Merry Christmas! I'm sorry it's out so late! And… it's… still not done… I'M SORRY! I just, I can't end it until I end it RIGHT, the last thing I want is for you guys to come all this way and not get to see a decent ending, so bear with me just a LITTLE (which can be interpreted as months) longer!
Ryou took a quick glance towards the security cameras to see that the girls were about to engage the Chimera. Just three more minutes, just three more life-altering minutes. The blond scientist growled in frustration as he watched his hands involuntarily twitch. He couldn't afford to twitch, not right now! He could twitch, spasm, and seizure all he wanted after this whole ordeal was over. Just. Not. Now.
"Ryou?"
The leader shook his head at the unspoken question. "Sorry Keiichiro, there's nothing either of us can do right now, what it needs right now is to be juiced up so it's at its peak of affectability. And to do that, we need to not touch it for another two minutes and thirty-four seconds."
"Hmm, I'll go make us some tea."
Ryou started in shock and turned to look at his friend incredulously, a rather harsh retort on the tip of his tongue, before he realized that Keiichiro had just tried to pull a joke. "Really, the world is in jeopardy Akasaka, I don't think now's really the time for joking."
"The world is always in jeopardy, whether by the Cyniclons doing or not." Keiichiro was doing his best not to pace, his eyes constantly moving back to the security feed. "And if I don't joke now, I think you might give yourself an aneurism."
For once in his life, Ryou lost it with Keiichiro. Even the normally unfazed cook jumped when Ryou's fist collided loudly with the wall. "Listen to me Keiichiro! This is crucial right now! This isn't some mutated plant or park squirrel we're dealing with, this isn't even technically a human soul taking a mutated form! That thing inside of Lettuce has the power to wipe out everything merely because she might feel inclined to do so! And I don't know how to pull this off, alright! I need to save the earth, stop the Cyniclons, save Lettuce, and somehow keep all the girls and my wits intact!" Ryou realized in a sudden burst of frustration that his breath had gone rather ragged; the emotion raging inside him was finally trying to boil over. He turned and glared at the countdown screen above the juicer, daring his eyes to go blurry. "I'm failing, Keiichiro. I'm failing everyone and everything. The girls, their families, my parents, the world."
He tensed slightly when Akasaka appeared from behind and gave him a comforting embrace. "Ryou, you don't fail when you fall. You fail when you fall and don't even try to get back up again." He turned the smaller scientist to look at him. "And you have failed no one, ever. In fact, going by how stubborn you are, I don't think you'll ever give up on anything."
An annoying BING! turned them back to the project. And just like that Keiichiro was crossing the room, asking which syringe would work best. Ryou carefully removed the vial and placed a rubber lid over top. Keiichiro deposited the shot in his open hand and watched as the scientist carefully sucked the contents into the syringe's chamber. The process quickly completed, Ryou gruffly turned and headed for the door. "I'm taking the back way out, the last thing we need to for that thing to see me coming." He turned to Keiichiro. "If something happens out there, stay here. The basement should be able to sustain you for about two weeks, and in that time you'll have to contact all the countries in the world and warn them of the impending danger so they can attempt to do something about it."
Keiichiro folded his arms resolutely over his chest. "Nothing will happen."
"Keii-"
"Nothing will happen, Ryou. You'll pull through, we all will, just like always."
Blue eyes locked with brown in a moment of tense silence, until finally he muttered, "I hope your right." Before sprinting away.
He was too far out of ear shot to hear Keiichiro respond. "I hope I'm right too."
Xxx
"Stick to the plan you guys!" Ichigo rushed towards her possessed friend. It's now or never.
Zakuro, in front, did a fantastic back flip over the deranged chimera as the other girls effectively fanned out around it, avoiding the rather painful blasts of water she was screeching out. It was weird, to see their quietest friend look so… psychotic. Scratch that, it's downright wrong. Ugly, horrible. How can Lettuce be alright after this?
The experiment growled as it noticed the surrounding enemies. In one effective move, she wordlessly blasted out a powerful beam of her attack and spun in a quick circle. Ichigo and the other girls leaped quickly into the air to avoid being hit. As Ichigo leaped she felt the surge hit the tip of her tail. Instantly hot tears tried to force their way into her eyes, the water was fast enough that it felt as if her tail had been cut. If we're hit by that full force… was Lettuce capable of this the whole time, or is it only the Chimera?
Mint lifted her bow in concentration. "Ribbon, Mint ARROW!" Lettuce's body flinched as it dodged the arrow by just inches and turned to act out a swift retaliation. Pudding, seeing her opportunity, moved faster and before the chimera could take aim and knock the bird-mew from the air had to dodge an energy beam rushing in the form of a small earth tremor.
With a curse the creature leaped out of the way and directly into the range of Zakuro's unforgiving whip. Unfortunately, the enemy saw this tactic, turned in mid-leap and shot a small beam that knocked the attack aside. The moment the chimera landed it was instantly running towards Ichigo, now well out of Zakuro's attack range.
We need to keep her guessing our plan; she can't see any form of tactic in what we're doing. "Regroup!" Ichigo called out confidently, as if she had been planning this from the beginning. As long as she can't guess our true intentions, Lettuce has a chance. Almost as one Tokyo Mew Mew began to merge towards Ichigo, not showing any hesitation at the sudden order.
Apparently, it unsettled their opponent. "Don't even think about it!" The Chimera lifted her arms out, crying out her attack as she ran forward. "Ribbon, Lettuce RUSH!"
"Scatter!" Ichigo yelled out quickly as a foaming white wave flew at them. Pudding let out a small yelp as Zakuro grabbed her around the waist and rushed towards the trees, Minto flying up into the air. The mew leader hurdled skyward, meaning to leap over the attack, but she had estimated wrong at the size of the wave. Within seconds she was falling back down towards the raging torrent. "Minto! Help!" Oh crap oh crap OH CRAP OH CRAP-
"I got you!" A sharp tug under her arms and abrupt halt ended her tumble downward. She turned to look up at the bird mew gratefully.
"Thanks a ton!"
"Augh, stop squirming or I'll drop you!" Ichigo, feeling the grip already slacking, became as immobile as possible. A quick glance showed the creatures frustration at missing her targets, but Pudding and Zakuro were already moving to engage in battle once again. Minto was now about fifteen feet above the ground, luckily out of the attack's range. "Ready?" She grunted out.
Ichigo nodded. "Drop me!" Before the words were fully out of her mouth she was falling, her cat reflexes instantly kicking into action. When she looked up, from solid earth, Minto had joined the others. With a groan Ichigo made to do the same.
The fight had been going on for almost five minutes now. Which, if they were doing anything but fighting for their lives, and the life of their comrade, five minutes probably would have felt like a short amount of time.
Such was not the case.
And to make matters worse, it didn't appear that the Chimera was going to buy their half-hearted attacks any longer. She must have realized they seemed less inclined to attack her, or that they were drawing it out. Hopefully she at least hadn't yet guessed the purpose as to why. Nonetheless, she seemed to see it as them not seeing her as a true opponent.
"What are you doing?" The Chimera lashed out angrily towards the girls who were now effectively staying together as a group. "I am your enemy, I am the one obstacle in the way of your victory, and your holding back?" With inhuman speed she rushed Minto, who had landed on the ground to give her wings a rest. Before Minto could react the experiment was hitting her so hard in the stomach that the bird mew was sent sprawling a couple feet back. "I don't care how imbecilic you all are to feel emotional turmoil at hurting your dead friend's shell, you will take me seriously!"
"Minto!" Ichigo raced towards Lettuce, her ears flattened back in fury. Please forgive me Lettuce, I need to keep her from actually hurting us! She whipped out her weapon as the experiment turned to face her, a cynical grin in place. "Ribbon, Strawberry SURPRISE!"
The Chimera called out her attack so Ichigo's met with a foaming wall of water. Using her enhanced abilities Ichigo broke off her attack at the last second and jumped over the oncoming blast of water, landing directly behind the green mew's form. She made to elbow her best friend in the face, but the Chimera ducked out of the way, moving to sweep her feet out from under her. In retaliation the mew leader side dodged and aimed a kick at her stomach. The Chimera, however, caught her foot mid kick and stopped it effortlessly. Ichigo felt her stomach demand permission to vomit as she took in the crazy gleam and sadistic smile that had been glued to her friend's face. "That's better." The creature hummed in pleasure. Do not hurl, DO NOT hurl…
"Come now, Mew Ichigo, there's no need to make such a face." She sneered as she twisted Ichigo's foot painfully so that the cat girl was forced to fall over in order to make the pain subside. Quick as lightning the enemy was on her feet and moving to strangle the girl. Ichigo, now half panicked dodged and quickly moved out of range. The experiment laughed in a half-crazed manner. "Yes yes little worms, squirm as I make you play!" She turned sharply to see Zakuro coming in for her. Within moments she was running like a lunatic towards her next target. "Dance to my tune, fools!"
She's completely off her rocker. Ichigo couldn't help but be disturbed by the mental state of the Chimera. If we ever make it out of this, Lettuce is probably going to need therapy after being locked up with only that thing for company.
"Ichigo!"
The mew leader turned away from the occupied parasite to see Ryou running towards her, a syringe in hand. It's about time! "Ryou!"
The man looked fiercer than Ichigo had ever seen him. "Take it." The blond haired man carefully handed it to her outstretched palm. "You know what to do."
Ichigo turned towards the others. Here goes everything. "Girls, now!"
Pudding gave an imperceptible nod before raising her weapon above her head, "Pudding Ring INFERNO!" Her aim true, the attack went straight towards the Chimera. However, the creature jumped out of its range, laughing manically. Its laugh, however, turned into an exclamation of surprise as Zakuro's whip encircled around her form, trapping her arms to her sides. Pudding gave out a whoop of triumph as the experiment fell back towards the earth. Less than ten feet from impact Minto swooped in and fought to keep her in the air. "Alright!" Pudding raced towards Zakuro, who's whip still firmly trapped the parasite. "Your evil plans are over, na no da!"
"Hurry Ichigo!" The blue haired girl grunted out against the strain of holding another person afloat.
Ichigo raced over and leapt up to their height. She looked straight into the Chimera's eyes, seeing the defiance and fury so close that Ichigo was tempted to recoil. Instead she gave a bold glare of her own. "Told you we'd make you pay." And with that, she jabbed the shot right into Lettuce's left shoulder.
Xxx
What do these fools think- augh!
Even though Lettuce could no longer control her body, she felt the strange change in the Chimera moments after Ichigo had plunged the needle into their shoulder. She felt the experiment's soul pulse in sudden pain.
W-what in the name of- AUGH!
C-chimera? Lettuce's soul tentatively reached towards the other, but was immediately encased by the brutal forces that held her captured. What's going on? Her voice jumped a notch when the Chimera started to scream.
It's- It's eating me! It's eating me! AUGH! It's eating me!
Lettuce, not sure what to do, fought against the painful constraints until part of her could link into what the Chimera was feeling. As she reached it, a sudden burst of warmth and light filled her, connected with her very core. As a pulse flowed through her, she felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity, but for a moment couldn't place it. When the wave came, the Chimera screamed out again, this time with her physical voice combined with her inner voice. Lettuce reveled in the warmth, the sheer feeling of purity. Realization dawned on her. T-there's mew aqua in this.
Why isn't it hurting you?
It must recognize the mew aqua in me, or, or maybe because you're the intruder and this is originally my body-
"Augh! I don't care! Shut up- AARGH! Just- AUGH! Make it STOP!"
Lettuce jumped when she heard the Chimera physically instead of mentally. B-but I don't know-
"Make it stop Lettuce!"
The mew felt panic gripping her as she listened to the more and more desperate cries of her captor. W-w-why should I help-
"Just help me, please!"
Lettuce could feel the serum flowing ever faster through their veins, but where for her it felt like she was tearing free of an overly tight sheet that had been wrapped around her, it felt to the Chimera like she was being ripped apart. And probably was.
No! You've done this to me! You-
"Shut up! Help me!"
N-no-
"PLEASE!" LETTUCE, PLEASE!"
But-
I don't want to- AUGH! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! I'm so scared- ARGH! Please, PLEASE!
The green mew was unwillingly reminded of not too long ago when she had been at the mercy of Pai and Kisshu, of waiting to die, the terror of what would happen when she did.
"Y-you have to stop it Lettuce…" At some point their body had collapsed from Zakuro's grip and they were curled on the ground, dirty from apparently writhing around earlier. The Chimera's voice was coming out scratchy now, her screams ragged. "You can't let me die…"
I- This was her enemy, her enemy. I- But, but did she deserve this? She felt the cure flowing all around her now, pulsing strongly within their veins, if she could find a way to just transfer it all to her soul. But why would she? For the Chimera? I don't know if I can stop it…
Well TRY! Lettuce's old face was now wet with tears brought on by the pain. There was very little time left before it would be irreversible. Lettuce could leave it, in a few more moments, it wouldn't matter.
But should she? Could she help this enemy? Why? Why did she have to choose?
I- I can't-
AUGH! Ah, AH, ARGH! I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything I did! Just HELP me!
Xxx
"I-Ichigo onee-chan…" Pudding's eyes were growing wide with fright.
When Zakuro had released her and let her fall, she had glared at them for a moment in confusion before the cure started to affect it. The girl's and Ryou and jumped badly when the first scream tore through their friend's mouth. It might not have been Lettuce feeling the pain, but it was Lettuce they were seeing, and Lettuce they were hearing. And even then, who's to say Lettuce wasn't feeling pain? How would they know? Ryou could have been wrong, but Ichigo didn't dare let herself continue that thought process as her friend's body dropped to the ground and started thrashing around in pain.
The Chimera cringed in the onslaught of pain, looking briefly up towards Ichigo with such hatred that the leader lost her breath for a moment. It's not Lettuce, it's the Chimera, Lettuce doesn't hate you, the Chimera does. Still, that look coming from her friend would probably be engraved in her mind for the rest of her life.
"Augh! I don't care! Shut up- AARGH! Just- AUGH! Make it STOP!" The creature squeezed its eyes shut in pain, gnashing her teeth and she writhed once again on the ground, completely unaware of her bewildered audience.
She's going even battier now, Ichigo felt almost numb, does she think we'll actually do something as dumb as helping her?
They all jumped again when she cried out louder. "Make it stop Lettuce!" She groaned as her body contorted into grotesque positions as it tried to find some way to alleviate the pain. "Just help me, please!"
The mews went cold as it clicked in each of their minds. The creature was talking to Lettuce, telling Lettuce to stop the pain.
Zakuro moved forward, her teeth bared much like the animal she represented. "Don't do it Lettuce, don't listen!"
Ichigo looked to the eldest mew in confusion. She doesn't really think Lettuce would consider… wait… oh my gosh. She would. Lettuce couldn't stand seeing others suffering, that's why she always tried to take it on herself. No, no no NO. This is NOT going to happen. "Lettuce-"
The Chimera looked at her again with that pure hatred and stopped Ichigo in her tracks. "Shut up! Help me!" It broke off as another wave of pain tore through its body, prompting another blood curdling scream. It was a good thing the rest of the world was dead to it right then. "PLEASE!" LETTUCE, PLEASE!"
Ichigo felt her blood run cold. She had to try really hard to stay centered on the truth of this, that this wasn't Lettuce in pain, this was the Chimera, but seeing her face so pleading, so filled with pain, so desperate, and they were just standing there- NO! This is the Chimera, Lettuce is trapped, and we have to do this to save her. "Lettuce, don't listen to her! Just hold out a little longer!" Minto and Pudding were looking very sick to their stomachs right then, probably going through the same thing Ichigo was. I almost wish I could tell them to leave, but they need to be here. While Zakuro and Ryou seemed to be holding their own, the rigidness in their bodies betrayed how hard they were trying to not show their fraying nerves.
The Chimera jerked when the cure hit its system in methodical waves, but otherwise had given up struggling. "Y-you have to stop it Lettuce…" Ichigo had to swallow again and briefly close her eyes, trying to center herself and not hear the total pain and hopelessness in Lettu- the Chimera's voice. "You can't let me die…"
Anger flared inside of Ichigo. "Shut your trap! After everything you put her through, you have no right to any chance at life!" But her words were lost on the Chimera, whom looked too exhausted and pain ridden to think of anything, the tears were a never ending stream.
"It's almost over." Ryou grounded out somewhere to her left. "The cure's almost all the way through, just a minute more-"
Pudding clutched at Minto when Let- the Chimera let out a one final, wretched cry. Her throat had gone raw with the previous cries, and it sounded so desolate, so completely final, and Ichigo felt tears well in her eyes. After it ended, Lettuce's body went completely limp. Not able to hold herself back any longer, Ichigo rushed towards her friend's exhausted form. "Lettuce! Lettuce, say something! Are you alright? Can you hear us? Lettuce!"
Ryou beat her to the punch and knelt carefully down next to the motionless form, picking up her wrist to feel her pulse. After a moment he turned back to the team, who had gathered behind Ichigo. "Her pulse is already on the rise, she's coming back around!" The sheer relief in his face was almost too much for Ichigo, and she felt her eyes go blurry with her own surge of joy. "Lettuce?" Ryou leaned towards the pale girl's face, "Lettuce, can you give me a sign?"
Everybody watch, not daring to miss a single twitch. With a muffled groan the girl raised her hand up towards where Ryou was. The blond scientist gently gripped it in his own, his face looking years younger than it had been. "It's alright, we're right here with you." The mew whispered something incomprehensible and Ryou leaned down closer. "What was that?"
Ichigo felt her body go cold as her enhanced cat ears caught the words uttered.
"You fool."
Ryou let out a cry of shock as the previously limp hand in his grasp curled around his neck in a vise iron grip. The green mew opened her eyes to reveal the same dead, cruel ones they had been fighting before.
Pudding cried out in dismay as Ichigo and the others looked on in horror. "No…" Minto breathed out weakly.
Ryou scratched futilely at the fingers around his neck, and Ichigo felt her body move to stop the experiment, but before she got within distance to save him the scientist was thrown aside with inhuman strength. With a cry of pain he hit the base of a tree and fell to the ground, unmoving.
Before any of them could stop her the Chimera passed Ichigo in a green blur and launched herself at Pudding, who cried out in fear and the monster moved to strangled her as well. Jumping away with the littlest mew in her grasp, the creature landed somewhat clumsily on the Café Mew Mew rooftop. "Did you think it was funny? Seeing me struggle so?" She chucked Pudding down to the others, unconscious, and Zakuro managed to grab her just in time. "Did you enjoy my suffering? Because now," her castanets once again appeared in her outstretched hands, "it's my turn to enjoy yours."
"Lettuce! Fight her!" Minto looked completely broken, not believing that the creature was still alive. The cure had failed; there was nothing they could do to stop her. Not unless they now killed Lettuce. "You have to fight her!"
Faster than they could follow, the Chimera jumped down and over their heads, landing so that the remaining mews were between her and the café. "ENOUGH FROM YOU, you treacherous, ugly meat sack!" Her attack came without warning, and the girl's had no time to dodge away. They barely held their ground as the torrent wretched at their feet. Zakuro had to turn her back to it in an attempt to try and protect the prone form of Pudding. "Why, WHY do you all insist on thinking that your weakest, you're worst member has a chance against me? ME?" All at once the attack grew tenfold, and the girls were helplessly cast away. In one painful moment they all collided with the wall. When Ichigo thought for sure all her bones were going to break with the combined attack of the rushing water against the firm wall, the onslaught ended, and she barely managed to remain conscious as she fell to the ground. "I think," Ichigo distantly heard Lettuce's voice in her ringing ears, "that it's time we finished this ugly little game. No more vain attempts to save something worthless. This ends now."
Weakly she looked behind her to see Pudding and Minto had somehow ended up to her left, Zakuro to her right. In dull horror she realized they were already knocked out cold, unable to escape. She turned painfully to see the Chimera walking towards them at its leisure, a sadistic, cruel grin spreading across its face.
How could this happen? How… we had tried so hard… how did we fail Lettuce like this… "L-Lettuce…" She's still in there… is she even fighting the Chimera anymore? Does she realize that this is the end? That we failed? We had been so close… "Lettuce… please…"
Xxx
"L-Lettuce…" Ichigo looked up weakly at the approaching Chimera, barely hanging on. "Lettuce… please…"
In a rush of déjà vu Retasu recognized the nightmare she had had so long ago finally coming to pass. And what was supposed to happen next… No! Chimera, NO!Don't do it!
The Chimera smiled cruelly, her eyes flashing in anticipation. "Ribbon, Lettuce RUSH!" Ichigo ducked her head in acceptance as the onslaught of water rushed at her and her comrades at bone crushing speed. Lettuce felt like she was feeling the pain herself. NOOO!
The experiment lowered its hands in satisfaction. Witness, pathetic Lettuce, your friend's demise. The mist began to evaporate away quickly, and Lettuce wished she could close her eyes or turn away, wished she could wail and scream and pull out her hair and just die right then and there. No no, the Chimera chastised mockingly, after all that you've put me through, here is your reward. The last of the mist dispersed, showing that the attack had made a literal crater in the ground, ripping out large chunks of plant and rock in the process. The water had begun to accumulate in the crater, a brown mess of sludge stopped against a cracked and leaking wall, but it wasn't so deep that it could hide the bodies.
Well, if the bodies had been there.
The Chimera began to tremble in shock. "No… no!" It ran down into the crater, kicking frantically within the mess to see if the bodies were somehow buried. "No no no no NO! WHERE ARE THEY, WHERE ARE THEIR SORRY CARCASSES?" What did you do, WHAT DID YOU DO LETTUCE!
"Yeah, those group teleportation's are a real pain in the ass."
The Chimera whipped around and looked up from the crater to find Kisshu a small ways off, looking slightly worse for wear as he grimly held Mew Zakuro and (much more tightly may I add) Mew Ichigo. Similarly, Taruto was even further off, an unconscious Mint at his side as he protectively kept his hold on Pudding, a mocking, triumphant grin on his little face.
Kish grinned that infuriating fanged smile towards the shocked experiment. "A pain, but boy was it worth it, just to see your face."
What, did you think the bad guy was actually going to take out the mews? NOT ON MY WATCH. Merry Christmas, I hope you guys find peace in your holidays, and whether your celebrating the start of the final mission God sent to the world, or Santa's continuing epic record for delivering presents to children all around the world without fail, OR just enjoying the horrendous sales that occur afterwards, keep up in the holiday spirit!
Ally