TOMORROW'S SOLACE
-- Ch. 09; Act 01 - Resonance. (version. Ryou)
I could feel it.
It was calling me.
I had to search for it.
It must have been after midnight. The others were fast asleep by now, and when I opened my eyes I could see that the campfire had died down considerably. Pulling myself to my feet, I hauled another log over to the fire and rolled it in. Sparks flew up like startled fireflies, and by adding some more dried twigs and leaves to the mix, the campfire burned brightly once again. We definitely didn't need the heat, but I figured it'd keep large predators away. Looking around, there seemed to be no immediate threat. But it was still out there.
Beckoning.
Urging my feet forward.
Going against my better judgment, I slung a canteen of water over my shoulder, hoisted up a pack of tools and a flashlight, and set off after it, reminding myself briefly of how I had snuck outside with a telescope to see the stars better when I was little. What was this feeling? Could it be the Mew Ore? It was possible, I supposed. I did possess the DNA of a Red Data Animal. Ichigo and the others had been attracted to Mew Aqua by their strong feelings. Maybe I could react to Mew Ore in the same way? But why hadn't anyone else reacted to it? I was the only person awake It was also true that the Mew Aqua had never reacted to me at all, so I was having my doubts. Of course, I knew that going off alone was dangerous, but I had every intention of turning back when (and if) things got tough. Besides, I had a communications device with me. If there was trouble, I could call for help. Simple.
I never turned back towards camp that night.
It was just me. Alone with myself.
I had probably walked along for a couple of miles when the tugging began to vanish. I stopped where I was, glancing around for anything that looked remotely unique in the landscape that always looked the same. There was nothing new.
Sighing, I settled down on the ground. What had I been thinking of when I had first felt it? Maybe if I rekindled those feelings, the signal would also grow in strength. Hadn't I been dreaming?
Shutting my eyes briefly, I tried meditating. There were only two things I could think of that it could be: my childhood or Ichigo Momomiya. I tried to bring up a picture of the redhead's face in my mind which proved easy enough. Her eyes were large and bright with anger, her brows furrowed, her lips set in her characteristic pout. She was so, so...
Snapping out of it, I realized that the feeling had not returned. Thinking of Ichigo was not having any effect.
"It would have to be something more complicated..." I muttered to myself, wiping my bangs out of my face. The humidity had plastered them to my skin.
Next I conjured up an image of myself. I was six years old then, perched in the fork of a maple tree in our expansive yard, eating a shiny red apple and keeping my eyes on the opening in the hedge to watch for Papa's car coming down the driveway.
He was already late. I knew this perfectly well, even for being little more than an energetic weed.
"Ryou!" It was my mother's voice. Glancing down, I saw the familiar blond woman looking up at me in turn, her bright blue eyes shimmering, perhaps with some sort of maternal delight at finding her child doing something as adventurous as climbing trees.
"Yeah, what is it?" I asked.
"Shouldn't you be taking a nap about now?" she inquired back, smiling.
"Mama, I'm six! I'm too old for naps!" I protested.
"That wasn't the case when I was six," she replied. She laughed airily.
"W-well... Keiichiro's coming back with Papa soon, so... I thought I might look for them."
"Because you had nothing better to do, eh? Like taking a nap?" she ventured, her smile spreading slightly. As kind as she was, like my father, she still had a childish spark in her. She could be both stubborn and sneaky. Not only did it make them the worst possible people for me to have as enemies, it also meant I could talk to them about anything, and somehow they would understand. Because of this, I considered them my most favorite people instead.
"Yeah, exactly! Gee yer smart!" I laughed weakly. I was... I was busted.
She made the motion. The silent finger fishing reel. It meant: Get down now and I won't scold you. Honestly, she never did, because I always caved in the end.
I jumped down, landing beside her with my feet together.
"Let's wait for them together," she offered, running her thin fingers through my hair.
"Okay!" At that moment, a car turned down the driveway--
At that moment, a sharp ringing sounded in my ears. I groaned and gripped my head. The signal had returned full force, this time painfully strong. I rose carefully to my feet, feeling disoriented. Not far ahead, I noticed a flash of light. This resonance had to be it. It had to be the Mew Ore.
I followed it.
-- Ch. 09; Act 02 - Awakening the troops. (version. Max)
"Ryou's missing!" I shouted, finally managing to urge the blue "ojousama" Mew Mew awake.
"So? Maybe he went for a walk. You know how he is," Minto yawned daintily, rising to a sitting position and stretching impressively.
"Suppose he's in trouble?" I countered.
Minto must have noted the look of concern on my face, "My, you worry about him like a clingy girlfriend. Are you sure you're not in love with him, Max-san?"
"Wh-what?! In love w--? No, of course not. Ryou's just a boy, and besides, I have a wife, Minto-chan," I stuttered, embarassed by the very idea.
"Just checking," she said as she jabbed Ichigo (whom my earlier attempts had failed on) in the stomach, "Wake up, sleeping beauty. We have a boss to go rescue."
"Nya!" Ichigo shrieked, leaping to her feet, "Ow-nya! That hurt, Minto!"
"Max-san, what's going on?" Ichigo's screams had already alerted the others who were gathering around us.
I sighed in exasperation, "Ryou's missing. He could be in danger."
"Why do you think that? Shirogane's pretty capable of taking care of himself," Zakuro reasoned.
"I just have this feeling..." I tried to explain. I had no proof that he was in danger. I also had no proof that he had ventured further than a few yards away. Still, something made me feel agitated, so that I was nearly certain he hadn't simply stepped outside of camp momentarily.
"He may have a point," Pai spoke up, floating down to land near us, "I just got a level four Mew Ore reading, and it's very close."
"There's not a moment to lose," Retasu said, "If Shirogane-san went to look for it alone, then he might get attacked."
"Honestly, I thought he was smarter than that," said Minto, already gathering a few essentials together for the trip which she shoved at a half-awake Ichigo for her to pack into a bag.
I had to admit I was even more worried now. Surely Ryou realized the dangers of wandering around in this land by himself, but with the presense of the Mew Ore, a whole new level of dangers could find their way to him. If he died, my plan was ruined.
"Kisshu, Pai," I acknowledged them, scratching my chin, "Can you teleport us to the location of the reaction? I'm worried about wandering too far in the dark. We could easily fall into a sink hole."
The green alien grinned, "Leave it to us. This should be a piece of cake."
"I'll contact Akasaka-san via Masha. He should probably know about this, don't you think?" It was Aoyama speaking.
"Yes, please do. There's not a moment to lose."
-- Ch. 09; Act 03 - Falling. (version. Ryou)
"It's got to be around here somewhere!" I told myself, glancing around. My steps were slowing, the sound in my head and the tugging in my body were so overwhelming, "But where...?"
Just walking was growing difficult. Was it possible to suffocate from a sound ringing in your ears?
"Ugh. Da--!" My curses were interrupted as the ground beneath me gave way. It was like being sucked into a vaccuum; around me everything went black and the breath was knocked out of me. I don't know how long I fell, but contact with the ground brought me back again. Dust fluttered around me, making me sneeze repeatedly for a few moments. In its defense, the silt-like earth I had landed on had cushioned my fall, even if I was now halfway buried in it. Opening my eyes, I was surprised to find that I could actually see. Around me blue lights glowed in scones on the walls, illuminating what looked like a foreign corridor.
Is this the alien ruins...? Amazed that I could still move, I groped for a hold in the wall and yanked myself up again.
Remembering my pack with my communications device, I dug around in the dust for it, but produced nothing. I supposed the only thing I could do now was to continue forward and search for either the Mew Ore or the way out.
The ruins were literally a labyrinth. Passageway after passageway led me backwards, forwards, and inevitably to dead ins, that is, until the feeling again died altogether.
This was getting incredibly frustrating. Not only was I alone and tired, but it looked as if I could be wandering around for days without anything but a single canteen of water, rope, and a miniature tool set.
As I rounded another bend in the path, it became clear. The resonance had stopped simply because I no longer needed to be called. Carved into the middle of the chamber was a stone pedestal etched with depictions of creatures I had never seen in my life. Drawing closer, I discovered that the detailed animal carvings must be of early Chimera Anima. Sitting in the cavity dug into the pedestal was a large blood red rock.
"Is that it?" my voice was hoarse from the dust, but now was hardly the time to stop for a drink of water. I moved closer to the artifact. The crystal looked polished, carved neatly into perfectly flat sides to give it an artificial appearance. It was not natural, it had been molded by the hands of a craftsman.
How heavy was it? Briefly my mind wandered back to the tales of Aladdin and I began to think perhaps lifting it was going to set off some kind of a trap. I should wait for the others to come for me... But if they didn't, the aliens could find me first and I'd be no match for them. It was best to take the Mew Ore with me, maybe then I could at least fool them into believing I had not yet discovered its wherabouts.
Gritting my teeth, I placed first my right hand on the stone. When there was no reaction, I placed my left hand on it and attempted to lift the item from the pedestal.
It wasn't terribly heavy, but in about twenty seconds the terrifying realization set in. If I could tap into its power, I could have anything I wanted. Well, not anything... but something reasonable. My curiosity was piqued. Just how much power had the aliens stored in this rock? Looking down at it, it seemed as though the crystal was growing warmer in my hold.
It might even be able to...
But that would require an equal sacrifice.
A sacrifice?
But if I disappeared, what would they...? What would any of them...?
Yet, what I really want is...
In my hands the Mew Ore flashed brightly, suddenly alighting with a fire that would not be controlled. The force erupting from the stone stung down to the very bone.
It hurts! Please stop already!
But I want... I want to see them!
-- Ch. 09; Act 04 - How to save a life. (version. Max)
"Up there! He's up there!" Ichigo shouted, pointing the way. Rushing down an ancient alien stairway, Kisshu and Pai had done their jobs well. Within moments we had found the boy who had gone missing.
"It looks like he's all right," Aoyama confirmed.
"Good thing, too," Minto added.
Zakuro was out of breath as she spoke, "Minto, enough. Let's just hurry out of here before something happens."
But something already had. Whatever the teenager was holding suddenly erupted in his hands. The girls' screams echoed through the hallway as, seconds later, an awful ringing noise drowned everything else out.
"Shirogane-san!" Retasu shrieked in horror.
"Ryou!" Minto cried.
"We have to help him!" Ichigo ordered, bounding ahead of the group.
Noting his girlfriend's actions, Aoyama was the first to follow suit, "Ichigo, be careful!"
"I know!"
"Stop! The ceiling is collapsing! If we remain in here, our chance of survival is close to one percent!" Pai's warning invaded my hearing. It must have been the noise. I had heard tales before where a certain frequency could cause an entire cable bridge to vibrate and then collapse as if it were nothing but a child's plaything.
"Wait a minute Ichigo!" Kisshu yelled, racing after them.
"Minto-chan, Zakuro-san! Can you do anything about the ceiling if you transform?" I shouted to them urgently.
"I really don't know about that one!" Minto shouted back.
"I have my doubts as well, but we have to try!" Zakuro's strong gaze fell on her companion.
"Okay, Oneesama!"
"Mew Mew Mint!"
"Mew Mew Zakuro!"
The two of them began to glow. Pai was giving instructions to Kisshu to hurry and drag the other two back in case the whole area were to fall. I wondered fleetingly if they could teleport us quickly enough. On the otherhand, Ryou was...
"METAMORPHOSIS!"
I hurried after the other alien. When we reached him, Ryou was leaning awkwardly over a pedestal, his arms wrapped loosely around the shivering stone causing so much destruction. It must be the Mew Ore.
"Shirogane!" Aoyama reached him first, tugging him up into an awkward standing position and dragging him a few paces from the Mew Ore, the blond's shoes scuffing against the floor as he did. "Shirogane, can you hear us? Please respond!"
His limbs were slack, just tight enough to keep him standing without falling over again. His posture was terrible and didn't seem capable of holding him.
"Ryou!" A vain attempt to rouse him from his current state of shock.
The boy's eyes held a dead look, his face completely devoid of any comprehension or emotion. Save maybe one... despair. He didn't respond even as I shook his shoulders.
"Ryou!" I tried again desperately.
"Shirogane!" Ichigo squeezed in beside me and shook him roughly, "Shirogane! Snap out of it! What are we going to do? We need your help! The ceiling is collapsing!"
"Ichigo-san, please stop!" Retasu begged from a short distance. She was already transformed as well and was helping Minto and Zakuro with the crumbling ceiling, holding what appeared to be a pair of castanets in her hands. Her face was puffy with worried tears.
"No!" Ichigo shouted. Her face twisted in frustration and sudden resolve as she struck Ryou's cheek with her palm. The smack broke through the sound of the crystal. As for Ryou, his head lurched to the side and I saw his face contort into a pained wince. Some color had returned to his face and his eyes focused up on Ichigo's face.
"Shirogane! What do we do?! What happened?! We need to get out of here!" she demanded, biting her lip nervously as she realized the series of reactions that could follow.
Ryou blinked at her, then shifted his gaze behind us at the aliens and the other girls. For the first time since I met him that night in the spring, he looked absolutely helpless and out of place. He gave her no answer, simply shut his eyes.
"Shirogane!" Ichigo shouted, hesitating. I could see that she was contemplating smacking him once more.
"Ichigo-chan, you should probably hurry up and transform. I'm sure the girls need as much help as they can get!"
The redhead turned her attention to me and gave me a funny look.
"ICHIGO, LOOK OUT!" Aoyama shouted.
The catgirl's eyes snapped wide open. Above her a large chunk of the ceiling had broken loose and was dropping down right above her. There was no time to react.
The green alien let out a low gasp, "ICHIGO! GET OUT OF THERE! NOW!"
That's when Ryou finally snapped, fear spreading across his pale face, "ICHIGO!"
Knowing there was nothing I could do myself, I lunged out of the way to avoid the debris, turning my eyes in horrow and sudden dread to see what had occurred behind me.
A warm blue aura had enveloped the girl. Beside her a blond head rested on her shoulder, a pair of arms wrapped around her tightly. The hilt of a sword gleamed from his back.
"Is that...? The Blue Knight? But how did he...?" Kisshu murmured in a quiet voice.
"Who is...?" I was about to ask when I was interrupted by Ryou.
"It's... it's Aoyama's other form," Ryou answered, his eyes were downcast and he was staring at the blood red crystal on the floor, now quieted and unresponsive like he himself had been moments before. The room was silent save for a few small rocks and dust that were clattering to the floor. The others had done a good job of keeping as much intact as possible.
"We should leave quickly, the ceiling may have sustained this much, but there is likely damage that is invisible to us. It could still collapse completely," Pai instructed.
"Should we take the Mew Ore with us?" I asked.
"We can't just leave it here," Ryou replied. He nodded his head at Aoyama. The two seemed to understand.
-- Ch. 09; Act 05 - Faceoff. (version. Ryou)
"Everyone, hold onto your hats!" Kisshu warned teasingly as he prepared to teleport us off.
"As if any of us were wearing hats," Minto rolled her eyes disapprovingly at Kisshu's joke.
Zakuro sighed next to her, "Minto, now is not the time for complaints."
"Yes, Zakuro-oneesama."
What had just happened?
Aoyama had received the powers of the Blue Knight once more when he handled the Mew Ore, so why? Why was I simply left empty-handed?
We were teleported outside where the air was once again dry and warm.
"Well, thank you, but I'd like to go back to sleep now," Minto sighed, "This vacation has proved a bit too adventurous for my tastes."
"I do apologize, Miss. If you'd like, we'll escort you back home."
Lifting my head, I noticed a ranger leaning against a patrol car and a number of men standing before us in uniform. The car's motor was turned off, so that the lights weren't flashing. What was going on? Was this? My eyes flicked to Max who looked less surprised than the others.
"Why hello there, Maxie-boy. We thought we'd give you a hand with these young people. The higher-ups have been real worried about ya."
"I appreciate your concern, but I have everything under control here, Officer Oshiro. If you'd be so kind as to tell Seto-san that things are progressing according to plan, that would be quite lovely," Max spoke up, his grin too bold for my liking. A bitter taste had crept into my mouth.
Plan? What plan? My suspicions were on the rise. Had he planned this? Something about this picture was all wrong. Was this what he was waiting for?
"Yes, you'd like that wouldn't you?" the another of the uniformed men responded goodnaturedly before reaching into his holster and pulling out a pistol.
"Easy there, Kusanagi!" Officer Oshiro warned.
"Don't move, Max Bancroft. In addition to bringing the super girls back with us, we've also been ordered to arrest you," Kusanagi ordered, his tone vicious.
Max looked a bit startled, but his voice remained calm, laced with amusement, "Oh? On account of what charges, may I ask?"
"Cute. Not only have you lied about who you are, you've been reporting back with significantly flawed information and have accessed our databases without permission. I also hear ya owe some folks quite a bit of money."
"I lied you say?" Max questioned, but he was smiling all the while, "That can't be right."
"You lied about there being no aliens!" one of the lesser officers shouted, "Who are those guys with you then? Certainly not Keebler elves! And don't give us any 'Halloween' crap!"
"There's no 'Max Bancroft' listed anywhere as a Japanese citizen!" Officer Oshiro shouted after his subordinate was finished.
Max laughed, "Who said I was a Japanese citizen? Perhaps I was born in another country. America, perhaps... or Mexico. You have to admit the Latin scenery is quite remarkable. I wouldn't mind living here."
Kusanagi growled, raising his pistol higher and straightening his arm in a threatening gesture. The others followed his lead and began pacing towards us. Oshiro glanced over at me and the girls, but none of us made a move to stop them.
"Who are you really working for, Max?" Oshiro demanded, "What do you want?"
Max just kept smiling.
"Yeah, Max," I added sarcastically, my mood already shot, "Do share. We're all dying to know."
Max laughed again slightly, "Ryou-kun, I already explained this to you. I'm working for myself. People being helped and hurt by my actions are simply the natural consequences one would expect, am I right?"
I scoffed, "It's all about you, isn't it? Don't you care about anyone other than yourself?"
Max frowned, "Do you?"
What kind of question was that?
"Of course I do!" I shouted, "Otherwise why would I be doing what I do? Do you think I want to stare at a computer screen all day or that I want to put teenage girls in danger for the fun of it?"
"And here I thought he enjoyed locking himself in the basement with his beloved machines..." Minto put in.
Max ignored Minto's addition. He looked somewhat thoughtful, but his response to my earlier question was as cryptic as ever, "I won't deny that my actions are selfish. However, I believe that these selfish actions of mine will benefit not only myself, but a small handful of people."
"That's it?" I muttered in annoyance, "That's all you have to say for yourself?"
"I believe that actions speak louder than words, Ryou-kun. However, I also believe that it's best not to rush things."
"All right, enough of the heart-to-heart chatter! Cuff him!" Oshiro ordered. Two of his men started forward, both with pistols raised.
"Shirogane," Zakuro kept her voice a low murmur as she leaned close to me, "What should we do? I think we could overpower them, but, I'm worried about the firearms. One wrong move and..."
"I know," I whispered, staring at the ground. Was it better to get caught now and escape later, to just go along with the government, or to run? If only Keiichiro were here. I realized that I relied on him a great deal more than I made it seem.
For one never short on smart remarks and proverbs, Max put up little fight and was quickly overpowered.
Behind. I mouthed it to Pai. The rest of the group was inching towards the girls, but this wasn't going over so well. Aoyama still stood infront of Ichigo, an impenetrable shield if his track record was any indication. Kisshu had summoned his swords already.
"Ryou Shirogane, don't give us any problems and come easily."
"I don't intend to give you any problems," I responded calmly.
"That's good to know." Before Oshiro could act, Pai had whapped him across the back of the head with his fan and he fell.
"Ribbon Za-Cross Pure!" The lone wolf lashed out at two of the men, successfully tripping them with her whip.
"Take this! Nyawr!" Ichigo leapt forward.
-- Ch. 09; Act 06 - A Choice. (version. Ichigo)
I leapt at one of the remaining officers. To be honest I was scared. Shirogane had given the order, but what were we even doing? Was he crazy? But there was no time for me to think about that.
Just then a gunshot broke through my consciousness. Fear streaked through me and I whipped around to see what had happened.
I couldn't even see what was happening until it was over. Kusanagi, who was holding Max swayed, his hand, still clutching the pistol, fell to his side. He dropped like a sack of potatoes, leaving Max to stumble forward from the release of pressure around his shoulders. Where Kusanagi had been stood Shirogane, one arm held horizontally to the ground and taut. Apparently he had struck the man in the back of the neck. His eyes were still dark.
The blond straightened then kneeled and pulled the firearm from the unconscious man's grasp. Pointing it at the sky, Shirogane spun the revolver loose and emptied the bullets into his left hand. He tossed the gun back to the ground and chucked the now useless shells into the river.
Max looked at a loss. He turned to me with uncertain eyes.
"Um... Shirogane?" I called nervously.
Shirogane was silent, his back to us.
"Uh... we..." I exchanged glances with the others, but nobody seemed willing to speak a single word.
"Let's get back to camp," he stated slowly, "And don't think for a moment that I saved you because I wanted to, Max. I did it because Keiichiro would have wanted me to."
Shirogane shoved his hands in his pockets and set off with determined steps in the direction of camp.
Max started after him, seeming a bit disoriented as he loped after him, "R-ryou, I..."
The man infront of him just shook his head, the moon making his hair appear more silver than yellow, and it shone. Nobody could talk to him. Somehow I knew that, even though Shirogane held back so much about his person. On purpose, I knew.
Zakuro-san was resting her hand on my shoulder, "Let's follow them. We might not be able to find our way back otherwise. Shirogane... needs some time to himself."
I nodded softly, "You're probably right about that."
"Ah, so much drama..." Minto sighed.
"Should we really leave Shirogane-san alone right now?" Retasu questioned, coming up beside me.
"He seems like the type who heals alone, but if he wants to talk about it, I'm sure he'll seek someone out," Masaya added.
"Max-san is with him," Retasu pointed out weakly.
"True," Minto admitted, "And Ryou will probably take the opportunity to finish him off himself."
"I don't really think Shirogane would kill anyone," I said.
"Of course not," the wolf added, ushering us to hurry up before the police officers and the ranger regained consciousness, "It's not so hard to understand why Aoyama could use the Mew Ore and Shirogane could not. Nor is it surprising that Shirogane is upset by it."
"What do you mean, Zakuro-san?" asked Retasu.
Zakuro-san sighed, for a moment I thought I saw a flicker of regret on her features, but it soon disappeared. What she said, however, I could tell was spoken from experience, "You can't revive the dead when they're already at peace."