Suteneko: 2000 words! Thanks for reviewing everyone! You really made my day! Hope you enjoy this chapter!
PS: I do not own anything!
"I see. Looks like I have no choice huh?"
"I'm sorry Amber, I really am."
"It's all right. I knew I had to go back there someday anyway. Heck, you even became Supervisor for me."
Cross groaned then, "I really don't know what came over me, why the heck did I say I would become Supervisor?"
"Because it's the only way you could think off not to let the Vatican make me a General." Amu answered.
Cross sighed, "But just thinking about that position reminds me of how much paperwork have to do…"
Amu smiled but vanished in an instant and replaced with a sad frown, "The war seems to have become worse haven't it? Several Finders & Exorcists have died...a Fallen One had appeared...the HQ was nearly destroyed by a new Level 4 Akuma…"
Cross then took his daughter's hand in hers and looked at her right in the eye, "Amber, don't you even think of blaming yourself. Who knows whether or not this would all have still happened even if you were there? Besides, there's no need to dwell on the past. Let's focus on the future now."
Amber smiled, "You're right."
"I always am."
Later that night, Amu was just zipping up her suitcase when her Golem, Timmy came flying in through the window.
"Timmy! Welcome back!" Amu greeted her silver Golem whom just came back his usual nightly stroll.
The silver golem flew around Amu's head as if to say he was excited to get back in the field. Amu smiled, she only got to hang around with Timmy at home so she knew that her Golem was rather lonely without her.
"Amber?"
Amu turned to see her father at the doorway of her room. He was dressed in red plaid shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows and boot cut jeans. He had his hair tied up and wore a fringe over his left side. His own Goelm, Timcampy flying beside him.
Timcampy say Timmy and motioned for it to come and play. The two Golems left, leaving Cross and Amu alone.
"Hi Daddy! I've just finished packing."
"Good, good. So are you ready?"
Amu knew exactly what he meant, "Let's get it over with."
Amu stood up from her chair and unbuttoned her pajama top to reveal a midriff white camisole underneath. She then went over to lie on her bed and her father proceeded to cuff her hands to the bed with a set of hand cuffs and put a mouth guard in her mouth.
"You ready?"
Amu nodded.
Her father than began to mumble some magic words under his breath and her seal appeared on her belly button. An eight trigram seal appeared. (Similar to Naruto Uzumaki's Kyuubi seal on his stomach but golden in color, I have a picture on my profile). Cross laid a hand on his daughter's seal and concentrated on pouring in his energy into it. Amu then began to glow white, first it was dim and then it began to get brighter and brighter as her father poured more power into her seal.
Amu could feel her father's power and it was painful, she was grateful for the mouth guard, it prevented her from screaming out and bursting her father eardrums. But it did take a lot of restraint not to kick her legs around wildly, she had to keep in mind that she would kick her father in the face if she did. And the handcuffs really helped restrain her hands from lashing out.
Yes, she was in THAT much pain
The brightness of the light increased, making Cross and Amu shut their eyes and turn away from the it. Suddenly, Amu stopped glowing and they both felt their eyelids becoming heavy. Cross then fell to the floor whilst his daughter fell asleep on her bed.
Christa then came out of her egg to see how it went.
"It looks like it's working!" Christa thought to herself when she saw that her bearer's hair and body growing to how it should be.
Then she noticed Cross on the floor.
I should put him somewhere more comfortable...
In Amu's dream,
"Amu-chan!"
Amu looked up to see Ran, Miki, Suu & Dia smiling at her.
"Girls!"
Soon, they were all hugging each other, "I missed you guys so much!"
"We missed you too!"
"But now that you're here, does this mean you guys are going to hatch when I wake up?"
The charas looked at each other and back at Amu.
Dia spoke first, "We aren't coming back."
Amu was shocked, "What? Why not?"
"You don't need us anymore." Ran told her.
"B-but you're my charas!"
"But you have war to fight in. And Christa is there to help you isn't she?" Suu said
"But!"
"No buts Amu-chan, for now we're going back to your heart. Don't worry, we're still in your heart and we'll love you" Miki told her.
"I'll miss you…" Amu confessed.
"We'll miss you too Amu-chan." Her charas told her.
The next morning
Amu moaned from exhaustion, wanting to know what time it was but her room was still dark due to the dark curtains she owned because she always hated to see light pouring in through her windows in early morning. Amu then opened her eyes, rubbed them to get all the little sleepy-men out and allowed them to focus before looking up to see a familiar face, her father 's face.
Daddy?
Amu then realized that her father had encased in her in a hug.
He's warm…
Then she remembered that when she was little and had nightmares, her father would sleep with her just like this so that she would calm down. Amu smiled at the memory but stopped when a short moan came from him and his gorgeous mahogany red orbs opened and peered into hers.
"Morning…" he greeted sleepily.
Amu couldn't help but giggle at her father's sleepy face, "Morning Daddy."
"You look beautiful" he told her, smiling.
Amu then remembered that they had removed the seal last night, meaning that she would have her original appearance back!
She jumped out her bed and headed to her dressing table and stared at her reflection.
Her vibrant, wine red hair ending at her waist like it used to and her eyes were back to it's born copper color. She noticed that she was taller than she was when she was Hinamori Amu; she stood at a 165cm or 5 foot 5 which was actually as tall as Nagihiko. Her girlish features were gone, now she stood proud with facial features and skin tone, strikingly similar to her father. The only features Amu had gotten from her mother were her eyes, smile and some aspects of her personality.
Amu snapped out of her reverie when she noticed that her father was standing behind her, "It seems that you are taller than you were when you were Hinamori Amu."
"Well, the seal was designed to change my appearance after all."
Cross nodded and kissed his daughter on the temple, "I'm going to shower first."
Amu smiled at the loving gesture, "Alright, see you at breakfast Daddy."
When her father left, Amu then proceeded to take out the wrapped box she kept in her drawer.
It's time.
Since both bathrooms were occupied by Ami and her father, Amu settled to just washing her face and brushing her teeth at the sink. After breakfast and a shower, Amu came down the stairs, dressed and ready to leave. She saw her father shake her uncle's hand.
"Thanks for taking care of her all this while Tsumugu."
"No problem. Take care of yourself alright?"
Ami then noticed her cousin in the room, "Amber nee-chan!"
The adults turned to see Amber sporting a see through black three-quarter sleeve cardigan, a red long sleeve top that read "Duchess of Rock & Roll", dark wash cuffed jean shorts and a pair of ankle black leather boots.
Amu or should I say, Amber smiled.
I'm no longer Hinamori Amu now huh?
Amber went over to Ami, crouched and hugged her.
"Take care of yourself Ami-chan."
Ami smiled brightly, "I will! But you too okay?"
Amber nodded.
I'll miss this family...
Later that day, Nikaidou called the Guardians to his home. There waiting for them, was his bride-to-be, Yukari, Utau, Kukai and Ikuto?
"Ikuto nii-san! You're back!"
Ikuto nodded but there was a sad look on his face.
"What is going on?" Kairi asked, noticing the tense atmosphere in the room.
Nikaidou gestured them to sit, once they did, he started speaking.
"I found a box on my doorstep today. It's over there on the table."
It was then the Guardians noticed the golden wrapped box with purple ribbon on the table. Tadase opened it and Yaya stared at the familiar piece of jewelry that was inside.
"Amu-chi's Humpty Lock?"
Rima immediately snatched the other object that was in the box, which was an envelope. She ripped it open and read aloud.
Sorry mina-san.
I had to leave for personal reasons.
I won't be back, ever. I'm sorry for not telling you face to face, but I had to leave immediately. But I did leave behind my Humpty Lock for you. Please pass it on to the next person who has 3 shugo chara. He/she will need it.
No one knows where I'm going by the way so no use asking where I've gone. I love you guys, I'll miss you so much and just to tell you, I wouldn't have left if what I'm about to do wasn't important. If I had a choice, I would never have left but I had to.
Don't look for me, it's no use trying. Please. And instead of saying goodbye, I'll say thank you like Nadeshiko did. Thank you for being the first real friends I ever had. Take care.
Love you always,
Hinamori Amu
Yaya and Rima were crying now and the boys looked solemn.
"Why?" Nagi asked aloud.
"She said she had her reasons…"Kairi muttered.
"Was it because of her important person?" Tadase wondered aloud.
Immediately, Ikuto shot his head up at that, "What did you say?"
Soon, the Guardians was telling them all about Amu's strange phone call yesterday.
Utau deadpanned, "She kept saying 'daddy' over and over?"
Rima nodded, "She was crying too."
"That must mean her father was the important person." Ikuto realized.
"I think we should just drop it already."
The Guardians all turned to look at Kukai in shock,"How could you say that? You and Amu were so close!"
"Which is exactly why we should stop. Amu didn't tell us why she left so she must have her reasons. She had secrets, so does everyone. All we can really speculate now is that she had to do something with her father. Besides, we should respect Amu's wishes and leave it be."
"But it's suspicious!" Yaya tried to argue.
"Isn't everyone with their secrets? Let's respect Amu's privacy and leave it be."
The Guardians went silent, not sure what to say next. Then Utau broke the uncomfortable silence with a joke of her own, "I'd never expect Kukai too talk with such a serious face before."
Immediately everyone was laughing causing Kukai to pout, "You guys are mean…"
Suteneko: *faints* So long...
Christa: Please review!