Chapter Four- Teamwork and Tantrums

"I can't believe you didn't try harder to get her!" Mint shook her head. "So what if she was attached to them. She's six, and not quite capable of thinking alone."

The five Mew Mews were sitting around Mint's room, discussing the events of the previous night. The atmosphere was tense,considering the failed mission. "Ryou's not going to be very happy."

"He's not." Ichigo confirmed. "I just...I didn't want to scare her, so..."

"She looked like she'd already been through a lot as it was. Maybe we can try again in a couple of days. We could catch them off guard or something." Lettuce put in now. "Maybe we ought to send Pudding in to deal with Tart."

"Sure I'll do it!" Pudding agreed. "I haven't seen him in a long time." Pudding smiled, thinking about the last time they'd been in battle. "Heh. He didn't know what hit him until it was too late! But I felt so bad afterwards, when he was helping me up..."

"You've got the same problem with him that I have with Kisshu, except you actually like him." Ichigo mused now.

"I do not!" Pudding shot back with a slight pout. "It's just..it's hard to hate someone who's nice to you all the time in battle!"

Zakuro rolled her eyes. "Do you think she's safe with them if we wait?" She asked now, returning everyone to the topic at hand. "I mean, how long do you think we can safely wait?"

Ichigo shrugged. "I don't know..." She shook her head. "I don't think Kisshu would let anything bad happen to her. I mean, he took her from abusive parents.."

Her teammates didn't reply at first. Each thinking over the situation. The room was so quiet, that everyone jumped when Zakuro spoke again.

"The "anything bad" that he won't let happen could mean us, taking her from him, though. That's what I'm worried about."

"Very true..." Mint nodded. Silence again overtook them. Obviously this was not going to be a situation to take lightly. There was a child involved. It wasn't like all the other times with the Cyniclons. There was another ,younger, human being involved. And one that was supposedly going to be a Mew Mew someday. So it was almost like a family member being in trouble. The problem was that the Cyniclons seemed to have adopted her too. This was indeed going to be difficult for everyone involved. "Well,I still say we should go after them head on." Mint finally broke the silence once more. "The sooner, the better." Her teammates, even Ichigo, had to agree.

"Alright. The ship is secured." Pai told Kisshu. All we have to do is get her to take this mixture, and everything should be fine up there." He had been busy all day, getting things ready for their departure. Tart had been on the lookout for trouble, and Kisshu had been keeping Arissa preoccupied. He knew where they were going to meet the ship, but he wasn't sure if they could get off the planet without alerting the Mew Mews.

"Excellent..." Kisshu glanced over at Arissa, who was bundled into her coat, and playing with some toy Tart had pilfered for her. He smiled to himself,watching her. Soon, little one...soon, you'll be able to play anywhere you like on the ship. Just be patient. It had been difficult to keep her quiet and out of sight. His conniving nature had come in handy then, yet, Kisshu couldn't help but feel bad for having to keep her under slight restraint. "The sooner we get her off this miserable planet, the better for her. She needs room to run."

"Yeah..." Pai replied, sounding distracted. "I can't help but think something is going to go wrong though..."

"What could go wrong! We've almost made it,Pai. We have only to wait until nightfall, and we're in the clear." Kisshu encouraged. "Anyway, we should probably give Arissa that medicine now..."

"Go ahead. But only a small dose. I'm not quite sure how she's going to take it..." The elder alien handed Kisshu the vial. He walked off then, out of the boxcar's confines.

The night was similar to the night before. Cold and crisp. Pai shook his head. This air was still too clean for his liking. He couldn't help but think about the plans he'd left back at the base ship. If only he hadn't gotten involved with Kisshu and his foolery! Yet...yet, he couldn't deny the certain amount of protectiveness he felt towards Arissa. He may not be one to be overly kind to humans, but for some reason, he found himself actually sorry for the hand the child had been dealt. He understood why Kisshu had done what he had done, as out of character as it was for him. Pai wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't have done the same thing. He sighed, shaking his head.

Pai heard some rustling to the South of their location, and immediately went on the alert. He levitated himself a little, to see what it was causing the ruckus. His eyes narrowed, seeing the Mew Mews there. I thought so. I knew they weren't going to let us just take that girl with us so easily! Pai dematerialized, heading back to the boxcar to warn Kisshu.

A full blown tantrum was in progress when Pai returned to Kisshu and his little charge. Apparently, Kisshu had resorted to taking her toy away from her when she wouldn't take the medicine. Pai raised an eyebrow at the commotion. "What in the world..!"

"She won't take her medicine!" Kisshu explained over the child's screaming. "I was trying to get her to take it, and she kicked me!"

"Is that so?" Pai stalked over to Arissa, who was kicking the wall of the boxcar violently with her heels. He scooped her up, and restrained her with both arms wrapped firmly around her middle,holding her arms down. "Stop it! Stop right now, or...else!" Gotta remember she's not of our race. Gotta remember she's still little..He reminded himself. "This is unacceptable!" That did the trick. The child stopped struggling, and went limp in Pai's arms. "Now, are you going to behave?"

"Uh huh..." Arissa sniffled, wiping her eyes with her fists.

"Will you take your medicine for Kisshu?" Pai asked now, making sure to talk with measured firmness. Tart had been a problem at this age too. And firmness was definitely the key in regaining control of an unruly child.

Arissa nodded again. "Uh huh."

"Good." Pai put her down, and then nodded for Kisshu to give her the medicine. "When she takes it, give her the toy back." As he turned to go find Tart, he gave Kisshu a Look that clearly depicted that there was trouble approaching them. Kisshu nodded, and then turned his attention to Arissa.

"Alright. So everyone knows what to do right?" Ichigo asked. "Try not to scare Arissa too much...alright?"

"I'll take care of Arissa." Pudding decided allowed. "Cause I bet I can convince her to come with us."

"Sounds good. Just be careful." Lettuce advised. "The rest of us will distract them." With that ,the five girls descended upon the clearing where the boxcar base was. They were met there by Tart and Pai.

"We were wondering when you would turn up." Pai smirked a bit from his perch in a tree. "You five really have some bad timing."

Tart nodded in agreement. "Yeah. We're kinda busy!" He was sitting on the roof of the boxcar. He looked down at the five, then looked to Pudding. "Come for another play date then?"

"Actually..." Pudding began, but then she shook her head. "Where's Arissa?"

"That's for us to know, and you not to." Tart replied with a smirk. "Maybe if you beat me in a game of jacks I'll tell you." In truth, Tart had no idea where either the human child or Kisshu had teleported off too. He'd only just gotten back seconds before the girls had gotten there.

"Stop fooling around!" Pai snapped at Tart. "Get them!" He could never understand Tart's need to toy with the one called Pudding.

Ichigo had slowly crept closer to the boxcar entrance from another direction. She climbed in, expecting to see Kisshu there, restraining the child. She was unpleasantly surprised. The car itself was empty save for a few leaves in a corner. She leaped out of the opening. "Where are they, Pai!" She glared at the alien in the tree.

"If you beat us,we'll hand her over." Pai declared, a smug look on his face. He had no intention of giving Arissa up.

"You're an idiot!" Mint answered. "Let's get them, girls!" All five of them moved into battle ready stance. "You made a mistake, challenging us."

"We shall see." Pai replied. "Let's go Tart."