Author's Note: I was originally planning to wait a couple of days to do this chapter while I worked on another story I'm doing. But last night when I checked my email I found that I had gotten eight reviews for this story, one for each chapter and all very positive. So I decided to get back to work on this. The title for this chapter was originally going to be Blue Knight vs. Black Cat, but I didn't think it was very imaginative.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.


Chapter 9: Lovers' Quarrel

Masaya had been jumping from rooftop to rooftop as the Blue Knight for what seemed like twenty minutes. After awakening the dormant powers of Deep Blue within him, Masaya was able to sense just where Ichigo was, but it was taking him a little too long to get there for his liking. At long last he had reached Moreau's mansion. Masaya could see that there were guards in front of the door. But as the Blue Knight they were no problem for him.

Immediately Masaya charged at the two guards. The men in black got out their guns and started firing at him, but Masaya was easily able to dodge their fire. Masaya then got close and delivered a devastating uppercut to the first guard, then hit the second with a powerful roundhouse kick. Both guards were out cold. Masaya called for his sword and cut down the door. Upon entering the house, several more guards popped up and started firing. Masaya quickly darted around the room and knocked each of them out. The whole confrontation took perhaps about a minute.

With the guards dispatched, Masaya headed upstairs. When he reached the second floor he found Dr. Marcus standing in his path. The mad scientist had a sinister grin on his face.

"I have to say, this is a very unexpected development." Dr. Marcus commented. "Mr. Moreau was expecting the rest of Tokyo Mew Mew to try and mount a rescue, not a being like you. Still, this is a very interesting development."

"Get out of my way." Masaya commanded in a clam tone.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Dr. Marcus told him. "If I were to step out of your way you would do something that would most likely ruin Mr. Moreau's plan, and I cannot and will not allow that. You see I want to see what the human race will evolve into once exposed to the power of the Chimera Stone. For a scientist like me, nothing could be more fascinating. So I suggest you either turn back now or wait here with me. Otherwise I will be forced to get rough with you."

"Move!" Masaya commanded more forcefully.

"Alas, I see you're going to be stubborn about this." Dr. Marcus sighed as he pulled out a large silver syringe-like device from his coat pocket. "You are about to regret forcing my hand."

Dr. Marcus then injected himself in the neck with the device. He then dropped the device and suddenly began convulsing. Grey fur began to grow all over his body and he started to change shape. His muscles swelled, causing his shirt and coat to tear off. When the transformation had finished, Dr. Marcus became a hybrid of human and hyena. The monster then charged at Masaya, but Masaya slashed it across the chest with his sword and then with a kick knocked it over the railing to the ground floor. Masaya looked over the railing and saw that the Marcus hyena was unconscious but still breathing. With the monster knocked out he proceeded on.


Meanwhile, Ichigo, Moreau, and Montgomery were in a large room on the top floor standing in front of a large metal throne that was connected to several control panels off to the sides. The top of the throne was connected to a hose that went up through the ceiling.

"This device will allow you to channel the energy of the Chimera Stone into a transmitter on the roof." Moreau explained to Ichigo. "The transmitter with then beam the energy to a satellite in orbit, which will then disperse it across the entire planet. Once that happens, the human race will begin to evolve and a new age will begin."

Suddenly the door to the room burst inward and Masaya walked in. Immediately Montgomery rushed at Masaya, but the legendary Blue Knight knocked Montgomery out with a single punch to the jaw.

"Well this is unexpected." Moreau commented in a mildly impressed tone. "In order to get here you must've taken out all my guards and Dr. Marcus. And now you've even dispatched Montgomery, yet you're clearly not a Mew Mew. Mind telling me who you are?"

"The Blue Knight." Masaya calmly answered.

"What're you doing here Masaya?" Ichigo demanded with a look of anger in her eyes, though she was also surprised to see Masaya as the Blue Knight again.

"Masaya?" Moreau repeated with a raised eyebrow. "Oh I see now. You're the alien that tried to destroy the human race awhile back. Interesting that you'd become Ichigo's consort."

"The being that tried to destroy the human race is no longer who I am." Masaya told Moreau. "Now I've come for Ichigo!"

"I'm not going with you!" Ichigo angrily declared.

"As you can see, Ichigo has evolved beyond the need for a relationship with you." Moreau said with an arrogant smirk. "The Chimera Stone has allowed her to realize her true destiny, and soon she and I will bring humanity into a new age, one that we will rule over together."

"C'mon Ichigo, let's get out of here." Masaya said as he held out his hand, completely ignoring Moreau.

"You get out of here!" Ichigo spat. "I don't want anything more to do with you!"

"But Ichigo, I love you." Masaya told her.

"Shut up!" Ichigo shouted, cutting Masaya off. "I don't want to hear any more of you lies! And if you're not going to leave, then I'll just have to make you! Mew Mew Chimera Metamorphosis!"

In a flash of green light Ichigo transformed into the Black Mew Mew. She then lunged at Masaya, but the Blue Knight easily evaded her attack and jumped out of the way. Moreau meanwhile stepped back and watched the battle with a look of amusement. Ichigo continued to slash at Masaya with her claws, but each time Masaya stepped out of the way.

"Why are you even here?' Ichigo demanded as she continued to try and slash Masaya apart. "You have your precious Alice, don't you?"

"There's nothing between me and Alice." Masaya told her as he continued to dodge each attack. "And I'm sorry you thought that there was. Even Alice thought so, but it was all a misunderstanding. It's all my fault and I'm sorry."

"Liar!" Ichigo shouted as she leapt in with more force to try and slash Masaya in the face, causing him to leap a few feet back. "You think I'm stupid enough to believe all that? Leave now or else I'm going to tear you to pieces!"

"This isn't like you Ichigo!" Masaya told her as he dodged another slash.

"It's the new me!" Ichigo shot back as she leapt in for another attack. "I've grown beyond you and my so-called friends! I don't need any of you!"

"You're wrong!" Masaya insisted as he jumped out of the way yet again. "That Chimera Stone thing is twisting your mind!"

"Shut up!" Ichigo cried as she silently called for her weapon. "I've had enough of you! Black Ribbon Strawberry Check!"

With that, Ichigo fired a blast of green energy from her weapon. Masaya however was able to deflect it with a blade of blue energy fired from his sword.

"Stop this Ichigo!" Masaya pleaded. "I don't want to fight you!"

"I said SHUT UP!" Ichigo shouted as she fired off another blast. This blast actually hit Masaya and knocked him into the nearby wall. Ichigo slowly began walking towards Masaya as he got back to his feet.

"I know that the real you is still in there somewhere Ichigo." Masaya said as he finally stood back up. "But if you really want to kill me… I'll understand. I probably deserve that after what I did to you."

Ichigo raised her weapon to deliver the finishing blow, but suddenly hesitated when she saw the sad look in Masaya's eyes. She suddenly began to question what she was doing.

"What are you waiting for Ichigo? Finish him off!" Moreau told her in an impatient tone.

"I… I can't…" Ichigo said as tears began to well up. "No… no… NO!"

Suddenly Ichigo changed back to her civilian form, took off the Chimera Stone from around her neck, and threw it to the other side of the room. She then fainted and fell into Masaya's arms. While unconscious Ichigo remembered all the times she fought as the Black Mew Mew, including the time she went berserk and fought the other Mew Mews. As she remembered those fights she felt as if she was watching through the eyes of a stranger. After a few moments Ichigo woke up.

"You okay?" Masaya asked her.

"…Oh god, I'm so sorry Masaya." Ichigo sobbed as she broke down. "I don't… know what I was thinking."

"It's okay, that wasn't you." Masaya said reassuringly.

"Looking back on all those times I fought using the Chimera Stone… I realize that I was just fighting to feel the rush of battle." Ichigo told him. "I didn't care who I fought or why. And because of that I almost killed the girls… and you."

"But in the end you stopped yourself." Masaya pointed out. "You were about to kill me, but you held yourself back. That proves you're stronger than the Chimera Stone."

"So… you forgive me for what I almost did?" Ichigo asked.

"Off course." Masaya replied. "Actually I was hoping you'd forgive me for what happened with Alice."

"Well… I'm still mad at you for bringing that tramp along on our date, but I guess you really didn't realize what you were doing, so I'll give you another chance. You can be real clueless sometimes, you know that?" Ichigo replied, and with that the two kissed.

"How touching." Moreau said sarcastically as he went over and picked up the Chimera Stone. "You disappoint me Ichigo. Here I thought you were strong. After all, the Chimera Stone did choose you to be its wielder. But just now you have proven yourself to be weak by not only rejecting the stone but by failing to kill that meddlesome boyfriend of yours. We could've ruled this world side by side, but it seems I'm going to have to go back to my original plan and use the stone myself."

"No." Ichigo said calmly as she got out of Masaya's arms and turned to face Moreau with a defiant expression. "I can't let you do that Anton. Now that the Chimera Stone is no longer messing with my head I can see that the world you want to create is wrong."

"And I suppose you're going to try and stop me." Anton chuckled.

"Not just me." Ichigo said as Masaya stepped up next to her. "We both will do whatever it takes to defeat you! Mew Mew Strawberry Metamorphosis!"

With those words Ichigo was enveloped in a flash of pink light. When the light cleared Ichigo had changed into her original pink costume, complete with pink hair and eyes.

"You've manipulated me and sent monsters to steal the Chimera Stone and hurt me and my friends!" Ichigo declared. "And not only that, you're planning to twist the world into your own warped version! For your evil actions, we will make you pay!"


Author's Note: For me one of the greatest tests for a hero his facing is or her own dark side. Usually when they overcome their own inner darkness they become stronger, or at least wiser. Either way it makes for a better character. One big example of this is Jaden Yuki from Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. I thought he was a much stronger character during the end of season three and season four. Anyway we had a bit of a role reversal between Ichigo and Masaya. Before in the anime/manga Ichigo had to save Masaya from his dark side (Deep Blue). Now Masaya has done the same for Ichigo.

There's now only one chapter to go in this story. So stay tuned for the final climactic battle when Mew Ichigo and the Blue Knight face Moreau. In the meantime, please review and let me know what you think.