A/N: This is written more than a year after we last saw the Mew Mews. Just in case it isn't said enough in the first chapter. Remember to review:
Chapter One: We Didn't Forget The Flowers For Your Funeral Bed
To trust them with the last of the Mew Aqua. To believe that nothing else would go wrong. To let the flaws in the Mew Mews go unnoticed. To foolishly try and fix things, while never intending too. These mistakes would haunt Ryou Shirogane down to his last minutes. He would wonder why they had not seen these before. Why they had not had the foresight to at least protect themselves. But instead had joked and almost separated themselves from the truth.
When it all began they didn't even know. Until the news reports of Mint Aizawa's death were spread. It was strange as Ryou watched the news, listening to the report on how she died. He felt detached. There was a point, a year ago, when he would have actually been drastically upset. Ichigo Momomiya and Masaya Aoyama had left for England. Mint has left because her parent's had been angry for the confliction of the job with her various lessons. Zakuro Fujiwara had also had conflictions with her modeling job. Pudding Fon needed more time to take care of her brothers and sisters. Lettuce Kidorikawa had so many school functions she was forced to quit as well. Slowly, over the months, somehow, Ryou hadn't seen them except for a chance meeting every so often.
How odd to think that just a year ago Ryou might have actually been personally distressed at the news. Now he watched with interest, sad, yes, but mostly just wondering. How Mint had died had not been disclosed to the news stations, apparently, and wasn't covered for long.
The death of Zakuro was. A prominent model and celebrity it was covered on every news station continually. No one put the two deaths together but five people. Ryou and Keiichiro Akasaka were watching it together as they waited for some sort of news on how either one of them had died. Lettuce thought about it at school while Ichigo learned that Mint had died from a call from Lettuce. They were broadcasting a bit about Zakuro's death in England as well. Pudding knew for a short time.
By the next day she was dead as well. By now the ex-Mew Mews, Ryou and Keiichiro were not the only ones seeing the picture. Three deaths in three consecutive days. Three young girls. Three cases of mysterious deaths that the police weren't talking about?
At this point Ryou and Keiichiro had actually met with Lettuce. She had skipped school to come to the café because she was so scared.
"I don't get it," she said, quietly. "Who would know that we were the Mew Mews? Who would do this to us? I was talking to Ichigo last night after we heard about Pudding's death. And we agreed that the only people who knew were us, you guys, Kish, Pie and Tart. And there's no way it was any of us."
"How do you know it's not any of us?" Ryou asked, almost thinking out loud. "Why wouldn't it be any of us? Why rule out anyone?"
"W-well, I hardly think it's me or Ichigo," Lettuce said blushing.
"Nor was it me or Ryou," Keiichiro said, setting down tea in front of them. "I think what Ryou's suggesting is that is was the other three you referred to. Kish, Pie and Tart. Isn't that right, Ryou?" he asked. Ryou nodded, looking annoyingly superior even in this situation.
"But they weren't…bad in the end," Lettuce said, speaking slowly. "They left and it's been more than a year. There haven't been any problems for a whole year. Why would they suddenly come back and start attacking us again?"
"You're exactly right," Ryou said with a sigh. "It's been a whole year, which is why they are back. They were planning something and it took them a year to complete. They didn't come back suddenly. It seems that way to us, but really, it was the perfect time for them. You five were all separated. Mint was on vacation in the islands. Zakuro had a job in western Japan and Pudding was, apparently visiting someone or on vacation as well, as reports indicate she wasn't in or near Tokyo. Ichigo is in England and you're around here. If they attacked now it would be three against one."
After much discussion Keiichiro obliged to take Lettuce home and they left soon after. The café was nearly empty and Ryou sat at one of the tables, twirling a salt shaker and thinking. If the deaths were connected then there was only the idea that the three aliens were behind it. Still, what if they were wrong and someone else knew about their identities? It was possible. All the TV coverage, maybe somebody had recognized them. Seen them at the café or their schools. But killed them? It seemed unlikely.
"Ryou?" someone said.
Ryou nearly fell back in his chair. He had been so deep in thought he had shut out the entire café and had not been paying attention to his surroundings. Looking up he saw Sunni Akuma. Sunni was in his class in school and they knew each other rather well. She was a gifted singer and well known for that as well as what some people called an attitude. She had a bit of temper but tried to be nice to most people. Ryou has known her since they had begun high school. He supposed she was one of the few he could call a friend. "Oh, hello," he said, happy to see her, but wishing she hadn't come at that exact moment.
Sunni sat across from him and leaned back slightly. "So, how are you?" she asked, nonchalant. She began to tap her fingers on the tabletop. It was obvious she had something else to say, and it was odd of her not to just say it, as her personality warranted it.
"I'm alright, I guess," Ryou replied, beginning, again, to play with the salt shaker.
"Ryou, the three that died, they worked here, didn't they," Sunni said, suddenly. Ryou looked up from the table and nodded, slightly. "And there's were two other ones. The one with the pink hair and the shy one, the clumsy one, correct?"
"Yes, Kidorikawa and Momomiya, that's right," Ryou said. "I haven't seen them in more than a year though, so it's not any concern of mine. I don't even know why our manager insisted on hiring them anyway, we do fine without them now."
"Right," Sunni said. "But, really, did you even consider the deaths are connected? Because, Ryou, I know you and I know you realized that and I know you've been thinking about it. You weren't at school today, and maybe no one else noticed but I did. It's no coincidence. What's going on, Ryou?"
"It's way to complicated to get into," Ryou said, a bit frustrated. "It's not that…well, it's not that I don't want to tell you, exactly, but it's not something you would understand. I don't know how to explain it right now."
"Okay," Sunni said, slumping down a bit and looking rather refined even so. " I understand you enough to know I shouldn't push it much further, then," she said \allowing a sly grin to slip onto her face. Ryou rolled his eyes at her, although he knew she was right, he had a horrible temper. As if Sunni was one to talk. "Still I know you'll tell me sooner or later. But I'll make it sooner." She stood and smiled. "I'll be around tomorrow, Ryou."
"Well maybe I won't let you in," Ryou called after her as she left. But they both knew he wouldn't. Perhaps she is right for the new project after all," Ryou thought to himself. He had considered Sunni for the first project after all. But Ryou just didn't know what to do. Was now the right time? Maybe it had to be. Ryou would wait for closing, and then perhaps he might start the new project. If the time felt right.
—
Keiichiro never returned from taking Lettuce home. Ryou closed up and waited around for him for the better part of the night. It was unlike Keiichiro to do this. So instead of heading to the computer Ryou turned on the news. Sure enough Ryou's heart sank. Lettuce Kidorikawa has been found dead. But, strangely enough, there was no report on Keiichiro Akasaka. Ryou stayed up the entire night and watched as the news crews finally realized the connection between the deaths. He waited until early morning, but Keiichiro never returned and there were no reports on his death.
Why was this happening so quickly? Ryou had to wonder. He had thought that perhaps nothing would happen to Lettuce because Keiichiro was there. But now something had happened to both of them. He could only hope Masaya would be able to protect Ichigo or her face would be seen on the news the next day. He could only hope.
Too often, though, do people rely on hope, Ryou saw the next day. Because hope is just a fruitless emotion that never fully blooms. The season of hope will come when all mankind is gone from this earth. Too long had it been delayed. Five were dead and one was missing. It was not on the news. Ryou got a call from Masaya Aoyama.
"How in the hell did you get my number?" was all he could say when Masaya told him the news.
"I…how did I?" Masaya stammered on the other end of the line. "It was on Ichigo's cell phone."
"Why do you have her cell phone?" Ryou asked angrily. Because for some reason it was Masaya's fault they were all dead. You haven't seen them in over a year, Ryou reminded himself, so why do you care so much.
"I have it because she forgot it," Masaya said back, just as irritated. "She was going to hang out with someone from school. But you know what? I don't understand why that matters. Because all I can think about right now is that she's dead."
"Okay, smart one," Ryou said, "how about thinking about some of the other people hurt here. Four other girls are dead and one of my friend is missing. So stop having a pity party, because, guess what? No one likes a hostess who can't stop whining." Ryou hung up and threw his cell phone down on the ground. The back flew open and the battery came out. There was a small shattering noise which Ryou knew was the screen shattering. The café was dark and empty. Ryou hadn't opened it up today. There was a knocking at the door. He looked up and saw Sunni, standing there, a knowing look on her face. With a deep sigh Ryou went to let her in. It was time.
A/N: I know the deaths go really fast and almost seem unlikely and aren't explained enough. I totally get that. But believe me, they will be explained only not right now, but later on.