Broken
Shadow Knight
Chapter 8: Angel's Cry
Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns it. ^_^
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*Thoughts*
#Sounds#
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As the sun drew back behind a heavy blanket of thick clouds, the darkness of night splattered about like paint on a canvas, soaking into the sky. Yet, as the electric powered streetlights flickered on with the darkening sky, a figure, shrouded in a short chef outfit, a large white bow adorning a long mane of hair, could be seen running. From the features, the figure's identity leaned toward the feminine side. Her head jerking side-to-side, she ran along the park's sidewalk.
Trees littered the park, branches stretching out to the sky. The silent beauty of the cherry blossoms littered the sky and ground with their pink spray. Yet, although an astounding and breathtaking sight, the girl seemed unaware that surrounded her. That, or she wasn't there to look at the trees flowers.
Her feet pounding along the pavement, she suddenly jerked an abrupt halt as she reached the end of the path. Joining with a circlet, four other paths sprung out from the circlet of granite and stretched out into other folds of the part, engulfed in a swarm of soft pink petals. In the center of the circlet stood a fountain.
White, marble hands were braced outward, spread out slightly from a similarly designed chest. A peaceful yet sad expression was etched on the young childlike face. With feminine curves in the marble face, the small statue of a girl had her eyes opened, dark and hollow while water flowed from her eyes. The water fell with silent grace into the outspread hand and swirled into the ringlets of water below her bare feet.
Yet, the beauty of the statue's life like appearance only seemed to elude her. Her eyes were vivid and searching for something else than the sculpted piece before her. As the fine lines around her eyes form wrinkles, she squinted and stared into the sea of cherry blossoms covering the trees in a thick blanket. Raising her hands to her mouth, she yelled out, amplifying her voice with her hand-framed mouth.
"Akane! Please come out! I want to talk to you. I know you're hiding somewhere in here."
After a few moments of lasting silence, a small whisper responded, "Just. . . just go away Ukyo."
The brunette turned her head sharply toward the direction of the muffled voice. Among the brightly colored blossoms, she could see a dark shadow lurking in the branches. Walking slowly toward the tree, she tried to see Akane's face. Yet, as she reached the tree, she stopped and looked down at her feet. With a deep sigh, she started to speak.
"Akane. . . . .I don't. . .I don't really know what I can say to comfort you. I can lie and give a whole load of bullshit saying I know exactly how you feel. . . but I don't. I know you're hurting right now Akane. I know you're hurting bad.
Well. . . I'm hurting too. But I know it's different than you. I'm little confused right now. . . Heck, what am I saying? I'm _really_ confused right now! . . . . But. . . .I'm not sure whether I'm angry or sad." Ukyo stopped and looked toward the tree for a brief moment. "But. . . I know there's just gotta be a way to work this out. There always had been hasn't there? . . . . .Please Akane. . . . just come down. Don't hide from me. I'm your friend remember?"
The deafening silence hung in the air. Then, a rustling among the branches could be heard as a soft thump sounded close to the ground. Ukyo waited and grasped her arms lightly. As Akane stepped into the buzzing electric light, Ukyo's eyes grew soft. Purple and blue blotches beset Akane's pale skin. Along her forehead was a thin, crusted line of dried blood. The thing that made Ukyo shiver was when she saw Akane's eyes. They were cold and dead. The fighting spark that she had seen for so long in Akane's eyes was gone. . . .flickered out.
"Akane. . . ," whispered Ukyo, clasping her hands together.
Akane's eyes moved mechanically toward her, her face devoid of emotions. Her lips were pursed silently, reminding Ukyo of her older sister's ice queen expression. Ukyo hesitated for a moment, but then walked slowly toward Akane. She reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, but Akane merely stepped back, out of her reach. Ukyo's hand stayed in the air for a few moments before she let it fall to her side.
"Akane, please talk to me," Ukyo mumbled, concern in her eyes, "I know. . . I know what Ranma said to you. But maybe. . . .maybe talking will lesson the pain. Maybe Ranma was just-"
Akane's face grew somewhat agitated as she heard the words, a small sneer growing on her face. She lashed out at Ukyo, grabbing her shirt in a fist and pulling the startled girl forward with the brute strength everyone knew her for. Ukyo's eyes were wide as she stared at the girl, her face contorted in fury as she narrowed her eyes. In a brief moment, she thought that Akane would yell at her. . . .but suddenly she stopped. She let got of Ukyo's shirt and let her stumble back.
Ukyo stared at Akane, still startled from the sudden attack. She was about to question the girl when suddenly she heard a slight snicker. Akane was laughing? "Akane," she exclaimed with worry and began to walk toward the laughing girl.
"Don't come any closer, Ukyo."
The okonomiyaki chef halted in her footsteps.
Akane slowly lifted her head, her eyes harsh. "Why Ukyo," she asked with bitterness, "Why do you always defend him? It's because you love him right?"
Ukyo nodded slowly in response.
"Do you want to know why I just let him attack me like that? Without attacking back?"
The brunette was silent.
"I let him. . . because. . . .I love him."
Ukyo just stared on sadly, a clenching on her heart.
"Don't you understand, Ukyo? I love him. I've. . .," she paused to laugh, "I've loved him for a long time. He may act like a jerk at times. . . .but I loved him. That's why I took all his comments as truth. I was hoping he loved me too. . . ."
Akane looked up at Ukyo fully in the eyes.
"But now. . . now I see that he doesn't. I only hurt him for all those times I pushed him away. I may have loved him. . . . but. . . I was afraid," Akane's form started to tremble, "Ukyo, don't you understand me?! I loved him with all my heart, I was just afraid. . . afraid of rejection."
Akane was beginning to cry now, her cheeks growing red with emotion. Ukyo was lost for words as she swallowed a thick lump in her throat. "But now. . . ," Akane croaked, her voice drowning in her tears, " I see that. . . I see that my fears have come true. . . . I waited too long. I hurt him too much. Too long. . ."
Her tears continued to fall, but she stood still and tall, trying to hold back the sobs. Ukyo's heart went out to the girl. She slowly wrapped her arms around Akane's shaking form and let her cry. She couldn't fathom the kind of pain and turmoil the Tendo girl was going through. She just let her cry.
And inside, in the deepest part of her heart, she knew things would never be the same again in the small town of Nermia.
~
Okay, I know that was more like a teaser, but it's better than nothing right? ^_^ Right??? Ah well. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I hope that explained why Akane wouldn't strike back. How would you truly react if someone you really loved struck at you, suddenly hating you? Wouldn't you just be a bit shocked?
Maybe I should have had Akane retaliate a bit, but I needed to emphasize that moment. Well, I'll be getting the next chapter out soon. . . . I hope. ^_^
_In the next chapter_: Akane divulges a plan to Ukyo that will change everyone's life a bit. They head back to the Tendo dojo. . . . but who do they run into when they get there? None other than Ranma. How will things turn out?
Thanks for reading and reviewing. Please review!
Ciao. ^_~
Shadow Knight
Chapter 8: Angel's Cry
Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns it. ^_^
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
*Thoughts*
#Sounds#
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
As the sun drew back behind a heavy blanket of thick clouds, the darkness of night splattered about like paint on a canvas, soaking into the sky. Yet, as the electric powered streetlights flickered on with the darkening sky, a figure, shrouded in a short chef outfit, a large white bow adorning a long mane of hair, could be seen running. From the features, the figure's identity leaned toward the feminine side. Her head jerking side-to-side, she ran along the park's sidewalk.
Trees littered the park, branches stretching out to the sky. The silent beauty of the cherry blossoms littered the sky and ground with their pink spray. Yet, although an astounding and breathtaking sight, the girl seemed unaware that surrounded her. That, or she wasn't there to look at the trees flowers.
Her feet pounding along the pavement, she suddenly jerked an abrupt halt as she reached the end of the path. Joining with a circlet, four other paths sprung out from the circlet of granite and stretched out into other folds of the part, engulfed in a swarm of soft pink petals. In the center of the circlet stood a fountain.
White, marble hands were braced outward, spread out slightly from a similarly designed chest. A peaceful yet sad expression was etched on the young childlike face. With feminine curves in the marble face, the small statue of a girl had her eyes opened, dark and hollow while water flowed from her eyes. The water fell with silent grace into the outspread hand and swirled into the ringlets of water below her bare feet.
Yet, the beauty of the statue's life like appearance only seemed to elude her. Her eyes were vivid and searching for something else than the sculpted piece before her. As the fine lines around her eyes form wrinkles, she squinted and stared into the sea of cherry blossoms covering the trees in a thick blanket. Raising her hands to her mouth, she yelled out, amplifying her voice with her hand-framed mouth.
"Akane! Please come out! I want to talk to you. I know you're hiding somewhere in here."
After a few moments of lasting silence, a small whisper responded, "Just. . . just go away Ukyo."
The brunette turned her head sharply toward the direction of the muffled voice. Among the brightly colored blossoms, she could see a dark shadow lurking in the branches. Walking slowly toward the tree, she tried to see Akane's face. Yet, as she reached the tree, she stopped and looked down at her feet. With a deep sigh, she started to speak.
"Akane. . . . .I don't. . .I don't really know what I can say to comfort you. I can lie and give a whole load of bullshit saying I know exactly how you feel. . . but I don't. I know you're hurting right now Akane. I know you're hurting bad.
Well. . . I'm hurting too. But I know it's different than you. I'm little confused right now. . . Heck, what am I saying? I'm _really_ confused right now! . . . . But. . . .I'm not sure whether I'm angry or sad." Ukyo stopped and looked toward the tree for a brief moment. "But. . . I know there's just gotta be a way to work this out. There always had been hasn't there? . . . . .Please Akane. . . . just come down. Don't hide from me. I'm your friend remember?"
The deafening silence hung in the air. Then, a rustling among the branches could be heard as a soft thump sounded close to the ground. Ukyo waited and grasped her arms lightly. As Akane stepped into the buzzing electric light, Ukyo's eyes grew soft. Purple and blue blotches beset Akane's pale skin. Along her forehead was a thin, crusted line of dried blood. The thing that made Ukyo shiver was when she saw Akane's eyes. They were cold and dead. The fighting spark that she had seen for so long in Akane's eyes was gone. . . .flickered out.
"Akane. . . ," whispered Ukyo, clasping her hands together.
Akane's eyes moved mechanically toward her, her face devoid of emotions. Her lips were pursed silently, reminding Ukyo of her older sister's ice queen expression. Ukyo hesitated for a moment, but then walked slowly toward Akane. She reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, but Akane merely stepped back, out of her reach. Ukyo's hand stayed in the air for a few moments before she let it fall to her side.
"Akane, please talk to me," Ukyo mumbled, concern in her eyes, "I know. . . I know what Ranma said to you. But maybe. . . .maybe talking will lesson the pain. Maybe Ranma was just-"
Akane's face grew somewhat agitated as she heard the words, a small sneer growing on her face. She lashed out at Ukyo, grabbing her shirt in a fist and pulling the startled girl forward with the brute strength everyone knew her for. Ukyo's eyes were wide as she stared at the girl, her face contorted in fury as she narrowed her eyes. In a brief moment, she thought that Akane would yell at her. . . .but suddenly she stopped. She let got of Ukyo's shirt and let her stumble back.
Ukyo stared at Akane, still startled from the sudden attack. She was about to question the girl when suddenly she heard a slight snicker. Akane was laughing? "Akane," she exclaimed with worry and began to walk toward the laughing girl.
"Don't come any closer, Ukyo."
The okonomiyaki chef halted in her footsteps.
Akane slowly lifted her head, her eyes harsh. "Why Ukyo," she asked with bitterness, "Why do you always defend him? It's because you love him right?"
Ukyo nodded slowly in response.
"Do you want to know why I just let him attack me like that? Without attacking back?"
The brunette was silent.
"I let him. . . because. . . .I love him."
Ukyo just stared on sadly, a clenching on her heart.
"Don't you understand, Ukyo? I love him. I've. . .," she paused to laugh, "I've loved him for a long time. He may act like a jerk at times. . . .but I loved him. That's why I took all his comments as truth. I was hoping he loved me too. . . ."
Akane looked up at Ukyo fully in the eyes.
"But now. . . now I see that he doesn't. I only hurt him for all those times I pushed him away. I may have loved him. . . . but. . . I was afraid," Akane's form started to tremble, "Ukyo, don't you understand me?! I loved him with all my heart, I was just afraid. . . afraid of rejection."
Akane was beginning to cry now, her cheeks growing red with emotion. Ukyo was lost for words as she swallowed a thick lump in her throat. "But now. . . ," Akane croaked, her voice drowning in her tears, " I see that. . . I see that my fears have come true. . . . I waited too long. I hurt him too much. Too long. . ."
Her tears continued to fall, but she stood still and tall, trying to hold back the sobs. Ukyo's heart went out to the girl. She slowly wrapped her arms around Akane's shaking form and let her cry. She couldn't fathom the kind of pain and turmoil the Tendo girl was going through. She just let her cry.
And inside, in the deepest part of her heart, she knew things would never be the same again in the small town of Nermia.
~
Okay, I know that was more like a teaser, but it's better than nothing right? ^_^ Right??? Ah well. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I hope that explained why Akane wouldn't strike back. How would you truly react if someone you really loved struck at you, suddenly hating you? Wouldn't you just be a bit shocked?
Maybe I should have had Akane retaliate a bit, but I needed to emphasize that moment. Well, I'll be getting the next chapter out soon. . . . I hope. ^_^
_In the next chapter_: Akane divulges a plan to Ukyo that will change everyone's life a bit. They head back to the Tendo dojo. . . . but who do they run into when they get there? None other than Ranma. How will things turn out?
Thanks for reading and reviewing. Please review!
Ciao. ^_~