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[America Mew Mew] Episode Twenty-Eight
Now we're finally getting to the bottom of things! \o/ I'd like to say that we might wrap this up by 30, but sadly... this doesn't seem to be the case anymore. But I really, really think I'm getting close to the end (even if I'm being sorta-kinda wordy about it) and would love feedback on these two chapters.
Let's hope for the best, okay? And please, please comment here if you have anything to say about this chapter. I'm going out of town, so IM is not an option when telling me these things, okay? D:
Title: Episode Twenty Eight: Intertwined? Connections Forged and Strengthened
Fandom: ... let's just call this OC fic
Summary: Ryou can't really walk, Retasu's learning to make hamburgers, Sorrel and Garner share a heart-warming moment, and Briar and Chive are up to no good! What else is new in AMM?
Claimer: Actually, Retasu, Ryou, and details concerning Liz aren't exactly mine. However, everything else is!
Ryou loved being free! It felt absolutely wonderful to actually leave bed and wander around his house. Granted, he couldn't walk too far without some relative butting in and being all, "But Ryou! We don't want you to faint again. Remember what happened the last time you used that---"
And then he would always cut them off with a look and a muttered, "Dad can hear you." That usually quieted the sensible relatives. But there were always the weird ones who insisted that his parents should know about his weird abilities. He didn't know how to handle their temperments. There was no logical and sane reason Jishou Shirogane should know about his sons (plural!) and their weird abilities. They weren't getting hurt from their abilities, and no one was put in harm's way because of them.
Jishou was busy enough with work, Ryou cynically noted to himself as he leaned against the wall for support. Unlike most rich people's homes on TV, there were no paintings of old, great ancestors lining the halls. Paintings weren't in the Shirogane family vocabulary!
There was artwork scattered across the halls, but they weren't created by famous artists. Rather, they were done by Liz in college or perhaps a friend of Liz's or Jishou's or Aunt Sanae. They didn't believe in inflating some famous person's ego.
(And it made Ryou feel a whole lot less guilty about accidentally knocking a few paintings onto the ground. He couldn't help it if he couldn't really walk!)
He finally sat down in a chair across from his brother's bedroom. There was the sound of the shuffling of pages. Ryou blinked as he tried to peer inside. Shuugo wasn't usually one for reading - he preferred the loud sounds of video games and their tendencies to kill people off as soon as they could. There was more electronic noises whizzing by on normal occasions, too.
It didn't feel right. Ryou slowly stood up, leaning on the wall for support as he slowly wandered into his brother's room.
"Hey, Shuu--"
And that was when he noticed the ancient book in his brother's lap. Raising an eyebrow, Ryou threw himself on his brother's bed as he called, "What's up with that old book? It looks like something out of old Ion's shop."
"It's actually from a friend of Dad's," Shuu retorted as he turned the next page. "But what I can make of it is absolutely fascinating! Did you know that Mr. Alesci's first wife was named Alina? Auntie Stella is actually his second."
"Huh," Ryou stared at the ceiling. "And that's important to us because...?"
"She's Miles's mom."
"Whoop-de-doo," Ryou whistled. "So Miles is in a mixed family now. What does that have to do with anything?"
Shuu sighed as he slammed the book shut. "Are you accusing me of being a gossip, niisan?"
"Of course not," Ryou retorted as he rolled onto the other side of the bed. Now lying on his stomach, he pulled himself just barely before the foot of the bed. "But you've left me out of the loop, Shuu. What exactly happened in 24 hours for you to start caring about Miles' real mom?"
Pulling his knees closer to his body, Shuu set the book aside as he looked up at his older brother. "You know about Luciano and Jishou being research partners for the Mew Project, right?"
"Of course. It's why we sought Mr. Alesci out - he'd probably give us information without Dad realizing what we're up to."
"Not that you've bothered to keep it a secret," Shuu interrupted with a grin.
Blushing, Ryou sighed, "But Dad works too much to have noticed in the first place."
Shuu didn't respond. Ryou broke the incoming silence by immediately adding, "I also know that Luciano and Dad were involved with a woman called Alina, but my details are kind of sketchy. The records said that she was from Romania, but her pictures look more like she came from Norway or Sweden..."
"She's not human," Shuu listlessly responded as he pulled out a picture from the ancient book. "Look at the way her ears are pointed. They're exactly like Nilos's."
Ryou blinked. "So you're saying that she's...?"
"No," Shuu shook his head. "She's more like the aliens. I have a feeling that she and the aliens we've been fighting against are part of the same species."
"Weird. You think they might even be related?"
"Ryou, you were the one who told me we were fighting against scouts from their world's military!"
"So I might not know the exact details. Sue me."
"You only have two hundred dollars to your name," Shuu sighed. "I have no desire to steal that from you."
"Thanks," Ryou leaned in, peering over his brother's shoulder as he opened the book again. It appeared incredibly heavy and ancient, but Ryou honestly didn't see anything wrong with the ancient writings scrawled everywhere - or even the slight yellow tint to each page. It was a well-kept book that stayed away from sunlight and chocolate chip cookies, but there was this incredibly motherly feeling invoked at the same time.
As if he could read his brother's mind, Shuu said, "I think this was her diary. It mentions a lot of things about the home planet and how desolate their planet is."
"Desolate?"
"Yeah. Seems like their planet's heavily polluted and not as lush as ours," Shuu held up the diary to his brother's eyes. "I think that's why they're going to invade Earth."
"They couldn't talk this over with us," Ryou sighed. "We've got scientists that might be able to bring plants to life."
"You mean, we've got Roy to help them out. That's even better than the scientists."
"True," Ryou grinned. "But you really shouldn't say that when Dad might be around."
Shuu rolled his eyes as he brought the diary down. "Point is, it has a bunch of information regarding the alien way of life. There's stuff about how much she loved Mr. Alesci too - so she definitely didn't cheat on him or anything."
"She didn't die," Ryou slowly sat up, using a couple of large overstuffed pillows for support. "She disappeared?"
"Something like that," Shuu noted as he turned the page. "Mr. Alesci wouldn't tell me the exact details. Either way, we need to pay the aliens another visit. Seems they've been omitting information that would interest us."
"Like...?"
"Alina was also an advance scout sent by the planet about twenty years ago. But instead of fulfilling her mission, she fell in love and stayed here on Earth. Imagine the chaos that would've brought their planet."
Ryou slumped back into the pillows behind him. "Shuu, seriously? I didn't want to deal with a recap of 'Alien Society 101'. I know the logical outcome of that scenario."
"Then we should visit the aliens' base again," Shuu glanced over his shoulder at his brother. "They'd have answers that we need. But first---"
Shuu didn't speak as he slowly rose from the floor. Staring at a wall of various photos and video game parnephilia, he shook his head. "Nevermind. I'll go talk to Miles when he feels better."
"Wait." Ryou crossed his arms. "Something happened to Miles?"
"Y-yeah," Shuu laughed nervously as he slowly stepped backwards towards his open bedroom door. "You know, it is flu season! I'll see you later, okay?"
And with that, he hurriedly ran out of the room as Ryou let a 'tch' escape his parched lips.
"Did he really expect me to chase him in this condition," Ryou stuck his tongue out. "Jeez! For someone so smart, he sure is stupid sometimes."
+
She nervously stood before the kitchen counter. For someone who didn't know how to cook, Retasu felt vulnerable. It was bad enough that she had asked her employer for lessons! She felt that she was being a burden as it was, even though they were only making hamburgers and baked fries for lunch.
"You all right," Liz patted Retasu on the shoulder. Retasu froze - was she actually speaking in Japanese - but slowly let her muscles loosen as the blonde came right beside her.
Gently smiling, Liz took Retasu's hands as they formed the round shape for each hamburger patty. "I know I was nervous the first time I made something for my boyfriend."
"W-we're not dating," Retasu stammered in Japanese as Liz took the patty from her and placed it on the platter nearby. "H-he's just a good friend!"
"Most good friends don't watch a movie together every single Friday," Liz chuckled. "But when are you going back to Japan? I thought since the school year was over..."
"I'm w-waiting for the spring semester in Japan to end," Retasu admitted, her eyes focused on the round patty slowly crumbling in her hands. She winced as she felt it squish and completely fall back onto the cutting board. "O-oh no! I'm so sorry!"
"Don't worry about it," Liz advised as she took the fallen bits of patty and made a new one. "And I guess that makes sense. I'm glad you were able to stay in our house either way."
"Y-yes, m'am," Retasu nervously responded, still not looking up as another patty crumbled in her hands. Liz sighed of exasperation as she gently massaged Retasu's hands.
"R-e-l-a-x," She spelled in English. Switching back to Japanese, she added, "If you take a deep breath and don't focus too hard on the patties, I'm sure they'll come out fine."
Retasu blinked, but obeyed her orders. Taking a deep breath, she took another globful of dough and slowly formed yet another ball. She relaxed her muscles as she watched the patty stick to itself with relative ease. Beaming, she quickly responded, "Oh! Thank you so much!"
The next few patties came with the same relative ease to the women's delight. Retasu finally turned to Liz as they started to clean up the dishes. "M-Mrs. Shirogane?"
"Yes, Retasu?"
"I, um... I was wondering? Where'd you learn to be so calm?"
Liz froze as her husband sauntered into the room. Jishou rose an eyebrow as he gestured from Retasu to his uncharacteristically silent wife. "Her? Calm? I've seen pregnant people much calmer."
"Are you implying something, Jishou," Liz growled.
Jishou nervously laughed, "That should be my cue to go---"
Liz immediately sprayed the hose at him.
Jishou took off his glasses as he shook his head (man, that water really did go everywhere!). "Now you're asking for it!"
"U-um! I-I don't think you should be fighting h-here---"
Retasu's plea for help fell on deaf ears. Ryou slowly stumbled into the kitchen and sighed as he sat on a nearby barstool.
"They're always like this," Ryou shrugged. He blocked a spray of incoming tap water with a plate as he added, "But were you making hamburgers? They smell delicious."
Blushing, Retasu shyly nodded. Ryou studied her over for a moment before laughing.
More water came; Ryou growled something that sounded suspiciously like a swear. Retasu couldn't help looking at him, even when more water came in their directions - did these people really care about their electric bill? - and sprayed them both.
"On the upside," Ryou laughed. "At least we're in good shape for visiting the pool."
Retasu giggled, nodding in agreement. "Shall we go, then?"
"Sure," Ryou grinned.
Through all of the fighting, no one managed to notice Shuugo sneaking out of the house through the back door. Retasu caught a brief glimpse of him, but said nothing as she shyly started to walk towards the stairs. Ryou followed her out, but not before cursing his parents out and muttering something about, "Did they ever really come home? Or is this one giant honeymoon?"
+
The coffeehouse always received odd people, so they were surprised to see a relatively normal looking teenager walk in. Even odder was the guitar case swung across his shoulder; most people thought he was some kind of soccer fanatic just from his build.
Garner couldn't help laughing to himself. He'd never really been to a coffeehouse, but Sorrel had always said that it was a nice place to go when one wanted to be by himself. And she was right.
After the initial stare, no one really cared that he was a customer. They just returned to their cliques and continued to dish out information and stories. Earthlings weren't that different from his own people, but they were harsher about everything!
Garner paid for a decaf and a scone before taking a seat in a secluded table. Most people tended to sit near the windows, so it was quieter in the corners of the store. That was just the way Garner liked, to be honest.
The past twenty-four hours had been absolutely brutal. The Miles kid had Mew Aqua with him! But every time Garner tried to track down a lead, it always ran into a dead end. Seemed the Mew Project kids knew how to cover their tracks a little too well.
And he didn't want to admit it, but he was stuck. There was always the shady possibility of using his girlfriend - he could call her that, right? - to get to Miles, but what would she say if he revealed his identity to her?
Probably a bunch of nasty names. He could imagine it in his head. She hated Panforte as it was - they always fought against each other in battle - and she often cursed him out when she thought he couldn't hear her. (He could understand the hate towards him, but still. It hurt.)
"Is this seat taken?"
Garner began to say, "Uh, no," but stopped immediately upon seeing Sorrel. Speak of the devil! What was she doing here?
"I thought I saw you," Sorrel smirked. "What're you doing here?"
Garner shrugged, "I really needed some coffee. I'm kinda stressed about something."
Sorrel flashed him a look of pity as she took a bite out of her chocolate chip cookie. "I'm sorry. Is it something I can help with?"
If only she knew. The only thing that prevented Garner from taking complete advantage of her... was his love for her. Funny how things worked sometimes.
He shrugged for an answer. "I just need to find another lead," He muttered to himself. "That's all. Don't worry about me."
"That's just going to make me worry about you more," Sorrel confessed, putting her hand on top of his as she leaned in closer.
He hadn't seen this emotional side of her. It just made him feel worse about this. He mentally took a deep breath as he looked down at her hand--- wait. Why was it bandaged this heavily? He could've sworn that he was going easy on her the last battle.
Garner raised an eyebrow as he gestured towards the bandages. Sorrel shrugged just as nonchalantly as he had, stating, "It's nothing. I just hurt myself when I was in the kitchen."
"Sorrel," Garner sighed.
He once claimed that they were a couple who functioned solely on logical and rational explanations for the world. They wanted to find the answers to everything in a nice, clean format. Funny how one kiss and the exchange of hormones changed their entire relationship. Funny how Sorrel opened herself up to him more with each new kiss; funny how she loved tucking his hair behind his ears.
Everything just became funnier and more amusing. He had found himself smiling more, laughing more... even caring more about people and their lives. And he had tried so hard to shut that world up! He wanted to be that stoic hero that would save his world by eliminating the stupid, polluting humans from an Earth that didn't deserve them.
But they too cared for the Earth in their own ways. It was becoming harder to stare at himself in the mirror each morning when he knew he had to fight off genetically enhanced teenage girls every day.
He didn't want to care for people! But... he couldn't help staring into Sorrel's eyes and seeing the love for him in them. She loved him and he loved her. But would she love him once she found out the truth? It was something he wrestled with every day.
"What," She amusedly noted. "Are you actually worried about me?"
"I've always been worried," Garner squeezed his hand. "Please tell me you won't try and get hurt anymore, okay?"
Something dangerous flickered in her eyes - no doubt she was thinking about his true self - as she slowly shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Garner... but I don't think I can keep that promise."
He frowned. "I'm not going to pry, but whatever it is that you're doing? I hope it's important enough to break a promise to me."
"Can I promise you something else?"
He slowly thought about it. He could get her to promise that she would unconditionally love him no matter what deep, dark secret she was hiding, but...
"I want to promise something to you."
She blinked. "Oh, okay. What is it?"
He took his seat and sat next to her. Gently kissing her on the cheek, he said, "I promise to always love you. Even when it seems that I don't... I do. You're my number one."
She hugged him, leaning on his shoulder for support. (The coffees were all but forgotten in this secluded corner.) "Thank you. But why the sudden declaration of love?"
"I just wanted you to know," Garner softly whispered in her ear. "That's all."
"... You're not dealing with drugs, are you?"
"Of course not," He retorted. "I'm not that stupid."
She giggled (it felt so good to hear that!) as she snuggled closer. "Good. I was getting a little worried. I know you're involved in something big too, but you promise you'll come back to me when it's all over?"
"I don't know if I can keep that," He whispered. "But I really love you."
"I love you too," Sorrel whispered back. "Don't worry. I'm sure I'll understand once everything comes to light."
He was so sure they would've kissed again had her cell phone not interrupted them. Sorrel blinked, staring a little as she pulled out her cell phone. Hurriedly reading the message, she instantly put her cell phone back and got her coffee off the table.
"I'm so sorry, but you know my friend Miles, right? I heard he wants to see all of us, so I'll have to go."
He stood up and finished the last bits of his coffee. "Hey, Sorrel? Can... Can I join you?"
There was a brief panic-stricken look on her face before she finally stammered out, "I'm so sorry, but this is related to the book club! I'm sure you can join next month, okay?"
"Then could I have his phone number or something," Garner couldn't believe what he was saying. He just said he wouldn't take advantage of her! (But a lead's a lead, right...? The end justifies the means?) "I want to talk to him about something. You know, since we both go to Westridge and all."
"Oh, um, sure," Sorrel blinked as she pulled her cell out with her free hand. "Here's his number," She said as Garner got his out. She read the number twice to him, kissed him on the cheek, and waved good-bye as she quickly left the store and headed for the nearest sub station.
He stared at the new number, then slowly shut it. "I'll find my own leads," He muttered to himself as he trashed the last bits of his scone. "I said I wouldn't rely on my girlfriend - and so I won't."
There was a nagging feeling as he left, however. He knew it was probably his best bet to directly call the boy and demand the ransom of Mew Aqua, but what if he didn't even remember the whole incident? (He did tend to receive temporary amnesia more often than the average Earthling.)
Perhaps he'll call Miles up tomorrow. But for now, Garner preferred to think of himself as the alien with decency and manners that outmatched his partners' own. Even if he knew that may not always be the case.
+
While Garner was out collecting false evidence, Chive decided to head towards the archives. Their base, thanks to Panforte's odd habit of collecting copious notes, was incredibly well-stocked with their world's history and other random, useless information none of them would need for at least another century. ("Cooking for Babies," anyone?)
And besides, Chive might finally be able to impress his partner with his knowledge! There had to be something on humans and Mew Aqua - like a connection that linked them together. That Miles boy was definitely special because of his "Amber Templare" ability, but that certainly didn't mean that his transformation was the only odd ability.
He might be like those Earthling superheroes who were actually aliens from another planet. (Chive had laughed the first time he'd caught sight of them. As if those planets would willingly let a child from their homeworld become a legend somewhere else!) That theory actually sounded more plausible with each passing day... but maybe that was because he'd been reading too many comics.
Walking into the archives, Chive couldn't help noticing the sheer amount of books and ladders. There was a computer in the middle, but it was mainly an index. Trust Panforte to be incredibly old-fashioned! The entire room stuck to the metallic scheme, but there was an old-world feel to it... almost as if Panforte had studied Earth libraries when he created the room.
"I wonder if there are alien children on Earth," Chive muttered to himself as he made his way to the computer. "It would certainly explain that Miles kid."
"You didn't know," Briar interrupted from the middle of a nearby ladder. "You know, about the scouts that were sent out about twenty years ago?"
Chive blinked. "No. I just joined the military a couple of years ago, remember? I only had basic training with Panforte before they decided to send me."
"Oh, that's right," Briar sighed exasperatedly. "You wouldn't know about the queen and her followers coming here."
Chive's eyes widened as he floated towards his partner. "Seriously?! The queen was here? Before she was captured and taken back, you mean?"
"Uh-huh," Briar obviously found too much delight in explaining this, for he put on a pair of glasses and opened up a clean book to his partner's face. "See? She was here to see about environmental research on Earth. To see if perhaps Earth could help them revive their home planet."
Chive whistled, "Wow. Queen Alina was actually here. On Earth. Was she even in the same city?"
"Yep," Briar grinned. "That's why we're here, actually! To get revenge on the queen for choosing to pick such a stupid city. Not only did they not help her with her research, but a man even took advantage of her and had a kid with her---"
Both Briar and Chive shared stunned looks as each stumbled back a little bit.
"W-was she the only one," Chive stuttered. "B-because it might..."
"No, I'm sure she was the only one," Briar tapped the edge of his chin with his finger as he put the book aside. "Everyone else saw right through the humans. At least, that's what the top-secret military records said. They could be lying, like they did with the ohmaijees case."
"You know they call them manatees on Earth," Chive grinned. "And they fly in the water, not the sky?"
"That's besides the point," Briar grumbled. "But do you think the kid's really... Alina's son?"
"I dunno," Chive shrugged. "I've never seen a picture of the queen."
Briar didn't respond for a while as he absent-mindedly led the ladder around the circular archive bookshelves. Chive had never seen his partner so serious; even when things were getting rough, Briar would be the one to crack a weird joke or mention something completely random.
"... I think we need to visit the leaders of the Mew Project and ask them a few questions," Briar finally responded. "You know where their base is?"
"That weird flower shop is where they all work," Chive shrugged. "I guess we could pay a visit tomorrow and see what they have to say."
"If they won't fight us first," Briar pointed out. "We'll definitely have to break in. They just won't let us walk through the front door."
Chive blinked, "But didn't the weird little yellow one ask you out?"
"T-that's none of your business," Briar stammered. "Anyway! Let's try and find out more about the queen before Panforte gets back. This'll be our little secret and our plan B incase we don't get our hands on that Mew Aqua sample the kid stole."
"Got it."
They both immediately stared to finger through every single book in the library. The computer periodically interjected with helpful advice (they would never tease Panforte about that computer again!) as they sifted through the massive piles.
By the time Panforte came back to the base and into the archives, he found his two partners fast-asleep on top of the many, many books that lay before them.
Chuckling softly, Panforte gently woke them up. "Come on, you two," He found himself saying as he dragged them both out of the room. "Dinner's ready. Tomorrow will be a long day."
Let's hope for the best, okay? And please, please comment here if you have anything to say about this chapter. I'm going out of town, so IM is not an option when telling me these things, okay? D:
Title: Episode Twenty Eight: Intertwined? Connections Forged and Strengthened
Fandom: ... let's just call this OC fic
Summary: Ryou can't really walk, Retasu's learning to make hamburgers, Sorrel and Garner share a heart-warming moment, and Briar and Chive are up to no good! What else is new in AMM?
Claimer: Actually, Retasu, Ryou, and details concerning Liz aren't exactly mine. However, everything else is!
Ryou loved being free! It felt absolutely wonderful to actually leave bed and wander around his house. Granted, he couldn't walk too far without some relative butting in and being all, "But Ryou! We don't want you to faint again. Remember what happened the last time you used that---"
And then he would always cut them off with a look and a muttered, "Dad can hear you." That usually quieted the sensible relatives. But there were always the weird ones who insisted that his parents should know about his weird abilities. He didn't know how to handle their temperments. There was no logical and sane reason Jishou Shirogane should know about his sons (plural!) and their weird abilities. They weren't getting hurt from their abilities, and no one was put in harm's way because of them.
Jishou was busy enough with work, Ryou cynically noted to himself as he leaned against the wall for support. Unlike most rich people's homes on TV, there were no paintings of old, great ancestors lining the halls. Paintings weren't in the Shirogane family vocabulary!
There was artwork scattered across the halls, but they weren't created by famous artists. Rather, they were done by Liz in college or perhaps a friend of Liz's or Jishou's or Aunt Sanae. They didn't believe in inflating some famous person's ego.
(And it made Ryou feel a whole lot less guilty about accidentally knocking a few paintings onto the ground. He couldn't help it if he couldn't really walk!)
He finally sat down in a chair across from his brother's bedroom. There was the sound of the shuffling of pages. Ryou blinked as he tried to peer inside. Shuugo wasn't usually one for reading - he preferred the loud sounds of video games and their tendencies to kill people off as soon as they could. There was more electronic noises whizzing by on normal occasions, too.
It didn't feel right. Ryou slowly stood up, leaning on the wall for support as he slowly wandered into his brother's room.
"Hey, Shuu--"
And that was when he noticed the ancient book in his brother's lap. Raising an eyebrow, Ryou threw himself on his brother's bed as he called, "What's up with that old book? It looks like something out of old Ion's shop."
"It's actually from a friend of Dad's," Shuu retorted as he turned the next page. "But what I can make of it is absolutely fascinating! Did you know that Mr. Alesci's first wife was named Alina? Auntie Stella is actually his second."
"Huh," Ryou stared at the ceiling. "And that's important to us because...?"
"She's Miles's mom."
"Whoop-de-doo," Ryou whistled. "So Miles is in a mixed family now. What does that have to do with anything?"
Shuu sighed as he slammed the book shut. "Are you accusing me of being a gossip, niisan?"
"Of course not," Ryou retorted as he rolled onto the other side of the bed. Now lying on his stomach, he pulled himself just barely before the foot of the bed. "But you've left me out of the loop, Shuu. What exactly happened in 24 hours for you to start caring about Miles' real mom?"
Pulling his knees closer to his body, Shuu set the book aside as he looked up at his older brother. "You know about Luciano and Jishou being research partners for the Mew Project, right?"
"Of course. It's why we sought Mr. Alesci out - he'd probably give us information without Dad realizing what we're up to."
"Not that you've bothered to keep it a secret," Shuu interrupted with a grin.
Blushing, Ryou sighed, "But Dad works too much to have noticed in the first place."
Shuu didn't respond. Ryou broke the incoming silence by immediately adding, "I also know that Luciano and Dad were involved with a woman called Alina, but my details are kind of sketchy. The records said that she was from Romania, but her pictures look more like she came from Norway or Sweden..."
"She's not human," Shuu listlessly responded as he pulled out a picture from the ancient book. "Look at the way her ears are pointed. They're exactly like Nilos's."
Ryou blinked. "So you're saying that she's...?"
"No," Shuu shook his head. "She's more like the aliens. I have a feeling that she and the aliens we've been fighting against are part of the same species."
"Weird. You think they might even be related?"
"Ryou, you were the one who told me we were fighting against scouts from their world's military!"
"So I might not know the exact details. Sue me."
"You only have two hundred dollars to your name," Shuu sighed. "I have no desire to steal that from you."
"Thanks," Ryou leaned in, peering over his brother's shoulder as he opened the book again. It appeared incredibly heavy and ancient, but Ryou honestly didn't see anything wrong with the ancient writings scrawled everywhere - or even the slight yellow tint to each page. It was a well-kept book that stayed away from sunlight and chocolate chip cookies, but there was this incredibly motherly feeling invoked at the same time.
As if he could read his brother's mind, Shuu said, "I think this was her diary. It mentions a lot of things about the home planet and how desolate their planet is."
"Desolate?"
"Yeah. Seems like their planet's heavily polluted and not as lush as ours," Shuu held up the diary to his brother's eyes. "I think that's why they're going to invade Earth."
"They couldn't talk this over with us," Ryou sighed. "We've got scientists that might be able to bring plants to life."
"You mean, we've got Roy to help them out. That's even better than the scientists."
"True," Ryou grinned. "But you really shouldn't say that when Dad might be around."
Shuu rolled his eyes as he brought the diary down. "Point is, it has a bunch of information regarding the alien way of life. There's stuff about how much she loved Mr. Alesci too - so she definitely didn't cheat on him or anything."
"She didn't die," Ryou slowly sat up, using a couple of large overstuffed pillows for support. "She disappeared?"
"Something like that," Shuu noted as he turned the page. "Mr. Alesci wouldn't tell me the exact details. Either way, we need to pay the aliens another visit. Seems they've been omitting information that would interest us."
"Like...?"
"Alina was also an advance scout sent by the planet about twenty years ago. But instead of fulfilling her mission, she fell in love and stayed here on Earth. Imagine the chaos that would've brought their planet."
Ryou slumped back into the pillows behind him. "Shuu, seriously? I didn't want to deal with a recap of 'Alien Society 101'. I know the logical outcome of that scenario."
"Then we should visit the aliens' base again," Shuu glanced over his shoulder at his brother. "They'd have answers that we need. But first---"
Shuu didn't speak as he slowly rose from the floor. Staring at a wall of various photos and video game parnephilia, he shook his head. "Nevermind. I'll go talk to Miles when he feels better."
"Wait." Ryou crossed his arms. "Something happened to Miles?"
"Y-yeah," Shuu laughed nervously as he slowly stepped backwards towards his open bedroom door. "You know, it is flu season! I'll see you later, okay?"
And with that, he hurriedly ran out of the room as Ryou let a 'tch' escape his parched lips.
"Did he really expect me to chase him in this condition," Ryou stuck his tongue out. "Jeez! For someone so smart, he sure is stupid sometimes."
She nervously stood before the kitchen counter. For someone who didn't know how to cook, Retasu felt vulnerable. It was bad enough that she had asked her employer for lessons! She felt that she was being a burden as it was, even though they were only making hamburgers and baked fries for lunch.
"You all right," Liz patted Retasu on the shoulder. Retasu froze - was she actually speaking in Japanese - but slowly let her muscles loosen as the blonde came right beside her.
Gently smiling, Liz took Retasu's hands as they formed the round shape for each hamburger patty. "I know I was nervous the first time I made something for my boyfriend."
"W-we're not dating," Retasu stammered in Japanese as Liz took the patty from her and placed it on the platter nearby. "H-he's just a good friend!"
"Most good friends don't watch a movie together every single Friday," Liz chuckled. "But when are you going back to Japan? I thought since the school year was over..."
"I'm w-waiting for the spring semester in Japan to end," Retasu admitted, her eyes focused on the round patty slowly crumbling in her hands. She winced as she felt it squish and completely fall back onto the cutting board. "O-oh no! I'm so sorry!"
"Don't worry about it," Liz advised as she took the fallen bits of patty and made a new one. "And I guess that makes sense. I'm glad you were able to stay in our house either way."
"Y-yes, m'am," Retasu nervously responded, still not looking up as another patty crumbled in her hands. Liz sighed of exasperation as she gently massaged Retasu's hands.
"R-e-l-a-x," She spelled in English. Switching back to Japanese, she added, "If you take a deep breath and don't focus too hard on the patties, I'm sure they'll come out fine."
Retasu blinked, but obeyed her orders. Taking a deep breath, she took another globful of dough and slowly formed yet another ball. She relaxed her muscles as she watched the patty stick to itself with relative ease. Beaming, she quickly responded, "Oh! Thank you so much!"
The next few patties came with the same relative ease to the women's delight. Retasu finally turned to Liz as they started to clean up the dishes. "M-Mrs. Shirogane?"
"Yes, Retasu?"
"I, um... I was wondering? Where'd you learn to be so calm?"
Liz froze as her husband sauntered into the room. Jishou rose an eyebrow as he gestured from Retasu to his uncharacteristically silent wife. "Her? Calm? I've seen pregnant people much calmer."
"Are you implying something, Jishou," Liz growled.
Jishou nervously laughed, "That should be my cue to go---"
Liz immediately sprayed the hose at him.
Jishou took off his glasses as he shook his head (man, that water really did go everywhere!). "Now you're asking for it!"
"U-um! I-I don't think you should be fighting h-here---"
Retasu's plea for help fell on deaf ears. Ryou slowly stumbled into the kitchen and sighed as he sat on a nearby barstool.
"They're always like this," Ryou shrugged. He blocked a spray of incoming tap water with a plate as he added, "But were you making hamburgers? They smell delicious."
Blushing, Retasu shyly nodded. Ryou studied her over for a moment before laughing.
More water came; Ryou growled something that sounded suspiciously like a swear. Retasu couldn't help looking at him, even when more water came in their directions - did these people really care about their electric bill? - and sprayed them both.
"On the upside," Ryou laughed. "At least we're in good shape for visiting the pool."
Retasu giggled, nodding in agreement. "Shall we go, then?"
"Sure," Ryou grinned.
Through all of the fighting, no one managed to notice Shuugo sneaking out of the house through the back door. Retasu caught a brief glimpse of him, but said nothing as she shyly started to walk towards the stairs. Ryou followed her out, but not before cursing his parents out and muttering something about, "Did they ever really come home? Or is this one giant honeymoon?"
The coffeehouse always received odd people, so they were surprised to see a relatively normal looking teenager walk in. Even odder was the guitar case swung across his shoulder; most people thought he was some kind of soccer fanatic just from his build.
Garner couldn't help laughing to himself. He'd never really been to a coffeehouse, but Sorrel had always said that it was a nice place to go when one wanted to be by himself. And she was right.
After the initial stare, no one really cared that he was a customer. They just returned to their cliques and continued to dish out information and stories. Earthlings weren't that different from his own people, but they were harsher about everything!
Garner paid for a decaf and a scone before taking a seat in a secluded table. Most people tended to sit near the windows, so it was quieter in the corners of the store. That was just the way Garner liked, to be honest.
The past twenty-four hours had been absolutely brutal. The Miles kid had Mew Aqua with him! But every time Garner tried to track down a lead, it always ran into a dead end. Seemed the Mew Project kids knew how to cover their tracks a little too well.
And he didn't want to admit it, but he was stuck. There was always the shady possibility of using his girlfriend - he could call her that, right? - to get to Miles, but what would she say if he revealed his identity to her?
Probably a bunch of nasty names. He could imagine it in his head. She hated Panforte as it was - they always fought against each other in battle - and she often cursed him out when she thought he couldn't hear her. (He could understand the hate towards him, but still. It hurt.)
"Is this seat taken?"
Garner began to say, "Uh, no," but stopped immediately upon seeing Sorrel. Speak of the devil! What was she doing here?
"I thought I saw you," Sorrel smirked. "What're you doing here?"
Garner shrugged, "I really needed some coffee. I'm kinda stressed about something."
Sorrel flashed him a look of pity as she took a bite out of her chocolate chip cookie. "I'm sorry. Is it something I can help with?"
If only she knew. The only thing that prevented Garner from taking complete advantage of her... was his love for her. Funny how things worked sometimes.
He shrugged for an answer. "I just need to find another lead," He muttered to himself. "That's all. Don't worry about me."
"That's just going to make me worry about you more," Sorrel confessed, putting her hand on top of his as she leaned in closer.
He hadn't seen this emotional side of her. It just made him feel worse about this. He mentally took a deep breath as he looked down at her hand--- wait. Why was it bandaged this heavily? He could've sworn that he was going easy on her the last battle.
Garner raised an eyebrow as he gestured towards the bandages. Sorrel shrugged just as nonchalantly as he had, stating, "It's nothing. I just hurt myself when I was in the kitchen."
"Sorrel," Garner sighed.
He once claimed that they were a couple who functioned solely on logical and rational explanations for the world. They wanted to find the answers to everything in a nice, clean format. Funny how one kiss and the exchange of hormones changed their entire relationship. Funny how Sorrel opened herself up to him more with each new kiss; funny how she loved tucking his hair behind his ears.
Everything just became funnier and more amusing. He had found himself smiling more, laughing more... even caring more about people and their lives. And he had tried so hard to shut that world up! He wanted to be that stoic hero that would save his world by eliminating the stupid, polluting humans from an Earth that didn't deserve them.
But they too cared for the Earth in their own ways. It was becoming harder to stare at himself in the mirror each morning when he knew he had to fight off genetically enhanced teenage girls every day.
He didn't want to care for people! But... he couldn't help staring into Sorrel's eyes and seeing the love for him in them. She loved him and he loved her. But would she love him once she found out the truth? It was something he wrestled with every day.
"What," She amusedly noted. "Are you actually worried about me?"
"I've always been worried," Garner squeezed his hand. "Please tell me you won't try and get hurt anymore, okay?"
Something dangerous flickered in her eyes - no doubt she was thinking about his true self - as she slowly shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Garner... but I don't think I can keep that promise."
He frowned. "I'm not going to pry, but whatever it is that you're doing? I hope it's important enough to break a promise to me."
"Can I promise you something else?"
He slowly thought about it. He could get her to promise that she would unconditionally love him no matter what deep, dark secret she was hiding, but...
"I want to promise something to you."
She blinked. "Oh, okay. What is it?"
He took his seat and sat next to her. Gently kissing her on the cheek, he said, "I promise to always love you. Even when it seems that I don't... I do. You're my number one."
She hugged him, leaning on his shoulder for support. (The coffees were all but forgotten in this secluded corner.) "Thank you. But why the sudden declaration of love?"
"I just wanted you to know," Garner softly whispered in her ear. "That's all."
"... You're not dealing with drugs, are you?"
"Of course not," He retorted. "I'm not that stupid."
She giggled (it felt so good to hear that!) as she snuggled closer. "Good. I was getting a little worried. I know you're involved in something big too, but you promise you'll come back to me when it's all over?"
"I don't know if I can keep that," He whispered. "But I really love you."
"I love you too," Sorrel whispered back. "Don't worry. I'm sure I'll understand once everything comes to light."
He was so sure they would've kissed again had her cell phone not interrupted them. Sorrel blinked, staring a little as she pulled out her cell phone. Hurriedly reading the message, she instantly put her cell phone back and got her coffee off the table.
"I'm so sorry, but you know my friend Miles, right? I heard he wants to see all of us, so I'll have to go."
He stood up and finished the last bits of his coffee. "Hey, Sorrel? Can... Can I join you?"
There was a brief panic-stricken look on her face before she finally stammered out, "I'm so sorry, but this is related to the book club! I'm sure you can join next month, okay?"
"Then could I have his phone number or something," Garner couldn't believe what he was saying. He just said he wouldn't take advantage of her! (But a lead's a lead, right...? The end justifies the means?) "I want to talk to him about something. You know, since we both go to Westridge and all."
"Oh, um, sure," Sorrel blinked as she pulled her cell out with her free hand. "Here's his number," She said as Garner got his out. She read the number twice to him, kissed him on the cheek, and waved good-bye as she quickly left the store and headed for the nearest sub station.
He stared at the new number, then slowly shut it. "I'll find my own leads," He muttered to himself as he trashed the last bits of his scone. "I said I wouldn't rely on my girlfriend - and so I won't."
There was a nagging feeling as he left, however. He knew it was probably his best bet to directly call the boy and demand the ransom of Mew Aqua, but what if he didn't even remember the whole incident? (He did tend to receive temporary amnesia more often than the average Earthling.)
Perhaps he'll call Miles up tomorrow. But for now, Garner preferred to think of himself as the alien with decency and manners that outmatched his partners' own. Even if he knew that may not always be the case.
While Garner was out collecting false evidence, Chive decided to head towards the archives. Their base, thanks to Panforte's odd habit of collecting copious notes, was incredibly well-stocked with their world's history and other random, useless information none of them would need for at least another century. ("Cooking for Babies," anyone?)
And besides, Chive might finally be able to impress his partner with his knowledge! There had to be something on humans and Mew Aqua - like a connection that linked them together. That Miles boy was definitely special because of his "Amber Templare" ability, but that certainly didn't mean that his transformation was the only odd ability.
He might be like those Earthling superheroes who were actually aliens from another planet. (Chive had laughed the first time he'd caught sight of them. As if those planets would willingly let a child from their homeworld become a legend somewhere else!) That theory actually sounded more plausible with each passing day... but maybe that was because he'd been reading too many comics.
Walking into the archives, Chive couldn't help noticing the sheer amount of books and ladders. There was a computer in the middle, but it was mainly an index. Trust Panforte to be incredibly old-fashioned! The entire room stuck to the metallic scheme, but there was an old-world feel to it... almost as if Panforte had studied Earth libraries when he created the room.
"I wonder if there are alien children on Earth," Chive muttered to himself as he made his way to the computer. "It would certainly explain that Miles kid."
"You didn't know," Briar interrupted from the middle of a nearby ladder. "You know, about the scouts that were sent out about twenty years ago?"
Chive blinked. "No. I just joined the military a couple of years ago, remember? I only had basic training with Panforte before they decided to send me."
"Oh, that's right," Briar sighed exasperatedly. "You wouldn't know about the queen and her followers coming here."
Chive's eyes widened as he floated towards his partner. "Seriously?! The queen was here? Before she was captured and taken back, you mean?"
"Uh-huh," Briar obviously found too much delight in explaining this, for he put on a pair of glasses and opened up a clean book to his partner's face. "See? She was here to see about environmental research on Earth. To see if perhaps Earth could help them revive their home planet."
Chive whistled, "Wow. Queen Alina was actually here. On Earth. Was she even in the same city?"
"Yep," Briar grinned. "That's why we're here, actually! To get revenge on the queen for choosing to pick such a stupid city. Not only did they not help her with her research, but a man even took advantage of her and had a kid with her---"
Both Briar and Chive shared stunned looks as each stumbled back a little bit.
"W-was she the only one," Chive stuttered. "B-because it might..."
"No, I'm sure she was the only one," Briar tapped the edge of his chin with his finger as he put the book aside. "Everyone else saw right through the humans. At least, that's what the top-secret military records said. They could be lying, like they did with the ohmaijees case."
"You know they call them manatees on Earth," Chive grinned. "And they fly in the water, not the sky?"
"That's besides the point," Briar grumbled. "But do you think the kid's really... Alina's son?"
"I dunno," Chive shrugged. "I've never seen a picture of the queen."
Briar didn't respond for a while as he absent-mindedly led the ladder around the circular archive bookshelves. Chive had never seen his partner so serious; even when things were getting rough, Briar would be the one to crack a weird joke or mention something completely random.
"... I think we need to visit the leaders of the Mew Project and ask them a few questions," Briar finally responded. "You know where their base is?"
"That weird flower shop is where they all work," Chive shrugged. "I guess we could pay a visit tomorrow and see what they have to say."
"If they won't fight us first," Briar pointed out. "We'll definitely have to break in. They just won't let us walk through the front door."
Chive blinked, "But didn't the weird little yellow one ask you out?"
"T-that's none of your business," Briar stammered. "Anyway! Let's try and find out more about the queen before Panforte gets back. This'll be our little secret and our plan B incase we don't get our hands on that Mew Aqua sample the kid stole."
"Got it."
They both immediately stared to finger through every single book in the library. The computer periodically interjected with helpful advice (they would never tease Panforte about that computer again!) as they sifted through the massive piles.
By the time Panforte came back to the base and into the archives, he found his two partners fast-asleep on top of the many, many books that lay before them.
Chuckling softly, Panforte gently woke them up. "Come on, you two," He found himself saying as he dragged them both out of the room. "Dinner's ready. Tomorrow will be a long day."