Back to ze past

Elizabeth reached up and removed the cross hung around her neck. She handed it to taro. "I want you to wear this. You need more faith than I."

Etsuko sat on the edge of her bed, long silver hair wafting over her face as she swayed, nails digging into the bedding, a smile twisting half of her mouth.

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
It's just the beast under your bed
In your closet, in your head "

She murmured and chuckled, eyes locked on the camera watching her froom the corner of the room.

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Taro touched it and a genuine smile crept over his face. It was a pretty thing. "Are you sure you want me to have this?"

"Please. Take it." Elizabeth said, folding his hand over the small necklace.

---

The doctor sighed as she watched the sucrity video. "She's not getting any better."
handing the folder to the nurse, april walked down to Etsuko's room and swipped her card, letting herself in.

Taro smiled and took the cross. He fastened the chain around his neck and examined the pendant.
"Thank you."

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Etsuko's eyes snapped over to April when she entered the room and smirked in heavy mockery, eyes darkening.

"Silly human, demon tree
Evil fingers can't catch me... "

She chanted, raising her head, shifting her hair from her face. "Come to play?" She asked sweetly, smirk still firmly in place. "You said you would."

Elizabeth smiled softly in return. "It becomes you."

---

Amaterasu sighed and rested her head back against the bars, her back facing the the bars.

---

April pulled a chair over and sat in front of Etsuko. "Good morning Etsuko, Do you remember me?"

She smiled at the other woman, drawing her knees up against her chest.
"I remember; you said you'd play." She stated and her eyes flashed. "The game I played with Yui. It was fun, we should play" She said, nodding.

"We did play, don't you remember?" April questioned, tilting her head "We each had a doll, and we'd play till god knows what time in the morning."

"The other games were different." She said, standing up. "Running, hiding. Finding." She showed her teeth in a smile. "Let me out, we can play hide-and-go-seek" She suggested, crossing to peek from the door.

"Why don't you tell me about these games Etsuko. I'm rather intrigued." She motioned for the other girl to sit down

Etsuko reluctantly sat back down. "She would hide and I would seek. Game was over if i found her." She said, twisting her hands. "She didn't want to play," Another eerie smile took her features. "But I made her."

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Taro smiled again. "Thank you, it's beautiful." He said. He froze to look to the cell doors when he heard a guard walking down towards their end of the corridor. He stopped before their cell.

-------

Shade looked up when he saw the guard, standing up. What now?

"Sounds a bit unfair." April said, leaning back. "What were the rules of this game?"

---

Elizabeth moved forwards towards the end of her cell.

Etsuko rose an eyebrow. "My rules. You lose, game over." She said this whilst tracing a finger over the veins in her neck. "Then I've won."

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Taro did so also, but the guard entered the cell all the same and hauled Taro to his feet, twisting his arms behind his back and, quelling the fool's struggle by slamming him into a wall, closed the cell door on Elizabeth, leaving her alone in the cell. Taro's eyes were wide with panic and he fought back again, but the guard shoved him along down the corridor.

"You must win quite often." April said, almost shocked. "Sounds like an Interesting game I must say, did you make all by yourself?"

---

Elizabeths eyes widend as her hand came to her mouth. She moved to try to get out, to help him

"Yes. Play with me. I'll teach you" She offered, eyes darting to the door.

------

The guard that let Amaterasu down earlier regarded her with vague interest. "You humans don't learn, do you. Obviously the door is locked." A shame he didn't speak english, but his amused guesturing to the lock conveyed the same sort of message.

April smiled softly. "Not today Etsuko. You know I've lost all spirit to play. We're trying to make you better, don't you want me to make you better so you can leave here?"

----

Elizabeth stuck out her tongue, a very unludy like gesture

"What's better?!" She demanded furioiusly. "Let them win? Kill me?" She stood up again, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Let you play your mindgames? You remember. They got to you, we could have been friends!" She snapped.

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The guard rose an eyebrow before setting his back to the wall beside her cell door to keep watch for a time.

"We are friends Etsuko. Don't you trust me?" April remained her calm. "I'm trying to help you so we can play on the outside."

---

Elizabeth Sat back and bit her lip, she hoped he'd be ok. She prayed that he would survive.
She hummed softly.

Etsuko instantly lost her anger. "Of course. Can'e play here. Not enough room." She sat down and held her head, still glaring through her hair. She wanted to hurt her, lie to her. Fix her. They wouldn't win. "You can go away now." She stated, glancing at the camera.

"Etsuko. Understand, we don't want to hurt you, Don't you trust me. We're friends remember?" April smiled softly. "I still have your doll. Do you want it back?"

---

"Shade?" Elizabeth whispered

"Elizabeth?" He looked up, frustration lining his face.

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She nodded. "My doll. I want it back." She smiled again at April.

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Taro's breath heaved as he struggled once more to rise to his feet, swaying unsteadily. "Well?" One armour clad demon asked. "What are you?"
"Secret." He responded, gasping for air, arms wrapped around his heavily bruised chest. Small cuts lined withh blood marred his face where the beating had split the skin. One eye already swollen.
"Not good enough."

"Will he be alright?" The princess asked softly.

---

April nodded. "I thought you might. Should I bring it to our next meeting? Tomorrow? Same time?"

"Now! Bring it now!" She demanded eyes flashing. "You stole it! You can only have it once we've played."

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Shade grimaced. "[i]They won't kill him" He said lowly. "If they bothered to take him, it means they want to know something. If he keeps it to himself, then they can't"

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Tears were running down his cheeks, tinged red from the small cuts on his cheeks. "S-stop!" He begged, crawling in an attempt to flee the guards. They stopped that with a few well placed kicks. He tried to curl in on himself, to protect imself from the onslaught, but failed.

Taro was pulled upright and a fist connected with his shoulder. There was a sickening crunch and he let out a cry as blinding pain washed from his shoulder. He staggered back, dislocated arm hanging uselessly by his side.

"I'll bring it tomorrow, for now you rest." April turned to leave.

====

Elizabeth licked her lips. "I could not bare to see him broken and bloodied again."

Etsuko watched her from her bed again. "Can you leave the door open for me? I'm feeling better." She asked quietly. "Then we can be friends again."

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Shade sucked in his cheeks. "He may be fine. They may have lilterally spoken to him" He said, assurances worthless as disbelief in his own words became apparent.

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Taro's arm had been put back into place, the pain almost as bad as it was coming out. The guard dragged him up the ddungeon's cells again, more than half carrying the blonde. When they reached his origional cell, the guard shoved him back inside, slammed the door, and strode away.

April smiled sadly back at the girl. "You know I can't do that. I'll see you tomorrow." And with that, April left.

---

Elizabeth gasped and cought the fool as he feel, she lowered himgently to the floor and grabbed his old shirt to use as a pillow.
She held hisface gently and kissed any spot left fre of marks.
"What have they done to you." She whispered softly, running her hand through his hair