Death to the Yamazaki [Private/Iori]

[Honma Kotone]

The on-going backstory to this arc​

Ikkadan had become a servant to the darkness, but not willingly. Due to the presence of Tessu, a man who threatened the life of his two mothers and his family, he had a certain amount of control over the young boy's mind and dreamscape. Unfortunately, due to the manipulation of Ikkadan, Tessu was able to now momentarily gain control over his physical aspects. And this man, this uneasy-to-kill man, was looking for revenge. That was his new goal in life, or limbo-life as it were. A cloaked Ikka, wearing a biological mask made completely off dried up old skin cells, approached the Yamazaki estate. The figure seemed to move with a silent pace, he wasn't really worried about being caught on any of the clan's surveillance videos but instead relished the chance to give the clan something to fear. The hood of his cloak revealed that the innards of the attire was completely purple; a nice colour.

Ikka, having disguised his presence and his appearance would now be one of the unknowns. Confidentially, he approached the doors of the estate and entered with relative ease; using the collective information that he had within the mind of his physical slave. "Iori-san~!" The voice of a mixed tone would screech out from the lobby area of the estate, which would cause his voice to echo quite impressively. The voice that Ikka had wasn't that of his own, it sounded odder and much more deeper. Regardless, one would not be able to identify that this was the Yamazaki boy until his mask was torn off from his face.

"We've got to talk, you specky bastard~!"

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

Iori would enter the lobby, a raised brow as some unknown voice called him out. He would spot the figure cloaked in black and purple, unsure of what to make of this intrusion. As he opened his mouth to speak one of the maids would suddenly wheel out from the darkness and to his side, looking up at his with dead eyes. "Master! You have a guest!" she would happily declare, the man chuckling as he patted her on the head. "Thank you, C-ko. You may leave us." With a nod the puppet would do just that, returning to the shadows as the man approached the figure. "Specky? What does that even mean?" The man would say, an amused smile playing on his lips. "By your odd tone of voice I'm guessing that this isn't a social call. Still, let's keep things civil, shall we? What do you want to talk about?" He would ask, the man oddly calm despite being confronted by a stranger.

 

[Honma Kotone]

The thud of Iori's careless steps would tinge against the masked boy's ear, but what would take him to surprise would be the spontaneous appearance of some mechanical maid. It stupidly, and laggingly, alerted its 'master' to a 'guest'. Oh well, maybe the thing needed to fixed or something. "Specky, you haven't ever been called specky before? I'm shocked," he would add with a hidden smile upon his face, adjusting the hood on his cloak to sit upon his head. The disgusting excuse for a mask rested upon his face, adorning no holes for a mouth or eyes, hence why his voice would come across as muffled at times: "I'm here to request the release of that boy, Ikka-something? Well, actually I'm not really going to ask you, I'm going to take him from you and then kill you." The masked Ikka would exclaim with a small chuckle latched on to the end of that threat, or rather, a promise.

"I don't expect you to remember me, but I remember you." The masked boy would step forward, raising his hand and pointing his finger towards Iori, "I also remember that you had a young girl, a daughter I think, along with you when you stopped my devious plans... Correct?" His finger would waddle around in a circle motion before he placed the arm back down by his side. "She'll probably be among the first to die."

The masked boy would give the room a quick glance, evidently wearing no eyes through the mask, but looking never-the-less. "It's been tricky my journey, and very tedious." He would promptly launch a few sheets of paper from his raised hand, and as the parchments of paper entered the air-space, they would fold inwardly into shurikens with 4 pointed heads. The shurikens, about 5 of them, would hover above the masked figure for a few second before being launched directly towards Iori.

"This is my requiem of revenge for assisting that bitch Konchuu!"

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

"No, I haven't. I'm also starting to believe that it's not even a real word." The man would chuckle softly, quite lighthearted despite the gravity of the situation. An eyebrow was raised as the figure talked about stopping him, the man nodding in return. "Ah, Tessu! I was wondering when you were going to return! Honestly I thought it was going to take a while longer, but at least we can deal with this now." His eye twitched as the man mentioned killing Chizuru, though that smile never left his lips. "Although I gotta say that you look shorter than I remember. Why...I'd say you were about the same height as Ikkadan..." Anything else that might have been said would be cut off as those shuriken were hurled towards Iori, his eyes growing wide as they stabbed deep into his chest. Blood would run down the corners of his mouth as he stumbled, gurgling before falling on to his back, eyes staring up at the ceiling as his white shirt became red by the spreading blood.

 

[Honma Kotone]

"Observant." Ikkadan would say as he placed his hand on the rim of the crusty mask, tugging the tips of his fingers underneath and applying a moderate amount of pressure. Quite sportingly, the mask popped off with a crunching sound, and Ikkadan's face was revealed. Although, his eyes were beyond that of a hollow shell; he was a puppet being tugged along by a cowardly dealer of shadows. "You know," he said as the shuriken thudded their little piked heads into Iori's chest, "It's been very easy to break this boy. I'm quite saddened that it was so easy, although the help of that lovely woman only made my job easier... Oh, what was her name? Itami something." Ikkadan's empty expression would forcibly, but more awkwardly than anything, would expand into something of delight. Ikka would approach the rested body of Iori, rested as he lay on the ground impaled by the shurkien, but little did Tessu know that this was the ritual of the deity worshippers. What was that God's name again?

"Do you allow all the enemies of your family to sleep in your home?" He would peer his body forward, his hood slumping from its adjusted position and masking most of the boy's face in shadows. "I believe she tried to infect this boy with such home-truths about you being a liar, a horrible man at best."

Ikkadan would then move away from the body, growing somewhat wary of the sudden quietness that was not expected of the clan leader. He must be capable of more than that, Ikka would think, or rather Tessu would think. "Do you know that even if you were able to dispell my control, which will happen enviably anyway, even if you were to hospitalize - or imprison - him, he would just believe the lies that he has been told... And naturally, he would seek out the darkness that dwells within his mind." Ikka would raise his hands and point downwards with his index fingers arrogantly. "I'm the dear uncle that tells him the 'truth', Iori-ojisan~!"

Before Iori had the chance to proceed with anything secretive, the controlled boy would release a bundle of papers into the air; hovering gently beside the boy for defensive purposes. "And you can't really hurt your family, can you?" He added coyly.

 

[Kokomo]

Eighty-Seven....Eighty-Eight....Eighty-Nine...​

The sun was beautiful today, shining brightly through the large window of the Yamazaki household. The warm rays turning the dark long black braid hot as coals against the pale flesh of a young woman. She sat at a desk that was in front of the window, and stacked various blood-red cards ontop of each other in the form of some elaborate castle. Her brand-new lime green eyes watching each card carefully as she stacked them one by one.

Ninety... Ninety One.... Ninety Two...​

"This is my requiem of revenge for assisting that bitch Konchuu!"

Itami jerked in fright--all 92 cards falling to the floor in a sudden crash of shock. Her eyes were wide as she threw the chair back, turning quickly towards the door. Revenge? Itami quickly moved from the desk opening the door silently. Her Hashigaki abilities giving her the silence of a ghost. Peeking around the corner of the wall, her cold eyes looked down into the foyer where the most disturbing sight could be seen.

Itami quickly hid out of sight as her hand raised over her mouth, her heart thudding viciously as her eyes filled with unexpected tears. Was he dead? The rage was almost unbearable.

Kasa.
Iori.​

Itami peeked again, her cheeks red as the anger built up and violent tears welled up in her eyes as sand began to filter from under her bedroom door. Gallons upon gallons of sand from the vases around her room gathering at her feet silently as her rage built up, hiding back behind the wall as the traitor snitched on her and lifted more paper weapons.

Itami quickly pivoted to the top of the stairs, the sand moving like a massive spinning bomb towards the Ikkadan-Puppet, attempting to crush the paper and pin him to the wall as she quickly hauled herself over the railing of the loft, falling with a thud behind Iori's dying corpse.

"Remember what I told you about snitching, Ikkadan?!" She screamed at him, the sand welling up behind her like a vicious tsunami of hatred. "I said I'd fucking kill you!" She screamed again as the sand turned into their own versions of Kunai--thousands of them.

Another clump of sand slithering like a snake on the ground and moving to take Iori behind the wall of sand behind her that was stacked to the ceiling. Dragging him to safety where, if Itami made it out alive, she would tend to him.

 

[Honma Kotone]

The controlled Ikkadan accepted the appearance of a less-than-impressive woman, stumbling around like an angry child, as she attempted to confront the situation - but wait, wasn't she someone familiar to the host? "Oh, you're Itami." He would smile, and bow his head - which, at that moment, the vases in the room combusted and popped free from their physical manifestation; releasing a large quantity of sand from their bodies. The sand would instinctively flex their way to Itami's side, a woman who seemed to manifest her power in the form of the sand: wasn't that a bit of a cliche, a sand shinobi manipulating sand? "I heard your conversation with Ikka-chan, oh yes." He would begin, adjusting his hood once again as his eyes remained firmly on the riled up woman. "You must have began caring about this man, Iori, for some reason? Last time we, well you and Ikka spoke, you really had nothing nice to say about him... Did you?" Ikka would tilt his head and smile; emptily, "And now does your heart thud at the whisper of his voice.. Oh, that's adorable.. From the woman 'whom eats the souls of children to regain her youth'." Ikkadan scolded the woman with his backchat.

"A rat whom dreams to be beautiful... It's a pity, isn't it?"

Ikkadan wouldn't be too surprised by the attack, having been in countless battles himself, it was very sensible to assume that the emotional wreck of a woman would attack on rage alone (Tessu's experience). Ikka, adjusted his head, and raised his hands to allow his palms to face the massive spinning orb of sand. It's strength was quite impressive, but its speed was its lacking quality. "I expected more from the child snatching killer... Although, I do like your method, it really does show the ugly side of your madness." Ikka would comment as the paper that surrounded him quickly shot towards the orb, smacking against it like bullets would do against a concrete wall. However, that did little to deter the sheer strength of the moving sand, so instead, Ikkadan would brush through a series of hand seals until he was ready to conjure up a strong barrier of paper.

Sheets upon sheets of paper would unfold and flutter into the immediate zone between the orb and Ikka. The paper would firm, sticking to one another, bodies plastering over other paper bodies until a wall was formed. The immediate clash of the two techniques was quite amusing, as both seemed to dispel each other with relative ease. The paper was pushed back from its bonds, and once again back into the air around Ikkadan, and the sand would also be pushed back; losing its form and landing upon the surface of the ground. However, it would appear that Itami had already prepared for another attack, although the seemed more on the defensive than offensive. Countless constructs of sand would stand above the woman, and the limp man.

"Are you really trying to defend the man that you so desperately sought out to see killed? That is what you wanted Ikkadan for, is it not? And here you are now... Proving your worth by attacking a member of the fabled Yamazaki clan, within his very own walls, isn't that against the rules, Iori-ojisan?" Ikka tutted and tilted her head like before, still giving the pair an empty smile. "And no," Ikka added with a firm tone to his voice as sheets of paper glided towards the contruct that carried Iori away; slicing it in half, "He stays."

"It's bad enough that you were going to kill Ikkadan for revealing your little plans about your love-rat, now... Now you're going to really kill him in front of his own blood? Not only are you not beautiful, but you're also not very sharp."

 

[Kokomo]

Tessu was fully intent on manipulating the situation so if the two succeeded, everything they had built together would be burned to the ground. Hopefully Iori wouldn't stay in conciousness much longer, because he wasn't going to get away from the situation. The attack being enough to get rid of the weapons he was preparing--which was technically the true point of it-- and it exploded backwards, like a sonic boom between the paper and sand. It flew back, cutting in half so it didn't run into it's master, sinking back into the wall she had built up behind her up to the ceiling.

He cut off the sand from dragging Iori behind the wall, therefore making the wall totally useless in the first place. It sunk slowly, filling the room around her and wavering like water around her. It moved like a snake, sliding up her clothes and around her neck. Licking at her legs, and flowing around her ankles freely as she stared silently at the madman before her. He spoke with an alien-like voice, Itami's eyes staring deep into the souless ones.

"I have no intentions on killing anyone." Her voice was low--there was no need to speak up. Her face flushed white and those eyes boring into his. "You're too ugly to kill." Not that she could get close enough to get anything from that body anyways. It was lifeless. There was nothing to gain.

"Tessu. How lovely to meet you." There was a thick layer of sarcasm, and it appeared as though she had no intentions of attacking again. "I was afraid Ikkadan had gained more wits than he deserved." The sand continued to crawl across her skin as she took a step forward. "Get out. Your duty is done here. You've gotten your 'revenge.'"

Her eyes were steady, and she appeared to have a poker-face on. "I'm the one who got you out here now, am I not?" She asked, pointing to the door. "These people did nothing wrong. Not Iori. Not his daughter. You know very well who the true killer is." Another step forward so she was standing sturdy. "The woman who did the most damage. She's not here. She's gone. That's who you want." What was she doing?! Selling out her sister?!

Well of course. Itami had her revenge too. If she could get Tessu to do the dirty work, why not do it? She was the woman who indirectly killed her husband. She was the one who refused to help him, therefore causing him to lose control of his Sharigain. It killed him. She killed him.

"Suzuhime."

 

[Honma Kotone]

"Oh, you don't plan on killing anyone?" Ikka added to her statement, one which caused the man child to curdle forward, holding his stomach as he laughed uncontrollably. "It somewhat contradicts your previous statement, doesn't it?" Ikka would adjust his position, inhale a deep breath and expand the top part of his chest to imitate breasts. "I said I'd fucking kill you!" He imitated the viciously stupid woman as she seemed to backtrack on her own words, pitifully trying to scurry back to the side of manipulation, but it was too late for her - the needed composure to manipulate was gone, as the latter explosion of rage had proved. Slowly, he dropped the imitation of Itami and returned to his hollow expression.

Get out? Who was she to give out such a demand, a woman, a wench of the manor that was not her own. "Oh, no, no," Ikka raised his hand and shook it gently, "You weren't the one to get me out... You only assisted with the process, however you didn't take care of that brat child, which almost ruined my chances of revival... But, that's because you shroud your intelligence with an illusion of beauty, transfixing men in your grasp only to avoid your blunt intellect." He would stab at the woman with his words.

"My, my, Itami... Are you trying to be manipulative now?" Ikkadan would grin coyly, still his expression seemed completely hollow. "And what do you know about my revenge? That day there was a pack of those Yamazaki rats. I aim to kill them all." Ikkadan would step forward, his black sandal echoing throughout the marvelously decorated lobby, "Oh Suzu-obasan~!" He would clap, almost childishly and in a flamboyant manner that would be most befitting for the former General of the governing state that Queen Obana ruled over. "Please, you underestimate all that I know... And you're underestimating that I know about your husband, although you did skip out of details about him. All you really told Ikkadan was that he was 'attacked' by Suzuhime... And now, you're redirecting the blame towards her. Clever." Ikka would bow his head and offer the woman a deeper grin, "Although, it's a predictable and a foolish move."

"However," Ikkadan would raise his finger and wiggle it softly, tilting his head and adjusting his eyes upon the swooning image of Itami, whom wore an imitating construct of sand that tried to act like a serpent, or something. "If you kill that man over there, and the little girl, I'll gladly deal with your little problem. After all," his expression deepened and a sinister tone thickened from within his unnaturally cold voice, "We share a common enemy."

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

"That's enough." Would come that voice from the 'corpse' in the room, Iori slowly beginning to get to his feet. Despite the blood loss, despite the gaping wounds in his chest, those kunai still embedded deep in his flesh, his form wouldn't waver. "You talk way too much. If you're going to kill us then you should go ahead and do it, unless you were just planning to bore us to death." The man would eye Ikkadan as he spat blood upon the floor, a gloved hand moving to wipe more of it off the corner of his mouth. Slowly his lips would turn into a grin, showing off those sharp teeth. "I never expected a direct attack. Poison, maybe a trap of some sort, taking a hostage...but I gotta say there is something dramatic about the direct approach isn't there?"

A flick of his wrist and a pulse of light would appear in his right hand, the shimmering giving away to his weapon. A chainsaw, beautiful and pristine, it's silver blade gleaming in the light and possessing a countless number of jagged, razor sharp blades. The engine was housed in bright red metal and lined with gold, and at the bottom hung a silver chain tied to a pair of ring. Squeezing the handle the monstrous machine would burst to life, that whirring blade eager for flesh.

"I think I'm feeling a bit dramatic as well..."

 

[Honma Kotone]

"Well," Ikka would add with a tone of utter surprise, "Maybe not a 'corpse' after all..." He really wasn't aware that the clan leader was capable of surviving such an attack with little damage, well, damage that could prevent him from doing anything other than dying. The manipulated boy would raise one hand and point his palm towards Iori, smiling, "I'm surprised, Ikkadan wasn't aware that you had this power, and neither was I. It's quite interesting." He would further expand on his surprise, but not really going into too much detail because he didn't want Iori to have the higher-composure within this battle.

A flick of the wrist, a pulse of light was such a flash gimmick to reveal such a tactless weapon. He needn't expand further on the weapon and its initial appearance; it was barbaric and totally over-the-top. However, the hairs on the back of his head began to quiver and shake till they stood and gave the Yamazaki leader a standing ovation. "And you're really going to attack me? I think Konchuu and Obana would both feel disgusted by that..." He smirked, forming a paper Fuuma Shuriken out of the paper that surrounded him.

"I'd watch out for her, Iori... She wants to kill you and Suzuhime, but hey-ho, the weak are meat and the strong do feed..." Ikka delivered a sweet, well bitter-sweet, expression over to the leader before launching the Fuuma Shuriken with a hefty force, by pulling his his arm and then swinging the creation towards Iori. If the shurkien hit, or rather made contact with the chainsaw, it would explode into a flurry of confetti; immediately sharpened into thin needles of paper, which would pummel downward onto Iori - if they could.

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

"I can't believe how utterly arrogant you are. You're actually trying to attack my conscience after you just threatened my daughter's life!?" Iori would growl as his eyes stared at Ikkadan, feeling that blood rushing through his veins as his heart began to beat faster. Whispers began to cloud his mind, a haze settling in as anger welled up inside him, a single word repeated endlessly, a holy word that brought a smile to the ebony lips of Jashin.

Murder.

He wanted to murder him, spill his blood, tear his muscles, rend his flesh. This person standing before him was no longer his family member. He was no longer that innocent child that he had started becoming attached to. No, he was now only one thing....

His victim.

The chainsaw was swung upwards as that shuriken approached, knocking it into the air. For him time began to slow down, pulling that wretched weapon behind him as she crouched down. The shuriken exploded into thousands of paper needles that all hurled towards him, eager to tear him to pieces. His hands shook as he held his chainsaw, eyes focusing intently on Ikkadan, panting hard as he could feel that rage boil his blood. The rage instilled in him by a dark god, one that had waited so patiently for the man to let himself go. He embodied all the aspects of death, and now he would demonstrate just how quick and sudden it can come to those who least expect it.

Iori would be gone by the time the needles hurled downwards, the man moving with frightening speed towards the figure before him. The air became thick with dark, foreboding energy, the man a conduit for the evil powers of Jashin, his body wrapped in shadow as a bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air. In the seconds before the man swung that roaring chainsaw towards Ikkadan's body, the blade dripping with darkness, he would see a flash of the dark deity himself, the twisted visage snarling as it cried out for his blood.

 

[Honma Kotone]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It4WxQ6dnn0​

Hit.

The crawl crooked teeth of the chainsaw's blade thudded into Ikkadan's skin, and at that moment began to spin in a motorized fashion. They were cruel and merciless as his flesh became like butter, and Iori was just so dutifully slicing down his own blood. However, at that moment he would have noticed the life in the slave's eyes returning back to normal, the hollowness receding and a chocolate brown returning for the man to see, once again. Ikkadan would now have full control over his body, and his mind too. Although, his face was expressing a smile at the freedom he felt - yet, he was unaware to the damage that his puppet-like body had caused to his family.

Although, the sight of Iori, in such a heightened state plunging his weapon against his flesh, caused the boy's face to drop. His eyes bubbled and his body froze in fear, he was scared, and he didn't know why his uncle was doing this? So painful was the attack that he didn't even have the willpower to conjure up another thought. Ikka just kept screaming, begging his uncle to stop. "Iori-ojisaaaaaaaan!" He would scream in protest, hauling his voice over the loudness of the chainsaw motor. Ikkadan would attempt to unlatch his torn, mangled abdominal flesh from the chainsaw; immediately wrapping his two hands around the wound, holding up the chunks of dandling flesh that fell, or hung to his stomach so loosely. "I-I-I..." He would shudder with fear, his face turning as white as a ghost but his eyes would be as rasp as a raspberry. Why did his uncle hurt him like this? Ikka didn't understand, the thing he remembered was that he was hugging Okibi...

Protecting her from them.

The blood from his wound blended in with the fat, and the muscles of his flesh, tearing over the edge and spilling onto the floor with an unsightly 'drip, drop'. But, why did he do this? Even from his birth, or creation, Ikkadan has been faced with enemies that didn't even give him a second chance to be a normal person. Tessu, the man who stalked his dreams and poisoned his thoughts, the old man in Obsidians Palace, Itami the woman who hated the Yamazaki's... Why, why Ikka? And now, to be woken up into a scene of such horribleness, where his dear uncle was now attempting to kill the poor boy. Was the voice right about Iori? And Itami, was she right too?

Ikkadan stumbled backwards, tripping over his own heel and felling to his bottom. "L-love..." Ikka managed to muster up a word, exhaling and sweating profusely, "You..." and now he tried to conjure the final word... "Iori..." His true feelings towards the man who gave him a home, and who protected him from heartlessness.

His eyes closed and his body flopped backwards into a growing pool of his own DNA.

Life was almost a distant thing for the boy. But betrayal would be his only companion in the deep subconsciousness of his mind. A normal mind would have died right there and then; giving up his own life for the ease of just 'letting go'. But, he didn't and he wouldn't. It was probably due to Tessu, or maybe something more heartwarming, but either way his body would slowly dissolve into bloodied paper. The unsheathing of his appearance would maybe unsettle Iori, or maybe not, because it sort of looked as if he was ding - for good. But in reality, a powerful subconscious influence actually manifested itself and caused the dying Ikkadan to fleet away from the scene and towards his auntie, now hopefully adoptive mother, Suzuhime.

Bloodied paper had an odd smell. Very odd, in fact.

[Topic left]

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

Iori would grin once he felt those whirring teeth tear through the boy's body, leaving him on the ground, mutilated. Slowly he would stand back up straight, his weapon at the ready in case of another attack, though it wouldn't come. Instead it seemed that Tessu had retreated within Ikkadan's mind, leaving the boy perplexed about what had happened. Iori felt no pity however, the boy a threat to his family so long as Tessu existed in his mind. He began to control his breathing as he watched the body begin to dissolve, only now realizing how hard he had been panting, his hands still shaking at the excitement that ran through him as the violence that he had caused. His mind began to clear up, focusing...he had a problem. Ikkadan/Tessu still existed and had slipped between his fingers before he could finish him off. For the first time in generations the Yamazaki family was in danger, and he would have to do anything he can in order to stop the threat. But first....

Gripping that chainsaw tightly in his hand he would slowly look over his shoulder towards the woman behind him, tilting his head back as green eyes focused on her form.

 

[Kokomo]

Sinister beast from hell is what he was. He spat his words at her, and Itami's face suddenly grew much paler than it already was. It was no longer than luscious porcelain pale, but rather a sickly and malnourished color. Her green eyes stayed steady, in a hard and cold stare as he offered to help, had she played a part in the role. Itami's eyes lingered slowly behind her to where Iori lay, her eyes drawing back to Ikkadan. After all of the things he had just said? All the sick words he sputtered at her? And she was supposed to play along with a wicked smile?

Seems fair.

Itami turned slowly--but a certain someone beat her to the punch. Iori's voice echoing through her ears, and the woman flinched at the sound. She was almost certain--her paranoia playing a part in this--that he was about the chop her up like old meat. But instead, the corpse was pissed off at Tessu; Thank God for that.

Itami took a step back, still marveling at her beloved who had managed to rise up like a zombie, kunai's still in his chest, and crack a joke about dramatic ways. No shit! He just stood up from being impaled! Itami just stared, not even processing that he had pulled out a weapon from thin air. Was he some sort of manifestation of the dead? What just happened?

But the attack proved otherwise. He was no manifestation--oh no. He was real as could be. His wounds, and violently attack was just as true. A banshee scream ripped through the air, crippling Itami to her knees as she held her sensitive Hashigaki ears. Crying out along with the sudden voice of Ikkadan. She couldn't hear him as her ears rang out, a loud buzzing and high pitched tone was the only thing she could hear, as she stumbled to her feet, her eyes unfocusing for a moment as she held her hands over her ears, stumbling again. Ikkadan's body was gone, and Iori's head tipped back to stare at her.

Itami had missed the entire last half of the "battle"--but at least she was still alive. Pulling her hands away, the ringing dying down, she looked over at him, his stare burning into her soul and physically making her sick with nerves. How much had he heard. "Uh." Was all she managed at the moment as she balanced herself, dropping her hands slowly to her side. "Are you...alright?" She took a step towards him, her eyes trailing down his chest to stare at the wounds.

But would he trust her to help? And why the heck was he alive?

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

The screaming of the chainsaw would die down as Iori raised the weapon, his tongue sliding across the tip of the blade as he tasted Ikkadan's blood. As he ingested it he would grunt softly, a hand moving to grip his chest as those wounds began to heal. Pain, agony, it mattered little to Jashin whether it came from him or his enemies...in exchange from surviving almost any wound the man would have to go through immense physical pain, his knees shaking as those holes finally disappeared. So too would his chainsaw vanish into the air before he turned and began to walk towards Itami, his eyes glued to hers. Not a word would be uttered as he moved forward, forcing the woman to back peddle until she found herself with her back against the wall, the man's hands seeking to pin her wrists against it as he looked down at her. His expression lacked both hatred and compassion, his mind processing everything that happened, calculating what he should do next.

He would kiss her.

Lips planted on hers as he kissed her deeply, stepping closer so that his body pressed her against that wall, the man's scent heavy with blood and death. All too soon it would be broken, eyes returning to hers. "Listen..." He would whisper, their lips only inches apart. "Never threaten my family again, and set aside whatever hatred you have for Suzuhime." His voice was firm, commanding, calling for her to pay attention. "You may have been able to get into Ikkadan's head but Tessu is something else entirely. He will kill you, just as tried with me." He would lick his lips as he tried to pick the right words, understanding how sensitive the situation was. "I promised Kasa that I would protect you, that I would keep you safe. In order to do that Tessu will have to die. Itami...I need you." His gaze softened, the man truly not wanting to go back on the promise he had made to his friend, nor did he want to destroy something that he had made so beautiful.

 

[Kokomo]

....

The silence filled the room, and it almost echoed. The chainsaw silencing itself as Iori lapped at the blood, and Itami's face twisting into a moment of sickness and confusion. Perhaps she wasn't the only cannibalistic member of the household? It seemed Iori had his own taste for blood--and immortality. His body healing itself as Itami raised an eyebrow, and his hardened face turned on her.

Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit!!!

Itami backed up as he moved in on her. She was going to pay for every little thing she had ever done, right there, right now. Her heart raced, and her eyes widened as he pushed her against the wall, grabbing her wrists and pinning them above her head. His violent and blood-thirsty eyes staring into hers as she stared back with a sudden poker-face that she held to hide her overcome fear. Sucking in another deep breath--he interrupted her by pressing his lips against hers.

That was weird.

Itami kissed him back, his arms still holding hers above her head as his body moved against hers before he broke the kiss. As he spoke, his eyes looked over her face, and he whispered. So close to her, she could feel each breath hit her own lips. But he was telling her what to do--a mistake. Had he not been arousing her so much, her eyes may have narrowed in disgust. But at the moment, she was more focused on staring down at his lips, hungering for them. But, he mentioned Kasa's name. Itami snapped back into reality, scowling at the man and shaking her head as her voice became low, "You promised Kasa?" She took a moment to pause before her face broke into hilarity as she began to get fits of the giggles. "Wait, what?" She asked, snickering and shaking her head. "You agreed to hold the man-who-wanted-you-dead's wife in your house?" She shook her head, attempting to pull away. "Think abut this situation for a moment." She said, gesturing to the blood on the ground by the door. "He blamed this all on me, yes? When, in reality..." Her voice trailed as she picked her words carefully.

"I was only doing what your friend wanted me to do.

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

Iori would release her wrists, eyes arching in surprise at her words. "Kasa wanted me dead, did he?" He would ask as he looked away, processing this newest bit of information. The notion that Kasa would have wanted him dead was ludicrous to him. What would he have gained from that? He didn't know what game Itami was playing with him, eyes sliding back towards her as they narrowed. His smile slowly returned, stretching into a grin, chuckling as he stepped towards her. "I don't care." He would say as he sought to pull her close to him, lips moving so close to hers once more. "I want to keep you safe. A beautiful flower like you should be cherished, kept from harm..." He would whisper as a hand ran down her cheek, eyes staring intently into hers, his arm wrapping around her waist and keeping her close. "You got so angry when you saw my body on the floor, and you tried so hard to keep him from killing me...why is that?" He would ask her, lips teasingly brushing across hers, letting the question hang in the air.

 

[Kokomo]

Itami mused to herself for a moment as she reminisced about Kasa before she turned and nodded to Iori. "Yes." She responded simply, not feeling the need to go into detail as he turned towards her and chuckled. What was so funny? Itami's eyes narrowed as she raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What?" She asked, and he responded in the same surprising manner. His hands reaching out and taking hold of her and wrapping his arms around his as he kissed and nipped art her. Running his hands over her porcelain skin as she stared into his eyes. A beautiful flower. Yes. She was beautiful. So very beautiful.

"Yes..." She said again. She had been furious. Angry. No... scared. She was terrified. Of what? "I..." She looked away for a moment as his lips brushed her cheek. "I changed my mind." Her lips quivered for a moment as she turned back to look at him. "I don't want to follow his dying wish." Iori was so clueless. Perhaps, if she showed him the book...?

"I... I need you."

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

Iori would take delight as he heard her words, his hand slowly to the back of her head. Lips brushed against hers once more, his gaze never leaving her own. "And you shall have me..." he whispered before pressing his lips firmly against hers, deepening it as he gently squeezed her body. The fire inside him that had been lit by the battle only grew hotter now, his arms holding her as if he would never let her go. He would be breathless by the time he broke it, panting as he reluctantly released his hold on her. "I'll have the maids take care of cleanup here..." he would say, taking a glance to the ruined hall. "...and perhaps you and I should go get cleaned up. Don't you agree?" He would say with a mischievous smile, taking her hand to lead her out of the room, the puppet maids moving past them to do their duty.

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