Chapter Ten
A Mew Plan
"Ryou, I've been thinking." Suika said.
"Excuse me while I alert the media." Ryou said jokingly.
"Hey! I'm trying to help here!" Suika protested. "If you don't want my help just say so." She said crossing her arms in a huff.
"What were you thinking?" Ryou asked, curious.
"Well now I just might not tell you." She said looking at him. He turned back to the monitor and she sighed. "Fine, if you insist. I was thinking about what Keiichiro said."
"About Zakuro?" Ryou asked, not sure where this conversation was leading.
"No, baka." Suika said. "About the demon lord. He said that he killed the warriors by pulling the moon out of orbit and flooding the land. Well, if we could pester him enough that he could do it again, we might be able to destroy him as well."
"That's incredibly reckless!" Ryou shouted, standing up quickly and knocking over his chair.
"Oh, like you've never done anything reckless before…..Alto!" Suika shot back at him.
"How do you know about that?" Ryou shouted.
"Hello! Ichigo's my cousin remember?" She yelled back.
"Well this could affect thousands of people! Thousands could die, not just one person!" Ryou yelled.
"And if we don't do anything, thousands of people could die anyways! So which would you rather have it be? Do something reckless and save at least some people, or do nothing and not save anyone at all!" She screamed. They both fell silent, panting with frustration and maybe something more. The air around them seemed to crackle with intensity.
"I won't let you do anything that could endanger the others." Ryou said stubbornly, crossing his arms.
"Uh, Ryou," Suika said matter-of-factly, "I think danger's in the job description. I mean, when are we ever not in danger?" She asked, her eyebrows raising.
Well, she had him there. Ryou paused, a few minutes more, thinking Suika's plan over. It was true that the demon was destroyed last time, and maybe, just maybe if this plan worked, Keiichiro and he could devise a way to keep him from coming back. Finally, he looked back and met Suika's gaze. "It's true. Right now this plan is all we got. However, I will not do approve of it until we get input from all the other girls. Then, and only then will we make a decision, understand?" He asked, giving Suika a serious look.
"Fine." Was all Suika said in reply, and they both headed back downstairs to reveal their strategy to the other girls.
"Does everyone remember what to do?" Ryou asked through Masha's transponder.
"For the last time, Ryou yes!" Ichigo replied back. Ever since Ryou and Keiichiro had healed Masaya, she had been back to her normal self, which of course included bickering constantly with Ryou. He was delighted at this change, but reminded himself mentally that he could no longer be secretly in love with her for both her and his sanity. Instead, he focused at the task at hand and making sure everyone stayed alive.
After telling all of the girls what their choices were, they had taken a vote. Pudding and Suika, as well and Mintand Zakuro had imediatelysaid yes. Only Lettuce and Ichigo seemed to have any reservations, but in the end, they too agreed.
"Okay." Ryou responded. "Everyone get in position and wait for my signal. The six girls were transformed and ready for battle at the latest spot to be ravaged by the demon ; Ryou and Keiichiro were two blocks away in a car equipped with a portable lab and tracking computers.
All of a sudden, a thunderous roar filled the air and scattered the smoke that had been rising from a pile of ashes that had once been an entire office building.
"Bothersome warriors!" The demon screeched and sent a wave of flames in Lettuce's direction. The girl dodged them quickly and aimed an attack at the monster's eyes. Momentarily blinded, the monster let out a wail that would shatter glass. It then looked around and flung a stream of fire towards Pudding. She too, avoided the wall of heat and bounced off of Suika, trying to attack. That was their great plan: show up wherever the demon was and avoid attacks at all costs-only attacking when they had gotten clear. By doing this, they hoped to push the demon so far that he would resort to the moon-pulling tactic.
"Ichigo look out!" Mint yelled.
"On it!" Ichigo bellowed back and did a double flip to avoid another attack.
"I think he's leaving!" Lettuce screamed, and sure enough, the monster thrust his great wings and took off into the sky, sending one last look of pure venom at the girls and yelling, "Next time, you'd better be ready! I hope you all know how to swim!"
"Did you get that?" Zakuro asked Ryou and Keiichiro.
"We sure did." Keiichiro's voice answered. "I guess that means he's getting ready to do what we thought. I guess he's counting on us not to know what he means."
"Girls, report to the café, we've got to go over the final part of the plan." Ryou spoke.
"Always barking orders." Suika teased, and shook her head as the girls made their way back.
"Ryou's like that." Ichigo said. "He won't even give me a raise!"