CHAPTER 4

Kish's Invitation

Unbeknownst to Ichigo, her teammates were actually planning to throw a birthday party. Every single one of them was having rehearsals in Ichiro's 'secret base', and they were trying so hard to make sure it goes as a surprise, not a spoiler.

"So, how did the rehearsal go, Charlotte-chan?" Ichigo asked.

"What rehearsal?" Charlotte replied, clearly confused.

"Well, Hannan said that you'd have a singing contest somewhere."

"Oh, that one. Well, let's just say that it worked well."

"I thought eagles screech." Ichiro snickered.

SLAM!

"DO NOT badmouth somebody who had talent in real singing, not jamming, and let alone the one you're talking about was Charlotte, Ichiro." Hannan warned him as she smacked her book bag on Ichiro's head.

"What the hell- hey! I'm just joking!"

Charlotte giggled.

"Is she always like this?" The blonde-haired girl asked Ichigo.

"Maybe, to his older brother when they are a bit younger."

Ichiro turned to Hannan, and he started whispering.

"Nice cover, Hannan. I thought you'd blew the whole thing."

"I didn't, did I?"

"Nice."

Unknown to the four, Kish, Pai and Tart was watching them from above.

"So, you say, that gold-haired and pale-skinned girl was the new Mew Mew?"

"That's what I hear."

"Let's watch them, this is so going to be fun." Tart exclaimed. "And yeah… that beast is still there too."

"Which one?"

"The dark red-haired kid over there, next to your kitty, Kish."

"Tart…!"

While the four of them were busy conversing to each other, Ichiro's mobile phone gave a tune all in a sudden. He quickly answered it.

"Hi mom… Kikyo? Oh yeah, I'm on they way now…okay, bye…" He then disconnected from the call. "Well girls, I think we'll meet here for today. So, see you three tomorrow then."

"Hey Ichiro, you're free tomorrow?" Hannan asked.

"Sort of. What's up?"

"How about you accompany Charlotte and I for grocery shopping tomorrow? You can bring Kikyo along if you want to."

Ichiro broke into a beam. "Of course I will. After all, I'd think I wanted wo buy some MegaDrive cartridge to dump."

"Dump?"

"It's ROM dumping, Ichigo. Just like the one I sent to you the other day, it's actually a ROM dump." Ichiro then mounted on his mountain bike. "See you girls later then."

Charlotte then waved Ichiro off.

"He's a good guy, don't you think, Hannan?"

"Yeah."

"I think this is where we part too. See you later, Hannan, Charlotte."

"You too, Ichigo."

"Alright then! The last one who arrives at the apartment will cook dinner!" Amirah Hannan as she broke into a run.

"Hannan! Wait up!" Charlotte yelled, as she too tried to keep up with Hannan's fox-like speed.

That leaves Ichigo alone. She then started walking alone as her friends went to their own destination. Halfway home, Kish started interrupting her.

"Hi koneko-chan… nice meeting you here." Kish started, purring at Ichigo.

"Kish?! What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just loafing around. After all, something special will be going on around here."

Hearing Kish's statement, Ichigo quickly reached her pendant.

"Relax, knoeko-chan, nothing to worry about. Besides… I had a special gift for you."

Ichigo couldn't do anything when Kish kissed her all in a sudden. With a poof, she turned into a black little kitten. Kish quickly grabbed the little kitten.

"Now, now, there's nothing to worry about. We're going to test that new friend of yours… Charlotte… right? For now, you're coming with me, koneko-chan."

However, Kish didn't notice that Kikyo saw everything in the background. She quickly ran off to find a public phone.

---

Ichiro was still searching for Kikyo when his cellphone give out the 'Block Clear' tune. He pushed a button on the phone to answer it.

"Onii-chan? Onii-chan!"

"Kikyo? Where are you? I searched everywhere for you…"

"I'm at Megane's house when I saw an alien, onii-chan!"

"What?"

"An alien is taking Ichigo-nee-chan away!"

"Kikyo, stay at Megane's house for a while, and when I get there, we're going to the Mew Mew Café." Ichiro said in his usual commanding voice.

"Okay, onii-chan!"

Stupid Kish… he'll never learn…

Once he picked up Kikyo from her friend's house, Ichiro headed to the Mew Mew Café, but he bumped into Tart instead.

"Oh, here comes the beast!"

"Watch your mouth, Tart, unless you wanted to die early."

"Onii-chan?" Kikyo said after she heard Ichiro's change in his voice. "Onii-chan, what did he mean you're a beast?"

Ichiro tried to hush his younger sister, and this is when Tart fused a rat with a parasite, turning it into a Chimera Anima.

No turning back now! "MEW MEW ICHIRO METAMORPHOSIS!"

In a flash of light, Ichiro transformed into Mew Ichiro. The black school uniform was replaced with a red tailcoat, complete with shoulder plates and black T-shirt worn inside it. He also had black trousers and boots, along with a leather belt hung loosely on his waist. Ichiro also had a chocker, with his Blue Gem hanging on it. Ichiro could hear some popping sounds and he could feel his wolf ears and tails come out.

Tart smirked but Kikyo's eyes were round in surprise.

"Nice timing, but, I gotta go! Kish had some plans with that kitty and I got to see this!"

Tart then disappeared, leaving Ichiro and Kikyo with the Chimera Anima.

"Stupid twerp! Ichiro Moon-Star Whip!" He yelled, calling his whip. "Ribbon Ichiro Morning Star!"

Not even seconds the rat turned into a Chimera Anima, Ichiro had destroyed the parasite. He then ran over to Kikyo.

"You're okay?"

"Where's onii-chan?"

"Kikyo, it's me."

"Why did that weird boy said you're a beast? Is true that you're one?"

"It's partially true, but most of it just name calling." Ichiro sighed.

"Oh…"

"Kikyo, get on my back, we're going to the café."

"What about your bike?"

"I'll carry it."

Single handedly, Mew Ichiro hoisted his bike on the air while holding Kikyo in his other hand.

"Hang on tight Kikyo, this is going to be a bumpy ride."

As Kikyo nodded, Mew Ichiro left the area.

A/N: Another update since days of the last chapter of the Vampire Killer! Sorry for those who waited, since I'm engrossed with downloading ROM dumps and ISO images. Anyways, by the time you read this, my nickname will no longer be SV-00IIIBLCKHND, instead, with ZEROGRAVITY. Wait for Zero's sprite in my profile!