Chapter XX: Chasing Shadows
(A/N: This chapter was inspired by the song, as well, called "Chasing Shadows" from the Treasure Planet soundtrack. Enjoy!)
"Come to me, little Manami…."
Who is this? Who are you? What do you want with me?
"Just trust me little Manami….Now, awaken…."
Manami opened her eyes, staring blankly at the darkness around her, and then her silver eyes focused to where she was. She recognized the large field around her, the canopy above, and the many trees surrounding her. She recognized the large, white helicopter, and she recognized the men that stood before it, talking amongst themselves, not realizing that she was awake. She especially recognized one of the men as a person she had trusted all her life. Someone who was meant to have protect her. Someone who had looked after her for two years, and had now betrayed her. She didn't know what to do, but she knew what their main objective was. To kill her. Tears formed in her eyes as she remembered her friends, and remembered how she hurt Daichi. It was for the best, though. They would have been dragged into this, and wouldn't be able to defend themselves from it. Not even she could defend herself in it.
She bowed her head as she heard footsteps approach, trying to give the appearance of still being unconscious. Yet, somehow, that didn't work, as something hard struck across her face, sending her to the ground. It was then she realized that she couldn't move, and she felt something gagging her, tied around mouth. She choked on it, yet couldn't spit it out. She was bound, her wrists tied behind her, her feet and legs tied together, her arms tied close to her body. She was bound by rope all over her body, not able to move or scream. A pain serged through her face as she looks up with tears in her eyes at the man she had trusted with her life. He held a black gun in his hand high in the air, and was smiling evilly.
"You can't fool me, little Manami. I know you better than you know yourself. Trust me, when we're done with you, you're going to wish you were dead, and then we'll grant it," Abruzzi laughed sinisterly as he walked off to talk to his comrades. Manami just lied there in the grass, a black bruise on the side of her face that swelled and a trickle of blood fell down to her chin. Tears stung her eyes, but she held them back, knowing that showing any signs of weakness and vulnerability would only please her killers more. She stared at the grass below her, thinking of how she had screwed up her life.
It started when she herself started falling for Daichi. How could she be so foolish! Allowing someone come so close to her! She knew the dangers of it! She knew that she was putting his life at risk! How could she be so cruel! Yes, she loved him! But she couldn't allow herself to see him get hurt! That was why she broke up with him! She knew she was hurting him!
Manami shut her eyes, and found herself in that dark room again, lying on the white road. The light ahead was still burning brightly, and the voice was calling out to her yet still. Manami wanted to follow that voice, wanted to know who was calling out to her. Somehow, this seemed to be the only way to be safe and sheltered. This was the only way to actually feel at peace. Manami felt her body drag her down the road, and the voice still called out to her.
"Come to me, little Manami…."
Manami followed the voice, feeling her mind grow hazy and distant. Yet the only thing that kept her walking along the path was the voice. It was so soothing, comforting, like the voice of a mother to a child. Manami didn't recognize the voice, though, except from long ago. The voice was somewhat familiar, but she wasn't able to place it.
"Come to me, little Manami…."
As Manami walked along the pathway, following the voice, she felt her body flood with pain, but ignored it. She felt a little lost and scared, but ignored these feelings as she continued walking down the walkway.
"Any luck?" Chousaku asked, looking up as the young teenagers approached. All of them held sad, hurt expressions of failure. They all shook their heads, and sighed sadly. However, someone was missing.
"Where's Sakuya?" Shoji asked.
"Don't know. He should be back by now," Ryou spoke. They looked around, noticed what he saw, but a voice echoed through the area. A familiar voice.
"Hey, guys! I think I might know where Manami's at!"
At once, Sakuya came running along the pathway, his sunglasses reflecting off the sunlight that fell, completely hiding the stress signs and emotional trauma that was shown on his face. When he approached them, he told them what he saw up on the roof of the school. At once, slight relief filled their faces, but was soon replaced with grief. If that was where they were, they probably had Manami as well, and intend to kill her there. Thoughts ran through their minds.
What if Manami was already dead? What if they had her? What will they do to her before they kill her? So many questions that filled them with fear. Then Daichi spoke.
"Sakuya, take us to where you saw it at!" he pleaded.
"You kids go on ahead. We have to get to Sameshima's office and contact John Abruzzi. Maybe he'll bring some help!" with that, Shoji and Chousaku disappeared into the school while the others followed Sakuya into the woods. What they didn't know or expect was that the one person they thought was able to help Manami was the one holding her life in his hands.
"Come to me, Manami….Don't be afraid…."
I'm not afraid anymore. I don't care what happens to me.
"But you care about your friends….You're afraid for them…."
Yes….
"It's alright….You'll be able to protect them….Just come to me, first…."
The darkness surrounding Manami became thinner as she drew closer to the light. She could literally feel its warmth on her skin, and its comfort run through her veins. It felt so amazing, and she felt herself give into it. However, a small pain shot through her body, and at once she fell to her knees on the road, so close, yet so far from the light. And the voice kept calling out to her.
"Stand up, Manami….How can you protect those you love if you can't stand…?"
Manami rose to her feet, the pain inside her growing. It felt so horrible, she wanted to give into it, but, for some odd reason, she couldn't. She physically and literally couldn't give into the pain. She felt hands on her physical body outside of this dark place. Cold hands roaming her body, exploring her flesh and beauty. Then a slight memory came to her of the night before.
His kisses were like sparks that lit a fire within her…and each sound made her only draw closer to him….It was strange to her then…and still was…but it was a fact….He was the one she loved…he was the one that owned her…that needed her as much as she needed him….
"Daichi!" Manami, again, fell to her knees, but this time, not in pain, but in grief. She couldn't believe she had hurt him like that. She couldn't believe she was being so heartless, so cruel to him. She wanted to die right now. She deserved it for what she had done to him and her friends. She deserved it for betraying him. For betraying her heart.
"You don't deserve to die….You were thinking about their safety….Your heart was in the right place then…."
"No! I deserve to die! I was cruel to them! I was cruel to everyone! I betrayed them all!" she yelled to the darkness.
"Do you really believe that?"
Manami looked up at once, and immediately, images flashed before her eyes….Images of memories she didn't recall…. She saw herself beating up Jun and two other boys…. She saw herself talking back to Chronos…. She saw herself swimming in the ocean in a black diving suit…. She saw herself beating up a boy she recognized as Shiyo, while she saw Daichi being held back by a group of boys…. She saw herself yelling after Jun and his friends…. She saw herself dueling Judai…. She saw herself trying to fight off Chousaku…. She saw herself standing on the railing of her bedroom balcony, preparing to jump…. She saw herself talking to Sakuya on the beach…. She saw herself dueling Daichi in the abandoned dorm…. She saw herself talking to Ryou at the beach….
"No! These aren't real! I don't remember any of these!" Manami yelled out to the darkness.
"You don't remember them, because they aren't your memories. They are my own…."
What? "WHO ARE YOU!" Manami yelled to the darkness.
"You really want to know…? Fine, I shall reveal myself to you…."
At once, the light grew brighter, and Manami felt warmth fill her body. It felt so strong, so tempting. She allowed it to flow through her, and it seemed as if she was bathing within the sunlight. It felt so wonderful to her, she wanted to become lost within them. She closed her eyes, and felt the light become her. As it did, it consumed her, and before she realized it, she was lying on her back again, but this time, she wasn't in the grass. She was in a beautiful, yet dark palace. A small light danced across the far cooridor, drawing closer. It took a moment for Manami to recognized the small, flickering light as the flame of a candle. Someone was coming closer. She needed to get away, other wise they would see her! However, she couldn't move! She was paralyzed! She tried hard to move her arms, to try and sit up, but she couldn't! And the person approached closer from within the darkness.
At once, Manami recognized the person approaching her. It was the man from her dream. She didn't understand it, but she recognized those gold eyes and that long, turquoise hair. He had this elegant aura around him, and it seemed to entrance the young girl as she looked upon him. He wore the robes of one of royal blood, and held a small candle stand in his hand as he entered the room. He had this omniscient look upon his face, as if something stressful had just happened. He entered the room, and looked ahead. It was as if Manami was invisible to him. He was, however, one of the most graceful beings she ever saw, and strangely reminded her of her own father.
"Where are you, young Nami?" he spoke to the darkness of the room. He set the candle down on a small stand on the wall, and looked around the room, his golden eyes shimmering with the dim light of the candle. A mature, yet lovely voice spoke in response to his call.
"I am here, my Lord."
Out from the shadows walked a beautiful woman with long dark hair and beautiful, lunar-shaped, silver eyes. She wore a long gown of lavender that was cut low, revealing much of her ample chest, and revealed her thin, yet flexible arms. She wore a long black cape, and at her side was a sword. When Manami looked upon the woman, her own eyes went wide when she realized…the woman was her!
Inside, Manami could tell that this woman had been suffering as much as she had her whole life. But this pain…it was different from what Manami felt. It was a different kind of pain. A pain that had been masked for almost all her life.
"You wanted to see me, my King?" the woman spoke to him.
"Yes. I have noticed you have been drawing away from me. Is there something the matter?" the man asked her. She avoided his eyes, looking down at the ground.
"My nightmares have been growing worse. I see darkness in all's hearts, and I see a power, a rage, unlike any other, my King. I see this kingdom falling into a dark abyss. And I see the one responsible," the woman spoke to him.
"Who is it?" the man approached the woman, reaching out to her, but she pulled away instantly. Her eyes rose up to him, and there were tears in them. At once, the man realized what was going on. "You saw me. I am the one responsible for the downfall of this kingdom."
"No! No, it's not you! You're a great king!" the woman cried.
"But your dreams have never been wrong before. They predicted the attack of the enemy, and it is because of you we are safe. But if this nightmare has frightened you, then it means there is nothing to stop it," he spoke to her. He turned from the woman, and started walking away. Manami could see the emotional pain in her eyes, and saw what she felt for the man. Love. She loved this man. Yet, she was hiding it. Why?
"My Lord, there is more," the woman spoke sadly. The king stopped in his tracks and turned towards the woman. "I see new life rising before the darkness. I saw it just before I saw this kingdom's fall. The Queen…she will give birth to a child. Yours, my Lord."
And there it was. The answer to Manami's question. This woman was hiding her love for him because he already loved another. He was married, and he was going to have a child. That was why. This woman was hurting because she knew her love meant nothing to him, and she knew it was wrong to care so deeply for him if he cared that way for another person. Poor girl.
At once, the dark, omniscient expression on the man's face quickly fade and was replaced with the look of happiness and excitement. He approached the woman at quick speed, and looked at her.
"Are you speaking the truth? Phiore will give life to a child?" he asked. The woman nodded.
"Yes, and her name shall be Chris. She will be a beautiful young girl, and an innocent born with a heart of light," Nami spoke to him. At once, the king swept the woman into his arms, and embraced her out of happiness. He then released her and rushed out of the room, yelling his gratitude to her. Once he disappeared into the darkness, the woman sighed sadly, and fell to her knees. Her body shook with pain and tears started streaming down her face. Manami could feel her pain run through her, and she herself began shedding tears of sympathy for her. She lost her true love, and now she was going to live on knowing that.
Suddenly, the palace and the woman suddenly faded into darkness, and Manami felt the warm, comforting sensation flood her once more. She gave into the feeling, and closed her eyes. Then she felt herself standing up. She opened her eyes, and could hear silence surround her. A beautiful silence, but when she looked around, she saw that the woman's predictions had come true. Manami was standing on a balcony shrouded with the pale moonlight that fell from the dark sky, but it was about the only thing that held light. Before the balcony was a large city that was darker than the night itself, and looked destroyed. Something horrible had happened, but Manami was too terrified to know what.
She looked, and saw the woman, Nami standing near the railing of the balcony, looking out sadly at the darkened city. It was so strange, seeing someone so beautiful so sad. Was that how Manami seemed almost all the time? Sad? Dark? Alone? She now saw what her friends saw. A depressed girl. The woman looked out at the darkness, and tears flooded down her face. She began sobbing over the railing, and soon, she spoke.
"I've lost everything. I've lost my home, my family…my one true love. There's no point in living anymore. I should die!"
At once, she grabbed her sword and unsheathed it, and held it parallel to her body. Fear struck through Manami, but before she could run forward and stop her, the blade cut through Nami's body, and blood started pouring through the wound. Nami gasped from the pain, and the sword fell out of her abdomen. It made a horrible, clanging noise on the balcony, and was covered with blood. Nami fell to her knees, clutching the wound she had made, and Manami could hear her sobbing.
"Please…f-forgive me, master…." With that, the woman fell forward against the railing, and her body became stiff and cold. She died. Manami felt a horrible pain rise through her, and whatever held her back, whatever had her paralyzed, was ripped from her, and she ran forward to the body. Tears streamed down her face, but before her fingers laid upon the hair of the new cadaver, it disappeared, and Manami was swimming through darkness again. Manami fell to her knees in the darkness, and began sobbing again. What was this that she had seen?
"Do you now understand, little Manami...?"
The woods were dark and covered with shadows as the late afternoon came, and as the sunlight streamed onto the place where the young girl laid, unconscious, and bound by her hands and feet, she did not feel the warmth of the day suddenly surround her. As her captives turned from her, they did not realize this either. No one but those who knew her could tell what, and who, she truly was. A bringer of peace, and hostess to tranquility. Her artistic talents stretched through her fingertips, but they were aroused within her heart. She saw beauty, and peace, where ones would not expect. She was the host to a power unlike any other. A reincarnation of a warrior of violence, yet a pure incarnation of peace. Everyone saw that inside her, but she didn't see it within herself. Her heart longed to be free from the imprisonment that held her, not just physically, but mentally.
Her past is sad and dark, full of traumatic experiences and terrifying events. Not finding her father until age twelve, her brother running away when she was eight, her mother being thrown constantly into drunken rages, and witnessing murders before she was even a fully developed girl. Yet, through all the chaos and madness of her life, she was able to hold a pure and delicate heart. Deep inside, she regrets any wrongful mistakes she made in her life. She regrets hurting the ones she loved. But now, there was no stopping what was going to happen. She was going to die.
However, inside her, another being slept, and as the sun grazed across her skin, allowing a glow to impress onto her flesh and face, that being was slowly waking up. This being, having died thousands of years ago, is ready to appear for a final time, and show everyone, show the world, just how powerful love may be.
FD: Alright, that's all for now. I had a slight writer's block problem during the middle of this chapter, (in case you couldn't tell), so that's why it took so long to update again. I really appreciate all the reviews, and there's only a few more chapters left before the story official is done. There's a poll on my profile about whether or not I should make a sequal to this, as I normally do make sequels. So, do me a favor, please, and take that poll to let me know what I should do. Thanks again for reviewing! It means a lot! Peace!
Note: To take my poll, go to my homepage and click on polls. There will be two polls, click on the one named "sequels," and vote. Tell me whether "yes," that I should make a sequel, or "no," that I shouldn't. Main thing to keep in mind is that I'm not going to kill anyone like Manami or any of my main OC's, so that should help. Peace!