Just A Dream:Angel Wing Prologue
------------------------------
by Kevin Eav
* * *
I guess you could say it all started one day... when I bumped into
the strangest, most handsome man I could ever dream of meeting. He was
an angel... body and soul. Even -if- he didn't know it. He was the most
amazing thing to ever happen to me; he was my savior. Oh! I guess I'm
getting ahead of myself.
I'm Tabri. People tell me I was named after an angel, myself, but I
don't believe it. How old 'm I? I'm 17 now, and what I'm gonna tell
you, it happened maybe two years ago... at least, it started back then.
See... like I said. I was just walkin' along; most people didn't
recognize me for a girl, 'cause I was kinda skinny an' bony, and since my
black hair was cut short, people thought I was a boy. Anyways, there I
was, all angles 'n points, in my ratted-out bomber jacket on a really
rainy day. I was headin' towards Johnny's; my favorite spot to hang on
days like this.
Y'know, I'm usually very aware of what's goin' on around me; where
he came from, how he got in my way, though, I just don't know. It's like
fate planted him there.
"Oof!" I skidded backwards a bit; fortunately, I'd been leaning
forward, so I didn't fall down. He nearly did, but he went an' grabbed..
something, a lamppost, I guess.
I was too busy gatherin' myself to get a good look at him; but then
I looked, and -wow-... I hadn't -ever- seen anyone with golden eyes
before.. they were so beautiful. But there was such a pain inside
them... an empty hollowness that sliced right to his--and my--core. His
dusty blue hair fell over those beautiful eyes as he looked embarrassed
and murmured something.
He must've said "I'm sorry for bumping into you" or something; I
don't really remember. All I do remember was the liquid sapphire of his
voice... and a burning need to reach out, to comfort and heal this
injured angel. But where to begin? I've never exactly been the subtle
type.
So... I grabbed his hand. He was startled, that was for sure.
Smiled cheerfully, and loudly demanded that he take me out for a meal in
exchange for bumping into me.
An' that's how we ended up at Johnny's, that night. I had the
grilled cheese; he had the roast beef. He never ate. I weaseled his
name out of him in the hours of conversation we made during 'dinner'; his
name.. and that was about it. I'll never forget it.
"Shoji.. Amano Shoji..." I repeated the name like a mantra... under
my breath, of course. I smiled at him. "So.. Shoji-kun.. where are you
living?" The question startled him somewhat; I could tell. His answer
was encouraging.
"... I'm not, yet. I just.. arrived, in town." It was the best
answer I could have ever hoped for. Eagerly, I offered him a room.
Well, my room, but he couldn't have known that. I didn't have any bad
intentions--really. He accepted, though--to my surprise.
Back in my room, we talked. And talked. Until dawn, we traded life
stories; even though I felt like I'd gained a friend.. a good friend.
But
he was holding something back; I can't explain how I knew...
Anyways, from that night on, we were friends; we were
soulmates--partners in everything -but- bed. Not that either of us
wanted
or needed that. What we had was far more complete. Neither of us left
the other's side; I felt, somehow, that Shoji had even broken a
long-standing debt and engagement to stay with me.
For a year and a half, we roamed the town; Shoji 'n Tabri, Rat Pack,
Justice Avengers, and whatever else we called each other--or people
called
us. In a time of crime and rising death, we stood like a 'beacon of
hope'... or so one paper said. In truth, we were just having fun, and
doing what we could. I called him my Prince, and to him, I was his
Princess. Then, the dreams happened. Weird dreams; surreal dreams. I
was being chased by gangs; I was a cyborg with a horrible past. I was a
scared girl, searching for her Prince and becoming one in the process.
Always... always, Shoji would be there; both in my dreams, and in my
room.
It was as if he knew when I was in danger and did everything he could to
help.
The last dream--and you'll see why I call it the last--was the
strangest. I woke up.. everything was white. I was on my back; I was
wearing a white gown. Shoji was calling for me; he sounded scared. I
wanted to go to him. Lifted my arm; opened my mouth to speak. Nothing.
I tried again. I couldn't make a sound. He saw me. He -saw- me! He
rushed over... my arm dropped, he caught for it.. pulled. Beseechingly,
he cried out.
"You have to push! Push!! Don't let them take you.. please, Tabri,
don't let them..." I pushed; I locked onto Shoji's hand with all the
strength and love in my heart and I -pushed-.. I reeled away from my
white
coffin grave, into his arms; wings burst from his back and we flew away.
Landed. In a grassy field, his arms around me, and I finally
whispered the words that had been locked away for such a long time. "I
love you." I only said it once; I only needed to. His arms, so strong
around me, trembled, and he repeated the words... then he began to fade.
I looked up, in alarm.
"S-shoji? Where are you going?" My eyes wide; scared.
"I have been called... I can't delay, any more."
I shook my head. This couldn't be happening. "N-no! We've got to
stay together... Prince and Princess, right?" I was crying. Crying! I
hadn't ever cried before, not in any dream or on any day.
He leaned forward--and he kissed me. He really kissed me. Then he
was gone.
I woke up and found him gone, really gone; only two feathers,
crossed, atop his bed, and a ring, folded into a note that read, "We'll
meet again, Tabri." The ring had the signet of angel's wings.
I put on the ring. I could feel him. Someday... someday, my prince
will return for me. And until then, I will fulfill the legacy he and I
created.
* * *
Author's Notes: This is, as the title says, "just a dream"; I had this
dream one night, woke up gasping, with the compulsion to _GET THIS DREAM
WRITTEN DOWN_. Which I did. After reading it over, and sending it to
friends, I put it out to the FFML as a short story; in at least one
e-mail, I stated that I definitely would not be doing any more with this
dream-sequence. It appears to be that I was wrong. So... sometime soon,
maybe, you can look for 'Angel Wing', an original, anime-styled series.
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