January 16, 2009

I was woken from my sleep last night by the sound of Dark and Krad battling outside. I stepped out.

"What are you doing, Kuri-san?!" Dark exclaimed. "Go back inside! He'll kill you!"

Krad flew downward and grabbed me around the waist. "I don't think I'll kill her, necessarily."

"Let go of her, Krad!" Dark said through clenched teeth.

"How does it feel, knowing she can never be yours?" Krad asked. "We'll continue this in the museum tomorrow night. It'll be our final battle, and we'll see if you can steal the girl back."

Daisuke knocked on Kuri-san's door in the early morning.

But when he opened the door, Kuri-san wasn't in her room.

In fact, he didn't sense her presence in the house at all. He had thought that their mental connection was strong enough to tell where she was.

Dark stepped up behind him. "Daisuke. She's gone…I'm sorry."

I came to in the museum. My hands and feet were tied.

"Don't try to escape," Krad's voice said from the shadows.

The rope on my feet snapped. I jumped up and ran down the hallway.

I was shot immediately by a bolt of white magic. I fell against a mirror. It shattered, and a shard got stuck in my back.

I screamed in pain.

"I told you not to try to escape, Kurisuta," Krad said.

Where are those two when I need them? I wondered. If they come to save me though…Krad will kill them. I won't call…I'll die first.

"I suggest you call Dark," Krad continued. "I know you can. And he's the only one who can save you…although I didn't plan for your life to be in danger. Call him, Kuri-san."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" I yelled, struggling to sit up, but doubling over and coughing up blood. "I'm not going to call Dark just so you can kill him. I'm not stupid. I'd rather die knowing I saved him."

Daisuke fell against the wall suddenly. He felt extreme pain in his back, like he had been stabbed.

He started to collapse, but Dark caught him and held him up.

"W-What's happening?" Daisuke asked.

"Close your eyes!" Dark responded. "What do you see?"

"What are you talking about?" Daisuke asked.

"You're connected to Kuri-san, like you were once to me," Dark replied. "You should be able to find her."

Daisuke closed his eyes. He saw…a familiar room. The museum…and white wings.

"Krad," he said, his voice shaking with anger. "She's dying. We have to get to the museum."

"You shouldn't, you don't have magic," Dark said. "You aren't me anymore, remember?"

"I'm coming," Daisuke said determinedly. "Don't try to stop me."

I reached behind me and pulled the shards out of my back.

"I don't think that will help," Krad said, kneeling down next to me. "You don't have much longer."

"Sh-Shut up!" I whispered.

"Leave her alone, Krad!" Dark yelled, coming down the hallway.

Krad stood and turned. He tried to punch Dark, but Dark grabbed his fist.

Dark shot a bolt of purple magic at Krad's chest, and Krad flew backwards into the wall.

Daisuke came to my side. "Oh man, this is bad. Kuri-san…"

"I'll be fine," I said. "Help Dark."

Krad got up and shot white magic at Dark, and Dark fell to the ground.

"Krad…this is over," Daisuke said angrily, getting between them. "We've been separated. Dark is no longer the Phantom Thief. He's human now."

Krad cringed at Daisuke's words, and turned back into Satoshi.

Dark struggled to his feet and came to my side. "I don't have much magic left."

"You…don't have to use it on me," I gasped.

"Yes…I do," Dark replied, and touched my wounds, healing them instantly in a flash of purple light. "Now we're even."

"Dark…Daisuke, I need you to listen…" I said, sitting up. "When I was lying there, bleeding to death…I realized that if I lived…I wanted to see Daisuke again. He's always been the one I loved."

Dark and Daisuke fell back a step.

"I-I'm sorry, Dark!" I sobbed.

Dark knelt down. "It's okay…I don't blame you. Don't cry over me. He's the one you belong with…and besides...I'm more of a free spirit anyway."

Dark was gone…and so was Satoshi. I was back home with Daisuke.

"Why did you come?" I asked him. "You…you could have been killed."

"How could I not come…when you were hurting so much?" Daisuke replied simply. "I…I love you. I had to come."

He kissed me under the stars in the backyard…and we heard the sound of wings overhead, crossing the sky in a broad finale.