Crystal Hearts
We can grow only once in our lives. As our love crystallizes and grows, so, too, do our hearts…they are a manifestation of our love. In time, they are given over to the one who inspired them…who wished them happiness. You at least…I wish you happiness…
Chapter 17: The Heart's Truth
"Oh gods…Krad…"
There was Krad, suspended in midair by chains and encased in a large block of ice. His eyes were closed and his lips were slightly parted. He looked like an angel trapped in ice, still in perfect condition, "Do you like it?"
The thief twirled around to meet the person he hated most at the moment, "Aku!"
The demon cracked his knuckles then his neck and smirked, "As glad as I am that you remember my name, you really have to stop changing the subject thief."
"What have you done to him?"
"Don't you like it? I'm simply keeping him safe…from everyone, including you. Don't you know? He's the latest piece of my collection, and my favorite piece at that."
Dark growled and lashed out at the demon who merely smirked and took a step back, avoiding it, "I honestly thought you'd have more anger in you. After all, is that not your ice hunter hanging there?"
Amethyst eyes narrowed, #We have to get Krad out of there!#
/You're right…but how? I mean he's stuck in a piece of ice! Not to mention tied up with chain! Damn this bastard!./
The demon smiled, and pounded the fist into the thief's back, "You're boring me." Dark gasped and whirled around only to have his kick stopped, "You're too slow."
"Slow my ass!" The thief shot another blast of magic, Aku raised a brow and dodged it as it hit the ice behind him, causing it to crack, amethyst eyes narrowed, #Dark…#
/This could take awhile…/
Aku looked back carelessly and gave a lazy smirk, "Is that what you're trying to do? That could take you centuries, and you'd be dead before that happens. So let me help." With a snap of a finger and the ice shattered and disappeared.
/What's he doing?./
#Whatever it is, it can't be good, I doubt he's going to let Krad go that easily.#
/Yea…/
"There, one hunter in chains, does this please you, oh mighty unmatchable thief?"
Dark frowned, he gave a jump as the chains clattered as the slammed against one another leaving the hunter suspended in the air in nothing but loops of metal. What is he up to? Like Dai said, he's not about to let Krad go that easily… He looked back to the blue haired boy and found him staring rather stupefied at the hunter, "Oi! Creep!" Satoshi didn't respond, his eyes transfixed on the figure in front of him, horror slowly filling them, what has Aku done to you? My god…Krad…He ran over towards the chained entity, the thief frowned, "Where are you going?"
The other half of me is entwined in chains! What am I doing? Aku smirked as he watched the boy from the corner of his eye, "How touching, the host wishes to rescue the dreaded curse. I'm curious thief…" He pulled out his necklace, "does this look familiar to you?"
Amethyst eyes widened, he felt his heart take a flip, that can't be…why…why would he have it? How did he get it?
#What is it? It's so beautiful…#
Dark swallowed hard /Daisuke, that's…Krad's…heart./
Then his mind clicked as he turned to the blue haired boy who was now standing in front of the angel, "No Satoshi-don't!"
It was too late, Satoshi had placed his hand on the wall as Dark yelled out, he turned his head but nothing could stop was about to happen. Krad stirred and opened his eyes slowly, the three looked up while Aku merely smirked and looked at the golden stone he held up admiringly. "Let all the pain that was once yours return to you kitten…"
Dark stared as the golden crystal heart suddenly had a red liquid-like substance run through the inside, the swirls of red and gold that looked exactly like…Aku's eyes. Then the chains began to clatter, Krad raised his head and looked up, sightless eyes staring into space. Slowly, the chains untangled themselves as they lowered the semi-conscious hunter to the ground. The thief's eyes narrowed as he watched Krad from the corner of his eye while his attention remained on the demon in front of him. What are you up to?
The demon smirked, "I would watch out for the host if I were you."
Then he heard a yelp and spun around to see Satoshi backing up, eyes wide with…fear? The chains had vanished and standing there, was Krad, staring blankly at the blue haired boy completely emotionlessly. "Krad?"
Aku tsk'ed and smiled rather sadistically, "You of all people should've figured out that he can't hear you. He is, after all, under my control. Actually, I've even made a little bonus for you…if you can survive the first round of the game that is…if you do, let's just say you get a prize. Aren't I generous?"
"Wha-" Dark was cut off as a blast of magic was shot his way, Aku smirked and released his wings, flying up to the base of where the chains hung off of and watched. Dark growled and shot a blast of energy at the demon, "Get back here you coward!"
Aku smirked, with a wave of a hand, the attack disappeared, "Little attacks like that aren't going to do you any good, I'd spend less time yelling and more time dodging if I were you."
The thief jumped back as the hunter attacked again, "Krad-" he dodged another blow, "stop it!"
/Damn it! I can't attack him!./
#You have to! Otherwise we're going to-#
The two screamed as a blast hit the thief in the shoulder, Aku frowned and twirled the necklace around his finger, "Are you really that apathetic against him? No matter, I guess you're going to die then." There was a pause then the demon let out a slow smirk, "On second thought…I'll give you one last chance…" His smirk widened, "I don't like throwing out my toys until they're completely broken…so, you'll get one question to ask your little lover here and if you ask the right one, you get to save your life, until I get bored with you anyways. You have two minutes."
Dark frowned and did a flip, avoiding another attack/What's a right question?./
#I don't know! But think of something! Fast!#
/No pressure huh?./
"Dark!"
The thief looked over at Satoshi, "What?"
"You better not die!"
"Thanks!" He smirked, and jumped back again, "I never thought you'd care!"
"I don't."
"Well that's nice…"
Amethyst eyes narrowed as magic zinged his arm, #You'd think he'd be able to stop himself at least a little…it's like Aku has him completely under his control…#
/Maybe he let him…I don't see a difference in his style of fighting…would Krad-/
A fist hit his stomach, he winced, running at the blonde and pinning him down, "Damn it Krad! Do you hate me that much? All this time, the one who really wanted me dead was…it was you wasn't it?" Do you despise me so much that you're willing to kill me yourself?
Aku watched him, amusement glittered in his eyes, "That…was the right question, actually it was two questions but I'll let you off this time."
He chanted something under his breath that made the blonde writher about. Dark turned his head and glared at the demon, "What the hell are you doing?"
"A little favor for you." Amethyst eyes narrowed, the demon gave a careless shrug, "I see you don't trust me. I'm hurt."
"And why the hell would I trust you?"
The demon watched them silently for a moment, "You have no reason to, but because I'm such a nice guy, I'll tell you what just happened to your dearly beloved. Ask him anything. Go on, this isn't something I want to miss out on." He raised a knee up to rest his arm on, he watched with a slight smirk on his face.
Dark frowned and looked at Krad who was staring blankly at him, there was only one question in his head, "Krad…why do you hate me?"
"Because you're a liar." The blonde stated, still watching him.
The thief's eyes widened, "What?"
"You've been lying to me all along." Krad's voice sounded dead, "I've never been first in your eyes have I?"
"What are you talking about…?"
"I saw you. You and that girl, in the Ferris wheel that night." Empty golden eyes stared directly into his causing him to unconsciously shiver, "I watched you tell the same promises you told me, I watched you kiss her the way you used to kiss me. Then I realized, I wasn't first anymore, maybe I never was…at first I didn't believe it, but after awhile, I accepted the truth."
"But-"
"Then all this happened."
Dark shook his head in denial, "It's not true! That isn't the truth damn it!"
"But it is the truth, haven't you noticed? Kitten here's been telling you nothing but the truth since you asked him. This is the cold hard truth, not sugarcoated, not covered up with petty lies." Aku watched him emotionlessly.
Krad continued monotonically, tears rolling down his face as the truth finally unburied itself, he appeared unaware of the tears, "You came back into my life, whether it was out of pity or not, I'm not sure. But you came back and told me all your promises again."
"It wasn't out of pity! I love you Krad!"
"Yes…you told me that too…but that night…the night your host slept at Satoshi-sama's, the name you whispered in your sleep wasn't mine. It was Harada."
Dark felt himself freeze to the core, had he done such a thing? He frowned and yelled in frustration, "But you're the one for me! I'm not lying damn it! I'm not!"
"Even after that night…after all the fake promises you made…I found that I…"
"They weren't lies! I missed you! I don't want to lose you!"
"I found that I still loved you."
The thief stopped and stared at the hunter, "…Krad?"
"When you told me that you loved me I truly wanted to believe it, I wanted to believe you were telling me the truth. That they weren't more empty promises. After all…you were my everything."
"They weren't!" Dark felt tears threatening to spill.
Krad watched him for a moment, "Then prove it to me."
The thief sighed dejectedly, in a low voice he asked, "How…? What do you want Krad?"
Glazed over golden eyes continued to bore into his, "I want to be free."
Dark frowned, "Krad?"
"I want to be free of this, I know you know how to. So set me free."
It was at that moment, the thief realized, that the Krad he once knew was talking to him, it was his request to him, release me from this pain Dark…
He gulped knowing the decision he had the make, but to be free means to die…
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Nya
Will Dark kill Krad? Can he do it? XD Sorry for the slow update, I had the longest mental block ever...I ketp forgetting what I was going to type and it bugged me XP ermm...hope you peoples enjoy this chapter! I lobe gelato :) It's so nice and delicious :P Yea, I'll shut up now and try to get the next chapter up soon!
Thank yous to: Hakudoshi-chan, Mysterious Kaitou, catseyes77, ilovekyo, nekogirltheanimefreak, General Kitty Girl, Ballad of the Iris, icestar2007, Anukis-san, Devinedragon, chrnoskitty, Daishi, Kyuseisha no Hikari, blood-fire-dragon, Kohana-kun, SeLeNa MoUsY, Socks-The-Kitsune, snoshadow, Seena58, golden-flame4, UnIQuE Not Weird