Escape Part 8:

The Council

Kimi and Takashi led the girls to a large room with two bunk beds, and Takashi put the suitcases down. "Can we learn to play Uno now?" he asked.

Ichigo smiled. "Sure," she said. Moe got the cards out, and started explaining the rules. Then they started playing. Kimi won the first round, and then the next two rounds were won by Miwa.

"How do you do it?" Takashi asked Miwa.

"Practice," Miwa said. "Uno!"

The others groaned as Miwa won again. "Can we play something else?" Kimi asked plaintively.

"Oh, fine," Miwa said- just as Yahiko teleported in. The girls, Kimi, and Takashi stood, and Yahiko asked, "Learning how to play cards?"

"It's fun," Takashi said. "Do you know these games?"

"Some of them," Yahiko said. "I came to tell you that the Council wants to meet you girls."

"Is this a 'we should change into something a bit nicer' thing?" Miwa asked.

"Might be a good idea," Yahiko said. "We'll wait outside."

"K," Ichigo said. She, Moe, and Miwa all went to their suitcases as Yahiko, Kimi and Takashi left.

The girls each picked out some clothes, and changed quickly. Ichigo was wearing a pink three-quarter-sleeved shirt with a V-neck, and a white knee-length pencil skirt, along with white flats.

Moe was wearing a green shirt with cap sleeves and a scoop neck, and a pair of black slacks, along with a pair of black ankle boots. Miwa was wearing a black skirt, and a lavender tank top with a V-neck, with black ankle boots like Moe's. They straightened each other's hair, and ran out the door.

Yahiko, Kimi, and Takashi were waiting, and Yahiko said, "You look nice."

"Thanks," Miwa said. "Where are we going?"

"Down this hall," Kimi said, and led them down the hallway. She turned left onto another hallway, and stopped at a pair of large doors half-way down. She nodded to Takashi, and he took one of the door handles, while she took the other. The two opened the doors, bowing. Yahiko went in, and the three girls followed him a bit hesitantly. The room was filled with chairs, most of which were occupied by both male and female Cyniclons, who all looked to be middle-aged or older.

Yahiko walked to a platform, and walked up the stairs to the top. He beckoned to the girls, and they followed him up, copying him as he faced the Council. Some of the members were whispering, but they stopped when Yahiko cleared his throat. Once everyone was quiet, Yahiko said, "I called you all here with news. Two days ago, I was contacted by Ikisatashi Pai, who informed me that the twins from our legend are in fact my daughters."

"I thought their mother was human!" a man said.

"She is," Yahiko said calmly. "Before I was called back here to become leader, I began dating a human woman by the name of Yanagida Yume. I felt that she was special, and while getting her pregnant was not my original intention, I feel that it worked out for the best, as the twins from our legend were born."

"Then why are there three girls?" a woman asked.

"The girl with red hair is Momomiya Ichigo, Mew Ichigo's human form," Yahiko said.

"And I suppose there's some reason why you brought her here?" an older man asked.

"Yes, but before that, I have an announcement to make," Yahiko said. "I have decided to step down as leader of Cyniclonia."

This caused a general outcry of, "WHAT!?"

Yahiko waited until everyone was quiet, and then said, "I knew from the start that putting Ikisatashi Kisshu in jail was a grave mistake. While it's true I went to Earth recently to verify Ikisatashi Pai's claim about the twins, my main reason for going was to heal Kisshu. He had a very severe case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which took all of my power and half of Pai's to reverse. I also learned that Kisshu was not, in fact, the one who killed Deep Blue. In fact, Deep Blue killed him, and he was revived by the power of Mew Aqua. I also learned that Deep Blue's true intention was to take the Earth for himself, and wipe out both the humans, and our people. I think, due to that, that we owe Mew Ichigo a great debt for killing him before he killed all of us."

The Council looked shocked, but also a bit suspicious. "Have you more proof then just what you have been told?" a woman asked.

"Personally, I don't, but I believe Mew Ichigo does," Yahiko said.

"Memory-searching?" the woman asked.

"Hai," Yahiko said. "Mew Ichigo, will you come here, please?"

Ichigo came over a bit hesitantly, and Yahiko said, "This won't hurt you, it's just a way of showing the others that you and I aren't lying to them."

"Okay," Ichigo said. Yahiko nodded, and put a finger on her forehead. To her surprise, an image formed in the air, like a floating movie screen.

Kisshu walked toward Ichigo, summoning his swords. Ichigo knew she was too weak to fight him off, and could do nothing but watch. Just before he reached her, though, he teleported. She gasped as he reappeared next to Deep Blue, one sword at the alien leader's throat, the other poised to strike his heart.

"Bastard! Now, in the end, you plan to betray me?" Deep Blue snarled, his eyes shifting to Kisshu.

"That's right," Kisshu said, his voice confident. "You want this planet for your own selfish desires. Take over the Earth if you wish- but I will never allow you to have Ichigo." He raised one sword. "DIE!" he shouted.

Just before his blade hit its target, Deep Blue stabbed Kisshu in the stomach. Ichigo watched in horror as a sad smile flickered on Kisshu's lips. "I lost," he said softly. Deep Blue threw him off the end of his sword, laughing, and Kisshu slid to a stop in front of Ichigo.

She gently lifted him in her arms, and he opened his eyes. "I guess… I was lucky to have this time with you, Ichigo," he said weakly. Tears started falling down Ichigo's cheeks, and Kisshu asked, "Ichigo- are you crying?"

Ichigo couldn't respond, and Kisshu said softly, "Ichigo- I'll teach you something good." With the last of his strength, he lifted himself up, trying, one last time, to kiss her. He whispered something, but right before their lips met, Kisshu fell back, the life leaving his body.

More tears fell from Ichigo's eyes as she screamed, "KISSHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

The minute Ichigo heard that, her eyes went blank. Miwa noticed, and screamed, "STOP IT!"

Ichigo fell to her knees, staring straight ahead as tears poured down her face. Moe and Miwa ran over, and stopped Yahiko before he could wake her up. "She'll panic if she sees someone she hasn't known for a while," Miwa said. "The entire year after Kisshu left, she had nightmares, and would wake up with her eyes completely blank, sobbing. She had a sleepover with the other Mews, and if we hadn't been there, they wouldn't have been able to calm her down. Mint tried to calm her down, and Ichigo literally attacked her."

Moe knelt next to Ichigo as Yahiko backed up, and took her hand. "Ichigo, it's okay," she said softly. "Kisshu's fine, he's back home." Miwa came over and started stroking Ichigo's hair. After a few minutes, Ichigo's eyes went back to normal, and she threw herself at Moe. Moe hugged her tightly, and Miwa continued stroking her hair.

"The nightmares are going to come back, aren't they?" Ichigo asked when she had calmed down a bit.

"Maybe, but we'll be here, and now Kisshu will be too," Moe said softly.

The Council members were sort of in shock, until one of them asked, "What was it Kisshu said right before he died?"

Ichigo took a shaky breath, and said, "He said, "I love you." And then he died, and I couldn't do anything about it…."

Miwa took Ichigo's hands, and said softly, "Kisshu's fine now, okay? He's back at your house, and you can see him when we get back. Try not to get depressed again, k?"

Ichigo nodded, but she still looked sad. To everyone except Moe's surprise, Miwa kissed Ichigo's forehead. Ichigo became much calmer, and said, "Thanks…."

Miwa smiled. "That's what best friends are for."

Yahiko came over, and asked, "Ichigo, will you be okay?"

"Until I go to sleep, yes," Ichigo sighed.

"I can probably do something about that, but we still have to figure out the Council," Yahiko said. "Miwa, why did you kiss Ichigo's forehead?"

"It calms her down for some reason," Miwa said. "Moe can calm her down to a degree, but as soon as I touch her, she starts to calm down. We're not quite sure why. It's like my presence is calming for her."

"Ichigo's mom started calling Miwa over when she couldn't calm Ichigo down," Moe said.

Yahiko put a hand on Miwa's forehead, and after a minute, said, "It seems you inherited my talent for mind-healing. That trait can be used before it's been actually trained to calm people down."

"That's great!" Miwa said happily.

The Council members had been silent, but now one woman said, "I see that Deep Blue was apparently not what we thought, but did he really intend to wipe out our race?"

Ichigo sighed. "While he never actually said that, he did say that he didn't care if you all died out, as long as he got the Earth for himself," she said. "It seems to me that he brainwashed and lied to all of you, in order to get the Earth. I've been told that your race was dying; I assume you all were more than willing to help if someone told you that they would save your people."

Yahiko sighed. "We were all desperate; it wasn't hard for Deep Blue to convince us he could help. The Mew Aqua saved us all, but we still put our savior in jail. I shouldn't have listened to the people assembled here on that matter, but I did, and now I've decided that due to the aftermath of that misguided decision, I should step down, and leave the running of this planet to the Council." Facing the room again, he said, "I would like to tell the members of the Council that should they decide to attack Earth again, Tokyo Mew Mew won't be the only ones they have to deal with."

An older man in the front row sighed and said, "The Council will agree not to attack Earth on the condition that they do not attack us."

"We have no means of getting here, but I assure you that my people will not attack your home," Ichigo said.

The older man nodded, and asked, "Have we anything else to discuss?"

"Yes," Yahiko said. "I wanted to inform you all that I will be joining my daughters on Earth, and helping to train them. I don't want to take them away from their home and friends, and I am the only one capable of training Miwa's mind-healing ability." Noticing a man was about to say something, he said, "NO, I'm not reconsidering, Koni."

The man deflated, and Yahiko asked, "Is there anything else?"

"No," the older man in the front said. "We will get word out to our people, and start rearranging our government to better suit our situation."

"Very well," Yahiko said. "Do you need me here for that?"

"Hai, we need you to announce this to our people as well," the older man said.

Yahiko sighed, but said, "Alright. I will let you work out this on your own, I'm taking the girls to see if Ichigo's actually going to have nightmares from today."

The Council stood as one and bowed as Yahiko left, followed by Ichigo, Moe, and Miwa.

Well, it didn't go exactly as planned, but at least the Council won't attack Earth. Review plz! Note: I won't be updating or responding till Sunday afternoon; I'm going to an anime convention. Thanks for understanding!