Rakki-lucky
Nonki-optimistic
It was just warm enough to stay outside, yet cold enough that the coming chill of winter brought goose bumps out on Krad's ivory flesh. He sat perched on the rim of the highest building in Azumano with his wings half-folded, watching the sun rise. His artist's heart twinged at the varied shades of orange, red and purple mirrored in the calm waters of the bay. At least he'd paid Kiryu back for imitating his body like that and taunting the thief. And how… He thought with a chuckle and his tamer shuddered within him. His mind flitted to a slightly different topic. Kiryu's love was finally beginning to come to fruition and Krad knew he had precious few moments left before going into the sleep between tamers. It was one of the reasons why Kiryu had lent him his body so willingly.
He adjusted the sleeves to their largest size on Kiryu's longest jacket. The real curse here is the perpetually too-small clothing.
He thought and flexed his velvet gloves, adjusting his boots' grip on the slick roof. He remembered when this used to be the light house- and the church after that. Strange how everything changed and still… somehow remained the same. Oh well. The sound of wings behind him alerted him to the thief's presence. He turned to greet him and blinked at the still-empty rooftop.
The only explanation was that strangely fat crow poking its sharp beak into the gutters for food. Krad opened his own wing and knocked the creature off with a single stroke and an irritated snort.
It squawked angrily and took off and Krad suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and a cocky voice point out, "Well that wasn't very nice was it?" Dark plopped himself down next to his counterpart and stretched his long leather-clad legs with a contented sigh.
"I'm not a very nice person." Krad's wings shuffled and settled against his back mildly. "So when is he supposed to get here?" Dark asked nonchalantly and the blonde grinned faintly. "Don't get your cowhide panties in a knot- he'll be here in about a minute." Dark nearly choked on his own spit. "W-Excuse me! You know nothing of my undergarments and I intend to keep it that way, bottle-blonde."
"It's natural!" Krad snapped before he could help himself and added, "Well considering how many times we've been forced to sleep together I-" He paused. "Hm. I'm not going to finish that sentence…"
Dark ran a hand through his hair, licked his thumb and forefinger, and ran it along one of his feathers to smooth a split end. "Good idea." He saw Krad turn away from him a bit and face back towards the sunrise. "Yer a sucker for pretty landscapes aren't cha?" Dark nudged Krad's shoulder playfully. "It's the same feeling you get when you set eyes on a particularly valuable gem."
The phantom leaned back and rolled his shoulders slightly. "Speaking of which, you do know I'm still going after the 'Ryuuko, Ryouko' necklace tonight right?" Krad stretched one wing and rolled his eyes, "Yes, Dark. I know you can't stand the thought of a heist without the challenge of a Hikari in the police force behind it." Kiryu had used his father's influence to gain his own post and although he was far from commander the force was already beginning to learn he was really their best bet as far as protecting the items, although sometimes the boy did have an agenda of his own.
The air between the two halves hazed and thickened and suddenly Aisoku was there, his wings back to their normal feathery selves only a bit more blue-tinted than before. The thief had been looking the other way when Aisoku appeared and turned around, "Hey!" his wings puffing out indignantly.
"You-who said you could do that?"Aisoku looked confused and seemed to fiddle with his shirt for a moment before letting his hand fall. "Well, no one, but I've been practicing and-" Krad scooted a bit closer to the boy and put one wing halfway around him, finishing, "And we're glad you are. Aren't we Dark?" His tone suggested that if he wasn't, Dark was going to lose something rather important to him. "Right, right. But are your thieving skills getting any better? That's all I'm worried about." The purple-haired thief grinned and stroked his chin.
Aisoku grinned too and flipped a necklace he'd been hiding underneath his shirt out for all to see. It was slightly rusted silver, half chain and half thick ribbon-like pieces that came down into a metallic circle. Within the circle an emerald dragon and a ruby tiger were locked in what looked like an epic battle. Dark's mouth opened and he gasped before he clapped a hand to the place where the necklace had been hidden in his jacket and blurted,
"The 'Ryuuko, Ryouko'… Why you little…"
The younger boy unclasped the artifact from his neck and handed it to Krad with a quiet, "I think taking this four hours before the time on the note counts as… " He sidled up close to Dark and whispered, "Cheating…"Aisoku noticed to his surprise that Krad didn't put the necklace on- in fact he wrapped it in a handkerchief before putting it in his pocket. Damn old magic- always flaring up when a Hikari is near. Krad thought and gritted his teeth underneath his lips, pulling on the mask until the magic died down. Strange that it didn't affect Aisoku… The phantom's thief turned wolfish and he slid his arms around Aisoku's narrow waist and pulled him into his lap.
"All's fair in love and thievery my boy. But I suppose it will be more fun to steal the same thing twice." He raised an eyebrow at Krad. "Specially under his supervision."
"Why thank you." Krad flicked Aisoku's wing. "Huh. I'm glad the bat wings are gone."
The boy gave a little nervous laugh. "Well, sort of. He- the Black Wings- has kind of become my other self…" Darks eyes lit up and he started roughing up the boys hair, giving him a thorough noogie. "Ohohoh that's means you got a girl switching you two back and forth right? Who is it eh?"
"No one!"
" Is she pretty?"
Aisoku growled and his wings curled up close to his spine, though he still had a grin on his face. "Get offa me!"
" What's her name?"
"It's none of your business!"
" Ooh I'll bet you go for the exotic types eh?"
"Stop asking me so many questions!"
" She blonde?" Aisoku covered his head with his hands, "And just because she's blonde doesn't mean she's…oops."
Dark shoved Aisoku with a laugh, "I knew it!" and he would have toppled off the edge if Krad hadn't reached out and pulled him backwards.
"Careful!" Krad scolded, smacking Dark upside the back of the head. "Ow! He woulda been fine, mom!" He said with a distinctly childish whine in his voice. "Yeah, I've been getting better at landings…" Aisoku offered up and put his left wing around Dark, his right around Krad, suddenly getting serious.
"You two are leaving again soon aren't you." Dark and Krad looked at each other, then back at Aisoku. "Well Kyo's girl's finally realized she likes him too and … I think it's more or less the same for Kiryu… so yes."Aisoku sighed, "Thought so." And his wings tightened around both of his true parents for a moment, then loosened. "I just… I made sure that we could all get together one more time so I could tell you…" He looked out at what looked the beginning of a beautiful morning, then at the thief and finished, "That I love you two." His gaze switched to his cat-eyed mother figure and a tentative smile crossed his face. "Both of you. And I- I'm really going to miss you…"
Both halves moved at the same time but to Dark's surprise Krad gestured for him to continue with a small nod. The thief put his arm around Aisoku and pulled him close, placing his chin in the part of his soft blonde hair.
"Hey, it's alright. We'll be back soon…" He was truly thankful that Krad let him be the one to comfort his son for the moment. He paused for a second. "I think I got an idea that will cheer you up." Aisoku raised an eyebrow and Krad did the same thing. "Oh yeah? What?"
Dark slowly poked Aisoku in the shoulder and grinned. "Tag. You're it." Then he took off in a flurry of purple-tinted black feathers. He was sincerely glad some of the vision in his left eye had finally come back otherwise flying would be close to impossible. "Ah-hey!" Aisoku automatically stood up and took off after him.
"Get back here!"
"Aisoku!..." Krad sighed and spread his own wings after them. Luckily Dark headed up towards the mountains so they would have less of a chance of being noticed. The fog hadn't cleared yet and the clouds coated Aisoku's wings in condensation, fat droplets of water streaming off the end of his wings as he looped around a tree and caught Dark by surprise, tagging him with his wing.
"Ha! No tag backs!" Dark banked off to the left and flapped twice to gain some air over Krad, then hovered until he saw the distinct white wings underneath him. He kept absolutely silent and dropped out of the sky like a stone, tapping his other half with the tip of one black combat boot between the shoulders. "Tag!"
"Ack!" Krad spun in midair and reached for the thief but he managed to slip past with a hearty laugh. The three of them played the game for so long the sunlight was beginning to break through the fog in thin streaks of golden light. All three of them were panting and just as Dark was going to pounce on a certain unsuspecting hunter Aisoku offered,
"Hey, you two want to take a break for a moment?" before fluttering down to a small fern-infested clearing.
"Yeah, alright." Dark agreed and landed gracefully beside him, his black feathers reflecting the deep greens around them. Krad landed too and unlike Dark's wings, which worked like camouflage in the filtered light, his stood out brighter than ever; glowing ivory.
"Indeed. I am almost a bit tired." His voice held genuine surprise. "Hmm." Aisoku stretched out on the carpet of damp pine needles and ferns with a happy grunt, his wings splayed behind him. He patted the blank spaces next to him. "Don't be proud, there's plenty of room for everyone." Dark made himself at home and though Krad knew that fern stains were very hard to get out of white clothing he did as well. His long hair spread like spilled liquid and he closed his eyes. "I suppose… I should be leaving soon." On the other side of Aisoku his other half agreed but stretched his legs and assured, "Not quite yet though."
Aisoku put his head on Darks chest, took Krad's hand and wrapped his white-sleeved arm around his waist. "Good." All three of them became quiet, listing to the sounds of birds in the trees and the minute buzz of a tiny mass of insects that had found a single ray of sunlight. The smell of dew-soaked earth and the gritty scent of fern surrounded them. Krad's face was resting on the thick limb that was Aisoku's wing and the feathers were tickling his nose but he managed to suppress a sneeze. He'd always been particularly good at ruining moments, but not this time. Aisoku sighed and closed his eyes and Dark's chest jerked as he let out a small chuckle. Without opening his eyes his son clarified, "Don't let that little confession go to your head, Dark- I'm only doing this because I'm tired."
"Mm-hmm. Of course." Dark grinned and patted the boy's head, his own lids beginning to droop. Kyo had stayed up late the night before and he couldn't help himself from wanting to take a nap. Maybe when he got back he could convince Riku to... He yawned and the tip of his pink tongue curled up at the end like a cat's. "By the way we love you too."
"In case you didn't know that beforehand." Krad added and moved his arm from the boy's waist to his shoulder. "I know." Aisoku listened to the slow even beat of the phantom's heart just next to his ear and was surprised at how safe he felt, surrounded by two artworks that could probably level all of Azumano given the right incentive.
Both halves were very quiet for a few minutes when out of the blue Aisoku gave a funny little half-snort. Yellow eyes met purple and a single eyebrow lifted up as Krad asked, Is he asleep? Dark pursed his lips in thought, Not nice of you to barge in like that you know. Krad snorted and Dark kept totally still and waited to see if Aisoku would open his eyes. Instead he tightened his grip on the phantom's deep maroon shirt and pulled the fabric close under his chin, exposing the thief's belly and a slight purple rabbit trail. Yep. Definitely asleep. Krad couldn't help himself from jabbing a finger in the phantom's hip and exclaiming, Are you… are you purple everywhere?
He flushed and began sitting up slowly, "And so what if I am? Is that a problem?"
Aisoku's eyebrows drew together and Krad pushed a finger against Dark's lips harshly. "Shush! You'll wake him." Dark mouthed his words mockingly but shut up, steadying the boy in his arms before spreading his wings. Krad stood up as well and unfurled his own pair. We'll be taking him back then? Dark smiled. His arms were still holding the boy more or less the same way they had been when he'd been the size of a meatloaf. Of course. They made it back to Emiko's rooftop with relative ease and Dark jiggled the lock on his bedroom window open. Easy as pie. It was an entrance both he and Krad used often. Krad stayed on the rooftop as Dark lowered the boy into bed and threw the covers over him. Aisoku curled to one side and from around his neck the two-feathered moon necklace flashed in the sunlight. The phantom felt a strong tug at his heart, seeing the boy sleeping so peacefully. For the hell of it he ruffled the boy's hair thoroughly, then sighed and kissed him briefly in the part of his hair. Krad chuckled beside him and the thief startled. Don't sneak up on me like that!
I didn't. Seeing you two together … it makes me happy. Dark caught the look in his eye and held his gaze for a moment before putting an arm briefly around Krad's shoulders and joking, "Now don't be getting all sentimental about it." The blonde put his hand on the mattress. "I've never been good at saying goodbye." Dark wasn't the kind of person who liked reaching out to the blonde, but he'd been around him so long he could tell by the tendons in his neck and redness in his eyes that he was … distraught. He put a hand around his thin, pale wrist and squeezed gently before letting the limb fall back to Krad's side. It will be fine. It will be alright. Aisoku's eyes began to open and his parents disappeared, Krad unto the light streaming through the window and Dark to the thick shadows in the corner. As Aisoku sat up he saw the replaced cream-colored carpet was littered with soft, thick white feathers and thin, glossy ebony feathers, mixed into each other as they'd been shed carelessly from their owners. He picked up the one closest to him- it happened to be one of Krad's- and ran his thumb over the shaft. It was still warm and a buzz of comforting yellow magic oozed up his arm. Goodbye…
Two decades passed in the blink of an eye. Emiko, Kosuke and Satoshi soon passed from natural causes and Aisoku was raised for a few years by Riku and Daisuke before maturing enough to move out. He stopped aging at what a human would consider forty but internally he still aged every two years. He had arranged a last meeting with Krad and Dark at the place where it was kept- the Black Wings, the painting that once had nearly taken his life. This is the way it's supposed to be. Aisoku said when they had asked any questions. This is where it all started, and this is where it should end. I just… know it. Please trust me. All three of them were deep in the bowels of the earth with that horridly blank canvas in front of them, chained by the same bolts used for luxury liners. This place creeps me out. Rakki, Krad's latest tamer muttered and rubbed his arms. Since the Water Famine both the Niwa and Hikari families had been reduced drastically and were now much the way they had been before- with both tamers having no siblings and a very small extended family. Dark? How come that thing seems like it wants to pull us in? Dark tried to calm the little Niwa.
Rakki, it does. But that ain't gonna happen unless I want it to. The tamer wasn't sure if the thief was telling him the whole truth or not but he'd only just gotten used to this other person sharing very close quarters with him, so he decided to let it drop. Besides, Dark sounded confident enough.
Oh and by the way… The phantom continued casually, I'm gonna put you to sleep for a little bit while I say goodbye to him, okay?
Rakki's ruby eyes widened and then narrowed. Why? I.. oh. Um, okay… Just wake me up soon okay? Dark nodded and sent the boy off into dreamland, then went to go join his other half. Krad was of course right at Aisoku's side wearing his tamer's clothing. He was put together of course, his face not betraying his emotions, but naturally Aisoku could read his poker face like an open book. Surprisingly, Aisoku was smiling. "It's so strange to see you two so young. I guess you really are immortal huh?" He reached up and touched Krad's face and the white wings put his hand over his son's, his yellow eyes seeming to burn in the dim light. "This way you will not forget my face." Aisoku let out a dim laugh and removed his hand. "Even if you were in a different body entirely I'd remember you."
"Aisoku-" Krad suddenly gathered the man into his arms. "Please." Don't do this. The Black Wings is evil. It has taken you once before, and I… I don't want to lose you again. It pained Krad to see the mature, sad smile on his son's face. To see how much he grown and that fierce determination in his eyes. Dark's eyes. Dad, either way I have to go… As he said it he began to cough and brought a hand up across his mouth until the throaty hacking finally stopped. With a kind of grimace he briefly opened his palm enough for Krad to see a fine spray of ruby blood on his deeply tanned skin. He wiped it on his dark jeans and continued inside Krad's mind. … and this way, I'll be able to help you and Dark. His eyes flicked over to the thief and he knew that Dark could tell they were having a conversation and was deciding to stay out of it for the moment. You don't know that. You don't know what is going to happen.
Aisoku pulled him close and it was strange to feel his now wide shoulders. He was easily as tall as Krad and even a few inches taller than Dark, although a bit stooped. His clothes were faded and warm and Krad held him tightly, but not so much as to hurt him. Beneath his forty-year exterior he could sense halting frailty. I don't. But… He ran a few fingers through Krad's ponytail and his distinct familiar smell entered Krad's nose.
At a time like this Krad expected to see memories of Aisoku's life flashing through his mind, his ascent into adulthood.
But all that as coming to mind was the sensation of Aisoku growing in his body, his heaviness, his strong startling movements. Back then, the thought of his child passing away hadn't even crossed his mind. Back then, each breath he drew, each beat of his heart brought the being before him one step closer to living.
But what did it mean now? Nothing. Without him it means nothing. His teeth were gritted so tightly under his lips they ached. His son's voice brought him back to the present. Ah, you have the most beautiful hair. Please don't ever cut it.
"Of course." Aisoku patted Krad on the back twice before slipping out of their hug and turning to Dark. "You want a hug too you dirty thief?" He said with a twinkle in his eye. "Well I think it's only fair to give us both equal treatment, considering you two have been whispering sweet nothing's in each other's minds for the last half hour." He pouted and tossed his head to one side.
"Awe, so sensitive…" Aisoku cuddled up to him too, giving his lithe seventeen-year old body a squeeze. "Remember those few years when I was the same age as both of you?" Dark nodded with an odd look on his face. "Weirdest few years of my life, let me tell you." Dark ruffled the man's hair and sighed shakily, leaning in and whispering in his ear, "I've never said it, but you do understand… you're my greatest treasure." I love you. I've always loved you, from the first moment I held you in my arms. I don't know how I'll be able to make it without you. I don't know how either of us will. Dark was getting choked up himself. His eyes showed red veins and his throat had closed up so tightly he didn't know if he could speak.
"If this doesn't end our curses… if it doesn't change anything…I'll kill you when I get up there." He threatened jokingly, unable to say anything of serious nature. Aisoku nodded and took a step towards the blank canvas and a sudden wind picked up in the cavernous space.
"Wait!" Krad's voice ripped across the space like a verbal whip and stopped his son in his tracks.
"Dad?" He swallowed and looked down at his tamer's shoes, his hands tightening. "I…" He couldn't speak, because if he did he knew he'd lose it entirely. Even now he could feel the hot tears in his eyes threatening to spill over. His voice was a harsh rasp. "Aisoku…"
The man suddenly touched his shirt. "I almost forgot…here."
He took off the necklace he'd been wearing his entire life and placed it in Krad's hands, the metal still warm from being against his skin. His gaze went to the thief. "Thank you for making it for me. It brought me a lot of comfort." Dark managed a genuine smile- he didn't want Aisoku's last impression of him to be fake. "I did a pretty good job, huh. For a Niwa." He took a few steps until he was directly in front of the canvas and laid his hand against the dry, stretched material. It was warm- it sort of felt like it shuddered under his touch like an animal. "You two… were the best parents a kid like me could ever hope for." He felt a bit of fear but anticipation too- he was at the point where he wanted to see what lay beyond.
"Well, until next time then."
And with a ripple of blank white in a shadowed room, he was gone. Krad dropped to his knees, his eyes flicked upwards and before he knew it he was following him, up and up at a dizzying speed until nothing but quiet white surrounded them.
He saw Aisoku ahead of him, still looking the same but transparent now and not facing him but something beyond- he squinted and suddenly something very real rushed at him in a flurry of white feathers.
Before he knew it the point of a brilliantly glossy spear was at his throat and two sea-blue eyes were staring at him. The creatures wings were splayed up and out and far more brilliant than his could ever be- scarlet at the ends and a blazing orange-yellow that faded to white halfway through. Its garments were nondescript and its face strangely androgynous, but beautiful.
Go back. It did not move its lips but the voice in his mind was his long-lost lover, Elizabeth. Soft but dark, like tinted glass.
My dear, you're body will die. His eyes flicked towards Aisoku once more … and he saw that from his back his two profuse silver wings were spreading. The tip of the spear moved and the angel used the rod to push him once in the chest, downward. Go. From below he heard a voice calling his name. He was falling again- oh if spirits could be sick the sky would be painted with vomit by now- and he smacked down into his body so hard it jerked. Someone was yelling. Krad groaned and made a move to cover his ears, opening one eye. He was on the floor and Dark had his head in his hands. He was surprised to see streaks of tears down Dark's face-or at least he thought he did- the thief wiped a sleeve across his eyes and tightened his grip on his other half's head.
"You… goddamn…" He raised a fist but lowered it, too mentally spent to exert himself physically.
"Don't. Ever do that again." He lifted Krad's torso up to himself and curled the blonde head under his own chin.
"I already lost him, and you… you're not allowed to go anywhere." Krad was too shocked to do anything but let himself be held- and he could almost admit that he was drawing some comfort from the embrace. Our baby… The blonde grasped the thief's shirt and made a fist, pulling the fabric tight against his mirror's body.
"I'm sorry. I just…" Dark's head snapped up as the wind began to pick up in the tiny space. "What's going on?"
Krad's eyes narrowed. The canvas was shaking and he could sense its power becoming whole. But at the same time, it also seemed to be breaking apart- he could see the beginnings of a tear far up on the edge. "I thought since he's a combination of our powers this would make it complete but…" Left unfinished, it will always be unfinished. Satoshi's words suddenly popped into his mind. But… if given enough power it may turn everything right again. Krad didn't know what 'turning everything right' would entail. He didn't want to be separated from his other half, or joined with him- he wished to remain as he was. But just as that thought passed through his mind he felt a horrible tearing feeling and realized he was being drawn from his tamer's body.
"Dark!" The thief was obviously experiencing the same thing- his face was drawn and pale, and even as the two halves resisted there was a roar of magic and a flash of bright light, so bright it went straight through their eyelids.
And then everything was quiet again.
The canvas crumbled to the floor, the chains loosening and clattering, now free of their burden. An unconscious Niwa and Hikari sat in the same spot as their other selves had been moments before. Luckily they were far enough away that nothing fell onto them and their bodies were allowed to recover from the sudden, unexplained absence of a certain sequence of DNA that allowed for the two angels to exist. Slowly, their bodies drew the gap together and mended it as if it had never existed. As if they had never existed.
What must have been hours later Rakki pulled himself up into a sitting position, holding his head with his mouth drawn into a tight wince. "Ah, man…aoooww…" His head felt like it had exploded and then been glued back together by a class of three-year olds. He began to poke around and see if his other self was alright. So much for waking me up, you jerk. That was weird- even when Dark was sulking Rakki could still sense him, curled up with his arms crossed in a corner.
He didn't… he didn't really feel anything right now. Dark?... Again, more silence. He hadn't done anything to make Dark upset so why was he ignoring him? Why couldn't he feel the presence of the thief at all? He poked the unconscious bluenette beside him. "Nonki, wake up." He kept poking him until finally the Hikari woke up with a muttered curse, rubbing his own noggin. "Nngh…Where's Krad?" Was the first thing that came from his mouth and the Niwa shook his head.
"I think… I think they're gone…"
Although he still had an odd feeling that he was still somewhere, just…different. Sky blue eyes widened.
"What? No, I can still sense him, he…" He trailed off and pointed at the wreckage of the canvas. Rakki's eyes darted around before finding what the Hikari was pointing out. He stood up and crossed the room, removing scraps of canvas and a thick chain from one of the objects. Whatever it was it was big, nearly five feet long and two or three feet wide at least. It was … something like a cocoon.
"Hmm…." He couldn't resist- he put a hand against it and drummed the pads of his fingers on it. It was kind of warm and fuzzy, like a peach…Something moved in response to the vibration and Rakki screamed like a little girl and ran back to where Nonki was.
"Ahh! Did you see that! That was disgusting!" He shook out his whole body like a dog and rubbed his arms.
"Ugh! Ewe ew ew ew EW! What the hell was that?" Nonki pulled a pair of glasses out of his shirt pocket and slipped them on.
"Well what else would it be? I think… those are our other selves." He went over to the white one to confirm it. Even as he approached he could feel Krad's presence- though it was different from before. A bit lighter, a bit less burdened by past sins. He out a hand on the soft, warm surface and asked, "…Krad?" There was nothing at first but then he did feel something, slight though, but still there. …. Krad? In response his other self sent him a rush of annoyance and a small growl that clearly said he didn't appreciate being talked to while he was in this state. Nonki sat down next to the peculiar object and crossed his legs. "Hmm. Well, it's obviously them." Rakki threw his hands up in the air.
"How can you even be near that thing! They're gross!" Though he had to admit it did feel better knowing that the thief was still here. Whatever 'here' meant.
"I think they're getting human bodies." The Hikari mused as Rakki approached the black one again, as one would a cornered animal.
"It's not going to bite you." The other boy said, clearly a bit amused.
"How do you know? That's just the kind of thing Dark would do, explode outta there… ooh, I wish I hadn't watched so many Alien movies…" He shuddered and put one finger just barely on the surface, one eye closed as if he really did expect Dark to come barreling out at him. "So, uh… How long are they going to be in here?" The Hikari took off his glasses and polished them on the corner of his shirt-they were always getting streaked by his eyelashes. Very annoying.
"Not for another few months would be my guess." He really had no idea. He certainly didn't have any other case similar to compare this to. They'll probably be naked too. He added to himself. I'll have to remember to leave some clothes for them.
"My mom's not going to be happy with another mouth to feed." Rakki said forebodingly. "And Dark eats enough for two or three, let me tell you."
"I believe you." The Hikari was preoccupied with his own situation. His mother and stepfather probably wouldn't exactly… welcome a fully human, untamed Krad into their home. Not that many people would. Of course Krad was better than he had been with previous tamers but there were always the stories. "I don't think my parents… would be comfortable with Krad in our house." He confessed quietly.
"Well that's okay, he can stay with me!"
The Hikari stared. "Wh-Excuse me? No. Putting those two in the same house is a very bad idea!"
Rakki shook his head. "No, no- we have this little apartment-like lake house way on the other end of the property. It gets electricity and heating and water- I mean, it'd be perfect. My parents were just thinking of renting it out…" Nonki put a hand on his chin. It actually sounded plausible. "Well… you should definitely tell your parents before these two bust out. I'd better go home and tell them what's happened too. Although…" He didn't feel comfortable leaving the two cocoons unprotected.
It would be very, very bad if some reporter or even any other person than a Niwa or Hikari found them.
"Here, do you have a pen or anything?" Strangely enough he did happen to have a sharpie in his back pocket. "Uh, yeah, here." He dug it out and handed it to the Hikari. "Say, where are Wiz and Rai?" He watched as the blunette bent down and began drawing a large circle around the two cocoons. "Hmm. I don't know. Rai!" He held up his hand and called but the little black creature didn't appear.
"I think they got absorbed by those two." He finished the first circle and drew another in the center, then joined the two with Hikari script. "I'll need something of yours to finish the seal, Niwa."
"Something of mine?" He handed the pen back to him and nodded. "You know, some hair or blood or similar to that." He thought for a moment before plucking out a few strands of hair. "Will that be okay?"
"Perfect."He added the bright red hair to his own and placed them in the center of the second circle. It lit up blue for a moment and then all of the markings on the floor disappeared. Seeing the look on Rakki's face he added, "It's not gone. It's just invisible."
"Oh…How come we haven't been thrown out yet?" The Hikari lifted an eyebrow. "Well it'd be kind of useless if it locked us from going near them, wouldn't it?" Rakki flushed. "Oh. Oh, yeah, I forgot." He ruffled his hair with his hand sheepishly. "Well, we should probably get going, and without the wings you're going to have to follow me through the tunnels, otherwise you'll get lost." Nonki glanced back at the two cocoons. He'd have to set up some cameras in here too, since he wouldn't be able to keep visiting them all the said,
"Here, I should give you my number just in case I have to call you about them." Rakki handed the Hikari his phone and they started down the silent, shadowed tunnels. "How far do these go?" The Hikari asked, a little creeped out at the hieght of the ceiling and doorways.
"All underneath the city." Rakki replied, thankful that the thief's map memories were still intact in his mind, otherwise he'd get lost too. The design of the caves was kind of ingenoius really, with the slates above big enough to give air and light but small enough to keep out alrge vermin. Of course Dark probably would be able to through here faster than me... He realized he was missing Dark already and flushed a little, embarassed. It was just that to him the thief was more of a perverted older brother than anything. Despite their familie's feud the boys stayed close to each other until the light from the last tunnel began filtering down, promising an end to the caverned abyss.
"Well, my house it this way so..." They said their goodbyes and went back to their families, both dealing in their own way with the strange and unsettling silence in their minds. Of course they'd been wishing for it back since the two halves had showed up but now it was just... stagnant.
Nearly three months passed and Nonki woke up in the middle of the night, for apparently no reason. He was used to the bustling noise of traffic near his home. Hm. Why...? His cat Death who had made a comfortable nest on his belly mewed questioningly at him and his yellow-green eyes glowed like swamp gas. "Sorry, kitty..." He apologised before moving the cat so he could sit up properly and scratched the side of his head. He almost hoped to hear Krad's soft sleepy voice comment about the cat- he seemed to like them- but their was nothing. He reached over to the nightstand and put on his glasses. He'd never felt so restless in his entire life. His feet itched and his legs had an unpleasant pins-and-needles prickling that was urging him to stand up and walk.
Something was happening, but he wasn't sure what. He slipped on his shoes and socks and grabbed a flashlight from the living room cabinet. As an after thought, he brought a pair of extra clothes too, the largest that he had. Just in case his hunch was correct.
Well it won't hurt just to walk around the block for a minute. But even as he snuck downstairs and closed the front door as quietly as he could he knew he was fooling himself. His feet led him to the ramshackled, forgotten place where the Niwa tunnels began. He paused for a moment. 'all underneath the city'...'you'll get lost'...
But his other self was ... Not reaching out to him exactly, but their connection was drawing tight again, like a slightly overheated hand against his chest. He had to go. As he entered the tunnels he shivered- if it was creepy during the day it was ten times more so at night, and a constant cold. He flicked thew flashlight on but somehow it made navigating even creepier; the way the shadows swung up the walls and skittered away in front of him.
As he reached each fork he would close his eyes andsee down which way his connection with Krad strengthened, and in this way after a good half-hour he found himself entering a much larger chamber than the tunnels themselves.
His bobbling ray of light ran over the remaints of an enormous canvas and a single line of chain reflected a dull yellow.
He was definetely in the right place. To his surprise he heard a click, "Hello?" and another flashlight clicked on at the other side of the room, its own beam a bluish-white. "Niwa?" He said in surprise and made his way over to the other tamer, being careful of the jagged shards of wood. "What are you doing here?" Nevertheless it was a comfort to see another living person down here besides himself. The redhead shrugged and went back to the side of the black cocoon, sitting down and leaning against it with his hands crossed behind his head. "I dunno. All I can really say is that I just felt like something was going to happen, you know?" Nonki did and nodded, sitting down beside what presumably was his own other half.
"Hey, do you think that they'll still have wings?"
The Hikari shrugged, "Probably not considering they didn't have much time or-" He stopped abrubtly as he felt something move behind his back. It wasn't like the others he'd felt last time he came down here- it was strong and precise, testing out the elasticity of the cocoon. Across from him the Niwa gave a little smirking smile.
"Ah, you felt one too huh? Good, I was getting worried." He poked the side of the black cocoon and added, "Dark's been at it since I got here. Thrashing around and whatnot." He thought for a second.
"Uh, you didn't happen to bring an extra pair of clothes with you, did you?" He added silently, Though knowing him prancing around in his birthday suit would be his style...
The bluenette tossed the extra set over to him. "I did. I figured you might need them."
"Thanks. Dark will thank you too, I'll bet."
"So you're not scared of the cocoons anymore?"
The Niwa flushed as red as his hair, "Heck no! I could wrestle this thing to the ground right now and-" He squirmed away from it again with a startled yelp as Dark's prison suddenly cracked a foor or so, exposing tan flesh. Rakki's mouth opened in a silent scream as Dark sat up abruptly, breaking the rest of the shell down the middle and sending a thin wave of clearish fluid across the cement floor.
"Yeeech! Gross!" The thief exclaimed and combed a few chunks of the cocoon out of his wine-colored hair, his nose wrinkled up in disgust.
"No kidding!" Rakki agreed, picking the clothes up off the floor before they got wet. Across the room Nonki did the same.
"How in the hell did I get in there? I..." He trailed off as he saw Rakki standing next to him and got very quiet, looking down at his own body again more carefully. He flexed his hands, put his right against his chest, felt his human heart thumping steadily under his dark amber skin. "How..."
It took him another half-second before he fully digested that this was his very own human body.
His.
That he could use to live a regular human life. "Krad?" He didn't know why his damn other self was the second thing that came to his mind, but he didn't bother analyzing it. Krad? He felt the blonde's consiousness, and a flicker of irritation, followed by being ignored completely.
"He's in there huh?" Nonki, who Dark immidiately recognized as a Hikari, nodded.
"Now wanting to come out huh?" Dark grinned and took the clothes Rakki handed him, waiting until both boys had politely turned around before standing up and slipping into them.
Krad if you dont get out here this minute I'm going to start singing.
Something moved under the soft cottony surface, an arm or a leg perhaps, but he was still being ignored.
Fine you asked for it. This time... He stroked his chin evilly as he finished buttoning his shirt. ... 'you know I like my chicken fried...
Krad's mind flared up.
Stop that. Stop it right now.
...a cold beer on a Friday night, a pair of jeans that fit just right, and the radio up... Across the room the white cocoon split and Krad's hand ran along the edge, ripping and folding back the delicate material and sitting up. His long golden hair was no longer contained by a ponytail and ran down his back and across his collarbones freely. He looked around in a kind of daze, as if he wasn't all the way there, or here might be the better word for it.
Nonki crouched down next to him, trying his best to not let a blush rise on his face (he'd never really seen Krad naked after all) and spoke softly, "Krad? This is yours." His yellow eyes were dull until he settled on the item in his tamer's hand- the delicate metal necklace with one black feather, one white. He took it and slipped it over his bare neck, closing his eyes as he did until the cool moon settled against his chest. He flipped his hair over the chain and seemed to suddenly snap back to reality. He was utterly confused to see his tamer standing seperate from him, unless...
"Is... is this body mine?"
Dark stood with his hands on his hips proudly and declared, " Sure is! We both have human bodies now, Kraddy! Ain't that something?" Krad suddenly seemed to realize he was naked, in a room with three other men.
Um...oh bugger. He brought up his thigh to cover himself and pulled his arms in and quite a blush rose on his pale cheeks.
"Alright turn around all of you!" He snatched the clothes from the floor. "I have to get dressed." Of course both tamers did but Dark simply raised an eyebrow. Krad's eyes narrowed. "Especially you." He hissed and the phantom crossed his arms. "Why don't you come over here and make me." The blonde sat in the half-broken cocoon and gave the thief his best glare but Dark merely grinned. "Well. Can't keep your tamer waiting."
Krad stood and slipped into a pair of pants and a soft blue turtleneck, swearing softly and making sure to keep his back to Dark at all times. When he was finished he began braiding his hair at the base of his neck, uncomfortable with letting it fall to its full length. "Well now that your both decent..." Nonki murmured and adjusted his glasses. "We were discussing the living accomidations for you two and..." He trailed off as Krad's eyes pierced his. It wouldn't do him any good to lie to him.
Luckily Rakki intervened, "My parents have this awesome little lakeside house Krad could stay in, if he wanted to..."
Dark and Krad both stared at him as if he'd spouted a second head. "What?"
The thief was making sweeping motions with his hands as he continued, "No, no, you don't understand the idea of us living together is a very, very bad-" Krad's eyes flicked to Nonki and inside his head murmured, Your parents are... uncomfortable with the idea of my living amongst them, is that not the case?
Ashamed, he admitted to his other self, Pretty much. I tried to convince them that things were different now but... They won't listen, and I know it would be very uncomfortable for you if you came to my house. He added, Besides, being near Dark might not be the worst thing, considering... Considering Aisoku was his son too. The pain that snapped across Krad's face made Nonki flinch and wish he'd taken the words back.
I see. The white wings said coldly and the connection with his tamer shut suddenly, like a wire snapping. Krad hadn't really expected Nonki's parents to be comfortable with it, of course, but sending him to live with the Niwas... Although that didn't really matter anymore did it. The feud. "It might not be the worst idea, as long as I am a fair distance away from the main house I will be fine." Dark gaped at him. "Eh...?" Krad explained, "Well, it's rude of me not to accept an invitation isn't it? And besides, I'm fairly sure the Hikari's will be glad to be rid of me."
Isn't that right, Nonki? He added nastily in the back of the Hikari's mind and the boy's expression told him he'd done enough. Both Niwa's looked rather uncomfortable and were edging towards the other end of the room, away from the two Hikari's and their uncomfortable air surrounding them. Dark streched his arms up over his head and added, "Well I know this sounds strange but I could go for another few hours of sleep about now... and a snack, definetely."
"I actually agree." Krad said, finally finished with his braid, and threw it over one shoulder. "Shall we go, then?" The two Niwa's nodded and began down the tunnels, but before Krad left he went to Nonki's side and put an arm around his shoulders briefly. "Goodbye Hikari tamer. Although... I suppose I needn't call you that anymore." The Hikari squeezed his arm and said angrily, "If I had any choice you'd be staying with..."
"I know."
His other self walked off into the darkness and although the connection they shared was still strong in his chest Nonki felt more alone than ever.
Ffwer19- Oho, so you admit Krad is cute than?XD And, I hope this chappie answered that last question. and don't worry, still one chappie left.
bunnywithatophat- I know . I feel bad for him a little.(but not much since I wrote it)
LadyFai- Well, they do live in the same town but disappearing for 14 year intervals kinda sucks...
IntelligentFerretFreak- I loved that part too XD I got it from a scene in'silver diamond' and aww, I didn't mean to make you cry. . Sorry!
PS- didnt have time to review this real well so sorry for grammar errors.