Thanks for the reviews, Guest, HanaLoid, and xxmewawesomenessxx! xxmewawesomenessxx, special thanks to you for your review, which inspired me when I had no ideas for the second half of the chapter.

Last time, Amu and Co infiltrated a small town. Amu found that her sister Ami lived there, and that she hates Amu. She is distraught throughout the next few days. The chapter finishes with Ikuto giving Amu a harsh wake-up call.

"You're not the only one who suffers alone."

Ikuto's words circled in my head, leaving me disoriented and dazed. His steely purple eyes bore down on me with a ferocity that made me want to look away. But I was frozen by my own fear.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Tadase-kun pushed his way forward to Ikuto. "That was cruel!"

"It was necessary."

"You HIT her!"

Ikuto's gaze found its way to the ground. "She was being ignorant, assuming she's the only one who has pain in her life-" Ikuto stopped abruptly as Tadase-kun punched him in the stomach. Within seconds the two boys were in a furious duel. A flurry of movements, blue and gold mingling. Bold crimson eyes narrowed against unfathomable purple ones. Golden scepter against clawed hands.

My fingers tightened around the grass. I tried to scream or command them to stop, but not even a whisper would come out. The clearing was empty of all of us but Yaya and the fighting boys. Utau had taken the rest out to scout or look for food, I couldn't remember. Yayawas the only one of us left, but she was backed against a tree and as powerless as I was.

Tadase-kun struck Ikuto's jaw. He flinched and delivered a powerful blow to Tadase-kun's arm. The tension was quickly escalating. If I didn't do anything, they could accidentally activate magic and kill each other.

I wasn't helpless. Far from it, actually. I mustered up the strength to stagger to my feet. I cast one glance back at Yaya, who whimpered like a baby, and stumbled forward.

"Stop. Stop fighting!" They ignored my pleas.

"Stop, I'm begging you!" Nothing.

As a last resort, I began to create a small explosion ball.

"Poru-" I stopped abruptly, remembering that Pöruca was the very same spell that Ami had used on me. All the events of the past few days rushed over me, culminating in Ikuto's slap across the face just minutes ago. I stopped short. It was just too overwhelming.

...I guess I was just helpless.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" A furious voice bellowed. The fighting stopped instantly.

Kukai, who had come from God knows where, was holding Ikuto and Tadase-kun apart. His muscles were tensed and teeth gritted in an effort to keep them from tearing each other into pieces.

Tadase-kun immediately spouted what had happened in these few minutes-Ikuto's harsh words, Tadase-kun's defense, their fight.

Kukai glanced down at me. "Is this true?"

"Y-yes."

Kukai sighed. "Then why the heck didn't you stop them?"

I began to whimper in a more pitiful manner than Yaya. "I-I tried, but th-the spell, it w-wouldn't...I was scared, Kukai…."

Kukai let go of Ikuto and Tadase-kun. "O-Oi! Don't cry, I meant…" He waved his hands frantically in the air. "I mean, Ikuto just slapped you! No one expected you to fight! Uh, I'll get some ice cream! Wait right here!" Kukai tore off like a madman through the clearing.

I chuckled weakly. "Kukai, there isn't-"

He wheeled around and tore back to me. "Ahh! I forgot!"

"-any ice cream in Tiraldae."

And so, the tension was broken. Tadase-kun practically threw himself at my feet apologizing, and he finally reverted to normal after several assurances from me. Yaya latched on to me, wailing about how scared she was. Kukai attempted to fetch nonexistent ice cream once more-apparently he was uncomfortable around crying girls. Can't blame the guy.

Nagihiko and Rima rushed in. They were awestruck after Kukai and Tadase-kun told them everything. They had to re-explain to Kairi and Utau, who arrived last with stolen food. Everything seemed to be moving in fast forward. People seemed to be especially busy, as if to cover up the slap and the arugument that had just occured. The clearing in which we were staying was soon filled with activity.

Only Ikuto was gone. I was honestly hoping he didn't come back for a few hours at least. My hand went to the red mark that still lingered on my cheek. It had been a powerful blow, but the words that had been delivered with it had been far more powerful.

"You aren't the only one who suffers alone." Ikuto's reserved nature had disappeared completely when he said that. It was like he really detested me. For what? What had I done wrong? I was the one who had awful things done to her.

There I went again. Believing that I was suffering the most out of all of this. But I was.

...Right?

"Ikuto isn't back yet." Rima noted after darkness had fallen. Her face, lit up by our small fire, was illuminated in an eerie manner.

"I would actually prefer that he stays away for tonight." Tadase-kun muttered. He was red with suppressed anger.

Kukai punched him lightly. "Don't say that."

Utau frowned. "I just hope he hasn't gotten into trouble."

"Knowing Ikuto, he's just out. Don't worry. He'll be back by morning," Nagihiko said placatingly.

"But there are various creatures out there," Kairi squinted into the woods, as if to find any monsters lurking inside, "not to mention the Guardians out to get us.."

"I don't know about you, but I'm worried." Utau crossed her arms. "I'm gonna go look for him."

"Are you crazy?!" Kukai yelped.

"Even if Ikuto's safe, you won't be." Kairi said sternly.

"I don't care. Ikuto's my brother, and I'll be the one to look for him."

"Well then," Nagihiko rose and stretched, "If one goes, we all go."

I tensed involuntarily. I didn't want to see Ikuto right now. I wished they'd just leave him be...then maybe I wouldn't have to deal with him until later.

"Of course, Amu-chan has a right to stay here." Tadase-kun said.

"I-"

"You don't wanna be alone? Then Yaya will stay with you!" Yaya practically leaped into my arms.

"Alright, then." Utau was too preoccupied with the thought of Ikuto in danger to notice Yaya's strange behavior. She dragged the rest of them off before I could so much as squeak in protest.

We sat in awkward silence for a while. I focused on the flames that flickered up and down. A single spark jumped out of the fire and landed on the ground, spluttering briefly before going out.

"What was that all about, Yaya?" The words came out rather harshly.

"Nothing, Yaya just wants to spend time with Amu-chi!"

I blinked. "...You really think I'd believe that."

Yaya snuggled closer to me. "Alright, alright, since you asked!"

"I didn't-"

"I'm scared, Amu-chi!" Yaya sniffed. Her lips quivered, and tears threatened to fall from her warm brown eyes. Her emotions had shifted so quickly that was almost unrealistic.

"Aren't we all?" I asked, slightly confused.

Yaya clutched my arm. "But Yaya's younger, and weaker...when Ikuto and Tadase were fighting…Yaya saw you look so scared, and wanted to help!" She yanked on my arm even harder, forcing me to look her in the eye.

"But Yaya could only watch! You went up and tried to stop them. Why're you so strong?!"

I almost laughed. "Me? Strong?" I'm so weak. I can't even stop myself from drowning in my own tears.

"You're strong, all of you! You all, you can just...go around like this is NORMAL! Yaya's scared of Tiraldae, where people want to catch her, and she has to learn magic. Yaya's scared...she won't be able to go home and see Mommy and Daddy again…."

I patted Yaya's head awkwardly. "We're all scared. But you just have to believe that you'll live. We will all go home." But why do I live? Is it for them?

"But you're not even human! How do you know?" As soon as she spoke, Yaya covered her mouth as if to take back the words she had just uttered.

"I'm not human. But I do have human emotions. And the Guardians want me too." In fact, I'm the reason you're trapped here.

"...I'm sorry." Yaya whispered.

I faced her and smiled, the first real smile since the Ami incident. "Don't be. Just become stronger." But how can I become stronger after losing all my courage?

My unsaid words lingered on my tongue long after I had fallen asleep, holding Yaya close to me and wishing that I had her calm, even breathing.

Nadeshiko was crouched against the wall, eyes shut tight as if she was trying to force sleep to come to her.

"Come, Amu-chan...save me."

Her eyes flew open as the guards' voices spoke in muffled tones.

"They've given us three months. If we don't get her by then, we have to let loose. Kill her on the spot."

"And the human?"

"They die together."

Nadeshiko was shaking with fear now. If Amu-chan somehow managed to save her, three months would run out before they could escape.

And even if Amu-chan got back to Earth on her own, the Guardians would not stop their search.

"The only way both of us to live is to battle an entire empire…and win."

I shot into a sitting position. Cold sweat drenched my face. Nadeshiko's image was still burned in the back of my mind. She was completely different than three years ago, and I could not recollect those faraway memories of her smiling face.

Had that been a vision? Or simply a dream?

Yaya was still sleeping peacefully beside me. Upon closer inspection, I found more sleeping figures upon the ground. The group had returned-with or without Ikuto, I didn't know.

A slight shadow caught my attention. I stood up and made my way over to whoever it was, hand instinctively going to the sword on my waist. But it was only Utau, as her telltale pigtails proved. She was sitting in silence with her back turned, nothing more than a slight break in the even pitch-blackness of the sky that stretched over us.

"Hey, Utau," I whispered. She didn't respond immediately, like she was in a trance. She blinked, slowly realizing my presence. "Amu."

"Did you find him? Ikuto?"

Utau's face fell. "Yes…"

I sat down beside her. "Something went wrong, right?"

"...What the heck did you say, Amu?" Even in the darkness, Utau's sharp voice alone was enough to intimidate me. "Ikuto has never slapped anyone before. And he's never fought with Tadase."

"Well, I guess he thinks I'm too self-pitiful. But he doesn't know." I didn't stop the bitter tone in my voice.

"You don't either. All of us, Ikuto especially, have been through horrors you can't imagine."

"Oh, I can imagine. I've seen people I trusted turn on me, I've seen people I love shun me, and yet you say I can't imagine?" I hissed.

Utau huffed, crossing her arms. "I have to say, I agree with Ikuto. You really are pitiful."

"What?!"

"Look, I'm being blunt, but since I met you you've been sitting around moping over what has already happened. Focus on the future, forget the past," Utau snapped.

"Like I can do that! This place is the place where all the bad things happened to me."

"Then find the courage! Where are your guts, Amu?"

I stood and drew my sword, startling Utau into a defensive pose. "What are you-"

I shook my head. "I'm not gonna attack you. But I do have something to show you." I held up the sword, so that it barely glowed in the darkness. "I am weak, Utau. I waver. I hold this sword as nothing but a blade that shields me from my own fears. I am not the strong person you think I am, the one who taught you magic. My own fear has molded me into the person I am now."

Utau studied my face closely. "But if you know why you're so self-pitiful, then why don't you stop yourself?"

"The first day we arrived in Tiraldae, I promised myself that I would stop living in the past," I began, remembering those days that seemed so far away. "But then, I saw something awful happen to someone I once called a friend, and shortly afterwards Ikuto was attacked and I lost badly to the Guardians." I swallowed nervously. "Utau...the reason why I was so upset after the raid on Bluté was because the house I broke into happened to be my family's."

Utau inhaled sharply. "What?"

"I met my little sister on the stairs, and she...she hates me." I clenched my fists, deciding not to mention that it was because I sided with the humans.

"Well, I-why the heck didn't you tell us?! Even telling Ikuto would have stopped him from slapping you!" Utau said, utterly flustered.

"Like I had the courage to." I said bitterly.

"Well, jeez, Amu, I guess...that justifies everything." Utau's eyes found the ground. "I know what it's like to have a sibling that despises you."

"Ikuto..?"

"After our father left, there was a series of tragedies in our families that culminated in the death of one of our friends, also a demon fighter. It was my fault."

Emotions washed over me at the sound of her words. On a whim, I pulled Utau into a fierce hug. "I know, all too well, that guilt."

"What are you-Amu, get off me-"

I pulled away at her confusion. "Sorry. But you and Ikuto get along now, right?"

"Eventually, he forgave me, but things have never been the same." Utau turned away, sniffling slightly. She was on the brink of tears.

I nearly laughed. "It's okay to cry, Utau. I've done it far too much already."

Utau smiled sadly. "I guess we're the opposite, huh? You cry to the point where even you can't stand it anymore, and I bottle up my tears until I'm ready to explode."

"I guess."

We stood together in silence. I watched an owl swoop over us. It circled over and over, around and around. After circling countless times, it caught sight of something-or-other and dove.

"...Hey, Amu, what'll we do after this? I mean, we can't stay hidden forever."

"I don't know. But there's someone I have to save trapped in the capital city's dungeons. I'll probably direct you to another, equally undefended home so you can get back. I have a mission of my own." Even I spoke, I was deciding my future. The dream from minutes ago was enough to make me finally conclude that I could, and would, save Nadeshiko.

Utau chuckled. "You idiot. Did you not hear what Nagihiko said earlier? 'If one goes, we all go.'"

A pair of midnight blue eyes watched the slumped, lonely back of the girl intently from behind a pile of worn gray rocks. The eyes widened slightly as another figure joined her and they began talking, and narrowed into slits as the conversation turned to the owner of these midnight blue eyes-Ikuto.

Ikuto knew very well who was sitting there. Amu, the one he had slapped, and Utau, his sister. And they were talking about the one time he had let his emotions get the better of him.

He hadn't meant to hit Amu. Heck, he hadn't even meant to hurt her. But everything she said just hit home far too much for his liking. He wasn't sure if she was scared of him now, or if Tadase held anger towards him. When Utau found him he had gone home quietly, without a word escaping his lips. All of his questions remained within his mind.

Ikuto stiffened as Amu suddenly drew her sword. But all she did was speak to Utau about her own weakness. And Ikuto found out, crouched behind those boulders, that Amu had been so upset earlier because of what her sister had done. And guilt stabbed him like a thousand knives, each one a reminder as to what he had done.

Amu had only been crying for her own family. He had hit her, spat out disdainful words. She had simply been crying for the lost love of her sister.

But Ikuto was only filled with even more guilt as Utau proceeded to tell Amu of the days so long ago when Ikuto had blamed Utau, distanced himself from her.

He wanted to scream his apologies to Amu and Utau. He wanted to run down to them and promise that he would never do such things again. But his pride, the pride that always seemed to be the one to stop him, was holding him back.

So many things went unsaid that night, and those words which were never spoken would tear people apart someday...

So there you have it. Do you like the third person bits, like the Ikuto just now, in italics or regular? I tried regular today but I don't know if italics is better.

ReachForTheSky is out.