Chapter Text
The sound of swirling energy gave way to a pair of honey tinted eyes. The Shadowy creature emerged from slumber, rising above heavy blankets. A silent sigh of distress seeped from the shadowy beak. The shadow was confused. What disturbed her rest? Sleep was hard enough to come by. The shadow pressed a clawed hand over the beginning of a headache. Too much energy. Be it annoying, the shadow wasn't too concerned though. This has happened before. Dark shadow is a gluttonous creature of the night feasting on the endless supply of darkness. Even in her sleep. Now the shadowy avian was forced awake as to not over charge herself.
This is just something the Shadow has to live with. But it's not entirely bad. An inconvenience with a reward, and it was waiting for her every time. A friend. One that only showed it's self a few times a month. Their beauty was unprecedent. Always a sight the shadow welcomed. Despite this longing, the avian had to show some patience. When awoken like this, even the slightest movement was distressful. The bedroom around the shadow was rotating. The shapes of the furniture were nothing but blurs. Any other person would panic, but Dark shadow knew how to remedy this. Something simple, waiting a few heart beats.
Once safe to move, the shadow ventured forth. carefully slow. Across the room, above the dresser. Some trinkets toppled toward the floor on her rise. The shadowy avian didn't try to catch them. The fuzzy rug below muffled the harsh sounds. In front of the shadow where dark curtains, separating Dark shadow from her goal; her friend. With the shadow's mind's eye. She could see it clearly. Beyond the four walls of this apartment, the blacken sky was out there. Even among all the city lights. The thousands of tiny luminaires decorate the expanse above. None compared to the brightest, largest one. The shadow's dearest treasure, the great moon. Surly It was almost full by now. The shadow imaged so.
The shadowy avian wanted nothing more than to freely roam the night. Especially when the moon would be full soon. Dark shadow's actions would be viewed as disobedience. The sound of steady breathing. It acts as a reminder. why the dark avian was restraining herself. Casting a gaze over dark feathers, along the rope like body, to the starting point of the avian. There resting on his back, is a teenage boy. Eyes a shade crimson, closed. Head, that of a bird. Feathers like the night.
"Fumikage." The shadow states his name mentally.
Seemingly the boy's eyes flutter at the thought of his name. As soon as they open, they close. returning him to sleep. He let out a breath and nestled down under the heavy blanket. Fumikage forbid his shadow open the window at night. she was told to not even go near it. A hard rule not to be broken, he spoke those words a frown ironed on his beak. At first glance, his shadow has no reason to fear him. A stern scolding did no lasting harm. Their relationship, their bond was what made things like this so complex.
The shadow flew over to the sleeping boy. As small as he was compared to his shadow, he held most authority. The two exist in a strange bond. At times one of peace, other times, of disorder. With the shadow existing as a creature of pure energy; she feels like Fumikage should have grown to expect certain things. He does to an extent but... as the golden eyes gaze down at his sleeping form; she can't help but feel his truth is misplaced. Dark shadow's hand drifts just above the face of Fumikage. It would be so easy to take control, force the shadow's will upon him. Become a bond of parasitism.
Yet, the shadow's claws vanish from the boy. She rather enjoyed their symbiotic relationship. With different wants and needs, his shadow can't deny the many oddities between them. What seems simple from the surface, goes hundreds of feet below. But at the crossroads of the two Fumikage's shadow had his loyalty, his admiration. They were like siblings, twins. Never knowing solitude and privacy. The boy felt a deep connection to his shadow as well. When in need of comfort, no one possesses the ability to sooth his soul. understand his darkness, his ways. Only Dark shadow has that right. But to put it simply, they are two within one. That's what Fumikage says anyway. He doesn't think negatively of the living shadow, no matter what chaos has resulted from their bond.
That being said, time for some disobedience. The boy's shadow gingerly brushes her head on his. An early apology of sorts. The boy grumbles quietly and shifts onto his side, back to her view. Perfect. Dark shadow began to drift back toward that line. one Fumikage said not to cross. In the past when his shadow was allowed to roam the room at night. She was instructed to entertain herself. The many trinkets they own throughout the room. They serve as distractions. Temporary solutions to a bigger problem. As the night grew late, the tiny items lost value. Restlessness infected the dark avian. The toys would prove to a nuance.
Dark shadow did a silent laugh to herself. Many times, the trinkles were projectiles. Either breaking, dinting things or even hitting the boy in his slumber. The right to roam was taken. The dominate of the two commanded his shadow sleep during the night. Nothing more, nothing less. That did not prove to be wise and is still flawed. Sitting quietly with overflowing energy levels is impossible. Often this would drive his shadow into a frenzy. Dealing with his shadow's emotions were enough to wake the boy. Inevitably he would always awaken.
The shadow is sure the same scene will repeat. the anxiety was simmering within. A long sigh drifts from her dark beak, just a moment in the night air. It was all the dark avian was craving. It honestly made more sense for the shadow to enjoy herself a bit before the predetermined happened. Sometimes Fumikage would let the two go on nightly walks. What was the difference? What his shadow wanted was nothing near any of that. Well, what his shadow was willing anyway.
It was truly futile for Fumikage to try his keep his shadow away from what he allowed her to taste. Even if it was only while he was awake. He could not keep caging his shadow away from the night. Even from within her cage. After his eventual awakening, he seals his shadow within his body. her cage. in the fixed space with ever expanding energy was a nightmare. Both would suffer the rest of the night away. Dark shadow shuddered at the thought. Maybe the shadow could try something different?
Argue the issue. Fumikage controls most of his shadowy twin's actions. Words alone could make the shadow yield, but the dark avian was by no means a mindless puppet..
Just then, a ripple of distress prickled through the floating avian.
The night was calling out. the darkness was reeling in bird. A song so sweet... Could Fumikage not hear it? The shadow was positive he could. Maybe this was only something the dark avian craved? Wary golden pools stared at the sleep boy.
Again, pangs prickled through shadowy feathers.
The rope like bond between shadow and boy spun and coiled in the stale air. The shadow was drifting higher, growing in size. The call of the night, the song of the moon was prominent. It was loud, and thundering. It was numbing yet exhilarating. With no relocation of moving away from the sleeping teen, The shadowy avian drifted toward the call. Dark claws found themselves at the curtains, pressing on the fabric until the cool glass of the window was felt. It wouldn't take that much to shatter the barrier but... palms replaced razor claws; the teenage bird would be angry. The shadow would just look. That's it.
The avian's feathery forehead pressed to the surface, her beak parted. "The night bacons..." wisped out.
Quickly the curtains separated allowing the shadowy bird to see the origin of the song, the moon. a trill ripped itself from her vocal cords as clawed hands slammed into the glass! It boomed in protest from the attack. The glass wobbled but remained sturdy and unrelenting. She was growing tired of showing restraint, that was just a little tap in compassions to the shadow's real might. the boy's shadow found herself toying with the idea of roaming the night.
There was a stirring from the bed, "Dark shadow?" Fumikage was awake now. "Cut it out." he grumbled; sleep tangled in his words. The dark avian glanced toward him, his crimson eyes where squinted. "And close the curtains." he added with a frown.
The shadowy avian whined "I Was just looking."
Fumikage is clearly upset by his rude awakening; he holds his frown as his shadow drifts toward him.
"Then why are you trying to break the glass? we're not going outside."
Dark shadow glances back a few times," But I wasn't going to! " His shadow wines.
If the shadowy avian wished to break that window, it would be broken by now. Shattered in fact.
Fumikage watched his shadow flex her claws in frustration, "Calm down Dark shadow. Return, your cranky." his words were emotionless.
The dark avian felt the pull from their bond. Return? Fumikage wanted to cage her for the night. the endless cycle would repeat itself yet again.
"I don't want to I!-" The shadow cut herself off.
To break the cycle, calm down. Don't give in to the hysteria.
The shadow gathered her thoughts and retried. "Fumikage, don't you think the night's beautiful?" Dark shadow asked.
Still holding his frown, the teen replied "I do. what is your point?" could he see the trap his shadow was trying to weave?
No matter. the shadow pressed on, "A million stars, are shining. Living. lighting their existence in the vast darkness. A darkness they must brave for all who yearn for light during the sun's absence." a little poetry always held Fumikage's attention. "The enemy of dark, is not light, the bane of day is not night... For shadows cannot exist without the shimmering of light." She said gazing toward the celling.
The shadowy avian felt Fumikage staring at her. Using their minds eye, she saw pass roof into the black abyss. "Fumekage, I just want to feel the night air. I won't do anything else. I want to see the moon, it's almost full tonight." his shadow explained.
The teenage bird thought a little longer this time before he spoke, “I do appreciate the poetry, even if the end needs work… You know you can't go anywhere without me. And I'm tired.”
“Fumikage, I promise I won’t. I just want a few seconds outside. Nothing else!” His shadow urged.
”You tend to be violent at night anyway. Without me you'd go haywire.”
“I won’t.” His shadow insisted. “I just want to see the stars, The moon Fumikage! And I won't be alone. We could go together! a nightly walks sounds great. Don’t you want to go? A quick jog wouldn’t kill us.” Dark shadow tilted her head as she posed the question.
“Now you're pushing it. First you said you just wanted a look. Now a jog? Dark shadow you're not yourself fight now. You'd lose control If I took one step out our door. You might hurt somebody. Is that worth a look at the stars? The moon?” Fumikage sighs.
Wrong direction, the shadowy avian had to back track, “it’s not, that’s not what I mean. Fumikage, all I want is to go out on the balcony. Nothing more. For a few seconds.”
Fumikage grabbed his phone from the desk checking it, “Dark shadow it’s half past mid night. I need sleep so I’ll be equipped for the class tomorrow. Look, I understand you’re tired of being restrained, but maybe we need to acquire more self-discipline?” He returned his gaze to his shadow.
”l don’t need discipline. I-“
“Return. Rest for the night.”
And with that, the shadowy avian was caged away. Dark shadow would have to try harder to win an argument with Fumikage. He’s been the dominate of the two since the beginning. But even when his iron will is imposed upon the shadow, she can still feel the pull of the night. The song of the moon. It was decreasing in clarity now. Within the shadow's cage the outside world was muddled. The pressure of darkness was starting to overwhelm her mind. The last coherent thought his shadow had.
"I will have it. That forbidden fruit of the moon light."
Sleep seeps from the surroundings and takes hold of the shadow’s thoughts. A numbing sensation.