A/N: Well, here's what you've all been waiting for, and before you yell at me for being late, I actually have a legitimate reason for not posting. I've been in Japan these past 2 months with no internet. I just got an internet connection in the apartment a couple nights ago, but it's spotty, and I often lose it in the middle of things. At least there is a chapter now.

I regrouped things again starting from chapter four. Read it again if you like, but it really isn't any different from before.

Yes, I'm afraid I felt the need to revamp... again. I'm sorry. I promise I'll be more steady in the future. Um, the only new chapter is the last one, everything else is just made to be longer chapters. I couldn't stand doing such short chapters any more. I'm sorry. You can be angry if you want, but this is how it is.

A Day in the Life is actually almost finished. I just need to write one part of the next chapter to make it sound not completely retarded and it'll be ready for regular posting.

By the way, I hate rain now. I really wish it would just stop.


Satoshi strained to maintain awareness as he floated along in darkness. He couldn't tell what Krad was doing anymore, and it frightened him, but he just couldn't summon the energy to open his eyes. Then, there were arms around him, unfamiliar and yet familiar. A voice echoed through his mind, familiar and yet he had never heard it before.

"Satoshi."

He knew who it was. There was no one else it could be, but why would she be here?

"Satoshi, open your eyes."

He wanted to tell her he was trying, but he couldn't make a sound.

"Satoshi."

The darkness around him warmed up and Satoshi realized for the first time just how cold it had been before. Just how long did one have to be used to the ice to become completely unaware of how cold they really were?

"Wake up, Satoshi."

He managed to crack open an eye and the darkness was dispelled. But unlike all the times before, he didn't see what Krad saw. No, instead he was in a grassy field, and standing out there with him was a fragile woman with long blond hair and piercing blue eyes that were somehow warm.

"That's my boy." She smiled at him and Satoshi found that even the hair blown in her face from the wind could not obscure it from him.

"Mother?" It was all too surreal, meeting her like this. Satoshi couldn't move from his spot, no matter how much he wanted to run. Maybe it was his indecision. He didn't know whether to run towards her or far, far away.

"Take my hand." She reached out to him, looking for all the world like the gentle woman from his memories and Satoshi could find no flaw in it. That in and of itself worried him. "Hurry."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could still hear the sounds of the battle raging outside and it only added to the vibe that none of this was real. How could he be in such a beautiful, peaceful place when his body was raging a war he wanted no part in?

She continued to gaze at him calmly, patiently, and Satoshi swallowed all his apprehension and hesitation and laid his hand in hers.


Dark felt the fingers tighten around his throat as if from far away. Daisuke was already out cold in the back of their mind from when he had made a last ditch-attempt at launching any sort of attack at Krad. He had known from the beginning that neither of them had enough energy left to fight back, but he still had to try. Daisuke had to at least know that he had tried.

Now, all that was left was the fingernails ripping into his neck, the sharp canines, and the gleeful eyes of the only being in this world that would take so much pleasure in taking his life away.

"Farewell, Mousey."

Dark apologized to Daisuke over their mental link even though he knew he couldn't hear him as he watched his vision go blurry and could only believe he imagined it as the painting in Krad's other hand sparked furiously and Krad screamed before he fell to darkness.


Rio smiled as Satoshi fell forward into her arms and held him close like she never had been able to before. Here it was safe, here it would be ok. She wondered if Satoshi could feel the embrace in his sleep and found herself hoping he could. She ran long fingernails through his hair, admiring its softness. Everything about her son was so amazing and perfect. She couldn't be more proud.

"Thank you."


Daisuke coughed and sputtered as he fell to the floor on his hands and knees. Air fought to enter his lungs and he wondered just why his body was so desperate for air. Nothing made sense anymore. The last thing he could remember is fighting Krad and Dark trying to use the last of his energy to save the two of them. Dark!

There was no response from the back of his mind, but he was able to feel the steady pulse of Dark in the back of his mind and it reassured him more than he thought it should. They were both alive. They would both be ok.

Daisuke looked up for the first time and found Satoshi laying on the ground not a foot away from him. "Hiwatari-kun!" He reached over to him, finding that even the slightest movement he made sent waves of pain throughout his entire body. Holding back a yelp, he shook Satoshi's shoulder but elicited no response. "Hiwatari-kun? Hiwatari-kun!"

Satoshi didn't wake up and Daisuke forced himself to calm down. He was breathing, so he was alive. It could always be worse. Daisuke brought up every last string of optimism he had left if only to make himself relax a little more. He was alive, and so were Satoshi and Dark. No one seemed to be severely injured. Even the fact that it was Satoshi laying there and not Krad was a reassurance in and of itself.

Flinching at every movement, Daisuke maneuvered Satoshi on his back. They had to get out of there before the police decided to come up or there really would be trouble. It was then Daisuke noticed the painting–or what was left of it. Instead of a beautiful image of Hikari Rio, there was only a blank canvas and Daisuke felt himself saddened by it without knowing why.

Still, at least this time was different. All the paintings his mother sealed either grew dim or turned completely black. This was something different and somehow less ominous. He gave the painting a wish for happiness from within his mind then left it there for the police to find. There was no way he could get all of them out.


Hiwatari Kei felt no rush as he strolled through the large display room. The police busied themselves in collecting information and cleaning up the remains of the fight. It seemed they were particularly savage tonight, he thought with a grin, judging by the blood. He had already reported that he had his son taken home for some rest, as Satoshi had either snuck out, or had not left of his own power. Since when had he raised such a weak boy?

No matter, he thought as he stared down at the cold husk of a painting at his feet. Satoshi had done his job beautifully.


To Daisuke, the journey to Satoshi's house lasted an eternity. Every step sent pangs through his body as he took back-roads to avoid being spotted by anyone. Someone might call an ambulance or the police, and they would have questions. Daisuke wasn't sure he'd be able to answer the kinds of questions they'd ask.

Periodically, he would stop so that the pounding of his blood in his ears would quiet enough that he could assure himself that Satoshi was still breathing behind him. His clothes were wet and dripping in his sweat and their collective blood. He couldn't remember the battles ever being so vicious before, and it worried him. How much worse would it get? Would Dark and Krad eventually kill one another? If they did, would he and Satoshi also die? What would happen to the rest of the art?

His worries kept his mind occupied until he finally made it to Satoshi's apartment. Exhausted, he picked the locks just as he had before, and laid Satoshi as gently as he could manage on the bed. He wanted to collapse right then and there, but rest had to wait a little longer.

He bandaged the both of them up as best as he could without being invasive and set a glass of water and a dose of painkillers on Satoshi's bedside table in case he should wake up and Daisuke wasn't there for him, then made his way over to the living room. There was still one more thing to take care of.

The phone didn't even ring once.

"Daisuke! Is that you, Honey? Are you alright? Where are you? You aren't injured, are you? Is Dark–?"

"Mom, I'm alright." He gripped the phone tightly, somehow a little glad she was worried about him. It was proof enough that she cared. "Hiwatari-kun isn't doing well, so I'm going to be at his house until he wakes up."

"Daisuke."

"I know, Mom, but I'm really worried about him." He didn't want to hear it right now, and she knew he didn't. Now was not the time. "It was really bad this time."

He could almost see her pensive face as she listened to him and considered it. "Alright. Just be careful, ok, Honey? I don't want to see you hurt."

"I know, Mom."

There was a silence for a moment. "What happened to the painting?"

Daisuke smiled a little. He had actually hoped she would bring it up. "It was really weird. The woman in the painting did something and Dark didn't see Hiwatari-kun at first. I don't really know what happened, but when I left, the painting was completely white. I couldn't carry it with me, so I left it in the museum."

"White?"

"Yeah. Is that bad?" The first rays of the sun poked in through the windows and Daisuke could hardly believe it was so late.

"No, it's not bad. Thank you for telling me, Honey. I want you to call if anything happens, ok? Anything at all."

"Ok."

"I love you."

"Love you, too, Mom. Bye."

"Bye."

Daisuke rested the phone in its cradle and made his way back to Satoshi's room. Nothing had changed, and Daisuke felt his concern rise again as he settled down next to the bed.


Emiko put the phone down, feeling very tired, and turned to the rest of her family. How could she put this? "Daisuke's alright. He's worried about Hikari, so he's staying there." Kosuke nodded, not interrupting. "The painting turned white."

Even Daiki was startled and Kosuke almost dropped his coffee mug in shock. "So he really did it?"

"Yes." Emiko nodded, feeling sad for him. Even though he was a Hikari, she didn't wish that sort of thing on him. She had a feeling Satoshi wouldn't be alright for a while. "He did."


When Satoshi woke up, there was some pain, but not nearly to the degree he had been expecting before. He was also at home, in his own bed–something that didn't happen very often after thefts, especially those he didn't actually remember coming home from–and bandaged. They were wrapped a little clumsily, and were definitely not done by his own hands. He was also not wearing the shirt he had worn the night before, but instead one of his long shirts he rarely wore at all. There was a glass of water waiting for him and a pair of small pills he recognized as one of the pain medications he had in his medicine cabinet.

And there was a shock of red hair just barely in his field of vision by his bed.

Satoshi shook his head. Daisuke's kindness would be the death of him someday, especially if he continued to direct it at him. He poked around his head quietly and determined that Krad would not be waking for a long time and decided it would be safe for now. Carefully, he got out of bed, grabbed a new pair of glasses, and made his way to the kitchen without waking the sleeping Niwa to get himself something to eat. Daisuke would wake up when he was well and rested. Until then, Satoshi figured it would be ok to let him rest, if only to repay him for taking care of him the night before.

As his thoughts moved that direction, he began to think about exactly what had happened. Dark had been strange from the very beginning, Krad had a much more difficult time than usual breaking out, and once he had finally taken over, Satoshi didn't know what happened. All he could remember was meeting his mother or having a dream about meeting her, and taking her hand, then a shock and nothing.

When Niwa woke up, there would be a lot of questions indeed, but for now, they would both rest.

Satoshi padded back to his bed, slice of bread in hand, and reclined back in the sheets, staring at the slumbering head of Niwa for what felt like way too long, then sighed at himself. There was no way Niwa would be feeling good if he woke up in that position. He got out of bed again and as gently as he could, transferred Niwa to the bed.

Satoshi himself changed into actual sleepwear and continued his slumber on the couch in the living room.


Daisuke rolled over to get more comfortable and found that to be a very bad idea when his right arm flared up in pain. It was enough to wake the both of them up. How'd I get in bed?

Dunno. What are we doing at Creepy's?

Daisuke rubbed at an eyes, moving his arm as little as possible. When you transformed back to me, he was unconscious and hurt pretty bad. I was just too tired to go home after that.

Liar. Daisuke grinned. Dark was well enough to be playful. You were worried.

Daisuke shrugged. Are you ok, Dark? You fought pretty hard last night.

Yeah, I'm just a little tired.

What happened after I passed out?

Not much. Krad just about choked me to death, and right before I blacked out, I think the painting flickered and Krad screamed.

Daisuke furrowed his eyebrows, picking up the painkillers he noticed Satoshi either didn't touch or replaced for him to use, and downed them along with most of the water. But didn't you seal it?

No, Creepy interrupted it. I only got about halfway.

But it was white when I left. Dark didn't reply immediately and Daisuke wondered exactly what there was to think about. If both his mom and Dark were worried about that, then it had to be important. Dark? What is it? Is white bad?

Well, it's not bad, Dai. The painting's never going to be active again.

So it's sealed?

No, it's not.

Then what is it?

Dark seemed to hesitate in the back of his mind and it made Daisuke worry a little. Dark sensed it, and decided it would just be easier to tell him. It's dead, Dai.

Daisuke swallowed hard. Dead? Did we kill it?

I'm pretty sure we didn't Dai. Either Satoshi or Krad did, for whatever reason.

Daisuke knew exactly what Dark meant. There was no reason for Krad to kill it. It had been in his personal collection, protected and taken care of. Krad would have been the last one to ever kill that painting. So Satoshi killed it? He felt Dark nod in the back of his mind. But wasn't that painting actually possessed by that person? And she was one of Satoshi's ancestors, right? Something occurred to him very suddenly. Hers had been the one right before Satoshi's. Dark felt the realization and dreaded Daisuke's reaction. She was his mom, wasn't she?

Dai, I don't want you confronting Creepy about this.

But why? I mean–how could he? He didn't kill any of the others–just the ones he made, right? Why would he kill the one of his mom?

Think about it, Dai. For all you know, she could have been helping Krad and Creepy's taking it very hard. He might not even realize he did it. I'm sure he didn't know his mother's soul was actually in there.

Daisuke ran an uneasy hand through his hair and glanced at the clock, not really comprehending it, but finding it to be something to stare at for the meanwhile. Then, his mind kicked in. "Crap! I'm late for school!" He practically leapt out of bed, only to find is legs could not yet hold his weight and collapse on the floor.

"I really don't think either of us should go to school today, Niwa."

Daisuke turned his head to see Satoshi standing in the doorway. Frazzled, dragging a blanket, and wearing fresh bandages, but Satoshi nonetheless. "Hiwatari-kun, you're ok!"

"Well enough to be up, anyway," he shrugged as he made his way over to Daisuke. "You on the other hand, look like you'll need help getting back into bed."

Daisuke grinned sheepishly as he pushed himself up to a sitting position. "I'll be ok. What about you?" Satoshi blinked from his kneeling position. "Dark and Krad were both pretty rough last night. I was really worried for a while."

"I woke up feeling better than I usually do, actually. I was really surprised." He grabbed Daisuke's arm and helped him up as easily as he could, ignoring the redhead's hiss of pain. "Your mother does know you're here, right?"

Daisuke chuckled at that, biting down another hiss as Satoshi helped him to the bed. "Yeah. I called her last night. She was really worried."

Satoshi nodded as he sat on the edge of the bed, wondering if there was anything else he could chat about before getting to the point, and found nothing. "Niwa, I want you to tell me everything that happened after Krad took over."

Daisuke started and Satoshi had to wonder what was to be surprised about. "Everything? But, don't you–?"

"Usually, I can see everything Krad does, but this time was different." Daisuke gave him a look that told him he wanted to know how different and Satoshi chose not to answer that look. "At least tell me what you know so I can start thinking about what to put in the police report."

"Ok, um–" Daisuke searched his mind, not knowing how detailed he had to be. "Dark and Krad fought. Krad was really angry and Dark was having a hard time. Dark ended up using the last of our energy, and I guess–"

"He used it all?"

Daisuke looked back from his thinking spot on the ceiling to see an angry-looking Satoshi. He swallowed hard. "Yeah, but I told him it was ok since he was trying to save both of us, and there wasn't any other choice and–"

Satoshi pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing his anger to retreat. When Krad wasn't awake, he always got a false sense of freedom that he could feel whatever he wanted, even though he knew it wasn't real. It was a dangerous path of thinking. Either way, he could yell at Dark later for being so reckless. It wasn't Niwa's fault. "Ok, what happened after that?"

"Um, Dark said Krad was strangling him and the painting… sparked? Yeah, he said it sparked and Krad screamed. He transformed back into me, and you were unconscious, and you weren't looking too good, so I took you home."

"And the painting?" Daisuke gulped, looking nervous, and Satoshi folded his hands and rested his chin on them, knowing he looked intimidating even if he didn't. "Niwa, what happened to the painting? I don't care if your family has it, I just need to know."

Daisuke scratched the back of his head, eyes never straying from the upper part of Satoshi's room. "Um, well… I left it there, because it didn't look like it was going to do any harm."

"Niwa." Daisuke flinched, making the mistake of looking in Satoshi's general direction. He got captured by his unwavering eyes and knew he was in for it. "What happened to the painting?"

Satoshi watched as Daisuke's face fell, and he knew he wouldn't like whatever it was he had to tell him. Whatever it was that happened to it wasn't pleasant and Dark was probably advising him on some way to get around telling him. It would fail, because Satoshi was persistent and Daisuke wasn't well enough to transform back into Dark. It would be better if Niwa would tell him outright and get it out of the way than to stall like this forever. "It turned white."

Satoshi blinked, taken aback. "White?"

"Yeah, the whole thing was white when I left."

Satoshi stood quietly, stretching to understand exactly what had happened and what he really felt about it. For once, the answer escaped him, and he really didn't like it. He could sense Niwa's uneasiness behind him, and decided it was no longer alright for Daisuke to stay here. "I'm calling your mother and asking her to take you home."

"What?" Satoshi heard Daisuke's weight lift from the bed and felt the hand grab at his sleeve. He really wished Daisuke wouldn't get so touchy when he was upset. "Why?"

"You shouldn't be here, Niwa." Satoshi separated himself from Niwa's grip easily. He didn't look at him. He couldn't look at him. "Besides, I'm sure–"

"Hiwatari-kun–"

"–your family would be able to take much better care of you."

"Hiwatari-kun!" This time the hand grabbed his elbow and pulled him to turn half-way, and Satoshi's startled eyes just barely missed eye contact. He could hear Daisuke struggling to come up some excuse, any excuse not to leave, and he forced himself not to wonder why he wanted to stay so badly. Satoshi didn't want to play this game.

"Niwa, this is my apartment; I could very well have you evicted. Now should I have your mother come pick you up, or would you rather have me call security and have you walk home in your condition?" Niwa let go. That was all he needed, and Satoshi brisked out of the room. He didn't like having to be so harsh towards Daisuke, but the stubbornness had to be countered with something.

Steadying himself, he hit the redial button and waited the half-second it took for someone to answer the phone. "Daisuke?" Female, not the Towa no Shirube. Niwa Emiko. "Are you ok, Sweetie? Do you need anything? Has Dark waken up yet? Are you hungry"

"Niwa-san, this is Hiwa–Hikari Satoshi speaking." He frowned at himself for using that name, but he needed to get a point across. It worked.

"Hikari." The tone of voice was very different, not that he had expected any different from her. "Where's Daisuke?"

"He's recovering. I would like very much for you to come take him home where he can rest properly." There was a long silence on the other end. "I can also arrange a ride for him if it is required, but it really would be much better for him to be cared for by his family at this time."

"We will head over immediately."

"I assume you will not be requiring directions."

"No, we won't. I can sense where you are." Satoshi frowned. She didn't need to state it openly. "Both of you." The line went dead and Satoshi let himself relax just a little, trying not to think about the fact the he may have the entire Niwa family in his apartment within the hour. They wouldn't be so bold and discourteous as to rob him when he was injured, especially after doing them the favor of not killing–much less arresting–their only son over the past year.

At the very least, Daisuke wouldn't stand for it, and somehow he knew that alone was enough to hold the entire family at bay.


Satoshi successfully managed to avoid Daisuke for the entirety of the ten minutes it took for his family to arrive with a lot less ceremony than he thought it would have to take. Actually, the only thing that really served as fanfare was his door buzzer going off, the clicking of his locks unlocking, and the short creak the door made as it swung open to reveal a distinctly unhappy Niwa Matriarch leading the other two, significantly less hostile members. "Hikari."

"Niwa-san," Satoshi greeted back with as much politeness as he could muster. At least he was feeling friendly enough to leave the title on. "Please, come in. Make yourselves at home." Emiko didn't take a second to consider the offer before she strode in. Daiki followed without a word in much less of a hurry, but Kosuke seemed to linger a little, just long enough that the impression that he was in no rush got across.

Actually, he seemed to not be in a hurry at all. "Good afternoon, Satoshi-kun."

Satoshi didn't have to turn to feel Emiko's glare. Kosuke really was going to get himself killed one of these days, no matter how much the gesture was appreciated. He could hear Emiko heading towards the hall, and he knew where she was going. "Niwa-kun is in the bedroom," he only said it to add a hint of normalcy to his life. Maybe he could pretend that there was no inherent strangeness to each and every person currently in his house.

Then he heard the scream and his pretend game went to pieces all over again. As much as listening to Niwa Emiko fuss endlessly over her son appealed to him at the moment, he'd rather get them all out of his house so he could finally get some peace and quiet.

"Are you alright?"

Satoshi was able to stop himself from asserting to Daisuke for the final time that he was just fine when he realized it wasn't Daisuke who asked at all. "I'm fine, Niwa-san."

"Are you sure?" Satoshi didn't have to remind himself to be polite as much with Kosuke as he did with the others, but today the man was pushing it. Maybe it was because he actually looked concerned. "You seem to be pretty hurt."

Satoshi regarded him for a moment, forgetting to watch the eldest Niwa out of the corner of his eye and listen just hard enough to be sure Emiko wasn't going where she didn't belong, and just saw Niwa Kosuke. Now he had an understanding of where Daisuke got his personality from. "I've been hurt worse than this, Niwa-san, however I believe this is the first time your son has received injuries to this degree. You should focus your care on him."

Kosuke didn't smile. "I wasn't talking about your wounds–"

"Kosuke-san." Satoshi and Kosuke both turned their heads to see Emiko emerging from the hallway, Daisuke looking very indignant on her back. "Let's go." She shifted her attention to Satoshi, not with all the menace and warning as she had before. "Hikari."

"Niwa-san."

Kosuke shook his head as he stood. Would nothing ever change? He let Daiki leave ahead of him, following Emiko out the door, just so he had the chance not to get scolded any more than he already was going to be. "Have a nice day, Satoshi-kun."

Satoshi waited until he thought there was the slightest chance Emiko wouldn't hear him, and he had a feeling Kosuke knew it. "Good afternoon, Niwa-san." Kosuke turned with a wave to follow the rest of his family out, and Satoshi was finally allowed to shut the door.


Emiko felt her son's slow, steady breaths on her back as he slept. He was exhausted and she knew it, and the only one she had to blame was the Hikari her son had taken care of the night before. Who knew how long she'd have to keep him from school until his injuries healed to a reasonable extent? And from what she could tell so far, last night had been very close.

Something strange had happened. The last she felt of the battle was Dark fading away behind Krad's strong presence, then the strange magic, and then nothing. It was as if whatever the last thing was, it had taken everything away. Now, she could feel both Daisuke and Dark sleeping as peacefully as they could on her back, and yet she couldn't remain angry with Satoshi.

She didn't know why, and it frustrated her.

"Did you feel anything, Dad?"

Daiki nodded. "The White Wings is weakened, and Hikari's magic is the same as always."

Emiko kept looking forward, continuing in hushed tones so her husband wouldn't hear. She didn't need him worrying. "And the art?"

"He didn't have any."

"I see." She was a little disappointed at this. Had it all been moved? Where was he storing it? How had he been keeping them from sensing it? Why did everything have to change so suddenly?

She had never felt as many active pieces of art at one time as she had that day, and the feeling had filled her with dread. There were works of art the Hikari had that were still alive, dangerous, and unknown to anyone else. They had been in Satoshi's house and that was a terrible thought in and of itself. However, when she considered that the art being available to Satoshi meant that it was all available to Krad, she felt a chill go down her spine.

Things were coming to a head, and her son would have to be the one to end it all.

And all she could do is support him from the side and pray that he would only come back alive.

"Come on, Dad. Let's get Daisuke home."

Daiki sent her a smile, and she appreciated it, and all the while, Kosuke followed quietly behind.


A/N: And that's all for now. Stupid rain is storming again, so I have to start unplugging things. Grr.