Disclaimer: I do not own TMM, but all original ideas in this story are completely mine.

~ Chapter One ~

Dear Diary,

I've never written in a diary before, but I want to start. This entry will mark the beginning of a new journey for me, and a chronicle in my life that I hope someday someone else will read and learn from. Perhaps my words will one day reach the heart of someone else who is going through something similar to what I'm experiencing. If not, then maybe I'm just writing for myself. In a way, this will help me vent out what I'm going through.

A year ago from today I was bitten by a Chimera that changed my life forever. A year ago from today, my life was inexplicably threaded with Kisshu's. We learned that our minds had been linked together, and through that we could hear each other's voices, share images and memories, and even a bond that expanded into something unbreakable. I was tied to Kisshu in a way that no other soul had been before.

To protect me, he took one of the jewels out of his Sai's hilt and implanted it into my palm. The jewel contained his DNA, and since the Mew Project already allowed me to absorb DNA and bond it with my own, his also ran through my blood and changed me from the inside out. I have his alien DNA in me now, and through that I can even do some of the things that the aliens can do. It allowed me to have the power to defeat the new Chimeras the aliens had made. They combined the DNA of the Mews with their Chimeras, and Tokyo was nearly destroyed. Kisshu abandoned his own kind to help us, and in the end it almost cost him his life.

Kisshu combined my soul with a Chimera so that I would be powerful enough to defeat the ultimate creation. It worked, but I was going to die because of my state. He wouldn't let that happen, and in a last attempt, Kisshu sealed his soul into Masha so that he would be strong enough to pull the Chimera out of me.

I couldn't return to Akasaka and the others like that, and I wouldn't leave Kisshu's body. So Pai helped us.

I am now living with the aliens in their other dimension bubble, and Kisshu's body is being safely preserved while Pai researches a way to return his soul back to it. Until then, Kisshu uses Masha's body as his new residence.

~ Ichigo Momomiya

The infirmary was dimly lit, as Pai preferred it to be unless he was at work. Unlike the rest of the dimension, the infirmary was the only place that Ichigo felt at home. It was an odd thing, she knew, but this was where she spent the majority of her time.

Kisshu's body was untouched, sheathed beneath a shell of glass. His forest green hair was pulled into one low pony at the nape of his neck, his face still and peaceful. Ichigo folded her arms on the top of his glass coffin, laying her head down to watch him. It felt as though at any moment he would stir and open his eyes. Those beautiful, gold eyes that could read deeper into her than she herself could. She missed his smile, the teasing grin that was only for her.

Ichigo sighed softly, reluctant to move. She'd already been here for more than an hour, and she had training to do. It felt wrong somehow to leave him here, though. Alone in the infirmary, his body asleep and vulnerable. At least, he looked vulnerable – more so than she had ever seen him before. She knew he wasn't actually here; this was only his body, not him.

She wasn't sure when it had become normal to expect Kisshu to be with her. His presence had become as natural as breathing. Somehow along the way she had begun to care. She had begun to depend on his smiling face, his insistent teasing and flirting.

I miss you.

Ichigo allowed her eyes to fall closed. She reached forward, her palm running over the cool, transparent surface. She pressed her cheek to the glass, letting her other hand fall to her lap. It felt smooth and cold against her skin, a welcome contrast to the heat that begun to prickle on the back of her neck. The infirmary was definitely her favorite place. She could clear her mind here.

[ I think it looks too much like a coffin. I look pale and skinny. ]

Ichigo jerked away from the glass, her eyes flitting to the doorway. Masha's fluffy pink body hovered in the entrance, his tiny wings a blur. Her mouth curved into a smile.

"You always look pale and skinny."

If he could have rolled his eyes, he would have. Kisshu floated in.

[ And undeniably gorgeous among my kind, too. ]

Ichigo spared him a short laugh, rising from her chair. He stopped near the head of the glass, his large eyes moving from his body to her.

[ I know I'm strikingly irresistible to stare at, but shouldn't you be training with Taruto? ]

She shot him a dark look, glancing one more time at his body before turning to leave. Kisshu followed.

[ What's wrong, Koneko-chan? ]

Ichigo pressed her lips into a thin line. Her eyes flitted to Masha's fluffy form. Eventually she would have to stop thinking of it as Masha. As much as she missed and adored the technical companion, he wasn't there anymore. It was Kisshu.

"I miss my parents, and my friends. As much as I hated it, I even miss school! I miss Ryou's constant nagging and rude comments, and the familiarity of working at the café."

[ You miss being human. ] He summarized.

Ichigo nodded, exhaling a deep breath. The corridors winded through narrow spaces, the ceilings high. Finally columns rose overhead, informing them of their whereabouts. Ichigo turned left, following the path to the training room. Most of these rooms hadn't existed until she had arrived. But since she couldn't fly, nor teleport like the aliens, Pai had to create separate levels for her to reside that allowed a solid walking environment.

Taruto was waiting impatiently when they arrived. He glowered in her direction, his expression softening considerably when he noted Kisshu's presence. Ichigo found the situation mildly amusing, considering at one time the aliens had abducted Masha and tortured him. She was still angry about the details therein, but the fact that now they were treating the fuzzy pink thing as an equal left her with a smile. Taruto ignored her bluntly, dropping from his perch on a weapons rack to run over to Kisshu.

"It's about time you're here!" He said loudly.

[ Tell him that I don't arrive on time for brats. ]

Ichigo restrained a grin.

"He said that he isn't on a brat's schedule."

[ I like that. Good editing. ]

Taruto huffed, crossing his arms. His cheeks puffed out in irritation, and Ichigo found it a little harder to keep her composure. The brother-to-brother bantering was amusing enough, but even more so since she had taken the role of Kisshu's translator.

"If you didn't spend so much time with that old hag then maybe you wouldn't always be late."

Ichigo blurted angrily, "I'm not an old hag!"

"Yes, you are!"

"Runt!"

"Hag!"

[ Stop already. Grab weapons if you insist on continuing this. Then it'll at least be entertaining. ]

Taruto didn't hear him, but fell silent upon seeing the girl's immediate falter in the argument. She gestured to the weapon rack, and Taruto glared at her as he retrieved his usual choice. He twisted back his arm and threw a ninja star in her direction, initiating the training session.

These sessions always began like this. In real battle there was never warning, and the aliens didn't have the same code of honor as humans. Taruto had been advised by Pai to consider new weapon types, since he hadn't yet reached his coming-of-age. Once he did he would have to permanently choose one that would be branded with his DNA and bonded to him.

Ichigo ducked easily, flexing her fingers. The claw-blades slid out smoothly into place as she reached for her pendant. Her ears, tail, and outfit followed. She wished there was some way to pull out one piece of her Mew outfit without everything else following. She noted to bring it up in her next letter to Ryou and Akasaka.

"You stupid old hag!" Taruto crowed.

Ichigo rolled to the side, narrowly missing another star. Taruto had the advantage with a long-ranged weapon. The minute she got close enough, though, she would have the upper-hand. She fainted to the right, darting to the left when Taruto released another star in the assumed direction. He yelped in surprise as she drew closer, and Kisshu laughed in her head.

[ He is ticklish behind his knees. ] Kisshu stated.

Ichigo grinned at the advice. She flew past the boy, feeling the whistle of another blade sail past her temple. However, she had reached her goal. Ichigo grasped onto his legs firmly, earning a surprised gasp from him, and attacked. Taruto let out a shriek of laughter as she fiercely dug into the back of his knees.

"No fair!" He yelled, tears brimming in his eyes, "You cheated! Kisshu, you aren't allowed to help her!"

Ichigo grinned triumphantly, not relinquishing her hold on him. She wanted to milk as much out of him as possible for the 'old hag' comment.

"Say 'Uncle'!" She said.

Taruto attempted to glare at her, but failed miserably as another roll of laughter bubbled out of him. She straddled his feet, successfully pinning the small boy down as she continued her assault.

"Uncle!" He gasped.

Ichigo rolled off of him, a smile plastered to her face. He rose to his feet shakily, shooting an irritated expression her way.

"That wasn't fair." He mumbled.

She laughed shortly, putting away her pendant, and with it the transformation. The glow lasted for a second before fading away.

"Don't pout. You're too old for that," She teased.

"Not as ancient as you, old hag."

Ichigo clocked him once on the back of the head, and he let out a yelp of pain.

"I'm not old!"

Before an argument could start, the atmosphere was cut thin by a strong, commanding voice.

"Mew Ichigo," He said flatly, "I have something to discuss with you."

The three turned in unison to see Pai in the threshold. He beckoned toward Ichigo, and she started immediately.

"Is it something urgent?" She found herself asking.

Pai nodded curtly, his eyes moving to Kisshu as he floated over to join them at the door. Left out of the conversation, Taruto strode back to the weapons' rack, grumbling under his breath as he went.

"Your lessons are not done for the day." Pai announced to the boy as they exited.

Far behind them, a young alien took his anger out on a mannequin.

The main part of the separate dimension was by far the most alien in quality. Pillars of foreign element rose in great, white contrast to the green atmosphere that surrounded them. A single width of solid platform stretched for a breath before giving way to empty space that dropped into nothing but air. This was the place Ichigo had visited before (excluding Kisshu's room) when she had been fighting the aliens. It was the common space.

Pai led her to his technical equipment – which she couldn't begin to describe in detail without sounding stupid – and proceeded to pull something up in a suspended image.

"I'm sure you understand, Mew Ichigo, that our business here originally consisted of finding a source of survival for our planet."

She nodded, her eyes following his fingers as they darted over the surface of some sort of keypad.

"Our goal was to obtain the Mew Aqua. Through this we could restore our planet to satisfactory living conditions. You know all of this. However, your friends, led by you, insistently blocked our progress."

Ichigo chewed on her bottom lip, "Yes."

Pai glanced at her, his expression empty of judgment, but full of an aloofness that she envied.

"Over the last week we have been held at a stand-still because of the skirmish in the residence of Tokyo city with our enhanced Chimeras. Despite this hold-back, we still need the Mew Aqua. This has not changed."

Ichigo blinked, "Wait! After all that chaos you caused down there, and after all the casualties, you still want to fight some more?"

"Not necessarily," He said blandly, "There is no need for a fight if you offer it willingly."

[ What he is saying is that the fact that all of us are chums doesn't change that our planet is dying and still desperately needs the Mew Aqua. ]

Ichigo raked a hand through her hair.

"So, what does this have to do with me?"

Pai swiveled his head toward her, for the first time taking his eyes completely off the device.

"Since you are not completely Mew, nor are you alien, we need you to negotiate with your old friends."

"They aren't my 'old' friends. They still are my friends!"

"According to my calculations," Pai continued, ignoring her, "There is more at stake than just our planet. The Mew Aqua may very well hold the key to fixing Kisshu's condition."

Ichigo's heart sputtered, her mouth unhinging.

"This is a foreign concept, but it is essential. We will need the aid of the Mews if we are to collect all of the Mew Aqua in time."

She struggled to process his words fast enough. Then she grasped onto something.

"Wait, what do you mean by 'in time'?"

The older alien regarded her with mild curiosity. There was something in his gaze that made her feel smaller, insignificant, and considerably stupid.

"Masha was not created to be a storing device. It was an expansion in his system, but it won't last forever. In addition, it takes special resources to preserve Kisshu's body in the required conditions it is in. This, too, won't last. We must find this Mew Aqua as quickly as possible, and the only route lies with your friends."

Ichigo kneaded her temples. It was becoming harder to breathe. Kisshu's life was on a time limit?

[ I don't think a letter is going to be enough. We're going to have to pay them a visit sooner than you expected. ] Kisshu said quietly.

Welcome back, everyone! I told you I'd post the sequel as soon as possible. And here we go! :D

I already have the main plotline down in my head, so stick with me for the ride. Questions will be answered here in the A/N if you have any, so feel free to leave them in the reviews through the story.

Whitewolfffy~

PUSH DA BUTTON!