Chiyo: Hey, Rachel Koh, I want to say thanks for that! Sadly though, I can't respond to you, but I will totally keep writing! I love writing, so knowing that others also love what I write makes me happy as well, so again, thank you! :) Whooop that last chapter wasn't the *longest* but was very important XD It was close enough to be the longest though XD Well, Sorry for the late update... I haven't really been in the mood for writing since a really personal thing came up, and I'm just getting back into swing into things after almost losing someone really close to me, which is where the idea for this chapter and the next chapter come into play... So yeah, the end and the next chapter might pretty sad, but I hope you still enjoy it! Also, we will see a big return of the Cyniclons and yes they all fight again because why have them come back if they don't attack? Well, I'll explain how this chapter came to be at the end of the chapter.
Chapter 30
Disappearence
"I promise, Ryou..." Ichigo replied, looking into Ryou's aquamarine eyes. They leaned in closer, their eyes closing slowly. Their lips pushed against each others as they embraced the other. They kissed passionately for a while, until they heard someone running upstairs. She pulled away and took a step back. "I should change..." She said, her cheeks red. Ryou averted his eyes and put his hands behind his head. The two walked off, Ichigo to go change, and Ryou to his room...
Ichigo passed the others as they exited the changing room. "...but I really wanna go..." Mitsukie said, looking over at Izumi, talking as they passed Ichigo.
Ichigo quickly changed and ran back upstairs. The girls cleaned and opened up the cafe. Customers flooded the building, making the girls have to work harder. Pudding ran around on her huge beach ball with plates on sticks, which on more plates, which was also on sticks, which Pudding was holding. Izumi and Mitsukie worked together, waiting on customers, while Mint sat around doing nothing as always, Zakuro scaring even more customers, and Ichigo working just as hard as Mitsukie and Izumi. Lettuce was working the cash register.
Just as fast as customers piled in, they left around 5:00 P.M. Mitsukie and Ichigo hung out after closing and cleaned up the huge mess of plates that Pudding smashed while the girls went home. "Mitsukie, you're still here too?" Ryou asked, kind of shocked.
"Yeah!" Mitsukie giggled, spinning her broom around. "I can't just leave all the cleaning to Ichigo!"
Ichigo smiled as she dried the table she was just cleaning. Ryou passed them and entered the kitchen to talk to Keiichiro. The girls cleaned up in silence, not paying any attention to the boys. They set the chairs on the tables and walked to the changing room. Mitsukie changed quickly into her normal outfit and waved to Ichigo, leaving the changing room. Ichigo changed into her school uniform and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like she was awake for three whole days... Straight... She sighed and patted down her hair and started up the stairs. What Mint had said didn't help Ichigo any either. Her words kept shooting back and forth in her mind. "Geez, if you want something done right, do it yourself. Obviously no one even likes you, so you need to back away from me, and start doing your job." But the worst part about it, was that Mint wasn't doing anything and none of the girls heard that, so they didn't say anything.
Ichigo left the changing room and ran into someone. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry-" Ichigo started.
"Sh, it's fine." He replied, his voice hushed and soft.
The voice wasn't anything like how he normally is, but was the same as well. Ichigo shot her head up and looked Ryou in his aquamarine blue eyes. "Ryou..?" Her voice was quiet, almost like she was scared.
Ryou didn't respond, he just held his hand out. She gently placed her hand in his and they walked upstairs to Ryou's room in complete silence. He closed the door behind them and sat on the bed. "You seem out of it. What's wrong?"
"Mint!" Ichigo snapped, sounding mad at Ryou. "She thinks because she has money that she can just make others work for her! I'm tired of how she's acting with everyone!"
Ichigo's voice came out to be harsher and more rude then she had intended. 'I knew they didn't like each other... But I will side with Ichigo, Mint does need to start doing some work...' Ryou thought to himself, looking at Ichigo. "I'll talk to her, just calm down."
"You seem... Oddly nice today..." Ichigo said, sitting down beside Ryou.
Their eyes met and it seemed like time had frozen. The couple froze as well, gazing into each others beautiful eyes. Ichigo placed her hand on Ryou's knee and the other on his cheek. Ryou placed one hand on the back of Ichigo's head and placed the other one in the middle of her back. They leaned in, their eyes closed. Once their lips met, they started to move in the same rhythm. The two pushed their bodies together. Neither had realized that their days were just not going well, so that moment had really made them both feel better. Ryou pushed Ichigo onto the bed and straddled her. They didn't say anything as they continued to gaze into each others eyes.
"W-we... Shouldn't..." Ichigo whispered, sounding like she was about to cry. "I-I'm still in school..."
Ryou didn't seem to be hurt by it like Ichigo thought he would be. "That's fine, I understand." He said. Only now did it dawn on her that his voice seemed... Different.
"Are you okay, Ryou?" Ichigo asked.
"Yeah." Ryou responded, hopping off of Ichigo.
Ichigo smiled, making Ryou smile slightly. She decided that she should head home and left Ryou's room. 'For someone who claims to hate me for years, you shocked me when you noticed something was wrong... I'm fine, Strawberry...' Ryou thought, lying in bed.
Ichigo ran home and quickly ran to her room, shoving herself under the blankets. 'Argh! What is wrong with you, Ichigo?! You could have had the once in a life time chance with him! But... We are dating so hopefully that chance comes around again, because I feel bad for turning him down like that...' Ichigo thought, cuddling her body pillow. Not long after that, she was out cold and morning snuck up on her. Her alarm clock made her fall out of bed. She quickly got dressed and rushed to school.
She got to school on time and collapsed in her chair. "Hey! Quiet down!" The teacher yelled.
"Oh, what's up with Mrs. Kamura? She seems way more strict..." Miwa said, whispering to her friend.
"Totally, like way more strict!" Moe agreed.
"We have a new student today, so please be kind to her!" The teacher, Mrs. Kamura, held her hand out to the girl standing in the front of the class.
Ichigo felt like she knew her from somewhere, but she couldn't remember where. "My name is Lilliana Ukura, it's nice to meet you." She said. Her eyes were a dark blue, seeming black from a ways away, and her hair was waist length and orange. She had bobby pins pinning her bangs to the right side of her face and on the bobby pins were small ghosts. "I hope we all get along." Her voice, although slightly lower pitched then Ichigo remembers, had rung a bell, but she still couldn't remember where she saw this Lilliana girl.
"Please, have a seat anywhere, Lilliana." Mrs. Kamura said, smiling.
Lilliana nodded and scanned the room. Her eyes met the shy guy's eyes and decided to sit next to him. The entire day, Ichigo was unable to focus, knowing she had seeing that figure before, along with those eyes, that hair, and those bobby pins. But something was missing... Last period of school had proven the fact Ichigo knew Lilliana. They were playing volleyball.
Lilliana had the first serve. She tossed the ball high into the air and ran forward. She jumped in the air and her hand contacted the ball with extreme power. She landed just outside of the court and ran to the middle spot. Just the simple act of jump serving a volleyball had rung a bell to Ichigo. 'Who?! Who is she?! I know I know her, but from where? And how?!' Ichigo thought to herself, watching the teams play. She kept her eyes on Lilliana mainly though.
Time passed quite quickly. Ichigo changed into her outdoor shoes and started to leave. "Please, wait!" Lilliana called out to Ichigo, stopping her from leaving the school. "I'm new to this town, so I was hoping to have someone show me around..." She said, her voice quiet.
"Um, I have to go to work..." Ichigo said, glaring down the road. "Ugh, I really don't wanna go, so you know what, sure! Miwa and Moe are gonna come too, is that okay?"
"Sure, I don't mind." Lilliana's smile seemed so familiar.
"Hey, Ichigo!" Miwa yelled, running over.
"You have time right?" Moe asked, grabbing Ichigo's left hand with her hands.
"You should come with us!" Miwa laughed, grabbing her other hand with hers.
"Totally!" Moe nodded.
"Or, we can take Lilliana on a tour of the city." Ichigo said, smiling happily.
The girls started walking around town while Mint sipped her tea in anger. "Where the hell is she?!" Mint's voice was full of annoyance and anger as she slammed her fist down onto the table that was shapped like a boat's steering wheel. "She's way past late!"
Izumi and Mitsukie were cleaning the kitchen to stay out of Lettuce's, Pudding, and Zakuro's way. "She's probably skipping today!" Pudding yelled.
"Is she okay?" Lettuce asked, talking to herself.
"Well if she's okay or not-" Mint started.
"You're taking her shift today, Mint." Ryou said, his voice cold as ice as his eyes shot daggers at her.
"No!" Mint yelled, standing up as she slammed her hands on the table again. Her tea spilled slightly. "I'm not working when I have ballet practice!"
"I don't care, even Zakuro is complaining about you not working." Ryou snapped.
Although very angry, Mint had to go along with it because Zakuro had seemed annoyed with Mint not working. Ryou kept an eye out for Ichigo to yell at her, but she never arrived. The girls were cleaning when Ryou got a call from Sakura. "Is Ichigo with you?" Sakura asked, her voice shaky.
"No, has she not gone home?" Ryou asked, getting all of the girls but Mint's attention.
"No! Shirogane, I'm so worried about her! Please, you have to find her and bring her home!" Sakura's voice sounded like she was close to tears.
"DON'T YOU LAY A FINGER ON MY DAUGHTER!" Shintaro screamed.
Ryou hung up and shoved his phone in his pocket. "Where could she be?" Lettuce asked.
Izumi, who was cleaning a table, jumped to the sound of her phone ring. She checked her message and froze. "Izumi? Izumi?!" Mitsukie started waving her hand in front of Izumi's face.
"What's going on with everyone?" Zakuro asked, looking around to see Pudding way too happy, Mint very angry, and Izumi frozen in shock.
"You guys go look for Ichigo, I'll get Izumi back to full condition!" Mitsukie said, shaking Izumi slightly.
Mint was dagged out by Zakuro to go search for Ichigo. They spent hours looking for her all over town. "Ichigo!" Lettuce yelled, looking around for her.
Pudding stopped dead, looking down at the sidewalk. Lettuce ran into her and they started to fall. Ryou and Keiichiro grabbed them and looked down to see what Pudding was looking at. 'We have more then one trade for you. If you want Ichigo back, you know what I want.'
Izumi and Mitsukie had followed them. "What do they mean, more then one trade?" Pudding asked, picking up the note.
"It had blood all over the note too..." Lettuce said.
Ryou and Keiichiro looked at each other, worried for Ichigo. "What do you think they want?" Keiichiro asked.
"Most likely Earth..." Ryou replied.
Izumi, still in a daze, stepped forward. "Who... Who sent it...?" She asked. The girls fell quiet while Ryou and Keiichiro looked for a name.
"Izumi, please, tell me what's wrong!" Mitsukie said, holding her friend by the waist.
Izumi sighed and hugged Mitsukie. "It's fine." She said simply. She snatched the note from the boys and stuffed it in her pocket. "I can... Find her... I... I need to..." She whispered. "Guys, go home, I'll call you when I find her." With that, Izumi was gone. She took off running and no one was able to stop her.
Ryou ignored Izumi's request and started searching again. Lettuce and Pudding went off together and left Keiichiro and Mitsukie to chase after Ryou.
Meanwhile, with Lilliana... Lilliana was walking around town, looking for someone. "Ah, my voice hurts..." She sighed.
"Ichigo couldn't have gone far!" A voice yelled.
"Oh my, these young maidens looking for their dear old friend?" Lilliana chuckled quietly. "Well, I guess I should play my part."
"You shouldn't be doing this." Sora said, his voice coming from the shadows.
No one could see him though, so it was hard for this Lilliana girl to figure out who this was. "Please, Sora, I kidnapped Ichigo for a reason. That young girl and that young boy we have captive will do nice for trump cards." She said, folding her arms.
"Ichigo!" A younger voice shouted.
Lilliana's voice echoed through town as she stood in front of the alleyway she was just in. "Ahh!" She stumbled backwards and fell onto her butt.
Lettuce and Pudding ran to her side. "Are you okay?" Lettuce asked, helping her up.
"I-I-Ichigo..." Lilliana whispered.
The girls peaked inside the alleyway, but there was no one there. "Where?" Pudding asked.
"Where you'll be soon enough." Lilliana's voice got higher, ringing a bell to the girls.
Lilliana struck their pressure point to put them to sleep. "Noir! There was no need for that!" Sora yelled, staying in the shadows.
"I do things for a reason." This 'Lilliana' girl said. She placed her hands on Pudding's and Lettuce's shoulder. "I cannot leave, you know that, please, take them captive, Sora, Runa." She said simply as she walked off. Sora sighed, putting his hands on their shoulder. He was pale and bulky. He seemed to be strong, but that was all that was known of him for now.
It was midnight, and still nothing out of anyone. "Where's Lettuce and Pudding?" Mitsukie asked. "We should have run into them by now..."
"I'm sure they're fine." Keiichiro smiled, holding Mitsukie close to him to keep her warm.
"We've run into Ryou a few times already though..." Mitsukie's voice was quiet and shaky.
Keiichiro stopped, causing Mitsukie to stop and look up at him. "Mitsukie," He said, putting his hand on her cheek, looking into her emerald green eyes. "we'll get Ichigo back, and if anything happened to Lettuce and Pudding, we'll save them."
"K-Keiichiro..." Mitsukie whispered, looking up into his brown eyes. "Yeah, you're right." She smiled and gave him a quick kiss.
Izumi stood in the middle of the park, waiting. "Here for a little fun?" Killi teased.
Zephyr snuck up from behind. "Wait!" Pashibaru whacked Zephyr in the head with his shield. "Why are you here alone?" He asked, staring at Izumi.
"Where is the person who requested a trade?" She asked, folding her arms.
"What trade?" Pashibaru asked.
"Yeah, what do have? I'll beat it out of you!" Zephyr snapped.
"What if this is Ransurot's doing?" Killi asked, looking at Izumi.
"Why hello, madam." Her voice shot shivers down Izumi's spine.
Killi instantly fell to her knee and started to kneel before Noir. "Your majesty."
Rin sighed and folded his arms. "What is this trade?" He asked.
Noir walked over to Izumi. "Who?" Noir asked, looking into Izumi's eyes.
Izumi was terrified. She had to choose between her friends. Who can do that and not care? Her answer was going to change Mitsukie's and Keiichiro's look of her, who were hiding behind a tree. Izumi had to choose. "Klaus." She said simply. Mitsukie froze, her grip on Keiichiro's hand weakening. They had lost Ichigo, and now in return for a simple, non-superhuman.. Human... they were going to lose Izumi too?! Keiichiro covered his mouth with his free hand, trying to hide his gasp and hide their pressence.
"Of course." Noir said, changing her gaze to Killi. "Would you mind going to get him?"
Killi nodded and teleported off instantly. "Psh, talk about lap dog..." Zephyr sighed. "Can I kill that kid now?!"
"Zephyr! Seiko is protecting her new found friends, you're going to kill yourself by laying a finger on one of them!" Pashibaru said, quite angry.
"Seiko cannot be as strong as all of us combined." Rin said, folding his arms.
Izumi and Noir just glared at each other. Killi returned with Klaus in her arms. Izumi couldn't bring herself to look at him, instead she just dropped her power pendant and allowed Killi to teleport off with her. Klaus was out cold, lying on the ground. Noir turned towards the tree Keiichiro and Mitsukie were behind. "Do what you want to get your friends back," she started walking towards them, her voice making uncontrolable emotions fill Mitsukie, "then there's only one possible exchange. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, sir. You are very smart. Or maybe, did your friends parents death have something to do with that?" Mitsukie and Keiichiro just stood there, complete shock at first, but now saddness and lonliness filled them. "Hmm... Well, ma'am, I want Earth, you want your friends. Make an exchange with me, and your friends will be returned."
With those last words, Noir walked off. Zephyr was angry that he couldn't kill anyone. He was really itching to kill one of the mews. Rin and Ransurot teleported off, followed by Pashibaru. "Psh, stupid lap dogs." Zephyr mumbled before teleporting away.
"Misstress... What do you have up your sleeve? Your body guards should be handling this... Please, misstress, do not harm yourself." Killi, after placing Izumi in her new cage and teleported back, was watching from above.
Chiyo: Okay! So, first of all... HAPPY HALLOWEEN! :D I'm uploading this on Halloween XD But... I am so sorry for a very long break in uploading... Just... Something came up and changed me completely, so I've been kind of a daze, but I still pulled through to upload this for you guys! I really hope you guys enjoy this. The idea of this chapter came from my own feelings, not experience, just how I felt the day I started typing this. Also, I might make a sequal to this, not too sure. Maybe if enough people like this, then there might be a huge chance that I'll make a sequal... But, I hope your Halloween was great/is going to be great and you had/will have a lot of fun!