Dr. Dao had told everyone that he was not going to release Wren's body, due to the fact that the young girl had requested to not have a funeral, and that only a parent or guardian had the right to take her body. But despite this, Mr. Harada, a very successful businessman, had convinced the hospital to allow the release of Wren's body.

The news of Wren Takimoto's death was the talk of Azumano Middle School. Even those who did not even know her grieved her death. Wren's death was especially hard on the Harada twins. Daisuke did not see Riku for the entire weekend, and both girls did not come to school on Monday of the next week. When Daisuke finally did get to see them, the Harada twins did not talk much. They spent their class time silent, and their lunch time together, eating in silence.

One day, while Daisuke was eating his lunch, Riku Harada came up to him. Daisuke noticed that she was slimmer than she had been, and her brownish-red hair had lost its familiar glow.

"N-Niwa…?" She said, her voice barely above a whisper. "If…If you're not busy this weekend… I…I'd like you to come to Wren's funeral."

Daisuke smiled warmly at her. "Of course," He replied. Then, without warning, he pulled her into a hug and stroked her head. Riku fell into his arms and sobbed.

Satoshi Hiwatari sat in the back of the room, as usual, quietly eating his lunch. He pushed his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose in thought.

Krad had not said a word ever since Wren Takimoto's death. Satoshi could feel him, but mostly, the Angel was keeping his emotions locked up inside him where his Tamer could not feel them.

Too concentrated on thinking, Satoshi did not notice when someone called out his name.

"…Hiwatari…?" Satoshi's sky-blue eyes jerked up to see two, big, brown eyes staring back at him.

The youth let out the breath he had been holding in and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose again. "Miss Harada," he said neutrally, looking down at his homework. "What is it that you wanted?"

The younger Harada sister let out a sigh. "I…I was wondering, Hiwatari…" She paused, and then slammed her palms down on Satoshi's desk, leaning in so that they were almost nose-to-nose. "Riku told me everything!" She said in a harsh whisper. "I know that you're connected to that…that…Krad guy…somehow…" Risa looked away, but then her gaze darted back to Satoshi. "But, I want you to tell him that…that her funeral is on Saturday." Her voice was softer now, more broken. The young girl straightened and turned away. "She would want him to come… Oh, and Hiwatari? You're invited, too."

Satoshi froze. "I…I'm…invited?"

Risa nodded weakly. Satoshi frowned. That was not the Risa Harada he knew. "Wren would like to see you two one last time, I think…" All of a sudden, the young, brown-haired girl smiled and cried out to one of her friends that was passing by. The old Risa Harada had returned.

As Risa Harada left him, Satoshi stared after her. She had wanted Krad to come, but she had also wanted Satoshi to come, as well. The youth rested his clasped hands on his forehead. Of course he would go.

Wren Takimoto's funeral was held in a very small cemetery just outside the Azumano District. It had taken Daisuke almost an hour on his bike to get there, but he managed to make it to the cemetery just as the procession was starting.

Nearly all of Azumano District Middle School, Class 1-B had come to the funeral. Each student took the time to bow his or her head before laying a single white rose on top of the coffin.

The Harada twins stood side-by-side, holding each other's hand. They were wearing matching black button-down dresses that came to their knees. Risa's hair was tied back with a black ribbon to expose her unusually pale face. She wore black high-heels, whereas Riku wore black satin flats.

They stood over the coffin, their deep, brown eyes staring thoughtfully at the coffin's rosewood finish. The twins bowed respectfully and then stepped back so that others could come by the coffin.

Riku looked as if she were holding herself together by a thread, while Risa was sobbing into her shoulder. It was obvious that Riku wanted only one of them to break down at a time.

Daisuke went to stand by Riku. His suit was black with a white undershirt and nice black slacks. His shoes were black leather, borrowed from his father, and he wasn't wearing a tie.

Riku didn't look at him, but she acknowledged his presence by leaning her head onto his shoulder. He stroked her reddish-brown hair and kissed the top of her head gently. "How are you doing?" Daisuke asked gingerly.

The youth next to him nodded slightly, her eyes still fixed on the coffin. "We couldn't have an open-coffin." she told him, her voice quavering slightly. "Risa broke down the second we stepped into the cemetery." She looked down at her sister. "There was no way I could look into Wren's coffin, see her lying there and hold myself together." The girl was trying not to let tears fall down her pale cheeks. She turned deep, brown eyes up to her boyfriend. "Only one break-down at a time, right?" She smiled weakly at him and then looked back down at Risa. Riku ran her fingers through her sister's long, brown hair.

Daisuke held Riku close to him.

The girl let out a long, relieving sigh and willed herself not to cry. Stay strong. She told herself. Stay strong for Risa. Riku gazed up at the red-haired youth next to her and smiled. Just his presence beside her made her feel better, more at ease.

Riku suddenly felt the absense of Risa's weight on her shoulder. She looked over at her sister to see her bowing. Riku gasped and tugged on Daisuke's sleeve. "Niwa..." she whispered quietly so that only he could hear.

The red-haired youth cocked his head and turned to what Riku was looking at. He gasped as well. "H-Hiwatari?" What's he doing here?

Satoshi Hiwatari stood in front of them, his upper body curved into an elegant bow. He was dressed in a very nice black suit with a black tie and nice dress slacks. The only part of his ensemble that didn't match was his blue hair. He had slicked it back neatly so that his face was exposed. And the glasses that usually perched on his nose were absent from his face.

Hiwatari straightened from his bow and looked the twins in the eye. "I am sorry for your loss."

A small smile brightened Risa's face. "Thank you for coming, Hiwatari."

"What?" Riku turned to her sister. "You invited him?"

Risa shrugged. "I wanted him here. Besides, the entire homeroom was invited. Why are you so surprised?" the youth frowned at her sister. She walked away, grabbing Hiwatari's arm as she passed him. "Come on, Hiwatari." And the two left the grave site. Hiwatari eventually took the lead and led Risa to a marble mausoleum.

Once they were out of the funeral crowd, Risa sighed and leaned up against the mausoleum. "I'm sorry about that," she apologized. "Riku's still...uhh...touchy...on the subject of...you know..."

Hiwatari nodded. He knew. The younger Harada and Takimoto had been best friends, and his other half, though she didn't know it, had been the main cause of her depression. But no one knew the real truth.

No one knew that Police Chief Hiwatari, Satoshi's father, had been the one who had killed Wren Takimoto; no one, that is, except for Satoshi and Krad. Krad, of course, had not spoken to Satoshi since Wren's death. The blue-haired youth hated to admit it, but he was concerned about his other half. Not worried for his life, just...concerned.

"Hiwatari?"

The younger Harada twin's voice brought Satoshi back to reality. He blinked his sky-blue gaze and looked at her.

Her big, brown eyes stared deeply into his own. Risa finally looked away, a pink flush brushing her cheeks ever so slightly.

"So," she quickly changed the subject. "I take it Krad didn't want to come."

Satoshi blinked again. He had mentioned the funeral to his other half, without response. The youth nodded.

Risa snorted. "I can't believe he's being so cowardly! I mean, if he cared for her as much as he did, why doesn't he have the guts to come to her funeral! Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if he even loved Takimoto in the first place!"

Satoshi was suddenly aware that Krad was awake and listening. A sharp pain cut through, tugging at his consciousness. It was Krad, and the Angel was not very happy. Satoshi keeled over at the abdomen, clutching his stomach. He managed to catch himself on the mausoleum as he started to fall.

The younger Harada twin took a step forward to help Satoshi, but he held up a hand to stop her.

"No!" he yelled. "You...You can't t-touch me..." Then, more quietly and to himself, "N-No! N-Not right n-now, Kr-Krad! Not r-right now!"

I won't hurt her.

The Angel's voice startled the youth.

Wh...What?

You heard me. I won't hurt her. Let me out.

Satoshi shook his head. No. Not in front of these people.

Then go somewhere to get out of sight. Krad's bluntness was starting to unnerve Satoshi. Never before had the youth heard such...lack...of malice in the Angel's voice.

What's wrong with you, Krad? I've never felt this from you–

I suggest that you get out of sight now, Satoshi. I'm coming whether you're ready for me, or not. Satoshi felt the tugging again, this time, much, much harder. Harder than ever before. So hard, that the blue-haired youth cried out in pain.

Risa took another step towards Satoshi, but this time, he backed away from her. The youth managed to painfully regain his composure.

"I...I'm fine, Miss Harada. Just a muscle spasm, is all." Satoshi flinched in pain. "P-Please. Go b-back to the ceremony. Y-Your sister must be...be worried."

The girl nodded, uncertainty filling her deep brown gaze. "All right..." She said skeptically. "Are you sure you're going to be fine, Hiwatari?"

Satoshi flinched again, but nodded, nonetheless. "I-I'll be fine. Just go, Miss Harada. I'll...I'll be along in a few minutes. Tr-Trust me."

Frowning, Risa turned away and started walking back to Wren's grave site.

Once Risa was gone, Satoshi collapsed against the mausoleum holding his stomach in pain. Get this over with now, Krad. A jolt of pain shot through Satoshi, traveling up his spine to all of his limbs, filling them to the brim with sheer pain. Satoshi swallowed a scream as Krad finally came and possessed him through and through.

Krad stood, still dressed in Satoshi's clothes. The usual white, fluffy angel wings were not present on the golden-blonde's back. He straightened and smoothed over the suit jacket, which was too small on him. The Angel frowned. "Now this will not do." He murmured to himself.

Check the briefcase.

Krad smiled to himself. "Master Satoshi. I did not think that you would remain conscious through that particular transformation."

Yeah, I bet you were counting on it, you bastard. I don't even know why I'm helping you.

Frowning, the Angel responded, "Helping me? How? And what briefcase?"

Check just inside the mausoleum.

Krad turned around, opened the mausoleum door, and looked inside. He snorted, amused. Just inside the door of the mausoleum, like Satoshi had said, was a briefcase. Krad took the briefcase and opened it. He laughed. Inside was a pair of nice dress slacks, matching jacket, a silver dress shirt, and a black tie. Krad would even bet that the clothes were his size. "You slick bastard. How did you know to get them?"

Call it a hunch. I thought that the chances of you coming were slim, but that you might, so I packed a suit for you.

"And how did you know to pick this mausoleum?"

I was the one who led Miss Harada over here, wasn't I? I planned ahead.

Krad laughed again. "Very thoughtful of you."

I didn't do it for you, Krad. I did it out of courtesy for the dead, or did you forget? The youth added maliciously.

"I didn't forget." snarled Krad. "Now leave me alone for now." With that, Satoshi allowed the darkness that had been tugging at him for so long finally consume him, and his voice was lost.

The Angel sighed. Why am I even here? He asked himself. I promised...I promised myself that I would never go near her again. So why am I here?

But Krad knew the answer to that.

Curiosity.

Curiosity was the reason Krad was here now. He needed to know... He needed to know if this Takimoto girl...if the memory of her would haunt him. The Angel also wanted to say goodbye, something he was not sure he could do.

Krad eased his way down the aisle of white lawn chairs towards Wren's coffin. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his suit jacket. The Angel turned golden eyes to his side and froze.

In all of the years of chasing Dark, Krad had never come face-to-face with his Host. Daisuke Niwa's reddish eyes glared defiantly at him.

The Angel smiled. "Daisuke Niwa." He mused. "I don't think we have ever truly gotten a chance to see each other."

"What are you doing here, Krad?" But the voice that came out of the young Niwa's mouth was certainly not his own. It was Dark, through and through.

"Dark Mousy." Krad frowned. "It's strange to see you like this. If you forced your way out, you wouldn't have to deal with the Niwa boy."

"I'll ask you one last time, Krad," Dark's threatening tone seemed very out-of-place in Daisuke Niwa's body. "What are you doing here?"

Krad yanked his arm out of Daisuke/Dark's grip and snorted, straightening his jacket. "That's none of your business." the Angel's eyes were distant and pondering. "All you need to know is that I will not hurt anyone here."

That made the Phantom Theif/ Host frown. "How do I know—"

"That I am telling the truth?" Krad gave a harsh laugh. "You don't. You'll just have to take my word for it." with that, he started towards the coffin. Krad's golden gaze scanned the proximity for familiar faces.

Wren's old nurse, Mona, was sitting quietly in a lawn chair at the very front of the congregation. It was unusual to see her out of her salmon-colored nurse's uniform, because that was all Krad had ever known her to wear. But now, she was wearing a beautiful navy-blue dress with purple floral patterns. Her graying, brown hair was tied back into a bun that would look messy on anyone else, but on Mona, it look practically normal. Her eyes were closed and she was rocking back and forth in her chair, her wrinkly hands moving up and down an old wooden rosary. The old woman whispered the prayers as if she were talking to a small child.

Dr. Dao was also there. He was dressed a black tux with a white undershirt and black tie. His thick, black-rimmed glasses were perched on his face as usual, guarding his cold, gray eyes. His eyes were fixed on the coffin as he stood to the side of the congragation, leaning on a lone lawn chair.

But what surprised Krad the most was the fact that a thin, young woman of about thirty with a five-year-old boy clutching her hand was standing over Wren's coffin, deep in thought.

Krad approached the woman with neutral eyes. "Doctor Kawa," He said slowly.

Nastuki Kawa turned her sad, blue eyes to Krad. She frowned. Picking up her son and balancing him on her hip, she replied, "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

The Angel shook his head. "No, but we are employed by the same person. Though, employed would not be the word I would use." His voice was cold and harsh.

"I'm sorry, but—"

Krad leaned into the woman and whispered, "I know what you did to Wren Takimoto." he felt Nastuki freeze. "So does she."

"She...Wren..." The words came out strangled. "Wren...knew?"

The being nodded.

"H-How?"

Krad sighed. "Unfortunately for you, Wren had a very keen memory. She had seen you in Hokkaido around the time she started getting sick. The dots were connected when you became her psychiatrist, and her condition worsened." He straightened. "I want to kill you." he said bluntly.

Natsuki held her breath and started to panic, but Krad shook his head.

"No," He said to her. "I want to kill you, but I will not go against Wren's wishes."

The panic began to fade. "Wren's wishes?" The doctor repeated.

Krad nodded. "Despite what you did to her, Wren will not allow any harm to come to you, or that of your son." He added, gesturing to the boy perched on the woman's hip. "But Wren did ask one thing of you,"

"And what was that?" Nastuki was almost afraid to ask. If Wren knew that this man would kill her in a heartbeat, and stopped him, what would the girl want in return?

"She wants to see your son."

A breath that Nastuki didn't even know she was holding was let go. "See...my son...?"

Krad nodded again. "She wants to see what she died for."

The doctor was frozen for a moment, then, a wave of understanding flooded her. Kazuki had been the reason Nastuki had even considered doing harm to Wren in the first place. Commander Hiwatari had kidnapped Kazuki and threatened his life if Nasuki did not deliver Wren Takimoto's body. Now, Wren wanted to see why Natsuki would kill her. She wanted to see Kazuki.

Nastuki nodded and took her son over to the coffin.

The little boy's blue, blue eyes rested on the rosewood coffin. "Who's that, Mommy?" He asked innocently.

His mother fought back the tears without much success. "That's Wren, honey. You remember me talking about her on the phone?"

Kazuki nodded. "Why is she in that box, Mommy?"

The tears flooded down Natsuki's face. "Because she's dead, sweetie."

"She's not gonna wake up?"

Natsuki shook her head. "No, honey, she's not going to wake up."

Kazuki frowned. "But you told me you helped her. Help her now, Mommy."

"Your mother cannot help Wren now, little one," Krad stepped up beside Natsuki, his hands clasped behind his back. "She has helped quite enough." He added coldly. Krad's golden gaze turned to the doctor. "Go." He ordered.

Natsuki nodded and took him at his word. She left.

Krad was ready to collapse, but not from exhaustion. He was in utter pain. His heart hurt, his body ached. Now I know. The Angel thought to himself. Now I know that I can't live without her. But he had to. He was going to, whether he liked it or not.

Her life was dark, the priest had said. She had died of terminal leukemia and had once lived in pain. But now, he had continued, she was pure. Her dark life was over now, but her life of purity in God's grace was just beginning.

Krad smiled to himself. That was what she was. Wren was a dark, dark purity. So lovely and pure, but so many horrid things happened to her. The darkest purity. Krad thought to himself. That was what she was. The darkest purity.

Wren was gone, there nothing anyone could do about that, least of all Krad. But he was content with one thing: Wren wasn't suffering anymore. She was happy. That was all the Angel cared about. With one last look to Wren's coffin, Krad disappeared from the funeral.

Riku and Risa sat together on white lawn chairs as the funeral came to a close. Risa laid her head down on her sister's shoulder. "It was a nice sermon." She pointed out.

The reddish-brown haired girl nodded. "It was nice," she agreed. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Niwa," She murmured as the red-haired boy sat down next to his girlfriend.

He smiled. "How are you, Miss Riku?"

She gave him a weak smile. "I'm holding up."

Daisuke gathered the small girl into his arms and held her. "It's over now," He whispered. "You can let it out."

Riku fought the tears at first, but then she realized that it was no good. She began to sob relentlessly. Riku pulled Daisuke around her like a security blanket and sobbed.

But Daisuke was right. It was all over. Wren was at peace, Krad was still conflicted, but he did not show it on later appearances. Riku and Risa Harada moved on with their life, but always came back to Wren's grave every single year to tell her of things that had been going on. Daisuke and Riku stayed close, while Risa and Satoshi said small words to each other in class.

It was all over, and everyone was at peace.

And this is the end of The Darkest Purity. i hope all of you liked it, and i had SOOOO much fun writing this story. thanx SOOOOOO much to my reviewers and readers, i wub all of you!

Shadeslayer390