And here I am, writing ANOTHER fanfic. I've got way too many all crowding my computer, and it's all GAH! But this is my experimental chapter for DNAngel, if you guys like it, I will continue, because I know I've enjoyed writing this.

And here we go!

Chapter 1

"Keep this . . . and remember. . . " The voice echoed in my mind as I fiddled absently with the odd shaped ring on the chain around my neck. I could still hear the pain and sadness in that voice, and I had a wave of crushing regret fall on me once again. My fingers clenched on the blankets as I fought back tears; I wouldn't allow my family to see me like this, not after being "missing" for six months. They'd think I was still traumatized from my encounter with a band of terrorists and send me right back into therapy.

I'll admit it: I was antsy; I wanted to go back, back to the world where I didn't feel out of place, where I had found friends. But I had also found enemies, or one enemy in particular that wouldn't hesitate to kill me. I didn't care about that.

I could see in my mind's eye: the amethyst eyes that regarded me with so many emotions it made my head spin. I remembered reaching out to at least say goodbye, but hadn't gotten the chance before I was ripped from the place I'd come to love and thrown back into my own reality.

I slammed my fist into my pillow out of pure frustration, tears threatening to fall, but I wiped them away just as quickly as they came.

I guess I should start from where everything in my life got turned around, and why I was experiencing the pain I was at the moment.

It all started with an argument.

~~Jun. 19, 2007~~

"I don't care what you say, I will always vote for Dark. He's so gorgeous."

"Well so is Krad!"

"Krad is a creep, okay?"

"Can you guys cut it out?" I demanded tiredly, running my fingers through my bangs. I really wasn't in the mood to listen to my two best friends argue over their favorite angels right now. I'd gotten caught in one of my parents' petty fights this morning over how I'd done my hair for school: Mom saying that the French half braid was a good look, Dad protesting that it showed off too much of my face.

I had finally just walked out the door, ignoring them, and ran all the way to school.

"Sorry about that Ayame. We didn't mean to upset you." Jade apologized, putting a hand on my shoulder. She's more level headed than her sister, Lilly, and understands my mood swings when my parents fight. I have a tendency to take it out on other people.

Oh, I'm Ayame Yamada by the way, but everyone except my parents calls me Aya. I'm fourteen years old, and the only child in my family. My mother got sick right after she had me and after a dangerous surgery, wasn't able to have any more kids.

Anyway, my parents kind of fawned over me, but Dad was paranoid that Mom was trying to show him up as a parent after she got me a new computer right after he got me a new music player.

Anime became my escape. I fell in love with one show known as DN Angel, and when the arguments stretched into the wee hours of the morning, I'd dream of Dark Mousy sweeping into my room and spiriting me away like the precious works of art he stole. He'd look at me with those intense eyes that stole my breath and maybe, just maybe, he'd steal my first kiss.

Just the thought of that was enough to make me blush, but I pushed it down in front of my friends. If they saw me, they'd tease me mercilessly again, because I'd drawn quite a few pictures of Dark before and I was usually there with him.

Lilly, Jade, and myself all lived in the same neighborhood, so it was tradition for us to walk home together after school.

"Are you excited for that trip to the art museum tomorrow, Aya?" Lilly asked, her long blonde hair swinging forward. I gave her a half smile of amusement.

"About the same as the rest of the class that's going." I replied.

"Just think, if we went at the right time, and lived in the same universe, we might get to see Dark in all his black winged glory." Jade said dreamily, no doubt imagining Dark flying in and successfully evading the police forces and security on the outside.

"Aya, are you okay? You're off in dreamland again. Thinking about a certain phantom thief?" Lilly teased, which earned her an elbow in the ribs from her older sister.

"Nah, I'm more worried about what my parents are gonna be fighting over tonight. It always happens." I replied, telling half truths like I'd learned how to do over the years.

"Are you sure you don't wanna crash at our place tonight? Mom would be more than happy to have you over." Jade tried to help me by saying. I waved her off, telling her that my own mother would probably flip out over me staying at a friend's house without telling her first.

"Your mom is so paranoid; what does she think is gonna happen: you're gonna get kidnapped or fall into the wrong hands?" Lilly protested, hands on her hips.

"I don't know, but whatever the case, I'll see you guys later."

"I'll text you tonight!" Jade called after me. I waved goodbye and entered the house, kicking off my street shoes and meandering through the house in my socks. Mom and Dad had left a note saying that they were going to be out late and that there were leftovers in the fridge for dinner.

My evening was looking up.

I sat down at my computer with a loaded plate of spaghetti and watched several episodes of DN Angel until about midnight, which was when my parents came home, but my dreams were sweet and uninterrupted and filled with visions of an angel with midnight black wings.

~~Next Day~~

I sat on the bus with about two dozen other kids, laughing and joking and basically being idiots. Jade, Lilly, and I sat up front and talked, but my mind kept drifting. I had this odd tingly feeling on my spine like I was being watched, or that something big was about to happen.

That feeling nagged me as our tour group traveled all over the museum, when one jewel caught my eye. It was a perfectly spherical stone, shining with iridescent red and gold. A phoenix with raised wings and a proud lift to its head swirled elegantly around it. It hung on a heavy gold chain, looking perfectly innocent against its velvet backdrop.

I remembered something my aunt had once told me about jewels shining brighter against a dark backdrop. In this case, it was working, because the jewel seemed to burn my retinas when I got too close.

"Aya, are you okay?" Jade put her hand on my shoulder and made me turn away from the jewel for a minute.

"Yeah; this just caught my eye." I pointed to the stone and Jade read the plaque that accompanied it.

"The Stone of Rebirth," she mused. "Said to hold the royal spirit of a phoenix that would provide guidance to the next heir, using knowledge that had been passed to it in previous generations.

"The bloodline died out several decades ago, according to official historical records. But some say that the jewel itself has only lain dormant." She finished, restoring her skinny frame to its upright position. She glanced over her shoulder and dashed off to follow the rest of the class as they continued to listen to the drone of the tour guide who had the tone that he'd given this tour about a hundred times and had lost all of his enthusiasm for it.

I lingered behind and my fingers slowly raised themselves to reach out and touch the glass. I hesitated; but what harm could come from simply touching a glass case?

*insert dramatic music here*

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~~Sady Mordan