:slaps hands together and bows head down: Sorryyyyyyyyyy for being so late on the update!
Alrighty, so I'm the kind of person that when I get into things, I keep on doing that, but when I lose my interest in them, I stop. Well, that's how it kinda is with this fanfic right now. I want to finish it, and I had a real big writer's block. N E ways, just be happy that I updated (I don't mean it to sound rude.). So yeah, enjoy this kinda long chapter. I guess that's all I'm trying to say.
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Chapter 16: Worries
Kazuko felt a little better after she heard that Satoshi promised to do something that he would find impossible to do. She thought in her mind that Satoshi might not do it, so then, when Dark was stealing something other than another talisman, Kazuko met up with him that night.
"Well, well, if it isn't the staff stealer."
"Yes, yes, I know. So, how are you doing Dark?"
"Let's see, I've been doing great, as usual."
"That's good to hear."
After a moment's silence, Kazuko said, "Dark I need to tell you something…about the staff that I stole the other day."
"Do tell then. Are you about to tell me that you're going to give it back to me later?"
"Well, yeah, something like that. Well, I really don't know why I wanted to steal the staff in the first place. It was probably something spontaneous. But, Dark, that doesn't mean that I'm going to give it back to you tomorrow or anything. I guess I'm just…experimenting on what happens next."
"And by something 'happening' what do you mean by that?"
"…It's…I just feel that something's gonna happen."
"Didn't you know that the staff is already powerful, even without the talismans?"
"…Yes, I did know. I'm just doing something with the staff right now. I'll give it to you when I'm done with it."
"Alright then, I'll trust you on this."
"Okay, she said. She turned around and placed one foot on the balcony.
"Oh, Dark."
"Yes, what is it?"
"…If Satoshi doesn't do what he's supposed to, can you finish it?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"It means nothing right now. So are you going to or not?"
"Well, since it's a request from you, I guess I'll have to say yes."
From that time, she wasn't looking at Dark.
"Thank you," Kazuko said. He jumped down from the building and was running towards her house.
Dark was flying back to Daisuke's house.
"'If Satoshi doesn't do what he's supposed to, can you finish it?' I wonder what she means," Daisuke said.
"She'll probably tell us later."
"Yeah, you're right, but what if she's telling us this because she'll be in danger?"
"Daisuke, you worry too much. Every time she steals, she's putting herself in danger."
"But, what do you think she asked Satoshi then?"
"I don't know, but we'll find out."
--
Kazuko made it to her house without the guards following her. She lied down on her bed and looked at her ceiling.
"Why is it that Neda can contact me now, but before I transformed into her, I couldn't?"
"That's because you had a barrier, and you never knew about me. Since you transformed into me, out thoughts are connected now."
"Neda, why must you kill people?"
"I was created by hatred. I was created not to help, but to take care of the one who you are upset with. This other angel, Krad as they called him, you were mad at him when I first came out. Kazuko, since this has happened, Krad will be my target until he is terminated."
"Bu you can't do that Neda! Krad is Satoshi. If you kill him, Satoshi will be killed as well."
"If that's how it is then, I cannot follow your orders. I can't just let Krad go."
"I thought you make your master happy by listening to them."
"I do that: to kill the person you don't like."
"Lives are more precious than that… you can't go around killing everybody.
That is not making me happy that you want to kill Krad."
"At other times, Kazuko, I would listen to you. But this-"
"I wish I wouldn't have known you. You cause too much trouble to me."
"If that's how you feel about me, I understand. But I am here until you die."
"…'Until I die.'"
--
Kazuko actually showed up first in the classroom, she didn't stop by Satoshi's house, like she always did. Satoshi came into the room while Kazuko was staring into space with her head resting on her hand. He sat in his seat and looked at her.
"Is something wrong?"
She looked next to her, "Oh, hey Satoshi. I…didn't notice that you came in here…"
She tried to form a smile, but she couldn't.
"Um…I'm just thinking…it's bothering me a little."
"You're thinking about something that's bothering you? I thought that you would get frustrated when that happens."
"Oh be quit. I'm getting used to it. …I was thinking about Neda again…I don't want her to come out now, not ever. If she does, she'll go after Krad, after you."
Satoshi placed a hand over Kazuko's hand that she wasn't resting her head on. She looked at his hand and then at Satoshi.
"I know you're worried about Neda, but you can't keep on thinking about it."
"…I'll try not to."
--
"Come on guys! We need to finish this movie before the festival! We finally have the cameras. Can you believe it; they let us have it early. So let's start filming people!"
"Takeshi likes being a director, doesn't he?" a girl said to her friend. The girl nodded in response.
They continued with their rehearsals and filmed some of the scenes. They spent the whole day for the festival and Takeshi even demanded that tomorrow after school, they would start filming the neighborhood.
When Daisuke got to his house, his mother greeted him the same was as she always did.
"Dai-sweetie, welcome home! Oh, I forgot to ask you, does Kazuko have the Staff of Elements?" Emiko asked.
"Yes, she does. She said she didn't know why she stole it in the first place. She'll give it back when she's done with it, she says."
"I see."
"Hm…I wonder if this has to do something about the original owner." Daiki thought out loud.
"Original owner?" Daisuke asked.
"Yes, I think I've heard that one of the Hikaris made the staff for someone a long while back. I don't know the details, but I know that there's something that goes with this story."
"Hm, that may be. Kosuke, did you learn anything about the staff during your travels?"
"A little. As they say, the Staff of Elements is a powerful weapon. When the four talismans are placed on the staff, it becomes more powerful. Although the staff can be powerful, it works to its full potential when it's held by the original owner."
"And the original owner is the person who the Hikari made it for?"
Kosuke nodded.
--
A couple of days have passed since they started filming. Kazuko hasn't changed about her worried mood. After school, a couple of days ago, Kazuko went to the principal's office. She didn't tell anybody what for.
The bell rang for the students to leave, and their teacher asked Kazuko to stay after school for a while. Kazuko told Satoshi to wait outside. She walked out of the classroom about a minute later and closed the door behind her. She looked at Satoshi and asked,
"Shall we go now?"
He stood up and they walked home together.
"The message left by Dark today stated that he will steal the Earth talisman in two days in the Cirdan art museum. This will be the fourth and last talisman he will take to complete the collection for the staff of elements. No one has any idea what has happened to the Staff of Elements still."
"Daisuke, in two days when you steal the last talisman, you have to get the staff from Kazuko."
"Why's that, mom?"
"We need to seal its power as soon as we can. In order to do so, you need to bring the other three with you, and place the four on the staff before you get home so most of its power is released. It will then be easier to seal it."
"O-Okay."
--
"Class, there's an announcement I would like to share with you all. Ms. Rowe says that she would like to drop the part of Suki for personal reasons and give it to Riku."
Takeshi ran up to Kazuko and asked,
"But why, Chisato? You're a great actress!"
"Sorry Takeshi, I can't really tell you why."
"Well then, what part are you going to do?"
"I'm…I don't want to be in the play at all."
"What!"
Takeshi sighed and then scratched his head.
"Well, I'm still wondering why you're quitting but I can't stop you. Alright, Riku, get up here."
--
"Does this whole dropping thing have to do with the Neda transforming?"
"…Sort of. You told me not to think of it, but I still do. So…that's why I…"
There was a moment of silence.
"I…resigned from school."
Satoshi stopped and looked at Kazuko.
"What?"
"I'm not going to school anymore."
"Because of Neda?"
"Yes…I may never see until the next year…or even shorter than that when Neda comes out."
"I told you before, don't worry-"
"I can't forget about it! I've read my family's history. When Neda first comes out most of the time, the women die in the next year or two. There are only a small amount of women who live past those two years."
"You can be that small amount."
"You need to think it both ways."
Kazuko faced the other way," I'm sorry, Satoshi. I…I need to go now."
She grabbed her bike and rode away.
--
Kazuko woke up the nest day. She looked out her window to see that the sun was already up. She looked at the clock.
"Ten 'o' clock in the morning…" she thought.
She looked at the staff leaning next to her closet.
--
"Class, I have another announcement about Chisato Rowe. She resigned from school yesterday. Chisato won't be going to this school anymore, starting today."
The class was surprised. The girls were happy that she was gone. Since Satoshi already knew about it, he was already in a slightly bad mood.
--
Dark went out to steal the last talisman tonight. He had the other three talismans in a side bag, secured. He flew to the Cirdan museum and the talisman was already gone. There was a note that read,
"Dark,
You guessed it if you were thinking why it's not here. I took the talisman again. If you give me the other three, my experiment will be over.
Kazuko."
Dark looked down the hallway.
"I know you're still here, Kazuko."
He was cautious looking left to right, and then Kazuko came from his right. She tried going for the side bag, but Dark hopped backwards. Kazuko hopped forward and pushed Dark down. She stole the side bag and ran down the hallway, only to be met up with Satoshi. They looked at each other for only a couple of seconds, until Kazuko ran away down the hall.
"Satoshi, she has all four talismans!"
"Hurry, we need to stop her!"
"Why the rush?" Dark asked as they were running.
"She said that when she holds the staff, she feels like she's about to transform into Neda. If the four talismans are placed on the staff, who knows what's going to happen to her."
They made in to the end of the hallway. The room was circular, with columns holding the ceiling. In the middle of the room was Kazuko, kneeling. She had the staff in her hand, with the four talismans in their place, and the other hand was clenching her heart. Satoshi and Dark ran in. Kazuko looked, and she started raising one arm that clenched her heart and faced her palm towards Dark. Red colored magic shot out of her palm and it hit Dark. He was shot back to a column and the magic tied him to it. Dark was struggling to get out, but the magic was too strong.
Satoshi ran in front of Kazuko and grabbed her shoulders.
"Kazuko! Kazuko hang in there!"
"N-Neda…it was…Neda. S-She…controlled my mind. I c-couldn't stop her…Gah!"
She bent down again.
"Kazuko!" Satoshi yelled.
She looked up to Satoshi; her eyes were dark brown with a cold look. Red wings started sprouting from her back.
"Satoshi…kill me," she said as the wings wrapped around her.
That triggered Satoshi to transform into Krad. Once that red wings spread, Satoshi transformed into Krad. Neda was looking at Krad with her emotionless face.
"It's nice to see you again, Neda."
"I was hoping to see you again, Krad. This time, you'll die."
Dark was still helpless. He had nothing to do but watch the conflict between the two.
Neda held the staff in front of her. She held the top of the staff and on the middle. A line formed through the staff circling once just right below Neda's hand. She pulled the top of the staff and it showed a blade. The top of the staff was the handle.
"Hm…the staff of elements only works to its full potential when it's held by the original owner. The Hikari family made this weapon for someone else. Does this mean that you're the original owner?"
Neda held the blade in front of her, with the blade side up,
"My old master knew a Hikari very well. She lusted for power, and asked the Hikari to create this weapon for her."
"Once your master took the staff, she killed my old master," Krad said, "Suppose it is fate to bring us together once again. I didn't know you were part of the Barero family."
"Yes, I am. This sword knows the blood of the Hikari's. For a long time it's been thirsting for more. Maybe you're willing to fill its wish?" Neda said standing like she was ready to attack.
--
End of Chapter 16.
Next Chapter: Conclusion