Dark landed in a silent squat on the museum's roof. He darted over the edge, grabbed hold, and swung gracefully through the window in a flurry of feathers. He the ground on one knee and his toes, and pushed off on his fingertips, flying through the corridors in a run.
He reached out with his mind, the part that honed in instinctively on his targets, winding through the halls and searching for the Bow.
He was getting closer …
And Dark skidded to a halt as he reached a dead end – an octagonal room, the seven walls not connected to the hallway open to the moonlight. The windows started at about waist-height, and continued up the height of each tall wall.
Satoshi was waiting for the thief, grinning in the pale light.
"Looking for something?"
Dark peered at the boy, eyes narrow. "What's behind your back?" he quipped, already knowing the answer.
Satoshi shook his head. "Now, now, Dark-kun – don't ask silly questions."
Dark cocked his head to the side, sidestepping to his right so he was framed betwixt the pillars in the walls behind him. Satoshi took his hands from behind his back, bringing the Bow out into sight. The jewels nestled inside the intricate carvings on the dark, antique wood sparkled as the blue-haired boy took aim.
"They say," he said softly," That the Hunter's Bow allows for no mistakes. The bearer always captures his prey …" He pulled back the string, the power of the instrument humming through the air.
Dark saw the tension in the bow, the determination on Satoshi's face as he cocked the unloaded bow, aiming for the middle of Dark's chest.
Dark smiled, laughing. "What, exactly, do you expect to do with that thing, Commander?"
Satoshi just stared in blank concentration.
Before Dark could react, Satoshi let loose the sinuous string.
Before Dark realized it, he was pinned to the wall. An arrow had shot out of nothing, and had pinned the sleeve of Dark's right arm to the windowsill.
Dark turned to gawk at the boy who conjured the Bow's magics. The boy was weaving the spell once more, cocking his arm back and letting loose an invisible shaft of power, which took visual form as it pinned the thief's other arm in the same manner as before.
He yanked at the strong grips the arrows had him in.
"Stop that." Satoshi pulled his arm back once more. "I'm a good shot. Don't push me, Thief."
Dark's struggles stopped.
"Thank you."
Satoshi relaxed his arm and set the bow down against the far wall. The jewels twinkled once more as he did, catching Dark's eye. The thief did not see the other boy stalking across the room until he was almost on top of him.
Dark leaned back, away from the approaching boy.
"So, my dear captive Thief-kun, however are you going to wiggle your way out of this sticky situation?" Satoshi purred, leaning over Dark, who had bent back over the windowsill to get away. He rested his hands on the thin windowsill on either side of Dark's hips.
"You'll know soon enough …" Dark muttered, trying hard to keep his cool.
That was proving pretty hard, though, as Satoshi was amusing himself by running his mouth over Dark's exposed skin. Emiko had designed the night's costume to include cutouts on his shoulders and collarbone, with little slashes along the length of his arms. It gave the boy time to play.
"How," Satoshi repeated as his warm breath played across the now-goose bumped skin of Dark's shoulder, "are you," his mouth moved over to Dark's neck, forcing the thief to lean further outside, head brushing against the wall on the other side, "going to elude me?" His mouth moved up Dark's chin.
Dark could feel the boy's body press against his own. His shirt been tugged up when he leaned back, and the cold, cold metal of Satoshi's belt buckle brushed against his soft belly.
Dark sucked his breath in sharply. "Ahh!"
Satoshi smiled and breathed, "Exactly."
He moved his hands from their perch on the sill, resting one against Dark's chest; the other playing against the soft skin of the boy's belly.
His voice was low, seductive: "I told you the arrows never miss."
"Neither do I."
Satoshi's eyebrows knotted together as Dark moved his fingers to the boy's wrists. He was pushed back forcefully.
Dark stood up straight, shaking his head to reestablish blood flow.
"I must admit, Commander, that was a tough one you pulled on me," Dark said, brushing off the back of his pants. In one hand were the remains of the arrows, vanishing from sight. "But I do believe I won this round." A small grin cracked across his face.
"I don't think so," Satoshi retorted. Dark just grinned and held out his hand.
"The Bow, please?"
Satoshi threw a thumb over his shoulder in the vague direction of the Hunter's Bow.
Dark took the hint and, smirk still in place, walked around the other boy to the opposing wall. He grabbed the enchanted weapon and with a flutter of midnight feathers, he was gone.
As Satoshi watched his rival soar through the night air this time, he felt pure satisfaction.
Dark flew home on heavy wings. His encounter with Satoshi had sapped him, for some reason. He landed gracefully in the Niwa's yard, pushing the door open gently.
He was instantly enveloped in Emiko's embrace. Dark allowed her to coo over his prize before he handed it off to Daiki and trudged up the stairs.
He collapsed on the bed unconsious, halfway into his transformation back to Daisuke.