July 6, 09.
Hullo-o-o Fictioners!
I hope everyone is well :) I'm on winter break at the moment -- no uni for all of three weeks! XD
Anyways, here's the next chapter of SWAK~~ I hope y'all like it. Again, if you're reading, please review. I can't implore you enough.
Enjoy :)
S.W.A.K -- Vier
"Mint-san! What are you doing here?"
Mint ignored Lettuce's pleasantly surprised voice, storming straight through the dining room into the kitchen.
"Is Akasaka-san here?" she demanded, her hands balled into fists at her sides. Lettuce blinked at the strange, unexpected question.
"Uh... well... I–uh..."
"Don't worry. I'll find him myself," Mint snapped, stalking off in search of the brown-haired chef. Lettuce trotted after her like a scolded puppy, looking nervous and alarmed. The smaller girl seemed to be in a very bad mood.
"Akasaka!" she bellowed, drawing countless surprised, displeased looks from the many customers enjoying their afternoon tea.
"Uh... Mint-san," Lettuce said nervously. "C-could you maybe... Keep your voice down a little; everyone's staring... Mint-san?"
Mint stomped around, ignoring the green-haired girl completely. She was a girl on a mission, and she wanted answers!
"What are you doing back here so soon?" Ichigo popped up in front of her, her expression accusing. "Aren't you meant to be taking a break?"
She scowled heavily. "Not that you need or deserve one," she muttered to herself as an afterthought.
"Out of my way, Momomiya!" Mint snapped. She was in absolutely no mood for the red-haired cat-girl today. "I've had my rest, okay. I need to speak to Akasaka."
"Well excuse me!" Ichigo protested irritably. "Sorry we don't have any maids to just run off and fetch him for you! He's busy, Mint. Come back later."
But Mint didn't want to come back later. She was here now. Need she reiterate how determined she was to get her answers?
"Where is he?" she demanded, brown eyes flashing. Ichigo glared back at her.
"I'm not telling," she said petulantly, crossing her arms. Mint refrained from growling at her.
"I'm warning you, Ichigo–"
"What're you gonna do? Hit me?" Ichigo sneered. "Sorry to point this out, but you're the one losing her powers here, not me. I think I've got a better chance of coming out the victor here."
"I swear to God, Ichigo–!"
"Mint-onee-chan!"
"Not now, Pudding!" both girls snapped simultaneously. Pudding stumbled to a stop mid-bound, freezing right before the part where she launched herself at the bird-Mew and tackled her in what would no doubt be one of her famously painful hugs.
"Tell me where he is; I need to speak with him!" Mint demanded.
"Who gave you permission to order everyone else around?" Ichigo shot back.
"G-guys, please," Lettuce interjected weakly.
"If you just tell me where he is, then you can go back to running around like a spastic loser again!" Mint yelled.
"Spastic loser?!" Ichigo shrieked. "You haven't been back ten minutes and you're already insulting me! You have no right–!"
"I have every right!" Mint shouted over her. By now, the entire cafe had fallen silent and was watching on with wide eyes.
"Girls, you're needed!" Ryou's voice called suddenly, breaking the burning tension between the two Mews. He'd interrupted right as the fight was about to escalate. His eyebrows kicked up upon catching sight of the enraged Mint.
"What are you doing back here?" he asked in confusion. Both Ichigo and Mint started shouting at the same time.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Ryou cried, holding up his hands to silence them. He glanced between the two angry girls.
"Ichigo, take Lettuce and Pudding and meet Zakuro in the park. We've got a pest problem that needs taking care of," he commanded, carefully avoiding revealing what was really going on in front of all the customers. "Mint, come with me."
He took her arm and steered her into the kitchen.
"Now, what the heck is going on?" he demanded, blue eyes flashing dangerously. "What is so important that you felt compelled to make a scene in the middle of my cafe?"
"I need to speak to Akasaka-san," Mint growled, for the umpteenth time.
"Oh?" Ryou said, relaxing his stance and crossing his arms over his chest. "What about?"
She blushed hotly, glancing away, embarrassed.
"I... I just need to speak with him. Now."
"Fine," Shirogane sighed, unfolding his arms and heading for the door. "Wait here. I'll get him for you."
Keiichiro walked in several minutes later. A pleasant smile warmed his face when he caught sight of the blue-haired girl sitting at the bench.
"Hello, Mint-san," he greeted. "It's nice to see you again. How are you feeling? Ryou said you were looking for me."
"I..." she trailed off, stumbling into silence. Now that she was here, she wasn't sure how she was meant to discuss what had happened yesterday with Zakuro.
"Has something happened?" he asked kindly, attempting to make it easier for her. She glanced up, cheeks burning again.
"Sort of..."
She took a deep breath. He waited patiently.
"Okay, well... I'm not really sure what's going on, but..." She faltered again, before forcing herself to spit it out. "I... I think someone's in love with me!"
The expression on Keiichiro's face was priceless. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head.
Well, isn't that ironic? he thought to himself.
"A-and I... I don't know what to do about it," Mint finished, fiddling nervously with the hem of her lavender dress. She sat in a heavy silence, waiting for him to respond.
"Well..." Keiichiro wondered how to begin. "How do you know?"
"Um... well... this person came to visit me yesterday," Mint said, wording her answer carefully. She had no idea how everyone would react when they found out it was one of them. She still wasn't sure she believed it herself. It all felt like a crazy dream. "A-and, well... they kind of... sort of..."
"Yes?" Keiichiro urged gently.
"She came onto me!" Mint cried, exploding with shame. He blinked for a few seconds, digesting this.
"It's a... girl?"
"Um... uh..." Mint floundered, blush reddening with each passing second. "Y-yes."
"And how do you feel about it?" he asked kindly, watching her with interest.
"I... I don't know!" she wailed, her face in her hands. Her voice came out muffled beneath her fingers. "It was so out of the blue! Totally unexpected! She just turned up at my house for the first time ever and started walking towards me all slow and deliberate! I–I don't even really know what happened! She was just... there, and... coming towards me! And she said you'd be able to explain everything, so I came here, because I really don't know what's going on!"
He stared at her, a little alarmed, as she caught her breath back, her downcast eyes burning with embarrassment.
"May I ask..." he trailed off. "Who are you talking about?"
She said nothing for a few seconds, her face slowly turning a shade of burnt red-purple.
"Mint-san?"
"It's Zakuro-onee-sama, all right!" she snapped finally, seeming to have reached the pinnacle of her shame. Keiichiro blinked. A wide smile spread across his face, and he started laughing. She snapped her head up, astonished. What on earth? Was the world turning upside down?! He almost sounded... relieved.
She gazed at him, wide-eyed, for a good few seconds.
"Mint-san, you have nothing to worry about," he promised her. He opened his mouth to continue, but a crackly voice interrupted them, heavily muffled. He started and reached into his pocket, pulling out a power pendant.
"Hello?" he spoke into it.
"Akasaka-san!" Lettuce's relieved voice cried. "Is Shirogane-san there?"
"Well, he–"
"Keiichiro!" Ichigo's panicky voice shouted suddenly. "We need help! We're not strong enough with just the four of us!"
Mint cringed where she stood, her freshly relieved cheeks beginning to burn again. Way to kick her in the gut.
"They're getting stronger, na no da!" Pudding added desperately. "Pudding Ring Inferno!"
"Hit it now, Lettuce!" Ichigo cried, her voice returning a moment later. "We're just not as strong without Mint! We can beat these losers this time, but I don't know what will happen next time!"
"All right, Ichigo-san, don't worry," Keiichiro said seriously, concern thick in his voice. "Just do your best. I'll tell Ryou. We'll discuss it later, but for now, just focus on destroying the Chimera Anima."
"Yes sir!" Ichigo and Lettuce's voice chorused, and the line crackled and went dead. Keiichiro turned back to Mint, who was feeling downright rotten, and utterly helpless. His expression softened a little as she stared at her feet, willing back the tears.
"Wait right here, Mint-san," he said gently. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
~o~
Mint glanced around at her battered, exhausted teammates. They were all crammed into the kitchen, crowded around the island, their expressions grim. She carefully avoided catching Zakuro's eye. She simply couldn't bring herself to look at her idol, not after yesterday...
"Girls," Ryou began, breaking the heavy silence. "It's time we had a chat."
"You don't say," Ichigo retorted tiredly. He silenced her with a look.
"We'll start with Mint's condition," he continued. "Now, as you are all well aware, Aizawa is losing her powers."
Everyone glanced over at her, and she squirmed a little where she sat, staring pointedly at the cake sitting in the middle of the table.
"Well," Ryou continued. "We think that this may be because she's not receiving enough... affection." He obviously realised how stupid he sounded as the words rolled off his tongue. He scratched his neck awkwardly. Apparently, this was not something he was particularly proud to be saying.
"What?" Ichigo immediately piped up. "So she's cracked it because she's not getting enough attention?"
"No," Mint, Ryou and Keiichiro replied, Mint's protest a little more vocal than the two males'.
"We're not sure how it happened," Keiichiro continued. "But we think we know how to fix it."
"And how's that?" Ichigo demanded. Ryou sighed heavily. Keiichiro glanced at him, coming to the conclusion that he was going to have to handle this one on his own.
"We think we need to find her true love."
"What?" Ichigo said blankly.
"Like a fairytale, na no da?" Pudding asked, confused.
"Yes, Pudding-san," Keiichiro said, smiling. "Exactly like a fairytale."
"In order for Mint's powers to return to their full strength, we believe she needs to be kissed by the person who has truly captured her heart," he continued. Mint just sat frozen in her seat, her eyes wide and her mouth dropped open.
He's not... serious...?
"But that's ridiculous!" Ichigo exclaimed. "You're trying to tell us she's lost her powers because she doesn't have a boyfriend?"
"It's possible, Ichigo-san," Keiichiro replied, gazing at her. "And right now, we're willing to try anything. Ryou's technology has proved there's absolutely nothing wrong with her health or her genetics, so we have no choice but to turn to other, supernatural factors for an explanation."
"So who is it?" Lettuce asked curiously.
"We don't know," Ryou confessed.
"We assume it could be anybody," Keiichiro added. "Which is why, yesterday, Zakuro-san went around to Mint's house to test that theory."
Mint snapped her head up in shock. Across the room, Zakuro shot her a small smile.
"It was clear it wasn't me," she said. "Otherwise Mint would have closed the final gap. But she was too shocked to respond."
Mint's mouth bobbed open and closed like a goldfish's. The puzzle pieced together in her mind. It was all making sense now, but somehow, she found she still couldn't quite believe it. This was almost worse than if Zakuro really had been in love with her.
"So... I-it could be any one of you?" she stammered. Keiichiro looked at her for a moment.
"It's possible. And not improbable, either," he said, "if we're to assume it's going to be someone close to you. The options really are quite limited."
Mint paled considerably as everyone glanced at her again.
"But... you're not serious?" she gaped, brown eyes shocked.
"I'm afraid so, Mint-san."
The silence was so thick, Keiichiro could have cut it with the cake knife sitting innocently on the table.
"Well, at least we can cross off Fujiwara," Ryou commented in a bad attempt at a joke. Mint moaned and lowered her head to the table, wishing she could just die on the spot.
"Why me?" she wailed. "Why am I the one stuck with this awful condition? And why love?" Her voice hardened, rich with irritation. "Why is love the answer? I don't love anyone! I don't need love, and I certainly don't want it! This is utterly ridiculous!"
"We're sorry, Mint-san," Keiichiro said gently. "This is going to be hard on you. But it might well be the only way to get your powers back."
She fell into a gloomy silence, her anger deflating.
"So, until then," Ichigo said, "what do we do? I mean, it's great that we get to go hunting for Mint's lover now – you know, a new mission and all – but, seriously, we can't keep fighting alien monsters when we're down one member. We're just not strong enough."
"I acknowledge that," Ryou said seriously, gazing around at them all with concerned blue eyes. "And after much discussion and examining of all the possible answers, we've come up with only one solution."
"What's that?" Ichigo asked eagerly. Mint tensed in her seat, suddenly wary of his answer. Ryou waited a few moments before answering. They all waited with bated breath and tense eyes.
"We need a replacement Mew."
Mint's heart crashed into the floor.
"A replacement Mew?" Ichigo demanded sceptically.
"A Mew that has temporary powers," Keiichiro explained. "The injection process will grant her with the abilities to transform and fight, like the rest of you, but she will be limited to a specific amount of time, before she will return to her normal self again."
"So, what, we're just supposed to fight with this new girl until Mint magically finds Mr Right?" Ichigo demanded. The way she put it, everything sounded horribly impossible.
"It's not necessary!" Mint exploded desperately. "I'll have my powers back soon!"
"We can't be sure of that, Mint-san," Keiichiro argued. "Judging from the last two battles you participated in, you probably won't be able to battle for a while. Especially since your condition seems to have worsened over time."
"First you couldn't attack, then you couldn't summon your weapon," Ryou agreed. "The next time you battle, you probably won't even be able to transform."
Horror washed over the bird-Mew, and she looked down as tears stung her eyes. Lettuce reached out with one peachy hand and patted her arm soothingly.
"We can't take any chances," Shirogane continued firmly. "It's far too dangerous. Tonight, I'll instigate the injection process, and as of tomorrow, the search begins."
"You mean we have to find this girl as well?" Ichigo complained. "You couldn't make it any more difficult, could you?"
"I'm sorry, Mint-san," Keiichiro said gently, his brown eyes falling on the devastated girl. "We'll try and fix this as quickly as we can, so you can be a part of the team again."
"So... so what happens now?" Mint forced out through trembling lips. She lifted her uncertain eyes to meet his. "Do I just... go home and not come back?"
"Of course not!" Keiichiro replied, shocked at the idea.
"You'll still be expected to work here every day after school," Ryou said, smirking a little. "Don't go thinking this is a chance for you to take leave."
She relaxed a little, though the whole situation was still awful. At least she didn't have to cut herself off from them completely. Although, she was not looking forward to meeting her replacement...
"So, head home now, all of you, and return here tomorrow to start looking," Ryou said with finality. "It's getting late, and it's going to be a lot of work."
The girls rose from their seats, all of them quiet, even Pudding, for once. None of them looked at Mint as they dragged their feet off to the change rooms, everyone's minds focused on the news that had been dumped on them this evening. Their sympathy went out to the blue-haired girl, as they each tried to imagine what it would feel like to know they were being replaced.
Even Ichigo didn't have the heart to pick a fight tonight.
~o~
Ryou gazed quietly at the projected screen on the wall, his azure eyes flicking with some sort of unreadable emotion.
He'd been staring for a good while now. Ten or fifteen minutes, easily.
But he was running out of time. He'd procrastinated long enough. If he didn't act now, he'd miss his window of opportunity.
With a sigh of displeasure, he reached forward with his fingers, stretching them towards the many complicated-looking buttons and pads on the desk before him.
He hesitated for a moment, taking a slow breath and closing his eyes.
Just do it, Ryou.
He snapped his fingers forward and pressed them down on a big round, red button.
ACTIVATION INITIATED flashed on the screen in big, bold letters.
He let out the breath he didn't realise he was holding.
"Whoever you are," he murmured, "and wherever you are... I hope I'm doing the right thing."
Then he dropped his hand away from the button, letting it fall to his side as he stared at the wall, a hundred thoughts flashing through his mind as he read the words emblazoned across it.
INOCULATION COMPLETE.
Isn't 'inoculation' an awkward word! XD
So. There we have it. Who could this strange girl (or boy) be? Dun-dun-du-u-u-u-u-n! Well, I know, of course. You'll just have to wait and see! XP
Thanks again, those who read. EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THANKS to those who review. It's seriously appreciated.
Until the next chapter,
Cherrie xx