Hi, chapter 22 is here. Thank you to all who reviewed. The same three who always do, I thank you for being loyal! The Al Bhed known as Amaria, Tala Mine-Tala Hot and Rising StarLight SunShine. I must warn you, this chapter is sad.

Chapter 22- VG's Curse

"I'm theres no school today." May said, to no one in particular, as she was walking to VG's house. "I wonder if VG's okay."
"May."

"Hi, Sam." May said, as Sam came up to her. "Where are you going?"

"I was going to see if VG's okay."

"Me too." May said, "Lets go there together."
"I wonder what's wrong with him." Sam said. They walked to Li's house, and when they got there Sam knocked on the door. Shuffling was heard inside, and foot steps were heard runnign from the door, and another pair was heard coming to the door. Li opened it.

"Yes?"

"We came to see VG." May said, "Is he alright?"
"He can't talk now." Li said

"But we heard running in here." Sam said

"No, I mean he literally can't talk." Li said, "His curse has gotten worse. He tricked Jake, and I think she got angry. He's now ... I'll let you see for yourself." Li lead them to VG's door, which was closed. "Hold on, I'll see if he wants to see you." Li opened the door, and slid in. He made sure to close the door before either Sam or May could look in. A minute later he came back out. He looked at the girls and said "He isn't up to seeing anyone now."

"But whats wrong with him?" May asked, "What did the curse do?"

"It took any chance of his going into the outside world." Li said, "And his ability for communication. He can no longer speak the words of man."

"How is that possible?"
"Jake is more powerful than we thouht to inflict a cure like this." Li said, when VG's door opened. Out came a creature that looked half cat half human. It was covered in grey fur, ears placed on top its head, and four paws, even thougt it walked on two legs. A tail was drapping across the fool. Dull,broken, amber eyes looked at the two girls, before retreating back into the room. Both Sam and May gasped.

"VG..." They both said, in a low whisper.

"He's been lost in his mind since yesterday morning." Li said, "He hasn't eaten, slept, or much of anything else since than."
"All we have to do is beat Jake, and he'll turn back to normal, right." May asked, tears in her glistening green eyes.

"I'm not so sure." Li said, "If Jake is as powerful as I thing she is, or even more so, than only she can turn her back, her downfall won't make him return to normal."

"Its not like she'll change him back, so he's stuck like that?" Sam said, "What do we do?"

"I don't know." Li said, "All we can do right now is hope for the best." A second after Li said that, Vg's door opened. He tried to say something, but it only came out as various forms of "meow". He looked crushed, when he saw the confused look on the faces of his friends. His eyes began to show break again. He turned and sat down on his bed, and curled into a ball. Shaking with sobs of long supressed sorrow, from his entire life, now leaking up to the surface.

"Can you use the Change Card, so he can talk through us through you?" Sam asked

"No." Li said, "He's transformed it. Only he can use it. But since he can't talk anymore..."

"He's still VG, on the inside, right?" May asked

"Yes." Li said, "But I'm not sure for how much longer."

"The get me a pen and paper." May said, and Li grabbed the utensils. May took tham, and walked over to the sobbing ball. He seemed to be radiating sorrow, since the closer May got, the more she felt sad.

"VG." She said, "Here, can you write what you are trying to tell us?" She held out the pen and paper. VG didn't make any move to take them. He just layed there, curled into a ball, lost within himself. May shook him, tryign to get a response. The one she did get was not the one she wanted. VG scratched her hand, and hissed, backing into a corner of the room. Watching all the others cautiously, like he didn't know who they were. He was growling menancingly, glaring, yet watching Li, Sam, and May like they were monsters. May broke down, and cryed right there, while Sam left the room. Li went and carried May out, and closed the door, trapping VG in the room. He went down to the living room, where Sam was.

"He's gone." Li said, "I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did."

"Why?"

"Neko-jin are mystical creatures, who need to be in the nature to be healthy. Since VG was cut from nature so suddenly I thought he would break sooner. But it took his link to anything outside this house to break his spirit. Only he can break himself out of his own inner dungeon." Li said, with sorrow evident in his voice.

"Theres nothing we can do?" May asked

"The best we can do is remind him we're his friends, and hope for the best..." Li held the word best longer than nessesary, like he thought of something. "The Hope!"

"Huh?"

"The Hope Card! Its the strongest out of the cards. It could remove the curse, and restore VG to his rightful mind set!"

"You know where the card is?" Sam asked

"No, but Maybe Sakura would, since she made it." Li said, "You two go and get her, I'll stay here and watch VG." Sam and May nodded, and ran off, to go to Sakura's house. When they got there, Sakura was just coming out. She saw them running up to her, and waved happily.
"Sakura, we need your help." Sam said

"Whats wrong?"

"Its VG. You know how he was cursed?"
"Yeah."
"Well, Jake made it worse, and it shattered VG's mind, and Li thinks the Hope Card would be able to break the curse, and restore VG to his former self."

"Let me get the card, then we'll go to see VG." Sakura said, running back into her house. She came out a minute later, holding the Hope Card in her hand. They got in Sakura's car, and drove to Li's house. When they got there, Li was sitting on the couch, looking sad.

"Li, whats wrong?" Sakura asked

"Its VG." Li said, "He's getting worse." Li led them to the hallway, and the closer they got to VG's room, the clearer they heard soft, depressed mewling coming from the room.

"Thats him?" Sakura asked, her hand against her heart. Li nodded, and opened the door, causeing what used to be VG to back into the far corner of the room, glaring and hissing. Sakura came into the room, and gasped when she saw the being in the corner of the room. Her hand was over her heart, and it started to glow pink. The light took shape, and formed a brand new Star Wand. It looked excatly like the old one, but she made this one from her own magic. She looked it over, before unleasing the power of the Hope.

"Hope! Release and Dispell! Remove the curse on our friend." Sakura chanted, and everyone hoped for the best. A pink light came from the card, and into VG. He hissed in pain, and put his paw on his head. Soon his whole body began to glow pink. When the glowing left him, and returned to Sakura's card, they looked at VG. They all gasped, at what they saw. VG was there, still glaring at them, with that feral look in his eyes. But he was no longer cursed. He was back in his Neko-jin form. (Human, brown hair, pointy ears, amber eyes, fangs, everything else human). Li moved the mirror, to let VG see his reflection. When he did see it, he froze. He crawled up, and grabbed the mirror. He stayed there, staring at it. Not know whether he was really seeing this or not. Sam, May, and Sakura smile when they saw him smile, and Li smirked.

End chapter. What did you think? The stuff about Neko-jin I put in here I made up. I don't know if its true or not. R and R.