This is the end of the first story. Here, too, is the warning for dark
content & strong language.

Obviously, I have no rights to the characters.

Daughters of Darkness I: Ayame (chapter 4/4)

The figure loomed over the better part of the elevated highway, its ill-
defined shadow reflecting against the lake surface. It had the vaguest
shape of a man, yet its extremities were sharp and talon-like; its head held
very few facial features aside from a gleaming pair of lime green eyes and a
fanged grin. The faint outline of the moon, reaching its nearly invisible
new phase, glistened just over his right shoulder. As Sai walked towards
it, it seemed to
grow for reasons other than his nearing proximity. He stared up at it,
meeting its inhuman gaze; he mustered the best poker face he could as its
grin spread, revealing more fangs. A flicker of anxiety entered Sai’s gaze;
how would he manage this alone?

“Sai Mouri,” the figure said, his voice echoing through the empty streets.
Sai stopped in his tracks, the figure now in unobstructed view. “What the
hell is that?”

“I deserve a fighting chance,” Sai said as he stood ready in full armor,
tightening his grip on his trident. “I only want to even the odds.”

“Really.” The figure leaned in close, sending Sai on alert. “Here. Ask
them if they ever had a FIGHTING CHANCE.”

A column of opaque darkness materialized in between the two. It reached up
into the infinite expanse of the sky and gave off a chilling cold aura. As
Sai studied it, figures emerged. Sage was limp, his face a mask of dulled
pain; he struggled to open his eyes, only to give up with a whimper. Ryo
wasn’t much better, barely awake;
he tried to speak, producing raspy sounds of pain and pleading. Kento
fought through his pain to stare straight at his friend; he gritted his
teeth, keeping his screams silent. Sai stepped back slightly before
charging towards it, trying to break through the darkness; his hands passed
clear through it as though it were a tangible breeze. It
suddenly shrank back into the ground, the figure laughing.

“You didn’t honestly think I’d let them out, did you?” it taunted.
“They’re in here, in me. Soon, they’ll be part of me, which I hope you
will, too. How about you all say something nice to your little friend?”
Sai held his breath, awaiting whatever new attack was planned. “C’mon, you
little rodents, say something!!” The screaming
started again, along with pleas for mercy. The echoes of their agony tore
through Sai’s mind, drowning out all sensation. The screams died abruptly,
leaving Sai trembling. “If you just give up now, I’ll let them free to rest
peacefully. They won’t suffer anymore.”

“I don’t believe you!” A wisp of noise behind him caught Sai’s attention,
and he spun around in time to trip Eshe with the end of his trident. She
fell, dropping her dagger near his feet; before she could retrieve it, he
kicked it as far as he could. A faint splash echoed as it fell into the
lake.

“Meet my wife,” the figure hissed. “Your friends know her very well
already.” Sai kept his eye on Eshe, her every move speaking a readiness to
strike. “I suppose you know my daughter already.”

Sai spun around. “Ayame....” The blow from Eshe’s elbow against his face
sufficiently sent him staggering back. As he opened his eyes, her grin sent
a shudder through his body.

“Eshe, if you want to do the honors...”

Sai raised his arms over his face, preparing for whatever blow awaited him.
Instead, he heard an angry cry and opened his eyes to find Eshe holding
her shoulder, an arrow jutting from the joint. Behind her stood Rowen, his
compound bow leveled at Eshe’s ever-changing position. A look of wounded
relief decorated Sai’s face. It quickly melted away; Rowen came alone.

“Where’s Ayame?” Sai said aloud, hoping anyone who heard would give him an
answer.

“Ayame’s here,” the figure said. “Do you really want to see her?”

“Sai, don’t listen!” Rowen yelled as he started to pull him away. “It’s a
trick. C’mon, we hafta run!”

“But....” Sai glanced back at the figure, letting his intense fear show
for the first time. The two vanished into the labyrinth of the city, the
figure watching its every move.

“Eshe, lick your wounds and find them,” the figure said.

“But Nen--” Eshe argued.

“Take the other one. Once we have him, that little idiot will readily
surrender. It’s either live with nothing or die as nothing.”

Sai rubbed his face, only increasing the pain. The swelling had become
unbearably painful, and he had slight trouble breathing. Something had to
be broken badly. He removed his helmet, the edges around his face only
irritating the injury more. Rowen placed a hand on his shoulder, a look of
profound pity on his face; all he received was a completely wounded and
horrified look.

“Where’s Ayame?” Sai asked, a tiny cut on his lip trickling blood down his
chin. “She was supposed to be with you.”

“The leather chick took her,” Rowen explained. He sat down on the pavement
next to his friend, hoping the parking garage would provide adequate cover.
“I’m sorry. She was trying to guard me.” Rowen sighed and fidgeted with
his fingers. “Where’re the guys?” Sai’s head drooped, the sound of
agonized screaming returning. “Sai?”

“They’re gone.... Everyone’s gone.....”

“Why is that thing after you?”

“I don’t know. Ayame said he needs perfect souls to feed on, but I don’t
really understand..... What is he doing to them?”

“Sai, don’t worry. I’ll look out for you as long as I can.”

“What’s the use? Maybe if I give myself up, then all of you can live and
never hafta think about me again.”

“Don’t start with that again!” Rowen shouted, standing up. Sai looked up
pathetically. “We’re gonna go out there, trash that thing, and get the guys
back.”

“You can if you want. I’d just be deadweight.”

Rowen shook his head and walked away. He reached the stairs when he heard
the sound of motion behind him. Sai was standing up, carefully replacing
his helmet. “What’s this?”

“I just wanna look out for you, just to make sure he can’t hurt you until I
surrender.”

“You’re not surrendering,” Rowen said with disbelief. He opened the door
to the staircase and took one step forward. Suddenly he froze, his free
hand gesturing to his throat. The compound bow fell to the ground, then he
followed; his eyes stared forward, devoid of light. Sai picked him up
before he could completely collapse. One
last, gasping breath escaped his body before he chilled over and slumped in
his friend’s cradling embrace. Sai let his tears fall, rolling over the
swollen wound and off his face onto Rowen’s expired form. The screams
returned, Rowen’s wailing now among them. He carefully lowered his friend
onto the pavement, then stood up to exit.

Eshe gloated in the doorway, her left arm dangling limp at her side. Her
look of supreme satisfaction met Sai’s grief and growing anger. “So, about
that surrender...” she mused.

Sai stepped back and readied himself for battle. “I changed my mind.” He
dove at Eshe, catching her in the mancatcher of his trident. Any guilt from
his actions was beaten back by the sense of grief and loss. “SUPER WAVE
SMASHER!!” The blunt force of a concentrated jet of water hit Eshe dead on,
and she shrieked as she
dissolved to a pile of wet ash. Only the ruined leather remained intact.
Sai just stared and listened to the screaming of his friends. The pain was
offset by a sense of hope; so long as he could hear them, he could help
them. He knelt down by Rowen and gently pushed his eyelids shut.

Then the screaming stopped.

Nen watched as the lone figure approached him again. A look of serious ire
had replaced his cruel glee. Perhaps he had made the wrong choice this
year; this was not as easy as he was accustomed to. Still, he had yet to
lose a single perfect one, and this boy would be no different. Sai stood
where he had before, in the middle of the
lake overpass, his face stained with tears and swollen with pain. The two
stared in silence, trying to size each other up.

“You have nerve coming back here, murderer,” Nen said; Sai ignored him.
“Are you ready to surrender?”

“What have you done to my friends?” Sai demanded.

“Nothing. They don’t exist anymore. There’s just me.”

Sai cinched his eyes shut, trying to avoid the deluge of tears. “SUPER
WAVE SMASHER!!” He waited patiently, hoping to hear the death wails of that
twisted demon or the reviving cries of his friends. Instead, he heard a
shriek, a female voice screaming in piercing agony. “Ayame!”

Nen held Ayame’s limp, bound form in front of him. She was a dripping
twist of blood, wire, and rags. For a moment, she managed to open her eyes
and met Sai’s horrified stare; a light of withering misery traveled between
the two before she drifted away. “Well done. I couldn’t do worse myself.”
He tossed Ayame into the lake with a
carefree flick of the wrist. She fell into the deep blue with a ripple; an
eruption of smoke appeared for a moment, engulfing the lake surface.

Sai stared out at the water, watching the smoke dissolve as his tears
reemerged. He was alone; he had nothing. There was nothing to be lost in
surrender now. But why should he? Give himself over to feed this
condescending sadist? This sick beast who would slaughter total strangers
and kill his own children? Even if he failed in the end, he would fight
back. He owed it everyone he’d wronged and disappointed, a chance to see
that he wasn’t a total waste. Slowly, he gathered himself together and
stared straight at Nen. The massive, taloned hand of his opponent swiped
down at him, but he raised his arms over his face; a shield of intangible
energy formed a barrier and kept him covered from the demon’s touch. The
talons withdrew, and Sai closed his eyes, standing almost at attention as a
gentle aura of light began to radiate from him. Nen backed away slightly as
the lake
became rough, then rose in an aerial whirlpool; the heavy pavement of the
overpass broke and joined the whirlpool in its approach towards the demon.
It swirled and washed over Nen, prompting an echoing shriek of agony.
Slowly, the demon started to tear apart; a final cry heralded a massive wave
of energy blowing out in every direction. Sai’s barrier gave way, and he
staggered back as his armor dissolved into his common clothes. Debris
buffeted his body, yet he remained standing. Cries of relief seemed to ring
in his ears, the voices familiar. A weak smile crossed his face, just
before he let his eyes roll back and his body fall--too exhausted to remain
aware. It was over; all his pain was over.

Sage sat up and rubbed his aching head; wasn’t he outside
before.....whatever had happened? Now he was in his room, stretched out on
his bed. He swung his legs around and started out of the room. Ryo sat in
the hall, just as dazed but tended to by White Blaze. Both looked at each
other wearily and tried to shake away the
confusion.

“What happened?” Sage finally asked, his throat dry.

“I don’t really remember,” Ryo moaned, petting his tiger. “You died, and
then it’s a blank.”

“I didn’t die.”

“Yes, you did. You just dropped dead in the woods.”

“That’s not possible. The--”

“WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY CLOTHES?!” Kento’s voice bellowed from the
living room. Ryo stood up and ran out into the living room to find Kento
sitting behind the sofa, his waiter’s uniform shredded on his figure.
“Mama’s gonna kill me!” He glanced up and gave his friend a relieved grin.
“You’re alive!”

“Was I dead?” Ryo asked.

“Yeah.” Kento paused as he stood up, failing to notice Ryo’s wince of
disgust. “Did I die, too?”

“I dunno...J--....Just put something on!”

The phone in the den started to ring, and Sage, eager to escape the
spectacle in the living room, raced to pick it up as best he could.
“Hello?”

“Sage?” Rowen’s weary voice asked. “Are you okay?”

“I guess,” Sage responded. “Where are you?”

“You know that parking garage near the downtown? I’m there.”

“How’d you get there?”

“I don’t really kn--.... Wait, where’s Sai?”

A distant voice, sweetly familiar, was calling him.

“Sai? Sai, can you hear me?”

Sai forced his heavy eyes open and moaned; he seemed to be witnessing a
brilliant supernova.

“Sai?”

“Mum....?” he whimpered.

“No, Sai, it’s me.” Sai focused his eyes and lifted his head. The ache in
his face and head was crippling, but he struggled past it. A gentle hand
helped him sit up, and he finally found the source of the voice. A
surprised smile brightened him. “How do you feel?”

“Sayoko?” Sai moaned as his sister rearranged the blankets around him.
“Why are you here?”

“Shh... You’ve been out for four days. Don’t strain yourself.” She held
his limp hand between hers, her warmth almost burning. “Do you remember
what happened?” Sai looked at her, trying to remember anything. Once he
could, he blanched into near-white. “Sai?”

“Oh, no......Oh, no, they’re gone.....”

“Sai, who’s gone? Who?” Sai started to whimper vaguely. “Are you talking
about your friends? They’re fine. They should stop by today. It’s okay.”
She gently hugged her brother, letting him stay reclining in the bed. “Can
I talk to you about something, or would you like to rest?”

“I’m okay to talk.”

“I just wanted to apologize. I didn’t realize how upset you were all this
time.” Sai’s head drooped, hitting the pillow. “Your friends told me
everything, and there really isn’t any excuse for my treatment. I just
didn’t want to accept Mum could go so quickly and suddenly. I’m sorry I
wasn’t there.”

“Thank you so much. I didn’t think I had anything left.” Sayoko let her
little brother weep into her arms, carefully avoiding the intravenous tubes
that nurtured him. “Is everyone okay?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Even Ayame?”

“Who?”

The downtown was always most alive in spring. The weather was finally warm
enough to promote strolling down the streets window shopping--which usually
led to commercial shopping. A massive crowd flowed down the hilly streets
and into the shops, making it easy to lose someone in the sea of bodies or
get oneself lost. That was
exactly what Sai had planned as he ducked into the pet shop. Slowly, he
strolled by the aquariums, studying the multitudes of fish as they darted to
return his inquiry. A particular tank on the second-to-last shelf caught
his attention, and he knelt down to inspect the fish a bit further. The
perfect fish, a tiny pale blue denizen of the deep,
came up to its side of the glass and gave its own affirmation that it was
ready to go home with him. He barely noticed as Kento knelt next to him,
feigning interest in the tank.

“He’s a pretty one,” Kento said. Sai nodded unconsciously, still
fascinated by his fish. “Bet he’s tasty, too.” Sai looked over at him with
an expression of utter distaste before hurrying out of the store. “Sai, I
was kidding!”

Sai slipped into the crowd and started towards the nearest bus stop. He
had come there to be alone, and he wasn’t even given that luxury. No one
really understood how devastated he was. He had succeeded and saved
everyone--except the one person who needed saving the most. Ayame would’ve
given anything to be here in a world where she didn’t have to worry, but his
weakness didn’t give her that chance. His friends could only provide so
much solace; however, he never could express his feelings to the point where
they could understand. Their attempts to cheer him up or help him out were
becoming annoying, and anymore he went out of his way to avoid them.

Kento slammed his hand down on Sai’s shoulder, drawing a surprised look as
he spun around. “Sai, I’m sorry about your fish, okay?” he said. “You
wanna get that one before someone buys him or do you just wanna go home?”

Sai smiled a little and looked away to the bus stop. “I might as well go
home now. It’s getting busy.” The two headed for the protruding blue sign
over the crowded bench. “Do you need any help tonight?”

“Nah. Ryo’s been filling in for you, and Mama said if he wants, he can get
a regular job as a waiter---er, when you feel up to working again.”

“Oh, okay.” The two boarded the bus, sitting on the first seats. “Did you
get your new uniform?”

“Oh, yeah. Mama was so angry about the old one. I just wish I knew what
happened.”

“Yeah,” Sai nervously laughed. “Guess we’ll never know, huh?”

“Yeah.” The bus hissed to a stop just in front of the restaurant. “Here
we are.” The two stepped off the bus and headed for the rear of the
building. Kento approached a back door, while Sai started up the stairs to
their apartment. “See ya later.”

“Have fun at work!” Sai called as he climbed.

“Yeah, right!” Kento laughed as he disappeared into the restaurant.

Sai fumbled in his pockets, searching for his keys. A search of every
pocket turned up nothing, but Sai failed to panic. There was no address on
his keychain, and besides, he could always rely on his roommate’s
forgetfulness as he opened the unlocked door. He walked straight to his
room to break the bad news to the rest of the fishtank. He knelt down and
saw....the blue fish, gleefully exploring its new surroundings. He laughed
and started to make his best fishy face, catching its attention. Maybe
Kento had made up for his impromptu snack.

“You’ll like it here, Holly III,” Sai said to his new pet.

He sat down on his bed to admire the aquarium, jostling Sparkle off his
pillow. A tiny box revealed itself, and Sai picked it up. The label
identified it as an item from “Edible Eden”, a nice but bizarre little store
specializing in sugared flowers. He carefully pulled off the blue bow and
opened the box. Frosted petals were stacked carefully upon one another in a
fragile pile. Sai pulled one petal free, holding it between his fingertips
out of the fear it would
shatter. They were iris petals. A jingle of keys from the kitchen sparked
his curiosity further; he carefully replaced the box of petals, walked into
the kitchen, and caught his breath.

Ayame sat at the table, his keys jangling in her hand. She looked
different. She was slightly paler, and the scratches had scarred her face;
her hair was shorter, requiring that the scarf be worn as a high headband.
She was wearing the same khaki skirt and lavender blouse, but the heavy
bandage on her right foot and ankle necessitated sneakers. She met his gaze
and stood up, giving him a meek smile. Sai ran towards her and gave her a
tight hug, running his hands over her hair. Both wept and laughed,
overwhelmed by a sense of relief and joy.

“I was so sure you were gone.....” Sai whispered. He wiped away a few of
Ayame’s tears ever so tenderly. “How did you survive?” Ayame shook her
head and shrugged, reaching to dry his tears. Both giggled nervously, not
quite sure what to make of the moment. He tightened his embrace and began
to sway with her, enjoying the warm silence.

“You were right,” Ayame quietly said. “You could take care of yourself.”

Sai pulled away to meet Ayame’s gaze with a serene smile. “I’ll take care
of you, too. I promise.”