Waking up never was my strong point. Waking up early is even worse. I never understood why on my days off, I could wake up earlier than I normally do, and not go back to sleep. On days that I need to wake up on, however, I never could. This seemed to be one of those days.

College Mew Mew

By:

Satashi

I yawned as I rolled over and sat up on my bed. Sleepily I rub one hand over my eyes as my other stretches out into the air. I had an eight o'clock class this morning; World History. As I pad my way over to my bathroom, my mind slowly starts to make my body do its morning ritual of brushing teeth and combing hair. As I become more aware of things, my mood lightens from its sleep induced state and I begin to hum as I tie a ribbon over my pony tail holders.

It was an old hairstyle, the same one I had kept for years. Although I experimented with it at first, when I just entered college, I had reverted back to my normal hairstyle. Thinking back on it, it was amazing how fast time went by. I was already two months into college, and learning fast how to survive on my own.

I put on a light shade of lipstick as I think back on everything. I was in a dorm, living on campus. It was small, cramped, and I didn't have a roommate. I had a job at the school library, which I hated. School rules forbid freshmen to work anywhere but on campus. Of course there were enough jobs, but I didn't register fast enough, and got stuck with the left overs.

Grabbing my backpack, I dart out my door, realizing I was late. No surprise there. I had a habit of being late. Ever since High school I always seemed to get distracted someway or any other.

High School.

The few years of my life that were so messed up I had trouble even believing they happened. At the age of thirteen, I was given powers of the wildcat and told to fight aliens that were invading the planet. The battle lasted a long time, and the Mew Mews even became famous. After it was over, and Deep Blue was.....defeated.... I had given all my powers to Masaya, to keep him alive.

My ears and tail haven't come out in years, since that day at our pretend wedding. The other girls slowly lost their powers as well, as they were no longer needed. I don't mind it, really. As much as I loved being Mew Ichigo, Fighting everyday or so really wasn't my idea on how to spend my childhood.

My friends all went their separate ways one after another. Although we still keep in touch, it's hard to plan reunions with so many things going on. Zakuro is an even bigger movie star than before. Her modeling career went out after her second movie landed her a contract. Lettuce is in college too, on the other side of Tokyo. I see her every other week or so. Mint, amazingly, went to the same college as me. Although she lives at home, and doesn't work, she still somehow finds a way to be a snob whenever she can. She always was, but it was cute how she really cared deep down inside for all of us.

Pudding is in high school now and training hard in martial arts. She said she was going to be a champion of Female Martial Arts; F.M.A. She was also very popular in school, and has a very nice boyfriend. As for me, well, I am attending Tokyo University. The classes are hard, but the atmosphere is really nice, and the people are friendly, more or less.

Masaya came back from England a few years ago, after transferring to Tokyo University's U.M.A chapter when they first opened. Now he's the head of the division, and also the Save Our Planet club. He hasn't changed any in his time over seas. Our relationship? It's just as strong as ever.

I looked both ways before running across the crossing close to the building where most of the History classes were.

Masaya and me date regularly, but unfortunately, he is still as popular, if not more so with the ladies now than he was in high school. It's as if they almost refuse to believe he's taken and hunt after him anyway. Well, I don't mind really. I know he's faithful to me. After all we've been through? It'd take a hurricane to even shake my belief any.

I peek into the door to my classroom and wait for a chance to slip in. Although the professors didn't care if you went to class or not, I still felt bad when they gave me disapproving looks when you walk in late and distract the class.

Seeing my chance, I trot across the side of the room and take a seat in the back. A boy next to me smiles and holds up his book slightly to show me what page we were on. Nodding thanks, I take out my book and start flipping to the correct page. With a small twirl of my pen, I start taking notes on what the professor was talking about.

Time flows by and I soon find myself packing my books into my backpack when the teacher dismisses us, wishing all those on the track team good luck on the meeting this afternoon. Unfortunately, this made me even more nervous. I tried out for the team when Masaya was talking about joining the kendo club at the college. Actually, it was before college actually started. He had a scholarship for kendo, so of course he was going to join the team. After asking me what club I was going to join, I spontaneously picked up the nearest flyer and held it up. It just so happen to be the track team.

Although after the first meeting and trying out, I found myself liking it more and more as we went. Just running; trying to be fast. It made me feel alive and energized. The only bad thing was the try outs were over a while ago. I didn't make the team; I was one short of it. The girl ahead of me, however, had a car accident and broke her leg. I filled her spot. Because of this, some of the girls picked on me at first. A few of them really don't like me for some reason. Maybe it was because I was so cheerful all the time. Mint told me that sometimes it even annoyed her, and that was bad when she actually admits it.

Anyway, Today was the meeting that decided who would be on which string of the team. I knew I would be second string, because I wasn't as fast as the others, but I still was nervous about running.

"Hi, Ichigo."

Turning, I smile at the voice. Masaya was sitting on the rails looking over the track field. He had on a light jacket with jeans and a blue shirt. His smile radiated to me, instantly making my cheeks flush. Even after all this time, I still like his smile the best. "Morning." I ran over to him and smiled up at my boyfriend. "I thought you said you had chemistry this morning?"

"I do," He smiled again. "But I think I can miss one class, to cheer my kitten on."

A smile hits my face full force and I nod happily. "Un!"

"Ichigoooo!"

The voice belonged to my friend Samantha; she was also on the track team. "Haiiii! I'm coming!" I shouted over at her before returning my eyes to Masaya. "Let's go get lunch together later?"

"Of course." He nodded at me. "Now, go show them your best!"

"Hai!" I run over to the changing room, waving over my shoulder.

"Who is that boy over there?" A girl ask as we changed into our running cloths. "The one sitting on the rails?"

"Which one?" Another responds as she pulls down her shirt. "I saw two of them over there. One had black hair and the other looked green. Had freaky ears too. He was sitting at the very top of the bleachers."

"Ears?" I asked, leaning back to see them. "What kind?"

"Kind of like an elf or something." She motioned with her hands. "Kind of long. Long hair too. Had the sides of them tied with a string it seemed like. You know him?"

"Sounds....familiar... But I don't think so," I spoke slowly, trying to remember. I did know someone like that, but he wouldn't be here now. "But the other is Masaya, he's my boyfriend."

"Oh wow, that's him!?" another girl comes up behind me and wraps her arms around my neck, poking my cheek. "You must really be something special to land something like that!"

The girls laughed at my expense, but I found myself laughing too, despite myself.

A few minutes later I found myself in the starting point of the track. We would run the entire length this time. The first six people would be on first string, the last six would be second string.

Masaya is watching.

I set myself up like I had been taught, placing my feet firmly into the starting stands. Unconsciously I licked my lips and spared a glance at the ribbon with a bell on it tied to my wrist. Every year I got a new bell to wear. I had a little collection going for me now. This was my favorite, though. The first one I ever had. The ribbon it had broken so many times, I can only wear it as a bracelet now, but it was enough.

I can do this...I can...

Taking a deep breath through my nose, I feel a sudden strange feeling. Confidence. I knew how to run. I can run fast. Like the wind. Like a cat...

I didn't have time to wonder why I compared myself to a cat after all these years because the gun went off signaling the start of the run. My legs sprang out and I felt the ground as my feet hit it. My vision narrowed down to the two white lines that I had to run between. The air I breathed was long in and short out, filling my lungs as I forced myself onward.

But the girls around me started to pass. I was falling into the middle of the pack almost. That's when I saw it. A flash of something in the air, a man with green hair.

I didn't know what to think. I stumbled and tripped in my sudden confusion. The ground seemed to be moving slower to me than normal when I fell, though. It was...almost like I could catch myself in time if I wanted to. I reached out with a hand and pressed it against the ground. I had been running wrong all this time! It was so clear to me now!

I sprang again, two hands in front, legs behind. Once I stabilized myself, I found my position low and my feet barely tapping the ground. The wind went fast, I felt alive!

The finish line came quickly into my sight and I crossed it easily, not winded at all.  Slowing down, I glanced to my coach, who was looking at me in shock.

"Ichigo! You finished first!"

I did?

I did!

Masaya hopped down from the railing and ran over to me, laughing and smiling. As he enveloped me into a hug, I heard him call out his congratulations to me.

"I did it because you were here to help!" I replied, happily looking up into his eyes. "Thank you, Nya"

My world stopped. "Did I...Just say "nya"?"

Masaya smiled down at me. "Old habits die hard, ne, my little kitten?" he flicked my bell on my wrist, making it jingle.

Laughing, I forgot about what I saw today, it was just my imagination. The girls on my team were all celebrating together, and soon I was with them, calling out to Masaya that I would meet him in the cafeteria later.

Masaya watched Ichigo walk off with her friends and pressed his mouth in a thin line. "She ran....like a cat almost..."

Somewhere, in the sky, out of sight, a man smiled. "Still the same."