A/N: Heh! Thank you all my readers and reviewers. Sorry for the long update. Well I do understand that the story is a little on the plain side but you have to realize that it's just the first chapter. I'm working on getting this a little bit better. Anyways, onto the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.
Silence accumulated the study room but was stopped as Masaya let out another long sigh. He swiped his hand over his face; tiny beads of sweat smearing over his forehead and cheeks. Angrily, he clenched his fist and leaned back in his chair. The sting of that slap still lingered on his hand and every second he would want to yell in frustration. But he contained himself, beating himself up silently in his head.
"Great way to end a fight." He would comment, "That slap would fix everything. All Ichigo wanted was to see her family."
There was a knock at his door and Masaya quickly glanced over, "Ichigo?" he asked.
"Um no sir." A maid pushed open the door, nervously.
"Oh, I am sorry maid. But I do wish to be alone." Masaya sighed.
"I'm sorry Prince Masaya but I've some terrible news." The maid said shakily.
Masaya stood up, "What is it?"
"It's, uh the Princess."
"What about her?" Masaya became concerned and grasped the maid's shoulders.
"She's locked herself in her bedroom and no one can seem to get her out. But the worst part is, it sounds like there is no sign of life inside. There is no sound of moment or anything." The maid shook her head.
Masaya released the maid and rushed out of his study. The maid blushed and rubbed her hand over her shoulder, where Masaya had held her, "That Princess sure is lucky to have such a wonderful husband." She thought as she left Masaya's study.
Ichigo glanced up at the gray castle. If she squinted she could see where Mint was standing, still watching her as she left. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and began walking down the side of the mountain to the town. Hopefully there she could find someone who would direct her towards her kingdom.
The breeze blew Mints hair to the side of her face. She crossed her arms, a frown spread across her face. For a second she regretted what she had done but that feeling left. "As soon as they realize she's gone they'll be after her and she'll be back in this castle like before." Mint thought as she watched the red haired girl run down the side of the mountain.
Mint remembered Ichigo telling her, her terrible story of missing her family and then the fight with Masaya. Tears streamed down Ichigo's face nonstop while she sobbed out each and every word. Mint couldn't believe Masaya would even consider harming Ichigo. She gave sympathy to her friend, telling her she knew a way to help her.
They locked Ichigo's bedroom door and packed a few essentials. Mint showed Ichigo a secret door under the dresser for when they were under attack. The door hid stairs that led to another door on the outside of the castle, where no guards could see. More stairs aligned that part of the castle, which led to the side of the mountain. From there Ichigo was free to find her way back to her kingdom. With a last bow and hug Ichigo was gone, leaving Mint to stand and watch her.
If the Masaya or the King were to find out how Ichigo escaped, it would be the dungeon for Mint. Mint shuddered at the thought and blushed when she imagined Masaya scolding her. "Maybe this was a bad idea." Mint thought turning back the stairs door.
Ichigo smiled at the people in the town. They seemed so carefree and happy. A little kid laughed and chased after a chicken, his friends laughing and following close behind. This amused Ichigo and she grinned happily not paying attention to where she was walking. That's when she slammed right into someone or more someone slammed right into her.
It took Ichigo a second to realize what had happened. Her bottom hurt and the feeling of rough rocks on the floor scraped under her hands. The hood of her cloak had fallen to her shoulders and she quickly pulled it back over her head.
"Gah! Oh my stars! I'm so sorry!" A little man stood up and apologized in a high pitch voice. He was extremely short and probably reached Ichigo's hip. He had a long blond beard that dragged on the floor.
"Uh, no it was my fault." Ichigo was surprised she could even been knocked over by someone so short.
"Oops!" The little man coughed when he looked over at the boys chasing the chicken. "Uh, I mean, watch where you're going you old toad!" The man growled in a hoarse voice. The little boys began laughing.
"Excuse me?" Ichigo was quite surprised.
"You heard me, you ghastly woman! Watch where you're dragging your large, monstrous feet." The man shook his fist.
"Oh give it up, Pudding!" One of the little boys shouted to the man.
"Yeah, you'll never be a boy!" Another laughed.
"Besides boy's don't have long beards, old men do. Now go knit with the other girls." A larger boy rolled his eyes.
"Shut up, Shunichi!" The man hissed.
"C'mon, lets go get that chicken." And the boys left, chasing after the poor hen.
The little man pulled off the beard and dropped it on the floor, revealing a small girl. She rubbed her eyes and began to sulk away. Ichigo frowned and walked after the blond girl.
"Hey are you okay?" Ichigo asked when the girl ran down an alley way between two shops.
"I'm fine!" The girl sniffled and slumped next to the wall.
"Why did you want to play with those boys?" Ichigo asked, slumping on the wall next to the girl.
"Well who wouldn't?" The girl snarled, "I mean, who wouldn't want to go on adventures in the Forbidden Forest or, knock on the old witch's door in Leaky Swap and run before she could answer, or catch fairies, or chase chickens?"
Ichigo lowered her eyes and grinned. Where had she heard that before? Actually where hadn't she heard that before? What young boy never said stuff like that? Ever since she was little there have been boys telling her that she couldn't play because they were going on super dangerous adventures.
"Well the forbidden forest has loads of oversized spiders, have you ever seen them come back with spider bites?" asked Ichigo while she crossed her arms.
"No." The girl eyed Ichigo.
"Well have they ever come back soaking wet from Leaky Swamp? Everybody gets wet if they go in that swamp!" Ichigo fiddled with her thumbs.
"Nope." The girl rocked on her heels.
"And have they ever came back with fairies?" Ichigo smiled.
"No!" The girl smiled as well.
"Well then how do you know that stuff happened?"
"I don't." She shook her head, blond strands hitting her cheeks.
"Then none of it happened, well besides chasing the chicken part." Ichigo patted the girl's head.
"Wow! I guess you're right." She said astonished.
"So what is your name?" Ichigo asked.
"I'm Pudding." Pudding smiled, "Who are you?"
"Ichigo." Ichigo answered.
"Wow, you have the same name as that princess locked up in our King's castle." Pudding began to trot out of the alleyway.
"I guess I do." Ichigo had almost forgotten about the villagers knowing about her.
"Hey, come to my house. I'm selling magic things for cheap today." Pudding skipped off to a small tent aligned next to the shops.
"Actually Pudding, I need a map." Ichigo said as she entered the tent, pushing the door flap away. "Wow!" Ichigo gazed around the room. Jars and vials filled with colored smoke or water were placed around the room on small shelves. She walked next to a counter with a cat sitting on it. Ichigo glanced at the cat and it magically turned into a rat.
Ichigo shrieked in terror and backed away into a cupboard filled with more jars and vials. They rattled at the movement and Ichigo froze in her place.
"Pudding!" She shrieked.
"Yeah?" Pudding replied as she crawled out from beneath a table.
"What is that thing?" she pointed at the rat that then turned into an owl.
"Oh, don't mind Hisa. He does that when he sees new animals. He likes to imitate them." Pudding ran her hand over the owl that then turned into a small silvery dragon. The dragon looked up at Ichigo with its silver eyes and a flash ran over them, sending shivers down her spine.
"Now what did you need a map too?" Pudding asked walking to a container full of rolled up scrolls.
"Uh, I need a map to the Kingdom of Krystic." Ichigo glanced nervously at the small dragon again. She was glad it wasn't a full sized dragon; just a dwarf one, about the size of a large eagle.
"Whoa! That's really far." Pudding remarked as she pulled out scroll after scroll, "Why are you going way down over there?"
"To see some family." Ichigo replied as she dug through her small bag that dangled on a belt around her waist. She pulled out a few gold coins and jingled them in her hand.
The dragon looked up and took notice to the sound. It stared at Ichigo, almost entranced in the sound. Pudding pulled out another scroll and grinned, knowing that was the one. Then she dropped it when she heard Ichigo screaming again.
"What is it?" Pudding yelled as she looked up. The flapping sound made Pudding gasp and she immediately pulled a potion out of her pocket. The dragon flapped its wings vigorously, flying above Ichigo's head. With its sharp talons, it ripped the hood of Ichigo's cloak from her head and it fell her shoulders.
Pudding opened the jar and green smoke filled the room. She then ran to a window and opened it, letting the green smoke out. As the room slowly cleared, Ichigo coughed waving the smoke away from her face.
"What happened?" Ichigo asked, pulling her hood back over her head.
"Oh, that was a potion for Hisa. He only flies when something really interest him and the smoke caused him to fall asleep." Pudding picked up the snoring dragon and set it in a cage, "Here's you map." Pudding held out the scroll. Ichigo took it and opened it. She read over some of the cities and frowned. Pudding was right when she said that the Kingdom was far. It would take forever for Ichigo to get there on foot. But she had no choice and handed Pudding the gold coins as she left the tent.
"Where do you live? We can play together sometime." Pudding smiled.
"I, uh, live up on a mountain…somewhere else." Ichigo said looking around nervously.
"Oh? What mountain?" Pudding asked again but something caught her attention poking out from beneath Ichigo's cloak hood. A bright blue gem dangled by her forehead and Pudding stared at it for a moment, ignoring Ichigo's explanation on where she lived.
"Whoa." Pudding mumbled.
"What?" Ichigo asked.
"What is that thing?" Pudding asked pointing.
Ichigo became uncomfortable and looked around, "What thing?"
"That!" Pudding pointed at Ichigo's head.
"Uh, my cloak?" Ichigo backed away.
"No under it." Pudding stepped closer.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Well it was nice meeting you. Bye!" And with that Ichigo began hurrying away towards the Forbidden Forest. Pudding narrowed her eyes and ran back inside the tent.
"C'mon Hisa!" she whispered waking up the dragon. "She wont get away that easy."
…To be continued…
A/N: Seriously crappy chapter but I'm taking too long to update and I have no other ideas. Sorry everyone if I let you down a little. Anyways, I'll try to have the next chapter up soon. Not much else to say except sorry for the long wait. Well please read and review. Until the next chapter-KTHM
Shunichi: Son of Shin
Hisa: Long lasting
(I forget if there was more! Oh and PS if people are still reading this part, the kingdom where Ichigo used to live it pronounced 'Kri-steek'. Don't ask how I came up with it.)