Thirteen

by Alei-Frozen-Ruby

It has been said that for every species on earth, thirteen have been chosen to be immortal and to rule over the species. When Ichigo of the iriomote wildcats leaves on a voyage, her world will change forever, but not in the way she imagined.

3. Porpoises are Invading

Translation Notes:

none.

Animals Mentioned:

Cats: Hina Koneko, Tichii, Satoshi, Kanaria, Kasumi

Birds: Barasuisho, Shojun

Disclaimer: I do not own the Tokyo Mew Mew, or the other various characters I use.

Claimer: I do, however, own Artemisia Fowl, she was created as Artemis's cousin, but was not created by Eoin Colfer. She has played many positions: Artemis's cousin, boarding school girl, but more often than not, she plays a pirate captain.

It has been said that for every species on earth, thirteen have been chosen to be immortal and to rule over the species. These thirteen are more intelligent, faster, and all around better than the rest of the species, which is why they are fit to rule over them. Each chapter is connected by the rulers of the species. The Elite 13.

Elite 13

C...

H...R

A...E

P...T

T...A

E...S

R...U

3...

Finless Porpoise

3 of 5

Porpoises are Invading

The large ship sailed into the port of Culebra. "Drop anchor!" Captain Artemisia ordered. Her order was immediately carried out. Down below deck, Ichigo, Berry, and the cats sat watching the bird girl. "When do you think she will wake?" Berry asked. Ichigo shook her head. "That, my friend, I do not know. But I believe it will be soon," Ichigo replied. One of the large black iriomote cats bothered to agree with her. Ichigo turned to the cat. "Thank you, Hina Koneko," Ichigo said to the cat. The cat purred in reply. Berry paused before asking the next question. "Ichigo, are we getting off at Culebra?" She asked. Ichigo shook her head. "I was planning on letting you go out with Tichii, Satoshi, and Kanaria to gather information. In the mean time, I thought that Hina Koneko could do a memory scan," Ichigo said. "But, plans have changed. I believe we should stay on board," Ichigo continued. "Why?" Berry asked. Ichigo gestured to Kasumi. Late last night, I went above deck to have speaks with the birds. It seems that they are the Ultramarine Lorikeets. All I could gather was that their island paradise was destroyed and they fled here through the commotion. The attack was from both land and sea. They highly suspect the porpoises are behind it. Kasumi explained. Berry nodded. "I see. So what do we do?" She asked. It's as dangerous on land as it is in water, perhaps more in water because if the porpoises are really behind this . . . Kasumi trailed off. "I will send out Tichii, Satoshi, and Kanaria with Berry to discover what you can. Take no longer than an hour," Ichigo instructed.

"Berry, you can leave normally, but we'll have to find another way for the cats," Ichigo said. Hina Koneko padded over to the window. You could open the window and they could walk along the ropes to shore, she suggested. Ichigo and Berry walked over to the small round window and saw that it was as Hina Koneko said. "Then that is how you will go. Now leave, I don't know how much time we have here and this information is vital," Ichigo commanded. Berry unlocked the cages holding Satoshi, Tichii, and Kanaria. The three large black cats padded over to the window and looked out. You just had to choose a rope walking over water, didn't you? Tichii complained. "Live with it. It's your only way out without making the crew suspicious," Ichigo said. The three cats grumbled but did as ordered. "Now, you and I will go on deck and see about getting you ashore," Ichigo said to Berry. The blonde maid smiled. "Hai, Ichigo," She said. Ichigo swept up her kimono and opened the door. She purposefully walked out of the room and onto the deck with Berry following behind.

Captain Artemisia had already given orders for the crew to be back by sunrise on the morrow, thus very few were left on board. Only a large fat guy in a striped shirt with a mustache and guy like a stick up in the crow's nest remained. Artemisia herself was just walking down the gangplank. "Captain," Ichigo called out. Artemisia turned. "Yes, m' lady?" She asked. "I would like my maid Berry to go on land. When will the ship be departing?" Ichigo asked. "Sunrise tommorrow," Artemisia replied without hesitation. Ichigo nodded to Berry and the handmaid went below to change into landworthy clothes. Ichigo bowed slightly to Artemisia. "Arigato, captain," She said and vanished below deck. When Berry re appeared, ready to go on land, she was dressed in a puffy cream shirt with ruffles on the sleeves and collar, a black corset with a brown skirt poufy out from beneath it, black leather high heeled boots, and gold hoop earrings. A gold-hilted sword hung ina worn brown leather scabbard at her side. She had let her long hai down and placed a black tri cornered hat upon her head. "Well now, I'd best be on my way," She said to herself as she confidently walked down the plank.

Berry walked across the wooden planks of the port and onto the dirt road. She caught many an eye as she walked by, but paid the men no heed. She went to the tavern and bought a mug of rum. A dirty looking man next to her whistled and said, "Need some company, lass?" Berry looked at him. "No, but do you know where I can get word of a certain group of islands?" She asked. The pirate searched his brain and said, "I don't know, me memory's kind of fuzzy. . ." Berry sighed and handed him a gold piece. "Go down to the alleys, the boys there knows best what 'yer lookin' for," The pirate said quietly. Berry nodded, took a sip of her rum and left the tavern. She asked around for the location of the alleys and was eventually sent there. Beggars and peasants sat down lining the walls of the dark and dreary place. Berry almost thought of turning back, but steeled herself and went on. She paused at the third on she saw. "Do you have any information about a certain group of islands?" Berry asked quietly. The beggar looked at her. "Maybe I do and maybe I don't. What's it worth to 'ya girlie?" he asked. Berry looked around, the others all seemed distracted by something or other. She pulled a small pouch out of her skirts. And showed it to the beggar. "I will give you this, if you can tell me what I need to know," Berry said. "What's in it?" The beggar asked. Berry opened the strings just enough to show the gold inside. The beggar smiled malevolently. "Well now, darlin' what would ye be likin' to know?" He asked, reaching for the bag. Berry pulled it away from his grasp. "Not, until I have my information," She said. The beggar eyes her, but nodded.

In the ship, the lorikeet girl had begun to stir. She groaned and rubbed her eyes. "Wh- where am I?" She asked. Ichigo looked up. She'd thought the mindless girl would never awaken. "You are on a ship," Ichigo said. The bird girl sat up, winced with pain, and laid back down. She did however, open her eyes and look at Ichigo. "Who are you?" She asked. Ichigo stood. "I am Reifujin Ichigo, who are you?" Ichigo answered. "I am Princess Minto Aizawa, of the Copper Islands," She answered. "How did I get here?" Minto asked. "You fell from the sky onto out deck near the end of our performance. Berry and I have been taking care of you, this is our room you are staying in," Ichigo explained. Minto nodded and looked around. "I believe I am going to sleep for a while," Minto said. Ichigo nodded. "That is understandable, but, before you do, I would like you to tell me what happened to the Copper Islands," Ichigo said. Minto looked at Ichigo through half closed eyes. "I'm not quite sure. It's all so blurry right now. Let me sleep, and when I awaken, I will be able to tell you," Minto replied. Ichigo nodded. "So it will be," the cat-girl replied. Minto then closed her eyes and went to sleep. Once Ichigo was sure the bird captive was asleep, she turned to the cats.

"What do you know of the Copper Islands?" She asked. They are the dwelling place of the Ultramaine Lorikeets. It has been a haven and fortress for them for many centuries of generations. Hina Koneko answered. Ichigo nodded. The fortress is very strong and has withstood thousands of attacks. There are three barriers surrounding the cluster of islands, plus a personal barrier for each of them. Each island has a group of sentries and scouts to warn them of visitors and predators. They have a very sizable army and everyone in their population knows how to fight. Kasumi elaborated. "So if the Copper Islands were defeated, that means the enemy is more powerful than we thought," Ichigo said. Yes, but if it was the porpoises, they must have had help. They are not strong enough to do such a thing on their own. Hina Koneko told them. Ichigo and Kasumi nodded. "This does not bode well," Ichigo commented. "I am going to get some water," Ichigo said after a pause. May the rest of us go with you? We wish to stretch our legs on deck. Kasumi requested. Ichigo nodded and unlocked their cages. The iriomote cats gracefully jumped out. "Stay in the shadows though," Ichigo warned. The cats headed her warning as she went topdeck to the galley.

Once Ichigo and the cats had left, a beautiful blue lorikeet flew in through the open window that Tichii, Satoshi, and Kanaria had exited from. It alighted by Minto's head and chirrupped softly. "Are they gone?" Minto asked in a barely audible whisper. The bird chirped softly and Minto opened her eyes to look at the bird. "Shojun, are the others all right?" Minto soflty asked the bird. Yes, Minto-hime, they all made it out and are on the mast and rigging. The bird called Shojun replied. Minto nodded. "Have you any news of the others who escaped?" She asked. Gomen, Minto-hime. There has been no news. Barasuisho and a few others have been sent out amongst the Culebra birds to find news of the others. The lorikeet replied humbly. Minto nodded. "Arigatou, you may go now, Shojun," Minto replied. The bird bowed its head toward her and flew out.

Still on deck, but climbing up the mizen mast, Ryou was going to lower the mizen sails, then the rest of them so they could speedily get away from the place. He had a feeling in his gut that this visit to Culebra was going to affect the voyage in a large way, but he didn't know how. He just wanted to leave as soon as possible. It didn't make him feel any better when he looked down on the deck and thought the shadows were moving. He blinked and when he looked again they were still. Ryou got to the sails and efficiently lowered them, then was clambering back down when he looked out to sea and saw a flash of green. He turned away and scrambled hurriedly down and rushed to the ship's rail. He waited, but there was nothing. Then, as he was about to turn away, there was another flash of green, closer this time. He almost swore it was a fin. Then there were two more flashes, and this time he thought he saw porpoises. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Nothing happened. There weren't even any ripples in the water. He sighed and turned away. Porpoises, in the Culebra port. What a ridiculous idea.

"What were ye lookin' at out there, matey?" The fat pirate called to Ryou from the main deck. Ryou turned to him. "Twas nothing," Ryou answered. The pirate laughed. "Aye, a little bit of nothin' is gotta be whole lotta somethin'!" The pirate commented. "I thought I saw green porpoises," Ryou shouted. The pirate laughed again. "That's ridiculous. Ye has been at sea too long, young 'un. Go ashore and have a drink. It'll clear yer head," The pirate advised. Ryou nodded and made his way to the gangplank and exited the ship.

In the tavern, Tasuku was having a drink and laughing with some of his old ship mates from a few years ago. Then he noticed Berry at the bar. She was talking to some burly pirate and paid him a coin. He said something in a low voice and she left. "If you'll excuse me maytes, I have somethin' that needs attendin' to," Tasuku excused himself from their company and followed Berry out. He followed her down the street and was about to approach her when she stopped to talk to another man. He raised his eyes brows and tried to slip his arm around her waist. She stepped away and smiled slyly. She said something and the man answered her. Then Berry smiled and walked on. Tasuku watched and followed her as she stopped periodically to talk to the men and women, sometimes shopkeepers. He wondered what she could be asking for. Finally Tasuku decided to go up to her and make his presence known, but as he decided this, Berry slipped down an alleyway. He poked his head down the alley and saw her talking to an old man. One of the informants. Tasuku wondered what he could know, but then Berry looked up and Tasuku hid around the corner of the wall.

As Berry finished with the old man and walked out of the alley, she had the strangest feeling that she was being watch. She glanced over her shoulder and thought she saw one of the ship's crewmen. That first mate guy, who was it? Tasuku. That was it. So she was being spied upon. Berry contended to lost him in the maze like patterns of the Culebra market. In the process, Berry knew that she would more than likely get lost herself. But the cats were out and scouting and more than likely one of them would find her and take her back, and, if not, then she could use her own methods to get back to the ship.

Captain Artemisia spotted the blacksmith's shop and also saw the large mob around it. She chuckled to herself. She would be able to go to a master silversmith and still bypass the crowd. She walked on until she came to a humble cottage on the inseam of the town. She leaned against the wall and casually, but softly, rapped on the door. A shutter on the door open and two yellow eyes looked out. "Who is there?" hissed a low voice. "It is Captain Artemisia," Artemisia answered in a low voice. The shutter closed with a barely audible clack and the door opened just wide enough for Artemisia to slip quickly through.

Through some strange events, which had gotten Ryou slightly drunk, the handsome blonde had ended up in a small boat rowing out to sea for who knows what reason. After a ten minutes of rowing, Ryou began to sober up. He looked around and realized that he had no idea what he was doing. The sun was low on the horizon and the sea was lit up in a rainbow of red, orange, yellow, and purple. He looked off to shore and decided that he could row back, then get back on board and sleep. He shifted his position in the boat so he could row back. As he did so, he did not notice a dark green head floating out of the sea, and watching him with dark poisonous green eyes. It silently drifted back under water. A 'v' shaped ripple showed that the creature swam by him toward land, and reached it not far ahead of him.

When Ryou finally got to shore, the sun had almost set and a chilly breeze was running down the coastline. He shivered slightly and looked around for the ship. His eyes stopped on a fallen figure. He walked up to it and looked at it. The figure had long wavy green black hair, like seaweed. She had pale skin and wore a dark green dress, a shade lighter than her hair. She was stained with sea water and Ryou supposed she had been in a ship wreck and the waves had washed her ashore. He knelt down and picked her up. She was light, perhaps more so than she should've been. All the same, he carried her across the beach and back to the port, where he quickly found the ship and took her aboard.

Berry was on deck, about to go below and relay the information she had gathered, when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to find a blonde sailor carrying a dark green girl with pale skin. Berry gasped and jumped down the rest of the stairs, making a loud clatter. She quickly picked herself up and rushed to Ichigo's room. The door opened to her and she rushed in. "Ichigo, they have brought aboard one of the porpoise!" She said in a breathless, hurried voice. Ichigo looked at her. "Are you certain?" She asked. Berry nodded. "But you know the porpoise do not like to take on the human shape," Ichigo said. "I know, that's why I am worried. I think they're searching for the lorikeets," Berry surmised. Ichigo shook her head and heard steps in the hallway. "Quickly, shut the door," Ichigo ordered. Berry obeyed immediately. "Tell me Berry. What did this porpoise girl look like?" Ichigo asked. "She had long seaweed green hair and pale skin, nearly white. She wore a dark green dress, only shades lighter than her hair," Berry described. "Well, it would seem you speak the truth. But I should like to see this porpoise girl before we jump to conclusions," Ichigo commented. That would be wise, Hina Koneko added. Berry nodded. "I suppose. She's out on deck with the blonde pirate. He's probably taken her to the crew's quarters," Berry said. Just then there was an urgent pawing at the door. Ichigo quickly opened it and Kasumi bolted in. Ichigo shut the door behind the cat. They're here! I've seen it with my own eyes. The porpoises are invading the land! Kasumi fairly shouted. Ichigo and Berry covered their ears. Hina Koneko and the other cats who were present suddenly became alert. "What did you see?" Ichigo asked. Kasumi described a girl much like the one Berry had described seconds earlier. Ichigo nodded. "It seems you were not mistaken, Berry. But what should we do? If she has appeared wounded, then the crewman has surely taken her aboard and will keep her there until she heals," Ichigo said. Berry nodded. "I know."