The Adventures Of Mint & Coco

14: "I Guess We're Just Meant To Be Enemies." (Mint)

I strain to open my eyes, my head spins from last night's discovery. "Mint, are you awake?" I hear an unfamiliar voice call.
Then I remember. I was captured by another cat mutant who wants me to help him get revenge on bird mutants... Maybe including Raven... I don't want to... I must make that clear.

I rise from my comfortable feather-lined nest and rub my eyes. "Yes, I'm awake," I reply. Shadow hops down from the window sill, his usual resting spot. "Good," he yawns, "now are you ready to go get your best friend?" I flatten my ears.  Maybe I should've said no from the beginning. Coco would kill me if she thought that I joined in on killing Raven and Luke. This could ruin our friendship!
"Look Shadow, I don't know what I was thinking last night, but, Raven and Luke... they, they are my-" Shadow shoves his head in my face, "All cat mutants should hate bird mutants for this!" he interrupts. I swallow weakly, widening my eyes. "But I know you do, because you are the only person I've ever met who understands my problem," he meows.

His eyes begin to water, and he limberly leaps back up to the window, to flatten his ears and let his tail hang down, barely scraping the ground. He's so desperate. So miserable. Pathetic. But... I forgot how painful that must had been.
I jump up onto the window sill next to him. And wrap my tail around his back. "I'm so sorry. And I do understand your problem. But, you cannot kill-" Once again, I am interrupted by him, "Thanks Mint. I knew you did." I let my tail flop down. He keeps interrupting me... How can I tell him that I want to support him, but without having to kill my friends or anyone else? I guess I can't. I just won't. I'll hide it. But whenever he is going to kill them, I'll make up some excuse or something. I have to.

"Okay," Shadow leaps off the window sill saying, "I guess we should go find your pendant."
I nod, even though I know he's not watching. "Sounds good," I finally reply aloud.

As we pad towards the door, something crashes through, almost crushing us. "Hide!" Shadow gasps. I dart towards the nearest thing I can; an old ripped up couch, and for the first time I realize where I am... In an abandoned house.
My heart feels like it's beating out of my chest. I hear footsteps drawing nearer. I scoot back against the wall and feel something under myself crack. I look down. It's an old family photo of the people who used to live here, I guess. There is a boy with blonde hair, a dad, and a mother. The dad clutches a medal in his right hand that has a golden star in the middle that says: 'Mayor of the Century'. Along with a name: 'Daishiro Daomi'.

I peak around the corner to see Shadow tucking his tail as close to him as he can. And then I smell it: Coco?! I look further around to see some stranger pointing something out to her. Oh no! Another cat mutant has captured her as well! I motion to Shadow that it is alright. And then I crawl out. I remember that I am in my cat form, therefore, I will not be able to speak to them. I need my leaf pendant! Coco finally notices me and pushes the stranger aside to get to me. She says something, but I cannot understand. Dang it! I really need my leaf pendant! Thankfully, somehow Coco had obtained it, and slips it over my neck.

Flicking my ears in thanks, I begin to grow to my human form. I sigh in relief. "Oh my god Mint! I thought I wouldn't find you!" she gasps as she chokes me with her arms. She unleashes me from her grasp as she notices something moving from behind another couch. Slowly Shadow grows into his human form and walks over to me. My heart stops. I had not yet been able to see him as clearly as I can now. He is tall, and his black hair and blue eyes go perfectly with his pale skin tone.

Coco snarls, "You... you're the bad guy who captured my best friend!" She whips her tail as she holds up her spear, about to pounce, when I stop her with my arm. "Coco, it's alright, he's not bad," I explain. I guess. She turns her head, eyes slit. "What do you mean? He is planning on killing Raven and Luke! You know, our-" I slam my hand against her mouth.
Shadow cannot know that I am in love with a bird mutant. He cannot know that I am friends with a bird mutant. He'll hurt me for lying. Coco reaches up and pulls my hand from her mouth. "I am here to save you Mint-" we are interrupted by a sudden pulse of anger coming off of the stranger and Shadow. Oh, that must be his brother... they're enemies.
Shadow slyly walks past him to stand next to me. He pulls me aside, even though Coco was making it quite obvious that she didn't like that. "Is that you're best friend?" he asks. I nod, "Is that you're brother?" Shadow shrugs, "Yes, his name is Niko. He must have grabbed her and convinced her that what I'm doing is wrong." My heart sinks. So now basically, Coco and I are enemies! What do I do now? Shadow looks me straight in the eyes, "I know how that must feel. Let's go see if it is true." He nudges me, and we pad back over to where Niko and Coco were having a conversation.

Coco notices me and whimpers, "Mint! I thought you loved Raven... how could you take his side?!" Shadow looks over at me and I innocently shrug, although inside I want to burst out crying. Coco saw it and hissed, "Mint! What the heck is going on? Did he poison you?" I shake my head, lying. I do remember the puncture in my leg... I sigh, "Coco, I am supporting Shadow. He lost his entire family!" I walk quickly over to her and push her away from the others. She hisses, "Mint I love you, but you cannot go up against Luke and Raven and expect me to help." I hold up a hand. "Just listen! Please," I say. She nods. "We need your help; he believes he lost his family to bird mutants and-" "Coco this is crazy, I told you he was planning this!" Niko shouts, cutting me off. I try to finish my sentence several times but each time I am cut off. Everyone is yelling. I growl deep in my throat. Mint, go with her. She's your best friend. If she won't listen, then that's the best thing to do. Shadow doesn't control you. Don't let your pride get the best of you! But I do. "Coco, we need you. Shadow wants to kill the bird mutants... I don't. I just feel like... It's my destiny here... in the realm... to go with Shadow. So..." My heart has two feeling. Go with Shadow! Help him! Become a legend... and the other... Go with Coco! Raven loves you more than you could ever imagine. What if you lost that...? My brain begins to drive me insane. "If Shadow wants me to kill the rest of the bird mutants then I will," I lie. Coco closes her eyes, "Mint... It's Shadow's problem if his family died because of bird mutants. He doesn't even know what pack! Sure, that makes Shadow sad, but why should we care? You don't even know him. He didn't do anything for us!" she hisses. "He's the one who turned us into cat mutants!" I screech. Everyone turns and stares at us. The room becomes deathly silent.

"He's the reason why we are here! He brought us to this other dimension to help him don't you see? We aren't dreaming... this is real." My eyes sting. "I love you Coco, but I trust Shadow more. He's one of us... He knows more. Raven and Luke are survivors, but they aren't the ones who brought us here..." Mint! Stop letting Shadow control you! Tell her you're sorry! Then deep inside I wonder... What am I doing?! I'm about to ruin my life! I see Shadow out of the corner of my eye. He poisoned my mind to do what he wants didn't he? Just tell her you're sorry! But I let my pride get the best of me. "I'm staying. Here, with Shadow." Coco's eyes are reflective with tears. She walks away and stops next to Niko, "Niko and I are against this. We won't let it happen. It's wrong." Great Mint... you've ruined it. Your destiny is somewhere, and it's with her... how could you complete it if you're enemies...? I wipe my eyes dry as I realize: I don't need Coco. She doesn't seem to need me. And Shadow can take care of me... I'm covered. But my mind buzzes. I feel as if I've been forced to take Shadow's side. I shoulder past Coco to stand by him.

Coco gives a look of hate. "Mint... we were so close! Plus Raven saved you. He loves you and told me he'd do anything for you. Shadow better take good care of you," she spats. I check behind me to make sure Shadow didn't hear that. He was too busy smiling; off in his own world where he murders the Realm's birds. Coco continues, "I love you Mint, but it's not going to happen. I guess we were just meant to be enemies."