Truth and Consequences

[TaintedBushido]

(Closed to Amari and The Huntsman)

Advencia walked beside a tall stoic man, a fallen Ronin with long wisps of silvery hair - which had been unevenly chopped in places - a time where Scarlet had tried to rip his hair out to signify his status. That he was no longer of bushido, nor of the Ixian Knights. If it hadn’t of been for the long golden haired succubus beside him, the man wouldn’t have any hair at all.

Advencia had defended him, vehemently so - and even insisted that Scarlet leave him be. Be it for her own amusement, or some sort of attachment the demoness had a sort of obsession with the man. It didn’t help that he had apparently ‘tasted divine’ in her words.

Advencia huffed, crossing her arms over her tightly bound chest, further accentuating her figure. “Really. She should be around here somewhere. Fuckin’ running off again. After that punishment she was given last time too…”

Taka looked at the demoness, she was certainly committed. He was sure her obsessive personality was just one more facet of the fact she was a creature of lust. As he recalled what the hand had done to Scarlet...drawn and quartered and left to die in the forest - only -when they had returned she was gone. There was no way she could have escaped on her own which meant she had called one of her lackies. One that Advencia had warned him about.

“That man is dangerous Zero...what happens if he destroys her like Shinsou did? We were the ones who had to nurse her back to sanity. He’s...he’s hurting her. He’s digging his dirty bloodied hands into her.”

“Calm yourself Advencia-sama,” Zero admonished his companion, “We’ll find her, she will be cleansed and we will serve. That is our job now, correct?”

Advencia huffed. “Yes. It is.” She turned to look up at him, offering him a toothy grin. Her sapphire eyes sparkled as they looked upon the darkly dressed man. “You’re the only good thing she bought back with her. I’m glad you see things our way Zero~” She said with a purr.

“All it takes is proper perspective,” He replied and gave her a smile. His mask rhythmically tapped against his leg providing a beat for them to move down the crowded street

“When Mistress is better.... We will be better suited to take on the Church. Zero…” Advencia stopped and tugged on his sleeve. Zero looked to her expectantly, his eyes softening ever so slightly.

“He’s trying to take her away from us. He’s dangerous. He ripped her apart. What we did - that was to open her eyes. But what he did?” She shook her head. “Nothing but pure bloodlust.”

“He’s a beast then?” Taka snorted derisively, “I can handle that.”

“He’s her new toy, her new dog. Her - well. Her new you.”

“We shall see,” Taka replied evenly, “I highly doubt she found one like me.”

[Amari]

Scarlet rubbed her eyes as she leaned back against the wooden chair. Hunter had set a up of hot bitter tea beside her. Why did he always know what she wanted, and when? As if things weren’t confusing enough. For her.

The afternoon sun hit her back, a rarity in Salvar which was seemingly forever entrenched in a cold and bitter winter. Even as the sun poked through the dreary clouds, attempting to bring warmth back to the barren lands it was not enough to bring any semblance of warmth. Not enough to melt the snow.

In front of her there was...piles of paperwork. She had promised to organise Hunter a home, and had managed to …’procure’ the title to the plot of land, and the dilapidated house that sat on it. Getting the deed was the easy part, that involved a quick break and enter, and some forgery.

It was fixing up the place, and trying to keep Hunter away from it as work was done. She wanted it to be a surprise for him. A fine ‘well howdy do’. Perhaps she was putting too much into this project. She knew she wouldn’t hear the end of it from Advencia.

Scarlet tapped the papers absently with a black pen. Reading and writing gave her such headaches, it took her far longer than she cared to admit to perform those tasks. Having never being taught to properly read or write.

“God fuckin’ Damn it…” Scarlet muttered. “Where the fuck is he?” She lifted her blackened eyes from the paper and glanced around. She was seated outside a restaurant. Most had avoided her, for obvious reasons. A visibly pregnant woman who resembled a demon or monster more than she did a human? Yeh, avoid.

“Behind you, Dawn girl.” His voice was - amused. A coat clad arm extended past her face and set a platter down with steaming meat pies, oddly enough they were covered in a thick layer of orange slices. “Sorry it took me so long. Surprisingly difficult to find some of this in this town. At least like this.” He stepped around her and sat down, revealing that he had a platter of his own - with one meat pie with orange slices set a bit away from the rest.

Scarlet picked one up and bit straight into it. Enjoying the heat of the meat and gravy in her mouth, and the tang f the orange juice. “Mmhmmm…” He was catering to her odd cravings which had kicked in. A part of her felt she should be thankful, another part of her wanted to tell him to rightly piss off and that it wasn’t a good idea to be playing such dangerous games with her.

Scarlets eyes shifted to his plate, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Why you eatin that too? I can’t imagine it’d be a common taste. Fuck I’d never normally throw orange fuckin’ slices onto a pie. Least not a meat one. What is this anyway…” She pulled the pastry top off a pie and peered inside. “Goat? Bird? Offal?”

“... This one is apparently corvid meat. I wouldn't try to make you eat offal. That's disgusting and I don't want you sick.” He tilted his head to the side. “And this is an extra in case you're still hungry when you finish yours.”

“Well...whatever it is, the orange makes it taste better. I guess.” Scarlet quickly shuffled up the paperwork and with one hand neatly stacked them into a pile before folding them in half and shoving them unceremoniously into her jacket. The other hand was still shoving meat pie into her face.

Stupid considerate fuck She thought to herself. He wasn’t making this easy. She had to push him away. Him and his bastard silver eyes. Tall fucking physique no. Fuck him and his chiseled jaw.

[The Huntsman]

“So then. With another contract completed,” my hands jangled a pouch of coins on my belt, “I believe we have the funds you said the project would require, right?” I - still couldn't bring myself to say that she was helping me set up a home. I'd taken to calling it my base in my head - it made the faint ache in my chest relax a little bit more. Dawn girl had been sending me off after random monsters around Salvar of late, having me kill things that had bounties on their heads. Her reasoning was, with money coming from me, there would be no reason for the Hand to know what was going on.

“Oh…” Dawn seemed to be eating quite a lot over the last week. I figured it was a good thing. Her chest certainly had gotten bigger. As did her stomach, but - that was because of the life inside of her. I - was still a bit torn on that child. But - I would not even think of harming a baby because of who the father was, even if I did think the man responsible was trying to drive dawn girl to death.

She sighed and put down a half eaten pie. “Yeh. Yeh. Here.” She reached over expectantly, waiting for me to hand over my hard earned coin. “I’ll keep 80% no. 90% you keep the rest.” I tossed the bag over to her without qualm. I didn't exactly have a lot of needs at the moment, and her project was actually taking care of the biggest one - long term shelter.

She pocketed the coin, “I’ll probably send you off again somewhere today.” She absently tapped her jacket, and I could see her counting numbers silently as her lips moved. “You can stay at an inn.”

“Hmm.” I didn't say my real plan, which was just to find a house to hole up in. I still hadn't figured out how to deal with the creatures in the night, so I couldn't camp out like I normally would have.

“That’s an order Hunter.” I blinked and looked up at her. She was watching me intently now. I sighed and took the coins she had left on the table for me. Damn it. Stop looking at me with those knowing eyes, woman. You don't get to use those on me - it hurt too much.

She finally drew her eyes away. Neither of us had spoken about that night, some weeks ago. Despite spending more time together we had essentially taken a step back. It was like it should have been, a boss and her hunter. Avoiding talking about feelings. So why the hell did I see flashes of hurt on her face at times?

I watched as she started to run her finger along the rim of her cup. She didn’t say it, but something weighed on her mind. “Dawn girl - I.. I can't help if you don't talk to me.” My voice was soft.

Her shoulders lifted as she breathed in. A hand lifted to pull her fiery red hair over one shoulder. Fuck I loved when she did that. She ran a hand through her fringe and pulled it back out of her face. “Hunter… I -”

A small hand slammed down on the table before grabbing the two plates of food and smashing them to the floor. They clattered and smashed against the cobblestone ground. “What. The. Fuck. Scarlet.”

I blinked and turned my head to the psycho midget daemon girl. Damn. I sighed and sat back in my chair, sipping on my coffee. I had hoped it would take them longer to track Dawn girl down. And of course it happened just as she was about to tell me what was weighing her down.

Behind her stood a stoic man, tall with silver hair. At first glance I thought it was Lye. on second, I realized it was another. He carried himself differently - that bastard had been full of supreme confidence in himself, the rest of the world barely a blip on his radar. This one - this one carried himself as a fighter, a warrior. He was staring at me, judging me. I gave him a pleasant smile.

“Scarlet. We’re leaving. NOW.”

Dawn girl stared at her cup of tea, then to the broken saucer on the floor. She sighed as she picked it up then tipped the cup upside down, pouring the liquid onto the demoness’s feet. “No. Take the broken man and your sorry excuse for an ass and leave. I’m busy.” I raised an eyebrow. That was new - wait no it wasn't. Dawn had been rather disruptive with Advencia the last time the psycho midget had shown up, too.

The tiny girl looked as though she was about to explode.

[TaintedBushido]

Advencia was furious, and it wasn’t because Scarlet had essentially poured boiling water onto her feet. “FUCK! What the FUCK that fucking HURT.” She spat as she tugged harshly on Scarlets hair. Scarlet grabbed her wrist and with a quick twist had the demon on her knees.

Advencia turned to Taka with tears in her eyes. “S-See! Look what is happening! This man is a threat! He’s going to take her away from us. He’s fattening her up! He’s gonna fuckin take her somewhere and eat her or - or-”

“I'm not a cannibal, Advencia. She’s eating more because she's pregnant, not because I'm trying to ‘fatten her up’.” The Huntsman calmly sipped on his coffee, having made no other move when Advencia grabbed Scarlet and was brought to her knees.

“You’re not fuckin’ taking care of her that’s our- FUCK!” Scarlet had twisted down harder on her, there was a hiss before she let go, a big red welt was left on Advencias wrist. The demoness nursed it as she backed into Taka. “Z-Zero look...she never used to hurt me.”

“Scarlet-sama, you have played your games long enough. It is time to return home,” Zero spoke. His voice soft, yet it carried great weight. He reached down and gripped the mask hanging from his hilt and studied the man beside her. Tall, lithe, elf traits, that meant he was going to be fast, even for a tall brute. The briefest reading of his aura showed yet another who embodied the void. It was a curiosity at this point, but that was all it was. His spirit for a true fight was diminished. He was a predator, not a warrior, in a true fight he would not last.

He looked down at Advencia and spoke softly, “I'll take it from here.”

The hunter merely tilted his head to one side, watching this calmly as he set his drink down.

The porcelain mask he donned was a blank plate before his face. It smoothed out his features, giving him an eerie appearance. His voice echoed from behind the mask, “You have an appointment at home, Ulroke-dono has ordered another treatment. You have a choice before you Scarlet-sama, you can resist and I will bring you in with force, or you can come willingly. Any interference with carrying out those orders will be seen as meddling in the affairs of our lord.” His eyes from behind the mask drilled into the huntsman pointedly.

“Am I not already meddling in those affairs by trying to help her and ease the corruption?” The drow sat back in his chair and leaned his head to one side, studying the now masked man.

“I'm being polite and giving you an out,” Zero replied calmly, “If you wish to die that is your prerogative. I refuse to second your seppuku.”

“You are, by far, the one of the group that I find myself liking the most. I thank you for your consideration, sir. But dawn girl doesn't seem inclined to return with Advencia, and I am her hunter so if she wishes to resist I will aid her.” The man still hadn't even stood up from his seat- though Zero could see that what few muscles were visible under his encompassing clothes were beginning to tense up.

Taka clicked his tongue in distaste and hissed, “You are loyal to a creature that is unworthy of that loyalty. Scarlet doesn't care about you, you're merely another infatuation in a long line of them, myself included. Clear your head of the haze she seems to have put you in, your lust will be your end Hunter-san. Don't become another of her whipped hounds. Get up, walk away, and forget what you've seen here. You may have a sleepless night mourning, but it will do wonders for your longevity.”

“Scarlet is what she was made to be. I have no interest in that. I am here to help who she once was.” The man tilted his head to the side. “I'm already a hound of the Hunt, what is another master if it helps someone who needs it desperately? And as for my longevity - good sir, I have… Lived a fair time already.” He sighed and picked up his coffee, taking a slow drink before setting it back down. “In the time that I have known dawn girl, you are I believe the second person warning me away from her, not for her sake, but for my own. Odd, considering the other is the faun woman.” He did seem thoughtful as he sat back and returned his gaze to Zero.

A grunt of distaste left his mouth, “Then perhaps you should consider the advice you've been given. If two wholly unrelated people are telling you the same thing, is that the bleating of a crazed whore, or could it have been insight into a situation you are vastly unprepared for? Scarlet, this will be your last warning, come with us, or I will draw. We've wasted enough time as it is.”

She looked from Taka to Hunter and closed her eyes. “Fighting in the street? Where so many eyes are upon us? Surely you’d know better than that. We’d have to wipe out the whole town.”

Advencia scoffed. “Oh like you haven’t done that before! Remember when you killed your best friend you wiped out that whole town. Fuck - I heard you ripped a kids head off.”

[Amari]

Scarlet, still with her eyes closed lifted her head ever so slightly. A direct order from Lye. Another treatment. “A treatment to further my corruption, and to inhibit my emotions…” She drawled on absently. She welcomed them. Granted, she had skipped a few helping Hunter.

“Advencia, how many have I skipped?”

“Three. Mistress. Now let’s go.”

Well, it was fun whilst it lasted. Scarlet dug her hands back into her jacket pocket and pulled out the papers she had been working on, then the sack of gold Hunter had given her and threw it to the table. She pushed herself out and turned her back on Hunter as she kicked the chair in with her foot.

“Taka’s right. This… should end here. I’d rather avoid a bloodbath. I’m...too tired for that.” Her hand ran over the round of her stomach as she had said the words. “Right you two. Let’s go.”

Advencia shook her head. “We’ve orders to eliminate him as a threat.”

“He’s...nothing. He isn’t a threat.”

Zero looked at her and spoke, his voice distant thunder, “What did you call me?”

Scarlet blinked. She didn’t catch her faux paux earlier, and the heavy weight of calling him a dead name. “Zero.”

Advencia took to his side and wrapped her two small arms around his frame. “Zero - we need to take care of this issue. She’s actually coming lets take that and go before she changes her mind. I’ll take her back - you dispose of this…” She turned to Hunter with a glare. “This trash dog.”

Zero looked to Advencia and back to Scarlet, “Amari is waking up. That shouldn't be possible…”

Advencia bristled. “Zero! No! Don’t-”

Scarlet finished it for her. “Do not use that name. You are forgetting your place Zero. That man is nothing more than my Hunter. If you kill him, you kill an asset to the hand.” Scarlet shrugged. “If you do however, I cannot fault you for following Master’s orders.” She rested a hand upon Advencia’s head. “And you - “ She looked as though she were about to say something, instead she shook her head, almost sadly so. “Let’s get that treatment. I believe I am long overdue.”

Zero studied the man, his thumb resting on the tsuba of his blade. He turned to Advencia and spoke, “If we brought him back, Ulroke-dono would be able to find out just what he knows. Determine just how much Scarlet fucked up in her recruitment drive.”

“If you're curious how much she's told me about the hand - precious little. I didn't even know the name of your group until the faun told me.” Hunter spoke calmly, still sitting in the chair. “I know Advencia’s name, and now yours good sir. And I suppose if Ulrokedono is his name, the leader’s.” His eyes were trained on the women walking away, his expression tight. He sighed and rubbed his face. “Aside from recruiting me, she's had me help her hunt down a target assigned to her.”

“It would be a mistake to bring any further outsiders to the Sanctum.” Scarlet muttered.

“If you kill Hunter I want proof, Zero.”

And with that Scarlet left the two with an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Zero would kill him, quite easily so. Hunter was...strong in many ways, but Zero was trained to kill, and with the Oni raging inside of him. Owning more and controlling more of his actions...Scarlet would not be surprised if Zero returned with Hunter’s head on a platter.

“You seem down, Mistress.” Advencia mused. She was the opposite, she had a spring to her step and looked almost giddy.

“Perhaps I am.”

“Mmm. Well. That won’t be an issue. We’ll set you right. You should have let me claw his eyes out and had Zero escort you. I would have viscerated-”

“Master told me to avoid Zero where possible. Having him escort me back to the hand would be a violation of that order.” Scarlet said as she wrapped her arms around her waist. She’d grieve over him, but only for a short while. She’d take whatever they had planned for her and she’d loose that ability.

“It’s for the best.” Advencia poked her gently in her abdomen. “You’re what… four maybe five months along? If we don’t reign you in now - it may be harder to do later. Besides he’d just abandon you like the rest. Even Zero cares more about me than he does you.” She added with a snide smirk.

“Mmm. You’re right Advencia.” Scarlet said as she shifted her hand up to grasp the vial that contained Madisons remnants. “You both are.”

It’d be less painful if she stopped feeling, even more so if she just forgot. Forgot that Madison existed, forgot Shinsou and his damn playboy attitude. Forget the titfaun; and how she and Hunter were once married.

“Hey. Advencia - how familiar are you with Master’s potions.”

“Considerably…” Advencia murmured, her tone rife with suspicion.

“I think it’d do me well to forget everything outside of the Crimson Hand.” Scarlet felt it better this way. Especially if Hunter was going to meet the end of Taka’s blade, because of his association with her. At best, he’d loose a limb.

The demoness brightened at this as she clasped her hands together. “Oh. YES! Yes! Of course. That’s fantastic.”

[The Huntsman]

I slowly turned my gaze from them to Taka - Zero, whatever the warrior might be called at this point. I drew in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. I couldn't quite hear what they were saying - but I knew it could not be good if Advencia was bouncing about so happily. She had, so far, been aggravated about every single thing to do with him - so for her to be so excited, Dawn girl must have said something that made her think she'd keep her distance from me. I sighed.

“She has been - healing. Recovering.” I gestured to the seat across from me. “You.. Seem to have known her before she was forced through what that bastard demon mage did to her. Am I wrong?” As I spoke, I returned the bag of coins from my last contract to one of the pockets inside my coat, and picked up the papers that she had thrown down. I was tapping them on the table as I watched him. I hadn't been lying when I spoke earlier - I liked this man more than nearly anyone else I knew of who was associated with the Hand. Which, granted, was now a total of four people but I didn't like the psycho midget or Ulrokedono too much at the moment - both of them seemed far too invested in turning Amari into the destructive nothingness.

“You are not. What is left of that woman is bitter memories and pain. You would be wise to not try to bring her back. Consider this, if you knew that at one time she used to care and have actual relationships, would bringing her back be a positive? Or would you be awakening her to a nightmare of decisions that have seen her burn every bridge she ever built?” The thumb pressed upon the tsuba and the blade clicked, free of the lock in the sheath, but not drawn yet.

“Do.. You know what will happen, if their end goal for her is reached?” I turned to stare at the mask on his face. “I would much prefer her see a renewed chance at life, and an opportunity to even attempt to try to make amends - or to suffer for what she has done - than what will be the result if this continues.” I set the file of papers down, unopened.

“You have no concept for what you speak of. If she were to be punished, it would be with death. She destroyed every man, woman, and child in a nearby village then turned on the one person she called friend and reduced her to ash. She twisted a man who loved her and tormented him for a week, just so she could be sure he wouldn't do what you are trying to do. You are treading a fine line, and it is only a matter of time before she decides to destroy your life for her amusement,” Zero replied, his voice thick with bitterness, “That is what she has chosen, that is who she is, and if you continue down this path I will put you down before she turns you into a rabid mongrel. I will consider it a mercy at that point.”

“You speak there, of Madison and… who - ah.” Dawn girl hadn't told me of the destruction of the village surrounding the death of Madison - but she had told me of the death itself. I drew in a slow breath, and let it out. Now I could see why she had slipped with his name - and why all of them had immediately referred to him as something else. Was this then, a memory she hadn't shown me? It made sense. So. She had tortured him - past the point over and over, it seemed. I slowly stood up, rising and staring down at him.

“That is who she was made into. Driven past death’s brink over and over again, tortured into getting off on it by a psychotic demon mage. But - you speak like she regrets nothing even now? She cried over Madison’s death, tried to drink herself into oblivion to escape the pain. I had to hold her as tears made those damn gold rings shine like they never shoul-” I cut myself off. I drew in another deep breath, and let it out slowly.

“She chose this. It wasn't what we made her, I tried so hard to get her to leave the Hand. As you can see, you will not save her, she will drown you if you try,” Zero replied. He clicked the blade back locked, “She is devoted to Ulroke-dono, so long as she willingly enslaves herself to his whims, you will only get yourself killed trying.” I stared at him. He - was calming down.

“I know.” My voice was soft. “I am aware of the forces that drive her towards that dark precipice. But I also know - she's desperate not to fall off of it. She - mentioned a fallen warrior once. That she hated what she had to do to him. That she was terrified of my going to the base, because if I did, she would have to do the same to me. That she would have to break me, like she hated having to do to him. She is aware that everyone sees her as a monster now - that is why, I hold her to that humanity. So she knows that staying attached to him need not always be the case.” I sighed and turned my attention to the file, flipping them open. I paused, staring at what was before my eyes. Then I slowly, calmly, closed it. And placed the files into another inner pocket, closing my eyes tight.

This man was warning me away from her, telling me he had loved her once, and tried to help her as I was - and that all she would want to do to me was break me. Had he seen, once, this side of Dawn girl? This side that tried to keep me from visiting the house she was setting up for me - because it was nearly done and she wanted it to be a surprise? What would he think, of this side of her? I sighed and bowed my head.

[TaintedBushido]

He was stubborn, Taka had to give him that. Looking at the hunter he sighed and shook his head slowly. He felt the grief well up inside him and stamped it down, a scowl hiding behind his mask, “So she told you of Taka…”

The drow tilted his head to the side, and gave a slow nod. “Never a name, but yes.”

“And yet you still persist? Sad,” He replied. His thumb pressed once more against the tsuba, unlocking his blade from his sheath he widened his stance and spoke, “Would you prefer to be on your feet on seated? I will grant you the right.” The Huntsman turned back to face him, and one of his white eyebrows rose. He smiled, an odd, twisted half smile. The man hesitated, his silver eyes widening, and he let out a strangled laugh. Then his arms spread out. His eyes closed.

“Very well. It was - I wish I had been able to help you more, Amari, but it looks like my time is done this time around.” His voice was odd - like he wasn't speaking to Taka at all. Then those silver eyes opened and focused on Taka. “Do make it quick, please. And - I suppose, if she is to forget me, you might as well make use of the home she tried to make for me. You'll find the papers in my coat.”

The Dark Blade watched the man greet death with open arms. A nod of respect occurred. People were looking at the scene, and upon seeing the mask quickly moved along, realizing what was occurring was not their business. He prepared to draw and held his hand above the hilt of his blade, cupped as if to hold water. His eyes grew dead and colder before he heard the oni warn him, Little Falcon, the Ar’Tuel is approaching.

Before Taka could draw the blade down he felt an all too familiar feeling gripping his wrist. He glanced to the side to see a red snake, its fangs digging into his flesh. He followed along to see it connected to a very pissed off looking Scarlet. Her black and red eyes burned. But not as much as the golden ring around her iris. The other snakes danced dangerously behind her back.

Out of reflex he pivoted to face the new threat, and remained still. His eyes drank in the golden rings and he felt his heart skip a beat, that look of fury, he had seen it before that wasn't Scarlet…Taka cursed in his native tongue. He felt his hand, that had never once wavered, tremble above the hilt of his blade.

Do it, please, cut her down. Let us end this foolish farce and finally be done with this! Taka seemed to lower his stance only slightly his hand still posed to strike.

“Don’t. Scarlet hissed.

“You aren't giving me much choice, I can avoid the child and get you both,” He replied firmly.

[Amari]

Minutes earlier…

“I’m so relieved. You’re finally coming around! I was so worried we’d loose you.”

“Mmm.” The two men were now out of sight. Scarlet had a strong feeling of finality. It was all...very final- she wouldn’t be able to surprise him with the home she had built. She wouldn’t be able to see the expression on his face, the way his silvery eyes would light up and how the breath would still in his chest. She wouldn’t remember any of that would she?

“You wouldn’t lose me Advencia.” Scarlet said as she clasp her hand around the vial that sat on her neck. She rubbed it with her thumb and forefinger. “The hand wouldn’t loose me.”

The more subdued Scarlet became, the more happier Advencia became. The succubus tugged down on Scarlets arm and held her close. “We’ll make you forget everyone outside the hand. No more Hunter, No Philomel, No Shinsou. No Fuckin’ traitor ass Madison. Nothing. Nothing but those of us in the hand. It’ll be so much healthier for you.”

Scarlet sighed. Closing her eyes as she opened up the link to Hunter one last time. ”Hey. Fi’Layn. I’m going to forget you. For what it’s worth. I had fun. You have a home. I know what awaits me at the end of this path. I won’t meet you in another life, but I am thankful I met you in this one.”

“Hey, are you listening to me?”

Scarlet blinked. “Oh. No. What?”

Advencia scoffed and opened her mouth to speak again - and that’s when Scarlet heard it. Clear as day. Hunter was about to die.

She shoved Advencia hard. The demoness landed against the wall and gave a startled cry as Scarlet set off toward Hunter.

[/quote]


She had acted on pure impulse and adrenaline. She hadn’t planned on running to Hunter's aid. She hadn’t planned on ever seeing him again. She was going to forget him. So why should it matter if he died? The woman let go of Zero and swore.

“Fuck.” She turned away from him. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” She shouldn’t have done that. That quite literally put Hunter in more danger. It just proved that he was indeed a danger to the Crimson Hand. That she - that she quite possibly had some sort of feelings toward him.

“Shit..” The snakes disappeared as she ran a hand through her hair. This was not the way things were meant to go. She shouldn’t have ran, her ankles were swollen and her stomach hurt. She felt like she was going to be sick.

“MISTRESS WHAT THE FUCK?” Advencia ws quick to meet her tail. “Fuck. You ARE going Rogue! Zero!” Advencia hissed. “Grab her, drive that sword through her chest if you have to. We need to get her away from here now. Fuck.” Advencia pulled Scarlet back, easily managing the feat despite her small stature and Scarlet’s strength. The demoness taking advantage of Scarlet’s pregnancy and current nausea.

Scarlet realised her mistake, she hung her head and grit her teeth. This never should have happened. Dammit… tears stung her eyes. She had to tell herself that she’d forget all this soon. She laughed bitterly. What a deserving fate.

Zero remained silent. His eyes darting between Scarlet and Hunter. He moved swiftly, the click of his blade leaving the sheath as he slashed hard for Hunter's leg. A gimping maneuver to ensure he could not follow. His voice firm, “Get up and I will have your head mongrel.”

Hunter sprang - moving over the blade and bouncing off of the table, flinging himself over the attack - and the man. He landed heavily, behind Zero, his eyes narrowed. He slowly turned around, lowering his hand to his blade as he stared towards Scarlet and Advencia.

Advencia pulled on Scarlet. “We’ll clear your head of those memories. Your heart of that emotion and your body of that child. Then you will be strong again.” The demoness leaned down and pressed her lips against Scarlets cheek. “It will be good to have you home, Mistress.”

“Right. I should not have interfered. Zero. Do me a favour and cut my throat here. I’m a liability right now. Then, do what you need to do with me.”

Her tone of voice, the way she held herself. She’d given up. Seeing Hunter actually being attacked by a man she once called friend. It hurt. Her chest ached. She was the cause of this all and she did not deserve the salvation that Hunter so desperately fought for her to have. No, she deserved to fulfil her role within the hand. Be nothing more than a weapon. A tool.

“If you do not want me to die, Dawn girl, I will not let it happen so easily. I still have to be here the next time you call for me.” The drow’s voice was calm and hard. Steel, to the deep ocean anger of Taka or the fiery rage of Advencia. “Are you then, going to give up so easily, when someone still fights for you?”

Zero slashed once more at Hunter. His blade moving with a skilled deftness aimed at the Hunter to keep distance. His voice came out thick as he ordered, “Take her Advencia-sama. I need to ensure this beast doesn't come back to haunt us. Go!”

Scarlet did not respond to his words, she kept her head down. Anything to save him from a fate similar to hers. The Huntsman spun, his cloak billowing as he dodged the slash, twisting it away from his body. He had yet to draw his weapon - but as he spun out of the way of the also, Zero would be able to see it, a cruelly serrated blade attached to a long handle with some kind of strange mechanism at the join.

“Don’t kill him Tak-” Scarlet’s voice was cut short as Advencia finished the job that Zero could not. She had run a blade clear across Scarlet’s neck. Despite her loyalty to Scarlet, she was determined not to let her emotions get in the way.

[The Huntsman]

I watched as again, the crazy midget tore through Scarlet’s flesh like it was nothing. There was a heartbeat of a pause, then my eyes went wide and glowed. I dodged the blow from Taka - Zero - whatever the sword slinger called himself - and launched myself at the two women. I planted my boot in the psycho midget’s side and flung her away from dawn girl, fury making my kick use my full strength. I caught the falling body and cradled it to my chest. She was already cooling - already growing still and limp in my arms. Her gold-ringed eyes stared up at me and for a moment I saw recognition in them, then that light faded away and all I was left with was those damn, glassy orbs. Molten rage turned to ice in my chest.

“Really, this is the help you offer? Death?” I spat out, my head lifting up. I was watching the swordsman carefully, prepared to dodge again. These people - did they truly think nothing of killing one of their own? It was despicable. I knew that the woman in my arms had done it too - and I did resent her for it as well - but damn them all, death should be reserved for beasts, not for allies and friends.

“Death isn't the end, failure isn't the end, accepting a pattern of defeat, that is the end,” Zero hissed. He drew his second blade and held it before him, before he began a flurry of slashes and strike at me. The blows - connected, as I sheltered the body. I let the change come as the blades descended, a heavy, weighty feeling sinking over me. My skin shifted hue as I cradled the still form in my arms. There was an odd sound, as metal - rang against stone. He growled out and hissed, “Gaijin sorcery!”

Blazing silver eyes shot up and locked onto him as I glared at him. “What, you thought me just a normal man?” I spat at him as he reeled back. I carefully shifted dawn girl’s body to the ground and stood up, locking eyes with the swordsman. “I am far from it.” Fine. Fine, if he wanted to fight - a fight he would get. Dawn girl didn't want me to die. My skin shifted back, aching as blood welled under my clothes where he had struck. I flicked my Saw-Spear out and I rolled my shoulders.

“I've brought the gold back to her eyes. You want to take that away. I had hoped otherwise.”

“Nothing has changed!” Taka roared, “You think you have but nothing has changed! She begged us to kill her so she could remain loyal to a man that deserves to rot in the deepest pits of Jigoku! I have endured torture, pain, and humiliation for her, and you think in a few months you can do what I sacrificed everything I was for?”

“She tried to die to save me!” I snarled. “Just like she did when that fucker showed up and killed her in front of me - she chose her own death to prevent mine then, and she tried to do it now! You think nothing has changed?! I waited a century to see her again!” When the hell had this bastard, this fallen warrior, gotten under *my* skin enough to make me angry enough to yell? But this - this fighter, he had gone through hell in a month. Which had it worse - seeing wife and daughter cut down before them, or seeing your lover, emotionless, be the one who killed you?

[TaintedBushido]

Anger seethed deep in the warrior. He was the hurricane, and he lashed out at the hunter, his voice coldly replying, “You got your wish, you saw her. Now die!”

Before the slashes had been lighter blows, blows that went for speed over power, but with the Storms Eye Kata in effect Taka took the fight to a new lethality. Choking up on the grips of both blades he held them point down before him and began the unbroken blade Kata, while continuing the flurry of blows at the Hunter.

While he knew the hunter was quick, Taka has one last trick up his sleeve. He finally let go, releasing the full brunt of his Chi through the area, dark waves of tainted energy flowing from the warrior as he began to slash.

The dark-skinned man dodged and rolled, shifting out of the way of the blows, narrowly avoiding the beginning of the assault. He never seemed to be in quite the right place for the powerful slashes to connect - until he stumbled as the blast rolled over him. He stumbled, took a dark-wrapped blade to the side. It would have been a devastating blow - if the Damascus blade hadn't intercepted. Instead inhuman strength pitted against Chi-backed fury, and it wasn't sure which would win. The problem for the Huntsman was - Taka had two blades.

The second blade slashed low and aimed for a leg. It was at that moment that Taka let the oni gain a deeper grip on his soul. He drew upon the taint of Jigoku and slammed his blade at the man’s knee in what should have been a crippling blow. The man - threw himself backwards, his blade snapping open and extending. He did not escape unharmed from the blade though - Taka could see blood flowing down, and the Hunter tested his weight a few times before snarling. A cut, but not the crippling blow it would have been - and now, that strange weapon was much longer than before, nearly doubled in length.

“My wish? My damn wish is for those damn black irises to become green again. To know that she isn't on the verge of losing her damn sanity.” His voice was a deep, low snarl as he crouched, favoring his injured leg. “To know she isn't a corrupted shell of what she once was. So - I guess I won't be able to die yet, not until that fucker is in the ground and she is free.”

He charged in slashing once more in the steel hurricane of blades. He was beyond words as he slashed and cut and fought, trying to end the man before him. His cries were those of a wounded beast, that knew it was dying still struggling, still fighting, still vying for life. He was the broken General of the Ixian Knights. Sei Orlouge’s Dark Blade, and with every strike a part of that man was lost, an inky blackness coming over his skin, each blow looking to break the hunter's defenses.

And now, maddeningly, the Hunter was keeping away, dodging further back, circling around the street as he led the man back and forth. He didn't seem to be actually trying to break away, or stray too far from where their fight began - but he was also keeping just at the edge of the range of his own weapon, using the full length of it to defend against the heavier and heavier blows as Taka surrendered more of himself. The attacks were becoming stronger - but less trained as fury overwhelmed him, consumed him.

Taka was spitting curses gutturally in his native tongue. The civility of the man lost with each passing moment that the hunter continued to keep away. Taka finally chucked his wakizashi at the hunter in a moment that caused the warrior to finally stop, breathing heavily from exertion. He knew the blade had no chance of connecting, but the symbolism of tossing his honor to destroy a foe was not lost on him as he watched the blade get batted away with ease. It clattered to the ground, while the warriors shoulders rose and fell in time with his deep breathes.

That symbolism, was not lost on him either.

The Hunter scooped the blade up with his foot and tossed it into the air, catching it with his off hand. He studied it for a moment, then turned that piercing silver gaze towards Taka. He didn't move as Taka caught his breath - until a few moments had passed. Then he tossed the blade back, underhanded and turned to the side, clearly not an attack. He caught the blade with ease, and it was deposited back in its sheath, once more safe on his hip. He grunted, “Arigato.”

The drow nodded his head once - and his blade clicked back to its resting, folded state. It didn't return to its holster yet - but then, Taka’s own sword hadn't yet been returned to its sheath. Those damn silver eyes were watching Taka warily. “Back with me then?” He did sound rather out of breath, though his form didn't show it.

“I'm here,” Was the simplistic reply. The two men stared at each other, watching, judging.

“What is it that you, you, the warrior before me, desires? Not the fucker in his keep, not the girl who is too free with her blade. But you.” The Huntsman was still speaking in that infuriating, calm voice - the anger from before vanished in their fight.

“A stiff drink for starters,” was the open reply, it was a wry attempt at humor. One that would show he had calmed a bit, “I want this to end. I wanted the pain, the sorrow, and the despair to end. It is all I have ever wanted, it was why I took up the blade, why I refused to kill myself. I would rather the world spit on me, decry my honor, and besmirch my name, than for another to suffer.”

He ran a hand through his hair, “I wanted my family restored, to be the guardians they had always been. For my exile to be over and to be free of the taint that corrupts me. What I want doesn't matter, it is trivial. What is important is my duty. My duty is to her, and I will not allow you to give her false hope.”

The Hunter was very calm. He studied Taka for a long few moments, then tucked his blade under his coat, holstering it. “What then, Taka, would prove it not false? Commitment? Dedication? A willingness to die - a willingness to live? Fah.” He shook his head, his hat shifting slightly. “I don't know what false hope you think I offer her. I - can't offer you a stiff drink either, we seem to have scared all the townsfolk away.” He gave his own wry grin.

“But what I can say, is this. I - am a Hunter. I've thrown myself under things terrible and disgusting, because I know there are things out there that I could never have hoped to fight on my own. Not as I was.” He sighed. “I don't know what you know of my homeland. Huntsman, like myself, were half of a group - the other half, were the watchers on the wall. Defenders, like your family. So when you say you wish to be a guardian, that you seek to help when all the world might turn against you - well. How can I not respect that? How can I not wish to extend my hand to someone who has the same drive to a goal that I do?” His silver eyes bored into Taka.

“Your duty is to her. So is mine. I wish to help her. Amari is in there, desperate, scared and alone. My hand is there for her whenever she needs it. I extend that hand to you as well.”

“Taka...is dead. Scarlet killed him for his naivety, I am merely his corpse, waiting to fall into a grave if I am lucky. If I am not, I will be fed to the pigs,” Was the blunt reply, “I am Zero, nothing, less than. Taka, Taka may have deserved that respect. I am not worthy of more than pity.”

“And she, worth less for doing it.” It was a strange comment, for someone who fought to help her. “But - both of you, both of you are cursed to come back from the dead. Her, in fire and pain, you, with your own curse. Who is to say that Taka cannot do that? I still see the warrior of honor in you. Because if he wasn't - your wants would have not been anything like they are. Those are the desires of a man who still seeks life. Just like she - who seeks death - regrets and hates what she is, and does not accept it.” The hunter folded his arms over his chest. “So - you have both. My pity, and my respect. My sorrow, for what was done to you. And my hope - that the man who walked into his death, can rise.”

“What you see is the delusions of a mind that still has hope. I was once you, now I am nothing. One day, you too are cursed to be nothing, I only hope you keep some semblance of yourself in the process,” Zero replied, he turned to leave, moving to the downed form of Advencia and gently stroked her hair in a tender move, a sigh leaving his lips, “The things we do…”

He heard footsteps - the hunter, moving to Scarlet. “Indeed.” The other man let out a loud sigh. “I despise it. Watching her return to that place, where I know she will sink back down. It tears at me. I wish I could go there, to help her there. But I know - I would die. And she doesn't want that. So I move. I fight. I train. I throw myself at things too large for me, all in the attempt to grow stronger. Because that fucker is still waiting.” He spat out.

“Lye fears only one man, a demon that rests in the prisons beneath the sanctum. If you wish to end the Crimson Assassin, you need only free the Lavinian Demon. He could set things right, but Lye has gone out of his way to make things hard for the man. He is determined to let Seth-sama rot in his cell. If you wish for change, that is your first move,” Zero replied firmly.

There was a thoughtful hum. He was staring at the body. “Well then. It seems I have a quarry to pursue.” He let out a soft laugh. “Now to figure out how to free a man in a place I am not yet strong enough to walk in. One small task at a time, it seems. Next will be, to work on bringing that warrior who cherished his blades so much back out.”

“One day I might be worthy of Rengoku again, but it will be a long time to reach,” Zero said. He rose up with Advencia on his shoulder and moved to Amari, lifting her in much the same way. He began to leave and stopped, “You ran when it appeared I might overwhelm you, the fight had drained me beyond my ability to pursue. I lost track of you, do not make me a complete liar.” Hunter gave a grim smile.

“Tell Dawn girl - Scarlet - I appreciate her efforts, if you can. I'll use it well.” He stood up, and bowed to Taka. Then - two long strides, and his legs tensed - and he jumped, onto a roof. His dark form vanished over the edge, out of sight.