…Part 11: Dark…
Dark, I'm worried, Daisuke said suddenly.
I was, too, though I didn't want to tell him that. Why? You have nothing to worry about.
I'm worried for Krad, actually – and Akimoto. Daisuke was a sweet kid, I'd give him that much. He understood – somewhat – my dilemma with Sacred Maidens.
Well, you shouldn't be. I'm sure everything will work out, I lied.
Are you sure? It was a good thing Daisuke was naïve enough to trust everything I said, too, because this time I wasn't sure, and I wasn't going to let him know that.
Of course. You've seen Suna's weird obsession with his feathers – the two creeps were made for each other! This, I almost did believe, but I also had a feeling there would be a lot of pain involved in it for both of them. I had learned that from experience.
I guess so, Daisuke said, not entirely convinced, but at least he was feeling better about it.
I sighed inwardly. Rika Harada, the twins' grandmother, had been my true Sacred Maiden. I still loved her, and although I've loved other girls since then – Risa and Riku included – I'd never felt quite the same way toward any of them. I loved Rika, and that was why I'd left her. It was just too complicated, trying to cross each other's worlds. She could never have been a part of mine, and I now felt like I'd pushed Krad off of the same cliff into the same trap. He may be my worst enemy, but even he didn't deserve what I'd probably helped do to him. And as for Suna… she was getting herself into this mess on her own, infatuated with a monster because of his 'beauty'. I felt bad for her, too, in a way, but she was the one who had brought this onto herself. That was the odd thing about girls – generation after generation, they never learned.
Daisuke dug out his sketchbook, some pencils, and a big eraser, stuffing them into his thin book-bag before grabbing the sweater that was hanging over the edge of his bed. I knew exactly where he was going, so I didn't bother with asking. He was going to that park with the huge windmills to draw. Daisuke was odd in that way – the only Niwa who really tried his hand at art and actually had some talent to show for it.
When he got there, the park was nearly empty, even though it was Saturday. And of course, sitting on the edge of the large fountain, was Suna Akimoto.
She looked up and when she noticed Daisuke she smiled. Her smile didn't work right. Her lips were a bit too thin to be very attractive, and she had narrow eyes that made any look of joy on her face almost unnerving. Akimoto had a sort of heart-shaped face, though, which I could agree with – but the eyes still threw it.
"Hey, Daisuke," she greeted him.
"Hey, Akimoto. What're you doing here?" Daisuke wondered.
Akimoto stood and brushed herself off – even though there was nothing on her to brush off; must be habit, I guessed – still smiling a little. "I'm on my lunch break, that's all. What are you doing?"
"I come here to draw a lot," he answered, ever the honest one.
"That's cool. Do you draw well?"
"I guess so." Daisuke smiled, giving a small shrug.
"Well, you'll have to show me some of your work sometime, then," she said cheerfully as she walked back in the direction of the tea shop, giving a slight wave. "See ya!"
Daisuke waved back, but she'd already turned around and didn't see it.
That girl creeps me out, I said as we watched her go.
Yes, Dark. I know – you've told me that before. For a while he ignored me, drawing. He sketched a gargoyle on the windmill, then decided to come up with something on his own – sort of. He used bits of my memory for it. The kid drew me quite well, actually – and he drew Rika even better.
I was standing on the edge of the fountain, wings folded at my back like a cape. I looked… well… a lot like myself. There was a laughing smirk on my face as I gazed down at Rika, who was standing on the ground only a couple feet lower than me. Her hand was in mine and she smiled back up at me, ready to step up onto the fountain to stand next to me, no doubt to get a slightly better view of the ocean. The moment captured in Daisuke's sketchbook made me feel unbelievably depressed. It was bittersweet.
Hey, Dark…?
Yeah?
Will she… will Krad hurt her?
No way! I decided, a little too quickly. But if Krad had really found his Rika, that would be the case; no matter what his past, and no matter how recent that past may be. He'd hurt himself before he ever thought of hurting Akimoto.
Are you sure?
Yes, Daisuke. I'm positive. At least… Krad wouldn't try to hurt her. In their situation – emotionally – hurt was inevitable. Geez, I'd become morbid lately.