A/N: Sorry about not updating

A/N: Sorry about not updating. This chapter will probably be the shortest that I’ve ever written so sorry if it isn’t what you think it would be. I’m having a little trouble writing for this story at the moment because I’m working on planning things out for characters.

The next chapter will be longer. Sorry to make everyone wait for two weeks but I had to write a chapter up to get myself caught up so I can update regularly again.

Please enjoy!

XxXx

Fractured Reflections

By: Melissa Norvell

Fragment 05: Shifting Image

XxXx

Kotone and Kotose sat on their knees on the hardwood floor of their living room, gazing at the mirror, which was sill face down in the box. The gold-embossed word of ‘COMPRESSOR’ was glimmering in the sunlight from one of the west windows. The two twins thought to themselves in a moment of silence before Kotose finally spoke up.

“Maybe if we tied a rope around ourselves and jumped in?” She asked, looking to her more serious counterpart for an answer.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Kotone shot down her sister’s suggestion quickly. ”It would never work.”

The other twin sighed. “You turn down all of my plans.”

“Because they don’t work, we’ve got to be logical about this.”

“I’m trying to be logical but nothing is working.”

“Hm…” Kotone closed her eyes and pondered over any possible way that they could get inside without being trapped there or free Hisoka without having to go in at all. Kotose stared at the back of the mirror for a moment until her thoughts were cut short by her sister’s words.

“Let’s break it.”

“What?” The kinder of the two spoke. She could see nothing but bad resulting from such actions.

“Maybe if we break it, she’ll come back. It could be like a dimensional gate. Maybe it’s like a cage and if we break it, she’ll come out.” Kotone suggested.

“But what if it’s the opposite? What if we killer her or trap her there forever? We couldn’t even go in the mirror ourselves if we broke it.” Kotose tried to talk her sister out of doing something like that. It was nothing but a mistake in her opinion. There had to be another way that was less rash and less risky to take.

“Do you see any other way?” Her serious minded sister gazed upon her with question after uttering that question in slight annoyance at the fact that everything the two of them brought up didn’t seem to be working.

“There has to be a better way!”

“I don’t see one.”

“Please!” Kotose begged. “Please don’t break it!” She knew that her twin was thinking about it. Kotose knew how her sister could be with crazy ideas like this and she wanted to make sure that they waited at least a little longer before she decided to do something like that. She knew she could think of another way, she just needed time.

Kotone was silent at her words. This could only make her sister utter her name in a subdued voice as cold, light blue nearly white eyes looked upon her in thought for a few moments before she spoke.

“Fine, I won’t break it for now but since I won’t, I want you to tell me what you think we should do?”

“I don’t know…” Kotose looked down and seemed to stare at her hands, which were balled loosely and laid atop of her folded knees.

“That doesn’t really help us. This mirror is dangerous. It sucked Kage and Mrs. Mononoka into it just for taking a peek. We can’t let anyone else look into it.” The serious twin’s voice was grave

“I know…” Her sister’s gaze was still on her knees. “We shouldn’t have anyone over here. It seems like no matter how many people come here, everyone is drawn to the mirror. Mother was right, it was a bad omen.”

“What have we done?”

“I feel bad too but we have to think about how to help Hisoka. I feel like it was our fault that she got pulled in.” Kotose admitted with sorrow.

“First I lose my mother and now my best friend.” Kotone frowned as she stood up slowly. “Let’s go.”

Her sister couldn’t believe what she was saying. The short-haired girl uttered the phrase ‘what’ from her pink lips as her light blue eyes widened in surprise at her sister’s confidence and bravery.

“Let’s look into the mirror.” Kotone instructed.

“Are you sure?” Kotose didn’t know if her sister was serious but she wanted to make sure that she knew what she was talking about.

“We’ve wasted too much time thinking. Who knows what happened to any of them by now.”

“Yeah…You’re right.” The light-hearted sibling agreed with a small smile.

Elegant hands reached into the white box and grasped each side of the mirror firmly before it was pulled out of the box. The reflective surface was facing away from the girls and still had its tissue paper over it, forbidding anyone to gaze into it. The delicate tissue paper fell off lightly and landed before her knees as pale blue eyes concentrated, as if Kotone was trying to gain a certain amount of courage to perform this task. After all, she was unsure of what laid on the other side of this mirror as well. ‘Alright mirror, she me what’s so great and mystical behind your looking glass.’ The serious girl uttered as she flipped over the Compressor and looked straight into the glass. She braced herself for whatever may happen next. ‘Here it comes. I’m so scared but I really want to save Hisoka.’

The same familiar light bathed the twins and the room they resided in with its luminescence. Beams of light shot out in four directions as they turned into what appeared to be red ribbons. What looked like an Arial image of the sky was projected in the surface of the mirror and Kotose found herself questioning if it was the sky that she had seen in the mirror. It was indeed strange to see such a thing on the surface of the mirror.

Both girls could then feel the red ribbons cold yet soft texture as they wrapped around their bodies and began to drag them into the mirror. The twins were pulled into the mirror too quick to think about what was happening. As soon as they were gone, the glow subsided as the hard object fell and made contact with the floor, disappearing in a cloud of what seemed to be white sparkles.

‘Kotone…’ The more upbeat twin’s thoughts ran through her head as she could feel the wind in her hair. It made her black strands flow upwards but her hair was so short that only a long strand that she’d kept in a clip was visible. As she looked to her right, she could see her sister’s form, which looked the same her hers. The red ribbons were tied around her body and pulling her downward. They were beautiful, like red rivers and the woman within had flowing clothes. A dark blue school uniform with a fluttering fuku and one piece of flowing black hair fell with them.

Thinking that they should stick together, she reached out for her twin’s hand to grasp hers but was yanked back by the red ties as she called out for her sister. Her descent was faster yet, causing the girl to scream in fright at her quick plummet to the ground.

Kotone called out after her sister but was yanked in the opposite direction. High above she saw what looked like the surface of the Compressor reflect the sun’s light.

The mirror had traveled with them to this world.

In a way she was relieved because no one could look into it and become entrapped there but in a way it made her very uneasy and she didn’t quite know why.

XxXxX

Slender blue eyes with full, long black lashes widened in surprise and horror upon receiving a flashback of mass importance. An angel that was slender and tall turned to a smaller angel that looked of indistinct gender with a look of horror on her face. Her long, purple hair flowed around her and her white robes dances around her form. In essence she looked like a typical angel but had four white wings that held a golden sheen to them. Her face was pointed and she held a mythical and forbidden beauty about her. Something that was whimsical and serene.

A few feet over, an angel with mid-back length red hair caught sight of her facial expression. A small red ponytail and free-flowing shaggy hair followed his head as he turned to the purple haired angel.

The angel she had looked at placed a hand on her forearm. He appeared to be the youngest of the three and looked no more then fifteen in age. The angel had short but thick purple hair that held large waves and curls. He was very elegant and so pretty that he could be mistaken for a female from far away. “What’s wrong, Nova-sama?” The boyish angel asked.

“It’s here…the Compressor came back.” The purple haired angel informed, her voice was full of dread when she spoke of such a thing. The fact that the mirror had resurfaced in this land was dreadful news.

“What?” The red-haired angel exclaimed. He had known that it was going to eventually return but he had not counted on it coming back so soon.

“We can’t remain in the background now…We’ve got to get it before anyone else finds it.” Nova’s mature and wise voice intoned gravely.

“Should someone tell my brother?” The youngest asked.

“Yes, someone should go and alert Daisuke of this unfortunate event.” Nova instructed. ‘I foresaw this happening. Now the true war had begun, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.’

The cool water rippled beneath a graceful foot as a white-winged angel flew up into the sky and sailed through the clouds above. Purple wavy hair held in a low ponytail at the side of an elegant face fluttered in the wind, along with the rest of the angel’s attire which consisted of a Chinese-style long sleeved shirt with golden embroidery along the arms and neck of the piece. The slender angel had many sashes of white and what seemed to be two long pieces of fabric that covered his front and back with slits up the sides. The fabric also held the same embroidery along the sides. Golden sandals adorned bare feet and legs. Round, soft and peaceful aqua eyes gazed on the beautiful landscape below as the seemingly male angel made his way across the skies.

‘What a nice day for a flight through the clouds. I know I shouldn’t be out alone like this because of the war but I think I’m high enough that no one except the dark angels could see me.’ The angel smiled warmly before the faintest sound of a scream caught his keen ears. He wondered what could possibly be screaming so far up in the clouds and fleeting thoughts of leaving ran rampant through his brain. “Huh? Someone’s in trouble.” He spoke, his voice boyish and gentle as he looked up to see Kotone, who nearly fell on him. He had to quickly move to the left to avoid being knocked out of the sky by her falling form.

Confused, he gazed down at her figure as it disappeared into the clouds below. “Was that…a human girl? Wait…something’s not right about this. Were those red strings around her body?” He mused out loud.

‘Did I just see…an angel?’ Kotone thought to herself in disbelief. Perhaps the altitude or adrenalin had gotten to her. There was no way she could have just seen what she thought she had seen.

Or was it indeed, real?

XxXxXx

In a clearing that was surrounded by trees with darkly colored leaves that verged in black in coloration. They danced in the gentle breeze as it flowed through the tree trunks and caused the clothing and hair on the two figures that stood a few feet from each other.

They were both elves- one male and one female. The male elf wore a white turban that was decorated with jeweled necklaces. His eyes were narrow and slanted being of a dark blue coloration that nearly made them seem one color. He wore three earrings in each ear and wore robes of white with golden and red sashes. His hair was long and jet black and his bangs short. His distinguished but handsome face was stoic and he seemed to be very dignified and his himself high. In his left hand, he carried a staff with a large ball on the end, surrounded by decorative metal and jewels.

Across from him was a blonde elf. Her form was much smaller to him with the top of her head coming to his mid-chest. She was built for battle and wore a green skirt and jacket with a melon colored shirt underneath and brown, tight knee socks that hugged her legs tightly. Across her stomach was two belts that crossed over each other in a loose ‘x’ shape. In her hair, she wore two feathered wings on either side of the top of her head. Her golden locks extended to the top of her hips and bangs were parted in the middle and angled down towards her pointed ears. Large, light blue eyes stared at the other elf with anticipation and sorrow.

“Please…I want to do this quickly.” The blonde elf told him.

“Are you sure that you want to choose this path?” The male asked her calmly. “This spell is permanent and it cannot be undone if you decide later that you don’t want it.”

“I just want to be away from him. I’ll do anything; even if it means that I will no longer be free…I was never free to begin with. I would like to be bound to you. Anyone is better then taking this abuse.” The female elf begged, her voice was shaken and sad in tone.

“Then let us perform the ritual.” The male elf said as he tapped the end of his staff on the ground and created a magic circle below the two of them. It was quite luminescent and illuminated a bright golden color that lit up the skies.

As Kotose fell her form was bathed in this golden essence. The confused girl blinked a few times before wondering aloud what it that strange light was and where it came from.

Magical symbols flooded the air as the male elf began to chant. They were of a darker yellow and trailed out around his form in streams. The female elf stood in the middle of the magical circle and clasped her hands together as if she were saying a silent prayer. Closing her blue eyes, thoughts of happiness and relief flooded her senses. ‘Finally, finally I’ll be free of General Izo’s abuse and I’ll be free of the humans. Even if they are the Dark Elves, I can go with Zellis and be protected. I love him and so, by this spell it will become eternal. I know it was wrong to elope when I am General Izo’s bride bit I don’t care. I just don’t care anymore.’

“Now I can finally be happy and someday…I’ll come back for my dear Kraki.” She held her arms out as if she were embracing the warm sensation that was beginning to flow through her form as the magical streams rushed towards her to finalize the spell.

Before they could reach their target, Kotose had fallen in front of them. Her form was then suspended in mid-air as the magical streams surrounded her body. One of the streams flew from her hand to Zellis’ hand and tied what appeared to be a small string to both of their fingers. “What’s this?” The girl asked as she gazed upon her pinky finger, where the string’s presence was faint as it disappeared into a small burst of magical energy.

The blonde elf watched in horror as her worst nightmare seemed to come true. Horrified eyes helplessly watched as the human girl was bound to Zellis instead of her. It was far too late, the spell had already been thrown into action and she knew that it couldn’t be stopped beyond this point. “Oh no! no, no, no!” She cried over and over again as she shook her head in disbelief and took off running the way she came. Tears streamed down her face in despair as she muttered, “This isn’t fair…Now I’ll never be free of these chains that bind me and Zellis will never love me back…”

“What is the meaning of this?” The dark elf asked the girl in front of him, who was sitting on the ground, a little stunned and still trying to make sense of everything that had happened. From here, things were only getting more confusing and there were so many questions flooding her mind that she didn’t know where to begin.

‘I’m still alive?’ She thought as she looked back and fourth from her each of her hands. ‘What happened? What was that light and-‘ Kotose’s thoughts were cut short when she looked at the dark elf and gasped. “Who are you?” She asked cautiously.

“I should be asking you that, human.” The male replied looking down on her with irritation. She had destroyed his spell and put them both in a bind that could not be fixed. ‘Foolish girl! She has no idea of what she’s done, not just to the other elf but to the two of us as well.’

“I am High Sage Zellis Vertigo and you interrupted my spell.”

“I am so sorry!” The girl stood and bowed. The tone of her voice and facial expression signified her sincerity. “My name is Hagefugu Kotose.”

“You…” Zellis’ eyes narrowed. His look of malice caused the confused and frightened girl to back away a few steps. She was unsure of what would happen now, especially since this being seemed to be angry at her. How would she ever find Hisoka if she died upon arrival?

XxXx

As Kotone was falling, she had noticed that a group of what appeared to be humans were congregated below her. She shouted down to the group to help her. If nothing was done, she could be splattered all over the ground.

“So where do we go now, oh silent one?” Goya asked the dark angel prince, Zion for further directions. The dark-haired man said nothing but simply looked up. He had caught the sound of her voice from above. “What the fuck?” The red eyed demon broke off his conversation to stare in the direction of his prince and set sights upon the plummeting figure as Zion held out his arms, catching the girl bride-and-groom style.

Her eyes were clenched shut, unsure if they would catch her or not but her uncertainty was soon quelled as she felt his embrace. ‘I feel warm...clothes and…’ Kotone opened her eyes to see two eyes of different colors, one a cloudy blue and the other brown gazing down upon. They were regal eyes, slender with thick, arched eyebrows on a chiseled face that wore an ever present frown. Shirt, black hair was stringy and wispy. It was longer in the front and very short in the back, parted in the middle and the strands hung low and ended at his eyebrows. He also appeared very young, perhaps in his early twenties and while he did not have a childish charm he held a distinguished air of an older man.

“Who…are you?” The girl asked the silent being who held her so close to him. She didn’t know of his intentions but she wondered if perhaps he could help her find her friend.

To Be Continued…

A/N: I’m so horrible! I was barely eleven pages on this one and I’m usually 15-20 pages. I’m going to update something else so I can say I did something substantial. Please review my short chapter and I’ll try to get a longer one next time.