.:Mask of the Vigilante | Haunted Guardian:. {7:Lights, Music, ACTION!!!}

Midnight


Several days had passed since the little talk the Black Knight and I, as Dusk, had had on that building rooftop. We've met very little since then.

But when we did, I saw a new light in his eyes.

Karely found me by my locker after school on a Friday. There was talk of a birthday part taking place at the arcade, Games Galore.

Everyone was welcome. It was some rich girl's birthday, and she was nice enough to invite anyone. I could have accepted to go, but since I had other duties to attend to, I told Karely, "I'll see if I can make it," without raising suspicion.

A party meant a lot of people. A lot of people meant trouble. And trouble meant heroes were needed.

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Dusk


I squatted on the building closest to Games Galore. I saw a group of guys load their pistols and enter the back of the building. I watched carefully and followed them in.

Inside, the music boomed all over. There were people surrounding every arcade game possible. There was a dance floor located in the back, and the DJ was near a corner almost shrouded in darkness. I slipped unseen in the dim light over to him.

He jumped after seeing me, but recovered after I explained to him about the armed men and what I wanted him to do.

"You'll know when I give the signal," I whispered and winked at him. He nodded, grinning. Just as he was the DJ, he also helped with the lighting. I knew that . . .

I hid in the shadows as soon as possible, not yet ready to raise awareness of my presence.

In no time, the armed men stepped on to the dance platform, pulling out their guns. Everyone screamed. The massive dun lasted for several long minutes.

The DJ was forced to give the lead man a microphone. People attempted to escape the building, but the doors were blocked by more gunmen.

"Shut up and stay where you are!" yelled the lead gunman. "Everybody get down!"

When a couple people did not comply, shots were fired. More screaming. Added with it crying and moans of pain.

The guys who were shot were lucky they were only wounded in the leg and arm. Blood was seeping out. Behind them, my eyes fell upon two figures I recognized too easily.

Mariene and Saria.

Filled with fear for their safety, I climbed a nearby table, arming my bow with an arrow, and pointed it in the direction of the shooter. "Enough!" I shouted.

At last noticing me, all heads turned. Whispers and sighs weaved around me. "It's Dusk!"

The noise rose. "Quiet" yelled the lead man. He, in his mask of three holes -two for the eyes, one for the mouth - turned his head back at me. "You better step down before you hurt yourself," he smirked.

I remained where I was. His smirk broadened. "That won't save you." He was referring to my bow.

"Clearly you underestimate me," I murmured audibly.

He growled. "You are the one who seems to underestimate me."

Everyone watched us excitedly, silent like the dead at night, even though there were guys who were still bleeding. Hopefully someone was smart enough to use their cell phone to contact the police.

After a few moments of anxious waiting, I finally put away my arrow and pulled my bow over my head to rest on one shoulder. I saw the satisfied grin on the lead man's face.

But his grin disappeared as my hand reached behind my back to slowly pull out my twin-headed spear. I grinned wickedly. "Tell me," I said. I pressed the hidden button and the spear extended on both sides. "Can you dance in the flickering light?"

Then I winked in the direction of the DJ.

In an instant, the DJ exclaimed, "Get down!"

Everybody did so as the light began flickering - white to black, to white, to black. But before all that, I was already at the dance platform. Gunshots and screaming started up again. Pretty soon, no doubt, the police would arrive. So I had to finish what I had come here for.

Under the flickering light, I noticed the guys from the doors approaching their fallen leader. I jumped from the platform and shoved them back, careful not to strike innocent spectator.

I sprinted to one of the unarmed intruders and grabbed his shoulders. I leaped over his head, twisting in the airand coming down to rear my foot into his back. As I landed on my back, I tossed him over my head. I jerked my legs upward and forced myself up. I landed squarely on my feet, listening triumphantly to the groans of the fallen gunmen.

Grinning, I made my way back to the DJ, telling him all was taken care of.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I waited outside of the building and watched as the police handcuffed the gunmen. They even stared at me curiously, surprised and wondering how I had taken them all down by myself. But I had an odd feeling I had not been alone.

"Uh, Dusk?"

I turned around. It was the DJ. In the chaos, he must have been shot because his arm was wrapped in a cast. I felt sorry for him, but thankful he had done what I had wanted of him.

"You all right?" I asked.

He glanced down at his arm. "Oh, yeah," he said. "I'm fine. At least it's not life threatening."

I smiled. After a moment of silence, I walked up to him.

"Thanks, . . ."

"Jake," he said.

"Jake," I repeated. "Thank you, Jake."

He nodded, his face turning away shyly. One of the ambulance men escorted him to the ambulance and I turned to return home.

Until . . .

"Hey, Dusk!"

I stopped, then looked over my shoulder.

There stood Mariene and her group, along with Saria. It was a boy named Justin who had called me. Behind him, Drayk was smiling a smile which seemed impossible for anybody else to smile.

"Yes?" I said casually.

"Are you, like, the Black Knight's sister?" Justin asked.

I raised an eyebrow before turning away. "No," I answered.

"Are you his cousin?" one girl, Trisha, asked.

I didn't turn back around. "No."

"Are you related to him at all?" Ryan said.

"No."

When no more questions were asked, I continued walking.

"Are you his girlfriend?"

I slowed my pace to a halt.

It was Drayk who had spoken. I had never heard his voice before. It was surprisingly full of humor. I paused and turned my head slightly. Then turning complete around, I answered, "No." I held his eyes with somewhat of a frown. "I barely even know him."

Drayk grinned back. Before another word could be spoken, I left.

I couldn't wait to tell the Black Knight about these amusing questions.

As soon as I had gone, the news cast came. Too late for them, I thought. I smiled as the scenes of tonight replayed in my head.