"Yumi?" I turned towards the door.
"Yes?"
"The student council president would like to talk to you."
The room went silent. All chatter was quieted to a hush. Every pair of eyes were on me again. I rose to my feet and followed the messenger, behind my back I felt the door close and the noise resume again.
He pointed me to the Student Council room and I entered shakily.
"Hello?"
The boy across from me smiled welcoming.
"My name is Hype. Nice to meet you. I'd like to welcome you to our school...Mirage."
I narrowed my eyes, "I'm sorry. I don't know anyone by the name Mirage."
He chuckled, "Don't play games with me. I know who you are. And rather... what you've done."
"I've left Mirage behind." I said stonily.
His smile turned predatory, "Comply and you can leave. Take a seat."
I stood. The familiar but of a gun forced me to my knees. I scrambled into the seat.
"Is this how you treat all students," I laughed, rubbing the back of my head. I glared at the man behind me, he retreated out of the room.
"Only special ones," he replied.
"What do you want me to do?" I said cutting to the chase.
"Create an illusion."
"Any?"
"Any."
"And then I can go?"
He nodded, "And then you can go."
I let my eyes drift close.
~
She was five when she met him. Stumbling around in the darkness, quivering in fear. The thought of monsters haunting her every step as she wandered through the winding path. Her eyes searched in vain for a glimmer of light to help her find her way. In her hand, she clutched the carmine paper fan, her only sense of security. She had run, frightened away from the pounding drums. The crackling firecrackers seemed to nip at her heels. Her family had been lost among the throngs of people celebrating the festival joyously. Tears began to collect in her eyes, the growing sense of fear pressing in around her as she collapsed onto the ground. She laid her head back, gazing upwards at the stars. They were twinkling down at her, shimmering eyes watching over her in the sky. The soft beams illuminating a few inches beyond her wide eyes. And then a figure stepped into her glorious light show. She inched back in fear as it made it's way towards you. As it came into focus she took in a sharp breath, preparing to scream.
"Are you lost?" the voice carried softly in the wind. A cold winter breeze swept past her, as the figure stepped towards her, his face now shining in the half-light.
She merely sat there in shock, too scared to move, afraid of the stranger in the night. The stars behind him gave him an eerie glow, a halo of soft light. His smile calmed her nerves, as his hand extended towards her. He was an angel to guide her way.
Trust him. Take his hand. The stars seemed to whisper in her ear. Their beautiful light was urging her to take a chance. Shakily, she held out her hand. He swept her off her feet in one fluid motion until she legs were dangling around his neck. He turned his head to stare at her.
"Should we head back home now?"
She sniffled into his shirt as the cold wind blew her back to reality.
"Are you ok, Chibi-tan?" the gentle voice asked her. She gazed upwards, his long dark hair blowing into his eyes. He smiled softly and readjusted his grip on her, making sure she didn't fall off.
"Onii-chan." She started, trembling, "Thank you."
He stopped suddenly and turned around to face her,
"I'll tell you what. If you stop crying, I'll give you a present."
Her eyes widened, her childlike innocence waiting for her present, trying to stifle the tears. He pointed high into the night sky, the sparkling light reflected in her glassy eyes.
"I will give you the brightest star in the sky. It'll always watch over you."
She hugged him tight, feeling the tears melt away. She put her hands around his neck and nodded off drowsily as he trudged across the field, back towards home that seemed as far away as the stars.
~
"Touching illusion," I ripped my eyes away from the scene in front of me to focus on the figure appearing behind me.
His smooth voice rippled like currents, "But I didn't ask for a childhood memory."
I glared and the night sky disappeared.
I was sitting on an uncomfortable metal chair, glaring daggers at the man across from me. The door behind me was locked, I didn't even bother turning the handle. I could hear the breathing of the guard behind it, no doubt a loaded gun slung across his shoulder. The boy was a elegant black tuxedo on, his highlighted hair slicked back. He sat in a cushioned chair, his face apathetic as the lights flickered over his face, casting dark shadows. His thin, nimble fingers were folded together in front of him in a picture of extreme patience.
"You haven't exactly given me guidelines," I snapped at him.
He opened his arms wide, a thin smile playing on his taut face.
"Yumi, why did you transfer to this school?"
The innocent question threw me off. I raised an eyebrow delicately, "I was offered a scholarship."
"From who?"
"What do you mean? The school!" my voice rose an octave and I refrained from rolling my eyes.
"Wrong," he leaned forward to fix me with his piercing amber gaze, "It was me."
"You?"
"Yes, I've heard great things about you. I feel like you'd be a worthy addition to our team."
I nodded slowly, letting the information wash over me.
"What is this team exactly?"
He slipped a white glove over his hands, "Let's say... It's not strictly... Legal."
"A Heist Society," I joked.
"Precisely," he responded with a ghost of a smile. "So... Let's try this again, shall we?"
I nodded before closing my eyes.
Watch this.
He was running. His tweed suit was replaced with black slacks and an oversized T-shirt, he was undercover. He felt more comfortable, running his hands through his hair. he looked down in surprise at the weight in his left hand. Danging in his fingers was a golden wrought necklace. At the end was a glimmering diamond the size of a baby's fist. He gasped, the ornate chain swinging with each step he took.
Why was he running?
Shots fired behind him, he felt a bullet whizz by his face and lodge itself in the yellowed plaster walls. His pace quickened.
Where was he going?
He turned sharply and leapt down the flight of stairs he knew were coming up. He turned and faced the figure to his right. Without thinking about it, he dropped to the ground and swung his right leg out. He knocked the legs out of his enemy, and jumped over his fallen form. Swinging his head from left to right, he scanned the clearing for any signs of danger. Pulling a black drawstring bag out of his pocket, her dropped the necklace inside. It's weight astounded him and he judged the price from it's very size. It would easily fetch more than 100 Million on the market. He smiled.
Cries awoke him from his reverie that included a private jet and he took off running again. He took a sharp turn towards the right and faced a brick wall. Backpedalling quickly he sprinted down the corridor but stopped suddenly as at least twenty guns rose to point at his face.
Yumi stepped out of the darkness, twirling a gun around her pointed finger.
"Hand over the necklace."
Against his will, he stashed the necklace behind him. "Or what, you'll kill me?" he taunted.
"You know I can't die in an illusion."
"True," she smiled sadistically, "but pain is quite real."
She moved her gun from his head to his leg and let the bullet fly.
He screamed. He collapsed into a heap over his leg, the blood flooding between his fingers.
The men clamored over him to take the necklace.
"I still won," he gasped in pain.
"Wrong," she pulled a replicate of the necklace from under her shirt.
"What? Impossible!" he thought quickly back as he had stolen the necklace from it's display. It was real. Unless...
"An illusion within an illusion."
"Precisely," she smiled, then shot him in the forehead.
He opened his eyes. And rubbed the sweat from his forehead.
"Was the shooting necessary?" he groaned, "You can stop the illusion with your thoughts."
"I know," she laughed, "But I wanted to make it as painful as possible."
"Thank you for that," he replied wryly.
"You're very welcome. So what about this team, did I pass?"
"Yes, you did. Impressive work."
She scoffed, "Too bad I don't like the sound of this shady business. Like I'd wanna work for some petty thieves!" She hoisted herself out of the chair and towards the door.
"Let me leave."
"Of course. You fulfilled the agreement. It's a shame you don't want to comply."
"Whatever," she turned the knob.
"But I thought you'd want to hear what you'd gain by joining."
"I don't."
"You know," he continued, "thieves have useful connections."
"Wonderful."
"Finding someone is relatively easily, for someone as powerful as me." He twirled his golden family ring around his finger.
She froze.
"How would you like to see Haru again?"
~~
Long enoughh ?? (:
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