Chapter 4: Losing Hope

Tadase'sP.O.V

I am a top student. I'm the "king" of the Guardians. I'm a popular boy among most girls at Seiyo School. I have a Guardian Chara named Kisekei. And I have never felt so utterly hopeless. My "older brother" of sorts is being more help than I am! I miss my Amu-chan. She was the so different than any other girl in the school. In the world even. And now, she was just gone. I couldn't believe it. How could she just vanish into thin air? Walking downtown to the Tokyo Police Department, he prayed there was some news, any news at all. Please, a sign…anything. Just tell me where she is!

"Excuse me, can I help you young man?" The clerk at the front desk was new apparently. I had visited the police every day since Amu had disappeared. Where on earth could she have gone? If Easter took her…I will NOT be responsible for my actions when I next see them.

"Yes, I'd like to see if there's any new information on the missing girl, Hinamori Amu." I internally begged for there to be new clues. But alas, all in vain.

"I'm sorry, there doesn't seem to be anything new." The clerk brushed a lock of her long brown hair back from her face. Fluttering her eyelashes at me, she asked me a question. "Are you related to the missing child?"

I pursed my lips. She was most certainly new.

"Yes she is as a matter of fact. She's my girl-friend." I may have spoken sharply, but I think I'm close to breaking down. She's been gone so long. What if she's been kidnapped? I'll never forgive myself if that's true!

"Ah, I'm so sorry. I hope she turns up soon." The clerk gave a sympathetic smile. I didn't want her pity. I wanted Amu. Nodding at her, I walked out the door.

"Thank you very much." I called over my shoulder. Soon I was outside in the street again. It had begun to pour, the rain hitting my white shirt and splattering it with ease. I didn't care. Ignoring the huge raindrops that threatened to stain my white button up t-shirt, I trotted back to the Guardian's Garden. I knew that there was no school today. But I needed some place to think. And this was the best I could think of. My home was fine, a tad smothering maybe. When I finally reached the greenhouse, I sat down in my usual spot and began to glance through the maps that we had left out on the glass table. X's were marked all over the map, showing the places we'd already checked. Where could she be? Then I heard a faint chuckle. Not even bothering to look up, I called out:

"Ikuto-niisan, please don't sneak in here. This is private property you know."

The cat boy, who was forever using unorthodox ways to enter places unnoticed, jumped down from a tree, and landed right in front of me.

"Any leads?" He asked. How forward. Usually, he would bother me for ages before getting around to the real reason he would "grace me with his presence."

"No. I just came from the Police. They have nothing new on her case. It's like she just vanished off the face of the earth." He frowned slightly, skimming his long pale fingers over a map.

"Where is the nearest shipping yard?" What an odd question. But that was Ikuto I guess…

"Here." I pointed to a spot on the map, staring at my older brother figure, puzzled. I was missing something again. "Why do you ask Ikuto-niisan?"

"Hm. No reason." His midnight eyes poured over the maps still strewn over the table, as if trying to memorize them. Then giving a satisfied nod, he gave me a smirk. "See you later Kiddy King." And then he vanished, disappearing as mysteriously as he'd come. That was just so HIM. With a sigh, I slumped back in my chair, staring up at the sky. I hated it when he called me that. Especially in front of Amu. It made me feel small and helpless. Like I was a child, and Ikuto was reassuring me. This bothered me. But not as much as my missing girlfriend. Oh Amu-chan, I thought, Where are you?

Author's Note: Heyyyy everyone! I know, it's been a while since I updated. And I KNOW this chapter is short and I'm REALLY Sorry! But I'm running low on ideas so I may just finish the story in the next chapter instead of dragging it out in hopes of other ideas coming to me. If you have any ideas let me know, otherwise I'll plan on just finishing it all in the next chapter. Thanks so much!

~Ri