Chapter 1 fixed! Can't say too much, more descriptions and so forth. Hope this came out right...

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Dark: Am I suppose to sleep this whole time?
Seena58: Yep.
Dark: Zzz...
Seena58: ... that WAS fast...
Daisuke: I'll say.
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Chapter 1: A New Day

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Light filtered through Daisuke's bedroom window, and he frowned unconsciously, pulling the sheets over his head to block out the morning sun. Just as his alarm began to ring sharply for the start of a new day, Emiko, his mother, called up to him.

"Dai-chan!" she yelled from down the stairs; "it's time to get ready for school!"

"Ugh..." groaning slightly and turning the alarm off, Daisuke managed to find his way to the floor below without falling face first into it. Still half asleep, he struggled slightly while changing out of his pajamas, muttering under his breath about not getting enough sleep, and the white bunny-like creature that was still lying on his bed looked up at him with large red eyes.

"Kyu?" it asked. Daisuke smiled sleepily at it.

"It's okay, With. You want to come to school with me today?" he asked. With jumped on his shoulder in reply, 'kyu'-ing happily, and Daisuke sighed slightly, "that's great, but I still need to get changed."

"Kyu!"

With jumped off and sat back on the bed, wagging its tail like a happy dog getting ready to play. Once he'd finished dressing up, Daisuke, with With, opened the door and went out his room, only to practically collide with a female with short, cropped up hair and was wearing a maid's outfit as well as four stud earrings in each ear.

"Niwa Daisuke! You're going to be late!"

"Ah, Towa-chan... good morning," Daisuke greeted her as she made his way to the stairs.

"You didn't mess up your room, did you?!" demanded Towa, who was also, in fact, a rare art piece known as the Symbol of Eternity.

"And a young girl not even one hundred years old yet," she had pointed out when they'd first met, although it was also pointed out that she was ninety-eight already. Nevertheless, Daisuke had agreed upon taking her home with him if she helped him rescue Dark from the grasp of the Sage of Sleep, and she was now working as a maid for the Niwa family, which she did so willingly, if not too enthusiastically.

Daisuke entered the kitchen, where his mother, Emiko, father, Kosuke, and grandfather, Daiki, sat at the table, waiting for him. Emiko jumped out of her seat to greet him.

"Dai-chan! You're late this morning! Mother was worried!" she called as she hugged him.

"I'm okay, mum, just a bit tired," replied Daisuke, pulling out of her grasp with ease, and sitting next to his father. The table was oddly quiet until Daisuke stood up again and lifted his bag onto his shoulders.

"I'm off now."

"Bye, Dai-chan!" Emiko called from the front lawn as she watched him disappear in the distance. Leaning against the letterbox, she stood there, deep in thought.

"Emiko-san? Is something wrong?" Kosuke, her husband, asked as he went out to join her.

"It's nothing too much," she replied, "I just can't help but feel a little uneasy. It's strange... I think Daisuke feels the same thing... I wonder..."

"Ah, I see..." he frowned slightly, staring at the bright morning sky, "so something is going on...?"

"I think you need to come inside," Daiki said slowly, "the news report just..."

"What?"

As they all entered the living room, where the TV was positioned, the news reporter's voice echoed through the silent room: "Not only has a notice been sent by Dark, but another notice was found, not signed. Police are baffled and are unable to explain the strange turn of events..."
---

"Ah, I'm gonna be late if I don't hurry," Daisuke told himself out loud and put on an extra burst of speed. With made a noise between a squeak and a squeal, (so to speak) and clung to his shoulder tighter.

"It'll be okay, With," reassured the redhead as he considered taking a shortcut - which meant jumping over fences, and walls that got in his way. He shook his head, there was no point doing THAT, he decided firmly, he would get there in good time if he just kept up the pace and didn't get too distracted.

But as he passed a large, deserted church, he couldn't help but stop to take a good look at it, "Klein Cathedral..." he whispered, "where the Second Hand of Time was located..."

Unknowingly, he walked closer to the gates, which were, as always, closed, and wrapped his arms around the bars, taking an even closer look at the old building. His mind wandered back to when he'd been dragged into the world created by the Second Hand of Time. Friideruto's world.

She had been a character in a story known as 'Ice and Snow' where her 'time' had been given up to save her loved one. But... the truth behind the story had been covered, and Friideruto had used the last of her time to see if Daisuke could help her. It was only at the end, did she get what she'd wanted, what she'd been waiting for. Her loved one, Elliot.

Although she had gone to rest, Daisuke remembered what she'd told him; 'Never let go of the person who is truly precious to you. Please, don't choose to die. You have to protect that person. For her sake... Live, no matter what.'

The words still burned in Daisuke's memory, and he knew he would never forget them, for the person who was precious to him was... jerking his mind out of his reverie, he continued to watch the building.

Hey, Dark, you awake yet? he prodded his alter ego.

Zzzz... leave me 'lone... was the only reply he got, kept me up all night... lemme sleep...

... Daisuke couldn't help but prod Dark one more time, You sure you aren't awake yet?

This time, he got no reply, so he gave up. Letting his grip loosen on the bars, he started slowly towards the school, his mind confused and slightly muddled by an odd feeling that just wouldn't leave him. It was a rather uneasy feeling, which made his back prickle unpleasantly, like when he was being watched from behind by a certain, blue-haired classmate, also known Hiwatari Satoshi, who was, in fact, the High Commander of the Azumano Police Force who had been assigned to capture Dark. He stopped and then turned his head to take a good look behind him. The street was deserted, like the church. He shuddered uncomfortably and then stopped.

Why... he closed his eyes in frustration, trying to will the feeling to disappear. After a while, it faded away and he looked up, at the clearing sky, ... what's going on?

Knowing that he wouldn't be getting a reply anytime soon from Dark, Daisuke began to run to school once again, panicking as he took a glance at his watch.

"I'm gonna be late!"
---

As he skidded down the hallway of Azumano Junior High, Daisuke blew out a huge sigh of relief as he pulled the classroom door open and saw that the teacher wasn't there yet. As he made his way to his desk, a girl with short, brown hair stood up, smiling and he felt his face grow hot.

"Good morning, Niwa-kun," she said cheerfully. Recovering himself quickly, Daisuke returned the smile.

"Good morning, Riku-san."

Harada Riku opened her mouth again to speak, but was cut short as Daisuke was tackled from behind. Pushing the person on top of him off of him, Daisuke couldn't help but yell, "SAEHARA!!!"

Saehara Takeshi, Daisuke's friend, just got up and grinned at him, "Hey, you do your homework? I was getting a bit worried 'cause you weren't here the usual time."

"..."

"Lemme copy it later, 'kay?" Takeshi said coolly, going to his desk. Daisuke grinned at Riku, his face hot from embarrassment.

"Ah ha ha ha..."

Riku opened her mouth in an attempt to talk to him, most likely about to ask him a question, but was stopped short, once again, as the door slid open and the teacher entered, looking flustered as she pushed her glasses back on.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, going to her own desk at the front of the class, "now, shall we start?"

Daisuke couldn't help but sigh slightly as he slid into his seat and the school day started. Whatever Riku had wanted to ask him would have to wait.

---

"Kyu-"

"Are you okay, With?" asked Daisuke. It was lunch, and, due to Takeshi and Sekimoto's continuos caterwauling of one thing or another, mainly about Dark, Daisuke had found himself eating lunch on his own with With at the more deserted areas of the school during lunch breaks. In reply to his question, With shook its head, and made another noise and Daisuke hung his head in frustration.

"You know... that really isn't too much help, With," he sighed. Continuing with lunch, Daisuke tried to remember life before he found out that he was actually sharing his body with Dark. It was quite hard for him, since he learnt to accept, and care, for his alter ego, even if Dark was a jerk to him sometimes. He then tried to think of life without Dark. It would happen, eventually, when... IF... Riku accepted both Dark and Daisuke of being the same person. Then Dark would disappear...

Worried?

DARK! You were awake?! demanded Daisuke, getting up and rubbing his head where it had painfully encountered the floor when he had fallen in surprise.

Yep... I'm goin' back to sleep now... zzz...

... how do you do it? he asked, knowing that Dark wouldn't reply, but felt comfortable anyway. Besides, what they both wanted, he reminded himself, was 'coexistence'. That way... Dark wouldn't disappear. With made another noise and Daisuke looked up and couldn't help but freeze ever so slightly when he caught sight of Satoshi, who was watching him in the usual piercing, most-likely-reading-your-thoughts, way.

"Ah... Hiwatari-kun, g-good morning," recovering himself, Daisuke smiled at the other boy, "Ah... why are you h-"

"... something is going on," Satoshi cut in, and Daisuke stopped in mid- sentence, confused.

"What do you mean, Hiwatari-kun?" he asked, "What's going on?"

"You're family will know, Niwa-kun," came the reply as Satoshi started walking away, "ask them."

"... Hiwarti-kun...?" Daisuke sat there, with With eating his lunch, "what are you talking about...?" Hey, Dark, you awake? Did you hear what he said?

Yep, Dark's voice was now crisp, wide awake, this is a little mystery I never thought the creepy commander would actually set up in front of us.

What do YOU mean, 'set up'? asked Daisuke, now completely muddled.

Sounds definitely like a Hikari plot, came the simple answer, something's starting, and we have a job to do tonight. Getting my drift now?

... somehow, I doubt it, he shook his head, Hiwatari-kun isn't like that, even if he IS still trying to capture you. He's not the type of guy to spout out his plans to others.

Hm... you got a point there, Dark fell silent, strange, the next art piece we're aiming for is made by the Hikari's, so...

It's not about the artwork, then? the thought shot through Daisuke like an arrow, it's about something else?

By the sound of it, yeah.

... you better get some rest, Dark, Daisuke said kindly, I'll see what I can find out.

... Zzzzz...

'Something is going on'... Daisuke repeated softly, in his mind so that he wouldn't disturb Dark, for Hiwatari-kun to suddenly say that... there has to be a good reason behind it... but then... those feelings I've been having recently... could it have something to do with this? I'm confused...

"Kyuu!"

"Wha... With!" Daisuke gaped in disbelief, "Who said you could eat ALL my lunch?!"

As he wrestled with the small creature, Riku appeared; "Niwa-kun? I heard your voice, so..."

"Ah, ah, Riku-san!" Daisuke let go of With and smiled, "Why are you here..."

"Well, by the sound of it, your pet ate all your lunch," Riku held up a box, "and I was looking for you so, maybe we could... I mean, before I meant to ask you..." she blushed slightly, and Daisuke couldn't help but smile.

"Sure."

###

The world around the girl was pitch black and her head seemed to pound painfully against her skull. Groaning, she kept her eyes closed, trying to ignore the stinging pain on her elbows and knees. The ground beneath her was rough and, knowing better than to lay there, tried to get up, failing miserably. She looked up from her position on the floor. It was rock, rough in texture and not exactly the best place to fall or to lie on. Remembering what had happened suddenly, she took a good look at her elbows and knees. They had been bleeding until recently, she noticed, and the blood was now crusted around. Brushing off some stray pieces, she stood up, swaying slightly as her legs tried to take her weight. Thankfully, her clothes were still intact.

"The pain..." she whispered softly, "but then... how long was I lying there for?" she snorted slightly, "After a long time of imprisonment, I decide to take a nap on the floor."

"Two days. You have been unconscious for two days."

"Oh," she gave the speaker, which was a small wisp of energy, a long look, "so that sudden blizzard really wasn't a dream. You guys helped me, right? I have to thank you."

Her mind was fuzzy and she couldn't quite identify what she'd been seeing, but there were a few things that still seemed to burn in her memory. And before that...

"So I just have to keep going onwards. Is she even back yet?" she frowned slightly.

"We are looking for the priestess at the moment, but please, go right ahead."

Taking a deep breath, she walked down a hallway, which was only lit by candles, giving off a soft glow in the otherwise dusty atmosphere, which seemed to linger around. She passed a hand over the wall, watching the result as it turned from black-gray to gray-brown for one reason or another that she only knew. She held back a sigh of annoyance as she continued steadily down the hall, allowing her mind to wander around as much as it wanted to.

'It's been a long time since I've been here,' she thought, 'a bit too long... how many years has it been?'

Catching herself before she ran into a large, wooden and rather musty smelling door, she opened it slowly and cautiously. Covering her eyes from the light, which spread out before her, she was taken by surprise when someone grabbed both her wrists and dragged her in.

"You made it!" yelled the person who was still holding her wrists in a rather painful grip; "It's been so long!"

"Uh... yeah," she managed to wrench her wrists away from her captor and began to rub them; "it has been a long time. Sorry I didn't keep in touch. If you really wanted to know... wait," she eyed her captor, who was an older woman, "how come you're still around? I thought you would have died of old age... you know?"

"Calm down," said a male's voice, "if you remember correctly, the time space here is stretched out longer then... of the other world, you know?"

The girl bit back a comment that was passing her mind and had almost left her mouth, and stood up taller, "I think you should know the answer to that question, SIR. Of course," she smirked slightly, "that would mean you are much older than you look. I really shouldn't be wasting my time with you."

"Oh... still hard to get, I see," a boy got up from his position on the floor. He was about a head or so taller than her and cupped a hand under her chin, "but it's been so long. Won't you even let me-"

She knocked his hand out of the way, eyes flashing dangerously; "This isn't the time to be trying my patience! So back off before I do some real damage!"

"So then, what is it that you wish to talk about?" an older woman asked, standing next to the boy, obviously his mother.

"It's the artwork," the girl explained shortly, avoiding any eye contact as she continued to rub her sore wrists; "there is a disturbance in their power... but I don't think it really concerns either of you."

"What do you mean?"

"It means," answered another voice behind them, "that she only needs to speak to me and that you two shouldn't be interfering with powers you can't even control."

All three turned and a smile lit up on the girl's face.

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Explanations:

1. More descriptions, duh.

2. Satoshi said "it's starting" in the other one, except... he doesn't know what's going on, so I changed it to "something is going on", thus dragging them back to the uneasiness that Daisuke's been feeling. There. Daisuke's family knowing? Well, they do have a large supply of old documents and such, and since Satoshi was the last of his family... what's the chance of him knowing where to look? Ah... I'm confusing myself now.

3. Once again the second part has been changed to fit with the later chapters in the story. Makes me wonder if I'll have to do this again once I'm finally done...? Well, I don't mind. I think the next chapters modified after this will just have more description and hopefully all mistakes cleaned up.

Well, that's all for now. Updates soon! (I hope) Oh yeah, before I forget, if you like weird mystery things, I've got an account on Accounts Seena58 again and I've only got one story (still being developed) up. Please read it and tell me what you think, since it was only supposed to be a one-shot...

-Seena58