The Red Hand

Chapter 56 -A Celebration and More Questions.

That night, Akagi threw a massive feast in celebration of the creation of the Dumetor clan. With all the logistics and infrastructure complete, Akagi was able to bring forth every one of her followers into the world and after a rousing speech, all 121 pledged their loyalty to her and the family. Kana didn't really understand what was going on, but was happy for her sister, nonetheless. She'd never seen her this happy and was glad that she finally had a place to belong. Though in the back of her head, she was afraid that this meant her connection to Akagi would weaken. When she queried about joining the clan herself, Akagi told her that doing so was unnecessary. Kana was already her family and someone very important to her. What her family name was meant nothing.

With the festivities dying down and Kana approaching her limit, Akagi walked her to bed. The girl had school the next morning, and she didn't want to keep her up longer than necessary.

"That was quite the party." Kana giggled as she got in bed. “And having it on Halloween only made it funnier.” The proclamation of a new Yokai Clan on the most monster themed day of the year was quite the coincidence.

"Yeah, everyone was energetic, and I haven't had that much fun in a long, long time." Akagi gave a big smile. "And don't you get all pouty again like earlier, ok?" she walked up and patted Kana on the head. "No matter what, you are still my sister, and nothing will ever change that. Just because I've taken on a different appearance and a different name doesn't change that." Akagi knew that Kana was anxious about the change to her name. With the creation of the Dumetor clan, Akagi had finally separated herself from the Tomogawa name and she didn't want Kana to feel like she was leaving her as a result.

"I know, it's just that so much has happened so fast, that it's overwhelming." Kana had gone from being worried about her comatose sister to seeing her create her own family in the span of a few months. Such rapid and sweeping changes were a lot for the girl to handle, and Akagi was worried that she might be pushing herself. "But, I'll be fine." She smiled. "I have you, and that's all that matters right now."

"Exactly, as long as we have each other, nothing else matters." Akagi leaned in and hugged her. "Goodnight."

"Good night Onee-chan." Kana snuggled in and went to sleep, and Akagi slowly backed out of the room, nearly tripping over Mizumi.

"Oh, sorry." she apologized for nearly toppling the girl over.

"It's fine," Mizumi replied before continuing down the hallway. Akagi still didn't trust the spirit, and she was starting to get the feeling that there was more to the girl than meets the eye.

{No point thinking about it now, I'm not going to get anything done by theorizing when I have no information.} (Akagi)

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<Kana POV>

As Kana walked down the main street in Kyoto, she was horrified by what she saw. Buildings were on fire, and the streets were littered with bodies as screams rang out from every direction. It was like a scene out of a war movie.

"Wh-whats going on?" She panicked. "I... was just in my room, wasn't I?" She had no idea what was going, on or why she was here.

"Onee-chan!" She called out. "Where are you? Onee-chan!" but no response came. She continued her slow pace, every so often she would hear explosions that would cause her to flinch. and screams echoed throughout the city.

"This has to be a dream!" She yelled. "This can't be real! It's a nightmare, right?" She smacked herself on the cheek, which only served to cause a stinging sensation.

"Pain?" Kana panicked. "You aren't supposed to feel pain in a dream!" Technically that method was not full proof, but it was a good indicator.

Before Kana could process her thoughts, a scream from nearby caught her attention.

"Please, Help me!" A voice that sounded like Mika's came from up the road. Hearing this, Kana ran as fast as possible hoping to save her friend and find out what was happening. When she reached the intersection, she stopped dead, her eyes widened in horror.

"Please, someone.... mom.... dad." Mika was slumped against the side of a building, her right arm missing, and blood spilled out at an alarming rate.

"Mika!" Kana ran up to her and tried to help. "Mika, what happened? What's going on?" She asked but got no response. "Mika!" Kana screamed, and when she tried to put her hand on the girl's shoulder, it went right through.

"Wha-?" she tried again and again, but each time her hands simply went straight through her dying friend. "What's going on? Why can't I touch her!" Kana looked around and saw several other wounded or dying people, the entire road was torn up, and the flames only grew as time went on.

"Mika! Please, answer me!" Kana screamed.

"Mon-ster." The girl gave out one last word as she slumped over, dead.

"No, Mika! No please, don't die." Kana tried to touch her again, but she was still unable to do anything. Breaking out into tears, she screamed. "WHAT IS GOING ON!"

She stood on the sidewalk dumbfounded until she heard a familiar laugh. It was the same one her sister would make while in her demonic form.

"Onee-chan!" she looked around but saw no sign of her. Deciding that standing here wouldn't answer anything, she ran in the direction of the laugh, hoping that Akagi could tell her what was going on. As she ran, another explosion rocked a building in front of her, causing it to partially collapse onto the road. She paused, momentarily stunned, as a person's body flew out of the flaming remains of the collapsed building landing right in front of her.

"Mom?" Kana said weakly as her badly burned and bruised mother lay half dead in front of her. "Mom!" she tried to help her mother, but found that she couldn't touch her either.

*cough* *gurgle* Shima spit up some blood. "I...I always knew... knew you were a mon.... ack." she struggled to speak.

"A monster? What kind of parent calls their only child a monster?" Akagi's distorted voice could be heard as she approached from the smoldering ruins of the building. Her eyes glowed orange, her sclera had turned black and she appeared to be taller and slimmer than what Kana was used to seeing. Her face was also contorted in rage and anger as if she could feel no other emotions.

"Onee-chan!" Kana cried out. "What's going on?!?" she tried to run in front of her but was shocked as Akagi simply walked through her as if she wasn't even there. Akagi stood over her dying mother and laughed.

"Besides, I am far, far more than a monster, Shima. And I was wondering just how long I was going to be restrained ." She drove her blade into her mother's heart. "But I guess I should thank you before you head on to the afterlife. After all, if it wasn't for you, who knows how long it would have taken for me to get out.”

Kana stood shocked and horrified at what she just witnessed.

"Onee-chan, why?" Her vision slowly turned back as her legs felt weak. A moment later, she collapsed on the spot, only to wake up in her own bed screaming. Which caused Akagi to instantly appear next to her in a panic.

"Kana!" Akagi was in battle mode. "What's going on? Is there someone here?" She scanned the room. Kana was a blubbering mess and couldn't speak, her face was flush and full of tears. Not sensing any enemies Akagi pulled her into a tight embrace and tried to calm her down.

"It's ok... It's ok...shuuuush." Akagi hugged her sister tightly. Whatever she saw, had frightened her enough to cause her to shake in fear.

"Onee-chan why... why would you do all that... why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you...why would you..." Kana repeated that last bit like a madman stuck in a mental loop. Akagi had seen this before when she was in the psychiatric ward, and she knew the most effective way to stop it.

{Sorry about this Kana.} (Akagi)

*SMACK* Akagi cracked her sister across the face with her right hand, which caused the girl to stop speaking.

"Ok, I hope that worked because that's about all I've got." Akagi sighed.

"Onee-chan?" Kana looked at her with wet eyes. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, Kana, I'm right here." Akagi pulled her in tighter which caused Kana to hug her back. "Sorry for slapping you, but it was the only thing I could think of to get you out of that loop."

Kana giggled. "It's alright. Thank you, that was no fun."

"Can you tell me what happened? You screamed so loud I think the entire estate heard you." At the moment, around fifty members of the family had surrounded the house and were on alert for enemies. "At least they're quick to act." Akagi was proud of how fast they reacted.

Kana took a moment to compose herself before explaining the strange nightmare/dream she witnessed.

"You saw me.... kill mom?" Akagi was taken aback as she heard this.

"Yeah, and you... you weren't you anymore when you did it." Kana shook as she recalled her sister's appearance. "You said that Mom had let you out and that you were more than a monster." Kana looked at her. "What did that mean? Please tell me if you know anything?!?" She pleaded with her sister. "In the dream, your eyes had turned orange, the same color as that day you went to the hospital and the same as when you battled Hishya!"

"I... I honestly don't know Kana." Akagi shook her head. "But...."

"What? Please tell me, don't hide things from me." Kana gave her sister a desperate look.

"I... I don't know. It's just that.... ever since I woke from FWO. I've felt strange." Akagi said.

"Strange how?" Kana pressed for answers.

"Do you remember what I told you that night? That the me you saw growing up was just a mask, a façade that I developed?" Akagi asked her if she recalled.

"Yes... yes, I do." Kana replied.

"Well... I'm not 100% on this, but I think there might be another layer to that mask." Akagi turned away. "I... Kana... there's a chance that I might not ever have been human.... or even your real sister."

"Wha-what does that mean? You told me that you were Rishia on that night! You told me that you were always the same person and that you hadn't taken her place! Was that a lie!" Kana's head spun as she tried to understand what Akagi meant.

"It means... I don't know!" Akagi screamed. "Kana, I'm sorry, but even I have no idea what the hell I am anymore!" Akagi let out her frustrations. "My whole life, I grew up thinking I was just some unloved child, that no matter what, I was just another girl in the world not that much different than anyone else. But now... now I don't know anymore Kana. I can't dismiss Shima's and Taichi's words, and every day the feeling that something is off with me grows. Am I really the child your parents brought into this world? Or did I really just take her place when she was born and pretend to be her?" Akagi tightened her fists causing her knuckles to turn white. "Every time I think about my past, my feelings, my thoughts, my actions, and everything else. I keep coming to one conclusion. That I'm not now, nor have I ever been human." Akagi looked at her sister with tears in her eyes. "And If I wasn't human, what AM I, Kana?"