This Is Dedicated to MewCuxie12
Moments in time
Seventeen year old Momomiya Ichigo carefully balanced two silver trays over each other in one arm while pouring tea for a thirsty customer with the other. "Arigato"
"Your welcome" she smiled back forcefully and turned around. Her smile was replaced by a frown as she huffed her way through the café. Picking up a monkey named Purin as she made her way over to the kitchen.
"Purin! Stay!"
The said girl nodded sadly.
"Hai... Na... No... Da..."
"You've already broken that poor customer's teacup... Help Akasaka-san with the washing instead..." With that the strawberry haired girl marched back out with another order.
Ryou Shirogane, her boss, aged twenty-one coming down stairs in his usual attire bumped into her in the corridor. Catching her around her around the waist he said "Hey baka"
"Hey jerk"
"That stung..."
"How nice" She pulled away and walked out as he walked into the kitchen. A smirk plastered his face while bemused expression adorned her features.
"Ichigo-Chan table three wants more éclairs." Retasu informed Ichigo passing her on the way in to the kitchen, a tray or two balanced precariously in her arms.
"Hai." said the Strawberry.
Inside the kitchen Ryou picked up an apple from a fruit bowl at the kitchen counter.
"Hey kiddo..."
"Konichiwa boss-man Na no da!" chirped the ever happy Purin from her assigned work at the sink. He smiled at her before walking up to a register near the kitchen door.
Retasu walked in and nearly crash landed near the sink if not for the amazing balancing acts of Purin Fong. Ryou sighed and turned to look at Ichigo who came into the kitchen at that moment.
"You were late again today Strawberry..." he accused calmly.
"How would you know? You weren't even here sleepy head" she accused right back. For it was true, he had only woken up an hour ago and it was now 1 p.m.
"You clocked in at 8:20..." he shrugged.
"So?"
"So I'm docking your pay..." he said flicking her forehead.
"Shirogane..." she growled grinding her teeth.
"It's only fair..." he shrugged again before walking out.
"He makes me so mad..."
But the rest of the residents of the kitchen paid no mind they were used to the usual bickering of the two. Ichigo turned to Keiichiro.
"Akasaka-san the éclairs?"
"Here you go, Ichigo-san."
She was handed the said item and left the kitchen.
Upon returning to the kitchen she once more met her boss.
"Hey Strawberry?"
"It's Ichigo... Shirogane..." she said sighing.
"Well it's Ryou, Momomiya..."
"Whatever..."
They passed by each other once more going in opposite directions. Nevertheless life continued in
the café. More customers came. Few left.
The strain was put on those waitressing for one of their member was missing. Zakuro Fujiwara was unable to work because of a photo shoot. Her absence meant that even the crude Shirogane was working. Though not so much working as bossing but still 'working'.
The afternoon turned to evening and the flow of customers decreased.
"Oh Ichiii-gooo! Could you pour me more tea-ee??"
"You have hands Minto pour it yourself!!" replied an exasperated Ichigo once more taking an order back to Keiichiro. Upon her return armed with a mop she found Ryou standing against the counter where Retasu was managing the till.
"Hey Strawberry?"
"Hey Ryou." she said deciding to ignore her nickname.
The fact that she called him by first name though did not go unnoticed by the bespectacled girl, who turned to look at the two. At the same time Minto who was sitting at a nearby table daintily sipping tea cocked an ear over in their direction.
"I was wondering..." he began closing his eyes.
"Hmm..." she answered setting up the bucket and dunking the mop in it.
"What... You were doing this weekend?"
At this Retasu's eyes widened and the roll of paper she was holding slipped from her hand.
"I'm not gonna work here... If that's what you want..." she replied wringing out the excess water
from the cleaning utensil.
Inside the kitchen Keiichiro decided to give the poor monkey girl a break. Holding a tray of delectable's each for the workers they walked out. Entering the Café they heard the conversation between employer and employee.
"No... You don't have to work here...But what are you doing Saturday?"
To the untrained ear this would sound like a date invite, but to one learned in the ways of the cat and her boss, one such as Minto Aizawa this could only lead to trouble from either side.Imagine her surprise when Ichigo replied as if being asked a most normal question.
"We're going shopping aren't we Minto?"
"H-Hai" Minto gasped out.
"Yeah we're going shopping Ryou." Ichigo said beginning to mop the floor. Retasu was now openly staring at Ryou, blue eyes bugging out. Keiichiro and Purin too were staring in awe at the two cats.
"Why?" Ichigo inquired.
"Oh..." Ryou looked up as if only realizing that Ichigo was talking still.
He stood up a little straighter and fished some thing silver out of his pocket.
He flicked it over to Ichigo who was standing between two tables. Somehow, courtesy of her cat
reflexes she caught it. She dropped her mop in the process and didn't bother to pick it up for she was examining the object he had tossed over.
It was a silver ring. Clear as liquid and smoother than silk. A ring of plain silver and carved on the inside one word.
'Strawberry'
"I was wondering..." he continued.
"If after your shopping session Saturday afternoon, would you marry me?"
At that second many many things simultaneously occurred.
Minto spit out her tea spraying it all over herself. Retasu, who had been holding onto the counter edge extremely hard, slipped and fell. Keiichiro Akasaka turned blue and fainted. Purin's eyes widened to the size of the dinner plates she was found spinning many a times. In her changing room many buildings away Zakuro slipped over a stray blouse. Masaya Aoyama sitting in a chair at CambridgeUniversity England slipped off it side ways. On his home planet Kishu the alien began coughing severely.
Momomiya Ichigo deliberated for a moment twisting the band of silver in her hands. Slipping it onto her finger she nodded.
"Sure, why not?" She shrugged bending to pick up her mop again.
"Well Ja ne" Ryou said beginning to move off leaving a spluttering Minto in his wake. Reaching the door he glanced at Purin who was trying to revive an unconscious Keiichiro.
"Oh and Strawberry?"
"Hai?"
"You have to stay twenty minutes longer..." he gave Minto an odd look before walking out the door.
Purin was now fanning Keiichiro with a silver tray and Retasu was recovering from her fall when
Minto finally found her voice again.
"M-Married?!" she gasped.
Ichigo looked up.
"Yeah..." she replied slowly as if talking to an imbecile.
"But you-you can't just say yes like that?!"
"Gomen Minto-Chan but I just did?"
The strawberry turned back to her mopping and the ballerina lost her voice once more. It shouldn't have been a surprise as the two had been seeing each other for years now but Minto still was miffed by this extraordinary event. The sheer normalcy with which the entire deal had been decided left the poor girl quiet with her own thoughts for almost long as Keiichiro was out.
On a Tuesday the 13th of June 2006 Ryou Shirogane proposed to Ichigo Momomiya. They were wed on the following Saturday the 17th of June.
January 2007 Ichigo Shirogane and Ryou Shirogane received a very unexpected surprise. One which had most of their friends and family either jumping for joy or fainting in hysterics. What you may ask was this unexpected surprise why the arrival of baby Shirogane Konoka of course.
Two years on from the day he proposed lets take a peek at the happenings of the café and how they may have changed.
Tuesday 17th of June 2008
Ichigo ran by twenty year old super model Zakuro Fujiwara a silver tray clutched in her arms.
Meanwhile Ryou raced into the kitchen a bottle held in his hand.
"What is it now?" asked a much disheveled Minto who was forced to make her own tea.
"I -think it's-too cold..." gasped Ryou holding up the half empty bottle.
"I blame Ichigo... It's her fault for being so choosy..." The onyx haired girl sniffed and walked out
with her teapot.
Ryou only rolled his eyes before heading to the microwave.
"Gah!" came an exclamation from the door before a very flustered Ichigo burst through it.
She came flying through the double door and would have crashed straight into a pink cake if not for Ryou.
His arms reflexively caught her around the waist and held her up. With a jerk he pulled her nearer to him till their faces were only a small distance apart.
"Strawberry?"
"Ah... Arigato Ryou..." she sighed.
He leaned in.
BEEEP-BEEEP-BEEEP!!
"KYAAAA! Ryou! This is too warm!!" she yelled breaking away from him and glaring at the microwave as if it was to blame.
He sighed. "But Strawberry... I-"
"No daughter of mine would drink milk this warm!!" Ichigo exclaimed.
At that moment a thump followed by crying was heard.
"You left her ALONE?"
"Ahehe..." Ryou sweat dropped.
"You can't even do this one thing!! Baka!"
"Hey! You're the Baka, Strawberry for leaving me with her!!"
"Oooh!! You!" With this Ichigo Shirogane threw her hands up into the air and ran from the room,
Ryou close at her heels, bottle in hand.
Retasu Midorikawa returning from a shopping trip entered the café only to see all customers cringing and even Keiichiro Akasaka holding his hands over his ears. He emerged with a large bag of icing sugar from the basement but dropped it as his hands went to his head. As Retasu moved through the café she felt like dropping to the ground in fetal position and similar to Keiichiro clapping her hands over her ears. For a terrible, terrible screeching was taking place and as much as the blue eyed girl wanted to fall to the floor she knew she must maintain her dignity, especially as a certain alien was present at the café. So grinding her teeth the girl once dubbed 'rabbit food' continued across the café floor shopping held securely in her arms. From the corner of her eye she saw Minto insert two ear plugs into...well her ears.
'Lucky.'
The thought couldn't help but cross Retasu's mind.
Finally reaching the kitchen the porpoise DNA injected girl sighed in defeat and stuffed her head into the fridge.
The screeching continued followed by some thumping and yelling.
Outside in the café many had fled. Those who remained were the workers and three aliens seated around a table being served by a sweatdropping Zakuro. Not only were her ear drums protesting to the wails that continuously cascaded over the building but her ego was taking a severe bashing, being hit on by an alien younger than her was not particularly pleasant.
"So Miss Wolf does this happen often?" asked Kishu indicating the bawling that seemed to go on and on.
"Hai."
'Miss Wolf?'
Zakuro's eye twitched. Some very thick lines were being crossed. A look of intense relief washed over Kishu's face. He it seems was glad he didn't have to deal with the owner of the bawling.
Purin Fong, fifteen years old and still just as hyper as when discovered as a Mew Mew at age eight (?) sat cross legged on the floor grinning up at Tarto.
"So-so when will you show Purin how you fly na no da?"
"Never!"
"Hey! That's not fair na no da!"
"Deal with it..." Tarto replied munching on a donut.
"Then Purin will take away your food na no da!!" and the blonde girl did just that.
"Give it!" yelled the alien boy reaching for his sweet and being unmercilessly denied his pleasure.
"Anything else?" Zakuro deadpanned wondering how on earth the two young friends could hear each other. She herself was having to lip read. The question had been directed at the silent one Pai but it was Kishu who answered.
"No nothing else... Unless I can have some of you..." Kishu smiled suggestively while Zakuro closed her eyes, refraining from her impulse to bash the aliens face in.
At that moment Minto, not quite abandoning her tea for she held the teapot under one arm, came to her rescue.
But as tense as the situation was here it was nothing compared to the activity going on a floor above.
Inside the converted master bed room the wailing, bawling, screeching got louder, much louder...
A child no older than two was sitting on the ground crying her head off. A shock of bright orange
hair fell into her big blue eyes. Amazing cat like eyes dusted on the edges with brown.
But it was not her strange eyes that caused the problem but her extremely large mouth which was open in an endless howl. Small yet plump hands beat the floor as her tantrum continued.
Two people approached her warily.
"Baby...baby... Please stop..." whispered Ichigo clasping her hands together. Ryou sighed and walked over to the crying toddler.
"Up you come Orenji!" he said cheerily ignoring the screaming.
He picked up the girl child and suddenly she shut up snuggling into his chest. Downstairs everyone sighed in unison. Ryou looked over at his wife with look that said 'Ha!'
Ichigo only grumbled a little before walking over.
"Okay Konoka come to Mamma!" Ichigo exclaimed holding out her arms.
The only response she got was her daughter Konoka at age one and a half opening her mouth wide and letting loose an ear splitting shriek.
"Strawberry!"
"It's not my fault!" Ichigo replied cringing and pulling their baby into her arms.
"Shh..Shh.. Please Konoka stop... "She begged tears in her eyes.
"Gah! Ryou what do I doo!! This is all your fault!!"
"My fault!" he yelled.
"Hai!!"
By now Konoka was in danger of cracking the windows.
With a sudden squeak the baby was shut up. A surprised Ichigo looked down to see Konoka happily sucking on her bottle of milk held by Ryou. Ichigo felt him put his other arm around her.
She looked up questioning into his face.
"See that's how you shut up our Orenji, my Strawberry..." he smiled before leaning in to brush his lips against hers.
"I think you should get beck to work ne? Strawberry?"
"Oh boo... You can dock my pay..." Ichigo replied coyly pulling him towards her to deepen the kiss.
Of course a while later the milk finished and Konoka, called 'Orenji' by her father once more opened her yap to protest her complaints.
At this her mother began to panic again until Ryou sent her away for more milk.
Nothing had changed at café Mew Mew.
I only meant to put in the proposing bit but then I just winged it...
Not what you expected eh? Well you couldn't expect much else not when this is written between 2-3 in the morning. That's A.m. ... Right now my niece is snoring next to me. While the other one is passed out on the floor...I mean air bed...
Hey wait that did not come out right...wait wait! I'm not a pedophile!! Their only a year or two younger than me!! Gah! That didn't come out right either!! It's a sleepover people!! Get your head Out of the gutter!! Jeez!! They stayed over for a sleep over!! And what do I do But show the two poor innocent girls ten eps of guess what TMM!! Wheee! Go meee! Yeah I kind of came up with this in the aftermath and as soon as the little devil-I mean angels fell asleep I had to type this up! Even though it's now like past three... Ooh shit! The younger one wakes up at seven... Help me... Please review!! For I have created two new Mew Mew Fans!! Mwaha ha!No seriously HELP ME!! Gah get leg off me niece no.1 and stop mumbling about fish niece no.2!! Woe is meee.. Review... For now I'm rambling...
No its MY duvet!! Give it back!! Rarr!!
P.S. This is supposed to be a very funny one shot... Yess I realize the proposal isn't very romantic but that's where the humor comes in... Just though I'd clear that up... And now I really should go to sleep cuz I'm delirious... Geh...
P.P.S. Press the blue/Purple button dooo it!
P.P.P.S. Oh and Disclaimer: I own nothing!! Phew nearly forgot! Okay now I must sleeeep! Keh...
REVIEW!!