When Shadows Intertwine with the Heart

Ch 8: Beauty in the Shadows

Setting: Classroom
N: Aika was sitting on top of a desk in the front row and continued to make animals out of her shadows. She watched them all run and fly around the room. She looked down beside her to see Echo-Shade sleeping on the desk. She showed a little smile and pet his head. She looked up at the animals running and flying around above her then her smile went away. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, and thought about her dream, and the voice of the person who told her to run.

"Aika, run. Go Aika! Run! I promise I'll be right behind you! Go, run!"

N: She opened her eyes and looked up to see a phoenix circling above her. She looked around the room to see all her shadows still roaming around the room. She brought her knee up on the desk so she can rest her arm on it. She had a sad look on her face, then her hands started to ball into fists. She let out a low growl and slammed her fist on the desk, but as she did she woke up Echo-Shade and startled some of the shadows.

Echo-Shade: "What is it?" He asked with a worried look.

Aika: "How?"

N: Echo-Shade tilted his head in confusion and Aika's fists started to shake.

Aika: "How did I lose something so easily?" She asked as she gritted her teeth.

N: Echo-Shade looked at her hand to see it still shaking. He put his hand over her's and she released her grip and took a deep breath and let it out.

Echo-Shade: "You need to stop blaming yourself, what happened, happened, and you can't change it. No one can." He told her as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

Aika: "I know. It's just hard...it's hard to let something like that go." She told him as her eyes started to water.

N: He knew she was trying to hold back her tears, seeing her like that just made him feel upset. He didn't know what to say, or how to comfort her so he tried to get her mind off it.

Echo-Shade: "Cheer up. Hmmm, hold on." He went behind the stand where Mr. Aizawa gives his announcements.

Aika: "Echo-Shade?" She asked with a confused look.

N: He was there for a few moments then he popped up from behind it with a shadow rabbit in his mouth. The rabbit wasn't hurt, but it's little legs and feet were squirming back and forth. Aika felt a little cold sweat drop by her head and she felt even more confused by his gesture. But seeing the rabbits little feet and legs move like that made her laugh and smile.

Aika: "Ok, ok. That's a little funny and cute, now will you please put the rabbit down." She told him as she stood up from the desk.

Echo-Shade: *muffled* "Are you feeling better though?" He asked her with the rabbit still in his mouth.

N: Aika rose a brow and smiled and let out a chuckle.

Aika: "Rabbit genius." She said as she pointed to her mouth.

N: He looked down and spit the rabbit out and they watched it run around in the air.

Echo-Shade: "Sorry, I said are you feeling better?"

Aika: "Yeah, thanks Echo. But you might wanna come up with a better idea for cheering me up, one that doesn't involve you having an animal in your mouth." She said while crossing her arms with a smile.

N: He let out a nervous chuckle, Aika let out a sigh and showed a smile and uncrossed her arms. She knew that Echo-Shade was trying to cheer her up so she walked towards him and gave him a pat on the head. She went back to the desk and leaned against it and watched the shadows run and fly around the room.