I stepped out of the car. The pouring rain threatened to fold in my umbrella as Newnan and I stepped into the Sunshine Hotel. The lobby was beautiful. There was a grand piano, huge crystal chandelier, and a buffet filled with delicious looking cakes and tarts. Nan was wearing a green satin dress with a swooping back. She looked like an adult. I felt almost immature in her presence. When Yoshiaki saw her, his eyes got huge and he linked arms with her, whispering in her ear. Nan was giggling and whispering back in his ear. They looked so cute together; I had to sigh to myself.
"They look cute together, don't they?" A voice said from behind my shoulder. I turned around and saw Mikio standing next to me. He was wearing a tuxedo and his hair was artfully gelled back so that it looked different from every angle. I was contemplating how my date with Akinori would go tomorrow. Before I realized what was happening, I was on the dance floor; Mikio's arms around my hips. The songs went on for ten more minutes until he walked off with me. I could feel Nan's eyes on us as the entire time.
Mikio said how happy he was that I had come. His hand came up as he stroked my cheek with his thumb. Blood rushed to the area he had touched as my face turned bright red. He leaned in near me and my heart raced. I'm loyal to Akinori. I made a mistake last time, but now I'm completely committed.
His lips touched my ear and he said, "You're the most beautiful girl in this room." Automatically, I looked down at my dress. It did slim my waistline and bring attention to my shoulders. Mikio moved to the side as he gently kissed my cheek. I knew this was too much. I couldn't be going out with Akinori with Mikio hugging me and kissing my cheek. Sweat started running down my forehead. I mumbled something before stumbling into the bathroom. I sat on the toilet as I cradled my head on my knees.
Everyone saw it. They all knew I had a boyfriend. Why did he have to do this in front of everyone? I felt my skin almost crawl. When I looked up, everything looked huge. I leapt of the toilet,
'Wait a minute… why did I have to jump to get off the toilet?'
I walked over to the sink and jumped onto the counter, 'And why did I have to jump up to the counter?' I quickly looked at myself in the mirror and held back a scream. Instead of seeing my face, I found myself looking at a furry brown cat, the same shade of brown as my eyes I might add, that had pink eyes. I HAD TURNED INTO A CAT! I quickly jumped down from the sink and ran out of the bathroom, which was difficult considering I had to open the door. When I finally got the door opened I ran out onto the dance floor, and instantly regretted it. Feet were attacking me everywhere I turned. I had to find someone who could help me. I saw Newnan and Yoshiaki at the refreshments table and I quickly ran over there. As carefully as I could, I jumped onto the table of sweets and drinks and when strait towards them. Almost strait anyway… I had to wind my way around trays and cups. When I was almost to them, I saw Yoshiaki take Newnan's hand and start to lead her onto the dance floor. I quickened my pace, and by doing so caused myself to slip on a peace of pie and go flying. I landed with a soft splash in the huge punch bowl. I struggled to stay afloat, but I was a horrible swimmer to begin with, and being a cat didn't help. I started sinking. I started to try and drink the punch, but that just made me heavier and made me sink faster. I was going to die.
I was going to die as a cat.
I was going to die as a cat, in a punch bowl.
My life flashed before my eyes. When I was born and a bunch of faces were looming over me. When I was 1 year old and was learning to walk. When I was learning to ride a bike. The day I met Newnan. My first day of school. The first time I ever set eyes on Akinori. The day I brought Cherry home and the way Dad had reacted to the little fur ball. My first kiss, and the way I repaid Nariyuki for it. When I first met Mikio and the way he had saved me. When Mikio walked me home from Café Mew Mew for the first time. When I first met Kish and the way he convinced me that he and Mum were such great friends. The time when Sho dragged me into his car. The way I looked into Mikio's eyes so intently. Suddenly I found myself think of only one person, and it wasn't the person I had expected to be thinking about. I was thinking about how I hoped to live, so I could see Mikio again.
Suddenly I felt someone's hand go around my belly and pulled me up. I looked up at Ryou, and he had an amused grin on his face. If he hadn't of saved my life I would have scratched his face to peaces.
"I was wondering when this was going to happen… just like your mom." He chuckled to himself. I glared at him. He took me into the bathroom and rinsed me off and then dried me off. I shivered.
"Okay listen, there is only one way to get back to being human, and I'm pretty sure you're not going to like it…" He paused.
"WHAT IS IT?" I tried to yell, but it just came out as a bunch of meows. He chucked again. I seriously was considering scratching him, but he could easily just drop me back in the punch bowl and leave me for dead so I didn't.
"Okay, okay, keep your fur on." I glared again. "The only way to turn back to normal is by you… you have to…"
"WHAT!" I meowed.
"You have to kiss someone."
My kitty eyes widened, "I HAVE TO WHAT?" I nearly fainted.
"Although I do have someone in mind who you might want to kiss…" I looked at him, my eyes narrowed, just daring him to go on.
"Mikio! You can come in now!" My little kitty jaw dropped. Mikio looked at me with a confused expression on his face.
Ryou sat me down on the counter and said, "Stay here. We'll be right back" Ryou grabbed Mikio's arm and dragged him out of the bathroom. After a couple of minutes they came back in, and Mikio was looking happy, although he was defiantly trying to hide it.
"Okay, we all know what's happening here, now Yuki, since you don't want to be a cat until your boyfriend sees you next, you had better choose one of the guys in this room." I raised my eyebrows.
"So you're telling me I have to choose between you and Mikio?" I meowed in an I-hate-you tone. I saw a small smile cross Ryou's face. He knew I wasn't going to kiss him. He was using me being a cat as an advantage for him to set me and Mikio up! I glared at him but felt myself blush.
'Thank god they can't see my cheeks…' I thought as I looked over at Mikio. Mikio was blushing now. I noticed that Ryou was inching his way out of the bathroom and before I knew it, he was gone and it was just me and Mikio.
I jumped off the counter and headed over to Mikio. He sat down on the ground and I climbed into his lap so I could get close enough to kiss him. We looked into each others eyes for a second and then I closed my eyes and slowly started to move in. Our lips touched and it felt… odd. His lips felt big compared to mine. Within seconds I felt myself turn back into a human, but I didn't pull away from him. I wrapped my arms around him and he wrapped his around me. His lips were soft and warm and it was the most magnificent kiss I had ever had in my life. Suddenly I saw Mikio and my relationship flash before my eyes and realized that I didn't love Akinori, I loved Mikio. We pulled away from each other and I looked into his eyes and he looked into mine. Mikio leaned in and kissed me again and I kissed him right back.
I don't know how long we were in the bathroom but we only pulled away from each other again because we heard a knock on the door. I climbed off Mikio's lap and smoothed out my dress while taking a quick glance in the mirror to make sure my makeup wasn't to badly smudged
'Good thing I didn't wear any lipstick…' I though, as Ryou came into the bathroom with a smile on his face.
"Do you two have any idea how long you've been in here?" Mikio and I looked at each other and then at Ryou with embarrassed smiles on our faces.
"Come on, time to join the party." Said Ryou, he turned around and walked out. Mikio walked over to me and took my hand in his and we walked out of the bathroom swinging our hinds between us. As soon as we got back into the ball room we were surrounded by all the mews, being asked all sorts of questions like:
"Where were you two"
"Why are you holding hands?"
I looked at Mikio and felt a smile cross my face. He started to smile too and then we started to laugh.
"I'm going to get some pun- something to eat…" I said, scolding myself for even thinking about getting anywhere near that dreaded punch. I let go of Mikio's hand and walked over to the refreshments table, although all the girl mews were pursuing me, determined to find out some answers. I looked at all the mews in their beautiful dresses. Tade was wearing a cute green dress that went down to her knees and was very frilly. It was adorable on her. Her hair was pulled back into a French braid. Akiko was wearing a light pink dress that went down to a little lower then her knees and had spaghetti straps. It was tight to her skin and the top went low down to show off her chest a little. Her hair was loose and wavy and she had on a little bit of makeup. She was gorges! Then I looked at Emiko. She had on a purple sparkly dress that went down to the floor and had a slit on the side that went almost all the way up her leg. Her hair laid loosely over her shoulders and I noticed that she had put in purple streaks.
"Okay spill, what were you two doing and where were you?" asked Newnan impatiently.
I smiled, "We weren't doing anything! We were just… talking." I said as I gland over at the punch bowl that I had thought would be my death bed only a short time ago.
"Don't make us bring out the heavier utility to make you talk." Said Emiko, stepping forward. My eyes widened. I gave a little squeal and ran for it, the mews ran after me. I ran threw the crowd of dancers and dove behind Keiichiro.
He looked at me with a bemused expression, "HELP ME!" I yelled as I grabbed him and used him as a shield when the girls caught up. I let go of him and ran again, laughing like crazy. I saw Mikio and ran for him. I grabbed him as the girls caught up. I laughed into his chest. He swung me around in the air and I laughed some more. When he sat me down and we looked into each others eyes, then I realized that the girls were looking so I gazed down.
Suddenly we heard a huge roll of thunder and then there was a bright flash. All the lights in the hotel went out and we were swallowed up by darkness. I heard a couple of people scream. I grabbed hold of Mikio and hugged him, holding back a scream of fright. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me back. It was pitch black. The only light we saw was the flashes of lightning outside. I heard someone calling out to everyone.
He sounded far away and muffled but I could just make out what he was saying, "Everybody stay calm! A huge storm has started outside. Nobody is going anywhere tonight. All roads are closed and many are washed out. You are all staying here tonight. We don't have enough rooms for all of you so most of you are going to be staying in here for the night. We will be bringing blankets and pillows around for everyone and we will have some candles lit in a few minutes." I sighed. So much for going home and meeting that person dad was talking about. After a short time the candles were lit and some people were coming around with pillows and blankets. A lady handed me a blanket and pillow and then handed Mikio one of each as well. I walked over to a wall and sat my blanket and pillow right under a window. Mikio and all the mews came over too and Mikio sat his stuff down on my right and Tade sat her stuff down on my left. We all laid down and fell asleep quickly… or at least they did.
I laid awake, thinking. I felt confused. Did I love Mikio, or did I love Akinori? They were both so wonderful, and yet I felt so… strange when I was around Akinori. Like, I didn't know what to expect when I was with him. One second he is all serious and the next he's in my face, kissing me like there's no tomorrow. Suddenly I remembered the day when Sho had chased me into Café Mew Mew, and what Keiichiro had said when I had saw him. He said that I needed to make a decision. At the time I had no clue what he had been talking about, but now I did. He had been talking about me having to choose between Mikio and Akinori. I slowly felt my eyelids getting heavy and I found myself falling into an unsteady sleep.
