"When I was a young boy, my father took me into the city...
He said, 'Son, when you grow up, will you be the savior of the broken, the beaten...?'
'Will you defeat them: your demons and all the non-believers? The plans that they have made?
Because one day I'll leave you, a phantom to lead you in the summer...'"
- "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance.
(Please check out tokyowanderer's video on youtube that introduced me to this song.)
Note: The Chinese version of Mew Pudding/Purin's name is actually Bu-Ling Huang. Here, I used the Japanese version when the speaker/thinker is a Japanese teen and would probably use the more familiar Japanese pronunciation and the Chinese version when the speaker's and adult that might know some Chinese.
When you lose someone... you see them everywhere. Their image fills your dreams, the streets where you walk, the walls that surround you. It's overwhelming... You're left with the good times, the bad times, and all the things you never got to do... or say... or...
TOMORROW'S SOLACE
-- Ch. 04; Act. 01 - A rude awakening. (version. Ryou)
Blinded by the sunlight pouring in from the single window, I pulled myself out of bed. I was still groggy, and had to pause for a moment for my head to clear. Fragments of the previous night's dreams still hung in my head. Though I wished I could physically hold on to some of them, others I was grateful to surrender.
I didn't think they'd ever let me go in peace.
Stumbling towards the bathroom, and stripping my shirt, my mind finally snapped back to reality. I stood there squinting at the closed door for a moment with my hand grasping the knob, hesitating to thrust the door open.
Oh yeah... that guy...
I groaned, hoping against hope that a huge mess wouldn't be awaiting me. Considering that man's appearance, the bathroom could be the picture of disaster; it was the only upstairs bathroom. And even if it wasn't a mess... the thought of sharing a bathroom with someone so filthy... was...
I shuddered. Maybe I would just have to find somewhere else to shower. There was a hotspring nearby that I had heard was pleasant, but then, making the trip three times a day (because I always showered three times a day) would just be a hassle. And annoying.
With an effort, I managed to force the door open, only to find the bathroom in much the same manner I had last seen it. I snatched up my toothbrush, squirting some toothpaste on it, and shoved it into my mouth to get rid of any hints of morning breath... before realizing what I was doing.
What if that guy had used it last night without thinking? It was obvious that he had at least utilized my bathroom because the faucet in the shower was dripping slightly, but I didn't see more than a single toothbrush, or towel for that matter.
Turning the shade of an eggshell at the thought of what germs I might be picking up by sharing a toothbrush with Max and whether the toothbrush itself might now suddenly (and quite impossibly) have become radioactive, I quickly spat out the mixture, managing to choke myself in the process.
"Well, aren't you the earlybird?" Having conveniently forgotten to knock, the adult's voice floated to my ears as I leaned over the sink. It probably didn't cross his mind to rush over and pat me on the back to help halt my coughing fit, because the voice stayed in one spot.
Wiping my mouth off with an arm, I finally glanced behind me to see Max's shabby head poking itself in from the hallway. The only reply I could give was a slight grunt of annoyance and frustration, which apparently held no meaning for the other male.
"You don't need to worry about your stuff, Akasaka-kun found me a spare toothbrush and an extra towel from the closet downstairs," Max stated, sounded slightly amused.
I had to wonder just how much of my toothpaste-spitting antics Max had actually seen.
"Fine," I eventually grumbled, "Now would you get out?"
Max sighed and awkwardly backed out into the hall to let me shut and lock the door in his face. I stood on the other end of the door, pushing my weight against it and rubbing my head in frustration. What was it going to take to regain the peace and quiet I enjoyed alone after everyone went home?
"Keiichiro... why are you making me do this?" I growled through my teeth.
-- Ch. 04; Act. 02 - How to blend with the cafe crowd. (version. Max)
"Best not to bother the boy in the mornings..." I whispered, making a mental note of this as I disappeared down the steps and emerged in the dining area. It was still too early for customers, apparently, being a Saturday, all of the girls were already present, although they were moving about like the living dead.
"Why in the world does Shirogane force us to work early on weekends?" Ichigo was complaining while mopping a section of the floor, "I even came in early like he told me too, then he decides to sleep in! Geez...!" Ichigo leaned on the mop handle, letting her eyes shut wearily. Just as he had ordered, Ichigo had gotten up at six that morning and had arrived a mere five minutes after seven. It was eight-o-clock now.
"Came in early, came in early!" a fluffy pink... thing? was chirping from the windowsill. Was that a robot?
I paced across the floor where Ichigo had not yet mopped and tried to get a better look at the strange creature. It was fluffy and resembled a cat's head with large round eyes, small wings that kept it aloft, and a lion's tail. It looked more like an oversized cellphone mascot than anything, to be honest. However, what I didn't realize was that by getting a good look at it, I was actually leaning over Ichigo.
Feeling a presence just a little too close for comfort, the catgirl's eyes shot open to find... well, me. The girl shrieked, slamming the mop down on my head. I will admit, even my wife never hit that hard... it was quite painful.
"KYAA! Pervert! Hentai! Disgusting, nyaaaaaaa!" she screamed at me; by this time I was now a heap on the floor.
"Ichigo-san, what's wrong?" Akasaka-kun's voice was urgent as he hurried from the kitchen to find the distressed Mew Mew holding out the mop like a baseball bat, cat ears and tail twitching violently, leaving the rest of the cafe members speechless.
"Your friend's a pervert!" she screamed again, causing even Akasaka-kun to raise a hand to his ears.
"I- I wasn't doing anything!" I protested, raising my head cautiously. All of this was simply reminding me of my old age, something I preferred not to explore.
"Sure, sure. That's what they all say!" Ichigo shouted in a mocking tone.
"Tasuku-san, what happened?" Akasaka-kun inquired patiently. Akasaka-kun had been kind in introducing me to the others earlier.
The other boy just gave a shrug, "I wasn't really paying attention, but then I heard a scream and... turned to find this. Hehe..."
His girlfriend gave him a sharp jab with her shoulder, "Tasuku!"
"Well it was funny," he defended, poking his lip out in an attempt to appeal to the blond, "Berii, why are you always so mean to me?"
"Because I know you!" she shot back, pinching his ear and making him wince.
Akasaka-kun shook his head with a sigh, helping me back up.
"Now what exactly happened...?" the pastry chef sighed.
I was rubbing the lump that had formed on my head, obviously trying to keep from getting angry, which was difficult but successful, "I was just trying to get a good look at that pink creature floating in the corner..."
Ichigo gave me a weird look and blinked, "You mean... Masha?"
"Masha here, Masha here!" the little robot called cheerfully.
"Yes. Exactly..."
"See there, Ichigo-san? No harm done... Max-san just wanted to get a better look at our team mascot," said Akasaka-kun gently as he carefully pried the weapon from the girl's fingers and returned it to the broom closet where it couldn't give anyone else a headache.
"I'm very sorry, Ichigo-chan," I added after the 23-year-old had left.
Ichigo still looked as if she was suspicious of me and stomped off towards the kitchen, "Next time, you better not interrupt my work!"
Bu-Ling folded her arms casually infront of herself, "Ah, so mysterious, na no da... this case might call for some detective work."
Retasu, who had just completed her task of sweeping the sidewalk, came up behind the short yellow girl who seemed to be talking to no-one-in-particular. Having very little clue what the monkey girl meant, Retasu likely went against her better judgment and decided to ask, "Uh... what's mysterious, Purin-san?"
Bu-Ling spun with sudden energy and took the porpoise Mew by the hands, an excited gleam dancing across her face, "Suspicious no da! Very strange no da! So, are you up to it, Dr. Watson?"
"Eh... eh?" Retasu looked as if she was beginning to feel faint. I pitied her a little bit.
"We will discover the funny man's true motives, no da!" came Bu-Ling's declaration.
"P-P--!!" was Retasu's failed protest as the hyperactive girl began dragging her towards the changing room.
I was standing some distance away, shaking my head in dismay as the two girls disappeared, "Don't they realize that I'm standing right here?"
-- Ch. 04; Act. 03 - How to hatch the perfect plan. (version. Ichigo)
I paced around in the kitchen as I waited for Shirogane to show up. I was extremely peeved and I felt my blood boiling over. In any case, he really deserved a piece of my mind! How dare he spend the morning sleeping when I had come in for work early, just like he asked?
Avoiding any cooking equipment or utensils, my eyes flickered from shelf to shelf and oven to fridge. It was a nice kitchen, really, if you could cook that is. But, in my case, I couldn't... well, it wasn't that I couldn't... it was just that it was a disaster whenever I DID. Even I had to admit that, since a few years earlier I had practically given Purin food poisoning when I was trying to make Valentine's chocolate for Masaya.
Hearing footsteps coming down the hall, I peeked my head just slightly over the saloon-style door to see who it was and then yanked him inside before he could protest.
The blond let out a slight huff, pulling his arm away from me and focusing his sharp gaze on my face instead.
"What is it?" he asked, adjusting the two leather straps that went around his upper arms. After all this time I had yet to figure out why in the world he would dress the way he did. Did he really think it made him look 'cool'?
"Shirogane, this is becoming a really big problem!" I insisted.
"Huh? What is...?" he asked, still halfway asleep.
"That pervert. Max! We have to get rid of him and fast!" I continued forcefully, pointing a finger in his face. He didn't so much as bat an eyelash at it.
Finally Shirogane replied, "I don't like this at all either... but what about your identity? If he leaked it to the press, it could turn into a huge mess, and frankly, I don't want to deal with it."
"Can't you just turn him into a rat or something?" I growled, even though I knew that Shirogane couldn't exactly do that, even if what he did do completely went over my head. "You are the scientific genius here! You must have some ideas!"
"Yeah, but you can't just go around turning people you don't like into small animals. Besides, despite what you think, Strawberry, it's not that simple."
I knew that. I did know it! But he wasn't helping at all.
"Stillllllllll!" I complained, "Do something!" I was bending my knees, hands balled up, trying to give him that look.
Minto strode in momentarily to refill her teapot. Glancing from one of us to the other, she just had to open her mouth.
"Ah, it looks like Ichigo is about to give you that look, Ryou. You know, the one they classify as the 'desperate kitty look' that's supposed to make you feel bad and bend to her will. Yes, indeed, now her eyes begin to tear, and she bites her lip in frustration..."
"Minto, shut up and go away!" I shouted, my face burning.
"Very well," she gave in, her lips curling upwards in triumph.
I was still fuming, even after she had left. Stupid Minto! Stupid Minto! Urgh!
"You know, Minto has a point. You're pretty predictable when it comes to persuasion methods, Strawberry. Maybe it's about time you tried something new," Shirogane's voice said directly into my ear, making me shriek. Apparently he had drawn closer when I was distracted.
"Don't do that!" I yelled, my arms flailing.
"What am I doing?" he inquired, straightening and raising an eyebrow as he usually did.
"Just... that!"
"You're not making any sense," he stated.
I gave up. There was no way I was going to come up with a comeback today, and I needed his help.
Shirogane frowned, placing his hands on his hips in thought. Finally, a mischievous smile spread across the blond's face. My pleading look was beginning to turn hopeful as I tilted my head slightly and awaited his next move.
"I think I know how we can drive him out of the cafe and out of our lives for good," he said, "But, since you're the one he's got blackmail on, you're going to have to help me..."
My face fell instantly. I thought about this. What exactly was Shirogane going to make me do?
However, after a while, I nodded my head in agreement. He wouldn't make me do anything outrageous, right? Well, this was Shirogane... so who really knew? But at least with a genius on my side, whatever he had come up with was bound to be a success.
"Okay," I agreed, "What do we have to do?"
"I'll tell you," he said slyly, crossing his arms infront of him, "But first..."
"Huh?" I blinked.
"Your ears," he sighed.
Blinking again, I brought my hands up to my head to find two fuzzy appendages protruding from my head. Not again...
"Sh-shut up..." I grumbled.
Shirogane was working over a hot stove, stirring a pot full of a rather thick mixture with a wooden spoon. Not something he seemed too thrilled about.
"Shirogane, are you sure this is going to work?" I asked doubtfully, even though I was hovering over his right shoulder to see exactly what he was doing to whatever-it-was boiling on the stove. Even though this had been the result of my begging in the first place.
"Look, there's no way that this will fail," the blond stated confidently, passing the spoon over his shoulder to me.
I blinked at it for a moment.
"WHAT? You want me to-?" I started, but was interrupted by Shirogane clamping a hand over my mouth just seconds after I had taken hold of the cooking utensil.
"Of course I want you to cook this. That way I know it'll give him indigestion," he hissed quietly, focusing his intense blue gaze on my face. It made me just a little uncomfortable. That's an understatement, just so you know.
I made a face, tempted to smack him or at least bite the hand that was covering my mouth, but I resisted, shooting him my best glare in return, and traded places with him to mix whatever-it-was that we were going to feed to dear Maxie. Just the smell made me want to throw up, and I hadn't laid a finger on it yet.
"What's in this anyway?" I inquired cautiously.
"I've no idea, but it shouldn't be toxic," came the blond's answer as he leaned back against the counter and watched me at work. Again that uncomfortable feeling was washing over me. It's hard to explain.
Akasaka-san luckily chose that moment to check up on us and relieve me of some of my nervousness. His eyes drifted back and forth between Shirogane and me curiously, but it was obvious even he knew something was wrong about this scene. Had he figured out Shirogane's plan already?
"Are things going well in here?"
"Oh, absolutely," my boss stated with little emotion and absolutely no eye contact whatsoever.
Akasaka-san attempted to address me instead, since he was getting nowhere with the blond, "When will lunch be ready, Ichigo-san? Would you like some help?"
"N-n-no, everything's great! It'll be done in just a few minutes!" I insisted, flashing him a smile.
Finally he nodded, turning his attention back to Ryou who was observing me once more.
"Don't worry, I'm watching her," the blond assured him, indicating that he wouldn't let me poison everyone with my latest creation.
Akasaka-san smiled politely one last time before striding from the room.
After he had gone, I glanced back at my employer, with a guilt-ridden look, "Shirogane..."
"What is it now?" he grumbled, "You wanted to get rid of him too. We can't back down now."
"Yes, but... I think I just dumped half a bottle of hot sauce in this stuff..."