Panic Room Tengen Uzui
(Song: Panic Room – Au/Ra – Uzui Tengen x Wives – Angst – normal AU)
WARNING: sexism will be spoken in here.
It was so silent it made his ears ring from the silence that frighten him. He felt like his world stopped at that moment. Nothing made sound around him not even the commands thrown to him from the elder. His head was tilled down as rage came.
It rose as tears came overflowing as water flowed from his body due to the droplets that fall over him.
Blood smeared over the dirt and his hands. He felt like a failure for what he had done.
He never thought the elder would go so far with his own blood! It made him feel sick!
The boy didn’t dare look back as he grabbed the metal Shinobi head band ripping it off his head and ran off jumping over the fences into the forest his ears didn’t hear the shouts of the man and some others. The rain wasn’t heard by him either.
He ran over to his home where three woman he cared for lived with him and let them pick everything they needed before running away avoiding death, he didn’t care if he did, but his wives. . .
No they were too nice and kind for that.
Surely little Suma that was only twelve.
He was in the panic room, the horrifying place in his head that was made when his life went to the dumps.
***
“Tengen-Sama,” the man looked up his fuchsia colored eyes empty as usually even if he tried to show the most cocky attitude he had.
He curled a proud smile he mastered to make, “Yes?” he nightmare was still very lively as that day, it was silent that it made him try to remember what was happening.
“you were zoning out again.” Suma the youngest of his wives spoke her blue eyes reflecting her worries as she tiled her head. Suma was young when they had gotten wed and he was very guilty for it. But he loved her as his other wives.
He sighed and blinked and turned his head away and spoke out, “Suma, do you maybe remember when we fled?” he questioned his hearing sharp that he could hear her sudden worry, after all she was the most emotional in them.
She brought her hand up to her lips in a light fist as her eyes started to glimmer with tears, “yes I do, so much blood.”
Suma was only twelve and was there was it happened when he shed so much blood, human blood, his own blood, it still haunted him after six years Suma was a curious girl that wondered around and was at the training grounds holding a bento for him.
Hina and Makio weren’t there that day since they were dragged to training and Suma stayed back to make them bento. She went to the field where the training was.
When she did she was so scared, her legs shook with fear and horror as she saw blood all over. The bento fell from her small hands.
The husband freaked out seeing her eyes and crawled closer and cupped her cheek, “it’s over okay? Its over were far away from them okay?” he whipped her small tears away as she let a sniff.
If Makio that was the toughest in them cried Suma was the softest and weakest mentally she easily would cry over the smallest things. For others she would have been annoying but Tengen liked how unique she was.
“who made Suma cry?”
Tengen flinched when the harsh feminine voice of his third wife entered his ears, he turned around seeing Makio who’s hair was loose over her shoulders and crossed her arm over her chest waiting fro an answer.
“Memories, Makio.” Suma sniffed softly as soft tears rolled down her cheeks – it was a rare sight to see her crying like that. She normally cried comedic-like tears that made Tengen himself want to laugh. But now they were heart wrenching tears.
Tengen blamed himself – again – for asking her that bloody question. Even after so long she still – just like him – carried guilt and nightmares from that day.
“CAW!” a familiar crow stood on the branch of the tree Tengen leaned on, a thin layer of raven feathers swung felling down slowly, “CAW! Message for Master of the Corpse! Head north there are demons roaming that area!” like that the crow started nagging avoiding any question sent to him. “Uzui Tengen and Uzui Suma!”
It was rare for Master to send Suma to any mission after what she did to the last crow. Suma literally killed the crow for sending her to a mission due to fear. But there they were going on a mission.
Tengen grabbed his swords and Suma her kunai and bombs before heading out waving a swift bye to the other wives.
****
Suma was very scared of the mission but was a bit relieved Tengen was there. Her hands shook a bit as she walked with him deep in the forest up north following the crow that flew gracefully in the air.
Suma was oblivious of the state of Tengen that time due to her own angst she carried in her mind. They followed a bath that was man made with rocks and direction as night slowly fell. For some reason the place looked familiar but who knew.
Her blue eyes looked down not to trip on any over grown plant or rock.
Meanwhile mister not-so-flashy-for-the-moment Uzui Tengen was feeling dizzy as he knew where he was going, the anxiety was over the roof as he remembered where he was heading. He knew because he helped make that path when he was younger.
Then the couple reached a tall wooden gate that was filled with overgrown plants on the walls, but the door itself was seen of being used still due to the lack of plants over it and the dirt that hat some small mountain showing that the door was still moved open and shut.
Suma squeaked when she saw the words over the wooden board at the top of the door.
Uzui Clan
It was a huge hell no for both but they had to finish the mission due that the night had already fallen. It was over six years, no one was there to end them right. . .
Right?
The older man used his hands to grip the metal handle and pulled it open with his strength it wasn’t so heavy as before when he was younger.
When it was fully opened to fit him and Suma his heart dropped as he saw his nightmare. The place didn’t change after all. It was like people still lived there. The place was taken care of. If rain poured he would have a cardiac arrest with no hesitation and go to hell.
No, he couldn’t, Suma was there.
“Let’s go.” He grabbed her small hand and lead them deeper their steps silent as they got deep in the village that once belonged to the Uzui Clan that was Shinobi.
As they walked to get the demons someone appeared behind them midair, their body was swirling with a kunai in hand.
But before they could stab the young woman a sword slammed into their side sending them away with a deep gash.
Since it was night Tengen couldn’t see who it was, but he did figure it was a demon due to their aura and sound that was odd as always.
“it’s been six years,” the demon spoke getting up their eyes glowing a familiar fuchsia color that made his stomach turn in horror as he recognized the voice.
Suma hid behind Tengen with fear as she too realized who it was. her small hands held the cloth of her husband’s uniform as a sigh of comfort – both her and him needed that comfort.
“You two grew very healthy, how is Hinatsuru and Makio?” the demon continued with a hoarse and raspy voice, “did you abandon them and kept this good-for-nothing maggot?”
It made Tengen’s blood boil at those words, “don’t call my wife that!” he snapped his jaw clanked after those words were told.
“I never taught you to act by emotions,” he – no, it – taunted with a very disappointed tone, “and woman, why defend them, they are just tools to make powerful heirs for this clan, where are they?” the demon tilled it’s body around to see where the heirs were.
The demon saw Suma’s choice of clothes that revealed her hip and chest making a tint of green cloth to spread on its cheek from disgust but before he could offend her Tengen moved in high speed to attack the demon.
Just as fast as Tengen moved the demon too reflected the attack, after all the demon had a large amount of experience from when it was a Shinobi. It was going to be a heavy battle.
If Tengen killed the demon he could be free from horror.
“how dare you!” the demon snarled and they started to fight it didn’t take long for Tengen to finally cut the head off. Suma was in a shock of fear before she felt someone behind her and jumped back to see another demon. This one had raven hair and fuchsia colored eyes.
“You can’t do this! I’m your father! A supreme Shinobi and I raised you to be who you are!” the demon yelled as it turned to ash before vanishing its words harsh and stabbed him in his heart.
“AAAAAAH, TENGEN-SAMA!” Tengen turned expecting his happy go wife, but she was on the floor with a large gash on her lower abdomen as familiar blood red liquid tainted her blue yukata.
Her hand grasped her abdomen as tears rolled down her cheeks from pain and shock. The one that stood over him was the man that was just like his father, another demon.
“how sad,” it taunted, its voice was filled with ego and cockiness, “the old man couldn’t survive from a wimp like you.”
Tengen crouched before Suma his hands holding her body as his swords fell beside him as her body fell numb on his arms, she was still alive by her breathing and her blood that still pumped in her body. Even if was weaker.
“why did you become a demon?” the pillar asked as his hands pressed onto her wound with a bit of strength to hold it there.
The demon let a mocking laugh, “we need to live to let the name stay alive.” He – it – spoke his short raven hair swayed with the wind, “while you left, me and the old man stayed, we were the only ones of the Uzui family that stayed. All our other Shinobis that where around were very much useless to the family if no daughters were around and no woman was as strong as your wives.”
“why not become a demon instead.”
It doesn't make sense, Tengen thought, after all since the Edo era Shinobi were already instinct that man was just obsessed to remake the clan that died so long ago.
With a flash the Sound Pillar cut the head of the man that once was his brother clean off his head.
***
The way he ran to the Butterfly mansion was faster than ever the crow already informed the owner of the place to prepare for the injured woman’s arrival.
Her breathing was getting shallow and uneven making him more worried, why did he have to suffer like that!
Why did Suma have to suffer!
He knew he killed his siblings that night. He knew he was a coward to run away from reality just to live a better life.
Rain started to pour down as the cloud started to form on the skies. The wind picked up as he held her closer and speed up reaching the manor he barged in and Aoi was there to take her to try and heal her the best he could.
He was phasing around his hair now loose and humid from the hair outside. He was given a dry and clean kimono to change into so he couldn’t get sick.
The door opened and froze seeing his second and third wife who looked mortified seeing his tear covered face, his eyes were red and puffy and around his neck was covered his light scratch wounds. His ears were red maybe that he tried to rip them off.
If the sleeve of his yukata wasn’t long they would have seen how to scratch his wrist from anxiety.
“Makio, Hina please come outside I have something to tell you.” Shinoubu spoke as she opened the door a bit. But Tengen wasn’t mentally there anymore to seven pay attention or ask for him to know too.
His aura wasn’t so ‘flashy’ anymore.
He was I the panic room inside his head, filled with horrors and anxiety, it was overbearing and what made it worse was how silent it was. it was dead silent. It was frightening.
His skin crawled as the silence grew loud for some reason.
Welcome to the panic room
A voice in the back of his head taunted it echoed, even if he heard it, the silence didn’t falter for a second.
Where are your darkest fears are gonna come for you
Many didn’t believe him when he spoke of what happens in his head they wouldn’t believe him when he cried and swore what happened to his wives aside from Suma.
You know I wasn’t joking when you see them too.
***
“Suma was pregnant.” Shinoubu confessed her head tilled down with a sad expression. “she sadly lost the baby.”
Makio looked away with a frown as tears filled her lower eyelid from sadness.
Hina placed a hand on her lips as her eyes widened as she let a gasp. “how can we tell Tengen-Sama?”
“I already know,” a whispered filled the hall from the man who had a pale expression with heavy bangs under his eyes that were red from crying. “she told me two days ago when she found out, we wanted to tell you tomorrow.”
“why did she go to the mission!?” Makio yelled out his voice wavered with rage and sadness her small calloused hands grabbed his yukata pulling him down to her eye level.
He trembled his eyes looked away in shame, “she wanted to, she couldn’t defy the words of master.” He explained, “she thought it was safe due to me being there.”
“well surely it wasn’t!”
“I’m sorry!” he cried out tears once more rolled down his cheeks, he barely let his emotions take over like that moment. After all his youngest wife lost a child and maybe was unable to have kids again. “I am weak and pathetic! A coward I should have been stronger for Suma!” like that he fell down to his knees his forehead pressed against the wooden floors.
He begged for forgiveness at the gods the more he could feel the world press their rage at him at the glare of Makio. The way he begged made him look like a few ranks lower than the Hashira he was.
His voice was so loud and booming as tears dropped to the floor.
Hina sighed and mouthed to Shinoubu to please let them alone as she crouched before him. Her small hands caress his silver hair as Makio scoffed with tears in her eyes, “Suma is alive and well, she is unconscious until the medication passes away.”
***
A few weeks passed and Suma was back home healthy but she also mourned for the death of her unborn child. Their ashes were in a small vase on a table beside the family picture. Tengen felt so much guilt and self-blame over the weeks before a new mission came to him.
And that time only to him. The master explained what it was about and that he couldn’t give another pillar the mission if he didn’t want to due to the past accident. The master personally asked for forgiveness feeling like it was his fault of sending little Suma with Tengen.
Suma was kind and told him off saying that she didn’t blame anyone but herself that was weak and naïve. But she was going to stay being a slayer for one more mission.
When the news came Suma begged Tengen to send her too to the Red Light District where all the other two wives and the man himself denied harshly.
She frowned deeply and argued back making her point across that after that mission she was never fighting again.
***
Blood was everywhere and the place was a chaos with everywhere ruin and scent of flames that already died down.
She cried as she begged him to stay with her, with them! Tengen just laid there, as Suma hastily ripped the end of her yukata not caring how short it ceased to be as she tied it around her dismembered arm while Hina was busy with his eye.
Makio used all poison antidote they had to cure him, some made from wisteria but all was for nothing. It made them cry from sadness, they just have gotten their husband back, they just got reunited.
Emotions clouded Tengen as he felt life slowly leave him, but he just accepted his death and fully relaxed his body.
“No antidote is working what do we do? What do we do?” Hina started to tremble as she lost her cool her hands moved uncoordinatedly fuming with her hair and with the floor as if some miracle could happen.
“Tengen-Sama don’t leave us!” Tears rolled down her eyes as she held his arm close carefully blood was smeared on her face but she was still a beauty. “I still didn’t tell you that I forgive you! That it isn’t anyone’s fault!”
Tengen had to hear that as a smile came to his lips, “Suma, Makio, Hina, I have a last wish for you.” He spoke his eye closed slowly as he internally winced from pain, “I wish for you too—. . .”
But before he could dare speak he was cut off by the loud cries of Suma, “God no please! Don’t take him from us! If you do I’ll never pray to you again!”
The dying man stopped and turned his head to her his brow twitched but then he understood she was genuinely begging for him to live like he did when she was at verge of death.
Then he felt a light tap on his forearm that was purple with overflowing vein-marks on them. And pink flames busted from him, he closed his eye accepting death and thought that the Kamado girl wasn’t as good as he thought, but in place of pain it was calming and soothing feeling.
And the pain subsided as the poison was slowly burned off him.
Suma’s yells together with Hina’s hectic breathing was drowned by the found of flames that covered him. When it died down he realized.
“wait. . .” his still intact hand came to his face cupping it with amazement, “the poison is gone.”
Makio hugged his carefully crying with the girls too with him.
Life was going to change after that night, now he would retire and change his life. Maybe he could try and give his wives the love and attention they needed rather than working so much as he did.
He could try and get over his past and finally exit the Panic Room.
END
