Battle for your heart
"Are you really sure about that, Kish?" Zakuro asked, her eyes fixed on Silver. "I know you love Ichigo. But this is not the way to go. Sometimes, you have to give up a really important thing to get on with life. It's your destiny and you can't change it."
Kish stared at her. "No, I don't want…I can't give up Ichigo!"
"But now you must."
"Why!"
"You must learn to let go, Kish! Do it!"
"No." Kish snarled as he raised his hands.
"AARGH!"
"You…Kish…you…" Minto whispered madly.
Ding, Dong, Bell, Tart and Pie looked at each other for a swift moment. "Can't be true!" Tart hissed angrily. He couldn't take his feelings for Purin anymore. "Just give up, Kish! Don't hurt Purin, don't…"
Silver eyed Kish silently. "Foolish alien. You shouldn't be doing that! Leave it to me! I'll finish the mews off in one hour!"
"You cannot do that…" A voice echoed softly.
"I…Ichigo! Ichigo! Where are you? Ichigo!" Kish cried out, stumbling across after Silver gave him a rough shove.
"Now hear this well: Your silly Ichigo is no longer here. She is DEAD." Silver threw back his hair, laughing uncontrollably.
"You…we'll get you…Ribbon Mint-Noooo!"
"Are you stupid or what? I'm smarter than you think!" Silver mocked sarcastically.
"Just go and die…" Minto looked extremely furious.
Kish stared blankly at Silver. Ichigo's dead…Ichigo's dead…Ichigo's dead…I can't believe this! "Kish! Snap out of this and stop Silver!"
"Ding, Dong, Bell, Tart, Pie?" Don't tell me you all had a change of mind?
"We must…we have to…I…finally understood the meaning of love…" Pie spoke softly. "Even if I don't know who I'm loving…"
Kish's eyes widened. "Stop…him? Then we've been waiting for no reason!"
"I don't care!" Tart yelled. "So long as Purin's safe, that will do!"
Ding, Bell and Dong each stared at each other. Love?
Kish stepped forward to Silver, feeling very awkward. "Ichigo…I really do love you. I still love you…"
Silver stopped in his tracks. "I understand." Silver whipped round in anger.
"Who's the one who's been talking to me!" He cried out.
Ichigo! Kish looked up to the sky. Answer me! Ichigo!
"I broke up with Masaya some time ago. I found out I couldn't be happy with him. At that moment, I realized I had regretted one thing in my life, one decision I made wrong…and that was to love him. I finally saw who my heart really yearned for, and…it…was you."
The tears came streaming down. Zakuro, Purin, Minto and Retasu all watched this with much interest. The silence was extreme. Silver fell to his knees in shock. "You're still alive…you still live, you pitiful mortal…"
"What are you intending to do, Ichigo?" Minto asked, fear evident in her voice.
"I hate myself. I hurt you, Retasu, deeply. I know that wound will never heal, no matter what. I quarreled with all of you, and refused to wait and listen patiently when I came back. I was just too frustrated. And…the worst regret in my life was choosing my love. I don't know what to do now…"
"Ouch! Ow…"
"Retasu!"
The girl had returned to her normal self. In front of Silver was the pendent the mews used to transform. "Enough of talking. It's time for action." He smiled.
"You will not do anything!"
"Huh! Oh no, not you, pathetic mortal!" Silver hissed menacingly.
"I will not let you absorb Retasu's power. It is hers. You can't have it. And I'll make sure of that, don't worry too much. I'll protect her, no matter what!"
"Ichigo…" Zakuro watched quietly. "You're still here…you still care…"
"I'll take it back!"
"No you won't!"
There was a bright yellow light as Ichigo's soul and Silver battled ferociously over the pendent.
"Here it is."
"I…Ichigo…thank you…" Retasu whispered in gladness.
"I'm glad I made friends with all of you. I'm so happy I managed to patch up too. But most of all, I'm elated to have confessed my love to you, Kish. I can sleep forever now, in peace at last…and I will bring Silver down as well."
"Ichigo! NO!" Kish cried out, tears flowing wildly now.
But it was too late. Silver exploded in a pink light, and when it died down, all that was left behind was Ichigo's body.
"ICHIGO!"
Everyone crowded over the lifeless body of Ichigo.
"She's not breathing…" Zakuro murmured, tears stinging her eyes.
Kish carried her silently as something seemed to blow in the wind…
In the years to come,
Will you think about these moments that we shared?
In the years to come,
Are you gonna think it over
And how we lived each day with no regrets
Nothing lasts forever though we want it to,
The road ahead holds different dreams for me and you
Sometimes goodbye,
Though it hurts
In your heart,
Is the only way to destiny
Sometimes goodbye,
Though it hurts
Is the only way now for you and me,
Though it's the hardest thing to say,
I'll miss your love everyday
So say goodbye,
But don't you cry,
Cuz true love never dies…
In a year from now,
Maybe there'll be things we wish we'd never said
In a year from now,
Maybe we'll see each other,
Standing on the same street corner though it rains
Each and every end is always written in the stars,
If only I could stop the world,
I'd make this the last
Sometimes goodbye,
Though it hurts
In your heart,
Is the only way to destiny
Sometimes goodbye,
Though it hurts
Is the only way now for you and me,
Though it's the hardest thing to say,
I'll miss your love everyday
So say goodbye,
But don't you cry,
Cuz true love never dies…
And when you need my arms to run into,
I'll come for you
Nothing will change the way I feel
Sometimes goodbye,
Though it hurts
In your heart,
Is the only way to destiny
Sometimes goodbye,
Though it hurts
Is the only way now for you and me,
Though it's the hardest thing to say,
I'll miss your love everyday
So say goodbye,
But don't you cry,
Because true love never dies…
"Follow your heart."
Kish's eyes rested on Ichigo's lips. He remembered vividly the kiss of Aoyama, which revived Ichigo. Perhaps now, it would be his turn. Leaning down, he hesitated halfway through. Would Ichigo change her mind, and wake up, slapping him? Shaking the horrific thought out, his lips brushed hers in a gentle yet sweet manner.
Kish stepped back, awaiting the miracle that was expected sooner or later.
