InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Snow Angel ❯ The Prisoner ( Chapter 150 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 150 - The Prisoner *Low of Solipsism* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

Sesshoumaru lead the way, General Toumoku following close behind, as he made his way through the labyrinth of passages beneath the palace. Finally he reached the dungeon and took in the sight that greeted him. Seiko sat on a stool directly in front of where the prisoner was chained, and he seemed to be entranced by something. The taiyoukai stepped closer and discovered what it was that had his interrogator so interested.

He could see an incredibly realistic landscape carved into Tsukiko's chest and abdomen, and it was disappearing, one cut at a time. All the while, the chained concubine stared at the stone wall on the opposite side of the room. His eyes looked empty, as if he completely checked out, and for a moment, Sesshoumaru wondered if Seiko's unique brand of torture had completely broken the man.

"Do they heal in the order you carved them?" the Western Lord asked. Seiko's eyes never left his fading masterpiece as he nodded. "That is certainly intriguing. I can see why you enjoy your work as you do. Do you ever run out of ideas?"

"Never," Seiko whispered. "It's like the whole world is in my head just waiting to get out."

"You make prints of them all?" Sesshoumaru inquired, glancing around the room and taking in the sight of long scrolls of paper leaned in the corners while large sheets hung from here and there, drying.

"I do."

"You are a gifted artist."

Finally, Seiko turned to look at his guests. "Thank you, My Lord." The interrogator/artist had never been complimented on his work before, and for that compliment to come from Lord Sesshoumaru was nearly overwhelming.

"Have you ever tried paints, or do you prefer blood as your medium?"

"I've never had paints to try. I really started this because I was bored with just cutting. It gave me an outlet, so that I was creating something instead of only bringing an end."

Sesshoumaru nodded his understanding. He never before considered that his dungeon master might need something else to occupy his time, but it made sense now that he took the time to think about it. "It is time for our prisoner's stay to end."

Though Seiko looked disappointed, he merely rose and took his stool away, tucking it under his worktable. He would miss having a canvass, and he never knew how long it would be until he got another one, but it was not his place to complain. He was there to do a job, to do what was expected of him, and though he longed for something more, he didn't dare risk what he already had.

Sesshoumaru stalked closer to Tsukiko and studied the traitor's face. Still his eyes looked empty, staring off into space. The Western Lord's focus returned to Seiko once more. "How long has he been like this?"

"Eh, in and out, he is. After he told me everything he could think of, and I do mean everything... The man wouldn't shut up. He just kept babbling: stories from his childhood, your mother's favorite sexual positions, and the list of ingredients the witch had given him to retrieve, and how he searched for and found every one, it never stopped. For a while he repeated himself, begging for me to tell him what I wanted to know, but I just kept going like I'd been told. He wakes up when the pain starts. He still hasn't figured out how to block it out.”