Hakuouki: Dragon Circles in Quiet Summer

Chapter 36

~~3rd POV~~

They came back early morning before the sun was able to rise. Souji had took her usual outfit there so she came back in her usual attire, leaving the kimono back at the house.

"We were going to get you." Fuyu growls at her.

"Yeah, well I could care less. Where's Mei?" She asks, still holding Souji's hand.

"With Sannan, as you requested but I added Yui for extra support." Minori steps in.

"You smell it don't you? You know what they're bringing right?" She looks to Fuyu. Souji was obviously confused, lacking the senses of a demon.

"What?" Souji asks gently.

"Furies. Many of them... That means Dr. Osana is with him." She whispers, tightening her hold on his hand. "I'll go get my sword, it's in my room. I need some time alone, if it's furies the. They won't come until nightfall." She says, letting go of Souji's hand.

They all watch her walk off and when she's out of sight they whisper. "I got the sword. I'll confirm that it is the Yukimura sword. She must've accidentally taken it when she was captured so she could use it to walk. You sure it'll work?" Fuyu asks, handing Souji the sword.

"It's all we have and I've come to know her well enough that she's more truthful when she's asleep. All I know is that when Kaede did it, Sakura said her neck was cut up and was asking her why she had her brothers special sword. I checked last night. Her neck has small faded scars at the back of her neck. You can barley make out some symbol and a long slash mark across it. I'm just assuming that this is how you do it." Souji shrugs, securing the sword next to his other one.

"I hope your right." Fuyu whispers and notices Souji staring off. "You alright?" He asks and Souni snaps out of it.

"Just thinking." He didn't think he should tell him about the off and eerie feeling in his stomach. Something felt wrong.

~~~

"Nothing's wrong right now but... Sakura is crying in her room. I thought I should let you know." Heisuke says and Souji stands up from his spot under the trees where he was hoping Sakura would join him. Now he knew why she didn't. It was already sundown. Was she crying for that long? He was on guard duty the whole time and he'd just gotten his break. But each time he asked the guards posted near her area, they would say she was upset and refused to see anyone.

Heisuke, along with everyone else were on high alert and he had heard her as he passed the room.

"Yeah, thanks." Souji says, already walking to her room.

He hesitated at her door and decided to knock. He heard her sniffle and frowned. "What?" She whispered so softly he barley caught it.

"Are... Are you okay? Do you want me to-"

"I wanna be alone..." She whispers softly again. He was starting to get worried. Not even when she was down was she this quiet.

"Sakura..." He slides open the door only for it to be slammed shut in his face.

"I wanna be alone..." She whispers again but now that she was close to the door he heard it. A higher pitched voice forcing itself to be softer and smoother like Sakura's. This wasn't her.

He slammed open the door and took out his sword. He pointed it at the short girl. "Where is Sakura?" He growled. After the loud slams of the door, the others were alerted to come check out what had happened.

What they saw was Souji pointing his sword at a young fury girl with the signature white hair and red eyes. She smirked maliciously. "It took you this long to check on her? She's been gone since she left you." The girl says matter-of-factly.

"Where is she?" He repeats, making sure that the tip of his sword poked at her neck.

"She'll return as soon as the sun goes down. But I don't think she'll be Sakura." She smirks and looks out to the falling moon. "This process is vary long and painful. They're most likely still rubbing the salt in her burn. She has to be burned over and over again until her healing abilities start to slow down and the they place salt in the little indentions left by the branding iron that has burnt and broken her skin. Then they'll scrape it all out and do it again, grinding deeper and harder with each rub. And like a happy ending, cherry blossoms sweep away all the bad things. But if it's this far along then it can't be undone or stopped." All of them cursed but immediately went back to the girl.

"How many are coming?" If what she said was right, Souji knew he couldn't find her in time even if she told them where she was.

"Oh but they're taking taking precautions. They're carving in her stupid demon mark over and over so that whatever bonds she has to her clan won't work. Each line and shade of the dragon will be carved in detail. Don't worry, her demon abilities are still intact but... Your ancestors won't reach her this time. And even if it doesn't work, we still have her sword. The only weapon, able to kill a Tatsumaru demon." She laughs and laughs until they have enough.

She's quieted when Souji stabs her heart. Anger was set. She wasn't even given the chance to fight for herself. That's one of the reasons why he was uncontrollably angry. The other was because he was so stupid that he let this happened again.

~~~

It was nightfall and they all waited on the steps for her. All of them quiet. They all heard the sound of wind and looked up.

Two shadows were standing on the Shinsengumi wall. One of a man and another slumped figure. They all knew it was her. They all knew it was him, Takeo.

He simply took the slumped figure that was in his hold and tossed it to them like they were dogs. They were about to rush over when he jumped down next to her.

"Sakura!" Fuyu yelled. She was slow to process as they watched as she tried to push herself but she didn't get the chance as they yelled when he kicked her over.

Three things were revealed. One was that she had her black mask on, two, her newly cut hair that surprisingly didn't look at all bad, and three, her bloody arm. The mark looked more like a burn without skin than anything else. It was grotesque and unruly but... Like the fury said, all the details were implemented, and thoroughly.She opened her eyes making everyone gasp.

Two pitch black orbs stared at them, no trace of white or the golden fire they had been accustomed to.

Fuyu and the other Tatsumaru demons cursed. The fury was once again right. If Sakura had lost herself, it would've been known before it had taken affect to her fellow clan demons.

"Shizuka..." Takeo sung making the dazed girl with black eyes snap her head up. No trace of emotion, pain, or exhaustion that was once evident was left. "Stand up for me, little sister and show them your new mark." Fuyu snarled at this but was held back. They had to know where her mark was in order to destroy it.

They watched carefully as she stood up as if she hadn't been tortured and thrown off a roof just minuets ago. In one move, the black mask was in her hand. They gasped at the sight of her face. While everything looked normal, the one thing that stood out was the circular branding on her cheek.

Souji somehow locked eyes with her and they saw the blackness clear. "Run... Mei, everyone." She croaked desperately before the Sakura they knew was sucked back into darkness.

"Enough of that. You're allowed to kill them all. Father will catch up shortly and finish off the weaker ones." Takeo orders and they watch in horror as Sakura's sad face twisted into a sick grin as she flicked out her two fans.

"Really? I get to have all this fun by myself? You sure they can last long enough to give me a good fight?" Sakura asked with a darkly happy tone to her voice. No one could believe it. They expected emotionless, not sadistic.

"All yours, Shizuka. It's a welcome home gift. Do whatever you like. You can keep a few humans if you wanna have more fun later." Takeo assures making Sakura, no, Shizuka chuckle softly, shaking her head. She took her first step forward putting everyone on guard.

"Oh, such handsome faces! I don't know where to start! Who should I kill first? And who should I play with? No, here's a better question... Which one of you can scream the loudest?"