Shattering The Night Chapter 8: Adolescence
"Open you text books and turn to page 456."
Lamely, he reached into his bag, feeling for the heavy text book. A motion to his left caught his eye, he saw Shaji similarly digging around in his tiny school bag. His hair was messy and his gentle face now wore lines of a hermit weathered by the ages of the world. Even his eyes had lost their once brilliant sparkle. He couldn't help but stare at the disheveled form of his best friend, and for some reason unknown for him, it pained him.
"Daiki," the teacher's stern voice broke his gaze. "are you alright?"
He nodded, sitting upright in his small wooden desk wedged against the wall. Even if his head was facing front, his eyes continued to shift their gaze to Shaji. He desperately wanted to believe that he wasn't really Krad as Dark had warned him. There had to be a mistake, the Shaji he knew would never, under any circumstances, harm anyone. Yet, just this morning, Dark, the person he trusted with his very life, had gravely warned him to keep his distance from the person most like his brother. It was too much.
"Daiki, please begin reading."
The world around him seemed surreal, and it had felt that way forever. How could it not? His body, or even his mind was not his own. Every waking moment was spent wondering if this would be the last day, if this breath would be his last. The very essence of Krad hung above his head, threatening to consume him, to destroy his self and take over what had been his since birth.
And there was no one. No one to help him, no one to ease his pain. His father was dead, his mother he had never even known. His beloved sister wasn't even on his side, for she wanted to destroy the Niwa's, a task that Krad informed him could only be completed once possession of his body was no longer his own. And after all this, the one person he thought he could trust to help him, his best friend, his only friend, was his enemy.
Because of Dark, his mother was dead. Because of Dark, his sister could never be at peace. Because of Dark, his body was invaded, and because of Dark, his family's greatest works of art were gone. And to discover that Daiki was really Dark….that, Daiki's sole act of betrayal, was a pain he couldn't bear.
"Daiki betrayed me?"
"Isn't that what I've told you all along?"
"Look at how happy he seems…"
"He is only happy because he is winning, his happiness come from your pain."
"But he wouldn't…"
"What kind of a friend never calls to make sure you are alright, or acts like nothing is wrong when you are clearly in pain?"
"But what if he…"
"You are a child, you don't yet understand what true caring is about. People who truly care about you are always there for you."
"Then nobody cares about me."
"I care about you. I've never hurt you have I?"
He stopped to think. It was true. Krad had never hurt him. He had caused all this pain himself by not accepting the truth about who and what he was. Had he embraced his destiny, as his sister said, this pain would not have befallen him. Suddenly, everything became clear. The splitting pain that ripped through his frail body vanished. The weakness that pulled him closer to the grave became the strength of the gods. His world became clear to him, and all he could do was smile.
"Daiki is my enemy."
"And so he is, and so he is…"
"Are you still chasing Phantom Dark?"
"Of course I am; what a stupid question."
"Why?"
"I would think you of all people would understand, Rika, having some personal experience with him."
"But he is not a bad man, misguided maybe, but he has never meant to harm you."
"And you say this only because you feel something for him, not because you really understand the situation."
"Satsuki, I don't think you understand!"
She paused and looked at the woman standing in front of her. Though they were the same age, she seemed to be much more lady-like, much more sheltered. Like a pampered child she had grown up in her parent's love and care, something she never had herself. Therefore, she was more a women than that girl would ever be, she knew how to take care of herself and her family. A sneer crossed her face as she spoke.
"No my dear," her lips curled. "I don't think you understand."
"What I understand is that you are being ridiculous. You have your whole life ahead of you, why waste it searching for a man you can never catch? What will happen when he is gone? Then what will you do? How will you spend the rest of your life?"
"Oh, but Rika, I do have a way to catch him."
Rika stopped her next sentence. Her slim body straightened and her lips pressed into a thin line. She looked very regal in her plain white dress and her silk handbag; a little tiara would have made her the picture perfect princess. Yet her serenity seemed disrupted by her last comment.
"Your brother is not a tool Satsuki; he is your flesh and blood."
"But he is more than willing to help…"
"Only because you forced him too! Heaven knows what you did to that boy to change him from such a sweet loving child into your murderous puppet!"
"He made up his own mind."
"Did you ever stop to think that maybe deep down he wants to help you? You used him! You took his only weakness and exploited it for your own selfish reasons. You could kill him!"
"And Dark could kill us all."
"Liar," Rika howled losing her perfect composure. "you are nothing more than a selfish child who cannot accept that she has suffered loss in her short life and instead of dealing with it like a women, brings pain to others! You don't feel anything, like a person frozen in their own self-centered world of desires and dreams. No Satsuki, you are still a child. A child who doesn't know the difference between right and wrong."
With that, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the small office. She just stood and stared at the empty doorway, and felt nothing.
Destiny's Quill- That came out pretty fast. It's Labor Day weekend, so I guess that explains the recent pace of work. I hope I can keep it up. Please R&R! Thanks…
Disclaimer- I do not own D.N.Angel and I'll bet if I tried, I'd be a very poor woman….