**Call Me Crazy**

If one had asked Amu if there was such thing as an afterlife just a few months ago, she would have hyperventilated, going back and forth on her decision. Eventually, she would decide that she didn't know after a few minutes of indecisiveness.

"Amu-Chan…" A small voice whimpered. She ignored the voice, the sole reason she was here in the first place. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see the melancholy of her charas. Ran, Miki, Su, Dia…

"Amu-Chan, please, snap out of this!" Miki cried. "Don't act like this, like a zombie. You'll be okay!" Amu's empty eyes remained fixated on the walls in front of her. Though the Electro-Convulsive Therapy had ended for the day, she could still feel the shocks run through her body. But it was meaningless, for she was numb now.

"Amu-Chan, we-we're fading…" Su whispered. "Help us…" Amu did not budge in the slightest. She could see them out of the corner of her eye, their colors becoming distant, pixelated almost.

"Just believe!" Ran shouted. "Believe in us!"

"I have nothing to believe in," Amu casually murmured.

"Don't lose all faith," Dia whispered. "Ran's right; just believe. Believe in yourself, Amu-Chan." The voices vanished along with the bodies of the charas. Yet, Amu remained unwavering like fire, burning relentlessly with nothing that could touch her, lay a mere finger on her. She had burned far too much.

Now, if someone were to ask Amu Hinamori if there was an afterlife, she would reply, stating that she was currently in Hell.

**Call Me Crazy**

"Back at home, I would be having a nice warm shower, playing with my dog Pierre, perhaps watching one of my mother's new films, anything else. This is so boring!" Lulu complained, for probably the umpteenth time in the two days she had arrived.

"Well, when they take you out to run some tests, it is a bit more of entertainment," Vivian pointed out.

"I don't want to be tested on!" Lulu moaned, her arms crossed. "I'm not some mere specimen!" Nagihiko remained silent, buried in his own thoughts. He did not disagree with Lulu; spending time at the asylum was rather boring. However, boredom was the least of his concerns. He was currently at an asylum, being deemed insane, when in reality, he was perfectly fine. Charas were definitely real; multiple people could see them if they have a pure enough heart. Sure, the average eye couldn't. Nagihiko sighed. There was nothing humanly possible to make his cause. There was no proof he could offer.

"What are you thinking about?" Temari whispered. Nagihiko glanced up, snapping out of his thoughts.

"Not much," Nagihiko lied, leaning against the wall as he sat cross-legged on the ground. Rhythm landed on his shoulder.

"Damn, I can't wait to get out of here!" Rhythm grinned. "It'll be so nice to get back outside, shooting some hoops."

"Don't expect that anytime soon," Nagihiko murmured under his breath.

"Why not? I mean, this won't be permanent."

"It won't be. They'll release me once I'm 'cured.' However, I'm not sure how far they'll go until they decide I am healthy. It could take a while…"

"How long?"

"I don't know," He grumbled, an edge to his voice. He sighed, closing his eyes briefly. He wondered how the others were. Surely, they were concerned, but what could they do? He distinctly remembered a conversation they were having about saving Amu. It was an absurd plan, Nagihiko knew that. There was no way they could afford that, and even if by some foreign chance they managed to, it would never work. They all had charas too and would probably be caught within seconds, if they were lucky enough to not get caught earlier.

"Nagihiko, are you ready for your treatment?" Nagihiko opened his eyes, facing two of the guards. He rose to his feet, feeling Lulu and Vivian's eyes glued to him as he compliantly followed the guards. A small part of him contemplated the idea of escaping. However, it was pointless. He was on an island and would have nowhere to go. Even if he lived hidden somewhere, he was better off in the asylum, receiving some source of food, though it may have been crap.

"How are you today?" The doctor wondered, as Nagihiko took his seat in his chair. He wanted so badly to scoff or come back with some sarcastic comment. He felt bitter, bitter to everything associated with this asylum. However, he knew it would get him nowhere.

"Fine," He lied, feeling no need to elaborate or make small talk. The doctor said no more, sensing his lack of desire to pursue conversation.

"This will only hurt for a moment," The doctor told him, bringing a needle close to Nagihiko's arm. He didn't care at this point. It was just another source of pain on top of everything else.

**Call Me Crazy**

It had been a couple of years since Ikuto appreciated the meaning of the weekend, but now that he started his work, he now remembered why, as a high school student, he used to eagerly count the days until the weekend. However, on the other hand, he needed the money desperately.

"It wasn't as successful as I would have imagined," Utau murmured, sighing. Ikuto leaned against her bedroom wall, his arms crossed.

"Still better than being a waiter," Ikuto pointed out.

"Yeah, but… not enough I was expecting. Sure, it was crowded, but less people bought snacks and food than I would have imagined." She let out a distressed moan. "At this rate, we'll be saving them in like five years."

"We'll figure out something, we have to," Ikuto muttered, pushing off the wall to straighten himself. "There's no way I'm leaving her stranded there for five years, or anything like that. I'd sooner walk to the asylum versus wait that long."

"How would walk there? It's on the Philippines and we're in Japan; you would walk on water." Ikuto and Utau glanced up, as Rima entered the room, a blanket wrapped around her.

"I didn't mean literally do that," Ikuto muttered.

"How much money did you make last night, Utau?" Rima wondered. Utau opened her mouth to speak, when the doorbell interrupted her.

"I'll get it," Ikuto offered, heading down the stairs to open the door. Standing outside was Tadase, with a smile plastered upon his face.

"Hello Ikuto," He greeted kindly.

"Someone's in a good mood," Ikuto noted.

"I have really good news. I would have told you yesterday, but it was awfully late…" Ikuto gestured for him to come in.

"What's up?" Ikuto wondered.

"Can you get the others? Everyone should be here when I announce the news."

"Well, only Utau and Rima are here," Ikuto pointed out. Tadase smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"I may have invited the others to your house," Tadase admitted. Ikuto raised an eyebrow. "Well, I didn't really want to meet at the Royal Garden again; it is risky to keep sending Mashiro-San given what happened last time…"

"It's still dangerous for you too." Tadase and Ikuto glanced up, watching as Rima and Utau descended the stairs. "Remember, Tadase? When Ikuto, you, and I were playing Frisbee that morning, the day we found out about Amu? They found us. They saw your character change, Tadase."

"They identified you," Ikuto suddenly recalled, his eyes widening, as he faced Utau.

"Don't worry Ikuto; you and I are fine. It was a brief concern before my concert, but due to the brightness of the sun, they couldn't be certain or prove that it was me," Utau explained. A few minutes later, the other three arrived.

"What's the news, Tadase?" Kukai wondered, shutting the door behind him (given him and Yaya were the last to arrive).

"Is it a new brand of candy?" Yaya wondered giddily.

"Yaya…" Kairi shook his head hopelessly.

"So, last night after Utau's concert, I decided to visit Amakawa-San. We spoke for a bit, and long story short, he booked us five tickets to the Philippines that will be leaving next week."

"Oh my god, really?!" Kukai exclaimed.

"Best principal ever!" Yaya exclaimed. "But wait, there are only five?" Tadase nodded.

"That's better than nothing. We can't expect him to pay for all of us. Now, we have to figure out who-"

"I'm going," Ikuto announced, before Tadase could finish his sentence. "You know me. I need to be there for Amu."

"If Ikuto's going, I'm going. I have to make sure he doesn't do anything reckless," Utau pointed out. Ikuto gave his little sister a look.

"Utau, I can't risk you going. It's going to be dangerous."

"Too bad. Amu and Fujisaki are good friends of mine as well."

"Utau, you're not exactly the opposite of reckless either," Kukai pointed out. Utau frowned at her boyfriend. "That being said, I'm going, to look after both siblings!"

"Kukai!" Yaya exclaimed "Yaya has to go!"

"No, Yaya!" Kukai cried.

"Of course I'm going, considering Amu-Chan means as much to me as she does to Ikuto, and Nagihiko is like a brother to me," Tadase announced.

"Wait, what?! This is ridiculous! Nagi is to me as Amu is to the two of them. I'm going," Rima announced. "Besides, it's my fault he's there…"

"Mashiro-San… you can't go."

"Why not?!"

"They're looking for you extensively. If you go right to them, well, they'll know what you are."

"There is no way in hell that I'm not going! They're looking for you too, Tadase," Rima pointed out angrily.

"Not as extensively," Tadase pointed out.

"Everyone, this haste is illogical." All eyes turned to face the youngest one there. He pushed up his glasses, prompting Yaya to blush slightly. "It is futile for me to even attempt to receive a ticket, but this method of decision-making is baffling."

"What do you suggest we do?" Utau wondered.

"I propose picking by means of drawing names, perhaps from a hat. Given that there are seven of us, it would be wise if we chose two names to not receive tickets."

"That's fair," Tadase agreed. Kairi wrote down everyone's name on an equal sized piece of paper, and dropped the papers into a hat.

"Not Yaya," Yaya whispered under her breath. Kairi lifted a name and opened it to read it.

"Tadase," Kairi called monotonously, placing the paper to the side.

"W-What?! That means that I'm not-"

"I am afraid not…" Kairi reached into the hat once more, scrambling a bit, and lifted a name. "Ikuto."

"This is stupid," Ikuto grumbled.

"Well, this is what we agreed upon," Utau pointed out, looking slightly satisfied.

"Not really."

"Guys, do we seriously need to fight?" Kukai sighed. "Whoever goes, they're going to save Nagi and Amu! Who really cares?"

"I'll go instead of Kukai," Ikuto suggested.

"Wait, what?! That's not at all what I was suggesting!" Kukai exclaimed.

"If picking via a draw is not going to work out, it may be wise if we all remove our biases, if possible, and pick the logically appropriate choices."

"What Kairi-Kun said!" Yaya agreed, patting his head. He blushed a little bit.

"What is logically appropriate?" Rima wondered, her arms crossed.

"For example, I believe it is wise to bring Ikuto." He folded his arms. "His speed when character changed or transformed will prove mandatory upon a task like this. Perhaps Souma-Kun or I would be useful for the same reasons."

"Hold up a minute. There's no way in hell my brother and boyfriend are going and I'm not," Utau snapped. Kairi opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted.

"Yeah, Yaya too!" Yaya whined.

"Wait…" Rima turned to face Yaya, a quizzical stare. "You don't have a brother, literally, or a boyfriend going, hell, you don't even have a boyfriend and I don't think your baby brother would go."

"…Oh yeah," Yaya scratched the back of her head, seemingly embarrassed. "Yaya just meant…like…you know. Um…"

"Unless you and Kairi are finally dating," Utau mumbled. Both of them turned bright red, shyly turning to each other and turning away rapidly.

"O-On another note…" He pushed up his glasses. "I do believe Yaya-Chan's abilities could prove quite beneficial on this… excursion." He emphasized the word excursion ironically. Yaya grinned, her cheeks still red. "On the contrary, her ebullience could be distracting and…I would prefer if Yaya didn't get hurt."

"So cute!" Kukai exclaimed. "I concur with that." He hugged Yaya.

"What about no biases?" Tadase wondered. Kairi flushed.

"Lovebirds, why don't you just hook up while we're gone?" Utau wondered, her arms crossed. Yaya and Kairi looked up, slightly horrified.

"Yeah, Kukai and Utau-Chi! You two stay back!" Yaya grinned, sticking her tongue out.

"There is no way I'm not going if Yaya is," Kukai pointed out.

"Same with me and Ikuto."

"Look, Kairi is right. Logic should be applied," Tadase began. When the arguing didn't stop, he let out a sigh and raised his voice. "You know that Nagihiko would be the first to agree with Kairi and want this to be orderly." Everyone went silent. "With logic comes the argument against Mashiro-San."

"I'm going. That's official."

"They found you at Nagihiko's house, they know your name and face. If you show up right there, you'll be practically giving yourself in. It's too risky."

"You don't get it!" Rima exclaimed, tears beckoning to fall down her cheeks. "I owe him… Nagi. He saved my life, he protected me. They were after me, not him. He sacrificed himself, when he could have been okay. He could have been here, discussing these plans with you, and not me. And it's all my fault. I shouldn't have ever listened to him. It was stupid and idiotic." She looked up at Tadase with tear-stricken eyes. "I'm indebted to him, Tadase."

"I…just don't want you to get hurt," Tadase murmured. "You know he wouldn't either…"

"She's coming," Ikuto pointed out. Rima glanced up at him. "We're all at risk. We're breaking into the asylum. If they catch us, if we make one wrong move, any of us will be abducted. We don't even know if we'll be successful. But you, you of all people Tadase should understand that Rima needs to come. I'm indebted to Amu as well, all of those years ago when I was Death Rebel. She saved me. And it's my turn to save her." Rima smiled warmly at Ikuto.

"…Fair enough." Tadase sighed. "I'm coming too though."

"Yaya's coming!" Yaya whined. "Yaya loves Nagi-Tan and Amu-Chi! Nagi-Tan once bought Yaya tons and tons of candy. Yaya owes him too!"

"You're so cute Yaya-Chan," Kairi whispered. Yaya turned to him, smiling brightly.

"You too, Kairi-Kun!"

"Well, same applies for me. I'm going." Utau crossed her arms.

"Me too…oh wait, that's six," Kukai grumbled. He turned to face Yaya. "Yaya, you really think your mom would let you?"

"Not if Yaya bends the truth!" Yaya grinned.

"Yaya, you can't lie to your mom," Kukai whispered softly, patting her head. "Look, if I let you go, I'd be breaking a promise."

"What promise?" Yaya wondered.

"I promised your parents once, a very long time ago, that I would protect you from anything in the world," Kukai explained. "Any dangers, any troubles… I'd be there for you, no matter what." Yaya hugged him tightly. "I can't fulfill my promise accurately if you go."

"But Yaya doesn't want you to go," Yaya sniffled.

"Utau will protect me," Kukai promised Yaya. "She'd never let me get hurt, right?" He glanced pleadingly at his girlfriend. She scowled slightly.

"I guess I don't really have a choice." He grinned, turning back to his little sister, practically.

"Utau-Chi, you better," Yaya murmured, giving her a stern glance.

"Yaya, do you really think I'd let him get hurt?" Utau smiled as she seldom did. "I know better than that. Kukai may be an idiot sometimes, but I will do anything necessary to protect him." Yaya grinned.

"Hey!" Kukai exclaimed.

"Well, while you guys are away, Kairi-Kun and Yaya will have fun!" Yaya let go of Kukai, and linked her arms with Kairi, whose face could not turn redder.

"When we come back, you'll have two more friends!" Kukai promised.

"YAY!" Yaya squealed.

"Hopefully," Utau murmured. "We have a week to prepare."

"Be optimistic!" Kukai scolded his girlfriend.


The next week seemed to drag on for everyone. Ikuto and Rima had quit their jobs as waiters. Finally, Friday night had arrived, the night before they would leave. Rima laid on her bed trying to catch some sleep, ultimately unsuccessful. It was only nine o'clock, but their flight left pretty early.

"Kusu-Kusu…"

"Yes, Rima?" Kusu-Kusu wondered.

"What if… this doesn't work?" She wondered. "A-And not just fail, but what if all five of us are taken in?"

"Don't worry Rima, it'll all work out!" Kusu-Kusu promised, landing atop her head. She sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"What are the chances of it working? It's plain stupid, I know it is! We know nothing about where we're going, and here we are- simply going in, basically blind. I'm sure it's a big place…" Rima hugged her legs tightly into her chest. "But it has to… I need it to…"

"Think positively!" Kusu-Kusu pointed out, floating up higher. Rima poked her eyes above her legs. "It'll be quick; you run in, get Nagi and Amu, then everyone will be safe and happy!"

"I wish." Rima sighed. "There are always complications. What if all five of us get abducted also?" Kusu-Kusu opened her mouth to speak, but Rima proceeded to continue. "Nagi… he sacrificed himself for me. I owe him. He…he told me that he loves me. I said nothing. I didn't tell him that I felt the same way, that I-I loved him too. He's the one that needed to know more than I did." She sniffled. "I need to save him, Kusu-Kusu. I don't care what happens; I have to save him."


Ikuto sat atop the balcony he had become familiar to, sighing inwardly. It had been almost two months since he saw his favorite pinkette reluctantly rise from her bed to open the balcony doors for him, letting him come in to tease her and watch her get more and more flustered. He missed everything about her. Tomorrow he would be flying down, prepared to save her.

To his dismay, the door of her balcony suddenly opened. Ikuto raised an eyebrow, as he noticed the source of the opening. A girl with brown pigtails stood nearby, forcing a smile up at Ikuto.

"Ami," He greeted, walking in. Ami closed the door behind him, sitting beside him on Amu's bed.

"She called a few weeks ago," Ami whispered. Ikuto looked at her, stunned. "I would have told you, but I didn't know where you lived and…"

"What did she say?!" Ikuto demanded, his voice hard.

"W-Well…" Ami gulped. "She went…ballistic on Mommy and Daddy." Ikuto stared at Ami, awe-stricken. "I wasn't on the phone, but I could hear her shouting, something about it being their fault she's there and that she's in hell. She sounded so…different."

"Amu…" Ikuto murmured weakly.

"I want my sissy back," Ami whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's not my parents fault… She must be so scared. I want her back…"

"She will be," Ikuto promised. Ami looked up at him with glossy eyes.

"How do you know?"

"I'm going to save her." Ikuto announced. He lowered his voice. "Tsukasa purchased us tickets to the Philippines where the asylum is located. A few of us are flying down to save her. I have no intentions of failing to save her."

"You'd…save my sister?" Ami squeaked. A small smile crossed Ikuto's face.

"Always," He replied. "You can't tell anyone though, not even your parents."

"I…understand. Thank you Ikuto, thank you so much." Ami hugged Ikuto tightly, taking him by surprise. "Amu sounded so broken on the phone. Fix her, Ikuto."

"I promise," He soothed.


Thus, the adventure to save Amu and Nagi begins! What do you think will happen? Will it all go pitch perfect and Amu and Nagi will be safe, or will there be complications? You all know the drill: Review, review, review! I like reviews. My birthday is in a month (slightly over). Preemptive birthday present? I think yes ;). Haha, joking aside, I would like reviews! I'll put this at a higher priority of things to update. Hope you all enjoyed :).