Chapter 5

Who's Died Now?

Just a little more…sorry for all of you who liked Keiichiro, but he was just in my way:-) Just kidding!

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Ichigo stood breathless. Pudding had heavy tears in her eyes. Mint had pulled her cell phone out and called an ambulance.

"Is he…?" Pudding shuddered.

"I don't know," Ichigo said. Because she was so surprised (and scared) her kitty ears and tail were up, but she didn't particularly care. A crowd had gathered in amazement of the murder that had just gone on in their very town.

"Ichigo," a soft and raspy voice said, "Pudding. Come here."

"Who said that!" Ichigo cried.

"Me," Keiichiro breathed, "listen. I was just tying Ryou down to the chairs, like you have to do, you know, and Lettuce was already tied down. Then I went to Zakuro's chair and…it was her. She slayed me. It was her!"

Ichigo stood wide-eyed staring at her so-called-dead friend. After those words his head fell to the floor and his face became pale and blue-ish white. Ichigo couldn't help it now. She began to cry hard. Why had Zakuro killed Keiichiro? And what had Mint said that time…about being right?

Mint ran up behind Ichigo, "I called 911!" she gasped for breath, "There're sending an ambulance!" she looked at Ichigo, "What's up?"

"He's really dead now," Ichigo said, "It's sorta hard to believe," she paused, "He was always there for us…he seemed to care," someone tapped Ichigo on the shoulder. She turned and saw one of the guests pointing at Pudding lying curled in a ball on the ground.

"Pudding, that's not funny," Ichigo sighed, walking toward her, "Pudding get up!" she shook Pudding's small body, "My god, Pudding!" she lifted Pudding by the shoulders, "Pudding? Pudding! PUDDING!" the young girl didn't move. By now the ambulance people were there and rushing around. Ichigo continued to sit over her shouting and crying, "PUDDING! PUDDING! GET UP! PLEASE!" the medics came to Pudding and said, "I thought it was a boy!" Ichigo cried harder and said, "He's in that room back there." As Pudding Fong was lifted onto the stretcher, Ichigo saw a deep cut on her side.

That night, Ichigo stayed the night at Mint's house. It had been Mint's idea. If it really was true, and the aliens truly were trying to pick the Mew Mews off one by one, they'd have a harder time doing it if the two remaining girls stayed together. For some reason both girls were quiet all the time.

"Was it really Zakuro?" Ichigo was thinking, "Why? Why would she do it?" another voice in her head said, "Why not? It's not like she had a crush on him!" the first voice snapped back, "Yeah, well, it's not like she hated him!"

Mint was thinking a whole different thing. The same two words kept repeating over and over, "Not her, not her, not her, not her, not her, not her, not her, not her, not her, not her, not her, not her, not her."

"I don't think what happened today was simply a coincidence," Mint finally said.

"Good, so it's not only me," Ichigo said, "but why would Zakuro do it?"

"Maybe it wasn't Zakuro."

"Oh, come on! Just because she's your idol doesn't mean she can do no wrong!"

"I know that!" Mint yelled back, "But still…" Mint got up, "I'm going to get some blankets."

"Wait!" Ichigo snapped, "Remember? Your rule."

"Fine!" Mint sighed, "You can come, too." Ichigo got up and the girls left.

The girls got back, with a blanket and a pillow each, to find Mint's room trashed.

"We aren't that messy, are we?" Ichigo said, appalled.

"My room was clean when we got in here!" Mint screeched.

A fist came flying at Ichigo and she dropped the sheets in surprise. The attacker came from behind them, more like attackers. It was not one, but three people dressed in black trying very hard to kick and punch Mint and Ichigo.

"Mew Mew Ichigo Metamorphosis!"

"Mew Mew Mint Metamorphosis!"

"Ichigo!" Mint called to her, "Try a Strawberry Bell Bell!"

"Uh," Ichigo said, "OK! Strawberry Bell Bell!" A bright light shone and for a moment, Ichigo and Mint were blinded. When the light went away, Ichigo didn't see their invaders. But then, Ichigo could feel the second-tallest one holding her arms behind her back.

"ER!" Ichigo squirmed, "LET GO!"

"Have you learned nothing from TV!" Mint struggled, "THAT NEVER WORKS!"

"The girl's right!" the person who was holding onto Ichigo said, "We aren't gonna let go. You gotta come with us!" his voice was so familiar, but Ichigo couldn't put a name to him.

"Come on! Move your butt!" the girl holding the gun said. She wasn't holding onto either Ichigo or Mint, but simply sticking a gun in their faces.

"Huh?" Mint said, "Ichigo! I know who that is!" she pointed her foot towards the girl with the gun, who pushed it out of her way, "It's Zakuro!"

"Wha?" Ichigo said.

"Wha?" the person on Ichigo said.

"Wha?" the person holding Mint said.

The girl holding the gun was silent.

"It really is her!" Ichigo thought, "Wait a minute… the guy behind me isn't a girl, so…" she raised her foot back and kicked the dude in the sweet spot, then smiled a wicked smile. Ichigo went over to the girl holding Mint still and socked her in the face. There was a gunshot.

"My bed!" Mint screeched, "You ruined my bed!"

"Run now," Ichigo cried, "worry later!" Ichigo grabbed Mint's hand and dragged her to the broken window. They jumped out it and ran for their lives.

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They had been running a long time, and both their feet were sore. Looking down at their clothes, they would have been ashamed to show their faces in public. Mint hadn't dropped her blankets in her house, so she was able to share the pillow and blanket with Ichigo. They fell asleep to a dark, troubled sleep.

About two hours into their sleep, Mint woke up to see a dark figure much like the one who was holding the gun at Mint's house, supposedly Zakuro. Mint was very frightened so she gently shook Ichigo awake and said, "They're back!" The girls sat there, scared and alone, staring at either a total stranger who might kill them, or Zakuro; killer of Pudding and Keiichiro…and maybe them.

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So…what do you think? I'm working on my next chapter now, but, well, not right now. I gotta go clean my room…oops!

-Until next time!

Alyson May