I'm so sorry about my delayed update. My Internet has been being awful, so I haven't been able to actually do anything online. At least I am done with school, so I can have time to write more and hopefully bring my laptop in to get in fixed...again... Anyhow, thanks so much for your reviews, and keep it up! Enjoy chapter 2 of Renaissance! I even gave you all a super long chapter to compensate ^^.
"Where are we going?" Amu asked, following the greenette through the vast meadow. Arisa giggled, clutching Amu's hand tightly.
"It's a surprise!" Arisa reminded Amu. "Aren't you excited? I think you're going to love it!"
"But I'm impatient!" Amu whined, half-dragged by the little girl. "I can't stand surprises. I just want to see what this is."
"You're going to love it! I know you well, Amu-Chan; this is going to be perfect."
"But-"
"We're almost here! Amu-Chan, close your eyes."
"Eh?!"
"Do you trust me?" Amu paused, looking at the petite girl. Her emerald eyes were practically grinning by themselves. She cocked her head to the side, clearly jovially hopeful. Something seemed so familiar about the situation. An image flashed her mind. She could imagine the picture of a small girl, similar in age and height to Arisa, with brown pigtails and brown eyes, her eyes yearning for pleasure like Arisa's. Amu shook the thought off; she could not place where the picture had come from.
"Of course I trust you," Amu told her solemnly. Arisa grinned. Amu closed her eyes, and allowed Arisa to guide her, becoming her eyes.
"We're here! You can look now!" Amu opened her eyes, immediately widening them. A huge mansion filled her gaze. The building was huge, probably four or five stories. It was white and glowed slightly under the ebullient sun. The roof was red, almost ruby red like… Amu could not figure out how the red roof looked familiar, but she found it beautiful regardless.
"This is…"
"Do you like it?" Arisa's expression was hopeful. Amu turned to her, a huge smile forming on her face.
"Like? I love it! This is…this is amazing. You did this for me?"
"Well… to be honest, I thought it would be for us, rather than just you. I want us to be best friends and-"
"There is nothing I would like more than that!" Amu hugged her tightly. "Thank you so much, Arisa! I know we'll be best friends. Best friends forever."
"Forever…"
As Amu opened her eyes, she was immediately greeted with the color white, similar to the mansion. She blinked a few times, suddenly realizing she was in a new environment. No longer was she in a vast field; in fact, she found herself contained in an unfamiliar room.
"Ah, you're awake." Amu turned, facing a woman wearing a blue outfit. She wore glasses and was wearing gloves. "We have been anticipating your consciousness for a while now. How do you feel?" Amu stared at the figure briefly, puzzled. She was certain she had never seen that person before.
"A-A bit lightheaded…" Amu admitted. "Where am I?"
"Do you remember what happened?" What happened? Amu glanced down, realizing she was lying in a bed. Last she remembered, she was running around giddily with Arisa, laughing and playing and swearing to be her best friend forever…
"Forever…" Amu whispered.
"Hm?"
"Ah, uh, nothing. Um… I don't remember, sorry," She lied.
"You had passed out." Passed out? Amu had no recollection of that. "Your friend had been with you. Apparently, you exhibited a sense of memory loss and had no memory of him, despite him claiming that you two were very close. Once you passed out, he called an ambulance, and now you are here, at the hospital." The hospital, of course. She suddenly realized that the person talking to her was a doctor. "Do you remember your name?"
"Amu…Hinamori," She began slowly. The doctor jotted notes.
"Tell me more about yourself that you remember." Amu leaned back into her pillows.
"I'm sixteen-years-old, and my birthday is September 27th," Amu continued, facts coming to her. "I will be entering my senior year of high school in September. Um…"
"Your family? Friends?" Family and friends? What of that mattered, when she had Arisa? Arisa… Arisa was all that mattered.
"My mother is Midori, my father is Tsumugu, and my little sister is Ami. I have a group of friends and we call ourselves the guardians, since we used to be guardians at our elementary school as the student council. There's Nagihiko, Tadase, Yaya, and Kukai. And there's also Ikuto and Utau, but they left about six months ago to look for their father. And there's…" Amu stopped herself quickly. They didn't matter.
"And?" The doctor pressed on Amu took a deep breath.
"The two people who betrayed us; they're-"
"Amu-Chi, you're awake!" Amu turned, watching as Yaya entered the room with Kukai right behind her. She smiled at them, but then stopped. Why did they matter? They weren't Arisa, and Arisa swore to be with Amu forever. She couldn't trust them, not after what had happened just one month prior. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her four charas—Ran, Miki, Su, and Dia—floating up, smiling cheerily.
"Yaya, Kukai," Amu greeted. Yaya ran over to her, embracing her tightly.
"We've been so worried!" Kukai exclaimed. "After your date with Tadase went wrong, we thought you had amnesia or something." Amu laughed half-heartedly.
"I honestly don't remember any of that. Ah, no pun intended," Amu lied. Now she remembered; she remembered seeing Arisa in the midst of the restaurant. She had been on a date with Tadase, but none of that mattered. She didn't care about impressing him anymore; she didn't care about her pathetic love triangle.
"Well, that's weird!" Kukai walked beside her, ruffling her hair. Amu flinched slightly. The contact made her uncomfortable. There was only one person she could truly trust in the world, and that was Arisa. "I'm glad you're okay, Hinamori."
"Yeah…same…" She began. She smiled slightly.
"Amu-Chan!" She turned, facing the doorway to her bedroom. She was not too surprised to find the last two remaining guardians standing there. That was the guardians after all; they always came when they needed to be there. They always came together for everyone else. Perhaps that was why it didn't work out with the other two—neither quite expressed the same compassion as the others.
But Amu did not care about those two. They had betrayed her, sure, but it meant nothing. None of the guardians meant anything to her. But they couldn't know that; she had to pretend that they were her best friends. Her supposed friends and Arisa were not meant to cross paths.
"Nagi, Tadase-Kun," Amu greeted. Tadase studied her, his ruby-colored eyes fixated on her image. As she watched him carefully, she could see how distraught he looked. The bags underneath his eyes demonstrated his lack of sleep.
"We've been so worried about you," Nagihiko told her, smiling gently. Amu could see, too, that he was not himself either. Nagihiko was an extremely gifted actor, but something seemed off. He glanced at Tadase briefly, concern etched upon his expression. Tadase seemed to deliberately ignore him.
"Ah, uh…thanks." Amu sat up, brushing some of her hair back. "So, I passed out while we were on a date?"
"Yeah," Tadase affirmed. "You don't remember?"
"No… sorry. I-I hope it was nice before that though," Amu murmured.
"It was," Tadase whispered. His eyes shifted to the ground.
"Hey, uh, are you alright Tadase?" Kukai wondered, turning to the blonde. "You seem really out of it. Yesterday you were freaking out over Amu and now, given that you're girlfriend's awake, you seem awfully…calm." Nagihiko glanced over at Tadase, his eyes filled with warmth and compassion.
"I-I'm…" Tadase gave Nagihiko a look briefly. "Not okay." He glanced at Amu. "I…I'm not so sure you should hear this. You just woke up, and I would not want to bestow you with my problems-"
"Tadase, don't worry about it," Amu whispered, feigning kindness. "I care about you, and if you're going through something, I want to be there for you."
"Well…" His eyes fixated on the tiles on the floor. "My grandmother has passed away." Amu watched him, surprised. She knew how much she had meant to him; she knew how crushed he must be. Nagihiko watched Tadase worriedly, though it was evident that he had already known.
"Holy shit man, I'm so sorry," Kukai whispered softly.
"Tada-Tan, if there's anything we can do, we'll do it," Yaya promised. "You're one of our best friends; we'll always be there for you." She hugged him gently.
"Thank you Yaya… I'll never forget I have you guys." Tadase hugged Yaya back, letting her go quickly. "I do have good news though."
"Tadase…"
"I, um… well, I was desperate and upset, and I called someone I knew I could talk to about this." Nagihiko and Kukai watched Tadase, perplexed.
"Who?" Yaya wondered, walking back beside Kukai.
"Ikuto." His eyes averted from Amu's. Amu knew that she should have had a reaction upon hearing his name. After all, he had left for six months and made that promise to her, once again. Normally, his mere voice captivated her, drawing her in like a magnet. She was so attracted to him, even when her mind longed for Tadase. And yet, she had no emotion upon hearing his name. She should have been dreamy and excited, but she wasn't. She didn't care. It wasn't Arisa; it didn't matter.
"But he's in-"
"Long story short, he's coming home."
"Really?" Nagihiko wondered.
"Wait, I presume that means he's with-"
"Yeah, Utau's coming home too. They both… promised to be there for me," Tadase explained. A huge grin formed on Kukai's face.
"HOLY SHIT, YES!" Kukai clapped his hands together. "God, I missed her so freaking much. We've spoken briefly, but really, she's been super busy with father things. Speaking of which…"
"I didn't get into details regarding them too much," Tadase admitted.
"Of course, I wish circumstances were better, but I'm so excited to see her! I'm going to kiss her so much when she gets back." Nagihiko's eyes drifted to the floor, some of his purple hair covering his eyes.
"Ew! It better be PG!" Yaya whined. Kukai laughed.
"It'll be good for you to see them," Nagihiko reassured Tadase, glancing up at his friend. "It's been so long…"
"Yeah…" Tadase sighed. His eyes darted over to Amu. "I am pleased to see you awake, Amu-Chan. I have been so worried." He reached for her hand, and squeezed it gently. "My grandmother always told me to hold what is dearest to me close. I promise to you Amu-Chan, no matter what happens, I will always be there for you."
"Aw!" Kukai and Yaya exclaimed. Amu watched him, forcing a smile onto her face. Promises. They held no meaning in the end. Ikuto had promised to return, and it had taken him six months to hold true to it. Those two had abandoned Yaya's promise within a week. When given the opportunity, Tadase would abandon his promise too; it was so generic after all. Only one person meant her promise to the fullest, and Amu could believe her entirely. Forever…
"Hey Amu, are you listening?" Amu glanced up, looking at the auburn-haired boy.
"Ah, uh, I was spacing out…" Amu admitted.
"We're going to let you get some rest, 'kay?" Kukai ruffled her hair. "You'll get out of there soon."
"Thanks Kukai."
"Feel better Amu-Chi!"
"Thanks Yaya…" Amu looked at Tadase. She took a deep breath, and prepared herself to act as if she cared. She gave him a reassuring smile.
"Tadase… I'm so sorry for everything. You'll be okay though, I know it," Amu consoled. Tadase gave her a weak smile.
"I appreciate it, Amu-Chan," He whispered. "It brings me great happiness to see you doing well." He leaned closer to her, kissing her gently on the cheek. Amu smiled, though his lips felt foreign. Amu relaxed onto her pillow, hearing the others walk away. She let out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling. She had no desire to be in the hospital bed; she wanted to be with Arisa on the green grass in her new mansion.
"Amu-Chan, you seem distracted," Dia noticed.
"I'm fine," Amu lied, ignoring the continued stares of her four charas. She knew they did not believe her—but she did not really care. Could she even trust them?
"Dia's right." Amu sat up, startled. To her surprise, Nagihiko leaned against the wall, his honey-golden eyes fixated onto her. "You're not okay, Amu-Chan. I know you're acting."
"Acting?" Amu repeated, surprised.
"Your emotions." Nagihiko brushed some of his hair back. "I can tell that your emotions are feigned. When Tadase kissed you… you appeared uncomfortable."
"W-Well, I-I mean he kissed me in front-"
"You can fool the others. They don't understand what it's like necessarily, to conceal what you are truly feeling. They are willing to accept your façade because they do not know how to look for cracks the way I do. They all allow their true selves to radiate. But I can see through your guise." Amu glanced at the ground. What would she tell him? That she didn't give a crap about him anymore because of some little girl in her dream?
"I'm just a little tired and can't focus," Amu lied. Upon seeing Nagihiko let out a sigh and cock an eyebrow, Amu quickly continued. "I can tell you're lying too."
"Hm?" He crossed his arms.
"You seem distant from the others. You're usually so kind and gentle, but right now… something is wrong."
"Amu-Chan, please do not try to bluff," Nagihiko urged. "My feelings have nothing to do with-"
"You're still not over her," Amu realized suddenly. Nagihiko's eyes darkened. He closed his eyes, and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to-"
"No, it's okay. You're right… I'm not," He admitted. "It's been a while, but I just…I can't…" He took a deep breath. "Please tell me what's wrong with you, Amu-Chan." Amu looked at him, her eyes trembling. She contemplated telling him everything. She always trusted him. He was the person she could confide in more than anyone, and she knew, for sure, he would keep her troubles secret.
Forever. The word echoed in her mind and held her back. Arisa was all she needed; Nagihiko meant nothing to her. She did not care about his struggles, nor should he care about hers.
"I need to relax," Amu replied bluntly. Nagihiko looked at her, surprised.
"Amu-Chan-"
"Please, leave," Amu demanded. Nagihiko's eyes widened. "I don't want to see you."
"But I'm one of your best friends; I want to help…"
"Haven't you learned your lesson?" Amu looked at Nagihiko straight in the eye. "You better than anyone should know that it's futile to maintain close relationships." Nagihiko stared at Amu, utterly distraught.
"Amu-Chan!" Miki exclaimed, baffled. Nagihiko glanced at her, his eyes filled with concern. He shook his head slowly, exchanging a look with Dia.
"I'll take care of her," She promised softly. Nagihiko nodded, exiting the room without another word.
"About time," Kukai teased, as Nagihiko caught up to the other three. He smiled slightly, but allowed it to be evanescent. The words Amu spoke resonated in his mind. It was so uncharacteristic of her, and yet… she wasn't entirely wrong.
"Is everything alright?" Tadase asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Nagihiko lied. "I was just speaking with Amu-Chan briefly." Still, his mind remained persistent on her words. Trust. Nagihiko had difficulty with that word. Seldom did he allow himself to truly open up to someone and share his thoughts. He always thought it would be best to keep his worries to himself because he did not want to burden others. But there was one person whom he trusted immensely; one person he did allow his thoughts to permeate. She would listen and soothe him, and, so he believed, he could rely on her. But he couldn't. How stupid could he have been? He never opened up completely, not even to Tadase who was practically a brother to him. He was also quick to see if someone was lying. And yet, she managed to allure him so much, that her betrayal came as a complete and utter surprise to him. He never would have seen it coming; he was too in love.
"Hey, Nagi…" Kukai began. "You know, it's not healthy to not open up with-"
"I need to go home," Nagihiko announced.
"Nagihiko, wait-" Tadase placed a hand on his shoulder. Nagihiko turned around, tears lining his eyes.
"Tadase, I'm sorry," Nagihiko choked out. Guilt spread across his words. How could he be crying when Tadase lost his grandmother? That was much more of a pressing concern, Nagihiko knew; Tadase lost someone close to him, while Nagihiko merely experienced heartbreak.
"Don't be," Tadase whispered. "I know it's still hard for you after what happened." Kukai and Yaya exchanged looks. Yaya glanced at Nagihiko, her eyes widening.
"I have to be over it," Nagihiko muttered, turning around. And yet, the look in her eyes replayed in his mind. He would never forget the way she watched him so coldly, as if the two years of romance they shared was all a lie.
One Month Earlier
"Today is the worst day ever!" Yaya complained, resting her head on her arms. She stared at the soup in front of her in disgruntlement, allowing the metal spoon to lie motionless in the midst of the broth. "Well, maybe the second worst day. The day Yaya got a concussion was pretty bad. But this still sucks!"
"Hey, relax!" Kukai patted the pigtailed girl's head. "It's not that big of a deal. It means nothing, don't worry."
"But you're going to go far, far away," Yaya whined, sulking into her arms. "And if Yaya has a question about anything, Yaya can't just walk over to your house and bombard you." Kukai laughed, ruffling her hair. Yaya stuck out her lower lip.
"I'll still be a phone call away," Kukai promised. "And you know, I won't be that far. I'll visit every holiday, every break, even some weekends!"
"But that's not enough!" Yaya moaned. "Yaya sees you every day, but when you start college, it won't be and it'll suck!"
"Don't worry Yaya, you still have us," Amu reassured.
"We still have a solid year with you," Nagihiko pointed out, smiling at her.
"But that's only a year!" Yaya complained. "And you aren't Yaya's neighbors, so you can't see Yaya every single day!" Yaya looked at Kukai. She reached toward him, reaching for his bright yellow cap. "Your cap and gown is ugly."
"Oh come on, yellow looks great!" Kukai grinned. "It's what makes Seiyo High so awesome! The Seiyo Sharks, drabbed in yellow- tell me that isn't awesome!" Kukai moved his hand and wrapped his arms around the back of his head. "Damn, I'm going to miss that school."
"We'll miss you too," Tadase murmured, taking a bite from his sandwich.
"Are you sure you didn't fail? You can be a super senior and take all the classes again! And then you can fail again and graduate with Yaya!" Kukai laughed.
"You'll be fine Yaya, don't worry. I'll miss you like crazy too, but you can survive. Besides, Amu and Nagi are right; you have all of the others! I'm sure even on weekends they'll visit you every day!"
"I would rather kill myself than visit Yaya every day," A quiet voice replied, its sound ironically sweet. Yaya turned to the source of the voice, utterly appalled. The speaker lifted her cup of tea, lifting it to her lips. She sipped the beverage, paying no mind to Yaya's gawk.
"That's not nice!" Yaya whined.
"I have other affairs I would prefer to attend to on my weekends rather than babysitting you," She continued, placing her tea on the table.
"Like what? Calling Amu, Yaya, or me to hang out with you because you're 'bored'?" Nagihiko teased, resting his head on his elbow. She shot him a glare.
"Well, at least I don't spend all of my free time reading some Shakespearean play or dancing as a woman," She retorted back. Nagihiko smirked.
"I do not spend all of my free time doing that; I do have a large chunk reserved for you, my dear Rima." Rima lowered her eyes, but smiled lightly, to which Nagihiko returned.
"Hey, this is my graduation day! No flirting!" Kukai complained. Nagihiko chuckled slightly.
"I apologize, master Kukai-sempai," Nagihiko teased. "I will be sure to abide by all of your rules, since you're a superior graduate." Kukai narrowed his eyes at his friend, who chuckled again. Nagihiko reached underneath the table, and intertwined his fingers with Rima's. She squeezed his hand lightly, allowing his larger hand to surround hers, as they normally did.
"Kairi-Kun, you're the only one Yaya likes at this table!" Yaya pointed out, leaning onto the green-haired boy who had been sipping his water. He looked up, startled, as Yaya was suddenly on top of him. His cheeks reddened.
"Yaya-Chan!" Tadase exclaimed. "What did Amu-Chan, Nagihiko, and I ever do to you?"
"You guys are graduating next year!" Yaya whined. "Kairi-Kun is younger, so he's around as long as Yaya is. He'll never abandon her!"
"You will be graduating prior to me, so in all technicalities, you will be abandoning me," Kairi pointed out.
"We don't talk about that!" Yaya whined.
"The best part about graduating next year is getting away from you," Rima pointed out.
"Rima-Tan! You're a meanie!" Yaya complained. Rima rolled her eyes at Yaya, and reached for a piece of bread.
"It is weird you graduated Kukai," Amu murmured.
"Yeah, it makes me uncomfortable," Kukai admitted. "I'm excited for the future, but I'm freaking out." He stared at the roof of the diner, grinning to himself. "You know, it's like what Utau told me when I spoke to her today: the closing of one door is the opening of another."
"Utau said that?" Nagihiko wondered, surprised.
"Well, not exactly," Kukai admitted. "She was saying the general gist of that though. El had to elaborate, since you can't count on her to be cheesy. God, I miss her…"
"I am sure the Tsukiyomi siblings will return soon," Tadase pointed out.
"I miss them a lot…" Amu pointed out. Tadase looked at her briefly, his eyes filled with remorse and longing.
"This is perfect," Yaya suddenly interjected. She grinned happily. "Kukai, you're right! No matter what, we'll always be friends. Just because you're going to college doesn't mean that you're leaving permanently. Our friendship, no, our sibling-ship will stay strong forever!"
"That's the spirit!" Kukai stuck his thumbs up. "We always will remain close, and that I can guarantee. I may not be able to see you every day, but I'll call every day and always check in with you. I'll never leave you."
"That doesn't just apply to Kukai." Yaya looked at everyone. "All of you better promise to remain best friends with Yaya, and each other of course. We've known each other for a long time; we need to promise that the seven of us will remain best friends forever and ever and ever!"
"I have no doubt in my mind," Amu told her, smiling brightly.
"Then let's all promise! Everyone put your hands in the middle!"
"Do we have to?" Rima complained. Nagihiko shot her a look. She rolled her eyes, and complied, extending her hand that was not holding Nagihiko's hand.
"We all are going to be best friends forever!" Yaya declared. "No matter what happens and where we go, we are all going to talk every day, and if we can't every day, than every week at least. Yaya doesn't want us to have a reunion party every decade or so; there will be no reunion party because we will never be apart so reuniting is unnecessary! And this is a promise!" Nagihiko smiled, and looked around. He was always a cynic; he knew that contact would be difficult every week. After all, Ikuto and Utau had not been keeping in contact super frequently. But that handshake expunged all of his cynicism; he truly believed that he would always be with these people until the day he died. He turned his head slightly, facing the blonde curls beside him. He knew that he would always be with her. He loved her so much; he could imagine their future together, with children perhaps and a nice house and a future without the expectations brought upon by his mother. He could picture a normal—with the obvious exception of shugo charas—life with Rima.
She turned toward him, and smiled brightly. Her hazel eyes looked into his eyes and practically smiled on their own. He wondered if she saw the same future that he did. He was so in love with her, and he knew she loved him too. Forever was like water, easily slipping through his fingers. But he had full confidence that he could freeze forever and hold onto it permanently.
Nagihiko Fujisaki naively believed in that forever; he would have never guessed that in just a short week, forever would be so ephemeral.
The heat of July became ever present to the guardians as they sat in the Royal Garden, going about their business as they had since elementary school. Nagihiko sat in his respective chair, his long indigo hair sticking to the back of his neck. Sweat poured down his skin, but he chose to disregard that fact as he focused on the laptop in front of him. He had just turned seventeen, but the heat nevertheless made him feel as if he would never turn another age older.
"It's really hot," Yaya complained, leaning onto Kukai.
"Leaning on me won't help!" Kukai moaned. "You're too sweaty!"
"You're sweatier than how you are during soccer games," Yaya retorted back, a whine present in her voice.
"Or when he's in bed with Utau," Rima muttered under her breath.
"RIMA!" Kukai exclaimed, his cheeks bright red. Amu and Tadase chuckled nervously, while Nagihiko gave the blonde a look. Her eyes remained steadfastly fixed on the table, ignoring Nagihiko's continued gaze. For a brief moment, her hazel eyes glanced up, meeting Kairi's eyes. He sighed quietly, prompting her to nod slowly. As Nagihiko finally turned his gaze away, she looked at him briefly, her eyes containing melancholy.
"Guys, I sense X-Eggs!" Ran announced suddenly, floating up. Amu looked at her chara, her eyes widened.
"Now?" Kukai wondered, surprised. "Damn, it's been a while…" As they stepped outside, they were greeted with the sight of a plethora of X-Eggs. They floated around tantalizingly, crying sounds of agony.
"There are so many…" Nagihiko observed, his eyes widening. "But why? The concentration of X-Eggs has not been this much, not since Death Rebel all those years ago."
"We need to stop them," Tadase urged. "We can fully analyze after we purify." Nagihiko nodded, and followed everyone else in their respective purification.
"Kairi-Kun, what do you think?" Yaya wondered, landing on her feet. She cocked her head as she looked at the youngest guardian, her bunny ears flopping to the side. "You usually have good ideas or clever thoughts."
"I…do not know," Kairi muttered, holding his katana tightly. Sweat drenched the blade, prompting it to slip in his hand slightly. His glasses shined in the sun, facing the X-Eggs rather than Yaya.
"Tadase's right; we should focus on the purification rather than the analysis," Rima urged, her voice stern.
"Uh… aren't you going to tie them up, Rima?" Kukai wondered.
"Oh." Nagihiko gave her a perplexed stare. "Tightrope dancer." Rima summoned ropes and tied up the X-Eggs, halting their movement. "Amu."
"Right." Amu stepped forward, clutching her heart rod in her palm tightly. "Negative heart, lock on!" She dropped the rod, forming a heart with her hands. "Open Heart!" Pink emitted from her hands, prompting the X-Eggs to glow pink. Suddenly, they flashed blue, and reflected the pinkness back at her. They untangled from the ropes, disintegrating them entirely. Amu gasped.
"Amu-Chan!" Tadase cried, immediately creating a shield to protect her.
"What the hell was that?!" Kukai wondered, shooting a soccer ball at them. They immediately countered it back, prompting Kukai to grit his teeth.
"We cannot try our conventional tactics on them," Nagihiko began. "Blaze Shot!" He shot a basketball directly upward, flames surrounding them. Several other basketballs followed in concord and surrounded the mass of X-Eggs, each respectively attacking with a fiery force. The X-Eggs responded by making the basketballs vanish entirely. Nagihiko gasped.
"That's impossible!" Yaya exclaimed.
"They are a modified version of the initial prototype," A voice whispered. Everyone turned, facing the source of the voice. A woman stood, her brown hair reaching the middle of her back. She had bright red lipstick that shined under the scorching sun.
"Who are you?!" Tadase demanded, clutching his siphon. The woman smirked, her fists clenched.
"Ah, Tadase Hotori, King of the guardians. Seems only appropriate that you would jump the gun." She curtsied. "My name is Deidre, and I am the assistant director of Easter Corporation."
"Easter has a new director. Figures," Kukai grumbled.
"And you are Kukai Souma, former Jack. Might I congratulate you on your recent graduation? You have come so far from your days as a Seiyo Academy Guardian."
"How the hell do you know my name!?" Kukai exclaimed.
"I know all of you." She looked around. "Nagihiko Fujisaki, formerly the Queen and the Jack, whose intelligence often proves as an essential asset." Nagihiko's eyes widened, staring at her in confusion. "Yaya Yuiki, the former Ace whose bouncy energy often leads her into trouble." Yaya cocked her head to the side. "Amu Hinamori, the former and one and only Joker. How could I not know you?" Deidre's smirk prompted Amu to wince.
"And of course, there's Rima and Kairi, who I could not have done anything without. They have provided excellent information for me."
"What are you talking about?!" Tadase demanded. All eyes turned to the remaining two guardians. Kairi's expression was indecipherable from the shine from his glasses.
"Isn't it obvious? You should have figured it out by now." Deidre smirked viciously.
"What is she talking about?!" Nagihiko exclaimed dubiously, his eyes focused on Rima. "Rima, you don't know what she's saying, do you?"
"You of all people should understand, Nagihiko." Her hazel eyes drifted to him, coldness present within them. "We have been working alongside Deidre, providing her with information regarding the guardians."
"They're with Easter," Deidre finished. Nagihiko shook his head slowly. Amu and Kukai stared at the pair of them in utter distraught. Tadase's eyes remained fixed on the ground, his eyes closed.
"No…" Yaya whispered, in aghast. She tried to make eye contact with Kairi, who stared straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to her. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Rima… this is a joke, isn't it?!" Nagihiko whispered, his eyes widened tremendously. "There's no way… It's something from one of your gag mangas, right?" Desperation lined his words.
"My allegiance is with Easter," Rima bluntly replied, her voice cold and harsh. Nagihiko's eyes were shaking, tears beginning to form.
"But you promised!" Yaya exclaimed. "You said we'd be friends forever no matter what! You promised! And Kairi-Kun…you…" Yaya looked up at the youngest guardian, her eyes filled with misery.
"Promises are feeble; they are meant to be broken," Kairi replied, his voice steadfast.
"But…But…"
"Rima, Kairi, shall we return to Easter?" Deidre wondered, gesturing toward the two guardians. The two of them nodded, following her.
"Rima, wait!" Nagihiko called, lifting his honey-golden eyes from the ground. She stopped walking for a moment. "Our relationship… what was it to you? Did what we have mean anything to you?" She looked at him, her hazel eyes locking with his. However, the love that she normally directed toward him was replaced with coldness. His eyes widened.
"It was merely an illusion," Rima bluntly replied, her voice icy. Nagihiko clenched his fists, watching futilely as her wavy blonde hair he was so entranced by flipped to the back of her head. She followed Kairi and Deidre, walking slowly until, suddenly, her presence was no longer in his line of vision.
"That couldn't have happened…" Yaya moaned. "This is a dream, right? Right?!" No one answered. Yaya began to sob, tears rapidly flowing down her cheeks. Kukai immediately pulled her into an embrace, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder.
"Nagi…" Amu whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. His eyes remained staring blankly in front of him.
"It…It…" He tried to choke back a sob, but his tears were running down his face too rapidly. It had never struck Nagihiko how definite forever truly was until that moment.
"Nagi-Tan…" Yaya whispered. Nagihiko turned and looked at the pigtailed girl, snapping out of the memory. It only dawned on him just then that he was crying, just as he had been as he found out initially. He thought he was stronger than that; it had been a month after all.
"I'm okay," He whispered.
"Dude, it's okay to be upset," Kukai reassured, patting his shoulder.
"No… it's not." He wiped his eyes. "I can't keep thinking about her. They betrayed us; they clearly don't give a crap, so why should I?" And yet, the urge to cry became more and more plausible.
"We need to stop them. Easter, I mean," Tadase muttered. "They've done so much to us; I'm done with their crap."
"They better not be hurting Amu-Chi," Yaya muttered. "They already took Yaya's best friend and kind of boyfriend; they're not taking Amu-Chi also."
"I agree. We have to kick their ass—for good this time." Kukai grinned. "And we have the help of the Tsukiyomi siblings. I know Utau will gladly be in for this adventure and after all the shit Ikuto went through, surely he's down for this."
"I refuse to allow them to harm Amu-Chan," Tadase whispered. "My grandmother once told me that love was like fishing. Sometimes it will work and sometimes it won't. But if it does—you have to fight for it and reel it in. I love Amu-Chan, and I refuse to allow them to hurt the girl I love. I will keep reeling her closer to me, no matter how far Easter tries to hurt her—if this even is Easter." Nagihiko's eyes darkened. Love was like fishing, but Nagihiko knew that his did not quite catch on. And yet, he knew that he kept reeling futilely and chances are, he would be indefinitely, even though Rima would never grab on.
"When I was speaking with Amu-Chan, something seemed different about her," Nagihiko admitted, recalling the roughness and directness of her words. They seemed to pierce through him, echoing through his mind.
"Yeah, I got that sense too," Kukai agreed.
"I don't know what they did, but I am 100% in on making certain she is okay."
"Let's promise then! Team: save Amu-Chan and stop Easter!" Kukai announced.
"And this promise we won't break!" Yaya added, prompting Nagihiko to smile slightly.
"I'm glad to see you here this evening." The woman smiled, her sapphire eyes carefully studying the other figure. She reached for her pocketbook and fumbled through the pockets.
"What do you want me to do?" The shorter of the women muttered, her hazel eyes fixated on the taller.
"Oh Rima, always so direct." She laughed, pulling out a small notebook. "Can't we have an amiable conversation for once before jumping into action? I like you; I'm sure we could have a good conversation."
"Our end goals are more important than small talk," Rima replied, her voice monotone. "I am more focused on my job."
"No wonder you and Kairi get along so well." The woman flipped through pages of her book.
"Anyway, what is it you need of me, Deidre?" Rima wondered flatly, crossing her arms. "I am sacrificing my night of sleep for this." Rima was not about to tell her how little of a sacrifice that truly was.
"You could rest, you know," Deidre told her. "I'm sure your parents would rather appreciate-"
"My parents don't give a crap," Rima interjected.
"Very well then." Deidre smiled. "Even despite the commencement of our plans, it seems that the guardians are unfazed."
"I thought the X-Eggs yesterday were merely supposed to be a message?" Rima wondered.
"That was there intent, yes. Raising some anxieties amongst the guardians is one motivation. However, the ease at which the X-Eggs were purified raises concerns. Amu Hinamori is their primary purifier; the fact that she was unnecessary is worrisome."
"Nagihiko is gifted at purifying as well," Rima pointed out, biting her lip. "Amu's powers are extraordinary, but Nagihiko can easily tackle a few X-Eggs as well."
"That's the thing; there weren't a few X-Eggs. There were thousands of them—I was certain that they would remain unpurified."
"I presume they removed the barrier?" Rima speculated.
"Yes. They seem to have mastered that skill ever since you and Kairi betrayed them. Tadase and Amu had purified the X-Eggs just after we left the scene."
"Do you want me to strengthen the X-Eggs?" Rima wondered, brushing some of her hair out of her face.
"That matter I am reserving for Kairi. I have a special mission for you." Rima raised an eyebrow. "I would like you on the field."
"Huh?"
"You know the guardians' strengths and weaknesses inside out; I know you would be a useful asset to send out to fight them."
"There are five of them and one of me; even though I know their weaknesses, they are strong," Rima pointed out. "They know my limits too."
"But you are forgetting the strongest weakness of the guardians: their emotions. I have no doubt that they are still upset about your betrayal. Use that as a key."
"Why do you want me now?" Rima wondered. "I doubt the guardians are meeting at this hour, unless you want me to go into each of their homes and attack them while they're sleeping." Deidre laughed.
"That does not seem necessary, though it certainly would take them by surprise. For now, I wish for you to plant more X-Powers. We must continue to maintain the power of the X-Eggs. Kairi has been continuously working in order to further augment the strength."
"The guardians may become suspicious," Rima pointed out. "They are quite idealistic, but they are not stupid."
"It is likely they are having suspicions," Deidre agreed. "However, we must continue planting them. More risks will occur if they are not planted. So, you're down for doing this tonight?"
"I'm on it," Rima replied.
"Thank you, Rima. Your contributions to this company are invaluable." Rima nodded slowly, exiting Deidre's office. She walked through the familiar halls of Easter, ignoring the surrounding voices. Ever since she first joined, it always surprised her how at any given hour, there always seemed to be someone awake. Rima would soon learn that commitment to Easter required many hours. She entered the cafeteria, and walked over to the coffee shop.
"Good evening, Mashiro Rima," The clerk greeted, smiling gently. "The usual?" The blonde nodded, crossing her arms as she waited. "Late night?"
"Deidre has me on some late night tasks," Rima explained.
"It's not healthy to keep doing those late night missions you know. A small girl like you needs to get her rest; coffee is not a substitute for that." Rima narrowed her eyes.
"I'm just doing my job." He laughed.
"Well, I suppose it's against mine to advise you not to drink coffee." He lifted her cup, and placed it on the counter beside her. "Good to go, your caramel cappuccino with whipped cream. It's on me." Rima grabbed her cappuccino without a word, and walked away.
"You should have thanked him!" Rima continued walking, taking a sip from her cappuccino.
"Easter is not the place for good manners," Rima replied bluntly, exiting the cafeteria.
"But you're a good person." Kusu-Kusu floated in front of her. With her available hand, she reached up, and moved her chara. Kusu-Kusu whined in complaint.
"Easter doesn't have good people," Rima muttered.
"But-" Rima walked over to a doorway, and slid her key to open the door. She walked inside, her eyes drifting toward the abundance of computers. She closed the door behind her, and sat in front of one. She noticed the presence of another, but she did not acknowledge him.
"You are working late again?"
"Yep," Rima replied. "Deidre has a lot for me to do."
"Even Deidre has raised a multitude of concerns regarding your tendency to work long hours."
"You're not my parent, Kairi; I can handle myself," Rima mumbled. "I have nothing better to do anyway." She glanced up at the green-haired boy, who sat a few computers over. "Why are you still here?"
"Father wanted me to continue my research," Kairi explained. "I presume Deidre filled you in on today's purification?"
"Yep. They had no problem breaking the barrier and Nagi purified it." Rima sighed. "I mean, Nagihiko." Kairi gave her a saddened look.
"Father believes that it is necessary for me to further bolster the X-Power sources," Kairi explained.
"Right. Deidre mentioned something about that." Rima stared blankly at the computer screen, watching its continued black screen. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Kairi glancing around concernedly.
"Why did you join, Rima?" Rima looked at Kairi, surprised.
"Huh? You know why; Easter had more opportunities that-"
"There are no security cameras here," Kairi pointed out. Rima glanced around as well, confirming Kairi's observation. "Easter is not something you want to be associated with; you do not need to be associated with such a dastardly company."
"I have my reasons," Rima replied. "It's a little late for that, don't you think?"
"Knowing you Rima, I am quite certain that you do not enjoy aligning with a company that, as guardians, we fought against."
"I hate it," Rima bluntly replied, letting out a sigh. "It does not matter though; we're stuck here so we must do our duties."
"But I cannot fathom what motivation guided you to make the decision to align yourself with this company. My reasons are quite apparent, but for you…"
"I can't tell you. I'm sorry, but…" Rima sighed. "I hate it here. Everyone is so fake." She rested her head on her arms. "They act kind, but they're not. They use X-Eggs out of children's hearts to create dark energy just for their plans. They're selfish, and yet, they act as if they care about their employees, when it is obvious that they do not."
"I do not disagree with that," Kairi murmured.
"I wish I could leave." Rima could feel tears form in her eyes. "I wish I could rewind back to a month ago and not betray the guardians. I wish I could be helping out with their plans against this shield and worrying about Amu. I wish I could hear Yaya vent about candy and Kukai about college and Tadase about how Ikuto always wins and Nagi…" Rima rubbed her eyes. "It doesn't matter now." Kairi studied her, his eyes full of melancholy.
"What is holding you back?" Kairi murmured quietly.
"Obligations," Rima bluntly replied, sighing melodramatically. She rose to her feet, her eyes drifting toward the green-haired teenager. "Speaking of which, I ought to plant more X-Powers, as Deidre desired."
"Ah, yes." Kairi gave her a small smile. "Good luck, Rima."
"You too, Kairi, with your research." Rima walked toward the door, before stopping suddenly. "Do you think… they hate us?"
"I…" Kairi's eyes drifted toward his keyboard. "Hate holds such strong connotation." Rima let out a sigh, clenching her fingers. Distinctly, she could recall the utter shock and melancholy present in his honey-golden eyes. She could remember the way his eyes spoke for himself, the complete surprise reflected in the way he stared at her, his eyes following each movement and action. Even to the last second, he refused to believe what she was doing; she knew he probably never would fully fathom it. He was so gifted at lies and breaking facades, and yet, he did not see her betrayal coming in the slightest. He was roughly stabbed in the back, and the blood was all over her hands.
"I would hate myself," Rima mumbled. She turned the doorknob, and exited the computer lab without glancing back at Kairi.
"Rima…"
"Not now, Kusu-Kusu," Rima muttered. "Let's go plant these X-Powers." She walked out of the doors, stepping into the coolness of the night. She shivered, hugging herself. "I should have brought a jacket… Whatever. This will be quick." She walked rapidly, clenching her fists tightly.
After five minutes of walking, she suddenly found herself outside a familiar glass garden. Even at night, its beauty was impeccable. It shined as if it were day, and immediately, the sense of belonging rang true for Rima. The Royal Garden, she wanted to believe, would always be her home.
She opened the glass doors, a breeze following her as she entered. She stared at the plants. The flowers remained prominently tall, clearly having been tended to recently. She knew Tadase or Nagihiko had been carefully watering them; they regularly watered the plants. Kukai likely mocked them for it, while Yaya wondered why it was necessary. Amu would comment on their beauty, which would lead to a romantic moment between Tadase and her.
"Amu…" Rima whispered, letting out a sigh. "I hope you're doing okay." She walked to the back of the Royal Garden and placed an X-Power. She glanced over at the previously planted one briefly, before turning around and heading out of the Royal Garden.
After planting more in various locations, Rima finally arrived outside of her home, sighing softly. She stared at her house, watching as each light in the house was turned off. Supposedly, each person in the house was sound asleep. According to her parents, she was in her room, her eyes fastened tight.
"Kusu-Kusu," Rima whispered. Instantaneously, clown paint appeared on her face. She closed her eyes and performed a backflip that was unfamiliar to her normal athleticism, rapidly grabbing her windowsill. She pulled herself up, and slipped through the window she had conveniently left open. Upon inside, she closed the window behind her, closing the blinds. She ended her character change and undressed, proceeding to put on her pajamas.
"It's been a long day!" Kusu-Kusu yawned, sitting on top of Rima's bookshelf. The petite blonde sat upon her bed, her eyes focused on the bed.
"Every day is so long," Rima mumbled monotonously.
"You worked late tonight," Kusu-Kusu pointed out. "You've got to be exhausted." She giggled, and floated in front of her owner. "You know what's in a few days, right?" Rima stared blankly at her chara. "The newest Q. T. Gag Manga edition! It's so exciting!"
"Yeah…"
"Aw, you should be excited! C'mon, why aren't you enthusiastic? Last month, you were begging for it to come out and counting down the days! What happened?"
"What happened?" Rima's eyes drifted away from her chara. "Oh, I don't know. I lost the people closest to me and my life fell apart. What's the point of enthusiasm?"
"Rima…" Kusu-Kusu sighed. "It'll be better…"
"Will it?" Rima turned back to her chara, tears in her eyes. "When? I can't imagine it ever being better. The people I love hate me; how can it be better? They'll never forgive me, Kusu-Kusu…"
"They just don't understand."
"They can't understand." Tears trickled down her cheeks. "I can't do this, Kusu-Kusu… I should have never…"
"Rima!" Kusu-Kusu floated up to her face, wiping away tears. "You can do it, you know you can. You know what-"
"But for what?" Rima clenched her fists. "I know what I need to do, but I just feel like it's pointless. I lost everything. The guardians… I needed them; they were my family." Rima hugged her knees into her chest and rested her head on top of them, crawling into her ball position. "I even fell in love. I should have known it would fail; didn't I learn anything from my parents?"
"You can't say that…"
"Yes… I can. Ugh, this is stupid." She uncurled herself, and laid herself underneath her blankets. "It's been a month; I need to move on. But Kusu-Kusu?"
"Hm?" The clown chara floated to her egg.
"I wouldn't have been able to do anything without you."
"I'll always be there for you, Rimzy," Kusu-Kusu promised, her egg forming around her. "Good night!" Rima stood up briefly in order to turn off the lights. She laid down underneath her sheets, staring at the dark wall.
"I wish I still had you," Rima mumbled, sighing. "If you knew what I was doing, you would comfort me, wouldn't you? It's so hard without you, Nagi…" She closed her eyes, ignoring the tears that beckoned to form again. "I still love you…"
I know some of you were wondering why Rima was not even mentioned in the first chapter. Well, here she is, all aligned with Easter and such. While she is definitely one of the main characters of this fic, arguably the main, I did not list her as such because I wanted to avoid spoilers for the first chapter. But in the future, I may change that.
Anyhow, please review! Hope you're all enjoying!