Ichigo turned off the tap in her personal bathtub as she closed her eyes. Aoyama-Kun's birthday is drawing nearer and nearer, Ichigo thought in her mind. What should I give him? Chocolate? No...that's what I gave him for Valentine's Day, and I need it to be special than ever... "ICHIGO!" A loud voice woke Ichigo up from her thoughts. "Mmph?" Ichigo muttered, grabbing her towel. "Ichigo, come down for dinner!" Her mom's familiar voice said. "Alright!" Ichigo called, annoyed her mom had to interrupt her important thoughts. As Ichigo got dressed, she ran as quickly as she could down the stairs. Dinner looked delicious-a bowl of noodles, and a slightly sweet smell covered the air as Ichigo's mom set down a gigantic bowl of chinese soup on the table. "Ichigo, you're late! What a long bath you took!" she exclaimed. "I'll say," Ichigo's dad replied. "Must be thinking about that Masaya again..." Ichigo's face turned as red as a strawberry, possibly redder, and her eyes twinkled as she stared at her parents, a hopeful thought coming to mind.
"Um...Mom, Dad, do you have anything I can give you Aoyama-Kun for his birthday?" Ichigo said hopefully, her fingers mounting on top of each other like a finger-puzzle. "Aoyama's birthday, you say?" Ichigo's dad asked. "You can give him chocolate, of course." "But I gave him that for Valentines Day, and anyways, I need something that is better!" Ichigo replied, slurping down her noodles and finishing the soup. "Maybe a card?" Ichigo's mom suggested. "Mom, a card isn't that special," Ichigo sighed. "I guess I have to think of something by myself since you won't help." "Well, enjoy thinking about it," her dad replied. "See you later." Ichigo scowled at her parents, as she thumped upstairs and shut her room door with a loud bang. "For goodness sakes, does she have to be so touchy about that topic?" Ichigo's dad said as soon as she was out of sight. "Well, it depends darling." Ichigo's mom said. "Let her think what she wants to give Aoyama-Kun instead of our suggestions."
Well, Aoyama-Kun loves food, but chocolate is too old for him...I just gave him that last week for Valentines Day! Ichigo's mind filled with thoughts of what to give Aoyama-Kun for his birthday again. I know! Cake! Doesn't everybody give cakes to their loved ones on their birthdays? I bet Aoyama-Kun will like this one! Ichigo was thankful she thought of something, and she flipped pages of cake books. At Cafe Mew Mew tomorrow, I can probably ask Akasaka-San to help me make a cake, Ichigo thought happily. She flicked the light switch off and closed her eyes, smiling at the thought of making Aoyama-Kun a cake.
The very next morning, Ichigo was late for school again. "Argh! I can't believe my alarm clock is broken again! How am I going to get to school on time!" Ichigo exclaimed. "Ouch! Where's my hairbrush! OUCH! I just tripped over-BANG-my dresser! Oh no, where's my school uniform! AH-ARGH!" she screamed as she fell headfirst into the closet, making all of her clothes drop of their hangers. She's stressed out, just like always, Kisshu thought, hovering a little above her window and peering in. What was that noise? Ichigo thought, her heart beating faster and faster. She opened the closet door and looked everywhere in her room, finally turning to the window, but Kisshu and vanished just in time. Just my imagination, Ichigo said, unsure. Thank the lord that my cat ears and tail didn't pop out.
Humming as she walked to school, Ichigo was nearly certain she wasn't late, but she looked down at her wristwatch and noticed it was already 9:00-an hour after school starts! "Oh no! I'll never get to school in time at this rate!" Ichigo scowled. Then she took a deep breath and started running the highest speed she could. Reaching the school gate, she opened the gate and walked inside, breathing heavily. Oh no, it's 12:00 now. It's recess! The teacher probably wants me to stay inside and catch up on the work I missed! Ichigo's thoughts were working its way up again. "Ichigo!" Aoyama's familiar voice called. Turning around, Ichigo stared into those kind eyes of his. "The teacher told me to tell you as soon as possible that she wants you in to complete a math test you missed this morning." Aoyama said, smiling. "I'm sure you'll do well, good luck!" "Math...Test?" Ichigo felt like her insides were exploding. No, not today! I don't wanna have to do a math test today! Oh no! It looked like her thoughts showed on her face, because Aoyama asked if anything was wrong. "No, no," Ichigo said quietly, half-laughing. "Alright, then, I'll go back to the soccer game, bye Ichigo!" Aoyama said, sounding strangely happy. "The soccer game is nearly to an end, our team is winning."
Walking into the school, Ichigo's face turned slightly blue at the thought of the math test. "Miss Ichigo, what do you think you are going to do with being late everyday!?" Ichigo's teacher said, scowling angrily at Ichigo. "To make up for the things you missed this morning, I expect you to hand in this test with an A score. You may start." "A...score...?" Ichigo asked, nearly fainting. "Is there a problem, Miss Ichigo?" "No, no, no, no. I'm just a little nervous that's all." Ichigo replied. She was obviously more than a little nervous, but telling her teacher wouldn't help any either. After the school day ended, Ichigo walking to Cafe Mew Mew as tired as ever (like always), but the thought of Aoyama's cake made her spirits go higher. As she walked into Cafe Mew Mew, Shirogane was standing at the door. "Go do the chores, and at Table 17 they need their strawberry beverage. Do Pudding's and Lettuce's table too, table 18 and 19. Both tables need a set of cakes and pudding. Start now." Shirogane said, as he walked away, down to the basement. "Hmph, I was going to be busy!" Ichigo exclaimed loudly as the customers turned to look at her. Ah well, I can fix the cake later...Akasaka-San will probably be researching about the aliens right now so later is a better time anyway... "Your punishment for being late." Shirogane replied, sticking out his tongue at Ichigo. Hmph! Ichigo yelled in her mind.
As Ichigo finished all the chores, she wiped her forehead with a handkerchief and walked up to Akasaka-San. "Akasaka-San, can you teach me how to make a cake?" Ichigo asked, her eyes twinkling brightly again. "Of course I can." Akasaka-San said, smiling warmly. Ichigo followed Akasaka-San into the cakeroom, and Akasaka-San pointed at a cake recipe book. "You can choose your choice of cakes in the cookbook, but follow the recipe book EXACTLY as it is written, otherwise it might turn out as the mistake chocolate you did for Valentines Day." Ichigo nodded, flipping through the cakebook as quietly as she could, as she found a recipe for a Strawberry-Vanilla Ice Cream cake. "Mmmm, this looks yummy!" Ichigo said, pointing at the cake. I'll make sure this is perfect, I'm not going to wrongly follow the directions like last time for the Valentines chocolate. Ichigo worked, making sure she did everything right in the cookbook, and when she was done, the cake looked great! "Akasaka-San, I'm done!" Ichigo called. "I think you did everything right, it looks good!" Akasaka-San replied,walking into the room. "Now, you should choose a wrapping and ribbon for the packaging of this cake." Ichigo chose a clear blue color for the wrapping and a pink ribbon. Akasaka-San wrapped it and tied the ribbon for her, and in the end it looked great. :)
Ichigo dialed Aoyama's number on her cellphone, waiting for Aoyama to pick up. "Hello?" Aoyama-Kun's voice entered the phone. "Hey Aoyama-Kun, do you mind if we meet tomorrow at the park?" Ichigo answered, playing with her fingers like before when she was nervous. "Of course! Same place, I'll meet you then. Byebye!" Aoyama replied. "Byebye!" Ichigo's smile never left her face then. What could possibly go wrong on a date with Aoyama-Kun? Reading her thoughts, Kisshu was hovering behind her, stalking her, reading her thoughts. I'll make sure something will go wrong on your date, Ichigo! Kisshu said in his mind, accidentally cackling loudly as Ichigo whipped around, but Kisshu had vanished again. Who keeps following me..I know that voice from somewhere, but where...?
The next day, Aoyama-Kun was waiting at the park for Ichigo. As Ichigo ran, meeting him, she smiled. "Hello Ichigo!" Aoyama said kindly. Kisshu was hovering just a little above the park. After they finish their conversation, I'll let Ichigo and him a few moment of silence before I take his soul out and make the ultimate Chimera Animal, he thought. It's a perfect plan. Nothing can possibly go wrong! Quietly giggling, Kisshu vanished, then appeared exactly where Ichigo and Aoyama were. "Kisshu! What are you doing here?" "I've come to take his soul out for the ultimate chimera animal." Kisshu replied to Ichigo's comment. A light flashed from Kisshu's hand to Aoyama, but his soul was stable-it wouldn't seem to come out. There must be a way to get his soul out! Kisshu thought, annoyed. Hey, while Aoyama is under control by the spirit spell, if his soul can't come out I can bring Ichigo back to my planet and make her mine! His face brightened just thinking about it. "AOYAMA-KUN!" Ichigo screamed, rushing towards Aoyama, but before reaching him Kisshu grabbed her hand and vanished, bringing Ichigo with him.
"ICHIGO!" Aoyama yelled, but she was gone. That darn alien! Taking Ichigo and not warning her! But from the sky a package fell down to Aoyama's hands. On the ribbon, it wrote To Aoyama, Happy Birthday! From Ichigo in her fancy handwriting. Tears fell from Aoyama's eyes as he opened it. It was cake! Thank you Ichigo. Aoyama said in his mind. I will get you back from that alien no matter what! He went back to his house to put the cake in his storage as he transformed into the Blue Knight.
In Kisshu's planet, Pai and Taruto were there waiting. "Well, Kisshu, what have you discovered?" Pai asked impatiently. "I've learned that without Mew Ichigo, the others can't possibly transform unless some kind of aura was found through the air, which is most unlikely." Kisshu replied. "Eh, and what are you going to do with this Mew? Make her yours?" Taruto said, sounding disgusted at the thought of Ichigo living in their planet. "Exactly what I'm going to do," Kisshu said happily. "The wedding will be tomorrow, and I want you and Pai to be there at 7:00 PM." Ichigo was screaming out loud now instead of in her head. "Kisshu or Kiss-you, I don't care! I'll never be yours! The one I love is Aoyama-Kun!" Kisshu turned red. "Heh, rejected by a girl," Taruto giggled. "Shut up!" Kisshu told him, as he taped Ichigo's mouth so she couldn't talk. "Mmmmm...mmmm!" Ichigo managed to say, struggling to pull off the tape as Kisshu tied her to a wooden pole. If Ichigo is in our planet, she can easily transform, allowing the other Mew Mews to transform along with Ichigo's new-found aura, and they will find her...maybe even attack our only planet that is now at risk! Pai thought. He had to find to way to communicate this information to Kisshu and Taruto, but someone had to guard Ichigo or she would likely transform! "Kisshu, I need to talk to you," Pai said, grabbing Kisshu and vanishing. Pai communicated everything he thought to Kisshu, whose face turned a lighter color as if he was afraid of something. Soon, Kisshu spoke. "No matter what you say, Pai, I will make her mine. I will communicate this information to Taruto at once." Without a word, he vanished, Pai following right behind him.
"No way!" Taruto answered. "This is the only planet we got, it can't be destroyed!" Kisshu whispered quietly so only Pai and Taruto could hear him, the plan he had thought of. "Ichigo can transform, yes, but she is useless without her Strawberry Bell. She cannot attack, so the power of her aura will not be carried to any other Mew Mews, allowing us a greater advantage. We should steal the Strawberry Bell, then everything would be as perfected as possible." 'Yes, we should do it now," Pai answered, thinking over Kisshu's plan. "If we fail, our planet is at stake. Kisshu, create a Chimera Animal from Earth now. Taruto, enter earth and attack the other Mew Mews so they cannot hear or detect any sign of Ichigo's aura, or anything else. I will be researching the matter." Kisshu and Taruto nodded, both vanishing as Pai watched them go, then headed to research where the other Mew Mews were, and to view how Taruto was doing with attacking the Mew Mews.
"So, where's Ichigo?" Shirogane asked, sounding very worried. "I'm researching the matter." Akasaka-San replied. "I detected a sign of Ichigo-san in the alien's territory. And from Aoyama's information he gave us, Ichigo was captured by Kisshu, and apparently, Taruto will be coming to attack the Mew Mews to distract them from rescuing Ichigo-san." "Then we should split up. The stronger half of us should go rescue Ichigo. The weaker half should stay and fight the Chimera Animal." Zakuro said at once. "We should be able to contact Aoyama by his cellphone, and he can also help us fight the Chimera Animal. With his sword, we should be finished in exactly a minute, so we can use the Mew Mew Power Extension to reach Ichigo and the others." Lettuce offered to call Aoyama, which Zakuro accepted. Soon Aoyama-Kun came running and opened the door of Cafe Mew Mew, panting. "Aoyama-Kun, you arrived!" Pudding exclaimed, and explained the plan to Aoyama. "Okay, I got it." Aoyama replied, still panting. "Zakuro and Lettuce, go to find Ichigo. Mint, you aren't weak, but if the Chimera Animal Taruto is going to make is extremely large, the Pudding Ring and Mint Echo will combine and attack the Chimera Animal quickly." Shirogane shouted. "Tokyo Mew Mew, GO!"
Zakuro and Lettuce soon discovered a marking of where Ichigo was last seen, and from there, they sensed the aura and used the Mew Mew Power Extension to arrive at the aliens' planet. With a blast, Zakuro did her Zakuro Spear to help Ichigo get off the tape and ropes tied to the pole. "Thanks guys!" Ichigo exclaimed. "What the!?" Pai exclaimed as he heard the loud bang. Seeing Lettuce and Zakuro there, he realized that Kisshu's plan had gone wrongly the whole time. "Fuu Rai Sen!" Pai said, pointing his weapon at Ichigo, Lettuce and Zakuro. "Lettuce!" Zakuro called. "Yes! Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" Lettuce screamed. "Ribbon Zakuro Spear!" Zakuro added to Lettuce's attack. "Now Mew Ichigo!" "Strawberry Bell!" Ichigo yelled, pulling her weapon from her tail. "Ribbon...Strawberry Surprise!" Pai was blasted by it, but he still hadn't given up. Taruto and Kisshu were just beginning their Chimera Animal, not even finding a soul yet, when they heard Pai's aura, and vanished, but before that, Taruto ordered some eggplants to go after the Mew Mews.
Kisshu and Taruto appeared beside Pai. "FUSION!" Kisshu helped Pai by sending the strikes of yellow thunder at the Mews, who dodged it. Back on Earth, the eggplants soon reached Mint, Aoyama and Pudding. "Argh! How gross!" Mint exclaimed. "Pudding, I think you can start the Pudding Ring now. After I'll add the Mint Echo, which could freeze the eggplants and Aoyama could destroy them then." "RIBBON...PUDDING RING INFERNO!" Pudding yelled, taking her Pudding Ring and attacking. "RIBBON...MINT ECHO!" Mint added. After the eggplants froze, Aoyama attacked them with his sword-soon all of them were banished into normal and un-moving eggplants. "We should get to Ichigo now!" Aoyama told the Mew Mews. "We can use the Mew Mew Power Extension, but how will you get there?" Mint asked uncertainly. "I'm sure that I can transport too, as long as I am holding onto one Mew Mew using the Extension," Aoyama replied. "Let's go!"
"Pudding, hold on to Aoyama," Mint said. "Let's go! Mew Mew Power Extension!" Quick as light, they appeared on the planet known to be the earthland for the aliens. They saw that Pai, Kisshu and Taruto were attacking the other Mews all at once, and determined to help, the Mew Mews attacked. "Aoyama-Kun! Pudding! Mint!" Ichigo sounded happy. "No time for greetings!" Zakuro screamed. "Attack, everyone, NOW!" "RIBBON...LETTUCE RUSH!" "RIBBON...MINT ECHO!" "RIBBON...PUDDING RING!" "RIBBON...ZAKURO SPEAR!" "Ichigo, now!" Zakuro yelled. "Strawberry Bell! Ribbon...Strawberry...SURPRISE!" The attacks were powerful and worked against Pai, Kisshu and Taruto-and soon they were gone, possibly never returning to Earth again. "MEW MEW POWER EXTENSION!" Zakuro started, as they all vanished back to Earth, Aoyama holding on to Pudding like Zakuro said. Damn it! I was so close to making her mine...and my plan uncoiled and proved to be wrong, the Mew Mews arrived and attacked...how come nothing ever goes right!? Kisshu thought, punching his fist down, glaring at Pai as though it was all his fault.