Wow. This is so late. My apologies, but my cheap old word program ceased working (it wouldn't open, and when it did it wouldn't type), and I couldn't write, but I finally got a new one! ( a very expensive new one) So now I can write, not only on time, but with the convenience of formatting and spell check, I'm super sorry that it took so long for me to update. Thanks everyone who reviewed and stayed with this story through the late updates and the authors complaining. Also, I wasn't going to do this until later, but I feel like it makes more sense to do it now. I'm going to focus a lot on Draven as a character because despite the large role that I want him to play later, I know that I haven't done a good job of letting you guys get to know him. So, before I get way to crazy too with the talking, enjoy the next chapter.-PenNinja
Faline stood up from her table, using the sleeve of her dress to wipe away the cold sweat beaded on her forehead. Pushing the chair in and leaning against the wall, Faline crossed her arms. Anyone who knew her well enough, which was almost no one, could tell you that this was what she did when she was faced with a problem she couldn't solve. This wasn't the strangest dream that she had ever had, (cats have some truly odd dreams), but it was defiantly the most realistic one that she had ever experienced by far. It agitated her that she couldn't remember the woman's face, ever since she had been given the collar, she had an eye for detail. The world seemed clearer, and every line sharper. So why couldn't she see more than this woman's eyes? When she was in her own world, she had read about scientists theorizing that humans dream in black and white, and that their minds added in color after waking up, but there was no way that could be right. No way.
After her brief philosophical moment, Faline decided that standing around wasn't helping her clear her head, if anything it was making it worse. Uncrossing her arms and bringing her foot up, she started taking off her shoes. She needed some fresh air, and there was no way she could get a good jog going with these shoes on.
Draven's POV (begging while Faline is still asleep)
Draven needed a place to set up for the night, and the roof of the abandoned building two doors down and across the street suited his needs quite nicely. It provided him with the necessary view of the shop and a good place to set up a tent. He thought about asking to stay in the shop with the girl, but it seemed a lot to ask from a man he just met, not to mention one of such high caliber. Besides, he had been living this way for quite some time in his youth, before he had even been discovered for what he was.
Before the true beginning of his life. He had never truly aspired to be anything, alone in this disgusting world, he only knew survival, and he had no true concept of living. Draven Carter had not always been a star student at the Shinigami academy, and, much to his embarrassment, had not always been a Shinigami either. He was born in the mortal world, to a human mother. It was his greatest shame and darkest secret in school, being the bastard child of a deserter Shinigami and a lower class mortal. He was the bottom of the food chain in both worlds, but he had never regretted going with William. The man was the closest thing to a Father that Draven had ever known, the man that had saved him as a starving child, and the man that had given him more than just "survival". Draven had been about ten years old, an advanced child both in intelligence and maturity, despite being uneducated, and very renowned pick pocket. He fed his mother with whatever money he could get away with stealing, and, when he could get enough, bought the necessary medicine to sooth her pain. Despite his denial, Draven knew his mother was dying, dying of what he didn't know, but he felt death slipping his cold fingers around her and gripping tighter every day. Stealing for a living, Draven learned all about the human nature, or at least its greed and cruelty. The selfish wealthy, unwilling to spare there pocket change to save the life of a dying woman and her starving child. The cruel people who were more willing to beat him than give him a single coin from their purse when he was caught. What a truly sad and disgusting world this must be.
On the last day if his mother's life, Draven Carter wasn't home, and he did not get to say goodbye. He had left earlier that morning, as he had saved enough money this week to buy a little extra medicine. She had been getting worse, but he had left anyway, promising to return with food and medicine for her to have tonight.. He had never truly forgiven himself for breaking that promise. He knew exactly when she died, because he had been on his way to the market when he felt her soul depart, and all of his hope drain away from him, but he still ran home. He ran like he could save her.
One could guess what he found, and perhaps even how he felt, but they would be wrong. As Draven approached his home, his heart pounding, his eyes already filling with tears, and his far too small stomach knotting up, he opened the door and saw something he had never seen before. His mother was laying in her bed, the only bed in the small little room that was their home, and he could see something coming out of her chest. It was frightening, but it was also bright, and beautiful. It appeared to be a ribbon streaming out of her heart, illuminating the room and twisting in a beautiful dance. He could see his mother's entire life, full of both suffering and joy, playing before him. He saw his mother's life before his birth, her happiness and innocence… a mother he never known. He saw what he could only assume was his father's face,and though it wasn't a kind face, it wasn't hateful either. There were some memories of him from his mother that were filled with love, and others with only resentment. How confusing. Slightly surprised, Draven realized that he had his father's eyes, and much of his face. He had never known his father, but his mother had always said that he left shortly after his conception, so Draven had no real love for this man, only curiosity, and a fast growing hatred. He watched his mother's life beginning to end unfold before his eyes, and all of his sadness had left him. He didn't know why, but he KNEW that she would be healthy and happy forever now. The only negative emotion her would remember from this experience was the bitterness of his mother dying alone and poor, and his sadness at the prospect of facing this cruel world by himself.
What Draven had failed to notice was the man hiding in the corner of the room, watching the spectacle unfold before him. As the pictures went away, he made eye contact with the odd man in the corner and jumped, a small gasp of surprise escaping his throat.
Yes. That was truly where his life began.
Shaking his head, Draven came back to the present just in time to see his young charge running down the street barefoot. He grabbed the bridge of his nose between his fingers and sighed. She was making this so much more difficult than it needed to be. Leaping from his "base" he began to pursue her.
Faline's POV
It was exhilarating, the cool air rushing past her ears, her bare feet on the wet brick road, she hadn't felt this alive in a while. She was always trapped. Trapped by her curse, trapped by more powerful beings, trapped by the heavy weight if the world, now she was running freely. Alone at night, and in her human form and with the moon shining off of her pale skin, she just ran. Her only regret was that it would have to end, either when she got tired or when the carrot top found her.
So yeah, lots of character development in this one. Sorry again about the wait, but I promise I didn't abandon the story. In all honesty I have about a year before its time for a new laptop, but as for now, I got a new word program so expect regular updates again. Tell me what you guys think of the sad tale of Draven Carter-PenNinja
