I know it seems like I took a long time to update, but this is actually one of the fastest updates I've had in a long time. Regardless, I have a good feeling that from here on out, my updates are going to be quite rapid (well, at least somewhat constantly). Enjoy!
"I was expecting your return soon, Mashiro-San." Rima quirked an eyebrow, her hands in her short pockets.
"Of course you were." Rima let out a frustrated sigh. "It seems Easter's plans are advancing much faster than I expected. Saira came today when I was fighting the guardians and she was easily able to cast her spell on Amu."
"The medallion—"
"It failed." Rima frowned. "Amu performed a purification with Tadase, and I thought that was a good sign, but then Saira came."
"Why was Saira there in the first place?"
"I don't know." Rima gritted her teeth. "I thought Deidre trusted me. I told her I would have everything under control." Rima leaned against the wall of the building. "I was sloppy. I knew the barrier wouldn't hold, but I should have let Nagi…"
"You cannot live with regrets, Mashiro-San. While emotions are integral to your strategy as an Easter employee, you cannot dispel your own emotions." Rima's eyes drifted to the floor.
"I feel like I'm powerless," Rima mumbled. "The medallion should have worked. Kairi's deliberate weakening of the X-Power should have hindered Saira. But I underestimated Saira's abilities; she hardly needs the X-Power anymore. And clearly, the medallion is worthless."
"Easter truly is a formidable foe." Rima nodded slowly.
"They're going to win anyway, aren't they?" Rima looked up at the elder man, her eyes darkening. "After everything I've done these past months, after all the sacrifices I've made… it was futile. I just ended up hurting myself more for no reason."
"You bought more time for the guardians," The man reassured, his smile practically twinkling. "Time is scarce in our world, but you defied the normal order and succeeded in extending time."
"But it's inevitable," Rima persisted. "Buying time is nice and all, but it means nothing when they're going to take Amu regardless."
"Prolonging the attack will allow for the guardians to prepare more. They already have a vague idea of what Easter is planning."
"What should I do now?" Rima wondered.
"In our current predicament, your options are limited. You have nearly saturated all resources on your end. Your mission has been essential for acquiring the necessary knowledge needed to put an end to this. However, Saira's powers are augmenting at a faster rate than we anticipated and there is little we can do."
"After everything Amu has done for me, I won't be able to repay her…"
"Do not lose hope, Mashiro-San. Everything you have sacrificed for the Joker has been extraordinary. But now, we are running out of bought time." A gleam was present in the man's eyes. "Mashiro-San, the fears you have experienced for these past few months will finally be expunged." Rima's eyes widened. She could feel a smile tugging at the sides of her lips, but she bit her lip to prevent it. The man smiled.
"Tsukasa, you're going to—"
"It is time for the guardians to be enlightened. This task cannot be yours solely any longer; the guardians have faced their share of strife and must understand what exactly we have been planning." Rima could imagine herself sitting in her respective chair in the Royal Garden, basking under the sun that shined through the glass. She would perhaps be laughing at one of Yaya's antics or frowning at Kukai as he teased her about her height or her relationship with Nagihiko. Tadase would be droning on about some guardian task that needs to be done, despite the fact that they were in high school. Nagihiko would be listening, but every now and then, he would smile his special smile that made Rima melt and wink romantically at her. Maybe she would kick his feet underneath the table or they would secretly hold hands, his large and slender fingers surrounding her petite hand. And Amu would…
Suddenly Rima was transported back to reality. Nothing would be the same as it was; nothing could be the same as it once was. Amu was gone—possibly eternally—and Rima couldn't save her. Not yet.
"I don't think they'd listen to me," Rima mumbled. "They…they obviously don't trust me." Yaya's voice resonated in her mind. A monster was what they perceived her as.
"I will be the one to enlighten them." Tsukasa's amethyst eyes gleamed. "Of course, the initial plan was to limit their involvement, but circumstances have changed." His eyes drifted over to the roof. Rima's eyes followed his, staring at the stars above. "The path of the stars has changed; we must rely on an outside force to exterminate the threat rather than striking from within."
Amu tucked her knees into her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around her legs. The comfort of the bed she sat upon hardly affected her; the echoing of Arisa's harsh words sent a shiver down her spine. Arisa was her forever, the most important person to her. The idea of upsetting her so greatly was unsettling.
As she touched the golden charm of her medallion absentmindedly, an image flashed through her mind of something blonde. Gasping, she removed her hand from the charm, the world restoring to normal. Hesitantly, she caressed the charm benignly, the image clearing up. In her mind, she could see a blonde-haired boy with an expression of deep hurt and melancholy. His ruby eyes were dilated, gazing at Amu with a look of betrayal.
"Tadase…" Amu whimpered, closing her eyes. As she could vividly see this image in her mind, she couldn't help but to poignantly smile. That had been six years ago; Tadase had changed since then.
"It's funny, Tadase-Kun," Amu mumbled aloud, sighing. "I had forgotten how upset you were that day, when you found out I was caring for Ikuto. You had felt so betrayed…" Amu gazed out the window. The sun was shining, oblivious to the torrential rain of the previous day. "Is that how Arisa feels?" Amu shook her head. "But why? Why was Arisa so upset? All I did was mention Ami…" As Amu uncoiled herself, her eyes widened.
"Idiot!" She hissed in frustration. "How moronic could I be?! Arisa is my forever. Nothing else matters. If I have everything I ever dreamed of with Arisa, why would anyone else matter? Why does anything else matter?"
"You finally get it." Amu turned to her door, her eyes widening as she saw the source of her stress. Arisa's emerald eyes sparkled, a small grin present on her face.
"Arisa…" Amu began. "I…I'm so sorry I upset you."
"You understand now." Arisa stepped toward the pinkette. "The world is full of so much strife, Amu. Reality brings so much burden, so much unwanted grief. But Amu, we need each other. With each other, we can escape the constraints of reality. We can find eternal happiness in each other."
"That sounds amazing," Amu marveled. Arisa beamed.
"Thank you for providing me with this opportunity, Amu." Amu smiled brightly.
"No, thank you Arisa. I was misguided; you have helped me find the light. You have allowed me to discern what matters and what doesn't."
"There's just one last thing." Arisa bit her lip. "Amu, the medallion you're wearing. I need you to take it off."
"Eh?" Amu cocked her head to the side.
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course I do," Amu replied without hesitation. "But I don't understand—"
"It's contaminated. I know it's hard to understand, but if you trust me, then please take it off." Amu nodded slowly, reaching to the back of her neck. As she unlatched the necklace, the image of Tadase flickered in her mind. But now, she was enlightened; Tadase was irrelevant. Ikuto was irrelevant. The problems in reality meant nothing to her; all that mattered now was Arisa. And with Arisa, Amu was certain that she could reach her aspired eternal happiness.
As the necklace fell onto Amu's lap, Arisa leaned over and snatched it. She examined it, an eyebrow raised.
"Hm… how intriguing." Arisa shook her head slowly, before looking back at Amu. "This is just the beginning. Our future begins now!"
Slowly, Amu's eyes drifted open, revealing the room she had been acquainted with for seven years. Despite the longitude of time she had lived here, it suddenly felt so foreign.
"Arisa…" Amu mumbled, feeling her vacant neck. Not to her surprise, the medallion was missing. "Thank you, Arisa."
"Who's Arisa?" Amu jumped, clutching her blankets tightly. As she turned to face the cat-like man, she frowned.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Amu exclaimed, flustered. "I-I was sleeping, you creep!" A smirk danced its way onto Ikuto's face.
"You've known me for a while, Amu," Ikuto pointed out. "It shouldn't surprise you so much that you still cannot grasp the concept of closing your window." Amu glanced toward her balcony window, frowning slightly.
"Well, can't you leave?" Amu wondered. Ikuto's smirk vanished.
"Hm?"
"I don't have need for you here, Tsukiyomi."
"Amu—"
"You staying in my room has only caused me trouble and, quite frankly, I've never gotten anything good out of it." Ikuto's eyes darkened. "I have no need to speak with you now."
"Amu-Chan!" Ran gasped. "It's Ikuto-Kun! You care about him!"
"He means nothing to me." Ikuto stiffened.
"If that's what you wish…" Ikuto stood up. "But who is Arisa?"
"No one you deserve to be associated with." Ikuto turned around slowly, and hopped down the balcony. Amu turned around, frowning.
"Amu-Chan, why did you say those things to Ikuto-Kun?" Su wondered, her voice benign.
"He shouldn't take it personally," Amu mumbled. "It's not like anyone means anything to me."
"That's not true!" Miki cried. "You have so many friends besides just Ikuto-Kun! You have Tadase-Kun and Nagi and Kukai and Yaya and Utau and—"
"No. I do not have the need of any of them." Amu frowned.
"What about us?!" Ran cried.
"Ran…" Dia whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"You girls represent my dreams, my would-be selves." A sigh escaped Amu's lips. "But really, why do my petulant dreams mean anything? Even if I eventually find myself and become what you all represent, I'll still be in a world plagued with problems. I'll never escape the problems of reality. All I need is Arisa. She is the sure route to happiness."
"But—"
"Su." Dia looked at her sister. Miki stared at the ground, tears beckoning to fall down her cheeks. The yellow chara looked back at Amu, her eyes solemn.
"I do not know who this Arisa is, Amu-Chan, but what she is feeding you lies. You cannot delve within these lies. It's merely a ploy by Easter," Dia whispered.
"Arisa is the first truthful thing to happen to me," Amu snapped. "Everything I surround myself in is a freaking lie! Ikuto said he would come back shortly, but it took him six months! I entrusted Nagihiko with everything, but it took him years before he could even reveal his actual gender. Rima and Kairi betrayed me. My entire life was lived in a cool and spicy façade. Everyone I ever knew, everything I ever did—all of it was shrouded with lies." Amu took a deep breath. "But none of that matters any longer." The four charas exchanged nervous glances.
Ikuto leaned against a tree, his fists clenched. Amu's words echoed through his mind, prompting him to grimace. The Amu he knew—his sweet, loving Amu—would never say those types of things genuinely.
"It's funny. I am always able to read through her facades, but this time…" Ikuto sighed morosely. "Whatever Easter has done to her, it's serious."
"Why are they doing this?" Yoru whined. "Wasn't it enough with Death Rebel? What are they doing with Amu-Chan?"
"I don't know, but I don't like it." Ikuto grimaced. "This isn't the same Easter we were a part of, Yoru. This isn't just some selfish desire of Kazuomi to obtain the embryo for his grandson; this has absolutely nothing to do with Kazuomi or the embryo." Ikuto frowned. "The information Utau and I found in Europe can't even help…"
"What are we going to do?" Yoru whimpered.
"Amu wasn't wearing the medallion today," Ikuto observed. "Yesterday with the medallion, Amu was acting like herself. But today, after whatever Saira did to her and in the absence of the medallion…" His eyes widened.
"What is it?" Yoru wondered.
"I think… The fact that Amu had the medallion in the first place couldn't have possibly been a coincidence. Someone is looking out for her."
"Um…aren't you doing that?" Ikuto sighed.
"To the best of my ability, but someone with more knowledge of what is happening has the best chance at protecting her." Ikuto glanced at Yoru for a moment. "Rima Mashiro. She didn't betray the guardians without reason; she has a plan. She's doing something for Amu." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out his iPhone. Unlocking it, he scrolled through his contacts and found the M section.
"You're going to contact her?" Yoru wondered.
"Perhaps she knows something about this Arisa person or the absence of the medallion," Ikuto mumbled.
"But shouldn't you discuss this with the others?" Yoru asked. "I mean, the guardians were really attached to her and if she isn't really evil—"
"She told me not to tell anyone," Ikuto explained. "Yesterday while we were battling her, she made eye contact with me. She didn't say anything, but she conveyed that she was somehow protecting Amu. Her anonymity must somehow be integral to her plans…" Ikuto stared up at the sky. "I just hope that it's helping Amu somehow."
"It's not fair." A chuckle emanated from the male's throat.
"Life isn't fair," He replied smoothly, turning back to face the girl beside him. She quickened her pace as he walked steadily.
"It's not my fault that I was cursed with my height," She mumbled.
"Rather, lack of height."
"I hate you, Nagihiko Fujisaki." The purple-haired teenager laughed, coming to a halt.
"Now, now, Rima, we've moved past the hating stage, have we not?" Rima stopped as well, panting. She glared at him.
"And I thought we moved past the height-mocking stage, cross-dresser." Nagihiko feigned an expression of hurt.
"Touché." A look of triumph formed on the petite blonde's face.
"I'll always be able to use your Nadeshiko years against you," Rima taunted.
"Ah, ah, but I don't 'cross-dress,' as you kindly put it, in public anymore. You cannot hide your height."
"I can wear heels," Rima pointed out.
"And then you may be average height." Upon seeing Rima's frown, Nagihiko laughed. "Funny how short you can be, and yet there's so much of you to love." He kissed her cheek lightly. Rima bit her lip to keep herself from smiling.
"Cheesy much, Nagi?"
"We've been dating for almost two years now, Rima; you should be used to that now." He smiled.
"Fair enough." Rima reached for his hand, prompting Nagihiko to immediately intertwine his fingers with hers. "Shall we get that parfait?"
"I wouldn't be opposed to that."
"Young Master?" Nagihiko blinked, snapping back to reality. He dropped his fan suddenly, his attention diverting to Baaya and his mother. Hearing her high-pitched voice echo through his mind prompted him to clench his fists.
"Something is troubling you," His mother noted, her stern glance fixated on him. Nagihiko gulped, but slowly shook his head.
"I…I spaced out," Nagihiko mumbled. "I-I haven't been sleeping well, so my concentration is off." Rhythm and Temari exchanged looks. He bowed his head. "My apologies, Mother."
"This is becoming a bit of a routine, don't you think?" She sighed dramatically. "For the past month, you have been making constant excuses for your distractions and inattentiveness to dancing. All of your steps are completely off and—"
"I'm sorry," He interrupted, prompting his mother's eyes to widen. "I...I've been, um, preoccupied."
"Is everything alright?" Baaya wondered, concernedly.
"Yeah, it's fine. I'll be okay." Nagihiko forced a smile, but he knew he didn't believe himself. "I…I can't dance right now." His mother watched him, as he descended the stage and went to his room to change out of his kimono.
"Your mother is right, you know…" Temari began, as Nagihiko slipped on a white t-shirt. "You are usually great at keeping your emotions at bay." Nagihiko sighed.
"You're right," Nagihiko agreed, sitting on his bed. "Whenever I was feeling stressed—whether it was schoolwork or fighting X-Eggs, I was able to refresh myself when I danced. I was able to separate myself from my emotions when I danced; it was the only way I could truly feel at peace." His eyes drifted to the ground. "But ever since she…" He bit his lip. "I've been a complete wreck. God, I was so stupid. Everything I do, I can't help myself from thinking about her." He laughed humorlessly. "I fell for her, more than I ever thought was possible. I should have known that I would fall onto concrete instead."
"Nagi, it's going to be okay. You're going to be okay," Rhythm promised. "You just need time, yeah? Everyone needs time to get over something like heartbreak."
"No… This is ridiculous. It…she's impacting everything I do. While we were fighting X-Eggs yesterday against her… I totally lost it. I wasn't in control." He clenched his fists. "I can't even tell Mother. She would tell me that I'm being irrational—which I am. She would tell me that as the future heir, I shouldn't dwell on some trivial romance." He leaned back against his wall.
"It's not trivial," Temari tried to reassure. "You fell in love, and that's okay. You can't regret it; you can't expect to remove your emotions immediately."
"But she did," Nagihiko persisted, recalling her cold words.
"Always the clever one, Fujisaki," She had mumbled, no emotion present in his voice. He couldn't even bear to speak directly to her; he couldn't even handle being around her. And yet, he could distinctly recall the same soprano voice teasing him, flirting with him, mocking him, telling him that she loved him.
"Yaya was right," He mumbled, sighing. "It hurts more to think about the happy memories…"
The sudden vibration of his cell phone startled him. Upon picking up his phone, he saw that the caller ID was Tadase. He unlocked his phone and put it to his ear.
"Tadase?"
"Hey, how are you holding up?" Nagihiko reflected upon his dancing. He had become distracted again, thinking about a date with Rima. He knew he wasn't getting better; he was getting worse, and fighting against her only augmented his pain.
"I'm fine," Nagihiko lied, knowing for a fact that Tadase wouldn't believe him. "Why did you call?"
"I'm not allowed to check in with my best friend?" Tadase laughed hoarsely.
"I figured you had something you wanted to discuss. Knowing you, you would want to talk about my problems in person."
"That's true…" Tadase sighed. "Utau got in touch with Sanjou-San."
"She did?" Nagihiko wondered, surprised. "Did she say anything about her father?"
"She…she wants to meet with us," Tadase explained. "Utau said that she wanted to speak directly to us. Are you okay with that?"
"That's fine with me. I'll be there in a few."
"It's a pleasure to see all of you," Yukari greeted, as the guardians and Tsukiyomi siblings filed in. As Utau entered, she smiled. "Utau, I'm glad to see you have returned."
"It's been a while, Yukari." Yukari pulled her into an embrace, to which Utau returned.
"How was Paris, or London, or wherever you guys went?" Yukari wondered, letting go of Utau.
"We traveled all around Europe in an attempt to find the most information we could," Ikuto explained. "They were nice cities, but we didn't find exactly what we were looking for."
"That's a shame. But I'm sure you two will. I've known you two for a long time; you two have the most perseverance of anyone I've ever met."
"Yeah, you can always count on Utau getting what she wants. Trust me." Kukai laughed, wrapping his arm around her waist. Utau rolled her eyes at him.
"Hey guys." Everyone turned, facing Yuu. He placed a tray of chocolate chip cookies on the center table. Yaya immediately gravitated toward the table, prompting Kukai to chuckle lightly.
"Nikaidou-Sensei," Tadase greeted politely. "It's a pleasure to see you."
"Hotori-San, it's nice to see you as well." Yuu gave him a somber look. "I heard about your grandmother. I apologize immensely; I know you were very close with her."
"I…thank you." Tadase smiled graciously. "But how did you know?"
"Amakawa-San informed us," Yuu explained. "I apologize I couldn't attend the funeral. We were planning on it, but," He cast Yukari a side-glance, of which she sighed and shook her head slowly, "Some situations arose." Nagihiko raised an eyebrow. Silence ensued, filled with only Yaya's crunches of the cookies.
"Are they good, Yaya-Chan?" Yukari wondered. "Yuu can screw up the simplest recipes sometimes, but he's still a better baker than me."
"Yeah, they're, um, yummy," Yaya replied, biting her lip. Her eyes remained cast downward. Yukari watched her for a moment, her eyes filled with remorse. Kukai glanced over at Yaya worriedly as well.
"Well, how have you all been?" Yuu wondered, breaking the silence. Yuu gulped, laughing uncomfortably. "I mean, um, Kukai, are you ready to go to college soon?"
"I'm really excited!" Kukai grinned. "I mean, I'm kind of terrified and it'll be weird leaving, but I know nothing's really going to change. I'm going to visit a ton. It's just a different school; I'll get used to the change."
"When are you leaving?" Yukari inquired.
"I still have a solid three weeks," Kukai pointed out. "I haven't really thought too much about college. I mean, so much has been going on, hell, I don't even know if…" He let out a sigh, beginning the silence again. Utau and Ikuto exchanged nervous glances.
"I guess we should cut to the chase," Utau muttered.
"He's not evil," Yukari suddenly began. Yuu put a hand on her shoulder. "I know you guys hate him right now; I know it seems like he's a terrible person, but he's not, I promise. He just…he…"
"Since when was he in charge of Easter?" Kukai wondered. Utau let out a disgruntled sigh, pressing her hand to her face. Yukari raised an eyebrow.
"What? He's not in charge of Easter?" Kukai raised an eyebrow, turning to Ikuto and Utau.
"But didn't you say that he was the new director—"
"She's talking about Kairi," Tadase interjected. Kukai's expression softened.
"Well… I feel dumb now."
"My father is a bastard," Yukari mumbled. "I feel nothing toward that man. He never cared about Kairi or me growing up; his sole focus was profit. Everything he did was in an attempt to earn money. Unfortunately—or fortunately, however you want to put it—his old business failed. He needed a new outlet to turn to, and luckily for him, a large company called Easter had recently lost its director."
"How long was he in charge of Easter?" Tadase wondered.
"He had affiliations with them for years," Yukari explained. "Some of his sources for his past company worked with Easter, hence why Kairi and I worked for Easter six years ago. He had been intrigued by the company for years. But after Kazuomi gave up the company, he jumped in."
"For that long?" Nagihiko wondered, surprised.
"He was quiet about it for years," Yuu explained. "Unlike Kazuomi, Seto did not vocalize his plans loudly. He has spent these past few years developing Easter, preparing his plans. Now, it seems as though he is ready to execute his plans."
"My father is smart," Yukari mumbled. "He doesn't just jump into something; he makes certain to plan it out adequately first. After Kazuomi retired Easter, I had no idea what my father was planning ;frankly, I didn't give a crap about his plans. I thought that he would give up the company, seeing as it was a failed business venture." Yukari gritted her teeth. "Evidently not."
"What is he planning?" Tadase asked.
"I don't know exactly," Yukari admitted, biting her lip. Yuu frowned slightly.
"Whatever they're doing, it has to do with Amu," Kukai explained. "We don't really know what's happening with her, but she's been acting really weird." Yukari cast a sideways glance at Yuu. "Yesterday, we fought against Easter. We were fighting Rima, when some girl came along—I think her name was Sarah or something—and did some weird thing to Amu."
"Saira," Yukari interjected, her eyes lowering.
"Who is she?" Tadase asked.
"She's…"
"You're hiding something," Utau mumbled, her arms crossed. "You two seem to know more than you're letting on."
"It's complicated," Yuu began, sighing. He nervously glanced at Yukari. "We—"
"You loathe Easter," Ikuto pointed out. "And we're trying to stop them. Don't you resent your father, Yukari?"
"I want to help you guys succeed against my father, but unfortunately, I...I can't tell you everything I know." Yukari sighed.
"Why not?!" Utau exclaimed.
"Because I refuse to endanger my little brother." Silence ensued, as Yukari exhaled heavily. Yuu gently massaged her shoulder.
"Why… Why did Kairi-Kun join Easter?" All eyes turned to the one person who had been silent for the duration of the conversation. The ordinarily cheerful girl's eyes remained fixated on the ground, her voice shaky. Her fists were clenched, but her eyes contained melancholy.
"He…He didn't want to," Yukari mumbled, her eyes drifting to Yaya. "Like Yuu and I—and all of you—he detests Easter. It pained him immensely to align with them, but…" Yukari sighed. "Our father has always had high expectations for him." Nagihiko's eyes widened. "Even as a child, my father expected Kairi to follow his lead. I never listened to Father's demands; I was more rebellious, but Kairi was always compliant. He just did what Father told him, because he felt he was entitled to. So when Father requested Kairi's assistance with Easter, he felt required to follow him. He didn't want to, but he couldn't just stop—"
"But what about us?!" Kukai interjected, his eyes widened. "He realized his wrongdoings in Easter all those years ago; he trusted us, hell, we trusted him!"
"Kairi has never said no to him before," Yukari explained. "He didn't want to get involved with Easter, but he was afraid to say no to Father. But I know he didn't want to. I tried to stop him, but he felt…" Yukari sniffled, rubbing her eyes. She turned to face Yaya, who was staring at the wall. "God, he didn't want—he doesn't want—to hurt you of all people." Yaya turned to look at Yukari, her eyes widened. "He loves—"
"Don't," Yaya interjected, tears welling up in her eyes. "Yaya… I-I can't…" She immediately rose to her feet.
"Yaya," Kukai whispered, immediately walking beside her.
"I never knew… I didn't know…" She buried her head on Kukai's shoulder and started to sob. Kukai ran his fingers through her hair benignly.
"He didn't want you to know about what his father sought," Yukari tried to comfort. "He thought you would perceive him as weak and incapable. I just don't get how he can be so hard on himself…"
"Because he knows he'll never live up to his father's expectations, and that's how he defines his value, isn't it?" Yukari turned to Nagihiko in surprise.
"How did you know?" Nagihiko chuckled darkly.
"I'm well-acquainted with futilely attempting to abide by a parent's expectations." Tadase gave Nagihiko a cursory glance, of which the purple-haired teenager ignored.
"What is Kairi doing for Easter?" Utau asked, her voice cautious.
"Computer work," Yuu explained. "Seto has been having him research and work on X-Eggs."
"The barriers…" Tadase began.
"He didn't come up with them, but he had researched extensive information regarding them," Yukari explained.
"They were originally developed by Kazuomi," Ikuto explained. "He had programmed X-Eggs to erect barriers to prevent Amu's purification techniques. However, the idea was discarded upon his realization that the X-Eggs summoned the Embryo."
"You knew that?" Yuu wondered, surprised.
"We discovered some information of our own in Europe," Utau explained. "In trying to find our father, we found some papers he had written. It turns out that he was attempting to stop some future plan of Easter's as well. Whatever they're planning, it must be huge. Aruto mentioned something about eternal darkness."
"The darkness is coming, forever," Nagihiko suddenly mumbled, his eyes widening. "Some hooded figure after we purified X-Eggs said that, the day everything with Amu-Chan began happening."
"Yukari and I don't know anything about—" A knock at the door interrupted Yuu. He gave Yukari a confused look, prompting her to shrug.
"I'll get it," Yukari announced, rising to her feet.
"I'm sorry we can't tell you guys too much." Yuu let out a sigh. "I know everything is hard on you all, but I have full confidence you will stop Easter's plans. We may not be able to help much, and while we must protect Kairi, just know that we are supporting you."
"We appreciate that," Tadase told him.
"What are you doing here?!" Yukari suddenly hissed, as she opened the door. As the others turned, she quickly stepped outside, closing the door behind her.
"That's not…" Yaya began. Yuu let out a sigh but didn't say anything. Yaya gripped Kukai's shirt tighter, prompting him to wrap his arms around her tighter.
After a few moments of silence, Yukari entered the house, letting out a sigh. She exchanged a nervous glance with Yuu. He mouthed something to her, prompting her to shake her head.
"It's not good," She mumbled.
"Is everything alright?" Utau wondered. Yukari laughed.
"Ask me that after you all save the world, or whatever you've got planned."
"It'd be much easier if we knew what we were fighting," Utau grumbled. Yukari frowned, letting out a sigh.
"You of all people should know, Utau; it's the same enemy we once were a part of. It's the same company you guardians fought against for years. It's just an upgraded version, but I know you all can stop them."
"We will do everything we can," Tadase promised.
"And… I know you don't really understand him entirely, but please…" Yukari took a deep breath. "Please save my brother."
"We will," Yaya announced, separating from Kukai. She turned to face Yukari, a small smile present. "I won't let Kairi-Kun suffer."
"Thank you, Yaya." Yukari smiled brightly at her. "You all are welcome back at any time."
"See you later, Yukari, Yuu," Utau told them. As the guardians and Tsukiyomi siblings exited their house, Nagihiko paused briefly.
"Yukari-San…" Nagihiko began cautiously.
"What is it?" Yukari wondered.
"Do…Do you know why… Why did Ri—never mind. I'll, um—"
"We don't know," Yuu interjected. Nagihiko sighed.
"Thank you," He mumbled, joining the others.
The next morning, Tadase sat on his knees in the basement, his eyes closed. . He allowed thoughts to freely permeate his mind, circulating through his brain like electricity running through circuits.
I can't let the people I love keep getting hurt. Tadase thought bitterly. Some king I am, constantly losing my family and friends. He thought about his grandmother, the first person whom he swore to protect. He opened his eyes briefly, sighing as he laid eyes on the bed she used to inhabit. He could still feel her aura present in the air surrounding him; the basement still reflected her comfort. I must leave her to Heaven, if such a place really exists.
I can't lose Amu-Chan. I must be the king I am supposed to be; I must protect her.
"Do not undermine yourself, Tadase," Kiseki murmured. "You are protecting your people as any proper king would do."
"But then why is Grandmother dead?" Tadase wondered. "Why is Amu-Chan beyond my grasp? Why is Nagi constantly suffering in his grief? Why is Yaya still so hurt? Why haven't Ikuto-Nii and Utau-Nii found—"
"Tadase." Tadase jumped, upon hearing the footsteps of his mother. Her eyes were stern, reflecting no despair or confusion. He was extremely grateful that she appeared to not hear his inner monologue. She held the phone to him, prompting him to sigh.
"It's your uncle." Tadase frowned, taking the phone from her. His father had mentioned something about his uncle calling to talk to him about the money left for him in his grandmother's will. Tadase, however, had no desire to speak about finances at the moment.
"Hello?" Tadase wondered, watching his mother's retreating figure.
"It's good to hear from you, my nephew." Tadase's eyes widened.
"O-Oh, Amakawa-San! I didn't know that it was you, my apologies. I thought it was my other uncle."
"That is quite alright. Your mother has mentioned that he wishes to discuss the will with you."
"Yeah… Why did you call, Amakawa-San?" Tadase wondered.
"Urgent matters have arisen. I do not wish to bother you during this time of grieving, but unfortunately, I cannot delay this any longer."
"What is it?"
"This is something that must be discussed in person. Gather your fellow guardians and meet me at the planetarium in two hours. This is of utmost importance."
"But what is going on?" Before Tadase could pose his question, Tsukasa had already hung up. Tadase took out his cell phone, puzzlement filling his mind.
"This seems a bit familiar," Kukai noted. "I mean, we all just gathered together yesterday." Tadase knocked on the door gently.
"Any idea what he wants?" Yaya wondered.
"Not the slightest clue," Tadase mumbled. "He said something about urgent matters, but he did not elaborate, other than the fact that we all had to be there." Slowly, the door opened, revealing their former principal. The man's smile remained intact.
"I truly appreciate your efficiency in gathering here, despite the fact that it is last minute. You may enter." They complied, entering the dark room. Tadase glanced up at the ceiling, marveling at the stars above. Despite the umpteenth amount of times he had entered the room, Tadase never tired of watching the stars.
"Would anyone like anything to drink or eat?" Tsukasa offered kindly.
"I thought no one was allowed to eat in your planetarium?" Tadase wondered, an eyebrow raised.
"Ah, I am impressed you remembered, my dear nephew. However, in such dire times, some rules must be bent in order to make proper accommodations."
"Why did you call us?" Nagihiko wondered.
"As you are all well aware, the revitalization of Easter is upon us." Tsukasa sighed. "Unlike its previous incarnate, this new Easter, headed by Sanjou Seto, holds dire potentials. The vast majority of these plans directly involve Miss Amu Hinamori."
"What are they doing to her?!" Tadase demanded. "We know some information, but…"
"I can answer that question, in due time." Tadase watched Tsukasa, biting his lip. "I have received excellent intel regarding the Joker. And that the source of this intel is precisely why I have gathered you all here."
"Why is this relevant?" Kukai inquired. "Don't we just want to save her and get that information as fast as possible?"
"The plan to rescue Hinamori-San from Easter's clutches initially was not going to involve any of you. In fact, excising Hinamori-San from Easter was intended to be—somewhat of-a simple task. Unfortunately, this new Easter is posing to be a much larger threat than I—than we—ever would have anticipated." Tsukasa smiled brightly. "I told you once that mutual trust is essential to your success. Without learning how I obtained the necessary information, mutual trust is impossible to attain."
"So… what's really happening?" Yaya asked.
"Acquiring the proper knowledge of Easter's plans was not a simple task. Having the guardians continuously fight Easter would not reveal the full extent of information that was mandatory to stopping them. What was required was a probe of sorts: something that could infiltrate without them being aware." Tsukasa's eyes twinkled. "And without Mashiro-San, none of this would have been possible."
And thus reveals the not-so surprising twist I have been super excited about ever since I started thinking about this story. It has been built up throughout these five chapters, but nevertheless, I hope it's still exciting. The next chapter is one of the first chapters I had planned out for this story, and probably one of the two chapters I am most excited about writing. From here on out, I can guarantee my updates will be more frequent. Why? Because the next few chapters are going to get seriously insane, and I am beyond excited. I highly doubt that I will enter a writer's block as the next chapters emerge.
I'll give you a little bit of information about chapter 6. It will be almost entirely told as a collection of flashbacks. Unlike the normal progression of this story, there will only be one perspective throughout. I have the utmost confidence that you all can figure out who that is.
I am beyond excited, and I hope you all are too. But please please please review. Quite frankly, I really only receive like 1-2 reviews chapter per chapter (special shout-out to Randombore, of whom I appreciate so very much for reviewing each chapter), and I hate to whine about reviews, but they seriously keep me motivated. I'm not one of those I'm-not-updating-until-I-receive-x-reviews type of people, but I do give like 5000+ chapters each time (chapter 3 was 10k, fun fact), and I'd love some more reviews. If you're reading, please review or PM me or something! That type of thing makes me feel happy and motivated. Thank you all for keeping posted on my stories, I truly appreciate it!
Can I update before I turn eighteen (wtf I'm turning 18 in exactly two months?!)? Time will tell, but I have a pretty good feeling about it.