A/N: EXTREMELY LONG CHAPTER! I hope this sorta makes up for taking a little while to update... So...Yeah, I'm sorry if the end is a little confusing...SORRY!
DISCLAIMER: I do Not own Tokyo Mew Mew... [If I did Masaya would have died from the beginning, and Kish would have been with Ichigo the whole time!]
ENJOY!
CHAPTER 3
Ichigo stared at herself in the ceiling to floor mirror a small frown on her face. She was wearing a short black skirt with pink fringe on the bottom and a hot pink shirt with a black suit jacket over it. Her hair was up in a high ponytail with pink flowers on the ponytail holder. The outfit was quite showing in her opinion. Of course she was the most comfortable in these colors, but she found herself conscious of her body.
Suddenly Ryou materialized in front of her. "What are you doing here?" Ichigo demanded glaring at him up at his floating form.
Ryou shrugged carelessly, "just dropping by to see how you like your new uniform," he floated down to the floor and leaned on the vanity behind him, "so, do you like it?" He asked causally putting his hands behind his head.
Ichigo glared at him, "and why would you care?" She turned around hmpf and crossed her arms over her chest, "I doubt you really care." 'He's probably just a pervert.' Ichigo thought to her, 'that would explain a lot.' Something caught in the corner of her eye, and she turned around. She gasped just realizing that Ryou was in his natural Cyniclon form, "why do you look like that?" She asked even more annoyed.
"Maybe because I feel like it," Ryou defended, "you can't really tell me what to do." Ryou grabbed Ichigo's shoulder and turned her around so he was staring directly at her, "you may be the Princess on Cyniclon, but here, you're just a waitress, and I'm the boss"
Ichigo squared her shoulders and looked up, directly into Ryou's eyes, "yes, but I could quit. And then you wouldn't have anyone to fight for you or work for you."
Ryou's shoulders slumped slightly at what she had said then shot back up and he looked down at her with a smirk, "you won't though, because if you don't fight everyone will be enslaved, and everyone will blame you." At this Ichigo sighed and looked out the window again. There is a cold spring rain beating against the windows and roof of the café. 'And yet to think, that just yesterday it was beautiful and sunny out.' Ichigo thought to herself with a sigh. "By the way," Ryou said turning to leave the room, "you were late today. You have to work the hour after closing time."
"But-but I was only five minutes late." Ichigo pleaded trying to make her eyes big and round like a puppy dogs or small cat.
"Yes," Ryou said pretending to think tapping one finger on his chin, "but, you also argued me just now, so, I'm making you stay after an hour." Ichigo glared at him as he walked out the door with his arms behind his head. 'He's just trying to torture the princess!' a small voice in the back of Ichigo's mind said that sounded like her over bearing father. She just brushed it off, bowed her head and made one last cry of protest before following Ryou out. 'Maybe I'll find someone else who can help me fight and work other than Mint and Zakuro; Mint hardly works at all, and Zakuro is still not here, and they expect me to work all the time.'
Letting out one more sigh, Ichigo tried to put on a perky smile, and addressed some customers. "Hello," she said in her most perky voice, "welcome to the Two Brother's Café, how many in your party today?"
The middle girl with long blonde hair sneered at her, "four," she answered and flicked her hair over her shoulder, "and make it quick we don't have all day."
Ichigo fought the urge to glare at the girls and say snide comment, "okay, please follow me." She finally said with a forced smile. She walked one of the back tables and sat down four small menus, "and what would you like to have today?" She asked after they had been seated.
"The three of us want this," said the girl with short brown hair sitting on the left of the blond, she pointed to a name of the desert on the menu, "but I know Lettuce won't want anything. Make a quick!"
"Where is the fourth person of your party? Would you like to wait for them until they arrive?" Ichigo asked looking at the empty spot of the table and wondered if the fourth girl would be just as mean as the others were.
"She's getting us some things. She should be here soon, but like my friend said, she won't have anything." The girl on the left was shoulder length red hair spoke. She grinned to herself, "it was quite mandatory." She looked at the girl the middle, eyes glistened evilly and the middle girl flicked her long blonde hair off her shoulders again snickering quietly under her breath. Ichigo was becoming afraid, the three girls were acting like witch's in an evil lair and talking about their no-good assistant.
Ichigo turned to leave the table as another girl came up to it. "Sorry," said the girl, "I'm sorry I'm late. It was hard to carry all those school books to your houses. And your houses are so far from school and then this new coffee shop is across town. I'm sorry."
"Do it quicker next time. We've been waiting for fifteen minutes!" The girl with the blond hair said. Ichigo instantly felt sorry for the girl who-in Ichigo's opinion was just like a servant.
Ichigo looked at the 'servant'. She had dark blond hair with light blonde highlights, and bright blue eyes behind big round glasses. The girl seemed to recognize her, and gave her a peculiar look. "May I speak with you?" The girl said.
"Sure," Ichigo said hesitantly, "let's go to the back." Ichigo said and walked away from the table taking the order and the girl with her.
As soon as they got to the back door, the strange girl looked at her with awe in her eyes, "your princess Ichigo of Cyniclon right?" she asked. Ichigo nodded cautiously, and looked at her feet for a moment before bringing her guard up.
"Yeah, I am Princess Ichigo. What do you want?" Ichigo asked make your voice taken air of authority.
"I'm so honored to meet you," said the girl who Ichigo guessed was also a Cyniclon, "my name is Lettuce Midorikawa."
"It's nice to meet you," Ichigo said some weakness in her voice, "would you like to meet my boss?" When Lettuce looked at her strangely, Ichigo rephrased it, "he is also Cyniclon, and I think you might be interested in what he has to say."
Lettuce nodded eagerly and Ichigo took her to Ryou's office at the back of the café. Ichigo knocked on the door "Hey Ryou, there's someone here who would like to see you." Ichigo said through the door.
There is a muffled shuffling and a moment later a voice came through the door, "okay I'll be there in a second." Ichigo smiled at herself thinking that Ryou was probably still in his natural form; he would have to change back to looking human like the rest of them had to.
The door opened wide causing Ichigo to jump out of her thoughts, "who wanted to see me?" Ryou asked a hint of annoyance in his voice glaring down at Ichigo.
Ichigo moved out of the way slightly so Ryou could see Lettuce and motioned her to speak, "I-I am Lettuce Midorikawa," she said in a small voice, "I know Ichigo's true identity, it is the Princess of Cyniclon."
Ichigo enjoyed the surprised look on Ryou's face as Lettuce spoke. Ichigo let her serious frown become a small smirk. "How did you know that?" Ryou asked in surprise as he stepped back slightly.
"Because I am also Cyniclon, just like her." she said becoming braver, "whatever you are doing I would like to join your team. I would be honored to work with the Princess."
"Well then," Ryou said, then noticed Ichigo still there, "Ichigo would you please give us a moment."
Ichigo bowed slightly and walked away with a smirk still on her face. As she passed the kitchen Mint noticed her smirk and asked, "What's so funny Ichigo?"
"Oh nothing, just the look on Ryou's face when I introduced him to Lettuce." Ichigo answered still smirking self-satisfied. Mint's eyebrows shot up in the questioning way, Ichigo rolled her eyes and answered, "I believe she will be a new employee."
"Finally I won't have to work so hard." Mint said dryly, it was now Ichigo's turned to raise her eyebrow.
"But you never work mint." Ichigo said with a slight amusement in her voice. It was true, and should go was looking at mint was sitting at a table in a secluded area in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea.
"The only reason I'm not working now," Mint said," is because, it's my tea time. I always have to have my tea time during this time a day, it's, like, a rule."
Ichigo rolled her eyes and began walking away towards the kitchen door with a tray full of glasses for her tables that she waited on. "Will you just try to work?" Ichigo said annoyance in her voice.
"Well, Ryou doesn't work. Why should I?" Mint said exaggerating her point by throwing her arms towards the door going to the back hall where Ryou's office was. Changing the subject, Mint look back at Ichigo and licked her lips slightly a playful glint in her eyes, "he so hot though."
Ichigo stopped suddenly at lightning fast speed and turned her around glaring at Mint, "what did you say? " She asked, "Ryou is not hot. He is the exact opposite of hot; he's a rich snobby bully! He's making me and only me work!" she whined.
"Yes, but you are the best worker here." Mint said through clenched teeth glaring at Ichigo, "and by the way, I also considered rich compared to you, at least on earth. I find someone as vulgar as you very annoying."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Ichigo said sarcastically, fuming at the idea of being called vulgar. With that, she walked out of the kitchen and into the main dining room where her tables were waiting muttering insults to her co-workers and boss.
Later that day, Ryou told everyone that the café would be closing early.
"Everyone I would like you to meet," Ryou said after all the customers had left, "lettuce Midorikawa. And she will be fighting with us against the on-coming threat and helping us work here in the café."
"Finally!" Ichigo said throwing her hands up in the air exasperated, "Praise the Gods!"
Ryou rolled his eyes and looked back at lettuce, "if you go to the changing room which is the third door on the left in the back hallway. You will find your uniform, it will be in one of the lockers, I'm sure the girls will help you find it if you need help. If you have any complaints, don't come and complain to me." Ryou said curtly and lettuce bowed to her new boss.
"Thank you." She said kindly, and turned to the two girls in the room, "I hope I can be an assistance to you in the battles and working here. Though I am very clumsy, I will put in all my effort to help and do the best I can."
"It's an honor to have you," Ichigo said smiling kindly at Lettuce, "please follow us." Mint snorted and followed Lettuce who was, in turn following Ichigo towards the changing room.
"Now we have four people to help us fight." Mint said suddenly as she walked into the changing room after the other two girls. "And I won't have to work so hard in the café."
"Like you worked it all!" Ichigo sneered at her thinking about mints earlier comment about Ichigo being vulgar, "I was the only one doing any of the work, and Zakuro isn't here yet. Where is she anyway?" Ichigo asked suddenly in the middle of putting on her normal shirt.
"She's out of the country for a few weeks doing a Photo-shoot." Mint said proudly, "Someday I'll go with her and help her."
"Really?" Ichigo snorted as she began to straighten out her small back. She stuffed her work uniform into the small locker in front of her and closed it putting on a small pad lock, "I doubt you will ever go out go the country with the Zakuro Fujiwara."
"Whatever, I'm sure everyone in this room has idols they look up to, even you Ichigo." Mint said taking off her blue and gray uniform and folding it neatly into her locker. When she was done, she looked at the two other girls in the room and said, "Now excuse me, I have a ballet performance to go to." She looked at the other two girls, "You two do know what ballet is right?"
Ichigo muttered some things inaudible under her breath and walked to the door, "bye Lettuce," see you tomorrow." She waved to her friend and walked out. Smiling she began her walk to her own house. She sighed contently: other than arguing with mint and Ryou, the day had actually been quiet nice for Ichigo.
"Hi Ichigo," said someone as she passed by a group of people.
"Oh, hey Masaya!" Ichigo said to the tall black-haired boy standing in front of her."What are you doing?" Ichigo asked.
"Just taking a walk to clear my mind," Masaya said smiling down at Ichigo as they walked over to a bench on the side of the side-walk, "what about you?"
"I'm just walking home from my new job." Ichigo said sitting down and sighing.
"Really? Where's your new job? Maybe I can come by sometime." Masaya said putting his hands behind his head and stretching.
"ummm... sure, you can probably come by some time. It's called Two Brothers Cafe.
"Really. That's cool," he thought a few moments then asked, "Hey, you really like animal's right? Do you want to go to that new amusement park with all those animals this Sunday? It's going to be all about endangered animals, you enjoyed it when we went to that exhibit correct?"
Ichigo blushed remembering the last date she had went on with Masaya. She had been so nervous that her pendent that made her look human began to malfunction and he had seen her in her natural form. She told him almost everything about her being unhuman, Ichigo was relived to see that he had excepted it and was actually very interested in the idea. "Yeah, I really like animals, I'd love to go!" she answered trying to keep her ears in human form.
Masaya chuckled and smiled warmly at her, "Weren't you saying last time that your Clan was an animal clan?" This made Ichigo perk up slightly smiling back at Masaya and letting her guard down.
"Hai, the Lynx clan. Though that's just my family name, my tribe is Felidae or feline. Because I have an animal tribe, that's also my special powers; I can control and manipulate animals to my liking. Each tribe has a different special power of five different 'elements'; animals, plants, weather, healing, and music and/or non-living things. But there are many more than just five tribes."
"That's really cool, can you tell me about your powers and weapons again?" Masaya asked Ichigo intrigued by her race very much.
"uh, sure I guess." Ichigo said hesitantly, "For fighting we all have our own family heir-looms that we fight with, I have a pair of sais that I can summon by saying the words 'Black Lynx Swords'." As Ichigo said this two swords appeared in her hands, the handles where mainly black with a small pink heart just before the blade started. Ichigo put the swords away and continued talking, "Most elements will have simulare weapons, so someone who has the element weather will have something like a fan, and someone who has the element music who have something alone the lies of an arrow.
"My sais can create large energy blasts and help me control animals better. All the weapons will help control the users powers, just like the jewels we wear. My jewel is a pink topaz necklace, when I take it off or press it with my for finger and thumb I go back to my normal state. Some people will where rings or bracelets instead of necklaces too, each in a specific color."
"that is so amazing!" Masaya said smiling at Ichigo, "you've all been living right under our noses and us humans didn't even realize it. About how many Cyniclons do you think live on earth?" He asked in wonderment.
"Full blood Cyniclons?" Ichigo thought a moment looking back in her mind, reading endless amounts of textbooks apparently did pay off a little, "A little less than half our race so, about a million at the most."
"Wow," Masaya said amazed, then jumping back to reality he stood up, "So I'll see you around three Saturday?" he asked Ichigo looking down at her.
"Uh, s-sure!" Ichigo said standing up as well and looking up at the love of her life. She smiled a little more and blush harder when Masaya kissed her hand (A/N: yeah, he was weird and kinda creepy like that) and smiled one more time before walking away.
A/N: Okay, so kinda a weird Chapter... To tell you the truth, I seriously did NOT want to put that stupid part about Masaya, but it kinda goes alone with the whole plot and stuff... So... Yes, you will find that I changed Ichigo's animal, but, I am WAY more familiar with Lynx then Iriomote wildcat (whatever that is) I also sort of stole Kish's weapons for Ichigo's (a heart is just WAY to girlish for me even to write about)... Again, Sorry if it was confusing... Till next time!