*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ The Next Morning at The Three Lights Apaato
Taiki sat on a chair next to Yaten's bed, chin in hand and deep in thought as he watched Yaten's chest slowly rise and fall. Taiki was still very in the dark on the details of what had happened the previous night. There were a few simple facts he knew. One, there was some strange and extremely powerful man who, Two, attacked and knocked out Yaten, and Three, kidnapped Minako. The rime or reason the man had for his actions were unknown to Taiki. Only Yaten knew the inside scoop, but he was thankfully resting. There was a faint click of the door opening and shutting behind Taiki. Taiki shifted his eyes in that direction.
'You get something to eat Seiya?' Taiki mumbled. Seiya walked up to Taiki holding a bowl full of steaming ramen and a pair of red chopsticks. He took a huge lump of it and shoved half into his mouth.
'Mmmhmmm.' he answered shaking his head satisfactorily. Taiki's eyes rested on Yaten again. Seiya leaned forward and put a hand on Yaten's forehead.
'He's not as hot anymore.feels normal.' Seiya took his hand away and put it on his hip. Taiki reached over and took the bowl of ramen and chopsticks and stole himself a bite, Seiya flattened his eyes,
'Why don't I just go ahead and make you a bowl too?' Taiki looked up and smiled at Seiya. He handed the bowl back to him,
'That'd be great!' Taiki said happily. Seiya grumbled and turned around. He took a few steps, but was stopped by the sound of Yaten's shaky voice.
'.No.don't leave me..' Taiki jumped out of his chair and Seiya ran up beside him. Seiya sat the bowl of ramen at his feet, but still kept an eye on Yaten. Seiya stood back up and both hovered over Yaten. Yaten started to toss his head from side to side.
'He mumbled a little something before, didn't he?' Seiya asked. Taiki nodded,
'Nothing this clear though.he didn't move either.' Yaten's peaceful sleeping face began to twist with pain.
'..Nooo.' he mumbled. Yaten once again raised a weak arm to the ceiling.
'No...' Yaten re-instated, getting a little bit louder.
'NOOO!!!' Yaten screamed and shot straight up in bed. He breathed very heavily as the vision of the vanishing Minako played over and over again in his head. Not realizing his surroundings, he looked up to find Taiki and Seiya hovering above him. He let out a sigh of relief and fell back into his bed. He lay with his eyes closed a moment, trying to regain composure. Yaten wrinkled his eyebrows,
'Have I been lying here long?' he asked. Taiki calmed down and sat back in his chair as Seiya sat on the floor and continued to munch his ramen again, still paying close attention to the conversation.
'Only since last night.it's about 5 now.' Taiki said. Yaten rubbed his forehead.
'I feel like shit.' he mumbled. Taiki chuckled lightly.
'I would too if I got the hell beat out of me just last night.' Yaten turned his head to face Taiki, a look of concern on his face.
'Minako.she.she's here right?' he asked. Taiki's face softened but gave Yaten a wry smile.
'..I wish I could say yes.' Taiki whispered. Yaten squeezed his eyes shut,
'Then it wasn't a nightmare.' he whispered shakily. Taiki shook his head.
'It'll be O.K. Yaten.we'll get her back.' Taiki said trying to cheer Yaten up. Yaten shifted and turned his head to face away from Taiki.
'How.' he mumbled, 'where do we look first.?' Taiki thought a moment.
'Well, you did say that they went to Kinmoku.'
'Don't say 'they'.he took her to Kinmoku.' Yaten said, a hint of anger in his voice. The horrid image of the man embracing his Minako and kissing her flashed through Yaten's mind.
'Oh yeah!' Seiya piped in. He stood up and dug something out of his pocket. He leaned over and plopped the locket in front of Yaten's face.
'It was clamped in your hand while we were taking you home. We couldn't get it out of your hand until you fell asleep.' Yaten reached out and grabbed the locket. He sat up in bed again and dangled it out in front of him.
'.damn this thing.' he sneered and let go of it, then snatched it up again and brought it closer to his face. He slowly opened the locket. Yaten became enraged at its contents. He threw it to the end of his bed and pointed at it.
'It was him! The bastard who took Minako!! Him and some damn chick!' Yaten screamed. Taiki leaned and picked up the locket and looked at the picture on the inside.
'So this is the man.who is this girl? Was she there? Did he mention her at all?' Taiki asked. Yaten grabbed the locket from him and looked at the picture again.
'The girl?' Yaten asked. Taiki nodded. Yaten took a closer look at the girl.
'I think.I've seen her before.somewhere.she's doesn't jump out at me though...wait..' Yaten began. 'My revenge on you through her.. I have taken on the form of the one she loves.which happens to be you to me delight.and now I will take her away from you.just like you did to me.'
'I remember him saying that I took away the one he loves, so that's why he took Minako away from me.to get revenge..' Taiki continued to nod his head,
'So what.did you kill her or something?' He asked.
'I kill evil.unless she was evil.but I don't think so.they both look kinda normal. He's not as evil infested looking as he is now.' Seiya raised a finger in the air,
'Ah! Maybe something evil killed her!' he suggested. Yaten gave a confused look.
'But then why would he come after me? Does he think I'm evil?' He scratched his head. Seiya thought another moment,
'Ah again! Did you ever fall in love with some girl on Kinmoku? Maybe it was her, and he knew and got pissed.' Seiya suggested again. Yaten shook his head.
'No.Minako is the first and only.' he said softly. Seiya had hit a soft spot.
'Oooh, sorry.' He waved his hands in front of his face. Yaten turned to Seiya and smiled wryly. 'Looks like his plan for revenge is running rather smoothly, eh?' he said and bit his lip. The tears started to well up in Yaten's eyes.
'Heeey.come on now.we'll get her back, and then you can beat the living shit outta that guy.' Seiya said giving Yaten a tiny punch in the arm. Yaten looked up at the ceiling; and image of the normal happy and radiantly beautiful Minako shined in his head. A crystal tear made a thin line across his cheek and to his jaw line.
'I don't even care about him.I just want my Minako back.' he said softly. Seiya lifted and eyebrow.
'I'm sorry to say something like this now but.why do you say 'my' Minako.did you tell her that you loved her?' Yaten chuckled.
'.No.I didn't get to do anything.he did it all for me..' This confused both Taiki and Seiya.
'What did he confess his undying love to Minako before you could and she accepted or what' Taiki asked. Yaten wrinkled his eyebrows together, trying to make the tears stop.
'He.he's like some sort of extreme empath.he can feel other people's feelings. He felt Minako's feeling of love.but.empaths only feel things, he felt the feeling and knew who it was for...me.' The tears trickled faster down both sides of his face now.
'So.he used his powers to figure out that Minako loved you.' Seiya asked, 'But then, what did he do, just flat out tell her 'oh hey, Yaten's in love with you! Haha I told you before he could!' Isat it?'
'He didn't have to say anything like that . he was me.' Yaten said and bit his lip again.
'Whaaaaat?' Taiki asked.
'He stole my face.he.the fucker transformed into me after he found out that Minako loved me..and she just.went to him.because she though it was me..' Yaten slumped forward and buried his face in his hands. Seiya put a hand to his gaping mouth. Yaten lifted his head away from his hands a bit.
'..He brainwashed her.there was something not right about her.in her eyes...' Yaten shook his head.
'And that's not even the worst part!' He said looking back at Seiya and Taiki. Yaten put his hand to his lips,
'Then.he stole my kiss from me..' Yaten said lowering his eyes. Both Seiya and Taiki shook their head in disbelief.
'Minako didn't know.she thought it was you..' Taiki said placing his hand on Yaten's shoulder.
'Yeah.' Yaten shook his head, tears streaming his face non-stop. Seiya got up and sat next to Yaten and leaned him into his arms. Taiki got up and sat on the opposite side of Yaten. Yaten grabbed onto Seiya's shirt and continued to cry. Seiya looked up at Taiki.
'Go get things read for a trip to Kinmoku. We're leaving as soon as possible.' Seiya said. Taiki nodded in agreement and headed for the door.
Taiki sat on a chair next to Yaten's bed, chin in hand and deep in thought as he watched Yaten's chest slowly rise and fall. Taiki was still very in the dark on the details of what had happened the previous night. There were a few simple facts he knew. One, there was some strange and extremely powerful man who, Two, attacked and knocked out Yaten, and Three, kidnapped Minako. The rime or reason the man had for his actions were unknown to Taiki. Only Yaten knew the inside scoop, but he was thankfully resting. There was a faint click of the door opening and shutting behind Taiki. Taiki shifted his eyes in that direction.
'You get something to eat Seiya?' Taiki mumbled. Seiya walked up to Taiki holding a bowl full of steaming ramen and a pair of red chopsticks. He took a huge lump of it and shoved half into his mouth.
'Mmmhmmm.' he answered shaking his head satisfactorily. Taiki's eyes rested on Yaten again. Seiya leaned forward and put a hand on Yaten's forehead.
'He's not as hot anymore.feels normal.' Seiya took his hand away and put it on his hip. Taiki reached over and took the bowl of ramen and chopsticks and stole himself a bite, Seiya flattened his eyes,
'Why don't I just go ahead and make you a bowl too?' Taiki looked up and smiled at Seiya. He handed the bowl back to him,
'That'd be great!' Taiki said happily. Seiya grumbled and turned around. He took a few steps, but was stopped by the sound of Yaten's shaky voice.
'.No.don't leave me..' Taiki jumped out of his chair and Seiya ran up beside him. Seiya sat the bowl of ramen at his feet, but still kept an eye on Yaten. Seiya stood back up and both hovered over Yaten. Yaten started to toss his head from side to side.
'He mumbled a little something before, didn't he?' Seiya asked. Taiki nodded,
'Nothing this clear though.he didn't move either.' Yaten's peaceful sleeping face began to twist with pain.
'..Nooo.' he mumbled. Yaten once again raised a weak arm to the ceiling.
'No...' Yaten re-instated, getting a little bit louder.
'NOOO!!!' Yaten screamed and shot straight up in bed. He breathed very heavily as the vision of the vanishing Minako played over and over again in his head. Not realizing his surroundings, he looked up to find Taiki and Seiya hovering above him. He let out a sigh of relief and fell back into his bed. He lay with his eyes closed a moment, trying to regain composure. Yaten wrinkled his eyebrows,
'Have I been lying here long?' he asked. Taiki calmed down and sat back in his chair as Seiya sat on the floor and continued to munch his ramen again, still paying close attention to the conversation.
'Only since last night.it's about 5 now.' Taiki said. Yaten rubbed his forehead.
'I feel like shit.' he mumbled. Taiki chuckled lightly.
'I would too if I got the hell beat out of me just last night.' Yaten turned his head to face Taiki, a look of concern on his face.
'Minako.she.she's here right?' he asked. Taiki's face softened but gave Yaten a wry smile.
'..I wish I could say yes.' Taiki whispered. Yaten squeezed his eyes shut,
'Then it wasn't a nightmare.' he whispered shakily. Taiki shook his head.
'It'll be O.K. Yaten.we'll get her back.' Taiki said trying to cheer Yaten up. Yaten shifted and turned his head to face away from Taiki.
'How.' he mumbled, 'where do we look first.?' Taiki thought a moment.
'Well, you did say that they went to Kinmoku.'
'Don't say 'they'.he took her to Kinmoku.' Yaten said, a hint of anger in his voice. The horrid image of the man embracing his Minako and kissing her flashed through Yaten's mind.
'Oh yeah!' Seiya piped in. He stood up and dug something out of his pocket. He leaned over and plopped the locket in front of Yaten's face.
'It was clamped in your hand while we were taking you home. We couldn't get it out of your hand until you fell asleep.' Yaten reached out and grabbed the locket. He sat up in bed again and dangled it out in front of him.
'.damn this thing.' he sneered and let go of it, then snatched it up again and brought it closer to his face. He slowly opened the locket. Yaten became enraged at its contents. He threw it to the end of his bed and pointed at it.
'It was him! The bastard who took Minako!! Him and some damn chick!' Yaten screamed. Taiki leaned and picked up the locket and looked at the picture on the inside.
'So this is the man.who is this girl? Was she there? Did he mention her at all?' Taiki asked. Yaten grabbed the locket from him and looked at the picture again.
'The girl?' Yaten asked. Taiki nodded. Yaten took a closer look at the girl.
'I think.I've seen her before.somewhere.she's doesn't jump out at me though...wait..' Yaten began. 'My revenge on you through her.. I have taken on the form of the one she loves.which happens to be you to me delight.and now I will take her away from you.just like you did to me.'
'I remember him saying that I took away the one he loves, so that's why he took Minako away from me.to get revenge..' Taiki continued to nod his head,
'So what.did you kill her or something?' He asked.
'I kill evil.unless she was evil.but I don't think so.they both look kinda normal. He's not as evil infested looking as he is now.' Seiya raised a finger in the air,
'Ah! Maybe something evil killed her!' he suggested. Yaten gave a confused look.
'But then why would he come after me? Does he think I'm evil?' He scratched his head. Seiya thought another moment,
'Ah again! Did you ever fall in love with some girl on Kinmoku? Maybe it was her, and he knew and got pissed.' Seiya suggested again. Yaten shook his head.
'No.Minako is the first and only.' he said softly. Seiya had hit a soft spot.
'Oooh, sorry.' He waved his hands in front of his face. Yaten turned to Seiya and smiled wryly. 'Looks like his plan for revenge is running rather smoothly, eh?' he said and bit his lip. The tears started to well up in Yaten's eyes.
'Heeey.come on now.we'll get her back, and then you can beat the living shit outta that guy.' Seiya said giving Yaten a tiny punch in the arm. Yaten looked up at the ceiling; and image of the normal happy and radiantly beautiful Minako shined in his head. A crystal tear made a thin line across his cheek and to his jaw line.
'I don't even care about him.I just want my Minako back.' he said softly. Seiya lifted and eyebrow.
'I'm sorry to say something like this now but.why do you say 'my' Minako.did you tell her that you loved her?' Yaten chuckled.
'.No.I didn't get to do anything.he did it all for me..' This confused both Taiki and Seiya.
'What did he confess his undying love to Minako before you could and she accepted or what' Taiki asked. Yaten wrinkled his eyebrows together, trying to make the tears stop.
'He.he's like some sort of extreme empath.he can feel other people's feelings. He felt Minako's feeling of love.but.empaths only feel things, he felt the feeling and knew who it was for...me.' The tears trickled faster down both sides of his face now.
'So.he used his powers to figure out that Minako loved you.' Seiya asked, 'But then, what did he do, just flat out tell her 'oh hey, Yaten's in love with you! Haha I told you before he could!' Isat it?'
'He didn't have to say anything like that . he was me.' Yaten said and bit his lip again.
'Whaaaaat?' Taiki asked.
'He stole my face.he.the fucker transformed into me after he found out that Minako loved me..and she just.went to him.because she though it was me..' Yaten slumped forward and buried his face in his hands. Seiya put a hand to his gaping mouth. Yaten lifted his head away from his hands a bit.
'..He brainwashed her.there was something not right about her.in her eyes...' Yaten shook his head.
'And that's not even the worst part!' He said looking back at Seiya and Taiki. Yaten put his hand to his lips,
'Then.he stole my kiss from me..' Yaten said lowering his eyes. Both Seiya and Taiki shook their head in disbelief.
'Minako didn't know.she thought it was you..' Taiki said placing his hand on Yaten's shoulder.
'Yeah.' Yaten shook his head, tears streaming his face non-stop. Seiya got up and sat next to Yaten and leaned him into his arms. Taiki got up and sat on the opposite side of Yaten. Yaten grabbed onto Seiya's shirt and continued to cry. Seiya looked up at Taiki.
'Go get things read for a trip to Kinmoku. We're leaving as soon as possible.' Seiya said. Taiki nodded in agreement and headed for the door.
