Chapter 9
Things Fall Apart
Ichigo crouched low in the sea-facing entrance of the tunnel, watching with narrowed eyes as a small hunting party of waulrinswi scowered the beach below. They were all male, with Pai's sturdy build and weapons strapped to their backs. They were all dressed in heavy winter clothing: long baggy pants, long sleeved shirts, and heavy woolen cloaks slung over their shoulders.
An icy wind picked up, blasting Ichigo despite the cover of the rocks. Ichigo drew her stolen clothing tightly around herself, but continued to watch the warriors with rapt attention. Kish hadn't been kidding when he said the weather was highly unpredictable. Barely a week ago, when they had landed, the planet was hot and humid, like a tropical summer. Overnight, however, it had suddenly changed. The weather had dropped by marginable amounts, making the air suddenly dry and the plants begin to shrivel. Like on earth, the leaves here changed color, slowly wilted, then fell to the forest floor, leaving the branches bare. The only plants that seemed to keep their leaves were the carnivorous bunch, though they seemed to have retracted into themselves and gone into some sort of hibernation. Ichigo could've sworn she'd even heard one snoring when she'd been out to collect water.
One of the waulrinswi shouted something to its companions. They agreed and continued working their way down the beach until they took shelter by several rocks. One teleported away before reappearing moments later with several blocks of wood. Another pulled the bow from his back, cocked an arrow, and fired. The instant the arrow hit the wood, it erupted into a flickering fire that was impervious to the roaring wind around it.
"Odd." Ichigo thought to herself, watching as the rest of them went about setting up camp, "Why don't you just go back to your village?" She bit her lip, unconsciously scratching at her already red arms. Berry had finally been able to produce the right antidote, but it was taking a while for the stuff to actually work. Ichigo's eyes widened as another thought flicked through her mind. Did they know they were somewhere near by? Had they set up camp hoping they would come out on their own? Not that that would do them much good. Ichigo and Berry were hardly allowed outside the cave entrance at any given time, and when they were, Kish was close by to ensure their safety. Even when Kish left and returned, he would use a different entrance or exit, then teleport from there. Ichigo had asked him again why he wouldn't simply teleport back, and he again replied that magic leaves traces. She wished he would explain what he meant by that. She still didn't understand how that worked.
Moving cautiously, Ichigo began to slowly creep backwards. If anything, she had to let Kish and Berry know about their surprise visitors.
When she was halfway through the tunnel, and was certain that she hadn't been followed, she turned around and quickly scurried on all fours the rest of the way. Ichigo clambered out of the chamber in the wall to find Kish and Berry looking over the book he had brought her. They were sitting together next to a fire while Kish roasted some meat over its licking flames. Around them, was the family of pigoppotomi, munching on some of the grasses Kish had managed to scavenge from the winter world above.
"You guys look comfy." Ichigo commented, allowing the warmth of the fire to embrace her as she sat down. She drew her own cloak, a waist length garment made from some sort of dense plant found on the planet, tighter around her shoulders.
"Yeah, well, it's close to freezing on some parts of the planet." Kish replied, "I'm having a hard time believing that it's not even winter yet."
"No kidding." Ichigo remarked, scratching the stomach of a pigopottomus that prostrated itself before her. It grunted, leaning into her touch.
"How do things look?" He asked.
"Not good." Ichigo replied. Kish and Berry looked up from the book, "I was at the sea entrance because, well, you know, I wanted to see the ocean." The other two nodded in understanding, "Any way, I was overlooking the beach when I saw a party of waulrinswi show up. They were searching around, probably for us, but then they just made camp to escape the wind."
"So they're still there?" Berry murmured, furrowing her brow.
"I believe so." Ichigo nodded, "They didn't seem to have any intention of leaving. Do you think they know we're here?" She directed at Kish.
"I doubt it." He replied, shaking his head.
"But even if there's the slimmest possibility." Berry began in a worried tone.
"I'm not going to be worried unless they start poking around the entrances." Kish said, "I've teleported around that area a few times, but it shouldn't be close enough to give us away."
"That reminds me." Ichigo cut in, "One was able to teleport, and another used a bow and arrow to start a fire. Why didn't they just go back to the village?"
"Probably because it's cold and would be a long walk." Kish yawned, flopping onto his back.
"But if they can just teleport it isn't and issue." Ichigo pressed.
Kish glanced at her from under his bangs.
"What?" She asked defensively. She had the vague feeling she was missing something.
"Ichigo, you don't honestly think all waulrinswi have powers do you?"
Ichigo bristled, rather taken aback. Every waulrinswi she had met had powers. Why would that be a ridiculous assumption?
"Yes." Berry answered for her.
Kish rolled his eyes.
You don't mean to say that they don't?"
"Well no, it's a recessive trait." Kish replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Not to mention it began as radioactive mutations."
"How was I supposed to know that?" Ichigo snapped.
"And why didn't you mention anything?" Berry exclaimed, leafing through the book to the blank pages where they had begun to carefully draw a map of the waulrinswi's village along with notes on their activities. She quickly scanned through their notes.
"You didn't mention anything about waulrinswi not having powers!"
"Well, it wouldn't exactly be of any use would it?" Kish reasoned.
"But it's still information that we need to know!" Berry cried, instantly pulling out the charcoal stick they'd been using, "How much of the population doesn't have powers?" She asked.
"Probably about eighty-five percent, give or take a few." Kish replied.
"That many?" Ichigo gasped.
"Don't let that fool you." Kish warned, "Everyone's a trained warrior, including the women and children."
"Except for the nobles and fortune tellers." Berry noted, scribbling the new information down furiously.
"Or government officials."
"Oh right, forgot them."
"What's the reason behind that again?" Ichigo asked.
"The nobles are the descendants of those who built the ships that saved us from the apocalypse of the first world. In memory to them, and so that they can continue to research and develop ships, they are exempt from the draft. Fortune tellers, because their bodies are generally weak, and government officials because they're the ones that uphold our laws, manage the economy, etc."
"It's really not to different from previous centuries on earth then." Berry summarized.
"Just without royalty." Ichigo replied, "Berry, can I see that map again?"
Berry passed her the book and Ichigo flipped through the rough sketch Kish had drawn for them. The village was currently located just outside the forest. In the image, the forest was drawn as a series of lines off to the left side of the page. Next to it were a series of squares in a circular formation. These represented the houses that the waulrinswi inhabited, with the largest building, housing the nobles, fortune-tellers, and the government officials. This building was drawn in the center. According to Kish, the waulrinswi had built stone structures, despite constantly being on the move from their pursuers. Ichigo remembered asking him how it was possible for them to just build a city like that and then leave, but Kish had replied that there were a select few waulrinswi who could control the rocks in the ground. Homes and structures could be made within a few days time, then returned to its original place when abandoned.
Ichigo's eyes lingered over a section towards the right. This particular area had a circle with a series of lines drawn over it. This was the picture representation of the prison. That's where the other girls were being held.
"They're doing fine." Kish informed her, noticing the attention of her focus, "They said they're practically being treated like royalty if it weren't for the fact that they're there as sacrifices."
Ichigo nodded, though the information did not help to quell the knots that continued to coil in her stomach.
"When are we going to get them Kish?" Ichigo groaned.
"When I can figure out an adequate escape route." He replied, "We're not just going to rush in without a means of escape. Otherwise it'll be pointless."
"You've been there at least four times a day since we came here. What can we use?" Berry asked.
"I don't know yet. We don't exactly have those mechanical pollutants you use on earth."
"You mean cars?" Ichigo guessed.
"Yeah, the things with wheels." Kish nodded, though he sounded like he didn't know what he was talking about.
Ichigo looked down at the map.
"The prison seems to be furthest away from the trees, but what's on the other side?" She questioned.
"It's just a clearing in the forest. It actually outlooks a small lake, but everything's still surrounded by trees."
"If we could get Lettuce her pendant, we might be able to use the water to escape." Berry suggested.
"I've thought about that, but there's too many ifs." Kish said in return.
"Not if there's a distraction." Ichigo said quietly.
"Oh no!" Kish snapped instantly, "You are not risking yourself like that."
"So are you planning to do all of this by yourself then?" Ichigo snapped back.
"Yes." Kish replied in a matter-of-fact manner.
"Kish," Berry began softly, "we appreciate your concern, but this is too big of a feat for even you to be able to pull off all by yourself. Please, let us help you."
Kish bit his lip, rubbing his hand through his hair in a troubled manner.
"I don't see how you guys could. There's the largest man hunt I've ever seen out for the two of you."
"Then we should stop hiding." Ichigo stated.
"What?" Kish demanded.
"We should stop hiding." Ichigo repeated. She held up a hand to silence Kish, who looked prepared to shout her down at once, "Listen to me. It's us they're looking for. If we lead them away, Kish, that gives you a chance to free the rest of them. Then we can meet up back here."
"It's not that simple Ichigo." Kish sighed, rubbing his temples, "The two of you don't know your way around."
"Well of course we don't, you haven't let us out of the cave." Berry pointed out.
"That's for your safety." Kish hissed angrily.
"But it keeps us from helping you and the others." Ichigo persisted.
"Ichigo, Berry, I'll figure it out, just give me some more time."
"No." Ichigo replied stubbornly, "Tonight."
"Are you crazy?" Kish exclaimed.
"No." Ichigo stated defiantly, "Tonight, hell, even right now, you'll take us invisibly, on recon with you. From there we'll plan how Berry and I can be used as a distraction for you to rescue everyone else."
"I knew it. You've gone insane." Kish stated, shaking his head in bewilderment.
"Have I?" Ichigo challenged, getting to her feet.
"What are you doing?" Kish asked as she turned around.
"Walking out through the main entrance." Ichigo replied over her shoulder.
"What!" Berry and Kish exclaimed.
"I'm being serious Kish. Enough sitting around. It's time we took action."
Kish suddenly materialized in front of her, golden eyes cold and his brow furrowed.
"You're not going anywhere." He snarled.
"Yes I am." Ichigo replied calmly, her own eyes narrowed. Internally, her heart was racing. She hadn't forgotten the dangerous look in Kish's eye when he'd attacked her. That face still plagued her nightmares, but she forced those feelings down. Right now she needed to convey to Kish how important it was for them to act. She didn't care if she seemed irrational.
Kish and Ichigo continued to glare at each other, neither backing down as Berry stood up as well, clutching her pendant. She was prepared to separate them if they broke out into a fight.
"Fine." Kish sighed in defeat, "I'll take you, but you must promise me that you won't do anything irrational. No matter what, you'll stay within close proximity to me. When we get near the village, you will hold my hand so that I can camouflage you. You will not speak, nor will you make any noise. Do I make myself clear?"
"Perfectly." Ichigo replied icily.
"Good." Kish growled, just as coldly, "Berry, pack some medical supplies and the two of you get in some warmer clothes. We'll leave as soon as you're ready." He instructed, his eyes never breaking the staring contest between himself and Ichigo. Ichigo nodded curtly before heading over to a small alcove in the cave, lit by the glowing mushrooms, where they had stored the extra clothing Kish had managed to steal.
"Ichigo, what are you doing?" Berry whispered, as Ichigo pulled a black turtle neck, thickly woven sweater, over her head.
"I'm tired of sitting around." Ichigo replied bluntly.
"I am too, but you haven't thought this through at all." Berry chided her, also pulling an identical sweater on, "Kish is right to be worried."
"I know Berry. I know this is ludicrous, but the sooner we learn the land the closer we are to saving everyone."
"But what then Ichigo? The last ship was crashed, how do we get off this planet?"
Ichigo stilled as she was pulling on a heavy set of pants.
"I don't know." She admitted with a glum expression, "I really have no idea what to do then, but Berry, I can still hear Pudding crying at night." She looked her companion straight in the eyes, "It breaks my heart to think I'm not doing anything for her, for any of them."
Berry looked pained at her statement. Ichigo knew she felt the same way.
Ichigo finished pulling the pants on, ripped off a piece of the fabric from her now practically shredded dress, and used it as a belt. While Kish had tried to get clothes that were a decent fit, the waulrinswi still had a slightly different build than humans.
"Here." Kish said coldly, throwing a pair of fur lined boots at the two of them. They reminded Ichigo of moccasins, with tanned animal hide on the outside and an inner fur lining. She pulled them on. They were slightly too small, causing her toes to scrunch together at the front of the boot, but she didn't complain. It was better than stumbling around in boots that were too big.
Berry pulled on the winter clothing as well, and was pushing her feet into her boots as Ichigo threw a cloak over her shoulder and fastened it with a silver leaf clasp. All the clothing felt heavy and foreign to her, but she knew it would keep them warm.
"Ready to go?" She asked, as Berry threw her own cloak over her shoulders.
"Medical supplies." Berry reminded her, walking back towards the fire pit where Kish was sitting, moodily poking at the flames with the food he had never eaten. Ichigo almost felt bad for fighting with Kish over this, but shoved those thoughts aside. Her team came first. There was nothing she wouldn't do for them.
Ichigo followed Berry over to the fire pit and Kish.
"Can you two summon your weapons without transforming?" He asked them.
Ichigo frowned. She'd never tried summoning her strawberry bell with out transforming first. She wasn't sure.
"I haven't ever tried." Berry admitted.
"Well, try now." Kish instructed.
Ichigo and Berry pulled their pendants out from the depths of their pockets. Ichigo held it, cupped in her right hand as she stared at it. She knew how to transform, but how was she supposed to just summon her strawberry bell?
"I'm guessing you don't know what to do." Kish muttered.
They shook their heads.
Kish sighed, "Ok, usually when I summon my swon kraujin—"
"Come again?" Ichigo interrupted.
"Sorry, my twin dragon swords. That's the direct translation I think."
"Oh ok. Continue."
"Right, so when I summon my dragon swords, I really focus on their shape and structure. I imagine them materializing from thin air into my hands, like so." He demonstrated by holding out his hands. The air around the palm of his hands shimmered. Slowly, it seemed to condense before him, forming the outline of his three-pronged swords before they materialized completely. Kish caught them, twirled them around his fingers expertly, before passing them to the two girls to see.
"I don't know if it will work for you guys, but you could give it a try."
Ichigo nodded, stretching out her arms and holding her palms facing outward from her body, the pendant carefully clutched with her palm. She closed her eyes in concentration, imagining her strawberry bell; the smoothness of its handle, the heart shape and its light weight. She imagined the jingle of the bell, and the intricately carved wings around it. She focused, and she concentrated, but still, nothing appeared.
"It worked!" Berry exclaimed.
Ichigo opened her eyes, to see Berry looking amazed as she held her small staff in front of her.
"Good." Kish nodded, taking it from her in order to make sure it had fully materialized, "First try, that might be a record."
Berry blushed, thanking him quietly as he handed it back to her.
"No luck Ichigo?' He asked her, noting her empty hands.
Ichigo shrugged before closing her eyes and trying again. She concentrated harder, focusing on the color and consistency of her bell, but she still felt nothing in her hands.
She shook her head, opening her eyes.
"It's no good. I can't get anything." She said.
"What about that katana of yours?" Berry suggested.
"I have no idea how I even got that." Ichigo admitted, remembering the silver blade that had appeared before her the night Kish had attacked her. She had been able to summon it a few times during training, but usually it just came to her. She had no idea how to actually summon it.
"Can you try summoning that?"
"Wouldn't hurt." Kish added.
"Here goes nothing." Ichigo muttered, closing her eyes again. She imagined seeing the blade that appeared before her, but her memories of the blade were fuzzy. So much had been happening when she'd summoned it. She tried to draw upon her memory. Had it been short? Long? Medium in length? She was no expert on swords, how was she supposed to know. She remembered that it had felt light, and had strawberries engraved in the side of the blade, but what else? How did the handle look? Did it fit perfectly in her hand? She just couldn't remember.
Her lack of being able to recall the blade resulted in how she predicted it to. She was unable to summon the blade. Not even a tremor in the air particles around her could indicate that she was anywhere close to having summoned it.
"No luck." Ichigo announced with a sigh.
"That's odd." Kish murmured, rubbing his chin in a manner of thought.
"Could I transform? I'll probably be able to get it if I transform."
Kish shook his head, "too risky with that band of waulrinswi out there. You're magic might alert them to our location."
"How does summoning weapons not alert them?" Ichigo countered.
"Less magic is needed." Kish answered simply, "Ok, here's what we'll do. Take my dragon swords." He handed them to her, handle first. Ichigo took them, feeling slightly put off. Too many times had these items been used against her, Masaya, and the other Mews. She would have preferred to use her own weapon. These felt unfamiliar and foreign in her hands, "Same as with weapons training on the ship. Just use them like an extension of your body. You'll need to get closer than you're comfortable with, but they'll serve you just as well."
"What about you?" Berry asked.
Kish held up a hand to his face, examining his fingers uncomfortably, "I… I'll be alright." He replied.
Ichigo couldn't help but agree silently. When he'd gone insane, his mere fingers had managed to break the ground around her and punch through metal as if it were putty.
"Ok, are you guys ready to go?" Kish asked.
Ichigo nodded as Berry picked up a small bag filled with medical supplies, water satchels and berries.
"Right, remember my rules. Break any of them and we will come straight back here and I will tie you up if I have to in order to make you stay put."
"We won't endanger ourselves or you Kish." Ichigo assured him.
"See that you don't."
"Lead on." Ichigo gestured towards the main exit.
Kish sighed, before inclining his head for them to follow, "We'll go out the main entrance. I'll go first to make sure the coast is clear. I'll head into the trees, then Ichigo, follow when I give you this signal." He brought his hands to his mouth and made a soft cooing noise that sounded like a dove, "This will tell you that the coast is clear. Berry, you come last when I give the signal again. Sound good?"
"Why me first?" Ichigo asked, not liking the idea of leaving Berry alone.
"Isn't it obvious?" Berry asked, "You're the one who's at the most of a disadvantage. You don't have your own weapon."
"Well yes, but—"
"I'll be fine." Berry smiled, gripping her shoulder tightly, "But thank you for worrying about me."
Ichigo nodded. She needed to trust the other girl's abilities.
"Alright, let's go." Kish instructed, turning around, and beginning to walk out. The two of them followed, getting down onto their hands and knees as they began to crawl through the tunnel. Ichigo began to feel warm, the clothes were definitely heavy, and they kept the heat from her movements in rather than being breathable. Soon, sweat was lining the insides of her clothes, causing them to stick to her uncomfortably. It was the oddest thought she'd ever had, but she really hoped it was freezing cold outside.
Kish easily maneuvered himself through the tunnel, quickly bringing them to the entrance.
"Remember, only come on my signal." He cautioned, before jumping out of the tunnel and sprinting into the trees. Ichigo peered out the edge of the entrance, watching as he slid behind a tree before floating up into the air. He made a quick scan of the area from a perch on one of the higher branches, before jumping nimbly back onto the ground. Ichigo heard the cooing of a dove, and saw Kish motioning her over.
"Be safe." Berry whispered.
Ichigo nodded in response before launching herself out of the cave and sprinting towards Kish. He wasn't kidding when he had told them it was close to freezing out. Despite all her clothing, Ichigo was still cold. She could feel the wind lashing at her exposed skin, and it didn't help that she had been sweating.
Kish caught her when she approached, yanking her behind the tree with him and holding her securely in his arms. They heard a rustle in one of the bushes. Their eyes narrowed in on an area in the trees, where a long, deep blue, leafed plant, that had apparently not lost its leaves, shook. Kish's grip on Ichigo tightened, and this time, Ichigo felt as her flesh became invisible, blending in with the trees around her and Kish. They watched with baited breath as the bush began to shake harder, then, a small furry creature appeared. It was about the size of a fox, with midnight black fur, a long snout, and floppy ears that dragged across the ground as it foraged in the forest floor. A short, stubby tail stuck straight up in the air, waving like a flag.
The two of them breathed a sigh of relief as Kish allowed them to become visible again. He brought his hand to his mouth and made the cooing sound again.
"What is that?" Ichigo whispered as Berry raced out of the cave and ran towards them.
"Linj uauruk." Kish replied, "Don't worry, they're harmless."
"It scared me for a minute there." Berry breathed, now at the tree with them.
"Same here." Ichigo agreed.
"Ok, let's walk, then I'll teleport us closer."
"Couldn't we just walk the entire way?" Ichigo asked. She really didn't like teleporting.
"Um, no." Kish stated plainly, "It's entirely on the other end of the continent."
"Ah…" Ichigo remarked.
"Now that that's settled, follow me." Kish instructed.
Ichigo wrapped her cloak tighter around herself as another gust of wind blew through the autumn forest.
"I didn't think it'd be this cold." Berry shivered, warming her hands with her breath.
"I warned you." Kish replied over his shoulder as he began picking his way over the fallen leaves and through the trees.
"How are you only in a cloak and your usual though?" Ichigo inquired.
"Well, it's cold, but it's not that bad."
"Not that bad? It's freezing out!" Ichigo exclaimed.
"Trust me when I say this isn't freezing." Kish replied, "You Earthlings are just wimps."
Ichigo rolled her eyes.
Kish led them further into the forest before coming across a particularly large tree.
"Grab my hands."
Berry and Ichigo grabbed his hands without question, and they instantly disappeared on the spot.
They stopped near a tree miles away, landing neatly on a sturdy branch.
"What are we doing here?" Ichigo asked.
"I'll just need to rest for a few minutes." Kish gasped, collapsing against the trunk of the tree.
"Are you ok?" Berry asked, rushing to his side and opening her medical kit.
Kish waved her off.
"I'm fine, teleporting can just take a lot out of me, and lately it's been taking even more out of me."
"What do you mean?" Berry continued, pulling her bag from her shoulder, "Here, have some water."
"Thanks." Kish smiled, taking the water satchel from her and drinking deeply.
"Ichigo, do you want something to eat?" Berry indicated the bag as she sat down next to Kish. Ichigo took the bag from her, sitting down as well.
"How much does it take out of you to teleport?" Ichigo asked Kish.
"A lot. Traveling short distances is easy, but we've traveled over one hundred kilometers in one transport. It's taxing to say the least. Give me a minute, then we'll continue on foot for a little while until my power levels go back up."
"That's fine." Ichigo replied, handing the bag back to Berry. She was too anxious to feel hungry. Instead, she gazed at the forest around them. It was strange to her that a tropical forest would show the same life cycles as a temperate forest. She was used to the tropical forests back on Earth never losing their leaves because of the climate. Here however, it didn't seem to matter. Nearly all the leaves were gone from the trees and lay on the forest floor, big and small. The carnivorous plants, that she could see, had curled into themselves like they were in some sort of hibernation. The meager sunlight still had to peek through the branches and stems of the trees, and peppering the otherwise shaded region in golden streams.
"Hey, take a look behind you." Kish commented.
Ichigo glanced over her shoulder, her mouth falling open in awe. Two, bright white horses could be seen lying together against the trunk of a large tree that was still working on shedding its leaves. They looked tranquil in their surroundings, grooming each other's shoulders with the sun glinting off their horns.
"Are those unicorns?" Berry breathed.
"Uh… if that's what you call them…?" Kish answered uncertainly.
"What would you call them?" Ichigo asked, quirking a brow in his direction.
Kish thought for a minute before replying, "hinuk hirsu."
"Did you have any on your original planet?" Berry inquired.
Kish shrugged, "I don't believe so, but I can't say for sure. I wasn't born there." He stood up, handing the water satchel back to Berry, "Let's continue on foot for a little while. Careful when we get on the ground though. They won't attack unless provoked, but they're wild animals. Still be cautious."
Ichigo nodded, though she was slightly disappointed. She was really tempted to climb down from the tree and approach the porcelain creatures. The way their silver fur shimmered when the sun hit it was like watching the light dance over the surface of water. She wondered how silky and light their coats felt.
She stood up, allowing Kish to wrap his arm around her waist, and the three of them descended slowly to the ground. Kish landed carefully, so as not to disturb the two unicorns, but they looked up anyway, deep amber eyes surveying them intently.
Ichigo couldn't tear her eyes away. Their beauty was so enticing.
She again resisted the urge to pull away from Kish and Berry, to walk across the mere meters that kept her apart from the beautiful creatures, to sit down between them and run her fingers through their manes.
"This way." Kish instructed, stepping lightly over the dead ground.
Ichigo finally was able to wrench her eyes away from the beautiful animals, and followed after him and Berry.
It really was no different than walking through a temperate forest in the fall. Leaves littered the ground with only small animals and insects wandering about. The air was still crisp and cool, and the landscape seemed to blend together, with the bark of the trees matching the coloring of the ground. Yet, it was completely different. While the trees on earth seemed big, these ones were towering, the size of the largest skyscrapers and towers Ichigo had ever seen. Some trees bases looked to be the width of a large house, while others were much smaller, more akin to what she was used to.
The landscape didn't change much as they continued. After an hour or so, Kish told them that he was good again. They both hooked arms with him before he teleported, this time landing them in another section of the forest.
"Now it's imperative that you stay quiet." He whispered, "I'm going to camouflage us now. The village is only a few kilometers from here, but I'm not teleporting us any closer."
They nodded, and Ichigo felt an odd tingling sensation dance across her skin as Kish turned her invisible. When she glanced down, she couldn't even see her feet. Her grip tightened on his arm. She knew the only way to stay invisible was to stay in contact with him. If she let go, their entire plan would fall apart, assuming there was anyone on the lookout for them.
She felt a gentle tug on her arm, and began to walk, stepping lightly on the ground. Here's where being part cat was useful; she could easily bear her weight in her toes, allowing her to step lightly and with stealth.
They walked in silence, weaving in and out of the base of the trees as they approached, but Ichigo couldn't suppress a small gasp when she saw the village. It may as well have been standing for years. Beautiful stone structures rose out of the ground. They were block like, some looking like small stone cottages while others appeared to be towers. These buildings all circled around the base of the tallest building. It was a regal looking castle, the architecture reminding Ichigo of the carefully carved and intricately designed mosques that were built in Spain during the 1300s. All the houses and towers seemed to surround this center in an outwardly expanding radius. There were no farms, as far as she could tell, only small gardens that grew outside of each individual settlement, as well as a large one that was off to the right of the palace.
"You don't keep any livestock?" Berry noted quietly.
"No, livestock tend to have a negative effect on the land, not to mention there's no time. It's too much of a hassle to move them." Kish responded just as quietly, "This way."
They didn't get any closer to the village. Now, he was leading them in a wide circle around the perimeter.
Ichigo watched closely. No streets had been paved, nor were any of the houses level. They rose and fell with the land, moving within complete harmony, as if the rock had grown that way naturally. She saw that the place wasn't laid out in any particular pattern. They were situated in the least obtrusive manner, encouraging the growth of the vegetation around them. Just outside the village, caught by the fading rays of the sun dancing off its surface, Ichigo was able to see a lake. On it, she could see boats, with the distinct silhouettes of waulrinswi. Whether they were fishing or turning in for the day, she couldn't tell, but the village practically screamed peaceful. It was like a place Ichigo had sometimes imagined in a dream, a beautiful paradise just outside the forest, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
"It's a beautiful place." She commented, but her eyes were still scanning for the prison, the place where her girls were being held against their will. However, she couldn't see it. Perhaps they were simply to far to see the hole in the ground.
"Cimu in! Wu'zu jis si jus himu fir konnur!" ("Come on! We've got to get home for dinner!")
Ichigo covered her mouth to stifle a gasp. She hadn't even heard anyone until the voice suddenly sounded from overhead. She looked up, seeing a small tree house built into the upper branches of the tree just above them. A vine was lowered, and a small child, with dark, navy hair and a boyish complexion jumped down, nearly avoiding Ichigo as she quickly stepped out of the way.
"Csef! Mw maumau os jionj si roll mu!" ("Crap! My mom's going to kill me!") Another replied, jumping down from the tree, and landing on the balls of his feet.
"Raucu wie! Ni flwonj aulliwuk!" ("Race you! No flying allowed!") The other yelled, taking off at a sprint, and nearly crashing into the group if Kish hadn't quickly flown out of the way, carrying Ichigo and Berry with him. They touched down in the now vacated tree house, with Ichigo fighting to control her breathing as she stared after the kids.
"That was close." Kish breathed, as soon as he was sure the kids were out of earshot."
"Too close." Berry agreed.
"Did they notice us?" Ichigo asked, nearly in panic, "Are they running of to tell?"
"No, not at all." Kish reassured her, "They were just saying they were going to be late for dinner."
Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief as Kish turned them visible for a while, but he looked solemn.
"What's wrong?" Berry asked, noticing his expression.
"The kid with the darker hair, that's Inoarolri. He's Tart's closest friend."
"How old?" Ichigo questioned.
"Um, probably about thirteen in earth years." Kish responded uncertainly.
"What's the matter though?" Berry pressed. He hadn't answered her earlier question.
"I wish I could've asked him about what happened to Tart." Kish replied, "I haven't seen him at all every time I've been around the village. He's not imprisoned with the others. I'm just worried that…" He trailed off.
"That what?" Ichigo asked.
Kish knead his face with his knuckles, "Treason isn't taken lightly. Since the destruction of Gaea, we've always had the outlook towards the betterment of our people. Everything an individual can do can and will be done for our race. We're all we had left, that was the idea. For someone to do something that the race feels is an endangerment… the punishment is usually death. I just hope he's ok."
Ichigo's breath caught in her throat. She had been so focused on rescuing her fellow Mews that she hadn't even spared a single thought for the younger waulrinswi who had risked himself to help them succeed in their failed escape attempt. Despite knowing what was on the line, he had tried to help them.
"Oh God." She breathed, "Kish!" She grabbed his sleeve, "We have to go see if we can find him!"
"No, I can't take you in there! You agreed to this when we came Ichigo! You said you would follow all my orders no matter how much you disliked them!"
"You didn't mention Tart could be killed! Why didn't you tell us?"
"So you wouldn't freak out like this!"
"Kish he's your brother!" Ichigo cried, forgetting to keep her voice down.
Kish instantly clamped a hand over her mouth, listening intently to see if anyone had heard them. When it didn't seem that anyone did, he looked back at Ichigo, his golden eyes looking sorrowful.
"You think I don't know that?" He asked quietly, "Why do you think it takes me so long to go scouting? I've constantly been looking for him. Since the first day, I've always been trying to find him."
"Kish, if he's going to be executed for his crimes then forget just scouting, we need to get him out of there!" Berry insisted.
"I can't risk you two getting caught!" Kish exclaimed.
"Stop worrying about us and stop doing everything on your own! Take us in invisible. We need to find Tart before it's too late!" Ichigo yelled, ripping Kish's hand from her mouth.
"No." Kish replied sternly.
"And why the hell not?" Ichigo yelled in exasperation.
"Because I don't want to lose any one else important to me." He replied tonelessly.
Ichigo opened her mouth to respond, but couldn't. How could she possibly yell at him after he said that? It made her realize again how little she knew about him. He had told her that both his parents had died when he was very young, but that was all she knew. Knowing how he'd grown up, she began to wonder just how many family and friends had Kish seen die?
Ichigo placed a hand on his shoulder, "Ok, let's just continue what we came here to do, but if you find Tart, don't hesitate. Leave Berry and me and go after him. Get him out of there. Please just promise me that."
Kish stared at her for a while. She could practically see his brain trying to come up with a reason why that was a bad idea, and counteract with some sort of argument, but after a few minutes, he merely nodded curtly, and held out a hand to Berry. Berry took his offered hand, and Ichigo laced her fingers into his other one, giving him an encouraging squeeze.
Turning invisible, they finally descended from the tree house. It had grown darker during their time in there, the sky now filled with shades of pinks and purples, outlined and contrasted against a golden backdrop. Moonlight was beginning to compete with the rays of the sun, casting a softer light across the land. One remained high in the sky, another almost looked as if it was about to eclipse the planet itself. Every crater and blemish was contrasted against the silver surface, and the third was merely a small sliver of a crescent.
"I can never get over how interesting it is to have three moons." Berry mused quietly as they walked.
"It's quite a spectacle." Ichigo agreed, though her eyes were focused on the village. As the sun began to descend, it was getting harder to view the area. The buildings and houses looked as if they were growing together, becoming one huge mass within the shadows. Suddenly, there was a spark, then a large column of fire suddenly erupted from somewhere within the mass of shadows.
Ichigo gasped in surprise, closing her eyes at the sudden influx of light and warmth that spread to her. When she opened them again, the fire had died down, and the glow emanating from it illuminated the central portion of the village, right outside the main building. She could hear screaming and shouting, but the fire wasn't spreading. Were they having some sort of bonfire?
She glanced sideways at Kish, but her breath caught in her throat at the look on his face. He was as white as a sheet, his eyes as wide as saucers as the flames of the fire danced in the reflection of his corneas.
"Kish?" Berry squeaked, but without informing either of them, he suddenly let go and took to the sky, flying at break neck speed towards the glowing fire despite his insistence that they remain unseen.
"Kish!" Ichigo yelled after him, but he didn't turn around.
Berry and Ichigo barely exchanged a glance before they ran after him.
"Berry, transform!" Ichigo commanded, kissing her pendant and transforming in a burst of pink light. Berry followed suit, quickly transforming as well.
Ichigo allowed her animal senses to take over her, taking one last good step on the ground before jumping to the rooftops. She landed nimbly on her feet, rocked back on her heel, then took off, leaping with ease between the buildings. She and Berry used their heightened senses to avoid the waulrinswi they could sense on the rooftops, and dodge around areas of high exposure. They ducked against the side of a building, watching with baited breath as armed guards scouted the area, with one sounding like he was claiming he had heard something. Once they had left Ichigo and Berry crept out of the shadowed space. They could see the faint glow of the fire ahead. Ichigo glanced around, finding a stone staircase just behind them.
"This way." She whispered to Berry.
The two of them turned on their heels and ran up the stairs that circled around the perimeter of the building. They had to carefully duck around windows, stopping at each and listening to make sure no one was there before continuing. That sense of foreboding was beginning to make itself known in her stomach again.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Ichigo and Berry froze. They both recognized that long drawn out scream, filled with pure, uncontrolled agony. It was Kish.
With the thoughts of getting caught completely pushed to the back of their minds, Ichigo and Berry sprinted up the remainder of the stairs, scaled the expanse of the rooftop in a manner of seconds, and nearly fell over the stone railing of the rooftop as they skidded to a stop.
Beneath them, was a large roaring fire, surrounded on all sides by waulrinswi, and inside the fire, the source of the screams, sat Kish. Ichigo could barely make it out, but she could see him, on his knees, his head rocked back as he screamed his agony towards the heavens, a small figure wrapped tightly in his arms.
Ichigo gasped in horror, reeling back as if she'd been slapped with a hand over her mouth.
That fire was no bonfire, it was a pyre, and Kish had flown into it with out a second thought about the flames licking at his skin, or the fire that was burning through his clothes and skin, or even the smoke that was filling his lungs. Despite all odds, he had thrown himself into the blaze that had reduced the brother in his arms to a charred corpse.
"Tart!" Berry cried, "They didn't, they couldn't have -!"
"Come on!" Ichigo yelled, finally gaining her barring's as the initial shock wore off, "We need to get him out of here!"
"Ichigo, they just—!" But Ichigo cut her off, gripping her shoulders.
"I know!" She cried, tears dripping down her face, "but we need to get him out of here before he dies!"
They stood staring at each other for a minute, Berry gritting her teeth as tears streamed down her face, her pained expression mirrored on Ichigo's own face.
Another scream issued from Kish, followed by screams of terror from the other waulrinswi. His scream was feral, reminding Ichigo of that day, not so long ago on the ship. He had lost it.
"Hurry!" She urged Berry, before climbing up onto the stone railing and jumping off without a second of hesitation.
Gravity instantly took hold of her, pulling her to the ground, closer and closer to the crowd of waulrinswi.
"Id'r Ichigo Maw!" ("It's Mew Ichigo!") She heard some of the waulrinswi below scream.
In mid jump, she held out her right hand, her sword shimmering into existence and falling weightlessly into her hand.
She landed heavily in a crouch, her knees protesting the rough treatment, in an area of clearing the waulrinswi had given her. She swung her sword in a large arch, a warning for the waulrinswi to stay out of her way. Berry landed behind her, releasing her staff.
"Go get Kish. I'll create a distraction." Berry murmured, loud enough only for Ichigo to hear.
Ichigo nodded and took off at a run, using the waulrinswi as spring boards to jump up and over them. One of them tried to grab her ankle, but she planted her foot in his face and flipped, jumping up and over his head. She landed on another waulrinswi, vaulting off the screaming female's chest before landing near the fire. As if shot out of a rocket, Kish appeared from the inferno, his clothing ablaze, portions of his hair singed and burned, his teeth bared like a wild animal, and his eyes narrowed in blinding hatred. In his arms, held close to his chest, was the barely recognizable corpse of Tart.
"Kish!" Ichigo screamed.
Kish landed weightlessly, clutching Tart even closer before howling his agony in an angry roar to the waulrinswi surrounding him. They screamed in terror, tripping over themselves as the moved to make way for the enraged demon.
Ichigo landed on the ground as well, elbowing several waulrinswi out of her way, and slashing her sword wildly as she fought to reach him. Suddenly, Berry landed behind her again, knocking over a group of guards with her staff. Ichigo ducked as the staff flew over the area her head had just been, knocking another waulrinswi clear off his feet.
"I don't think I can do much more of this!" Berry yelled over the chaos.
"Hold out just a little longer!" Ichigo cried, locking swords with a gruff looking waulrinswi.
"Get out of my way!" She screamed, breaking the contact of their swords with an upper swing and driving her heel into his chest. He stumbled back and she followed with a swift round house kick to the back of his head, sending him plummeting into the ground; knocking him out cold.
Kish roared again, Tart's corpse slipping through his arms as he shook with barely suppressed rage.
"Kish!" Ichigo yelled again, narrowly avoiding the kick that was aimed for her mid section by leaping over it and vaulting off the top of the waulrinswi's head.
Tart's body crumpled to the ground, and Kish leapt into the crowd.
"NO!" Ichigo screamed finally breaking free and tackling him to the ground. They rolled several feet, Kish snarling and scratching at her arms as she wrestled to hang onto him, merely trying to hinder him from doing something he'd regret.
"Kish snap out of it!" She cried, holding onto his midsection, her sword completely forgotten yards away, she must've dropped it in the skirmish.
His nails ripped through the skin on her back, creating rivers of blood that flowed freely.
Ichigo cringed, but tightened her grip around his middle.
"Snap out of it!" She yelled, wrestling him to the ground and somehow managing to catch his clawed hands.
He growled, pulling back with alarming strength causing her to be thrown off balance. Taking advantage of her moment of weakness, he flipped her onto her back, straddling her as he brought his arm up, ready to strike her down.
Suddenly, a crudely designed arrow shot out from nowhere, lodging itself in Kish's shoulder. He cried out in pain, falling off of her.
Ichigo scrambled to her feet, only to be grabbed from behind by a burly waulrinswi, as a group of warriors surrounded Kish, their weapons drawn and at the ready.
"Let go!" Ichigo cried, struggling fruitlessly.
Kish stood up eerily slow, wrenching the arrow from his shoulder. A growl rumbled from the depths of his throat, golden eyes flashed dangerously.
"Stop! Don't go near him!" Ichigo cried, struggling even harder.
"Let go of her!"
Ichigo looked up in time to see Berry bring her staff down like a club over the waulrinswi's head. He instantly released her.
Ichigo didn't even have time to express her gratitude. One by one, the members of the group that had surrounded Kish were flying past her. Screams were the only sounds she could make out as she dodged and ducked around the flying bodies.
"Kish! Kish, stop!" she cried reaching for him again. She made a grab for his wrists, but he slapped her hands away, growling furiously. He harshly backhanded her, sending her flying to the ground in a daze. Still unable to see clearly, Ichigo leapt back up to her feet, staggering slightly as she lunged at Kish again. Their heads knocked against each other, sending a ringing sound through Ichigo's brain. In a daze, she wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his nails grip her waist and sink in through the skin, grating against the bone.
Ichigo hissed in pain, burying her face into Kish's shoulder as his grip tightened.
"Kish, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She cried, pulling back until she could see his canines glinting from the light of the fire. With tears still streaming down her face, she leaned forward, closing the distance between them, and brought her lips over his. She kissed him deeply, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck so that he couldn't pull away.
Gradually, she felt his nails retract from her skin. She gasped into the kiss, but kept at it, holding him closely as if he was the most precious thing in the universe. She felt his hands trace up the curves of her hips, then wrap protectively around her, pulling her flush against his body. For those few seconds, it felt as if the chaos around them had suddenly slowed and come to a halt. All she could feel were his lips against hers, the way their bodies molded perfectly together, and the heat from where the flames had burnt through his skin. After what felt like eternity, they pulled apart.
"We need to leave!" Ichigo gasped.
"Where's Berry?"
"Right here!" The other girl replied, running to their side with a river of blood issuing from her temple.
"Berry, are you hurt?" Ichigo cried.
"No I'm fi—!" She began, but ended up gargling on her own blood as it issued from her mouth like a waterfall, drenching her chin down to her neckline.
Ichigo's eyes widened as her gaze fell from Berry's face to the long, reptilian like appendage sticking through her chest. Ichigo's eyes followed it, from the triangular shaped tip to where it was embedded in Berry's chest, past the girl, and into the face of a creature she had never seen before.
It didn't have eyes, instead resulting in a smooth expanse of a face with an angular jaw line. It cocked its head to its side, opening its jaws to reveal rows of razor sharp teeth dripping with some sort of saliva that gleamed venomously.
A/N: Here it is! Sorry for the long wait! College... -_- Seriously, I swear I had at least one essay every week or some sort of exam to study for.
Any way, I feel like a horrible person. I'm so sorry Tart and Berry :( Even though I didn't like Berry in the series, she grew on me as a character when I was writing her. For those who hate Berry though, here you are XP.