A/N: wow. i actually posted another chapter in less than a week. what a miracle. now if only i would actually sit down and write the next chapter in my other fanfic. oh, and forgive the slight randomness of the end of the chapter. i was in need of a little comic relief.

Disclaimer: (aren't these so annoying?) I don't own DNAngel

The Next Generation

Chapter 2

The Black Wings Arisen

Ren made her way past crowds of cheerful friends. Her head was down, and her grip on her bag was tight. Stupid Haru, She thought to herself. Stupid school. Stupid everyone. Why are they all too stupid to understand?

Someone stepped on her foot. Ren gritted her teeth in pain and looked up. Ai, the most popular girl in school and head of the cheerleader team, was smirking down at her. "Oops! Oh Ren, are you okay?" Ai asked in mock concern. Her followers snickered. Ren glared at them. "I'm sorry. I just didn't see you," Ai continued. "You're so scrawny and quiet all the time."

"Ai!" one of her followers interrupted with an excited squeal. "They're here!"

Ai whirled around with big, hopeful eyes. Ren glanced over as well. Daichii and Haru were talking and laughing as they walked up the stairs. Moving as one, the cheerleaders swarmed over to them, giggling and teasing. Ren flushed hot with anger and embarrassment. Then she turned her head and walked to class alone. No one. No one knows what I go through. Ren thought as she saw couples and friends trying to hang out before class. With every step, Ren felt the number of students increase, turning into a sea that was drowning her and pulling her under. Nobody cares about me. Nobody. Ren hurried into the classroom. With a sigh, Ren flopped into her desk and rested her head on the desk. She was about to close her eyes when a voice said, "Ren?"

Ren lifted her face and realized Daichii was gazing at her. His eyes betrayed his worry. "What's wrong, Ren? Are you feeling okay?"

Ren stared into his eyes for a moment. Then, looking at her hands, she nodded slowly. Just going through the usual morning jeers and jerks, she thought sullenly. She sniffed and rubbed her nose. Daichii frowned and pulled up a chair. Sitting in it backwards, he scanned Ren's face from the other side of her desk.

"Come on, Ren. Are you sure you're alright?" he asked again.

Ren managed a small smile. That's what she liked about Daichii. They had been friends for so long, they didn't always need words to understand each other. Daichii could read her thoughts by her actions, her expressions, her eyes.

"I'm . . . okay . . . now," Ren forced herself to say. Each word seemed to stick in her throat, like a fear pulling you back. It was so hard for her. So hard! Why couldn't people see that?

"Well, okay . . ." Daichii replied reluctantly. He turned and started for a desk next to Haru and Ai when Ren grabbed his wrist.

"Have . . . cleaning duty . . . right?" she asked in barely a whisper.

"Huh? Uh, yeah," Daichii answered. The teacher walked in the room.

"Want . . . to switch?"

"What? I can't let you do that! Especially not after the birthday gift you gave me."

"Students, get in your seats. It's time to start homeroom," the teacher declared. Daichii began to walk away again, but Ren didn't let go.

"I want . . . I'll switch," Ren offered.

"Okay I guess," Daichii agreed reluctantly, but he had no time to argue.

Ren watched him walk away before getting out her books. After all, Daichii, Ren thought, you are my only friend. It's the least I can do. You don't turn fourteen everyday. Ren tapped her pencil and smiled weakly. Besides, no one's ever really in the mood to talk during cleaning duty. I'll be safe.

Ren slowly cleaned the blackboard in the art room. Two other boys were cleaning up with her. Ren's stomach churned awkwardly whenever she felt their glances. Would they make fun of her too?

"Hey, Ren! Could you help me move this thing? I need to get the ladder behind it," one of them called.

Silently, Ren put down her rag and nodded. The boy was pointing to a big, heavy mobile. It was covered in dust, and Ren grimaced when she touched it. Nevertheless, the two of them strained and pulled it out of the corner. The boy made a face as he brushed a dust bunny out of his hair. "Jeez! It looks like this thing hasn't been cleaned in centuries, huh Ren?" he joked. Ren only shrugged as she dusted off her hands. The boy's friendly smile faltered a little. He flashed his buddy a knowing look, and the buddy returned it. His buddy suddenly stopped sweeping and glanced at his watch.

"Aw, man! The girl's track meet is starting now. I promised my girlfriend that I'd be there. Ren, could you maybe clean up by yourself for a while?"

Ren didn't answer, but raised her eyebrow. What do you think? She thought in annoyance.

"Thanks, Ren!" the buddy said. "We really owe you one."

Eyes wide, Ren shook her head widely, but the two of them were already hurrying outside. Ren peeked out the door, but they were already gone. Their voices drifted over to her. "Dang, you were right! She really doesn't talk!"

"Yeah, I know. She didn't even open her mouth to protest when we left. What a weirdo!"

Ren didn't move. The last sentence hit her like a blow to the head. A single tear rolled down her cheek before she closed the door and went back to work.

Slowly, Ren shuffled home, her eyes lowered to the ground. Why are they all too stupid to understand? Ren found herself wondering again. Her vision began to swim and blurr. Irritably, she wiped her tears away. What do I have to do to show them how I feel? I can't just tell them.

Ren stopped. She looked around her in confusion. This isn't the way home, she told herself. She glanced down at her feet. Why'd you led me here? Ren warily kept walking down the strange street, wondering why it was so deserted.

She heard the flapping of wings. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a bunch of black birds taking off into the sky. They were coming from the roof of a very worn down building. Once Ren got closer, she could see tall steps and a sign that said "Chuuou Art Musuem. Welcome to all." An art museum? Ren gasped. I've never heard of this place. Ren placed a foot on the first step hesitately. Maybe I should check it out. If it's good, I can show it to Daichii.

The tall oak doors opened with a loud creek. It was dim inside, so Ren didn't shut the doors. Her footsteps echoed loudly in the empty room. "Hello?" Ren whispered. She saw the front desk. Heading towards it, she said, a little louder, "Hello?" The front desk was empty. Ren's eyes darted back and forth. Oh well, if I don't have to pay, that's even better.

As Ren walked down the hallways, the air thickened with tension and forebording. Her curiousity evaporated, but an invisible force kept pushing her forward. Deserted artworks loomed at her from the shadows. Some were breathtaking. Some were scary. Some weren't like anything Ren had ever seen before. As she rounded a corner, her shadow stretched longer and leaned against what looked like a giant blank canvas. It flapped slightly in the little breeze that infiltrated the massive musuem. Odd. Why would someone hang this up? Ren touched it softly. It doesn't even seem like there's a wall behind it.

"Who's there!?!" a gruff voice shouted, breaking Ren's chain of thought.

Ren began to panic. She spun around, trying to find a place to hide. Then her eyes rested on the canvas again. "Show yourself, Intruder! No one's allowed in here. You here me? Where are you?" the voice continued. I have no choice, Ren told herself. Glancing around one last time, she slipped in behind the canvas.

It was completely dark in the cramped room. Ren flattened herself against a wall and forced her lungs to breath slower. Ren suddenly wondered if her heart would give her away. She placed her hands on her chest, hoping to muffle the loud beating. "If you're a thief, you might as well come out right now." A shudder ran though her body when she realized how close the man was. "I've got this place surrounded with backup." Ren scowled. What a horrible lie. "I've got a gun!" Ren gulped. She hoped that was a lie.

After a while, the footsteps began to get quieter. Ren waited two whole minutes before letting out a sigh. Then she focused on trying to figure out where she was. What is this place hiding? Why is no one here? Blindly, Ren stumbled through the clutter to find a light switch.

Her foot tripped over a box. She toppled forward, and her face hit something hard. Ren and whatever had been in her way both smashed into the floor with a loud BANG! Ren gasped and scrambled back on her hands and knees. Oh no! That guy was sure to here that! I have to get out of here! Ren lifted a hand to push the bangs out of her face--

--and found she couldn't move. Her whole body was frozen, as if her muscles had been immobilized by magic. As she was struggling against the invisible force, a pinpoint of light split through the darkness. No. Two pinpoints of light. With a flash, the artwork Ren had run into shone with a dazzling brilliance. The light made Ren narrow her eyes to the tiniest slits. The sculpture looked like a grim skeleton with dark wings. A crack in its skull radiated brighter than the rest of its body.

Great! I broke it! Ren crumpled in a heap when the spell let her loose. Dizzy and disoriented, she leaped on the skeleton and tried to push its skull back into place. Her heart hammered when the crack grew instead of shrunk. The skeleton burned and shook in her hands. Black and white feathers appeared out of no where and swirled around Ren even though there was no wind. The crack had almost split the skeleton in two now.

Eyes as large as saucers, Ren watched as the skeleton got up and threw her off it. Ren landed painfully in a bunch of boxes and lost her wind. Gasping for air and clutching her stomach, she shook her head in disbelief. No. No! This can't be happening! This has to be a dream! The skeleton roared in a strange combination of rage, relief, disappointment, satisfaction, and hunger. Ren's head felt like it was going to explode from the noise. The light blinded her. Sharp pains made her body go numb. Then Ren did the loudest thing she had done in years. She screamed in agony before sinking into darkness.

Daichii rubbed his head. Man, he thought. This algebra's so hard, it's starting to give me a headache. The boy put his pencil down with a sigh and pushed his chair away from his desk. His eyes flickered over to his art album Ren gave him. Involuntarily, a flush creeped across his face. Daichii looked away again, trying to ignore his sisters taunts that kept replaying in his head.

With, who had been under the desk lamp, suddenly twitched his ears. The rabbit sat up and listened intently. Daichii laughed at With's confused expression. "What? D'you dream you were in a strawberry patch but woke up here with an empty stomach?" Daichii teased.

With hesitated. Suddenly, he jumped from the desk and shot out the door. "Whoa! With?" Daichii exclaimed. "Where are you going?"

With bounded down the staircase and skidded into the living room where Daisuke was reading. Daisuke was just getting to a suspenceful predicament in the novel when, "Kyu!" a white furball popped out of nowhere and landed heavily in his lap! Daisuke jumped, and his book went flying. The book slid down a small table, pushing an expensive vase near the edge. Before it could fall, Daisuke lunged for the vase. He juggled it dangerously in his hands before clutching it to his chest. Daisuke glared at With.

"With! What do you think you're doing? You almost-- Ouch!" While Daisuke had been getting up, he had hit his head on the edge of the table. In that moment of pain, Daisuke dropped the vase, and part of the rim chipped off. Daisuke and With stared at the vase for a moment. Then they stared at each other.

Heavy pause. "What are you looking at me for? I can fix it," Daisuke replied, a touch nervously.

"Kyuuuuu," With said skeptically.

Pause . . . Pause . . . "Please don't tell Riku about this."

"Kyu!"

Footsteps walked down the stairs. Startled, Daisuke searched for a place to hide the vase. He stuffed it under the couch, grabbed his book, and pretended he was reading just as Daichii walked in. "Hey, Dad? Do you know where--? Ah, here he is," Daichii said. He picked up With, who immediately started squirming in his hands.

"Daichii, have you been mistreating With?" Daisuke asked sternly. "He seems rather anxious."

"No sir. He was just napping in my room when he jerked awake. Maybe he just had a nightmare." Daichii shrugged offhandedly. "Oh, and do you know what that noise was a moment ago?"

"Noise?"

"The sound of something breaking."

Pause . . . Pause . . . PAUSE.

"I really think you need to go to bed, Daichii," Daisuke answered, purposely changing the subject.

"Aww, come on! It's only 9:30 and tomorrow's my birthday. Besides, I still need to do my homework."

"Just go to bed."

"Yes . . . sir?"

Daichii headed back to his bedroom, glancing back at his father oddly. With was still wriggling about. He struggled so much that Daichii just let him go. As soon as his feet hit the ground, With was racing towards the nearest window and staring outside, wondering what could have caused the disturbance in the night.

PREVIEW

"Happy Birthday!"

"Is this . . . a sketchbook?"

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?!? SHE JUST GAVE ME A BOOK, OKAY? KEEP YOUR HUGE NOSE OUT OF MY BUSINESS!!!"

"I feel . . . different. I've felt different ever since last night."

"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight in celebration of my birthday?"

NEW FEELINGS