Ian and Kaeda were gone. They didn't go that far. Anyone who wanted to go after them could be up to them by now trying to convince either one to stay. But Kaeda and Ian weren't safe. They wouldn't be as long as Kaeda was obsessed with killing her mother and Ian tried to stop their pointless fighting. In the house everyone was having dinner. Yui and Rina were seated beside each other. They were best friends and were inseperable. Ichigo was sitting next to Daisuke who was sitting next to Nicky Heat. Daisuke was sure Ichigo was going to do something perverted and vulgar near a prostitute so he created a barrier between them. Ichigo had to sit next to Hiro who he found extremely annoying. Shinobu helped make the cooking, but she already left with her husband. Motoko clutched her knife like a sword. There was an angry vibe between her and Goro. Since he saw her bum she was reminded how much she hates men. Mitsune and Foxy were sitting together with Su and Mutsumi. The only one's who were missing were Chazona and Su's older sister.

" I know this sounds wrong to say," Rina said poking her meat with her chopsticks, " but I hope Ian dies with Kaeda. I hope he gets cancer or gets eaten by a mountain lion. I don't like Ian."

" Who does?" Yui said. " He's a perverted idiot. He's stupid, stupid, stupid."

Though they said those awful words, their faces were red with worry. Rina said some very awful things to Ian, and she almost got him killed on many occasions, but the thought of him being dead wasn't as happy as she thought it was going to be. Yui thought the exact same thing. The only residents who weren't disturbed by Ian's abstinence were Ichigo and Daisuke. Ichigo tried to grab a piece of bread off the table.

" Let's it."

Ichigo grabbed the bread, and he was punished from it by Daisuke. Daisuke took out a fan and smacked it against Ichigo's hand. Even though it was only Naru's joke fan, it hurt so much Ichigo flinched with pain. He pulled his hand out and looked at the sore red spot.

" Did you wash your hands?" Daisuke asked.

" O-Of course I did," Ichigo lied.

" Do you know how I know when you're lying?" said Daisuke.

" How?" Ichigo asked.

" When you lie you always look at your feet."

" Ichigo's a feet liar!" Hiro laughed.

" That he is," Nicky said. " The biggest liar in the world."

" Fine! I'll wash my hands, goddammit!"

Because of cut backs Daisuke had to carry the water in a bucket. Ichigo had to put the soap in the bucket of water, spin it around so the soap got everywhere, and he dipped his hands in the water. He rubbed his hands in that soapy water, took them out and thoroughly rubbed them together, and put them back inside to wash them again.

" And be sure to dry your hands with a dry dishcloth and not a washcloth. Washcloths can only be used once."

Ichigo grumbled something under his breath and murmured something to Daisuke to low for anyone to hear. Ichigo grabbed the dry dishcloth from the rack and wiped his hands with it. Daisuke tried rushing to the table to grab another piece of bread, but Daisuke jabbed a fork into his hand.

" Ah-nah. Not until we say grace."

" Ow! What the fuck is wrong with you?" Ichigo screamed.

" I thought you didn't believe in God, Daisuke," Foxy said.

" I don't. But it's good manners to thank someone other than the guests or having a good meal." Daisuke bowed his head down. Everyone in the house did the same. Except for Ichigo who was trying to pull the fork out, but it was stuck too deep. " We thank you father for the food we are about to eat and all that awaits us, amen."

" Amen," everyone said in unison.

Everyone started eating as Ichigo pulled the fork out of his hand. Ichigo clutched his hands on that same fork, grasped it tight like caressing a woman's breasts and ate from his plate. Two minutes of silverware touching the plates and munching later, Daisuke spoke.

" Uncle Keitaro," he said. " Aunt Naru says you're studying fossils now and not urns or vases. Not even an old scimitar? What brought on this change?"

" Well, Daisuke, I don't want to bore everyone with work, but I was paid by a wealthy old bastard to study an island in Venezuela. It's really amazing. The history, the constellations, even the food is good."

" America? Ian also speaks American English, not as fluently as me, but still quite good for a boy who isn't a legit child. Then again, his parents were American, weren't they?"

" What are you saying, Daisuke?" Naru said.

" I just don't know what is the truth. You told Kimza you were stationed in Paraguay. You told Yui you went to Chile. You even told Ian you couldn't visit him. Old age has not only made you less vigor, but has made you liars."

" Daisuke. Ian may not be our son, but we still love him like our son."

" But not like your real son. What was my cousins name? Ijin Urashima. But with names like Ijin and Ian, saying them starts with an 'E'. How's your younger sister, Aunt Naru? Oh, but she's not your real sister. She's just a stepsister. Just like Ian's not my real cousin and I was never blood related to Ijin."

" Why are you mad at us, Daisuke?" Keitaro asked.

" I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm a bastard. That my father never wanted to have kids and only wanted to give kids without responsibility for who the mother is. Or maybe I'm just sad to know that no matter how many new step dads my mom brings home she can not love them like you two. She never went to Tokyo University. And it's not because she's stupid. My mother has more brains than a uranium atom. She never went to Tokyo University because she wanted to support Keitaro when he got home. Maybe you would've been my father, Keitaro. Maybe I would be born an idiot who can have feelings like love and friendship; I might even be able to cry...I'm taking Kimza back to her aunt in Molmol."

Keitaro clenched his hands so tight small drops of blood trickled out of them. Keitaro jumped on the table and grabbed Daisuke by the neck.

" You can't just send her away!" Keitaro yelled. " Kimza has her own life to live! She's very young! You can't decide how she—"

Keitaro looked into Daisuke's eyes. They were black like brimstone. He saw fire burning like a town on fire. Daisuke's hand turned from the soft pinkish flesh of a human to the scaly exterior of a lizard. Daisuke raised Keitaro up and clenched his fingers into his neck.

" Keitaro!"

Naru tried jumping on the table to help her husband. But Daisuke leapt off the table and ran up the stairs. Naru gritted her teeth as she ran. She turned around and ran to the next room.

" What are you doing, Naru?" Mitsune asked seeing her best friend going the wrong way.

" To prepare for our battle. I'm going to save my husband."

###

Inside Daisuke's room Mr. Bianchi was knocking over Daisuke's pieces with his gargoyle piece. Mr. Bianchi was downstairs earlier, but left while everyone was eating. Daisuke punched the door open and saw Bianchi in the middle. The door shattered as Daisuke walked in with Keitaro on his back.

" Welcome back, Daisuke-chan—"

" You can quit with that phony Italian act. I know who you really are, Zadger."

" Ha," Bianchi said in a different accent, like a nineteen year biker kids. " And I thought we were going to get along. I don't know why you call me on earlier, but it makes the pain more widespread and I do love that."

Bianchi grabbed his face and pulled on it. It wasn't really his face he was pulling on. What he was really pulling on was a rubber mask he had on since the moment he met Daisuke. Keitaro flinched in horror, but Daisuke looked at him with an emotionless face. Bianchi grew bigger, his muscles bulged, and he ripped the mask off. A violet skilled demon was seen through the plastic skin. His eyes were an eerie yellow color and he used his powers was to summon a giant axe in his hands.

" I like to see you match to my skills, caretaker."

" I doubt I need to match your skills. Definition number two, I don't need to hide my face to anyone."

The creature growled at Daisuke and charged at him with his giant axe in his hand. Keitaro let out a loud scream before the creature slashed his axe at him.