Disclaimer: I do not own DNAngel
A/N:I'm sorry the chapters have been so short so far. I really didn't mean for it to turn out that way. Actually I was really surprised when I put the first two up.
I'll try to make them longer, promise.
That night, Satoshi was ready. He had spent the entirety of his life, though only a few short 15 years, preparing for this day. Tonight, he would have his first opportunity to capture and kill Phantom Thief Dark.
It was true though, that since he had met Daisuke, he had become somewhat torn with his life's goal - but only somewhat. Satoshi knew what he had to do though, and if it came to killing Niwa, then that would just have to be that. There was nothing for it now. He had to do this. This was his fate. He had to carry out the purpose of the Hikari blood line.
Satoshi had hardened his heart now - not that it hadn't been encase in steel before.
It all came down to this.
It quickly became apparent that Detective Saehara and his men were fools, but Satoshi and Krad both knew Dark better than they, and so when they were falsely alerted that Dark had escaped through the main entrance, "Chief Commander Hiwatari" was not fooled. And he was right not to be deceived, because nearly as soon as all of the officers were out of the room, Dark threw off his disguise and began to pick the security lock of the Sacred Maiden statue.
"Congratulations," Satoshi said as he stepped into the room from the shadows. "Just like my old friend. Nice to meet you... but we've met before."
There was plain shock on the Phantom Thief's face. He hadn't been expecting to see him, and his eyes turned downward as if he were a child caught in the act. Idly, Satoshi wondered what Daisuke must be thinking.
Without hesitation, Satoshi ran for Dark and pinned him to the ground. The thief went down easily, and even looked almost... frightened. That's when Satoshi realized - Phantom Dark hadn't come out quite yet. "I'm afraid I can't let you go," he hissed in Dark's face. "Your capture provides the sole purpose of my existence. I live for nothing else!" He wished it did not sound so much like he was trying to convince himself. His hands tightly gripped Dark's shoulders.
And then suddenly Satoshi was surrounded by dark feathers. "Now here's the question..." When he was able to look up again, a Dark Mousy was standing to either side of him. "Which one of us... is the real one?"
"There are two of you?" Satoshi said, glancing from one to the other. Taking a wild guess, he lunged for the Dark to his right, and he must have been correct, because the other melted away into black feathers that pulled him back and nearly drowned him. "Dark!"
As Dark flew away with the Sacred Maiden on his back, Satoshi watched him soar across the sky from the very window through which he had escaped. He couldn't help but smirk, though. This feeling - the adrenaline pumping through his veins in such a way - made him feel more alive than he ever had. He was for the most part glad that Dark had gotten away from him this night. Satoshi would have been disappointed if it were so easy to capture such a Legendary Thief. He chuckled. At least things stay interesting this way, he thought.
Satoshi knew that he would see Dark again. He would have many more opportunities to confront him, so this feeling of being so alive did not have to fade just yet. He did not have to fade just yet...
And at least this way, Daisuke Niwa could keep his life a little longer.
Satoshi had feared that now, with Dark active and stealing artworks freely, Krad would become overexcited and get out of hand, but surprisingly, this did not happen. Though there were brief moments of boredom and impatience from Satoshi's other half, Krad did not try to take over. He was unusually silent for the most part, actually.
Quickly Satoshi determined that Krad had to be up to something, and at this conclusion, Krad himself chuckled darkly in Satoshi's mind. Must I always be up to no good in your eyes, he asked. "You are my other half, and the current owner of this body. Therefore I have to depend on you to do away with Dark. So why would I try to take over?"
Liar, Satoshi hissed back.
"Really, you should give me a little more credit... Master Satoshi."
The saying went that you should never turn your back on your enemy, but Satoshi wondered, how can you turn your back when your enemy was yourself?
Dark was to steal the brass relief from the tower of the Central Church. The warning letter came in just the day after Dark's first appearance. The thief worked fast, and he was good at his job. Krad scoffed in Satoshi's mind at that, but Satoshi knew better than to underestimate his enemy. He knew perfectly well how good Dark was at doing what he did, and kept it in mind too, so that he himself would not hold back. At these thoughts Krad was silent, and somewhere in that silence Satoshi sensed that Krad knew he was right.
The day at school passed quickly, and for the most part insignificantly. Seeing Niwa, though, and watching him, knowing full well his intent of killing him and Dark at the first chance he could... Satoshi did not feel the tiny pinpricks of guilt that stabbed his gut whenever he saw Niwa's smiling face. He sensed Krad listening in on his thoughts, and watching Daisuke as well, but Satoshi's other half made no comment on it.
It seemed like no time at all had passed before Satoshi was standing before the Central Church that night, discussing the security plan with Detective Saehara. "If I didn't know better," the detective remarked, looking up at the relief, "I'd say the boy genius lost his nerve." Detective Saehara continued to describe the tight security of the place to Satoshi, rambling on about it really, but the man was definitely a fool if he thought that a few men on the rooftops and some spotlights would really be enough to stop Phantom Dark. The man concluded his small rant by calling Dark a fool instead, and suddenly Satoshi felt Krad stirring. Not really paying attention to what he was saying, Satoshi mumbled, "I wonder..." and walked away.
Everything seemed to flash through Satoshi's mind at once, though he wasn't sure why he was reflecting on such things at a time like this. First he saw the deceitful smiling face of his father, and then he thought of Krad, who had turned out quite different than what he had expected before, then of Dark - his enemy, and last of all, he thought of Niwa. Niwa, the klutz, the ignorant, selfless boy with a smiling face and watchful red eyes.
Was Krad stirring now because he knew that Dark was so close? Satoshi didn't know why, but it was gradually getting worse, until he found himself actually straining to keep his other half contained. Krad had never actually taken over Satoshi's body before - or at least, not since his fourteenth birthday of course. For the most part of the year that had passed, Krad had stayed behind the scenes, silently waiting but paying rapt attention to Satoshi's life - especially anything involving Daisuke Niwa. Upon determining that Satoshi was a weak-minded fool, however, Krad had less to say about his intentions for Dark. He was not satisfied with Satoshi, and they disagreed much during the first few months together. Now, they had a solid dislike for one another... and yet, they shared the same goal and purpose in life.
Now Krad was struggling against the barrier which kept him locked away as a voice in Satoshi's mind, and the boy found himself moving away from the crowd of detectives and police officers, gasping for breath behind a nearby building. He clutched at his chest as if that would help keep Krad contained. His other half had never fought so hard before.
"No... too soon..." Satoshi gasped. "I'm not ready for you yet. Just a little longer..."
The bell of the church began to ring, surprising and distracting Satoshi for a moment. It was time for Dark to show, and this was no time for him to be struggling with Krad. Then, the spotlights shining upon the church all began to blink out. Satoshi stepped once more back out into the crowd.
In short order the lights were back on again, and the police really thought nothing suspicious upon seeing the brass relief still safely not-stolen atop the church tower. Satoshi, however, knew that Dark had some tricks up his sleeve, and that the moment of darkness would have been enough for him. Satoshi headed for the church.
Once inside, he walked around aimlessly, watching and listening closely. If Dark had in fact already made his move, then there would be no point in climbing all the way up to the tower to check on the relief. And also, Dark now had to be somewhere inside the building.
It was almost a hopeless campaign on Satoshi's part, considering the size of the church, and the fact that Dark could just jump out of any window and fly away. However, to his surprise and greatest luck, he actually happened to stumble upon a few out of place sounds and shadows from within one of the rooms. Calmly, Satoshi headed toward it.
"Is that you, Dark?" he called. Satoshi felt his eyes narrow. This was it. His next chance to take Dark. However, when he entered the room, there appeared to be no one else inside. Too bad for Dark that Krad could sense him crouching behind the crates in the back. And why would Dark do something like that? What reason could he have for wanting to hide? Was he scared? No, that didn't seem like Dark at all. And what were the chances that Satoshi would just stumble upon him like this anyway? No, he guessed that it was Niwa crouching behind those crates, and Satoshi wasn't quite sure how to react to that. It was Dark whom he was supposed to fight, not Niwa. And for once, Krad agreed with him.
Before Satoshi had a chance to take even a step forward to reveal him however, a blue light began to glow and fill the room. Out of nowhere the brass bird suddenly flew at him, pecking at his arm and face, but not quite hard enough to break the skin. And of course while Satoshi was distracted by the bird, Niwa was able to escape. After a moment, Satoshi was finally able to get the bird away, and after a few moments more, he was able to watch Dark from the open window. The Phantom Thief stood above the treetops, and his hand was glowing with the same blue light as before. He made it seem easy to calm the brass relief, and put it away inside his backpack.
At least it was Dark now, and not Niwa, Satoshi thought, and Krad began to fight to get out again. "Master Satoshi," his other half cried. "Let me attack Dark now while he is distracted!"
No, Satoshi thought firmly, stamping out Krad's attempts as he leaned heavily against the wall. Krad's strength still put him off. Another day, he thought and once he looked back out the window, Dark was gone.