New Feelings Chapter 5:
Showdown at Café Mew Mew
With Ichigo, Kisshu and Emiko: The three of them walked to Café Mew Mew, which was closed, probably due to the lack of workers. Ichigo took out her pendant, which Lettuce had given back to her, and transformed. Then she kicked the door down. Kisshu and Emiko looked at each other and followed her in.
Ryou had obviously heard the door fall in, because he came running, and stopped dead. "ICHIGO!?" he shouted.
"That's right, and you're going to pay for injecting me with weird things without my permission," Ichigo snarled. "And I'll never work for you again, you stupid hypocrite."
"How am I a hypocrite?" Ryou asked.
"You killed humans for no reason, yet you say the Cyniclons are evil," Ichigo said. "As far as I can see, the evil one is you. And we're forming a truce, so you should go die."
"You're forming a truce with those monsters!?" Ryou shouted.
Look who's talking, Emiko said. Ichigo heard and said, "Emiko says "Look who's talking.""
"And the reason she can't speak aloud would be…." Ryou said skeptically.
"You killed her parents in front of her and she lost her voice from shock," Kisshu said.
"Her parents didn't deserve to live," Ryou said. "They told me that whether their daughter was a Cyniclon or not, they would take her back in. They were betraying the humans, so I had to kill them."
Emiko's face turned into a snarl, and she threw her right arm out to the side. A large sword appeared in her hand as Ichigo shrieked, "HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT!? ANY SANE PARENT WOULD TAKE THEIR CHILD IN, HUMAN OR NOT! I'M HALF HUMAN, SO WHY DO YOU BOTHER WITH ME AND THE OTHER MEWS!? YOU'RE EVIL, RYOU!"
"The other half of you is from this planet, not from a planet that wants to destroy all humanity," Ryou said, shrugging.
This only served to make Emiko and Ichigo more furious, and they looked at each other. Let's combine our attacks, Emiko said.
Ichigo nodded and screamed, "STRAWBERRY BELL!"
Emiko pointed her sword at Ryou, and as Ichigo shouted, "Ribon… STRAWBERRY SURPRISE!" she shot a burst of fire at Ryou, who looked panicked. The attacks combined and hit Ryou dead on, as Keiichiro came into the room after hearing all the screaming. He watched in horror as Ryou turned into a pile of ash.
When the smoke cleared, Keiichiro asked, "WHY did you kill Ryou, Ichigo?"
"He's an evil murderer, and a danger to anyone who decides they like the Cyniclons," Ichigo said. "He had to die."
"Um… where did you get the idea that Ryou's an evil murderer?" Keiichiro asked.
"He murdered Emiko's human parents," Kisshu said. "Before I took her in, she was a human girl that Ryou kidnapped and turned into a Cyniclon. He killed her parents when they tried to rescue her. I'm surprised you didn't know all that."
Keiichiro sighed. "I knew about the project to turn Emiko into a Cyniclon," he admitted. "The day the lab blew up, I was visiting a friend, and I didn't know what had happened. Ryou never spoke of it- probably because he knew that I would have no choice but to go to the police. I had no idea he murdered Emiko's parents, though."
"Keiichiro, Lettuce has convinced us all to form a truce," Ichigo said. "Oh, and she and Pai are together now."
"I had a feeling she had a crush on him," Keiichiro said. "I didn't realize Pai felt the same."
"I told him not to break her heart," Ichigo said. "And Kisshu and I are together too."
"Oh, good," Keiichiro said. "And I take it Pudding and Taruto are as well?"
"Yeah," Kisshu said. "We had to leave them on the ship; they were both on sugar high. We came here because it's not safe when those two are hyper."
I hope they don't wreck the ship, Emiko said.
"Jeez, I didn't even think of that," Kisshu said. "Should we go check on them?"
Might be a good idea, Emiko said.
Keiichiro looked puzzled, then said, "Emiko, are you mute?"
Emiko nodded. I can communicate telepathically, but I miss singing, she said.
Kisshu relayed this to Keiichiro, who said, "I'm sorry for your loss, Emiko."
Thanks, Emiko said.
"She says thanks," Ichigo said.
"You can hear her?" Keiichiro asked, startled.
"All the Mews can use telepathy," Kisshu explained. "You didn't know that?"
"No," Keiichiro said. "How'd you figure that out?"
"Pai sent Emiko to find Lettuce to see what was causing Ichigo to act so violently, and Lettuce could hear her," Kisshu said. "We thought Lettuce might be able to use telepathy, so she tried it, and it worked. Then we tried it on the other Mews, and they all can use telepathy."
"You know what was causing Ichigo to act like that?" Keiichiro asked.
"I take it Ryou didn't tell you he injected me with a serum that was supposed to take over my mind and make me kill the Cyniclons?" Ichigo asked.
Keiichiro looked shocked. "No, he didn't," he said finally. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, Pai, Kisshu and Emiko cured me," Ichigo said. "And that was another good reason to kill Ryou. He could do it again, and then we'd be back to square one."
Keiichiro sighed. "Good point. I won't tell anyone that you killed Ryou. You'd end up in jail, and I'm sure you don't want that."
"Thanks Keiichiro," Ichigo said. "I think I should get home. I know my parents aren't there, but it's getting late."
Your parents aren't there? Why not? Emiko asked.
"They go on trips a lot and leave me home alone," Ichigo said. "I wish they'd stay home more, but if I tell my dad that, he'll go back to treating me like a two year old."
"Do you want to stay the night with us?" Kisshu asked.
"Um… isn't your room a mess? Where would I sleep?" Ichigo asked.
Kisshu sighed. "My room isn't a mess, it's just that I didn't exactly want to show you what I've got in there," he said. "Emiko was trying to keep you from learning that secret."
"Now I'm curious," Ichigo said.
You might as well show her. She's going to find out sooner or later, it really should be from you, not Taruto, Emiko said.
"Fine," Kisshu said. He nodded to Keiichiro, then took Ichigo's hand and teleported, followed by Emiko.
They landed in Kisshu's room, and Ichigo looked around, then spotted the bulletin board. "You're pretty obsessed, aren't you?" she asked. "Did you draw those?"
"No, I made Emiko do it," Kisshu said. "She's an amazing artist."
Thanks, Emiko said. Pai and Taruto use me too; they always want pictures of Lettuce and Pudding. It seems like every day I get a new request.
"How on Earth do you keep up with them?" Ichigo asked.
It's not easy, Emiko said.
"Why do you do all this?" Ichigo asked. "I mean, don't you have other things that you'd rather do?"
Not really, but I don't want to make them unhappy, Emiko replied. I have nowhere to go if they don't want me. I really like them, but sometimes, especially when I get another 'Go draw a picture of Lettuce', I kind of wonder if I'm a charity case. I have to cook for them too.
"KISSHU!" Ichigo shrieked. "You make her draw and cook for you!?"
"Um…. actually we have her cook because letting Pai near a kitchen is a recipe for total disaster…" Kisshu said uncomfortably.
But you never cook, Emiko reminded him. I understand that Taruto would never cook for us, but you could help out once in a while. And that doesn't mean staring at me while I make something that smells good.
"You STARE at her while she's cooking? Do you know how creepy that sounds?" Ichigo asked. "Jeez, if we get married like you want, you better not do that to me."
"Emiko, did you really have to tell Ichigo all that?" Kisshu asked.
She asked. It's not polite not to answer a question, Emiko said. I do get the sense that you sometimes think of me as a charity case, though.
Kisshu looked shocked. "I don't think of you like that," he said. "I think of you as a younger sister. Didn't you have siblings?"
No, or I'd be trying to protect them from Ryou's evil, Emiko said. We wouldn't have met if I had siblings to take care of. I'm an only child.
"So am I," Ichigo said. "How old are you, Emiko?"
I'm thirteen, why? Emiko asked.
"I'm thirteen too! Can we be friends?" Ichigo asked.
Sure, I don't have any girlfriends besides Lettuce, Emiko said.
Ichigo smiled. Then she hugged Emiko, who hugged back. "You like hugs, don't you?" she asked when they let go.
Yeah, and I haven't had one in months, Emiko said. Living with all boys can be tough.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kisshu asked indignantly.
You only like hugs if they're from Ichigo. Pai doesn't like hugs unless they're from Lettuce. And Taruto only likes Pudding's hugs, Emiko said.
"You hugged me when we first met and I offered to take you in," Kisshu commented. "But you also tried to squeeze the life out of me."
I was happy! Besides, wouldn't you need a hug if someone had shot YOUR parents to death in front of you a few hours ago? Emiko asked.
"Point taken," Kisshu sighed. "But now you've got Ichigo to hug, right?"
You really don't like my hugs? Emiko asked.
"If you don't squeeze the life out of me, I don't mind if you hug me, but if you do it too hard, you're back to just Ichigo," Kisshu said.
YAY! Emiko promptly hugged Kisshu, causing him to turn red.
Ichigo snickered and decided to see exactly how red Kisshu could get, so she tackled him and Emiko, and they all fell to the floor. Kisshu's face was now tomato red. "Jeez, what is this, jump on Kisshu day?" he asked.
Unfortunately for him, Taruto and Pudding were walking past his open door, and Pudding heard the last bit of his sentence. "HEY TARU-TARU!" she screamed. "KISSHU-ONIICHAN SAYS TO JUMP ON HIM!"
"REALLY!?" they heard Taruto yell, and before Kisshu could say anything, Pudding and Taruto ran in and jumped on him, Ichigo and Emiko.
Ichigo and Emiko managed to get away, and watched, giggling, as Kisshu got swarmed by two hyperactive nine-year-olds. "Could you two HELP instead of giggling!?" Kisshu asked.
Ichigo and Emiko sighed; they were enjoying the show. Then Emiko picked up Taruto, and Ichigo picked up Pudding. They proceeded to dump the two kids outside the door, and closed it before they could get in again. Emiko locked it so they couldn't come in.
Then they went to Kisshu, and helped him up. He was practically gasping for air. Then he collapsed, and the girls looked at each other. I hope he didn't hit his head again, Emiko said. That injury he got in the last battle with you isn't fully healed because Pai whacked him over the head soon after he got it.
Ichigo looked at Kisshu's head closely, and said, "I don't see anything. Maybe he just got smothered."
The girls lifted Kisshu onto his bed and sat down to wait for him to wake up.
An hour later, he stirred, and Ichigo said, "Kisshu, are you okay?"
Kisshu groaned and said, "My head feels like it's been split open again. It really hurts…"
Emiko put a hand on his forehead, and her hand began to glow. She closed her eyes and tried to feel the problem. Then she sighed. Kisshu had had a concussion from his battle with Ichigo, and it wasn't completely gone. She focused on healing the concussion, and finally took her hand away. Does that feel better? she asked.
"Yeah, thanks," Kisshu said. "I'm tired."
You should sleep, it will help the healing stick, Emiko said. She turned to Ichigo. Do you want to stay with him?
"Sure, I'll stay," Ichigo said.
I'll leave you two alone. Kisshu, get some rest, Emiko said. Kisshu nodded, so she teleported out.
I'm hoping to do more PaiXLettuce fluff next chapter. Till then, REVIEW!
