Fly Away:

Krad had awoken early in the morning on account that it seemed rather chilly in his room. When he stirred from his sleep and looked around, soft sunlight was pouring in through an open window. Blindly, he stumbled over to the window and groped for the edge where he yanked down until the glass trembled. After he'd found the lock and firmly put it in place he turned back to his mattress with a loud yawn. Something on the sheets caught his eye. He walked back over and sat on the edge, picking the small photograph up that rested on his sheets. It was of his mother, Rio.

Though Krad had never met his mother, he always seemed very attached to the photograph he'd keep tucked safely in his wallet. The woman had a kind aura about her, and it was the only thing that remained of his old family. The mansion had long before been stripped of anything that had Hikari fingers touch it -- that included all types of photos and portraits. As it was done when Krad could nearly walk, he could do nothing to stop it, nor did he understand what was going on at such a young age. He often wondered why her eyes could be so warm when she had a husband that had left her child to die in the streets. Wouldn't she have known of such betrayal before? Krad concluded even if she did, she would have remained happy. Rio seemed the type to plaster a smile on her face in all situations, and he often pondered if he'd acquired his ability to pass off a fake smile from her.

He fingered the picture, running a hand over the golden hair before he realized -- this picture was always in his wallet. His wallet was stolen yesterday by Dark Mousy. He cursed at that name. That was the only picture he had. In addition, the window was open. Krad was able to put two and two together, and he was bolting down the steps the next second.

"K...Krad?" Risa blinked, her skirt blowing into the air as Krad walked past her, feet pacing the floor angrily. He snatched a piece of buttered toast from the plate in her hand and shoved it into his mouth. As he muffled a response Risa questioned his actions but he was already gone. She blinked again and looked down at her watch, gasping.

"Ahh! Hikari-san!" She ran out the door, waving a small white bottle around, but he was gone.

Her brow furrowed and she rubbed up and down her arm.

"Dammit...Kei is going to kill me." And with that, she turned and walked back into the house, glaring down at the little white bottle in her hand.

xXx

And through the streets he ran, and past the stores he sped, and over and under every location in town he looked. He ran until his breath came out in ragged gasps and sweat ran firmly down his face. He asked children, women, men, and had gone so far as to try and get several canines and felines to lead him.

There is a passion for hunting something deeply implanted in the human breast.

He'd searched the whole day. His head was hurting terribly and his blood was pumping faster through his veins. He ran a hand through his hair, which though sweaty, was still exceptionally smooth. Around him he gazed at small children gathering their things as night apprpoached, walking away with their hands inside their mother's. Krad shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, teeth chattering. Soon, the darkness slowly consumed him. His whole body seemed even more cold as he was sitting on a hard metal bench.

"Damn...Cold..."

He stopped trembling, suddenly very alert. Many had left, and there was not a trace of any kind of life left. There was a rustle of leaves behind him. He turned. Nothing.

In the darkness, and when alone, the mind overtakes one. Imagination may be our friend at times, but it can also be one's worst enemy. Every rustle was a rabid beast ready to tear skin from bones, licking the blood clean. Every stick snapping was a mad man on the loose, crawling through the trees malevolently, drool hanging from his lips. Every wind that caused the trees to moan was the voices of the dead, lingering in the air. Krad could recall whispers before he was out cold.

"Damn...Takeshi! Towa! What the hell..." Dark Mousy was looking down at an unconscious Hikari who by now, had a large elevation on the left side of his head. Takeshi sighed and ran a hand through his hair nervously, a common habit of his. Towa simply pouted, sticking her lips out in sweet innocence.

"It was Takeshi-san! He...Well, he said, 'Damn, look it's a Hikari! Let's strip him clean.' He was to cute to hurt and Takeshi-san takes this big old branch and hits him on the head and the next thing I know he's telling me to help him carry the boy back here!"

Here, was Black Wings major 'base'. The orphans often ran in the streets and sometimes slept in alley's, but at the edge of Azumano they had set up a small place where most of them would gather. If they had enough money to buy a large dinner, everyone knew to get to homebase. If Dark struck big, which was not rare, the distribution of the money would be at homebase. Now, Takeshi and Towa had dragged the blonde to the base to strip him of all money, valuable things, jewelry, and of course, his shoes.

Dark scratched the back of his neck and groaned. He leaned down and dug in Krad's pockets with a sly grin.

"See? He won't carry a wallet or money around anymore after I robbed him. What was he doing out in the park anyway?"

Takeshi shrugged his shoulders as Towa went to work pulling the blonde's shoes off.

"Me and Towa were just watching the kids play and then saw him. He kind of looked...angry. But I guess I know why." The boy smirked back up at Dark and found that Towa had taken Krad's leather jacket off (very sexy, she had commented), shoes, several pieces of jewelry, and had found a few pennies in his pockets. They both looked down at her as she carefully folded the jacket.

Towa had silver hair and somehow managed to keep it clean, despite the fact it was hard for anyone in Black Wings to keep clean. With bright green eyes that fit her mood, she often added to their affect by wearing grass stained overalls. Her father and mother worked on a farm, but when her mother had died of disease, her father became abusive. When running away, she stumbled across Dark. Towa had commented that it was lucky she came across him when Dark had handed her some cookies one day. She was very little, and did not understand what Dark had said next.

"No. I found my way to you," he'd muttered. But Towa never remembered those words. They were both young at the time, and the memory had drifted to the winds.

"And Takeshi...hit him over the head?" Dark's eyes seemed to be twitching as he tried to pull Krad up onto one of the nearby mattresses. He had nothing but a thin undershirt and jeans on. Homebase was actually just a large deserted schoolhouse. Dark reckoned it was from around the 1800's and the others had agreed. After getting rid of most of the desks they'd pulled in what they could. A few matresses, several blankets, some old stale bread, and a jar full of money. Dark had assured several years ago no one would dare wander around their hideout. After he had lingered around, scaring any child within several meters of the school, with red paint all over him, people called the house haunted and that was that. No one got close anymore.

Just as Dark was able to settle Krad in some blankets, the door flung open. All three friends looked up to see a disheveled redhead, and beside him a, girl in baggy jeans. There was a sly grin on Dark.

"What took you so long Daisuke? Oh and look, Riku's here too!"

--Why is Risa angry she didn't get to Krad and what was that bottle? You'll find out the next chapter. :P

--Extra notes: Risa does not go to school, and is always in the Hikari mansion. This may come in handy soon.

Alright, hope you're all clear, cause I won't give anymore explanations! Besides, everything should be more clear in the next two chapters.Anyway, yeah sucky chapter. I try to push information in while still not letting you guys get bored. / Thanks for reading and reviewing and please continue to do so! --peachie