Twinkle's Story: Chapter 46

*Hi guys, time for a new chapter! :)*
*School starts in a week. :(*
*Duke, yudodis.*
*That character though.*
*No Dawn POV because I totally forgot to include her in this chapter's story plan events.*
*Contains blood, darkness (as in evil), slight violence, and mentions romantic stuff. (ooh mature- take this warning)*
*Duke shrieks like a little girl. Never forget that.*
*I tried, man, I tried.*
*Okay, this is getting way too long, just enjoy the chapter, alright? XD*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

TWINKLE

"Do you remember me?" I suddenly hear a whisper in my ear. Instinctively, I turn my head to the right, the direction the sound came from, but just end up letting out an exasperated sigh. There's just a black bird perched on my shoulder. I'm hearing voices now, great.

Still looking at the bird, I hear the voice again. "I have never forgotten you. I missed you," it says and then the bird brushes the side of its beak against the side of my neck. Then the bird stops brushing its beak against my neck, and it raises one black feathered wing.

"I missed you a whole lot," it pauses as if confused but then continues, "Twinkle."

I knew I didn't miss it. I saw its beak move when it spoke, it's the only other creature within hearing range, it has to be the bird talking. But then I shake my head in disgust at the absurd thought. A bird, talking? I must be getting awfully sick.

I widen my eyes as I hear the voice again. "Oh, I guess you're a bit confused. I'm the black bird on your shoulder, Twinkle."

I swear I must be slowly growing insane. Who the heck, what the heck, is this bird? How does it even know me? Is it a freaking demon or something?

I suddenly feel the bird hop off my shoulder, landing delicately on the land feet-first. It lets out a cackle-like sound. As soon as it speaks again and I verify it's the bird's voice, I gulp.

"Haha, you insane? Me a demon? Haha, you funny, Twinkle, very funny. You are not insane, nor am I a demon," it takes a quick pause then continues, "I do, however, know who fits both descriptions quite accurately, and so should you."

I say with a straight face, "No, I have no idea who you mean."

The bird's beady black eyes brighten a bit more. "Are you sure? It came to you before, and it told you to hate yourself and all that nonsense. Don't you remember?"

All I answer is a simple no. The bird gives me a disappointed face. I regret myself from not knowing, though I know it can't entirely be my fault.

"The insane demon that I know of also caused the Duke to appear. Possessions are truly horrible, dear Twinkle."

"Caused the Duke to appear," I repeat. "You're saying that like he was created like a toy, but he's an actual person. What the heck's wrong with you, you stupid bird?!"

The bird stares strongly back at me. "Oh, you must not know much. Duke is just a demonic puppet who's just slowly growing insane. Nothing more, nothing less."

I say softly, "Who are you?"

No response. The bird actually goes on to say, "Well, I guess maybe you personally think of him as something more since you are soulmates and all."

In any other circumstances, I would blush after hearing someone refer to me and Duke as a couple. I know it's pretty obvious that we must be. Especially what happened in that abandoned alley we escaped to. After that, how could we not be a couple? We practically memorized how it felt when our lips made contact. The cool burning sensation- shocking at first then turning satisfying at the end. Our kisses also memorized- always lips pressed onto the other's, tongues never involved. He's more real than anyone I know and don't know. He is mine, and I am his. We're opposites in sync. He's not fake, a puppet, he's real. I know he is.

"Who the heck are you?!" I shout at the bird. "Answer the freaking question you piece of--"

"Black Raven," the bird interrupts. "Just call me Black Raven. Affiliate of Twinkle same as Night Crow."

My eyes flash a bright blue as I stare at the black bird, Black Raven. "Good, you answered the question. But take this is as a warning. If you ever, and I mean ever, refer to Duke as a puppet created by the devil itself, I will snap your puny bird neck in half."

Even though I said that in such a threatening tone, Black Raven just laughs. "Yeah, sure you will. But just take in count that I basically am the only one keeping you alive right now."

Suddenly, bright blue ice bursts out of my tailpiece completely covering it in ice. Then the blue ice reaches up and covers the rest of my body like blue icicles shaped into flames. I mimic the eye thing that Duke sometimes does- only the iris of the eye shown.

 "And I don't care," I simply say and then swish my ice-covered tail as I turn away from Black Raven. I walk a few small steps away from the bird, gradually taking larger steps.

I will be with you soon once again. Do not fear, my love. We will face the absurdity of this world together. And then we'll go to a place where we'll both be safe, where we both belong. We'll go there, to that fantastical dream of a place, together no matter how difficult it gets. You and me- fire and ice.


CALLIAH

"I got her!" Finny calls out into an empty foyer. Then he shoves me into a chair in a room that looks like a kitchen. There must be others, more than one other person, in this house-like building. The atmosphere in this place, the number of plates placed around the table. Tiny crumbs on them make me believe that the remaining people here have just recently finished eating a snack.

Then I see a few adults, mostly in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties, enter the kitchen from a corner I was not aware of. Then the prison guard, Taurel, who I believe to be the leader of this group of whatever they call themselves. And then her. Her bright pinkish-red dyed hair. Her dusky brown hair long gone over the years.

I rub my eyes a few times in disbelief. "Sparkle," I breathe.

She doesn't even acknowledge me. Does she also hate me due to what I did to Duke? Before I can think another thought about that, she runs over to Finny and wraps her arms around his waist.

I can't really hear what she's saying even though she's now a few feet away from me. My guess is she only wants Finny to hear. Either that or she just doesn't want me to hear. Understandable.

Smiles light up both their faces. And then the two of them kiss.

The rest of them, the adults, just roll their eyes as I stare at them in bewilderment.

The two foxes who have been very close to Duke have turned against him, and they are now in love.

That thought, that knowledge, makes my heart ache.


DUKE

"B-Black flames," I breathe as I look at myself, almost naked, in the mirror. I stare mesmerized at the black fiery wings dancing just like flames. Every other time I had fiery wings, they were fully orange. But now they're pure black. Black flames; death flames.

I want them gone, for the black flames to fully diminish, right now. I can't stand another second of seeing, feeling these black flames attached to me, body and soul. I need them gone. Right now.

I focus on how I always conceal my fiery powers inside of myself, my fiery wings folding on top of each other and being packed inside my spine. The feeling of fiery sparks throughout my body being ebbed away. Turning normal again.

But every time I try to with these black flamed wings, they always remain there. The flames don't decrease in size, they actually seem to be increasing in size.

I want the black flames gone now. I can't stand looking at them, feeling them. Even if I stop looking in the mirror, I won't be satisfied. They're still there. The black flames are still here on me. I need them out.

It's as if the black flames are darkening my very thoughts. I'm so desperate to get rid of these black flames that I'll do anything. Anything for them to all go away. Even if that means going to extreme measures.

But I don't care. All I care about is the black flames, not orange, going away and fading to nonexistence.

I hate these black flames. I hate myself like this. I hate this. 

I look at my right arm. I suddenly have a craving for blood. I crave that thick crimson liquid flowing all over me. Just like in the days and nights back then.

I haven't hurt myself in so long. Too long. I haven't caused my own blood to pour out of myself for far too long. I need the blood out now. I need the feeling of numbness right now. I need to hurt myself, make myself bleed, so I can be satisfied with myself. I have to, I have to, I just have to!

Without any hesitation, I punch the glass of the mirror with all my might. Just as I anticipated, the glass around my right paw, the paw I punched the mirror with, is now cracked. The cracked glass there breaks leaving a slightly larger than paw-sized hole. Before I know it, the rest of the mirror is cracked, the glass pieces still intact though. I look at the top of my right paw. No blood. A disappointment in my eyes.

 Not even bothering to take a breath or even close my eyes, I punch the same arm through the hole in the mirror. This time I punch my fist through the pointed glass that remains around the hole. I smile as I feel the shards of glass piercing my knuckles, my wrist on all sides.

I quickly take my paw out of the mirror not because of the pain, but because I'm excited to see the trickles of blood flowing all over it. But before I take a look at my paw, I stare straight into the broken, cracked mirror. Now the mirror is more accurate. I'm cracked and broken just like the mirror, just like that Duke in the mirror.

When I do look down at my right paw, I smile relieved at the blood pouring out of scratches covering the top of my paw and all around my wrist.

Suddenly, I hear some footsteps coming toward my door. I wipe the pouring blood on my chest, and then lick the scratches in a quick attempt to prevent any more blood pouring out for now. I hurriedly put the dark red dress-pants, the red a shade slightly lighter than that of blood, on. But before I can put the shirt on, I hear the devastating sound of the door being unlocked. The door to my room.

Curses fill my head. All different types of swear words from minor to serious. I curse Zios, I curse Mira, I curse Fierdan, I curse Dawn, I curse nearly everyone except for Twinkle. I just stand there, facing opposite the direction of the door, paralyzed.

When I hear the door shut behind me, I know I am too late. There's no point in me putting a shirt on since whoever entered already saw me shirtless. Shirtless as in able to see the black flamed wings clearly visible. Shirtless as in able to see the phantom flame that covers my heart. I must not turn around, I must never face him again.

The person who entered the room, the same government fake as before, says, "Ooh, why isn't this interesting? No wonder Dawn is so drawn to someone so remarkable, incredulous, spectacular."

Totally forgetting my own self-warnings just a few moments before, I turn around to face him. My bare upper body facing him. The purple and black flame I've always hid away from others seeing- except when I wanted them to see- now visible to him. Now that I look at it, it is glowing faintly.

Why I stay like that is beyond me. I just can't simply do anything. Face away from him, hastily put a shirt on, even cover the flame with an arm. I can't believe I'm allowing this person who is basically still a stranger to me take me all in. Someone staring at the flame on my heart, especially when I didn't intend on showing anyone, is the equivalent to staring at someone completely naked, in my eyes. Like at the parts people try the hardest to keep hidden from others. And I'm that naked person being stared at- metaphorically.

I feel the guy's eyes staring at the flame on my chest as well as the black flames that shoot out in the area around my shoulderblades. I feel the admiration and wonder in his gaze.

He murmurs, "No wonder she wants you. She must like her boys real bad, badder than bad."

I continue to stare him in the eye. He continues without me saying a word, "You're Fierdan technically. You have to be. You have the phantom dictator flame on your very heart. He caused the elements that form the phantoms to become evil, to become wicked. You control the phantoms, you are their dictator. You forced them to hate your parents, Zios and Mira."

When he pauses, I stare blankly at him. I always knew the flame was connected to the phantoms in a way, but not in that way. Not like that. I begin to hear my screaming in my head in pure terror for who I truly am, or was.

He speaks again. "Since you basically control the phantoms, you can control what they do. Do they remain in their hidden areas, or do they reveal themselves and attack? It's in your paws. So, I've been wondering, Dawn too, about that incident. That battle not too long ago. The one where a phantom showed up, and an arctic wolf aimed at it but missed. Hit a poor little girl instead. So here's a question for you, Duke Fierdan. Were your subconscious actions the cause of that girl's death? Fauna's her name, I believe? Hmm?"

I feel tears escaping my eyes in a hurry. I feel myself sweating incredibly. I feel very uncomfortable at this question being suddenly thrown at me. How does he even freaking know all this?! Oh Zios, oh Zios. 

"Hmm?" he repeats, his voice putting pressure on me.

Of course I didn't cause Fauna to die because of that phantom, of course not. I can't possibly be that cruel. Twinkle... oh Zios. Oh Zios, I can't lie out of this one. Darn it, darn it! 

I feel my noes turning into yeses. I take a deep breath, closing my eyes. And I take in this moment, this one last moment of peace.

I open my eyes and exhale. "Yes," I answer, "Yes, I caused her to die. I caused Fauna to die due to the arctic wolf being worse than poop at aiming with a bow and arrow. It's technically more his fault than my own, but I did cause that phantom to appear, even though I did it subconsciously. I also caused other phantoms to show up. To hurt that vixen, Twinkle, to hurt many back where I used to mainly live. But now, now I'm on the run."

A sly grin is on my face now. I'm laughing like a maniac in my head, like a psycho. Only more deranged.

"Did you just call Twinkle a vixen?" he asks in shock probably due to the fact that I called her that fox swear word.

I grin up at him, baring my fangs. I don't care what he thinks of me anymore, I honestly don't. I walk up to him, to his ugly face, and snarl, "Yeah, because she is one."

He eventually becomes less startled again. He then becomes interested in the black flames that are still shooting out.

"Black flames, huh?" he murmurs to himself. He reaches out an arm, inches away from touching the flames. The deadly black flames...

Instinctively, I take a huge step back nearly tripping over myself.

He gives me a puzzled look.

"What do you think you're doing?!" I shout at him.

"I want to feel your black flames. They are quite beautiful, if I did not say earlier." He reaches closer to the flames; I take another huge step back.

"Don't touch my flames, darn it! Do you want to freaking die?!"

"Black flames won't kill."

"Yes, they do!" I scream, becoming desperate to reason with him.

He steps closer to me, his arm reached out in front of me. I backed myself into a wall.

Wide-eyed in terror, I shriek, hearing my voice crack as I do so, "ONLY I CAN TOUCH THESE BLACK FLAMES AND LIVE. PLEASE SIR, WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT TOUCH THE BLACK FLAMES! THEY ARE THE FLAMES OF DEATH, TORTUROUS ONES!"

Still not convinced, his index finger of his right paw only inches away from touching the black flames of my wings.

My voice cracks even more. My voice sounds so high-pitched. More tears fall down my face. I'm giving my all to this guy. I don't even know him that well, I don't even like him, but I don't want him to die. I really don't want to be a cause of his death- anyone's death- intentionally or not. Never again.

"GET AWAY FROM THE BLACK FLAMES! I'M BEGGING YOU, PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. THIS ISN'T ANY POOP OR ANYTHING! THESE FLAMES WILL CAUSE ANYONE WHO TOUCHES THEM, BESIDES MYSELF, TO DIE PAINFULLY. I REALLY, REALLY, DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE BECAUSE OF ME! PLEASE, BACK AWAY FROM ME, PLEASE..."

He doesn't listen to me.

His claw comes in contact with the flames.

The black flames consume his claw, then his fingertip.

He stumbles to the ground.

I bend my knees and sit on the ground. "WHY DIDN'T YOU LISTEN TO ME, DARN IT WHY?!"

I then sob in agony, in complete terror, for hours.

The pain from making myself bleed is coming. It hurts so freaking much.

The pain also comes from the knowledge that I possess such flames- black, deadly flames.

They still do not diminish.

This guilt will always be a part of me. And it won't leave.

I won't allow it.