Animal Instinct

Chapter III

"So, Kisshu, what did you see?" Gateau de Roi asked.

"Exactly what I expected to see. The Mews defeated it." Kish replied.

"They do have a tendency to be indefatigable." Pie observed.

"They can be defeated, though." Gateau said. "After all, no one can go on forever." He turned and flew to the other end of the room.

"Gateau, what are we doing?" Tart asked. "What's our plan?"

"Our plan? I'll tell you about that later on." Gateau said as he floated back to where the other aliens were. "But here's the second step we're going to take."

"Tokyo Mew Mew. I don't believe in Tokyo Mew Mew. It's just a myth. I was just seeing things. Maybe the Count put something in my tea."

"LEON!"

"Wha-!" He swung around to see Jill standing next to his desk. "What's going on?"

"I've been calling your name for the last five minutes." She told him. "The Chief wants to talk to you. He says there's a new assignment for you. And what were you rambling about Tokyo Mew Mew for?"

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, nothing."

Jill didn't look convinced, but told him, "You'd better go see the chief. He's probably impatient from waiting for so long."

"Alright." Leon pushed his chair back, the wheels on it rolling easily. "I'll go talk to him."

But as he left his desk and headed for the Chief's office, he knew he couldn't deny that Tokyo Mew Mew was real anymore.

After all, he'd seen it with his own eyes.

He couldn't have been imagining it, could he?

It felt like they had been walking for an hour, but Zakuro was sure it hadn't been that long. Ringo was still off playing with the animals, and Zakuro herself was following the Count through the labyrinth that was the back of the petshop.

D stopped in front of another door. "And this is where I keep some of the more exotic birds. If you'd like-"

Zakuro interrupted. "Count, how many animals are in your shop?"

D considered the question. "I may have lost track, at any given time I have between twenty and two hundred."

"That's a conservative estimate, isn't it?" Zakuro asked. "Because you have far more than twenty animals and I gave up trying to count them after I hit eighty."

"Perhaps if you told me what your friends suspected, Zakuro-san, I can help you." D said, studying her carefully.

She took a deep breath. "Ryou hasn't figured out yet if the attack on the shop was just one isolated case, of if this is the start of something bigger. He worries that it could be the start of something bigger, and if one of the aliens decided to release a few hundred Para Paras in here, there would be more trouble than we could handle."

The Count's lips tightened as he turned and began to lead the way back to the front room. "I do not want anything to happen to my pets."

"Alternatively, there's something in the shop in the near vicinity of it that the aliens are after." Zakuro said.

"You think it's this Mew Aqua." He said matter-of –factly.

"Yes. But that's what's confusing about it. Mew Aqua is only found in and around Tokyo. There shouldn't be any here at all."

"Where is it found?" D asked.

"In water. Clean, unpolluted water." Zakuro replied as they entered the front room. Ringo was waiting for them. "Zakuro onee-sama! I've been looking everywhere for you! You should see what Pon-chan can do!"

"I heard the shouting all the way out here."

The Count grabbed her arm. "Zakuro-san, would the two of you like to search for the Mew Aqua?"

She shook her head. "If either of us gets near it, we'll awaken it, and then the aliens will really come running. If you know where it is, just keep an eye on it, alright?"

He nodded and straightened up, releasing her as he did. "I'll go make some tea."

No sooner had the Count left then there came a knock on the door. Zakuro went to answer it, and saw Leon standing there.

For a moment the two of them stared at each other, then Zakuro spoke. "Detective Orcot?"

"I'm here to see Count D. And you." He said as he pushed past her and entered the room.

"I see you're both still alive." He said as he watched Ringo playing with Pon-chan.

"We're fine, thanks for asking." Zakuro said as she sat down on the sofa and picked up her book, T-chan settling happily on her feet.

"You know that thing on your feet is a ravenous, man eating beast, right?" Leon asked as he lit his cigarette.

"As long as it doesn't chew on my boots." Zakuro replied, then added. "Would you please put out that cigarette? Ringo doesn't need to be breathing that second-hand smoke."

Leon complied, grinding out his cigarette in an ashtray.

D entered the room a moment later, a tea-tray in his hands. "My dear detective, so nice of you to join us."

"Yeah, well, I didn't really get a choice, after someone stopped by the police station to pass off some bogus story about needing protection." Leon said, giving Zakuro a pointed look.

"Detective, whatever else happens, it's important that you realize that what you've seen never goes beyond the doors of this petshop." Zakuro said, accepting the cup of tea D handed her. "Some of us have families, and all of us have people that we need to protect. There is a reason we transform, you know."

"So that was the reason you turned up and told a bogus story to my boss to get me down here?" Leon asked.

"It wasn't completely a lie." Zakuro replied as she took a bite of cake. "I do work for the Pro Imaha Modeling Agency, and they are looking for new places to do photo shoots at. Besides that I do other work, and one of those jobs is as an extra for movies. All I had to do was suggest that I felt harassed and that maybe some protection was in order. Then I suggested that my agency might be interested in doing a shoot in L.A. and that be good for the local economy and it would be nice if I could take a good report back to my agents."

"If you're a model, why are you eating cake?" Leon asked.

"I don't diet while I'm on vacation." She replied. Then her phone started to vibrate. Zakuro pulled it out and flipped it open.

The text message read, "M & L on the way, ETA 20 min."

"What is it, Onee-sama?" Ringo asked.

"Mint and Lettuce are on their way." Zakuro said as she snapped the phone shut and slid it back into her pocket.

"So tell me, Ms. Funawara, why are you helping the Count? After all, isn't you mission to protect humanity? D doesn't about humanity. Ask him. He'll tell you." Leon said.

Zakuro looked at D, who nodded. "I care very little for people; and I do prefer animals."

"What he's not telling you is that he's also given people pets that have killed them!" Leon exclaimed.

D was unapologetic. "If they did not follow the terms of contract, the shop cannot assume responsibility for the consequences."

"First," Zakuro glared at Leon. "My name is 'Fujiwara' not 'Funawara.' Second, detective, have you ever heard that saying 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend?' She didn't wait for an answer. "Plants, animals, people, it doesn't matter. There is nothing on this planet that the aliens won't harm to get what they want. They can manipulate plants, turn animals in monsters, and rip human spirits out and turn those into Chimera Animas, too. It doesn't matter. There's nothing here sacred to them."

"Ryouonce said that we fight for the sake of all living things, including ourselves." Ringo added.

"He was right." Zakuro replied.

Ringo felt someone tug on her hoodie, and looked down to see Pon-chan. "Do the aliens really want to hurt us? T-chan was scared last night, and he's never scared of anything!"

"They want to hurt everything." Ringo told her. "That's why we've got to stop them!"

"Oh great. She's talking to animals now too. Did some of your bad influence rub off on her, Count?" Leon asked.

An angry vein was standing out on D's forehead. "I did not do anything to her."

"I've always been able to hear animals talk." Ringo said angrily. "Ever since Mama gave me my Blue Water pendant, I can hear them better than ever!"

She can hear animals? The Count asked himself, a look of shocked disbelief on his face before he changed his expression back to a neutral one. She had answered Pon-chan's question, and no normal human should be able be able to do that.

Then again, these were no normal humans.

Zakuro set her cup down and stood up. "Ringo, let's gather our things. Mint and Lettuce will be here soon, and then we'll leave."

"So what am I doing here again?" Leon asked.

"Staying here until we sort this out." Zakuro replied.

"Well that's just great," The detective griped.

D smiled at him. "And just a day ago you didn't even believe they existed."

"Come on! You have to admit that's like something out of a weird sci-fi novel. People with animal powers? You've gotta be kidding me." Leo paused and frowned at the Count. "Then again, I guess that's what makes it so easy for you to have them around. So what's your excuse for not sicking a tiger on Akasaka?"

D raised an eyebrow. "My dear detective, you have no powers at all, not to mention no manners, and I still keep you around." At least Keiichiro has manners.

"No manners? What's that supposed to mean?" Leon demanded, but he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

The count set his teacup down and went to answer it

"So, Mint, did Count D ever say what the D in his name stood for?" Lettuce asked as they walked through the streets of Chinatown, heading for the pet shop.

The lorikeet girl considered the question. "No, I don't think so. Pay close attention while we're there, and maybe we'll figure out what it stands for."

They descended down the stairs that led to the pet shop's door, and Mint knocked on the door. It was opened a moment later by Count D.

"Good afternoon, Count. We're here to relieve Zakuro and Ringo." Mint said.

"Of course. Come in." He replied, opening the door a little wider.

Zakuro and Ringo were just returning to the front, their bags in hand. "Mint, Lettuce, good luck." Zakuro told them.

"We left Masha on the table." Ringo added cheerfully, then swung around to face Leon and the Count. "Sayonara, Count D, Detective Orcot. I'll see you later." Then she bounded up the stairs.

"Mint-san, Lettuce-san, you can put your things in the room Zakuro-san and Ringo-san used last night." D told them. "Down the hall, second door on the left."

"Thank you, Count," Lettuce said as she followed Mint out of the room.

"Count D, thank you for co-operating with us on this. Detective Orcot, I'm sure we'll meet again," Zakuro said, then turned and started to mount the steps the led back up to the street.

"So that's it? You're leaving just like that?" Leon asked, and Zakuro paused.

"What more do you want me to say?" She asked, turning around to face the detective. "Do you want me to condemn the Count for protecting animals, or shall I condemn you for protecting humans?" She smiled, and Leon squirmed. The smile melted off her face a moment later.

"Humans can be selfish. So we always have to ask ourselves, what it is it one really has to protect?"

Ringo poked her head around the corner. "Onee-sama? Are you coming?"

"Yes." Zakuro said. Ringo hurried off as Zakuro turned and mounted the stairs.

"So what are you protecting?" Leon asked.

The wolf girl paused again. "This planet, and my friends. My family ceased to be alive to me a long time ago." Then she left.

"Ceased to be alive?" Leon asked. "What on Earth does that mean?"

"Her family disowned her." D replied as the two of them entered the shop. "But they've trying to rectify their mistake, and Zakuro-san will not acknowledge them."

"Sounds harsh." Leon muttered.

"Yes. Humans can be that way."

"Oh, don't start that again. In case you haven't noticed, animals aren't all that you crack them up to be."

D scowled at Leon, but before he could reply, Mint and Lettuce were back in the room.

"Count, we've been looking around your store. This place is amazing." Lettuce told him.

D smiled at her. "Would either of you like some tea?"

"Of course." Mint replied.

"Yes please." Lettuce added shyly.

"So, back to the same old place." Kish said, floating over Chinatown and looking down on a certain pet shop. "I wonder what Gateau wants with this place." Then he shrugged. "Whatever. It's not my problem."

He lifted his hand, a Para Para enclosed in it. "Well, here goes part two." He said, then threw the alien down at the pet store.

"Go, Para Para! Ahahahahaha!" Then the air around him rippled, and Kish vanished.

Mint took a sip of the tea. "Count, you simply must tell me what type of tea this is. I've never tasted anything like it!"

"Today I'm using Orange pekoe." The Count replied.

"Usually I drink black tea. It's been a tradition I've had since I was little." Mint told him.

"Nothing besides black tea?" The Count asked. "Don't you get tired of it after awhile?"

Mint shook her head. "Sometimes I have different flavors when I'm at the Café, but usually it's black tea. Besides, tea is always good, no matter what kind it is."

D gave a half-smile. "That's true." Leon just rolled his eyes.

"I got the cake," Lettuce said as she hurried back into the room, only to trip and send the cake flying. It landed upside down on the table.

"Oh, Lettuce." Mint sighed.

"Ah…uh…I'm sorry!" Lettuce exclaimed as she jumped up and bowed to the count, her face bright red.

"It's alright. The cake isn't too badly damaged," D said as he took the plate from Lettuce and managed to get the cake back onto it; the desert still mostly intact.

The turnover rates for plates at that Café must be incredible, Leon thought as he watched D slice the cake and pass out the slices.

For another few moments, silence prevailed, then Lettuce spoke again. "Masha's sure been quiet. I wonder if all of this was a false alarm."

"Masha?" Leon asked.

"The pink fluffy thing sitting on the table." Mint said, taking another bite of her cake.

Leon leaned over and grabbed the pink ball of fuzz, only to have it open it's eyes and glare at him. "PUT MASHA DOWN!"

Startled, the detective fell back into his chair, releasing Masha as he did. The little pink robot flew over the table and hovered there.

"Hello Masha. I'm Count D." The count introduced himself.

"D, D, D," Masha chirped, fluttering around the room.

"I'm Leon," The detective added.

"Leon." Masha repeated.

"So you find aliens, huh?" Leon asked.

"Masha can, Masha can," The robot chirped. Then it's eyes opened a little wider and it looked around. At the same time, Count D felt something like a shockwave go through him.

Just like what he had felt the last time one his animals had turned into a Chimera Anima.

He looked around, trying to find the jellyfish-like creature that was going to turn one of the animals into a monster.

"Count, what is it?" Mint asked as he stood up, but she was interrupted by Masha. "Minto, Alien! Alien!"

Lettuce and Mint both jumped up. "Alien?"

"What?" Leon asked.

His question was answered when a moment later, a Chimera Anima stormed into the room, roaring angrily.

Leon glanced at it. "Well, here we go again."

"Mew Mew Minto!"

"Mew Mew Lettuce!"

"METAMORPHO-SIS!"

Twenty seconds later, both girls were standing there in their Mew outfits. The jaguar-Anima swung a huge paw at them and ended up smashing the table when both of them jumped out of the way.

"Kyu!" Q-chan squealed in fear, but the Count ignored him. "Stop it, Lena. Don't do this!"

In what seemed like a sick repeat of the last chimera Anima, the jaguar replied, "Count! Help me! I can't stop!"

The Chimera Anima swung out again, trying to crush Count D, only to be distracted as Mew mint flew across it's field of view. It twisted around, trying to keep Mint in it's sight as she slowly circled around it, staying just out of it's reach.

"We've got to get you out of here before you do anymore damage," The lorikeet-girl said. "Come on! Catch the birdie!"

The Chimera Anima swung around and chased after her as Mint flew straight towards the door.

"She's … flying?" Leon asked.

Lettuce nodded. "She has wings."

Mint flew at the doors without stopping, pushing them open as she went out. She flew up the stairs, the Chimera Anima almost literally on her tail. She glanced back at it. "That's right, follow the birdie." Then she pulled ahead.

"Lettuce!" Back in the pet shop, the green haired girl was listening as Ryou's voice came through Masha. "What's going on?"

"One of the animals just turned into a Chimera Anima!" Lettuce exclaimed. "Mint's distracting it right now; I need to go help her." She ran towards the door, Masha flying after her.

"Where's everyone else?" She asked as she ran up the stairs, Leon and the Count not far behind her.

"They're on the way." Ryou replied. "They left before we did, they should be more than halfway there by now. Where's the Chimera Anima?"

"Mint lured it outside so it wouldn't destroy the store." Lettuce replied as she finally came out on the street. The Chimera Anima was still trying to catch Mint, who was trying to keep it from tearing up the street.

"Minto Arrow! Ribbon…Minto Echo!"

"I can't talk anymore, I've got tot go help," Lettuce said, then she left Masha behind and jumped into the fray.

"I do wish you'd be more straightforward with us, Gateau." Pie said as he looked down on the battle. "What is the point of these specifically released Chimera Animas?"

"Be patient," The other alien, who was floating nearby, replied. "I asure you, even though this may seem like a dreadful waste of Para Paras, there will come a time when Tokyo Mew Mew will be in over their heads."

"I certainly hope you're right." Pie replied. "Deep Blue will be angry if there are no developments soon."

"Leave Master Deep Blue to me." Gateau said. "My plan is foolproof." The air around him rippled and the other alien vanished.

"I certainly know what you're doing, Gateau," The purple-haired alien sighed, then the air around him rippled and he vanished, too.

"Ribbon…Lettuce Rush!"

"Ribbon…Minto Echo!"

The two attacks landed on the Chimera Anima and served only to infuriate it. It swung out with it's paw, knocked Mint to the ground and sending Lettuce crashing into Leon Orcot.

"I thought you could defeat these things." Leon said as the Count pulled Lettuce back to her feet and the detective pulled himself up.

"These Chimera Animas are stronger then normal." Lettuce replied. "We'll need everyone's help to defeat them."

"The only thing that doesn't make sense is why they're stronger." Mint said as she steadied herself.

"So where is the rest of your group?" The detective asked.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, D saw the rest of Tokyo Mew Mew leaping across the roofs of the building, making a bee-line for the shop. "They're here."

T.A.R.N.S: Iiiiiiiiittttt's TUESDAY! And this means a new update for AnIn! I don't have too much to say about this chapter this time. Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter and please review this one too!