Inai Ni Yami ((Within Darkness)) {{FINISHED}}

Inai Ni Yami ((An Original Story)) Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"That's it?" Rio lay on the ground, his body out and stretched while he stared up at the ceiling of Shin-En. Sora had awoken by then and had stayed silent throughout the whole story only looking up when I mentioned Rika coming to me. I guess Rika must really resemble the real Rikka, because I feel like I'm nothing like the real Evelyn. I'm not majorly smart. I don't have crazy good looks, but a manly build and am a bit too strong for a girl, even a kagami girl.

I gave Rio a glare. "Yeah, that's it. Was it not to your expectations?" I growled low and angry, knowing my eyes were flashing violet by now. I'd never noticed before that my eyes glowed violet until I saw it happen with Yuki. And I kind of hate it because it's just another reason why I'm not anywhere near the real Evelyn.

Defensively, Rio raised his hand in the air. "No, no, it was great! It's just... I feel like you're not telling everything."

And now I was on the defensive. "Who said I had to tell you everything?"

"Maybe I did," came a voice from not far off. I didn't turn around to look but Rio made it a show of flipping off the ground and looking at Takeyama with expectation in his eyes. I rolled my own eyes lowered my shoulders, laying my head on my knees. Let the guys have their bonding time. Not like I really care about who Takeyama hung out with or anything.

"Did you find the map?"

"Why do you think I'm here?" Even that got Sora's attention, and she looked up from her lap. Probably unwilling to speak to any of us 'cause she was still mad, she only motioned her hand for Takeyama to give her the map. I looked away from the exchange, sighing. I hate this world. I hate it so much. I wish everyone could just blow to pieces... or be swallowed by shadows...

I snapped out of my thoughts the moment shadows were brought up, standing stick straight in the process and searching around my self for any rogue shadows. None that I could see or feel, but still I was cautious. And something felt wrong. I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to calm myself down. Nothing's going to go wrong. Takeyama has the map so we should be safe. And Sora should be an expert at her own language, which means there's also nothing to worry when it comes to directions. But we still have to worry about Rio having another power overload.

Don't worry... it'll all be over soon...

My head snapped up the moment the voices entered my head. The others seemed perfectly busy, looking at the map and trying to make it into a picture instead of just directions. They wouldn't notice me gone for a while. Quietly, I walked away from our camp and into the trees. When I was fully concealed, I crouched down low and listened.

Stop trying to escape... you'll be caught anyway...

To the left. That had to be where they were coming from. "Battle Mode One: Chrome Killer Version Two." I may have said to Rio before that the reason I never used this mode was because it was what was used to kill "my" parents, but honestly, that was a flat out lie that I'd used to see if he was at least sensible. All in all, Version Two was better because of it's thinner, lighter body. With Chrome Killer in hand, I began to cut away at the vegetation, sighing when there was nothing to be found. Maybe I really heard nothing.

"Stop walking if you don't know where you're going." I turned around on my heel, standing at my full height in the process. Violet eyes stared at me questioningly. He stood on a rock, watching me. He wore a casual white shirt, opened slightly to reveal a sculpted pale chest. Loose, black pants hung around his hips, looking a few sizes too big for him and held onto him only by a few stems around the fabric. He smiled and tipped his head to the side. A mop of white, messy straight hair fell to the side with his face.

"Are you the one I heard right now?" I held the blade of Chrome Killer up high, pointing straight to him. It glinted slightly, reflecting the glare of lights overhead into the man's violet eyes. He didn't blink, but leapt off the rock and stepped closer to me. "Stay back!" I hissed, going on the defensive once again. God damn, I hate going on defense!

"Eve..." is all he said. And then is a more solemn voice. "Don't go to the sanctuary. Rio said you didn't belong to that side. You belong with us." I backed away at the mention of Rio. I almost thought traitor about him, but my mind reminded me there were two Rio's. I still didn't trust him though. Because as long as he's still a Rio, something can go wrong. The other Rio can convince the Rio with us to go bad. To side with the Kurai's. And then unexpectedly, the man glomped me. Just literally jumped into the air and landed on me, wrapping his arms tight around me.

"Wha- HEY! S-sto-"

"Hey, where's Eve?" I tried to turn around, knowing it was Takeyama and my chance to get away from this freak. But he dug his legs into the ground and stopped me.

"No... don't go with them. You aren't meant to be with them. You weren't created for that." I tugged against his grip, and failed miserably. How the hell was this guy so strong if he wasn't a Mecka-Kikai? And even if he was a Kagami, there's no way he could match up to my strength! Takeyama had modified my muscles before we'd left so that I'd be even stronger than usual.

"Then what was I created for?" I hissed, digging my own feet into the ground and pushing off the ground. The effort was fruitless. With a frustrated groan, I began to resort to screaming but the man would have nothing of that. He wrapped a hand over my mouth, careful not to cover my nose too.

"We were created for something larger. We were created for-"

"Who the hell are you?" Takeyama stepped out from within the underbrush, glaring pointedly at the man behind me. The arm around me tightened much more and I whimpered as my body registered pain for the first time in a long while. Takeyama saw that. "Let go of Eve right now. I don't know who you are but there's no reason for doing this."

"She isn't of you kind!" the man yelled. "Why don't you just leave us alone?" I struggled to make use of my Chrome Killer. Of course, the man noticed this but what he did to deactivate it was beyond my expectations. He brought his lips to mine and it was suddenly as if he was in my head and... Gone was my Chrome Killer. And my will. I felt like a doll as he pulled away, no longer holding me. I just stood there.

"Eve, come over here!" Takeyama yelled, hand outstretched for me. Rio stood behind him, as wide-eyed and surprised as I felt. Inconveniently, the kid passed out, like always. Sora just barely caught him, and then looked to me. The betrayal in her eyes were clear as crystals. She thought I was siding with the enemy.

"No. She's mine! MI-NE!" The man brought his arms around me again, holding my stiff figure against his chest. I felt weak. Tired. What was happening? "You thought you could win her over just by kisses?" The words stunned me. How... how did he know? "You thought she was all yours for the taking. But realize something, Eve and I, we don't believe in love! And if she ever did start believing... well, I'd just get rid of that belief. Just like I got rid of her memories. I can take everything away from her, so don't push me to it!" Who... no, what the hell was this guy?

"Just what are you?" Takeyama asked, edging closer as he spoke. I could see his hands making fists. Just itching to use his Katana against the man. "And what the hell are you to Eve?"

The man took my face by the chin and turned me to face him, before facing me to Takeyama. "I... I'm Eve's Shadows. The things that took over her before. You remember that, right?" He laughed sharply while my mind reeled with the memory of that day. My... my shadows had had a conscious even then? That... it was so long ago! And all this time he's been alive... but where was he? "I'd tried to kill you then. I almost had you... but those darned chains hit."

"You... that was you?"

"Obviously if I'm telling you that!" By then Takeyama was stalling. I think the Shadow/man or whatever he was noticed it. "I guess you don't want Eve since you're coming this way." He said solemnly, and next thing I knew I was being thrown into a spiral of black and white. Of shadows and light.