August 3, 2009

"Daisuke!" Daisuke's mom exclaimed. "Daisuke, honey, Kuri's waiting in the living room!"

Daisuke sat straight up. "She's what?"

He jumped out of bed. "Mom, I have to get dressed!"

His mom smiled to herself and left the room.

Daisuke dressed quickly and headed downstairs.

"Oh…hi…Miss Kuri," Daisuke said to her.

She stood when he entered the room. "Daisuke! Can we…talk?"

"Sure," Daisuke replied.

"I mean…maybe, we could go somewhere where…no one will hear us," she said.

That eliminates my whole house, thought Daisuke. "Um…okay then. Where were you thinking?"

Kuri seemed nervous. She was holding her hands tightly at her sides in two fists. "I…was thinking my house. Maia moved out last night. I would have called…but, um…my mom always told me never to call boys. But I suppose going to your house isn't much different."

"Okay, let's go," Daisuke stood.

They walked across the street and Kuri opened the door to a large empty house. Somehow, it was larger on the inside then on the outside.

"This house…" Daisuke said suddenly. "It's so familiar…."

"Why are you leaving?" Kuri was asking him.

This Kuri was younger, and shorter than the older one that he knew. Standing in front of her, about to board a plane, was a younger version of himself.

"I have to go, Miss Kuri," his younger self responded sadly. "My time as a foreign exchange student is over. I-I'm sorry."

"Daisuke Niwa!" a woman with a cigarette grabbed his arm. "You're late. We have to get you on the plane."

The younger Daisuke pulled away from the woman and kissed Kuri. "G-Goodbye."

I kissed her, he thought. I kissed Miss Kuri. This doesn't make any sense…

There was no response from his other half.

Dark must still be asleep! That's weird…for him…

"Hey!" Kuri was shaking him, with a look of unmistakable concern on her face. "Come on, Daisuke, wake up! Please!"

Daisuke opened his eyes. "I'm fine! It's okay!"

He suddenly realized their faces were inches apart. He blushed. Kuri blushed as well, and straightened up.

"W-What happened to you?" she asked.

"I-I dreamed…" he slowly sat up, and explained the strange dream to her.

"The woman…with the cigarette!" Kuri muttered a curse word under her breath.

"Miss Krista…" Daisuke said. "It wasn't just a dream. We knew each other…and someone took that away!"

His eyes narrowed in anger.

Kuri blushed slightly. "You really kissed me?"

Daisuke blushed. "Um…yeah."

"Well, if we're going to get our memories back…I'm going to need my stone," Kuri said.

"Miss Kuri…I'll give it to you, but you have to promise that you'll stop when I tell you."

"I promise."

Daisuke handed me the stone. I closed my eyes. Suddenly my nightmare from the previous night popped into my head.

"Sclie Ferdonis!" I yelled.

"Miss Kuri, what are you—"

"SCLIE FERDONIS!" I yelled louder.

"Miss Kuri! Stop it!" Daisuke grabbed both my hands and pried the stone out of them. There was a red flash, and he fell backward.

I snapped out of the trance. "D-Daisuke!"

I fell to my knees, out of energy, and gasping for breath. I took a cloth and picked up the stone and put in the box.

"Miss Kuri…ow that hurt…" Daisuke said.

"This is why I do it alone!" I said angrily. "Let me see."

Daisuke showed me his burns. I winced.

"What…What were you trying to do?" he asked.

"That spell…was supposed to stop the nightmare," I replied. "It was…torturing me. But you got hurt…and I-I'm sorry, Daisuke."

"I'm okay," Daisuke said. "But next time tell me what spell you're using and what for before you use magic."

"Deal," I said. "Will you meet me tomorrow at the library? We can look for some books that have to do with this stuff."

"Can I invite Hiwatari? I think he could help us," Daisuke said.

"I don't think Satoshi likes me," I replied.

"He just doesn't know you," Daisuke assured me.

"Look…I just don't think I can even…look at Satoshi after awakening the Black Wings," I said softly.

"But you were in a trance!" Daisuke protested.

"My energy, my spell, my problem, Daisuke," I snapped, turning away.

Daisuke gently turned me back around. "No. Someone controlled you. Stop blaming yourself. I know you. You would never use magic to hurt someone that way."

I took a deep breath, just the feeling of his hand on my shoulder making my heart rate go up.

"All right, Daisuke," I said softly. "Invite Satoshi, and I will try to make things right."