Amnesia Chapter 32:
The Exchange
Kisshu slept for most of the rest of the day. He woke up later that night, and Ichigo gave him more soup. Kisshu finished it, and sighed. "I hate this," he complained. "And we still have no plan on what to do about the Kuritara."
"Pai said they were having a meeting while you were sleeping," Ichigo said. "And he's not back yet, so they might still be meeting."
"Why aren't you there?" Kisshu asked.
"I said I'd stay with you," Ichigo said. "You get worried when I'm not there and you don't know where I am, so I decided we'd all be better off if I stayed and someone came to tell us the plan later. I didn't want to worry you, it wouldn't be good for you."
Kisshu sighed. "I can't help it," he said. "I'm more comfortable when you're around."
"You said that when you caught the flu when you were still human," Ichigo said. "I slept in your room on the floor until you were better because you couldn't sleep if I wasn't nearby."
Kisshu's cheeks turned slightly pink, and Ichigo noticed. "Are you blushing?" she asked.
"Um… maybe?" Kisshu said. "I was that clingy?"
"Pretty much," Ichigo said. "You said having me nearby helped you, and I started sleeping in the same room whenever you weren't feeling well. My dad got used to it."
Kisshu was getting pretty red, and Ichigo put a hand on his forehead, then said, "Well, at least that color's not from a fever. You don't need to be embarrassed; I didn't mind."
"I'm not usually like that," Kisshu said. "Do you think it was the amnesia?"
"Probably," Ichigo said. "Since you didn't remember how you used to behave, I suppose it makes sense that you were acting completely different. I thought the clinginess was actually pretty cute."
"You did?" Kisshu asked.
Ichigo smiled. "Yep."
Kisshu smiled back, the blush starting to leave his face. There was a knock on the door, and Ichigo called, "Come in!"
Pai opened the door, and said, "I came to tell you the details of the meeting."
"Did you come up with a plan?" Ichigo asked.
"Hai," Pai said. "You might not like it, though."
"Wh-what is it?" Ichigo asked.
"We're going to tell them that the spell on the paper killed Kisshu," Pai said.
"You think they'll believe that without any proof?" Kisshu asked.
"We're going to have proof," Pai replied. "Maya is helping me create a replica of you, with a spell on it that will make sure the Kuritara don't realize it's a fake."
"What happens then?" Ichigo asked. "The next time they attack, they'll know we were lying, and they'll retaliate."
"But by then, we'll have Haroshi-sama back," Pai said. "And we can step up the guard here."
"Alright, I guess that's a good plan," Kisshu said. "I hate to admit it, but I may not be able to fight for a while."
"You're right, since the week is almost up," Pai said. "Oh, and Ichigo, we need you to lead the Mews, so I'm afraid you can't stay with Kisshu."
"Alright," Ichigo said reluctantly. "Kisshu, you can manage on your own, right?"
"Maya's going to be keeping an eye on him," Pai said. "She's the only one of us who can't fight, and we need her in reserve if any of us get injured."
"Fine…" Kisshu said.
"I have to go help Maya with the replica," Pai said. "I'll see you later."
Kisshu and Ichigo nodded, and Pai teleported out. Kisshu sighed. "I hate not being a part of these things," he said.
"I know, but it would be bad if they got you, especially in your condition," Ichigo said. "Don't worry, we'll all be fine."
"I hope so," Kisshu said.
Two days later: Maya and Pai had finished the replica of Kisshu, and were fine-tuning the spell on it. Kisshu was basically back to full strength, but he still got tired out occasionally. Currently, he was in his and Ichigo's room with Ichigo. Tomorrow was the day of the exchange, and Kisshu was worried. Ichigo was strangely confident, and she was trying to reassure Kisshu, who was convinced everything would go wrong if he wasn't there.
"Seriously, we'll be fine," Ichigo said. "It's not a battle, it's an exchange. I know it's tough not being able to be there, but we'll all be fine. Besides, you'd be in the most danger if you went. The rest of us are in less danger because the Kuritara don't want us."
Kisshu sighed. "Just please be careful," he said. "I don't want to lose you."
"I will," Ichigo promised. "And you won't lose me. I promise."
Kisshu pulled her closer and kissed her. Ichigo kissed back, feeling Kisshu's need for reassurance. They were so focused on one another that they didn't notice Pai come into the room until he said, "Am I interrupting something?"
Kisshu and Ichigo jumped apart and yelled, "YES!"
Pai sighed and said, "I came to tell you that we should all get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
"THAT was all!?" Kisshu asked incredulously.
"That, and you should know that if this goes wrong, I'll call you," Pai said. "You're the strongest fighter we have, and none of us wants to lose you. I don't anticipate anything going wrong, but just be aware that I may need you."
"Got it," Kisshu said. Then he sighed, and said, "Make sure Ichigo doesn't get hurt while I'm not there, or I'll skin you."
"Hai," Pai said. "You two should go to bed, I'll come get you when we're ready tomorrow."
"Okay," Kisshu and Ichigo said. Pai nodded and left, closing the door behind him. Ichigo and Kisshu got under the covers, and curled up, wrapped in each other's arms.
The next morning: Ichigo and Kisshu woke up and got dressed. Then they looked at each other. The meeting was at noon, and it was 10:30. "I guess we've got an hour and a half," Ichigo said.
Kisshu nodded, just as there was a knock on the door. Kisshu sighed and called, "Come in!"
It was Pai again, and he looked at them and said, "Today's the day. Ichigo, are you ready?"
"Hai," Ichigo said.
Pai nodded and turned to Kisshu. "Maya will be here with you, so don't think about running off unless I call you," Pai said sternly. "I'll call Maya at the same time, so she'll know if you're lying."
Kisshu sighed again and said, "Fine…."
Pai turned back to Ichigo and said, "I'll come get you when it's time."
"Thanks Pai," Ichigo said. Pai teleported out. Ichigo turned back to Kisshu, who looked back sadly. "I promise I'll come back," she told him.
Kisshu walked to her and hugged her tightly. She hugged back, and said, "I love you, Kisshu."
"I love you too, Ichigo," Kisshu said.
Ichigo knew he was dead serious; he had used her real name. "Don't worry," she told him. "I'll always come back to you, no matter what."
Kisshu pulled back a bit and looked at her. She smiled, reassuring him. "I know you will," he said, smiling back.
The two of them spent the next hour just talking and enjoying each other's company. Finally, though, Pai came in and said, "Ichigo, it's time."
"Hai," Ichigo said, and transformed. She gently kissed Kisshu, and then Pai took her shoulder and teleported out.
They landed in the courtyard of the mansion, and found all the others there as well. Two of the guards were carrying a box that looked like a coffin. "That's the replica," Pai said, noticing the direction of her gaze.
Five minutes later, a group of Kuritara landed in front of the mansion, and the Cyniclons and Mews went to meet them. The leader of the Kuritara group called out, "Have you decided to uphold your end of the bargain?"
Pai stepped forward and said, "The choice was taken out of our hands. The spell on the paper your messenger threw at Kisshu sent him into a coma, and he died."
The Kuritara looked shocked, but also suspicious. "Have you proof of this claim?" the leader asked.
"Hai," Pai said, and nodded to the guards, who opened the coffin. The leader went over, and the guards backed up. The leader looked, and said, "Very well, we will hand over your leader. We will take the body."
Pai lowered his head, then said, "Let's exchange."
The Kuritara leader snapped his fingers, and two of the group came forward with Haroshi-sama. Pai came forward as they stepped back, and said, "Haroshi-sama, are you alright?"
"Physically, I'm fine, but I'm not happy to hear that Kisshu died," Haroshi-sama said. He looked back at the coffin, just as the Kuritara disappeared with it.
Pai sensed they were gone and sighed. "That's a relief," he said. "We'd better go back inside, I have some things to explain."
Haroshi-sama followed Pai to the meeting room, and followed by the others, sat down. "What did you wish to explain, Pai?" Haroshi-sama asked.
"Kisshu isn't dead, we created a replica of him and put a spell on it so the Kuritara wouldn't suspect anything," Pai said.
"I'm amazed by that, that was an ingenious plan," Haroshi-sama said. "Where is Kisshu?"
"Upstairs," Pai said. "We left him with Maya to make sure he wouldn't come. Ichigo, would you go get him? I have a feeling if he only sees me, he's going to think the worst."
"Hai," Ichigo said. She looked at Haroshi-sama, who nodded, then got up and ran to Kisshu's and her room.
Kisshu and Maya were playing cards when Ichigo ran in. "It worked!" she told them when they looked up. "The Kuritara fell for it, and we got Haroshi-sama back. He's asking for you, I came to get you."
"Thank goodness," Kisshu said with relief. He got up and took Ichigo's hand, then teleported to the meeting room. The others looked up as they came in, and Haroshi-sama said, "Good, you're back."
"Hai," Kisshu said, bowing. "Are you alright, Haroshi-sama?"
"Yes, thank you," Haroshi-sama said. "Pai has told me the events of the last week. I trust you're feeling better?"
"Hai, thank you," Kisshu said.
Haroshi-sama nodded and said, "I don't think there's much more to talk about until the next time the Kuritara attack, so you are all free to go."
Everyone stood and bowed, and then left.
I hope you all like this. I've got another idea, which will be seen next chapter. Review!