Ichigo ran out the door and had barely made it to the gate before her mother called after her, "Your bento!" Ichigo spun around and caught the flying package.
"Arigato!" Ichigo spun around again on her heals and began racing down the street. She had turned off the alarm early this morning and had fallen back to sleep! Darn her accursed cat genes! She knew that was only part of the problem. She had also not been able to sleep. She was too excited to sleep. The next day her boyfriend Aoyama was coming home from England, permanently! Ichigo found herself smiling and began to day dream about seeing him again. A flush of energy filled her and she imagined kissing him. Ichigo stopped running and forced herself to calm down. She had no time to turn into a cat this morning. After she felt safe to move on she dashed around the corner towards the school. She had just turned the corner when she tripped over something on the sidewalk. She landed on her hands and turned around to see a medium sized grey cat flattened underneath her legs.
"I'm so sorry!" Ichigo shouted as she lifted herself up off of the cat and grabbed hold of it to examine it for injuries. Suddenly Ichigo stopped short. The grey cat, or maybe kitten was more appropriate, had a small crescent shaped… bald spot? The grey cat squirmed in Ichigo's hands and Ichigo released it. The cat jumped down and turned to face her again. "Hey koneko-chan!" Ichigo bent down to pet it. "Are you alright?" The grey cat seemed to loosen up but still remained wary of her feet. "Hey, koneko-chan?" Ichigo bent down to pet the cat behind her ears where she knew from experience was the best place, but the cat backed away and mewed softly. Ichigo paused halfway bent down in horror. The cat mewed again and Ichigo's eyes grew wider. "What is it little kitty?" Suddenly a nearby tower struck the hour and Ichigo screamed. She was late! Ichigo turned to run away but after getting only a few yards away she turned again to look at the cat.
"Nyaaa…" it said softly and it was the most frightening thing it could ever say. Ichigo ran away towards the school not knowing that the cat was now watching her with a great interest.
"Diana!" The young cat turned to see her pink-haired mistress bounding towards her.
Ichigo entered the café and the others prepared themselves for one of her more happy days. Knowing that Aoyama was coming home the next day they expected her to almost be floating in the clouds. The Ichigo who appeared before them though was almost in the opposite mood. She was in the clouds, but those clouds seemed to be darkened by something. She was so easy to read, but the reading they were getting was the complete opposite of what they had prepared for. The girls left her to herself and were afraid to ask about what had brought around this strange mood.
Berry entered the café on her rollerblades at the end of the night and collapsed beside Minto's table.
"Too much… business." Minto sipped a bit of tea.
"Working here wasn't too fun either." She acknowledged. Berry lifted herself up with the table.
"Your one to talk…." She growled. Minto turned to her with a mean look in her eyes.
"What do you mean by that?" Berry squealed and fell back to the floor.
"Nothing! Nothing! I didn't mean anything!" Berry closed her eyes and let out a breath. "I just want to sleep…" Ryou entered the dining room and leaned against the doorway.
"Good job everyone. Now, let's clean this up and get ready for tomorrows party." The exhausted girls looked at him in confusion.
"Party?" Ryou nodded.
"Isn't someone coming home tomorrow?" Ichigo's face brightened up and her mood seemed to change drastically.
"Yes!" She stopped to think for a moment. "I didn't know you cared to give Aoyama a welcome home party." Ryou shut his eyes.
"Oh? He's coming home tomorrow too? Hmm. I guess we can invite him to Zakuro's party." Minto rose up in excitement as Ichigo flared red in anger.
"Onee-sama's coming home tomorrow?!" Zakuro had been gone ever since they had defeated The Saint Rose Crusaders with Berry. She had agreed to do a new movie in America. Ryou nodded. "When is she getting in?"
"I have promised not to divulge this information." Ryou said calmly. "Zakuro-san does not want a horde of young girls making a scene at the airport. Ryou turned to Ichigo and smiled. "There is already going to be a scene with this one there." Ichigo exploded in anger.
"You just can't appreciate a young girl's love!" Ryou turned to leave the room.
"The cleaning can wait till tomorrow. Goodnight everyone!" Ryou left the girls and started to climb up the stairs. Ichigo still felt angry but then her happiness returned and she began thinking about all that she wanted to do when Aoyama got to Japan. She smiled as she thought about him traveling towards her right then.
"Finally!" Minto said as if she was irritated. "She smiles!" Ichigo turned to her with a look of confusion.
"What do you mean?" Minto shook her head. "We were all prepared for your excited nature today and her all you did was mope!" Ichigo blushed and turned away from them. She had totally forgotten her worries once Aoyama was mentioned.
"It…" She paused and wondered if she should tell them. It wasn't anything important, was it? "It's nothing." Minto closed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips.
"You can't hide it from us, you're an open book! Spit it out!" Retasu stepped forward.
"It isn't something about Aoyama-kun, is it?" Ichigo shook her head.
"Purin-chan knows! Nanoda!" Purin said triumphantly as she balanced on her ball. "Ichigo onee-chan-" She didn't get to finish her ridiculous hypothesis because Minto knocked her off of her perch and she fell face forward. "Minto onee-chan…" Purin said sorrowfully. Retasu bent down to help her up.
"Purin-chin! Are you alright?" Minto turned to the two girls.
"Let Ichigo speak! We don't want to hear your outrageous theories!" Ichigo smiled and felt as if she should tell them. After all it did involve them too.
"I'm worried." Ichigo stated. "I'm worried that I'm losing my powers." The four girls stood in silence.
"What do you mean?" Retasu finally asked. Minto seemed particularly disturbed.
"It can't be! You're our leader! You're the strongest out of all of us!" Ichigo sat down at a nearby table and placed her head in her hands.
"I havn't been transforming into a cat recently where I was doing so every other day before." Minto waved the statement away.
"Ah, that just means your powers are becoming more stable!" Minot laughed. "I've never turned into a bird, and you don't see me freaking out do you?" Ichigo shook her head. "And perhaps," Minto said leaning forward with a wicked smile, "its because a certain someone hasn't been around to encourage you?" Ichigo blushed and shook her head.
"That's what I use to think, but today…" she paused, "today I couldn't understand a cat. She mewed and I couldn't understand it. It was just a mew." Minto couldn't wave this statement away. She and the other Mew Mews could understand their animals perfectly well and they had never had problems like that.
"Maybe…" Retasu began… "Maybe it wasn't saying anything!" She offered. "Maybe she was just saying meow!" Ichigo shook her head.
"I just don't know." Ichigo had never had a cat just meow before. At least, not witout saying something before it, but then again it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities. She had understood other cats she had seen that day, it was just the one grey cat with the crescent moon on its forehead that had been different. Maybe they were right. Maybe she was just overreacting. Ichigo looked up at everyone and smiled even though she didn't really feel all too relieved. "You're right!" Ichigo rose from the table and headed towards the door. "Arigato everyone!" The four girls watched as she ran out the door.
"Her moods swing so drastically, ne?" Minto stated. The other girls just nodded their head in agreement.
As Ichigo walked to school the next morning she looked around earnestly for the grey cat, but it was no where to be seen.
Ichigo ran home faster than she had ever done before in order to change and get ready to meet Aoyama at the airport. She had totally forgotten about her worries and could only think of seeing his smiling face again. Ichigo pulled out her change of clothes and hurriedly redid her hair. Nothing could hinder her excitement now! She would see him within hours! Ichigo ran down stairs and started for the door. Momomiya Sakura stopped her daughter right before she could leave.
"How about a snack? Hmm?" She held out a nashi* for her daughter. Ichigo grabbed hold of the fruit and Sakura removed her arm from her path as Ichigo ran full speed out the door.
"Arigato* Ichigo yelled as she bounded towards the train station. Sakura laughed as she watched her daughter run towards her future.
Ichigo reached the airport and quickly began searching for the gate Aoyama would be arriving from. Ichigo kept an eye out for his parents but knew that there was only a slim chance that one of them would show up. His parents seemed to not care about their son unless they could take advantage of his accomplishments and from what Ichigo could tell, they were not to thrilled about his love for the environment or the fact that he was going to "waste" his life advocating its preservation. Ichigo stopped and went to the side of the giant hallway and watched the planes that were taking off and landing. Her heart beat quicker with each minute and Ichigo watched to see if she could catch a glimpse of a plane that may be carrying Aoyama towards her. Her whole body seemed to shake with anticipation. They had wrote almost everyday and had talked every week, but nothing was like seeing each other. Ichigo blushed as she thought about being able to kiss him again. She was now fifteen and preparing for high school. In a year she could technically marry! Ichigo's cheeks burned when she remembered that fact. Ichigo placed her hands on her cheeks and felt how red they were. She knew she had to calm down. She was in the middle of hundreds of people, how could she hide her ears and tail in such a crowd. Aoyama had suggested she not come to the airport but wait outside, but Ichigo hadn't allowed it. She wouldn't be able to handle not being there right when he got off the plane.
A small cry broke through Ichigo's thoughts and she glanced to her left to see a couple hugging each other. The woman had the most outrageous hairstyle Ichigo had ever seen. She had two dango shaped buns o her head just like Minto but from those buns came two streams of golden hair that flowed all the way down to her knees. The man was tall and handsome and he starred at the top of the woman's head as she cried softly into his shirt.
"Usako..." He whispered.
Ichigo's face grew even redder as she heard him say her name like that. She knew she was witnessing something private and felt as if she should move away, but the scene before her seemed so beautiful. The look in the man's eyes was one of pure love. It was the kind of look that Aoyama gave her when they had defeated The Saint Rose Crusaders and when they had said their vows at their mock wedding. Ichigo instantly covered her head with her hood and felt her ears pop out and she willed them to go away.
The woman looked up into the man's eyes. Her eyes were a beautiful blue and tears glistened in them. Ichigo silently wished she could be as beautiful as her one day. The woman buried her head back into his shirt and then the man lifted her head with his hand.
"You can be so strong , but then so soft." He said softly that Ichigo barely heard him over the roar of the crowded airport.
"Mamo-chan." The woman said softly. "I..." she paused and seemed to try to calm herself. "Gomen*." She said softly. "It seems I always cry even when I promise not to." The man smiled and hugged the woman once more.
"Usako," he said again, "be strong, Usagi. After these two semesters, I will always be at your side." The woman blushed and the man leaned in to kiss her. The man was the first to let go and slowly the couple separated.
"You promise to come back to me?" The woman demanded. The man grabbed the woman again and this time kissed her with a passion that Ichigo only hoped to have later with Aoyama. After finally letting go the man turned to walk away but looked back at the teary eyed woman.
"I promise, Usako." The man starred into her eyes. "Serenity..." With that the man turned and walked away. Tears strieked down the woman's cheeks.
"Endymion... ki o tsukete*... Mamo-chan." The woman stood watching the man walk away and Ichigo looked on tears in her eyes as well. She could tell their love was true and would never give up on one another.
"Ichigo!" Ichigo froze at the sound of his voice and slowly turned towards him. There he stood, her own Mamo-chan. His smile brightened up the entire room and he leaned towards her as if he were about to run. Ichigo ran towards him and met him halfway.
"Aoyama-kun!" The tears that had been in her eyes now rolled down her cheeks as she raced into his arms. The two teenagers held each other close.
"Tears?" Aoyama asked. "Has my Ichigo gone soft?" Ichigo laughed and she dried her eyes.
"No." Ichigo laughed. "I'm just so happy to see you, Aoayma-kun!" Her whole face brightened and the two held hands in the middle of the airport terminal. The two smiling, bright teenagers walked towards the exit and anyone around tem could see that they were in love and meant to be. Neither of the two teenagers realized that the woman with the magnificent golden hair was one of them.
Notes: I will be using random Japanese (Romanji) words throughout the story. I like them and help me to remember that the characters are... JAPANESE! Also, its how I visualize the scene in my head, with them, again, speaking Japanese! For all those who have no clue what they mean don't worry. I will have translations at the bottom, and if I forget review/message that I have and I will either edit or put it at the end/beginning of the next chapter. I do not claim to be an expert though, and will gladly except criticisms in my translations, grammer, and usage of the words. I am not a Japanese person (Yay! Gajin!) or an Otaku (which I really wouldn't want to label myself as anyways! It just has a bad connotation to me.) and have only begun my study of the Japanese language and culture. So please review or message me with tips. Arigato Gozaimasu!
Onee-chan/Onee-sama- Big Sister, -sama representing a great respect.
Onii-chan- Big Brother!
NaNoDa- an annoying attribute of Pudding (Purin). She says it ALL OF THE TIME! It has no real meaning that you have to understand. She says it for emphasis. It's just really irritating sometimes, but its her character so I keep it in. She also likes to speak in third person so don't be confused.
Purin/Retasu- Its the Japanese pronunciation on Pudding and Lettuce. It use them because I was always irritated that they just always added Mew in front of their names and this gives them more of a disguise, kind of... I gave up with Ichigo and Minto. Zakuro is going to be Mew Zacro (It sounds exactly the same!) so I can keep Zacross Pure.
Arigato- Thank You
Nashi- its an "Asian Pear" or "Apple Pear", but I feel evil translating it because they are nothing like pears or apples and aren't a hybrid of them. They are REALLY good though. Also, mikans are delicious as well! They are kind of like a tangerine but I can't translate it like that either for the same reasons.
Endymion/Serenity- For all of the American viewers that's Usagi (Serena) and Momoru's (Darien) past names in the Silver Millennium.
Usako/Momo-chan- Again, American viewers, CUTE (Kawaii) and ROMANTIC nicknames that Usagi and Momoru call each other.
Gomen- casual "sorry".
Ki o tsukete- be careful, it can also be used as a casual goodbye.
A Good Place For Disclaimers:
I don't own: Sailor Moon, Tokyo Mew Mew, Tokyo Mew Mew A La Mode, or any other story, game, book that is referenced within this story.
*Waah! I don't own Kishu!* (Who is not going to be appearing here anyways)
Cover Credits:
Eternal Chibi Moon: view/97667
Eternal Sailor Moon Brooch: art/Eternal-Brooch-390667389
by McMugget on deviantart
Eternal Sailor Moon: art/Eternal-Sailor-Moon-Wings-1164573 (Image flipped)
by kakamabee on deviantart
Power Pendant: art/Mew-mew-Pendant-Base-299220601
by NeonVoltage on deviantart!
Mew Ichigo: /tokyomewmewpowerpudding/apps/photos/photo?photoid=152509090
