…Part 7: Daisuke Niwa…
I listened as my mom explained the Sacred Maiden situation to me again. "So why do you ask? Is there something wrong?" she wondered.
"There's nothing wrong with us," I assured her, "but we think there's something odd about Krad."
She scowled. "What does that have to do with Sacred Maidens?"
I kind of began to doubt Dark's conclusion. Do you really think that's it?
It's a weird concept, but I don't see why not, he explained at length. If our transformations are triggered by it, and Krad and I are part of the same artwork, I don't see why it couldn't work the same for them.
I guess so… "We think Krad's found a Sacred Maiden," I told her. "But neither one of them can figure out that that's what it is that's making him act so differently."
Mom looked perplexed. She blinked. "You think… I suppose it's possible… Who do you think is his Sacred Maiden? – if that's really what's going on."
"Suna Akimoto."
"That girl who runs Chiisai? Poor thing…" Emiko had been to Chiisai before – she thought their secret tea was really very good. "…She lost her parents to a car wreck in America, you know…"
"Yeah. She told us that yesterday, when Satoshi –"
Daisuke!
What? "– asked about the feathers."
Ugh!
"What feathers?" Emiko demanded.
I remembered the white feather that had been hanging from Akimoto's hair like a favored accessory. "She has a collection of Krad's feathers – eleven of them, she said."
"Does she know they're Krad's feathers?"
I pondered that for a moment. She hadn't seemed to know they were his. "Uhm… well, I don't know. She told us some superstition about the feathers being sent from her parents in heaven, so… I don't think so," I said.
"Well, that's good."
I walked back up the stairs to my bedroom, contemplating. I hadn't been paying attention to Dark and Krad's fight the other night – just enough to keep track of our stolen art and not killing Satoshi – especially not to how many feathers Krad had lost. Maybe Suna had been walking during her lunch hour and found them? I really had no idea.
She does know they're his feathers, Daisuke.
What?
Akimoto. She knows they're Krad's feathers – that's why she picked them up.
How would she know they were his? I wondered. I really had to start paying more attention.
Dark sighed angrily. Because she's watched every one of our fights.
What!?
You heard me.
Well, then… Does that mean she's on his side? I really hoped not. That was just what we needed – someone defending Krad.
Dark didn't say anything for a while, looking back on that night's events when I hadn't been tuned in. No, I don't think she's on either side – but she is fascinated by Krad. He sounded peeved by the last comment.
I nearly laughed. Poor Dark. Now you know of two girls that aren't in love with you!
Shut up, Daisuke.
