Gah!! I am so sorry for not updating sooner!! I was working on a TMM music video, and now I won't be able to put it up! I worked so hard on it too!! I need to cut it down a lot!! I needed to cut it down into 4 parts just so I could send it to a friend. Man, this is complicated. Anyway, I am back, and while this stuff saves to the computer, I'll write this chappie!!
She was in labor for a long time; 10 hours in fact. She was sound asleep now, after giving birth to her first two children; a boy and a girl. Just like they had decided, the two would be named Riley and Kaguya. Ryou looked over at his sleeping beauty and smiled. He ruffled her hair and a tiny smile formed across her face. She was right; Riley and Kaguya Shirogane had a nice ring to it. Ryou chuckled at the thought. He walked over down the hall where he could look at his two precious angels from a glass window. They were so adorable.
Ryou sat down and thought for a moment. Now that he had two kids, he would have way more responsibility. They would also have to move out of Café Mew Mew; one room would not be enough space for all four of them. He might just give the room to Ariel. Of course, Café Mew Mew would still be opened and he would keep his job, he just wouldn't be living there. But where would they live?
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"Ichigo Shirogane, you can go home now with Kaguya and Riley," a nurse said while passing by. Ichigo was ready to go home too. Keiichiro would be coming by in a few minutes with Ariel and Kish to give them all a ride. Just as she was finished packing, a woman came in. "Hi……um...do you need anything mam?" Ichigo asked politely. The woman glared at her. "You must be Ichigo Momomiya. My name is Ari," she said coldly. Ichigo recognized the coldness in her voice. It reminded her some someone…..but who? "I'm sorry, but I'm not Ichigo Momomiya. I'm Ichigo Shirogane," Ichigo explained. Ari kind of laughed. "So you think just because you were pregnant to with this Shirogane-persons kids make you his lover? That's a laugh," she said. Ichigo was getting ticked off. "I'm not just his girlfriend lady. I'm his wife."
"Well, I'll tell you this, Mrs. Shirogane, you're doing a great job messing up every woman's reputation. Now everyone thinks all women can't wait until they grow up or reach a reasonable age. And you give a great name to us who wait, like me for instance," Ari explained. Ichigo tensed up. She couldn't move. Ryou ran in at just that minute, looking from the frozen Ichigo to a woman who had a disappointed look on her face. "Whoever you are, you are not welcome here, so leave now!" he yelled. Ari looked toward him.
"And you must be Shirogane, you must be pretty proud of yourself doing this to her. Making her go through strange body changes she shouldn't have to suffer. I bet you let everyone down, especially your parents," she said, at first with sarcasm, then with a lot more hatred. Ryou tensed up as well. He, unlike Ichigo however, regained his composure. "Actually, my parents aren't here…and I bet they would be disappointed in me….but they would also be a little proud as well…I am taking responsibility after all," he shot at her.
She just put on another smug look. "Proud of you? So you're going to leave her in a couple years because you wouldn't need to be responsible anymore? How is that proving responsibility?" she mocked him. Ryou just looked even more annoyed. "Well you know I'm not just being responsible. I love Ichigo, and she loves me. And who are you to say we can't love each other," he shouted at her.
Ariel ran down the hall of the hospital, even though she wasn't supposed to. She had left Keiichiro at some gift shop and Kish following her. She came to a quick halt at Ichigo's room. She peeked inside to see another woman there, Ichigo as stiff as a statue, and Ryou yelling at the woman. "Who are you?" she said, bursting into the room. "Well, I might not tell you, but I know who you are. And I can't believe I'm in the presence of Ariel Pear Konaga, the little rock star that everyone thought was dead. I mean, if the paparazzi were to find out, you would surely be back to your old, lonely, miserable life," she said mocking her. Ariel could believe this every day woman knew who she was. "Look you, my life wasn't that bad. Just cause I like being myself now than being a rock star years ago doesn't mean it was miserable. But it was pretty lonely, and I got through it. So don't be thinking you can say I'm alive and everyone will come after me and hate it. Well, actually, I will hate it and…"
"What are you babbling about now snake-girl?" Kish said. Ari stared from Kish to Ariel and back again. She saw Kish put a hand on Ariel's chin, pull her forward, and tell her, "You talk too much Ariel, you know that? You really need to shut up," and pull her in for a kiss. Ari just got that evil smug look on her face. "Don't tell me he got you pregnant? For Pete's sake, you're even younger than her!" she yelled. Kish, who didn't really give a shit what he did in front of other people, just said, "Mind your own business," and tried to pull Ariel into another kiss. Ariel avoided it though, and spoke up. "No, but I do love him. So like he said, mind your own business."
Ari finally had enough. "Whatever. I'm just saying you shouldn't go playing around in things you don't understand. Remember that next time," she said, and she was gone.
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"What your step Ichigo," said Ryou as he helped her out of the car. All the lights in Café Mew Mew were off. Ariel, Kish, and Keiichiro had run on ahead. Ichigo grabbed the carrier that had Kaguya in it, and Ryou grabbed the carrier that had Riley in it. After walking up the sidewalk to the café, Ryou opened the door and Ichigo flipped on the light with her free hand. Everyone popped up from behind chairs, tables, and the counter as they all yelled, "SURPRISE!!!"
Two big banners hung from the ceiling; one that said "Welcome Back Ichigo and Ryou" and the other saying "Welcome Riley and Kaguya". Zakuro, Mint, Lettuce, Pudding, Moe and Miwa gathered around the two as they took Kaguya and Riley out of their carries and held them. "Awe, they're so adorable," said Mint. Ichigo looked at her friends. "If you guys are really careful, you can hold them, but be really careful," she said with a little worry in her voice. Her friends beamed at the idea, and Ichigo handed Kaguya over to Mint, while Ryou let Lettuce hold Riley. Lettuce and Mint seemed to think this at the same time and they said it at the same time too. "They look just like you Ryou." Ryou chuckled. "But Riley has Ichigo's eyes," said Lettuce.
"And Kaguya has Ichigo's ears and tail!" said Mint, but then realized something wasn't right. 'When did newborns have ears and tails like cats? Ryou and Ichigo sweat dropped. "I guess we still have cat genes," said Ryou. Ichigo nodded. But just then, Kaguya's ears and tail disappeared. "Looks like they can control there cat genes too," said Ichigo. She looked around; everyone was here; her friends, her co-workers who also were her friends, even the aliens were here. Hours passed, and the Welcoming Party still hadn't ended. Miwa and Moe had to leave though. Everyone else, however, had also planned an evening of dancing. A slow song finally came on.
Dancing in the dark
Middle of the night
Taking your heart
And holding you tight
Ichigo and Ryou immediately went to the middle of the floor. He put one hand on her back and took her other had in his. (This dancing is meant to be like in volume three when they are on the cruise ship.) Ariel had to drag Kish out there and once Kish finally gave in, they did the same. Zakuro and Keiichiro just shrugged and followed.
Emotional touch
Touching my skin
And asking you to do
What you've been doing all over again
Mint walked over to Masaya who gladly excepted when she asked him to dance. Unlike Kish, who gave into dancing with Ariel, Tart didn't give in, and Pudding had to almost wrestle him into the position everyone else was in. She finally hit him on the head real hard and said she'll do it again if he didn't dance with her. Kish and Ariel were dancing near the two, and he whispered to Tart, "You know you like her, and I know you like her to. A lot. So just dance with your lover." Tart finally gave in and while growling at Kish, danced with her. And halfway through the song, he liked it.
Oh it's a beautiful thing
Don't think I can keep it all in
I just got to let you know
What it is that won't let me go
It's your love
Just does something to me
Sends a shock right through me
I can't get enough
And if you wonder
'Bout the spell I'm under
Oh it's your love
"Um…Pai…..would you like to….to…" Lettuce whispered quietly and nervously. She was shaking from head to toe. Pai knew what she was about to ask and put on a little smile. "Of course," he said. Lettuce and Pai walked to the dancing floor, and Lettuce blushed. "Um…i….i don't know how to dance like this," she finally managed to say. Pai whispered to her, "don't worry; neither do I. Let's just do what the others are doing," he said as he held out his hand. Lettuce shyly smiled and took it.
Better than I was
More than I am
And all of this happened
By taking your hand
And who I am now
Is who I wanted to be
And now that we're together
I'm stronger than ever
I'm happy and free
Ryou pulled Ichigo closer. She could here him breathing. She gently laid her head on his chest. She felt like she was dancing on a cloud. She knew that was probably how the others felt while dancing with their partner.
Oh it's a beautiful thing
Don't think I can keep it all in
And if you ask me why I've changed
All I got to do is say your sweet name
It's your love
Just does something to me
Sends a shock right through me
I can't get enough
And if you wonder
'Bout the spell I'm under
Oh it's your love
Tart was definitely feeling something. It was a strange feeling that made him all warm and fuzzy inside. (Well, that's how everyone else puts it and the only way I can put it right now) Pudding kind of giggled. Tart glared at her. "What are you laughing at?" he asked her. She stopped giggling. "Oh, well, you just haven't grown that much these past few years," she said while looked at her feet. He took this a bit to offensive. "Well, I can say the same thing about you" he said. Pudding just giggled some more. "That's not the reason. I'm just thinking you're the right height for me to kiss you," she said. With that, she pulled him closer and brought him into a kiss.
Oh it's a beautiful thing
Don't think I can keep it all in
I just got to let you know
What it is that won't let me go
It's your love
Just does something to me
Sends a shock right through me
I can't get enough
And if you wonder
'Bout the spell I'm under
Oh it's your love
It's your love
It's your love
Everyone had gone home now. Well….not totally…..
"You want to live here?" Ichigo said surprised. The three aliens nodded. "Yeah……I guess we have no need to live in space anymore," said Kish. Ryou sighed. "I should just build a new wing onto this place and open a boarding house or something," he said. He didn't think there were anymore rooms, and he wasn't even going to try and trust them using the lab as a bedroom just yet.
Ariel came back into the room after getting off the phone. "I think I know a place where you guys can stay temporarily," she said. She didn't look to happy though.
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"Wow…..this house is….big," said Ryou. All of them went to check out the house. "Whose is it?" he asked. Ariel kind of tensed up, but just replied, "It's my grandmothers….my father was originally from Japan and this is the house he grew up in. My grandma left this place to me since I'm her only living relative, but I've never thought I would ever need it. You guys will have to get jobs to pay the bills and stuff, and…."
"I have an idea!" said Ichigo. Everyone looked at her. "Ryou and I need a house to live in since we have kids now, because that small little room isn't going to cut it. Since this place is so big, how about you three, Ryou, the kids, and I move in? And Ariel, if you don't feel too insulted, you can have Ryou's room," she explained. Everyone looked at each other and agreed. Ariel then said something. "That's a great idea. I mean, you people need this house more than I do." Everyone nodded. And it was settled that they would all move in tomorrow.
Lame ending, I know. Again, sorry for taking so long. And I'm sorry if no one likes Tim McGraw. But I needed a slow, romantic song fast, so I just went through my cd's and found it. Plus, it's a really good song if you ever get a chance to listen to it. Anyway, sorry for taking so long. Really busy with the music video, school, all kinds of thing. Anyway, read and review, over and out. -Nibzo