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“Oh, my poor little Amu-chan!” Wailing in distress, Lady Hinamori Midori of Seiyo flung her arms around her pink-haired daughter, much to the girl’s mortification. “What a terrible thing to be put through, you poor girl! Oh, you must have been terrified!” Turning to the policemen hovering anxiously in front of her, Midori’s attitude did a 180° turn from a worried mother to an angry fire breathing monster. “Why didn’t you men protect her?! You were five feet away, and you couldn’t stop that man from dragging my little girl away?!”

“O-our sincerest apologies, my lady!” The captain of the police stammered as he and his men bowed.

“Well your apologies aren’t going to help my girls get through the fright they’ve had now, will it?!” Midori demanded, hugging Amu close again as the girl considered just up and dying of embarrassment right then and there. “It’s a good thing the Prince was passing by and noticed the commotion, or else heaven only knows what that fiend would’ve done to my daughter!” Turning to the Prince in question, Midori switched back to ‘worried mother’ mode. “Really, Prince Tadase, our family could never thank you enough for saving our Little Amu-chan!

“I-It was no problem, Hinamori-sama, really!” The Prince said, shuffling awkwardly from one foot to the other, looking a little confused. “I’m just glad that your daughter is safe.”

“I’m fine, my Prince.” Amu said, struggling to maintain her composure as she sank into a respectful curtsy in front of the Prince. “And I cannot even begin to express my gratitude towards you for saving me.”

“Nee-chan must’ve been so scared!” Ami said, tearfully clinging to her sister’s dress. “Ami’s sorry that she couldn’t save nee-chan!” Amu smiled at her little sister gently, patting the girl’s head in a soothing manner.

“It’s alright, Ami, I wasn’t scared at all.” Amu lied boldly. “I knew what I would be fine, since I had already seen that the policemen were trying their hardest to protect both me and you. If they hadn’t been there, that man may have taken both of us, and even after he captured me, they did their best to free me, didn’t they?” Sniffing, Ami nodded in agreement as Midori’s expression contorted for a moment before she sighed in defeat.

“Alright, I get it.” She groaned, turning reluctantly to the policemen. “Thank you for protecting Ami-chan, gentlemen. And while I still feel you should’ve gone more for Amu, I understand that the situation was bad. I won’t tell your superiors about any of this.”

“Yes, my lady!” the captain said, bowing to Midori. “Thank you for your compassion! We will continue to work hard to track the man who captured Amu-sama”

“Well get to it, then!” Midori snapped, glaring at the man as he bowed again and shot Amu a look of gratitude before leading his men out of the room. Midori sigh again at their departure. “Honestly… useless, the whole lot of them!”

“The man was a Mage, Mama.” Amu reminded Midori patiently. “There wasn’t much they could’ve done. And I’m fine, so there’s no reason to be so hard on them.”

“Be that as it may, I still think they should’ve done more.” Midori said darkly, before her gaze softened as she turned back to Prince Tadase. “We really are indebted to you, my prince.”

“Really, Hinamori-sama, it’s alright.” The Prince said again, waving away Midori’s gratitude. “Though I would like a word alone with your daughter, if you wouldn’t mind?”

“Eh?” Amu said, her eyes going wide. “W-with me?”

“I don’t mind at all, Prince Tadase!” Midori said sweetly. “I’ll just take Ami-chan out to play for a bit… oh, but before I go, may I ask if you’re staying the night here in our little village?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact.” Prince Tadase said, nodding. “My Guardians are here as well. Amu blinked at that, her eyes going wide.

The Guardians? She thought in awe. After all, the Prince’s Guardians, like his father’s before him, consisted of four of the most powerful Mages in the West Kingdom, trusted friends and allies of the Prince. Each was spoken of with great reverence, and were considered living legends in the making. Idly, Amu wondered exactly what the thief Ikuto had stolen to draw so many powerful Mages after him. It doesn’t really matter, I suppose. Amu thought, shaking her head. With so many strong Mages after him, there’s no way that pervert can run forever.

“Oh?” Midori said eagerly. “And where are you all planning to stay?” Amu’s stomach dropped to her shoes as she finally saw where her mother was going with all these questions.

“The local inn, most likely.” Prince Tadase answered, apparently not catching on as quickly as Amu had.

“That dirty little place? Nonsense!” Midori huffed. “I will have the maids prepare rooms for you and your Guardians. Really, it’s the least we can do to thank you, Prince Tadase.”

“That’s not necessary, Hinamori-sama, really!” The Prince protested at once.

“Of course it is!” Midori said cheerfully. “And I’ll tell the cook to set a few more places for dinner tonight as well! Come along, Ami-chan, We have to make our guests comfortable!”

“Yes, Mama!” Ami said cheerfully, grabbing her mothers hand and following her to the door, leaving behind one very confused royal and an irritated pink haired girl.

How embarrassing… Amu thought, trying to hide her blush from the prince. At least she was leaving now, so that was probably the end of that. That one hope brought Amu out of her urge to curl up into a ball and die of humiliation.

“Oh, by the way, Prince Tadase…” Midori said as she was halfway out the door, her hand on the knob to close it behind her. “Did I mention that our little Amu-chan isn’t betrothed yet? I’m sure she’d make a lovely Queen, if you’re interested…”

“MAMA!” Amu yelled in mortification as Midori shut the door behind her. Cringing in embarrassment, Amu turned to the Prince, who looked slightly bemused. “I am so, SO sorry about that, my Prince!”

“It’s fine.” Prince Tadase laughed, waving her apology aside. “Really, Hinamori-san, I hear parents say that more then you could imagine. It doesn’t bother me in the least.”

Speak for yourself… Amu thought as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Amu took a deep breath to try and banish the blush that still stained her cheeks at her mother’s embarrassing comment.  After she felt she was fully composed, the girl turned back to the Prince once more, her ‘Lady Hinamori’ mask firmly in place.

“What did you wish to talk to me about, my Prince.” Amu asked politely, folding her hands in front of her and squaring her shoulders as she waited for an answer. She tried desperately not to think about the fact that she was in the same room- alone- with the Prince of the Western Kingdom, The boy every girl in the Kingdom dreamed of marrying one day.

Did the room’s temperature just jump, or was Amu just imagining things?

“I’m sorry to ask this of you after you’ve been through so much today, but you were the only person to get close enough to Ikuto to see.” Prince Tadase explain, all amusement falling away from his face. “In the time you were with him, did you see a lock in his possession?”

“A lock?” Amu repeated in confusion. “No, I didn’t see anything like that… He wore that cloak the whole time I was with him, and was behind me most of the time. I couldn’t even see his face until he pulled his hood off after you rescued me.” Seeing the disappointment on the Prince’s face, Amu quickly added “I’m sorry I can’t be of more help, my prince.”

“It’s fine.” Prince Tadase sighed. “I wasn’t really expecting to you have seen anything, anyways. I also wanted to ask you if Ikuto hurt you at all when he took you captive.” Amu shook her head at once at that question.

“No, my Prince.” She answered. At Prince Tadase’s searching look, she admitted. “Well, he did handle me a little roughly, but only for a moment after I bit him.”

“…You bit him?” The Prince repeated incredulously. Amu kicked herself for admitting that, her blush coming back with a vengeance.

“W-well yes, I bit his hand when he tried to cover my mouth. B-but I don’t usually do anything like that, and I probably shouldn’t have even done that anyways, since all it did was make him angry! But it was hard to breathe with him covering my moth and nose like that, and his attitude made me so mad…” Cringing when she realized she was rambling, Amu quickly shut up, wishing her blush would just go off and die already. It didn’t help when the Prince started to laugh, either.

“Ah, I’m sorry!” Prince Tadase said, trying to subdue his laugher. “I don’t blame you for acting the way you did, it’s just that I can’t even imagine Ikuto’s reaction to being bitten by a lady such as yourself.”

“I did surprise him with that one.” Amu admitted, smiling slightly at the memory before she gave a confused from. “Although now that I think about it, that was when I first started to hear that strange voice…”

“Strange voice?” The Prince echoed as his chuckles died off. Amu nodded frowning thoughtfully for a moment.

“There was this weird laugh right after I bit him.” She explained to the royal. “And later on, a voice made a comment that the thief seemed surprised that I could hear.” Looking back at Prince Tadase, Amu was surprised to see that the blonde suddenly looked much more serious.

“Hinamori-san.” The Prince started, his tone severe enough to make Amu freeze up. “Can you tell me exactly what this strange voice sounded like?”

“Of course!” Amu said, wracking her brain. “Umm.. Well, it sounded kinda young, like a little kid. A bit rough too, like someone who’s on the streets a lot. A little bit of an Eastern accent, like the thief had… And for some strange reason, he made this noise like a cat at the end of his sentence. Does that help?” Looking back at the Prince again, Amu frowned anxiously at the severe expression on the young royal’s face. “My prince? Is everything alright?” Prince Tadase studied Amu thoughtfully for a while, making the girl fidget uncomfortably.

“Hinamori-san, is there any known magick in your family?” Baffled, Amu shook her head.

“No, your majesty. We have some Mages related to us through marriage, but neither of my parents are descended from any Mages.” She answered. “Why do you ask, Prince Tadase?” The Prince considered something for a moment, before sighing and shaking his head.

“It’s nothing.” He replied, smiling at her gently. “Just a theory is all. I’m relieved to hear that Ikuto didn’t hurt you, Hinamori-san. I must catch up with my Guardians now to tell them what I’ve learned about the situation with that thief, so we may capture him soon.”

“I understand, my prince.” Amu said, bowing respectfully. “I will show you to the door, then.”

“There’s no need.” Prince Tadase objected, stopping her before she could lead the way to the entrance. “I’d like you to tell your mother that I changed my mind about staying here. If it’s not too much to ask, I’d like rooms for myself and my Guardians. Preferably somewhere close to your own room, in case we need your assistance with something.”

“Eh?” Amu said in surprise, blushing as the prince smiled brightly at her. “I mean, of course, my prince! I’ll tell her immediately!”

“Excellent!” The prince said jovially. “I’ll tell the Guardians then, and we’ll meet you at supper. Thank you so much for all your help, Hinamori-san.”

“N-not at all!” Amu said, smiling through her confusion. “I should be thank you Prince Tadase, remember? You did save me…”

“I’ll see myself out, then.” Prince Tadase said, taking Amu’s hand in his own and bringing it to his lips to kiss lightly. “Until tonight, Hinamori-san.” Too stunned to respond, Amu merely brought the hand Prince Tadase kissed to her chest, where she could feel her heart beating wildly, blushing as she watched the young royal leave.

He really is just as charming as they say… She thought to herself, smiling shyly as the door closed behind the Prince as he left. The way he treated Amu made her feel like a fairy book princess being whisked off her feet. Shaking her head, Amu chastised herself for that thought. What’s wrong with me? She demanded angrily. There’s no way he could be interested in me like that! He’s the Prince, for crying out loud, the future King of the West! He was just being kind to me is all. Sighing in disappointment, Amu left in the opposite direction the Prince had gone in to find her mother and tell her that the Prince was staying after all.

She paused for a moment at the door when a noise caught her attention. Giggling? Turning around with a puzzled frown, Amu searched for the source of the girlish laugher, finding nothing suspicious in the room. Deciding that it must’ve been her imagination or something, Amu gave a mental shrug before she turned and left, closing the door behind her with a resounding ‘click!’

---

Amu held back a sigh as she felt her mother studying her for the millionth time in the past ten minutes, her eyebrow twitching irritably. Ever since Midori heard that Prince Tadase changed his mind about staying, she’d gone half insane with glee, running around like a madwoman to make sure everything was perfect for the Prince’s stay at their mansion. Amu had caught her scolding one of the servants earlier because one of the napkins was folded at an angle that was three degrees off of the angle all the others were folded at, before she started complaining about a speck of dust on the ceiling of their Ball Room. Amu felt so bad for the servants that she made the mistake of trying to talk Midori into calming down, which turned the woman’s attention to her daughter.

“Are you sure that’s the dress you want to wear to dinner? It looks a little plain to me, Amu-chan.” Amu counted to ten to keep herself from snapping at Midori.

“It’s fine, Mama.” She said through gritted teeth.

“Well I think you should wear that blue dress. Remember the one I’m talking about? Your Grandmother bought if for your last birthday.”

“You already had me try the blue dress on, Mama.” Amu reminded the woman calmly. “You said the sleeves made my elbows look weird.”

“Ah, it did, didn’t it? What about the one with the lace going down the front?”

“Loose thread.”

“The shimmery green one?”

“The cut of the neckline was too unflattering.”

“That light pink one with the frilly skirt?

“It made me look too young.”

“Well we have to have something better then that!” Midori complained in a huff.

“I think that dress looks lovely on my precious little sparrow!” Hinamori Tsumugu said loudly. “And I don’t see why she should be trying to impress the Prince in the first place! Amu-chan is far too young to try and get engaged and leave her beloved Papa! Why, she still has four years before we have to present her to society!”

“Oh, come now, dear, there’s no reason Amu-chan can’t put a little effort into trying to catch the Prince’s attention before that!” Midori said cheerfully as she went starry-eyed. “After all, if they fall in love, think of how much better life would be for the family in the palace!”

“No no no no NO!” Tsumugu said vigorously, forming an ‘X’ with his arms. “Our life is just fine where we are now! And Amu-chan is too young to fall in love with anyone! She’s happy just where she is, being one of Papa’s special girls! I’m not ready for Amu-chan to fall in love and leave me yet!” As one, Amu and Ami sweatdropped at their parents actions.

“You’re marrying the Prince, nee-chan?” Ami asked, innocent confusion heavy in her tone. “I thought he was just coming for dinner?”

“No, Ami, I’m not marrying the prince.” Amu sighed heavily. “Ignore them. They’re just being silly.”

“You never know what may happen, Amu-chan!” Midori reminded the girl cheerfully. “After all, the Prince did save your life!”

“That doesn’t mean anything, Mama!” Amu pointed out, exasperated. “I was in trouble! Anyone would’ve helped under those circumstances.”

“Perhaps, but I still say that it was fate that the Prince was the one to help.” Midori insisted stubbornly. Amu rolled her eyes, but wisely said nothing. The girl knew her mother was a hopeless romantic after all, something Amu couldn’t afford to be with her reputation to uphold. Still, Amu had to admit to herself that it was pretty exciting to be rescued by the Prince…

Before Amu could consider this any further, there was a knock on the door, which was soon opened by a servant to admit Prince Tadase himself, along with the four Guardians.

Amu could feel her eyes widen at the sight of the group. Though she’d caught glances of them at various social events, she’d never seen the Guardians up close before. Studying them curiously, Amu saw that the Guardians consisted of two boys and two girls, all of which followed the Prince as he approached the Hinamori family.

The first boy, who walked at the Prince’s right, was a tall youth, with wild reddish-brown hair and a wide, easy grin. The girl on the Prince’s left was slim and beautiful, with long dark hair tied up into a high ponytail with a red ribbon. Behind this girl stood the second boy, who’s own dark hair was kept neat and proper. His glasses gleamed in the lighting as he walked, which did nothing to soften his already serious appearance. The girl beside the second boy seemed to contradict him in many ways. She was a small redhead, with bows tied into her pigtails. A bright, friendly smile played at the girls lips as she more of less burst with barely contained energy.

They all looked much less intimidating then Amu was expecting, given their reputations. But then, she knew better then anyone how misleading reputations could be sometimes…

“Welcome, Prince Tadase.” Midori said warmly to the youth as he approached, curtsying respectfully for the future King. “I can’t begin to tell you how pleased I was when Amu-chan told me you changed your mind about staying with us.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, Hinamori-sama.” Prince Tadase responded with a bow. “My Guardians and I will take care not to abuse it.” That was strange,  it looked to Amu like the small redhead Guardian girl suddenly the focus of pointed, accusing looks from all the other Guardians, making her give a guilty laugh in response.

“Nonsense, you are our guests!” Midori said cheerfully “We will do everything in our power to make you and your Guardians comfortable. We owe at least that much to you, you did saved poor Amu-chan from that evil thief, after all…” Amu started when her mother suddenly pushed her forward, to the center of all the attention. Her panic rising, Amu quickly slipped into her ‘Lady’ mask, and curtsied respectfully to the Prince.

“Thank you again for you help, your majesty.” She said before turning to the Guardians, who were now studying her curiously. Amu felt uncomfortable under their scrutiny, and could feel as she started to blush “And let me be the first to welcome the honored Guardians to our home. I’ve heard of many of your great deeds from others, and would love to hear you recount some of them yourself, if it’s not asking to much of you.” Amu blinked in confusion when she heard the same giggle from earlier again, this time joined by another and started to turn away from the Guardian to find the source of the laugher when the redhead girl pounced- really, that was the only word Amu could think to describe it- on the startled pinkette, hugging Amu’s right arm to her chest as she beamed up at the other girl.

“You’re the girl Ikuto tried to kidnap? You didn’t mention that she was so cute, Tadase!” After shooting the Prince an accusing look, the girl turned a bright smile back to Amu, who still wasn’t sure how to respond to having a total stranger clinging to her arm like they’d known each other all their lives. “Nice to meet you, Amu-chi! I’m Yuiki Yaya, Tadase’s cousin!”

“N-nice to meet you…” Amu stammered out in confusion. She was relieved when the other girl among the Guardians stepped forward to pull the smaller girl off of Amu, giving Yaya a stern look as she did so.

“Stop it, Yaya, you’re making her uncomfortable.” Smiling warmly at Amu, the dark haired girl added. “I apologize, Amu-chan, but Yaya has a weakness for cute things.”

“Oh, it’s fine, really!” Amu said, feeling herself get more and more flustered. Did these people really think she was that cute? “My sister does the same thing… Um…”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I haven’t introduced myself yet, have I?” The girl said, never losing her warm smile. “I am Nadeshiko, of the Fujisaki Clan. Thank you so much for your hospitality, Amu-chan.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Fujisaki-sama.”

“Please, call me Nadeshiko.” The dark haired girl protested at once, clasping Amu’s shoulder with one of her hands. “I’d like to think that we could be good friends, Amu-chan!”

“Y-yes, of course!” Amu laughed, starting to feel confused again. Why were the Guardians all so interested in her…? “It’s nice to meet you, Nadeshiko-chan…”

“Now who’s making her uncomfortable, Fujisaki?” The brown haired boy asked with a pointed look.

“Nonsense, Kukai!” Nadeshiko said cheerfully, “Amu-chan and I are going to be great friends, aren’t we Amu-chan?” Sweatdropping, Amu forced a weak laugh as she nodded, which made the brown-haired boy roll his eyes before he stepped up to introduce himself.

“Souma Kukai, Captain of the Guardians. Nice to meetcha, Hinamori-san. Sorry about the girls…” Amu blinked in surprise when the boy reached out and shook her hand, as if greeting a fellow boy. Odd as the action was, though, it didn’t make Amu nearly as uncomfortable as the was Nadeshiko and Yaya had acted.

“It’s fine, Souma-taichou, really.” Amu said with a smile. “And it’s nice to meet you as well.”

“Gotta say, it’s really something to hear about a girl standing up to Tsukiyomi.” Kukai said with an easy laugh as he let go of Amu’s hand. “I really wish I could’ve been there to see the look on his face when that happened!”

“If any of us had been there, the priority should’ve been to capture him, not laughing at his misfortune.” The final boy broke in dryly, shooting Kukai an annoyed look before he bowed respectfully to Amu. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Hinamori Amu of Seiyo. I am Sanjou Kairi, Vice Captain of the Guardians and Prince Tadase’s personal bodyguard.”

“It’s nice to meet you as well, Sanjou-fukutaichou.” Amu said, curtsying in response to the boy’s bow.

“Well the Hinamori family welcomes all of you to our home.” Midori said graciously. “I’m Hinamori Midori, Amu-chan’s mother and the Lady of the House. This is my husband, Tsumugu, and our youngest daughter Ami.”

“Nice to meet you!” Ami chirped loudly, beaming brightly at the Guardians and the Prince. Yaya and Nadeshiko giggled at the little girl’s actions as Amu hid a smile with her hand.

“Now that we’re all acquainted, shall we begin dinner?” Amu suggested with a smile. “Our chefs have all worked hard, it would be a shame to let their food get cold.”

“Ah, of course!” Tsumugu said, brightening at the thought of food. Hugging his daughter affectionately, the man added. “That’s our Amu-chan for you… always so considerate of others!”

“This way to the dining room then, dears.” Midori practically sang out as the led the Prince and the Guardians through the Hinamori mansion.

“That’s a lovely dress by the way, Amu-chan.” Nadeshiko said cheerfully as she fell back to converse with the pink haired girl, who blinked in surprise at the compliment.

“Ah, thank you…” She said, smiling at the dark-haired girl. “I love the flower clips in your hair, Nadeshiko-chan.”

“These?” Nadeshiko said, motioning to the clips in question. “They’re a family heirloom, passed down through the Fujisaki clan from the First Mage we’ve descended from.”

“Really?” Amu said, unable to keep the awe from her voice as she looked at the clips again. “That’s so cool! I’ve never seen any possessions of the First Mages before…”

“Are you interested in Summoning Mages, Amu-chan?” Nadeshiko asked with an enigmatic smile.

“I’ve never been able to see much magick before, but I always thought that kind of power was amazing.” Amu admitted with a far-off smile. “It’s so mysterious and cool, I’d love to know more about it!”

“I could give you a demonstration sometime, if you’d like.” Nadeshiko offered. “My magick isn’t as powerful as Tadase-sama’s or Tsukiyomi’s, but I’m not exactly what you’d call a pushover either.”

“Really?” Amu said excitedly. The magick of the Fujisaki clan was always said to have been one of the most beautiful to ever exist in the Western Kingdom, on top of the raw power that the family possessed. “I’d love to see your magick, Nadeshiko-chan!”

“I practice every morning, so I’ll show you first thing tomorrow.” Nadeshiko promised brightly.

“I can’t wait!” Amu said with an animated laugh. Nadeshiko’s smiled at the girl mysteriously for a moment before tugging on her sleeve to get the girl’s attention.

“Amu-chan, did you know that you speak less formally when you get excited?” Nadeshiko asked with amusement twinkling in her eyes. Amu froze at the question, cursing herself for her slip up. Taking a step away, Amu curtsied to the Guardian.

“I apologize, Nadeshiko-chan.” She said hastily. “I forgot my place for a moment, I hope I didn’t offend you with my improper attitude.” Internally, the girl cringed. She’d gotten so caught up talking about Summoning Mages and magick, she’d forgotten the image she was supposed to be upholding.

“It’s fine, Amu-chan.” Nadeshiko said warmly, surprising the pink haired girl. “I like it better when you speak to me informally, it makes me feel like we’re close!” Giving the girl another of her mysterious smiles, Nadeshiko added, “I really did mean it, when I said that I think we can become good friends, Amu-chan.” Amu flushed slightly at that, a happy smile tugging at her lips.

“Y-yeah!” the pinkette said with a nod, earning an even brighter smile from Nadeshiko.

“Oi, Fujisaki!” Kukai yelled out from the other end of the hall, waving to get the girl’s attention. “Quit dawdling already! The rest of us are starving over here!”

“Coming!” Nadeshiko called back, grabbing Amu’s hand and taking off at a running pace, dragging the startled girl behind her for a moment before Amu smiled slightly at the hand clasping hers.

It might be nice… She thought to herself. Having a friend. Grinning, the girl lifted up her skirt with her free hand to better match Nadeshiko’s pace. She was too distracted to notice when the two voices from earlier giggled yet again, before they were firmly shushed by a third.

---

“Thank you again for being so accommodating, Hinamori-san.”

Amu blushed as the Prince smiled kindly at her, her gaze dropping to her feet. She was keenly aware of Nadeshiko and Yaya giggling behind her, and quickly slipped back into her ‘Lady’ mask.

“It’s no trouble at all, Prince Tadase.” Amu responded, her heart beating like a drum as she bowed before the monarch. “I hope you find your room to your liking, my prince. My mother respected your request for your rooms to be close to my own. If you need any assistance with anything, please down hesitate to come to me.”

“I want to stay in the room right next to Amu-chi!” Yaya called out, grabbing Amu’s arm and hauling the surprised girl down the hall.

“Oi, oi! Take it easy Yuiki!” Kukai called out, sighing as he rescued Amu from Yaya’s clutches. “Jeeze, as if you haven’t traumatized the girl enough today…”

“I-it’s fine, Souma-taichou, really!” Amu protested. “Both the rooms next to mine are available, and I really don’t mind if Yuiki-sama stays in one of them.”

“Yay!” Yaya cheered, sticking her tongue out at Kukai, who shot her an annoyed look in response.

“In that case, would it be alright if I took the room on your other side?” Nadeshiko asked sweetly. Amu smiled back at the girl.

“Of course, Nadeshiko-chan.” She said, leading the girls down the hall with a smile, turning back to the three boys, Amu added “The maids have prepared rooms for you as well, opposite of mine and the two on either side of me. I will show you-!”

“It’s fine, Hinamori-san.” Kukai interrupted, tousling the surprised girl’s hair. “We’re not kids, we can figure things out on our own. You get some rest, after the day you’ve have, you probably need it.”

“But it’s really no problem-!” Amu’s protest was cut off when Yaya and Nadeshiko grabbed her arms and pulled her away from the Guardian’s captain.

“You heard Kukai, Amu-chi!” Yaya said, grinning at the pink-haired girl widely. “Get some sleep, we’ve got the rest covered!”

“You’ve been through a lot today, and you’ve been more then helpful to us ever since we got here.” Nadeshiko added from Amu’s other side. “We can handle things on our own.”

“Well… if you’re sure you don’t need any help…”Amu said hesitantly. It was true that she was exhausted, but letting guests show themselves to their rooms went against everything she was taught about being a good hostess.

“We’re sure, we’re sure!” Yaya insisted, giving the girl a mock glare. “Now go to sleep, for goodness sake!” Amu smile at that in spite of herself.

“Alright.” She said with a slight laugh. Bowing to the Prince and his Guardians, Amu added. “Good night, everyone. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Nightie night, Amu-chi!” Yaya sang out as Amu entered her room, closing her door and leaning against it with a heavy sigh. Really, what a day it’d been… Thank goodness she was finally going to get some rest.

Walking into her room, Amu began to unlace her dress, letting it fall to the floor so that she stood in a simple white slip. After rummaging through her bureau for a change of clothes, Amu slipped into the nightgown she’d be wearing to bed that night when the same giggle from earlier that day made her freeze. Amu’s head snapped up to look at the mirror that hung on the inside of her bureau door, and her eyes widened in terror at the sight that greeted her. The girl automatically opened her mouth to scream when it was immediately covered by a large hand with a cloth, muffling the noise the girl tried to make.

“Boo.” A voice breathed teasingly in her ear as Amu began to struggle, wondering angrily why this kept happening to her. “Relax kid, I’m not going to hurt you, I just need to check something, and I need your help. I’m gonna let go of your mouth now, but if you scream I swear I’ll push you out the window. Understand?” Scowling slightly, Amu nodded reluctantly and, true to his word, Ikuto let go of her mouth.

“Why should I help you, you perverted thief?” Amu hissed angrily. “How did you even get into my room?!”

“I’m a Mage, remember?” Ikuto pointed out in a bemused tone. Amu frowned suspiciously at that, tilting her head as she considered something.

“…How long have to been in here?” She asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

“Since the Little Prince and his friends visited you for dinner.” Ikuto answered casually.

“…You watched me undress?!” Amu shrieked, her face going red.

“Nah, I was hiding in the closet until you finished. You don’t have enough of a figure to peek at, anyways.” Somehow, that statement really wasn’t convincing Amu she should forgive Ikuto for his intrusion any time soon.

“You really have a way of asking people for help, don’t you?” Amu snapped in a sour tone.

“Who said I was asking?” Ikuto snorted in amusement. “I can make you help me easily. I just need to see your egg and I’ll be gone before Prince Charming and his Knights even know I’m here.” Amu frowned at that.

“That’s right…” she murmured. “Prince Tadase mentioned that you stole something from him… A lock of some sorts…”

“You don’t need to worry about that, little girl.” Ikuto sighed. “All you need to know is that I plan to make better use of that lock then the Little Prince ever did. Now then, about that egg…” Egg? What on earth was he talking about?

“We have some eggs in the kitchen, I think…” Amu said cautiously, wondering momentarily of the thief was also a madman. “Or maybe you can check the henhouse down by the stables.”

“Not those kind of eggs!” Ikuto said, sounding annoyed. The thief sighed harshly at Amu’s oblivious-ness. “Great. They haven’t even formed yet… No wonder Yoru’s had trouble reading you…”

“What on earth are you-?”

“Tsukiyomi Ikuto!” Amu yelped at Ikuto suddenly dragged her backwards to the window, scowling in annoyance at how familiar the action was becoming to her. Looking at the door, Amu realized that Prince Tadase and the Guardians were all swarming into her room, all of them glaring darkly at Ikuto.

“Took you long enough to notice me, Little Prince.” Ikuto mocked Prince Tadase slyly. “Though you really should knock before entering a lady’s room. We were just getting to know each other better…”

“Let Amu-chi go!” Yaya said loudly brandishing- wait, was that a giant rattle? Where did Yaya get a huge baby rattle? And why was she waving it at Ikuto like it was a sword?

“Sorry, no can do.” Ikuto said lightly in response. “You can have her back after I’m done.” Before Amu could even begin to wonder about what he meant by that, Ikuto threw up his cloak to cover both himself and Amu, right before he went crashing through the glass of the window with Amu in his arms.

Never mind that they were four stories from the ground.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!” Amu yelled as the two of them plummeted down to the earth. She didn’t stop even after Ikuto flipped in the air to land on his feet, taking off at a run as soon as he hit the ground to jump onto the branch of a nearby tree, and began jumping from one tree to another without pause.

“Would you stop screaming in my ear already?” Ikuto snapped at the girl in annoyance as he moved.

“Stop telling me what to do, you weirdo cat pervert!” Amu snapped back, reaching up and yanking on one of Ikuto’s bizarre cat ears (When did those get onto his head, anyways?) as hard as she could. Ikuto yelped loudly in response, stumbling on the tree branch he was trying to land on and sending them back on a collision course with the ground, which made Amu scream once more as she immediately let go of Ikuto’s ear. The boy preformed another one of his flipping tricks and landed safely on the ground, taking off at a run yet again after giving Amu an annoyed glare.

“Now will you behave yourself, or do you need another near death experience before you learn your lesson?” He asked sarcastically.

“I wouldn’t be in any near death experiences to begin with if you’d just stop kidnapping me!” Amu countered angrily. Before Ikuto could respond to that, a bright flash of light half-blinded the pair as the trees around them fell crashing to the earth, forcing Ikuto to dodge around them to avoid being crushed. Amu looked up  to see Kari standing on one of the newly-made stumps, a wooden sword in his hand. Glancing around, Amu saw the other Guardians coming out through the trees, surrounding the thief.

“There’s nowhere left to run, Tsukiyomi Ikuto.” The Prince said angrily as he joined them. “Return the Humpty Lock and let Hinamori-san go.”

“Oh?” Ikuto smirked. “And what if I don’t?”

“We’ll make you, of course!” Kukai said with a feral grin as he bounced a ball on his knee and into the air, kicking it at the thief’s head and forcing Ikuto to dodge as Amu screamed in his arms when the ball whizzed by. The ball circled around and made another attempt at decapitating the blue-haired boy before returning to Kukai, who gave Amu a concerned frown.

“Is there really any way to do that without hurting your new friend, Guardians?” Ikuto asked mockingly, earning glares from everyone around him.

“That’s low, Tsukiyomi Ikuto, even for you.” Nadeshiko said darkly as she reluctantly lowered the naginata in her hands a little.

“Anything that works.” Ikuto shot back with a smirk, setting Amu on the ground without relinquishing his hold on her to free up his right hand, which he used to conjure up the phantom claw again. Taking a swipe at Kairi and Yaya, the thief forced the two to scatter, immediately shooting forward to try and break through the opening he’d created.

“Holy Crown!” Prince Tadase shouted, shooting at the area before Ikuto could reach it and forcing him to stop and vault backwards before the Prince could attack him as well.

This was not what I had in mind when I said I wanted to see magick. Amu thought as she shut her eyes, gritting her teeth and tensing as more bright lights flashed around the girl. There had to be some way she could get out of this, something she could do… anything!

-What if you fought back?-

Amu froze at the cutesy, unfamiliar voice that invaded her mind. And she wasn’t alone, either. The fighting around her, the whole world, seemed to slow to a crawl. What on earth…?

-You don’t have to be like this, you know. You have power, Amu-chan, use it!-

“Power…” Amu repeated, confused. The word echoed around her, as if she was in a deep canyon. What was going on, and where was that voice coming from…? “What power?”

-Your power, Amu-chan! The special power only you have! We’re right here, Amu-chan, and we can help you be who you want to be! Just say the word, Amu-chan, and we’ll give you a hand!- The voice faded and the fighting resumed at it’s normal speed, but Amu barely noticed through her confusion. Power? Becoming who she wanted to be? She couldn’t understand any of it. She didn’t understand the entire situation she was in, why Ikuto wouldn’t leave her alone, what he meant about eggs or locks… She was completely over her head. But there was one thing Amu knew for sure. She was sick and tired of not having any say in what was happening to her.

Well, no more.

“STOP” Amu cried out in frustration, startling everyone around her so much that they all automatically obeyed. Amu didn’t get the chance to say anything else though, since the world around her began to fade, leaving bright lights and colors all around her. Dimly, Amu noticed that she was floating, no longer in Ikuto’s arms, and that the thief, the Prince and the Guardians were nowhere in sight.

Before Amu could wonder about that any further though, three lights sparked to life right in front of her, eventually taking the solid form of eggs, the same size as a chicken egg, but with different colors and patterns on each shell. The left one was blue with spades, the right green with clovers, and the middle one was pink with hearts. Amu watched in shock as the pink egg floated forward, lifting her hands up to cushion the egg as it started to sink downward.

It’s warm… Amu realized, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. She looked up in surprise as the lights and colors faded back to the real world, where the Guardians were surrounding her, staring at the girl in shock, while Ikuto was nowhere to be seen.

“Hinamori-san…” Prince Tadase said, stepping forward as he looked at the three eggs in front of Amu with wide eyes. Before Amu could ask what had happened or where Ikuto was, the egg she was holding began to wiggle, making the girl jump. A crack appeared along the egg’s surface, splitting the pink egg into two halves. And, as Amu watch on in shock, a little pink-haired armor-wearing sprite tumbled head over feet out of the egg, shaking her head in a dazed sort of way before she noticed Amu and flew up to the girl with a bright, happy smile.

“Nice to finally meet you, Amu-chan!” The pink creature said happily. “I’m you summon Ran, ready to fight at a moment’s notice!” Amu couldn’t speak. She couldn’t even begin to comprehend what was happening to her. And so, the girl did what any proper young lady would do after the chaos and confusion Amu had been put through.

Groaning softly, Amu fainted dead away, leaving the Guardians and the Prince to panic over her fallen form as Ran blinked in confusion.

“…Was it something I said?” She asked, in a baffled tone.

Description
“Oh, my poor little Amu-chan!” Wailing in distress, Lady Hinamori Midori of Seiyo flung her arms around her pink-haired daughter, much to the girl’s mortification. “What a terrible thing to be put through, you poor girl! Oh, you must have been terrified!” Turning to the policemen hovering anxiously in front of her, Midori’s attitude did a 180° turn from a worried mother to an angry fire breathing monster. “Why didn’t you men protect her?! You were five feet away, and you couldn’t stop that man from dragging my little girl away?!”

“O-our sincerest apologies, my lady!” The captain of the police stammered as he and his men bowed.

“Well your apologies aren’t going to help my girls get through the fright they’ve had now, will it?!” Midori demanded, hugging Amu close again as the girl considered just up and dying of embarrassment right then and there. “It’s a good thing the Prince was passing by and noticed the commotion, or else heaven only knows what that fiend would’ve done to my daughter!” Turning to the Prince in question, Midori switched back to ‘worried mother’ mode. “Really, Prince Tadase, our family could never thank you enough for saving our Little Amu-chan!

“I-It was no problem, Hinamori-sama, really!” The Prince said, shuffling awkwardly from one foot to the other, looking a little confused. “I’m just glad that your daughter is safe.”

“I’m fine, my Prince.” Amu said, struggling to maintain her composure as she sank into a respectful curtsy in front of the Prince. “And I cannot even begin to express my gratitude towards you for saving me.”

“Nee-chan must’ve been so scared!” Ami said, tearfully clinging to her sister’s dress. “Ami’s sorry that she couldn’t save nee-chan!” Amu smiled at her little sister gently, patting the girl’s head in a soothing manner.

“It’s alright, Ami, I wasn’t scared at all.” Amu lied boldly. “I knew what I would be fine, since I had already seen that the policemen were trying their hardest to protect both me and you. If they hadn’t been there, that man may have taken both of us, and even after he captured me, they did their best to free me, didn’t they?” Sniffing, Ami nodded in agreement as Midori’s expression contorted for a moment before she sighed in defeat.

“Alright, I get it.” She groaned, turning reluctantly to the policemen. “Thank you for protecting Ami-chan, gentlemen. And while I still feel you should’ve gone more for Amu, I understand that the situation was bad. I won’t tell your superiors about any of this.”

“Yes, my lady!” the captain said, bowing to Midori. “Thank you for your compassion! We will continue to work hard to track the man who captured Amu-sama”

“Well get to it, then!” Midori snapped, glaring at the man as he bowed again and shot Amu a look of gratitude before leading his men out of the room. Midori sigh again at their departure. “Honestly… useless, the whole lot of them!”

“The man was a Mage, Mama.” Amu reminded Midori patiently. “There wasn’t much they could’ve done. And I’m fine, so there’s no reason to be so hard on them.”

“Be that as it may, I still think they should’ve done more.” Midori said darkly, before her gaze softened as she turned back to Prince Tadase. “We really are indebted to you, my prince.”

“Really, Hinamori-sama, it’s alright.” The Prince said again, waving away Midori’s gratitude. “Though I would like a word alone with your daughter, if you wouldn’t mind?”

“Eh?” Amu said, her eyes going wide. “W-with me?”

“I don’t mind at all, Prince Tadase!” Midori said sweetly. “I’ll just take Ami-chan out to play for a bit… oh, but before I go, may I ask if you’re staying the night here in our little village?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact.” Prince Tadase said, nodding. “My Guardians are here as well. Amu blinked at that, her eyes going wide.

The Guardians? She thought in awe. After all, the Prince’s Guardians, like his father’s before him, consisted of four of the most powerful Mages in the West Kingdom, trusted friends and allies of the Prince. Each was spoken of with great reverence, and were considered living legends in the making. Idly, Amu wondered exactly what the thief Ikuto had stolen to draw so many powerful Mages after him. It doesn’t really matter, I suppose. Amu thought, shaking her head. With so many strong Mages after him, there’s no way that pervert can run forever.

“Oh?” Midori said eagerly. “And where are you all planning to stay?” Amu’s stomach dropped to her shoes as she finally saw where her mother was going with all these questions.

“The local inn, most likely.” Prince Tadase answered, apparently not catching on as quickly as Amu had.

“That dirty little place? Nonsense!” Midori huffed. “I will have the maids prepare rooms for you and your Guardians. Really, it’s the least we can do to thank you, Prince Tadase.”

“That’s not necessary, Hinamori-sama, really!” The Prince protested at once.

“Of course it is!” Midori said cheerfully. “And I’ll tell the cook to set a few more places for dinner tonight as well! Come along, Ami-chan, We have to make our guests comfortable!”

“Yes, Mama!” Ami said cheerfully, grabbing her mothers hand and following her to the door, leaving behind one very confused royal and an irritated pink haired girl.

How embarrassing… Amu thought, trying to hide her blush from the prince. At least she was leaving now, so that was probably the end of that. That one hope brought Amu out of her urge to curl up into a ball and die of humiliation.

“Oh, by the way, Prince Tadase…” Midori said as she was halfway out the door, her hand on the knob to close it behind her. “Did I mention that our little Amu-chan isn’t betrothed yet? I’m sure she’d make a lovely Queen, if you’re interested…”

“MAMA!” Amu yelled in mortification as Midori shut the door behind her. Cringing in embarrassment, Amu turned to the Prince, who looked slightly bemused. “I am so, SO sorry about that, my Prince!”

“It’s fine.” Prince Tadase laughed, waving her apology aside. “Really, Hinamori-san, I hear parents say that more then you could imagine. It doesn’t bother me in the least.”

Speak for yourself… Amu thought as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Amu took a deep breath to try and banish the blush that still stained her cheeks at her mother’s embarrassing comment.  After she felt she was fully composed, the girl turned back to the Prince once more, her ‘Lady Hinamori’ mask firmly in place.

“What did you wish to talk to me about, my Prince.” Amu asked politely, folding her hands in front of her and squaring her shoulders as she waited for an answer. She tried desperately not to think about the fact that she was in the same room- alone- with the Prince of the Western Kingdom, The boy every girl in the Kingdom dreamed of marrying one day.

Did the room’s temperature just jump, or was Amu just imagining things?

“I’m sorry to ask this of you after you’ve been through so much today, but you were the only person to get close enough to Ikuto to see.” Prince Tadase explain, all amusement falling away from his face. “In the time you were with him, did you see a lock in his possession?”

“A lock?” Amu repeated in confusion. “No, I didn’t see anything like that… He wore that cloak the whole time I was with him, and was behind me most of the time. I couldn’t even see his face until he pulled his hood off after you rescued me.” Seeing the disappointment on the Prince’s face, Amu quickly added “I’m sorry I can’t be of more help, my prince.”

“It’s fine.” Prince Tadase sighed. “I wasn’t really expecting to you have seen anything, anyways. I also wanted to ask you if Ikuto hurt you at all when he took you captive.” Amu shook her head at once at that question.

“No, my Prince.” She answered. At Prince Tadase’s searching look, she admitted. “Well, he did handle me a little roughly, but only for a moment after I bit him.”

“…You bit him?” The Prince repeated incredulously. Amu kicked herself for admitting that, her blush coming back with a vengeance.

“W-well yes, I bit his hand when he tried to cover my mouth. B-but I don’t usually do anything like that, and I probably shouldn’t have even done that anyways, since all it did was make him angry! But it was hard to breathe with him covering my moth and nose like that, and his attitude made me so mad…” Cringing when she realized she was rambling, Amu quickly shut up, wishing her blush would just go off and die already. It didn’t help when the Prince started to laugh, either.

“Ah, I’m sorry!” Prince Tadase said, trying to subdue his laugher. “I don’t blame you for acting the way you did, it’s just that I can’t even imagine Ikuto’s reaction to being bitten by a lady such as yourself.”

“I did surprise him with that one.” Amu admitted, smiling slightly at the memory before she gave a confused from. “Although now that I think about it, that was when I first started to hear that strange voice…”

“Strange voice?” The Prince echoed as his chuckles died off. Amu nodded frowning thoughtfully for a moment.

“There was this weird laugh right after I bit him.” She explained to the royal. “And later on, a voice made a comment that the thief seemed surprised that I could hear.” Looking back at Prince Tadase, Amu was surprised to see that the blonde suddenly looked much more serious.

“Hinamori-san.” The Prince started, his tone severe enough to make Amu freeze up. “Can you tell me exactly what this strange voice sounded like?”

“Of course!” Amu said, wracking her brain. “Umm.. Well, it sounded kinda young, like a little kid. A bit rough too, like someone who’s on the streets a lot. A little bit of an Eastern accent, like the thief had… And for some strange reason, he made this noise like a cat at the end of his sentence. Does that help?” Looking back at the Prince again, Amu frowned anxiously at the severe expression on the young royal’s face. “My prince? Is everything alright?” Prince Tadase studied Amu thoughtfully for a while, making the girl fidget uncomfortably.

“Hinamori-san, is there any known magick in your family?” Baffled, Amu shook her head.

“No, your majesty. We have some Mages related to us through marriage, but neither of my parents are descended from any Mages.” She answered. “Why do you ask, Prince Tadase?” The Prince considered something for a moment, before sighing and shaking his head.

“It’s nothing.” He replied, smiling at her gently. “Just a theory is all. I’m relieved to hear that Ikuto didn’t hurt you, Hinamori-san. I must catch up with my Guardians now to tell them what I’ve learned about the situation with that thief, so we may capture him soon.”

“I understand, my prince.” Amu said, bowing respectfully. “I will show you to the door, then.”

“There’s no need.” Prince Tadase objected, stopping her before she could lead the way to the entrance. “I’d like you to tell your mother that I changed my mind about staying here. If it’s not too much to ask, I’d like rooms for myself and my Guardians. Preferably somewhere close to your own room, in case we need your assistance with something.”

“Eh?” Amu said in surprise, blushing as the prince smiled brightly at her. “I mean, of course, my prince! I’ll tell her immediately!”

“Excellent!” The prince said jovially. “I’ll tell the Guardians then, and we’ll meet you at supper. Thank you so much for all your help, Hinamori-san.”

“N-not at all!” Amu said, smiling through her confusion. “I should be thank you Prince Tadase, remember? You did save me…”

“I’ll see myself out, then.” Prince Tadase said, taking Amu’s hand in his own and bringing it to his lips to kiss lightly. “Until tonight, Hinamori-san.” Too stunned to respond, Amu merely brought the hand Prince Tadase kissed to her chest, where she could feel her heart beating wildly, blushing as she watched the young royal leave.

He really is just as charming as they say… She thought to herself, smiling shyly as the door closed behind the Prince as he left. The way he treated Amu made her feel like a fairy book princess being whisked off her feet. Shaking her head, Amu chastised herself for that thought. What’s wrong with me? She demanded angrily. There’s no way he could be interested in me like that! He’s the Prince, for crying out loud, the future King of the West! He was just being kind to me is all. Sighing in disappointment, Amu left in the opposite direction the Prince had gone in to find her mother and tell her that the Prince was staying after all.

She paused for a moment at the door when a noise caught her attention. Giggling? Turning around with a puzzled frown, Amu searched for the source of the girlish laugher, finding nothing suspicious in the room. Deciding that it must’ve been her imagination or something, Amu gave a mental shrug before she turned and left, closing the door behind her with a resounding ‘click!’

---

Amu held back a sigh as she felt her mother studying her for the millionth time in the past ten minutes, her eyebrow twitching irritably. Ever since Midori heard that Prince Tadase changed his mind about staying, she’d gone half insane with glee, running around like a madwoman to make sure everything was perfect for the Prince’s stay at their mansion. Amu had caught her scolding one of the servants earlier because one of the napkins was folded at an angle that was three degrees off of the angle all the others were folded at, before she started complaining about a speck of dust on the ceiling of their Ball Room. Amu felt so bad for the servants that she made the mistake of trying to talk Midori into calming down, which turned the woman’s attention to her daughter.

“Are you sure that’s the dress you want to wear to dinner? It looks a little plain to me, Amu-chan.” Amu counted to ten to keep herself from snapping at Midori.

“It’s fine, Mama.” She said through gritted teeth.

“Well I think you should wear that blue dress. Remember the one I’m talking about? Your Grandmother bought if for your last birthday.”

“You already had me try the blue dress on, Mama.” Amu reminded the woman calmly. “You said the sleeves made my elbows look weird.”

“Ah, it did, didn’t it? What about the one with the lace going down the front?”

“Loose thread.”

“The shimmery green one?”

“The cut of the neckline was too unflattering.”

“That light pink one with the frilly skirt?

“It made me look too young.”

“Well we have to have something better then that!” Midori complained in a huff.

“I think that dress looks lovely on my precious little sparrow!” Hinamori Tsumugu said loudly. “And I don’t see why she should be trying to impress the Prince in the first place! Amu-chan is far too young to try and get engaged and leave her beloved Papa! Why, she still has four years before we have to present her to society!”

“Oh, come now, dear, there’s no reason Amu-chan can’t put a little effort into trying to catch the Prince’s attention before that!” Midori said cheerfully as she went starry-eyed. “After all, if they fall in love, think of how much better life would be for the family in the palace!”

“No no no no NO!” Tsumugu said vigorously, forming an ‘X’ with his arms. “Our life is just fine where we are now! And Amu-chan is too young to fall in love with anyone! She’s happy just where she is, being one of Papa’s special girls! I’m not ready for Amu-chan to fall in love and leave me yet!” As one, Amu and Ami sweatdropped at their parents actions.

“You’re marrying the Prince, nee-chan?” Ami asked, innocent confusion heavy in her tone. “I thought he was just coming for dinner?”

“No, Ami, I’m not marrying the prince.” Amu sighed heavily. “Ignore them. They’re just being silly.”

“You never know what may happen, Amu-chan!” Midori reminded the girl cheerfully. “After all, the Prince did save your life!”

“That doesn’t mean anything, Mama!” Amu pointed out, exasperated. “I was in trouble! Anyone would’ve helped under those circumstances.”

“Perhaps, but I still say that it was fate that the Prince was the one to help.” Midori insisted stubbornly. Amu rolled her eyes, but wisely said nothing. The girl knew her mother was a hopeless romantic after all, something Amu couldn’t afford to be with her reputation to uphold. Still, Amu had to admit to herself that it was pretty exciting to be rescued by the Prince…

Before Amu could consider this any further, there was a knock on the door, which was soon opened by a servant to admit Prince Tadase himself, along with the four Guardians.

Amu could feel her eyes widen at the sight of the group. Though she’d caught glances of them at various social events, she’d never seen the Guardians up close before. Studying them curiously, Amu saw that the Guardians consisted of two boys and two girls, all of which followed the Prince as he approached the Hinamori family.

The first boy, who walked at the Prince’s right, was a tall youth, with wild reddish-brown hair and a wide, easy grin. The girl on the Prince’s left was slim and beautiful, with long dark hair tied up into a high ponytail with a red ribbon. Behind this girl stood the second boy, who’s own dark hair was kept neat and proper. His glasses gleamed in the lighting as he walked, which did nothing to soften his already serious appearance. The girl beside the second boy seemed to contradict him in many ways. She was a small redhead, with bows tied into her pigtails. A bright, friendly smile played at the girls lips as she more of less burst with barely contained energy.

They all looked much less intimidating then Amu was expecting, given their reputations. But then, she knew better then anyone how misleading reputations could be sometimes…

“Welcome, Prince Tadase.” Midori said warmly to the youth as he approached, curtsying respectfully for the future King. “I can’t begin to tell you how pleased I was when Amu-chan told me you changed your mind about staying with us.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, Hinamori-sama.” Prince Tadase responded with a bow. “My Guardians and I will take care not to abuse it.” That was strange,  it looked to Amu like the small redhead Guardian girl suddenly the focus of pointed, accusing looks from all the other Guardians, making her give a guilty laugh in response.

“Nonsense, you are our guests!” Midori said cheerfully “We will do everything in our power to make you and your Guardians comfortable. We owe at least that much to you, you did saved poor Amu-chan from that evil thief, after all…” Amu started when her mother suddenly pushed her forward, to the center of all the attention. Her panic rising, Amu quickly slipped into her ‘Lady’ mask, and curtsied respectfully to the Prince.

“Thank you again for you help, your majesty.” She said before turning to the Guardians, who were now studying her curiously. Amu felt uncomfortable under their scrutiny, and could feel as she started to blush “And let me be the first to welcome the honored Guardians to our home. I’ve heard of many of your great deeds from others, and would love to hear you recount some of them yourself, if it’s not asking to much of you.” Amu blinked in confusion when she heard the same giggle from earlier again, this time joined by another and started to turn away from the Guardian to find the source of the laugher when the redhead girl pounced- really, that was the only word Amu could think to describe it- on the startled pinkette, hugging Amu’s right arm to her chest as she beamed up at the other girl.

“You’re the girl Ikuto tried to kidnap? You didn’t mention that she was so cute, Tadase!” After shooting the Prince an accusing look, the girl turned a bright smile back to Amu, who still wasn’t sure how to respond to having a total stranger clinging to her arm like they’d known each other all their lives. “Nice to meet you, Amu-chi! I’m Yuiki Yaya, Tadase’s cousin!”

“N-nice to meet you…” Amu stammered out in confusion. She was relieved when the other girl among the Guardians stepped forward to pull the smaller girl off of Amu, giving Yaya a stern look as she did so.

“Stop it, Yaya, you’re making her uncomfortable.” Smiling warmly at Amu, the dark haired girl added. “I apologize, Amu-chan, but Yaya has a weakness for cute things.”

“Oh, it’s fine, really!” Amu said, feeling herself get more and more flustered. Did these people really think she was that cute? “My sister does the same thing… Um…”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I haven’t introduced myself yet, have I?” The girl said, never losing her warm smile. “I am Nadeshiko, of the Fujisaki Clan. Thank you so much for your hospitality, Amu-chan.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Fujisaki-sama.”

“Please, call me Nadeshiko.” The dark haired girl protested at once, clasping Amu’s shoulder with one of her hands. “I’d like to think that we could be good friends, Amu-chan!”

“Y-yes, of course!” Amu laughed, starting to feel confused again. Why were the Guardians all so interested in her…? “It’s nice to meet you, Nadeshiko-chan…”

“Now who’s making her uncomfortable, Fujisaki?” The brown haired boy asked with a pointed look.

“Nonsense, Kukai!” Nadeshiko said cheerfully, “Amu-chan and I are going to be great friends, aren’t we Amu-chan?” Sweatdropping, Amu forced a weak laugh as she nodded, which made the brown-haired boy roll his eyes before he stepped up to introduce himself.

“Souma Kukai, Captain of the Guardians. Nice to meetcha, Hinamori-san. Sorry about the girls…” Amu blinked in surprise when the boy reached out and shook her hand, as if greeting a fellow boy. Odd as the action was, though, it didn’t make Amu nearly as uncomfortable as the was Nadeshiko and Yaya had acted.

“It’s fine, Souma-taichou, really.” Amu said with a smile. “And it’s nice to meet you as well.”

“Gotta say, it’s really something to hear about a girl standing up to Tsukiyomi.” Kukai said with an easy laugh as he let go of Amu’s hand. “I really wish I could’ve been there to see the look on his face when that happened!”

“If any of us had been there, the priority should’ve been to capture him, not laughing at his misfortune.” The final boy broke in dryly, shooting Kukai an annoyed look before he bowed respectfully to Amu. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Hinamori Amu of Seiyo. I am Sanjou Kairi, Vice Captain of the Guardians and Prince Tadase’s personal bodyguard.”

“It’s nice to meet you as well, Sanjou-fukutaichou.” Amu said, curtsying in response to the boy’s bow.

“Well the Hinamori family welcomes all of you to our home.” Midori said graciously. “I’m Hinamori Midori, Amu-chan’s mother and the Lady of the House. This is my husband, Tsumugu, and our youngest daughter Ami.”

“Nice to meet you!” Ami chirped loudly, beaming brightly at the Guardians and the Prince. Yaya and Nadeshiko giggled at the little girl’s actions as Amu hid a smile with her hand.

“Now that we’re all acquainted, shall we begin dinner?” Amu suggested with a smile. “Our chefs have all worked hard, it would be a shame to let their food get cold.”

“Ah, of course!” Tsumugu said, brightening at the thought of food. Hugging his daughter affectionately, the man added. “That’s our Amu-chan for you… always so considerate of others!”

“This way to the dining room then, dears.” Midori practically sang out as the led the Prince and the Guardians through the Hinamori mansion.

“That’s a lovely dress by the way, Amu-chan.” Nadeshiko said cheerfully as she fell back to converse with the pink haired girl, who blinked in surprise at the compliment.

“Ah, thank you…” She said, smiling at the dark-haired girl. “I love the flower clips in your hair, Nadeshiko-chan.”

“These?” Nadeshiko said, motioning to the clips in question. “They’re a family heirloom, passed down through the Fujisaki clan from the First Mage we’ve descended from.”

“Really?” Amu said, unable to keep the awe from her voice as she looked at the clips again. “That’s so cool! I’ve never seen any possessions of the First Mages before…”

“Are you interested in Summoning Mages, Amu-chan?” Nadeshiko asked with an enigmatic smile.

“I’ve never been able to see much magick before, but I always thought that kind of power was amazing.” Amu admitted with a far-off smile. “It’s so mysterious and cool, I’d love to know more about it!”

“I could give you a demonstration sometime, if you’d like.” Nadeshiko offered. “My magick isn’t as powerful as Tadase-sama’s or Tsukiyomi’s, but I’m not exactly what you’d call a pushover either.”

“Really?” Amu said excitedly. The magick of the Fujisaki clan was always said to have been one of the most beautiful to ever exist in the Western Kingdom, on top of the raw power that the family possessed. “I’d love to see your magick, Nadeshiko-chan!”

“I practice every morning, so I’ll show you first thing tomorrow.” Nadeshiko promised brightly.

“I can’t wait!” Amu said with an animated laugh. Nadeshiko’s smiled at the girl mysteriously for a moment before tugging on her sleeve to get the girl’s attention.

“Amu-chan, did you know that you speak less formally when you get excited?” Nadeshiko asked with amusement twinkling in her eyes. Amu froze at the question, cursing herself for her slip up. Taking a step away, Amu curtsied to the Guardian.

“I apologize, Nadeshiko-chan.” She said hastily. “I forgot my place for a moment, I hope I didn’t offend you with my improper attitude.” Internally, the girl cringed. She’d gotten so caught up talking about Summoning Mages and magick, she’d forgotten the image she was supposed to be upholding.

“It’s fine, Amu-chan.” Nadeshiko said warmly, surprising the pink haired girl. “I like it better when you speak to me informally, it makes me feel like we’re close!” Giving the girl another of her mysterious smiles, Nadeshiko added, “I really did mean it, when I said that I think we can become good friends, Amu-chan.” Amu flushed slightly at that, a happy smile tugging at her lips.

“Y-yeah!” the pinkette said with a nod, earning an even brighter smile from Nadeshiko.

“Oi, Fujisaki!” Kukai yelled out from the other end of the hall, waving to get the girl’s attention. “Quit dawdling already! The rest of us are starving over here!”

“Coming!” Nadeshiko called back, grabbing Amu’s hand and taking off at a running pace, dragging the startled girl behind her for a moment before Amu smiled slightly at the hand clasping hers.

It might be nice… She thought to herself. Having a friend. Grinning, the girl lifted up her skirt with her free hand to better match Nadeshiko’s pace. She was too distracted to notice when the two voices from earlier giggled yet again, before they were firmly shushed by a third.

---

“Thank you again for being so accommodating, Hinamori-san.”

Amu blushed as the Prince smiled kindly at her, her gaze dropping to her feet. She was keenly aware of Nadeshiko and Yaya giggling behind her, and quickly slipped back into her ‘Lady’ mask.

“It’s no trouble at all, Prince Tadase.” Amu responded, her heart beating like a drum as she bowed before the monarch. “I hope you find your room to your liking, my prince. My mother respected your request for your rooms to be close to my own. If you need any assistance with anything, please down hesitate to come to me.”

“I want to stay in the room right next to Amu-chi!” Yaya called out, grabbing Amu’s arm and hauling the surprised girl down the hall.

“Oi, oi! Take it easy Yuiki!” Kukai called out, sighing as he rescued Amu from Yaya’s clutches. “Jeeze, as if you haven’t traumatized the girl enough today…”

“I-it’s fine, Souma-taichou, really!” Amu protested. “Both the rooms next to mine are available, and I really don’t mind if Yuiki-sama stays in one of them.”

“Yay!” Yaya cheered, sticking her tongue out at Kukai, who shot her an annoyed look in response.

“In that case, would it be alright if I took the room on your other side?” Nadeshiko asked sweetly. Amu smiled back at the girl.

“Of course, Nadeshiko-chan.” She said, leading the girls down the hall with a smile, turning back to the three boys, Amu added “The maids have prepared rooms for you as well, opposite of mine and the two on either side of me. I will show you-!”

“It’s fine, Hinamori-san.” Kukai interrupted, tousling the surprised girl’s hair. “We’re not kids, we can figure things out on our own. You get some rest, after the day you’ve have, you probably need it.”

“But it’s really no problem-!” Amu’s protest was cut off when Yaya and Nadeshiko grabbed her arms and pulled her away from the Guardian’s captain.

“You heard Kukai, Amu-chi!” Yaya said, grinning at the pink-haired girl widely. “Get some sleep, we’ve got the rest covered!”

“You’ve been through a lot today, and you’ve been more then helpful to us ever since we got here.” Nadeshiko added from Amu’s other side. “We can handle things on our own.”

“Well… if you’re sure you don’t need any help…”Amu said hesitantly. It was true that she was exhausted, but letting guests show themselves to their rooms went against everything she was taught about being a good hostess.

“We’re sure, we’re sure!” Yaya insisted, giving the girl a mock glare. “Now go to sleep, for goodness sake!” Amu smile at that in spite of herself.

“Alright.” She said with a slight laugh. Bowing to the Prince and his Guardians, Amu added. “Good night, everyone. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Nightie night, Amu-chi!” Yaya sang out as Amu entered her room, closing her door and leaning against it with a heavy sigh. Really, what a day it’d been… Thank goodness she was finally going to get some rest.

Walking into her room, Amu began to unlace her dress, letting it fall to the floor so that she stood in a simple white slip. After rummaging through her bureau for a change of clothes, Amu slipped into the nightgown she’d be wearing to bed that night when the same giggle from earlier that day made her freeze. Amu’s head snapped up to look at the mirror that hung on the inside of her bureau door, and her eyes widened in terror at the sight that greeted her. The girl automatically opened her mouth to scream when it was immediately covered by a large hand with a cloth, muffling the noise the girl tried to make.

“Boo.” A voice breathed teasingly in her ear as Amu began to struggle, wondering angrily why this kept happening to her. “Relax kid, I’m not going to hurt you, I just need to check something, and I need your help. I’m gonna let go of your mouth now, but if you scream I swear I’ll push you out the window. Understand?” Scowling slightly, Amu nodded reluctantly and, true to his word, Ikuto let go of her mouth.

“Why should I help you, you perverted thief?” Amu hissed angrily. “How did you even get into my room?!”

“I’m a Mage, remember?” Ikuto pointed out in a bemused tone. Amu frowned suspiciously at that, tilting her head as she considered something.

“…How long have to been in here?” She asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

“Since the Little Prince and his friends visited you for dinner.” Ikuto answered casually.

“…You watched me undress?!” Amu shrieked, her face going red.

“Nah, I was hiding in the closet until you finished. You don’t have enough of a figure to peek at, anyways.” Somehow, that statement really wasn’t convincing Amu she should forgive Ikuto for his intrusion any time soon.

“You really have a way of asking people for help, don’t you?” Amu snapped in a sour tone.

“Who said I was asking?” Ikuto snorted in amusement. “I can make you help me easily. I just need to see your egg and I’ll be gone before Prince Charming and his Knights even know I’m here.” Amu frowned at that.

“That’s right…” she murmured. “Prince Tadase mentioned that you stole something from him… A lock of some sorts…”

“You don’t need to worry about that, little girl.” Ikuto sighed. “All you need to know is that I plan to make better use of that lock then the Little Prince ever did. Now then, about that egg…” Egg? What on earth was he talking about?

“We have some eggs in the kitchen, I think…” Amu said cautiously, wondering momentarily of the thief was also a madman. “Or maybe you can check the henhouse down by the stables.”

“Not those kind of eggs!” Ikuto said, sounding annoyed. The thief sighed harshly at Amu’s oblivious-ness. “Great. They haven’t even formed yet… No wonder Yoru’s had trouble reading you…”

“What on earth are you-?”

“Tsukiyomi Ikuto!” Amu yelped at Ikuto suddenly dragged her backwards to the window, scowling in annoyance at how familiar the action was becoming to her. Looking at the door, Amu realized that Prince Tadase and the Guardians were all swarming into her room, all of them glaring darkly at Ikuto.

“Took you long enough to notice me, Little Prince.” Ikuto mocked Prince Tadase slyly. “Though you really should knock before entering a lady’s room. We were just getting to know each other better…”

“Let Amu-chi go!” Yaya said loudly brandishing- wait, was that a giant rattle? Where did Yaya get a huge baby rattle? And why was she waving it at Ikuto like it was a sword?

“Sorry, no can do.” Ikuto said lightly in response. “You can have her back after I’m done.” Before Amu could even begin to wonder about what he meant by that, Ikuto threw up his cloak to cover both himself and Amu, right before he went crashing through the glass of the window with Amu in his arms.

Never mind that they were four stories from the ground.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!” Amu yelled as the two of them plummeted down to the earth. She didn’t stop even after Ikuto flipped in the air to land on his feet, taking off at a run as soon as he hit the ground to jump onto the branch of a nearby tree, and began jumping from one tree to another without pause.

“Would you stop screaming in my ear already?” Ikuto snapped at the girl in annoyance as he moved.

“Stop telling me what to do, you weirdo cat pervert!” Amu snapped back, reaching up and yanking on one of Ikuto’s bizarre cat ears (When did those get onto his head, anyways?) as hard as she could. Ikuto yelped loudly in response, stumbling on the tree branch he was trying to land on and sending them back on a collision course with the ground, which made Amu scream once more as she immediately let go of Ikuto’s ear. The boy preformed another one of his flipping tricks and landed safely on the ground, taking off at a run yet again after giving Amu an annoyed glare.

“Now will you behave yourself, or do you need another near death experience before you learn your lesson?” He asked sarcastically.

“I wouldn’t be in any near death experiences to begin with if you’d just stop kidnapping me!” Amu countered angrily. Before Ikuto could respond to that, a bright flash of light half-blinded the pair as the trees around them fell crashing to the earth, forcing Ikuto to dodge around them to avoid being crushed. Amu looked up  to see Kari standing on one of the newly-made stumps, a wooden sword in his hand. Glancing around, Amu saw the other Guardians coming out through the trees, surrounding the thief.

“There’s nowhere left to run, Tsukiyomi Ikuto.” The Prince said angrily as he joined them. “Return the Humpty Lock and let Hinamori-san go.”

“Oh?” Ikuto smirked. “And what if I don’t?”

“We’ll make you, of course!” Kukai said with a feral grin as he bounced a ball on his knee and into the air, kicking it at the thief’s head and forcing Ikuto to dodge as Amu screamed in his arms when the ball whizzed by. The ball circled around and made another attempt at decapitating the blue-haired boy before returning to Kukai, who gave Amu a concerned frown.

“Is there really any way to do that without hurting your new friend, Guardians?” Ikuto asked mockingly, earning glares from everyone around him.

“That’s low, Tsukiyomi Ikuto, even for you.” Nadeshiko said darkly as she reluctantly lowered the naginata in her hands a little.

“Anything that works.” Ikuto shot back with a smirk, setting Amu on the ground without relinquishing his hold on her to free up his right hand, which he used to conjure up the phantom claw again. Taking a swipe at Kairi and Yaya, the thief forced the two to scatter, immediately shooting forward to try and break through the opening he’d created.

“Holy Crown!” Prince Tadase shouted, shooting at the area before Ikuto could reach it and forcing him to stop and vault backwards before the Prince could attack him as well.

This was not what I had in mind when I said I wanted to see magick. Amu thought as she shut her eyes, gritting her teeth and tensing as more bright lights flashed around the girl. There had to be some way she could get out of this, something she could do… anything!

-What if you fought back?-

Amu froze at the cutesy, unfamiliar voice that invaded her mind. And she wasn’t alone, either. The fighting around her, the whole world, seemed to slow to a crawl. What on earth…?

-You don’t have to be like this, you know. You have power, Amu-chan, use it!-

“Power…” Amu repeated, confused. The word echoed around her, as if she was in a deep canyon. What was going on, and where was that voice coming from…? “What power?”

-Your power, Amu-chan! The special power only you have! We’re right here, Amu-chan, and we can help you be who you want to be! Just say the word, Amu-chan, and we’ll give you a hand!- The voice faded and the fighting resumed at it’s normal speed, but Amu barely noticed through her confusion. Power? Becoming who she wanted to be? She couldn’t understand any of it. She didn’t understand the entire situation she was in, why Ikuto wouldn’t leave her alone, what he meant about eggs or locks… She was completely over her head. But there was one thing Amu knew for sure. She was sick and tired of not having any say in what was happening to her.

Well, no more.

“STOP” Amu cried out in frustration, startling everyone around her so much that they all automatically obeyed. Amu didn’t get the chance to say anything else though, since the world around her began to fade, leaving bright lights and colors all around her. Dimly, Amu noticed that she was floating, no longer in Ikuto’s arms, and that the thief, the Prince and the Guardians were nowhere in sight.

Before Amu could wonder about that any further though, three lights sparked to life right in front of her, eventually taking the solid form of eggs, the same size as a chicken egg, but with different colors and patterns on each shell. The left one was blue with spades, the right green with clovers, and the middle one was pink with hearts. Amu watched in shock as the pink egg floated forward, lifting her hands up to cushion the egg as it started to sink downward.

It’s warm… Amu realized, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. She looked up in surprise as the lights and colors faded back to the real world, where the Guardians were surrounding her, staring at the girl in shock, while Ikuto was nowhere to be seen.

“Hinamori-san…” Prince Tadase said, stepping forward as he looked at the three eggs in front of Amu with wide eyes. Before Amu could ask what had happened or where Ikuto was, the egg she was holding began to wiggle, making the girl jump. A crack appeared along the egg’s surface, splitting the pink egg into two halves. And, as Amu watch on in shock, a little pink-haired armor-wearing sprite tumbled head over feet out of the egg, shaking her head in a dazed sort of way before she noticed Amu and flew up to the girl with a bright, happy smile.

“Nice to finally meet you, Amu-chan!” The pink creature said happily. “I’m you summon Ran, ready to fight at a moment’s notice!” Amu couldn’t speak. She couldn’t even begin to comprehend what was happening to her. And so, the girl did what any proper young lady would do after the chaos and confusion Amu had been put through.

Groaning softly, Amu fainted dead away, leaving the Guardians and the Prince to panic over her fallen form as Ran blinked in confusion.

“…Was it something I said?” She asked, in a baffled tone.