What Can Heart Do When You Need it Most?
Peace, near silence, and the breath of himself and one other person was all Mephisto was able to hear in the less crowded districts of Tokyo. Shukumei was resting her head on his shoulder, tired from a day of heavy and intense day of honing her own skills. The mid-December chill made itself more apparent as the weather began to show signs of snowfall creeping up on them; in time for the ever approaching holiday of Christmas as well. Mephisto was well within his thoughts; while he could have himself transported back to Akumi and the other girls, he remained with Shukumei in the cold December air.
"Mephisto... How long until things are the way they're supposed to be?" Shukumei asked, her voice slightly out of breath.
"It's going to take time, that a question more suited for Suuito-san or Akumi-sama."
"Right, I just wish it was now though..."
She let out a heavy sigh and clung onto Mephisto's heavy winter coat, her short orange hair gently wet with sweat. Gently wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he looked to the street. Cars zipped by, pedestrians quietly walked by without disturbing each other, chilly wind howled a depressing melody; the life Mephisto had grown up with.
"This world is really messed up... Which is why someone needs to step up and bring salvation to it. Akumi-sama opened the door for me, and now I can change it. And by any means I'll make it happen, those who oppose us will most definitely be rid of... Nobody can get in the way, not even the Mews. Heck... The Mews are going to realize in the future what exactly they've really done, and it will be a grand show to watch when they do." Mephisto thought to himself, his usual menacing grin tugged at his face.
"Alright Shu, it's about time we head back now. You and me are going to put on a show tomorrow." He said to her. "You'll need your rest, it isgoing to start very soon and you're going to be with me when it does."
Sweet smells wafted throughout the Yami's household as well as their kitchen, with Destiney behind the counter and baking her special cookie recipe. Thirza was out meeting Shun, Heina was at the school's swimming pool to continue practicing, and so the only two home were Destiney and Memphis. The humming noise of a mixer met Destiney's ear as it beat the batter, turning away from her mixture as she turned on the television to watch the News. Distracted, she had yet to notice that her supposedly older and more mature brother was eating cookie dough from her mixture.
"You get better every time you cook, Destiney. You know, you could always drop out of highschool and start a bakery." He said.
"O-onii-chan! Wait, wh-what are you d-doing?!" She replied, returning her attention to the kitchen.
"What am I doing? I'm not eating this cookie dough if that's what you think I am."
"O-onii-chan... That i-isn't f-funny..." She said, trying to hide her small smile.
"You can try to fool me, but it isn't working. Just look at that little grin you have!"
Destiney blushed slightly in embarrassment, her older brother had caught her red-handed, or rather red-faced. Granted it was hard in general to get things past Memphis, he was very observant and on top of that he had lived with her for so long that he practically knew her inside and out.
"Y-you caught m-me, Onii-chan. But p-please st-stop eating my c-cookie dough, you c-can have some wh-when I'm d-done baking." She said, walking into the kitchen.
"No apologies? You've really changed, haven't you?" He asked her.
"Wh-what do you m-mean?" She replied.
The suddenly blaring sound of beeping that came from the oven signaled that it was ready for baking. Destiney began to pull out baking sheets and a spoon, plopping spoonfuls of cookie dough onto the trays as her older brother spoke.
"You aren't stammering as much, and you didn't apologize for no reason just now. Has the super heroine lifestyle changed you?" He asked in a teasing manner.
"O-onii-chan... I'm n-not a super h-heroine, I'm just d-doing a job s-someone told me t-to do."
"Oh come on, you know you want to admit that you are one."
"Well..." She said slowly, pushing baking trays into the oven.
Before she could speak another word, the front door slammed open. Standing there was none other that Heina, hair slightly wet and the smell of chlorine wafted from her. In shock, Destiney nearly dropped a tray adorned with raw cookie dough onto the floor.
"Hah, the house smells great! Glad to come home to something pleasant." Heina said.
"Did you flunk out swimming practice?" Memphis asked.
"Nah, but they made it harder again. I'm tuckered out..." She replied.
"I'll h-have cookies d-done in a few m-minutes if you're hungry, H-heina." Destiney said, scraping more cooking dough onto the trays.
"Have them ready for me when I'm done changing then, I need to get this ugly smell of chlorine out of my hair..." She grumbled.
"That's predictable of you, to hate that smell." Memphis said, now watching the news on the television.
"Would you want to be around a chlorinated pool twenty-four-seven?" Heina talked back in her sassiest tone.
"No Ma'am." Memphis replied in a mock tone, trying to imitate Heina's level of sass.
"Well then you know why." She said.
Slinging her bag over her back, she walked out of the kitchen and down the hall, entering her bedroom. For about a half 'an hour, Memphis watched the news reports and Destiney finished baking her cookies. When Heina came back out from her shower; the house once again became vivacious. It was a typical thing; Memphis sometimes had the same effect but no one could bring it like Heina or Thirza could. It was what made life at the Yami house so interesting; the dynamics of it all.
Wearing her pajamas and lazing around on the couch, Sumiko was home alone in her uncle's apartment. She didn't even pay attention to anything but her phone; which she used to text her friends. Oh, what a typical teenager she could be at times. Outside of her window was Mephisto, sitting on the windowsill. Watching her, he laughed to himself a bit.
"To be honest, teenage girls as Mews isn't the brightest idea. They're still growing and developing, which actually makes them easy targets..."
Tap Tap Tap.
Mephisto tapped his knuckles against the grimey, unclean window. Sumiko, in shock, dropped her phone and jumped from the sudden and unknown noise. He laughed to himself again, it was amusing to watch people become frightened. Once she had recomposed herself, she looked outside the window and noticed Mephisto, sitting there casually. Throwing the glass open and letting chilling air inside, she tried to knock him off of the rotting windowsill.
"What the heck do you think you're doing!? Who are you?!" She yelled.
"I have a message you need to deliver for me, give it to all of the Mews. I chose you because I know you have good texting fingers." He said jokingly.
"What's your message...?" She replied, wary of him.
"Tell them that Mephisto is coming and he's going send an attack on the city tonight. You girls have two hours to get all together before I strike. Oh, and for the Yami girls specifically, make sure they know that big-brother is lonely... And he wants to play..."
With that he leapt off of the rotting, wooden windowsill and fell to the ground. Sumiko clasped her hands over her mouth in shock, only to see that he disappeared in a suddenly appearing portal.
"Alright... Let's go then buddy." She said to herself.
She ran back into the house to grab her idle cellphone and a coat, only changing her flannel pajama pants for a pair of jeans. Tossing on her coat, her shoes, and a scarf to keep warm, she ran outside and began to text the other Mews, making no haste.
Somewhere in the city, Sumiko sat on a park bench in the freezing weather, waiting for the others to show up. an hour ago she had texted them to meet her in the exact spot she was sitting. Were they that far away that they hadn't met her yet? There was still a half of an hour until time was up, but Sumiko was started to get worrisome; and cold.
"Sumiko-chan!" A familiar voice called.
Turning her head exactly eighty-degrees to the left, Sumiko caught sight of Thirza whom had Aki in tow with her. Both of them were dressed in warm winter coats; each suited for their personal taste.
"Sumiko Nee-chan! Me and Thirza Onee-chan got here as quick as we could!" Aki yelled, close to being out of breath.
"I got your text and went to pick Aki up, my sister's should be almost here. How much time until he attacks?" Thirza asked.
"We have only... Twenty five minutes left." Sumiko replied.
"Heina... I bet she's the reason they're running so late." Thirza grumbled.
"Well I don't know where Heina Onee-chan is, but I can see Eimi-baka and Sakura Onee-chan!" Aki pointed out.
Thirza and Sumiko both turned their heads as Aki pointed her index finger to a certain street; and as sure as there was light, Eimi and Sakura were running down the road.
"Is anyone still missing?!" Sakura yelled from the short distance.
"We're missing Heina Onee-chan and Destiney-chan!" Aki yelled at the top of her lungs.
"Is Yami-san that ignorant?" Eimi asked herself.
"No, she's just an idiot!" Thirza yelled.
"I didn't ask you!" Eimi screamed back.
"Well, well, well. It seems that just about the entire team is here, I don't believe I've seen all of you together yet." A voice said darkly.
The girls all turned their heads to the same direction, and sure enough just down the street was Mephisto. Alongside him stood Shukumei on one side and a small, floating portal on the other.
"Well you're early, idiot onii-chan." Thirza snarled, sticking her tongue out at him.
"There's no point in being late since most of you are here." He replied, unfazed by her taunt. "Shu, let's see what they intend to do. If my sister comes for us, we keep her busy. No irrational moves..."
"You seem so serious, all over this one little mission..." Shukumei replied.
"Every mission is to be taken seriously, no matter how weak, strong, cowardly, or brave each Mew is. You can't tell what they'll try to pull. Now then..."
He threw his arm out to his side, and the portal had expanded greatly. Out of it suddenly came flying a large and grotesque chimera bird, which species it had been born of was unknown. All of the Mews prepared themselves, each one seemingly serious.
"Cheater, coming out early. Looks like we need to make due without Heina and Destiney for now. Let's transform!" Thirza yelled. "Starlight DNA Switch!"
"Treat DNA Switch!" Yelled Aki.
"Motion DNA Switch!" Called Eimi.
"Content DNA Switch!" Sakura screamed.
"Rock DNA Switch!" Sumiko yelled.
And all five of them were lit of with luminous light of their respective colors; Neon Green, Mint Green, Earthy Green, Pale Blue, and a bright Fuchsia. Only in several, mere seconds did the light fade or burst away and leave them reborn in their Mew form.
"Chimera, attack!" Mephisto yelled, and the bird took flight into the air according to his call.
"Alright, how about this... Sumiko, Aki, guard Eimi and Sakura! I'll try to take care of Shukumei and Mephisto!" Thirza suggested.
"But that's two people against one! Don't be stupid!" Sakura yelled.
"I'll be fine! Just protect them! And Eimi, Sakura, nullify the bird and heal anyone who gets injured!"
With that, Thirza took off like a speeding jet towards her younger older brother and his girlfriend while the other Mews proceeded to attack the bird in mid-flight. Eimi and Sakura flew, while Aki and Sumiko leapt up into the air to watch their backs. The bird flew around them, diving in at deadly speeds in commonly failed yet almost successful attempts to impale the Mews with it's beak.
"Sumiko Onee-chan, maybe if we slow it down Eimi-baka can stop it for good!" Aki yelled, excitement in her voice.
"Right, you and me Aki-chan." Sumiko replied. "Sakura-san! Fly Aki-chan up so she can attack the bird!"
"Got it!" Sakura yelled.
Her feathered wings ruffled as they spread gracefully, and she took herself to the sky. Diving down, Sakura scooped Aki up in her arms as if it were an amatuer trapeeze act. The feathered monstrosity flew only so far above the feathered beauty, watching her with beady eyes.
"Ready, Aki-chan? I'm going to take you high up, and you're going to hit the bird with everything you've got. Alright?" Sakura asked Aki, beginning to flap the wings which extended from her back harder and harder.
"I'll smash it to bits, Sakura-chan!" Aki said, a sure sound of enthusiasm in her voice.
"Then here we go!"
Sakura's wings flapped up and down so hard the feathers could have began to shed. She and Aki began to take higher and higher into the sky until they were above the bird, whom had been distracted by Eimi who looked nothing more to him than a delicious butterfly. When the two had reached the height Sakura decided on to drop Aki from, Sakura released the small, twelve year old Mew.
"Now, Aki-chan!" Sakura yelled.
"Sweet... Toothache!" Aki screamed, summoning her oversized hammer and bringing it down violently on the monsters head.
It let out an angered, painful screech; but the damage done to it was nothing severe. Aki's violent and powerful attack had done naught to the beast and it recoiled easily.
"Aki-chan's attack did... Nothing?" Sakura asked herself.
"Almost nothing..." Sumiko muttered, almost as if she could hear Sakura all the way from the ground. "Looks like it's my turn."
On the other end of the fight, the heat was on Thirza alone as she took on both her older-brother and Shukumei. The former who had odd powers bestowed to him, and the latter was a strong fighter; and the both of them against one Mew who had nothing more than a power and her fists made an unevened match.
"Tell me, younger sister, why you decided to take on both me and Shu? I was going to have Shu go after Mew Sumiko and Mew Aki, but since you seem so interested in both of us... How could I decline?" Mephisto asked Mew Thirza, as she leapt away from Shukumei's attacks with anything but grace.
"So that they can take out the monster faster!" She yelled in a hurry, leaping away from Shukumei's uppercut and sending out a luminous blast of energy from her weapon.
"What's that going to do? They can barely do anything to it if you can't tell. You, Mew Destiney, and Mew Darkness all together would even have a hard time!" Shukuemei added in, sweeping her leg under Thirza's quicker than a fan blade on high, knocking her down. "I admire that you're trying to be a leader though!"
Mew Thirza fell to her back, making attempt to rebound as quickly as she could. But it was no use, Shukumei had her pinned down underneath a sharp stiletto heel.
"Should I finish her off?" Shukumei asked in a serious tone, but was secretly lying behind that bored face. She knew she wasn't allowed to finish off any of the Mews yet, the time had yet to come.
"Nobody's going to finish me off! Destiney and Darkness will come and we'll have you begging for your mothers!" Thirza yelled.
"Oh yeah? And who says they'll actually be coming?" Shukumei asked, amusement in her voice.
"How 'bout us?" A voice from above called.
Shukumei looked up, and there before everyone on the top of a frozen statue stood two silhouettes. Both of them long haired Mews, both of them cats, the fact was inevitable; Mew Destiney and Mew Darkness were both there.
"Oh, look who finally decided to show up." Shukumei grumbled.
"A little help, girls?" Thirza asked.
"R-right!" Mew Destiney said.
Mew Darkness and Mew Destiney both leapt from the statue like bolts of lightning; headed straight for Shukumei.
"Mew D-Destiney..."
"Mew Darkness..."
"Kick!" They both cried, swinging their legs out at Shukumei and sending her flying. Landing on their feet with the exception of Destiney's slight stumble from lack of balance, they turned to their sister to assist her.
"Th-thirza-chan! Are you a-alright?" Destiney asked.
"I'm fine, and now that you guys are here, this should be a piece of cake..." Thirza said.
"Who do we take out first, the monster or the dork?" Heina said, teasingly.
"Th-the monster." Destiney stated, pointing to the flying beast in the sky.
"Right, let's go!" Thirza yelled.
The three Mew girls took off for the flying beast like three lights, bright blue, lustful red, and neon green, darting across the sky just like the other Mews would. The other Mews all battered at the monster as the three lights came for it.
"Mew Darkness and Mew Destiney have finally arrived." Eimi stated.
"Great, hopefully we can get this down soon then." Sumiko said with mock optimism. "Hey! A Little help here!?"
"Sumiko-san, you and Aki-chan batter it to me!" Eimi yelled from high up as the three other Mews landed on high posts, ready to hear her plan. "I'll hit it while it's coming and daze it! You three will finish it off!"
"Got it!" Sumiko yelled.
Aki and Sumiko, the ground dwellers at the moment, both prepared themselves to begin the plan which Eimi explained. Gripping onto Aki's hand tightly, Sumiko leapt up into the air with her in tow. Her nun-chucks appearing in her hands, she released Aki and the two of them went at the monster with all they had.
"Slamming Earth!" Sumiko yelled, as Aki cried out her attack in unison with hers. The both of them pounded the flying monster back, and it went flying across the sky.
Eimi, floated in the sky, directly in the monsters dangerous path. She braced herself, lacking faith that her own plan would work, but knew it had to be done anyhow if they had any chance of winning. Her shield summoned on her left wrist nonchalantly, and it began to spin relentlessly.
"Spinning Distortion!" Eimi cried, sending off waves of confusion and temporary delirium to the monster.
The attack, much to everyone's surprised, had worked greatly. The monster was still in flight, but was wobbling and seemed to be losing altitude with every flap it's wings tried to make. There was still time before it recoiled and healed itself.
Finally, the three Yami sisters were to deliver the final blow to the monster. They leapt from the posts they stood on, summoning their weapons as they came closer to the monster.
"Ready, ladies?" Heina asked, wind blowing through her crimson and black hair.
"Ready as I'll ever be!" Thirza yelled.
"Then let's knock this thing out of commission!"
"Bleak Beat!"
"Shining Starlight!"
"Ripping Moonshine!"
The three of them cried in resonance, the light and powerful energy raced away from their weapons in the form of beams and an arrow. The bird was struck, unable to hold itself together anymore from the continuous and powerful attacks that continued to ram at it. It screeched painfully, and faded away in a bright light.
"The power level of the Mews have increased exponentially since they started..." Shukumei said to Mephisto.
"It's still not enough, we're behind greatly." He said.
"Behind greatly on what?" Heina asked from them.
"Nothing for you to be concerned about, younger sister..." Mephisto said with a sinister sound ringing in his words. "It's just so amusing that you don't know what's coming to you."
"Mew Darkness, please let me do one thing..." Sumiko said.
Sumiko walked right past Heina, and in one quick motion she sent her fist right into Mephistos jaw.
"That was for showing up at my apartment window, you creep!" She yelled.
Heina and Thirza snorted with laughter, it was amusing for them to watch their younger-older brother get beat up as if he were a pedophile or a pervert.
"It isn't funny! I never want that to happen again!" Sumiko yelled, frustrated with Heina and Thirza's amusement to her embarrassment.
"It is funny! You're so flustered over it! What, do you actually like hi-" Heina was cut off by her own deep gasp. Pain as if something was burning her body resonated from the core of her chest; but there was no real fire, nothing that could have caused her physical pain.
Heina fell to the ground on her knees, hunching over herself for a moment until the pain had faded away. The other Mews suddenly panicked, and while they were so busy worrying over Heina, Mephisto and Shukumei escaped with pleased grins on their faces. It had finally, truly, began.
"H-heina! What's wr-wrong?!" Destiney asked her.
"I don't know... Don't worry, it must have been heartburn or something. Let's just ge- Crap! What did you girls do!? He got away!" Heina yelled.
"We need to take care of you first, Yami-san." Eimi said.
"The big meanie can wait!" Aki chirped.
"No, I'm not hurting anymore. But something fishy is going on..." Heina said, feeling her chest lightly with her fingers, right around the area which housed her beating heart.
"Come on, Heina, lets go home." Thirza said.
Thirza had Heina's arm swung around her neck, the most unlikely person to help Heina was going to help her back home; or at least to the bus stop. Crowds of people nearby watched the Mews without disturbing them, just standing there and waiting to see what the would do.
Feeling a chilling tinge on her shoulder, Destiney look up to the sky, disregarding the crowd. A small smile tugged equally at both corners of her small mouth; it was snowing. The first snow of the season, just happened to occur, at the end of their first victorious battle where everyone worked together. Excluding Heina's pain, almost everything seemed to be right.
"O-our first real f-fight all t-together..." Destiney said.
Tapping her small fingers on her glossy phone at an average pace, Destiney set up a text message. The phone asked her various and tedious questions; what type of message, who to send it to, ect. Once she was all set up, she began to type with dear care.
"Dear Onee-chan, have you seen the news yet? There was a big fight tonight in the middle of town, between the Mews and a monster. Onee-chan... This spring I'm going to be a sophomore, this February I'm going to turn sixteen. I want to become stronger, like you and Memphis-Onii-chan. I've already changed in more ways than I can tell you, but I want to change more. I don't mean to make it sound serious, but it feels like my life will depend on it if I don't... Let's get together sometime soon, alright Onee-chan? Maybe we can go out for coffee together if you still like that, or if you don't we can do something else. Love, Destiney."
Text Message Sent.
Pip pip!
Text Message Received.
"Dear Destiney, yes, I have seen the recent news. The Mews have saved the day again, huh? It's admirable that you want to change, Destiney, just don't change too much. I don't want to come home one day to you wearing Heina's unsavory summer clothing. You've changed already? My, I've only been living on my own for a year and this is what I get... You're growing up very quickly, almost already sixteen. I'm beginning to remember again the days when I had to run home from school to make sure I was home in time for you and Thirza and Heina, since Mom and Dad worked all day. My classes have been slow recently, and we'll have our Holiday break soon, so I'm sure we can get together again. Make sure you keep Heina and Thirza in line, Destiney, and I'll see you soon. Love your Onee-chan, Darangel."
END