'You took our lives away,
To increase your self esteem.
An underlie in the public eye.
Your dubbed insane if and when you try to
Speak your mind..'
~Incubus, "Speak Free"
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Of Crows and Doves
Chapter 1: Shades of Darkness, Glimmers of Light
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"Kou-chan, what are you staring at�? You've been staring out the window for a while now." Yaten sighed and continued absently playing with a lock of hair.
"Nothing, Okaasan�" Yaten muttered the response more than she said it out loud. Her eyes scanned the area. "Okaasan, how did we end up downtown�?" Yaten turned to her mother who was driving slowly.
"We're bringing you to school. You only have a half-day, Kou-chan. You can survive. You weren't that sick. " Yaten rolled her eyes and turned her head to stare out the window again. She blinked. There was someone significant who was now utterly useless. Yaten sighed.
"What a shame." Yaten shook her head and kept her eyes on the raven-haired girl who was clad in nothing but black. Secretive looking. The only spot of color she had on her was the red bandana around her upper arm. She looked quite young, and it made Yaten wonder why she would be on the streets at her age. Yaten heard her mother growl low in her throat. "Okaasan�?"
"Why don't these people go home or get a job or SOMETHING?" Yaten sighed and shook her head. Just another day.
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"And as a homework assignment, class, you must read text pages one hundred twenty through one hundred twenty-five. And then you are urged to answer the questions on page one hundred twenty-six." Yaten didn't take in a word her instructor was saying. She just rested her head on her palm and tapped her pencil against her notebook. She glanced at the clock, and her eyes lit up. "Class, you are dismissed." Yaten threw her books in her school bag and practically ran out the classroom door.
"Finally. Kami-sama, that was the longest half-day of my life." Yaten burst through the school doors and looked around. "Where's Okaasan�? Don't tell me she forgot to pick me up again�" She groaned and stomped her foot, ignoring the crowd of girls behind her who were trying to catch her attention. "She always forgets!" She sighed and began walking home.
Yaten walked through the downtown area, looking around. She suddenly felt quite alone. Yaten swallowed her pride for once, and walked a little faster, in a hurry to get out of there.
"FUCK! God damn it! You asshole, watch where you're going!" Yaten jerked her head to the left to the profanity.
"That girl�" Yaten muttered to herself. The unmistakable raven black hair, deep midnight blue eyes, red bandana, and the still young face. The girl turned her head and stared at Yaten. "Oh no� Look what I got myself into�"
"Who are you? What do you want?" Those midnight blue eyes skimmed over Yaten. "You certainly don't look like a druggy. Nor a gangster�"
Yaten shakily drew in a breath. "My name is Yaten Kou� I'm just walking home from school� I don't mean to bother you in any fashion�" She stepped back when she saw a smirk on the girl's face.
"Another Kou, eh�? My name really shouldn't be given out to random people. But what the hell? My name is Seiya Kou." Yaten blinked and couldn't really help what spilled out of her mouth.
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at home or at school or something?"
Seiya laughed lightly. "I was kicked out of home. I dropped out of school. And as for why I'm here�" Seiya put her hand in the black, trench coat's pocket and pulled out a syringe filled with a clear liquid. "I abuse the use of illegal drugs." Yaten stared into the syringe. It looked like water to her. Not an illegal drug.
"W-What is that�? It looks like nothing but water."
Seiya laughed. "You're so pure and innocent. You wanna know what it is? Why don't you try it? It's called heroin, my friend. Don't schools teach students ANYTHING these days?" Yaten shook her head. Heroin didn't leave any good affects. That's one thing she knew. Seiya dropped the syringe back into her pocket. "How old are you anyway?"
"I'm sixteen�"
"I just turned sixteen two months ago." Seiya began walking to Yaten slowly, and to Yaten she looked like a cheetah ready to pounce on its prey. She stopped right in front of Yaten, grabbed her chin, and jerked it up so she was staring into her pale, neon green eyes. "Little school girls shouldn't be in this area. You'll get killed. You'll get raped. Or you'll get mixed up with 'bad people' like me. I suggest you leave. And if we ever meet again, I wont be so gentle on you�"
"H-Hai�" Seiya jerked her hand away from Yaten's chin. "Demo� Answer me one thing, wont you?" She waited until Seiya nodded. "You're so pretty� Why are you slowly killing yourself?" Yaten lifted a hand and ran her fingers through Seiya's hair. Seiya growled and shoved Yaten away roughly.
"Don't touch me! If I was so beautiful and had a glorious air around me, I wouldn't be where I am. Now get out of here!" Yaten could see anger flaring in Seiya's eyes.
"Gomen nasai." Yaten quickly got to her feet, grabbed her school bag, and began running. Seiya stared after her, with a smirk on her face.
"I'm looking forward to meeting you again, little school girl�" Seiya turned away, and began walking down the street. "But until then�"
Part two |
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