A/N: Being this late is not what I meant by having this story completed soon. Everyone has my many apologies. I am coming back to focus on this, but I may not have as much time as I would like. (See profile for details.) Also, I would like to say that I'm not going to be making any more perverted bad guys, at least for a while, if not ever. If you think Triton gets bad here, just wait until you see the "next phase" in the next chapter. Alright, I don't want to bore anybody. Heaven knows you have all been waiting long enough for this! Thanks guys, for sticking with me!
-)*(-
Krad's POV
Triton will die for this. How dare he make Satoshi run? Does he know what exactly I am and what it is that I am trying to do to the boy? How dare he attempt to overrule me by breaking him first! No one has that right, and he will kneel dead for his interference!
Power and fury instantly shove me into control, but Satoshi's Hikari-cursed form nearly stops me cold. It is like hitting a brick wall. I force stiffened muscles to buck anyway, using as much energy as I can to unhinge Triton from on top of me. He shifts, but does little more than that. Seems I do not have much strength. Not surprising considering the leading events.
Satoshi's form tightens in on itself, almost squeezing me to the point of suffocation. It feels as if I am going to be forced out rather than back in. I open my eyes and attempt to suppress my sporadic magic in order to keep the Hikari's own from rising up and reacting so harshly. I do not expect to see my bright gold bleeding out around me. This is not working so well; I will not be able to sustain myself for too long at this rate. I throw my gaze upward, taking in the sight of Triton pinning me. Our gazes lock, giving me a glimpse of his excitement. Also his fear, even though he is trying to hide that.
"Was wondering how long it would be before you came out." He smiles and I try to ignore the sweat running down my temples. My eyes flash bright, echoing the draining heat building in my veins. There really is not much time for me to save us. If only Satoshi could change back to normal I would not have nearly so much trouble.
"You have lured me out. Are you going to proceed?" My desire to kill permeates the air in thick waves. Even in my condition, he would be a fool to touch now. Human as he is, he can still feel my unspoken threat. Gray eyes waver, but a smile slowly stretches across his face.
Truly a fool.
"I have experimenting to do and I came prepared. Say, or do what you want, but you won't escape." He sounds so sure. A fatal human error on his part.
"Escaping is not the priority now." Slight tremors ripple through me. This is it. If I waste time trying to tone down my power anymore I will just deteriorate and be unable to do anything to defend. Time to do something, while I still can, before Satoshi's body thoroughly rejects me.
As if suddenly sensing my decision, Triton's hands dig into my shoulders. His knees come up to pin my hands to the concrete. My knuckles roll and crunch underneath him, making me grimace. His heavy weight then presses my waist. For a terrible second I cannot breathe.
No mere human – especially such a disgusting one – will overcome me. It is just not possible, and yet fear blocks some of the churning desire for vengeance. More than anything, this hampering fear causes hate to swell inside my heart. The faster beats feel like a hammer against my ribs. And then, surprise has every emotion crashing to a halt. The weight on top of me shifts, then disgusting warmth presses to my lips. My eyes widen in shock and my brain refuses to except this. Triton is... doing WHAT to me? His ponytail slides from his bent back, down to the crevice of my neck with a swish.
Anger rumbles from my throat. I have been completely blindsided by this mockery pinning me down. Something wet and slick moves over my tightly clamped lips. It can only be a tongue. Blood rushes to my face, then abruptly drains away. A screech wells up and I struggle, trying to dislodge this thing fromoff of me. Fingers press into the joints of my shoulders, clamping with strength. It hurts, but if he thinks he can control me with a bit of pain then he is very much mistaken.
I struggle harder, arching, nearly yanking my hands out from underneath him, scraping and peeling skin from them, and turn my head to the side to rid myself of his intimate contact. He laughs once I am successful. Rage floods my system.
"So, you're running away from me? You admit defeat?" His cheeks look flushed. Does he get some sort of rush from doing this? How stomach turning can you become?
A maddened cry rises from me and I lift to clash into his skull. I am much too slow. Before I get far, he grabs my hair, and grips hard, slamming the back of my head down to the unforgiving concrete. Stars blossom behind my eyes. Pain explodes in powerful waves. I cannot hear past a deafening ringing, I cannot see except for a string of bright flashes. It takes me a second to realize I am holding my breath against the shock.
I suck in a gulp of air and that is when Triton takes my mouth again. He uses the disorientation from the hit to his advantage and invades, plunging in deep. I gag. Never have I felt so... sick.
He moans and it is if he is drinking and cannot get enough. A cold shiver runs my spine. I go to bite, but a sharp object cuts into the top of my shoulder. It must be made of silver; my already struggling magic runs dry at the burning touch. I gasp and go limp, suddenly as drained as any ancient and long dead mummy. He continues to plunder, and I give a rough growl of protest. Finally, he lifts from me. Immediately, I spit at him, sending every effort I have into weaving magic around his throat. It does no good. He wipes the spittle from his cheek and chin, not even bothering to comment about it, but rather just look at me with a small shake of his head.
HOW DARE HE MOCK ME?
"You must be out of options. Are you ready to surrender?"
"You are a fool!" I hiss.
"No. You are the fool. It would have been in your favor to have surrendered once you were first captured."
I narrow my eyes at him. Sadly, it is all I can do.
"You know what I think?" he asks slyly, leaning towards me. "I think you enjoy being held down and played with. You enjoy all the special attention." He leans farther, his cheek going past mine. He nips my ear.
I laugh. I cannot help it, he is just too absurd. A resounding smack stops my fit of laughter, and my head is forced to the side. I look at him from the corner of my eye. One side of my mouth lifts, but instead of anger in his expression, I see the same smirk echoed on his face.
"How did that feel?" he asks. "Did you like it?"
"Do it again and find out." My words are a soft, daring challenge.
"No. I think I'll just touch you instead."
His hand slips from my uninjured shoulder, to my navel and finally, further down. It is like a button being pressed. Anger floods my system again, and my magic flares, even with the silver still stuck in me. Unfortunately, that brings Satoshi's magic clashing against me. It pulls, trying to whittle what little I have down. And that is when I realize – Fate is not with me in this fight. … I am not meant to win this...
To hell if I am going to lose, then!
"What's the matter? Your expression says you're stumped. Something got you confused?"
"No, things are very clear to me. I just did not think things would end this way." I amp the chaotic magic, deliberately continuing to invoke the Hikari's and centering what I can around my own heart.
"Wait, what are you planning to do?"
Now he is the confused one. Whereas humans can sometimes sense the supernatural, they cannot understand it. He can tell I am doing something, but cannot feel what it is. If only he knew, he would probably be jumping off about now.
I relax as best as I can; magic is easier to manipulate this way. He notices and his expression goes into one of concern. Letting my eyes slip closed, I concentrate on the separate pulse of power tangling around the pulse of my heart and build it. He removes his offending hand, instead running fingers across my abs. The sensation invokes a slight muscle spasm and an irritated lift of my front lip. His amusement washes over me.
"Isn't it alright to take what you want as long as you get satisfaction out of it?" he says, more like a statement than an actual question. I ignore it. He chuckles. "I don't know what it is you are doing, but I plan on breaking that concentration of yours."
His weight shifts, putting pressure directly on my front. Blood rushes through me. The feeling is uncomfortable. I growl. The combined effort of trying to stay in enough control to function Satoshi's body, while manipulating my magic against the boy's is enough to make me sweat without the added interference Triton pleasures in.
He lifts and runs a hand along what used to be thighs. I jump as a bolt of... something spikes upwards. I open a gold eye at him, having now lost a good bit of the magic surrounding my heart. This is not like me. I am better capable than this, but... my stomach squeezes hard. Am I going to be sick?
"Hm... there's a slight swelling here," he notes happily, and runs his hand along again. This time, I flinch at the bolt that shoots through me. It feels... so ...wrong! My cheeks darken even as I glare at him. He just smiles and leans in. His weight shifts to my stomach and I gag. He laughs. Something snaps.
Enough.
Gold bleeds, unrestrained as my lower half twists its flesh, reverting back into legs. Pain blurs, meaning nothing when compared to the storming need to kill. Triton has just enough time to jump backwards as everything that is me comes back – my hair flows, my wings stretch, my form grows, and I am covered by my clothes. But even before the fins on my wrists fully disappear, I launch for him, going for his throat. He narrowly avoids my hands, but the sharp outer edges of the fins leave a thin trail of blood on the side of his neck. He hisses, but instead of stepping back like most would, he steps forward.
I spin, going low for a sweep. He predicts this. I hate to admit my physical skills are sorely lacking, but it is obvious. I am better with the magical arts, Mousy is better at actual combat. He leaps to my exposed back. I nearly go down by his weight alone. Somehow, I manage to keep my balance and rise, but only just. He grabs a wing by its base and pulls. No matter how strong, wings are very delicate where they are attached. A scream bursts from me. Spinning, I try to throw him off. He wraps his legs around me and holds on tight. Without any warning, Triton yanks whatever silver thing he had used out of my shoulder. Barely grunting at the small sting, I turn, having again to be careful with my balance and his added weight. But it is for not – one of my white boots plunge into the pool.
Small startled sounds come from both of us before the water rushes closed above. I extend my wings, hoping to use them to rocket upward, but the one Triton pulled does not respond correctly, and it burns. Kicking with my legs would be completely useless with how much we weigh together; I'd only use up oxygen that I don't have. My lungs already feel shrunk and empty, but perhaps I can hold out longer than Triton can.
Movement on my back, as well as the current of the water, warns me. From the corner of my water-blurred vision, I see a bright, thin dagger coming at my side. I reach out to stop it, the movement slow. Another hand sneaks around to grab my throat. I use my good wing to knock the poor attempt away. Before I can snatch the dagger, Triton pulls it back. He moves, adjusting to get a better position for another strike. All the while, we are steadily sinking.
Mercifully, Triton suddenly lets go and races for the surface. I race right after him. We nearly break the surface simultaneously, but he retches as opposed to my just breathing heavy. It echoes noisily across the water as he grabs for the edge of the pool. He must have taken in some of the surrounding salty liquid.
Recovering quicker than him, I summon more than just energy into a fist and move for him. He doesn't have a chance to properly react as I plunge deep into his side. He chokes and his eyes bulge. Ribs snap and allow my fist to sink deeper. I grin savagely. But for a human, he recovers from this strangely fast. A punch comes before I can even see it, just about tearing my bottom jaw off, sending me twisting in the other direction. My lip splits and I can taste blood strongly. It only serves to give me a fiery boost.
Turning back to him, I just do see the silver dagger coming for my chest. He is going for a killing blow, no longer willing to chance events with me. Blood dribbles from his mouth and his face reveals a desperate edge, especially in his frantic eyes.
He should have never toyed with me.
Again, I stop the dagger, but this time I catch it wrong. The sharpened double edges cut into my palm and fingers, dripping dark red blood into the surrounding water. He yanks it back, nearly slicing my hand in two, and tries again, fiercely determined. He is scared for his life. I can taste his fear.
I move to stop the weapon with my other hand, ignoring my crippled other, but he feints, surprising me. I had not thought him capable of tact in his panic. In the water, I cannot move so well, especially with my wings dragging at me. The dagger comes one last time. I know I have only one option left. I channel scalding magic into my reaching arm and go for Triton's face. But, there is just no way I will be quick enough. I am proved correct as pain lances deep in my left side.
It seems to bore, not cut itself through. The magic in my hand sputters and dies as I am forced backward by the strength of the blow. Pain is a blistering tide that fills me, sending the shock all throughout my body. My gut twists in on itself, cramping severely against the assault of the weapon, trying feebly to force it back out. I holler a strangled note as my back crashes into the concrete behind me. I hook my elbows over the top of it to remain above the water, panting, bleeding out heavier than I ever have. At this rate I will not even be able to make it out of the pool.
The water moves. Triton comes closer.
"Sorry to have to do that, but my life ultimately means more to me than yours does." He laughs as my hold slips some.
"So, you were forced to kill me, huh?" I smile against the situation, against the agony in my side. This is better than what was happening before with him. My wings crumple into the water; the strength for them is the first to go. I cringe as the movement disturbs the buried dagger in my side. My side spasms and I go into a chain of coughs, each one sounding thicker, until red surges up. I twist around to better hold the pool's edge, not wanting to slide underwater just yet.
"You may have forced me to take an action that I didn't want to take against you, but winning the fight meant you losing the war. Although, technically, I won the fight." He attempts to sound derisive, but clearly he is furious. He hadn't wanted to lose me. He moves up close beside me.
"Half of me still lives. Be assured that you have not won anything here." My voice is getting small and weak, barely anything like me. If only the dagger was not silver I might be able to give one last blast of magic. Gray lines my vision threateningly. I fight for just a few more minutes. But it would be sweet to let go and slip under now and end the horrible, wrenching pain.
"You are talking about Dark? He is in my control more than you know."
A hand glides the water, reaches for the dagger, and takes it. Pain turns me inside-out. I hug the pool's edge harder. The pain is indescribable. I cry out and gasp, my vision trailing blank. Already it feels like I am under the water; sinking, suffocating.
And then I cannot hold on anymore. The sensation is almost welcome. But, my wrist gets grabbed.
Let it end, I plead to any entity that may hear me.
-.-
Dark's POV
Holding my throbbing hand against my chest, I continue on down the deserted halls, feeling like a trapped mouse in a maze. And, yeah, I'm well aware of all the irony in that last sentence.
What could Triton want to find out about us in doing this? Is he just wanting to play games? I feel like I'm missing a puzzle piece to the larger scheme here.
Suddenly, the florescent lights above blink off and the plain surroundings are plunged into darkness. Not bothering to pause at the lack of light (it doesn't really affect me, so why should I?), I turn left down another corridor. It looks exactly the same as the first... and second, and third hallway... I breathe a frustrated breath but otherwise keep my temper in check. The pain from my hand is still fresh enough to make me deeply consider my actions.
A subtle change in pressure happens. The darkness shifts a ways ahead on the right. One of the many doors is sliding open. I prepare myself for anything, feeling my heart twist as I take measured steps. I approach it carefully, coming against the wall on the same side, although I'm aware that whatever I do is already spoiled by the nanos inside me.
Not daring to reveal myself directly in front of the door, I wait, gathering as many clues about what's in the room as possible. Coldness leaks from it, causing goosebumps to cover my arms and bare chest. I sniff the air once and listen. There is no scent or sound – no indication that a living being is beyond the yawning space beside me.
And that only makes a bad premonition crawl over me. I truly wish I'd never seen a horror movie in my life, because now every horrible gore scene from every single one of them is flashing before my eyes.
Something shoots straight out of the room. It's at face level. I jump, throwing myself backwards more than a few feet. Whatever the thing is, it swishes in the air back and forth oddly. It's trying to get my attention. I observe it for any hostile movement... then realize it is nothing more than some small, soft ball with a few feathers stuck to it; some kind of cat toy.
"The hell?" I voice angrily.
"You have excellent night vision. Better so than any animal on record, besides fish of the deep, deep ocean."
"TRITON!"
Feeling like such a fool, I step to and grab the toy, yanking and breaking it from its flimsy rod. Something clicks, and something else mechanical whines from within the room. I quickly pass the open room and hurry on. But two glowing red eyes from within make my own widen. Turning quickly back around to defend and halfway expecting a cyborg or robot of some kind to roll out, I nearly jump out of my skin. A flat, monstrous, metal face springs sideways out at me. The metal rod from which it is attached to slams loudly into the brick doorway, stopping its own propulsion. My teeth almost fall out from gritting in fright so hard.
It's almost like a jack-in-the-box, I note dully as I fall backwards on my butt.
Triton's laugh haunts me.
The only thing that helps my severely injured pride is the catch in the laughter as it quickly stops.
Wonder what has him hurting...
I stand, dusting myself off, and cringe as my hurt hand makes itself known again. It is the only thing that stops me from punching that metallic mask. The thing still shudders on its rod from its hit against brick. Snorting, I kick it instead, bending it across the other side of the doorway. Another click, then another mechanical whine starts up. Gasping, I zip a 180 and finish running down the hall, quickly turning down another that is, surprisingly, the same.
"Well, what do you know," I mutter.
'Dark, ...I need-' The voice isn't Daisuke's, and it is so unexpected that I stop and actually focus on it and answer it before I can stop myself.
'Krad!'
Seeming to not need any prompting from me, my magic and senses automatically tune into the white feathered maniac, making my eyes glow like headlights in the absolute darkness. "Wha?" I jolt from the feeling of it, blinking and shaking my head. It's a bit of a rush pouring through my skull.
"I wonder why the nanos aren't draining this power. Would suck to have this happen during one of my thieving escapades."
I look over my shoulder, thinking I sense Krad laying near the hall I just scrambled from.
Please, no...!
I don't want to face whatever that second mechanical thing is. I'm not comfortable with objects that jump at you. But, thankfully, his signature comes more strongly from in front of me. Racing forward, the tiles are a blur under me. It's like I'm being propelled. I wouldn't normally do this for Krad.
Daisuke, I blame you for caring too much for Creepy Boy!
I'm too beat to keep the pace up for long, but I'm sliding to a stop soon, anyway. My breath puffs out as I study one door that's slightly open. Krad's behind it... and not moving. How I'm so sure about that small detail, I'm not sure. If it isn't in Triton's plan for me to be here, then something should happen very soon. Cautious and strung on edge, I move for the door, seeing light green patterns of light beyond it. It reminds me of light reflecting off water. I stop, thinking. Having a pool around would make sense if they were expecting the metamorphosis Satoshi went through.
Oh, hell! Is Krad a mermaid? I refuse to carry him and smell like fish. And I won't drag him, either. Not unless Daisuke wakes up and gives me the third degree about it first.
The door creaks ominously as I push it slowly open just enough to fit through, but I pause. What if the door shuts and locks behind me? But the sight of Krad laying with his two legs crooked into the water, unconscious, with his head turned towards me practically teleports me to his side. If I bother to question why I'm acting like this I'll probably go crazy, so I put it in the back of my mind for later and, instead, work to avoid his sprawled wings as I take to my knees.
"Krad! Krad, wake up! Or better yet, Satoshi! Satoshi, wake up!" I lightly pat a cheek, trying to ignore the enormous bloodstain pooled underneath his lower back. There is no response. His eyelids don't even flutter in the ashen-gray of his face.
"You better not be dead, Krad, because I'll kill you a second time if you try to drag me into the afterlife again!" I put a hand before his nose and mouth and feel a slight current of air. He is breathing, at least.
I take in the sight of his bare torso, surprised when I notice his trademark white pants and... embroidery skirt?... So... he appeared with his regular clothes on, and that means Triton must have taken his fancy shirt and shoulder cape. Someone is going to be pissed when they wake up...
A red mark on his left side stops my musings. It looks like a fresh scar, but the surrounding skin looks to have suffered from recent trauma. It's very peculiar. And, even as I watch, the scar lightens in ever pinker strips. I tilt my head at it.
"I wasn't aware we healed that abnormally fast..."
It happens instantly. My vision shrinks and everything within my visual range becomes tiny, like I'm looking through a microscopic television screen. My weight is suddenly too much to hold up. I fall against Krad, my eyes rolling back. I protest the cushion he's become, and fight to move. But it's as if my body is a statue and I'm hammering from inside a useless shell. Then, a mental switch is cut off, and I'm thrown into a dreamless, deep sleep.
-.-
Triton grinned cockily as he finished typing in the command for the nanos inside Dark. There really was no end for their usefulness. This particular model of them had to be his best creation. They had already given him so much information on the part of his pet's brain that relayed telepathy. It was only a matter of time before he would be able to listen in on the internal conversations. But he was just becoming aware of them. He still needed a little time. And it was a little disappointing, but he still couldn't answer his first burning question about the supernatural creature – was he a split personality, or was he something immortal? Was Dark a creation of the little Niwa? Or was he something that was passed along like a disease?
This whole project was turning out to be like his first Rubik's Cube – unbearably challenging, but too fun to ever discard. Triton pressed a hand against his sore ribs. They were mostly better, thanks to the nanos inside himself.
Yes, they were really a life saver. Three in one day.
With a quick call to his men, he began to prepare the angels for the next phase. Now if he could just locate that elusive Kosuke Niwa. That guy couldn't be human with how he was able to virtually disappear within the building, past all kinds of sensors, night vision and infrared cameras. Maybe it would be worth it to capture and experiment on him too.
-)*(-
A/N: I was recently asked what music I listen to when I write. I'm sure most of you know who my favorite two bands are, but I've gotten into Avenged Sevenfold and Slipknot, too. Critically Acclaimed, Scream, Afterlife, and Sulfur are my favorites to listen to from them. And then people have to know how I can inject so much humor into my stories while I listen to so much heavy rock and metal.
It's because I can find the humor in almost anything. Now this talent can be a double-edged sword. For instance, when someone else stubs their big toe and I bust out laughing. My only saving grace is running away faster than they can hobble after me with a raised fist. It isn't too challenging. Just make sure you don't turn around to make faces at them and run into a wall...
And I didn't forget about the DA drawings I promised. 'The Picture Emiko Took' won by a landslide. And the runner-ups are 'Satoshi V.S. The Evil Dictionary', and 'Dream of a Memory'. I'll get to working on these hopefully soon. Got a lot going on. To check on me or my stories statuses, be sure to keep an eye on my profile.
And guys, I have the story planned out, but I would love to hear how you would... incapacitate Triton.
Dark: "That means kill him!"
Daisuke: "Wait a minute!"
Dark: "Don't you dare stop them, Daisuke!"
Fireflower: "Hey, hey! Enough! Jeez! Let the nice reviewers decide what they might do."
Dark & Daisuke: "But!"
Fireflower: *Shove
Later!