Solace through the War

Summary: During the time of war many lives are lost and many people suffer. Yet comfort can come from the strangest of sources.

This oneshot was written for Kish's Kittie's writing competition.

Disclaimer: Tokyo Mew Mew is not mine and it never will be. If it was, I'd have Ichigo paired up with Ryou.

A redheaded girl peeked cautiously out of the window with a face as pale as death. The darkness greeted her and everything was ominously quiet. For once, though Ichigo welcomed the gloomy dimness and the silence but she was well aware that it would not last long. These last few weeks had been hell on earth and although tragedy had struck already several days ago, she still had not had the chance to cry. There had been many tears shed by other people, wailing because their loved ones had been taken from them. Ichigo had seen mothers mourning children and husbands, fathers mourning wives and family, children mourning the loss of their parents. She too had suffered the loss of three loved ones and desperately longed for a chance to cry.

"Oh, mother, father, I miss you so much already. And my darling Masaya, how I long to hold you again!" she whispered. But the tears had to wait until she was safe from the dangers that this war had brought upon the people of Tokyo. It would not do to be caught off guard by her foe.

"So many innocent people grieving because of this war," Ichigo whispered and then a lone tear slipped down her cheek and dripped onto the floor. For a moment, she was sure that she was going to have her much needed cry. Then the silence was shattered by the sound of gunshots and people's last screams moments before they perished.

Ichigo's chocolate eyes widened with terror and she closed them and willed herself not to scream out loud. If the enemy heard her, she would surely be killed.

'But there is so much fear and sadness right now. I would almost welcome death,' she thought but knew deep down in her heart that she did not truly wish to die. At the moment she was grieving not only for the loved ones that she would never see again but for the innocent souls who had had their lives ripped cruelly away from them. But she could not bring herself to give up on life.

'What is afterwards?' she wondered. At an earlier age, Ichigo had dreamt of a perfect world where nothing could ever hurt her, physically or emotionally. Now she didn't want to find out what was really at the end. Would it be a tunnel of light or an endless sea of blackness that would greet her in the afterlife?

There was no time to think about it anymore. She had to get out of here before she too joined the many people who had became victims of a fallen world. Ichigo stood up and fled the room feeling as if the entire world could hear her heart pounding anxiously in her chest. The house had seemed so safe only moments before. It was one of the few buildings that was only partially ruined. Ichigo had seen plenty of buildings completely destroyed along with the residents inside. Now it felt as if she were trapped, waiting for fate to verify whether she would live or die.

Determination filled her and she was heading resolutely for the back door. She reached it in mere seconds and flung it open. The sky was bright with the lights of planes flying ahead, some attempting to help Tokyo and some fighting for the enemy. Ichigo had no idea where she was going to go. She didn't know what she was going to do. What she did know was that she planned to survive this hellish ordeal.

'I'm going to get out of here alive,' she thought and smiled to herself. 'Fate has destined me to live another day, I know it!'

Then a shot rang out. It was not uncommon and Ichigo normally would not have noticed it. But this shot was different from the others that she had heard previously.

This was the one that hit her, in the chest.

Images flashed through Ichigo's mind as horrific pain seared through her. She collapsed and closed her eyes, breathing heavily. For a moment, she could see Masaya and her parents. They each looked as if they were in agony and although Ichigo only had the picture in her mind for a few seconds, she knew exactly what it meant. They wanted her to keep living just like she did. But this bullet had destroyed everything that she had hoped for. She was going to die.

"Is she all right?"

"Yes, but it was quite a close call."

"Is it true about her parents?"

"Yes, and it's such a shame. After she found out, she went into hiding. Although, seeing as this is such a dangerous situation for Tokyo, it's hardly surprising."

Who was talking about her? Clearly they knew who she was if they had known her parents.

Ichigo felt awful, although it wasn't exactly a surprise considering she had been shot in the chest. She had been so sure that she was going to die that she had felt resigned to the fate. To be given a second chance at life was a shock as was the mystery of the two people talking about her.

Ichigo groaned and struggled to open her eyes. When she finally managed to focus her gaze she saw two men gazing at her. One was a blond who looked older than her and the other was a brunette who looked older than the blond. She felt suspicious although they seemed harmless enough. You couldn't trust people in this war though and Ichigo knew of people who had turned against Tokyo simply because the enemy seemed stronger. They had feared for their lives and as a result had turned traitorous. What proof did she have- that these people were for Tokyo? They could just as easily be for the adversary, planning to eliminate anyone who stood in their way, even a relatively harmless young woman. Still, these people had helped her and seemed somewhat familiar, although try as she might, she couldn't quite remember where she had seen them. Somehow, though she was almost positive that the situation hadn't made them seem dangerous in any way.

Ichigo struggled to sit up, but was pushed back gently. "Don't try to sit up, Ichigo. You need to rest," he advised her and she reluctantly obeyed. There wasn't anything that she could do to defend herself in this condition anyway. She could only hope and pray that they didn't mean her any harm.

"Who are you?" she whispered. "Why did you help me? Where am I?"

"I am Keiichiro Akasaka and this is Ryou Shirogane," the brunette said. "The American's have retreated, for now at least and when I found you I had to help you when I knew that you were still alive. I know, uh, knew your parents although I don't believe that we've ever met. This is a remote building away from the city. If we're lucky, nobody will find us."
It all became clear, and Ichigo wondered why she hadn't noticed it before. She had seen Keiichiro before and he had known her parents. The three had met during a school function months ago and Ichigo had seen him from a distance while she talked with her friends about topics that seemed somewhat trivial during this time of war. She knew Ryou, too, and he certainly was no threat to her life. He had overheard her talking with her friends about how Masaya had finally asked her out. Oh, Ichigo could remember the joy that she had felt then. Ryou had made a snide comment and Ichigo had retaliated by pouring her cup of juice over him. She couldn't remember the comment but she did remember the scolding that her parents had given her as well as the boredom that she had faced when she had been grounded because of the incident.

A lump rose in Ichigo's throat as she was once again reminded of the fact that she would never see her parents or her precious Masaya ever again. She didn't care if her parents lectured her and she didn't care what Masaya had to say. All that she wanted was to see them again. She would have given almost anything to see their faces and to throw her arms tightly around them, never to let go.

Ryou gazed at Ichigo thoughtfully and looked mildly uncomfortable when he saw that she was blinking back tears. Comforting girls wasn't really his strong point.

Keiichiro took a step backwards and murmured, "I had better check on that other girl that we found." He smiled tightly and added, "She's in better shape than Ichigo." He left the room and Ryou folded his arms and sat down on a light blue armchair. He didn't speak but watched Ichigo silently, unnerving her. He certainly wasn't the enemy, but the way that he continued to stare at her was making her feel slightly unsettled 'Why does he keep staring at me like this?'.

The tears were threatening to overflow and Ichigo closed her eyes and swallowed, hoping fervently that Ryou didn't see. He didn't exactly strike her as a kind, sensitive person. Rather, he seemed cool and sarcastic, ready to mock people. Ichigo had developed a severe hatred to him that night at school and the feeling seemed mutual. He was nothing but a spoiled, rich young man who had had everything provided to him on a silver platter.

'I never had as much money as him and now he's got something that I want more than anything else in the world! Why does he have parents when mine were killed? It isn't fair,' she thought bitterly and clenched her fists, not only in anger but in pain. Being shot in the chest wasn't something that she wished for anybody to go through, though the pain had dulled somewhat, probably thanks to painkillers.

"I'm sorry about your parents."

Ichigo's eyes snapped open and she stared at Ryou with eyes full with suspicion. "Why should you care?"

"I know how you feel," he said quietly, and Ichigo scowled at him.

"Oh, the great Ryou is caring about me, a poor little peasant girl?" she said sarcastically. "I don't need your pity and you could never know how I feel."

Ryou's shoulders stiffened and for a moment his blue eyes were filled with pain. Clearly, Ichigo hadn't heard the news. "I do know how you feel. I know exactly how you feel. A week and half ago, my parents were shot, both of them."

Ichigo gasped and felt her stomach knot up; she felt sick with guilt. She hadn't thought that Ryou could be one of the people to lose somebody that he loved. Instead, she had been so incredibly focused on her own pain that she didn't stop to think about anybody else. Nobody deserved to lose their parents; it wasn't right. And Ryou had said that so easily. He seemed so strong, even with the loss of his parents.

Ichigo couldn't stop the tears. They flowed freely down her cheeks and she started to sob, not only for her loss but for Ryou's. Suddenly, she didn't care about how he had treated her in the past. Both of them had suffered the same loss and that linked them together. "I'm sorry, Ryou! I didn't…I didn't stop to think that…that…" She couldn't go on. She could hardly breathe. Her entire body shook while she wept and she hardly noticed when Ryou stood up, slightly shakily. Then suddenly he was holding her in his arms, stroking her hair and whispering comforting words.

"It's going to be okay, Ichigo. Nobody deserves to go through anything like this but it's a fallen world and things like this are going to happen."

"That doesn't make it any easier for people who suffer!" Ichigo sobbed and clung to him as if she was drowning and he was her sole lifeline. "It isn't right! I don't even understand who is attacking Tokyo or why. I just want it all to stop!"

Ryou was holding back tears himself and Ichigo felt compelled to say something that would console him, especially after the way that he had tried to comfort her. It was only fair. But she knew exactly how horrifying the pain was and didn't know what could possibly make it any better.

"Oh, Ichigo, I miss them so much," Ryou said softly. "I don't know how I can go on." Then, he was crying too.

Ichigo gasped sharply and her grip on him tightened. She couldn't bear to hear him say such a defeated thing. She needed somebody to show her how to be strong and she knew that Ryou could be strong. He was older than her but she knew what he was like from the months at school. He was supposed to be the strong, mature one who knew how to deal with any situation, no matter how difficult. He had to stay strong or she didn't know how she could make it. "Please, Ryou, don't give up. If you don't stay strong, then how will I?" In desperation she pressed her face into his chest and sobbed. There was silence and then Ryou murmured, "I'm sorry, Ichigo. It's just so hard; I don't know what to do. But I know that you're suffering too and I do want to help you." It was true; Ryou did like Ichigo even if she could be a right ditz at times. As a joke he added, "I want to help you even if you did pour juice all over me."

It had the desired effect and Ichigo hiccuped as she laughed. "Sorry." Then she gasped and started to cry harder.

"What's wrong?" Ryou asked, alarmed and Ichigo buried her head deeper into his chest.

"I just…I remembered why I poured juice all over you," she said softly and Ryou blinked in confusion. He didn't have a clue what had caused her to feel even worse but he had a sneaking suspicion that it was his fault. "I don't understand. I was teasing you about Masaya, but I…" His voice trailed off and he suddenly understood. Masaya had been killed too, along with Ichigo's parents.

Ryou felt horrible. How could he have said something to make her so upset? He hadn't meant to, of course, but had done it all the same. "I'm so sorry, Ichigo."

"You didn't…it wasn't your fault," Ichigo stuttered. "I'm so pathetically weak." Ryou shook his head. Then he pulled away from her and began to say a few stern words to the sobbing teenager.

"There's nothing wrong with crying, Ichigo. Look at me," he ordered and she looked with her tearstained face inquisitive. "I'm crying and I don't give a damn about what people think. If you have a legitimate reason, then nobody can make you feel bad for crying. It's a way of expressing a powerful emotion," he said and Ichigo nodded slowly.

"I miss all of them: my parents, Masaya." She gulped and for a moment felt as if she couldn't breathe. She was crying too hard to take in air and believed that she was going to pass out from lack of oxygen. Ryou hastily wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "I said that it's okay to cry but don't sob so hard that you can't breathe!" Her whole body shook with the crying and Ryou soothingly stroked her red hair. "Take a deep breath, Ichigo," he instructed and she did so looking much calmer.

"Thank you, Ryou," she whispered and he hugged her closer. Neither of them deserved to endure the pain that war inflicted. But they had to be brave and soldier on. The enemy was not to win this battle. Tokyo would triumph over the many people who had come from America to conquer them for no apparent reason other than a hunger for power. For what felt like hours but was in reality only a few minutes the two embraced each other, crying softly for their losses. Emotional turmoil washed over Ryou and he accidentally hugged her too hard causing her to gasp in pain. "Oh, I'm sorry," he apologised and she murmured that it was okay. He adjusted the way that he was sitting so that he could be comfortable while being mindful of her injury. "I just want to kill whoever shot you," he said suddenly and Ichigo tilted her head in perplexity.

"There's been enough violence, Ryou," she pointed out gently and, he nodded with a long-suffering sigh.

"I know; it's just that you're so innocent. You don't deserve it," he said and she rested her head against his chest.

"Thank you, Ryou. You're like a lifeline to me right now," she whispered, and he gently rested his head on her own.

"You can't possibly imagine how much you're helping me right now, Ichigo," he said, and it was true. She was helping him simply by being a survivor of tragedies herself. Together they could be strong.

The two sat together in silence, but it wasn't an uncomfortable quiet. They didn't need to speak to understand each other.

Then the tranquil quiet was ruined by the sound of a gunshot and somebody's cry as they were hit. Ryou's face went pale and when he turned to Ichigo, he realised she was shaking with terror. "Ichigo, I need to see what's happening. Stay up here," he ordered, but she grabbed his arm.

"Don't leave me, Ryou," she pleaded but he pulled away reluctantly. Suddenly, he gazed into her beautiful eyes and longed to kiss her. But he didn't dare. It wouldn't be right for him to take advantage of her trust.

"I promise you that I'll come straight back up. Don't you trust me?" he asked and she nodded. The tears that flowed down her cheeks made him want to take her in his arms again and protect her from everything dangerous. "Stay," he said again and left the room swiftly. He had to see if Keiichiro was okay. Oh, Keiichiro had been so wonderful to him and Ryou couldn't bear it if something happened.

"No," he heard somebody cry out feebly. He inhaled sharply and made a dash for another room. The sight that greeted him made his blood stop cold. Keiichiro was lying in a pool of bright red blood and his face was so pale Ryou was frightened that he was going to die in a matter of seconds.

A tall man with cold grey eyes gazed at Ryou with no hint of regret or pity in his expression. Suddenly feeling a burning desire to rip this man to shreds Ryou ran towards him and delivered a swift punch to his nose. There was a sickening crack as his fist made contact and the man cried out. He placed his hands over his nose in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but all he achieved was bloody hands. The gun dropped from his hands and Ryou made a grab for it. The two men struggled, and out of the corner of his eye, Ryou saw Keiichiro stand up, breathing heavily from the exertion. He was alive, which was more than Ryou could say for Ichigo if this man reached her. He would show no mercy.

Keiichiro started towards the door and Ryou suddenly knew what he was going to do. He was going to try and get Ichigo out of the house before this man could reach her.

"I'll kill you and anyone else in this house," the enemy shouted and Ryou was suddenly kicked violently in the stomach. "Ah," he hissed and for a moment nearly gave up. But he had to make sure that no harm came to Ichigo and that thought kept him going.

But then somebody shot the front door down and Ryou was horrified to see that many other foes were entering the house. Some were sure to go upstairs; he had to get some sort of a weapon.

Sure enough, a few men ran for the stairs and Ryou suddenly felt a boost of energy that enabled him to take the gun and run to the stairs. He was halfway up when somebody shot him in the shoulder. He cursed out loud but a sudden rush of adrenaline permitted him to keep going, although the pain in his shoulder was excruciating. Then one of the foes shot the door right off its hinges and Ryou saw Ichigo's face, white with fright. He ran towards her in a blind panic and reached out for her hand. She made a grab for it, but then yet another shot rang out and Ryou watched in horror as she fell backwards onto the bed.

"No, Ichigo!" he yelled and frantically felt for a pulse. Her eyes flittered open and he stared at the glazed look in her eyes. Then she managed to whisper, "It is a tunnel of light." She managed a small smile and then closed her eyes, never to open them again. Then, Ryou lost the will to fight and sank to his knees, still gripping her cold hand. He locked eyes with another man who raised his gun and pulled the trigger.

Now, first and most importantly, please don't take any offense if you're American. I don't have anything against American's. I just needed somebody to be the enemy and I randomly picked a nationality off the top of my head. Still, I feel the need to apologise anyway. For the record, I'm part German but I don't take any offense when somebody talks about World War II.

Second, a big thanks to sakuuya for beta'ing this!

Lastly, for everybody reading this, why don't you each have a go at the competition? You've still got time to create a oneshot. Go to Kish's Kittie's forums and find the contest topic. You'll find all of the information that you need there.

Thanks for reading!

SK