Dren, Sardon, and Tarb saw Htarw come back with a smile on his face, "What's got him so happy?" Tarb asked.
Htarw looked at the chip in he had between his thumb and index fingers, a greedy look in his eyes, "What's that General?" Sardon asked.
Htarw looked at them and said, "Something I thought Elliot would've been smart enough to destroy…something that'll help us get a better advantage point against those Mew-Mews."
The next morning Elliot went down to the lab under the café, Wesley was upstairs when he heard Elliot give a shout. "Wesley! It's gone!"
"What's gone Elliot?" Wesley called down, sounding concerned.
"The chip Wesley, the friggin' chip!" Elliot cried.
"You don't mean the—?" Wesley started to say, Elliot cut him off and said, "What'd you think I'm talking about!"
"Oh dammit!" Wesley whispered to himself.
"What…what happened?" Asked a voice, Wesley turned around and saw Warren standing behind him, Warren then tried to peak around him, "Hey what's that down there?" he asked.
"Nothing…just a store-room, nothing to see." Wesley told him, Warren shrugged "Okay, okay…sheesh, who knew a guy could get PMS."
When the girls arrived Elliot told them to meet him down in the lab, there he explained what had been lost, "It's called the Metallo-Chip…a creation complements of Walter Nixon, it looks harmless—I know, but believe me girls…a few years ago I found out it's destructive qualities, and if this has fallen into the wrong hands, like the Cyniclons…if Walter's told them of it's use, we're in deep trouble."
"Uh hello? Are we going to open anytime soon?" Warren asked from upstairs, "And what are all of you doing down there, anywho?"
They came back up and Warren looked at them with a sort of disapproved look, Elliot and Wesley ignored it, but the girls saw it and felt for a brief second maybe Warren should know what a cover front this place was.
Well Warren's day went pretty much the same, but he decided to confront Corina on his own, "You know I've only been here for a day…but it appears that almost everyone does what there work around here, almost everyone hauls their share of the weight around here, almost…" he then looked down on her and said, "save for you."
"Oh, but I am." Corina told him.
"Really?" Warren asked sarcastically.
"Yeah, I'm making sure the tea is perfect." She told him.
"Rrright." Warren said with a tone of 'I don't believe you.' in his voice, "Well where I come from we have a term for someone like you, someone who gives a reason like that…and do you know what that term is?" Warren asked her, she shook are head. "The term for that person is a parasite, you my dear—." He then looked at the name-tag, "Corina…are a parasite, so I'm only going to tell you this once, and then hope you get the message, either haul your weight around here like the others, or I'll make sitting in that chair a living hell for you."
"I'm not scared of you." she told him.
"Maybe you should be, Corina…just maybe—you should." Pointed out Warren as he returned to the kitchen to catch up with dishes.
When the day ended Warren took his paycheck and said, "Thanks guys, see you tomorrow."
When he was out of there sight range he slipped out of normal walking traffic and into an alleyway, "General, we're ready with our new weapon…just give the word and we'll release it." Dren told him.
"Excellent…you've done this old warring heart proud, now we'll see how the Mews like our new friend." Htarw said to himself, "Wait until after dusk to release it, then we'll see if the girls are up to the challenge."
That night Zoey got the Predasite Alert from Mini-Mew, when she got there she realized it was a giant Alligator, "Okay…a giant gator, nothing too serious."
"Oh I wouldn't say that my dear." Taunted Htarw who appeared from behind the corner of a building to her right.
"Htarw…what do you want!" Asked Zoey angrily.
"Nothing much…just to tell you that isn't your normal animal based Predasite, just attack it…you'll see what I mean." Htarw told her.
Zoey did just that, only instead of the infusor separating from the alligator, it exploded into a shower of metallic goo. Zoey got drenched, while Htarw pulled out an umbrella to shield himself from the downpour.
"Didn't seem that tough." Zoey told Htarw.
Htarw just laughed and said, "You think it that simple to get rid of a Metallic Predasite, or a Metallosite as I like calling it, then my dear little girl you're living a dream."
As if to underscore his point Zoey then saw the metal smile pulling itself together reforming the giant alligator, she looked at Htarw…he looked back at her, he could see the fear in her eyes. Then he saw the others appear and said, "Oh Zoey…if you think my new pet's regeneration trick was impressive here's another 'shocker'."
Suddenly the alligator's scales seemed to take on a steel like appearance, some of the spines on it's back jutted out a bit more.
Htarw's eyes gave a pleased look and said, "Go teach them a lesson…Electrigator."
"Okay girls, ready to Mew-tilate this thing?" Zoey asked. They nodded.
"This should be good." Htarw thought to himself.
Well to make this short, no matter how many times they actually had hit it, Electrigator just kept reforming. "Same old animals, same old tricks…Electrigator, show them now what you can do."
Suddenly Electrigator planted itself down, Zoey and the others could here what could only be described as an electrical humming noise coming from it's back, the next thing they knew, they were trying to dodge lightening bolts coming from its back. "Oh girls if you think that's impressive, wait until you see its most explosive attack, let'em have it…gator."
Suddenly an aurora resembling the Northern Lights formed on it's back, suddenly from that a bunch of balls of electricity started shooting from it's back, blowing up almost everything they touched.
"Okay…does anyone have any ideas on how to destroy that thing?" Zoey asked.
Htarw gave out a wicked laugh and said, "Forget it girls, face it…as long as the Infusor Core remains in-tact in that beasts body, Electrigator cannot…I repeat, can NOT be unmade by any of your attacks."
"Infusor Core huh?" Bridgette thought to herself, Htarw then put his hand over his mouth, realizing he'd just might've given away his creatures' only weak-spot.
"Okay…I've got an idea, but it's a long shot." Bridgette whispered to them, "Corina, I'm going to need your help with this too."
"What do you and I have to do?" Corina asked, Bridgette whispered in her ear what they had to do, Corina looked at Bridgette and said, "You've got to be kidding."
"Do I look like I'm kidding, it's the only way I figure we've got a shot at taking that thing down." Bridgette pointed out.
"Okay…so what's your game plan?" Zoey asked.
"Corina and I are going to go inside that thing and destroy that Infusor Core, Once that happens the Infusor and Alligator should separate." Bridgette told them.
"Corina's right Bridgette, you have to be kidding if you think we'll just let you and her just be swallowed up by that monster." Renee told her.
"I know it sounds a little crazy…but just look at what that thing can do, how long do you think we can keep on attacking it externally?" Bridgette pointed out. "If you ask me, there's no other way."
"I still don't see why I have to come with?" Corina asked. They then charged at Electrigator and when timing provided the perfect moment, leapt into its mouth and allowed it to swallow them.
"Yay, tasty Mew Mews…yum-yum, eat'em up!" Cheered Htarw.
"Okay…now all we have to do is keep them busy long enough to find that core." Zoey thought to herself as she, Kikki, and Renee charged out from their hiding spot.
"Okay Bridgette…besides the fact that this monsters' insides reek the scent of motor-oil, are you sure we'll find that Core in here?" Corina asked Bridgette.
"Believe me, it has to be in here somewhere…we just have to search around." Bridgette told her, just then there came a rumble from outside the creature. "Sounds like your plan is working…my question is how long can Zoey and the others hold out?" Corina asked.
Htarw watched as Zoey and the others were trying in vain to attack the creature, "Something not right…something's out of place in this, it's like they're stalling for something?" A street light then went on overhead of Htarw, then it dawned on him, "Electrigator, you had your first…now how about your 2nd course?" Htarw called out, his body language showing him to offer himself as that. Electrigator wasted no time in swallowing him up. Renee then realized, "Oh dear god…he knows!" She then dove in after him.
"Okay…besides the fact that it's dark as night in here, I've got another question Bridgette…how the hell are we going to get out of here?" Corina asked. Suddenly they could see a white light.
"Bet you that's where the Core is?" Bridgette told her.
They then headed towards it, when they reached the end they saw it, a metal sphere no bigger than a basketball with four holes in it, each hole shooting out a ray of light, the sphere itself twirling around the room.
"I'd have to say that's an Infusor Core if I ever saw it." Said Corina.
"It is, too bad you won't be doing anything to it." Said the familiar voice of General Htarw behind them, they turned around to find him standing right behind them. "Did you think I was going to let you two dismantle my creation so easily? Did you think I wasn't going to catch on to your plan until it was too late to do anything?" Htarw asked, Bridgette could tell by his eyes that he must've had a pretty sinister looking sneer under that helmet of his.
"Walter…this thing should never have existed, we're asking you one last time to let us help you." Pleaded Bridgette.
"I don't need your help, and I certainly don't need any help from Elliot Grant, 'trying to protect humanity' HA! A convincing cover for 'Playing God'." Htarw replied. "But there is a way you little girls can help me, and that's through death!"
He then set out into an out-right charge, Requiem trailing behind him. Suddenly a ribbon of purple light shot out and struck him from behind, Htarw cringed then about faced to find Renee standing behind him.
"You," Htarw growled hoarsely, "You, you, you, YOU!" He then looked at both sides of himself, he had a choice now…either battle the two who'd been in here the longest and were at the heart of the creature, but then they could buy Renee time to slice the Infusor Core in two and destroy Electrigator. And pretty much the same scenario in he chose to battle Renee…only this time, he saw with the second choice, a much hidden advantage. He turned and charged at Renee.
"Come on Corina…this is our chance!" Bridgette beckoned.
Meanwhile Renee and Htarw clashed, sparks flying from the blade of Requiem. "Listen to me girl and let me ask you this, why do you and I have to fight?" Htarw asked Renee.
"Because you're trying to help a bunch of aliens take over our planet." Renee answered.
Htarw shook his head, "But you forget that I use to be human, and not only that but part of the Mew Project myself…I created your weapon, and know it's full potential."
"What are you saying?" Renee asked suspiciously.
"I'm saying I could train you in how to use that dagger of yours, you've only scratched the surface of it's full power when with my help you could go deeper into that power and be unstoppable." Htarw explained.
"What's the catch?" Renee asked.
"The only catch there being is completely up to you, all you have to do is renounce your teammates and join our side." Htarw told her.
"Hmm…you drive an interesting deal General, it's tempting…but I'll have to pass." Renee told him.
Htarw's expression went from a look of vulpine triumph to one of complete let down, "You'll regret refusing my offer the first time." Then he took a fierce swing with Requiem, it missed Renee but made a cut in Electrigator's right side.
Zoey and Kikki saw the General's blade cut through, and with them themselves getting the tar knocked out of them by Electrigator's constant attacks Zoey's only thought was, "Come on team…I don't know how much longer we can hold up out here?"
Bridgette examined the Infusor Core's path and said, "Okay Corina…now I need you to aim your arrow at that thing as soon as it makes another pass overhead."
"You mean like this?" Corina asked.
"Yeah, now wait until you see it overhead again…then fire." Bridgette told her.
Meanwhile Renee wasn't holding up too well against Htarw, finally Htarw pinned her against one of the walls, looked into her eyes and said, "Fine, you don't want do join me right now…that's dandy, I can live with that for now, but sooner or later you'll be faced with that one difficult choice that could damn you while saving your teammates from a grave fate, and when that time comes around you'll be at my side—by choice!"
Renee was about to give him a smart-mouthed answer when they heard Bridgette give a shout of "CORINA NOW!"
Suddenly the faint light came flooding through the opening, "Looks like you're too late General." Renee told him.
"No-No-NO, they mustn't get it, they MUSTN'T, MUSTN'T!" The General cried as he charged at the opening, Renee wondered what he was so worried about.
Bridgette and Corina were the two to find out, when the Core Shell was broken by Corina's arrow, the alligator had been released from the infusor, and the infusor from the Metallo Chip. Suddenly there came a rumbling noise from all around them, Bridgette made a leap for the chip, but before she could get it something smashed her in the back of the head, she then saw General Htarw…he'd clothes-lined both Corina and her, then made a valiant jump into the air and caught the chip.
Outside Electrigator was about to finish off Zoey and Kikki when it collapsed into a small lake of metallic goo, in the center of it were Bridgette, Renee, Corina, an alligator that seemed to be all too happy to be released from its hellish imprisonment, and a very pissed off General Htarw, the chip clasped tightly in his right hand, all of those mentioned were covered with the metallic ooze. Some of it slid off though.
The girls got back together, ready to face Htarw…the General realizing his plan had back-fired (but only because he couldn't keep his mouth shut) backed away from them.
"Well General…looks like your plan collapsed on its-self, 'Mew Mew style, Mew Mew grace,'." Zoey started.
" 'Mew Mew Power in your face!'." Finished the others, the General let out a frustrated growl and said, "Don't think you've seen the last of my new creations, as long as I have this," The General then showed them he still had the Metallo Chip, "my Metallosite possibilities are limitless!" and with that he vanished.
Zoey then asked Elliot if these Metallosites were the destructive power the chip was capable of, he nodded and said, "That is one of its common capabilities…but it has two more which you haven't faced yet, so prepare yourselves girls…you haven't seen anything yet."
Meanwhile Htarw was in a trance talking to Deep Blue, "Master…I know the Metallo Chip didn't exactly sound the end of the Mew Mews, but it was close…terribly, terribly close. Electrigator almost did away with two of them, I think this is only a test of my newly made Metallosites' potential…I just have to find the right creature to combine a Metal Infusor with and I believe I can find the perfect destructive force."
"Yes…I'll agree with you General, that there's much potential in creating these 'destructive forces' of yours. But the future Metallosites better not have the same flaw as this first one." Deep Blue explained to him.
"A minor draw-back, I assure you…the future Infusor Cores will be much harder to find, let alone get at." Htarw promised.
"You best be telling me the truth Htarw…Dren, Sardon, and Tarb have been enough of a disappointment. Dren being the king of them." Deep Blue pointed out.