My Wings are Stained Red
Watashi no Tsubasa Chakushoku Suru Akai
(Akane)
A woman, about 25 years old, lay on a hospital bed. Her silver-blond hair was sprayed out around her face which is gaunt and sickly. Her thin hands gripped the scratchy bed sheets. Death lingered, only a minute left. Suddenly a hand reached through the wall next to her bed. The hand was followed by a slender arm and then the body of a young girl, about 16. The girl had dark, red hair down to her elbows and her eyes were a rich purple. She wore a sleeveless, black dress with ruffles on the bottom that went down halfway to her knees. A silver chain belt was wrapped around her waist. Her boots were knee-high and silver. Black squirrel ears poked out of her head and she also had a bushy tail.
Soon following the girl was a boy, aged 17, who had short, wavy brown hair and narrow, red eyes. For clothes he wore a faded red jacket over a white t-shirt and black pants. The boy also had fox ears and a bushy, chestnut-colored tail. The two posed for a second.
"Akane!" shouted the girl joyously.
"Hayato," her companion said in a resigned voice.
"We're Taiyaki!" The two shouted in unison.
"Huh?" the woman was shocked at the sight of the two strange beings. Akane turned to Hayato. "Are you sure this is the right one? Harumi Kihota, age 25?"
"Yes, Akane."
The fox Shinigami smiled at her partner. "Don't glare at me like that!"
The two Shinigami approached the dying Harumi. In a flash Hayato whipped out a scythe. With no remorse he plunged its tip into her heart. Pale dust motes floated heavenward as the young woman's soul flew free. Hayato headed back to the wall. Akane stood there not moving.
He killed her just like that. This punishment is cruel. I don't want to watch people die.
The Shingami faced the wall and rand towards it pumping her brand new wings. "Hey wait for me!"
****
As soon as the Shinigami team headed back to the Underworld Akane took a shower. As the hot water poured over her skin she began to worry. Death is a complex thing. It takes your hand and never lets go. I killed myself and now I must deal with others' deaths as punishment. But how…
"Hayato!!" she cried as she found her partner lounging on a rooftop, papers in hand.
"What's our next assignment?"
He didn't reply. He was too busy watching another Shinigami. Meroko was a full Shinigami with long, pink hair and eyes. Her simple white dress was quite pretty. Hayato was in love with her and it hurt Akane.
He's in love with her but it's pointless. Meroko and her partner Izumi are together. Why can't he see that he's wasting his time? Why can't he look at me like that?
Akan sighed, her frustration with her partner caught up with her. She picked up a book that had been sitting next Hayato. Holding it high above her head she brought it down onto Hayato's head.
"Ouch! What the heck was that for, Akane?"
The squirrel Shinigami refused to answer. Instead she tore off her new wings pumping hard and fast. Her face flushed crimson she headed off in a random direction. The sky had become autumn gold as the sun set and the clouds changed color like the leaves. Akane found herself down an unknown street, lost. Humans were heading home as the last light died.
"Where am I?"
Crap! I got lost.
"Hayato? Hayato? Anyone?" she called out, feeling incredibly stupid.
I'll just head back to the Underworld on my own.
"Who is this?" said a rather sarcastic-sounding boy. He stepped out of the shadows as he spoke. He had blond hair and narrow yellow eyes. His white shirt was adorned with a large, blue ribbon.
"Izumi?"
Akane recognized Meroko's partner from Milmake.
What is he doing here?
"Didn't you here? You're getting a new partner, Akane."
"No," she whispered. How?
"Hayato wanted to partner with Meroko and so you and I are partners now."
Whaaat?!?
To be continued…
Author's Note: Sorry it's so short but I'm having a writer's block with this story. I'll try to make the next one longer. Much longer, I hope. .;