Ice Angels

Revelations

"Tatta hitotsu no shinjitsu o sagashite..."
To discover only one truth...

"Are you sure this is the place Wiz?" Dark asked, glancing nervously at the small rabbit creature that was settled on his shoulder. All he received was a quick, "Kyuu!" and a nod of the head from the ball of fluff. Beside him, Daisuke shifted anxiously, eyes gazing over the large mansion ahead of them. His head pounding horribly, and each time his eyes met something—the dead cherry tree, the garden in the corner, the small fountain—his headache would increase. Eventually it drove him to the point of raising his hands to massage his temples, groaning softly.

"D..Dark? This place..." Daisuke whimpered, feeling as if some kind of cruel god has struck down on him, cursing his thoughts with a vortex of glass and metal. From the pain the other was obviously receiving, Dark looked around, wrapping his arm around the younger's shoulders. His eyes softened, watching the boy in pain before he tried to answer, "The Hikari mansion, and...?"

And angrily, he blurted out, "I know that! But..It seems so..."

"Familiar?" Dark responded, looking back at the building as he narrowed his eyes. Daisuke only looked perplexed, doing nothing more than shake his head, dumbfounded. "Yeah. Krad and Satoshi, they..."

Before he could continue, Dark was bolting up to the door, dragging Daisuke along with him. He twisted the doorknob, slamming his elbow into it and rushed up the stairs, Daisuke following behind him. Dark wasn't sure, didn't understand, how he just knew where to go, knew where the attic was and knew the two Hikari boys would be there...He just...Just...

"Krad! Satoshi?" A young boy, probably only the age of seven, looking around in fear, amethyst eyes scanning the clean wooden floors of the mansion. He wondered around aimlessly, spotting women in a kind of uniform, busily cleaning away at everything in sight. It never ceased to amaze him how large the Hikari mansion was, and how the light filtered in through the tall windows. With curtains pulled open and and any traces of a barrier between the outside and inside gone, letting a breeze flow in.

The young boy sighed, tugging at his violet hair, and behind him was a smaller boy with bright red hair, probably only four. His arms were wrapped tightly around a teddy bear as he wobbled along behind his older brother. The redhead pulled his thumb out of his mouth and spoke, "St'shi sad...Kwad too." The older spun around, nearly glaring at the smaller one. He stumbled back, frightened from the fury in the boy's eyes.

"Upset? Then...They must be in the attic again..." The amethyst-haired boy frowned, grabbing the other's wrist and rushing up stairs. They passed maids as they went, heard birds pass by as they ran higher and higher, until they reached the top—out of breath.

"St'shi?" The redhead called, then stuck his thumb back into his mouth, sniffling. "Shh!" The older ushered, putting a finger to his lips and pointing to a door at the end of the hall. They walked over quietly, putting their ears to the door and listening..Silence, for a moment, and then a soft sob.

"Krad!" The older turned the knob frantically and finally kicked the door open to look at the two boys. One, with blue hair was sobbing softly, curled into the arms of one with long golden hair. Neither looked up, just ignored the other two's presence. The redhead walked over, placing a hand on the blunette's shoulder. And the other, gently hugged the one with angelic hair and eyes, who then huffed out quietly, "Mama...Is sick..."

And they cried together, and held each other tight, and they did not let go for a very long time.

"KRAD!" Dark kicked the attic door open, Daisuke only inches behind him when they stumbled into the room, both heaving deep breaths. Before them was a sight to remember. Krad had one arm wrapped around Satoshi's shoulder, both staring down at a small photograph. Books were thrown about the room everywhere, it was a complete disaster. Dark stepped forward, hand raising just so slightly.

"...Krad?" he whispered. The blonde's eyes shot up, and there were tears...tears streaming from his face. The two made their way over, Daisuke trying to comfort Satoshi, but once he saw what was being held in both their hands, he stumbled back, grasping his head again. Dark also looked, and his vision became blurry. There was a vividly gorgeous fully blossomed cherry tree...With four boys sitting beneath its branches.

They weren't sure of the time, or maybe even the season, for they were lost in their world where everything was right...For a little while. Two young children giggled, running around a lush yard of green, while two others sat beneath a sakura tree, smiling at their younger brother's. One sighed peacefully, slumping on the trunk as the other ran his hand through the grass, this was the blonde who did such a strange action.

"How's your mother?" The one with dark hair asked, both eyes closed but letting one peer open to watch the blonde continue to run his hand over the grass. He shifted, and turned his head to look at his dear friend.

"They won't let us see her...We're not sure," he answered, going back to his previous activity. This only caused the other to frown deeply and grab the blonde's wrist, tugging him back so he rested in his lap.

"Cheer up! You've got me, don't cha?" He grinned, sticking a cherry blossom in the blonde's hair. "And we're friends, right? Friends forever!" The grin widened and the blonde's expression softened. With a content smile, he leaned back into the other as they watched the young ones play. Eventually, they both ran over, stumbling onto the grass, giggling happily.

"Ha! Creepy boy can't keep up with you, can he Dai-chan?" The amethyst-eyes boy asked, which only got the young blunette to glare at him. The redhead laughed a little before standing, and helping his friend up, not noticing the soft blush on the boy's cheeks.

"St'shi! Let's rest here, okay?" he asked. And they all sat, happy, content, under the blooming cherry tree. When they fell asleep, that was how the maids found them. In each others arm, and drowning in their own little world.

Daisuke whimpered again, and by now Satoshi had rushed over to him, taking him by the shoulders. "What's wrong? Dammit, I told you this would happen, Krad!" he shouted angrily, glaring back at the blonde who sat still staring at the pictures. Dark slumped to his knees, also staring at the photographs as he skimmed through them, eyes boring a way through the small pieces of paper.

"What's...How..." His words were lost as Krad glanced over, glaring at Satoshi. "It's all your fault! Your fault!" he screamed. But the two couldn't bare to scream anymore, as both Niwa's were now staring at them. Dark reached a hand out, but Krad slapped it away in aggravation. "Don't...Don't touch me!"

"I...Krad...What's going on?"

Yet the blonde couldn't answer and only shoved the pictures in the boy's face again.

"Augh! I'm all wet!" The older growled, glaring at the blonde who was giggling at him. He ran inside the large mansion looming over them and ran back out, handing him a towel. He snatched it, drying his hair and looked back at the fountain, as if blaming it for everything. "Stupid thing," he muttered, sticking his tongue out at the fountain.

The blonde blinked, pointing to the water that spouted from the angel's mouth on the fountain, then to where it landed in the small pond beneath. There sat a laughing redhead, smile growing wider as he watched the blunette, who stood away from the little pool, stare at him.

"C'mon S'tshi! It's hot out, and the water feels good!" he grinned, looking at the boy. But he didn't budge, and the redhead's smile dropped. "Oh..But.."

"Get in, creep!" The amethyst-haired boy shouted, pushing the younger into the pool. But then the blunette grabbed his wrist, and the blonde lunged forward, grasping his friend's hand, and soon they were all in the fountain, wet. There was a long silence before the youngest exploded.

"Yay! Now we're allll wet!"

"Don't you get it? Don't you?" Krad asked, fingers wrapping into fists as he slammed them onto the floorboards. Satoshi looked up from comforting Daisuke, watching the scene play out. Dark was scanning through the pictures, still confused as ever.

Satoshi's eyes softened, and he whispered something nearly audible...

"The curse...of the Hikari."

"But, why are you leaving?" The boy with violet wild hair, only nine years old. The other, blonde hair that flowed freely, the same. They hid between bushes of roses and carnations, little weeds making their way out from the soil around them. The smell of fresh dirt invaded their senses, and it was comforting to breath in, and look above to be greeted with flowers and greenery. Here, in their secret garden.

The blonde shifted, turning so he propped his face up on his palm, his elbow digging into the moist soil. "The maids didn't tell us...And Daddy's not here...But they said..They said we could see Mama again! They did!" His smile brightened, but the other frowned, upset.

"What's wrong...?" The blonde pressed, moving closer so he looked down on the other, with his arms propped behind his neck as he stared up at a white rose above him.

"I don't know..It's weird, don't you think? Where are you going? Can...We see you?" This time, his eyes lingered on the form above him until the blonde sighed, resting back in his place.

"...They said we could see Mama...But we're going to move somewhere else...Maybe a big house? Or a little apartment? I just...Don't know..."

So they remained silent until to other boys rushed into their secret hiding place. The one with red hair had tears brimming his eyes, the other was silent and cold, as always.

"They're moving!" the redhead cried, tears streaming from his eyes.

"You're not making any sense!" Dark burst, suddenly taking Krad by the shoulders and shaking him. Satoshi didn't move from his place. Krad looked the other way, biting his lip.

"God...You were always so dull..." He remarked, ripping from the other's grasp and walking over to a small window to gaze out at the gates, and behind that, a long street covered in snow. Again, Dark was at his side, questioning him.

"Look, I'll tell you. If you'd just shut up," Krad hissed. "Can't you remember? Doesn't it hurt...To remember?"

"...Krad..."

"Krad? Hey, Krad!" He wandered, like he had so many times, but things were different. The floors were no longer clean and spotless. The curtain were shut tightly, windows closed shut, and there was just no...no life. And behind him, as always, the redhead walked, looking around. They searched everywhere, and finally were met with a staircase. The younger pointed up, and the two proceeded in walking up the steps.

They didn't bother to be silent, but instead rushed forward, flinging the door open.

"Where...? But...Krad! Satoshi!" And from behind a pile of boxes they slipped into view. The older smiled, rushing forward before he halted to a stop, staring into two blue eyes. Quickly, he backed away to allow himself a view of a woman, with large cerulean eyes and golden hair.

"...They are the ones?" she asked, turning to the two boys behind her, who nodded dumbly. She spun back around, looking at the two.

"Dark...And Daisuke is it?" That smile was pained. "Well...You must say good-bye to your friends...We are leaving."

The other growled, rushing forward to grasp his friend, Krad. And Daisuke did the same, holding tight to Satoshi. "No!" They called in unison.

Yet suddenly, her face was so angry, and her eyes so thin, and her smile melded into a deep frown and she wrenched them away, almost screaming, "Do not touch them! They...They'll kill you, you see." And her voice became calm as Daisuke and Dark backed away, the woman taking their place as she wrapped her two boys in her arms.

The five stood in silence as the women looked down. "They are...my burden, and I shall be the one to die. Now...Go...And forget." Even as the two stood rigid, the blonde and blunette begged them to go, though they refused.

"No?" the woman whispered. She stood angrily, marching over to the two yet her sons screamed, lunging forward. There was the crashing sound of bodies tumbling on wood, and the frantic cries as they were torn away from their friends, crying and shouting and then everything was so bright, bright, bright...And then...Nothing.

The four sat in silence, back at the Niwa home. Luckily, the rest of the family had gone out and now they all sat in the living room. Between them, was the box full of photographs. Daisuke's headache had subsided, and Dark had his face in his hands.

"So...We had our memories erased?" Dark confirmed, looking up to meet the blonde's gaze, who looked away in shame. Satoshi nodded, fingering a particular picture in his hands. Daisuke averted his eyes and sighed.

"Well, in a way. They weren't completely erased...More like suppressed. As in amnesia, one can recall events once things become more familiar. Seeing those pictures...Brought back all our memories.." Satoshi looked down at the picture, then carefully placed it on the table. A long silence followed and finally Satoshi cleared his throat.

"I know, it's hard to believe, but.."

"Hell no!" Dark shouted, suddenly jolting up from his seat on the couch. "As soon as a I saw Krad...I just—I can't explain it, I just felt something inside me stirring, and trying to break free. Daisuke was the same...And you two?"

Satoshi and Krad nodded in silence. And suddenly, it was Krad who was spilling words from his mouth, "It was because...Of the Hikari curse. We're not even sure where it came from, but—it was believed in the Hikari clan a sin...to love. To care anything, for anyone, under any circumstances." He ran a hand through his hair, breathing deeply. "That was why our mother died...Any who we care for...Just end up dying..." At this, his fists tightened. "She fought it...And she knew we were the ones who would...Would..."

"Kill her," Satoshi answered calmly. "Countless times...We've...Tried things to rid us of that guilt."

And Dark could remember the trip to the hill, and finding Krad...floating in the water and..oh god...To know you were the reason your own mother died...To know that guilt...And try and put it on another, and always, always knowing it was your own fault...Who wouldn't want to..End their lives?

"But...It never worked, for some reason. When we moved, it was because our mother, Rio, noticed that the four of us...Were slowly becoming friends. She..."

It was Daisuke's turn to speak, "Didn't want us to die...She didn't want you to hurt...More than you were already going to..."

And they understood. The Hikari, a powerful clan that still had amazing powers could take away a life...Or a memory. Back then...How had they even met? They weren't sure they would ever remember. Against everything two Hikari's had opened their hearts, and in turn doomed themselves. Yet...Their mother, who would eventually die because of her sons, did not want to see others in pain. And so...She made them forget. She made them all forget so that she would be the only one left in pain. She would be the only one to die, and she alone would fall fate to the Hikari curse.

Yet fate had other plans, and brought together those that which had been seperated, and slowly broke open the heart of ice that the Hikari's held. And now...Now...

"We were going to leave," Satoshi stated, looking up, "So you two...Didn't die."

Then—silence.

IIiiII

Author's Note: Guess who's back! Back again! Shady's back with a--Woops. Wrong song. Can you believe I'm alive! Can you! There was a huge amount of information in this chapter, so I hope it's not to confusing! I need to end this fic, because I'm trying to work on my new one called Balance so please, check it out! My reviewers think it's good. I actually really think I'll get little to zero reviews for this chapter, because of such the late update...And it was a pretty bad chapter, if you ask me. Next chapter will be coming up soon. Note, it's very, very short, (or will it?) but it is the last chapter and I'll make my thanks now. Thank you to all of those who reviewed and read this! I truly appreciate all your comments, and hope that you will enjoy the ending of this story. This will be my first long term work that is completed, and though we had some rough moments...And chapters...I'm happy to see how it all turned out! Thank you, and until next time! --peachie