A/N: This is a rewrite of the PPGZ manga chapter called "Sakura Love". I didn't really like how the author handled the Momoko/Natsuki pairing, so I'm writing it the way I would have liked it. ^^ If you're not familiar with the manga, I tried to explain everything to the best of my ability. There's a link to the manga on my profile, if you're interested in checking it out. ^^ Enjoy!
Constructive critique is more than welcome - my writing style resembles a children's novel too much for my liking. However, if you don't like my story, don't flame it, please... Thanks.
"Nice one, Matsubara!" exclaimed Natsuki as the soccer ball flew past him. "You're almost as good as me!"
Kaoru laughed. "Almost? No way! I'm better than you!" Kaoru walked over to the net as Natsuki took the ball. As they passed, they gave each other a high-five and a laugh. It was early April, and all of the students at their junior high school were having fun enjoying a hanami festival. Everyone, that is, except Momoko Akadzutsumi.
"I just don't understand it!" Momoko cried as she watched them play from her picnic blanket. "Why does Natsuki-kun like Kaoru better than me? Every time I try to talk to him, he just rejects me!" She crossed her arms. "Hmph. They wouldn't make a very good couple anyway…"
Her best friend, Miyako Goutokuji, giggled. "I think they're kind of cute!"
Momoko glared. "You're not helping!" She sighed before she continued. "That's not even the worst part! The worst part is that I know that I'm perfect for Natsuki-kun!"
"How so?" Miyako asked.
Momoko smiled slightly as she thought of her crush. "Well," she said, "we both love heroes, so we have that in common. And, more importantly, not only does he love the Powerpuff Girls Z, but his favorite is Blossom! Ugh!" She buried her face in her hands. "It's not fair! Why can't I just tell him that I'm Blossom?"
Miyako frowned. "You know you can't do that," she said quietly.
"But it's the only way I can get him to love me back!" Momoko cried in anguish.
"Do you really love him, Momoko-san?" asked Miyako as she set her food down on the blanket. Momoko nodded wearily in response. "Well," Miyako continued, "it's true that he loves Blossom, but that's not the real you. I think you need to let him get to know you as Momoko-san, and not as Blossom."
Momoko looked up at her friend and smiled. "I guess you're right," she said, but in her mind, she still had doubts. "Every time I try to talk to Natsuki-kun, he rejects me," Momoko thought. "But if he knew that I was Blossom, maybe he would actually pay attention to me!"
However, Momoko's thoughts were cut short by the sound of someone screaming.
"Kyaaa! Monster!"
Momoko and Miyako hopped to their feet at once, and were quickly joined by Kaoru.
Miyako gasped. "Look!" she exclaimed. She pointed up, and the girls instantly saw the culprit: Mojo Jojo, inside of a giant robot suit!
"He's stealing lunches!" Momoko cried as she watched him pick up handfuls of people's food. "We have to stop him!"
"Let's transform!" Kaoru agreed. Miyako followed as Kaoru ran off to find a secluded place to transform. However, Momoko wasn't quite as fast as the others. She looked around desperately for Natsuki, to make sure that he was alright. That's when she saw him hiding behind a garbage can – and Mojo's robotic hand was headed straight for him!
"NATSUKI-KUN, WATCH OUT!" she screamed, running towards him. Natsuki looked up in surprise and saw the redhead coming at him. With a look of disgust, he instinctively started to get out of the way. But as she got closer, she suddenly tripped and landed right on top of him.
"What are you doing?" spat Natsuki. "You freak! Get off of me!"
Momoko blushed madly as she scrambled to get up – but it was too late. Not noticing what he was picking up along with packed lunches, Natsuki and Momoko were suddenly grabbed by Mojo Jojo!
"Kyaaa! HELP!" shrieked Momoko. That was the last thing she could do before she blacked out.
From the ground, Miyako and Kaoru were able to hear their friend's cries for help.
"Oh, no!" said Miyako. "He has Momoko!"
"I think he has Natsuki, too," Kaoru said with a scowl. "Let's get him!" As she began to fly up towards the giant robot, she heard a loud laugh.
"You Powerpuffs will never get me! Mojo!" the monster chimpanzee shouted. "My new rocket boosters are much too fast for you! Mojooooo!" He pressed a button on the dashboard of the machine, and the rockets on the robot activated. Within seconds, the Mojo Jojo and all of his luggage were in the sky, and quickly leaving the girls' sight.
"Where did he go?" Miyako wailed.
"After him!" Kaoru ordered. Without a moment's hesitation, she and Miyako flew the same path that Mojo's robot took.
The sudden feeling of flight woke Momoko up in an instant. At first, she was confused, but it didn't take her long to remember where she was.
"Where's Kaoru and Miyako?" she wondered aloud. "I guess they need me – I'd better transform!" Somewhat unsteadily, Momoko stood up on top of the lunches in the bag she was packed in, and she pulled out her compact.
"HYPER BLOSSOM!" Momoko yelled. At once, she was engulfed by the usual warm feeling of transformation. A bright light surrounded her, removing her normal clothes and replacing them with her superheroine uniform. At one time, Momoko found transforming to be fun and exciting, but now, it was an inconvenience if anything – especially when she was Mojo Jojo's hostage! What she wasn't aware of, however, was the pair of wide, brown eyes staring at her in astonishment.
"A-Akadzutsumi?" exclaimed Natsuki. Recognizing his voice, Momoko gasped and spun around.
"Natsuki-kun?"
"You…You're Blossom?" Natsuki asked incredulously, his eyes still wide in shock. He couldn't believe it! How could the annoying, squealing, hyperactive, otaku girl possibly be the superheroine of his dreams?
Suddenly feeling more anxious than usual, Momoko tried to divert her attention away from Natsuki. "Yeah," she responded, almost absentmindedly. "I am…"
Carefully, she began to survey her surroundings. Her heart was beating faster than it ever had before – although she always wanted Natsuki to know her secret, she never imagined it would be so awkward!
"Hmm…" she muttered to herself, "I need to find a way out of here without Mojo noticing…"
"I guess the other two will be here soon..?" Natsuki questioned.
"Huh?" said Momoko, snapping back to reality. "Oh…Yeah, I hope so…" Feeling nervous and desperate, she frantically searched the skies. Where were they? Fortunately, it wasn't long before she got her answer.
"Not so fast, Mojo Jojo!" Kaoru and Miyako shouted in unison. Momoko's face lit up. Hearing the sound of the blue and green Powerpuffs, Mojo's robot spun around so fast, Momoko and Natsuki were knocked right out of the bag! While this wasn't a big deal for Momoko, who was able to hover, Natsuki wasn't so lucky: he began to fall very fast, heading straight for a busy highway.
"NATSUKI-KUN!" Momoko shrieked as she rushed to save him. Just as he was about to fall in front of a large tractor trailer, Momoko grabbed him, pulling him into safety. On the ground and from their cars, people began to cheer for the pink Powerpuff and her heroic deed. Natsuki stared at her in amazement.
"Blossom!" he cried.
"Don't worry, Natsuki-kun," Momoko said reassuringly, her affection becoming obvious in her tone. "You'll be safe soon…" She flew back to where her partners were fighting. It appeared that they were stalling Mojo until she returned. Momoko smiled. "Good," she thought. "I'm glad they didn't start without me. Natsuki-kun looks up to Blossom as a hero, so it's up to me to save him!"
Gently, Momoko set Natsuki down on the ground. "I'm going to fight Mojo," she said. "You wait here." She gave him a wink and a wave before flying into the sky.
"Blossom…" Natsuki murmured as he watched.
"We were waiting!" said Miyako happily when she saw her friend. Momoko nodded curtly and turned a fierce glare to Mojo. She knew that if she fought hard enough, she would impress Natsuki-kun, so she tried to be as heroic as possible.
"All right, Mojo!" she shouted. "First, you stole everyone's lunches! Then, you bullied Natsuki-kun! I won't stand for this!" Going a bit overboard, she struck a pose. "In the name of love and justice, we will punish you!"
"Hehe…" Miyako said, a sweatdrop forming above her head.
"That's just like her…" mumbled Kaoru, severely annoyed. However, the two decided not to delay the inevitable any longer – it was time to fight!
"BUBBLE CHAMPAGNE!" Miyako shouted. She swung her bubble wand and hundreds of bubbles shot out at Mojo, surrounding him and making him unable to see.
"GRAVITON DRIVE!" snarled Kaoru. She smashed her oversized hammer as hard as she could through the air, causing a giant wave of energy to hit Mojo, immobilizing him.
"I'll knock you straight out of the sky!" said Momoko. "MIRACLE CANDY SIDE DISH SHOOTER!" With a swift shot of her yo-yo, Momoko knocked the luggage off of Mojo's robot in addition to smashing him so hard, he flew clear out of the girls' sight. Safe at last! As the bag of packed lunches fell, Miyako and Kaoru flew over to pick it up. With a nod and a thumbs up from Momoko, together, they carried it back to the school. Meanwhile, Momoko flew over to Natsuki, who was looking at her in a way she'd never seen him look at her before: with bright eyes, and a wide smile.
"That was amazing, Blossom!" he exclaimed. "You're even cooler than I thought!"
"Hehe!" Momoko laughed. She extended a hand out to Natsuki. "Shall we return to school?"
Natsuki nodded and took Momoko's hand. "After school, I want to talk to you," he said.
Momoko grinned. "Okay!" she agreed as she picked him up. Together, they flew back to school.
Finally, it was the end of the day. The girls have long since returned to normal, and the hanami festival was fortunately able to resume in peace. Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru were now heading back to the lab. However, Momoko had some unfinished business with Natsuki, who she promised to meet under one of the sakura trees. When she began to drift away, the others seemed confused.
"Aren't you coming with us?" Miyako asked.
"Not yet," Momoko said. "I promised Natsuki-kun I'd meet him after school. I'll meet up with you later, okay?"
Miyako's face lit up while Kaoru smirked slightly.
"Okay!" said Miyako cheerfully. "Have fun!"
Momoko nodded happily and walked over to the sakura tree. Sure enough, Natsuki was already there.
"Hey!" she called as she walked toward him. "About today…"
Natsuki raised a hand to cut her off. "It's cool," he said. "Thank you for saving me back there."
"Y-you're welcome," Momoko said, her cheeks turning slightly pink as she looked around nervously. "Don't tell me that's it…" she thought sadly.
"You know…" Natsuki began. "When I first saw you – as Blossom, I mean – I was an instant fan. You were so cool, and so beautiful… I always admired you…"
"I…already knew that," Momoko confessed. "I overheard you talking about me one day. Sorry…"
Natsuki laughed. "It's fine," he said, but he looked away. "Blossom… No, Akadzutsumi… I'm sorry I was always such a jerk to you before. I was too embarrassed to say it, but I always thought you were kind of cool. I promise I won't tell anyone your secret. And…"
"And what?" Momoko asked excitedly.
Natsuki took a deep breath and turned to Momoko. "Would you like to go out with me?"
By this point, Momoko's face was as red as her ribbon. Her eyes widened when he asked, and she couldn't contain herself any longer.
"KYAAA!" she shrieked, throwing her arms around him. "OF COURSE!"
Natsuki laughed and hugged Momoko back gently. Overhead, the wind blew and a few flower petals floated from the tree and into the air. Spring is always a time for new beginnings, and for Momoko, nothing could be better than a fresh start.