The Forest God's New Familiar

~ Chapter 8 ~

"But—"

"Sleep."

She sighed, deciding to do as he said. The day I saw Takehiko be so serious about something is the day I decide to actually listen - which is today. It's so messed up. How many years has it been since I actually slept? She laid down on the roof. 140 years? No, 145 years? That's sounds about right. She closed her eyes. How did I use to go to sleep? What was it I last dreamt? It seems I can't remember why I stopped sleeping. I suppose I'll get to see for myself why.

With those last thoughts, she drifted off to sleep as Takehiko drank his sake, contently watching over Kyoko and staring at the stars.

Darkness was everywhere, blood blotched itself onto the pure blackness of the canvas. Blood dripped down Kyoko's face, her claws were covered in blood, her hair was stained with red, her lifeless eyes glowed a crimson red in stead of its usually black orbs. Her face was emotionless, staring at the darkness below her. In her hands, she held bloodied katanas.

Screams could be heard all around her. "Please! Don't kill me! I have a son I need to take care of! Please! Ahhhh~!" a voice screamed, it was a female.

Another one was heard. "I don't want to die! Please, have mercy on me! I promise i won't do anything to you, just please, don't—Ahhhh~" This time it was male.

And another one. "I beg of you! I have a family! They need me to survive! Please!"

"How could you do this? Those people had lives, a future, and you killed them? You heartless creature," a voice ringed but Kyoko didn't flinch, she just stood there, staring at the darkness below her.

Another one began to talk. "I know you're going to kill me, so I might as well come out and say it. You're going to regret killing me, I know it. When you find someone that cares about you, you'er going to start to see how heartless you really are. And when you do, you're going to wish you were died."

Kyoko's eyes flickered, however, all she did was begin to walk away into the eternal darkness. She said, her voice lifeless and emotionless "If I cared for your opinion, then I would tell you to back off or something, but I don't. So these are the words I'll say 'I never regret anything I do, because I already know how heartless I am.'"

Takehiko watched as Kyoko slept, her face seemingly peaceful and relaxed, unlike her usual face, where it was coated with emotionless, cold and something else identifiable. However, it changed a few hours. Wind surrounded her viciously, her face did not change though, it just kept spinning and spinning until it had a high enough velocity to cut someone. He stepped back slightly to avoid getting hurt, what was she dreaming about that's making her do this? He wondered to himself, before glancing at Kyoko. Her face was contorted into the look that he didn't particularly like, it was the one that he first saw when he first met her. Loneliness, cold and empty.

Then, Kyoko bolted upright, making Takehiko jump in surprise. Now I remember why I didn't want to sleep ever again, she thought to herself. Kyoko looked at her Master, and said "Oi, Takehiko."

"Yes," he responded, slightly nervous from what he had witnessed while she was asleep.

Kyoko looked at him emotionlessly, her face completely void of expression. She spoke. "I'll sleep when I know I won't have nightmares. Until then, don't expect me to close my eyes ever again."

Takehiko's eyes widen. Her words were serious and calm, yet, behind it, you could hear something that was rare to hear, especially in her voice. It was...

Hatred.

Kyoko wasn't the type to hate things, nor get annoyed. However, she hated dreaming because of her dreams. They were always constant reminders of the sins she had committed in her lifetime, if not more. You could get use to it after awhile, but it starts to get on your nerves after a little awhile. The word that irked her the most was heartless. She absolutely hated that word. Those words always reminded how much she didn't care for human life, how much she didn't care about her own life, how much she could kill someone without remorse. Her dreams always reminded her how heartless she really is. That word, and those dreams combined were enough for her to stop sleeping for 145 years.

And she doesn't intend to dream anymore than she already does.

Takehiko didn't pry, judging by her tone, she did not want to talk about it. So, despite being curious, he decides to leave her be. However, he does plan to ask he wants to start with earning her trust a bit more until it was an unbreakable bond. Although, he knows that even if they have an unbreakable bond, there are things the two won't even talk to each other about.

For example, his past. He shakes at his thoughts, and looked at Kyoko. He said "I see. I won't force you to I suppose, but know even you can't stop sleeping forever. Now come on, we got some jobs to do."

She nodded before following him, her face changing back to its usual emotionless face.

Two more days until the Summit is over.