Chapter 10: Some Serious Sole Searching!

Hi guys! Dawns here again! Thanks so much for the reviews! I hope you guys like this chapter!! This chapter is dedicated to my muse! Because without her I wouldn't have been able to finish any of the previous chapters!!

Disclaimer: I don't own DNA if I did I would be Krad's love interest.

Dark stared in amazement at the blond in front of him. 'I can't believe he actually managed to change…' Dark thought.

"Which one is he Dark?" Daisuke asked.

"Not sure I'll ask." Dark answered, "So which one are you? My psychotic other half or Creepy Boy?" he asked returning his attention to the mystified blond.

Said blond looked down at his hands like he'd never seen them before, "Satoshi, I think." He said still shaken from the transformation and looked up at Dark..

"Well your eyes are blue." Dark smirked.

"What's so funny?" Satoshi asked glaring at the thief.

"You," Dark chuckled, "It's like watching a baby discover he can walk."

Satoshi continued to glare and took a tentative step forward. The large white wings combined with the fact that Krad's form was taller and more slender than Satoshi's made it difficult for him to balance properly and he ended up stumbling and almost falling over.

Dark had to put a hand over his mouth to contain the laughter that was threatening to burst out of him.

"Poor Satoshi! He must be really off balance with those wings!" Daisuke said.

Trying to regain his lost balance Satoshi held out his arms to either side of him and decided to take another step. When he was successful he put his arms down and tried again. He took 3 successful steps before tripping over the tip of one of his wings. "Ahh!" he yelped and fell flat on his face.

Dark busted out laughing at Satoshi as the boy picked himself up off the ground and said tartly, "How does Krad manage to do anything with these blasted wings!"

"You know Satoshi the wings are suppose to help you balance not make you fall." Dark pointed out.

Satoshi just glared at the thief.

"It's amazing how bad you are at this." Dark said.

"Dark I'm not sure it's a good idea to make fun of him..." Daisuke warned Dark.

Ignoring his host Dark continued, "I bet you can't even make an energy ball." He smirked at Satoshi.

Unbeknownst to Dark Satoshi had been trying to do just that. He succeeded just as Dark finished his sentence, "Want to bet on that?" he asked and threw the orb at the laughing thief.

Dark was caught off guard and managed to dodge the ball just barely.

Now it was Daisuke's turn to laugh, "What happened to your amazing phantom thief reflexes?" he asked Dark.

"Daisuke!" Dark said surprised at his tamers remark.

"Sorry Dark I couldn't help it." Daisuke chuckled, "Would it be bad to say that some of you and Krad's personalities are rubbing off on me?"

"Very." Dark muttered.

Satoshi shot off another ball of energy at Dark just for fun.

Dark dodged the orb and looked back at the pillar he had been standing in front of, it had a large indent in it, "Man you're a better shot than Krad!" he said turning back to Satoshi.

"Good, let's see what else I'm better at than him." Satoshi said smirking.

Yumi chuckled as she watched from the camera room, Satoshi was shooting off volleys of lightning, energy orbs, and explosive feathers at Dark who was dodging every one, "I think he's having fun." Yumi said out loud to Shadow.

"Defiantly, but I'm not sure how much longer it will last." Shadow replied.

"We better get going then." Yumi said standing up.

Dark was panting, "Enough Satoshi! Are you trying to kill Krad?" he asked.

Satoshi froze as realization hit him full force, he had completely forgotten that Krad would be affected by all the magic he had used. He turned inward searching for his curse, "Krad." He called out and his voice echoed back at him unanswered. He franticly searched for any sign of his other half. He finally found him at the very back of their mind unconscious and relatively unscathed.

"What have I done?" Satoshi asked out loud and sunk to his knees.

Dark realized his mistake and said gently, "I'm sorry Satoshi, I didn't mean to make you worry, it would have taken a lot more than that to actually hurt him." A hand landed on Dark's shoulder.

"I'll take it from here Dark, Satoshi and Krad will be staying with us tonight." Dark looked up at Shadow surprised.

"But," he started to say and Shadow stopped him.

"No ifs, ands, or buts Dark." She said sternly.

"Come on Dark if Shadow says we need to leave then we should, we don't want to get in their business." Daisuke said.

"Fine." Dark said to both of them and left.

Shadow knelt down next to Satoshi and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, "its ok Satoshi." She said hoping to comfort him.

Satoshi shrugged her arm off and looked at her, "No its not." He said, "I'm no different than him, I used magic carelessly without even sparing a thought for those it would hurt."

"Its easy to forget there's another person who is affected by your actions." Shadow told him, "Even Dark and I forget sometimes."

"I never should have even tried to use magic." Satoshi shook his head.

"Satoshi stop blaming yourself. Yes you made a mistake and yes you may have to face the consequences for it but there's nothing you can do about it now." Shadow said.

"But what will Krad think?" Satoshi asked.

"Personally I think Krad will have other things on his mind than worrying about what you did" Shadow said.

"What do you mean?" Satoshi asked now confused.

"You'll find out soon enough." Shadow smiled happy she had finally distracted him from his pity party, "Now I have something I want to show you." She said and pulled Satoshi up.

"What are you…?" Satoshi asked as Shadow pulled him towards the window.

"Don't worry you'll be fine." Shadow said as she positioned him in front of it.

"I don't think this is such a good idea Shadow." Satoshi said looking at the long drop down.

"Just, let instinct take over." Shadow said and pushed Satoshi out the window.

"Ahh!!!!" Satoshi yelled as he fell. He floundered in the air for a second and finally remembered he had wings and that he needed to flap them. He opened them up with a snap and suddenly was gliding, "Well that's not exactly what I was planning on doing but…" he said and experimentally flapped them when he started to hover he flew up then back down and finally he just hovered in the air.

"Wow! That was the fastest I've ever seen someone learn!" Shadow said coming down next to him.

"You were just going to let me fall!" Satoshi said and angrily turned to her.

"Well how else were you suppose to learn? Those don't come with training wheels." Shadow said.

"You…Ok I guess your right but you could have at least warned me." Satoshi said still not ready to just forgiver her, she just pushed him out a window, wings or no wings he was not going to let her sweet talk, or smart talk or any other type of talk her way out of that.

"But then you never would have learned to fly." Shadow said.

"I would have jumped." Satoshi said.

"No you wouldn't have."

"Yes I would."

"No you wouldn't."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Come on Satoshi admit it, you were getting queasy just looking down." Shadow said.

Satoshi glared at Shadow, "What were you going to show me?" he asked changing the subject.

"Follow me." Shadow said letting the argument drop and started flying up and slightly to the left.

Satoshi followed her for a while and she finally landed on a windmill, "Look down." Shadow told Satoshi as he landed on a windmill next to hers.

He looked down and gasped, the view was better than it would have been from the cliffs. The entire city was lit up with all the different dots of light it looked like a giant connect the dot board.

"Wow, I wonder what it would be like to paint this." He said then turned to Shadow, "What is it with you and Yumi? You both know the best spots to view the city."

"It's just a thing we do, Yumi loves painting in quiet areas and I love beautiful views so we both find some really great spots for both." Shadow shrugged.

They stayed there for a while and then headed back to Yumi's house. When they got there Shadow led him to the guest room.

Satoshi stood there confused for a minute, he was thinking about changing back into Krad but he wasn't sure how it would turn out, 'I don't want to hurt him again…' he thought.

"Don't worry Satoshi changing back is easier than the other way around." Shadow said picking up on his confusion, "You just relax back into him." She smiled.

"I know that." Satoshi said a little angry he was that easy to read. He turned inward and changed back into Krad just as Shadow changed back into Yumi.

She stared into golden eyes as they blinked slightly confused. Suddenly Krad's legs seemed to give out from underneath him and he fell forward.

Yumi caught him before he hit the ground, he laid his head on her left shoulder and she wrapped her arms around his waist for support and sat down with him so he wouldn't have to stand.

"Krad!" she exclaimed worriedly.

His hand moved up and grabbed her arm as he buried his head deeper in her shoulder.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

Krad shook his head in a no.

"Are you tired." She asked.

He shook his head no again.

"Come on Krad, just tell me what's wrong so I can help." She said.

"It's nothing you can help with just let me rest for a while ok?" he replied.

Yumi sighed but she didn't bother him about it anymore. She gently moved her hand from around his middle up to his head and unconsciously ran her fingers through the hair that had pooled at her shoulder.

They sat that way for a while until Krad fell asleep and Yumi moved him into the bed they were leaning against.

The next morning Krad's eyes slowly opened, "Ugg I feel terrible…Thank goodness today is Saturday, I don't think I'd be able to make it in school." He mumbled to himself and sat up. He leaned back against the wall behind him and thought for a minute.

"Satoshi?" he asked.

"Yes?" Satoshi asked groggily, he had just woken up.

"Umm." Krad paused, "No, never mind." He said shaking his head.

"Ok." Satoshi replied not wanting to push Krad into talking.

Krad slid out of bed and stood up on somewhat unsteady legs, 'Man all that magic took more out of me than I ever expected.' He thought.

He left the room and found himself in a hallway across from another door. To his left the hallway went on with a few more doors and to his right it opened out into a large room with a couch, TV and computer set up in it.

"I really hope there are no traps here." He said and headed out into the room. He looked out the window next to the TV and realized it was at least past noon, "I must have slept most of the day." He said.

"We were worried you would never get up." A voice said from behind him.

Krad turned to see Yumi's mom carrying a basket full of clothes.

"Umm hello Mrs. Akairi." He said after a moment.

Yumi came up the stairs and found them, "Good morning sleepyhead." She said and cheerily waved at Krad.

"Yumi why don't you take your friend downstairs and get him something to eat, he must be famished." Her mother said.

"Ok." Yumi said and led Krad down to the kitchen.

After he ate Yumi sent Krad back over to Daisuke's house. When he walked in Emiko was waiting for him. She embraced him in a huge bear hug, "Ohh! I'm so happy you're ok!! I was worried something terrible had happened to you!" she said.

"Uhh…Emiko…you're… crushing me…" Krad gasped.

"Opps! Sorry." Emiko said and hurriedly let go of him.

Krad caught his breath and asked, "If you don't mind may I go out for a little while?"

"Yes you may, but be back by dinner which is in about 3 hours." Emiko smiled.

Krad smiled back and left. He wandered through the town and eventually found himself at the old clock tower (from the last episode, where the twins are talking to Mio) he decided to go up into it. When he reached the top he leaned against a wall and sat down.

Krad sat in thought for a while until Satoshi got his attention, "Krad?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Krad replied.

"I'm sorry." Satoshi said.

"For what?" Krad asked mystified. Satoshi was apologizing to him, when he should be the one apologizing it was just too weird.

"For last night, I didn't mean for any of that to happen." Satoshi said.

"Why are you apologizing? I deserved everything that happened to me last night, and more if you ask me… besides if anyone should be apologizing its me." Krad said, "Though after everything I've put you through it would take a lot more than that to earn your forgiveness."

Now it was Satoshi's turn to be mystified, 'Why would Krad even think about apologizing to him? For that matter why would he even feel any remorse over everything that he'd done? Krad had been the same way since he was created.' Satoshi thought, 'Wait, no he hasn't been always been cruel and uncaring…Shadow said that before…and this whole stupid quest was to get him back to the way he was, which is defiantly not cruel. But that still doesn't answer the question of why he was being this way now, unless he was starting to change.' Satoshi shuddered slightly, 'The thought of Krad being good is weird…' he thought.

"Satoshi?" Krad asked a little worried.

'Crap I zoned out.' Satoshi mentally chided himself.

"I don't blame you if you hate me," Krad started to say but Satoshi interrupted him.

"Stop, I don't want to hear you put yourself down." He said, "If you want to change let me help you, we can work together." Satoshi said.

"Thank you Satoshi." Krad said.

"Now teach me how to change into you, I want to fly again." Satoshi said cheerily.

Krad smiled, getting along with Satoshi was going to be very interesting.

A week went by and Satoshi and Krad both started getting along better but they were still reserved about certain things.

Saturday morning Yumi showed up at Daisuke's door and Emiko let her in.

She came inside and into the living room where everyone but Daisuke and Krad were. Emiko told her that the boys were still getting up and getting ready.

Upstairs Krad was in the bathroom drying his hair with a towel (and yes he's fully clothed) Dark opened the door and knocked on the door frame.

Krad turned and saw him, his expression immediately changed to one of disgust, "What do you want Mousey?" he asked.

"I have a question for you Krad." Dark answered.

"Well ask it so I can get on with my business." Krad said mentally roiling his eyes.

"What do you call it when a blond dies their hair brunette, well in your case it would be bluenett but you get my point." Dark asked.

"I don't know what?" Krad replied giving Dark a 'what the heck are you talking about' look.

"Artificial intelligence." Dark answered with a smirk.

Krad just looked at him confused, "Satoshi what is he talking about?" Krad asked.

"Dark that was mean! I bet Krad doesn't even know what a blond joke is!" Daisuke said.

"That's the point Dai. It's funnier that way, and besides I can't wait to see his face when he finds out what it is." Dark chuckled inwardly.

"That was a blond joke Krad, there used to make fun of blonds, in this case the joke implied that blonds are stupid." Satoshi answered through laughter of his own, he had never realized that Krad hadn't heard a blond joke before.

Krad let the information register in his brain then glared at Dark, "I'm going to count to ten I suggest you run before your time runs out." Krad said coolly to him.

Dark didn't look worried and he stood there and waited for Krad to start counting.

"One…two…ten!!" Krad said and lunged at his unsuspecting other half.

Dark was tackled to the ground by Krad and barley managed to wiggle out from his grasp. He jumped up and started running. Krad was up just as fast chasing after the thief.

They ran through the upstairs and then headed down stairs and into the living room.

"Here we go again." Kosuke said when he spotted the two coming down.

"Does this happen often?" Yumi asked watching them chase each other around in the kitchen.

"Almost every morning." Daiki said not looking up from his paper.

"What happens to make them so energetic?" Yumi asked.

"Usually Dark plays a prank on Krad, but sometimes Krad decides to get back at Dark, either way they both usually end up this way." Emiko answered her then turned her attention to the two boys.

"Boys! We have a guest stop trying to kill each other and pay attention to your surroundings!" Emiko snapped pulling the two apart.

They both looked around the room and finally spotted Yumi, "Oh good morning." They said in unison, then they proceeded to glare at each other.

"Wow, well I came to get Krad there's something I need to show him." Yumi said.

"Why aren't you ever here to get me Yumi?" Dark asked trying to look hurt, "You always come to pick up Krad."

"Maybe it's because I feel sorry for him, I mean he has to spend all day with you." Yumi said.

"But if you took me somewhere then Krad wouldn't have to be stuck here with me." Dark said.

"No Dark, if I hung out with you chances are Risa would find out and that would be very bad for both you and me." Yumi said then turned away from Dark and grabbed Krad's arm, "Were leaving bye!" she said as she pulled him out of the room and down the hall.

They left the house and Yumi brought Krad back to the cliff face.

"What are we here for? You're not going to give me a long lecture over something are you?" Krad asked.

Yumi laughed, "No I'm not." She said, "I think its time to change you and Satoshi back."

Krad looked at her surprised, "Really?" he asked.

"Yes you've learned your lesson…sort of and I don't think you and him being switched any longer will do anymore good." Yumi answered.

"Ok so what do we do?" Krad asked.

"Just stand there, it will be a lot like last time." Yumi said and closed her eyes. When she opened them again they were glowing white like last time and Krad started to glow also. Instead of him changing into Krad this time his eyes just changed blue and Satoshi stood there after the glow faded.

Yumi's eyes went back to normal and she smiled, "There all done." She said.

"Are you ok Yumi, you look a little tired." Satoshi asked. Yumi had gone from looking energetic to looking like she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before.

"I'm fine." She said, "It's just that fixing something you messed with is always harder than messing it up. That's the reason I didn't change Krad back into him, it would have taken too much out of me." She said still smiling.

"Oh, I didn't know that. So it takes energy to do that?" Satoshi asked.

"Yes, it's just like using magic." She answered, "That more out of me than I thought, I have to sit down" she said suddenly and moved over to a larger rock to sit on. It was closer to the edge than she had been and when she sat on it, it moved and started sliding.

Yumi jumped up off of it quickly but slipped on the still moving rubble and fell off the side of the cliff.

"Ahh!" she yelled and managed to grab hold of a branch sticking out of the cliff face.

"Yumi!" Satoshi yelled and ran to the edge.

Yumi heard a crackling noise come from the branch, "Satoshi! The branch isn't going to hold me much longer!" she called.

"Satoshi! Let me out I can get her." Krad said worriedly.

"Not yet, I want to try first." Satoshi said as he reached down for Yumi. She took one of her hands off the branch and reached up for his hand. The space was just a little too wide and they couldn't reach.

"I'm going to have to get help." Satoshi told her.

"Well hurry up! I can't hang here all day!" Yumi said. Suddenly the branch broke and she fell further. "Help!" she called as she managed to get a handhold in a rock and hold on.

Krad poked his head over the edge of the cliff, "You've reached Dial and Angel, this is your guardian angel speaking, How may I help you?" he smirked and as he talked his long pony tail fell over the side gracefully.

"You self centered jerk! Just get me down from here!" Yumi snapped back up at him.

"Now, now is that any way to talk to me?" Krad asked.

Yumi was about to reply when her hand slipped out of the hand hold and she fell.

Krad instantly flew down and caught her bridal style.

Yumi glared at him, "You could have just helped me instead of joking around, what if you missed me?" she asked.

"It was funnier that way, besides I never miss." Krad smiled.

Yumi blushed slightly, 'Why am I blushing?' she thought to herself.

"You never miss? Never miss what exactly? I don't think I've ever seen you hit Dark." Satoshi said.

"Don't ruin the moment." Krad said.

Satoshi just rolled his eyes.

"You know I really was worried about you." Krad told Yumi he was slowly leaning closer to her.

"Really it didn't seem like it." Yumi said looking up at him, 'Is his face closer to mine or am I just seeing things?' she wondered.

"Really." He whispered.

Yumi's hair moved slightly from his breath as he talked, 'He's defiantly closer.' She thought blushing even more. "Prove it." She said trying her best to make her voice sound angry still.

Krad leaned in to close the distance between them and suddenly found himself spinning in the air; he had leaned too far and messed up his balance in the air which was what sent him spinning.

"What are you doing?" Yumi yelled out as she threw her arms around his neck to keep from falling.

Krad managed to right himself and flew them back over to the cliff face where he set Yumi down, "I'm sorry I don't know what happened." He said.

"Smooth move Krad, you missed what was probably your only chance to kiss her." Satoshi snickered.

"Oh shut up, it's not like you've ever kissed Shadow." Krad mumbled back.

"Well thanks for saving me." Yumi smiled at Krad, "No matter how unorthodox it was."

"Your welcome. So are Satoshi and I free to return to his apartment?" Krad asked.

"Yes though I think the Niwas will miss you, especially Dark." Yumi chuckled.

Krad smiled at her comment.

After a while they headed back and Satoshi picked his stuff up from the Niwas and thanked them for letting him and Krad stay. Then Yumi headed home and so did Satoshi.

Monday during art class the teacher assigned them to all to paint a picture of their own choice have it completed by the end of the week.

"What are you going to do for yours Daisuke?" Riku asked Daisuke at lunch where they were discussing it.

"I was thinking of painting a picture of the scene outside my balcony." Daisuke answered.

"What are you doing for yours Yumes?" Satoshi asked her.

"Oh I'm going to finish the one I've been working on for a while." Yumi said, "I'm bringing it up to the school tomorrow to work on it." She said.

"What does it look like?" Riku asked.

"You'll see it tomorrow." Yumi smiled.

The next day Yumi brought the painting over to the art room and everyone crowded around her to look at it.

When she lifted the cover you could see a picture of a young woman standing in a tower next to a richly decorated bed. The woman was wearing an old Victorian style dress and had long brown hair that fell in curls to her waist, on her right hung an empty gold birdcage. Partially behind and next to the birdcage was a shelf covered in an assortment of colorful bottles and jars. In the very back of the tower there was an open window with drapes to either side of it. The painting was almost finished with just a few bare spots left in the walls and some color left out of the girl. (If your wondering this is the painting Yumi was working on in chapter 6 Operation Sacred Maiden when Dark asked her for advice)

"Wow Yumi it's so pretty! Where did you get the idea for this?" Risa asked.

"I don't know it just sort of popped into my head one day." Yumi answered.

Over the next few days everyone worked hard on their paintings. And Thursday after school Satoshi came in the art room and found Yumi putting the final touches on her painting.

"Almost done." He smiled.

"Done actually." Yumi said setting down her paintbrush, "I'm happy I got it finished before Friday, Sensei says he's going to put them in a contest." She said.

"It's an amazing painting, and that's something coming from me." Satoshi said.

"Yes it is." Yumi smiled.

The longer Satoshi looked at the painting the more drawn to it he was and soon he gently reached out a hand to touch it.

When he did it pulsed slightly, "Yumi did you put your magic into this painting?" he asked looking over at her, his hand was still on it.

"I don't think so, why?" Yumi asked.

"It pulsed when I touched it, and it almost feels…alive." He said.

"Really? Maybe we should seal it just to be safe then." She said.

"Maybe," Satoshi said remembering the time when Daisuke had gotten trapped inside of one of his own paintings, though that was mostly because of the Second Hand of Time, but he still didn't want to take any chances.

"Satoshi, look at your hand." Yumi said.

Satoshi looked down at where his hand had been, it was starting to sink through the painting, "Ah!" he yelped and pulled it away suddenly. As soon as his hand left contact with the painting it let out a flash of light and blinded them both.

Yumi rubbed her eyes and asked, "What just happened Sato?" she asked and looked around instead of Satoshi standing by the painting Krad was standing there looking at the painting.

"Krad, where's Satoshi?" she asked.

He turned to her, "I don't know." He said.

"Its started." Shadow said.

"What? What did you do Shadow?" Yumi asked angrily.

"I just set up the pieces its up to the players to determine the outcome now." Shadow said.

"What do you mean?" Yumi asked.

"The rest of the quest." Shadow said simply.

Satoshi picked himself up off the floor where he had suddenly found himself. When he stood up he looked around and found that he wasn't in the art room anymore, he was in a tower that looked a lot like the one in Yumi's painting.

He turned around scanning the room from all sides checking off the items in his head, there was the bed, and the window, and the shelves and even the bird cage. When he turned to the side that wasn't in the painting he found a door with the girl from the painting standing in it.

She smiled warmly at him and held out her arms and said, "Welcome to my home."

And that's it!! I got this chapter out a lot faster than usual! I hope you guys liked it! And once again I'm sorry for the cliffy! I seem to be into those lately. R&R please and thank you!!

Dawns out!