Chapter 15: The Truth Hurts, Kish's Promise
Finally Keiichero went to the feet end and Ryou stayed at the top and they pushed it through the park; gaining very odd stares and eventually they were through the flowery arch-way and making their way down the cobbled path, Ebony swallowed hard and began to take deep breaths as she heard herself being wheeled in through the doors and everyone went quiet, it was also a quiet part in the middle of the song which didn't help at all.
"What's that thing?"
She heard her mothers voice, it wasn't far away from her at all and it sounded truly curious and slightly suspicious, but she didn't blame her, the 8 of them had all disappeared for ages and now they'd come back late, covered in bruises and slightly dirty and her own daughter was missing, to top it all off they were wheeling in a stolen hospital bed with an odd body-like shape underneath it. She felt Keiichero walk over to her mother and begin to give her an explanation in a very re-assuring way, she had no idea how Ryou had grown up with this man and turned out the way he did; the total opposite, but she couldn't dwell on that now.
"Not to worry…uh…"
"Izumi," Her mother finished with a smile.
"Ah, not to worry Izumi, Ebony has been upstairs as we are planning something very special, under this blanket here is an ice sculpture of her but first of all we need to leave it in the freezer for a while, it's slightly melted, we are all slightly dirty and bruised because we fell over a couple of times lifting this, it was not an easy job," Ebony clenched her teeth under the sheet and pulled and evil face, clenching her fists. 'We fell over a couple of times lifting this, it was not an easy job? Ugh, that's the second time they've made comments about my weight!' Ebony was about to growl and bark out her anger when Ryou squeezed her fist, it was then she realised she was meant to be 'ice' and kept still, then she felt herself being moved into the back changing room, then the sheet was taken off of her and she let Ryou help her up. She then stood with Ryou and Keiichero on either side of her, supporting her.
"Wait Ebony, you need to take your clothes off first," She heard Ichigo say and she turned to her with wide-eyes and a blush on her face, Ryou had a very bright red face as well and was now looking away from Ebony.
"I mean, you need to wash your dress if you're going to convince people nothing happened,"
"Oh, phew, you're not a pervert Ichigo!" Ebony said sounding truly relieved.
"What did you think I meant?" Ichigo said with a confused face, Ebony shook her head to signal 'never-mind' and she turned her head to Ryou to see him looking out the door feeling un-comfortable and with a very red face, Ebony smirked, this was going to be perfect pay-back about the weight remarks. She winked at the girls and Keiichero caught it and smiled, they were sure whatever she was about to do was either going to be funny or turn into a disaster and still be funny and so they just decided they would play along anyway.
"Ryou-kun," He immediately snapped his head round and still had a very red face, going redder by the minute at being called by such an intimate name.
"Y-yes, uh, yes?" His first try at the word came out stuttered and un-usually high and so he sorted his throat out and tried again, it was normal that time but still rather funny, she could see Ichigo and Pudding ready to cover their mouths in case they started to laugh, Ebony was trying her hardest not to as well and was putting on the most teasing voice she could.
"I'm not sure I can move very well with all these injuries…" She said, purposely looking at all the cuts she had gained and then looked straight into Ryou's eyes. She then got on her tip-toes and placed her mouth inches away from his ear, she said it quietly enough to make it sound real but loud enough so the others could hear.
"Could you help me undo my dress?" He yelped then and jumped back a few metres across the changing room, leaving Ebony un-supported and so Keiichero had almost hug her from behind.
"W-what d-did you j-just say D-dress, uh I mean Ebony?" He was rather fidgety and trying to avoid Ebony's eyes at all cost.
"Ryou-kun, it's embarrassing to make me repeat myself…I said…could you help me get un-dressed?" She said it so calmly and with such an innocent face she found it hilarious that his face literally was the same colour as Ichigo's hair all over and by now he looked like some mad, impatient person waiting for something, she noticed his breathing was odd and he was stuttering.
"W-What Ebony, could you say it one more time please, s-something must be up with my underwear, I uh, mean ears!" Ebony smirked and rolled her eyes 'Well I'd say we've got ourselves a bit of a closet pervert here ladies, look out, then again he can't be nearly as bad as some boys…like Kissh-,'She didn't get to finish as she felt Keiichero squeeze her shoulder 'Oh right, I'm in the middle of humiliating Blondie'
"I said would it be alright for you to get out while I undress? Are you feeling okay Blondie you look a little ill? Worse than me I'd say, right girls?" Ebony said as she turned round to a group of girls biting their lips tightly with hands clamped over for extra support, they simply nodded and she turned to Keiichero, he simply chuckled and nodded as well.
"Oh…right…yeah…sorry, come on Keiichero, the girls can support her, I need a drink anyway and uh…some fresh-air!" Then he walked to go out the door but before he could Ebony shouted him.
"Ryou-kun, don't leave me here all alone," Ryou then imagined Ebony stood there, on a beach in a bikini, and then he clamped his hands over his eyes and shook his head, he'd never done a perverted thing in his life he wasn't about to start. 'Where'd that come from? Gross, I feel like a dirty old man!'
"Sorry Ebony, what did you say?" He said looking at her again; luckily this time it was reality.
"I said, be careful out there all alone you wimp,"
"Right, of course you did,"
"Oh and make sure you get a wet flannel on your face, you're looking a little red!"
"Whatever!" She heard him shout as he disappeared around the corner, then the girls unclamped their mouths and let the laughs come flowing out, Keiichero set her over with Zakuro and Lettuce.
"Ebony you really shouldn't tease poor Ryou too much, he's never really got involved with girls like that before and actually gets really shy when it comes down to it,"
"Really? I noticed when I first started he liked to tease Ichigo a lot like I just did besides , I was just getting my own back for those comments about my weight…and others things I needed to get my own back on…" She noticed Ichigo's face was now red and she smiled at Keiichero as he went out and left the girls.
"Ebony, you're going to have to borrow someone's clothes while we wash your dress…I don't have any with me though sorry…" Lettuce said from Ebony's left, however nobody answered and so Ebony sighed.
"Wait, which room am I suppose to be going in, Ryou, will you come in here for a second please?" He then, with his eyes shut peered his head round the door.
"What is it?"
"Blondie, I'm dressed you're perfectly safe," He then opened his eyes and sighed with relief putting the rest of his body round the door, he'd appeared to calm down and now had his normal face back on.
"Which room am I staying in?"
"Uhh, Anzu's since Keiichero doesn't want anyone in his and mines a mess," Ebony was slightly happy when she heard how easily he said her name; she was sure he felt alright about it now.
"Could you carry me up there then please and is it okay if I borrow those pyjamas again? These guys don't have any clothes I can wear while they wash this dress…" He walked over with a victorious smile on his face and carefully lifted Ebony into a fire-mans lift, with her head over his shoulder, she winked at the girls as she got carried round the door and they giggled, following after. She could smell his hairs scent very strongly and although it was a nice smell it was too much for her and so she just placed her head in his chest and covered her nose with her hand.
"Geez Blondie, how long do you spend on your hair?You can smell it a mile off!"
"Shut up," He said with a smile jokingly as he made his way up the first few steps.
He arrived at the door and budged it open with his side, then he gently placed Ebony down onto the bed and walked over to the wardrobe to retrieve the freshly, cleaned and ironed things that Ebony borrowed last time, he could smell the stuff Keiichero used to wash them with but he could still smell Ebony all over it, even a little of Anzu, although he tried his best to ignore that. He then handed them to Ichigo and walked out the door.
"Let me know when your done, Keiichero and I can see how much damage she's done to herself,"
"Arigatou Ryou-kun!" All the girls chorused at the same time, he snapped his head back with a confused look on his face but shrugged it off and shut the door behind him.
"Right, Lettuce and I will try and get Ebony changed without hurting her, Ichigo and Pudding, you two go and get two hot, soapy wet cloths so we can scrub her from where she is and Mint please could you go wait here and then when we hand you the dress you can scrub it? When Lettuce and I are done we can help you with that," Zakuro said taking charge as she and Lettuce stepped forward; clothes in hand.
"On it!" Then with that Ichigo and Pudding headed for the bathroom.
"Keiichero, have you got all your medical stuff from the lab?"
"Yes, all set and ready, I just hope it's not too much damage, I'm not sure how we'll explain it to the guests that their own relative or friend is severely injured…we won't be able to tell them how either…"
"Mhm," Ryou replied, no longer listening to Keiichero as he stared up the stairs with worried eyes. Keiichero smiled slightly and the two stood listening to the music of the party as they waited for one of the girls to say they were done. Keiichero noticed Ryou's foot tapping and he smiled.
"You can go up and wait outside the door if you want,"
"What?"
"Go and wait outside the door, I need to check a few things so you go straight in and I'll come up after,"
"Okay, if you're sure," Then Ryou ran up the stairs as fast as he could and waited straight outside the door.
"That should do it, I'm sorry if we caused you any discomfort Ebony,"
"Its fine Lettuce don't worry about it, I'm just glad to be out of that puff-ball,"
"It's strange though Ebony, these pyjamas have pandas all over them…and you're staying in another girl's room at this café, nearly everything in this room is black and white and it's definitely not your room,"
"It's nothing to get stressed over Zakuro, I'm sure it will all unveil itself eventually, I'm not entirely comfortable with the whole situation myself, but I'm managing with it and you don't know what's happening right now but you're on the right track so whatever you're thinking is probably right,"
"Theres another Mew Panda, one that was created before you and this girl was very close with Ryou or Keiichero; she's dead, very ill, or visiting very soon. I'm guessing the girl was very close with Ryou since you're not entirely comfortable about her arriving and this is her room, that Ryou still hasn't cleared of it's things and even now I can tell you don't like being in here," Ebony was staring at Zakuro with wide-eyes as she made herself comfortable on a seat next to the bed, she was spot on the mark, not missing a single detail.
"You're a very smart girl Zakuro, haha," Ebony smiled and laughed slightly although it caused her discomfort and so she stopped, she also stopped because a knock came on the door.
"Yes, I'm decent, you can come in," She was surprised to see a very dis-hearted Ryou walk in and go straight to the window ledge to sit on it.
"Hello to you to, Nerd," He didn't turn his head around just stared out the window all of a sudden Zakuro stood up with a hand over her mouth.
"Shirogane…you've been standing outside that door for the whole time haven't you?"
He only nodded and Zakuro apologised, dragging Lettuce outside the room. Since Ebony was lying on her back staring at the ceiling she could see Ryou staring at her form the corner of her eye, so she turned her head to face the wall and closed her eyes. The door then opened quickly and Mint ran in, took Ebony's dress and then she heard three pairs of footsteps run to the laundry room.
"So…-" Ryou was about to continue when she heard the door open and Ichigo and Pudding walked in making a big deal about how heavy there bowl of water was and that Pudding forgot the towels and so she ran out again leaving only the three in the room. 'Phew, saved by the best friends' Ebony really wasn't in the mood to have a 'quiet chat' with Ryou just now and so she gladly opened her eyes and turned to face Ichigo who now had a bowl of warm water sat on a small table by the bed and she was just squeezing the water from one cloth. Ebony looked over to the window ledge; not realising Ryou was looking straight at her, they stared at each other for a few seconds until he turned to look out the window. She wondered why but felt Ichigo lifting up her top to clean her wounds. She smiled at him and she was happy when she saw him smile out the window because she knew that meant he could see her. 'Wait…he can see me? That pervert-,' she had to stop herself when he covered his eyes with his hands though and she smiled again, arguing with herself for thinking that.
"Ebony, make sure you keep your top folded just below your…uh…'chest area' so that your ribs can get some air and don't get all gross and sticky again,"
"Thank you Ichigo,"
"Pudding has the towels, Na no da!" Ebony then felt a pile of towels being thrown onto her and she yelped slightly as one landed directly where Ichigo had just washed, it stung horribly as it whipped her as it was thrown.
"Ouch!" She noticed Ryou jump off the ledge and push Ichigo and Pudding away slightly as he picked up all the towels. She noticed he blushed when he had to remove the towel from her now naked rib area and she smiled, maybe he really was shy like Keiichero said.
"Its fine Ryou, leave them, thanks for the towels Pudding, I'm very dry now,"
"Thank you for not being mad, Na no da!" She said with a big grin and walked out with Ichigo following.
"We'll get Keiichero and you two can start examining her, oh by the way, your dress is scrubbing up nicely…nicer than I thought it would actually…I thought Mint might do something evil to sabotage it or something…but that's probably just becau-,"
"Goodbye Ichigo, Pudding!" Ryou shouted over the two as he pushed them out the room. Then he walked over to Ebony and spoke again.
'Yeah, Keiichero's on his way now, Ryou's totally forgotten about talking to!'
"Finally, now we can talk,"
'Crud.'Her face dropped and she balled her fists, she really, really didn't need to have this kind of talk with him now but she couldn't find it in her heart to yell at him and say no and that she wanted him to just examine her and shut up about it. But if she wanted her way, she would have too, she'd never been selfish but something was bubbling up inside her.
"Ryou…I've already told you, it's not bothering me so much that it's hurting me, this Anzu is nothing to me, she's your old girlfriend, don't expect me to be best friends with her, I was nearly killed today, I don't particularly feel like talking about her, I know I'm sounding horrible, mean, harsh and selfish but I'm tired, I feel like I've been rammed into a brick wall; literally. She's visiting today with your old friend Akito, I'm going to be there for you, she's going to say hey, eat some cake, do whatever she usually does and leave, I know you probably feel horrible, weird and like you've got these butterflies in your stomach that won't settle, but do you know what I think this means? I think it means th-," Keiichero just walked in with a cheery smile on his face and medical supplies in his hand as Ebony could only stare at Ryou, this was the truth she'd been keeping in, she was happy it was gone, but upset about the consequences, she could see tears threatening to run down Ryou's face, she was glad Keiichero stopped her, or they'd both have been having a tear fest right now. Ebony had never been a girl to like going around hurting peoples feelings, but she felt sometimes to clear things, she had too sometimes, that was what her parents had taught her. Painfully; she pulled the bed covers off of her and stood up, grimacing and making and inward hiss noise as she did so. She walked over to Ryou, who was shaking slightly, but still managing to stand. He was still staring where Ebony had just been lying; she lifted her arms as gently as she could without hurting her ribs and wrapped them around Ryou. After a few seconds of shock he followed and Ebony whispered into his chest.
"I'm sorry Ryou, but the truth hurts, I wish it didn't but it does…those butterflies are annoying little idiots aren't they?" She smiled as she put her hand on his stomach. She then let go off Ryou and as lightly as she could, lay herself back onto the bed, this time on top of the covers. She pulled her shirt just underneath her chest so her ribs were showing and Keiichero walked over to Ebony.
"I can see from here that your ribs look very bruised Ebony, I'm unsure of whether they are just bruised, sprained or broken, but judging by the way you're able to walk on your own I think that would be very unlikely," Keiichero's face was plastered with concentration as he poked and examined Ebony's ribs feeling for any cracks or damage. Ebony could see Ryou simply looking out the window and it didn't look like he was coming over to help Keiichero very soon, although Ebony thought this was strange, he was the child genius, he was the prodigy, he was the one most likely to know more about medical issues than Keiichero and yet he was in a little stressbecause Ebony had told him the truth. She'd never considered it before, but maybe you can't change someone with just love alone, he would always be selfish and not able to face up to the truth, she wasn't sure whether he was born like that or if the incident with his parents had caused it. She hadn't realised but while she'd been thinking she'd turned her head fully and was studying Ryou, so when she was facing Keiichero again, he was smiling straight at her.
"Don't worry about him; I'm sure he just has a lot of things on his mind today, because of the various events happening,"
"Yeah…" She then turned her head and looked at the wall, all the while she was listening to Keiichero's diagnoses and was happy when he said they were just bruised and needed only bandaging.
'Save her, don't save her, save her, don't save her…this is stupid, what if she's already in one of those human hospitals? I'd never make it in there without being seen…but with her being a mew and all she's probably just at the café being looked after by the girls, the smiling guy and…Pretty-boy…' Kish picked up yet another rock from the ground and threw it as hard as he could off the cliff and into the sea below him. He then rubbed his eyes and looked at the sunset in front of him, then he smiled, which would be weird considering the events, but there was one good thing out of all of this and he could use it to at least think Ebony was his and not some stupid Pretty-boy's.Kisshu was known on his home-planet to be very observant, it was one of the reasons he was chosen for the Earth mission. He never thought it useful but this time it was, before he'd teleported, he noticed Ebony transform into her human-self, the light had reflected off of some jewellery around her neck, upon further inspection…it was the necklace he'd gotten for her, right there, dangling off her neck and being proudly displayed by the dress Kisshu thought she looked beautiful in, although the words he would've used would've been along the lines of hot. One of his other qualities, which is not necessarily a good thing and was not a reason he was chosen for the mission was the fact at times, he could be a pervert, even in the most desperate of situations, Ebony just happened to be wearing a; in Kish's eyes, a low cut dress, whilst his eyes were drawn to that, which thinking back on Kisshu wished he hadn't wasted his time doing, he realised he did see a pink piece of paper, slipped down the front of her dress, it was hidden but he saw it; he was going to use his good eye-sight as an excuse for this. People might wonder why a small piece of pink paper that she'd kept would make him so happy, but the note he'd inserted into the present he gave her was written on pink paper, it was around the same size too, he'd tried to sound as sincere and heart-felt as he could. He hadn't totally lose Ebony yet, this he was 100% sure of, standing up, a smile still plastered on his face, he teleported away. He had a feeling this smile wouldn't fade whilst the picture of her wearing his gift was plastered into his mind, at least by doing this he was keeping a promise to Ebony at the same time. 'Guess I'll only see you in battle now; I don't smile, or even smirk that much anymore, if I see you wearing this though I'm sure nothing will be able to stop me. Xxx'
CHAPTER END