𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂 ৷৷ ᴅ. ᴅᴇᴍᴇᴛʀɪᴜꜱ ✶

𝘿𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙨

AKARI POV

We sat in silence, as I fidgeted on the rock. I sighed, as I looked up, into the sky, there was just so much going on that I didn't even know where to begin or what to even think about. I looked over and saw that Ryan didn't have the same smile that he usually has, and I looked down.

"Hey Ryan, why did you never tell me about your mother?" I asked quietly, almost as if I was walking on glass, trying to make sure the glass didn't crack and I would fall to nothingness. Falling, deeper and deeper, too deep to be saved.

"Ah, well it isn't exactly something you like to talk about you know? But that's not the point. Unknown never does things for others, he only cares for himself," Ryan replied, as he smiled softly, "Akari, I care about you truly. You're like the sibling I never had, so I don't want something to happen to you, something I can't save you from."

"Agreed. Unknown and Perpetual have taunted us and have done things to us. But what they truly want to know about is, well.. You, Akari," Garhender replied, as I looked at him. Garhender sat upon the rock, and I could see his tired eyes, "I owe you my life Akari. So, if you ever need to fight Perpetual once more, I will make sure to be there for you."

"Agreed!" Ryan responded, before smiling brightly again, "We're here for you,"

I felt my heart skip a beat, and it felt like I could breathe freely again. After years of keeping secrets, masks, lies after lies.. It was nice to know someone who was willing to understand and be there for the 'true' me. They weren't there for Cruel Hero, but they were there for Akari. My chest felt free, and it was like my vision went from blurry to perfect 20/20 vision. I felt ecstatic almost, and I smiled.

"Thank you guys, really. If anything happens to you guys, I'll be there for you as well," I smiled, and the two smiled nodded. It was odd really, looking at Garhender's smile. I truly don't think I've ever seen him with such a calm composure, like it was the first time in years I've seen his guard go down. And when I looked at Ryan, it felt as though he was smiling even brighter and truer than usual. Perhaps, with these two, I won't have to put up a mask.

NIGHT 22:15 pm.

I waited by the fountain, and rested on the bench waiting for Unknown. I thought about what Ryan had said, it felt almost as if it was a lie. But then again, I can't easily be manipulated. Unknown is the top for a reason, when I was with him I didn't sense any malicious intent. He had a normal and composed demeanor. I sighed and looked down, and suddenly, I felt an intimidating aura. I got up, and moved back. There he was, he didn't even need to open his mouth to make me feel afraid.

"Unknown.. I- I didn't sense you," I said quietly, as I looked at him.

"Hm? But you did, you moved away before I could appear from the shadows," he replied calmly, and his dark and deep voice rang up again. I shivered, as I heard his voice. I looked down, not having the ability to look up, "Let's not waste time, show me how much of your powers you have control of."

I took a deep breath, and tried to focus on my body. I closed my eyes, and tried to see things that couldn't be seen with the naked eye. I tried to hear things that normal ears shouldn't be able to hear. I tried to smell things that shouldn't need to be smelt. I tried to feel things that shouldn't need to be felt. But as much as I tried to do these things and take it to the next level, I always failed too. I tried. and I tried. And I tried. But I couldn't.

Bring yourself together, you're in front of Unknown right now, you can't embarrass yourself in front of him. I thought to myself, as I tried to fight the ringing pain in my ears from overusing the listening enhanced sense. But no matter how hard I tried, I wasn't able to do anything. It was as if I was trying to climb a rocky mountain, but I couldn't keep my feet stable on the rocky edges, and fell back to square one.