Chapter 9

Ikuto's POV

When we got to the Royal Garden Tadase and Nagihiko were just finishing up. Nagihiko glanced up and frowned.

"What's wrong?" He asked, seeing all of us upset. Tadase quickly looked up and glared at me.

"We found out who's causing all the X-Eggs!" Yaya exclaimed. "It's this girl named Miyako! She causes nightmares that turn them into X-Eggs!"

"Does she work for Easter?" Tadase asked, directing his question at me.

"Yes," I said quietly. "And she does of her own free will." Tadase looked surprised, but before he could ask Nagihiko interrupted.

"How do we fight her?" He asked. "What can we do?" I tightened my grip on Amu's hand and she glanced up at me concerned. I won't lose you. I thought. Never.

"We think we can defeat her if we go in Amu-chi or Ikuto-chi's nightmares," Yaya explained. "That's why we brought Dia-chan." We all encircled the table and Amu set Dia in the middle.

"We have to get her to come out," Rima sighed, poking the egg.

"Dia-chan! Come out!" Kusu Kusu yelled, banging symbols together.

"As your king I order you to come out!" Kiseki yelled.

"We need your help desu!" Su exclaimed, tapping on Dia's egg. I sighed and let go of Amu's hand. She glanced at me confused as I walked over and grabbed Tadase by the collar.

"Come on Kiddy King," I said, dragging him off. "We need to talk."

"Let go of me!" He exclaimed angrily. Once we were a little ways away from the table I let go and turned to face him.

"I need to tell you something I should've a long time ago," I told him, sighing.

"What?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I'm forced to work for Easter," I said quietly. "Because my father left and he was supposed to work for Easter after my grandfather died." Tadase's eyes widened.

"All of this time you were forced?" he asked, shocked. I nodded sadly.

"I tried to get away from it when I was younger," I continued. "But I just didn't really have the will to go through with it. I thought you were better off without me anyway." I sighed and shook my head. "I never wanted to do anything. I'm sorry Tadase." I glanced away embarrassed and it fell silent for a minute or two.

"I forgive you," Tadase replied quietly. "Ikuto-niisan." I glanced back at him and he smiled at me.

"This is hopeless!" We turned back to see Amu curled up in a ball on the ground. I frowned and walked over to her. "I'm going to lose him! Why won't you come out Dia? Why won't you help?" My heart fell as I saw how much she was sobbing. I wanted to comfort her, but I couldn't. I promised that I would leave her if we couldn't do anything else.

"We'll find another way," Nagihiko promised as I pulled Amu into my arms. "It's alright Amu-chan." She shook her head and clung to me.

"Dia, please come out nyan." I glanced up to see Yoru still trying. All of the others had given up. "I don't wanna lose you guys either. Ikuto and I need all of you nyan." I nodded, closing my eyes. Please. I begged silently. I can't lose Amu. Please Dia…

"Dia-chan you're our only hope," Pepe said quietly. "Please!"

"Please Dia nyan!" Yoru cried. It fell silent again and hugged Amu tighter. Then I heard a crack. My eyes flew open and Amu jumped up. Sure enough a crack had appeared in the egg.

"Of course I'll help," Dia said cheerfully. "It just took a while to wake up." She smiled at all of us and I stood up.

"So you can get us into the nightmare?" Yaya asked excitedly. Dia nodded. Things were finally looking up.

Amu's POV

We all arranged to stay at the Royal Garden for the night. Tsukasa gave us sleeping bags and a couple of lamps. The Royal Garden seemed eerie in the darkness.

"So who's nightmare are we going into?" Rima asked, glancing at Ikuto and me.

"Mine," Ikuto and I said at exactly the same time.

"Forget it Amu," Ikuto said annoyed. "I'm not going to let you be affected again."

"But yours are even worse than mine!" I exclaimed, shaking my head. "Let me do it."

"No," Ikuto said again. The Guardians sighed as we continued arguing.

"Actually," Dia interrupted quietly. "I can only bring us into Amu-chan's nightmare." Ikuto stared at her in shock and I nodded approvingly.

"Do we have to go to sleep too?" Yaya asked Dia, waving her hand wildly. Dia nodded. I curled up on Ikuto's chest once he laid down. I sighed happily as he stroked my hair.

"Even here they're lovey-dovey!" Rima exclaimed annoyed, making me turn red.

"You're bitter Rima-tan!" Yaya called happily.

"Shut up!" I smiled when I heard Rima hit her with a pillow. My eyes closed and I fell asleep.

"I was hoping you wouldn't fall asleep tonight." Miyako stood in front of me, glaring at me angrily. "I had some children to take care of." I shook my head angrily.

"Leave them alone!" I told her. "They didn't do anything to you!" Miyako laughed and walked forward. I flinched back as she grabbed me by the front of my shirt.

"But you did," She hissed quietly. "You made it impossible for me to have Ikuto-kun!" She shoved me backwards, causing me to fall. "What does he see in you? You're just a pathetic little girl!"

"Stop doing this!" I exclaimed as I got to my feet. "You're hurting yourself as well as us." Miyako shook her head and suddenly thunder started crashing. I stared up surprised as clouds appeared, along with sky and grass. We were in a clearing in a forest. Lighting flashed down about two feet from me setting the grass on fire. I raced away, but then lighting struck in front of me again. The fire spread fast and soon engulfed the trees.

"You can't escape!" Miyako said. I looked up surprised to see she had character transformed. Wings spread out from her back and she wore a light blue dress decorated with black jewels.

"Stop this!" I yelled again as lighting struck closer to me. As I turned around and around I realized I was surrounded by the fire. In a few seconds it engulfed me. I screamed in pain. It felt like I was really being burnt. Suddenly the clearing was gone and I tumbled into the ocean.

"Who's going to save you now?" Miyako laughed as the storm's strength increased. A wave crashed over me and I couldn't breathe. Where are my friends? I wondered, feeling my body shutting down. I need you. I felt someone grab me and then I was pulled to the surface.

"Are you alright Amu-chan?" I glanced up to see Nagihiko had rescued me. I also noticed he was in his character transformation.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked as another wave almost knocked us under. He shook his head.

"They're not asleep yet," He said. Suddenly lighting hit the water and I felt a shock go through me. Both Nagihiko and I screamed in pain. The ocean disappeared and we were back in the clearing. The fire had gone out, leaving everything charred. I looked around wildly for Miyako but I didn't see her.

"Amu-chi!" Yaya toppled me over, also character transformed. "Don't worry! Rima was coming after me, she had to character transform. But Tadase and Ikuto-chi weren't asleep yet." I nodded and then saw Rima appear.

"Amu! Are you alright?" She asked, racing over to us. I nodded and then I heard laughing again.

"Your chara must be powerful," Miyako said, reappearing and landing in front of us. "But this is my world."

"Tightrope Dancer!" Rima's attack shot out, but Miyako disappeared before it hit her.

"Holy Crown!" I whirled around to see Tadase's attack hit Miyako. She flew backwards and crashed into one of the charred trees. It snapped in half.

"It's over Miyako." I smiled as Ikuto appeared opposite Tadase. "Give up." She smiled and then the clearing disappeared. Instead we found ourselves in a rainforest.

"Amu-chan!" My charas flew over to me alongside Tadase and Ikuto. I squeaked in surprise as Ikuto hugged me tightly.

"I couldn't fall asleep at first," He murmured, kissing my cheek. "I was too worried about you." I smiled and hugged him back.

"I'm sick of this!" A vine shot out of the tree and wrapped around Ikuto's waist.

"Ikuto!" I cried as it pulled him away. It pulled him against the tree and more vines wrapped around him.

"Ikuto-niisan!" Tadase cried, racing forward. We all followed and then vines trapped us too.

"It's useless," Miyako laughed as we struggled. "This is my world, you can't defeat me here." She settled on a branch near Ikuto and smiled at him. "My deal is still valid Ikuto-kun."

"Forget it!" He yelled angrily. She smiled and leaned in closer.

"You'll change your mind," She murmured, before kissing him. Anger shot through me and I managed to pull away from the vines.

"My own heart unlock!" I cried as Dia flew up next to me. "Character Transformation: Amulet Diamond!" I took off from the ground and knocked Miyako away from Ikuto.

"Jealousy is very powerful," Ikuto observed as I pulled the vines away. I smiled when he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"How?" I glared back at Miyako as she stared back shocked. "There's no way you could've escaped!"

"This is my dream," I said angrily. "And Ikuto is mine!" Miyako smiled and then the rainforest changed to an open plateau, with us floating above it.

"We'll fight for him then," She said happily. "If I win, Ikuto-kun will be mine and you'll never be allowed to see him again."

"And if I win you'll quit Easter and never mess with Ikuto, the Guardians, or me ever again," I said, nodding.

"Fair enough," She said, landing on the plateau. I landed opposite her. "None of you will interfere." She glanced at the Guardians and Ikuto, and stones shot up and created a cage around them.

"You can't mess with the dream either!" Ikuto yelled angrily. "Only use chara powers!" Miyako nodded in agreement.

"Then, let's begin!"