Return of Hikari

As the days passed, Dai became more and more at home in the Niwa household. Dark had grown fond of the red-haired boy…even if the kid was a nuisance. Then something odd began to happen. Dai started acting stranger than usual; Dark became concerned…for about two minutes. Then he started gasping as images flew through his head. When it finally ended, he was left with one name…Hikari Niri.

The next day Dai fell ill with a high fever; Emiko tried her best but couldn't bring it down. Daisuke was worried; Dark even more so. However, there was nothing Dark could do at the moment, as the visions became more vivid and frequent. Soon it was all he could do to stand up.

Three days later…

Dark was near his limit…the visions made it impossible to move or do anything without feeling unbearable pain and agony. Then something deep inside his soul clicked, and he felt relief for the first time in a week. As he passed by the mirror, he stopped short and stared. His eyes were no longer amethysts…they were now the same crimson color as Dai's.

"What…what's going on?! What the…what happened to my voice!?" stammered Dark.

"Dark, what's…? What happened to your eyes?!" asked Emiko in shock.

"It's not just my eyes!" said Dark.

"What's happening to you?" asked Daiki.

"I don't know!"

They suddenly felt a surge in magical power and immediately went to Dai's room. Dark stumbled on the stairs twice, but managed to get upstairs. Dai was coughing and when he briefly opened his eyes he whispered in a hoarse voice, "Glad to see you're back to your old self, nii-san…" before he passed out.

"What?" said Dark confused. Dai was beyond his voice, and Dark stood there, confused as hell.

That night, Daisuke was tossing and turning until…his eyes opened, blank and oblivious to his surroundings. He got down from his bed and walked slowly to Dai's room, silent. He stopped at the edge of Dai's bed, then gently touched the other's arm; a red aura flowed from Dai to Daisuke, and when it dissipated Daisuke took out a feather and vanished into the night.

He reappeared in front of the Black Wings, and touched the mirror's surface. The aura went from Daisuke into the mirror, which began to glow violently. Then something shot out of the reflective glass…a body. It was a man with red hair, muscular arms and legs, and was around 6 feet tall in height. Daisuke collapsed as Dark unconsciously took over and went to the body; he stopped in front of it and fell to his knees as his very soul was beginning to slowly slip away into the body…

The man opened his eyes weakly, feeling as though he'd been hit with the tail of a dragon…again. His gaze fell to the red-haired boy lying on the floor, blissfully unaware of anything. He picked the boy up and chanted under his breath, then vanished and appeared in the teen's room. He set the boy in his bed and pulled the covers over him. He smiled as the other turned towards him, still sound asleep.

He walked out and realized it would soon be dawn. He decided to wait downstairs and hope that the other occupants were not alarmed by his sudden appearance.

"Morning Dark. I see your hair changed color like your eyes did…" chuckled Daiki.

"Yeah…" said Hikari, deciding to go with it.

"Morning!" yelled Daisuke as he ran down the stairs. He stopped short at the sight of Hikari.

"What the…? Dark?!" said Daisuke in shock.

"Nope," chuckled Hikari. Emiko came down with a look of relief on her face.

"Dai's fever has finally gone down. Daisuke, I'm afraid I didn't have time to make breakfast," said Emiko.

"Ohayo!" said Hikari amused at their shocked reactions.

"If you're not Dark then who…?!" started Daiki.

"Niri Hikari."

"Dai's older brother?!" said Daisuke surprised.

"Yup…hope the runt hasn't been giving ya too much trouble," grinned Hikari.

"How did you…?"

"Beats me. The last thing I remember was picking him up and transporting us back here," shrugged Hikari, looking at Daisuke.

"What?!"

"You were in a trance-sleep spell. This isn't the first time Dai put someone under that without him being aware of it," said Hikari.

"So Dai put Daisuke under a spell while he was in bed with a high-fever? Why?"

"Knowing him, it was probably a self-defense reaction to something. He was most likely trying to save himself and someone else," shrugged Hikari.

"So if you're here, then is Dark…?" started Daisuke.

"He's still in you. He'll just be dormant for a week or so. And he won't be as strong as he was before. So if you want to spend some time with the girl you like, now's your best chance without worrying about Dark," said Hikari. Daisuke lightened up considerably at this. He quickly ran to school, so he wouldn't be late again.

"If you're Hikari, then why did you choose to come out of the mirror now? Why didn't you show up after your younger brother?" asked Daiki.

"I couldn't. I wasn't even aware of my surroundings, let alone that my brother was around. I've been fighting for control ever since Dark started getting those visions in his head," said Hikari.

"Well, I better make sure Dai is really getting better…unless you would like to…?" said Emiko.

"I don't think that's a good idea…" said Hikari quickly. (He didn't want them to see what a klutz he was!)

Dai came to around noon. He sat up, and was greeted with Emiko's relieved look.

"You had us worried there Dai!"

"How long have I been out?"

"Nearly a week…"

Emiko would have mentioned Hikari's return, if he hadn't hissed to her not to. She decided to do as he asked and didn't mention Hikari was back. Dai had a sad look on his face as he said, "It's too bad nii-san isn't here. He always knew how to make me laugh whenever I wasn't feeling well…"

"Well, I'm sure he's out there somewhere Dai…" said Emiko.

"Yeah…so when do I have to go to school again?"

"You can go back tomorrow so long as you don't have your temperature rise again."

"Oh joy…" grumbled Dai as he lay back down. He slept for about an hour before coming downstairs.

"It's good to see you up again Dai!" said Daiki.

"Yeah…I hate it when I get a fever that high for no reason!" laughed Dai.

"So how are you feeling now?" asked Daiki.

"Good enough to walk around…"

"Feel well enough to help carry the groceries?" asked Emiko.

"I feel better, but NOT that good!" laughed Dai.

"Well, since you're up and at 'em, I'll make you whatever you like!"

"I've been having a craving for ramen all day!"

"Ramen it is then!" laughed Emiko.

The next morning…

"Welcome back Dai!" said Riku.

"Thanks! So what happened while I was out with that fever?" asked Dai.

"Risa pushed all her cleaning duties on Daisuke again…" grumbled Riku.

The day passed by without incident…until after school that is. While he was walking up the stairs, he noticed a man with red hair stumbling along. One minute the man was walking, the next he tripped and began free-falling down the steps. Dai instinctively threw out his arm, catching the other in mid-fall. Dai chuckled.

"You haven't changed a bit, Hikari-nii!" he laughed.

"Thanks otouto," laughed Hikari nervously.

"Hey Dai, who is this guy?" asked Takeshi.

"This is my older brother, Hikari. He's always been a major klutzoid!"

"Sad but true I'm afraid," said Hikari. (Hikari has always had a tendency to be a klutz in front of others before GLOMPING onto Dai!)

5 minutes later…

(glomp!)

"Nii-san! Do you always have to jump me when I save you?!" griped Dai annoyed.

"It's the only way I can keep my balance!" grinned Hikari. (Takeshi—sweat-drop anime style!)

"Dai, your brother is weird…"

"Thanks!" said the two in unison.

"You're welcome…I think…" said Takeshi as he went to his house.

Dark went out to steal yet another piece, though he was too preoccupied to notice something very heavy hurtling towards him.

(THUMP!)

"OW! Who threw that?!"

"I did!" replied Dai, amused.

"YOU LITTLE!" started Dark before he noticed Hikari was reloading Dai's sling.

—whirl, whirl, whirl…FWOOSH!—

WHAP! Direct hit! Dark winced as he touched the bruise from where the rock made contact. That was when he noticed the police on the ground laughing their heads off at the sight. That was when Dark flew closer towards his target. (WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! 3 direct hits!)

"YEOW! WILL YOU KNOCK THAT OFF?!"

"Nope…I needed someone to use as target practice, and you're it," chuckled Dai.

Hikari couldn't help but think—at least it's him at the receiving end and NOT me!

Dark narrowly evaded the preceding rocks, and flew off into the night with the piece in hand. The police at the scene were still laughing when he left…

"Dai, why were you throwing rocks at Dark?!" asked Daisuke, wincing as Emiko put ice on where they made contact.

"I was just using him as target practice! Ask Hikari!" chuckled Dai. (He took pity on Daisuke and healed the bruises with magic.)

"It's true…he always did enjoy using me as target practice…" grumbled Hikari.

"Well from now on, could you please limit your practice to when he takes over on a night when we're NOT stealing?!" asked Daisuke.

"Fair enough…"

As the weeks passed by, the Niwas began to consider both brothers as family. (Especially With!)

------

Soon, it became clear there was a connection between Dark and Hikari. Their looks, personality, even their wings were too similar for it to be a coincidence. Then came the fact that both of them came from the Black Wings. It was then that Dai came up with an idea. What if Dark was Hikari's other side, the one that never had a chance to come out? There was one way to test this theory.

"You want me to do what?"

"Release your wings and let your other side come out," repeated Dai.

"But Dai, you remember what happened last time I tried that, don't you?!"

"Yes, but this time I can handle him. Besides, I'd like to see him get past me and Dark."

"I don't know…"

"Just do it!" growled Dai, becoming impatient.

"Alright…" sighed Hikari in defeat.

He let his wings emerge from within his body. As they enveloped him, he felt something click. That was when he heard…him. Hikari-Kuro.

FINALLY! I'm free!

NO!

When the wings drew back, the Niwas could see a certain thief emerge from within. His hair was dark blue-violet; he opened his eyes, which were deep amethysts. He was almost identical to Dark in every way. His grin was that of the Phantom Thief, if you didn't count the dark mischief in his eyes.

"It's been far too long since that fool let me out," chuckled Hikari-Kuro.

"Dark?" said Daisuke nervously.

"Heh…not quite."

That was when Hikari-Kuro felt something in him snap. One minute he was standing, the next he was on the ground wincing. His hair slowly started to lighten, and his eyes became kinder than before. In moments, Hikari-Kuro was gone and Dark stood in his place.

"That…was weird…" said Dark.

"I knew it! You are Hikari's other half!" said Dai triumphantly.

"What do you mean? What happened?!"

"Hikari-Kuro, the guy we just saw, was originally Hikari's darker side. He usually showed up when Hikari was in a life-or-death situation, which came more often than you might think," said Dai.

"What happened to him?" asked Emiko.

"I'd say Dark took his place…at least until Hikari gets himself into so much trouble even Dark can't help him escape."

"Does this mean that I'm no longer going to be in Daisuke?" asked Dark.

"No, you'll still be in Daisuke. Only now you'll have another body to inhabit. And knowing Hikari, he won't mind you taking over every once in a while…as long as you don't get him into real trouble," said Dai.

"Heh…I'm liking the sound of this already!"

Mind if I have my body back now?

Sure.

Hikari retook his body and fell to his knees, exhausted. Dai caught him and with some help from Dark, took him upstairs where he promptly fell fast asleep.