Disclaimer : We don't own Tokyo Mew Mew
Chapter 23. Day 2: Public Humiliation
Retasu couldn't take palace life anymore. She was fed up.
She wanted to see what was outside the palace walls, where she was never allowed to go.
She wanted to see many people.
Retasu was walking around the market place feeling so happy, to finally be outside. She looked around and smiled, unfortunately forgetting about Ryou.
She felt a little hungry, she came to a nearby stall. She asked an old, scraggly man. But he looked nice.
"Excuse me, sir, may I have an apple, sir?"
The old man turned around and smiled "Why, yes. I haven't seen you before. You may have it for free"
Retasu smiled as she thought 'He's so nice..'
She said her thanks and was off.
She was walking around nibbling on her apple.
She felt happy, when suddenly she bumped into a little girl.
'OW!' the girl cried.
Retasu looked down and hastily bent down and said "GOMEN! GOMEN! I wasn't looking at the road"
The big eyed girl, with blonde hair looked at her and said ''That's okay! NYA!"
Retasu smiled and asked "What's your name?"
"Purin. How bout you, onee-san?"
"Retasu."
"Hi Retasu onee-san!"
"Hi!" she smiled.
When suddenly a short boy with red hair, big eyes and pointy ears rand approaching Purin.
"Taruto-chan! NYA!" Purin cried as she stood up and hugged the boy, who was obviously suprised.
Retasu was suprised
"Get off me! I only came here because I was worried!" the little boy said in disgust as he tried to shoo her away.
"Retasu onee-san, let me introduce you to my boyfriend Taruto" Purin smiled and joked.
"Boyfriend! Yuck! I'm not even your playmate! Onii-san just told me to take care and be nice to you because he loves you're big sister!" Taruto blushed as he stuck his tongue out.
Retasu giggled when suddenly a teenage boy, who looked older than Retasu, with green hair and chinky eyes came running towards Purin and Taruto.
Retasu thought he was kind of cute but she didn't forget about Ryou.
He ran to them and said "Purin, Ta-" he was cut off when he saw Retasu .
"Purin, Taruto, who's this?" he smiled and looked at Retasu.
Retasu kind of blushed.
"That's Retasu onee-san!" Purin cried.
"Oh hey. I'm Pai" he smiled.
Retasu smiled and said "Nice to meet you."
Then suddenly a group of people came towards their direction with baskets of tomatoes and eggs.
"Pai-san, what's going on?" Retasu asked.
"That's why I came, to tell you that today there is a 'public torture' near here"
The first thing that crossed Retasu's mind was Ryou.
"R-Ryou..." she said slowly as she shivered.
"They said the the person who was being tortured was punished for having a relationship with his best friend's fiancee. And his best friend's fiancee is the Princess of this kingdom"
"...TELL ME WHERE IT IS! I NEED TO KNOW! " Retasu shouted. She took Pai's collar and started shaking his head.
"O-o-o-over the-ere." he pointed to where the people were running. Retasu let go of him. She shouted as she began to run "THANKS!"
"Men, that girl is hot" Pai sighed as he looked at Retasu.
"OOH! I'll tell Fei about you falling in love with another girl!" Taruto teased.
Fei is Purin's sister, who Pai was having a relationship with .
"Oh no, Taruto, don't tell her I said that!" Pai begged.
Taruto just ran, while Purin and Pai followed.
Meanwhile Retasu ran with the group of people and when she finally reached the place she saw RYOU!
His head and hands were jammed together by a wooden thing.
He looked down and Retasu saw that his face was covered with squashed tomatoes and egg shells.
Retasu was so suprised.
Eggs and Tomatoes were flying above the air. Some missed Ryou's face but some hit the target and Ryou's face became messier.
But for the moment Ryou didn't care. He looked down and took his punishment.
There were shouts like "Boo!" or "Serves him right!" or "You suck!" and everytime the eggs and tomato hit Ryou's face they would shout " YAY!" or shout happily.
Retasu remembered something and looked towards the castle where Masaya and the King were watching from a balcony.
Retasu didn't care anymore.
She went through the crowd but a guards stopped her when she was close
"RYOU!" she shouted.
Ryou heard her heavenly voice and looked around the crown and saw his angel, standing in front of him. But one thing made him sad, it was that Retasu wasn't happy but sad and miserable.
She looked at the guard and ran to another direction. She came close to a barrel of water. She borrowed a jug from another vendor and filled it with water and she ran back to the crowd.
When she reached where the guard was standing, she looked into his eyes and glared at the guard.
The guard recognized her and let her through.
She climbed up the stage where Ryou was kneeling.
Ryou said " Retasu... it's good to hear you" he smiled.
Retasu instantly felt sad. She kneeled down and let Ryou drink some water.
"Ryou.. Ryou .. I'm sorry. I'll get you out of here soon. I'm sorry" she began to cry.
Ryou said nothing. Retasu shouted at the crowd who didn't care "HEY STOP IT!"
All the people recognized her and stopped throwing as a few more food fell to the ground.
"GUARDS GET HIM OUT NOW!" Retasu shouted.
The guards hastily got up and unlocked Ryou allowing him to sit up straight.
"Oh Ryou .. I'm sorry" she hugged him tight.
Ryou looked at her and smiled.
She took out a handkerchief and wiped his face and hugged him in front of the people including the king and Masaya.
Masaya immediately took action and in a few seconds he was no longer in the balcony and down on the marketplace, only Retasu didn't notice.
Ryou looked at her and kissed her head and said "Thanks, Retasu. I owe you one."
Retasu looked up and cried.
Gasps were heard on the marketplace.
Masaya arrived and came close to Retasu and pulled her away by the hand, away from Ryou.
"Stay away from him!" he pulled her.
Retasu felt suprised (and so was Ryou)
She cried harder and shouted as Masaya succeeded to get her away, but Ryou tried his best to keep her away from him, but because he was so tired he didn't succeed.
Masaya looked down and punched Ryou right on his face which turned red as he fell to the ground.
Masaya let go of Retasu arm and walked closer to Ryou and started to kick him, hard.
Retasu shouted "RYOU!" she ran to him and kneeled and hugged Ryou to avoid Masaya kick him anymore.
The king approached them and told the guards to bring Ryou to another dungeon and bring Retasu back to the castle.
Ryou held her hand again but the guards managed to bring her to the castle.
The crowd watched all this drama and so many 'oohs' were heard.
Retasu broke free from the grasps of the guards and ran back to the castle and straight away to the garden, were she found Minto sketching. She lay down on the grass and cried and told Minto everything.
Minto was so suprised and she came closer to Retasu and hugged her.
Minto felt really pitiful and guilty for following the orders of the king to make a schedule for Ryou's execution. At first she made a very light punishment but the king would not accept it and he kept on telling her to make it a harder punishment. She cried with Retasu. The two friends cried in each others arms
