xuri: La la la. ;3 Good evening/morning/afternoon/wheneveryouhappentobereadingthis. I would just like to apologize in advance for the longness of this chapter, chapters to come, and preceeding chapters that probably make your eyes bleed. It takes a long time for me to work through them, and I have the story clearly in my head already. Can't imagine what it's like for you guys who probably have a different picture in your head than I do. xD
On that note, I am working on the drawings I said I would. At the moment, I have human forms of Kona, Yumi, and Kikyo. Since I plan on doing human/transformation sketches for each character, this could take a while. I might put each of them up as I progress, though. Just wanted to mention it.
SamKo: Well, that's just because Ryou x Ichigo is the mostest amazing pair ever. xD I reaaallly struggled not to squeeze that pairing into this fic, because I wanted it to seem like a duplicate series to Tokyo Mew Mew and I can't see that pairing ever happening in Mia Ikumi's work (though it really should). But after Blend I'll be working on a Ryou x Ichigo fic to satisfy my fan girl ness. x3 And, aww. I like it when my characters are loved. Warm fuzzies. xD
Blend (chapter eleven)
..desperation..
Roxi...
As her mind stirred from the dark abyss, slowly rising back to consiousness, Ichigo felt that one word run lightly through her mind. Then sounds started coming through her ears, quiet ones, the shuffle of feet and low whisper of voices. Her sense of touch returned then, and she identified being laid down on a comfy mattress or futon of some sort. Slowly, the girl found the strength to open her eyes, waiting as her vision cleared to reveal a blank ceiling above her. As the fuzz in her mind cleared, the memories of the recent events came rushing back to her. For a fleeting moment, Ichigo thought - no, she hoped - that it had all been a dream. That she'd waken up.
Once more control was given to her, she was able to turn her head to the side, and felt her heart fall. A twinge of pain came from her arm, and she could see from the corner of her eye neatly tied bandages, running up both her arms, legs, even a few wrapped around her forehead. She was no longer transformed, but she knew they were battle scars. A sigh escaped her weak lips.
So it hadn't been a dream, after all.
While she was still 'waking up', Ichigo took the chance to observe her surroundings. Plain, undecorated cement walls. Tables lined the room, holding up buzzing machines. Computers. With a little bit of shock, Ichigo realized she was in the Cafe basement. What happened...?
"...Ryou... She's awake..."
Recognizing Kona's soft voice, Ichigo blinked and turned her head to the other side, seeing the blonde haired boy approaching with a serious look on his face. She just stared back. Maybe she would have put an effort in to say something sarcastic, but the girl still felt completely weak and sore all over.
"Do you need anything?" Ryou asked simply, still showing little emotion. Ichigo could see past him now, where Kona and Yumi were standing, talking quietly and gathered around something. Kona had a cloth bandage wrapped around her wrist, and Yumi seemed to be perfectly fine, at least at the angle she stood from her. Lifting her head so she was facing Ryou again, Ichigo tried shaking her head and sitting up a little bit.
"No, I'm...fine," She managed to reply, her mouth feeling dry and her head still a little muddled. 'Fine' probably wasn't a good word to use. Ichigo was hardly fine, that was obvious. She would have said 'No, I don't need anything, I'm awake now, aren't I?' but she felt so deprived of energy that the effort might as well have knocked her out again. Shifting a bit where she sat, trying to support herself against a headrest, Ichigo looked over at Yumi and Kona again, frowning slightly. "Where's Roxi? Is she alright?"
At this, Ryou was silent. Ichigo's head whirled into a panic - she could feel her heart racing in fear. Say something...please, please, say something! She begged silently. Kona had said Roxi was alive. She'd checked her pulse. She was down, but alive- Kona had said so! Ichigo's hands began to tremble. What if... What if Roxi had...?
Stepping to the side, Ryou silently motioned at Yumi and Kona to follow as well. They glanced at eachother in reluctance, but obeyed. Ichigo felt her muscles tense, trying not to cry. Please... The girl nearly collapsed, seeing Roxi's limp figure laying sprawled on another makeshift bed. Not moving. Her breath suddenly left her as she stared in disbelief. "She..."
"She's stable," Ryou interupted quickly, seeing the pale look of horror on Ichigo's face. He too turned to face the unconsious girl, folding his arms over his chest absently. Ichigo breathed. Thank God... Now that her mind wasn't buzzing so loudly, her attention went back to her arms and legs, and she winced. At this point, Ichigo had no doubts she'd wouldn't be in perfect condition again for many days...
She blinked. What? Running a hand over her eyes, figuring her head was still working funny, Ichigo did a double take on the sleeping girl. She was in her tattered cafe uniform, just like Ichigo - detransformed. And yet... there, resting on the top of her head, were a pair of dark panda ears. Ichigo rested her hand on her own hair, but there were no cat ears there. She glanced to the side. No tail either. With a confused look at her friend, who had been announced in a 'stable' condition, Ichigo opened her mouth the ask something and then flinched instantly.
"Ichigo, you should go back to sleep," Kona said calmly, resting a hand on the girl's shoulders. Her blue eyes were still warm, but weary, as if she'd witnessed too much for one day. "Just rest up, okay? Roxi's fine right now. Keiichiro's out getting some medical supplies for both of you. Yumi and Ryou and I will keep a close eye out, alright?"
Ichigo hesitated, but nodded after a pause. She'd already been out for who knows how long, but she felt completely exhausted - not to mention in a great deal of pain. Breathing a tired sigh, she gingerly lowered herself back down to the bed, curling up into a comfortable position and shutting her eyes. Sleep washed over her welcomely, and she felt temporary relief as she wandered into a wavery dream...
Kona stood over her bed until she was sure the younger girl was asleep. Then, she sighed herself, cradeling a drooping head in her hand, looking back over at Roxi. A frown crossed her face. Ryou had left just moments ago, heading into the other room to help Keiichiro. Unlike she'd told Ichigo, Keiichiro hadn't gone out to get supplies.
"Medicine isn't going to help her," Ryou had said grimly after they had checked Roxi over. Even Kona wasn't completely sure what had happened, but she knew it had something to do with Ari's attack. Shaking her head, the girl turned to glance at the panda-eared girl, who was taking shallowed breaths and not even moving a twitch. Something was wrong - and even though she didn't know what, as soon as Roxi passed out on them, Kona knew it was very, very bad...
--
Back at that time, Kona had instructed Yumi to watch Roxi while she went to get Ryou. Ari was no where in sight, her laughter still seemingly echoing through the empty air. Kona didn't care - something was wrong with Roxi. She was just about to dash off to the cafe when there was a heavy 'thud' behind her. Spinning around, the girl found pink clad Ichigo sprawled in a heap on the ground, knocked out. She cursed, but made sure to check her pulse as well. She was unconsious, but not in nearly as bad a state as Roxi. In a few more moments, her body was engulfed in a glow as she subconsiously transformed back into Cafe Ichigo. Kona put a hand to her forehead. She couldn't leave.
"Ryou-san!" She shouted, keeping an eye on Ichigo as she stood up. "Ryou-san! RYOU! Get out here!" Kona continued to cry, glancing back at Ichigo and Roxi every few seconds. The doors of the cafe swung open a minute later, and the blonde haired Ryou ran out, looking confused. His eyes fell upon the fallen Ichigo and his body visibly stiffened.
"What happened?" He demanded once he was over.
"Ari -"
"Ari did this weird attack on Roxi and she was all covered in this blue stuff and then she just fell over and then Ichigo fell over too because she was all scratched up and hurt and -"
"Yumi, calm down," Ryou interupted hastily as the young girl showed no signs of stopping her panicked chatter. Stepping over to where Ichigo lay, he raised an eyebrow. Then he turned to Kona with an expectant look on his face.
"She's okay, I think," The black haired girl explained quickly, eyes a little wide, "I'm pretty sure she just passed out from exhaustion. She had to take Ari on all by herself for a long time before we figured out what was going on...but... Roxi..."
Trailing off, Kona turned to face Roxi with a frown. Ichigo had detransformed. Roxi was no longer in her battle outfit. But she still bore her animal-DNA panda ears on her head. Ryou seemed to notice this as well, almost immediately after. He obviously took this as something more serious than Kona had expected.
"Blend..." He breathed, a stunned look on his face. Then, clenching his jaw tightly, Ryou turned to Kona and Yumi again. "What happened with Ari and that 'blue stuff'?"
Kona answered first, to prevent a very distraught Yumi from rambling on again. "She summoned some strange blue coloured substance and used it as an attack... I think she was aiming it at Ichigo, but Roxi jumped in the way and got hit instead. For a minute, it looked like she was covered in it, and then it just sort of disapeared in her body..."
Ryou was silent, but his eyes were narrowed, flickering with thought and fear at the same time. Then, turning around, he began his stalk back inside the cafe. "Bring them both inside. Now."
"Ryou..." Kona's eyes widened. There was something in the tone of his voice that told her he knew something, something horrible, that he wouldn't share with them. Straightening up, she took a deep breath. "Ryou, what happened?"
"Didn't I tell you to get them inside?" He snapped, glaring back at them. Seeing the worried look on her face, his expression softened slightly, and he turned away. "If we don't get that out of Roxi's body, then she'll..." Ryou said nothing more as he hurried back into the cafe to retrieve Keiichiro. Obviously, that hadn't answered her question. Not completely. But she wouldn't press it - glancing back at Roxi, who Yumi was trying to wake up, Kona knew something was very wrong. And as she went to get help Yumi bring Ichigo and Roxi inside, she decided that was all the reason she needed at that moment.
--
Sighing, Kona shook her head. She still didn't know what was going on. Not completely. Just that Ryou didn't want Ichigo to know. With a side glance to the sleeping girl, Kona wondered why. So she wouldn't worry? That seemed the most likely. After all, there was no more need for another head getting all panicky. The high school girl spent a moment watching Ichigo sleep, and then went to talk to Yumi, who had been looking a little pale ever since Roxi went out.
"Un...un..."
Kona froze, spinning around. Ichigo hadn't moved. But she'd heard a grumble... Her eyes widened as she turned. Then that means Roxi...?
Sure enough, Roxi was showing signs of movement. Her arm jerked a little, and she groaned lightly again. Her eyes weren't open, but her face showed a look of extreme pain. Even from the distance she stood, Kona could hear her breathing becoming irregularily heavy and quick, a tremble running down the girl's body.
"R-Ryou..." She said shakily, not tearing her wide eyes away from the panda-eared girl. Suddenly, and without warning, she stopped moving. The breathing stopped, too. "RYOU!" Kona called again, louder, turning away for a split second to get him from the lab.
Then Roxi started to scream.
Ichigo jolted upright, her mind sharpening instantly to the shrill sound. She recognized it immediately. The girl paled when she saw Roxi thrashing on her bed, screaming at the top of her lungs, gasping for air as if she were struggling against some unknown force. "Roxi?" She cried, nearly tumbling off her bed as the pain in her body awakened. Kona dashed over immediately, looking just as frightened, and moved to hold the girl down so she wouldn't hit her head on a wall or crash onto the floor. Ryou and Keiichiro came running in right after, looking even more alarmed at the sight of the girl.
"Oh no..." Keiichiro breathed, his eyes growing wide.
Ryou looked equally as panicked. "What happened?"
"I don't know...I don't know!" Kona sputtered, forcing the shouting Roxi back down, "She just started moving, and then stopped, and then started screaming... I don't know!" Her voice shook, as if she were choking back tears. Roxi gasped for air desperately, and then let out a high pitched cry, her hand clenching at the sheets as her eyes fluttered open.
"Roxi!" Only then did Kona and Ryou notice Ichigo had woken up as she choked a sob, trying to get off her bed to her feet. She'd moved a bit too quickly for her condition and ended up crumbling to the floor with faint cry.
"I-Ichigo-" Kona started, and then stopped when she saw Yumi hurrying over to help the older redhead up. The black haired girl turned back to restraining Roxi, whose thrashing was only becoming worse and more intense. Keiichiro had disapeared back into the back section of the lab, and Ryou was simply staring, his blue eyes glazed over. At a glance, Kona could have sworn she saw a hint of guilt beneath his features, brimming strongly.
Guilt?... But why would he -
"Ryou!" Keiichiro came bursting back into the room, holding something in his hand. Ryou snapped out of his daze, facing the brown haired man as he hurried over breathlessly. The younger boy snatched the object promptly, stepping quickly over to Roxi's bedside, opposite of Kona.
"Do you have her under control?" He demanded, not possesively but seriously enough to make Kona flinch.
"Y-yes, I..." Not saying another word, she moved so she could pin the girl by the shoulders more securely, which caused more of a struggle beneath. Unfazed, Ryou held his free hand to restrain one of her arms, and jabbed a small needle - which had been the object in question - into it as gently as possible.
Ichigo cried out weakly at the sight, stumbling against Yumi's hold as she struggled back up to her feet. Finding her voice again, she started yelling... as much as someone with her strength could, anyway. "What did you do? Shirogane, what's wrong with her? Why is she - "
"Calm down!" He snapped, removing the needle gingerly from Roxi's arm. Sure enough, the girl seized all movement, falling limp against the mattress again. Kona seemed reluctant to remove her grip, but finally pulled her arms away, keeping a wary eye on Roxi. "She'll be fine... For a while," Ryou murmured to both of them, stepping away to dispose of the utensil. "It won't hold for long though. And it's only going to get worse..."
"What?" Ichigo felt her muscles tense in fear as she was finally able to support herself on her own feet, "What's only going to get worse?"
Silence. Ryou and Keiichiro briefly exchanged looks, which frustrated Ichigo on top of all the horrible things running through her mind at that moment. She read their expressions - worry, question - but it didn't calm her own. In fact, if anything, it made it worse. Holding a firm resolve, she repeated her question as best she could.
Ryou still said nothing. But in response instead, he stepped to the side a little bit, looking down at Roxi. Then, gently grabbing her left arm, he exposed her palm.
Ichigo's eyes widened. Her mark. The injection scar, located on the girl's palm. It had always been visible, but very faintly; now it burned more brightly than ever before, a dark red colour, almost as if it were glowing. On top of that, the areas around her eyes seemed to be outlining themselves faintly in black, almost like a...
"Shirogane," She said quietly, turning over to the boy with wide, worried eyes, "What's happening to her?"
Resting her arm down again, the boy simply shook his head. "That substance... the blue liquid you said Ari sent at her," He frowned, as if just saying it out loud was further puzzling him, "We're not sure how, but it's triggered one of the side effects of the injection. Quite strongly, too..."
"Side effects?" Stepping around the bed, Kona suddenly looked increasingly worried, especially with those two words being spoken. Ryou glanced at her and seemed to swallow before continuing to explain.
"The reason we didn't use Project Blend's methods on you girls," He nodded at Ichigo, referring to Lettuce and the others, "is because literally blending the DNA of an animal into another's is increasingly dangerous. We'd managed to dull it down so it wouldn't have too great of an effect on the body, but the method we used for the original Tokyo Mew Mew proved to be a lot safer. The side effects..." His voice trailed off as he searched for a way to properly explain it, "... are more apparent in Blend's testing. Fortunately, it seems the injection was successful, so none of you have encountered these 'side effects'. However," Kona suddenly looked very nervous, listening with a dazed and frightened look on her face, "The animal DNA in Roxi's body has been significantly enhanced, most probably from the attack the alien got her with. And it is only sinking further in with every passing moment. If too much time passes - "
"So do something!" Ichigo shouted at him, tears in her eyes. Her frame was trembling, both with anger and fear. She unrelentingly stepped up to him, staring the boy right in the face, "Can't you cure it? Can't you make some miracle medicine and put her back to normal?"
"We're trying, Ichigo," He replied calmly, "We're doing our best to analyze it. There's hardly any trace of the substance left, though, so without it we won't be able to create a cure. We'd need a sample of the 'blue substance' you'd mentioned..."
"Unfortunately, there really doesn't seem to be any equivalent to reverse, either... And since her body has completely absorbed it, we can't work with that, either. But we're doing our best to find something, Ichigo-san," Keiichiro assured her, hardly able to cover the concern on his own face.
Ignoring the brown haired man completely, Ichigo looked at Ryou straight in the eyes, her own brimming with tears. Ryou winced. "We can't wait though, can we? We can't wait for you to discover some foreign substance. We don't have time! With Roxi... Roxi..." Her own words escaped her. She didn't know the exact nature of her friend's condition, but Ryou had said 'if too much time passes'... She knew there was a limit to the time they had before something bad happened. And she didn't want to find out what it was. "You... you're not trying hard enough!"
An angry look flashed over his face. "'Not trying hard enough?' Baka! There's a life at stake here! We're doing the best we can!"
"Well do better!" Ichigo screamed back, and then moved to push his chest. She was so weak that it didn't affect him at all. "You're a genius, Shirogane! You know everything! Why can't you help Roxi?"
"It's not that easy!" Their voices were elevating to an all out top-of-your-lungs argument, "Don't you think I would have figured it out by now if it was? It's not a human condition! The DNA is reacting so strongly by this point that - "
"That what? Why don't you just tell me, Shirogane?" Ichigo demanded, oblivious to anything else going on around her.
Ryou shouted in return, "If we don't find a cure in time, the animal DNA will dominate her mind and turn her into an animal permanently!"
"Stop it!" A voice from aside half-hollered, half-whimpered. Both of them turned. The argument would have stopped then anyways - Ichigo's face was suddenly pale and she looked as if she were in a daze. Ryou noticed this, and visibly seemed to regret breaking it to her so harshly. Yumi, who was leaned over Roxi's bed and clutching to her arm, looked up with a tear soaked face, "Please, please stop! There's not gonna... not gonna..." The small girl choked, shaking all over, "...be enough time for Roxi if you don't find a way to make her better!" The pleading face was brought on by silence. Keiichiro just looked at the girl sadly, as if he already knew there was no hope. Ryou glanced off to the side with an anxious frown; both Ichigo and Kona were completely white in the face, horrified and very, very afraid. Yumi just dropped her head down to Roxi's chest again and sobbed, the only sound filling the silence.
"I'll go," Ichigo said quietly. Everyone turned to stare at her.
"What?" Ryou said bluntly, narrowing his eyes.
"I'll go. I'll lure Ari out. I'll get her to release that same attack on me, and I'll bring that blue gel back somehow." Even as she spoke, she sounded more confident than she felt. Normally, it would even be a feat. But now, Ichigo was still beaten and bruised...
"Ichigo, you can't," Kona protested softly, stepping forward and holding out an arm. She was shaking. You're afraid too, aren't you, Kona?... "You're too wounded. I'll go instead-"
"No." The strawberry-haired girl shook her head. "I'm the one she wants, remember? If I can find where she is, she'll come out and attack me. And I need to go alone, otherwise she'll bring Hanajima, and I don't want anyone else getting hurt..."
"Ichigo." Ryou warned firmly, his face obviously saying 'no-way-you're-not-going', "You know full well you can barely take her on your own, especially in the state you're in right now. If she somehow ambushes you and does bring Hanajima along with her, there's no one to back you up."
"What else are we supposed to do?" She whispered, hanging her head slightly. Ryou said nothing. None of them knew the answer to that. Looking around at everyone, Ichigo's eyes fell softly upon the blonde haired boy again, wide and dismal at the same time. "You see? I have to do this. Roxi was trying to protect me. If she hadn't, I'd be the one laying there right now."
He still said nothing. Not right away, at least. Then, shaking his head at himself, he sighed and covered his face with his hand. This is going to be a mistake, he thought bitterly to himself, glancing out at the girls from between his fingers. A big, big mistake.
"Alright, Ichigo. You can go."
A weak smile appeared on her lips. "Thank you, Shirogane."
"Just promise us all you'll be careful, alright?" He came back quickly, lowering his hand. There was a stern tone in his voice, but Ichigo knew he'd already given in. "This situation is by no means to be taken lightly, you understand? Once you have the substance, you come Right. Back. If you can't fight anymore, you come Right. Back. Don't hesitate if you're too injured. If Ari hits you with that attack..." He paused, unsure of whether or not he should say this infront of the others, "You will lose your powers completely. The DNA will be locked within your system, and you will slowly turn into an Iriomote Wild Cat. There is a way to cure Roxi; but because your DNA is not blended together, there will be no way to cure you."
Ichigo winced. It made sense to her, of course - Roxi and she had come across their powers under very different injection circumstances. Nodding to Ryou and the others, she turned to face her unconsious friend before she left. I promise, Roxi, you didn't risk your life for nothing... Without another word, she raced out the door, leaving the silence thick behind her.
"Then," Ryou finally said, his voice a little shaken but building up strong again, "Get back to work. Kona, you and Yumi stay here and keep an eye on Roxi. If absolutely anything happens, you are to alert us immediately. Keiichiro and I will be looking for a way to reverse the substance's effects if... once Ichigo comes back," He corrected himself hurriedly, almost as if to assure himself nothing bad would happen. With that, he trudged back to the lab, leaving the three girls alone in the quiet.
"Okay, Yumi," She murmured softly, turning to face her younger companion, "Looks like we have a job." Yumi simply nodded gravely and sniffled a little bit, looking down at Roxi. Neither of them said any more. Running a hand anxiously through her black hair, Kona managed a little sigh and found herself a position at Roxi's bedside, resting her own hand at the mattress as she observed the not-so-peacefully sleeping girl.
Roxi... you've got to come out of this alright...
--
Ichigo wasted no time.
The minute she had left the cafe porch, she broke out into a run. As much as it hurt her, made her legs and arms ache and pain sear through her body, her determination fuelled her forward, some part of her mind forcefully blocking out all the suffering. The streets were completely dark - Ichigo hadn't realized it had gotten so late - and abandoned. Even the streetlights did little to ease the shadows creeping along the sidewalk.
And yet, Ichigo had no time to girlishly freak out over things like that. She picked up speed as much as possible, panting for air. When she came across a more industrial part of town, she began to shout.
"Ari!" She cried, though it came out as more of a choked up sound, "Ari! Come out and fight! I know you're there!"
In all honesty, she had no idea where either Ari or Hanajima resided when they weren't in their student-teacher disguises. Some pocket realm? A normal house? Or were their essences everywhere, just waiting for her to appear to strike?... She prayed that Ari would hear her and come out. Fast.
Roxi was running out of time.
Ichigo was beginning to lose patience, as she continued running, having to slow down to a light jog, so she wouldn't pass out from pain and exhaustion. Once she found the strength to, she continued yelling, searching for any signs of alien-girl. "Ari! You coward! Come out and fight me now!" She repeated this, over and over again, yelling louder and louder and combing the entire area. Still nothing. Her mind told her to give up - she wouldn't hide somewhere so obvious - but Ichigo knew that wasn't an option. The only thing she could do was search until her body gave way. Ryou had never said anything about tiring herself out. So she wouldn't be breaking her promise, if something bad never happened...
She had to stop completely at this point, bending over and gasping for scarce-seeming air. Her chest felt heavy, as if it had been crushed in by some invisible and unrelenting force. Ichigo could feel tears warm in her eyes. Hopeless. What was she supposed to do now? Clearly, Ari wasn't coming out tonight. Of all times you decide to leave me alone... And she couldn't just give up, go back and watch Roxi turn into a mindless animal. That would be the worst outcome of all. Ichigo just wanted to lay down right there, and sleep, make this painful reality fade into the distance. She didn't know how much longer she could search, especially if it turned out to be fruitless. Roxi... I'm so sorry...
Soft but firm footsteps interupted her apologetic thoughts. Ichigo didn't notice them at first, clutching her head in her hands and silently holding back the wave of tears that threatened to break through. Only when a voice mused aloud from behind did she lift her head in brief triumph...
...and fear.
"Good evening, Ichigo-neko."
--
Kona and Yumi had fallen asleep against the mattress edges when Roxi's body gave a giant heave and she began to scream again.
The girls' heads snapped up instantaneously, looking a bit in a confused daze until their eyes fell over the writhing body of the panda-eared girl. Jumping up to her feet, Kona pinned her shoulders down, which was met with a great struggle. Yumi looked indescribably pale at that moment, staring with wide, horrified eyes as Roxi's body tensed and thrashed around violently.
"Hold her down!" Kona ordered loudly, more sternly than she'd meant too. Yumi didn't seemed fazed by it, however; with a swift nod, she used her tiny but strong arms to keep Roxi as still as possible as she cried out in pain. As soon as her mind wrapped around the situation, the eldest girl began to shout for Ryou and Keiichiro, doing everything she could to keep Roxi from clawing her own eyes out.
Only seconds later, Ryou entered the room at a swift pace, his expression forced to that of someone collected. No one in that room blamed him for being anxious about the whole thing. He already held an injection device in his right hand as he made a straight line for Roxi and the others, not saying a word.
"Roxi...!" Yumi whimpered, tears streaming down her face as she tried putting her body weight against the struggling girl. Wordlessly, Ryou firmly set his hand on one of her arms, positioning the needle and poking it into her skin.
She completely lost it. The minute the needle came into contact with Roxi, she let out a shrill cry, her arm escaping from Kona's grasp and flinging towards Ryou, knocking the device uselessly to the floor with a clatter. Even that of the injection that had gotten into her system failed to do anything. The girl struggled violently against the hold of the two girls as Ryou stood there, momentarily stunned, before a deep and worried frown crossed his face.
We're running out of time... He thought grimly to himself, and, checking to make sure Kona and Yumi had her under control as much as possible, hurried off to get Keiichiro. Now with even less people in the room, Roxi began to scream louder, and the girls could almost hear the mind-splitting pain she was going through at that moment in her strangled voice. Lowering her head, Kona could see the circles around Roxi's eyes beginning to darken, her jaw and teeth slowly beginning to change shape. It was horrifying, watching someone go through the excruciating process of having their mind being taken over, slowly and as painfully as possible, until they became a complete animal.
Finally, it seemed Roxi was out of energy, but the pain did not subside. Her arms fell limp against the bed and she lay there, gasping, her glazed eyes half open, her pupils becoming more narrow with the passing moment. Choking out a shaky cry, she began to sob loudly, curling her body up into a tight ball and clutching her head in her hands. Seeing she had stopped thrasning, Yumi and Kona released their hold, keeping their hands at a safe distance in case she broke out again. The girl barely moved however, as she whimpered in pain, her body shaking and fighting for air.
Clenching her jaw slightly, Kona felt helpless as she could only watch. "Ichigo..." She murmured under her breath, and glanced over at the door worriedly. Ichigo... Please hurry... Roxi needs you to come back!
--
Ichigo whipped around instantly, faced by the blue haired alien she'd been searching so desperately for. Her breath caught in her throat. Just as she was - tattered, beaten, bruised and weak -, Ari hadn't improved much since the earlier battle, either. There was a gradually healing cut at the corner of her mouth, scrapes decorating her arms and face, bruises lined up along her legs and sides. Of course, she was still in a better condition to fight; Ichigo assumed the aliens had a faster healing rate. She grimaced.
"Came out to play, hm, neko?" Ari said slyly, cocking her head to the side. There was only a meter or so of distance between them, so Ichigo planted her feet firmly in the ground. There was never any telling when Ari might try to strike. "I guess you want me to finish you off, don't you? And I would have earlier, if your little friend hadn't been so foolish..."
Ichigo blinked. She remembered then, past the clouds of defence and fear in her mind, why she had come looking for her in the first place. Shaking her head, she turned to glare at Ari. Putting a hurt and angry look on her own face was so easy... they were what she felt inside, anyways.
"You..." She took a deep breath, boldly stepping forward and clenching her hand in a fist, "...You did this to Roxi! Aren't I the one you're after? Aren't I the one that took something from you?" Ichigo gritted her teeth. "You're killing her, and I cannot forgive you. She has never - never - done anything to deserve this. So here I am," Standing up straight, she looked the alien defiantly in the eye, "I'm here to give you what you deserve."
Ichigo twisted her words so it sounded like she was here for revenge, instead of an essential substance.
A smirk graced Ari's lips. "So be it. This is how I want to end it, neko. Strength burning in your heart as I deliver the final blow!" With a swift cross of her arms, the twin daggers appeared, and she wasted no time charging forward.
"Hup!" Cat movements coming into action, Ichigo easily dipped to the side, a light glowing around her as she transformed. Even then, she felt her legs buckling beneath her, and she panted for breath before summoning her Strawberry Bell. This isn't going to be easy...
Ari whirled around just as quickly, bounding forward and taking a slash at the cat girl. Her head jerked to the side, the sharp object snagging only on the edge of her skirt as Ari nearly fell forward from the momentum. Ichigo took the delay in reaction as her chance, flinging out her Bell.
"Ribbon Strawberry Surprise!" Right up in her face, Ichigo called forth the burst of light as it sent Ari back quite a ways, clutching at her arm in pain as she tried to recover.
"Fool," She seethed in anger, beckoning the flame to surround her sais. Once she seemed to have regained her energy, the alien girl shot forward, striking with a strong downward swing. One dagger partially collided head on with Ichigo's weapon, the blunt side of the knife smacking hard against her shoulder. Ichigo cried out in pain, nearly losing grip on her Bell, the attack followed by a strong impact to her gut.
The wind was knocked clear out of her as she fell back from Ari's tackle, her body hitting the ground loudly and leaving her immobile for several brief moments. Ari grinned weakly above her, panting for air.
"It's only fair, you know," She mused. Ichigo couldn't tell whether she was talking to her, or just herself. "A life for a life. You destroyed Kishu-sama. And now I'm destroying someone dear to you..."
"What are you..." Ichigo breathed, pulling her body up as much as she could muster, "...talking about?" Again, she'd mentioned Kishu - Ichigo hadn't 'destroyed' him. He'd left alive, along with the others. Even though Ichigo was barely able to get up, Ari made no move. She could tell the alien was in as great pain as she was.
"Only you, Momomiya Ichigo," With a sneer, Ari's gloves tightened around her weapons, "When he came back, he was changed. Beaten. Weak. In one piece, yes, but his power had diminished significantly... He was a shell of his old warrior self. All because of you!"
"No!" Ichigo screamed, calling her attack forth once again to blast Ari. She didn't understand a word of what Ari was saying. Weak? Beaten?... What does she think I did?...
Letting out a shout, Ari was thrown backwards by the energy, falling to her knees. She was struggling to keep her body upright, one eye open and burning fiercely in Ichigo's direction. "You'll regret that," She growled, and somehow managed to stumble forth at a speed suitable for an attack.
The bronze sais clashed together with the furry pink bell, a shaky sound ringing through the air. Ari and Ichigo were both close to the ground, almost even on their knees, as they struggled to knock the other defensive away. Their weapons' hold did not budge.
"Give up, Ichigo-neko," Ari snapped angrily, weakness thick in her voice, "But don't fool yourself into thinking I'll be merciful. Witches deserve to be burned!"
"Witch?" Ichigo mumbled in disbelief. She felt her jaw tighten. "Where did you get a stupid idea like that?" Ichigo had managed to push the alien over some, so she had a bit of an advantage.
Ari just chuckled with mirth. "Casting spells on men. Bewitching them, leaving them babbling idiots under a seal of delusional love. That's what witches do, isn't it, neko?" Fighting back at that moment, Ari wrestled Ichigo back, once again setting the advantages at an even point.
"What are you talking about?" Ichigo was being pushed closer to the ground. It took all her strength to keep the muttering alien at bay. Bewitched? She thinks that I... that I bewitched Kishu?
"You're not so innocent," She retorted bitterly, and then with a grunt twisted her arms so her daggers were crossed over one another. With only a breath, she summoned forth a bright spiral of fire, and sent Ichigo back at just the sight. The girl managed to escape most of the fire, but her left arm was caught and badly burned as she was thrown back against the ground, a growl of pain emitting from her throat. She could hear Ari's weak, unstable footsteps approaching from behind, closer, closer... Taking a trembling breath, she was about to get back up when she noticed the way Ari was holding her daggers.
"And now," She said weakly, with a hint of triumph on her exhausted and beaten face, "Now, Ichigo, your life will end. I hope you didn't take it for granted." Just as Ichigo guessed, the blue susbstance from before engulfed her blades as she clasped them together, pointing them at the cat girl menacingly. Ichigo froze where she was. Her Bell had been knocked out of her hands, but not too far; even now, her hand slowly and unnoticeably crept towards it, her wide pink eyes watching Ari with a mixture of fear and caution.
If I mess this up, me and Roxi are both finished...
Ari wasn't in a mood to waste time. Normally, she may have gloated, made Ichigo endure torments and cruel words that she'd always imagined to use at her downfall. But she didn't know how much longer she could even stand, herself. She would just have to end it, now.
"Bye-bye," Ari said bluntly, aiming her blue-covered arms right at Ichigo.
Ichigo's eye caught the sight of the substance gathering more strongly at the tip, and she knew that was the prime moment. Without even wasting a second, her hand grabbed her bell and she threw it to the side with one hand, feeling it come into contact with one of the knives. "Strawberry Surprise!" She exclaimed at that very moment, knocking a dagger into the air. Dropping her Bell, she lunged out to catch the weapon engulfed in blue, feeling the cool surface resting in her palm. Ichigo winced, seeing the blue substance that surrounded it twist up her own arm. Luckily, that was all that it did. After waiting a few seconds, and then determining it was safe, Ichigo moved to pick up her bell, still holding the sai in her hand.
Ari tried to move, but could hardly budge from her spot against a wall. She was slouched down, her entire body pale and slumped weakly. Ichigo could tell she wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. Still catching her breath herself, the pink haired girl slowly stepped over, standing over the alien and staring at her cautiously, as if making sure she really was down for the count.
And Ari laughed. It was a light, shaky chuckle, but a laugh no less, as much of a grin as she could muster appearing on her face. "Heh. You little sneak. I got careless, didn't I?" She laughed again, her head lolling to the side slightly against her shoulders. Her eyes closed for a few seconds, and then opened softly again with amusement. "But you know... You won't make it in time to claim your prize..."
Ichigo felt as if she'd been dunked in ice cold water and the realization dawned on her. Oh, god no... Roxi! Ensuring she had the gel-clad weapon tightly in hand, Ichigo turned and darted off back down the street, not saying another word. Not wasting a single second. Please... please don't say I'm too late! Ari's laughter echoed on behind her as she dashed down the streets as fast as she could, ignoring the pain that was searing through every inch of her body, every muscle that felt more and more raw with every movement. Even breathing became hard. But she took no breaks - she couldn't afford them - as she continued her mad sprint back to the cafe. Subconsiously, she felt tears gathering in my eyes.
If only I'd gotten it faster... Please be okay!
--
Kona's face was soaked with tears.
Yumi seemed like she could have been drenched all over; tears were still pouring mercilessly from her eyes, her little body shaking with sobs. Ryou and Keiichiro just stood by the doorway, their faces shadowed over to hide the mourning.
"R-Roxi..." Yumi whimpered, clinging to the cold and motionless arm.
The doors burst open and Ichigo threw herself in. Everyone's heads snapped up.
"I got it -- gyah!" She could only squeak as, the minute she set foot inside the doorway, her body gave way and left her in a heap on the floor. Her muscles refused to budge beyond that, so she stayed there against the cold floor until the others processed what was going on.
"Ichigo!" Kona breathed in surprise suddenly, running over to help the girl up. It was a difficult process, for sure, but they managed to stumble up within a few seconds. Ichigo detransformed with what energy she had left.
"Kona... is Roxi - " She froze in place as her eyes fell over the bed where Roxi lay, pale and unmoving. Her entire body looked as if it were changing structure by the moment, without looking alive at all.
Roxi was dead.
Or, Ichigo would have thought, until she saw her chest moving softly in breathing.
"Ichigo!" Yumi rushed over and practically tackled the older girl, clinging to her desperately. "Ichigo, we thought you wouldn't make it! We thought you couldn't find her or get back! And Roxi.. Roxi...!"
"It's alright now," Ryou said quietly as he made his way over, looking just as relieved and anxious as anyone. He looked down at the weapon Ichigo had in her hand, and in return she gave it to him cautiously. The boy disapeared into the lab, his orders to Keiichiro fading through the door.
"Lie down, now. You're even worse than before," Kona remarked, prying Yumi off Ichigo and leading Ichigo back over to her hospital-esque bed. Ichigo couldn't even answer. She just let Kona set her down and relaxed her tense muscles, watching Roxi anxiously. The brown haired girl - her hair was turning darker now, too - was curled up in a tight ball, shaking violently. Sweat was running down her paled face, her eyes fluttering open and shut as she tossed around in pain, letting out little muffled groans. She's in so much pain... Ichigo thought in remorse, and shut her eyes, not able to watch. Ryou, hurry up, please!
Sure enough, both men hurried back inside, each holding a vial full of liquid. "Kona. Yumi," Ryou directed clearly, and the girls obeyed without question. As if this had been rehearsed, they stood by her bed, holding her arms down. Roxi began to struggle. Before it could elevate any further, the girls propped her upright and Ryou wasted no time stepping up, holding her jaw open and tipping the liquid in the small bottle into her mouth. She coughed a little bit, but her head was tilted at an angle that she had to swallow it. Her thrashing calmed slightly, but she was still gasping for air, her face contorted in pain. Keiichiro quickly handed him the second vial, and he proceeded to do the same thing; it went down easier this time, as if Roxi had weakened herself too much by the point. She stopped moving, but it looked more like she was sleeping then as she was set back down against her pillow, her expression turning peaceful and her breathing calming.
Kona sighed, lowering her head in withheld relief. "Thank god, Roxi..."
"Ara... Roxi, please get better soon," Yumi murmured softly, cuddling up fondly against her friend. Ryou, though he looked as if he knew it would work, didn't look any less pleased and relieved than the rest of them. Ichigo just smiled softly, allowing much-needed sleep to come over her.
I'm so glad...
--
A few hours (maybe more) later, Ichigo found her eyes opening again, a little string of drool hanging from her mouth as she lazily looked around. Mnmn... Where am I...? Suddenly remembering she was still in the lab, Ichigo's eyes widened and she gave a little squeak before sitting up, quickly wiping her chin on her sleeve. Ryou just grinned.
"Let me guess," He teased mildly, cocking his head to the side. She felt her face go red with embarassment. "You were dreaming about Aoyama again, neh?"
"Kyah! Shirogane!" She screamed and threw a pillow at him. He just stepped aside and chuckled lightly before leaving the room with her staring angrily after him.
"...It's okay. He was just worried about you."
Startled, Ichigo looked to the side to see Roxi was sitting up, a weak smile on her face. She was still covered in battle scars and bandages, but her ears had disapeared and her loose-set jaw was starting to look more normal. The colour in her face had returned, and the lines around her eyes faded so much they just looked like sleep-lines. Ichigo couldn't help but sigh in unexplainable relief.
"Oh, Roxi... I'm so glad you're okay. I mean, not okay okay, but... Wah, I'm so sorry!" She hung her head and sniffled a little bit, feeling shame and guilt wash over her.
She could see Roxi out of the corner of her eye, tilting her head curiously. "...Why are you sorry?"
"If it hadn't been for you trying to save me, you'd have never had to go through this... We were all so worried about you! We thought... we thought- "
"Your fault?" Ichigo looked up to see Roxi staring in blatant bisbelief, "But you didn't do anything! It was a stupid risk, yeah, but if I hadn't, you'd have been hit! Shirogane-san told me. He told me that I was lucky I was able to have been cured. He told me that, if it had happened to you, there would be no way to save you."
Ichigo blinked and thought it over. Then, looking down at the floor, she said, "I guess I owe you a 'thanks', then. A big one."
A wide smile spread across her face. "Same to you. I guess that makes us even, neh, Ichigo-chan?" The strawberry girl nodded and they both laughed, still without much energy. Then, shyly looking over at the wall, Roxi began to twist a lock of lighter-brown hair around her finger, "But... well, I do owe you a big apology. None of this would have happened in the first place... if..."
"If...?" Ichigo cocked her head to the side.
Taking a deep breath, Roxi leaned forward to look at Ichigo with wide, guilt-stricken eyes. "IfIHadn'tToldYouAoyamaSenpaiWasComingBecauseHeWasnt!" He face turned a little bit red, and she bit her lip. "I... lied to you. I'm really sorry, Ichigo-chan... It's just... you were so depressed all day!"
For a minute, Ichigo was silent. Then she laughed, which kind of broke off into a bit of a strangled cough. Roxi stared at her strangely, as if she maybe didn't understand her.
"Ah, right," Ichigo said with a little smile, "I guess... I was in a bit of a mood. You were just looking out for me, right? Besides, I was pretty gullible to believe you, over and over again..." She laughed again, and this time Roxi nervously joined in.
"I guess... I should have told you though."
"It's alright. I'm just glad everyone's alright."
The two friends exchanged warm smiles at that, when Kona walked in and jumped at the sight of them both up.
"Gah! You two!" Sternly walking over, she sighed and pushed Ichigo back down, "Rest. Now. You're both in no shape to be out of bed!" She tried to scowl a little bit, but it broke through with a smile. "But it's good to see you're both well again."
Smiling back in return, Ichigo nodded and lay back down, as did Roxi. Her own body was stiff, and she had to shift around to find a comfortable position.
"Neh... I guess I'm gonna be like this even longer, huh?" She mused, referring to her injuries. Then, with a hopeful look on her face, she added, "I'll probably even get some days off to heal and stuff..."
"Not a chance, Strawberry!" A voice called from the next room. She frowned and then groaned.
"Wah, Shirogane! You're so mean!"
Kona and Roxi burst into laughter.
--
Next Chapter:
Love is a precious thing. Ichigo believes she and Masaya have always shared something - even now, when they haven't seen eachother for almost months. Love heals all wounds, as one might say, and even if absense takes a toll on relations, the heart grows strong as love is twined once more. Only, when Ichigo finds her chance to grasp happiness for all it's worth, Ari finds a chance of her own to wreck it.