Hello my good people! Thanks again for your patience on this chapter! ^^ I enjoyed this one and you'll see why soon! lol well read on!
Chapter 6: Wishful Thoughts
"Lettuce-oneechan, please, answer na no da!" Pudding cried into her pendant. Again no answer came. "Oneechan na no da!"
"Pudding, please calm down," Ichigo cooed over her pendant.
"But, she isn't answering na no da," Pudding cried, "What if something happened to her too na no da!" Taruto was making the call to the others that they couldn't find Zakuro. They had been up and down that hall and she was nowhere to be found, so they could only assume the worst. When Lettuce hadn't answered her pendant Pudding snatched the pendant away from him.
"I'm sure she's fine, Pudding," Ichigo lied. She didn't want to think that Lettuce was also gone, but what else could she think. Though they had no proof she was so until then she would say Lettuce was alive. But she was worried about Pudding and Taruto being trapped up there alone. Yes, they were strong, but she didn't know how well Pudding was emotionally right now, and they were still so young. There had to be some way they could all meet up again. Whoever was doing this wanted them to split up, and they fell for it. "Pudding, just don't worry about Lettuce, okay. She's fine. You two...just please stay put up there, and be safe okay?"
"Okay Ichigo-oneechan na no da," Pudding whispered on the other line. She cut the communication. Ichigo sighed.
"Lettuce, please be okay," she whispered.
!&&!
Kenji returned. His gaze went straight to Yito. He sat against the wall his head leaned back, eyes closed. His arms were covered in bruises and his face had a purplish mark above his right eyebrow. He looked tired and worn out. "Yito," Kenji called.
Yito's head shot up, while he straightened his body out. He looked up and saw Kenji, and relaxed back down. "It's you," he breathed leaning his head back against the wall.
"Where's Master?" Kenji asked, looking around the empty room.
"He said, he couldn't stand the sight of me, then left," Yito answered calmly, "That was after he beat the crap outta me."
"You shouldn't have angered him," Kenji told him.
"Yeah 'cause I did it on purpose," Yito replied, sarcastically.
"What did you think was going to happen!" Kenji, "You buried our enemies."
"I never pegged you as a heartless killer, Kenji" Yito said, looking up at him.
"I'm just doing the mission I was chosen to do!" Kenji yelled, "They chose us for our discipline, determination, strength-"
"That's all crap!" Yito yelled standing up. "You think that's why? Out of all the above ranks, they chose us because of that? It's because of our powers, Kenji."
"What do you mean?"
"Your power to create dimensions, my power to bend reality," Yito explained, "That's all they want from us."
"That doesn't matter to me," Kenji growled, "I am honored to help create history here, and if you care about our people, you should too."
"I am," Yito replied, glaring, "But I don't have to be honored in killing innocent people," he spat.
"Well, you know what," Kenji walked to the game board and knocked over the light purple piece, "that's just too bad." He picked up a brown piece and held it out to him. "It's not about your personal beliefs, Yito. A lot of people are counting on us."
Yito stared down at the brown piece. He took it from Kenji. "I guess it's my turn," Yito sighed. "What did you do with her body?" Yito asked in a low voice.
"Does it matter, she's just a game piece."
"So are you," Yito whispered, "But I'd still bury you," Yito walked out the room, shoving the brown piece in his pocket.
!&&!
Lettuce's eyes fluttered opened, and drifted shut, again. She squinted, her vision was blurred. Her glasses were no longer on her face. She lifter herself up and looked down at the vague image of Pai laying down, under her.
"Pai," Lettuce called. He didn't respond. "Pai," she called louder, shaking his shoulder. She tried to make out his face, but her eyes were drawn to the bright red splash of color that came from his head. Lettuce gasped. "Pai!" She lifted his head and could barely make out the gash on the left side of the back of his head. She felt the blood on her fingers. She pulled Pai up and brought his head to her chest. She wrapped her arms around him. She didn't know what else to do. She needed something to hold against his head to suppress the bleeding, so she hoped her own body would do.
Flashes of what happened started returning to her mind. He had came for her. He risked his life to save her. She remembered how he had promise she wouldn't die. Before today, she had never thought twice of who Pai really was. Now she knew. When he saved her, it was the same as he fought for his people, not giving up.
"Please don't die, Pai," Lettuce whispered looking down at his beautifully, blurred face. "Don't leave me."
!&&!
Taruto looked over to Pudding as she covered her mouth to contain yet another yawn. Taruto sighed. He really needed to distract her. She was sleepy and heartbroken. Sleep right now would probably be the best the thing for her.
"Why don't you just go to sleep?" Taruto asked, annoyed.
"Sleep? At a time like this na no da?" Pudding asked, surprised.
"It's late," Taruto replied, "It's probably past your bed time, kid." He smirked.
"You're not that older, Taru Taru, na no da," Pudding teased. Taruto threw her a look.
"C'mon," Taruto mumbled, grabbing Pudding's hand. He pulled her further down the hall and into a bedroom. "Here go to sleep. I'll stand watch outside."
"What about you na no da?"
"I don't need sleep," Taruto told her.
"Really na no da?" Pudding exclaimed.
"Well, I don't need a lot of it anyways," Taruto explained, "When I'm about Kisshu's age, I won't need it at all."
"Everyone needs sleep na no da," Pudding whispered.
"Including you, now go, sleep."
Pudding looked to the bed, then back to Taruto, "I'm scared na no da."
"I'll be right-"
"Outside, not in here na no da," Pudding whispered.
"You're such a baby," Taruto whispered. He looked at her sad face. "Fine I'll stay with you."
Pudding and Taruto entered the room. Taruto watched as Pudding reluctantly climbed into the bed. She pulled the dusty sheets over herself and turned to her side, away from Taruto. Taruto trudged to the wall opposite the bed and slumped to the floor. He watched Pudding for a few minutes and after assuming she was asleep, he leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.
!&&!
"Ichigo! Stop!"
She didn't listen. She charged at the black barrier that once led to the second floor. She slammed against it; no luck. She performed a series of kicks and punches but the wall held. She groaned as the last kick sent a shock of pain down her leg. She fell to the ground barely landing on both her feet. Kisshu caught her from behind, but she pulled from his grasp. "Kisshu, help me! Please!"
"Ichigo, there's no way through!" Kisshu yelled.
"Aren't you worried about Lettuce and Pai," Ichigo asked, "They're up there and they haven't answered a single call! I know you may not care about me or Lettuce or the others, but you must care about Pai and Taruto!"
Kisshu stared at her sadly. "I do care about you, Ichigo. You don't know how much I care about you, and I'm sorry you can't see that."
"Kisshu I didn't-"
"I love Taruto and Pai like they were my own family, and I want to save everyone here," Kisshu explained.
"I didn't mean it like that, Kisshu." Ichigo whispered, "I'm just so worried about Lettuce, I mean whoever is doing this has never taken two people at the same time! I'm tired of just sitting her waiting for something to happen!"
"Killing yourself won't save them!" Kisshu yelled, "What you're doing affects more people than just you! Stop being selfish!"
Ichigo felt taken aback. Kisshu had never spoken to her so harshly. She knew she must have seriously angered him. But, selfish? She didn't understand how she was being selfish, of all things. She wanted to save her friends no matter what, to stop the killing at any cost. She didn't care what happened to her, she had to save everyone she could-
Ichigo looked up into Kisshu's angry eyes. How could she not see it? Selfish. At least to him she was being selfish. She was willing to save her friends not even caring about her own well-being, or considering his feelings. Ichigo looked at him thoughtfully. Kisshu's eyes softened.
"You must really love me..." She whispered. She hadn't meant to speak those words aloud, but as they swept past her lips, she was glad she hadn't contained it.
"I do," Kisshu replied, taking a step forward.
All this time, Ichigo had always thought that Kisshu's flirtatious remarks and attempts were just him being a pervert. But under all of that, he truly cared about her. How, however, was she to respond to this? At the moment, yes, they were on the same side, but what would happen, if they were to get out? Would he really give up his planet, his family, and his teammates for her? Ichigo looked down and let out a sigh. Of course he wouldn't, what was she thinking. She needed to tell him, that nothing could ever happen between them, to her dismay. Nothing
She raised her head to look him in the eye when she gave him the saddening reality, when she felt his lips press against hers. Her eyes became wide as she took the situation into her own account. She knew she should pull away, and give him the speech neither of them wanted to hear, but instead she let her eyelids fall and her arms rise to his shoulder. She linked her fingers together around his neck while he pulled her closer to him. She knew it was wrong, but at the moment she didn't care. Everything around them seemed to melt away...
It was only her in his arms.
!&&!
Taruto buried his face into something soft and fluffy. He stopped abruptly, and opened his eyes. He stared ans he realized Pudding had left the bed and was now snuggled into his shoulder. He rolled his eyes. This girl really was a huge baby. He looked back down at her. He watched as her eyes fluttered every now and then, and her rosy cheeks intake air. At one moment she jerked in her sleep. Taruto quickly reached out and placed his hand gently against her face so she wouldn't fall and stir too much. Her skin was soft to the touch. He let his hand fall to her shoulder as he pulled her closer to him. She nuzzled into the gap of his neck more and he felt a blush sweep across his face. He squinted and looked away from her.
!&&!
"Oh Ryou, if only you could see," Kiiechiro whispered, "the aliens aren't so bad." He fidgeted in his seat. This was his only way to stay sane. Talking to him, of him, with him, he needed this.
"Unless," he continued, "they are only trying not to be suspected for this whole thing. None of them have died yet, only us..." Kiiechiro pondered, "Ryou, we can't jump to conclusion," He leaned back and forth on his seat, "Though Kisshu saved me at one point...but I didn't want him to." He paused and thought, "He only kept me from you, Ryou." He bent his head down. He felt tears flow to his eyes, but he clenched them shut to keep them away. "I'm so sorry I abandoned you, Ryou."
"You haven't abandoned me," A voice spoke softly. Kiiechiro's head snapped up, and there his best friend stood. He smirked, "I'm right here."
Kiiechiro stared at him, stunned. There was no possible way this could be Ryou. He looked him up and down. His white jeans flowed down to his black shoes like they always did. He had his hands placed carelessly on his hips, the tips in his pocket. His black vest had the collar sticking up and he wore his red choker. His blue eyes pierced Kiiechiro.
"Is something the matter?" Ryou asked, curiously.
"You're dead," Kiiechiro gasped. Ryou smiled and shook his head.
"It was all fake," he stated, "I staged that scene with Pai. Kisshu was in on it to."
"Why?"
"I needed you all to believe I was dead so that I could investigate fully, and I have," He reached out his hand to Kiiechiro, "I've found a way out, come with me."
"Staged," Kieichiro breathed, "Why didn't you tell me? I'm your assistant...your friend."
"I needed your reaction to persuade the girls."
Persuade, Kiiechiro pondered, that was a weird word to use.
"Please," Ryou spoke up, "Come with me, so that we can be together," He further stretched his hand.
"What about the girls?"
"We have to come back for them," Ryou answered.
"I don't know..." Kiiechiro hesitated.
"Friend,"
"None of this makes sense, Ryou," Kiiechiro pondered, "The aliens can't teleport between floors..."
"They've been faking,"
"You're lying!" Kiiechiro exclaimed, "Do you know how much danger we've been in here, you wouldn't risk our safety like that..."
Ryou remained silent. He closed his eyes and slowly opened them. His icy blue eyes began to glow. Ryou's body was engulfed in darkness and an alien figure appeared out of the rays of blackness.
Kiiechiro let out a sob. He knew that couldn't have been Ryou, yet a part of him longed to reach out and grab his hand, to take his offer. Kiiechiro focused back on the creature before him. It had a frown on its face.
"I'm sorry," It whispered, lifting its arm. Kiiechiro felt every muscle in his body tense. The alien tightly balled his fist. Kiiechiro couldn't breath.
Part of him wanted to fight, to strive to live for the girl's sake. But as he faded into the darkness, part of him smiled at the thought of reuniting with his one true friend in the world.
!&&!
Pai had yet to awaken. The bleeding seemed to have stopped, but Lettuce's tears hadn't. She desperately wished for Pai to open his eyes, even for a second. She looked down at her bloodstained shirt then back to Pai's face. The tears made it even harder to make out his face, but she knew all his handsome features by heart.
"Pai," she cried. She remembered her pendant and quickly reached into her pocket to get it. She hit a button that would put her through to Ichigo. She didn't need to worry Pudding and Taruto so she used a private line.
"Hello?" Ichigo's voice appeared over the pendant.
"Ichigo!" Lettuce called into the pendant.
"Lettuce?" She sounded relieved and excited, "Thank goodness you're okay!" Lettuce bit her lip.
"Pai won't wake up!" she cried into the pendant, "I don't know what to do." Her voice was rushed and worried.
"Lettuce, calm down," Ichigo spoke over the line, "Now what happened?"
"We were attacked and he was trying to save me and I blacked out," Lettuce tried to speak as calmly as possible but she could hear her voice cracking between the words, "He must have hit his head because he was bleeding really bad, and now he won't wake up!" She looked back down towards Pai. She slowly moved her hand down his face. More tears came. "Please, Pai."
Suddenly a black hole appeared before them. It spun with the intensity of a twister. Lettuce could only make out the dark circle before her and objects began to fly around the room. Lettuce held onto Pai tightly and turned away from the engulfing tornado. She screamed.
"Lettuce!" Ichigo called from the pendant, "What's going on?"
Lettuce felt the pull increase and looked up. Her pendant was snatched from her hand, by the hole and soon she and Pai were pulled into its deadly swirls. She held onto Pai with all her might. She couldn't see a thing and could only feel Pai being pulled from her tight embrace. She was ripped away from him, but quickly reached out for a last attempt to stay with him. She felt his hand and grabbed and held on. Nothing could make her let go and she held his hand as they both fell deeper into the black abyss.
!&&!
"Lettuce? Lettuce!" Ichigo yelled into her pendant. She felt tears flow to her eyes and she threw the pendant to the ground. She dropped to the ground in front of it and burst into tears. She held her hands to her face as Kisshu ran behind her. "She's gone," She cried, "She's gone!"
Kisshu opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He did his best to hold back a sob. If this was true then Pai was also gone for good. Pai was always invincible in Kisshu's eyes...but now.
Kisshu moved to comfort Ichigo when a giant black hole appeared before the.
"Kisshu!" Ichigo screamed as she began to be lifted by the dark vacuum. Kisshu quickly grabbed her hand but he was immediately pulled into the hole also.
!&&!
Taruto was awakened from his nap by Pudding's screams. His eyes shot open and he witnessed Pudding being pulled into a swirling black hole. Taruto quickly jumped to his feet and dived head first after her. His hands grasped hers before the lights diminished and they could no longer see.
Woah! Wasn't that something, (don't worry not everyone died, you'll see next chapter!"
Well thanks for reading! Review and vote!
Who's alive: Ichigo, Lettuce, Pudding, Kisshu, Pai, Taruto.
Who's dead: Masaya, Ryou, Mint, Zakuro, Kiiechiro