Shonta/Kite
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"You're kidding me. Everyone's disappeared!" I yelled out loud as I returned to what I thought was the campsite. The forest was devoid of anything edible so I decided to return so I could complain loudly to my companions. Not even my other half was speaking to me.

A creepy feeling ran up my spine as I sat and waited. It was a long while before I heard Adalia's laugh. I turned around and waved. "Where were you?" I asked her.

She didn't even seem to notice me at first as she looked around the campsite. "Knes isn't here either," she murmured.

I shrugged. "I don't know where he is. I don't know where anyone is right now."

"Maybe he's this way," she said to herself while starting to walk back into the forest.

I growled and clenched my fists. Doesn't she notice me? "You can sit with me until Knes gets back," I offered.

At last she made eye contact with me, her lips curled into a sneer. "Oh, it's you. I thought you would've disappeared by now."

I was speechless for a second. "Disappeared?"

"You know, faded out of existence. It's not like you have a purpose here." She gave me an innocent smile like she was just saying that to be cute.

Not one to back down, I smiled back. "What about you? I mean, you're not the only healer here. Plus even though I know you're not a little kid, you sure act like one."

Her expression didn't falter. "You think that's supposed to hurt me? You're nothing. I can't be hurt by nothing."

I chuckled. "You're not real."

"What?" She blinked.

"You're not Adalia. Not a tear, not a pout, no not a single reaction to my taunt. The real Adalia would've at least said something about my comment."

"Are you sure I'm not Adalia? Maybe I'm just tired of your scathing comments. I may be a child but you're nothing. Just wasted space. I have Knes now while you have nothing but your halberd. Now I know that I deserve better on Earth." She started to laugh. "No wonder no one wanted to be with you! You're nothing!"

I snarled. "Shut up. SHUT UP!" I jumped up and slashed the Adalia clone with my halberd but she disappeared before I made contact.

Soon the air echoed with various voices. "Retard..."

"Nerd..."

"Dumpster baby..."

"Leave me alone," I growled. I have had nightmares about those voices ever since I got out of junior high. Two years I had the misfortune of being stuck in Emotional Conflicted class. EC. I might have had trouble communicating with other students but the other students were just plain crazy. And now those same people were teasing me while staying hidden.

"Such a wuss..."

"No one likes you..."

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!" I dropped to the ground and screamed as loud as I could.

"Kite?" someone said softly.

I did the first thing I could think of and then charged for Dimitri with my halberd in my hands. No one would mock me again.

Dimitri threw up his hands in panic. "Kite, it's me! Come to your senses!"

I stopped in my tracks and glared at him. "So it is." I dropped the weapon and then rubbed my forehead. "Such a headache."

"Feeling better?" he asked me.

Despite the pain and anger, I started to laugh derisively. "I'm feeling great! You know, for years I've been crying over other people's opinions of me. Now I don't give a damn! I don't need anyone! I don't need him! Why would I? I've been through years with just a few friends that came and went without so much as an e-mail address. He's no different from the rest of them!"

"Kite?" He rested a hand on my shoulder.

I laughed even louder, sure that others would hear me. Tears flowed down my cheeks but I ignored them. "My family just threw medicine at it. I couldn't talk about it. Not that anyone was interested in what I had to say unless I paid them."

"Kite? Do you need to lie down?"

I immediately stopped laughing and put on a cold face. "No! This stupid thing happened because I allowed myself to care! From now on it's business! Nothing but business!"