Nightingale
Chapter 1, The Girl And The Motorcycle
Author's Notes: In case anyone's been wondering, I'm still into the Wheel of Time series. I have great ideas for this series too, so just hang in there. Um... the usual stuff, sign my guestbook, e-mail me at silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com. Okay that's it for now.
Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 Takahashi and Dark Angel belong to FOX Network.
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All people want in life is the big things. To live in a big house, to eat at a fancy restaurant, to have everything they could ever want...but those people are never happy. They are so focused on the large things that they don't have time to appreciate the simple pleasures in life. Walking, eating, a simple gesture or word...no it's always rush, rush, and rush for the big things. No time to look around and see what they're all missing. You know even fear is a pleasure. Yes, it's true. I've seen it before...to fear something and then to conquer it may be one of the greatest emotions a human can possibly feel. Too bad I'll never know it.
Was that regret? No, it can't be. I promised myself a long time ago that I will never ever regret anything again...well almost anything. I still regret one thing...but that's for later...when I'm ready. Well, what was I saying again? Oh yeah, how people don't slow down to enjoy life. I do, though, or at least I try to. That's just one of the many things that make me different from them...from everyone else. My mother (at least I like to imagine she was my mother), Mrs. Tendo told me before she died that I must never tell anyone just exactly how different I am...that they would harm me, so I didn't. Mrs. Tendo was the only one I told my secret too and she died, taking my secret with her. I don't like to think about that too long.
I live in the US, but I consider myself Japanese. That's where dad, Mr.Tendo lives, I used to live there too. Me, Kasumi, Nabiki, we all lived in Japan when we were smaller, but then we had to move and I live in New York City now. The United States used to be one of the most prospering countries in the world with high technology and beautiful cities. The people didn't have to worry about their country. Then, something happened, nobody is exactly sure what, and the US lost all of its money and the debts were piled high. Unemployment swept over the country like a new depression and the government ruled over the people. Taking and demolishing what they could to pay back it's debts. This was called The Change. Now, the US is nothing more then a struggling country trying to rebuild what once was. Isn't it strange how every great, powerful population in the past has been wiped out one by one? The Greeks, the Romans, the Spartans...all destroyed. New York City, it may be lousy, dangerous, and rundown city whose prime has past...but hey it's home.
* * *
Akane walked into the Avcerin Shipping & Transferring Warehouse; her black motorcycle helmet edged snuggly between her left arm and side. Striding to her red, graffiti-marked locker she opened it and stuffed the helmet and leather jacket inside before putting on an ugly green jacket with the initials AS&TW on the back in large red letters. Closing her locker, Akane felt two large hands cover over her eyes.
Giving an annoyed sigh she said coldly, "Move 'em or lose 'em."
"I missed you last night," a hoarse, spitting voice whispered in her ear.
Akane remained unaffected as she said, "And I'm sure you managed to solve that loneliness in the arms of Jessie Byer."
"Ouch!" Tyra, a girl who had strife with Akane, gave a mock wince as she laughed. Tyra was a short, blonde with dark green eyes and a body that made more men turn their heads then a fire.
Spinning around, away from the scrawny arms of Tony, Akane said in an amused tone with a smirking smile, "Forget it, Tony, it's over between us, not that there was really anything in the first place."
"But I-"
A tall brunette that was the same height as Akane with dark lashes and deep brown hair and eyes walked up behind Tony and smacked him on the back.
"Give it up, Tony, it's over, now why don't you run along and play with your other little girlfriends, 'k?" Ukyo, Akane's best friend said. Giving Ukyo a final glare, Tony marched off in a huff causing the other two girls to burst out laughing.
Leading Akane towards the front lounge (which in truth was just an old, ripped red couch and black and white TV), Ukyo said, "You know, you can't really blame him, 'kane, I mean you're always so cold towards the poor guy, he had to find warmth somewhere."
Groaning Akane just glared at her friend before saying, "What did you expect? I tolerated him, didn't I? Now, because of my stupid temper, I won't be able to get the password to the Crosswelds building. He was the only one who knew and he was just going to give me the password too."
"Aw, c'mon at least you didn't sleep with him," Ukyo tried to joke but Tyra just joined in and said rather truthfully, "What are you talking about Ukyo? Akane never sleeps with anyone, "strictly business". Too cold she is."
"But how can I sleep with anyone when they all share your bed at night, Tyra?" Akane snapped. The shorter girl just thinned her lips and stomped away.
Once they were at the "lounge" Ukyo commented, "I have to say, that was harsh 'kane-chan, even for Tyra."
Akane sighed, "I know, it's just this whole thing with Tony. I'm so frustrated, I had worked weeks to try and get that password from him, now it'll all be for nothing."
Suddenly her attention shifted to the TV screen as a pair of dark, intense, blue-gray eyes interrupted the show. From the screen a deep, confident, commanding voice said, "Attention, this is Eyes Only. Eyes Only is a coporation designed to tell the truth and it can not be followed, ignored, or traced. Yesterday, our soon-to-be senator Mr. Brian Mckeef set off a train of soldiers into the dark alleys of our city to *terminate* any citizens he found *non-fitting*. Pay attention and open your eyes. This is Eyes Only."
Nobody was really paying that much attention to Eyes Only, since they really couldn't do anything about the problems of the city, except Akane. It wasn't as if she cared about what happened in the city, but more of the feeling of recognition and deja vu spreading over her everytime she saw those eyes.
"Hello, I'm not paying you to stand around and gawk at the TV, Akane," Vulture, the manager around the Avcerin Shipping & Transferring Warehouse, said. Vulture was a tall, half-bald man with a long narrow nose and pinch-thinned lips. Nobody knew what his real name was, but they all called him Vulture, not only because of how he looked, but also on how he preyed on the employees.
"My bad, Vulture," Akane just smirked. She loved it when she annoyed Vulture.
His lips thinning, if that was possible, Vulture said, "Well, take this package and bring it to the 23rd floor on the 659 building on Day Street."
Snatching the yellow package from Vulture's hands, Akane said, "No problem, see ya later Ucchan."
* * *
The wind pushed mercilessly through Akane's long blue-hair out of her helmet, pushing it back as the long, slick, black motorcycle continued on silently. The streets of the city were littered with garbage and people. When Akane reached the 659 building she artfully hid her bike behind the building, away from any eyes that might consider stealing it. The girl took off her helmet and put it on her motorcycle before entering the large building. Taking the stairs 4 at a time Akane reached the 23rd floor without an uneven breath. On the middle of the floor was a large marble desk with a secretary talking into a no-handle phone.
Handing the package to the secretary and giving her a paper to sign and fill out Akane felt a prickling at the back of her net. Her eyes narrowed into a building across the street. In the window on a desk, sat perched a red statue of an open-winged phoenix. Smiling to herself, Akane took back the signed sheet of paper and walked out of the building.
* * *
{7 hours later}
Akane led her motorcycle down the dirty rug-torn hallway of her apartment building. Clothes hung loosely from a line inside the hallway and the usual sound of a wailing child could be heard in Apartment 4d, the apartment where a middle-aged lady lived with her 7 kids and a boyfriend that only came by once in a while. Before going into her own apartment, Akane dropped by Apartment 9d and a sudden, strong, awful, stank filled her senses. Struggling through the front room, Akane found her way to the living room where a pale, frail man who was barely over 25, but looked like he was over 50 lay on a blanket on the floor. A small boy that bore remarkable resemblance to the man, his son sat by the blanket playing with a broken toy truck and a lady, obviously the boy's mother was wiping a cool cloth on the man's forehead.
Walking over Akane gave a tremulous smile and asked, "Hey, Raphael, how do you feel?"
The man glared at her before saying, "Like my intestines are being ground up in beef jerky. What does that tell you?"
Trisha stopped wiping Raphael's forehead to walk over to Akane. Akane looked at the gray hairs, wrinkles, and dark circles on the young woman's face before saying, "I brought your check from work over today. Here."
Taking the check, Raphael handed it to Trisha before giving a pained groan and thanking her.
"C'mon Akane, I'll lead you out," Trisha said.
Once they were at the door, Akane gave a worried frown and asked Trisha, "Why didn't you take him to the hospital yet?"
Turning haunted eyes to her friend, the Spanish girl said, "Oh Akane, they won't treat him! They said if we didn't have money, they wouldn't treat him! Now, with this check we'll only be able to get barely enough food. Raphael can't work now and we'll be sure to be thrown out if we don't give Yurai his money when he comes."
Taking some money from her pocket, Akane handed it to the girl before saying, "Here, now take Raphael to the hospital, we miss him at work. And don't worry about Yurai, let me handle him, 'k?"
Smiling, Trisha nodded and sniffed before Akane walked out.
Pulling her motorcycle into her apartment, Akane saw clothes scattered and thrown all over the floor and things. Groaning, Akane put her bike away into her closet. That done, Akane walked towards the 2nd bedroom, picking up clothes along the way. Once she reached there she saw her roommate, Shan Pu, once a Chinese Amazon warrior, assessing herself in the mirror.
"You know, I always wondered on how you could have possible have been a Chinese Amazon," Akane commented dryly.
Giving an unladylike 'humph', Shan Pu said, "I'll have you know, Ne-ne, that I was one of the strongest Amazons and could have been a matriarch too, leading them onto victory."
"And I guess you'll be doing all this in a mini-skirt and heels?" Akane asked innocently. Akane knew that Shan Pu was a great warrior and fighter in Martial Arts just like her and Ukyo, but that was only one of the things that made the three such great friends. They all came from different sections of the east raised by Martial Artists to be the best, and their family situations weren't what anyone would call normal. Plus, both Akane and Shan Pu were adopted into their families. Akane could still recall the day she met Shan Pu. She had just moved to New York and was looking for a roommate when Shan Pu showed up. Akane caught sight of the lilac hair and violet eyes and she felt such a strong feeling of deja vu fall over her that she accepted Shan Pu for a roommate. They had become friends ever since that day.
The situation on how she and Ukyo knew each other was a little more complicated to explain.
Shan Pu walked over to a mirror on the wall and tied her hair back as she asked, "What's the matter, Ne-ne?"
Shaking out of her thoughts, Akane replied, "Oh, it's Raphael and Trish, they can't pay Yurai's bills and he'll be here tomorrow." Shan Pu nodded, understanding the situation. The building they were living in now was government property, just like most of the other in New York and was supposed to be empty. Yurai was supposed to be the one to watch the building, but like all the other 'officers' he wasn't set on following rules or doing his job, he just wanted to make money so he rented all the apartments to people. He was also an ugly, stupid, pain-in-the-butt jerk.
"Date tonight?" Akane asked though she already knew.
Smiling cheekily, Shan Pu nodded and smeared on her lipstick, "Yup, with this executive from Forman Accounts." Akane wasn't surprised, Shan Pu was exceptionally beautiful and always managed to get anyone she wanted. That's what everyone always said about the three of them. Ukyo had that girl-next-door, homey type of beauty with her long brown hair and dark black-brown eyes and cute smile. Shan Pu had that eye-popping, head-turning beauty with her long, bouncy, lilac hair, violet eyes, and Greek-goddess body. Akane was the one everyone stared and was awed by for long though, she had a dark, mysterious, beauty that captured so many. Akane had shoulder-length blue-black hair and deep, chocolate, brown eyes and a body that could kill, but of course she didn't know this. No matter what anyone tried to tell her, nobody could be more oblivious to her beauty.
What everyone always said when the three of them were together was that they all make up a flame of fire. Shan Pu, the light of it, Ukyo the warmth, and Akane the added mysterious incentive beauty that kept you captured and staring.
"You know Mousse isn't going to be happy, Shan-chan," Akane commented with a large grin, trying to hold back her laughter.
Scowling Shampoo obliviously went into Chinese, "Stupid duck boy, can't even keep his hands off of dumb girl. "'But Shan Pu, I was saving her from drowning!"' he says, just excuse!" At that Akane burst out laughing, Chinese happening to be one of the many languages she spoke fluently in.
"I'm sure it was, Shampoo," Akane laughed as she left the room.
* * *
{3 hours later, into the night}
Akane hung, comfortably perched outside the window the of a large building. Down the hall of the room on a tall table sat perched the open-winged red phoenix. Looking carefully around Akane took out a hair clip and somehow, someway managed to unlock the window and agilely crawled inside. Once she was inside however, she heard a gun cock behind her. The Martial Artist sighed; she really hated to hurt these people to get what she wanted. Before the man could blink, Akane was already gone in a blur, the gun was gone from his hand, and cocked to his head. Too bad a pressure point had been hit and he couldn't move.
"Any last words?" Akane asked in amusement at how strange the sight must look. The man was a giant and though she wasn't exactly puny, he towered over her like a building, yet she held the power.
"Yes, drop the gun or have your brains blasted out of the window," a cool, collected voice was heard down the hall by the table. Still smirking Akane turned to look at the speaker, not a trace of fear on her face...and froze. Her heart seemed to lodge in her throat as she saw a wonderfully, awful, handsome man stand there, but that wasn't what got her blood pounding. It was the man's eyes, Akane knew those eyes. *Eyes Only...* she thought. Obviously the man was took aback by her as well. His eyes widened and his mouth opened.
Calming her nerves, Akane decided this was the best plan of attack and ran towards the man, positive with her speed he wouldn't be able to see her, nevertheless attack...but he did. With a quick movement, Akane was pressed against the wall in a hard grip, her hands behind her. Seeing the phoenix not to far away, Akane gave a flicker of movement and grabbed the phoenix statue before running by the window again by the still bodyguard. Turning to give a confident look at the man, Akane was startled by his huge grin that made him all the more attractive and devilishly handsome.
"What's so funny?" she asked, annoyed.
Smiling, the man shook his head and changed the subject, "I can see why you would want that. Old, Japanese antique with a value of over $750,000 today. Said to be created by many famous artists and can probably bring more value for that. From the northern regions of Japan on a mountain range unknown to man, it was made with the finest material, not known either."
*I must be crazy for still standing here, he probably already set the alarms...* Akane thought but answered in an intelligent, "So?"
Giving a devastating half-grin the guy asked dryly, "So? Did you choose it 'cause it was shiny?"
Growling, Akane's wounded prided demanded she give a final hit, not caring for the truth she revealed to the stranger, "No, I chose it because it was a phoenix. The phoenix was considered many wonderful things to people through time. The Chinese believed the phoenix and dragon were the two partners and powerful allies that controlled many things and compared their emperor and empress to it. To mock the phoenix or dragon in a painting or story would be considered a terrible crime. Also, way back, when the world was new the old people believed the phoenix was pure fire and power. That's why I liked the statue...and because it was shiny."
Impressed, the guy asked, "And I guess you picture yourself as a phoenix, strong, fiery, fire, and power." Suddenly, what he said flashed a painful memory through Akane's mind.
#######Flashback######
"You're a phoenix, A-chan. All pure fire, strong, fiery, power. My phoenix."
"The bird in the stories? I want to see a phoenix, R-chan."
"Just look inside you and you'll see..."
######End of Flashback######
Shaking her head from her thoughts Akane heard the guy comment, "That was a neat trick you did back there."
Her eyes sparkling, Akane said, "You ain't seen nothin' yet." With that she did a back flip and jumped out of the window. This wouldn't be such a great feat if the window weren't on the 23rd floor. Running to the window, the guy saw the silhouette of a figure run into the shadows.
* * *
Sometimes I look back and regret what I do...how I betrayed what I am, how I am. I'm nothing but a hyprocrite..A terrible hypocrite. I look at myself in the mirror and I don't see myself, I see the person I have become. The person everyone molded, they made... and I want to vomit...to throw up the person they made. I am their achievement...their device ...their weapon...yet I continue to do what I do. I continue to show in front of that TV screen and tell people things that I myself am doing. Of course the people don't know I'm Eyes Only, that I'm the one to reveal their secrets...but it's the only fight I have left. It bothered me before, but I've managed to run away from the guilt and pain...both Ryoga and me. We've managed not to let our guilt and pain haunt us and it's worked for me...until now.
I saw her again tonight...after so many years. I didn't recognize her at first, she had grown up so much...but one look into those mesmerizing brown eyes had the memories flooding me again and this time I couldn't run away...not from those eyes. My shining angel...
my light in the dark center that is my life...my phoenix...my hope. She didn't recognize me...I knew that...she was always like an open book for me to read. Mine. They promised me when they found her; they would have given her to me...not that I had a choice. Her fire was still there...I wonder what her name is now...wonder what she does...who her friends are...who she loves...I know she doesn't have that defect, because it's mine. I can't love. Simple as that, just a machine, a number...but with her I feel human. I let her go now, but I'm not worried, I'll find her...and I won't tell *them* I've found her...oh no.I'm not stupid...
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Chapter 1, The Girl And The Motorcycle
Author's Notes: In case anyone's been wondering, I'm still into the Wheel of Time series. I have great ideas for this series too, so just hang in there. Um... the usual stuff, sign my guestbook, e-mail me at silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com. Okay that's it for now.
Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 Takahashi and Dark Angel belong to FOX Network.
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All people want in life is the big things. To live in a big house, to eat at a fancy restaurant, to have everything they could ever want...but those people are never happy. They are so focused on the large things that they don't have time to appreciate the simple pleasures in life. Walking, eating, a simple gesture or word...no it's always rush, rush, and rush for the big things. No time to look around and see what they're all missing. You know even fear is a pleasure. Yes, it's true. I've seen it before...to fear something and then to conquer it may be one of the greatest emotions a human can possibly feel. Too bad I'll never know it.
Was that regret? No, it can't be. I promised myself a long time ago that I will never ever regret anything again...well almost anything. I still regret one thing...but that's for later...when I'm ready. Well, what was I saying again? Oh yeah, how people don't slow down to enjoy life. I do, though, or at least I try to. That's just one of the many things that make me different from them...from everyone else. My mother (at least I like to imagine she was my mother), Mrs. Tendo told me before she died that I must never tell anyone just exactly how different I am...that they would harm me, so I didn't. Mrs. Tendo was the only one I told my secret too and she died, taking my secret with her. I don't like to think about that too long.
I live in the US, but I consider myself Japanese. That's where dad, Mr.Tendo lives, I used to live there too. Me, Kasumi, Nabiki, we all lived in Japan when we were smaller, but then we had to move and I live in New York City now. The United States used to be one of the most prospering countries in the world with high technology and beautiful cities. The people didn't have to worry about their country. Then, something happened, nobody is exactly sure what, and the US lost all of its money and the debts were piled high. Unemployment swept over the country like a new depression and the government ruled over the people. Taking and demolishing what they could to pay back it's debts. This was called The Change. Now, the US is nothing more then a struggling country trying to rebuild what once was. Isn't it strange how every great, powerful population in the past has been wiped out one by one? The Greeks, the Romans, the Spartans...all destroyed. New York City, it may be lousy, dangerous, and rundown city whose prime has past...but hey it's home.
* * *
Akane walked into the Avcerin Shipping & Transferring Warehouse; her black motorcycle helmet edged snuggly between her left arm and side. Striding to her red, graffiti-marked locker she opened it and stuffed the helmet and leather jacket inside before putting on an ugly green jacket with the initials AS&TW on the back in large red letters. Closing her locker, Akane felt two large hands cover over her eyes.
Giving an annoyed sigh she said coldly, "Move 'em or lose 'em."
"I missed you last night," a hoarse, spitting voice whispered in her ear.
Akane remained unaffected as she said, "And I'm sure you managed to solve that loneliness in the arms of Jessie Byer."
"Ouch!" Tyra, a girl who had strife with Akane, gave a mock wince as she laughed. Tyra was a short, blonde with dark green eyes and a body that made more men turn their heads then a fire.
Spinning around, away from the scrawny arms of Tony, Akane said in an amused tone with a smirking smile, "Forget it, Tony, it's over between us, not that there was really anything in the first place."
"But I-"
A tall brunette that was the same height as Akane with dark lashes and deep brown hair and eyes walked up behind Tony and smacked him on the back.
"Give it up, Tony, it's over, now why don't you run along and play with your other little girlfriends, 'k?" Ukyo, Akane's best friend said. Giving Ukyo a final glare, Tony marched off in a huff causing the other two girls to burst out laughing.
Leading Akane towards the front lounge (which in truth was just an old, ripped red couch and black and white TV), Ukyo said, "You know, you can't really blame him, 'kane, I mean you're always so cold towards the poor guy, he had to find warmth somewhere."
Groaning Akane just glared at her friend before saying, "What did you expect? I tolerated him, didn't I? Now, because of my stupid temper, I won't be able to get the password to the Crosswelds building. He was the only one who knew and he was just going to give me the password too."
"Aw, c'mon at least you didn't sleep with him," Ukyo tried to joke but Tyra just joined in and said rather truthfully, "What are you talking about Ukyo? Akane never sleeps with anyone, "strictly business". Too cold she is."
"But how can I sleep with anyone when they all share your bed at night, Tyra?" Akane snapped. The shorter girl just thinned her lips and stomped away.
Once they were at the "lounge" Ukyo commented, "I have to say, that was harsh 'kane-chan, even for Tyra."
Akane sighed, "I know, it's just this whole thing with Tony. I'm so frustrated, I had worked weeks to try and get that password from him, now it'll all be for nothing."
Suddenly her attention shifted to the TV screen as a pair of dark, intense, blue-gray eyes interrupted the show. From the screen a deep, confident, commanding voice said, "Attention, this is Eyes Only. Eyes Only is a coporation designed to tell the truth and it can not be followed, ignored, or traced. Yesterday, our soon-to-be senator Mr. Brian Mckeef set off a train of soldiers into the dark alleys of our city to *terminate* any citizens he found *non-fitting*. Pay attention and open your eyes. This is Eyes Only."
Nobody was really paying that much attention to Eyes Only, since they really couldn't do anything about the problems of the city, except Akane. It wasn't as if she cared about what happened in the city, but more of the feeling of recognition and deja vu spreading over her everytime she saw those eyes.
"Hello, I'm not paying you to stand around and gawk at the TV, Akane," Vulture, the manager around the Avcerin Shipping & Transferring Warehouse, said. Vulture was a tall, half-bald man with a long narrow nose and pinch-thinned lips. Nobody knew what his real name was, but they all called him Vulture, not only because of how he looked, but also on how he preyed on the employees.
"My bad, Vulture," Akane just smirked. She loved it when she annoyed Vulture.
His lips thinning, if that was possible, Vulture said, "Well, take this package and bring it to the 23rd floor on the 659 building on Day Street."
Snatching the yellow package from Vulture's hands, Akane said, "No problem, see ya later Ucchan."
* * *
The wind pushed mercilessly through Akane's long blue-hair out of her helmet, pushing it back as the long, slick, black motorcycle continued on silently. The streets of the city were littered with garbage and people. When Akane reached the 659 building she artfully hid her bike behind the building, away from any eyes that might consider stealing it. The girl took off her helmet and put it on her motorcycle before entering the large building. Taking the stairs 4 at a time Akane reached the 23rd floor without an uneven breath. On the middle of the floor was a large marble desk with a secretary talking into a no-handle phone.
Handing the package to the secretary and giving her a paper to sign and fill out Akane felt a prickling at the back of her net. Her eyes narrowed into a building across the street. In the window on a desk, sat perched a red statue of an open-winged phoenix. Smiling to herself, Akane took back the signed sheet of paper and walked out of the building.
* * *
{7 hours later}
Akane led her motorcycle down the dirty rug-torn hallway of her apartment building. Clothes hung loosely from a line inside the hallway and the usual sound of a wailing child could be heard in Apartment 4d, the apartment where a middle-aged lady lived with her 7 kids and a boyfriend that only came by once in a while. Before going into her own apartment, Akane dropped by Apartment 9d and a sudden, strong, awful, stank filled her senses. Struggling through the front room, Akane found her way to the living room where a pale, frail man who was barely over 25, but looked like he was over 50 lay on a blanket on the floor. A small boy that bore remarkable resemblance to the man, his son sat by the blanket playing with a broken toy truck and a lady, obviously the boy's mother was wiping a cool cloth on the man's forehead.
Walking over Akane gave a tremulous smile and asked, "Hey, Raphael, how do you feel?"
The man glared at her before saying, "Like my intestines are being ground up in beef jerky. What does that tell you?"
Trisha stopped wiping Raphael's forehead to walk over to Akane. Akane looked at the gray hairs, wrinkles, and dark circles on the young woman's face before saying, "I brought your check from work over today. Here."
Taking the check, Raphael handed it to Trisha before giving a pained groan and thanking her.
"C'mon Akane, I'll lead you out," Trisha said.
Once they were at the door, Akane gave a worried frown and asked Trisha, "Why didn't you take him to the hospital yet?"
Turning haunted eyes to her friend, the Spanish girl said, "Oh Akane, they won't treat him! They said if we didn't have money, they wouldn't treat him! Now, with this check we'll only be able to get barely enough food. Raphael can't work now and we'll be sure to be thrown out if we don't give Yurai his money when he comes."
Taking some money from her pocket, Akane handed it to the girl before saying, "Here, now take Raphael to the hospital, we miss him at work. And don't worry about Yurai, let me handle him, 'k?"
Smiling, Trisha nodded and sniffed before Akane walked out.
Pulling her motorcycle into her apartment, Akane saw clothes scattered and thrown all over the floor and things. Groaning, Akane put her bike away into her closet. That done, Akane walked towards the 2nd bedroom, picking up clothes along the way. Once she reached there she saw her roommate, Shan Pu, once a Chinese Amazon warrior, assessing herself in the mirror.
"You know, I always wondered on how you could have possible have been a Chinese Amazon," Akane commented dryly.
Giving an unladylike 'humph', Shan Pu said, "I'll have you know, Ne-ne, that I was one of the strongest Amazons and could have been a matriarch too, leading them onto victory."
"And I guess you'll be doing all this in a mini-skirt and heels?" Akane asked innocently. Akane knew that Shan Pu was a great warrior and fighter in Martial Arts just like her and Ukyo, but that was only one of the things that made the three such great friends. They all came from different sections of the east raised by Martial Artists to be the best, and their family situations weren't what anyone would call normal. Plus, both Akane and Shan Pu were adopted into their families. Akane could still recall the day she met Shan Pu. She had just moved to New York and was looking for a roommate when Shan Pu showed up. Akane caught sight of the lilac hair and violet eyes and she felt such a strong feeling of deja vu fall over her that she accepted Shan Pu for a roommate. They had become friends ever since that day.
The situation on how she and Ukyo knew each other was a little more complicated to explain.
Shan Pu walked over to a mirror on the wall and tied her hair back as she asked, "What's the matter, Ne-ne?"
Shaking out of her thoughts, Akane replied, "Oh, it's Raphael and Trish, they can't pay Yurai's bills and he'll be here tomorrow." Shan Pu nodded, understanding the situation. The building they were living in now was government property, just like most of the other in New York and was supposed to be empty. Yurai was supposed to be the one to watch the building, but like all the other 'officers' he wasn't set on following rules or doing his job, he just wanted to make money so he rented all the apartments to people. He was also an ugly, stupid, pain-in-the-butt jerk.
"Date tonight?" Akane asked though she already knew.
Smiling cheekily, Shan Pu nodded and smeared on her lipstick, "Yup, with this executive from Forman Accounts." Akane wasn't surprised, Shan Pu was exceptionally beautiful and always managed to get anyone she wanted. That's what everyone always said about the three of them. Ukyo had that girl-next-door, homey type of beauty with her long brown hair and dark black-brown eyes and cute smile. Shan Pu had that eye-popping, head-turning beauty with her long, bouncy, lilac hair, violet eyes, and Greek-goddess body. Akane was the one everyone stared and was awed by for long though, she had a dark, mysterious, beauty that captured so many. Akane had shoulder-length blue-black hair and deep, chocolate, brown eyes and a body that could kill, but of course she didn't know this. No matter what anyone tried to tell her, nobody could be more oblivious to her beauty.
What everyone always said when the three of them were together was that they all make up a flame of fire. Shan Pu, the light of it, Ukyo the warmth, and Akane the added mysterious incentive beauty that kept you captured and staring.
"You know Mousse isn't going to be happy, Shan-chan," Akane commented with a large grin, trying to hold back her laughter.
Scowling Shampoo obliviously went into Chinese, "Stupid duck boy, can't even keep his hands off of dumb girl. "'But Shan Pu, I was saving her from drowning!"' he says, just excuse!" At that Akane burst out laughing, Chinese happening to be one of the many languages she spoke fluently in.
"I'm sure it was, Shampoo," Akane laughed as she left the room.
* * *
{3 hours later, into the night}
Akane hung, comfortably perched outside the window the of a large building. Down the hall of the room on a tall table sat perched the open-winged red phoenix. Looking carefully around Akane took out a hair clip and somehow, someway managed to unlock the window and agilely crawled inside. Once she was inside however, she heard a gun cock behind her. The Martial Artist sighed; she really hated to hurt these people to get what she wanted. Before the man could blink, Akane was already gone in a blur, the gun was gone from his hand, and cocked to his head. Too bad a pressure point had been hit and he couldn't move.
"Any last words?" Akane asked in amusement at how strange the sight must look. The man was a giant and though she wasn't exactly puny, he towered over her like a building, yet she held the power.
"Yes, drop the gun or have your brains blasted out of the window," a cool, collected voice was heard down the hall by the table. Still smirking Akane turned to look at the speaker, not a trace of fear on her face...and froze. Her heart seemed to lodge in her throat as she saw a wonderfully, awful, handsome man stand there, but that wasn't what got her blood pounding. It was the man's eyes, Akane knew those eyes. *Eyes Only...* she thought. Obviously the man was took aback by her as well. His eyes widened and his mouth opened.
Calming her nerves, Akane decided this was the best plan of attack and ran towards the man, positive with her speed he wouldn't be able to see her, nevertheless attack...but he did. With a quick movement, Akane was pressed against the wall in a hard grip, her hands behind her. Seeing the phoenix not to far away, Akane gave a flicker of movement and grabbed the phoenix statue before running by the window again by the still bodyguard. Turning to give a confident look at the man, Akane was startled by his huge grin that made him all the more attractive and devilishly handsome.
"What's so funny?" she asked, annoyed.
Smiling, the man shook his head and changed the subject, "I can see why you would want that. Old, Japanese antique with a value of over $750,000 today. Said to be created by many famous artists and can probably bring more value for that. From the northern regions of Japan on a mountain range unknown to man, it was made with the finest material, not known either."
*I must be crazy for still standing here, he probably already set the alarms...* Akane thought but answered in an intelligent, "So?"
Giving a devastating half-grin the guy asked dryly, "So? Did you choose it 'cause it was shiny?"
Growling, Akane's wounded prided demanded she give a final hit, not caring for the truth she revealed to the stranger, "No, I chose it because it was a phoenix. The phoenix was considered many wonderful things to people through time. The Chinese believed the phoenix and dragon were the two partners and powerful allies that controlled many things and compared their emperor and empress to it. To mock the phoenix or dragon in a painting or story would be considered a terrible crime. Also, way back, when the world was new the old people believed the phoenix was pure fire and power. That's why I liked the statue...and because it was shiny."
Impressed, the guy asked, "And I guess you picture yourself as a phoenix, strong, fiery, fire, and power." Suddenly, what he said flashed a painful memory through Akane's mind.
#######Flashback######
"You're a phoenix, A-chan. All pure fire, strong, fiery, power. My phoenix."
"The bird in the stories? I want to see a phoenix, R-chan."
"Just look inside you and you'll see..."
######End of Flashback######
Shaking her head from her thoughts Akane heard the guy comment, "That was a neat trick you did back there."
Her eyes sparkling, Akane said, "You ain't seen nothin' yet." With that she did a back flip and jumped out of the window. This wouldn't be such a great feat if the window weren't on the 23rd floor. Running to the window, the guy saw the silhouette of a figure run into the shadows.
* * *
Sometimes I look back and regret what I do...how I betrayed what I am, how I am. I'm nothing but a hyprocrite..A terrible hypocrite. I look at myself in the mirror and I don't see myself, I see the person I have become. The person everyone molded, they made... and I want to vomit...to throw up the person they made. I am their achievement...their device ...their weapon...yet I continue to do what I do. I continue to show in front of that TV screen and tell people things that I myself am doing. Of course the people don't know I'm Eyes Only, that I'm the one to reveal their secrets...but it's the only fight I have left. It bothered me before, but I've managed to run away from the guilt and pain...both Ryoga and me. We've managed not to let our guilt and pain haunt us and it's worked for me...until now.
I saw her again tonight...after so many years. I didn't recognize her at first, she had grown up so much...but one look into those mesmerizing brown eyes had the memories flooding me again and this time I couldn't run away...not from those eyes. My shining angel...
my light in the dark center that is my life...my phoenix...my hope. She didn't recognize me...I knew that...she was always like an open book for me to read. Mine. They promised me when they found her; they would have given her to me...not that I had a choice. Her fire was still there...I wonder what her name is now...wonder what she does...who her friends are...who she loves...I know she doesn't have that defect, because it's mine. I can't love. Simple as that, just a machine, a number...but with her I feel human. I let her go now, but I'm not worried, I'll find her...and I won't tell *them* I've found her...oh no.I'm not stupid...
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