Notes: 'thoughts' "speech" Sound Effects and Time Skips

Let's get this chapter started!!!

Chapter 2

Daisuke had a foreboding feeling again. Even though Dark and Satoshi already made up, Daisuke still has a hard time being 100 cheerful and happy-go-lucky. He's being too paranoid, but he can't help but feel he's being watched.

'There's that feeling again! I wish whoever is watching us would just stop!' Daisuke thought warily. He suppressed a shiver of fear as he saw Dark looking at him. Daisuke knows no one caught on yet; otherwise they'd be hurrying to the town, a place with people. Dark was only looking at Daisuke in longing and joy.

Daisuke smiled slightly at Dark. And thanks to Dark's presence, the smile wasn't faked. At least Daisuke's boyfriend could still cheer him up.

"We're almost there. Maybe ten minutes or so." Krad said to no one. He inwardly laughed as he saw Dark and Daisuke sharing goo-goo eyes. Almost instantly, Krad's golden eyes darted to his own boyfriend. Satoshi was sweating slightly, as he stared towards the town.

'Oh! Oh! Can we act like perverted friends and describe vividly about Satoshi and water?' Krad's more perverse side exclaimed with a large voluptuous grin. Krad was tempted to say "Hell yes", but he refrained from doing so and instead told his inner voice to shut up.

But now that the thought is in his mind, Krad couldn't push it out. His eyes stared unblinkingly at Satoshi, his mind changing the scenario. Satoshi was lying in his arms while Krad pushed in and out of him. Krad could almost hear the breathy moans and panting groans, see Satoshi's eyes ablaze with passion and sweating from too much pressure.

Krad blinked the daydream fantasy away as he felt a certain tingle in his nether regions. Krad tried to stamp away the dirty thoughts and think of something disgusting, perhaps like Keiji jumping around in a two-piece cheerleading. Krad shivered.

He groaned as he tried to distract both his mind and his pair of wandering eyes. His eyes strayed to Daisuke, whom to Krad looked a bit peaked, as if tired. His eyebrows creased with concern while he ignored his mind that was whispering sweet temptations.

To Krad, Daisuke seems happy spending time with Dark. However, Krad could see the weariness in Daisuke's eyes and the slouching of his back. Plus, his shoulders seem tense.

'Well,' Krad thought, 'at least Daisuke could be charged up with Dark's presence.' Krad let out a smirk when Daisuke screeched from Dark's groping his behind. Now, after some time (and his raging organ finally calmed down), Krad chanced himself and peeked at Satoshi who was looking at him.

Satoshi blushed; he'd been caught. He honestly didn't know what compelled him into staring at Krad when he knew Krad was the one for him, as sappy as it sounds. Krad will be there for Satoshi till the end of time. Don't ask him how he knows or why Krad of all people. It just is. Satoshi knows it's a feeling.

But in a small part of his doubtful side, his thoughts were wary and suspicious. Satoshi didn't know whether to trust Krad even after what happened in his hometown. In a way, he's still distrustful. Satoshi knew he hadn't a single clue about Krad's past and that worries him greatly. Plus, even if they were meant to be together, it doesn't mean Krad and Satoshi will last.

And the love can fade. Satoshi isn't stupid. He had researched emotions. He knows how he feels fear, anger, love, and jealousy. Through studies, Satoshi found out that emotions are different chemicals your body releases in you. They're automatic responses and like all other chemicals; these can mold or fade in time. Satoshi has a valid reason to be wary of himself and Krad. He can't lose control.

The blush receded as Satoshi finally stopped his scrutiny on Krad who had reciprocated the action. He hadn't paid much attention and he almost stepped on… something…

Blood, it looked like.

Satoshi leaned in closer to inspect it. The stain was dried, which meant it was an old stain, but the blood seemed like a large pool. Someone must have either lost a lot of blood or the stains have accumulated over time.

Satoshi suspected it was the latter as they're more reddish brown mark all over the ground. Up ahead. Behind (Satoshi looked back). Left right. Almost everywhere except on the trees. Everyone continued walking, as if not seeing what Satoshi is seeing. Before Dark, Daisuke, and Krad could walk ahead of him, Satoshi held up a hand.

Daisuke was disappointed in himself. He couldn't believe he wasted so much time just looking at Dark! 'But it isn't my fault!!!' Daisuke protested in his mind. 'It's not my fault that he's so good looking!' Daisuke once again couldn't help but look at his boyfriend. But he dragged his eyes away again, as he had to pay attention to Satoshi now. In a totally different way than the way he fawned over Dark. Who was still making the eyes at him.

"Satoshi? What's wrong?" Daisuke placed a hand on Satoshi's shoulder. Satoshi acted like he didn't feel it at all, but Daisuke thought that at least he didn't shrug him off, though a response would be great right now. Satoshi seemed frozen there, staring at the red stains on the floor.

Daisuke came to the same conclusion.

Krad knew about the blood. After all, if you're an ex-crazed murderer, you're bound to see blood of all sorts. Poisoned blood. Fresh blood. Dried blood stains. But from the lack of smell of death, Krad could only think that a sadist did it. Torture with lots of blood spilt. If Krad were a normal human being, he would want to gag from the images his mind brought up.

"Dais-" Daisuke held up a hand to stop Dark from questioning too much. The queasy feeling came back. Something was definitely wrong. Things seemed to become slower as the anticipation grew.

"Dark, do you know what the stains are?" Daisuke didn't want to say it. But Dark would get too curious and it'd be even harder to answer questions while trying to dodge around the sole answer. Beating around the bush isn't Daisuke's forte either.

"Some tomato juice? C'mon Daisuke, tell me!" Dark couldn't help but feel anxious from the eerie silence around them. He just noticed that since no one was walking or even moving in the forest. There wasn't even a breeze and since Daisuke was almost whispering, Dark felt… afraid.

"It's blood!" Krad snapped. Right now, with Satoshi's lack of movement, Krad was terribly worried. He was afraid, no. That'd be stupid since he's an ex-killer. But he was worried for Satoshi (and Daisuke and Dark). With Dark's almost-whining tone, Krad couldn't control himself.

Control. It's been so long since he thought about that word. Having total control means to hold in something or eliminate the spreading of something.

And Krad has to hold in his bloodlust. No one knows about the bloodlust Krad has. Even Krad himself can't define it. It was like something that was born into him. Krad already knew he wasn't fully human, even though there wasn't proof. But he was sure he couldn't control his bloodlust forever.

Satoshi doesn't know about his past either. If he finds out… Krad didn't want to think about it. Krad knows it's inevitable, but- it's just too much to think about.

Krad took in a deep breath, and almost winced. The smell of blood reached his nose, no matter how old the stains are. The blood hungry beast inside him could smell it anywhere except when it's inside a body. Krad doubted he was a vampire, but damn!

"Krad, control yourself." Daisuke murmured, not seeing but feeling the torrent of confusion in his companion. Daisuke wasn't anything special (according to himself) but he could tell Krad was losing his composure. Plus, Daisuke has to make sure to stand up for Dark, being his responsibility.

Dark looked hurt at Krad, but said nothing. He shuffled closer to Daisuke and the long wait for Satoshi to move again began.

What the others didn't know was that Satoshi was only calculating many things in his mind. He noticed Krad's reaction to what he had said, and almost gave it no thought. Then he had decided to file it later to inspect. Not that he suspects his boyfriend to be anything but the best. Satoshi mentally shook his head. He was getting distracted again.

The blood. It wasn't unfamiliar to Satoshi, unfortunately. Being in a harsh childhood with an abusive babysitter can do that to someone.

Satoshi pushed the memories away. No one knows a thing about some things he had to endure. Not even To-to. When Dark and Daisuke were in his memories, his mind had pushed the terrible, repulsive things away. Things that would be kept in the dark forever, hopefully. Everyone has a few skeletons in their closets, after all.

Satoshi flinched unnoticeably. He was distracted again. This won't do. It's not time to trudge through bad times. Satoshi nearly growled in frustration when his thoughts that he wants to avoid came again.

Satoshi was tempted to grab his blue locks and pull, but refrain from doing so. He would get Krad worried. But back to the matter at hand ('Finally!' Satoshi thought.), his eyes focused in on the blood again.

There were little flecks of something in the stain. It was neither dust nor dirt. It was a sort of stain intermingling with the blood. White and gooey-looking (when it wasn't a stain). Satoshi would call it poison, but he suspected it wouldn't be that easy to guess.

It might be some mutating, poisonous chemical. At the thought, Satoshi almost gagged. He had met types of chemicals. He was a sort of scientist and the loud failed experiments caused Hiwatari to find him. Punishment was horrible (which is why he's only sort of). Satoshi's eyes stung, but the wetness disappeared in a few seconds.

An abrupt motion startled Krad, Daisuke, and Dark. Satoshi kneeled down and hesitantly touched the soil. The dirt underneath his fingers was moist and soft, like clay. But the stained, dirty soil was rough and chunky. Satoshi pushed away the thoughts that came after the words stained and dirty. Satoshi tapped a finger against the blood, then the white drops.

The blood part was like any other dirt clumped together. However, the white part, it sounded hollow. Like some chamber was underneath the soil. Satoshi frowned. He stood back up unexpectedly and almost jarred into Krad's neck.

The white chemical was unknown to him. He doesn't know if it's something new or only something dangerously poisonous. Satoshi had never dealt with anything dangerously poisonous. Satoshi wasn't afraid he'd hurt himself. The times he was acting as a scientist was full of self-pity and wishes for death. But he wouldn't give himself a slow and painful death where someone could find him. Neither would he do that to Hiwatari. (Someone might find him and save him, thanks to his connections.)

"Let's go. I don't think this is a safe place to discuss things." Once the words escaped his mouth, Satoshi blinked. He didn't really think about that. Satoshi's eyes glanced around warily. There might be hidden cameras here in the forest. It's too empty. It must have a reason why.

Daisuke and Krad nodded, but Dark was as clueless as ever. However, a look from dear Daisuke ceased any questions/comments from him. Satoshi was grateful. He doesn't think he could talk comfortably about anything while someone could be watching.

The beast is bored. Or at least, there's nothing entertaining to do right now. He doesn't feel like eating, his supply of food is running low. And he doesn't want to watch the redhead all day long. Daisuke was so tiring! He's too mature and adult-like and thanks to the creature's low attention span. He was amusing earlier, but now he's so boring.

But the creature knew that his interest would be sparked up again when Daisuke and his crew meet up with his minion. He sent one of the lower-class demons under his rule to the dying city. The thing wanted to see how they would deal with the first non-human enemy face-to-face. It would only take a matter of time before they meet his crony.

But first, a name. The creature doesn't like to be referred as an it, beast, or creature. 'Something demonic and tells people not to mess with me would do,' it smirked. Its face contorted into a disfigured look of repulsion.

"But they would suspect me only by the name. I want to cause them suspicion after meeting me." The beast smirked, before summoning his mirror from his bedchambers. Once it was settled in front of him, he waved a hand over himself. It was quite a silly action and it was satisfied that no one was there to see it.

Before him, the image in the mirror began to change. What once was a disgusting, wrinkled demon now stood a young albino in his teenage years. Since demons had no gender and men were portrayed as the stronger and more dominant of the two genders, it decided to give a look of a male. Plus, it seems that the quadruple were attracted to men. If one of the four were to be lusting after the beast's false appearance, he could dispel some of their happiness and bring suffering to the hearts of them.

"But now, a name…" The man strokes his chin, trying to imitate one of the elderly actions. He wanted to appear as human as possible to trick the foolish four. But all the names he could think up are demon names. He wanted something demonic. Something that would imply he was a monster. Not something that would basically scream his identity.

Growing frustrated (but still looking calm and controlled), the man snapped his fingers. Within moments, a friendless-boy entered the room with soulless eyes. The man mentally snorted. The human knows nothing about being soulless. All it knows is stupid suffering that it brought upon himself. Who told the mortal to let someone get close to him?

"Boy, I need a human name that suits this appearance." The man commanded. The boy wasn't shocked about the new look, most of his feelings were numbed now, thanks to the shock of listening to his friends' last words through a door.

The boy's eyes lifelessly looked the demon up and down. Examining. Almost looking like he was an executioner thinking the best way to kill someone. The demon resisted his shiver. A damn human cannot make him feel fear.

"Argentine." The boy muttered. He was tempted to leave the room, now that he's done his task. Even though he has nothing to go back to, having the demon eaten his friends, he wants to anger his master into killing him. To reunite with his dear friends and loved ones. The demon knew what he wanted and knew what the right buttons to push is. The demon smirked.

"Oi, slave." The newly named Argentine false-smiled. It was sickeningly sweet and made the boy want to throw up. "What does your friends call you? Don't you think it's rather rude of me to keep calling you boy?" Argentine narrowed his eyes. A gleam was in his eyes and the boy could read perfectly what it said. 'Don't lie to me. I can tell if you do.'

The boy felt a sharp pain inside his heart when the bastard mentioned his friends. His fist clenched together, nails digging into skin, as he was tempted to punch the bastard's face in. "It's… Kyle." The boy snarled.

"Kyle…" Argentine teased. "It sounds beautiful." He gave a mocking smile and waved, indicating that Kyle could leave. The boy's fist clenched once again, feeling rebellious. Argentine raised his eyebrows. Was his slave being disobedient now? It's too late, though. Argentine gave a barking laugh. And like it was a trigger, Kyle moved towards the door, fists still balled.

"Kyle. Kyle. Kyle. Know that you are not the one with the power to defeat me. The one that does will fall into a trap and be killed. You will never be saved." Argentine cruelly said. His face twisted into an ugly grin.

The boy quickly left the room, slamming the door. The first few tears of frustration began tearing at his eyes since his friends' deaths. Still now, he can hear their calls.

"Kyle! Save us!"

"Kyle, we know it's not your fault."

"Ugh… Revenge us, Kyle… You're strong, nii –cough-, nii-san. You can do it. Kyle, we believe in you!"

Silently, the boy stalked to his room, feeling vulnerable and horribly alone.

Daisuke's shocked eyes scanned the brownish gray city before him. Like Argentine had said, Daisuke called this a "dying city". His frown shown his surprised disapproval. Dark didn't know of what Daisuke disapproved of, but he was pretty sure it had something to do with the city. Then again, they are facing the city. Dark gave his own frown. Now he feels plain stupid.

Dark looked towards Krad and Satoshi, gauging their responses to the city. They, too, were frowning. Dark suddenly had a funny thought (or at least he hoped it was funny). They were the Frowning Four.

'Okay. Now that is lame.' Dark thought. His frown deepened. 'Who uses the word "lame" anyways?' Apparently, he did.

Dark mentally shook his head and wondered what he should say to break this eerie silence. Hopefully, he didn't have to say or do something embarrassing and let someone else break the silence.

"We're going in." For once, Satoshi made a brash decision. Krad was startled and he immediately grabbed Satoshi, who had started walking towards the ruins that surrounded the city.

"Stop. What do you think you're doing?" Krad asked. He shook Satoshi's shoulders, and then let go, looking away. Satoshi smiled briefly at him, thinking a worried Krad sort of cute.

"It's pointless to just stand around. Why not just get it over with?" Satoshi's answer would be normal if he was one of your average teenagers, but Satoshi isn't. He's supposed to be calm and collected. This is out of character for him. But Krad didn't seem to mind. Dark thought that maybe Krad reckons it's a good thing Satoshi is acting his age.

Whatever. It's not like Satoshi is his boyfriend. Speaking of boyfriends, Dark looked over to Daisuke. Daisuke was staring at the other couple with a peculiar expression on his face. Dark couldn't identify it at first, but then… 'Is that envy? It is!' Dark's inner voice was gleeful.

'Oh! This is just too good to be true!' He said. 'Dark, you got him in the palm of your hand.' The voice's grin was apparent in his tone of voice.

Dark rolled his eyes at the perverted thing and grabbed Daisuke's wrist. From the contact, Daisuke turned his head to face Dark, who was unaware of the same grin he had on. Luckily, Daisuke chose not to comment on the slight perverseness.

"Let's go in, like Satoshi says, Daisuke." Dark said softly, to Daisuke's ears only. Daisuke's smile turned into a light frown and Dark wondered why. He didn't know that Daisuke was fighting himself over whether or not he should tell the other three about the eyes.

"Dark, I…" Daisuke didn't think he could stand it. He wanted so desperately to tell Dark, but Daisuke wasn't sure if telling would make this stalker come and attack or not. Besides, it might only be some animal, Daisuke tried to reckon. But in his mind, he knew it was pointless. Time to confess.

"Dark, I- There's something watching us." There, Daisuke said it. He tried not to look around; it might ignite the creature's amusement even more. Daisuke took a deep breath and momentarily closed his eyes. Then he reopened them and met the solemn eyes of Krad. Krad nodded.

It seems like he wasn't the only one who noticed that tingly feeling in the back of his neck. Someone was watching them and they didn't bother hiding the fact from them.

"Wh-what? Watching us? Who? Are you sure?" Dark certainly didn't expect this. The thought is sort of chilling to him, for no reason. Dark knows that Daisuke doesn't mean anyone from the city (which looked deserted, sort of) and Krad and Daisuke were too serious to let it go by. And Satoshi doesn't look all that cheerful, neither.

"Yeah…" Daisuke muttered, turning around and looked down. He didn't want to see the worried look on Dark's face, nor Satoshi and Krad's quiet looks of contemplation. He didn't know what they were thinking and for a moment, he wished he never said anything at all. With his back to the group, Daisuke didn't notice Dark taking a step closer to him. Not until Dark wrapped his arms around Daisuke into a reassuring embrace.

"I'm sorry." Dark said quietly. Krad and Satoshi looked away, feeling a couple's moment coming on.

'Don't be sorry, Dark. You don't have to apologize for something you did or didn't do. Why are you apologizing?' These nervous thoughts went around Daisuke's mind, but Daisuke somehow couldn't put them into words. He can't speak. It felt like there was something stuck in his throat, leaving him unable to cry out. Daisuke tried to whisper Dark's name, but nothing escaped through his mouth except air.

Daisuke subconsciously pushed back Dark's arms as he tried to make a sound. Nothing came up and Daisuke couldn't see the sad look Dark had. Daisuke stepped forward, leaving Dark once again. Daisuke raised his hand to his throat and tried to talk, only a raspy moan came out.

Daisuke's eyebrows furrowed and he tried to speak again and again. Each failure making him even more desperate. His hand tightened around his own throat and he gave a few squeezes.

The lights around him kept on blinking, flashing in his eyes, but Daisuke didn't care about that. His mouth opened and closed, like a fish, and he tried to speak, to talk. Nothing, not even a tiny squeak now, came out of his mouth. His hand uncontrollably squeezed his neck tightly. Daisuke gasped, almost hyperventilating.

His hand wasn't his own doing anymore. He wasn't telling his hand to choke himself. His brain kept on sending signals to himself to stop, but his hand isn't listening. Daisuke wheezed and the lights began to dim even more. And finally, everything was black.

Daisuke gasped. He sat up and glanced around frantically, aware of his breathy pants. When he saw the cloth of the sleeping tent around him, he shuddered, feeling closed in, but he did nothing about it. He closed his eyes, ignored the darkness, and took several deep breaths. Daisuke felt his right hand tightly holding onto his shirt and he released it, aware of the cramp in his hand.

Daisuke felt the stickiness on his sleeping bag from his sweat during the nightmare. He was still sweating. Daisuke heard Dark's rather quiet snores from a few feet away, but he couldn't bring himself to look at Dark, yet.

The hammering of his heart in his chest slowed down and his breaths weren't as fast and loud anymore. Daisuke wiped away the sweat on his brow and settled himself in. But Daisuke knew he couldn't sleep again for the rest of the night. He only kept his eyes opened.

Daisuke yawned tiredly as the quadruple continued on their trek. They had just finished the lunch break and now the forest's trees were becoming sparse. Daisuke's nightmare of sorts is still haunting his mind, distracting him from seeing the concerned looks everyone kept on giving him. The road reminded him eerily of the dream. That little rock right there. That tree with the gaping hole.

Little details here and there were exactly like his dream. Earlier, they had passed by the clearing where they could clearly see the city. The city wasn't as bad off as it were in his dream, but it was getting there. The dialogue was different, inevitably. He didn't tell Dark about the staring and Daisuke wouldn't try to see if his voice were to suddenly disappear.

Daisuke couldn't help but think the dream was a warning. Besides the fact that he had lost his sleep, it felt like a vision was coming on and that someone had sent it. It hadn't felt like menace or sick amusement.

Daisuke shook his head. Whatever that was going to happen, will happen. Quẻ sera sera, as they say. Besides, Krad's other side is coming into play. The one that hadn't even come out yet since Daisuke has met him.

The bloodlust that Krad has. The non-human side of him. The one that made Krad become a murderer.

Daisuke knew Krad joining them wasn't really a big feat. It wasn't like Daisuke changed Krad's mind about anything really. Daisuke and Dark and Satoshi are now just making Krad have even more of a reason to fight back at that animalistic side of him. In a sick way, Daisuke knew that the beastly side of Krad was merely amused at their antics and that's the only reason why he's allowing this façade of love to go on.

Krad has deep feelings for Satoshi, no doubt about that. But what about the other side? Is it the same amusement or does he too love Satoshi?

Daisuke knows that sometime in the future, that Krad will give in and the murderer in him will come out. Will it destroy them all or hold them captive? Will he treat Satoshi like an actual human being or would Satoshi only become a toy and a whore?

Daisuke can't bear the thoughts anymore. It feels like the mind of someone lacking sleep. A delusional mind full of dark thoughts or was it because of Dai? Daisuke yawned again and Dark finally broke.

"Daisuke, are you okay? Did you not get enough sleep because of me?" Dark grabbed Daisuke's arm, preventing him from going any further. Krad and Satoshi immediately stopped; they were worried about Daisuke, too, and they want to help out however they can.

"I'm okay, Dark. And it's pretty silly that you think I couldn't sleep because of you. We've been traveling together for a long time already." Daisuke said, rolling his eyes. Daisuke swallowed another yawn that tried to come, and he succeeded. He pulled his arm out of Dark's grasp and walked past Satoshi and Krad.

Daisuke felt all three pairs of their eyes on him and he didn't care. He didn't know that Satoshi saw for the first time saw the inferno tattoo. A minor panic entered Satoshi when he thought Daisuke's was on fire. To quote Daisuke: "The one on the left was of flames. Surrounding Dai's forearm like a band, colors of vivid red, orange, and yellow overlapped each other. Some infernos were higher than others. The image was entrancing and Daisuke almost thought that it was a real flame, one that couldn't hurt anyone but would look exactly realistic."

The panic left when Satoshi realized that Daisuke isn't running away in pain. His blue eyebrows furrowed together as he wondered how he couldn't see the tattoo before.

'It's not like Daisuke's a cutter. He doesn't hide his arms in long-sleeves. But why does it seem like his upper arms are always covered?' Satoshi questioned. 'Is there another tattoo on his right arm?'

"Dark," Satoshi called out, "Is there another tattoo on Daisuke's right arm?" Dark gave Satoshi a strange look, as if asking Daisuke? A tattoo? It seemed to Satoshi that even Daisuke's own boyfriend didn't know about that.

"What are you talking about? What tattoo?" Dark looked from Satoshi to Daisuke, who was still walking ahead. Dark made a motion for them to follow Daisuke. Then, he slowed down before catching up to Satoshi's other side.

"I mean the tattoo on his left upper arm. The fire one." Satoshi motioned forward towards Daisuke, who finally stopped and was looking down at them, waiting. Dark still looked confused.

"His left arm? I've never seen it since I met him. He doesn't hide his arm to me, so I don't think I've seen it. It can't be new either; we've been traveling for a long time for him not to tell me."

Satoshi shrugged. "You can ask him about later, then. What it means, too. It might prove to be a foreshadowing."

Because Satoshi, too, felt the eyes watching them.

A/N: Major case of author's block. Everything that I wrote and will write is based on imagination. Do not believe the things I will say, otherwise you would be sorely disappointed. Can't say when's the next update.