Blinding light is all she can see and she casts her gaze to the ground to avoid it. The silence around her is permeated with the rustling of wings and murmurings of those about to sentence her. Although she doesn't understand what's going on. Just a moment ago she was preparing her battalion of angels, about to take them out to train. But instead she was ripped away from daily life and thrust into this stuffy room of her superiors. The only possible thing she can think of is one angel in particular that seems to have it out of her – that this could possibly be her doing.
"We have deliberated and come to a final judgment to pass upon you," a mighty voice states. But she dares not to raise her head or ask any questions. She remains silent and waits for the perfect opportunity to speak. "Leader of the Eighth Battalion, Fujin, will be dismissed of her duties and cast from this holy land."
Her eyes widen as she stares down at her feet, watching the ground begin to disintegrate beneath her. She snaps her head up, glaring through the blinding light. "Why!" She screams out, demanding an answer as she begins to feel her body sinking.
"The punishment is equal to your betrayal. Be blessed that it is not more dire."
Fujin can't do or say anything more as the ground beneath her all but disappears. Her clothing flutters against her skin as she finds herself falling. The light dims quickly and in the blink of an eye she finds herself surrounded by a dark sky filled with twinkling stars. The wind beats around her as she falls, her greatest asset unable to flap and stop her from dropping so fast. It's then that an excruciating pain surges through her back and she screams. The pain is unbearable and she can barely stay conscious. It feels as though the very wings on her back are being ripped; feather, muscle, and bone one at a time.
She squeezes her eyes shut before she seemingly relaxes. Her body grows rigid as the wind beats at her slender frame, but she can't feel it any longer. Her mind has retreated to a safer haven. And thankfully so as the ground draws closer to her.
The first thing Fujin comes to realize is the pain. The dull, stabbing ache keeps her where she is. She doesn't dare to move a muscle and instead lies on the hard ground around her. The cement is cruel and damp from the rain that sprinkles down around her. Her gaze is muddied and unreliable as she first opens her eyes, trying to let them focus through the blur of emotions. She's never felt them so strongly until now.
The hurt, the anger, and the betrayal. It wells up inside of her like a tornado brewing overhead a plain. She's knows exactly what that damned woman did to her – she wanted Fujin's position for centuries. And now she has it. All over what can only be some petty lies and deceit. She squeezes her eyes shut before daring to open them to try and take in her surroundings.
The buildings standing tall to the sides of her keep the light at bay and the hair sticking to her face doesn't help. She can only presume she's been dropped into an alley in who knows what city. Her limited knowledge only makes the frustration boil on the surface of the calm expression on her face. Fujin returns her gaze to straight up, staring up at the blacked out sky above her. Each breath she takes make the pain in her back come to the forefront of her mind.
"Oh how the mighty have fallen."
The cruel, deep tone reaches her ears but she doesn't dare to look. She keeps her eyes locked on the dark clouds blending into the equally black sky. But the owner of the voice isn't happy with that. The man strides forward with heavy strides, boots slapping against every puddle. He comes to a stop at her feet, but only for a moment.
"You should be grateful that I even bothered to put up a field so that humans can't see you – much less sense you."
Fujin stays completely still, refusing to so much as twitch her fingers against the pavement. And it infuriates the man that is supposedly "protecting" her. It's the cruel laughter he gives her that makes her skin crawl, as if he's genuinely amused.
"I can't believe they dropped you without so much as a barrier to block your presence. They really don't care about you, the heralding winds - Fujin."
He begins to walk around her and finally she can see him. Decked out in all black, he can almost blend into the shadows if it weren't for his pale skin and bright golden eyes. It's those very eyes that dig deep into her very being and force some recollection to float to the surface. He makes sure to stay in her line of sight as he circles her, chuckling and continuing to mock her as he does.
"Did you forget to bow before your superiors? Or was it you slept in an missed a meeting? Poor thing.." The man bends down, picking up one of the many white feathers scattered about the ground around her. He twirls it between his thumb and forefinger, eyes slowly cutting over to her. The dark haired male squats down, holding the feather in front of her face. "You fought all this time, fighting those like me. For what? To become one of us. How tragic!" The cruel laughter that ensues makes her grit her teeth.
Still, Fujin keeps her eyes on the sky. From the glances at his frame that she's gotten has left a familiar taste in her mouth. The vague similarity to another in her memory frustrates her. The golden eyes are what get to her; she knows them. The name that enters her mind makes her teeth ache and her eyes sting – Vanitas, the troublesome angel who only caused problems.
Her gaze finally directs toward him in the form of a glare. "You have no room to talk."
The amusement dies from his voice as he clenches the feather in his fist. "Excuse me?"
"I know you. And someone who willingly walked away has no right to speak to me like that." She scoffs and returns her eyes upward, dismissing him in a sense. "Coward."
His hand rushes forward, the feather dropped, as he grabs the front of her white jacket. Hoisting her up so that their faces are only a few inches apart, he sneers at her. "I did not leave of my own accord. It was angels like you that made things like this." They stay still for a moment as he takes shallow breaths through his nose while she merely stares up at him. Her one visible eye turns away from him, not wanting to look at him any longer. To which he lets her go, allowing her to drop back to the ground. "Tch... It doesn't matter either way."
She mentally muses about the pain that surges through her head from the impact while simultaneously watching him turn around. His back to her, she can't see much save for the way his body seemingly relaxes. It's strange to her, but at the same time she can't find it in her to care. She merely wants him to go away. She just wants to be alone and think – think through everything that's happened and find an error in it all so she can go back.
Vanitas laughs softly, as if he's heard her very thoughts. "Don't even think about it going back. Get over it. You've been cast aside and no one wants you."
The words stun her and she fights them off, trying to believe that they'll come back and allow her to be redeemed. That this can't happen to her, not after all she's done and proved. But what catches her more off guard is that Vanitas turns back around and bends down. In one swift movement he has her scooped up in his arms.
"Put me down."
She weakly pushes against him and the glare she gives is not much stronger. He keeps his arms tightly around her as he looks up to the sky, ignoring her. "Shut up. Even I'm not cruel enough to leave you lying here." He smirks down at her, "I'm just taking my little abandoned kitten somewhere safe."
"Liar."
His brow purses and she can tell he's trying not to yell. Instead he removes his arms, letting her fall back to the ground with a heavy thud. Water from the puddles spray up around her and she has to close her eyes. The white dots fade from her vision and finally she opens her eyes. He hasn't moved a muscle, he simply remains glaring down at her – displeased to the highest degree.
"You're an idiot. They don't give a shit about you. They threw you down here to die and you want to go back?" He concentrates for a brief moment, closing his eyes.
Fujin watches as two large wings become visible, unfurling from behind him. They're as mighty as hers had been save for one thing. They're blacker than black itself. As he opens his eyes, they lock gazes.
"Let me spell it out for you." As he kneels down next to her, he grabs her chin. "They won't save you. They won't accept you. They hate you." He lets her go, shaking his head softly. "You're a fool to think you can fix anything. You're not a mighty warrior any longer. You're alone in a world of humans and other beings that hide in the dark. I suggest you get used to it."
She snaps her head to the side, cheek against the cold ground. And that's when she realizes it. She's cold and her clothes are drenched. Jacket and pants are muddied with water and tattered from her fall. She doesn't even look like she used to. Everything that once was is gone and it makes her angry – infuriated even.
"And hurry it up because I'm not going to stand out here all night long." Fujin looks back up at him with her eye narrowed. She doesn't believe his words, not after all she's known has betrayed her. Vanitas crosses his arms and taps his foot impatiently. "I'm waiting for your begs and pleas for help and I'm not hearing any."
Pushing herself up onto her elbows, she swallows the wince of pain. She refuses to show any weakness in front of this fellow fallen angel. Instead she forces herself to rise to her feet and hide the fact that her knees want to tremble – want her to fall back to the ground where she belongs. She glares at him and draws her lips into a thin line. "I don't need help. Especially not yours."
He raises an eyebrow, "Oooh, scary. So she does still have a backbone."
It's her turn to to launch forward, her slender fingers grasping at his ebony t-shirt. She yanks him forward just enough to where their noses almost touch. "I am not a fallen angel. And I will get my position back."
"I'd like to see you try little girl. Especially without your wings fully healed."
She shoves him away and turns on her heel. However, as she goes to walk away she can feel her legs trying to falter. Her body is pushing itself past its limit and it can't take it anymore. And she prays that he doesn't notice – that she can walk away with her head high with determination. But Vanitas surprises her and the only warning she's allowed is the soft flapping of feathers.
Vanitas surges toward her and picks her up, arms around her waist, as he takes them up into the air. "Don't even think of doing anything. If you do I'll drop you."
And she believes that. Her aching body relaxes into his warm embrace whether she wants it to or not. The muted sigh that leaves her lips calms her and allows her to stop thinking, if only for a moment. Despite the comforting feelings, she already knows she won't be staying for long. She plans to get back to that perch, if only to prove them wrong. But for now she allows Vanitas to carry her as her mind drifts off, exhaustion finally claiming her. Unbeknownst to her, Vanitas grins as he carries her through the air.
"Don't think I'll let you go so easy..."
;w; An art trade with the lovely dangerousHONESTY from deviantart.
It's been so long since I've written VanFuu /it was refreshing and fun that's for sure. lol