Lonely Shugo -- Chapter 36

"My Egg," gasped Sakura, watching in awe as the cracks slowly healed. Another formed around the middle of the Egg and Sakura panicked, Mari leaving her as she returned to normal. The light faded and Sakura stared at her Egg, watching it open as a Chara was revealed.

Her hair, black like her sisters, was long and loose, falling to her hips in waves of ebony. The clothing she wore comprised of a white dress with a sheer gold tabard, held close to her waist by a gold belt. On her feet were ballerina shoes, also gold, and atop her head was a headband – in gold as well – which held yellow sun symbol in the same way the other Charas' symbols were shown.

"Sakura-chan," the Chara smiled, opening her eyes to reveal a warm, dream-hazed gold.

"You're here," Sakura whispered in joy, tears collecting in her eyes.

"I am very glad that you never lost faith in me, Sakura-chan," the Chara said, floating to her master and remaining at face-level with the awed pinkette. "My name is Mitsu, and I am very happy to be here with you and my sisters."

"Mitsu!" cheered Katsumi, floating forwards and tackling Mitsu in a hug. Mari and Setsuko also embraced their younger sister, though they were a little calmer about it than the oldest Chara.

"She's pretty," gasped Amu, staring at the newborn Chara in awe.

"So, what's your purpose – dechu?" asked Pepe bluntly, approaching the new Chara from the side.

"I am Saku-chan's desire to be warm and loving to all around her," she sighed happily, closing her eyes. The honey orbs then snapped open and she fixed her gaze on Musashi. "Would you be a dear and get me some juice?" she requested sweetly, batting her eyelashes at him. Stuttering and stumbling over his reply, Musashi quickly went to do as requested.

"Very manipulative," muttered El, floating past with her notebook. Mitsu looked up, her kind-hearted gaze capturing the Angel Chara.

"Oh, you're so adorable!" she gushed, floating up to the blonde Chara and taking her hands. "I hope we can become the best of friends!" she continued, cheerfully and truthfully, "I'm sorry if you think me scheming, but I merely view all men as servants – the way they should be viewed, of course!" the Chara giggled.

"So kind," Ran laughed nervously.

"Yet so scary – desu," added Suu.

"So, she's loving and warm to girls, but..." Miki trailed off.

"She treats men like slaves – dechu," concluded Pepe, Kusukusu laughing in the background.

"This is unacceptable!" roared Kiseki, approaching the new Sun Chara. She turned to him, her eyes wide with tears in the corners, causing the King Chara to falter. "That is – err...I mean..."

"King, you have upset the maiden," scolded Musashi, returning with some juice for Mitsu. "You should apologise."

"O-Oh, I'm sorry," he said, not really realising that he had just been fooled.

"It's okay," Mitsu hiccupped, wiping her eyes and looking over at the female Charas, winking. "It would be better if the girls and I could all have some cookies."

"Cookies?" repeated Kiseki, confused.

"Chocolate chip," the Sun Chara ordered, suddenly recovered, "and don't skimp on the chips – I'll notice," she warned.

"O-Okay," Kiseki nodded, somehow finding himself doing Mitsu's bidding.

"Ahh, the balance is restored," Mitsu sighed contently. "Come, ladies – let us all be friends!" she laughed happily, embracing each of the girls.

The humans watched, sweat-dropping at the display.

"You Chara is quite unique, Haruno-san," commented Tadase, laughing to himself as Kiseki became Mitsu's servant.

"I suppose she is," agreed Sakura, smiling. "A best friend to the girls, but a diva to the boys – just what kind of person do I want to become?" she asked herself, shaking her head.

"Someone who wants to make friends?" suggested Amu, laughing while the female Charas all received cookies from Kiseki. "The girls seem to like her, and the boys don't get long enough to think about disliking her before she gives them another task."

"She's very good with crocodile tears," Yaya mused, a sly grin covering her face as she placed her hand to her chin. "It makes me wonder..."

"Wonder what?" asked Rima, tilting her head. Yaya laughed, one finger pointing to Sakura.

"What Saku-chi would be like Chara-Changed with Mitsu-tan!" she announced proudly and Sakura hummed.

"Probably a diva," she decided with a nod.

"Who gets along with everyone," added Amu when she observed Mitsu patting Kiseki's head. "I think even the boys will grow to like her, at least a little – she seems like a very likable character."

"Depends on your point of view," added Rima, sipping her tea. Sakura rolled her eyes and turned to the taller pinkette.

"Thank you for helping me, Amu," smiled Sakura before her face adopted a determined expression. "Now, I have to do something," she said vaguely, walking to the table and picking up her bag.

"What's that?" asked Amu curiously, hoping.

"I'm going to quit Easter," the smaller pinkette grinned happily. She waiting until Mitsu had made all the other Charas either her friends or servants before calling to them, "Girls, we're going! There's something that needs to be done!"

"When you're finish," Amu cut in before she could leave, "pack up your stuff and come to my place. We don't have much space, but you can share my room until something else gets sorted out. I can dig out the spare futon and out half my wardrobe and drawers."

"Thank you very much," bowed Sakura before she turned and left.

"Mitsu-chan looked really sweet," Yaya commented as the Guardians watched the small pinkette hurry out of the Royal Garden.

"Yeah, she did," smiled Amu.

"She also seemed friendly," added Rima.

"Yeah, she did," repeated Amu.

"And slightly underhanded," cut in Kairi and Amu laughed.

"I guess she did," she nodded, grinning. "I'm just glad Sakura got her Chara after all – she seemed really happy about it."

"Perhaps now she will rejoin the Guardians," commented Kairi, sweating nervously at the thought. If Sakura once more became the Yin Joker, would she rat him out to the others?

"Hopefully," agreed Tadase. "Where is she going now?"

"To quit, probably," mused Amu, shrugging. "Anyway, we should focus on these Teaser CDs now..."

{-}

"Your friends seem pleasant," commented Mitsu, her eyes half-lidded as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. Sakura smiled – she and her Charas had quickly learnt that, while Mitsu was warm and caring, she was also a bit of a diva.

"They are," nodded Sakura. "I'm just glad they've forgiven me so easily," she sighed, relieved.

"Will you forgive Ikuto-san?" asked Setsuko, smoothly inserting the question into their discussion. Eyeing her blue Chara – wondering what suddenly had Setsuko so on-side with Ikuto and Yoru – Sakura shrugged.

"I don't know," she replied. "I'm still not quite sure what happened. It looked like he and Amu were pretty close, but I think I read the situation wrong."

"Probably," giggled Katsumi, rolling her eyes, "You seem to do that quite a lot."

"Hey, now," she denied slightly, though not quite rejecting the idea. After all, it was true – she often misinterpreted things and this lead to her losing friends and isolating herself. Sakura had enough of this a long time ago, but with Mitsu being born she felt even more push to make and keep her friends.

"Is this it?" asked Mitsu, looking up at the building with the large 'Easter' sign hanging above the doors.

"I wonder," snorted Mari, grinning at her younger sister as the human and her four Charas made their way into the building.

"I wish to speak with Director Hoshina," Sakura said when she reached the secretary's desk in the Easter building. Not replying, the woman behind the desk called the Director's office.

"He will see you, Haruno-san," she said with false cheerfulness, sending Sakura up to Kazuomi's office. The pinkette stood in the lift after pressing the button for the correct floor, waiting patiently for the lift to get there. Her Charas were floating to her left, chatting and getting to know each other – she supposed it was only natural, as a lot had happened before Mitsu was born.

"I want you guys to keep a low profile once we get there," she said to them quietly, gaining their attention.

"Why, Saku-chan?" asked Mari, crossing her arms. "Soon-to-be-ex-boss man already knows you have –"

"Three Charas," interrupted Setsuko, ever the voice of intellect and reason, and Sakura nodded.

"Do you really think he'll accept my resignation if my usefulness just went up by one Chara?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, and Mari considered this.

"Perhaps we could enslave him," hummed Mitsu, looking at her fingernails as Sakura and her sisters stared at her in concern.

"Your plan, though quite creative, is unfortunately improbable," stated Setsuko, blinking.

"You're not the cute baby sister I imagined," Katsumi shuddered.

"No one expected perfection, big sis," giggled Mitsu, flipping her hair. "It just happens."

"Whatever, kid," sniggered Mari, grinning at the newborn Chara, who huffed.

"I should have been the oldest," she grumbled.

"Quite now, girls," Sakura said in a hushed voice as the lift made a loud 'ding' sound and the doors opened. The girl stepped out and knocked on the large double doors before her, gathering her courage.

"Come in," sounded Kazuomi's voice from inside, and Sakura did just that. With a slight shove, the doors opened and she walked in, standing before his desk – her head high, meeting his gaze. "Haruno – what is it?"

"I am afraid that I am leaving your employment," Sakura told him firmly, though nervousness played behind her eyes. The man eyed her for a second before laughing loudly, standing and opening one of the draws in his desk.

"Leaving my employment?" he retorted mockingly, tilting his head.

"Yes," Sakura confirmed, though with less courage. Mitsu, seeing that her owner's resolve was weakening, looked to her sisters, who gave her a 'go for it' look in return.

"Chara-Change!" she announced, a bright golden sun appearing in Sakura's hair a second later. The pinkette's worried look melted into serenity and a calm smile appeared on her face.

"I hope this does not cause any trouble," she said softly, her voice warm and smooth as honey. "I simply am not finding the atmosphere at this company to be as inviting as I originally hoped."

"Oh, you have a new Chara?" he mused, ignoring her words. The sun disappeared when Mitsu saw it was a hopeless effort, and Sakura's calm smile transformed into a frown. Mari stepped up next.

"Chara-Change!" she hissed, a green swirl appearing where the sun once was in Sakura's loose hair.

"I'm quitting, old man," she growled, clenching her fists.

"You're foolish to think I would just let you leave," he smirked, showing what appeared to be a small tin whistle sitting in the palm of his hand. "That metal you procured on your first ever mission was quite useful in assuring your continued loyalty, Haruno-chan," he mocked, lifting the whistle and blowing on it sharply.

Sakura fell to the ground, clutching at her chest as the green swirl vanished and the ring on her right middle finger began to glow with dark energy. The energy swirled around her, making her hair whip in the gusts of wind and tears of pain sprang to her eyes. The pinkette heard gasps and looked up slowly, watching her Shugo Charas being forced into their Eggs, a white 'X' appearing on each of them as the colours on the Eggs dimmed.

"No!" she cried, clutching her chest harder, the tears now falling down her face rapidly. Katsumi's Egg cracked and opened, revealing what looked like a completely new Chara, but in reality was an X-version of her beloved heart Chara.

She now wore a black, single-strapped cheerleading uniform with red pleats and a silver sash around her waist. Her feet were covered by long silver boots with red heals, the colour matched by band holding her hair in a ponytail atop her head, her usual bangs falling around her blank face. A headband with her broken heart symbol attached circled her head, a stark white 'X' covering the heart. Her lips were painted red and there was no emotion on her face.

The other Charas remained in their X-Eggs and Sakura's eyes filled with hot tears, her gaze looking from Mari's Egg to Setsuko's and finally settling on Mitsu's. She had just met her youngest Chara, and the friendly, manipulative diva was already gone.

"How fascinating," commented Kazuomi; looking between the young girl and her newly born X-Chara in interest, he watched closely to see just how effective this whistle was. Katsumi floated to her mistress, pain flashing across her eyes as Sakura stood; her face was now also blank, like the Chara. The tears in her eyes fell, but she ignored them and no more followed.

"Sir?" a man called from outside the office as he knocked on the door, having heard the commotion.

"Everything's fine," dismissed Kazuomi, lifting the whistle again and blowing sharply, forcing Sakura's blank gaze to turn to him. "Puppet," he called, the young girl acknowledging without a moment's hesitation, "I command you to Chara-Nari with your X-Chara, right now," the man grinned, watching carefully as Sakura turned back to her Chara, obeying his orders.

"Watashi no Kokoro: Unlock," Sakura muttered, her voice barely a breath above a whisper, as Katsumi disappeared into her Egg and sank into Sakura's chest.

A dark red light wrapped around the pinkette, covering her from head to toe and shielding her from view. The dark light flew away from her like an unfurling cloak, revealing a light grey top with one strap over her shoulder, matched with a pleated skirt of the same colour, though with a band of red around the waist and also at the bottom, which ended at her knees. On her feet was a pair of knee-high black boots with black heels, and her hair settled around her, loose and falling slightly in her face and over her eyes. On her head was Katsumi's usual broken heart, but suddenly a white 'X' formed over it. When she looked up, her expression was completely blank.

"X-Chara-Nari: Lonely Heartbreak," she breathed as her hair settled.

"Fascinating indeed," chuckled Kazuomi as he circled the girl, taking in the transformation. "It seems that the frequency of the whistle activates the dormant dark energy in the ring perfectly, allowing it to attach itself to your heart and force darkness to consume you. I never expected it to affect your Charas so quickly, though."

"Sir?" a woman's voice this time, that of Sanjo Yukari, sounded as she knocked on the door of his office. Smirking slightly, Kazuomi looked away from Sakura and towards his door.

"Come in, Sanjo," he called, the door opening at his allowance, "I wish for you to see what true success looks like," he mocked as she entered. Yukari frowned for a moment before her eyes fell on Sakura and she froze, seeing the dead-eyed look the girl held.

"Has she done a transformation?" the woman asked and Kazuomi laughed cruelly.

"Indeed," he nodded. "With her very own X-Chara," he continued, not noticing Yukari pale. "The dark energy in the ring worked perfectly, Sanjo – she was unable to detect it, thanks to it being dormant until use, and it turned all of her Charas into X-Chara, forcing her own joy to diminish into nothing."

"You mean...?" she gasped, looking away from the girl. Her boss' eyes were fixed onto Sakura, his newest discovery, and he nodded gleefully.

"She is now nothing more than a puppet for Easter; a shell of a once vibrant, albeit sarcastic, girl," he announced, the joy clear in his voice. "I say it is time for her to train – we cannot send her out without knowing the extent of her abilities, after all."

"Sir, don't you find this a little," Yukari paused, frowning, "inhumane? To turn a young girl into a husk like this, and use her against her friend..."

"Silence, Sanjo!" he snapped, scowling. "You had no problems with this plan a few days ago when I ordered you to have your brother give the ring to Haruno in the first place. Now, leave – see to it that your plan with Utau does not fail; I do not wish to reveal my newest puppet just yet."

"As you wish, sir," bowed Yukari, casting one more glance at Sakura before backing out of the office.

"Now, Puppet," he grinned, "we shall begin with a battle simulation."

"Yes, sir," replied Sakura, her voice empty.

{-}

Amu sat down heavily on her bed, sighing in relief. It had taken a while, but her room was now tidy, and she had actually managed to throw out some old things she no longer needed when she was clearing out space for Sakura. Her Charas, who had been busy setting up somewhere for Sakura's Charas to sleep, were also tired, while Suu was still floating around, dusting.

"I wonder how her boss took it," Miki mused, thinking of Sakura approaching a man cruel enough to steal Heart's Eggs and use them for evil. Amu sat up, worried, and gulped.

"I-I'm sure she's fine," she said, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself than her Chara.

{-}

When Ikuto arrived at Sakura's apartment – one hour after she should have finished school – he knew something was wrong.

She wasn't there.

The teen had observed – through months of breaking and entering in order to steal her food – that she was always home half an hour after school finished, unless she had a Guardian meeting. Of course, since quitting the Guardians, she no longer had a reason to stay behind. It concerned him, but he brushed it off and continued to wait.

One hour passed, and then two, and by the time the third rolled around he had almost given up.

'She's probably at that Soma brat's place,' he thought with contempt.

Just as Ikuto turned to leave – via the window, of course, the door opened and Sakura stumbled in.

{-}

The small pinkette sat in her grey cell, curled up in the corner with her X-Eggs around her. Soon after ending her transformation, X-Katsumi had retreated back into the shell, leaving Sakura alone. She was dragged down here and locked in, left with nothing more than a sink, a bed, and a small fold-out table. Her bag was tossed in next, which Sakura was relieved about, and she looked down at her hand.

It was then her phone rang.

"Hello?" whispered Sakura when she answered her phone, not checking the number.

"Sakura!" replied Amu's cheer-filled voice, the sound of it making Sakura flinch slightly. "My Mama said it's fine for you to stay for a few days, and I've cleared some space in my room and set up a futon for you, so you can –"

"Your kindness is wasted on me, Hinamori-san," the smaller pinkette interrupted, her voice deceptively void of emotion. "I am remaining in Easter's employment. Thank you for helping me to heal my Egg, but I am afraid you have been deceived – you served your purpose."

"S-Sakura," she stuttered, unsure. "That can't be. You were truthful earlier, saying you would quit, but now..."

"It was a ruse, and you fell for it," the pinkette laughed mockingly. "How foolish of you," she hummed.

"No, I refuse to believe –!"

"Hinamori-san," Sakura sighed, rubbing eyes, "I don't know what to tell you. You were tricked, so give up."

"Tell me you're lying about this. Tell me you're kidding," she demanded, her tone pleading, and Sakura laughed again.

"You were fooled," she recapped, "and you need to accept it. There's no other explanation I can think of."

"Please," Amu uttered and Sakura bit her lip, clenching her fists.

"Leave me alone from now on."

Sakura hung up the phone and stared at it for a while before throwing the plastic device across the room, watching in delight as it smashed against the wall. With pain-filled eyes, she clutched her hand to her chest and looked at the seemingly harmless ring on her finger.

Tears fell down her face.

"I'm sorry."

Furiously, the girl pulled at the ring, trying to remove it, only to hiss when the metal burned her palm.

"I wouldn't try that, Haruno-san," a voice sounded from the window of her cell, and Sakura looked up, spotting one of the scientists. "That ring has been specially made to burn the wearer with dark energy should an attempt be made to remove it."

"Let me out of here," she growled, her eyes narrowing.

"It seems that she only becomes a blank shell when one of her Charas is out of their Egg," commented another scientist, while the only woman of the trio made a note on her clipboard.

"The boss will be interested in this," she nodded, opening the cell door. "You're free to go, Haruno-san – we were only told to bring you down here until you returned to normal."

"The boss said you will give regular reports," the original man, obviously team leader, said in a warning tone. "And remember, tomorrow you have a job for Sanjo-san; don't be late!"

"And no more of this 'quitting business', boss said," added the other man. "He said it was amusing the first time, but would only serve to annoy him now."

"You three are such lapdogs," Sakura groaned, standing and walking out of the cell, leaving the Easter building with her four Eggs tucked into her bag safely.

{-}

Sakura stumbled down the hallway and to the door of her apartment, looking at the '7K' sign in detestation. It was mocking her – she would never be able to escape, even with all the help in the world. Shaking her head and wiping tears from her eyes, Sakura opened the door and stepped in, her eyes instantly landing on an unwelcome guest.

Ikuto and Sakura just stared at each other from across the room as the front door closed behind the pinkette. His eyes were pleading, while her own were almost dead.

"What happened?" he asked, forgoing his own concerns when he saw the pain written across Sakura's face.

Ignoring him, Sakura walked around her apartment and locked all of the windows, as well as the door, and placed her X-Eggs in their holders – setting up a 'room' for Mitsu with the golden furniture she had purchased. Tears sprung to her eyes when she saw the white 'X' on each Egg, but she still placed them comfortably in a cushioned basket, all resting against each other, and curled up on her bed.

"How?" sounded Ikuto's voice from her bedroom door. Sakura looked up, finding him staring at her X-Eggs. Yoru floated over to them, resting his hand on the closest one – Mari's Egg – and giving them a horrified look.

"I don't know," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Without another word, all issues between them dissolved. Sakura needed Ikuto, and he was more than happy comfort her. As the teen made his way over to her bed, sitting beside her, Yoru settled himself in his own Egg, between Mitsu and Setsuko. Sakura leaned her head on Ikuto's chest, feeling a little better when his arm wrapped around her.

The child then curled up against him and cried herself to sleep.