D. N. Angel Fan Fiction ❯ The Puppeteer ❯ Chapter 1

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I am writing fanfiction, and am therefore a fan. I am a fan, therefore I am not Bunny-sensei. I am not Bunny-sensei, therefore I do not own D.N.Angel. Logic, you see, solves all problems.

Warnings: It’s weird, it involves Krad, violence occurs, things make little sense when they happen, there are psychopathic art pieces, and there’s a lot of waking up. Shounen ai. Hints of het.

Dark walked up to the painting, a great canvas one called ‘The Puppeteer’. After easily avoiding the guards, nimbly dodging the traps, and ever so gracefully showing off to the camera, he had reached his quarry. Dark ran a hand along the frame, absorbing the feel of fine ebony and smiling. “A true work of art. No matter what you can say about personality, the Hikari are magnificent artists.” His smile changed to a smirk as he heard, rather than saw the commander reveal himself.

“Why thank you, Dark. What’s this about my personality?”

Dark turned, wrapping a hand around the painting. “Just that there are a few defects, genetic mutations, if you will. Like, for example, that annoying tendency to go homicidal when feeling certain feelings for a certain someone. Off the top of my head.”

Satoshi ground his teeth, giving no other sign that the words had hit. “I’m not the only one present with certain feelings for a certain someone, Dark.”

Dark simply bowed, silently pulling the painting away in the movement. That was when an unknown glint shone through the commander’s eyes, and he raised a hand. He turned the hand slightly, and Dark found himself bashed against a wall, painting dropped face up on the floor. “What the-”

Satoshi jumped forwards and pinned Dark on top of the canvas, a feral grin shining through. “See you on the other side.” There was a low, seductive undertone in Satoshi’s voice. Dark had to push down a shudder, and then-

-Satoshi leapt to his feet, instantly moving off Daisuke. He glanced around and offered the confused boy a hand.

Daisuke winced slightly, taking Satoshi’s hand and allowing himself to be pulled to his feet. “Where...?”

Both boys glanced around incredulously. A room with no doors, no escape, no... There was a moment’s halt as the lights shut off. “Honestly, Niwa-kun, I really couldn’t tell you,” came Satoshi’s dry voice from the darkness. “Niwa-kun?”

“Yeah, I’m here, Hiwatari-kun, could-” There was a sickening crack and a small cry, before a thwump, like a body falling to the...

“Niwa-kun?” Nothing but silence. “Niwa?” Satoshi took a step forwards, and slipped in something wet. He fell backwards, smashing his head on the ground. Momentary disorientation was wiped away as he caught scent of the liquid. There was only one thing that smelt like that... The lights flashed back on, and Satoshi found himself sprawled in a pool of blood. He jumped to his feet, looking around with trepidation.

Satoshi’s eyes flicked wide as a shock of red hair rolled past his feet. It seemed that Niwa Daisuke had been decapitated.

Before Satoshi had time to register that fact, he felt a lurching sensation as the ground around him shifted. He opened his eyes, not remembering closing them, to the familiar visage of Krad. He backed away slowly, yet again in unfamiliar territory. This time, however, it was an open icy cold plain. “Krad – I – where – Dais – I mean, Niwa–”

Krad nearly groaned, settling on looking at the commander disdainfully. “Is that all you can think of? You were having a nightmare, and I removed you from it. Return to your slumber.”

Satoshi blinked, backing up even further from his curse. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you wake me up? I know you enjoy making me suffer, I know you’d love to make me watch that for real. So why wake me up?”

Krad walked over to him, a certain precise grace in his step. He stopped in front of Satoshi, studying him. The angel smiled. “Why, Satoshi-sama, if ever you need saving, I shall help you.” Krad raised a hand, tracing his host’s cheekbone with an elegant finger. As he reached the chin, he titled Satoshi’s face up to meet him, still smiling. “Now. It is quite time that you wake up. We shall continue this conversation later, I daresay.”

Satoshi yawned slightly as he opened his eyes to the school roof, bright sunlight ruining any chance of sleep. “Did I fall asleep at school?” He glanced around tiredly, making sure no one had heard him say that, and climbed to his feet, grabbing his last piece of bread. He leant against the wall and looked up at the sky. Beautiful day, really.

“Hiwatari-kun!”

Satoshi glanced to his side as Niwa Daisuke came bursting through the doors, looking around for a moment before realizing that the other boy had been behind him. Satoshi blinked twice to get rid of the uncomfortable image of Daisuke’s decapitated body; he had gotten quite a bit of practice in dealing with these dreams, and as such, he quickly washed it away. “Yes, Niwa?”

“I’m so sorry I was late, but Saehara got me in a headlock, and he wanted to talk, and you know how he gets, and-” Daisuke’s ramble dropped short as he noticed the silence of his friend. “I’m sorry Hiwatari-kun, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s fine.” Sighing, Satoshi put all his effort into forcing his body to stand straight. “If you want to spend time with your friends, you are by no means obligated to stay with me.”

“But Hiwatari-kun... you’re my friend too!” And with that the Niwa sat down, whipping out his gigantic lunch, not possibly knowing how happy he had made the other boy when he said those words.

Satoshi finished on his last slice of bread before staring out in silence at the schoolyard below. “Dark sent a notice for tonight. ‘The Glass Doll.’”

Daisuke visibly gulped, swallowing the remains of his lunch. “Oh? That’s... that’s nice... heh heh... yes...”

Satoshi got to his feet as the bell rung, dusting off his shirt, which had managed to collect a menagerie of leaves. “Tell him not to break it.” And with that, he was gone.

Why they had decided to put a museum on a small island off the coast of the river that ran through Azumano, Satoshi would never know. This, however, did not deter the usual group of Dark-watchers, all of whom were gathered outside on the shore, waiting impatiently for Dark to arrive. Five minutes before midnight...

Satoshi examined the doll, one of the most life-like Hikari creations. Like any other doll, it had perfect features, a tinge of blush, always watching eyes... it was, in the semi-darkness, an absolutely frightening thing to behold. But there was something, in the small smirk, and in the way a single hand was raised, beckoning the viewer to come closer, that set Satoshi’s hair on edge.

“I swear, that doll is hitting on me.”

Satoshi did not turn, never removing his gaze from the figure with glowing green eyes. It was said that this doll was created from the unrequited love of Hikari Katsuhiko, who had, like all other Hikaris, infused his emotions and his life into it. But this doll held bitter and hateful feelings, and was known to go on rampages when unsealed.

Dark took a step towards the doll, gently removing it from it’s case, looking at the commander who watched in silence. He held it in his arms, making sure not to damage her in anyway. If there was even the slightest marring in the doll’s features...

“There he is!”
Satoshi’s hand lashed out as Dark was distracted by this, grabbing the thief’s arm. Other hand moving efficiently to snatch the doll from Dark, he slipped it back into it’s case, getting ready to handcuff the thief. Dark, however, was moving in the other direction, attempting to take the doll back, before-

There was a crash as incoming officers slammed right into the case. Dark cursed, diving to catch the doll, and Satoshi tried to stop it from falling as well, before it crashed directly onto Inspector Saehara’s head.

Dark flinched. “Oh shit.”

Satoshi moved forwards to catch the fallen doll, quickly examining it for any cracks. Sure enough, a small portion of the left cheek had begun to shatter and fall apart. Satoshi turned around quickly, cursing his ancestor for making this out of glass. “Dark, stop him fr-”

There was another loud crash as Inspector Saehara’s hand went through the many art cases, smashing them apart. Glass flew everywhere, cutting up the many officers in the room. Dark turned to look at him. “You seal it, I’ll go-” Inspector Saehara, who was no longer Inspector Saehara, turned to throw a fist into Dark’s face, eyes glowing a green to match the doll’s. He picked up the thief and flung him out the first floor window into the water. His eyes then turned to gaze at Satoshi.

“My... creator...” There was a distinctly female undercurrent in Saehara’s voice, hidden under the man’s tones to be heard only by those who could sense magic.

Satoshi took a step back, thinking quickly. He took a deep breath, trying to remember everything about Hikari Katsuhiko that he could. “Yes, Meilin, I am your creator.” Perhaps if he could convince the doll to calm down, he could seal it again before anything worse happened.

Eyes flashed dangerously as the man turned on him, a cruel snarl marring his features. “Traitor!”

Krad glanced up, smiling lazily. ‘You do realize that Katsuhiko married, and that this doll will never forgive him for such a crime, correct?’

Satoshi took another step back, still holding the doll in his arms as the officers called to their boss to come to his senses. He turned to look at them. “Leave now.” When no one moved, he scowled. “Go! And tell everyone to leave the island!”

The officers obeyed his shout, and now the man approached him, doll like voice still accusatory. “Why? Why did you abandon me? Why did you lock me away?”

Satoshi ducked under his attack, leaping out the window and glancing around. He had landed in the middle of a big crowd, oh, that was stupid, now the doll-

Inspector Saehara burst out the window after him, sending more glass flying and more people screaming. Out of the corner of his eye, Satoshi could see spectators fall as glass hit them, but he had to work on stopping the doll-controlled Inspector first.

“Kyuu!” Satoshi turned around to see With staring at the man with great big eyes. Wait... if With was still here, then that meant that Dark hadn’t left.

He glanced back towards the water, where he could see the thief clinging desperately to a rock, coughing. Great, the doll’s hit must have been harder then he had thought, and – but his thoughts were interrupted by a shrill scream, as Saehara had grabbed his son in his hand, holding him up by his head. Takeshi struggled and screamed, shouting for his father to let him go. “Why?!” It’s grip tightened, and uncontrolled magic jetted down it’s arm, pouring itself into Takeshi’s body until the child’s screams became inhuman.

“Meilin, stop it.” He forced his voice to be calm, taking another step forwards, cradling the doll in his arm. This was all wrong, all wrong, someone had to stop it, he had to stop it! Where was a glass worker when he needed one? “Let go of that boy.”

‘I could help you, Satoshi-sama.’

“No.” Satoshi winced as blood began to seep from Takeshi’s mouth, gargled screams escaping him. He moved towards the doll, attempting to get close enough to make it let go, but Saehara let out a shrill scream, sending Satoshi flying back into the wall. The man threw out his arm, Takeshi flying into the water and sinking as the heavy current caught him.

Satoshi scrabbled to his feet, glancing back at Dark, who had all but fainted on the rock. The doll in his arms fell again, wrist snapping off. Needless to say, this did not make her very happy. There were more screams from nearby, as the Dark-watchers clamoured to get away from the rampaging Inspector Saehara, who was now approaching a very panicked Satoshi. “Meilin, please. There’s nothing to gain-”

Saehara grabbed his throat, dangling him in the air. Satoshi tried to pull him off, hoping to somehow get away without hurting the innocent commander. “There is nothing to lose, Katsuhiko-sama.” A small tear trickled down the face of the Glass Doll lying on the shore. “My beloved Katsuhiko-sama...”

Satoshi placed his hands on the wrist that was choking him, digging his nails into the man’s skin, but though Saehara would be hurt, the doll felt no pain. He lashed out, trying to kick him, but nothing happened.

‘Here. allow me to aid you.’

Satoshi let out a small shout as Krad forced magic through his hands, searing Saehara’s wrist and releasing the commander. “Don’t do that, Krad.” He stood up and instantly was hit with an intense agony in his head that was too great to be called a headache. That had been quite a bit of magic, and he wasn’t meant to take that much energy from himself. Falling to his knees he stared up at the doll’s puppet, who was looking at him in rage. The man let out another shrill scream, making Satoshi wince as his ears seemed to explode.

“Hiwatari-kun!” There was a gargled scream, and Satoshi could only hope that what he thought had happened did not as the puppet bent down beside him, once again pulling him up. The doll screamed again through the man, and Satoshi felt his ears begin to bleed, even as his eyes started watering from the intense magic pulsing from the man.

“Meilin, please, let me go.” He managed to turn his head enough to see Daisuke clinging to the rock, waves crashing against him and trying to drag him under. The puppet doll tossed him away, and Satoshi fell into the sea, the ever darkening waves crashing around him as a bell rang in his ears. Was that the doll? The ringing persisted, and the water dragged down on him, meshing him in strands of... cloth?! What the-

Satoshi’s eyes flicked open to stare at the ceiling of his bedroom, as he lay in sweaty, tangled sheets. His ceiling... He moaned, getting to his feet and throwing the alarm clock against a wall, stopping its annoying wake up call. “A dream? Again?” Satoshi took a deep breath again, forcing down the panic that had risen at the scene. It was the weekend, thankfully, so he had no need to rush to school.

‘Good morrow, Satoshi-sama.’

Satoshi didn’t reply to his curse, instead looking over at the clock he had broken. Well, that was stupid of him. He picked it up and placed it on his dresser; he’d have to fix it later. He slipped his glasses on, put his mental walls back up, and got ready for another, relatively normal day.

Satoshi wandered over to his kitchen, remembering the vivid dream. He stared longingly down at the paintbrushes on the shelf, sighing as he accepted that he would never be able to paint, nor sculpt nor any other type of art if he wanted to stop his magic from running loose and wreaking havoc, like The Glass Doll did in his dream. There had only been one time he had broken his self-imposed rule, and it had been broken for the same person he broke all his rules for.

The doorbell rang frantically, before it smashed open. Niwa Daisuke clung to the door, panting heavily. “Hiwatari-kun!”

Satoshi turned to look at him levelly, silently warning Krad to stay put. “Niwa... yes?”

Daisuke looked up at him, eyes brimming with tears. In less than a second he was holding onto Satoshi as if he was his only hope, sobbing into his shirt. Satoshi held up his hands, startled and more than a little bit uncomfortable with the position. “Niwa-kun?”

There was a moment’s pause before Dark pulled away from him, eyes staring down at him coldly. He glared at him a moment before turning to leave. Satoshi frowned. “Dark. What happened to Niwa-kun?”

Dark stopped and turned to look at him, eyes still cold. “Last night, the entire Niwa family was slaughtered. We got out due to a fluke. And while Daisuke would never suspect his precious ‘Hiwatari-kun’, I have to ask myself if I know anyone who wants the family dead. Turns out I do.”

Satoshi was still staring at him in mild shock. The Niwas, dead? All of them? But how did Daisuke escape, and who would have done that, and- ‘Krad! What did you-’

‘I did not leave the house last night, Satoshi-sama.’

“Krad says he didn’t do it. He doesn’t lie.”

Dark folded his arms, looking at him in that same cold manner. “I wasn’t talking about Krad, Hikari-dono. I was referring to you.”

Satoshi bristled, gritting his teeth. “I did no such thing. I would never-”

“Then why did I find these?” He held up a pair of glasses, identical to the ones Satoshi now wore. “Well?”

“First off, I already said I did not attack them. Secondly, you know I would never leave evidence behind if I had. And third, I’m wearing my glasses right now.” His eyes softened for a moment, and he closed them to hide this, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose to cover it. “How is Niwa-kun dealing with this?”

“How do you think?!” Dark snarled, turning around again to leave. “If you didn’t do it, then prove me wrong. Find out who did.” The door slammed behind him, shaking the room.

‘You weren’t lying, right?’

‘Satoshi-sama, I already told you. I do not lie. It is beneath me.’

Satoshi sighed, running a hand through his hair, before he grabbed his cell phone and rushed out the front door. “Dark! Niwa!” There was no response. They must have left already, to who knows where. Well then, he would have to get to the scene of the crime and find out who did it.

After all, no one had the right to meddle in Niwa affairs but the Hikari.

When Satoshi came across the Niwa home and the place where the members had been killed, he was very glad that he had not had breakfast. As it was, he wondered who would have been reading on ancient sacrificial processes.

It had been in the back yard, where a large cage had been suspended in the air. Beneath it, the remains of a fire smouldered. In the cage were the charred and burnt bodies of Emiko, Kosuke, and Daiki. Satoshi bit his lip, shutting his eyes and regaining his composure before setting to work. He spent several hours hunting for something in the wreckage, but found next to nothing to say what had happened, aside from someone with about the same physique as Krad had shoved the Niwas into the cage, started the fire, and then waited for it to kill them, if foot prints were any indication. It had been about an hour, he thought, before the fire gained enough substance to actually kill the Niwas. But it made no sense!

‘Krad-’

‘Satoshi-sama, how many times must I tell you? I did not leave your apartment last night, nor did I take control of your body to leave the apartment. You did not move from your bed.’

Satoshi nodded again, bending down and searching for more clues. It was then that he heard the soft swoop from behind, and there was a splitting pain in his head before he saw only black.

Satoshi woke to concerned red eyes. Daisuke’s eyes, then, because no one else had eyes that exact shade of red. He really liked that colour... really, really, really liked it. Dangerously so, actually. A lot about his life was dangerous. Which, of course, reminded him that he had a splitting headache and an alter-ego that would take over if he dared to continue these thoughts. “Niwa?” Satoshi hated being vulnerable in front of Niwa, but he was always vulnerable in front of him. It really wasn’t fair. There was, however, no one he would trust more with his vulnerability.

Daisuke smiled in relief, brushing a stray strand of hair from Satoshi’s face and sending the bluenette into ecstasy at the touch. If Satoshi’s longing for the love he was denied was any deeper, if his desire to be cared for was prevented any more, he would perhaps even accept Krad’s affection as the only thing that was there. “You’re okay.” It was with a twinge of guilt that Satoshi realized that Daisuke’s red eyes were even redder, and puffy around the edges. The sparkle that Satoshi had come to love had all but vanished.

Satoshi blinked twice more, wondering where he was. He bit his tongue for a moment to keep himself from saying anything he might regret, before slowly sitting up. He was back in his apartment. That was odd, he didn’t remember going back to his apartment. He did remember getting hit on the head. That had been rather painful. So he was unconscious, and then... and then Daisuke found him and brought him back. He supposed that made sense. Although the fact that Daisuke would go anywhere near that place was startling. Maybe it was Dark, then. But why would Dark help him? “Thank you.”

Daisuke nodded slightly before looking away, perhaps to hide his eyes. Satoshi grabbed his chin and forced the other boy to look at him, forced him to look him in the eye. “You can talk to me, Niwa-kun.”

Daisuke just shook his head slightly, closing his mouth and shutting his eyes. It was significant to Satoshi that each of these movements signified blocking things from the outside, something Satoshi was an expert on. “I’m okay.”

Satoshi let go of the Niwa’s chin and let him pull away. It would be senseless to point out the obvious lie. This gave the commander another moment to look around. So he was in his bed. It was definitely Daisuke who took him there, Dark would never have done such a thing. Dark would have left him out to rot. Daisuke had been sitting on his bedside, meaning that when the boy had been leaning over him, he had really been on top of him. Dark, then, had been given no say in the matter, as the thief knew better than to let his pretty host within ten metres of the commander.

Daisuke got off the bed and walked to the door, perhaps trying to collect himself. Satoshi, too, got off of his bed, but he had to stay a moment to regain his sense of balance. He was really having a bad day. His hand fell on his glasses; they were cracked and broken. Picking them up, he noticed that this fragmenting was not as if he had fallen, but as if someone had purposefully broken them in.

Perhaps unnerved by the other boy’s silence, Daisuke said, “I... I found you, in the yard, where it... and you were on the ground. Dark didn’t want me to go back, but I had to, I had to find out, I had to know who... and then I saw you, and then... and then I took you here and I got in, and I didn’t know what happened to you... I... sorry...”

Satoshi winced. He hated to see Daisuke like this. He hated even more that he could not go to comfort him, that he could not wipe the tears away. Not if he wanted to keep him alive. And he needed Daisuke alive, or he might very well die as well.

“Dead? I hope not.”

Satoshi’s eyes widened as he heard the words, though there was no speaker for them. What? His eyes moved again to Daisuke, who was still facing the other way. He took a step forwards before stopping himself. He could not touch Daisuke. No, that would be foolish. “You shouldn’t be sorry.” He put the glasses back on their table before walking over to be near the boy. He could not touch him, so he slipped his hands into his pocket. He knew the thoughts racing through Daisuke’s head, and knew he could do nothing with them.

Something fluttered in through the window, landing gently on the bed. A grey feather lay by one of the notes Dark had been so accustomed to leaving, though it was not in Dark’s hand. “I will steal the life of the last of the Niwa, tonight at eight,” Satoshi murmured aloud.

Daisuke whipped around. “What?” Satoshi held up the card and silently gave it to the other boy. Daisuke rubbed at his nose, sniffling slightly, as his eyes scanned the paper but did not register the words. “It...”

“Tonight at eight. Whoever this is... they will try to kill you.” Satoshi moved to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose before remembering that he was not wearing them. He dropped his hand, glancing out the window to gold eyes. As he took a step forwards they vanished. It had been nothing after all.

But they had been such familiar golden eyes... ‘Krad...’

‘You called?’

Daisuke nodded to Satoshi, sniffling slightly again. “I’m sorry,” he whispered again.

Satoshi bit his lip, wanting to comfort him, but so very afraid to. The familiar images of his nightmares flashed through his eyes.

“I’ll protect you.” The words came from his mouth before he had thought to speak them, but there was no taking them back now. Nodding as if to affirm this, he offered a hand to Daisuke. He would have to keep this promise. “I won’t let you die.”

Daisuke took the offered hand, and suddenly he took a step forwards, embracing Daisuke in a tight hug. He inhaled, taking in the sweet scent of Niwa, the wonderfully pure taste that lingered above Satoshi’s tongue, daring him to test if he tasted like that for real. And for a moment, just a moment, Satoshi gave in, and began kissing his way along Daisuke’s neck.

A sharp pain laced through him, and he stepped back from a startled Daisuke. Shoulder bones splintered and grew to form the bloody skeleton of wings as millions of feathers burst forth from within. No, no, no! Not now, not Niwa! The pain grew, searing through his head, burning a wretched path of agony along his eyes. He shut them, falling to the floor, clutching desperately at the ground, and then-

Satoshi’s eyes whipped open to a dank cell. Dirt and blood smudged his face, old and oozing wounds scarring his visage. He attempted to speak, before remembering they had taken out his voice box. Ripped, he thought, would be a much better word. He curled up on the floor, wincing as a nail fell from the ceiling. This place was crap.

Then again, why should people play nice with their prisoners? It wasn’t like there were rules when it came to slavery.

He sighed, remembering the dream he had woken from. That had been such a good dream, too, for a while. It couldn’t possibly be true, as much as he wished for it. If he had an angel within him, even an insane sadomasochist of one, surely the angel would have gotten him out of this place already.

All his dreams were of those people, of those other three. Dark, Krad, and... and Daisuke. Satoshi gripped the wall, attempting to sit up straight, but he had very little strength left. He had never been a very healthy child to begin with, and... Well, being turned into a slave wasn’t the most prosperous thing to happen to him. Then, being turned into a warrior slave, to fight wars for the government, well, that had made it much worse.

If he closed his eyes, he could just barely remember what was before his captivity. But only just. He remembered a woman’s face, a woman telling him to seal his heart... could that have been his mother?

No, impossible, his mother was dead. He had run away, once, from one of his first masters, and tried to find his way back. He had only been four at the time, but he was really a very abnormal child to begin with, and that master had actually fed him, so he had the stamina to go, to follow his memories to what he was sure was his home. But it was burnt, and he had seen the bodies in the fire...

He remembered something like that from the dream, too. Those Niwa, they had been burnt, hadn’t they? If he remembered properly, of the real world, that is, the Niwa were the leaders of the government, and therefore, technically, his owners. How ironic. In the dreamworld, a ‘Hikari’ under the employ of a Niwa was ridiculous. But he wasn’t really a Hikari... he didn’t have a last name at all.

Outside the cold metal door, he could hear shouting. A woman’s voice, if he guessed correctly, and a deeper man’s, probably one of the guards. Suddenly, the door burst open, and there stood a woman, glancing around with fiercely burning eyes.

They were... beautiful eyes. They were blue, just like her hair. There was a certain chillness to this woman: a cold, frozen rigidity, but there was something warm in it as well. The woman’s gaze settled on him, and suddenly her mouth became grim. She turned around, glaring at the guard that was standing nervously in the doorway. “Yes, that is my son who you have so mistreated. That boy is a Hikari, and you... you sent him here to rot. To kill others. He is only fourteen.” The woman marched in, grabbing Satoshi’s arm and dragging him up.

Satoshi let out a small silent whimper as the woman touched one of his bruises, and she instantly let go. “Satoshi.” She held his arm gently, examining him. “Oh, my Satoshi, my son.” She closed her eyes tightly, before standing up. “This boy is no slave. He is a member of the noblest blood in this country. If I did not know better, I would think this a Niwa plot. As it is, let it be known that our treaty is off. I, Hikari Rio, am declaring war on the Niwa clan. Tell your superior that.”

The guard nodded, terrified, and fled.

Satoshi got to his feet carefully, before falling into the woman’s arms. She wrapped him in them, cradling him, holding him tightly, shaking her head slowly. “I’m sorry, Satoshi. And that is a great thing, coming from a Hikari. But I should have never let them do this to you.”

Satoshi looked up at the woman, the woman with his eyes, though he could not know that, for he had not seen a mirror in so many years. He attempted to speak, but no sound came from his lips.
She shushed him, before helping him to his feet and carefully helping him out of the room. “Don’t worry, you’ll be safe now. We won’t let another Niwa hurt you, ever again.”

“Not unless you hurt them first, of course.” A tall man with golden hair turned the corner of this building. “Good morrow, Hikari-dono. This is Satoshi-sama?”

The woman nodded. “Yes, Krad. Could you help me with him?” Satoshi lurched again, shuddering as a wave of cold over came him, and–

Satoshi woke to the chirping of birds. He slowly got to his feet, once again in the Niwa yard. The body of Niwa Daiki moved slightly, falling to the ground and breaking into charred pieces. Frightened, shaken, and confused, he turned around, left the house, and began his walk home.

Satoshi opened his apartment door, closing it carefully behind him and putting the security system back on. He walked over to the kitchen, raising a hand to grab a glass of water, before he paused. Something... He spun straight around and began walking to his bedroom, slipping the door open.

Krad looked into the room, tilting his head to the side, looking down in sympathy. ‘I am sorry, Satoshi-sama.’

Satoshi did not respond, eyes staring at the massacre on the floor. He bent down beside the only work of art he had ever made, picking up the pieces and placing them side by side so that he could see the ragged picture he had made of charcoal and papyrus, now destroyed beyond repair. The curling flames, the enveloping warmth, the lingering agony and desire... everything he had put into this one art piece, destroyed. Ruined.

Krad projected himself without his host, kneeling down beside his host and closing his eyes. ‘Truly, Satoshi-sama, I am.’

Satoshi shook his head slightly as he held the fragments. “Don’t talk to me. Please.” There was a long, cold silence, hovering in the air, settling upon them like so much weight.

‘You do not have to worry about it being unsealed. You were proficient in your actions. The magic shall not escape.’

Satoshi traced a finger along the wings he had made, jagged and smeared as the paper split again and again. Slowly, he picked up all the pieces, placing one on top of the other until he had made a pile. He walked over to the window, opening it slowly, and tossed the papers into the air.

There was a pounding on the door. Satoshi closed his eyes, waiting a full minute before he turned to get the door. “Yes?” Satoshi eyed the Phantom Thief coolly, refusing to fold his arms, but unwilling to greet him either.

“Did you find anything?” He grabbed Satoshi’s wrist, examining the blackened fingertips before dropping it. “Or did you create an amazing Hikari master piece instead?”

Satoshi resisted the urge to slam the door in Dark’s face. “I went. There was nothing.”

“There must have been something!”

“There. Was. Nothing.” Perhaps if he said it slow enough, it would get through the thief’s frighteningly thick head. Dark threw up his hands and turned around to leave, before jerking to a halt in the middle of the hall.

“Not now! You already heard – but – Daisuke! NO!” Dark growled slightly before his form shrunk and changed. There was a small sniffle, and a murmur, perhaps to comfort the angered thief, before a blotchy-eyed Daisuke turned around. “I’m... Sorry, Hiwatari-kun. He.. He shouldn’t have...”

“It’s fine, Niwa.” In all honesty, Satoshi was wondering how many times they had this type of conversation a day. Dark would do something, Niwa would apologize, and Satoshi would brush it off as if it was nothing.

‘On average, 3.783 times. If we are to exclude your days off school, it is 4.94.’

Wondering how the angel knew that, Satoshi returned his attention to Daisuke, who was still standing there on his doorstep, looking rather like a lost puppy. Satoshi really hated dogs, because they were cute and sweet and kind and happy and really they were just a whole species that represented contentment and joy. Those emotions were useless, really, just like dogs. He, however, had the oddest feeling he wouldn’t be able to turn this puppy away. “I’ll go again.”

Daisuke looked up, slightly startled. “Thank you, Hiwatari-kun.” There was a pregnant pause before, “I’m going with you.” Daisuke winced, as it seemed Dark had decided to let Daisuke know his opinion on this decision. “I’m going to find out who...” And his voice choked again, harsh and agitated.

Satoshi sighed. “Niwa. I’m not sure-”

“I’m going! I want to go!” Daisuke folded his arms, trembling. “And I don’t care whether you think I should. Someone killed my family! I want them dead!” The last note was a shaking shriek, shrill and cruel and far too understandable for Satoshi to be happy at all.

A chill set over Satoshi’s shoulders as Krad held him tightly, nuzzling his neck, somehow managing to gain just enough substance to comfort his host. Satoshi closed his eyes. “Very well, Niwa-kun. Come with me.”

There was silence as Daisuke came across the scene. The boy gazed out over the carnage for a full minute. It wasn’t, Satoshi admitted, one of the worst ways he had seen someone murdered, but for Daisuke... The Niwa dropped to his knees, dropping his head and clutching the dirt tightly, ashèd ground charring his fingers with lingering heat. Satoshi waited in silence for Daisuke to rise again.

‘Like a phoenix from the ashes, I presume?’

“Niwa...”

Daisuke’s head slowly rose, before he got to his feet. The soot clung to his knees and hands, blackening him. He coughed slightly before turning around to face Satoshi. “Find them.”

A grey feather drifted through the air, landing at Satoshi’s feet. With a lurching deja vu, he picked up the feather, not at all surprised to find a note attached to it. Satoshi glanced over at Daisuke, who was still looking at him, face smudged in dirt. “The sender claims to be your family’s murderer.” So much for tact. “The murderer wants you to come to him – or her – at eight on 4390 Sominaire. The boiler room.”

Daisuke moved towards Satoshi, brushing the other boy’s finger as he took the letter. “That’s in an hour.” There was a quiet thrill to Daisuke’s voice; fear was there, but the thirst for revenge was not entirely gone. “Where is that?”

“It’s... an hour away from here, if we drove.” Satoshi gently took the letter back, scanning it again. “It’s a trap.”

“I know that!” Daisuke coughed again, holding a hand to his mouth and further begriming his face. “We can go there early and take them by surprise. Then we’ll have beaten the trap.”

“It’s an hour driving. We couldn’t get there beforehand.”

“We can fly.”

Satoshi, had be been holding anything, would have dropped it. “Niwa, I doubt Dark would take you to your certain doom.”

Daisuke closed his eyes for a moment before opening them back up again, a small, triumphant smile on his face. “Dark says he will take me if it means that we can get the murderers.” He glanced over again at the cage that held his parent’s bodies, shaking his head and looking abruptly away.

Well how can I keep up? I’m hardly letting you go alone, and there’s no way I’ll let Krad fly me there, or use his wings...

“And Dark says he’ll carry you if you want to come.”

Satoshi opened his mouth to decline, before shutting it again. It would be for Niwa, after all. If Daisuke needed him for this... “Tell him... thank you.” Ah, those words really hurt to say aloud.

Dark smiled grimly at him, having instantly taken over. “Well then, commander, come on! Just call me an avenging angel.” Dark grabbed Satoshi, dragging him into his arms, and it took all the self restraint Satoshi had not to kill Dark right at that moment. “WITH!!!”

There was the flutter of wings as the white rabbit transformed, finding a perch on Dark’s back and lifting him into the air. Satoshi tried not to move as they soared their way through the darkening sky, but with Dark holding him up and threatening to drop him, and With nuzzling him affectionately, Satoshi was considering jumping out right then, and damn all this nonsense. Just to fall...

‘If you fell, I would catch you.’

4390 Sominaire turned out to be a dank abandoned school, windows shuttered up. No lights lit the place, and even Satoshi had to admit that schools at night were rather creepy. There was just something about a place, meant to be bustling and alive, being completely dead and quiet, that set a person’s hair on edge. Daisuke got his body back, turning to face Satoshi with a hesitant smile. Right then, the smile looked broken, fragmented like a puzzle or rubix cube.

Rubix cubes, Satoshi had heard, were very difficult to fix. He cleared his throat as they walked inside and turned into the main office. Wooden floors creaked under his feet as Satoshi peered into the darkness, trying to make out the names on the school map. He slipped his glasses off and put them on the table; they simply hindered his sight.

There! Spotting the room, he turned to look at Daisuke, noticing that the sun had all but vanished from the darkness that encompassed them. “I found it.”

Daisuke nodded, and together they stepped out of the creaking office into the cold, empty halls.

Satoshi looked down the long hallway, his artistic nature noticing the interesting vanishing point as the entire hall faded into complete darkness. Once the sun totally set it would be difficult to see their own hands in front of their faces, let alone whatever might be lurking in there. He glanced over at Daisuke, who looked terrified and determined to hide it. Satoshi’s eyes unconsciously roamed the incredibly appealing face, the.... no! He wouldn’t think about that. He wouldn’t let Krad get out like that.

And yet, this whole time, Krad had not once attempted to take over. Certainly, he had felt the angel gain more power, but he had yet to make a bid for control. Could he be planning something? No, if that was so Satoshi would have certainly at least detected the easily identifiable wave of deceit that radiated from him. He looked again at Daisuke, who was trying to calm himself down. “Are you sure you want to go?”

Daisuke nodded firmly, talking a step into the depths of the darkness. Satoshi came after, walking briskly, hairs set on edge. It was so cold in here... Soon they had walked far enough that they could no longer see the light from their entrance, and though Satoshi’s eyes tried to adjust, he could only just barely make out the contours and lines that formed the body of Niwa Daisuke. A prickling came down his back, and all his senses screamed for him to turn around. Well, that was stupid. Hiwatari Satoshi had never been afraid of the dark, though he never liked it, and he would not start now.

Still, there was a murderer on the loose, and they were entering his lair to catch him and avenge the Niwa, and there was that whole thing where Satoshi had felt like he was being watched, but that was absolutely ludicrous. Impossible.

“Oh really?”

Satoshi froze, turning around and looking in vain for a source for this voice. Daisuke came to halt. “Hiwatari-kun?”

Satoshi shook his head. “It’s nothing, Niwa-kun. Never mind.” He shuddered slightly, breath coming out in halting gasps. Pausing for a moment, he regained himself, continuing this silent walk in the black. He was not afraid of the dark. He was not afraid.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

Satoshi closed his eyes, willing for this voice to go away. It almost sounded like... no. Shaking his head once to clear it, he continued after Daisuke, glad the other boy could not see him.

There was a loud noise, and Daisuke let out a shout. Satoshi could faintly see the other boy rise, feeling what he had crashed into. “I found the door.” The comment was quiet and whispered, almost hissingly so, and Satoshi shuddered slightly. This place radiated menace.

“That’s wonderful, Niwa.” To Satoshi’s disgust, he could hear hints of fright in his own voice. Taking another deep breath, he inquired, “Should we open it?” Wrong words, dammit! But he couldn’t take them back. He shouldn’t have told Daisuke that he was hesitating, that was stupid. Now he was going to think he was afraid, not that Satoshi really cared if Niwa thought so, but having Dark able to hold that over his head...

There was an ominous creaking as Daisuke pulled the door open. Satoshi winced. Well, if there was anyone in there, the person would have certainly heard that. Out the window, element of surprise. Satoshi stopped Daisuke from going in first, putting a hand on the hilt of the knife on his belt, stepping in carefully.

It was dark in this room as well, but moonlight flowed in from a high up window. The whole place was like steel, more like a prison cell than anything else. Satoshi froze as the door slammed behind him, turning quickly, but it was only Daisuke.

Daisuke’s looked around, biting his lower lip thoughtfully. “There’s no one here. It’s just us.”

Satoshi turned to look at him, but the redhead was looking in the other direction, still biting his lip. There was something odd in the redhead's tone... “Niwa-kun? Are you alright?”

The bitten lip broke, bleeding lightly. Slowly, Daisuke licked the blood away, letting none escape his tongue. The lip curled into a smile as he turned to look at Satoshi, but it was more a leer than a proper smile. “Just us... in the dark...”

“I don’t like the dark.” Taking a step back, Satoshi searched Daisuke’s face fervently. Really, what was wrong with him? Niwa wasn’t suggesting that, it was just his imagination. Resisting the urge to step back again, Satoshi focussed on breathing.

“Oh? Perhaps I could cure you of that... dislike.” Daisuke’s smile-leer widened, and he ran a hand through his hair. Satoshi felt his own desires, but he quashed them instantly, terrified of what Krad would do in close quarters with poor, innocent Daisuke.

“And how... how would we go about doing that?” Barely keeping the breathlessness from his voice, Satoshi shuddered slightly as he realized he had backed up against the door. When did he do that?

There was the clang of metal as Daisuke thrust a hand out beside Satoshi’s head. He leaned in, eyes focussing intently on the commander. When Satoshi made to move from this position, another hand went out, trapping him against the cold door. “I’ve got a... rough idea. Do you enjoy rough?”

Satoshi’s hands clung to the wall, as if double checking for any escape. What- “Not really, no.” His voice was flat and cold, begging for someone to warm it. “Niwa-kun. If you would move?”

Daisuke’s head titled in, the boy pressing his forehead against Satoshi’s. Damp breath tickled him, a burning thing to his cold skin. “I don’t think so. I kinda like it like this.”

“Niwa...” Why was he scared, this was Niwa. Niwa wouldn’t even think about that, Niwa was straight, he was just reading into things that weren’t really there, this made no sense- “Please...”

“I like the way you say that, Hikari Satoshi,” he whispered, lips brushing the commander’s with every movement. “Perhaps I could find a way to make you say it more often.”

Satoshi turned his head to the side. Niwa did not just say that, there was no way possible, he had to stop thinking that, he was thinking as perverted as Dark - Wait, Dark? “Let me go.”

A hand snaked around the back of his head, turning him so he had to face the redhead. “How about... no.” And with that, Daisuke bridged the gap between them, eagerly invading the commander’s mouth. He pushed against him, banging Satoshi’s head against the metal wall.

Satoshi managed to pull away, ducking under the boy and taking a step back. That wasn’t Niwa, there was no way, it had to be Dark, but- “Dark, what are you doing?” He took another step back, heart sinking as he realized he had just put Dark – Dark who retained Niwa Daisuke’s form – between himself and the door. That was stupid of him.

Daisuke-who-was-Dark titled his head to the side slightly, a falsely innocent expression coming across his face. “I thought this was what you wanted, Hiwatari-kun!”

Satoshi shook his head. This was all wrong, why couldn’t he think of him as Dark? It was Dark, but it was Niwa too, but Daisuke didn’t smile like that, this was so wrong, someone had to stop it- “No, Dai – Dark! Go away!”

Dark clicked his tongue, sending a mockingly concerned pout his way. “Are you okay, Hiwatari-kun?” The leer came back, a Cheshire Cat-like grin, completely twisting Daisuke’s face. “And frankly, my dear commander, I don’t plan on leaving you for quite some time.”

“Ni...” Damn, he’d almost said ‘Niwa’ again. “Dark, this is low, even for you. Stop it.”

Dark took another step forwards, pinning Satoshi in place with his smile, before pinning Satoshi with his arms and legs to the ground instead. He straddled the child, holding the commander’s arms above his head. “I don’t think so, Hiwatari-kun.”

Satoshi turned his head to the side. “Dark... please...”

“Ah, see, there’s that ‘please’ again. I do love how you say that.” He ground Satoshi’s wrists into the floor, evicting a wince. Tilting in so he was right in the commander’s face, he let out a little sigh, so Daisuke-like that Satoshi was forced to remind himself who it was. “Isn’t this what you always wanted? Here I am, your beloved ‘Niwa-kun’, willing, if not demanding, that you come and play.”

“You’re not... you’re not him! I don’t want this!” He tried to move, but Dark was stronger than the fourteen year old boy, even with Daisuke’s body. Satoshi clamped shut his mouth, both to bar Dark from entering and a scream from escaping. As it was, he was on the verge of asking him to stop again, something he could not let himself do. He couldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Daisuke – but it was Dark, he had to remember that – once again demanded entry into Satoshi’s mouth, forcing the boy to give in. Satoshi wanted to scream, but another part of him was responding to Dark, another part of him was enjoying this. He could feel his own tongue responding, tasting the blood at the edge of Daisuke’s lip. Not Niwa! It’s Dark! A small moan escaped him. What was wrong with him?

Dark pulled away slowly, grinning down at the now panting commander. “There. I bet you enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

“No!” Okay, that was a lie. “Get off, Dark! Let me go!”

Adjusting his position so that Satoshi’s hands were now held by his sides, Dark smiled knowingly. “Ah, but I think you did. Didn’t you have a dream that went something along these lines?”
“I – what – no! And how would you know what I dream anyway?! Get off!” Satoshi attempted desperately to get his rambling mind under control, hunting for some way out of this mess. His hands brushed something leather as he attempted to move them – his knife! Still trying to focus, he moved his hand, grasping for the knife, hoping to get the handle, and then – and then what? Kill Daisuke? No, not Daisuke, Dark, he had to remember that.

Dark smiled, hands slipping down and pulling the knife from his belt, flinging it against the far wall. There was a loud clanging as the metals collided, before everything was silent again save for Satoshi’s heavy breathing. “For shame, Hiwatari-kun. You could have hurt me!”

“Let go!” Taking this opportunity to move, he pushed against Niwa’s chest, sending him sprawling off him and racing to grasp the discarded knife. Holding it up, he cringed. “Dammit, don’t make me hurt you!”

“What’s wrong, Hiwatari-kun? Was I going to fast?” Satoshi felt his grip on the knife slip as Dark mimicked Daisuke’s expressions perfectly, down to the sweetly puzzled look. Satoshi’s fists clenched, jaw locking and eyes closing up.

“Stop!”

“No, really, you sound delicious when you cry out like that. Feel free to scream.” He gave an amazingly Daisuke-like shrug, smiling brightly with the words.

“Go away!” Dark took a step forwards, and Satoshi instinctively flung the knife out, embedding it in Daisuke’s neck.

It was a familiar sickening thud as the body fell to the ground.

“Niwa...?” Satoshi took a hesitant step forwards, waiting for the boy to make a response. The body fell, slamming into the cold ground. “Niwa!” Racing forwards, Satoshi turned Daisuke around, wrenching the knife from the boy’s neck. “Niwa!” Blood began pooling over, covering his hands and staining is clothes. Satoshi felt his jaw tighten, felt an immense pain in his head, even as he tired to think properly. “... I – Niwa, I...” A small cry escaped his lips. “Daisuke... I’m so...” His breathing became uneven as a fierce, agonizing pulse beat at his head, a hollow, aching moan issuing from his mouth.

He couldn’t tell how long he stayed like that, or how long the pounding hurt resonated throughout him. He couldn’t tell how many ragged breaths escaped his lips as he tried to force down the tears, or how many times he tried to say the magic words to Daisuke. It always worked in fairy tales, didn’t it? If he could just say it, then Daisuke would come back to him. It had to work. “Niwa... I... I lo... Please... ‘suke... you...”

“Satoshi-sama? What happened?” Krad stepped through the door, looking down at his Tamer in concern. “Satoshi-sama?”

Young mind giving up on explaining anything, Satoshi knelt over, letting wretched sobs come from his body, hoping to die, right then and there, if only it would bring Niwa Daisuke back. “Niwa-kun... Daisuke... Please come back, please, please... Ni... Niwa... I... I love...” Satoshi’s throat shut off; he couldn’t seem to breathe, a choking howl escaped from him, even as Krad came up to hold him tightly.

Krad held Satoshi as he wept, stroking his hair, comforting him, until finally the child stopped weeping. There was an unnatural calm about him, almost as if... Krad turned the commander to face him. He licked the tear tracks of Satoshi’s face, smiling as he met no resistance, and held Satoshi in his arms as one might hold a doll. Satoshi leaned into the embrace, closing his eyes tightly and breathing deeply, willing himself to stop feeling any pain. Smiling to himself, Krad began humming a song, sending Satoshi into a deep silence. Krad played with his commander’s hair, placing soft kisses on his head. “You’re mine now, Satoshi-sama.”

Daisuke knelt over the unconscious body of Satoshi Hiwatari, shaking him gently. The painting he had originally come to get, ‘The Puppeteer’, lay forgotten on the floor where it had fallen when Satoshi had collapsed on it. “Hiwatari-kun... wake up. Hiwatari-kun, please!”

But the commander.... Krad’s commander... he would not wake.