I guess I have to point this out--Ryou won't die. I love him too much to let him die -hugs Ryou plushie-

This chapter isn't very graphic (well it sort of), it's more so sad than scary. The last chapter was just to get an idea of how quickly Mint's victims fall, but I did it to a complete stranger, instead of putting that kind of image with say, Masaya. (Or should I have? I dunno).

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew, just Nasubi, Isuzu, and an endless supply of blue feathers.

"TAR-TAR!"

Ichigo let out a nervous giggle, "So much for letting him sleep." She and Ryou were still standing in their home's front room. Just minutes before, they had shut the front door, and Ryou had called an ambulance to come pick up the mail-carrier. Other than that, the two had pretty much remained silent. Ichigo bent over, picking up the letter and feather. She took their previous envelope and carefully slid them back in. "I'll put this somewhere Isuzu won't get into it. We've got a month, so that gives us plenty of time to get this thought over."

'Ding Dong.'

Ryou slowly turned the knob, not entirely sure of who to expect.

"Good morning, Ryou," Zakuro and Keiichiro answered.

"Nasubi!" Ryou called for her, apparently still upstairs with Isuzu, "your parents are here!"

Ryou motioned for Zakuro and Keiichiro, closing the door behind them. "I think it'll be awhile before those two come down, but I think it's best to let them be. Would you like some tea?" He started to walk for the kitchen.

"Yes, tea would be nice, but Ryou," Zakuro said, causing Ryou to stop and turn around, "is everything okay with Tart?"

"Tart seems to be fine," Ryou answered, getting Keiichiro and Zakuro to proceed to following him into the kitchen, "he's upstairs with Pudding. He has no symptoms…"

"I just wondered," Zakuro continued coldly, as they walked into the kitchen, "because on our way here, an ambulance was just leaving this street…"

An awkward silence settled among the three until they got into the kitchen. "Ah, Ichigo-san," Keiichiro said jokingly, reaching for her hand. Zakuro and Ryou both glared, but it was an ongoing joke Keiichiro made because it bothered them so much, nothing more. He began to lift her hand to his face, but stopped as he brought it within centimeters. He inhaled through his nose. "Ichigo," he muttered, taking another inhale, "why does your hand smell like mint?"

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Mint had just gotten home. 'What have I done!' she panicked, keeping her back to her home's closed door, as if she was protecting herself from something. She brought a hand to her ever-crying face. 'I just killed Ichigo's Aoyama…No! Because then that would make me a-a-a,' she tried to rid her head of the thought that she was a murderer. She tried to get in the fact that technically, she wasn't the murderer. No, it wasn't her fault. It was Ryou's. Ryou was the reason for this, and that's who she would blame.

"Oh, Mickey," she said, her dog running to her, wanting to give support to his master. Mint fell to the ground, caressing her puppy. "Mickey, you'll never judge me for anything. You'll always love me, no matter what. Mickey, I love you so much…Hey, what's this?" she asked him. In his mouth was a sealed letter addressed to her. Taking it from him, she carefully opened it.

Mint fell silent. She didn't feel like crying anymore, but it was hard for her not to. With a struggled gasp, the letter fell to the floor. "They-they're…dead," slipped her lips. "I guess…it only figures…I've been this way…the whole time that I've been a Mew…" Falling to the ground, she embraced Mickey with all her might.

Not to her knowing, two yellow eyes had been viewing her pain.

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An aging Mickey rushed over to his long time owner, leaping into her arms. Mint loved Mickey so much – he was the only one she had, but he was old and in pain, though he had lived things out for this long, the poor dog wouldn't last much longer.

Today was the day.

Mint held Mickey tight to her chest. "Mickey, I," she wanted to sound reassuring, to sound loving, "I love you so much." Mickey gave a weak attempt to lick her face, only resulting in Mint trying to hold back tears. "Come on, Mickey, let's go for a ride," she said reopening the door, carrying Mickey out to her car.

The whole ride, Mickey sat on Mint's lap. The whole ride, Mint had only one hand on the steering wheel, the other softly caressing Mickey. She wished she could just keep on driving like this forever. Mint glanced at her car's clock, 9:58 a.m.; she was going to be right on time.

Today was their last ride.

Parking in the lot, still holding Mickey, Mint carried him into their destination. Walking up to a secretary's desk, she was kindly greeted by a woman who recognized Mint Aizawa, someone who visited regularly with her dog, Mickey.

Todaywas their last visit.

The woman led Mint and Mickey behind a door, where she was further greeted by a man in a white lab coat. The man nodded upon seeing her, the secretary leaving them.

"Mint Aizawa. And this must be Mickey," the man said, reaching to take him from her arms. Mint accepted, yet flinched at the man's actions, as though they were painful for her. He started to walk into another room, giving a questionable look toward her.

Mint quickly shook her head, holding back strained tears. "I…can't…" she forced out, grabbing the sides of her skirt into clumps, as if it were for support. She would need all of the support that she could get, even though she knew she wouldn't get any anytime soon.

The man nodded in understanding, taking Mickey into another room, and shutting the door behind him. The tears on Mint's face started gradually as she heard Mickey's whining, but she couldn't control them when the whining came to a halt. Without further speaking to the man, or even watching for him, she bolted out of the building, heavy sobs accompanying her.

Today was the first time she had cried since she found out her parents were dead.

'Ryou, you're going to pay for all of the pain you've caused me…'

Little did she know, that all of that could change, for two yellow eyes had been watching her all this time, for so long, he couldn't continue to watch her suffer for much longer, he had to do something…

Very sad. I almost thought I was going to cry just writing it. The last time I cried from fanfiction was reading Purin Fon was Here by Applecake. I had to stick some Mint sap in here, seems people are worrying about Ryou, yaknow? Okay, I'll stop typing and give you a turn, to review!