Do You Love Me?
Dear readers,
Let me hereby start with an apology for my delay with this update! I AM MOVING TO FLORIDA SO MY LIFE'S BEEN CRAZY BUSY AND HECTIC LATELY, AS I HAD BILLIONS KINDS OF THINGS TO DO BEFORE MY MOVE! And I AM SUPER SORRY BUT I DID NOT HAVE THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF ENERGY BY THE END OF THE DAY TO PRODUCE ANY SORT OF CREATIVE WRITING WHATSOEVER (T_T), WHICH IS WHY THIS CHAPTER TOOK FOREVER! There is still one more chapter/an epilogue chapter to go so I hope that I will be able to come up with it by the end of the next week, or the week after the latest! Why is moving always so damn difficult, ughhh? (T_T) Anyway, worry not! This story will be finished one way or another. That's a promise!
As for all of your support and love, I could not thank you enough, guys! ( °▽° ) All your kudos, reviews, comments and follows have made me SUPER happy, especially now that I am so stressed with everything else in my life. SO thank you so much! (*^^*) Here is the promised fluff, finally!
The music I used for this segment was Bleach OST 'Asterisk.'
Lulyy Elizabeth Vaca - Thank you for yet another comment! Yayyy, all's well that ends well, correct? Finally, here is the happy ending that the anime/manga has so far never given us. No more drama, only Kishigo fluff now. Let's go!
KawaiiCutie12 – Thank you for yet another comment! I am so happy that you like the story and I hope that you will find the ending equally satisfying. Now, with all the drama gone, we have only the sweet and cute fluff to go. Yaaay!
DrDark7 – Thank you for yet another comment! Here is the first part of the long-awaited cute fluff that we've all been missing in the anime/manga canon. I hope that you're going to like it! Let's make Kishigo real at last, shall we?
MarikoXoD – Thank you for yet another comment! I am so happy to hear that you still really like Yuri and this story in general. Hopefully, you will like this Kishigo fluff as well. There is more to go in the last/epilogue chapter. Stay tuned!
Kishlover985 – Thank you for yet another comment! Yes, as always, you guessed it right haha. There will be the long-awaited fluff now! At last, all the Kishigo fans will get what they have been so long waiting for. Yay!
NeKoGirl – Thank you for yet another comment! Fluff, fluff, fluff it will be. I hope that you will find this, as well as the following chapter, up to your fluff standards. Finally, we will be getting some cute Kishigo moments at last.
As always, please enjoy and review!
I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew
He came.
That was probably the first thought that had crossed Ichigo's mind immediately after she took in the alien silhouette in front of her and connected the fine lines of his lean arm muscles with the golden glint sparkling in his eyes.
And, once the realization fully hit her, it felt like the world around her suddenly froze and everyone and everything came to a halting pause.
There was nobody else around her anymore; every joyful scream was sufficiently drained or dimmed to a mere whisper and all Ichigo could hear was her labored breathing while her gaze kept wandering up and down his torso, still somewhat under the impression that this must have been an illusion, for there was no way that he would be standing there, watching her, his dark emerald hair slightly bobbing when he tilted his chin, as his hot stare burned through her body like a hot coal.
"K-kisshu?"
She choked out, but it wasn't until he replied that she ultimately began to understand that this was real.
"Hello, Ichigo," he smirked, one fang poking out through his lips, and Ichigo could not help but shiver at the living sight of him.
She admired how the ceremonial military uniform clung to his body, accentuating all the right parts, when he started coming closer to her, and the human girl audibly gulped. There might have been about thousand other aliens next to them, lost within the sounds of loud music that went blasting from various directions yet, to Ichigo, there was only one alien present. One Cyniclon, to be more precise; whose eyes and voice goaded her on.
She felt herself rooted to the spot once he paused directly in front of her, quickly scanning her form, before his gaze returned back to meet hers.
"You look very nice."
"Eeeh, thanks. L-Likewise," she replied with only thinly-concealed strain in her tone.
At this, he gave a soft chuckle.
It was so low and almost inaudible but Ichigo had caught it anyway. She was so used to his body language by now. His smiles and wide grins, chuckles and pouts. She knew them all. She could easily tell at this point when he was joking and when he was serious; when something angered him, got him confused or even excited; as excited as he appeared now. He couldn't fake it in front of her anymore, nor hide that hungry spark that resurfaced in his orbs whenever he let his eyes slide down to her cleavage. It was, indeed, a good choice that she had put on exactly the same red dress that she had already worn for the welcoming ceremony. Clearly, he liked it a lot and it helped Ichigo with her self-confidence profusely; because even if she felt really small on the inside at the current moment, she knew that she at least looked good. That was what she needed the most now; to feel good about herself, when everything else seemed so fuzzy and giddy under his piercing stare.
Ichigo thought that she would faint any minute, if he kept looking at her like that but, fortunately, he broke the eye contact shortly after, favoring a witty remark instead.
"So, it's your last night here, what's your plan for tonight? Get wasted?" he raised a quizzical brow at the glass in her hand, "I thought you did not drink anymore."
Recalling their previous conversation in his room, Ichigo blushed; not sure if more due to the fact that he had called her out on her lie, or the events that had happened that day right after she had proclaimed her self-professed abstinence. Regardless, the loud gasps and moans instantaneously presented themselves in her mind and, when their eyes met, Ichigo reached the conclusion that she would do anything to get back in time. Would tonight be her chance to relive some of those memories? It was still so hard to tell. With him, it was always hard to tell.
"Oh, yea. I don't," Ichigo saw his lips twitch, "But I couldn't resist. Yuri's words were so powerful, you know. Plus the punch tastes really good now," Ichigo let out an anxious smile, before she raised her glass back to her lips only to realize it was already empty.
"Could not argue with that," Kisshu laughed before he folded his hands behind his head with nonchalance and that mere change of his body language provided her with an idea.
He was comfortable, Ichigo realized.
If she wanted to approach him, now would be a good time.
"K-kisshu?" she asked, tentatively, dropping her gaze back onto the floor.
"Hm?"
She remembered the last time when he had asked her the same question she was about to pose, and fought the urge to start fidgeting under his intense scrutiny.
Did it really happen like a week ago? Why was he so awkward about it? And, more importantly, why was she even more awkward with her answer? Ichigo mentally wondered if all of this mess could have been evaded if she had just acted a little more mature about it all from the very beginning. What if she had simply told Kisshu that she had feelings for him then and there? Would that have changed anything? Or would it remain the same? Would he have kissed her in the garden if she had told him how she had really felt about him? What was wrong with her? Was this what Ryou had meant when he had told her time and time again that she needed to grow up? And, instead of complicating things some more, just be direct and say what she wanted to say? Come to think of it, what was holding her back even now? He was here. He did not avoid her, as she had thought he would. Why was she wavering then? Was she scared then even after all of this time he would still refuse her? That he would not want to be with her, no matter how he might feel about her?
And can you blame him?
Ichigo sighed.
No, not really. She knew she was complicated. Hell, she knew that much. What if he had had enough? Would he really be willing to try and deal with her complicated selfish self when he could just go for the easy as everyone else around her? Why would you fight for something that was so hard to acquire, not to mention almost unattainable, when you could have something else with a mere snap of your fingers? Would Kisshu be interested in taking such a challenge? And even if he, for some weird reason, were, would they have any chance to last? Could she even call this a long distance relationship by any stretch of her imagination? They were literally thousands of space miles away. Was it all really just a wishful thinking, after all?
'You are again overthinking everything, Ichigo, buck up,' her conscience chided and the distressed Mew internally groaned.
Of course she was. She was acting like a stupid child again, pondering the complexities that were not even out in the open. Maybe, just maybe, Ryou's earlier comment about babysitting her nonstop was not really that far off. Either way, Ichigo did the only real thing that she considered adult-like and mature at the time. She took a deep breath and fixed the green haired alien in front of her with a serious stare.
"C-can we talk? Just the two of us?"
He gave her a curious look but then smirked, not missing the reference.
"Sure."
There were plenty of moments in Ichigo Momomiya's life when she had felt positively unsure.
When she had asked Masaya out for the first time.
When she had screamed the name of her weapon, Strawberry Bell, right after Ryou had appeared in her life and informed her that she was a Mew Mew.
When she had handed in the essay for her English Literature class that was one week overdue.
And perhaps many more.
But nothing could compare to the feeling that Ichigo had sensed in her body once she had let go of Kisshu's hand the moment they finished the imminent teleportation, and her ears picked up the serene tranquility around them. On one hand, she appreciated immensely that they had left the boisterous party scene; still the eerie quietness that had suddenly enveloped them had made Ichigo's heart equally uncertain. Her pulse was rapid and she could practically feel her mouth growing dry.
There were so many things she wanted to say, yet she had no idea how to even begin. It was as if she lacked the language to form a comprehensive sentence altogether. However, when her feline genes adjusted to the darkness surrounding them, Ichigo's former trepidation quickly dissolved at the familiar scene around her and her lips curved into a small appreciative smile when she recognized the scenery.
"It is still as beautiful as ever," she breathed out once her eyes landed on the exotic shining plants all over the place. She watched the colorful petals sway in the light evening breeze with tepid intensity, as well as how the little drops of dew glistened on their blossoms while their stems snaked their way upwards reaching up for the night sky. It was indisputably a gorgeous example of natural wonders, and Ichigo was momentarily mesmerized. Both by the pretty picture, and the gesture on his part. It did not take a genius to figure out that Kisshu had teleported them again in the royal garden. Was it her previous comment that had given him the idea? Or the notion that he knew how much she enjoyed it during her last visit?
It did not matter; the fact that he remembered it, that she appreciated. With all her heart.
"Just as beautiful as you are."
His voice was barely a whisper, a murmur really, yet its effect had silenced all the thoughts in Ichigo's head instantly. She whirled around to face him only to see that he was already staring at her back. And the intensity in his gaze had made her heart in her chest jump once again. There was something unnerving about these cat-like eyes that had always managed to entice her, capture her with their sheer intensity and make her throat tight. Yet, now was not the time. She had wasted enough time already, his and hers alike. Ichigo would have to be completely foolish to lose any more precious moments with him. Their time together had been cut short enough. She knew how she felt about him and about this whole thing. The only question she still had to contemplate was whether he felt the same way. And that was a question that burned on her tongue to a considerable degree.
Was there a chance that he would say 'no' to her? Or, would he be ok with kissing her and spending the night with her, fully knowing that he would have to let her go tomorrow again?
Was it enough?
No, one look at his face had proved that that was not enough for Ichigo. Not anymore. It was either everything or nothing, but the longer she had stared into the golden eyes of his, the more sure she had become that whatever Kisshu might offer, she would take it either way. Why? Because she knew then and there that she loved him. Selflessly, ardently and unconditionally.
And because of that, she took a large breath and started talking.
"Thank you. For taking me here."
"I'm glad you still like it. Would be a shame if you suddenly changed your mind and said otherwise."
Ichigo cringed at his tone, somewhat certain that he was referring not only to their current surroundings but also their previous argument. But that was the thing with Kisshu. He always spoke in riddles, which had made most of their conversations extremely confusing, not to mention difficult. Tonight did not seem to be any different. Even if he was standing so close to her, Ichigo suddenly felt that they were still miles apart.
"Kisshu, I-"
"Do you wanna go for a walk?" he asked her abruptly, grinning when he noticed her perplexed expression.
"Huh?"
"This garden is huge, you have not seen half of it. And with all the people busy drinking at the festival, I doubt we will meet anyone on our way."
"S-sure, walk is fine," Ichigo beamed, although her sore feet accepted the idea only with a large amount of reluctance.
"You don't really wanna walk, do you?" he smiled when he saw her obvious discomfort.
"I will just take my shoes off, give me a second," Ichigo answered but no sooner could she bend down to undo her shoe strap than Kisshu was next to her.
Kneeling down, he picked her up bridal style before Ichigo could scream in protest.
"Let me help you," he said while he grabbed her firmer in his arms.
"N-no, it's ok! I can walk. Please, you don't have to!"
"It's fine. Do you wanna float or just walk?" Kisshu inquired, ignoring her comments altogether.
Aware that she had lost this fight, she averted her gaze and mumbled through her parted lips.
"Whichever is easiest for you."
"I would say float cause you're not as light as-ouch what was that for?!"
"You called me fat!" Ichigo screamed, readying her hand for another slap but Kisshu stopped her.
"I did no such a thing," he smirked as he somehow managed to thwart the cat girl's effort and still keep her secure in his arms.
"You implied it!" she glared angrily at him.
"Walking be it then," Kisshu exhaled a heavy breath in mock exasperation, but from the way he squeezed her thighs, Ichigo could tell that he did not mind the walking at all.
Neither of them said anything after that, the only pertinent indicator of their heated verbal exchange being the red flush in Ichigo's cheeks. But when they began moving, Ichigo wondered where she should put her hands, which forced her to unavoidably break the silence between them. The most obvious choice was to just keep her hands in her lap, but, once she realized that that basically deprived her of any sense of balance, she decided to wrap them cautiously around his neck in the end. That way, she could look around and, simultaneously, not risk falling on her face flat, should he decide to be a jerk and drop her on purpose. Additionally, it supplied her with a fairly good possibility to pull at his cheeks and ears as well.
And that thought itself was strong enough to solidify Ichigo's conviction that this was a good idea.
"If you drop me, I'm taking you down with me. Just so you know," she informed his tensely.
"Would you prefer the piggy ride instead? You still seem so uncomfortable, kitten," Kisshu chortled.
"I was just readjusting my grip on you. God, you're impossible."
"Just pragmatic," he countered, grinning smugly and Ichigo felt the urge to pinch him but the initial fear that he would really drop her had nipped her desire in the butt. Besides, she truly did not want to leave his arms. When she looped her hands around his neck and rested her head on his chest, she found the walk almost relaxing. Pleasant. She felt safe and calm and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat together with his voice sounded like the most beautiful melody to her senses.
They had been walking through the paved designated gravel paths for a while, stopping here and there when Ichigo had a question or Kisshu just wanted to show her something interesting in particular. Apparently, Cyniclons did enjoy their parks as much as humans did. And, from the looks of it, theirs did not vary by much from these that Ichigo often visited back home on Earth. She spotted numerous gazebos scattered around along with little fountains whose warble was the sole noise that cut through the silent stillness. The most remarkable, however, were the marble statues, all lined up around the paths and within their near vicinity. They varied in both size and shape, but even someone as little invested in art as Ichigo could differentiate between these purely decorative and those that held far more importance. The deeper they strolled, the more ornaments the statues seemed to reflect until, at last, they reached a little square where another series of marble sculptures were standing in sheer prowess. These were different from all of the rest they had seen so far, as even their pedestals were all engraved with golden letters. And the moment Ichigo noticed an elegant female statue with long wavy hair, standing in between all of them and holding the most prominent position, she realized that these were the sculptures of the whole royal family, as well as any other Cyniclon that had probably ever mattered. The most fascinating thing was probably how life-like all the statues looked, each more impressive than the other, and Ichigo could only stare in awe at how much Cyniclons appreciated their people, which immediately brought another invasive question to her mind.
"Does Deep Blue have a statue here too?" she asked looking expectant.
"Not anymore. His was taken down right after the Civil War ended," Kisshu replied without missing a beat and Ichigo could tell that he did not want to elaborate on that subject any longer. She did not blame him. After what Yuri had told her, it was obvious that Cyclonia had been through a lot. But if Yuri was celebrated and Deep Blue condemned, where did that make Kisshu, Pai and Taruto stand? Were they really the heroes they were so proclaimed to be?
Her grin widened with child-like curiosity, as well as wickedness.
"And where is your statue, Kisshu? I don't see any, hm?" she cackled.
"Oh, don't worry, we'll see it in a bit," he winked at her, effectively wiping that huge grin off of Ichigo's face.
"You actually have one?" Ichigo's eyes grew wide.
"Hm, yea. So does Pai and Taruto. Is it really that surprising to you? We did save the planet, remember?"
'It really is,' Ichigo thought but did not say anything.
The fact that she had barely known anything about him had once again gnawed at her conscience. There was so much more to explore about his life. What did she actually know about him to begin with? His name? The names of his brothers? Anything else? She had no idea what even his favorite color was! Though she had somehow assumed a long time ago that it would quite possibly be green.
"Hey, Kisshu. Is green your favorite color?" she blurted out, eager to learn if she was right at least about one thing about him.
"No, black. Why?"
"No real reason," Ichigo looked away when she was met with his confused gaze, "It doesn't matter, forget I said anything."
"As you wish," he said and they relapsed into their former comfortable silence during which Ichigo reverted back to her original trait of thinking. Who was really the guy who was now carrying her in his arms? Why had she suddenly had the feeling that she was seeing him for the first time? The longer they walked, the more frequently had Ichigo caught herself sneaking a few glimpses at him here and there, marveling at his fine features, as they continued with their journey.
No wonder he has a statue too. He really is quite handsome, especially up close.
And no matter how much Ichigo wanted to tear her eyes away from him, she somehow could not. It was almost hypnotizing. How regular and sharp his jawline was; how high his cheekbones sat, making his whole face more defined, as well as strangely appealing. She felt extremely attracted to the physical image of him. That much that it was impossible to look anywhere else but him. How many times had she been with him this close? Even back home on Earth? Why had it never occurred to her how gorgeous he was before? Was it because she was blinded by the fact that he was an enemy, and an alien, or was it simply due to her previous infatuation with Masaya? And now that she could finally appreciate his qualities, she would have to go back home. She had wasted these twelve days here on Cyclonia with him, turned both of their lives upside down accomplishing absolutely nothing but chaos. But then why? Why did every second of this walk feel so worthwhile? Why did it feel so good to be carried in his arms? Why did she want so desperately this moment never to end?
"You're staring," he smirked with his eyes still trained ahead of him.
"I-I'm not," Ichigo squeaked and cast her gaze to the side, blushing profusely, "You're just kinda handsome."
"Am I now?" he chuckled lowly, obviously amused, "Funny, you never mentioned that before."
"Well, I'm not one of your fan girls, so why would I?" Ichigo bit back a little too fiercely and immediately regretted her behavior.
She tensed when she felt his grip loosen on her.
"That is correct. You are not," Kisshu said with a faraway look on his face before he, all of a sudden, dropped her on the ground slowly, "We're here."
"What?"
When she followed his index finger and looked around, Ichigo realized that they were at some sort of square again. A little different, this time. Not only was it framed by white poles and fountains, but there also stood a little temple which irrevocably evoked an atmosphere of ancient Greece in Ichigo's mind. She decided that she rather liked the sight. It wasn't until she neared closer though that she finally registered what he had been alluding to. At the far end of the square, right across the temple, shone three big marble statues, all glorious and sublime, the middle one being Kisshu's.
"Wow," Ichigo could only gasp when she approached the three sculptures and touched the elegant features with her fingers.
It looked so perfect. She could practically see their faces, Pai's being as stoic as always, whereas Taruto's relayed a lot more grumpier emotion. But Kisshu's was different. Unlike his brothers, he had that wild obnoxious smirk he always had plastered across his features, while he clutched his sais in his hands, always sure and proud of his victory.
That same smile he had had on his face when he had first kissed her.
That one smile that Ichigo loved to hate so much and which always riled her up whenever she saw it; that one facial expression that had never failed to draw an instantaneous reaction out of her.
All the memories that began flooding Ichigo's sub-consciousness were far too overwhelming for her to let go.
Even the height of the statue was accurate. It truly seemed like if he was standing in front of her.
Tracing the marble lips with her thumb, she realized how much she would like to touch the original. And that the original was standing right behind her.
"Well, what do you say? They did a pretty shitty job at the abs but it's not like I complain," he grinned and Ichigo could no longer hold back the tears that were forming in the corner of her eyes.
"K-kisshu," she whirled around and looped her arms around him, burying her face in his shirt, not caring whether she would get him wet or her make up all smudged.
She felt him put his hands around her, pulling her closer once he broke out of his momentary stupor, but it took another silent minute until she finally heard him speak as well.
"Ichigo, please don't cry."
She backed away from him, disbelief clear in her eyes.
"Are you an idiot? How could I not cry?" she gasped between the heavy sobs.
"Because you don't wanna look like a panda?" he supplied and Ichigo paused before her gaze filled with anger.
"How can you say that!? After everything we've been through!" she shouted swatting his hands away instantly and glaring daggers at him.
"Ichigo-"
"I can't do this anymore! I should have said this way before but I was just too scared that I would look like an idiot in front of you or that you would flatly reject me. I meant it when I said that I love you. Kisshu, I can't be without you! When I'm not with you, I miss you. Terribly! There is no one in this entire universe who can piss me off the way you do and then make my heart jump the next second. I know that I must sound like I am crazy and you might not even believe me, but I want to be with you, only with you. I slept once with Ryou but I never loved him or anything and even when I look at my relationship with Masaya, it was different. It felt different. I have never felt about him the way how I feel about you. And today is my last day here and tomorrow I am leaving, and it breaks my heart and I don't even know if you want to be here with me c-cause you said t-that you want me g-gone from Cyclonia an-and from your life but I can't g-go! It just hurts to go an-anywhere without you n-next to me!"
He watched her quietly as she kept rubbing at her eyes in a vain attempt to stop her tears from pouring out. It could have been only a few tantalizing seconds but, to Ichigo, it felt like hours until she heard his voice at last.
"I will be honest with you, Ichigo. I thought about everything and I owe you an apology. I know that you are not a liar now," he smiled when he noticed her shocked expression, "But as for the rest of the stuff, I don't know. I want a full-fledged relationship, not some childish crap. A relationship where I can see you like my equal and trust you and not worry whether or not you are cheating on me with some human boy around the corner when I am not there."
"I would never-" he stopped her immediately and something in his eyes shifted, when he reached out with his hand and touched her cheek.
"I am not done. I want you because I love you Ichigo but I no longer intend to force my feelings on you like I did when I was a kid. So I need to know now, before we take things any further, do you love me? Really love me? Not just now, at this very moment when you are overwhelmed with your emotions. I am talking life-time here."
She gripped his shirt so hard, she thought she would soon turn it into shreds.
"Yes!" Ichigo exclaimed in a flash, earning an amused chuckle from him.
"Your ears are out," he pointed out, tracing the soft skin on the shell of her ear with his fingers and Ichigo almost melted at the way he was looking at her. With so much appreciation, the same way how he had looked at her in his bed before when he had told her how much he had loved her, and it made her pulse racing. It was as if it did not matter, nothing else, where they were or what was around them. They were in their own little word. Now and forever.
She placed a hand on his cheek and he moved it to his lips and kissed it softly.
There was only one more thing that worried her. And Ichigo had a feeling that if she didn't ask right away, she would soon suffocate on her own choked breathing.
"Kisshu, but what about Cyclonia? I am from Earth. My life is on Earth. Will it ever," she hesitated, "will it ever work between us?"
"Mm. That depends," he said, and Ichigo gripped him even tighter, too scared of another series of rejection, "Do you want to make it work, Ichigo?" his voice caught her attention, making her eyes meet his.
"Of course I do," she said instantly.
He grinned.
Of all the times, this was not a good time to play mind games with her.
"Then it will work. All good on my end," Kisshu snickered, while he enjoyed the mixture of reactions that began to play across her face. And, were it not for the fact that she was so happy, Ichigo would have hit him. This was Kisshu. The most infuriating person in her life that had managed to make her upset anywhere and anytime.
The person who had captured her heart and whom she loved hopelessly and with total abandon.
It was so weird to call him her boyfriend after all the things they had been through but she decided that she would give it a shot either way.
"Sooo, do you want to be my boyfriend, Kisshu?" Ichigo asked in a timid voice, pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear and something about that nervous gesture had made the corners of his lips curl upwards.
"No."
"No?!" she shrieked appalled, her face suddenly red with anger.
"No, I won't settle for being just your boyfriend, Ichigo," he cupped her chin in between his fingers and grinned coyly before he added, "I will not settle for anything less than being the love of your life."
Then, before she had any time to react, he kissed her.
And the second their lips caressed, she kissed him back with equal ferocity, as if nothing else could be communicated through their words anymore. Now, they would let their bodies and instincts do the talking for them. And from the looks of it, that seemed to be a great idea. It did not matter how many times they kissed, as there was no time limit. Not anymore. There was only passion, lots of passion. And love, diffused through intimate strokes and loud groans, low cries and soft moans, never pulling from each other for too long.
Ichigo whimpered when she felt his hands slowly slide down her sides before they rested on her bottom and pushed her further up against him, setting her inner desire on fire. And once one of his hands slithered up the hem of her red dress and his fingers reached her raw skin, she gasped at the contact and a content sigh escaped through her parted lips.
"That. Red dress. Of yours," he murmured in between the kisses.
"Mmmm, yea?"
"Would look. Fabulous. On my bedroom. Floor," he finished.
Ichigo blushed but her flustered expression soon turned into one of challenge.
"Then don't talk about it, be about it," she grinned and immediately squeaked when she felt him lift her form and placed her on his hips.
"Sorry, just followed your advice," he smirked before he leaned in and began kissing her again.
Ichigo only vaguely realized that the air around them started to shimmer and the next thing she knew she was lying on her back sprawled on his bed with Kisshu on top of her.
She saw the golden glint in his eye, the only light that was present in the encompassing darkness of the pitch-black room but hardly was she scared; she knew that she was where she had to be. Not a single neuron in her body could fight the feeling that had been surging through her when his lips resumed kissing her fiercely while the rest of their clothes got discarded aside. There was not a better feeling in the world than when he touched her how only he could touch her, and let her moan and spasm in ecstasy as his hands and tongue continued to roam and explore every centimeter of her naked skin.
It might have been their last night on Cyclonia for the time being, but only one of many nights of passion that were bound to follow.
They both would make sure of it.
"So, does that mean that we can still transform now even if we are no longer on Cyclonia?" Mint's voice betrayed a hint of surprise, as well as her bewilderment.
"Pretty much," Ryou shrugged, "You see, when you guys were all slacking around partying, me and Pai were actually working. And that is when this final adjustment came into the picture."
"Hey, count me out, blondie! I'd much rather work than party," Taruto grumbled from the opposite side of the room.
"Come on, Taru. You don't really mean that, na no da!" Pudding cooed but Taruto huffed and looked away in apparent indignation.
"Anyway," Ryou continued, only slightly annoyed by the interruption, "Thanks to this special chip that we implemented in your pendants, you will now be carrying the Cyniclon DNA with you at all times which basically means-"
"That we can transform anytime we want," Zakuro finished.
"That would be correct," Ryou nodded before turning to Pai, "Do you have anything else you might want to add?"
The impassive alien thought for a moment before he addressed everyone around him.
"You might want to monitor closely whether everything truly functions as before. Should you find any inconsistencies, do report them immediately, please. I will resume with my research from over here and if anything needs to be transmitted, I will entrust Kisshu with bringing it over to you."
"Sure thing, Pai," Kisshu grinned widely and Ichigo nudged him in the ribs for being such a show-off.
"Right, if anything, Kisshu will be our connection between Cyclonia and Earth from now on," Ryou threw him a dirty look, "I expect that during your stay with us, you will not only focus on your pleasure but work as well."
"Mm, I can't promise you that-,"
"Kisshu," Pai growled from his seat, sending the younger alien a warning glare.
"-but I can always try," Kisshu smirked and Ichigo smacked him on his head in aggravation.
"Come on!" she hissed.
"What? I am cooperating enough, am I not?" the green haired alien whined, massaging his bruise in the process.
"I hope you're gonna make him work as hard as you make us," Mint yawned, largely disinterested.
"You're the one to talk. You don't work at all!" Ichigo pointed an accusing finger at the blue lorikeet Mew's face.
"Of course, I don't. I have you to work for me, silly. I merely step in when supervision is required," Mint sneered and Kisshu had to hold onto Ichigo's shoulders so that she would not launch herself at Mint.
"Can Taru come too?" Pudding asked suddenly.
"What? No way! I am happy that I won't be seeing your annoying face for a while!" Taruto retorted, folding his hands across his chest.
"Admit it, you're dying to come as well," Kisshu sniggered and this time it was Pudding that had to hold back the grumbling Taruto from launching himself at the green haired alien.
"Enough, please," Pai sighed, dismissing all the drama with a mere wave of his hand, "We will see how this new set up works and based on our results, we shall take further steps in our endeavors. Now, does anyone have any additional question?"
When he was met with deadly silence, the elder alien raised from his seat and bowed.
"In that case, I would like to formally thank you for your visit. It had been our utmost honor to host you here on Cyclonia. You are welcome to come back any time."
"Thank you. Likewise," Ryou bowed as well, and when his team refused to move a muscle he sent them a vicious glare, which had immediately set everyone in motion.
One by one, the Mews piled up in front of Pai and began with their goodbyes. Whereas Zakuro and Mint bowed deeply, Pudding and Ichigo hugged the purple haired alien despite his obvious discomfort. Lettuce was the only one to linger behind and girls, noting that, pulled Kisshu, Taruto and Ryou away so that they could ensure that Lettuce and Pai had some little privacy together.
This, naturally, did not go entirely unnoticed, especially as far as Ryou was concerned.
"What the hell is wrong with you guys? Can't you find human guys like normal human girls? It's one after another," he grimaced as he ran a hand through his blonde tresses in the long hall.
"Maybe we're just so much better," Kisshu gloated, putting his hands behind his back nonchalantly before Ichigo pinched his abdomen muscles and thus breaking his casual posture instantly.
"Ouch, that hurt," the alien pouted.
"Stop with that, seriously," Ichigo grunted and subsequently tensed, when she felt his arms close to her body with the intention to envelop her in a tight embrace.
"Aww, you're just mad cause you have to say goodbye. Don't worry kitten, I will be there in two weeks. That is only fourteen nights without me. Surely, you can wait this long, can't you?"
Ichigo wanted to deck him but Ryou beat her to it.
"Right," the blonde stepped in between them, "I am expecting to see you in two weeks at the Café. So make sure you come with everything that Pai gives you. This will be an interesting collaboration and despite my personal reservations towards you, I am sincerely looking forward to working with you," he reached out with his hand and waited till Kisshu took it and shook it.
"Same here," the alien grinned devilishly before his visage relaxed into a small smile, "Fare well."
"Thanks," Ryou replied.
Zakuro and Mint then came up to Kisshu and bowed, whereas Pudding ambushed him in a very similar way she had done with Pai. Taruto, luckily, peeled her off of his older brother soon enough.
"I don't wanna leave, Taru, na no da!" Pudding whined.
"Gee, could you stop already!"
"But I'm gonna miss you so much, na no da," the monkey Mew's eyes watered.
"Oh my god, fine! I will come sometime to visit you. Happy?!" Taruto groaned and Pudding's dismay immediately evaporated and, instead, sheer joy washed over her face.
"You're the best, na no da," she squeaked, kissing him and tacking him in a hug for the very last time.
In a reaction to this, Kisshu's grin widened even more and from the peripheral view, he could see that Ryou and Ichigo were smirking as well.
"I really am not gonna miss this," Taruto exhaled sharply once Pudding had finally pulled away.
"Well, goodbye, Taruto," Zakuro and Mint appeared in front of him next, bowing in unison.
"Bye there," he awkwardly bowed back.
After that, Ryou approached the little alien and shook his hand, while Ichigo ruffled Taruto's hair playfully.
"See you, hag," Taruto flashed her with a cocky smirk that had only partially pushed the human girl's buttons.
"Bye, twerp," Ichigo grinned cheekily.
And before anyone could say anything else, Lettuce emerged next to them in the hall and said her farewell to Taruto as well.
Nobody dared to ask what her parting with Pai had been like, not even Ryou, but from her flushed expression and semi-dazed look in her eyes, it was rather telling.
When Lettuce finished with her goodbyes, the team then nodded at each other and finally started down the long hall for the hangar. It was not a very long walk and rather uncomplicated at that. Still, it held a great sense of nostalgia and heavy feeling for everyone as they continued to walk side by side, relishing in the feeling of strolling through the building complex corridors one last time. When they eventually reached the place of their departure, everyone was struck with the notion how crowded it was; a far cry from Ichigo's untimely flight, indeed. Everyone seemed to have been leaving today and it somewhat reminded the Mew Mew leader of a really busy airport, minus all the different kinds of aliens, of course. She saw various spaceships take off, some more plain looking than others, along with a lot of bodies moving fast across the platform, before Yuri and Gato suddenly appeared directly in their line of sight, along with Elton and a couple of other military personnel in tow.
"It was our pleasure to host you, Tokyo Mew Mew. I am sure Pai already informed you of that, but let me reiterate it, just to be clear. You are welcome back any time," Yuri smiled and the Mew Mews all bowed, Ryou included.
Ichigo then took a step forward, noting everyone's surprised reactions. Whereas Gato's eyes narrowed slightly, Elton's gaze remained unchanged but he tilted his chin upwards, eying her intently. The generals just stared, while the Mews looked expectant and Ryou rather uncomfortable.
Ichigo felt somewhat uneasy with all the intense stares on her, but she knew that no one would do anything to her, not even Elton, because Yuri would simply not let him. And that notion itself was enough for Ichigo to proceed with her action in spite of her inner apprehension.
"Thank you very much for everything, Yuri. You are welcome at Earth anytime as well," Ichigo reached out with her hand and Yuri looked a bit surprised at first, but then let her fingers interlace with Ichigo's as she shook her hand back.
"Thank you," the princess responded solemnly.
"Ichigo, this is not how you treat royalty," Ryou hissed through gritted teeth from behind her, but Yuri just smiled.
"It's ok, don't worry about it. Have a safe flight home," Yuri said and, to everyone's shock, reached out and shook Ryou's hand as well.
Ichigo had to blink a couple of times to really convince herself that she had not been seeing things. But there, on her boss's red face, she could discern it, loud and clear. Once her eyes left Yuri's curled lips, she witnessed the pure embarrassment written all over Ryou's face. And even though it was merely a temporary occurrence, as the deep blush slowly started leaving his serious features again, Ichigo was living for every single second of it.
Even Ryou has a heart after all. Seems like the world makes sense at last.
Clearing his throat, the blonde then jerked his head towards the space ship and everyone wordlessly set off on their journey. Only after they all found themselves standing in front of the door that supposedly led to their ship did Ichigo turn around. She saw everyone still moving around her hastily; Yuri tending to all the guests with wide warm smiles while Gato stood firmly by her side with a stoic look on his face and the rest of the Cyniclons just kept the form; she saw how some mythical bird-like creatures tried to embark on their spaceship with a lot of difficulty due to their short wings, as well as some other magical animals graciously floating in the air; and then she saw him, Kisshu. Leaning against the wall across the hall, never leaving his eyes from her, scorching her with his emotional intensity the longer she held his stare. She knew that these two weeks without him would feel terrible, but they would survive them and then, only then, when they would see each other again, would they continue where they had left off; just like they had done here, on Cyclonia. After almost three years of long meaningless fighting, they had picked up exactly where they had stopped all this long time ago, and never in her life had Ichigo thought that she had made a better decision in her life. Sending one last quick glance at Kisshu, she wondered if Cyniclons were truly ever their real enemy.
When she turned around to board the ship, only one distinct thought kept pulsing in her mind.
This was not the end, quite on the contrary.
This was the new beginning.