AN:

Hello everyone. :)

This is the first Shugo Chara fanfiction I've ever written and I'm excited to see how it'll turn out. Since I first came across the anime, I have had a bit of an obsession with Ikuto. I mean, come on, blue hair, humor, and mystery, what more could you want? :) As I mentioned in the summary, this is an AU story and for those of you who have played Final Fantasy 10 , imagine a world similar to Spira, small villages and such, because that is what I had in mind when I came up with this fanfic's world.

Alrighty, enough from me. Enjoy the reading and PLEASE review, especially on this first chapter so I know whether it is worthwhile to update or not. Thanks a bunch. :)

Cold winter night air entered the bedroom through the open window. Moonlight shone through the curtains and the gentle breeze blew them about, making them appear to dance. As the cold reached the feet at the end of a small bed, a young child stirred, stretching out and yawning widely. The child rubbed his tired eyes and slowly opened them and looked around the room. Wrapping his blanket tightly around his slight frame, he stood from the bed and made his way to the door.

A young woman with long and flowing dark blue hair wrapped in an elegant bun at the base of her neck sat in front of a Christmas tree, whose branches were glittering with lights. Scattered underneath its limbs were presents wrapped in greens and reds with cute images of snowmen and penguins and the like adorning them. The smell of pine tree and peppermint was wafting through the air. The woman looked up and smiled at the sound of sleepy feet shuffling down the stairs towards her.

When the light from the tree hit the form of the little boy, his loosely fitting pajama pants and long-sleeved buttoned shirt hanging slightly from his small two year old body and his unusual blue hair, slightly tousled from sleep, made his mother smile adoringly at him. He had the look of a half asleep child, but even through his tired eyes, excitement shone brightly.

"Okaa-san? Did Santa already come?" He asked in an excited whisper, hope shining in his eyes.

"Not yet, Ikuto. It's still too early sweetheart. Go back to sleep, Santa will come then, ne?" She smiled at her son and picked him up gently in her arms to carry him back to bed. After tucking him in and making sure he was warm and cozy, she smiled to herself again and walked out of his room.

"Aruto...our son is growing up. I wish you could be here to see how cute he is. He's just like you. I'm sure you would be proud." Ikuto's mother said, staring off into the lights of the Christmas tree, completely lost in her own world and missing dearly her deceased husband. His death happened about this time of year, a cold winter, when Ikuto was still an unborn child within her. Nothing had been the same without him and she often wished the young boy could have met his father.

"'Kaa-san? Is he here yet?" Ikuto asked again sleepily. Though he had only been in bed for about twenty minutes, to him it felt like hours. Surely Santa must have come by now, he thought. His mother smiled at his lack of understanding as far as time was concerned, but couldn't bring herself to tell him to go back to bed.

"Yes, Ikuto, Santa came. Come sit with me and open you present from your otou-san." She beckoned him over to her. He waddled his way over to her and plopped down by her side, looking in awe at the Christmas tree.

"Otou-san?" He questioned.

"Your otou-san would have wanted you to have this. Though you can't use it yet, I think you'd like to have it. Here, open it Ikuto." The woman said, smiling sweetly at her son and handing him a long, thin box wrapped in shiny red paper.

The boy ripped into the paper enthusiastically, excited to find out what might be inside, especially since his mom told him it was from his father. His eyes widened in awe at the contents of the box.

"Uwah~"

"Do you like it, Ikuto? It was your father's favorite sword. He forged it himself." Water built up a little in the mother's eyes as she remembered just how much her husband had valued that sword. The only thing he loved more was her and the child he had known she carried.

"It's so cool, 'kaa-san!" Ikuto squealed, running a hand along the handle of the sword reverently.

"Ikuto. Lift the sword."

"Huh? Did you say something 'kaa-san?" The boy asked, looking at her in confusion. She shook her head, having no idea what the boy was talking about.

"Ikuto. I am Yoru, your father's sword."

"Okaa-san, do you hear that?"

"Hear what, Ikuto?" She asked, looking both quizzically and concerned at her son.

The young boy took on a look of concentration, practically glaring at the sword, daring it to speak again, if it really was speaking. He decided it was best to just try to lift the sword. It wouldn't do any harm, after all...

Ikuto reached for the handle of the blade and lifted it, noting that though it was twice his size, it was light enough to hold, as though it was made to adjust to his capabilities. He heard his mom tell him that it was dangerous for him to hold the sword, but he was so focused on the sword itself and how right it felt for him to be wielding it that he tuned her out.

"There. You see? We'll get along just fine, Ikuto." Yoru, the sword, said. Ikuto was pretty sure now that the sword only spoke in his mind, since his okaa-san couldn't hear it. The boy felt warmth in his fingertips and saw a light blue glow surrounding his hands and the sword. His mother stared in shock and mild horror.

"Ikuto, honey, put the sword down now, please." Her voice edged on panic.

It was then that the door to the house burst open and two masked people armed with guns entered the house.

"So the brat was right, there really is a kid with newly awakened magic in this house. Sorry miss, but we'll have to take him." One of the men said without a hint of apology in his voice.

"No! You can't take my son from me! He's all I have left!" She cried, throwing her arms protectively around her son and pulling him to her. She sobbed loudly and refused to let the men tear the boy away from her.

A scream and a gunshot filled the young boy's ears simultaneously as he began to lose consciousness. The last thing he saw was his mother's tear stained face and her bloody chest. It would be the last time Ikuto Tsukiyomi saw his mother.

Ikuto awoke from his reoccurring nightmare from that night drenched in sweat. He cried out as he awoke and bolted upright into a sitting position. Even after seventeen years, the memories still disturbed his sleep, especially on cold winter nights like this one.

"Okaa-san..." He whispered brokenly into the night air.

Anger boiled to the surface of Ikuto's mind once again, aimed towards the people that had killed his mother and essentially kidnapped and imprisoned him. Though he had escaped from them five years ago, the horrors of that place would never leave his mind.

He looked around him at the small one room tree-house that he had been occupying for the past five years. His small bed, makeshift table, and double drawer chest of clothes were about all he had. And he was one of the lucky ones, not many could escape from that place.

Ikuto sighed and walked over to his beloved sword, Yoru.

"What do we do, Yoru? Those people from way back then have become powerful...Because of them, we have to live like thieves simply because we oppose them. And surely there are other kids like me held there against their will."

"Yeah, however there is not much that can be done, Ikuto. You could put aside your current mission to make those people miserable and rescue a few of those kids, you know."

"Mm. Perhaps. It will be a challenge. Think you can handle it, Yoru?" Ikuto asked, smirking.

"Just who do you think you're talking to? Of course I can handle it, Ikuto."

"Alright then. Let's do this."

A/N:

Being the first chapter and all, your input is crucial. PLEASE REVIEW. Be it constructive criticism or praise, it doesn't matter, so long as I get some feedback. Thanks!