"Damnit," Dark cursed as he picked up a paperclip, which had been bent way out of shape, "I knew I should've looked around the room more."
"I'm pretty sure we both knew he would escape eventually," Kosuke pointed out, "besides, he made it clear he wouldn't say anything else".
"I would've gotten more out of him," Dark replied stubbornly.
"It's alright, Dark, there are other ways," Emiko chimed in optimistically.
Dark sighed. "I know that," he said, "but now we don't have any leads". They were silent as they tried to think of something to do next. "That hint Krad gave me," Dark began, "if Daisuke and I are the halves, it was completely pointless. I mean, he already told me I can only save myself by getting Daisuke back. He said his hint was part of a different way."
"I think I missed the question," Emiko whispered.
"It's just…what are the two halves?"
Emiko and Kosuke considered the question. Finally, Emiko answered hesitantly, "what if…Krad meant you and himself?"
"No way," Dark replied, "he knows there's no way I'd let that happen." The moment he finished his sentence, Dark realized what was really going on. "That's why he did this," he stated, "he's made it so I have two choices to save myself. The one he wants is obviously the easier of the two. But it doesn't make sense. Why would he want us to become one again?" He shook his head, "I thought he wanted to kill me…or get a body of his own. Why would he trade being chained to one entity for another? I mean, unlike Hiwatari, I can fight back. What he's got now is so much better than what he's trying to get."
"He must be confident he can best you," Daiki, who had just entered the room, stated.
"Where'd you come from?" Dark asked, slightly annoyed by the old man's suggestion. He was absolutely positive there was no way Krad's willpower could beat his own. The fact Daiki even considered the possibility was a small attack on his ego.
Daiki had a feeling he knew what Dark was thinking. "Don't take it personally, Dark," he said, "I was only saying that might be what he's thinking."
Dark silently conceded that the old man had a point. Krad, like himself, wasn't exactly lacking in self-confidence. "Looks like I'll have to make him think twice about that," he said in a tone that screamed 'piece of cake'.