Chapter Nine: The Powers of a Shadow

ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS A YET ANOTHER miserable start to Akari's day. Though that wasn't new. She found every start to her day to be miserable, with a minuscule amount being slightly okay. Akari had been woken up by her brother, who decided it was a good idea to jump on her while she was asleep. Hopefully, he'll learn not to do something like that again now that he was hanging upside-down by his ankles in the hallway. The black tendril hung from the ceiling holding the poor shouting teen in a sort of upside-down time out. Akari saw that as the perfect punishment for her little brother, maybe he'll think twice about bothering her so dramatically, especially in the morning. However, he probably wouldn't heed this warning. Considering he had done this multiple times and been punished just as many times for it. He truly is an annoying little brother at times.

Running her hand through her inky hair, Akari yawned and gracefully climbed out of the tangle of blankets and stretched. Her bones gave out a few satisfying cracks as she quickly made her bed at least somewhat presentable. Though it's not like anyone can see it, considering it was still so dark in the room. However, just as she finished making her bed, which was basically just throwing her duvet over it unceremoniously, she spied something over her shoulder. 

That something is you.

Her yellow eyes pinpointed you with a disgruntled look. "Should I even question why you're here?" She didn't get a reply, since you can speak to her directly through this fanfiction, but she at least thought you were shaking your head. She clicked her tongue, "whatever, you do know it's quite creepy to be here, right?" Akari narrowed her eyes, "Were you watching me sleep? You really are weird."

Though she brushed it off and started to collect her things for the day. After making sure that she had her school bag together and found her uniform, she used the shadows to completely envelop you. Ultimately blindfolding you with the darkness while she ruffled around her clothes. Finally, things became a little less dark as the shadows retreated from your face. Akari was now wearing her P.K. uniform instead of her long black sleeve shirt, and pajama bottoms. She stared at you, "I wasn't going to let you watch me change, you pervert. Why are you even here?" She contemplated why you were there for a moment since there wasn't an episode to write about at the moment. Though she clicked her fingers once she thought of something.

"Oh, I see. You must be wondering what my abilities are exactly." She tapped her chin in contemplation, "I guess MJ hasn't really explained what I can do clearly. Though if she has, good job to her, first thing she's done right in a long time. Anyway, I guess I can spend a few minutes explaining things." She sat down on her bed and shrugged her shoulders. "Saves me from having to do it later. It'll have to be quick though, I've got to get to school soon." Akari took a breath, ready to start her slightly long explanation on everything. She held up three fingers, "There are really only three abilities that I have. An obvious ability that I think all of you can understand; Shadow Manipulation. I can move shadows and make them do what I like, pretty self-explanatory."

For demonstration, Akari moved a shadow from the floor into a tendril that curled around her pale hand like a snake. "I can make them into tangible tentacles to move things around, it's quite useful. I also don't have any limitations with his ability, except maybe I get tired after doing it constantly for a very long time. Kind of like how people get tired after working out for too long." She flicked her hand and the shadow dissolved back into the background. "Second ability; Shadow Form. I'm able to transform my entire body into a shadow. Of course, you're still able to see my eyes, which gives me a bit of a demonic atmosphere, but it's still cool." Her body then transformed into said shadow. Her entire form blackened as her features disappeared except for her distinct yellow, cat-like eyes. "I take on the properties of a shadow and can do just about anything a shadow technically could. I'm a moving shadow, that's just about it." Her body flattened as she slithered off of the bed and across her room. It was a bit unnerving to see her do that. It almost looked like a shark's shadow swimming in the ocean, or at least it at the same terrifying energy as seeing a shark swimming near you. She reformed her body across the room near her door. She daintily grabbed her school back off of her desk chair and turned to you. "There are a tad bit more risks and limitations that come with this form. A weakness that I've found after a few years of actually using it. I call it consumption or being consumed by darkness. I can explain that now, but I feel like just waiting for MJ to do it in a later chapter since she'll definitely use it for dramatics," Akari rolled her eyes, "though bright lights are certainly the biggest weakness of mine. Since if it's bright out or something and there are no shadows, I can't manipulate things that aren't there, and I can't turn into a shadow because shadows can't survive in bright places." Honestly, that seemed like a given. If it wasn't clear before, hopefully, you understand now. "My final ability, if you can call it that, is what I refer to as Veil of Shadows. I've always had this ability and it's always turned on. I can't seem to stop using this ability. It basically affects my entire body, making people unable to see me unless I make my presence known by speaking." She explained, "The only people who seem to be immune to it are my family, Ku-kun and Nendo. It's a bit strange, but I like it since I don't get noticed all that much." Akari then opened up the door, cringing at the light coming in from the hall. "Something Ku-kun is obviously jealous about."

"What's Kusuo-nii jealous about?" Rikuto asked as he stared at her upside-down figure just as she exited her bedroom. His face had become quite red since he's been held upside down for a while now. Akari turned to stare at her brother and the fact that she had left him there like that for quite some time. 

She waved her hand and the shadow holding up Rikuto retracted, letting the junior high schooler out of his time out. Though he fell to the ground ungracefully and face planted. Akari answered him, "A lot of things."

Rikuto groaned loudly in pain as he slowly stood up. He rubbed his bruised cheek, "Who were you talking to?"

"No one important," Akari said before turning to you with a plain look and heading downstairs, "Let's just head down for breakfast."

Rikuto trailed after her with an irritated expression, "Hmm, you're really weird..."

Akari's expression became blank as she turned her gaze to you. "Not as weird as some people." You aren't exactly sure if she's referring to you as the weird one or her brother. Though after reading the eight other chapters, you already know just how weird Rikuto can be.

The siblings walked down the stairs and found their father dancing around in the kitchen. He was just finishing up making breakfast for his children. There were already a few plates of an assortment of food. Rikuto's pain was instantly forgotten as he jumped towards the table and grabbed himself a plate. It was a bit disgusting how he ate so savagely.

Yamato beamed his usual sparkling smile as his bright eyes gleamed at his children. He placed the last plate in front of Akari, "Here you go, my shining light! A perfect breakfast for my perfect little girl!"

"Thanks, dad," Akari thanked her father as she picked up her chopsticks to start eating her food. "Did mom already leave?"

Yamato sighed heavily as he leaned against the kitchen counter in front of the two. His blue iris held a small amount of resignation as he deflated. "Yes, she left about thirty minutes ago." He ran a hand through his salt-pepper hair, "I tried to talk to her about thinking of going to work a bit later, but you know her."

"Stubborn as usual."

Her father groaned, "She really needs to rest some more, but she's a busy woman."

Akari scoffed, "She's a workaholic, that's what you mean."

"Maybe," Yamato obviously was at a bit of a dilemma here. He wanted to have his wife around more, as most people want when their significant other was away all the time. "But you know how much she loves her company work. Can't ask her to stop doing something she loves so much."

Rikuto jumped up suddenly as he swallowed the large mouthful of food, "Why don't we go to the book shop this weekend! As a family!"

Yamato beamed with his usual blinding smile. The idea of Rikuto suggesting the entire family reserving time to spend time together was so heartwarming for him. His poor, fatherly heart was bursting with love at the prospect of having his entire family together, even if it was for just a short time, "Perfect idea, my darling boy!"

While their father continued to gush at the idea, already planning to go through with it, Akari leaned over to her smug brother. "You only want to go because of the sale on manga, and you're going to try and convince them to buy you a bunch since you ran out of your allowance for the week already." Sher could already see through his little plan, even if he tried to hide it. It was quite obvious, to just about anyone with more than two brain cells. You could probably even see through it. Well, as long as you have more than two brain cells, which I'm sure you do.

"SHHH!!" Rikuto hushed her harshly before he cleared his throat, "I just want to spend time with my awesome family, is that so much to ask?"

Akari stared at him boredly, obviously not really believing him, but just pushed away her nearly empty breakfast plate. "Whatever." She stood up and slung her school back over her shoulder, "I'm heading out now."

Finally breaking out of his little bubble of excitement for just a moment, Yamato waved excitedly at his eldest child, "Bye~" Rikuto just waved over his shoulder at her as he continued to inhale in even more food. He is literally a black hole for food!

Akari exited the front door and glided down the stairs towards her friend who was waiting for them. Today was going to be a pretty normal day, she was sure of it. Besides you being around for this morning, nothing significant was going to happen. The next chapter will obviously be another short episode from the show, so you have that to look forward to next week(or whenever MJ can update because we all know she isn't consistent. A terrible writer, honestly).

Kusuo stood at the front gate, waiting for his friend to head to school with him. Though his eyes sharpened when he caught sight of you right behind Akari. 'What are they doing here?'

She glanced over her shoulder catching sight of you. Honestly, Akari kind of forgot that you were there since you were so quiet. Guess she knew what it was like when people forgot that she was around now. Akari looked up to Kusuo and shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. Guess MJ just wanted to write an original chapter again. Either that or she's just using this as an exposition dump." She tapped her chin in thought, "I think it might be both, actually."

'And they've been watching you this entire time?' Kusuo asked, glancing down at her with a small flicker of emotion on her face. If you had to pinpoint it, it almost seemed like concern. He obviously didn't like the fact that you had been stalking Akari since she woke up without him being around. After all, what if you were trying to be malicious towards her. I mean, we both know that you couldn't actually do anything to her since you're just a reader, but still, he was just looking out for her. He has her back, just as much as she has his.

"Yeah."

Kusuo glared right at you, causing you to shiver in fear. 'Perverts.'

Akari rolled her eyes at his seemingly protective aura. As much as he tried to act as though he didn't care, she knew that he cared all too much about her well being. Despite the fact that she is more than capable of looking after herself. "Leave them alone, let's just head to school." She spared you one small little wave of her dainty hand and gliding away, "Bye."

Kusuo glared at you, the obvious disgust that he had for you at this moment quite clear through his green-tinted glasses. Though what best friend wouldn't be, considering he now knew that you had been watching Akari sleep and such this entire morning. He narrowed his eyes even further, giving him the appearance of a snake as he grunted, 'Chapter over.'