It's been two months, and a lot has happened since. We managed to arrest the rest of the organisation, and thanks to the info gathered, Duke Silverhart remains at large.

Going to the Jirachi Kingdom, I was always worried what Lana would say to me, you know, becoming hostile.

But she wasn't. Her ire was mostly at her own father for all his stupidity and thankfully we still remained as friends. Eternal happiness for you, Lana.

I have my preconceptions of the Avenger. It has to be someone close to me, but my feeling is towards Venice.

She hates me and she was surprisingly there when I was ambushed. And her threats always happened before the attack.

But seeing that it was also the most obvious choice made it seem... questionable that it was her.

John had managed to under the organisation but he needed to flash more to the finer points of the mystery. Especially that the Duke was still in large.

But two months of nothing was the time to start living.

Thankfully White was impressed enough that she put her allegiance to me. She hoped that I can free her from her trap, but I had absolutely no idea how.

It wouldn't be a pain to research that though.

So, I'll just have to look for the other Diamonds and pray I'll have the answer.

For now, I was spending time with Ain.

"Are you feeling better?" Ain asked me as we were walking around the Jirachi Kingdom.

"Better for now... I'm still disappointed that Duke Silverhart was not found, but at least there's no more trouble..."

'You have no idea how wrong you are...' Someone thought.

It was the Avenger who was on watch for Aurora Fate. It's been some time and the leader thought it was the perfect time for a move. They can only hope that whatever they achieve will reach their desired goal.

They were worried... worried how Aurora Fate has derailed the Duke until his insanity turned into something of revenge for all the foiled plots she had caused.

They could only hope that it would not blind him for what was really important.

Or it will not intersect their goal.

"Don't worry... John Holmes will get them yet," Ain reassured me.

"Yeah," I sighed as he led me toward the forest, where those Shining goons struck me. It wiggles loose a thought. The thought about the mole.

Only someone close to me...

But unfortunately, I don't have a deuce of who to suspect... so I'll just hope that everything will sort itself out soon.

"Ain!" A voice called out. Ain groaned.

They saw Venice running through them, and shot a look toward me before addressing Ain.

"What are you doing here?" Venice asked.

'Ugh, what I need right now... when the plan is so close,' the Avenger thought.

"I'm on a date, if you don't mind," Ain said cooly, "What are you doing here?"

"The Queen requested you see you. You are wanted immediately," Venice supplied.

'I need to get rid of this distraction,' the Avenger thought.

"C'mon," Venice latched her arm on Ain before he could protest and they were zipping outta the forest faster than I can blink.

I simply shook my head. There were times when I thought that Venice was the mole, she would like to get rid of me, and she will also benefit her organisation. Two birds in one stone, right?

Then again, maybe it's not Venice. She might try to drive a wedge between me and Ain, but so calculating? Nah, not her style.

I made after them, when I heard an exclamation, a scuffle and a shriek. I ran faster until what I saw chilled my blood.

'That was unexpected,' the Avenger thought as they saw me take in the surroundings.

Venice's eyes were staring at me... lifeless which nearly took my sight from the bloody knife jutting her chest.

Around was the masked fairies including Duke Silverhart who wrapped his arm around one person, the Avenger.

And, even though I never knew the code name, I finally found out who the mole was.

"She could have ruined everything," Duke Silverhart said, and nodded at Venice, "But everything worked out fine. Did you miss me?" He addressed this to me, but right now, I stared intently at the person next to the Duke and spoke the name with hurt and betrayal.

"Ain," I whispered.

The mole, the Avenger, was finally revealed.

***

"Enough mushiness now," Duke Silverhart waves his hand around, "It would be nice to have that phantom thief but he doesn't show up except for heists, right?"

The Duke then chuckled slowly, before turning his full attention towards me.

"You have caused us a lot of trouble, girly, and exposing me so easily. I congratulate you, but of course, no good deed goes unpunished."

"What are you going to do, boss?" Ain asked. I fully ignored him. I can't believe that my betroth betrayed me just like that.

But why?

"She's too nosy and a nuisance to live. Kill her," Duke Silverhart said coldly.

"Wait-what?!" I nearly shouted. Ain looked bewildered as well.

"But sir- the consequences!" Ain protested.

"Don't talk back to me," the Duke snapped back at Ain. "She's much more trouble than she's worth. Killing her would benefit us... and the consequences... they are a minor risk. In fact, who knows... they might achieve our goal. So..." the Duke nodded at one of his henchman, "Get it over with."

'Not without a fight,' I thought.

But I didn't have to do anything.

"Wha-?" The grunt said as a light rope bind him to his knees. We all stared at this wonderment, until the end of the rope trailed to... Ain.

"What do you think you are doing?!" Duke Silverhart screeched.

"The consequences are very risky... you are going to doom us all if you kill that girl. What were you thinking?" Ain said in a deadly whisper.

"I know what I'm doing," Duke Silverhart said quietly, "Now you have become a liability, huh? Fine then..."

The Duke took out a short silver dagger and thrust it to Ain. He dodged.

But was not fast to dodge another grunt's attack.

Blood pooled the grass, mixing with Venice's when Ain gave a short start and fell, dead.

I didn't think that I would see someone killed so early in this life. Damn it!

But why did Ain not want me dead?

Why did he betray the organisation?

The grunt took out the knife and smiled wickedly at me.

He thrust the knife at me, only to stop short and fall down after being hit by light powers.

I look around again... and saw Ain standing up, fire flaring up at his wound and looking like the devil himself despite being a fairy.

"You will not kill her. I will not let you," Ain said determined.

Everyone including me took a swift step back.

"How... how are you alive?" Duke Silverhart asked. We were all sure he was dead. The knife totally pierced his heart as it went through his body.

"It's called idiosyncrasy," Ain said.

"A special fire type healing power?" I asked, shocked.

It vaguely reminded me of an anime called Date A Live where the protagonist has dealt with a fatal wound, so surely dead, but poof... he's alive anyway.

But I'm so sure that this type of power doesn't exist in this world!

Neither owning his Time powers...

Who is he?

"You... you are the demon..." Duke Silverhart said, "Run! Run!" He ordered his grunts.

Too late.

Ain took out the knife from Venice's back and used it stab the Duke himself. His eyes bulged... and he fell down dead.

"Too bad you couldn't be useful to me after all..." Ain said softly, and looked at the others.

"Anyone else?" He asked sweetly.

There were no words, they just ran until I was alone with this mysterious boy.

Ain showed a completely different side to himself, something that I would totally die for if this were an anime.

He also betrayed me and then protected me.

This type of behaviour... well, usually in stories and anime, it stems from such deep, tragic past. But I really can't see it. I mean, I didn't feel anything off with his parents... and there's nothing to be ashamed about him like Edward, so how...

But there were his unusual powers, his owned Time Powers which could never be own by anyone, and that idiosyncrasy. Maybe his behaviour is related to that?

Be that as it may, what did he want with me?

Ain approached me, I took a step back. After two months of knowing him, he suddenly became a stranger.

"I'm not going to kill you," Ain snorted, "Otherwise I would let them."

"But... then, what was the use of joining the Duke's organisation? And then betraying him? Are you a double agent or something?" I asked, plucking at straws to this new found mystery.

Ain shook his head, amused, "I work for myself, I only joined them because their goals intersected with mine, but when they became useless, they were no longer of use to me."

"Hmph," I said, "So you betrayed me and then you betrayed them... all because of your mysterious goal?"

"That's right," Ain said, "And you might be the only person now who knows my true nature. But I also need you."

"For what?" I blurted out.

Ain smiled softly, "Do you think I will tell you? That's between me and her."

"Her?" I frowned. Something to do with a girl. Conspiracy theories were free flowing my mind this instant.

"For now, I'll say that I have a score to settle," Ain's hand waved dismissively, "And I need your help. Also, whatever you feel for me right now and whatever I have done, you can't do anything about it. Who will believe you? And if you do tell anyone, I can also show them your strange powers..." Ain said casually.

By strange powers, he meant ghost powers. In other words, he's blackmailing me.

This might be something of a Mexican standstill, where both sides are at an impasse.

What I need is to get away from this, albeit hot, loco and annul the arrangement.

But I need reason, and sufficient reason being this, also can't lie due to my mother, will lead Ain to reveal my powers as well.

Ain could very well kill me for knowing his true nature, but for needing me of something, his other choice was to simply blackmail.

So, the choice is to comply or to resist.

I choose...

<Ding! End second arc: You Are My Flashlight!>

-What, at a cliffhanger like this?-

<Third arc: Raging Desires!>

-I already hate the sound of this.-

<Warning: Might be PG-13. So, just read ahead but store up the holy water just in case.>

-My instincts tell me that I'm going to hate the third arc.-

<For all the questions of the second arc, some answers might be revealed in the third. So stay tune!>

<And ignore Ro.>

-Hey!-