A/N: Good day, readers. As you know, I love Disney and TMM, or more specifically, I love movies and TMM. Every time I watch a movie, I just instantly imagine the TMM characters doing something like this and I like the ideas I come up with. I hope you do too.

My casting is simple:

Sakura – Mufasa

Ichigo – Simba

Ryou – Nala

Mint – Zazu

Deep Blue – Scar

Lettuce – Pumba

Pudding – Timon

The three hyenas – Sardon (Pai), Tart (Taruto), and Kish (Kisshu)

Just a note, I'm a Ichigo/Kisshu fan.

I do not own TMM or its characters or the movie. I hope you all like this and don't hate me for it. Please enjoy.

Ch. 1: The Queen and Princess

The Mew Mew Land…

A place of beauty and peace. Where the grass is green, the trees are strong and healthy, the water is cool and clean, and there's balance between the carnivores and the herbivores. In this land is ruled by two kinds of beings. There are the animal beings and the cyniclons, or aliens. Animal beings are beings that have two kinds of forms. They have a form of an animal or the form humans with the features of their animal selves. A lion being can look like a lion one form and the next they can look like a human with cat like eyes, long claws, ears, and a tail. A fish being could have the choice of having two forms like many animal beings or they can combine both forms to have a third; a form with them looking like humans but with the legs and tail of a fish, a mermaid. Cyniclons have only one form. They appear human but their ears are pointed and long. No other animal beings have the ears of that of a cyniclon. Besides their looks, the two races can also be determined by their abilities. Animal beings have the abilities and appetites of that of their animals and they can perform what many would call magic. The cyniclons' appetite is a bit similar to those of carnivores. There are some who would eat the flesh and meat of just about any animal and there are those who would prefer to eat what the earth grows. The cyniclons also have similar abilities that could also be considered magic. They can fly, attack, and they can create what is called kirema animas. However, creating such one is strictly forbidden.

Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba [Here comes a lion, Father]

Sithi uhm ingonyama [Oh yes, it's a lion]

Nants ingonyama bagithi baba

Sithi uhhmm ingonyama

Ingonyama

Siyo Nqoba [We're going to conquer]

Ingonyama

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala [A lion and a leopard come to this open place]

[Chant repeats]

Today in the Mew Mew Land, as the sun rises up to begin a new day, the sun also comes up to a new rule. The Mew Mew Land has, and always had, a ruler to keep protect the balance between carnivores and herbivores. The last ruler of the Mew Mew Land, a male, died without an heir to take his place. So for the good of the kingdom, there was a tournament inviting all who wish to become the next Mew Mew Ruler. A tournament in which only the strongest, cunning candidate would be chosen. That tournament has passed now and the Mew Mew Land once again has a new ruler and today, the animal beings and the cyniclons will crown and welcome this new ruler.

As the sun continues to rise, unleashing beautiful shades of orange and red throughout the sky, animal beings and cyniclons awaken to this new light and they begin their journey to the Mew castle, where their ruler shall be crowned and be presented to them in all of her glory.

From the day we arrive on the planet

And blinking, step into the sun

There's more to see than can ever be seen

More to do than can ever be done

There's far too much to take in here

More to find than can ever be found

But the sun rolling high

Through the sapphire sky

Keeps great and small on the endless round

The Mew castle is no ordinary castle. Instead of looking like a giant bolder piled against each other or castle created from stone bricks, accompanied with towers and flags; this castle looks almost high tech but is energized with the solar energy of the sun. It's a castle that's appears to be in a diamond shape with a short upper half and long bottom half. There are squares of mirrors or solar discs all over the castle. The energy that the solar tiles collect is energy for the caste to hover several feet above the ground, but only one third of the energy that is collected is used to help support it while the other two thirds of it is stored for emergency uses; such as a long rainy period and the sun hasn't shined for weeks on end. Up close, many can tell that the energy is what's helping support the castle but from afar, many will mistake the four stands supporting the castle. But those long silver stands do nothing but puncture the earth and lean towards the castle. A bit of a decoration item to the castle it might be. Another decoration item of the castle is the white square plates circling the top half of the castle with hundreds and hundreds of yards distance away from the castle. Finally, the last decoration item of the castle is the giant boulders surrounding the castle. Those boulders are there as a sense of protection and as the stepping ladder for anyone to go in and out of the castle. The nearest door to the bottom is far off the ground and only those who could fly can reach it. The boulders are there to help. The ones who constructed this magnificent castle were the cyniclons.

The cyniclons and animal beings, mostly, come from far and wide to come to this magnificent castle. Some cyniclons live in the castle as royal subjects and they come out to see their new ruler. Since the cyniclons made this castle, it's only natural that there are some who work inside the castle to help keep it going. As they all gather, a small baby blue bird comes flying through the air, straight for the balcony of the castle. On the ground near that balcony is where the animal beings and the cyniclons are surrounding because it is that balcony where their ruler shall appear.

It's the Circle of Life

The baby blue bird flies to the balcony where a man is also ready standing. This man is a monkey being. He has long brown hair that's tied back into a low pony tail, his bark brown eyes are warm and full of joy of this glorious day, he has the furry brown ears of a monkey, and the furry brown tail as well. In his hand, he holds a staff with what appears to be hollow dried shells of fruits tied to it on the top. He's wearing long dark brown pants with black flaps on his shoes and his lighter brown shirt with red trimmings is a long sleeve Chinese top that touches past his knees and has a slit on both sides of him, rising up to his hips. Besides this monkey man is a counter with a red pillow on top and on that red pillow are two crows, one bigger than the other and decorated with fine crafted jewels. His brown hair and his clothes flap in the wind from being so high up and he looks down at the people of the Mew Mew Land with a smile similar to that of his eyes, full of warmth and joy for today.

And it moves us all

The little blue bird comes flying to him and he notices. He raises his hand and the bird lands on his fingers. He smiles at the bird and leans his staff against the rail of the balcony. He uses his now free hand to gently pet the bird before it flies off his hand and lands on the ground few feet away from him.

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

The once small blue bird glows blue and its body enlarges and changes to look of that of a human child. The child now before the monkey man is an adorable girl with wings on her back as a way to show that she is a bird being. Her hair is, like her feathers, a dark shade of blue and it's up in two buns, one bun on each side of her head. She has big, dark brown, intelligent, classy eyes on her face. Her skin is clear and smooth and it's an olive color that compliments her blue hair and brown eyes. From the look of her, she could be only five or six. She's wearing a blue dress and a fancy one for a special occasion such as today.

As this bird girl looks up at the monkey man, she returns the warm smile with a smile of her own. The man turns to the counter and takes the smaller crown. He then passes it to the girl and she steps back, to the other side of the balcony and she looks at the closed doors on the side of her. The man looks at the doors as well and they wait.

Till we find our place

Then the doors begin to slowly open, causing many to have their eyes brighten with excitement and for their smiles to widen in joy.

On the path unwinding

In the Circle

The Circle of Life

When the doors fully open, there are only two people standing there – an adult and a child. The adult holds on to the child's small hand and the child holds the adult's hand as well. They step out into the light for Keiichiro and Mint to see. When they were out, the sunlight reveals the adult to be a female cat being and for the child to be her cat daughter.

The adult has short fiery red hair, hovering over her shoulders as if it were a red halo. Her milk chocolate brown eyes has the warmth, care, and gentleness of a mother and the wisdom and strength of an independent woman. To her daughter's touch, her hand is as soft as clouds and as warm as the sun shining above her. It's a comforting warmth and her mother's touch is what's giving her the confidence to be on a balcony in front of millions of animal beings and aliens. The adult's daughter has inherited her beautiful features. She too has fiery red hair but it's a little longer and it's tied back in two ponytails, one on each side of her head, and she has big milk chocolate brown eyes on her adorable face. On her head she has black cat ears and black cat's tail, while her mother has orange cat ears and orange strip cat tail.

The monkey man goes to other crown, the bigger one, and he holds it before the cat woman. She looks at him and bows down so that he could place the crown upon her head. It's a little big since it's a king's crown but she doesn't have to wear it all the time. The cat girl looks at the bird girl and the bird girl excitedly walks over to her. The cat girl bows as well and the bird girl places the princess's crown on the girl's head, trying to mind her big cat ears and her pigtails.

The bird girl asks, softly, "Can't you for once put your hair down so I can fit the crown on your head?"

Hearing her, the monkey man tells her, "Mint, don't be rude to our princess."

Mint made a face before looking back at her princess and says, "I'm just saying." The cat girl just stares at Mint with shy eyes.

Then the cat adult stands up and tells the monkey man, "Thank you, Keiichiro."

Keiichiro bows and says, "My pleasure, my lady." Then he turns to the front of the balcony and walks to the edge for everyone to see him. He raises his voice and yells to the crowd, "People of the Mew Mew Land, I present to you our new rulers! Queen Sakura and Princess Ichigo!"

It's the Circle of Life

Everyone below screams in triumphant. The cyniclons scream and cheer at the top of their lungs, even the women and children are getting all excited. The animal beings on the other hand are unleashing their animal cries. The cheetahs, jaguars, panthers, and lions roar, the elephants blow their trunks, the monkey scream and screech, the birds cry, the zebras, cantaloupe, giraffes, ox, and yaks cheer and stomp the ground with their hooves. Some of these animal beings are already in their animal forms or some are just about turning into them because of all the excitement.

Keiichiro and Mint step back as Sakura and her daughter, Ichigo step forward to the rail as well. Sakura looks down at her daughter and tells her, "Wave to your people, dear." Obeying, Ichigo raises her free hand and she waves at the people below. As she continues to wave, her shyness melts away and a friendly smile appears on her face. She starts waving more excitedly at her people.

And it moves us all

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

Then the most surreal thing happened. The blue sky with its fluffy white clouds causes the sun to shine through the clouds and it shines on both Sakura and Ichigo like a spotlight. Seeing this as well causes the people below to silence their cries and to bow before their new rulers. Even Keiichiro and Mint from behind bow down to Sakura and Ichigo, even though they won't be seen. It's still respectful to bow even when they're not looking.

Till we find our place

On the path unwinding

In the Circle
The Circle of Life

Finally Sakura calls out, "My people! Please rise!" Obeying, everyone gets up from their bowing positions, including Keiichiro and Mint, and Sakura tells them all, "Today does not just belong to me or to my darling daughter. But it belongs to all of us. In place of our deceased king, I promise to lead this kingdom with wisdom and a caring heart. Yesterday, I was just like you, living the lives you do now. Today, I am a queen and I will do my best. But I can't do it alone. I need your support and your help to make this magnificent kingdom even more magnificent. Will you help me?"

Answering, the people below start up their screaming and cheering once again. From behind, Ichigo hears Mint cheering as well and looks over her shoulder to see this. While the people were distracted, Sakura turns to Keiichiro and he steps closer to her. She asks in a softer voice, "Any news yet?"

He answers, "Not yet, my lady. The search party's report will be arriving shortly."

Sakura feels a bit unsatisfied, hearing this but she nods anyway and says, "Very good." Then she turns back to her people with a carefree smile back on her face. She raises her free hand for silence the cries and cheers dies down. "However," she tells them, "there is one rule that I wish to change before we do anything else. I am the first ever queen of the Mew Mew Land that will rule without a husband by my side. My husband died many years before our king joined him. I loved him with all my heart and still do, which is why I refuse to remarry because of the royal law. The change I will make is that any gender, male or female, will rule this kingdom when their time has come. When it is my turn to say goodbye to this world, my daughter will take the throne as your new ruler, rather or not she is married to another. There should be equal rights to all, no matter what gender we are or what animal or what race. Inside, we are all same. There's not a whole lot of difference between a man and a woman. So let's this new rule with equal fairness to all!"

Again the animals and the aliens cheer and scream for the new rule which they hope will be just as glorious as Sakura promises it would.

XxX

In the late afternoon, a small little mouse comes running out of a small dark hole in the boulders. It comes running out on all fours, sniffing the ground left and right before standing on its hind legs. The little mouth uses its paws to clean and comb through his hair. Then he smells something. He raises his nose to sniff the air and he smells danger coming. He quickly begins to run away but a hand quickly grabs him and lifts him up into the air, holding him by his tail. It struggles and squeals as best as he can but it's no use. He's captured by a cyniclon man who stares at it with ice cold, light blue eyes.

The cyniclon man is sitting on the hard boulder rock floor as if he's been sitting there this whole time since the mouse came out. He wears a long blue coat with long sleeves and the buttons buttoned from his neck to his waist. He has short blue pants on to match but it's hidden away from the length of his coat, which is long enough to barely touch the ground if he stands. His skin is strikingly pale but it compliments his long, raven black hair that is just as long as his coat. This man appears bored and tired as if the world no longer holds any excitement for him as he stares at the squirming rodent in his hands.

"Life is not fair, is it?" he asks. "For you will never see the life of another day and I will never be king. Pity." Then he raises the mouse over his head and opens his mouth to devour this helpless creature. The little mouse yelps as he sees the open mouth and he sees the sharp fangs of his capture.

"The world is fair to those who don't sulk around, Deep Blue" he hears a small girlish voice say. Deep Blue closes his mouth and looks to the side to see Mint looking at him with angry eyes and her arms crossed in front of her chest with her fingers tapping in impatience.

"Why if it isn't Mint," he says, still bored lowing his catch to the ground while still having a grip on his captive, who is now still trying to run away. "Pray tell what brings you here to visit me?"

"Not that I have a choice," she tells him, rudely. "I'm here to announce that Queen Sakura is coming to see you and she expects an explanation of why you were not present in the crowning ceremony."

"If my dear sister claims to have a caring, understanding heart that she told those people she has, then she should know why I didn't attend." Because he's being distracted with the bird girl in front of him, he didn't notice the mouth going to his fingers and then biting him. "Ow!" he yelps, barely a whisper. He lets go of the mouse and it runs away, back into his hole. Deep Blue watches it go before telling Mint, "And now I lost my lunch. I'm sure hope my sister will understand why you are no longer here." Hearing that causes Mint to tense up in hear. Deep Blue now looks at her with the eyes of a predator.

"Now, now Deep Blue," she tries to say, stepping back but he moves closer. "Let's not be rash here. I'm still just a kid." Then she runs to the side to get away but Deep Blue grabs her leg and pulls her to the ground. Mint winces in pain before Deep Blue pulls her to him and wraps his arms around her to keep her in a strong lock. She stares up at Deep Blue in fear as now he's leaning towards her with hungry fangs and dripping saliva.

Right when he was going to bite her, "Deep Blue!" someone calls him. Deep Blue stops and looks up to the side to see Sakura looking at him with angry, you're-in-trouble eyes. "Release her."

Mint tells her, "Impeccable timing, your highness." After she said that, Deep Blue releases Mint and she takes a moment to recuperate herself. Deep Blue stands up as Sakura approaches him.

"Well, hello my dear sister. Tell me why exactly you have a baby bird as your right hand man?"

She answers, "Mint is by far the youngest bird within a hundred miles of land to have the sharpest eye and the sharpest ear for collecting the complaints and problems of our land. Her talents will be quite useful and I know she can handle the job."

"I see," Deep Blue says, now more bored than ever. "Then tell me what brings you here to visit poor, old, wretched me?" he asks her.

Again she answers, "I came to know the reason why you weren't there to congratulate me at the crowning ceremony. As family, we should support the other but you were nowhere to be found."

"Oh please forgive me, sister for I did not know it was today your grand ceremony took place. I thought it was seven days after the tournament the champion is revealed as the new ruler. Not three days. My mind must be failing me at last."

"Hmpth," Mint lets out in disbelief. Attention is turned to her as she turns to Deep Blue and says, "As sharp or dull your mind is, you should have been first in line to congratulate your sister and your niece!"

"Is it too late to be second in line, since I was in second place at the great tournament? Then allow me to curtsy to my younger sister." He lifts up his coat and curtsy so that he can say, "Congratulations on defeating me in the tournament and becoming our new queen. I might also add that it was wise of you to change the laws of allowing any heir to take the throne and for making your daughter the next heir to the throne." After that, Deep Blue drops his coat and turns around to walk away.

Sakura calls, "Deep Blue, wait!"

But he tells her, "Oh I will wait, sister. Like how you waited for the opportunity to defeat me in a fight to the death match. You're heart is too kind." Then he walks away again, leaving Mint with a guilty Sakura. She looks down at the ground in guilt and Mint sees the sad expression her queen has.

"Please don't let what he says get to you, my queen," Mint tells her. Sakura looks at her and Mint goes up to grab her hand as a comforting gesture. "He's just upset that he was beaten by his younger sibling but that would heal with time. Just give him the time and space he needs."

Sakura lets out a sigh after hearing this child's words. "I know. But I worry for him. Would it have been better if I let him win?"

"Are you kidding?" Mint asks, in disbelief. "Queen Sakura, we need a strong, intelligent ruler to lead us! Your brother is smart but he's not as strong as you and your powers are far beyond his level, and aliens are supposed to have the highest power out of all of us."

Sakura now smiles at the little bird girl before her. "Makes you wonder how our mother gave birth to an alien and an animal being, huh?"

"It makes everyone wonder, my lady."

After a few moments, Sakura's smile dissolves away and she asks, "Tell me, Mint. Has there been any news yet?"

Mint knows what she's talking about and from the look of her expression on her face, what she has to say is not good news. "I'm sorry, my queen. But there is no sign of Kisshu anywhere. Our search parties have searched high and low for him but it appears as though he just disappeared."

XxX

At the castle's main doors, Keiichiro walks on the carpet after walking many stairs to finally reach the bottom. With his staff in hand, the sound of his footsteps and his staff clinging to the floor is the only sound in the room and it echoes. But right when he places his hand on the knob, he hears someone ask, "You're leaving?"

Keiichiro drops his hand and turns around to look over his shoulder and he sees a maiden standing close to the stairs looking at him. This maiden is one of exquisite beauty. Her skinny figure would make many adore her for her waist is skinny, her chest is not too big and neither is her hips. Her arms and legs are skinny like that of a dancer and her skin is perfect; clear, smooth, and soft. On her head are silver wolf ears and behind her is a silver wolf tail. Her hair just barely touches her waist and it's a dark shade of violet purple. Her eyes are the same color but they're like dark opal jewels on her beautiful face. She stares at Keiichiro with those eyes and they're staring at him with patience.

After staring at each other for a moment, Keiichiro's lips curl into a sad smile. "I'm afraid so, Zakuro."

Zakuro looks down at the ground for a moment before asking, "Because the kings of our past told you so?"

Keiichiro walks away from the door and he walks towards her. As he stands before her, he tells her, "Please do not sound bitter about them. They mean well."

"And yet, they're telling you to leave and go back to the sacred tree that's far, far away from here."

He doesn't like it any more than she does, but he still smiles at her. "Please understand, Zakuro. They warn me that something is going to happen and that I must watch from afar if I am to help and prevent from the worst happening to our queen, the people of the Mew Mew Land, and to you." He lets go of his staff and it leans against his shoulder as he uses both hands to grasp hers. "If anything were to happen to you, I would never forgive myself. If I fail in the mission the kings bestowed to me, I don't deserve to look upon your sweet face or our son's again." Then he kisses her forehead and she closes her eyes to relax in this sweet bliss of this bitter farewell.

When his lips parted from her skin, she looks at him and tells him, "Just promise me that once you complete your mission, you will return home, to our son and to me." This time when Keiichiro smiles at her, there is a hint of joy in his sorrowful smile. Then he leans closer and implants a sweet and gentle kiss against her lips. She returns the affection and the kiss ends moments later.

Keiichiro smiles at her again and he whispers, "I promise." Then he releases her hands. He grasps his staff and walks towards the door again. Zakuro watches him leave and at the door, Keiichiro opens the door only a little for a small streak of light to enter the room. He looks back at Zakuro and tells her, "Farewell, my love." Then he opens the door more and closes the door behind him when he was out.

"Farewell, Keiichiro." A small sneaky tear escapes Zakuro eye and rolls down her face in her sweet sorrow.

XxX

Knock

Knock

Hearing the knocking of her door, Ichigo quickly jumps off her bed and rushes to the door. She opens it and her mother is now standing before her, alone. Ichigo looks a bit excited and hopeful as she asks, "Mama, did you find him?!"

Sakura looks at her daughter in sympathy at her pleading state. "Ichigo…" She doesn't want to tell her daughter. She wants to lie and make her daughter feel good but nothing good comes from lying. "May I come in?" she asks. Ichigo nods and opens the door wider for her mother to come in. Sakura enters and tells Ichigo, "Let's sit down, okay?" Ichigo nods again. She closes the door and walks over to the bed with her mother and they both sit on Ichigo's queen size bed.

Ichigo sits beside her mother and she asks, desperately, "Mama, please tell me that you found him! Tell me that he's alright!"

This is just making all the more harder for Sakura. She looks back at her daughter and she grasps her daughter's hand. "I'm sorry, Ichigo. But we can't find him. We looked everywhere for him but he just simply vanished. He's gone."

Ichigo couldn't believe what she's hearing. "No!" she screams. "He's not gone! You're just not looking hard enough! He's out there and we have to find him before he's killed and eaten! Mama, please! Find him!" As any mother would do, Sakura pulls Ichigo into a hug and she hugs her close and tight while tears begin to whelm up in Ichigo's eyes and some begin to fall. "You promise! You promise as your first act of queen, you would every ounce of your power to find him!"

"And I will Ichigo," Sakura tells her daughter. Ichigo finally quiets down as Sakura tells her, "Like you, I believe that Kisshu is still out there, hurt and confused. That's why I don't want you to give up hope. No matter, what never give up hope to what you believe in no matter what anyone tells you! You understand me?"

Ichigo nods in her mother's arms. "I understand." Then she starts sobbing, unable to control her tears any longer. Sakura still holds her daughter in comfort as being one of the only things she can do right now. But despite what Sakura told Ichigo, on her face, she too is having doubts about a boy who's been missing since his father was killed in a tournament match.