Okay guys, I'm back off of my self-imposed hiatus. How did y'all like the end of ch9? I suppose I like writing endings like that, to try and impose a sense of foreboding on you. Does it work? I should probably stop with strange pairs of eyes, or silhouettes in alleyways. What do you think? BUT ANYWAY, forward unto chapter 10. But wait, there's more! I'm so, so sorry, but I haven't been writing NEARLY as much as I need to be. School, of course, is to blame. *isn't this redundant, because I just said I'm back off my hiatus?* AND ONE MORE THING- There is going to be different organization of POV switches. Just letting you know. Am I going to let you read the story yet?! Sure. Have at it.

Across the square, in a dark alley, a thin silhouette stood looking at the couple.

Windmill Fountain, 4:00 PM

Satoshi leaned against the brick wall. The sun's rays did not reach him in his little alcove, so nobody saw him. He looked at an elderly couple sitting next to the fountain, leaning on each other. He briefly wondered if he would ever be able to do such a thing. He never had found time for romantic feelings in his busy life as Police Chief. That is, until recently...

A second couple caught his eye. These two were much, much younger- his own age. They sat farther away from the fountain, closer to Satoshi. And who could it be but Niwa Daisuke and Harada Riku? Riku looked pretty distraught, and also very conspicuous. Who carried a wooden pole around? Only the elderly needed walking aid, and the pole was replaced by modern walking sticks or crutches. (Long story short, Daisuke and Riku caught his attention.)

As Satoshi listened in on their conversation, his eyes widened. Risa was trying to kill them? Satoshi couldn't believe it. He knew that the Harada girls, Daisuke, Dark, and Krad were all involved in this huge mess. But Risa trying to kill someone? That couldn't be right. For one thing, Risa probably didn't even know how to use a knife, much less have one. But Riku's emotions told the truth.

During Satoshi and Daisuke's confinement in the heads of their other forms, Daisuke had knocked some sense into Satoshi. Ever since the sealing of Kokuyoku, Satoshi had felt light. He wanted to help people, and not just by capturing Dark. Something had to be done about Risa. He absolutely needed to analyze her behavior. So, he decided to do something he never would have done before he met Daisuke...

Satoshi Hikari was going to go on a date.

Niwa House, around 3:30 PM

White light bathed a face in a dark room. The face was the only visible thing in the room, aside from the moniters it was studying intently. Two people were walking in the moniters. They looked young, not more than fifteen. They held hands as they walked towards a kitchen. As they went, the face tightened, and the eyes in the face narrowed. Of course, it was Emiko watching the moniters. The lights, which were hooked up to a sensor, had turned off long a go from lack of movement. The teenagers were, of course, Daisuke and Riku.

Emiko studied Riku's reactions as the knife Emiko planted rocketed toward the duo. Quick reaction time, speedy removal of the target, and not even in an overly alarming way. She had saved him in the most efficient and comforting manner. Though, Emiko didn't know how Riku was anticipating all these traps. Even Daisuke was having trouble, and he had been doing this since he was young. (Well, youngER.)

But just saving Daisuke would not be enough for Riku. The two of them had reached a level in their relationship where helping each other (even to the extent of saving lives) was normal. Something needed to happen that was beyond their norm.

And the most impressive part of Daisuke and Riku's relationship was how quickly it blossomed after they both confessed. Riku had always felt affectionate towards the awkward Niwa-kun. But she had never acknowledged it until he confessed to her. She had just barely stopped calling him Niwa-kun, finally adressing him by first name. Now, they were saving each others lives and didn't even need to thank the deed. They were that close.

It was a truly perfect match. But with every perfect relationship, an equally difficult obstacle will surely arise.

Windmill Fountain, about 4:00 PM

As Daisuke laid Riku on his lap to let her calm down, he started thinking. There was absolutely no way that Risa would try to kill anybody. Not only that, but Daisuke had no idea where she would have got a knife like that. Most kitchens don't have that sort.

Daisuke thought back to the previous night, when Kosuke found Riku on their doorstep. Something was nagging at his head... Oh, right. Riku had tried to attack him, until Dark intervened. He had performed a seal on Riku, and then she was fine. Something was different about that seal.

Daisuke's freight train of thought was abruptly derailed by a hot spot on the back of his head. Someone was watching them.

He prepared to wake Riku, but turned his head first. Satoshi was walking toward them, eyes still boring into Daisuke's head. Relief washed through Daisuke, and he beckoned Satoshi over.

As Satoshi came around to the front side of the bench, Daisuke raised a hand to wake Riku. Satoshi stopped him, giving Daisuke a small shake of the head. Satoshi crouched by Daisuke, whispering in hiis ear.

"Tell your friend, the thief, I need an appointment with him. I will meet him at the wharf tonight at midnight. The two of you need to come as well. It's urgent."

"What's so important that you need Dark to help?" Daisuke was very interested in this turn of events.

"I can't tell you everything now, but it involves Miss Harada."

As Satoshi turned and walked away, Riku stirred on Daisuke's lap. She looked after him as he left, with his usual air of calmness.

(HERE'S A MAJOR NOTE! Let's presume we were following the Manga more than the Anime. In which case, I would surely throw in Insomnia, and how Dark and Satoshi are working together much more than usual. However, we are NOT following the Manga as much as the Anime, and thus, Insomnia never happened. Although... maybe it did happen BEFORE Kokuyoku was sealed, sometime between returning from the school vacation and the giant earthquake. So, I'm gonna write it like that. Long note, I know, but I had to jot it down.)

It seemed to Daisuke that the only contact he had with Satoshi came in small snippets. One of the few (if only) prolonged conversations they ever had was in Argentine's Tower, and that topic was... depressing, to say the least. And Dai noticed something else. Satoshi and Dark had acknowledged, and even worked with each other on multiple occasions. Maybe they were learning to accept each other?

No. That couldn't be possible. If it wasn't for... well, whatever it was, Satoshi would still be trying to catch Dark. Daisuke thought about the Police Chief's father... he had met him once. He seemed kind enough, but also seemed very hard on Satoshi. Perhaps his father was driving him to catch Dark, and now that Hiwatari was gone, Satoshi felt free?

And then... every time Dai had seen them together, there was a major crisis, mostly involving... himself. Daisuke himself could be the binding force.

Daisuke made up his mind. He was going to the dock that night, not only for Risa, but for Satoshi. Now, to tell Riku...

Windmill Fountain, 4:00

Riku's short nap was great. Most people wouldn't think that park benches were comfortable, but Daisuke's lap turned out great.

Daisuke was so good to her. He was always there when she needed comfort. He would rub her shoulders, which were almost always sore after lacrosse. Now, his arm was around her, holding her close to him. And he smelled nice... She cringed to think what would happen if Daisuke could read her thoughts. As it was, only she was starting to develop that ability, to some extent. It was more of a mood thing for her.

Her eyes were still closed as she woke. The sound of the fountain behind them was soothing. Breathing deeply, she notified Daisuke that she was awake by stretching. His comforting arm came up from her back, and she sat up. She rubbed her eyes to clear the residual tears, moistening the skin around her eyes and turning it red. Daisuke turned to look into her face, but she turned away so he wouldn't see. She could tell he was curious.

"It's okay, Riku. I understand," Dai said gently.

She thought of Risa again. It was a bright day, but it was late in the afternoon. Risa loved these kind of days, to go out and have picnics in the park, and feed the ducks on the creek... The ducks would be out now, and they would be hungry.

"Daisuke!" Riku said suddenly, turning to face him. "Let's go feed ducks!"

He looked startled, and felt like it too. She could feel it. But he warmed to the idea, nodding enthusiastically.

"Sure! I'll call Wiz."

"Can you still do that?"

"Well, I think so..." He concentrated hard for a moment.

A moment later, they heard a distant "Kyuu!", and Wiz, the adorable familiar of the Niwa family, hopped around a corner into the square. He was dragging half of a loaf of bread in his mouth. Upon seeing Friend Riku, he zoomed into her outstretched arms.

Emiko was preparing an early supper that day. She was planning to make a casserole, with chicken, brocolli, and some home-made croutons. She toasted bread, then broke it into bits to sprinkle on the casserole. Towa was next to her, slicing broccoli to put in the dish. As Emiko was reaching for the remaining half-loaf of bread, a white blur whished in front of her face, whisking the bread away and then twisted away through a window. Towa freaked out, throwing her hands in the air in fright, releasing the knife as well.

"Probably just Wiz," Emiko said to Towa. "Let's finish, shall we?"

"Um..." Towa blushed, and rolled her eyes upward. Emiko followed her gaze, and promptly burst out giggling.

A butcher knife was stuck hilt-deep into the ceiling.

Riku cuddled with Wiz as they walked toward the park a few blocks away. Daisuke held the bread bag in one hand, and Riku's wooden pole in the other. The sun was nearing the horizon, but they still had some time to feed the ducks. The park had electric lighting, and there were special glass panes on poles around the park to catch sunlight for as long as possible.

After about twenty minutes of walking through the crowded city, they arrived at the park. Riku had no idea that Wiz would attract so much attention... *little kids love Wiz!* Wiz was very patient with the children, even allowing them to pat his head. But he wouldn't let anybody but Riku hold him, not even Daisuke. He seemed very relieved when they got to the park. Very few people were there.

Daisuke looked around the green land to find the creek. Riku found it first, tugging on Daisuke's sleeve and pointing off to their left. Wiz saw Riku's pointing finger, and bounced off in the direction of the water.

"Is he going to be alright?" Riku asked, a little worried.

"He'll be fine. There's a wall, so he probably won't fall in."

"Okay, but I still think we should hurry."

"Riku, he'll be okay..."

Nonetheless, Riku hurried after Wiz. He had left a trail of bent grass, and in the distance, a darker green line had formed in his wake.

It turned out there wasn't a wall on the bank. A giant oak tree sat next in a bend in the creek, so water was on three of five sides of the trunk. A few old acorns were on the ground, close to the trunk of the tree. Wiz could be seen sitting on a boulder, making up a large chunk of the close side of the bank. He was staring down into the water, obviously seeing something fascinating.

Okay guys, another brief break. Wow... caffeine's not even keeping me up. oh well. I'm out for now... expect another update within a day or two.

Oh. LOTS OF THANKS to giuseppeconigliaro96 for those drawings... I LOVE THEM! I need to find a way to show you all. (with his(?) permission, of course.)

AND GUESS WHAT? If you google his username, my story is one of the first things that show up! HOW COOL IS THAT?!