Animegrrl: Sorry I haven't updated in a while! Been busy with my other story "Over and Over Again."
Aki: that Nozomi girl is a bitch…
Animegrrl:…on with the story!
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Aki couldn't believe, she managed to get herself lost…again. Even after Riku gave her directions; Aki was slowly dragging her feet towards a random direction, exhausted from running so much.
"Stupid, just stupid, first you manage to lose your birthday present, and then you also manage to get yourself lost." Aki dejectedly said to herself. She looked around, not recognizing anything. That was until the sun fully disappeared along the sea cost and…a huge search light came from one direction. Aki looked up in surprise, hoping it was from where she thought it was.
Aki then started to walk in full stride, which soon became jogging.
Chapter 3
"I can not thank you enough for bringing this precious artifact to the museum." The Museum Director said to Keiji, which just caused Keiji to chuckle lightly.
"Don't mention it." Was Keiji's only reply. But then a sudden thought ran across his mind. "Only don't forget, I get this thing after a week remember?"
The Museum Director, also known as Mr. Yamaguchi, looked a little bewildered for more then a moment, but then he started to nod furiously, "Of course, of course."
Keiji just smiled and continued to follow Mr. Yamaguchi down corridors. After a few turns here and there, they both managed to come across a very beautifully decorated hall. The hall then led to a large room, which contained flower portraits galore. In the middle was a white pedestal, but it wasn't as tall as Keiji, rather it only reached up to his elbow.
"Here is where the Heart's Glass will be placed." The Director said pointing to the pedestal as they entered the room. Keiji was certainly impressed, 'They would do all this just for a necklace?' He suddenly felt bad for just shoving it in his briefcase next to a bag of chips.
However he dismissed the thought when he saw a security officer run towards them. It seemed Mr. Yamaguchi also noticed for he looked towards the officer in confusion. The officer soon stopped before them and said, "Mr. Yamaguchi I'm afraid the Heart's Glass won't be safe here, we have to move it to a more secure location." That however caused The Director looked a little hurt and said, "What?! That's nonsense; this is the most secure room in the whole Museum!" The officer only nodded but before he could say anything a new voice announced itself and said, "I'm sure Mr. Yamaguchi, but the new room I had installed is much more capable of protecting the Heart's Glass." The three looked to the new voice and noticed a boy with light-blue hair and glasses, a white dress shirt and black dress pants. His form was slightly intimidating and frightening, since they all didn't know how he managed to creep up next to them.
Mr. Yamaguchi's eyes widened just a tad though he soon narrowed them and said, "Ah Commander, it seems you made yet another change to my museum without my permission." All the while Keiji just stood there confused as hell. Keiji looked up at the "Commander" and raised a skeptical brow; the so called "Commander" was only about 14.
"I can assure you Mr. Yamaguchi that all the changes that I've had arranged were for the best." Said the Commander, he quickly looked to the officer and quickly tilted his head to his left, dismissing him. The officer nodded in understanding and started to walk down the way he came from. The Director then noticed that Keiji had yet to be introduced, "Oh um, Commander may I introduce Mr. Keiji Takada our generous benefactor from the U.S. And Mr. Takada this is Commander Satoshi Hiwatari, he's in charge of the protection of the Heart's Glass, for now." Keiji didn't forget to notice the slightly agitated tone The Director took when talking about Satoshi.
Satoshi just nodded in Keiji's direction and said only, "You have the Heart's Glass I presume?" Keiji just nodded, unsure what would happen if he spoke. Satoshi then took to walking towards where the officer had come from; when he didn't turn back Keiji decided it was a cue for them to follow him. Silently Keiji seethed in annoyance, 'What the fuck crawled up his ass and died?' Though Keiji followed Satoshi nonetheless, and behind him The Director did the same.
Once again they walked through maze like halls and ended up stopping at two very large doors made out of what seemed to be marble. Keiji and Mr. Yamaguchi watched as Satoshi slowly walked off towards the left and saw, to Keiji's amazement, him press a button completely hidden in the wall and for a keyboard to pop-out. Calmly Satoshi typed something for about a few seconds until the keyboard quickly retracted and two small beeps could be heard.
Then the two marble doors opened slowly, though they didn't scratch the floor in any way causing it to be silent in its opening. Keiji's mouth was agape while The Director stood as stoic as ever. Once the doors fully opened it revealed yet again another pedestal with light streaming down from the roof, but that was it. No pictures aligned the walls; in fact you couldn't even see the walls. For there were no windows whatsoever, and the light was so bright it caused everything else but the pedestal to become shrouded in shadows.
It seemed Keiji's mouth dropped even more. However he quickly regained his composure when Mr. Yamaguchi nudged him in the ribs. Satoshi slowly walked towards the pedestal with The Director and Keiji in tow. When Satoshi reached the pedestal he stood next to it and looked directly at Keiji. Satoshi then said, "The Heart's Glass?" Keiji nodded and pulled out the necklace from its black velvet case. On the pedestal was a white neck-like holder. Keiji gently laid it out and stood back. The light caused it to sparkle (A/N: Shing-sparkle-sparkle .) beautifully. It was quiet for a moment…before Satoshi and Keiji heard what seemed to be a, sniff? The two looked back at The Director who had tears in his eyes.
Keiji looked at him in confusion and said slowly, "Are…you…okay?" Though Mr. Yamaguchi just shook his head and said, "I'm perfectly fine, it's just…I'm terrified about what Dark would do to the necklace-" "You need not worry Mr. Yamaguchi, the necklace is safe." Satoshi said darkly not looking anyone in the eye. Keiji just raised an eyebrow and said a little weirded out, "Ok."
Satoshi soon got over his "faze" and said, "Now that the Heart's Glass is secure would you please-" "KEIJI!"
The said boy looked towards the entrance to the room and soon saw Aki running towards them.
"Aki, what are you doing here?" Though no sooner did he say that did Aki hit him up-side the head.
"OW! What the fuck was that for?!" Keiji said while rubbing his head; glaring at his little sister. Though Aki wasn't fazed by it and said, "You idiot! You could've told me the necklace was about to be stolen!" Amazingly her shout practically echoed throughout the large room.
Satoshi however glared at the girl before him and said, "Indeed, the Heart's Glass is suppose to be stolen but I can guarantee that it's perfectly safe Ms…" he let the sentence trail on leaving her to finish.
Aki cast a swift glance at Satoshi before returning to glare at her brother, "Aki Takada, I'm in your class…" she said disdainfully. Satoshi's expression changed for a bit, as if in recognition. Keiji continued to rub his head and then he said, "Yeah, she's my baby sister." Satoshi just looked at Aki for more than a moment then said anyway, "Chief Commander Satoshi Hiwatari."
"Still, Ms. Takada I'm sure the Heart's Glass is in very…capable…hands." Said Mr. Yamaguchi reassuringly, though it took him more then a moment to deduce how secure the artifact really was. Aki huffed though and crossed her arms in irritation, "I'm sure it is." She remarked in sarcasm. Secretly Satoshi seethed in anger, annoyed at the expectations this girl anticipated for the protection of the necklace.
Keiji managed to stop rubbing his head, which resided as a dull ache, 'Damn, this girl can hit hard.' He thought. "Aki stop being such a brat and let's go, after a week you'll finally get it for your birthday present." Aki's expression immediately softened after hearing his words, realizing that she was in fact acting like a selfish idiot.
The three males noted her sudden downcast expression. "S-sorry about that, I'm just…ah- never mind I'll wait." Her voice was now small and was barely audible, a very big difference from her early strong voiced display. Keiji's expression softened and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Slowly he led her out with The Director in tow. At the corner of her eye she noticed Satoshi slowly move towards her right, and to her shock she noticed a keyboard of some sort pop out. Wanting to watch more, she scuffed her shoe dramatically and hurriedly went down to untie her shoelace making it look as if she tripped on her untied shoelace.
"Oh! Hold on…" She said quickly to her brother who looked at her in confusion. Keiji just nodded and headed for the exit; while Aki twirled her shoelace in her hand idly making it look as if she was tying it. Looking back to her right, she noticed that Satoshi had stopped quickly to look at her in disinterest. Though he laid his hands on the keyboard and swiftly, yet expertly, typed away. Thankfully Aki was an expert with the computer and knew every key he was typing, the words formed, and the spaces in between.
Aki managed a small smirk though it wasn't visible for anyone to see. Quickly she tied her shoe when she noticed that the doors were slowly closing. She jumped up and ran towards the opening, with Satoshi quick behind her. Though as they moved out to the exit, they slowly got closer together, in fact they got so close that their hands quickly brushed. Aki, in mere instinct, pulled it away and quickly turned her head to Satoshi. He passed her a mere glance though not in anger…in fact she couldn't read him at all…that was new.
Once they made it out Keiji was idly chatting with Mr. Yamaguchi, about what, she couldn't hear.
Keiji managed to notice their sudden appearance and looked at them in confusion, and relief? "What the hell took you so long?" Keiji said in a small amount of anger. Aki just laughed nervously and said, "Um got a little caught up with the door."
Satoshi didn't say anything though and proceeded towards the hall on their right, ignoring them completely. Aki glared at his retreating back, angry at his sudden silence. "C'mon Aki let's go…you freakin' klutz." The last part Keiji muttered under his breath, though Aki still glared at her older brother since he just closed his eyes and sighed in utter exhaustion. Aki just looked at him with dazed eyes for a little bit while they trudged behind The Director.
She started to memorize and categorize each hall within her mind, taking note in the differences and the paintings on the walls, as to help her lead her back to the necklace. However she notice them pass by a restroom and, taking note of it, made sure that she made a big scene to be able to go to it. After a few moments of crossing some halls and turning some corners she stopped short in the middle of the hall. Waiting so then the two males were ahead of her by a bit. "Ah! I n-need to use u-um bathroom!" She quickly said before power walking back towards the restroom she had seen earlier. Keiji and The Director looked at her in alarm, but then The Director said before she got too far, "B-but Ms. Takada there's a closer one near the entrance!" Though it seemed she didn't hear him or she ignored him because all she said back was, "Keiji I'll meet you back home, get some rest!"
Keiji looked at Aki's withdrawing form in confusion, before he shrugged and nudged The Director just the slightest. Aki quickly turned a corner and hit her back against the wall, tilting her face around the edge to see them going towards the exit. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in right then. Stealth fully she weaved around paintings, statues, and corners barely making a sound. Though once she turned a corner she narrowed her eyes in confusion; not recognizing the hall before her.
She sighed in frustration, knowing fully well that she should've turned the other corner earlier. Suddenly the lights turned off and she grabbed onto the nearest statue in fright. Though after a few moments she noticed that the lights had merely just gone off, and then she fully noticed the statue she had grabbed onto. In shock she jumped back gasping slightly. Really it looked quiet comical, if you were there to see it.
Unfortunately the statue she had grabbed onto was that of a very large replica of a Venus Fly-Trap, looking very monstrous and…hungry. She shivered; whoever made this obviously had issues of some kind. Disregarding the statue that had scared her out of her wits end she started to trek backwards to the original hall.
Once there she had to steady herself and walk slowly as to make sure she didn't bump into anything. As she continued her passage towards the room she could nimbly hear the pounding of some footsteps of the passing officers. When she did she would stop immediately, praying she didn't get caught. Once they were gone she continued her pace.
Immediately she noticed the ominous looking doors standing tall. She leaned her hands against the walls, feeling for a kind of button or lever to open up the keyboard. Continuously she felt for anything of any kind. Then once she had gotten to the left side of the doors did she suddenly feel some kind of crevice in the wall. Cautiously she pressed on it and thankfully for her a keyboard managed to pop out.
Silently she cheered for herself, and gently laid her hands on the keyboard. Without hesitation she typed in the words she saw Satoshi type in ever so quickly.
A light that will shed in the darkness will never help a wilted heart
After a few seconds nothing happened, then quickly the keyboard retracted and two small beeps were heard. Then as she watched the doors open she smirked while thinking, 'Dark…no way in hell are you stealing my necklace.' Briskly she walked in, not wanting to get caught. Then she went to the right side and quickly found another button that let out the same keyboard, from the other side. She typed in the same sentence quickly and watched the doors close slowly and silently, practically sealing her fate.
Once they were fully closed, infer-red lasers started to suddenly appear from around the walls. "Eeep!" Aki screamed in terror and quickly dodged any lasers that tried to hit her. Quickly she ran, and noticed that the lasers developed the whole section she was just in. She gulped and immediately noticed that the lasers suddenly disappeared. Though she knew fully well what was to happen next.
She quickly dove to the left and watched as lasers quickly enveloped the place she was standing. Again it was just like this, a game of cat and mouse. The lasers trying to hit her while she merely dodged, as if in a dance. She would stop in an oddly stricken pose, as if pausing in her intricate dance, and then quickly move again as if with an invisible partner.
It would continue on like this, occasionally making her do a cart-wheel or a back-flip when it was a close call.
After a while though she started to pant, quickly she turned again. She noted though that soon someone might already notice the infer-red lasers. She let in a long wheezing breath and soon practically smashed herself against the wall. Some sweat showed on her forehead, and trickled down her cheek. Though quickly she did a summersault; but to her amazement she saw no lasers come out. Then suddenly the light for the pedestal suddenly turned on, and she slammed her back against the wall.
"Well, this was easy." A familiar boyish voice said gaining her attention, and fear. She didn't move an inch, but she was sure her heart was pounding madly.
Then quickly she saw a figure emerge from the shadows, and she saw but of course Phantom thief Dark. His outfit was one in fact fit for a burglar, for it was a plain black form fitting jump-suit. Aki continued to watch as he pulled her necklace from its stand and place it on the palm of his.
"Wow, it really is beautiful." Aki heard him saw while he was looking at it.
Her eyes widened more than humanly possible. Now she knew why that voice sounded familiar! That was the voice of DAISUKE NIWA!! He was in all her classes…surprisingly. She knew him as the boy who would fawn over Risa Harada. Since Aki would always see him gazing longingly at Risa. He would always hang out with Takeshi Saehara. Aki also knew him as the class klutz, for he wasn't very coordinated it seemed. She slowly drew in a breath while letting it out, not making a sound.
Then suddenly the doors to the entrance opened letting in a blinding light that, thankfully, only hit Daisuke. Though the light was really bright and caused her to look down for a little bit. Then another familiar voice filled the room…
"Congratulations, just like my old friend…nice to meet you but we met before." She looked up to see Satoshi standing there, and Dark…Daisuke…whoever…looks at him with a shocked expression. Then Dark/Daisuke looked away, causing his guard to go down. Then Satoshi started to run, and then tackled Dark/Daisuke to the ground.
Aki witnessed when Satoshi started to hover above Dark/Daisuke while practically straddling him. She heard him say, "I'm afraid, I can't let you go. Your capture provides the sole purpose of my existence. I live for nothing else!" and at that scene she noticed Satoshi must have done something painful because Dark/Daisuke let out a pained yell.
Then…she didn't know what happened next, she watched as a sudden gust of wind and feathers came from Dark's body and momentarily blinded Satoshi. Then she couldn't believe her eyes with what had happened next. Two Dark's stood at either side of Satoshi. Aki then heard a different voice, and this was definitely not Daisuke's.
"Now here's the question, which one of us…is the real one?" and at that Satoshi looked from either one.
"There-There are two of you?!" Satoshi asked in astonishment, and secretly Aki was asking the same thing. Though she saw one of the clones huff in what seemed like arrogance…and Satoshi soon went to tackle that one, though the other clone turned into this black mass that took hold of Satoshi.
"DARK!!" was all Aki heard from Satoshi when she saw him being swallowed by whatever it was.
"Now that I got the Heart's Glass, I guess I'll be seeing ya!" Aki barely had time to move when she saw Dark suddenly jump out of the roof and heard him say, "C'mon Wiz!" Though quickly she ran for the window and jumped of as well, when she ran she caught Dark before he got away. He was ultimately surprised, though quickly caught her as Wiz suddenly became his wings. Aki faintly heard Satoshi call out Dark's name one last time, and heard it echo throughout the night.
"Well, I knew I had fans, but you would have to be my number one." Dark said while smirking and holding Aki at the same time. Aki just growled in anger and glared daggers at him. "No you bloody idiot I'm not a fan, you just happened to steal my birthday present."
Dark just raised an eyebrow in surprise and said, "Your birthday present you say? Well does said birthday girl have a name?" Aki's hatred for the guy grew and she said darkly, "Just give me my necklace and I'll be happy to go."
Dark just fake pouted and said, "Aw c'mon just give me a name." Though Aki just glared and said threw clenched teeth, "Aki Takada." Dark smirked and said, "There, that wasn't so hard." Aki just ignored him and retorted, "Just give me my necklace!"
Dark's smirk just grew and said, "Oh you mean this necklace?" and tauntingly he held up the pendant up in her face. She gazed at it in wonder like a child and quickly tried to take it. Of course, though, Dark pulled it away from her grasp.
Aki just glared at him and punched him hard in the chest.
"HEY! You wouldn't want me to drop you now would you?" Dark said while dropping just a little when she hit him. Feeling the drop Aki clung to him tighter, putting her arms around his neck. Dark though just smirked and amazingly held her tighter.
"And you say you're not a fan." Dark said teasingly. Though Aki just turned her head to give a retort…only to find her face was really close to his. Only a few centimeters were separating their faces. Their breaths were lingered and Aki couldn't say anything. Out of everything, his eyes held her the most. Aki saw him pull in a little closer, so now their lips were almost touching. Aki's face was now dusted pink, and her eyes slightly dazed.
Before their lips could touch however, the pendent moved into her line of vision. "Now I thought this was what you wanted, not me." Aki's line of sight moved from the pendent to Dark's eyes and saw a slightly smug look in them. Though she ignored it and looked back at the pendent.
Then she saw some light emerging from behind her, quickly she looked behind her and saw the full moon emerging from behind the clouds.
"Moonlight," She whispered and looked back at the pendent though making Dark think she was looking at him, "Will make the flower bloom." Dark looked at her in confusion but looked at the pendant he held before his own face, and faintly he heard her saw…, "And shows your true love."
The pendent was facing him so he could see the flower and the front of it. Then just as she said, he watched as the moonlight reflected off the flower, causing it to obtain an unearthly blue glow. His eyes widened as he saw the flower actually start to bloom, and one of the petals from each of its corners touched the hearts circling it. In wonder he watched the flower mold with the glass, and the glow grew brighter…almost blinding him since it was so close to his face.
When he got a full view of the pendant all that was left of the necklace was a large circular shaped charm with glass inside of it, though the glass was easily see through. As he looked at it, his eyes met the confused gaze of Aki's face.
"Will show…your true love…" Was all Dark managed to say when he looked through the glass and only saw Aki's face.
Aki looked on with confusion, all she could see was the back of the pendant, nothing out of the ordinary.
But before she could question Dark about it, Dark let out a painful yell and started to drop. Soon a light was shined on them and a voice on a mega-phone yelled, "LOOK IT'S DARK!"
Dark continued to drop since the pain on his back was immense, unfortunately he lost his hold on Aki.
Aki screamed bloody murder when she started to fall and Dark's eyes widened in horror, "AKI!!" and immediately he folded his wings closer to his body and straightened out his back making himself straight as an arrow. He dove quickly and managed to catch her, still he spread out his wings before he fell to the ground. Dark looked at Aki's face and noticed that she must've passed out while she was falling.
Dark grunted in pain when he felt another sharp pang come from his back. He even heard Wiz whimper slightly from the pain too.
"Hold on Wiz we're almost there…but first." He quickly dove up into the air again. Quickly he pulled out a feather, let it out in the air, and with a wave of his hand, with Aki still his in arms, a flurry of feathers surrounded him.
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Animegrrl: thank you again my loyal readers! And if you've noticed that I've changed my name, I still like referring myself as Animegrrl.
Aki:…OMFG! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU MADE ME DO THAT!
Animegrrl: yeah well get use to it.