Three months isn't so bad, right?
Well, I guess it is when I promised you that I had already finished this chapter and the next 2-3 afterward. I had a rough idea of stuff written, but I decided that it was too rushed. While the stuff I had written is still going to happen in this story- and chapter 13 is probably going to stay exactly the same- I had combined the events of chapters 11 and 12 into one, and it was absolutely hectic. Spacing it out will create a better story and build up more excitement. Next chapter is going to be seriously intense, that I can promise you. But this chapter is exciting too! It really sets the stage for some intensity and whatnot! But enough of my rants; please enjoy this chapter!
You can still fight the darkness, Amu-Chan.
Amu turned around frantically, some of her pink hair hitting her face. She rose to her feet shakily. A rush of dizziness immediately passed through her, prompting her to grab the edge of her bed for support.
"Arisa?" Amu called wearily.
Do you believe in yourself?
"Who…?" To her dismay, a figure appeared in front of her. A hood concealed the speaker's identity, but Amu could distinctly make out a feminine voice.
"I don't have much time, but there still is a way to find yourself again." the hooded figure insisted. "Do not succumb to Saira's abilities; make sure to—"
"Amu-Chan?" The peppy voice prompted Amu to turn rapidly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the hooded figure vanish from thin air. Saira smiled warmly at the pinkette. "Who were you speaking to?"
"N-No one," Amu stammered. "I just thought…" She shook her head slowly. Saira walked closer to Amu, her fingernails caressing the side of her face.
"The final preparations are being made," Saira cooed. "Very soon, you will be unstoppable. Are you ready, Amu-Chan?"
"Yes…" Amu replied, her eyes shining green.
"You'll soon have everything you have ever desired," Saira promised. "Any dreams and hopes, all of it—soon, you will be able to grant it."
"Forever?" Amu wondered hypnotically. Saira nodded.
"Yes Amu, we will have our forever. Anything you wish for will be your command." She gazed up at the ceiling. "It's funny. The Easter before us sought the very same thing: to make a wish. They devoted their plans to seeking the embryo. But no longer do we need the embryo; it was Easter's greatest antagonist in the end that can accomplish the very same mission much more effectively." She turned back to Amu, who stared straight ahead. "It is nearly time. Get some rest; you will definitely be needing it." Amu nodded slowly, climbing back into her bed and falling into a slumber.
Words without thoughts never to heaven go.
Kairi read the line over again, his eyebrows furrowing. He had read those words so many times, but only now did they finally resonate with him. People can say things lightly, but if they do not act, then statements could mean nothing. Saying something cannot be substantiated without an action backing it up, Kairi reasoned. One could say so many things, but—
"Kairi, what are you reading?" Kairi glanced up suddenly. His mother smiled at him, prompting him to rapidly return it.
"Hamlet," He responded. "I have read it on several occasions, but it has been quite a while since I've read it."
"Hamlet is your favorite Shakespeare, isn't it?" She wondered. Kairi nodded slowly. "Your sister loves that one too, and we both know how—how to phrase this kindly—how she isn't exactly drawn to classic literature the way we are." Kairi chuckled lightly. Yukari had been the one who had actually convinced Kairi to read Hamlet when they were kids. He had been riveted by the tale, inspiring him to read even more Shakespeare plays. He remembered telling Yaya all about the play many months ago.
"Wait… isn't that the plot of The Lion King?" Yaya had wondered, cocking her head to the side. "Yaya means, Simba gets mad at his uncle who killed his father or something like that, right?"
"Well, yes, The Lion King could be considered a modern adaptation of Hamlet, though since it is a Disney film, it is altered to be more appropriate for children," He had reasoned. This, of course, had prompted Yaya to make a disgusted face and question why on earth she would read something for adults when she could just watch The Lion King that was meant for a kid like her. Kairi sighed remorsefully.
"It's such a tragic tale, isn't it?" He turned back to his mother. "Hamlet simply wants to avenge his father's death and take action against his uncle, but it only results in destroying everything around him."
"I suppose when people become too absorbed in their own pursuits, they lose track of all of the other consequences," Kairi mumbled, frowning slightly.
"Are you two ready?" Kairi and his mother looked up, facing Seto. "Everyone else from Easter is already gathering inside."
"This is just an overview of what will be occurring next, is it not?" She wondered, rising to her feet. Kairi closed his book and stood up beside his mother. Seto nodded. "I will pass then. I already know what your plans entail; I told Yukari that I would pay her a visit today."
"Kishara, is it really necessary to visit her?" Seto wondered. "It isn't as if she contributed anything to our plans."
"She's our daughter, Seto," Kishara pointed out. "That supersedes anything, does it not?" She turned to Kairi. "Kairi, would you like to come with me?" Kairi opened his mouth to speak, but Seto quickly interjected.
"Kairi will remain," He pressed, though his voice remained level. "He needs to be briefed on what is coming next."
"Very well then." Kishara turned to face Kairi, an expression of softness present. "I'll see you later, Kairi. I love you." She ruffled his hair before gently placing a kiss on his forehead.
"Love you too, Mother," Kairi told her, a small smile on his face. Kishara smiled at him, before walking away.
"Come inside," Seto urged him, prompting him to glance over, nodding slowly. As he followed his father into the auditorium, he could feel the weight of the familiar play in his pocket. Words without thoughts never to heaven go. The familiar line repeated in his mind as he took his seat. Simple words and promises… they were meaningless alone.
As the large auditorium began filling with more and more people, Kairi felt extremely small in comparison. The constant inflow of Easter employees raised his anxieties. He could surmise that his father was going to unveil the last of their plans now that Amu was in their control. Unconsciously, he reached into his pocket, feeling the coldness of his chara egg on his fingers. Frowning, he faced the front, watching as his father cleared his throat.
"I have gathered you all here to deliver the latest news," Seto began, his voice smooth. Kairi always noted the seldom change in intonation of his father's voice; even with his perpetual disappointment of his son, he never seemed to express his anger in his voice. Rather, his emotions were present in his eyes and the haste of his breath—something that Kairi learned to read. Beside Seto stood Deidre and Saira, both beaming beside the elder man. Kairi glanced to his left, seeing an empty seat. His mother would have sat there, he reasoned. But maybe it was for the best she had gone to see Yukari. He felt out of place in the room and having his mother there would have been some security, but he didn't need that security: someone else did.
"As most of you are aware, Hinamori Amu is now under our control." A resounding applause filled the room, of which Kairi did not partake. "It is only a matter of time before Saira fully indoctrinates her. Soon, our plans will be completed. Hinamori Amu will be able to bring light to our world; all of the world's problems and tragedies will be solved with the powers of Hinamori—soon to be the powers of Easter." A bright smile formed on Saira's face. "In the midst of all of this, Easter will thrive. Our company will face unprecedented growth. Nothing—not even the guardians—can halt our imminent success."
"This is everything the company has worked for," Deidre continued. "When Kazuomi Hoshina founded Easter nearly eight years ago, he dreamed of this great power. And now, we will finally realize this dream. We can finally culminate all of Hoshina-San's plans into a larger scheme, one of which he never could have fathomed. We have nearly reached our pinnacle." Kairi could feel himself trembling.
I don't have much time, He thought, a grimace appearing on his face. I need to do something, fast. If I am ever to escape Father's shadow… His eyes widened, as he glanced around the large room. Everyone in Easter is here. If I could reach Amu-San, then perhaps… He could feel his heartbeat quicken. He glanced up at his father, watching as he continued speaking. While he did not smile, Kairi could see the confidence glimmering in his eyes. He was close, so close to achieving his business pursuits, and he knew it. Kairi closed his eyes, imagining his father in his childhood. He always followed every action his father told him to do, and never did he once receive any sort of praise. Always obeying, always following his elder's order, always lost in his father's wishes…
I am my own person. Kairi thought to himself. I must forge my own path, and it is time for me to finally seize this opportunity. He closed his eyes briefly. Words without thoughts never to heaven go. I cannot simply love Yaya without doing something about it. I cannot simply swear to protect Amu if I do not actively protect her. I cannot escape my father's shadow if I do not try to evade it.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his father continue to speak, explaining exactly what the plans entailed. Deidre every now and then joined in, elaborating on Seto's points. Saira stood beside him, the confidence draped across her proudly. Kairi gritted his teeth, before cautiously rising to his feet. He swiftly, but quietly, snuck out of the auditorium, his eyes every so often focused on his father. Seto, however, appeared oblivious to Kairi's sudden movement.
"I need to keep moving," Kairi whispered, walking rapidly away. "Musashi, if you're there somewhere, I would not be averse to a character change." He waited a brief moment, frowning as nothing happened. "I suppose I need more atoning before I can do that." He shook his head, continuing to rapidly move.
He arrived in front of Amu's room, leaning against the wall beside the door. Glancing around cautiously, he rose to his feet, glancing inside the room. Amu was sitting up, looking as though she was in a daze. Carefully, he pushed the door open. To his surprise, Amu didn't even react; in fact, she didn't appear as if she noticed.
"Amu-San?" He inquired, walking toward her. Again, there was nothing.
"Kairi!" The four charas floated up. Kairi glanced over his shoulder nervously, before turning back to them.
"We do not have much time," He hissed. "My father is currently holding a meeting, discussing his final plans."
"What are you suggesting?" Miki wondered. Dia's eyes widened.
"I am going to get you out, Amu-San," Kairi told her. "No longer can you be here; it is far too dangerous. Father and Deidre are nearly complete with their plans." Kairi watched, bemused, as Amu remained in her own place.
"Amu-Chan!" Ran cried. "You have to move!"
"She must be under Saira's hypnotic spell." Kairi shook his head. "No matter, there is no time to waste. If I can take her as far away from Saira as possible, she will likely have an easier time regaining control." He grabbed Amu's arm, prompting the pinkette to finally glance up. She tumbled forward, prompting Kairi to catch her. He slowly picked her up, carrying her bridal style. Six years ago, Kairi knew that he would have been simultaneously thrilled and overwhelmed by this action, but he was long through with his romantic feelings toward her.
"Let's go." Kairi opened the door to the room. Scanning both sides rapidly, he started toward the exit, quickly breaking into a run with Amu's four charas following him. Upon hearing footsteps, he could feel his heartbeat escalate.
The meeting is over! Kairi hissed, his eyes widening. I have no time; I-I need to proceed. He continued to run, trying desperately to evade anyone. Glancing around quickly, he ducked into a corner of the building. Knowing that he was by the computers, he knew that no one was likely to come this way, so he had a few minutes to spare." He took a deep breath, leaning against the wall. He settled Amu onto his lap for a moment.
"Where are you going to go?" Su wondered.
"I…I don't know," He admitted, exasperation leaking into his voice. "But maybe…if possible…" He slowly reached into his pocket for his phone. Taking it out, he could see some missed messages from his sister. Disregarding those, he quickly scanned through his contacts, hitting send rapidly upon finding Rima's name.
The four guardians and the Tsukiyomi siblings sat in Yaya's living room, listening attentively as Rima proceeded to explain what Kairi had told her the previous day. Tadase absentmindedly took another potato chip, his eyes widening as he understood exactly what the blonde was suggesting.
"So, are you saying that Kairi-Kun is helping us now?" Yaya wondered excitedly, munching on the umpteenth cookie. As Kukai reached for a cookie, Yaya grabbed the box away from him, playfully glaring.
"Kairi was always helpful to me, but now he seems really determined," Rima explained. "Obviously he's taking the necessary precautions, but he is not giving up on Amu. He's doing what he can from the inside."
"YAY!" Yaya paused for a moment. "But what about his mean Daddy?" Utau rolled her eyes.
"I guess Kairi is more willing to disobey his father." Rima shrugged. She looked at Yaya for a brief moment, her eyes softening. "He also…" She frowned. "Uh, never mind."
"He also what?" Utau wondered, an eyebrow raised. Rima looked over at Yaya for another glance. She turned from her, her eyes meeting Nagihiko's. The purple-haired boy nodded understandingly, facing Utau.
"I don't think it's relevant right now," Nagihiko interjected. He turned back to Rima. "Rima, you said that Amu-Chan remembered for an instant?"
"That's what Kairi said. Saira anticipated some recollection, but Kairi still believes that he can use this somehow to stop their plans."
"That's great news!" Kukai exclaimed.
"But they're close, aren't they?" Tadase wondered. "Amu-Chan is still kidnapped." Rima flinched. "Their plans to create some sort of wish granter for their profit are almost ready. We can't just wait for Kairi to act, unfortunately."
"What are you suggesting?" Nagihiko wondered.
"Well…" Tadase was interrupted by the sudden ringing of a cellphone. Rima took out her phone, puzzlement etched across her face. Her eyes widened suddenly, prompting her to slide open her phone.
"Kairi?" Yaya's eyes widened as well.
"I-I am in quite a precarious position," Kairi began, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"What's wrong?!" Rima wondered. She put the phone on speaker, allowing Kairi to explain his situation to everyone. As he explained his current predicament, her eyes widened.
"Wait, so you have Amu?!" Kukai exclaimed.
"Yes, but I am afraid that my current position will soon be compromised," Kairi explained. "The meeting my father was leading appears to have ended, and it is simply a matter of time before they discover Amu-San is missing and locate us." Tadase and Ikuto exchanged a glance.
"Are you near any windows or something?" Nagihiko wondered. "Perhaps if you character change, you could—"
"A character change would be implausible currently," Kairi interjected. "I do not believe I am by any sort of exit. It is too risky to fully look around to obtain my bearings."
"If you could hide out somewhere for a little while, perhaps you'll find a way to sneak out," Rima told him. "I know there were some hallways that were quieter than others; maybe if you can go by the training room and—"
"Someone's coming," Kairi hissed.
"Wait Kai—" Before Rima could say anything else, he had hung up the phone. She turned to the others, anxiously.
"We have to go in," Ikuto stated simply.
"What?!" Kukai exclaimed. "But that's utterly insane! We can't just…" He looked over at Utau. Her eyes were lowered, but a glint of determination was present.
"It's extremely risky," Tadase agreed. "But what choice do we have? Sanjou-Kun needs us; moreover, Amu-Chan needs us. This could be our only shot at saving her from Easter, and quite possibly saving the world. Not doing anything would pose a greater risk."
"Well, we can't just barge in," Nagihiko urged. "We'll need some sort of plan."
"We don't have time to spare," Ikuto pointed out. "We need to leave now."
"But without a plan, how…" Nagihiko trailed off, sighing in disgruntlement as Ikuto and Tadase had already risen to their feet.
"Ikuto-Niisan, you have your car, right?" Tadase wondered, prompting Ikuto to nod, pulling out his keys. He gestured for everyone to follow, prompting everyone to hesitantly nod and follow him outside.
"Nagi's right," Rima pointed out, as everyone squeezed into Ikuto's car. "We can't just recklessly go in. Easter generally has good security, and if they notice that Amu's missing, they're going to be even more alert."
"If they know Amu-Chan went missing, they would suspect us, wouldn't they?" Nagihiko wondered suddenly. He looked at Rima. "They don't know that Kairi is aligned with us, right?" Rima nodded slowly.
"If anything, they would suspect me," Rima mumbled. "I'm the only one of you who knows how to get around this new Easter base."
"We can act as a diversion then," Nagihiko suggested. "If we can distract Easter while Kairi escapes with Amu…"
"But they'll know we didn't do anything when we don't have Amu-Chan with us," Tadase pointed out. Nagihiko bit his lip, thinking.
"What if some of us catch up to Kairi?" Kukai wondered. "Then we can take Amu off his hands, while he goes and fights against us or something?"
"But we have no idea where Kairi is," Utau pointed out. "He could be anywhere in the base, and how the hell are we supposed to get inside Easter at all?"
"We can split into groups," Tadase suggested. "Some of us can distract them from the outside while the rest of us infiltrate."
"And we can further split up from there," Nagihiko added. "There will still definitely be employees on the inside, so another group can further distract them, while the final group runs ahead and finds Kairi and Amu."
"Yay! Good plan guys!" Yaya grinned, but Rima could distinctly see the anxiety underneath. After all, it was mirroring how everyone felt.
Ikuto pulled over suddenly, parking on the side of the street. He got out of the car, quickly dropping some money into the parking meter. He turned to face the others, who were also climbing out of the car.
"Kukai, Yaya, you two can create a diversion from the outside," Tadase told them. The two of them looked at each other and smiled. "The five of us can sneak inside, and from there since there will probably be X-Eggs, Nagihiko and Utau, you two can hold back more Easter employees. Ikuto, Rima, and I will then catch up to Amu-Chan and Sanjou-Kun." Rima and Ikuto nodded affirmatively.
"But…" Tadase turned to Nagihiko, watching his hesitation. He let out a sigh, turning to Rima. "Rima, are you sure you should be sneaking in? You just betrayed Easter and surely, they aren't going to take that lightly."
"I don't have a choice," Rima responded. "I've worked this hard to save Amu; I'm not giving up now."
"But maybe if you took a safer role than running right in to—"
"I'm doing this, Nagihiko," She interjected, frowning. "Safety isn't an option." Nagihiko let out a sigh. He glanced over at the Easter Headquarters Building briefly before turning back to her.
"Just be careful," He murmured. Rima smiled slightly, prompting him to weakly return it, before turning to the others. "All of you. This plan is…it's prone to error, but I guess we don't really have time to do anything better."
"We can do this," Kukai told them confidently. "We've got this. This is what we've been preparing for months, right?"
Upon arriving outside of the Easter Headquarters, the seven of them huddled behind a bush. They peered over, watching as a couple of Easter employees stood outside.
"Kukai, Yaya, be careful," Tadase mumbled. The two of them nodded, before quietly transforming and stepping out of their hiding spots. They immediately began launching their projectiles, taking the employees by surprise.
"Let's go," Utau mumbled, her eyes keenly watching Kukai. The five of them subtly snuck inside the building, leaving Kukai and Yaya to fight the employees outside the building.
"We're going to have to move at some point!" Ran urged. "Sitting in the same spot won't do us—"
"Shh!" Miki hissed, covering the mouth of the pink chara. Kairi frowned, staring straight ahead. His mind was racing as he considered his options. He had no idea what Rima and the others were planning, but he knew that Ran was right. He needed to move rapidly, but he knew that he was in a perilous place.
"Ran, are you able to character change her?" Kairi wondered suddenly.
"Uh, I can try!" Ran floated toward her bearer. Amu was staring straight ahead, her eyes glowing slightly green. "Character change! Hop, step, jump!" To the charas' bemusement, nothing happened.
"How could this not be working?!" Su cried. "She…she can't just not character change!"
"It must be Saira's control." Kairi frowned. "It's no use. I will have to—"
"Kairi-San?" Kairi froze, turning around rapidly. He immediately rose to his feet, facing the approaching Easter employee. He subtly glanced behind him, only to see the four charas desperately trying to hide Amu's body behind the teenager.
"What are you doing here? I wouldn't expect you over here," The employee wondered.
"I-I…" He gulped. "W-Well, I thought that, um, I—"
"Ow!" The employee cried out suddenly. Slightly alarmed, Kairi watched as Su floated up from behind the employee's head, grinning sheepishly. He rubbed his head in pain. Kairi rapidly walked away, dragging Amu behind him. He took a deep breath as he hid behind another wall.
There are too many people here. Kairi thought, biting his lip. How can I sneak out if everyone can see me? He turned back to Amu briefly. Upon seeing the emptiness in her eyes, he bit his lip. I cannot exercise caution any longer. I must make a dash for it. I cannot spend any more time overanalyzing each—
"Kairi?" That voice made Kairi freeze. He stood stiffly, making sure to fully block Amu as he faced his father. He could feel his palms become extremely sweaty.
"F-Father," Kairi stammered, inwardly chastising himself. "What can I do?"
"Where have you been? You left the meeting early." Kairi gulped.
"My apologies," He mumbled, trying to keep his voice level. Father is always so stoic; you can be too. "I left a few minutes early to reassess the power of the X-Powers before the computer laboratory became crowded. I wanted to perform a precautionary measure in case Saira loses her control." Seto nodded slowly, prompting Kairi to inwardly breathe a huge sigh of relief.
"Well, we have a situation at hand. The guardians are here, and Hinamori-San is missing." The guardians?! They must have heeded my warning, but…
"I need you to come with me," Seto told him. "Since Mashiro Rima is likely with them, we need to make sure everything is set up accordingly." Kairi nodded slowly. As Seto started walking ahead, Kairi turned around quickly. To his horror, Amu was no longer standing there, her four charas nowhere to be seen either.
"What…"
"Is something bothering you?" Seto wondered, pausing for a moment.
"No, I'm fine," Kairi lied, turning back to his father. He clenched his fists, once again following his father as he always did.
"Keep it up guys!" Yaya encouraged, directing her duckies at the Easter employees. After holding them off for a few minutes, a flying soccer ball suddenly whacked them in the heads, causing them all to fall to the ground.
"I would be a lot sorrier if you weren't trying to destroy the world," Kukai mumbled. He looked over at Yaya, grinning. "Great job, Yaya!"
"You too Kukai!" They high-fived, before glancing around at the outside of the base. "Was that all of the employees outside?"
"Sure looks like it." Kukai shrugged. "Well… we did our job, did we not?" He looked wearily at the Easter Headquarters. "I hope the others are okay. We distracted enough, didn't we?"
"Why don't we go in?" Yaya wondered.
"Huh?"
"Well, Yaya means, if we're done distracting out here, then we ought to help inside, right? We can stay with Nagi-Tan and Utau-Chi while they fight X-Eggs."
"Yeah, you're right," Kukai agreed. Yaya let out a sigh.
"And Yaya's sure… he'll probably need help…" He placed a hand on Yaya's shoulder, prompting her to glance up at him.
"You'll see him soon," Kukai reassured. "I know everything's been really complicated, but it's going to be okay, I promise."
"Yeah…" Yaya smiled up at Kukai. "You always know what to say, Kukai!" He grinned, scratching the back of his head.
"Hey, I'm basically your big brother! I've known you forever; it's practically my job title to make you feel better." Yaya giggled slightly. "Well, as a big brother, I should be protecting you, but instead I'm making you charge straight into the action. You ready?"
"Let's do this!"
"Where is everybody?" Utau whispered. "I was expecting to see Easter employees everywhere."
"We're in the main halls; there should be employees monitoring every spot," Rima agreed, glancing around nervously. "Something's not right…"
"I hear footsteps," Tadase hissed, gesturing to the left. They ran behind a wall, watching as a few Easter employees walked by.
"Well, well, well." All five of them turned to face the source of the voice. "How kind of you all to pay us a visit." Saira smiled saccharinely at them, a large flock of X-Eggs floating behind her. A few Easter employees stood adjacently, clutching their weapons tightly.
Cliffhanger! What's going to happen now that Saira found them? And where did Amu go? These questions will be answered soon hopefully. I have most of the next chapter written, as I had split apart much of the previous version I had, with the bulk of it being the chapter 12 material, so hopefully it will be up soon. I apologize immensely for taking such long gaps in updating, but it means the world to me that you are all so supportive. Reading your reviews means the absolute world to me.
Just so you all are aware of what's happening in my life, my last final is May 22nd. If I can't update prior to the end of this semester, at least you won't have to wait too long until I can update again. May 22nd really isn't that far away (which is terrifying how is my freshman year of college almost over?!), so I can promise that there will be at least an update around that time. But since I have the bulk of chapter 12 done, I'm going to try and have that up soon! This semester has been super stressful, but I'm going to try and devote more time to doing things I enjoy so I don't get so insanely stressed and anxious as I have been, i.e. more writing time!
Again, thanks so much, and please review! I know I take forever sometimes, but I have every intention of going all the way with this story. If you read my other stories, I will get back to them at some point; I barely have time for even just one story anymore! My birthday is also in less than a week (19?!) so a review is a great birthday present, am I right?