WOW! I acutally got two full reviews! I am so happy, ya know!!!!!!! Well, in a way it was three, counting the one with FoT, but I'm still a bit... happy... ya.................. (awkward silence)

Anyway, I actually got this chapter done, don't know about it, odd, I think, but not insanely confusing. It's a way to welcome back some old-spirits! Let's go already!

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Chapter 2: Welcoming Back

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The sound of the school bell jerked Daisuke out of his confused stupor and instantly made his way towards the footlockers, his bag slung over his shoulder. By the time he had reached the entrance to the school building, there were very few students left lingering around, talking among themselves. The redhead ignored them, mind in turmoil, as he pulled on his shoes and left the premises without another glance.

(Why can't I just stop thinking about this?) he asked himself as he started his way back home. (And just after I got a letter from Riku-san as well...)

"Kyu!" With called happily. "Kyu kyu kyu!"

"With, what is it this time?" Daisuke couldn't help but smile as his pet hopped on top of his head hyperactively. "What's going on with you?"

"Kyu kyu!!"

"Ugh..."

"Many things are happening, aren't they?"

(Why can't I just forget what Takada-san said? But whenever she tells us something important... there's just so much on the line at the moment... Riku-san...)

Dejected and incredibly confused, the redhead made his way home, unaware that, once more, one particular person was watching him; who still clutched the pendant of the Thirteen Elements.

Akane shook her head, almost as confused as him, as she went off in another direction, deciding that speaking to Celes – the Priestess – was the only option left.

This did mean that she would have to return to the void dimension, though.

---

When Satoshi arrived at the museum, it was already swarming with police officers. He contained a snort of contempt for the fools.

Dark couldn't be caught be any 'normal' method the entire police force knew of, and after so many encounters with the Phantom Thief, it was just pathetic.

The blue-haired boy broke out of his thoughts as he saw Takeshi's father approach him, looking fairly confident. The old man began to ramble on about how the artwork would be safe, but Satoshi didn't even try to listen: Krad was talking to him.

::I won't let Dark get away this time.::

:Leave me alone.:

::Still remembering the time when you were with the lovely Wing Master alone? Don't think that I'm going to let it happen again, Satoshi-sama.::

:You'll never change, will you, Krad?: Satoshi snapped back impatiently, :Even after all that we had to go through with Niwa and Dark, and still you--:

::That is the reason for my existence,:: replied the sadistic blonde coolly, like everything he did was normal and no-one had the right to judge him: not even his dear host.

:Don't talk to me.:

Satoshi shut his mind off from Krad, as the still-homicidal blonde continued to talk about how much fun it would be to kill the Phantom Thief and his host. The way he was describing it was rather disturbing as well.

When the blue-haired boy finally pulled out of his stupor, he noticed that he was alone again – seemingly the inspector had other things to do and was off attending to them. Not that it really mattered.

He wandered down the hallways and corridors of the different rooms, his footsteps echoing eerily in the silence that filled it. Satoshi's gaze fell onto the various artworks that hung from the walls, not really seeing them, but still looking. Very few artworks possessed magic anymore, many destroyed in the Cultural Revolution, and it was a wonder that any survived at all.

Akane had said that their powers never faded, but he still couldn't work out how she was supposed to know that part of it. Her answer had been rather crude, to say the least:

"As long as they don't need me, I need not know."

He frowned at this, finally stopping at the artwork that had been said to be stolen that night. Even then, he wasn't paying too much attention to it, wondering what Akane had been going on about, and what Daisuke's fate would turn out to be.

Of course, until Akane spoke – or someone else – they wouldn't know the answers until it was too late.

---

Akane stepped through the portal calmly, brushing back stray hairs as she did so. She was greeted with the sounds of dim chanting, and instantly summoned a small light to guide her through the darkness that always surrounded the void.

The entire hadn't changed since she had last been there: a year back, when she was forced into hiding and, what they called it, 'duty'. Her eyes were only half-focused on what was before her, before stepping up until she reached the person who was chanting. In a flurry of robes, the person didn't stop, still kneeling, hands clasped in front of her. Although she was chanting in another language, Akane could understand everything she said.

"—seek peace in the worlds, please, my faith lies in you--"

"Praying to the spirits again, Celes?" she asked calmly, although she knew that the Priestess wouldn't be happy to be disturbed. As she expected, Celes' first reaction was to jerk out of her chant and glare at whom had disturbed her.

"A-Akane... I did not think that you would be visiting," she said in a voice of obvious forced calm. Akane chose to ignore this fact, since Celes was more of an emotional person, and joined the much older woman into a crouching position.

"Why would you be calling to the spirits unless something was wrong?" she asked, not bothering to meet the other's gaze.

"I... I do not know what you are talking about," Celes replied, although she looked far from it.

"Something is being aroused," continued Akane, not listening to Celes' futile form of trying to pacify her words. "A darker shadow is overwhelming us again... it's trying to swallow us whole... or at least, trying to destroy the bond between the clans again."

"Akane... Scarlet... you must not..."

"Don't call me Scarlet..." she hissed slightly, eyes narrowing dangerously, "That's what... he called me... and thought that he could use me. Not that I would ever let him."

"Please... you must understand."

"Do you know anything about this?" Akane finally turned her head so that their eyes locked. Celes blinked, her eyes filled with knowing something, but not wanting to admit it.

"I cannot say anything at the moment, Akane. Please, I need to be alone... praying is all I have left now..."

"... You'll never change, will you, Celes." Akane got up, shook her head in disapproval before she swept into the portal and was swallowed whole.

Celes didn't move from her postion as she continued to kneel, her hands folded in her lap, mind fighting with her. "Akane... how is it already..."

---

"Dai-chan! How about this one?!" squealed Emiko as she sought through a rather large – if not monstrous – pile of clothing that belonged to the redhead.

"Muuuu-----m!" he yelled back, "I don't care what I have to wear, but we'll be late if we keep going on like this!"

"But this one is so much more elegant!" his mother replied excitedly, "And you know that you have to make a good impression for Riku-chan! It has been a year, remember?"

"Of course I remember, but--"

"DAI-CHAN. WEAR IT."

Just as the door to Daisuke's room closed shut, the doorbell rang. After exchanging a slightly confused look with her husband, Emiko ran off to answer it: since Towa was busy with some of the house chores that had been provided by the mother's search for clothes for her son.

She opened the door a crack and caught sight of red hair before pulling it wide open.

"Akane-chan! I didn't expect you coming around to visit for awhile!" she said cheerfully, allowing the girl to enter. Akane inclined her head slightly before smiling in reply.

"Well, since Niwa-kun told me about Riku-chan and Risa-chan returning..." she started simply, "I thought it would be a great chance to meet up with them as well."

"How about I get you something to wear then?" offered Emiko, obviously looking forward to another model. Akane shook her head and tugged at the edge of her jacket.

"No thank you, Mrs. Niwa, I think I'm okay with what I've got on," she replied calmly, well aware of Daisuke's mother's personality and somewhat crazy obsession with clothes.

"Ah... I guess you're right," the older female gave Akane's frame a calculating look, "I don't think that anything I have at the moment would fit you anyway..."

"Ah..." she started, somewhat nervously, but was spared a reply as Daisuke came back, still complaining about what he had been forced to wear despite his own protests.

"Why can't I just wear something normal for once and--" he stopped in mid-complaint, "Takada-san... hi."

"A bit flashy, huh?" she asked innocently as she took a look at what Daisuke was wearing and was well aware that Dark was most likely laughing his head off in the redhead's mind. "What do you think Riku-chan will have to say about that?"

He blushed at the thought. "Um..."

"If we're going to go, then let's go!" Emiko cut in excitedly as the other males of the Niwa household left the building. She was pulling on a coat while pushing both Akane and Daisuke out the front door, With attached to the redhead.

They piled into the car and Kosuke got the engine started. While this was happening, Daisuke happened to notice that Akane seemed to have gone off the deep end and was wearing black. He blinked at this, since she was almost never seen with such dark colours, and was slightly unnerved by it.

"Takada-san..." he started hesitantly. She turned to meet his gaze, face looking innocently puzzled. "Um... what influenced your dress style today...?"

"Oh, this?" she tugged at the hem of her jacket non-commently. "I couldn't find anything else, you know, and this was the last thing I had..."

"..."

"The first thing I want to see is you and Riku-chan together again," she added, smiling. Daisuke blushed at this and ducked his head as he spoke to Dark instead.

(She's saying weird things.)

((I've noticed,)) agreed his other half, ((But it would be nice to see Riku and Risa again, you have to agree on that.))

(Guess you're right.)

He turned his head slightly to see what Akane was doing, but her gaze was directed outside at the bright colours that flashed past them as the car sped on, only stopping at odd intervals when the traffic lights went red. She fiddled with something that circled around her neck, but made no contact with the still nervous redhead.

Emiko, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice the tension at the back of the car as she suddenly directed her attention towards the silent teens.

"It's been a whole year now, hasn't it?" she asked in a polite conversational tone. "Of course now that the artworks Dark has been stealing are beginning to falter in numbers..."

"Mum!" protested Daisuke. Although he knew his classmate was well aware of Dark in him, he hated bringing up subjects about his other half: it just felt too weird for him.

"The spirits also seem disturbed, though," Akane said softly. "And the hearts of the Hikari artworks are also calling out for... I don't know... help, I think."

"..." the redhead stared, while his mother took a more forward approach to the matter.

"Akane-chan, is something bothering you?" she asked calmly as she took a more sympathetic tone and look. Akane shrugged at this and once more occupied herself with her jacket hem.

"Something's missing in the balance," she finally said.

"Balance?"

"... I don't know."

---

"Two more hours..." muttered Satoshi as he took a glance at his watch, the other hand in his pocket.

"Two more hours of waiting... and wondering..."

He knew he was saying it all, but it the voice that spoke wasn't his own, he was sure of it, and it wasn't Krad's either. The blonde was off somewhere in the depth of his mind, having finished his talk about killing hours ago. He frowned slightly, wondering if he was already losing his sanity, but this time the voice was clearer.

"Forever wondering what she was hiding from you..."

The voice was vaguely familiar, and Satoshi's frown deepened as the voice continued, trailing off into an almost whining tone that was in pain.

"Why she won't tell us... any of us... and we ask her, beg her... why is she keeping it a secret?"

"What do you want?" the blue-haired boy finally snapped, his gaze focused on the center of the room where he was sure that something was there, although he couldn't see it. There was a moment's silence and the owner of the voice seemed slightly hesitant.

"You mean... you remember me?" it asked. Satoshi had to suppress a snort before replying with a cool tone that only he could manage at the most stressful and unexpected times.

"I was stuck with you, helping you with your love affairs with the Water Spirit."

"Ah... that wasn't a love affair!" protested the voice, as vapor seemed to hiss around the room, yet didn't leave a mark anywhere in the room. "I missed her! After all those countless years without her were tearing me apart!"

"And I honestly don't care," retorted the blue-haired boy, "Shiro."

The spirit of ice finally materialized in front of the other, pouting slightly while his arms were crossed. He looked exactly the same as the first time they had met, and it was clear that his temper hadn't gotten any better.

"So," Satoshi also crossed his arms and made no attempt to greet the other formally, "What decided to make you visit me at a time like this? I thought you were at peace and free."

"I am," huffed Shiro, still annoyed about being told something that had never happened. "But something is amiss at the moment, if you need to know. Something in the worlds is stirring and sending everything out of whack."

"Really now?"

"Yes," he prodded a finger at the picture, "and even the spirit of the painting is no better. Akane knows something, but she won't tell us."

"And what am I supposed to do?" Satoshi raised an eyebrow.

"Be prepared," the Spirit suggested, before fading off. "Don't be scared to holler if you need out help."

There was no reply to the suggestion and Shiro faded off. Once he was out of sight, Satoshi turned to the painting – one of the few Hikari artworks that hadn't been stolen yet – and talked to it almost like he was speaking to a person.

"Is this true?" he inclined his head and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Is the balance really going off-key now? Do you know what's going on?"

He got no reply either, but he was certain that the spirits of the Hikari artworks had heard.

---

The Niwa family and Akane were waiting at the airport; Akane was swinging her legs as she sat on a rather large seat and Daisuke was pacing the empty-ish platform. There were a number of people around, many waiting for loved ones and friends, but the redhead was so nervous that he wasn't paying any attention to anything around him. His mother and father were talking about times when the plane arrived, and his grandfather was off looking at the flimsy shops that scattered the airport, and With was happily sitting on his head.

((Nervous?)) asked Dark, making the redhead jump because the questions had come unexpectedly.

(Dark! Don't do that to me!) he placed a shaky hand over his rapidly beating heart. (Obviously I'm going to be nervous about this! You only have to watch!)

((Until tonight, that is,)) pointed the Thief, ((Risa's bound to be out, and Riku will be out to find her, as per usual.))

(It's been a year, Harada-san could've changed,) pointed out the redhead. (And they're bound to have, what was it, jetlag, right? Something tells me they won't be out tonight.)

((You never know.))

(Hmph.)

"Niwa-kun?!"

At the sound of Riku's voice, it almost made Daisuke bolt and hide in the toilets. Instead, Emiko got behind her son and forced him to turn around to come face-to-face with his crush/girlfriend.

"Riku-san!" he tried to keep the high-pitch out of his voice and failed miserably. She looked exactly the same as the last time he had met her face-to-face and she smiled.

"You haven't changed, have you?" she asked teasingly as Emiko hovered in the background.

"Uh... I know..." his blush deepened considerably while Kosuke and Daiki had to forcefully drag Emiko off so that the two could have some peace. The redhead thought for a moment before offering the girl a hand attentively. "Do you want to...?"

"Sure!" she took his hand without a sign of hesitation and waved over to the rest of the family, "I'll be back in a minute!"

Her younger twin sister Risa waved back in reply before calling out, "Good luck, Niwa-kun!"

Daisuke ducked his head to hide his still incredibly red face as the two walked out for some peace and quiet. Risa smiled at the retreating pair before walking over to Akane, who was watching the adults restraining Emiko with mild amusement.

"Akane-chan, I didn't think you were actually coming as well," she commented cheerfully. The other girl smiled at this and flicked stray hairs back.

"You haven't changed a bit, have you, Risa-chan?" she asked in reply as she took in what Risa was actually wearing; the fashion was about the same so there was nothing new there, but her hair was definitely layered or something, but not streaked with any colour. The younger twin smiled and sat down on a bench close by.

"Riku was really excited on meeting Niwa-kun as soon as we arrived back," she said, "and she actually said that if he wasn't here, then she would actually go to his house to find him. It's funny, isn't it? But then again... I guess those two were meant for each other."

"Like you and Dark?" Akane took a seat next to the wistful brunette.

"Maybe... I can't wait to see him!"

The redhead winced as Risa's voice reached a high pitched squeal and petted her lightly on the shoulder, as if scared that she was about to start squealing again.

"You see him soon, I'm sure..."

Her eyes narrowed slightly but Risa failed to notice this.

"But how long the meeting will be, I don't know."

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Sorry! I don't know exactly what they were wearing, but I think you can guess. And I think Akane was wearing pants, but... uh... who knows now? And about him being worried about her wearing black, just to make it clear she only wore that colour when she was known as 'Scarlet' and I think we can all see that she hates that past. Who wouldn't? And with Shiro... hm... I think I changed his character a bit. Gotta review the characters before I go any further, I guess... or they'll all go nutty, I'm sure.

Crummy way to reunite with people. So cheesy... I couldn't think of any other way, so... yeah. Would Risa really do that for her twin? You gotta wonder sometimes...

Balance balance balance... you gotta wonder sometimes. And, yes, Satoshi knows a bit about that as well. Why? I'll explain later, most likely in the next two chaps.

I was going to talk more about Riku's and Daisuke's reunion (with Dark egging him on... heheheh...) but I thought just leaving it there. I was just too lazy, I guess. The talk and after should fit in nicely with what's happening next. I can't wait! And Celes still mutters the annoying prod prod hints. How fun...

Oh, and about Krad... I just like him sadistic more than anything, I guess. But he won't be that the whole way in this story, so... you know. Just at this point, he's probably still annoyed that he didn't get to kill Daisuke/Dark when he had the chance. After a year? Well, he seems to be the type to hold grudges, so why not? He'll simmer down soon, for sure. I'm trying to get him a bigger part this time. Don't know how it'll turn out this time, but I can only hope.

I just love annoying people with this kinda stuff. I mean, who doesn't?

-- Talkback!

- Staryday: I gotta say that I love ya for reading this and reviewing this. You make me feel so special (or maybe I'm going nuts. Or even both) Either way I am trying just to get to the point already, since the entire scenario is set up from the first story, FoT, so this is a nice way to pick it up and continue it from there. And of course, Akane knows all. Okay, not all, but more than most. Explained in the next two chaps, as with Saotshi knowing. Oh, and I love not letting Daisuke know anyhting. It's just so much fun annoying him (heh...). Thanks for the review!

- Blue-Angels-Wings: Thanks for the comment. And about FoT and Tales of Symphonia... I actually never heard of that game. Pity me, I'm so behind times, ya know! I feel like an idiot now. Anyway, those two names came from Squaresoft's games: Undine from Suikoden III (ya, the Water spirit. Hm... there was one in Tales of Phantasia) and Raine from FFVIII, since I couldn't think of anyhting else. And light spells came from... uh, The Secret of Mana, perhaps? Layer from that... actually, that sounds pretty interesting... since in the later chapters... oops! Better not tell you. Anyway, this gives me a couple of ideas, so thanks!