Disclaimer: I am writing fanfiction. This makes me a fan. Because I am a fan, I do not own what I am a fan of. Thus, I do not own DNAngel, or anything else (coughKingdomHeartscough) that I make an obscure reference to.

Warnings: Alternate Universe, double entendres, yaoi, gen, shonen ai, het, unrequited love, more unrequited love, some gore, violence, Krad, Evil Things to Good People...

Note on Honorifics: I used the honorifics system because I am entirely unwilling to take the ‘-sama’ honorific from poor Krad. That would be cruel. However, I am human and likely to make mistakes with them. So if I do make a mistake, I apologize. Just tell me so I can fix it!

Chapter One: The Blood of the Enemy

Two household, both alike in dignity,

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean

-Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare

Niwa Emiko jumped away from the wild slash, parrying and pulling back with a half pivot, sword brushing her opponent’s chain mail shirt. She was severely outmatched, wounds covering her skin. It didn’t help, of course, that she was three months pregnant.

Hikari Ororon, married into the family, grinned spitefully, preparing to strike down the Niwa girl and end the feud once and for all. The last of their males having lost Dark’s Wings... without an heir Dark would never rise again. This was it! The end of all the bloodshed, the end of Krad! There would be no curse to torture his son.

Emiko fell to the ground, her blood painting the floor beneath her. Heavy breaths kept her alive, but just barely. She clutched to her blood-stained sword, holding protectively over her stomach. She knew it was useless, but the powerful urge to save her unborn son burned strongly in her fading eyes. If there was any way she could keep her child alive, any way at all...

Ororon saw this, a cruel smile twisting his face. He could hardly be blamed for his enjoyment of her pain. Four hundred years of open bloodshed, and here was the key to ending the Niwa line.

He raised his sword and slammed it down with a sickening crunch, finding it embedded in his own arm. Gasping in pain, he could only stare on as Niwa Kosuke wrenched the sword from its place and, grimacing, sliced off his opponent’s head, leaving it to roll along the already liquid red floor.

Emiko stood, cradling her stomach before collapsing again in the dank streets of Azumano. Kosuke knelt over, picking her up gently and laying her out flat on his jacket. Whispering soft words, he poured his strength into reviving his wife.

Slowly, Emiko shifted slightly, then sat up, only to be pushed down again by Kosuke. Immediately she began to struggle, before Kosuke’s voice reached her ears. She smiled up at him. “My guardian angel, eh?” Her voice was barely more than a whisper, and seeing that she wished to sit, he slowly pulled her up, letting her weight rest against his arm.

“I’m no angel.” Kosuke muttered, sending a dark glance at the body of Ororon. “And I was under the impression Niwas weren't fond of angels anyway. When did they get you?”

She coughed slightly, and closed her eyes, as if searching for something. Finally, a small smile touched her lips. “He’s still there. I thought I’d lost him.” She sent a little glare at Kosuke. “And they did not attack me. The Hikari’s never fight dishonourably, I’ll give them that.”

“I’m sure,” Kosuke drawled. “We better get you somewhere before another Hikari comes. I don’t think there are any in this district.”

“His body. Kosuke-san, we have to take his body. The king’s new law, remember?” She let herself be picked up by Kosuke, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ll do it.” She waved her hand, scowling slightly as the head and body rose separately in the air.

“Nuh-uh. You’re half dead. I’ll do it.” He too scowled as he floated the body along, dropping it in the back of their car. “I’ll drive us home and then... what was the law again?”

“Never one to remember the rules, are you?” She choked up some blood, causing Kosuke to instantly lean over to her side. She resisted the urge to bash him over the head. “The king said ‘if any Hikari or Niwa was to slay one of the opposite clan, then may he or she take the body to the home of the victim, so that the murderer may see the anguish of the dead’s family.’”

Kosuke sighed. “Yes. And that works so well, since the Hikari’s are known for their display of emotions. I’ve never seen a more empty bunch!”

“They aren’t empty. Just... lacking in feelings,” Emiko said firmly.

“I think that is the same thing, Emiko-san. I have nothing against them, knowing their reasoning, however... It is among the reasons that you two have never been able to join together.” He glanced at the body in the back, which was covering his seats in fresh blood. “I’m gonna need a new car. Come on. Let’s return Ororon to his family.”

“What’s left of it, at least...” Emiko sighed, leaning back into the seat and closing her eyes. “I wish... I wish... why does it have to be like this? ...” She raised a hand to the window, looking out at the street flashing by. “Rio-chan... I’m so sorry...”

IIiiII

In the year 1567, the first Niwa and the first Hikari set out to summon to spirits from the Demi-Realm, also known as the Land of Truth. What they actually summoned, it remains unknown, however, in all inevitability, they ended up with a spirit of light, Krad, and a spirit of darkness, Dark. These two spirits used the Niwa and the Hikari as their hosts, the two mortals serving as vessels.

In the year 1570, the first Niwa was slain by the first Hikari. The circumstances remain foggy, however it is definitely the cause of the present feud between the two clans. The Niwa and Hikari clans broke into open feud after the bloody and public murder of the first Hikari, and for the past four hundred years, their battles have continued openly and without rest. Magic, which was meant to fade from the public eye, never did, though few were gifted with abilities, and these few were almost always drawn into the Hikari or Niwa lines. Thus, there now remain very few magic users who did not carry one of those names.

It is the dawning of a new millennia, as the bloodshed finally halted for fifteen years of uneasy peace. Years of magical manipulation has altered the rules that dictated the presence of the two spirits. Now, on the fourteenth birthday of a male Hikari or Niwa clan member, the spirit that has been tied to their family will appear within them. The rules that might have been, in a world that never was, died long, long ago.

Hikari Satoshi and Niwa Daisuke were born in the same year, the former being the elder of this pair. They lived in the same city, went to the same school, and even sat beside each other in class, due to a decision made by their teacher. For five months Hikari Satoshi has held the spirit of Krad within his body. Now, it is Niwa Daisuke’s fourteenth birthday, and the whole of Azumano knows that the bloodshed that had lain dormant since Hikari Ororon’s death was to begin again.

But would these two children obey the rules set out for them?

IIiII

Niwa Daisuke’s fourteenth birthday was that very day. In another world, he would not have realized the significance of this day, but time had changed so greatly that would he have stepped into that world, he would not have recognised it as his own.

For one thing...

Daisuke’s normally cheerful face fell as he walked outside. It was bright and light, but that only reminded him of the future he had in store. He turned as Hikari Satoshi came up to him, holding out his binder. “You left it behind,” the boy said, not a trace of emotion in his voice. Daisuke, having spent long years near the other boy, could tell from the small twitch in his eyebrows that he was stressed. Smiling his thanks, Daisuke took his books from his sworn enemy and walked out into the park that surrounded his school.

Princesses Risa and Riku of Harada Castle ran up to him. Or, to say, Riku ran, and Risa attempted to run without appearing to running. How the two princesses had turned out so different, Daisuke would never know. Riku, having actually ran, reached him first, and promptly pulled him onto the grass to sit. “Why so sad, Niwa-kun? That’s not like you.”

Daisuke muttered something before burying his head in his hands. Risa caught up and sat down beside them, smiling at the poor boy. “Aw, poor Niwa-kun feels bad because his dear Hikari-kun moved seats yesterday.”

“I don’t! I mean, well, I do, because he’s like my friend, I think, though he’s never said it, but-” He attempted to get what he wanted to say into words, but didn’t quite manage it. For some odd reason, the teacher had attempted to have Satoshi and Daisuke sit beside each other, perhaps trying to bond the two clans through their sons. This had only proven to make it more difficult to realize the day had finally come, to remember what fate had bestowed upon them. The reason that the teacher had no choice but to move the two children, or...

After all, Satoshi’s other half had already come, and when Daisuke got Dark today... Well, sitting those who had Krad and Dark beside one another would make the lovely white floors become red. Daisuke snorted at the wording that formed in his mind. He was to receive Dark this day, like some kind of... slave. A pet.

“Sure you don’t.” Risa absentmindedly straightened his clothes. “I wish you would dress properly. It isn’t good for Daddy’s lords to have their clothes in a mess.”

“Risa-chan,” he whined. “Please! It’s bad enough that I’m getting Dark today!”

Both girls stopped, then exchanged a look. Evidently, they had forgotten. As one, they hugged him tightly. They, along with Takeshi, were his best friends in the whole world. “Don’t worry, Niwa-kun,” Riku said with a smile. “No matter what lives inside of you, you’ll still be you!”

Riku watched the passing Satoshi with a thoughtful look on her face. “You know... It surprises me he went so long without attacking you. Five months with that Krad monster inside him, and he resisted all along. I couldn’t have stopped a monster like that.”

Risa grinned, giggling. “Maybe he was resisting something else too.”

“Risa!”

The younger twin shrugged. “What? I think they’d look good together.”

Daisuke choked, coughing hard. Slowly, the pain in his throat subsided, but he was still looking at the twins, horrified. “Together?” he whispered. “What do you mean, ‘together’?”

Riku glared at her twin. “She doesn’t mean anything.” Suddenly, Riku froze, as if picturing something. “Actually, they would look cute together.”

“Ah! No way!” Both girls burst into laughter, and Daisuke blushed furiously. “Hikari-he’s-sworn enemies!”

Risa sighed. “So romantic! Two houses, sworn to hate the other, and two children falling in love with each other. They go against their family and work to unite the two clans. It would be like... like Romeo and Juliet!”

“Risa, you have a very vivid imagination. And Romeo and Juliet both died. I assure you, however, that Hikari-kun and Niwa-kun will never get together. Niwa-kun’s too shy. Unfortunately.”

“Enough, please!” Daisuke laughed anyhow. It was nice just to sit there and not worry about anything.

“You three are very uncivilized aristocrats, I hope you know that.” Takeshi landed beside the trio with a grin, trusty camera and notepad in hand. He was almost as bad as Satoshi when it came to that notepad. “So Daisuke, I heard it’s your debut tonight?”

“Eh..What?”

Takeshi waved his hands dramatically. “The return of the Legendary Phantom Thief Dark!” He sighed. “It isn’t as good as in the old days, when you had to guess who it was. Now everyone KNOWS that the Niwas steal them, even if they can’t find proof.”

The two girls groaned. “We were trying to make him forget about Dark-san!” Risa protested.

“Why? Nothing wrong with having another half. Why, you might even have a full brain by then.” Takeshi skilfully dodged the halfhearted punch, snickering. “Heh, good luck to anyone who tries to catch you, Daisuke. That’ll be the day.”

“Our dear Commander Hikari will be trying.”

All four children looked up as one to see Saga Keiji, head of Saga entertainment and temporary student at their school. Keiji had a tendency to come and go as he pleased, which usually meant whenever he was hunting for new models and got tired of sitting in his office designing things. “Didn’t you hear? Commander Hikari is in charge of the hunt for the not-so-Phantom Thief Dark.” Keiji smirked. “Oh, I can’t WAIT until you grow up, Niwa! You’ll make an excellent model.”

Daisuke blushed. A life under the spotlight had never been one of his dreams, and definitely not his top priority. “Eh.. No thanks.”

Keiji smirked again. “We’ll see about that. I really need something to blackmail you with,” he muttered, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “Have fun playing cops and robbers!” He gave them the two fingered solute before walking off to his limo.

“Saga-kun confuses me...” Riku said.

“Saga-kun is a very interesting character,” Risa allowed.

“Saga-kun can still hear you!” Keiji shouted as he shut his limo door.

IIiII

Satoshi dropped his books on the floor of his bedroom and sat down, burying his head in his hands. The house was completely empty, save for him, as it always was. He would have said that he was alone as well, but... he was never alone. Groaning, he tried to grab hold of his rampant emotions, but they slipped from his grasp like water through his hand. He knew this day would come, knew it since he learned what it was to be a Hikari but...

‘Ah. Poor Satoshi-sama is unhappy.’ Krad’s voice was taunting and mocking in his head, like an unescapable river of acid. Yes, acid was an avid description of the supposed angel. ‘Not very Hikari of you, now is it?’

‘I do not know how the others could have lived with you in their head. Perhaps that is why none of the males seem to grow very old.’ Of course, there was always the possibility that the Hikari men had been worse than Krad, which, from his own limited knowledge of them, was quite possible. Satoshi closed his eyes tight. ‘And I simply...’

‘You simply don’t want to kill the Niwa child? Well, you have held me back for five months. It is time for you to set me free.’ Krad licked his lips, smiling.

‘To do what, destroy the city? Ravish the village girls and boys, pillage and burn? I’d rather not, thank you.’ Satoshi ignored the comment that Krad only wished to ravish him, pulling out the plans of the museum Dark was to strike, examining escape routes. This time, he’d try to stop him, but for the most part simply observe his patterns.

‘And yet... you try to trap him none the less. That is much like dangling a golden apple above my head.’

‘Yes. Unfortunately, you can fly.’

‘Remember Satoshi-sama, you cannot stop me. As long as you breath, I will breath within you.’

‘Then I’ll try to learn to live without air.’ Suddenly, Satoshi felt a hard pressure on his throat, choking the air from his lungs. He clawed at it, but nothing was there. Gasping, Satoshi’s vision swam, from white to black and back again.

‘My dear Satoshi-sama, do not fight me. I will break out, and I will rip that child to pieces, no matter how you try to stop me. Him and the thief. You cannot win.’

The pressure dropped, and Satoshi fell to the floor, gasping. “No...” he whispered. He took a moment to regain himself before sitting back up as if nothing had happened.

There was a soft, condescending chuckle in response. ‘Oh, Satoshi-sama. You do not know what you say. You Hikaris have always thought yourself much stronger than you truly are. Tonight, I shall break out, using force if I must. And you will be unable to stop me.’

‘You won’t kill Niwa-kun.’

There was another chuckle, and added to this a caress. ‘Not tonight, perhaps, but there will be another night, and another. It is inevitable, Satoshi-sama. Do not fight destiny.’

‘I don’t believe in destiny. I will choose what I do with my life.’

‘You cannot choose when there are no choices.’

‘There is always a choice. I could always die. What would you do then?’

‘I would find a way to bring you back. You would be weak, and I would be able to easily destroy the clan.’ A hand ran though Satoshi’s hair, playing with the blue strands. ‘I will not let you die, Satoshi-sama. You will not kill yourself, and I will let no one harm what is mine.’

Deciding not to dignify that with an answer, Satoshi stood, getting ready to head out to the museum and catch Dark.

IIiII

Daisuke, having dodged the usual assault of traps and whatnot, was attacked by his mother’s hug. “Gahhh! Mom!”

Emiko let her son go, smiling at her precious Daisuke. “Hello, Dai-chan! How are you! Did you have a good birthday?” Emiko, many people had long ago decided, had to be on something, perhaps speed, because it was impossible to be that cheery otherwise. They were wrong, of course. She just happened to be the Energizer Bunny’s reincarnation.

In great contrast to his mother’s limitless energy, Daisuke dragged his feet across the floor. “Yeah.” He sat on the couch and closed his eyes, attempting to fall to sleep. Sleep was good. Sleep let him escape.

“A little lethargic, dear?”

“Yea- what?”

“Lethargic-being sluggishly lazy or inactive. Not to be confused with apathy, which implies not caring at all. What’s up?” She sat down beside her son, squeezing his shoulders. “Don’t tell me you’re worried about Dark not coming! He always does.” Her blindness to her son’s aversion to the black winged thief was forgivable, as it had been Emiko’s greatest desire to be host to Dark herself.

“Not that, mom. I... I...” He shook his head. “Never mind.” Standing abruptly, he marched to his room, shutting the door behind him. He slumped against it, falling to the ground with a sigh. “Why me?” He sighed again, staring at the ceiling. “I don’t want to be a thief. I don’t want to fight Hikari-kun.” I don’t want to kill him, like my dad did to his.

((You don’t want to kill him, hm? Well, I don’t think I’ve had a host this interesting in quite a while. Hello, Niwa Daisuke!))

And then the oddest sensation overcame Daisuke, a feeling of being not one, but two. And he felt this voice, echoing in his head, someone in pain... In pain? An overwhelming deja vu encompassed him and then...

“Ahhhhh! Mom, you didn’t say I’d change appearance!” Daisuke ran shouting out of his room, running right into his mother’s open arms. “Why do I look like this?”

Emiko grinned evilly. “Heh heh. I guess I forgot to tell you about that!”

“Forgot? Yeah right! You didn’t tell me on purpose!” Daisuke stared at his elongated arms and his violet hair. Argh!

((It’s not violet, it’s deep purple! Violet is effeminate!))

“Eh... what did you say?” Daisuke asked.

Emiko giggled. “Nothing dear. Now, go on, it’s almost time for your first performance!” Emiko dragged her son into the other room, handing him Wiz. “Wiz will become your wings, and you are stealing the Jewel of Four Souls. A Hikari piece, of course.” She stared at him for a moment thoughtfully, like a painter wondering what was left to add to her work. An odd comparison under the circumstances. “Now... what are you missing...? A costume!”

“Oh no.”

“Kyu!”

IIiiII

Satoshi glared at the inspector in charge, Inspector Saehara. He didn’t expect much help from the police, except perhaps as a distraction. A very poor, inadequate distraction more likely to hinder than help.

‘Excellent. He shall arrive any moment.’

‘Yes, but you won’t get to do anything.’

‘Perhaps, perhaps not. I cannot wait, simply to rend him, shred him into pieces...’ The image of Daisuke being torn apart danced in front of Satoshi’s eyes, distorting his vision. The screams of the boy echoed through his head, intensifying quickly until it became unbearable for the young Commander.

‘Please, stop it!’ Satoshi did his best to keep an outwardly calm appearance. Show no weakness, show no weakness... He hated fighting... He casually moved his hand against the wall to support him, his mind focussing intently on stopping himself from showing any emotions.

‘Do not whine. It is unbecoming.’ Still, Krad released the control he had on the boy’s vision, and Satoshi shook his head to clear it.

‘He’s here. Leave me alone, I have work to do.’ Satoshi leant in the shadows, watching with interest as the thief slipped in and out without a single person noticing him. He actually made the officers believe the Jewel had been stolen before it had been touched. Ingenious. Their inexperience in art made it impossible for them to tell. He’d have to work on that with them, which might take quite a bit of time.. Satoshi turned around, leaving to wait for his target where he could better catch him.

Moments later, Dark came racing through the doorway, easily flipping over the wires that had been set up for security. In his hand a glimmering pink gem swayed. “It’s kinda scary how easy this is,” he muttered, staring at the gem. He landed in a graceful crouch beside a large security cage that had yet to be set up. Right beside Satoshi as well.

Satoshi made his move, handcuffing the thief to one of the cage’s bars. Dark stared in shock. “What? Hikari-kun? What are-”

‘Dear me, that is not Dark.’

Satoshi’s mouth would have dropped, had he any less control over himself. As it was, he couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows. ‘What?’

‘Calm down, Satoshi-sama mine. What I mean is that the one in control of this body is your Niwa, not Dark. If it was Dark, he would have said, ‘Handcuffs, Kinky.’ And they wonder why I so desperately wish to kill him.’ Satoshi stared at the trapped figure, frozen in indecision.

The expression on the figure changed, more cocky and arrogant. “Handcuffs, eh? Kinky, commander.”

‘Now that is Dark. Moronic backstabbing... Satoshi-sama, I do believe you owe me for locking me up so long. Let me take over, that you may rest.’ Small waves of relaxation became pulsing towards him, designed to put him to sleep. But he trained for this his whole life, and wouldn’t succumb to them.

‘No. Leave me alone.’ Krad tried to control him, pushing against Satoshi’s well built barriers. The monster was stronger than expected. Satoshi staggered slightly as Dark worked at the handcuffs. Instantly, Satoshi smacked another pair on. It was a good thing he had three.

“Very, VERY kinky. But, you know, I always thought you liked girls. Or at least Daisuke here did,” Dark said with a taunting grin. He tilted his head to the side slightly, sizing him up. “Actually, I think Dai-chan was wrong. You’re rather effeminate, you know that? You take after Krad... which means you probably are into guys! I solved the mystery!”

Both Satoshi and Krad snarled as one. Seizing the opportunity, Krad slipped in, causing Satoshi to fall back into his mind. Now that he had control, it would be much more difficult for Satoshi to regain the body, as it always had been. “Hello, Dark. It has been a very long time indeed. I longed for your dulcet tones.”

“Really? I can’t say the same. I prefer oblivion to your ponytail. Major fashion no-no. The thing still gives me nightmares.”

‘No’ Satoshi pulled against the mental bonds, trying to take control of his transformed body once again. Satoshi’s fingers clawed at the large white substance that had started to form a barrier between himself and Krad. This barrier was Satoshi’s own, but Krad had slipped through a crack, trapping Satoshi inside his prison and sealing the hole. Now Krad simply laughed and pushed him back.

‘Stay still Satoshi-sama. I’ve got a debt to pay.’

‘What, a pound of flesh nearest his heart? Give my body back.’ Satoshi gritted his teeth, yanking violently on his bindings.

“Good idea,” Krad mused aloud. “My host here just had the wonderful idea of taking a pound of flesh nearest your heart. What do you say? Does it sound like justice to you, oh Great Black Wings?”

“I’d call the same for you, but I would be forgetting that your heart went missing centuries ago.”

‘Watch as I rip your Niwa-kun to pieces, Satoshi-sama. Just watch.’

“Let go.” For a moment, Satoshi had control of himself again, but Krad pushed him back harder.

Dark snickered. “Letting your host get out of control? Not very like you, Krad.”

‘You can’t kill him. You’d be nothing without him. Your existence would be empty. Krad, listen to me!’ Satoshi gritted his teeth as sheer agony pulled him deep into the recesses of his mind.

“I assure you, it won’t happen again,” Krad said with a smile, twirling a strand of his golden hair. Satoshi began sorting through the walls that had been formed in his mind, searching for the surface. Spotting a glimmer of light, a small gap in the wall, he pulled again for control, this time causing Krad to stagger. Taking advantage, Dark came free of the handcuffs and leapt out the window, grabbing Wiz to be his wings again. Dark, it seemed, had more than a few tricks up his sleeve.

“Follow me, Krad! That is, if your host let’s you!”

With another taunting laugh the Phantom Thief disappeared, making Krad growl in rage. Turning back to his host, his fury strengthened. ‘Satoshi-sama, you should have never have fought against me. You are mine, understand! You shall suffer greatly for such an act.’

The fourteen-year old boy’s screams could have be heard throughout the night, if anyone had cared to listen