Note: I DO NOT own Tokyo Mew Mew. This story is mine and if someone else you know has the same story, I'm sorry but I never read it. I read and watched Tokyo Mew Mew so this story is from the manga but the names and looks are that from the anime. Also, I love musicals so this story may or may not be a musical but my next one sure will be. I do not own the songs, either. AND!! This is my first fanfic, so please be nice. Parings: Ichi/Kish, Lett/Pai, and Pudd/Tart

True Love is Staring At You Straight in the Face, Ichigo!

Ch. 1: The Return After Five Years

On Monday morning, two couples around 17 were at the Nevada airport. People were boarding on the plane back to Japan but that one couple were holding hands and staring at each other. The girl's eyes were the only ones sad.

Her radiant flaming red hair was up in two high pig tails, tied by red ribbons. Her dark red eyes were sad and they were staring to collect tears to cry. Her clear, soft skin was holding onto those of her lover. She asked with her sad, departing voice, "Aoyama-kun, are you sure you can't come with me back to Japan?" Masaya Aoyama is her lover.

His blue eyes were sad as well, but his lips curled up in a smile as he answered, "I'm sorry, Ichigo. But I still have lots to learn and when I return back to Tokyo, I want to have the knowledge to save the red data animals. I promise once I learn enough, I'll come home. But I want you to make me a promise, my love." Masaya's lover's name is Ichigo Momomiya.

Ichigo looked up at Masaya and analyzed his looks. His short dark black hair was one of the most beautiful things she ever laid eyes on. His tan skin that was soft against hers while they held hands.

She answered him, "Anything." Her answer made him happy. He pulled her slender, skinny body towards him and gently kissed her lips. She in return, kissed him back.

When they parted, he said, "Promise me that the moment I'm finished, you'll be the one I come home too."

Masaya pulled her into a hug and she hugged him back with as much affection as possible. Her arms that wrapped around his well toned body felt nice to her while trying to take in as much of his body heat; not wanting to break the connection they shared in that one hug. Their bodies seem to fit in place perfectly against one another.

She assured him, "I promise." He pulled her away and she smiled at him. "Even when we're so far apart, just remember that I'm supporting you all the way."

Masaya smiled more sweetly at his Ichigo and said, "There is nothing more I could ever want then my girlfriend's support."

The word 'girlfriend' still sent her heart flying away to heaven whenever he said that. They've been dating for more than five years now but just by looking at them, you can see the love they share for each other; their love that was stronger than death itself.

The speakers turned on and announced in English, "Last call for Tokyo Japan. Can we have all boarders board the plane now?"

Ichigo looked up at the speakers when the announcement started but when it ended, her face turned back to her boyfriend's. All he could do was smile at her.

"Time for you to go now, Ichigo." She started crying after that.

She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He, in response, wrapped his arms around her waist. Her tears wetted his shoulder as they held each other in that one hold.

"I love you, Aoyama-kun."

"I love you, too."

They broke the hug and kissed for the last time before she had to go. Their kiss lasted for more than a minute and when they parted, they were breathless.

"You better go now," he told her. She only nodded and smiled at him.

Ichigo backed away from Masaya and walked towards the airplane entrance. Her hand was still in his but when she was a good distance away from him, her hand slipped from his hand. Ichigo went to the lady at the entrance of the plane and she handed her ticket to her. The lady took the ticket and tore a small piece at the end and gave it back to her.

"Enjoy your trip, ma'am," she said in English.

Ichigo answered in English, "Thanks." Ichigo turned back towards Masaya and he waved at her, his smile never leaving his face. She smiled at him and waved backed. Then she walked into the tunnel that leads to the airplane.

Her plane ride was only about eight hours. On the plane, Ichigo ate the airplane food and looked out the window. Outside the window were clouds and blue skies but the blue skies only reminded that of her beloved Masaya. She did not cry. Nothing changes if she starts crying. Sure she's sad but she needs to go back home and start her last year of high school. Once she graduates, she plans on going to the same college as Masaya so that they can study on red data animals and would never be apart.

Ichigo went to Nevada with Masaya for the summer to spend time with each other. Masaya was first studying aboard in England but he moved his studies to Nevada. Ichigo asked him why, but he only told her that he believes that he can learn more there. Since it was a step to his dream, she didn't dare push the subject. She was nosey but not that nosey. The summer days she spent with Masaya were the most wonderful days she had in while since they've been apart. He helped her more on the English so that when she comes with him, she can understand the American teachers. She was even taking an English class at her high school. Besides studying, they went on dates and had a really nice time together. To her, no one was more perfect for her then her beloved Masaya.

After the long eight hours on the airplane, she finally arrived back to Tokyo, Japan; her home. When she got off the plane, it was noon (sorry! I don't know the real time so go along with me here). She went down the escalators to pick up her bags but as soon as she picked up her suitcase, something attacked her with happy arms.

"Ichigo-oneechan!"

Ichigo was taken back by the hug so much that she feel on the machine and was riding on it with the little thirteen year old girl. Americans and Japanese who were on the same plane as her were staring. Seeing a girl on the machine at her age was weird.

"Pudding!" Ichigo cried out.

The thirteen year old girl had short blonde hair that had four small, skinny braids and her skin was nearly as dark as Masaya's. Her skin tone was only a little bit lighter than his. Her smooth lips were curled into a big smile and her dark orange eyes were lit up from the sight of her best friend. Pudding Fong, Ichigo's best friend and was once a Mew Mew infused with the DNA of a Golden Lion Tamarin monkey. Her friends believe that her DNA is what makes her act like this; energetic, fun, and playable.

Ichigo brought Pudding in a tight hug and said, "It's so good to see you. How are you?"

"I've been doing great. Guess what? I got a letter from my father and he said that he'll come home soon," the monkey girl said, happily. Ichigo only smiled at her big news.

"I'm so happy for you, Pudding!"

"Aw, excuse me miss." Both Ichigo and Pudding looked up and there was a security guard there. He said, "I hate to ruin this happy reunited moment, but you have to get off. This is not a ride." Both Ichigo and Pudding got off, but Ichigo was the only one blushing in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, bowing. 'What a nice way to come back home. Get in trouble by the security guard just makes my day,' she thought. The security guard only walked away, leaving Ichigo and Pudding alone.

"Even though she matured since we first met her, she's still a scattered brain." Ichigo knew that voice all too well.

She looked up from her bowing and saw four more of her best friends. The one who made that comment was a seventeen year old girl that was only about three inches shorter than Ichigo and her pale skin was just radiant. Her dark blue hair was up in two buns that were on each side of her head and her deep sea eyes were staring right at Ichigo. Her hands were on her waist and she had one brow up. Ichigo's first best friend, Mint Aizawa and formal Mew Mew infused with the DNA of the Tahiti Blue Lory.

Ichigo cried out, "Mint!" Ichigo hugged Mint and Mint hugged her back.

"You're still immature."

"Hey!"

"Hello, Ichigo-san." Ichigo looked to her right and there was a taller girl who looked as shy as ever.

This seventeen year old girl's light green hair is short too, but she had two hair tails that could touch her lower waist and they were braided as well. Her eyes were almost a forest green and they looked so gentle and caring. Her skin was so clear and if she had on makeup and dressed more outgoing instead of shy, she would probably catch all of the guys' attention. Lettuce Midorikawa is also Ichigo's best friend and she was once infused with the DNA of a fineless porpoise.

"Lettuce!" She hugged Lettuce this time, a little bit too tight and proclaimed, "It's so good to see you." When Ichigo looked at Lettuce, she was limping on her arms like the life was squeezed out of her. Ichigo giggled, sorry and embarrassed, "Sorry, Lettuce."

Lettuce pushed Ichigo away and said, "That's okay, Ichigo-san." Lettuce actually rubbed both of her arms to try and smoothen out her nearly broken arms.

"Once of these days, Ichigo is going to kill us all." Ichigo glared at Mint for that comment.

"Don't be so mean, Mint. Ichigo's just excited to see us all." Ichigo looked up at the voice and smiled happily at the young twenty year old girl.

The girl's hair is beautiful shade of purple raven that was long enough to gently trace the ends on her waist. Her dark, intelligent yet sensitive eyes were like sapphires on her clear, radiant skin. She had the arms and legs of dancer; long, skinny, and strong. Zakuro Fujiwara, famous model and was infused with the DNA of a Grey Wolf.

"That's right!" After that, Ichigo happily jumped on Zakuro and hugged her. Zakuro was taken back by the sudden action but gently hugged her back. "Zakuro-san, how's your movie doing? I see the poster for it all over Nevada!"

Zakuro only answered, "The movie is doing great. I hope you enjoy it."

"I will, but too bad it's not coming out until next year." Ichigo did an anime tear to show her sadness. How cute.

"Okay, okay! Let's pick up her bags and take her to the café," Mint ordered, a bit annoyed by the kindness that her ideal showed to Ichigo instead of her.

"The café?" Ichigo questioned.

Pudding answered, "Yep! To celebrate your welcoming, we'll go to the café for all you can eat snack."

The words 'all you can eat' brought a shine to Ichigo's eyes. She ran to the bagging pick up and grabbed her two suitcases; her big one and her carry on.

"Let's go!"

"One word of food and you come rushing in. You're so predictable," Mint insulted, yet again. Ichigo didn't glare at her this time. She was excited about the all you can eat snack.

They packed her bags at the back of Zakuro's car and were on their way towards the Café Mew Mew. On the way there, Ichigo looked out the window and smiled at almost everything she could see. It felt so nice to come back home.

Once at the café, Zakuro said that Ichigo could leave her stuff in her car since she won't be needing it in the café. On the door, it said it was closed but as soon as Ichigo entered, four surprise bombs (don't know the name of it) blew up and confetti came gliding on her.

"Welcome home, Ichigo!"

"Mom? Dad?"

The two people who pulled the string on the surprise bombs were none other than Ichigo's parents. As soon as she saw them, she hugged them and they both hugged her back.

"Welcome home, Ichigo," her mother sweetly greeted.

Her father, however mumbled, "Finally home from the clutches of that boy."

"Dad! We discuss this already," Ichigo scolded. "Aoyama-kun is a sweet, honest, gentle, cool guy. Besides, you allowed us to date soon after that little kendo match."

Apparently soon after her parents found out that she was dating at the age of twelve, her father got a fit and challenged Masaya to a kendo match. Her father was losing until the end. Before he could finish Masaya off, Ichigo protected him with a kendo sword. Seeing that she was serious about Masaya and he was serious about her, her father gave up and allowed them to date. But just because he allows it, doesn't mean that he likes it.

"Don't remind me," her father mumbled again. Ichigo only rolled her eyes at her father's attitude.

Ichigo looks like her mother but she has her father's spunk.

"Hello, Ichigo-san," a man greeted. Ichigo turned from her parents to two males who were the other two that blew up a surprise bomb.

One of them had short blonde hair, blue eyes, and tan skin; Ryou Shirogane. The second one has long brown hair that was in a low pony tail and he had dark brown eyes; Keiichiro Akasaka.

"Akasaka-san! Shirogane!" Ichigo called out, happily. She first jumped on Akasaka and hugged him.

"It's so good to see you, Ichigo-san," he said. She only smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't mind me. I'm just your boss," Ryou complained.

"Well aren't we all moody today?" Ichigo sarcastically asked. Before he could answer, she got off of Keiichiro and hugged Ryou from behind. "But it's good to see you."

Since Ryou was taken back by the hug, he only petted her head and smiled. "It's good to see my worker come back too."

Ichigo looked up at Ryou and gave him a pouty look. "You're not going to tell me that I have to work today, are you?"

He answered, "Not today. You just came back but I'm only doing this once. The next time you leave and come back, you're working on the day you get home."

"That's cruel!" she whined. Then she said, "But thank you for today."

"Okay that's enough!" Just then, Ichigo's father got in between both Ichigo and Ryou. "I don't want you getting all 'friendly with my daughter, you here?"

"Dad!"

"Don't worry, Mr. Momomiya," Ryou assured. "I'm just her boss."

He crossed his arms over his chest and threatened, "It better be." He apparently is the over protective father/daughter type.

"I'm sure everyone is hungry so let's eat," Keiichiro proclaimed. Ichigo started jumping for joy.

"Yeah! All you can eat!"

Keiichiro couldn't help but smile at Ichigo's excitement. "Just let me get the food out. I'll be right back." Keiichiro entered the kitchen and Mint pulled Ichigo to a table.

On one table, the five friends were going to sit there while the others were going to sit on a different table to give the girls some time to talk. First they were talking about what they have been doing over the summer so far like part time jobs, volunteer work, summer school, summer reading and homework, and 'special' events. They dreaded about either not finishing their summer homework or reading but that was mostly Ichigo. Lettuce finished everything, Zakuro only had to finish the last chapter in a book she needs to read for college, and Mint and Pudding were half way done with their summer tasks. After that conversation and the constant begging of Ichigo telling them what Masaya and she were doing 'alone' for the summer. Her father was listening in but the mother made him calm down.

Mint asked, "So how far are you two into the relationship now?"

"Uh?" Ichigo asked, confused.

Pudding then said, "Oh come on, Ichigo. You and Aoyama-oniichan must have done 'it' by now, right?" Ichigo turned as red as her hair and Lettuce was trying to not listen to the conversation as possible; much too shy to hear it.

"We never done that!" Ichigo claimed, embarrassed to hear it from a thirteen year old.

"You mean you haven't?" Mint asked.

Ichigo then said, a bit angry, "Like you guys ever did! Just because I have a boyfriend doesn't mean that we have done it." The heat kept rising to her cheeks.

"You two need to leave her alone," Zakuro said, getting into the conversation. "I noticed that Aoyama is a gentlemen. They'll probably do it after their wedding."

"Zakuro-san!"

"I wonder what's taking Keiichiro so long." Lettuce asked, making everyone all side tracked.

Ichigo became the first victim. "You're right. He's been in there a while."

"I just hope that those three haven't caused a messed for Keiichiro to handle and for us to clean up," Mint whined.

Ichigo asked, one brow up, "Those three?"

Pudding excitedly said, "We have three new workers here but they're the chef assistants."

Mint dryly said, "More like chef students. The first batch of cookies they made tasted like cardboard and we had to eat it all."

"Girls or boys?" Ichigo asked.

Lettuce answered, "Boys." The way she said it created a grin on Ichigo's face.

"Are they hot guys?" Lettuce only got redder. That was all the answer Ichigo needed. "This I got to see. I'm going to go say hello. Might as well welcome them to the café, whoever they are."

"Wait!" Lettuce called, but Ichigo was long gone to the doors to the kitchen.

Mint said, bored, "There she goes again. Don't you think we should have warned her who they are?"

"Let her enjoy the surprise," Zakuro said. "She hasn't seen them in five years."

"For Lettuce to blush like that, it must mean that they are a bunch of hotties and she has a crush on them!" When Ichigo said the last part, she sounded more like she was singing.

She entered the doors to the kitchen but as soon as she did, she crashed into someone. They both ended up falling down to the floor and apparently, the person she bumped into had a tray of drinks. They were both covered in orange drinks, getting all sticky in the process.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you!" Ichigo apologized, getting up a bit.

"Ichigo? Is that you?"

'That voice! It can't be!'

Ichigo looked down and right under her was a very familiar face. His dark emerald hair is a bit longer since the last time she saw him. In fact, it was long enough that it was tied in a back high pony tail while he still had the two clumps of hair in front of his now human ears. His skin is still pale but from compared to five years ago, it was a little darker. His golden amber eyes were unmistakable and recognizable.

Ichigo's face flared up and she cried out in surprise, "Kisshu?!"

Kisshu, formal enemy of the Mew Mews and last seen as an alien with big elf like ears.

He simply smiled at Ichigo's face and greeted, "Hi, koneko-chan! Missed me?"