A Haunting Past - [Akira/Bakuto]

It was another, beautiful and dusky day on the everlasting Main Plaza of Twilight Town. There, on a bench, a young woman was sitting and enjoying a salty Ice Cream herself, humming a little to herself. Akira enjoyed to watch the people go by, greet her, and go through their daily shopping routines. She's made herself a positive name around these parts, as she always asked if the girl could help out in daily duties. By now, she had grown quite at home at this place.

Although, she had to rather forcefully move on, to continue to be happy.

Just recent past events would be fitting for a horror story. Living a happy life, hunted away, parents not returning... and then that guy with a black hoodie who only chuckled at her, as she got flung into a door. All of these events made no sense whatsoever to her. As Akira looked up at the sky, she let out a sad sigh. Slight wind caused her long hair to tickle her face, and her blue eyes exerted tears that followed the wind.

As the wind stopped, as tears stopped aswell, and her hair fell lazily down. Akira quickly finished her Ice Cream, and stroked her hair backwards. Ever since that day too, when she had to protect these kids from those monsters, those giant weapons she had before didn't return. Everything was odd and unknown, causing the girl to be scared of the future.

It was around the time that she helped an old married couple with garden work now. So, she stood up and began to walk, causing her dress to waver with her movement and small body. Akira didn't notice someone who seemed to have suddenly grown interest into her...

(Note: I know the weapons ain't approved yet, but I think I can start anyway without causing the world to hate me. Someone simply approve it, take the money from Daisuke, Naro did so before and let it be done.)

Bakuto watched the young woman from the roof tops nearby and hidden. His black hooded cloak moveing abit from the wind. He saw this woman a few times recently and was slowly becomeing more and more interested in her. She seemed so happy all the time but then at times he could catch the scent of tears coming from her making him wonder what could have caused her such sorrow.

She also seemed familiar somehow. Could he have seen her face on a picture somewhere? Or was she some celebraty from another world that got wiped out by that mysterious Organization. That was another reason he was here. Hell has received some reports that this Organization was looking for something and some intel suggest that maybe someone in Twilight Town may know what.

He then saw her get up and start walking away. Bakuto then decided to keep to the shadows and follow after her. He was also still unable to shake the feeling he knows something about this beautiful young woman.

Slowly making her way through the crowds, Akira got more and more greeted by the townsfolk. The girl always greeted them with a warm smile, but walked on, to not let the married couple walk. She saw them working in the garden once, but by now, they'd been too old to do the work alone. And Akira's bleeding heart told her to help. It was also a great distraction from what happend, and it allowed her to simply think it was all a dream...

But, the girl felt herself followed quickly. Looking a few times backwards, Akira had grown a frown. She felt as though someone was watching, no, FOLLOWING her. But it never came to her mind to look up. Afterall, who'd be crazy enough to run along roofs? She sure isn't.

Her paranoid mind making front flips and back flips, the girl began to run, causing her extremely low highheels to clack loudly on the stone ground. Something in herself told her to run, like a sixth sense, telling to get away from everything. But, she didn't get far, and simply hid behind another wall, gasping. It was foolish to think that whatever had been following her would have lost her if she simply made a dive into a different street, but she hoped that it was the case. For a moment, she completely forgot about that old couple she wanted to help, as her heart pounded into her head.

As she slowly calmed down, the girl looked out of the street.

"I really am paranoid, am I not? To think someone would follow me in this peaceful place... How absurd..." She thought to herself.

Slowly moving on, she was still scared, and held her golden heart firmly in her right hand now.

Bakuto could not help but to smile slightly in amusement down at her from his spot. He could not believe how fast she could run and how quickly she got tired out. He was also abit surprised that she might have sensed him and wondering why she seemed to be freaking out abit as well. But also he was abit dissapointed for some reason that she didn't look up as well. That was a basic thing that War-chan taught him.

But if she did then his cover might have been blown and she would have been frightened off by him and that was something he hated. Women eing afraid of him was just wrong and he hated it if one was. He also made it a point to never kill or seriously hurt a woman. Who'd have thought a demon would be chivilrous?

"This girl is so strange." He mumbled to himself as he continued to follow her from the rooftops. This day was not over yet and he wanted to see what else she's doing today.

Feeling herself more at ease now, the girl relaxed visibly. Although her inner feeling told her to still stay on guard, Akira told herself that she was overreacting. Everything had been good so far, so nothing would ruin it now. Easing her grip on the golden heart that was secured by a necklace, the girl let it dangle once more, causing it to reflect some sunlight.

As she got closer to the old couple's home, the girl didn't bother to ring at the bell infront, but rather went behind towards the gardon. Both the husband and the wife were already waiting for her, and greeting Akira with a smile.

"Good day, Mister and Miss Sanake. How're you doing? Hehe. I'd like to help out today again. Afterall, the plants aren't even planted yet." She calmly said, and with a friendly tone. The couple smiled at her too, and let her inside the garden.

Although she'd most likely get her dress dirty, the girl began to dig tiny holes in the soil. She then planted a small plant. It was tiny, and still sensitive to everything. Giggling slightly, Akira made sure to put alot of love into the work, and enjoyed to work aswell.

As she finished her work, Akira still remained in her position.

"Alright... It seems like you're all ready to grow. Here, I'm sure you're tired. I'll bring you to sleep."

Akira suddenly moved her hand on her golden heart once more, and began to sing a lyric-less, soothing melody. Her voice echoed through the part of Twilight Town she was in, causing most people to stop and simply listen, as her voice seemed to reach to their hearts.

Ending, she stood up, and turned around. Looking shortly into the sky, Akira actually saw a shadow on a roof... But thought nothing of it, as it quickly disappeared. The girl gave the couple a last greeting, and went on, with a smile.

Bakuto was wondering what that shiny thing in the girl's hand was. He KNEW he saw it somewhere before because to really famous people had something similar to it. And he was slowly trying to remember who as he saw her now doing gardening. She must really like helping others out if she's willing to risk getting her dress dirty.

He then watched as she got up and gripped the locket and began to sing makeing him close his eyes abit. And boy could she sing. She has such an amazing voice that might match up to some of those angel singers he heard about from his little nii-san Daisuke.

As the singing stopped he opened hs eyes and quickly had to hide as she almost saw him. He then looked back and saw her start walking away. "That was abit close." He said as he got up. "She sure can sing though." He finished as he continued following her as he renewed his thoughts concerning the locket she had.

The girl went on on her way, humming slightly. Every day a good deed, right? Smiling, she sung a little to herself, going through a less visited street to return to the Main Plaza. The street was rather dark, and tiny, with a few trash cans lying around. But Akira didn't feel scared. She was quite brave for a girl, much like her mother, and didn't fear the dark.

But she noticed too late that a second person had interest into the locket she wore.

Almost like a flash, a thief ran up to her and pulled extremely hard on the necklace. The gold chain gave up on the part where you lock and open it, causing it to snap away from it's throat, and into the thief's hand. Akira could only watch in shock, as the black-clothed thief knocked her backwards against a wall, and flee with her most precious treasure.

Standing up immediatly, she lost sight of whoever attacked her.

"NO! Come back!... Please!... You don't know the value of that...!" Was all she could yell, before she collapsed on her knees, breaking into tears. That necklace was everything to her. Everything.

(Chance for Baku to step in, make a good impression, and meet her.)

Bakuto growled as he saw the thief take off with the necklace and make the woman cry. He HATED seeing women cry. So he followed the thief as he ran and managed to land in front of him.

"What th-" The thief began only for Bakuto to grab him by the neck and pull him off his feet and make him dangle in the air. "Give me the necklace you stole scum or I'll snap you like a twig!" He threatened the low-life with a growl. Oh how he dispised people like him! Stealing something because it looked like it was worth something and to make a quick ryo when it could hold precious and irreplacible memories for the person it was stolen from. Oh how he hated them!

The thief gurggled abit before dropping the necklace and Bakuto threw him to the ground. "Now get out of here before I pave this street red with your carcasse." He growled at the thief as he quickly got up and started running from Bakuto. Bakuto then picked up the necklace and went searching for the girl. Now that he could see it up close, he DID recognise seeing it before. But wasn't this suppose to be in two seperate peices?

Shaking his head of these thoughts for now, he found the girl still crying which saddened him as he walked up to her. "Here." He said as he lowered the necklace down to her. "There is no more reason for you to shed tears of sorrow now. That which you hold dear has been taken from it's thief and returned to you."

The girl began to look up, and return to reality, when she heard a voice speak above her. Although traumatized by this, the girl took attention to the strangely clothed male, who held her most precious possession infront of himself. Her face lightend up, almost shining from the regained happiness. Standing up, and not caring or feeling her sadness anymore, Akira immediatly gave Bakuto a strong embrace, completely delighted.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much, sir! You don't know how important the locket is to me! Oh, man! I could kiss you right now!"

Yelling happily, the girl gave Bakuto a quick peck on his cheek, far too happy to even care about social barriers. As she took a step back, the girl took the locket and immediatly put it back on where it belonged. Smiling relieved at Bakuto, the girl went to his side to show him something.

"You see... This locket is valuable because of the gold. But that's only on first sight. If you open it right here... you'll see what made me so upset."

The girl gave the golden heart light force, so it could open up. There were photos on each side. One was where she was maybe a baby, and her mother was holding her to her chest. (The mother's photo) whilst the second had a family photo, of her and her parents smiling, and she being carried on their shoulders when she was maybe 10. (Her father's photo)

"It's the last memory I have of them, ever since they disappeared 3 months ago. I miss them so much." She said in a sad tone, but remained a smile.

The girl didn't know the consequence of showing this, and ignoring how he was clothed also got her inner senses to front flip and back flip. Currently, she was simply too happy that her 'heart' had been returned.

Bakuto blushed abit at the kiss she gave him on the cheek. Her lips where so soft. He was glad the hood shadowed his face so she didn't see it. "You're welcome. Besides, I couldn't allow a thief steal something that may hold prescious memories to someone. I can't stand that kind of scum." He said. His eyes widen behind his hood as he saw the pictures of her parents and now he knew why it looked familiar. These two where quiet famous indeed and where also powerful.

Bakuto's eyes then narrowed and his fists clenched in anger. He now had a pretty good idea on something that Organization could be looking for. This girl. And the only reason they could be after her is because she is the daughter of these two. That just made him angery. He better warn her before something happens. "You may soon be in grave danger. You must prepare yourself." He said as he looked into her eyes.

The girl turned towards Bakuto, with a questioning face. She tilted her head slightly to the side, not understanding why the man would tell her that she's in danger. Sure, she knew she was a little naive, but this was just...

"Why in danger? And why prepare myself? I've got no way to prepare myself. I'm just a helpless little girl..." She said, obviously not wanting to reveal the fact that two giant odd objects sometimes spawn out of nowhere. It doesn't make sense anyway!

"There's nothing and no one that'd want to hurt me! So, why be afraid? I'm sure you overreacting a little, si-..." Her face suddenly grew out to one of fear. Wait. His clothes. His rather dark voice.

... Was it him?

Akira eyes grew in shock, and her entire body tensed under the sudden adrenaline pumped through her body. The girl pointed a finger at the hooded man, going slowly backwards, in utter fear and shock. Her eyes seemed to have grown extremely tiny, showing a large trauma.

"No... no! Nonononono! Not you! NOT YOU! Stay away! Stay away from me! You're the reason for everything! Everything!!" The girl yelled and gasped, beginning to cry. Through her terror she didn't give the information Bakuto needed, but she clearly had something against people with black hoodies...

"You... You hooded bastard!! Why won't you leave me alone?!"

Bakuto's eyes got sorrowful as she started to become afraid of him and he slumped abit in saddnest as she started freaking out in fear. Though he then tilted his head in confusion. He met her before and was responsible for everything happening to her? Yeah right. And War hates cute things.

"I highly doubt we have met before. This is the first time I've meet you." He told her trieing to get her to calm down. His eyes then widen at the mention of black cloaks and realized why she was afraid of him. She had already met a member of this Organization and that person must have friegthened her badly. "Just great. They already have seen her. And this cloak is scraeing her." He mumbled to himself as he removes his hood.

Akira watched carefully as Bakuto pulled his hoodie back, revealing his face. It seemed quite youthful, not older then 20... But who knew how the other man looked behind the hoodie aswell! But, thinking about it... hoodies could simply be a fashion right now. Not every hoodie could mean that it's HIM. Maybe she simply overreacted. Telling herself to calm down, and breathing multiple times hard, her heart seemed to slowly calm down.

Ceasing the crying, the girl stared inwardly into the man's eyes. She couldn't tell if it was him or not, but the fact that he returned the golden heart before, could mean that he really IS a stranger. Sighing once in relief, the girl's face and body composure returned to normal.

"I'm sorry... I've just made a bad experience with someone clothed just like you. He's the reason why I have these Ke-... Ehehehe! Ah, it's nothing! Just listen to me ramble on due to nervosity!" Akira said, visibly shy and nervous. She almost said too much. Almost.

"Please, forgive my behavior there, sir. My name is Akira Nozomi, and what is yours?" She asked, smile returned. The surname would be the last clue Bakuto need...

And someone else too.

Above, at the roof, a hooded figure disappeared through a gate of darkness upon hearing this...

Bakuto nodded to her and smile. "Nice to meet Akira. I am Bakuto Masaki." He said as he looked at her. Though inside he was worried. 'I knew it! She really is their daughter! This is just great!' His eyes then narrowed as he felt a slight spike in darkness that just vanished not long after it appeared. 'Great. Looks like someone has either just left or came in to this world. Either way it's not good.'

Bakuto then looked her in the eye glad to see her looking at him. "We need to get you out of here. I fear the enemy may know your here and you are now in danger." He told her not looking away from her. He hoped she would listen to him and not freak out again. He hated it when women do that.

The girl chuckled lightly, and turned her head sideways, causing her large ribbon and hair to shift away from her body.

"The enemy? Who's the enemy, Sir Masaki? I think you're a little paranoid. Hehehe!" She said, cheerfully. What could possibly be after her? Everything was going fine, and the hoodie was a misunderstanding before. So what would be AFTER her?

The girl's smile ceased though, as that 'Sixth Sense' kicked in once more. Something caused her to feel... uneasy, and watched. It was as if the entire atmopshere of the street they were in shifted just like that, into something dark and evil. Looking rather frantic around, Akira wondered what was happening NOW.

"Sir Masaki? Are you... feeling this too?" She said carefully, trying to not sound as paranoid as she truely felt. sadly her paranoia became true this time.

As if out of nowhere, Heartless spawned out of the ground. First a small number, but ever rising. It was once more, the weakest of them all, but also the same that attacked her world at the time. Gulping in fear, Akira was shocked to see these creatures again.

In response, her Keyblades immediatly appeared. Both of them, with a bright light.

But the girl was far too confused and scared to do a thing.

Bakuto growled abit at them. Just great. The annoying bugs known as Heartless. Beings born from the darkness in the hearts of the living. "Heartless. Beings that have been consumed by darkness and seek to collect the hearts of others." He then turned to Akira and saw her frieghtened form and the Keyblades in her hand. 'She really is their daughter. Though she is to frightned right now.'

"Snap out of it!" He yelled out to her. "This is no time to let fear control you! If we don't stop them they will end up causing harm to those in the town! Now snap out of it and start acting like the daughter of two brave Keyblade warriors!" He said hoping his words would snapper her out of it as he pulled out Murakumo.