Hey you guys! Sorry for the late update…again. Seriously I have an issue -_-'' Thx for sticking with me all this time :) Without more interruptions, let's get to business.
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Charmed
Chapter 11: Secrets exposed.
"Who are you?" Shun asked his question again as he heard no reply. Alice kept silent, frozen with fear and surprise. "Answer me," he demanded.
Alice's heart couldn't have possibly beaten any faster; she held her left hand close to her chest, to where her heart was and opened her mouth to answer, only for the words to come out slightly unclear due to her nervousness. "Y-You…kn…ow who I-I am, I am your-r target," Alice answered stuttering all the way. She was trying to keep herself collected but she couldn't. Shun's expressions darkened even more.
He was about to say something when Julie reached their table, in her hands was a tray that had six glasses of hot chocolate. The vapor was coming out from the glasses, signaling it was really hot, which was what they needed in that kind of weather. Shun calmed down a bit, but his eyes still contained anger. If he hadn't calmed down a bit, Julie might have noticed something was wrong and he wouldn't need more pressure to deal with.
"Well, here you go! Drinks for the both of you," Julie said in her cheerful tone while putting the drinks in front of him and Alice.
Julie looked at Alice who was now looking at her lap. The said girl was breathing heavily and was clutching to her shirt. Alice did look afraid of something which worried Julie a bit. Julie looked at Shun, his eyes were glaring at Alice and she must say he looked angry and somewhat hurt. When Shun caught her glancing at him, he turned his head to look out the window.
"Alice, is there anything wrong?" Julie asked and Alice looked up at Julie. She shook her head.
"Every…everything is fine, I am ok, really. You don't have to worry," Alice said and forced a fake smile. She simply couldn't let Julie know who Shun was, not now. Julie didn't look convinced, but returned to her seat.
"If there's anything you need, just call me!" She said as she walked, in an all Julie tone, happy and delightful as she waved her hands walking back to her seat with Dan and the others.
Alice looked at Shun. Shun has already taken his eyes off of the window and his glare was now on her. Their eyes were locked on each other, but for a few seconds as Alice quickly averted his looks.
"Why are you that nervous…Alice?" Shun said. He could hardly bring himself to say her name as he wasn't convinced it was her name. Alice said nothing. "I'll ask my question again; who the hell are you?" He said, angrily, as he banged the table with both of his fists. Alice nearly flinched at that.
Shun was always a calm and collected person. He normally acted carelessly about everything, even her sometimes. But...the Shun before her was another one, one she didn't know. He was different than the Shun she grew up with.
Shun was easily angered, usually By Dan teasing him about silly matters in which the brunette would get hit by Shun, but it wasn't anything major. She remembers she hadn't seen him this angry before…maybe only once in an occasion back when she was 13.
She was on her way back to the castle after returning from a visit and Shun was there with her as her personal guard. On the way, they were attacked by a bunch of criminals and Shun was distracted fighting a couple of them when another criminal took hold of her. Before she could do or say anything…the man was lying on the ground drenched in his blood. That reddish blood…she could never forget the blood that slid down Shun's sword or the look in Shun's eyes. It was pretty much the same look he has in his eyes now.
Dan was seated in between Julie and Miono, Julie to his right and Miono to his left. Each one of the girls was clinging to him and asking him random questions and he was getting more and more uncomfortable by each passing second.
"So, Danny," started Julie using the new nickname she came up with for him. He saw it offending, how could a knight be called such a humiliating nickname like that? But he said nothing and only nodded his head for her to continue. "Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked another question that had to do with his personal life. He sighed.
He didn't quite know why, but his eyes lift up to look at Runo who was seated opposite to him. She was drinking her hot chocolate, which Julie brought a couple of minutes ago, and was looking, outside the window. She looked so peaceful and beautiful. He found himself staring at her, lovingly, but she wasn't yet aware of his gaze. I wish you could just remember me…
"Danny, earth to Danny, hello?" Julie kept on calling him, which finally and much to his dismay took him out of his thoughts about Runo.
"I am sorry, I can't stay here!" he said and stood up and passed Julie, who let an annoyed shriek and sat himself beside Runo.
The said teen turned her head to look at him, but their faces were really close, only a few inches apart. She was kinda taken aback a bit, but did nothing. Dan, on the other hand, quickly moved his head away, blushing heavily while scratching the back of his head. Runo looked at him, puzzled, questing within her why Dan had turned his face away so quickly and was blushing this madly. It was strange… But if she was really to know the feelings he truly held for her, she was sure to understand.
They were friends since youth; they spent every day together until they were eight years old when the war started. It has been nearly eleven years now and during those years he would get a simple "fine" when asking Seera about how Runo was doing. He came to Earth once in a while to see her from a distance as he wasn't allowed to see her in person, but Shun never accompanied him. He would watch her every day in the morning as she walks out of her house, her hair either let loose for the wind to come between its locks or tied in pigtails, the ones he really liked, and then she would start running to catch up with Julie so the both of them could go to school.
He mentally slapped himself for not recognizing them earlier in the battle. He guessed he was just too engaged in the battle to even take the time to think or notice or maybe it was the fact he didn't see her for a couple of years as he had no time to do so.
But now she sat in front of him, safe, beautiful and defiantly not ripped into pieces, which was the most important fact. At the thought, he started chuckling, earning himself another weird look from Runo and an admiring sigh from Miono and Julie.
Alice was in a situation where she was about to give in and tell Shun the whole deal. That look of his and the amount of anger and hurt scared the living daylights out of her. Her eyes even started to water, but Shun wasn't to notice because she was putting her head down.
It was not an easy decision she was to make, whether she decided to tell him or not, either ways she would lose something, either ways she wouldn't be able to endure. She chose the one that'll keep Shun safe, along with rest of her friends, being the selfless person she was. It was simply the right decision to make.
She took a deep breath and recomposed herself. She had to be convincing after all. She raised her head and looked at Shun in the eye. Shun stared into her eyes as he waited for her to say something. "I was scared by that look in your eyes, which is why I was nervous," She answered and thanked heavens her voice hadn't betrayed her.
Shun softened his expression to a less angry one, it wasn't that much of an effect though, he wasn't able to change the feelings he felt. "So who are-" He was cut off by Alice.
"All I know is that I am not that princess of yours. You say I resemble her and maybe I do, but I am just not her. That, I know for sure," She said, looking at him in the eye, hiding her fear and despair behind a thin mask of fake confidence.
Shun looked at her. He was willing to do anything, say anything if she was to tell him she was his Alicia. Sometimes, one doesn't get what he wants. Yet, there were still some missing pieces, he felt it, that connection between the two of them; it was the same as the one with Alicia. The feelings which filled his being during that kiss, the identical looks…They were all related somehow and they all had a meaning. They had to have one…
"I am sure you are her, I don't know how, but maybe you lost your memory or something, what if it was really this? I know I felt something and I know you felt it too," Shun said, still holding to the few bits of hope he had left. Alice shook her head, taking that hope away from him.
"I remember every event in my life vividly since I was young. I am so sorry, but I don't know what feeling are you talking about, I feel nothing towards you," She lied. It hurt, it hurt her so much to lie to the person she loved, but if that meant keeping him safe then she would do it.
Shun could not have been more crushed. Maybe he just imagined all of this; maybe he wanted it so much that his head started giving him fake signs. He was so confused to even understand any of this. He sighed heavily, and then laid his head back on the seat while crossing his arms.
He was saddened to say at the least. He tried not to believe her, but she wasn't giving any signs of lying. A part of him refused to believe, but that part was demolishing by every passing second…
"Then who are you, a ghost, a spirit who was sent to haunt me?" Shun said. His voice was low and he wasn't looking at her. Why was not he able to believe? Maybe he just didn't want to…
"I'm neither. I am just a girl who your path happened to cross with hers, one that you will soon put behind," she said with a smile, a very perfect fake smile, one that could never be detected.
Shun sighed again and put his hands on the table. His right one reached for the glass of hot chocolate Julie brought. He took a few sips then put it back down. The feeling of the hot liquid was good, it gave him the warmth he needed at that moment. Then, another warm feeling followed as Alice put her hand on his and looked at him with a genuine smile.
"Shun, Alicia died a long time ago, maybe it's just time to forget about her and move on," Alice said, truthfully, as she wished for him to move on. Shun looked at her and was about to say something when the ground started shaking slightly.
That shake got harder with each passing second. The hot chocolate which filled the cub on the table started to spill on the table and then the cub fell to the ground and was shattered into pieces when reaching it, leaving a brown pool of the drink. This was followed by the screams of the children who were playing with snow outside the diner. Shun looked outside the window to his left and had a knowing look on his face.
Shun stood from his seat and ordered Alice to stay inside the café and he made his way to the door, catching up with Dan who was already at the door and the duo went outside. Moved by curiosity, Runo, Julie and Miono followed.
"Dan, are you thinking what I am thinking?" Shun asked as he looked at Dan, who nodded.
"Yes, liquiazers*," Dan answered.
"What are the 'liquiazers'?" Runo asked, "And why are they here?"
"Do you know lizards?" Dan said, Runo nodded, "Those are bigger and they walk on two legs," The three witches gasped.
"And they are here for us. You better go inside," Shun instructed.
Runo was about to say something when she was interrupted by the appearance of the large three creatures. They were walking-on-two legs lizards, their skin was greenish-blue and their eyes were enough to scare anyone. Runo and the two girls matched the expressions of the people running away from the creatures.
"Shun and Dan, by orders of the king, we came to get you back to the kingdom and finish your mission for you," Marucho said as he held a sword in his hand. A piece of white cloth surrounded its bottom.
"What?" that was Dan's reaction. Runo looked at the two guys before her.
"Who are you guys and what's going on?" Runo asked.
"No time to explain," Shun said as he glared at the little blond. Shun closed his eyes and when he reopened them, a sword appeared in front of him, floating in front of his chest. He grabbed the sword and stood there.
"Are you planning to fight us?" A feminine voice sound came from the one of the other two creatures. Shun and Dan looked up as they recognized the voice. It was without any doubts, Kia. She smirked as she looked at them.
"Yes, if you are willing to go through with this," Shun answered. Marucho sighed.
"Listen, Shun. I really don't want to do this, but if you want a fight, you will get one," Marucho said as he ordered his liquiazer to go forwards, frightening the people even more.
Shun looked at Dan and gave him a look, Dan nodded afterwards. He held his left hand which had the bracelet on, revealing the red pearl. Runo looked at it, amazed and surprised Dan too had one, "Nigity, time freeze!" He shouted and a red sparkling light shot out of the pearl and from that light came out a red fairy. Nigity simply held a small staff in her hand.
"Magical staff follow my command and freeze the time throughout the land!" she said and then came a blinding light which caused everyone to close their eyes.
Runo slowly opened her eyes, the light that fairy caused was sure bright. She looked at hands and how she could move them normally, something unexpected after saying a magic spell supposed to freeze time. Julie too, was not affected and the two girls looked at each other, then at the boys before them who were standing in a defensive way.
"I don't think they are that good at magic, right Miono? Stupid boys," She said with a cocky smile. But…she heard no reply.
Runo slowly turned her head to her left, to where Miono was standing, and was shocked but what she saw. The said girl was standing like a statue before her, her arms covering her eyes. She was still as a rock. Runo quickly took a look around her and found everyone was at the same state as Miono, people, birds and even a snowman which was half-way to the floor as he was knocked down by someone, it was flying in midair.
"Well, we do know a thing or too," said Dan as Nigity charmed a sword for him, which he took with a grin on his face. Runo was quite amazed by this, but the question remains, why didn't she or Julie freeze as well?
Dan, weirdly enough, was thinking the same thing. Nigity's magic doesn't affect people with powerful magic or abilities. Julie had a bracelet, he remembered, but Runo didn't. He couldn't find an answer. He was, however, taken out of his thoughts at the sound of Shun's sword colliding with one of the liquiazers' skin. He shook his head and went to attack another one.
Runo watched as the two were fighting. Shun and Dan were outnumbered and the odds were to be in favor of the enemy. Their enemies were obviously Voldons, since they used no magic against them and they looked very much like humans. Rage filled her being; she could only think the Voldons were there to kill Alice, just like the two assassins they met the other day. Her nails got taller, turning into hard and slashing claws and she started fighting the third liquiazer.
Julie, trying to help her friend, decided to use her special powers as well. She slowly closed her eyes and focused. The ground beneath the liquiazer Runo was fighting started to crack and the creature lost its balance and began falling face first on the ground, right where Runo was standing. The said girl closed her eyes and waited for the impact that never came.
She felt herself being lifted by someone and she was now in that someone's arms. She slowly opened her eyes to see it was none other than Dan. He put her down and looked down at her as he knelt down beside her.
"Please Runo, stay here. I will take care of this," Dan said. Runo frowned and stood up. Dan did the same.
"But I am doing this to get my revenge back, I am strong and I can take care of myself!" She snapped at him. He just smiled that cheesy grin of his.
"I know, trust me," He said as memories of their previous battle flashed in his mind, he came closer to her face and let his hand caress her left cheek, "I just can't afford you getting hurt," he said and withdrew his hand and returned to the battle. Runo kept staring at his figure as a blush appeared on her face.
Julie came running to her friend's side and showered her with apologies and explanations with the phrase "I really didn't mean it," popping up in the speech every now and then. Runo paid no attention as Dan's words repeated themselves in her head. Why was he so protective of her, even though they just met? She couldn't know.
Shun was battling Kia, face-to-face, as he was done defeating the liquiazer she was on. He, at that moment only, knew was she was the general. She was packed with incredible force and ability which is why, maybe, the reason she wasn't petrified. He had never seen her battle before, but now he was her 'enemy' who was fighting her.
"Why don't you just step away Shun and let us do our job?" Kia asked as she blocked Shun's sword.
"I can't let you kill her," Shun said. Shun paused for a second, Alice was not his beloved, yet he couldn't shake that strange feeling he felt. Besides, he did promise Alicia he wouldn't hurt any and would always defend an innocent person. As far as he knew, Alice was innocent.
"Are you going to disobey the king? It was him who said Alicia had to die," Kia said and a smirk appeared on her face as she saw Shun's shocked expression. Shun stopped fighting and backed away.
"She's…Alicia?" Shun asked.
"Sure, who else did you think she was?" Kia said as she threw her sword on the ground. "Now that you know, I can no longer fight. She's your fiancée and you must decide," She said and smiled at the, still, Shocked Shun.
At that moment, Alice emerged from the café. A worried expression on her face, she looked around and everything was frozen in its place, Runo and Julie were standing aside and Dan was fighting a little blond boy whom she recognized as Marucho. Shun was standing with Kia and they were not fighting. Seeing the scene in front of her was far more horrifying than seeing it from behind the windows of the café. And to think all that fight was because of her…
Marucho was using the liquiazer's water attacks. And Dan was having some trouble dealing with that. Marucho didn't want to fight his best friend but to him, orders were orders. While he was attacking, he noticed Alice coming out of the café and in an instant knew who she was. He held the sword which had Shun's shirt on and aimed it at her. With tears flying outside his eyes and down his cheeks…he threw the sword in her direction, having calculated the directions perfectly.
"Watch out!" Dan and Runo said at the same time as they watched the sword fly towards Alice. Shun turned around as he heard Dan's voice, to see the sword about to hit Alice.
Alice just looked before her, she froze in her place. Her mind told her to move out of the way, but her legs refused to obey. She could only close her eyes and wait for her end.
The next few things happened so fast…
Alice's loud scream echoed throughout the still, silent place. She sank to her knees as her hand found its way to where her heart was. Her scream was one of pain.
No sword slashed through her flesh…
No blood stained her shirt…
No actual pain…
The scream wasn't because she got hurt, but because someone else did. And what a person fate chose to protect her…
Shun stood in front of her, blocking the path between her and the sword. With his speed and agility, he was able to get to her in time, but she wished he hadn't for now he was the one stabbed with a sword, right near his heart. Yet, he stood there, not saying anything, not moving, that increased her fear…
She felt it, she did. That pain taking over his being as the tip of the sword cut through his flesh, it was unbearable. It was that bond again, the one they shared, it made her feel his pain, thoughts, feelings…everything.
Tears slowly filled her eyes and descended down her cheek…
Runo and Julie couldn't have been more horrified. They, even if they were witches, didn't experience any frightening events, with the exclusion of their fight with the Voldons that day. But, seeing a man with a sword that entered his body through his heart and then exited through his back was definitely the scariest thing they ever seen and would wish to see again. Their tears were flowing freely out of their eyes as Runo's hands covered her mouth. She, at the scene, couldn't help but gasp.
Dan and Marucho looked a little fazed by the situation, but not a single sign of worry crossed their faces. Instead, Dan let out a sigh, signaling he was happy it was Shun and not Alice who got hurt. Marucho felt guilty and it was so apparent on his face. He quickly ordered the liquiazers to return into small lizards and a portal opened for him and Kia to go. Before he stepped into the portal, he turned to face Dan.
"Tell Shun that I am sorry. Dan, you guys better go and talk to the king," he said and stepped into the portal, which closed after Kia followed.
Dan ran to Shun's side. Shun dropped to the floor, using his left knee for support. He held the sword firmly and pulled it out of his body and threw it on the ground. The sword didn't have any blood on it, not even a single drop.
"Dude you 'kay?" Dan said as he knelt down beside him.
Dan's question was answered by Shun's wound glowing green and healing itself. The separated flesh combined once more, after a few seconds, it was as if he was never hurt. Shun stood up again and looked at Dan and nodded, assuring Dan more of his well-being.
Shun turned to Alice and extended a hand, which she, hesitantly, took. She used him for support as she lifted her body off of the ground. When she was standing on her feet, she quickly let go of his hand and made her way, hastily, to the café. Shun watched her departing figure. There was no mistaking it now, it was her and now it's his turn to get her back once more…he knew exactly how.
Not long enough, Runo and Julie joined the duo, their eyes flooding with questions and concern.
"Guys, like, are you okay?" Julie said, still freaked out by the fact that Shun was hurt in front of her. Not to mention him healing himself as well. The two guys nodded.
"D-Dan…who were those two? And, who are you guys?" Runo said. She found it more heard now to talk to the brown haired boy.
"Let's just say we made some people upset in Valdolit. Don't worry, nothing we can't handle," Dan said as he gave her one of his cheesy grins.
She blushed and turned away feeling a bit uncomfortable. Why was she this nervous all of a sudden?
"There are some things we need to take care of. Let us take your leave now," Shun said.
"Don't worry kid, we will meet again," Dan said and waved at her as he made his way to the portal Shun had opened. She felt the urge to hit him all of a sudden. "Oh. Almost forgot. Unfreeze," He said before the portal completely disappeared.
The people were moving once again, they, however were still screaming and looking to the sky. They stopped after a while and looked around them, surprised their source of fear was no longer there.
A couple of people though stood in the middle of the street, where the snow was taking the shape of what looked like a giant lizard. More people followed as each of them started giving stories about the unusual print. Some saying it was made by kids, others going as far as saying it was made by aliens…but boy was he close.
Miono stretched as she was released from her stone-like state. She, after spotting Runo and Julie, made her way to where they were standing, only to find a confused expression on both of their faces.
"Guys, what happened?" Miono asked. Runo shook her head.
"We don't have time for this now, we have to go tell Verona about this," Runo said as she rushed inside, followed by the other two girls.
Runo, Miono and Julie surrounded the crystal present on Runo's table as the face of Verona appeared on the crystal.
"And then the two guys just left inside a portal, just like that," Runo said, ending her story of today's strange events. Verona nodded to say she understood as she sent, yet another glare towards Alice.
Alice just put her face down. She let her mind wander to what was to happen after this. Shun knew who she was, he knew the very fact she tried to hide from him. Each time she tried to think of the fate that awaits them all…her body would just shiver.
"I see. Then I believe I have no other choice but to move the delivery to midnight tonight. A portal will be opened in the usual place. Don't be late girls," with that said, Verona's face disappeared. The girls let out a sigh.
Julie and Miono started talking about today's events. Julie, furthering, was explaining what happened to Miono. Runo sat on her bed, resting her chin on the balm of her hand and her elbow on her knee as many thoughts fought within her head.
"I just can't afford you getting hurt,"
Those words…they just refused to delete themselves.
She couldn't shake that feeling that she had met Dan before. That grin, that annoying attitude and that phrase. She had seen and heard those things before somewhere but she just couldn't know when or where.
The whole thing was getting her crazy if she might add.
She, for some reasons, refused to let go of the thought. She was determent to know where she had seen Dan before and get it over with. She took a deep breath and started searching throughout the depths of her mind, going as far as recalling some memories from when she was a kid. Until, and after a significant time of searching, she found a clue…
"I just can't afford you getting hurt,"
She was sure she heard it before, said in the same way and that took her back to when she was twelve or thirteen as she wasn't sure of her exact age.
…
She was walking on the sidewalk on her way home. Her mom had sent her to get some stuff for dinner and now that she had everything, she hurried home; she couldn't wait till she tastes her favorite dish.
As she was walking, she got that feeling, the one you have when you feel you are being watched or followed. She stopped and slowly turned around; many people were walking on the sidewalk, people passed her continuing their walking…that was with the exception of a young man that was around her age.
He stood there, leaning on the wall as if waiting for something or someone. She didn't know why, but she didn't feel so comfortable around him. She decided to see if he was truly following her.
She continued her walk, not long after that, the brown-haired guy followed. She quickened her pace and started taking twists and turns and multiple short cuts along the way home, but nothing shook her pursuer off of her tail as he continued to follow her along the way.
Runo was getting more and more scared, now that she knew she was being followed by a stalker. She reached a corner and attempted to cross the street, as she did so, she wasn't able to notice the big van turning around the corner. She could only find it in herself to scream, but as the seconds past, she felt no pain but a pair of hands engulfing her as she was held bridal style. She didn't open her eyes, but put her arms around the neck of the person holding her as she held on for dear life.
When she felt she was put down on the cold ground, she opened her eyes slowly. She was more than surprised to see the same stalker in front of her with a worried expression on his face. He sighed, a sigh of relief, she guessed and looked at her blue-green eyes with his reddish ones.
"Be careful next time kid," he said, and then he brought his hand to her cheek as he caressed it gently. "I just can't afford you getting hurt," he said with a grin.
…
Runo quickly shook her head as a huge sigh escaped her lips. Could Dan truly be that 'stalker'? It was rather strange to one's mind to even have this thought, but she couldn't help but see the resemblance the two guys had. She sighed once more. Even if it was him, why did he come back after all these years?
"Like, hello! Earth to Runo," Julie yelled as she waved her hand in front of Runo's face. Apparently, Runo spaced out longer than she actually felt.
"What? What do you want Julie?" Runo said as she waked up. Julie shook her head.
"Nothing, but you were spacing out there," she said.
"Oh leave her alone Julie, maybe she was just thinking about Dan," Miono said as she sang Dan's name. Runo's face instantly turned red.
"NO I WAS NOT!" Runo yelled as the two girls giggled.
"Oh, please Runo. It was so obvious he was attracted to you," Miono said. Julie nodded.
"Like he was so staring at you the whole time," Julie said. Runo's face got redder.
"He doesn't like me, I don't like him. End of the story!" she yelled again and folded her arms before her chest and turned her face away. But, could he really be…no. it's simply impossible…
I am so sorry for the late update, this chapter took longer than I expected XD Hope you all liked it. I was so busy with college and all, so I could only write Charmed as for my other stories they would be updated, once I write them XD :P
The battle scene was suckish I know =_= but will go and fix it when I have the time, I was really writing fast :P XD
*Liquiazers: they are mystical creatures who live in Valdolit. They resemble a huge lizard in looks but they walk on two feet. Marucho has the ability to control them as well as contacting with them and they help him a great deal. The name is taken from, liquid and lizard :)
Tell me how it was guys and remember to R&R :) see ya next chapter!