• CHAPTER 144 - JOURNEY INTO HELL

    You're about to face your two killers again and the one who started it all...is that legal?

    While waiting for Kai to bring me a pair of clothes and Ai, I sat myself on the corner of the bed and looked out of the hotel window. A drop of rain splattered on the window, then another, then another, and, soon enough, a downpour started. There were a couple flashes of lighting and light rumbles of thunder and I laid down on the bed and sighed. The sound of the rain rapping on the rooftop was melodic; it was making me tired. I took a moment to close my eyes and absorb the noises of everything around me. I had never had such a tranquil moment of peace in ages. Too bad it was all about to be shattered.

    ~*~*~*~*~*~

    "...sa?" a voice whispered to me. "Arisa?"

    I cracked my eyes open slowly only to look up at Kai as he was gently shaking my shoulder. I stretched and sat up, only to be tackled back onto the bed by an exuberant--or sobbing--Ai. I waited for another moment and noticed that she was actually sobbing, hard. Instinctively, I rubbed her back and waited for her to calm down.

    "Nana, I don't want to leave!" she sobbed into my chest. "I want to stay with you and uncle Kai!"

    Hearing her sob broke my heart, especially her plea. I would have said some words to comfort her, but Kai gently pried Ai off of me and helped me off of the bed, "We don't possess the time to waste,"

    Kai handed me a fresh pair of clothes and I grabbed them, entering the bathroom shortly after. Through the door, I could still hear little Ai sobbing and Kai trying to calm her down. Every now and then, she would bring up the subject of Kira which, in return, made me want to sob. Matsuda said he wasn't dead, so I shouldn't be stressed out for now.

    I exited the bathroom slowly and Kai held a plastic sack open and I stuffed my clothes into it. Kai handed the bag to Ai and picked up an umbrella. With Kai holding one hand of mine and Ai holding the other, we left the hotel and entered Kai's car. Sitting in the back seat, Ai sat on my lap and continued to cry softly, playing with locks of my hair. Along with her heart, mine was breaking as well.

    ~*~*~*~*~*~

    The drive was so long; I eventually drifted off into sleep with Ai until the car stopped a little abruptly. My eyes opened and I scanned outside of the car; there were numerous mountains from what I could see, and a tiny hut about four hundred yards away. The passenger door opened and there stood Kai with the umbrella. He reached over for Ai's hand and pulled her out of the car and he assisted me after that.

    We stood outside of the car for a moment, all of us looking at the hut that was just a few hundred yards away. My heart tied into knots and lodged into my throat, especially when Ai clung to my shirt. I wasn't as scared of meeting my killers again so much as I was sad to let Ai go. I didn't know if I would really see her again or not.

    "Uncle Kai, I still can't read minds," Ai mumbled. "You're not supposed to let me go until I can."

    Kai looked down at Ai and smiled lightly. He pat Ai's head, "Sorry, kid,"

    "And I want to see Kira when he wakes up!"

    That stopped my heart for a second but Kai kept his reassuring smile on, "We'll notify you when he does,"

    While Kai was reassuring Ai with half lies, my knees were starting to tremble and my knuckles were turning white from keeping my sweaty fists clenched so tightly. Kai reposed one hand on my back and started leading us towards the hut of doom. Ai clung to my shirt excessively and Kai kept a cool, nonchalant face on.

    Halfway to the hut, Kai stopped me by wrapping one arm tightly around my waist and delving into a rough kiss. I gripped onto his shirt and flinched a little after feeling water pouring on me due to Kai's lack of attention to the umbrella. After holding that unexpected kiss for a moment, Kai pulled back and nuzzled my forehead with his, removing his hand from my waist to caress me.

    "If anything happens in there, I need you to run," he whispered to me.

    "If anything happens...?"

    "You remember what Minoru and Kaiba have done to you," he warned ominously. "Don't allow them to even look in your direction."

    "I love you..." I mumbled, watching as the rain drops dripped off of the tips of Kai's hair. "They won't get to me."

    Kai held the umbrella over us once again and we continued our way towards the hut. With every step, Ai's grip on my shirt seemed to get tighter. Either she was afraid of her dad or she really didn't want to leave. We finally reached the hut in the middle of the grassy field before the mountains and I looked back; the car seemed so far away.

    The door slid open and Kai took a step back. I looked up, thinking it was Kai who opened the door, but I was only greeted by Kaiba's cold, callous complexion glaring at all three of us. Kai nudged me with his elbow and I looked down at the worn wooden floor. Kaiba stepped to the side and all three of us stepped inside the damp, dark hut. I looked up as soon as the door slammed shut and almost screamed after seeing Minoru leaning against a wall with his arms crossed and a smirk plastered on his face--directed towards me.

    Kai wrapped one arm around my waist and held me close to his side. I couldn't hear it, but I could feel the vibration of a growl developing in his chest. I peeked up at Kai and his crimson eyes were directed at Minoru. I looked at whoever was next to Minoru; he was tall, beautiful, medium black hair in a ponytail, and eying Kai and I. Was he Ai's father?

    "Ai, where have you been?" Hisao looked down at Ai who was still clenched onto my shirt.

    "I-I was with mom," she mumbled.

    Hisao held out his hand and smiled gently, "Come here,"

    Very slowly, Ai released her grip on my shirt and took two steps towards her father. She stopped where she was and peered back at me. I dropped onto my knees and embraced her, holding her very close to me. She cried a little softer and gripped my shirt again.

    "I love you, Nana," she cried into my shoulder. "I wanna see you again."

    "You will," I spoke an empty promise. "I'll visit as much as I can." I held her a little closer.

    A deep chuckle sent chills down my spine and I looked up to see Hisao with a grin on his face, "Such maternal instincts you posses,"

    "You learn to mature when half of your family is murdered," I hissed at him.

    "Is that so?" he chuckled. He reached out his hand once more. "Ai, come."

    Ai pulled away from me and looked up at Kai. Kai gave her a weak smile and pat her on the head. After another short moment, Ai walked over to Hisao and stood at his side while wiping up the remains of her tears. I stood back up and leaned against Kai, feeling a part of my heart leaving with Ai.

    "You have your daughter; may we leave?" Kai asked politely but with a hint of anger in his tone.

    "No, no, stay for a spell," Hisao smiled. "I've just met young Arisa."

    I didn't like him. I didn't like him one bit. I noticed Hisao look down subtly at my bandaged foot and he glided his way over to Kai and me. He eyed the bandages on my neck and I pulled my hair further over my shoulders to conceal the bandages. He wasn't going to attack me, was he?

    In a flash, Hisao had slammed his hand around Kai's throat and was holding him at a distance. Kai's feet were still on the ground and he remained still with anger starting to flow into his eyes. Despite how angry and red Kai's eyes were, he never growled or hissed once. I was merely staring in shock; how could Kai's neck not have snapped after such an impact?

    "You irresponsible scum," Hisao hissed at Kai. "Part of the deal was for her to not be harmed."

    Kai gripped onto Hisao's wrist, "It's impossible for harm not to be inflicted," he said informatively.

    Hisao looked down at my foot again, "What happened?"

    "Werewolf--"

    "I didn't ask you," Hisao hissed at Kai again and squeezed his hand tighter around Kai's throat.

    Hisao darted his eyes at me and I gulped loudly. From the corner of my eye, I could see Minoru and Kaiba still watching me. "I-I-a Werewolf bit my foot," I lowered my head. "Kai's brother is in bad condition; let Kai and I leave, please."

    Hisao smiled, "Such a polite lady," he released his grip from Kai's throat and gripped Kai by his shoulder. "I'm sure you appreciate that, Kai."

    Kai's complexion appeared apathetic but his eyes were burning a firey red. In a way, Kai almost looked possessed. I watched as Hisao's grip on Kai's shoulder tightened and flinched as soon as I heard a growing splintering noise. I took a couple of steps back, panicked.

    "Stop it, stop it!" I shouted at Hisao. "You're hurting him!"

    Kai probably wasn't feeling that much pain, but just the noise was enough to hurt me; Hisao was trying to break Kai's shoulder and collarbone. Softly, I felt something gracefully brush against the sides of my neck and lift my hair up. A pair of sub-zero lips pressed against one of the bandages and I was locked in place, frozen from fear. Hisao released his grip on Kai as Ai started to cry again.

    "Minoru," Kai hissed under his breath, "release her."

    Minoru chuckled in my ear and backed away as he was told. I immediately embraced Kai and buried my face in his unharmed shoulder. I gripped his shirt tightly and was on the verge of hyperventilation, "Kai, I wanna leave..."

    I wished we could have left earlier. Had we left earlier, I wouldn't end up suffering severe mental pain I was unaware of.