Thank you all for the reviews guys! Especially peachie-x : your advice helped us a lot in writing this chapter and we changed the 'Sod off' bit from earlier (MineGeorgi nervously holds hand up to accept the blame). This is our first attempt at a 'proper' action scene, so let us know what you think! Btw, the reason for the title should hopefully become apparent in the chapter 3. Enjoy!
The Gallery of High Arts towered above the rest of the city, a majestic house built for some of the finest artworks in Japan. It would even have played host to works of world-famous artists like Da Vinci and Van Gogh. Would have, if the architects hadn't been pulled off the project and the blueprints taken to Tokyo. Thus it was the Gallery was incomplete.
Many ornate spires decorated its rooftop, each gifted by its own unique personality carved out by the designs. On any normal, clear night it would serve as a symbolic reminder of lost art, a stately masterpiece in its own right. But tonight, bathed in the harsh glow of police searchlights, it just looked forlorn and alone.
Dark inched his way across one of the many ledges adorning the roof. Once reaching the end he lowered himself to the next ledge painfully slowly. He wasn't taking his time just to avoid detection, but because the overall magnificence of the building belied its derelict state. As if to prove a point, Dark felt the brick begin to crumble beneath his feet.
Uh-oh.
With a crunch the ledge gave way and sent him tumbling down the side of the spire. He flung his arms out frantically trying to find a handhold, a foothold, something to stop his rapid descent.
Dark! Daisuke yelled, You ok?
"Fine…" Dark hissed through gritted teeth as he finally found a foothold, luckily next to an open window. Dark paused for a moment but found himself unlocking the window and climbing in. Daisuke's worried mutters cradled inside Dark's mind as he stepped towards the door of the empty room. He grasped the handle with a fine gloved hand and peered inside the room beyond, also empty.
What is this…? Dark thought angrily as he opened door after door of empty rooms. Finally one door opened to reveal a standing altar of some sort at the other end underneath a window, the moonlight striking the artifact perfectly.
Is this it, Dark? Daisuke whispered into the thief's ear as if standing next to him.
"Yes Daisuke. The Bearer of Secrets." Dark walked forward towards the locket, carefully examining it as it lay on its silk cushion, the equally silky moonlight making it seem like it was glowing eerily.
"We have a guest, Daisuke." Dark grinned and turned his head to look at the young commanding officer behind him. "I was wondering where you were…Satoshi."
"I doubt it," the boy answered dryly. He watched calmly as Dark looped the chain around his finger and swung it into a pocket. A second later and he was pinned to the floor by the thief.
"What is this, Satoshi?" Dark hissed menacingly in his ear. "Is it just me, or is this too easy? Why aren't there police guarding on the inside, or sensors or trip wires? Or are you just overconfident?" he smirked down at his captive. Then he blinked. Satoshi was . . . smirking back.
Dark, you're on fire! Daisuke screamed in his head.
What? Don't be stupid, I'd know if- suddenly the smell of burning reached his nose. He yelped and leapt off of Satoshi, frantically twisting and turning to find the source of the smell while the commander looked on with amusement. Where! Where is it!
"I would check your rear if I were you, Dark." Satoshi's smirk had grown to a full grin, a very rare sight indeed. His advice met with a blank stare from Dark, but then his eyes suddenly grew wide.
"You gotta be kidding me, Hiwatari!" he screamed in rage while wildly smacking his own ass to put out the fire that had sprung up there. "I'll kill you, you little freak!"
Satoshi answered by holding up a palm-sized talisman he had grasped in his hand. "You know what this is Dark?" The Phantom Thief paused and fixed his gaze on the shining object.
"Ah. I wasn't aware the Kaji Shinpu still existed." Kaji Shinpu? Dark, what is it?
Loosely translated it means 'Blaze Charm'. It can set fire to an opponent without their realising it. It's very dangerous and extremely unreliable. Stupid Hiwatari could end up setting fire to himself.
What! Daisuke sounded horrified. He hated the idea of Satoshi being hurt. What if he got severely burnt or – hey, why hadn't he moved from his spot near the wall?
A new fear rose inside Daisuke's mind as he saw that Satoshi was bent over as if trying to catch his breath, the inner struggle playing out clearly on his face.
Daisuke, it's Krad. Seems the Kaji Shinpu isn't good enough for him, he wants to be released.
But he's hurting Satoshi! Daisuke almost shrieked in Dark's mind.
Since when did he care? Dark replied calmly.
Satoshi tried to regain his composure, standing back into his stiff form, his smirk faded from his face. "Now I know you won't go out without a fight, so must I use the Kaji Shinpu again?" Satoshi stated in his ice like tone.
Dark just grinned his trade mark grin, "Now, now, let's not get hasty here, if you use that little talisman again, you might just damage the very thing you don't want us to steal." Dark crept his hand back in his pocket and showed Satoshi the artifact as if he'd never seen it before, "And being a Hikari, you should very well know you'll greatly hurt yourself in the process." With a dramatic flourish Dark called forth Wiz who transformed into his wings and attached to his back.
"Dark!" Satoshi yelled angrily at the now flying thief before falling to his knees in pain.
Satoshi! Daisuke yelled in Dark's head.
"Daisuke, no!" Dark didn't realize he said that out loud, but it was too late, Daisuke had somehow flashed an image of Riku in Dark's mind and found himself changing back into Daisuke.
"Wiz!" Daisuke didn't have to say anymore, Wiz changed back into his lovable rabbit-like self. Daisuke landed on one knee and foot on the floor and rushed to Satoshi's side.
"Satoshi! Are you ok!" Daisuke wrapped an arm around Satoshi's shoulders, but it only hurt him more. Krad was trying to break free and he wanted to destroy the red haired boy there and then.
"Get away Daisuke!" Satoshi yelled pushing Daisuke away, "Just go! Now!"
"But- Satoshi I can't!" All he got in reply was a scream in pain as Satoshi fell on to his back, trying his best to fight the fallen angel inside him.
Daisuke! Change back now! We have to go before Krad overpowers him! Dark shouted desperately at him. We have what we came for; if you just leave Krad will stop! Don't you understand? It's you that's putting Satoshi in so much pain!
It felt like something had struck the young boy's body, as if someone had just smacked him across the face. How could he have been so stupid?
Daisuke had frozen at Dark's words, but Satoshi's yells broke him out of his trance. All he could think of doing was running. He called Wiz again and flew out a window, away from the scene, Satoshi's voice trailing away, either from the distance he had gone or because the cause of Satoshi's pain was going. Daisuke didn't notice the stream's of tears trickling down his own face. He heard not a word from Dark for the whole journey.