Chapter Five: Daily Mews II and More Bad News, Nyan!

The Mews, aliens, and creators got to the café, they locked it up tight and went into the basement. Kisshu floated by close to Ichigo, a little more protective and territorial than he was before he left, which was very strange. Pai was also watching Retasu and Zakuro very closely, in case anything happened.

No one could tell if Taruto was watching Purin or trying to run away from her.

"Now that we're somewhere where no one else will hear us, tell us why you're back." Ryou said, quick to the chase. "Are you here to try to take over the world again? Did the Mew Aqua not work? We have more, if you want it."

"We're not here to cause trouble!" Taruto sounded offended. "We're trying to prevent it!"

"What?" Ichigo asked, sitting in a chair and helping herself to some cake Keiichiro always had down in the basement. "What trouble?"

"I think I should tell our tale from the beginning." Pai said. Kisshu sniggered.

"Just don't bore them to death, Monotone." He warned. He received a glare from his comrade.

"Alright, it all starts just before the final battle between us and you. We were discussing a back-up plan incase Deep Blue didn't succeed. In the end, we decided to place small Chiremals around Tokyo, where no one would suspect them and where they could grow peacefully.

"These Chiremals are just as intelligent as us, they're always learning and growing. They can grow to be maniacal, or they can become nice, tame pets.

"When you gave us the Mew Aqua, we returned to our planet and restored it to its beautiful aura. We don't need Earth any longer. Kisshu, Taruto and I became kings in our world.

"We had totally forgotten about the Chiremal Animals, which were now probably huge and very smart. A few days ago Taruto mentioned it, making us remember them. We came back to see what had happened with them."

Zakuro raised her eyebrows.

"Lemme guess: they're now evil and want to take over the world." She asked. "That sounds a little familiar."

"But they're super-intelligent, much more than we had anticipated. They can communicate with few, including everyone here, and can duplicate themselves rapidly. They're also fiercely evil." Kisshu sat on the table right next to where Ichigo was seated.

"Great, more bad news, nyan." The poor cat girl griped, feeling her cat ears. "First my friends want to be like the weird dude who's getting all that information on us, then my ears and tail pop out and won't go back in, and now we've got to kill those psychotic Chiremals."

Everyone began to ask questions all at once.

"Your other friends are going to track us!" Minto screamed.

"Why won't Koneko-chan's ears go back in? Did you try to push them back down?" Kisshu asked, flicking the black ears.

"You've got a problem with killing Chiremals that are trying to take over the world na no da?" Purin jumped up into Taruto's lap, making him fume.

"There's a man who's slipping correct information to the news about you guys?" Pai asked Zakuro.

"Why is everyone shouting?" Retasu asked over and over, trying to politely get their attention. It wasn't working. She grunted and began looking around for someone who would listen to her and help her get the attention of everyone.

"Let me try," Ryou laid a hand on Retasu's shoulder. Then he walked over to the squabbling people. "HEY! SHE'S TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING!" Everyone grew quiet and looked at Ryou. He cleared his throat. "Ahem, thank you. Now, what did you want to say, Retasu?"

Retasu's eyes opened wide as she heard the words coming loudly out of Ryou's mouth. She turned a deep crimson and looked to the ground. Not only had he shouted at everyone to get their attention, but he had also said her given name!

"Uhh… what I was going to say was…uh… it was, uh… it was nothing…." She couldn't take all the sudden attention. She placed her head in her hands so she couldn't see the eyes placed on her.

"Retasu," The voice wasn't Ryou's voice, it was much sterner and harsh. Retasu took it to be Pai's voice. He just made her turn more red, if that was humanly possible. "What were you going to say?"

The last part sounded more soft and delicate than ever. Retasu couldn't help but looking up for a minute to see his face. It was not as harsh and emotionless as it usually was, and that made Retasu feel a little happy.

"Uhh… I was going to say… we can explain what's been happening, and Ichigo-san can explain what happened with her other friends once we're done, okay?" She murmured.

"Alright, then na no da!" Purin shouted. "We'll start no da!"

"There's a guy out there who knows who we are and they're feeding info to the news stations about us." Zakuro explained. "He started around last week and they're going to give more information in two days."

"Was I the only one who didn't know about that?" Ichigo hissed, slouching down in the chair and folding her arms.

"Well then you tell us about your other friends." Minto sneered.

"Fine," Ichigo sat up and stuck out her tongue. "Today in the mall before I saw Kisshu and the others, my friends were talking about the Mews. They said that the guy had the right idea about trying to find out who we are. So they made up their own team, and tried to get me to join."

"So you're like a double agent?" Taruto asked.

"She's like a SPY na no da!" Purin questioned too.

"I didn't tell them yes! I ran off before they made me answer." Ichigo excused. "I don't like the idea of being a double-agent and lying to my friends like that."

"Ichigo, you've been lying to your friends like that for the past year." Ryou explained. "By not telling them you're a Mew."

Ichigo lowered her eyes and slouched down in her chair again, staying silent and deep in thought.

"They'd just turn into a big fan club and mutilate her privacy and destroy her life." Kisshu tried desperately to come to Ichigo's rescue. It didn't really help; she just kept her head down and stayed even more silent.

"And there's something wrong with us, na no da!" Purin jumped up onto the table, resting her chin on Ichigo's head. "If our ears and tail pop out, they won't go back in no da!"

"And when one of us gets hurt, the others do too." Retasu quietly retorted.

"Which reminds me!" Ichigo suddenly became perky again, holding her pointer up in the air. "Who was the one who got the paper cut, and then decided to cut some lemons? I screamed in the middle of the mall!" Purin blushed.

"Guilty, na no da. I was reading a book when I got the paper cut, and then I made fish for my siblings no da. One of the ingredients is lemons na no da." She rubbed her feet across the floor embarrassingly.

"Wow, this is all really weird." Kisshu conceited.

"Looks like we're going to have to live here," Taruto said.

"WHAT?" All the Mews and creators shouted. "That was sudden."

"Actually, we had already planned to, but we had to figure out some way to convince you. This is as good a chance as any." Pai said in his usual emotionless tone.

"Alright, we'll get you some hats so you can go out in public without causing a scene." Ryou crossed his arms and left the room.

"Eh!" Retasu flinched. "I'll go help…." She wandered off in the direction Ryou had.

"Look at the time! I'm terribly late for tea!" Minto ran up the steps.

"It's boring down here," Taruto whined, teleporting out. Purin jumped after him.

"I'm coming too, na no da!"

"I don't have an excuse, but I'm going upstairs." Pai walked up the stairs himself, with Zakuro close behind him, not even trying to talk.

In the end, only Ichigo, Kisshu, and Keiichiro were left in the basement.

"Well," Keiichiro started as he walked towards the stairs. "Don't stay down long."

Kisshu and Ichigo were sitting next to each other silently for a while when Ichigo finally broke the silence.

"I'll make a deal with you, Kisshu." She said, smirking. "I know you want to love me, and you know that I love Masaya. So, how about we compromise?"

Kisshu's face brightened. "You'll break up with him if I obey your every command?"

Ichigo giggled. "No, not that. We can be close friends. We can go on dates and things, but they won't be dates, they'll just be friends, having lunch, or seeing a movie or something along those lines."

Kisshu smiled. At least she was making an effort to be friends with him now other than trying to rebuke him all the time.

"Alright, fine." He held out his hand and she shook it.

TWO DAYS LATER….

Pai had been taken to the mall, escorted by Zakuro, Taruto had been taken to a museum with a drowsy Purin and an exited Retasu, and Kisshu had been taken to an amusement park by Ichigo. Anyone could tell they all had a blast, whether or not most of them didn't want to divulge it.

It was two o'clock on a hot summer day and the news came on.

"Daily Mews: The man called back! He has more information on the Mews, and another clue to discovering their identity. Here goes his message:"

The aliens and the Mews paid close attention, while Ryou and Keiichiro set cakes and things on a table for later.

"Mew Ichigo has ears and a tail that pop out occasionally."

"Darn it!" Ichigo slammed her hand down. "At least they don't know they won't go back in now."

"Mew Minto takes ballet, dancing, flower arrangement, and all sorts of extra-curricular activities."

"They aren't extra-curricular! They're hobbies!" Minto pouted.

"Mew Retasu often goes to the Tokyo library to look for books of fish."

"Looks like I'm going to have to find myself another library and another kind of book… great…." Retasu rested her head on her hand.

"Mew Purin's little sister goes to the Kindergarten closest to Tokyo Tower."

"And now I have to find Heicha a new school!" Purin screeched.

"And Mew Zakuro deals with paparazzi daily."

"It's not necessarily daily, but he's awful close." Zakuro crossed her legs.

"The next time I come on, I will tell you who the leader is."

Click.

Keiichiro turned off the TV as everyone else stared either at the now blank screen or at Ichigo.

"He knows who I am…" She breathed. "I'll be found out…."

"No, we'll find him out first." Pai announced.

THE END!

Dun dun DUN! Ahem…. Sorry, sorry, couldn't resist. The next chapter will be a little better, because Ichigo has her first real encounter with the evil-Chiremals in front of everyone at the mall! Will they realize that their loveable, clumsy girl is really Mew Ichigo, or can she defeat the Chiremals without transforming?

And a loophole through the pain connections? You'll just have to find out! Review please!