Chapter Text
The evening was warm and damp. Clouds rolled into the horizon, covering the setting sun; hints of an oncoming rainstorm.
The sky seemed to reflect Ichigo’s mood as she lingered outside a Japanese steakhouse somewhere in America.
She had appeared in the country a few months ago, invisible to the world and unable to talk to anyone. She didn’t know how long it had been since she was home- a number of years, she figured- but she had been in America for only a few months.
She still wasn’t entirely certain what she was doing.
That spectral cat she had seen when she was first involved with the Mew Project had appeared again, just before she found herself here.
Your job is not quite done yet, the cat-spirit had said. Though your self has been absorbed into Mew Aqua’s essence, your power is still needed. Find your friends, and gather the ones who can help you.
Well, Ichigo had found her friends easily enough- they appeared shortly after she did-, but whoever they were supposed to find remained stubbornly vague.
Until now.
It wasn’t entirely true that no one could see her; there was one. A girl close to her age. They had never talked or interacted in any other way, but she could see her, Ichigo was sure of that; which meant she had to be important.
The girl and her family had gone inside the restaurant with Ichigo trailing behind, safely out of sight. Her ears twitched every so often, her tail swished from side to side; the bell at the end tinkled anxiously.
The others should be arriving soon.
After some time, four other spectres shimmered into existence; her friends had arrived at last.
Mint pointed her chin towards the girl.” Is this the one?”
“She is,” Ichigo confirms,” I can feel it.”
“Seems a little timid,” Zakuro notes.
The girl shrank into her seat as the chef sprayed oil onto the hot stove, making the surface erupt in flames.
Lettuce chimes in.” Well, weren’t we all?”
Zakuro shrugs, but does not respond.
“Well,” Pudding interjects,” I trust Ichigo oneechan’s judgement.” She looks up at the pink spectre with sparking eyes.
Ichigo smiles at the girl, grateful for the support. “She can see me, that has to be important.”
The girl turns around in her seat, scanning the restaurant. Her gaze lands on the spectral group behind her, and her eyes widen ever so slightly before she promptly turns back around in her chair.
The Mews exchange glances.
Zakuro breaks the silence.” We should probably start talking to them.”
“Agreed.”
They stand in silence, taking in the sights and pondering the future. One by one, each Mew winks out of existence, leaving the girl to her dinner.