Only You
by Misty
Chapter 11
“Hmph,”
Keiko said in resignation, “If you really don’t want to tell us, just
continue with your story, then.”
“Okay,”
Naomi agreed. “I’d be glad to.”
“Um…as
I said, when Kurama left me, Genei came and said Niwa had been attacked. So I
came there to check on Niwa.”
When
I arrived, Niwa was practically boiling with rage.
“Daremi
attacked me!!!” she moved to attack him, but Hizashi firmly held her back.
“Damn you, you bastard--”
“Now
what is this all about?!” I yelled, frustrated. “Calm down, Niwa, and
explain!”
“Daremi
attacked me!!!” she shouted again. “I was just resting in my quarters, when
suddenly I heard a sound above me. And he lunged at me, and tried to stab me
with his dagger!!!”
“I
did not do that!” Daremi said, just as angrily. “I was out, investigating a
noise outside. Ask Hizashi. He saw me go out.”
“But
even if he saw you go out, you could still be the one who attacked me,” Niwa
insisted. “I know what I saw, Daremi.”
“Why
would I want to kill you?” Daremi asked contemptuously.
“Because
you’re a traitor!”
All
of us were taken aback, including Daremi.
“A
traitor?!” he said, and his jaw dropped. His eyes narrowed in rage. “What
the hell are you saying?”
“You’re
a traitor, Daremi. A spy for Mishina!!!”
“Now,
do be sensible, Niwa,” Genei said reproachfully. “Wasn’t it Daremi himself
who warned us about Mishina’s attack?”
“Exactly,
Genei!” Niwa yelled. “He’s setting a trap for us. Probably when we’re
not expecting it, Mishina would go on and kill us!”
“Why
you stupid little—” Daremi cursed, lunging for Niwa, but Hizashi restrained
him.
“This
is not the time to fight! Now please stop this foolishness!!” I yelled.
“I’ve
had my doubts before, Naomi, and now I’m pretty sure,” Niwa said angrily.
“Why were we all foolish to believe him? He’s nothing but a traitor!”
“Listen,
Niwa,” Hizashi said, trying to placate her, “I did see Daremi go outside,
but he was already back inside before you screamed.”
“Are
you sure about this, Hizashi?” I asked him.
“Yes,”
Hizashi said, nodding. “I was just talking to him when Niwa was attacked.
So it couldn’t have been him. I swear I’m telling the truth.”
“I
know what I saw!!!” Niwa said stubbornly.
“You’re
hallucinating, then,” Daremi said brusquely.
“Well, Daremi has never lied to us before,” Genei said,
stepping forward. “We should just trust him.”
“Trust?!”
Niwa exclaimed. “He’s not worthy of my trust. Well, if all of you think that
way, fine. I’m leaving this group.” And she ran out the door.
“Niwa,
wait!” Genei said, and went after her.
“Good
riddance!” Daremi shouted. I glared suspiciously at him, and he became silent.
“Do
you think that I’m a traitor, too?” Daremi asked me dejectedly.
“We’ll
see,” I said, my eyes narrowing. “I don’t know if you can
be trusted, but since I have no other choice, I’ll trust you for now.
But—” my eyes glittered dangerously, “—don’t ever betray that trust,
or you might regret it.”
Hizashi
nodded solemnly, and Daremi also nodded, but he looked hurt because I was still
suspicious of him.
I
paced the room, mulling over the incident. Who
could have attacked Niwa? I thought. And why? If Hizashi and Daremi are
telling the truth, that is. Or maybe they’re both spies of Mishina?
Something’s definitely not right here…
We
were silent for a long time. Finally, Hizashi broke the silence. “You know,
Genei and Niwa were sure gone for a long time,” he said. “Um…well…I
don’t know…but I think it’s really weird…it could be a coincidence,
but—“
A
scream cut him off. Daremi turned in alarm to the sound. “That sounded like
Niwa…” he said, looking horrified.
“Niwa!”
I said, and hurried out the door. “The two of them are probably in danger!”
“Naomi!”
Hizashi and Daremi said, hurrying after me, but I shook my head.
“No,
you two go to your posts, as we planned,” I said to them. “I’ll handle
whoever ambushed Niwa and Genei. Mishina will still go through with her plans,
so you two better wait for her men at your posts. Stay alert.”
They
both nodded reluctantly, and I went on my way.
I
ran, in search of Niwa and Genei. Where could they be?
I began to run, when I suddenly noticed something in the distance…
It
was Niwa’s body.
“Niwa!”
I exclaimed, horrified. I hurried
towards Niwa’s lifeless form, and examined her. She was killed using a sword,
that was evident…it was still sticking out of her chest.
But wait a minute…
I
leaned over to examine the sword that was used to kill Niwa.
It
was Genei’s sword.
I
ran back towards Daremi and Hizashi, extremely horrified. “Stupid, stupid,
stupid!!!” I said, enraged. Why didn’t I even realize that he
was the traitor all along? He had always been so nice and trustworthy, that I
never even suspected him. He really seemed to hate Mishina too, and he always
acted as if he wanted what was for the good of the whole group But I should have
realized it. He was the one who went after Satsuma when he left, and also Niwa.
He wanted to kill Niwa in order to sow more discord among our group, and when we
were still quarreling among ourselves, Mishina would move in for the kill. But
why would he do this to us? Why?
I
have to hurry, I thought. I have to warn Daremi and Hizashi…
I
heard a cry. I ran towards the sound, hoping I wasn’t too late.
“Hizashi!”
I kneeled beside him, gritting my teeth in fury. He had a lot of wounds, and his
blood stained the ground beneath him.
Hizashi
made an effort to speak. “Genei did this…I’m..I’m sorry… Naomi…”
His eyes finally closed, and his hands dropped to the ground.
I
clenched my fists, fighting back tears. “Hizashi…” Suddenly I heard
another cry not far away, and the sound of swords clashing. “Daremi!” I
exclaimed, alarmed, and started to run towards him…
…when
suddenly I realized that I was surrounded.
“Don’t
move, or you’re dead.”
I
was surrounded by quite a number of youkais, each holding a weapon directly
aimed at me. I froze in my tracks. Three
youkais grabbed me, and held me in her place.
“Surprised,
Naomi?”
I
turned towards the person who said that. “You
set this trap for us, didn’t you, Mishina?” I said, trying to keep my voice
calm. “And I suppose Genei told you about our plans. But how?”
Mishina
smiled in satisfaction. “Why don’t you tell her, Genei?”
Genei
stepped forward, and behind him, two youkais held Daremi. “Well… when I went
to talk to Satsuma, I killed him, And after I did, I went to Mishina and told
her all about this. I left my clone behind to make you think I was still
here.”
“Clone?”
I burst out, incredulous.
“Of
course. I am a Master of Illusions,” Genei replied calmly. “That was my real
power. You all thought that my only power was my immense strength, but I have
another: that is, to create illusions.”
“And
you fooled us all,” I said, enraged at this. “Why are you doing this? Do you
actually believe that Mishina would accept you as her partner? She’s bound to
kill you sooner or later.”
“She
can kill if she wishes, I do not care,” Genei said solemnly. “I would do
everything for her. And I do not even wish to be her partner—she can treat me
as a slave for all she wants.”
“Slave?!”
I stared at Genei, awed that Mishina already had him fully under her power.
“Yes,”
Genei said. “I will forever be loyal to Mishina, even if it means I have to be
her slave just to help her out.”
“Such
pathetic devotion,”I yelled, livid, “to
someone who doesn’t deserve it!”
“You
may think what you want, but I don’t care.”
Mishina
approached Daremi, and gave him an devilish smile.
“Why
didn’t Genei just kill me? What do you want?” he asked weakly.
“I
want to kill you myself,” Mishina said. “Thank you for ruining my first
plan. If Genei hadn’t told me… I would have failed.”
Daremi
stared at her in horror.
“Don’t
you believe in a little privacy, Daremi?” She raised her sword, and brought it
down towards the horned youkai.
“Daremi!!!!”
I watched in horror, as Mishina’s sword sliced through Daremi’s neck.
I
felt really angry now, and I started shaking. Someday,
I will make Mishina pay! I vowed, as I struggled to get free from the youkais,
but they were too many for me.
Mishina
approached me, and held my chin up, and said, “You’re next.” She started
to raise her sword…
…and
stopped.
“Oh,
and before I forget,” Mishina said. “Do
you happen to know a certain silver-haired youko who’s a really famous thief
in the Ma Kai?”
I
looked up, startled. I didn’t reply, but I knew that my face had turned pale.
“Oh,
I heard he was about to steal this really great weapon,” Mishina said, smiling
cruelly. “And, oh, stupid me, I warned the owner of that weapon, and now
he’s hired some really skilled hunters to guard the treasure. Too bad, the
poor youko won’t make it alone.”
“Why…why
did you have to involve Kurama in this?” I said, my eyes widening in horror.
“I
can’t have him in the way, can I? I can’t be the most powerful person in the
Ma Kai with people like him around. Besides, wouldn’t it be fun to see him
die?”
“I
won’t forgive you for this!” I yelled, and suddenly, I was free from my
captors. And finally, in one, swift movement, I had stabbed Mishina through the
chest.
“Mishina,
no!” Genei yelled, catching Mishina. She was bleeding profusely, but I
didn’t even stop to look at her. So great was my anger that I kept on fighting
all who stood in my way. I finally got free and ran away, hoping to warn Kurama
in time.
“She’s getting away! Get her!” I heard Genei order his
men, but Mishina stopped him.
“Don’t,”
Mishina said, and managed to smirk even though she was in pain. “I had her
freed now on purpose. The hunters would be bound to kill her too, thinking
she’s another thief. She really was the most powerful among my enemies, and
she was the one I wanted to suffer the most. I want her to see her friend die.
That would just be SO sad now, wouldn’t it?”