32Notes:
To those of you concerned about Daisuke skipping school, I just have to say that you are worrying too much. So far in the story, it has not been a good day for the redheaded boy. Due to the events that happened, Daisuke must be feeling even more stress pile on him. It may be a bit uncharacteristic, but I think even Daisuke would want to take a break, especially considering what happened only a day before in the story. Plus, in the spur of the moment, he wanted to spend time with Riku.
Luckily, I found a way to include Daisuke's wings! Yay!
Also, not to be a spoil sport (spelling?), but Daisuke's wings cause him a lot of pain. It was evident when he released them because he immediately changed into Dark when he couldn't handle it anymore. Somehow, I don't think Daisuke would pain himself that much to shelter the two from rain. Then again, Daisuke is one hell of a gentleman, so he might. Thanks for the idea anyways, Black-Dax.
TO THE STORY
Previously on Shinobi Rangers:
"OMG, A RAT!" squealed the DN Angel fan girls. "Daisuke-kun! Satoshi-kun! SAVE US! Then go make out or something so we can put it into our disturbing fanfics!" (Twitch)
ooooooooooo
"Daisuke-kun, I have to tell you something."
"What is it, Riku-san?"
"Daisuke-kun, remember when you were carrying me after the bridge collapsed?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, you touched me in a place you shouldn't have, Daisuke-kun. We are legally married now, please sign here…" (Twitch)
ooooooooooo
"RISA GET DOWN HERE NOW!"
"C-c-calm down, Riku."
"RISA! CLEAN UP THIS MESS!"
"…"
"I MEAN IT, RISA! GAH! IT'S EVERYWHERE!"
"…"
"RISA!"
"Okay, okay. Jeez, Riku, it's only toilet paper…"
ooooooooooo
"OMFG! LYKE TOTALLEH! I MEAN LYKE WTFBBQZORZ! YARLY! LOL!"
(Twitch) "...Are you okay, Satoshi-kun?"
ooooooooooo
Ahem, (cough), sorry about that. On to the real story…
Riku looked up into the sky to try to calm herself down. Daisuke, sitting right behind her and holding her rather tightly, was also trying to calm down. The morning had been a disaster, and both could still feel the stress from yesterday. A simple day off would be beneficial for both of them, so it wouldn't hurt to cut school, right?
Riku tried hard to get used to the feeling of having Daisuke so close. It sure wouldn't help their relationship if they blushed at the simplest of touches. Riku cursed herself for her shyness towards Daisuke. He's the first person that Riku has ever had these feelings for and she really didn't know how to control her emotions. Still, some progress was better than none. Riku allowed a tiny smile as she rode on, no longer blushing.
Daisuke was really enjoying himself, though it wasn't intentional. His heart thumped wildly and his mind lost its reception. The now fuzzy screen that was Daisuke's thought process didn't help him in his situation, so instinct took over. His embrace was slowly and gently tightened and he rested his cheek on the back of Riku's neck. Her short hair tickled his forehead and he took a small sniff of her scent. Not the type of girl to wear perfume, Riku simply smelled like…Riku. There was no way to categorize or explain this smell, but Daisuke just knew it as the scent of his love.
As they continued to the Harada Mansion, Daisuke snuggled into the warmth of Riku's back. Riku could feel Daisuke making himself comfortable and couldn't help but enjoy it herself. Daisuke's warm embrace contrasted sharply to the icy wind that blew pass the traveling bike, giving Riku a strange but pleasurable sensation. She could feel Daisuke's soft cheek against her neck, making the dreaded blush return. Riku sighed in defeat, deciding that blushing was natural, after all, and it was their own way of showing their love for each other. Sure they blush a lot, but they don't stop the touches and moments, so it was alright.
Finally, the Harada Mansion came into view. The humongous house, complete with 8 bedrooms, 2 dining rooms, 3 living rooms, 6 bathrooms, and a kitchen (A/N: I made this up, don't attempt to correct me on this.), was impressive to say the least. The twins' forever off-screen parents seemed to have quite a fortune left for them. Daisuke had only come here a couple times, and was always amazed at the sheer size of the whole estate. The front yard had two small fountains, which were always on and spraying up water. The lawn stretched from one side of the fence to the other, only separating in the middle for a cobblestone path. Bushes and flower patches lined the front wall of the house and stray vines crept up to the windows. Off to the sides, there were large trees that are easy to climb. This allowed Riku to climb out of her room without notice whenever she needed. Risa was too girly and delicate to use this method of escape, much to the annoyance of the older twin.
Riku pedaled to the front gate and stopped. She motioned for Daisuke to get off. However, Daisuke forgot to remove his arms, which caused him to lift Riku up and off the bike with him. He set her down and blushed. Riku was a bit dazed, but continued on anyway. She pushed a button on the gate, activating a switch that revealed a keypad. She entered a six digit code and the gate slowly opened. Like in any anime, the scene faded completely white before settling back down to reveal the front yard. The glow made Daisuke shield his eyes, but when everything came to focus, Daisuke's eyes widened. He always found it amazing.
Riku led Daisuke up to her house. She fumbled in her backpack (A/N: which they still magically have on their person) for her keys. Finding the correct one, she set it in and opened the front door. Riku told Daisuke to go inside first and take a seat while she put the bike away. Daisuke wondered into the house and looked around. The inside looked even bigger than the outside.
The floors were wooden and polished, sparkling in the sunlight that came through the windows. In front, a flight of stairs leading to the second floor. To the left, a large living room with gigantic sofas and a humongous TV. To the right, a hallway that leads to the dining rooms and kitchen. Daisuke walked to the living room and sat down on the sofa, patiently waiting for Riku to come back. He picked up a magazine that was lying on the sofa and examined it. The title made Daisuke smile. Immediately, he knew it wasn't Riku's. The younger Harada twin always had a stronger knack for fashion than the older, anyway. Daisuke put the magazine back on the sofa as the front door opened again.
Riku quickly put walked the bike to the side wall under her balcony. She found the chain and used it to fasten the bike securely to the tree. When she was done, she walked to back to the front door and let herself in. She stepped inside and closed the door. Turning to the left, she saw Daisuke smiling at her. Riku smiled back at him and walked over. She took his hand and helped him up to his feet. Daisuke blushed, but Riku managed to stay strong. Riku led him to her bedroom upstairs.
Daisuke stepped into the surprisingly small room. It was just big enough for a queen-sized bed, study desk, drawer, and wardrobe. There wasn't any wallpaper, but there were a few posters here and there. There was also, framed up on the wall, one of Daisuke's most prized paintings. It was the one Daisuke had painted for her, the one he poured as much of his soul as he could into. She treasured it and hung it right over her desk. This way, everyday she went to bed and every time she woke up, the first thing she would see is that painting.
On her desk were a couple of scattered pieces of paper and a lamp. There was also a pencil box and a picture of Daisuke in a small frame. It was a bit embarrassing to Riku, but Daisuke told her that he had a picture of Riku on his desk as well. It helped a little, but made Riku blush harder. Daisuke realized what he said and blushed too, but they both laughed it off. On the other side of the room were a drawer and a wardrobe. In the middle of these two is a full length mirror.
Riku told Daisuke to wait outside while she changed. He walked out of the door and closed it gently. He could hear drawers opening and closing, clothes being fussed around, and other sounds of a girl getting ready. Meanwhile, he thought about what he should wear. After a while, Riku came out. She had put on a plain yellow blouse and white skirt that ended right above her knees. She had put on a little bit of makeup, and it was a bit frustrating to Daisuke. It wasn't too much, so he guessed he could live with it.
"You look wonderful, Riku-san. Why did you put on makeup, though?" Daisuke tilted his head slightly with his question. Riku blushed and replied, "Well, I just thought I might as well, since we are going out a bit."
Daisuke offered a gentle smile, "But I think you look better without this stuff. I like the natural Riku-san." Riku became flustered. She looked helplessly at Daisuke.
"What can I do now, though? It would take too long to take it off…" Riku felt like crying for some reason. She felt like she had already failed on her first date. Sensing this, Daisuke hurried wrapped his arms around her. A startled yelp escaped her mouth at the sudden contact.
"That's okay, Riku-san. I guess it'll be okay this once. Next time, though, I don't wanna see makeup, okay?" Riku smiled against his chest and looked up at him. He smiled down to meet hers and gently let go.
"Okay. I'm not used to putting on makeup anyway. I only have these because Risa put them on my dresser. I've never really used them before…"
Daisuke smiled, "Well, you don't need any makeup."
Riku blushed, "Come on, Daisuke-kun, let's get to your house so you can change too."
The red-eyed boy nodded and let Riku lead him downstairs and out the door. She turned around and locked the front door before continuing on. When they got to the gate, Riku locked that too.
"So, Riku, are we going to walk to my house?" Riku shook her head, confusing Daisuke. She put her bike away, and they couldn't drive, so how were they going to get to his house?
The answer slowly came up from behind a curb. A long black Lexus came right up to the two and pulled over. The driver's window rolled down, revealing a grey-haired man in a chauffeur's uniform. He nodded at Riku, opened the door, and stepped out. Walking around to the passenger doors, he opened one and stepped aside. Riku took Daisuke's hand and led him into the limousine. She climbed in first, followed by Daisuke. It was roomy, but they sat together.
The driver went back to the wheel and started the car. After a while, he rolled up the divider (A/N: That thingy limos have. It's like a window inside that separates the passengers from the drivers. Yeah, you know... xD.) to let them have some privacy.
"Daisuke-kun, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," started Riku once they were alone.
"Yeah, Riku-san?"
"Ano… A-are you really Dark?"
Riku was nervous and slightly frightened. In her head she kept telling herself that it couldn't be true. Just yesterday, Daisuke changed into Dark right in front of her eyes, but she still wouldn't believe it unless Daisuke confirmed it. She waited for his answer.
Daisuke's hair fell in front of his eyes, casting a dark shadow. He looked down at his lap and sighed. He wondered how he would explain it to her. He knew Riku would understand, but was scared nonetheless. Finally, he turned to face her.
"Well, yes and no. Let me explain from the beginning. The Niwa family has a… curse, I guess. Every generation, on their 14th birthday, the male Niwa would inherit a special gene. The gene is really the spirit of the Phantom Thief, Dark. I… kinda forgot how we got the curse…" Daisuke scratched his head before continuing, "Anyway, on my 14th birthday after getting rejected by Harada-san, I activated the gene." (A/N: I didn't want to get into the whole story since you should know what happened by now, right?)
Riku listened and nodded a few times to let him know she was following along. Daisuke paused and smiled at the girl beside him.
"So that means having Risa reject you made you turn into Dark?"
"Kind of. Dark and I share my body. The shape and size of my body changes with whoever is in control, so nobody can know that I'm really the host of Dark unless they saw the transformation. Dark and I can shift back and forth almost whenever we want. All we need is... special something to trigger the change."
"Is there a specific 'something' that triggers it?"
Daisuke blushed, not really wanting to answer. He tried to think of a way to get around it, but something told him that Riku deserved to know. He decided to answer truthfully.
Riku had become confused. He was completely open to her until now, could the trigger be something bad? She hoped that it isn't something that hurts him or others. A stray thought entered into her mind, causing her to gasp. Her eyes suddenly held fear as she looked at Daisuke.
"Daisuke-kun, you don't have to kill or something like that to change, do you?"
"No! It isn't something like that. Ano… you see, Riku-san, there is a special emotion that we have to feel to be able to switch. That emotion... is love. So whenever I get too close or think about the person I love, I change into Dark. Same thing with Dark."
"Someone you love...?"
"Yeah, Riku-san. That means whenever I'm... around you for too long, or whenever I... think of you, I change into Dark. Dark changes when it's Harada-san." Daisuke was blushing furiously and giving Riku nervous glances, trying to see how she's taking it.
Suddenly, it hit Riku, and she blushed as well. So she was the reason that Daisuke could change into the Phantom Thief. Something else came into realization in her head as well.
"So is that why you would run off suddenly or push me away?" Riku finally understood. She had thought that Daisuke didn't like her much, or even hate her. Now it all made sense to her.
"Yeah, gomen..." Daisuke always felt bad about doing that to Riku, but he really couldn't help it. If she had found out when she wasn't ready, it could have severely damaged their relationship. Now, when everything is settled down, it was easier to accept. Of course, Riku understood and had forgiven him a long time ago. However, Riku still had one question in her head.
"That's okay, Daisuke-kun. I understand now. I have one more question, though." Daisuke looked at her and nodded, allowing her to continue.
"H-how did you…grow wings on your back? Can all Niwas do that when they have Dark?"
Daisuke thought for a minute and leaned back. With a finger on his chin, he answered, "Well, my grandpa was the last person to have Dark before me, and he said that he never grew his own wings. I have no idea how I got them. My dad says it might have been because of the heat of the situation. What I do know is that it is painful." He shuddered, thinking back to that time when he had fainted under the immense pain, allowing Dark to take over. Riku became worried.
"Y-you hurt yourself to save me?" Daisuke looked at her quickly and shook his head.
"I don't mean it like that, Riku-san. It hurt, but it felt right. I wanted to save you so badly, I guess my body responded to it. I don't mind as long as you're safe. I'm just saying I probably won't be able to do it again."
Riku felt her eyes beginning to water. She looked away from Daisuke, shook off her tears, and tried to speak in a calm voice. "A-arigato, Daisuke-kun."
It was Daisuke's turn to worry now. "Hey, Riku-san, are you crying? What's wrong? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry..."
Riku looked back at him and gave a really bright smile, "No, don't worry about it. I'm just so happy to have you."
Daisuke looked into Riku's slightly watery eyes. He leaned forward slightly, "I'm glad to have you, too, Riku-san. I-I... love you."
Riku's smiled became warmer and brighter, "I love you too, Daisuke-kun!"
They both blushed, but didn't look away. The burning in their cheeks intensified the burning in their hearts. They leaned slowly towards each other. Daisuke could feel Riku's breath on his lips. He couldn't remember closing his eyes; it was a bit sudden to his mind. Time stood still for the two as their lips met. A warm, wonderful sensation filled their chest as their hearts beat wildly. It wasn't a full kiss, but it was as passionate as those you see in the movies. The difference is that this one isn't an act, it was real.
After hours, Daisuke finally pulled back to breath. Riku opened her eyes and gasped sharply, realizing her lack of oxygen. Her face was completely flushed, from the kiss and being deprived of air. Daisuke was having a similar expression. The two lovers smiled at each other. Riku sat back up and leaned her head on Daisuke's shoulder. The boy leaned his cheek on her head and held her hand in his. Their fingers entwined, and love melted between them.
Finally, Riku spoke, "So, any plans on what we're going to do for the rest of the day?"
Daisuke smiled, "Nope. We'll just have to see what happens."
Riku smiled back, "Good."
That's one hell of a ride to Daisuke's house, eh? The last part ended up a bit sappy and cheesy, not to mention slightly cliche, sorry. xD
Sorry, the actual date doesn't happen for another two chapters. I had to make them more comfortable with each other. As fun as it is to write them blushing 90 percent of the time, it won't be much of a story.
Also, you might (or might not) have noticed that my style of writing and ideas have changed since the beginning of the story. In the months since the last chapter and this one, I read a lot of books and fanfics, so my ideas and writing style changed. I hope it's for the better. xD
Anyway, please review!
Blaze
The driver's name is Dattebayo. Risa gave him the name. Don't ask why...