Ak-chan: The action is about to get unleashed!

Pudding: Uuuuuh, finally!

Lettuce: W-will this get violent?

Ak-chan: Of course it won't be!

Ichigo: You're crossing your fingers AGAIN!

Ak-chan: Shut up! (sees the camera on) Oh, yeah, I still don't hate her, but sometimes she can be annoying.

Ichigo: Hey!

(Mint comes)

Mint: I brought back your cheap excuse of a disclaimer.

Disclaimer: (sulks) I'm sorry…

Ak-chan: You came back to me!

Disclaimer: No! I only want to stay if I get to eat all Keiichiro's strawberry cheesecakes!

Ak-chan:…seems fair enough…Keiichiro!

Keiichiro: You called?

Ak-chan: Where have you been these past chapters?

Keiichiro:…the kitchen…

Ak-chan: And what EXACTLY did you do in there all this time?

Pudding: Keiichiro was making out with Zakuro!

(Everyone gasp dramatically)

Ak-chan: Why, Keiichiro, that's awful! You get to do all the lovey-dovey stuff with Zakuro, as soon as you've filled Disclaimer with tons of cake!

Keiichiro: Fine.

Ak-chan: I'm very disappointed, Zakuro!

Zakuro: Whatever. Just because I have a love life, and not making an intro in every freaking chapter there ever have been in some freaky story!

(Ak-chan gasps)

Ak-chan: DISCLAIMER!

Disclaimer: (talks very fast) Ak-chan doesn't own ANYTHING! WAAAAAAAH, PLEASE DON'T KILL US!

(Everybody screams in terror and runs away from the author with the chainsaw)


Chapter 9: Hidden in the shadows.

"How could this happen?", the red haired asked herself. "How could I lose my friends like this?".

This could probably be counted as the worst day of her life. She felt so miserable, so deserted, so…lonely. She finally allowed herself to breathe due to her sobbing, and her eyes felt tired and dried from lack of tears. Her arms and legs swam lazily to the small ladder in the corner and she pulled herself above the surface and closed her eyes, shivering slightly by the cold breeze that hit her.

"What a lovely figure you have there".

Arms wrapped themselves around the previous mew leader, and she yelped in surprise. Her eyes found a pair of other and she gasped in shock. "But how..?".


"Seriously, Keiichiro…I'm worried".

The violet haired woman was sitting outside in the chilly evening-sun with the brown-haired man of her dreams. He raised a brow to show his confusion.

"Of what?".

The woman slowly closed her eyes.

"The girls, they've…changed somehow. Pudding used to stick to us like gum, but now I almost never see her. Lettuce uses bad excuses to get away from here, and Mint has some kind of boyfriend we've never heard about", she began, laying her head idly on her palm. "And now all this with Ichigo…it doesn't make sense".

"Maybe you shouldn't worry too much-".

"Ichigo tried to kill Mint, Keiichiro", Zakuro glanced at the man. "I can't stop thinking about them; they used to be the best friends", she paused, and then sighed. "We all used to be best friends".

Keiichiro nodded in understanding, and then placed an arm around her waist. "There has to be an explanation, maybe Ichigo just won't tell. I mean", he smiled. "you girls have been together for years. Something as precious as your friendship, can't possibly break like this without a reason".

Zakuro turned her head upwards by hearing this, and a smile came upon her lips as she closed her eyes again. "That must be it. I might just be too stressed".

"You shouldn't be. It doesn't look good on you", he said playfully and pressed his lips on her forehead. She stood up and the determination could easily be spotted in her beautiful indigo eyes.

"Thanks, Keiichiro. That was exactly what I needed".

"Anytime".


"What…", Ichigo breathed out. "…are you..?".

The being in front of the red haired teen was a mixture of familiarity and strangeness. It appeared to be a male on Ryou's age, with wild shoulder-length, pitch-black hair and bright scarlet red eyes shining with amusement. He was wearing a black, sleeveless, turtle neck shirt and black baggy pants. What was incredibly familiar was that he had big pointy ears, a bare stomach, showing a toned six-pack, the same bindings at his wrists and legs, and sharp fangs were hidden behind a triumphant smile.

"Now, is that a proper way of saying hi?", the male said. Ichigo tried to wiggle out of his grip.

"Who are you? I know that you're a Cyniclon like Kish, Tart and Pai, but-".

"Ah, so you do know 'em?", the male's eyes picked up slightly.

"Just tell me who you are!".

Ichigo felt the arm around her back tense. "In a rush, are we?".

"But never mind that. Cat's curiosity is the worst, isn't that what earthlings say nowadays?", the male said. "My name is Pho, and as you've guessed correctly; I indeed am a Cyniclon".

"Uh, right, I'm-".

"No need to tell; I already know".

The girl raised an eyebrow by hearing this. "What the-".

"Ichigo Momomiya, sixteen year old, lives with her parents and works at a neat little café called; The Silver Cat when not going to Daikan High School or being with her friends or boyfriend", the alien smirked when seeing the girl widen her eyes. "Previously mew leader and shares DNA with the Iriomote Wild Cat who's on the list of the Red Data Animals".

"Who'd you know all that?", she breathed out.

"I know everything about you, my dear Neko", Pho said. Ichigo felt herself getting more and more afraid of the alien in front of her.

"W-well, I have to go now", she said and tried to pull away with all her might, but failed to do so. Pho looked like he didn't have any problem by holding her.

"Leaving so soon?", he faked a sad look. "But I was so sure you'd at least want to play with me for a little longer".

"Seriously, what do you want from me?", Ichigo said, getting tired from playing nice. Pho kissed her forehead, and she blushed in surprise.

"Surrender to me, Neko", he whispered. "And I shall spare the world's population from destruction".

"D-destruction?", she stuttered. "Why would you want the world to be destroyed?".

The black haired alien smiled, showing his fangs. "Why, for fun of course".

Ichigo was astonished by hearing this. "For fun! I could at least understand when Kish wanted to destroy people for the sake of saving his home planet, but you", she said, with a hint of disgust in her voice. "would do it for fun? Are you out of your mind?".

The girl's astonishment grew when she heard a chuckle. "Could always be a possibility".

"What do you need me for?".

"These last few months where I have observed you, I have found you quite amusing, Neko", he said, leaning closer. "You don't seem to be like other human beings".

"Well, there are tons of girls out there who are way different than me-".

"Partly what does amuse me, is how easily the blood in your body rushes to your face, even by the most single touch", Pho said, letting his thumb trace the cat girl's face features. She instantly blushed which underlined his statement.

"Is that all?".

"Partly. You see, I get this strange habit when I get bored, so I have to satisfy my boredom whenever I feel it".

"A-and what is that habit, exactly?", Ichigo felt dread as soon as she asked that. Pho's fangs shone when the light hit them, showing the red haired girl just how sharp they were.

"Taking a life, is what makes the boredom go away".

Brown eyes widened in terror and Ichigo was speechless. The alien laughed again and placed his forehead on hers. She was too frightened to pull away now.

"But don't worry, Neko", he said lowly. "I won't get bored with you. With you as my new toy I won't feel the need to kill", he then smiled. "But I can't exactly promise that".

The red haired girl shivered slightly. This alien was nothing like what Kish used to be. He was scary and probably crazy too. And he wanted to destroy Earth.

"I-if you've observed me for so l-long", Ichigo stammered. "T-then why did you appear now? Why not at Tokyo?".

"I know Kisshue, Taruto and Pai", Pho said. "Foolish beings. They were sent to this planet to conquer it, and save their home planet, but instead they fell for the stupidest thing ever. They fell in love. And with human beings on top of that", Pho said disgusted. "They failed their task, their goal because they were blinded with those foolish emotions-".

"Falling in love is not stupid!", Ichigo exclaimed, and then froze when she found out what she'd just said. Pho laughed.

"I haven't laughed like this in months", the alien smiled. "Neko, your amusement will save many human beings' lives".

"Nevertheless, I waited to see you when all of you went to", he paused. "what you call a vacation at this island".

"How come?".

"Well, it's quite simple", he said. "I thought that after your fight with the Cyniclon by the name Deep Blue, your powers wouldn't longer be required and would eventually vanish. And so they did, but after some years, your powers came back and always could as long as you got a shot of the Red Data DNA, it would react with your genetic material and you'd therefore transform whenever you wanted".

"Why not attack between those four years where we were away from each other?".

Pho sighed deeply. "Unfortunately, I was kept away, and couldn't use that golden opportunity".

"K-kept away?".

"What do you earthlings call it?", he said. "Oh, right. Prison".

Ichigo swallowed hard. He'd been in prison for four years?

"I was accused for killing my parents and my best friend, not to mention a couple of civilians…".

"T-they only gave you four years for t-that..?".

"No, they gave me imprisonment for life. I just broke out".

The girl had to bit her lip to prevent herself from bursting out crying right there.

"So, what do you think, Neko?", Pho leaned in, their faces only centimeters from each other. "Take with me, and I might just consider to drop this plan of world domination".

"Y-you won't get away w-with this", Ichigo sniffed. "M-my friends w-will-".

"You still call them that?", Pho chuckled. "They don't trust you anymore, Neko. You broke their personal belongings; you tried to kill one of your best friends. You think they still consider you 'a friend' after that?".

A face of pure disbelief appeared on Ichigo's face. "You…".

Pho placed his chin above the mew's head. "Ah, yes, friendship and faith. The reason why you always won battles against those three, were your strong friendship and your faith to each other. I just had to break that bond to get your friends to hate you, Neko".

The tears fell down Ichigo's red cheeks. "You..!".

Her mouth was wide open, when Ichigo stared into bright hazelnut eyes. It was like seeing her reflection in a mirror. Another Ichigo stood in front of her, all the details in the right places.

The other Ichigo smirked. "I have the ability to change my appearance to whatever I want to look like. A little gift I inherited from my folks before I killed them".

The other Ichigo changed back to Pho. "I don't have much time, Neko. Go with me, and your 'friends' lives will be spared. If you do not", he smirked. "I'll do one last stunt with my 'Neko' look and then kill your friends, so that they'll blame you for their deaths when you go the same way", he paused. "Not to mention that Earth will be doomed as well. So I guess you don't have much of a choice".

The red haired sniffed a couple of times, before hanging her head low, her red bangs covering her face.

"Fine", she sobbed, and her voice cracked at the end. "…just please spare them, okay..?".

Pho smiled in satisfaction, and kissed Ichigo, she didn't do much resistance since all her will had left her. "I'm glad we agree, Neko".


Ak-chan: PHOOOOO! I HATE YOU ALREADY!

Ichigo: YACK! Another Alien Stalker!

Kish: Who was the first one?

(Everyone stares at him)

Kish: HEY!

Ak-chan: UWAAAAAAH! Only a couple of chapters left! I'M DYING!

Pudding: Aww, a couple of reviews will do you good, no?

Ak-chan: Maybe…

Reviews will be appreciated and a little surprise will come for those who do!

Ak-chan: Bye! :3