Chapter 1: Features
"Ribbon…" Ichigo held up her Strawberry Bell, "Strawberry Surprise!"
The ice cream Chimera Animal melted away and collapsed.
"AW C'MON! You are SO lame, Taruto! Ice cream Chimera Animal! What's up with that?! What's next, slushees?!" exclaimed Ichigo.
"Feh! Shout all you want!" shouted Taruto, "I got this Mew Aqua and I'm outta here! Deep Blue-sama will be so pleased with me! Ahahahahaha!
"Do you think we should tell him that the Mew Aqua that he just took was actually a battery-powered blue light bulb?" asked Lettuce with a smile.
"Pudding is sure Taru-Taru will find out! Na no da!" said Pudding.
"Yeah, when the batteries run out!" said Mint.
Everyone de-transformed.
"Didn't Shirogane and Akasaka want us back at the café when we were finished with the Chimera Animal?" asked Zakuro.
"Oh, damn. That's right!" exclaimed Ichigo, "Come on!"
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The five girls hurried to the back-employee entrance.
"Ah, welcome back girls," Keiichiro greeted the five, "Please proceed to the basement. Ryou is waiting fo you all."
"Thank you, Akasaka-san," Ichigo bowed while the others headed down to the basement. Ichigo followed.
"Oh, hi girls," Shirogane greeted them.
"So what's the big deal? Why'd you want us here?" Ichigo asked impatiently.
"Keiichiro entered the room, "We decided you girls need some R&R."
"Really?!" Ichigo, Mint and Pudding's faces were beaming.
"In one week, you will all be spending time in a private lodge we own on an island in the Pacific." explained Ryou.
"Oh! That sound like a great place!" exclaimed Pudding and Ichigo.
"We've already made arrangements with your families. Zakuro, however, needs a free schedule." said Keiichiro.
"I don't have anything planned for a while because I am on vacation," replied Zakuro.
"Excellent! You can all come!" said Keiichiro.
"Alright! A vacation!" Ichigo jumped up and down in joy.
"Now go home and start packing. Here's an individual list for all of you. It's a list of things you will need. Feel free to bring anything else you feel you may need," said Ryou, "Also, there's no work for the rest of the week. You are all to came to the entrance of the café at 8 am sharp. No exceptions or excuses. You are dismissed."
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"What do you think they're planning, Mint?" Ichigo asked Mint. They were walking home together because they felt like being environmentally friendly and also because their homes were on the same route.
"What do you mean? They could be just giving us a break," Mint replied.
"Shirogane is not the type to give breaks. And besides, you wouldn't need a break because you don't work. Eep!" Ichigo covered her mouth.
"What was that Ichigo?! Could you say it again loud and clear into my ear?!" Mint was grabbing Ichigo by the collar and practically screaming and had that anime scary, devil thing face.
"NOTHING! No! Nothing at all!" stammered Ichigo.
When they arrived at Mint's mansion, they both said goodbye and Ichigo continued on her route.
Why is Shirogane doing this? Ichigo thought as she continued walking.
She arrived at her house. She headed inside, greeted her mother, walked upstairs to her room, threw her school bag on her desk and plopped herself on her bed with the list in her hand.
"Might as well start packing," Ichigo said to herself.
Ichigo read through the list, "Toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, blah blah blah, clothes, underclothes, underwear, form of entertainment…" Ichigo kept reading. It looked like a regular list-of-things-to-pack list. She though of why Shirogane said that they were different when she saw something unusual, "Work gloves?!" Ichigo thought the list was weird (who wouldn't?). She put it down and started to pack her stuff.
It's rest and relaxation right? Why the hell would we need work gloves?!
Ichigo packed all her things and plopped on her bed when her brand-new only-her-room phone rang.
She picked it up, "Hello?"
"Ichigo?"
"That's me."
"It's me, Mint. I don't care what you're doing right now, GET OVER HERE."
"Uh, ok."
"NOW ICHIGO!"
"Ok ok! Coming!" Ichigo hung up.
She headed downstairs and went outside. She headed over Mint's place and rang the fancy doorbell. A maid came and opened the door. Mint called for her and she found her way to Mint's elaborate room.
"Uh, Mint?"
Mint's door opened and Mint pulled Ichigo into her room and slammed the door.
"What's up Mint?" asked a confused Ichigo.
"How do you get rid of your cat ears and tail?"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"LOOK!" Mint turned around, "My wings and tail showed up! I can't get them to disappear! It's been an hour already!"
Suddenly, Ichigo's cat ears and tail also appeared out of no apparent reason, "Something's not right here."
"What do you mean?" asked Mint.
"Normally, they should be gone by now. And look, I'm calm and I still have them.
"Good point."
"Pass me your phone."
"Uh, ok. What are you gonna do with it?"
"Nothing."
Ichigo called Lettuce. Sure enough, Lettuce had her antennae-things sticking out too. Although no one could reach them, Zakuro had her ears and tail sticking out and Pudding had her ears and tail sticking out too. All of the Red Data Animal-infused girls had the animal features that are normally hidden until they transform. In a short while, the features all disappeared at the same time. Yes, indeed, this was puzzling.