xuri: Heyy guys. Sorry, been a bit busy, but here's chapter seventeen. Yay. And - guess what? This introduces our final OC character of the series. OMG SURPRISE. Now you guys don't have to go trying to learn a new name, face, personality and overall weirdness through the next nine chapters. Yaaay.
SamKo: ... o-o Now, why didn't I think of something like that? That would have been SO much cooler! T-T And the cat didn't even play an important role... that would have been like... unexpected... But I totally used it as a useless event. My god. I'm horrible. xD Although, it was supposed to mean something, regarding Kona's abilities, to be mentioned in later chapters. I just never got around to fitting it in, exactly. Bad xuri. x3
Applecake: Yay for Ari, hehe. I did enjoy toying with a few random pairings in this fic. ;3 I'm a sucker for romance, really, even if this is supposed to be more adventure-y directed. But, TMM had plenty of romance, so it's all good. xD And Ryou is just fun to write for. I get to use sarcasm. OMG YAY SARCASM. xD Thanks for the reviews. ;D
--
Blend (chapter seventeen)
..bombarding of accusations..
"You went, didn't you, Ari?"
Just in mid tip-toe position, Ari froze at hearing a deep voice greet her. She winced. How had Hanajima heard her? She'd appeared only seconds ago, quiet as a mouse, ready to sneak back into their quarters unnoticed. That was hard to do, considering she was wounded. Badly. But she hadn't made a sound - not one. But there Hanajima was, right infront of her, arms folded over her chest.
She looked annoyed.
"Without telling me. And look what happened?" The older alien's voice was bitter as she looked at Ari, who was paler than usual with a few bruises from the battle, "You've failed miserably. Again. Did you think without my help you'd somehow manage to defeat all six of them?"
Ari grimaced. "Obviously, what we've been doing up until now hasn't worked," She let her lips curve down into a scowl, then, walking past Hanajima so she could sit down. "I wanted to take a new approach. And I knew you'd either protest, or you'd tag along and make a mess of it."
"An experiment, then, was it?" Ari felt her teeth clench at Hanajima, whose tone was now mocking. "Another one failed, Ari. When will you learn the problem is that we're outnumbered?"
"How are we supposed to fix that?" Ari snapped, and then looked at Hanajima, who was smiling wryly. Ari blinked, and her eye twitched. "Don't answer that. Do not answer that!"
"You knew we'd have to let her in eventually," Hanajima drawled, rolling her eyes. Ari was so immature about this subject, it drove her crazy. "Besides. We're out of options. If we want to bring Momomiya down, we need to use all our forces."
"But her?" Ari groaned, sitting on the floor against the wall, frowning down at her wounds, "She's... she's just a nuisance! And she creeps me out, Hanajima. Do we have to?"
"Quit whining," Obviously having had enough of Ari, Hanajima turned to leave the vicinity, "You're going to retrieve her tommorrow and we'll formulate a new attack plan. This time, we'll have a new edge."
Sighing, the blue haired alien gave a groan of protest and lolled her head to the side before muttering, "Fine." That would be her job, then. Probably the last thing in the world she wanted to be doing. Ari would have protested, demanded why Hanajima couldn't go out on this task, when something suddenly occured to her. And apparently, it occured to Hanajima at the same time, as they both turned to face eachother, looks of question on their faces. And then they spoke in almost perfect unison.
"Where is she?"
--
Ichigo was grounded. Again. But not on her parent's accord.
"What were you thinking?" Ryou yelled at all of them, anger sprawled across his face. "Honestly, tell me what you were thinking! Going out at night, looking for a fight?"
"We weren't looking for a fight," Kona protested in distress, "We were looking for the Dark Angel."
"I. Don't. Care! The point is, you deliberately went out looking for something related to this case without telling me. And even if you hadn't intended to find her, Ari attacked you. What happened if all of you had been taken down? No one comes by Inohara Park that time of night, this time of year! You could have been there for days! You could have been dead!"
"You told us," Kikyo broke in quietly, thought even she looked a bit shaken by Ryou's outburst, "to stay together as a group. And we did."
Ryou snarled, obviously not amused by Kikyo's input. "So, that must mean I told you to go out in the dead of night, all by yourselves, and look for a potentially dangerous character! Did I?" Silence. "That's right. You all disobeyed orders. I'm putting the Cafe under lockdown for the day."
"What?" Ichigo looked horrified, then angry, "Lockdown? What is this, a prison?"
"It's the punishment for your childish behaviour!"
Ichigo sputtered something else, but it was incoherent. It wouldn't do any good. Ryou was dead serious about his decision, and it didn't look like he was going to back down, either. Without another word, he marched past the girls, up the stairs, stopping just at the doors. "You're all coming back here tommorrow at 3:20 sharp for your shifts," he called down to them, "and you're all staying here. We'll be keeping a close eye on you. We'll be escorting you home. Once here, you can go anywhere in the building. Just. Don't. Leave." He left, simple as that.
For a minute, it was silent. "Shirogane!" Ichigo screamed at the top of her lungs, and then clunked her head against the wall with a whimper. "Notfairnotfairnotfair! I can't be grounded! Again! He has no right to ground us! BAKA SHIROGANE!"
"Ichigo," Kona waved a hand nervously, trying to console the near-hysterical girl, "Just... calm down. We probably should have told him what we were doing anyways."
"Oh, so you're taking sides now?"
"No one is taking sides. There are no sides," Kikyo said in a commanding voice, her arms folded over her chest. The look of brief fear had faded from her face, leaving her usual deadpan expression. "It's just like he said - our punishment."
"Yeah! Besides, it's not really that different," Yumi threw in with a smile, "we just have to work like usual. We just can't go anywhere is all."
Everyone was silent for a moment. "She's right," Roxi said with a nod, "I guess we can just use this 'lockdown' to our advantage. Make a plan or something. After all, if we're going to get this girl on our side..." She paused, looking at the others, "We're going to need to be doing something differently."
They all looked hesitant about it, but what choice did they have? "Fine," Ichigo mumbled with a sigh, folding her arms over her chest. "Let's go, then. Before 'Mom and Dad' get all huffy about it," After making an angry reference to Keiichiro and Ryou, though mostly Ryou, she walked back up the stairs. The others sighed, looked at eachother, and then followed.
Let the lockdown begin...
--
Ichigo was not looking forward to going to the cafe after school. Especially since Ryou was now threatening to show up at their schools and escort them to their job, as well. What's his problem? We're old enough to take care of ourselves...
Even so, did she have a choice? After all, if she didn't show up, she wouldn't doubt that Ryou wouldn't storm over to her school or her house and drag her to the cafe against her will. He seemed to stand too firmly on his resolve for that. Sighing, Ichigo proceeded on her walk to school - it had been a late night, and she was tired. There were probably tests today. God, Ichigo hated tests. She hadn't been paying attention at all these past few months - why did they keep expecting her to pass them? Don't they know saving the world is more important than algebra?
As she made her way down the front walkway, she overhead a few students conversing. A group of cheerful girls, in fact, who looked to be a year or two younger than her. Ichigo walked past them without a second glance, or any attention at all. At least, until a particular phrase caught her ears -
"Oh! Have you seen that street performer? I was at the park yesterday, and there was this huge crowd all around... Man, what an uproar!"
Ichigo practically froze. Street Performer? Park? Pudding? Pudding's back? Suddenly, her spirits felt lifted. She'd been trying so hard not to miss all the others - Mint, Lettuce, Berii, Pudding, Zakuro - but, in truth, she still did. They were like family to her now, after all. But hearing that the monkey-girl was back in town suddenly made her feel cheerful, more cheerful than she'd felt in days. Maybe they were all coming back? It'd been a month already... maybe...
"Ah, yeah! Nehhh, she's so pretty and tall, isn't she? Kind of dark looking, but it made her dances look so gorgeous!"
And just like that, Ichigo's spirits fell again. That couldn't be Pudding. She was too short, too young looking; besides, dancing didn't seem to be her style. Pudding's style was more balancing on balls and preforming magic tricks with a touch of hyperactive charm. Not dancing. Sighing to herself, Ichigo walked on past the girls to the school lobby, blocking out the rest of the conversation. She didn't care. She shouldn't have been eavesdropping, anyways.
She had a day to get through.
--
"Mn... Mn..."
"Ichigo-chan, it couldn't have been that bad,"
"Oh, really? It was, Roxi. We had half a block to complete a review package I had no clue about, and in three classes we got quizzes! Quizzes! I know I haven't been paying attention, but I know there were no upcoming quizzes, otherwise I'd be overly stressed out. The nerve!"
"Ara, That's why they're called 'pop quizzes'! They pop on ya!" Yumi suggested brightly, keeping up with the two girls at a light jog. The small girl carried all her schoolwork in a gym bag, though Ichigo suspected there were sneakers and sports uniforms in there as well. The good weather they'd been permitted with lately allowed for more outdoor activities, and Yumi took full advantage of this.
"Rrr..." Ichigo sniffed, "They could at least warn me. Oh, hey, Kona,"
After meeting the high school girl along the way, the four continued to the cafe at a regular pace, though keeping it up to avoid being scolded for lateness. Kikyo was already there when they arrived, and, by the looks of it, had just finished an arugment with Ryou. Her eyes were narrowed in a slight glare as the others entered - Kikyo obviously wasn't pleased with being treated like a child - and Ryou just looked ticked off as he turned to go back down the stairs.
"Remember, girls. Lockdown."
Ichigo's eye twitched. "It's not like we go anywhere anyways!" She shouted back down the stairs before storming halfway across the room to set up tables.
Keiichiro opened the cafe about fifteen minutes later, allowing a flood of customers in. Kikyo was permitted break to sit and chat with Koji, though she was given strict orders not to leave the building. Besides that, it was normal routine, and went smoothly, aside from Ichigo throwing the occasional tantrum or trying to pick a fight with Ryou. The others just seemed to accept it calmly while they politely served their customers.
"And what could I get for you?" Roxi smiled, flipping out her notepad. The customer at the table - dark violet haired with slanted blue eyes - looked up almost expressionlessly at her. Roxi blinked. The customer's pale lips curved into a smile, though it looked strangely unnatural.
"A slice of chocolate cake should be fine," she said in a quiet, almost whispy voice, though Roxi heard easily enough. Happily, the brunette took down to order, but before she turned to go - "That boy... what's his name?"
"Huh?" Roxi looked back at her in confusion, then glanced over her shoulder. Ryou was walking past, still with his shoulders a bit stiff, towards the kitchen. Turning back to the girl at the table, Roxi still looked puzzled, but replied, "Him? Er, Ryou. Shirogane Ryou, he's one of the owners of the cafe. Do you know him?"
The purple-haired girl just smiled again, resting her elbows neatly on the table and setting her chin on her clasped hands, "Now I do."
Roxi stared. There was a bit of a faraway, dreamy look in her eyes, so the waitress suspected she was finished and hesitantly walked away. Once she was out of sight, the girl shivered. Creepy. She'd ask Yumi to take that girl's order to her table, so she could wait on more a more normal customer instead.
--
"Baka Shirogane... Baka baka baka." Ichigo seemed perfectly content where she was, muttering in a corner and fiddling with her work uniform in frustration. What gave him the right? Everyone, even Kikyo, seemed content with the new rules, but Ichigo didn't want to just abide by them. No, that would give Ryou a sense of power. Of course, it wouldn't give him a sense of inflicted suffering if she kept a cheery air, but that didn't seem good enough anyways. Staying in the corner sulkily and refusing to work seemed to be the best option.
"Neh..." Roxi seemed a little rigid as she came from the kitchen, glancing over her shoulder. Ichigo frowned. What's up with her? Seeming to remember who she'd come to talk to, Roxi turned back to Ichigo suddenly, rubbing the back of her head nervously. "Uhm, Ichigo-chan, would you mind tending to the customers? Keiichiro-senpai asked me to help him with one of the cakes, and Kikyo's talking to Koji-san, and Yumi's already got a handful of people to serve, and Kona's washing dishes. There's only about two of them, I swear, and I've already given Keiichiro-senpai the orders." Ichigo blinked at the sudden term of respect given to the brown haired man, but nodded, slowly. Whatever. Ryou didn't seem to be around, anyways, so he wouldn't have to take joy in seeing her actually work. For Roxi's sake, she'd do it.
As she stepped out of the corner, Roxi practically hugged her in thanks, giving her the notepad as she rushed to help Keiichiro. Sighing to herself and shaking her head, Ichigo went about wandering around the cafe until Keiichiro called for her to pick up an order. It seemed like the usual group of customers, if there was such a thing. As she eyed them carefully, casually, as if trying to spark some interest into this dull, dull job, Ichigo caught sight of the door opening.
And she nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw who it was.
Blue hair whisked brashly through the air as a tall, girlishly-clad figure stopped in the doorway, saw something, and then stormed toward one of the tables. "There you are!" Ari hissed between her teeth, slamming her hand on a table. The customer - the one with purple hair - gave a little jolt, looking up at the disguised alien in a bit of a daze.
Ari. Ari. Ari. Ari. ARI? Ichigo felt as if the blood was drained from her face. Since when did Ari dare to come to her cafe? Her workplace? Who was she talking to? Why would she risk being attacked like this?
Then, Ichigo remembered something the alien had said to her.
"We have other ways of hiding, you understand. You, on the other hand..."
It seemed that, in the process of hiss-yelling at the table's occupant, Ari finally noticed a dumbstruck Ichigo standing in the distance. And this obviously brought her joy. All anger faded from her face as a smile of mockery painted itself on her lips, and she paused for a few seconds, soaking in the awkward air, as if savouring and enjoying it. Then, after basking in torment long enough, the alien very politely pulled up a chair at the table and seated herself, grinning triumphantly at Ichigo. Her face seemed to say, you can't touch me. See all these people? I'm invincible. Ha.
Ichigo grit her teeth. She was no longer afraid. Ari was obviously just here to torment her. Glaring steadily in her direction, Ichigo watched as the alien-girl conversed half-heartedly with the girl at the table, every so often sending Ichigo a smug glance that nearly sent the redhead into a fit of rage. Just when she felt about annoyed enough to march over there and demand for her to leave. Then she heard Keiichiro call.
She hurried over there, and opened her mouth. What good had that ever done, though? "Akasaka-san, there's - "
"Ichigo-san, could you take this cake to table 6?" He requested politely, though the catgirl could hear mild irritation in his voice. Just to please him, she grabbed the plate, but tried again in an almost pleading tone.
"But Akasaka-san--"
"Ichigo, go. We can talk later. I still have to finish one of the pies."
She stared in disbelief as the brunette cook walked away in a hurry, issuing light hearted commands to Roxi who seemed more than happy to obey. Ichigo sighed. Ari wouldn't do anything anyways, would she? The girl glanced over at the table. There were too many people around. And all the other Mew girls were here, as well. She's just trying to get in my head...
Ichigo blinked at the table they were sitting at, and then looked down at the cake she held. She cringed. Table six is Ari's table...
Chewing her lip, the red haired girl stared at the pair, one of whom was still casting innocently-annoying glances in her direction. She didn't want to go up there. Keeping her distance from the alien seemed to be the best bet. She tried approaching Yumi, but the usually overactive girl was already juggling a bunch of plates. ("I gotta buncha orders, Ichigo! You can handle one slice of chocolate cake!")
Making a whiney sound, Ichigo lowered her head in defeat. Ari wouldn't attack. Not physically. But Ichigo had learned that wasn't the worst of Ari's power over her - she could interfere in her life, make things more difficult, and no soul would even notice. It was depressing.
She sighed, and braced herself as she walked over to table six, keeping a firm and defiant expression on her face as she gently set the plate down. "Your chocolate cake," Ichigo couldn't hide the ice in her voice, but Ari was unfazed. The alien girl simply looked up at her and batted her eyelashes sweetly. The girl across from her reached for the cake, but Ari got the plate first. The other obviously wasn't pleased, a little confused, but the blue haired alien simply gave her an uncaring shrug.
"Thanks, waiter," Ari snickered, taking a little taste of the icing and grinning, "Think you could grab me some lemonade too? Waiter? Make sure to put ice in it. I like my drinks cold, otherwise they taste like mush. Can you handle that?"
Ichigo's eye twitched, very noticeably, which got what seemed like a gleeful reaction from Ari. She was really pushing it today. And still, the purple haired girl across from her didn't seem happy at all, as she tried to take the cake away; it was rightfully hers. Ari or no Ari, she wasn't about to lose a perfectly delicious dish of chocolate.
Ari waited, as if expecting a 'would that be all?' in a cheery tone, but Ichigo stormed away without another word, her entire body tense. How dare she! Is it bad enough she's already ruining my superhero life? And now she has to interfere with my real life? That... that -
Ichigo's thoughts were cut off as she bumped into a certain blond, having not been watching where she was going. Rubbing her head and giving a little sniff, she turned to glare up at Ryou, who was looked down at her with mild amusement.
"What?" She growled. Maybe she should have told him about the alien in the cafe, Ichigo thought. Then again, she was still very angry with him for putting down this 'lockdown'. He didn't deserve to know. "Watch where you're going, alright? I'm working, unlike someone in this place,"
"Someone hasn't had their cake yet," He said plainly to her, only further infuriating Ichigo. Chuckling lightly, he ruffled her hair and walked right on past to the kitchen. Her face reddened with anger.
Grr! Shirogane!
In an angry huff, she resolved to completely forget about the lemonade, and stomped down to the basement to cool off. She, or anyone else for that matter, failed to notice the horrified expression on the pale-purple-haired-girl's face melt into one of dark, infuriated anger.
--
"Ryou..."
Kona paused, half her hand resting in the warm sink water. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and turned to face the blond haired boy she was addressing. Who, in fact, didn't seem to be paying much attention.
"Ryou, you shouldn't take all of this out on the others. It was my idea to go out, anyway, and they were afraid to go home alone. Can't you at least lift the lockdown for Yumi and Ichigo and Roxi? They're younger, they're just doing what they've been told to..."
Still not exactly looking at her, Ryou simply shook his head, staring at the wall. Kona took a breath and continued, turning back to the sink to wash some of the glasses.
"I know you're upset. I know it was for our safety, and you're just trying to protect us. But, Ryou... we were created - I mean, our powers were - to get rid of the aliens. It's our instinct, isn't it? We're going to have to fight them eventually. And we are going to get hurt; that's just bound to happen in fighting. There's never a way around it, you have to understand. But... well, what I'm trying to say is," Her words seemed to catch in her throat as she looked meekly down at the bubbly water, stirring her hand around. "I'm sorry, Ryou."
The boy blinked. Obviously, she was apologizing for her actions, for jeopordizing the safety of the girls. At least, that was what it sounded like. But in her voice Ryou heard tones built up and around with emotion, something that suggested there was something else she'd just gotten off her chest, something she'd been keeping buried for a long time. What, though? Well, if she wasn't going to tell him, Ryou wasn't going to bother figuring it out. If there was something she wanted him to know, she'd have to be more clear.
"I just don't want to lose any of you," He spoke so suddenly, quietly, that it made Kona jump in surprise. She hadn't expected a reply at all. "I've already lost so much, so many people that meant the world to me. I won't risk it. I'll risk my life for all of you, if I have to."
--
When Ichigo came back up from her pout in the basement, Yumi was still busy. Luckily, though, she didn't seem to have been fazed or ambushed by the appearence of the alien. In fact, the girl may not have noticed at all. That would have been for the best. Yumi was sometimes a rash girl; she'd probably tackle her or something and start a scene. Breathing a tiny sigh, the redhead looked up and blinked at seeing the once-occupied table emptied.
...crap.
Her back stiffened and her eyes whirled around the room. Where was she? Where was Ari? The girl that had been sitting with her was gone, too, but Ichigo didn't care about her. She was probably just one of the alien's unsuspecting friends from school. What Ichigo was most worried about was the Ari had somehow slipped into the crowds, made her way further into the cafe, just waiting to make an attack. They couldn't afford any more surprises.
Her amber eyes fell over a figure who was hurriedly darting out the door. She caught what looked like a look of surprise and annoyance on the alien-girl's face as she disapeared behind the swinging entrance. With a glance at the table, she noted the cake hadn't been paid for. Her jaw clenched. What now? What if Ari was simply sneaking around the back? What if she went up to the roof, waited until they came out, and then bombarded them? She couldn't risk it. Ari was, and always would be, a threat, no matter the situation.
Ichigo took a deep breath. "Screw the lockdown," she hissed, and immediately made a run for the door, ignoring the sudden shout of protest behind her from a certain male.
As she flung herself out the door - running fast as possible so she couldn't be dragged back in at arm's length - Ichigo saw Ari hurrying down the path, looking left and right. What was she so irritated about? It seemed like she'd just lost her wallet or something. Ichigo didn't care. She just wanted to get rid of trouble. Reaching into a pocket of her apron, she pulled out her gold pendant, opening her mouth to command Ari to stop.
And then, a small blade whizzed inches past Ichigo's head.
She hadn't been hit, but her entire body seemed to freeze up. What? What had just happened? The throwing knife had landed securely in the dirt just a few feet away, gleaming in the sunlight. It hadn't come from ahead, where Ari was retreating and had just disapeared down the walkway. No, it came from the side.
Slowly, she turned her head, and her eyes struck wide.
"She has no interest in you," the cold voice explained, lips tightly pursed. Dark purple hair spilled across her shoulders in waves, a pair of dark blue eyes accenting her pale skin gazing at Ichigo blankly. That was the girl at the cafe. The one that had been sitting with Ari was now just a few metres away from her, holding more weapons in hand. Pointed ears protruded from the side of her head. She was an alien. "I'm the one you should be worried about... witch."
The last word seethed from her mouth, and before Ichigo could react to the all-too-familiar accusation, a bow appeared in the purple haired alien's hands, a lethal looking arrow materializing seconds later. In one swift movement, she drew the string back, and fired, using Ichigo's forehead as a target.
She jumped out of the way, ducking and rolling across the ground. Ichigo had to cough to get the dust out of her throat, but knew she couldn't waste time. This was an alien. And she wanted a fight.
Why?
"Mew Mew Strawberry!" The pendant already in her hands, Ichigo hugged it tightly to her chest, feeling the magical energy erupting from it and swirling all around her. "Metamorpha-sis!"
Just as she was ready to summon her Strawberry Bell, she could hear arguing from behind the front door. Her cat ear twitched. Even the alien, who was about to draw another arrow for a shot, looked at the door with wide eyes. And... was that a blush creeping onto her cheeks?
"...him." She whispered.
Ichigo ignored her, but knew it was Ryou. He'd probably seen her running out, and wasn't too happy about it. What could she do? If he came out now, he'd probably try to face the alien himself. Ichigo couldn't put him in danger, even if he was a jerk. Besides, the customers would see, and it would send them into a riot. They didn't need that. They didn't need any of that.
Her eyes flashed up to the roof of the cafe just seconds before the door flung open. Ichigo bounded off her feet and clung to the side of the wall, managing to dig her fingers into the cracks between the building material of the cafe. Follow me, she pleaded silently, grunting as she tried to clamber up the wall of the cafe, Follow me!
"Are you afraid?" Ichigo shivered at the darkness of the voice, the low pitch it was in, how creepy it sounded. But she was being followed. All the more reason to scamper up more quickly, and she heard the whoosh of air as the alien tried to tackle her off the wall.
"Nya!" Ichigo cried, managing to yank herself up onto the roof just in time. Instead of crashing into the wall, the alien skillfully twisted her body around to propel herself off it, landing on the roof neatly infront of Ichigo, bow held nimbly in hand. The catgirl just stared as she caught her breath, and could hear the commotion below. Ryou and the others wouldn't see them from up here. As long as she could get the alien to stay up here...
I'm sorry, Ryou...
"What do you want?" The cat girl snapped, a harsh wind suddenly blowing along the rooftop. She shivered. The alien seemed completely calm, blank faced, emotionless. Her pale lips curved into a morbid smile.
"I want you dead," she said bluntly, raising her bow again. Ichigo's eyes widened, and as she scrambled to her feet, her strawberry bell appeared in her hand. Why did they all seem to be out to get her? What had she done? Why did both Ari and this alien call her 'witch'? Did this one have long-buried feelings for Kishu, too?
What is it I did to make them see me as evil?
"Ribbon Strawberry Su-"
The air whizzed past her, making her freeze on the spot. She felt the skin on her arm split, blood hesitating before surfacing into view. An arrow had just barely missed her, nicking her on the arm. It looked only like a cut, but Ichigo felt a sudden flash of pain surge through her. She gasped, and clutched at her arm. It was like Ari's fire. Just... worse.
"Poison," the purple haired enemy said quietly, examining another arrow in her hand, "what a wonderful thing. Just a little bit, and it can eat you alive. Spreading through your blood, causing you as much pain as humanly possible..." She ran her finger tips over the tip of the arrow, and then drew it back in the bow again solemnly. "It can strike down the most powerful enemies from the inside."
Should Ichigo have been afraid? Maybe she already was. But giving in to fear now would only result in getting more poison shot into her, she knew. Trying her best to ignore the pain, she retreated across the roof, getting just out of range of the arrow. "Who are you? Why are you doing this?" She called out across to the alien, her voice carrying away on the wind. In response, she lowered her bow for a minute, hair whisking across her face.
"You're a witch," she repeated icily, causing Ichigo to flinch. Then, she noticed the alien's eyes shifting down to the ground, where Ryou was, calling something, looking around frantically. "Name, Shirogane Ryou. Age, 16. Place of residence and employment, Cafe Mew Mew," she recited, almost as if she were ready from a telephone book, "A closed off boy, with his walls up to the rest of the world. Afraid to let anyone in. Not wanting to let anyone in. And yet," her blue eyes shifted back to Ichigo again, causing the catgirl to shudder, "somehow you broke in instantly. What is that but witchcraft? To break the unbreakable, to summon the buried," Now she seemed intent on firing at Ichigo again, for her hands tightened around her weapons. "I am Marzipan." She pulled back. "And I am here to free him from your hold."
Oh, great. First Kishu - and that had been ridiculous enough! And now, if Ichigo understood, she was being accused of bewitching Ryou. Ridiculous! Of course, she didn't have time to criticise or argue - she just jumped out of the way, applying pressure to her arm to keep the blood from spilling. Or, wait - did she want to flood the poison out? What was she supposed to do? She was beginning to feel dizzy, either because of the poison or confusion. She hoped the latter. Puzzlement was always a bit better than fatal-poison-in-the-system.
"Marzipan!" She called out her name, holding her bell out in defense. Ichigo still had to jump to dodge another hit. But now, as if hearing her name had some strange effect, Marzipan didn't move any more. She just stared. Gasping for breath, Ichigo swallowed, a pleading look on her face.
"You... you're with Ari and Hanajima, aren't you?"
The alien said nothing.
"Were they the ones that told you?" Ichigo boldly took another step forward. "Were they the ones that told you I was a 'witch'? That I'm the one who's creating misery for you?"
Again, there was silence. But still, Marzipan didn't move, her dark calculating eyes rested on Ichigo. It felt almost as if she were being looked into, judged, decided whether she was an enemy or a friend... Ichigo would try for the 'friend'. She'd try.
"I haven't done anything, Marzipan," Ichigo said softly, putting a hand to her heart to show sincerity. Still, the alien looked as if she were caught between two decisions. All Ichigo had to do was give her a little push her way. "I'm just a normal girl. Yeah, I have powers, but I could never make anyone fall in love with me. It doesn't work like that. Please, you have to understand, I'm not your enemy."
Ichigo breathed, her pink eyes glimmering with a mixture of sadness and truth. "I haven't done anything to hurt you. I will never do anything to hurt you, either, if I don't have to."
She was finished. So she waited. Cat girl and alien, locking stares, trying to read eachother's expressions without much luck. Just when it seemed Marzipan considered her something other than a foe, the wind picked up, and the alien's eyes narrowed maliciously.
"Liar." Yanking her bow back, the air around her began to ripple, drawing her form away until she was out of sight. Ichigo's shoulders slumped in defeat. She'd been so close... so...
Dizziness suddenly overwhelmed her again, and before her energy completely sapped itself from her, she stumbled over to the edge of the roof and jumped off with a cat's grace. Once her feet came into contact with solid ground, her mew form fell away from her, leaving her as just normal Momomiya Ichigo. The world continued to spin all around her, swirling, meshing together, her eyes refusing to stay open.
"Ichigo?" She heard a familiar voice and managed to make out blonde head running towards her. "Ichigo! Baka-Strawberry! Where were you? You weren't supposed to leave! Do you know how worried we all were?"
Ichigo just smiled. Blackness was closing in from the corners of her vision. Mustering just an ounce of strength, the battle-weakened girl looked up at Ryou in a daze.
"We... have a problem," she said quietly, and then collapsed into the darkness.
--
Next Chapter:
With three enemies, the girls are in desperate need of the Dark Angel as their ally - permanently. But with her strong and seemingly unmoveable refusal, they've decided to rely on their own power to take down the aliens themselves. It's becoming a dire matter of life and death. In a will to survive, Ichigo still persists in the recruit of the misfit angel; but whether or not that will is enough is uncertain. All that is, is their mission - to search, and to destroy.