Chapter 10: My Knight In Black Armor
...
...
...
"So this is what it feels like to lose someone, huh?" a small female voice asked to no one in particular. This voice belonged to Alice. Alice was usually a very happy young woman, but not today. Her voice had lost its bubbly sound. She was not her usual optimistic self. The pain of losing someone close to her was just too much for this young fourteen year old to handle.
Yes, she had handled the loss of her parents, but she was so much younger then. Now, she was older, and understood more about death. So much more than before.
...
"Auntie Manna?" a young Alice called to get her Aunt's attention. Her aunt, who was currently on her knees in the garden, looked up. This showed the young girl that she was listening. "Do you know where mommy and daddy went?" Alice asked, fiddling with her fingers.
Manna sighed. She knew this day was to come.
Manna and her husband, Derek, had adopted Alice at the age of three. You see, one day, there was a great fire in Africa, where Manna's sister and Alice's mother was stationed. Manna loved her sister as much as Alice did. She begged Alice's mother not to go to the country of Africa. Manna did not believe that Africa was an evil place, as some people told her, but the place her sister and her sister's husband was planning to go was very barbaric. She couldn't even remember the name of the place right now...
...even if she wanted to think about it...
But, Alice's mother would not listen. She was intent on going and following her dreams of being a great archaeologist, just like her father-in-law, Michael. Manna, seeing that she could not change her older sister's mind, let it go. Of course, in the couple of months that this trip was planned, Manna continued to look after her sister's well-being. When they finally got into a fight, Manna let her fear for her sister go and soon turned it on to something else. Or, rather, someone else.
...
...
...Alice.
...
...
At the time, Alice was only two, her third birthday coming up in a couple of months. Alice was a bright young girl. She learned to read Curious George stories at the age of two. When she was about eight months of age, she was able to pick up the tiniest thing on the floor, even a pin. When she first learned to talk, she practiced her ABC's. By a year and a half, she was able to write her who name down. She even understood how to speak a little bit of Spanish. A pride and joy.
...A pride and joy...
Yes, that is exactly what she was. Alice was not only a pride and joy to her parents, but also to the rest of her family. They all lived in one small town, aunts, uncles, cousins, everyone. Alice was currently the youngest on both sides of the family. So, whenever you would go out shopping on the town, everyone would ask how little Alice was doing and if she was learning anything more. She was like a star to those people.
But, that was not why her aunt wanted to keep her. Oh, no. That would be too selfish, which was something Manna was not. She begged her sister to let Alice stay. There were so many reason she would give.
The sand loves when..the waves come;
The sky can't wait...for the light of the sun.
"Dezanie, think of all the wonderful things she could learn here?" Manna said, trying to convince her sister to let Alice stay. This was the first night they had talked after their own little fight on why they should not go to Africa period.
Dezanie merely shook her head. "Maiko Anna Livine Jadeston, how many times must you were about us? She can learn all of what she could learn here, plus more, in Africa," she replied, scolding her younger sister. Manna pouted when she used her full name. That's what she always did when trying to prove a point. "Alice will be fine, and, furthermore, you are not her parent, nor guardian, so you have no reason to worry about my daughter like she is your own." And with that, Dezanie stalked off, leaving her younger sister awestruck.
"I may not be her guardian, but that doesn't mean I will ever stop worrying about my baby niece," Manna mumbled to herself.
The second time that Manna could remember was when they were at the airport, saying their goodbyes.
So how could you...look me in my eye
And not see what what i feel inside...
"Maiko Anna, don't you worry about us," Dezanie instructed, holding a two-year old Alice in her arms. Her husband, Michael II, stood by her side, arm wrapped around her waste. "We'll be just fine. Africa is not as barbaric as everyone thinks it is."
"I understand that, Dez, but...it's just that...the place we're you're going is so much more different than the rest of the world," Manna answered back. "Don't you understand what I'm saying!" Manna raised her voice, trying to get her point.
Dezanie shook her head, a sad smile showing on her face. "No, I'm sorry. I don't understand. I don't see what you see. I have my own eyes," she continued, holding on to Alice a little bit tighter.
With that, the family of three turned away. Now, how was Manna supposed to know that that would be the last time she ever saw her darling sister on her country's soil again?
The third time, and the last time, they had a fight, was the last time they would ever be allowed...able...to have a fight again.
But, as Manna sits on her knees doing her garden, she wonders, could that really be considered a fight...or a thank you. Thank you for doing so much more than you know.
Tell me how could you...doubt the fact that I love you...
"Why give her to me now?" Manna asked, though she was not protesting it. She was in Africa, at her sister's little home on a hill. They had been living there for eight months, and, since it was Alice's birthday, Manna took the first flight she could fine there. Even though she was supposed to be there to give her niece a present, she received one of her own.
Dezanie hesitated. Manna knew something was up. The only time Dezanie really hesitated was when she was wrong, but did not want to admit it. "I was wrong," she explained quietly. Usually, when Dezanie ever admitted something like this, Manna would pretend that she could not hear her older sister and ask for her to speak up. But, this time, she could see it was very serious.
"About what?" And Dezanie could tell that her sister seriously wanted to know.
She proceeded to explain. "About Alice and this Africa idea," she looked around when she said this. Mostly, though, she looked outside. "It's so beautiful here, I know. It's just that...I fear there is something out here, that was not back at home, after my daughter." Manna was shocked.
"But why have me take her home?" Manna asked. "Was it not you who said-," she was cut off by her sister's hard voice.
"Maiko Anna Livine Jadeston!" Dezanie snapped. "I know what I said, but now I am taking it back. Just take my daughter and go home!" She screamed, tears in her eyes. Alice woke up and peered out of the wall she was near. Manna saw this, but Dezanie didn't. Alice's eyes teared.
"Dezanie-," but again she was cut off.
"If you really loved me you would take Alice and go!" Manna eyes widened.
"But..."
I love you
"Alice, come here, sweetie," Manna called as she sat up a bit more from doing her garden work. The four-year old Alice looked up, tears in her eyes, and slowly made her way toward her aunt.
When she got to her aunt she said quietly, "It's because she never loved me." Manna had looked taken back by this. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. She was saying it as though it was a fact.
"Now, Alice, you know that's not true," Manna half-hearted scolded. The other half of her heart was surprised she would even think that way. Here her niece was, only four and about to be five, thinking like that. That was something teenagers usually thought, not toddlers.
"If it's not true than why did she ask you...NO beg you to take me away!?" Alice asked, her voice raised to her fullest. Again, Manna looked taken back. Tears filled in her eyes as well. It was now apparent that Alice had come in at the wrong part of the conversation. Why could she not have just come before and stayed a little bit longer? "Did she hate me? Did she need the money?! Did she just not want me?! Was daddy in on this?! Does no one lo-,"
SMACK!!!!!
Don't you ever...think like that.
Don't you ever...never do that?
Manna was in tears. "Don't...d-don't you ever say that! Don't you ever believe that! Your mother and you," she continued, twisting her middle finger and index finger together to make her point, "were like this. You guys are still like this. You were her spitting image!" Manna practically screamed. Alice looked at her aunt, wrapped her small arms around her, and apologized.
There will never be two things...that go together better
Than you and me....
"How's Alice holding up?" asked a, for once, concerned Dan. They were all at Runo's family restaurant, waiting for news. They sat down in little booths, all five: Joe, Maurcho, Julie, Runo, and Dan. Their parents were behind them. Everyones' parents were there, except Alice's and Shun's. It seemed as though no one had heard Dan's question, for everyone just sat their in silence. Only Runo looked up into his eyes and acknowledged him.
The Bakugan all sat together in a circle on the table that was occupied by their masters. "Daniel," Drago began. "I am sure you can answer that by yourself."
...
...
But Dan didn't answer. His eyes stood still as he stared down Runo. She just stared back. Tigrerra looked up at Runo's eyes. There, she could see so many emotions. Sadness, confusion, hurt, pain, love, and...wishful thinking.
Quietly, Dan slid his hand across the table and in Runo's hand. Runo gazed at him more intently. "We'll get through this as a team. I know you wish that she'd come back down right now, but I know Alice," Dan tried to reassure. Runo looked at him like he had grown two heads, but Dan didn't notice the gaze. The others did.
So how could you...look me in my eye
And not see what what i feel inside
"Dan," Julie spoke up in a quiet voice. "I don't think-," not letting her finish, Dan cut her off hurriedly.
"She'll be fine, Julie!" Dan snapped in a harsh, but hushed tone.
Marucho piped in this time. "But how could you-," cut off again.
"I just know she'll be!" he screamed out again.
...
...
...
"Dan, I think what they're trying to say," and Joe held up his hand to keep Dan quiet. "is that how could you say that. If anyone of us knows Alice, it's-," and he was cut off. This time, though, it was not by Dan, but by Runo.
"I know her better than you!" she snapped at Dan, pulling her hand out from Dan's. This caused the parents and bakugan to look up at Runo, who had tears brimming in her eyes.
"M'lady, please calm down," Tigrerra chided.
Runo shook her head violently. "No! He doesn't know Alice at all," she accused. "He never hung out with her that much even though she would try! He never went to the park with her when she'd asked him to! He never washed the dishes with her when it was so obvious she needed help! She couldn't do it on her own! He never-"
"Stop this right now, Runo!" Tigrerra yelled from beneath her. Runo was taken back at this. She got up from her seat and ran out the door. She never heard Tigrerra not call her M'lady.
When she ran outside she slipped due to rain. Before she had the chance to connect to the ground she felt two arms wrap around her waste. Looking up, she saw it was Dan, holding her protectively, while looking down. Silently he helped her up, until she could stand on her own two feet.
"I-," he began, but Runo cut him off as she pushed herself into a hug with him.
"I lied!" she cried through her tears. "I lied. I lied. I lied. I lied," she continued, sobbing. "I never hung out with her when she tried! I avoided her! I never went to the park when we had time and she asked me to! I never helped her wash the dishes when it was obvious she needed my help! I never did anything right with her! I'm a hypocrite. I deserve to be in the pain she is in now, but I'm not! I call myself her best friend. But how could she ever love me?! I'm a monster!"
...
...
...
Two arms encircled around her. She looked up, seeing Dan looking back down at her. He kissed her on the forehead gently, and mumbled, "I've seen the way she talks to you, looks at you, hugs you, and releases your fears. Some things I've always wanted to do," he lifted his face from her head. "She looks at you as though you were her sister. Don't doubt that."
Tell me how could youuuu... doubt the fact that I
I love you...I love you
"He's right you know," and they both turned around to look at the face of Shun's grandfather.
"What have I done?" Alice asked herself as she looked into the mirror in Runo's room.
...
patter
...
"I'm a terrible person," she said in a trembling voice.
...
patter-patter
...
"I always do this."
...
patter-patter-patter
...
"I always send away the people I care about."
...
Thud
...
"I always push them away!" Her voice grew louder as tears dripped from her face.
...
Thud-Thud
...
"I'm no good for anyone," she said as she took out her suitcase, open her drawers, and threw clothing in there.
...
Knock
...
"I'm like a virus! A dumb, stupid, virus!" More clothes filled her suitcase.
...
Knock-Knock
...
"I always hurt the people I love!" She screamed as she picked up a ceramic ornament and prepared to throw it at a mirror. She swung her arm up, but it never came back down. Something was holding it back. Something was holding it up.
Don't you ever...think like that.
Don't you ever...never do that?
"Don't think that," a quiet and musical voice said from behind her. She popped her closed eyes opened. When she looked in the mirror she gasped.
"Shun," she whispered out through unmoving lips.
There said boy was, standing in all his glory, right behind her. He was wearing his normal black pants and a black shirt. His hair was up in his usual ponytail, but it seemed more beautiful to her. His eyes were his beautiful, amber color. His face, though it had scars on them, was still beautiful to her.
"Don't think those things," he continued, releasing her grasp on her arm. Carefully, he took the item from her hand and placed it back on the nightstand. He noticed she was frozen. Slowly and cautiously, he lowered her down on to the bed, both of them sitting up. Seeming as if though she had no backbone, she fell on her back on the bed. He looked down at her.
She was beautiful.
...
...
There will never be two things...that go together better
Than you and me....
Slowly, he bent his head toward her head and kissed her. It was a long kiss, but not a harsh one like the one Masquerade had given her. It was just...long, but beautiful and sweet. His lips were so soft, unlike Masquerade's. The way he kissed, not asking for dominance, but just kissing her, was so calm. It was like she was kissing a cloud or a baby's skin. He would lift his head up and come back down and kissed her on spots on her lips. He had not missed a spot. It wasn't reckless. It was sweet. It wasn't thoughtless. It was careful. And most importantly...
...
...
It wasn't wrong like Masquerades.
...
...
It was right...as though the belonged together.
...
...
When he stopped, he looed at her from the top of her face to the bottom of it. She blushed at this action. He smirked as he noticed this.
North needs south
His eyes looked into her right eye first and traveled to the left eyes. They were both so pure, both so perfect.
East needs west...
No one could steal this moment from him.
No needs yes yes yes.
He stared at her bangs to the bottom of her hair. It was just so flawless. Silently, he ran a hand through it, reveling in the silk.
Up needs down
"I thought I lost you," she spoke. She was breathing hard. He smirked and chuckled.
"All part of life," he merely said.
Life needs death...
He felt whole when he was with her.
She felt whole when she was with him.
...
...
No one could take this feeling away from them.
No needs yes yes yes.
She looked up at him. His face was just so beautiful. The way she looked at him, it was as though she could see past the scars that were small, but marred on his face.
"Why did you do that?" she asked, sincerity burning in her voice.
He looked back down at her and put his hand on her cheek. "To tell you thank you. And...to erase every bit of him out of your mind."
...
They looked at each other and she gave a sad smile.
...
...
"Here's the shard," she said as she pulled a diamond-shaped crystal out of her pocket. It was amazing. The color was not even one that you could describe. He noticed that there was a little hole at the tip of it. He grabbed a piece of string out of his pocket, put it through the hole, and quickly placed it around the neck.
"You can protect it," he said. Just as you have protected my heart, he thought to himself.
I need you
Oh baby I need you
No noooo noooo
Everyday..I need you
Na na na na noooo
You...I need you
"Thank you so much," she said as she hugged him, sobbing into his chest. "For everything."
No noooo noooo
Hey hey Heyyyy
I need youuu
No noooo noooo
Hey hey heyyyyy
Like the desert needs the rain
He wrapped his arms around her, nervously at first. It was the first time he had ever embraced a female other than his mom and since his mom has been in the hospital.
...
...
It felt warm. Not the warmth he felt during a Bakugan battle. No. The weird kind of warmth he felt...well, that he has not really felt in a while.
...
...
Like joy needs pain.
I'm safe, Alice thought. I'm safe in the arms of
My Knight In Black Armor.
"I'm happy he lived," Arithia said quietly. She was looking at them through a ripple in the demension she had made. "Amazing is it not?" she asked her soul partner.
Zepher grunted. Arithia rolled her eyes. In all the centuries that she had known him, he was never much for giving an emotional moment. He would have liked death more than life, but that was just the way he was. "I knew he was not going to die," he said smugly. Again, she rolled her eyes. He was also not one for taking being wrong lightly.
"Who would have thought our lives and demensions would be out into the hands of these two young ones," Arithia said to herself, not expecting Zepher to answer with anything else but a grunt. On time, he grunted. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes again.
"They have one shard. All they need is six more," he said, still ignoring her.
This time, she ignored him. "I think there's more to them that just their new mission," she said, looking at the two who were now downstairs with their friends. Everyone was rejoicing. "I think there is romance in these two. They just need help unlocking it," she giggled. "They are just like you and me once were, do you not think?"
Zepher blushed and looked at the white light in between them, trying to disregard what was just said. "Can we do it now?" he asked Arithia.
Arithia shook her head. "Now is not the time. Their bond may be strong, but not strong enough yet."
"Hn, I guess you are right," he agreed. "Pain needs the joy to get through his sorrow and joy needs the pain to get through her loss," he concluded.
"Just like you and me!" Arithia said childishly. Zepher rolled his eyes.
"Women," he grunted. His remark was meet with a slap.
Pain needs the joy to get through his sorrow and joy needs the pain to get through her loss.
Words in bold that were in the middle were from the song, "I Need You" by Alicia Keys, my inspiration.
And the story is now finished! What a beautiful conclusion, if I may so myself. I saved Shun's life for you guys. Some of you, I'm sure, did not want to lose him. Besides, it just gets better and better with them ALL around.
So, what did you think of this final chapter? I love hearing your thoughts, though, I must say, this week I was almost brought down by one of my reviewers. Alxkend private messaged me saying a lot of hurtful stuff and I am not sure if he or she meant it jokingly, but it really hurt. The contents of the message will be kept private for I have no reasons in putting up a fight with anyone. Fights are for babies and I'm a toddler now.
This chapter ended with 4,408 words, the biggest amount of words ever used in one chapter of this story. I need to admit something, though. I believe I told you earlier on in My Knight In Black Armor, that I did this story as a challenge fic for one of my good friends. Well, here is something else. I did NOT think that this story would reach past thirty reviews even within all ten chapters.
At the time I started this story, there were as little as eight Bakugan stories on this sight. There was also no real area for Bakugan stories...AT ALL. So, to find this story you would have had to gone to the search engine and typed in the word "Bakugan" or some of the characters from the show.
Now, there are as much as eighty-two stories in the Bakugan Battle Brawlers Archive, with as much as twenty authors. I would also like to thank onlyIcanRULEtheWORLDlikeIdo, the author of, "Look's Like The Boy's To Shy" for making the first Bakugan story on this site on May 5, 2008. I bet she never knew her story, with as much as seven reviews, could help make a difference in this site by making more people want to write.
Well, I should now stop my rambling and thanking. Now, for what you have all been waiting for...
THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL!
I finished the outline on Tuesday. There will be fifteen chapters. The title will be:
My Darling Angel
It will be out by this Saturday, January 31, 2009. Just look for it anytime around the morning. This time, the story will be much better due to the fact that I have made an outline.
Thank you my many reviewers and may God bless you for reading this story.
See you on Saturday,
Lady Anata