Chapter 5

The next morning: Cyniclon ship

Pai was asleep on his stomach, arm hanging off the bed, leg partially off it as well. Pai felt someone touching his forehead softly, brushing his hair off his forehead. Pai smiled slightly as he remembered his mother use to do this. Pai slowly opened his eyes as he looked up to see a woman kneeling next to his bed, still rubbing his head and running her fingers through his hair.

He realized who she was as soon as he saw her sweet face, it was his mother. Ikisatashi Suama. She had long purple hair in a braid going down her back, with two strands tied in olive green bands that framed her face. Purple eyes similar to Pai's, but she wore traditional Cyniclon clothes. She wore a whitish ankle length dress that had a slit up one side of her leg to the middle of her thigh. Her dress had a purple ribbon tied around the waist that hung down on the opposite side of the slit.

"M…mother?" Pai asked half asleep still as he began to sit up. "Is that you?"

"Yes honey. It's me. Go back to sleep." she said.

"What are you doing here?" Pai asked as he yawned.

"Kukki called for us sweetie. Kukki said you were injured and used up your energy, so she told Deep Blue that you needed a healer. So your father and I came as fast as we could."

Suama was a healer, similar to a doctor, except she healed injuries that were in critical condition by using her powers by having her hands hover over the wounds as they began to glow. Unlike other healers she was gifted with the ability to see others auras, a more efficient way to acess their health. His father also knew some healing powers, but not as much as his mother did. The female Cyniclons were mostly taught healing, though some males learned how to heal as well.

His father's name was Ikisatashi Urio. He had short hair like Pai's but was brown like Taruto's. His eyes were similar to Taruto's as well. He wore traditional male Cyniclon clothes, a traditional whitish shirt with a pair of black pants. His father was a general that taught many of the Cyniclon students in the training camp how to fight and hone their abilities along with how to properly use their weapons.

Suama pushed Pai back down on the bed gently. "Go back to sleep honey. You still need to rest."

Pai laid back down and let his mother rub his forehead again. Pai fell quickly back asleep. Staying up all night and day doing research and trying to form plans took its toll on him.

Suama walked into Pai's lab where she was greeted by Kisshu and Taruto jumping on her. "MOM!" Kisshu and Taruto shouted at the same time. Urio stood by smiling as the same thing happened to him a few minutes ago.

"How are my boys?" she asked as she kissed them on the forehead.

"Mom I've been able to make more plant chimera animals!" Taruto stated proudly.

"I've been able to fuse some of the strong human spirits with some para-paras and create really powerful chimera animals!" Kisshu said proudly.

"You boys make me so proud!" she said bending down as she hugged them tightly.

Urio and Kukki stood by as they continued to tell their mom about everything. "Kukki, how's Pai doing?" Urio asked his daughter quietly.

"Pai's been…different." Kukki said crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall.

"Different how?" Urio asked.

"He's been acting strange. Perhaps it has to do with my arrival to help with the mission. But…" she said trailing off getting quieter as she looked down.

"But what?" her father asked raising an eyebrow.

Kukki looked up and smiled. "Oh…nothing." She smiled, but inside she was worried about what was going on with Pai emotionally. He did seem different since he was injured by the human boys.

A few hours later Suama went into Pai's room to wake him up. Suama wanted to assess his wounds and see how his aura was. She walked over to Pai's bed and gently rubbed his head. She noticed that Pai's aura was a pale white. A normal healthy Cyniclon's aura was a bright white, but since Pai's was pale white, it indicated that he had indeed used up all his powers but they were slowly returning.

"Pai honey." she spoke softly. "Wake up. Mommy needs to examine your wounds."

Pai made a groaning sound. "Five more minutes." he mumbled as he rolled over onto his back.

"Come on Pai, your father and I need to check how everything is." she said taking off his blanket. "We'll meet you in your lab."

Pai sighed. He wanted to sleep in a little longer. He was having a wonderful dream.

Flashback

Pai walked through the door of a small house, kicking off his shoes when he heard the footsteps of someone running barefoot against the hardwood floors. "Welcome home honey!" a womans voice said happily. "Did you have a good day at work?" she asked.

Pai looked up to see it was Lettuce, all grown up, and greeting him home. She wore her hair in a high ponytail. She wore a cute frilly green apron as she was holding up a big mixing spoon. "Dinner is almost ready." she smiled.

End Flashback

He wished he could just fall back asleep and continue off from where his dream left off. Though he knew that never worked.

Pai met his mother and father in his lab where they had cleared off a metal table for him to sit on to get examined. "Lay down Pai and take off your arm bands." Urio said.

Pai laid down and removed his arms bands. His mother and father noticed the light colored scars on his arms. "Pai…how did you get these scars?" Suama asked as she traced her fingers over them to see how deep they were.

"Humans." Pai answered blankly.

Suama hovered her hands over Pai's chest while his father hovered his hands over his arms healing his scars. "Your heart rate is normal." Suama said. She took hold of Pai's wrist and felt his blood pressure, when she noticed the huge scar on his hand.

"Pai! What happened, did the humans do this to you!?" Suama exclaimed.

Pai nodded in affirmation. "It's quite a deep wound. It still doesn't look like the wound has fully closed internally." Urio stated as he examined it.

"I can heal it the best I can but depending on how long you have had this gash you may still have a scar." Suama said. "I'll have to transfer some of my energy to you so your body can heal the rest naturally."

"That would be much appreciated mother." Pai stated as he nodded.

His mother held her hands over Pai's heart as his father held his hands onto the sides of Pai's head. Both of their hands began to glow white as they began to transfer some of their energy into Pai. Once Pai's body was restored with his powers he sat up as his mother began to heal his hand.

Pai watched as his wound began to heal. He was glad that it was being healed, but there was a look of sadness on his face as his brows furrowed. He remembered once again how Lettuce took care of him and wrapped up his hand so gently.

"Pai…is something the matter?" Urio asked noticing Pai's expression.

Pai shook his head, trying to make his face more devoid of emotion.

Later that day

Pai was floating high above Okumura Daifuzoku Junior High School, Lettuce's school. He decided to observer her further and see if he could discover if she did have any unknown abilities that they weren't aware of.

The bell had rung and some students began to file out of the school and sit down in the courtyard for lunchtime. His eyes scanned over all the students that were filing out to see if Lettuce was anywhere amongst them.

Pai sighed when he noticed that she was not anywhere to be found. Pai flew a little forward and saw a girl sitting alone on the roof. It was Lettuce; she didn't have lunch with anyone so she would often sit alone on the roof away from others.

Pai had to catch his breath when he saw her. She looked so cute in her school uniform.

Lettuce was staring at her bento box thinking about Ryou. They were spending more and more time together, he had decided that he wanted to bring her home every night after work. He wanted to make sure she made it home safe.

During those car rides they would talk about the little things that they enjoyed. They had discovered that they had similar things in common, but not as much as she had hoped they would.

Ryou said it was his duty to protect all the girls since it was his fault that he got them in this situation with project Mew. But sometimes it made her wonder if there were any other feelings for them, something more. She could sence something about the way Ryou spoke of Ichigo if there were some unresolved feelings. Perhaps he was someone that wanted to protect her as well, the way Aoyama was protective over Ichigo.

She didn't even notice that Pai had teleported in front of her with his arms folded in front of him. She finally noticed him when he cleared his throat.

"P…Pai-san!" she squeaked out of fright.

Pai raised an eyebrow. "Why are you sitting up here alone?" he asked monotonously.

"Ah…I…um…" she said getting quieter. Pai stared at her quizzically. "I don't have many friends at school to hang out with during lunch." she said with a sad expression on her face.

Pai sat down next to her. One leg strectched out and the other bent as he rested his forearm on his knee. "I understand." he said in a momentous way as he looked up at the sky. He too didn't have many friends back in training camp. He understood how lonely it could be sometimes.

"Pai-san, are you here to fight me?" she asked. She did not want Pai to start attacking the school and her having to transform and fight against him. She didn't want to risk exposing her secret that she was a Mew Mew to anybody, even though she felt that nobody would even notice the similarities between her normal self and her Mew self. Someties she felt invisable to people.

"I am not." Pai stated.

"What are you doing here then?" she asked. Pai saw her blinking as if she was confused of why he was there.

"I was…" Pai paused for a moment to think about what to say. He did not want to tell her that he wanted to see if she had any hidden powers that they were unaware of. "…just flying around and noticed that you were up here alone."

There was an awkward silence between the two of them. Pai began to become uncomfortable in the silence, which never happened before, he enjoyed silence. Pai was relieved when she finally broke the silence. "How are you feeling Pai-san? I see you're able to teleport and fly again."

"I am well. I have been healed almost completely. But I am now at least able to use my powers." Pai stated. He noticed that Lettuce was staring at him as if to ask how he was able to heal himself if he used up all his energy. "I suppose you are wondering how I was able to heal myself."

"Well…yes." she said. She was curious about his people.

"I unfortunately was not able to heal myself. I had to have assistance by two other Cyniclons who have training in the art of healing." Pai explained.

"Two other Cyniclons?" she asked sounding a little worried.

"I can tell you are concerned if these other Cyniclons will be joining us in battle, but I can assure you they will not." Pai stated. "They are my parents."

"Your parents?" Lettuce asked smiling. She was happy because she figured he must have missed his parents and was sure he must be glad to see them again.

Pai nodded. They sat there in silence for a moment when Lettuce opened up her bag and pulled out another bento box. "Pai-san…I made extra food today by mistake and thought I might be able to eat it, but I don't think I could eat that much." she said talking quickly as she held out the bento box to him with her head hung and eyes shut tightly. "Please Pai-san would you like to join me for lunch?"

Pai began to grow a slight blush on his face. Pai looked down at the bento box and down at the ground. "I…I would like to eat your food again." he spoke softly and nervously.

Pai opened the box and began eating as did Lettuce with her box. Pai was enjoying the food immensely, as he sat next to Lettuce. "Miss Midorikawa…" Pai said quietly "I…I would like to apologize for the other day with my sister. Sometimes she just says things before thinking." he was still embarrassed how Kukki mentioned that he was a virgin and how she thought that Pai and Lettuce were intimate together.

"It's okay Pai-san." Lettuce began to blush along with Pai. Pai began to remember how she also saw him in his underwear; he wanted to apologize to her about that as well, although he would rather not bring that back up to her mind. Of all the people to see him with the little bit of modesty and dignity that he had left it had to be her.

"You seem lost in thought." Pai said. "Is there something that is on your mind?"

"I was just thinking about Shirogane-san earlier." Lettuce said softly. "I was just worried about some things."

"I see." Pai said. "Are you worried about this war?"

"Extreamly!" Lettuce exclaimed. "Do you not worry about it?"

"It is not my job to worry about it. I have a duty to my people that must be fulfilled one way or another."

"Well we can discuss other ways besides war." Lettuce said. "Fighting does not mean it is the only solution. Perhaps we could come to an agreement."

"There is no agreement that can be reached, at least none that I can see." Pai stated. "There are things that you would not understand."

"Then tell me what you think I could not understand."

Pai sat there placing the bento box down. He folded his arms and closed his eyes, deep in thought. "Things are more complicated than you could understand." he said now opening his eyes. "It would be pointless to try to explain it to you." There was a long pause as Lettuce looked down at the ground. "I must be going now." he said before teleporting away.

Lettuce sat there with a sad look on her face though she was happy that a dialog between their two species was beginning to open.

Cyniclon ship

Pai teleported back to the ship and ran to his room closing the door behind him as he pressed his back against it. He could feel his heart racing and his breath beginning to become rapid. His ear began to twitch as he remembered the delicious food he had just eaten. At the conversation that they just had.

Pai grabbed his ear to stop it from twitching, though that did little to make it stop. Pai began to have unchaste thoughts of Lettuce again. This time he could feel something else twitching…something down lower.

He slid down to the ground and pressed his hands on the spot, hoping that it would stop the twitching. He knew what was happening to him and what his body wanted.

Sex.

He knew it was an acceptable biological process, even though he himself had never experienced it before. He knew that he should be disgusted with himself for thinking about a human in such a way. Although for some reason he was not fully repulsed with the thought of it when he thought of her.

"Damn it! What the hell is happening to me!" he screamed to himself in his head.

That night: Cyniclon ship

The Cyniclons were sitting around the chabudai as they ate dinner. Pai was quiet, queiter than normal. Normally he would talk about current experiments he was working on or ones he would be working on shortly. He held the bowl up to his mouth as he used the chopsticks to eat his rice.

"Pai" Suama said smiling sweetly "you know a lot of girls have been asking about you since you left."

"I do not care for where this conversation is heading." Pai thought as he slightly squinted. Pai made a grunting noice slightly as he nodded his head, as he began to struggle slightly with the chopsticks.

"You know it's not too late to think about choosing a mate for the rest of your life." Suama said.

Pai's eyes widened slightly as he began to choke slightly. "E…excuse me…cough…cough…" he coughed out as he put his food down.

Kukki stood up and grabbed a bottle of saki out of the cuboard she had locked up. "This should be good." she said getting excited about the conversation. She poured herself a drink and one for her father, who was unhappy about having this conversation again.

"Well don't you think it's about time you think about finding a mate and starting a family?" Suama added.

"Here we go…" Pai said sighing. He was getting tired from this conversation that they had multiple times. Before with Kukki, and recently with him before he left on the mission.

"Now's there are many girls who seem to like you Pai. When you boys left they were asking if you were back yet and if you were still single." she said. "They all seem very nice." she added.

"Mother I informed you before that I am uninterested in them. They are not intellectual or are they conversed in any types of lituature or science." Pai said crossing his arms now.

"Now Pai they aren't stupid. They are still quite smart, not as smart as you but…" Kisshu said joining the conversation now.

Pai quickly cut Kisshu off. "One of them asked me if heliocentric had to deal with helium." Pai said, in disbelief that someone could be that stupid.

"Oh…well yeah, that one's dumb." Kisshu said nodding.

"Come now Pai, aren't there any girls you like? In a few years I could be a grandmother." Suama said smiling.

Urio held out his empty glass to Kukki who filled it up along with hers. "Not this again." Pai said facepalming. "I am not interested in being bethrothed to someone who I can not carry on an intellectual conversation with. Even having a relationship would be bothersome. It would interfer with our mission, and my research." Pai stated rubbing his temples with his index and middle fingers.

Even though Pai said that, he actually would like to have somebody that cared for him and vice versa. He wanted someone to hold hands with and embrace him. Someone to have meaningful conversations with about literature and science. He actually wanted to have a lover. He would sometimes see coulples talking as they smiled and got slightly envious over them.

Kukki poured a glass of saki and slid it over to Pai. "I am not drinking that." Pai said monotonously.

"Maybe we could find someone that's right for you." Suama said. "What type of girls do you like?"

"Type?" Pai asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Besides being intellectual, what else do you look for in a mate?" she asked.

"I am unsure." Pai said pausing. "Perhaps someone who can cook well."

"How about look wise?" Kukki asked holding out the glass of saki to Pai jiggling it slightly as if to say take it, you'll need it.

Pai sighed and took the glass from his sister. Pai took a sip. "I do enjoy when females have long hair." Pai said softly as he began to blush slightly. He always thought that long hair on a female was appealing. He would like to run his fingers thought their long silky hair and breathe in the scent of their shampoo.

"What about personality wise?" Kisshu asked.

"It does not matter." Pai said taking another sip.

"This is boring." Taruto said. "All this talk about girls is boring."

"You'll get it when you're older too." Kukki said lying on her side propped up with her arm.

"Aren't there any girl you like?" Suama asked.

"What about Mori?" Kisshu said excitedly. Kukki started chuckeling.

"Do not even joke about being with her." Pai said gritting through his teeth. "She is mentaly unstable."

Pai remembered how she would always follow him around, her being far away out of his sight, or so she thought. She was the defination of yandere. From what Kukki had told him, Pai still unsure if it was true or not, Mori had a personal shrine of him in her room. She would follow him around town to the library, stare at him in class, and always watched him on the battlefield. She was the one who was most interested in seeing Pai exposed when 'the insident' happened.

"She was always coming by seeing if you were back yet." Urio said.

"Did you inform her that we are on a mission to reclaim Earth back?" Pai asked rolling his eyes.

"Yes. But I think she just really likes you." Suama said.

"She is a yandere!" Pai snapped. "For some reason she is obsessed with me." Pai said finishing off his saki, Kukki sat up and reached over to fill up his glass again.

"Why would anyone be obsessed with you? You're mister boring." Kisshu said. Pai rolled his eyes.

Kisshu and Taruto ended up changing the subject to something that was more interesting to them. Neither of them realizing that Pai was beginning to get drunk off of two cups of saki. Pai began to get a light tint of pink in his cheeks. "Pai…you feel okay?" Kukki asked noticing that Pai looked like he was nodding off.

"Hai." Pai said as he held the side of his head. "Perhaps the saki is too potent. I shall go rest." he said heading off to his room.

He laid on his bed, stared at the ceiling, and tried to imagine what his ideal love would be like. Personality wise he wanted someone who was kind, generous, selfless, and someone who was openminded. He wanted to be able to express his emotions now and then and not have them think any less of him. Although he felt as if he could never admit it to anyone, so he kept his desires to himself.

When it came to looks he didn't care so much. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine what her appearance would be. Quick flashes of Lettuce's smiling face faded in and out of his mind. The thought of her holding out the bento box to him in her school uniform crossed his mind. His eyes shot open when he realized that she was on his thoughts when it came to his ideal lover. She fit all the qualifications that he had in mind. Intelegent, elegent, generous, openminded, selfless, strong willed, and he did have to admit it, she was quite beautiful for a human.

Pai knew what was exactly wrong with him, but he didn't want to admit it before. He had a little crush on Lettuce. Over the last few days he told himself that it would go away. He tried to think logically but his emotions continued to grow. And now he felt it was more than a little crush, it had grown to a like. He actually liked her. She was a good human, which made him question everything he was taught from a child.

Pai grabbed his head in his hands. He knew he shouldn't be having these thoughts. To have thoughts about her in such a way was unexceptable in his mind. Especially when his thoughts turned impure about her, he began to feel sick to his stomach. He now regreted drinking the saki, because he had the foolish thought of seeing her at the moment.

Midorikawa's Residence

Pai teleported to her house and landed quietly outside on her balcony. He peered though the partially closed curtains, seeing her sleeping soundly on her bed. He teleported inside her room and stood over her bed as she breathed sofly in her sleep. She laid flat on her back with her hands resting on her stomach. Pai leaned down and picked up one of her braids. He brought the braid up to his nose and took a slow deep breath in. Her hair smelled sweet, it smelled like vanilla and lavender.

Pai gently placed his hands and knees on the bed till his full body was hovering over her. He leaned down and smelled her neck, it too smelled sweet. Pai's heart began to race when he noticed her lips were slightly open. He began to lean down slowly with his lips slightly parted and eyes closed. Reality finally snapped Pai back into what he was doing. He quickly sat up on his knees and stared at her with a pink tint of embarrassment and drunkenness on his face. No matter how soft her lips looked he knew it not right to take advantage of a kiss as she slept.

Pai took a deep breath in and gave an exasperated sigh. "I am only acting like this because of the alcohol, there is no other reason I would be doing this. The alcohol has inhibited my judgement." Pai thought to himself, trying to convince himself that was why he was even there. "I must not loose my judgement and engage in temptation. I must abstain."

Pai noticed that Lettuce started to slightly open her eyes as she began to awaken. His heart stopped slightly as he debated on what to do. He could very well tell her if she awoke that this was a dream, but that would probably not fool her. So he desided the best coarse of action would be to teleport back to the ship before she fully woke up.

Lettuce opened her eyes fully after Pai had teleported away. She sat up and looked around, not seeing anyone there. She could have sworn that Pai was there but she dismissed it as a dream. "Why would I be dreaming of Pai?" she asked herself as she laid back down.

The next day: Café Mew Mew

Ichigo and the others were walking to work together. "So why did Ryou need us so early this morning?" Ichigo asked.

"He said he had some important information about the Cyniclons." Zakuro stated. "Perhaps Masha was able to gather some information on them when he hacked into their system and sent out a distress signal."

Ichigo and the others walked into the café to see Ryou, Keiichiro, and Masha sitting at a table with a computer. "Glad you five could come this early today." Ryou said. "We have some important news."

"What is it Ryou?" Lettuce asked.

"It seems that when Masha hacked into the Cyniclon's system he was able to gather an exponential amount of information on them." Keiichiro stated. "Masha was able to find out about any upcoming attack plans they have in the works."

"But more importantly he was able to find the location of a current chimera animal that nobody, not even Masha was able to detect." Ryou said crossing his arms.

"Really! Where is it so we can defeat it, na no do!" Pudding yelled getting her pendent ready.

Ryou put up his hand. "That won't be necessary. We've already found it and Masha took care of it."

The Mews all looked at each other. "Masha took care of it?" Mint asked.

"Masha took care! Masha took care!" Masha chirped as he flew around.

"How?" Ichigo asked. "I thought Masha was only able to collect the Para-Paras."

"Well he was able to collect this chimera animal due to its size." Keiichiro stated.

"Where was it located?" Zakuro asked. "Was there any damage that it caused?"

"No." Ryou said shaking his head. "The chimera animal was actually right here in the café; my lab to be more precise."

The girls exchanged looks of confusion, not understanding how they were able to notice a chimera animal in their base. "I can tell by those looks that you are all confused. Like we said Masha was able to collect it due to its size." Ryou said holding his fingers close together demonstrating the size.

"It was a chimera animal that was a fly." Keiichiro stated. "They were recording us, which is why they were able to find where we would be looking for Mew Aqua."

"Bastards!" Ichigo said fuming.

"Did they collect any more information then what we have discussed in your lab?" Zakuro asked.

"Luckily no." Ryou said giving a sigh of relief, followed by the Mews each giving a sigh of relief.

"So what kind of plans do they have in the works?" Mint asked. "Do we know what plan they will use next?"

"We do not know yet." Keiichiro said.

"We will figure it out." Ryou stated seeing the worried looks on everyone's faces. "But in the meantime let's get ready to open the café."

Cyniclon ship

Pai walked past the kitchen to see his mother cooking a traditional Cyniclon meal. "Good morning mother." Pai stated as he entered the living area and sat down at the chabudai. His head was slightly pounding. He could barely remember anything that happened last night after he drank the saki.

Suama placed some food down at the table for everyone and motioned them to start eating. Pai stared at his food and moved it around with his chopsticks. He loved his mother's cooking however he was still thinking about the food Lettuce had cooked.

"Is something the matter son?" Urio asked.

Pai looked up from the trance that he was in thinking about her. "Oh uh…no..." Pai said taking a bite of food.

"Pai, if you want I could make something different." Suama said.

"No mother this is wonderful." Pai said looking up giving a slight smile. "Perhaps I am just not hungry." he said looking back down moving his food around again.

"Do you have something on your mind?" Urio asked.

"Negative." Pai said shaking his head.

After breakfast Pai had went into his lab to finish some of his prototypes for new chimera animals, but fell asleep with his head on his desk.

Suama and Urio noticed Kukki, Kisshu, and Taruto getting their weapons ready for a battle. "Where are you heading off too?" Urio asked.

"We're going to attack the enemy." Kukki said polishing the metal blades on the edge of her tessen.

"Should we wake Pai?" Taruto asked as he practiced swinging his click-clack toy weapon.

"No." Kukki said. "Let him rest. I don't think he knows how to handle his liquor."

"If he wakes up where do you want us to tell him to meet you?" Suama asked.

"Tell him we're going with one of his plans." Kukki said. She didn't want to be specific on the off chance that Pai did join them for the fight. She didn't want him to hinder what she had planned. "Let's go." she said looking at Kisshu and Taruto. "It might take some time to set up our plan." she said teleporting off with them.

Café Mew Mew

It was lunch time and the girls had to deal with a café full of customers. Ryou came running up the stairs and grabbed Ichigo by the arm and pulled her aside with the other Mews. "What is it Ryou!?" Ichigo asked getting annoyed that he had interrupted her concentration on what she was doing.

"The aliens were spotted in the forest nearby. We need you go there as fast as possible. There is Mew Aqua in the same vicinity." Ryou said.

"What about the customers?" Lettuce asked.

"Tell them that we have some loose wiring in the basement and we need them to leave so we can repair it." Ryou said. "We have to hurry."

The girls lied to the customers about the wiring and quickly had the café cleared out in a few minutes.

The Mews, Ryou, and Keiichiro ran out the back of the café and towards the forest where the Cyniclons were. They got to a clearing where there was a large chimera animal that looked similar to a bird, with razor sharp metal talons. Kukki standing next to the chimera animal, petting it all the while.

"How kind of you to join us." Kukki said mockingly.

"What are you doing this time!?" Mint yelled. All of the Mew Mews were getting frustrated with so many attacks so often.

"We won't tell." Kisshu said putting his finger up to his mouth and winking at Ichigo.

"Taruto…" Kukki said looking at her brother "go find that Mew Aqua."

"On it!" Taruto said now flying off in-between the trees.

"Oh no you don't!" Ichigo yelled.

"Mew Mew Ichigo-"

"Mew Mew Lettuce-"

"Mew Mew Mint-"

"Mew Mew Pudding-"

"Mew Mew Zakuro-"

"METAMORPHO-SIS!" they all yelled transforming.

Pudding ran after Taruto and grabbed onto his leg. "Pudding won't let Taruto have the Mew Aqua!" Pudding yelled as she rolled on the ground with Taruto.

"Shit! We don't have time to deal with kids!" Taruto yelled as he pulled on Pudding's hair, trying to get her off him.

"Ignis-Uzu-Sen!" Kukki yelled as a fire vortex surrounded the remaining Mew Mews and Ryou and Keiichiro.

"Chimera animal! Attack!" Kisshu yelled.

The chimera animal made a loud squawk as it flew into the air. It flapped its wings spreading the fire to the nearby trees and plants.

"This is bad!" Zakuro yelled to the others. "At this rate the whole forest will be up in no time!"

"Ribbon…Lettuce Rush!" Lettuce yelled out sending a stream of water at the fire, trying to put out some of the fire.

The chimera bird flew at Lettuce and hit her with its wing, knocking her to the ground. Lettuce pushed herself off the ground and stood up as she placed her hand against the tree to give herself balance. "You are really becoming a pain in my ass!" Kukki yelled putting her tessen away, causing the fire vortex to die down. Kukki reached over and grabbed Kisshu's sais.

"Kukki…" Kisshu said getting quiet.

Kukki swung both sais back and threw them at Lettuce.

Meanwhile

Pai had woken up and was looking around the ship looking for his siblings. "Where are my comrades?" he asked his mother and father who were sitting at the chabudai together.

"They said they were going to attack the enemy. They said they were going to go with one of your plans." Suama said.

"Which one?" Pai asked raising an eyebrow. There were several plans which they could be executing.

"Kukki didn't specify." Urio stated.

Pai teleported around from place to place searching for his siblings. He finally teleported into the forest, but further away from where the fight was taking place. He then heard a chimera animal squawk, which he then flew to where he had heard the noise. He knew the exact plan that they were executing, setting the entire forest ablaze while burning the Mew Mews to a crisp.

He stood further away and watched as Lettuce used her cassenetts to put out the fire. He stood there and stared at how graceful she looked as she fought. The way her body moved, the way her mouth was slightly open as she breathed… lips that looked so soft. It was no use, he started to shake and lightly cough. The temptation was very frustrating; it was becoming so bad that at night he would cry silently.

He noticed that Taruto was rolling on the ground fighting with Pudding. The other Mew Mews surround by the fire vortex, which was now dying down. Lettuce was standing with her hand against a tree. Pai saw Kukki grab Kisshu's sais and throw them at Lettuce.

Pai teleported to where Lettuce was and teleported her a little bit further away. Kukki and the others saw that Lettuce had disappeared as the sais hit the tree and became stuck in it.

They turned their heads to see Lettuce lying on the ground, on her back, with Pai hovering over her on his hands and knees.

"Pai?!" growled Kukki.

Pai looked over at the others who were now staring at him. His siblings noticed the look of fear, confusion, and sadness on his face. Pai had unknowingly teleported to where Lettuce was and saved her.

"P…Pai-san…" Lettuce said quietly as she stared up at Pai. Pai turned his face back to Lettuce, a slight pink tint filling his cheeks. She too noticed the odd mixture of emotions on Pai's face. His arms and legs began to shake as he stared at her in the eyes. She stared back at his widened eyes that were beginning to have tears form in the corners. She was very grateful that he saved her life.

Pai's mind was racing with thoughts of the ramifications of what was going to happen now that he saved a Mew Mew. But at the moment he didn't really care, all he cared about was her.

"Pai-san…you…" she began to say but was cut off by Pai pressing his lips firmly on hers. Everyone's mouths hung open. Some of the Mew Mews dropped their weapons due to the shock.

Pai had his eyes tightly closed as he pressed his lips onto Lettuces. Lettuces eyes widened the moment his lips met hers. Pai broke off the kiss and sat up on his knees only. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand. He was in disbelief that his body had reacted by itself without consulting his mind.

Pai was blushing bright pink. "G…gomen-nasai!" he exclaimed as he teleported away.

"What just happened?" Ichigo asked looking around as Lettuce sat up finally and had a look of astonishment on her face as well.

"Well…" Kukki said walking over to the tree where Kisshu's sais were and pulling them out "I'd love to stay and fight…" she said throwing Kisshu his sais back "but I'm afraid" she said taking out her tessen and destroying the chimera animal "we have to deal with someone."

She looked over at Kisshu and Taruto and teleported away with them. Leaving the Mew Mews, Ryou, and Keiichiro standing there in confusion and shock.

Mint walked over to Lettuce who was still sitting on the ground. "What was that all about?"

"I…I'm not sure." Lettuce spoke softly as she touched her lips with her fingers.