Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.
Five Elements; The American Mew Mews
Chapter 12: Trial by Fire
"The great author…" As the literature teacher continued to drone on, Bruce felt his eyes slowly starting to close. After his morning battle to the near death with Grant, his lack of sleep over the evening had caught up with him and along with his injuries, he was ready to sleep for a day or so if he could. Slowly, his head lowered and his forehead touched down on his desktop. ("Just a little nap…") Then he felt the earth underneath him heave and rumble rapidly, sending a gasp of surprise through the whole of the class.
"Everyone, don't panic." The teacher motioned towards the doorway. "Please file out of the classroom and then go to the fire escapes; apparently we're having an earthquake."
Bruce slowly stood up and stumbled towards the doorway, barely responding when he was nearly trampled underneath the near mob of students who wanted out of the building before it collapsed in on their heads. ("Why must these things happen today? I just want some sleep…is that too much to ask?")
When a loud roar shook the whole school, the boy knew that it was far too much to ask.
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As he ran outside, his eyes widened at what was standing in the middle of the parking lot amidst huge piles of burning car wreckage. He at first thought of Basilisk, but this creature was far too different. It was humanoid, but very skinny and tall, almost fifteen feet in height. It had six arms, and each arm had carried a long sword that seemed to be made out of bone. The bio-monster roared, its chest cavity opening and dribbling drops of some kind of green liquid to the ground at its three-toed feet.
Bruce grimaced at the sight of those swords. ("I must bring my focus in or else this creature will slash me to ribbons with its mighty attacks.") Then he noticed the fact that there were crowds of people who stood on the sidewalk, about twenty feet or so from the creature. "What are you doing, get away from that thing!"
"Why, I can see the damn zipper…you're too uptight, Mensing." One boy, a brown-haired kid that Bruce remembered from his class, began to approach the creature confidently.
As soon as it sensed him, it moved its body so that it was facing him, swords lifted and cavity open. Letting out a loud hiss noise, it prepared to charge and run him down.
("NO!") Bruce almost threw himself into a nearby bush. "Mew Mew Pyro, METAMORPHOSIS!" An explosive ball of fire instantly consumed the bush, rolling into the air and then dropping like a bomb right between the bio-monster and the boy. From within the fire, Bruce felt his blood rise and energy burst through his whole body. Lifting up one hand, he watched as the fire-red wristbands appeared on him. It went to his other hand next, and then his fire-red kung fu clothing formed. His eyes and hair turned silver, while his ears changed into a pair of orange tiger ears.
When the fire cleared, everyone gasped at the mysterious tiger-eared boy that had shown up so suddenly.
Mew Pyro glanced back at the now very confused boy. "Get back, and do not approach this creature!" Turning his head around, he faced the hissing monster calmly. "I do not fear you, beast."
"What about when you must fight two on one?" A female voice cried out a battle call and then a form that was hidden by the sun shining behind it appeared in the air above Mew Pyro.
Rolling to the side, the boy's eyes widened as a dark-haired Asian girl wearing a Chinese version of the dress that Magnolia had worn in the past. ("Who is this?")
Standing up slowly, the woman formed a long curved sword made of plant matter out of thin air. "My name is Lotus, and I hope you can provide me with some kind of a challenge."
Mew Pyro slowly stood up and took a fighting stance he had learned from his grandfather. Its purpose was nothing more than to make it easier for him to dodge, because he had a sudden feeling that he was going to need to be doing that a lot. "Let's go then, you and me."
"Did you not hear me say two on one?" Lotus snapped her fingers. "Bio-weapon Hellion Type I. Its purpose is meant for multiple opponent combat, but in your case it's the perfect choice. We created you, Mew Pyro, and we know exactly how to destroy you." She slowly circled a perimeter around him, knowing if he tried to escape then he'd be attacked, and if he let her get behind him then he'd be fighting on two different sides. "Well, what can you do except stand there and get destroyed by either me or my monster."
Mew Pyro slowly straightened up and stood calmly, closing his eyes. "You talk far too much…" He listened with his ears and could tell that the students and now most of the faculty were watching him. ("Don't they understand the danger they are in? And I can't even warn them, or else I'll risk attracting either of these two creature's attentions to them.")
Lotus laughed calmly while she continued to circle around to Mew Pyro's back. "It's all over for you, attack now!"
The Hellion roared and charged right at the boy, all of its swords except one ready to slash him to ribbons if he tried to dodge the single one headed for his heart.
Mew Pyro just stood there, eyes closed and ears twitching. ("Not yet…I have to make sure I get this at the right time or else I'll have wasted my chance.") As he felt the air in front of him shift, his eyes snapped open and he ducked, the blade shooting right past his head. Then he was moving forward, fists cocked back and blazing with fire. "Rapid-first Inferno Punches!" His hands became blurs as he pummeled the Hellion's thin torso mercilessly with those flaming hands. ("I have to destroy it right now, before its dangerous methods of attack harm any of the people in the crowd!")
Lotus gritted her teeth as she watched the body of the Hellion start to burn away. ("At this rate he'll annihilate it completely…but then again, if he does so then I'll be able to defeat him easily. Those rapid-fire Inferno Punches must consume huge amounts of his energy.")
She stood calmly by and watched as he continued to pound away at the Hellion, putting all of his heart and soul into destroying it with his two fists. "I won't let you bring these innocent people to harm!" With one final strike, he felt the monster's entire body burn to ash. ("I did it…") Then he screamed in pain a heavy kick was landed to the side of his head, sending him flying into the hard stone wall of the nearby school.
Lotus applauded and slowly approached his fallen form. "Now you die, hero." Then she stepped back as she watched the boy from before step between him and her. "What do you want, you stinky little human?"
"You won't hurt this guy…he only wanted to protect us…" The boy felt scared, knowing this lady wasn't normal at all. "I won't back down…"
"That's fine, I'll just gut you then." Lotus started to approach the boy, but froze as she felt a slight surge in energy from Mew Pyro's body. "What's this? You can still stand up?"
Mew Pyro stood up and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's alright. I'll fight her." Then he stepped past his classmate, knowing that he had no choice in the matter. It was either fight, or be killed.
Lotus tapped the edge of her sword against the pavement. "You'll die, is that acceptable?"
Mew Pyro looked back at the students and teachers, and he felt a surge of strength flow through his veins. ("Why do I feel so much stronger now? Why does it feel like I'm not fighting alone.") Turning, he roared and charged right at her.
Lotus gasped and was almost hit by the punch aimed for her face. ("That's fast! How did he get so quick?")
("I can win! I know I can!") Mew Pyro suddenly was behind her, fist cocked back. "It ends here!"
Lotus gasped and was forced to drop her sword as she leapt out of the way of the punch. "This is impossible…"
"Again!" Bruce touched down on the ground and flew at her again, roaring in rage. "I won't let you do as you please to these people!"
("So that's it!") Lotus knew the original purpose of Mew Mews, and apparently when they were protecting people their power increased. ("Blast it, this isn't good at all. Even if I tried to get away from the humans, something tells me he'll still stay as strong as he is now! I'll have to figure out a way to take him out in one shot!")
Mew Pyro drop-kicked the ground where Lotus had been seconds before, the asphalt cracking like it had been hit by a sledgehammer. "I'm not done with you yet!"
Lotus was thrown to the ground to avoid a jump kick that would have taken her head. ("This is ridiculous!")
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As his fingers flashed across the keyboard like lightning, a deep rumbling laughter came from his deep within his throat. ("At this rate, I'll have her ready in no time.")
Caitlyn, meanwhile, was lying inside a strange metal tube that was hurting her…it felt like it was burning her all over. No matter how hard she struggled though, she couldn't move and try to get away from the pain. It was too much… ("Roger…please help me…")
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Lotus clutched at the deep scratch wound on her right forearm as she continued to dodge the apparently relentless attacks of Mew Pyro. ("This punk is far too powerful for his own good, and I can't do anything about it. Trying to fight back would be dangerous, and dodging will eventually wear me down to the point where his attacks will destroy me.")
Mew Pyro stood amongst the pock-filled parking lot, his eyes shining with a silver glow. "What's the matter, monster? Are you suddenly afraid? How about you go threaten the helpless bystanders again?" He appeared to her right, throwing a downward punch that missed her and created another tiny hole in the asphalt. "Or maybe you could injure my rival again?"
Lotus gritted her teeth as a foot crashed into her chin, sending her into a forced series of back-flips. ("He's getting stronger too!") While she was spinning around in the air, her hair stood on end as she felt a sudden gathering force of energy. ("He couldn't have the energy…")
"Pyro Tiger's Roar!" Mew Pyro's fists snapped up and a fireball shot from his Pyro Gauntlets, which slammed right into Lotus' stomach and propelled her even higher into the air.
("I…I can't believe I'm getting put on the defensive by this annoyance! I cannot allow this…I'll kill him right now!") She twisted in mid-air and changed her falling path. "Come on then, child. I'll show you how a real martial artist fights!"
Mew Pyro dispelled his gauntlets and ran right at the woman, watching as she landed on the ground easily and launched right at him as well. "I'll show you! Inferno Punch!"
The two of them collided with enough force to shake the school and the surrounding land.
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The man sat at his computer, a perplexed look across his shadowed face. ("How is this possible? I could have sworn that I had her genetics right…such a shame. She would have made such a beautiful superhuman too.") Sighing, he stood up and flicked off the screen of his computer. "Magnolia?"
"Yes master?" The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "How can I serve you?"
The man crossed his arms across his chest and walked over to the metal tube that had contained the girl. Inside it now was only a pile of clothing with something moving from within the cloth. "Place the subject in observation. We'll see if she can at least provide us with some interesting data."
"If you don't mind my asking, did you really expect to somehow change her genetics to accept the mixture?" The pink-haired woman closed her eyes, voice calm. But somewhere, deep within her tone, there was the slightest hint of disgust.
"You never know until you try. This will be useful information though…I would like to see how the boy responds to seeing her like this." Chuckling, the man walked off towards his study. "I'll be watching the data collected from the battles between Lotus, Petunia, and Jasmine. Contact me if anything changes."
"As you wish." Magnolia stood silently, her eyes flickering over the metal tube and her mind flashing images of her past through her mind. ("I pity you, child. You probably didn't deserve what he did to you. However, the doctor's genius cannot be argued with.")
From within the case, there was a quiet chirping noise that indicated sadness. Magnolia knew the truth though…the girl's mental capabilities had most likely deteriorated down to those of her new body. "The doctor will find the results he wishes through this. He wants Mew Sonic stronger than any of us. I'm sure this event will bring him to his full power…though I do not believe the doctor fully understands what this will entail. So be fulfilled, within your bird mind, knowing that when he sees you as you are now, the doctor will most likely be killed. And so will I…" Closing her eyes, the woman sighed sadly. "How is it that my entire life has been his?"
("Because he was the one who created you, along with your little sisters. Petunia, Ivy, Jasmine, and Lotus…he gave them life so you didn't feel so lonely.") The little voice in the back of her head whispered reassuringly. ("Don't let your emotions control your actions, Magnolia. You know that this little 'creature' can't even understand you. Do you really wish to put yourself through such mental anguish, spilling your emotional 'guts' to a stupid bird?")
("No…you're right.") Magnolia slowly opened the tube. ("It's just…") A vision of Mew Sonic flashed in her mind. ("Love? No…love would mean that I actually cared about his well-being. It isn't love…it's something different.")
The voice went silent, and then spoke up. ("Maybe it is because of his age? Perhaps you feel like a parent to him?")
("Nonsense, I met the boy once and tried to kill him. What kind of logical sense does that make?") Scooping up the bundle of clothing, Magnolia felt the little bird within it struggle. "Hush…you'll be somewhere peaceful soon."
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Mew Pyro squared off once more against Lotus, both of them showing numerous wounds and bruises across their body. His burning rage had simmered down to a smoldering heat that kept his tired body moving. ("I mustn't lose this power, or else she'll gain an advantage I cannot afford.") A sudden chill ran up his spine, and an image of Caitlyn flashed in his mind. ("What was that? Have I started to go delusional? Perhaps I should try to end this faster?")
A cold fear suddenly clenched his heart, but he couldn't figure out why. ("Something has happened to Caitlyn? Why would I feel anything about it?")
"Prepare yourself!" Lotus formed another sword and launched right at Bruce like a rocket, the end of the blade aimed right for his heart.
("Why? Why not Grant? Why me?") Mew Pyro's whole body tingled again, and his tail and ears stood up on end. ("Why?") He barely did anything, much less tried to avoid getting skewered on Lotus' sword.
"Why aren't you moving?" Lotus' sword was inches from his chest, and suddenly it exploded into flames. Then she saw his Pyro Gauntlet-covered hand as it approached her face. ("My weapon can become flammable…he knew that.") Then his fist crashed into her left cheek and sent her hurtling backwards and through the hood of a car.
Mew Pyro slowly approached, his eyes shimmering. He suddenly fully understood why this image came to him. "Where is she?"
"Where…is who?" Lotus started to climb out of the wreckage of the car, but was kicked right in the stomach and formed deeper into the twisted metal.
"You know exactly who I am talking about! Where is she?" Mew Pyro felt his blood boil as he remembered what had happened to Caitlyn before. "Where are you keeping her?"
"Like I would tell you, even if I did know." Lotus smiled darkly. "What are you going to do, kill me?" Her smile turned to a look of surprise as his hand clasped over her throat and squeezed roughly enough that if she had been anything but superhuman, she wouldn't have had a windpipe anymore.
Mew Pyro's ears perked at the crack noises he heard. "Cowards don't deserve to be killed. They deserve things far more painful that just a simple death."
Lotus' eyes widened. ("He can't be serious…what kind of human was this boy?")
"Well?" Mew Pyro's hand tightened just a little more. "Tell me!"
Lotus materialized her sword and stabbed it into the engine of the car. There was a loud hissing noise and then the whole vehicle exploded, both Mew Pyro and her disappearing within the flames.
To be continued…
The doctor's plans have failed, leaving Caitlyn trapped within the body of a bird. With Roger's whereabouts still unknown, will Bruce be able to find the location of the doctor and Caitlyn? Or did Lotus' desperate move kill them both?