...Part 37: Krad...

I watched her go, sprinting to catch up with Mitsukai. When I turned back to keep an eye on Itanami, she and Dark were sitting in the crisp, dead grass, just talking – oblivious to the rest of us.

I felt alone when I watched them, remembering the time I had spent in my self-inflicted solitude. I had been an idiot, and I had paid the price for my actions... Dark and Itanami made it all worse, though.

And so did the Niwa family. Emiko and Kosuke had aged together, and they were happy with the younger generations. Daisuke and Riku had worked out perfectly, it seemed, and their son, Daichi, was a healthy young boy that they had spent time with for his whole life. I knew I should have been there for Mitsukai, to stand by Suna and him.

Satoshi and Risa had had the twins, Takumi and Tomomi, who were very much like them, though somehow acquiring personalities all their own at the same time. The world works in mysterious ways.

Emiko and Kosuke left. Riku and Risa talked together, sending odd glances at Dark and Itanami throughout their speech, while Satoshi and Daisuke conversed on a related issue and Mitsukai's "cousins" all grouped together in the same manner. I was left on my own.

"What did I tell you?" Riku said irately. "Leave it to Dark to fall in love with a mass murderer."

"Don't blame Dark for everything, Riku," Risa argued.

This was not something I cared to listen to.

"If Dark keeps Itanami busy, she might forget about tracking Mitsukai," Daisuke ventured.

Satoshi shook his head. "Sure, he may be able to keep her preoccupied, but she won't forget – her actions will only be postponed until a later date."

"Well, then what can we do?" Daisuke asked. "Dark refuses to seal her."

But Dark wasn't the only one with magic...

"He has to. He has to get over this infatuation of his and move on. Itanami is dangerous."

"But –"

"Daisuke," Satoshi cut him off. "Dark has to do it – sooner or later. He has no choice."

With that, Satoshi gestured to Risa that it was time for them to leave, and she in turn beckoned to the twins the same message. The Hikari family left, leaving the Niwa – and, essentially, me – the deal with the problem.

Riku walked over to Daisuke. "I'm going to go home, Dai, okay? This stuff is way out of my league, and seeing as Dark and Daichi are no longer connected, I no longer see why this should be our problem."

"Riku..." Daisuke gave her a look that explained all of his concern in one shot.



"Daisuke, please. Let Dark go."

Riku left with Daichi, though the recent ex-Tamer followed almost reluctantly. He must have befriended the thief, as well.

And so, I was left with Daisuke Niwa, Dark Mousy, and Dark's psychotic immortal girlfriend who wanted to eat my son's soul – oh what great company that was.

Daisuke walked over to me, sighing. "So whose side are you on?" he asked.

"Not theirs," I spat.

"I don't know who I'm trying to support anymore. I want Dark to be happy, because he's my friend, but Itanami really does need to go... but that would only hurt Dark by getting rid of her."

"It would not only hurt Dark," I retorted. "It would save a hell of a lot of lives."

Daisuke grinned faintly. "Since when do you care about people's lives?" he joked.

I glared down at him. "I care about my family, Niwa, not the general public."

Daisuke nodded understandingly, looking back over to the two famous law-breakers on the ground. "What do you suppose they're talking about?" he wondered.

"I can hear what they're talking about," I grumbled. "It's nothing important."

"What are they saying?"

Didn't I just tell him it was of no importance? "They're talking about going to Europe. Personally, I think it sucks."

"That's only because you were there on your own exile," Daisuke guessed, hitting the nail on the head.

I winced. "Don't remind me."

"I should probably take Dark and Itanami back with me," Daisuke said, yawning. "If nothing else, maybe we can try to lock Itanami in the vault."

That sounded like a good enough idea. I wanted to get back to Suna and Mitsukai.

"Are you sure you can handle them?" I didn't want things getting out of hand with Itanami.

Daisuke nodded. "Don't worry, Krad... I'm sure Dark can handle her for tonight."

Good.

When I got to Chiisai, everything was quiet, signaling that my family must be asleep already. I sat down on the steps, not sure whether I should go up there, or keep some kind of watch down here. I dozed off there multiple times, and by the time morning started creeping in, I fell asleep completely – right there on the stairs, wings splayed out across them uncomfortably.



. . . . . . . . . . . .

I always manage to write about people falling asleep when I'm tired. I guess it's how I get my rest in for the night? This is ridiculous...