Chapter 8:
"You bastard!" Dark screamed as he and Krad engaged themselves in aerial combat exchanging fists and energy blasts. "Do you realize that you could have gotten us both killed?" Dark demanded as he landed a right hook to Krad's face only to be kicked in the chest in retaliation.
"Haven't you noticed...I DON'T CARE!" Krad yelled back as he knocked Dark to the ground, which would be the roof of Satoshi's apartment building.
Dark landed on his back but was quick to return to his feet and tackle Krad in mid air and slamming him to the ground, "And haven't YOU noticed that whatever happens to you happens to Daisuke?" Dark yelled as he hovered over Krad who was having some trouble getting back up. Dark's body that he was currently in had more muscle then his true body did; therefore he could take a punch better.
Krad hadn't said a word the whole time, and was now using what seemed to be all of his strength just to stand, funny thing was, he looked like he was never hurt at all.
"Grrr! You bastard!" Dark yelled out in rage. He'd never been so angry with Krad before. He deliberately tried to get them all killed! But why Dark wasn't sure. "You were hoping to get us both killed weren't you? WEREN'T YOU!" Dark demanded staring at Krad who had his head down and no expression on his face. "This isn't rhetorical Krad!" Dark called out again and landed right in front of Krad less then a foot from him. "I'm waiting!" Dark said still getting no response from Krad at all.
Krad turned his head away from Dark and still stared at the ground with not an angered or sarcastic look on his face, like Dark had expected...but...but a face of...sadness.
"...Krad..." Dark asked in confusion his tone calming down. "What's wrong with you?"
Krad was silent for a long time and stood motionless. "When all of this mess started... you told me...you enjoyed this game of...cat and mouse..." Krad said quietly still refusing to look at Dark. "But...I've never liked it..." Krad said with a hint of anger in his voice.
Dark stared at him in surprise and amazement. He had never expected to hear those words out of Krad...
"I have always hated it..." Krad repeated and clenched his fists, "And after you and I switch back...it'll just pick up from where it left off...you'll go back to being Dark Mousy...the Great Phantom Thief! And me..." He said with a pause, "I'll just be Krad again...Krad the Hunter of Dark! And no one even knows that I exist!" He yelled now with his back to Dark and his face had turned to that of pure frustration and anger.
"Krad..." Dark began to say but stopped himself short.
"I'll go back to...to being cold...unhappy...and...and..." Krad said with what seemed to be great effort, "And I don't want that..."
Dark had never been so confused and shocked in his life. He could find no words to say! With this chase that had gone on for hundreds of years, he'd always thought this was what made Krad feel alive! Krad had always been so passionate and determined about it...never had he expected to hear that Krad hated it with every part of his being.
"Heh..." Krad said with now a small smile appearing on his face, "Funny isn't it?" He said with a quiet laugh, "My whole life...my only purpose or reason for being was to catch you...and then...I'd become you...and now...I regret being born...no...not born...Humans are born..." He said with his sadness returning, "Monsters are created..."
"Krad..." Dark said, hesitatingly moving closer to Krad. "You're not a monster, Krad..."
"NO!" Krad yelled clenching his fists again and turning to Dark with every bit of his anger in his expression, "I am a monster! Back there...I didn't care what happened to me or you or Satoshi or Daisuke! Only a cold and heartless monster could ever feel like that! Even if...it only lasted a second!" He yelled.
"Krad..." Dark began again not sure what to do or say.
"When I grabbed that pendant...I finally realized how much I didn't want my body back, how much I hated being me!" He yelled. "This whole time, I acted like I really wanted to be me again...I...I even fooled myself into believing it! But then I realized...then I realized what would happen if I did...get my body back...and the though of it made me sick..." Krad said feeling disgusted with himself. "I don't want to go back to that life..." He said finally.
Dark was at a total loss for words. He stood there in front of Krad as if he'd just been staked through the heart. Dark could only stand there looking at Krad as if he'd known this all of these years...and never said anything. He almost felt like he was the cause of Krad's pain and suffering, and inside, it made him feel like he really wanted to take a stake to the heart.
"And..." Krad began again with a genuine smile on his face, "for once...I'm happy. Happy to no longer be me! Happy...happy for being alive...for once in my life I'm human...and alive...and once you and I switch back...I'll be dead...I'll cease to exist...all over again..." He said as though he'd come to terms with his fate.
Suddenly, Krad felt warm all over. He felt his face turn a light shade of red as he found himself in the embrace of the white winged figure in front of him. Dark didn't know what to say to him, all he could do was hold him like this...Krad stood there unmoving and silent. Dark had wrapped his arms around Krad's neck and held him so close he could feel his heart beating, and Krad's was beating fast. But Dark continued to hold him for the rest of the night...
The sky to the east was now beginning to be painted with a variety of reds and pinks, and still, Dark stood there holding Krad as if nothing else mattered. He had never felt so calm in his life as he did holding Krad like this. For hours had he been holding him under the now dawning sky, and he felt as though everything in life had lead to this moment. Dark hadn't heard any sounds out of Krad in some time...but he didn't want to let go and make sure he was all right; he just wanted to stay like this forever.
"Krad..." Dark asked quietly still holding onto him. "Krad..." When he had heard no response he had guessed that he'd fallen asleep in this embrace. His heartbeat had slowed down to normal some time ago, and his body had fallen somewhat limp. Dark simply smiled and held the sleeping angel in his arms and carried him to the edge of the roof and glided down to the balcony that lead to Satoshi's apartment.
Dark looked down at the sleeping angel's face, and even though it was his own, he still felt as though he were looking at Krad's own face...his long golden hair and perfectly white complexion, his golden eyes that were hidden behind closed eyelids, all of these features are what Dark saw when he looked down at the sleeping form that he held in his arms. He opened the sliding glass door that lead to the living room and stepped inside, the interior was just how they had left it. He walked into Satoshi's room and laid Krad down on the light blue-sheeted bed. He looked so perfect, he'd bet that Krad hadn't slept in a long time and that he must have been exhausted. Normally, he would have taken offense to anyone falling asleep on him, but for Krad...he could make an exception.
Dark, still being in Krad's body, had no sense of tiredness once so ever, but nonetheless he lay down next to Krad and pulled him close. Krad's body was so warm, and a perfect fit against his own. Krad never once stirred, and this made Dark feel as though he were the only thing that Krad had in the world. He felt like he was the only person that understood him, and could protect him. But how do you protect someone from them selves? Dark didn't think about it, and just laid there holding Krad close to him and watched his sleeping face with compassion and love...
"Krad..." Dark started quietly, "I'm sorry..."
[NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
Aww! I know this is the cutest chapter ever! Krad's true feelings are revealed! I know this chapter has a lack of Dark's humor and Krad's seriousness, but I think it's about time Krad felt a little love! Thank you to all of you who have read this story and reviewed! The story is coming to a close but not just yet, so enjoy!]
"You bastard!" Dark screamed as he and Krad engaged themselves in aerial combat exchanging fists and energy blasts. "Do you realize that you could have gotten us both killed?" Dark demanded as he landed a right hook to Krad's face only to be kicked in the chest in retaliation.
"Haven't you noticed...I DON'T CARE!" Krad yelled back as he knocked Dark to the ground, which would be the roof of Satoshi's apartment building.
Dark landed on his back but was quick to return to his feet and tackle Krad in mid air and slamming him to the ground, "And haven't YOU noticed that whatever happens to you happens to Daisuke?" Dark yelled as he hovered over Krad who was having some trouble getting back up. Dark's body that he was currently in had more muscle then his true body did; therefore he could take a punch better.
Krad hadn't said a word the whole time, and was now using what seemed to be all of his strength just to stand, funny thing was, he looked like he was never hurt at all.
"Grrr! You bastard!" Dark yelled out in rage. He'd never been so angry with Krad before. He deliberately tried to get them all killed! But why Dark wasn't sure. "You were hoping to get us both killed weren't you? WEREN'T YOU!" Dark demanded staring at Krad who had his head down and no expression on his face. "This isn't rhetorical Krad!" Dark called out again and landed right in front of Krad less then a foot from him. "I'm waiting!" Dark said still getting no response from Krad at all.
Krad turned his head away from Dark and still stared at the ground with not an angered or sarcastic look on his face, like Dark had expected...but...but a face of...sadness.
"...Krad..." Dark asked in confusion his tone calming down. "What's wrong with you?"
Krad was silent for a long time and stood motionless. "When all of this mess started... you told me...you enjoyed this game of...cat and mouse..." Krad said quietly still refusing to look at Dark. "But...I've never liked it..." Krad said with a hint of anger in his voice.
Dark stared at him in surprise and amazement. He had never expected to hear those words out of Krad...
"I have always hated it..." Krad repeated and clenched his fists, "And after you and I switch back...it'll just pick up from where it left off...you'll go back to being Dark Mousy...the Great Phantom Thief! And me..." He said with a pause, "I'll just be Krad again...Krad the Hunter of Dark! And no one even knows that I exist!" He yelled now with his back to Dark and his face had turned to that of pure frustration and anger.
"Krad..." Dark began to say but stopped himself short.
"I'll go back to...to being cold...unhappy...and...and..." Krad said with what seemed to be great effort, "And I don't want that..."
Dark had never been so confused and shocked in his life. He could find no words to say! With this chase that had gone on for hundreds of years, he'd always thought this was what made Krad feel alive! Krad had always been so passionate and determined about it...never had he expected to hear that Krad hated it with every part of his being.
"Heh..." Krad said with now a small smile appearing on his face, "Funny isn't it?" He said with a quiet laugh, "My whole life...my only purpose or reason for being was to catch you...and then...I'd become you...and now...I regret being born...no...not born...Humans are born..." He said with his sadness returning, "Monsters are created..."
"Krad..." Dark said, hesitatingly moving closer to Krad. "You're not a monster, Krad..."
"NO!" Krad yelled clenching his fists again and turning to Dark with every bit of his anger in his expression, "I am a monster! Back there...I didn't care what happened to me or you or Satoshi or Daisuke! Only a cold and heartless monster could ever feel like that! Even if...it only lasted a second!" He yelled.
"Krad..." Dark began again not sure what to do or say.
"When I grabbed that pendant...I finally realized how much I didn't want my body back, how much I hated being me!" He yelled. "This whole time, I acted like I really wanted to be me again...I...I even fooled myself into believing it! But then I realized...then I realized what would happen if I did...get my body back...and the though of it made me sick..." Krad said feeling disgusted with himself. "I don't want to go back to that life..." He said finally.
Dark was at a total loss for words. He stood there in front of Krad as if he'd just been staked through the heart. Dark could only stand there looking at Krad as if he'd known this all of these years...and never said anything. He almost felt like he was the cause of Krad's pain and suffering, and inside, it made him feel like he really wanted to take a stake to the heart.
"And..." Krad began again with a genuine smile on his face, "for once...I'm happy. Happy to no longer be me! Happy...happy for being alive...for once in my life I'm human...and alive...and once you and I switch back...I'll be dead...I'll cease to exist...all over again..." He said as though he'd come to terms with his fate.
Suddenly, Krad felt warm all over. He felt his face turn a light shade of red as he found himself in the embrace of the white winged figure in front of him. Dark didn't know what to say to him, all he could do was hold him like this...Krad stood there unmoving and silent. Dark had wrapped his arms around Krad's neck and held him so close he could feel his heart beating, and Krad's was beating fast. But Dark continued to hold him for the rest of the night...
The sky to the east was now beginning to be painted with a variety of reds and pinks, and still, Dark stood there holding Krad as if nothing else mattered. He had never felt so calm in his life as he did holding Krad like this. For hours had he been holding him under the now dawning sky, and he felt as though everything in life had lead to this moment. Dark hadn't heard any sounds out of Krad in some time...but he didn't want to let go and make sure he was all right; he just wanted to stay like this forever.
"Krad..." Dark asked quietly still holding onto him. "Krad..." When he had heard no response he had guessed that he'd fallen asleep in this embrace. His heartbeat had slowed down to normal some time ago, and his body had fallen somewhat limp. Dark simply smiled and held the sleeping angel in his arms and carried him to the edge of the roof and glided down to the balcony that lead to Satoshi's apartment.
Dark looked down at the sleeping angel's face, and even though it was his own, he still felt as though he were looking at Krad's own face...his long golden hair and perfectly white complexion, his golden eyes that were hidden behind closed eyelids, all of these features are what Dark saw when he looked down at the sleeping form that he held in his arms. He opened the sliding glass door that lead to the living room and stepped inside, the interior was just how they had left it. He walked into Satoshi's room and laid Krad down on the light blue-sheeted bed. He looked so perfect, he'd bet that Krad hadn't slept in a long time and that he must have been exhausted. Normally, he would have taken offense to anyone falling asleep on him, but for Krad...he could make an exception.
Dark, still being in Krad's body, had no sense of tiredness once so ever, but nonetheless he lay down next to Krad and pulled him close. Krad's body was so warm, and a perfect fit against his own. Krad never once stirred, and this made Dark feel as though he were the only thing that Krad had in the world. He felt like he was the only person that understood him, and could protect him. But how do you protect someone from them selves? Dark didn't think about it, and just laid there holding Krad close to him and watched his sleeping face with compassion and love...
"Krad..." Dark started quietly, "I'm sorry..."
[NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
Aww! I know this is the cutest chapter ever! Krad's true feelings are revealed! I know this chapter has a lack of Dark's humor and Krad's seriousness, but I think it's about time Krad felt a little love! Thank you to all of you who have read this story and reviewed! The story is coming to a close but not just yet, so enjoy!]