"You missed a spot, koneko-chan!"
Ichigo grumbled and angrily put the mop back down on the floor, sending water droplets and bubbled flying everywhere.
Kisshu was sat sideways on the chair and leaning backwards. Only they were in the room and every so often he would tease her cleaning.
She paused and stared at him. "Kisshu, have you got nothing better to do than to just sit there and shout at me?"
"I think Pai has made it perfectly clear that I'm not wanted downstairs."
Ichigo muttered under her breath. "I wonder why…"
Ryou, Keiichiro and Pai were currently in the basement discussing satellites, aliens and technical ways to repair the ship… basically boring things. Kish had
been so bored down there he'd been sent out by Pai for commenting once too often and now was finding amusement in annoying Ichigo.
"And I'm not too keen on joining the others." He went through what annoyed him most about everyone in the café. "The birdbrain's too snobby; the
porpoise is too shy, the monkey's too hyperactive even for a child, wolf-girl is a bit of a loner…"
Ichigo sighed. How long would it take for them to leave? Why did she have to work with him?
She put her mop in the bucket and leaned on a table. "Kisshu, did you come to Earth to help or just to annoy me?"
Kish stopped going through the people and shrugged. "You may be surprised to find that I didn't come to Earth just for you, Ichigo."
Great, she wished she hadn't asked now. His shiny, golden eyes were staring right into her.
"I came here because even though I despise humans, I know that some of you are decent. You being here was just a plus!"
"Some of us are decent? This is not the Kisshu I know!" she said, reminded of the many times he'd tried to destroy them.
"That was when I was Deep Blue's servant." Kisshu twisted to sit properly in his chair and then sighed.
Suddenly Ichigo felt sad. She remembered how Deep Blue treated the people who worked for him. She remembered when Kish had tried to protect her and
had ended up being killed by his leader. She remembered holding Kisshu when he died. Ichigo looked at the alien opposite her and noticed the huge scar on
his skin that Blue had made.
No! Oh no! Was that… was that a tear forming in her eye? When she was sure Kish wasn't looking she wiped it away. He always had a thing about her
crying.
"Momomiya-san!"
Ichigo looked at the entrance to the café and saw Masaya standing there.
"Is the café shut?"
Instantly she cheered up and went over to him. "Aoyama-kun!"
Masaya went to hug her but then saw Kisshu sat at a table. "You! Alien!" He backed away in fear. Kisshu smirked. He'd tried to kill Masaya how many times
now? "Relax, Romeo. I come in peace." He laughed at his little joke and put his feet up on the table.
"Aoyama-kun, it's okay!" Ichigo reassured him. "It's okay," She led him away from the tables so they could speak together.
Once he'd gotten over the alien – and once Kish decided it wasn't worth talking to him anymore – Aoyama smiled at her.
Ichigo smiled back. How was it that from sad memories she went to happy ones? She was reminded of how unbelievably delighted she always was to see
his smile again! How relieved she felt that after what happened 3 months ago she could still see Aoyama-kun's smile!
"So, Ichigo-san," he began.
"Yes!" she said excitedly.
"I wondered if you would like to come with me to a new park tomorrow."
She tilted her head slightly. "New park?"
"Well after all the cleaning up and environmental work I've been helping out with, this place is now doing brilliantly, you'd hardly ever guess it was once
polluted!" he showed her a picture that included a wide, clean, shining lake and the usual park benches and trees, flowers, healthy grass and foliage…
Ichigo looked at it with interest and nodded. "Of course! I'd love to! What time?"
Masaya was pleased she'd said yes, Ichigo could tell by the look on his face. "How about 13:00? That way we'll have a full day."
Nodding again, she made a mental note of it: Saturday at 1 o' clock, got it! "I'm looking forward to it already!"
()()
(0.0)
0(")(")
"There simply isn't one!" Keiichiro said in frustration.
"Damn it!" Ryou muttered.
Pai shook his head. "They must have reached Earth by now; they left about the same time as us. I just wish the journey wasn't so long."
Ryou nodded. "They've had time to prepare…"
Whilst they scanned the images of Earth the computer started bleeping.
"Huh?" Tart said. "What's that?"
Keiichiro took away the images. "That's…"
A map of Tokyo appeared and centred on a place in the city. There was a pulsating red dot.
Pai recognised it instantly. "Chimera anima!"
Ryou headed towards the staircase. "Where are the girls?"
"Kitchen, last time I checked."
()()
(0.0)
0(")(")
When Ryou made it out of the basement, Ichigo and Masaya were still busy chatting and laughing and Kisshu was busy rolling his eyes everytime Ichigo
made a girly giggle at her boyfriend.
"Ichigo!" he yelled. When she heard him she obviously wasn't pleased. "City centre! We've got a Chimera Anima!"
"What?"
Kish slouched down further in the chair. "I'm afraid we're going to have to drag you away from your date, kitten."
He was responded with a fierce glare.
"We don't have time for this!" Ryou snapped. "Keiichiro!"
The others who had been in the basement appeared in the café.
"Yes?"
"Go fetch the other girls; we need to get there as fast as possible."
Whilst he was busy, Masaya grabbed Ichigo and turned her to look him in the eye. "Momomiya-san, what's going on?"
"Ummm," she wasn't quite sure how to say this. She also wasn't aware of what was going on around her. The girls appeared in the room.
"Ichigo! We have to hurry!"
"Tokyo Mew Mew!" Ryou told them. "Sortie!"
She moved away from Aoyama. That was it… She couldn't stop it.
"MEW MEW STRAWBERRY!"
"MEW MEW MINT!"
"MEW MEW LETTUCE!"
"MEW MEW PUDDING!"
"MEW MEW ZAKURO!"
"METAMORPHO-SIS!"
"I'm sorry, Aoyama-kun!"
Ichigo made her apologies. Fully transformed, she needed to go, but Masaya was holding her back. "ICHIGO! You're a Mew Mew again aren't you? A MEW
MEW!" he yelled.
"Aoyama-kun?"
He had a hold of her arm and was staring at her furiously. "THIS POWER SHOULD HAVE GONE! THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS! YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME!"
She felt a tear come to her eye. "No! Aoyama-kun! Please!"
He was about to have a go at her some more, when Keiichiro came over. "Masaya, she has to do this for the future of the Earth."
Masaya's usual calm face turned to shame and he let go of his grip. "You're right. I'm sorry, Ichigo. Just go."
No! Now she felt bad! He looked so- so ashamed and disappointed at the same time. But she had to go. With a groan, she went out with her friends.
