Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/972781.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Rape/Non-Con, Underage
  Category:
      F/M
  Fandom:
      Persona_4, Magic_Kaitou, 名探偵コナン_|_Detective_Conan_|_Case_Closed
  Relationship:
      Shirogane_Naoto/Other(s), Hakuba_Saguru/Other(s), Shirogane_Naoto/Tatsumi
      Kanji, Established_Relationship(s)
  Character:
      Shirogane_Naoto, Hakuba_Saguru, Sukuna-Hikona_(Persona_4)
  Additional Tags:
      Community:_dramadramaduck, Kink_Meme, Crossover, Dark, Guilt, Corruption,
      Dubious_Consent, Bondage, Emotional_Manipulation, Oral_Sex, Cunnilingus
  Stats:
      Published: 2013-09-19 Words: 5665
****** Innocence and Sin ******
by MasterOfThePen
Summary
     The fog was spreading across various worlds now, and people were
     turning into Shadows. Friends, enemies, loved ones, it didn't matter.
     The fog was indiscriminate.
     Naoto ventured forth to the clock tower in order to rescue Hakuba,
     but she was unaware of the insidious traps and clockwork horrors
     lying in wait for those intrepid adventurers who dared trespass into
     the Black Knight's domain...
     NOTE: Inspired by the Epic Shadow Plot at the DramaDramaDuck LJ RPG.
Notes
     Originally written for the LiveJournal RP Community DramaDramaDuck
     Kink Meme on 1/12/2010.
     Actually, I got impatient waiting for Kink Meme and posted it
     anyway...
     References are made to in-game plots and character relationships that
     may not make sense out of context. You have been warned.
Naoto awoke to find herself laying upon silk sheets, warm to the touch. She
stared up at the sheer canopy which was draped over the bedposts, wondering how
she got here. She felt groggy. Her memory was a blur...

Sitting up, Naoto placed a hand to her forehead as she tried to recall the
events which led to her ending up in this sumptuous bed. She'd been running
down a dark, mist-shrouded hallway. Kanji and the others had called to her to
slow down. But she wouldn't. She had to find him. He was here, somewhere in
this clock tower... waiting for her. Violin music played bittersweet strains as
she searched for the musician who produced it. Shadows. Clawing hands.
Blackness. And then... here.

But where exactly was here, anyway? Naoto shifted and draped her legs over the
side of the bed, listening as the sheets whispered against her stockings.
Wait—what? Since when did she wear stockings? It was then that Naoto realized
that she was no longer wearing the plaid pants and navy peacoat that was her
customary attire for winter. She stood and padded across the oriental rug
toward a full-length, gilded mirror that stood directly opposite the bed.

The Detective Prince couldn't suppress a small gasp as she beheld her
reflection. It was a complete transformation. Instead of blue, she was dressed
all in white, from head to toe. She examined her attire, which appeared to be
that of a lady's stage undergarments, dating from the nineteenth century.
Bustier, cinched tightly, but not so much as to make breathing difficult; a
full skirt, parted in the front; silk panties, garter-belt, and long stockings.
Around her throat was a choker encrusted with diamonds, perfectly matched to
the diamonds which dangled from her ears like a pair of teardrops. Tentatively,
she reached up and flicked one of the earrings with a fingertip, watching as it
swung back and forth, sparkling in the light of the gaslamps set at intervals
throughout the room.

“Beautiful,” a sultry voice said from a shaded corner. Naoto turned her head
toward the sound. A pair of baleful yellow eyes glittered from within the
shadows. “Exquisite, really. I think the diamonds were a nice touch, don't
you?”

Naoto remained silent and watched as the darkened gaslamp flickered to life,
revealing a lithe young man sitting sprawled in a leather armchair, one leg
dangling over the armrest. He was dressed in a white shirt, black waistcoat and
trousers. Cupped in one hand was a wineglass. Slowly, he swirled the contents
before taking a sip.

“What happened to my clothes?” she asked, ignoring his question.

Hakuba—or rather, his Shadow—downed the rest of the ruby liquid and grinned.
“Over here.” He flicked a gloved hand lazily toward a small table near the
armchair. Her clothes were neatly folded, her father's cabbie hat sitting atop
the pile. Her pistol and Evoker lay next to her clothes. “Though to be
perfectly honest, I prefer what you're wearing right now. Do you like my little
gift?”

Color rose to the girl's cheeks. She felt terribly naked without her bindings,
even more so considering that she was dressed in little more than fancy
undergarments. These clothes felt foreign against her skin, and yet... there
was a certain sensuality to it.

“I... I think I'd be more comfortable wearing my old clothes... if you don't
mind...”

Saguru stretched sinuously as he rose from his chair. It was then that Naoto
noticed his white dress shirt was unbuttoned all the way to his navel, which
now sported a silver piercing. Her gaze lingered over well-defined pecs and
sculpted abs. She caught the flash of a nipple as Saguru reached for the bottle
of wine on the small table. He poured himself another glass.

“I believe that white suits you far better than blue.”

Her brows furrowed a bit. White was the color for christenings, baptisms, and
weddings in the West. It symbolized purity and innocence. But in Japan, it had
a more morbid association—it was the color for mourning.

“Why is that?” Naoto asked, a bit guarded.

Saguru chuckled a bit, sensing her hostility. “It brings out the color of your
eyes.” He approached, bare feet padding softly against the wooden floor, silent
as a cat. “And it happens to be my favorite color. That's all.”

He tilted his chin up a bit to reveal the white leather collar wrapped around
his throat. It was the same collar which Akako had used to mark Hakuba as her
own. A way of owning him. But that was all in the past now...

Putting Naoto in these clothes... was this Saguru's way of owning her?

“Hakuba and Shirogane...” Naoto said. “They're both written with the kanji for
'white'.”

“That's right,” he purred, drawing even closer to her. “A brilliant observation
by none other than the Detective Prince! Or should I say Princess?”

She gave a snort of derision. “Is this your way of modeling me after Princess
Clarisse?”

“Perhaps,” Saguru said, now mere inches from her. “But I'm afraid there will be
no daring thief to come to your rescue.”

At the mention of thieves, Naoto's mind conjured up an image of the infamous
phantom thief, Kaitou Kid. Angrily, she pushed the thought aside. She didn't
need him to come to her rescue. The Detective Prince could get herself out of
this mess all on her own, one way or another.

She lifted her chin haughtily. “Then what does that make you? Count
Cagliostro?”

Smiling, Hakuba's Shadow bent close and whispered, “What do you think?” The
small hairs at the nape of her neck stood at attention as his breath wafted
against her ear.

Naoto knew she'd have to keep her guard up. Hakuba—no, Saguru (she had to keep
reminding herself that the person standing before her wasn't Hakuba)—would try
to seduce her, as he'd done to so many others before her. She needed to keep
her wits about her.

“What about the others?” she asked. “What happened to them?”

He straightened, tilted his head back, and downed the rest of the wine. Naoto
watched in fascination as his Adam's apple bobbed against his collar. He
lowered the glass and shrugged.

“Who knows? They probably fell through a trapdoor and are in the basement as we
speak. They could already be dead and the Shadows are devouring what's left of
their corpses.”
Her breath hitched as her mind conjured up a horrific image: Issei-kun, Kaito,
Aoko-chan, Ai-kun, and Kanji… Their bodies lying twisted and broken upon the
parquet floor as inky black claws tore into their flesh and peeled skin from
gleaming white bones.

“If that's what you think, then I'm afraid you've woefully underestimated their
abilities.” Her blue-grey eyes narrowed in annoyance. “They're a lot stronger
than you give them credit for.” 

Besides, Naoto was certain she would have sensed something. If her friends were
dead, she would know right away. They all shared a special bond that made them
sensitive to such things.

Saguru chuckled. “You have such faith in them! But human beings are
so... fragile.” He flung the wineglass against the wall, grinning with
satisfaction as it shattered. “So easily broken. If they manage to survive my
numerous traps and clockwork guardians, I'll take great pleasure in killing
them with my own hands.”

The predatory grin that spread across Saguru's face sent a chill down Naoto's
spine. He was strong. Very strong. The more deeply a person suppressed their
negative aspects, the more powerful the resultant Shadow would become. She felt
like a very tiny mouse that had wandered foolishly into the lion's den. Naoto
pursed her lips, willing her body not to tremble.

The grin on Saguru's face grew even wider, revealing perfectly white teeth. He
knew she was afraid; could smell it on the air, like cheap perfume. The blond
detective reveled in that sweet aroma.

“You don't really want that,” Naoto said. “Because that's not the sort of
person you really are, Hakuba.”

The grin flickered on Saguru's face, but only for a moment. “I would prefer it
if you would address me as Saguru. It's my real name, after all.”

“Perhaps, but I feel as though that form of address has lost any intimacy in
once had, since you insist that everyone should call you by your given name.”
She felt a small pang. Despite their close relationship, Hakuba had never given
Naoto permission to call him by his first name alone. Though she longed for
closeness, she could never attain it. In the end, she had inadvertently pushed
him away. But she wondered: had Hakuba ever truly opened himself up to her in
the first place?

“Intimacy? Is that what you want, Naoko?” She flinched, not because he had
addressed her using her birth name—she had granted him that honor long ago,
only to be used in private—but because he said it with such spite. “If that is
your desire, I will gladly fulfill it.”

He took her chin in one hand and drew her face close for a kiss, but Naoto
squirmed away and broke free of his grasp. She turned her back on him.

“No. That's not what I want. Not from you, in any case.”

Saguru's hand slipped around her waist, pulling her against him. For some
reason, Naoto found herself not resisting. Warm skin pressed against her bare
shoulders. She felt the weight of his chin settle against her head. It was such
a comforting and familiar gesture.

“If not from me, then whom? Your beloved Kanji, perhaps?” There was a hint of
bitter cruelty in his tone.

Naoto stiffened within his grasp. “That's not what I meant, and you know it!”
Her voice grew soft. “I want... I want Hakuba. The real Hakuba, not his Shadow.
You're not really Hakuba...”

But she knew that it was a lie even as the words left her mouth. She wanted
desperately to blind herself to the truth, but she couldn't. She had seen this
struggle too many times before. Somehow, she had always known that there was a
side to Hakuba that he refused to show to others; that he refused to show to
her. She had thought that they were so close... but that must have been a lie,
too.

He laughed against her ear. “Of course I am. I'm the real Hakuba... the one who
isn't afraid to express his true feelings. The one who has no reason to hold
his thoughts in check. I do what I want, whenever I want, with whomever I want.
You should feel honored that you've been given the opportunity to see this side
of me.”

“That's right,” Naoto said, jerking away. She turned to face him. “You're only
one side of Hakuba. But I want all of him, both the good and the bad.”

Saguru laughed lightly, yet there was a different emotion smoldering within his
yellow eyes. Anger. “What a greedy child you are, Naoko! Always wanting the
things you can't have. The world doesn't revolve around your selfish little
desires, you know? To be an adult means making sacrifices. The sooner you learn
that, the better. You'll save yourself a lot of heartache that way.”

A tiny voice piped up in the back of Naoto's mind. Be careful, kiddo, Sukuna-
Hikona said in his familiar Osakan accent. Piss him off too much, and you'll be
in deep trouble.

He was right. Naoto was poignantly reminded of Adachi's words, when he'd been
possessed by his Shadow. Stupid kids! These Shadows run purely on instinct.
They go wild because you defy them! That day felt like a lifetime ago, and yet
here she was, faced with the same situation once again.

“Why should I have to make sacrifices?” Naoto said. “Aren't you the one who was
always so proud of having high standards?”

Saguru quirked a shapely eyebrow. The anger in his eyes was replaced by
amusement. “True enough. It's a point of pride for me. Only persons of high
quality shall be permitted within my presence.”

Good, Naoto thought. Stall him. Keep him talking. Buy herself and the others a
little more time. If she fought Saguru alone, she would be dead within a matter
of minutes.

“Is that why you brought me here?” she asked. “Because I'm a person of high
quality?”

“Yes. But there's another reason... Your heart.”

“My... heart?”

“Yes. Your heart.” Saguru extended a finger and placed it against Naoto's
collarbone. As he spoke, he drew it lower, until it was resting over her left
breast. “The exquisite suffering of your heart called out to me... and so I
brought you here so that I could listen to its sweet lament.”

Naoto felt her pulse quicken as those gleaming yellow eyes bored into her
bosom. It was as if Saguru could see right through the layers of silk, flesh,
and bone; straight into her very soul.

He smiled knowingly. “You are suffering because your heart wavers between two
loves. You wonder which of the two Emperors loves you more. You fear that by
committing to one, you'll irrevocably lose the other, and so you are gripped by
indecision. But if you don't make a decision... you'll lose us both.”

“But I... I don't want to choose.” Her face crumpled as the weight of her fears
pressed against her. “I love both of you.”

“Yes... but which of us do you love more?”

“I don't know!” Naoto closed her eyes, no longer able to look at Saguru. Why
did he have to dredge up these painful feelings? She had tried so hard to bury
them... but apparently she hadn't buried them deep enough.

Strong hands gripped her shoulders. Slowly, Naoto opened her eyes and looked
up. The blond detective's smile was so gentle, so genuine, that for a moment,
she was convinced that she was looking at Hakuba and not his Shadow. But then
she noticed his eyes—yellow rather than garnet—and remembered who she was
really speaking to.

“I can end your suffering, Naoko,” he said softly. “I can put an end to your
heart's wavering. I will offer you a love that never diminishes, a love that
never wavers. There's only one small thing that you must do for me in
return...”

Don't do it... that tiny, brash voice said. He's lyin' through his teeth, and
you know it! But Naoto pushed the traitorous little voice aside. Right now, her
ears were opened only to the dulcet tones of Saguru's voice.

“And what is that?” she asked.

“I want you to give me your pure and beautiful heart. I want you to love only
me and hate everyone else.”

Her eyes widened incredulously. “What?”

“Give me power over you, and I will grant your heart's desire. Anything you
want, and I will offer it up to you... Only let me rule you.”

What the hell was he thinking? Did he really expect her to give up her freedom?
Ludicrous!

Before she could retort, Saguru leaned forward and pressed his face against her
neck, nuzzling her throat. Naoto gasped softly, a small tingle running down her
spine. She felt Saguru's lips brush against her ear as he spoke: “Tell me...
What is it you desire most?”

“I want...” Naoto whispered. “What I want... is something you can't give me...”

“Hm... I beg to differ.” His lips withdrew from her ear and pressed themselves
against her mouth. His tongue forced its way in and began licking the inside of
her cheeks. Naoto raised her hands, as if she would push him away, but the
token gesture of resistance soon became one of invitation. Her fingers brushed
against his exposed chest. His skin felt hot to the touch. Burning.

Saguru grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her hands down. “Not yet,” he
murmured, his gloved hands running up the length of her bustier. The black
leather stood in stark contrast against the white silk and silver fastenings.
“You'll have your turn, once I'm finished.” 

Naoto held her breath and watched as those nimble fingers unclasped the
restricting garment, inch by inch. Her breasts, which had been pushed up
against her ribcage, swelled forward and descended, like ripened fruit. The
bustier fell to the floor, forgotten, as Saguru cupped one of her breasts and
squeezed the nipple between thumb and forefinger. It grew hard against the soft
leather of his glove. The girl sighed in wonder, reveling in this new
sensation.

“Ahn... Ha-Hakuba...”

“Call me Saguru,” he murmured, a satisfied smirk twisting his lips. He
continued to fondle her breast as he pushed her toward the bed. Her legs hit
the bed frame, and she toppled back upon the broad expanse of ivory sheets. 

No sooner had she collapsed than Saguru leaned forward and took her other
breast into his mouth, sucking fiercely. The girl's cry of surprise quickly
changed to one of pleasure. Tentatively, she reached out and touched Saguru's
hair. It was soft, like spun silk. Her hands moved lower and found the collar
of his shirt. She tugged the garment downward, exposing his broad shoulders.
Saguru continued to tear and twist at one nipple while he sucked and teased at
the other. She could feel the space between her legs growing moist as he
tortured her breasts. The girl raked her nails against Saguru's shoulders,
whimpering.

Immediately, he stopped and raised his head, yellow eyes narrowed dangerously.

“What did I tell you before, hm?” he straightened, hands going to his belt. The
buckle was shaped like a clockwork gear. “No touching allowed.” 

With one hand, he ripped the belt free from his waist. The silence was broken
by the resounding whip crack of leather. Naoto flinched at the sound. Grinning,
Saguru took her arms and pinned them above her head. He wrapped the belt
several times around her wrists, cinching it tight. The girl's eyes grew round
in fear.

Saguru leaned close and offered her a reassuring smile. “It's all right. I'm
not going to hurt you, Naoko.” He stroked her cheek with his fingertips. “But
if you want me—all of me—then you'll have to play by my rules. You can stop me
anytime... All you have to do is say 'no,' and I'll leave you alone; bereft and
unsatisfied. That's the only word I will respond to. Unless you say 'no,' then
I can only assume you still want me...”

Naoto continued to stare up at him, her blue eyes wide and encompassing. This
wasn't how she wanted him... Not like this. And yet her body was thrumming with
unrestrained need. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came forth.

A smirk. “Your silence will also denote consent.”

He touched her knee, fingers gliding up her leg. Naoto shivered as Saguru
reached up under her skirt and parted her thighs. The girl blushed, only now
realizing that her panties had been put on over her garters. Had Saguru planned
this all along when he had dressed her unconscious form? Probably. 

Saguru pulled her panties off. They were visibly dampened. “Oh, you want me all
right,” he said. “Your cunt is just aching for my cock.” The blush on Naoto's
face deepened at the use of such vulgar language. “But there's something to be
said for delayed gratification...”

Sinking to his knees, Saguru took hold of her leg, just below the knee, and
pulled it over his shoulder as he buried his face between her legs. His tongue
flicked out and darted into her entrance, slick and warm. Naoto closed her eyes
and gasped sharply. His nose rubbed against the small, sensitive nub. A jolt of
electricity shot up her spine and straight into her brain. She cried out, toes
curling. The leather wrapped around her wrists creaked while she strained
against her bonds. She wanted to touch herself; to tug and squeeze at her own
nipples while Saguru continued to lick at her. But she was helpless now.
Powerless. A willing subject of Saguru's sexual tyranny. 

And she liked it.

Naoto's breathing grew heavy as a familiar sensation tingled to wakefulness
deep within her belly. Her leg trembled against Saguru's shoulder as his tongue
thrust deep inside her, making her long for an even bolder penetration. She
whimpered as heat gathered at the place where Saguru licked her.

“Ahhhhn... Please, Ha—Saguru... I want—” It was becoming difficult for Naoto to
speak between gasps. She closed her eyes and scrunched her face up, spine
arching.

Her voice disappeared. The only sounds coming from her throat were small moans
that matched the rhythm of her heartbeat. The warmth between her legs began to
well up, spreading through her body, from the top of her head to the tips of
her toes.

“Ahn! Oh god! Saguruuuuu!”

There was no way she could possibly stifle the shout that was torn from her
throat. Fire danced along every nerve-ending. It felt good. Too good. She tried
to wriggle away, unable to bear so much pleasure coursing through her body. But
Saguru was unrelenting. He gripped her leg tighter while he continued to lick
and suck at her. Naoto's screams of pleasure echoed throughout the spacious
room, building in crescendo.

“Please! Enough! Stop!” Naoto said between labored gasps. “I can't... I can't
take it anymore...”

Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Only when Naoto's screams had been reduced to
mewling whimpers did Saguru finally cease his work. As her body continued to
tremble in the aftershock of orgasm, Saguru pushed her leg from his shoulder
and stood. He smirked, lips shining wetly in the light.

“Is that all you can handle?” he asked. He slowly licked his lips, like a cat
licking its chops after lapping up a saucer of cream. “Or are you hungry for
more?”

To Naoto's utter surprise, she found that she wasn't tired in the least. She
expected to feel exhausted, spent. Instead, the girl felt only an
unnamable craving. She wanted to touch Saguru, wanted to feel him inside her.
She wanted to make him scream her name to the heavens.

Flexing her fingers, she gazed at him with lust-filled eyes. “Untie me. It's my
turn now.”

“As you wish...” His yellow eyes seemed to burn with an infernal light as he
leaned forward and loosened the belt wrapped around her wrists.

The moment Naoto's hands were freed, she sat up and seized Saguru by the
collar, pulling him close. Her lips crashed against his mouth in a fierce and
desperate kiss. The blond detective responded with equal fervor, fingers
tangling in thick blue hair as he held the girl's head steady. She arched
against him, breasts crushed against his broad chest. He moaned into her mouth
and deepened the kiss.

Roughly, Naoto broke free, gasping for breath. Not at all put out by the
gesture, Saguru merely watched her with a calculated look.

“On the bed,” Naoto said. “Now.” Though her voice was soft, it held the steely
tone of command.

“As you wish...”

Saguru leaned back and fell on the bed, spread-eagled, his legs dangling over
the edge. Naoto stood and took a moment to study the young man's relaxed pose,
though, not everything was relaxed. The rather prominent bulge in his pants did
not escape her notice. Saguru was aware of her gaze and grinned. He watched her
through half-lidded eyes, like a cat feigning sleep, waiting for its prey to
come within easy reach of its claws.

“What are you waiting for?” he asked, the Cheshire Cat grin never leaving his
face. “You still want me, don't you?”

Nodding, Naoto unclasped the closure of her skirt and let it fall to the floor,
like a flower shedding its petals. She crawled onto the bed, over Saguru's
prone form, legs straddling his hips. She ran her palms across the taut muscles
of his chest, fingers tracing the hills and valleys of his abdomen. The silver
piercing in his navel glinted in the light. She prodded it with one finger.

“You like it?” he asked.

“I think it's fucking sexy.” Saguru grinned at the profanity.

Her fingers fumbled at the fly of his trousers. His cock sprang free of its
confines, and Naoto realized that Saguru had opted not to wear underwear. Not
that this fact surprised her all that much: Hakuba had confided to her that he
often went commando.

“A splendid mount,” she said. “It'll make for a good ride.” Saguru smirked. The
euphemism wasn't lost on him.

Tentatively, Naoto traced his length with her fingertips, delighted at the way
Saguru groaned and arched into her touch. His golden eyes remained fixed upon
her every movement.

“Are you just going to tease me,” Saguru asked, mildly amused, “or shall we cut
right to the chase?”

Slightly annoyed: “It's my turn, so we'll do it my way.”

Leaning forward, Naoto kissed him slowly, sensually. Her hips twitched forward,
her wet cleft sliding up and down his shaft as she moved against him. There was
a frustrated moan on his part. Naoto felt a pair of hands clamp against her
ass, squeezing firmly. A squeal of surprise and pleasure. She continued to
tease him for a moment longer before she herself grew impatient and pushed
herself onto the tip of his member, drawing him inside her, gradually. Saguru
gave a sigh of satisfaction.

She moved against him, slowly at first, but once she found her rhythm, she
quickly increased the pace. Head flung back, eyes closed; she concentrated only
on the feeling of Saguru's cock inside her, his hands squeezing her ass.
Already warmed up from their previous exercise, Naoto felt that she would be
able to reach her peak within a matter of minutes. She could feel that all-too-
familiar heat and pressure building in intensity with every thrust...

It wasn't long in coming. Her breath had been reduced to squeaky little gasps.
Her screams echoed toward the ceiling as a wave of pleasure rippled throughout
her body. And still, she moved against him, riding that wave until it broke,
waiting for the next wave to crest. Warmth flooded her body as she felt the
next wave of pleasure building in force.

Saguru's breath grew ragged as he bucked beneath her. His fingers clenched
against her firm flesh as he struggled to hold her steady. He was close. So
very close. Just a little more...

“Naoko...” he said, wondering if she would even hear him. He closed his eyes,
groaning deep in his chest as that pressure which had been building and
building deep within his belly finally found release and he was brought to
completion.

Naoto reached out and clamped her hands against Saguru's forearms, nails
digging into his skin as a second orgasm ripped another scream from her throat.
Only then did she begin to relax her grip, her lust finally sated.

Slowly, Naoto opened her eyes and gazed downward, smiling. The expression on
Saguru's face caused her smile to wither. His yellow eyes had grown cold,
dispassionate. Turning his face away from the girl sitting astride his hips, he
roughly pushed her to one side and sat up. There was a small squeak of protest
as Naoto pushed herself up on one arm and stared at the blond detective
indignantly.

“What the hell is all that about?”

Saguru stood, his back facing her, and began to button up his fly. “I'm through
with you,” he said, and his voice carried the coldness of a thousand winters.

Naoto stared at him, frozen in shock. “...what did you say?” Her voice was
barely a whisper.

“I got what I wanted from you. I don't need you anymore.”

Slowly, Naoto shook her head as a cold feeling settled in the pit of her
stomach. “You... you can't mean that...”

The blond detective turned, cinching his belt around his waist. His yellow eyes
were gleaming with cruel delight. A steely sickle of a smile nearly split his
face in half.

“You stupid little girl! Did you honestly believe me when I said I loved you?”
He put a hand to his forehead and laughed raucously. “I suppose it's true! If
you mention the L word around a girl, then she's guaranteed to put out!”

It was as if all the warmth had been sucked out of the room. Naoto shivered,
her skin dimpling with gooseflesh. She clutched at herself, feeling as though
her stomach were tying itself in knots.

“You... lied to me...?” It was impossible to keep the waver out of her voice.

Saguru lowered his hand and fixed her with a penetrating stare. “Of course I
lied to you. It's not my fault that you were actually stupid enough to believe
me! Even knowing what I am and what I represent, you still threw yourself at my
feet, like some panting slut.” His lips curled into a cruel smile. “And here I
thought you would have learned by now... The truth of the matter is love isn't
real! It's just a silly fairy tale that stupid little girls came up with to
make them feel better about themselves when their fathers forced them into
arranged marriages. In reality, no one wants to love others; they only want
to be loved. It's nice, being adored, having others fawn over you, worshiping
the very ground you tread upon. Just another means of manipulating and
controlling people. That's what love really is!”

“No...” Naoto's lips quivered against the word. She could feel tears
threatening to spill over. “That's not true!”

“Love boils down to a chemical imbalance in the brain. Synapses firing in a
particular pattern. That's it! You of all people should know that...” Saguru
took her by the chin and jerked her face up. His reflection was captured in the
twin mirrors of her eyes as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. “What happened
between us was nothing more than pointless fucking. It meant nothing to
me. You mean nothing to me...”

“Liar!” she screamed, her right hand sailing toward Saguru's face. “You fucking
liar!”

The blond detective caught her wrist, and with barely any effort, pushed her
forcefully back on the bed, pinning her in place. He brought his face within
mere inches of her own.

“What exactly did you hope to accomplish? Did you delude yourself into thinking
you could somehow save me with your love?” He barked laughter. “I don't need
it, nor do I want it. The only person I care about is Hakuba. I won't allow
you, or anyone else, to hurt him ever again. That is the reason for my
existence.”

He released his hold on Naoto and turned, making his way toward the door.
Slowly, Naoto picked herself up and stared dumbly at his retreating form.

Finally, just as Saguru had placed his hand on the knob, she managed to find
her voice. “Wait! Where do you think you're going?”

He spared her a brief glance over his shoulder. “Why, to find your friends, of
course. I'm feeling rather hungry now...” His tongue flicked out and licked his
lips. “As for you, perhaps I'll come back and play with you again; that is, if
I don't forget that you're here...”

Realizing, too late, what was about to happen, Naoto stumbled from the bed and
hurried across the room toward the door. But by that point, Saguru had already
stepped through and banged the door shut. Naoto grabbed the handle and jerked
on it only seconds after she heard the sound of a key ramming home in a lock.

“No! Let me out of here!” The girl banged on the door with both fists with all
her might. “Don't leave me here all alone! Please! Please, let me out!”

That cruel laughter once more, slightly muffled. “Farewell, my sweet princess!
Until we meet again...”

Naoto pressed her ear against the door and listened to the sound of footsteps
fading in the distance. Slowly, she slid to the floor, her legs unable to
support her weight. Pulling her knees to her chest, she began to sob bitterly.
Stupid! How could she let this happen? She knew. Deep down, she knew Saguru was
lying, and yet she still let him use her. That's right. He'd used her, and then
tossed her aside, like some worn out doll. That explained the clothes and the
jewelry. They weren't gifts; he was just playing dress-up with his newest toy.

That's all she was, just a toy to him. She stood. Angrily, she ripped the
choker from her neck and flung it to the floor. Diamonds scattered every which
way. She yanked the jewels out of her ears and threw them aside, too.

It was then that she caught her reflection in the mirror. A scared and
trembling girl, naked, save for the white garter belt and stockings. She turned
her tear-stained face away, ashamed of herself. Her gaze lingered on the carpet
for a moment before settling on the small table where her clothes and weapons
had been laid.

The girl slowly approached the table and stared down at the twin pistols:
Nambu-2 and the Evoker. She picked the Evoker up and cradled it against her
breast. The cold weight strengthened her resolve. A quick pull of the trigger,
and Sukuna-Hikona would make short work of that door.

“If you think I'm going to just sit around locked up in some tower like a
helpless princess,” she said to the empty room, “then you've got another thing
coming...”

Her White Knight was being held captive at this very moment. Hakuba was
probably scared and confused, all alone in the darkness of his own subconscious
mind. Well, not for long... Because Naoto was going to come to his rescue.

Sure, it was a little backward, the princess embarking on a perilous quest to
save a captured knight. Then again, Naoto had never really been a fan of
traditional fairy tales...
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