Lost Stage: Soul Ignorance
By Jyoohan
Phase 004 – Getting Closer To You... Too Close
0714 Hours – April 1, 2011
Riku's Bedroom – New Uncertainty & Longing?
Riku tossed and turned in her bed. She was already anticipating the ringing noise from her alarm clock, but too lazy to turn it off before it begins its annoying call to wake up the hapless victim.
Riku finally sat up and yawned, rubbing her tired eyes. She looked to her hand and opened it to see a pretty little ring looped onto a necklace. She blushed picturing a certain boy at that precise moment. She vigorously shook her head saying that it was only to wake herself up, and at that moment her alarm clock began to ring.
"Alright, alright. I'm up." She clumsily reached for the annoying object. After finally turning the clock off and throwing it aside, she returned to the ring. Riku had been thinking about it half the night. Almost no sleep to boot.
"I'll ask him. I'll know for sure whether or not if it really happened." Riku swore to herself, but the little thing was so appealing. She wanted to maybe slip it on. She carefully slid the little thing from its silver prison. She already held it poised to slip it onto a particular finger.
"Riku! It's your turn to wash up!" Risa pounded on the door and left promptly without entering.
Riku dropped the ring having been surprised by Risa's sudden report.
"Ah, School! I need to get ready!" Riku ran towards bathroom. A few seconds later, she ran back out and grabbed the necklace and the ring then back into the bathroom.
She suddenly had the urge not to let the thing out of her sight.
0732 Hours – April 1, 2011
South Coast Street – Not going to be a regular day.
"How did you convince me again?" Riku sighed looking out the car window.
"I can't believe! You are soooo stubborn! You almost fell face first into your bike." Riku blushed while Risa tried to reason with her twin sister.
"She's only worried about your health young mistress." The butler said to help Risa give a valid argument.
"Fine, but only today." Riku began to play with something around her neck.
"Hey, what's that?" Risa obviously noticed the thing since Riku was absently playing with it. "Ah! It's so pretty! Let me see." Risa tried to get her hands on a pretty little object but Riku quickly hid it away under her shirt.
"It's only a necklace, nothing you would be interested in." Riku mentally thought not to flaunt it in front of people.
"Hey, I want to see, pretty please?" Risa begged like a child wanting to see a new toy. "Please older sister?" Riku cracked a small smile.
"Fine, but only look at it." Riku pulled the little thing from out of her shirt.
"Oh where did you get it?" Risa actually felt afraid to touch the little ring. "Or should I say, who gave it to you?"
"Eh?" Riku almost screamed when Risa asked this question. 'Well, Niwa-kun dropped it...? Or... I... um...' Riku couldn't think of a plausible excuse. "I-I ah... um... I..." Riku stammered unable to think of something off the top of her head.
"Did you find it somewhere?" Risa guessed.
"Yeah, I think I found it somewhere in the... back of our house!" Riku began to sweat.
"Hm, I wish I could find something like this." But Risa was actually imagining that Dark was coming up to her and presenting her beautiful jewelry.
"For you my one and only Risa." Risa imagined hearing Dark say these words to her in a sexy, gentlemen fashion.
"We're here Young Mistresses, the trolley station." The butler exited the vehicle and opened the black sedan door for Risa and Riku.
"Thanks, we're off then." Risa and Riku waved as they entered the station.
"Good Morning. Oh, is this your twin sister?" The ticket manager took Risa's tickets.
"Yes, this is Riku, my older twin sister." Riku bowed after Risa's short introduction, and a little annoyance saying the word 'older'.
"Well the trolley is almost here. Just wait a little bit longer." Risa nodded as she guided Riku to the waiting platform.
Riku looked around curiously because she hasn't really taken trolleys very much. She went on her tiptoes to see the trolley coming up. Riku watched as the large red bus like vehicle came to a slow stop and the double doors hissing open.
'Niwa-kun.' As soon as the doors opened, Riku looked inside to see Daisuke sitting on one of the seats.
"Look it's Niwa-kun!" Risa pulled Riku into the little trolley and immediately approached Daisuke.
"Good Morning, Niwa-kun!" Risa took the seat next to him.
"Oh, good morning Harada-san." Daisuke tried to smile, but his face showed otherwise.
"Niwa-kun? What's wrong? You look tired." Risa could see he was still very tired.
"Oh, um... my mom had me up all night to help with something so I really didn't sleep all that much." Daisuke tried to dispel Risa's worry.
Riku stood frozen in front of him. Daisuke looked up to her and smiled weakly from the lack of sleep. "Good morning Harada-san."
Riku didn't know what just happened. All of a sudden, her heart began to beat faster and faster like she was in a race or something close to that. It was odd, she never felt like this before, or wait... did she?
"Riku, what's wrong? Come on, sit down." Risa patted a spot right next to Daisuke. Riku complied but her movement looked stiff as she sat down.
"Hey, uh... don't you take your bike?" Daisuke asked curiously.
"She's just out of it today." Risa tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'm alright. I just had a lot on my mind last night." Riku leaned her head back on the plush seat and found whatever rest she can.
The ride wasn't very long. They were soon at Grande Station and the Town Square. Everyone began to exit, mostly businessman and students in the trolley.
"Come on Riku, you can do it." Risa teased her sister like a baby who was still learning how to walk.
"Cut that out Risa!" Riku stepped onto the platform with Daisuke behind her.
The three left the station and were standing in front of the Town Square. "Well I'm going to go on ahead. I'll see you guys at school." Daisuke was about to leave but.
"Wait, Niwa-kun." Riku stopped him.
"Uh, yes Harada-san?" Daisuke turned towards her.
"Around lunch, c-can I talk to you?" Riku's question made Daisuke's eyes widen for a moment but she didn't notice.
"Sure, I guess I'll see you then." Daisuke smiled as he usually does and began to make a jog for the school.
"Hey, Riku. What was that all about?" Risa asked curiously.
"I just need to talk to him." Riku closed the topic as quickly as it came up.
0810 Hours – April 1, 2011
Azumano Middle School – A Cruel Paradox
"Yo, good morning Daisuke."
"Hey, Daisuke." Saehara and Sekimoto greeted their best friend.
"Good morning Saehara, Sekimoto." Daisuke hung his bag and slumped onto his desk like a doll cut from its strings.
"Hey, Daisuke, still no luck with the little Harada?" Saehara snickered.
"No, just tired." Daisuke didn't argue which annoyed Saehara.
"Hey Daisuke! Come on, I wasn't kidding!" Saehara tried to pick him up, but this time Daisuke wasn't cooperating with him.
"Let me just get a little more sleep before the teacher comes in." Daisuke moaned.
"Leave the poor guy alone." Sekimoto tried to drag Saehara off Daisuke.
"Ah shut up! The kid just needs a good kick in the-!" Sekimoto covered Saehara's mouth from uttering a particular body part. Sekimoto eventually dragged Saehara away from Daisuke.
'Finally...' Daisuke sighed as he closed his eyes.
'So Daisuke, sleep well?' Daisuke's eyes furrowed hearing a voice.
'No Dark, please... let me get whatever sleep I can.' Daisuke was too tired to groan now.
'Fine, fine, but I wonder what could have happened to make you lose one night's rest.' Dark was treading on delicate soil.
'Dark... I... what does it matter, you probably already know.' Daisuke turned his head from the left side to his right.
'Ping-pong! Correct, I do know.' Dark laughed.
'Sorry.' Dark suddenly apologized. 'Daisuke?'
Daisuke was breathing deeply despite the chatters from his classmates.
"DAISUKE!!" A blonde-haired girl latched herself onto the poor soul. "Oh Daisuke, I missed you!" Mio cuddled her little head against his shoulder.
"G-good... morning... Hio-...san." Daisuke didn't have the energy to fight back.
"Oh Daisuke, what's the matter? Don't worry; I'll make you feel all better. Ha-ha." Few classmates looked towards Daisuke direction, some smiled, some laughed, some shook their heads.
The classroom door opened and a very familiar someone entered.
"It's Hiwatari-sempai!" Someone shouted.
A small crowd was made around the blue-haired boy as few questioned him about his absence.
'Hiwatari-kun is back. It's good he's alright now.' Daisuke thought.
"Hey, Hiwatari-kun is back." Risa said seeing the commotion in the classroom.
Risa and Riku made it to school and with the teacher just behind them. "Okay everyone, lets get ready for class." Everyone began to head to their seats except a blonde-haired girl.
"Hio-san, please return to your seat." The teacher was searching for her lesson plan.
"Oh, but Daisuke isn't feeling well. I'm helping him." Mio smiled.
"He'll be fine so please go to your seat." The teacher pointed to a desk.
"But..." Mio left the sentence unfinished with big puppy eyes.
"Hey, why don't you leave him alone already?" Everyone turned to look at Riku.
"Oh, good morning red Harada. I'm sorry, but what did you say?" Mio acted clueless.
"Leave Niwa-kun alone and get back to your seat already, the teacher can't start because of you." Mio frowned and very reluctantly sat in a separate desk. Small whispers and murmurs were heard in the class after this but immediately silenced by the teacher.
"Thank you Riku, and class, please turn to page 32. We need to get started with the lesson." Riku sighed as the teacher's voice disappeared. Riku was just as tired as Daisuke... if she only knew. She looked towards him. He was looking at her. Daisuke was trying to say something, and Riku read his lips. "Thank you." Riku smiled feeling a lot better.
Class went by as normally. Daisuke tried to pay attention, but was barely keeping himself from falling off his seat. He made it through 3 classes and only needed to wait one more and maybe get a good nap during lunch.
Ding... Ding... Ding... Ding...
'Thank you God.' Daisuke stood up with the rest of his classmates and headed outside. The bell rung eight more times saying it is now twelve o'clock. Two things were integrated into Daisuke's head at that moment and nothing was going to make him lose focus of it: "Rest, Relaxation"
Daisuke immediately disappeared and forgot his agenda or his little meeting with someone.
"Have you seen Niwa-kun?" Riku asked a random classmate.
"I thought I saw him head towards the west wing." A guy swung his thumb down a hallway.
"Thanks." Riku headed towards the west wing.
"Have you seen Niwa-kun?" Riku asked a random student.
"He went outside, looked really tired." A girl pointed out the window.
"Thank you." Riku opened a door and walked through a small garden.
"Have you seen Niwa-kun?" Riku asked a group of girls eating lunch.
"Niwa-kun? I think he went past those trees. Why? Are you going to do something suspicious?" The group giggled.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Riku back away cautiously and headed towards the trees the other girl pointed to.
"Niwa-kun?" Riku had to push some branches and things away. She was about to call again when she saw him. He was propped against a tree in the shade sound asleep. "Jeez, he's such a goofball." Riku pouted yet grinned at the same time. She was about to wake him up but stopped. She sat down next to him letting him rest a little while longer and maybe catch a little break too.
"I can ask him after school." Riku stuck her hand in her shirt and pulled out a necklace. She took the ring she wanted to ask him about. He was right there next to her, but she didn't want to wake him. "And it took half of my lunch period to find him." Riku heaved a sigh as she stifled a yawn. She twirled the pretty object between her fingers.
Riku didn't notice, but on Daisuke's finger a similar looking ring was pulsating as if reacting to its other half.
"He wouldn't mind... if I put it on really quick, right?" Riku stared at the beautiful ring.
"Kyu?" Wizu suddenly appeared on Daisuke's sleeping head.
"Ah, Wizu? What are you doing here?" Riku almost shouted.
"Kyuuuu, kyuuuu!" Wizu began to hop on Daisuke's head.
"Wait, don't do that!" Riku tried to reach for him on her knees.
"Ah? Who's there?" Daisuke reached for whatever was on his head and held in front of his face. "Wizu? Why are you here? I told you to stop following me to school." Daisuke set Wizu on his stomach and yawned. Daisuke covered his mouth while yawning but began to rub his lip as a thought returned to his head. "Harada-san..."
"Uhm...Yes?" Daisuke turned his head to see Riku's face two inches away from him.
Daisuke screamed. "Ah, hello Harada-san. I didn't know you were there." Daisuke tried to calm his racing heart.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you." Riku tried to stop herself from looking at his lips, her face turning slightly pink in the process.
"Wait, there was something you wanted to ask me right? Sorry." Daisuke helped Riku up on her feet.
"Um... Daisuke, I was wondering if-." Riku was about to show him the object around her neck but.
Ding...
A single solid ring resonated throughout the Azumano school campus.
"Ah." Both Daisuke and Riku froze hearing this.
"We're going to be late for class! Let's hurry!" Both made a dash for their respective classrooms... actually they are in the same class.
1410 Hours – April 1, 2011
Azumano Boy's Locker Room – Accidents happen...
"Hey Daisuke, what was that?" Saehara slapped his redheaded friend as they entered the boy's locker room with the 'no peeping' sign on the door.
"What was what?" Daisuke opened his locker and placed his bag in the empty shelf.
"What do you mean what was that? You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Saehara slammed his hand on a locker next to Daisuke's.
"Would you leave the guy alone?" Sekimoto murmured.
"I heard that and shut up!" Saehara had a vein popping out on his head. "Now care to tell me what you were doing with the older Harada that made you two late? Hah?" Saehara had an evil glint.
"Nothing." Daisuke pulled his shirt off and on with the PE uniform.
"Tell me you little grunt!" Before Saehara could choke Daisuke, Sekimoto was already holding him back.
"She was looking for me to ask something." Daisuke closed his locker and began pulling his shoes on.
"Well, what did she say?" Sekimoto wondered.
"I don't know. It was already one o'clock when she was about to ask me. We had to run back to class from the West Wing." Daisuke left the locker room and headed towards the field with Saehara and Sekimoto.
"Well that was boring, I wish I didn't even ask." Saehara sneered.
"Niwa-kun!" Risa shouted down the hallway with Riku.
Daisuke waved, as the three got closer to the twins.
"Come on! Let's go!" Risa grabbed Daisuke and began dragging him towards the soccer/track field.
"Ah what is up with her?" Saehara grumbled.
"Let's go already." Sekimoto pushed Saehara and almost making him fall down the small flight of stairs.
"Hey! You little brat!" Sekimoto and Saehara both had each other in a chokehold.
Riku stared off towards Risa who was dragging Daisuke. He seemed extremely uncomfortable. She stuck her hand in her shirt and pulled out the necklace with the ring on it.
"Let's go Riku!" Few of the other girls came out and almost the entire class is at the field now.
"Okay, is everyone here?" The PE teacher checked off few of the people that just came.
Everyone said 'yes' in unison.
"Okay then, boys you're free today since your track test was yesterday." The PE teacher heard few of the boys whooping and jumping. "So the boys can do whatever they like, and the girls follow me." The PE teacher led them towards the starting grid for the track field around the soccer field.
"Hey, lets play soccer!"
"No, head to the court for some basketball."
"Or lets go play some baseball! Baseball!"
Few were arguing of what to play but few were already on the field getting a team set up for soccer.
"Hey Daisuke! C'mon over here!" Saehara waved.
"Saehara! You're on my team!" One of the boys shouted.
"Alright! See ya." Saehara jogged over to his group.
"Niwa! You're on our team!" The other group leader called.
"Yeah, I'm coming." The teams were set, ball in play. The deadly warfare begins... okay I'm exaggerating. The player's got ready and the boys began playing.
"Hm... those guys look they're having fun." One of the girls heaved a sigh waiting for her turn on the track.
"Hey, Sekimoto! Pass!" The ball was passed in the air. Chest trap and dribbled forward towards the goal.
"Someone stop him!" Defense began to fight for the ball.
"Goalie! Get the ball!" The Goalie makes a grab and successfully catches the ball.
"Go, Go!" The Goalie kicks the ball to the center of the field.
"Saehara, get the ball!" Saehara Takeshi traps the ball, but stolen.
"Hey get back here!" Saehara shouted as he tries to regain possession of the ball.
"Niwa!" Daisuke receives the ball and sees two defenders charging towards him.
"Kick the ball!" Daisuke goes for a grand kick. The ball barely makes it pass the two defenders... but caught by the goalie.
"Get the ball back!" The Goalie sends it back to midfield.
One of the captains heads the ball and makes a fast break for the goal.
"Harada Riku, get in the starting grid." The teacher scribbled the grade onto a clipboard for one of the students that just finished.
"Ready, set, go." The teacher started a stopwatch as Riku dashed around the track course.
"Ah!" Daisuke rubbed his left side.
"Sorry, you alright?" One of the players apologized.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Daisuke held back a groan.
Riku shook her head trying to focus on the track. 'Why am I so worried about him?' Riku kept glancing towards him on her way around the course. 'Nothing is going to happen.' Riku quickened her pace.
"Hey, bring it over here!"
"Niwa! Head it!"
Daisuke made a jump in the air, but felt something knock him off balance.
"Hey watch out!"
Daisuke felt like he was flying but actually falling head first towards the ground. Daisuke felt a small crack and couldn't breathe feeling a sharp pain in his side.
"Hey get up already." The goalie gave a hand, but Daisuke didn't reach. "Hey, are you there?" The goalie looked at Daisuke motionless on the ground.
"Ah..." Daisuke couldn't hear a thing except a high-pitched ringing and feeling the sharp pain that wouldn't go away.
"Hey Daisuke?" Saehara touched him but.
Daisuke screamed like bloody murder.
"What? What's wrong?" Few of the players began to crowd around him.
"Get a nurse or something!" One of the captains shouted and someone made a dash for the nurse's office.
"Niwa-kun, what's wrong?" Sekimoto noticed he was holding tight onto one area.
"What's going on over there?" One of the girls wondered and caught the teacher's ear. The teacher turned her head to see the boys crowding onto someone.
"Oh no." The teacher mumbled as she dropped everything and ran towards the boys.
Riku stopped about 10 meters away from the finish line seeing the teacher drop everything and ran towards the boys who were crowding around someone. Riku jogged the rest of the way towards the girls.
"What's going on?" Riku asked Risa.
"I don't know, I think I saw Niwa-kun fall." Risa said unsure.
"Niwa-kun?" Riku turned towards the boys.
"The nurse is here." One of the girls pointed to where the nurse and another student came running towards the scene.
Few minutes later, you could see someone being carried away.
Risa walked over to Saehara. "What happened?"
"Daisuke got injured." Riku overheard this.
1529 Hours – April 1, 2011
Azumano Nurse's Office – White Lie
Riku sat quietly on a chair next to a white bed with someone occupying it. It's been little past an hour since he was brought in and he's still sound asleep.
The nurse used an anesthetic to numb the pain but also put Daisuke to sleep. The nurse found out that the fall gave him two fractured ribs. What was worst was that Daisuke already had an injury there. When he was first brought in, an ice patch was placed on the large bruise. The nurse guessed that the first injury gave way for the second injury. Upon inspection, the nurse believes that whatever happened that gave Daisuke that bruise just needed a little push for his bones to break, and that fall was good enough.
Riku looked at Daisuke's sleeping face. "I knew he was hurt..." Riku remembered him showing her the large injury.
"Mm..." Riku stood up hearing him stir.
"Niwa-kun?" Riku leaned on the bed to get a better look at him.
"Huh? Who's there?" Daisuke sight was blurred but could see that someone was above him. "Who is it?"
"It's Riku."
"Harada-san?" Daisuke tried to sit up but couldn't feel half his body. "Why can't I move?"
"The nurse gave you some anesthetics to numb the pain." Riku explained
"Why?" Daisuke was oblivious to his condition.
Riku felt awkward having to break the news to him. "You broken two ribs where you had that bruise."
"Eh? So that's why it felt prickly down there." Daisuke sighed.
Riku began to giggle.
"Huh? Did I do something?" Daisuke wondered if he did something stupid again.
"No, you didn't." Riku rubbed away something in her eye.
"Huh? Are you alright?" Riku looked at Daisuke oddly. "You were crying?"
Riku felt her heart jump in panic. "I um... guess I should have told the teacher that you were already hurt. I suppose I felt... guilty."
"Guilty?" Daisuke sat up with great difficulty.
"Yeah, if I told them, you wouldn't be hurt like this." Riku wouldn't look at his face.
"It's alright. You don't have to worry about me." When Daisuke said this, Riku twitched.
"Worried? I... uh..." Riku couldn't think of anything to say.
Daisuke looked relieved. Riku remembered why she waited so long. "Niwa-kun, remember that there was something I wanted to ask you?"
"Yeah, sorry I couldn't talk to you sooner." Daisuke scratched his head.
"Well... I was wondering..." Riku couldn't help the thought what exactly happened that night. "I was wondering if this belonged to you." Riku pulled out a silver necklace with a shining object hanging from it.
Daisuke almost choked seeing her have it. 'When did she get it? I never noticed it disappeared.' Daisuke began to search furiously in his mind when he could have lost it and how Riku could have retrieved it. 'Ah... that night.' Daisuke felt his face flush suddenly remembering what he did.
"Niwa-kun!" Riku broke Daisuke out of his daze. "Does it look familiar?"
"Ah..." Daisuke couldn't believe the spot he was in. By admitting that it is his, he would be also admitting he was there at that night and... kissed her. But that's the least of his problems. Not only would she know he, accidentally, kissed her, but also his family secret. She would know that Daisuke or... someone close by could be Dark, which is on one hand. On the second hand if Daisuke lies that he doesn't know, he would be leaving Riku with the ring and quite possibly her or Risa might slip it on and who knows what God has in store for them.
"Niwa-kun..." Riku was getting impatient. She was starting to believe that the ring is actually his and maybe he...
"No." Riku stopped a gasp from escaping her mouth. "It isn't mine." Daisuke let out the breath he had been holding. 'This is the best for everyone. I'm sorry.' It was too risky to get the ring back now. Too much was at stake but one thing was clear, he has to get that ring back, soon. Maybe even as Phantom Thief Dark.
"Oh..." Riku seemed to look disappointed. "I'll see you later then... Niwa-kun." Riku stood up and began heading for the door.
"Harada-san." Riku stopped at the door. "I... um...thanks, for being by my side." Riku smiled and left for home. As she walked down the empty hallways, Riku had reached her own conclusion. "So if Niwa-kun wasn't there... was it him?" Riku felt sick. "Then if it was him, he stole my first and... my second kiss."
1208 Hours – April 2, 2011
Azumano Police Department – This isn't like him... or is it?
"This afternoon, the police chief have found a new warning from Dark. This time, he is targeting a ring. Police have no specification of what this ring is, but only have the address of the home where he will be hitting." The reporter looked diligently into the camera.
"And cut, that's a wrap." The cameraman turned his gear off and loaded the things back in the van.
Inside the Police HQ, Inspector Saehara paced in frustration. "That bullheaded Dark. What does he think he's doing sending us some whacked up note?"
"Well it isn't like the usual pattern." Hiwatari Satoshi entered the room. All the officers stood up to greet the Commander. "But are you willing to take the chance that he might or might not take what he's after?"
The thought of Dark taking another item of value to the phantom thief made the inspector boil in anger. "Get all officers ready! He's going to hit the Harada Mansion at ten o'clock!" Everyone began to scramble.
Ring-ring.
"Azumano Police Headquarters, this is Inspector Saehara speaking, how may I help you?" The inspector casually picked up the phone.
"Yes, I would like to know why would Phantom Thief Dark target my home!" A male voice yelled loud enough for few of the officers in the room to hear.
"We would like to ask you that question. He's after a ring in your possessions." The inspector was baffled by this call.
"Ring? I don't have any art pieces with the caliber of interests that the Phantom Thief would want!" The voice was obviously Riku and Risa's father.
"I'm sorry sir, but the note isn't lying. We already have men headed to your home. Let's talk face to face then, good bye." The inspector rubbed his temples.
"Wait-." The voice was cut of short when the phone was abruptly hung up.
"Hm... shall we head out then?" Hiwatari said with a bored tone.
"Yes sir." Inspector Saehara said in a low grumbling voice.
The two men... uh... men and boy exited the building and entered a black limousine. "Take us to the South Coast Street area, on the double." Hiwatari ordered the driver.
"Sir, yes sir!" The vehicle smoothly left the parking area and onto the paved roads of the European style streets.
'Dark... what are you trying to do this time?' Hiwatari... no, Hikari Satoshi thought heavily on this.
'Well of course he's after one of the artifacts.' A cold voice answered Hiwatari's question.
'Krad, stay out of this!' Hiwatari gritted his teeth.
'I'll think about it, but you should know. Dark wouldn't waste his time on nothing more than an art that had some of the Hikari family's influence or by other magical means.' Krad was actually helping Hiwatari out a bit.
'Krad, what do you think you're doing?' Hiwatari tried to think what this meant. Was he trying to come out when Dark is near. Or wait until Dark was captured and finish him.
'Hm, think what you like, but I'm going to rest. It'll be a waste of my time trying to fight Dark inside that house.' Krad's presence slowly slipped into the back of Hiwatari's mind.
"Yes, he'll use every nook and cranny to hide and sneak in." Hiwatari whispered to himself but suddenly found an idea that could finally catch Dark, or stop him from acquiring his target.
"Commander!" Hiwatari was suddenly broken out of his trance like state.
"What is it?" Hiwatari said in visible annoyance.
'Ugh, what is up with this brat?' The inspector tried to keep his face from frowning. "We've arrived."
"You go on ahead. I'll command things from here." Hiwatari basically kicked Inspector Saehara out of the limousine.
"Ah, Riku, Riku! Look, a limousine." Hiwatari heard a familiar voice.
"Risa, hey!" Riku looked out the window. "Eh? What are all you people doing here?" Riku shouted seeing all of the police officers and security agents prowling the estate.
"Please don't worry." One of the high-ranking agents greeted the twins. "We're here for your protection. They're checking to find any unknown entrances into the home." Risa suddenly had a very creepy smile plastered on her face.
"Risa... get that look off your face." Riku moved away from her sister.
"C-c-c-c-can you tell me why you're doing this?" Risa stuttered in anticipation.
Riku prayed to God that man wouldn't say what she was hoping he wouldn't say. "Dark has targeted this house." Risa near screamed hearing this... heck, she screamed.
"Aaaaaahh! Dark is coming to my house! Dark is coming to my house!" Risa repeated over and over again, but suddenly stopped. "I have to get ready, I need to look my best for him. Oh the thought of him coming here, ah!" Risa ran up the stairs.
Riku and the security agents began to sweat. "Don't ask." Riku said and sighed.
"Hm... she might help." Hiwatari closed the limousine's window.
01811 Hours – April 1, 2011
Niwa Residence – Please pay close attention to the time.
'I can't believe this is happening!' Daisuke griped.
"Hey, Daisuke. It isn't all that bad. By Monday, you'll be completely healed!" Dark lounged on Daisuke's couch with Wizu on his head.
'But...' Daisuke still didn't like the thought of staying in this state.
"Don't worry, it's like you're in space. Take a while to sort of enjoy the experience." Dark began to play with one of his black feathers.
'Jeez, I can't believe I just changed like that though.' Daisuke thought about what happened right after Riku left at the nurse's office.
'I can't seem to recall... Why don't you tell me everything in your way Daisuke?' Dark asked Daisuke mentally with sarcasm in the front.
'Huh?! I... ah... you see.' Daisuke panicked.
"Daisuke... let's make it easy for both you and me." Dark said in a low voice.
Daisuke moaned in despair.
Back at the nurse's office roughly an hour before, Daisuke held his hand at his heart that was beating uncontrollably.
'Why am I feeling like this?' Daisuke felt like his chest was going to explode from this odd feeling. "This feels kind of familiar." Daisuke didn't notice that the bed was feeling slightly smaller than before or that his clothes felt a little tighter.
"Daisuke!" Daisuke's mother, Emiko, suddenly bursts into the nurse's office.
"Mom? What are you doing here?" Daisuke almost jumped out of the bed.
"Dark?" Emiko gasped in surprise.
"What? What do you mean Dark?" Gramps appeared behind Emiko. "Dark? What are you doing there? Why did you switch with Daisuke?"
"What do you mean? It's me! Daisuke!" Daisuke shouted in utter confusion.
"Dai-chan?" Emiko touched her son's face and could see that she was talking to Daisuke.
"What's wrong? Why are you calling me Dark?" Daisuke got out of bed.
"Because of this." Gramps held a mirror in front of his face.
"What? How?! HOW?!" Daisuke couldn't believe the person in the mirror, but mirrors never lie. "I don't even have Harada-san's picture with me. How did I transform? And why am I in control of Dark's body?"
'Maybe I can answer some of your questions.' Someone's voice said in Daisuke's mind.
"Dar...k..." Daisuke could feel his mind switching places with Dark.
"Ah, it's finally great to be on the outside again." Dark quickly unbuttoned the tight uniform shirt that clinging to him like a second skin.
"What just happened Dark?" Emiko was completely lost. She only came to pick up her son, but finds Dark instead.
"Daisuke had a very strong reaction of love, a very, very strong reaction and that's all that I can say about that." Dark shrugged his shoulders.
"But what about Dai-chan?" Emiko worried about her redheaded son.
"Don't worry, he's fine for now. He's resting or sleeping like I would when Daisuke is on the outside." Dark dissolved their worries.
"I see, but why was Daisuke in control of your body?" Gramps rubbed his chin.
"I was sleeping." After Dark said this, Gramps almost fell backwards.
"Well let's get you home before someone sees you." Emiko ushered Dark out the door.
Now returning to the present, Dark lazily lounged in his normal attires of black pants and a black sleeveless shirt. Wizu was playing with Dark's hair as Dark thought about what Daisuke reluctantly told him.
'Oh... so she asked you about the ring.' Dark chewed on the thought.
Suddenly Dark bolted up, Wizu had to clung on for his life... sort of. "How did she get the ring?!?!?!?!" Dark's voice could be heard from all the way down in the basement where Kosuke was making some more adjustments in the treasure bunker.
'Dark... c-calm down.' Daisuke was half scared to death.
'Great, now we have to get that thing back.' Dark fell back onto the couch again.
"I think I know what you two are arguing about," Emiko entered the room with a bright smile. "And I've already fixed the problem."
"Eh? What do you mean?" Dark sat up again. Wizu fell onto his lap.
"I sent a warning note. 'I will take a ring' with the Harada twins home address!" Dark didn't want to believe what she just did, but it was right there. He has a job tomorrow.
'I hope we don't get into another mess.' Daisuke sighed.
"I'll leave you to get ready!" Emiko left the room.
"Hey, Daisuke." Dark fell back onto the couch.
"Yeah, Dark?" Daisuke wondered what Dark would say now.
"You still haven't figured it out?" Dark played with the feather again.
"Figured what out?" Daisuke was confused.
"You know, that girl, Riku." Dark smiled like he was talking to an idiot.
"Riku...? What about her?" Daisuke felt awkward.
"Never mind. I'll leave it to you to find out." Dark fell asleep on the couch, leaving Daisuke to think what he had said.
2149 Hours – April 2, 2011
Harada Estate – The perfect defense... ruined by idiots.
"Lalala..." Risa brushed her hair in front of the mirror.
"Risa, how can you be excited? Dark is going to steal something in our house!" Riku didn't like the situation of seeing Dark after what she found out yesterday afternoon.
"Ah the new men have arrived." Riku could hear a few men talking outside from the balcony. She walked out into the night air and looked over the stone railing to see few men conversing.
"I heard the commander got really upset when no one told him that new people were coming in." One of the high-ranking officers lit a cigarette, sucked on it and blew a puff of smoke.
"Well these guys are top of the line security agents." One of the other guards shrugged his shoulders.
"We'll see why soon enough... it's almost time." They dispersed to their positions for when Dark comes.
Riku frowned. 'Please don't make him come.' She thought hopefully.
Ding... Ding...
Riku quickly went back in and locked the doors.
"Riku, why are you doing that?" Risa frowned. Risa was all ready for Dark's arrival in her humble home.
"Risa, what do you think your doing?" Riku couldn't believe her sister was doing this.
"A date with Dark of course!" Risa was in her own little world whenever Dark was part of the subject.
"How can you have a date with that lecher when there are guards, who are trying to catch him, all over the house." Riku tried to bring her sister back from Saturn.
"Oh... don't worry about me Riku, I'll find a way." Risa giggled as she unlocked the door. After doing this, Risa's door burst open with hooded cloaked person and a few guards with him.
"Excuse me for intruding, but I must know. Does one of you have any kind of ring? Anything?" The person under the hood asked politely.
"Well I have a lot of things in my jewelry box." Risa said and wondered if Dark was coming to steal one of her things.
"Can I see it please?" Risa kindly handed the flashy looking box to the man. He opened it and shook it slightly to sift through the contents. "Hm... I don't think you have what he's looking for." He handed the box back to a disappointed looking Risa.
"What about you?" Riku was caught staring off.
"Sorry, what did you say?" Riku asked curiously.
"Do you have any kind of ring that might be targeted by Dark?" The man repeated again.
"A ring...?" Riku hesitated to answer.
"Ah, Riku. Didn't you have a ring around your neck?" When Risa said this, Riku's had involuntarily covered her chest where the ring resides.
"Please, can I see it?" The man out stretched his hand.
Riku stepped back, she didn't want to show it to him, but it couldn't be it right? Riku was fighting in her mind. She slowly reached down and pulled the little thing out from under her shirt.
The small object quickly grabbed the man's interest.
2203 Hours – April 2, 2011
Harada Residence, Front Entrance – Can the Darkness find the shadows to hide?
"Hm... they've changed tactics." Dark hovered in the air looking down where his target inhabits. "Daisuke? Are you there?" Dark didn't get any response. "He's sleeping, I better try and make this quick and get back home."
Dark dove into some foliage to see the house. The house had spotlights pointed to every nook and cranny so no shadows can be seen on the structure with cameras monitoring various angles.
"Hm... what to do." Dark suddenly stubbed his shoe on a large smooth stone. "Hm... if I can't see an entrance, make one." He picked up the smooth object and observed carefully which one is the most critical to destroy.
Dark carefully looked and spotted only one guard that was watching a single spotlight that was shooting straight onto the second floor, front balcony. "Here I go." Dark made a quick jump out of the bushes and flung the stone at its target.
"Ah! What the hell?!" The guard shouted as few of the glass shards fell on him.
"Quick! Get a back up light over here!" Someone shouted seeing a clear spot on the house with dark shadows because of the other spotlights.
When they finally got a back up light up and running, nothing was there, but of course Dark has already made his move.
"I'll bet they'll rethink their lighting tools next time." Dark sighed as he moved away from the curtain-covered doors to the balcony.
"Hey, I think heard something." Someone opened the door with another man, probably his partner, next to him.
"Is there anything?" Someone behind the first guard called.
"Nah, I guess I'm just hearing things again." The door closed and Dark dropped from above the doorframe.
"Well that was a close call already, those boys have good hearing to come in here to check." Dark whispered to himself as he carefully opened the door to see no one on the other side from both directions of the hallway.
'Now if I was a ring that does what I'm thinking right now... where would I be...?' Dark hummed to himself as he quietly made his way through the halls.
"I wonder what this Dark guy is like." Someone talked relatively loudly down the next adjoining hall.
Dark looked around. Nowhere to hide, no shadows, no objects, no doors at sight at the moment, it seems that Hiwatari is using the houses own natural environment against him.
"Hey, it is time isn't? Our report." Dark heard a guard talking.
"Right, I'll check in." A second voice seemed to be getting something out. "Nothing here."
"Well let's check down this hallway now, like we'll find anything." The two guards footsteps came closer and closer.
'They're working in pairs.' Dark quickly turned around and just found an idea that might work.
"So yeah, this guy walks in already drunk into the bar I was in and then... whoa. What the hell is up with this hallways?" The two guards stopped and looked into the hallway that was almost completely black except the windowpanes illuminated by the outside spotlights.
"Uh... you go check it out." One of the guards pushed his partner.
"But... what the hell is this? Aren't we supposed to have all the lights on in the house?" The guard moved away from the shadows.
"Well maybe it's a power problem, so go check it out." The guard pushed his friend into the darkness. A few seconds passed as nothing was heard.
"Hey, you okay?" The guard shouted into the dark.
"Uh, yeah. I found the problem, but can you come help me?" A voice called.
"Okay, but maybe I should get some li-." The moment the second guard stepped into the shadows, a hand lunged out and grabbed him before he can react. A minute later the light slowly returned as a single man dressed in a guard's uniform, screwing back the light bulbs onto their respective places.
"Not one of my quickest plans, but at least they still don't know I'm here." Dark looked around and couldn't see any sign of electronic surveillance. "I guess the inside is only watched by guards. A bit annoying, but easy." Dark smirked as he walked casually with a smashed radio in hand.
The house was a spectacle to behold. Dark felt like he somewhat remembered this style of home furnishing somewhere before.
"Hey!" Dark turned to see another pair of guards. "Where's your partner, and where are you going?" The two guards were all ready to tackle this man if chances are there that he is Dark in disguise.
"Oh sorry, my partner had to find a restroom." Dark said casually.
"Oh? And where are you going?"
"My radio broke," Dark held up the smashed radio from before, "so I was on my way to get a replacement for it, but I got lost." Dark scratched his head like an embarrassed guard.
"Argh, down the hall, take two lefts, then up the stairs. That'll lead you to the rooftop room for the family. The commander is there with some girl." The guards left promptly back to their post.
Dark smiled with great satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Riku sighed as she sat with ten guards in the room and the mysterious man under the hood. "I don't know why you wouldn't let me just keep it safe for you." The man under the cloak tried to reason with Riku.
"No! There is no way I'm letting anyone take it from me." Riku looked out the window bored out of her mind.
The man's hand took off a pair of glasses where the face would have been under the hood. "You're a very strong headed girl. Probably the only person I've met so far who dislikes Dark." Riku shrugged, not caring what this person said even if it is true.
Knock-Knock
Everyone stared at the door. The man under the hood nodded as Riku was moved to the far end of the room. The hooded figure opened the door find a single guard standing in front of him. "What do you need?" The hooded man asked.
"Oh I broke my radio you see and I came to get it replaced." The guard said causally.
The hooded man left the room and closed the door behind him. "Where are the rest of the guards?" No one except the single guard and the hooded man was on the elaborate rooftop.
"Because I came for the ring." Dark threw off the disguise.
"Ah, Phantom Thief Dark. You finally appear, and you look ridiculous in that uniform." Hiwatari now took his cloak off standing impetuous.
"Go home, I can take you down before a minute even passes." Dark tried to make it easier for himself and Hiwatari.
"I believe I love a challenge." Hiwatari pulled out a snow white feather.
Dark smirked. "Wizu, hold him for me."
"What are you-agh!" Hiwatari suddenly fell to the floor. "What is this?" A black thing was holding him flat on the ground.
"Kyu!" The black thing made a noise.
"Dark! You won't get away with it so easily!" The black thing covered Hiwatari's mouth quickly silencing him.
"Now for my grand entrance." Dark walked towards the door but someone already exited out the door. "Ah, the person I needed to meet." Dark smiled seeing Riku at the door.
"Ah, hi Dark-san!" Riku waved with a smile on her face. Wait, a smile?
"You're the older one right?" Dark thought it was a bit odd.
"Just because she was born five minutes before me I have to call her my older sister!!!" Riku huffed and puffed, but suddenly realized her mistake. "I mean, of course I'm the older... one." Riku laughed while sweating.
'She's not the one...' A voice spoke in the back of Dark's mind.
'What? Daisuke? Are you there?' Dark tried to get a hold of Daisuke but couldn't get anything.
'She's not the one...' Daisuke's voice said again.
"It's nice to see you Dark-san." Riku smiled a little too brightly.
"Ah... right. Anyways, I'm here for the ring princess." Dark held out his hand.
"What ring? I don't have a ring." Riku took dark's hand in hers.
"Well let me see if it's here." Dark tugged on the hair and it slipped right off. "I knew it. Risa! What do you think you're doing?!" Risa smiled awkwardly
"That hooded man told me I could see you if I followed what he said." Risa said like a little girl wanting a really nice toy.
Hiwatari tried to yell for Risa's attention but Wizu, the black thing, held him tightly down and quiet.
"Stupid girl." Dark muttered silently to himself.
"Did you say something Dark-san?" Risa asked curiously.
"Nothing." Dark stared at the door where Hiwatari and Risa came out. "Risa, go back to your room." Dark ordered.
"But I finally meet you! I can't leave now." Risa despised the thought of leaving Dark.
"Don't force me." Dark said in a warning tone.
"You can't make me go. I want to be with Dark-san!" Risa said stubbornly.
"Then sleep." Dark held a feather to Risa's face. It glowed for a moment and Riku fell immediately to sleep. Dark caught her and laid her on one of the nearby benches on the rooftop. "Now then, let's find that ring and get out of here." Dark walked towards the door.
Somewhere else in the house. "What the hell is this?" Inspector Saehara shouted. "Thank you for the nice uniforms from Phantom Thief Dark? Aaaaaaah!!!" The inspector and few guards found two of the highly trained agents tied, gagged, and held captive in a closet.
Back to Dark. Dark smiled, as the guards lay on the ground sound asleep like babies. "I like that sleep trick."
Riku glared at Dark with contempt.
"Eh, stop staring at me like I'm some pervert." Dark slowly walked up to her.
"Cause you are a pervert! Stay away from me!" Riku looked around for something to throw.
"I think you know why I am here." Dark stopped a foot in front of her.
"I don't know why you want it, but I'm not giving it to you, lecher!" Riku held her hand where the ring was under her shirt.
"Don't make me pry it from you." Dark said annoyed.
"I'll bite you if you do!" Riku leered.
"Just give it to me!" Dark got hold of the necklace from around the back of Riku's neck.
"Hey! Get away!" Riku did whatever a girl would do to keep a boy away from a girl: punch, slap, scratch, kick, elbow, knee, bite, and whatever more you can think of.
"Ah! Got it!" Dark pulled the thing out.
"Hey! Give it back!" Riku tried to reach for the ring as Dark slid the ring off the necklace and onto his hand.
"Sorry, but I'm taking the ring." Dark was about to leave the door.
"No you're not!" Riku kicked one of his feet off the ground and pushed him hard.
"Ah, what are you doing?" Dark fell head first into the door. The ring flew out of his hand and Riku picked it up off the ground.
'Let's see you try to get it off of my finger.' Riku thought it'd be harder to get it out off of her hand.
"Ouch, ouch. Huh? Wait!" Dark shouted, but too late. Riku already wore the ring on her hand. Of all places, straight onto her left hand ring finger.
"Huh? What's happening?" Riku gasped seeing the ring glow brightly.
"Ah! What's happening?" Dark suddenly felt a burning feeling inside his chest. "It's glowing also." Consequently, the other ring was on Dark's hand and he could feel himself about to change.
"Hurry up! He's in there!" Hiwatari ordered the men to charge into the room.
"I have to get out of here!" Dark burst out of the door scaring the guards momentarily. "Come on Wizu! Let's get out of here!" Dark took wings.
Hiwatari got up from off the ground as the guards stared at him wondering what that black thing was a moment ago. Hiwatari quickly pulled the cloak back on, throwing it around and onto his shoulder with the hood covering his face. He entered the room to see Riku on the ground staring at the ring, which now stopped glowing.
"He didn't take it." Hiwatari got up and turned to his men. "He didn't take it, for once, all of you did a good job." The police force began to cheer for their first victory against Dark. Though they didn't catch him, they stopped him from taking his target, and that was an achievement for them.
"It's safe now." Hiwatari helped Riku up. 'Because Dark can't steal it now.' Hiwatari researched in his old family books and knew what powers that ring had and it was out of Dark's hands to steal now.
2314 Hours – April 2, 2011
Niwa Residence – Can't change back for now.
"This is a disaster." Daisuke, I mean, Dark grumbled.
"But um... Dark, I'm sure you'll get it next time." Towa tried to comfort the legendary thief.
"No, I can't. She put on the ring." Everyone suddenly became silent.
"I guess it's impossible now to get it back." Gramps sipped his tea. "But why are you in Daisuke's body, and have control of him?"
"I don't know. The ring somehow forced me to change back to Daisuke I think. But since Daisuke is still resting. I gained control of his body. Bad thing is... I'm feeling the pain." Dark groaned feeling a bit of the injury.
"Oh... my poor Dai-chan. Young boys and girls have so many problems now a days." Emiko sighed as she played with her son's red hair.
But Daisuke and Dark aren't the only who's worried at this very moment. Riku lies on her bed with the ring on her hand.
Before all the police and news reporters left, Risa was whining how she didn't have enough quality time with Dark. Saehara's father, Inspector Saehara, boasted of a semi-victory since Dark eluded them but kept the ring safe nonetheless.
Speaking of the ring, what happened tonight shocked Riku. The ring gave off a familiar glow. Where did she see that glow? She knows that she saw it somewhere but couldn't remember. She stared at it... she couldn't think what might have happened.
"I can't sleep." Riku got up and opened the door to her balcony. "Niwa-kun." Riku thought about what happened in their small escapade that fateful day. "That was a fun day. Going to the movies, bit of lunch, and walking around town... I even went into an art shop." Riku smiled pleasantly at the memory.
"Wait..." Riku turned her gaze to the ocean. "Niwa-kun... that dream."
Riku suddenly felt a bit of something return to her. "He was falling, then that glow. That's where I saw that glow." Riku remembered his steady gaze to her. Riku nervously played with the ring on her hand. Riku tried to pull, but it wouldn't move.
"I can't get it off." Riku whispered. Riku looked down and saw her name glowing clearly on the ring. "Harada Riku." She read her own name. "It has my name? But...why?"
To Be Continued...
Disclaimer: Life's gonna suck when you grow up, when you grow, when you grow up. This really sucks cause I can't own it, because DN Angel isn't mine! [Goes to the song: Life's gonna suck when you grow up.]
Author left a message that will self-destruct after you're done reading:
Well I'm yet again done with another chapter of this story. Boy I hope I didn't make a crappy ending on this... if people don't like it. I'm going to rewrite half of this thing.
Anyways, Time to recognize few reviewers and sorry I'll only keep it to 4 people. Sorry but some just say continue, continue! And I can't really talk back to you ya'know?
SSGohanStrife: Great minds think alike. The moment I started watching the first episode, I preferred Riku all the way! I finally updated since that last review you were begging me. I hope I didn't fall short of your expectations for this chapter.
Cosmik: Yo! I hope you're really happy since I used your idea about Dark stealing something from Riku's house. Well... technically he didn't steal it did he? Anyways, be happy I used your brilliant Idea with a capitol "I".
Arctic: All I have to say is thank you very much for that last "idea" opinion you gave me on one of your reviews. You gave me a nice idea of what to do in the future chapters so stay tuned to find out. I hope everything is going good so far. I have a feeling I'm messing it up.
To all the other reviewers: Sorry for being so general but I got confused on which reviewer did this and that so I hope you guys don't mind if I do this. Well I would like to thank all of you who gave their thanks and pleads and more other miscellaneous stuff to me. Was that a bit cruel? Anyways, Thank You again for the reviews and I'll try hard to get the next one out. But it will be a while and I'll tell you why.
I'm going to be moving from the island of Guam to California soon and I will be very busy because I need to get settled into that state. So it might be a few weeks before I get the next installment out. And in the meantime I'll be checking for my mistakes and blah blah. Okay enough of my ramblings, good night or good day folks.
7/12/2004 – small, miniscule changes that many people will hate me for... well, I think.
Now hit this button down here and review me... NOW! NOT LATER! ... www. fanfiction. net exclusive!