Chapter 25: With Grants Dark's Wish

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Riku opens her eyes, waking up. Her back ached the moment she gained consciousness. She arches her back to stretch but she is astounded to what she saw.

With is out of bed. Riku alarms. She is about to get out of bed when she gasps at the sight of With unconscious on the floor. "With!" she screamed. "Oh dear. Oh..." Riku picks With from the floor and into her arms. His clothes are wet in sweat and he is barely breathing. Riku listens to his heart. It is...failing. "Oh...With. Someone please help! Someone! Risa! Risa!"

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"Now we have to think of a way to give him a proper burial," Risa said.

"W-what? B-but Niwa-san," Riku called in a trembling voice and almost sobbing.

Daiki looked at Riku.

"With is still alive, can't you see? Look, he's still warm and he's-" Riku sobbed.

"Riku, will you quit that now? You can't push yourself down to depression. I know how you feel but there's nothing we can do now," Risa said.

Daiki approaches Riku; Riku gives Daiki With's hand; Daiki got surprised. He could not believe his own hand. "He really is warm. As if he's sleeping," Daiki thought.

"Jii-chan," Daisuke called.

Daiki instantly thought of a way. "You may be mistaking. You see, a person, or an animal is at the least as warm as he is when he was still alive for the last 24 hours from the moment he died." Daiki said. "Please understand. This is...very natural, Riku." Daiki lied.

Riku's face fell. She covers her face with her hands and sobs. Daisuke looks at her sympathetically. Riku looks up to everyone and breathes in deeply. "I understand," she said.

Daiki turned to Riku. "I will volunteer my family to assist you in With's burial since With is originally the Niwa family's property," Daiki said. "That is if you accept,"

"Wait. Burial? Won't there be any funeral?" Riku asked.

"Well...he is...a rabbit," Daiki said. "Yes, but isn't it-" Riku looks around to everyone. Even Risa thinks she's overreacting. Riku looks away. "I hope you understand," Daiki said. Riku holds her forehead, trying to grip onto herself.

"Thank you for assisting," Riku said.

Daiki stared at Riku. "I think it is also best if you stay here. We will let you visit the tomb right after we made the arrangements,"

Riku blinked. "You won't need me? Um...us?" Riku said.

"It's okay," Daiki said. "At least let us be the ones to arrange everything for you. You have been good to With to the very last of his breath. This is the least we could do to repay your kindness,"

"I understand," Riku said. "Thank you, and... I'm sorry, Niwa-san,"

"It is alright," Daiki said.

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"I asked Satoshi to pick up With's body. Is that alright?" Daiki asked. Risa looks at Daiki. "Yeah, sure. I don't have anything against Hiwatari-kun," Risa said.

"Satoshi is a good boy. Whenever I find someone who is worth complimenting, I always stare at them." Daiki said, staring at Risa. Risa sweatdropped. "Yeah? You are frank, Niwa-san. It's rare to find blunt people like you are," Risa said.

"I keep staring at Satoshi, I noticed that he has this unusual resemblance to Dark. What do you think? Is it me or am I just imagining it?" Daiki asked. Risa blinked; she looks at Satoshi. She stares at him and imagines Dark. Risa flushes realizing that Daiki has a point at his talking.

Daiki smiled. "I think I found the family to claim for Dark," he thought. He holds his beard, walking away from Risa. "Now, my problem is the name..." he thought.

He looks up and blinks. "Oh, Riku!" Daiki called.

Riku looks up for him and smiles weakly. Daiki approaches her. "You are very sad, no?" he said. Riku chuckles. "I will truly miss With," she said. "He's been the one to cheer me up whenever I'm down."

"We both know he knows that, too." Daiki said. "With is a friendly rabbit but he chooses his master very well. He did not come back to our home after you took him in, which simply means he loves how he is loved here and I believe it's all because of you," Daiki said. "Thank you, Riku."

"I'm really sorry, Niwa-san," Riku sobbed.

"You only say sorry because you made a mistake," Daiki said. "There is no reason for you to say sorry because you have loved. Love is not a mistake."

Riku sobbed. She nods.

"With will continue to live on in your heart," Daiki said.

Riku nods. "Thank you, Niwa-san," Riku said and gave him a smiling face though teary eyes.

"Dark chose this lady here to be his sacred maiden. Daisuke loved this lady above all else. With let this lady be his master and the only person that With granted with a wish even though her last name isn't Hikari or Niwa. Your love may be the purest of all maidens, Riku, for you are always chosen above exemptions of qualifications." Daiki thought, smiling at her.

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"He's here," Satoshi said.

Dark arrived; a strong wind came in the room. Everyone is looking at him. Dark has an ornament clipped on his arm. He looked around; Daisuke, Daiki and Kosuke are there.

"I was told Daiki would be here but I didn't know the Niwa household would be here," Dark laughed.

Dark walks in to get closer to them. "Why would you all be here? Is it to celebrate my retirement?" he laughs.

"You could say that," Daiki laughed.

"Yeah?" Dark smiled. "Well, this is the last one, Daiki."

Dark hands the ornament to Daiki. Daiki received it and smiled at Dark. Dark laughs through his nose.

"Did you ready it? To seal the 500th art?" Dark asked.

"Dark!" Daisuke claimed. Dark looked at him.

"You have to see this," Daisuke said, pulling him all the way to Satoshi's room. Everyone followed them.

Dark got surprised as he sees a young man who has the same face as his, lying on Satoshi's bed. Dark approaches him to take a closer look; he could not believe his eyes. He looked back at everyone.

"Who-" is the only word Dark could speak.

"He's With, Dark," Daisuke said.

"What?" Dark got surprised.

"Riku had one of your feathers and With was with her. When she wished for something, With resonated with the dark feather and granted her wish," Kosuke explained.

"With was with her?" Dark repeated.

"I gave With to her," Daisuke said.

"So...when I was..." Dark looked at him. "Why did you do that? With was a part of me; he is considered a Hikari art," he scolded.

"That was what I was thinking that's why I gave him to her. I can't take care of With myself anymore and I can see Riku getting sadder and sadder every time. I thought, 'With was a part of Dark so maybe he can make Riku feel Dark's presence for a while'. So since I neglect With, I didn't hesitate on handing him to Riku," Daisuke said.

Dark frowned. "What? Are you-"

"No matter how much you hate me now because I gave Riku another reason to be in a complicated situation, I won't regret it because Riku had been happy when With came into her life. Even now that she lost him, Riku is able to move on faster – both in her unrequited love for you and losing With," Daisuke said.

Dark startles. He sighs.

"Since With had done his part on granting Riku's wish, why don't you just let him finish his task and grant your wish as well, Dark?" Daiki said.

Dark looked at Daiki.

"No one of us knows your wish better than With," Kosuke said.

Dark turned to look at With who lies on Satoshi's bed. He looks back at everyone. Daisuke and the rest nodded in agreement.

"After this, it doesn't mean you won over me," Daisuke said. "It's actually the beginning of our fight,"

Dark smiled.

"Let's start the fight when you become human. Everything will be fair now." Daisuke added.

"Yeah," Dark said.

Dark approaches With. With's body rose in midair and stood to face Dark. Dark stares at With. Same eyes, same body, same hair, same face. A perfect ersatz of Dark. Dark holds With's arms.

"You have been the greatest assistant for me," Dark said. "Even though I have my own wings now, I am no better if you're not my wings. Even now, I still need you,"

Dark's eyes soften. "From now on, we will be one. You will not be my wings, but you will be my soul,"

Dark looks at With and touches With's cheek; With's body begins to glow. "With?" Dark called. "Thank you...thank you for everything,"

With's body glows brighter. Dark holds With around his arms and the light had become blinding.

The light fainted after some time and only one Dark now stood before them and he fell on the ground unconscious.

"Dark!"

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NOTE: Review please...(",)