Reviewer Responses:
XxanimeaddictxX: muhahaha I updated again! Yes Ikuto has it bad for Yuuki. I feel so sorry for him but it's how the story goes. Happy moments and sad moments for both of them.
XxxanimefanxxX: It had been long. I'm happy I updated sooner than at a 5month interval... -.-'
KAWAIIIILawliet: sorry it wasn't soon-soon! I'm not sure about the next chapter but I have not given up on this story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara. I only own my OC character: Yuuki Taiyomika/Hinamori and her shugo charas.

Sworn Enemies © Hikari1796

Shugo Chara © Peach-Pit

Chapter 3: Crossing the Line (revised)

~Yuuki's POV~

It was after school and it should mean that I would have time for myself if it hadn't been for a text I received right when the bell rang.

"He frustrates me." Was all Yuugure muttered when she read the text along with me. I walked outside Seiyo High and instinctively looked around. Tsukiyomi disappeared sometime after lunch so I know that I don't have to worry about him for the time being. Yuugure took a rest on my shoulder already knowing that I have no intention of doing a chara change to get to our destination faster.

"The nerve of that guy… why do I suddenly need a partner all of a sudden." I muttered darkly. Didn't they trust me and my reputation? Sure there was my first assignment and then the poor clean up job… so much computer hacking and file deleting… but that was in the early moments of my career.

I stopped in my tracks and looked up. I got here still too quickly for my tastes… The looming building seemed to hold me in its grasp, no matter where I go I always end up coming back here, back to Easter. People walk by me and revel in it's presence. It disgusts me. The naivety and ignorance these people have with what really goes on inside Easter but that's just how they wanted it. Something wet landed on my cheek, I lightly touched it.

"Yuuki, let's go inside. We shouldn't stay out here in the rain." Yuugure flew ahead of me and took shelter under the awning. I waited a little longer and stayed in place, my eyes were closed and I felt the rain pelt down on my face harder.

I finally decided that I was in the angel's tears long enough and ascended up the stairs where Yuugure greeted me with a tiny handkerchief.

"You know, you don't always have to wait for the rain…" Yuugure told me with a hint of sadness in her voice while she wiped the water from my face.

"I have no other way to cry. You should know that by now Yuugure." I casually stated before walking through the doors of Hell-on-Earth.

~Ikuto POV~

"Nya~ Ikuto blah, blah, blah…" I tuned Yoru out as I gazed across the horizon. I couldn't believe it, Yuuki was here, in Tokyo and in my class none the less. Goodness, I sound like a love sick puppy. Come on Ikuto, she doesn't remember you anymore… but she's still in Easter. I promised I would get her and Utau out…

A flash of white slashed across my peripheral vision. I snapped my head in that direction and saw Yuuki weaving in and out of crowds and cutting through alleyways. I continued to watch her walk up to the entrance of Easter building and I felt my heart skip a beat, and not in the good way. I felt the light crying of angels reign from the heavens above. Yoru stowed away in my jacket pocket, safely hidden from the water. I could still see Yuuki looking up towards the sky before slowly walking inside. I mimicked her movements and headed down the stairs to the Director's office knowing that her arrival has something to do with me.

-~+~-S.E.-~+~-S.E.-~+~-

I walked up to the door to hear quiet talking and a sudden shatter. I opened the door slightly to see Yuuki with her hands slammed on the Director's desk and a glass figurine broken into a million pieces.

"I refuse to have a partner. I thought you have been notified of my record in Hiroshima. I am perfectly capable on my own." Yuuki's tone nowhere near matched her actions. Her actions were loud and distraught while her voice was ice and empty.

"Yes and I am impressed but that's not what we need here. We need your abilities but not entirely to its full potential at least not yet." My stepfather hinted. He noticed my midnight blue eyes from the crack in the door and made eye contact with me but didn't acknowledge my presence.

"Oh so you're basically hiring a babysitter?" Yuuki paused and turned to the door. "And you know you're not sneaky right?"

"And the cat got caught…" I muttered silently while I opened the door wider to slip in through. "Is this the kid I'm watching?"

"Tsukiyomi…" Yuuki growled. I could see her shugo chara peeking out from under her hair. Red eyes scanning my entire being.

Ugh… and Yuugure is still terrifying…

"Yes, Ikuto. Taiyomika is your new partner. And I see that you two have already met." My stepfather told me blantly. There was a flash in his eyes like the sort you would see from a teacher watching you to make sure you wouldn't dare cheat on a test.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, when do we start?" Yuuki exasperated, her arms folded in front of her.

"You start now. Ikuto, you know the drill, walk Taiyomika through it. Oh and make sure she doesn't get too rambunctious or crosses the line." Gozen clasped his hands. His eyes glared at both me and Yuuki with intensity.

"Don't worry. I got it under control." I yanked Yuuki up by her arm as she was already kneeling down picking up glass shards to throw at Gozen.

I dragged Yuuki out of the room and shut the door without waiting for a response from my stepfather. Yuuki retracted her arm from me and walked on ahead without another word. I simply followed her out of the building and we just stood there in front of the doorway in silence.

"You don't have to walk me through anything. I already know the drill. Lure out the Embryo somehow, capture it, hand it to Easter, and we still won't get our freedom from this wretched company." Yuuki broke the silence and looked at me. Her amber orbs stared into my midnight ones.

"Exactly and the best place to start is in the park." I walked on cat ears popping out of my head and a tail unfurled itself. I looked back at her with a look simply saying I'm-not-going-to-wait and jumped in the sky and landed on the rooftop of a neighboring building.

Yuuki followed in suit and chara changed with Yuugure. Her amber eyes changed to blood red ones and she had her own devil's tail. Two red streaks appeared in her hair and little fangs poked out from her mouth. She followed me hoping from roof to roof all the way to the park.

When we arrived to our destination, she spotted the regular musicians that performed along the pathway. The rookies who were A) wanting to be discovered and given a record deal. B) Wanted to earn some extra cash. Or C) just wanted to share their music with passing pedestrians.

"It's sad. Those who have dreams of getting a record deal… they only have a one-in-a-million chance of being discovered." Yuuki looked around and could see the unborn chara eggs in the hearts of people.
Our chara change was undone and we looked around with exactly no plan on how to find the Embryo.

"It doesn't make sense." Yuuki dead panned. I looked at her with confusion. "Why Easter is having us do this. I mean yes I get the it grants wishes but I mean how they expect us to find it. If the Embryo is all powerful-for lack of a better word- as they claim it to be, why would it be concealed in one person."

Her words stunned me and yet made sense. If the embryo wasn't concealed, it has to be lured out.

"Up to creating some X-eggs?" I asked as calmly as I could. I didn't want her involved in this but I do need help… ugh but I have to free her somehow.

I noticed how her body shook a little and she covered her mouth. It was like she was fighting something inside of her. Her eyes flashed between amber and scarlet. A look of pain dawned on her face and this was the first emotion I see her in. I slowly reached my hand on her shoulder and tried to calm her down as lightly as I can without provoking her, I wasn't sure what was happening but I believe this is what Gozen wanted me to make sure wouldn't happen.

Yuugure came seemed to become more… demonic or vampire-like. Her fangs grew and she was eyeing everyone like a prey. Yoru noticed this and flew to Yuugure. "Yuugure! Calm down!" Yoru held his paws in front of him and rested them on the vampire chara's shoulders.

Suddenly, everything just seemed to go by in a flash. I remember Yoru crying out in pain and I felt weight crash down on me. I felt weak and everything become fuzzy. There wasn't a pain it just felt like I'm being surrounded by a heavy presence that was sucking my mind empty. Instantly, I imagined myself with the chains and cuffs around my wrist and ankles and unlike before how I wished I would become free, I was in a state where I wasn't hoping or dreaming for anything and yet I didn't feel scared of that. I somehow mustered strength to yell out something… a name, maybe and then everything around me felt almost normal. My head was still swimming in confusion and a migraine was growing. I could hear my heart beat thump in my ears. My vision was blurry but I could see Yoru on the ground with swirlys for eyes. I was actually amazed that I didn't fall over or anything yet. Once I felt my nausea dwindle, I looked around and saw Yuuki and Yuugure had a look of shock on their faces. Without a second hesitation, Yuuki turned and ran away from me.

I plucked Yoru up from the ground and stowed him away in my pocket and wearily followed Yuuki as fast as I can without doing too much damage to others or myself. I could only go as far as the fountain that rested in the center of the park before falling on my knees attempting to catch my breath.

"Hey, are you alright?" I turned my head to see a pink haired girl, her face full of concern.

"Uh yeah… just trying to catch… my breath." I panted heavily.

My head still felt light headed but not as bad as before. My vision cleared and I could see that the girl had a x-shaped hairclip that made a partial side ponytail. She pulled something from her bag and I saw it was a bottle of water which she held out towards me.

"Here, take it." She had a small smile on her face and I gingerly took it. "Are you trying to find that white haired girl?"

I just looked up to her with nothing but I guess she saw the concern in my eyes.

"She went to that gazebo down near the creek." The pink haired girl looked down at her watch and her eyes widened at surprise. "Oh sorry! I have to go, I have to watch my little sister. And by the way, make sure that girl's okay, she looked like she saw a ghost!" The pinkette ran down the pathway to some suburban neighborhood.

I drank some water and then stood back up slowly. I glanced at the way the stranger went before heading towards the gazebo that I knew of rather well.

~Yuuki's POV~

I lied down on the connected bench in the gazebo and raised my hand to see it was still shaking. Yuugure was nuzzled on my hair against the crook of my head while she was muttering in some unknown language. I guess both of us were still shocked about what happened a few minutes ago. I clenched my hand in a fist and then punched it against one of the railing boards. Ugh I never lose my focus like that. There was just so many dreams…
I heard boards creaking near the entrance and I snapped my head in that direction. I could see the figure of a blue haired bishounen standing there.

"You alright?" Ikuto took a seat in the section above my head so I strained my head up to look at him.

"What do you want? After all that happened I didn't think you'd want to see me, much less talk to me." I breathed harshly.

"I'm not entirely a bad guy. I just wanted to see if you're alright and it looks like you needed to talk about some stuff." He still didn't look at me but just gazed on out at the horizon. The sounds of music quieted down as people were packing up and heading home for the night while we were left in solitude.

"Really?"

"Ehh not entirely, you also need a guide to show you around and I'd be more than happy to help a fair maiden in distress."

My eyes tightened into a glare and I could see a half-hearted smirk start to form on his face.

"How's your shugo chara…" The name evaded my tongue and mind.

"Yoru. I believe he's asleep." Ikuto pulled him out of his pocket to see little sparkles and glitter dust his hand and the chara's body. "What… what is this?" He set Yoru down on his lap and rubbed his fingers together, examining the dust.

"It's dream dust." I said simply.

"Dream dust?"

"It's not an easy topic to explain. Dream dust is a collection of a person's dream that are materialized in a way as dream particles, which can form shugo chara eggs and is also the blood of shugo charas." Ikuto still gave me a confused look and I released a sigh before continuing on my explanation. "Basically, that's what Gozen warned you about. Making sure I don't cross the line…myself, at rare occasions, and Yuugure, being my vampire-chara, well, we drink dreams."

AN: Again not much changed... It's just making sure I used correct words and didn't skip words that stuff... Still need to rewatch Shugo Chara...

Till next post!