Condemned

Chapter VI:

"I knew it!"

Dark turned his head quickly to see the head of the Hikaris' standing there, "Whatever! Help me find something that could break iron, old man!"

The man raised his brow, "Why should I?"

Dark made him an offer, "Err...I'll tell the village I set up the sculpture to fall, and I told that boy to make a scene okay? I'll take the blame for anything you want!"

The Hikari thought it over before helping Dark look, "Is it strong iron?"

"How the hell should I know? Iron is iron!"

The man took a tool out and started his way outside, "Hurry up, and you'd better keep your word."

Dark ran ahead of him, "I will."

Dawn was close as Dark ran faster; he grabbed the tool and kneeled down by Krad.

"It's too late." Krad said.

"Like hell it is!? Since when did you speak like that?" Dark yelled at him as he broke through the first cuff.

"You were too slow!"

Just as dawn came, the other cuff snapped and Krad turned into dragon form and flew off with a loud roar.

"Nice friends you have."

The Hikari remarked, he looked at the church master's body and kicked it aside as he dragged Dark back to his house.

'I'm suppose to die twice, how am I going to do that? Why did I promise this bastard and the bandits? I'm so stupid...'

That night, the villagers gathered around to watch Dark Mousy get staked yet again, they didn't risk waiting till morning. He walked up to the stake, his hands bound and stood there.

They bound his hands with rope and iron to the stake so he wouldn't escape again. Dark sighed, as the Hikari asked him, "Who cursed my sculpture to make it fall?"

"It was I." Dark answered obediently.

"Who told the dragon to come to my house?"

"It was I."

The list kept on going and going, some he never even heard of 'Since when did the common cold become a crime?', but he replied, "It was I" for each one. He kept his eyes closed so he wouldn't see the eyes staring at him. He looked down just in time to see people lighting the stacks of wood on fire.

Then he heard a roar, he looked up and choked on the smoke that was rising, the dragon was flying on top of him, he smiled and yelled, "It's too late! Don't try! They even put iron on me! Thanks for everything and for once, I actually mean it!"

But the dragon just descended and made the people flee, Krad lowered himself and started to claw at the wood, Dark just smiled sadly and shook his head, "Just give up, I told you, it's too late. Oh my god...I'm starting to sound like you, break it, break it already!"

Dark started choking on smoke, he felt dizzy, the dragon paid him no heed, he just kept clawing, suddenly the wood snapped, and a claw grabbed Dark's shoulders and flew off.

Dark's vision blurred from the smoke, as they flew through the sky.

The next thing he knew, it was dark outside and Krad was kneeling over him, "I see you're awake, I was going to leave you for dead if you didn't wake up soon."

Dark sat up and looked around, he was in the abandoned barn, "Who, wha?"

Krad sat down, "Let's see, you were about to get staked, and I'm the dragon that rescued you. And THEN you thank me by fainting like some damsel."

Dark looked at him, "Stop calling me that! Why'd you save me?"

Krad shrugged, and walked away and changed into dragon form and slept.

Dark smiled at him and spoke softy to himself, "Oh yea...I still have to keep my promise to those bastards..." He looked at Krad, "I'm sorry; you saved me for nothing...actually you saved me so I could save Daisuke. Thanks."

Dark crept away, back towards where the bandits told him to meet, 'I'm so sorry Krad...'

The men sighted him first, "So you did show up, you must really care about that brat."

Dark remained silent, one of the men tilted his chin up and stared him in the eye.

"You're real brave aren't you? I want to see you screaming in pain."

He licked his licks, "Come on boys lets get him to the hideout."

Dark's mind was screaming in terror, while his eyes showed nothing. The men dragged him away blindfolded and gagged him; 'This isn't going to be anywhere near fun is it?'

Krad woke up to find Dark nowhere, his mind worked out what he heard at night, promise, and bastards. His mind raced when the word "fun" appeared in his mind. He turned into a bird and flew off.

'That idiot! Where is he? Why am I even looking for him?'

Violet eyes met sunlight again, he squinted to get a better view, he saw grubby men all looking down at him.

Dark remembered what happened, 'Shit, I didn't think there would be THAT much bastards!' He shut his eyes hoping to get killed soon.

'Don't touch me, don't touch me! Get your filthy hands off of me!'

Someone punched him in the stomach making him open his eyes involuntary, "I like his eyes, it's the same as his mum's."

The men licked their lips and looked down at Dark greedily, 'Get your eyes off me now! Go blind yourself in the sun or something!'

Soon after, people near by could hear the screams of a boy ringing throughout some distance but none were brave enough to go see what it was.

Krad looked everywhere, it was near mid day now and he didn't find any clues, landed where he was bound to iron the other day, there were fresh footprints in the mud.

'Not good, that baka had better be alright, or just alive, either way, I need to beat some sense into him.'

He flew off following the footsteps, which lead him to an abandoned barnyard. He heard screams, Dark's screams, golden eyes stared in disbelieve, the screams were starting to die out. Krad was blind with fury and he turned into dragon form and roared in rage. He knocked over the roof and roared again, as the bandits were fleeing, Krad blasted out fire and killed them all in one breathe before they could scatter. He then turned into human form again and ran into the barn, there was Dark, tears in his eyes, and beaten all over..

Dark looked away as Krad untied him, he couldn't face the dragon, not after how humiliated he was.

He sat up still not looking; Krad touched his shoulder and spoke softly, "Dark Mousy..."

Dark looked down, not willing to look at the golden eyed dragon, his violet eyes were full of shame, "They wanted to have "fun", and they used me as their object of "fun" okay? Are you happy now? I'm nothing more than a toy in people's eyes."

Krad looked at the boy, his hand still on Dark's shoulder, "Please...just look at me. Dark..."

This was the first time Dark had heard Krad say please, and he sounded almost...desperate.

Tearful violet eyes met golden ones, the dragon wiped the tears away and hugged Dark, "I don't know why, but I'm relieved that you're alive."

Dark closed his eyes and let the dragon embrace him, not knowing what to say.

"Krad..."

The dragon just looked at him, "I guess no more revenge hm?"

Dark smiled and shook his head, "No more revenge."

The dragon stood up and then helped Dark up, "Where will you go now?"

Dark shook his head, "I don't know, I doubt I can set foot in another village without getting accused as a demon and then get condemned again..."

Krad looked thoughtful for a moment, stay with me..."

Violet eyes looked up at him, "Really? Are you serious, as in not joking or laughing at my expense, because if you are, that would just be mean."

The dragon considered, "I guess."

Dark looked down again, "I don't like the way you said that..."

Krad took in a deep breath, "Yes."

There he said it, "Yes and I'm not joking to laugh at your expense."

Dark smiled; "Hm...then I guess I will."

And he threw himself at Krad happily and hugged him. Krad just smiled and returned the hug, after, the birds outside chirped happily as the two lips met.

'This sure beats getting staked. As perverted as he is, he's a pretty nice dragon...as nice as dragons actually get...'

Dark thought as he clung onto Krad.

"I told you that every single plan you come up with ends up with you getting harassed in one way or another."

Dark growled, and suddenly jumped back realizing the Krad wasn't wearing a shirt, "Will you please, please stop rescuing me without a shirt on!?"

Krad smirked, "That's my little damsel in distress."

Dark barked, "Who are you calling little damsel!?"

"Has anyone ever told you how pretty and girlish you look? You look girly enough to be one, not to mention you scream like one."

"What!? Like you should be talking! You look like a girl too!"

The boy screamed as the dragon flew up and roared at him then turned back into human form, Krad laughed, "See? I told you, you scream like a little damsel in distress."

"Why I oughta..."

Krad just laughed as Dark pulled him by the arm, "Come on! I'm hungry!"

Krad just smiled as followed Dark's lead by to the barn.

Owari

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Nya There's going to be a squeal/continuation, I haven't decided that part yet...it's called "Fairy Tale Disorder" nya Please R&R