Disclaimer: jingle! (Jingles bell around neck)

Thanks to:

Guy who reads too much fantasy: True... I guess I didn't think of it at the time. And as for it being connected to Antauri's dream: maybe. (Grins mischievously)

Beastfire: He he, flatter fest. And yeah, pretty amazing that they're together now. When I first started writing this I had their first kiss differently planned, especially without the Moment Killer, well, moment killing.

4Everobotmonkeyfan: Language, there are children reading...I think. If there are then they're going against the censorship rules! But I don't think I'll have Antauri kill Skeleton King, it's not something he'd do plus Ichigo wouldn't approve. And also, I wouldn't have a bad guy for any sequels! (Gasps) Maybe I'll just have Antauri pummel him instead, that sound good?

A Fan of Romance: LOL short and sweet!

Anonymous But Interested: Good! I hope I'll keep it up in the last few chapters. Unless anyone wants me to continue and make an epilogue. (Looks around)

Twister91: (runs and hugs guinea pigs) cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!

Ichigo: (runs in and hugs them too) I luv guinea pigs!

WF: Hey! Go back to being kidnapped!

A/N: I bought and read four Tokyo Mew Mew novels at once! And anyone who's read them knows how sappy and girly they make you! So, just a warning to hardcore action fans, this will definitely have a HUGE amount of sappiness in it somewhere.

A Lover Gained

The Monkey Team watched as Antauri stood in the rain. They looked at each other, but no one could think of anything to say. Antauri had yet to show any signs of life, he'd just sat in the ruins of the Shugazoom University staring at the necklace in his hands.

Finally, he stood up and the others prepped themselves to comfort him anyway necessary. He turned to look at them and the others gasped in sync, his eyes looked hollow and dark. Like endless pits of sadness with no escape, yet; in that pit, there was a spark of something else. Anger, pure and utter hatred, and they could all guess who at. He closed his eyes and some life seemed to return to them, he walked up to them.

"We thought you'd slipped into a coma just then, Antauri" joked Sprx, walking up to Antauri. Antauri walked past him without acknowledging him and continued back towards the Super Robot. Sprx looked back and humphed, "I was just trying to lighten the mood! Geez..." he mumbled. Chiro then tried his turn, he ran and tried to keep in pace with Antauri's brisk walk,

"So, what's the plan, Antauri?" he asked in a confident voice, trying to get a glimpse of Antauri's face. Antauri didn't respond, instead he kept on walking with his head down so his face was obscured by shadows.

Chiro looked back, helplessly, at the others, who gave him encouraging looks. He turned back to Antauri and tried again,

"Come on! You must have a plan! We're all here for you!" he tried again, hoping it would work. Antauri stopped suddenly, causing Chiro to trip forwards and land in front of him. He looked up into Antauri's face to see him staring at him thoughtfully. Chiro felt the sweat appear on the back of his head under Antauri's gaze,

"So...uh...how 'bout it, Antauri? Want to tell us your plan?" he asked, hoping not to sound too nervous.

"Chiro, I believe it's best if you and the rest of the team stay here" said Antauri in a distant and very weak voice. Chiro was so shocked by how weak Antauri's voice sounded that it took a while for him to realise what Antauri had said.

"Wha- what!" he cried, jumping off the ground and staring down at Antauri, "are you nuts! We're not going to let you go in there alone! What if Skeleton King captures you? Or... worse..." he trailed off when Antauri held up his hand.

"Please, Chiro. I would prefer it if you stayed here. This is a personal matter now" Chiro stared at Antauri, incredulously, before glaring down at the black monkey,

"Personal matter! Like, heck it is! We all care about her, Antauri!" Chiro gestured wildly as he bent down to glare in the monkey's face. Antauri looked away and continued quietly,

"Not as much as I do" he stared down again and Chiro felt anger swell up in him,

"Oh yeah? You've only known her for two days! I've known her for years! I think I might just care about her a little bit more!" he snapped, "She was my best friend when she lived here! I could always go to her with problems! I love her like a sister!"

"WELL I LOVE HER LIKE A LOVER!" bellowed Antauri, he panted slightly and Chiro noticed he was trembling. He shook like a leaf and Chiro watched tears well up in his eyes,

"I...love her, and it's...my...my fault she's..." Chiro watched as the most composed member of the team collapsed to his knees, broke down, and cried. He felt guilt creep up his chest and he walked over and patted Antauri on the back.

"Hey" he said softly, "we'll get her back. Don't blame yourself" Antauri looked up at him and Chiro smiled. Antauri smiled a small watery smile and wiped away his tears. He stood up again and looked up at Chiro,

"You're right, Chiro. I'm sorry" he looked around at the rest of the team,

"We've got your back, Antauri!" shouted Nova, giving him a thumbs up.

"Yeah!" called Otto, punching the air "Ol' Bone Bag hasn't beaten us yet!"

"I'm sure we'll think of an excellent plan to thwart whatever he has in mind for Ichigo" said Gibson confidently, then Sprx ran up and slapped Antauri on the back,

"Yeah! Besides, we've gotta get your girl back so you'll lighten up again!" he joked.

Antauri smiled at them all and nodded,

"Thank you, my friends" he said, nodding to them.

"Now let's go beat that cruddy bag of bones! Hyper Force GO!" Chiro shouted, as they all cheered and ran back to the Super Robot. And, as they ran, Antauri looked up at the clouds and thought, 'whatever he's done to you, Ichigo, I hope you're safe.'

But, up in the Citadel of Bone, Ichigo was far from feeling safe. She pulled against the straps holding her tight against a metal wall. She struggled and tugged as hard as she could, but the thick leather straps were probably made to hold monsters twenty times stronger than her. She stopped struggling and sighed; suddenly a door on the opposite side of the room slid open and in walked a mutated orange thing. Ichigo stared in horror at the creature as it neared her and she kicked out wildly, trying to free herself. The mutated thing chuckled at her futile attempts and came closer still until their noses were touching. She froze and stared into his beady, cold black eyes, she noticed he was taller than her, because she was being lifted off the floor by the straps and a tail swished around behind him, causing lines of the ground to melt when it touched it. She wriggled as far back as she could, which wasn't much considering she was strapped to a flat metal wall.

He smirked at her actions and brought a hand up to touch her face, running it over every curve in her features,

"Beautiful..." he muttered, as she tried to pull her face out of his grasp, "and feisty too! You'll be perfect"

"Perfect for what?" she asked, frozen as she watched him move away. He stopped and looked back her,

"You understand me? Excellent!" he cried, before frowning and walking back to her. "But how?" he questioned, turning her face from side to side, before spotting the translator in her ear. "Ah! This is how!" he cried, plucking it out and examining it. Ichigo listened to him chatter in an impressed way, and then she watched him glance at her briefly and crush the translator as if it were nothing.

"NO!" she cried, leaning forwards, she looked back up at him, "WHY!" she asked, tears starting to form in her eyes. He looked at her, unimpressed with her reaction, before dismissing it and returning to his work.

She felt anger bubble up in her and she struggled wildly against the bonds that held her captive.

"LET ME GO!" she screamed, banging her feet and wrists against the wall, "LET ME GO NOW!"

She heard him screaming at her and she suddenly felt vulnerable and frightened, he pressed a button on the panel and she felt herself being lifted and moved backwards. She squirmed and managed to see over her shoulder that she was being moved into a large, strange looking box. There were wires running through it and she gasped and struggled again,

"STOP! NO! PLEASE, LET ME GO!" she cried, tears flowing down her face, "ANTAURI!" she screamed, as she floated into the box, "ANTAUR-" she was cut off as the door to the box slammed shut on her. And with it, her hopes of escaping were gone.

"Uh!" said Sprx as a laser nailed him in the shoulder. They were in a corridor, filled with Formless and lasers popping out of every crevice, heading to where Antauri had picked up Ichigo's mind. "Anyone got any plans? Cos now would be a great time for sharing!" he said as he blasted a Formless that leapt at him.

Gibson noticed a pool full of goo nearby and ran to it, plunging his drill into it and making a goo cyclone which destroyed the remaining Formless and clogged the lasers.

"Nice" said Otto in awe as Gibson soaked in the glory of his victory.

"Come on!" called Chiro as they ran through a doorway. They followed it in the dim light until it reached a lab of some kind.

They all stopped in their tracks and looked around them at all the machines whirring and tubes filled with liquid. Antauri narrowed his eyes and focused on Ichigo's mind. He followed it to a box shaped device,

"In here!" he called, and was about to cut into it with his razor claws when Mandarin dropped out of nowhere in front of him. (Yeah that's who it was earlier if you couldn't work it out. Sorry, my descriptions suck)

"You will not ruin my plans again!" he screamed before knocking Antauri back. The others caught him and, together, they rushed at Mandarin, who managed to hold back their attacks.

Then Sprx sent a Magna Tingler Blast through the floor, shocking Mandarin and Gibson drilled through the floor so a large crack appeared and Mandarin fell through. He screamed as he fell, his screams getting fainter as he fell further. They waited a few moments before running up and blasting through the door of the box. The dim light poured into the small space, lighting up a small figure huddled in the middle of it. Antauri ran in and turned her over. He gasped and stood back in shock,

"Ichigo!" he asked in disbelief.

And I'll leave it there! (Ducks things being thrown at her) I know I'm mean to stop there, but I'm tired and it'll keep you all interested hopefully. I know I updated lateish, but that's cos I was camping all weekend! So, to make up for it, here's a snippet of next chapter:

"I...I still can't believe it!" Ichigo whispered, stroking a hand across her face, "I'm...I'm..."

"Beautiful" cut in Antauri, walking into her room and flying over to her, "that's what I think. It's what I've always thought..." he whispered, stroking her hand gently.