Sorry that I haven't updated in awhile but my computer broke and I still haven't gotten another one. So try to enjoy this chapter and I'll try to update soon. By the way, this chapter is all over the place in POV's and time…… So don't flame my story if you don't understand this chapter! Thanks.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Tokyo Mew Mew. If I did, wouldn't you think that I might make my Fanfic into an episode… or two!
Chapter 2-What Now?
(Same idea people! 'For thoughts' and "for speech")
Normal POV(AN: This is just after Ryou ran off to find Ichigo)
"We should head back to the café and await for our orders" Zakuro stated to the still shocked girls.
"You're so right Zakuro oneesan" Mint replied with a hasty smile upon her face.
"You're just saying that to get into Zakuro san's good books Mint. But still, I agree with her, we should head back to the café" Lettuce said after turning away from the direction Ryou ran of in.
Mint fell quiet instantly due to the fact the Lettuce put her in her place.
"I still don't understand what's going on" stated the now forgotten pudding.
"Pudding! I'm so sorry! I'll try to explain it to you" Lettuce said in a not-so-quiet voice.
"Ok Lettuce san. But maybe you can speak softer" Pudding said with a slight grin.
'Sometimes Lettuce forgets that people don't yell outdoors' Zakuro thought mildly as she watched the scene unfold.
"Shouldn't we be going to the café?" Mint asked as she too watched the scene unfold.
"I think it would be best if Pudding actually knew what was going on" Zakuro aid in a slightly amused voice to the confused Mint.
"I suppose Zakuro oneesan" Mint replied earnestly while trying to wipe the look of confusion off her face.
Zakuro was too quick and had already noticed the look of confusion on her face.
"I think it might be wise if you listened as well Mint" Zakuro said as she tried the flustered, but very animated Lettuce.
'Hmmmmm…….I think that might of burst her know-it-all bubble' Zakuro thought as she noticed a hurt look on Mint's face. 'But better now then never. What if we get attack by another creature like todays? She will have no idea what she is doing or what she is facing. Yes…better now than never.' Zakuro continued to think as she pulled Pudding away from the now very flustered Lettuce.
Lettuce, who had heard Zakuro say that Mint needed to be filled in, headed to a slightly easier challenge of filling in a confused Mint than a very confused Pudding.
"I still don't understand!" Pudding complained. "Lettuce san only made it worse!"
"Pudding" Zakuro said to the now melodramatic girl. "You better understand this or I'll make the dead Chimera Anima explain it to you. And you remember what happened last time the Chimera Anima explained something to you. Don't you?
After hearing this, Pudding automatically shut up and nodded to Zakuro to start her little explanation.
"Ok" Zakuro began. "Ichigo told us to leave her to the fight the Chimera Anima. We left her, came her and changed back to our normal form. You with me so far?" Zakuro asked after explaining a fair deal of in a few sentences.
Pudding nodded furiously. "Yes Zakuro san. I understand so far."
"Good!" Zakuro replied. "Now where was I…..? Ah yes. We changed back and Ryou found us. He asked where Ichigo was and we said she was doing homework. He then asked where we last saw Ichigo and we said near Tokyo Bay. We asked why and her said he had to take environmental samples. And that's how we ended up here" Zakuro concluded with a faint smile.
"Thanks Zakuro san! I understand now. Can we go back to the café now..? Pudding said with gratitude.
Zakuro laughed. "sure" she replied to Pudding. "but we might have to wait for those two to conclude their errrr…….debating" she said with her laughter growing louder.
Zakuro's laugh was enough to distract the two debatersfrom their argument over which Mew was stronger.
"Are you two done yet? Pudding looks as though she could eat a cow" Zakuro said in her normal non-emotional way.
"Yeah we're done" they both replied. As soon as they said that they both started to glare at each other with the idea of killing each other firmly in their minds.
"Come on! We better start the long walk back to the café" Zakuro said as she started to drag the now fired up Lettuce toward the café, where hopefully Keiichiro could calm Lettuce and Mint down.
"Wait for me Zakuro san" Pudding cried as she grabbed Mint and started dragging her toward the café.
'And let us hope the Ryou is there as well. I know that he loves Ichigo and wants to protect her, but she's a big girl and probably will never need protection from anything. He tries so hard to appear cold towards her, but all he's doing is pushing her away. And in those moments when he does show his other side, Ichigo is normally knocked out or in the Aliens clutches' Zakuro thought as she tightened her grip on the struggling Lettuce.
"Zakuro san! Is this how you treat your comrades……no work colleges…..scrat that….Friends? " Lettuce asked as she tried even harder to break out of Zakuro's strong grip.
"No…..this is how I treat 2 people about to kill each other over who's stronger: Me or Ichigo?" Zakuro replied as she somehow restrained herself from slapping both Mint and Lettuce.
Lettuce looked as though Zakuro had in fact slapped her in the face as hard as she could, but didn't express it in any words.
There was one thought on everyone's minds as they walked and dragged each other towards the café. ' Please be safe Ichigo!'
Ryou's POV(AN: Just after Ryou and Keiichiro had their falling out over Ichigo)
As I carried the barely alive Mew down to the basement, many thoughts ran through my head.
'What if we can't save her? I'll never be able to smell her again. Ohh…the sweet smell of fresh strawberries. If she dies, I'll never be able to smell that again. And her eyes. Their chocolate brown colour is so strong. So…defining. Her hair. When she becomes Mew Ichigo it's so amazing. It grows much shorter and becomes bright pink. Wonder if she'll let me dye it that colour? No must be positive. She'll make it through and then we'll celebrate with dinner. But Keiichiro's paying!' I thought as I ran down the stairs.
I burst into the Basement where Keiichiro was already setting up a strange looking machine.
"Uhhh Keiichiro…..? What are you going to do with that machine..?" I asked him uncertainly.
"Oh right. You haven't seen this machine before...have you?" Keiichiro asked me.
"No I have never seen it in my life" I replied solemnly.
"Well…" He began. He looked uncertain of where to begin. " This is a machine that can transfer raw energy into another life form. This will effectively drain the raw energy and power up the other life form. In this case, it will completely heal Ichigo." He finished.
"Whoa! Well what are you waiting for? Use it already!" I yelled at Keiichiro.
He didn't need to explain why he hadn't started the process yet. The look on his face told me everything.
"Sorry. I'm just a little on edge because of Ichigo." I said to Keiichiro as he tried to get rid of the look of disbelief off his face.
"Ahh Ryou it's ok. I'm also on edge due to Ichigo's condition." Keiichiro said with a hint of happiness in his voice.
"Now…why won't the machine work?" I asked, praying that I could evade another argument.
"We need RAW power that is equal to Ichigo's own power. Ichigo is the only one with that kind of power. Even the Mew Aqua isn't powerful enough to heal her. I recommend that we leave her down her with life support so that she stays alive while her body heals itself" Keiichiro answered.
I said nothing. I was still trying to absorb what he told me.
He took my silence as unspoken consent to start to set up the life support. I didn't object to his idea. So why am I afraid for Ichigo?
"I'll come back in a couple of hours to check on Ichigo" Keiichiro told me as he left the basement and started to head back upstairs.
"No" I replied numbly. "I'll come and check on her. Its my fault she's hurt so I'll take all responsibility for her recovery" I said to Keiichiro as I also walked towards the stairs.
He gave me a look that said 'If you say so. But how is it your fault?'
I could tell that he wanted to ask me why it was my fault. He didn't ask. I think he was trying to keep in my good books.
As I walked up the stairs, only one thought entered my mind. 'What enemy is strong enough to make Ichigo dare to use the one attack I have forbidden her to use? It must have had a power level beyond anything we have encountered before. But it looked like the usual Chimera Anima that we fight. So what was it?'
I shock my head as I made my way into the main part of the café where the other Mews were sitting with a shocked look on their faces.
"Ladies, What happened?" I asked with immediate worry.
"Its Ichigo. We couldn't find her. We're Sorry Shirogane!" Mint cried
I felt a pang at my last name being used when talking to me. It must have shown up on my face because the other Mew Mews had a look of sheer horror in their faces.
"Shirogane…I mean Ryou. We're sorry for using your last name, but we really needed to tell you something and that's kind of hard when your crying" Lettuce sobbed.
"Its ok girls. I know you're worried about Ichigo. So am I. But I'm worried for different reasons." I said to the now balling girls.
At that very moment, Keiichiro decided to walk in and interrupt our conversation.
"What do you want Keiichiro?" I asked my colleague.
"I have something to tell the girls. Ladies, we…well…Ryou found Ichigo. She's down in the basement recovering" Keiichiro told the other girls.
"NANI!!!!! Why didn't you tell us Ryou!" they all yelled at their very flustered boss.
I bowed my head in shame. "Gomen. I wanted it to be a surprise when she walked up her to talk to you after recovering from her errrr…… bad injuries" I said while my head was still bowed.
"It's ok Ryou. I can see why you wanted it to be a surprise to us" Zakuro said with a faint smile on her face.
Zakuro smiling? This is a strange day. And a first. That's the only time I have ever seen her smile.
My head perked up a little as the other girls agreed with Zakuro's statement. I felt so much better.
"Ladies, I'll let you see Ichigo as soon as she wakes up" I said to the now lively bunch of Mews.
"Great!" They all yelled at me. "See you then Ryou, Keiichiro!" they yelled as they all ran out to go home.
Keiichiro laughed. "Those girls sure are lively when they know that everything is going to be alright" he said to me as he walked towards the basement.
"Hey!!! Wait up!!!" I cried to him as I tried to catch up to him.
"Come on Ryou!!!!!! We better. . . . . ." He trailed off.
"Whaaaaaa………."I trailed off looking down the stairs.
I heard movement. It meant that they had found us.
Sorry to leave you at a cliffhanger but that's how life is. I have the plot for the next few chapters written, so hopefully I can post em soon. But that's only if I get a new computer. Remember to R&R!!!