Author's Note: Man, thanks to calculus and my teacher's lack of actual teaching, I am in the most vicious mood. Biting something looks like a really good idea right now. That said, we can move on to the story
BlackWingedGabriel: The ears, you say? Damn. I like those ears. Can we do a timeshare on those? Switch off every week or so?
Mimiru-Sama and KishxIchigo and ReccaxYanagi and SetoxSerenity Forever: Yes. We must all kill Masaya. Sheebs can help us now, after the annoyance brought on by episodes 17 and 18
samuraislygirl: We all need hugs, on the inside XP
Sheebita: Hehe. Toni had a wondrous birthday, as I'm sure you know. And I'm so happy I've converted you… sorta. Now we have Toni as the Ichigo hater, you as the Aoyama hater, and me as the Aoyama hater and Kisshu lover. Eh… right! Well, at least together we can burn Masaya at the stake, brainwash Ichigo, and make Kish happy. And dun worry about Ryou; he gets Lettuce. Thank goodness for Lettuce. I wish we could just clone that amazing girl and hand her out to all lonely men. She rocks. Oh yes, she does. If only Ichigo had her amazingness… sigh
Toni, happy birthday again! I'm writing this at… lesse… 11:30, night of your B-day. Goodbye, sleep. Goodbye Lear, too, actually. I suppose we can just forget about finishing Act I… ah well. On to chappie 7!
What do I do? WhatdoIdowhatdoidowhatdoido?
Ichigo stood, eyes wide and vacant in her shock, staring at the snow begin to fall outside her window.
It's starting to snow. I should go find him before it gets too bad. I'll take Masha, and I'll go track him down, and I'll…
Her thoughts trailed off to nowhere; her body remained frozen.
I'll take Masha, and I'll…
If I go now, before it gets too bad…
A sudden gust of wind forced the snowflakes to quicken their downward journey, and the swift movement broke her paralysis.
He was gone, gone into that unforgiving weather, and she had to do something now.
If I don't…and he… it's all my fault…
That was her central thought as she grabbed Masha, ignoring its protesting squeak, and bounded down the stairs. This was her fault. Kisshu was hurt. He could die. It was all because of her. Her fault, her responsibility, her stupid temper… This merry-go-round of guilt slowly played in her head, and she had to blink away tears as she tugged her coat out of the closet and pulled it on.
A moment later, she was standing out in the growing snow fall, looking up and down the empty street.
How am I going to…?
She shook the thought away, more tears running down her cheeks. It didn't matter how. Why in the world did she even consider asking the question?
Ever since he had appeared, ever since he had come to her in a time of dire need, to her alone, he had become her responsibility. She had ruined it all in the worst way, and asking questions instead of acting would ensure his death, a death she was responsible for.
"Masha. I need you to find an alien," she told the floating puff of fur as it bobbed up and down in its customary place beside her. "I need you to find—"
"Alien! Ichigo, there's an alien!"
She blinked in utter disbelief. She hadn't even gotten out of the yard…
"Hey!"
The girl whipped around to her left, eyes landing on the small form of Taruto. Not Kisshu. Definitely not Kisshu. The dear hope she had been clinging to vanished; she let out of choked gasp of despair as the younger alien looked up at her.
Only after gathering her thoughts, composing herself as much as she could, she realized that a deep, intense anger burned within his gaze. She had never thought much of Taruto; his older companions had always been the greater concern in battle, but now she found herself intrigued, if not disturbed, by the ferocious emotion in his eyes.
All she could blurt out was a lame "What do you want?"
"Where is he!"
If his gaze had disturbed her, the fury in his voice terrified her. She took a step back as he glared at her, teeth gritted, little fists clenched. Seconds passed, and he seemed to have no patience for her speechlessness.
"Well?"
Ichigo had to swallow the growing lump in her throat before she could even hope to answer him.
"H-he… I…"
"What did you do to him!" It was more irate scream than real question. Ichigo suddenly realized that the alien was shaking, and she was rather sure it wasn't with cold. The thought came as a true mental slap. He's…he's trying not to cry…
Again, she couldn't speak, and Taruto went on, voice overly loud with his attempt to control its trembling.
"Deep Blue wouldn't let us help him. He wouldn't let us near him, and Kisshu thought you… he thought…"
She had been right; Deep Blue had ordered banishment. The true horror of the situation dawned on her. Kisshu had been denied the only help he could really depend on; he had been rejected. His companions had been… she looked at the anguish on Taruto's face… forced to abandon him. He had come to her because… why? It was the only part missing. Why had he…?
"Why?" she murmured, making a sudden effort to maintain eye contact with the young alien. "Why did he come to me?"
There was a break in the anger; Taruto faltered. He stared back at her, momentarily bewildered, before his face hardened. Ichigo realized, almost descending into panic, that maybe she just didn't want that question answered.
"I don't know. I guess he's just stupid." The hate in his voice took her breath away; she choked.
Stupid… stupid for wanting her… stupid for trusting her…
Trusting her.
Her.
He had trusted her. She had sentenced him to death.
What had he done to deserve this? Watched her? So he had watched her, seen her with Aoyama-kun. So he had said those things, things he always said. So he had become angry, like always.
Had she had the right to—? How could she have—?
"Taruto," she began, her voice trembling so badly, she could hardly speak above a whisper.
"How can I find him?"
It was plain to see that he was taken aback. For a moment, words failed him, but then, "You're going to—"
"Please, Taruto. I'm sorry. Please, yell at me later. Just tell me how I can find him!" She finished in a full, heart-wrenching cry. The desperation in her voice finally reached the young one; he looked down at the ground, then back up at her.
"He likes the park with the duck pond. I don't know if he's there, but—"
She was running before he finished his first sentence; in the middle of the second, she was out of hearing range.
Taruto stared after her, a frown firmly on his features, the cold worry that had settled into his stomach weeks ago still pulsing with its depressing persistence.
I wish…
He shook his head sadly. There was no sense in wishing, no hope lying anywhere but in her. Deep Blue had spoken, and he and Pai could do nothing. Nothing, but pray that this silly human girl could live up to their friend's expectations.
Pai…I should get back to Pai and at least tell him…
Loyal to Deep Blue as the oldest alien was, he had been markedly depressed for the last week.
With that last thought, Taruto teleported back to their dimension, leaving silence in his wake.
AN: Hehe… cliffie… Dun worry, next chapter will be up real soon, probably complete with fluffy goodness. I can't leave myself with a cliffie. But it's 1:30 AM. I have school tomorrow…. yay school. Read and review, please!