Hey guys! Will the Mews accept Ichigo and Kisshu? What will happen to them? I really loved writing this chapter just because of all the characters in it! Still a little bit to go... I keep saying like two more chapters, because I just don't want to end this fic! XD

/Zen out

Kisshu took Ichigo's hand and laced his fingers through hers. His chest burned from the deep scratches he'd got from the chimera, but he'd suffered worse and lived. He knew his breathing was too shallow and from the look Pai was giving him, he was probably more pale than normal too.

He didn't have time to rest just now, not yet. He stood next to Ichigo and took strength from what she'd told him.

She loved him.

With that knowledge he would soar to the moon and back if that was what was needed. Instead he faced her friends, those who he'd seen as enemies only days ago. What would they say? They'd all heard Ichigo's confession as well, he could tell that much from their faces and the way their eyes measured him.

"You've little reason to trust me," he began.

"Little?" Mint scoffed. Her dark eyes were narrowed and her arms crossed. The tall one, Zakuro, rested her hand on Mint's shoulder.

"You've done nothing but fight us up until today," Ryou said. His blue eyes were carefully guarded, giving nothing away. "You kidnapped Ichigo – have you brainwashed her?"

Kisshu took a breath, realizing that this was what most of them were thinking. They were wondering if he had the power to twist Ichigo's mind, to make her think what he wanted. To make her fall in love with him. It made him want to laugh. They had no idea just how strong Ichigo was. Even if he was capable of such manipulation, she'd never have fallen for it. All the times he'd tried to bend her towards him, she had taken her own time about it.

To his surprise, it was Pai who stood up to his defense. "We do not possess such methods."

"Is it true Taru Taru?" the little blond Mew asked. Her face was stubborn but trusting as she looked at Taruto.

Kisshu smiled as his little brother, his good friend with a better heart than he could ever hope to have, blushed and stuttered. "Yeah," he said, looking away. "Don't you think if we could do that we woulda done that to you Mews already? Woulda made this whole thing easier," Taruto added in a grumble.

"If Taru says so I believe him!" the little one announced, wrapping her arms around him much to Taruto's chagrin.

"Get off me, you're squishing me! I can't breathe!"

"That would make a certain amount of sense," Ryou said over the two of them. His sharp gaze was still focused on Kisshu. "If you were capable of something like that, it would make sense for you to have tried it already."

"I swear it is true," Kisshu said, raising his free hand to his heart. "On my home, I swear it. On my people."

"You guys are all going crazy," Ichigo interrupted, "if you think I'm being mind controlled. I mean seriously! Yeah there's a lot of weird stuff going on and that's definitely going to mess with my head – I mean I'm a Mew Mew and we've been fighting a secret battle for earth and I can't even keep up with my homework let alone anything else – but I'm not brainwashed!"

There was a pause and then Mint spoke up again. "Well Ichigo's brain probably isn't advanced enough to be brainwashed anyways," she said dryly. "She'd probably just faint."

"Hey!" Next to Kisshu, Ichigo stiffened. "Now just what do you mean by that?"

"I always mean exactly what I say," Mint replied.

"I'll have you know I do not make a habit of fainting – and my brain is as advanced as it needs to be!"

At that Mint smiled, glancing at the Mews on either side of her. "Seems the same to me. You think a brainwashed Ichigo would still argue with someone as talented as me?"

The girls giggled and after a moment the tension drained from Ichigo.

"Does... this mean that you believe me?" Kisshu asked, confused. No matter how long he was on Earth, he was not sure he'd ever understand human girls.

"To a point," Ryou said, and his stern voice drowned out the laughter. His glance took in not only Kisshu but his brothers as well, then he looked at Retasu next to him and the ice in his gaze softened. "There's no denying that you helped us tonight. You protected Retasu, even when we didn't want you. And there was no way the merging of attacks would have worked if you – all three of you – hadn't wanted it to work. If you hadn't wanted to help us."

Kisshu held onto Ichigo's hand in a death grip, and she held on just as tight. He'd always wanted her, from the first kiss, but he'd never been so afraid of losing her. If he didn't get to stay with her, if all of this had been for nothing, what would he do? He swayed a little on his feet, noticing how his vision blurred. He would have to sit soon, to rest and heal, but not until this was over! Not until it had been decided.

"I see no reason to continue to fight," Ryou said at last. "If you stop, we can as well. Girls?"

One by one the Mews looked at one another and nodded – some more reluctantly than others. Next to him, Ichigo sighed.

"We can be a family!" The little blond one exclaimed. She still clung to Taruto, although he seemed to mind less now.

"There is still a war to fight," Pai said. His dark eyes were serious as everyone turned to face him. "And that war is far from over."