Cruel

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew

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"Kisshu, what was the purpose of making me go undercover like this?"

Thirteen years old Taruto flung his school uniform on the bed and kicked off his brown leather shoes.

"I told you already, you were sent to detect Purin's weaknesses. We discussed this a few hours ago, remember?"

He twitched, hands fumbling loudly for further unwanted accessories.

"But why did it have to be Purin? And I can't believe that you picked Valentine's Day no less!"

Valentine's Day was Taruto's least favorite holiday.

Kisshu hovered above his friend slyly, a surreptitious, yet smug grin smacked plainly on his face.

"Didn't I tell you? We needed more background research on the mew mews."

"Then how come Pai didn't get to go?" Taruto retorted. "How come YOU didn't go?"

"We only need to focus on ONE mew right now," the alien answered. "Purin has the ability to trap our Kimera Animas with her 'Pudding Ring Inferno' or whatever it's called. Apparently, that's an immense disadvantage to our team; I just feel it wise to take care of her first . . . it would have been what Pai would have suggested anyway."

Taruto scoffed.

"Way to lie, the real reason is because you enjoyed abusing kids younger than you! It wasn't even close to his types of ideas! It was one hundred percent yours!"

Kisshu smiled dumbly.

True, it was his idea to get his friend all fashioned up in an adorable little uniform for an appropriate entrance in Tokyo Middle School. It was HIS idea to sneak him into class, and pretended he was just a new kid dropping by for a free lesson. He had forced Taruto to dress like a regular thirteen year old, and taught him how to shrink his ears so they'd look prevalent. Kish explained calmly that morning how individual information on each mew's life routines was required in order to discover their debilities.

His prisoner, however, thought that the stupidest explanation he'd yet heard. He had pouted and yelled in remonstration as Kisshu helped prepared him for his first time as an infiltrator. He kicked all the way to their destination. He tried every vehement gesture popped into his head. He punched, he scratched. But knowing his size and age difference, he was no match! The poor guy had to spend a full seven-hour learning period with rabid girls wanting to grab him at every corner he went.

Fortunately, now that all the horror subsided, he had the opportunity to breathed fire in Kisshu's face.

"So what happened?" the green haired being questioned, taking their previous argument elsewhere.

Taruto grimaced, as he knew Kish understood perfectly what happened. Muttering under his breath, he stomped over to his backpack. Using his foot, he kicked it across the room.

Tons of colorful valentines tumbled out; each one attractive in their special ways. Some were large, some were small. Some were made deliberately tiny due to 'timid issues'. The more cards the bag threw up, the more piqued Taruto grew. He thought this was a nightmare.

Colors emerged with stunning effects. Gifts leaked out like candies from piñatas.

Red,

Red,

Red,

Red,

Pink . . .

After a long five minutes, everything at last emptied out.

Kisshu stared at the pile of unaccepted gifts.

" . . . Wow . . . it was more successful than I thought."

The younger of the two jumped up excitedly. Taruto gaped in dismay. Angrily, he pointed an accusing finger in his enemy's face.

"Successful? THIS mess? What do you mean successful? Somebody (more like some people) just stuffed these cards in my satchel! Without my permission! I had to carry the junk halfway home before realizing it! You call that successful?"

Kish paced in his spot; a thoughtful expression glued on his face.

"Well," he began, scratching behind his head, ignoring the youngster's complaints in the process. "I didn't think you were going to be that alluring to the girls."

He poked one envelope. "You just might beat me at this . . . wow . . . lucky you."

"You did this on purpose!" Taruto yelled.

"Huh? HEY! It's not my fault you wanted so badly to receive a valentine from that monkey girl!"

"WHAT THE HECK? I di--"

"I saw you, you were literally begging for a sign of love!"

Taruto turned beet red. For the time being, he wished the whole sky would just drop on top of him.

"I don't know what you're talking about! I never did anything of that sort!"

"Hmm . . . really . . .?"

"I DIDN'T! I DIDN'T! I DIDN'T! I DIDN'T! I DIDN'T! I DID--"

His nemesis held a palm over his mouth to muffle his denying cries.

"Even so . . . you wouldn't mind receiving one from her, would you?" he mocked.

Taruto's blush increased.

Kisshu let go.

"So look through those cards," he urged. "Let's find out if she gave you one." He couldn't resist but smirked, watching while his team member created another attempt to put up a shield for defense:

"I don't want one! I don't care!"

"That's not what your heart says."

"That IS what it says, I'm going to crumple every one of these mushy sweets and recycle them!"

"Impressive," Kisshu chuckled. "You're a cruel man, Tart. You break hearts as fast as ripping paper."

Screaming in utter irritation, Taruto threw his hands up in the air. He hastily grabbed hold of his gush-infected knapsack. Still shrieking, he poured everything in the trash, pencils and all, proving his point. And as if that wasn't bad enough, he jumped in the wastebasket as well, adding additional damage to the fallen presents.

Meanwhile, Kish burned with amusement. He skipped over to his fuming companion and crotched beside him at eye level with his ear.

"You really are cruel. Make that extremely cruel. And don't forget how Purin will feel now that you've destroyed her hard effort; not to mention her heart".

Taruto retreated, ever so slightly.

"I know she gave you one, "Tar-Tar." I saw her name somewhere when you dumped the . . . the . . . the stuff out."

This caused the child to drop his entire act and gulped, frozen in his spot.

Satisfied, Kisshu teleported out of the room, knowing he had struck the spot.

Silence.

Then . . .

"Damn you, Kisshu!"

Frantic, Taruto dove into the garbage can and began searching furiously, searching for anything entitled with the letter 'P.'

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