Recurring Nightmare-Chapter 1
Ichigo was fighting a plant Chimera Animal with its owner not too far behind it. A vine reached out to grab her and succeeded in its mission. It picked her up, screeching nonsense syllables. She screamed until the all-too-familiar sound of Zakuro Spear came and freed her from her leafy trap. "Mew Ichigo!" cried the purple Mew. She nodded, and her Strawberry Bell appeared. "Ribbon, STRAWBERRY SURPRISE!" she called, her aim, as usual, was pinpoint accurate and the large Chimera Plant returned to a normal rose bush. Her eyes welled up a bit at the memory of a rose. Masaya had attached his letter that he was leaving her to one. She quickly wiped her eyes at the memory of the way he had treated her those last few weeks. He wasn't Masaya anymore in those last memories. He had beaten, emotionally abused, and forced himself upon her. A livid Ryou had come to help his "baka Strawberry" out then. "Ichigo!" cried Zakuro, snapping her back into reality. "Huh? Oh, hi Zakuro." She said, still a little dazed. Zakuro pointed at Kisshu and smiled at her. Ichigo tried her hardest to glare at the wolf Mew but burst out laughing because she looked like she was trying to get the sun out of her eyes which, in all honesty, wasn't exactly not true. Pai had treated his ally in a similar way and flashed out as Ichigo approached. Zakuro slipped away, unnoticed to begin with by the emerald-haired Cyclon. Ichigo shifted back but her ears and tail proceeded to pop out once again as Kisshu stepped closer. "Gah! Cat genes." She muttered. Kisshu, alien hearing focusing on her entirely, heard her comment and laughed. She blushed beet red on her ears and cheeks, face warming as he neared her. "Getting excited, Koneko-chan?" he asked playfully. "No! Well, umm, maybe, uh, possibly uh, NO! I mean uh, Yes! GAH!" she cried in exasperation with herself. She stared intently at her toes, as if they might have Mew Aqua right inside them. She flashed her gleaming white smile at the alien as he slipped his arm casually around her, whistling as though he was strolling in the park. They both laughed. "Tell me, Ich. Why are you so happy right now?" her heart about stopped at his question and, avoiding the question with another, she replied, "Do you WANT to create the first ever permanently blushing human?" he laughed. "It depends on why this said human is blushing." He said sweetly. "Now, back to the question, strawberry." He said a little more serious. He hadn't meant to come across as grouchy now, but he was really wanting to finally know if she loved him back. As if reading his mind, she replied, "Yes Kisshu. I do." He looked stunned. Happy in every possible way, he still shook his head sadly. "In case it wasn't already obvious enough, I love you too. But, I'm still not ready to be with anyone quite yet." He said, his golden eyes shining a little extra, as though with tears. She hated to see anyone upset, with the exception of Ryou on occasion, but it tore apart to see Kish on the verge of tears. "Oh. Okay." replied the red haired Mew. She was about to walk away, steady streams running down her face, when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back again. "I didn't say that the way you took it, Ichigo. When Pai, Taruto and I were back on our own planet, the condition of it was rapidly speeding downhill. Inside the utility room of our stationed living quarters, was Yuukina, a fellow alien I had fallen in love with. The utility room had a small, unnoticed trace of Mew Aqua in it, as it did another natural chemical that was in the metal of the wires and such. Yuukina was down there when another alien from the ship heard a small noise coming from the utility room. He immediately figured out it was a reaction and ordered everyone off the ship. Yuukina had insisted on staying back and helping to evacuate the ship. It blew before she was able to get out and she was killed instantly along with 28 other Cyclons, my parents and little sister factor into that number." He finally had to quit talking because he had to cry. Ichigo hugged him tight into her body as he continued to allow the salty drops to trail down his abnormally pale face. When the crying stopped for the both of them, Kisshu took Ichigo's hand and told her to follow him. She complied, when she notice four pairs of colorful eyes staring at her hand being enclosed by Kisshu's she looked at all four of the pairs and smiled. Instantly a sheepish look filled them all and next time she looked the colors disappeared. Pudding than heard a small voice that she knew wasn't one of the Mews. She looked up to see none other than Taruto floating down to the patch of grass they were standing in. Mint's hopeful blue eyes stared at the sky, scanning for a trace of the purple haired Pai, Zakuro doing the same. They had no idea they both liked Pai, to be honest, they didn't care. Zakuro didn't much like Mint to begin with, but because Mint had idolized her, she kept her mouth shut and her thoughts to herself. Because she was, when not dealing with Chimera whatever-they-weres at the time, a very good person. Lettuce was secretly also in love with Pai, but obviously knew him better and could guarantee you he wouldn't make the same entrance as Taruto. And, as she predicted, he simply walked up to the group. Because Taruto and Pudding had already left, it was just three lovestruck girls and the object of their fixations. Pudding giggled as they walked away, while Mint, fully aware of the "big idea", glared at the Monkey Girl. Ichigo and Kisshu, also watching from afar, laughed and smiled at the scene. "Be right back, it's my job to keep his fangirls away." smirked Kish. Kisshu flashed into the field they were in then flashed out with his elder in tow. He then talked to Pai alone for a moment, but to no avail because a clueless Kisshu had forgotten Ichigo's "extra genes." "Pai, which one of them do you actually like?" asked Kish. Pai sheepishly replied, "Leaning in Zakuro's and Lettuce's direction, but most definitely not Mint." Zakuro, with hearing even better than Ichigo's, smiled inwardly upon hearing this. She whispered to Lettuce what she had heard and Lettuce beamed at her purple ally. Mint, completely absorbed in in looking at Pai, hadn't noticed a thing. Ichigo and Zakuro discontinued listening and within moments Pai and Kish had returned to the girls they had started with. Kisshu took Ichigo's face in his hands. "I love you Ichigo." he said. "I love you too, you crazy emerald head." She replied. He giggled then closed what little space was between their faces.