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tampered2006-10-20 12:56 am
untamedwaves.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2006-10-20 12:56 am
Log // Complete
When; Some time after the ball~
Rating; PG
Characters; Dark [![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
senzaluce] and Wave [untamedwaves]
Summary; Dark and Wave finally go out like they'd been discussing. Cuteness ensues. X3 And Wave proves herself to be a dork... again.
Log;
Wave glanced out over the fountain's spray again, smiling slightly to herself as she watched it cascading into the basin below. She loved fountains, and this one was really no exception. A fountain, right near the centre of town... it reminded her of home.
Of course, there she would have been able to sit right next to it, to drag a hand through its waters and mull things over. Here... she was reduced to watching from afar, to standing near and finding herself unable to lose herself to the fountain's quiet noises.
But that was okay, she supposed.
A fountain was it? Oh right, that one in the middle of the city with rainbow lights. Dark flapped his wings, catching the rising air currents. It carried him closer and quickly to the meeting place. "Huh, I haven't gotten her name yet... real smooth," he scorned himself. But whatever the case, he'd ask for that girl's name now. Eyes glinting in the dancing lights of the city and its buildings, the phantom thief swooped down towards the artificial waterfall, daring to loudly whistle just for attention.
He always liked attention.
Wave blinked as a loud whistle caught her attention, glancing up to find the source of it--and then blinked as she saw a man, carried through the sky by a pair of black wings.
...hadn't Dark said he could fly? Wave couldn't help but laugh just a bit at the utter ridiculousness of the situation--she'd never seen anybody with wings. This city had everything, didn't it?
Now, then. How to get his attention... Wave hesitated just a moment before lifting her hand, whistling through her fingers to try and catch his eye in return.
Aha! She responded. Perfect. Now just a few feet above ground, Dark poised, wings flapping, and hovered before he was able to dissipate his wings and land safely on the stone pavement. With a silly grin, he trotted over to Wave and bowed gracefully, taking her hand to kiss. "Good evening, mademoiselle~ I hope I did not make you wait long?"
Don't laugh don't laugh don't --please-- don't laugh... Wave managed to keep her amusement down to a slight smile as she nodded to Dark. "No; I've only just arrived myself." Although she could have easily spent hours watching the fountain…
"So... the great, phantom thief Dark, is it?" she questioned, a coy smirk coming to her lips as she glanced up at him.
It was sad how easily the façade came to her.
"Why, yes! You are right on the mark, miss... haha..." he leered to the side, fighting embarrassment. Instead he playfully raised a brow as he cast a suave smile. "I don't believe you've ever given me your name, 'pretty lady'?"
He gazed at her, putting on the most alluring expression he was capable of. What was she laughing at? Maybe she's charmed? He assumed so as he waited for the girl's response.
At that rate, she wasn't going to get through the night without bursting into laughter at this. "You mean to say a charming one like yourself didn't think to ask?" She feigned surprise as she spoke, then shaking her head as if to say that it didn't matter. "I go by Wave."
"Hey! I was going to ask at the ball, but I didn't see you. Where were you anyway?" he pried, lips tugging to one side comically. "Interesting name, Wave. Is there a hidden meaning? --well," he stepped to one side and place a hand on his waist, "you can tell me over a drink. Shall we go, Lady Wave?" he extended a myriad-ringed hand and smiled.
...mm, just like the men at home, in some ways. Wave shook her head before accepting the hand. "Just 'Wave' is fine... it's weird to be called anything else. No hidden meanings, no nothing. It's just a name, right?"
She hoped, at least...
What a frank woman! Cracking her shell will be interesting indeed, and maybe a little tough, he thought. "All right then. You can just call me Dark! Although I love being titled with 'Great Phantom Thief,' it's quite a mouthful, eh?" he shrugged and laughed.
Now taking her hand and going down the stairs and across the street towards a vividly lit diner, the date had begun!
"If I was expected to say it every time I referred to you, it would be," Wave agreed, keeping an eye on Dark as they walked. Body language was key, here... how he acted would probably betray more about him than what she could tell from his words. After a moment, she spoke again. "So... was there any place in particular you wanted to go?"
Dark walked like a model on the runway, but more casually of course. He just carried that professionalism and cool manner in his steps. He gestured towards a bustling café a few blocks away. "That's where we're going. I haven't eaten out yet, but someone told me that that place was promising."
There were no cars at all in this city, so the thief led Wave diagonally across another wide street right to the door. He wish it had rained or something to produce large puddles of water so that Dark would have the opportunity to carry the lady. He hummed a little, deciding that he'll offer a flight back to where she stayed.
Taking hold of the curved metal handle, he pulled (as the sign said) the glass door and swept a hand inwards. "Ladies first~"
An arrogant gait, an egotistical attitude... Wave found he was turning out to be every inch the men she'd known before coming here, but for some reason it wasn't aggravating her quite as much. Here, it was merely amusing. "How kind of you," she teased, head lilting slightly as she spoke. "Thank you." She did step through the door he held, though, smiling slightly in amusement as she entered the café.
Dark let Wave choose their seats as he examined the restaurant-bar-something else. Dim, a little noisy, and pricey-looking. Maybe a little like him, but he wouldn't admit that now. He smiled once they were seated, reclining on the leather-upholstered seat cushions. The waiter slipped a long rectangular menu before them and took out a pen and pad. Flipping open page one, Dark's mauve eyes skimmed the dish and drink names. These weren't too familiar to him, but luckily they briefly described the item below the cursive-written name. Brows raised, he pursed his lips in thought. "Hmm, I think I'll take a recommendation, sir, but please inquire the lovely miss's order first," he grinned.
Wave blinked, attempting to make sense of the menu before her. She still wasn't quite comfortable with being able to read this sort of thing yet, and to be quite honest... she'd never dealt with it before. Which... was quite possibly a problem. However, after a moment's thought, she found she was able to make her requests with a relative ease.
Orders acquired, the waiter went on his merry way to the other side of the restaurant, leaving Dark and Wave alone. Dark stretched his arms and canted his head, bracelets shaking. He flattened the stiff collar of his black button-up shirt; then leaned on his elbows ready to chat with Wave. He looked at her. Her face, her eyes, her hair... pretty girl. He smiled childishly. "So let's see... how did you get here, Wave?"
Wave shrugged, casting her glance over the rest of the restaurant as she responded. "I know a guy. A mage, I guess. We got caught in a fight and he used magic to get us out..." Another shrug. "I guess it didn't work quite as he'd planned."
Mm, not exactly the happiest of thoughts. "What about you?" she asked, switching her attention back to Dark as she raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't think you'd be the sort of person to get caught by something like that..."
Oh...this was something he didn't expect. This girl knew magic. Or wait? Did she mention that previously? He didn't recall. Dark eyed the waiter as he poured two glasses of cool water for them; he thanked him first then answered Wave.
"Well... I actually did get caught in something like that, but it's all a blur. I must've been deranged because of the artifact's powers. My subconscious took over. Somehow I just woke up here."
Wave fought the bitter smirk that threatened to appear at those words, instead taking the glass of water that had been provided to her and taking a sip of it. "Strange... something like that couldn't have happened to all these people, could it?"
She didn't see how that would have been possible... "It must be different for everyone, I suppose." But still. "I don't know. It's weird, being here--a place where no-one really knows who you are, I mean."
"Oh… no, I doubt that happened to everyone. The caught-in-some-magic fiasco. Several of these people are regular humans, but a majority of them have something...special about them. My thoughts are that this city is an alternate dimension and somehow we've been extracted from our worlds to this for an ultimate purpose to..." Dark trailed off. All of a sudden the café's noise faded out and ticking faded in. He frowned confusedly, but shook his head as if water got into his ear. He rubbed his temple, apologizing to Wave, laughing off the acute frequency change. "....did you hear that? A clock?"
Wave frowned. "A clock...?"
She hadn't heard a clock... Dark had just suddenly trailed off, seeming to stare off into space until he'd shaken his head. "I didn't hear a clock..."
The phantom grimaced. Now she thought he was crazy! At least that's what he inferred from her tone. He leaned closer, gesturing with his hands. "Well, okay. Um, that was weird... but this isn't the first time I heard ticking. It's as if there's something inside, or beneath the city. Like a heart. Dai--I mean, a friend told me that there was something odd about the carousel. Have you seen it?"
The carousel... Wave blinked at him, shaking her head. "I've heard talk, but I haven't gone yet myself."
Something about it... a carousel's spinning, a clock's ticking... it was all too weird.
Funny, that she was the one thinking that. "It does kind of make sense, though..."
"So you agree!" he beamed, glass in hand. "Anyway, let's move onto more cheery topic, eh? Liiiiike~ what did you do today?"
He had smiled sweetly, obviously not too interested in breaking his brain over the ticking. He just hoped that happened again. He supposed that because he's more in tune with magic and whatnot, he was more sensitive to it. The same applied to Daisuke, even though the boy was human. He sipped the cool water, finding it especially refreshing.
Wave shook her head. Always.
"Today..." Wave thought for a moment, then shook her head again. "To be honest, I haven't been doing much of anything since I got here. I've just been trying to adjust to this city... I mean, it seems we never get a dull day around, does it?"
She paused a moment, then shrugged just slightly. "Anyways, have you been up to anything interesting lately?"
"Hehe, you're right. The days here aren't dull." Setting his glass down, Dark leaned his elbows on the table and propped his head on the back of his hands. A small smile and he gazed directly into her eyes just for fun and maybe to fluster her. He always thought flustered girls were most adorable. "We~ll, todaaaaay~ I helped out around the apartment I'm staying with as I promised my friend. Just cleaning, laundry, and stuff. Then I went out for a walk and met this other girl named Nill. She's really cute and has wings herself! They can't let her fly though. She was one of the people I had promised to save at the ritual but didn't, much to my annoyance. Oh! Which reminds me. You were with two other people, right? What happened to them? Did they leave a young lady like you all alone? How unbecoming!"
If Wave had been flustered by Dark's intense gaze (maybe a moment? Not too long, surely...), it was broken when he reached the end of his words--and she had to hide a small laugh behind her hand. The way he'd continued on... it had amused her.
"I'm not sure what happened to them..." Wave noted slowly, running through his words in her head again. "We wound up getting separated in all the chaos once we made it back up here. I take it you managed to help out a bit during that entire fiasco?"
"Of course! I'm proud to say that I saved at least two dozen people before whatever large thing appeared that cause everyone to run away." His glass was now finished allowing him to shake the ice a bit. He sighed, and wondered aloud, "I wonder how our orders are doing."
"Mm, should be finished any time, I'd think..." mused Wave. "But that's good to hear. No-one should've had to be there for that..."
Before she could continue, the waiter strode back to their table, a tray balanced neatly on one hand.
Wave blinked, looking at the man and then glancing at Dark. "What timing. Did you plan that?"
When the waiter stood right next to their table, Dark chuckled smoothly and swept his hair to one side dramatically. "Why, of course. I speak and the people do my bidding," he clapped as if to summon more waiters. "Isn't that right....John?" he secretly had to squint at the worker's nametag.
The waiter John stared at the dark-skinned man as if he was crazy and rolled his eyes, setting down their plates. Dark's features rested on a drained expression. "....geez, I bet you're the funsucker of the party, aren't you, John? Can't you see I'm trying to be impressive?"
Wave couldn't help but laugh again, amused by the other man's blatant honesty. "Poor thing."
The dinner between Dark and Wave was pleasant. They shared trivial but funny stories. One of Dark's was the time he ungracefully flew into (by accident of course); he explained that it wasn't there beforehand, and that he figured it was the police. But alas, they never caught him even if a large bump swelled on his head that night. There was much laughing, but Dark did most of the talking.... as per usual. It's not that he was rude, but he wanted to prevent silence.
Their plates now clean and their glasses reduced to melted ice cubes, Dark sighed in satisfaction as he leaned back and pulled his arms behind his neck. Flashing his trademark grin, he inquired of the girl's feelings and thoughts on their meal and his stories (just for gloating purposes).
In response to Dark's question, Wave found she had to smile, nodding slightly, almost sheepishly. "I have to give you credit," she admitted, resting her arms on the table, chin placed on her fist. "This has been a better evening than I had thought it would be. A thoughtful destination, a fine flow of conversation... thank you."
And surprisingly enough, she meant it.
The dark-haired man chuckled. He enjoyed it himself too. It was his first date after all! He called for the check, and after 5 minutes, it came with the total price. He kept it from Wave's eyes as he took out his chained wallet, slipping a bill into the black leather book. Setting to the side, bracelets clinking together, he smiled peacefully; then looked at Wave again. "Glad you liked it. I would be weighed with guilt if you thought otherwise."
Wave was slightly surprised when Dark slid the bill out of sight, but she decided not to worry about it--she could ask him later how much she owed him, right? "You flatter me," she said instead, shaking her head.
Eehhh, she had no idea how she was supposed to answer to this...!
"After all, a man like you... you shouldn't allow yourself to feel guilty for something you put thought into. Bad taste."
Again, Dark's face drained. He misinterpreted her dialogue. "B...bad taste? EH?!" He leaned forward, wide-eyed and shocked, neck straining. His hands were clawed to the table like a scared cat. 'Bad taste' never rung well with the thief.
Wave blinked--that wasn't quite the reaction she'd been expecting (draaaaaaat; she'd said something wrong, hadn't she?). "Bad taste on my part, I mean," she corrected, trying to think of how to elaborate. "This--the idea of coming here, I mean, and your companionship--was more thoughtful than a lot of others I know would have done. If I had thought to want more, or to be unhappy... it would have been bad taste on my part."
Mm, possibly a little better? She hoped...
"......oh."
Now she made sense. Okay, all was cool. What had been a pout blossomed into a toothy grin. She was happy! Mission accomplished. Dark now got to his feet and slid past the table, allocating himself next to Wave and offering his hand. "Well then, shall I take you home now?"
Good save. Wave smiled as well, allowing herself to accept Dark's hand as she stood as well. "That would be lovely," she accepted.
Like a prom queen, Dark led her to the front door, nodding at the usher with a wink before stepping out of the restaurant. Out on the street and in the breeze, the thief took Wave down the sidewalk to a less populated street. He grasped her hand and glanced at her charmingly. "What was your address again?"
"The second building," Wave recalled without thinking--and then blinked. "Mm? Why for?" After all, weren't they just going to walk...? She could lead them that way...
"All right! Next stop: Building Two."
With a sparkling smile (honestly, when will they stop?), Dark gently scooped Wave off her feet and cradled her in his arm. At the same time, tremendous black wings manifested themselves behind him, flaring out with a great force. Those black wings began to flap, blowing loose dust and pebbles away. "Hang on now! Lift off is a little rough."
As soon as he completed his sentence, Dark raised his head and jumped as high as he could. Wings powerfully beating, they were now off the ground, catching a breeze to glide on.
Wait.
What?
Almost automatically, Wave brought her arms up with a squeak of surprise, circling them around Dark's neck and looking down with wide eyes as the ground arched away from them.
...thiiiiiiiis hadn't been something she'd been prepared for...! Wave bit down hard on her lip, shrinking slightly into Dark's arms and watching the city below them.
It was so weird...
"Let's see, what direction is it..." Dark trailed off as mauve eyes shifted left and right, scanning the vicinity for some sort of sign. He flew at a moderate altitude, keeping his passenger in mind. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit as she squeaked in surprise, clinging to him. He held Wave tightly; she would never fall unless a magical pole appeared in midair and knocked him on the head.
Dipping on one side, the thief turned a corner, his figure reflected in the glass windows. "Don't be scared; open your eyes. It's such a great view!"
At Dark's urging, Wave looked back out over the city--and gasped when she saw their reflections, blinking in shock and awe. This was... terrifying, to be quite honest. But once she was beyond that... it was actually kind of awe-inspiring. "Whooaa..."
And he got to see this all the time?
...she almost regretted not being able to do the same.
Minutes passed and Dark had secretly taken a lounger, scenic route towards Wave's home. He knew that real humans did not have privilege of viewing the world from a different perspective. Comprehending the girl's awe, he admitted that he took his ability for granted, that he rarely flew for himself.
He grinned, "Thus, being in the company of such a lovely lady as yourself, Wave, this flight is ten times better than any other."
Finally--Finally--Wave had to look away, a pale flush crossing her nose and cheekbones. "I don't see how... this is amazing."
Scoooooooore, she finally blushed. Dark laughed to himself, agreeing with his carriage. Lifting his gaze, the black wings slowed as a tall building with countless windows came into a view. A large "2" was painted at the center on a windowless block.
"Well, we're here. Please hold tightly to your belongings as we descend to ground."
Wave simply nodded, finding she didn't have the words as they continued down towards the building. This had been... incredible.
"That was just... wow..."
Again... not having the words.
Once they landed, Dark took the liberty of carrying Wave all the way to the elevators. When he set her down, he flicked unkempt strands of hair from his face. He smiled, pressing the up button on the wall; then leaned on said wall with the other hand tucked into his pant pocket. "Hehe, was it that stunning really?"
Wave felt the blush on her face darken as she was carried to the elevator--now that they'd reached solid land again, she could walk...! But no, he'd taken her right up to the elevators already... Wave couldn't help but smile as she sighed, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "...yes. It really was, actually... I've never seen anything like it before."
"Heh, well you can any time as long as I'm here."
Ding!
That chime meant that the elevator reached their floor. Soon, metal doors folded into the wall, revealing a mirrored box for a lift. Turning sideways, Dark laid a hand in front of the elevator sensors so that it wouldn't close on Wave.
He jerked his head towards her ride. "It was a pleasure, Wave." The phantom pondered whether to leave her with a kiss on the cheek, but he decided not too. She didn't seem the type to push presumptuousness upon. "I guess I'll see you around then."
"Yeah," Wave agreed. "I'll see you around."
And then... she decided to be a brat and take a chance. Stepping forward, she reached up, tugging at the back of Dark's neck and touching a kiss to his cheek. "Tonight was wonderful."
And then she was stepping back into the elevator, amused with herself as the doors closed.
Frankly, Dark did not expect that kiss. He tucked both hands into his baggy pants, bringing his shoulders up and smiling quizzically. "I think she likes me!" Standing there, Dark waited for the digital number hit a "3" before spinning on his heel and heading back out to the city.
Rating; PG
Characters; Dark [
senzaluce] and Wave [untamedwaves]Summary; Dark and Wave finally go out like they'd been discussing. Cuteness ensues. X3 And Wave proves herself to be a dork... again.
Log;
Wave glanced out over the fountain's spray again, smiling slightly to herself as she watched it cascading into the basin below. She loved fountains, and this one was really no exception. A fountain, right near the centre of town... it reminded her of home.
Of course, there she would have been able to sit right next to it, to drag a hand through its waters and mull things over. Here... she was reduced to watching from afar, to standing near and finding herself unable to lose herself to the fountain's quiet noises.
But that was okay, she supposed.
A fountain was it? Oh right, that one in the middle of the city with rainbow lights. Dark flapped his wings, catching the rising air currents. It carried him closer and quickly to the meeting place. "Huh, I haven't gotten her name yet... real smooth," he scorned himself. But whatever the case, he'd ask for that girl's name now. Eyes glinting in the dancing lights of the city and its buildings, the phantom thief swooped down towards the artificial waterfall, daring to loudly whistle just for attention.
He always liked attention.
Wave blinked as a loud whistle caught her attention, glancing up to find the source of it--and then blinked as she saw a man, carried through the sky by a pair of black wings.
...hadn't Dark said he could fly? Wave couldn't help but laugh just a bit at the utter ridiculousness of the situation--she'd never seen anybody with wings. This city had everything, didn't it?
Now, then. How to get his attention... Wave hesitated just a moment before lifting her hand, whistling through her fingers to try and catch his eye in return.
Aha! She responded. Perfect. Now just a few feet above ground, Dark poised, wings flapping, and hovered before he was able to dissipate his wings and land safely on the stone pavement. With a silly grin, he trotted over to Wave and bowed gracefully, taking her hand to kiss. "Good evening, mademoiselle~ I hope I did not make you wait long?"
Don't laugh don't laugh don't --please-- don't laugh... Wave managed to keep her amusement down to a slight smile as she nodded to Dark. "No; I've only just arrived myself." Although she could have easily spent hours watching the fountain…
"So... the great, phantom thief Dark, is it?" she questioned, a coy smirk coming to her lips as she glanced up at him.
It was sad how easily the façade came to her.
"Why, yes! You are right on the mark, miss... haha..." he leered to the side, fighting embarrassment. Instead he playfully raised a brow as he cast a suave smile. "I don't believe you've ever given me your name, 'pretty lady'?"
He gazed at her, putting on the most alluring expression he was capable of. What was she laughing at? Maybe she's charmed? He assumed so as he waited for the girl's response.
At that rate, she wasn't going to get through the night without bursting into laughter at this. "You mean to say a charming one like yourself didn't think to ask?" She feigned surprise as she spoke, then shaking her head as if to say that it didn't matter. "I go by Wave."
"Hey! I was going to ask at the ball, but I didn't see you. Where were you anyway?" he pried, lips tugging to one side comically. "Interesting name, Wave. Is there a hidden meaning? --well," he stepped to one side and place a hand on his waist, "you can tell me over a drink. Shall we go, Lady Wave?" he extended a myriad-ringed hand and smiled.
...mm, just like the men at home, in some ways. Wave shook her head before accepting the hand. "Just 'Wave' is fine... it's weird to be called anything else. No hidden meanings, no nothing. It's just a name, right?"
She hoped, at least...
What a frank woman! Cracking her shell will be interesting indeed, and maybe a little tough, he thought. "All right then. You can just call me Dark! Although I love being titled with 'Great Phantom Thief,' it's quite a mouthful, eh?" he shrugged and laughed.
Now taking her hand and going down the stairs and across the street towards a vividly lit diner, the date had begun!
"If I was expected to say it every time I referred to you, it would be," Wave agreed, keeping an eye on Dark as they walked. Body language was key, here... how he acted would probably betray more about him than what she could tell from his words. After a moment, she spoke again. "So... was there any place in particular you wanted to go?"
Dark walked like a model on the runway, but more casually of course. He just carried that professionalism and cool manner in his steps. He gestured towards a bustling café a few blocks away. "That's where we're going. I haven't eaten out yet, but someone told me that that place was promising."
There were no cars at all in this city, so the thief led Wave diagonally across another wide street right to the door. He wish it had rained or something to produce large puddles of water so that Dark would have the opportunity to carry the lady. He hummed a little, deciding that he'll offer a flight back to where she stayed.
Taking hold of the curved metal handle, he pulled (as the sign said) the glass door and swept a hand inwards. "Ladies first~"
An arrogant gait, an egotistical attitude... Wave found he was turning out to be every inch the men she'd known before coming here, but for some reason it wasn't aggravating her quite as much. Here, it was merely amusing. "How kind of you," she teased, head lilting slightly as she spoke. "Thank you." She did step through the door he held, though, smiling slightly in amusement as she entered the café.
Dark let Wave choose their seats as he examined the restaurant-bar-something else. Dim, a little noisy, and pricey-looking. Maybe a little like him, but he wouldn't admit that now. He smiled once they were seated, reclining on the leather-upholstered seat cushions. The waiter slipped a long rectangular menu before them and took out a pen and pad. Flipping open page one, Dark's mauve eyes skimmed the dish and drink names. These weren't too familiar to him, but luckily they briefly described the item below the cursive-written name. Brows raised, he pursed his lips in thought. "Hmm, I think I'll take a recommendation, sir, but please inquire the lovely miss's order first," he grinned.
Wave blinked, attempting to make sense of the menu before her. She still wasn't quite comfortable with being able to read this sort of thing yet, and to be quite honest... she'd never dealt with it before. Which... was quite possibly a problem. However, after a moment's thought, she found she was able to make her requests with a relative ease.
Orders acquired, the waiter went on his merry way to the other side of the restaurant, leaving Dark and Wave alone. Dark stretched his arms and canted his head, bracelets shaking. He flattened the stiff collar of his black button-up shirt; then leaned on his elbows ready to chat with Wave. He looked at her. Her face, her eyes, her hair... pretty girl. He smiled childishly. "So let's see... how did you get here, Wave?"
Wave shrugged, casting her glance over the rest of the restaurant as she responded. "I know a guy. A mage, I guess. We got caught in a fight and he used magic to get us out..." Another shrug. "I guess it didn't work quite as he'd planned."
Mm, not exactly the happiest of thoughts. "What about you?" she asked, switching her attention back to Dark as she raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't think you'd be the sort of person to get caught by something like that..."
Oh...this was something he didn't expect. This girl knew magic. Or wait? Did she mention that previously? He didn't recall. Dark eyed the waiter as he poured two glasses of cool water for them; he thanked him first then answered Wave.
"Well... I actually did get caught in something like that, but it's all a blur. I must've been deranged because of the artifact's powers. My subconscious took over. Somehow I just woke up here."
Wave fought the bitter smirk that threatened to appear at those words, instead taking the glass of water that had been provided to her and taking a sip of it. "Strange... something like that couldn't have happened to all these people, could it?"
She didn't see how that would have been possible... "It must be different for everyone, I suppose." But still. "I don't know. It's weird, being here--a place where no-one really knows who you are, I mean."
"Oh… no, I doubt that happened to everyone. The caught-in-some-magic fiasco. Several of these people are regular humans, but a majority of them have something...special about them. My thoughts are that this city is an alternate dimension and somehow we've been extracted from our worlds to this for an ultimate purpose to..." Dark trailed off. All of a sudden the café's noise faded out and ticking faded in. He frowned confusedly, but shook his head as if water got into his ear. He rubbed his temple, apologizing to Wave, laughing off the acute frequency change. "....did you hear that? A clock?"
Wave frowned. "A clock...?"
She hadn't heard a clock... Dark had just suddenly trailed off, seeming to stare off into space until he'd shaken his head. "I didn't hear a clock..."
The phantom grimaced. Now she thought he was crazy! At least that's what he inferred from her tone. He leaned closer, gesturing with his hands. "Well, okay. Um, that was weird... but this isn't the first time I heard ticking. It's as if there's something inside, or beneath the city. Like a heart. Dai--I mean, a friend told me that there was something odd about the carousel. Have you seen it?"
The carousel... Wave blinked at him, shaking her head. "I've heard talk, but I haven't gone yet myself."
Something about it... a carousel's spinning, a clock's ticking... it was all too weird.
Funny, that she was the one thinking that. "It does kind of make sense, though..."
"So you agree!" he beamed, glass in hand. "Anyway, let's move onto more cheery topic, eh? Liiiiike~ what did you do today?"
He had smiled sweetly, obviously not too interested in breaking his brain over the ticking. He just hoped that happened again. He supposed that because he's more in tune with magic and whatnot, he was more sensitive to it. The same applied to Daisuke, even though the boy was human. He sipped the cool water, finding it especially refreshing.
Wave shook her head. Always.
"Today..." Wave thought for a moment, then shook her head again. "To be honest, I haven't been doing much of anything since I got here. I've just been trying to adjust to this city... I mean, it seems we never get a dull day around, does it?"
She paused a moment, then shrugged just slightly. "Anyways, have you been up to anything interesting lately?"
"Hehe, you're right. The days here aren't dull." Setting his glass down, Dark leaned his elbows on the table and propped his head on the back of his hands. A small smile and he gazed directly into her eyes just for fun and maybe to fluster her. He always thought flustered girls were most adorable. "We~ll, todaaaaay~ I helped out around the apartment I'm staying with as I promised my friend. Just cleaning, laundry, and stuff. Then I went out for a walk and met this other girl named Nill. She's really cute and has wings herself! They can't let her fly though. She was one of the people I had promised to save at the ritual but didn't, much to my annoyance. Oh! Which reminds me. You were with two other people, right? What happened to them? Did they leave a young lady like you all alone? How unbecoming!"
If Wave had been flustered by Dark's intense gaze (maybe a moment? Not too long, surely...), it was broken when he reached the end of his words--and she had to hide a small laugh behind her hand. The way he'd continued on... it had amused her.
"I'm not sure what happened to them..." Wave noted slowly, running through his words in her head again. "We wound up getting separated in all the chaos once we made it back up here. I take it you managed to help out a bit during that entire fiasco?"
"Of course! I'm proud to say that I saved at least two dozen people before whatever large thing appeared that cause everyone to run away." His glass was now finished allowing him to shake the ice a bit. He sighed, and wondered aloud, "I wonder how our orders are doing."
"Mm, should be finished any time, I'd think..." mused Wave. "But that's good to hear. No-one should've had to be there for that..."
Before she could continue, the waiter strode back to their table, a tray balanced neatly on one hand.
Wave blinked, looking at the man and then glancing at Dark. "What timing. Did you plan that?"
When the waiter stood right next to their table, Dark chuckled smoothly and swept his hair to one side dramatically. "Why, of course. I speak and the people do my bidding," he clapped as if to summon more waiters. "Isn't that right....John?" he secretly had to squint at the worker's nametag.
The waiter John stared at the dark-skinned man as if he was crazy and rolled his eyes, setting down their plates. Dark's features rested on a drained expression. "....geez, I bet you're the funsucker of the party, aren't you, John? Can't you see I'm trying to be impressive?"
Wave couldn't help but laugh again, amused by the other man's blatant honesty. "Poor thing."
The dinner between Dark and Wave was pleasant. They shared trivial but funny stories. One of Dark's was the time he ungracefully flew into (by accident of course); he explained that it wasn't there beforehand, and that he figured it was the police. But alas, they never caught him even if a large bump swelled on his head that night. There was much laughing, but Dark did most of the talking.... as per usual. It's not that he was rude, but he wanted to prevent silence.
Their plates now clean and their glasses reduced to melted ice cubes, Dark sighed in satisfaction as he leaned back and pulled his arms behind his neck. Flashing his trademark grin, he inquired of the girl's feelings and thoughts on their meal and his stories (just for gloating purposes).
In response to Dark's question, Wave found she had to smile, nodding slightly, almost sheepishly. "I have to give you credit," she admitted, resting her arms on the table, chin placed on her fist. "This has been a better evening than I had thought it would be. A thoughtful destination, a fine flow of conversation... thank you."
And surprisingly enough, she meant it.
The dark-haired man chuckled. He enjoyed it himself too. It was his first date after all! He called for the check, and after 5 minutes, it came with the total price. He kept it from Wave's eyes as he took out his chained wallet, slipping a bill into the black leather book. Setting to the side, bracelets clinking together, he smiled peacefully; then looked at Wave again. "Glad you liked it. I would be weighed with guilt if you thought otherwise."
Wave was slightly surprised when Dark slid the bill out of sight, but she decided not to worry about it--she could ask him later how much she owed him, right? "You flatter me," she said instead, shaking her head.
Eehhh, she had no idea how she was supposed to answer to this...!
"After all, a man like you... you shouldn't allow yourself to feel guilty for something you put thought into. Bad taste."
Again, Dark's face drained. He misinterpreted her dialogue. "B...bad taste? EH?!" He leaned forward, wide-eyed and shocked, neck straining. His hands were clawed to the table like a scared cat. 'Bad taste' never rung well with the thief.
Wave blinked--that wasn't quite the reaction she'd been expecting (draaaaaaat; she'd said something wrong, hadn't she?). "Bad taste on my part, I mean," she corrected, trying to think of how to elaborate. "This--the idea of coming here, I mean, and your companionship--was more thoughtful than a lot of others I know would have done. If I had thought to want more, or to be unhappy... it would have been bad taste on my part."
Mm, possibly a little better? She hoped...
"......oh."
Now she made sense. Okay, all was cool. What had been a pout blossomed into a toothy grin. She was happy! Mission accomplished. Dark now got to his feet and slid past the table, allocating himself next to Wave and offering his hand. "Well then, shall I take you home now?"
Good save. Wave smiled as well, allowing herself to accept Dark's hand as she stood as well. "That would be lovely," she accepted.
Like a prom queen, Dark led her to the front door, nodding at the usher with a wink before stepping out of the restaurant. Out on the street and in the breeze, the thief took Wave down the sidewalk to a less populated street. He grasped her hand and glanced at her charmingly. "What was your address again?"
"The second building," Wave recalled without thinking--and then blinked. "Mm? Why for?" After all, weren't they just going to walk...? She could lead them that way...
"All right! Next stop: Building Two."
With a sparkling smile (honestly, when will they stop?), Dark gently scooped Wave off her feet and cradled her in his arm. At the same time, tremendous black wings manifested themselves behind him, flaring out with a great force. Those black wings began to flap, blowing loose dust and pebbles away. "Hang on now! Lift off is a little rough."
As soon as he completed his sentence, Dark raised his head and jumped as high as he could. Wings powerfully beating, they were now off the ground, catching a breeze to glide on.
Wait.
What?
Almost automatically, Wave brought her arms up with a squeak of surprise, circling them around Dark's neck and looking down with wide eyes as the ground arched away from them.
...thiiiiiiiis hadn't been something she'd been prepared for...! Wave bit down hard on her lip, shrinking slightly into Dark's arms and watching the city below them.
It was so weird...
"Let's see, what direction is it..." Dark trailed off as mauve eyes shifted left and right, scanning the vicinity for some sort of sign. He flew at a moderate altitude, keeping his passenger in mind. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit as she squeaked in surprise, clinging to him. He held Wave tightly; she would never fall unless a magical pole appeared in midair and knocked him on the head.
Dipping on one side, the thief turned a corner, his figure reflected in the glass windows. "Don't be scared; open your eyes. It's such a great view!"
At Dark's urging, Wave looked back out over the city--and gasped when she saw their reflections, blinking in shock and awe. This was... terrifying, to be quite honest. But once she was beyond that... it was actually kind of awe-inspiring. "Whooaa..."
And he got to see this all the time?
...she almost regretted not being able to do the same.
Minutes passed and Dark had secretly taken a lounger, scenic route towards Wave's home. He knew that real humans did not have privilege of viewing the world from a different perspective. Comprehending the girl's awe, he admitted that he took his ability for granted, that he rarely flew for himself.
He grinned, "Thus, being in the company of such a lovely lady as yourself, Wave, this flight is ten times better than any other."
Finally--Finally--Wave had to look away, a pale flush crossing her nose and cheekbones. "I don't see how... this is amazing."
Scoooooooore, she finally blushed. Dark laughed to himself, agreeing with his carriage. Lifting his gaze, the black wings slowed as a tall building with countless windows came into a view. A large "2" was painted at the center on a windowless block.
"Well, we're here. Please hold tightly to your belongings as we descend to ground."
Wave simply nodded, finding she didn't have the words as they continued down towards the building. This had been... incredible.
"That was just... wow..."
Again... not having the words.
Once they landed, Dark took the liberty of carrying Wave all the way to the elevators. When he set her down, he flicked unkempt strands of hair from his face. He smiled, pressing the up button on the wall; then leaned on said wall with the other hand tucked into his pant pocket. "Hehe, was it that stunning really?"
Wave felt the blush on her face darken as she was carried to the elevator--now that they'd reached solid land again, she could walk...! But no, he'd taken her right up to the elevators already... Wave couldn't help but smile as she sighed, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "...yes. It really was, actually... I've never seen anything like it before."
"Heh, well you can any time as long as I'm here."
Ding!
That chime meant that the elevator reached their floor. Soon, metal doors folded into the wall, revealing a mirrored box for a lift. Turning sideways, Dark laid a hand in front of the elevator sensors so that it wouldn't close on Wave.
He jerked his head towards her ride. "It was a pleasure, Wave." The phantom pondered whether to leave her with a kiss on the cheek, but he decided not too. She didn't seem the type to push presumptuousness upon. "I guess I'll see you around then."
"Yeah," Wave agreed. "I'll see you around."
And then... she decided to be a brat and take a chance. Stepping forward, she reached up, tugging at the back of Dark's neck and touching a kiss to his cheek. "Tonight was wonderful."
And then she was stepping back into the elevator, amused with herself as the doors closed.
Frankly, Dark did not expect that kiss. He tucked both hands into his baggy pants, bringing his shoulders up and smiling quizzically. "I think she likes me!" Standing there, Dark waited for the digital number hit a "3" before spinning on his heel and heading back out to the city.