Confusing Web of Love

Authors Note: Ok this time ended on a cliffhanger. Read to find out.

Disclaimer: I do not own/have any rights to Tokyo Mew Mew the manga, Tokyo Mew Mew A la Mode the manga, Tokyo Mew Mew the show or Mew Mew Power the show. Mia Ikumi and Reiko Yoshida are the makers of the manga, and 4kids has rights to Mew Mew Power. Tokyo Mew Mew is directed by Noriyuki Abe, and the studio is Studio Pierrot.


Chapter 7: Ichigo's Mad Dash Towards Home

That Chimera was soon defeated, as Ichigo stood there, dazed. She felt kind of bad, like she should have helped the mews fight instead of standing there doing nothing. She voiced these thoughts. "Do….do I really need to be here?" she said quietly. "I'm not helping, you guys really are better on without me." She started to walk away. Her emotions were starting to explode, and she felt a little like crying. She was just so confused! Lettuce returned to normal and walked over to Ichigo. "Ichigo-san, please don't leave! I'm sure you'll get the hang of it soon!"

The other mews nodded. The aliens didn't look like they cared too much, or at least didn't say anything, except for Kish who looked worried.. Ryou just kind of stood there. Keiichiro was concentrating hard on the laptop screen, and didn't hear. Ichigo looked at Lettuce, smiling hopefully. "You really think so? I don't want to bother you guys." The other mews de-transformed and nodded. "Ichigo-oneesan used to be the greatest fighter!" Pudding exclaimed with a determined look. "She can't give up!"

Ichigo sighed. "I guess….this is just all so confusing, you know?" Zakuro nodded. "I think the best thing for you right now would be to go home and rest. Ryou, do you agree?" Ryou nodded, though his tone of voice clearly showed he was annoyed. "Yeah, whatever. Just make to show up on time for work tomorrow, eight 'o clock." Ichigo was confused. "Work?" Ryou nodded. "You girls all work at Café Mew Mew, also our secret headquarters." Ichigo was angry now. For some reason, the mention of Café Mew Mew was making her angry.

"Fine!" she shouted, even though she had no idea how to get there. Whatever!" The last one to go back to normal, she de-transformed and stalked away towards home, bright red with anger. "And if I can't find it, it's your fault!" she shouted back at Ryou, though at this point the group had already walked off in search of another Chimera animal.

She looked up at the sky. Wow, she thought, distracted from her rage for a moment. What a beautiful sunset. Wait, sunset? I need to get home! She ran in the direction of her house, when a steady rain started to fall. "Oh, just great!" she said to the air. She tried to pick up the pace but found it hard to see, a fog had accompanied the rain and she could barely see a few feet in front of her.

Soon she had no idea where she was, and was starting to panic. She couldn't see any other people, only speedy cars with windshields going back and forth to shake off the rain. Ichigo reached into her pocket and got out her cell phone, but the second it was exposed to the rain the screen was practically soaked, and the fog was so bad she could barely see the numbers anyway.

She put it away, and could feel her eyes starting to water. She was starting to get really cold, and she had no idea how much time had passed. She wanted to be home. "Need help?" Ichigo squinted. "Ryou?" she said shocked. "Come on, I don't have all day", he muttered. Ichigo nodded. "Well, I guess I can use some help." Ryou started walking.

How does he know how to get to my house? And more importantly, why is helping me? Ichigo thought. The two walked in silence, not that you could hear well in the rain anyway. Ryou quickly led them house by house until everything started to look more familiar. Ichigo, though still freezing in the drenching rain with no jacket, felt a little better and even smiled when they were within sight of her house.

Ryou stopped at her house and crossed his arms. He wasn't wearing a jacket either, and the rain had plastered his blonde hair to his head, but he was obviously trying to act like he didn't care. "Well, here we are." He retorted in his same rude tone. Ichigo, not caring for once, exclaimed, "Thank you!" Ryou shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. Just be on time for work tomorrow, ok?" with that he stalked away.

Ichigo stood for a moment in the rain, watching him walk away. She should be mad at how rude he was being, but somehow she couldn't help but smile. Maybe he wasn't completely a jerk after all. She opened the door and walked in, immediately dripping water on the carpet. "Mom? Dad?" she called.

Immediately Ichigo's mother ran from the kitchen and hugged her daughter. "Ichigo! We were so worried! Where were you? What happened to your clothes?" she ran away to get a towel. Ichigo's dad came up and examined Ichigo like he had at the hospital. "Are you alright? Does your head hurt? Do you want to get back to the hospital?" he asked. Ichigo shook her head. "No dad, I just want to change into some dry clothes." she smiled.

At this moment Ichigo's mother came back with a towel and wrapped it around Ichigo, and sent her upstairs. She told her to go upstairs and change, and to lie down. She said she'd bring Ichigo up some dinner. Ichigo nodded, suddenly feeling exhausted. She forced her feet on the stairs and changed quickly until some pajamas before collapsing into bed and falling right to sleep.

"Ichigo!" Ichigo thrust her eyes open. Her mother held a tray with some food on it. "I'm sorry to wake you, but you really should eat something." Ichigo nodded and took the tray eagerly. Come to think of it, she was kind of hungry. As she started to eat, her mom continued. "Also, if you feel better please come downstairs. You have a visitor." With that she left.

Confused, Ichigo ate quickly and got out of bed. She did feel better but decided to better change if there was company. She didn't want anyone to see her in her pajamas! She walked over to her closet and looked around a little and chose an outfit, than brushed her hair quickly before heading down the stairs.

"Mom? Sorry it took so long I-" she stopped on the middle of the stairs. In the living room a boy with black hair was standing with a worried look. "Ichigo-san?" he asked. Ichigo squinted at him for a while, but still had no idea who he was. "W…Who are you?" she asked back. The boy looked even more worried and said, "I'm…I'm Aoyama."

Authors Note: Ok, there was the cliffhanger.

Next chapter: The Shocking Return