(Author's Note: Freedom at last! My exams are over and finally Fanfiction uploaded this new chapter. Sorry for the delay and I hope you like!
Also I'm just realizing I forgot disclaimers so I'll just pop it in here
Disclaimer: I do not own or create any of the D.N. Angel characters. The charatcers of Starflower, Meru and other OCs are property of my friend DarkLynx.
Laters people!)
Daisuke prepared himself for the night's heist, walking downstairs dressed in black with With on his shoulder.
"Alright. Is there anything I should know?" He asked his grandfather.
"Yes, there may be a spirit connected to the Agate Links...just be careful."
"Right." With that Daisuke transformed into Dark and flew off towards the building the Agate Links was being kept in. he wasn't expecting much resistance, Satoshi would probably be out of action for a day or so with trying to get Krad under control again. Meanwhile, Meru finished hanging her museum's new painting while Starflower talked to Menou the spirit within the Agates. It had been such a long time, and Starflower was glad to see an old friend. Meru looked around and smiled. It had surprised ehr to find that Abba had been the owner of this place and, in her will, had left it to her.
Dark landed on the roof of the building and looked around. There were only reporters and a few news crews out as well as the usual police. Nice and quiet. Dark chuckled a bit to himself, folding his wings back and then easily and effortlessly breaking into the room holding the Agate Links. Starflower was still talking to Menou, leaning an arm upon the case. In the control room, Meru watched the monitors to make sure nothing else gets in. Starflower looked up.
"Oh, hello, Dark. Are you ever going to beat me here?"
Dark straightened and laughed. "We'll have to see yet." He replied with a smile. "It's good to see you again. How are you feeling after seeing Krad this afternoon?" He moved towards the case containing the Agate Links.
"Nervous. How would you feel?" was her reply, as she moves to protect the necklace. "And you know I'm not going to let you have the Agates." she added, somewhat teasingly.
"And there I was thinking you'd be too shaken up. I should've known better." Dark said, winking at her. He looked towards the necklace and then raised an eyebrow. "But it looks like you're not the only one going to be protecting it." He said. Beside the case now stood a pretty blonde girl in old-fashioned clothing who was watching Dark with pleading eyes.
"Yes, I know. Please, this is Menou Kurashina." she said, gesturing behind her to the girl. Starflower was standing a foot or two in front of the case. Above them all, Meru watched with intrigue.
Well, that would explain why Starflower said she wouldn't need me down there tonight. How are things down there, Star? she calls in her mind.
We're doing okay. I don't know what he'll do now, though.
Dark smiled a bit. "I'm afraid I must take the Agate. It's quite important to an old friend of mine." He shook his head. "Unless you can give me a good enough reason not to take it, I'll have to."
"It's Menou's necklace. Do you really think either one of us will let you take it?" Starflower inquired, creating a small fireball in one hand and letting the flames creep up her forearm.
"Well I know you definitely won't let me take it without a fight. Menou, what about you?" He asked, looking at the girl. She lowered her eyes for a moment before looking back at him.
"Please give me one more day. I am waiting for somebody to come and see me. Please..." She looked at Dark pleadingly and his expression softened. He sighed and shook his head.
"I've never been able to say no to a girl with beautiful eyes. I'll leave it one day, no longer." Menou smiled at him.
"Thank you." Starflower extinguished her fireball. "Very well. Same time tomorrow?" she asked, as Meru started bringing up security again, with various hums and whistles.
Dark nodded. "Same time tomorrow." He agreed, unfurling his wings and taking off. As he flew over the crowd, he dropped a notice onto the head of the police chief, informing him of a change. He so loved winding the police up.
Starflower and Meru made their way to the top of the building.
"Now conjure your wings like I taught you this afternoon."
Meru pulled out three white feathers and passed her hand over her back, twirling them in her fingers, and they transmutated into a pair of clear wings. They took off, Meru somewhat unsteadily, and headed southward.
Not too long later, Daisuke stood out on his balcony watching the sky with his grandfather, talking about the girl that had been there.
"The spirit you mentioned...was that Menou?" Daisuke asked.
His grandfather sighed. "When I was your age, having started working with Dark, I was flying over the town. Everything was dark, every light out...except for one. The next night the same light was on and the night after. Finally, I decided to take a look and was surprised to find that the light was in a room belonging to a girl about my age. She saw me out the window before I could fly away but she opened the window and asked me to stay and talk to her. Her name was Menou and she asked me what I was doing out so late. I told her I was a Phantom Thief and she found it intriguing. She also said she was lonely, that she didn't have many friends...so every night I would go and visit her at her window and talk to her and play games."
"We became close friends. One night, I took a gift for her but she was asleep in bed so I left it on her bedside table. It was a necklace, an heirloom from our family. The next night...her bed was empty and it was days later that I learned that Menou had been very ill and had died the night after I had left the necklace. I never dreamed her spirit would become trapped in the Agate Links..."
Daisuke listened sadly and nodded. He'd have to take the Agate to try and free Menou's spirit...
Takeshi, Daisuke's friend, had decided to go to the museum the next day in order to get some pictures of the necklace for the school paper. There were some crowds around it, so much so he couldn't get in. Lifting his camera over the crowd, he took a picture and then looked at it. It had got a perfect one of the necklace but...he paused, looking at the picture again. Sitting behind the stand the necklace was on was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Long blonde hair, an old-fashioned dress but it looked beautiful on her.
Elbowing his way past the crowds, he looked around for her but she was nowhere to be seen. Wierd...but maybe she'll be around later before Dark tries to take this...
Daisuke relaxed for most of the afternoon, either painting or drawing, doing his homework or thinking about the spirit of the girl trapped within the necklace. The poor girl...forty years she had been trapped in it, waiting for somebody. .
Meanwhile, Meru had awoken to see the sun sinking in the sky and Starflower nowhere in sight. She got up and stretched, noticing that the wings she conjured the night before are still there, even though they should have disappeared while she was asleep due to lack of concentration.
"Hmmm...this is interesting. Let's see if I can do as well with the shield she taught me." Meru ran and took off of the mountaintop, then flew up into the sky and dove straight down towards the lake. She brought out some of Starflower's wingpowder and twisted it in her hands just before she hit and a clear bubble shield formed around her body, making the water splash up in waves as she just floated there, concentrating.
Takeshi had been waiting by the necklace all day and had remained out of sight just before closing time and hid himself in the room the Agate Links was. Once everything was closed up, he sighed. The girl hadn't come back...but at least he'd be in prime position to get pictures of Dark. He turned to look at the necklace and was startled to find the girl standing beside it.
"I-It's you!" he gasped. Menou smiled gently at him. "Umm...I saw you here earlier and I wanted to meet you. My name's Takeshi." he told her.
"My name is Menou." She replied. "It's nice to have a visitor...it gets lonely here and tonight is my last night here." She looked sad. "I was hoping to get a visit from a friend of mine but I guess that won't happen before Dark gets here."
"Well, I'll stop him then so you can have more time!" Takeshi said.
"Really? You'd do that for me?" She asked, smiling happily.
"Yeah, of course." He grinned, so glad to have made her smile. He looked around the room and found a club and a hard hat left by some reconstruction workers from when the wing was built.
"I'll keep Dark away from your necklace."
Dark, meanwhile, was flying over the town in darkness. The police and media were gathered again outside the museum, waiting.
Starflower returned and put something in the cave under the waterfall.
"What's that?"
"Who cares? It's time to go." They both headed back to the museum and took their places as before, except Meru noticed Takeshi in the monitors.
Starflower, be careful. There's someone else in there. Make sure he doesn't suspect you. Probably best if he didn't see you, either. Starflower did her best to be quiet, and slipped into the room, staying out of Takeshi's line of vision. Moments later, Dark broke into the room with ease and walked to the centre of the room, eyes narrowed slightly. He could sense Starflower's presence but there was somebody else there as well. Turning towards the necklace, he stopped as his eyes fell on Menou.
"I've given you another day." He told her. The girl nodded sadly. Dark walked towards her and then suddenly jumped to the side, dodging Takeshi's sudden attack.
"You won't get that necklace, Dark!" he declared. Dark sighed.
"What makes you think I won't?"
"Because you'll have to go through me first!" Takeshi swung the club at the case, smashing it and then grabbed the necklace.
"Sorry." He said to Menou as he started to run to the window.
"HEY!" Dark yelled, racing out after him and unfurling his wings.
Takeshi was tackled just before he reached the window by Starflower, who lifted him up off the ground so that there would be no possibility of either of them landing on the Agates.
"Just because Dark can't have it doesn't mean you can." She slammed Takeshi on his back and put her foot on his chest, holding the wrist and hand with the necklace in one hand so it wouldn't go anywhere.
"I was trying to get him away from Menou!" The boy retorted. He swung the bat at her, taking her as an enemy as well. Dark sighed.
"Let him up Star...he's doing what he feels is right and I think he should have the chance."
Starflower easily evaded the bat and caught it, then pulled Takeshi up by both wrists and let him go, sighing.
"This isn't a game, kid. Put down the bat and hand over the Agate Links." Dark told him, walking towards him. Takeshi shook his head and headed out the fire escape, though it only lead to the enclosed museum garden. Dark followed, unfurling his wings and gliding down.
Menou followed them.
Starflower ran out onto the fire escape after them, but she took off into the air, flying alongside and slightly in front of Takeshi.
Dark flew overhead, watching for a chance to swoop down and take the necklace.
Is it broken? Daisuke asked.
"No...not yet, at any rate." Dark replied with a sigh.
Starflower watched Dark carefully and Takeshi only a little, grumbling silently to herself about how ridiculous this all is, while she half-heartedly throws fireballs at Dark in hopes to keep him distracted enough so he won't be able to trip up Takeshi and take the Agate Links. Dark dodged them with ease, rolling his eyes at Starflower.
"Why do you insist on slowing down my work? I've already told you my reasons." He called to her.
"You have your job, and I have mine, Phantom Thief." was her reply. She'd been instructed by Meru to sound formal so that hopefully, Takeshi won't put it together that they know each other on familiar terms. Starflower then switched to exploding arrows. They were the same yellow ones as before, and they'd explode if they hit Dark or if they stopped travelling on their own momentum, which ensured Takeshi's safety. Dark had to put more effort into avoiding her attacks, growing annoyed by this now. He landed on a broken stairway and then jumped down beneath it, folding his wings back for a moment. He watched Starflower and then turned towards Takeshi who was on the opposite side of the enclosed garden. Smirking a bit, Dark moved back into the shadows and vanished.
Starflower sees this and groans inwardly. Crap. I didn't know he could shadowtravel. Meru, hit some lights.
The immediate area of the fire escape and around the walls of the buildings of the museum were lit by various small lights. Starflower flew up higher, above Takeshi, looking for Dark, bow at the ready. She would have done the light spell again, but it was dangerous for eyes all around at this range.Takeshi was waiting for Dark to show himself, looking around wildly. He saw Menou standing in the shadows under the fire escape, looking a bit scared. He went to move towards her when a black wing flew out of the shadows and knocked him against the wall, effectively knocking the boy out.
"Sorry." Dark said as he stepped out into view, taking up the necklace and holding it carefully in his hand. It wasn't broken...
He unfurled his wings to take off up into the air when Menou cried out.
"Please! Don't!" She threw a hand out and Dark froze in mid-air, hanging by some unknown force for a brief moment before being flung hard against the nearest wall and collapsing somewhere into a large amount of flowery bushes. Starflower simply landed in front of Dark and took the necklace from him.
"I suppose this means no one will be taking the Agate Links out of here, if Menou can manipulate it's magics." She held the necklace up to the light and inspected it to make sure it hadn't been broken. She knew the necklace's curse had bound Menou's spirit to it, but if the necklace was broken, she feared what that could do...
She looked down at Dark and asked him if he was all right. He did hit the wall pretty hard. Dark got up rather unsteadily, rubbing the back of his head and wincing.
"I'll be fine once the room stops spinning." He muttered, taking an unsteady step towards Starflower and then bumping into her. Starflower stepped toward him and caught him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.
"C'mon. Let's go make sure you don't have a concussion." She said, turning them both around and heading towards the nearest door with Meru, who had taken the necklace and slung Takeshi over one shoulder.
"And here I thought tonight was going to be easy..."
Dark let her guide him, rubbing his head where he had hit it and looking at his glove which was lightly stained in blood. He cursed under his breath.
Dark, do you want to switch? Daisuke asked him.
No, I can handle this. Besides this is a good chance anyway. His comment left Daisuke feeling a bit puzzled.
A good chance for what?
Starflower heard Dark cursing quite obviously and looked towards him. "Dark, is something the matter?" Then, seeing his hand, "Oh, please tell me you aren't bleeding..."
"Fine, I won't tell you." He replied, wincing and then straightening, or trying to with only a bit of luck. Starflower sighed, and Meru up ahead quickened her pace.
I figure, Starflower, that I should get Takeshi into the medical wing ASAP, so I can put the Agate Links somewhere else, that way Dark will hopefully not try anything while we're bandaging him up. But be careful. You'll be alone with him, so he might try something anyways. She added in note to Starflower. Starflower said nothing.
Dark glanced off to the side, seeing Menou was following them. She looked worried, afraid of what she had done to cause Dark to hit that wall so hard. They entered a long hallway with little lighting, except that provided by the moon and stars. This was the entrance to the new medical wing which was being added now that Meru owned the museum. Dark took a look around, taking in the new wing and smiling a bit. It was good to know all ways around the museum, he'd have to check this one out carefully.
Starflower noticeed Dark's intrigue and said, "This is a new medical wing for the guards that Meru is going to hire pretty soon. The wing is happening first because we both figure that if we're going to have guards, they should be taken care of. And just in case anyone suffers anything fatal here like a heart attack."
Meru and Takeshi reached the wing first and Meru touched her hand to a scanpad on the right of the door, which glowed green as the door opens. She walked in and came back out without Takeshi. Meru and Starflower noddded to each other as Meru walked down another hall to the left of the door.
The door was still open, and Starflower entered with Dark and guided him to a gurney and got him to sit on it, telling him to take off his shirt while she turned to a cabinet in the wall to take out a basic medical tray. Takeshi had been laid out on another gurney a couple of rows over. Dark muttered something to his wings which seperated from him and formed With who sat beside Dark, rubbing against his hand in concern. The thief smiled at the little creature and scratched him behind the ears before removing his shirt as Starflower had told him. His head was pounding and there were grazes on his back from where he'd hit the wall. A warm, wet feeling on the back of his head told him he was still bleeding slightly.
Starflower returned holding a tray with various forms of gauze and tape, two spraybottles and a tube of ointment, and a washcloth. She put it down besides Dark on the table and walked around it to face his back, holding spraybottle number one and the cloth.
"Yeah, I figured. You're all scratched up back here." she commented as she started to work. She sprayed his wounds with the spraybottle, which is full of water, and cleans everything out with a cloth, making sure to get his hair clean.
Meanwhile Meru winds her way through the hallways to the door between the medical wing and the rest of the museum, then turns to a keypad and types in a specific code. A door across from her opens, revealing stairs. She stepped up the stairs and turned left into a hallway with a door at the end. She walks quickly down the hall and opens the door, revealing one of the museum's several control rooms. She opens a drawer and places the Agate Links inside, then closes and locks it.
With hopped off the bed and then down the hall, off to explore the place curiously. Dark held still as she cleaned the scratches, trying not to wince as it stung slightly from being touched.
"This is the second time you've patched me up. I haven't forgotten you healing me after that fight with the unicorn." He said. "Do you like to slow me down, causing my needless injury just so you can tend to me afterwards?" His tone was serious but his dark eyes glittered with amusement.
"Sure," Starflower said, her mind is more on cleaning all this up. "Sorry, I know this is going to hurt," she added as she took the other spraybottle and spritzed everything down with rubbing alcohol.
"Hey, With, come back here. The rest of the security system will be up in a moment, and you don't want to deal with that." She called after the little creature. Dark had laughed a bit at her reply and then stopped suddenly as the alcohol hit his scratches.
"Don't mind With. He won't set off anything..." He said a moment later as the little demon hadn't replied. "He's like a ghost to security systems."
"He'd better hope so," Starflower replied, reaching for the tube of ointment and beginning to dab it on poor Dark's bruised head. "Meru's systems are notoriously unfriendly."
"I wouldn't worry about him." He shrugged, looking into space for a few moments. "May I ask what bound you here, Starflower? Was it purely to stop Krad from causing anymore havoc on the world or have you another motive?"
"Let me remind you that Krad arrived here after I did. He busted asylum and followed me here. I'm a soldier in the International Angelic Army. I was stationed here to protect the planet. But I can't say I don't have my own motives as well." Starflower replied quickly, seeming tense. She bandaged Dark's head and moved on to put ointment on his back and shoulders.
"Alright, I was only asking." He replied, that being as much as an apology she'd get for that. He said nothing more from then, simply waiting for her to be finished.
"I'm not mad at you." Starflower said gently, moving on to start bandaging his shoulders. "It's only that most people who know my other reasonings think I'm crazy or that they don't make sense."
"So you won't tell me then?" He asked, turning his head a bit to look at her. "I've been hoping to get to know you a bit better..."
"Even my partner thinks I'm crazy. Are you sure you want to know?" Starflower asked, unable to resist and reaching out to play with his hair a little bit.
"Yes." Dark said, nodding and then turning to face her, his eyes meeting hers. "Tell me. I promise I won't laugh or anything."
"Well, all right. Although this is nothing to laugh at." Starflower brought the gurney behind her closer so she could sit on it while she related the tale she had to tell.
A long, long time ago was where her story began. She and her friend were about the equivalent of 8 years old when this happened. They had been playing together alone with his pet ahzlin when they were attacked by these strange creatures that seemed to be made of the shadows themselves. They attempted to kidnap her, and when her friend tried to stop them, they changed their minds and took him instead. That was the last she has ever seen of him, and the promise she made to herself was that she would find him and bring him back home. Everyone thought she was crazy because he had been missing for millenia and was most likely dead.
"If only Asmodeus were with us," Starflower added sadly ater the tale. "Asmodeus was his older brother. He loved him so much, he wanted to teach him everything he knew. After he disappeared, Asmodeus started slipping further and further into his own world, until he finally went crazy. That's where Krad comes from." she told him, wiping away opalescent tears. She obviously felt very guilty over the whole matter.
Dark put a hand on her shoulder. "I don't think you're crazy. I think you're somebody who believes in the best no matter what. It's possible he mightn't be dead...who knows?" He smiled and then gave her a hug to comfort her. "You'll find out the truth someday."
Starflower hugged him back, albeit tentatively. She didn't want to make his injuries any worse.
"Thanks." she said, starting to smile. "I should probably finish bandaging your back before we have another break-in. There seem to be a rash of them recently," she added as she got up and moved around, decidedly gauzed the area, then secured them with gauze tape.
"Whoever they are, the security systems have always taken care of it so we don't have to come down. Thank goodness."
"Hmm...somebody trying to get in on my turf? I don't think so." He smirked a bit, curious to find out about whoever it might be. he'd probably have to take a look on one of his nights off from a mission...or possible check in before or after one of them.
"I wouldn't if I were you. Meru's security is not something even you would want to mess with. She's designed all of it herself, and her idea of escaping is by getting maimed or killed in the process." Starflower warned him, pulling the tapes tight and tying them, then wrapping some tape over the scratches on his neck. He didn't really need bandages there, but it still needs covered.
"And truly, I don't think they're actually here to steal anything. They've been doing stupid things like smashing the windows or the glass doors...I guess they like glass or something."
Dark laughed a bit. "Vandals I suppose, or they're trying to test the system." Once she was finished patching him up, he pulled on his shirt again and stood up. "Thanks for the help, Star." He smiled at her. "Though I'll be avoiding you next time we meet...if your purpose is simply to get me beat up so you can help afterwards I'd rather avoid the needless injuries."
She smiled. "Ha ha ha. It's not like you can leave yet anyways, you still don't have the Agates." She started to pick up the various supplies and put them away, calling over her shoulder, "This isn't your job this time anyways, it's Daisuke's."
"I had a feeling you might say that." Dark said. But by the time Starflower turned around he was gone.
During their conversation, With had hopped up the stairs and along the corridor, keeping to the shadows and out of sight of the cameras. He followed Meru's scent, observing what she was doing while Dark could not. Meru crossed the small room to a chair in front of lots and lots of monitors with a desk and keyboard. She boots up the system and puts on a set of headphones with a microphone attached. With crept in past the door of the control rooms and sat under a control board behind Meru and watched her with interest.
"Curator speaking to main line. Activate all systems plus tag beams with reactives and cameras."
The monitors came to life, fuzzy grey at first, then the pictures cleared to show all rooms in that section of the museum. In the museum itself, cameras set in the walls went from passive to active watch, turning quickly in synochronous time with each other, light blue beams of light crossed the floor and halls in various angles, as well as around all the artworks.
Meru watched all this while mumbling to herself that she needed to take out insurance on her cases.
With tilted his head and blinked up at the monitors, watching what was happening on them. His eyes strayed to the drawer holding the Agate Links, sensing the power within the item before returning his attention to Meru. He then hopped over to her, wanting some attention and put a paw on her leg, looking up at her with big eyes. Meru looked down at With and picked him up, putting him on her lap and starting to pet him.
With curled up on Meru's lap, enjoying the attention and being petted. Once he sensed Dark on the move, he looked up from Meru's lap and then hopped off and out the door quickly, as if something had called him.
Meru simply got up, still wearing the headgear and closed and locked the door behind him. She went back to her seat and pulled a visor down over her eyes so she could see any alerts that came up on the computer.
Starflower was not at all suprised to see that Dark had left and walked out of the room as well. She went out to the garden area and retrieved Takeshi's bat.
Meru, I've Takeshi's bat.
Good, I can beat his brains in with it when he wakes up.
Meru...
What? The little punk broke into my museum. Dark we can expect to do this on a regular basis...For the police chief's son to do it is just annoying. Starflower walked back into the medical wing, shaking her head and leaned the bat against a wall, then sat and waited for Takeshi to wake up. He stirred after a while, sitting up and rubbing his head before looking around.
"What the-? How'd I get-? Meru?"
"Not here, but then again, I don't think you want her to be just now." Starflower said, not shifting. "Your bat's over here at the wall."
"Uh..." He blinked up at Starflower and then around. "Where'd everybody go? Where Menou? Did Dark get the necklace?"
"No, Dark doesn't have the Agate Links. Most everyone else is uninjured, so of course they are elsewhere. Menou is with the Agate Links, she is wearing it after all, and Daisuke is transferring the necklace to someplace where it will be safe from Dark." Starflower was very quick about her responses. "Oh, and Meru's pissed at you for breaking into her museum."
Takeshi blinked, a bit confused. "Since when was the Meru's museum and...why is Daisuke here?" He frowned, getting suspicious now.
"Since she inherited all of them in this area when their previous owner died, and because the necklace needs to be moved and Daisuke was most convenient to ask. Meru and I would take it ourselves, but the museum needs to be on guard and you have taken yourself off her list by breaking in here tonight."
Takeshi looked no less suspicious about this and made a mental note ask Daisuke about this at school on Monday.
Starflower shrugged. "Whatever, Takeshi, but you need to be getting home before one of us decides to call your father." She got up and left the room, leaving the door open. The medical wing, having no relics, was pretty lacking for security. Takeshi would be fine. Takeshi frowned and got up to leave when his eyes fell on the bat. Picking it up, he exited the museum, only to run around the building towards the indoor garden, hoping to see Menou there maybe...he had to see her again.
Meanwhile, Dark reappeared outside the room Meru had locked the Agates in, With in his shoulder. He wasn't surprised to see Menou hanging around in the corridor outside. Her spirit was tied to the necklace after all.
Dark, what did Starflower mean that this was my mission? Daisuke asked.
"Exactly what she said. I'll get the necklace but I'll leave the rest to you."
What? But I don't-
Dark ignored Daisuke's protests and broke into the control room and walking over to the drawer the necklace was in. Meru very quickly typed something on her keyboard, and the boxes were immediately and obviously electrified.
"You could just ask, you know.." Meru said from her chair, not bothering to turn around. There was a camera in the control room too, she could see him.
"Asking isn't really my style." Dark smirked. With hopped down from his shoulder and back to Meru as Dark shifted and left Daisuke. Daisuke blinked.
"But Dark-"
She's your friend, you ask her. I don't want to be electrocuted and I'd actually rather do that than ask.
Daisuke sighed and then walked over to Meru. "Meru, please give me the necklace. We need to release Menou's spirit."
"Yeah, I know," Meru smirked, turning around and entering the countercode on her keyboard. The boxes stopped buzzing and being electrified, and Meru got up and walked over to unlock it.
"Just one thing. You cannot break the necklace unless you are really and truly desparate. I couldn't find very much out about this type of holding spell, and breaking the necklace could either release her or kill her, plus a few nasty things I don't care to think about." She continued as she took out the Agate Links and handed it to Daisuke. He nodded.
"Thank you Meru. I'll figure this out somehow."
"You're welcome. Oh, and watch out for red squares on your way out." Meru replied, going back to the computer. "With, come on now, time for you guys to go home." She added to With. With tilted his head at Meru and then hopped after Daisuke.
Well bravo, you got it. Now maybe if you try talk to Menou she might let us in on something. Dark suggested, sound very bored. Daisuke rolled his eyes a bit and then turned towards the door.
"Menou?"
The boy looked at the necklace in his hands and decided maybe Dark would be better at this. He shifted and Dark sighed.
"Have you no confidence in yourself anymore Daisuke?"
I do but you're supposed to be the infamous Phantom Thief... With formed Dark's wings and he flew back to the museum garden to speak with Menou, simply so he had space to dodge if Menou decided to manipulate the necklace's powers anymore. Landing, he turned as the girl's spirit appeared.
"I gave you your day, Menou."
"I know..." She girl sighed. "I only hoped to see...never mind." She shook her head. "But even if you take this, my spirit will have to follow...and I don't want that." She looked towards him almost angrily and the necklace began to glow as she did.
Dark I think we should give her back the necklace... Daisuke put in.
Meanwhile, Takeshi had just reached the wall and could hear Menou's voice and Dark's. He clambered up the wall and took aim with his bat, throwing it hard at Dark. Dark turned in time to avoid it himself but the bat caught his hand holding the necklace and it went flying, hitting the ground and breaking. As Takeshi stumbled and half-fell off the wall back outside, Dark flew over to the necklace and picked it up, examining it...part of one side had snapped. Menou walked over to him and Dark closed his eyes, shifting back to Daisuke, who turned.
"It's broken...but you can have it. I'm sorry Dark tried to take it." He said, holding it out to her and looking sorry. Menou put her hands over her mouth, tears brimming in her eyes.
"It's you!" She gasped, her form starting to glow brightly. Daisuke blinked in confusion and watched in awe as she rose up in the air.
"Little Phantom Thief...for so long I've waited to see you...and to say 'Thank You!'" She smiled down at him. "Thank you!"
Meru saw this from her control room and began cursing rather loudly as she and Starflower both ran to the garden to try and contain Takeshi. Upon seeing Takeshi fall off the walkway, Meru jumped after him and caught him, making sure to inject him with a sedative so that hopefully he wouldn't cause any more trouble as they took him home. Starflower had made it into the garden area and she waved goodbye to Menou.
After she was gone, she went over to Daisuke and asked, "See what I meant now? And what just happened?"
"Menou passed over to where she is supposed to be." Daisuke told her with a slight smile. "I can't prove it but I just feel like she did. And Dark agrees with me." He looked at the necklace and sighed, closing his eyes and turning back into Dark.
"And I'd better be going. See ya." He winked at Starflower and then took off.
Starflower scratched her head in slight annoyance. "Not what I meant.." she muttered to herself, then turned to Meru, who had just literally clawed her way up the wall. "Come on Meru, let's go home."
"Yes, let's. I'm tired, you're tired, Dark's stolen the necklace already, and I've had to deal with this...this...punk." Meru replied, rolling her eyes and making a face in reference to Takeshi. She was still mad. They left the museum in quite a different fashion, going to the underground garage and getting Starflower's motorcycle, then taking Takeshi home.
They head home themselves and collapse into bed. After swapping stories, Meru decided that she was going to go have to tell Daisuke about their coverup. She sighed as she thought to herself while drifting off; Traversing the land of dreams is so tiring...
Kitty: Squee! I love this heist. It's almost not a heist at all
Daisuke: What are you talking about? Dark stole the Agates
Kitty: Yes and he took off his shirt (giggles madly)
Meru: Uh-oh, we lost her again...