Yup. The last chapter. Boo-hoo.

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Chapter 13: More Mews to Come?

Slowly, the planet was falling back into order. Little by little, the Mew Mews and the aliens were gaining back the strength and energy they had exhausted in that long struggle. Flan cried and kissed Pie in relief, while Pudding cried and hugged Tart in relief. Mint and Zakuro just stared at each other, a bit confused, since they'd been out the longest during the battle. Ichigo sighed, while Lettuce glanced worriedly back at her.

"Are you okay, Ichigo? You were crying earlier."

Ichigo nodded, affirming her. "I was a little…overwhelmed. But I think I'm going to be okay now."

Lettuce gave her a sweet smile and put a hand on her shoulder. "That's good. I was just worried…"

Ichigo looked out at her group of friends…Lettuce, right next to her, Mint and Zakuro, still staring in puzzlement, Pudding and Tart, beginning to break into a dispute, Flan and Pie, finally unlocking lips to lean against each other in love. They were all part of her life now, and always would be, as well as Kish. So for another hour or so, the Mews and aliens just sat together in a placid understanding…unity. Now, Ichigo found it hard to believe that Kish, Tart, and Pie had been her worst enemies only a year ago.

At last, Pie drew in a deep breath and addressed the group. "Well…" he began. It seemed only natural for him to make the concluding speech, since he had been the one to plan out this entire "rescuing Pyridis" plan, and basically their leader for the past two days. "…Thank you." And no more words were necessary.

Ichigo smiled and nodded. "You're welcome, of course. After all, I am the princess of Mercury."

Now, Flan looked confused, turning her head from Pie's shoulder to look over at Ichigo. "But I thought you had decided that you weren't the princess."

Ichigo stepped a little further into the crowd. "Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. But one thing's for sure. You are more than just distant friends."

"Hold on!" Mint cut in, jumping into the arena. "What are you talking about?"

"That it doesn't matter if I'm the princess of Mercury or not," Ichigo replied, matter-of-factly.

Mint only looked even more frustrated and annoyed. "Now what's that got to do with anything?! I swear, Ichigo, you are the most ditzy…"

Ichigo just stood back and let her babble on, contentedly. Once again, she thought she felt a slight change in the situation.

Pudding at last broke away from her bickering with Tart to propose an idea. "Hey, I know! Let's all go back to Café Mew Mew and celebrate! C'mon, guys, we saved the world…again!" Ichigo was about to point out that she was the one that saved the world, but decided not to spoil Pudding's fun for the moment.

"Yeah!" Tart agreed, a sly smile spreading over his face. "I get a triple scoop ice cream cone! Pie…you promised…"

Pie frowned back at him. "I wasn't serious."

Tart put his hands on his hips, huffily. "But you're Pie," he objected. "You're always serious."

"Oh…all right," Pie at last grumbled. "But you better not be going crazy and bothering me all day, because I'll make sure you never eat ice cream again!"

"Ooo, oooo!" Pudding perked up at the sound of the word "ice cream". "Can I have some too? Please? Pretty please Mr. Pie…um, sir?"

Pie wasn't going to let her, but hearing her call him by his name for the first time suddenly changed his mind. "Well, okay, I guess."

"Yea!" Pudding excitedly exclaimed, nearly squishing Tart in the process.

Mint glanced around, sarcastically. "Oh, sure…let's just walk to the nearest ice cream shop and go get some! Hello!!! We're still in Africa!!!"

"Oh, yeah, that's right," Ichigo suddenly remembered. "Hey…how are we going to get back home? The spaceship broke down, and I don't have any money for plane tickets…" She stared pointedly at Mint.

"What?!" Mint cried. "Stop staring at me like that! What did I do?"

"Well…" Ichigo asked. "…what are you waiting for? Call up your rich parents and get them to pay for tickets home!"

"And where, may I ask, is the nearest phone booth?"

"Aw, come on, you mean Princess Aizawa doesn't have a cell phone yet?!"

"No…but you do!"

"But…but then I'd have long-distance fees!"

Thankfully, a strange rumbling overhead halted the two Mews before they could take their argument any further. A large shadow passed over the eight forms staring up on the scarred ground of Pyridis. Only a moment later, a jet plane zoomed down, through the broken pillars, at last rolling to a stop 20 feet from their spot. The Mews and aliens stared as the side door opened up, a staircase unfolded from the side, and a familiar teenage boy emerged from inside.

"Ryou?!" Ichigo cried. "He has his own private plane?!"

"Why not?" Mint shrugged. "He's got everything else."

Keiichiro stepped out next to him, wearing a pilot's helmet and uniform. Ryou quickly tapped down the stairs to appear in front of them. "Hello, everyone," he said, panting a bit. "When we saw the Jupitite attack, we hurried over as fast as we could…but I guess Ichigo's already taken care of it…"

"Yay, give us a ride!" Pudding called over to him. "I want ice cream!"

Ryou glared over at her, as the others all stared at each other, painfully.

"Uhh…" at last Lettuce spoke up. "Well, it was very thoughtful of you. …Thank you so much for worrying about us…" She blushed deep red when she looked into Ryou's blue eyes.

"Oh, ah, no problem," Ryou replied, tearing away from Lettuce at last. "Well, everyone get on! I know it's a little squished…"

The group of Mew Mews and aliens gratefully began to board the plane. Mint, Ichigo, and Lettuce squished into the front seat, while Flan, Pie, and Zakuro squired into the back. Pudding and Tart climbed on Ichigo, Mint, and Lettuce's laps. This actually felt quite comfortable to them, after hiding in that wooden box to get into Pyridis.

Keiichiro glanced backward at his passengers from his pilot's seat and frowned. "This isn't very safe at all…you know, we're sending a bad message to the world's youth with this…"

"Aw, who cares?" Ryou cut in. "It's the only way to get home." With a sigh, Keiichiro followed his friend's order and started up the plane.

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Ah…Japan. It felt so good to be back in Japan where everything was familiar and beautiful. Ichigo stared out the heart-shaped window of Café Mew Mew wistfully. It was just another normal day…the cherry blossom petals of springtime blowing lightly in the breeze. It was such a nice day today…

"Ichigoooo!!!" a ticked-off Ryou suddenly appeared in place of the cherry blossoms. "I don't pay you to daydream all day!"

Ichigo quickly shook her head and acknowledged the wooden broom underneath her palm, thudding back into reality. Yes, she was in beautiful Japan…in the café…working. She groaned in frustration. "When are we gonna get a day off?"

Ryou huffily placed his hands on his hips. "You just had a day off- you had a whole week off for your little trip to Africa! I've been working in your absence. I should think you'd be just a little grateful…"

"Well, it was for a good cause! It wasn't like we were taking a holiday! And you didn't even give us one day's rest after we got back! No, it was "hurry back to work girls, the customers are waiting"…I swear you are so…" Ichigo's ranting mouth abruptly closed as she at last noticed Ryou's face, a surprisingly sweet smile melting onto it. Her own face flushed slightly pink. "Oh…not that I mind that much, but…"

Ryou unexpectedly reached forward and rested his hand on Ichigo's head for a moment. "Well…I'm glad you're back," he managed to squeeze out, then turned from her side and began to head back into the café swarm.

"Me too!" Ichigo called back to him, and he glanced back for a moment just before disappearing.

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Meanwhile, the normal buzzing drone of workers and customers mingled together within the pink, cake-like walls. Mint was slacking off in a corner in contentment, while Lettuce struggled with a pair of plates, dangerously wobbling to one side. Zakuro prowled about, flashing icy glares at the diners. Pudding and Tart were on springy shoes, bouncing, sometimes literally, off the walls. This didn't much help their work, and often the platters they were carrying were jostled by all the bouncing and came crashing to the smooth, sparkling floor.

Since the day they returned, the aliens had been living and working in Café Mew Mew, at least until a spaceship arrived for their return trip to Mercury. Tart wore a red waiter's uniform, a bit similar to Keiichiro's suit, much to his displeasure, and a hat like Flan's to hide his hair and ears.

Flan glided around, mostly cleaning up the messes from Lettuce, Pudding, and Tart, and mediating the disputes between Ichigo and Mint. Some of the customers looked at her strangely, since she was the only Café Mew Mew waitress wearing a hat instead of a headband.

Keiichiro was at his station, of course, processing pastries like a factory. Pie had taken a job at the cash register, tucking his ears and pigtail into another one of those hats, and wearing a gray suit. Life was fairly normal once again.

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Ichigo glanced happily at the café, now strikingly bare. It was cleanup time again, and Mint and Zakuro were wiping down a table. Lettuce was scrubbing a mark off the wall, inarguably from either Pudding or Tart, while Pudding herself was getting in a few final springs around the room. The three aliens were nowhere in sight, but Ryou and Keiichiro were supervising the work, sometimes helping a little.

Ichigo moved her broom a little as she caught Ryou's eye, trying to appear hardworking and worthy, though she wasn't sure why. Lettuce deposited his sponge back into the kitchen sink, and returned to the room, looking slightly proud. Zakuro silently ran a dry towel over the table's surface, while Mint held a rag and admired her. Just at that moment, Pie, Tart, and Flan appeared again, in their normal Mercurian garb.

"Hey, guys!" Ichigo cheerfully called to them, but immediately closed her mouth after seeing them. Flan made a feeble attempt at a greeting, but Pie looked particularly grim, and even Tart fell silent. "What happened?" Ichigo asked, but she received no answer.

"Did they call?" Ryou questioned, glancing over at Pie.

The tall alien nodded, slightly. "This morning. The ship should be here by now."

At once, Ichigo knew what they were talking about. Their ship had arrived. It was time for them to leave again. Slowly, Lettuce, Pudding, and Mint congregated around them, and Zakuro looked up from her work for a moment.

"It's time for us to go our separate ways," Pie bluntly stated to the cluster of Mew Mews. "Thank you for your support…" he added, glancing down at Ichigo. "…Your Majesty."

Ichigo blushed at being called "Your Majesty" again, and quickly brushed it off. "Oh, it was really no problem…"

Then, Flan stepped next to Pie to address them. "Zakuro, Mint, Lettuce, Pudding, Ichigo…you've all been great friends. Thanks. I'm really lucky that I got to work with you guys."

"Peachy, don't go…" Pudding began, her voice starting to choke up.

"Don't worry, Pudding," Flan told her. "Who knows? If ever our path leads us back to Earth, we'll surely come to visit you again!"

Even Ichigo was beginning to grow teary-eyed, realizing that she may never see any of them again. This would have been no problem a year or so ago, but after spending so much time with the aliens, it was much harder to say good-bye.

"Ah…" Tart uttered the syllable, unsure of which word he wanted. "…Pudding…" When he lifted his head, he looked almost sad.

At last, Pudding couldn't hold it in anymore. She ran forward and flung her arms around him. "Tar-Tar!" she yelled into his shoulder. "Don't you dare leave!"

"I…I have to, Pudding…there's no choice."

"Yes there is!" Pudding frantically objected. "They can go, but you stay here with us! You can live at my house! I'll protect you from the kids! Please?"

Tart sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry…I can't…they'd eventually find me…the press, scientists, murderers…"

"We'll hide you! We won't let them get at you!"

At last, Flan stepped up and put a hand on Pudding's shoulder to calm her emotional frenzy. "Yes, you could do that, but keeping him in a life of hiding would be cruel and restricting. If you truly care for him, wouldn't you want the best for him?"

Pudding took a deep, shuddering breath at her words. "Yeah…I guess you're right." More tears slipped down her face, and she squeezed Tart tighter. He had a sudden urge to rip himself out of her grasp, but resisted, and just let her cry into his half-shirt. Pudding quickly shook her head and tried to compose herself, but she couldn't keep her voice from cracking when she declared, "I'll never forget you, Tar-Tar."

Hearing this statement, the fact suddenly hit Tart for the first time. This could be the last time he ever saw Pudding. At this realization, even he began feeling a ball of weight accumulating in his throat. Slowly, he leaned forward, pushing his face closer to hers. For a second, their faces were so close that they were going to connect, but then Tart moved to the side to whisper in Pudding's ears. "I'll never forget you either." The two young lovers hugged each other for a while longer.

While Pudding and Tart made the most of what might be their final embrace, Pie and Ryou exchanged a few words. Pie nodded affirmatively and turned back to the group, appearing stoic as always, but also slightly excited. "I have just spoken to with your creator, and he agrees…" Ryou waved his hand a bit, indicating that he was the one being addressed. "…that since the Earth has this team of protectors, why not Mercury too?

Mint, Lettuce, and Ichigo glanced at each other. "Does that mean…?" Mint began.

Pie smiled slightly back at them. "Once we return, I will be heading the Mew Project of Mercury."

"Cool!" Ichigo suddenly cried. "There will be more Mercurian Mew Mews, and Flan could lead them…just like us!"

"Oh, no," Flan replied, waving her hand. "I don't think I'm qualified to be leader. I'll just be helping Pie with the project."

"Well, good luck," Lettuce wished them, with a smile.

Ichigo shared the invisible bolt of excitement that was passing through the room. More Mew Mews! She tried to imagine what the members of Mercury Mew Mew might look like, even though she knew she'd probably never get to meet them.

"Tart," Pie gravely called to his young friend. "It's time to go."

Tart unwillingly released Pudding, trying uselessly to hide his obvious tear streaks. Normally, in situations like this, the two could still remain in regular contact by mail or internet, but it was nearly impossible to send something to another planet. The two wanted to stay there forever, but knew it was best that they separate. Tart slowly stepped beside Flan and Pie, staring back at Pudding, while she stared at him. They each tried to capture the other forever in their minds and remember every detail.

Finally, Pie and Flan stepped out the double glass doors of Café Mew Mew, dragging the resistant Tart along behind them. "Farewell!" the three of them called, turning around and waving as they began to walk off in the direction of their received spaceship.

"Farewell!" the Café Mew Mew staff called back. "And good luck with the Mercurian Mew Project!" Ryou added in the middle of the chant. The seven figures stood in the entrance in a strange silence. No one even made a motion towards the changing rooms, or the laboratory, or the upstairs rooms. They just stood and waited, as a unit.

Finally, in the distance, just below the setting sun, a long, arrow-shaped speck lifted into the sky…and then disappeared.

"Tar-Tar…" Pudding whispered, sadly.

Lettuce put her arms around the child to comfort her.

Ichigo stared at the sunset, feeling very strange. All of her latest experiences ran through her mind…working with Flan, going to Mercury, helping Pie and Kish, saving that planet, traveling to Pyridis, saving the Earth yet again… What had really happened? It seemed like she was right where she started. Life had begun once again, just like it had after her first battle with Deep Blue. The aliens and Mew Mews would be destined to remain separated for the rest of eternity, and there was nothing they could do about it… Ichigo felt a slight ache in her heart, but took a deep breath and resolved to accept this fact, no matter how unfair and disappointing it sounded.

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The sun shined piercingly bright the next morning as Ichigo Momomiya made her way down the stairs of her house. Only yesterday, the aliens had disappeared again…from the Earth, and from her life, and she was slowly coming to terms with it.

Her comfortable lace-up boots clicked against the pavement. Wearing her grayish school uniform, she was ready for another mediocre day at junior high, and thinking of the boredom waiting for her, broke into a big yawn. Ichigo took a step, but couldn't see where she was going.

Just then, a slightly familiar voice called out- "Ichigo!" Someone was calling her, and from the sound of the voice, it sounded like someone she knew.

"Hello?!" she called, glancing around for the source of the voice. In the blinding sunlight, she couldn't see two yards in front of her face. Ichigo squinted hard and raised her arm to her forehead to shield the sunlight. Thankfully, just then, a passing cloud hid the bright light for a moment, revealing the person hidden behind that yellow barrier.

"Masaya!" Ichigo gasped. Indeed, the pre-teen boy with dark, slightly blue hair stood on the ordinary sidewalk just in front of her. Ichigo squealed in delight and ran overt hug him. "You came back!" she cried. "I didn't know you were coming back to Tokyo!"

"I wanted to surprise you," Masaya replied, with a smile. "So…how have things been without me?"

"Uh…okay, I guess…" Ichigo suddenly felt awkward, recalling everything that she'd done while Masaya was away.

"Hey…" Masaya spoke up again, glancing downward. "That necklace looks pretty on you. Where'd you get it?"

Ichigo blushed deep red and panicked, grabbing the heart and diamond necklace she had still kept around her neck since. What would she tell Masaya? He'd be angry if he knew…he might even break up with her! Ichigo ran her trembling hands over the smooth surface of the pendant as she walked beside her boyfriend towards the school.

Then, she realized, somehow knowing that everything would work out. It didn't matter, she reasoned. It didn't matter if Masaya rejected her, because there would always be someone around who would accept her. Ichigo smiled, and released the little heart. "It's from someone who loves me."

Masaya gave her a slightly suspicious glance, but continued walking by her side, faithfully.

Ichigo's smile grew wider, and she snuggled against his arm. He had accepted her.

Stepping into the all-too-familiar schoolyard, Ichigo sighed, and glanced up at the blue sky above the brick school building. No matter what happened…she would never forget her experiences in that other world. And now, she truly recognized her mission. She loved and protected more than just the Earth. It was, of course, a Mew Mew's mission to cherish and preserve the entire galaxy.

The End (For Now!)

Bad ending, I know. Bad, bad ending. But I didn't want the whole Mew Mew World to suddenly change completely. And don't worry that the Mew Mews and aliens will never see each other again, because…they shall!!!

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Afterwards

Total Number of Pages: 164 (whoa! …ouch, my wrists!)

Total Number of Days to Write: I lost track…

Sound Track: various Avril Lavigne, Evanescence, …Disney songs (yes, Disney songs), and random sappy love songs to get me in a melancholy enough mood to write chapter 9… Also, "The Reason" by Hoobastank. I came up with many of the Kish/Ichigo scenarios while listening to that song, including the "Kish's Dream" sequence. It just made me think of the whole situation with Kish dying, and trying to prove to Ichigo that he truly loves her before he dies…

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…

and so i have to say before i go, that i just want you to know

i've found a reason for me, to change who i used to be

a reason to start over new and the reason is you

…

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(Sigh) (sniffle) So sad… Lyrics of course do not belong to me…

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Initial Settings

This was going to be a short "alien Mew Mew" story. Originally, Flan was the one to get sick, from natural causes, and they had to get the remedy from the aliens' world. There was some other plot about Kish kidnapping Ichigo and forcing her to dress as a princess, which eventually became the "Princess Ichigo of Mercury" idea. Originally the couples were going to be Pudding/Tart, Kish/Ichigo, and Pie/Lettuce, which you can see in the beginning of chapter 1. Then, after I decided Pie should be with Flan, the couples were going to be Pudding/Tart, Kish/Ichigo, Pie/Flan, Ryou/Lettuce, and Mint/Zakuro, so everyone could have a partner and combined attack in the end. I didn't follow through with it, because I would have to explain all the details of the Ryou/Lettuce and Mint/Zakuro relationships, which I didn't feel like doing…

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Special Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who has read up to this point, and to everyone who reviewed. It means a lot to me. Special thanks to KrysOfDeath, my loyal reviewer. Very special thanks to Cooking Spray, who was kind enough to draw a wonderful fanart image of Flan in Mew Peach form for me.

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I do have some good ideas for a sequel, and snuck a few hints into chapter 11… it's now titled Mew Galaxy 2: The Future of the Empire, although I'm not sure when I'll get to work on it, as I do have two sequels I'm in the middle of… but to tell you the truth, I'll probably be working more on this instead, since this has been my most successful fic yet. I just hope the sequel can live up to the original! Anyway, in MG2, you can expect a few cool new characters. I've really fallen in love with a few of my new characters, and I hope to introduce you to them soon. Here's a little sneak preview:

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Prologue

The people of Mercuritopolis stood, a clump of columns, staring in wonder. Among them, a tiny girl fought her way to the sky. She gazed up as the puffy clouds slowly drifted by. This wonderful world spread before her. Her future was waiting, the thousands of opportunities opening before her. History had been made, and as much as her destiny would push her in the other direction, it was just part of that moment, that grand connection. The sun smiling down on her. She lifted her fuzzy head and returned the favor. Her lemon eyes drove back at that sunshine. Then, her lips formed, all on their own, and a word slipped from their end. "Magichemist."

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Okay, so that wasn't much of a sneak peek, but this little girl's identity will be revealed along with the meaning of "Magichemist" in Mew Galaxy 2: The Future of the Empire! I hope to see you there!