Misconceptions:
By Midnight
Memory Notes: Something done on a whim and a lack of will to finish vital Homework projectS. The s' is capitalized because it is very important. I will never sleep tonight.
Chapter One: Misconception One
x-Begin-x
Misconception One: This is Hell! Everything from this point onward can only be better!
Why this is a Misconception: Then I died.
What Happened:
...
(burzz)
...
(zzz-stck!)
...
(zzzzzzz-Ka-lick!)
H-hello? Hello? Is this thing on? This is Sub Base rebel group Thirteen, and we are in-Holy- Hello? Hello Main base? Sub Base Rebel Group Thirteen, commander speaking!We need assistance NOW!We are UNDER ATTACK! Members Four, Eight and Nine are down, possibly dead, Members two and seven are severely injured, and I'm-Hello? Sub Base Rebel Group Thirteen, we are under attack, we need help immediately! I repeat, we need help immediately! We are under attack! Government tanks, three of them, shooting us down. THey, they have bombs and, and they're hacking into everything. Our equipment is useless. They must have a Gifted! Repeat, Sub Base Rebel Group Thirteen under fire and-Hello? Hello, Sub base Rebel group Thirteen? Are you there? Hello?Damn, gone. They're charging right through all our defences... We'll never stop them... damn those Gifted... Damn them...
x-A moment later-x
The light was blinding, piercing, all consuming. Strangely, it wasn't red-tinted through my eyelids as usual. Even more strangely, weren't we stationed underground? If there's light THIS bright, it must be sun, and if it's sun, we'd be exposed to the surface, and the surface is overrun by...
I shouted, sitting up suddenly. I felt strange, almost light headed, and a little unfocused, but overall better than I had for the past few months. My stomach wasn't churning with hunger anymore, anyway.
The sky, if that was indeed what that never-ending wall beyond the horizon was, looked a disgustingly perfect white color, and seemed to radiated light and warmth. I couldn't see the sun, not that I'd seen it in the last few years I'd been in the Rebel army, and I couldn't feel the warmth, though I got the sense that i should feel it. I had been lying on a delicate looking bed, wooden frame with a white mattress and sheets, which I wasn't under, one of the countless that seemed to stretch for miles upon miles in every direction. The ground was covered in grass, almost too healthy, too green, too soft-looking, and over a few feet to the side was a scraggly, almost dead looking birch tree, weighed down by ripe and unrealistically delicious looking apples, a deep red that, remarkably, brought only the word blood to mind.
Ah, Mr. Heilun, you're up..., a voice in my ear, causing me to jump. It was a girl, younger than me, maybe fifteen or sixteen, dressed in a billowing white cotton gown that spread out from the sleeves and back in curling stripes, defying gravity. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I wondered if there even WAS gravity here. Her light brown hair, seeming almost reddish in the blaring light form the sky', fell gently down her back and around her face, and she had the softest, most beautiful hazel eyes I'd ever seen. I nodded.
I'm glad. My name is Serenity Wheeler, and I'll be helping you out while we get things sorted out for you, she said, her voice incredibly gentle. I felt instantly calmed, and nodded again. Very, very tired... I just wanted to lay back down and let this nice lady take care of things...
How did you know my name? I asked cautiously. She gasped, her eyes wide, and shook her head.
I, I, I'm supposed to... I... she glanced from side to side nervously, then turned full around.
Tristan! Tristan, he's not asleep again! What do I do? she called out across the grounds. I tried to get my brain to work out what was going on. Girl, beds everywhere, all these other people on them sleeping, I must be...
Serenity? What do you mean he's not sleeping? They all fall asleep- oh. Did you talk to him already? The man who walked over to her from around the beds was in the same billowing material, all white, though his were a loose shirt and a pair of baggy pants. Neither really wore shoes.
Yes, yes, I said exactly what you told me to, and then he, he asked me how I knew his name! she said, distress evident.
Gifted! Are you all, are you part of the Gifted's army? Is that what this is? I interrupted accusingly. They both looked at me, eyes wide, like I was something amazing and unusual or something. Then they glanced at each other, and then the man stepped forward.
Mr. Heilun, this is not part of the Gifted's army. There are no armies here. This is, well, a receiving ground for newly deceased spirits, people before they can be sorted out. We merely stay here and make sure they stay asleep until someone can figure out where they go. A limbo of sorts I guess..., he said in a calming, soothing voice. Hm... maybe I should just, go back to sleep... yes, forget about this...
Limbo? I, I'm not dead, am I? I mean, deceased? I couldn't have died, I.., I had started tripping over my words. My head hurt and I couldn't focus and I just wanted to sleep... Clutching my head, I began rocking back and forth. Oh... ow... why does it hurt? It never hurt this bad... you ARE gifted... what are you doing to me? I muttered. The pair cast another nervous glance at each other.
Serenity, why don't you hurry and fly off and get Ryou. Maybe he knows what to do, and, even if he doesn't, he's the only one who's close enough to reach Yugi, the man said.
Something clicked in my brain. His name, it was Tristan. Tristan Taylor, he had been eighteen years old when he'd died from a home raid by the third unit of the Gifted's assassin's squad, sent after him for association with one or more of their members. He was a level three angel, a Herder, and he was currently head of his position, in charge of directing all other level three angels. I snapped my head up and stared at him, wide eyed. My head was throbbing and I felt like I was about to pass out. My skin burned like fire, and my eyes ached to just be shut and never opened again.
Serenity nodded, a pair of soft white wings spread out wide from her back and she took off into the air, flying like an... an angel. Tristan smiled at her softly, then turned back to me, anxious again. He seemed to notice my stare, and looked even more anxious.
he said smartly. My eyes didn't waver.
How did you, do that? I murmured, awed. He looked VERY uncomfortable.
Do, what? he asked questionably. No don't he thought me insane.
How do I, know all that stuff about you? Like, your name, and when you died, and that your, a, um, level three angel or whatever? I asked again. He looked shocked now. What, did I have a third head or something?
I, I don't know... Oh, God, please let Ryou get here soon..., he muttered the last part, almost under his breath. Just at that moment, in a flurry of wings and scattered feathers, the girl and another bo landed not too far off. WIth a yelp, I jumped, falling over backwards off the bed. My head still hurt, though it was more of a dull throb now, and somehow my skin had returned to normal. I couldn't really feel the grass beneath me, though it seemed soft. I stared straight up at the blindingly white sky.
Oh, dear... he, he fell..., the boy said softly. He seemed to have a british accent, strange since pretty much all Brits were wiped out a few years ago and, oh. Right. Dead. Of course.
Are you all right? that one was Serenity, the first girl. Her head peered nervously over the bed and down back at me. I nodded mutely, and struggled to stand back up. I was in one of those white pants and shirts things that all the boys in this place seemed to have on. It was, weird, but much more comfortable than excessive war gear. A lot lighter, too. You hardly notice it.
As though satisfied, this new boy, about Tristan's height and age, though with incredibly pale skin, white hair and chocolate brown eyes, turned to his male companion. You know Tristan, as angels we really aren't supposed to ask God for things anymore...I know, I know, it's just a habit. You've told me that a million times, he replied quietly, glancing at me. But Ryou, what about Damien?Ah, yes, Damien, Ryou said, as though he'd just remembered my existence. He turned to me, smiling gently. I tried to focus enough to glare at him, but couldn't manage. He was rather helpless looking, though he seemed to carry himself with some dignity.
How does EVERYONE KNOW MY NAME? he asked, practically yelling at the end. Serenity picked herself up, wincing, from her bent over position and Ryou frowned. He turned to each of his friends in turn.
Tristan, Serenity, why don't you guys go back to worrying about the other newcomers? I'll see if I can't help mister Damien, he said. They both glanced at me, nodded, and walked off. Ryou smiled, apparently satisfied, and looked back at me. Damien, we know your name because we are angels, we have to know your name.That doesn't... really answer my question..., I muttered half-heartedly. Why not just give up? Sleep? There's a nice bed right here...
Damien, may I ask you an important question? Ryou said suddenly, his voice low and solemn. I blinked at him, and nodded. Damien Heilun, are you sleepy?What? Oh, uh, yes. Very, I responded quietly. What did that have to do with anything?Ryou frowned again, looking concerned.
Then why aren't you asleep? he continued in the same low voice. I stared. Why wasn't I?
I, have no idea..., I muttered. A fine question, but what did that have to do with anything? All these people are saying I'm dead and worried about me not sleeping! What on Earth is wrong with them?
Ryou nodded. i see... and indeed he did. He seemed to think a minute, when, right on cue, I let out a gasp of pain. Again, my head was pounding, throbbing, my skin burned, and I wanted it to all just, stop! Ryou started, apparently startled by my outcry, and reached a hand toward my arm, grasping it gently. Damien? Are you all right? he questioned. The voice was soft, gentle, and soothing. The burning of my skin slowly died down, but it did nothing for my head which just hurt worse.
Ah, ow... ow ow ow... my, my head... ah... I breathed, clutching it hard and leaning over to rest by elbows on the sheets of my bed. Hurting, stinging, stabbing, burning, throbbing, pulsating, horrid pain...
He was Ryou Bakura, eighteen when he died too, a tapped Gifted, killed in the bombing of Britain four years ago, survived for a while and was picked up by the Gifted. Identified as one of them, though not really the sort to incline to their side, they tried to save the boy but he died a few weeks later from the burns, which went untreated too long and became infected. He was top level four Angel, in charge of watching over all the other level four angels, as well as helping level three or five angels occasionally. A level four Angel helped to determine where one would go, Heaven or Hell, after one died. They were called Judgement Angels.
I gasped again, feeling the pain slip away. I shook off his arm, glaring. You, you were, are, a Gifted! A monster! a cried suddenly. His face twisted into a look of shock, and then shame, and then something almost resembling anger.
Damien. Relax. I never did anything, anyway. And I'm dead now, so it doesn't matter if you're Gifted or not, he said in a slightly dangerous voice. He was one of them, one of the ones with the bizarre powers, one of the people who killed so much, so easily. And how did he become an Angel?
Doesn't matter? Your kind killed everyone I loved! Killed ME! I cried. Ryou scowled, an odd look for him, and looked me square in the eye.
Damien Heilun, I may be a Gifted, but it is illegal for an Angel to use those powers. I am no different from you-You can use them even AFTER death? I cried in shock. This was it, a nightmare, a horrid, horrid nightmare. I was dead, and I was still going to have to deal with those monsters.
Yes. Damien, if you don't calm down, I will after to go and get someone to make you calm down. Please don't make me do that, he was all business now, though this wasn't something he'd rehearsed. No, he HAD to do this, and didn't WANT to. Well, I AM still pretty tired... maybe if I just go to sleep, it'll all be a dream...
Calm down? Calm down. Fine, I'm calm now, I said, my voice forced to a level. Still, my glare was well trained on him. Ryou let out a sad sigh, rubbing his temples as though just about spent.
Okay, Damien, I think I need to figure out why you didn't fall asleep when everyone else did. I am going to go get my friend, Yugi Motou, who is NOT a Gifted, who is a higher level working ANgel than me, and who may have some direction about this. Is that all right with you? Will you be okay for a moment by yourself? Ryou said. I intensified my glare as much as I could manage, but it made my head throb more and I really really really wanted to go to sleep.
I spat darkly, and turned around. I heard him sighs again, and then take off. I stared at the ground in angry contempt.
A while past, and I got sick of it. With a groan, I glanced around again. Nothing much had changed. I could pick out Serenity and Tristan weaving their way among the rows and rows of carved wooden beds, talking to people who had apparently woken up, and then went back to sleep after they talked to them. The two angels ALSO kept glancing nervously, or perhaps curiously, in my direction. The sky was still too white, not a cloud in sight obviously, and even if there was one I wouldn't be able to tell the difference of it from the rest of the sky. And there was still that tree. I stared at it. It had been so long since I'd last eaten, and those apples looked so good... I wasn't hungry, to be sure, for the first time in forever like I said, but just looking at those apples, I wanted to eat them. Just one, just one apple, just one bite, just one-
I stopped. Somewhere in my train of thought I had begun moving towards the tree, away from my bed. I glanced back at Serenity and Tristan, who hadn't seemed to notice I'd moved. I looked at the tree, at the apples. I sighed. Temptation to great, in a few speedy steps I was face to face with a large, shiny, blood red apple. It smelled beautiful. Not like anything in particular, but beautiful nonetheless. And though it's blood red surface was smooth and shone in the light, though it more sort of glowed, it didn't look waxy at all like those apples we used to get way way back at camp with our Friday lunches sometimes.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, something told me this was a bad idea.
I reached for one of the apples, and plucked it off the tree. The branch picked up instantly, grateful seeming for me taking that large weight off it's hands. And indeed the apple was heavy, very heavy, but not so heavy that it was too much of a trouble to hold in one hand. I stared at it for a long moment, so tempted to just bite into it. I could already hear the crunch, taste the smooth, sticky juices flowing through my mouth, the soft, pale gold flesh between my teeth...
I pocketed the apple and turned around just in time to see Ryou land in front of me, accompanied by a small boy with spiky, multicolored hair. Both their wings folded away behind their backs, unseen once again.
Damien, what were you doing? Ryou said, voice incriminating but soft. I stared at him.
Looking at this weird tree, oh great one, I said sarcastically. He narrowed his eyes, but seemed ot be trying very hard to shrug it off.
Hey, Damien! I'm Yugi Motou, I've heard a lot about you in the past little bit! the small boy said kindly, interjecting between us and our feud. I looked at him, sighed, and pasted a smile on my face.
Hey, you all already know me, so... yeah. Why does everyone want me asleep? I replied to him in my usual tone. Yugi looked at me sadly.
Well, Damien, you are a Bare Soul right now. Without either a claim laid on you by Heaven or Hell yet, you not only have no way to really get around, but it's possible that you could begin to loose your memories, your identity. Being marked by Heaven or Hell marks you as a Deceased as well, otherwise, you are still between being dead and alive. Your spirit is still trying to get back to Earth, even with no body left to go to. If it succeeds, you will cease to exist. We need you asleep until we can sort you out and get you where you belong, the small boy explained. I was staring at him, only vaguely confused.
What about Ghosts? I said numbly. My head was hurting again...
Yugi shook his head. Myths, legends. The closest there are are lower level angels, Fallen Angels, Lost Angels and Guardian Angels all reside on earth. It's just some of the more mischievous ones, or hallucinations, he said.
Well, well, can't he just tell me where I go? It IS his job! I said, pointing an accusing finger at Ryou. He stared at me blankly, frowning.
It's not that easy, Ryou said. The process is a lot more complex than you seem to think. I'd have to analyze everything you'd ever done in your entire life, tally it up, mark good against bad, it would take much too long. You'd have already vanished, was his sad explanation.
But, but, I have to go to sleep to survive? I stammered. Both nodded solemnly. My head was pounding... How did I die? Did I have a family? Were they too late? I was already slipping away...
You see Damien, that's why we have to figure out why you didn't fall back asleep, so you won't disappear. Damien, we really need to know why you didn't just go back to sleep, okay? Can you please tell us? Yugi pressed. I slowly shook my head.
I don't know... I just, I couldn't somehow... I think- I had begun, when a scream interrupted me. With shock and anger in their eyes, Yugi and Ryou wheeled around just in time to see a dark figure flapping leathery wings, hovering in the sky.
I heard Tristan's voice scream, and yes, the angel was clutched in the figure's arms.
Hello Angels! I bring greetings from Hell! As you know, our annual games are coming up soon, and I just came to pick up one of the prizes! Don't bother showing up, though, as Angels aren't allowed to play! a voice shouted clear across the landscape, and it sounded almost as though he was right next to me. The figure let out a cruel, cold laugh of dark amusement and with another flap of his wings, flew off like a speck of pepper into the white sky.
Damn it! Ryou, Yugi, permission to pursue? Tristan yelled back. Both nodded solidly.
I'll go too, Ryou breathed, and he and Tristan both took off, flying after the demon. ANother of Serenity's shrill screams was heard, and the two flew all the faster. Yugi glared coldly out after them.
he growled under his breath. I glanced at him.
Bakura? isn't that Ryou's last name? I asked. Yugi looked up at me and sighed.
Yes. It is a very long story, he said exhaustedly. I shrugged.
This entire day has been a very long story. Why aren't you going too? I said. He sighed again.
There always has to be at least one angel here to protect this tree, and since Tristan and Ryou called it, I have to stay. If any of the Bare Souls got their hands on some of this fruit, they'd be able to go anywhere, and it would slow down the fading an- he stopped, as though suddenly remembering who he was talking to, and looked at me. I was staring at him, slightly annoyed.
You mean all I have to do is eat some of this fruit, and I won't have to stop existing while you guys get your act together? I snapped. He looked at me fearfully and shook his head.
No, no, not at all! It would be very very dangerous if you'd- he began, but I cut him off.
Shut it Angel, I hissed and, without thinking twice, snatched an apple off one of the branches and bit into it, despite Yugi pulling fruitlessly at my arm to stop me.
Damien! No! he cried, and I looked at him contemptuously.
There, see, I'm fine, I told him darkly, and bit into it again. It was delicious, sweet, a little tangy, it bit back but the gentle liquid was enough to ease the pain. Hungrily, I bit it again.
Yugi was staring at me in wide-eyed horror now, backing away as though I was some sort of evil monster about to kill him again. With a final bit, I finished off the apple, tossing the core over to the side somewhere.
Now what? I'm done, I ate it, and I'm fi- again interrupted, this time by my headache increasing tenfold. My eyesight blurred and my mind swirled, I numbly stumbled backward into the solid wood trunk. I heard Yugi's voice again, but couldn't quite make out what he said, and fell down, down farther, through and past the trunk, into blackness.
x-End-x
End Notes: A lot longer than I'd expected, I am really liking this so far... If ANYONE out there thinks I should continue, speak up! And for the record, expect Yugi, Tristan, Ryou, Serenity and Bakura to all make more appearances. Also, we're gonna have Téa, Joey, Mai, Marik, (Yami) Malik, Yami Yugi, and probably some more people, plus more Original Characters. Next Chapter, Damien finds out that he's not in Heaven anymore. It is VERY important that you review, though! DO NOT FORGET! RIGHT NOW! PLEASE!
Written 5/31/05-6/1/05, late night-morning