Chapter eight: Broken

Here is chapter eight. I hope you all like it. We're really close to the ending now. Enjoy!

Chapter eight: Broken

A sombre mood resided in the cafe. The Mews and friends were waiting for Masha to wake up. She has fainted shortly after they were transported outside the ship by Kahn.

They all felt a little better because they knew Ichigo was still in there. The way she called for Masha was a sign of it.

Flashback

'Masha?' Ichigo said soft and confused. It sounded as though she was unsure who Masha was, but nevertheless remembered her. The Mews and friends looked stunned at Ichigo. Kahn was surprised himself.

'Ichigo, you remember me?' Masha's hurt and soft voice said. Ichigo saw another flash of Masha in her mind.

'Masha!' Ichigo yelled at a tone that sounded worried.

Present

Pudding was softly sobbing since she was still a bit in shock from everything that happened. She couldn't get it out of her head how Masha was attacked. She was innocent and still it happened.

A sudden noise broke the silence and everyone looked up. Keiichiro and Ryou came walking into the café. They had been in the basement with Masha, trying to fix her up. Ryou carefully put Masha on a table and the Mews, Kisshu, Taruto and Aoyama approached.

Masha lay silent and still. They looked intense at her hoping she would show a sign of movement. Masha made a sudden twitch as if she was stung by something. With a sudden noise she awoke.

'Whaaa!' Masha yelled as she jumped in the air and floated for a few seconds. She saw everyone looking at her and slowly floated down again and landed on the table. She sighed a bit out of relieve.

'Masha? How do you feel?' Keiichiro asked. Masha looked up and met his gaze. She smiled weakly.

'I'm alright. I can take a blow' Masha yoked a bit to lighten the mood. When she noticed it didn't work she sighed. 'I guess you want some explanation' Masha said. Everyone nodded and Masha shook herself as if trying to awaken better.

'Why don't you begin at the beginning' Keiichiro said though that was obvious. Still no one said anything as Masha began talking.

'Alright then. The beginning. Well I remember having placed myself on Ichigo and retreated to being a device you could say' Masha began. Understanding it would be a long story they all sat down and Masha continued.

'I was with her when she fought the plant-creature, but couldn't get out because I was hit by an attack. Ichigo felt as if she herself was hit and that was partially true. Then she changed. I felt the evil force inside her growing every second. That day in the café it became to great a force and took complete control of her' Masha said as she looked saddened.

The others looked saddened as well as they remembered that day. Masha sighed again and continued.

'I felt how the evil force took over Ichigo's pure heart. I couldn't understand how someone so pure could be controlled. It shouldn't be possible, but then I felt why. Ichigo was pretty weakened after the fights and then the evil force inside her started to take control. Because Ichigo was to weak so was her hearts energy' Masha explained though the Mews looked completely bewildered.

'Hearts energy? What is that?' Lettuce asked. Ryou stood up and looked as though he was deep in thought.

'The hearts energy. So that's why she lost control?' Ryou asked himself out loud. Masha looked at him and nodded.

'Yes, she lost the fight inside, because she lost her hearts energy' Masha said. This caused Ryou to look shocked.

'She lost it?!' Ryou asked unbelievable. Masha nodded again and looked even more sad.

'I felt it slip away. Normally one's hearts energy can't be stolen, but in this case it could. The evil force inside her was to great and her heart and body couldn't sustain both energies. Since her own energy was weaker than the evil one it was forced out. I don't know where it went, but it has to have gone into something else. It can't survive in mere air' Masha said.

'So this hearts energy is actually the real Ichigo?' Aoyama asked simultaneously with Kisshu. Ryou looked at them.

'Not quit. It is what keeps her the way she should be. In Ichigo's case she is a good person. Without her hearts energy she would be nothing, but since her energy is replaced with an evil one she became evil' Ryou explained. Aoyama and Kisshu understood.

'Well what should we do now?' Pudding asked. Everyone looked puzzled as they had no idea. Then Mint stood up very quickly.

'I know. We have to find this energy she lost and return it to Ichigo' Mint said.

'But we have no idea where it is and if it even exists anymore' Zakura said with a serious face. Before Mint could say more she was interrupted.

'We don't even know if it will save her' Lettuce said very sad. Everyone felt sombre again. A sudden shout made them look up.

'No she can be saved! Ichigo is no longer hurt and her hearts energy will be strong even though it isn't in her' Masha said. 'It's true that if it stays separated from Ichigo too long it will diminish, but if we find it on time that won't happen' Masha said.

'So if we find it on time and return it to Ichigo it will be string enough to fight the evil force?' Pudding asked. Masha nodded and smiled.

'Well what are we waiting for then, lets go find it!' Mint said. Everyone agreed and stood up.

'But how do we know where to look?' Zakura asked. All of them stopped dead in their tracks. They really had no idea where to find it.

'Why not split up?' Kisshu said. They all looked at him. 'I mean, let a few go search and the rest can try to think of possible places it could be' Kisshu suggested. Ryou nodded as did the rest.

'Lets do it' Ryou said. 'Kisshu and Taruto can teleport and therefore quickly search plenty of area's. Keiichiro and I will research possible places and let the search party know. Aoyama know her well so should also look around in the city. I suggest Lettuce goes with you for protection. Zakura stays here and helps me and Keiichiro. Pudding and Mint you two go out and search wherever you think Ichigo's energy would go. Move out!' Ryou shouted. Everyone scattered and went for the search while Ryou, Keichiro and Zakura stayed in the café.

000

Meanwhile in the ship a certain dark figure was walking circles thinking hard. A little away from him on a sort altar lay Ichigo. She was breathing steadily, but was still unconscious.

'Where can it be? Where would it feel at peace?' Kahn kept repeating out loud. He thought about that pink thing they call Masha. 'It couldn't be in that thing, cause then it would already have gone inside her. Then where could it be?' Kahn thought.

A sudden noise in the hallway made him turn around. Quickly Kahn went to the huge door and waved it open with just a hand gesture. There on the ground in front of him stood a cat. Kahn looked confused at it. The cat didn't look at him, but focused on Ichigo. Kahn didn't notice and became irritated. He waved his hand over the cat and it vanished.

'Damn nuisance. I don't have time for interruptions' Kahn said angry. He walked over to the screen. The more he thought about he hearts energy the angrier he became. He slammed his fist on a button and the weapon on top of the ship started charging. Kahn waited a few seconds and seconds before the weapon fired he slammed onto another button that caused the weapon to stop.

'Damn it. I can't have them coming to bother me now' Kahn said as he walked away from the screen and stood near Ichigo. 'Wait a little longer. I will get all of you and then you'll be truly complete' Kahn said looking at Ichigo.

Ichigo too a deep breath in her unconscious state and relaxed again. She was not dreaming, but in her mind she kept hearing "Masha?" and a flash of a pink fluffy ball.

000

'Anything?!' Ryou asked as Kisshu and Taruto teleported into the café. Both shook their heads and looked down. Ryou sighed and went back to work.

It was getting dark outside. They had to stop the search for now. Masha kept flying circles in the café not being able to sit or float still.

Lettuce and Aoyama walked in and nodded immediately when Ryou looked at them.

One hour later Pudding and Mint walked in. Mint sat down immediately and Pudding told them they didn't find anything. Mint sighed and layed down her head. Pudding sat next to Taruto and sighed. Everyone as tired and worried and losing confidents.

'Lets get some rest. We'll try again tomorrow' Ryou said. Everyone didn't like the idea, but knew they had to rest.

They all went to sleep except for Mint. She stayed up and thought hard about everything that had happened. She remembered when they found Ichigo hurt from her first encounter with the plant-creature and when they fought the second time. How badly hurt Ichigo was and when she changed. Mint closed her eyes for a moment and opened them again. She thought about how much Ichigo had changed and remembered when she attacked Lettuce. Mint kept remembering everything that happened and a few tears slipped down her face. She was afraid to lose her best friend.

Slowly Mint felt a sleep and rested her head on the table. She couldn't fight the sleep anymore and slipped into a deep sleep.

000

Where am I? Mint wondered as she opened her eyes. She looked around and noticed the café. She stood up and walked to an open window. She looked outside and saw it was dark outside.

Suddenly a pair of yellow eyes appeared in front of her and jumped straight for her. Mint yelled and ducked. The cat landed on the table that stood near the window and jumped on the ground.

Mint stood up again and looked at the cat. It said down facing the table. Mint took a step forward when a sudden weight on her head made her look up. Another cat sat on her head. It jumped down on the table as well and sat down next to the other cat on the ground.

Mint looked confused. Seconds later more cats jumped inside and all sat down in a circle around the table. Mint focused her eyes in the table and noticed Ichigo's pendant. She noticed a faint pink light in it. It was slowly diminishing.

She felt fear overwhelm her as she saw the glow becoming fainter. She stepped forward when the cats suddenly started meowing. Mint was so surprised by the sudden sound she fell back on the ground. She looked closely at what was happening and noticed the glow increasing.

Then it hit her. A pink glow in Ichigo's pendant and cats surrounding it and trying to sustain it. She jumped up and reached for the pendant. But instead of taking it her hadn went through it. Mint tried again but it was the same result.

A sudden noise made her jump. She looked to her right and noticed I the middle of the café the Mews with Kisshu and Taruto and herself! She saw Taruto and Pudding sit down and Aoyama as well. The rest went down to the basement. Her other self stood still in the café looking to where the cats were and she was. The other Mint walked over to the table and grabbed the pendant.

Mint watched as Kisshu walked in and her other self put the pendant down again and walked away.

She reached out fort he pendant again expecting to go through it again. To her surprise she felt the pendant, but before she could take it her environment changed.

She stood in the ship's hall and saw Ichigo and the others. She watched as she saw a cat jump at Ichigo who threw the cat against the wall. Mint was about to turn away again when she noticed what the cat had dropped. It was the pendant! Mint ran towards it and tried to grab it, but failed and went through it again. She pulled herself up and felt irritated. She was so close, why couldn't she take it?

She noticed her friends were gone and she was in front of the huge door, but she stood on the inside. She saw Kahn standing in front of the screen and Ichigo on the altar. Before she could move a noise was heard at the door. She turned to see and noticed Kahn standing next to her. He waved the door open and there the cat stood again. Kahn waved his hand once more and the cat vanished. He turned around and walked away.

Mint had noticed that the cat still hold Ichigo's pendant. So if the cat has the pendant, then we have to find the cat! Mint realised.

Again her environment changed and she was standing near the bushes where a cat had jumped at her. She approached the bushes and moved them aside a bit. She saw what looked like a nest of some kind. Two yellow eyes looked straight in hers but they didn't look threatening. They looked kind and sad. Mint noticed a pink glow very faint. She knew immediately what it was. She reached for it when suddenly the cat jumped forwards and clouded her vision. Mint only saw darkness as she fell backwards on the ground and yelled from shock.

000

'Aaaaahh!'

'Mint! What's wrong!?' A voice asked worried. Mint didn't respond. 'Mint!' It yelled again.

'Whaa!' Mint yelled as she woke up in an instant. She looked straight in Keiichiro's eyes. They were looking worried. Mint then noticed the rest of them coming over.

'Mint? Are you alright?' Keiichiro asked worried. Mint looked at him again when she remembered what she had seen in her dream.

Without warning she jumped up and raced to the door.

'I know where it is!!' Mint yelled. The others looked as Mint ran out of the café.

'Huh, What does she mean?' Pudding asked rubbing her eyes. The others thought about it when it hit them.

'THE HEARTS ENERGY!!' They all said simultaneously. All of them ran after her forgetting everything else around them.

000

Kahn was looking at his screen and flipped its image to the café. He watched as he saw a girl with blue hair running out of the café followed by the others seconds later.

'Mint, he? Could she know something I perhaps need?' Kahn asked himself. He decided to pay them a visit. He watched as Mint stormed into the park and stopped near some bushes. He turned around towards Ichigo. He lifted her up from the altar.

'Lets go see if they have what we need' Kahn said smiling evilly before he teleported away with Ichigo.

000

Mint stopped running and looked around her. She was in the park now. She sought desperately for the bush. She heard noises behind her indicating the others had followed her. Mint walked slowly further and noticed the bush. She ran over to it.

The others arrived in the park and caught sight of Mint. She was running towards a bush. They ran towards her. Mint was on her knees trying to push aside the bush. The others looked at her not really understanding what could possibly be here.

A sudden meow indicated what Mint already knew. She reached out and just as in her dream the cat jumped straight at her. Instead of being surprised as in her dream she caught the cat and hold onto it.

The others were surprised as the cat jumped at Mint. Even more surprised they were when Mint caught it. It was as if she knew it would happen.

'Mint, what are you doing?' Ryou asked. Mint didn't respond and looked at the cat's mouth. Indeed it did had it in its mouth.

Before she could grab it more cats jumped out of the bush. They surrounded her and the cat she was holding. Mint was a little surprised by this as it didn't happen n her dream. The cat she was holding released itself from her grasp and jumped down. The other cats stood in front of it. Mint stayed on her knees and looked them straight in the eyes.

'Please, I won't hurt you. I need that pendant. I want to save Ichigo' Mint said. The cats looked at her intense. The others had no idea what was going on until they heard Mint speak.

'Off course! The pendant!' Ryou said. The others realised it too when they saw a pink glow from one of the cats. The cat that was holding Ichigo's pendant.

The cat slowly walked forward and placed the pendant on the ground. The pink glow was getting weaker again. The cats started meowing again and the glow became stronger. Everything became clear to Ryou now.

'They have been keeping Ichigo's energy intact' Ryou said looking at the cats. The others understood.

Mint slowly reached for the pendant. Without any warning she was blown back by a hard, black wind. The others were blown back as well. They looked up and saw Kahn.

'Well, well. This is convenient. You have found it for me. Now I won't have to search for it myself' kahn said.

The girls jumped up and got ready to transform when Kahn blew another hard wind to them causing them to lose their pendants. They were blown back hard against the park fence. Their pendants were blown into the bushes. Kahn walked forward to the cats. The Mews slowly got up and they and the rest now noticed Ichigo laying behind Kahn.

'Ichigo' Pudding said soft and worried. Kahn looked up having heard her. He turned around and waved his hand over Ichigo.

'I almost forgot about you' Kahn said. He turned his attention back to the cats. Behind him Ichigo awoke and stood up. She looked a little confused, but immediately transformed into her dark self.

She blocked the path between the Mews and the cats. Kahn reached for the pendant. All the cats jumped at him ready to strike. A simple wave of his hand threw them all away. Ichigo called forth her shadow bell and aimed it at the Mews.

Aoyama looked hurt at her as did the others. They are so close. They can't give up. The Mews got up again as did the others. Ichigo laughed evilly at them.

'You can't even transform and still want to fight!' Ichigo laughed. Kahn grinned as well as he grabbed Ichigo's pendant from the ground.

The Mews and others looked shocked. Ichigo turned around to face her master. He beckoned her to come to him. Ichigo walked towards him and stood next to him.

'Watch, as I complete this evil being!' kahn yelled while laughing evilly. The Mews and others yelled, but it was to late. Kahn threw the pendant in the air and aimed his hand at it. Seconds later it exploded and the pink energy that was in it was released.

The energy swirled around in the air before it slowly vanished before their eyes. The Mews and others saw it vanish right in front of their eyes.

Ichigo suddenly yelled as if she was in tremendous pain. They all looked at her and saw her grabbing her head. Seconds later she floated in the air surrounded by dark energy. Ichigo's hands hang beside her. They all saw how Ichigo's pink hair become a darker pink and eventually went into a dark grey followed by pitch-black hair.

Ichigo had changed completely. Her hair was now black as was her heart. Kahn laughed evilly as he finally had her completely. Ichigo landed softly on the ground and opened her eyes. She looked at the Mews with an evil stare. The felt as if they were looking in a black hole. Kahn stopped laughing and looked straight at the Mews and friends.

'Now we will kill you, so we can destroy all life on this planet and make it our own' Kahn said cold and evilly. Ichigo grinned at the thought which was visibly seen by the Mews and friends.

The pendant was broken, but so were the Mews.

This was chapter eight. Hope it was good. Please review.

Oh and please vote on my poll on my profile. I need more votes, so I can finish the next chapter. I can end it in two ways and need to know which one to use. So Vote! please!

Thanks and bye bye till the next chapter.