Author's Notes
Wow, it took a while to write and post chapter 11... Wonder how this will affect my reviews? .:Ish entirely selfish when it comes to reviews:. This is my firstest ever story to get over 100 reviews. I love you guys! .:Super-ultra huggles to all who reviewed:.
Hmmerz... A few notes to those who reviewed that I feel I just have to get back to:
To Angel: You print my stories out? .:Super-blush:. I'm not that good, hun... And if you can't email me, I at least want ya to review my stories so I know you're not dead in a ditch somewhere! o.-
To Hika-King: I'll read your story as soon as you tell me to. Promise! .:Bowbow:. I'm glad my story's starting to grow on you; I'm rather fond of my characters, even if they aren't exactly like those from the animes... Is it getting any better? .:Hopeful eyes:.
To Heather Christi: I noticed that typo too (-.- Too lazy to fix it, actually... hope you don't mind! -.-;;). While I love your idea (honest, I do) that's not quite what I had in mind for this story. Admittedly them being stuck in the cave is getting awfully boring—there's only so much you can do in a cave, and so many times .:coughcough:.—and under those circumstances, I decided that, instead of ending this one soon (it didn't exactly get to be as long as I wanted it to be. Darn!), I'm going to just combine it and the ideas I had for the sequel into one. That'll make it longer, and hopefully it'll flow better. .:Bowbow:. Please be patient with me!!
Well, that's all for now! I'll add up more author's notes when I get more reviews that need answered, or when I think of something that needs to be better explained, mmkayz? Thankies, and onto chapter eleven!!
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Okay, that was lame, I just remembered something. v.v Yes, we all know Zan needs help. Anyway! This chapter is going to be what would've been the last two (or three) chapters had I kept the story separated into two instead of combining them. As such, I'm going to start TRYING to make the chapters longer. As it is, I try to make them 1500 words at the very least, but apparently that's pretty short. So, I'll prolly shoot for somewhere between 2000-2500 at the least. Better? Kay! Here we go! .:Jumps around enthusiastically:.
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The first breath of fresh air was wonderful, crisp and cool. Satoshi stuck his head out of the hole in the ice and breathed in the cold mountain air with an obvious relish. After spending so long cooped up in that cave, he was afraid he'd become claustrophobic. Admit it, you were glad you were there with Niwa, the voice from somewhere inside him taunted. As had become his custom, Satoshi ignored the voice and turned to his companion. "Are you coming, Dark-san?"
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Move out of the way."
The commander grinned and pulled himself out into the snow. It was two days after Daisuke had first transformed into the thief, and now Satoshi was beginning to become accustomed to the mysterious Dark Mousy. There was an odd, somewhat seductive aura surrounding the thief that intrigued the commander, and he didn't know why. It bugged Satoshi, but he just let it go. He brushed the snow off a nearby small boulder and settled atop it, watching the older boy struggle to get out through the small gap in the ice.
Late afternoon sunlight filtered in through the sparse trees above the mouth of the cave. The blunet stared up at the sky and let the warmth of the sun's rays flow over him, absorbing it into his skin. It felt wonderful to be free, but a part of him would always lament the loss of the time spent only with the sensual redhead.
Dark was struggling to get their belongings out of the cave. He'd packed them all back into the bag as well as he could, but still the duffel was awkward, overstuffed. How'd it get so bulky? If anything there's less in there than there was when you two got here!
Daisuke sighed in the back of his mind. Dark's eyes slid out of focus as he narrowed his concentration on the cheerless redhead in the back of his consciousness. Over the past two days as the tunnel to freedom had progressed, Daisuke had become increasingly surly and withdrawn. Not that he was all that open to me in the first place,Dark thought to himself with a little sigh of his own. He shook his head and tugged at the bag again.
"Let me get that." Satoshi hopped down off his rock and nudged the older boy out of the way. Dark crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back on his left foot, watching the blunet. Why does he feel so strange to me? the thief thought dimly. What is it about him...? He let the thought drift over to Daisuke, but the redhead only sighed in response.
In a moment Satoshi hoisted the bag up onto his shoulder. He glanced up at the sky, then about them. "Everything looks so different in the daylight, but I think it's this way."
"What makes you so certain?" Dark rubbed his hands over his upper arms and glared at the breath that puffed up in front of his face. "And why is it so damn cold up here, anyway?"
Satoshi looked back at him with an I-don't-believe-you-said-that look on his face, rolled his eyes, and turned back to his chosen path. "Didn't Dark-san have a pair of black wings?" he tossed back over his shoulder as he picked his way carefully down the slope.
"Hai. I suppose I could call Wiz to us, but that would be too easy." The truth of the matter was, Dark was enjoying himself too much for it to end now. He wanted to toy with Satoshi a bit longer.
They walked a bit longer in silence, the commander leading and the thief docilely picking a path after him. "Dark-san, why did I wake up beside you this morning instead of Niwa-kun?"
He mulled over the answer for a moment, then said calmly and conversationally, "Dai-chan was having... interesting... dreams last night. I suppose he transformed in his sleep."
"I see. Who was he dreaming ab—!" The rest of the question was lost as Satoshi's foot landed on a slick patch and he slipped, tumbling down a short cliff.
Dammit, Dark thought as he flung himself down over the cliff, expertly maneuvering his body on the ice so as to remain uninjured, what is it with you two and cliffs?! This he spat at Daisuke. The redhead came alive in the back of his mind instantly. Satoshi!
Dark slid to a halt at the bottom of the slope and stood, dusting the powdery snow off his clothing. He looked around, but there was no sign of the mysterious blunet. "Hiwatari-san?" he called softly. "Hiwatari-san, where are you?"
Where is he, Dark? Daisuke was scrambling in his mind, clambering to get out. Find him, he may be hurt!
He'll be fine, Daisuke, Dark soothed as he began hunting around for the commander.
"I'm right here." Satoshi pulled himself from a snow bank and brushed the icy crystals from his eyes. The brief slip into the drift already had his teeth chattering and he rubbed at his arms in an attempt to warm up. His clothing was saturated. "Just slipped is all."
"Klutz." Dark sauntered over to the younger boy and slowly walked a circle around him, staring the commander up and down.
"What?" Satoshi snapped right before he sneezed. His bangs blew into his eyes, crystallized by the snow. He glared at them.
Dark said nothing but suddenly wrapped his arms around the younger boy. Satoshi tried to push him away for a moment but stopped as the thief's warmth began to steal through his body. It took a short while, but eventually Satoshi's tremors quit and he leaned docile into the taller teen. Dark smiled and merely allowed the transformation to pass.
Daisuke blinked, surprised to be on the outside and in control of his body once more. Dark? You and Satoshi-kun...?
No, not him. Dark smiled in the back of his mind. Just an old friend of mine... Rika... He kept the last thought to himself and merely sighed.
The redhead found himself smiling and hugging his friend. Satoshi blinked and looked up. "Niwa-kun? When did you get back?" Then his eyes widened. "You're standing on your own! Does it hurt?"
"Nani? Oh." Daisuke looked dumbly down at his ankle. A small bit of pain radiated up his leg, but it was far from unbearable. "Hai, but only a little. Are you okay? Dark said..."
"I'm fine." Satoshi stood on his own and wrapped one arm around Daisuke's waist. "Lean on me anyway—I don't want to end up harming your ankle. We still need to find the road and get down from here."
"Satoshi, I don't need any help." Daisuke tried to pull away, but Satoshi let out an impatient huff and hauled the redhead up into his arms completely. "Nani?!"
"If you're not going to cooperate," Satoshi said conversationally as he cautiously picked his way down the slope, "we're going to have to do this the hard way. Here..." He shifted Daisuke around awkwardly until the redhead was perched on his back, arms around the commander's neck and legs around his waist. Satoshi shifted and held Daisuke higher up on his back, linked his hands beneath the younger boy's bottom, and kept walking.
"Satoshi!" Daisuke's face flamed. "I'm fine, really..."
"You're injured. I think if it was Dark-san, though," he added softly, apparently to himself, "we'd be out of his mess quicker."
Daisuke's heart fell and he laid his cheek against the back of Satoshi's head sadly. He wishes I was you, the redhead whispered to his other self in his mind. I'm nothing but a burden to him.
That's not what he meant, Dark soothed. Besides, I wouldn't help him. There's something not quite right about him, something I can't put my finger on just yet... But it's there. I can feel it.
Daisuke sighed in response and retreated further into himself.
The rest of the climb down passed in silence. Satoshi walked along the side of the deserted road, careful of slick patches and walking in the dead grass whenever possible. Once they almost toppled from a rock face—the blunet tended to stay away from the sheer edges of the mountain after that. Daisuke's mind wandered and he dozed in and out for the two hours or so it took them to reach the base.
By the time they reached the bottom, Satoshi was simultaneously burning and freezing, tired, thirsty and hungry. His energy reserves were nearly gone. He hiked the redhead further up on his back and looked around. The road evened out and more of the ice was worn down, giving him a chance to walk on the level asphalt as opposed to the rutted frozen dirt and grass in the side. Daisuke slowly came out of his hazy nap, still half asleep, and yawned groggily.
"'S cold," he murmured, burying his face in the curve of Satoshi's neck.
"I know, Niwa-kun." Satoshi bumped him up again, gripping his hands together tightly under Daisuke's bottom to support him. "It'll be all right."
"Satoshi-kun?"
"Nani?" The blunet concentrated on the road at his feet, looking for slick spots.
"Daisuki." Daisuke yawned once more, nuzzled Satoshi's ear affectionately, then dropped back into a peaceful slumber.
A fine tremor ran through Satoshi's body and he swallowed hard. Dammit, Niwa-kun, stop trying my patience. There's only so much I can take... Steeling his nerves and reserves, he pushed on.
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It was well into the night by the time Satoshi staggered into the tiny town of Shubi. By now he was too cold to even shiver, and he was beginning to get a bit dizzy. The building furthest out happened to be one of the firehouses, and the blunet stumbled in without so much as knocking. In the front foyer a half dozen or so firefighters had been playing cards around a table set up in front of the hearth; all were on their feet as soon as the door opened. At the sudden rush of warmth from inside the building the strength in Satoshi's arms immediately left and he had to scrabble to keep from dropping the semi-conscious redhead on the floor. As it was one of the firemen barely had time to grab the injured boy before the detective was on his face on the floor.
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"Boy? Boy, can you hear me? Hey, Tsukasa, I think he's coming around."
Satoshi groaned and tried to open his eyes. It felt as if his entire body were on fire; painful pins-and-needles ran up and down his arms and legs, danced along his spine, and drilled into his temples. He was burning and freezing at the same time.
"Here, kid."
A hot mug of liquid was forced into his hands and Satoshi stared at it dully. His mind was wandering about in a fog, trying dimly to put two and two together but failing miserably.
"Sip it, there's a good lad," the rough voice commanded. Numbly Satoshi put the rim of the mug to his lips and tilted the cup back.
Steaming broth poured between his cracked and chapped lips and down his throat. The blunet's sapphire eyes snapped open as he coughed and choked on the soup, nearly dropping the mug. The cup was rescued by a fireman with quick-reflexes, nary a drop spilling. Satoshi coughed to clear the fire in his throat, but amazingly the tap-dancing pinpricks ceased along his skin and his mind began to emerge from its hiding place in the fog.
All at once Satoshi was aware of his surroundings. He was in a set of dry clothing and even on top of that he was wrapped up tight in no less than ten thick comforters. For the most part he was lying down on a raised bed a little distance from the hearth, his shoulders propped up on a doubled-over pillow. Once the soup was taken away, however, the pillow was removed, unfolded, and placed beneath his head. Four burly men were hovering about him.
"Niwa-kun?" he rasped. "Where is Niwa-kun?" The tremors were coming back and he fought to keep his teeth from chattering. With a shaking hand he reached out for the mug of broth.
"Your friend? He's fine, resting in the cot in the other room. Kyuka and Aijou are with him." The fireman sat down on the edge of the bed. "My name's Tsukasa; this here's Shijin, Hayabusa, and Ashuri." He motioned to each of the men in turn. Tsukasa, a man of sturdy build and graying, thinning black hair and bright black eyes, helped Satoshi sip the broth. His gaze was intent, worried, as if Satoshi were his younger brother or son.
Shijin sat on the foot of the bed, watching Satoshi with a curious but respectful light in his eyes. He was the youngest of the four by far, and even at that he couldn't have been younger than twenty-seven. His hair was long and red-brown, braided down his back and tied with a white band. His eyes were a gentle green.
Hayabusa, a short, stocky man, stood moodily at the wall, staring at the blunet. He wore his black hair cropped short, about an inch from his head, giving him a military air. His black eyes were sharp and quick, never missing a beat. Beside him stood Ashuri, a... woman? Yes, she was a woman, white-blond hair cascading down her back. Satoshi didn't know why he'd mistaken her for a man before—must've been the black shapeless coveralls they all wore. Soft blue eyes smiled back at him with a quiet compassion.
Satoshi struggled to sit up, but Tsukasa pushed him back down on his back. "Rest. If you'll give us the number, we'll get in touch with somebody at home to come and get you. What were you doing up there, anyway?"
"Niwa-kun and I were separated from a school trip," Satoshi whispered between slow sips of broth.
"You're the two kids who went AWOL from that middle school?" Shijin stood, whistling softly beneath his breath. "You must be Hiwatari Satoshi, then." Satoshi nodded, and he continued, "You and Niwa Daisuke have been trapped up on that mountain this whole time?" Again Satoshi nodded.
"Son, it's been over a week since you two disappeared," Hayabusa bit out. "You couldn't have been up there that long and survived."
"It is possible, Haya-kun," Ashuri soothed. She pushed herself from the wall and began herding the men towards the door. "Let the boy rest." The blonde looked back over her shoulder and smiled at Satoshi. "We'll contact your school and parents—I'm sure they're terribly worried—and you'll be home in no time."
"Arigato, Ashuri-sama," Satoshi said quietly. She just smiled and closed the door.
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After a short nap, two more mugs of the steaming broth and a quick bath, Satoshi was on his feet, albeit a bit unsteadily. The lady Ashuri helped him as he shakily made his way through the firehouse towards the room in which they kept Daisuke. She made him keep three of the blankets wrapped tight around his shoulders and clipped together in the front as they went, though, and hovered just behind him, holding onto his elbow to steady him.
Daisuke lay on his cot, scarlet locks spread out over the pillow like liquid fire. His crimson eyes were closed, lashes resting like dark fans on his cheeks. The boy's face was serene and calm, his breathing deep and steady. The quilting on his bed was pulled up and tucked beneath his chin tightly.
"Kaji," Satoshi said brokenly as he knelt down beside the bed. He rested his forehead on Daisuke's chest and held onto his friend's slender hand. "It's over, kaji, we're safe. Oh, Daisuke, please wake up." Tears threatened at his eyes. "There's something important I must tell you."
But Daisuke didn't wake up, didn't respond, didn't move. Satoshi bowed his head and blinked back his tears, but his voice trembled. "Niwa-kun, please. Daisuke? Wake up! Wake up..." He whirled back to stare at Ashuri, still clutching Daisuke's hand. "Why won't he wake up? What's wrong with him?"
"He's fine, Hiwatari-chan," she said, walking to him. "He's just very tired. He'll be all right after a bit of rest and time for his ankle to heal. It was a very nasty break, but it appears to have healed well while you were holed up in that cave."
"You're sure?" he demanded.
"Positive." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Why don't you go back to bed? Your parents should be here soon."
"Okay." Defeated, he allowed her to lead him back to his room.
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Within the hour the boys' parents arrived to pick them up. Satoshi wanted to say good bye to the redhead, but his father wouldn't allow it, packing up the blunet as soon as he arrived. Daisuke woke as his foster parents pulled in and demanded to see Satoshi, to know what was going on, but there seemed to be a conspiracy between the adults to keep the boys apart. And so the cold, long drives home were made in silence and lonesomeness, with only the cold comfort of the knowledge that eventually they would see one another again to keep the boys company. But would that comfort be enough?
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Author's Notes
Okay, that chapter sucked. .:Pokes it with a stick:. It sounded way too hokey to me. What do you think? Let me know, and I'll get the next chapter up ASAP! And for those of you that don't know, AWOL is a military term meaning "Absent Without Leave" (military personnel have to apply for leave, or vacation, before they can go anywhere. .:Ish an army-brat:.). I looked up hypothermia symptoms in at least seven different places, so I hope this chapter is believable! Next one will be coming soon, so keep an eye out.