"How the fu—"
"We know."
Yano's eyes twitched, her jaw clenched as she sat back further in her chair. How did they even know about that? How long have they been watching? But perhaps the biggest thing that made Yano uneasy, was: How did she know who Akira was?
Yano's breathing began to slow down. She needed to think. These people—no—these Essentials...knew a whole lot more than they were letting on. The problem was, she didn't know just how much they did know and she wasn't about to let them know even more than they should've.
Yano closed her eyes, took a calming deep breath through her nose slowly, uncrossed her arms and then leaned against the table, red eyes staring at those young brown ones.
"Maybe we should recap. I'm Yano Yubanai. What's your name, Ms?"
Number 6's eyes flickered slightly. She wasn't expecting Yano to just backpedal so quickly.
"Sumi Konohara. I'm the 6th rank Karamatsu." She replied simply, a faint curve creeping up her lips.
Yano's breath hitched, "You're..."
"...One of the 12 students of Lady Ishiki, Sumi Konohara, yes...that is who I am."
Yano's eyes darkened a little with annoyance. No wonder she had this creepy vibe about her, she was a student of one of the most terrifying women on Earth, but apart from that fact, it was the way she said it, that 'Yes that is who I am,' bit pissed her off. If there was one thing Yano hated more than Yoshida's horribly timed jokes, it was someone who had a big ego. And Sumi, who leaned forward just slightly, chin resting on her knuckles, had just the right amount of pride to piss her off.
{ Meanwhile...}
Hinasuke was being questioned by three of the 7 members that accompanied them here.
Number 10, 9 and the one who glared at people like she wanted to gut them, number 8, whose name was Mai.
He hadn't answered any of the questions 10 or 9 had asked, so they brought 8 in hopes she'd get him to talk with her freaky wide eyes.
It didn't work.
"Maybe he's just mute." 10 suggested, a big man with an even bigger body.
"Nah, he spoke to Shikoku remember?" 9 said, "'Us?'" he said, imitating Hina's deep voice, but it sounded a whole lot more raspy.
"Oh yeah, I guess you're right. Should we try the torture method?"
"Are you dumb, stupid or dumb? We can't do that here, you moron!..." 9 snapped, "Well, not without boss's permission first.
Hinasuke just sat there, hands in his pockets, eyes glaring at them. He didn't say anything, but that look in his eyes said a whole lot more than he would've.
"You seem like the type who's into fighting for others..." Mai slithered, her mouth widening into a sickening grin, licking her dagger by the blade, causing blood to drip down her tounge.
10 and 9 backed away instinctively. Mai didn't talk much, but when she did, it got all kinds of weird and they didn't like it.
She leaned on the table, dagger under her hand, blood dripping from her grinning mouth as she giggled, "It's... adorable. The idea of fighting for someone." Her voice dropped to a lower chuckle, "It's so sweet it almost makes me sick."
The blood pattered on the table, filling the silence with the sound of drop after drop and energy humming in the back.
"...well, it almost makes me sick."
Hinasuke clenched his jaw, eyes never leaving those, almost maniac like, bloodshot wide brown eyes. It was like she was trying to force him to talk, but also didn't want to hear him speak at the same time.
"Isn't that your job?" Hinasuke said, voice lower, eyes focused.
Her grin faltered hearing his voice, then it widened as the bleeding suddenly stopped.
"Ohh? so you caaan talk" she said, her dagger's tip pointed at Hina's chin.
He didn't reply. Just maintained his silence.
The blood, which was already pooling on the floor now, began to shine a muted crimson, "Well, if you must know..." She began, the scent of iron fading from his nostrils, "I only do this because I've got a knack for finding people like you." The blood began to float in tiny droplets as she spoke, "People who'd give everything just to protect the ones they care about."
"Uh oh. She's getting too excited again" 10 whispered to 9.
"Shh! I wanna see where this goes..."
The droplets began to meet in front of her, just inches away from her lips in a big floating liquid pool of red, "People who think that love is stronger than death..."
She grinned, her teeth white and her eyes squinted in delight as the slid the dagger toward her own hand, "It's those kind of people that I love saving," the dagger met flesh, cleaning through her hand like a hot knife on butter, "... because it's them that I love waking them up to reality."
She stopped at her forearm, licked her dagger again as she rose her hand, the meat dangling pathetically on the muscle attached to the ulna and radius and then whispered as her hand rewove itself as the blood pool entered through her severed arm:
"The reality that those that they're sacrificing themselves for...will never truly appreciate the life that layed down itself for them."
"Sound familiar..."
"Hinasuke?"