Well, this is how all of this ends up. I, Kazama Shohei, a 16 year old owner of the flower shop, after my boss died at 73 of a heart attack. I know all of you have heard my backstory before, but this is the last time I'm telling you. It all started when I bought Hikari II last year. It is revealed to eat life energy. But whenever I got tired, it'll have to make do with what any normal Venus flytrap would eat. However, when summer came, it got too big, so I left it at the flower shop. And, well, one thing lead to another. First, Orin and his gang die, and then a robber, and now, as I said before, my boss. It's only a matter of time before I crack and confess to Hikari about everything...

DON'T FEED THE PLANTS

Ronnette is reading a newspaper with Shohei's picture on the front page.

"So, Shohei is the owner of the deceased Gardenia's flower shop." Ronnette smiles. "Perfect."
"Shall we go ahead and pay him a visit?" asked Crystal.
"Let's!" said Chiffon.

The next morning, Shohei wakes up, gets dressed in a sweater vest, eats breakfast, brushes his teeth, and heads to the flower shop.

"See ya later, mom!"
"Have a nice day, Shohei!"

When Shohei arrives at the flower shop, the trio of women were waiting for his arrival.

"Hello, Shohei. You remember me, Ronnette. Crystal and Chiffon are here, too."
"We're here to talk to you over a banquet for something." said Crystal.
"It'll be held in the most expensive restaurant at 6:00 PM. Don't be late!" Chiffon said with a giggle.
"Bye-bye~!" the trio said in unison as they leave.
"Banquet?"

Later that night at the restaurant, the women talk to a tuxedo-clad Shohei over dinner.

Shohei says as he cuts his steak, "I still don't get how you got reservations."
As Shohei takes a bite, Crystal says, "It's best not to think about it."
"A TV station wants you to sign this contract for gardening tips." said Ronnette.
Shohei swallows and says, "Gardening tips?"
"Correct. Everybody's impressed at how big your plant has gotten." said Crystal.
"So am I." said Shohei right before eating a bread roll.
"If you sign that contract, people will learn about how you raise that plant and you'll be famous!" said Chiffon. "Your girlfriend Hikari will want to marry you!"

Upon what Chiffon just said, Shohei chokes on the bread roll, but he stops after sipping some water.

"Marry?!"
"Chiffon, they're still in high school; they can't marry that soon!" said Ronnette.
"Oh, sorry!" said Chiffon.
Crystal said, "Speaking of Hikari, here is something you should give her, but first, sign that contract."
"Well, I guess I have no choice." said Shohei.

Shohei signs the contract.

"Good!" Ronnette said.
"Here." said Crystal as she holds out a small box. "Give this to Hikari."

Shohei opens the box and sees a gold ring with a rainbow-colored gem.

"Wow!"
"That gem is made of the same material as that meteor that broke into many pieces last year."
"Wait a minute! How do you know about the meteor?"

The women look wary.

"Kazama Shohei, the time will come when your question will be answered." said Ronnette.
Chiffon, in an attempt to distract Shohei, says, "For now... LOOK OVER THERE, IS THAT A RACCOON-DOG?"
Shohei turns around. "Huh? I don't see a..."

The women vanished.

"Where did they go? Ah, well." Shohei shrugged.
~~~~~~~~
And so, Shohei has risen to fame once he got his inheritance from his boss. Magazines, newspapers, you name it. His face was plastered everywhere. While all this was happening, Shohei returns to the flower shop, trips, and sees how big Hikari II has gotten. The plant was tall enough to touch the ceiling.

"Oh my God!"
"And here he is, the young man himself, Kazama Shohei!"

Shohei then gets up and sees Hikari with a TV crew applauding.

Hikari said, "Hey Shohei, your episode of that show you signed up for is starting! Get ready!"
The man said, "Shohei, can you tell us how you got your plant so big?"

Just then, Hikari II collapses.

"Cut! Cut! What the hell happened to that leviathan of a plant you call Hikari II?!"
"Uh... it just needs fed."
"Well, feed it some plant food or bugs or whatever!"
"Um... it doesn't eat that stuff primarily."
"Well, then, let me feed it."
"No... not now."

As the TV crew takes pictures, Shohei becomes more overwhelmed.

"Please, hear me out. Leave. Go away! I need a moment! Go on, shoo! Hit the road!! Go away!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"
"Shohei!" Hikari says as she slaps Shohei across the face. "You're acting hysterical!"
"Forgive me, Hikari!"

Shohei runs off as people take more pictures.

"Everybody, please, cease photography! I need to talk to our star."

So, Hikari goes to Shohei's house. Seconds later, she goes up to Shohei's bedroom door and knocks.

"Shohei?"
"Go away!"
"C'mon, Shohei, we need to talk!"
"Okay."

Hikari enters Shohei's room, where he is sitting on the bed in a fetal position.

"I'm in a rut. If I don't feed the plant, it'll die, and I'll lose everything, including you."
"Shohei, you'll never, ever lose me. I'll stay by your side, no matter what!"
"Well, in that case, I suppose I'll give you something that I got from those 3 strange women that appeared in my dream. Here."

Shohei gives Hikari the box. She opens the box and sees the ring.

"It's... it's beautiful! Oh Shohei!"
"I just want you to know that I love you so much."
"Aww, that's sweet! Well, it's getting late, so I have to go. See you later!"
"See ya!"
~~~~~~~~
Later that day, the sun was setting. Shohei was flipping the sign at the flower shop to "CLOSE".

"That's the end of the day. But not of the shop." said Shohei.
"Feed me." said Hikari II.
"Under no circumstances."
"But..."
"No buts! Quit asking!"
"Aww, c'mon!"
"Absolutely not! I've endured enough regret doing that!"
"Baka-Shohei..." Hikari II grumbled.
"Okay, fine! I'll go get some steak!"
Hikari II crosses its vines and says, "Don't do me any favors."
"This is my last offer; do you want it?" asked Shohei.
"You sure do drive a hard bargain."
"Fine, that's fine!" said Shohei right before he leaves.
"Ha ha ha, now that he's out of the way, it's time to make a phone call."

Hikari II extends its vines to call on the phone.

"Kazama, you fool. I've watched you call a certain someone so many times that I practically memorize the number."

Meanwhile at the Momokawas' mansion, the phone rang and Hikari, who can't sleep, answers it.

"Hello, Momokawa residence!"
"Hello there... Hikari!"
"Huh?! Who is this?"
"This is your father."
"Daddy?"
"Come to the flower shop."

Hikari arrives at the flower shop and goes inside.

"Daddy?"
"Sorry, wrong number!" Hikari II said.
"Whoever you are, that was a cruel trick!"
"Hello, Hikari!"
"Oh my God~! Hikari II!? She can talk?! I must be dreaming!"
"Nope, and it's not Hatsuyume, either. I called you because my leaves are becoming dry. Feel."

Hikari feels the plant's dry leaves.

"Goodness, they sure are! I'll go get you some water."

Hikari grabs the watering can and goes over to the plant.

"Here we go."
"Gladly."

Hikari II restrains Hikari with her vines.

"Aah! What... what are you doing?!"
"Hikari, Hikari, Hikari... you don't get it. I fed on Shohei's life energy. Every time that he fed me, I grew bigger and stronger. Hell, eating the souls of the Sharks, that robber, and the fat guy have given me a significant boost."
"Gasp! So that must mean..."
"Yes! And now, it is your turn!"

Hikari can only struggle to escape. As Hikari II opens its maw wide, Hikari screams in sheer terror. Luckily, Shohei heard it and bolted into the shop.

"STOP!!!"

Hikari II pauses.

"Put her down!!"
"It's too late! If you can't give me a soul, then I'll take that of your beloved Hikari-chan!"
"Please, no! You don't want her soul! Take mine instead."
"Shohei, no!" Hikari cried.

Hikari II puts Hikari down.

"If you're stupid enough to risk your life saving her, then go ahead."
"Shohei... You don't have to do this!" Hikari objects with tears in her eyes.
"I have to. Goodbye, and I'll always love you." Shohei says as he gives Hikari one last peck. He turns around and shouts, "All right, Hikari II, come and get me!!"

Hikari II proceeds to open its huge maw, granting it the ability to suck Shohei's soul out of his body, through his agape mouth. Once that was done, Shohei's eyes and mouth close and his lifeless body collapses to the floor.

"No... No!! SHOHEI~!!!"

Hikari picks up the body and cradles it in her arms.

"Shohei-kun... " Hikari says as she breaks down crying over her lost love.
~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, inside a strange, dark green area presumed to be the inside of Hikari II's stomach, Shohei's soul awakens inside.

"Huh? This must be the inside of Hikari II."
"Kazama!"
"Mr. Gardenia!"
"How could you do all of this?!"
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Gardenia. I just wanted to win Hikari's heart."
"I understand. I would've done the same thing to win a pretty girl's heart. However, that wasn't necessarily how I won my ex-wife's heart, but that's another story."
Orin said, "You know what, you little mouse? You've got spunk. You've made me see the error of my ways. Maybe I can get into Heaven and see my mama again."
"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have confessed my feelings for Orin-sempai." said Sango.
"We were jerks, and this is the karma that has bound us inside the plant." said Piranha.
"I believe my friends have summed up my thoughts." said Unagi.
"I was going to die of a terminal disease in 2 weeks anyway, so I guess my attempt at robbery was futile," the robber said.
"Because of me, all of us are trapped inside for eternity." said Shohei.
"Not quite."

The voice came from Ronnette, who speaks to Shohei telepathically.

"You still have a chance to free yourself and everyone else from Hikari II before its digestion phase."
"Digestion phase?" said Shohei.
"You see, it was a lifeform that was born on that meteor and fused with the plant. Its species only eats life energy. However, when its species eats souls, their stomachs will proceed to digest them after at least one has been contained for the course of 3 days. Unfortunately, the process begins right now."

The weird polyps inside the plant begin to ooze with corrosive acid and start to flood the interior of the stomach. It manages to digest the lower half of the robber's body.

"YEOW! This is the most painful feeling ever!"
"Oh no! What'll we do now?!" Shohei cried.
"Leave that to us." said Ronnette.

Meanwhile, a grief-stricken Hikari is on top of the building, getting ready to jump, when...

"Hikari... Hikari... don't jump!"
"Huh? Who's there??" Hikari asks as she wipes away some tears.

Ronnette, Crystal and Chiffon appear before Hikari.

"Hikari, you must use that ring Shohei gave you." said Ronnette.
"How... how do you know about the ring?"
"Well, the truth is, me, Crystal, and Chiffon are from another galaxy, and tracked the meteor, which both Hikari II and the gem in your ring came from. But that's not all. You and Shohei both had a past together."
"A past?"
"Yes. Many years ago, you were called Seymour and Audrey, and you were both in love with each other, but had trouble admitting it wholeheartedly."
Chiffon explains, "For the same reasons as Shohei, Seymour bought a strange plant, which was a similar species to Hikari II, except that instead of life energy, Audrey II ate blood."
"Your past lives, while different from your current lives, were similar, but when Audrey II got to the size that Hikari II is now, it ate you, and then Seymour, and took over America. Ronnette, Chiffon, and I had to take off our disguises and defeat the plant, as well as reincarnate you and Shohei into what you two are now, but with what we hoped for as a better life..."
"I... I can't believe it..." Hikari muttered.
Ronnette said, "Now that you know the truth, there is only one way to weaken plants like these: use the power that lies in the ring."
"Okay."

As Hikari steps down from the ledge, Hikari II gets even bigger, busts through the roof, and grabs her with its vines.

"You know, little 'Hikari-chan', your beloved Shohei's soul was the best food I've had because his life energy was my first meal. Since he loves you so much, I guess I'll have your soul for dessert!"
"You monster..." Hikari seethed. "YOU DESPICABLE GREEN MONSTER!"

Hikari struggles to aim her clenched fist at Hikari II, in which, the ring shoots a rainbow-colored beam at the plant, weakening it.

"Aagh! That power... it's that damn meteor!"

Meanwhile, inside Hikari II's stomach...

"Now, everyone! Here's your chance! Escape!" Shohei commanded.

Everybody gathers and surges out of Hikari II.

"No! NO!!" Hikari II screamed.
"You've been a very bad plant, Hikari II." said Shohei. "And now, it's time for you to wilt. CHARGE!!!"

The souls, led by Shohei, charge at Hikari II at full force, destroying not only the plant, but the flower shop, too. Hikari is rescued by Shohei's spirit at the last second. The "soul" of the plant then appears.

"I can't believe it... ! You've... killed me... ! My plans for dominating this planet have been foiled!"

The soul flies off into the sky in shame.

"Shohei-kun! You're all right!" Hikari cried.
"Not just yet."

Shohei's soul re-enters his body and gets back on his feet.

"Now I'm all right."
"Kazama, thank you for saving us." said Mr. Gardenia. "But now, we must pass on to the other side. Farewell."
"See you some other time." said Orin.
"Bye, hon." said Sango.
"Good-bye." said Piranha.
"Bye-bye!" said Unagi.

The souls of the deceased victims fly off into the horizon as Shohei, Hikari, and the women watch.

"You have saved the Earth, both of you." said Ronnette.
"You two love each other so much that it saved us all." said Crystal.
"Don't worry about the shop; we'll fix it up!" said Chiffon.
"Thank you so much! Sayonara~!" the trio said in unison.

Shohei and Hikari then head home.

"Hikari-chan, I'm so sorry for keeping that awful secret for so long."
"It's all right now. You didn't need Hikari II to impress me. After all, I've always loved you since the day we met. And everybody is happy now."
"Including us."

And so, Shohei and Hikari hold each other tight and kiss.

THE END