Author's Note: I told you I would supply another chapter! I'm excited about this one~

Rating: T

Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!

Chapter 36: Aries's Song

Hotaru reaches the top, her shoulder heaving with each intake of air. It had taken awhile, but she had finally reached the top. Her eyes are quick to land one the one she was searching for, already dashing forward a bit more.

"Ikuto!"

Kazuomi notes her solitude, a chuckle escaping past his lips.

"I've been expecting you, though I thought you would've brought more with you. No matter..."

He snaps his fingers.

"Let's play."

Yoru floats to Hotaru's side, his voice quick to point out their goal.

"Hotaru-chan! That's it! The violin! If you take it away-"

Before he can finish, the violin begins to morph, Hotaru gasping as it trasnforms into the scythe that Hotaru had seen Ikuto with before. She takes a step back warily just as Ikuto raises the blade.

"Dark Night Storm!"

Hotaru's eyes widen as she quickly transforms with Lily, her outfit now that of a trapeze artist, a ribbon floating around her arms.

"Ikuto! Stop this, please!"

He swings at her once more, Kia and Yoru floating back. Hotaru raises a flower defense only to be knocked back, her body raking with pain. She lifts herself up a bit, fear in her eyes.

"Ikuto, please! Using your powers like this is wrong! Don't let him control you!"

He towers over her, his scythe raised high, gleaming in the moonlight.

"Ikuto-kun..."

Ikuto's ears twitch, his movements seeming to halt at her words. Hotaru feels her heart swell up.

"Ikuto-kun, please-"

She's cut off though as the tuning fork is sounded once more, Kazuomi yelling at Ikuto.

"Finish her off!"

Ikuto's body shakes, an inner turmoil going on within before her begins to swing the blade down. Hotaru raises her arms to defend herself when she hears a noise sound out. Opening her eyes, she notices Amu standing before her.

"Amu-chan..."

Amu does her best to push him back only to get knocked back herself, her rod flying out of her hands. Hotaru begins to rush to her side, Ikuto's speed surpassing her own.

"Ikuto, no!"

Another clang fills the air, Tadase guarding Amu with diligence. Amu is in awe at the sight, Tadase seeming so knightly now.

"Ikuto-onii-san..."

Tadase's eyebrows furrow with guilt, hating how Ikuto wasn't himself.

"You're weak now, please realize this...I know you're being controlled."

He takes a step forward, his glare growing in intensity.

"But if you hurt her...then we must fight!"

As they shout this, Tadase's scepter shifts, a sword now pressed against Ikuto's scythe. Hotaru was in shock at the sight, Amu blushing greatly as Tadase pushes Ikuto back, sword armed and ready. The two begin to duel, the sounds of their blades clashing
resonating through the air. Amu reaches Hotaru's side, her eyes filled with guilt.

"Why must they fight? They don't hate each other, yet..."

Amu's chara, Miki appears, her voice filling the air.

"That's probably because they're boys."

Hotaru and Amu turn to the artist, both in shock.

"From the start, Ikuto didn't want to invovle his most important person."

Hotaru's heart clenches tightly.

"And Tadase wanted to protect his most important person."

Amu's eyes widen.

"They don't want to fight, but there's a time when they must."

'Oh...'

Hotaru's hands come up to her face, not wanting to believe that this was happening.

'Am I really so useless?'

Kazuomi's laughter fills the air at the sight.

"Hahahahaha! Isn't that what men do? If Ikuto continues to fight, the dark energy will increase, and then..."

He chuckles to himself, his mind already planning out the next move.

"...then Hinamori Amu will purify the eggs and the embryo will show itself."

Hotarus' eyes fill with tears. Her hands clench the Dumpty key tightly, holding it to herself.

"Why does it have to be this way?"

"Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru's eyes open, a light emitting from the key, images filling her head. A small Ikuto is crying to himself, Hotaru's arms wanting to reach out and hold him. Hotaru's heart seems lighter, her head turning to Amu, the lock glowing as well.

"Maybe there's way..."

"...that only we can fight."

She smiles lightly, placing the key into the lock and turning it, a loud click seeming to cut through the air. The light begins to glow brighter, Kazuomi shielding himsef. By the time Hotaru manages to open her eyes, she finds herself floating in a bubble. She
looks around only to find herself alone.

"W-what is this?"

Kia and Lily's voice fill her head at her question.

"We're floating in the light's current. The energy from the key and lock is flooding out."

"W-where is everyone else?"

"They're probably floating in a different part of the current."

Hotaru nods her head when her eyes note something.

'The image from before...It's Ikuto...'

She leans against the edge of the bubble as the scene plays out before her. A young Ikuto walks up to a small Utau, said girl swinging her feet back and forth. Utau seems to light up at the sight of him only to remember why they were where they were.

"They said we can't sleep with mother tonight. Her health is getting worse, so we can't see her either."

'What's happening...?'

Utau begins to wail, yelling how she wanted to see her mother and how she was upset about their father disappearing. A few passing patients and nurses stare at the scene, Ikuto going to his knee and taking Utau's hand.

"Utau, don't cry. Kids like us don't cry. If we cry, people will sympathize us."

Utau seems a bit confused at the word, but takes Ikuto's words to heart. Hotaru squints as another light fills the air, the scene changing to one with Tadase now.

"Pity them, Tadase..."

Hotaru notes how Ikuto and Utau's face become stoic at the words, her hand clutching her chest.

"Are these...Ikuto's memories...?"

Another scene appears, this one of Tsukasa and Ikuto sitting together. Tsukasa's voice is the first to speak.

"You're not pitiful at all."

Ikuto seems shocked by his words, Tsukasa smiling brightly.

"Look at it this way. Everyone, at some time in their lives, has to leave their parents and become independent. It could happen early in life, or later."

The words resonate with Hotaru, her eyes wide in shock. A few more scenes play out, one of Ikuto finding his egg for the first time and another of him and Tsukasa.

"Hey! Ikuto!"

He hands Ikuto a violin case, the size a bit big for the boy.

"Your father's violin..."

He hands it to him, Ikuto struggling to hold it up a bit.

"I got it from your mother in the hospital. I'm sure your father would have wanted you to have it."

At his words, Ikuto glowers, pouting slightly.

"I don't care what my father wants. He made mother and Utau unhappy..."

Tsukasa ponders his words before patting his head.

"What is 'Happiness'? What is 'Unhappiness'?"

Ikuto averts his eyes.

"I don't know..."

Another scene shift, Hotaru's eyes widening at this one. Ikuto is playing his violin for Utau and Tadase, a smile on his face as they enjoy themselves when another voice fills the air. He turns his head, noticing a bit of lavender hair behind a bush. He smiles, beginning to walk over slowly, Utau and Tadase following quietly behind. It's as he finishes does the girl finish as well, his heart seeming to swell at the sound.

'So beautiful...'

A young Hotaru turns in shock at the sound of clapping, obviously flustered from having been found out.

"Oh miss, that was so pwetty!"

The young girl looks about, nervous and unsure of what to say when her gaze turns to Ikuto once more.

"Yes, your voice is very beautiful."

Both young and present Hotaru blush at his words, Hotaru smiling to herself.

"Even then he had a way with words."

Lily nods her head at Kia's words. Hotaru watches as her younger self smiles, Ikuto's blush now apparent to her as she watches the memory.

'H-He blushed...?'

The young Tadase grabs Hotaru's hand, eager to have her join their group.

"Would you swing us another swong?"

Utau grabs her other hand.

"Pwease?"

Hotaru smiles warmly as the younger two have Ikuto convince her to sing with them once more. She watches them go on like this when hears Ikuto's thoughts.

'Is this happiness?'

Another shift, now of Tsukasa and Ikuto in another place.

"This must've been when Ikuto disappeared from Tadase and Utau."

She laughs at the scene, Ikuto scolding Tsukasa for losing his money and wallet. As the scene unfolds, Ikuto plays to earn them money, people praising his sound until they finally have enough to live on for awhile. Hotaru sweat drops, sighing.

"What kind of man is Tsukasa-san?"

An old woman approaches Ikuto in another image, handing him a portrait of herself with her father in a shop of sorts. She listens as Tsukasa explains how his father helped the shop make money and make people happy. She can't help but tear up a bit as
the young Ikuto begins to cry.

"Father's violin...doesn't make people unhappy..."

Tsukasa wraps an arm around his shoulders, comforting him.

"You were always holding onto your pain and tears all alone. It's alright now..."

"Because you're free!"

Ikuto looks up in shock, a newborn Yoru floating before him. It seems before anything can be said though, a pair of men in suits and shades appear, their presence ominous.

"We finally found you Ikuto Tsukiyomi."

She watches as Tsukasa explains his reasoning for taking Ikuto, the men revealing that his mother had remarried and Ikuto's shock at the turn of events.

"No..."

But just as quickly as it was shown, does it vanish, the light now blinding as it begins to swirl.

"What's going on?"

"The energy is overflowing!"

Images begin to appear one after another from Ikuto's past. Scenes of his mother depressed, of his new father, of Utau's departure from their home...She winces as scenes begin to appear from Ikuto's missions.

"All other eggs are useless! Get me the embryo!"

"Someone's egg...was broken...Someone was hurt and he accepted it..."

'Ikuto's pain...'

Hotaru's eyes widen in realization.

"No...Ikuto's would-be self is different. The thing that Ikuto really wants..."

As she says this, images of when they met in high school appears and she notices something she didn't before. Each scene where he's with her, when her back is turned, he's smiling. More images appear, shock overcoming her as she sees herself helping
take heart eggs.

"Is that what I was...?"

She shakes her head, pain overwhelming her.

"That's not my song!"

Hotaru suddenly feels herself falling before seeing an all too familiar scene. Amu is watching them carefully as Ikuto plays his violin, Hotaru singing alongside him.

"That's right...My song..."

A tear falls down her cheek, the egg around her neck bouncing wildly.

"I want him to hear my song still..."

At her words, the egg opens, Hotaru's body enveloped in a warm light.

Amu is looking about herself, her transformation now that of Amulet Diamond. She had found her own answer for wanting to shine, a smile on her face at the realization. Ikuto charges towards her, an attack directed towards her. She quickly raises a shield as Tadase notices an orb of light.

"What is...?"

Just as Amu deflects the attack, a voice fills the air, everyone coming to a halt. Kazuomi looks around, his gaze set in a glare.

"Where is that coming from?"

The ball of light disperses, Hotaru standing there quietly, her hair cascading down her back in two loose pigtails, both held by a red orb. Her ears are replaced with fins, a swimsuit like top appearing, clear fabric appearing underneath. On her waist is a skirt held on the left side, sandals tied up mid-calf. The glow around her fades after awhile, her eyes slowly opening.

'Unlock my heart?'

Tadase's eyes widen in shock, Amu's head turning as well, the sight taking her breath away.

"Hotaru...chan...?"

Ikuto is still, his mind a bit confused as Kazuomi growls in anger. He taps the tuning fork once more, his voice heeding a command.

"Attack her!"

Ikuto begins to dash forward, his blade raised high. Hotaru watches calmly though, her eyes soft before closing them and beginning to sing a song. The melody fills the air, the tune one of hope and love. Ikuto halts, the light emanating from Hotaru strong yet
warm.

'All I've ever wanted was for my voice...my song...to be heard...'

She smiles to herself, her voice yelling an attack.

"Ocean Melody!"

A veil of water seems to surround them, Hotaru's body moving on it's own.

'I want my feelings to reach you...'

Her arms stretch out only to engulf a startled Ikuto close to herself.

'...Ikuto-kun.'

Hotaru can't help the tears streaming from her eyes, Ikuto's own widened in shock at the warm body close to his.

"Ikuto-kun...Ikuto..."

She hides her face in the crook of his neck.

"Your pain, your pride...everything...I'll hold it close. Even if you have to fight...I understand..."

[I see. That is the meaning of your song.]

Kazuomi is watching from afar, his arm up to shield his eyes somewhat.

"What's going on? The light swallowed them up! What the hell is this radiance?"

Amu smiles as the light seems to wrap around her as well, all four of her chara glowing.

'Character Transform! Amulet Fortune!'

As the light fades, Amu is now in the gown of a bride, an amulet in her hair with all the colors of her chara.

"What's happening? A transformation with 4 Charas...?"

She gazes up, smiling happily as Ikuto and Hotaru finally appear. Ikuto is in awe at his new attire, his clothes that of a pirate despite the cat ears.

"What? What is this...?"

Yoru's voice sounds in his head, happiness filling each word.

[Ikutooo! You're finally back to your old self!]

"Then this is a transformation with you, but..."

'I see. There was a different egg inside myself. It feels somewhat...'

"...nostalgic, doesn't it?"

It's then Ikuto's attention turns to the form in his arms, tears spilling down Hotaru's cheeks. One hand behind her back, another under her knees, Hotaru's own are wrapped around his neck.

"Welcome back, Ikuto-kun."

As she says this, Ikuto recalls the memory that Hotaru had watched earlier, the song triggering his memory. Before he can say anything, Kazuomi yells from below, his anger growing with each second.

"What's this? Ikuto! Can't you hear me?"

He grimaces, throwing down the tuning fork in anger.

"Shit!"

[Amu-chan, we can't hold this transformation long. We need to hurry!]

Amu nods her head in agreement, Ikuto and Hotaru finally reaching the ground. Hotaru gasps as she settles herself down.

"The X-eggs! They're combining together?"

Just as she says, the X-eggs begin to swirve and form into a giant image, before forming into an X-character. A loud sound fills the air, Hotaru wincing at the vibrations running through the tower.

"What a sad sound...!"

'It's crying...?'

Tadase steps forward, his lips moving with his explanation.

"That overwhelming sadness. It feeds into the energy one by one. How much will it be...?"

As he finishes his sentence, tears begin to stream from Hotaru's eyes, her hands coming up to touch her cheeks in shock.

"What's happening...? Why am I...?"

Amu and Tadase are shocked as well, tears streaming from their eyes as well.

"That sound is opening up our locked sad memories..."

Kazuomi has a hand clutched to his chest, his eyebrows furrowed in pain.

"What's this pain in my chest..? Why did I remember that at a time like this?"

Amu is in shock as Hotaru reaches her side.

"Amu-chan!"

"It's swallowing everyone's sadness. We have to stop it!"

The giant X-character begins to swipe at them, Tadase and Ikuto quick to swoop in. Both girls blush at the contact, Ikuto's smirk in place as usual.

"Yo Siren."

"I-Ikuto...!"

He stops, staring at her patiently. Hotaru feels a bit of anger rise.

"Is this really a time for this? And why are you carrying me?"

"You didn't mind earlier."

Hotaru blushes deeply.

"That's because I was too happy to have you back to your normal self. I was so glad to know that my song reached you."

Ikuto's smile turns soft, Hotaru's heart racing even more. He gently places her down, Hotaru now missing his touch.

"Ah...That's why."

He leans closer towards her, confidence dripping from his being.

"This time. I'll be the one to protect you."

Hotaru blinks in shock, her heart poudning in her chest. Amu and Tadase rush towards them, Tadase blocking an attack with his saber.

"You're late Tadase."

"Ikuto-nii-san! That giant chara's body is made up of X-eggs. First we cut it and stop it from moving."

Ikuto turns his head to Tadase, his smirk intact.

"We feel the same way, don't we?"

Tadase returns the expression.

"Right!"

Both of the guys turn to Hotaru and Amu, Hotaru glancing at Amu as well.

"Amu-chan! We'll support you!"

"You two do what you gotta do!"

Hotaru speaks softly, placing a gentle hand on Amu's shoulder.

"We're right behind you."

Amu nods her head, preparing herself for an attack. Hotaru begins to sing another song, the chara yelling louder at the sound as it stops moving.

'Even if I avert my eyes, even if I pretend it's not there, the world will always be full of conflict and sadness...but...'

Amu raises her hand into a heart symbol above her lock, as Ikuto and Tadase prepare for a final attack.

'...we can face our sadness!'

"Open heart! Full bloom!"

As she yells out her attack, a giant light fills the sky, taking the form of a heart as the eggs begin to return to their original selves, the darkness fading away from each one. Hotaru smiles brightly at the light around them, the chara even smiling before fading away.

"The eggs are returning to normal."

"Look!"

Hotaru raises her head as the others do, one egg standing out above the rest.

"The embryo..!"

Before anyone can move though, a hand shoots out, an evil grin appearing on the owner's face.

"Ha ha ha ha! I finally have it!"

Hotaru gasps.

"Director Hoshina!"

Author's Note: That one took longer than expected, but I do love the final result~ Oh! For those who asked, yes I'm fine. Luckily when I was robbed, I wasn't home, though it was disheartening since my laptop had written and drawn work that I had yet to finish (A few chapters of this included.) ^^;

I will do my best to get the next chapter out soon. Until then~