; never surrendering as was to be expected from as strong-willed a woman as you are; never failing to entertain me as I watch you dying this slow, quite painful death. And yet you still believe a cure will be found to release you from the pain? Amusing! From where does such hope come?”

She could only glare at him; the pain so overwhelming that she fears she is losing her common sense.

“I see… from your ‘almost-mate’? Hahahah! Poor woman… allow me to enlighten you then… the only way to escape this pain is through death. You will seek that escape soon but will never find it… not until I will it! You wonder, perhaps, how this can be so, ne? As you have entertained me so, I shall reward you with a small consolation and tell you – your illness is no illness at all. Therefore, no healer or medicinal plants can save you.” The redhead smiles at her as the shock in her eye surfaces.

“It is a curse… a curse I carefully bestowed upon you. It took me these fifty years to complete and in return, you live fifty years in hell. The curse is now planted so deeply in your soul that no spell can release you from it. In other words, you are doomed to die, but only when I allow you to do so. You are at my mercy. You could, however, begin begging me for your death.” The voice remained soft and calm, as if explaining to a child why there is a rainbow after the rain even as he continued to pat her head.

“..W-why…” is her last word before her consciousness leaves her.

“… hn, you ask why? Because you’re a bitch… a traitor, filthy bitch! You don’t remember, do you?”

The sound of footsteps and voices coming nearer made the figure stand to his feet and slowly back away…
“See you later…Lady Mukuro.” Then, like smoke, he vanished into the darkness.


~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~


Hiei sensed something and hurried to the cavern only to see Mukuro lying unconscious on the floor. Moving slowly towards her, he can’t help but pity the woman. If only he could release her from the pain this illness is causing her. She’d suffered enough. Fifty years of this torturing pain, and he had only stood by watching her slowly die. He won’t give voice to it, but he’s thankful to find her unconscious rather than hear her distressing cries of pain. If only… if only he could do something… anything. He’d already sent for the best healers in all three worlds but to no avail. The endeavor proved fruitless, and in fact, seemed only to worsen her illness. Carefully he picked her up and laid her in the bed.

“Onii-san, why do you keep her here? She should be in a more comfortable room. Not here… it’s so lonely here.” His sister Yukina asks from behind him.

“She likes it here. It is her choice, Yukina… I –I can’t say no… not when…” He cannot finish the sentence. He bows his head, closes his eyes and clenches his fist – all that he is capable of doing whenever he comes here and sees his supposed-to-be mate in this situation.

Yukina’s hand rests on her brother’s shoulder – her way of telling him she understands. If only Hiei would have the courage to end her suffering. He doesn’t, though: a clear indication of how weak he has become. Hundreds of years ago, doing such thing would not have been a bother to him. Now… he has grown weak. Emotions have made him such and more than ever does he regret allowing himself to be carried away by his emotions.

“Onii-san, there must be something we can do. Please, you mustn’t lose hope.”

“I’d like to believe your words, Yukina, but we’ve already asked the help of all the best healers in the three worlds… even Koenma hasn’t been able to do anything. I can’t do this anymore, Yukina. First… first it was him. I can’t watch her leave me as he did. I…” He’s trembling with the force of his anger and sorrow… anger for being useless, for being unable to do anything. He takes a deep breath to control the rush of emotions threatening to overwhelm him.

“Onii-san…” Yukina wraps her arms around her brother and rests her head against his back. She can’t do any more to comfort him, to shield him from his own pain.

“Look at her, Yukina! Even unconscious she still moans in pain. Her body and her mind suffer, and all I can do is watch! I’M USELESS!!”

“No! That’s not true onii-san. You’ve done everything you can…”


“And yet she still suffers. Yukina, she was supposed to be my mate. I’m supposed to share her pain and yet, I am unable to do that. I can’t do anything for anyone any longer. ” Hiei breaks from his sister’s embrace and kneels beside the bed, his finger combing through Mukuro’s hair.

“She can still be healed. We just need to find her another healer… one with the knowledge to combat and cure her illness. I’ll help… we all will! ”

Silence.

“Onii-san, why don’t you try to feed her… that should give her strength…” She was cut off by her brother.


“She doesn’t eat. For fifty years she hasn’t. She just doesn’t have enough energy to digest any food. Her internal organs no longer work properly. She said all she knows and can think of is the pain. She’s forgotten how to chew. All she knows is the pain. She’ll die soon Yukina. I just haven’t figured out why she hasn’t done so already.”


Yukina gasped in surprise. “But she’ll never feel any better if she continues to starve herself!”

“…”
An hour of deafening silence before one of the twins spoke again.

“You should be off now, Yukina. You don’t want to be here when her she wakes, nor do you want to hear her cries of pain.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll stay. It’s the least I can do for her.”

Silently, Yukina left the cavern, following her brother’s order. She glanced back for the last time before starting up the stairs.


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Author’s Notes: Heheh… this chapter’s entitled “Pain”. Don’t ask why!
I got a review! Yay! Thanks Sienna!
Please review! Please! Please! Please!
And this one is an edited version of my oh-so-generous beta KyoHana!!! Thank you so so so much!!!!