Disclamer: I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew, Just the charicters in this chapter and the story line for this fic. Cherry belongs to my 'ickle sis' and bata reader, Cherry

This section is set about tow years after Kiwi and Cherry come home to england and about 18 months after Kisshu, Pai and Tauto leave earth.

xxxRecruting Applexxx

This is exactly the problem with Britain. If it's not cold or dull or wet, it's too damn hot! Spring was fine; it brought excitement in the form of thunder, but summer. After the storms and dull skies, heat didn't creep up on this island and its inhabitancies, no; it pounced. Poor locals are never prepared for the sudden appearance of the golden sun; being so use to the grey skies all year round.

"Oh, it's so hot!" complained Cherry. The car window was already rolled down on the passenger's side and yet she still complained. To be fair to her thought, she was dressed in a purple t-shirt and full length jeans. Cherry Povall was only a fourteen year old girl at the moment, but she still managed to beat three older teenagers to the coolest seat in the car with the simple rule of 'shotgun' to help her cope with the heat. Her hair, the colour of drayed blood, had been cropped into a bob that fell only a little below her round face. Many accused her of dying it, as it looked too strange with her soft grey eyes to be natural. To Cherry's pride however, it wasn't.

Her elder sister, Kiwi Povall, sighed and told her, "Stop moaning, Che." She was only a year older than her, but the two were hardly alike in looks. While Cherry was very straight, Kiwi was more suited to curves. Her body did not take on an impressive hour-glass shape, but it was still there all the same. Another difference between the siblings was that her hair was like that of bark off a tree. It was also curved and curled, right down to their tips around her waist. One thing she hated to do with her hair, and tried to avoid, was brushing it. Brushing her hair made it frizzy, sealing her beloved curls, so whenever she could afford to, Kiwi left it as nature intended. The last curve she liked to keep was her smile. That, and the shade of their eyes, were the only physically thing the two girls had in common.

"We're all hot," Kiwi stated. "Hack, Robin's even taken his top off." She glared disapprovingly at the boy sitting next to her in the back set.

He could have been sixteen or seventeen, she couldn't really tell his age. He had a strong jaw line and a thick neck. Manly fetchers, but his large golden eyes and cheeky grin gave his youth away. Even his hair was a sign that he was at that rebellious stage in his life. It was a lighter colour then Cherry's and stoke out at odd angles, despite the fact that he didn't wear products. The rest of his body was…well…well what do you expect from a gay who spend most of his life depending on pure instinct and strength to survive? Right now, his muscles were on display for all to see.

"That's because I don't like these 'clothes'." He explained as he scowled at his borrowed jeans and trainers. He probably whished he could take them off too. Robin wasn't use to wearing things over his body and as he didn't own anything of his own, he had to borrow some from Miss Povall's boyfriend, not that he knew. Up until last night, Robin had lived his life out as a red fox. Hard to believe, but truer then the sky is blue. A few years ago, Kiwi and a handful of other girls had their DNA sliced with an animals DNA, giving them the ability to transform. It was then that Kiwi had accidently turned into her fox form and met Robin in Japan. The two had quickly formed a strong friendship before they decided that he would go and live with her in England. Time brought them closer and closer and Kiwi began to realise that there was something alluring about him. Both of them however, kept the other as a friend only, not sure of how the other felt. After all, they were no where near the same species. Then again, to see him transform into this.

Kiwi turned away to look out the window. She could feel her cheeks suddenly becoming warmer. Thanks to a blonde genius, she could talk to Robin in any form she chose, but now a certain someone his DNA had also been changed, and not very successfully, mind. Where she and her friends could transform at will and look human from every angle, Robin would always have his tail and couldn't change without the help of a machine. They had to make sure he kept in hidden in his trousers when in public.

That certain someone was named Pepper Howe, and was sitting on Robin's other side. A genius and daughter of a lucky gambler. She was resting her head on her hand and looked utterly bored. Usually, she would be smiling and laughing away with Kiwi, telling her that she'd look good with a side fringe like her. To sum her personality up, she was an angel with a devilish streak and Kiwi's best friend. Top of the class, teachers pet with rabies and a bad bite. Half the girls in the school wanted to be her; the other half wanted to see her get hit by a car. To make things worse, she had perfected a model look. Perfect smile, perfect body and wicked brown eyes. Like her personality, her hair wasn't straight, wavy or curly, more zig zag. Deep brown, almost jet black and often kept in two bunches with only her fringe and bangs free. Today, however, she fashioned two lose plats on either side of her slender neck. The reason for the change was that she wasn't happy with their destination.

From the drivers set, Ruth called, "Robin, I know it's a pain, but put your clothes back on."

Robin growled but did as he was told. He held up the top trying to figure out how it when on again and then put his head thought the wrong hole.

Kiwi sighed and took it off him. "Here, let me help." Together, Kiwi helped him put his arms and head thought the right holds and put it down, consoling his chest.

"I know it's a pain for you," Ruth said again, looking at him in the mirror. "But we're going to a public place and you can't walk around topless. It's just not the done thing."

With his top back on, Robin fidgeted and scowled. "But coving you body is wired. No one else dose it."

Ruth and other girls chuckled.

Ruth was the oldest girl in the group, being eighteen. It was her car they were all in, hence why she was the one driving. She was the only one with a proper job and because of that job, she was externally mature, but at the same time, very good with kids. She was the kind of person that would guarantee to show you a good time but also give you a reliable shoulder to cry on and a good ear to complain in. She was tall and well developed. Her hair was the same shade as Kiwi's only shorter and kept in a high pony, tied off with a ribbon that varied in colour every day.

Together, the four girls were something special, each hold their own power and apart of The Mew-Team. Kiwi was their leader, Cherry the second to be recruited. Pepper was next to join. She wasn't hard to find as she when to the same school as Kiwi and was edger to be in on that whole secret identity that came as a given with the job of protecting their homeland. Ruth was a little trickier to find. If it wasn't for Cherry wanting to go to a museum, they might have never found her. They were, regrettable, one member short though. The group was not complete without all of its five members. That's where they were going, to recruit their last team-mate. The only problem was thought that she was under hundreds of watchful eyes.

"Hey, Pepper?" Cherry called, turning round in her set so she could talk face to face.

Pepper looked up, lifting her head and giving the youngest member her attention.

"Are you sure this is where she's going to be?" She asked.

Kiwi looked in Pepper direction also. It was her extensive research that gave them some clue where they should be looking, but they didn't know who they were looking for. Not only that, there was the problem of getting in and busting her out! They already had a lie prepared so they could go in to check out what she looked like, other wise they could be setting any old nut job free.

Pepper turned away. She was the only one that was smart enough to think up of an affective escape plan, but that didn't mean she was happy with it. "Yes," she conformed after a while. "But I don't think we should be doing this."

"Pepper, she's our fellow mew. We have to at least tell her the truth and give her the option to join us," Kiwi retaliated.

"She was put in there for a reason," Pepper almost shouted. She turned on Kiwi with her famous scowl that created a small line down the middle of her knotted eye brows. "If she becomes a danger to us-"

"She won't!"

"Enough!" Ruth yelled.

At that, the two girls turned away from each other, leaving Robin feeling very uncomfortable in the middle. This was one thing they strongly disagreed on, and it threatened to tear their friendship apart.

Ruth sighed, and pulled the car up into the parking lot. Kiwi didn't realise they were here already. "Look," Ruth huffed, turning to look at them. "Pepper, try to keep an opened mind about her. It's not her fault that she's the way she is and who knows; maybe being part of this team may help her. And Kiwi, you have to think of the safety of the rest of the group. Pepper's right, this girl may be externally dangerous. Everyone keep that in mind." With that, she unbuckled her belt and got out the car.

Kiwi and Robin looked at each other before following suit. When everyone was out, Ruth locked it up and led the way down the path. Before them was a large and miraculously white building, ten stories tall. Above a doubled door entrances, a green sign was suspended with the words 'Evergreen Asylum'. To think that one of there own would end up in a nut-house. It was possible thought. Anyone hearing that you thought you were a super being with animal ears you think you were insane.

From behind, Robin took hold of her hand. He seemed to like the fact that he could hold her now he was human. She squeezed his hand and together, they walked thought the doors.

What was before them, Kiwi expected from a hospital. There was a reception desk with two corridors either side of it. Everything was made up clean and white and there were some people buzzing around them, all in white uniform. Behind the desk before them, a woman with her blond hair in a tight bun watched them. Like everyone else, she was wearing a white, scrub like clothes. To complete her look, thin, oval glasses stat on the end of her nose. "May I help you?" She asked. Her voice had a strange nasal quality to it, giving Kiwi the instant impression that that she believed herself to the better then the rest.

All of them hesitated for a second, looked at one another. Cherry nervously pushed Ruth forwards. She stumped then tried to fix a smile on her face. "Em, yes. Well, you see thing is," she muttered, her words slumbering over one another.

Behind her, Pepper rolled her eyes. Not to Kiwi's surprise, she strolled over to Ruth and put her hand on her forearm. "Oh, move over," she commanded and pushed her out of the way. To the receptionist she said, "Look lady, what my sister her is trying to say is that we're looking for someone. A girl with a tattoo."

The woman raised her head, now looked at them thought her glasses. Kiwi fell that she did this so she could look at them down her nose, not so she could see them. "I'm sorry," she said, a little more sternly then needed. "If you don't have the correct authorisation or even know the patients names-"

"It's visiting hours, isn't it?" Pepper demanded. "And if you weren't sitting so high on your pedestal, you would have heard me continue to say that the girl is my sister. All of our sister, actually; our mum liked to party. The only way we are able to find each other is through these tattoos." At that, Pepper lifted up her top to show her the black mark on the left side of her hip. The woman leaned over her desk to take a look. Her lips turned into a slim line. Pepper put her top down. "We all have them," she continued, "and there all a different colour and never in the same place. Does that give us the right authorisation in your book to at lease have a look for her, Miss?"

Kiwi had to admit, she was impressed. She, for one, would never have the bottle to talk to a complete stranger like that. Pepper had the talent to lie in such a straight forward manner.

Scowling still, the woman looked down and shuffled some papers about. "I only know one patient with a mark like that," she said slowly. When she was done suffering, the woman looked up again. This time she was not angry or annoyed, but deadly serious. "But believe me when I say, you will not want to claim her as your sister."

Robin tilted his head to his side, a habit of his whenever he questioned something. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Aren't all the people here sort of…off?"

The scowl came back as she regarded the only boy in the group. "Young man, show some respect. The patients here are not off, as you so lightly put it. On the country, they are merely people who have physiological issues and I assure you, we are doing the best we can to help the,."

Cherry stepped forward, confessed and worried also. "What do you mean?" she asked. "What wrongs with our sister?"

This time, the woman took a few seconds longer to respond. "Look, I don't mean to upset anyone but," she looked to her left down the corridor then lowed her voice. "Even for here, the girl isn't right. It's not normal that some as young her to be so twisted up." The receptionist taped the side of her head vigorously.

The girls all looked at each other. Cherry and Ruth looked unsure and Pepper had her 'I told you so' look on. Robin, on the other hand, gave Kiwi and encouraging grin when she looked at him. She wondered if he fully understood that their new team mate might well be the biggest crazy person in this place. Nevertheless, they had to see her. Regardless of what was going on inside her head, the girl was distained to be a mew and that was something she had a right to know about. Also, wouldn't it be better for her to be free from this place. Kiwi was sure that no one really wanted to live here.

Kiwi looked at the receptionist. She was trying to scare them away, but why? "We want to see her," Kiwi stated. She wasn't going to stand down when they were so close. It had taken them six month to track this girl down and she wasn't going to let her disappear before they met.

Sighing, the receptionist slumped back in her chair and pick up her phone. "You going to regret it," she muttered as she punched in some numbers. After a while she said into the phone, in a clear and professional voice, "Doctor Young, could you please come down to the reception area. There are some people here who wish to see Pip. They claim to be relatives." She pauses, lessoning to the reply. "That's what they say…five…even so, Doctor, they seem determined to see her." On the other end of the line, there was a long buzz and the woman put the phone down. Without looking up, she picked up a pen and began to scribble something's down. While still keeping her eyes on what she was doing, she told the group in a monotone voice, "Please take a seat. Doctor Young will be with you shortly."

When Doctor Young arrived, Kiwi instantly liked him better then the receptionist. He had a large smile on his square face, display his gleaming, white teeth. He had narrow blue eyes that sparkled with excitement. They gave him some youth, even thought his hair was gray and combed back. Unlike the rest of the staff they had seen, Doctor Young wore a dark suit under a long lab coat. As he walked towards them, he already had his hand out, ready to shake. First, he eagerly took Ruth's hand, and moved along the group, giving each one a strong and enthusiastic shake. "Nice to meet you all. Absolute pleasure. I am Doctor Young, Pip's physiologist. And you are her relatives?"

Ruth smiled kindly at him. She seemed to like him too. "Ah, yes. I'm Ruth Wilson," she told him politely. "And these are my half sisters: Pepper, Kiwi and Cherry and this is our good friend Robin." As she said their names, she gestured to each person in turn.

"Nice to meet you," Doctor Young repeated. He clapped his hands to gather and rubbed them as if he was washing them. "Right then, follow me, keep close, and try not to draw attention to yourselves." With only last flash of his smile, he led the group down the right hand corridor. It was long and rather wide. On either side, more corridors, numerous rooms and doors. Doctor Young turned down one of these corridors and was soon leading the group up a flight of stairs. As they started walked on flat ground again, he turned his head towards them and asked, rather enthusiastically, "So, how are you lovely girls related to our dear friend?"

"She's our half sister," Pepper clarified.

The doctor nodded and smiled. "Really?" he simply said. "You know, it would be nice if Pip did have a living relative. Oh, and next time you lie, you might want to try not being so forceful," he advised.

As they headed up another flight of stairs, Robin took hold of Kiwi's hand, who was guiltily blushing. Cherry and Ruth exchanged nervous glances and Pepper…Pepper was being Pepper.

"We're not lying and if you must know, I'm a master of deceit." She stated plainly. The last part, at least, was true. Pepper was known all across the school for her skill of playing people for a fool.

Their guide stopped short and turned to face them. "Well then, young master, if you wish to keep that title, I suggest you start present your fake truths less desperately," he said.

That comment made Pepper's shoulders sag and her head hang. She knew when she was beat and there was no way she could compete with a physiatrist.

Kiwi pattered her friend on the shoulder kindly. So he knew all along they were lying. "If you knew we weren't related to her, then why are you taking us to see Pip?" Kiwi inquired. It all seemed very odd to her. Shouldn't this place be a little more wary about who they let in?

"Usually the staff here all work together, looking after numerous patients, however, considering Pip's age and, well, condition, it was believed best that she have her own privet doctor. Even though she's been with us for a year, her entire mind and life's a mystery, including her really name. The countless specialists she saw before us don't know much about her either. The poor kid hasn't seen much of the outside world since she was four and she hasn't met anyone apart from those in this building. That's not how a child should be brought up," he explained, shaking his head. "Even if you've never met her before, you knew she was here, and that's as good as being her sisters to me. If she met all of you, it'll be the best experience for her."

The best for her? Kiwi smiled. They could be helping her after all. No one should be stuck in here forever, especially without seeing anyone who isn't insane or someone who reads minds.

"Wait a minute!" Ruth said suddenly, making all her friends jump. Ruth wasn't usually one to raise her voice unless she felt that something was seriously wrong. "What kind of place is this? You keep calling her a child and mentioned her upbringing. Just how old is this Pip?" She was right. Every time Doctor Young mentioned Pip, he spoke of her as if she was a child.

"Six," Doctor Young replied.

"SIX!" the entire group yelled. After that, there was an outburst, words wilding fired at the doctor.

"What the hell is a six year old doing here?"

"You can't claim her to be insane when she's just a kid!"

"Just what kind of place are you running? A child can't be mentality unstable! She's just a kid!"

What the girls all demanded answers and a good reason why a child was here, Robin and the doctor tried to calm them all down.

Taking hold of her shoulders, the former fox turned Kiwi to face him. "Alaska, calm down," he begged. "I'm sure there's a good reason if you just listened."

Kiwi looked away from him and pouted. She didn't understand why a child was here and not in a loving home where she belonged.

"Now all of you just calm down," Doctor Young ordered, doing his upmost best to control the situation. "I know it's a shock and an unusual case, but I can't have you causing a commotion, you'll scare and upset the patients. If you don't settle down I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

That seemed to stop the yelling, but the words didn't remove the disapproving looks and scowls. All of them thought that the person they were going to met was a teenager or a young adult, not someone in year two. Never the less, they listened to Doctor Young as he explained that Pip was no ordinary child. He told them, as he started to lead the group again, that she had developed and passed milestones much faster than the average kid. Her physical skills and intellect were on par with a teenager when she was five. On top of that, she was dangerous. When she was first found, no one could get near her in fear of losing a finger. "The last time a nurse tried to give her a bath, she was put is hospital," the doctor explained. "But if you know her soft points and avoid them, Pip is a very friendly and loving child."

Cherry was now keeping very close to Kiwi's side. She had to admit, Kiwi wasn't looking forward to meting her now. All the while, Doctor Young begged them to see Pip. Eventually the group came to a large, white room. Inside was pretty bare, aside from chairs that surrounded tables, dotted here and there. Around these tables, people dressed in everyday cloths were gathered. Benches and a piano were also lined up against the walls. The only area that looked remotely interesting was the far corner of the room. This area was cut off from the rest by four earthy brown screams. They were so close together, the only way to get into the far corner was to pass between the narrow opening between the wall and the wood.

Doctor Young led them towards the cut off area, telling them that this was the room where a lot of the patens came to socialise and that this area in the far end of the room was available as a small reading area. The lead them behind the screens and welcomed them inside. What was hidden here was a place much different from the rest of the room. Large and colourful cousins crowded the floor, making every inch as soft as a cloud. Hugging the walls were low bookcases, holding a variety of books from every genre. The place was small, but big enough to appear cosy when the enter group had scuffled in. The place however, wasn't empty before they had arrived. On the floor, with her feet resting onto of a bookcase, was who Kiwi presumed was their long awaited friend, Pip.

Dear Pip was as small as her age. The first thing Kiwi noticed about her was her hair. It was an eye-catching, yet externally soft orange, like the fragile flam on a candle. The tangled mess was spread around her head and could be no longer then her chin. The next thing she noticed was her eyes. Although she was only meant to be six, Pip's sapphire eye would have must better suited resting on the receptions face. They were narrow and humourless. In fact, instead of being full of life like other children's eyes, these held no emotion at all. They didn't even have enough life in them to be as cold as ice. Her lips also showed no expression. Kiwi shivered. She would have thought that the girl was dead if her hand right, by her side, hadn't twitched when they came in. Her other hand was holding onto a think book, labelled 'Secrets of the Universe', that rested on her stomach. On the back of this hand, was a small, orange 'x' with its ends curled.

Doctor Young Smiled and approached the lifeless girl. "Pip," he called. "Pip, you have visitors."

Pip turned her head towards the girls, staring at them for a long time before sitting up and turning her hold body to face them. Her expression didn't change. She locked eyes with each mew member, not at all interested in seeing Robin. When her dead eyes met Pepper's, Pip gasped, taking everyone by surprised. What was even more surprising was that Pip jumped to her feet and within seconds was clinging to Pepper, nurseling her face into her stomach.

"Amazing," Doctor Young commented and he watched Pip show affection towards Pepper, who was standing every still as if a hoard of wasps would attack her if she moved a muscle. "She's never acted so positively towards strangers before."

In a small voice, Pepper pleaded, "Could you get her off me? It's kinda disturbing."

The doctor nodded and reach out for the child. Pip had other idea. She skidded her foot across the floor and hit Doctor Young's foot, making her stop in his tracks. Than for some reason they did not understand, she clicked her touch several times and reached out and took hold of Ruth's waist. All of this she did without turning away from Pepper's body. The doctor frowned.

"What was that about?" Robin asked watching Pip hold on.

"It's mores code and how she communicates, since for some reason she doesn't have a voice box," Young explained. "She said 'These are my sisters. They are like me. Panda is best sis. Butter is carer.'" The doctor crossed his arms, frowning and his eyebrows crossed. Her words were a puzzle he was trying to work out.

The girls however, didn't need to think much about what it meant. When Pepper transformed into her mew self, she had the feathers and characteristics t of a panda bear and Ruth was a glass-winged butterfly. What they didn't know was how Pip knew.

Kiwi watched Pip carefully. She was still hold on tight to Pepper and was…smiling. With her head against her, Pip's eyes were closed and her lips were stretched into a wide smile. She looked so much like a child.

"I've never seem her act like this," Pip's specialist stated. He clicked his fingers and turned to leave the library. "Could you girls keep an eye on Pip? I have to see Doctor Tower about this." After that, Doctor Young left the cornered and was heading off out of the room.

"Hey!" Kiwi called. "You can't just leave us with her!"

"Yeah! How do you know you can trust us?" Cherry said.

"And how can we trust her?"

Doctor Young turned and smiled. "Don't worry. Pip might be a little unpredictable, but if she shows any sign that she likes you, you're safe and sound. Besides, Pip's a very good judge of character." He winked at her. "You five will be fine." Without another word, Doctor Young left them with Pip.

Kiwi bit her lip and turned back to the rest of the group. Pip wasn't holding on any more. Instead, she made her way over to the bookcase and pick up a book that didn't look very interesting. She opened it up to reveal that the pages were blank and that in the spin of the book was a small pen. She used the pen to write in the book. When she was finished, Pip turned the book around for them to see.

Scrawled in messy black ink was the question, 'You have a mark like me?'

Kiwi looked at Pepper, who nodded and pushed her forward. "It's you plan to recruit her," she whispered in her ear before giving her one last shove.

Kiwi stumbled and looked nervously back at her friend. Now that Doctor Young had left, now was as good as time as any to ask Pip if she wanted to join them, but…Kiwi looked down at Pip. Did they really want to recruit someone who was known for biting?

Pip watched her carefully with her empty eyes.

"Em…"Kiwi hesitated. "Say, Pip?"

Pip opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

"Huh?" Kiwi tilted her head to one said. She couldn't be sure, but it looked like Pip was trying to say 'apple' or 'cattle'.

The girl's pan started to dance across the page again. Under the question was the word 'apple'. Pip tapped the word then pointed to herself. Kiwi still didn't get it.

"Apple?" Cherry asked. She scowled, puzzled at the word and the small, shell of a child. "Apple?" She asked again. This time, Pip nodded. "Oh. Your name's Apple?" Pip, or rather Apple, nodded again.

"Okay than. Apple. That mark on your hand," Kiwi said gently.

Apple looked down at her hand.

"It means your special," the brunette continued. "A mew; just like us. And we're here because, well, our group's one member short and we were wondering if you wanted to join us."

After a second of an emotionless gaze, Apple clapped her hands together and beamed.

Kiwi smiled and turned to face her friends, but their job was far from over.

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Great," she said. "Now we have to find away to bust her out."

To all of their surprise and confusion, Apple tapped her forehead with her knuckles. It was almost as if she was saying 'leave it to me'.

When Doctor Young returned with his friend, Apple was lying on the floor again, looking board. Well, at least she showed some emotion this time. Both specialists seemed disappointed that their patient was no longer sociable and that Ruth insisted that it was time they made their leave before departing, Kiwi asked why they called her Pip.

Doctor Young shrugged. "When she was first brought here, she didn't have a name that she responded to and then the patient stated calling her Pip. Since it was the only thing she responded to, the staff followed suit."

Eventually, Ruth dropped everyone off at their homes. To Kiwi's secrets displeasure, Robin had to stay at Pepper's for the time being she could find a way for him to change at will. She would see her friend again thought.

At midnight for Apples great escape.

The sliver moon hung high in the sparkling sky. It was such a sham that on this beautiful night, Kiwi and friends have to be secretive. Around them, the world had changed. Flowers had gone to sleep and strange beast scuttled about the ground. They couldn't explore this exciting dimension that was so open to them. Instead they had to stay, tucked away behind a bush in Ruth's old banger. Kiwi heard Robin sigh next to her and knew he longed to be outside too.

This time, Pepper was the one in the front leaving Cherry leaning against Kiwi and Kiwi to rest her head against Robin's chest in the back. Despite the fact that the two foxes were always playing in the night, the mew found herself exhorted for some reason. It had been a long day for her; for everyone and now in the dead of night, their plans demanded that they be fast and strong when their eyes were drooping.

Cherry, her blood-red hair not tangled with the long hours leaned forward and rested on the back of Peppers sat. She sighed and grumbled "Are you done yet, Pep?"

"Almost, Security's tight you know. They have files to protect."

"Oh, unlike school?"

Ruth chuckled at the memory.

The car fell silent apart from the quick taps from the laptop up front. When it came to computers and hacking, Pepper was a wizard. Kiwi didn't know how, but Howe had a way of getting into highly secured files though the network as long as she was close by.

"Got it!"

Robin nudged Kiwi and encouraged her to sit up so she could see the screen. There wasn't much to see. The screen displayed as dark, dull room that was rather small and square. There was no light, other than that which came from a barbed window on a door with no handle. The only furniture was an iron bed, which was occupied. Lying on top of the covers, staring at the ceiling with large, empty eyes was Apple dressed in white scrubs.

"She looks board," Robin commented.

"She looks dead," Pepper replied. This was true. Apple was lying so still. Now, more than ever, the girl looked dead inside. Then, Apple moved. Everyone in the car froze.

The movement itself wasn't fast or threatening in any way and could have been done in innocence's but there was something eerie about the action. Apple slowly turned her head towards the camera in the corner of her room. She was staring at them, watching with wide eyes, full of ancient youth.

Kiwi shivered. Like Pepper, she was starting to get unnerved about the idea of reciting the child.

Just as slowly, the girl sat up and turned her body words them. Cherry made a sort of whimper sound, feeling the cold eyes start right thought her.

"She's looking at us," Ruth whispered.

Pepper snapped at her in a hushed voiced, "Don't be stupid."

Kiwi glanced at Robin and saw he was sitting very still. Thought he may look human, he still took on fox behaviours, such as staying very still when something doesn't seem quite right. When she turned her attention back to the laptop, Apple had torn her gaze away from the camera and was concentrating on her white trousers. She was half way thought the process of taking them off; thank goodness her top seemed to be two sized too big for her. Once her legs were free, she flopped back onto the bed and began to pick at the seems . In the mist of her fiddling, she picked something out of the fabric, too small for the camera to pick up.

"What is she doing?" Cherry asked, leaning in for a closer look.

They didn't have to wait long for an answer. After turning the tiny object over in her hand, Apple glanced back at the eye in the corner and flicked her wrist towards it. The next second, the screen became grey with static. The camera had broke.

Pepper groaned and slapped the side of the mimi computer. But it was no good.

"Did we lose the connection?" Robin asked.

"No," his creator hissed, punching the keys furiously. "The little devil smashed the lenses."

"Aren't there other camera?"

In a blinding rush of irritation, Pepper started to search for a new point of view.

While everyone concentrated on the screen, Ruth was gazing at the building. One by one, lights switched on, like fireflies. The olds mew had a growing sense of alarm. "Guys…"

"Hush, Ruth. I need to concentrate," Pepper snapped, not looking up. "And would you all, please, give me some air?" But Ruth continued to watch as the entire building became alight. A soft, far away alarm sounded. Kiwi and Robin now looked up to find the sores of the noise. What on earth was going on in there?

Just then, the screen came to life again and Cherry gasp, Pepper froze. Dearing to looked Kiwi's eyes flickered to the image. Pepper had choice to spy out of the camera in the corridor outside Apple's cell. Along each side was countless doors with only one wide open. This wasn't what frightens them thought. One the floor, a least five of them, were men, each one out cold.

Kiwi's head was spinning. What happened to them? She couldn't…? The terror of what she had done, what could happen now, played on her mind. The girl was only a child, and yet, she had somehow managed to take out five fully grown men, all much bigger and stronger then she was, but how? Suddenly, Robin bolted up right and started out the window. Outside, alone and panting was Apple. She knocked on the window six times before Cherry opened the door and let her squeeze in.

Once she was in, Cherry slammed the door shut. "Drive, Ruth, drive!" she cried. Without another second the lose, Ruth started up the car and started to drive away into the darkness. Apple glanced back at the asylum as the gang speed away. There was a happy sparkle in her eye as she waved goodbye.

"Great," mumbled Pepper from the font, "Just perfect. We finally hae a realy wako with us."

Robin was the first to laugh that night but Kiwi just smiled, watching the new member carfully. Since Apple couldn't talk, they never did mange to find out how she escaped. Prohaps she would tell them one day when they had learnt to comunicat with her. When they stopped the car they all stayed in Ruth's flat. During the time they spent there, getting to know the little girl, Kiwi couldn't stop thinking about how right Doctor Young was about Apple's upbringing. Though they were worried about her potential and sanity, Apple clapped and played like any other child, happy to be free and her true self. All night long, the mews laughed and feasted on ice-cream; unaware of the true dangers their new comrade would bring them.

Eva - This is the start of a new story full of romance, mystery and action. Enjoy.

R&R