-- please read beginning author's note --

Okkotsu staggers back.

'Kill

us? ' he wavers, joints jerking with involuntary twitches as his fight-or-flight response clearly demands he do the latter, but there 's nowhere to run. 'What? Why?! '

'Because you deserve it, ' Getou responds, tone terribly but predictably cold. After all, effigies can 't feel their own chipped stone limbs, can they? 'You thought you could get away with your sins? How foolish. '

'Sins? ' Okkotsu repeats, and of course he 'd play dumb. Pathetic. 'What are you saying? '

'I 'm saying you 're a fucking liar, ' Getou declares.

Takes one to know one, right?

'How many times did I ask you the same question without receiving an honest answer? Let 's see. ' He unfurls a hand to count their earlier conversation on his fingers. 'First attempt, second chance, third time 's the charm...everyone knows you don 't get a fourth try. ' Getou tsks. 'Too bad. Don 't say I didn 't warn you. '