Firstly, I would like to take this time to thank everyone for clicking this story. For the past month or two, I have been working really hard on this story, so it means a lot to me that you found this intriguing enough to read. If you follow my stories, you may be utterly perplexed as to why I posted a new story, given the fact that I am in the middle of three stories- three stories that I have yet to update in a really long time. Firstly, I would like to apologize immensely for that. Why I'm writing a new story? It started a few months ago, when I was working on the next chapter of Conceal, Don't Feel. I was in a Writer's Block, so I decided to open up a new Word Doc and just write as much as I can to clear my mind. 67 pages later, and this happened: a new story with 3-4 chapters already written. This story will be my sole focus for a bit and, fortunately, I know exactly the direction this story is going to be taking. For fans of my other stories, I apologize immensely. I will toss in updates, I promise, especially as school fully winds down. I will not neglect you.

But anyway, enough of that story, and onto the real story here. A quick side note: this story is very loosely based upon my very first story on FFN, Easter's Revenge (that's a huge throwback). Without further ado, I present to you my first fanfic since I've turned 17. I hope you all enjoy!

"Do you read fairy tales?" The man stared up at the night sky, smiling to himself. The stars gleamed brightly, shining ceaselessly as the night remained steadfast. Their prominence was further augmented with the clearness of the sky—the natural intangible mass above—with no pores or flaws concealing the stars' beauty.

"No… Not since I was a child," the other figure murmured.

"Fairy tales are timeless, defined by no particular age or time." The man's amethyst eyes flickered. "Though appearing fictitious, their meanings hold quite a high value. Each fairy tale speaks vividly of life's tales—of the myriad demonstrations of bravery, love, sacrifice, and even selfishness and evil. Fairy tales, in fact, reflect the most real parts of us."

"What are you getting at?"

"Why do you think the supposed damsel-in-distresses are protected by their gallant princes?" The man turned to the girl.

"Uh… because of true love?"

"On the surface, yes. The man want to fulfill his destiny and receive the grace and affections of his respective beloved. But perhaps, it is more in depth than that simplicity. Love holds a multitude of dimensions; it cannot be confined to such rigid boundaries." The girl's eyes drifted to the floor, biting her lip. "This is not love; this is protection."

"Because the girl always needs to be protected," She muttered sarcastically. "Women are helpless beings who long for their—"

"On the contrary," The man smiled warmly, "the girl is more powerful than the prince could ever dream of." She glanced back up at him, puzzled. "The prince may appear brave and gallant; he could ward off all the evil guards that tried to lock her up, but in the end, she was the one who contained the true bravery. She managed to hold her ground, with no aid from her beloved."

"I still don't understand—"

"Now suppose this." He took a deep breath. "This 'damsel-in-distress', suppose she was truly the heroine? Suppose she was the one who had rescued her beloved and—simultaneously—held the most bravery?"

"That would give her too much power," The girl murmured. "Doesn't that contradict what you were just saying?"

"Precisely." The girl gave him a confused glance. "She holds too much power. The one in need, her beloved in distress, should hold the most power. And yet, it is her. Without boundaries, too much power yields dire consequences. And when one has too much power, others long for said power. Greed is what drives people to insanity." The girl's eyes widened. "Do you now see what you must do?"

"Yes…" Her eyes lowered. She clenched her fists.

"Happily ever after is not evanescent; only you can adequately preserve it. Power—ironically—has the power to bend the normal laws of sanity. It is you who must maintain its proprietary. Do you accept?"

"I do," She murmured. "But—"

"All of your worries will be alleviated in no time." He smiled warmly. "While your greatest fears may reveal themselves, remember that your worries are ephemeral and all will be restored." She nodded slowly.

"I…I will cease to disappoint, Tsukasa." She turned around and exited without another word. Tsukasa let out a content sigh, staring back up at the night sky."Let the stars align in their proper order," He whispered quietly, his eyes closing. "Let the cosmic entity above avert such drastic measures."

"Amu, come play with me!" The pinkette turned, her pink hair tousling in the breeze. Her eyes focused on the little girl ahead, the girl's bright green hair shining under the glimmering sun. Her emerald eyes sparkled as Amu's undivided attention fixated on her. A grin plastered itself upon her face, and Amu could not help but to smile as well. Something about this girl seemed so familiar; when had this happened before?

"Why are you just standing there?" The girl giggled vivaciously. As she stood upon the large grass field, Amu could not help but to note the juxtaposition of her size and her prominence. Despite being so small in contrast to the vast field of grass that appeared to extend endlessly, she was the sole presence that mattered to Amu.

"I…I don't…" She laughed again.

"Oh, silly me! Where are my manners?" The little girl curtsied. "I'm Arisa! We're going to be best friends, I know it!"

"But…"

"Don't be so uptight." Arisa laughed. "Come and play with me!" She extended her hand in Amu's direction. She wore a grey bracelet, which jingled as she held out her arm. Somehow, the sound was serene and reassuring—similarly to the little girl's smile. Amu walked forward, and reached her hand out toward Arisa's hand. She grinned widely, and began pulling Amu forward.

"H-Hey!" Arisa laughed.

"Hurry up, Amu-Chan! Don't be so slow!"

"I'm coming!" Arisa let go of her hand, and smiled. "You're it!" Amu gasped, as Arisa began running around aimlessly. "Try and tag me!" Amu watched the girl with her eyes, studying her every move. Arisa ran away diagonally from Amu's spot. "What are you, scared?!"

"I'll get you!" Arisa giggled, hurrying away as Amu chased her.

"Geez, you're fast," Amu murmured, running after Arisa.

"And you're too slow!"

"No I'm not!" Amu sped up, suddenly grabbing Arisa. "Tag!" Amu laughed.

"Aw, man!" Arisa pouted. "That was so much fun! I love playing with you Amu."

"This was fun," Amu agreed.

"What do you say about playing with me…forever?"

"Forever?" Amu murmured drowsily, her words groggy.

"Are you alright, Amu-Chan?" Amu blinked a few times, her surroundings suddenly becoming evident to her. No longer was there a vast green field with an ebullient sunshine; instead, there was a small room with dim lighting. Amu glanced around, puzzled. She could see people walking around, holding trays with pizzas and pasta on them. People sat at nearby tables, chatting amiably among themselves. Sounds of laughter and conversation sounded around her. She no longer felt free and high-spirited; she was now constrained in the binds of reality.

Upon hearing a high-pitched giggle, Amu turned rapidly. She frowned slightly upon seeing a baby with her father. Where was Arisa? Amu looked around, desperately searching for the green hair. She could distinctly hear the little girl laughing endearingly, beckoning for Amu to play with her. Her best friend for an eternity, supposedly, was nowhere to be seen.

"Amu-Chan?" Amu turned to the person sitting in front of her. His ruby eyes watched her, his expression etched with concern. Amu stared at him blankly.

"Uh…yeah?" She wondered.

"You seem awfully distracted," The boy murmured. Upon feeling something take her hand, she immediately jerked backward. The boy looked stunned.

"I…"

"You were thinking about him, weren't you?" His eyes darkened, some of his blonde hair drooping over one of his eyes. Him? Who was he referring to? Rather, who was he?

"I…I have to go."

"But we haven't even eaten," He persisted. "Amu-Chan, please tell me what's bothering you. I know my relationship with him is, well, complicated, but I am willing to hear you out."

"How do you know my name?" His expression rapidly changed from melancholy to confusion.

"…Huh?"

"Who are you?"

"Amu-Chan, it's me, Tad-" Before he could finish his sentence, an excruciating pain suddenly overcame the pinkette. She shrieked loudly, gripping her head in agony. Distantly, she could hear him call her name, but everything seemed irrelevant. As Amu lost her balance and fell to the ground, bright green hair became visible to her. The little girl turned, and the familiar emerald eyes smiled practically on their own.

"Forever," Arisa whispered, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Forever," Amu whispered back, her pain momentarily forgotten. A smile formed on her face, before the world suddenly turned pitch black.

"She just…collapsed?"

"Yeah. We were having dinner together, and suddenly she just forgot who I was, and collapsed."

"She forgot who you were?!"

"Yes, I mean… I think… It didn't make sense; I didn't know…"

"Hey, Tadase, it's not your fault." Tadase looked up wearily, as Kukai patted his head. He tousled his blonde hair, messing it up entirely. "She must have been distracted or something."

"But then why did she pass out?" Nagihiko leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. His eyes were fixated on the ground, deep in thought. "Having a sudden amnesia attack and then passing out… it can't be simply distraction. There must be something more."

"Yaya just hopes she's okay…" The pigtailed girl hugged her legs into her chest. "Yaya means, passing out can't be good."

"Hey, we all just have to stay optimistic!" Kukai grinned. "The doctors said it was nothing serious. They're looking into it, but it's nothing horrible at least."

"But why did she not know who I was?" Tadase wondered. "Nagihiko's right; there's clearly something more to this."

"I know you're in love with her, but you've got to loosen up!" Kukai moved his hands from Tadase's hair. "I mean, of course I'm concerned, but I know she'll be okay. This isn't Easter again; it's not like every action has to do with X-Eggs or whatever like back in elementary-"

"What if it is Easter?" Nagihiko glanced upward, exchanging a look with Tadase.

"Seriously? Did you just hear a word I said?" Nagihiko ignored Kukai, and gave Tadase a worried expression.

"There has been a rise in X-Eggs recently, which is unnerving since we had speculated Easter already completed their plans back when Kazuomi was involved," Nagihiko recalled. "It would be logical to assume that Easter is up to something, especially when you consider these X-Eggs, and of course...well, you know…" Nagihiko's eyes darkened.

"You think this is related?" Tadase wondered, surprised.

"Amu-Chan is the primary purifier; perhaps they want to increase the X-Egg concentration, and she serves as a distraction?"

"But you can purify X-Eggs too, Nagi-Tan," Yaya pointed out.

"Besides, why would this correlate to memory loss?" Tadase wondered.

"You guys are thinking way too hard about this," Kukai murmured. "Maybe she has low iron levels or low blood pressure or something like that, and that's why she passed out. Rento once had that."

"But that does not explain the memory loss," Nagihiko persisted.

"Well…maybe she was…I don't know! But I doubt it's Easter!"

"There has been a rise in X-Eggs recently," Tadase agreed, pondering.

"So? Last time, they wanted us to purify them. Why would that change now?"

"Speaking of X-Eggs…" Kiseki floated up in front of Tadase.

"Now? Without Amu?" Kukai rolled his eyes, and patted Nagihiko's back. "Guess you're up, kiddo."

Upon arriving outside, the four former guardians were greeted with the sight of thousands of X-Eggs. They floated about in a circular motion, taunting the guardians.

"Geez, there's a lot of them!" Kukai exclaimed. "My own heart, unlock!" They all performed their transformations, the motion and process occurring as it had for five years. Upon completing his transformation, Tadase held out his siphon, and created a shield to protect them from the incoming attack.

"The thrill of transforming will never get old!" Yaya grinned, landing on her feet. "C'mon Pepe! Go, go, Duckies!" Yaya sent duckies flying at the X-Eggs. They surrounding the X-Eggs, and began shooting bubbles from their beaks. "Good job, guys!"

"Golden shot!" Kukai kicked forward a soccer ball directly at the X-Eggs. The sound of glass shattering sounded, prompting Kukai to smirk. "Damn, that barrier was simple. Ready?"

"On it." Nagihiko floated upward. "Basketball Blitz!" He closed his eyes and concentrated. Many basketballs bounced around him, and then surrounded the X-Eggs. He opened his eyes, watching as blue auras emitted from the balls, turning the X-Eggs their normal white color.

"Wasn't that… particularly easy?" Yaya wondered. The X-Eggs vanished, revealing a figure. Said figure wore a black hood, entirely concealing his or her identity, along with an entirely black outfit.

"Way to jinx it, Yaya!" Kukai whined. Yaya pouted.

"Who are you?" Tadase demanded. A resonating echo of Amu's identical words repeated in his mind.

"The darkness is coming. Forever."

"Huh? What the hell does that-" The figure suddenly vanished, leaving leaves to blow around in his or her wake.

"The darkness is coming, forever?" Nagihiko repeated, perplexed.

"Amu-Chan said that." Everyone turned to Tadase, surprised. "Well, not the darkness part, but she whispered forever while she was spacing out."

"What does that mean?" Kukai wondered. "Forever…"

"Forever means lasting indefinitely," Yaya told him, sticking out her tongue at him. Kukai pouted.

"Hey! I'm not an idiot!" Yaya laughed. Nagihiko and Tadase exchanged a glance, tuning out the other two.

"Easter must be up to something," Nagihiko pondered. "It cannot be a coincidence that Amu-Chan said that, along with whoever that was…"

"I just hope they don't hurt her." Tadase clenched his fists. "We know what Easter is capable of. Remember Death Rebel all those years ago? What they did to Ikuto… he still hasn't recovered entirely. If they pull anything like that on Amu-Chan, I swear…"

"But like Nagi said, Kazuomi isn't the boss anymore," Kukai pointed out. "It's a new Easter. They have new policies, new workers, and new hidden agendas."

"New workers…" Yaya repeated softly. Nagihiko let out a quiet sigh.

"But they still have X-Eggs," Tadase persisted. "Nagihiko just purified them. We've been purifying X-Eggs since the fifth grade; they clearly are maintaining a stronghold on the past." Tadase glanced at the ground. "They've never really stopped…"

"Well, if you're so convinced it's Easter, we can stop them!" Kukai stuck his thumbs up, a cheeky grin appearing on his face. "Like you said, they're going back to the past. But in the past, we defeated them. We stopped Nikaidou when he was evil, we stopped Utau," Kukai smiled warmly, "and we stopped Kazuomi and Ikuto as Death Rebel. We can do anything. This is just some new curveball they're throwing at us; we just have to readjust and prepare, you know?"

"You're forgetting the most important part," Nagihiko mumbled. Kukai cocked his head to the side. He crossed his arms. "All of those times were reliant on one person."

"Amu-Chi…" Yaya murmured. "But she's only in the hospital; once she's out, she'll help us!"

"We don't know if it's that simple," Tadase murmured. "There could be complications. If they are truly doing something to Amu-Chan…"

"Well, Nagi can purify!"

"My purification is not nearly as powerful as Amu-Chan's," Nagihiko admitted.

"Maybe we should rest on this," Yaya suggested. "Yaya means, this is a lot for one day! You especially, Tadase."

"Yeah, just take it easy, 'kay?" Kukai grinned.

"We will reconvene tomorrow," Tadase announced. "Perhaps we can see how Amu-Chan is doing."

"I'm home," Nagihiko announced, as he arrived through his front door. He began to proceed to his room, without awaiting a response from his mother.

"Nagihiko-San," She called, her voice stern and demanding. Nagihiko turned quickly. She sat at the dinner table, holding chopsticks tenderly as she ate noodles. Baaya sat beside her, smiling gently at Nagihiko.

"What is it, Mother?" Nagihiko wondered, his voice polite yet sturdy. He knew what she was going to say. His honey-golden eyes averted eye contact with hers, prompting him to fixate his glance at the brown traditional Japanese wall. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her open her mouth, the familiar demanding words falling out like sakura leaves in the wind.

"You have been neglecting your dancing lately," She began, her expression hardening. "Have you forgotten your priorities?"

"No, Mother, of course not," Nagihiko whispered, his voice reticent. "I apologize for my inattentiveness. I promise to devote more time to dancing."

"Your promises are empty, Nagihiko-San." Her brown hair slid up her shoulder, as she sat up straight in her chair. "Dancing is of utmost importance to the Fujisaki clan. For centuries, our family has devoted time to dancing, perfecting each step as means of preserving our past. You, of all people, must work to honor your ancestors. You are to be the next heir; delaying your practice will prove to be pejorative toward your future. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Mother." Nagihiko bowed his head. "I apologize. I will resume my dancing tomorrow."

"You must stay true to that. You are excused." Nagihiko lifted his head, proceeding to his bedroom. Upon arriving inside, he closed the door, and plopped onto his bed. He stared at his ceiling, the intricacies of his ceiling fan capturing his gaze.

"After seventeen years, I would think she would finally understand me…" Nagihiko murmured, sighing.

"The pressure she imposes on you is extreme, but she isn't wrong, you know," Temari told him, floating up. He closed his eyes, his head sinking further into the bed.

"Because I am to be the heir of the family, holding the Fujisaki legacy, yeah, I know," Nagihiko mumbled. "Dancing is, oh so important for me. I must preserve my future and honor my ancestors. Of course. My ancestors are probably pissed I missed a few days of practice. I have let them down, and I feel horribly guilty." Rhythm began to laugh, prompting Temari to slap him roughly. He moaned in pain.

"You do love dancing, Nagihiko," Temari reminded him. "I know it isn't your life's devotion as your mother desires, but it is a passion of yours."

"I love dancing because it is pure. With Mother's pressures…how can I call it pure?" Nagihiko clenched his fists. "It's a paradox. Dancing is supposed to free me from myself and expunge all my fears and worries away, and yet, Mother makes dancing the root of said problems."

"Maybe it's best to practice while she is not watching," Temari suggested. "The purity of dancing could be healthy for you, and it would be best if you could focus on relaxation."

"Or you could do basketball!" Rhythm suggested. "No one pressures you at all with that, and you love it as much as you love dancing!" Temari shot Rhythm a dirty look.

"What does loving really do for me that's helpful?" Nagihiko murmured. Rhythm and Temari exchanged glances, their expressions somber.

"Nagi…" They began.

"It doesn't matter," He whispered gently. Nagihiko could feel tears form in his eyes, but he resisted the urge to cry. He couldn't. And yet, the image was so clear; the juxtaposition of complete trust to complete betrayal was reality serving as a disguise for lies. Lies, lies, lies, he found himself buried in them, and yet, everything around him was a lie. What was real? What wasn't?

"It's not healthy to pretend," Temari whispered. "Who are you trying to fool?" Nagihiko looked at his first chara, surprised.

"I…"

"Yourself? The guardians? Us?"

"You aren't tricking anyone," Rhythm interjected. "You're still not okay, and that's…okay."

"It's not that big of deal guys," Nagihiko tried to reassure futilely. "What happened already happened; I'm not dwelling on it." And yet, her voice resonated in his mind, filling him with that continued false hope that ceased to expire. Her voice continued to play in his mind like a melody on a piano: it was so enticing and beautiful and he wanted her to himself. Not to them.

"Everyone's been noticing how distant you seem," Temari pointed out. "Tadase approached us the other day."

"Huh?" Nagihiko sat up suddenly, a bit surprised.

"He could tell you've been down lately, and he was very worried. You've known him forever; of course he is going to notice. Kukai and Yaya, too, have expressed concern. They care about you, Nagi." Nagihiko glanced at the ground. He had not been aware that his aloofness was obvious. Sure, he had preferred time to himself lately, often reading a book with music playing instead of seeing his friends. And yet, he tried his best to conceal his sorrow with a smile, a simple smile to indicate he was alright. He couldn't let them know he was still hung up over what happened. He couldn't be; they were going through too much and the last thing they needed was for added melancholy. What happened has happened, he continued to reassure himself, and he needed to act happy. And yet, they managed to penetrate his façade—his carefully erected façade. Was it really that obvious that he felt so…broken?

"I…I had not realized," Nagihiko admitted.

"You need to open up more, Nagi," Rhythm pointed out. "It's very important to allow yourself to be open to those closest to you. We'll make it hurt less, you know?"

"But with everything going on… my pain is meaningless."

"Nagi, that's not-"

"Amu-Chan is our primary concern," Nagihiko interjected. "We must figure out what is happening with her, and discover a solution. That is what my focus is." He stood up suddenly, and began to undress, changing into his pajamas. He climbed into his bed, turning off the lights.

"Temari, Rhythm?" Nagihiko called.

"Hm?" They floated up.

"…Thank you, for everything." They beamed, going inside of their eggs. Nagihiko rolled over, staring at the wall.

"I miss you so much," He whispered softly, before closing his eyes.

As Tadase walked home, he found himself thinking of Amu distinctly. He loved her a lot, more than she would know, so he thought. And yet, each smile she gave him, each tender embrace and light kiss: each was doubled when she was with him. He managed to always allure her more than Tadase could, always finding a way to upstage him. Tadase could bring flowers, but he brought a bouquet. Even though he was gone, he still captivated Amu more than Tadase ever could.

"It's not fair," Tadase mumbled, his feet on the pavement.

"What is not fair?" Kiseki wondered, glancing at his bearer.

"She'll never love me as much as she loves him," Tadase concluded. "I'm always there for her and I sincerely love her, but he manages to captivate her, even though he's not even home! He's been away for six months now and… I still see her long for him when we're together."

"Is it truly healthy for a mighty king to partake in such trivial concerns?" Kiseki wondered.

"You're right… I shouldn't be dwelling on that. I should be concerned with Amu's health."

"You're clearly doing that too," Kiseki pointed out. "Tadase, you devote a lot of time to this commoner, but…"

"She's not a commoner! She's the most amazing person I've ever met," Tadase whispered.

"She could just be…you know, tantalizing you." Kiseki floated in front of Tadase. "Is it truly healthy for you to worry about her, if you know she's going to pick him over you? You deserve better, Tadase."

"How can I not worry about her? She suddenly passed out and forgot who I am; how can I not be concerned?!"

"Not about that, but…" Kiseki let out a sigh.

"It's alright, Kiseki." Tadase walked up to his house, taking out his key. "I know comfort is difficult for you, but you are doing a good job. I appreciate it."

"A proper king needs to understand what's truly important and not," Kiseki lectured. Tadase laughed half-heartedly.

"I wish Nagihiko could hear that advice…" Tadase opened his door. "I worry about him. He tries to hide his emotions and pretend to be happy, but I know he's not. He's still upset over what happened… I want him to try to move on and find happiness, but I know Nagi well; he never will. He loves her so much, he won't ever just-"

"Tadase." Tadase turned, hearing the voice of his mother.

"Ah, Mother," Tadase greeted, smiling gently at her. "I was just going to visit Grandmother briefly."

"That won't be necessary."

"Hm?" Tadase looked at his mother, concerned. He could suddenly see how red her eyes were, and the way she gripped Tadase's father. His arm was around her, but he too, appeared to be emotional. Tears trickled down his face, as he looked at his son. Tadase didn't need them to say anything; he knew exactly what their expressions meant.

"Your grandmother has…"

"Don't," Tadase interjected. Both parents looked at him surprised. "Don't say it. I know… I know what has happened." He shouldn't have been too surprised. Ever since the fourth grade when her stroke first happened, her health had been deteriorating. It was a true miracle she had endured seven years in that condition—that fragile but attentive condition. She understood everything and had given Tadase innumerable advice regarding Amu and everything. But upon that diagnosis six months ago, Tadase should have known. With her compromised health and old age, pancreatic cancer was doomed to make a toll upon her life.

"Come here," His mother whispered. Tadase complied, joining his family in a hug. He could feel tears roll down his cheeks.

As Tadase's head leaned on his mother's shoulder, a sudden dawning occurred to him. Six months ago, his grandmother had been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. But that wasn't the only thing that happened six months ago.

He let go of his mother, proceeding to go to his bedroom. He closed the door, and allowed himself to cry freely.

"If you had never left…" Tadase whispered, recalling a conversation he had six months ago.

"We don't have to leave," She whispered, her fists clenched as she watched the blonde curiously. Tadase stared at the ground.

"If you need us, Tadase, we can be there for her," He reassured, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's been a long time, but we'll always be siblings to you. You know that."

"No…" Tadase closed his eyes, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I-I mean, you should go. You finally have information; don't miss your chance."

"But-"

"It is mere coincidence, Ikuto," Tadase began, trying to reassure himself. "Your departure happens to be coincidental. Just because she has talked with you for the first time in years does not mean you caused her illness." Ikuto looked at the ground as well.

"Tadase, please, if there is anything I could do to mollify the pain, if I could soothe her just momentarily… I will stay."

"Your grandmother has always been so kind to us," The girl whispered, her purple-eyes piercing into Tadase's ruby eyes. "Even when the world doubted us, she refused to. If we could return that favor, that would be more worthwhile. After all, it isn't as if our father gave us any sort of retribution."

"Utau…" Ikuto began.

"No, you two should leave." Tadase glanced up and forced a smile despite his tear-stricken expression. "You both have been wondering for so long. If you have finally gotten the chance, you shouldn't miss it for the world." The siblings exchanged a glance, before turning back to Tadase.

"Call us if there is anything," Ikuto whispered, handing Tadase a sheet of paper. "If there is anything new…"

"I'll let you know," Tadase promised. He looked at them, wanting to hug them desperately. He wanted to be that little boy again; he wanted to hold onto them and hold them as if the world depended on it. He would miss them immensely. He may have claimed to detest Ikuto, but he knew that he never really would.

"Hey, look after her," Ikuto told him. Tadase smiled half-heartedly.

"Always," He promised.

Tadase's cell phone lingered in his hand, as he recalled the memory. Ikuto had promised him that he could always call if something came up, and obviously, something of great magnitude had come up. It had been six months without anything; would Ikuto even care? Any hesitance was suddenly ceased, as Tadase found himself searching through his contacts and pressing send when he saw the number Ikuto had given him. He pressed his phone to his hear, anxiously hearing the beeps.

"Hello?" Ikuto's familiar voice sounded, after the second beep. Tadase took a deep breath. His voice seemed foreign; after all, it had been six months.

"Ikuto-NiiSan?" Tadase whispered softly.

"Tadase, is that you?" Tadase was frozen. He couldn't believe he was truly speaking to Ikuto—the Ikuto Tsukiyomi who had left and gave no word of his whereabouts. "It has been… a long time."

"Yeah…" His voice was hoarse. "I…I'm not so sure you remember, but you said-"

"Call if you need anything, I know." Ikuto's voice was gentle. "Is everything…"

"She's gone." Tadase's voice was grim. He could feel his tears continue again. "My grandmother is dead."

"Tadase, I'm so sorry," Ikuto whispered. It only just occurred to Tadase how lonely he was—how desperately he felt distanced from the world. She had been the one person he could tell everything to. She would always insist that Tadase should talk about himself, despite her fleeting breaths. And Tadase would, selfishly droning on about his trivial problems to the woman with the largest problems. He loved his parents, but it wasn't the same with them. They wouldn't understand. They couldn't.

"Tadase, are you still there? Tadase?"

"I'm here…" Tadase muttered monotonously.

"Everything is going to be okay, I promise," Ikuto soothed, his words ricocheting off of Tadase. "I know it hurts; hell, I know that pain more than anything. But you can't give up. You need to stay strong. You know she would want you to and-" Ikuto's words no longer meant anything to him. A thought suddenly occurred to him.

"The darkness is coming, forever," Tadase whispered.

"What?"

"What if this is what that hooded figure was saying?" Tadase sat up. "Everything is tumbling apart. Starting with their betrayal, then the resurgence of X-Eggs and Amu-Chan's dreams and sudden amnesia, and now my grandmother… This can't be a coincidence! It's all Easter…It's all their fault…" Tadase began to sob harder, his words becoming incoherent.

"Tadase…" Ikuto began, his voice cautious. "What happened to Amu?" Of course he would ask. Tadase should have known. He cared nothing about his grandmother or Tadase or Easter; he only cared about her.

"I don't know! I just…"

"Tadase, I know you're lost now." He was surprised to suddenly hear a feminine voice, but he quickly recognized it as Utau. "I know Easter is up to something and everything that happened is horrible, but you need to stay strong. We'll be there soon."

"Huh?"

"We're coming home," Ikuto told him. "We promised to always be there for you, and we will stay true to that."

"Ikuto…Utau…"

"In the meantime, promise us something." Tadase stared at the ground. "You don't have to suffer alone. The guardians are there for you; let them help you. I know Kukai would be there for you in a second, and Nagihiko is your best friend. And Amu…" Utau sighed. "I don't know what's wrong with her, but I know she'll help you."

"Thank you…" Tadase whispered. "Please come home soon."

"We'll be there," Ikuto promised. As Tadase hung up the phone, he erupted in a flurry of tears. It dawned on him that even more than Ikuto, Utau, or Nagihiko, there was one person he wanted to speak to more than anyone. Unfortunately, said person was the root for his current mind state.

"Grandmother, I'll miss you," Tadase whispered softly.

And that's a wrap of chapter 1! Enough drama, angst, and confusion for one chapter? If you had no idea what was happening in the beginning, don't worry. You're not supposed to. And if you did figure it out...kudos! But you still probably don't know everything, unless you're in my mind (but that would be awfully creepy). But aside from that, there are a lot of ambiguities in this chapter. Who's Arisa? What's wrong with Amu? You will gain some clarity next chapter. And as you keep reading.

Side note: while I'm fully aware that Nagihiko is unable to purify alone in the anime, him purifying has become a headcanon for me, and, therefore, it is something I will keep in this story.

Side note 2: If you've read some of my older works, you'll notice, hey, Arisa appeared in my story Easter's Revenge. This story you could say is loosely based on that, though I wouldn't call it a rewrite (though that story desperately needs it). There is also another story of mine that this story takes elements of...but I will not say for the potential of spoilers.

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! As previously mentioned, I have a lot of this already prewritten, so the next chapter will appear shortly. Buttttt, I will post it sooner if you all review. I love reviews. They make me happy. And happy writers are cool, right? Right. Yep. So click the little button and leave a nice little comment. That will make me very pleased and I will surely reply ASAP.

Great. So. Do the review. Ask me questions. Post your opinions. Yep? xoxoxoxoxox

Thanks for reading and hope you await the next chapter!