08. Glass Box

"Care about me, my ass," Akatenshi grumbled to himself.

The red spirit fell against the cushioned bench of the crow's nest, his knees huddled to his chest as he looked over the vast blue ocean.

Having been trapped in Limbo for over three centuries, all he wanted was to see the world but was denied his wish. Instead, he was trapped on a ship feeling more isolated than he ever had. He couldn't believe his own master didn't trust him to look after himself. It was because of this that his respect for his master was starting to wear thin.

That was never a good sign between a sword and his master, especially a sword with a rebellious spirit such as Akatenshi. He would most likely end up possessing Alex and killing him, just like he had with his previous masters over the past three centuries.

He didn't want that!

He had finally found a master whose will was stronger than his own that could control him.

Akatenshi remembered back when Alex had used a spirit attack for the first time and he had slashed out sharply, almost cutting off Alex's arm. He was testing to see how weak his new master was, to find out how easily he could control and kill him. What he didn't expect was for Alex to tell him off, like somesort of troubled problem-child.

To this day, Akatenshi still remembered what his master had said to him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Alex angrily picked up the blade, with a firm grip around the hilt. "Look here, Akatenshi, you're a powerful spirit any swordsman would love to master, but you're also a bit of a trouble maker aren't you? A good spirit only attacks the way its master directs it to. You're going to listen to me from now on!"

No other master had been so demanding towards him from the get go and he respected Alex for that. It was also the day Alex named him, with his true name as well, Akatenshi a translation of Red Angel. After that, Akatenshi wanted to be a good spirit to his master. It was for this reason that he hated that his respect for Alex was wearing thin, he didn't want to lose the best master he had ever had. He didn't want to lose his true master.

Yet, he could already feel it was heading down that path. Alex didn't trust him right now and he could certainly tell that his master didn't like him in his spirit form. What if Akatenshi didn't want to be a sword ever again? Was it even possible for a spirit to live longer than a week as a spirit before reverting back to their blade form.

The freeness he felt now in the human world, made him lost for words. Being able to smell the salty air and feel the people around him, to be able to taste food and see a colourful world. It was a feeling he never wanted to let go off ever again. It was a feeling you didn't get in Limbo. Maybe the human realm was like the spirit realm, he didn't know, he couldn't remember a time before Limbo.

Suddenly, an incoherent growl escaped from the back of his throat. An anger boiling up inside of him. Alex would never allow him to stay in the human realm, like it was his choice to make. Didn't his master realise he had his own thoughts and feelings, his own opinions on the matter, he wasn't a pet!

"I don't want to be a sword ever again!"

Akatenshi gasped, having felt a sharp pain in his heart and at the exact same moment of time, Alex was startled from his afternoon nap, having felt the exact same sharpness from within his chest.

"What was that?" They had both said at the same time.

Alex dismissed the sudden pain with a bored shrug and fell asleep again. While Akatenshi, clutched onto the clothing above his heart, his face paling as his red eye saddened. He knew exactly what that was, it was the start of his link with his master breaking away. How long would it be before the strands of their link finally broke away entirely?

Akatenshi was forcefully shoved from behind, a horrified expression fell upon his face as he saw himself falling towards the snowy deck. Using his mystic powers, he disappeared into a cloud of red mist, seconds before hitting the deck, and reappeared back on top of the crows nest.

He grabbed the idiotic captain that had sprung at him and started hitting him.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Levi apologised. "I over flung myself."

Levi looked around him from left to right. "I was playing hide and seek with Washer and Shy-boy, have you seen them?" He grinned.

"Get lost!" Akatenshi smacked him behind the head.

Levi groaned, while rubbing his soar head. "What's your problem, Attention?"

"It's Akatenshi!" His hands balled into fists ready to hit him once again.

"That's what I said, Attention."

"What do you want?" Akatenshi grumbled as he sat back down with his knees huddled to his chest. There was something about the captain, he recognised him, he could have sworn he met him before.

Levi sat down next to him, his legs swinging playfully as he stared at Akatenshi with big blinking eyes.

"What's that power you have, when you turn to mist?"

Akatenshi flicked his good red eye over towards Levi's direction. Why was he still here and why did he care anyway?

"You mean our mist?" Akatenshi turned his hand into his red mist and it started to wrap itself around Levi like a slithering snake. "It's our spiritual energy, it's a part of us."

Levi's eyes turned to stars, watching the red energy wrap around him. He touched it and it passed through his fingers like water.

"So, it's magic dust?"

Akatenshi felt a bead of sweat drip down his forehead. "Yeah, sure."

"What can you do with it?"

Levi's head lopsided, he genuinely seemed interested in him, unlike his master.

A seagull flew past, cawing loudly. He shot his red mist up at the bird and it enveloped around the flying creature. It started to screech in terror, until it finally calmed down after the mist had tapped into the bird's soul. The bird flew down and landed on his shoulder, its eyes flashed the same dark red as his own.

"We can control living creatures, to do as we please by tapping our mystic energy into their soul." He stroked the white feathers of the bird. "They have no will in this form but they're still aware of their surroundings and see everything that is going on. I can only describe it as being trapped inside a glass box from within their body and watching on. It's called partial-possession, since I'm still out here in my spirit form."

"Cool!" Levi's eyes sparkled. "So that's what happened to Alex when Kurome had control of him on Monster Island."

"Kurome was literally inside Alex's head, that's called full-possession," Akatenshi smirked. "With practise, I could full-possess the creature entirely, mind and soul, as if I were inside him - that's what Kurome was doing to Alex.

Akatenshi released the bird and it flapped away, squawking angrily, as it did so. Akatenshi looked back over at Levi but the captain had stopped listening at this point and was picking his nails.

"Show me something awesome!"

"Sure," Akatenshi sighed. "But if Alex tells me off, I'm holding you responsible."

Levi nodded away, the excitement starting to get the better of him. He had no idea what Akatenshi had just said.

"You see that fishing boat over there, keep a watchful eye on it." He pointed towards the boat next to the Leo.

Akatenshi started to concentrate all of his power towards the boat and his red mystic energy started to weave it's way around the large wooden object.

Bang!

The boat exploded up into the air, splinters of wood flying in all directions.

Alex woke up with a start, to find a large splinter of wood hurtling towards him. His green eyes widened in horror and he quickly dodged out of the way before the piece of wood split his head in two.

He looked behind him to find a splint of wood embedded deeply into the mast, where his head had been leaning against only moments ago. He swallowed nervously, a second later and he would have been dead.

"Again, again!" He heard Levi clapping frantically from above.

Alex looked up to find his captain sat on the crows nest along with Akatenshi. Another boat exploded and Alex had to duck once again as more wood came hurtling his way, near missing him by millimetres.

Alex was about to raise his voice at the spirit but stopped when he saw the big smile on Akatenshi's face. He had already grounded him to the boat, it wouldn't be fair to stop him from having fun. It was the first time he had seen Akatenshi smile.

"Alex?" Washiro tugged on his sleeve. "Will you play with me?"

She gave him a cute smile he couldn't resist. "Sure, let's play."

He took Washiro's hand and the two started to play together, laughing and giggling as they played hide and seek. Even though he would never admit it, he enjoyed playing with Washiro, she was like a little sister to him. However, he couldn't play for too long, he still had to find the blue girl he had seen the other day. Something about her called out to him and he had to know why?

From atop the crows nest, Akatenshi smirked as he watched his master play along with Washiro. Alex seemed awkward when playing with her, not exactly knowing what to do but still, he managed and seemed to be having fun.

"I'm bored," Levi yawned.

"Same," Akatenshi sighed. "I want to leave the ship but Alex won't let me unless accompanied by someone."

An idea suddenly popped inside Akatenshi's head, like a lightbulb had switched on above him.

"You know how I can control living creatures?"

Levi nodded.

"Do you want to know what it feels like to have your body taken over?"

"Not really." Levi shook his head.

Akatenshi's sinister smirk disappeared that wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.

"I've seen Kurome take control of Alex's body before back on Monster Island. I'd like to be in control of my own body." Levi concluded with a curt nod.

Maybe he wasn't such an idiot after all. Akatenshi's eyes hooded over in darkness, at least he tried asking the nice way. Now he had no excuses to use the not so nice way.

"Too bad!"

Before Levi could even react, he was paralysed by the sudden swarm of Akatenshi's red mist engulfing itself around Levi's body, only his eyes were able to move and his lips trembled as he attempted to stutter out the first mate's name.

"Al-Al-lex... Al-Alex!"

However, his attempt to call out for his friend was futile. Alex was too distracted playing with Washiro, he had no idea what was going on right above his head.

Akatenshi outstretched his index finger and placed it against Levi's chest, directly above his heart. Levi felt a pin prick from within his chest and the red mist surrounding him started to enter his body and his eyes flashed red.

"You're in my control now," Akatenshi laughed.

It was immoral what Akatenshi was doing to Levi, but how else was he going to leave the ship, without Alex breathing down his neck?

At least, this way, he could have fun without a parental guardian watching his every move, he could be as mischievous as he liked to be and not have to worry about the consequences.

He stepped through the threshold that was keeping him within the boundaries of the ship. With Levi accompanying him, he could pass through without the barrier sending him flying backwards. A huge grin spread across his face as he cheered in delight. He was finally free to do as he pleased.

The entire time, Levi attempted to talk and move but he couldn't do anything, his body wouldn't react to his thoughts and would only listen to Akatenshi. All he could do was watch on, like looking through a window.

How had Akatenshi described it?

A glass box?

That's exactly what it felt like, sitting, trapped within a glass box and watched on as his body moved unwillingly to Akatenshi's commands. Levi smashed his fist against the glass walls, trying to escape, shouting, screaming for help, but nobody could hear him. He couldn't even access his astral field. He was all alone, trapped within his own mind, trapped within the glass box.

☠️

Alex fell back against the snowy deck of the Leo, completely warn out after playing with Washiro the majority of the day.

First off, they had made snow angels. Then, they completely wrecked the kitchen when attempting to make cupcakes. Then, they had a snow ball fight with Kurome.

Which consisted of himself and Washiro against Kurome with Kurome easily defeating them by using his mystic powers to bombard them with snowballs. He found it strange that Levi had not joined in on the fun, maybe he had gone out to help find Mirella with the others who were still not back.

He didn't mind too much that Levi wasn't playing with them. The entire time he had a big smile on his face, he had enjoyed getting along with two of his three swords. He enjoyed their company. He just wished Akatenshi's would stop sulking in the crows nest and join them.

After the snowball fight had ended, they all made a gigantic snow man. It was all fun at first, until Washiro disappeared and infused herself within the snowman and brought it to life and started terrorising him.

It took Kurome to get Washiro to stop. His mystic power was at a stronger and more controlled level than Washiro's, Alex could sense its power. Even in sword form, he was able to sense how strong Kurome was. By being stronger, Kurome was able to overpower Washiro and take control of the snowman and stopped the mayhem before Washiro destroyed the Leo.

It was the one thing Alex didn't like about today, he didn't mind their powers but that particular power, of being able to control living creatures and humanoid objects, didn't feel right with him. Having experienced being controlled by Kurome, stuck within the glass box, it was a power he found off-putting. Nobody should hold such a power. In the wrong hands, it could cause devastating consequences.

Alex sat up from the snowy deck. It was because of this unusual ability of theirs that he knew he needed to turn them back into swords and soon. He needed to find the blue girl, he was intrigued by her and being a native of the island she would be able to find him the information to help him with his spirit problem.

He slowly stood up, stretching his arms up into the air and yawning deeply. Sleep would have to wait, helping his spirits was more important.

"Alex." Washiro jumped excitedly. "Are we playing again?"

"No!" he chorused, he was still recovering from the snowman incident. 

Washiro pouted, with tears lining her ice-white eye.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snap, I just can't right now, Washiro." Alex patted her head. "I need to find someone. I can play with you again some other time."

"You pinky promise." She lifted her hand up, her little finger sticking out.

Kurome appeared next to Alex, a distraught look on his face and was shaking his head rapidly in warning. Alex frowned at him, what was his problem?

Every time Alex reached out to take Washiro's finger, Kurome would hit his hand away. His eyes were pleading at Alex to not make the promise with her. Washiro soon started to cry, bawling her eyes out, an endless stream of tears creating a puddle around her feet.

"Stop it, Kurome!" Alex shouted at him.

Kurome's eye looked hurt from his sudden outburst but he was still determined to stop Alex, grabbing his hand away.

"Listen to me." Alex's tone had turned harsh and he snapped. "I'm your master and I'm telling you to stop!"

Kurome immediately stopped, having no choice but to listen to his master's command.

"It's just a promise, nothing bad can come from it."

If only Kurome could talk, he could tell Alex everything that was going on, including why they had been turned to humans and why making a promise with a spirit was a very bad idea. He would be able to tell him everything, like who Alex's real family was and why his adoptive father left him without saying a word.

He watched in horror as Alex grabbed Washiro's pinky finger and shook. She immediately stopped crying and soon smiled again.

"I promise, I'll play with you again tomorrow afternoon." Alex smiled.

Alex looked towards Kurome, a petrified look fell across the spirit's face, his good black eye looking towards Alex, almost like he was scared for him. Before Alex could ask, he disappeared in a cloud of black mist.

Alex clicked his tongue with annoyance, what an odd spirit Kurome was.

☠️

Meanwhile, in the village of Sapphire Island, Akatenshi was wondering around exploring, with Levi following him everywhere, completely out of character and stoic looking to be the real Levi.

Whereas, the real Levi, was trapped inside his own mind, within some sort of glass box, attempting to escape. He even tried accessing his astral field to escape but the glass box had stopped him from doing so. No matter how many times Levi tried, he couldn't seem to break through the glass box he was trapped within, not even a scratch.

He pulled his arm back and flung it forward with immense speed and strength. His fist smacked hard against the glass box, his hand bounced off and came hurtling back towards him. Smacking him square in the face and flipping him over.

He groaned in pain and rubbed his face as he sat up cross legged and folded his arms across his waist. A rather large pout appeared on his face and his shoulders slumped over in dismay, like a child being scowled by his parents.

He breathed in deeply, tired from the countless attacks he had tried against the glass box he was trapped within and decided to instead watch on what his body was doing. He seemed to be following Akatenshi around the snowy village.

The red haired teen was looking from shop to shop, his nose pressed up against the glass windows in amazement, amazed by objects and things he had never seen before. Overtime, he seemed to become bored of window shopping and found fun in causing mayhem and started to prank local villages.

They soon became angry with the two of them and they were chased out of the town's square, Akatenshi laughing the entire time. Levi grumbled from under his breath, not only did the townspeople hate Akatenshi but now Levi as well, since the spirit had used him as a puppet in his pranks.

"Let me out!" Levi shouted from the top of his lungs and once again he started punching the glass box with his super strength.

Akatenshi rolled his red eyes. "Just come to terms with the fact that you can't get out."

Levi paused with his onslaught of attacks. "You can hear me?"

"Yes." Akatenshi nodded. "You're an annoying voice in my head, your actual body itself can't talk unless I make it do so."

Akatenshi sat down on the bench near the town and the puppet Levi followed suit, but sat too upright and formal for Levi's normal behaviour. If any of the Levon Pirates were to walk past, they would instantly know something was wrong with their captain.

"Can you let me out already?" Levi whined. "This is boring!"

"And let you run off to Alex." Akatenshi eyed up the next victim he would prank and annoy, a girl with long blue hair walking into the local library. "I'm having too much fun annoying this village."

A crude smile appeared on his face when Levi attempted to break the glass again."I'm the only one who can let your mind free or..."

"Or what?"

"Or... you somehow manage to break the glass box and I mean completely shatter it. Then you will have full control of your body once again."

"Yess!" Levi punched his fist into his palm, his famous grin finally returning to his face. "Then I won't stop until it's broken."

"Then you're going to be in there for a long time, because I don't intend on letting you go anytime soon and your will isn't strong enough to break through that glass." Akatenshi laughed, mocking him. "It's impossible. Breaking the glass has been unheard off, even Alex couldn't break the glass box when Kurome possessed him."

Levi smirked, if there was one thing he knew more than anything, it was that he had a strong will. He knew exactly what he had to do now to escape from the glass box he was trapped within. All he had to do, was think of the most important thing that willed him more than anything else.

"I'm the one who is going to defeat the King." Levi crouched, placing his left hand on his knee and sped forward.

He ran in a continuous circle, over and over again, picking up speed faster then he'd ever ran before, with an eruption of steam clouding around his body from the burning friction. With his super speed now on his side, he slammed his fist against the glass box, the force making the air gush around him, his black hair swaying madly to the strong breeze.

Akatenshi laughed when nothing happened, just like he expected, breaking the glass was impossible.

Then the blood drained from his face when the glass around Levi's knuckles started to slowly crack like breaking ice. What willpower did Levi possess to be able to break the glass?

"Who are you?!" Akatenshi's stomach churned unpleasantly, he knew this boy, he'd felt his willpower before, he just couldn't remember.

"I'm the Mad Man!"

Next Chapter: 09. Shattered Glass

☠️ Why is Kurome against Alex making a promise with Washiro?

☠️ What secrets does Kurome know about Alex's past?

☠️ How do feel about spirits being able to possess people?

Update next Sunday/Monday!

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~ Robin Xxx