A/N: Woo hoo! I'm eating "Reverse" pocky right now, and it… is… HEAVEN! I can't get enough of this new stuff! If you haven't tried this delectable little snack, please do! It's like pocky, but the reverse! With the cookie on the outside, and the icing on the inside. I'm having chocolate, and it's yummy! Oh! And they're selling pocky at Wal-Mart now… aahhh, I'm so excited! Now I won't have to go to an anime store or Suncoast to get it! All in all, I just love pocky… strawberry is my favourite of course! - Oh… and I have a question… can I tell my age on here? I mean, is there a way for someone to track me by putting up my age in public? I don't want no stalkers on me tail I've seen others do it, but would it be safer if I didn't? Maybe yall can guess my age, and I'll tell you which guess is correct by saying the person's pen name that nailed it! Well, give me yall's opinion on this matter first… ;
In the streets of Umbra
"Come on, hurry up you lazy bum!" One of the demon shadows called to his companion who was slowly trailing behind. "We don't have all day, now do we?"
"Hey! I just thought I saw something over there, alright? You don't have to bite my head off!" The other snapped.
"The king can't wait on us forever! He told us to make sure that there weren't any rebel parties forming in the city."
"Parties?"
"Yeah, like secret meetings plotting against him and stuff. Haven't you heard the news lately?"
"Um, well… I…"
"Sigh… you never listen, do you?" The first demon rolled his eyes and kept walking through the town's deserted roads. They had searched every building and every ruin for conspirators in hiding. The guards had already found two groups concealed in one part of the woods, and in an abandoned alley way. More were springing up, so the investigation of these rebel meetings doubled in the last few weeks.
The two had scavenged through every nook and cranny, about to head back to castle grounds, but the second demon stopped and noticed a place they hadn't looking in before.
"Hey! What about that church right there? We haven't checked that yet, have we?"
"That place would be too obvious for a group meeting to hide. I'M not even that stupid."
"Yes, but you aren't a human either."
"Hmm… true. Alright, one quick sweep of the place and then we're out of here. I'm getting hungry." He complained. The entrance to the building was piled up with rubble and wood, but that wasn't a problem for the shadow creatures who slithered easily through the cracks of the mess. Once inside, they formed back into their original state, and began scouting the area. Everything was dusty, cracked, jagged, and the air was agonizingly heavy, though it didn't bother the two demons. The only light present in the sanctuary was coming from a small hole in the roof where some of the outside light was able to creep through. Many of the pews were either rotting or broken in halves from fallen rubble, and it surprised them how intact the place was compared to the other broken down buildings. But through the disarray, the church alter still stood firmly at the head of the room. The second shadow creature was curious as to why it was still mounted in its place and decided to investigate. The structure wasn't attached to the floor in any way, it was moveable, and for some odd reason, the chunks of ceiling had missed hitting this one spot. Then, a golden object caught the demon's eye.
"Alright. It doesn't look like we'll find anyone here. Let's go." The first henchman called to the other. After a moment of no response, he repeated himself. "Did you hear me? Let's go! What are you doing over there!"
"Hey, do you think we could fetch a hefty price for this cross here? The gold hasn't rusted, just a bit of cleaning up and it might be worth something!" He drooled with excitement.
"That old thing? Oh please! The king wouldn't be interested in something like that!"
"Wow… there's jewels in it too! I think I'll take it with us just in case." He grabbed the golden cross my the stem and tugged at it, but it wouldn't budge. "Huh? What the…?" He tried again, with more force this time. "Is this thing glued or something?" No matter how hard he pulled, the treasure was planted to its spot. "Bloody hell! Come on!" He put a foot up on the alter and with all his might, tried again.
"Will you forget that stupid piece of junk! I'm getting hungry! And if I don't get food soon, YOU'LL be the one I'm eating!" The shadow demon stomped his foot restlessly.
"Argh! Move, dammit!" The struggling henchman got angry at the object and kicked it with his heel, causing the cross to fall straight back onto the alter. "Ha! Take that!" He was about to snatch the gold delicacy until a rumble under his feet halted him in his tracks. "Huh! W-what's going on!"
"What did you DO you idiot!" The first one yelled.
"I didn't do anything! I just knocked the damn thing over!" He pleaded innocent.
"What's that!" The other demon pointed past his companion.
"What?" He turned around and noticed a crevice parting in the wall parallel to the alter. Once it was completely open, the two shadow creatures didn't know what reaction would fit best in a situation like this. To be shocked and in awe, or…
"Heh heh heh… looks like we found ourselves a secret passage way." The first demon said maliciously.
"Do you think the group meetings would be up those stairs?" The second asked quizzically.
"Most likely. Let's go see, shall we?" He smirked and headed up to spiral stair case. If there really was a secret conspiracy up there, the king would handsomely reward them for sure! A door came into view once they reached the top, and almost ravenously, the demon slammed open the wooden entrance, and…
"N-Noriko…" Suguru stared in awe at the pair of lavender eyes before him. "H-how… why are you…"
"Speechless? Well, I have lost some weight over time… and gained MUCH power. I guessed you noticed?" She smirked. "I hope you liked my disguise. When I found out it was you starting that horrid rebellious group outside the castle grounds, my heart just did a flip flop! Fujisaki Suguru… my dear old friend from the olden days. You still look as young as ever. How DO you stay so young looking?"
"I can't believe… that you're doing this Noriko… why! I should have known you gypsies couldn't be trusted. Is this for money?"
"Quite the contrary Fujisaki-kun. I'm doing this for my own reasons"
"Which would be?"
"If you want to blame anyone… blame the masochist pigs that ruled this land. The former king, the property owners, the lords and ladies, the duchesses and dukes… like you."
"What are you saying?"
"It's you. ALL of you upper class snobs did this! The blackness in your hearts turned Arbaphem into what it is now! I joined the dark lord because he told me that the world's corrupt society would change, and that cruel, heartless people like YOU would vanish from reality!" She was almost close to breaking out into rage, the men behind Suguru backing away in fear.
"…Noriko…"
"You do not know… how happy I was when I heard that you got captured. The first thought that came to my mind was how much pleasure I'd get out of torturing you endlessly for an eternity."
"Noriko… not all-"
"I don't know how you got eternal youth, buy I'm glad you did, my friend. That way I can kill you over and over again until I'm satisfied that you've been punished enough." Her eyes burned.
"Not all people are that cruel, Noriko! You're taking this situation way too seriously!"
"I AM serious, Suguru."
"Listen, I'm sorry if I've ever hurt you before, but times have changed now! No one is more important or special than anybody else!" The boy couldn't believe what was coming out of his own mouth… but it was true.
"Ha! Oh yes there are! The shadows hold the power now! And we're going to treat everyone the same way they treated us!"
"Don't you see, Noriko! The darkness isn't in other people's hearts now! It's in yours! It's making you do all of this! I know you very well! The stubborn gypsy I know wouldn't succumb to such a level!"
"I am NOT being CONTROLLED by the darkness! I am controlling IT!"
"Then why are you doing something like this? You're acting the same way the people long ago acted! Cruel and heartless!" The teen was frantic to bring the old Noriko back. He didn't like this new one. She was so… cold.
"Hey! What's going on down here?" A male voice echoed throughout the prison halls. "What's all the noise?"
"Eek! Not another one!" One of Suguru's friends yelped.
"Noriko… why are you yelling?" The cloaked figure questioned.
"This… brat! Can I torture him NOW! I want to hear him scream at my mercy!" She readied a whip that was hidden behind her cape.
"Noriko. Calm down." The man turned to examine the specimens in the cell. "So this boy is the one that you knew centuries ago?"
"Yes. His name is Fujisaki Suguru. He's my mortal enemy."
"What! Noriko…"
"Silence!" The shadow being shouted. "Have you come down here just to yell at him?"
"No… not really." The woman lowered her head.
"Then do what you were told by the his highness. I don't want to report you." Though it was faint, Suguru could see a flash of the cloaked demon's glasses under the draping hood.
"Yes sir." She mumbled gruffly.
"Good." He nodded and headed off in the opposite direction.
"W-who was that guy?" One of the boys asked.
"No one you brats need to concern yourselves with. Now shut-up." She glowered at them.
"Noriko…"
"You too Fujisaki. Now, answer every one of my questions and nobody will have to suffer." She cracked the whip in her hands threateningly, causing the men behind Suguru to flinch and cower to the corner. "Give me each of your names. First and last."
"B-but, why?" The dirty blonde-headed kid asked trembling.
"Just do what I say!" She flared.
"Okay! S-sojiri Akanami!" He panicked.
"Kay, next." 'Damn! I should have beaten them when I had the chance… Guess I'll have my fun with these twerps later.'
Tohma gazed out at the still glistening old lake that had lived through the century. It had become a special place to him. It was a setting where he could collect his thoughts and be safe from intruders. For some reason, the shadows didn't come around these parts… like something was keeping them away from Angel Wing Lake. It was a good thing. He needed a place to retaliate.
"Hi Tohma!" His 35 year old friend bounded up to the petite blonde, his pink stuffed bunny sitting on the man's shoulder. "Are you watching the shiny water?"
"Yes. It's very beautiful." He smiled.
"See Kumagorou? This water is the shiniest thing in the world! Besides our friends."
The rabbit (with the same sewed on face as always) hops down from his owner's shoulder, and stares into the shimmering liquid. He decided to touch it, but ended up with an arm soaked with water.
"Silly Kuma-chan! Your paw is like a sponge! You can't get in the water!" Ryuichi picked up his teary eyed friend and rung out the rabbit's wet paw. "There! All better?" The stuffed animal nodded lightly and hugged his loving master. "AWWW! Kuma-chan, I love you too!" He swung his pet around in his arms, giggling all the while. Tohma just laughed.
"Amazing how life-like Kumagorou becomes each day. Maybe he'll start talking soon."
"REALLY! Wouldn't that be great Kuma-chan! We could talk about shiny stuff and donuts and lepricans and pecans and…" The bunny was just as excited as he was.
"Um, Ryuichi…"
"Yeah?"
"Uhhh… never mind…" He didn't want to crush the boy's spirit. "Anyway… the power that was given to Kumagorou… and you… are truly amazing. I haven't exactly thought about it but… how DID we get these gifts?"
The older man stopped his bounciness for a moment, smiled, and sat down next to the platinum blonde man. "The people of Arbaphem long ago… all got different sentences set upon them once the darkness consumed the city. Everyone was judged on how pure, or black, their hearts were. If pure, then they were transformed into something spectacular. If their hearts were not pure… then they were turned into something dark and foreboding."
"But… there were so many good people in the town. How could every one of them have turned into… shadow-like creatures?"
"Then there was a hidden darkness deep inside their heart. Though they don't show it, people always have an empty hole in their soul filled with a secret hatred. Could have been for some thing… or someone."
"But… I don't understand how EVERYONE… could…"
"No one completely understands it yet Tohma. The only thing we can do is help the remaining people left in Arbaphem, and hopefully… someday everything will…" He didn't finish. Even during all the chaos, it was a tough subject for even Ryuichi to talk about.
"You're right. We have to use our gifts to the best of our abilities. Even if we are only two people." Tohma nodded. They couldn't just leave the left over residents hanging.
"That's the spirit Tohma-chan! And don't worry. If you need anyone to make you feel better, just ask me or Kumagorou here! Right Kuma?" The plushie punched an arm into the air, making a sign of approval. "Yeah! Kumagorou Punch!" The brunette copied his stuffed animal and added in a "V" sign for "victory". The blonde grinned silently. What would he do without the two goofballs?
"It's empty!" The first demon shouted.
"And I thought we actually had a lead there…" The other sighed, a bit annoyed.
"It's just a dusty old tower room!" The shadow creature stomped around the small area and desperately searched for any clue of people being here before. Everything was left the exact same as it had been however many years ago, and no fingerprints were discovered. There wasn't a human smell lingering in the air either, which proved how deserted this place was.
"Ugh! Well, this was a bloody waste of time!" He kicked at a pile of rubble near the front of the room, causing a few rocks to tumble down onto the cobble stone floor.
"Hey! What's that!" His companion asked, and pointed to an eerie blue light emitting from underneath the pile of debris.
"What the…" The other kicked at the rocks again, this time, causing the entire pile to fall apart. This time, a whole blanket of blue light washed over the room, almost blinding the two demons.
"W-what's happening!"
"How should I know! All I did was touch it!" Once the light had dimmed, both companions hesitantly squinted through the glimmering shine coming from a tall glass-like structure.
"What is it?"
"I can't tell. Some kind of…"
"Valuable object?" His voice rose with hope.
"No you idiot. It seems that this was built with magic… probably by the priest that used to preach here."
"Maybe we could chisel a chunk of it off and sell it!"
"Will you stop with the treasure thing! Be serious for once, will you?" He rolled his eyes.
"It's a bit dusty. I'll clean it up a bit." The second demon walked over to the glowing sculpture, and began wiping it off with his sleeve.
"Sigh… you really are hopeless… I don't know why the king paired me up with someone like YOU, but I guess I have no choice…"
"AAAAGH!" The greedy shadow creature screamed and fell back onto his rear, scooting back up against the wall.
"What! What is it!"
He stuttered. "Th-th-there's… a p-p-person in th-there!" He pointed shakily at the structure.
"A person? HA! You must be crazier than I thought! There's no one inside a thing like thi-" The demon paused as he peered into the clear ice that had been cleaned by the second henchman. "What the…"
And through the diamond surface of the capsule, could be seen the ever young, pink-haired baka… Shuichi Shindou.
A/N: Bleh… I have a head cold. My nose is stuffy and my throat is hazy and I got a headache! I've been sneezing all day, which only makes my congestion worse, but at least my body feels okay. It's just my head part that's receiving all the damage. I hope it goes away soon! It started when I was in the football game for our school in band. I felt a scratchy part in my throat and thought it was just a dry spot from not drinking enough water, but it got worse and then I knew… I was catching something… My nose is SO RUNNY right now, I just want to get a vacuum cleaner and suck out all that gunk in there so I can BREATH! Thank goodness for the person who invented tissues… I'm getting better, but I thought I'd tell yall this because this is part of the reason why I haven't been updating lately. I really am trying! But I've already done two projects for the first two weeks so far, and it's not too fun right now… Anyway, I'll put up the next chapter soon hopefully. YOUR REVIEW WILL HELP ME FEEL BETTER! Please no flames right now! I don't need those during a cold…