Ichigo woke up suddenly to a strange noise. She was sweating hard. She was confused, not knowing what to think. She sat up on her single bed, and turned around to look out the bedroom window. It was raining out. it was cold and rainy that morning. Ichigo watched as icy cold raindrops splattered all over her window, making it harder and harder to look out.

"What was that strange noise?" Ichigo wondered, "It didn't sound normal, not the least bit. And it sounded like it wasn't too far away!" Ichigo was very scared. She just sat there, on her bed, staring out the window, studying the scenery, waiting for something more to happen, something to prove to herself that she wasn't dreaming. She sat there staring out the rainy window for a very very long time. The house was silent, everyone was sleeping. Everyone except for the terrified, nineteen year-old Ichigo Momomiya. Finally, after almost fifteen minutes, Ichigo turned her focus to her clock, but for only one second. The clock read 1:30 am. Ichigo was feeling tired and gross.

"Oh well," Ichigo said, "It was probably just thunder." Ichigo assured herself, and lied back down on the bed and wrapped herself in the warm sheets.

It was late fall, November twenty-eighth. There was no snow yet, but not many leaves either. There was some frost, and ice, but it mostly rained.

Nineteen year-old Ichigo is engaged to Masaya, a boyfriend she's loved since they were only eleven. Ichigo and Masaya had adopted a child one year ago, who was getting quite used to them. The little girl was four years old and had been named Miyuki, by her birth parents. Masha was now Miyuki's favourite thing. Ichigo and Masaya had decided to let her keep him in her room at night because they wanted Miyuki to be happy and feel like she fit in as a part of the family.

Masaya had his own room in their small two storey home, and so did Miyuki. There were only three bedrooms and a very tiny bathroom upstairs. The halls were narrow and the steps steep, but Masyaya, Miyuki and Ichigo had been able to live there okay. Even though Ichigo was not one of the mew mew girls anymore, she still kept in touch with all five of them.

Mint now owned her own mansion in which she made a little cafe to make and sell baked goods and coffee or tea. She lived there with her dog, Mickey, who she had owned from before the whole "Mew Mew Project" had begun, and so he was getting very old. Pudding, was living with her parents, and she still acted a bit young. She had mellowed down a bit more and was not as hyper as she used to be. Not saying that she wasn't hyper, because she was. Lettuce hadn't quite gotten over her worrying, but Berri was helping her with her clumsiness, good thing too. Lettuce was now dating Ryou, who tried to ignore the fact that there were always dishes breaking whenever they went out anywhere. Berri and Zakuro had become great friends. Berri was married to Kechiiro, and they had one child, Akira, a one year old boy. Zakuro was always busy with her modeling and had no time for the mew mew girls. All the girls had kinda grown out of their little "mew mew phase" to start their "adult life phases".

All the former mew mews had gained a lot of publicity from the whole Tokyo Mew Mew thing, and were all very famous. Most young girls would see them walking along on the street and run up for autographs. Most of the former mew mews had become used to that by now, but it was still a novelty to Pudding to sign an autograph for young teen and pre-teen fans.

Ichigo awoke later that day. It was still raining out, but there was no thunder. Ichigo glanced out the window one time then headed downstairs to make breakfast. She was still confused about the sound she had heard earlier that morning, which kinda freaked her out.

That afternoon, Ichigo was out shopping with Lettuce and Mint. She kept remembering the times when she would fight with Pudding, Lettuce, Zakuro and Mint in the battles against the kirema anima. She wished that for one day she could have the same excitement she gained when she was a mew mew girl. Mint could tell Ichigo was thinking about something and looking sad. She felt bad for Ichigo and walked between her and Lettuce.

"What's wrong Ichigo?" Mint asked.

"Nothing" Ichigo answered. "But Mint, do you miss being a mew mew as much as I do?" Mint made a strange face at Ichigo which made her assume Mint didn't at all.

"What's going on? What are you guys talking about?" Lettuce asked.

"Well, Ichigo misses being a mew mew!" Mint blurted out. She didn't seem very concerned about Ichigo at that moment.

"Really? You know what Ichigo? I miss it too sometimes, but then I think about how good we have it now too." Lettuce explained. Ichigo couln't believe that Lettuce missed it too. Mint still sometimes acted like a self-centered brat, but most of the time she was cool. This wasn't most of the time.

"You guys are weird!" Mint exclaimed, "We have it so much better now! We're rich, we're famous! Well... I guess we aren't all rich are we? Heheheh..." Mint looked over at her two friends, they weren't laughing.

"No we aren't." Ichigo said firmly. Neither Ichigo or Lettuce were impressed with Mint.

The next day, while Ichigo was eating lunch with Miyuki and Masaya, she heard the strange noise that she had heard the morning before. It didn't really sound like thunder. This time the sound was a little different. It was more like a screaming sound. Ichigo got up from the table and looked out the window.

"What are you doing Ichigo?" Masaya asked. He looked worried.

"Didn't you hear that screamimg noise?" She asked. Masaya looked worried and confused. He must've thought she was crazy. Ichigo couldn't believe Masaya couldn't hear that. Oh my gosh! It was so loud! How could he not hear that? That's insane! Ichigo thought.

"No I didn't hear anything... Are you sure it wasn't in your head?" I can't believe him! Ichigo was furious. No I did NOT hear it in my head! Maybe you're just deaf! Oh my gosh can't you just believe me?!

"No Masaya, I am sure it was real. I can't believe you didn't hear it 'cause it was really loud." Ichigo said in a rude tone. I don't think I should've been so hard on him, I mean, we have Miyuki, we're getting married soon, and I really love him. I din't want him to feel bad but I want him to believe me and not think I'm half insane! That's all I want.

Ichigo and Masaya were planning to get married when Ichigo was twenty, which wasn't too far away since it was November, and Ichigo's birthday is in March. Miyuki would be the flower-girl at their wedding.