(A/N: Sigh… I kept delaying my deadline for this chapter. I apologize. I do not own Shugo Chara. Please review!)

This story is dedicated to~~ BlueMokeyDoll~~

Chapter 8

She just couldn't stay there, though. She needed to find Ikuto.

Ikuto, she thought. Ikuto, where are you? She flew through the dark forest searching with her eyes and trying to remember if there was a spell she could use to track him but her mind was blank.

"Ikuto!" she called out. "I-Ikuto!" She started to sob. "I-Ikuto, please! Where are y-you?"

She fell towards the ground suddenly and she realized that she hadn't been keeping enough attention to the levitation spell. She lay on the dirt and breathed in the horrible stench of death and decay. Did it always smell like that in this forest? She sobbed even harder. How was she going to find him? This forest was huge. Not to mention she had no idea where she was going. Amu closed her eyes. Maybe she could just die here. She was going to die anyway since there was no possible way to find Ikuto, and even if she did, he might not be able to reverse the potion she had drunken which she almost absolutely positive was poison. But… what if it wasn't? Then what the hell would it be? Amu thought to herself.

Amu, get up, a voice said. Amu didn't open her eyes. Amu. You'll die if you don't stand up.

"Who is there?" Amu whispered. She couldn't pinpoint where the voice was coming from. Then she realized that it was in her mind.

Ikuto has been fighting monsters ever since you got separated, the voice said. Amu opened her eyes at this. What? Ikuto… Amu, you need to get to Gluto. That's the dimension that Ikuto is trying to take you too.

"Where is he?" Amu cried out.

Shh, or they'll here you. Keep walking straight. You'll find him by an old rotten oak. A large beast is heading his way so I suggest you hurry. Ikuto has little energy right now. The beast will be able to kill him if you don't get to him first. Go to Gluto. Find Esmerelda. She'll be able to help you, Amu, discover who you really are. Amu, you really are the only one who can save Tsukiyomi Ikuto from his horrible fate. Now, hurry!

Amu stood up, her eyes narrowed and she started to run. Ikuto. Ikuto! Ikuto! IKUTO! IKUTO!

She smelled the stench of death before she saw him. He was surrounded by carcasses and he looked unconscious.

Damn… black magic was really… disgusting…

"Ikuto!" Amu shouted and ran to his side. He stirred before opening his eyes slowly.

"Amu?" he whispered.

"Yeah, Ikuto, it's me, I'm here," Amu said, tears flowing down her eyes.

His eyes widened as he seemed to fully realize that she was kneeling there beside him. He took her into a large embrace and Amu wept into his shoulder. "Shh… Shh…"

Amu stood up remembering what the voice had told her. "We have to leave at once."

"Amu, I know this place is horrible but I've been through hell today and I really need to rest a little. Could you say a few healing spells? They only work if the person who's not hurt says them—"

"Ikuto! We need to leave! Now! You don't understand! A beast is coming after you, dammit!" Amu cried out. She yelled out the levitation spell and held onto Ikuto, carrying them both into the air.

"Amu?"

"What?"

"You're going the wrong way."

Amu blushed. "Shut up, idiot!" Amu turned around and they flew in the opposite direction, Ikuto directing her towards the boarder.

"Hey, Amu? What happened? Where were you taken?"

"Like I know," Amu muttered. She then remembered the potion. How many minutes did she have left? Thirty? She didn't know. "Some guy named Hotori Tadase took me there." She felt Ikuto stiffen at the name. "You know him, don't you?"

Ikuto grimaced. "Sadly."

"What's his deal?"

"Amu, I don't want you to think about or talk about or even try to understand Hotori. He isn't someone you should get to know, especially if you already know me."

"Ikuto…. Were you close to him?" His expression darkened.

"Once," he said softly. Amu decided to question him later, he didn't seem in the mood. She looked at him and saw his expression lightened. "We're almost there." He almost sounded in pain. Like he knew it was too easy, just like she did. But when Amu felt a sudden jolt and she and Ikuto fell to the ground, Amu was surprised to find herself in a totally different atmosphere. This must be Gluto, the dimension Ikuto wanted to take her too.

The dimension was beautiful, with flowers blossoming everywhere and long meadows decorating the scenery.

"It's beautiful!" Amu exclaimed, especially because she had just come out of that dreadful forest.

"That was too easy," Ikuto muttered, confused. Amu knew he was right.

"Don't complain about it, you'll jinx it!" Amu teased. His thoughtful expression didn't lighten. "We're here, aren't we? And there's not a monster in sight! Let's just go see Esmerelda and—"

"Wait, who?"

Amu looked at him. "Isn't that who you were taking me to see?"

"Well, yeah, but how'd you know? I never even told you the dimension I was taking you to," Ikuto said, looking at her confused.

"I, um… someone told me," Amu said, looking away. She didn't want to admit that she had heard an unknown voice in her head. Then what would he think of her? Wait, when did she start worrying about what he thought of her? But… it still was embarrassing.

"Who told you," he asked, slightly upset. She didn't understand why he would be upset. "Was it Hotori?" Oh, that's why.

"No, it wasn't him… I heard it in my head. A voice." Ikuto stared at her. Amu huffed. He wasn't making this any easier. "Hell! I heard a damn voice in my head saying you were taking me to Gluto and to meet Esmerelda and stuff! Is it really that hard to understand? God!"

Before Ikuto could respond, a new voice that came from behind them said, "Well, isn't that interesting? Tsukiyomi Ikuto and Hinamori Amu together at the border of my dimension."

Amu whipped her head around to see a beautiful woman with long flowing brown hair and bright amber eyes. She looked absolutely flawless and just… perfect. She wore a long sparkly flowing purple and pink gown with white trim.

"Hello, Amu, I don't believe we've met in person before. I'm Esmerelda," the woman said, extending a hand.

(A/N: The next chapter won't take so long to be updated!)