X.X.X.X.X.

Ichigo wormed through the vent to the museum, cursing her recent growth spurt. She would have been able to get on her knees and crawl if she hadn't grown that last few inches.

Not that that mattered much. She was right above the Sword of Shintaro. As expected, there was a guard standing there, in front of the Sword. Ichigo pulled a device out of her bag and bit into it. It vibrated in her hand. She pulled up the vent door above the Sword and threw the device to the side of it.

It made a clanging sound, causing the guard to turn his face. Ichigo gasped.

It was Kisshu.

"Wow, he really is a fool." Ichigo murmured. He walked the distance between him and the metallic device, allowing Ichigo time to get the Sword. She attached her legs to the vent and turned upside down. She reached for the Sword, grabbing it and pulling it straight upward. In its place she put a blood-encrusted sword she'd brought along.

Kisshu returned to his station as soon as Ichigo had safely pulled herself up from the vent. She did a quick clean-up job on the Sword and turned it over to look at it. The golden hilt fit perfectly into her hand, and the silver steel gleamed even in the darkness. The Sword, in all its simplicity and power, was unusually lightweight.

"I have it!" She whispered. She resheathed it.

A cry arose from Kisshu down below her.

"The Sword is gone!" He shouted. Ichigo gulped.

"Time to go," She mumbled.

X.X.X.X.X.

Chapter Six: Theft One: Part Two

Ichigo kept her ninja suit on, skulking around in the darkness, but pushed down her ears and tail. She was so excited. She'd found the Sword.

Her father must be proud of her. Those filthy aliens who killed her father and mother in cold-blood would have returned with the Sword if Ichigo had not slain them in her cat form. Instead, the twelve year-old child carried it back in slumped arms, gasping for life. Ichigo smiled at the memory viciously.

Walking casually down the main street to return home, Ichigo picked up a small moan coming from the town center. Someone was in pain, and crying out. Ichigo allowed her ears to perk up to get a better sound of it. She paled. Someone was talking in Mew.

"Please! If anyone is out there and can understand this, please help me!" It whispered. Ichigo sprinted to the sound.

The town center was a huge, circular block in the center of the city, painted a dark blue with yellow stars around it. In the middle of the block lay a large cage. Ichigo bolted to the cage and examined it. Laying inside the cage was a woman, holding her large stomach and moaning. Her regular ears were covered by floppy golden ones. Ichigo gasped.

This was a pregnant Mew. In labor.

"Oh, my!" Ichigo cried. The woman looked up at her.

"Who are you?" She asked in Mew. "I will not talk in your language, human. Out of pure loyalty to the Momomiyas and the Mew clan."

Ichigo realized she had a mask on, and the woman couldn't tell who she was. She pulled off the mask, letting her hair free, as well. The woman gasped.

"Momomiya Ichigo!" She gawked. The woman attempted to stand. Ichigo held up a hand.

"No, no, you're sick. Don't get up. I'll get you out." Ichigo replied.

"No! You must get my child out, first." The woman pointed to the side of her cage. "On the other side of the cage in his own, my child is asleep. You must get him out before you help me."

Gun shots were heard near Ichigo. She turned and saw lit torches. They were coming to find the Sword.

She whirled around back to the woman.

"I'll be back." She reassured.

"Are they after you, my Lady?" The woman asked.

"Yeah, I took back what belongs to me." Ichigo shrugged.

"May Shintaro smile upon you, my Lady." The woman was trying to stand.

"I'll be back in a minute." Ichigo nodded, running off.

Ichigo climbed onto the top of a clay building and turned to face her house. It was easy to depict since it was far away from the city and the candles were still lit. She cupped her hands over her mouth and let out a huge growl, followed by a hiss and a cat-like bark. The door flew open and the four bolted, turning into their animals while Retasu stuck with running.

"Where are you?" Cawed Minto. Ichigo let out another hiss.

"Town center. Hurry. The guards are after me and I've found another Mew in labor. Get over here!"

Ichigo jumped down and returned to the woman.

"I have people on the way here that will assist in getting you out. One of them is the Midorikawa child." Ichigo instructed. "They'll take you back to our home and help you with your labor. You and your child will be fed."

"Thank you, my Lady." The woman beamed. Ichigo nodded, turning and running from the place.

Ichigo pulled the mask back over her head and ran toward the mob. She could show them the power of the Mews by herself.

Kisshu was at the font of the crowd, searching for the woman. Ichigo leapt in front of him, smiling cunningly and hissing. Kisshu cried out in surprise and slashed his sword at Ichigo. She jumped backward. Kisshu didn't recognize her.

Heh. She liked this game.

"Too slow. My turn." She jumped into the air and came back down, rearing and slashing her claws across Kisshu's armor. He stumbled backward. She returned to her original spot. "Oh, did I hurt you?" She changed her voice to a squeaky one to prevent recognition. Kisshu staggered to his feet.

"You whore," He cursed.

"That's not very nice," Ichigo stuck out her tongue, masking her voice perfectly. "Where I come from, we use nice words, like 'Ma'am' and 'Lady'."

"Did you steal anything from the museum?" Kisshu pointed at her.

"Recently?" Ichigo placed a finger on her chin. "Let me think….."

"Now, thief!"

"Ah! Yes, you mean this!" Ichigo pulled out the Sword and shone it in the torch light. Kisshu growled. Ichigo resheathed the sword and hissed at him.

"Give back the Sword."

"Oh, you say that like I'm going to listen." Ichigo taunted, deliberately turning on her heels and attempting to walk away. Kisshu cried out, pulling his sword and striking at Ichigo across the back.

Ichigo fell to the ground before the sword could hit her. She tumbled nimbly out of the way, unsheathed the Sword, and knocked it against Kisshu's weapon.

Kisshu's weapon broke through the metal.

Kisshu jumped backward in surprise. He gasped, staring at his cut-up sword. Ichigo tsked him.

"Sorry, I guess my Sword's better." She chuckled. "You're lucky I missed."

"Missed?" Kisshu asked.

"Why, yes! I was aiming for your chest. I've got to work on my aim." Ichigo crossed her arms and pouted. "Want to give me the opportunity?"

"Die, thief!" Kisshu lunged at Ichigo with a second sword. She stepped out of the way, giggling.

"You are a fool." She snapped. Kisshu started, falling over onto his face.

"Fool?" Kisshu copied.

"My, your hearing is exceptionally advanced."

"Don't get cute." Kisshu snarled.

Hmmm…. Ichigo thought. He's right. He's starting to recognize me.

"Not that this conversation isn't both entertaining and interesting or anything, but I do have pressing matters to attend to. I'm afraid I'm going to have to bid you, adieu." Ichigo bowed, flashing a toothy grin at Kisshu.

Ichigo launched herself into the air, landing on the top of a building a few yard away.

"What?" Kisshu called, looking around. "Find her!" The mob spread out.

Ichigo chuckled, swinging around to find her fellow friends. She squinted her eyes toward her house. They were carrying the woman as fast as they could to the house. They could certainly use some help.

Ichigo closed her eyes and felt her hands grow fur and retractable claws. The new skin crawled up her arm, prickling at her nerves. She tensed her arms and her legs, quickening the sequence. She placed her arms on the roof she stood on and finished the transformation.

The ninja suit was gone, but the sword laced around her chest and hung across her back. Ichigo shot off of the building and made a beeline for her friends.

X.X.X.X.X.X.

They didn't find her.

Kisshu was furious. He was going to die, he knew. They were going to kill him for losing the Sword. He was brought before a judge with his hands bound in front of him and a noose already around his neck. Next to the yawning judge, Pai stood with a rule book in his hands, turning page after page. Kisshu sighed. He was looking for a way to get Kisshu free.

"Kisshu! You were on duty when the Sword of Shintaro was stolen, is that not correct?" The judge snapped angrily. Kisshu winced.

"It is correct." Kisshu nodded.

"Then I sentence you to—"

"No." Pai interrupted. "He wasn't on duty."

Everyone in the mob gasped, staring at the alien.

"Why do you say that?" The judge asked.

"It was not his shift." Pai shrugged. "Therefore he was not on duty. He was just keeping an extra watch."

"Is this true?" The judge asked Kisshu once more. Kisshu shrugged.

"The guy who comes in after me is always hours late, so I never really get out of the museum until the sun is plenty out of sight. So, yeah, I'd say that's true."

"Who is supposed to be on shift?" The judge roared.

"Joka is, your Honor." Kisshu bowed his head solemnly. Joka made his way to the front, his body trembling and his face ridden with tears.

"Joka, it was your shift, correct?" The judge asked. "And you did not get there in time. Because of that, the Sword was stolen. You are sentenced to death. Kisshu may be released and compensated for all of his overtime."

Kisshu beamed at the large sack of coins that lay on his table that night. Now he could buy the necessary things for that picnic with Ichigo and the others in two days.

"You're alive!" Taruto cried as he woke. "Keiichiro, Ryou, Kisshu's alive!"

Ryou and Keiichiro woke instantly, staring at their friend and smiling warmly.

"Welcome back, friend. That's a nice sack of money you got there." Keiichiro rubbed his eyes.

"I get one fifth of it." Ryou said instantaneously. He laid his head back down and went to sleep.

"I never agreed to that!" Kisshu cried. It was helpless, Ryou was gone. He wouldn't wake up until the next day sometime.

Pai sat in his corner, his nose still in the book he was holding at the trial. Kisshu raised an eyebrow. Why would be still be looking for ways to get Kisshu set free?

Kisshu shrugged.

"I'm gonna get some shut-eye." He called. Pai nodded.

Pai flipped the next page, studying the nonsense words on the page. Now he wished he knew how to read Mew. The best he could do was interpret the pictures. Which wasn't getting him anywhere. The Mews sure knew a lot of philosophy.

But the philosophy wasn't what was interesting him. He was trying to find any information on the Sword of Shintaro he could. And he was getting no where.

"I'll think about it tomorrow," He conceited, hiding the book where Kisshu wouldn't find it and laying down to sleep.

X.X.X.X.X.X.

Ichigo bolted ahead of the others and secured the Sword in their house before meeting them half-way and helping to carry the woman and her child into the house. They brought her to Ichigo's bed and laid her down.

"You're going to be okay." Zakuro rubbed the woman's hand. "Retasu, go get the hot water and the rutabaga."

"Rutabaga?" Minto asked, laying the child down next to his mother and telling him to change into his animal. He listened, morphing into a small terrier. "What does a rutabaga have to do with child birth?"

"It's healthy for the child to be soaked in rutabaga water. It encourages transformation as early as possible." Retasu called from the kitchen.

Ichigo picked up the Sword and laid it beside her bed, keeping a close watch on it.

"My Lady, I can't believe you're still alive." The woman coughed. "I thought I and my child were the only ones left after they killed my husband."

"Shhh, don't talk. You need to start pushing." Ichigo smiled encouragingly to the woman. "We'll talk about surviving methods once this child is safe."

X.X.X.X.X.X.

Ichigo wiped the sweat off of her brow, sitting down on the couch in the main room. In her other hand she wrapped up the new-born; a girl, the woman decided to name Arithu.

The woman's name was Risa, and her child was Iteko. They came from the Sakura family, who made their living as farmers for the rest of the Mew tribes. Once the Mew War had ended, she and her husband fled to another city. There they lived soundly for a while until they were discovered. The head of the Sakura family was slaughtered in front of Iteko—which most likely resulted in his muteness,—and Risa and her child were taken to their present location.

"I was spit at all day long," Risa started out, "They would order me to switch into my animal form, but I shut them out. They only kept me alive because I was with child, and they wished to see how a Mew child was bore."

"Ooh, how cruel." Minto cringed. "I'm awfully sorry."

"There is no need for that, Aizawa," Risa nodded her head. Ichigo stood.

"Where are you going to stay?" She asked. "You are more than welcome to stay here."

"But Ichigo—they're looking for her!" Minto argued. "We'll all be found out!"

"No we won't. If she and her children keep to their animal forms when they're outside or have company, then we shouldn't have a problem. Everyone would think we just have pets." Ichigo countered.

"I can see how that would work." Risa nodded. "Our family line is made up of mostly dogs. Young Iteko is a terrier, as you can see. I am a golden retriever. I have yet to know what young Arithu is."

Ichigo handed the child to her mother, who smiled at her baby. Small, hairy ears popped up from her head.

"She is a boxer." Ichigo closed her eyes. "You're all dogs."

"Great, na no da!" Purin leapt into the air. "That means you can all stay na no da!"

Iteko grabbed onto Ichigo's black leggings. She stared down at him. His deep yellow eyes pleaded to let them stay. She reached down and rubbed his black hair.

"Like I'd let any of you guys stay out in the cold. You'll be safe now. You'll never have to get into a cage ever again." She said to him. He smiled, hugging onto Ichigo's leg.

"Ichigo," Zakuro whispered in the other language. "This means we'll have to lower our food rations."

"We'll manage." Ichigo answered. "If need be, we'll break into the emergency rations, or maybe buy some stuff from the market."

"Iteko, Arithu and I would be happy to help with anything you need us to. As a member of the Sakura family, I am very handy with the farming skills and would be very obliged to teach Iteko and Arithu the family trade." Risa held up a hand.

"For the first few days you need nothing but rest." Ichigo pointed at Risa. "You and Iteko have been through a lot. I bet you're both tired and need a bath. Tomorrow we will take you to Ne-Eien Springs where you can stretch out your bones and relax."

"No," Minto pushed Ichigo onto the couch next to her bed. "Tomorrow, we will take them to Ne-Eien Springs. You will be asleep, and Retasu will check up on those boys to make sure about that picnic in two days."

"Uh…." Ichigo turned red and placed a hand behind her back. "There might be a problem with that."

"Why, na no da?" Purin asked.

"Well, you know the penalty for the guard on duty when or if the Sword is stolen?"

"Yes, he gets put to death. Why, was it one of them?" Retasu became worried. Ichigo stared at the floor. "Ichigo, who was it?"

"The fool." Ichigo answered. "I don't know what happened to him, but he was really persistent in trying to get the Sword back, too."

Minto groaned.

"Retasu, please check on them tomorrow, right when the sun is above our house." She commanded. Retasu nodded. "Until then, we should all get some sleep."

X.X.X.X.X.X.

Retasu pounded on the door of Ryou's house, calling in as she did.

"Shirogane-san!" She cried. "Is anyone there?"

The door opened and Keiichiro looked down at Retasu. He smiled toothily.

"I suppose you've heard about Kisshu, then." He said. Retasu raised an eyebrow. He was smiling about his friend and the death sentence?

"What happened? We know someone stole the Sword, and Kisshu was on guard when it happened." Retasu explained. The door opened further and Kisshu stared out.

"Pai talked my way out of it." He smiled. Retasu jumped, squealing.

"You're alright! Good; Ichigo-san was so worried when she heard." Retasu patted her chest and took a few deep breaths.

"Eto, if you were here to see Ryou while you stopped by he's not in. We needed some firewood, so he, Taruto and Pai went to get some." Keiichiro said. Retasu sighed.

"Well, alright. So is tomorrow still on?" Retasu inquired. Kisshu beamed, nodding.

"Of course it is!" He called. "We all can't wait!"

"Alright then, we shall see you tomorrow." Retasu bowed and left.

X.X.X.X.X.X.

Okay, this was my fault. I wrote this chapter weeks ago and I could have sworn that I posted it. But then I kept getting reviews for chapter five. So I looked it up and it said that there were only five chapters! So my bad, people. Here is the chapter. I don't know when I'll update next, though. It is summer, you know. I might have a few trips to go on; I'm not sure.

I'm letting you know now, people. This might not have the happiest of endings. I'm still debating it. It'll be happy, but not "And they lived happily ever after and had a billion kids who went on to rule the worlds in peace and prosperity." It's gotta have some conflict in it! Lol. Anyway, I'm sorry for the huge delay and please review!

Enjie Yekcam