Yes, I'm still alive. This story is still alive. Kish is still dead. It's sad, I know. I'm sorry!!! I've been busy with new things I discovered, and school. …darn school. I also started about four other fics that I've been working on instead. I plan on publishing them soon. Look for "IWOSISAO" coming sometime soon, and "The Book of Evil" as soon as I get permission. (They're both TMM fics). I also started work on the sequel to this story! I know it's not wise to start writing a sequel when you're not done writing the first yet, but I couldn't help it… Anyway, hopefully the next update won't take too long, since the next chapter is the last… (sniff).
This chapter has a few little things thrown in, like "elves and Mercurians" thing. I thought it would be interesting to include that. Also, there's another random thing with Tart I suddenly came up with… Another thing…is it discrimination to add references to Heaven and angels? I'm not a really religious person, but I put that in, because it just seems natural to me. Sorry if it's a little narrow-minded… On with the chapter! After all this time, you don't want to listen to my jibber-jabber, do you?! So, here's the story!!!
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Chapter 12: Paranormal Rematch
Pudding blinked her large yellowish eyes. Ichigo, Mint, Lettuce, and Zakuro were staring down at her.
"Do you feel okay, Pudding?" Lettuce kindly asked. "Would you like some medicine? Something to eat? A glass of water?"
"Where's Tart?" were the first two words out of Pudding's mouth.
"He's in another tent with Flan and Pie," Ichigo answered. "You don't need anything?"
"No, I'm fine," Pudding at last answered. She looked down at her feet. She was still in her Mew Mew form, clutching her baton, which had returned to its normal size and shape. "I think…I think I did what Peachy did," she at last told them. "When they were fighting that thing from Jupiter. I combined my power with Tart's. The baton was bigger and pointier."
"Really?" Mint asked, her eyes widening a bit. "They got them on tape, you know. They probably know that she's a Mew Mew now."
"Let's not worry about that," Ichigo said. "For now…we need to know what happened to you in that room."
Pudding took a deep breath. "Well, there was nothing but a vase thing on a column, and an old door that was blocked off. Tart was inspecting the vase thing, and I kept telling him not to touch it, but he was being stubborn. Well, at last he opened it, but there was nothing in it, so he put it back. That's when the ceiling started collapsing. Tart tried to fly me out, but there was an invisible shield blocking the hole. Then I did that thing Peachy did, and we escaped."
"An invisible shield?" Ichigo asked. "It sounds suspicious. Are you sure there was nothing in that jar?"
Pudding nodded. "Positive. Tart even tipped it upside down and shook it."
Ichigo took a deep breath. "Well, something happened when you were down there. I don't know what it was, but…I felt strange just before you two came out. Kind of like…something…somebody else was there with us."
Pudding nodded. "Yeah, I felt that too just before Tart opened that jar thing."
Mint shook her head. "You're creeping me out. Why don't we move on to a more lighter subject?" Lettuce nodded in agreement. The Mews then began to chat about random, unimportant subjects (well, excepting Zakuro) for the rest of the afternoon.
---
Tart gradually grew into different stages of consciousness as the fuzzy, gentle voices around him slowly focused in pitch and volume. Then, his eyes had to also go through this recognizing process, the blurry images sharpening. Tart sat up and stared, wide-eyed at the scene before him. He'd been blackening out too often lately, and wondered if he'd have brain damage from so much fainting. He rubbed his scraggly auburn head and noticed that the hair had fallen into disarray, some pieces sticking out from under the stretchy bands that kept his pigtails up.
He groaned in frustration at the two long figures that stood near the tent flap, completely ignoring him. C'mon, where was the sympathy?! He should be surrounded by caring companions, amazed and elated that he had woken from his coma. "I'm alive!" Tart yelled to the figures, but they ignored him. He growled and stuck his head back underneath the rough covers of the human researchers' tent. Bored out of his skull, he decided to listen to the even more boring conversation his so-called friends were having.
"But the readings indicated that the level of those particles in this region is significantly higher than in the ship," Pie said, poring over a sheet of number code that he apparently was also able to translate.
"Even if the levels were higher, I don't know why they would have affected you like that. If they were still present in the atmosphere…" Flan added, glancing over at the sheet. Ever since last night, she and Pie had been trying to find the reason why Pie had been unable to decipher the ancient Mercurian language on the map back at the spaceship, but he could read the stone tablets in Pyridis just fine. They believed that it had something to do with the atmosphere of the ruins, and had been studying it for the past five hours.
"Well, within the metal confines of the Star Duster, the elements' particles are more closely packed, and thus denser and highly unable to pass through the…"
"Hello?!" At last, Tart was fed up with this isolation. "Will you two please stop analyzing the air and greet your friend who just woke up from unconsciousness again! You're lucky I woke up at all! You ungrateful…"
"Hi, Tart," Flan and Pie both replied at the same time, quickly resuming their conversation about air particles.
Tart sighed again, and fixed his unkempt pigtails. Usually he liked it when no one made a big fuss over him, but after spending so much time with Pudding, he had come to expect it.
"Oh, Tart," Pie finally acknowledged, breaking his scientist garble for a minute. He stepped next to the yellow cot bed in the tent. "I need your full account of what happened when you reached the other end of the tunnel."
"It was boring!" Tart yelled, grateful for the attention "There was just a big room with a pedestal, and a jar on top. Pudding kept yelling at me not to touch it, but there was really nothing in it at all! What a joke…"
"Was there anything else?" Pie continued to question him, staring gravely into his joking eyes.
"Well, there was something in the corner that looked sorta like a staircase covered by a giant group of rocks…"
"The stairs that used to lead up to the top of the observation tower," Pie explained. "Of course. And you're sure nothing happened when you opened that jar?"
"Positive!" Tart cried. "Well, after I put it back, the room started collapsing and a giant invisible dome appeared around us, but that couldn't have had anything to do with the jar…it was totally empty!"
Flan and Pie just continued to frown at each other in concern. "You can't be so sure of that," Flan answered. "Even if it looks like nothing happened connected to that jar, something definitely did."
Pie agreed, nodding slightly as he glanced around the interior of the tent, trying to gaze straight through the green tarp. "Maybe…it has something to do with spirits."
"Oh, brother," Flan said, crossing her arms and looking away. "Again? Whenever you can't explain something, you always blame it on spirits."
"Well I saw…" Pie caught himself, unsure if he should really tell Tart about seeing Kish's spirit on the Day the Rains Came. "…I saw a spirit once. So I know they exist. Perhaps it's the spirits of the ancient Mercurians that are telling me the words in their language, and that caused that attack…"
Flan stared back at him, her forehead creased. "But…why would they want to kill us? We're their own kind, and we're trying to regain their sacred land."
At last, Tart spoke up again, for the first time since his description of the base of the observation tower. The image passed by in his mind again. He kneeled, chilled to the bone, on the floor of the Star Sprinkler, trying to accept his death sentence. Pudding zoomed across the smooth, shiny metal, her warm arms thudding against his chest. Then, King Jubala's sneering voice- "You've brought humans with you?! That's another hideous offense!" "Maybe…." He spoke to Flan and Pie back in the tent. "It's because we brought humans with us."
"That's a good point," Flan said, also recalling the incident on the ship.
"Who knows?" Pie added. "But I've got a very bad feeling…"
---
Ah, yes, the land was so familiar. The man hovered above his once beautiful, powerful empire. The empire of the elves. Not the Mercurians; the elves. For that was what they were. Mercurians were the elves that had fled the planet in desperation when the planet began to shift and change. Elves were the Mercurians that had somehow managed to survive on the volatile conditions of the changing Earth. As a result of their struggle to survive, the people had adapted to a smaller stature, and lost their ability to float. There were very little actual elves left in the world, about a quarter the size of the Mercurian population. The two had eventually branched into two separate species, and now he knew to whom the planet truly belonged.
The long, dark robe of the man fluttered over the tops of the crumpled buildings, caressing the remains of his kingdom. Deep Blue lifted his face from the forest of midnight blue hair that surrounded his form. His people…his kingdom…his planet… Whatever had happened to that peaceful, perfect age of so many years ago? Now the land lay in ruin. Most of the original inhabitants' families were dead, and Mercurians were collaborating with that other despicable species, that was blind to the blessings around them. It sickened the Mercurian/elf master, staring down at the ant-like humans that scurried through the maze of ruins. His glowing, sky blue eyes seemed to shoot straight through the scene before him.
The malicious feelings inside of him growing, he raised a long-sleeved arm and prepared for attack. He would kill these wasteful, useless organisms, along with all of those of his own kind that had joined their forces. Together they believed they could salvage this dying planet, but it was worthless. The only way to save the world now was to blow it up, and then rebuild it, which he believed he was perfectly capable of doing.
Two different figures stepped out onto the sepia ground, and seeing the extended points on the sides of their heads, the resentment grew even more. They had only come back here for Pyridis! They wanted to claim his already defeated city, and forget about the Earth itself. Why, even his own descendant now believed life to be better on the planet Mercury. They were going to get their comeuppance after all. His arm reeled back, and a ball of light power materialized in his large hand. The irony of it was that one of these traitors had actually released him from his container in the base of the observance tower. This was his gratification.
Just as Deep Blue was about to unleash a particularly powerful blast from his right hand, he stopped short as he recognized a cloud of particles gathering in the sky above Pyridis. His electric blue eyes flickered in recognition. Well, perhaps there was no need to destroy the Mercurians by hand after all. A sinister smile twisting the alien master's pale face, he disappeared, back into the inner sanctums of his palace for some calm recollection before destroying this infected planet.
---
"Do you feel anything?" Flan casually asked as she and Pie stood straight and tall just outside Tart's "recovery tent". Flan desperately tried to aid their motley crew of humans and aliens, but she couldn't help them now.
Although a man of science and logical reasoning, Pie had somehow always been more in touch with the unseen spirits that surrounded them at every turn, possibly because of his infusion of electricity. Well, Flan wasn't sure of the connection between electric currents and the Other Side, but still she completely believed him when Pie said he could "sense" something. Their conversation had suddenly broken up when Pie rushed outside, and Flan was right behind him.
"No," he finally answered, turning his face away from the sky again. "It's not as strong now."
Flan was disappointed and relieved at the same time. She fiddled with her pale pink ponytail, nervously. As Pie turned his back and began to return to the tent, Flan turned upwards and began to see dots appearing in the sky. "Huh? What's that?" she softly spoke to herself.
Pie's long ears caught her words, and he abruptly turned to get a look. Round, blob-like shapes were beginning to appear in the distance. He squinted to get a better look at the approaching silhouettes, but unfortunately, his vision wasn't as advanced as his hearing, especially in this bright sun.
"What are those?" Flan continued to question. "Snow? Planes?"
"I'm not sure what they are," Pie gravely replied. "But I don't think it's snow or planes."
---
Ichigo, Mint, Lettuce, and Zakuro were standing around outside of Pudding's "recovery tent", discussing the past few events. "Something happened," Ichigo insisted, in quite an unusual, adamant tone.
"So…what?!" Mint asked, in usual defiant nature.
"I'm sorry," Lettuce spoke up for no reason. "Maybe it had something to do with when I knocked over that tablet…"
"No, no,: Ichigo assured her. "You knocked the tablet over the other night. Nothing happened then."
"Nope, nothing happened," Mint replied in her sarcastic tone. "Except that we were attacked by a big ugly Jupitite thing that nearly killed us all."
Lettuce hung her head and looked at the ground. "Yeah, I guess that was my fault. I'm sorry."
Ichigo opened her mouth to say something reassuring, but Zakuro's cold voice cut in. "Objects."
Mint immediately diverted her attention to focus only on her. "Oh, objects! Which objects are these, Miss Zakuro?"
"In the sky," Zakuro bluntly answered, jabbing an index finger at the blue expanse.
"Hey, yeah, you're right…" Ichigo started to say. Her sentence was once again cut off as a familiar blonde streak zoomed up beside them.
"Hihihiiii, everyone!!!" Pudding yelled. "Party!" She produced her baton and several sponges. Whatever she was going to do with them would forever remain a mystery.
At that moment, two long figures came flying towards them, long black ribbons flapping behind them. Pudding immediately abandoned her future, bizarre circus trick, and called out, "Hey, look! It's Peachy and that other guy!!!" Pie rolled his eyes, a bit annoyed with Pudding always calling him "that other guy".
"Is…something wrong?" Lettuce timidly asked, glancing up at the two older aliens.
"Yeah…" Flan spoke up, in a worried tone. Her face looked pale and frazzled, but then again, all of the aliens looked pale. "We think it's the…" but the rest of Flan's statement was unnecessary.
With a splintering crash, a large green mass of particles smashed right through what had once been Pudding's recovery tent. Ichigo jumped back, Mint grabbed onto Zakuro for protection, and Lettuce grabbed Pudding, protecting her.
"Well…it's a good thing you got out of that tent in time, huh, Pudding?" Ichigo sheepishly replied. However, the rest of the Mew Mews were not in a joking mood, including the mischievous monkey herself. The group of seven stared up through a cloud of green smog, pieces of rock, metal, and dust swirling around inside. Every now and then, it would separate into visible sections, although it mostly resembled a giant mass.
"…Jupitites," Pie stated, his voice steady.
"A whole swarm of them…!" Flan added, nudging closer to his arm in fear.
"Well, here we go," Zakuro started to say.
"Another battle!" Mint called, confidently.
"Yeah, let's blow 'em away!" Pudding tried to jump up in excitement, but Lettuce held her down.
"Oh, dear…" the green-haired girl mumbled, losing all of her gusto as she looked up at the giant swarm of Jupities.
Finally, Ichigo stepped in front of the others and smiled. "It's show time!" In a unanimous Mew Mew transformation cry, a rainbow of theme colors erupted as Ichigo, Mint, Lettuce, Pudding, Zakuro, and Flan spun in remarkably ordered patterns, transforming into their Mew forms.
Pie crossed his arms and looked away, feeling awkward to be standing beside a group of six girls who were all suddenly changing their clothes. Thankfully, the transforming only took 20 more seconds.
Ichigo popped up, and a bow suddenly appeared behind her. Mint glided into place as a screen materialized behind her. Lettuce set foot on a giant seashell as she finished up her transformation. There was a blast as the ground exploded and Pudding pulled out of a somersault into a ring. Zakuro jumped into a field of roses that appeared under her feet.
Flan/Peach jumped out of transforming mode and struck a pose with her hands on her hips. Surpised, she looked back at the other Mew Mews, and then around herself. "Hey…how come I didn't have random objects spring up around me?!"
"There's no time for that now!" Mint ordered as the bow, screen, seashell, ring, and roses disappeared. "We've got a giant swarm of Jupitites in front of us!"
Ichigo produced her large heart weapon, the pink ribbons floating from the top and the diamond sparkling in the center. She once again jumped in front of the other Mews, to lead them into battle. "Gas creatures attempting to destroy this ancient world… for your evil actions, we will make you pay!" The other Mew Mews made dramatic motions behind her as she said her standard lines.
Two or three Jupitites broke off from the cloud to charge at the multicolored group. The whirling chunks of rock careened towards the girls. At the last possible moment, they held up their weapons and blasted the three gaseous creatures with rays of sparkling, rainbow-colored light.
Pie transported out of the way as a meteor-like rock crashed into what used to be Pudding's tent, and whatever was left came collapsing to the scorched grass. That was when he suddenly remembered- Tart! They'd left him in the other tent! "Flan!" Pie yelled to his partner over the din of battling Mew Mews and Jupitites. "I'm going to get Tart; we left him in the tent!"
Flan turned from the fray, barely able to hear his words. Her fuzzy panda ears weren't quite as sensitive as her bat-like Mercurian ears. At least she was able to pick up on the words "going to get Tart" and "in the tent."
After relaying the message, Pie quickly turned and began to float away in the direction he had first come from. Something suddenly tugged at his waist and dragged him back a bit. Looking to the side, he noticed Flan, floating behind him and tugging on his ribbon.
"I'm coming with you!"
The two of them quickly jetted off, the various cries of "Ribbon Zakuro Pure!" "Pudding Baton Blizzard!", or "Ribbon Lettuce Pour!" fading into a dull roar of attacking, merging, and grinding Jupitites. Pie observed, with disappointment, the multitude of green blobs now hanging in the sky above Pyridis. He knew an attack like this would come someday, as these being would once again attempt to annihilate the Mercurian race, but he had never expected an army this large, or for the attacks to be on Pyridis, and not Mercury. Focusing closer, Pie also noticed a heavy stream of people- explorers, reporters, archaeologists, and others, fleeing the city in a great rush. Well, that was one way to get them to leave, but certainly not the best. The thick condensation of Jupitites over the city of Pyridis blackened the area in a hazy twilight, making the time seem later than it actually was.
At last, Flan and Pie reached a pile of rubble they thought they recognized as Tart's tent. Flan covered her mouth in shock. "Oh no…" Slowly, they both lowered themselves to the littered dirt.
Pie stared at the remains, brow slightly creasing. Last time they had seen Tart, he had woken up from his unconsciousness again. He and Flan had been too busy trying to find a cause for his sudden translation abilities. And then…how could he be so stupid as to forget all about him when the Jupitite attack had first been confirmed?
"Tart!" Pie yelled over the collapsed tent. "Tart!!!" There was no response, and the horrific rumbling of the Jupitite mass echoed against his eardrums.
Flan looked down at the snapped wooden pieces and torn fabric. Reaching down, she gently picked up a long, torn piece of black fabric. Staring at what she was sure was the only remaining piece of her little friend, teardrops began to form in the corners of her eyes.
Pie, overwhelmed with guilt, rested his face in his hand. It couldn't be…yet all the signs were here. Part of him wished to search for Tart's carcass and be sure that he was dead, and the other part simply didn't want to see it at all. He'd already lost Kish…and blamed himself many times for not finding the cure for Shadow Plague, but…did he have to lose Tart too? This time it had truly been his fault…by forgetting about him, for not caring enough to save him. Was it the same way with Kish?
It hurt Pie, because he did care about them, though he may not have shown it most of the time. At first they had been simply co-workers, teammates, and mostly strangers, but after so much time together on the Tokyo Continental Renaissance project and then after returning to Mercury, they had become close friends…almost family. And now, Pie was responsible for the death of his two "brothers".
As he reminisced about these strangely comfortable times, Tart's little voice played in his mind- "Heeeerrrrrrreeee…" Suddenly, he'd give anything to see Tart and Kish back, unharmed. To hear Tart's whiny voice again, and to see Kish's lopsided smirk. If only he'd tried just a little bit harder…
"I'm heeeeerrrrrreeeee!!!" Tart's voice was louder inside his head now. Or was it…? Looking up, Pie noticed Tart's face, his large yellowish eyes staring up at him. His face was a bit bruised and his entire body dusty and caked with dirt. One of his pigtails had been halfway pulled out, and it sat solidly on the side of his head. He grumbled and tried to tug it back in place.
"I just fixed this hair! Now the stupid Jupitites had to come and mess it up again!"
Pie stared, dumbfounded, still not totally convinced that Tart was alive since he'd just spent the last 30 minutes convincing himself that Tart was dead. Flan breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the newborn teardrops from her eyelashes.
"Geez, Pie, what's with the weird face?" Tart said, returning his attention to his older friend. "You look like your lab just blew up or something."
Finally, it registered in Pie's mind. "Tart! You're alive!" He made a move towards the small alien, lifting his hands as if to hug him, but instead, grabbed his arm and pulled him back with him. "C'mon, we have to get out of here as soon as possible."
Tart's eyes widened further. "Were you just going to…"
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Flan cried, floating up beside him.
"What made that switch?" Tart asked. He looked down and snatched the ribbon piece from her hand. "Hey, that's mine! Why were you…" His yellow eyes lit up like lanterns as he realized what had been going on. "Oh…you both thought I was dead! Hahahaha!"
Pie stopped flying and hung in mid-air for a moment to turn around and whack Tart on the head. "It's not funny; so shut up and get serious here! We're under attack!"
Tart rubbed his head and once again attempted to fix his flopping pigtails. He remained gravely silent for a while after, remembering again what had really happened to Kish. After flying for a while in nearly total silence, the aliens once again came upon the Mew Mew vs. Jupitite battlefield.
"Ribbon Mint Echo!" "Ribbon Strawberry Rainbow Shine!" "Ribbon Zakuro Pure!" "Ribbon Lettuce Pour!" "Pudding Baton Blizzard!"
"I'm hungry," Tart complained at the sound of all the food names. "I haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon!" As the world returned to a fairly ordered chaos, Pie found himself wondering why he had ever longed to hear Tart whine again. "I'd kill for an ice cream cone right now…" the young alien continued.
While fighting a Jupitite, Mint got her wings caught in the dense interior and fell to the ground, absorbing its poisonous properties. Zakuro amazingly jumped forward to avenge her. Meanwhile, Lettuce and Pudding double-teamed another one in the corner.
"Tart," Pie spoke up. "If we survive this, I promise to buy you a double scoop ice cream cone."
Just then, Zakuro flew to the ground, overwhelmed by the Jupitite's rock attack. Lettuce, Pudding, and Ichigo hurried to her side, tried to wake up Mint, and fend off additional attacks all at once.
Tart shook his head, aware of the serious situation. "Better make that a triple scoop."
---
The eyes of the ghostly Deep Blue glowed with a neon luminescence. His billowing coat ends hid the fact that he no longer had feet. However, that didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore, because the time had finally come. The ancient king threw his head to the sky, grateful and eagerly acknowledging the swarming Jupitites. The destruction of Earth might not come at his own hands, but at least it would come.
Then, in a moment of calm reflection, he shrank back, closing his eyes and imagining how life would be afterwards. He could rebuild the planet, and make it his own again. A flourishing, pristine, peaceful Earth would once again prosper, and a new race of Elves would be born. Then, one glorious day, this strengthened race would conquer the measly Mercurian race in a long, deadly war. Yes…he could picture everything so clearly in his spiritual mind.
When in the body of that insignificant human boy, Deep Blue's true power had been weakened, submissive to the boy's persistent spirit. He had known the only way to use his powers again was to inhabit a body, but for once, the omniscient ruler had been mistaken. The same, malicious grin crept onto his face as he recognized, in evil glee, that in this sacred spot where he wielded absolute authority, he had powers beyond all comprehension. With the addition of the Jupitite attack to batter down those imbecilic half-girls, it would be jokingly simple to destroy and rebuild the planet.
Deep Blue crossed his arms in brief satisfaction. In just one second, he would be in control; in just one second, his world would return to order once again. Feeling that fate calling him, the alien leader rose, up through the remains of his kingdom, brushing past the piles of rock that had once been ornately carved chairs and tables, and the ceiling decorations his workers had so laboriously chiseled. His long, menacing form appeared above the smashed-in pyramid structure, hair standing on end and floating behind him.
Deep Blue gave a baleful look to the tiny shadows below. So small…like ants, and easily squashed…easily exterminated. The dark screen of Jupitites blocking the sun flashed for a second, one last beam of sunlight escaping, because Deep Blue was sure that this time that was what it was- the last. Mustering the full extent of his overbearing powers, he rose a long-nailed hand to the sky and prepared for the blast that would put an end to this world, those bothersome Mew Mews, and those ungrateful Mercurian traitors.
But, just before he released his end-all blast, a curious streak of light suddenly flashed by his face. "Now what?" Deep Blue grumbled to himself. He thought for a moment that it was those girls again, attempting to divert his attention, forgetting for a moment that he was an invisible spirit. Why worry about it? The alien master convinced himself. In a second, whatever that streak had been would be nonexistent. His hand once again extended and wound itself up.
"Stop right where you are!" a peculiarly familiar voice sang out. Glancing to his left, Deep Blue could now see what appeared to be a pair of fluffy, white wings, gently beating to hold this creature in the sky.
"What?" Deep Blue whispered to himself. "Who?"
Just then, an arm forcefully extended from behind the wings, motioning as if to hold him back. Then, the creature revealed himself, turning his forest-green head to his former master. "I won't let you go any further!"
"I remember you…" Deep Blue growled. "Your name…Kish! Yes, the one even willing to throw his life away for a foolish half-girl."
Kish smiled, and turned completely around to face the spirit of the ancient alien ruler. "Yup, that's me. Good to see you still remember. Or…at least I was Kish…" He put his chin in a hand, confused for a moment. In this angelic form, Kish wore a long brown robe, as all ascended Mercurian spirits did. Although he was always able to float, the long, feathery wings extending from his back suspended him just in front of the former alien leader, teasingly.
Deep Blue's flashing eyes narrowed further. "How did you ever get to be an angel?"
Kish grinned, in a joking manner, though he was being completely serious when he explained, "It's the work of a little girl who loves me."
"Bah. Love," Deep Blue said in disgust. "Love makes you weak. Love distracts you from your true goal; your true purpose. In fact, I bet that's what killed you…again. Pfft, what good is love?"
"No, you're wrong!" Kish cried, forcefully shaking his head. "This time…it was evil that killed me, and the love between us is what brought me to this state. You ask me how I became an ascended spirit, and I answer- love!!!"
Deep Blue glared at his former subject and slowly drew his sword from his robe. "Lots of words…but what have you got to show for those words?"
"So," Kish replied, a mysterious smile on his face. "You wanna fight? Is that what this is? Well, then, bring it…" He reached back, figuring that he would find his handled stick weapons there, but felt nothing. Then, he realized stupidly that angels were supposed to be peaceful; they couldn't use weapons. "Ugh!" Kish grumbled as he dodged Deep Blue's swinging sword. "Darn pacifists! C'mon people, this is a matter of afterlife or death!"
Kish suddenly paused, stricken with the strange fact. "Wait. Is there a second death? Am I going to die twice? Well, I already have died twice, but that's not what I mean. There is life after death, but is there a death after the life after death? Is there a life after death after the life after death? Well, maybe…"
Deep Blue swung at Kish again, aggravated and confused with his strange philosophy. "Oh, no…" Kish hissed to himself as he barely dodged his former master's blade. "This isn't looking good."
---
Slowly, Ichigo stood up next to her fallen friends. Her body felt weak and exhausted from the constant attacks. She didn't think she'd ever used so many attacks in one battle. It was just no use. The swarm of Jupitites was too much for them.
Mint, Zakuro, and Pudding lied unconscious on the ground. Flan and Pie weakly clutched hands, even their advanced powers depleted. Tart knelt, worriedly next to Pudding, unable to move or stand up. Being the weakest of the group, he had been the first to run out of energy. Since his source of power was only a small injection from Pie's electricity, it ran out quickly. Pie also looked more exhausted than Flan, since part of his power belonged to Tart.
Lettuce was barely left standing, only because she did more running in fear than actual attacking. She always protected the others with attacks, but she would never go on the offensive.
The pink heart studded with the giant diamond began to slip from Ichigo's fingers. No! she thought with determination, tightening her hand over the weapon again. She had to protect this planet- this ancient city…these planets. Yes, now she had two entire planets resting on her shoulders, and was being crushed under their weight. What if she failed? What would happen if the Jupitites took over Earth? They'd kill everyone, of course, and make it their own. Then, they'd most likely move on to destroy Mercury… Ichigo's body and limbs suddenly felt a hundred times heavier than usual. How in the world would she survive this? How would she do it this time? …It was impossible.
"Ichigo?" Lettuce slowly stepped up next to her, a look of concern crinkling her sweet face. "Are you okay? You don't look well…" Lettuce was looking a little peaky herself, but she pushed her own problems aside for the moment.
"I…I don't know…" Ichigo replied, her voice trembling. "I'm not sure if…I just…I just don't know!" Tears slowly began to fall down her face again. She was afraid and ashamed. The whole world would be over, and it would be all her fault. Everyone would die, and it would be her fault. Everything was her fault! Ichigo squeezed her eyes shut and wished that only Masaya, or Kish, or even Ryou were there with her now to ease her fears.
"Ichigo?!" Lettuce cried, her worried tone becoming more panicked.
What a terrible situation to be in! Ichigo thought to herself. She was going through so much…much more than any twelve-year-old should have to go through. The aching in her body was suddenly worse, and she was positive that she'd never make it.
"Ichigo!" Flan called over as she pulled Pie away from a swooping Jupitite. "Don't give up now! We need you!"
This statement only brought more tears to Ichigo's cheeks as she pulled her head forcefully upwards. Her friends were counting on her, and she had no choice but to disappoint them.
Looking at Flan and Pie together, her mind took her back to those visions she had seen in Pie's memory. The giant parasite anima blasted the six-year-old boy, almost to death.
No, Ichigo realized. This was nothing. She should be able to handle this. Just to think about the terrible things Pie had gone through, Ichigo gained strength, knowing that her drained state was nothing like the critical condition he had been left in. The determination filtering back into her body, she held her diamond heart pendant out and prepared for yet another attack.
---
The apparition of Kish panted as it ducked under the shining edge of Deep Blue's sword. With no weapons, and no other way of defending himself, he didn't know how much longer this would last. Unlike his former master, who seemed to grow stronger with each blow he dealt, Kish was becoming tired. He wondered why he was tired if he had no body, but quickly decided to save his logical reasoning for some other time, as the sword swished just past his face.
Flying up behind him, Kish desperately received an idea. He zoomed downward, and held out a fist to smack Deep Blue with, but just before it connected, the alien king whipped around, grabbing the outstretched fist and flinging Kish downward.
He crashed against the ruins of the palace below, though he felt no pain, since he was only a spirit. However, before he could extricate himself from the pile of stones, Deep Blue came floating down on top of him, holding his sword, threateningly to his face.
"So…little traitor…" he said, a crazed, malevolent smile on his face. "Any last words?"
Kish's wide yellowish eyes blinked in shock. Slowly, his shaking lips parted and uttered the first word that came into his mind- "ICHIGOOOO!"
---
From her slumped position under the Jupitite cloud, Ichigo suddenly gained a frantic confidence boost. She pulled her heart weapon in front of her face and noticed, with surprise that the diamond in the center was slowly and steadily pulsating. Her whispery voice at last acknowledged, "He's here."
"Huh?" Flan and Lettuce asked, turning to look at their friend. Pie stared back at Ichigo, a mysteriously knowing look on his face.
"He…he's here!" Ichigo cried. "Kish!" Suddenly knowing what to do, she thrust her weapon to the sky. "Ribbon Strawberry Rainbow Shine!" The pink blast of her attack not only hit and destroyed a few Jupitites, but at the same time, smashed the wall of rocks holding Kish to the ground of the ancient palace.
---
He burst from the pile of rocks with renewed strength, and Deep Blue floated back in surprise. Kish's yellow eyes grew wider as he realized where this energy was coming from. Ichigo. Could the sound of her name alone instill him with that same energy of hers…or was she actually here, in Pyridis?
As he closed his eyes and concentrated on this shared energy, he saw, in a fuzzy vision, Ichigo, standing underneath a blanket of Jupitites, fighting for her life. His eyes popped open again. She was also fighting to save this planet, this city, and together, they could win.
Kish turned his head back to the surprised Deep Blue. "You better just give up now, "master"," he said, sarcastically. "Because you'll never defeat us!"
Deep Blue's brow furrowed. "Us? You mean you and your traitor friends?"
Kish smiled, mysteriously at his words. "Nope."
Frustrated, the alien leader lunged at Kish again, his long, straight hair flying out behind him. Kish flew just out of reach again. He always remained inches away from the point of Deep Blue's sword, which only aggravated the king's spirit even further. But, he thought with glee, one of those jabs was bound to hit its mark eventually…
---
Ichigo stared in wonder as the sun began to break through the cloud of Jupitites above her. "Ichigo…" Lettuce tried to catch her attention, but she was in some kind of trance.
Pie looked up and nodded to himself. He'd seen that look before, and realized that her statement was completely true. Kish was there. He was in Pyridis, maybe even right here in this same vicinity. Ichigo could sense when his spirit was nearby, and even connect herself with it, like he could connect his own spirit with Flan's.
"Okay," he issued the plan. "We'll go first, and then Lettuce will follow, and finally Ichigo…" Ichigo didn't respond or agree to follow the plan, but Pie knew that after they began, she would naturally follow. He grabbed Flan's hand, and, mustering all that was left of his energy, transferred it into the attack.
"Ribbon Peach…" Flan began, throwing all of her power into the enlarged Frisbee in her hand. "…Tornado!!!"
Lettuce's heart pounded, knowing that her turn was next, but still pushed herself into attacking position. She had to do this…for the planet, and for this city. Her hand extended as the attack words flew into her mouth all by themselves. "Ribbon Lettuce…" The green power swirled up inside of the cup, and with all her might, she shoved it out towards the swarm of Jupitites above. "…Pour!"
The green and peach-colored blasts of power zoomed out towards the swarm. They broke apart for a moment, and about a hundred disappeared upon impact. Now…it was Ichigo's turn.
---
Deep Blue jabbed for the umpteenth time, and this time, the blade came so close, it sliced off a bit of Kish's cloak. Kish looked down at the ripped piece of fabric floating to the ground. Yes, each time, that piercingly shiny blade grew closer and closer. Again, Kish wondered if he could die a third time. Still, he didn't want to experience that again.
Deep Blue, just from below him, flew upwards with an amazingly swift force. In just two seconds, that glowing sword would slice through his ghostly body. The Master's sword was magical, and able to harm even angels such as himself. However, Kish was too quick for him.
Grasping the awesome potential of this combined energy, he thrust his arm to the side. This was taking a big risk. If this didn't work…he'd die, for the second time, or be banned, or whatever happened after the afterlife. He had to save Ichigo, along with Pyridis, and the rest of the world. He had to do this now, or it would never be done.
As he summoned the magical Mew Mew power to his hands, his mind was taken back to the times before, when he was alive. It all came back to him…his struggle against this same entity. Though in the body of Masaya, it was still Deep Blue. This exact same battle had happened already. But…now it was different. Now he had someone fighting with him. There was someone alongside him, and he would never again fight alone.
Deep Blue stared up into the blinding light generating within Kish's hands. No…it wasn't possible. How could a low-life traitorous scum ball like him posses more power than the divine master of the elves? With his last, desperate attempt, Deep Blue jabbed upwards with all his might. This was the last fight; the one that would decide the fate of this wretched planet…and he had to win!
Finally, when Kish felt the power grow hot in his hands, he knew it was time. His eyes slit open again, their hue perfectly matching the burning orb of energy. His arms began to move downwards, and align themselves with the king's spirit just below. His mouth dropped open. "Ribbon…"
---
Ichigo was beginning to glow, sending and receiving the attacking energy from Kish's soul. Ah…it felt so familiar and comfortable to her. She knew the words, the actions, and all she needed now was to transfer this remarkably strong energy into these. Taking in her breath, she realized this was the moment; the one chance she had to save the planet, and prove herself wrong. With Kish by her side, her confidence once again returned, and she firmly believed that they could make it. They could all make it, with just a little more effort, with the combined might of their spirits.
The hard, shiny surface of her heart-diamond weapon fell beside her body, and she yanked it forward with determination. "…Strawberry…" Skipping straight to the second word of the incantation, for some inexplicable reason, Ichigo felt the power burning warm against her skin, and she knew that whatever happened- if she succeeded, or if she failed, everything would be okay. On this world, she had her friends and Masaya, and in the next world, she had Kish. Ichigo was actually quite lucky.
"…Rainbow…" She extended her arm, in exactly the same position she had on that fateful day, but today was different. Instead of saving Mercury, it was time to save the planet Earth…"
---
Kish smiled, receiving the message, passed on from Ichigo, the one he loved. Together, they could win, even against what seemed impossible odds. He spread his long wings around the orb, and at the moment of release, boomed to the doomed face of evil below. "…Sanctity!"
"Huh?!" Deep Blue cried as the giant orb engulfed him. Only seconds later, the tyrant was nothing but a memory, swallowed and wiped from existence by the holy power of Kish and Ichigo's combination.
Slowly, Kish lowered himself to the ground of the destroyed palace as the last of the shimmering light particles dimmed. "Gee," he commented, flipping one of his arms behind his head, casually. "It's only been…what? Four days tops? I'm already risking my afterlife for the one I love." He removed his arm again and grinned at the sunshine streaming through the opening in the ceiling of the ruins. "Well…I guess it's worth it."
---
Flan, Lettuce, and Pie stared up into the sky as it finally began to clear. The last of the glowing light reflected off their weary faces. In just one overwhelming blast, Ichigo had destroyed the entire army of Jupitites, leaving the pure blue sky smiling down on them again. They squinted in the sudden onslaught of sunlight.
"You…you did it, Ichigo!" Flan congratulated her.
Slowly, the fallen Mew Mews were beginning to wake up. Mint stretched, as if only awakening from an afternoon beauty nap. Zakuro fought her way up, and stared silently into the distance in relief. Pudding blinked into consciousness again, and gasped in delight when she saw Tart curled above her.
"Tar-Tar?! Were you…protecting me from the evil Jupitites? Oh, that's so heroic!" She pulled him into a hug, and didn't hear as he mumbled into her shoulder. "Nah…I'm just too tired."
Ichigo blinked as she remembered that feeling…the feeling of unity, as her powers merged with Kish's soul. Again, it had happened, yet she was still unable to see his spirit. She lifted her face, and felt happy and relieved, though tears were streaming down her face.
Then, turning back towards the city of Pyridis, she saw it. Just above the broken temple, a figure in the distance hung in suspension over the rubble. He flapped the long, shadowed wings attached to his back and began to rise into the sky.
"Kish…?" Ichigo whispered to herself, not even believing her own eyes. As he rose higher and higher, she could've sworn she saw him wink, even at such a distance.
Unable to hold it off any longer, Ichigo blinked. And Kish was gone again. A slow, small smile played with her lips, as she realized that peace had come again at last, and the world was now secure.