Okay, so I kinda wrote this chapter in one shot as it all came to me at once, and sorry it's kind of short. I know in the first chapter I said the POV would jump between Kish and Ichigo, but I thought this was very important, so I made an exception. And if you want to know more about the story and the two names I've mentioned in past chapters like, once or twice. Madame Kurokanji and Kehki. Two circus performers that are no longer with the circus. And, I know this is supposed to be all about Kish and Ichigo, but the other characters are going to be playing huge roles also, and from what I can see now, Zakuro has a the biggest, and this chapter will explain why. So, on to the story...
I DO NOT OWN TOKYO MEW MEW!
Zakuro's POV
{Flashback to sixteen years ago} I was four, I was found in an adoption house by a woman named Raimu Chikyuuhoshi. She was a nice woman, with pretty black hair and bright green eyes. She said "hello" and asked for my name. "Zakuro." I answered. She smiled at me, "How would you like to come live with me?" "You're going to adopt me?" I asked. She looked surprised, "So, you know exactly what's going on, huh?" Her smile never left. "Yes." I said. "Then yes, Zakuro, I would love to adopt you." She said. She sounded so sweet and loving. I nodded in approval. I was going to have a new mommy. The place she took me wasn't like what I had imagined; pristine little suburbs house with a puppy and Daddy waiting at the front door. When she said "we're home" I found myself now in a strange place. There were people walking around everywhere and old looking wooden trailers with names painted on the sides in various colors, most faded and chipping away. There was one big one that a tan blonde man was sitting in, talking to a young boy with long brown hair. On the side of that one read "A circus?" I whispered. As Raimu drove up next to a much smaller trailer with "Yes, a circus," Raimu said, parking the small car. She reached over and gripped my lower arm, "Zakuro, you are a very special girl; for good reasons, the Japanese government wants to hide people like us, so this is where we go." I just stared at her. How was I, an orphaned girl, special? She took me into the small trailer, explaining everything. "Fortunes tellers and psychics really can do everything you hear about them doing." Raimu said. "When the adoption supervisors reported you predicting certain things using the toy tarot cards they had, even though they were small things, we were informed and I came to get you." "Doesn't a circus only need one fortune teller?" I asked. "Yes," Raimu sighed. She took something off of a table and turned to me with holding them. "But it really takes two to do a puppet show, and I'll be training you on controlling your special ability, so that one day, should need be, you can take over for me." She gave me a big, reassuring smile, and for the first time I smiled back. Then, someone opened the door and stepped in. He was a tall man with long, messy dark green hair and golden eyes. "Ah! Kehki!" Raimu said. "Hey, honey." They gave each other a quick peck. "Is this her?" "Yes, this is Zakuro," Raimu said, "Zakuro; this is my husband, Kehki." "Hello, sir." I said, giving a small bow. "Kehki is his stage name," Raimu went on, "his real name is Kohii." "Like your stage name is Kurokanji?" I asked. Raimu nodded. For the next several months, Raimu taught me how to use the puppets and we did many shows together. She also taught me fortune telling. The year came and went and soon I was five, though I don't remember my birthday, so we made it the date I was adopted; September 6. For my birthday, I was made a cookie cake by Keiichiro Akasaka, the circus owners assistant, cook, and right-hand man. I never learned the name of the blonde man, but I knew he had a son, we played together a lot. His name was Ryou Shirogane. He was very smart and liked to show it off a lot. I always liked playing with Keiichiro better, when he had to the time to, but he usually didn't, so I would just follow him around when I got annoyed with Ryou or wasn't practicing with Raimu. About a month after my birthday, Raimu's stomach started getting bigger. When we would curl up on her bed together, she would talk about what she wanted to name a baby. She went through many different ones; Kinoko, Meron, Nashi, Mikan…she just couldn't decide. And a few months later, a very small baby came out of her big belly. He had green hair and golden eyes, just like his daddy, and Raimu finally decided on a name. Kish. He was so tiny, and when Raimu and Kohii had to work, I was put in charge of him with Keiichiro. We spent a lot of time together. When Kish was five months old, Ryou's father came to Kohii with a tiny, pink bundle. He said it was named Ichigo, and that it had been left on the circus's grounds. I realized that "it" was a baby. He said there was a note left saying Ichigo's birthmother had been only sixteen and was afraid of something because of the baby. Something she might have. She had nowhere to go herself, and wanted her baby to be taken care of, so she left her with the circus. Kohii and Raimu began raising her like their own, just like they had with me. Ichigo and Kish were always playing together under the watch of myself and Keiichiro. Keiichiro would always talk to me while we watched them, about new recipes he wanted to try, about Ryou's father, about everything pretty much. I like listening to him talk. Sooner than I could keep track of, Kish and Ichigo were two years old. I was seven, and Keiichiro was thirteen. We were watching over Kish and Ichigo when he told me something Kohii and Raimu had been keeping a secret from me. They were planning on taking Kish and leaving the circus. "What about Ichigo?" I asked him. "And me?" "You will both be left here," Keiichiro said, "for Ryou's father and I to look after." I didn't like people seeing me cry, but I didn't care in front of Keiichiro. I cried anyway. I didn't want my parents to go, even if they were adopted. He held me and I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I know, my head is resting on his lap and my eyes still have some tears in them. "Why?" I asked. "Kohii thinks he can support his family better by joining the military," Keiichiro said, "And he wishes nothing more than for Kish to have normal life." Suddenly, my eyes glazed over and I was seeing something else. A younger Kohii, and older me and everyone else, but no Ryou's dad, or Raimu and there were a few new faces. Kohii was lying on a bed and woke up to an older Ichigo. It was all so blurry, but he had come back…but…how was he younger? And that was when I knew… "He will find his way back home…" I whispered. Keiichiro chuckled, thinking I was being silly and wishful, "What's that supposed to me? You're silly, Zakuro." After Kohii and Raimu left, I never saw or heard from them again.
{Present day…}
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring down at one of the three puppets Raimu had left for me. It had long arms that were checked with black and white and black hands, a white face with big, black button eyes, a black stitched-on mouth, a purple torso, legs to match the arms with pointed black feet, orange hair made of yarn underneath a purple and green jester's cap, and double handles. This one had always been my favorite; I had named it Kuro Hoshi. A knock at the door startled me. After moment I knew who it was.
"You may enter." I called.
Keiichiro opened the door and stepped in. "Zakuro-san." He gave a small, polite bow at his waist.
"Keiichiro-san." I said, giving a small bow of my head.
"How are you?" Keiichiro asked.
"I am fine." I said.
"I was concerned," He said, "With receiving the news of Raimu-san and Kohii-san, and Kish's return. It's all a bit sudden."
"Yes, I…" For once, I actually wasn't sure how to respond to him. Things weren't like when we were little. They were very different. So different. "I am…dealing with things. It is hard, trying to replace Raimu." I smirked bitterly, something very rare from me, "Madame Kurokanji."
"You were never meant to replace her." Keiichiro said, "We had known something like this would happen; it always does when two peoples in a circus marry and have a child. We just…we weren't sure what we would do without her."
"I understand." I said, "Now if you please, I have things to prepare for."
"Of course, your fortune telling." Keiichiro said. He bowed again, "I will leave you to your business. Please pardon my interruption." He turned quickly and left.
I wanted to tell him that I hadn't meant it like that, and that he would never be an interruption to me. I wanted to be what we used to be when we were little, but that will never happen. I stand and throw the puppet onto the bed, frustrated, and went to set up my crystal ball and tarot cards for the next person that will come in here, pretending to want the truth, but really only wanting a lie.
Shockers to anyone? I hope so. And do not fear, this is not the entire plot line, just a nice sized chunk of it that I thought would be important for people to know before the story got too far in and I left people confuzled. Now I just have to come up with how the other three mews and Pai and Tart tie into everything...XD I hope I don't overload myself, I have a rather busy week next week so there probably won't be any updates for a while, and I have two essays to write soooo....yeah. Anyway, thanks for reading!!
Much love ~Insanity