Zhaleys

Weak fingers traced along her hip then waist until reaching in towards the chest. Bite marks and other bruises scattered across in random places. Her body was cold yet still. When her hand reached up to her jaw and cheek, it had already lost all effort and dropped down to the bed again. A clear reflection would have probably confirmed how much her resolve had withered in such a short amount of time. Her bangs fell down covering part of her eye as she lay sideways on the cheap bedding at the center of the room. She already felt like a shell of herself, but what more was there to it? She had already forgotten what her purpose was being there.

No. Another day buried under the blankets wouldn’t get here out of that cursed city. She had to get out no matter what. There was still some bruising on her arm and legs, but she sat up and put her clothes back on. Her jacket hung on a stool that was ill positioned from the bed. What had she been waiting for anymore? The deviled dark silhouette of the woman who had taken her there was nowhere to be seen. It had been almost two days since she appeared. Akira knew her name well, but didn’t want to speak it anymore. Her body and mind had been completely crumbled by her already. She wasn’t anyone’s plaything.

She had not even locked the door whenever she left, so what was her plan? Had she grown tired of Akira so quickly? In that case, the more reason for her to leave. Not even Emma had tried to contact her since arriving, there was no choice but to keep fighting and collect enough tags. She touched the door handle and took a deep breath before turning it to check the hallway. Another moment later and she could force herself to step out. That’s when the door stopped again and she froze in confusion. Something was obstructing the way. It was safer to let go, but without warning the door swung out of control, making her step back. Had she truly picked the worst time to leave and now she had come to punish her for it?

Then the door opened calmly again to a flowing skirt and a sweater– or cardigan. Deadpan purple eyes looked back at her, unfazed to see someone else. It was her. The odd girl she met in an alleyway. Light brown hair, and an odd way of speaking. She had been reading a book near the city square. That much she remembered. Akira didn't know if she had heard her name before. She was much taller than initially thought.

“You? What are you doing here?” Akira gripped the edge of her jacket instinctively.

“Come. With me.” she said. Her tone was even more difficult to decipher.

“Did you know I was here?” Akira had so many questions, and she couldn’t trust anyone so easily.

“Come.” The brown haired girl reached her hand. She was more of a woman the longer Akira looked at her face. She took a single step forward.

There was nothing telling Akira to be wary. She didn’t even know where in the city she was anymore. Maybe this person could lead her out until she found a familiar street to take her back to the safe zone. She wasn’t going to take her hand so easily, however. When she stepped back into the hallway, the mysterious woman snatched her wrist anyway. Akira was surprised with how much strength was pulling her. They walked hurriedly out of the building while she struggled to gain her breath.

“Are you rescuing me? Who are you?” she asked but got no response. Figures.

After a few more streets, she finally felt the grip loosen at her wrist. Why were they walking so fast? And to where? She thought they were getting closer to the city center, but they turned into another alleyway that she didn’t recognize. Before long, she found herself inside an overgrown greenhouse. The air was humid and unpleasant, but it was at least warmer than the outside. Akira quickly realized it was already evening when she left since once the sky changed color and the clouds became dense above them. She couldn’t waste time there.

“Stay here.” The purple-eyed woman said to her.

“I don’t get it… why am I here?!”

“ It will be dangerous tonight. The full moon will rise again… and her color will be dyed along with it.”

Akira was even more confused now. What was happening that night? Dangerous enough to stay inside for how long?

“Who’s color?!”

“Shiki…”

Akira's face went pale. She knew about Shiki. Of course, but what more that others didn’t? Beyond that, what did she know about Akira that would make her bring her here? At that point, she didn’t think she could be more terrorized by Shiki after everything that had happened. She didn’t even want to defeat her anymore for the sake of her pride. She had already lost a friend due to her mistakes. There was only one way to move forward to make sure it had not been in vain.

"Stay here. Until the leaves can protect you.”

“Why are you helping me?” Akira couldn’t understand why she was being rescued at all. She hated owing someone favors.

“The sky is wailing, can you hear it?” The person before her knew nothing but to speak convolutedly. Akira decided to stop asking anything else. She could stay the night, but would leave first thing in the morning.

A small kitten came from the crevices and wrapped itself around the other’s leg. It purred loudly until she bent down to pick it up. It was unexpected that she’d be fond of animals in an environment like this, but that was already the least of her particularities. Her hand kept caressing the top of its head while looking off somewhere Akira didn’t know.

“No… I’ll go rest then. If you don’t want to explain anything…” she murmured the last phrase under her breath before stepping away to a more secluded area of the greenhouse. Some overgrown weeds obstructed the way but she used her dagger to slice them off. Vines and other roots grew all over the floor like veins. The acid rain likely kept them alive that entire time. It was a claustrophobic place, although probably more pleasant than the ominous concrete walls she had been surrounded by for the past few days. When she found another raised moss bed with hardened roots, she cleared the rubble and decided this would be her place for the night. She took off her jacket to place it on top before laying down. The air was slightly chilly but she could withstand it for one night. The last light of twilight kept fading as she looked up to the glass wall. The moon was already in plain sight, full and bright.

Akira couldn’t quite shake what she’d been told earlier. Would Shiki come for her after seeing that she finally left the apartment? The woman with purple eyes had the same somber look she always held since their first encounter, but getting answers from her was futile no matter how much she seemed to know. And that strength… how did she end up in a place like Toshima? There were no tags Akira could spot on her either.

The bruising on her arms had gotten noticeably darker when she shifted her body to the side. There was no point in staying up thinking in circles, she would find out herself when morning came. The image of Keisuke flashed in her head one more time. The one she knew before going completely insane. Akira promised herself she would find her body at least. Her chest sank again and felt the fatigue settle back on her muscles. That was the last thing she needed to drift off to sleep.

The clouds passed by in thick layers obscuring the moon with little success. Its light was brighter than it had been the previous nights. Nano sat on a bench while looking out the glass dome above. Another kitten had joined her side and slept without much care for what was transpiring. From the outside, faint cries and wails of victims carried through the wind until reaching her ears. It was the melody of Shiki’s rampage. But beyond that, she could sense something else coming from a distance. She knew her time was nearing.

Midnight had already passed, but the night would linger longer than usual with the acid rain that followed. Nano fiddled with her cardigan button before standing up again. The kittens crowded her as a plea to stay, but she only pet them another time before stepping away. From a distance she spotted a limping body on the street coming towards her until it collapsed into the pavement. Blood dripped all over their left side. It was commendable that they had made it that far without being finished off by Shiki. Her gaze fixed on them until there was no more movement. She wouldn’t intervene when someone was finally meeting their fate.

The moon peeked out again from an opening in the sky as the light spread inside the dome. She walked around silently with only its reflection to guide her. Without much effort she found Akira again, her body spread along other weeds and tall monstera leaves. Her breathing was gentle as she slept. When she walked closer, tears could be seen lining her eyes, glinting faintly. Nano wondered what she was seeing in her dream. Her strength and fighting spirit were nowhere to be seen when she rested so defenselessly.

Nano touched her cheek with her fingers, feeling the slight shock of their blood reacting to the other. Akira flinched, but it didn’t seem she had woken from it.Her body only moved to expose more of her neck and collarbone. There was a bruise there too. Nano knew how it had gotten there. The rest of Akira’s skin was so pale and soft in contrast. She noticed the other marks on her torso too. She wanted to see all of them. Her mouth opened to breathe more air in.

Akira’s shirt came up to her chest. It was loose enough that she didn’t notice. Nano knelt beside her and ran her hand through her midriff before landing on the fresh piercing at her navel. The area was still red, but the blood had already clotted around it so there was nothing seeping out anymore. The barbells were shiny even when covered in a light layer of it. This was the aftermath of Shiki’s work. Nano lingered on it in deep thought before leading her hand up the dip between her breasts. There was another mark near her nipple. She caressed it too. Her hand had already become hot against her skin. She had been played with to this degree already. Nano wanted to know more.

Her body shuddered until she felt a shock around her chest and neck. Akira was still in her dream, but didn’t know it. The void of her mind had turned into pulsating blood all around. She had already forgotten what she was dreaming about just a second ago. The shock grew more and more intense. What was consuming her? A headache manifested itself out of nowhere. Everything became more and more unbearable until finally she sensed her own blood shed on the floor.

Her eyes shot wide open as if she had just fallen. The head of the woman who had taken her was on her chest and holding her down. The stinging from her dream hadn’t faded at all… she was bleeding again.

“Ghhgh!!” Akira tried to push her away but it was no use. “What are you doing!?!!”

There was blood slowly pooling from her chest, and she could feel more clearly her wound being sucked and drained of blood. It sent ripples through her body every time it happened. It wasn’t a regular reaction. It made it hard to keep pushing with all her strength. The woman held her down firmly until raising her face a few inches. Akira could see the blood on her mouth and part of her cheek. Why was she doing this? Immediately she realized it had been a mistake to stay there without anything about her. Her heart rate accelerated in a panic. She was going to be taken advantage of again.

“Let me go!”

The other woman looked at her with half closed eyes. Her pupils were dilated, but her expression was not much different than before. It did not seem like she could hear anything Akira was saying, she was in a trance. She squirmed and punched into the air but it was not enough to free herself. A heavy hand slid to cover her entire neck and she could feel a wet tongue glide across the wound slowly. It hurt everywhere, like she could feel every blood cell flaring as it passed through her body. It hadn't been like this with Shiki. She didn’t want any of it, but was already starting to get weak at her hips. Akira hated her body reacting this way so easily. She couldn’t let it happen again.

The woman lifted her shirt even higher until it reached her chin, then another hand went for her belt. Akira caught that opening in time to kick her leg up and make her knee slide off the raised bed. Then she pushed her off completely as fast as she could. Her jacket dropped to the ground at the same time. The other regained her footing before reaching with her hand again. Akira slapped it away and took her jacket from the ground with a swift hand.

“Hahh.. hah!” she looked back at the deep violet eyes in front of her while catching her breath. There was not a tinge or regret in them. Akira didn’t know why she had even looked for it. She ran out of the greenhouse with no clear direction except her willingness to survive. She had by sheer luck escaped from becoming a victim again.

She kept running until the greenhouse became distant. She looked back every other moment to make sure she wasn’t being followed either. Akira couldn’t understand why that woman had done such a thing. Crows circled around the sky near where she was, their loud caws and rattles fitting for a night such as this. When her lungs couldn’t take it, she stopped and turned back again. Sweat already dripped from her temples to her chin. The silhouette of the woman’s skirt flowed as she stood at the entrance. The longer she looked back, the more she felt as though she was being warned.

----------

She pulled the sword from the dead body it had just penetrated with a forceful pull. Blood splashed and spilled onto the concrete before it began to trail down the slanted street path. Her bloodlust was nowhere near being satisfied. In fact her night of killing had just begun. She wanted to tear the city apart until her energy depleted this time. It didn’t matter to her if that decreased the number of participants to 20, even 10. Something in the air was telling her she wouldn’t have the chance to do so again.

Shiki’s sword was still sharp and deadly, especially tonight. She wiped it with the side of her gloved hand before sheathing it again. The last victim of that area had been taken care of and she needed to find others before becoming more enraged. Her boots clacked on the pavement, covered in dust and blood too. Somehow she felt a bad premonition since that evening. More crows had come from the east and participants had grown wary and more careful about being exposed at night. She hated not knowing why this shift was happening.

Moreover, she had lost that fighter she had taken in for her amusement the last few days. “Akira” was her name. She had been defiant and unwavering even during their first meeting, but it made the struggle even more entertaining for her to tame. It wasn’t out of carelessness that she had left the door open for her to leave, but now it had become less than opportune to let her do so. The hunt for her would have been enticing, but with other things plaguing her mind it didn’t seem to her favor. She needed to catch her again before figuring things out for herself. Then she would decide if Akira’s life mattered enough to keep her close.

She had already ignored orders from Arbitro to retrieve another case of Rein. It didn’t matter to her at that point. As far as she saw it, Arbitro was oblivious to what was happening too. Besides, she didn’t want to run into heragain. The thought of it made Shiki's hands tighten into fists. Everything had been as usual until a few weeks ago, now she was seeing that woman more often than she wanted to. From a distance, or simply along the path as she stared at her collecting the suitcase. The way she looked at Shiki without trying to hide even a little irked her. It was obvious to her it was on purpose.

She jumped off a railing that led her down a lower street to keep walking. The clouds seemed to be moving faster across the sky now. Wind passed by through the hollows of the broken highway. Perhaps she had ventured out too far. Some tags were abandoned on the rubble with blood splattered on the chains. It had not been her that time. That friend of Akira’s had gone through a rampage of her own, although it was short lived and quite pathetic as she witnessed the end of it. She remembered Akira crying helplessly in the rain next to that lifeless body. Her resolve was broken, but that made Shiki want to test it even more.

That was why she took her forcibly. Her will deteriorating with every minute was what kept Shiki going. She would have been fine with Akira punching back halfway through if it meant she was wrong. In a way Shiki was proving something to herself as well. To have something she could dominate after a struggle; she had not known that feeling in a while. Then the sex came only to make her mind follow. Akira’s voice spilled in unexpected ways every time she slid her hand between her thighs and licked the line going down her spine to her hips. Tears lined her eyes as she grit her teeth trying to hide the pleasure she felt despite her pride; it was easy to notice. If she could feel that much, then what else was she hiding behind that weak shell she had made for herself? Those nights Shiki bit and twisted her body until she passed out from overstimulation. It filled her sadistic nature in an unexpected way. She had been able to block all thoughts of her for once…

Akira had not struggled enough the last time she took her which is what made Shiki back off. She had to focus back on the game after she had taken her fill. The two watchdogs of the Game had made a mess of themselves by leaving other participants dead while still in a dense area. She didn’t care if tags were being stolen or traded illegally, but she did hate having too many players taken from her victim pool. She debated heading back to the city center or going on the search for Akira further to the edge. If anything, she would have fled back to the safe zones by now. There were less and less people to spot on this path, but she doubted herself still. She felt pressured to make her move before it was too late.

Nano could be out there looking too. She knew enough to also lay an eye on Shiki’s new plaything and that was the last she could allow to happen. Her spine shuddered slightly. If they met again, she would make sure to silence her at last, be it a fair fight or not. Her premonition had become even more dire. A flock of birds startled her as they passed low to the ground. She had to go back.

Her pace accelerated the closer the buildings got. She knew when the castle outline was visible on the horizon from a metal stair escape. It was a shortcut only Shiki knew about. The thought of passing through the city square crossed her mind, but it was likely a waste of time knowing no sane mind would pass through in the dead of night if they didn’t want to be killed. Maybe it would have satisfied her to find an unsuspecting soul if they were still new to the city. Still, there was no sign of Akira, and the alleyways were becoming even more desolate. Players were sheltering from something ominous; it couldn’t have been just her presence causing it. Restlessness grew and her hands began to cramp from the grip at her sword's hilt waiting for something to happen. Against her better judgement, she turned her heel and headed to the square despite everything telling her not to. There was still a way to make it back quickly as soon as she confirmed her doubts.

Another rain cloud came over and followed her path. It seemed that it would shower any time soon. Light mist was already permeating the air when she stepped into rubbled tile that used to mark the walkway to the large expanse. Dead branches and twigs would pile in heaps from others trying to make it through different corners of it. Blood splashes layered and dried in varying concentrations, aftermaths of countless fights that had occurred there. The moonlight slipped through an opening in the clouds and gave her a better view of it for a short minute. After turning in circles and kicking one too many rocks out of the path, she had seen enough. Even the dead trees didn’t seem like they offered a decent hiding spot for anyone small enough to climb on them.

Shiki recalled Nano often sat quietly at the base of them, looking off into nothing if it wasn’t the rubble underneath or the singed pages of some book she didn’t recognize. It was something she had learned against her will. The image of it coming back for a split second made her even more upset. Why was Nano creeping back to her subconscious like this? Shiki’s new distraction was out of reach for only a day and that was enough to pull her back into the self-inflicted misery that had been with her longer than she could remember. Her mind began to torture her by remembering more encounters, there was no more reason to be there.

As she jumped down the piles of burned branches to reach another alleyway, an echoed scream could be heard from the east. It interrupted the silence that was more common there and she quickly turned her body to follow it. More sounds followed it at a lower volume, but the echo was clear– it was near another road bridge. Shiki knew all the ones that were in that area. The shuffle or heavy steps on the dirt also mixed with them. Now her adrenaline surged knowing prey was near. When the voices got even closer, a distinct grunt made her stop in her tracks.

Akira. She was there… After everything despicable Shiki had done, fate was still able to reward her with something, like it sensed her plea and frustration. Shiki rushed until she stopped at the edge of the paved bridge to get ahead of her, but that’s when she sensed a struggle was happening beneath. Another voice could be heard chuckling and heaving unevenly. Undoubtedly a Rein user. Someone was chasing her down under the drug’s effects. Shiki drew her sword out and jumped down to the pavement below to make her move, but just as she started running towards the fight the outline of Akira jabbing her dagger straight into their abdomen froze her mid-motion. She then pushed the body to the ground and sprinted to the opposite end of the underpass. She was lost and disoriented, like she had to desperately flee from something, but Shiki wouldn’t allow it.

She ran to the Rein addict still clutching their body and groaning in pain, blood spilling from their red-colored teeth and gums. There was nothing to say to someone like that. They pleaded with an open palm up, but before getting half a word out Shiki plunged her sword into their chest, slamming them back on the ground in a final cry of pain before going limp. Her boot heels traveled all around the tunnel as she continued on. A better prey was ahead and so close. The fact that no tags had been taken from that altercation was a enough indication that Shiki’s guess was right. Akira was fleeing.

Despite how small she was, Shiki was already losing sight of her. She could hear the sharp footsteps as they struck the ground, but her figure was still hidden from view with how densely close the buildings were to each other. It was almost like a maze with destruction and deterioration making everything hard to navigate at their fast pace. Shiki couldn’t give up just from that. She turned and jumped following just what she could hear. The street finally opened up into a wider area but the sound of footsteps suddenly came to a stop. Akira had to know she was still being chased and misdirected her. Shiki grit her teeth before choosing another alleyway to turn to. It had turned into a hiding game. Did Akira know it was her at her tail or was she simply acting on instinct to try and outsmart someone she knew would give up easily? Shiki stood for a moment and tried to assess the area with just her sight. Again the moon came over her and illuminated a narrow area to her left before fading again. Everything was as still as it always was. She turned around to retrace her steps before hearing a pebble fall from a short distance. That was all she needed to pick a way.

Akira took off into another building knowing her cover was no more. The old restaurant doors creaked as she crashed into them. Shiki’s more defined steps followed after. A hall led to the other end of the floor which became clear when doors were half destroyed or missing. She marched out and saw nothing. The atmosphere became quiet for another moment until she turned back inside and bumped violently into Akira who tried to run from the opposite direction. The impact broke her balance and they stumbled back into the stained alleyway. Her arm kept her from falling side first on the ground but it wasn’t enough to escape in time. Shiki grabbed her arm forcefully to pull her in and catch her opposite wrist too.

“Gghh!! Let me go!” Akira hissed back in a struggle.

“Do you really think you can hide from me?” Their feet planted themselves heavily on the ground as they pulled from both sides. “You belong on a leash.”

Shiki then noticed the blood stain seeping from the middle of Akira’s shirt. It extended into a tail and dripped downward near the edge of her shirt. It wasn’t a wound she remembered when they were in the apartment building. It seemed to be seeping with fresh blood again since the center was slowly becoming darker than the surrounding blot.

“Khh..!” Akira didn’t seem to notice it at all. She kept pulling with new strength to get Shiki off. Survival and adrenaline were the only thing fueling her.

They staggered as each kept pulling further and further. Akira already looked exhausted but she was struggling beyond her limit. Shiki could’ve easily taken out her sword but hurting her wasn’t what she wanted, not with how the stain on her shirt kept getting larger with every second. She had to get her in another position to knock her unconscious somehow. Akira looked into her eyes with a strained face, but beyond that there was determination she hadn’t seen in a while. Just as she stopped pulling for a split second, Shiki thought the upper hand was back in her control, but then Akira rammed her elbow into Shiki’s chest and kicked at her left leg. It was enough to free her by pulling away again and she was gone into the alleyway.

“Tch!” Shiki grabbed her sword and slashed it out again. There was no more room for games. If they were going to play dirty, then she would reciprocate.

Without a longer head start, Akira was already finding herself at a dead end. The shadow of Shiki’s coat could be seen reflecting on walls, getting closer and closer. She climbed around a semi demolished room and tried to go for another tall building across the road ahead. She could feel her chest burning again and the blood that dripped down her abdomen. It seemed she couldn’t escape anything that was coming to devour her, and now they were multiplying at an alarming rate. If only she knew the city better, she would’ve been back in the safe zone already.

Shiki ran ahead, closing the distance. She saw Akira go into another complex that had narrower rooms and a misleading layout that would make it easier to lose trail. She would not let that discourage her and focused on the lingering smell of blood along with the echoes of Akira’s steps to be her lead. She was certain that she had gone up, but after only a few floors, the trail simply cut off. Had she been easily duped again? A quick sweep of the current floor led her to jump back down another floor. Something was wrong. Akira could not disappear that rapidly without making her exit known in some way.

Her frustration slowly turned to anxiety the more frantically she ran through different rooms. Only the sound of her boots traveled through the building. Her gut churned with a bad feeling, it made the hair at the back of her neck rise. The sky became dark with clouds again limiting her field of view. She made for a window to search for an external exit, but there was nothing but concrete and rubble waiting below; she would have to find a way down the same path she came. Her sword came back to its sheath. Shiki stopped to concentrate again until the rustle of something caught her attention. A cat jumped out to reach another window sill. It startled Shiki, but she followed it down with urgency until it escaped her too. Her stomach sank even further. There was no reason for it to be there.

Her spine shivered, sensing something watching her from a distance, then she remembered Akira . There was no more doubt in her mind: she had come for her too. Shiki turned around and grabbed the hilt of her sword again. It wasn’t a trick of the mind, that woman was there. Her feet turned to find the exit as fast as possible. Akira’s scent had already faded and mixed with something completely different in the air. The rain began to drizzle outside and mist made the surrounding air humid. Shiki could see the outline of another figure lurking in the shadow, then the dark dead eyes of that who she wished she did not know. Nano. Her sword slashed out once again and made her way back down to the second floor. The white fur of Akira’s jacket just barely left her sight as it merged with a wall. The last stairs were barricaded with an array of furniture that would take too long to move, she had to use a hole in the wall if she wanted out. Her adrenaline led her to a room at the corner of the building where light and rain was pouring from the outside.

Right as she came to the edge Shiki staggered in her final step. There right below on the street she saw nothing but the blank gaze of her life’s enemy staring up at her, masking a satisfaction and superiority that made Shiki’s blood boil until it made her feel hopeless.

----------

The body she carried was surprisingly light, she shifted it to drape on her right shoulder to make better use of her legs. The rain wasn’t heavy enough to become a bother yet, but she knew it would become even stronger as the night progressed. She noticed at the corner of her view one of the cats had accompanied her to that side of the city, though it made no difference to how she had succeeded in her plan. She was lucky to have found her in such a place despite the head start she offered. Akira’s body remained limp even as she jumped from one landing to another. The bleeding from her shirt had already stopped again after putting enough pressure on it to clot. 

Nano looked behind briefly to check on their pursuiter. There was still enough distance between them, but she knew it wouldn’t last long. Her initial option was to go directly back to the greenhouse, but with Shiki on her tail there was no choice but to deviate from that path. The distant lights from the west were enough confirmation that it wouldn’t be a safe location for much longer. She had no real intention of fighting anyone to keep Akira by her side. Even so she would make it painstakingly difficult for anyone that offered themselves to the challenge. Shiki was no exception to that. It was further proof that fate kept entwining them tighter to each other regardless of what their hearts truly wanted. Nano accepted that fact more easily than Shiki did. 

Now she had without effort found a way to steal her newest attachment away– coincidentally the one who she understood better than anyone. Even in their first meeting Nano could sense it. Akira was special, and her blood even more so. Shiki had taken notice too and accepted her so easily even though they were similar… Was it because she didn’t yet know Akira was the counter to Nano’s own volatility? She wanted to stop wanting to know. She wanted to test Shiki once more. That feeling mixed with her own attachment to Akira which she couldn’t quite decipher either. When their skin touched, it was like they could sense the others' feelings through it. There was determination, and fear, but so much more uncertainty. They mixed into water like dyes until they permeated the surface of her outer mask. Nano wanted those emotions to fill the void inside her somehow. When Akira escaped from the greenhouse, she knew not to let that sense of relief envelop her for too long.

It didn’t take long for Nano to find where she had gone. Her blood still fresh could be smelled like a pheromone and the air carried it to her with ease. Walking through the deserted alleys and streets confirmed her intuition: players were laying low in fear of something deadly that night. Akira’s scent became stronger as she continued down the bloodied pavement. Coincidentally she had found an addict writhing on the ground near the city square. In her twisted kindness she decided to give them another vial of Rein. If they could reach wherever Akira was, what would she do? Nano lifted them by the collar and sent them onward while she lingered behind at a slower pace. She would find out soon enough, or that was what she initially thought.

The sound of Shiki’s sword striking came next to none. Her expression didn’t even change when she saw how she killed the addict in cold blood under the bridge. Akira was close ahead, but Nano wouldn’t give her the luxury of handing her over this time. Waiting until the time was right to steal her away again under Shiki’s guard. The run-down complex was perfect to obscure her from the moonlight. Akira’s head fell gently into her shoulder after a precise blunt hit made her lose all consciousness. Nano made sure to cover her mouth quickly as she did it to remain hidden. The expression on Shiki’s face from above as she carried Akira away was only a mild taste of what she wanted to see.

Nano found a smaller two story shop and jumped in from a broken glass window. Places like this usually had a lower level or bunkers with heat tanks. She knew Shiki was closing in faster than could be controlled but if that was the reality, then she would trap her again knowing escape wasn’t one of her playing cards anymore. Akira was all she wanted and the leverage Nano was willing to use to draw her even closer. Her skin already felt prickly with how much contact she’d had with Akira while carrying her. She grabbed her back and carried her in arms again. She crushed the lock of one of the bunker rooms to step in and lay her on the ground. Her chest fell and rose silently; a helpless body so appealing Nano wanted to drink from it again, but she held back and simply grazed her cheek down to her lips and neck to take in that scent even more. Her tongue was salivating, ready to go for her chest until another crash blew debris into the room.

“....”

Shiki’s boots cracked against the floor and parts of the door slid close to them after being split. The sword at her hand was being gripped so firmly the leather of her glove could be heard twisting. Without looking up, Nano knew she was fuming with anger, but Akira’s skin felt so soft at her fingertips, she didn’t want to ignore her. The loud noise had finally started to wake her up again. She groaned again as her eyelids moved weakly.

“Unhand her.”

“Uhh…”

Nano pressed her head against the bleeding chest before sliding her hands underneath Akira’s arms to put her in a lock position. 

“Let her go before I cut you to pieces.” Shiki took another step in, hesitant. She knew Nano was using her as leverage, there was no chance to act recklessly. The rain had finally gotten stronger outside, the sound of it reached down to them with the walls muffling every drop. 

Nano remained silent. She kept looking down at Akira with curious but somber eyes even while holding her steadily. Her neck was exposed and she went in to gently lick it. 

Shiki flinched but kept still, she didn’t have a way to stop it. She was being humiliated so easily with no way to act on her rage. If she struck her sword down, Nano would use Akira as a shield at her expense. She had been too careless to let her go without a way to keep them from meeting. Nano knew well how every touch would fuel her anger, but didn’t want her to simply stand and give up so easily.

Akira’s eyelids fluttered open, her body had already given out earlier and could barely move. She knew she’d been caught but didn’t know what was happening anymore. Her vision slowly focused on what she recognized as Shiki, but was still shivering from another sensation near her neck. Her arms were locked at her sides and she noticed she was down on the ground with half her body sprawled on the floor.

“Ghhugh..” 

“She’s awake now.” The voice came from eerily close. The vibration spread to the rest of her body. She recognized the frail thin hands and the soft cardigan around her torso. Before long she understood it was Nano still at her side. Her skin felt numb against hers, but how had this happened? She wasn’t too sure Shiki was there to save her from such a predicament. 

“Ah...” her voice was hoarse and fading. “Let me g–”

“Bastard!” Shiki’s voice boomed within the walls of the room. She gripped her sword one last time before tossing it to the ground. It was useless. 

Nano looked up at Shiki trying to search for the fearlessness she knew, but it was being drowned out by madness and desperation. A vein at the side of her temple was visible even from below. It was too easy to stop with just that. She reached down to grab Akira’s shirt and pull it up to her chest again. The marks and bruises looked even darker than they had been several hours ago. 

“You.. made these.” Nano touched Akira’s abdomen and traced around the bites and hickeys before landing on the fresh jewelry right at her navel. She looked down at them with awe one by one like she had not seen them before. Akira shuddered and closed her eyes not wanting to react, yet her skin easily pricked with goosebumps. Shiki grit her teeth, still frozen with her own helplessness. She could see the other bloodied bite mark left by Nano at the center of her chest and knew that it had been her doing. Akira had been caught even before their brief encounter… She was running from Nano that whole night. It sent Shiki over the edge.

“Enough!” Shiki finally knelt down and grabbed Nano’s wrist with all her force. It was barely enough to get it off Akira’s body. She grunted in pain, but didn’t try to run away, partly affected by anemia. “Don’t touch her like she’s yours or I’ll kill you.” “You can kill me…” Nano’s hair covered part of her face, but she kept her sight down on Akira as if monitoring her reaction. “...but I will take her too.”

“You bitch-” 

“Look.” Nano cut her off. Lifting the bloodied shirt all the way to Akira’s neck to spread her torso for Shiki to see. Akira looked away reflexively in shame, unable to look anyone in the eye anymore. Her arms lay limp with no strength. Nano had somehow completely incapacitated her. A flush of red covered her whole neck and chest. Nano cupped one of her breasts gently; her breath struggling to leave her mouth to hold back her voice. Shiki could see Akira was reacting without much effort,  wondering if Nano drugged her before leading them down there. What sick and twisted game were they even playing anymore...

Shiki’s fiery eyes met Nano’s once more, devoid of empathy or guilt. She knew all of it was to draw out a reaction. If they wouldn’t fight anymore, she would make Shiki fall into whatever despair was waiting close by to consume her. She remembered everything that had led to this moment: their first meeting, the war, the things they shared in common but wouldn’t admit to themselves. They were enemies on opposite fronts, working toward something neither fully understood. That was the only way they learned how to live. Now even in a broken city free of those shackles that stripped them down to their core, they still found themselves without anything else to depend on but each other. Shiki didn’t know what awaited her at the end of her goal or whether Nano had once dreamed of one. She would have accepted being killed by someone else who made it worth her time, but subconsciously Nano still wanted to know the real Shiki. The one concealed behind a lifetime of blood and betrayal. The raw emotions that only the two of them could see through. Those eyes that Shiki saw among the fire and devastation on their first meeting were the same ones that were looking at her now. Akira was simply the bait; a vessel for their mutual sadism.

“She is yours, is she not?” Nano swept the lock of hair resting on Akira’s cheek. 

Her breaths were beginning to get raspy. Knowing how firmly Akira was being held down, it still seemed gentle from Shiki’s perspective. Her gaze traveled to her chest then her midriff then down to her legs pressing tightly towards the ground. Shiki stared at her weak trembling not knowing what the right move was.

Nano then slid her hand down Akira’s pants forcing Shiki to act and stop her again. She snatched Nano’s hand with enough force to stop her, but their position remained stagnant. Her strength was never enough to completely stop Nano. The stress at her temples started to make her head hurt. Gazes locked at each other even though only Shiki seemed to feel any of the pressure. This was as much as she could do.

“Show me.” Nano said. Her eyes widened slightly enough for Shiki to notice and her heart rate spiked.

“What–”

“Show me how… you make her yours.” 

“?!”

Without realizing it. Nano had taken Shiki’s hand and placed it where hers had just been. 

“Then she will be released.”

Akira groaned as Nano pulled her closer. Fear sprouted in her stomach and tears started blurring her vision once more. She hated how tight her chest felt and  how her lower region reacted to their touch. It would have been better if she was completely unconscious for the rest of the night but they wanted her present as their prize but also a witness. Her skin was pricked all over from how cold she felt, the shocks of electricity ran all around her back and arms from Nano’s touch. The marks Shiki left scattered on her torso were visible again when she looked down. Neither Shiki or Nano were concerned with her at all. She looked up to see how their focus was only on the other as they held her tight. What had made them this way? Their relationship was beyond anything she could comprehend. 

“Ggh-!” Shiki looked down at their hands layered on top of the other. Akira’s button had already undone itself, she felt her breath near her cheek. Shiki didn’t know if she was being challenged or tricked anymore. There was nowhere for them to run in such a small space. She was doubting the idea of Nano wanting Akira for herself now, simply using the opportunity as a way to get inside her head instead, but one thing she wouldn’t let Nano misunderstand was that Akira was her property– and like all possessions, she would answer only to her will. Shiki’s left hand finally lifted from the ground and went for Akira’s zipper.

“please…” Akira pleaded under her breath. Those words served no purpose as Shiki’s hand could already sense she was wet. Nano licked her neck feverishly. 

Shiki hated seeing it, but knew it was their compromise. She removed Akira’s pants along with her underwear. Her jacket had already slid off almost completely except for one of the sleeves that still clung to her arm. She separated her legs forcefully until it was all in clear view. Nano’s hand came up to feel her other breast and pressed on her nipple. Her mind could not reconcile how visceral it felt against the despair in her heart. Shiki didn’t bother to take her gloves off and pressed her thumb right at the top of her labia. 

“Ah–!” Akira shut her eyes, unwilling to see how she was being used.

Shiki’s other hand rested near her entrance and used it to hold down her inner thigh before sticking an entire finger in. Nano took her own hand and felt around the area where it slid in. It was slippery and hot against her cold fingers. It slid in even further when she stretched her opening around Shiki’s hand. Akira held her breath feeling them dig inside her. There was no more strength left in her to reject it. Her hips quickly gave out only a minute in. She then felt her nipple get twisted forcefully, tensing up from the sudden sensation. Her first tear fell down the side of her cheek. Nano went for it diligently and licked it off before trailing her tongue back down to her clavicle. They had no intention of showing her any mercy.

Shiki’s gaze was fixed at Akira’s entrance, moving her finger all around, but especially the upper left where she tended to twitch the most. Nano’s hand was running her fingers along the edge from the outside as if wanting to stick her own too, but she refrained. Occasionally her index and middle went back to Akira’s clit and pressed down on it with force. The sound that spilled from Akira’s lips was sweet and desperate. It didn’t take long for her to feel like she was going to come. In her head she tried to convince herself it was better to surrender to them and let the pleasure overtake the sadness and despair in her heart. Sweat ran down her face and made her body glow faintly with the dim light that came from above.

They opened her up wider when more fingers were introduced. The leather on them rubbed against each other inside Akira making a weird vibration she could feel spreading to her lower stomach. Her sensitive spot was being hit over and over again, she didn’t know how to contain it. Nano took her hand all the way up to Akira’s jaw until it reached inside her mouth. Two fingers pressed against her tongue making her drip with saliva in a wet mess. The pain of her previous bite marks would pulsate along with the heart, somehow adding to her arousal in a way she didn’t understand. There was nowhere she wasn’t feeling something. Her hips moved on their own, trying to pull away despite knowing there was nowhere to escape. Another tear fell giving her a clear view of Shiki right in front of her. Sweat was dotting her skin, making locks of jet black hair stick to her forehead. Her eyes were shaking with determination, yet still full of madness and delirium.  It made her chest drop as another wave of pleasure raced up her spine. Behind her, Nano looked straight back with a stillness even Shiki couldn’t replicate. 

Akira’s weak voice kept ringing around the room. She felt like she was losing all feeling down below until something made her jerk up. Shiki’s fingers were still inside her, or was it Nano’s? Nothing was clear anymore. She felt something was pressing down on her stomach and it made her hips twitch again. She became scared and it was impossible to hide. Nano then grabbed her jaw and turned it forcefully to bite her ear, her helpless expression displayed clearly for Shiki to see. There was no sympathy to be found in return, instead taking it as an invitation to lean deeper in.

Their bodies fell back until they were almost laying on the ground and Shiki’s knees straddled them without slowing down. A hand rapidly moved down and behind her back as Nano buried her face into her neck tightly. Akira’s insides were becoming even more and more raw, she couldn’t even form the words to plead with them anymore. Without warning, Nano’s breath hit her nape while something kept moving from behind. Their bodies pressed together against gravity even harder than before and she could feel it clearly. Her skin felt like it was burning every time she felt that exhale. Shiki’s own breath mixed into the air along with it. 

Nano’s hand was spread open and pressed hard into Akira’s lower abdomen while Shiki kept moving her fingers with more erratic thrusts. Their eye contact lingered for moments until it turned into minutes, longer than they were able to count. Nano would not dare look away, needing to test her rival’s resolve to keep going. Shiki’s body would shake but would still be focused solely on her. 

She saw Nano’s hazy lilac eyes again through the veil of Akira’s hair, touching herself at the same time. She wanted to feel the same thing Akira was feeling. Shiki could see her hand moving every time hers did inside their prey, a relaxed expression suddenly washing over her usual empty gaze. When Shiki realized this, her teeth grit in frustration. The realization that she was still powerless even in that position made her move even more forcefully, Akira weakly reached for her sleeve trying to find anything to anchor herself to. She soon find it when Shiki pressed her head down to bite and the wound that Nano had given her hours earlier. 

Every nerve in her body spasmed at once like a current was crashing deep within her core.

“Hah…aH–!”

There was not enough or reason to process any of it. When Akira grabbed Shiki’s shoulder, her back arched inward while everything came out all at once. Her eyes shut hard and her neck twisted awkwardly with Nano still pressed behind her. It dripped down to her skirt, soaking it instantly along with the ground. Shiki’s thighs were also soiled, especially her hand. The metal of her bracelet shined while covered with it. Akira’s body had quickly gone limp right afterwards, falling to the side before Nano could release her. Sweat and blood slowly dripped again as she regained her breath.

But Shiki had not been concerned with her at all. Her lips burned from the taste in her mouth and her tongue had gone numb. Nano’s body lay before her, disheveled and sweaty. Her skirt was raised up, draping to the side where her hips were exposed. The place her own hand had been while she touched Akira. Her stare lingered on it until Nano covered herself again, confirming there was nothing underneath her skirt that whole time. It was even more twisted than she had imagined. Nano similarly saw Shiki’s hands hung at her sides dripping with Akira’s discharge. One of her fingers twitched from fatigue. The pain of her wrist would not be noticeable until hours later. 

Before the dreadful silence could envelop them, rumbling from the skies reached the room. Something had entered the city and ominous sirens wailed from a distance. Shiki looked up alarmed, but she had to remember Akira and why she had come there. If she was going to escape she would do so with her rightful possession. 

Nano knelt down to raise Akira’s spent body just before Shiki came to her senses and reached for her too. The look in her eyes was still feigning anger, but beyond them Nano could see the distress she was able to implement on her. Shiki's unwavering gaze while she touched herself would be burned in her mind forever. Knowing that was enough. She had no intention of breaking her vow. Even with Shiki’s heart pounding out of her chest and her own uncelebrated defeat. She would allow that to be how all of this ended.Akira’s worn down jacket still lay on the ground beside them and Nano reached for it to drape it over her shoulders before standing again. Shiki refused to look into her eyes anymore, holding Akira close to keep her from falling. They would not make it far as long as she was in that state. That too was a fate she was willing to let them live. Nano understood she had nothing else to do in that place anymore. 

The rain turned into thunder and violent noises shook the ground below, but Shiki remained even as the steps faded from the room and the rumbling became stronger. Akira still rested in her arms, bruised and still like a doll. Captured even as the end of Toshima came to greet them.

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Thank you for reading, here's link to the full art that inspired this (must be following)