-{}-

Disclaimer: Tokyo Mew Mew is not mine. Neither is Sarah McLachlan's song "Lost" or the Project 86 line that's in one of Ichigo's thoughts...

I WAS planning on ending it there. But, since I have 37 or so reviews telling me to continue, I think I'll go on. Hope you enjoy (and go get a box of tissues. /grins/)

Oh yes, and I know that Tart is a boy now (kinda figured it out after I read the fifth volume of the series with the "Mr. Tart!" incident). Thanks a lot to everyone who reviewed about that!

-{}-

{By the shadows of the night I go

I move away from the crowded room

That sea of shallow faces masked in warm regret

They don't know how to feel, they don't know what is lost}

-{}-

"Ichigo..." Kish whispered, watching her form disappear in the rain.

"Why can't you see how I feel about you?" A single tear slid down his cheek and he knelt on the ground, feeling energy draining from him. He would make a perfect target for Pai if the other alien ever found out how much Kish put them all at risk by chasing Ichigo.

Deep Blue, did this ever hurt.

Kish winced, placing a steadying hand against his hurting chest. Who would've thought that being rejected by her would really hurt this much? He could still feel the taste of salty tears from her kiss, it lingered in his mouth, it's caress whimpering like a lost puppy.

But he couldn't get that back, because even now, she was walking off to see him. In the pouring rain, with Kish beside her, /pleading/ with her, her thoughts still dwelt with Masaya. Kish's tortured thoughts rushed back to when he had confessed, asking why she couldn't love him. Why couldn't she love HIM? What was it that Masaya had that Kish didn't? Kish could protect her, he'd hold her just as tightly, love her MORE then 'Deep Blue' ever could!

But... that didn't matter did it?

Kish was an alien with a strong affection for her, who had tried to attack earth and kill her on multiple occasions. An annoyance. Masaya was the opposite, a human (kind of) with a boundless, gentle love for her and a need to protect her. Perfection.

There was the difference.

Kish shook his head miserably, pushing himself from his kneeling position on the ground. The rain had soaked him through but he didn't care, turning away from the now distant sight of Ichigo and rising into the air.

Where to go, where to go...

-{}-

{Lost in the darkness of a land

Where all the hope that's offered is

Memories of being taken by the hand

And we are led into the sun

But I don't have a hold on what is real

Though we can only try

What is there to give or to believe}

-{}-

"Ichigo? Hey, what's wrong? You look like you've been crying..."

Mint poked her gently, frowning when the catgirl didn't respond. The combination of Ichigo being late to get into her first period, being soaking wet, and her teary complexion had all been added up in Mint's mind to create a whole lot of worry.

She asked again, with a bit more urgency. "What's wrong?"

Ichigo merely shook her head, not facing her friend.

"Nothing," Ichigo said and sniffled. "I just want to see Masaya."

"He's in classes right now Ichigo. You know that." Mint reprimanded gently. "And that's not what you're upset about. What happened?"

Zakuro turned around from her seat in front of Ichigo, looking at the catgirl with that dark gaze that was ever so slightly protective now. "Is someone bothering you?"

"Nonononono!" Ichigo said quickly, waving her hands for emphasis. She didn't want the lone wolf to go beat up Kish. "Nobody's bothering me. It's OKAY."

"As long as you're fine," the wolf responded simply and turned back to her seat to continue studying.

"Yeah." Ichigo nodded, looking down at her own study sheet and ignoring the increasingly annoying poking of Mint.

"Is it that alien?" She whispered. "Kish?" Ichigo stiffened involuntarily. "No!" She hissed back, cat-like. "It's not..." Her voice softened sadly, the name like a breath on her lips.

"Kish..."

Mint sat back, the poking ceased. "So it is..." She mused, smirking. "He should pay. Is he hurting you? Stalking you? What is it?"

"No! He's not doing anything!" Ichigo shot out of her seat to face Mint. "DON'T YOU DARE HURT HIM!" She could feel more tears welling up in her eyes.

"Ms. Ichigo, retake your seat!" The teacher said, her arms crossed, glaring over her glasses. "Continue your relationships or discussion thereof after class!"

"Yes, ma'am." Ichigo murmured, sitting down again.

{"I love you so much... and you love him so much... what can I do to win you over?"}

{Kish...}

-{}-

{I want it all to go away, I want to be alone

Sympathy's wasted on my hollow shell

I feel there's nothing left to fight for...}

-{}-

"Koshikawa, Yuu?"

"Here ma'am!"

"Uremeshi, Yukina?"

"Here!"

"Fujiwara, Zakuro?"

All eyes turned to stare at the empty seat. The teacher glanced up. "Zakuro?"

When there was no answer, he looked back down at the clipboard and marked her absent.

-{}-

At that moment the wolf girl was running lightly down the street outside the school, her steps making light splashes in the puddles dotting the road.

-If I were Kish, where would I be hiding?-

With this thought, she turned, running towards Ichigo's house. -If he's even aware of where she lives, he'll be there.-

-{}-

{No reason for a cause

And I can't hear your voice, and I can't feel you near}

-{}-

Kish was indeed by Ichigo's house, though through no fault of his own. The alien sat on the rooftop of a house one or two houses away, contemplating. He'd been driven here by several angry cats who had yowled at him while he stood in the rain thinking. This had seemed to be the closest quiet spot.

Of course, when he spotted the wolf girl just below where he sat, he knew all that would change.

With an effortless jump, Zakuro got onto the rooftop, staring at the alien coolly.

"What have you done to Ichigo?"

"Nothing." Kish answered, forcing a smirk. "...absolutely nothing that would mean anything to her."

/You liar. She cried, she CRIED when she left you; give up on the pity party. She's not coming back./ His mind reprimanded, his ears drooping slightly. Zakuro noticed this and her eyes softened almost invisibly.

"What did you say to her then?"

"You know, it's really easy for you to take this simply, I know I'm a surviving enemy and that drives you up the freaking wall. but I. DIDN'T. SAY. ANYTHING. TO. ICHIGO. THAT. WOULD. MATTER. TO. YOU. So why don't you get your little wolf butt outta here okay?"

Zakuro glared at him, her eyes ice. Before she could speak, Kish interrupted, trying a different tack.

"Just go home, okay? You've protected your friend, I feel just as bad as if you'd beat me up to prove you care about her, and I'd reallllly like to be somewhere where my view isn't so wolfy. See ya."

He leapt off the rooftop, gaining altitude to glide over Tokyo, his flight silent as a tomb, listening to the faint whispers of rain.

/What... what does she know anyway? Nothing... nothing.../

For the second time that day, though in truth it felt like many more, Kish cried.

-{}-

{Lost in the darkness of a land

Where all the hope that's offered is

Memories of being taken by the hand

And we are led into the sun}

-{}-

Ichigo had nearly gone nuts sitting in a classroom for three long periods and was relieved when the bell FINALLY rang, releasing them for lunch.

She and Masaya had made plans to sit out on the lawn to eat lunch, but apparently, that had fallen through... so she stood in their usual meeting place, a boxed lunch in her hands. Somehow, she couldn't spot Masaya's dark hair in the sea of bobbing heads. And she needed him so badly right now...

Kish had been playing through her thoughts ever since Mint commented on him... and then Zakuro's suspicious disappearance...

She sighed, then her gaze shot up as she finally spotted him. "Oh! Masay- !" She started to call then stopped when she noticed he was holding someone's hand. A girl's hand.

A pretty girl who was smiling at him with eyes that promised happiness... and Masaya looking back with untold interest. Or, no, not untold. He wouldn't be looking at someone like that if he didn't know that they knew he liked them. Ichigo shook her head, telling herself it was just a fluke. Masaya wouldn't betray...

He kissed the pretty girl.

Ever so light, the brush of a feather. Ichigo had felt those kisses, adored them... and now she watched them being given... to someone else.

"M-Masaya..." she whispered and somehow, while he hadn't heard her call, he heard this whisper and looked up, locking eyes with her guiltily. That guilt said everything as she watched his eyes trail back to the oblivious girl, so happy to be with him and with no idea what had just happened. Ichigo turned and ran out of the cafeteria, throwing the bento at a garbage can as she did. It made a hollow clang as it hit the bottom and this only made her cry harder. He hadn't even stopped what he was doing with the girl to come to tell her it wasn't what it looked like, which meant it was exactly what it looked like.

{What was it, was it something I said, what was it, was it something I did?!}

She couldn't see through the blurry tears, stumbling through the rain. She'd shed her backpack, thoughts of school fleeing her mind, flooded by Masaya and his smile, his eyes... those deceiving eyes which had said he loved her. He wanted to protect her... she was his angel, his light...

...and he'd lied to her.

-{}-

{But I don't have a hold on what is real

Though we can only try

What is there to give or to believe}

-{}-

Ichigo slid to the ground, her legs weak. {I hate him, no, me. If he found someone else, doesn't it mean I'm not good enough? Doesn't it mean I'm worthless? Why doesn't he... why CAN'T he...}

"M-Masaya..." She whispered and felt more tears flow down her face as her eyes shut tightly.

"Such... a beautiful face... and who has marred it with tears?" A soft voice whispered, gentle fingers wiping the tears away. Without thinking about it, she pressed herself against the warmth, the source of the comforting, familiar voice and felt the person's arms close around her involuntarily, because there wasn't much else to do when she was pushing so hard against his chest.

"Please..." She whispered, her voice ragged with crying. "Make it stop..."

-{}-

{I wanted a change, knowing all I could do was try

I was looking for someone...}