Vita: Welcome back, people!
Ran: Go! Go! Go on with the story!
Vita: Fine, just as you say.
Su: *floats in* Now on with the story desu~!

~*~*~*For You*~*~*~

Summary: Implied AMUTO Fic. After realizing the Embryo only appears when there's a mass amount of X Eggs cleansed, Hoshina Kazuomi plans to place a huge pressure on Amu by threatening, "If you keep fighting against Easter, it won't be just you that would be affected."

A/N: By the way, I will add in a couple of minor characters of my own. I personally don't like the sycophant guy that always does crap for Kazuomi-the director of Easter. He's a bit of a dork, so I think that it'd be best to just make up a different character who is more... fit to be Amu's manager.

Also, I want to add that Amu will be in seventh grade. I'll explain why later. But on with this story! (Though, I think when you're in seventh grade you're like 11-12... right?)

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was dark. That was just it. Dark. Not as in it was dark because it was the evening, but the style of Easter. Amu had been observing their work ethics and saw nothing but adults trying to appease their bosses. They were like animals that fought for ranks and titles. Sure there were some grownups that had redeeming qualities but these ones seemed to be the worst, for they rejected the goodness within others and doubted their childhood dreams by replacing it with greedy ambitions.

"Amori-chan*!" called out her manager, shaking Amu away from her thoughts. (* A-mo-ri)

They were in the modeling department, and her reflection of Easter had gotten to her. "What is it, Ceci?" she said. She felt her old self returning-distant and uncaring. However, this was to maintain an image. "Cool-and-Spicy Amori" was what the media had labeled her. Like Utau, she had to put up a stage name "Amori" and had risen to popularity overnight and was getting ever more so popular.

Due to her popularity, she could not show her true identity, especially to the Guardians. Easter knew that as well and put a disguise on her. She wore a shoulder-length black wig with pink highlights up front on her bangs. Also, she wore contacts of an amethyst color. The "Cool-and-Spicy Amori" was her label only because of her attitude. Amori... "Amor" means "love"-not like to love but more like she is the public's love. Quite conceited huh? Amu wasn't the one who came up with it. It was Ran, who gave her this embarrassing image.

They were at Hoshina Kazuomi's office. They were discussing some things, signing contracts, making deals. Whatever. It did not matter to Amu. "Hinamori-san, you at least get to choose your stage name," said Kazuomi.

Amu had to pause, though Ran decided to choose for her by character changing. "Amori! It's relating to 'love'." And, once Ran stopped the character changing, Amu had utterly humiliated herself.

"You have to get ready for your photo shoot!" scolded her manager, Ceci or Cecilia Hart. She had been sent in by Easter all the way from America. "It's been half a year now, and you still go off and do your own thing!"

The phrase "half a year" rang in her head. It's been that long? She shook her head. Half a year... even then there were no signs of Ikuto anywhere. Though, before she could reflect on Ikuto, she rushed off to her photo shoot.

"Amu-chan!" shouted Ran. "Let's go do something after this!"

"You look very tired desu~" said Su with a very concerned look. "I'll fix up a nice hot chocolate for all six of us."

Amu smiled. She loved her shugo charas for their support. She then posed in front of the camera. It was going to be her... Ran... Miki... Su... Yoru... 1... 2... 3... 4... 5... She paused. ...six? "WHAT?!" Who else could be included?

Miki, Ran, and Amu (Yoru was not present at the moment because he was checking around the Easter building for Ikuto) with puzzled expressions stared at Su. Amu, however, had to clear her throat and act as if she wasn't a fool. "Stop looking at me weirdly," she stated and flipped her hair with her hand. She tilted her head upwards and gazed down at the people before her, then tilted her head to the side. "Cool-and-spicy Amori!" was a remark sounded off from a couple of the crew members. She made that up on the spot, and she knew someone within the photo shoot was looking at her with that sort of expression. It was a good cover up, and she was slightly proud for it.

Click.

Apparently, the professional photographer liked her pose.

"Six?" asked Miki, ignoring Amu who was trying to cover up her "image".

"Yes desu~!" exclaimed Su. She then leaned her head off to the side, and who appeared behind her was none other than Dia.

"Wonderful!" exclaimed the photographer. "Though, put more emphasis on your arms! It's not good when you're stiff."

Amu nodded and smiled slightly. "It's good to see you," she murmured to Dia, who returned the smile with her own. She then followed up with the photographer's advice.

Too engulfed into the shoot, Amu shooed her charas away. "Distractions" is the word she dubbed them. The four charas then moved into a secluded area, knowing that Amu was taking her work seriously.

"Dia, when did you appear?" asked Miki, quite excited to see the chara once again.

"Ran wants to know too!" exclaimed Ran, showing more excitement than Miki.

Dia gave a warm smile. "An hour or two ago." Both Ran and Miki looked surprised. "I wanted to surprise all three of you, but Su caught me. Though, the reason why I'm out now is that Amu has been shining more and more lately."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ran, getting very close to Dia's face.

Even though her personal bubble was being invaded, Dia smiled at the chara and explained, "Her modeling has given her a stronger personality. She is more confident, and she is striving for her goals. That's why I said she has been shining more so lately."

Miki, Ran, and Su pondered about that skeptically.

Then, Miki countered, "But she was forced to become a model of Easter!"

"How so?"

Ran and Su explained what had happened to Amu from the beginning.

"Really? She seems to be enjoying the photo shoot."

All four glanced over to Amu. Never before have they seen her enjoying herself, especially for modeling! She always had to character change with Ran when her confidence was low, but Ran was a bit too excessive for Amu. Also, she never modeled before. But now. She would practice everyday to achieve that status, and even when she perfected it she continued on to surpass it as if to make it a habit.

"Though, has Easter been making her do other stuff than modeling?" asked Dia.

All three charas shook their heads, as if saying "no".

"It's strange that they haven't asked much of her yet," commented Miki.

It was then the photo shoot ended, but Amu was held back by her manager. Amu glanced over to where her shugo charas were but was pushed away by her manager out the door. The charas felt curious as to where Amu was being taken to and began to follow.

Suddenly, they were covered in darkness.

.

Before Amu had entered into the office, she had taken off her makeup, wig, and contacts off; and she switched the clothes she was modeling in to her usual school uniform attire.

"What is it, Hoshina?" asked Amu in an annoyed tone. She didn't want to give him respect. He was one of the most corrupted within Easter. He had made those people like animals. He had reached farther than the dark depths of the pool, and she felt fear engulfing her. Her dreams... her "would-be-self". It was if the man could take it all away. Though, what made her dread even more is the owner of the company. She had yet to meet him. Gozen.

Kazuomi Hoshina smirked. He had a research team to make an elaborate scheme, which he knew that Amu would not refuse at all. "I want you to cleanse the mass of X eggs that we have."

"Repeat that?"

"I want you to cleanse all the X Eggs we created."

"What are you talking about?! You are not making any sense!" She got in a defensive pose, as if she was about to attack.

"You heard what I said."

"But what you said... Easter has always been creating X Eggs. And now... you tell me this!" She slammed her fist on his desk.

Hoshina sighed. "I didn't think I would have to force you."

He then buzzed in someone, who carried a cage with...

"Everyone!" Her eyes widened.

"Amu-chan!" all four screamed.

Hoshina then cleared his throat, not exactly hearing anything but a middle school kid talking to herself. He knew about these "shugo charas" because of the X Eggs project, but he could not see anything. The "shugo chara" was like an imaginary friend, so to speak. But, apparently a mass amount of people especially young children could see them. They could give their owners a unique power, which was displayed by Ikuto and Utau.

"What are you going to do with them?" Amu questioned, hostility taking over her.

"Nothing but keep them in a cage." Amu glared at him. "I'll release one of them at a time."

Amu was about to speak once more, but he seemed to buzz in someone else. She looked back to see someone opening the door.

"Amu?" A subtle surprised tone.

"Ikuto?"

Her heart softened, and she felt her body quiver slightly.

Ikuto then ignored her and looked straight at Hoshina. "What do you want me to do?"

"Ah yes. Well, I already told Amu her part of the job, so she could leave now if she wants. But, I doubt she would want to."

Ikuto then looked over to see Amu's shugo charas locked in a cage like animals. He then shifted his eyes back towards Hoshina, waiting for him to continue on.

"Amu, you thought Ikuto was being controlled this whole time?" Hoshina looked over to Amu, who nodded quite weary and trying to get over the fact that Ikuto was there. "At first, he rebelled but he learned the hard way on why he shouldn't run away." He chuckled. "Well, luckily, he had recovered from his near death experience. It took him a few months, but no we are quite glad that he is better."

"Will you get to the point?" interrupted Ikuto, annoyed at his stepfather's meaningless talk.

"The X Eggs that Ikuto collected are stored in the fourth floor. These are a whole years worth of X Eggs that have also within time turned into X Charas. We can't bring anyone there without getting someone killed. Ikuto will serve as Amu's bodyguard. We can't have her go in there and die. It will be too suspicious if the new rising modeling star gets hurt."

"Amu-chan!" The four voiced out.

"If you're not going to do it, then we'll just keep all four of your charas."

Amu bit her bottom lip and looked at her four shugo charas. She then looked over to Ikuto, who gave a quick glance. His head was turned in the opposite direction.

Amu... felt alone.

The darkness was pulling her in.

"Fine."

"You don't have to do it-desu~!" shouted Su.

"I don't want to... but I don't want you guys locked up in there. I'll save you."

She had to be strong.

She had to.

Or else.

"Good."

Dia was then released.

Dia then floated towards Amu, and Amu hugged her. She looked over to Ran, Miki, and Su. "I will not let you down."

"Ikuto, it is getting dark. Walk Amu home. We'll start the operation tomorrow," said Hoshina. Annoyed, he wanted to get the two out. Time was precious, and he had other things to deal with than some punk and child.

.

Ikuto and Amu then headed home. Amu's mind was drifting. She did not know what to do. "Amu, don't be sad! You must shine brightly through this dim situation."

Amu looked over to Dia and smiled. "Yes, you're right. I will get them back, and I will help Iku-..." She stopped, unsure if Ikuto was listening to their conversation. He had that alley cat aspect that made her weary sometimes. Though, he had forcibly made his way into her heart. Forcibly and unexpectedly.

It appeared as though Ikuto wasn't paying attention, since he did not say anything.

There was an awkward silence between them. Normally, if there was silence between them, there was some tension that made her all flustered or made her rile up. This silence seemed as though there was no connection between them whatsoever.

Amu the whole time had been walking behind, like she usually did when he led the way to home. She stared at his back, and her eyes trailed off to where his left hand slightly swayed back and forth as he walked.

She hesitated to reach out for it, but she wanted to.

Startled, he slightly jerked when he felt Amu's hand holding his. He smiled when he saw her flustered expression. He then noted that her hand was really cold and guessed the other was freezing as well. He stopped walking and tugged Amu's arm to indicate that they should not move any further.

"Amu," he said in a soft voice. Amu looked down, unsure of how to reply. "Please look at me." She did not listen. He took his right hand and held her chin with his index and thumb and lightly turned her face towards him. He stared straight into her eyes.

"Amu," he spoke again but with a more assertive tone.

Amu looked into his eyes. His eyes seemed to pierce through her as if he could see all the emotions that stirred.

Ikuto leaned his face closer to Amu's, and held Amu tightly around the waist to bring her closer.

He was mouthing something, so Amu tiptoed to hear what he was saying.

She felt his breath against her ear, and she could not help but feel her face turning redder and redder.

He then bit her ear lobe.

Amu then pushed him away, and Ikuto continued off.

"Stupid perverted cat!" she screamed. Her face still red.

Dia giggled. "Oh darn. I thought something really interesting would have happened."

End of Chapter 2

-

A/N: This is how I perceived Amu's age:

First season : Amu, Tadase, and Nadeshiko were fifth graders (all around 10-11). Yaya in fourth grade, and Kuukai in sixth. End of the year Kuukai graduated. Ikuto must have been a junior in high school.

Second Season: Amu, Tadase, and Rima are now sixth graders (all around 11-12). Yaya in fifth along with Kairi. It seems like at least half the year has passed or at least a few months. And then, Kairi leaves and Nagehiko comes along. Ikuto is seventeen and is a senior.

My story: Half a year has passed, so definitely Amu, Tadase, Rima, and Nagehiko graduated (now around 12-13) and not part of the Guardians but still affiliated with it. Yaya is still part of the Guardians. Ikuto is eighteen and... has a career ahead of him (collecting X Eggs) Poor Ikuto.