Chapter 7

Cyniclon ship

Pai's family was sitting around the chabudai when they saw Pai run by. "Oi Pai!" Kisshu yelled as Pai ran off into his room locking it behind him. "How'd it go with the green Mew Mew?" Kisshu asked knocking on the door.

"Go away!" Pai yelled through the door.

"Pai..." Suama asked knocking on the door "is everything okay?"

"I want to be alone for now!" he yelled.

Suama and the others looked at each other. The last time Pai holed himself up in his room yelling he wanted to be left alone was when 'the incident' happened. He holed himself up in his room for about a week, all of them begun to worry of him becoming a hikikomori.

Three Days Later

It had been three days since Pai holed himself up in his room. Kisshu was beginning to get really worried about Pai. He hated seeing his brother holed up in his room, well, more like not seeing him at all really. Kisshu teleported to Café Mew Mew to ask for help from Mew Lettuce.

Café Mew Mew

Ichigo and the others had just changed into their regular clothes since their shift was over. They then heard a teleporting noise in the kitchen where Keiichiro was decorating a cake. They quickly ran into the kitchen where they saw Kisshu sitting on counter by the sink. "Hello Koneko-chan! ~" he sang.

"Kisshu! What are you doing here!?" Ichigo snapped.

"He just kind of showed up." Keiichiro said wiping his hands off on a towel.

"Relax my Koneko-chan I'm not here to fight." he said hopping down off the counter. "I'm not even here to kidnap you, or should I say catnap." he chuckled as he winked at her.

Ichigo groaned and rolled her eyes. "What do you want then!?" she snapped getting annoyed by his antics.

"I want HER." Kisshu said pointing at Lettuce who filched as he aimed his finger at her.

"M…me?" Lettuce squeaked.

"Well it's more of a need." Kisshu said shrugging. He walked over to the counter and picked up an apple and bit into it. "Don't take that the wrong way though." Kisshu said chewing. "I need you to help me with Pai."

"P…Pai-san? W…what do you mean?" she asked.

"Listen, I don't know what happened between you two a few days ago, but since then Pai has holed himself up in his room for a those days." Kisshu said crossing his arms.

"What?" Lettuce asked blinking.

"Did something happen that would make him nearly turn himself into a hikikomori?" Kisshu asked raising an eyebrow.

"N…not really…" Lettuce said trailing off getting quieter as she thought about what happened. She remembered the deep kiss he gave her, how forceful yet passionate it seemed.

"Will you help me get him out of his room?" Kisshu asked. "You girls can come to our ship too, if you're worried this is a trap or something." he said waving both his hands.

"I see no obligating for Lettuce to help Pai." Ichigo said crossing her arms. "Besides have you forgotten we are enemies?!"

"Ichigo…" Lettuce said "even if we are enemies, Kisshu is asking for help for Pai-san."

"Does that mean you'll help me?" Kisshu asked.

"Hai." Lettuce nodded. She wondered where Pai had been. She would go up to the school roof at lunchtime and wait and see if Pai would be there waiting for her.

"Fine we'll help too." Ichigo sighed.

"Actually I think Lettuce should talk to Pai alone. It's more between them." Kisshu said holding out his arm for the girls to grab onto.

They reached out and held onto his arm as he teleported them to the ship. They were greeted with Kukki, Taruto, and their parents waiting for them.

"Thank you Miss Midorikawa for taking the time to speak with our son." Suama said as she bowed to show her gratitude.

"Hai." Lettuce said bowing. She walked over to Pai's room and looked down the hall to see the others standing at the end watching. She took a deep breath in and knocked on the door. "Pai-san, it's me, Lettuce." she said loudly so he could hear her.

They all heard a crash in his room as Pai began swearing 'Damn it!' The door slid open slightly, only showing a bit of Pai's face. "Miss Midorikawa…what are you doing here?" Pai asked.

"Your family was worried about you, so they asked me if I could talk to you." Lettuce said getting quieter. "Kisshu said you holed yourself up in your room for a few days, well since we last spoke."

"I see." was all Pai replied.

"Do you think we could talk?" Lettuce asked.

"Now…might not be a good time." Pai said glancing quickly inside his room.

"Please Pai-san." she said as she looked up at him with big eyes. Her eyes said that she wanted to see him, and that she was worried about him, even though she had not said those words.

Pai sighed. "Just give me a moment." he said closing the door.

They heard Pai cursing as they heard things inside being thrown around. After a few minutes Pai opened the door, his hair fixed and clothes straightened out. "Please come in." he said sliding the door all the way open.

Lettuce walked in to find his room a mess once again. Clothes thrown wherever, books on a table and the floor, and papers all crumpled up near a small garbage can. It looked as though he picked up whatever he could in that time and threw into piles of miscellaneous stuff.

"Ignore the clutter. I have been quite busy." Pai stated leaving the door open before sitting at the chabudai in his room. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well…I wanted to know why you holed yourself up. Did…did I do something to offended you Pai-san?" Lettuce asked sitting down at the chabudai.

"No you did not. I…I should be the one asking if I offended you…" Pai spoke getting quieter "with you know…the kiss."

Lettuce remembered how he kissed her. "Well…I suppose it caught me more by surprise." she said blushing.

"I see." Pai spoke quietly.

They were both silent for a while. "A…are you alright Pai-san?"

"I suppose I am. I was contemplating many things with my time alone. I've been going through a lot of emotions lately and I am not use to processing these emotions." Pai said. "In all honesty I find it difficult to talk to you. You have made me feel…these feelings…feelings that one is suppose to feel, that I have not ever felt before. I find that I am now no longer acting like my old composed self." Pai stated now with a slight blush on his face.

Lettuce grew a slight blush on her face. All these words Pai spoke seemed to have come from the heart and Lettuce could tell that it was difficult for him to express himself the way he did.

Pai cleared his throat before speaking again. "In my time alone I had thought about many things and I have given it some thought, and perhaps we could talk about working together?"

"Hai." Lettuce said happily now with a slight blush on her face. "Would…would you like to get something to eat with me while we discuss it?" Lettuce asked not knowing if Pai had eaten in those few days in his room. Pai nodded. He walked over to Lettuce and held out his hand to help her up. She took hold of his hand as he helped her stand up. Lettuce began to walk forward but lost her footing and accidentally knocked over a stack of books Pai had on the ground. "Gomen-nasai!" she apologized as sat on the ground on her knees.

"No I am the one who should apologize." Pai said. "Are you alright?" he asked now bending over her. Lettuce grew a deeper blush now that he and her were face to face.

Pai sat up straight and tried to compose himself. "Are you sure you are alright with everything I have done to you?" Pai asked. "I am well aware that I have wronged you and if you no longer wish to help us I will gracefully accept your decision."

Lettuce held out her hand now taking Pai's hand in hers. "I'd still like to be friends Pai-san. And of course I still wish to help you." Pai gave a slight smile and helped her off the ground. "Thank you Pai-san." Lettuce said.

Meanwhile

As Lettuce and Pai spoke to each other the Mew Mews stood there with the rest of the Ikisatashi family.

"So which one is Ichigo again Kisshu?" Urio asked trying to break the silence.

"That would be me." Ichigo said raising her hand.

Urio leaned down and really inspected Ichigo. Ichigo got a little nervous from how Urio held his presence. One could tell he was in the military or at least had something to do with the military by the way he held himself. He reminded them of Pai if only a little taller, muscular and the lack of the hair tie on his head.

"By do my sons have good taste." he said followed by a hearty laughter.

Pai followed Lettuce into the hallway to see the others at the end of the hallway conversing. Suama ran up to Pai and grabbed him into a hug. Pai's ears perked up as she squeezed him tightly. "Oh honey I was so worried about you." Suama said. "Thank you Miss Midorikawa for taking time out and speaking with our son." Suama bowed.

Lettuce smiled and gave a slight bow. Lettuce walked over to the other Mew Mews where Kisshu and Taruto were now giving thanks to her.

"Mother…I am going to escort Miss Midorikawa back to the café. We have much to discuss." Pai stated as he started walking forward to where Lettuce was.

"Hang on just a minute young man." Suama sternly said, causing Pai to stop in his tracks. "I want to have a word with you." Pai sighed. "Do you know how worried we were about you?" Suama asked.

"I am aware that you were concerned for me." Pai said looking down slightly.

"Why did you lock yourself in your room for three days?" she asked sternly.

"I…I…"Pai mumbled. He did not want to tell her that he had forced himself on Lettuce for a kiss. That he had these emotions now welling up inside him and not knowing how to process them.

"Tell me why." Suama's voice became slightly harsher.

"I cannot explain it right now." he said quietly looking over towards the girls.

Suama grabbed onto his ear with her index and thumb. "Come with me then." she said dragging him off.

Pai made a whimper of pain. "Ahhh! Mother please! Not the ear!" Pai whined as her nails pinched his ear and she dragged him into his room.

Kukki placed a hand on Lettuce's shoulder. "This might take a while. I'll help take you back to the cafe." Kukki said teleporting Lettuce and the others off with Kisshu and Taruto.

Café Mew Mew

Kukki, Kisshu, and Taruto teleported the Mew Mews back to the café. "I want to thank you for talking to my brother. I was really worried about him and was not sure how to help him. But you seem…special to him." Kukki said crossing her arms.

"It wasn't really a problem." Lettuce said. "I don't mind talking to Pai-san." Lettuce twiddled with her fingers as she looked down with a slight blush on her face.

Kukki gave a slight smile and teleported away.

"So what'd you two talk about?" Ichigo asked.

"Um…we talked about emotions really." Lettuce said.

"Eh~!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"Pai has emotions…that doesn't sound right." Kisshu said chiming in now. Lettuce gave Kisshu a furrowed brow as if to say yes he does. "Sorry fishy-chan that was suppose to be a joke."

"I think you need to work on your tone then." Shirogane said chiming in now. "Are you all alright?" he asked now looking at Lettuce.

"Hai." Lettuce said nodding. She was more than alright. She was finally getting to know Pai had a sensitive side to him. Normally she was ecstatic if Ryou would ask her a question, she would just stand there trying to figure out her answer as she blushed, but now for some reason she wasn't as nervous as she normally was.

Meanwhile

Kukki had teleported back to see Pai sitting on the ground with his legs underneath him, hands on his knees and his head bowed as a bright blush of embarrassment swept across his pale face.

"Pai, you can tell us why you stayed in your room for a week." Urio said calmly as he stood by his wife.

"I…I…" Pai mumbled too nervous to speak. Pai never really told his parents his emotions once he started training as a soldier. He thought that he was supposed to follow in his father's footsteps and be a strong and calculating soldier. He would see his father direct some of the older recruits with a firm stern tone in his voice. He wanted to be just like his father. "I did not know how to process my emotions." Pai stated in a mutter.

"What was that?" Urio asked now leaning down to hear Pai better.

"I said I did not know how to process my emotions." Pai said louder this time.

"What do you mean honey?" Suama asked now kneeling as she sat by Pai.

"Miss Midorikawa seems to make me feel all these emotions that I can not seem to describe and I find myself acting out of sorts." Pai tried to explain.

"Well Pai, that's normal when you find somebody you really like. That's what love is now and then." Urio said. Kukki came into the room more now.

"We were worried that you were going to become a hikikomori." Kukki said. "You know…" Kukki said quietly as she sat down near Pai "I was really worried about you. You're my brother and I want you to be happy and have a good life. Even though I might pick on you now and then, you're still my little brother that I care for very much."

Pai glanced up at his sister. Pai gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.

"If you want to talk to one of us you're more than welcome to." Suama said.

Pai's parents and sister left his room, so Pai could organize his room. Pai looked around his room at the disorganization. It made him sick to his stomach knowing that he created this disarray, and amongst all that Lettuce had to see it in this state. Pai sighed.

Pai thought back to how it all began. He felt sick to his stomach when he thought about forcing that kiss on Lettuce. He wondered if he had done the right thing by running away, but in that moment he was facing another dilemma, he was unsure if he would be able to stop himself from doing anything more to her.

Okumura Daifuzoku Junior High School

Pai stood outside waiting for Lettuce to come out at the end of the day. He was wearing his human clothes and human ears from the potion he created. This time though he wore a pair of black dress pants and a black blazer. Kisshu told him that Pai should look a little more professional if he were to go somewhere with Lettuce after school.

He was nervous, he wanted to surprise Lettuce at school and take her out somewhere. He wasn't quite sure what to do though since crowds annoyed him. He stood there staring at the ground pondering what they would be able to do.

Lettuce walked out of the school with her head down. She had gotten a B on her math test and though it was considered to be a good grade she felt saddened knowing that she was only one point away from an A.

Lettuce heard two girls younger than her call out her name. "Lettuce-sempai!" they called.

Lettuce looked up to see the two girls waving and smiling. Lettuce smiled back at them as they ran up to her. "Lettuce-sempai, your boyfriend is waiting for you by the gate." the one said.

"My…boyfriend?" Lettuce asked as she looked over to see Pai standing against the wall waiting for her. "Oh…Pai-san isn't my boyfriend or anything like that!" Lettuce said waving her hands so quickly that they became a blur.

"Oh..." the other girl chimed in "even after the other day with that big confession in front of the school."

The two girls ran off giggling. "Have fun Lettuce-sempai!"

Lettuce walked up to Pai who was still staring at the ground not realizing that she was right by his side. Pai looked to the side and saw her confused face staring at him. He jumped up slightly. "Ah…Miss Midorikawa….I did not notice you there."

"It's alright Pai-san." Lettuce smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"I have come to escort you to wherever you need to be today." Pai said gaining his composure.

"Oh…well I don't have work today." Lettuce said. "I guess I could head home early today."

"May I make a suggestion, would you like to go to the library?" Pai asked.

"Hai!" Lettuce exclaimed. She loved going to the library, normally she would go by herself since nobody ever wanted to go with her, but today Pai would be going with her. Pai gave a slight chuckle and slight smile when she exclaimed happily.

Pai and Lettuce walked to the library slowly. Each of them wanted to enjoy the long walk to library. Unbeknownst to them there were two people following them. One of them was Ichigo.

Ichigo hid behind walls and store signs. "Hello Koneko-chan!" Kisshu sang.

Ichigo was unaware that Kisshu flew up behind her. "Kisshu!" she yelled dragging him off into the alleyway. "What are you doing here?!" she questioned him as she pushed him against the wall.

"Well I was just following Pai and Lettuce, but I didn't expecting to see you following them." he said smirking.

"What are you smirking about?" she hissed.

"Well…look at the situation we're in." he said wiggling his wrists that were still in Ichigo's grip.

Ichigo realized he was right, she was pinning him against the wall, faces close enough to be touching. Her cat ears and tail popped out as she began to blush.

She quickly let him go and backed up, gaining her composure as her cat ears and tail disappeared. She peaked around the corner of the wall to see if Pai and Lettuce were still in sight. They were waiting at a crosswalk waiting for the light to change. "They look so cute together!" Kisshu sang.

"I wish what I could hear what they are saying." Ichigo whispered.

"I could get a little closer to listen to them." Kisshu suggested.

"No. It's too dangerous." Ichigo shook her head. "What are they doing now?"

Pai and Lettuce stood there in silence, each of them staring at the ground. Pai's hand drifted over to Lettuce's hand. Lettuce looked up as Pai retracted his hand quickly as it brushed against her skin. "G…Gomen-nasai!" Pai blushed.

"It's alright Pai-san." Lettuce said. They both looked back down at the ground. Lettuce reached out her hand and interlocked her fingers in Pai's hand.

Pai glanced over at Lettuce and gave a slight smile, as did Lettuce. They continued to walk to the library in silence, fingers locked together while Ichigo and Kisshu were in close pursuit.

"So why are you following them?" Kisshu asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." Ichigo replied.

"I just wanted to see Pai happy. I haven't seen him happy in a long time." Kisshu said giving a slight smile. Kisshu glanced over at Ichigo.

Ichigo sighed. "I wanted to make sure Lettuce was alright. I still don't trust Pai." Ichigo said.

"Are you worried that he will hurt her?" Kisshu asked raising an eyebrow.

Ichigo nodded. "Out of the three of you Pai seems like he is the kind to come up with a fiendish plot."

"Pai may be an emotionless robot, and he may come up with some complicated plans, but I don't believe Pai is planning anything this time." Kisshu said. "He actually seems…happy."

Ichigo smiled. "Lettuce does too."

They watched them head into the library and began browsing the bookshelves. "Why don't we have a little fun ourselves?" Kisshu stared at Ichigo.

"Like what?" Ichigo asked as she squinted her eyes.

"I don't know…go out on a date somewhere." Kisshu said grinning.

"I don't think that would be a good idea." Ichigo replied crossing her arms.

"Why not?" Kisshu asked as his ears drooped.

"One, I'm dating Aoyama-kun, and two, you still have your Cyniclon ears." she stated motioning to his ears and his outfit.

Kisshu looked down at his clothes. "I'll be right back." he said teleporting away. A minute later he returned with human ears and a pair of jeans and a green tee-shirt. "I'm ready for our date." he grinned.

Ichigo sighed. "And what part of I'm dating Aoyama-kun don't you understand?"

Kisshu was silent. "Core concept?" he replied as he raised an eyebrow. Ichigo looked down and started to chuckle. "Ichigo…" Kisshu said sadly, worried that perhaps he made her angry.

"I'm not angry." she began to laugh. "I thought that it was funny."

"So does that mean that I can go on a date with you?" Kisshu smirked.

"Not a date. But we can hang out for a little bit." Ichigo replied. She started walking forward and looked back. "Are you coming?" Kisshu nodded and ran after her.

Meanwhile

Pai and Lettuce were browsing the books. Lettuce was looking at a book on the top shelf and reached up but couldn't grab it. Pai reached over and grabbed it for her. "Is this the book you wanted Miss Midorikawa?"

"Hai." she nodded taking hold of the book. It was a book by Jane Austin called Sense and Sensibility. Pai continued to look through the library to see if there was any literature that might appeal to him.

Pai spotted a book he had once read not too long ago when he first came to Earth. It was Albert Einstein's book Relativity: The Special and the General Theory. Pai picked up the book and found a secluded spot next to Lettuce and began reading.

They spent about half an hour reading before Pai spoke up. "Miss Midorikawa, about yesterday…" Pai spoke softly.

"It's alright Pai-san." Lettuce blushed. She thought about the magazine that she had seen. She knew it was natural for guys and girls to read and look at those types of things. She too was curious about things like that. She was curious how it must feel for a girl her age to be 'self-explorative' as well. She shook her head slightly to rid herself of those thoughts.

"Pai-san…I was thinking about your people." Pai glanced over at her. "We still haven't discussed how we could help your people."

Pai closed the book. "I am willing to listen to your suggestions."

"Well…I was thinking that maybe your people could live here with us." Lettuce said. In her mind she knew that it probably wouldn't be possible, but in her heart she would like if his people could live on Earth with them. Then Pai and the others wouldn't have to…leave.

Pai sighed. "I doubt that would go over well with anybody, my people and including your people as well. My people despise humans and I'm sure that a large percentage of humans would not appreciate my people migrating to Earth, considering what we have already done to the Earth." Pai said sadly thinking about their past battle with the Mew Mews and the damage they created to the environment on several occasions.

Lettuce was silent for a minute. "Then maybe…we could give your people the Mew Aqua we have?"

Pai raised his eyebrow. That would be an acceptable solution, however any Mew Aqua they acquired was supposed to be given to Deep Blue-sama so he could be restored to his full power. "I'm not sure that would work or whether that would be a good idea."

"Why not?" Lettuce asked feeling disheartened.

"Any Mew Aqua we acquire must be given to our ruler Deep Blue-sama so he can restore his powers. However Deep Blue-sama's plan is to destroy humanity and reclaim the Earth for my people." Pai stated as he crossed his arms.

"Well then maybe…." Lettuce began but stopped.

"What is it Miss Midorikawa?" Pai asked.

"Well I was going to say maybe you could just give it to your people…and not to your leader." she said getting quieter at the last part.

Pai's eyes widened with shear amazement. Could she be suggesting that he disobey his leader? Had she been talking to Kisshu? Kisshu suggested something similar months prior. "Are you suggesting that I abandon my leader and disobey him?"