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Dark's POV

'Dark...? Ow... Is everyone alright?' Daisuke asks me, after having just come to.

'Well, Satoshi and Risa are still here. I'm sure everyone else is fine.'

'Do you know where they are? Can we meet up with them?'

We are currently nearing the end of the underground tunnel. Risa is humming a sweet tune to herself and Satoshi is beginning to lag behind on my left. I keep brushing a few feathers lightly against him to make sure I can still reach. This way he doesn't get left too far. What few times I brush hard enough for him to feel must seem odd to him.

'With positions the way they were, I'd say your mother and Riku went down to her closet's secret exit and your father with your grandfather went down the basement's. So, that would be a no, we can't meet up from here. They are fine, don't worry.'

'But, what about the plans tonight? How are we going to stay a step ahead of them if we don't know where they are exactly?'

'Tsk, tsk, Daisuke. Remember who we are?'

'I don't want to risk exposing them in the middle of everything!'

'Well, they will have a better chance at succeeding if we are present, either way.'

"Dark, are we almost there?" Satoshi asks, sounding very off from normal.

"What's wrong?" Immediately I quit walking. All of a sudden, there are two screeching voices ringing in my head. One of which only I can hear and the other belongs to Risa.

"Say that again." 'One at a time, this time,' I add, annoyed at Daisuke.

"I said, Hiwatari was hit by a dart! Maybe he's sick?" Risa stares off distantly, as if she might be able to see him.

"I'm only wanting to know how long we have left down here," he says, coming up next to me. "Something has been following me for the last few minutes and it's getting annoying."

"A dart?"

"Yeah. It was blue tipped. Do you know what that is, or something?" Risa asks.

"No." I bend to study his face. Unable to see, he's not aware of me doing this. I straighten.

"What's following you?" I ask him, while beginning to check further down, from where we'd just come. "It could just have been my wing bumping into you."

"I knew when your wing was touching me. What I am talking about is not that."

"T-then... what?" Risa quivers, eyes wide. I push her into the hollow of my good wing, putting a splayed hand comfortingly in the middle of her back to protect her. She blushes.

"Let's just continue, shall we?" I offer. "The exit is less than a minute away."

"But, I wanna know-," Risa begins mumbling before pelting into my side screaming, "SOMETHING TOUCHED MY LEG!"

"That's why you shouldn't say things like that," Satoshi mutters, wiping a wrist against his forehead. He's not feeling good, no matter how great his acting skills.

"That wasn't you, was it, Hiwatari?" she asks him, while spreading some of my larger flight feathers out of her way. It tickles the way she pulls at them.

"He's too far from you," I confirm.

"Let's keep going. Now, please,"he invokes with enthusiasm. I place a hand on his shoulder and steer him to the front of me.

"Keep up, then!" We continue walking.

'Dark, I've got a bad chill...'

'No kidding, Daisuke. You think I haven't noticed?'

That's when a large hand grabs my hurt wing from behind, near my shoulder. I stop in my tracks and Risa screams again.

"SOMETHING JUST BREATHED ON MY NECK!"

I swallow thickly.

"Yeah, well something has my wing." I push Risa and Satoshi ahead of me. Satoshi spins around. The look he makes offers no confidence whatsoever.

"Dark! Move!" he yells. I stiffen, feeling the shock of a freezing hand plunging itself into my back, burrowing, reaching for something. It's gone as quickly as it comes. I throw myself in a half circle to look behind. Nothing is there.

"What...?" I question with confusion. Is this a fight, or flight situation?

"Come on, before he can come back," Satoshi says matter-of-fact like, turning around to walk onwards. Risa reaches blindly for me. Shaken and a little angry, I grip her hand.

'Daisuke, you alright?'

'No, I'm not. I think I'm going to throw up...'

'You'd better not! I'm out right now, you know!'

'…'

'Daisuke, do you feel any different?'

'Yeah. What did whatever that was do?'

'I think it tried attacking us. Now I'm feeling sick...'

"Dark?" Risa stops tugging on my hand. "Come on, don't stop now!"

"Sorry. You two go on. I'll be right behind you."

"You'd better not stop, Dark," Satoshi warns, coming from around Risa.

"It's not like I want to stay!"

"Dark?" Satoshi looks almost frightened again, staring right behind me. Not good!

Forget about being hurt! Throwing Risa over my shoulder, I run, hauling Satoshi up along with her. That exit's door was going to need replacing. Meh, it's old anyway.

-.-

"Don't move!" Is the first thing we hear when surfacing from the ground. Many ominous clicks follow the harsh command. In a full 360 degrees they surround us, guns held armed and ready. Many fingers itch to pull their triggers. This is a regular fun fest for them.

"Great. Maybe Kosuke was spotted yesterday," I mutter to myself, my hair swaying as I swing a circle to take in the full sight around us.

"Take Dark down! Leave the other two standing!" the squad's leader yells with an arm raised high into the air.

Satoshi forces Risa and himself down flat on the ground. I step back, but there is nowhere to go for an escape, except for the trees above. Those wouldn't be easy with my ribs, but neither will anything else. Red darts begin littering the air all around us.

'Daisuke, be strong!'

'Right!'

I summon my energy outwards, creating a purple translucent dome just big enough to cover the three of us. My reserves were already draining. That's the problem with speed healing, it demands a lot out of you. And, I've been having to do a lot of it since yesterday. The darts fall harmlessly around the outer edge of the barrier.

"Don't worry men!" the squad leader shouts. "We've faced this sort of trick before! Next wave! Fire!"

"Tell me they're kidding."

"Dark! You can't keep this up!" Satoshi shouts, his body shielding Risa protectively in case any darts happen to make it through.

"Tch!"

The second wave fires. It continues on to a third wave. I drop the barrier after that, having seen an opening. Most of the thirty some-odd men had fired their rounds empty, the first group still had not reloaded properly. The darts, being stubborn, had jammed. They really should work with quality instead of quantity. When are people going to learn? I bust through the crowd of unmarked uniforms, hoping that this way Satoshi and Risa will be safer. I couldn't have kept that barrier up for much longer. For sure they would have gotten hit it if I'd stayed so close.

I circle around, not going far behind one soldier and ball my fist. As he turns, the back of my knuckles swing, breaking through his helmet and into his temple. He drops and I'm already on my next target. She swings, her reflexes surprising me. The rifle comes close, but I back step in time and counter with a well placed uppercut. She goes down. So much for being easy on women.

"Dark! I order you to stop this!" the squad leader is idiot enough to yell out.

I snap my teeth together, still in drastic pain. I can't keep this going! But, I'm going to make sure I take their leader out first, and he's just drawn a target on himself. Five more uniformed idiots make an attempt to surround me. Spinning in a powerful circle, I extend my good wing and knock them backwards. They land at odd angles. The moves a costly one. My limb throbs, adding fuel to my growing anger. The leader stands still as he stares at me, raising a hand for order. All actions on their side cease. Any who can get up does so quickly, moving to put distance between us. I'm breathing heavy, pressing an arm under my ribs and keeping relatively motionless, trying to figure out what he's planning. He raises both hands to take his helmet off. A smug, handsome face looks at me, his light sandy brown hair is pulled back into a single shiny ponytail. I want to floor him.

"Dark, you should stop," he says as slanted eyes narrow.

"Do I know you?" I ask.

"No," he laughs. "But, you soon will. You need help, right? I'm sure you of all people have noticed."

"What are you going on about? Come on away from your toadies and let's duke it out. A real fight!"

"You're calling me out, eh? You don't want to do that."

"Ha! Not going to do it? Well then, I'll come to you."

I start walking over to him and he reaches down by his side. His underlings don't make any moves, being great in keeping with his issued command. His hand comes up holding a small plastic device. Flipping the top open with a thumb, I hear beeping coming from within it.

'Dark, he's up to something! Stop walking!'

"If you want to stay alive, I suggest you stop, Dark. Take a moment to listen to the rhythm of this beeping, if you would."

Against my judgment, I stand and listen.

'It sounds like a heartbeat. Why?'

"Now, tell me what in this field is beating exactly with this?" He looks positively thrilled. "I'll give you a hint: It's very close to you."

Daisuke gasps in horror. Open mouthed, I look down to my chest and place a hand over my heart. For every beep the device makes, my pulse beats under my palm. Catching my expression, I make a fist and start walking towards him again.

"So what? You know my heart rate. Big deal."

Please, let that be all he has. Let him be bluffing with that thing!

"I was afraid you'd think something like that," he says with a frown. "I was going to offer a cure, you know. I literally hold your life here."

"What's the price?"

'Dark!' Daisuke can't believe that I'm willing to bargain with this guy.

Pale lips grin. "Your body," he says.

"Excuse me!"

"I want your body. I want to know how it is that you can change the way you do. Don't lie. I've seen the differences marked in this little machine here. Your brain would be a great study, too. I'd like to find out if the Legendary Phantom Thief is a triggered personality, or an actual spirit possessing little Niwa."

I cross my arms. "Why?"

"Just want to know for the sake of knowing," he shrugs.

"Fine," I agree.

"What?"

'What?'

"If you cure me, you can perform your little tests, so long as they don't harm."

'DARK! ARE YOU CRAZY!'

'Hush.'

"Well, well, well! This I can work with."

"Lose the twinkle, bub." His eyes had roamed over me a little too fondly.

"Sorry. I'm just imagining all the tests I get to try," he chuckles.

"None until you agree to my terms."

"I promise you nor Daisuke shall be harmed. Wouldn't want to lose such a precious thing, would we?"

'Daisuke, does he remind you of someone?'

'Not really.'

'Huh? He reminds me of Keiji Saga.'

'You should have laid down more terms then...'

'Don't be upset, I was lying about the agreement. I just need to take away that device.'

"Oh, by the way." His gray eyes still twinkle. "Nighty night."

His finger moves, making a small beeping sound of its own against the little device. The regular beeps become slower and irregular and at the same time I jolt forward. Hunching over, I desperately tried to draw in air. But, that won't solve the problem. My nearly paralyzed heart isn't doing much. I drop to my knees, my legs being the first to give out, and hear screams and laughter mix as my vision goes black. I've never been blind in the dark before, but I am now. Laughter rings closer, but I can't stop bending forward towards the grass.

"Restrain them! Good grief, they're just fourteen!" he stops laughing to shout out. I have no idea what Satoshi and Risa are doing.

'D-dark... this hurts! How is... he doing this?'

My joints must have metal in them, but somehow I pull myself into a stand. No way are things going to end here for us.

"I don't want to kill you. Just go to sleep already," he says, too pompously for his own good. Something in me flares, snapping that last little bit.

I dare you! I dare you to kill me!

"I dare you to kill me, you sonuvabitch!" I scream in his face and my vision suddenly flashes back on. The look he gives, the fear he shows, it becomes my breath. I grip his neck and hoist him high. He's so feeble with his legs dangling helplessly, and his neck feels ready to break under my fingertips. The device is still clutched weakly in his hand.

"Did you hear me? I dared you. Aren't you wanting to press another button, especially since you see what position you're in?" He just chokes.

"I'll take it then." I pluck it out of his hand with my free one and release the button that's pushed on the small keypad. Immediately the relief is plausible. Too bad the guy's turning colors...

'Dark! Stop! Release him before you kill him!' Daisuke's voice returns and brushes the depths of my mind.

"Tch." I open my fingers and drop him. With water in his eyes he falls to his side, retching for air. I feel like laughing at him.

'Dark, what's wrong with you?'

'Nothing, Daisuke.'

'Nothing? You were close to seriously harming that guy!'

I walk away from the pathetic excuse for a human balled on top of the ground and address his underlings.

"Any of you care to make a move?"

Movement catches in my peripheral vision and I blink, looking towards it. Some of the uniformed men were hurrying, carrying the unconscious form of Satoshi and half dragging a thrashing Risa. Already they were a good distance off. Doesn't make much sense to tranquilize one and not the other. Maybe the dart kicked in.

'Risa! Satoshi!'

Daisuke wants to race for them. The pull that he creates is hard to ignore, but they are already too far for me to catch. But, not if I turn into shadow. Reloaded guns zoom to face at me. It's dusk, but maybe there's not enough darkness out yet. Fingers adjust on their triggers. I pool my magic – regardless of them – into my center and let it flow, spreading a deep coldness throughout my torso and limbs. My body was becoming lighter, insubstantial. A dart shoots through me, not effecting me in the least, but something is wrong. I can't stay as a shadow! It's entirely too fast in draining me. It has to be the silver in my system.

"He's mine! Stand down!"

They do as told. A familiar face comes out from the sea of idiots with guns.

"You're not going to play this safe and stay down?" I ask him. His gray eyes look amused, even in anger towards me.

"I'm not letting you go, or get away with beating me."

'Dark! What are we going to do? Satoshi and Risa are getting farther and farther away!'

He bends to pick up one of the many red darts littering the ground.

"You don't actually think you'll hit me with that? If you come close, I'll break you." I'm serious, though chuckling at his stupidity. He hesitates and gives me a calculating stare.

"You know," he laughs, "I'm liking you more and more. You will be mine." He runs forward with his hand raised. The dart glints with the orange-yellow of the setting sun. He can't be serious. I rush to meet him, wanting to cut him off before he can do whatever it is he really intends to do. He can't really mean to attack me head-to-head like this? The guy has got to be whacked. His eyes widen and he nearly stops. I reach, yanking the wrist of his hand that's holding the dart. His other snaps to something on his side. He picks out a single red button. Before I can go to knock it out his hands, he presses it.

My heart does the same thing it'd done before and my head goes back, mouth slightly open in semi-shock. He has another device! He starts forcing the arm in my hold down, pushing the dart closer to my chest. My footing gets harder to keep. It looks like this time I can't fight it so well – I'm losing my ground fast. He keeps trying to force me back, seeming to gain more and more strength against me. I twist a foot into the ground, angling for more purchase and arch my head back. Slinging brutally forward, I smash my forehead against him. It's just about the only thing left that I can do. He yelps, but doesn't let go. Instead, with a bloody nose, he glares at me evilly and continues to push the dart closer.

I rear back and try again in our struggle. Both of our eyes snap closed upon the impact. A dull thunk echoes. Needless to say my earlier headache comes back. We stare nose to nose, my purple into his almost silver, both determined to be the victor. Soon, I have to turn my head to gasp for air. My chest is getting tighter! In about one quick motion I'm forced to my knees, my back bent to touch the short grass behind me. I'm not exactly sure how it'd happened. Stars erupt past my vision, my body shaking from overstressed injuries. Twisting, I manage to keep the dart from sticking into my unguarded chest.

"Truly beautiful," he whispers against my straining.

"G-getoffme!"

"Why? We could have so much fun together."

Suddenly, he has my arms above my head. My legs are jerked out from under me, pinned under each of his. The position is an unmistakable one.

"We don't need this anymore," he says, pressing the little red button again. "You're already too weak to fight me." He grins at me, wiping the blood streaming from his nose onto his sleeve. I turn my head away in order to catch my chaotic breath, wanting to be rid of him.

"How does it feel, my pet?"

"Pet!" I snap my head back around. My eyes shine with a furious glint.

"Yes. You're not human, so instead of being qualified as my slave, you're now my pet."

"In your sick fantasies!"

"I can arrange that. But, you'll have to wait until after the first test, at least."

...This guy was actually intending on- … OH! HELL NO!

"You'd better get off me, or-"

"Or you'll what?" he mocks with a devious smile. "You can't escape."

I just realized he'd been using only one hand to hold my two over my head. His other's free with the tranq, setting it needle-down against my abdomen.

"You'll get it for this!" I growl.

"Maybe one day," he purrs. "But, know this..." He places the dart in his mouth to undo my shirt with his free hand. I struggle, trying to displace him. It doesn't work, and soon his hand in roaming my rib cage to touch across my toned chest. Daisuke shudders. I give a look that can kill. He bends to my ear, spitting out the dart into his hand, unfazed by my look of promised vengeance. This guy's going to taste blood!

"Know that as soon as this tranquilizer takes effect, I'm going to be kissing those delectable looking lips of yours. Wonder how soft they are. Or what they will taste like. I've never kissed something like you before."

"WHAT THE HELL-"

He jabs the tranq into my midriff. Even though I've lost my breath from the hit, there's no discomfort. Tense muscles relax instantly and pain becomes nothing but a memory. His hand is jerking the dart up and out while my thoughts unravel, becoming hard to hold onto. My head rolls sideways, my vision turning almost white...

'I'm sorry, Daisuke.'

Barely do I feel it when I'm being moved. The guy gets off me and walks into my view. He smiles at my glazed eyes. Anger stirs under the slur of drugs. He bends for my mouth, pressing into me. It's revolting. He jumps back a split second later, covering his mouth.

"What was that?"

"It looked like an electrical discharge, Sir," one toad answers him. Is this behavior really acceptable to them?

"Still fighting, eh?" he asks, grinning. "Fine, I'll wait until you're thoroughly out. Won't be but a few more seconds," he laughs, releasing his bruised lips.

'Daisuke?' I call, but the little redhead was gone. I'd accidentally sealed him off. Hope this means he won't know about this. ...This... inhuman... jerk is... going... to... to pay... as… soon as... I...

…...

…...

…... ...

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