Thousand-year Curse (1x1 w/DarkMudkip)

The anxiety in his gut only got worse, perhaps Matsunaga was still working? Perhaps he had already left? He did only feel Megohime’s cursed energy down in the cells, so perhaps she was all alone after all.
 
Megohime was in fact alone, sitting slumped in her chair, her only movements from her shallow breathing. She didn’t pick her head up to look at Kojurou this time, not acknowledging his presence at all.
 
Megohime had a delayed reaction, trying to pick her head up, but she seemed too weak. Whatever had been done to her, she wasn’t crying or trying to plead her innocence anymore, silent as death.
 
Megohime could hear the cell door unlock, hear a voice muffled, like she was submerged under water. Her head still felt so heavy, she couldn’t understand what was going on.
Megohime let out a weak noise, like she was trying to speak, and when Kojurou knelt in front of her his entire body went cold. Her remaining eye was gone, lid closed over an empty and bloody socket, blood covering her lips. She opened her mouth again, but where her tongue used to be was only a bloody stub of flesh.
 
He swallowed a scream, eyes wide in terror and anger. How could Shingen allow this to happen? She was on death's door, eyes and now her tongue ripped from her. All for some stupid sorcerer. He touched her cheek gently, slowly to not startle her, his heart ripping straight out of his chest.
 
Megohime barely reacted to the touch, likely in shock, making another groaning noise as she tried to figure out who was in the room with her this time. Her murky mind searched frantically for clues, but thoughts were an effort for her, only able to shake her head slowly.
 
He felt like crying, looking at her in this sorry state. He pulled his hand away and went to work slowly cleaning her new wounds, hands shaking as he worked.
 
The heavy stench of blood clung in the air, far too heavy to be from the wound in her eye and mouth, but where was it coming from? There was no blood on the floor or walls.
 
It didn’t take much investigating to find out where the smell was coming from- upon pulling back her collar, he found the source of the smell. She was missing the skin of her back, how much was gone he couldn’t tell with her clothes on, but from what he could see, it was a large amount.
 
His eyes widened as realization washed over him. That was where her dragon tattoo had been. Matsunaga took...? Bile pooled in his throat and he backed away, leaving to tell Shingen.
 
How had no one heard anything? How had he left with such a large portion of human skin? Kojurou didn’t want to think of such things.
 
"President Shingen!! President Shingen!!" Kojurou was almost screaming as he ran to Shingen's office. Shingen looked up from giving Akihime and Nana a task as Kojurou burst in.
"Katakura, is everything alright?" Shingen asked. Kojurou looked pale, almost green, his eyes panicked.
"Megohime, she... Matsunaga, he...!!" He asked gasping, fighting the urge to throw up right there, "He took...!"
"Katakura-san, please, sit down.." Akihime frowned and gently took his arm, pulling him to the closest chair, "Take your time, what happened?"
"Matsunaga flayed her!!" Kojurou choked, coughing as he fought his need to gag, "Took the flesh of her back where her dragon was tattooed!!"
 
Nana’s eyes widened at the news of Matsunaga’s actions, looking to Akihime before looking back to Kojurou. “Flayed her? Is she dead?” Nana hadn’t even been aware that Megohime was being held captive until that moment, this the first time she had heard of anything.
 
He shook his head, "She's alive, but barely...! He took her eye, her tongue...! I'll kill him!" Kojurou was immediately entaged and Akihime had to keep him seated. Shingem looked disgusted as well as angry.
"I will have him brought back to explain his actions. To go so far to get information from her and tell me nothing in the aftermath is appalling."
"Oyakata-sama, Megohime will need immediate medical attention. To stay in her cell with such wounds would aid no one." Akihime said. Shingen nodded.
"We will have her taken and cared for. But without a means to speak, we have no way of getting to Date now."
 
“Getting to Date? What do you mean?” Nana, who had been listening quietly the entire time finally spoke up. “What’s going on?”
 
Akihime looked at Nana with a soft panic that she tried desperately to hide from Shingen.
"Megohime is believed to be allied with Date in a horrendous attempt to enact a massive extinction of humans to force an evolution of sorcerers." Shingen explained to Nana, "She hasn't given much information, if at all. But it isn't likely she could be as close to him as she is and not be involved."
 
“What are talking about?” Nana looked ashamed, ashamed of herself that she hadn’t spoke up sooner, telling herself that it was to protect Akihime, and not because she was scared to get involved. “Of… Of course she’s involved!” She clenched her fists and looked away from Shingen. “Please forgive me, if I had known more I would’ve said something sooner- no, that’s an excuse. Megohime is allied with Date, she had approached me as well and tried to recruit me. Forgive me for not speaking up sooner.”
 
Kojurou looked heart broken, his body slouching in dismay, "Please, tell me you're lying..." He pleaded softly. Motochika had been hiding in the corner listening, the fires of his eyes burning gently.
"Nana ain't one to lie, even if she hates someone. She speaks the truth, we were approached to take to his cause." He said. Kojurou covered his face and shook his head, Akihime trying to soothe him. Shingen looked disappointed but nodded.
"Thank you for bringing this information to light, Nana. It is most appreciated. We will do what we can now to devise a way to stop Date and get Katakura's wife, Jin, back safely."
"Come, Katakura-san, let's get some tea to relax.." Akihime said gently, trying to urge him to his feet.
 
“If it’s any consolation, I really didn’t see or hear of your wife. I only saw Date when I met with him.” Nana said with a frown.
 
Kojurou looked defeated and Akihime took him out of the room. Shingen looked to Nana and Motochika, "I suppose for the time being, the mission will be on hold. Is there anything else you have to share about Date?"
 
Nana shook her head. “I didn’t stay long, I didn’t want to hear what he had to say once I found out what he wanted me for.” She bowed her head. “Please forgive me for not reporting it.”
 
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