The Moon and The Sun Shared The Sky (akaren/renkaza)

Chapter Sixteen

Douma sat, the simmering candles around him melted wax into the cracks of a furnished wood, the strums of a biwa heard carried through the still air. The noises only sounded minutes after each other; noises for noise's sake rather than a humming lullaby. Douma swayed a buzzing in his head, leaving his face rather stern, thoughts spinning into a slurry of questions. Akaza. His associate had willed himself to being with a Hashira. His friend had a peculiar taste, refusing the valiant flavor of a woman's sweet blood; in favor of a man's. Douma couldn't help himself from interfering in such a distasteful situation, his master already getting word of Lord Akaza's treacherous behavior. The idea did bounce in his head— perhaps— there was a reason. What would drive a demon to commit to such behaviors? He understood the idea of meddling with humans, from the way humans contorted to one's very will, puppets for amusement. However, a Hashira was a step over the line, never meant to be crossed. A clawed finger propped upon the skin of felted lips, red with color. A thoughtful mind to the situation at hand, not a clue upon the acts.

The biwa sounded once more, a playful bantering between Hantengu and Gyokko, comrades meeting among one another, a great note to hear. He awaited the arrival of the main topic himself, the meeting originally called to make an example. With suspicion only, there was confirmation brought to Lord Kibutsuji by himself. Kokushibou had long since been there, silence and mystery surrounded the still air around him. Douma couldn't help but shed false remorse for the upper moon, no wonder he was so secluded biding his time. Douma had a wondrous cult he could turn to for anything he hoped.

The biwa chimed once again, and of final importance, Akaza was there. Lord Kibutsuji would arrive any moment and the meeting would commence. A feathered, sinister chuckle sounded from behind a fan before it snapped to a shut. Douma rose to his feet whilst keeping his composure of grace. The air fell heavy around him and the light seemingly diminishing. Drawn out steps sounded against the wooden floor.

A new sense of sinister slumped itself up to Akaza, hot air brushed down his neck with a click of Douma's tongue. Akaza's body tensed for only a moment feeling his blood push through his body. His body's skin crawled, feeling like slime licked at his skin, being in Douma's presence was enough to fuel his violent tendencies. Akaza's fist made contact with the side of Douma's head, a crunching sounded out from the pure pressure. Douma's face caved in on itself seemingly, but quickly healed as Douma took some slouched steps backward— cupping the healing skin with a silent laugh ringing through the hardwood halls of the castle.

"It seems you're getting stronger!" his voice seemed pleased, like being punched was the best thing to have happened to him. His blood now pooled under his feet, a distasteful look for the seemingly perfectly kept flooring.

Akaza had a tense look as his face seemed to contain all the hatred he could harbor for a single other. His previous was soon to be followed up by a second as his hand detached itself from his body. A dull thud connected with the floor, his arm seemingly pouring out liters of blood— a snap took form in the place of a new hand. Akaza didn't dare take a look at who it would be that cut his hand off seamlessly.

Douma took humor in the whole situation, laughing as his hand dismissed the other Upper Moon. Everyone here aside from Akaza knew what this meeting was for.

"Lord Kokushibou, you really don't have to be so mean, we were just playing– isn't that right Lord Akaza.." Douma's eyes drifted from Kokushibou to Akaza as his words seem to have a meaning Akaza couldn't decipher, they're long and drawn out. His face seemed perplexed from Douma's sudden shift in tone– but that's normal, anyone would be– Douma had a strict front he kept up, and for him to break it seems too questionable.

"He has no respect." Kokushibou seemed more annoyed than his normal self, his words breaking the awkward silence Douma had previously created.

"Lord Kokushibou, no need to be a stick in the mud, after all I doubt he will be disrespectful after tonight!" Douma watched Akaza's face contort into something of worry and confusion, perfection in Douma's eyes.

"Where is Lord Kibutsuji, Nakime" Akaza spoke harshly, the reality of the situation caving in on himself. He had put himself in a rather awkward predicament. His questioning was only greeted with yet another strum of the biwa.

"No good no good no good— eek!" Hantengus' voice rang out above the biwa expecting more of a show from the three Upper Moons. Akaza's mind only drifted, everyone in this room seemed to be nothing but utterly useless.

"Here I was assuming you would already be de– accounted for." Gyokko now joined in on the belligerent bullying that had no effect on Akaza, he had yet to even be informed of what was going down.

Gyuutaro and Daki seemed to keep quiet, mostly sticking to the shadows of a dull corner. Gyuutaro gave off an air of anxiety as he picked off the skin of his neck, an unsightly scene as skin would practically peel off like the skin on a banana, healing back almost instantly under the fresh wound. He didn't like the air whatsoever, it was thick with tension– an unnatural scent.

 "He's here." Nakimes' voice sounded over the chaotic confusion, a strong presence made clear once everyone hits the floor. Akaza kept his head down from his kneeling position, a greeting all Upper Moons seemed accustomed with.

"Ah! Lord Kibutsuji–" Douma was swiftly cut off, their master's usual tolerant demeanor seemed like it was almost non-existent.

"Silence." Kibutsuji's eyes narrowed, traversing over each individual Upper Moon till they landed on Akaza. Akaza's body could feel his own cells attacking him from the inside out, it was instantly clear to the Upper Moon, he was the reason for Kibutsuji's anger. He had been caught somehow, he let himself slip too far.

A coughing mouthful of blood splat itself out onto the floor below him, he should be killed for his treason. A splotched blindness from the right of his head he assumed was the effect of Kibutsuji's anger manifesting itself in his body. A patch of blood, brain, and bone collapsed, Akaza had not imagined the blindness and lifted his head to see his Master holding his eye before him.

"You are replaceable." Kibutsuji's eyes became slits of their original form. Akaza's body began killing itself from the inside out, this must be it. He awaited the death his body was already so desperate for but it never came. Akaza never fell from his kneeling position as best as he could. Breathing no longer was accessible to him as he suffocated on his own blood, his body desperate to regenerate the internal damage.
"Remember that to be true." Kibutsuji dropped Akazas eye, the pain in his body ceasing it seemed. The eye in front of Akaza disintegrated as he grew another in its place, full vision being granted to him.

"Oh! So if not kill him what do we do about his unseemly actions–?" Douma spoke too casually, his head splitting into two, down the middle. This didn't stop his pleased laughter as he pushed both halves back together.

"Your anger is displaced!" Douma commented once more Kibutsuji learning to just ignore him, his comments were useless. If Douma was not a valued asset, he would long be dead by now.
Kibutsuji instead turned his attention back to Upper Moon Three, he had so graciously let live beside his treasonous acts. He had a simple request to be filled out, he would have the source of the problem be removed. Killing the Hashira daring to have his pawns become so insubordinate, without fear for what he could do.

"Akaza will not leave for another mission till that Hashira dies– and I want him to do it himself." Kibtsuji pointed his clawed finger at Akaza, his tone unmoved and uncaring.

Douma began to clap at his Lord's decision. "Ah! What a wonderful idea Lord Kibutsuji– right Lord Akaza—?" His neck snapped around, a mockingly toothed grin on his face, Akaza's face however displayed mortification but only through his eyes what a cruel world it was, his past ideology came suddenly crashing down on him. Akaza was destined to kill the same Hashira he found pleasantry in his company. A Hashira and Upper Moon could never share the same sky, just as the sun and moon can't embrace each other.

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1473 Words!

Sorry I took so long!!!!

annoy my editor Pt #2 :>