Sparks of Love Chapter 5:
Going Home
The next morning, Kisshu and Ichigo got up, and got ready to go. They met up with Pai in the main room, and Kisshu said, "Good luck with the truce, you'll need it."
"Thanks, and good luck with Ichigo's parents," Pai said.
"I'll need luck too," Kisshu said. "Thanks."
Pai teleported out, and Kisshu took Ichigo's hand and teleported her to her front door. Ichigo had decided to ring the doorbell, since going right in wouldn't go down too well with her parents; they were probably going to blow the minute they saw her. So Ichigo rang the doorbell, and immediately heard running footsteps. Two seconds later, Sakura flung the door open, and shrieked, "ICHIGO!?"
"Mom, that hurt," Ichigo said. "Could you talk a little more softly?"
"Where were you!?" Sakura asked.
"Ryou didn't tell you where I was?" Ichigo asked.
From inside they heard Shintaro shout, "He knew and didn't tell us? I'm getting the sword!"
Sakura sighed and said, "You might as well both come in, I can see this is going to take a lot of explaining."
Ichigo and Kisshu followed Sakura inside. They heard a lot of loud banging and what sounded like falling boxes, and Sakura said, "Wait here, I'll go get your insane father."
Ichigo giggled as Sakura went to the basement. About five minutes later, she came back dragging Shintaro by the collar, and deposited him on the sofa. "Why didn't you let me get the sword so I can kill the insane blonde bastard?" Shintaro asked grouchily.
"Honestly, your daughter's been gone for two weeks, we had no idea where she was, and all you can think about is killing someone?" Sakura asked. "Settle down and let's hear what Ichigo and her friend have to say."
"Friend?" Shintaro asked warily.
"Hi," Kisshu said, which brought on the usual death aura.
Ichigo sighed and said, "Before you go into your usual rant, I'll have you know that Kisshu saved my life, so you should be nice to him."
"Mmph," Shintaro said.
"So what's the story?" Sakura asked.
"If Ryou didn't tell you where I was, does that also mean he didn't tell you I'm Mew Ichigo?" Ichigo asked.
Her parents' jaws dropped, and Ichigo sighed. "I guess not. I decided to tell Aoyama my secret, and he said I didn't deserve to live, and attacked me with a knife, then knocked me out. I guess Kisshu found me, because I woke up in his room a while later. Kisshu had cared for all the injuries I had, and he's been helping me recover since."
"But why were you gone so long?" Sakura asked.
"Ichigo had lost a lot of blood by the time I found her, and it's only been in the past few days that she's really been able to walk," Kisshu said. "The first two days after I found her, she couldn't even sit up."
"Ryou and the other Mews came looking for me, and I told Ryou that I hated him and wouldn't go back with him," Ichigo said. "And at the time, I didn't have the strength to go anywhere anyways. Ryou decided that Kisshu had done something to me, and tried to drag me out, which ended up reopening all the cuts on my left arm. Zakuro knocked him out, and Kisshu had to re-bandage my arm."
"The next day I called Pai in to heal her, because she tried standing and fell," Kisshu said. "He healed the cuts, but couldn't get rid of the weakness from losing all that blood."
"I was able to stand two days later, but since I couldn't do it for long, and I had trouble walking, Kisshu, Pai and I decided it would be better if I stayed until I could manage on my own," Ichigo said.
"And then today, I brought Ichigo back here, and Pai is at Café Mew Mew trying to form a truce," Kisshu said.
Sakura and Shintaro were a bit speechless. Finally Sakura said, "Thank you for taking care of Ichigo, Kisshu."
"Sure," Kisshu said. "I wouldn't just leave the girl I love to die in an alley."
"I take it that means you two are together?" Shintaro asked, sighing.
"Yes, and I'd appreciate it if you'd stop glaring at Kisshu," Ichigo said. "He saved my life, and you don't seem very grateful for that, Mr. Overprotective."
"No kendo matches?" Shintaro asked.
"NO!" Ichigo and Sakura shouted together.
"I don't understand why you don't trust my judgement, Dad," Ichigo said. "Frankly, it's irritating that my own father doesn't trust me. And I don't like being treated like a two-year-old, either. Sometimes I wonder whether you actually care."
Shintaro was now speechless, and Sakura said, "She's right, Shintaro. You act like she can't make her own decisions, and don't even stop to consider her feelings. I know you care, but it's not very obvious to others."
"Why am I only hearing this now?" Shintaro asked.
"Because in the past you never listened!" Ichigo said in exasperation. "The only people in my life who understand me are Mom, Kisshu, Moe, and Miwa. You don't try to understand my feelings, Dad. Would you like it if Grandpa still treated you like a little kid?"
"No…" Shintaro said in defeat. "What's going to happen if I start trusting you?"
"You'll get more respect from me, and I'll be happier," Ichigo said. "And Kisshu won't be scared that you're going to attack him."
"If he doesn't hurt you, I won't attack him," Shintaro said.
"I would never hurt Ichigo," Kisshu said sincerely.
"Good," Shintaro said.
"What's happening now?" Sakura said. "You said something about a truce."
"My brother Pai is at Café Mew Mew trying to work something out," Kisshu said. "I imagine he'll be here soon, since Ichigo refuses to go near Blondie."
"With good reason," Ichigo said.
"I know," Kisshu said. "And Pai doesn't mind either. One episode of him grabbing you was more than enough."
"Can I take him down?" Shintaro asked. "He didn't tell us where Ichigo was, and he attacked her."
"Don't you think Moe and Miwa did enough damage?" Sakura asked. "Those two were extremely lucky the other staff there didn't call the police."
"Well, the last time I saw Blondie, they were on their way to beat him up for grabbing me," Ichigo said. "I doubt they minded if Moe and Miwa gave their reasoning. How'd you find out about that?"
"They came and told us that one of the people who hurt Ichigo had just gone down in flames, and then they left, grinning like Cheshire cats and muttering about 'blonde bastards'," Shintaro sighed. "We figured they had beaten up Ryou, because we don't know anyone else who they'd be calling a 'blonde bastard'."
"Maybe he'll think twice about hurting me now," Ichigo said.
"Do you know what happened to Aoyama?" Sakura asked. "He disappeared."
"Moe, Miwa and I killed him," Kisshu said. "I had decided the minute Ichigo told me who hurt her that he was going down; those two helping was pretty amusing. I went to the school to kill him, and found those two on the roof, plotting the treehugger's demise. They told me that unless I wanted to help, I should go away before they took me down. So they dragged Aoyuck to the roof, and I took all of them to my ship, and we killed him. Now he can't hurt Ichigo anymore."
"You helped those two KILL Aoyama!?" Sakura asked in horror.
"He deserved it," Kisshu said. "Now Ichigo's safe from him."
"Aren't my friends wonderful?" Ichigo asked.
"They're going to get arrested!" Sakura moaned.
"No one knows it was us," Kisshu said. "Unless you tell people, they won't get found out. Especially since I destroyed the body. There's no proof that they did it, or that I did it."
"They got questioned by the police," Shintaro said. "I imagine the stuff they told them was a pack of lies. Though I did hear they were gloating all day after the police let them go. Miwa's mother called and told us that Aoyama had disappeared, and that both Moe and Miwa were cackling about it all day. They saw it on the news, and as soon as the story came up, they apparently both screamed, "YAY!" and started dancing."
"Good for them," Ichigo said. "I love having friends who care that much."
"I think everyone would like that," Sakura said.
Suddenly they heard teleportation, and Pai appeared. "How'd it go?" Kisshu asked.
"Not well," Pai said. "Ryou is still refusing to consider peace talks. He's convinced that we brainwashed Ichigo, and says until she decides to come back, he's not talking with us."
"Great…." Kisshu said. "If we bring her back, he'll attack her again, but if we don't, we can't form a truce."
"And it doesn't help that he found out you're the one who told Moe and Miwa that he hurt Ichigo," Pai said. "He got pretty beat up, though not as bad as Ichigo, because Moe and Miwa didn't have knives."
Kisshu sighed. "He already hated me, I don't really mind," he said.
"I don't understand why he wants me back; he hates me," Ichigo said.
"I don't get it either," Pai said. "But the fact remains that we still can't form a truce. Ichigo, if you decide to go back, you don't have to stay, and Kisshu and I will protect you from Ryou if he tries anything."
"I guess if this is the only way to form a truce, I'll go, but I'm definitely not working for him anymore," Ichigo said.
"You don't have to," Pai said. "I talked with Keiichiro as well, and he says he doesn't mind if you decide not to work for Ryou anymore. He'll help."
"Okay," Ichigo said. "Are we going now?"
"Hai," Pai said.
Ichigo sighed and got up, looking at her parents. "We'll be back," she said.
"Be careful, and tell Ryou I'll be over with the sword if he does anything," Shintaro said.
"I will," Ichigo said.
Kisshu took her hand, and followed by Pai, teleported to the main room of Café Mew Mew. They found the other Mews, Ryou and Keiichiro still there, and as soon as they landed, Ryou said, "So you decided to come back?"
"Yes, but I'm not staying," Ichigo said. "I'm here to form a truce, not to work for you."
"You don't have a choice," Ryou said. "You're a Mew Mew, you need to stay here."
"I'm not your slave, Blondie," Ichigo said. "So you're wrong; I do have a choice."
Ryou snarled and started forward, and Ichigo backed up a bit. Kisshu and Pai both took defensive positions, but before either side could do anything, Zakuro and Keiichiro dragged Ryou back. Zakuro threw him into the wall, and as he was getting up, said, "I warned you about hurting Ichigo. Unless you want to go down harder than you did when Ichigo's friends beat you up, I'd suggest giving it a rest, and helping the rest of us form a truce."
"I'm not forming a truce with the aliens who brainwashed Ichigo!" Ryou said angrily.
"For the last time, I didn't get brainwashed!" Ichigo shouted. "I honestly don't understand why you'd think that in the first place."
"You're acting like you're in love with Kisshu; that wouldn't happen unless he brainwashed you," Ryou said, shrugging.
"I AM in love with Kisshu, and I love him because unlike you, he's a very nice person, he cares about me, he understands me, and he saved me," Ichigo said. "You could care less whether I live or die, Blondie."
Ryou snarled and turned into Alto, then leaped at Ichigo- or tried to. Zakuro grabbed him by the tail, and said, "Keiichiro, now!"
Keiichiro quickly came over and snapped what looked like a collar around Alto's neck. As soon as the two ends snapped together, they sparked a bit, then fused together.
The others were confused, and Pudding asked, "What's that, na no da?"
"That collar is something Zakuro and I made after you guys visited Ichigo," Keiichiro said. "It's designed to keep Ryou in cat form for good. And now that it's on, it'll never come off. I'd been thinking about it for a while, but when Zakuro came back after you all visited Ichigo on the aliens' ship, and told me what happened, I asked if she'd be willing to help me make something that would keep Ryou in cat form for good. I also have a few darts that would cause him to turn into a cat, but he saved me the trouble of using them. Now we don't have to worry about him attacking Ichigo. Zakuro, get the cat carrier, we'll be better off locking him up while we form a truce."
Zakuro went into the back room, and came back with a cat carrier, which Keiichiro put Ryou in. Then he locked the door, and put the carrier on a table.
"Now, how should we go about forming a truce?" Keiichiro asked, looking at the others.
I didn't kill Ryou, but he is now a cat for life. Next chapter is the truce. And I'm sorry I didn't get this chapter out sooner, I was tired last night. Review plz!