D. N. Angel Fan Fiction ❯ Who is the Greatest Thief? ❯ Complications ( Chapter 8 )

Who is the Greatest Thief?

 

Chapter 8—Complications

 

(A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Akkiko, and is part of her birthday present (which was a month ago) :gets shot: Happy 18th, kid!)

 

Note:::

 

`. . .' is Daisuke speaking to Dark

 

:. . .: is Dark speaking to Daisuke

 

---

 

“This is not good.”

 

“No kidding. But what are we going to do about it?”

 

“This was never supposed to happen—”

 

“You think I don't know that?”

 

“Calm down. It's only temporary, isn't it?”

 

“Well, it's supposed to be, but. . .”

 

Daisuke opened his eyes, feeling utterly drained. When had he changed back? And why was he wet?

 

`Dark. . .what happened? Dark?'

 

:Daisuke. . .: The voice sounded so far away. . . Daisuke tried to clear his fuzzy thoughts as the girls began talking again.

 

“Tenshi, that white-wings is the one in your picture, right? How does he factor into this?”

 

“I'm not sure. . .but he's tied to Hiwatari's soul just like Dark is tied to Daisuke's, so. . .”

 

`What? Krad's out?!' Daisuke stirred, groaning.

 

“Daisuke-kun?” The teen looked up to see Kitsune hunched over him, her expression worried. “How're you feeling?”

 

“. . .empty.” The word came without him thinking about it, right out of the fog his mind was in. And Daisuke realized it was true; something was missing. But what—

 

“Dark?” The drenched phantom thief was lying not too far from where Daisuke sat up, his black wings fanned out behind him. “How. . .what. . .”

 

“Don't panic, Daisuke,” Kitsune said, one hand on his shoulder. “It's going to be okay.”

 

“But. . .” Daisuke's eyes traveled past Kitsune, to where Tenshi was squatted beside Satoshi. Further on, Akkiko stood over Krad, staring down at the white-wings warily. Both Krad and Satoshi were dripping wet as well. “What happened?!”

 

“You're suffering from the effects of the artwork we stole tonight,” Kitsune said. She held up the Vase of Demeter. “We'll explain when we get out of here.”

 

A blare of static made everyone conscious jump. Inspector Saehara's bellowing voice issued from the hand-held radio clipped to Satoshi's belt. “Commander?! What the hell is going on there?! Do you copy?!”

 

“Kitsune—” Tenshi grabbed the radio and tossed it to the other girl. Kitsune removed her mask, and cleared her throat.

 

“Yes,” she spoke, but it was Satoshi's voice that issued from her mouth. Daisuke shivered; she was good. “Keep everyone back from the building. There have been some complications, and I'm trying to secure the area. Do not enter. I'll call for back-up when things are clear. Over and out.”

 

She clicked the radio off and the three girls breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“That should buy us a little more time at least,” Akkiko said. “But how're we going to get them all out of here if they don't wake up?”

 

“We'll have to wait and hope for the best,” Kitsune said. “Worst comes to worst, we'll have to set off some smoke bombs. Waiting for the fire department will get us more time, and we'll get out in the confusion.”

 

“Girls. . .” Daisuke had moved to where Dark was stretched out. It was still weird, looking down at someone he wasn't supposed to be seeing outside of a reflection. “Are you sure. . .he's alive?” He just couldn't summon the courage to check himself.

 

“Yes, don't worry. We checked everyone's pulse and everyone is very much alive,” Akkiko said. “So what're we going to do about this guy?” She nudged Krad with her boot.

 

Without warning, Krad's wings flapped up, catching Ginryu in the face and sending her sprawling. Her head cracked on the floor and she lay still, as Krad stood, wavering slightly.

 

His mind was in a fog from the waters inside the Vase of Demeter, so that when he saw feathered black wings, he acted on instinct rather than his usual calculated thinking. He had his hands around Tenshi's throat before anyone had time to react.

 

Tenshi tried to scream as she was pushed down, clawing at Krad's hands. She had stood up when Akkiko had gone down, and the white-wings had come straight at her. Fear froze her before she began to struggle, not even knowing why he had done it.

 

Satoshi looked up, feeling so tired that he might have just turned over and fallen back asleep. But there was also an urgency in the back of his mind—a warning that something was terribly wrong and he had to right it.

 

He saw Krad, his other half, and thought, This is not possible.

 

Just that one thought, over and over again in his mind.

 

Dark, on the other hand, was slightly more aware of what was going on; he knew that the connection between himself and Daisuke had been severed, but not completely. His other half was present, and his thoughts were in turmoil. Dark felt Krad's presence just as clearly—and it made him want a weapon in his hands.

 

“Get off of her!” Kitsune's outraged screech brought both Satoshi and Dark out of their respective reveries.

 

Everyone looked just in time to see a stream of ofuda entwine around Krad's limbs, pulling him away from Tenshi. The papers proceeded to wrap around Krad's body, until he lay on the ground, trussed up like a mummy. The ribbon of papers even held his crumpled wings immobile; the only visible parts of him were his long blond hair and glaring gold eyes.

 

“Bastard!” Akkiko said, sitting up and rubbing the back of her head. “Tenshi, you okay?”

 

“Y-yeah,” Tenshi said, one hand pressed to the side of her neck.

 

“Bull,” Kitsune said, kneeling at her side. “You're bleeding!”

 

“He scratched me when you pulled him off, but I'm fine.”

 

“Tenshi-san, are you alright?” Satoshi kneeled on her other side, holding out a handkerchief.

 

“Hiwatari-kun, just what the hell were you hiding inside of yourself?” Akkiko demanded.

 

“Cool it, Akkiko,” Tenshi said, holding the cloth to her neck. “It's not like it's his fault.”

 

“What is going on?” Dark asked, helping Daisuke to his feet. “I feel like the fourth wall has just been broken.”

 

“Well, in this case, I think it has,” Kitsune said. “And we'll be glad to explain, but right now we have to get out of here. The skylight should be clear. Dark, you'll have to carry Daisuke. Akkiko, help me carry Mr. Violence over there—” She gestured to Krad. “—and Tenshi will carry Hiwatari-kun.”

 

Tenshi felt her face grow warm. “But—he can just walk out of here—he's a cop, remember?”

 

“But I also want an explanation, Shido-san.” Everyone stared at Satoshi. He smiled. “Pardon. I mean, Tenshi-san.”

 

“You did that on purpose, you creep,” Akkiko muttered as the youth rose.

 

“I'm going to go and tell the officers outside that we've failed once more, and that Dark and the three of you got away with the art pieces. But after that—”

 

“We have a van parked on the far side of the park,” Kitsune said. “We'll wait fifteen minutes and then we're gone.”

 

Satoshi nodded. “Then we'd all better hurry.” He turned and left.

 

Kitsune sighed. “He's right. We need to hurry.” She turned to Krad. “Those seals won't hold long.”

 

“Can't we just leave him?” Dark asked. “If we push him into the broom closet and seal it up, I'm sure no one will notice.”

 

Krad began struggling, his curses smothered by the gag of paper, his wings twitching, sending white feathers everywhere.

 

“Oh, stop it,” Kitsune said. “You can help carry him.”

 

---

 

Somehow, between Dark's protestations, Daisuke's unsteadiness, and Kitsune's use of a paper fan, the group got upstairs, through the skylight, off the roof, out of the museum's courtyard unseen, across the park, and back to the trio's van. Somehow.

 

After that, it was merely a case of stuffing Krad into the back, and waiting.

 

Dark and Daisuke also waited inside the van, Dark for obvious notoriety reasons. But Daisuke was still a little shell shocked, so to speak, so Kitsune gave him a potion to help the youth relax.

 

While they waited, the three girls transformed back into their more normal looking selves.

 

“Okay, so. . .where do we go from here?” Ginryu asked.

 

“Home,” Aiko said. “It's obvious we won't be able to trust Krad unbound, so we need stronger seals to make him behave. And we need to explain to the boys what happened back there—which I would also like to know—” She raised her eyebrows at Ginryu and Korazuma. “—And lastly, we need to talk to Yuuko and get the four of them back together, like they should be.”

 

“'Cause that'll be easy,” Akkiko said flatly.

 

“Of course.”

 

“We also need to know what their story is,” Tenshi said. “Why is it that Dark and Daisuke, that Krad and Satoshi, were bonded in the first place?”

 

“Excuse me.” The three girls turned to see Satoshi leave the park and come across the street to meet them. “Are you ready?”

 

“More than,” Aiko said, bringing the keys out of her pocket. “I'll drive.”

 

That plan was squashed as they approached the van and Dark flung the door open.

 

“The seals are breaking!” he yelled, and they could see Daisuke in the background, looking very worried.

 

Aiko swore. “Never mind, I'll ride with the psycho.”

 

“Then I'll drive!” Ginryu said cheerfully.

 

“NO.” This exclamation from Aiko and Korazuma in perfect, deadpan unison. To underline this, Aiko tossed the keys to Korazuma, and Ginryu slid in beside Dark and Daisuke, pouting.

 

“Come on,” Korazuma said to Satoshi. “Looks like I'm driving.”

 

---

 

Korazuma drove fast, but calmly explained the idea of many worlds to Satoshi, who listened intently and without interrupting. However, her explanation was punctuated with much struggling and roars of outrage when Krad managed to get the seals to snap. This was followed by a “You're so bloody stubborn!” from Aiko, a crackle of electricity as she refastened the bonds, and a “Just let me club him on the head!” from Ginryu or Dark.

 

“So. . .that's about it,” Korazuma said a while later, over the cursing coming from the back.

 

Satoshi nodded, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “So you're basically saying you're here. . .to stop this kind of thing from happening?” He gestured to the back.

 

Korazuma sweatdropped, laughing a little. “Yeah. . .well. . .”

 

“Ow. . .my pride. . .” Ginryu put in, wincing.

 

“That's it—SLEEP!” There was a brief flash of light before Aiko came into view over the seat, glaring. “Hiwatari-kun? Your other half sucks.”

 

“I'm hardly responsible for that, Tatari-san.”

 

“Well, whatever, now he's comatose. Are we there yet?”

 

“Yes, actually.” Korazuma pulled into their parking stall, turned off the ignition, and then turned in her seat. “How do we proceed?”

 

“Here's what we're going to do,” Aiko said. “Kora-chan will open up the front doors, make sure no one's in the lobby, and call the elevator. I'll make sure the damn wards hold on Mr. Violence. Gin-chan and the boys will carry him. Done.”

 

“I am not carrying him again,” Dark stated, crossing his arms.

 

“Come on, Dark,” Daisuke said, “Why can't you just cooperate?”

 

“If I touch him again, he'll probably try to kill me.”

 

“He's trying to kill you anyways,” Korazuma said flatly.

 

Satoshi chuckled. “She has a point.”

 

Dark glared at him. “I don't need your two cents, Hiwatari.”

 

“Tone down the testosterone, Dark,” Aiko snapped. The paper fan was out again. “And let's move it. Kora-chan—go!”

 

“Yes'm,” Korazuma said, mock-saluting and slipping out of the van. She unlocked the front door, propping it open before racing in. A few seconds passed; those remaining at the van opened the back where Krad's still form lay, still trussed up. Dark grabbed his feet, Aiko and Gin his mid-section, Daisuke and Satoshi his shoulders.

 

Korazuma reappeared at the door, waving them over. The group crossed the deserted parking lot, and Korazuma closed the door as soon as they were inside the lobby.

 

That's when the problems started.

 

Satoshi paled more than usual, and his hands dropped away from Krad. Daisuke stumbled from the weight and looked up, a question on his face that turned to shock when he saw his classmate's face.

 

“Hiwatari-kun!” Everyone looked us as the youth backpedaled until he hit the wall, holding his head.

 

The elevator opened at that point, and a young couple walked out, laughing until they caught sight of the angel being carried by some very suspicious-looking teenagers, not to mention Phantom Thief Dark.

 

The woman opened her mouth to scream, and the man took a step forward, and Korazuma popped up in front of them. She held up a hand, and spoke a single word. Blowing across her palm, a white powder appeared out of nowhere and into the couple's faces. They fell to the ground.

 

Those still holding Krad let out a breath. Korazuma ran to where Satoshi was doubled over, still holding his head. “Hiwatari-kun, what's wrong?”

 

“He won't get out of my head—I thought you said we were separated!” Kora looked back at Krad, who was still unconscious.

 

“It's not that simple,” Dark said in a low tone, setting Krad down with the rest. “Daisuke and I still have the connection. It's just grown faint. But it's still there.”

 

Daisuke looked up at his other half, still not used to standing beside him. “But Satoshi never wanted the connection to Krad, so. . .this must be really hard for him to even now be chained together.”

 

“No one likes a cage,” Korazuma murmured, placing her hands on top of Satoshi's. “Gin-chan?” Ai-chan?” Her friends came over and stood on either side of the youth, placing one hand on his head and one on his back.

 

Dark motioned to Daisuke, and while the girls worked some sort of spell on Satoshi, the two of them went to the couple and propped them against the far wall. When they turned back, Aiko and Ginryu were crouched by Krad again, and Korazuma was leading Satoshi over, a hand on his back.

 

“We should have something to shut him out in the apartment,” Kora was saying. Satoshi said nothing, his head down, hair shadowing his face.

 

“Well, to avoid anymore. . .incidents,” Aiko said, “we'll go up with Krad first. Kora-chan, stay with Hiwatari-kun, okay?”

 

Kora nodded, and after everyone crowded in, the elevator doors closed. There was an awkward silence.

 

“You don't have to be ashamed,” Korazuma blurted. She reddened as Satoshi looked at her, one eyebrow raised. “Um. . .I know how hard it is to have. . .a split personality.”

 

He snorted. “Really.”

 

“Yes.” Her tone turned serious. “I am Korazuma Shido, and I am Tenshi. But at one time they were two different people.” Satoshi stared at her. “It was the same for all of us.”

 

---

 

Dark and Ginryu left Aiko and Daisuke to get Krad settled in the apartment and headed back to the elevator.

 

“Hey,” Ginryu said, as Dark hit the “down” button. “Be nice to Hiwatari, okay?”

 

Dark looked at her, surprised. “Are you serious?”

 

She cocked an eyebrow at him, unimpressed. “I heard you, when we finished casting the spell, when you saw his face. You said, `get over it' under your breath.” She looked away. “You can cut him a break. He's trying to be as strong as he can, given the circumstances.”

 

Dark shook his head. “It's not my fault that he never made peace with his other half. He's had to live with that connection all his life—it's no different now.”

 

“Yes it is—now he feels free. He's broken away from what he's always wanted to reject. But deep down he knows that he and Krad will be one again—that's just the way things are in this world.”

 

Dark sighed. “Why do you care, anyways?”

 

“Because we—the girls and I—we know what it's like to reject that other part of us.” There was a long silence. “And we know what it's like to embrace it. That's how we got here; that's how we became who we are.” Another silence. “So go easy on Hiwatari—you're lucky that Daisuke isn't like him.”

 

The elevator dinged open, cutting off any reply Dark would have made. Korazuma and Satoshi nodded to them and the four returned to the apartment.

 

---

 

“Daisuke. Go sit down. You look ready to pass out,” Aiko said firmly. The redhead had helped her carry Krad into her room, and was now standing beside her bed looking rather pale.

 

“But—”

 

“Go—wait for the others in the living room.” Aiko pointed towards the door, one hand on her hip. Daisuke sighed, and went.

 

Aiko echoed his sigh, and turned to rummage through one of the many bookshelves that lined the walls of her room. She pulled an amulet out of a vase of stones and dried flowers and inspected it.

 

“Sorceress,” came a hiss from the bed. Aiko smirked and turned. Krad was strapped down, stronger charms glittering faintly on the bonds. The white-wings did not look happy. “Release me, now.”

 

“Say please.” Aiko put the charm in her pocket and crossed the room to her dresser.

 

“What is that?”

 

“Something that will stop you from driving Hiwatari-kun crazy.”

 

“You should not interfere with such things you do not understand.”

 

Aiko lifted the mirror hanging on the wall and turned a derisive stare onto Krad. “You're a really clichéd character, you know that? Get some better lines.” She turned away and walked out of the room, mirror in one hand.

 

“Sorceress!” The angry cry was cut off as she closed the door. She drew a rune on the surface with one finger, which flickered and faded as she walked into the living room.

 

Daisuke was on the couch, looking slightly alarmed. “He's awake?”

 

“Yes, but he won't be going anywhere until we say so.” Aiko shot the youth a kind look. “So don't worry about him, okay?”

 

Daisuke nodded, relaxing slightly as the others came into the room. Ginryu locked the door before settling onto the couch beside Dark and Daisuke. Korazuma sat on the floor beside Satoshi, who was in an armchair. Aiko sat on the arm of the other armchair, the mirror propped up.

 

“Ready?” she asked, and drew another symbol on the mirror's surface. A mist blew within the glass before clearing to show a very attractive young woman with long black hair, wearing a fancy kimono and a mocking smile.

 

“What's up, kids?” Yuuko asked.

 

---

 

A/N: okay, this just reached 11 pages, so I'm cutting this chapter in two~ Other half will hopefully be up within the week :crosses fingers:

 

Disclaimer: All D.N.Angel characters are copyright to Yukiru Sugisaki. Yuuko (and any other xxxHOLiC characters) are copyright to CLAMP. Original characters are copyright to me.