Hello Everyone I'm back and see it only took a week! I have to say I love having internet in my room! Well something you all having been waiting for is going to happen in this chapter! RomanticaKH1 had already said it, We learn of Ikuto's full past and the connection between him and the fujisaki family. It get's a little darker this chappy … you'll see what I mean but I really hope you enjoy it please read and review and thanks to all how have in the previous chappies ^^
Disclaimer *points dramatically at nothing*: I LR137 do not own Shugo Chara
… I've said it now onto the story!
Surprised confused and a little less then comfortable around their "captives" Amu stayed close to Ikuto not wanting to let him out of her sight. They rode silently in the large stretch limo that Notori and Yuu escorted them in. Amu was truly hoping with all her heart that they're intentions were good and what they said before was true.
"Ikuto-sama, my family knew your family before the curse was placed on you. For years we've been recording and researching all about your family and its curse and the fine details. We invite you to come with us to the Mansion and we will reveal everything to you" Notori said after he and Yuu had pulled the net off of Ikuto and Amu.
"How do I know you're not trying to trick us and take us to the sorcerer?" Ikuto demanded harshly stepping in front of Amu protectively. Notori glanced between them and smiled, "I would never do that to you." He then bowed deeply and the limo pulled up by them, "If you please…"
Amu and Ikuto glanced at each other not too sure they should trust Notori. But Ikuto was too curious, too eager to know his past. If it were possible he would want to risk it, "Alright but you have to take Amu home first."
"NO!" Amu protested, "Wherever you go I go too. I told you I'm going to help you no matter what!" Ikuto held her by her shoulders and looked at her pleading, "I don't want you involved in my problems."
"I'm afraid Amu has to come too." Yuu said from the side, "She is more involved in this than you realize."
Ikuto narrowed his gaze at Yuu and swung at him but Yuu caught his fist easily and held him back with a calm steady gaze, "If you will Ikuto-sama this is of the utmost urgency that you regain your memory." Ikuto stopped and stared into Yuu's eyes he then sighed and returned to Amu realizing he left her alone and put an arm around her, "Alright I'll trust you for now."
And so they entered the Limo and began their trek to the Fujisaki mansion.
They Arrived in a strange passage that Amu had not recognized before that ran through the back of the estate. They pulled into an Underground cavern that leads to a secret garage that had lines of cars from wall to wall. Yuu chuckled, "Tori-kun's secret foreign car fetish." They All slipped out of the car and saw several different models, volt wagons, Ferraris, even a 1950 re-furbished Ford pick up.
It was surprising to see the ever graceful father of the ever graceful Fujisaki twins have such a secret guilty pleasure. Notori cleared his through, "Shall we meet in the den Miki and the twins are waiting for us."
They walked across the massive garage Amu and Ikuto temporarily forgetting their mistrust and trying to hold back a laugh at the irony. Once they passed from the door they entered the kitchens and then the grand foyer and passed the old grandfather clock to the den where Nadeshiko, Naghiko, and Miki were standing by a large covered painting.
Amu paused as it slowly sunk it. The Identity of what exactly she was staring at. Amu then glanced at Ikuto who too was staring at the covered portrait slowly beginning to realize that it had something to do with his long forgotten past.
Miki glanced at Amu, smiling briefly and shyly as if to apologize, then gestured for Ikuto to come closer. He squeezed Amu's hand once to comfort her and approached the covered portrait. Nadeshiko stood in his place next to Amu and whispered, "Don't worry Amu-chan we're the good guys."
"How can I trust that?" Amu whispered meekly, regretting saying it once the words were out. Nadeshiko just smiled patiently and whispered back, "Trust that we've been friends All our lives." She had expected Amu to be defensive and confused. Nadeshiko herself felt guilty for keeping the family secret from her best friend all these years and that she had already known Ikuto's identity from the start.
Miki then slowly stood next to the painting turned halfway to Ikuto and halfway to the painting she glanced at Ikuto who had a mistrustful and curious look on his face as he watched Miki. Miki tugged at the cloth then sternly and humbly looked at Ikuto.
"Ikuto-sama, before I show you what's under this cloth, I need to assure you that all this time our family has remained loyal to the Tsukiyomi." Miki said gently picking up the train of the cloth. Ikuto stiffened he had heard the name "Tsukiyomi" several times before, the legend was famous. But for some reason, this time, it struck a loud resounding chord, "What do the Tsukiyomi have to do with me?"
Miki said nothing and turned away from Ikuto. She then tore the cloth away from the portrait and as it fell silence came over the room both Amu and Ikuto stood there staring at the large but gorgeous painting that had just been unveiled before them.
It reveled the faces four majestic royals who looked as if they could pop out of the canvas that instant, but what everybody was gawking at, what caused the whole room to go silent was the Identity of two of people in the Portrait. A lovely blonde princess with eyes that would make even the most violet iris weep in shame, with a face of pride and dignity, and a prince whose mischievous sapphire cat like eyes were evoking, entrancing, and all too familiar as was the rest of his face.
"Because you are Tsukiyomi," Notori explained to the still Ikuto who stared at the portrait eyes wide staring at the remake of himself, "Prince Ikuto Hoshina Tsukiyomi to be exact."
Ikuto didn't move or say anything for a long time. Amu had already guessed who he was when Miki said that their family was loyal to the "Tsukiyomi". She then realized she had known all along ever since she first heard of the "Curse of the black cat" she had known who Ikuto was but didn't quite realize it until now. She moved to ask Ikuto if he was alright but Nadeshiko pulled her back shaking her head as if to say, "Leave him be for now."
Ikuto gazed at the portrait running the image in his mind over and over again then something clicked loud and hard, as if it had been stuck for a long time and rusted over only to be forced to click into place. All of his memories came flooding back to him, "My father…. Was the bastard son of a nobleman in court." He glanced at the Face of the King humble wise and gentle, his father with the same midnight blue hair Ikuto had and the same violet eyes Utau carried, "His father died in debt and so he began to work off the family debt by being a court musician a violinist to be exact. My mother was the crown princess," He glanced at the lovely fair haired woman with light blue eyes and a kind and warm smile, "She had fallen in love with my father and wanted to restore his family name, the Tsukiyomi name." Ikuto turned around his eyes stared straight ahead but not at anyone in the room, he was looking in the past, "And to do that she set up a plan to have her father betroth herself to him. He however only knew the princess from a distance and everyone believed him to be a cold man no one knew why the princess was so fond of him. The truth is my mother once thought him cold as well, until she found him playing the violin alone in the palace garden. She said that was when she truly saw him," Ikuto laughed, "Well it's safe to say her plan worked and the Tsukiyomi name was restored and was made the royal family name. After Utau and I were born my parents led a prosperous rule over the kingdom." Ikuto's face fell and he smirked bitterly, "But then he came." Ikuto's brows furrowed and a cold look came into his eyes. Amu had only seen this look once, it was when Kazuki came onto TV with Utau, "My mother's cousin Kazoumi Hoshina visited and spent his time blackening my father's name with the people calling him an incompetent bastard unfit to rule and I was the same." He clenched his fist tightly, "He brought with him a well known sorcerer who had lived for over 500 years and supposedly overthrew ill begotten rulers like my father. Once we learned of Kazoumi's plan to over throw my father, and fearing that the entire family would be in danger, my mother sent me and Utau away into the country where we would wait for my father to defeat the Sorcerer and re-gain the trust of the people. Utau and I stayed there for five years before we learned of what happened."
Ikuto winced and buried his face in his hands. He had stopped speaking but everyone knew the memory hadn't and Ikuto must have been remembering the most painful part of it all.
Ikuto stood there is silence rembering the day his life would change forever,
Like a calm before the storm it was a cloudless sunny day the two siblings were out in the field Ikuto was practicing his violin and Utau was humming the tune dancing as he played, "Ikuto, when do you think we can go home." She asked suddenly. Ikuto stopped playing and wiped his brow with his sleeve, "I don't know, Utau". Utau grunted in protest at the fact he stopped playing. Ikuto smirked and began playing again. Then suddenly a loud crash of thunder echoed in the distance. Both stopped and turned toward a pitch black cloud in the distance approaching at an abnormal speed, "Utau get inside."
"No!" Utau protested, "A little rain isn't going to hurt anything!" Ikuto shot her a look that made her quiet and she trotted back inside, minding to take Ikuto's Violin with her. Ikuto walked up the hill some ways his hair and white linen shirt billowing against the angry tempest. Looking toward the shadow of the ground he noticed something peculiar about it the way it moved. The closer it became the more uneasy he felt and as it got closer he realized the shadow had volume. He realized in that moment, t wasn't a shadow at all it was the dark army of the sorcerer. Realizing this Ikuto spun on his hill to retrieve Utau so they could escape but when he turned around he saw a dark figure blocking his path. His features were not discernable but he was still and covered in black which reminded Ikuto of the grim reaper. "What do you want?" Ikuto demanded. The dark man just laughed a bitter and malicious laugh and the wind whipped around him revealing what he hand under his cloak. He had Utau in one hand and a dagger in another. He chuckled darkly, "Did you think you could escape so easily prince?"
Ikuto Stiffened, "Who are you?"
"I'm the sorcerer laughably known as "gozen" I once had a human name but once I became Immortal I threw it away." Ikuto bowed his back fear creeping in as he realized this would be an impossible fight. Knowing Ikuto's fear the dark figure smiled and let his teeth, gray and distorted, be shown.
"But you know Immortality was simply not enough, I wanted more and I sought and gained more but I never met my match until your father." He laughed horribly and maliciously, "He was truly my match the power of the Tsukiyomi is to be contended."
Ikuto glared at him, "What did you do to my father?"
"I consumed him like all the others before him, his life force is mine." He said darkly, greedily, "But I hear that you also inherited a grand power, and you see that's the reason why I'm here and the answer to your first question, I want it."
He licked his lips then pressed Utau's trembling face to his, "I'll offer you a trade come willingly or shall I dismember your pretty sister?"
The utmost fear that Ikuto could have ever felt crept from the bottom of his stomach to the top of his head, he felt like he was going to puke. This power hungry maniac had his sister in his clutches and there was nothing he could do to help her.
But Utau was far from helpless, as terrified as she was she pulled enough courage to slam her elbow into his pelvic chakra temporarily inablitating her captive and ran toward Ikuto. Ikuto's eyes lit up as she ran to him relieved and proud of his sister but then before she knew what was happening the sorcerer was behind Ikuto and stabbed the knife through his chest. But it wasn't to kill Ikuto. Slowly and painfully as if every single cell of his body was on fire in a merciless blaze he shifted and shrunk into a small helpless cat. He watched helplessly as Kazoumi appeared and captured Utau who was screaming his name. Then "Gozen" picked up Ikuto as if he were a piece of trash and calmly walked toward the nearby well and just dumped him in, "Sayonara, Ojii-sama" And the world dimmed and Ikuto forgot everything.
Sometime after a woman came and rescued the poor cat and took him in and cared for him. She then kissed him lightly on the forehead and Ikuto became a human. She then rested calmly next to him, "Poor little one, Alone you will be until my follow awakens. She smiled, "You only remember one thing."
"Utau," Ikuto said painfully, "And nothing else."
The woman nodded, "Your name is Ikuto." Like yourself, Utau will be out in the world as long as you will be you must find her and break the curse you are under," She smiled and poured him a cup of tea, "I'm afraid only the goddess of the moon will grant you mercy in this curse. The god of the sun wishes you well but will not lift the burden. He's such a romantic believes in love."
Ikuto gazed at her confused, "What do you mean?"
She smiled and took a sip of her own tea, "I'll recite something for you but you must remember it young one."
Ikuto did remember the old woman who took him in and set him on his journey but he felt that it was not necessary to explain her and continued where he paused, "By then it was too late, The sorcerer Gozen had already defeated my parents and then he came for me and Utau I could do nothing to prevent what happened that day."
He rubbed his temples and let out a long defeated sigh, "That night I thought I had died but it was far worse than that. I was turned into an immortal cat only to see through the eyes of man after the sun had set. I had lost my memory and was thrown down a well. It wasn't until some nights later that mercy was bestowed upon me."
He stood up and looked at the waning crescent and recited a poem Amu and the others had heard before. The one the old woman had recited for him:
"When the moon doth rise
And the sun doth set
Thou shall grow ears and tail
And cry to the moon for thy humanity
Where the moon shall give mercy
The sun shall not
By day a cat
By night a man
Until a fair maid sets her heart upon thee
And tulips bloom below the moon
The cat shall be no more
And the man shall walk his days."
He put his hand to his chin thoughtfully, "I don't remember the rest clearly but a crystal clear voice spoke to me that this song would hold the key to break the curse." He then leaned on the wall behind him, "It was that voice that led me out of darkness and from then on I began life anew as a cat. That was my earliest memory."
Nagihiko who had been quiet the whole time finally spoke up and recited the poem in full, "When the moon doth rise
And the sun doth set
Thou shall grow ears and tail
And cry for thy humanity
Where the moon shall give mercy
The sun shall not
By day a cat
By night a man
Until a fair maid sets her heart upon thee
And tulips bloom below the moon
The cat shall be no more
And the man shall walk his days
The curse of the music of the moonlit path
Shall be lifted and hence
A price be paid in full
A living amulet shall shatter
And a broken heart will mend a thousand years of wrong"
Ikuto and everyone turned to Naghiko who kept his gaze steady on the ground, "We found the incantation sometime ago."
Ikuto lifted his brows but really didn't seemed surprised. He let out an irritated sigh and scratched his head turning away from everybody.
Notori nodded mistaking Ikuto's actions for disbelief, "It's true. As I said before we have been preserving the knowledge of your family for generations and seeking a cure for the curse and what the incantation means. What troubles me, your majesty, is that last line, 'A broken heart shall mend a thousand years of wrong' I already deciphered that 'A thousand years of wrong' would be Gozen."
Ikuto nodded, "It would have to be but the rest is still a puzzle even to myself."
Amu gazed at Ikuto his demeanor seemed to change as suddenly as his memory came back. Amu had been watching his gestures and movements since he saw thie painting. They were graceful dignified and regal, like a prince. Amu was beginning to fear that the Ikuto she knew before had disappeared the moment he remembered his heritage. Amu nervously rubbed her arm, I said I would help him no matter the cost, but…
Ikuto lifted his eyes and noticed the nervous look on Amu's face. He hadn't realized he hadn't noticed her while he remembered his past. He walked over to Amu and lifted her face to him with finger Amu blushed bright red. As he gazed into her eyes his stare was the same kind gentle and mischievous. Amu giggled which caught him off guard, "What?"
"Nothing" Amu said clearing her thought she then let her face drop and lifted her head toward his, "Now that you remember who you are what are you going to do next?" She asked softly. Everyone else in the room picked up on the atmosphere and excused themselves. Ikuto studied her face and then turned away from her, "I really don't know." He sighed, "Despite the fact I regained my memories I'm still as useless as ever." He slammed his fist against the wall creating an impressive dent in the stucco. Amu was taken aback but she already figured he was freakishly strong from how easily he jumped over buildings.
"You're not useless Ikuto-sama." Amu said shyly then Ikuto turned toward her, "not you, don't you ever call me 'sama' or 'prince'" Amu recoiled back at his tone. Then he shook his head and touched her cheek. He again faced Amu directly almost as close as before, "You are never less than me, Amu." She blushed a bright strawberry red as he leaned closer to her face but what she was expecting didn't come. Ikuto smirked, making Amu even more relieved, and he turned away from her and walked outside. Amu was surprised he just left her alone. Curious and concerned, she was about to follow him when she heard dainty graceful steps echo behind her. It was Nadeshiko she came to check on the two, "You should give him some time to think."
Amu glanced at the door Ikuto had left and back at Nadeshiko and nodded giving the door one last look. Amu followed Nadeshiko to her room knowing it all too well from their frequent slumber parties. Amu and Nadeshiko sat there in an awkward silence.
"I'm sorry Amu-chan." Nadeshiko said finally, "You must think I deceived you."
Amu looked up at Nadeshiko her face as sincerely apologetic and guilty. Amu lowered her head, "I honestly believed you had at first."
Nadeshiko winced briefly. It was strange for Amu to see her usually unmovible friend act so broken and defenseless.
"But then you reminded me we've been friends for so long, best friends, I couldn't see how you could betray me." Amu smiled and hugged her friend.
"I'm glad!" Nadeshiko said wiping a tear from her eye, "I was so afraid you'd hate me!"
"How could I?" Amu laughed then she paused, "Nadeshiko, I want to see how Ikuto's doing."
Nadeshiko nodded understanding but a concerned look came over her face as Amu left.
Amu had managed to find Ikuto perched upon the garden wall next to the koi pond. His expression was distant again and a wave of sadness came off of him. Amu could almost feel it. She managed to hike up the wall without Ikuto flinching or noticing her and sat next to him waiting for him to break from the past.
It was silent for a moment but then Ikuto turned to her and smirked, "About time you showed up."
Amu's face sizzled, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I was worried that my nosy girl hadn't gone after me." He smirked at her blush. And even though she was a little embarrassed she liked the way he said, "My girl" even though "nosy" was in between those sweet words. But his smirk shrunk into a grimance and he turned away, "I don't blame you."
Amu was surprised by what he said, "What do you mean?"
Ikuto smirked, "I don't take you for a girl who would like a guy whose a complete an utter failure. Now that I know who I am you don't have to put up with my shit anymore."
Amu steamed again and slapped him across the face. Not phasing his balance one bit but shock suddenly came over his face. He could tell byt the way she looked she was livid, "Ikuto you Idiot!" She screamed, "Do you think I stuck with you all this time because I felt obligated?"
Ikuto winced at her and turned away, "Why would-"
"Shut up I'm not done!" she yelled pulling herself up standing very wobbily on the wall, "Do you think I risked getting trouble, fighting with my annoying stepsister, getting my dad upset, told you about my mom, followed you around, AND HELPED YOU BECAUSE I PITIED YOU!" It was at this moment Ikuto found himself shocked that Amu, shy bashful and ditzy Amu, was yelling at him at the top of her lungs despite the fact she just found out he was a prince and barely had any balance on the wall.
Ikuto didn't have any words but the look on Amu's face was priceless. He started laughing dispite himself.
"Now your laughing at me?" Amu whined and slowly crouched down and sat on the wall her leg on either side of it and fully facing Ikuto, "You're such a jerk."
Ikuto stopped laughing and smiled brightly, "If not for pity then what."
Amu's face grew red and she quickly looked down which made her less stable and she latched on to the wall…" We-well, because I—I-I-I-I-I-I—I, Sorta like you."
Ikuto smiled and stood on the wall with careless ease and picked Amu up who latched onto him. Soon they were face to face the moon rising setting a perfect backdrop for them. Ikuto pulled her eve closer. Looking into his sapphire eyes that shone so brightly in the moonlight Amu forgot about her fear and just gazed at him.
Ikuto was also entranced by her golden orbs offset by the silver of the moonlight and smirked, "well, I guess I sorta like you too pinky."
Amu blushed, which Ikuto had always thought was completely adorable, and he touched his nose to hers and she closed in on his lips and both felt a floating warmth pass through their bodies as their lips made contact. For that moment they forgot everything but their kiss. Amu wrapped her arms around Ikuto and held him closer and he picked her up to shorten the distance between them. Amu caressed Ikuto neck and accidently snapped his collar off but neither noticed and of course since it was night Ikuto didn't change back. They both were so into their kiss they lost their footing and tripped parting their lips and began to tumble down. Ikuto reflexively caught Amu bridal style and landed them both safely knee deep in the koi pond where all the koi scattered as they made impact they both looked at each other their faces still red and began laughing, very loudly.
Well not the kiss you guys expected but what do you think? I had wanted to make this kiss the original deal breaker but then I thought, "That's so been done" So unfortunately Ikuto's curse is not broken, still quite intact I'm afraid. But don't worry a lot is headed on it's way and so is a chapter where I think all of you will get quite a shocker on who we're meeting next and the drastic thing Amu does! So I hope you all will stay tuned!
So Until then Tra la!
Review count: 222