Hi everyone! Nighttime Mistress here, for now. My parents are now deciding it would be good to move little by little now. I saw my house already. Do you know how far Poinciana is from where I live? (I live in Florida. Home of wet weather and snow less winters. :P) Thank You to everyone who reviewed for my last chapter (I feel so loved! You people make feel all giddy inside. ) Even though (I'm not pointing out any names) a user threatened me to update or suffer a mouse army, but whatever. I'm not going to take that comment too seriously. (Personally, I thought it was funny. :P)

Now for this chapter, I've given it a lot of thought, because this where Tart and Pudding have their little reunion:plays recorded stadium applause: I'm very excited! (almost as excited when I did the last chapter)

Oh FYI, please don't hate me for this but, since I put Pudding as a 13 year old, she isn't going to say "na no da" as much. (:dodges thrown tomatoes: I said I was sorry!) This chapter is going to have fluff I can promise you all that! (Because it's T/P we're talking about here) Okay! Now that all said and done,

Disclaimer: I don't own. I'm not going to say it the long way anymore. It's just too tiring.

Legend: You know the Key. If not, see chapters' 1-3. Hey, that rhymes!

On with the fic!

The joys of love are that

when things are broken,

they can be fixed.

Chapter 4: Reunited

"It's about time you showed up!" Ryou Shigonane hollered as Joushu burst through the Café Mew Mew front doors. Joushu looked around her, and realized that what Ichigo told her on her cell was true. The pink café really was full and it seemed that they really could use some extra help.

13 year-old Pudding Fong doing her childhood tricks to some customers while serving them their orders, 14 year-old Minto Aizawa was sipping away her tea at nearby table, ('As usual' Joushu thought.) Lettuce Midorikawa, now 16 who was getting better at holding her plates straight and not dropping them, what running here and there from table to table for the customers, and 18 year old Zakuro Fujiwara was serving customers as well as trying to put a smile on her face. (which was really creeping Joushu out)

"Well, it's not my fault! You're the one who said I'm off on weekends!" Joushu hollered back at Ryou over the crowded noise of the café. Instead of starting a quarrel with Ryou, she was dragged by Ichigo to the small locker room. While snapping the door behind her shut, she hissed to Joushu, "Hurry up and put on your uniform, before Shigonane decides to have you fired!"

Joushu made a confused face. "He can do that?" she asked. Ichigo raised an eyebrow but nodded all the same. Joushu grumbled "That bastard." while puttting on her black Café Mew Mew uniform (with another pair of hover shoes disguised as her work shoes). Ichigo smiled, but shook her head with a sigh and left to go back to work.

Gazing at her reflection at a near by a mirror, Joushu tied her hair on a ponytail with a black ribbon and strolled out. Heading to the kitchen, she greeted Keiichiro Akasaka.

Instead of a friendly hello, she was piled up with 2 platters of desserts. "Gomen nasi Joushu-san," Keiichiro replied before the shocked tanned girl could outburst, "but you should hurry. Table 6 is waiting for their order and take these" -he piled her with another set of platters- "to table 10."

"If I can hold more than I can carry, this is much better than gym class." Joushu replied sarcastically as she desperately struggled to hold the dozen serving platters with her short and stubby arms. Keiichiro chuckled while shaking his head. "That girl is too funny." he said to himself, continuing to cook orders for the customers.

30 minutes later

The Café Mew Mew employees were scattered on chairs and even the floor in exhaustion. "I think I lost about 5 pounds already." Joushu groaned as she laid almost lifelessly on the floor. "I can tell I lost about 10 pounds. Look at my belly! " Ichigo said out of breath from working so hard poking her belly."No way did you lose 10 Ichigo. You've worked here longer than I have. You probably lost a good 12 this time." Joushu said as Ichigo blew her a raspberry.

"Today was really crowded." Lettuce replied as she was sitting in a chair in front of the two girls on the floor. Minto sighed at a near by table. "It's just a shame that you almost dropped 2 of those platters when going to table 3 Joushu. You're really resulting like Lettuce 3 years ago."

"You want me to drop some platters of your head, Minto? Some excellent help you are." Joushu growled glaring daggers and adding sarcastically at her as Lettuce blushed with embarrassment. Minto just shrugged. "Well if you ask me, it's kind of funny how you were able to 'glide' to table 6 with ease. Yes, I know you have hover work shoes Jou." she added as Joushu sat up sharply and looked at Minto with surprised expression.

Ichigo sat up too. "You wore your hover shoes even though Shigonane told you not to? " she whispered. "Remember last time you did, or do you want me to replay that memory for you."

Flashback

"Hey everyone!" Joushu hollered as she stood at the open front doors of the café. She wore a black tank top that had a red rose drenched in glitter, a pair of black short shorts that had red lining at the bottom of them, and a pair of what look like futuristic black, white, and red shoes that were lifted at the tips to show what looked like a very round, large, and shining golden yellow air jet, and at the bottom of the shoes where 4 other identical air jets. The back of the shoes was lifted like the tip, but had 2 small jets just at the center of the heel.

Ichigo's mouth dropped, Minto dropped her tea cup in mid sip, Lettuce let go of the plate she was holding as it crashed to the ground, Pudding stopped sweeping, Zakuro popped her head from the kitchen corridor, Ryou just walked in, but at the sight of Joushu made him stop walking, and Keiichiro just stared with a soapy plate in hand.

"So what do you think of my new outfit?" Joushu asked highly proud of herself. Minto was the first to react. She bursted in laughter as she fell from her chair and rolled on the floor still laughing. Lettuce turned her head and hid behind Ryou as if Joushu will murder her if she made the slightest comment. Pudding just blinked and continued to stare. Zakuro slowly peeked her head back into the kitchen with Keiichiro after her. Ichigo walked up to Joushu as if she was a dangerous bobcat and said slowly, "Um... Jou? I'm sorry for saying this, but what the hell are you wearing?"

"My new outfit!" Joushu replied in glee. "And my dad invented the shoes and sent them to me by mail. Aren't they cool?"

There was a nasty silence when everyone heard her say that the footwear she had was some what "cool".

"I can do tricks with them. Watch this!" With that she kneeled down, pressed a hidden button to activate her shoes and skated around the café like a bullet doing a series of jumps and flip, where the others couldn't keep up because she was now a black and red streaked blur, skating around like a launched pinball. That's when she did the unthinkable. She wanted to do a combo where she swung around the café pole, do a double flip and landing perfectly at high speed.

As she got the where she was going to land, but instead of landing on the ground, in which having Ryou and Lettuce right in front, Lettuce ran from her spot and Ryou was the one to be tackled by Joushu. Luckily, Ryou wasn't badly bruised but glared at Joushu who was on top staring down at him. Ryou gave Joushu the "you are so close to being fired" looked.

Joushu laughed nervously. "Oops."

End Flashback

"I was just surprised that Shigonane didn't kill you first, then fire you." Ichigo said. Joushu gave an expression of embarrassment, and guilt about the memory. "I know, but it's not like I'm going to be stupid with them now. I got those shoes two months ago. I didn't know how to operate them well at that time. All I know was to push the button to start the jets. Besides, Shigonane needs to cut me some slack. I'm suppose to be off today!"

"It's kind of sad that you're not a Mew Mew. Then Ryou wouldn't have any reason to fire you at all." Zakuro replied sitting in a chair next to Lettuce.

Ichigo gave a squeal and hugged Joushu, almost knocking the wind out of her. "I know! It would be so cool if you were a Mew Mew! You'll wear all black and red, and you'll have white cat ears. You'll look so kawaii!" Ichigo said happily as she gave another squeal.

Joushu wiggled out of Ichigo's hugged. "No way Ichigo. I don't want to suffer not being able to kiss a boy if I have a boyfriend, which will kill me because that'll be just wrong."

"Speaking of which, where's Pudding?" Lettuce asked. Everyone looked around the café as well. Joushu rolled on her belly and held her chin on her hands. "Probably sweeping out back no doubt. Maybe she has a lot on her mind." she suggested.

"It's normal. She is going through puberty like the rest of us." Zakuro said stating the obvious.

"But, I've kind of noticed that she has been zoning out more. What if she's sad that Taruto isn't here anymore?" Ichigo asked while gazing at the back door.

"Poor Pudding." Lettuce whispered.

Outside with Pudding

As Pudding was sweeping the pavement of Café Mew Mew her, hair in a high ponytail, she was deep in thought. Even though she has swept for 10 minutes and at the same spot, she had a lot on her mind. 'It just doesn't feel the same. Even though it's been 3 years, I'm losing my perky touch each day.' she thought as she continued to sweep.

She missed having Taruto around (Tar Tar she used to call him when she was younger), and she didn't know if he felt the same about her since he was gone. Each day she felt lonely, sad, and angry. Lonely for not having anyone special to have around because all she had were her siblings and the Tokyo Mew Mew team who were her friends, sad that Taruto just left without even a goodbye, and angry that she was played over and over until she cried. And to think, she cried over his unconscious body after he betrayed Pai, who in result, killed him.

Pudding can just imagine her chibi self picking up red pieces of glass of an unfinished shaped heart that was out together with glue carefully, and chibi Taruto coming out of no where with a bicycle and rides right through it as it smashed into a million pieces. She knew all was lost for her, but somewhere in the broken heart that she had, a small drop called hope was ready to mend that heart of hers.

"Maybe I just over reacting. Na no da, I wish Tar Tar didn't have to go back to his planet." she said with a sigh.

"I can probably cure that wish." said a smooth deep voice whispered in her ear as a pair of hands covered her eyes. "Guess who?"

Pudding was about 2 seconds to start screaming for help. She could just transform to her Mew Mew self, but that will me that this person will know she's a Mew Mew and that will definitely give the rest of the team away. What she didn't know was that she will see the last person she would expect.

"Shigonane onii-chan?"

"No."

"Akasaka onii-chan?"

"No."

"Aoyama onii-chan."

"Heck No!"

" Na no da! Then I give up, but please don't rape me." Pudding added in fright.

The pair of hands released her eyes. "Pudding. Why would I ever do that.?" said a voice behind her. Pudding turned her head and blinked in disbelief. (A/N: No people. She still doesn't know who it is.)

There was standing a boy of 14 smiling at her with bright dark orange honey eyes. He had pale skin with a red and white striped T-shirt under a black jacket with matching jeans. And for some reason, a black hat tilted to the side of his head covered his ears. (A/N: You know, those hats that are really stylish and tilt to the side and make you look all fresh 'n' clean? Yeah, those. And to think I'm the only one that doesn't have one.)

Pudding blinked again. She was expecting this to be important, and all she sees is a normal teen. But how does he know her name?

The boy seemed as if he read her mind. "You really don't remember me, do you Pudding?"

Pudding just shook her head.

Before she could think twice, her chin was held up by a soft hand, and she was soon staring at his bright eyes. "You kinda didn't change a bit Pudding. The fact that your hair is much longer and you're a little taller, you're still shorter to me." she said as he traced her cheek with his index finger. Pudding continued to stare. "Who are you?"

The two teens' faces were so close that they were only inches apart. "Does Taruto ring a bell?"

Pudding's pupils grew 3 times from normal in her hazel eyes. "Tar Tar?"

"Hi Pudding." he said smiling.

Without thinking, she jumped on him giving him a bone crushing hug. Tart, who wasn't prepared for this, gave her a hug back all the same while whispering in her ear, "I missed you."

Pudding felt small tears weld in her eyes with joy. "I missed you too."

As they let go from their embrace, Tart whipped her tears of joy with his thumb. "I hope those are a good sign of tears." he said looking worried.

Pudding grinned from ear to ear. "It's nothing. It's just I'm so happy you're back."

"Since I'm here, I was wondering if we can go to see Tokyo Tower tomorrow. I mean you don't have to if you don't want to." he said scratching to back of his head nervously.

Pudding couldn't believe it. The one person that she was angry at 3 minutes ago was asking her on a date. And he said he missed her. (A/N: Spur the moment Pudding!) This was too good to be true. She couldn't let this moment slip away that easy.

"I'd love to, but doesn't anyone know you're here?" she asked.

"No except Kish and Pai."

"Their here too?"

"Kish is, but not Pai."

"Good, but you should get out of here, and make sure you're not seen." Pudding urged.

"Okay, okay! I'm going." he said as he gave her a small kiss on the cheek before he teleported.

"Pudding?"

Pudding spun around to meet eyes with Joushu, who was looking at her weirdly. "Yes?"

"Who were you talking to?"

"No one." Pudding replied innocently.

Joushu left eye gave a small twitch as she raised an eyebrow, turned her heel and strolled off back inside Café Mew Mew. Pudding touched her cheek were Taruto kissed her, looked at the sky for a minute or so, and followed suit with Joushu.

Well there you have it people. There's chapter 4. I told you that there was going to be fluff in this chapter. Now you all are probably wondering "Does Joushu know about Ichigo and the rest of them being Mew Mews?" Yes she does, I just forgot to add in because my mom is yelling at me to get off the computer. It's 9:43 p.m., I'm tired, I did 6 pages for you people,and I have school tomorrow. Boy, does my back hurt. I've noticed as I looked into my account, I got 272 hits (which is good) but only 10 reviews. I ask all of you who read this fic to please, please, please review. It can really do me some good. You know the drill for people who like my fic, R&R Ja Ne!

Nighttime Mistress