Again, I am super sorry for updating late. While I had most of this chapter finished for a while, I needed to edit it a lot. But the main delay for my update was my idiotic Internet. My whole computer is so slow. I seriously need to bring my laptop in to get fixed... But enough of that! Allow me to present you with one of the longest chapters I have ever posted on this site. Usually, I work on each chapter for a story in a separate word document, but for this story, I just write it on one long doc, therefore it is difficult for me to keep track of the length of each chapter. Please enjoy! For the first scene, I recommend going onto YouTube and typing in Pokemon Colosseum Relic Forest, and clicking the video that's 2 minutes.
As Amu gazed out the large window, she could see birds taking flight in the distance. They travelled in a flock, flying almost in an arrow shape toward the sun. Her fingers clutched the maroon curtain, feeling the velvet texture within her hand. She wondered what it was like to fly. She closed her eyes, and imagined herself as a bird. She could feel the wind blow underneath her, rising below her. She was almighty; gravity was at the mercy of her beckoning.
And yet, this feeling seemed simultaneously tangible and foreign.
"Amu?" The pinkette opened her eyes and turned, her eyes now focused on the greenette. Her emerald eyes sparkled, excitement bubbling within them.
"Arisa-Chan," Amu greeted. "It is great to see you." Arisa beamed, walking beside her. She inhaled heavily.
"It's pretty out, isn't it?" Arisa wondered.
"Sure is," Amu agreed. "I like watching the birds fly. They seem so…free."
"But are they really?" Amu turned to Arisa, surprised. Arisa's eyes remained staring straight ahead. "Sure, they can fly high above the world, but in the end, they are merely birds. They have to follow the same life cycle; they must find a mate, lay eggs in a nest, and repeat. We are always envious of what we will never have. Freedom is subjective." Amu stared at Arisa, in utter awe.
"Sometimes I forget you're a little girl," Amu murmured. Arisa giggled.
"My Daddy reads me poetry often, so I learn what it is like to imagine," Arisa explained. She closed the curtains, the room darkening. "But, enough of that!"
"What are we going to do today?" Amu wondered.
"I wanted to show you something," Arisa explained.
"Again? But you've already given me this beautiful mansion; you can't possibly—"
"It's not as good as that, unfortunately. But I think you'll like it!" Arisa grabbed Amu's arm, and started to drag her. Amu followed suit, following the little girl as she ascended the stairs. Finally, they reached the top level. Arisa pushed open the door, revealing the outside world.
"W-We're on the roof?!" Amu exclaimed, walking forward. She looked around, her eyes widened.
"Are you scared, Amu?" Arisa wondered. She stared at the grass below her, seeing as it practically glowed under the shining sun. It was so far below, yet Amu felt as if she was one with nature.
"No…I'm not."
"Good. You're safe here. You'll always be safe." Amu watched, as Arisa walked over to a chest. She opened it up, revealing a small brown object. It had various holes and appeared slightly dusty.
"What is that?" Amu wondered, as Arisa walked forward, dusting it off.
"It's called an ocarina. Just listen." Amu watched, as Arisa placed her mouth on it. She began to put her hands accordingly on the holes, and blew. Amu was awed, as beautiful music emitted from it. The song she played sounded natural; its music embodied the nature around her. And yet, there was an inner melancholy Amu could make out; the poignancy embodied each note played by the wooden instrument. Out of the corner of her eye, Amu could see the birds flying toward the sun and the breeze blowing the leaves of the matured trees.
"Arisa, this is…amazing," Amu whispered, cautious as if to not disturb the tranquility. Distantly, she could imagine the softness of a violin playing alongside the ocarina. Its tune mirrored that of the ocarina, its melody sad and longing.
"Amu-Chan, wake up!" The pinkette's eyes drifted open, fixating on the ceiling above her. She sat up suddenly, glancing around rapidly. The purple-colored walls contrasted with the elegant magenta of the mansion. No longer was there a beautiful ocarina singing; instead, a loud blaring alarm filled her ears.
"Wh-What…" Amu turned to the alarm, reading the time as 10:00. She groaned, slamming the snooze button. She laid down on her pillow, frowning slightly.
"Amu-Chan, you can't go back to sleep!" A voice exclaimed. "You've got a guardian meeting!"
"A guardian meeting…?" Amu mumbled drowsily.
"Yeah, you know. The guardians? Nagi, Tadase-Kun, Yaya, Kukai?"
"Oh. Them." Amu let out a sigh. This was the life she did not want to live; she wanted to hear Arisa's ocarina and watch the birds fly whilst she relaxed in her shared mansion with Arisa.
"Are you alright, Amu-Chan?" Amu sat up, facing her charas. All four of them were studying her, concerned.
"Yeah… I'm good," Amu lied. "I'm sorry, I'm just tired. You know how it is in the morning." Ran and Su laughed.
"You better get moving," Miki pointed out. "You told the guardians you would be at the Royal Garden at 10:30."
"I did?!" Amu exclaimed, rising from her bed at once. "It's already 10:02!"
"That's why we've been trying to wake you up…" Ran murmured. Amu ran into the bathroom, and quickly turned on the shower. She undressed, and stepped into the warm water, letting it relax her. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine herself back at Arisa's mansion. Everything was serene and peaceful when she was there. When she was there, her problems were alleviated. Nothing else mattered; Arisa's comfort was her solace.
"It's been a while since you were at the Royal Garden, Amu-Chan," Dia pointed out.
"Yeah…I guess it has been," Amu agreed. She got out of the shower and changed into clothes. She stepped downstairs, and grabbed a piece of toast.
"Amu." Amu turned, her toast hanging out of her mouth.
"Yes Mom?" Amu murmured, her voice muffled.
"Are you going with your friends today?"
"Yeah… I have to go now though," Amu persisted. "I'm going to be late."
"I'll give you a ride," Her mother offered.
"I-I'll just walk. It's fine. It's a nice day out, so I wouldn't mind getting fresh air." Her mother gave her a concerned expression. "Mom, I'm sixteen! I'll be fine!"
"You were just in the hospital," Her mother pointed out. "I'm concerned you'll have another amnesia incident or pass out."
"That was a week ago, and it hasn't happened since," Amu protested. "I was feeling nauseous that day. The doctors said I was merely lightheaded; it's fine."
"Be careful," Her mother warned. Amu nodded, exiting her house.
"Ugh, about time," Amu murmured, walking to the Royal Garden. "She needs to understand that my hospitalization was merely just a fluke." Still, she thought back to her date with Tadase. That had been the only time she saw Arisa in this world. Arisa had promised her a forever. Did forever mean she would leave this awful world and continue to live with Arisa?
"Amu-Chan…" Her four charas exchanged nervous glances. She frowned at her charas.
"I'm fine!" Amu snapped coldly. They were supposed to be her guardian characters; shouldn't they understand that she wanted Arisa and only Arisa?
"Amu-Chi!" Upon arriving on Seiyo grounds, Yaya ran over to the pinkette, hugging her tightly.
"Ow, Yaya," Amu mumbled.
"Late as always!" Yaya reprimanded, letting go. She grabbed her arm, and began to drag her to the Royal Garden.
"Yaya! Let go of me!" Amu whined. It was okay when Arisa did it; after all, Arisa was practically her sister and the only person she could truly trust.
"But you're too slow!" Yaya moaned. "Yaya has to make sure you keep up!" Amu's eyes darkened, as Arisa's familiar words rang through her mind.
"There she is!" As Amu entered the Royal Garden with Yaya, Kukai stood up, grinning cheekily. Amu panted, her arms dropping down to her knees.
"We were wondering what was taking you," Kukai teased. Amu frowned at the auburn-haired boy, before taking her respective seat in the Royal Garden.
"Good morning, Amu-Chan," Tadase greeted sweetly. "How are you doing?" Amu turned to him, his ruby-eyes sparkling. Normally, her sweatiness would have bothered her immensely while talking with Tadase; however, she no longer cared about her presentation to him.
"I'm fine," Amu lied, smiling cheerfully. "Mom and Dad have been making me stay at home, so this guardian meeting is a relief."
"It's definitely good to see you, Amu-Chan," The fourth guardian told her, a smile present upon his face. Amu looked at him, forcing a smile back. His smile waned slightly.
"Tadase-Kun, how has everything been with…?"
"It's fine," Tadase murmured. "The funeral will be held tomorrow, since the wake was held yesterday."
"I didn't know that the wake was yesterday. I would have gone." Tadase shook his head slowly.
"I appreciate the sentiment Amu-Chan, but I intentionally ceased to tell you," Tadase explained. "I did not want you to worry, especially after everything you went through."
"I'll go to the funeral," Amu persisted, faking worry. In the past, she knew she would be concerned. She always became frantic when it came to Tadase, always exaggerating her concern and fussing over him. Now, it was almost humorous. Why was she so obsessive over some boy?
"Amu-Chan, I don't expect you to-"
"We're all going, Tadase," Nagihiko interjected. "We're your friends. Don't think for a second that we wouldn't be there for you."
"Exactly," Amu agreed, contrary to how she felt. Friends was such an ephemeral term, Amu knew; one second, the guardians were her everything, and now it was Arisa. And just a month ago, Rima and Kairi were two people she trusted tremendously, but now, they were enemies of the guardians. Their enemies, not hers.
"I appreciate that Nagihiko, Amu-Chan…everyone." Tadase beamed. "I always know I can count on you." Nagihiko's eyes lowered. "But this guardian meeting is not centered on my grandmother's funeral."
"Let me guess: X-Eggs?" Kukai wondered, leaning back. "Have we seen any since last week when that weird hooded figure said forever?"
"We have not had any more encounters with barrier X-Eggs since last week, but we discovered something. Nagihiko and I happened to be at the Royal Garden yesterday night, and we came across this." Tadase gestured toward a circular black machine stuck onto the wall. "We could not figure out what it meant."
"It looks like some smoke detector or something," Yaya murmured. "You sure it's something?"
"I have never noticed it before yesterday night," Nagihiko pointed out. "It must have been placed some time since we were here last week and yesterday. Look closer." The three remaining guardians stood up and walked over to it.
"It says something in fine print," Amu noted.
"Easter." Kukai gritted his teeth.
"This is something Easter put in?" Yaya wondered. "But why? What does it do?"
"That's what we are trying to figure out," Tadase murmured. "Whatever it is, they clearly placed it strategically in an area they knew we would be frequently."
"Wonder how they knew that," Kukai muttered sarcastically.
"This looks really techy," Yaya pointed out. "Something that…that Kairi would do."
"This may not be them," Tadase muttered. "Everything associated with Easter… we can't just assume it's them."
"How can we not?" Nagihiko's eyes fixated on the table. "They…they knew everything. They know us extremely well and can relay that information to Easter. Of course they know we meet in the Royal Garden."
"Regardless, we need to stop it," Kukai hissed. "It's pretty damn obvious they're up to something. We need to put an end to Easter one thing for all—even though we already did that."
"This is a different Easter," Nagihiko reminded, "No longer is Kazuomi the director; Easter is under a new direction, by that Deidre woman, and someone else. We have no idea who she is or what her motivations are."
"Well, clearly something with this weird machine thingy and X-Eggs," Yaya pointed out.
"Wow, great job Yaya," Kukai teased. Yaya grinned, sticking her thumbs up.
"We will need to acquire more information," Tadase urged.
"I'll do some research tonight," Nagihiko announced.
"I do not believe that will be necessary, Nagihiko." Nagihiko looked at his friend, startled.
"What?" Nagihiko studied Tadase curiously.
"You have been pushing yourself too much lately," Tadase pointed out. "Temari and Rhythm have told me that you do not sleep well." Nagihiko narrowed his eyes at his charas, who whistled innocently. "You need to catch up on your sleep."
"What are you, my mother?" Nagihiko smiled gently. "It's fine, really. I can fit in research into my schedule."
"Look, Tadase's right," Kukai agreed. "If you haven't been sleeping…"
"I have been sleeping," Nagihiko insisted, gritting his teeth. "I had one sleepless night, but overall, it's been really fine. It is true that my mother is pushing my dance studies, but that does not dominate my entire night. I will have time for all my priorities—along with rest."
"Nagi-Tan…" Yaya murmured.
"She would not have believed me," Nagihiko muttered quietly. Tadase and Kukai exchanged a glance.
"Why is it even necessary to do research at home anyway?" Amu wondered. "Can't we just do research while we're here?"
"Amu, you're a genius," Kukai told her, smiling.
"We all have busy lives," Yaya added. "With Nagi-Tan's dancing and sleep problems—'
"I don't have sleeping problems!" Nagihiko protested.
"—and Tada-Tan's grandmother, we do not really have time. Yaya also has to babysit Tsubasa, Amu-Chi still needs to take things slowly, and Kukai…does Kukai things." Kukai grinned sheepishly.
"I've been doing chores for my parents," Kukai explained. "And mentally preparing for Utau's return."
"Yaya's point is, we should relax! We can focus on the research thing next meeting at the meeting, yeah?"
"Sounds good," Nagihiko agreed. Tadase gave him a skeptical look, of which Nagihiko chose to ignore.
"Tomorrow, we will reconvene," Tadase explained. "We will commence our research then, and find out as much as we can regarding the New Easter."
"Meeting, adjourned!" Yaya announced giddily. Amu stood up and grabbed her bag before beginning to leave the Royal Garden.
"No goodbye?" Kukai called.
"Mom's going to worry," Amu murmured. She paused for a moment, turning around. "See you guys tomorrow!" As simple as that, she exited the Royal Garden.
"Well…" Yaya sighed.
"God, she seems so…distant," Kukai mumbled. "Something is definitely off."
"It's like she's acting," Nagihiko murmured, turning back to the other guardians. "She has this façade; she's definitely hiding something." He bit his lip, recalling the words she had told him in the hospital room. She had completely dodged his question by utilizing his emotions.
"Do you think it's Easter?" Kukai wondered, glancing over at Nagihiko.
"There's no way she…you know. Like…them?" All eyes turned to Yaya. Her eyes remained fixated on the table, and tears beckoned to glide down her cheeks. "She…she didn't betray us…right?"
"No," Tadase answered quickly. "There's no way…"
"Well, we thought there was no way with Rima and Kairi," Kukai grumbled.
"It's not that…"
"They were leading us on," Nagihiko explained. "They had been acting like themselves while Amu-Chan blatantly isn't. I do believe Easter is involved, but it would seem too coincidental with her passing out and the word forever for her to betray."
"So, what are they doing to her?" Yaya wondered.
"That I suppose we have to figure out." Kukai gritted his teeth.
As the plane descended the sky and landed on the runway, Ikuto stared out the window, watching as the trees appeared to move rapidly far back. As the plane began to come to a halt, he could see several buildings, buildings of which he had known since his childhood. The sky was foggy and Ikuto could make out raindrops falling upon the window.
"Six months, huh." Ikuto turned his head, facing the girl who sat beside him. One earbud hung out of her ear as she faced the seat in front of her. She leaned her head back, her hat sliding off of her head.
"It's hard to believe," Ikuto muttered.
"Can't argue that." Utau looked at her brother, pulling her last earbud out. "How are we getting back?"
"I called Mother," Ikuto explained. "She'll pick us up." Utau groaned.
"Why?" Utau mumbled.
"It's cheaper than a taxi," Ikuto pointed out. "And she did miss us."
"I didn't miss her."
"Utau…"
"Oh come on, why are you sympathizing with her?" Utau frowned. "After Father left, she ignored us just to screw around with Kazuomi. I don't trust her."
"People can atone for their errors," Ikuto pointed out. "You should understand that well." Utau crossed her arms.
"You cannot possibly compare my involvement with Easter to her," Utau mumbled. As the plane stopped completely, the siblings stood up. They reached up to the luggage rack, and took down their suitcases before they exited. "I was forced to work for that wretched company, so there wasn't much atoning to do. Mother deliberately chose to ignore us. Don't tell me you don't hold any resentment."
"Of course I do, but she's providing us with a place to stay. At least try to act grateful." Utau grunted. As they exited the gate number, they scanned the room.
"Ikuto, Utau!" The siblings turned, facing a familiar brunette. She smiled warmly at them, heading toward them. Utau scowled at her, juxtaposed to Ikuto's forced smile.
"Mother," Ikuto greeted, allowing the woman to pull him into an embrace.
"You've grown up so much," She whispered, reaching up and running her fingers through his midnight blue hair.
"It's only been six months," Ikuto pointed out.
"I know, but… it amazes me how mature you've gotten. You are such a responsible young man."
"Well, our maturity came from an early age, considering we had to, you know, raise ourselves," Utau spat sarcastically. Souko let go of Ikuto, and lowered her eyes. Ikuto turned to his sister, shooting her a warning look.
"It is great to see you, my daughter," Souko whispered cautiously. Utau scoffed.
"Don't bother. It's a bit late."
"Utau," Ikuto growled.
"No… it's alright." Souko let out a sigh. "I understand your hesitance Utau, I truly do. I know I haven't been the best mother in the world."
"Oh really?" Sarcasm lined Utau's words. "I never would have imagined." Souko's eyes darkened, her eyes drifting to the ground.
"Let's go," Ikuto urged, shifting the conversation. Souko nodded, seemingly relieved. She led the two siblings out of the airport. They wheeled their luggage behind them.
"When can we get that apartment?" Utau muttered, walking behind with Ikuto. "We've been talking about moving out for years. Why can't we do it now?"
"It doesn't financially make sense," Ikuto mumbled. "Not when we have Mother more than willing to provide us a home."
"I don't trust her."
"Could you make it any more obvious?" Ikuto murmured, letting out a sigh. "Look, I'm not financially secure enough to afford-"
"But I am," Utau insisted. "I make money from my concerts. Well, made. It's not like I've done anything for months."
"Apartments are expensive," Ikuto pointed out. "Even though you do have large audiences at your concerts, there are a lot of expenses. You know that. Sanjou-San receives some money, the lights, stage—"
"I'm not an idiot!" Utau snapped. "I know how money works. I just don't want to deal with…her." Utau sighed. "I hope Kukai decides to live in an apartment off-campus instead of a dorm. He would let me move in with him."
"But I wouldn't," Ikuto mumbled. Utau turned to her brother, a bit taken aback.
"Excuse me?"
"You're still my little sister. Moving in with your boyfriend is a big step I wouldn't be comfortable with for you. Especially considering he's younger than you."
"You can't dictate my actions, Ikuto," Utau pointed out. "You're my brother, but not my parent."
"True," Ikuto agreed. As Souko stopped in front of a car, she opened the trunk, allowing for the Tsukiyomi siblings to place their belongings inside. They entered the car, Ikuto taking the passenger's seat.
"How was your trip?" Souko wondered, pulling out of her parking spot. Utau stared out the window, paying no attention to her words.
"It was fine," Ikuto replied bluntly.
"Did you find… what you were looking for?"
"Kind of." Ikuto shrugged. Souko's eyes remained fixed on the road.
"You…you guys were looking for him, weren't you?" Ikuto said nothing. Souko let out a sigh. "I should have known. I…I could have come."
"Glad you didn't," Utau muttered. Souko's eyes darkened.
"Do you know…?"
"No," Ikuto replied bluntly. "Not everything."
"Then why are you back?" Souko gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Of course, I am more than delighted to see you both, but what brings you back early, if you have not discovered everything you were searching for?"
"Important matters came up," Ikuto replied. "Something we could not ignore." Souko said nothing, sensing his repression.
Finally, after a long ride with no speaking, Souko parked the car in front of their house. Ikuto and Utau got out of the car and retrieved their luggage from the trunk before proceeding inside.
"Feels good to be home," Ikuto muttered.
"No it doesn't," Utau replied, rolling her suitcase inside. She carried it upstairs and into her room. Ikuto followed the blonde upstairs. He dropped his suitcase in his own room, and proceeded to enter his sister's room.
"It's funny how little this room changed since our youth," Utau pointed out. "And yet, everything else has changed so much."
"Yeah…" Ikuto sat down on her bed, glancing around. His eyes fixated on a photograph hung up on the wall of their family. Utau was in the front, grinning amicably, while Ikuto stood beside her, a small smile present upon his face. Behind them, stood Souko and Aruto, Aruto's arm around his wife. They were a happy family; Ikuto was positive he never would have speculated the eventual downfall of them.
He turned to face his little sister, who was staring into her reflection. How often was it when she smiled that much? Only seldom did he see her smile, and that was when she sang. She radiated when she expressed herself in music; that was when she was purist. He knew how much singing meant to her, and yet, she had gone with him for six months-jeopardizing her singing career—just for a chance to find information about their father.
"The funeral is tomorrow, right?" Utau finally asked, turning to face her brother. He nodded slowly.
"I believe we missed the wake," Ikuto murmured.
"We probably wouldn't have gone anyway. His parents would never have permitted us to be anywhere near her." Ikuto lowered his eyes.
"We'll have to stand towards the back tomorrow," Ikuto muttered. "We're faces from the past that, surely, they will not want to see."
"Yeah…" Utau sighed. "Hey Ikuto?"
"Hm?"
"Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if Father never left?" Utau stared at the ground. "We would have been…normal."
"No we wouldn't have." Ikuto glanced up. He watched as Yoru laughed, floating beside El and Il. El was giggling about something as well, while Il looked annoyed. "We still have them." Utau turned to face her charas as well. The three of them turned, and waved, with the exception of Il.
"That's true," Utau agreed. "I guess no one can call transformations normal per se. But we never would have worked with Easter. Perhaps we would have been guardians."
"The guardians was never really our place," Ikuto muttered. "Honestly, Tadase's like a brother to us, but I never could have dealt with him as a leader."
"True. I would have never put up with Kukai nor Yaya either." Utau's eyes shifted to the ground.
"You'll see him soon," Ikuto promised. "You know he'll be there tomorrow."
"I know… I just… I missed him." Utau shook her head. "We have a lot of catching up to do. Based on our findings with Easter, we know they're up to something. I bet the guardians know a lot about that."
"Especially in regards to…" Ikuto's eyes darkened.
"You really think they'll let her get hurt?"
"Based on the new directors, I highly doubt they can control that." Ikuto clenched his fists. "I guess we will see what they've done to her tomorrow."
"Yeah…" Utau sighed. "We should get some rest. I'm jet-lagged."
"Yeah, agreed. Good night Utau."
"Sleep well, Ikuto." Ikuto exited her room, and went to his. He closed the door behind him, and stared at the window.
"Don't do it, Ikuto," Ikuto did not need to turn to know who was speaking.
"Yoru… I need to go," Ikuto insisted. "It's been six months since I saw her."
"Wait until tomorrow." Yoru floated to Ikuto's pocket and pulled out his egg. He struggled to carry it to his desk, but successfully did. "If what you found was true and relates to what Tadase was saying, chances are Amu needs to rest."
"You're right." Ikuto sat upon his bed. "Goodnight Yoru."
"Night!" Yoru went into his egg and closed it. Ikuto sighed and briefly stood up to turn off his lights. Sighing, he went underneath his sheets and closed his eyes.
"Tadase, please wake up." Tadase slowly opened his eyes, revealing his mother. She smiled at him, her brown eyes gleaming peacefully at him.
"Good morning, Mother," Tadase greeted, rubbing his eyes and sitting up.
"Today is…" She let out a sigh.
"Right…" Tadase's eyes darkened. "I will get ready quickly."
"Thank you, my son." As she exited the room, Tadase rose to his feet. He checked his cell phone. Upon seeing no messages, he let out a sigh.
"Still nothing?" Kiseki wondered.
"No. They said they'd be there, but…" Tadase's eyes darkened. "I told them the date of the funeral and they promised me." He sighed. "I guess I should know the futility of promises now."
"They are just petty commoners," Kiseki pointed out. He left his room and entered his bathroom. He turned on the shower and stepped into the hot water after undressing. "You mustn't concern yourself with trivial matters."
"But Ikuto and Utau promised," Tadase protested, ignoring his petulance.
"Stop concerning yourself with them!" Kiseki floated up. "The other commoners will be present."
"Of course… Nagihiko, Kukai, Yaya, and Amu-Chan…" Tadase's eyes darkened. "I hope she's okay." Before Kiseki could open his mouth, Tadase grabbed his chara and smiled wistfully. "I know what you're going to say."
"A king cannot worry about individuals," Kiseki proceeded. "He must show compassion for a collective group." Tadase smiled slightly.
"That is the role of the King of the guardians, isn't it?" He exited the shower, and wrapped a towel around his body. After fully drying off, he changed into a nice suit. He brushed back some of his hair, and gazed at himself in the mirror, letting out a sigh.
Upon hearing a knock at the door, he turned around rapidly.
"Tadase, are you ready?" A male voice asked.
"Yes, Father," Tadase replied, exiting his room. His father smiled morosely, prompting Tadase to reciprocate it. He followed his father to front of the room, where his mother awaited with his aunt and uncle on his mother's side.
"You look handsome, Tadase-Kun," His aunt cooed, caressing his hair. Tadase smiled half-heartedly, discomfort running through him. "Just like the little prince your mother raised you to be." Tadase bit his lip and gave Kiseki a warning look. Kiseki sighed in aggravation, crossing his arms dejectedly.
"We ought to leave," His uncle urged. The others nodded, following into the car. Tadase stared out the window, feeling no desire to spark conversation. He felt gloomy; he had known this day was inevitable, but he had not wanted it to come. As a child, he could never fathom death; he held that naïve belief that his grandmother would live forever. Even after Ikuto had supposedly harmed her, he still believed that she would be okay. She had to be.
As the car parked in the parking lot, Tadase stepped out, ignoring the scorching sun. He followed his parents over to the burial site. A plethora of chairs were lined up accordingly, but Tadase's ruby eyes remained fixated on the red coffin sitting beside the large hole. His eyes darkened. Just the day before, he had seen her dead body. Upon recalling that memory, he couldn't help but to shiver.
"Tadase, I am so sorry." He turned slowly, facing his cousins. They were much older than him and, like their mother, treated him as if he was a little kid.
"It is what it is. How are you?" Tadase wondered, his eyes remaining fixated on the coffin.
"I guess we cannot be too shocked," His eldest cousin murmured, brushing some of her blonde hair out of her face. "That woman had gone through so much. It's amazing she lived this long." Tadase didn't say anything, but out of the corner of his eye, noticed his cousins walking away after exchanging glances.
As more and more people began to fill up the available seats, Tadase was continually approached with more apologies. He hated the pity and the attention.
"Tadase…" He glanced over, expecting to see some distant relative or family friend. Upon noticing who was there, he could not help but to muster a tiny smile.
"Thank you for coming, Nagihiko," Tadase whispered.
"That's not a question. You know I'm your best friend and would always be there for you." Nagihiko sighed, leaning against a chair. "How are you holding up?"
"I don't know… It's just…weird." Tadase shook his head. "I don't know how to explain it."
"I understand." Nagihiko smiled crestfallenly. "It's-"
"Hey man." Tadase turned, facing the last three remaining guardians. Kukai wrapped his arms around Tadase. Yaya and Amu stood beside Nagihiko.
"Hi… thanks for coming, all of you. I'm so grateful."
"'Course!" Kukai fought back a grin, letting go of Tadase. "We're a family; we stick together."
"Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten!" Yaya announced. Tadase smiled slightly. He turned to Amu, whose eyes were focused on the ground. Sighing, he turned back to the others.
"You ought to take your seats," Tadase told them. "I'll talk to you guys after."
"It'll be okay." Nagihiko hugged his friend lightly, who returned it. "I know it seems impossible, but you will get through it."
"I wouldn't have been able to without you guys," Tadase murmured, letting go of his friend.
"Ugh, so cute," Kukai muttered under his breath, prompting Yaya to laugh loudly. Upon obtaining a few stares, Yaya stopped abruptly, realizing her untimeliness.
"Really Kukai?" Nagihiko rolled his eyes. Tadase narrowed his eyes at the elder male.
"Funerals don't last too long." Tadase turned to Amu, who had finally looked up at him. "I mean, if that's what you are concerned with. I know it's necessary, but it'll be over and you can mourn quietly soon."
"Thank you Amu-Chan." Tadase smiled at her. Nagihiko, Yaya, and Amu began walking to their seats, while Kukai lingered for a moment.
"Oi, Tadase…"
"Hm?" Tadase watched Kukai curiously.
"I know this isn't the most appropriate question right now, but…"
"I don't know," Tadase replied, letting out a sigh. "They promised me, but…" He shook his head. "Has Utau contacted you?"
"Not a word since, like, a month ago," Kukai admitted, sighing. "If they promised…"
"Rima and Kairi promised to remain friends, and look how well that turned out." Kukai's eyes lowered.
"But they're not them." Kukai sighed. "Let me know if they show." He ruffled Tadase's hair. "It'll be okay, man. Trust me."
"Thank you, Kukai." He watched as Kukai proceeded to his respective seat beside Amu. Tadase sighed, watching as more and more people arrived. He saw Tsukasa arrive, taking a seat toward the back. Tadase glanced around anxiously. Where were they? As he glanced over toward the back, a flash of blue caught his eye. He turned rapidly, and sure enough, he could see both Tsukiyomi siblings standing far to the back.
"I'll be right back," He told his mother.
"Tadase, the funeral is going to commence shortly," His mother informed him. "Where are you going?"
"It'll be quick," He promised. "I need to use the restroom." He started to walk away, hoping his mother was not watching him.
As he walked closer to the siblings, he couldn't help but to smile widely. They stood behind a building, talking quietly among themselves. Ikuto wore a nice suit, while Utau wore a black dress extending just below her knees.
"You came." Both siblings turned, upon seeing Tadase. "I…I'm so grateful." He looked at them
"Tadase…" Tadase walked closer to them, his eyes lowered. Utau and Ikuto exchanged glances, ultimately pulling him into a hug.
"I'm so sorry Tadase," Ikuto whispered.
"It was inevitable." Tadase sighed, letting go of them. "But thank you for returning for me."
"Of course we would. You're like a brother to us," Utau told him. "And your grandmother was always so kind to us. The least we could do is show our respect."
"Six months…" Tadase murmured. "That's how long she fought with this disease." Utau's eyes darkened.
"And how long we've been away," Ikuto muttered.
"It's just a coincidence," Tadase reassured. "There's no way…" He sighed. "How was Paris?"
"It was fine," Utau replied.
"That's all? Did you find anything about-"
"Yes, but not a lot," Ikuto interjected, his eyes lowered. "And what we found wasn't necessarily what we wanted to."
"I'm sorry…"
"How about you? How's everything here, besides the obvious?" Utau wondered.
"Well… everything's been kind of tense recently," Tadase admitted. "Even besides my grandmother's passing, everything's been going downhill. Easter seems to have been having a resurgence of power."
"We've done some research about them," Ikuto explained. "We'll tell you everything we found out too. What have they done?"
"We don't really know." Tadase's eyes darkened. "A month ago, we were facing these X-Eggs, with some sort of barrier. We've since then mastered the barrier aspect, but…" Tadase's eyes darkened. "Rima and Kairi betrayed us." Ikuto and Utau exchanged surprised looks.
"What?!"
"And now, everything with Amu-Chan…" Ikuto's eyes darkened.
"Everyone, please take your seats," The minister announced.
"I'll talk to you both later," Tadase promised. "Are you two-"
"It's safer if we stay here," Ikuto explained. "You should go." Tadase nodded, hurrying off to his respective seat. As he sat down, his mother gave him a look of which he ignored. He stared straight ahead, gazing at the coffin. The words spoken by the minister passed right through him, as he imagined her lying motionless inside. He tried to imagine what she was thinking. Was she happy? Was she cramped?
She's dead. She can't think. Tadase thought, biting his lip. He could feel some tears begin to form, but he desperately fought the urge to cry. He had cried too much; he needed to be strong now. He clenched his fists tightly, digging his fingernails into the palm of his hand. His grandmother would have scolded him for his remorse.
"Stop your tears, Tadase-San." Tadase stared at the elder woman, his eyes widening.
"Huh? I'm not-" He rubbed his cheek, realizing it was slightly wet. "I-I had no idea. I apologize…"
"Stop with the apologies. Apologizing is for the weak, and you are the strongest man I know." His grandmother reached up to him, brushing her fingernails against his cheek. "You cannot dwell on me."
"But-"
"I'm an old woman, my grandson. I cannot live forever." She smiled gently. "You have your whole life ahead of you. Do not dwell upon my illness; it is futile. I'll die, and that's normal. Everyone will one day, and I suppose my diagnosis just means it is sooner." She smiled gently. "It is what it is, and there is not point stopping it. But please, when I go, promise me you will not drown yourself in melancholy. Why, I would be rather insulted if you weren't a little upset." Tadase laughed half-heartedly. "But please, Tadase, do not overwhelm yourself with sadness. Eventually, I will die, and I want you to move on. I'm an old woman and you're a young man; you cannot just focus on me."
"I…I'll try."
Tadase let out a sigh. Even though he had known she was diagnosed with cancer and had been sickly for years, he still never fathomed the idea that she could actually go. But here he was, at her funeral. He wanted it to be a terrible nightmare so badly; couldn't he just wake up and see his grandmother perfectly healthy?
After what seemed like hours, the minister finally terminated his speech. Tadase ignored the mass of tears and tissues surrounding him. He abruptly stood up.
"Tadase…" His mother whispered. He looked at her, his eyes darkening upon seeing her red and puffy eyes. She sniffled, looking at her only son.
"I would like to see some of my friends," Tadase whispered.
"But-"
"Let him." Tadase's father placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "He needs time to cope."
"But we are having my family over…"
"He will return soon," His father reassured. "Allow him to have some time to speak with his friends." His mother nodded reluctantly. Tadase bowed his head in graciousness and walked in the opposite direction.
"Your grandmother would have found this process dreadfully boring," Ikuto murmured, as Tadase walked over to him and Utau. He smiled half-heartedly.
"I know. She despised such formalities."
"She was a great woman… But you've probably heard that to death." Utau sighed. "Uh, well, no pun intended…" Ikuto shot Utau a frown, while Tadase chuckled darkly.
"That woman had a lot of perseverance." The three of them turned rapidly, facing a tall brown-haired man.
"Tsukasa." Tadase smiled gently at his uncle. "I am pleased to see that you could attend."
"It is not a problem." His eyes fixated on the Tsukiyomi siblings. "I suspected your imminent return. I presume you have gathered information."
"Not enough," Ikuto replied, his arms crossed.
"Satisfaction is seldom ever reached. Would it not be great if we could have all of our wishes granted and achieve all of our goals?"
"Well, why don't we just summon the embryo or something?" Utau murmured sarcastically. Tsukasa smiled shrewdly.
A sudden sound of tree bark snapping prompted all four pairs of eyes to glance up at the nearby tree.
"Who is there?" Tsukasa called. Ikuto and Utau tensed, exchanging quick looks. Tadase watched concernedly, turning to the siblings.
"Ah, shit. Didn't mean to make noise." Kukai stepped out from behind the tree, grinning sheepishly. He held his hands up in innocence. "I swear, I wasn't eavesdropping. Well, I guess I technically was eavesdropping, but I didn't mean-"
"Kukai…" Utau suppressed a smile that involuntarily began to form. "I see you haven't changed in the slightest. Still an idiot as always." Kukai pouted.
"Seriously? It's been six months; I would have expected a more romantic greeting or something. Like you know, 'it's so good to see you, my love.'" Utau rolled her eyes. "Well, I certainly missed you, Utau." Kukai walked toward her and hugged her tightly. Utau returned the hug, allowing Kukai's head to rest on her shoulder.
"It's so good to see you, my love," Utau teased.
"Jerk."
"You love me."
"Can't argue that." Ikuto watched the pair of them, watching Utau's apparent bliss. They separated slightly, only for Utau to lean back toward him and gently kiss him. He kissed her back, deepening it rapidly.
"Iku-Tan! Utau-Chi!" Tadase turned, watching as Yaya jogged over and hugged Ikuto tightly.
"Seriously?" Ikuto grumbled. Yaya let go of him, grinning happily.
"It's been soooo long!" Yaya whined. She glanced over at Utau. "Eh, she'll wait."
"Good to see you Yaya." Utau separated from Kukai. Yaya looked up at the blonde, grinning ecstatically. As the other two guardians approached, Ikuto stared, his eyes widening. He paid no attention to the lack of conversation between Nagihiko and Amu; his eyes followed the pinkette's every move. Her eyes glanced straight ahead, before finally turning to him. To Ikuto's dismay, there was no compassion or any sort of embarrassment. She appeared apathetic.
"Amu," Ikuto whispered, his eyes widening.
"It's good to see you, Ikuto," Amu greeted. This statement took him aback. Utau gave Amu a skeptical look of which she ignored. Tadase let out a sigh.
"It's very good to see you two," Nagihiko interjected, breaking the awkward silence that had emerged. "I hope you enjoyed your time in Paris."
"More or less," Utau murmured.
"You've got to tell me everything!" Kukai exclaimed. Utau narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. Kukai laughed, pecking her on the cheek. Nagihiko looked away quickly, his eyes fixated on the grass below. Tadase watched Nagihiko briefly, his eyes softening.
"I am quite pleased to finally see you all reunited." Everyone looked at their former principal. "The future holds such danger, and trusting each other will prove to be invaluable."
"What do you mean?" Tadase wondered. Tsukasa smiled brightly, his amethyst eyes sparkling under the shining sun.
"You all have seen so much in your past and yet, the uncertainties coming your way, you cannot possibly fathom. Soon, the time will be right for you to know the truth. But that time cannot be now. Only one who has been confined can possibly know how to free another." As simply as that, Tsukasa proceeded to exit, leaving the guardians in his wake.
"That guy hasn't changed in the slightest," Utau mumbled. "His words are so helpful."
"I guess you just have to have patience to deal with him." Kukai glanced over at Utau. "Though, I can't say you're the most patient of people." Utau shot him a glare.
"Hey guys, I sense X-Eggs!" Ran called suddenly. She pointed, prompting the guardians and Tsukiyomi siblings to follow suit.
"Damn, there are a lot," Utau noted, her teeth gritted. She exchanged a glance with Ikuto. He let out a sigh, his eyes drifting toward Amu. She stared at the X-Eggs blankly. Everyone transformed into their respective transformations and faced the X-Eggs as they had been doing for years.
"Duckies!" Yaya called, sending her rubber ducks in the direction of the X-Eggs. The X-Eggs flickered blue, prompting many of the ducks to bounce backward. Many of them flew up and swooped downward into the X-Eggs. Nagihiko shot a basketball as well, floating behind the mass of ducks.
"The barriers…" Ikuto began.
"You know about them?" Tadase wondered, surprised.
"In Paris, we learned gathered some information regarding Easter's new plans," Utau explained. "It seems you're well acquainted with them?"
"We've been fighting them for over a month now," Tadase explained, holding his scepter tightly. "It seems to be their new plan, though we do not know exactly what motivation they have."
"Golden Victory Shot!" Kukai kicked a golden soccer ball into the X-Eggs beside Yaya. A familiar sound of glass shattering sounded.
"Amu-Chi's turn!" Yaya called. Amu let out a sigh and stepped forward. Her hat shifted on her head, but nonetheless, her powers as Amulet Spade remained strong.
"Negative Heart, lock on." Amu made a heart with her hands, directing them at the X-Eggs. "Open—" Suddenly, a dark beam from the X-Eggs aimed at her. Amu gasped.
"Amu!" Ikuto immediately shoved her out of the way, the X-beam hitting the grass instead. Amu looked at him, stunned.
"Ikuto…"
"Did you really think I'd let you get hurt?" A smirk danced its way upon his face. Amu stared at him for a moment, before she suddenly lost her balance and collapsed. His smirk vanished, as he caught her before she reached the ground. Her transformation abruptly ended, allowing her hair to flow over his arm.
"Amu-Chan!" Tadase cried. He looked at Nagihiko worriedly, who nodded, and stepped forward.
"I'll do it." Utau closed her eyes. "Angel Lullaby!" Instantaneously, the X-Eggs glowed white and regained their normal color. They floated away, presumably to their respective owners.
"What happened?!" Nagihiko exclaimed, walking beside Ikuto. He cradled the pinkette in his arms worriedly.
"I do not know," Ikuto murmured, his eyes fixated on her. "She appears to be breathing but…" He shook his head, looking at Tadase. "What's been happening with her?"
"It all started last week," Tadase whispered. "We were on a date together. She had been acting normal really. But then suddenly…" His eyes lowered. "She spaced out. I didn't think much of it; Amu-Chan was normally the type to day dream. Upon getting her attention, she…she had no recollection of who I was. Not long after, she had passed out. But before she did, she whispered one word clearly…" Tadase clenched his fists. "Forever."
"Forever?" Utau wondered.
"Shortly after, we were facing another group of X-Eggs, similar to these," Nagihiko proceeded to explain. "After I purified them, we saw a hooded figure who had also said forever."
"Ever since all of this… Amu hasn't been the same," Kukai finished.
"What did you two find out about Easter?" Yaya wondered, turning to the siblings.
"Nothing in regards to Amu or 'forever'," Ikuto muttered, his eyes remaining on Amu. "We learned about the barrier and other new plans of Easter. We also know who the new director is."
"That woman, Deidre," Nagihiko muttered.
"Deidre Ichigami, yes. She is the assistant director. But the executive director is a man by the name of Seto. You may know him better as Sanjou Seto."
"Sanjou?!" Tadase exclaimed. Yaya's eyes widened.
"But how-"
"He's Kairi's father," Utau explained. "Yukari has always described her father as an ambitious business man. Taking ownership over Easter must have provided him significant power; after all, who wouldn't want to be in charge of a company with that many resources?"
"But since when was he involved with all of this X-Egg shit?" Kukai wondered. "Why didn't Kairi tell us that before everything?"
"Why do you think?" Tadase's eyes darkened. "He's a traitor. His loyalties remained with Easter; they have since the sixth grade. He never trusted us." Kukai looked at Yaya, his face etched with concern.
"How long was Kairi-Kun involved with this?" Yaya wondered, tears beginning to form. "He…His father wasn't planning on overrunning Easter for long, right? Kairi…was he really evil since sixth grade…? All of those times he took Yaya to get candy and scolded her for being informal and almost dated her… It couldn't have all been…" A few tears began to flow down her face. Upon feeling a hand on her shoulder, Yaya turned, facing Nagihiko. He gave her a crestfallen smile.
"You probably don't want to know the answers to those questions," He whispered. "I know I don't…" Yaya hugged him tightly, prompting him to return the hug. As Yaya rested her head on Nagihiko's shoulder, he stared at the ground, any trace of a smile being replaced with melancholy.
"Amu's waking…" All eyes turned to the pinkette in Ikuto's arms. Her eyes slowly opened, her golden brown eyes gazing tiredly up at Ikuto.
"Amu, are you alright?" Ikuto asked worriedly.
"I…I'm fine." She blushed slightly, immediately getting down from Ikuto's arms. "The X-Eggs…"
"Utau purified them," Tadase explained. "Amu-Chan, please, are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine. Really, I'm fine Tadase-Kun." She looked at him, smiling carefully. "I…I have a headache. But not a bad one, I promise!" She sighed. "Please don't tell my parents about this. It's just a bad X-Egg attack; there's no need to worry them."
"We won't tell them Amu-Chan, but we're worried," Nagihiko told her. "Please open up to us. We're your-"
"There's nothing to worry about!" Amu smiled. "I'm fine. I promise. I'm fine." Nagihiko watched her concernedly.
"So many promises have been broken recently," Yaya grumbled. Utau looked at Kukai, who sighed and mouthed something to her.
"I'm not lying to you." Amu smiled reassuringly, prompting Nagihiko to raise a skeptical eyebrow. "I better get going…"
"Not alone you aren't," Ikuto replied. "I'll take you back." She turned to him, surprised.
"Ikuto, I…"
"Don't worry about it." Ikuto glanced at Tadase. He nodded slowly, his eyes shifting toward the ground. Ikuto turned to Utau. "I'll catch up with you later."
"Sounds good. I have some things to do myself." Utau glanced over at Kukai, who grinned happily.
"We'll reconvene tomorrow," Tadase announced. "There's a lot we must discuss, especially considering the information Ikuto and Utau discovered regarding Easter in Paris."
As Ikuto walked with Amu to her house and Utau and Kukai parted ways to go on a date, Nagihiko began to walk away. He knew Tadase needed to more than likely return to his family; after all, he had just attended his grandmother's funeral. Nagihiko reached into his pockets and pulled out his keys. He pressed unlock and walked over to his silver car.
"Nagi-Tan!" The purple-haired teenager turned, watching as the final guardian approached him. Yaya began panting heavily, her arms extending to her knees. "Geez, finally you hear Yaya!"
"Sorry Yaya-Chan," Nagihiko apologized.
"No worries!" She grinned, regaining her composure. "Can Yaya have a ride home?"
"Of course." Nagihiko opened the passenger door for her. He walked onto the other side, and climbed into the driver's seat. Upon buckling, he turned on his car and began to pull out of his parking spot.
"Hey, Nagi-Tan?"
"What is it, Yaya-Chan?" His eyes focused on the road ahead of him.
"Yaya just wants to say… thanks for everything. Yaya knows that it's been hard on you lately, but Yaya, err, I appreciate the fact you comforted me today."
"It's not a problem. You know I'm there for you."
"Yeah… but Yaya wants you to know that she's there for you too." Upon reaching a red light, Nagihiko turned to her. "You always close yourself up, but we just want to help."
"I know. I appreciate it. It's just…" Nagihiko sighed, pressing on the gas pedal as the light changed color. "It's not something to dwell upon."
"But even after we confronted you that day, you still aren't opening up!" Yaya whined. "You know, there isn't a day that goes by in which I don't think about Kairi." Nagihiko gripped the steering wheel tightly. "It's not just that day though. I mean, that day's bad, but that's not the worst part. It makes me the saddest when I think about the happy memories we had." Nagihiko didn't say anything. Yaya leaned onto the window. "You know, even if Tadase says that Kairi-Kun has always been against us, Yaya doesn't believe it. Not for a second. There was a time when he would just smile at Yaya and say how 'endearing' I was. And there was that time he took my hand and promised…" Yaya began to sniffle.
"I know…" Nagihiko murmured. "Not a day goes by for you? Not an hour goes by…" Yaya looked at Nagihiko, surprised. He sighed, pulling up to Yaya's house. "Here you are."
"Thanks Nagi-Tan!" Yaya reached over, and hugged Nagihiko, who reciprocated it.
"Thank you Yaya-Chan. I'll try to open up more." As Yaya got out of the car, Nagihiko let out a sigh. "Yaya-Chan? Try to move on, alright? I know it's difficult, but you shouldn't be focusing so much on him."
"You too Nagi-Tan," Yaya told him. "There's nothing you can do now." As Yaya closed the door behind her, Nagihiko let out a sigh.
"Except for relentlessly think about her," Nagihiko grumbled. He put his car back into drive and proceeded to his mansion, the image of Rima not once escaping his mind.
"It's almost time, Rima." The blonde shot a juggling pin at the grey wall, leaving a slight dent. She panted heavily, sweat drenching her neck. "You must face them, head on." Another juggling pin was aimed at the wall.
"Head on…" Rima mumbled. She shot three more juggling pins before falling to her knees. Her transformation ended, leaving her hair tied up into a messy ponytail. "I can't do this, Kusu-Kusu…"
"Of course you can!" Kusu-Kusu tried to reassure, floating up to her. "You'll be well-rested tomorrow! You've been training for three hours straight; of course you feel exhausted."
"But I have to be perfect," Rima persisted. "Deidre expects—"
"You know none of this is for Deidre," Kusu-Kusu pointed out. Rima's eyes darkened. "You just need to…"
"I know what I need to do." Rima sighed, rising to her feet. "That doesn't make any of this any easier." She ascended the stairs, leading her to the ground level of Easter. The comfort of the air conditioner was more refreshing than the sweatiness of the training room. "At least the X-Powers will help…"
"Help…" Kusu-Kusu echoed. "They don't help; they hurt hearts' eggs and conflict with the guardians."
"Which is exactly what we're supposed to be doing," Rima replied harshly. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Don't forget who our loyalties lie with, Kusu-Kusu."
"It's only temporary," The clown chara mumbled, landing on Rima's head. She grabbed her coat from a closet and exited the building. She gazed at the night sky, letting out a sigh. The stars illuminated in the night, their beauty pure and untainted. Rima stuffed her hands in her pockets, feeling the cool breeze that juxtaposed with her prior sweat.
"It's so late out," Rima observed. "I didn't realize how dark it was when I was down there."
"It's past midnight," Kusu-Kusu pointed out. "You shouldn't keep leaving Easter at these hours alone; you don't want to, you know…"
"Get kidnapped…again. I know," Rima mumbled sternly, though there was a discernable waver in the petite blonde's voice. "What does it matter though if I did? No one would care. Mama and Papa would be too busy fighting to notice. Nagihiko…wouldn't give a crap." Saying his name stung worse than any bee sting Rima had ever gotten. She could picture his genuine and wistful smiles he gave everybody—even acquaintances he hardly knew—and, of course, the benign smiles he gave her that assured her that he promised her the entire world. Just that smile alone, and Rima could feel instantly calmed and special. He always had that effect on her; he knew how to make her feel like the most important person in the entire world just by smiling the special smile he reserved for her and speaking his sweet words. She longed for his eloquence and silky, soft indigo-hair and his ability to know exactly how she felt about anything; she wanted to cast aside her association with Easter just to take comfort in his arms that were always open for her.
"Well… I guess I'll be seeing him tomorrow," Rima grumbled. It had been over a month since she last saw the guardians; the last thing she saw was the expression of absolute distraught upon Nagihiko's face. She shuddered, hating herself for hurting the one she loved so immensely.
A sound of a violin seized her attention. Turning around, Rima could see a figure in the dark of the night, holding a small violin. He caressed the bow against the strings, ensuing a beautiful melody. The tune epitomized everything Rima felt: a deep longing for what she once held. As she watched the violinist, she could discern dark midnight blue-hair under the stars. Of course Rima knew who that was; after all, Amu had always spoken so fondly regarding a cat-man with that description with a violin. But it was also illogical. Ikuto had been away for six months; was it really possible he was back? Yet sure enough, the male in question stood firmly, gently playing his violin.
"Amu… I wish you could hear my music," Ikuto suddenly whispered, startling Rima. "If it could offer you any solace in your time of struggle, nothing would please me greater." Rima clenched her fists.
"Don't worry Ikuto," Rima whispered under her breath, "I will do everything in my power to ensure she is okay." Turning around, Rima headed back to her house.
Was there enough angst in these 9000+ words? I will try to have another update ASAP, maybe even next week if I'm motivated enough. If I can't update next week, don't expect an update until the end of August. I'm going on vacation for two weeks. But don't worry, I'm always thinking of ideas! Please, please, please review! This story means a lot to me, so it would be super awesome if you could leave your opinions or guesses on what you think will happen.
Oh, and just a side note, remember that time I said in an author's note that this story was based on two of my older stories, Easter's Revenge and another I wouldn't say for spoiler purposes? That other story is my story called Betrayal, which is literally exactly as it sounds and if you have not read it, you can probably easily deduce what inspiration came from there.
Again, review and/or alert! You guys rock.