Meh, not that many reviews for this one, but I had fun writing this chapter out. Lots of action in this one, and it looks like Ikuto will definately make an appearence later. Unlike most of my other stories, I'm going to be switching POVs now and then, especially seeing how Kagome kind of, you know, lost her Heart Egg and doesn't really have any positive emotions anymore.

So with that please enjoy (and review when you're done!)

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Chapter 2

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As the egg phased through Kagome's chest, it also went through the tiny bottle that held the shards of the Shikon no Tama. She could see the sparkle of the magical fragments inside of the egg floating before her. Fear filled her teary eyes before they were quickly emptied of any emotion. With the last bit of feeling she could muster, she screamed.

"No!"

Crack.

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Hoshina Utau readied herself the moment the piercing crack sounded through the air. There was no use for hatched eggs and she would have to destroy the character inside. She knew she'd regret the action as she somewhat admired its bearer; never before had she seen someone struggle to keep his Egg. It would be a waste for someone who genuinely had potential, but duty called.

Anything for Ikuto, everything for Ikuto, she reminded herself.

She just couldn't help wondering why Dia felt the need to nudge the girl into losing her Heart Egg.

"Dia! Let's transform!" Utau called out. Though Dia was now by her side once more, she simply stared at the strange girl and her X Egg with no indication she heard Utau.

"Il! Come on!" Utau now called to her original Character. The little devil popped out of the black-lace egg that hung from her waist and hooted for joy.

"Finally, some action!" Il exclaimed.

"My own heart, unlock!" Utau said, light shining around her form. Il returned to her egg before Utau brought the egg to her own chest. Red leather appeared on her body while black bat motifs appeared on her wrists, hair, neck, and back. "Character Transformation: Lunatic Charm!"

"So weak, so weak, what to do, what to do?" the X Egg sing-sang before it completely popped open...

…unleashing a huge wave of purple energy that sent Utau flying. The moment she made impact with the van, she let out a cry of pain.

From inside the van, her manager, Sanjo Yukari, looked in horror when she saw her charge's back denting the window.

Wincing, Utau steadied herself. Her band mates were knocked out by the blast, and the X Character, wielding a tiny bow in one hand, was now floating among the other eggs. She narrowed her eyes at it; why was this Character so powerful?

"So confused, so confused," the X Character sang out before opening its mouth wide, sucking in all the other X Eggs.

"Utau! Stop that thing!" Sanjo shouted out from the open window.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Utau shouted back. "Nightmare Lorelei!"

A storm of butterflies burst from her body, flying straight towards the X Character. It just finished the final Egg before it faced the full force of the attack.

Utau felt a surge of triumph, but it quickly dissipated when it was clear that the X Character wasn't even fazed by the Nightmare Lorelei. It still floated in the air with no indication it even acknowledged her attack.

"That's impossible," Utau breathed out. "How could-"

"Aim for the X."

Utau's attention whipped to the X Character's bearer, who was still among the unconscious others whose Eggs were extracted and stolen. She was still on her knees with her eyes empty, but one hand was clutching something that hung around her neck by a fine chain.

"That's where the shards are," she said. Utau took another look at the X Character; sure enough, there was something small and glittering on its X, clear and visible against the red.

"Lilin Trident!" Utau called out, summoning her dark red trident. She wasted no time and immediately charged. The X Character grinned wickedly as it saw her coming and retaliated by swiping its bow in the air, sending another wave of energy towards Utau.

It wasn't as strong as the first and Utau managed to stand her ground, but it fazed her enough and the X Character flew off in the confusion. She couldn't even see what direction it went off to.

As the transformation came undone, Il looked onto her Bearer worriedly while Utau took off her hat and glasses, gritting her teeth as she looked up at the sky. Dia floated around her head as well. Sanjo stepped out of the van, also looking worried as she bit her thumbnail.

"We have to stop that X Character. It could interfere with our plan if it shows up again to eat the X Eggs we harvest. Unfortunately, I don't think you can handle it on your own. As much as I loathe to do it, I'd better have Ikuto brought in."

Utau didn't even seem to hear her manager, seeing how she didn't gush over seeing Ikuto again. This meant things really were serious.

"Il, Dia, can you sense where that X Character is?" Utau asked. Il crossed her arms and made a face as she concentrated while Dia simply closed her eyes. After a moment, Il looked deflated and Dia opened her eyes.

"It's no good; it's like there's another energy masking the Egg's energy," Il said. Utau bit her lip before Dia floated over to the other girl.

"You can sense where your Character is, can you not?" she asked. The girl stared at Dia for a moment before dully nodding her head.

"I can sense the Shikon shards," she said in a monotone. "Have to get them back. Have to stop it."

Sanjo had been making a call on her cellphone and now snapped it shut. "I'm hoping you'll be leading us straight there."

The girl nodded again. Sanjo flicked her thumb towards the van, a clear 'get in'. The girl got to her feet unsteadily and slowly made her way to the van. Utau was already in the front seat and tapping her foot impatiently.

When the girl was finally in the back seat, she looked through the cracked window and at all the lifeless people still lying there on the cement. Her empty eyes drooped even further. Dia in turn was staring at the girl. Despite being lost in her thoughts, Utau noticed it easily.

What's with this girl that makes Dia so interested in her?

She still didn't understand Dia very well. Dia was originally Hinamori Amu's after all and not born from her own hopes and desires. Though satisfied with Dia's power, Utau at times couldn't help wondering if the Character had her own agenda…the girl too was strange. Able to see Characters and Eggs without having one of her own…being weak enough to submit to her song but strong enough fight it…her X Character being insanely strong, including having some mysterious additional power to it…Shikon shards...?...and though she had her Egg X-ed, she was still trying to go on…

"Hey, directions! Now!" Sanjo demanded from the wheel. The girl turned her head and raised her free hand, her other still clutching to whatever was on that chain, pointing straight ahead. Sanjo shoved her foot on the gas and the van shot off, leaving behind the other victims.