Mild Shock
Dear readers,
Thank you for stopping by and reading my fanfiction. I am so glad that you find this story entertaining and worth your time. Here is another chapter for you and, as I mentioned before, these following chapters are the cornerstone of The Road to Perfection; so expect the unexpected!
Speaking of which, have you seen the latest TMM episode? Those last fifteen seconds made me squeal like a little bitch, not gonna lie! I am SOOOO looking forward to the next episode hahaha. I likewise like the fact that this new remake is more authentic to the manga, I wonder what other scenes they will use! And, the soundtrack is totally dope! In case anyone knows what song is playing when Lettuce is fighting Ichigo and Mint, let me know please. It's perfect!
Also, since I got some questions about the music to which I write, here are some tracks that usually play in the background when I am hitting the buttons on the keyboard.
Tinie Tempah 'Written in the Sky'
Mr. Kitty 'After Dark'
Miley Cyrus 'Mother's Daughter (live at Tinderbox Festival)'
Kadebostany 'Early Morning Dreams (Kled Mone Remix)'
Nana OST Olivia insp. Reira 'Recorded Butterflies (Instrumental)'
Tomandandy Resident Evil OST 'Rooftop'
MGK 'Papercut'
In addition, yes, this story features two OC characters. Yuri and Elton. And, of course, Gato from the original Tokyo Mew Mew PlayStation game. As for their respective theme songs:
Yuri – Billie Eilish 'You Should See Me in a Crown'
Elton – Blood on the Dance Floor 'Sexting'
Gato – Pandora Hearts OST 'Ghost Blood'
Sheli93– Thank you for your comment! I am happy to hear that you enjoyed the last chapter so much. And, I agree, Yuri's character might seem a bit ambiguous at this point but that shall change soon. I would not describe her as a villain though. She is enigmatic, kinda ahead of her peers but not necessarily evil, or at least that is the portrayal that I was aiming for. Have I succeeded? Let me know!
DrDark7 – Thank you for your comment! It made me laugh. I, personally, have not imagined Yuri and Ichigo fighting each other for Kisshu, but I will consider it for any future purposes haha. To me, Yuri seems like the kind of person who would not engage in such an act though, especially as far as boys are concerned. But who knows.
Kishlover985 – Thank you for your comment! I am delighted to hear that you really enjoy my story. No need to thank me; even though most of the fanfiction is reflected through Ichigo's eyes, there will be some more scenes narrated through different characters as well, including Kisshu and Yuri. As Ichigo is the protagonist, it is usually better to use her perspective for the plot though.
Torichan – Thank you for your comments! I am very happy to see that you are enjoying my story so much. Here is another chapter for you and I hope that you will like it just as much, if not more. And, yes, this story features Gato, and more unexpected twists are yet to come, so stay tuned!
Chuchu – Thank you for your comment! I am glad that you enjoyed the last chapter! And, yes. Yuri might seem a little vague for the time being but that is only due to her complicated character and position in this story. I hope that you are not gonna hate her too much, she is actually really cool. But does Kisshu think so too? That is the question.
LenaCastle – Thank you for your comment! I am happy to see that you still enjoy my story. I totally agree, a drunk Pai is a sight itself haha. And, I am glad to hear that you like the character of Yuri too; I, personally, like her exactly because she is not possessive, jealous or downright annoying. Also, Ryou and Ichigo are my second favorite TMM pairing, right after Kishigo!
NeKoGirl – Thank you for your comment! I am glad that you are still enjoying reading my fanfiction so much. And, I am likewise happy to hear you liked all the Ryou and Ichigo interactions. Their conversations are always so interesting to write. By the way, Thursdays are usually the days when I upload, so this time, you will not have to wait that long for a new chapter! Yay!
As always, please enjoy and review!
I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew
Ichigo was staring into a pair of two golden eyes, whose glimmer was both enticing and detrimental to her sanity. The only consolation she had had was the fact that Kisshu did not fare any better. To say that he was not equally surprised would be an understatement; and, even if their former tension appeared to be somewhat dampened by the proximity of the two other Cyniclons, neither of them could deny its ever present existence lurking in the background.
"Oh isn't this the infamous Mew Ichigo?" the guy on Kisshu's right whom Ichigo immediately recognized from the opening ceremony called out with glee and Ichigo wondered whether or not his excessively outgoing persona was actually real. She noticed how his icy blue hair bobbed up and down, as he was shaking her hand rapidly until the point that Ichigo started to feel it would just fall off.
"The one and only," she managed to reply with a forced smile.
"I am Elton, beautiful! Yuri's cousin and Kish's good friend. It is very nice to finally meet you," he kissed her hand chivalrously and it took every bit of her willpower not to retract it and wipe his kiss on her dress.
"Ichigo," Yuri's voice redirected Ichigo's attention back to her and she tried her hardest not to look at the hand that was touching Kisshu, but straight into Yuri's eyes, "this is my fiancé Kisshu. Kish, this is Mew Ichigo, the protector of Earth, as you probably already know."
"Ichigo," Kisshu nodded.
"It's good to see you again, Kisshu," Ichigo ventured, despite the awkwardness of the situation.
"Oh Yuri, there is no need for any pleasantries for these two," Elton laughed, "I'm pretty sure they know each other quite well. What do you say, Kish?"
"Shut up, Elton," Kisshu casually sipped his drink and Ichigo's mind started to revolve around the idea of exactly how much was known about her and Kisshu on this planet.
Yuri, on the other hand, went utterly quiet and regarded Ichigo warily.
"It's not like I'm making it up or anything. Everyone in the army saw it from the video tapes Pai procured from Earth. These two were once almost lovers, my dear little cousin. Or that is," Elton grinned mischievously at Kisshu before his gaze fell again on Ichigo, "Kisshu really wanted them to be, but Ichigo for some very strange reason did not. Am I correct?"
"Yes," the said human girl nodded, slightly blushing, "I had a boyfriend at that time."
"Ryou?" Yuri tried but Ichigo shook her head.
"No, Ryou is just my friend. His name was Masaya but we broke up pretty much before me and the Mews got here."
At this, Kisshu visibly tensed. Ichigo was not sure if Yuri could have sensed it but one quick glimpse at Elton proved that he was very much aware of Kisshu's reaction as well. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying it a little too much.
"So, you're single now? That's awesome!" Elton whistled as he wrapped a possessive hand around her waist.
"Forget your boyfriend and have some fun with me. What do you say?"
Ichigo began to understand what Yuri had meant when she referred to her cousin as a hunk, but kinda hard to deal with. He was everywhere. Too loud, too grabby and too intense. The only thing she could not hold against him was the concept that he was also too hot.
"Hey, Ichigo," he inched a little too close for her liking and his earrings grazed against the shell of her ear as he continued, "if you have a thing for Cyniclon boys, I'm a perfect package, strong, sexy, smart…"
"And incredibly annoying," Kisshu cut him off.
Ichigo instinctively locked eyes with the green haired alien and they stared at each other wordlessly for a moment before Kisshu focused his gaze back onto the cup in his hand.
Elton, noting that, grinned cheekily.
"You know, Kish is off the market now. But I lived almost all my life next to him, know his habits and tricks. And, if you tell me how far you guys went, I'm pretty confident I could give you that and more. So what do you say, Ichigo? Do you want me to be your new Kisshu?" he drawled sexily and gave his lips a suggestive lick.
Upon hearing such a direct proposition, Ichigo blanched and recoiled.
Both Kisshu and Yuri, by contrast, appeared completely unaffected by Elton's words. To Ichigo, it almost looked as though they had missed them altogether, if the unwavering postures of their bodies could serve as any indication.
But that was scarcely Ichigo's main source of worry now. Deep down, she knew that no amount of alcohol could neutralize the emotions that had roared through her body like a tidal wave. It was as if the room around her began suddenly spinning, sending the desperate Mew Mew in a state of trepid delirium with next to no possibility of escape. She heard her heart in her ears thrumming wildly, and felt her throat tighten at the uneasiness that was twisting into her heart like a knife. Her breath came out short and quick and she was aware that she had to leave before she completely lost it. It was now or never.
"I go-gotta go and check on the girls," Ichigo stuttered and wriggled herself out of Elton's arms as fast as she could, "Everyone, please excuse me," she bowed and bolted with the speed of light.
Kisshu, Elton and Yuri, each with an entirely different expression on their face, watched her speechlessly as she shoved her way through the bystanders around them.
Kisshu was the first to break the silence.
"That was completely unnecessary," he commented, little annoyance leaking out into his tone.
"What? It's a good thing she knows. Better than to sugarcoat it. And you should thank me later for getting that girl off of your tits. Besides," Elton sighed dreamily, "I meant everything I said. If she ever changes her mind, I'm ready to go anytime. She really is a cutie. And a human too. Real exotic, if you ask me! Full lips, nice rack, good ass. No surprise you wanted her so bad Kish. Has she ever-"
It was not Kisshu's hand that shot up and smacked Elton across his cheek.
"You should know by now that such a talk about women is inappropriate and entirely inadmissible on this planet. As a royal, you should know better than to reduce yourself to such foul language."
Yuri's voice was completely level-headed as she passed her judgement on her cousin with no hesitation. Both guys stared at her wide-eyed and Yuri took it as a clue for her own exit. She then also excused herself and, without looking at either of them, disappeared in the crowd.
"Do you think she's mad?" Elton asked, massaging his swollen bruise.
"Who knows," Kisshu shrugged. He was about to take another sip of his punch but stopped upon realizing that there was no more left to drink. The cup he was eying now curiously proved completely empty and he could only fathom what had distracted him enough to have forgotten about how disgusting that sweet liquid had felt on his tongue.
There was a sea of people around her; a sea of unfamiliar faces Ichigo had hard time discerning from each other. It was all so confusing. Ryou was nowhere to be seen; nor were the rest of the Mews, which only added to her ominous feeling of claustrophobia. Ichigo wanted to go away. Anywhere. As quickly as possible; not because Elton's words had offended her and made her sick to the stomach. But because, in all actuality, what he had said was true. She wanted Kisshu. Terribly. And far more than she had been willing to admit. At least, not until today. The notion itself immensely terrified her and she could feel the heavy lump building up in her throat at the helplessness of her own situation.
It was only upon good luck that she stole a glimpse of blue frilly tea-length dress and soon after spotted Mint a little further to her right.
Without thinking, Ichigo made a mad dash for it.
"Mint," she grasped her arm unexpectedly and her friend shrieked at the sudden contact.
"What are you doing, Ichigo?! Are you insane?" Mint regarded her with narrow eyes, obviously displeased at the intrusion of privacy.
"Mint, I need you. There is no one else around. Ryou is God knows where and I have not seen the other Mews for hours," Ichigo squeaked, anxiety taking over her features.
"Could you please compose yourself? You make us humans look like we are some bunch of lunatics."
Only then had Ichigo looked around herself to realize that Mint had had a company. A rather good looking Cyniclon guy was watching their conversation with slight amusement and Ichigo could tell he was interested in Mint. That made her feel even worse. She so wanted her friend to have a good time. But Ichigo also had to tell someone. Anyone. Otherwise she would really go batshit insane.
"Whatever it is, it has to wait till tomorrow. I promised this next dance to-"
"Mint, he's engaged," Ichigo whispered softly, but audibly enough for Mint to hear her and stop short.
"Not only that….in a couple of days, he's getting MARRIED," Ichigo blurted out, as she finally felt her first tears rolling down her cheeks.
Mint's annoyance quickly evaporated from her face. Instead, it now reflected a mixture of genuine surprise and mild shock.
"What?"
It was 10:25 am. Ryou Shirogane just woke up in his room after a great night of scientific research during which he had explored places and procedures no human before him ever could; nor would even deem possible. He did not remember exactly everything from his last night's endeavors but, upon stretching his neck, he noticed one very important detail that must have evaded him before. His red choker went missing.
And that was not the only surprise he had to encounter that day.
"RYOUUUU!" Ichigo slammed the door open and in she went with such urgency that it made the blonde jump on the bed and pull up his sheets in panic.
"WHAT!?" he screamed back, "Ichigo, you can't just barge into my room like that! What if I was….."
"Doing research?" Ichigo offered.
"I was about to say jerking off, but sure let's go with that one," Ryou deadpanned.
"Ewww, Ryou, that's gross!" Ichigo visibly cringed.
"What? I am on vacation. Cut me some slack already. If you're that interested in other people's personal business why don't you sort out your own first?" he groaned, slowly releasing his body from the uncomfortable tension. How did she even get in here? Did he forget to close the door last night? A brief sensation of disorientation crossed his memory, as his brow scrunched at his obvious misconduct.
It is going to be a long day, he mused, rubbing his eyes tiredly.
And exactly when I felt like everything could not have been better.
Still sleepy, it took him a second before his mind registered that something had been really wrong.
There was conspicuously dead silence on the other end of the room. And something about that unnerved Ryou to great lengths. Silent Ichigo never meant anything good. Actually, silent Ichigo meant nothing but trouble.
He waited for a few more moments before he gingerly looked up from his position on the bed and spotted Ichigo's slugged form close to the door frame.
"That's why I came actually. I-I have a problem, Ryou, and I need your help," she replied, her eyes glued to the floor.
He sighed.
Obviously, there was something bothering her and from the looks of it, it was not something that he could mock or be done away with quickly.
He checked his watch. 10:30 am. No alerts from Earth. Great. And, apparently, no alerts from here either, minus one emotionally distressed Mew Mew. He sent Keiichiro a message that he was alive and no impending danger, at least a danger of which he had been aware of, was threatening their existence on Cyclonia. After shutting the last window down, he turned his attention back to Ichigo.
"Ok, I'm listening."
"Forget it," Ryou eventually proclaimed, running a hand through his blonde streaks.
"Wha-at?" Ichigo's eyes widened at the finality of his voice.
"I said forget it. You can't win this one, Ichigo. Let it go and find yourself another boyfriend. Simple as that," she looked at him in disbelief. Was this really the Ryou that had never given up, no matter what circumstances?
"But I can't, Ryou. There is something telling me in my body that I shouldn't and that's why I can't," Ichigo cried out desperately.
"You can and you will," Ryou retorted in far harder tone this time, his eyes narrowing.
"Listen, Ichigo. Kisshu is a military hero and his fiancé is a royal princess, which means that Kisshu is without doubt the next leader of Cyclonia. Are you even aware of all the implications this affair could cause? Not just to you, but to him as well? This would not be just a random fling. For Kisshu, such an act could have fatal consequences. And, if you are not aware of it and you are not willing to listen to common sense, then I sure as hell can assure you that he is. Starting anything with you would be for him like announcing his personal demise. He would basically bring up the possibility of civil war upon his planet, not to mention he would lose all credibility as a leader within the nation he has to protect. For you, it might be just a form of short-lived entertainment, but for Kisshu the situation is very different now. Have you ever considered that?"
Ichigo went mute.
Every neuron in her brain told her that Ryou was absolutely correct with his analysis. She had far less to lose than Kisshu. She understood his position and his obligations. Being a hero and, quite possibly, the future king. But that did not make her feel any better. She knew that Yuri was probably the most beautiful girl and the best match on Cyclonia on every level and Ichigo could never compete with any of that. She was not nobility. She was not exactly breathtaking and when she talked it sounded nothing like the chiming bells. But she was a-
"But..I'm a Mew Mew," Ichigo's voice sank to a whisper, "Does that not count?"
Ryou gave her an incredulous look.
"So what? On this planet you're nobody. If anything, at the current state of events, you present an obstacle for Kisshu."
An obstacle…I wonder when I have become and obstacle for him.
"But Ryou," she mused out loud, still deeply invested in her own thoughts, "didn't the Mew Mews always pose an obstacle for the aliens?"
She saw Ryou's muscles momentarily contract and realized what a very difficult situation she was putting him through.
"Yes, you are right, Ichigo," Ryou conceded, giving her a small smile in the process, "But with the alliance among our planets established now, there is no reason for any more obstacles to come in between us. As the protector of Earth, you should regard this intergalactic peace as a privilege, something we have fought hard and long to gain and which should always be cherished and nurtured," he paused, shooting her a worried look, "instead of being jeopardized."
Ichigo's head slumped even more, when the gravity of his words finally hit her.
This had truly not been only about her and Kisshu. Ryou was right. The overreaching consequences of their relationship could easily cast some serious problems on both of their planets and alternate the future of their nations forever; such a future could be bloody, deadly and painful, but not restricted solely to fighting and wars. She mentally imagined all the people and aliens alike dying and suffering as a direct result of her vices and Ichigo's heart plummeted in her chest at her own stupidity.
Ryou, seeing her coming to terms with the unwanted reality, tried again, a little softer now.
"Hey, I know that you mean good and you want Kisshu happy and all but the best way to make him happy now is to disappear from his life and leave him alone. If you want, I can ask Pai to rearrange our scheduled departure and we can fly home immediately."
"No!" Ichigo exclaimed in a flash. There was no way for her to be that selfish. The other girls would lose so much fun just because of her. Because of her lame hormonal whiny self. And it was not like they were getting days off at the Café that frequently. Come to think of it, she could not remember a single time Ryou had ever sent them on paid vacation.
"I mean," she quickly corrected herself, "if anyone is going home, it will be me. Just me, Ryou."
"Huh?"
"You heard me," Ichigo reiterated, her determination back and voice defiant, "I don't want to ruin anyone else's fun just because of my raging ovaries."
Hearing this, Ryou actually laughed.
Standing up, he came closer to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Ichigo, nobody has to go home. Just make sure you keep your interactions with Kisshu at the minimum. Don't engage in anything deep and don't let your mind wander in directions you know could cause any trouble."
"That is easily said than done. Have you seen how good he looks?" Ichigo lamented in protest.
"Well you gotta try," Ryou dismissed her comment, "And no, I'm not gay so I cannot estimate his sex appeal the way you do."
"Your choker is missing," Ichigo noted suddenly, catching Ryou off guard.
"Yup, that will be correct."
She scrutinized his facial expression for a little longer before breaking into a devilish grin.
"Where is it, Ryou?"
"Heck if I know," he let out a sigh, finally coming clean with his suppressed frustration at his loss, "The girls must have taken it as a souvenir or something. We surely discovered its various methods of usage."
"RYOUU, that's gross!" Ichigo screeched, putting both of her hands over her ears.
"Well, don't ask next time."
When Ichigo came back to their room, Mint was still heavily preoccupied with her People magazine and Earl Grey tea. In a way, it looked as if time had stopped in that place.
Upon her arrival, the blue lorikeet Mew only briefly flicked her eyes across Ichigo but slowly resumed reading.
"So what did Ryou say?" she asked, feigning ignorance.
Ichigo took off her shoes and sank dejectedly in the armchair, opposite to Mint.
"The exactly same thing like you."
Mint paused and bulged her eyes at her.
"So we're going home?" she raised a questioning brow and the Mew Mew leader could swear that she had heard alarm and a flash of irritation in Mint's voice.
"No, we're not," Ichigo let out after a while.
At this, the dark haired girl notably relaxed and transferred her concentration back onto her magazine. Ichigo could tell that Mint's eyes tried to stay transfixed on the words in front of her but, from the looks of it, they were failing persistently. In fact, it looked as though Mint only pretended to read, since her pupils were not actually moving across the paper in the slightest.
"That's a good thing, considering I have a date tomorrow afternoon," Mint said with no particular importance to her statement.
Ichigo smirked.
Internally, she was so happy she had decided to stay. Having seen her friends having such a good time was definitely worth it. Even though she was an emotional wreck, there was no way she would deprive her closest beloved group of friends of having the time of their lives. Plus, how many people could say that they had been vacationing on a foreign planet? Not that many Ichigo could think of.
"What's his name?" Ichigo perked up and scuttled closer to the edge of the chair, sending Mint a wide grin, as she folded her hands under her chin mischievously.
"That is none of your business, Ichigo."
She scowled. Leave it to Mint to destroy all her fun. Maybe they should have returned back to Earth after all.
"Oh, come on. Show some mercy. I'm just being happy for you," Ichigo tried but to no avail.
As if on cue, Mint raised her gaze from her paper and looked Ichigo straight in the eye.
"No chance," she shot back with her casual arrogance of royalty.
"Urghhh, you're being impossible," Ichigo groaned and reclined in her seat with mock exasperation.
Looking at the ceiling, the Mew Mew leader started to ponder whether or not she should also consider going on dates with Cyniclon guys. This was a one-time opportunity to broaden her horizons in her guys' department, which was, truthfully, otherwise fairly lacking. Apart from Masaya, Ichigo had not dated much; another valid reason why she should take every chance she could get here and make the most of it. In fact, the prospect of kissing a hot Cyniclon boy did not appear unpleasant at all to her. To Ichigo's mind, they were all really attractive and different, which made them somewhat even more appealing to her senses. She was not sure if it was specifically the body posture or their mannerism, but they always looked so graceful and immaculate, and Ichigo found herself naturally drawn to that. And then there was that scorching intensity, of course; the hungry Cyniclon eyes which never lacked passion. These cat-like slits, alluring and capturing whatever presented itself in front of them, shining bright, with dark and golden specks in them….a vivid image of Kisshu's face unconsciously entered her thoughts and she winced profusely.
"You seem in pain," Mint observed from the chair not that far from hers.
"And you seem not to have been reading at all," Ichigo bit back, her eyes still trained on the ceiling.
"Is it Kisshu?"
Upon hearing his name, Ichigo's features darkened and she closed her eyes. Even if she wanted to forget him, evidently, none of her friends would let her do so.
"You looked pretty devastated when I dragged you to our room last night so I at least deserve to know how you decided to proceed with your infatuation. You owe me that much, Ichigo. Do not forget I even changed my own plans because of you."
Ichigo chuckled mirthlessly.
It was true. If it had not been for Mint last night and Ryou this morning, she would have drowned herself. Kisshu having a girlfriend was overwhelming enough for Ichigo, but Kisshu being engaged and getting married soon? Not to mention all the intergalactic intricacies that her newly-found interest in him could generate? That was totally beyond Ichigo's mental capabilities, sending her head spinning.
"I will…..keep a low profile," she reopened her eyes and kept her gaze firmly locked onto the unmoving crevices of the white wall above her, "I will try…my best…to stay out….of his way and not to be….an obstacle for him.…anymore."
Ichigo did not know when her vision began to get blurred, but she knew that those tears that were flowing down her face were real. Just as real as the pain in her chest that had made her feel like she was suffocating from the inside.
Mint studied her expression for a moment before she shifted her attention back onto the magazine.
"That would be a wise thing to do."
Their room was then filled with only two distinct sounds; an occasional rustle of paper and the choking sobs conveying silent acceptance.
