It was years later before he finally returned, but he did with a bang. The Great Phantom Thief made his debut for the years long after Daisuke, the years long past Satoshi, and Risa and Riku. The danger, however, was as strong as ever. But he had yet to take control of his new, fourteen year old host.
"What do you mean, you don't like any girls!" He yelled, finally catching the young man's attention. "How in the world could you not even have a crush on one of them?"
The boy sighed. He had bright red/brown hair, which was straight and long, down to right above his shoulders. It was no doubt he was good looking, as many girls liked him. "I told you already, I don't like any of these girls! They're too shallow! They all only like me because I look good!"
"So, who cares! All the girls like me, and it doesn't stop me! Hey, I get a new girl every century!"
"Not this time, you lady killer…" He replied. "This century, Dark Mousy isn't going to make an appearance."
"Curse you, Takashi! You'll fall for someone eventually…and I'll really make sure I'm always in control!"
"Mom…am I really stuck with this guy for the rest of my life?" Takashi Niwa asked his mother, Sakura Niwa.
"Yes, Takashi. Well…at least until you decide you like a girl, and get her to love you back."
Takashi sighed. Well…at least this century I know Dark won't break any girls hearts…
"Oh, you'll be late for school! Hurry!" Sakura yelled at her son.
He sighed, and grabbed his lunch box. "Alright…I'll be back later."
…
"Ai Yuki?"
No one responded. Obviously, the girl wasn't in school that day.
The teacher paused only for a moment, then continued down the list of names.
Takashi sighed. He was already planning how he'd avoid the girls at lunch time, when a good dozen of them would decide they all loved him.
"Don't forget…I have to steal something later. So you better pick one of them to like, or else I'll make sure you do…"
"I doubt that…" Takashi said back. Really, he was a good kid. But Dark's "go out and get every girl you can" attitude really annoyed him, and at school, putting on a cold aura seemed to keep the whole schools female population from getting to him.
…
"I told you I had to steal something…" Dark said to Takashi, as he called for Wiz, and the small rabbit-like creature hopped onto his back and turned into midnight-black wings. "And didn't I mention I'd show you otherwise, girl or not."
Takashi moaned. He didn't think he'd actually feel pain…but he did. "Well…you better not get caught. I really don't feel like spending the night in jail…"
"Tch tch tch, such a non-believer. Don't worry…I'll show you…you…hey! Don't fall asleep on me!" He sighed. Takashi really didn't care.
He called back to Sakura. "I'll be back…and I'll have "The Sacred Maiden" with me…that always seems to be the first thing I steal…"
He jumped out the top window, and flew towards the museum. He smirked. Obviously, the police had seen his warning card. However, he was able to sneak in quite easily. As he walked to where the "Sacred Maiden" had been every time for the past generations, he heard the alarms begin to blare. "Oh…it was always fun to run!" He did just that, and ran towards the statue. However, he felt himself being pinned down.
"So…Dark Mousy…you did decide to be in this century's history? Nice choice…because you have me to deal with…"
"Oh really? And who might you be?"
"I'm Zaki…nice to meet you…" He said sarcastically, as Dark rolled over and went to escape. "Nah-ah ah!" He pounced back on top of the thief, pinning him face up. "Let's see you escape this…" Handcuffs began to form on Dark.
"Is this all you Hikari's can do? It's almost the same thing…as with…" Dark stopped. He really missed Daisuke. However, he broke away, only after the handcuffs fully formed, and was able to grab the statue. "We'll meet again, Zaki. You can bet on it!" At that, he smashed through the glass of the window, and began to fly away.
"Hey look! There he is!" The crowd ad-libbed multiple phrases at the return of what they thought was the fictitious Phantom Thief, Dark.
Dark paused briefly to grin, as to give the newscasters a face to plaster on the news, so the next time he stole something, he'd have plenty of girls cheering for him. He sensed something behind him, and quickly flew to the left to dodge it. The police had grown smart to him, and where using air-cannons to shoot nets at him, hoping to get his wings tangled and make him fall.
"Well…that'd be a bad way to start off, wouldn't it?" Dark thought, but then found himself dodging multiple blasts of nets. Realizing they had the whole police force equipped with them, he had to fly faster. "I need a place to hide! Just for a few minutes…and maybe to take off these handcuffs…ah! That looks almost like Risa and Riku's old place…"
He landed on the balcony, and mumbled under his breath. The police were still heading in his direction. Much to his surprise, the door was unlocked, and he walked inside, standing right near the edge of the windowpane, right out of view.
"W-who's there?"
Dark jumped. He hadn't noticed it had been a bedroom. And he now noticed a girl in the bed, who looked terrified, holding what seemed like a remote control.
"Tell me who's there, o-or I'll get help…" She held up the remote, her thumb hovering shakily over a button.
Dark stepped into the light, expecting an "Oh my gosh! You're Dark!" But it never came. Then he remembered that it was a new century, and few knew him. "I'm Dark…Dark Mousy…" He said, quietly walking towards the bed. He was confused: she didn't seem to react at all to his movement.
"No way! So…that's what you sound like. You know…I've heard of you on the news, but they never played your voice. You can't imagine how it was, not knowing your voice! You sound like a very handsome man."
Dark reached the foot of her bed. Was it his imagination, or did she not react as if she knew he was near? How did she know about him after he'd had such a long absence? And she hadn't once said anything besides what he sounded like…
But then he saw it, and he felt terrible.
"Dark? Are…are you still there?"
At first, he couldn't answer. "Are…you are…" He gulped. "you're blind, aren't you?"
She jumped, not realizing he had been that close to her. "Yes…" She bowed her head. "I am blind, I have been since birth…"
Dark felt horrified. He closed his eyes just for a moment, and couldn't imagine how anyone could live their whole life, not knowing color…not knowing what things looked like.
"Please…I heard the news…you can sit down, if you want. I don't have a chair…but you can sit on the edge of the bed…please rest before you leave."
Dark did so. "Thank you…it means a lot that you aren't calling for help…"
"It's nothing…you've already struck up more conversation with me than anyone else has ever, it's the least I can do." She said, feeling the wall, and putting the control in its holder.
Dark couldn't have the word leave his head: blind was such a horrible word. "I…I'm sorry to hear that…"
"Oh please, don't be…"
Dark just noticed now she had been fidgeting, as if she had something to say, but couldn't say it.
"So…can you trust me with your name?"
"Oh! Excuse my manners…I'm Ai, Ai Yuki."
"Such a beautiful name…" Dark smirked. "It matches your face…you're very pretty…did you know that?"
"I've heard it whispered…" Ai began. "But…usually…it's followed by "…it's a shame she can't see." You know, I'm not deaf too…I can hear them just as well. But I think I scare people…after all, who can love a blind girl?" She stopped. "I'm sorry…I'm just scared. I was so nervous…I just moved here last month…I couldn't even go to school today."
Dark looked at her. Her hair, from what he could tell in the dark, was a brown, and her eyes seemed green. Such beautiful eyes…"It's alright…it's the least I can do…thanks for letting me hide here…" He stood up.
"No! Please…don't go." Ai bowed her head. "I'm sorry…it's just been so long…since someone has listened to me…"
"Don't be sorry…" Dark said, walking near her, walking loudly so she could follow his movements. "I really enjoyed talking to you."
He touched her face, trying hard to not let her figure out he was handcuffed, just so she had something besides the sound of his voice to remember him by. Up close, he could tell her hair was a dark blonde.
More by reflex than anything, she touched his hand. Feeling the cold metal of the handcuffs, she gasped. "They got you?"
"No…they didn't get me. Not yet, anyway…"
She got fidgety again. "Would you like me…to take them…off for you?"
He paused. "I…don't think you could get them. You need a key…"
She let go of his hand, although he really wished she wouldn't. "Oh…alright…" She turned her head towards him, so she'd be looking at him if she had sight. "You sure you don't want me to try?"
Dark thought he'd cry. It wasn't that he didn't want her to try, but he saw no way she could unlock the cuffs. "If you'd like to try…go ahead…"
She reached for him, touching his arm by accident. She seemed to hesitate, but really, she was doing two things: the first was that she was trying to memorize how he felt, the feeling of his arm in just that one spot, and secondly she was trying to figure out what part of his arm she had touched, and how his muscles were flexed so she could tell where his hands actually were. When she did find them, she didn't pause, but instead did what she said to do: take off his handcuffs.
Dark didn't pull away, although he was confused as how she expected to take them off.
"I…think I got it…can you pull them apart?" Ai asked.
He tried, and the cuffs came apart. "It worked! But how did you…?"
"I'm not sure…" She explained. "I mean, I don't know how to explain it, I've always liked playing around with stuff like locks…I like it because I can feel it…and I've gotten rather good with picking locks. That, and I guess I'm just lucky." She said her last line quickly, not wanting to sound conceited.
"Well…that's a gift." His heart raced as he caught himself about to say: "maybe it's to make up for your sight".
"I'm just glad I could help you…"
Ai smiled shyly, blushing as well.
"Ai? Are you talking to somebody?"
Dark looked at the wall. An intercom system had been put up, probably so Ai could talk with the members of her family without traveling much.
Ai gasped. "My parents! They can probably hear me…they're right downstairs!" She felt and pushed a button on the intercom. "No mom…I'm just trying to sleep."
"Really? Well…I'm coming up. I swear I hear somebody…and obviously they can't escape through the window…"
"Dark! Get out of here! Please…I don't want you to get caught!"
"Don't worry…I won't…nice talking to you, Ai. Thanks again for hiding me…"
"Good bye, Dark. I'll listen to the news…I'll keep up with what you're doing."
"You talk like we'll never see each other again…"
"Huh? But we won't…will we?"
There was no answer.
"Ai! Really! And I thought I could trust…" Ai's mom looked into the room, but didn't see anyone besides Ai.
Ai, since she hadn't seen Dark leave, assumed that he had gone once her mother spoke. "I told you mom…I'm alone…" She quietly hid the remains of the handcuffs as her mother left, and she fell asleep.
…
"Class, this is Ai Yuki. She's new to the district, and it may take her some time to figure out where everyone's going. Until then, who wants to help her get from class to class?"
A good portion of the class raised there hands, but to Ai the silence meant no one cared.
"Takashi! Thank you for volunteering."
Takashi sighed. He hadn't raised his hand. It wasn't that he didn't want to volunteer, he just knew what would happen: All he would hear was that he and the girl would be going out. "Yes, Ms. Chan."
The teacher helped the girl to her seat. Takashi had just gotten a good look at her now. She was very pretty, honey-blonde hair and bright green eyes. However, as the teacher went to write the assignment on the board, she didn't turn to him as she spoke. "I'm sorry to inconvenience you, I promise as soon as I take note of where everything is, I'll leave you be."
"It's no problem, really." Takashi answered. "I'll show you around as long as you need." Takashi had been in a good mood all day. Dark hadn't said anything to him since he had fallen asleep last night, and he hoped that meant he had given up.
"Why don't you two go now, during class when the halls won't be crowded." Ms. Chan directed to them. "That way, it'll be easier to get around."
"Thank you." The two students said in unison, getting up and going into the hallway.
"So…um…how do you…how do I…uh…" Takashi fumbled with his words.
"Oh…well…" Ai cleared her throat. She thought she knew what he was trying to say. It happened with almost everyone she encountered. "You're supposed to guide a person who is blind by grabbing right above the shoulder, and leading…although, if that wasn't want you're referring to…"
"No! That's what I meant!" Takashi was getting nervous. It was strange; he didn't know how to behave around someone who was disabled.
"Oh…good…" She answered. She was patient, since most people wouldn't attempt to even learn the proper methods of helping the blind. "I don't sound like an idiot, then."
Takashi took her by right above her elbow, and led her to the staircase. "Um…do you want to start here?"
"Oh, yes..." Ai said, not sure of where she was. "By the stairs, right?" She could vaguely sense something right behind them. If she hadn't had a guide, and was using her cane, she would know…but she wasn't using her cane that once made her "the candy-cane girl".
"Uh, yes! We're by the stairs! I'm sorry! I totally forgot-" He stopped, realizing the error of his wording.
Ai, who was used to it, was surprised that he didn't just come out and say it. "It's alright, really. Thanks for helping me, again."
"How will you record where the rooms are?"
"I'll memorize them."
Takashi had a surprised look on his face. "All of them? You've got nine classes a day, and the schedule is slightly different every-other day…"
Ai smiled. "Fifteen steps from the car when I'm dropped off got me into the school building, and there's exactly nine steps going up and into the main lobby. Approximately twenty-four steps brings me to the stairs…and well, from there, someone grabbed a hold of me and I lost count." She faced Takashi's general direction. "Trust me, I've spent my whole life memorizing steps. I'll be able to memorize an altering schedule no problem."
Takashi gulped. "Well then…shall we start from Ms. Chan's room?"
"That'd be nice." Ai answered. "But, if you don't mind, can we start from the stairs? You wouldn't happen to know how many there are coming up to this floor, have you?"
"Well…uh…no…but we can start from the stairs if you'd like." Takashi began to sweat. Helping a blind girl around was harder than it looked.
"Thank you, Takashi." Ai answered. She sighed. "I'm sorry if I'm harsh…no one seems to ever want to do anything the proper way…and then my parent's always wonder why I never know my way around."
Takashi was a bit flustered. He had imagined Ai as being shy and uncertain. She seemed pretty strong headed. "It's alright, really. I'll take stop you when we get to Ms. Chan's room." He said, beginning to guide her forward.
When they stopped, she seemed to search for something to say. "18 steps to Ms. Chan's room."
"That's impressive." Takashi answered. It hadn't even looked like she had been concentrating. "So…like…in a few days, will you be able to walk around by yourself?"
"Probably…I'll have my cane with me by then, though…I'll be using taps, most likely…"
"Oh…" He didn't know how to carry on the conversation. He wasn't completely sure that he knew what "taps" were, most likely she referred to her cane. "Alright…well…next is math with Mr. Hikari." For being blind…she's really nice, and very pretty…He groaned.
"Are you ok, Takashi?" Ai asked.
"Uh…yeah…I'm fine…" But really…when you think about it…there's a lot more to a person than if they can see or not…He groaned again. What the heck? Suddenly I feel like I'm on fire…
"Takashi…what's wrong? Are you feeling alright?" Ai asked.
He quieted a yell down to a yelp. "Uh…Ai…I'll be right back…" He said, running off.
"Takashi! Takashi, please come back!" Ai said, as she stood where she was. She wasn't sure where to go.
Takashi ran down to the men's room, lucky for him, everyone else was in class.
"What the heck's going on?" He asked out loud, gripping his chest in pain.
"Ah…so you're finally falling for someone, hm?"
"What! Dark…this is your fault, isn't it?"
"No…you're the one falling in love…with the same girl I like, I might add!"
"What! When did you meet Ai?"
"Well…to keep it simple, I'll be meeting her right…" He suddenly had control. "Now. If you'll excuse me, I have to make sure my little "Ai"1 is alright…"
Takashi scoffed at Dark's play-on-words. "Wait, you can't be in control during school! What about me!"
"Sorry…you should have thought about that before you decided you liked my girl!"
Ai heard footsteps in the hall. "Takashi? Is that you?"
"My my my, who do we have here?"
Ai gasped. "Dark? Is that you?" She asked, walking towards his voice.
"The one and only…how have you been?"
"Dark! What are you doing here? You'll get caught!" She bumped into him rather clumsily, her hands having been extended to prevent that from happening, touched his chest. She quickly moved them. "Oh goodness, I'm sorry!"
"Don't be sorry…and don't worry, I won't get caught…not when I have a pretty lady here to come back to…"
"Oh…" Ai blushed. "But…uh…you didn't by any chance see a boy go by, did you? He's a little taller than me…and…uh…" She sighed. "Never mind…I don't know enough of what he looks like…"
"It's alright…I think I did see a boy running down the hall…I'll go see if I can find him…"
"Oh no, don't do that! You'll be caught!"
Dark laughed. "Please…stop saying that. They would have caught me already if I didn't know every trick in the book…which it seems I do because they never can catch me…"
"Oh Dark…please go. I really don't want you to get caught…if Takashi comes back…" She paused.
Dark sighed. "If it'll make you happy, I'll go then…"
"Oh Dark…" Ai sighed. "Really…I appreciate you coming to see me…but I'm worried…I get watched a lot because of my blindness…and I'm real worried that you'll be caught…please stop coming to see me…"
"Nonsense, it's no danger to me at all. Really though, if you hate me that much…"
"Oh no, that's not it…it's just…that…" She paused, blushing slightly. Why did it seem she wanted to make up a reason to meet him again. "I don't hate you…I just…I can't believe your risking getting caught…just to see me…"
"Wouldn't anyone?"
She looked up, as if for a moment she had sight and wanted to look him right in the eye. "Well…no, no they wouldn't…"
Dark saw her eyes. What beautiful, beautiful green eyes…
But his thoughts were interrupted as his heart lurched. He gasped.
"Dark? Are you ok?" Ai asked. "It must be national "get sick" day or something…"
"No! No…I'm fine…Ai, I'll check ya later, alright? I have to go…" He said, trying to make sure she didn't realize he was in pain.
"Uh…alright, Dark…" She said nervously. "S-see you later…"
Dark quickly ran down the hall, just in time too. He changed back to Takashi.
"What! I help out a blind girl, and that counts as falling in love! Am I missing something here? Even if it does count as love, well Mr. "Great Phantom Thief", you'll soon see no one messes with my "love life" but me!" Takashi said, walking back to Ai.
"Sorry about that…" He said. "I thought I was going to be sick…"
"Oh…I hope you're feeling better…"
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine now…" He said, laughing. "But…uh…where were we? Going to Mr. Hikari's?"
"Yes…" Ai moved back. She'd moved exactly three steps forward to find Dark. "Alright...I'm starting from here."
Takashi took her once again by right above her elbow, and they walked to Mr. Hikari's door.
"So…how's Mr. Hikari?" Ai asked, just to break the silence.
"Oh…well, I don't know. He's a new teacher…we didn't go to all our classes yesterday, so I don't…" He gasped.
Ai looked confused. She wish she could read peoples expressions. Was he gasping of fright? Surprise? Did something exciting happen? "What is it, Takashi? What do you see?"
He gulped. "The teacher…he's a kid! He's just a kid!"
Ai gasped. "Well, you'd better not stare: we don't want to cause a racket."
"Right…" Takashi said. And why does he look slightly familiar?
…
"And there he goes now! He's actually escaping with the "Purity of the Night"! He's actually getting away!"
Ai's heart beat faster. What she heard defied imagination, and she couldn't believe it was real.
"And already, the police have lost sign of him! Just how does he do that? Just how can he escape without a trace? We have yet to solve the answer…"
"Just…how can he…escape…?" Ai said softly to herself as she turned off the radio. "How can he dodge the top police force?"
Suddenly, Ai heard a knock on the door. "Uh…come in."
The door creaked as she heard a single person walk in. "Ai…how are you doing, sweetie?"
Ai sighed as a female voice met her ears. "I…I'm doing fine. A nice kid…Takashi…showed me around school today. I didn't miss too much the first day."
"That's good…" The woman sat down on the foot of the bed. "How has it been for you, here? I know it's hard moving so often…"
"It's really been fine…I've been fine…I'm enjoying it here." Ai smiled. "Thank you…mom…"
She sighed. "Well…I'll leave you be…I'll make sure you don't miss your "radio date" with Dark…" She laughed as she left.
Ai laughed a little too, but then frowned as the door closed. She felt like something bad was going to happen, now that she could say she had met Dark.
"Why the long face? Don't tell me you miss me already!"
"Dark! Is that you? My…mom…" She didn't seem to want to say the word "mom". "She locked the window…how did you get in?"
Dark walked over. "It was open when I got there…maybe you're will forced it open?"
"My will…?" Ai asked. My will alone couldn't do that…I'd need telekinesis or something…"So…how are you Dark?" She asked, trying to change the subject.
"Fine…I was a little disappointed in the police tonight, though…"
"The police? Oh…they said that their commander wasn't there…"
"Tch…with him there, they couldn't catch me…"
Ai laughed. "Dark…you…you fly, don't you?"
Dark sat on the edge of the bed. "As a matter of fact, I do. Why do you ask?"
Ai paused. "Oh…no reason…I was just…I was…uh…" She gulped. I feel like…like I can't lie when I'm around him…why? What's wrong with me! "I…was…wondering…what it was like…to fly…"
"It's like nothing else, that's for sure…" He replied. "You're all the way up there, almost no one can reach you…nothing's in your way. You're free to do whatever it is you want to do. It's almost like jumping out of a plane, but you know you can't crash because you're not falling…you're flying…" Dark said, not quite knowing what to say, but turning on the charm that made the ladies fall for him.
"It sounds wonderful…" Ai said. "And you know…I've always wanted to do that…jump out of a plane or something…but everyone's assumed I'd be scared…I just wish that…for once…I could just be somewhere…where I can grow up…and know the same people…every few months…I'm starting all over…starting…from scratch…"
"It sounds like you guys move a lot…"
"Oh…" Ai laughed nervously, like she was hiding something. "Yeah…I do…"
Dark raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't your whole family?"
"Oh…" She sighed. "W-well…yeah…" Something…there's something about Dark that I've never sensed with any other person…
"Ai? Are you hiding something?" Dark asked.
"N-no…"
"Please…tell me…"
She didn't have anything to go by. He was at her feet, and he wasn't touching her. All she felt was the heat of his stare.
"You…you won't tell anyone, right?"
"Of course I won't."
Ai took a deep breath. "This family isn't my real family. I've been in foster care ever since I was born. My real parents didn't want me because of my disability, and the fact is, most people lose patience with me after a few months. They always think they're doing something great, taking in a blind child. But…it's a lot of work. I never mean to be, but still. I never have any friends because they're always scared of me. No one ever really loves me…they can never get past the fact that I can't see!"
Dark didn't answer right away. Ai sucked in her breath, as if trying to keep from having another outburst. "I'm…I'm really sorry to hear that." He moved so he was closer to her, and he put a hand on her cheek. "But…if you ever need a shoulder to cry on…I'll always be here for you."
She put her hand on his, and sat as if debating the proposal. Then, she almost lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him, and crying on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry…" She whispered between sobs. "I'm so, so sorry…"
Dark gently stroked her hair. He could almost feel the pain that she felt. What a cruel life…He thought. How could things get any worse for her?
She regained her composure. "I'm sorry…I don't know what's gotten into me." She sniffed, trying to get rid of her tears quickly. I've never cried in front of someone like that before…
"Don't worry about it." Dark answered. He stood up to leave. He knew what had gotten into her. But he couldn't hurt her…he couldn't get himself to add to her depression.
"Tomorrow…" Ai began. "I'll leave the window open…my parents won't be back until the following morning. So…if you want to come back…it'll at least be a little easier."
Dark smiled at her, half forgetting that she couldn't see. He frowned when he recalled the fact, but put a laugh in his voice to show he wasn't angry. "I'll be here, don't worry."
Ai visibly brightened up. "Really? You will? You'll come to see me again?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Well…I…I just cried right in front of you! I just…I just…"
She felt him take her hands. She felt herself blush. She also felt something small and long, sort of fluffy, but with a hard spot on the end…it was flat…
"A feather?" She asked, feeling the strings of fibers between her fingers.
"It's my gift to you…my little Ai."
"Dark…" She waited for a response, but the only sound she heard was the gentle clicking of the window locking.
She stroked the feather, feeling and memorizing the shape. It was such a simple token, but she treasured it immediately. She couldn't figure out why she had been crying, and in front of him of all people! She had never cried in front of anyone before, and especially not with so little reason to. Her life wasn't bad. She now was in the care of a couple who seemed like they might keep her. That really nice boy, Takashi, was willing to help her around school, and her long-time hero had actually stopped to talk to her three times now! So, she kept thinking about it in her head, why did she cry? The thought, her thinking much too much about it, put her to sleep, and even in that relaxed state, she gripped the feather tightly.
Author's Note: Well, this is the first chapter of my first DNAngel fan fiction! I'm trying really hard to be keeping it original, and also with Ai's blindness, as realistic as possible. Everything (in this chapter, anyway), is realistic in regards to taking care of people who are blind. I'll probably do some more research to make sure I keep it that way, and hopefully, I won't make a cliché, Mary-Sue filled fan fiction. Please read and review, it means a lot to me! I'll try my best to make each chapter better than the next. Any reviews I get, I'll reply to! I promise!
Footnotes: 1: "Ai" is not only a Japanese name, but also is Japanese for "love". When Dark refers to "his little 'Ai'", it's a play-on-words because it can be translated as is stated, or as "my little love".