The Joker Chapter 2: ii, a shugo chara! fanfic

Chapter Two

If I should die before I wake
It's 'cause you took my breath away

STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIED.

Amethyst eyes winced at the piercing light emitting from the girl. His eyes focused back on her after the light dissipated, widening a quarter of a fraction at the results. That's…!

"A character transformation!" The blonde finished, ruby orbs mixed with shock and awe, seemingly forgetting the wound he was sustaining.

The two watched as the girl landed gently onto the half-destroyed soccer field.

D r e w , D r a w , D r a w n !

I stared at my outfit again, and again and again. It seems like I pulled a Sailor Moon. I would've been happier if this happened ten years ago. But right now…

AM.

SERIOUSLY.

GOING.

TO.

FREAK!!

Good god, what the hell am I wearing?! I was covered in blue and was in the same outfit that Miki was wearing except an older and lacier version minus the newspaper bag! And what did happen to that Eiffel-tower-shoved-up-her-blue-ass-Miki anyway?!

You do know… I can hear you right?

That voice resounded inside my head.

Umm…

No? I thought back mentally, feeling a bit dense.

She scoffed in disbelief before she continued.

I'll pretend I didn't hear that this time since you don't know what's going on. But this is a character transformation.

Uh huh…so, I transformed into you?

I heard a sigh, translating into "I can't believe I'm your shugo chara. I'm too good for you."

No, it's more like we merged together.

That sounds sick and wrong.

You must be kidding me.

Throbbing vein.

To make this short, we transformed together and now you can use the powers I have to offer and kick some ass. I suggest you do it now since that Cheshire cat has recovered from his momentary shock.

She was right. I was wasting time arguing with her…or myself, or whatever because he was pacing towards me, a dangerous—well, a dangerous than before aura surrounding him.

I backed away and dodged when a claw descended toward me. My breath quicken when he suddenly blurred before me. I felt my cheeks warming up. This is seriously not the time for blushing!

I didn't realize I hopped onto a giant leftover debris of the soccer field when he started towards me, I leaned backwards trying to avoid a head on face confrontation. But I oh-so-smoothly slipped, gravity pulling my body down.

It seems like it was only then that recognition joined on his features. I saw those purple orbs widen, an arm robotically extending for me, grabbing onto my wrist painfully and saving me from a seven meters fall of doom.

The action caused me to fall into his chest, inhaling the essence of manly cologne, chocolate and…catnip.

My face scrunched up at this before pushing myself away from him, fighting a blush from highlighting my cheeks.

I noticed his hands were still on my uppers arms, holding onto me even though I tried to distance myself. I raised my head to question him but that intense gaze stopped me. His hands tighten as I stared back at him.

He looked like he was having an inner battle with himself, the shade of purple in his eyes getting darker and darker. He finally let go.

"You…" He said. I almost forgot how velvety smooth his voice sounded.

"You're from—" His sentence was cut off when a blast of light flew towards us. We both flipped backwards, avoiding the attack.

"Tsukiyomi Ikuto! Get away from her!"

I returned my gaze back to the blonde who was now standing up, holding some magical wand yelling, "Holy Crown!" and another form of the same blast flew across the field to where Ikuto stood.

The man under attack smirked and simply hopped out of the way like a cat.

"It's not the time for games, Little Boss. Let's end this." He calmly replied and his arm evolved into a claw again and aimed it toward the boy.

They stood in the spotlight long enough. It's your turn, Amu-chan!

What?! You know I don't want to be in the spot—

POOF!

A human size paintbrush dissolved into my hands. Again, as if my body was moving on its own, I twirled the brush with my two arms.

"Colourful Canvas!" The words I never knew blurted out my mouth.

A wave of a painted rainbow rushed forward.

WHOOSH!

The sound of waves rang through his sensitive cat ears but when he turned, a splash of rainbow was already heading towards him.

The blonde eluded the attack and retreated to the sidelines.

SPLASH!

"Did it get him?" The blonde asked quietly, eyes locked onto the spot where Ikuto once was.

But a mumble distracted him and his gaze landed on her. He saw her still contemplating where the brush originated.

"Holy f—" I mouthed out, stopping myself from finishing the word in which I dare not speak its name in front of Ami.

Then again, Ami's not here! Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Did I just do magic? Since when did I become a magical girl who saves the world? More importantly, where on earth did the paintbrush come from? It was like "poof"! and it landed into my hands.

At the back of my mind, it was like I knew exactly what to do with it! But I really didn't!

"And then I did this…"

Her arms were waving around, trying to emphasize what just happened to her.

"…and then I did that."

Swing. Swing.

Her arms repeating the attack movements.

It was as if an evil spirit possessed me!

And what on earth's "Colourful Canvas"? That's so lame. Rainbows are seriously not my forte.

This is bizarre, really, really bizarre.

"Oh god. Do I have to save the world now!" Her question was more like a statement.

I was all in all bawling my eyes out. Miki was staying quiet. Ran was staring at me quizzically.

"Umm…excuse me, Miss?"

I tore my gaze off the brush I was holding and I could've sworn my heart stopped.

What came into my line of vision was the most beautiful creature I've ever seen in my sixteen years of breathing.

My breath was quickly taken away. My eyes started to burn, his whole body and face was glittering! But that was probably my imagination. After all, he reeked of metallic blood that bled through his clothing. His face was scratched and his body was bruised. He was wearing a now ripped frilly white dress shirt, a royal blue tie and dark pants. A crown finished it off.

He reminded me of one of those fairytale princes.

Is this what they call love at first sight?

Compared to Ikuto's voice, his was more boyish but still held that masculine power and was more lucid.

"Are you okay, Miss?" He asked again, worry etching onto his bishounen features.

"E-Eh?" was my smart reply.

He held out his free arm, the other still holding the wand to pick me up. I took it. It looked more like a scepter than a wand now that I got a closer look.

I blushed when my eyes made contact with his and found interest in staring at my blue boots.

My face was going to overload when he brushed back a strand of my hair and touched my cheek.

Oh.

My.

God.

"You're bleeding." I was dazed but nodded nonetheless at his remark. His fingers were soft.

It was then that he reached into his pocket and took out a yellow hanky with the letters "Seiyo" embroidered on it and held it in front of me. A part of me screamed for his touch again.

"…"

"It's for your bleeding scratch Miss."

…Oh. OH!

I wanted to smack myself then and there but that would make me look more mentally retarded that I already am.

I courageously took a glance at him, his face was still pasted with concern and I wanted to melt on the spot.

I hesitantly took the hanky and contacted it with my cheek. Obviously, he's not going to wipe it for me.

When I took a look at the hanky again, drips of blood appeared. He was right, I was bleeding. I probably got it when I fell.

I saw him smile and I wanted to squeal. But that isn't very cool and spicy is it?

"T-Thanks." I stuttered out, seemingly uncaring. He didn't make much of it and just nodded, still having that princely smile of his.

My self-proclaimed romantic moment was ruined when a black tornado blew towards us, making our clothes and hair fly. We held our ground or else our whole bodies would've been flung backwards. I felt Ran cling onto me as hard as she could, squeaking when she felt she was going to be blown with the wind.

I made myself look up and lo and behold, Ikuto was standing unscathed and locks of his hair were whipping around wildly, black winds surrounding him.

"Hmm…it seems like you're with the Little Boss huh?"

It took me a while to realize that the rhetorical question was aimed at me.

I wanted to retort when another small tornado of wind blew in our direction making my feet dig into the ground.

"Amu-chan…" Ran squeaked, holding on for her life.

"It's kind of ironic…" Ikuto continued, his voice monotone.

"…that you helped me when you're clearly on Seiyo's side."

That was one more thing added to my list of 'WTF are you yapping about?'s

A deadly smirk crossed his expression. "That would be your downfall..."

I was confused more than ever.

"…Amu."

I was paralyzed. Including the fact that he remembered my name, he sounded like he was going to kill me.

I cleared my throat, trying to find my voice. "I'm not—"

I couldn't explain myself since dozens and dozens of black eggs with x marks flew towards us.

"Watch out!" The prince yelled, diving towards me, shielding me with his body. The x eggs shot towards him. I was about to blush when he coughed out more blood, some of the liquid splattered onto me. His body eventually went limp.

A pregnant pause.

"H-Hey." I called out to him.

It's not what it looks like.

"Hey…"

This is not happening.

"Wake up…" This can't be happening.

"Hey…" Cold sweat was flushing from my head to my back.

"WAKE UP!" These things can't happen in real life…can it?

Ikuto just looked on, his face blank.

I stood up. I closed my eyes, anger consumed my whole body, shaking it to the depths of my very soul.

"It's people like you…" I began through gritted teeth.

He lifted an eyebrow.

I opened my eyes, glaring icily at him.

"…that we can't live in peace!" Clearly, I wasn't sane when I said that. Maybe I concluded too fast that the blonde was dead. But before I knew it I raced towards Ikuto with inhuman speed. He was on alert immediately and more x eggs flew at me. I dodged them all. He reacted and took a step back.

I twirled my brush in hand.

"Colourful Canvas!" And again, a wave of a painted rainbow ripped forward, this time more accurately.

I saw him having a hard time dodging it. The x eggs continued its assault.

I let my heart give me guidance and my fingers traced a shape of a heart in front of my own. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and snapped them open when the x eggs were at the right angle.

"Open…"

"…HEART!!"

And a chain of hearts reflected out of my hands and cleansed all the eggs in a matter of seconds.

What's left was a feeling of purity. I saw as the darkness dissolved into white. Again, I didn't know what I did but accomplishment rested on my conscience.

I stiffened. Remembering I only distracted Ikuto, darted my eyes back and forth for cat ears and tail but none of that were in sight.

He was gone…

Just like the last time.

I mentally scolded myself for thinking so much of it.

Sparkle.

Something shiny caught my eye as I turned curiously to see what it was.

I stepped slowly, moving closer to the object to see…

The lock. Or the Humpty lock as Ran referred to it as.

I picked it up, memorizing its features. It was shaped like a clover, glass filling its inner core. It was really pretty.

It was weird when it shook. I looked up and felt everything was in motion.

The area looked like it was meshing together, merging into one, swirling around. Everything was spinning.

I wiped my eyes but it didn't work. Nausea started forming at the back of my throat, I felt hallucinated.

Then…

Dots covered my vision. My half conscious mind felt Miki's transformation wearing off.

A breeze whipped at my back, I felt like I was falling.

"Amu-chan!" Ran and Miki's united voices were heard until…nothing.

"…"

Darkness.

…chan.

…mu-chan.

…Amu-chan.

Amu-chan!

AMU-CHAN!

I bolted upwards, eyes flapping open before a rush of dizziness knocked me over, bringing me back onto a cushiony surface.

I blinked harder, trying to clear my vision. Giant pink and blue eyeballs stared back at me.

I screamed.

"Hinamori-san?!" The blonde from earlier, panic-stricken slammed open the door and staggered toward me.

"What's going on?! Are you alright?!" He questioned.

That's when I noticed he was also covered in bandages and a beautiful girl tailed in after him.

"Y-Yeah." I answered shyly.

I heard him sigh of a breath of relief and flopped onto a nearby chair.

I began noticing my surroundings. I was in a room, all covered in white and hospital-like. I was on a bed, the blankets ruffled. A little drawer sat beside me, a big window was on the left letting the sunlight shine in. A single purple iris was the only colour the room contained, sitting in a glass vase on a table across the bed.

My eyes finally landed on the girl that entered.

The girl I analyzed was the next most beautiful creature I've seen besides the prince. She had lavender hair held in a ponytail, honey-coloured eyes completed with a gentle visage. She was wearing a Sakura-patterned sundress and was smiling down at me, catching my gaze.

"Hello, my name's Fujisaki Nadeshiko." She bowed politely. I tried to bow back the best I could while on the bed. "And this is my shugo chara, Temari." She pointed and Temari also bowed.

Temari was adorable to say the least, she had a lighter shade of purple hair and was wearing an even lighter shade of a pinkish-purple kimono decorated with flowers. I tried to bow again though it looked awkward.

"I found you and Tadase-kun on the school grounds." Nadeshiko's voice was mellow.

I nodded curtly, finally learning the name of the princely figure—I mean the blonde.

"Are you feeling much better Amu-chan? You blacked out after the fight with one of Easter's men." She asked, pacing towards me gracefully.

It felt awkward when she addressed me so intimately. But it was only then, like fragments of flashbacks fell into place; the fight, Ikuto, Chara-nari, death all came back to me.

I sat up. Ran and Miki were making comfort on my lap. My hands tighten around the sheets, gripping it so firmly that my knuckles turned white.

"I…"

She tilted her head, signaling for me to continue.

"I want to know…" I gulped, a bit nervous on how to word it.

"…about what's going on?" She provided politely, lifting a gentle smile. That smile…it assured me somehow, making me show a crooked smile of my own.

Tadase-kun got off his chair and stumbled slowly towards the bed, his left foot was wrapped in bandages so he had trouble walking.

"May I take over, Fujisaki-san?" He questioned nicely. She glanced at him before nodding and backing away as he moved closer to me.

"My name is Hotori Tadase, this generation's boss of the Seiyo Family, it's a pleasure to meet you Hinamori-san." He offered me his hand and I shook it. Wait—Boss?

A questioning look must've fell on my features as he added, "Your shugo chara, Ran offered me your name." I nodded again, 1/2 of my questions answered. I looked down to see Ran playing cards with Miki.

I listened intently as he went on.

"We're actually part of the Yakuza." My insides were screaming to break away right now but my outer face remained impassive.

"What you've just witnessed earlier was a battle between me and one of the Easter family's guardians."

"…Guardians?"

"Yes, Yakuza members who can do Character Transformations like you did earlier with Miki."

Miki looked up at the mention of her name.

"It's quite odd since only members of the Yakuza could summon Shugo Charas. Are you in any relation to the Yakuza, Hinamori-san?"

"No, none that I know of at least."

A quizzical look was added to his face. "That's really odd to say the least. What's amazing is that you have three shugo charas while normally a member has one."

"It's a miracle indeed." Nadeshiko commented. "Perhaps Amu-chan is destined to be part of the Yakuza?"

"…" The info digested.

"Me…? Destined? You're kidding right?!" I exclaimed, my tone a bit louder than intended

She giggled, lifting a hand to cover her mouth.

"This is too weird…" I placed my two palms on the sides of my head while trying to get rid of the urge to scream my lungs out.

The world's moving way too fast. Everything is throwing themselves at me, I can't breathe.

I can't.

I was just minding my own business, going to school and being a good girl.

I can't breathe!

I just want to get through life, hoping it'd be easier as time passes.

This is wrong.

But God happens to have other plans for me and the Yakuza appeared.

I can't breathe at all.

I'm supposed to live a normal life.

I'm not supposed to get involved.

I can't.

I'm normal. Normal.

This is not my character.

My barrier cracked.

"No…no…no. NO! I'm supposed to live a normal life! And have an awful high school experience with no friends and pretend to be cool and spicy for the rest of my life! Not—Not to become part of the yakuza!" I blurted out in frustration, my hands clawing at my hair and messing it up.

"Tsukiyomi Ikuto was trying to steal the Humpty Lock earlier. I had a hard time fending against him." He rambled on unfazed and looked down at me.

"I would like to personally thank you for helping us get it back. Who knows what will happen when the lock and key unites, especially in the hands of the Easter family." He bowed sincerely.

Mood swings.

I blushed.

It's amazing because all signs of caution flew out the window with that statement.

"The Seiyo family and the Easter family are the two strongest families that ever existed in the Yakuza world and it still stays true to its name. We have the Humpty Lock that has been passed down since the first generation boss…" He stuffed his hands into his pocket and presented me the lock.

"…And they had had the Dumpty Key for generations also."

"We can't confirm it since it's been so long but it's rumored that if the Humpty Lock and Dumpty Key unites, the Embryo will appear." Nadeshiko added.

"Embryo…?" My curiosity was peak.

"Legend has it that the Embryo can grant any wish to who that attains it." My ears perked up.

"And you also reacted with the Humpty Lock…no one has been able to done that until this generation." Tadase remarked, a hand under his chin trying to decipher what's happening.

"I think you're the key to our victory in this never ending war Amu-chan." Nadeshiko commented.

A question starting gnawing at me and I had to ask even though I was about to overload with this new gain of information.

"Then…what's Easter's wish?"

"..."

Nadeshiko looked away. Tadase's darken eyes turned towards me.

"We're not too sure but it's mostly that…"

"They want to…" Nadeshiko muttered, eyes darting back towards me.

"…to annihilate the Seiyo family." Tadase finished.

I almost fell off the bed.

I regained my composure and managed to utter out a whisper, "W-What? Why…"

Nadeshiko shrugged and Tadase merely sighed. "Who knows…but all I know is, we can't lose." His hands was clenched, face etched with something unreadable. I watched as he unclenched it and threw me a smile.

"Anyways Hinamori-san, I think you should—"

A Tarzan-like scream.

Crash.

My face clearly screamed, "WTF?!"

Shards of glass came hurling in through the window along with a boy in a pilot's outfit.

Thump.

He landed onto the floor hard, his boots creating pitter-patters as he got up. How he managed to avoid all the hazardous broken glass was beyond my comprehension.

"Wow. That was one heck of a ride. Right Daichi?" An everlasting grin was plastered on his face.

That was when I noticed a green-haired shugo chara poofed beside him, sporting a yellow t-shirt, white shorts and headband decorated with a single yellow star.

"Heh, sure was." The same everlasting grin also appeared on the shugo chara's face.

"Sohma-kun!" Tadase's voice interrupted.

"Kukai-kun." Nadeshiko bowed in greeting.

That was when "Kukai" finally noticed the mess on the floor.

"Wow, I haven't been in headquarters for two weeks and this is the mess you guys make?"

My eyes twitched, drifting my attention to the floor.

His olives eyes shifted, a mop of maroon hair planted on his head.

Blink. Blink.

"Oh!" He exclaimed loudly, pointing a finger at me.

Twitch.

His shugo chara, "Daichi" flew in front of me, studying me from different angles.

Twitch. Twitch.

I concentrated my attention on the floor, the floor and only the floor.

Through my peripheral vision, he was running toward my bed.

"Hey, little girl!" Kukai/Tarzan screamed.

Twitch. Twitch. Twitch.

Little girl?!

"Did you get lost?"

I stayed quiet, staring at him blankly. Does it look like I'm lost? Who in the right mind would get lost at a Yakuza's headquarters in the first place?!

"Heh, I know what you mean. This place is pretty big. I remembered my first day here; I was lost for four days and four nights. I had to eat this place's wallpaper to survive!" He explained.

"…"

Sob. Sob. Sob.

Is he…crying?! Oh god, where did I go wrong?

"I…I—had to fight the rats…"

Sob.

"…for the rations of wallpaper…"

Sob. Sob.

"And…they were w-winning and…" A blow of the nose.

"They were s-scary y-you know since t-they…" The sobs continued.

"…were so damn big! A-And…" He broke down.

"Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" The tears were endless and a bit annoying.

Especially when he was clinging onto you like a lost child and blowing his nose onto your shoulder, shivering and hiccupping at the same time. It got worse when Daichi decided to join in and started crying onto my other shoulder.

Tadase tried to comfort him but when he stepped forward, his damaged foot smashed into the floor causing him to respond in pain. I saw him falling backwards, crushing Nadeshiko's foot.

"…" It was nerve-wracking because her expression was frozen, like a camera taking a picture of a Kodak moment. Her face still had that serene smile.

It was the calm before a storm. Tadase and Kukai who stopped his sobbing midway stiffed.

"Umm…" I spoke out.

"You…" I twisted my head around to Nadeshiko's voice. Her fair eyes had a dangerous gleam.

"Chin, Ton, Shan." Temari chanted, swinging a branch of Sakura blossoms left and right.

"Little girl get away!" Kukai yelled, hysteria evident in his voice.

"Hinamori-san!"

"…?"

"I'LL KILL YOU ALL YOU BASTARDS!"

After that, it was chaos.

It took me a while to realize the girl holding a naginata (1) and pointing it threateningly at Tadase, screaming foul language while bashing Kukai and Daichi's heads in was Nadeshiko. The graceful and ladylike Nadeshiko.

"STEPPING ON MY TOE HUH?! YOU BITCHES ARE JUST ASKING TO LEAVE THIS WORLD EARLY HUH!! "

Kukai never stopped crying for the rest of the day.

It was an omen, definitely an omen.

Author's Note: As you can see, I fail at fight scenes especially with shugo charas. xD

So this is the introduction arc, trying to keep it light and bouncy or else I might not get another chance to… :D

I mean, I promise nothing.

Anyways, it's June which equals to Final Exams which equals to me studying which equals to me secretly crying at night which equals to scarce updates which equals to me updating at the end of June or beginning of July which multiplies with reviews which equals to me probably updating sooner which divides with Summer Break with the remainder of more updates than usual. And there's no such thing as subliminal messages. Hm.

P o l l :

Chapter Lengths;

a. I would like them shorter.
b. I would like them longer.
c. I like them as it is.

! Kat.

Vocabulary:

(1) Naginata - A poled weapon that consists of a wooden staff and a curved blade as its head.