Warning: Contains acts of violence and rape undertones. Read at your own risk.

Briiiiiiinnng.

The piercing sound resonated until Ichigo slammed the snooze button. For the tenth time. The digital display read 08:40. It took her a few seconds to register.

'Crap!'

She shot out of bed with such speed, her foot launched into a chair leg. Hissing in pain, she raced through her morning routine. The past week, she'd been fighting chimeras every night, with only a few short hours to rest in the early morning. She cursed her misfortune. The aliens were stepping up their game and she didn't know how much longer she and the Mews could keep this up.

Grabbing a slice of toast and throwing her school bag over her shoulder, Ichigo flew out of the front door. She legged it down the street like her life depended upon it. Her teacher threatened to bring it up with her parents if she was late again. She checked her watch. Only 6 minutes until registration, but there was still hope! She would make it on time if she kept sprinting.

Ichigo heard a voice call her name. She stopped running and glanced around but her eyes were met with nothing but the usual neighbourhood landscape. She shook her head and sincerely hoped she wasn't experiencing the preliminary signs of a mental condition. Just sleep deprivation, nothing more. A tree beside her rustled, but the summer air was still. On second thoughts, something was definitely off.

"Hey, Kitty Cat..." a voice drawled. Ichigo shrieked and whipped around to find herself inches from the last person she wanted to see. She felt Kisshu's warm breath on her nose. He was much too close for comfort considering they were supposed to be archenemies. She took a step back, only to be matched by Kisshu drifting forwards.

"Aww, did I scare you Kitty Cat?" He cooed gleefully, reaching out to pat her cat ears in a mocking fashion. Ichigo slapped his hand away. Kisshu always had to pay a visit at the worst time.

"Don't touch me, I don't have time to deal with you!" She turned around to leave but Kisshu had other ideas.

"Wait Kitty Cat! I just want to talk." She felt a sharp tug.

"H-hey! W-what do you think you're doing?" Ichigo was sure her face was in league with the ripest tomato.

"Your fur is wonderfully silky today, Kitten." His grip tightened around her tail. Ichigo squirmed in response. She wasn't used to anybody touching her tail. Kisshu didn't even attempt to hide his amusement at her discomfort.

"Just let go already! I'm gonna be late."

"Kitty Cat, wouldn't you rather spend quality time with me? You've been working so hard all week fighting those nasty chimeras, I want to give you something to compensate for your troubles."

"I don't want anything from you!" Ichigo knew, whatever it was, it was going to be bad news. Kisshu only acted to benefit himself. He had not loosened his grip. If anything, he was gripping even tighter. She wondered what would happen if he cut off her circulation for too long.

Ichigo realised she wouldn't win in a match of brute force, besides, it was her tail they were pulling and it hurt. She could make her feline features disappear. She had to calm herself down. It seemed almost unachievable with Kisshu's proximity and the consequences of being late racing through her head, but she had to try.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and imagined she was floating on gentle waters, staring up at a clear blue sky.

Slam! She felt something rough against her back. The gentle waves lapping at her legs dissipated and was replaced by Kisshu's enraged expression. He had shoved her against a tree. She regretfully said goodbye to any progress she'd made with her escape plan.

"Why won't you like me?!" He yelled at her face in frustration. Ichigo raised her arms in front of her in a protective stance. Was Kisshu seriously unable to understand how nobody likes a person treating them like this?

Kisshu bit into the toast in her hand. Ichigo had almost forgotten about it.

"Hmm, human food tastes funny," he remarked, licking his lips, "I'm sure you taste much better, Ichigo..."

Ichigo wasn't quite sure how to take that. Was Kisshu implying he would eat human flesh, or something else…? Either way, she was repulsed. Anyway, there was no way she could eat something with alien drool slobbered all over.

"You've ruined my breakfast! Are you happy now? Let me g-"

She was cut off by Kisshu's lips.

He pushed his tongue into her mouth, almost making her gag. Something small and cold slid down her throat.

Ichigo bit down. Kisshu yelped and shot back with a hurt expression, then glared at her as if she was the one in the wrong. She couldn't believe this guy. What did he expect her reaction to be?

"Bad Kitty! Do you not like my gift?"

"You're crazy! What the hell did you make me swallow?" Ichigo was horrified. Did he just poison her?

Kisshu scoffed, "Well, apart from my tongue, I gave you a pill..." He leaned in and breathed into her ear, "…to put you in heat. I'm sure you'll find its effects very… pleasurable."

"W-what!?" Ichigo didn't think she could get any redder; at this point there must have been steam escaping from her ears. She wasn't sure if she could believe Kisshu's words. He wasn't known for being truthful after all.

"Well, won't you look at the time? You better run along now or you'll be late for school!" He laughed. Vanishing, he left her standing on the street alone and confused.

When Ichigo burst into her classroom, she was greeted by her teacher's frown.

"Momomiya-san, you've missed half my lesson for the 5th time! I'll have a few words with you after class."

"Yes Watanabe Sensei! Sorry, Sensei!"

All eyes were on her, burning into the back of her head. She looked down at her desk.

As her teacher scrawled illegibly at the front of the room, Ichigo tried to come up with a convincing explanation for her tardiness. You see, some alien jumped in front of me and wouldn't let go of my tail, then he ate my toast and forced a pill down my throat which does God knows what! The truth was so far fetched that she gave up after a few minutes. Nobody sane could even fabricate something like that.

"Momomiya-san, please stand up and read page 34 out loud." Her teacher's voice brought her back to reality. Ichigo stood up. English wasn't her strongest subject. She stared at the text.

"Nyaa..."

The class snickered. She blinked hard. She must be more tired than she thought. The words started to swim in front of her eyes.

Her friend Miwa looked at her with concern and whispered, "Ichigo you really don't look well. I think you should go see the nurse." Maybe she was right. The room was too stuffy. She couldn't concentrate at all. The scents of her classmates were overwhelming her senses. Wait, why do they all smell so… good?

"Momomiya-san?" Her teacher was waiting for her to continue reading.

"I…I'm not feeling well," Ichigo said weakly. Sighing, he asked for a volunteer to take her to the infirmary.

There was no trace of the nurse but Ichigo was thankful for a bed. She collapsed onto the white sheets. She'd been alright with only a couple hours of sleep the past few days, but for some reason, her body wouldn't tolerate it today. It's the pill. Kisshu must have planned to knock out the Mew's leader so the team wouldn't function.

She needed to contact Ryou. He'd find an antidote to this dreadful pill. Her limbs felt as heavy as lead. She was exhausted. It wouldn't hurt to take a quick nap.

When she opened her eyes, a dark shape was obscuring the light. Through her hazy vision, she could make out the outline of a floating figure.

"How long have you been there?" She cried, scrambling to sit up.

Kisshu ignored her question.

"If only you could see yourself right now..." Snickering, he descended, landing on her bed. "Sweat soaked skin, laboured breathing, glazed eyes..."

"Well, whose fault is that?!" Ichigo snapped, seeming to have regained her energy.

Kisshu leaned forward, "Hmmm... wanna know what'll make you feel better?" He didn't wait for a reply. Not that Ichigo's response would have made a difference anyway. He slid his hand up her leg, pushing her skirt up in the process. Ichigo yelped and grabbed his wrist.

"S-stop..." she began, but her voice wavered. Kisshu pretended not to hear.

Kisshu's hand was warm against her bare skin. With each breath she took, she inhaled more of his scent. He smelled… heavenly. She was overcome with an urge to rub her cheek against him. What she wanted was… the exact opposite of what she'd said.

"Ooh, you like that, don't you?" he cooed.

"There's... no way I do!" Ichigo was trying to convince herself now. The lack of conviction in her voice seemed to entertain Kisshu.

"Should I… go higher?" he suggested.

"H-hell no!" Ichigo exclaimed, but she was panting. Her body's reaction said otherwise.

"Aww, my precious little Kitten doesn't know how heat works?" He sighed mockingly, "I'll have to explain then. When Kitty-cat goes into heat, she'll do anything to attract a male. She'll be restless and uncomfortable until..." He paused and grinned, baring his teeth. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear the rest. "...Until he fucks her brains out!"

Ichigo's hand around her assaulter's wrist trembled. His words made her feel completely violated.

"Shut up," she said. Her comeback sucked. Thoughts of Kisshu filled her head. His soft lips grazing against her skin. The warmth of his fingers trailing over her body. The sensation of his flesh against... She shook her head to derail her crazy thought direction.

"You're too easy to read, Kitty-cat." Kisshu was amused, "You want me bad…"

Ichigo whipped her head around to the sound of footsteps.

"Momomiya-san, you're still here? It's nearly 3pm already." It was her teacher.

When she looked back, there was no sign of Kisshu. She shuddered to think what would have happened if her teacher didn't show up just then. She had never been more relieved to see anyone.

He walked up to her bed.

"I'm worried about you. It's unusual for a good student to be late for an entire week. On top of that, you look rather run down lately. Are things alright at home?"

"I just... haven't had much sleep recently," she began. At least it wasn't a lie. Her teacher nodded encouragingly.

"Something on your mind?" his voice was gentle.

All that was on Ichigo's mind was the intoxicating aroma of his aftershave and the warmth radiating from his body. Ichigo hadn't thought about it before, since she'd set her sights on Aoyama-Kun, but she realised her teacher was pretty hot. No wonder Moe and Miwa wouldn't stop going on about him. She swallowed.

"To tell the truth, I've been going through a pretty rough time, I can't explain it, but I just… I just really need a hug…" She could barely believe the words coming out of her own mouth. The usual Ichigo wouldn't ask for a hug from any teacher so casually, let alone a male teacher! Her cat ears would pop out at just the thought!

Her teacher awkwardly put his arms around her. His scent was stronger now. She drank it in.

"Whatever it is, you'll get through it. Things will work out in the end. You can come talk to me any time…"

"You're right, Watanabe Sensei," she purred into his ear. Ichigo realised she was rubbing against him like a cat, but she couldn't stop herself. She didn't care if her teacher found it odd. It felt so good.

"Momomiya-san!" Her teacher was now holding her at arms length.

"Did you just lick my ear?!" he asked, aghast.

She opened her mouth and then closed it again, lost for words. What was she doing?

"I didn't think you were that sort of girl. That was inappropriate! You do realise our relationship is strictly a professional one, don't you?"

"Yes," Ichigo squeaked, face flushing. "I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me! It won't happen again!" She wanted to sink straight through the ground.

Her teacher sighed.

"Maybe I gave you the wrong idea, but I just wanted to comfort you since you looked like you needed it. If it's not too much to ask, I want to see you on time to my lesson on Monday."

He left.

Ichigo breathed out in relief. She could barely hold back as he lectured her, even though she was holding her breath. She couldn't believe how easily she could lose control. Tentatively, she got up.

She should see Ryou fast before anything worse happened.

"Metamorphosis!" she said and kissed her locket.