Ello people, I'm trying to update more often! If you don;t hear from me for a few months that's actually normal for me XD.

Before I begin Safia Bara, asked a question that I would like to go ahead and address. She asked if I would be killing everyone. The answer is no, I was thinking of having like a small group of survivors maybe 4 or 3. I'm thinking 3 but I'll decide later. There's something to think about!

Chapter 5: Empty Hearts

Reality returned. Zakuro stood outside the door at the end of the hall. She didn't have to open it. She knew Mint was gone. She felt tears well in her eyes. How could she let her go. She was Mint's idol; she knew that. She knew how Mint had always been in her shadows, always wanting to be like her, always waiting for approval from her. She knew that, and even though she never let it show, she was always happy Mint was there. She was happy Mint tried so hard to impress her, but she never let it show, she couldn't. The reason Mint wanted her attention so much, was because she didn't give it.

But now, she wished she had. She wished she had told Mint how much she truly meant to her. She meant a lot.

Zakuro leaned her head on the door. She looked back to Pudding and Taruto. Pudding was crying, understanding what had happened to another member of their team. Taruto was standing beside her, occasionally patting her on the back and whispering words to her. It seemed that the alliances between the aliens were getting stronger as their situation worsened. Taruto looked up and his gaze met with Zakuro's. His eyebrow raised as he nodded his head. Zakuro looked down and nodded. She had to take her place as the leader again, especially since these two were still pretty young. Taruto had put the call in about Mint; Zakuro just couldn't do it and Pudding was in no condition to talk. She turned backed to the door. "Goodbye, Mint," she whispered and walked back to the young duo, putting back on her mask.

!&&!

"Ichigo?"

Ichigo looked up. She knew who was calling her, but she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready to let go. When the call about Mint came in, she was devastated. She and Mint were close, even if they had their differences, she always saw Mint as a sister, the kind you fight with, but deep down you know you love them. She wasn't ready to let go of that. She had ran into the dining room. Even though it seemed childish she was crouched down behind a chair letting her tears fall. She couldn't handle it, she just couldn't. How many people would be taken from her, how many more of her friends would die?

"Ichigo," Kisshu whispered. Ichigo looked up and saw Kisshu standing above her. She quickly wiped her eyes.

"Hey," she whispered trying to sound strong, but her voice cracked, and the emotion was obvious. Kisshu knelt down so that they were eye level.

"Ichigo, you don't have to do that with me," Kisshu whispered. Ichigo's eyes watered, and she fell into Kisshu's chest.

"Kisshu," she cried, "I...I don't know what to do anymore! Everyone is dying...why? Why is this happening! I...I'd rather it be me next-" Kisshu pulled, Ichigo off him so he could look into her eyes.

"Don't do that! Remember what you told Kiechiro?" Kisshu asked roughly, shaking her, "Don't give up!"

"Kisshu," Ichigo whispered. Her eyes filling with more tears. She wrapped her arms around his back and cried in his chest.

!&&!

The blue-eyed figured stepped into the room. "It is done," was all he whispered as he walked past his master who sat at the table with the game pieces still on it.

"Excellent," his voice rasped as his long finger reached over and tipped over the light blue game piece. The figure in front of him lifted his head. His eyes immediately began to glow as he picked up the piece that was overturned and moved it to the side to accompany the other fallen pieces. "Yito," his voice rasped again. The blue-eyed figure looked up when his name was called. The figure with the green eyes, shifted his gaze to Yito. The master never called his inferiors by their names unless it was serious.

"Yes, Master?" Yito, responded.

"Why is it that you do not follow orders?" Master asked.

"I do not understand," Yito started.

"The blue piece," the master picked up the light blue game piece, "Why did it take so long to eliminate her?"

"I...It did not take long, my master." Yito stuttered.

"Yito, well you look me in the eye and tell me the truth, or cower away from me?"

Yito looked up at his master and sighed. He knew. "I...It took me longer because I buried her body," Yito finally admitted. Master stood to his feet and struck Yito across the face.

"Who assigned this weakling to my team!" He spat. Yito fell to the ground, his cloak falling of his head. He looked up at his master. His blue eyes continued to glow without the darkness that once engulfed his face. He looked human, but there were definite mutations that took place in his appearance. His nose was pointy, and his face had markings on it that resembled tattoos. He had black hair that swooped to the side of his face, and fell to his shoulders. His appearance was stunning although he was obviously not human.

"Master, I apologize," Yito tried to explained. Master kicked him in the stomach. Yito's stomach lurched as he turned over to spit up blood.

"You weak, inferior!" The master hissed, "You buried those sad excuses for life forms! Our job is to execute them! Burying them, that shows respect! Do you respect them?"

Yito looked down, "No," he whispered.

"Kenji!" Master called. The green-eyed figure quickly jumped to his feet.

"Yes, Master?"

"You will take the next one," Master ordered, "Yito must learn his lesson."

Kenji looked to Yito, and looked down. "Yes, sir." He whispered and walked out the door.

!&&!

Pai watched Lettuce as she walked, lifeless, around the study. They had given up on trying to find an exit and tried to look in the rooms on the floor for clues or anything that could give them a shimmer of hope. They had just walked into what seemed to be a huge study when the call about Mint had come in. Lettuce had sworn that she was going to be fine. She was a bad liar. She hadn't cried, but she seemed drained and unaware. She had stared at a book case for five minutes and had finally moved to a desk, mesmerized by one sheet of paper. Although they had been enemies for so long, Pai couldn't help but feel sympathy for the porpoise mew. He even questioned, now, why he had hated them.

He wished there was something he could do. He sighed. Lettuce looked towards him. He was going through drawers on the other side of the room. He looked...upset. She didn't know why he would be upset. None of his friends were dying. Lettuce paused and mentally slapped herself. "That's not right," Lettuce yelled at herself, "I can't think of him like that. He's been nothing but generous to me."

"Lettuce?" Lettuce looked up to see Pai standing in front of her. They stared at each other for awhile, when Pai reached out and gently wiped a tear from under her eye. "You're crying," he announced. Lettuce looked at Pai's finger and reached up and felt her face. She had been so busy yelling at herself she hadn't realized she had started crying.

"I hadn't realized," she whispered, looking down. Pai studied her for a second.

"You shouldn't bottle it all in," he finally spoke, "I hear that's unhealthy for humans." Lettuce glanced up at him for a second before returning her gaze to the floor. "I guess it's better...just to be heartless, like me," he whispered, his voice deadly serious.

"You're not heartless!" Lettuce yelled looking back towards him.

"How do you know?" Pai spat. He had learned to be heartless at a young age. When his mother had died in war, his relatives of sickness. His father was all he had and he was as strict as they come. Then when his planet went into that unbearable state...he felt as if everything was being taken from him. His family, his friends, his home. He had to become hard, keep the emotions out, join the military, fight for his people; he had to, or he would've shattered.

Lettuce looked up at Pai her eyes sad. "How do you know?" he repeated, looking down. His voice was softer with a hint of self-disgust. Lettuce felt a pain in her heart. She slowly and hesitantly lifted her hand. She stopped for a second then pressed it, firmly yet gently, against Pai's chest.

"Because I can feel it," Lettuce whispered. Pai raised his eyes to look at her. Lettuce tilted her head and gave a small smile. "I can fell your heart loud and clear." Pai raised his hand and placed it over Lettuce's.

"Thank You, Lettuce." Pai whispered. Lettuce nodded. They stared into each others eyes for awhile until Pai finally began to lean forward. Lettuce moved forward when a figure in the corner of the room caught her eye. She gasped as her eyes widened.

"Pai!" She screamed pointing. Pai quickly spun around and saw the black figure, with eyes that seemed to glow green, emerge from the far corner of the room. Pai motioned Lettuce back, as he summoned his fans.

"Who are you?" Pai called, holding up his weapon, ready to strike. The figure didn't respond, but lifted its hand ready to also attack. "Kuu Rai Sen!" Pai called delivering a strong wind attack. The figure took it head on, but it didn't seem to do much damage. "What?" Pai whispered shock. The figure smirked, and disappeared. "Where-"

"Pai!" Lettuce shrieked. Pai turned around to see Lettuce being dragged across the floor, by the leg, by something that resembled a transparent black tentacle. He looked up to see it was pulling her towards a wormhole that looked like a giant black whole. He could see glowing green eyes inside the dark hole, they seemed to taunt him, to peer into him. "Pai!" Lettuce screamed again. Pai shook himself from the trance and looked to Lettuce. He dove to the ground and grabbed her hands, and tried to pull her forward. "Pai," she shrieked, tears in her eyes, "I don't want to die."

"You're not! I promise!" Pai called, pulling with all his might. He looked up and saw a tentacle come right at him. It slapped him and he flew back hitting his head on a desk.

"Pai!" Lettuce screamed. She couldn't believe this was the end. She tried to hold on the floor, but her nails just dragged across it. She glanced behind her, and realized how close she was to the hole, how close she was to death. "No!" She screamed. She hadn't even gotten her first kiss from Pai yet, and know she was going to die. "Pai! Please!" Lettuce pleaded, "Get up!"

"Pai, Please!" Pai heard these words ringing in his mind. They seemed so far away. He slowly opened his eyes and felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. He looked up and saw Lettuce being pulled into the darkness. He quickly sat up and teleported to her. "Pai!" She gasped.

"Hold on!" Pai told her grabbing her underneath her arms in an effort to pick her up.

"My leg," Lettuce called.

"I know," Pai nodded, "Just close your eyes," he warned. He was going to do something dangerous, something that was never, ever advised. He wrapped his arms around Lettuce and attempted a teleport. They moved back, but were pulled right back before the teleport was complete. Pai felt himself get dizzy, but attempted another one. They moved further away from the black hole, but again were flung right back to the location they originated from. Pai felt sick to his stomach and his legs were about to give out. He looked up at the blurred vision of the black hole and saw it was fading. He closed his eyes and teleported one more time. He had tried to go even further on this teleport and when they had landed the thing had released Lettuce's leg and they fell to the floor, Lettuce on top of Pai. Pai looked up at Lettuce and saw that the teleports had already knocked her out. He looked up at the disappearing black hole before drifting into unconsciousness himself.

!&&!

Zakuro walked behind Pudding and Taruto as they continued their never ending journey down the forsaken hallway.

"I'm telling you," Taruto spoke up again, "the hall is repeating itself! It has no end."

"Just keep going," Zakuro replied. Taruto and Pudding glanced back at her. She had been that way for awhile now.

"Zakuro-oneechan na no da." Pudding called, "We need a break, we've been walking for hours na no da."

"Huh? Oh, okay Pudding," Zakuro replied half listening. Pudding and Taruto stopped and Zakuro passed by them.

"And I thought she was the tough one," Taruto mumbled.

"She is na no da!" Pudding replied. She looked back to Zakuro who had continued walking on. Her eyes seemed dead. They had no spark, no twinkle, no sign of life. "Zakuro-oneechan na no da." Pudding whispered as she watched her go further and further down the hall.

!&&!

Zakuro looked behind her. Pudding and Taruto were gone. She became worried for a moment before realizing that they had wanted to stay behind. She couldn't take a break. She had to keep going. She fell to the ground. She couldn't believe how low she had fallen. Mint was gone and she couldn't let it go. When her family abandoned her for fame in various countries, she was able to accept it, to live with it, and they were her flesh and blood. Now, however, that Mint was gone she couldn't deal with it, she couldn't even be strong for Pudding.

She felt tears form in her eyes. She had cried so much that day, more than she ever had.

She turned to her left as she heard a low creak come from one of the doors behind her. She stood up and walked to the door. She hesitated before entering the room. She thought of Pudding, Lettuce, and Ichigo. Why was she doing this? They needed her. Yet, the door called to her. She knew she shouldn't enter, but with Mint gone...she had no reason to live. She slowly pushed the door open, taking a step in.

"Please, don't." A voice whispered. Zakuro felt a small breeze follow the words.

"Mint..." Zakuro whispered, "I'm so sorry." She removed her hand from the door and stepped back. She couldn't desert her team like that. Mint wouldn't want that. She didn't want that. Zakuro turned away to walk away from the door, when suddenly something wrapped around her ankle and yanked her foot off the ground. Zakuro screamed as she hit the floor. The tentacle quickly flung her body to the right, banging Zakuro's head against the inside of the door way. She began to drift into unconsciousness. The last thing she saw was a pair of green eyes, grinning at her.

OMG! I did not mean for this story to get so complex! OMG! Also just to clear some confusion:

1. Pai had difficulty with the teleporting not just cause he cant teleport really far, but because the thing had a grip on Lettuce's leg so like when he tried to teleport the thing would pull him back before he landed and since he teleports so quickly its like being jerked back through dimension so that's why he got all dizzy and that's why it was dangerous.

2. When the voice said "Please don't" that was of course Mint warning Zakuro and I tried to hint at it with the breeze/wind cuz that's Mint's element wind, so just telling ya in case you didn't catch that.

Well thanks for reading! Review and vote!

Who's alive: Ichigo, Lettuce, Pudding, Kisshu, Pai, Taruto, Kiechiro.

Who's dead: Masaya, Ryou, Mint, Zakuro