Setting: After Shugo Chara! Party
Character(s): Ikuto Tsukiyomi
We are Buono!: Blue-Sky-Blue
For Ikuto, coming home meant returning to the place where his loved ones were. That was why Ikuto was searching for his father, so he could come home.
Sky
As he traveled with the orchestra around the world, searching for his father all the while, he feels an unbelievable amount of freedom.
It was unprecedented, the closest he had ever come to having such freedom was when he first traveled with Tsukasa after running away from Tadase's home all those years ago, and, even then, the freedom was taken away too soon with Easter's interference.
He supposed the next closest time he had ever been free was when he was running away from Easter. And even then, that was no way to be free. Always on the run with the fear of a corrupt company forcing you to do their bidding? That was not freedom at all.
But now, as he traveled across the globe, with the blue sky as his companion, he had never felt more free. He had never felt more like his true self.
Fly
When he character transformed into Black Lynx, he could run across rooftops with the agility of a cat. The rush as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop felt like floating, it was such a rush, and so freeing.
Now, however, as he traveled with the orchestra to foreign countries, he wasn't floating, he was soaring.
Just the freedom to do as he wished, and feel what he wanted to feel without any repercussions was like flying.
Now he understood why his father had disappeared in the first place.
It was for the same reason as Ikuto, to fly hand in hand with the blue sky.
The same blue sky that encompassed everything: people, wildlife, memories from the past, and hopes for the future.
Light
If a picture was worth a thousand words, a pure and untainted memory was worth a million.
If you could capture a picture using light, you could cherish a memory with that much more light.
If the picture he had of himself, his sister, and his true parents was precious, then the memory of his father in his violin was that much more precious.
Both were like a piece of that past meant to guide him towards the future. As if a piece of the blue sky was given to him, the same blue sky that was present even as things change or don't change. The future and the past alike were all under this same blue sky.
His father had sent him a piece of his blue sky, and, if he lifted his eyes, the same blue sky was here, too.
It was a symbol of hope. A message telling him that if he just looked carefully deep within the darkness, he could finally see the light.
That was all the reassurance he needed.
Delight
Back when he was in Japan, trapped by Easter and emotional baggage, he seemed to have forgotten all kinds of things as the days hurry by.
Like, how to take delight in something, how to truly enjoy himself for more than the short pieces he played in the park sometimes if he could get away for long enough. More than just the short adrenaline rush as the Black Lynx sneaked about around town.
Now, he could truly enjoy himself, with truly no other obligations than his performing with the orchestra of his own free will, and the goal of eventually finding his father.
That was the difference. His only goal before was to be free. Now, he could make so many other goals, and accomplish them, and take delight when he did.
Mine
Something he really appreciated about being on this journey of his, was how understanding other people were. Even the ones who didn't quite understand, kept him in their thoughts, and he couldn't have been more grateful.
He was living his life for himself now, finally doing something that he wanted to do after being controlled by others for so long.
And the fact that others like even Kazuomi were letting him go, and feeling happy for him was the greatest thing of all.
He couldn't remember the last time he had felt such a thing.
And so, he was sure to send his own thoughts to the others, jumping over distance and even time in hopes that they'll receive his thoughts of gratitude.
Alive
But, you know, he wasn't just living for himself.
There was a difference between surviving and being alive.
Before, he was just surviving, his life devoid of nearly any happiness because he was forced to live for others, do their bidding.
That was no way to live at all.
And yet, isolating one self from others on a deserted island was also just surviving, wasn't it?
To be alive, you had to have a happy medium, which was something that he had now that he was traveling with the orchestra searching for his father. He was living not only to chase after his own dreams, but also in the hopes of seeing his loved ones again.
He was a hundred percent sure that he would, so long as they were all looking at the same blue sky.
Living for someone else isn't so bad, so it has come to seem.
Why
Back when he was under the control of others, he purposely isolated himself as much as possible. He didn't want them getting caught up in everything.
But look how that turned out.
He saw a saying somewhere that went a little something like "freedom stands back to back with loneliness" or something like that.
When he first saw it his first thought was "bullshit."
Nothing could compare to the loneliness of being trapped.
But, now that he was traveling the world, playing his music, and living his life for his own reasons, he could see what the words meant now.
He was free free to go wherever he wanted, free to be with whoever he wanted, free to do whatever he wanted, free to wake up whenever he wanted...
But, freedom from a prolonged life of being trapped entails a journey of self-discovery.
Emphasis on the word "self."
As such, this journey, one filled with music, beautiful sights, and new people, was one that was necessary, one that was freeing, but also one that was lonely.
After all, "freedom stands back to back with loneliness."
But, it wasn't the same kind of loneliness.
His loved ones were still there, and they were reachable now.
That was why he was on this journey.
Away
Deep within himself was a piece of the blue sky.
He was away for now, walking down this long road... But, it was for the best, so he could become that much more like himself.
And, so long as he walked under the same blue sky as his loved ones, he'd meet them all again.
That was his dream.
