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p style="max-height: 999999px;"emThirty feet off the ground, and security guards surrounding us. Was he sure jumping would be our only option?/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Everything felt like an action movie, even if it lacked dramatic music and handguns. If I wasn't so terrified about unlatching from Ikuto, my fingers would have running through my cellphone, dialing Amu. Wondering why the guards were walking back, I noticed a blue paw exiting Ikuto's hand, ready to pounce on anyone who came forth. Not waiting for any prey show, he lashed at the guards, causing heaps of them to fall. As we made a run for it, a gun had pointed itself to Ikuto's head. I gasped, watching as the security guard smirked, finger on the trigger. em"Don't you dare." /emwas all I could squeak out. Sure, I would take a bullet for my brother, but it's easier said than done. Ikuto grimaced, refraining from choking the guard behind him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em"If you want to see Tsukiyomi alive tomorrow, you better step back." /emThe guard smirk, slightly choking Ikuto./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Yelling, I ran forward, only to be refrained from Ikuto. Losing my husband was a nightmare, embut losing my only chance at hope was a burden./em Stepping back, I felt tears trickle down my scorching cheeks, my bare hands red from grasping on for so long. emI couldn't leave Ikuto here, I just couldn't./em Though it was the wrong time to be a bit angry, I was a bit hurt that Ikuto was still affiliated with Easter. With Ikuto at gunpoint, and guards threatening to capture me, I made a final move, hesitating as I took action...emI had jumped. /emIkuto's screams rushed through my ears, causing me to shut my eyes. emI hope you're happy Ikuto, I hope you all are./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Wind sped past me quickly, my ponytails briskly flapping. My tears had disappeared into the air, slipping from my eye with ease. I could feel myself nearing the ground, causing me to shut my eyes once more. I never thought this was the way it would end, emhow the way anything would end./em As I awaited for my deadly fate, I noticed that I had never even made it to the ground. As I slowly opened my eyes, I noticed myself lying on a jelly crown. Wiping my tears, I turn to see a character transformed Tadase, and a teary-eyed Amu. "Utau-chan!" The couple rushed over, crouching down. Hopping down from the crown, only to have it burst, I happened to do something I hadn't felt in a long time, ema hug./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Even though I had wanted to feel their warm embraces engulf me more, I unlatched myself from them, dusting myself off. Turning on my heels, I tried to depart from the situation, only to have the Stern rosette place her palm on her shoulder. "Suicide isn't the answer Utau. emNever./em" Amu squeaked, her tears surfacing. emS-she thought I had wanted to commit suicide? /emEven though I was a bit flattered toward her sympathy and concern, I replied with "I wasn't committing suicide, thank you very much."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""If you weren't committing suicide, why else were you jumping off a thirty feet building?" Tadase questioned, a small smirk on his face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Ikuto is still affiliated with Easter. I walked in to have a chat with my stepfather, and you know what I found? A beaten, almost lifeless Ikuto. T-they were holding him at gunpoint, a-and if I got any closer, they would have pulled the trigger. H-he wanted me jump, I just knew it."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"By then, I had broken down, silent sobs wetting my rough palms. Sure, anyone would have said it wasn't my fault, but in my heart, emit was entirely my fault./em Instead of being a hesitating coward, I could have taken the bullet for him, I could have sacrificed. Now that they found him sneaking out, he could be getting tortured way worst than what he's been receiving. Plagued with fatigue, I let the couple escort me to a cafe, eager to talk about the problem in there. It was quite embarrassing, knowing the eyes of total strangers glanced our way. Not bothering to make myself seem presentable, I followed behind them like a lost puppy./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"After ten minutes of walking, we entered a little cafe filled with mouthwatering smells of coffee and delicacies. Teenagers sat in corners, typing away on their laptops, or snuggling with a good read. An elderly couple sat together, chatting over hot tea. Tranquil music filled the air, creating a soft tone to the cafe. Creme colored wallpaper decorated the walls, a diamond tiled floor to go with it. All in all, it was a comfy little space, a good place to settle my thoughts. Settling down in chairs at the back, a brunette woman took our orders, flickering her eyes sympathetically at me as I sniffled. After sampling our food, Tadase continued the subject./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""So Ikuto's still apart of Easter, hm? I don't find that surprising." Sarcasm dripped from Tadase's voice./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"As I turned to answer, Amu stopped me, taking the time to answer. "Tadase-kun. Please respect Utau's feelings. Ikuto is her brother after all, and you got to imagine what's going through her head. Besides, you promised you'd help me if he ever got in trouble." Amu protested. I smiled softly at Amu, a bit relieved she took over. I was only good for throwing profanity around. Sipping my coffee with a noisy slurp, I received a few glances from the people that enjoyed their peace. Dabbing my mouth with a napkin, I turn back to the two, sighing as I did so. "I know it isn't so much of a surprise, but Ikuto doesn't do things without reason."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""It's funny how both you and Amu-chan excuse Tsukiyomi misbehavior. Sure everyone makes mistakes, yet his are unforgivable." Tadase smirked, swiping at his blonde hair. Everything about him seemed out of character. He wasn't the "shy yet caring individual" that everyone depicted him as. Who knows? The rosette's little boyfriend could have been hiding behind his shallow act. Girls were only attracted to him because of his king like charms, emnot because he was the good type of person/em. "emTadase-kun!/em Ikuto has feelings just as everyone else. His guardian characters doesn't exactly show us who he really is."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No need to tell this fool anything else. emAfter all, we know he's just jealous."/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"The little prince was taken aback from this. Yet, when you thought about, Amu was right. Your guardian characters don't accurately show who you'll exactly grow up to be. They're just worthless dreams you latch on to in the time of need. I smirked, knowing Tadase's little chara was never around to scold me about my disrespect towards the king. In my perspective, it was quite useless have the little thing follow you around. As we all started to grow up, Easter had plummeted into the ground, due to all it's workers leaving. Nowadays, X-eggs are hard to extract, due to everyone's hard working passion for their dreams. Yet, after a while, I had lost interest in being a singer, meaning I had purposely lost hope, getting rid of my guardian characters./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""W-why would I be jealous? I have possibly everything that I need in my life. emEverything./em"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emKukai./em I must have been pretty foolish, throwing out a petty insult on being jealous. Tadase had a well known girlfriend, the charms as well as the personality, a fan club surrounded around him, and a highly organized social life. Yet, here I am, troubled and single, no one to back me up. Since then, I hadn't bothered to search for Kukai, nor had I see that giggler with the pigtails. It had seemed as if they disappeared into thin air, as if their existence had never even mattered. I could feel tears brimming my eyes at the thought of Kukai caressing her face like the way he used to do mines, made me grasp for air. I just felt as if everything happened too fast, emas if I wasn't given enough time to make a choice. /em"Utau and I are gonna go on a little walk." Amu averted her eyes to me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Nodding, I push up my seat, following the rosette outside. I sighed, letting the chilly breeze nibble at my cheeks. All my worries had seemed to wash away as the wind blew by, at least, I told myself that. I stuffed my now numb fingers in my coat pockets, facing the Amu. After taking a good look at rosy haired girl, it was hard not to envy her. Amu was like a walking fashion line, girl yet edgy fashion combining. She wore a pink trench coat over a Black Eyed Peas shirt, while pink jeans covered her fair skin. Her skin tinged with a soft blush, while dark lashes revealed her golden eyes. I found it hard to feel beautiful in her presence, especially since she had things I didn't have. "Utau, why would you say something like that. Tadase isn't jealous, it's just hard to cope, you know?/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Cope with what? The fact that Ikuto constantly hurts everyday knowing the girl he loves doesn't love him back. Tadase has everything he could possibly want. Especially you. Without you, he would basically be another pretty face every girl wants a piece of."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I understood why Amu was defending her boyfriend, but the facts needed to be faced. No one wanted their true love to be taken away by another affectionate soul. As I look back now, facing into the dark sky, even I was scared to lose Kukai to another lover; the day when he wouldn't need me anymore. Anyone could promise their unlimited love for another, only to stab them in the back, deadly but not to fast. Sure, the little rosette was caught up in young love, but I expected her not to fall for any of those games. emThe games I fell for./em Now as I battle my thoughts, I start to wonder as if I had really let myself fall in love. Love was always the last thing I wanted when I lost affections for Ikuto. Saying you love someone was too easy, to the point everything slid through your fingertips./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Yes, many girl have shared their affections with Tadase, embut he was never just a pretty face./em" Amu retorted. Flickering my eyes to hers, I stifled a laugh. Wasn't that the reason the little rosette had fallen in love anyways? Because he was another of those pretty faced boys that captured your heart in a flash. Amu had even stated she nearly had hot flashes when looking at the prince. Even the day she had first transferred to Seiyo Academy, she had immediately fallen in love. It amused me how she was so coy about what she was saying. Yet, she had made the mistake she targeted towards./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Have you ever thought that maybe you thought he was a pretty boy? Huh?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I-I would never-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""That the only reason you ever liked him in the first place was...just because he was another pretty face?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"By then, I had the little rosy-headed girl cornered. She obviously knew that every word I spoke held the truth, emknowing that it would come back to her in the long shot./em Smirking, I clicked away, satisfied with my defeat. As I walked away stiffly from Amu, her voice called after me. "And what about you? Going around treating your friends like dirt. emEspecially Kukai./em" Stopping in my tracks, I faced the red-faced girl, absorbing her heated hatred./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""How I treat my friends is none of your business, Amu Hinamori! Nor is my dating life." What did she know anyway? After all, she was a love struck fifteen year old, only good for being a Mary Sue. How else would she have gotten such a popular boyfriend? Amu had been the one to tell me Tadase use to only like her for being Amulet Heart. emDidn't that explain it all? That her so called boyfriend only liked her for her alter ego?/em "Actually, you made it my business. After all aren't we friends?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I stifled a laugh, backing away slowly. emHow funny, I've been wondering the same thing. /emPursing my lips, I responded with a sarcastic "Yes, we surely are." The rosette noticed my dripping sarcasm, replying with a snippy "Why don't you just leave Ikuto to his repeated mistakes? Every time we save him, he does it all over again. Maybe, he isn't worth saving."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emEverything in world had seemed to freeze when those words left Amu's mouth, leaving the little light inside of me to shatter. Everyone that set foot on this planet made regretful mistakes, yet maybe she was too ignorant to understand that. At one point, everyone of this ugly world would need saving, even the luckiest of people. /emNot bothering to respond to the clueless younger girl, I turned wordlessly on heels. Though I planned to depart without a word, I couldn't help but to mumble a "emYou aren't worth losing to, Amu Hinamori."/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emNot even the most kindhearted people were trustworthy. /emClicking down the path, I took time to notice the withering trees, watching as some of their last leaves fell. Just by looking at these dead trees, it reminded me of how brutal the world could be. Sighing stiffly, I took a seat on a creaky bench. Even though I disliked the cold weather that we were bestowed with, I could help but love the chilly wind nibbling at my cheeks. I sat in silence, tears brimming my eyes as everything washed upon me. emUsually, Kukai would have been here, engulfing me in his warmth. Sighing contently as I inhale his peppermint scent. /emThough I simply despised it, I couldn't help but wonder what him and that goofy child could be up to. emWhat more could they do? /emKukai was at least two years older than the girl herself, so everything would be considering babysitting./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I shuttered at the thought of Kukai patching her up with sweets, placing childish kisses on her nose. I could see Kukai coming to her rescue when boys her age simply flirted with her, the child being too clueless to know. Being in the demeanor that she is, it was easy to attract older men, leading Kukai to be overprotective. Kukai had always protected me from the dangers of the world, but he had simply believed I could handle most of it, considering I had been a lone idol. emSometimes, it had seemed he had forgotten I was still a human, that I had my regrets, fears, and dislikes. /ememMaybe Kukai leaving me was the best choice? Maybe, he needed someone like her in his life./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Clapping my hands together, I found myself in a praying position, my knees gathered at my face. Gazing at the millions of stars above, I focused on only one, emthe one that shone the brightest./em Closing my eyes, I pictured myself resting on a star, feeling as it floated down swiftly. Now that I was settled, a felt a small prayer escaping my lips, only audible to my own ears./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emIf there is someone out there to listen, I want you to hear me nowbr /Not only to I want to be rid from darkness, but I want the radiance to shinebr /Yet, give me the strength to bestow people with sadnessbr /The sadness I once felt, the sadness I still feel todaybr /Lend me the strength to infest people with dreadbr /To slaughter them with guiltbr /Yes most of all,br /A reason for them not to live/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Fluttering my eyes open, I watch as the star twinkles, causing a small smile to appear on my face. Even as a small child, I believed the stars listened to your every emthought,/em choosing how the puzzle pieces to your story. I felt as if they were working everyday, making sure your dreams came true. Closing my eyes once more, I lay my head on the cold bench, falling asleep. Shivering, I shrivel up into my jacket, cursing as the wind blew harder. Too lazy to walk home, I let myself lay there, feeling exhaustion washing over me. Calmness was taking over my body, giving me a sense of peace. Closing my eyes, I picture what my daughter may have looked like. emSmall frolicking pigtails, emerald eyes, and the determination to truly shine./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emGod, why did everything hurt so much?/em/p
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p style="max-height: 999999px;"emAn egg? Since when did these still exist?/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Cradled in my hands was a real Shugo Chara egg, warm from my protection. Examining closely, I admired the acrylic details of the egg. Lace-like designs traced around the egg, butterfly wings attached to them. The base of the egg was as violet as my eyes, creating a much bigger admiration for the egg itself. Did the egg create itself by a mere wish? Forgetting the full process of a guardian character, I was already filled with curiosity. I hadn't experienced the birth of an egg since I was a child, and when I broke my eggs purposely, I didn't expect to be engaged with them again. If it was that easy, I would have several wishes a long time ago. embr /em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Before standing up, I carefully place the egg into the pocket of the lab coat. A bit excited, I eagerly wanted it to hatch today, giving me a chance to test out my new powers. As I start to walk down the rest of the path, I clumsily knocked into someone, to absorbed into my new found creation. Rubbing my temple, I noticed the kid from the hospital. His ebony bangs swept down his face, old fashioned glasses framing his nose. I scrunched up my nose as I noticed he was sweating in such cold weather. "H-hey, why don't you watch it-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Flickering my eyes to the ground I noticed that the picture of him had fallen from the lab coat I still wore. Making a scatterbrained move, I clumsily snatch up the picture, stuffing it back in my pocket. Sighing, I swiped my bangs from my eyes. "So, you've been spying on me? You're an Easter puppet." He folded his arms, giving me a sharp expression. Feeling my cheeks burn I retort with "As long as I set foot on this earth, I'll never be apart of Easter. Though, I can ask the same for you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""T-that's none of your business." was all he could reply with. So it was true, emhe associated with Easter./em "So what's the real reason you've come back? Your sister isn't in town, and you aren't from here." I questioned, giving him a smirk. Pushing up his glasses, he still held a sharp expression, his complexion giving him the look of a girl. He stood in a pair of blue jeans, a faded red shirt, and a pair of running shoes. For someone who looked fifteen, he was petite, no muscle visible./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I've been looking for Amu Hinamori. I told her I'd come back for her...I just didn't know it would take this long." He sighed, playing with a loose thread. Laughing stiffly, I teasingly explained that Amu had ran off with that pretty boys of hers. She had simply refused to admit she no longer held romantic feelings for Tadase, though I wasn't going to be the one to help her realize that. Watching as his cheeks were tinged with the fineness red, I clicked off giggling. Yet, before I could fully depart, I was stopped by the scatterbrained teen./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""P-please deliver this note to her! I had written this months ago, yet it still holds sentimental value to my heart." He held a note in front of me, his blushing face facing the ground. Surprised, I gently grab the note, feeling the stationary designs under my fingertips. Honestly, I was impressed at how orderly, and nice looking he kept the note. I was so used to girls receiving crumpled notebook paper as a love confession. I had never seen someone put so much time and effort into one little confession, yet, this is what I would exactly want. Clutching the letter in my hand, I nod, be careful not to wrinkle it. Looking up, I notice a small smile on the boy's face, a flicker of thankfulness in his eyes./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""T-thanks-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Utau, Hoshina Utau."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Not bothering to ask for his name, I turn from the boy, continuing my journey of exiting this path. I couldn't help but run my fingers on the details of both the egg and the letter, feeling a shock of electricity as I noticed how valuable they are. Hurrying through the path, I take a shortcut, making my way to a small park. Due to the emptiness of the area, I feel a bit lonely. Yet, that hole is filled once I notice a small girl getting teased. Two other girls pull at her black braid, teasing at the divorce of her parents. I could feel invisible strings inside of me snap as I saw tears escape the innocence of her brown eyes. Walking over, I that noticed a purple butterfly charm had popped on my hand, controlling my actions./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"em"You two! You obviously don't know the troubles of parents splitting up. So why do you experience it for yourselves?"/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"Without warning, both girls extracted their flip phones from their pockets, answering in unison. Both went under shock as the news of their parents divorcing went through their ears. em"Tick, Tock. Fates right around the clock." /emA little voice chimed inside of me. Seconds went by until the bullies ran away, leaving the girl to dry her tears. Crouching down to the girl's level, I wipe a escaping tear, receiving a small smile from the child. "H-how did you do that?" emI could ask myself the same thing. /emBefore I could answer, the little voice chimed /em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emNow let's rewind the clock./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"In a matter of seconds, the girl fell limp in my arms, her eyes become soulless. Panicking, I shake her, not knowing what I done. No getting a chance to call for help, the girl had already reawakened in my arms. Curiosity flickered in her eyes, slowly breaking from my embrace. With not so much of a question, she quietly trailed away, as if none of this happened. Small giggles taunted my mind, rewarding me with em"Well done. Now it's time for some real fun."/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emIn seconds, a small creature popped from my egg./em/p
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p style="max-height: 999999px;"strongI am so, so, so sorry for this late update. School and studying had gotten in the way, and after all of that, I had gotten extremely lazy and exhausted. I hope I didn't make you wait extremely long, considering I hadn't updated in 13 days. Like always, I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. If I hadn't said it enough, your critique and reviews give me the motivation to become a better writer. Review, follow, and fave. Look forward to another update soon. Also, what do you think Utau's Chara will look like?/strong/p
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