Next chapter time! I'm really happy that I got so many more reviews last time! I own nothing, except the plot. Enjoy!
"Hey, aren't you going to eat your breakfast?" A voice whispered. Rima looked up quickly, and remembered everything. That's right, she was at the Sanjou's house. Yukari ate her breakfast, just some cereal with milk, and stuffed it down. Kairi and Utau ate their breakfasts at normal rates, and Nikaidou was looking at Rima, worriedly. Rima had explained to everyone there the whole situation about her parents. Only Utau knew the full truth…
"I'm not hungry…" Rima muttered, pushing her bowl away. Food really didn't seem appealing. As a matter of fact, nothing seemed too appealing to her. "I should go… thanks…" Rima stood up, grabbed her school bag, and stood up. All eyes were on her.
"I know you've been under pressure with your parents. Don't take the test today." Nikaidou said. Rima looked at him, a small smile spreading to her face.
"It's okay…" Rima said. "I can take it. I…didn't sleep last night, so I spent some time studying…" Rima didn't mention that she spent about twenty minutes studying. Nikaidou beamed.
"Wow, you're really good! If it were me, I would've skipped the test easily…" Yukari muttered. Nikaidou narrowed his eyes at his fiancée.
"Hey Mashiro-San, you need a ride? I mean, the school is close, but if you want me to drive…"
"No, I'm good." Rima interrupted, leaving the house. Rima walked to the school. With her guardian cape covering her shoulders, she arrived on the school grounds, and glanced at the Royal Garden. She noticed four figures inside. She noticed one seemed to be jumping up and down. Rima smirked, knowing exactly who it was.
"Rima…" Kusu-Kusu called. "Can we do bala-balance?" Rima looked at her chara with such intensity, Kusu-Kusu immediately backed away. Rima made her way to the Royal Garden, and opened the door.
"It's perfect! There are no flaws in the plan! C'mon Amu-Chi, pleeeease?" Yaya begged. No one seemed to notice Rima walk in.
"It does sound good… but I'm just not certain others will be happy with that idea… What do you say Tadase-Kun?" Amu asked, turning to Tadase.
"I could picture it… It's awfully romantic…"
"Well, it's a dance! It's supposed to be romantic!" Yaya moaned. "There can also be a kissing station!"
"A kissing station?" Everyone exclaimed. At this moment, Rima was extremely confused.
"Yeah, where you get… Rima-Tan, when did you get here?" Yaya said, shrieking. All heads turned to Rima.
"Just now…" Rima said, sitting down in her usual seat. "What's this with a dance?"
"We've been planning a dance before graduation for a while now." Tadase said.
"We…have?" Rima said slowly. She must have been really upset and not caring about anything to not even have noticed they were talking about a dance…
"Yaya thinks we should have the theme for the dance under stars and there should be a kissing station!" Yaya explained.
"Yaya… what is a kissing station?" Amu wondered.
"A kissing station is an area where you force people to kiss others!" Yaya explained. "To help people get together!"
"Like spin-the-bottle?" Nagihiko wondered.
"Uh no, because you don't spin a bottle." Yaya said.
"No… in spin-the-bottle, you spin the bottle, and whatever direction the two sides of the bottle faces, those two people have to kiss." Nagihiko explained. "It's normally a drinking game, but people use it for other purposes as well…"
"Why do you know that? Have you ever played that?" Rima said, without thinking. Why did she say that?
"No, I just happened to hear that somewhere…" Nagihiko said.
"Well, the kissing station isn't spin-the-bottle! You simply yell to someone 'kiss me!' and they're expected to kiss you!" Yaya said. Everyone looked at Yaya. "For you guys who haven't kissed anyone before, you can come to the kissing station!" Yaya grinned at Tadase and Amu.
"Yuiki-San… we haven't kissed…" Tadase said slowly, blushing.
"Yay! So no one here has ever kissed anyone before!" Rima avoided any glances with Nagihiko. How wrong Yaya was… Rima did not mention that she has kissed two separate guys, one of which was in this room. The other one… Rima was suddenly in a bad mood.
"I'm not so sure of this 'kissing station' but the stars idea sounds great! I know, we can have a space theme!" Tadase said.
"That sounds great!" Amu exclaimed.
"That's definitely a good idea." Nagihiko agreed. Yaya grinned.
"Well, we should have a Candy Station if not a kissing station!" Yaya said.
"Okay, that works." Tadase said, just to please Yaya. Yaya beamed. "Yuiki-San, we'll consider the kissing station. It needs a few adjustments, but it could work. Now, about the music… Amu-Chan, what do you think?"
"The music…" Amu thought for a minute. The others began to talk about music preferences for the dance, and Rima put her head on her fist. Why was she so stupid? How come she was so easily deceived by Ikuto? Why was she such an idiot? Why had she been so mean to her friends? Some tears formed in her eyes. Tears? Oh no, not now…
"EARTH TO RIMA-TAN!" Yaya howled. Rima blinked, turning to Yaya.
"Huh?" Rima wondered, hoping no one noticed her tears.
"Yaya asked, who are you going to dance with?" Yaya asked, apparently again.
"Uh…" Rima thought for a minute. "No one. I'm not going to this dance. Sorry…" Rima bit her lip, hoping she wouldn't keep starting to cry.
"R-Rima-Tan, you have to come! It will be soooo much fun!" Yaya moaned. "You're a guardian!"
"Yeah, but, dances were never really my thing… I don't have athletic ability…" Rima whispered.
"Dancing doesn't have much to do with athletics." Nagihiko said. "It's more of a thing that you have to follow the rhythm and match the beat."
"Well, that comes from someone who is athletic…" Rima muttered.
"Besides… Even if you don't dance, it will still be fun to go." Nagihiko reassured. He seemed persistent, eager for her to go.
"Why do you want me to go so badly?" Rima wondered.
"Because the guardians are hosting it, and you're a guardian so you should go to support the guardians. Besides, it's the last school thing we'll be doing at Seiyo." Nagihiko said, slowly and calmly. Rima nodded slowly.
"Whatever. I'm not going to dance. I'm just going to go." Rima muttered. There was a silence for a moment.
"School's going to start soon." Tadase reminded. Everyone nodded, and headed for their classes. "We'll do more preparations for the dance after school." Everyone began to head for their classes. Rima was walking to class with Amu and Tadase.
"Amu-Chan, I have a quick question." Tadase asked. Amu turned to Tadase.
"What is it?" Amu asked. Rima trotted behind them, knowing it was something about love or romance; something Rima wished could escape her life.
"Would you…Would you like to come to the dance with me?" Tadase asked, in a kind way. All of Tadase's fangirls were watching the situation in awe and shock.
"O-Of course I will!" Amu took Tadase's hands. She looked at the fangirls watching. "Is there a problem?" Amu asked.
"Oh she's so cool and spicy!" The girls exclaimed, smiling. Amu narrowed her eyes, and the girls ran off.
"Why do they always do that…?" Amu wondered. "It's not like I'm important or 'cool'…"
"You are the Joker of the guardians; highly respected." Rima pointed out.
"I couldn't see why people wouldn't like you." Tadase whispered, blushing. Amu, too, blushed. Rima sighed, annoyed by their romance. It was simply nauseating and nothing else. They arrived at the classroom. Everyone took their seats, and Nikaidou handed out the tests. When he gave it to Rima, he gave her a sad smile. Rima took the test, not smiling back. She took out a pen, and began to take the test. Since Rima had studied slightly, it wasn't too hard. After about forty-five minutes, the test was over.
"I'll let you guys go early." Nikaidou said. Everyone left the class, taking out their cell phones and calling their parents.
"I guess we'll have to wait until the other two finish their classes." Tadase said. Amu and Rima nodded, as they left for the Royal Garden. Nagihiko joined ten minutes later, having taken the same test.
"I thought it was really easy!" Amu said. "I mean, it was everything Nikaidou-Sensei told us about!" Rima thought about telling them that Nikaidou had offered her to not take the test, but she decided against it. They didn't even know she was staying at his place…
"It was fairly simple." Tadase agreed.
"YAYA'S HERE!~" Yaya bellowed, entering the Royal Garden. She grinned, and took her seat. "Yay, can we discuss the kissing station?"
"Now we need to focus on Easter and those unpurifiable X-Eggs." Tadase reminded everyone; what Rima didn't want to be reminded of. All of the guilt from the previous day came back to her. It was all her fault, everything…
"Don't the X-Eggs have a barrier?" Nagihiko wondered. "If we can eliminate the barrier…"
"How do we do that?" Amu wondered. Everyone thought for a few minutes. Rima began to think it was hopeless, and it was all her. Everything… These X-Eggs, her parents', the guardians' problems… As she has been doing for many days, tears came to her eyes. Oh no, not here, not now…!
"I have to go to the bathroom!" Rima said quickly, standing up. All eyes turned to her, as she rushed out of the Royal Garden, and didn't go to the bathroom. Instead she sat down on a bench. She was crying a lot at that moment, and she couldn't stop her tears from falling. She covered her eyes, and tried to stop crying. She heard footsteps and someone sat beside her. She hoped it wasn't Nagihiko.
"Don't blame yourself for anything." Rima recognized the voice as Amu's. She wanted to tell Amu everything, and wondered what was holding her back. She had told Utau, though that time, it all just came out…
"Amu…" Rima moaned.
"Yaya too." Yaya pointed out. Rima looked up, through her watery eyes. A small smile spread to her face.
"Rima, we were thinking, we want to make you back to your old self. All of us miss the old you." Amu said. Rima looked at her. "We miss the Rima who loves comedy and has a personality."
"Yaya misses the times when Rima got annoyed by her!" Yaya added. Rima's eyes narrowed.
"So we, meaning me and Yaya, have decided to 'restore' you back to who you once were." Amu said. "I know this is the worst part, but you need to tell us what's been going on with you these past few weeks." Rima looked at both of them.
"Alright…" Rima agreed. Yaya and Amu grinned at each other. "Well, I suppose everything was divided into two parts, well with Ikuto, now three." Ikuto's name made her want to cry even more. "It all started two weeks ago, I suppose, when, you two as a matter of fact, did that truth or dare game with me."
"Oh yeah, you mean when we dared you to kiss Nagi-Tan?" Yaya remembered. Rima nodded, uncomfortably.
"Yup. As you might remember, I denied it right away, and refused." Rima said.
"Yeah, we tried to convince you that you liked him!" Amu remembered. Rima blushed a little.
"W-Well… after that… I-I actually did your stupid dare…" Rima said. Both Amu and Yaya's mouths dropped opened, shocked. "Yup, I kissed the cross-dresser…"
"Cross-dresser?" Amu wondered.
"N-Never mind…" Rima whispered, her face reddening. "Anyway, I refused to admit that I did that, so I told him to not tell anyone ever. I never told him why I… kissed him. I know it was more than a dare… Anyway, during the next few weeks, my parents' fighting got a lot worse, and took a spin for the worse. From this, the life in me was dropping lower and lower, until it got to where it was now. As you guys knew, I also had closed myself from everyone. I refused to let my emotions show; especially from Nagihiko. I was especially rude to him, ignoring every word he said to me and not even looking at him. Every night, I never usually slept and usually spent the night crying. However, I happened to sneak out one night very recently, and I heard a beautiful melody playing. That's when I first found Ikuto… He didn't notice me, I don't believe. However, the next day, he tried to flirt with me, and then he asked me out to the dinner. I ditched the guardian meeting that day, and I went to dinner with him. At first, I was bored out of my mind, but he had protected me from an X-Egg attacking me, which he had probably set up. After he saved me, I-I fell in love with him, and kissed him." Rima breathed for a minute. "Worst mistake I made…" She muttered under her breath. "Of course, both nights, when I left early, my parents never noticed, and they continued fighting amongst themselves. The next day, Ikuto told you guys about us… That's when I decided to make X-Eggs and help Ikuto. After that, I quit the guardians, and, well, you guys know the fight that day; yesterday. After I finally got some sense, I came home, to my furious parents, finally realizing I had left many times. They yelled at me, and continued to fight. I decided to leave my house, because they weren't even treating me as a daughter. I had grabbed a luggage, and stuffed important things into it. I walked out, and I had walked a little before I met up with Utau. I told her everything. She let me stay at her place with Sanjou-San, Kairi, and Nikaidou-Sensei, and I took one of the guest rooms. The rest, was today." Rima began to cry a little, and Amu hugged her friend.
"Wow…" Amu whispered. "I never realized…"
"Rima-Tan…" Yaya whispered.
"I should tell the others. It's only fair; they're guardians too after all and also my friends." Rima stood up, when Amu stopped her.
"You don't have to." Amu whispered. Rima looked at her. "I mean, you just explained everything to us; it must be tiring." Rima nodded.
"Thanks… for, well, being here for me." Rima whispered.
"Rima-Tan, we're your friends!" Yaya said. "We'd always be here for you!" She put her thumbs up, and grinned. Rima smiled softly. "We can even help you get Nagi-Tan if you want!" The smile on Rima's face disappeared and was replaced by a glare.
"Haven't you realized I don't want to be in love with him? I've tried so hard to get rid of him, but it just couldn't happen. I won't date him!" Rima snapped. "Sorry…"
"Nah, no problem!" Yaya said grinning. "You can still be together…"
"NO!" Rima snapped. Yaya looked scared. Amu sweat dropped. "Let's go back to the Royal Garden." Amu and Yaya nodded, and they entered the Royal Garden.
"She's just so… I don't know, different?" Nagihiko said, finishing some conversation with Tadase. He turned when he heard the girls enter.
"How much should I bet you were talking about me?" Rima grumbled.
"Nothing, because we weren't talking about you." Nagihiko said, smirking. Rima sat down, a little embarrassed. "We were talking about Sion."
"Who's Sion?" Rima wondered.
"Oh, that's Kukai's childhood friend, right? How do you know about her, Nagi?" Amu asked. Nagihiko's eyes seemed to widen.
"Um, Kukai's mentioned her to me before." Nagihiko said quickly. "Anyway, what took you three a while?"
"We were talking about R-…"
"…Ranges." Rima finished. "We were discussing oranges." Tadase and Nagihiko stared blankly at Rima. "About… how they're in season!"
"I won't intrude on whatever you were discussing, but you don't have to give such an obvious lie." Nagihiko said. "Besides, oranges aren't even in season." Rima glared at him. Little did he know, he was part of their discussion.
"Let's talk about the dance a little more." Tadase said, knowing that Rima would feel bad about the X-Eggs. "So, we decided on a space theme. Where are we going to hold it?" Everyone said nothing.
"Yaya has an idea!" Yaya said. All eyes were on her. "Remember that haunted mansion we went inside when Kairi-Kun was the Jack, and we found that lost chara?"
"That's a great idea Yuiki-San!" Tadase agreed. "However, we might not have permission to have our dance in someone else's property."
"A-A dance inside a haunted mansion?" Amu exclaimed. She looked horrified. "I-I'm not so sure that's a great idea…" Everyone was silent for a moment. Rima looked at the ground. She didn't feel like saying anything.
"Wait a minute, Kairi-Kun's here?" Yaya exclaimed.
"Where did that come from?" Tadase wondered.
"Yaya was just thinking about something Rima-Tan said…" Yaya looked excited. "YAY! Yaya can dance with Kairi-Kun! Since everyone else is taken…" Nagihiko looked a little insulted. "No offense Nagi-Tan, but you…OW!" Yaya moaned as Rima slammed her foot onto Yaya's.
"You alright Yaya?" Amu asked.
"Yeah, Yaya's okay…" Yaya said.
"Yo everyone!" Kukai jogged in.
"Wow, a little late much?" Nagihiko said, teasingly.
"Well, your school ended earlier than mine… Besides I had soccer practice. So, what's up?" Kukai asked, grinning. "Talking more about the X-Eggs that cannot be purified?" Rima looked away, guilt kicking in.
"No, we're actually discussing our dance." Tadase said.
"That sounds interesting, but aren't the X-Eggs a little more important?" Kukai wondered. "I mean, they aren't able to get purified right now! Shouldn't we…" Rima noticed Nagihiko nod over to Rima. Kukai didn't seem to get it.
"We can't…"
"It's okay." Rima said. "We should talk about it. I know it's my fault, and I won't get upset." Rima knew there was a very low chance that she was being honest. Kukai seemed to get it now; why the others were hesitant to talk about it with Rima around.
"So… I don't think we should refer to them as X-Eggs that cannot be purified. If we call them that, we're falling exactly where Easter wants us to; to give up." Tadase said. "They can be purified." He directed that at Rima. "What we have to do is figure out how. Anyone have any ideas?" No one said a word. Rima wished she could give an idea, since they were her fault after all. She knew that she had to purify them. How she was going to purify them… Rima was back on square one.
"Maybe it's Utau-Chi?" Yaya wondered. "You never know…"
"Maybe! I mean, she can purify many X-Eggs at a time and she's so perfect at it. Also, maybe like Hinamori and Tadase, Utau and I can do an awesome purify thing!" Everyone stared at Kukai blankly. That's when it hit Rima. She can do an "awesome purify thing" with Nagihiko, well more looking like Nadeshiko but still… It was perfect, absolutely perfect! Rima looked at Nagihiko with the corners of her eyes. Would she be willing to work with Nagihiko to do this?
"Yaya wants ice cream!" Yaya moaned.
"Well, since no one has a thought, why don't we call it a day, and head home?" Tadase suggested. Everyone nodded, and left the Royal Garden.
"Rima-Tan, want to get ice cream with Amu-Chi and Yaya?" Yaya wondered.
"N-No…" Rima said. "I don't want ice cream." Yaya looked astonished. Amu began to lead Yaya to the ice cream.
"H-How… A-Are you human?" Yaya exclaimed.
"No, or at least I haven't been one…" Rima muttered under her breath.
"Come on Yaya." Amu said, leading Yaya to get ice cream. She waved to Rima, who waved back. She saw Nagihiko walking the opposite direction. She realized that she had never been to his house. Amu had always told her how large his mansion was, and was telling her about one time she got lost. Rima never really cared, never had actually giving a crap about Nagihiko. He continued, oblivious to Rima's presence.
"Nagihiko." Rima called. He turned, and saw her, a look of surprise on his face. His surprise changed to smile, walking over to her.
"Hey Rima-Chan, what are you doing here? Isn't your house the other direction?" Nagihiko wondered.
"It is, but even if I was heading home now, I wouldn't head to my house." Rima said, knowing that Nagihiko would be extremely confused, which he was.
"Um okay…" Nagihiko said.
"Look, it's about those X-Eggs I created." Rima said. "I think we can purify them together." Nagihiko nodded.
"Possibly, but there's no guarantees." Nagihiko said.
"Well, it's worth a try! I mean when we did that transformation a few months ago and you were transformed with…"
"I remember." He said, in a way that was almost like he would never forget. "Alright, but under a condition." A condition? Rima didn't expect that, but she decided it wouldn't be a big deal. She figured he would only ask her to talk to him or treat him well or something. "You have to tell me what's been on your mind these past few weeks. About everything that's been bothering you; what you told Amu and Yaya." Rima froze. She wasn't expecting that at all.
"Are you an idiot? I'm not going to tell you!" Rima snapped.
"Alright, I guess I won't help you purify those X-Eggs." Nagihiko said, turning around. That idiot! He was manipulating her through her guilt! What if she just agreed but didn't really tell him?
"Wait." Rima called. He stopped walking. "I'll tell you…" Nagihiko seemed to expect that.
"Okay, go ahead." Rima blinked at him.
"Now? No, we're going to purify the X-Eggs first!" Rima snapped.
"Rima-Chan, I'm not stupid. If we wait until the X-Eggs, you're not really going to tell me." Nagihiko said.
"Well, isn't more important to help lost souls than just listen to a pathetic story?" Rima wondered.
"Well, I have a feeling that you're pretty much a lost soul." Nagihiko said. "I'm not just trying to pry. I want to help you." Rima knew he was right. Rima was a lost soul, and she didn't even get why Kusu-Kusu wasn't one of those X-Eggs.
"Damn it." Rima muttered. "It started when you… Actually, never mind." Nagihiko blinked.
"Never mind? Does that mean you're just going to-"
"Shut up!" Rima snapped. "It's not just about my parents! It's so much more! Do you realize… what…what… Do you freaking realize that you caused half of my problems?" Tears came down her eyes, but she didn't even try to stop them. "I was…" Rima didn't feel like talking to him. What did she actually see in him? Why was she in love with him? "I hate you! Get out of my life, okay? I hate you!" Rima ran off, crying. Nagihiko was left staring in her direction, not completely sure what happened. She ran back to the Sanjou mansion. Tears came down her face. Rima tried to stop them, when the door opened. Rima looked up and saw Kairi.
"Queen… what happened?" Kairi asked.
"Nothing!" Rima snapped, running to her temporary room. She slammed the door. Rima flopped onto the bed. At this moment, it was not just sadness she felt, but anger as well. She hated Nagihiko so much, yet she loved him just the same. If he got up and left, Rima would be happy. Why can't Kairi be the jack? From all of that, Rima finally realized that the X-Eggs weren't purified. Nagihiko had made her feel even guiltier. Rima thought she was starting to become herself again, but then Nagihiko came and ruined her chances of that!
Amu and Yaya were licking their ice creams. Amu licked her favorite, vanilla, while Yaya had chocolate and vanilla swirl. Amu couldn't help thinking when she licked the vanilla, about Ikuto. It was his favorite as well. However, he broke, more like destroyed, Rima's heart, and therefore wasn't worth it. Yet, Amu found herself missing him. Oh no… She tried to think of Tadase, but she couldn't. Oh no… Oh no…
"Amu-Chi, is something wrong?" Yaya wondered, licking her ice cream. "You like as pale as the ice cream."
"I-It's nothing really…" Amu whispered. Suddenly, they heard someone crying, and rush by them. Immediately, Amu and Yaya recognized that face.
"RIMA!" They both exclaimed together. Why was she running and crying?
"Oh no, plan A of Rima's recovery is a failure!" Yaya moaned. Amu nodded.
"I wonder what's wrong…" Amu wondered. "What's plan B?" She asked Yaya.
"Yaya likes to call it: The Rima Recovery Plan!~" Yaya said grinning. Pepe floated beside her, her thumbs up. Amu sweat dropped. "Hey that's Nagi-Tan!" Yaya exclaimed, dashing towards him to catch up. Amu sighed, and followed Yaya.
"Hey Nagihiko!" Amu greeted.
"Hey…" Nagihiko greeted, but his voice seemed empty.
"What's wrong Nagi-Tan?" Yaya wondered.
"It's… I have a question." Nagihiko said. Amu and Yaya looked at him. "Have I… been doing anything to bother Rima-Chan these past few weeks?" Amu and Yaya looked at each other.
"No, why would you think that?" Amu asked.
"I was just curious… I should get going… see you two tomorrow." Nagihiko jogged off.
"That was odd…" Amu wondered. Her eyes suddenly lit up. Yaya looked at Amu, confused. "Was Nagihiko the reason Rima was crying?" She wondered.
"What? You're probably right Amu-Chi! Yaya wonders what happened… we should ask Rima-Tan tomorrow!" Yaya suggested.
"I'm not so sure how well that will turn out…" Amu whispered. "I mean, I think we shouldn't remind her." Yaya nodded. They walked to their houses.
"Bye-bye Amu-Chi!" Yaya said, waving. Amu waved back, smiling, and walked to her house with her four charas following.
Wow, 15 pages on a word document? Anyway, I'm happy there was a RimaHiko moment in this chapter. I'll update soon, and the amount of reviews I receive will affect how soon I update! REVIEW! Press that little button, whether you're a member or not of . It doesn't take much effort. Just say a little message and press enter. :D Thanks! I feed on reviews! Also favorite; favorite me, favorite the story, read other stories, whatever! Thanks for reading and I'll update ASAP :D.