Chapter 1: Her First Glimpse of Purple

"All right then, Miss Riku, I'll see you again next month," the middle-aged male doctor smiled at the auburn-haired woman who sat across from him.

Riku returned the smile and thanked him. Once she was outside the hospital, she let out a breath of air and watched the white smoke dissipate into thin air. The weather was chilly, and she wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck as she, once again, thought about her current predicament (which she often did).

She had been living life as she knew it for three months. Three months ago, she had apparently been part of a hit-and-run car accident, resulting in her current state of amnesia. When the doctors prompted her for a name, all she could recall was "Riku," and so Riku she was called.

The multiple tests that the doctors ran showed her to be about twenty-three years of age, but no finger prints or blood tests could reveal her identity. She had no identifiable data in the country of Japan, which befuddled everyone because she could speak fluent Japanese and obviously looked the part.

Who was she? What was her life like? How did she end up in Japan, if there were no records of her being born here or living here for that matter?

After it was determined that Riku had no where to return to, the authorities gave her a modest apartment to live in for the time being, and encouraged her to find a means of supporting herself. Riku thus found a small boutique around the corner of her apartment complex, and had been working there ever since. The only condition that the authorities had was for Riku to visit the hospital for a monthly check-up.

She checked her wristwatch and quickened her pace. Mio, her employer, did not tolerate tardiness. The hospital was only about a block from where she lived, but Riku didn't want to get on Mio's bad side. She had seen previous employees face the feisty woman's wrath, and did not fancy being under the blonde's intense scrutiny.

Just past this corner and she was almost there—

She collided with a harried young man who was out of breath and who appeared to be running from someone…

And who was tightly gripping a pink purse that was obviously not his.

After rubbing her throbbing forehead that had bumped into the man's shoulder, she locked eye contact with him. He looked anxious, with droopy brown eyes and nondescript black hair. He had a bit of stubble growing out of his chin, and Riku saw his Adam's apple move as the man swallowed loudly, fumbled into his pocket, and pulled out a pocket knife.

Riku saw the man try to reach out and grab her, and she knew that he was trying to use her as a hostage against whoever he was running from. Narrowing her eyes, she was about to hit the man when another in a dark police uniform crashed into the purse thief.

Riku could only stare as the purple-haired officer expertly twisted the thief's arms behind his back while extracting the purse at the same time. She heard the man's hands being cuffed, then watched as the tall officer whipped out a walkie-talkie and spoke into it.

"Target is caught on the corner of Yukiru and Sugisaki," the man spoke gruffly and seemed to be in a bad mood.

"Roger that, back-up will arrive shortly!" the answer sounded out-of-breath and slightly apologetic, but Riku couldn't be sure because the static was making the sound incomprehensibly fuzzy.

The purple-haired—and purpled-eyed, Riku noticed—man sighed and tightened his grip on the handcuffs of the thief. After a second or two, he realized that he had an audience. He was about to tell the crowd around him that there was nothing to see when he saw that there was a girl with hair not unlike a candy apple standing closer than the others, holding her head.

He looked from her to the black-haired man he currently held in his grip, then back to her. And gave her a once-over.

Riku almost blushed when she realized that the handsome—yes, she would admit that much—officer was checking her out, and was about to stomp away when he asked her if she was all right.

She was about to answer, but then his violet eyes were staring into her own, and she couldn't find her voice. The way his eyes brought out his hair—no, the way his hair brought out his eyes—no no, that wasn't quite right either… His face was so unbelievably attractive, bordering on hot if Riku dared think it, that she could feel her face heat up.

Fortunately for her, a police car promptly drove up to the curb that they were standing near and three other officers were running up to the amethyst-eyed beauty.

Riku blushed furiously as she realized the direction of her thoughts, and turned to walk away in the midst of all the commotion that the incoming officers were making. She heard multiple apologies being uttered and even heard "incompetence" before she caught a glimpse of her watch—

—and broke out into a run.

Mio was not going to be happy.

"—so then I quickly ran here when I realized how late it was getting. I'm sorry!" Riku clapped her hands in front of her and bowed to the irritated woman in front of her, whose hands were crossed and foot was tapping quickly.

The sunshine colored, short-haired woman narrowed her eyes at her apologetic employee, before sighing and turning to go back to the cash register. "'Tis fine, just don't let it happen again."

Riku went to store her small bag into the hidden backroom, and returned to see Mio staring at her speculatively. The blonde was sitting on a stool with one leg crossed over the other, her stylish boots pointed in such a way that Riku believed Mio should have been in a fashion magazine instead. Her employer was always dressed to impress, and today was no different. Her low-cut sweater hugged her curves nicely, and her layered skirt stopped just above her knee to reveal pale, toned legs that only accentuated her boots more.

Riku liked to think that perhaps Mio Hio's style had rubbed off on herself, even just a little bit, but before she could contemplate her own attire, Mio spoke.

"You said you ran into some police officers…"

Riku waited for more, but Mio only turned to face the shop front with a "nevermind." Unperturbed, Riku set about her daily tasks, which included dusting the mannequins placed strategically around the store wearing the latest fashions. Her thoughts drifted back to a mysterious amethyst-eyed man.

"Mio, have you ever seen someone with purple hair and eyes?" There was a pause, then a loud bang as Mio's stool hit the ground and suddenly Riku found herself with a face full of blonde hair and intense brown eyes.

"You met him, didn't you," Mio's tone was was flat and accusing, and her eyes narrowed again.

Riku could only look at her in confusion. "Met who?"

"Dark!"

"Dark? No, it's quite bright in here…"

"Dark Mousy! The purple-haired officer!" Mio exclaimed exasperatedly.

Riku blinked. "Yes, I saw a purple-haired—and purple-eyed—officer. His name is Dark? As in, the opposite of light?"

"You don't know his name?" Mio asked, confused. She thought it odd that the flirty playboy had not introduced himself to her.

"Well, I didn't really meet him," Riku defended herself. She didn't know why she had to apologize for not knowing his name, but Mio's inquiries made her feel like she was to blame for the man's lack of greeting. "He was the officer who apprehended the thief, and I just happened to be the person that bumped into the man."

"But you're pretty. You're telling me he didn't immediately jump your—"

"Mio!"

"Wait, he's not supposed to be in the field, what is he doing…" she trailed off, muttering to herself.

Riku would have asked more questions, but she felt momentarily flattered that Fashionista Mio had called her pretty.

After a few more seconds of Mio's mutterings, a snap brought Riku's attention back to her employer.

"All right! You must attend my annual Christmas party next week!"

Riku frowned. "But I already told you that I don't want to go."

"Why?"

The caramel-haired woman sighed. "As I have told you already, going to parties and having to socialize with multiple people does not appeal to me—"

"Nonsense!"

"—and I would much rather be comfortable in my own home. I know you can give me that much respect at least, right, Mio?" Riku's look had turned pleading, and Mio looked into her employee's—and friend's—chocolate eyes.

The flamboyant woman knew that Riku had no memory of her past, and understood her introvert character. She had often found the girl reading a book behind the cash register when days were slow, and never saw her laughing boisterously with friends. Belatedly, Mio realized that Riku hadn't bothered making any friends, except possibly the old cat lady that lived right next to her apartment.

Mio didn't want to push her friend into unknown waters, outside of her comfort zone. She felt really sympathetic, and knew that despite Riku's smiles, the poor girl was probably scared about not knowing her own identity.

But she also knew that Riku needed to meet other people, and Mio knew just who. Her own circle of friends had been with her since forever, and she knew that she could trust them to welcome her lonely worker.

"I know," Mio started, "that you aren't a social butterfly. I know that you prefer to remain in your solitary home, curled up on your sofa no doubt, reading a classic book written by Charles Dickens or—"

"He's actually quite dry for my tastes, but I get your point," Riku responded with a small smile on her lips.

Mio returned the smile. "I know all of that. But you also need people around you, Riku. Perhaps not a whole lot, but some friends you can depend on."

"I can depend on you just fine, Mio, as you provide me with a paycheck every two weeks."

Mio swatted Riku's arm. "Not that kind of depend. I mean friends that you can rely on to tell your troubles to, to lean on when you need some support, to maybe spend some quality time with."

"I have you," Riku pointed out.

"I mean," Mio could have pulled her hair out, "more than just me, Riku. I'll admit, I am a great friend and an even better employer, but I think you need to wiggle out of your comfort zone and meet other people like me. Who knows, you might really like them."

Riku gave a small laugh. "People like you? I'm sure just one of you is enough for me."

Mio could have hit her friend again for her jest, but decided to put on more airs for the sake of comic relief. "Yes, I am one of a kind." She flipped her short locks for emphasis. But then she returned to the matter at hand. "Please, Riku? Just go to my Christmas party and meet some of my friends and family. I guarantee that they won't bite, and that they are suuuper nice." She didn't elaborate on the double-meaning of nice.

Riku sighed. "Fine, but only because you're Mio."

Mio cheered. "Lovely! It's semiformal, so dress nicely!" She hummed a Christmas tune on her way back to the cash register, and began to plan the next step of her matchmaking.

So Riku saw Dark, and then Riku asked about Dark. There was definite interest in there somewhere. And Dark needed a smart girl like Riku—not those bimbos that he usually played with. They would be wonderful together, and all they needed was a push in the right direction.

Of course… the flaw in her plan was that Dark hadn't introduced himself when he first saw Riku. Maybe he didn't find her appealing enough? Mio glanced at the candy apple-bobbed hair walking through clothing racks. No, she knew that her employee had an attractive face, and her intelligent innocence was enough to lure in even the baddest of bad-boys.

But then again, perhaps Riku had only been asking about Dark because purple hair was an anomaly?

There were a lot of unknown variables in Mio's matchmaking plan, and it probably wouldn't end in success.

… Oh well, it wouldn't hurt to try.

Riku fidgeted in her black dress. Its soft fabric clung to her skin comfortably, but still clung to her skin, which Riku was not at all comfortable with. Mio (the mastermind who chose her dress, of course) had assured her that she looked beautiful in it, with its boat neck collar revealing Riku's long neck and attractive clavicles. And despite the fact that the dress covered enough of her body—it had long sleeves and ended just a little bit above her knees—Riku couldn't help but feel completely exposed. It must have been its clinginess.

Mio's party was held in her spacious condo, and Riku had to admire the subtle yet classy decorations that Mio had set up. There were a few candles lit around the rooms, and the overhead lights were dimmed just a bit to create ambiance. Mio had scented her home with some cinnamon spice, and placed smartly around the condo were Christmas flowers. Riku could spot poinsettia, holly, and ivy decorating the rooms and adding to the festive look.

She currently stood with a wine glass in hand, trying to listen to the man with ice blue hair drone on about colors and contours when painting. She had arrived at Mio's earlier than the start of the party in order to get ready, and as guests steadily trickled in, Mio had made sure that Riku was introduced to everyone.

She had met a lovey-dovey couple named Emiko and Kosuke; a woman named Towa so similar to Mio that she had to doubt Mio's "one-of-a-kind" comment; an old man who was treated like everyone's grandfather (but he wasn't really); Mio's cousin—Freedert—and her husband, Elliot; and Daisuke Niwa and Satoshi Hikari, artists that were together.

Daisuke had been overly enthusiastic to meet Riku, and talked nonstop. It was only after his calmer counterpart—after seeing Riku's unease at the redhead's energy—suggested that perhaps Daisuke should help Mio in the kitchen did Riku breath a sigh of relief at the slightly quieter room.

Except now she was subject to the stoic blue-haired man's lecture about the details of his occupation. Riku supposed she had no one to blame but herself, for she had asked about what he and Daisuke did, but she regretted ever opening up the flood gates that were large vocabulary words currently spilling out of Satoshi's mouth.

She could only nod and intelligently reply "uh-huh" to him.

She was saved when the doorbell rang, and she was the closest one to the door.

"I'll get it!" she quickly called out, before politely excusing herself from the apparent genius talking to her and moving to unlock the door. She put on a smile and was about to greet the newcomer when her breath caught in her throat as she saw purple.

Purple hair. Purple eyes.

A black suit with a white collar shirt underneath.

Hubba hubba.

Surprise. Hope that wasn't too cliché.

Feel free to point out any mistakes for me; I would love to learn how to write better! Constructive criticism is entirely welcome.

I know I mentioned Charles Dickens, and I don't know if that's a classic over yonder in Japan, but you get my drift… right? Riku's the bookwormy type.

I never quite understood the reasons for disclaimers; isn't it obvious that (most) characters in fanfictions aren't the writer's own? Anyway, here's probably the (only) disclaimer I'll have throughout the duration of this story: I don't own DN Angel; its wonderful and creative storyline and characters belong to the ingenious Yukiru Sugisaki. I also did not make up Charles Dickens, nor do I own him (oh dear).

Did anyone catch my incredibly stealthy Yukiru Sugisaki allusion? :3

Thank you for reading, and it would be an added bonus for me if you left me a review!

Rika