Krad's ally

"Let the girl go Krad! She doesn't know what she's doing!" said Dark as the arrow shot at him with disturbing accuracy.

"She knows exactly what she's doing. She willingly allowed me to use her own magic to kill you," retorted Krad annoyed.

"You lie! No one in their right mind would help you!"

-----

Krad, do you mind if I answer his little comeback?

Be my guest, Kari-san.

-----

"You don't know who you're dealing with if you think I'm nuts, Dork. I enjoy being different!"

"What…! Kari, why are you helping that maniac?!"

-----

He has a valid point. Why are you helping me?

If I had to choose between helping the psychotic angel or the perverted, egotistical, self-centered, idiotic Phantom Thief, then I'd always help the angel.

You really don't like Dark, do you.

I HATE PERVERTED CREEPS LIKE HIM!!!!!

-----

"It seems she has a very LOW opinion of you."

"What are you talkin' about?! The only girl who dislikes me that much is Riku Harada!"

"Guess again, CREEP."

"Wha…! Would you stop doing that?! I'm beginning to have a hard time telling who I'm talking to!"

-----

Don't you just LOVE head-games, Krad-kun?

They are amusing, I'll give you that…but DON'T call me Krad-kun again!

You're no fun at all…

…

-----

As Dark evaded, blocked and countered their attacks, Satoshi was on the ground, still trying to figure out what the hell was going on! One minute Krad was taking over his body, the next he was inside Kari, and she was helping him! It was one shock after another today.

Roughly around an hour after Krad and Kari began their attack on Dark, Kari was quickly losing her energy with each attack. When she was at her limit, Krad was plummeting to retrieve the Rutile.

-----

Krad stop! I don't think I can take much more of this! (Even though I'd rather kill this jerk…)

Very well…I will allow Dark Mousy to take the Rutile. It is a pity that I cannot stay inside of you. Satoshi-sama refuses to let me loose!

Let me put it this way…have you ever considered going into someone's dreams to contact them?

Not really.

Well, if you can pull that off with me, then consider it Open Season for Phantom Dark insults!

We shall meet in you dreams then…

-----

"Kari…Kari! Can you hear me?" said Satoshi in worry.

"Ow…please tell me that wasn't some irritating dream…" she said with a groan.

"Unfortunately, that was real. I don't know how you were able to become Krad's medium, but in a way I'm glad you pulled it off. How did you manage to convince him not to kill you?"

"When he realized we had something in common, he decided I was worth keeping alive. He even stopped his attacks after he lost that Rutile."

"What…! That doesn't sound like him," said Satoshi.

"Maybe he's not as evil as you think he is."

"You are nuts…"

"Thanks. I try my best," laughed Kari.

That night, Kari had a strange dream…though she was anticipating it. Krad stood before her, his wings weren't visible. He was mildly amused as he said, "Tell me…why do you not fear or hate me like my Tamer does?"

"Humans fear that which they do not understand."

"True…why is it that you are so different from everyone?"

"Conformity is for the weak-minded…I'd rather be weird than boring. Besides…I always liked demons more than those goody-two-shoes that they show in churches."

"You are the first human who actually agrees with me on so many things. In four hundred years I've never met anyone like you…"

"Heh…thanks. I do my best to be weird. So how irritating was Phantom Dork before you met me?"

"I still don't understand why you like me yet despise Dark."

"I hate perverts like him. I had to deal with jerks like Dark all through high-school. They never left me alone; they always seemed to enjoy annoying me."

"That explains a few things…but you didn't answer my question."

"Well…I guess it's because you didn't act like an ass when I first saw you. You were actually interesting."

"So the only reason you are so friendly towards me is because I didn't act like Dark?"

"Pretty much."

"How long have you been around Satoshi-sama?"

"I'd say roughly around three, maybe four months."

"Don't get too close with Master Satoshi. Why did you take the Rutile from him before?"

"I kinda consider the little runt as a little brother. I've always been the little sister, so I wanted to see what it was like to have the roles reversed."

"So you were only acting as the protective older sister… how amusing. What I don't understand is how you were able to take me from Satoshi."

"I think…I think it's because I've seen you before. But I never got a good look because of Dark."

"What do you mean?"

"When I first attempted meditating alone, I watched as my magic started to take form. But before I get a good look at the figure, I get jolted awake by that idiot thief. I remember that it had gold hair and pure white wings."

"You're joking right? You think that the figure that you saw before Dark brought you back to reality is me?!"

"How else do you explain it? If the figure I saw really was you, then it would make some sense that I was able to act as a medium for you."

"I guess it does make some sense… But why would I be the form for YOUR magic?"

"I don't know… Do you think it might be possible that because we have so much in common, that we share a link of some sort?"

"Who knows. You'll need a better reason for me to spare your life."

"Who willingly let you use their magic?"

"You."

"Who has actually gotten along with you and even shares a common dislike of the same idiot?"

"You again."

"Who enjoys tormenting others with mind-games as much as you?"

"You. I guess we do share enough to let you live. You are definitely more accepting than Satoshi-sama."

"He's too close-minded for his own good. Few people have the ability to accept things that can't be explained. By the time a child reaches their teenage years, they close their minds to the supernatural."

"In short, you accept things that normal people can't. Why?"

"I was never a fan of conformity. To conform means to lose your individuality…and I don't think that I could handle that."

"It seems I must leave. We will speak again," said Krad as he began to fade.

"Hey, Kari! Time to wake up!" said Satoshi.

"Ugh…I have four words for you, Satoshi."

"What?"

"Not A Morning Person."

"If you don't wake up, you'll be late."

"You were warned…" she grumbled as she got up. At first, she didn't notice anything strange. Then she realized that she wasn't in her apartment!

"Where am I?!"

"My house…I figured it would be safer than taking you back to your place," said Satoshi.

"Because of Dark, right?"

"That…and I want to talk to you," said Satoshi calmly.

"I'm going to guess that this has something to do with your other half, Krad."

"How were you able to take him from me? And why did you let him use your magic?"

"When I was meditating and trying to find my magic, I saw someone…the figure was almost all white with wings and golden hair. It was around that point that a certain pervert woke me up!"

"So Krad took the form of your magic?"

"That's the only explanation I can think of."

"Why did you let Krad in? Why didn't you resist him?"

"Once I found out he was actually trying to kill that Phantom Dork, I realized we shared something in common. We both despise Dark."

"That still doesn't explain why you even took him. He's my curse, not yours!"

"Satoshi, you still don't get it, do you? You haven't figured out why I took the Rutile from you or allowed Krad to work through me and not you…"

"…"

"Come on, let's get going. We're not gonna catch Dark sitting around here!"

-----

"So what went wrong last night, Kari-san?" asked Saehara.

"Beats me…all I remember is some fancy light show and then a blank…"

"Oh well…even though he still got away with the Rutile, we shouldn't let this discourage us. Let's get back to work!"

"Hai!"

-----

After the final bell rang at the middle school, Satoshi immediately headed home. He made it half-way before he suddenly decided to see Kari. Something about her was bothering him…and he had to get to the bottom of the mystery!

He knocked at the door loudly…no answer. He tried again and still no answer; that was when he was gripped by a sudden thought that Krad had gotten to her. With the door locked, he couldn't find out for sure so he went home. He never noticed that the door was already unlocked…or that he had a visitor waiting for him.

"Boo."

"What the…?! Kari?!"

"Yup…I figured you still wanted to talk so I stopped by. I'm guessing you went to my apartment?"

"I was worried Krad had gotten to you…or worse."

"Krad won't kill me…why do you fear and hate him so much?"

"He…he's made my life a living hell. I can't get close to anyone or anything because he would kill them. And he's always trying to take control," said Satoshi as he sat down next to her.

"Why would he kill someone just for getting close to you?"

"He believes that I belong to him…and he calls me Satoshi-sama all the time. He acts like he's the only one who cares about me, but I know all his words are nothing but lies meant to fool me."

"So that's why you won't let Daisuke get too close…"

"I don't want anyone to get hurt, so I keep everyone at arms length."

"Please tell me that's the reason you don't like your step-father…" said Kari with a hopeful tone.

"I wish… He's always trying to bring Krad out, even though it takes everything for me to keep him in. That's why he gave me that accursed Rutile!"

"Great…another idiot trying to control their kid. I suspected your step-father was like mine, and in an annoying way he is."

"What's your father like?"

"Let me put it this way…I'd rather be nice to Dark than to deal with him! He thinks he knows what's best for me…and has this tendency to try and talk me into thinking his way. But he refuses to see me for who I am."

"He doesn't sound as bad as mine."

"He's an ass…"

"At least yours doesn't continuously try to bring out your psychotic homicidal alter ego."

"I'd rather have the alter ego than my own father. At least then I wouldn't have to listen to the same argument over and over again, no matter how pointless it is."

"Looks like we shared more than I thought…both of us have a father we could do without and we don't like Dark," said Satoshi with a weak grin. That was when a certain blond decided to interrupt their little talk.

"Krad…NO!" said Satoshi through the pain.

"He's trying to get out again, isn't he?"

"Kari, you have to get as far away from me as you can! If I know Krad, he's going to kill you for becoming too close!" said Satoshi in concern. That was when she did something that completely caught both Tamer and Angel off-guard. She gently held him, despite the fact that Krad was about to kill her…