Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Wings, White Wings ❯ Troubles ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me but the story does and I'm proud of it.

Note: I spell Hikary with an `y'. Here is the first chapter and it is longer than the Prologue. But be warned there is a lot of explanation and background information in this so um the `fun' does not start until the later chapters but please bare with me.

***

"Takeru! Oy, Takeru!" Yamato ran down the hallway opening doors and closing them as he searched for his brother.

*Why do this Palace have to have so many rooms?*

He hurtled past a painting, a sculpture, a maid, and a guard…

"Prince Yamato, I believe your brother is in the library." The guard that he had just passed called out.

"Thanks!" He gave the guard a little wave without stopping and sprinted up a flight of carpeted stairs.

*That boy just loves to read.*

Skidding to a halt in front of the huge oak doors that reached the ceiling, he yanked them open without bothering to show grace that was expected of the Princes. There was no one to see him anyway and keeping the etiquette made by former Kings became very annoying. Most of the time he didn't bother except appearing in public.

He knew only one person would be in the library which was huge in itself. There was a circular reading area in the center of the library and branching from it in all directions would be other rooms, which held different kinds of books. There were tall large shelves that stretched from floor to ceiling in each room and ladders used to help to reach the higher parts.

And with all these books you would have thought there would be a lot of people but right now not one single person was in sight. Yamato didn't find this peculiar however because he knew the reason. The wars that were going on right now almost took up most of the people's time. The war that started by the people of Hell, or more, accurately the king of Hell had affected everyone. Therefore no one had enough spare time to read a book in the library even though it was quiet right now after another failed attempt for Heaven's power. They needed time to heal and recover.

There would usually be one or two people later on in the day at the library but it really seemed a waste looking at all these great volumes and only a few hands touching them.

Yamato shook his head sadly as he thought about these things but this was not the time. He had to find his brother. The room he entered from the huge double doors led to the History Wing.

This was supposed to be Yamato`s brother, Takeru's favourite section in the whole library. Many times had Yamato found Takeru curled up in an armchair in the Reading Area with a thick book entitled something like `The Wonders of Egypt' or `Across the Centuries on Earth'. (Titles are made up by me and so don't go looking for them in the library because they're most likely not there.) Yes, Takeru loved to hear stories about Earth since he was little.

He had discovered the fascination of the library when he first learned to read which was three years old. Yamato remembered Takeru begging him to read him a book, which contained a great range of vocabulary that was way above what Takeru could understand. He had been six then and many years has passed since.

A globe of Earth and a world map (Earth also) lay on a table in one corner of the room. But Yamato glided around these without bothering to give them a glance. He checked behind every shelf but his brother was nowhere to be seen.

"You better be in the Reading Area, Takeru, because I'm not about to search the entire library for you." Yamato muttered to himself as he hurried toward the door that would lead to the circular room.

With a loud bang the door opened and hit the wall. Yamato strode in and spotted a boy with blond hair that was not unlike his own. He was sitting on a window seat, leaning on a cushion and with knees drawn up to support a book that he was reading.

Takeru didn't seem very disturbed by the loud appearance of his brother, actually he didn't even seemed to notice as he calmly turned another page in his book. Unlike his brother Takeru seemed to show grace whenever he moved. It came naturally to him as if he were born with it. And he also had a handsome face that made girls blush whenever he passed although Takeru took no notice of these things.

Yamato wondered if Takeru's grace came from their mother. She was supposed to be a kind and gentle person and very beautiful, or she was, according to the rumors the two princes' have heard. They didn't remember their mother. It was said that she disappeared mysteriously one night and never returned. Many people believed that she was dead but these were all just rumors and nobody knew the exact truths. One thing was for sure though. Takeru got his love for Earth from his mother. Their mother was famous for her obsession with the other world.

Yamato yanked the book out of his little brother's hands and held it up. Takeru only looked up at him with his blue eyes (I actually checked his eye colour) and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, let's see, what is it this time? 'Modern Architecture and Art of Earth'." Yamato looked down at his brother.

"Is something wrong?" Takeru asked.

"Other than the fact another girl wants to be your bride then no, nothing's wrong." Yamato said.

"Oh no, don't tell me..."

"Have I ever lied to you, Takeru?"

Takeru stood up, taking the book back from Yamato, he walked toward the door that his brother had entered.

"That's the fifteenth time!" Takeru said.

"I know, but you are popular and you are the prince..." Yamato followed Takeru out the Reading Area and back into the History Wing.

"It was supposed to be a joke!"

That was true. A few days ago their father, King of Hell, had commented about how the girls in the kingdom were trying to impress Takeru and he had said that Takeru should just pick one he liked. It was meant as a joke but unfortunately a few people heard and thought it was for real. The rumor about how the younger prince was going to find a bride spread out and by the next day a few girls had come to the King for an interview.

The King found this quite amusing and had agreed for an interview just so he could see what kind of things the 'maidens' had prepared. Takeru sat through the first interview, trying not to fall asleep and keep a smile on his face at the same time. He had no interest in getting married or getting a girl friend at the moment and he had begged his brother for help on the next day when he heard more interviews were awaiting him.

Yamato had suggested that he hide on Earth and so he had sneaked out to the gate and climbed over the wall. This gate connected Hell to Earth. They were not allowed to go to Earth unless in special occasions but it proved to be an effective hiding place. Nobody could find Prince Takeru for interviews anymore and so the King interviewed the 'maidens' by himself. He didn't really mind the absence of Takeru since he was only doing this to keep his people happy and to take his mind off the war plans. He maybe the one who started the wars but he did care a lot about his two sons. Maybe it was because they reminded him of his wife for he loved her very much and it was only after she disappeared did the King change.

Takeru and Yamato sped down the hallways after exiting the library and arrived outside Takeru's chamber, breathless. They went in and locked the door.

"You know, this is getting annoying." Takeru muttered as he began changing his royal robes for something more fitting on Earth.

"Look on the bright side, Takeru, you get to visit Earth. You love that place don't you?" Yamato said.

"Yeah! But I can't stop thinking that father might just, you know, choose someone for me."

"I don't get this but why don't you want..." But before Yamato could finish what he was saying, a knock was heard at the door. The two princes froze.

"Go!" Yamato mouthed as Takeru silently slipped the balcony door open.

"Thanks!" Takeru whispered as a pair of black wings spread out from his back. The dark angel took off toward the gate that would lead him to Earth.

***

"Brother!" Hikary waved to her brother, Prince Taichi of Heaven, and made her way over to him as fast as her long silk dress would allow.

"Hello, Princess Hikary." A boy with brown hair and brown eyes bowed to her as she approached.

"Hi Daisuke," Hikary answered politely.

Daisuke was about the same age as Hikary and had asked the Princess out many times and every time he was met with rejection. It wasn't that Hikary didn't like him since they had been friends all their lives. It was just that Hikary didn't know what to think about dating. She wanted to of course because she had seen her brother having fun with other girls and Hikary really wanted to know what it would be like but somehow she always refused Daisuke even though everyone thought they would make a great couple.

"Well, I'm ready," The Princess announced.

"Hikary, you can't go in that." Taichi shook his head and pointed at her elegant dress.

"Definitely not," Daisuke agreed.

And before Hikary could ask why they grabbed her hands and pulled her toward Daisuke's room in the East Wing of the castle. Daisuke grabbed a few pieces of clothing and held it out to Hikary.

"Here wear these." He said.

"But…they are boy's clothes." She said a little confused as to what her brother and her friend were trying to do.

"Of course they are. You can't wear your dress to Earth unless you want people to think you're crazy or something and it's better if you're disguised as a boy so that no one will be able to notice you." Taichi explained.

Hikary took the clothes hesitantly.

"Are you sure I'll like the place?" She asked.

"It's not bad but you won't know until you see it right? It's ok I know it's you first time breaking a rule but you don't have to be nervous." Her brother reassured her.

It was same here as in Hell. No one was allowed to go to Earth because they were angels, white angels, unlike the angels of Hell. But for any kind of angel, their wings held power. If an angel looses his wings then he would be loosing his life as well. Even if a feather fell in the wrong hands of a human, it would be very dangerous. In Heaven, it would mean receiving a death sentence.

Taichi had been to Earth many times and even made some human friends of course none of them knew that he was an angel. Hikary was a bit curious about this other world and asked her brother if she could go with him next time. Taichi agreed but warned her many times to keep her wings in all the time.

After changing into the boy's clothing, Daisuke and Taichi inspected her appearance.

"Hmm. Now we just need something for her face…" Daisuke said as he took out a pair of glasses and a baseball cap. He crammed the cap on her head which covered her chocolate brown hair and the glasses rested on her nose.

"Great! I think that'll be ok." Taichi said. He reached out for the cap and turned it so that it was on backwards. "That's even better though."

Hikary checked herself in a mirror her brother handed her. They were right. Nobody will be able to recognize her now and she did look a lot like a boy. It was lucky she had short hair instead of long ones like most girls had.

"Let's go!" Daisuke said and together, they made their way to the gate, which connected Heaven with Earth.

***

Beyond the gate was a road and along the road were mirrors with different images in them.

"What are those?" Hikary asked.

"They are gates to Earth, each mirror takes you to a different part." Taichi explained.

"Where are we going then?" Now that they had successfully climbed over the walls Hikary was feeling more excited than nervous. (They can't use the actual gate because it was guarded)

"The one we're going through isn't far," Daisuke said. "Look! There it is!" He pointed excitedly.

They stopped at a mirror, which showed a street full of people and stores along the sidewalk. They jumped into the mirror and arrived at an empty alleyway.

"Wow, look at all those people," Hikary marveled. She had never seen so many different kinds of strange clothing before and she immediately wanted to go out to explore.

Taichi pulled her back.

"Hikary, wait. You have to know a few things before you go. This part of Earth, let's just say, isn't the nicest part and it's better if we stick together so try to stay with us when we're out there ok? And if you get stuck just call us."

Hikary nodded.

They made their way out onto the noisy street. At first it was fine for the Princess as she followed her friends but as they passed through a crowd of people, the problem came. The people pushed here and there and the three of them couldn't stay together. Finally Taichi told them to meet on the other side of the crowd then all three of them were separated to make their own way. Hikary wasn't used to been pushed and she found it hard to go through. Nevertheless she tried until the crowd started moving. She had no choice but to follow them and all the while panic rose within her.

Finally she found herself somehow out of the jam, panting and hot. She looked around and couldn't find Taichi nor Daisuke.

"Brother? Daisuke!" She called out. There was no answer. Her breath quickened as she looked around wildly. Panic was making it hard to think. Suddenly something tapped on her shoulder. She spun around and found a group of dirty boys, ranging from around ten-years-old to eighteen-years-old, all smirking at her.

"H…Hi." She said nervously and gave them a small smile.

"Who are you?" One of the boys asked.

"I…" Then she remembered that she forgot to make a name for herself but even before she could start thinking about that another boy cut her off.

"Do you know where you are?"

"No, I…" Hikary shook her head.

"Well, you are on our territory and we don't like people on our territory without an invitation." The gang of boys moved toward her.

"I…I'm sorry." Hikary backed away. A nameless terror was beginning to spread through her, which added on to her previous panic.

"Boys, why don't we show him what we do to trespassers?" What appeared to be the leader of the gang asked his colleagues.

Hikary turned and ran. She could hear their footsteps as they followed her and sped up a little bit more. She wished her brother and Daisuke were here to help her but how could she find them if she didn't even know where she was? She turned a corner and looked back, they were still following her. Her legs were beginning to get tired now and her lungs were protesting for more air.

*I hate it here!* She thought. *Taichi was lying, I'll never like it here.*

Suddenly she felt considerable pain as her head hit something and she fell to the ground. Hikary clutched a hand to her forehead and looked up.

A boy, with clothes similar to the boys chasing her, who had blond hair and blue eyes was standing right in front of her.

***