Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.
"Wow! It's such an honour to be here with the Ichigo Momomiya, leader of Tokyo Mew Mew!"
"It's no big deal, really."
"Oh but it is. It's so great that you would do this, just for me! I'm sure that Nakazawa Academy is really looking forward to reading this."
"..So what did you say this was for again?"
"The Nakazawa Tribune; my school's newspaper."
"Right."
"Okay, so I'm just gonna start the tape recorder now. I'll introduce myself, and then I want you to say your name. I'll also be asking you a few questions - obviously, to which I want you to respond to as truthfully as you can. Got it?"
"...got it."
...
"Alright folks, I'm Berry Shirayuki and this us the Nakazawa Tribune. Today I'm here with..."
"...Oh. Um, Ichigo Momomiya."
"That's right everyone. Ichigo Momomiya, a.k.a. Mew Ichigo. Now, on behalf of the entire school, I just want to thank you, once again, for letting me interview you!"
"Like I said before, it's no big deal. I'm just a regular person like you and everyone else."
"Regular? We might have all been dead if it weren't for you and your teammates! That battle with Deep Blue was really something, might I add."
"Wow, thanks. But really, I'm just a regular human being.."
"You're part animal."
"...That's a nice way to put it."
"Sorry, no offense."
"None taken, I guess."
"Okay, well I hope this isn't too sudden, but everyone's dying to know. What was it like being part cat? You know, before you became a hero."
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Ichigo Momomiya walked slowly along the sidewalk, on her way to school. Her school was fairly close, and today she really didn't feel like going. If only she lived farther, then maybe her school wouldn't be within her sight in just a matter of minutes.
It wasn't that she hated school in particular; if it weren't for the homework and the harsh grading system, she might actually like school. But even so, she didn't mind going. Today however, she was absolutely dreading it. Mew Ichigo probably wasn't very well liked, being half-human-half-animal and all. If the strawberry themed superhero was ever found out to be her alter-ego, it would be the death of her social life.
Normally, Ichigo didn't have anything to worry about, but last night, it just so happened that the local news station caught footage of her battle with Kisshu and his Chimera Anima, and - to her at least - Ichigo had made it more than obvious who the cat-eared crime fighter really was.
As she neared school, Ichigo made sure the sleeve of her left arm was pulled down all the way. It was 30 degrees outside, and she was forced to wear the long-sleeved version of the uniform dress. It wasn't that her school didn't have short-sleeved dresses, or even that she didn't own one. Last night after she got home, Ichigo was so upset, that she did the unthinkable. She started cutting herself.
It may have seemed drastic, especially when considering that the situation she was in wasn't as bad as others, but she needed some sort of release. Like how teachers yell at their students when they're angry or disappointed with them, Ichigo would cut herself when she was stressed out about her dual-identity. She needed a way to let go of her worry without making it known, and so the cutting began.
Of course she contemplated other options, like writing a journal or maybe asking advice from Zakuro, but when she thought of her boyfriend, it only made cutting seem more tempting.
Masaya Aoyama, the most popular guy in school. Ichigo was more than lucky when she became his, so she really couldn't mess things up for them. If he were to suddenly hate her for being such a freak... No! She couldn't bear the thought.
...
Ichigo couldn't help but feel nervous as she reached the entrance of her school. What would everyone think of her? And more importantly, would Aoyama-kun still like her?
She dragged herself inside, more than half wanting to fake an injury and go home. Ichigo sighed. As she sauntered off to her locker, Ichigo made sure to keep an eye out for Aoyama. Avoiding him in class would be impossible, but for now, Ichigo didn't really want to face him.
...
Ichigo hadn't realized what a daze she was in, until she bumped into someone and was accidentally knocked onto the ground.
"Ah, Momomiya-san. I'm really sorry!"
It was him. Masaya Aoyama was standing above her, grinning sheepishly while extending his hand out to her. At first, Ichigo wasn't sure whether to take his hand or not, but in the end she gave in, not wanting to come across as rude.
"Sorry about that, Aoyama-kun. I should've been paying attention."
"Oh no, it's not your fault. I should've been more careful." Ichigo smiled. He was so sweet...
"On your way to class?" He asked, breaking her from her thoughts.
"Uh, yeah. I just gotta stop by my locker first." She could be such a dork, sometimes.
"I'll come with you, if you'd like." Aoyama-kun was such a gentleman. Ichigo's own best friends wouldn't have come.
"Sure. That'd be great."
...
"So... Anything interesting happen last night?" That question really caught Ichigo off guard. Just when she was starting to think Aoyama-kun didn't watch the news last night, or at least didn't realize that the pink-haired heroine was her...
"Not really. I was up late finishing the history assignment." There. If he was suspicious of her, at least she could lead him to think otherwise.
"I see..." Was it just her, or was Aoyama-kun being quieter than usual?
"Yeah... What about you?"
"Oh, I was just watching television... By the way did you happen to catch the news just before 8:30?" Great. Now Ichigo really regretted not skipping school today.
"No, why?"
"The weirdest thing was on. This... cat-girl was fighting some huge monster. I'm surprised you haven't heard about it, everyone's talking about it." Well, that was just the reassurance Ichigo needed. Just perfect..
"Oh... Well, what do you think of that?" Ichigo was probably taking a huge risk by asking that, but she had to know. If her boyfriend didn't like Mew Ichigo, she would simply pretend they were two different people. If not, then she wouldn't have to hide it from him. Oh, how nice that would be..
"I dunno... Could of been fake, you know? But she reminded me of you," he smiled at her, "you guys kinda have the same face."
That didn't really answer Ichigo's question, but at least Aoyama-kun didn't say any thing bad about her. Only, now Ichigo knew he probably suspected her to some extent.
...
An exhausted Ichigo collapsed onto her bed. Today was quite the day. And just as Aoyama-kun had said, everyone was, in fact, talking about yesterday's scene. Thankfully, no one said anything about Mew Ichigo and Ichigo being the same person. So really, Ichigo only had Aoyama-kun to worry about. It was less than she expected, but it was still extremely pressuring.
Even though Ichigo had a ton of homework that needed finishing, all she wanted to do was sleep. But first, Ichigo locked her bedroom door, took out her 'secret' knife, and let it come into contact with her wrist. Release...
...
By the end of the following week, the news about the strange feline hero had died down. Ichigo was so relieved, but she still felt that Aoyama-kun still had his doubts about her. She had tried her best to convince him otherwise. Insulting herself, making up a lie about her mother's twin sister, trying to get him to believe the news was unreliable... She did everything she could, and yet Ichigo still felt the skepticism of her boyfriend.
Today, Ichigo couldn't stand it. She had to know for sure if he suspected her of being Mew Ichigo.
"Aoyama-kun, you seem so distant. What's wrong?"
"Huh? It's nothing..."
"It's definitely something.. Come on, you can tell me."
"No really, it's nothing."
"Why can't you trust me?! I tell you everything, and now you're not only hiding something, but you're lying to my face!" Ichigo was infuriated. Why couldn't Aoyama-kun just come out and say what he was thinking? It wasn't like it'd be offensive to be suspected of being Mew Ichigo.
"Ichigo..." He said sweetly. Ichigo felt herself blushing. That was the first time Aoyama-kun called her by her given name; usually it was just 'Momomiya-san'.
"M-masaya..."
Before Ichigo knew it, she was leaning in for a kiss - the first kiss in a while. It was brief, but his lips were so soft against hers; it just felt so right.
...
After the kiss was over, Aoyama-kun gave her a questioning look before walking off.
"Um, I'll see you later, Masaya-kun." Ichigo called out to him, in hope to lessen the awkwardness of the after-kiss.
...
Ever since her kiss with Aoyama-kun, everyone seemed to either glare or give Ichigo confused glances, like Aoyama-kun had given her earlier.
And finally, it was lunch time.
Ichigo was so excited to tell Miwa and Moe about her moment with Aoyama-kun. "He called me Ichigo for once," she imagined herself saying. Just the thought made her excited!
Upon entering the cafeteria, Ichigo found her two best friends sitting at a table near the back. She walked over to their table and sat down across from them.
"Hey guys, guess what!"
They both shot Ichigo dirty looks before getting up and moving to another table. Ichigo was taken aback, but she got up and followed suit anyway.
"Like I was saying, guess what happened earlier!"
"...Fuck it, Ichigo! Why can't you take a hint?"
Ichigo was surprised at Moe's hurtful outburst. "What's that supposed to mean?" She demanded.
Moe rolled her eyes before continuing. "Can't you see that we don't want to be your friends anymore?"
Ichigo was hurt. "But why?!"
"How could you not notice?" It was Miwa this time. "You're a frickin' cat."
"What.. what makes you say that?"
"We saw your stupid ears and tail. The whole school did, actually."
This wasn't good. Ichigo's worst nightmare was becoming reality. How could she have forgotten? Whenever she was nervous or excited, her cat ears and tail would pop up, and that kiss with Aoyama-kun left her feeling a mixture of both.
"I..." Ichigo was speechless. Here, her two ex-best friends were turning their backs on her, just because she wasn't 'normal'. Who even knew what Aoyama-kun thought if her now. Ichigo knew he wasn't sure of her before, but now.. his doubt was definitely confirmed. And more than just her former best friends and boyfriend... The whole school looked down on her.
"Well, at least I'm not some pink-headed freak." It was not only a lame comeback, but a lie. However, it was the only way Ichigo could really defend herself.
"True, but you're still pretty creepy. I mean, to suddenly grow ears and a tail like that..." Miwa then burst out into laughter, followed by Moe.
Ichigo wasn't feeling very strong at that moment. Maybe Mew Ichigo could fight back with her infamous Ribbon Strawberry Check, but Ichigo Momomiya - the one Ichigo was at that moment - could only run. She ran all the way home, past her mother, and into her room. She ignored her mother's concerned shouts from below and started crying. It wasn't supposed to be like this! It wasn't like she chose to become a Mew Mew.. And of course she couldn't explain any of it to her parents, since they didn't know. She was now friendless, hopeless, and the laughingstock of her school. How wonderful...
...
Over the next few weeks, Ichigo faked sick so she wouldn't have to go to school. Eventually, her mom was convinced that Ichigo would need to be hospitalized, so she faked a recovery and went back to school.
When she arrived at school, people were whispering and pointing, as expected. She tried her best to ignore them, but it stung knowing that she was officially alone.
On her way to her locker, she bumped into none other than Masaya Aoyama.
"M-masaya..."
"Don't bother, Momomiya." He spat out her name bitterly. "Oh and call me Aoyama. Don't even bother with the 'kun'."
Ichigo felt her eyes brimming with tears. "A.. Aoyama..."
"You lied to me! You said yourself that you told me everything a month ago!"
"I.. know..."
"Well, you never told me this! I can't believe I ever trusted you..."
"Aoyama.. I'm so sorry. Please, understand, I - "
"Drop it. I'm done with you!" And with that, Aoyama-kun stormed off.
...
"Oh. She's back"
"What a freak!"
"Stupid girl better lose all nine lives tonight."
Ichigo sighed. As soon as she walked into her home room, she was met with more whispers and glares.
"Welcome back, Momomiya-san," Ichigo's teacher greeted warmly, although, Ichigo could see in his eyes that he didn't mean it.
"...Thanks."
Ichigo walked towards her usual seat beside Aoyama-kun, and sat down. She had been sitting there everyday since they started dating at the beginning of the year, so she wasn't sure where else she could move to all of a sudden.
"God.. Learn to take a hint, why don't you."
Well, that hurt. It wasn't the first time she had heard someone say that to her, but it definitely hurt as much, if not more than the first time.
Aoyama-kun then proceeded to get up and move to the desk farthest away from where Ichigo was seated. First her supposed best friends, and now her ex-boyfriend.. Ouch...
...
After what felt like a year, the school day was finally over.
Even though it was only Ichigo's first day back, Ichigo was sick of that hellhole. She never wanted to go back there again, and she had a good idea to prevent that from happening.
Instead of walking toward her house, Ichigo headed the other direction. Her cellphone was placed at the side of her face, as she continued walking farther and farther. Finally, someone on the other end picked up.
"Hello?"
"Mom?"
"Ichigo! What's up?"
"Um, I've gotta go to the library. I won't be home until late."
"Alright then. Just make sure you're home before dark."
"...okay, mom."
"I'll see you later then."
"Wait!"
"Yes, honey?"
"I love you.. Tell that to dad as well."
"My, my, Ichigo. What's gotten into you so suddenly?"
"Nothing, just remember to tell him."
"Alright, sweetie, I will. Bye."
"Bye mom.."
Ichigo waited until she heard the beep, signalling that the call was over before snapping her phone shut.
"Goodbye, mom..."
…
After a long walk, Ichigo found herself at Tokyo Tower, the place where she fought Kisshu and his Chimera Cocoon a long while back. Closing her eyes, she remembered what it was like back then. She had friends who liked her despite all her minor flaws. She had a boyfriend who would wait hours just for her to show up. She had nothing to stress over. She had happiness.
Even though there was an elevator, Ichigo chose to walk up the stairs to the top of the tower. Right now, the elevator was crowded, and Ichigo just wanted to be alone.
...
Ichigo made it to the top, but there were still people there when she just wanted to be alone. It was okay, though. She would just wait.
...
She was disobeying her mother, but Ichigo did, in fact, wait until she was alone. Of course, this meant waiting until the tower was closed , which was well past dark, but she didn't mind. It wouldn't matter when she was finished. Her parents couldn't be upset with her. Her schoolmates couldn't torment her. Nothing could stop Ichigo now! She was at her limit, and this was the only option for her to truly be happy again. Even Ichigo's time off school was stress-filled and torturous. Sure, she couldn't see or hear everyone, but her mind wouldn't let it go. While she was awake, she couldn't stop thinking about it. It played some role in her dreams while she slept. But now, none of it would matter.
She looked down. It really was a far distance from the top of the tower. She leaned over. Aoyama-kun... Miwa... Moe... Everyone...
That was it. Ichigo closed her eyes and jumped.
...
Was that it? Was Ichigo now dead? She opened her eyes saw that she was standing in front of Tokyo Tower. The only pain she felt was in her legs, probably from all the walking and the fall.
Suddenly, the realization hit her. Hard. Like a punch in the face.
She was part cat, and cats always land on their feet. Damn.
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"It was, um, fine."
"That's it? Just fine?"
"Err.. Yeah..."
"Alright then..."
End.