17 A Child's Burden (Part 4)

(Time: 1683 Minazuki, jūsan-nichi, kayōbi (June,13,Tuesday) (Hitsuji province)

(Mayonaka: Midnight)

"K-Ko!" Shouted Tamari, as he gasped for air, pinned to the tree. But Ko was frozen with fear.

Senshi jumped onto Byōki's back, pulling at his jaw, trying to turn him away from Tamari.

"Graaah!" Yelled Byōki.

He tensed up; quills shot out of his back piercing through Senshi, wounding her deeply.

"Ahh!" She screamed.

Senshi was thrown off; Byōki looked back at Tamari, raising his hand to finish him.

"Hm, a futile effort on your part, but not altogether unpleasant."

"You won't get away with this. She'll figure it out someday...," Said Tamari.

Byōki smiled, sly and menacing. "Hmf, we'll see about that. Won't we?"

He raised his hand once again.

"Father?" A voice called out.

"Wha?" Byōki stopped; turning around to find Futan standing behind him.

In her arms she held Tamari's naginata.

"F-Father w-hat are you...?" She stuttered.

She held tight to the pole, a look of confused fear across her face. "Father...?"

Byōki walked towards her, reverting back to his human form.

"Futan, why are you awake? You should sleep... Go back to the Genkan and rest." He said calmly.

Futan quivered in place, shaking her head.

"No! What's going on!? Why are we hurting them!?" She yelled.

Tamari staggered to his feet. "Futan run! That's not your father, not anymore!" He shouted.

"I know!" She yelled.

Tamari stood still; a confused and bewildered look across his face. "...What did you say?"

He looked to Byōki, who was just as befuddled as him. "Futan?" He said coming closer to her.

She backed away. "I-I've always known... But I didn't want to accept it." She said.

"I knew he had died at the river that day..." She cried, "But I thought we could have just lived normally. As a family!"

Byōki held out his arms. "O-of course we can live as a family... But these- these brats will ruin everything!"

"No! They won't! Why can't we just let them be?" She asked.

"You can let me heal you; why won't you just let me take care of you!?" She screamed.

"I-I..." Stuttered Byōki.

Futan dropped the weapon; hugging Byōki.

"Futan no!" Shouted Tamari.

Futan looked up at him, a warm smile on her face. "It's okay, he's my father... I love him."

She embraced Byōki; holding him tightly. "Please, come back. We can live as father and daughter again... I owe that much to you..." She said.

Byōki stood motionless for a moment; he lowered his arms around her. "I- ...Futan, thank you..."

Tamari stood motionless; unsure of what to do.

Futan smiled sincerely, hugging Byōki. "Ehehe, I love you Father..."

Byōki reverted back to his demon form. "I love you too, Futan..."

In the few moments Tamari had, he reacted; he looked back to Senshi who was barely breathing.

He felt the pain in his arm throbbing as he began to make a move.

But before he even took a step; Ko raced past him, tanto in hand.

<Wha, Ko!?> Thought Tamari.

Byōki raised his hand to kill; the instant he did Ko was on top of him.

"YAAAAHHHH!!" He shouted. Stabbing into Byōki's eye, blinding him.

"Gaaah!" Byōki wailed thrashing about.

He let go of Futan and she stumbled back. "Father! No, don't hurt him!" She yelled.

Byōki struggled to grab Ko. "You don't owe this bastard squat!" He yelled.

"Wha-?" She replied, a look of confusion about her.

"It doesn't matter who they are! You don't owe nothin' to no one except yourself! Your purpose is yours alone!" He yelled, riding Byōki's back.

Byōki continued to trash about. "Get off me you annoying brat!"

His body tensed up and quills shot out of his back.

Ko was cut in multiple places, but he held on tightly, stabbing again into the side of Byōki's head.

"You ain't gettin rid of me that easily!" Grinned Ko.

Byōki screamed in pain, dropping the mask, which Tamari took notice of.

Futan began to well up with tears.

"Please! He needs to get better! I need to take care of him! He's all I have!" She screamed.

"I know how you feel, Futan!" Yelled Ko. "I know what it's like to feel that your sole purpose relies on another! And I know what it's like to lose that purpose...!"

--------

A black-haired boy called out as he walked into a small genkan. "...Mom? Dad?"

His clothes were ragged and torn; he looked like he hadn't eaten in days and his body was covered in mud and bruises.

A woman turned to him, a coldness in her eyes; "I thought we got rid of you!" she screamed.

The boy stepped back, "M-mom? w-what are you-"

/Smack! / The little boy was back handed into the wall, leaving a large bruise on the side of his face.

"D-dad... why...?"

The man loomed over him with a feeling of absolute hatred. "Cause you were a MISTAKE."

--------

Ko grinned a sad but honest smile. "I know what it's like to be loved. And then hated, just as much."

Byōki roared, smashing up against a tree. "AHHH!" Screamed Ko as he was thrown off.

"Ko!" Shouted Futan.

She looked up as Byōki engulfed her shadow completely.

"F-father.. You l-love me..r-right?" She asked.

He looked down on her; and with a cold and merciless voice he spoke. "...No."

Tears hit the ground, as Futan cried; and Byōki held up his arm to finish her.

"Keh, that's all I needed to hear." Said Tamari.

"What?" Byōki turned around; and in an instant, Tamari was in front of him wearing the Sacred Mask.

He shifted his weight, pushing a half fist forward into Byōki's chest.

"Kishin Style: Nikutai-teki tōsō!*" Shouted Tamari. (Physical Struggle)*

Byōki's body shot back as a hole was blown clean through his chest, splattering his intestines across the forest floor.

"I "hate" family drama." Said Tamari with a frown.