~~Amu's POV~~
"Amu-chan!" Ran shouted. She looked up to see Ran, Miki and Suu floating above her with worried expressions plastered on their faces.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I feel the presence of an '?' egg!" Miki shouted.
"Hurry desuu~" Suu yelled. They began flying in the direction of the egg with Amu running wildly after. After a few minutes Miki yelled,
"Amu-chan! Up there!" Amu looked up to see…
~~Utau's POV~~
Utau was sitting on a bench sipping a soda out of a can, thinking about the news her manager had told her.
~flashback~
"Utau" her manager said walking up to her, a solemn expression on her face.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I'm afraid the new CD isn't selling. People just don't seem to like you as much, ever since we left Easter none of the CDs have been selling."
"Oh…" Utau said her face unreadable. She stood up from her chair and walked out of the building. Her manager looked after her sighing.
"I really thought this song would sell…" She went back into her office and shut the door.
~end flashback~
Am I really not that good? Did people only like me because they were possessed and had no control over their bodies? She thought sadly. I guess I should just give up. But I worked so hard… She sighed and began walking towards the park, thinking about what she should do.
~~Lulu's POV~~
Lulu was looking for a lost soul, one she could use to find the embryo for her mama. There has to be at least one lost kid… but where? She thought.
"Eh Lulu! I feel the presence of a lost soul1" Nana shouted at her.
"Let's go" She followed Nana into the park. They stayed behind the trees watching the people walking by. "Which one Nana?" she asked her chara.
"Ehh… that one!" she said pointing to a girl walking past them.
"Tsukiyomi Utau?" she screeched. She's a lost soul? "Hmm this should be fun" She said smiling evilly. She waited while Utau walked down an isolated path. When she was sure no one else was around, she walked out onto the sidewalk and stopped when she was a few feet behind Utau. She chara changed with Nana "You're lost aren't you?" she asked. Utau turned slowly around and looked at her.
"Mind your own business" She said coldly. Lulu flinched. Easy Lulu Nana's voice sounded in her head. Lulu held up a ruby red pendant on a golden chain.
"Use this to make your dreams come true" She held the necklace higher in the air.
"Utau…" her charas Iru and Eru warned. They sensed an ominous presence coming from the necklace. But it was no use. Utau's eyes lost all the meaning in them and became blank, lifeless. Utau reached out and took the necklace from Lulu and put it on. "Just do what ya'll wanna do!" She said laughing as the power of the necklace took over Utau's charas. Utau chara transformed with Iru to form; Devil's Song.
"Ohh!" Nana exclaimed in an amazed voice. "She's strong!"
"Everyone listen to me sing!" Utau shouted. A microphone appeared in her hand and she started singing a song that put everyone under a spell. They all lost the feeling in their eyes and started clapping and cheering for Utau. Then they started destroying everything in sight.
"Come on out Embryo!" Lulu shouted laughing. "Grant me my wish!"
~~Amu's POV~~
Amu looked up to see Utau. She was singing a song that hurt Amu's ears.
"Utau!" she shouted, but Utau didn't hear her. "Ran" she said. Ran nodded and floated towards her. "My own heart, unlock!" Amu chara transformed into, "Amulet Heart!"
Amu-chan! Look at all the people! Ran shouted in her head. Amu looked around and saw that the park was being destroyed. She flew up into the sky. "Utau! You've got to stop!" she shouted at her again. This time Utau heard her. She glared at Amu.
"You don't understand anything Amu!" She yelled at her. "I'm going to make everyone listen to me sing! And they're gonna love it!" She pointed her microphone at Amu and shouted, "Demon's Tune!" Suddenly Amu was surrounded by music notes with wings. She put up a small barrier using her pom poms but it barely protected her. They pushed and scratched her.
Amu-chan… Ran whimpered in pain. Amu could feel her fading 'She's so strong' Miki said weakly. 'She's got the strongest ? presence I've ever felt.'
"Stop it Utau!" She shouted desperately. She couldn't take it any longer. The barrier disappeared and with a scream Amu was thrown backwards into a tree. Her chara transformation disappeared as Ran's strength failed and she fainted.
"Ran!" Miki and Suu shouted and flew over to where their friend had fainted.
"Ran…" Amu groaned barely above a whisper. She looked up weakly to see Utau laughing at her.
"Utau! This has to stop! Please! This isn't you!" Amu could feel the tears forming in her eyes as her friend glared at her.
"Not even you can stop me Amu. I'm invincible!" Utau said and laughed again. She pointed her microphone at Amu again and shouted, "Hell's Melody!" Odd demon shaped things came flying out towards Amu, they were all singing different notes that harmonized into one painful sound. Amu stood frozen and weak with no escape in sight. God help me, she thought and squeezed her eyes shut.
~~Ikuto's POV~~
Ikuto was wandering aimlessly in the park. He always seemed to end up here with his thoughts. He walked around until Yoru shouted,
"Ikuto! I can feel the presence of a '?' egg!"
"So? It's none of our business" Ikuto said in a bored tone. He closed his eyes and put his arms behind his head, relaxing as he walked.
"Nyaa" Yoru said sticking his tongue out at his owner. Suddenly Amu's green chara, Suu, flew in front of them.
"Ikuto-san!" She shouted. He opened one eye and looked at her with an expressionless face.
"Hmm?"
"Please! You have to help! Amu's in trouble desuu~!" She shouted at him in a frightened voice.
"Amu?!" He said opening both eyes. His face had a worried and slightly scared expression as he looked intently at the small chara floating in front of him.
"Hai!" Suu said.
"Yoru" Ikuto said. Ikuto said "My own heart, unlock" and chara transformed with Yoru becoming "Black Lynx!" Suu flew off and Ikuto followed after her. When they arrived Ikuto looked to the skies to see Amu trying to defend herself against some music notes with wings. He saw she couldn't take anymore and she flew against a tree. He cringed when he saw the pain run across her face. She was thrown out of her chara transformation and her chara fainted falling to the ground with a small thump.
"Ran!" Amu's green and blue charas shouted and flew over to wear the pink chara had fainted.
"Ran…" Amu groaned opening her eyes weakly. Amu looked to the skies at the person who had knocked her out of the sky. Ikuto looked up at the sky angrily… and froze. It was Utau, his sister.
"Utau…" he whispered. He heard Amu shout.
"Utau! This has to stop! Please! This isn't you!" Amu had tears forming in her eyes.
"Amu…" he looked at her a great sadness in his eyes. He heard Utau laugh and he glared sharply at her.
"Not even you can stop me Amu. I'm invincible!" Utau said and laughed again. She pointed her microphone at Amu and shouted, "Hell's Melody!" Odd demon shaped things came flying out towards Amu, they were all singing different notes that harmonized into one painful sound. Ikuto jumped out of the bushes he was hiding in. He ran in front of Amu, his claw raised to keep the demons from touching Amu.
"Leave her alone!" He shouted at his possessed sister.
~~Amu's POV~~
God help me, she thought and squeezed her eyes shut waiting for the pain… but it never came. Then she heard the most beautiful thing in the world. A voice shouting,
"Leave her alone!" She opened her eyes and saw Ikuto standing in front of her in a protective stance.
"Ikuto…" she whimpered in pain. He turned slightly to look at her and smiled.
"It's ok Amu, she won't hurt you anymore." Amu nodded at him. He came to save me. Ikuto… She smiled.
"Ikuto?!" Utau shouted in surprise. "What are you doing?"
"That's what I'd like to ask you" he said his eyes narrowing.
"What are you talking about? I'm singing and everyone likes it!" Utau pouted.
"Does it look like these people like it? Look around Utau, look at the mess you made!" He shouted gesturing to the people all around them who were destroying the park. Utau looked around at the people and shrugged.
"They're having fun" she reasoned.
"Utau you haven't changed at all. You're still the same immature girl you've always been." Ikuto said shaking his head.
"SHUT UP!" She shouted. She pointed her microphone at Ikuto and shouted "Hell's Melody!" Once again demons came shooting out of it.
"Ikuto!" Amu shouted worried when they hit him. His claw was protecting most of him, but they just kept coming back. When he would try to slash at them, they would dodge and attack him while his defenses were down. He was slowly being pushed backwards.
"I-I'm fine, Amu." He said grunting as the demons kept attacking him. "Get out of here"
"No!" she shouted. "I won't leave you!" She started to stand up, leaning on the tree heavily for support.
"Amu, no!" Ikuto shouted at her. "Stay down, please!" He looked worried.
"Miki!" Amu shouted. "Chara transform with me!" Miki flew over to Amu as the humpty lock began to glow. "My own heart, unlock!" Amu and Miki transformed into "Amulet Spade!"
"That won't work Amu!" Utau shouted at her. "I'll just keep hurting you and eventually you and my stupid brother will give up." Utau said smirking. Ikuto growled and stepped slightly in front of Amu. "Oh yes, protect the poor defenseless Amu. She's just a kid who can't even take care of herself."
"Don't talk about Amu like that!" Ikuto shouted and lunged into the sky.
"Ikuto!" Amu yelled after him. Utau laughed and yelled
"Hell's Tune" when he reached her. The music notes flew at him, slamming into his body throwing him out of the sky.
"Ikuto! No!" Amu ran to the place where he had landed. He was lying flat on his back. "Ikuto!" she said when she reached him. She knelt down beside him. She put his head in her lap stroking his hair softly. He opened his eyes and looked at her.
"Amu… she's too powerful… Lulu's out done herself this time. I wonder why Utau was lost though…?" he whispered.
"She said earlier that she was singing and everyone would love her… do you think it has to do with the fact that her CDs aren't selling?"
"I… hmm maybe… but Amu we can't fight her… we're not strong enough…"
"Yes we are!" Amu said encouragingly. "We can do it as long as we're together!"
"Then let's stay together" Ikuto said causing Amu to blush. She stared into Ikuto's eyes, and he hers. She suddenly leaned forward and did something that she had wanted to do for a while; she kissed him. He froze, surprised by her kiss. She pulled back and smiled. Then she jumped into the sky. "Utau! I don't want to fight you!" she yelled at her.
"Good, then it will be easier to defeat you!" Utau shouted. "Hell's Tune!" She yelled.
"Prism Music!" Amu waved her treble cleft shaped wand in the air and rainbow colored music notes came flying out. They attacked the winged notes causing them all to disappear. Utau screamed in frustration.
"Amu, why are you doing this to me?" Utau shouted. "All I ever wanted was for people to hear me sing! To hear what was in my heart! That's why I left Easter, but no one cares anymore. I was never all that great. But now-" she smiled grimly. "Now everyone loves my songs! It makes me feel good inside!"
"This makes you feel good?!" Amu screeched. Utau flinched. "Utau does it look like the people are enjoying your songs?! No! They are running crazy and screaming in pain! Look at Ikuto! Your brother! You're hurting the ones you love Utau! This is no better than when you were at Easter! All you're doing is causing pain and destruction and that is not what's in your heart! I know this is not you!" Utau's face fell.
"Pain? Destruction? No! I-I didn't want that! I just wanted to sing… and have people like it! But they don't. No one will even buy my CDs. I haven't sold a single album since I left Easter. I guess I wasn't all that good anyways." Utau had tears forming in her eyes.
"Utau you're an amazing singer." Amu said smiling. "Your heart's song is beautiful. You have to sing what's in your heart. Even if people don't buy it, you should be happy because you're singing. Who cares what other people think? You sing what you want and that will bring you happiness. I don't want to see you hurting anymore Utau… you're my friend and I'll be here to listen to you sing always."
"Don't care what other people think?" Utau said slowly. She had a giant 'X' forming on her forehead and an 'X' egg surrounded her.
"Negative heart, lock on!" Amu said as she pointed at Utau. A huge heart formed behind Utau's 'X' egg and she was frozen in place. Amu cupped her hands to make a heart and yelled "open heart!" Heart-shaped light flew out of Amu's finger tips and Utau's egg was cleansed and she was deposited on the ground. Amu and Miki broke the chara transformation as Amu ran over to Utau. "Utau?" she said gently shaking her awake. Utau opened her eyes.
"Amu?" Her eyes filled with the memory of what she had done. She looked around her. People were stumbling mindlessly all over the place and the park was absolutely destroyed. "D-Did I do this?" she whispered in awe.
"Yea you did" Amu turned to see Ikuto standing beside her and Utau, gripping his hurt arm.
"Ikuto…" Utau said. Streams of tears started running down her cheeks. "Ikuto… Amu… I'm so sorry!" She covered her face in her hands. Amu grabbed them away.
"It's alright Utau. We still love you." She smiled. Utau looked up at Ikuto who nodded in agreement.
"What are we gonna do about the park?" Utau said standing up. Suu flew over to Amu and said,
"Leave it to Suu desuu~" Amu chara transformed with Suu,
"My own heart, unlock!" and became "Amulet Clover!" She flew into the sky as a whisk appeared in her hands. "Remake Honey!" she shouted. A huge tidal wave of honey swept over the park turning everything back to normal. The people stopped stumbling, lamp posts and benches were put back together, and the burned trees disappeared and new trees took their place. Amu floated back to the ground and broke the change with Suu. She bent over, holding her knees, panting hard from all the chara changes she had done that day. She felt like she was about to pass out from exhaustion. She fell over onto the ground. She heard Ikuto scream her name and the last thing she saw was Ikuto bending over her.
"Amu…" and then all was black.
~~Lulu's POV~~
Damn that Hinamori Amu! She thought. Always ruining everything!
"Lulu…" she heard Nana say. "Are you alright?"
"No Nana! I am not alright! Utau did all that damage just to have Hinamori Amu come and fix it all up! And to top it off, the embryo didn't even show up!" She shouted in her chara's ear making her cringe. But Amu did fight amazingly… she thought, a feeling of admiration and desire ran through her. I wish I was as powerful as her! Little did she know that the Embryo had indeed been there.
~~Embryo's POV~~
The embryo was hiding in the trees the whole time during the battle. The chosen one is doing well it thought as it watched Amu fight. I can still feel her indecision about what she wants… I'll have to make my appearance later when she has decided. It began to fly away. It heard Lulu talking to Nana.
"No Nana! I am not alright! Utau did all that damage just to have Hinamori Amu come and fix it all up! And to top it off, the embryo didn't even show up!"
Humph, doesn't that girl know that I'm not going to appear to a person that causes destruction. I will only appear to a selfless, loyal person who deserves my power, not a selfish fool who thinks I am one to be controlled.
~~Ikuto's POV~~
"Amu…" he said as she passed out from exhaustion. "I'm going to take her back to her house Utau." He said not asking for permission.
"Alright Ikuto…" Utau said and walked off. Amu's blue chara flew over to him and said,
"She feels bad enough; you shouldn't make her feel worse"
"Pfft" was all he said in reply to that. He picked her up bridal style and began flying her to her house. She didn't stir at all. He had to constantly check to make sure she was breathing and her heart was beating steadily. Please be ok, Amu. Please don't leave me. I need you. He thought desperately. I haven't even told her how I felt. When he reached her house, the door to her balcony was luckily unlocked. He let himself in silently and laid her on her bed. He went downstairs to find that no one was home. There was note on the back of the front door that read,
"Dear Amu –chan,
Ami has a class field trip to Tokyo. We'll all be gone for four days. I left you money on the counter. There's 19,270.31 yen (about $200 U.S. dollars) on the kitchen counter. That should be plenty for four days. Change would be nice. Remember don't have more than two friends over at a time. And no boys!
Love Mama, Ami (Ami) and Papa
Ikuto chuckled when he read the 'no boys' part. Her father was very overprotective of his oldest daughter. Ikuto shuddered thinking about what would happen if her father knew he was here with Amu alone. He walked into the kitchen and put a washcloth under the faucet, washing it with ice cold water. He squeezed some of the water out and went back upstairs to where Amu was. He put the cold washcloth on her forehead. She groaned and rolled over, mumbling incoherently. Ikuto breathed out a sigh of relief. She's ok he thought smiling slightly at her.
"God she's beautiful" he said surprising himself. "Why did I just think that?" He mumbled to himself.
"Because you love her…" a small voice whispered beside him. He glared at his chara.
"I do not love her!" he said fiercely.
"Mm-hm" Yoru said rolling his eyes. Ikuto was so cluelessly in denial "That's why you always jump in and save her and why even when you're apart you worry about her, that's why you always tease her, and that's why you let her kiss you."
"I-I…" he had nothing to say to that; because it was the truth.
"You know you love her, Ikuto. Just admit it." Yoru said crossing his arms.
"Alright! I love her! Are you happy now?!" Ikuto asked.
"Yea, are you?" Yoru shot back.
"What?!" Ikuto asked confused.
"Are you happy Ikuto? Happy that you finally said it out loud?" Ikuto thought about it.
"Yea, I am. It'd be even better to tell her in person…" he said and brushed her bangs out of her face. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead softly. "I love you" he whispered softly against her skin. He pulled back and sat on the floor back against her wall. He closed his eyes and slowly drifted to sleep.
~~Amu's POV~~
Amu eyelids fluttered and opened. She looked around her in confusion. What happened?! Where am I?! She thought frighteningly. She sat up quickly, causing the washcloth to fall to the floor and got an extreme head rush. She laid back down and looked around her. She recognized her room and memories of the events that took place earlier ran through her head. But I passed out on the ground, how did I get here? She looked beside her and gasped in surprise. She saw a blue-haired teenager leaning against the wall, asleep.
"Ikuto…" she whispered blushing slightly. He must've brought me back here. Amu touched her lips remember how she had kissed him. I love him so much… but he didn't kiss back. She frowned and felt tears prick her eyes. She rolled over on her side and watched him sleep, becoming drowsy herself.
"Do you like watching me sleep Amu?" he asked with his eyes still closed. Amu gasped loudly and blushed.
"W-What are you doing here?" she asked quickly changing the subject. He opened his eyes and looked at her.
"I carried you here after you passed out. Do you want me to leave?" He asked moving to a standing position.
"No!" Amu shouted a little too quickly. Realizing her mistake she blushed and stammered, "I-I mean you don't h-have to if you don't want…" she trailed off in embarrassment. Ikuto smirked and walked over and sat on the bed. She coughed loudly, sitting up again and all teasing left Ikuto's eyes; only concern remained.
"Are you alright?" He asked placing his hand on her forehead to check for her temperature.
"H-Hai. I'm fine Ikuto" she said barely above a whisper. He looked at her disbelief in his eyes. She shivered slightly and Ikuto took off his jacket, leaving him in a light blue t-shirt, and handed it to her. "Arigato" she mumbled and pushed her arms through it. The sleeves were too long but it was warm and smelled like Ikuto. She leaned back against the headboard of her bed. She stared into Ikuto's eyes. "Thank you" she said to him. He looked at her curiously.
"For what?"
"Saving me" she said with a shrug. His eyes melted into liquid indigo as he stared at her. There was an expression in his eyes that Amu had never seen before. She was lost in his eyes, such deep eyes. She couldn't look away. Then they were both leaning towards the other. Amu was in a dream-like state. She couldn't see anyone but him and those eyes. The distance between them was closed and their lips met softly. The kiss was unsure, each waiting for the other's reaction. They pulled apart.
"Amu…" Ikuto said. With a small moan, Amu pulled him back to her and began kissing him again. He was surprised but then kissed back with as much enthusiasm as she had. He swept his tongue over her bottom lip, sneaking a taste. Then he did it again. The third time Amu was ready for it and met his tongue with her own. Their tongues danced to a melody that they only heard. Amu placed her hands on Ikuto's face holding him in place. He in turn placed his hands on her waist pulling her closer to him. Finally they broke the kiss both panting their foreheads touching.
"Ikuto" Amu said. He didn't answer. Instead he kissed her jaw and made his way down. Amu threw her head back when he kissed her neck, moaning softly when he nibbled at her fair skin.
"Amu," he said in between kisses. He stopped and looked up at her. "I love you" she let out a quiet gasp and smiled.
"I love you too!" he smiled and she pulled his face back up to hers and began kissing her again.