Author's Note: Yay! My very first Tokyo Mew Mew fan fiction! Whoot! Let the parties begin! First of all, I'm writing this for my own pleasure, although reviews would be appreciated, if not things that send little thrills of joy through my heart…things. Yeah, I make no sense in these things…Well; second, I would like to thank my editor or beta writer, because some of the better ideas came from her. You'll note that I'm not bitter, since my writing is the one and only foundation, she's just a better writer than me…Not bitter…not bitter…Yah!
Disclaimer: I do not and never will sob own Tokyo Mew Mew characters. I do own Hinata, although I stole her name from Naruto you must forgive me, because my well of Japanese names is very…well, shallow, if we go with the well theme.
No basic schedule for when the next chapter comes out or anything like that. I've meditated long and hard and have decided that schedules just don't work for me…They just make me aggravated and rushed, so I produce less good chapters, which means that my beta would have a hard time covering up my crummy writing. Jeesh, I wish she could beta write my English essay…but off topic! Onto story! Yay! (For future reference I often say yay!)
Betrayal (title might change if I can come up with a better one)
Chapter One: Favours at Tokyo Mew Mew café
Ichigo paused to brush away stray tears with the back of her hand. Taking several deep, steadying breaths, she pasted a happy smile on her face and pushed open the café doors. As she surveyed the room the forced smile turned genuine. The café just had too many happy memories for it not to. She even blushed as she remembered the first time she'd come here, nine years ago. It seemed like forever.
She was wrapped up in memories when a high voice chirped out a greeting behind her. "Welcome to Café Mew Mew! May I take your order?"
Ichigo looked up. That voice was familiar. "Pudding?"
She had changed a lot. At five foot nine, the once diminutive mew mew now towered over Ichigo by at least three inches. Though her hair had grown past her shoulders, the high ponytail she had it up in barely reached the small of her neck.
Ichigo jumped up and pulled her old friend into a bone-crushing hug. The poor girl flailed her arms as the air was forced out of her lungs. "Ichigo. You're crushing me," she managed to choke out.
Ichigo pulled away, looking sheepish. "Sorry, Pudding. I guess I was just happy to see you. But what are you doing here? You must be sixteen by now; I didn't know you still worked here!"
Pudding shrugged. "This was the best paying job I could find, and I didn't even have to apply. Besides, I love this place." She did a little twirl and spread her arms to encompass the entire café.
Ichigo smiled as she remembered the real reason she had come back. When the mews mews had defeated the aliens, they'd disbanded and left the café. Keiichiro had told them they would always have a place there, if they wanted to come back. Ichigo hadn't thought anyone else had taken him up on that offer. "Well, I decided to come back, too. Is Keiichiro in the kitchen?"
Pudding shook her head, her smile getting soft. "Keiichiro's gone back to being a scientist. Ryou manages the café now, and Hinata cooks."
"Hinata?" Ichigo got a sinking feeling that she didn't want to know who Hinata was.
"She's Ryou's girlfriend, and she's an awesome cook! Come on, I'll introduce you. She's really nice." Pudding grabbed Ichigo's hand and pulled her into the kitchen before she had a chance to protest.
In the kitchen was a petite girl with powder blue hair done up in a loose bun, deep green eyes and a smudge of flour on her cheek. She was occupied in stirring a bowl of mix, her attention fixed intently on her work. When Pudding bounded into the kitchen and called out a greeting, Hinata looked up distractedly. Upon seeing Pudding she smiled. "Hey, Pudding. Who's your friend?"
"This is Ichigo. She used to work here back when Keiichiro was cook." Pudding pushed Ichigo forward, resting her hands on the nervous girl's shoulders. "She's here to inquire about a job." Ichigo grinned nervously.
"Oh. Well, Ryou-chan is upstairs, he handles applications." Hinata waved her hand vaguely in the direction of the stairs. "Do you remember the way?"
"Yes." Ichigo managed to sound casual. Ducking her head to hide her blush, she brushed past Hinata and up the stairs. She walked up to the door in the middle of the hallway where she knew Ryou lived and paused. "Please have your shirt on," she muttered under her breath before pushing the door open.
He was at his computer, hard at work as usual. His white shirt was creased and the tie hung loosely around his shoulders. He'd grown his hair out so it just brushed his shoulders, or would have if it had been combed that morning.
Ichigo cleared her throat, causing him to jump. His knees banged into the desk and he hissed, turning to glare at her angrily. On seeing Ichigo, the glare was replaced by shock. He stood up, as if in a daze, and took two steps toward her before stopping. "Ichigo?"
"Hey," Ichigo smiled. "Sorry about your knees."
"My what?" Ryou shook himself then, the calculating look she remembered so well sliding back into place seamlessly. "It was nothing. How are you?" He smiled easily, showing none of the uneasiness Ichigo felt seeing him again.
"I'm fine." Ichigo concentrated on her shoes. Was he really that unaffected by what happened the last time they'd seen each other? 'Maybe he is heartless,' a mean voice whispered in the back of her head. No…she reasoned with herself, he wouldn't be so surprised to see her again if he didn't care. "I'd like a job."
"You want to work here? Are you sure you can handle it?"
Ichigo looked up then, a flash of anger giving way to cool indifference. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Ryou. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were blaming me for the…incident, even though I never did anything to encourage your feelings." Ryou wasn't the only one who could be cruel, Ichigo thought smugly at the hurt in the blonde's eyes. She'd learned a few things since she'd last been there. Still…she wished things hadn't come to this. "There are no positions open anywhere else, and I'm not leaving here without a job."
Ryou crossed his arms and turned away, sighing. Slowly, the anger seemed to melt away. "You're right, this is stupid. And with Hinata here it's no longer an issue."
Ichigo couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy at Hinata's name, but forced it back. She put a small smile on her face. "Does that mean I get the job?"
Ryou nodded, and when he turned toward her he was smiling. "Yeah. I'll get you a new uniform, come on."
Ichigo didn't move as he moved passed her to the hall. The next favor she asked wouldn't be so easily gained, and she bit her lip nervously. But Ryou had kept walking without checking to see if she was following. She had to run to catch up to him, but didn't expect him to stop upon turning the corner. They both went down in a heap, with Ichigo lying on top of Ryou. Apparently he'd noticed she wasn't behind him.
Ichigo was beat red as she pushed herself up to look at him. Ryou's eyes seemed torn between amused and annoyed, causing Ichigo to blush even more. She mumbled an apology as she got up awkwardly.
Ryou grinned as she helped him up. "Still as heavy as ever, I see."
Ichigo's eyes widened and she let go of his hand, causing him to fall back with a cry. "Still a jerk, I see." She paused as he picked himself up. "Um…Ryou?"
"Hmm?" He looked at her, and his beautiful cerulean eyes made her words catch in her throat. She swallowed and continued.
"I need you to do me another big favour." Ichigo rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "You'll probably say no but…"
Ryou stepped closer and looked down at her seriously. "Well? What is it?"
Ichigo looked at her feet. "Is it alright if I stay here? Do you have another room?"
"What? No." Ryou said flatly.
Ichigo nodded stiffly. "It's okay. I understand." She moved past him and into the locker room, head down. Before she could go there, though, he was in front of her, holding a hand out for her to stop.
"Clearly you don't understand, because I meant there were no spare rooms." Ryou smiled uneasily, hands shoved in his pockets.
"Ichigo shook her head, confused. "I don't see how that changes things."
"Well, the thing is…I only sleep here when I work late. If the room is being used, I just have an excuse not to." Ryou's usual smirk found its way to his face, and he walked away, calling over his shoulder. "Hurry up and get your uniform on, you start now."
"Now?!" Ichigo gaped at the empty doorway. She scowled, suddenly remembering why she had labeled him irritating before.
At the end of the day, Ichigo was too tired to be annoyed at anybody. She slid wearily into an empty chair and ran her hand through her hair. She'd forgotten just how busy this place got. A sudden aroma of coffee perked her up and she turned, smiling, expecting to see Pudding.
Hinata returned the smile as she set the coffee mug on the table. "Here. You look like you could use it." She slid into the seat next to her.
Ichigo's smile faltered only slightly, and she berated herself silently. Hinata was a perfectly nice girl, and there was no reason to dislike her. She took a sip of coffee, almost dropping the mug as it burned her tongue.
"Careful." Hinata cautioned, not really concerned. "I'm surprised you got the job so quickly. You didn't even have to fill out an application form."
Ichigo opened her mouth to explain that she'd worked there before and so Ryou knew she was qualified, but stopped as she realized the threat in the other girl's eyes. So even perfect Hinata could be jealous, huh? "Well, Ryou and I are… old friends," she smiled sweetly.
It was then, as Hinata's eyes darkened ever so slightly and Ichigo indulged in an uncharacteristic burst of malicious glee, that Ryou decided to walk in. He took one look at the tension crackling in the air, and called out. "Hinata, you ready to go?"
Hinata's eyes flashed triumphantly at Ichigo. "Of course, Sweetie." Ichigo knew a challenge when she saw one.
Hinata smiled sweetly as she walked up to Ryou, gazing up at him adoringly. She glanced back at Ichigo briefly as she stretched up and pressed her lips to his.
Ichigo looked down at her coffee, hoping that Hinata was jealous enough to have slipped poison into it. She didn't like Ryou, not like that, but…she supposed she'd grown so used to being the object of his affections that she'd grown possessive. Or something like that. She took a sip of her coffee, noting that it didn't taste poisoned at all.
"Here, Ichigo." The baritone voice made her jump, glancing up. When did he come over here? She wondered absently. She was dropping too far into her musings apparently, because he waved his hand in front of her face impatiently. "Earth to Ichigo!"
Ichigo shook her head softly. "Sorry, what?"
He merely pointed at the keys he had laid on the table. "I was saying, lock up before you go to bed. I'm not sure it's a good idea to let you stay here anymore, if you're going to act this empty-headed."
Ichigo, choosing not to say the nastiest thing that popped into her head, merely snatched up the key ring and went back to her coffee. "Don't worry about your precious café, it'll be fine!"
He chuckled and turned to the exit. "I hope so."
"Bye, Ichigo-san!" Hinata called out as she and Ryou left the café. Ryou waved back at her non-chalently. Ichigo looked down at her reflection in the murky brown liquid.
"Yeah, bye. Thanks for the coffee," she muttered.