Not my Hero
Chapter I: Mother May I? Talk about bad timing! (For everyone!)
KK: I'm sorry if Yamato seems a bit out of character in this chapter.
TK woke in a small swinging bed. His bed. He slowly opened his eyes and sat up. A wave of dizziness hit him hard and he wanted to fall asleep again.
"So you're up," a soft voice said to him, "You took a nasty blow to the head and the queen is furious."
He put a hand through his head and felt a sticky substance in it. He pulled it back out and saw a crimson color on his hand.
"Do you know who did this? And who attacked the queen?" he turned to Sora and glared at her.
"He asked me to rebel! The idiot asked me to rebel against the queen. He said something about my father…" he added curtly.
"You mean…The Angel-"
"Don't say it. I'm the last Sora. I had a brother but…never mind it's stupid. I need to attend to the queen to make sure she's alright."
Sora cringed, "Did I fail to mention she wants your wings on a silver platter if she ever discovers you assisted the would be assassin?"
He rolled his eyes and then spat, "Does it look like I care? This is a load of crap if you ask me. We're all gonna suffer because of some stupid peasant-"
She shook her head; "He wasn't a peasant. He was lord of Light Angel Motimiya-"
TK wasn't putting up with anymore. He stood and swiftly left the small room. Their room was in one of the higher corridors, considering they were personal servants of the royal family. Where does she get off telling me who it was when the queen was looking for him? I'm the only one who knows…right? He might have been talking in his sleep. He was starting to get sick of it all. He arrived at a rather large door with gold decorations on it. Well here goes nothing… he knocked.
The door flew open to see a young woman that looked twenty-seven. She had wild maroon hair and stunning brown eyes. When she looked around to see who knocked she saw no one but she heard a squeak come from behind the door she held her dress and walked out side as the closed. She almost laughed at the sight. It was her servant and he was against the wall, his black wings were spread. He tried to get them to shield himself but it was a failed attempt.
"Are you okay Takeru?" she emphasized 'Takeru' his true name but he said nothing in response when he came off of the wall, "Awwe, did I hurt you?"
"Nothing that won't heal over time, your grace," his wings folded back as he bowed.
"Oh good. Now," he opened the door for her and then followed her swiftly, "I was told by the assassin that you helped him get here," she whipped around and smacked him, "You wouldn't be planning to rebel would you?"
He recovered briskly, "No your grace. He addressed me and told me of his plan but I refused."
She smiled and then gave him a hug, "That's my Takeru. Now go to the chef and tell her to prepare the feast."
"Yes your-"
"Takeru, you know, since I've known you since your birth could you supposedly call me mother. But not in public. I would appreciate it," Jun smiled sweetly.
He nodded and said, "Okay…Mother…" and he left for the kitchens.
He entered the kitchens as everyone called to him.
"Hey TK! You in league with the light now?"
TK's head turned to the one who said it, "You wish Niok. You only want me to be because you're jealous."
Prince Niok scowled, "Shut up peasant!"
Niok had bright red hair and two silver wings. His robes were also silver and the glimmered in the dim light. His cocky grin gave people the idea he was fifteen, when he was actually twenty-five. His black eyes sparkled darkly whenever he smiled.
"Aren't you the one who told me you never were cruel," TK snapped a little harder than necessary.
Everyone shut up at hearing it and the prince stood up, "You want to start something?"
TK just looked at him. His dark blue eyes were searching the prince's soul for secrets. Dark secrets. TK smirked as he stared into Niok's eyes.
"What? Is the little boy afraid?" said Niok as he cocked his head.
"No you are the one who is afraid. You wouldn't want to become Death now would you?" TK snarled at him. TK knew that the Death spirit would scare the prince. Once you became a Death spirit then you were that person's servant forever. But only a certain few 'Angels' could summon that spirit.
Niok walked up to TK and spit in his face, "You do not have the power! Your eyes-" TK's eyes turned gold as he said it, "are not golden…"
"Do…not…misjudge…my…kind…" TK shook his head and his eyes were back to normal, "Is that a problem?"
Everyone but the cook stood in awe. TK walked over to her and started talking to her about the feast they were throwing for their guest.
~ Else where…~
Hikari laughed hard as Daisuke tickled her. Her light brown was all over her wet face when he finally let go. She was still laughing even then. So was Daisuke. Their faces were both red when they heard the sound of their teacher and did not pay attention to it.
"Hikari! Daisuke! Your fathers have been looking for you!" A blond teenager a little older than themselves walked up to them, "It's almost time to start leaving no thanks to you Daisuke. If you hadn't have tried to kill the queen then we wouldn't ha-"
"Oh-just-shut-up-Yamato!" Hikari and Daisuke laughed at the same time.
"Well I'm not the one who has to get ready. I'm all ready and look at you two! Come on," he picked them up and they followed him.
Hikari went to her own room and went behind the screen. She took off her shirt and pants and slipped on a tightly fitted dress. Her white wings were folded onto her back. The dress was mostly white except for the gloves, which were a light pink. The dress had no sleeves and along the top were small pink diamonds. The dress went down to her feet, which were in small high heels. She walked to her door, which opened, as she got to it.
"Hello Daisuke," she said cheerfully as he walked in.
Daisuke was in a silver breastplate that had the picture of a dragon on it. His sword was on his belt and his hand was on the hilt. His cape was white, as were his pants. His wings were folded against his back as well. His maroon hair was still as wild as ever and so were his eyes.
"So are we ready to go?" he asked her bowing.
"Yes we are," she smiled curtsying and then taking his arm and they walked out of the room.
~~
Takeru stood at the entrance in heavy armor. Of all the rotten luck… They were short soldiers so he and a few other 'lucky' slaves had to dress up as some. The amour was made of a thick dragon hide that was black and also extremely heavy. His 'sword' was only an enchanted stick that looked like a sword for show. His helmet stank of his own sweat and wings were in an uncomfortable position. They were erected up and the most comfortable position to have them was spread like he was going to fly. The gate started to lower, marking there guests' arrival.
He watched as young man who threatened him the hours before rode in on his tan stallion. Takeru almost laughed at the irony. That prince was up on his high horse with his head in the clouds. The prince's wings shined even though they were white and his hair was wild. What a poor, poor man… The prince of the Light Angels was afraid of losing power. The prince was smiling until he saw the slave and his wings and then as quickly as he looked at Takeru, turned away. Takeru couldn't shake his head in pity. Light angels could be drained from just looking at his kind if they weren't strong enough with their power. Another arrived and he looked that way.
This was a female angel on a white mare. Her wings were also white but did not shine. They were dulled out by the aura of the young woman in general. She did not expect things and hid her only fears. This was the first time Takeru could detect only light in ones soul except one small patch of Darkness that was hidden away. She shouldn't do that or eventually the darkness shall overcome her… Not even the darkness revealed her fear. It frightened him as he shifted uncomfortably in his armor. Her light brown hair sparkled as did her eyes. She went out of sight as another came into view, but this one, Takeru had no sympathy for.
If looks could kill both Takeru and the new rider would be dead. The rider was his half brother, Yamato. Yamato felt his brother's presence as Takeru did as he glared. Yamato's blond hair was combed back and his blue eyes were slits. His wings were golden brown and had white tips like an eagle's. He was in royal blue robes and had only a silk shirt on. But Takeru could tell that underneath that shirt there was mythril armor.
Yamato had a rare weapon as well. It looked like a silver dagger in a gold sheath, but if you tried, the dagger would not come out. On the gold part were small hanging objects. Some looked like miniature whistles others just looked like eight small decorations. But in reality, it was a Rivcolo, which could enchant anyone, if it was told to. The gray stone in the middle began to glow red. It could sense Takeru as well. Yamato, how dare you come back you bastard! Yamato must have heard this because he smirked and continued on his way. If it weren't the armor, Takeru would have tore after his 'brother'…
An hour later, Takeru was up stairs undressing from the unbearable armor in his room. He could hear the Rivcolo's through the walls as if it were right there in the room. TK had a Rivcolo but he was not 'TK'. And he dare not use it. As soon as he was in his wearing shirt and pants he was ready to shift his wings back into his body. If he didn't want someone to see them then he could make them disappear but it was too late. There was a knock on the door and the Rivcolo music stopped.
The door opened to reveal the angel girl from earlier.
"Um, excuse me?" she asked, "Do you know where the-" She his black wings and her eyes closed as she fell to the ground.
Takeru made his wings disappear before he went to pick her up.
"Damn her timing," TK swore as he picked her up and walked slowly out of the door.
It would have normally, from where they were, would have taken twenty minutes, if TK hadn't known where the secret passages were. He opened a portrait of the fifth queen, Alexika, and then walked in. He carefully closed it behind him, trying not to hurt the girl and then slowly lit a candle. It smelled of rotting plants and animals and the walls were covered in mold and grime. The only light came from TK's candle as he started to walk. He walked around the twisted tunnels until he came to another portrait entrance that was mark 'Guest room female' he looked in the small peep hole to make Sora or one of the other maids weren't there and then entered.
It was small compared to some of the rooms in the palaces but it was still fairly large. There were five large beds, all of which were four poster. The bedspreads were all silky and maroon. He went to the center one and laid the girl on it, making sure her wings were folded up because he knew how uncomfortable it was to have them spread eagle while sleeping. He looked at her one last time before exiting the way he came.
~~
"Yamato," Daisuke asked as he stopped playing the Rivcolo, "Have you seen Hikari at all?"
"The last time I saw her she was going up the stairs to the royal…chambers!" Yamato started making a mad dash for the stairs but a gentle spell washed over him.
"You wouldn't be trying to…get to my room now would you?" a silky voice asked him.
The queen's figure appeared in front of him. She was in a bronze dress that turned purple as it went to the floor.
"No, your grace…" Yamato managed to say, "Hikari, has gone that tower and I need to find her."
She smiled slyly, "I'll have one of the slaves do it. Sora!"
A red headed young woman rushed over to the two, "Yes your highness?"
"Find Princess Hikari. She's in a white dress and has gone up to the royal chambers," Sora nodded and started going up the stairs.
~~
Sora ran up the stairs as one of the portraits opened. The person stepped out and shut it. He looked at Sora with a mild expression of surprise on it.
"Sora," TK asked exasperatedly, "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for Princess Hikari," Sora replied.
"Who's she?" TK asked.
Sora rolled her eyes, "You know the one you were talking about that 'had the darkness hidden within her'? That's her."
TK's face turned a shade lighter but his expression stayed the same; "She's in the guest room…"
She looked at him and asked him with a sigh, "What did you do this time?"
"She walked in while I was changing back to human and she kind of well…"
"Fainted right?"
"Right…I'll go to the party in your place. The queen is probably wondering where I am any way."
"Okay bye TK…" but he was already gone.
TK had always been somewhat distant but truthful. He had never told a lie but he let his feelings get bottled up inside. She had asked him one time when he younger but he only said something about 'Death'. She didn't know whether that meant death in general or 'Death Spirit'. She knew he came from a bloodline that supposedly could control them but she wondered why he was a servant. TK or rather 'Takeru' was an angel but a rather bleak one. Angels weren't meant to be slaves but TK was.
Sora took the secret passage that was just used by TK and quickly got to the guestrooms. She opened the portrait only to see Hikari changing. The younger girl screamed when she saw Sora and Sora screamed as well. The scream wouldn't get to anyone important like a guard or the queen but it left an impression in Sora's hearing or so she thought. The screaming stopped when Hikari was safe under her covers.
Hikari had never let anyone, even her maids watch her dress before. So when the person walks in and Hikari is stark naked it's pretty traumatizing. The older girl walked slowly and started apologizing.
"I am so sorry my lady! I didn't know or I swear I wouldn't have come in like that!" she started to bow but Hikari waved it off.
"No, it's okay! I just wasn't ready when you just appear out of no where. Now why are you here miss…"
"Sora. My name is Sora and I'm looking for you because Lord Yamato and Prince Daisuke have sent me."
"Okay. Well then turn around and let me get dressed. And Sora?" Hikari asked as Sora turned around.
"Yes milady?" Sora asked politely"
"Two things," Hikari spoke as she got another dress out, "Is there an Angel with blond hair, blue eyes and black wings? And also how did I get mold on my white dress?"
Sora didn't respond immediately, "Yes there is an Angel meeting those description here but you won't see him very much. And I'm not sure on the mold part…"
There was an awkward silence that followed. Hikari finished getting ready and told Sora to come with her. The older girl followed without question.
~~
TK had leaned against a wall and started to fall asleep. The party was boring, as were all of the other royal parties but this one took the cake. The crowd of servants wasn't very large and it just happened to be that all the people there were scared of him. He didn't mind not having anyone to talk to. He liked being alone. That all started to change when the queen approached him.
"Takeru, I would like you and your brother to come to the throne as soon as possible. It's important…" she trailed off and then left to go find his brother.
He stood up and stretched. He started the walk to the thrones and slowly at that. He didn't want to be with his brother. His brother wanted pity so he went to the light. He picked the losing side. TK looked towards the door that he heard open and saw two young women, one with light brown hair and the other with red hair. TK realized what was happening. Why the queen had wanted him to call her 'mother'. Why the queen needed Yamato and Hikari and himself. But…He saw the prince who had his head in the clouds and he pulled him off to the side.
The prince pushed TK off of himself, "What the hell was that for you-"
"Do you love Hikari?" TK asked hastily.
The prince blushed, "That is none-"
"If you do, then you had better say it now! My queen is trying to marry her to me! Go to her now and say it. Tell her now or else she-"
"Everyone! Everyone may I have your attention! Takeru, my son may you come up here?" he heard her say.
Too late..
TK thought and started towards the thrones again. He finally reached the thrones and his mother asked for him to release his wings. He concentrated and he felt the power slipped out a little easier than normal. Hikari jumped back in shock and didn't look at him. Yamato looked at him expectantly as if waiting for something else to happen."This everyone," Queen Jun stated, "is my adopted son! He is to wed Hikari. Hikari, the Angel of Light and Takeru, the Angel of-"
"Wait stop!" a voice cried out, "I love her! Stop please! I'm sorry your highness! I'm sorry just don't take Hikari away from me!"
It was the prince and he ran up to thrones. Jun smiled wickedly.
"So Daisuke, if you truly love her then you will become my blood brother?" Jun closed her eyes and smiled.
"Yes, as long as Hikari doesn't have to marry…marry that!" Daisuke shouted pointing at Takeru.
Takeru looked down as Daisuke and Jun shared their blood. He had been a pawn in this the whole time. Just like he was told to be. He was supposed to make Daisuke suffer. He was supposed to make Hikari faint in that doorway. Damn it all! He cursed and his brother replied
So you finally figured out how darkness works…eh Takeru?
~~
I will dedicate
And sacrifice my every
Thing for just a second's worth
To find my story's ending.
And I wish I could know
The directions that I take,
And all the choices that I make,
Will end up all for nothing.
Show me what it's for,
Make me understand it.
I've been crawling in the dark,
Looking for the answer.
Is it something more?
Than what I've been handed?
I've been crawling in the dark,
Looking for the answer.
Help me carry on.
Show me it's ok to
Use my heart and not my eyes
To navigate the darkness.
You'll be ending me,
If I come in suddenly.
Will I ever get to see?
The ending to my story?
Show me what it's for,
Make me understand it.
I've been crawling in the dark,
Looking for the answer.
Is it something more
Than what I've been handed?
I've been crawling in the dark,
Looking for the answer!
How much further do I have to go?
And how much longer 'til I finally know?
'Cause I'm looking and I just can't see what's in front of me,
In front of me!
Show me what it's for,
Make me understand it.
I've been crawling in the dark,
Looking for the answer.
Is it something more
Than what I've been handed?
I've been crawling in the dark,
Looking for the answer!
~~
KK: I got the song 'Crawling in the dark' off of www.songlyrics.co.nz. Cool place! Sorry I never meant for it to be an Angel story. (I'm obsessed) I was watching Dogma though and it was about angels so…
Davis: Oh just go to bed!
KK: *Throws a pillow in his face * Oh well goodNIGHT!!!!
