A/N: Once again. I start my fanfictions with thanks to the reviewers! I've gotten a few more ppl hooked. Lol

rebellious-and-ditzy-bookworm

kitsu

UnderSeaFlower (thanks for the wonderful comments!)

Mitsuki Sakura Uchiha

mikan-natsumeLove (your comment I loved. Lol. Just keep trying predicting. We'll see what happens)

Muppiegurl

Aznprid3x3

luvnstuff101 (I can't make it Amu's POV yet. Sorry! Maybe this chapter though I will)

inu-lover-0001

sierraphantom

Kurotsuki Aka (I tried looking up Nagihiko…didn't work! *Wailing*)

I'm wondering how long it will take until the gang finally meets Amu. But to keep the audience happy, maybe there'll be an appearance.

Ikuto's POV

I was sick of this. We couldn't find Amu, but we found people who could've have been her shugo charas, except in human form. Was that even possible?

"Yoru."

"What Ikuto, nya?"

"Is it…possible for shugo charas to turn human?" Ikuto asked. Yoru didn't say anything. "Yoru?"

"Ikuto nya. I don't know nya. Even we shugo charas don't know what we can and can't do nya." Yoru finally replied.

"Hm…" Ikuto started grumbling about how unreliable charas were and Yoru snickered, knowing he was kidding. Ikuto was walking along the sidewalk, not caring where he was going.

"Help!" he heard suddenly.

"Yoru. Chara-change."

"Okay Ikuto nya." Ikuto followed the voice of the woman and saw a group of men who had taken her jewelry and money, and were about to rape her. Sighing, he quickly knocked the men unconscious unaware that one man had escaped with all the jewels. The fight finally over, he noticed the young woman. It was a regular woman, with brunette hair, and she had fainted. Oh well. All women in trouble can't be Amu, I guess he thought, severely disappointed. He lifted the woman in his arms and walked out of the alley, unaware of the golden eyes that followed his figure in the shadows.

Tomorrow morning

"So Ikuto, what happened yesterday?" asked Kukai slyly.

"Nothing. I went out for a walk and came back," he answered, not even bothering to mention the rescue he had made last night. Kairi had organized another meeting in the morning. Once again, he was making new strategies and had planned the new groups all night and the possible outcomes that could happen through calculation.

"Okay. This time, the groups will be Utau and Kukai, Yaya with me, Rima and Ikuto, and Nagihiko with Tadase. You will all be touring the streets today, not downtown. There is a Christmas festival going on, and there might be a chance that we might see those three pink-haired girls again. They might help us greatly. The chance of meeting at least one of them is 50%. When someone does see them, stall them, call the others, and we'll see how much information we'll get from them. Meeting adjourned," he ended fashionably.

"Inchou!! Why not the same partners as yesterday?" Yaya complained. Ikuto looked relieved and Rima was emotionless, as usual. Kukai grinned while Utau had a fierce look of indignation on her face.

"Yes Sanjo-kun. Why can't I be with Ikuto again?" she demanded. Kairi pushed up his classes and replied,

"I wanted to see the best combinations yesterday. After considerable thinking, and your diagnosis of the searches, I figured this would be best. This is not permanent, so don't bite my head off." Not satisfied, but resigned, Utau nodded and stared dreamily at Ikuto. He ignored her, as usual.

Later with Utau and Kukai (Kukai POV)

It was amazing the difference of decorations between downtown and the part of the city that was holding the festival. Everything was red, white, or green, and Christmas decorations were everywhere! Toys and clothes were all on sale, and everything looked shiny and everything was sparkling with happiness and the spirit of Christmas Eve.

"Hey Utau-chan…" I started.

"It's Hoshina Utau to you!" she practically screamed.

"Anyways, Utau-chan," I ignored her while she fumed. "Don't you think everything is beautiful out here?" Her eyes softened as she took in their surroundings.

"Yes…Christmas is my favorite holiday. Everything is so sparkly and beautiful. Everyone is happy and the parties we had as children…I mean! It's okay," she contradicted blushing. You could tell she hadn't meant to talk so much. I laughed and said,

"It's okay Utau. I'm not going to laugh at you for going sentimental. But you know, Christmas is my favorite holiday too. Like you said, everyone is happy because of the gifts and sales. But for me…and Daichi of course…Christmas is fun because of who we spend it with. Although these last few years have been hard, the parties we had as guardians were fun. Amu was always laughing during those days, while trying to hide under her cool and spicy attitude," he reminisced, laughing. Utau smiled gently and looked away.

"Kukai…," she asked.

"Yes?"

"Why do you think Amu left?" I immediately sobered up, then smiled again.

"I don't know. It was probably important to her, and maybe someone was threatening her family, and the safety of the Guardians. But that's why we're here, aren't we? To find out."

In the back, I could hear Eru practically jumping up and down saying, "The love meter has gone up!" Utau did too and blushed.

Yaya's POV

I was with inchou, and I was constantly dragging him around. I had found everything that I wanted for Christmas, except Amu of course. He conceded and let me drag him around. Inchou didn't really mind, I knew that. I just talked and squealed as the baby character I am. Pepe-chan applauded my excitement and Musashi looked as if he was meditating while following inchou.

"Yuiki-san."

"Yes inchou?"

"We should try looking for the pink-haired girls, you know. Even though there are many things you like here, we can always look later," he tried to persuade me.

"Okay inchou. But that's just because you know what's best. We'll look later, right Pepe-chan?"

"Hai!" Inchou looked relieved and grabbed my hand. I involuntarily blushed. No guy but Kukai had grabbed my hand before, and he was like a brother to me. This was a new experience, but for some reason, I was happy. Inchou didn't seem to notice, and dragged me out of the toy store. As we toured, I still bought souvenirs like a madwoman. However, while I was purchasing a really cute hat for Pepe-chan, I saw a flash of pink from my right side. Inchou was also looking that way too.

"Thank you for your…" the shopkeeper began.

"Thank you! Come on Inchou!" I cried, cutting off the shopkeeper's thanks. We ran off like devils, chasing the pink-haired girl. Finally, we caught up and turned her to face us. It was the pink-eyed one, Himamori Ruma. She was wearing an overcoat with leggings showing underneath and black boots. "Hello! I think some of my friends met you yesterday," I blabbed, my specialty. In the corner of my eye, I could see Inchou calling the others to hurry to where we were. "I'm Yuiki Yaya and I love what you're wearing! Where did you get it? Do you remember meeting a purple-long haired boy and a blonde girl yesterday?"

"Um…yes? I think so. Why?" she questioned. Ruma looked uncomfortable, and guilty, as if she hadn't planned on being caught outside.

"Nothing! I just wondered. They mentioned someone named Hinamori Amu, right?" I continued.

"I don't know anyone with that name," she was quickly defensive.

"Are you sure? Because she looks exactly like you!" I probed harder. Pepe-chan was behind me, feeling if there was anything familiar about the girl, like a shugo chara presence, I suppose. "Anyways, want to have breakfast with me and my friend? We haven't eaten and I'm starving!"

"Um…no. You see, I have to go somewhere…"she tried to escape.

"Oh wait! There are my other friends. We can ALL have breakfast together don't you think?" I linked my arms with hers and practically dragged her toward the others. They had hurriedly come after inchou's call. Ruma looked extremely frightened and uncomfortable.

Normal POV

They dragged Ruma to a café and ordered a table for 9. The café was empty, which was all the better for them. After they ordered, they started asking gentle questions about Ruma.

"Do you have any siblings?" Kairi asked.

"Yes. I live with my two sisters. We've always lived alone, but it's okay. We have each other!" she grinned.

"Who are your sisters?" asked Ikuto.

"Um…I think you met them yesterday. They mentioned something about a blue-haired boy, a blonde with red eyes, a boy with glasses, and a girl with two red bows."

"You mean Mimi and Sumi?" asked Yaya.

"Yes."

"Are you related to a Hinamori Amu? Since you're last names are so similar and all," asked Utau.

"No," she replied nervously.

"Are you sure?" asked Kairi.

"Yes, of course I'm sure! Oh look the food's here!" she exclaimed with a sudden subject change. While they were eating, Kairi suddenly asked,

"Are there mafia groups here?"

"Of course! Doesn't every city have one?" Ruma laughed nervously. "But we shouldn't talk about them. There's a group out there. It's the most dangerous of them all. I hear that the leader is merciless and powerful. He has a partner who is equally dangerous. That partner does all the action, while the leader plans. They're a legend within the city, and a threat as well. But nothing can stop them. People have tried, but they've all mysteriously disappeared. No one is safe, but they're actions have slowed. There is a rumor that the leader is dead, but that isn't true, I think. I think he's just hiding."

"Why?" asked Kairi.

"I think he's waiting for something to happen. Or someone to come," she confided. Suddenly she rose. "Oh! I'm sorry! But I have to go now! I have to go to work! Here's the money for the meal!" Ruma ran out. The group stared at each other. Ikuto looked bored, but his mind was in turmoil. Was that group yesterday part of the mafia? Did something happen to Amu through the mafia? he wondered. They quickly paid and hurried out the door.

"Ikuto! I need you to follow Ruma!" Kairi ordered. "I think she knows more than she lets on. The rest of us will still search for the other sisters."

Ikuto nodded and when he was alone, he chara-changed with Yoru.

"Yoru," he ordered. "Where's the scent?"

"Wait Ikuto nya. Let me ask my friends."

"Nya nya nya!" A group of cats surrounded him. "Nya nya nya nya nya nya?"

"Nya!" they all chorused. Ikuto smirked and Yoru looked proud of himself. Finally a few moments later, Yoru got information.

"Ikuto-nya! The pink-haired girl is at a dojo. She's apparently a sensei there nya."

"Where's the dojo?"

"In the southern part of town."

"Good job Yoru." praised Ikuto. Yoru purred, blushed, and washed himself, very happy. "Well then Ms. Ruma. What information are you hiding from us now?"

A/N: I changed my mind. No Amu POV. But hope you liked the hint I gave you. Like every other author, I love writing cliffies. It keeps readers hooked I guess. Lol. Review! I love every reviewer and notice, every time a new chapter is up and someone reviews, I mention them. Spread the word about this story! Sorry about the amuto though. It'll come. Don't worry!