Disclaimer:
Disclaimer:
Me: I don't like mornings…
Kukai: Especially when you spent the night playing flute and dancing with a devilishly handsome guy!
Me: Who?
Kukai: -sigh- She doesn't own Shugo Chara.
Chapter Twenty-Five: Slight Hangovers, Polar Bear Swims, and X-Eggs. Again.
The next morning, July 31, most people woke up at around 7:00 AM or so to watch the sunrise. Except for Erica, Amu, Laura, Kukai and Kairi. Ikuto was still nowhere to be seen.
"Why am I awake?" Erica mumbled, pulling on her hoodies as she left the bunky, Jaya floating alongside her, with the other three eggs in her pocket.
"G'morning." She mumbled to everyone as she filled up a mug of hot chocolate, as a round of greetings sounded in her ears.
"Ohyaho!"
"Good Morning Erica-chan!"
"Hey buddy!"
"Morning Ricky!"
"Hey guys. Hey Laura. Morning Mia, Bala." Erica replied, and said hello to Laura who had followed her in.
"Meh. Hello." Laura said as she too helped herself to hot chocolate.
"You awake yet Rica?" Kukai came up from the basement, in his green sweatpants and white tee shirt, gave her a quick shoulder hug, then noogied her. The whole time, her morning scowl was plastered on her face.
"Erica, at least attempt to be pleasant in the morning." Ron nodded at her from behind his paper. Bryan had come over and was leaning over his father to see the comics.
"I can try, but I'm too tired." She told her father, pouring some more milk into her mug.
"C'mon! You can't be that tired! How late were we?" Kukai whispered, looking at her tired eyes.
"We came back around 4:30." She replied, closing her eyes for a moment.
"I know how we can wake up!" Billy came over from the pullout couch he was folding up. Laura's face creased into a frown, knowing what he was going to suggest.
"A POLAR BEAR SWIM!" Billy yelled, causing Utau to smack him gently on the head.
"Fine, fine. I'm getting changed. What time is it anyways?" Erica said finishing her hot chocolate, and looking around for a clock.
"It's almost 9:00 Erica-san." Tadase told her from his position on the stairs, reading something, going over some parts again and again.
"C'mon let's go." Laura waved the girls out the door.
"But, but our apple cider just finished, and we're just starting it!" Jill protested as Amu stood beside her, nodding.
"Bring it with you." Rima stated, as Kusu-Kusu giggled, and poked Temari who sent her a death glare.
10 minutes later, the boys were waiting on the rocky beach, towels in hand, trunks on, and the parents lounging on folding chairs. Ikuto had shown up, and he was wearing, predictably, navy blue trunks, although they had white Hawaiian flowers on them. Tadase had on red trunks, with white lines running down the sides, while Kairi's trunks were black. Nageshiko had on yellow trunks, and Kukai was wearing a wetsuit, suited for surfing. Billy had on a similar wetsuit, and Bryan was wearing Hawaiian patterned trunks.
"Where are they? It's taking the commoners so long to get here!" Kiseki complained, in his purple, red, and white and black spotted trunks. Daichi nodded his agreement, in his teal star-patterned trunks. Musashi wasn't going swimming, so he was dressed the same, alongside Ichigo.
"For the first time nya, I agree with Kingy over there! Nya!" Yoru laughed, in his silver trunks. "I can't wait to see my Miki in a swimsuit nya! So kawaii nya!" he continued, still laughing.
"YOUR MIKI? I BELIEVE THAT SHE IS NO ONES, AND IF SHE IS TO BE ANYONE'S SHE'LL BE, oh, Ohyaho Miki, I mean, commoner." Kiseki turned on Yoru and began yelling, when a familiar blue haired Chara, in a one-piece blue bathing suit with a paint pallet on the front floated over, and both boys stopped, and stared, then blushed.
"You're right. I am no one's. If I'm to be anyone's, who am I to belong to?" she asked, a dangerous look on her face.
"Boys giving you trouble Miks?" Hallie asked quietly, her black hair flowing gently in the breeze, Noru beside her. Hallie was wearing a black bikini, with red chilli peppers patterned all over it. Noru's was similar, except hers was a tankini and had paw prints instead of chilli peppers. They both glowered at Yoru and Kiseki, who paled.
"Erm, no problems!" they both chorused, and Hallie smiled satisfactorily, and floated over to Erica.
The girls had arrived in the midst of the random fighting of the boys. Amu was wearing a black and red, almost plaid, bikini. Her hair was up in the normal side ponytail on the top of her head, with an X clip of course! Ran was wearing goggles, and a redish pink one piece with a white cross-thing on it. Suu had a simple green one piece and was wearing a white mob cap/swim cap thing. Nadeshiko had a purple one piece, and Temari wasn't swimming. Rima had a cute white tankini, with lots of multicoloured polka dots, and her favourite big sunglasses. Kusu-Kusu had on an orange one-piece with the same pattern as her usual costume. Her hat had been replaced with a swim cap, which matched the same pattern.
"Are we going in or not?" Laura asked, striking an impatient pose in her blue swim trunks, and yellow bikini top. Mia had a pink bikini on, and Bala was wearing a black and white chequered one piece. Her hat remained.
"Yeah, gimme a minute." Erica replied digging through her bag. She was wearing a white bikini top, with one side teal, brown and white chequered, and the other had a flower on it, with the same colors. She was also wearing brown short swim shorts, with teal and white plaid on it. Jaya was wearing a green one piece, with an X back, and her witch hat and wand. Kellie had on a modest tankini, in pink and brown, and Melody had the same thing as Laura, except in all blue.
"YAYA WANTS TO SWIM!" Yaya came bounding in and jumped on her cousin Kukai's back. He grunted as her 12-year-old frame attached itself to his body. Yaya was wearing a pink two-piece. The top was a bikini top, with frills, and the bottom was like a skort, with frills.
"Aagh! Yuiki, gerroffme!" he grunted, and was about to throw her when Laura stopped him.
"We're having a polar bear swim bako." Laura said, using one of the only Japanese words she knew. "We all go in together." She finished, grabbing Kairi's hand.
"Not going in with out us, I hope." Ikuto stated, taking Amu's hand, as Utau, in her purple bikini, took his other one. Jill, in her orange and yellow tankini, took Utau's hand, and Kairi took her hand, and Laura on his other hand, Erica on her other hand, then Kukai, Bryan and Billy. On Amu's other side was Tadase, and everyone else.
"ONE!"
"TWO!"
"THREE!!" they all yelled, and ran into the lake. Pulling each other under, laughing in the freezing cold water.
"BRRR! IZZA COLDA!" Laura yelled, jumping into her boyfriend's arms. The two of them looked at each other, blushed, and laughed as he set her down, and she splashed water into his face. Soon, it was an all-out splash fest!
"GOTCHA!" Kukai yelled, picking up Erica, and swinging her around in circles across his shoulders!
"LET ME DOWN!" she laughed giggling, and attempted to splash water at him.
"Alright…" he said mysteriously, and threw her into the deeper end. When she didn't surface, he grew worried. Swimming over, he dove into the water, and opened his eyes to the murky waters. He didn't see her anywhere.
"WHERE'S!" he began yelling, when he came up for air, when he saw Erica's head pop up in front of him, laughing.
"Not funny." He growled slightly.
"Oh relax." She replied and flung more water in his face, then dumped mud on his hair.
"CHICKEN FIGHT!" Laura yelled, climbing onto Kairi's shoulders.
"Musashi, help!" Kairi whispered, and they Chara Changed, no sword, but extreme strength, mental and physical.
"It's on!" Kukai yelled, and hoisted Erica onto his shoulders.
"Eh?" she replied, when faced with the teams of Ikuto and Utau, Tadase and Amu, Nageshiko and Rima, and Yaya and Bryan.
"Amu-chan! Show your inner shine!" a voice whispered from the beach.
"Okay! FIGHT ON!"
"What?" Amu said, looking around for the voice. To her great surprise, a yellow egg was flying straight towards her.
"Fight on, fight on! USELESS! USELESS! USELESS!" something yelled from above them.
"Where'd the sun go?" Bryan asked, while he punched at Ikuto, uselessly.
"X-EGGS!" the Chara's chorused.
"Amu-chan! Show them how you shine!" Dia said as she popped out of her egg. Everyone gasped, it was Dia!
"Amu-chan! Shine on!" she said, and pointed to the Humpty Lock resting on Amu's collarbone.
"Right!" she replied.
"MY OWN HEART! UNLOCK!" everyone yelled.
"Chara Nari:"
"Platinum Royal!"
"Chara Change, Temari!"
"Sky Jack!"
"Dear Baby!"
"Black Lynx!"
"Amulet Dia!"
"Chilli Pepper!"
"Seraphic Charm!"
"Split Jester!"
"Samurai Soul!"
"Clown Drop!"
"Chara Change, Ichigo!"
"AND TOGETHER WE ARE: GUARDIAN TWELVE!" they all yelled, in a triangle formation, with Amu and Erica as the point.
"What is this?" Erica asked, looking at Amu, who shone in all her yellow, superstar glory.
"Originally, it was Guardian Five, now, it's Guardian Twelve, since there's twelve of us." She replied, enjoying the feeling of Dia's Chara Nari.
"Besides, I love doing this!" Kukai added.
"LET'S GO!" they yelled, much to the flabbergastation of siblings and parents.
"Tadase, protect them!" Erica yelled, as she flew up with the sword to encircle the eggs.
"PEPPER STREAK!" she yelled, flying in a circle, binding the X-Eggs together.
"NO WAY!" the X-Eggs yelled together, banding together into something.
"What is this?" Kellie asked above the chaos, watching the eggs form some sort of grotesque monster thing.
"ROAAR!" it yelled, breaking the bonds, and sending Erica flying.
"Gotcha!" Kukai caught her, and set her upright on the board.
"Thanks Souma!" she yelled and jumped off, throwing the sword first, then hopping on it like his board.
"STARLIGHT, NAVIGATION!" Amu yelled, sending the beam at the X-Eggs, trapping them in the beam, and holding them together.
"ANGEL'S, CRADLE!" Utau began the song, sending the X-Eggs to sleep.
"ESCAPE!" half the eggs somehow managed to escape, and were making a dive for the Holy Crown that protected the families.
"What is going on? Tadase, I demand an, AHHHHH!" Sherry began asking him, when the X-Egg broke the seal, and sent Tadase flying! Soon, more eggs were arriving, and were attacking the family.
"Holy, cro.." Tadase tried lifting his arm to raise the staff, but couldn't. He noticed blood coming out of his arm.
"TADASE-KUN!" Amu yelled, and tried to go, but Utau stopped her.
"Amu, you have to stop the X-Eggs!"
"Right." Amu replied, a small tear escaping her eye.
"Slash Claw!" Ikuto destroyed a few X-Eggs in his way, as he fought to find Laura.
"LAURA! You have to help, SLASH CLAW! Purify these X-Eggs!" he yelled, eying another group that were attempting to attack him. They flew off to join the other eggs, creating a larger monster.
"Right! Can you get me up higher?" she asked, extending her Black arm. He grabbed her wordlessly, and jumped up to the tops of the trees.
Amu watched them, a little bit jealously. Wasn't she the one that Ikuto usually carried? Reverting her attention back to the eggs, she watched them form a monster. It greatly resembled a Batman villain, Clayface.
"INAZUMA BLADE!" Kairi went headfirst and attacked the Eggface. It shattered, and most of the eggs broke. Now they were dealing with several smaller Eggfaces.
"WHITE JESTER!" Laura yelled from Ikuto's grasp, and shot the white beam from her glove, purifying two of the Eggfaces.
"AMU! STOP THAT, I'll GET IT! PEPPER STREAK!" Erica surrounded the larger Eggface with the red beam
"GOLDEN VICTORY, SHOOT!" Kukai yelled, sending the glowing yellow ball at it, breaking the Eggface into smaller eggs.
"JUGGLING, PARTY!" Rima sent the juggling pins and broke a few more eggs.
"ANGEL'S CRADLE!"
"WHITE JESTER!"
"NEGATIVE HEART, LOCK ON!"
"OPEN HEART!"
Together, the three girls, Utau, Laura, and Amu all purified the remaining X-Eggs. As soon as the last one had flown out of sight, Amu flew over to Tadase's still body.
"He's still breathing." Kairi whispered, after having checked his vitals.
"Why, why Tadase-kun? I still like you, a lot, why are you hurt?" Amu cried over his unconscious body, and came out of the transformation. Dia was surrounded by Charas, and was being introduced to everyone.
"Suu, please, help me." Amu said, transforming into Amulet Clover.
"Make this boy as good as new, clean his wounds, and help him breathe." She whispered into the whisk, as she used Remake Honey on him.
"What, what happened?" he woke with a start, the first thing his eyes registered was Amu's tearstained face looking hopefully into his red eyes.
"Hinamori-san?" he whispered, as she hugged him close.
"I thought you'd died!"
"I didn't though, it's okay, I'm fine." He whispered into her ear.
"Tadase-kun!" she cried into his shoulder.
"Hinamori-san, I, I have something to tell you." At this, Kairi recognized what was going to happen, and began shooing everyone away from them, at sword point.
"Amu-chan, I've actually liked you for a really long time. When I told you I like Amulet Heat, it was because I was too shy to tell you that I liked you! Not only your outside character, but you, everything about you! So I'm asking you, will you do me the honor of becoming my girlfriend?" he asked, red eyes meeting gold.
"I never thought you'd ask!" she replied, flinging her arms around him once more. At that, applause sounded.
"FINALLY! SUPER COOLANDOSPICY PLAN C IS COMPLETE!" Yaya was jumping for joy, smiling and laughing for all her worth.
"Eavesdropper." Amu mumbled into her new boyfriend's ear.
"Aww, they're so cute together!" Erica commented to her Charas, and Kukai and Daichi.
"May we ask what that was all about?" Ron came storming over, with the other parents behind him.
"Mom, Dad, did you see them! They were fighting invisible things, and it happened before too, at King Park!" Bryan told them the story of King Park, including Laura's crazy Black side.
"It was so cool!" he finished.
"Erica, what is this? Why do you have a wand…?" Her mother looked at her oddly, and Erica's sad face.
"Sorry everyone. OBLIVIATE!" she pointed her wand at them, concentrating on clearing their memories of all the transformations, and fighting.
"Who are you?" Sherry looked at them all with a blank face.
"Oops!" Erica replied, and began steering them all back to the cottage.
AHAHAHAHA! GOOD TIMES! Now, announcing the winner of the poll: FRUITS BASKET WITH 42! So the next chapter, few chapters actually, will feature the Fruits Basket characters! Thanks for voting! Don't forget to enter the contest, and also, vote on the new poll! THANKS! AlSO: thank you to wildcats3334 and QueenofImagination of dA for their help!