Chapter 11: Farewell.
Ichigo's pov.
The light stun behind my closed eyelids. Ugh, did I forget to shut the curtains before I went to bed? But I felt so tired, my body practically screamed to continue sleeping. I suddenly felt a soft hand gently stroking my cheek. It felt good. I felt my mouth twitch upward in a smile as I turned my body to a more comfortable position. God, no wonder my body hurt this much, my bed feels like it's made of rock. And why the heck can I hear voices? Am I turning crazy? Or just dreaming?
"Is she still asleep?"
"Aw, she looks so cute…"
"But she has to wake up eventually, you know."
"No problemo, just need a stick and she'll wake up instantly, na no da!"
"Pudding, you have one wicked mind".
"I know another way to wake her up."
I suddenly felt fingers holding my nose, and a palm covering my mouth. My eyes cracked open as I felt the huge urge to…BREATHE! I jerked my body up, and instantly saw all my friends smiling at me like angels. God, did it look wrong. I took deep breaths and was relieved to feel my lungs breathing in oxygen.
"What the hell is wrong with all of you?"
"Ichigo! We did it, na no da!" Pudding exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around my neck in a tight embrace.
"What do you mean?"
My blue haired, tea-loving friend was the one to answer me. She pointed at the place we fought against the Chimera to see it…empty. Only a large amount of houses nearby was destroyed and the place where it had exploded was now one big crater in the ground. Around the streets, you could see a few people dancing with joy and happiness. I smiled as well as I breathed out in exhaust.
"It's finally over."
I looked down to see my mew outfit once again…gone. This time I didn't feel sad but quite happy. Because I now knew that I wouldn't need it as our greatest threat was now gone as well. Once and for all.
Normal pov.
Although it was quite warm, a cold breeze blew which everyone could feel. The silence was unusual with these teens, but now no one dared to say one single word. They all looked downwards at the box that now was getting buried into earth behind The Café Mew Mew. On top of that box there was written;
Here lies Mini Mew, may he always be remembered and never forgotten.
A girl with chestnut colored hair was holding a white rose. Her brown eyes were covered in tears and her hands were clenching the rose as she was crying softly. A blonde guy was standing behind her, looking sad as well.
"I'm so sorry, Ichigo."
The girl turned around with a sad smile as she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand.
"You did what you could, Ryou. It's okay if he couldn't be saved…"
The blonde let the girl embrace him tightly and as he wrapped his arms around her, he allowed her to cry her heart out. The others silently prayed to that Mini Mew was in better place now as they laid their flowers on Mini Mew's grave. The only sounds being the sobs from the girl who had lost a great friend.
At Ichigo's house.
"You are what?"
"Yeah, we must've forgotten to tell y'all this. Sorry."
"So you guys are…leaving again?"
"Only for a couple of months, then you'll visit you again."
Kish smiled knowingly. "Yeah, and don't do anything perverted while we're gone, Ryou!"
"Oh, go to hell, Kish."
The girls were quiet for a couple of seconds as they let the information sink in.
"Well, guess it's okay if it's only a couple of months."
"Oi, let's have some cake before we leave!"
"I'll get some plates," both Pai and Lettuce said. It ended with both of them going to get them. There was an awkward silence, only the sound of drawers being pulled and the silverware rustling. Then the green haired girl turned to the alien. She used every bit of her courage to look him deep in the eyes as she spoke, though she couldn't stop the blush that dusted on her face.
"I'll never forget what you've taught me, Pai! I've been braver lately and that's all thanks to you! Thank you!" she said quickly and bowed to him as she said 'thank you'. She was very grateful to what he had taught her these couple of months he had been in Tokyo. If it weren't for him, she couldn't have been able to stand up and save him today. She smiled. Yes, if there were any way she could pay him back…
Her thoughts were stopped as she felt Pai's fingers on her wrist which made her blush furiously. He used his other hand to search after something in his pockets. It was a…bracelet. A bracelet with consisted of five pearls with each color; pink, blue, green, yellow and violet. He locked it around her slim wrist as she could only watch in astonishment.
"You like it?"
The green haired girl was speechless and could only move her head in what seemed like a nod. Never had she received a gift from a boy. And never such a beautiful one. She couldn't believe what was happening.
"Wow, Pai, it's…amazing."
He smiled to her.
"Glad you like it."
Still holding the girl's wrist, the alien gently pulled her closer towards him. Gazing into her deep blue eyes he cupped her cheek as their heads moved closer, resulting in their lips to meet as well. They didn't know how long they kissed but they had to stop because of someone shouting:
"Oi, how long does it take to get those freakin' plates?"
Meanwhile outside.
While some people went inside to the house to complain about the lack of plates, Pudding and Tart were sitting on the grass, gazing into the sky above them.
"Soooooo, what's it like on your planet, na no da?"
Tart shrugged.
"Okay, I guess."
"Are there rollercoasters, na no da?"
"No."
"Clowns, na no da?"
"No."
"Candy, na no da?"
"No."
"Toys, na no da?"
"Well-"
"Free parachute jumps, na no da?"
"No?"
"Santa Claus, na no da!"
"Wait, he doesn't even exist!"
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?"
The blonde crossed her arms with a pout starting to form on her cute face.
"Don't screw with me, Taru-Taru, I know he exists, I'm not stupid, ya know, na no da."
The alien opened his mouth but closed it again as he sighed and face palmed.
"Admit it, na no da."
"What?"
"That he does exist, na no da."
"Pudding…no."
"Say it, na no da!"
"No, you can't make me!"
The blonde teen jumped on top of the alien and caught him off guard. She pinned him to the ground and held his wrist above his head. She smirked.
"Say it oooooooor I'll tickle you to death, na no da!"
"You seriously won't-"
Pudding began to tickle him with one of her hands and he instantly began to laugh like a madman. They played and rolled around the ground so much that it developed into a harmless fight. Tart was now the one to lay on top of Pudding.
"F-fine! He freakin' exists! Are ya happy?"
She giggled in victory.
"Heehee! I won, Taru-"
Her eyes widen as she noticed their positions and so did Tart. He didn't know what else to do than to blush as he looked down upon the blonde. Her golden hair wasn't braided and it was long enough to frame her cute face. Her cheeks were flushed and her chocolate brown eyes were gazing into his in wonder. Tart would be really dense if he didn't think that during these years, Pudding had grown…pretty.
"-Taru…"
He felt the girl under him move and his thoughts were quickly stopped as his eyes found her. She was raising herself from the ground and slowly getting closer towards him. He did the same thing and as their lips was nearly touching each other, a voice cried out:
"Hey, check this out! Tart and Pudding are making out!"
A shock went through both of them as they quickly removed themselves from each other, before the other came back.
"Seriously, we just found Lettuce and Pai kissing in the kitchen and now Pudding and Tart? Guess there's something else than my birthday that needs to be celebrated", Ichigo shook her head. Tart and Pudding blushed crimson red.
"Let's just eat that damn cake, already!"
"That cake would taste great with some carrots, don't you think?" Berry asked.
"No, let's use apples instead!" Ringo suggested.
"Carrots."
"Apples."
"Carrots!"
"Apples!"
While Berry and Ringo argued about what fruit/vegetable that would be better, a girl was sitting alone on at a table. Her midnight blue wavy hair was loose and hung around her shoulders. In her hand was a cup of tea, still warm but the girl didn't bother to finish drinking it. Her head was resting on her palm and she was currently spacing out.
"Hey."
Her blue eyes gazed up to see who it was. Kish. A pink blush dusted across her face and she pouted childishly as she instantly looked down.
"Ya okay?"
"Never been better," she muttered.
The alien stared at her unfinished cup of mint tea in astonishment.
"Oh, wow. Never seen you with a cup of unfinished tea before."
The blue haired girl quickly drank her cup of tea before swallowing the whole thing in one gulp.
"There. Happy now?" she said as she rose herself from the chair and was about to leave. A hand caught her wrist and forced her to stay.
"I know that you're lying, Mint."
With her hair covering her face, she replied.
"Leave me alone, Kish."
"First, tell me why you're acting weird."
"For God's sake, just 'cause I didn't drink my tea as fast as usually doesn't mean the end of the freakin' world-"
Placing a hand under her chin, he made her blue eyes look on him.
"Then why won't you look at me?"
The blue haired girl felt the blush spreading.
Kish tried to tease her a bit. "Is it because we're leaving? How cute, are you gonna miss me, birdie?" he said playfully.
A shock went through Mint's body, her eyes wide and her cheeks burning. Being so close to the blue haired girl, Kish obviously noticed this. His own eyes widened a little too.
"You…are really going to miss me?"
She looked down as best as she could with her entire face being red.
"Yeah, yeah, just laugh at how pathetic I am."
"Pathetic? How come?"
"Because! I've never missed anyone before! Only the allowance money in my bank account or my dad after he gets home from work. It has never been like this before when I'm actually gonna miss…someone else," she finally said loudly.
"So? That's not being pathetic."
"Easy for you to say."
"Easy, you say? What about me? How am I gonna survive without hearing your cute laughter every day or see you pretty face?" he smirked as he cupped her face in his hand. She looked at him in wonder.
"R-really?"
"Really."
Mint now smirked herself.
"Yeah, how are you going to survive without me? I know it'll be hard, but what can you do?" she shrugged. The alien began to smile.
"There's the old Mint I know."
The girl let go of him.
"Where are you going?"
"Getting some more tea. I'm thirsty," she smiled warmly. Kish grinned.
"No kidding. By the way, Mint…"
"Yeah?"
He came closer and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. The blue eyed girl stared at him with a blush.
"Keep smiling while I'm gone, okay?"
Mint grew a big one.
"I'll try."
Later…
After eating cake, the aliens could, now with a full stomach, teleport back to their planet. Zakuro and Keiichiro took the dirty plates and glasses back to the kitchen while everybody else said goodbye. Pudding took a few steps closer towards a certain alien. She held a huge lollipop with orange flavor which she gave a surprised Tart.
"You said that you didn't have candy on your planet, so here is something you could show the other aliens…and you could keep it as a memory too 'till we see each other again, na no da…" the blonde said, playing as she played with her fingers.
"Aw!" the girls said in union.
The alien blushed slightly as he took the lollipop.
"Uh…thanks."
"Okay, we'll go before they go all love-dovey on each other! See ya!" Kish said as the three of them teleported away. A silent atmosphere began to spread.
"Cheer up, everyone, remember that it's still Ichigo's birthday," Berry said.
"Yeah, time for the presents!" Ringo squealed.
Ryou took Ichigo's hands.
"Uh, I need to speak to Strawberry first."
They walked away from the girls who seemed to be fighting about which present the birthday kid should open first.
"What is it, Ryou?" the girl asked. Ryou took out a small box wrapped in pink and black gift paper just like her Christmas present. Ichigo opened it and had to hold back a gasp. Inside was laying a silver necklace with a cat shaped pendant with pink gem eyes. He'd bought her a matching necklace for her earrings. Ryou took the necklace and locked it around her neck. The girl gently touched the present and had to hold back tears as well. This was simply so sweet of him.
"So?"
"I-Its absolutely gorgeous, Ryou," she whispered as she tackled him with a hug which he happily accepted.
"I love it! It's so hard to believe how romantic you can be, Ryou."
"Hey, I can be really romantic whenever I want to."
"Oh, really? What about you prove it by taking me on a date?"
"Fine, since I already promised myself to act nicely today."
"A date on your cruise?"
"Slow it down, that depends on my mood."
The girl grabbed the blonde by the collar and claimed his lips with her own in a passionate kiss.
"What is your mood now, then?" she asked playfully.
"I'm curious about your presents. Let's go back."
"Aw, c'mon! You're trying to avoid the question!".
"Fine, I will!"
The girls eyes widened in joy.
"Really?"
"Yeah, now let's go back."
Ichigo giggled slightly as she took Ryou's hand and went back to her birthday party. Walking side by side, they returned to their cheerful, childish and absolutely immature friends. The ones you can't live without and the ones that you just gotta love.