Chapter Fourteen
"You have alien DNA in you, na no da?"
Silence stretched through the Café. The doors were all locked, a 'Closed' sign hanging in the window. All of the Mews gathered in the vast space, Ryou and Akasaka standing to the side. Ichigo nodded at Pudding.
"How did he manage to get the gem in your hand?" Mint inquired. Her tone was suspicious, though Ichigo strived to ignore it.
A deep blush warmed her cheeks, and Ichigo swallowed. She really did hate the humiliation, but she had agreed to be honest with them.
"He distracted me, and while I was preoccupied, he left it in my hand."
"He probably planted a sort of secretion on the gem that acted as a symbiotic substance." Akasaka offered.
Pudding furrowed her brow, "Symbiotic?"
"It's something that can only survive by feeding off of the life source of another creature. Except in this instance, it was only a substance. So, it made it possible for the gem to become a part of her hand. And since it had Kisshu's DNA in it, it also intertwined his race's abilities with her own."
The girls all reacted with wide eyes, some throwing shocked and awed looks toward Ichigo. Zakuro raised a brow, her expression dark with thought.
"Have you acquired all of his abilities, then?"
"I don't think so," Ichigo murmured, "Some of the things he can do I think he's been trained for. I don't even know the extent of it."
Kisshu had only begun to explain things to her when she had lashed-out at him. She wasn't even sure what he'd been trying to teach her. The hurt in his eyes flashed through her mind again. She pushed it away. She wouldn't allow herself to feel guilt or regret. Why would she even care what Kisshu felt?
"I'm glad we've all been able to have this meeting. I'd like to discuss my discoveries over the Chimera you girls captured for me." Akasaka said after a moment.
Ichigo closed her eyes. She didn't want to hear what he found. She already knew what he found. The Mews' DNA in the Chimera's body. The discovery that, though they never could have thought it possible, the aliens had created a lethal weapon. With this it would be no feat to take over Earth.
"I found you in the Chimera, Pudding-san."
There it was. He'd confirmed her fears. Some part of her had still hoped whatever she saw in Kisshu's memories had been a wish, or even a dream.
"What do you mean, na no da? Pudding is right here." The young girl chirped.
"What I mean is that I found your DNA inside of it. The aliens combined your DNA with the Chimera."
The girls were even more deathly quiet then before. They turned to Ichigo, each of them more expectant and accusing than the last. Ichigo swallowed back the urge to act defensive. She hadn't done this. If anyone was to blame, it was Kisshu.
But you are the one that has become chums with him. You're the one who shares a mind-connection with him. If anyone should know this information, it's you. The little voice whispered.
"I didn't know," She choked, "I just found out."
"And you didn't tell us?" Mint snapped.
"I just found out!"
Mint pursed her lips, "I'd think that your priority would be to tell us that we're up against impending doom instead of moping about your mutation! Just because you've become some sort of freak doesn't mean you should forget about us!"
Ichigo clenched her teeth, "I didn't forget about you! I'm here, aren't I?"
"Because we brought you here! If you really cared about your position you wouldn't be out there frolicking with the enemy. Maybe you should rethink being our leader."
"Enough!" Zakuro barked.
Mint fell back, her eyes flashing with anger. She turned then, storming out of the room with a brisk air.
Lettuce averted her eyes, lifting a hand to push her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Zakuro was stiff with intensity. Her eyes had followed Mint's exit, and now they fell on Ichigo. Pudding watched, her eyes wavering with anxiety. It was easy to tell she was torn on what she should be doing. Obviously she didn't want to be angry with Ichigo, though she didn't want to betray Mint, either.
"Whatever you did or didn't know, Ichigo, are irrelevant now. However, it is important that you understand how serious the situation has become. We cannot fight these new creations with the meager power we have. I believe I speak for Mint when I say that she most likely feels weak. This is a hopeless battle we've been presented with, and you were our only means of opportunity until now."
Ichigo's heart sank as Zakuro spoke. She was their only hope?
"We're scared, Ichigo. It's not you." Lettuce said softly.
First Aoyama, and now her friends. This light was a black hole in her life. It was devouring everything. Her whole life was being consumed by Kisshu's.
"You're scared of me." She whispered.
Lettuce's eyes slipped shut as she looked away, and Zakuro remained silent.
"I constructed the communication devices that Zakuro asked for. Here is yours."
Akasaka pulled out a little box from his pocket, tossing it to her. Ichigo caught it between her palms, ignoring the wave of anxiety that swept through her as she saw a glimpse of dim light.
"You should take a break, Ichigo." Ryou said in a clipped tone.
"Am I being kicked-out?" She nearly croaked.
Akasaka's eyes grew incredibly soft. He shook his head slowly.
"No, of course not. We just…the girls need time to cool off and think. I'll go back to my research and see if I can find anything else helpful."
Ichigo nodded quietly, though her chest was tight. She felt as though something were closing-off her throat. She swallowed, trying to dislodge the emotional lump.
"Okay."
She turned slowly, catching Zakuro's eyes as she did. The girl's expression remained stoic, and Ichigo stepped toward the doors. Her feet felt like lead the further she drew away from them. She could hear Pudding's broken voice behind her as her hand touched the smooth wood.
"Pudding doesn't need to cool-off, Ichigo-chan! Pudding loves you! Don't leave!"
She started to sob, and Ichigo squeezed her eyes closed.
"I'll be back, Pudding. I will."
It had grown dark quickly, a chilling air having swept through Tokyo. She wasn't used to walking at this type of day. Her parents had most likely already left for their friends' house to have dinner. They were so naïve, trusting her so willingly when they knew nothing of the life she led. What would they say if they knew she was a Mew? How would they feel if they knew most of her time was spent fighting off an impending invasion?
Masha was silent, and it brought an empty feeling to her. He was perhaps the last loyal friend she had, and he was only a creation. Ichigo stared at the tiny, pink ball of fluff. It was sad to think that this was all she had left – this small symbol of her affection for Aoyama and her job as a Mew. That was all Masha was, though, right? He symbolized her love for Aoyama, hence his name resembling Masaya, and he existed for the Mews.
He had fallen silent, not coming to life since the battle. Just like her loss of the girls' trust, and her recent lapse in her relationship with Aoyama. Where had it all gone?
The one solid rock in her life besides those two things had been Kisshu. She could always trust that the green-haired alien would never falter in his love for her. How selfish she had been in believing such a thing! She had been stubbornly clutching onto that reality, believing that no matter what happened to her or what she did to him, he'd always come back like a loyal little puppy. She had been cruel to believe that.
She had put him through so much, constantly denying him any inch of affection. And yet, even though she had made such extreme efforts, he had managed to squeeze his way through, anyway.
He was the only boy who made your heart beat fast and slow all at once. The voice spoke softly.
Ichigo closed her eyes, "Only because I feared him."
Yes, you did fear him, Ichigo. You feared the way he made you feel. You feared losing your love for Aoyama.
Ichigo stopped, lifting a hand to lace through her hair. She could feel the tears welling-up. She didn't have to hold a reputation here in the dark. There was no one to watch her tears fall here in this half-lit street void of life.
"It isn't easy!"
No! It's not easy! But you know what? It's not meant to be! The moment that cat jumped inside you, you lost the pleasure of 'easy', Ichigo. You were right to be scared of Kisshu. But if you think Aoyama is the right choice just because he's the easier road, then you're dead wrong. You were chosen as the leader of the Mews for a reason. Easy was never an option from the start.
"I feel safe with Aoyama."
Do you love him?
Tears slid down her cheeks, leaving hot, wet trails in their wake. Ichigo forced herself to move. She had to walk, to shed this weight of guilt and confusion that burdened her. The streetlight above her sputtered before it exploded in sparks. They rained down around her, and as Ichigo's eyes moved to her palm, she felt her heart slow. The light was gone, extinguished into darkness.
She stood there for eternity, her eyes unable to waver from the empty, dark space on her palm. It was simply nonexistent, almost as though it were a forgotten dream.
"What happened?"
Silence answered her. The voice had disappeared with the light, and she was left alone. She was a shadow on the dark sidewalk, an outcast of humanity, the Mews, and the aliens.
A slow ache thrummed in her hand after a moment, growing stronger with each passing second. Ichigo stared at it expectantly, waiting for the light to illuminate the darkness around her. It remained dark, and abruptly a red, exquisite pain flared in her palm. It heightened, branching out into her arm. The girl let out a choked sob, balling her hand into a fist to try to lessen the sudden pain. It only grew, feeding off of itself before it rose to a crescendo. Anguish snuffed out all of her senses, washing through her body until there was not an inch spared.
Her limbs were rendered useless, a numb euphoria falling over them. Ichigo fell. Her knees contacted the concrete all at once, and it was as though she had lost control of her body. Each wave of pain rose, crashing down over the last with renewed strength. It lifted her up before tossing her into a new level of torture. She was falling, deeper than she had ever been before.
The last thing she was aware of as her body tilted to the side was the black edges of her vision. Her cheek rested against the pavement, and then there was a sickening crack. A twisting of her insides as her body began to change.
A fresh breeze caressed his face. Kisshu normally would've smiled at the feeling. The simple things didn't feel good anymore, though. He leaned back on his hands, letting his eyes slip shut. The air was clean, an incredible contrast to the conditions on his own planet. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt a clean gust of air. Surely it was back when he was a child, if not smaller.
Tokyo. That's what the humans called it. It was beautiful, and so feverishly full of potential. They had no idea just how monstrous they were to their own environment, though the signs were all around them. They were foolish creatures. Every day they trampled over the Earth, oblivious to the chaos they brought down upon the life around them. They were selfish beings, existing solely to please themselves. He would have killed to have this glorious land on his own planet, and he would have succeeded, too.
Then the Mews appeared. Those infuriating females ruined him with their cute little outfits and their determination. She ruined him. She was everything he wanted to destroy in the human race, and everything he loved that they possessed. She fought to defend a ridiculous cause. She protected the murderers of her planet.
The end justified the means, even if it meant eliminating all of the vermin. Why couldn't she see that? But the death of Earth was irrelevant to their mission. They were there for the Mew Aqua, not to destroy Earth. Why couldn't the Mews just hand it over and help them heal their home? Were humans just that selfish? From what he'd observed, yes, they were.
He had come for the Mew Aqua and nothing else. And yet he'd found her. An enemy? Yes, she was meant to be. But, by the gods, she was so much more! He wanted all of her. He wanted to devour her innocence, to take her apart piece by piece and claim it all. She was a delicious little creature, placed in front of him as a temptation he couldn't refuse.
Ichigo.
Her name hurt, even to think about it. She hadn't given him hope for one moment, so why had he so obstinately continued to pursue her? He wanted her. It was as simple as that. He wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted, no matter how badly it hurt him. He was a glutton for pain, and Ichigo was willing to dish it out to him regularly. Even angels were cruel.
In all honesty, he wasn't sure who was to blame. He knew from the start that winning her love was a hopeless attempt, and yet he'd tried anyway. So, it wasn't her fault if she was constantly unkind to him, was it?
But if that Aoyama had never existed…
Yes, he could feel a warm, fresh amount of anger flush through him. It was that stupid human's fault for always clinging onto her. Her heart had no room for him whenever it was being guarded by a snarling, greedy little human boy. He ached to kill the fool. He'd do it with his own hands if it brought the right satisfaction.
"He's human!"
Kisshu flinched at the memory, the anger sapping away as his previous depression returned. He lifted his hand, and without even thinking about it, it drifted to his ear. He ran his fingertips along to length of it thoughtfully, a deep sadness spreading through him.
This…this alien feature was one of the things that condemned him. If he could only shed his blood, his name, and his body, then Ichigo would accept him. All that would be left would be his soul, and there his love. He loved her with his soul, and not his inheritance.
He tensed, concentrating his thoughts on one sole thing. In obedience his ear began to shift against his hand, shortening and rounding into soft cartilage. As he opened his eyes, he felt his heart sink. His hearing had decreased in that ear almost immediately.
Ichigo wanted this, though. So, wouldn't that be more precious than his senses? He would be blind if it meant he could feel her willing body against his.
He repeated the process with the other ear, and as his hearing fell dramatically, his sense of smell and sight appeared to heighten as to make up for the loss.
Kisshu paused, a sudden snap in his head causing his heart to quicken. He had closed-off his thoughts from the Bond, having mastered the technique. He was faster at learning such things than Ichigo was. Yet, he could feel the utter void that replaced it. The Bond had disappeared, and dread filled his chest.
Golden eyes flashed as the alien evaporated, reappearing at the Café. No, Ichigo couldn't be dead. Something inside of him was beginning to break as he surveyed the entire area below him. The Café was dark and empty, a Closed sign hanging outside the door. Kisshu turned, propelling himself along the path she normally took toward her home.
A few blocks away from her house was a row of streetlights. A single one was out, small sparks sputtering out of it every few minutes. His eyes fell on a quiet, huddled form under it, unmoving no matter how long he watched. He dropped until his feet touched the ground, and then he ran. Kisshu stopped, kneeling beside the girl. His movements were exaggeratingly gentle as he leaned down and lifted her into his arms.
"Ichigo?" He whispered.
She remained silent, and he lifted a hand to brush her bangs out of her face as he'd done so many times while he was in her room.
"Ah, shit! C'mon, Kitten," He rested his forehead against her own, "Don't be dead. I didn't mean anything I might have said."
Her skin was just as he remembered it. It was smooth and soft against his, only serving to remind him of just how fragile she was. Her head fit in the fold of his arm, soft maroon hair spilling over it. He found her hand, lacing his fingers through hers as he held it against his face.
"I love you, Strawberry. I'll be a human for you, I swear."
It was then that he felt something warm and faint against his cheek. He pulled her hand away to look at it, only to see a faint blue emit from the palm. He lowered his head, pressing his human ear against her chest. A beautiful, clear beat filled his hearing.
Hey, everyone! I hope nobody is disappointed with this! No, Ichigo didn't die. Kisshu just freaked-out because there was a lapse in the connection. XD
I uploaded early because I'm going to be gone on a trip for a week or so and I just wanted to post something for you to enjoy in my absence. Thanks for the loyalty! I love each and every review I get, and I implore that you don't stop. ^^ I promise I don't get tired of them. They help me so much!kk
Again, thank you! If there are any questions, don't feel shy to PM me! :D
Whitewolfffy~