I apologize for this chapter being kinda short. I had to split it in half because the original was waaaay too long. Enjoy!


Chapter 5

It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.

–Paulo Coelho

o0o

Kish spent two hours searching from the sky, but he found nothing supernatural to explain the sudden quake. It looked like it had been a perfectly normal earth tremor. There was some damage here and there around the city, but aside from a problematic sinkhole in a suburb on the Chiba side, most accidents were minor. Kish himself had caused far more destruction a year ago with his chimera animas. It didn't seem like the Mew Mews would be needed this time.

After his patrol, he met up with Ichigo and Lettuce outside the café to relay his findings. They were quick to inform him that their boss hadn't found anything either. Kish was privately glad. The last thing Ichigo needed was some ill-timed paranormal disaster to distract her from her exam.

"It's weird, though," the redhead declared as they sat in Doutor later for their usual pre-Aoyama study session. "Normal disasters never happen to us. Ever since you aliens showed up, every iota of devastation has been your doing."

"I'm quite sure I had nothing to do with it this time," he replied somewhat distractedly as he looked over her trigonometry homework. "You should check number thirty-four again."

Ichigo took the paper from him and he saw her eyes travel to the problem in question. "Drat. I always make the same dumb mistake with this formula." She scrubbed her work away with her small, pink eraser and proceeded to redo the problem. "Anyway, I'm just saying that the entire year you were gone was peaceful. And now that you're back, suddenly a huge earthquake hits Tokyo. It's as if Mother Nature saw that you were back and was like 'how do I top that?'"

Kish laughed as he stole the paper back and looked over her work again. "Mother Nature's gonna have to try harder than that." He reached the end of the page and nodded approvingly. Everything checked out. He handed the paper back to her.

Ichigo scoffed as she stowed the paper in her folder. "By the way," she said, her expression brightening, "you're all set to take the entrance exam for Hibiya. I talked to Akasaka-san and he made the arrangements. He even invented a cover story for you and took care of your student details."

Kish's mouth formed an 'o' of surprise before lengthening into a grin. "I guess I'll have to thank him. Let's hope I know enough about Japanese history to pass or he'll have gone to all that trouble for nothing."

Ichigo smiled and reached across the table to pat his arm. "You're going to do fine. What year did Tokugawa I-can't-find-you become Shogun?"

Kish's grin widened. "1603."

Ichigo matched his grin and clasped his hand. "We've got this."

Kish felt as though he were smiling from ear to ear as they shook their clasped hands once and then released them to bump their fists together.

As he watched Ichigo hurry home a half hour later to have her usual study date with the brat, Kish thought he'd never been happier. He had no doubt Ichigo would pass. She was more than ready. For a few moments, he indulged in a fantasy of attending school with her. He understood now the ache of wanting to go to school with the person you love. If he went to Hibiya, he'd get to continue to see Ichigo every day. He could live like a human—have friends and join a club and go shopping on the weekends and do all those normal, young people things. It would be a terrifically mundane life compared with what he'd be leaving behind, but what was fame and wealth when inside you're empty?

Kish let out a long breath as he stepped out into the night and it misted out in front of his face in a large, white cloud. He watched it dissipate into the darkness. If only it were that easy, he lamented. If only he could forget his duty to his planet and remain on Earth with Ichigo. But the truth was, he wasn't in a position to choose. His new rank came with responsibilities that he wasn't permitted to shirk. If he didn't go back, they'd send someone to retrieve him. The elders were just so damn fussy when it came to rules and expectations.

Still, he would take the exam. He would live in this fantasy for as long as his other life would permit him to.

Shoving his hands into his jacket pockets, Kish willed his legs to carry him in the direction of Ichigo's neighborhood. Perhaps he would go play in the park while he waited for her session with Aoyama to finish.

o0o


Two hours later, as Kish sat at Ichigo's low table snacking on cookies and trying to interpret a famous poem from the Heian period, he was distracted for the umpteenth time by Ichigo, who instead of concentrating on her studies like usual was sitting motionlessly and staring down at her notebook blankly.

Kish quirked an eyebrow as he paused his work to watch her. Ever since he'd met up with her again after her hour and a half with Aoyama, she'd seemed distracted. Perhaps she and the brat had had some sort of disunity? No, he immediately dismissed the notion. She'd be much more upset if that were the case. He narrowed his eyes and squinted at her as if that would help him to see to the root of his favorite Mew Mew's odd behavior.

Ichigo must have felt his eyes on her because her own eyes flicked up to meet his and her eyebrow twitched at the blatant way he was staring at her. "W-what?" she stammered defensively.

Kish didn't do her the courtesy of looking away. "You seem troubled," he said frankly. "Did something happen?"

Ichigo looked startled for half a moment and then she hurriedly shook her head. "No! No. Nothing happened. Of course not."

Kish regarded her with overt suspicion.

"Really," she insisted. "It was a perfectly normal study session. Masaya-kun did ask about my tutoring with you—well, with Keisuke—and I mentioned how you've been a big help, but mostly we just studied like we always do."

Kish hummed disappointedly and dropped his face into his palms. "No drama, then? Laaaame."

Ichigo reached across the table to shove him halfheartedly.

"Then what's got you all broody?" he prodded. "Worried about the exam?"

Ichigo pursed her lips and seemed to consider her answer before saying, "…Maybe. Mm, yeah. That's probably it. This stupid exam's got my brain all frazzled. I'll be happy when it's over so everything can go back to normal."

Kish hummed again and tapped his cheek with a finger. "Normal? Pah. Entirely overrated. And anyway, I don't believe for a minute that you won't miss seeing my handsome face every day." He gave her his most obnoxious and exaggerated wink.

Instead of scoffing and shoving him, Ichigo surprised him by laughing. "You must be losing your touch, because—and again, I'll probably regret saying this—you're right. These study sessions have been nice and I've learned way more than I ever would've on my own. I have no one to thank but you for that."

Kish's cheeks pinkened and he looked down at the table to hide his blush. He was still woefully unused to being on the receiving end of gratitude from Ichigo. I really must be losing my touch if she can ruffle me this easily. He was about to cover up his bashfulness with his usual bravado when Ichigo spoke again.

"Actually… if I'm being honest, there has been something on my mind. I was just thinking that I've acted pretty unfairly toward you. You know just about everything there is to know about me, but I've never asked you about yourself even once." The corners of her mouth fell and Kish felt immediately guilty for unwittingly erasing her smile. "For example, why were you chosen to come to our planet out of the probably hordes of soldiers your planet could've sent? What have you been up to this past year since you returned home? How are your people? I never asked anything."

Kish was surprised by Ichigo's sudden inquisitiveness. It was as she said, she hadn't ever asked any of those things and he'd never expected her to. That was just how their relationship was. She'd never been interested in him or his people before. "Are you curious?" he posed. "I can tell you, if you'd like."

She nodded. "If you don't mind. I'd like to know."

Kish swiped another cookie and popped it into his mouth. He used the time it took to chew and swallow to deliberate about where to start. "Well, then. I guess I'll begin by answering your first question. Actually, I wasn't chosen at all. I volunteered to come to Earth."

"You… volunteered?" Ichigo repeated, looking taken aback.

Kish nodded. "How do I explain this in a way that will make sense?" He lifted his head from his palms and brought his knees up to his chest to wind his arms around them. "It would be simplest just to say that I hated humans and leave it at that—and that's true; I did hate humans for ruining the planet that my kind was forced to leave behind. But that's not really it. I felt like I had to join the mission to reclaim Earth. It was my chance to redeem myself in the eyes of my people by separating myself from my parents who had dishonored themselves by opposing the plan to punish the humans and take our planet back. Because of their refusal to condone the mission, they were cast out into the wastes and I was left as a child to fend for myself. My whole life, I thought, 'if only humans didn't exist, I wouldn't have lost everything.' I resented my parents for choosing their ideals over me—over their own lives. I projected my hurt feelings onto humanity and thought that if I could be the one to wipe the humans out, my people would forgive the sins of my parents and I wouldn't have to live as an outcast anymore."

As he spoke, Ichigo's expression transformed from one of curiosity to shock, and by the time he was finished, she looked horrified. "That…" she started but had to stop when she could find no words. "I never knew you…" She made a motion to reach for him but she seemed to decide better of it and twined her fingers in her lap instead. "Kish, that's horrible."

Kish laid his chin atop his knees and smiled wryly. "That's life on my planet. Conditions are harsh so everyone has to band together to survive. The council of elders decides all important matters and everyone is expected to comply with the decisions they make. Those who think differently—that is, dissenters—are seen as having chosen to forsake the system that keeps everyone safe and are subsequently removed before they can become a danger. Children of dissenters, such as myself, are allowed to stay since the number of children on my planet is very small, but they generally face terrible social ostracization. To be honest, I got off pretty easy compared to some."

Ichigo's eyebrows came together in an angry scrunch. "That's barbaric."

Kish shrugged. "It's what happens when the mortality rate is high and society is barely holding together," he explained. "But that's in the past now. Thanks to you Mew Mews letting us take Mew Aqua back with us, our planet is changing. The sun no longer harms our skin and the water no longer poisons our bodies and the sandy wastes have begun retreating. Right before I left, we finally made the push to start building on the surface. Soon, kids will be able to grow up under the sun instead of spending their whole lives cooped up in gloomy caves." He reached across the table and took Ichigo's hand in his. "It's all thanks to you, Ichigo."

Ichigo shook her head vigorously and pulled her hand away. "No. I can't possibly take any credit for that. I didn't even have the slightest clue that your people were suffering so badly. The whole time, I was only thinking about my own planet. I—I thought the aliens deserved whatever they got for trying to take the Earth away from us. I never even tried to understand."

It was Kish's turn to shake his head. "Whether you meant to or not, you saved us. And more than that, you helped me let go of my hatred. Last year, I was in such a mixed-up state that I stopped being able to tell the difference between right and wrong." He cleared his throat and looked away bashfully. "I've done a lot of looking back this past year and I'm embarrassed by how I acted. It's no wonder that you were more interested in getting rid of me than listening to me."

Ichigo said nothing to that. He knew she was reflecting on her own actions back then. Now that they were talking like this, he regretted more than ever that neither of them had been willing to listen to the other a year ago. Perhaps if they'd put their heads together, they could have found a solution to his people's problem that didn't involve him causing so much pain and destruction. But that wasn't what happened and he had to be satisfied just knowing that one way or another everything had worked out in the end.

"You haven't talked about what you've been up to this past year yet," Ichigo said, finally breaking the silence. "Were you able to earn back your place in society?"

A corner of Kish's mouth quirked upward. "Yeah, I was. Me and Pie and Tart have been living like kings. We have everything: money, power, influence… even the elders can't boss us around as much as they wish they could. Everything is different now."

Ichigo frowned bemusedly. "And yet, you came back to Earth."

"And yet, I came back," he agreed.

Ichigo stared hard at him but didn't ask him to elaborate. They both knew what he would say.

"Well, now you know my story," he broke the silence. He made a show of stretching his arms over his head. "Were your heartstrings tugged by my tale of woe? Do you feel like extending to this poor alien the comfort of your embrace?"

Ichigo gave him a suffering look which Kish could tell was only half genuine. She didn't answer and instead started packing up her books. "It's getting late. Let's stop here for today." She looked back up at him and offered a smile that was just a tad warmer than usual. "Thanks for your help, as always."

Kish returned her smile with a small, teasing smirk. "Of course, honey." He floated to his feet in preparation to leave. "Just two more days till the exam. I'll wait for you at the usual place tomorrow."

Ichigo nodded and stood as well. He thought she planned to escort him to the door, but instead she circumvented the study table to stand before him. Nobody was more surprised than him when she promptly enveloped his middle in a tight embrace.

Kish gaped down at the top of her head which rested against his chest. He was so caught off guard by the unexpected gesture of affection that he didn't know how to react. "Ichigo, what—?

"You earned a hug. Just this once," she explained. Her voice was slightly muffled by the fabric of his shirt.

Kish's eyebrows shot up at her words, but then his expression relaxed and he took the chance to wrap his arms around her shoulders and hold her. It was better than he'd ever dreamed, having her willingly in his arms. He took a moment to relish in it, for once utterly quiet. He wouldn't ruin this moment with snarky comments.

Far too soon, Ichigo pulled away. Kish had to stop himself from pouting.

"Thank you, Kish. Truly. I'm sorry I never listened to you before." She looked up at him with tender eyes. The look in them made his heart squeeze in a way that was both pleasant and uncomfortable.

"Don't be sorry," he brushed off her apology with a wave of his hand. "And you can thank me by passing the exam on Wednesday."

Ichigo smiled. Her expression was full of confidence. "Let's do our best." She held out her fist to him.

Kish's own fingers curled into a fist and he bumped them together. "For Hibiya."

oO0Oo


We're getting into it now, friends! The exam is right around the corner. Stay tuned!