Inside the storm

Montana, in the mountains

The snow storm was raging all over the mountains. Zoey was becoming more and more nervous inside the cabin. That stupid lift was halting now for 40 minutes, and wasn't likely to continue moving soon. It was almost 5 pm, the Sun had set minutes ago. It was getting darker and a strong wind was pushing the cabin back and forth.

Looking out the windows in despair, she learned that she was swinging 50 meters above rocks and a steep mountain wall. If this cabin had fallen down, it would first have been smashed on the rock then shattered rolling down the hill. „There's no way I would survive that" she deduced.

She tried to call for help of course, but there was no signal, so she just threw the phone away angrily. She couldn't understand why a rescue team was not coming for her. What she couldn't know is that a rescue team did try to reach for her. However, due to the strong snow storm the snowmobiles were trapped miles away in the snow, and the helicopters couldn't fly in such a wind. They then decided to wait until the storm calms down.

But the storm wasn't about to calm down, instead it got worse. By 5:30 pm the wind was carrying so much snow and ice, that she could see nothing but a swirling white mess around the cabin. Also it got dark so it was rather a grey mess. The cabin now was swinging into every possible direction, and she became more worried about the possibility of it coming off the cable. Bigger pieces of icy were knocking on the cabin windows and they were quite likely to break in.

- I can't believe it! – she screamed in fear. – I'm going to die in a stupid ski cabin!

It was also very cold inside the cabin. She could see her own breath crystallizing while breathing out. She pulled the pink ski jacket tighter around her. Breathed on her gloves and tried to warm up her frozen fingers. Her hands and feet were so cold it already caused her pain.

She could have naturally, use her Mew Mew power to break out, but it wouldn't be a good idea. First, the strawberry bell wouldn't only break out the windows, it would promote the plump of the cabin. Even if she managed to jump out of the cabin before it crashes into the ground, would she survive the rocks and the steep hillside? And assuming that she would, there is still a frosty storm raging outside. She couldn't ski or run back to the cottage. It was like 12 kilometers away and also the wind would have held her up until she had frozen to death. There seemed to be no way out.

- I must stay inside this cabin until the storm passes – she said to herself in distress.

However, another 30 minutes later the wind and the ice it was carrying were pushing and hitting the cabin so much, it was likely to fall down in minutes.

- I have no choice! I have to transform, broke the windows and jump out as fast as I can. I deal with the cold and the height later! – she decided. – Mew Mew pendant, metamorphosis… ! – She just realized that she didn't even have her pendant with her. – No way! – she screamed. – What am I going to do now?!

She was about to lose her sanity. The rumble of the storm, the grayish darkness, the cold and the fear of dying drove her crazy. Also, she was all alone in this trouble. She tried to break out one of the windows with her fists and feet. She kept on hitting and kicking the plastic glass hard, but it only ruptured.

Her cat ears and tail popped out of anger, but without the pendant she was only three times stronger than a man and these windows seemed to be designed to endure great force. She screamed and shouted for help as well, but no one answered. After two minutes, her hands and feet were hurting so much she had to stop. She sat back on the seats of the cabin as it continued to strongly swing from side to side.

Tears flooded her brown eyes and rolled down her face. She put her wounded hands over her cat ears, crouched on the seats and started to cry. "This is the end" she thought. Her hands were hurting intensively, she couldn't even feel her feet because of the cold, and the whole cabin was about to fall down. "So much for getting married and having kids" – she sighed quietly.

…

Montana, Winter Resort, 40 minutes earlier

It was already dark in Montana, so Kisshu teleported himself right above the cottage which he thought Zoey was staying in. He wasn't planning to hover above it for any longer, as there was a vast storm raging all around the land and mountains. It made really hard for him to stay in position, so he descended to the ground. From the first time since they arrived to Earth, he started to feel cold. He didn't let that feeling hinder him, though.

He carefully beetled to one of the windows and looked inside, but he didn't see Zoey at all. Soon he checked every window, but no signs of Zoey as well. "Where could she be?" he asked himself. "In such a wild storm she shouldn't be anywhere else but inside a shelter!" Even if there was a chance that the Mews were about to oppose the Cyiclons, he wouldn't wish for her to get hurt. So he kept on trying for figure out where she was.

Having better hearing than humans, he could hear everything that happened inside the house. Listening to Zoey's friends for a few minutes soon paid off. By then, he'd already learnt all the names of her friends.

…

Inside the cottage

- Hey! Have you heard anything of Zoey? – Haley asked the others. – She hasn't contacted us since we parted on that mountain top this afternoon. I tried to call her, but she can't be reached by phone.

- You don't think she's got hurt and is still out there, do you? – Chris got worried.

- She didn't get hurt on that slope – Andy said, showing them the screen of his cell phone. – She wrote, 20 minutes after we parted, that she'd nailed it and was about to go on another ride!

- But alone again? – Haley asked.

- And when did you get this text? – Sarah asked Andy.

- A bit before 4 pm – he answered shrugging his shoulders.

- Wasn't it the time, when the loud speakers warned everyone, not to get on any ski lift anymore? – Sarah asked the others.

- It was – Chris replied. - …But, do you think she got on a lift despite it?

- Well…, Zoey has always been someone who liked breaking the rules – Andy said.

- Or rather she was mostly too busy or distracted to care about the rules – Sarah claimed.

- But she couldn't be so stupid to risk getting stuck in a cabin during the storm! – Chris assumed.

- I don't know guys – Haley said, - but she seemed so distracted all day, she wasn't present at all. What if she didn't notice the warning?

- It would be so typically her – Andy said. – So what now? If she can't be reached by phone, that's one more proof that she's in the mountains. That's where the signals are usually too weak to make a call…

- In this storm, stuck in a ski lift… She must be scared to death – Sarah sighed.

- We must call a rescue team! – Chris suggested.

...

That was quite enough for Kisshu. "If she was indeed so stupid to get stuck inside a cabin of a ski lift, the rescue team won't make it there in time. The wind is too strong and the cold is growing" he thought.

- It'll be better if I go and search for her! – So he soared from the ground and teleported away.

Montana, in the mountains

It took him a while to check every slope and ski lift, but he was finally about to find her. At least he was checking out the last section of the last ski lift cable. If he wouldn't find her there, then she must be elsewhere. But she was there.

Hovering above the cables of the lift, Kisshu finally sensed the aura of her. After a few more meters, he also saw her in a cabin 30 meters from him. He had great vision, so even in such a dense storm he could recognize her face. "But…, what is she doing?!"

He realized that Zoey was desperately trying to break out the windows of the cabin. "Has she gone insane?!" he thought. "That cabin was already swinging heavily. She will make it fall down! But even if she managed to get out before it crashes… She wouldn't survive such a fall, not even in her Mew Mew form. She would be shattered on the rock of the mountainside."

Kisshu saw that Zoey finished the uphill struggle and stepped back from the window. He was sure she's feeling very uncomfortable right now. She's probably afraid that she'll die, and with good reason. Being previous enemies or not, he couldn't just hovered there and do nothing anymore. He made up his mind and teleported into the cabin she was trapped inside.

After all, Zoey saved all of them in the Battle six years ago. This way they're gonna be even.

…

Zoey was about to sink deep down in the ocean of despair when she sensed the strange but familiar aura from yesterday. It was more intense than ever, but she refused to stop crying and did not look up at first. She thought she was hallucinating as a result of stress.

When Kisshu appeared inside, he saw that Zoey was crying hard crouched on the seats. Because of her tears, she didn't even notice that it was actually him until he spoke to her.

- What's the matter, kitty cat? – he asked with his usual, cunning smile on his face. Deep inside, he felt kinda sorry for the girl, though. – Have some ugly people locked you up in this cabin?

Zoey slowly raised her look upon him. Her eyes were full of tears and she couldn't even believe what she saw.

- Kisshu…?! – she sniffed when trying to talk. – I must be hallucinating… - she guessed as she still found it hard to comprehend. Despite everything that she felt recently… "How is it possible?!"

- Going for a ride despite all the warning was very irresponsible of you, don't you think? – Kisshu asked on a critical but yet playful tone. Even though he was concerned about her, he just couldn't stop teasing her again. Like some things just never change.

- So it's… you… - she said trying to stop the tears. – Is this really you? Kisshu?

"What is wrong with this girl?" he thought. It's obvious that it's him!

- Did you even listen to what I just said?! – he asked a bit more intensely. – It was truly foolish of you to get in this cabin!

- Why? – Zoey asked. She painfully sighed and her eyes were full of incomprehension. – Why are you here?

Kisshu really started to pity her, but he would have liked to lecture her first.

- Why have you got in this stupid cabin?! – he asked angrily. – Did you want to die?!

That was the point where Zoey's melancholy and the haziness of her mind have finally disappeared. She was now completely aware of the situation, only haven't quite understand how it is possible that he's here.

- Just who do you think you are?! – She stood up angrily, wiping down the rest of the tears from her face. She gazed into his eyes with fire. – Do you think you're just simply allowed to teleport into every single cabin you chose and insult people inside it?!

Kisshu, seeing her spirit returned, grinned at her tellingly.

- I haven't came to insult you, little kitty – he claimed, looking cunningly at her black cat ears during the word kitty.

- So why have you came then? – Zoey asked defiantly. Despite that deep inside she did not consider him her enemy and in her heart his presence made her feel so much better, she couldn't help some old instincts breaking out. – To kill me?

- If it wasn't clear enough for you after all I have said… - Kisshu said. – If I wanted you to die, I should've only stayed out of this and done nothing!

- So you came to…?

- I can leave, if you wish – he offered stretching out his arms. In that moment the cabin shook and then started to swing down from the cable. – So, what shall it be, kitty?

- Don't go! – Zoey screamed while she tried to balance herself in the shaking cabin. She didn't get it how Kisshu was able to stand so firm.

- Should I stay instead? – Kisshu asked, moving closer to her. A few moments later, his face was only 10 centimeters from hers. – I always knew that you liked me, kitty.

He didn't even know why he's still flirting with her. He guessed it was an old habit taking over. He, just for no reason, enjoyed playing with her again. However, Zoey managed to surprise him with her next answer. He was counting on some witty quip, but that wasn't what he got.

- Actually… - she started uncertainly, - I think I did…

She looked up at Kisshu's eyes only to realize that he was just as much surprised about what she'd just said as herself.

- Did you really? – he asked. That was unexpected. He wasn't even sure how to react, so he stepped a few steps back. – Or you're just playing with me?

The cabin trembled and they heard the cables giving in. Zoey truly wanted to change the subject.

- Are you gonna help me or not?! – she asked nervously. – Or you enjoy this stupid talk even more than some actual action?

- To be honest… - Kisshu smiled at her, not caring about the worsening circumstances too much. – I always liked our short but passionate disputes.

- For how long are you going to watch me suffer?! – she screamed when the cabin gave a cracking sound.

- It seem like.. – he said taking a few steps towards her again, - some people just cannot change. – He stepped beside her that gave her chills. – What do you think? – he whispered into her large, black ears.

Zoey didn't really got the chance to answer that question, as that was the moment when the cable finally gave in. After a loud, cracking noise and a second of weightlessness, the cabin started to fall. By that time, they hadn't been there. Just before the cable broke away, Kisshu had embraced her, lifted her up in bridal style and teleported them out of the cabin.

They were hovering above the ski lift. They watched as the cabin falls down and smashes into pieces on the rock below them. That's when Zoey finally realized what happened. Her face became red when she became more aware of the situation. She was hovering 40 meters above the ground… and she was in Kisshu's arms. She looked upon his face in surprise.

- Have you been surprised, kitty? – he asked with a smile on his face. He didn't even give her a chance to answer, as it was obvious. Although Zoey almost actually asked him to help her, she was yet surprised by the fact that he indeed did it.

He teleported them to the ground in the nearby, where the surface was more flat, and put her down to stand on her own feet.

- So…, you're gonna be fine from now on, right? – he asked cunningly, and pretended an intention to leave.

Zoey didn't want to believe her own ears.

- Do you really want to leave me here?!

- Is there a problem with it? – Kisshu grinned.

- There's a major storm raging around us, so yes! There is a major problem with it!

- But not my problem… - he claimed.

- With this effort, you could have left me inside the cabin just as well! – Zoey growled. - Cause if you leave me here, I'll probably freeze to death 'till tomorrow.

- Will you?

- I should have known that you only wanted me to suff…

- Easy, kitty! I was only kidding with you. Don't worry! – ha said warmly. After that he took hold of her once again, and teleported themselves back to the porch of the cottage.

…

Montana, Winter Resort

He placed her on the decking of the porch and held her until she found her balance after the teleportation. That was when he realized that her hands were bleeding, as her pink gloves turned all red. So when he let her body go, he grabbed her wrists instead.

- What is it? – Zoey wondered.

Kisshu took off her gloves and checked out her wounds and bruises. They weren't too serious, but…

- Oh, my! – he sighed when he felt how cold her hands were. – Your hands are freezing!

- Like I wouldn't know… - Zoey shook her head.

- Make sure you treat these wound properly – Kisshu told her firmly, still holding her hands. The concern within his eyes surprised Zoey again.

- Well… so… I will! – she promised at last.

- And then just lie down close to the fireplace like cats do! – Kisshu suggested with a playful grin. – You need to warm up!

- I will – she promised with a smile. – But talking about warming up… How come you don't freeze to death in these thin clothes? – She asked staring at his usual black and brown clothing.

- If you spent decades on a planet with the average temperature of minus 40 degree* like I did, you would learn to endure cold – he answered putting his hand on his hips.

First she felt really bad about his past, but then something else hit her.

– I should be thanking you!

- Yeah, you really should – he smiled. – After all, I've just returned to Earth from light years away and all I'm doing is saving my ex-enemy.

- It was one time!

- Still…

- And ex-enemy?

- Is that incorrect? – Kisshu grinned cunningly.

- No! No no no no no no no! – she shouted promptly. The last thing she wanted was to make him her enemy again.

- Fine then. So now you can show me your gratitude!

Zoey first wasn't sure about it, but then she made up her mind and reached for his mouth. Their lips were only a few centimeters away, when…

"What is this girl doing?" Kisshu asked himself. "I shouldn't be doing this! This relationship has no future!" So instead of accepting the kiss, he grabbed her shoulders to keep the distance between them, and stepped back.

Zoey was stunned. Her cheeks were cherry red when she looked up at him.

- What is it? – she asked uncomprehendingly.

- A Thank you! would have been enough! – Kisshu stated, a bit more coldly than how he planned.

- But… Isn't kissing me what you've always wanted?

- That was six years ago – he said. – Things have changed since then.

- Why have you returned? – she turned back to the other topic. – Do you want to conquer Earth again?

- I should be the one, asking you the questions! – he replied. – But postpone it for later! You need to rest.

- But… Kisshu!

- I don't want anything bad for this planet or for the humans – he sighed. – And I'm not going to be staying for long. - He ascended a few meters from the decking. - Bye-bye kitty cat. I gotta go now!

- Wait! Kisshu! – Zoey screamed. - What does all of this mean?!

- Take better care of yourself next time! – he ordered. – I won't always be here to save you, Zoey.

- But…. – He soared higher and was about to teleport, when she shouted even louder. – WAIT!

He stopped to check out what she wanted to say so badly.

- Thank you, Kisshu – she said with true gratitude on her face.

Kisshu then took a deep breath, gave her one last smile, and disappeared into the storm.

…

To be countiued…

*I usually use the SI's metric system: Celsius degree, meters and kilograms. I might mention miles a few times, but that's all.