Ikuto walked out of the airport in Japan. He found his father, and his father knew about how he loved Amu and pushed the young violinist to go and pursue his strawberry.
Ikuto smiled and even slightly smirked to himself on how Amu would react when he came. She would probably blush, or even try to pull her façade on him knowing that he could see right through her.
Ikuto raised his hand and a taxi came to his side after waiting for a few seconds. He loaded his luggage in the back seat and got seated. He took out his phone and a slip of paper from his jacket. The taxi driver turned around and faced Ikuto.
"Where to, sir?" The old man in his fifties politely asked. Ikuto handed the piece of paper to the taxi cab driver.
"Drive me to this address," Ikuto asked.
"Yes sir," the man said and punched in Amu's house address in his GPS. Seconds later, the cab started driving towards the destination.
Ikuto started to drift off thinking about his strawberry and her four charas when the cab suddenly stopped and he felt Yoru tugging on his blue hair.
"We reached your destination, sir," the man politely said. Ikuto thanked the man and took his luggage out. Because he felt so happy that day he gave the man a generous $100 and allowed the cab driver to keep the change. The man thanked Ikuto once again before driving off.
Ikuto smirked to himself and went to the front porch. Amu's parents knew him enough and he didn't have to hide from them anymore. Amu's mom accepted him very well in contrast to her husband.
Then after a minute of waiting, Ikuto decided to just leave, his mood dampening a bit, when the door was opened to reveal the tear stricken face of Hinamori Midori. Ikuto was alarmed because Midori never cried, it was always Tsumugu. When she cried, Ikuto could be rest assured something bad really happened.
"Ma'am, what happened?" Ikuto asked Midori.
"Come in, Ikuto," Midori's voice was so hoarse, like she cried a lot.
Ikuto rolled in his luggage and closed the door after him. He sat down on the couch across from Midori and looked at her expectantly.
"Amu has been kidnapped," Midori said in a voice barely over a whisper.
Ikuto's heart almost dropped into his stomach. He felt like killing himself for not checking up on Amu more often.
"What…?" Ikuto's voice became tiny as well.
"Amu was waiting for you. She said she loved you a lot. And then Tadase-kun…" Midori broke out into sobs.
Tadase. He knew that the little blonde king was evil. Tadase was always jealous about how Ikuto got more admirers than him. How Ikuto had a talent unlike him. How Ikuto was famous and he wasn't. How Ikuto found a nice girl that he liked. How Ikuto had managed to get that girl to fall for him that he loved.
Tadase might have forgiven him but he always played tug of war when it came to Amu. Amu was the rope and Ikuto and Tadase were the competitors on either side.
"What about him?" Ikuto tried to keep his cool.
"Tadase-kun always knew how much he liked my daughter. But Amu doesn't love him like he does. So when Tadase-kun knew you were away, Ikuto-kun, he kidnapped my daughter. He said if we came to find her he would kill her," Midori sobbed, "And she was on her way to be a prodigy artist. Why does life hate me?!"
Ikuto's heart clenched. He didn't notice Amu disappear?
Then his phone vibrated. It was from Utau. And she was not happy.
Hey ROMEO! If you are done looking for dad, why don't you look for your JULIET whom you neglected for 5 FRICKIN years! I swear, if you do not save Amu from Tadase's clutches, I am not handing her over to you.
You are lucky I got my sources. At the bottom is the address in which Tadase has Amu captive. Get her back soon. I miss her.
And kick Tadase in the place where the sun doesn't shine. He banned me from getting into his house.
Utau
Ikuto looked at Midori and she disappeared. Then the door shut and she padded down with a little basket. She sniffled and said, "These are her eggs. I somehow never knew what they were. But I can guess they were part of her heart or something."
Midori went into the kitchen for a moment.
At that moment the eggs cracked open.
"Ikuto-kun, please save her!" Ran cried.
"She doesn't deserve this!" Su agreed. She was so obsessed with her owner that she forgot to be cute and add –desu at the end of her sentence.
"I want her back safe," Miki sadly said.
"I know her address," Ikuto said, "But how do I contact her?"
"When Tadase took Amu-chan away, she had her Humpty Lock on her neck," Dia thoughtfully said. Ikuto made a face.
"What is the Dumpty Key? A secondary telephone?" Ikuto asked sarcastically.
Dia thoughtfully rubbed her chin and nodded, "In some ways like that, yes."
"I was just being sarcastic," Ikuto honestly said.
"And I am being informative, you little brat," Dia's kind golden eyes took a shade of dark yellow, almost like her X form. Ikuto shivered and thought not to press too much further with the golden chara.
"Look, if all you want to do is just sit around and joke, I am not handing Amu to you," Dia darkly said.
Ikuto shook his head and said, "No I will listen. What about this possible communication?"
Dia's dark eyes brightened to her beautiful topaz eyes and she nodded at the newly gained respect from the violinist, "As I was saying before I was rudely cut off, they have a communication power."
"How?" Ikuto asked.
"Well, if you squeeze your Dumpty Key and focus on Amu then you should be able to communicate with her. You can convey thoughts with Tadase. They won't glow, just slightly vibrate when you two communicate. This power is something only you and Amu have. Use it to your advantage," Dia said.
Ikuto nodded, and felt new power course through him. He got up and said, "I will find her."
"We're coming with you," the four said at the same time. Ikuto shook his head.
"No," Ikuto said, "Stay here."
"You can't boss me around!" Ran wailed.
"Think about Amu. If something happens to you or any of you guys, do you think she will be happy? I do not think so. Stay here and Yoru will keep you company," Ikuto said.
"What?!" Yoru sputtered.
"Yoru, do NOT argue with me. Do as I say," Ikuto grimly said.
"But you always boss me around," Yoru dejectedly said. Then when he came face to face with Ikuto's sharp glare, he obeyed.
"Okay, we will," Dia nodded.
The others looked at her in shock and she glared at her three sisters, none of them wanting to go against her.
"Are you leaving already?" Midori came back.
"Yes. I will bring her safe and sound back. My heart's egg is in there with Amu's. Please keep it safe. And please do not worry," Ikuto softly said.
Midori smiled and said, "If you can safely bring my daughter back to me, then she is yours. I give you my blessing."
Blessing in marriage. That was the one thing Ikuto feared Midori and Tsumugu would never give him because Midori found him coming out of the bathroom while hiding.
"What about-" Ikuto stared but Midori cut him off.
"My husband? Oh he might cry but he will not overrule my decision," Midori accentuated the word 'my' by pointing her index finger at her heart. Ikuto smiled and nodded.
He took his phone and keys and said, "I will get some help before breaking Tadase's door open."
Midori sadly smiled and said, "I now know why Amu fell in love with you."
Ikuto's heart fluttered but he didn't say another word. There was no possible response to that statement. He just bowed and left the house.
Ikuto dialed a number. The second number he knew off the top of his head. Kuukai, Utau's boyfriend.
"Kuukai?" Ikuto said the moment the brunette answered.
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, MAN?!" Kuukai shouted.
"I just came back. I am aware of the situation. And I need help. Utau gave me the address and we will go and get Amu back," Ikuto said in a calm voice.
"Meet us in the Royal Garden."
"Us?" Ikuto asked.
"All the Guardians, dummy!" Kuukai yelled. Ikuto grimaced. The happy go lucky soccer player was down to earth serious. And it was not fun.
"Fine. Meet you there in half an hour," Ikuto said. Then he hung up and squeezed his Dumpty Key.
I will come for you, Amu. Just wait, my love.
-x-
Amu was thrown to the floor. Her eyes filled up with more tears. Tadase just grinned maniacally at her pain.
"You are always going Ikuto this and Ikuto that!" Tadase laughed as if someone told him a funny joke. Then his face darkened and he slapped Amu across her cheek. Amu couldn't move because she was shackled to the wall.
"Well, not anymore! I have you and you are mine!" Tadase laughed.
Amu's Humpty Lock slightly buzzed, not making Tadase aware of it. Amu got the message. Ikuto was coming for her! Tears slipped from her eyes and she internally cursed for letting tears slip.
"Aw, are you crying because THIS hurts?" Tadase grinned and cut Amu's delicate cheek with a sharp knife at the accentuated word.
"I love him," Amu coughed; blood surfacing and splattering from her mouth, "I know he will come."
Tadase was enraged and sent a kick to her stomach, "You stupid and selfish girl! He will never come for such a weak, pathetic, and defenseless girl like you!"
Amu shed tears. They were empty. She had cried infinite times despite the fact she got used to the pain during the time she spent here.
Ikuto, Amu thought desperately, Hurry.
Then her world became black after another hit from her attacker.
-x-
Ikuto came to the Royal Garden and saw all the Guardians sitting at the stone table. He grimaced.
"What? Not having tea and scones?" Ikuto sarcastically laughed.
"No time for that," Kuukai said.
"You have the address, right?" Rima asked.
"Where is your chara?" Kairi asked.
"He is with Amu's charas at her house. I can't risk him getting hurt," Ikuto said, "And besides, I promised her mother I would fight to get her back."
"Oh yay," Rima drawled, "A prince in shining armor. Just what Amu needs."
Ikuto glared until Rima shrunk in her seat, "Hey listen shortie. You have no room to whine. Amu is being beaten up at this moment. I am going and anyone who truly cares for Amu can come with me."
Ikuto turned around and heard chairs being pushed back. He walked forward and ignored them. He walked out and then acknowledged their presence by flipping his phone open and showed them Utau's text.
"Wow Utau was sure going to cut your head off," Nagihiko smirked.
"Just focus on the address. That is where Amu is," Ikuto glared.
"Yaya doesn't want Amu-chi to get hurt!" Yaya wailed and Kairi hugged her, silently murmuring sweet nothings that didn't make the candy girl's wail subside.
"Well, she is getting hurt," Ikuto grit his teeth, "But let's go and catch a cab so that we can save her."
"Uh, no. Cabs do not come to school. I can just call one of the high school servants and demand them to provide immediate transportation," Rima glared at Ikuto.
"Fine," Ikuto grumbled. He knew Rima was right.
In thirty seconds flat, Rima had a high school boy kneeling to her feet and providing them a red carpet to his ordinary car.
"Where to, Rima-sama?" The boy dreamily asked.
"Tsukiyomi-san, give me the address," Rima ordered Ikuto. Ikuto showed her Utau's text.
Rima wrote down the address and handed it to the boy. He nodded with hearts in his eyes and started driving quickly when Rima asked him to make it snappy or else she would ask another high school student to do her orders.
When the car pulled up, Rima ordered, "Park somewhere nearby. When we come back, we will need to get to the hospital nearby."
The boy dreamily nodded and parallel parked nearby and probably started squealing inside his car. Who knows, he might have tweeted or shared that he did Rima-sama a favor.
Ikuto then got from his pocket, a few daggers that he got from one of his bags that he always carried for immediate protection. He handed them out and made sure even Yaya was equipped.
"How did you manage to get past the terminal with these?" Kairi inspected his dagger.
"Just shut up about technical details and follow me," Ikuto glared at the green head.
"Oh really? Come on, what is more important, Amu-chi or your newfound weapon?" Yaya glared at Kairi. Kairi blushed and mumbled a 'Joker' underneath his breath.
Yaya smirked in satisfaction and then looked at Ikuto to continue.
Ikuto knew Tadase would never open the door. So he took a deep breath and karate kicked the door open, stunning the Guardians. He gave them an annoyed look and ran inside, the Guardians following as well.
Ikuto took a look around. The rooms were trashed. Glass spattered everywhere. Every once in a while, Ikuto would see a trail of blood. He winced. What if it was Amu's blood?
"Is… is this Amu's?" Rima went hysterical when she saw a splatter of blood on a wall. Nagihiko had to hold her back as Rima started to cry on the spot.
"Amu… Amu went through all this torture and I didn't know! I am a terrible best friend slash sister!" Rima bawled, becoming out of character.
Nagihiko hushed her and said, "Come on, you are being a fantastic best friend and sister by coming to look for her. Come on."
Ikuto put a finger to his lips and nodded. He didn't have Yoru but he had enhanced vision and hearing that was slightly less developed than a real cat's eyes and ears.
He heard beating and muffled cries that were so faint the Guardians didn't hear them.
"I think this voice is coming from within the ground…" Ikuto murmured. He then moved to the source of the beating and yells.
"I can hear it too, now that Tsukiyomi-san mentioned it," Rima whispered.
"There is a basement?" Kuukai whispered.
"I think that is the only scientific explanation," Kairi pushed up his glasses and gulped. Yaya glared at him.
"Will you be quiet with you and your scientific theories? It makes Yaya nervous!" Yaya harshly whispered.
"Well, don't waste time! Open it!" Nagihiko whispered.
Ikuto ripped the rug away from the tiled floor and broke the metal hinges on the wooden basement door.
"Oh look at that! You informed them, didn't you?!" Tadase yelled, "How the f*ck did Utau find out?!"
Ikuto put a finger to his lips and cascaded down the stairs motioning for the Guardians to stay up there while he went down the stairs to deal with Tadase.
Ikuto flicked the lights on and the sight he saw enraged him.
A bloody Amu chained down to the floor. She had multiple bruises, gashes, and she looked like she broke a few bones. She was on her last shred. Being so skinny she could snap any minute.
Ikuto came forward and slapped Tadase across the face.
"You would hit your own brother?" Tadase laughed like a person crazed by power.
Memories flooded Ikuto. An innocent Tadase had fought against Utau on who Ikuto-nii-san would play with. A child with blue hair sighed in a mature manner and broke up the squabbling toddlers and would tell them how they would play together for the day.
Ikuto recounted on how many times Tadase's cute little round face would break out into a heart melting chubby grin, not being a façade but painting all the childish joy radiating from his heart. How he would warmly run up and hug Ikuto and say he loves him as a big brother.
"You aren't the same," Ikuto heavily breathed and Tadase darkly chuckled.
"Of course you did, you thieving cat. You stole my Dumpty Key!" Tadase sent another kick in Amu's stomach and she weakly yelped out in pain.
Ikuto predatorily circled around so that he was in front of Amu and Tadase couldn't land a blow on the pinkette.
"It was my father's and it was passed down to me. You were merely asked to take care of it. I took what was mine," Ikuto said in a stiff and firm voice.
"Oh it was mine. But you stole it. And Amu belongs to me. I took what was mine," Tadase smirked evilly as he directly quoted Ikuto. He raised a bloody hand to shove Ikuto out of the way, when Ikuto caught the arm and flipped Tadase to the ground.
Ikuto took the dagger and remorsefully looked Tadase in the eyes. The ruby eyes reflected all of the sins that consumed his innocent and pure soul.
Ikuto took the dagger from his jacket and murmured, "I'm sorry, Tadase."
Ikuto perfectly threw the dagger aimed at Tadase's heart. Tadase wailed in pain and Ikuto yelled, "Guys come on down and haul him down!"
Instantly, little footsteps poured and the Guardians gasped, a little at the sight of a flailing Tadase but more at their suffering Joker.
Amu weakly shuffled so she could see her Humpty Lock. Ikuto's eyes stung with tears at the sight but he harshly wiped them away so that he could snap the metal locks and call the ambulance.
Ikuto ripped his jacket off and wrapped it around Amu and gathered her body in his arms. Amu's wide golden eyes watered when he started to stroke the top of her head gently, a touch she craved for the duration of torture she got from Tadase.
Ikuto looked at the blonde. Tadase was motionless. Somehow in the middle of his anger, he felt a little bit of sorrow, sympathy and pity.
Sorrow for losing a loved one.
Sympathy for understanding what it feels like to be degraded.
Pity for being such a naïve person and readily accepting the dark side so easily.
-fin-