hiya!

looking back at this story, I realized this is one of those stories that my head wouldn't stop thinking about and I couldn't help but rush through it 'cause there was no time but I HAD to write it down. therefore, kinda suckish compared to other things I've written. But seeing as I don't like quitting, I'll try and make it longer and more fun to read as soon as I actually have time. which could be months from now, but oh well^^ I'm not feeling entirely well, but I have to keep writing. anyone get that feeling that writing takes away all your problems?

I'm prolonging the auther's note now:) just start reading, and if you have time, review!

1 year later, Kishu's p.o.v.

The bus was bustling with excitement as we drove to the prison we were taking our field trip to. Not only were we going to see normal people who had committed crimes like theft and murder, we were going to see an animal.

Everything was wondering what it would be. A bear? A lion? A... cat? I cringed a little at the last one. The memory from over a year ago was still fresh in my mind.

We stopped at the prison. Some of us stared at the huge building in wonder, others were taking pictures. Then Mrs Lovelace ushered us into a line, and we walked inside.

We saw and talked to prisoners for a few hours, but we got bored quickly. We wanted to see the animal.

When Mrs Lovelace saw, she sighed and whispered something in the guide's ear. He seemed to hesitate for a slight second, and then he nodded and led us to a room with what looked like it had hundreds of locks. Once he had unbolted all the locks he pushed us in and pressed a small button. Most of us only had time to see that it was like a huge zoo cage before we heard a call from somewhere high up.

'Jeez, Jeff. Calling my name works just as well you know.'

'The name's Jason,' the guard stated.

'Don't care, never will,' voice said tauntingly.

My heart started thumping uneasily. I was sure I knew that voice. And yet, it was so different from when I had last heard it. It couldn't be, right?

We heard footsteps approaching, and a voice. 'So, who is it today? One of the usual, or tourists?'

'Tourists, beast.'

The voice scoffed at that, and then we finally saw the person we were going to be interviewing. Momomiya Ichigo.

She grinned when she caught sight of us. But it wasn't a grin I had ever seen on her face. Small, baby-like Ichigo did not grin that evilly. It sent shivers up my spine.

It took some time for the rest of the class to recognize Ichigo. I couldn't blame them. She was wearing very short black jeans, a black top that showed most of her torso and high-heels. On every arm and leg and around her neck were metal bands. Her hair was up in ponytails, tied with black ribbons.

'Well, isn't it nice to see you guys again,' she said. She hopped down what seemed like a 15 feet platform and managed to land on her feet. We gasped at her, not used to this. She used to be useless at gym.

'What are the odds, ay? I seriously thought I'd never see you guys again.' She walked closer to us, making most of us step back. She rolled her eyes at that. 'Seriously guys, I am behind barbed wire here. And you didn't used to be afraid of me. Some of you even beat me up daily.' She stared pointedly at what used of be her group of friends. They looked to the ground.

'Alright Mason, we'll see you later.'

'It's Jason!'

'Still don't care!' she replied in a singsong voice. Then she turned to us. 'So guys, we got a whole hour to catch up. What've I missed?'

Still no one dared speak up. She laughed. 'I guess you guys finally got quieter,' she snickered.

When I saw that no one was willing to talk, I spoke up. 'So, Ichigo...'

'That's not my name,' she interrupted me. I stared at her blankly. 'I am the beast.' She raised her arms theatrically when she said 'the beast'.

Everyone couldn't help but giggle a bit at that. Ichigo looked amused. 'I know I don't look it. Wait a sec.' She kicked of her high heels and squatted on her heels, closing her eyes. Suddenly, a tail and ears popped up out of nowhere. She opened her eyes to show that they had changed as well. The sight reminded me of a year ago. 'Better, right?'

A few more seconds of silence and then all of heard someone say: 'So cool.' We turned around to see Kiki staring at Ichigo's ears with longing. Ichigo smiled, baring her fangs. 'I know.'

Her ears twitched, and she looked at Mike, who was fiddling with something in his pocket. He flinched. 'Can I have some, Mike? Please?' none of us understood, except Mike and he eyed the sign next to the cage, reading 'no feeding the animals'. Then he shrugged, reached in his pocket, and took out some bubblegum. He stepped closer to the cage, and reached out. Ichigo smiled eagerly, and put her hands through the wires. Her body seemed to convulse almost instantly, but she ignored it and stuck her hand out further for the gum. She took it and quickly pulled her hand back in the cage, so the convulsing stopped.

'Nasty things, those shocks,' she said as she unwrapped the gum and put it in her mouth. She moaned. 'Ooh, so good! I haven't had this stuff in like, a year. But I haven't had a lot of stuff for that long. Like proper food, proper clothes, a proper life...' she trailed of, and then grinned back at us. It looked a little forced to me.

'So, who's got some questions for me?'

'I have one,' Kyle said. He had always been one of the daring ones, saying things straight out of his mind. 'Didn't you have a family before you came here? What happened to them?'

Ichigo's smile instantly vanished. Her eyes turned angry. 'Don't talk about my family!' she screeched. She leaped to one of the walls and started slashing at them furiously. Everyone was staring at the deep groves forming in the wall, horrified. However, I was staring at her face. She was obviously holding back tears. My heart ached, as it had on that day a year ago.

Soon, a guard came in with a whip. With incredible force, he brought it down on Ichigo's back, causing her to fall to the ground. He brought the whip down a few more times, before he walked back out calmly, as if nothing had happened. Ichigo lay there, her back bleeding heavily. She turned her head around, and sighed, irritated. 'Why does he always have to get blood on the tail? Doesn't he know how hard it is to clean that?'

Then she looked at us, and hissed, low and long. 'I want you all out. You have completely ruined my day. I hate you all! Just get out, and never come back!'

Everyone started filling out, not wanting to see anymore. But I had to stay. So I hid in the far corner of the room. There I waited.

It didn't take long. Soon after everyone was gone, I heard sobs coming from the cage. I stood up and walked around the edge to see Ichigo still on her stomach, sobbing to her hearts content.

'Hey,' I said, quietly. She looked up, shocked. Then she got angry.

'What the hell are you doing here? Didn't I tell you...'

'Quit the act,' I stated, and she stopped. Then she sighed.

'You noticed.'

'You're not good at acting. Never were too.' I smiled at the memories, as did she.

'I wasn't lying about the last part,' she said after a minute. 'You should get out, and not come back.'

'Why? Are you going to go all beast on me and eat me?' I joked. She didn't laugh.

'Being treated like this, in front of the people I used to consider my friends.' She smiled at me. 'I feel like a whore with these clothes on. And the way I get beat up every day...'

'You are far from a whore,' I interrupted her. 'And those people have no right to hit you like that.'

'The problem is... they actually do.' A few more tears spilled over her cheeks. 'When they caught me, they took everything from me. I have nothing. I don't even have a name anymore.'

'Momomiya Ichigo,' I stated angrily. 'That IS your name.'

She smiled through her tears. 'Thanks. It feels nice to be called that again.'

I studied her. 'Why haven't you tried escaping?'

'Look behind you,' she said, and I turned. All I saw was a big red button. 'That's the button that shuts down the electric bands. But it's too far away. The farther the one of the bands leaves the wire, the harder the shocks get. I tried once though. They said I was out for three whole days.'

Without further hesitation I slammed my fist into the button. I heard a few clangs and looked around to see Ichigo staring at her wrists, perplexed. Then she looked back up at me. 'You idiot! What have you done?'

'You can escape now!'

'Those people have guns! If I run out there, they'll shoot at me!'

I grinned. 'Not if you have a hostage.'

She caught onto my plan fast. Quickly, she slashed through the wires and stepped out. Then she grabbed onto me and put her talons to my neck. 'No sudden movements, and don't lean forward. Scream if I'm hurting you. Oo, and look terrified.' She smiled. 'Let's get outta here.'