Fire. Bright, burning, destructive flames, slowly eating away rooms and walls. Smoke. Horrible, black, asphyxiating smoke. Everywhere. The whole sky, which had that afternoon still been blue and cloudless, now filled with one big mass of clouds that smell like death. You can't see anything but it when you look at the cauterizing building of what once was a lonely shed in the harbour. It has darkened the green moon and the stars in the night sky. Luckily the smoke doesn't drift towards the big city in which the harbour is located. It slowly floats away over the ocean, taking its scent of despair with it. There's burnt wood everywhere, little sparks flying around until they die down when they make contact with the dark water of the ocean.
On about a hundred foot away from the burning building there is a struggle between a boy and a girl. The girls face is twisted with anger and she struggles heavily to escape from the clutch of the boy. "Let go of me!". She looks at the burning building in pure desperation and misery. The flames are being reflected in her pink eyes. Shadows are being cast over her pale face. A part of the building collapses and a soft shriek is to be heard. "Masaya, let me go! I have to help them! Why don't you understand? They're dying! Girls!". The last word she screams in the direction of the burning building. Her throat is sore, but she doesn't care.
"I won't let you risk your life for them" the boy hisses in her ear. His blue eyes are cold as ice and he has a little bitter tug around the corner of his mouth. The girl hisses back venomously and tears of desperation rush into her eyes. "Let go of me! They need me! They're my friends! I will not desert them!". But the boy won't let go of her. The girl utters another frustrated cry and then her eyes narrow. She has no choice. "Masaya, if you don't let go of me we're done". The boy laughs without happiness. "O, be honest, Ichigo, we've been done for a long time now. You don't love me anymore. I know that. Your one and only love is this damned planet of theirs now. Ever since they've begun to send photos it's been the only damn thing you've talked about".
Ichigo doesn't stop struggling, although she listens carefully to his soft words full of hatred. He's right. Since the first photos arrived she's been intrigued with this beautiful, pure planet. She's burned with a desire to go see it one day. A few weeks ago that desire finally was to be sated. They were visiting. She was so excited! So happy… But now, as they've arrived in this horrible harbour it has immediately gone wrong. She doesn't know how or why, but the fire started before they knew it. She was taking a walk inside with Masaya, but the girls are still in there. They were supposed to meet the boys in there.
"I will not let you sacrifice yourself for those fools you call your friends. I will not". Ichigo hisses. "Then there's no helping it". Within a second she's kicked him where no one should be kicked and his grip has loosened. She wrenches herself from his arms and turns around, trying to recover her breath from the struggles she's been in. "You can burn in hell, Masaya. It's over". Then she runs straight towards the relapsing shed. She feels the heat that's radiating from it on her skin, tastes it on her tongue. On about thirty feet distance she stops. She places her hand above her eyes to protect it from the bright radiation and coughs from the loathsome smoke.
Where are they? Where must she go? "Pudding! Retasu! Mint! Zakuro! Where are you?". Her throat is burning already from the smoke and she coughs again. She hears a muffled shriek from her right side and high-speedily turns her head towards it to hear it better. She hears it again. It comes from quite far inside the fire. A soft, well-known voice, scared to death. Ichigo's eyes widen. "Retasu!".
Fast as one of Mint's arrows she shoots towards the place she heard the sound come from. She is forced to stop by a falling piece of burning wood and jumps backwards to dodge it, immediately stepping in the path of another piece. She feels the heat closing in and closes her eyes while stretching out her arms in a reflex to protect her head.
A familiar sound reaches her sensitive cat ears. Metal cleaving the air with a sharp whistling sound. The heat disappears and she knows the piece of wood has been sent away by a sword or two. Then, a familiar chuckle. She opens her eyes in pure shock and her mouth falls open as she looks at her saviour.
His features look rough in the bright light of the licking flames. His dark hair seems darker than she remembers and dances around his pale face. He holds his swords in his hands and smirks his typical fanged smirk she's always hated so much. The spark in his golden eyes looks like the sparks around him, but then more controlled.
"Kisshu!".
Kisshu runs a hand through his hair and puts away his swords. "Hey there, Koneko-chan. It's been a while, how are you?". Ichigo looks absolutely puzzled. Her face is covered in soot and there are tear marks on her cheeks. "What are you doing here?" she tries to overmatch the sound of the fire. Kisshu's smirk widens. "What do you think I'm doing here? I'm saving the day!". He spreads his arms for a second and then suddenly pulls her towards himself. Ichigo's heart misses a beat and she freezes in his arms. He murmurs something and Ichigo closes her eyes as an unknown feeling takes over her body. When she opens them again she's a lot further a way from the shed. She shivers from his touch and recovers from the shock quite quickly.
"What are you doing?" she asks furiously "I have to get back! My friends are still inside! I've got to get them out of there!". She's shut up by Kisshu, who places two fingers over her lips and winks. "Don't worry, kitten. We've got this. Guys!". The two other aliens appear from out of nowhere. Pai looks a little less unmoved than she recalls. He doesn't look concerned either, he looks rather angry. He has a bitter tug around the corner of his mouth and stormy eyes like she's never seen before. "You're wasting time" he says. "Yeah!". Taruto looks far more worried, he's almost dying from desperation and frustration. "We have to get them out of there, now!".
Pudding, Pudding, Pudding. That stupid midget. That stupid, stupid midget. How has she gotten herself into this trouble, for gods sake?
Taruto vanishes again, followed by Pai immediately. Ichigo gives Kisshu a confused and helpless look. She doesn't know what to do. For the first time in years, she just doesn't know what to do. She's the leader of the Mews, she knows that. But she always has her friends fighting beside her. Now she's here, on another planet she's dreamt of for years, with her friends trapped in a burning building, she just dumped her boyfriend with who she's been together for the past five years and has been reunited with the alien who's been in love with her ever since she can remember and who looks incredibly good and heroic. Yes. He looks like a hero.
Her hero.
Save me her eyes seem to scream. Kisshu gives her a determined look. "Wait here for me, kitty-cat. I'll be back soon. With your precious team-mates". He smiles tenderly. "I promise". Then he's gone.
"Wait!".
Ichigo's legs refuse to do their job properly any longer and she collapses onto the ground, crying. She stares at the fire. The flames are reflected in her pink eyes again.
Please. Save them.
Save them all.
Hot. It's so unbelievably hot. The girl shuts her green eyes tightly to keep the smoke from making her eyes sting, but at the same time tries to keep them open so she can look at the pale face of the hurt girl in her arms. She can feel the flames licking her arms and legs, but it doesn't hurt. She doesn't know why, but she knows the fire can't get to her. It is as if she's protected by a thin layer of water that keeps the flames from burning her. The younger girl in her arms, however, isn't protected that way at all. Her right leg is red from where it was hit by a burning piece of wood, she's fainted and her breathing is shallow from the smoke.
"Pudding!" the other girl screams in despair "Wake up! You have to wake up!". Tears run over her cheeks, leaving strange trails in the soot it is covered in. She bows her head over the girl, curls up around her to protect her from the intoxicating smoke and the murderous fire. "Pudding…" she whispers "Pudding…". Slowly something strange begins to happen, without her noticing. Her tears seem to light up in a turquoise light and the mark on her body lights up in the same light. "I beg of you… Save Pudding…". She shuts her eyes tightly again and prays. "Please!". Her fingers begin to tremble and she feels something slipping out of her. When she opens her eyes again they're blue. Her dark green braids dance beside her, her clothing has changed. The mark stops shining and so do her tears. But at the same time the girl in her arms lights up in the turquoise light. The red of her leg begins to fade and her breathing becomes regular again. Retasu smiles in enormous relief and coughs from the smoke that has now got to her lungs. She feels how the fire is embracing her and she knows what has happened.
She lost her powers. She gave them to Pudding. Pudding's safe. She's really safe now. She's protected by her Mew Powers. She will survive. Whatever may happen, Pudding will survive. The fire won't get her now.
Praise the Lord…
This is when she screams in pain as the fire slowly tries to eat away her skin to get to her flesh. She coughs from the smoke and feels her consciousness slip away. The heat is everywhere, overwhelming her. It's so much worse now. She cries out again in pain and wraps her arms around her body to protect it. Sparks leave little red points on her skin and she feels like her head is about to explode. Her eyes close.
Besides her the little girl wakes up. She coughs a little and looks at her friend through the smoke. Her brown eyes widen in shock. "Onee-chan! No!". What has she done? Tears rush into her eyes and she places her hands on her friends flaccid body, trying to give the powers she has just gotten back to their rightful owner. But Retasu's body won't accept them. "No…" Pudding whispers again. They have to get back! "Retasu onee-chan!". She shakes Retasu's body heavily in her arms, but she won't wake up. Her head falls backwards. Tears run over the cheeks of both girls. "No…".
"Pudding!". A well-known voice strikes through the silence like lightening in relief and fear. Before she knows it Taruto stands in front of her, taking her in his arms. "Pudding! Thank God you're alright…". Pudding can't stop sobbing and nuzzles her face to his chest. "Tar-Tar! Retasu… Retasu nee-chan is…". "She's alive". Pudding looks up to Pai, who is lifting Retasu up tenderly. He pulls her close to himself and examines her body. He has to get her out of there. "Guys!". Kisshu appears, more serious than ever. "Get them out of here! I'll go look for the others!". Pai and Taruto nod. Pai immediately teleports away with Retasu in his arms and Taruto pulls Pudding closer to himself, vanishing, as Kisshu runs away through the fire.
"Retasu! Pudding!". Ichigo runs towards the just-appeared aliens as fast as her feet can, relief flowing from her eyes and voice. "Ichigo nee-chan!". Pudding walks away from Taruto's grip and flies in Ichigo's arms. She sobs heavily and Ichigo softly caresses her hair. Taruto comes closer again and Ichigo hands the lost Pudding over so she can move on to Retasu. When she sees the state her friend is in she almost forgets how to breathe. "Re…ta…su…". What happened, in gods name? Why has she empowered? She's so much more vulnerable in her human form! She stretches out to touch her friends damaged face. The girl is crying, but has a little smile around her lips. Content. As if she did good.
"Mew Pudding". Pudding looks up to Pai with a questioning look and sees how he gestures her to come closer. Immediately Pudding walks back to Retasu. "Yes? Can I do something? What can I do?". "Place your hands on her mark". Pudding bows her head. "I already tried… it didn't work…". "Try again". Pudding looks surprised but nevertheless she still puts her hand where she is told to put them and closes her eyes. Get back, get back, get back.
To her surprise it actually works. Her tears light up in a turquoise light and she feels something slipping out of her. As she opens her eyes again she doesn't feel the thin layer of protection on her skin anymore. Retasu's mark shines in a sparkling light and she sighs.
Pai can't stop the corners of his mouth to curl up a little. He knew it. She gave her powers away to protect Pudding and wouldn't accept them until she was safe again. Now Pudding has been put out of danger her body is willing to let the powers in again, as Pudding doesn't need them anymore. That is so unbelievably… Retasu. Never caring about herself, always putting others before herself. She is exactly as he remembers her. She hasn't changed a bit in the past five years. She's still the same girl.
Thank God. That heavenly angel hasn't been lost.
The girl in his arms moans softly and he can feel her fingers grabbing his clothes, as if she's having a nightmare. "Pudding…". Her voice is hoarse. She coughs. Pai pulls her a little closer and wipes away the new-fallen tears on her face. "Hush" he whispers "She's safe. Mew Pudding is safe. You don't need to worry about her anymore". Retasu sighs and her smile widens a little. "Thank goodness…". With a little effort she manages to open her eyes. The blue shines in the alert way he's used to, although a little more tired than usual. It becomes more clear as she widens her eyes in shock. "Pai…". Pai smiles a little. "Retasu". Her smile widens.
He knows her name…
"Retasu…" Ichigo breathes in relief. Retasu slowly turns her head towards her best friend to show her smile. "Ichigo". Pai puts her down, although he immediately sweeps an arm around her waist to support her. Retasu is in one word exhausted. Nevertheless, that doesn't stop her from looking around in surprise, as if looking for someone. "Where's Masaya?". Ichigo hisses, stunning everyone around her. "I don't know where he is and I couldn't care less". Retasu and Pudding look at each other for a second and blink at the same time. "What?" Pudding asks carefully, regaining her ability to think clearly. Ichigo shakes her head and sighs. She looks as if she has a headache. "I broke up with him. He was… he was going to let you guys… he was just going to let you guys die!". She runs a hand through her pink hair. "I should have dumped him a long time ago". Pudding's face breaks open in a smile and Retasu hides her giggle with a cough. They've never really liked Masaya. This is great news.
"More important" Ichigo says while looking around herself "Where is Kish? And where are Zakuro and Mint?". "He's trying to find them" Taruto says while retaking his place next to Pudding, pulling her close to himself. He can't believe he almost lost her. Ichigo's eyes turn worried and she gazes at the fire. That's true. Two of her friends are still in there. And now her hero is in danger too.
"You!". Mint stares at Kisshu in pure shock. In return he smirks and waves. "Hey, bird-brain. Guess what? I've come to save you girls!". Mint hisses and narrows her eyes. "Thanks for the offer, but no. I'd rather die than be saved by a foolish pervert like you". Kisshu turns his head as if slapped in the face. "Ouch! That one hurt, birdie!". "Get serious" Zakuro interferes "We've got to get out of here".
They stand in the middle of the shed, surrounded by flames, flames and even more flames. There is seemingly no way out. "Easy" Kisshu answers while his eyes turn serious "I'll teleport you away". "Fine" Zakuro says before Mint can protest "Let's go".
Around them the shed begins to tremble. "Well, quick then!" Mint says "This place is about to blow! In a moment we won't be able to get out anymore!". "I know that!" Kisshu says annoyed while stretching out his hands. He closes his eyes and after a second the girls have started to vanish. After another second they're gone and he's alone in the middle of the fire, that keeps coming closer. He doesn't open his eyes and thinks of the face of that beautiful girl with the pink eyes.
"Zakuro! Mint!". Pudding rushes towards her two friends and locks them up in a relieved hug. Retasu manages, with help of Pai, to get to them to and embraces them tightly. "Thank God…". However, Ichigo narrows her eyes in suspicion and concern. "Where is he?". Mint and Zakuro shrug their shoulders, so Ichigo turns to Pai. "Where is he?". Pai looks her straight in the eyes. But his eyes seem cold and metallic. As if he's shut out all of his feelings. "We can only transport two people at a time. He has to wait a few seconds before he can teleport again". Ichigo's eyes widen in horror. "But that place is about to-!".
She's interrupted by an enormous explosion, coming out of the shed. Walls crumble, ceiling collapse on the ground and more smoke rises. The fire roars in contentedness. Ichigo turns her head towards the building, or what's left of it now, and screams out the name of her hero. "Kisshu!".
As the sound of the explosion fades she takes a step towards the shed. "No…". He sacrificed himself for her friends. He sacrificed himself. Now he's trapped in there. There's no way he can get out. Maybe he's already… already… "NO!".
Within a second she's started running, ready to take every hit and not letting anyone stop her. "Ichigo!" her friends call after her, shocked and petrified. But Ichigo doesn't even here them. Each second and each step is one closer to the one she's going to save. Each second and each step is one close to the fire that she'll fight.
Without hesitation she jumps into the fire, screaming in pain as she feels the heat that's trying to kill her. But she keeps on running, dodging wood and jumping over obstacles. Constantly screaming out his name. "Kish! KISH!". Her throat gets sore and she keeps on coughing. The smoke tastes like death and burned flesh. She feels like she's going to vomit. But she doesn't stop running until she sees him. Then she stops for a split-second- "Kish…"- before running towards him. He lies in the middle of the fire, unconscious. He's obviously been hit by something, although she can't tell what. Probably some burning wood. As she reaches him she notices he breathes heavily, but is still alive. Thank God… "Kish. Kish". She takes him in her arms, remaining in the middle of the fire. Tears run down her cheeks when a realisation occurs to her: she can't save him. There's now way she can get him out of here. He'll die. She'll die. She smiles a little. At least she can die with her hero.
The blue of Retasu's eyes turns determined with the prospect of her best friend dying from furious flames. While her friends are still frozen from the shock of Ichigo throwing herself into the fire to find Kisshu she brings her pendant to her lips and transforms. Pai is forced to let go of her during the transformation and everyone gets distracted by the light she radiates. Then Lettuce stands in Retasu's place. Her friends give her puzzled looks as she immediately turns to Pai. "Pai. Can you fly me to above the shed?". Pai frowns for a moment, but doesn't hesitate when answering: "Yes". He trusts her. Lettuce sweeps her arms around his neck and he pulls her close to his chest as her feet leave the solid ground. "Retasu!" Mint calls out "What are you doing?". "I'm saving them!" Lettuce screams back down before she's too far away to hear of see her friends. Then she turns her head back to the burning shed and finds her green eyes grow even more determined. She knows what to do.
Pai flies her to above the shed and gives her a questioning look. "Fly a little back, to above the sea" Lettuce screams, trying to overmatch the fire. Pai only nods, not bothering to try to answer and flies to above the sea. He gives her the questioning look again. Lettuce looks down for a moment and shivers. "Drop me". Pai raises one eyebrow. "Just do it, quick" Lettuce says. His other eyebrow raises. "Please…!" Lettuce now begs "We don't have much time! Trust me…". Pai looks at her in doubt for a second but nods then and, high above the sea, drops her. Lettuce collapses with the water in no time and almost gasps for air because of the terrifying cold. Then she closes her eyes, claps her hands in front of her chest, and concentrates.
This whole planet is made out of Mew Aqua, the source of her powers. If she can get it to merge into her she will be able to save them… She focuses all of her spirit, all of her soul on the energy she knows is around her. It doesn't take long before she can feel it reacting on her and her reacting on it. Her jump has started a chain-reaction. She smiles a little.
Pai stares at the dark water in which Lettuce has disappeared. He doesn't know what she's up to, but if she's wrong she'll die. He knows he's taken a risk by letting her go, but they have a time limit. Besides, he trusts her. He trusts her with his life. So why wouldn't he trust her with her own life?
As he watches something strange happens an unknown and at the same time familiar kind of light seems to radiate from the water. His lips curl up in a smile as he realises what happens.
He has to closes his eyes for a moment to protect him from the light as Lettuce rises from the water, a mermaid in the green moonlight. The light she radiates is ten times more powerful than he remembers it. His mind immediately comes up with two reasons: one, she's grown a lot stronger since he last met her. Two, the Mew Aqua that is all around her has made her able to gain this unique power for the moment. He suspects it is a combination of the two reasons.
Lettuce has her eyes closed and stretches her arms out to the sea. Then she opens her eyes and calls out his name. He high-speedily flies towards her and waits for what she wants to say. "Use your power" she says "Use the wind. Make it rain. Help me". He nods, understanding what she wants and begins to call forth his powers. Thunder clouds come together above their heads and within a second it's raining. Not only she has gained power from this planet. Lettuce has closed her eyes again and is now fully concentrated on her weapons. She points them down at the sea and breathes in slowly. Her friends, who have by now approached them, can see how the surface of the sea begins to ripple because of the storm and Lettuce's attempts and watch with open mouths.
Pai and Lettuce fly in the air, the alien and the mermaid, back to back, combining their powers, feelings as if they're one, gaining power from the others presence. His storm gets heavier, the water of the sea turns into giant waves which Lettuce directs at the shed.
Then the water collapses with the fire, leaving hissing sounds and a scream from a surprised Ichigo.
Cold! Where is that lovely cold coming from? Ichigo pushes Kisshu closer to herself and lets the cold water that's come out of nowhere embrace her.
It takes half an hour before the fire has died down, but then it's over. Zakuro, Mint, Pudding and Taruto chant in ecstasy on the ground and Pudding throws herself onto Taruto, shamelessly kissing him in her haze of happiness. When she realises what she's doing she turns scarlet red and lets go of him. "Sorry…" she murmurs. He only smiles a little surprised smile and pulls her closer to himself again. "Please don't apologise" he says, a strange spark lighting up in his eyes "It's not like you". Then he kisses her.
Mint and Zakuro can't help but looking at them tenderly for a second before running towards the collapses shed to search for Kisshu and Ichigo.
Lettuce feels the power slipping out of her and sighs in relief before changing back to her human form and dropping out of the air in the direction of the icy sea. Within a second she feels strong arms around her and she smiles again. She knew he'd catch her. "We did it" she whispers excited while opening her exhausted eyes to face a smiling Pai. "Yes, we did" he answers. "We're a great team…" Lettuce murmurs. She smiles so sweetly that Pai can't hold himself back. He kisses her. She suddenly doesn't feel that tired anymore and sweeps her arms around his neck, returning his kiss and feelings.
He opens his golden eyes, immediately gazing into the eyes of his most beloved kitten, who looks down on him in relief. "Kish…". Tears run down her cheeks and she sobs heavily while nuzzling her face into his chest. "Kish!". Kisshu manages to sweep an arm around her and smiles tenderly. He's completely messed up, but one way or another he's never been happier than this before. Never happier than this moment, with his kitten embracing her and thinking of him as the hero he wants to be for her. "Ichigo…" he whispers. Ichigo looks up to him and in the heat of the moment (or that's what she tells herself afterwards) she kisses him full on his mouth. He's not exactly the kind of person to let a chance like that pass by so he intertwines his finger with her hair as he drinks more of her in. Ichigo pushes herself against his chest and kisses him, kisses him, kisses him. Then she lets go, face redder than ever. "Th-that was because you saved my friends" she stammers "A reward". Kisshu smirks. "Well then…" he says softly while bringing his face closer to hers again "Then now it's time for your reward…". He waits for a moment, his lips brushing against hers while he whispers: "Thanks for coming to save me, kitten". Ichigo shivers. Then he pushes his lips onto hers with the passion of a person who has just faced death, almost losing everything, and now finding that he can still enjoy all the beautiful things he has.
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