Chapter 5: DO IT! Or else

"Happy Valentine's day Zakuro!"

A happy Mint took some time off in the kitchen to welcome her friend, as they both stayed in the kitchen to catch their breath.

The violet haired-teen smiled. For some reason, February the 14th put her in a good mood.

"Happy Valentine's day to you too Mint. Still, now I suppose you'll have to be up on your feet more often."

She was right. Couples were swarming in left and right at the café. They were either locking eyes or winking or holding hands. Either way, orders were called out and desserts had to be made. The mews were running all about the room trying to keep up.

Mint nodded. "Of course! What else would I be doing?"

'Drinking Mint-flavored tea.' Thought Zakuro, but she didn't say it aloud.

Mint laughed. "I know, you think I'd be sitting around watching everyone work, and sip tea. Right?"

She contemplated for awhile. "Hey, I just figured something. Isn't it weird that those aliens have not come to bother us for a long while? I mean, its been about two months. Could they have given up for good?"

Zakuro blinked. But before she could give an answer, Pudding came rushing into the kitchen in panic

"Mint! Zakuro! They just keep eating and lovey-dovey people keep coming! We're actually running out of supplies!"

She stopped and panted. "Ryou and Ichigo have already tried to hold out the rations as much as possible but-"

Zakuro cut in. "- It's okay. I'll run to the store and get the ingredients. So what do we need?"

Pudding made a rapid list. "Strawberries, bananas, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, chocolate, baking-" She rattled off. Zakuro made a quick list and was soon running out the door and grabbing her keys.

"Please Hurry!" Pudding and Mint called after her.

On a summer morning, Pudding was at the park with Tart. They were running around and racing. Then Tart pushed her on a swing for fun. In turn, she did the same. At last, they sat down to rest. The alien took a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to her. She opened it excitedly and read what was inside. Then she glanced up at him. He waited eagerly.

"How dare you write something like that about Aoyama-kun!"

He stared in complete disbelief. The girl before him turned into an enraged Ichigo. Now she towered above him as he cowered on the grass, holding her weapon above him.

"Take this!" she screeched and shoved the pink heart in his face.

As the bright light went around him, Tart knew he was a goner.

When he opened his eyes, he was lying on the ground. He looked around and reconizing the place, felt relieved.

'Only a dream. A scary, seemingly real image, but a dream.'

As he got up, he realized a weight was holding him down. He looked in front of him, and saw an arrow, pointed downward, into his chest.

He panicked, and fell back down, nearly having a seizure.

'Crap. I'm still dreaming!'

With that, he abruptly shut his eyes and went back to sleep.

Meanwhile, Kish was slowly getting up. He saw a puddle of drool on the floor and wondered how long he had been lying there, face in the ground.

He groaned as he got up and realized his bones were creaky. He must have been here for a few hours…

Instead he sat down and yawned. Before he even finished yawning, his eyes widened slightly. He gave a sharp yell and jumped a few feet in the air, creaky bones or not. Then he quickly inspected the ground to see if there was anything sharp sticking out of it. He saw absolutely nothing. Still, he would not try anything as stupid as sitting down again. So carefully, he reached around his behind to check. The first thing he felt was the shaft of the arrow. He pulled away from the spot and began twitching nervously.

'How did that get in there?'

Then thought occurred to him. There must have been a crazy battle of some sort. The archer must have been lousy to shoot him there, if he was intending on ending his life. Still, the spot ached, as if you had a BIG splinter in your finger. He stood there for a moment. Then…

'Pai.'

He suddenly stood shocked.

'Tart.'

He had been standing here without even thinking of his companions! How careless of him…he needed to see if they survived the ordeal or not. If they didn't…

He pushed that thought away.

Ignoring the pain in his butt, he sprinted off in search for survivors.

Finally, after searching from room to room, caught sight of his younger friend lying on the floor.

"Tart!"

He drew closer, relieved. Relief soon turned to horror as he laid his eyes upon the arrow that stuck out of Tart's chest visibly. Frightened, he gazed at his eyes. They were closed, not shut tightly, but appeared peaceful and relaxed.

A horrible thought occurred to him.

He lifted the lifeless body of Tart and shook him gently.

"Hey Tart. Buddy…this doesn't have to happen. Especially not to the youngest… C'mon, you've got your entire life ahead of you."

He received no response.

His eyes at this point were watering a bit. He bent over his companion, looking as if he would break down. He wordlessly supported Tart's backside and lifted strands of hair out of his eyes. Then he shook him violently.

"BRAT! WAKE UP!"

Tart finally opened his eyes to find someone shaking him back and forth. He went wide-eyed and immediately thought he was in a nightmare. He gritted his teeth and called out

"ICHIGO! I've had enough! STOPPPPPPPPPPP:

Kish stopped shaking him at once.

"Wake up. I'm NOT Ichigo. Now before he gets killed off, lets go find Pai."

Tart sat up, confused as Kish hurried away. What he found most confusing was why he swore he saw tears in Kish' eye. Then he hurried after him.

After searching for a LOONNGGGG while, they found the eldest. In a cabinet, snoring peacefully, and unmoving. They stared at the fluffy ball on top of his face and were startled when saw it open its mouth wide, as if to eat his head. They acted fast. Tart grabbed the fluffball and yanked it off Pai's head.

Its eyes went as wide as marshmallows.

Tart pulled the poor pink fluffball. "MONSTER! YOU'LL PAY!"

Yasha uttered high squeaks. At this the eldest opened his eyes.in a flash.

"Would you all be quiet? I can't sleep with you…with you…"

He stared about, realizing he was in a cabinet. As he struggled to get out, Kish stared amusedly, while Tart was busy pulling Yasha's mouth open.

Kish soon got bored of watching Pai in his plight, so he watched Tart stretch the fluffball. Pai got tired of fighting to get out and stared tiredly down at the fluffball as well. When all three had their eyes locked on it, their memories of what happened earlier came rushing back to them at once. Pai shot out of the cabinet, Tart dropped Yasha and Kish folded his arms.

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" they all yelled at the cornered Yasha, mimicking Valley girl quite well.

Yasha glared up at them indignantly. "I was doing my job. You three should thank me for putting you in the correct place." It began speaking in a business-like tone. "It is now February the 14th, the time of love and peac-"

Kish interrupted angrily. "To heck with February 14th, look here you. I've got an arrow in my butt, Tart has one in his body, and Pai's standing there oblivious of one to the head!" Pai hadn't realized it, but now felt the top of his forehead, and realized it was true.

Tart was the only one who actually paid attention. "Did you say," he asked suspiciously. "February 14th? What are we to do with our work now?"

"That was what I was about to tell you." Yasha countered. "But since you three have absolutely no gratitude, pulled my beautiful fluffy fluffiness, and have the AUDACITY to shout my poor ears out, you can spend your time doing something else."

He flew up to the air and faced them. "Those arrows you have will NEVER come out. Nope."

He grinned as their mouths dropped in horror. "NEVER," he repeated. "Unless you can find someone, someone you have feelings for, to help you."

They were all silent, knowing something like this was coming. "Toodles!" Yasha said cheerfully and began to fly out an open window. He stopped short.

"I have help for you," he said, turning to Pai for a moment. "You let me sleep on your head without the least bit disturbing me, so I should at least help you." Pai nodded, waiting for an answer.

"Your help is there, at the store, near the café of the mews. Don't hesitate to look there." He paused and winked. "I might show up too. Good Luck!"

Without another word, he disappeared. The other two were silent, unsure of what to say.

Pai broke the awkwardness. "Well, I suppose I better head to the store, if we ever want to get out of this. I hope you two get an idea of where to look."

Kish gave a small grin. "Don't you worry, I think I already know where."

"Me too." Tart said slowly.

Well there it goes. We should have them in the scene sooner or later.