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Satoshi's POV
A few minutes pass as slow as an eternity in this room. The light greenish pattern of the water reflects and dances dizzily from off the pure black surrounding walls and ceiling. It's almost like I'm in a black hole and the lit water is the only source of light. I stare up as a drift on my back to the middle of the large pool, feeling an easy current playing underneath me. What a strange power I have, but what can I really do with it? I question quietly to myself. What can I do at all? There is no way for me to get word out to any of my officers. I can't even leave this room...
I turn into the water and try to clear my mind from its frustrations. The water really is soothing, I can almost imagine a joy soaking into me from within it. Sadly, there's not enough time to allow my mind to be strayed for long...
If I could get something so simple as my legs back, I might be able to do something. But, what? What could I do? I don't think that I can take Triton and any number of his men out. If I could just sneak out... Yeah, right! But... maybe... there is something that I can do...
I take a few more minutes, allowing a plan to begin formulating, but once the end of my sinking tail fin touches the pool's rough concrete bottom, I jerk and lose all train of thought, gazing straight up through an impossible fifteen feet of greenish water.
Impossible! How did I-... When did I-...
I have no more chance to think as I choke, filled with disbelief and water. After a few shocked seconds I'm streaming back up, all the while I'm wondering how it was possible for me not to notice my position under the water. You would think I'd have noticed the pressure differences the further I went down, or something. Heck, don't mind the fact that I was using gills and managing to breathe the entire time! But, why is it I can only use them when I'm not aware of needing them?
My head breaks the surface and a relieving breath fills my depleted lungs – almost not quickly enough. A quick shake of my head gets rid of the trickling water on my face. I want to try this again... No, need to try this again, and this time learn what it is I'm doing to breathe underwater.
One, two, three times I dip under and there is nothing but the feeling of suffocation each time. Breathing normally is definitely not the thing to do. Gulping water isn't the answer; it's only about as pleasant as drinking from the ocean. I gasp a final time over the water's surface. Holding my breath and seeing if "instincts" would direct me also had held no luck. I wipe a hand across my eyes.
"I give up. Just give me my legs back already!"
-.-
Dark's POV
I wobble, hovering over a stainless steel sink and spit out the nasty taste of blood. Closing my eyes, I reach blindly for the rack of paper towels I'd seen and, grabbing one, angrily swipe at my bleeding nose. Deep red soaks into the plain towel. With impatience I ball it up and throw it to land in an small trash can. It bounces off the rim and to the floor. I eye it evilly and try not to think of all the little nanomachines that must be mixed on it. I grab another paper towel for my nose and walk to a plastic blue chair sitting in the middle of the room by a brown table. This little side getaway we're in looks to be a small break room. At least this place isn't as sterile looking as the hall outside. Do I dare check out the fridge that's on the far side of the room for a snack? The counters lined on the wall around us are barren, with nothing as simple as a coffee maker decorating the empty space, and the cupboards above them don't appear to have been touched in awhile with all the cobwebs stretched over them. Grudgingly, I look to Kosuke sitting in his own plastic chair beside me. His glazed over eyes tell me he's deep in thought, and his prominent frown tells me whatever he's thinking about has him seriously worried. He roughly brings a hand up to rub at the back of his head in an unusual show of annoyance.
"Any ideas, Kosuke?" I hate to have to ask, but I'm at a loss here. There is no way I can do much of anything to escape if I can't so much as walk next to the exit's door. And while they were at it they probably blocked me from any other form of exiting. Kosuke blinks slowly and breathes out heavily before glancing at me and putting his hand down, only to look away again, troubled.
"Are you able to use magic at all, Dark?" he asks quietly. The hesitation of this question is very pronounced. He doesn't want anymore stress put on Daisuke's body. I finish cleaning the remainder of blood from my nose; it's finally stopped bleeding. Throwing the spotty towel to land in the trash can in the corner behind me, I brush a few fingers absentmindedly over my still-tender midsection. I gather the fingers into a determined fist and focus on it. None of my magic stirs. I only feel a small signature of my energy, and even that's getting weaker.
"Teh! I've got nothing." I hang my head. Kosuke sits sideways in his chair to face me.
"You don't have enough to shadow completely for even a second?" he asks me importantly.
Tch! Does he know how much energy and skill that takes? An angry mark appears on my forehead.
"Look, I barely have the energy needed to do a backwards flip. On top of that, silver from somewhere is still hindering my capabilities. I don't know if I could work with magic even if I was in the best of condition." I glance up into Kosuke's concerned expression and try to rid myself of my pointless anger. (It proves really hard at the moment.) "That Triton really has done a number on me."
"This couldn't be simple, could it?" he asks and puts his head into one hand dejectedly, turning back to sit normally in his chair. He's far from giving up, it's evident as he continues to space out and think.
"Nope," I tell him and copy his posture.
"Before we can do anything to escape, we need to get rid of those nanomachines. I was hoping if you went shadow, those things could just fall out of your then unsubstantial form."
"Good idea," I praise his constructive mind, "but, going shadow wouldn't solve anything. The nanos are streaming inside me and are like a part of me. In order to turn, I'd have to have enough power to turn them insubstantial as well. Otherwise, it's like they're grounding me. And if they have any silver at all in their compound, then that's impossible to do, no matter how much magic I use to do so. This concept is the same as my clothes disappearing and reforming with me. If you consider it, then shadowing would be easier without the worry of clothes."
"If that's your way of asking for permission not to where clothes when thieving, then the answers no," Kosuke says jokingly.
"Haha! Not what I was going for, but hey, I guess I tried." I can't help but grin. Count on Kosuke to successfully lighten the atmosphere with a dumb joke. I try not to use magic when thieving anyway and we both know it.
He sighs and I slump forward onto the table, which, unfortunately, reminds me of food. My stomach follows my brain's path and growls loudly, sounding pathetic. I grumble back at it and rub my face into the cold, brown wood before me, smashing my nose against it. What I wouldn't do for even a carrot! I think desperately. A sudden tap on my shoulder has me sitting up and regarding Kosuke and what he's fumbling for. Out of a thin black backpack comes a neat, square bento box, unusual due to a built in lock keeping it sealed and protected.
"Emiko wouldn't let me leave home without it," he says and chuckles some. "I figure you might want this?" An appreciative sob actually tears out of my throat. I'm snatching the little bento before he can blink.
"Hey!" he complains.
"Freakin' thing won't open!" I complain as I immediately try to force the unyielding lid and bottom apart with my fingertips.
"The great thief needs the key?" He almost can't believe it.
I stop my fruitless struggles and stretch out an open palm towards Kosuke, wanting the damn thing. "Shut up and give it to me," I demand with a flat expression.
-.-
Satoshi's POV
I find myself waiting by the part of the pool the declines into the water gradually. It's been too long since I've heard from Triton. And I haven't heard anyone march by on the outside, either. It makes me apprehensive. Triton has to be up to something. What type of game has he decided to play with all of us?
'He loves to sit back and watch everyones' reactions. He is the type that likes to know what exactly makes another tick, but he is messed with the wrong group this time.'
'Do you know something, Krad?'
'At this point it is all guess work. Let's just say I am familiar with his type. Tell me, why do you think he does not have an actual guard in this room with us, but merely cameras? How do you think the Niwas got in here so efficiently? I admit, whereas they have great skills, they do not have near enough to take on this organization without trouble. We are all being tested, even now. And I suspect we will be subjected to a roller coaster of events before Triton is satisfied with us.'
'Unfortunately for him, I never learned how to let someone have their way.'
'True, you never did. Care to show him your stubborn side?' I can feel Krad grinning with a grace of superiority.
Small ripples pulse throughout the pool. Is the water reflecting my escalating emotions? I don't think that I can work with Krad, even if this is his way of offering a temporary truce. My gaze shifts restlessly through the water, then towards the door as if looking for something.
'You can't escape on your own. Like it or not, I am getting out of this sickening building. I would much rather not have to fight with you and them at the same time. You and I will continue our squabble when this is over. Then, there are things to settle with Dark. ... Work with me, you are a Hikari, you can push me back if need be, right?' Krad challenges and mocks. I squeeze my eyes shut as anger burns.
'I don't trust your agenda, Krad. I'm not about to let you have any sort of control over me. Nothing will change you – you'll always be a monster, and I'm afraid no monster will have me so easily.' Krad laughs. He knows as well as I do, once my legs comes back, it's going to be a fight for control. Which one of us will win?
'You know,' he says in a slightly joyful tone, 'if you let me out, you will not have to worry about the no clothes issue. Remember, my outfit spawns with me.' I can picture him smiling.My jaw goes slack. I quickly close my mouth and shut my eyes.
'You must be out of your mind if you think that is reason enough for me to hand my body over to you.'
'It is more than enough reason for you. You know as well as I do that once your regular form is back and Triton returns what matter will ensue if you are left without modesty.'
My eyes snap open at this. I hadn't wanted to face this fact and squeeze my eyes shut again, tight, as I try to block potential images out of my mind.
'I'm still not giving you control, Krad!'
But, the angel inside me doesn't seem worried about my declaration.
'No one else can have you, Satoshi,' he says, and it's as if he's right beside me instead of where he is suppose to be. I can't suppress the shudder that ripples through me.
-.-
Dark's POV
"I feel so much better now!" I stretch happily with the empty bento box held high in one hand.
"Okay, Dark," Kosuke says in all seriousness, "I'm at a total loss of how to get you out of here." We'd been discussing any ideas of getting the nanos out of me (well, him talking, I had been busy) with no luck on what to do. But, a little plan had came to me while I'd been eating. My confidence in it builds as I slam the bento box on the table, making Kosuke jump a fraction out of his seat.
"I know what I'm going to do," I say, looking to the ceiling and thinking a bit more before I look down to see him staring at me with a mixture of curiosity and fear. "You escape. I'm going to let Triton have me. With any luck, I'll beat a way of curing myself of these nasty micro machines out of him." There's a stretch of silence and a blank stare aimed my way.
"That's not going to work," he finally says. "You know Triton won't let you have any opportunity to lay a hand on him."
"Oh?" I wink and this seems to baffle Kosuke. "He'll give me more than enough opportunity." Kosuke gives such a confused expression, but I won't enlighten him of my plan. Putting the bento back together, I give it back to him and turn to leave the hide away this room has become.
"Wait!" He stands up fast from his chair. "What are you going to do?" I face back toward him with my arms out to either sides of me.
"I'm going to settle this of course!" Smiling, I twist back for the door to the hall, quickening my pace.
"Wait! Wait a minute!"
But I don't. The door swings closed behind me. Kosuke doesn't give up; he runs out and his footsteps echo with mine. Where we're running to I'm not really sure. It's just time to get something going. "I'm not leaving you!" Kosuke shouts.
"Go away! I've got this!"
"No! There is no way you're back up to par!"
"I'm well enough!"
"No! You-" I don't give him time to finish his sentence. Spinning a 180, I ball my fist and connect into Kosuke's right cheek, sending him to the floor in total surprise and shock.
"Leave! There's nothing more you can do for me, however, you can help Emiko and the girls out." This gives him pause as he sits on the floor, a hand to his bruised cheek. Anger is in his dark eyes. Feeling slightly guilty, I hurry away, hoping that if Kosuke does decide to follow me now, that I'll lose him before he can catch up to me.
Sprinting on, anyone can tell that I'm definitely not 100%, heck I'm a far cry from 80%. I take a few turns and go down another hall, without a doubt losing Kosuke even before he could try to follow.
"That's right. Let me have you."
I skid to an abrupt stop. My eyes swivel left and right, but there is nothing in the hall with me – no owner to that voice, though I know who it belongs to.
"Triton! Where are you?" I yell.
"I'm everywhere." Indeed, his voice sounds like it's all around me, but it doesn't have that speaker quality to it at all.
"What, did you invent a stealth suit and go invisible?" I reply sarcastically while sweeping a full circle in the middle of the large hallway. There is nothing around me at all, no where to hide, just plain white walls and tiled floor. But I'd wanted to be sure.
"Yeah, let's go with that theory, if it makes you feel better," he laughs.
"You're really grating on my nerves," I grind my teeth and keep an eye on both ends of the hall. He has to be somewhere! Without warning, a streak of pain shoots down my left arm and shoulder blade. My breath hitches as I grab the limb with my right hand, wincing with an eye shut. It really hurts!
"Haha! Did that hurt?" Triton sounds delighted. "Do you know where I am now?" he almost purrs. I freeze, standing absolutely still. My irises shrink down to only a pin-sized dot and I glance down at my troubled arm. My left hand begins twitching. "What's the matter? Do you need another hint?" he asks. Lightning arches, playing across my spine. I shake, refusing to give in to this before it is over. In less than a few seconds, it is.
"Y-you're ...inside?" I bring my hands close to my face and glance to my bare chest in horror.
"In a figurative way, I am, but literally, no. Isn't that a shame?" I pull myself together enough to growl. "I'm controlling the nanomachines. Aren't they neat little things? I'll play with them from time to time, so you'll learn more about their abilities and what they can do to you as you go on. In the meantime, we get to have so much fun together! Have a blast getting used to the place. You and your other half will be here for a long, long time!"
I have no idea when it is that a hole gets put through the concrete wall, but when my focus finally stops being solely on Triton, I notice the white wall being in front of me instead of behind me and my hand currently pushed through it glows with a bright purple. I yank my hand back, wondering if I've managed to break all of my fingers in my rage.
-.-
Satoshi's POV
Somehow or another at some unknown point, comfort comes enough for sleep. My strung out spirit really needs it. I stay by the water's edge, half way in, half way out, soothed as I let myself drift in semi-peace. That is, until I feel a hand lightly petting down my hip and into the wetness of the water. My brows furrow as I mumble something, trying to wake up enough to defend myself. Krad is going ballistic already, but there isn't much he can do with me still being in this... form. Fingernails scrape and play with one of my fins. I finally find strength enough to lift onto my elbows and pry my eyes open. Nothing is in front of me. I twist and look over my shoulder and find Triton sitting behind me, staring at me with a gloating expression. Something is in his hand and the next second I'm fully awake as I'm jabbed with a needle under the fin that he'd been playing with.
I control the part of me that wants to lash out and instead give a light hiss as I ask, "What are you doing?" He chuckles as only he can at my peeved tone.
"Just drawing some blood from you," he hums.
"To do what with?" I persist, after he doesn't elaborate further.
"Oh, a bit of this and that." He remains vague as he pulls the needle from me. He really didn't take much of my blood. What could he be wanting to do with it? Shouldn't he need more to run any sort of thorough test? I watch him cover the needle and put it into a small metal case. He snaps it shut, then looks over at me. I don't like the look in his eyes. The spark that is Krad ignites. He's almost desperate to fight Triton. A scene of Triton laying beaten and completely still face-down in the pool keeps flashing in my mind's eye. I shake my head to get rid of it, and that's when it happens.
I'm grabbed by my right shoulder and forced to the concrete, my tail fin sprays us with water as I'm jerked by the surprising movement. I open my eyes wide, showing how off guard I am. Triton's face comes an inch from my own as he brings both of his arms to either of my sides, trapping me. All I can see is him and his denim jacket covered shoulders. A wave of disgust runs through me, and I choke back words of retaliation. That would only heighten his sense of pleasure, and make his advances harder to deal with, if that is indeed what I'm dealing with.
"You're such an interesting creature. Did you know your father is happy? He was talking about how he gambled right by taking you on as his son. You hold a key for him, you know? What am I saying, of course you don't know that yet." Triton throws his head back and laughs. I could care less what my father thinks at the moment, at least Triton is out of my face. All too soon, he lowers back to me.
"I'm going to take a few minutes and study you," he says devilishly. "If what I know is true, then you don't have much longer like this." He gestures toward my lower half and puts his hand low on my front, below touching but very near where something should be. Inside I almost die inside, but I keep my face as emotionless as possible. He won't get his sick kicks with me, and I won't let him have me, either. Staring coldly up at him, he twists his face into a smile and slowly brings his hand upwards. My muscles cringe.
"There's nothing on the outside of you, so I wonder what happened to it. What happens if I try stimu-" His hand closes in to a sensitive area and I ram my forehead hard into his. Stars spin behind my eyelids, but I yank my arm into the air, unintentionally aiming the sharp part of my wrist's fin into his collarbone. The strike misses, however, and this time, my arms get pinned above my head by one of his hands. Triton straddles below my hips.
"That barely hurt, and judging from how dazed you look, I have to say that you came out worse thanks to that little stunt," he smirks. I glance through the slits of my eyelids with gritted teeth. He takes his free hand and pushes down into my stomach hard and fast, forcing the air out of me and making me sick. I cough and twist, almost at the end of my rope with dealing with him. Water splashes as I thrash. "Stop it!" he commands and pushes down even harder. I freeze, imagining my insides tearing beneath the skin under his knuckles. He lets up and I pant, heavily aware of the bruising taking place in the area around my navel. It is throbbing so badly. A hand gets placed low on my front again and I stare back up at him hatefully.
"You won't be trying that again, will you?" he asks, with a broad smile. His hand moves up and I close my eyes shut so tight that I see colors swirl. His hand makes a pass clear up to my stomach. Mortified by the whine that slips from my lips, I squeeze my eyes shut even tighter, fighting against the water gathering behind them. Suddenly, I'm blinded by golden light, surrounded by its fury.
'Master Satoshi, get behind me.' I look into the empty space of nothingness that has me, and see Krad standing proudly, his golden eyes alight with malice, not aimed at me, but toward Triton beyond us.
"You won't have me either!" I nearly snarl at the angel. He looks to me and suddenly he's beside me.
'See things my way, for once.'
I cringe as even in this abyss, Triton's hand can touch me. A finger plays around the blue and white skin of my front, finding an almost invisible opening there, instead of the regular male bits. A few fingers brush over it a few times, all the while I shudder in the abyss and draw my arms around my frame. Stop it! Stop it! I plead inside my head, feeling something stir. My inner cries seem to ring across the nothingness. Krad lays a hand on my shoulder, and I can feel him drawing me backwards, then he's in front of me. Outside, a single finger hesitates, readying to pry into me.
I am nothing but a child. With a cry and a turn of my back, I let Krad takes this from me. An explosion of gold over comes me and I know no more.
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