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Author's Notes: Whoo, an update on-time, at long last. I think I'm really falling in love with story. You see, this is the first 1st person fanfiction I've EVER written, and I'm really enjoying it. Don't expect any more though—1st person is hard! I hope this chapter isn't OOC. I tried really hard to keep it in character while still managed to keep true to the way Kharl reacts to Garfakcy. Garfuaakie. Garffaaakccceee. Garufuhaki. Sorry, that's sorta something you have to read the chapter to understand. Mew! Hee hee.. Kharl (my kitten) is chewing on my notebook. Hey, guess what? I'm such an obsessed Dragon Knights fan... We got some fish for our new pond today, and I named them Varawoo and Garaba. I have no life. . I'm listening to Josh Groban.. Man I love his voice. Anyway, there're NO spoilers in this chapter. In fact... Half this chapter is thoughts on emotions. There won't be any spoilers for a long time. Yay, for all you non-spoiler fans.

Disclaimer: Kharl is so totally mine. Please don't expect any updates very soon, as I believe a lawsuit is about to come my way…

Background Music: Lost Heaven (L' ArcenCiel)

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Cloaks
By Sarehptar
Chapter Five-
The Sound of Laughter

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Many times I've wondered which is more difficult: introductions or farewells. Indeed, humans find it infinitely hard to say good-bye to the ones they love; I've seen it hundreds of times. But for demons? A parting of ways, of thoughts, of partnership, be it momentarily or forever, is unwelcome but easily forgotten. After all, few demons develop true "loved ones".

In all the time I have spent in this world, I have only met a few of those—those youkai whose lives are riddled with and run by emotion. Many I have broken and used for my own ends. And if I didn't use them? I watched their feelings drive them into madness, into isolation, into suicide. Never, in all my life, had I counted myself among them... Until today. Can I still call it today? It seems like an eternity has passed since—yes, it is still the same day, it must be.

How could I, who had devoted my life to seeing all, have been so blind? I knew everything about the Dragon tribe. I knew the movement of every youkai in Nadil's army, but... I did not know myself. I did not understand -no, I chose to ignore- the human feelings that I felt each day. I call them human feelings, but are they? I can hate as well as any human, I can become jealous, I can crumble under guilt... I can love. So can I call them youkai feelings?

If I had the strength, I would have laughed. One cannot call them youkai feelings. But to give them only to the humans? Faeries do not feel? No, you cannot give a feeling to one species—they are just that, feelings, no matter by whom they are felt. A youkai has as much right to care as a human, if they can, if they will. Hnh. I'm only trying to justify myself, and it's wrong. Youkai, murders that we are, have no right to care, no right to love.

And here I have come full circle with the thought. The emotions I feel now, have always felt to some degree... Are these feelings a curse, or a blessing? There is an answer to that question resting on the tip of my tongue, but what that answer is, even I do not know. In so many ways, a youkai in my place would call them a curse. After all, they were what led me here, to Death's doorstep. But if I had never felt at all? You would be dead, and he... He wouldn't be even a fleeting thought. I would never have smiled. I would never have loved... I would have been alone: alive now, but alone. It is hard to even imagine my life without you. And to think so long ago, I'd taken you in without knowing your name.

There are a thousand and one thoughts that flit through my tousled mind as I recall our first days together. What comes back to me most intensely is the sound of laughter. Quiet, reserved laughter, but laughter none the less. You see, humans had always been to me a species of fools and foul smells. No—they had been less. They had been prey, weak, uninteresting prey that smelt of greed and violence. I am one to talk aren't I? If violence was a pungent odor, I would reek of it. But no, violence is a calm, almost unnoticeable scent, the sort of smell that dances along the senses without lingering long enough to be fully acknowledged. For many years that had been my opinion (based highly on the Master's own) of humans: They were petty creatures whose lives were run by passion and fear. Taking you in, I expected to observe an array of primal emotions. I never expected to observe a personality. Maybe I believed humans lacked those things, or maybe I thought I alone was complex enough to possess a character. If you had known my expectations of humans back then, maybe my surprise would have made more sense to you. As it stood, I think you thought I was mentally unstable. I remember that day so clearly, I can almost smell the curiosity again.

"I am Kharl... the Alchemist." The words came softly and slowly to my lips, unsure from lack of use. Yes, that was my name. It sounded so strange to my ears—I hadn't heard my own name in more years than I could count. The last time that word, Kharl, was spoken out loud was the day my Master took me in. He had asked what I was called, and I had told him proudly. But he never used it. Not once, in all our years together, did the Master use my name. I had gotten so terribly used to answering to "Boy!" or "You!" that my own name seemed awkward and overly long. But I don't suppose I could have asked you call me "boy".

Your face, hearing my name was... interesting. You seemed contemplative, like you were storing the words away in the safest part of your mind—something to remember for all time. There was another silence as I waited soundlessly to hear your reply. When I realized you were not going to offer me your own name, I surprised myself by smiling and querying almost playfully,

"Am I to presume that humans do not even give each other names?" Your expression! I felt something tiny bubbling up inside me, something indescribable; something I had never felt before.

"You want to know my name?" If I was prone to rolling my eyes, I would have done so.

"So then you do have one." I was taken aback by my own mischievous reply. Had I really said that? Was it really me smiling? I couldn't understand why I was so... happy? That moment, that day was the first time I ever truly enjoyed myself. I didn't know it then, but it was the beginning of a time in my life that I would begin to find enjoyment in the simplest things. I suppose I could blame that on you. Just having your little human-self about managed to, unwittingly, change me.

"Garfakcy. Just Garfakcy." You bit, and I... I did something I had never done before... I laughed. Not a sinister snicker, but a laugh, a cheerful and completely unexpected thing. And once I had started, I couldn't stop. I chuckled until I was red in the face, leaving you standing there, looking more and more mad by the second. "Laugh all ya' like." You snapped, effectively ending my gale of giggles.

"Forgive me," I coughed, trying my best to regain the precious breath my laugher had lost me, "It's not funny. It's only... Gar-fu-aki, Garf-aki, Ga-rfa-ki, Gaaaruuufakcy... It's fun to play with." My explanation didn't seem to make you any less angry. "Well.. Garfakcy, Garfaaaakcy, Gar-fa-aki- I'm sorry, Garfakcy, what am I to do with you?"

"What?" There was that look again! I almost started giggling once more. Your face, those overly bright green eyes, even your name... Just too much!

"Human hearing is truly that awful?" The calm in my voice was completed fabricated. Beneath the exterior that had suddenly become well composed and normal (for me), I was almost hysterical with shock. I remember wondering: Was every day to be like this? Would every day be as silly as this one was shaping up to be? Would I find more things about you that seemed to force laughter and smiles from me? Who was this eager to grin man that had control over my body? Me?

"I heard you!" My, my, so much pride. "But what the hell," What language, from such a small child! "Do you mean?" Put on edge, I admitted (almost sheepishly),

"I suppose a question like that requires the truth. I am not quite sure what to do with you. I did not go the human village intending to bring home a human." You were quiet in answer, wondering, much like I was, what the eventual outcome would be. "However, now that you are here, and will be staying here-"

"Staying here?" You cut me off, but not in the barky and prideful voice you usually used.

"You would rather be in the human village?"

"NO!" Your answer was what I expected, though much louder.

"Then here is the only possible place for you stay, unless you think the woods more suitable?"

"No, but-" You stopped when you realized I wasn't really listening anymore. I was on my feet, trying to judge your size. Did we have enough cloth here in the castle to make clothes for you? Could I even make clothes? You certainly couldn't live in a sheet for the rest of your life! But it wasn't as if I could walk into the house of a seamstress and demand an outfit.

"Hey.." You almost shouted, vying for my attention.

"Hm?"

"When you say staying here… Do you mean like a... home?" The tone in your voice made something in the region of my heart tug gently. They way you said that word, home… Your voice was quiet, uncertain, sounding childish for the first time since I had met you.

"Yes." I returned, voice trapped in the quiet of the room. "A home."

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Author's Notes: Whoo, it's done. Again, sorry for it being so short, that just seemed like a good point to leave it at. Anyway, what did you think of this chapter? I actually REALLY liked it. I love writing Kharl's POV... Even when he's being sadistic. XD What am I saying, that's my favorite Kharl. I just noticed, I am seriously making our poor angel sound like he has split personality. Don't worry, I'm not going to start claiming that he does—he just has very conflicting emotions. Wow… This story is going to be seriously long. I have GOT to make the chapters longer so that this story doesn't drag on so long. 'Cause I still gotta tell everything about Rath. If there is anything I like about Dragon Knights, it's the relationship between Kharl and Rath (not that way!) I absolutely love the tragic air that hangs about it. You can guess that this story is going to talk ALL about the events that led up to Rath's creation and then what happened afterward. (Happy sigh)

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Review Responses:

aquajogger: I'm sorry about your pencil case, and about the spoiler. The good news is, the story won't contain any more spoilers for a LONG time. By the time I reach the chapters with the spoilers, they won't be spoilers any more. .' Anyways, thanks for reviewing, I also like Chapter 4, but I liked this one better... What do you think?
Yami-Chan and Unrealistic: I'm sorry! humble bow I know it took me forever to update, but between the losses on my computer, and the death of my Grandfather, and coming home from Germany, and having to do my summer reading for school.. I'm horribly busy. But this update came soon enough, right? Anyways, thanks so much for reading, and reviewing, and as for the Rune story, I'm going to start it very soon.. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

That was all... Please, please, please review! Pretty please?

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