Prologue
[Small town in Japan (name unknown), about 40 years back]
(An old woman holds a crystal ball in her twisted and bent hands, her bright red fingernails scraping the side a bit. She has incredibly long black hair which stops at her ankles and she wears a purple robe, tied at the waist. Her eyes gleam and she has an evil, menacing look on her face. She sits at a table, staring at a young girl with shorter shiny black hair, who is kneeling at her feet. The room is small, the lights dimmed and candles are all over, some lit, and a few inscense sticks are burning their sweet scents.)
Old woman: You will be punished for this, Shinobi Shimazu..
Shinobi: Please Mistress Rei.. you've already taken my child, Akiko..! What more is there to take..
Mistress Rei: Hah! Much more.
Shinobi: I know I did a bad thing. But why can't you reconsid-
Rei: Forget it! Aha.. I know exactly what I can do. Come here, my child..
Shinobi: *sweat drop* (thinking to herself) Does she think I'm THAT stupid!?
Rei: Listen when someone speaks to you! Get over here, now!
Shinobi: ... *mumbles and sighs*
(She walks slowly to the Mistress Rei, who is a sorcerer as well. Shinobi had stolen a loaf of bread from the market, which wasn't a very smart thing to do in this town. She was only trying to feed her child, Akiko.. but that didn't count as an excuse, not to Rei. Her husband, Kouichi Shimazu, had left her a year back, after her giving birth to Akiko, and she lived alone on the streets. Mistress Rei had seen all this happen, and took Shinobi in. Rei didn't feed her very well, which is why Shinobi must have stolen the bread. Not wanting to live on the streets, Shinobi accepted Rei's offer for shelter, even if she did get punished sometimes...badly.)
Rei: Let me see that ring of yours.
(Shinobi glances down at her ring, given to her by her great-grandmother right before dying, the only family member she can remember. Her great grandmother's last name initial is carved into it; A, for Asou. It's a petite silver ring, which she adores very much.)
Shinobi: What?! Never.
(Mistress Rei becomes a bit angry, and grabs Shinobi's wrist, sliding the ring off. Having a short temper, Shinobi is very hard to deal with sometimes, for Rei. She shoves Shinobi away and concentrates on the ring, casting a spell on it..)
Shinobi: No!!
(Shinobi tries to take the ring back but ends up fighting over it with Rei. Rei's concentration is broken and her spell doesn't quite turn out the way she wanted it.. It ends up something like this: (which slowly appeared in misty yellow writing above the ring)
Whomever shall posses this ring will have powers, powers to heal.... (Shinobi runs, frightened, leaving the ring with Rei. She never returns. Her child, Akiko, grows up with Rei, and eventually moves away. Her life was rough with the Mistress, and she hated everybody around her because of Rei's teachings. Before she left, however, Rei gave her Shinobi's ring. Akiko finds Yoshio, and together they claim a small apartment. Akiko finally opens up to someone for once in her life, but he just seems to want her to sleep with, which she never realizes.) At Least I've Seen You Smile [Tokyo, Japan, inside Akiko Shimazu's and Yoshio Meguma's apartment] (AN-They never got married..don't ask me how Akari ended up Shimazu! She just did =P) Akiko: I didn't want a child, Yoshio! Yoshio: Well, neither did I!! But you didn't protect yourself, Akiko; are you stupid? (He slaps her face harshly.) Akiko: (cringing from the slap) What about you!? Yoshio: *he pauses then yells* Oh, just forget it! *whispering* I'll find a way to be rid of that child.. (Nine months pass, and Akiko gives birth to a baby girl. She then realizes that she wants to keep this child, no matter what. But Yoshio has a different opinion on that.. Akiko is shown laying in her hospital bed, cradling the baby in her arms, smiling down at the infant. She glances at the ring on her finger, which had caught the rays of sun peeking through the hospital window.. the ring the Mistress had given her. It's rather small, and silver, with a tiny diamond in the center and an "A" imprinted underneath.. memories of Akiko's past come flying back and she quickly looks away.) Akiko: I shall name you.. Akari. You are the light of my life.. (AN-Akari means light for those that I never told) (She closes her eyes and drifts into sleep. When she awakens, Yoshio is sitting next to her, holding the child, a smirk across his face.) Akiko: Yoshio, we're not getting rid of her. We are keeping her. Got it? Yoshio: (his facial expression turning into a confused frown) What? You know we can't afford this. Akiko: I don't care, if it means being homeless, I will do it. I love her. I'm not going to Yoshio: *thinking to himself* We will abandon this child.. and I'll be sure of that. (After a few weeks, the parents take their child back to their apartment. Yoshio seems strangely generous, and Akiko is a bit suspicious every time he is left alone with Akari. A couple weeks later, Akiko wakes up without Yoshio next to her, and sees that Akari isn't in her crib.) Akiko: Yoshio? Akari?! (She jumps out of bed worriedly and hurries to the door. Yoshio is carrying Akari in a bundle, getting ready to leave into the cold morning.) Yoshio: Akiko, I'm getting rid of her. Akiko: WHAT? Yoshio: We can't keep this baby.. we can't afford it. I'm going to drop her off somewhere. Don't worry. Without her we'll have more money. (Akiko starts to cry, tears streaming down her now bright pink cheeks.) Akiko: But we can't.. I want to keep Akari.. I love her.. She's not just an animal you can give away.. she's our child. SHE'S OUR CHILD DAMMIT! MINE AND YOURS! We created her!!! We brought her to this world and she is going to have parents!! We are going to raise and care for her! She doesn't deserve to be abandoned!! (Yoshio shoves Akiko away and gives her a glare, his eyes telling her no.) Yoshio: I am going to do this. You can't stop me. (Akiko glares back with pure hatred and anger in her eyes.) Akiko: (through clenched teeth) You'll be sorry. I don't know how, or when, but you'll be sorry you ever did this. (Knowing she has no chance against Yoshio's brutal strength, she takes off her silver ring and puts it on Akari's thumb. Akiko had very petite fingers, and had resized the ring to fit them. It easily fit into place on Akari's tiny thumb. Yoshio rushes out of the building with the bundle under his arms as Akiko sobs hysterically, kneeling down on the floor and holding her face in her hands.. Yoshio leaves the bundle in the middle of an alley, careful to make sure no one spots him. He gives one last glance at Akari, seeing the confused look of the baby, being left all alone in the cold.. before Yoshio can feel any pity or guilt, he runs away. Too late. Painful visions of being in Akari's place come to him. He doesn't go back to Akiko. He couldn't face her after this.. Instead, he runs until he can't go any farther, then stops on some railroad tracks to catch his breath.) Yoshio: (out of breath) I..can't go..back to her.. what am I gonna.. do..? What have I..done... (Realizing his mistakes, his careless, selfish mistakes, tears form in his eyes. He looks up after seeing a flicker of light and the sound of an engine, recognizing the rusted steel of a train. Yoshio tries to step out of the way, but something stops him.. he looks down to see his foot caught under the train tracks. Frantically he yanks at his foot, as the train speeds closer... at the last second he pulls it loose, only to look up and see the sky one last time, a faint blue light, before the large bulk of metal and steam rockets over him, pulverizing and destroying his body. Back at the apartment, Akiko makes her way to the top of the building..) Akiko: *thinking* I have nothing more to live for.. Yoshio took Akari, the first and only happiness in my life, away from me... (She takes a deep breath, swings her arms back and shuts her eyes. Stepping off of the roof, she falls 10 floors down, shattering every bone in her body, a loud crunch as a river of blood forms beneath her.. A crowd quickly gathers at the bottom of the small apartment complex. An ambulance arrives shortly, taking Akiko and rushing her to the hospital. She is taken to the emergency room, soon pronounced dead. Yoshio is never found and proclaimed dead as well. After Akiko is taken to the hospital, an elderly couple finds Akari.) Man: I hear a baby crying.. Woman: Hmm.. I hear it too.. sounds like it's coming from over there.. (She shakily points towards a small alley. The two head towards it, seeing the bundle on the cold, dirty ground. The woman gasps and runs to the child, quickly picking her up and rocking her gently back and forth to calm her sobs.) Man: Look at her wrist. It's an ID of some sort. (The woman takes the baby's wrist and reads the name on the small ID tag, left on by Akiko.) Woman: Akari Shimazu. Man: We should take her to the orphanage.. Poor child.. (The woman nods and they head downtown. The orphanage she gets taken to doesn't seem to care about any records or background information, they just take her in right away. Akari is first taken care of in the nursery, until she is five years old. She then gets sent to an orphanage in America, receiving her own room and a chance to play with the other kids - not that she does anyway. Akari gets told that she was found alone in an alley, and that her mother and father are dead. She believes that they left her behind to die, back in that dark alley in Tokyo..) *** [New York, outside McClame's Orphanage] (As Akari watches the kids from the orphanage hit each other playfully and laugh at one another, she sits quietly under a cherry blossom tree, a small journal sitting in her lap. She is now fourteen years old.. learned English very quickly, and has grown to be very quiet.. a loner, as some people might say.. There was barely a time when she played with the other kids.. Never a smile, or a laugh.. But Akari is always gentle and caring.. polite and nice. She prefers to be alone, reading, writing, or just thinking.. She often writes poems to describe how she feels, or just enters thoughts/ideas in her journal. Akari speaks aloud softly on this cool afternoon as she writes in the small velvet journal she keeps, feeling the slight breeze blow against her pale face.) Akari: How can they all be so happy knowing their parents abandoned them.. or died..? Having no one to love.. no one to love them.. Being stuck here.. until they get old enough to leave, start their own life.. How.. did my parents die? And why did they leave me.. (She shuts her eyes and sighs. The journal is open on her lap, and her flowing, cursive handwriting is visible. This is one of Akari's only possessions, and she carries it with her everywhere. She had found it under her bed, all the pages blank.) Akari: Nevermind that.. I... don't care.. They obviously left me to die.. so why should it matter..... (A tear glides down her soft cheek, glistening in the faint sunlight, but she wipes it away harshly, always hating tears, not wanting to cry, thinking, it's not worth it if they didn't care about her, it's not worth it if they didn't love her. Akari begins to write more, oblivious to anything and everything that happens around her. The sun sets, and soon all the children are gone, inside the small orphanage, while Akari remains sitting under the tree, in half darkness, a faint orange light from the sun still a bit visible. Her long black hair is tousled around her shoulders, falling down her back. Not once getting it trimmed, it has reached the middle of her back..and keeps growing. As she looks up, realizing that she should go inside, she notices one little boy, leaning against an oak tree nearby, staring at her. Intrigued, she wanders over to him. Akari usually doesn't speak to others, especially ones she isn't familiar with, but this boy looks... different, somehow, and she feels an odd sensation just by looking at him..) Akari: *quietly, as usual* Who are you..? I don't believe I've seen you before. (The boy gazes at her, a sorrowful look on his face. He looks about the same age as her, same height, with thick brown hair, blue eyes, and a pale complexion.) Boy: I'm James, and you? Akari: Akari Shimazu. (James sighs, looking down.) James: Why are you here..? (Akari looks down as well. After a moment, she speaks softly.) Akari: I was abandoned in the street when I was a baby.. My parents are dead. I don't know how they died, no one ever told me. All they said was that they died some time after I was found. Or was it before? They changed the story every time. That is all I know, but not necessarily what I think is true. You shouldn't trust all those doctors, all those people who tell you in a supposedly "convincing" voice that "Your parents loved you.. They're in a better place. Don't worry, you'll be okay." How does that help me? If they loved me, why did they abandon me..? Why did they die, and leave me to stay in an orphanage? These things I'd like to know.. but of course, I cannot. I am sorry.. I usually don't go on like this, except in my journal.. *thinking* Something about him.. just made me want to tell him all that... James: *nodding* I was in a car with my parents, and we crashed.. They died, but I survived, went to the hospital. Doctors said I was fine, but I have these weird pains in my chest a lot.. I miss my mom and dad.. Some strange people took me here.. I hate it.. why did they leave me.. (A tear streaks down James's face, and Akari raises her head a bit, thinking..) Akari: I know how you feel.. I wish there was something we could do, but unfortunately, there isn't, so I have tried and still continue to try to get by like this. James: But you've been here longer than I have.. you're probably used to it, this just happened a few weeks ago... Akari: I know... I... know. *she sighs* *** (Over the next two years, James and Akari continue to meet and hang out together, getting to know each other and share many thoughts and feelings. Akari has finally opened herself up to someone, finally has a friend. She is happy inside, but doesn't realize or show it, never smiles. The thought of her parents always saddens her somehow, even though she tries to ignore it, she ends up crying when she is alone sometimes. This she denies. She does not want to cry.. but can't help it. James knows this, so he tries to be with her as much as possible. His chest pains have ceased, until one day.. ) *** [McClame's Orphanage, three months after Akari and James met] (Akari and James are sitting near Akari's favorite trees, the cherry blossoms. They are planted behind the orphanage, far away from everything else, which is why Akari likes them so much. Because the orphanage is on a raised piece of land, she can overlook the beautiful city of New York as much as she wants.. and no one will bother her, because most of the kids stay away from the trees, sticking to their playground. On this day, the other children are off doing whatnot, while James and Akari have discussions about many things, both of them being intelligent, yet they still act childish, and do not know everything there is to life. Akari has still not smiled, not even once, but came close when James told her she was pretty. He continues to try to make her smile, because he wants her to be happy; wants her to let out the happiness she has deep inside.) James: Akari, looky! *he makes a stupid looking face with his tongue sticking out and his eyes crossed* Akari: James, if you keep your face like that, it'll stick. James: *thinking* She doesn't even laugh! I would have given up by now, but I like her so much.. she's almost the only friend I have here. The only good one, at least. *speaking* Hey Akari, why don't YOU try it? Akari: *she shakes her head* That is quite alright, James. James: Okay, okay. *yawning, he tilts his head* Hey, I've never seen your eyes close up. They're brown, right? Akari: *nods* James: Would you mind if I looked closer? Akari: Go ahead. My eyes are nothing special. (James gets closer to Akari's face, and gazes into her huge, brown eyes. Akari looks over his head, afraid to meet his eyes when he's this close to her. The sun shines brightly on both of them, and it is silent for a while.. until, suddenly, James winces and falls back, groaning.) Akari: James?! What's wrong.... James: *panting* My... chest.. ow.. *he clutches his chest and leans over* (Akari doesn't know what to do, she's never been in this kind of position, and she has no idea how to care for someone; no one has ever cared for her, not that she remembers of. Akari was a loner. Letting James into her daily life was an improvement, most nurses said. It was rare that she would let anyone help her, let alone be with her. She was polite, yet she insisted she do everything on her own. Wishing she could help, Akari struggles to figure out what to do, but before she can attempt anything, the ring on her finger begins to sparkle...) Akari: *whispering while gaping at the ring* What... how... my ring... it's... glowing? (A blinding light flashes and disappears as quickly as it had appeared. James looks up at the befuddled Akari and shakes his head.) James: I.. feel better.. but.. are you okay? Akari: *pause* Yes... I'm fine.. (She suddenly blacks out for a few minutes, and when she wakes, James is shaking her jerkily.) James: Akari! Are you sure you're gonna be okay...? Akari: Don't worry about me... *** (Akari soon realizes that this ring is magical, and whenever she has a very strong will for someone to feel better, it glows - only she sees - and it cures them, but ... drains energy from her. It happens everytime James was hurting. She decides not to tell him because she's afraid he'll think she was a freak, and maybe not be her friend anymore. Akari continues to heal James without him knowing it was her, and thinks the ring will fix everything. She soon realizes she was wrong...) *** [McClame's orphanage, about two years after James and Akari had met] (Akari and James stand, yet again, under the cherry blossoms. The sunlight squeezes itself through the gaps in the tree branches and shines down on Akari's face, giving it a glitter and magnificent look. James is amazed by this and cannot stop staring at her. Akari tells him it's her "birthday" and after a long silence, she asks him if he is alright.) James: Ah! Sorry, I was so mesmerized by your beaut- ..sooo.. it's your birthday, huh? Akari: Supposedly. (There were no records of Akari's birthday. No one, not even her, knew what day and month she was born in. Back in Japan, the orphanage figured that it couldn't have been too far away from when they found her, so they told her that her birthday was May fifteenth. As Akari grew older, she realized that there was no way they could have known her actual birthdate; she had no real birthday.) James: Why didn't you tell me last year? Akari: *shrugs* It's not my real birthday. They don't have proof of it. I didn't want to tell you a lie. However.. I am really 16. James: Oh.. Well, I really appreciate the not wanting to lie part. You are the only person I can trust around here. Everything that I tell you I usually wouldn't tell anyone. Thank you. Akari: *a slight blush appears on her face* Well.... you're welcome. You have been the best to me. I don't deserve it, but you have given it to me, and I thank you. I- *she stops and her blush deepens* James: Of course you deserve it. I think I am the only one who has had the chance to see what a wonderful person you are. You are an angel, Akari. See that light shining down on your face? It is only there because it is drawn to you, the angel. Your name means light.. you are certainly the light of my life. Akari, I- (Suddenly Akari bursts in and together they say the same sweet words to each other.) Both: I love you. (Akari smiles, for the first time ever, and James smiles back. He begins to take her into his arms, but before he can reach her, he jerks sideways and tumbles down to the grassy ground, his eyes squeezed shut in agony. Akari gasps and kneels beside him, her smile, destroyed.) Akari: James! James, wake up! James, please... (His eyes open barely and a slight smile crosses his face.) James: *in a weak, groggy voice* At least I've seen you smile... *his eyes close again and his body goes limp.* *** May 16, 1998 James died. Yesterday. My "birthday". This is all my fault. My ring didn't work. He's dead because of me. Hell, my parents are dead because of me! ...James loved me like I loved him.. but my ring didn't work for some reason... now he's gone. The only one who loved me, is gone. The only one I loved, is gone. Why? Because of Akari Shimazu. If I wasn't here, no one would have died. My being born must have been too expensive and brought my parents to being homeless. They left me because of me. It was my fault. They didn't want to look at the child that brought them this disaster. So they left me. They died because they had no money, all because of me. The ring probably did something to James's body, and that's why it didn't work. His body learned to resist my ring after a while, and he died because the ring's power couldn't break the barrier his body had made. It's my fault, I used the ring. My fault. My fault my fault my fault my fault my fault my fault my fault my fault..... I will make a vow, right now. To never fall in love. To never let anyone love me. This ring will not be used ever again. I will not let anyone else die because of me. I won't let anyone into my life, ever. May 17 I am a failure. I shall forget I ever had a friend I will not fall in love again, May 20 I left the orphanage today. I finally found a job. Maybe not the best one, but it pays well. I'll be working in a cafe called "Moonbeams". The orphanage gave me some money to start off with, and I'm now renting out a small apartment in a complex called "Mountain River Estates". I have no idea why. There is no river around here, and I doubt that there's a mountain either. And 'estates'? These aren't even large enough to be called apartments. Nevertheless, I have a place to live, a job, and I'm finally out of that torturous orphanage. May 29 Pretty dull around here. I wake up, get dressed, head to the cafe (on foot - I have no idea how to drive and wish not to learn), work until 6 PM, head home. Every day is the same - a continuous cycle, monotonous and boring. I wish I had someone to talk... a frie - no. Nevermind. June 19 Oh, James! I am so sorry that I have caused you to die. I know, I am a failure. It is my fault you died... I promise I'll never hurt another soul again. I'll stay hidden. If I make friends.. someone will die. I sound foolish. But it is the only thing I can believe now. Why? ...(AN - The rest is too blurry to make out.) June 30 Sigh. I read over my recent entries. I've turned into a monster. Everything I say... ugh. I'm not like this, I'm really not... July 18 Not much to say... Still working at Moonbeams.. still doing the same routine every single dreary day in New York...might as well stash this journal away. I've only been writing in it since I was.. eight? Or was I ten? I don't remember. It's filled with everything that has happened since whenever.. I don't even want to look at it anymore. Goodbye. (Akari closes her diary and walks away.) August 1 Hiding it didn't work... But I have something to tell you! Wow! The first time in ages. Well, I found this place nearby my godforsaken apartments (I was wandering around aimlessly one day, bored out of my mind as usual) ..it's a small park-type area.. and there's this beautiful stone fountain in the center. The cherub on the top holds a vase tilted, which water comes out from, and a fish sits on a pillar next to it, water pouring from its mouth. I could just sit there all day.. it's so peaceful. Not a lot of people seem to go there (I wonder why..? It's too pretty to miss) so I can be alone as well. The park is surrounded by a short, black fence, and along the fence on the inside are fir trees, so it's (fortunately) not visible for people who walk by. They have to come in..which they have decided not to do. The only ones I saw there yesterday were a young man and woman.. He was on top of her and had one hand in her golden blonde hair and the other on her breast, his lips pressed to hers.. She was lying on a bench (which was nestled between the trees.. I suppose they did not want to be seen), her arms around his waist tightly.. After watching them rub themselves against each other and suck on each other for a while.. I got sick. Not because of what they were doing. It was actually quite romantic.. and I wish I had someone to do that with.. I miss J.... (Many pages are skipped and left blank after August 1.) August 20 I met someone today... I've been going to the fountain everyday in what spare time I have (plenty). I was at the fountain again, late at night. I met Garr Aileron... (Akari looks up from her writing and stares out of the window in her bedroom. Everything gets blurry suddenly and the scene changes to Akari sitting alone at the fountain, at night.) *** (The night fills the city, a full moon bright against the black, starry sky. The water from a fountain spurts Man: The water seems to make you sparkle, m'lady... (She looks up, seeing him, and smiles a tiny bit) Girl: And who might you be.. ? (The man hops onto the fountain's siding, sitting indian style.) Man: The name, m'lady.. is Garr Aileron. And yours..? Girl: Akari Shimazu.. Garr: *nods* Well then, good eve, Akari. Akari: Good eve to you, Garr. Garr: I.. don't ever recall seeing you around these parts.. you new here? Or all these people Akari: No.. actually, I've been here a while.. (Garr nods slowly, moves off the fountain, and makes his way towards the other side to her. He offers Akari: Do you.. live around here..? (A slight frown slides along his face.) Garr: ..My.. home burnt down..while back. (Akari shivers, and she looks down shamefully) Akari: I'm..I'm sorry.. *looking back up* ..Then where do you stay? Garr: Around.. I suppose. I hang around with some of my friends sometimes.. When I can.. You got a place to Akari: Yes.. I have an apartment. Garr: Tis good to know, m'lady. (Akari, having had no one to converse with for months, is naturally curious about this young man.) Akari: Who are your friends..? Garr: Mostly shopkeepers.. and the such.. got used to bein friends.. sometimes shop from them daily.. So (There is a long silence between them before Akari finally asks a question that has been pounding in her Akari: Do you have a family..? Garr: *lowering his head* Nay.. They.. died a long while back.. And you? (Akari wraps her arms around herself, an attempt to stay warm on this frightfully chilly night.. Garr: Wear this m'lady..? (He holds it out to her, and she reaches her hand out slowly to take it) Akari: I.. was abandoned when I was a baby.. I live alone. Garr: Aye.. *sighs some* It was a couple years ago.. and.. well.. they just died on me.. and.. Garr: *lowers his head somewhat* So.. you been waiting for someone this eve, m'lady? Akari: *shakes head gently* I have no one to wait for. Garr: *nods slowly* I see.. nay have I.. just wandering around aimlessly. (Akari nods again, then turns her head and looks up, gazing at the twinkling stars in Garr: I'm tryin to get a job, so I can work to get a place of my own, but it's kinda hard nowdays, (She blinks as a shooting star soars through the glittery sky. Garr watches it, somewhat through her eyes, Garr: Ye like stars.. eh? (Akari nods and watches the star shimmer and fade away. Garr smiles a little, as he steps back some.) Garr: Do.. you ah.. wanna sit? Akari: Sure.. (Garr nods as he sits down on the bench next to her.) Garr: So.. how long you been here? Akari: Since.. forever it seems. I stayed in an orphanage around here almost all of my life. I'm 16 now.. Garr: Aye.. nights are most the best times, especially here, m'lady. *pauses* What do you do? Akari: I work at a cafe.. it pays pretty good. (Akari fiddles with the small ring on her left ring finger and sighs again. Garr notices the ring.) Garr: You are married..? Akari: *shakes head* ..No. I've had this ring since.. since before I remember.. I guess I was wearing Garr: Who..? Akari: I think it was an old man and woman.. they found me and took me to the orphanage. Garr: That..sounds bad... but.. I'm glad you were safe as a child.. well.. 'cept for the first part.. Akari: I don't really have friends.. I haven't had much of a chance to make friends here..but then again.. (She trails off, deciding not to mention her refusal to have any friends. She ignores the urge to walk away before she ends up making one. Or has she already?) Garr: *nodding* I understand..twas hard for me, at first.. to get aqquainted with everyone.. Akari: *sighs* Well.. 'tis late.. Garr: Mind if i walk you home? Akari: Sure.. (Garr nods as he stands, holding his hand out to her. She takes his hand cautiously and begins walking south, towards her apartment. He follows Akari, beside her, lowering his head as they walk, his hair in his Akari: May I ask.. why is your hair so long? Garr: Well.. where I came from, hair did not matter, and basically at the time.. it showed how (Akari nods and keeps walking, feeling the cool night breeze as it whips her hair around. She pulls her free hand through her hair, sighing again. Has she just made another miserable mistake? A friend? She wonders.) Garr: You.. ok..? (Akari's eyes seem distant, far away.. as she nods, looking away..) Akari: How.. how old are you..? Garr: I'm.. *pauses* 20.. I look younger.. don't I? (Garr turns his head to her.. the right side of his face, showing the scar somewhat.. she can see it Akari: ...What happened there? Garr: The scar.. twas a fight.. while back.. *sighs* Nay did I lose.. nay did I win completely.. (Garr stops walking suddenly, and Akari does the same, a confused expression on her face. Garr looks up, and growls.) Garr: Some street punks.. they wanted a lil show, while raping a woman in an alley.. I heard her screams, (Akari stares at the ground, watching the scattered leaves from trees blow around. Garr turns his gaze Garr: Let's get you home. Akari: *nods slowly* It's this way.. only one more block. (Garr nods, following. They approach an old three-story building, faded red paint cracking along Garr: This is it.. eh? May I walk you to yer door.. or shall I be taking off from here? (As Akari's black hair tosses around with the slight breeze, she agrees against her better judgement. It can't make it any worse.. she thinks to herself.) Akari: You can walk me to my door if you wish. Garr: I would rather it.. *smiles somewhat* (Akari gives up and smiles at him. They walk together to the front entrance to the apartments and Garr opens it silently for her. Akari steps in, and looks back to him.) Akari: My place is on the second floor.. you go up these steps right here, and it's the first door on the left.. (Garr nods as he walks in with her. Akari starts walking up the steps and he follows her up.. Garr: So I guess this is yer stop..m'lady. Akari: 'Twas nice to meet you.. I guess I'll be seeing you.. *even though her mind is screaming at her for saying these words* Garr: *nods* As I hope to be too. (Akari smiles a bit as Garr bows to her and steps back.. Akari takes off the trenchcoat Akari: I guess you'll probably want this back.. Garr: Hmm.. well.. you keep it, for now. Akari: ..Thanks.. (Akari opens the door with a small silver key. Garr steps back as she opens it, turning around.. Akari: Bye.. (Garr turns his head to look at her from the stairs.) Garr: Bye.. (He walks down the stairs.. but the steps seem to vanish.. as he fades out into the shadows, [Fading in outside.. when no one's around, Garr sticks his hands in his pockets.. *** (Scene changes back to Akari writing in her diary.) I know I said this and that about not making friends... sigh. But I'm just going to ignore it all. Maybe I'm not a failure.. Why not try again. Maybe people need me? I should ignore my hurt and help others.. Today I will forget everything. Goodbye past. Time for friends. As much as it hurts.. I must ignore it.. and forget.. Perhaps I'm saying this because I like Garr.. or maybe because I'm lonely. Whatever reason it is.. maybe.. somehow.. I'm not a total mistake.. ***
abandon her.
Some have died because of me.
I am a complete mistake
And I will never be happy.
Those memories will die.
I am a failure, yes I know,
But I'm not going to cry.
And no one shall love me.
I won't ever let it happen;
It simply will not be.
(AN - this entry appears blurred from tears hitting the page and smearing the ink)
[A small park in New York, night time]
out, crystal-like droplets falling down into the pool. A statue of a cherub, water pouring out of a vase tilted on its head, and a fish beside it, water pouring from its mouth, are visible on the fountain.
An unknown man walks down a path, features not visible, his hand sliding along the curves at the top of a fence that leads towards the fountain. As he gazes forward, watching the water falling, he notices a girl with long black hair sitting on the fountain's cement siding, turned sideways and gazing at the
sparkling water.. a reflection of it is seen in her glossy brown eyes. She tilts her head, causing her long
black hair to fall over her shoulder a bit.
The man reaches the fountain and leans against it, looking down into the sparkly water. The girl stares into it as well, at her wavy and blurry reflection. The man doesn't see a reflection when he looks into the fountain.. he leans back, so the girl doesn't notice. She leans over the fountain farther and sighs. He watches her quietly for a while before finally speaking.)
been hiding you?
his hand to her, and a slight smile glides along his lips. Akari cautiously takes his hand, curious..
He bows slightly, as he lowers his head, kissing the back of her hand, then pulls back upright,
looking down at her.. releasing her hand. She lets it slowly drop back down.)
stay..? Sometimes these streets aren't always best to hang around, late at nights.
they always know me.. and they always smile knowin I'm still in good health... seein how most these days..
people get ill..
head since the beginning.)
She lowers her gaze to the ground when asked about a family. She now knows that her asking
that question was a mistake.
Garr takes off his trench coat, and continues looking at her.)
I couldn't help it.
(Akari nods and slowly slides the coat on over her shoulders.)
the dark night sky.)
with too many people.
and tilts his head)
I just don't get out much.. I have a job.. but it takes up a lot of my time.. that's probably why
you haven't seen me much.. and I usually don't hang around this part of town.. but it is so peaceful
here..
it when they found me in the alley in Tokyo..
(Akari smiles sadly and looks up at the moon)
face.. Thinking that he is glad she didn't notice his scar yet.. Akari turns her head slightly to him.)
wise you were, because it showed age.. But, basically.. my parents didn't mind it.. when i moved here,
no one cared.
clearly though. Akari blinks and tilts her head a bit.)
but could not save her.. the men saw me as I rushed to see what was going on.. and I engaged combat..
due to.. I.. don't know..
back to her.)
the walls. A small sign near the front door, cracked all over, reads "Mountain River Estates" and a grafittied, "sucks" next to it. Garr stops and looks to Akari.)
keeping his imitation breathing current and realistic. His hand glides up along the banister.
Akari reaches the top, turns left, and pulls a small key out of her pocket, then turns back to him.
He scratches his forehead slowly.. as he lifts his head, walking to her.)
and hands it to him.)
heading towards the stairs.)
exiting the building. Akari steps into her small apartment and shuts the door behind her,
wrapping herself in the coat and lying down on her couch.)
looking down, he kicks a stone, and walks off into the night.]