Mew Amai

Episode 9 Part 2

"That was, by far, the most interesting way to set two people up." Amai commented when she and the others met up under a bridge later on after making sure Ichigo and Aoyama would cross paths. Mint shrugged. "True, but it was all necessary. Now, we just wait. We have to make sure things work out between Ichigo and Aoyama-kun. Else, she's liable to explode from stress."

Amai laughed. "Believe me, she's been there multiple times before." "Let's give her all of our support!" Everyone laughed after Pudding's statement. Settling down, Amai checked her phone to see a text from her mom. "I gotta go, guys. See you all tomorrow."

"Bye, Amai!" The white-haired girl started to leave, but she didn't get more than ten feet when Zakuro stepped up beside her. "Can I join you? There's something I'd like to ask."

"Sure."

The purplette didn't say anything until they were completely out of sight from the others. "I've been thinking about this for a while; what exactly is your secret?"

Amai's feet froze, her body going still.

Why? Why did Zakuro have to ask her that? Why did she even say anything about her secret in the first place? Yes, it helped motivate the older girl into joining the team, but now Amai had roused curiosity that had come far too soon. She wasn't ready.

"Amai?" Zakuro looked at her worriedly. The younger didn't respond, so she tried again. "Amai, say something."

"I... I..." What could she say? What should she say? "I can't. I'm sorry, but I can't. Not now."

By the look on her face, Zakuro guessed it to be some pretty big secret, especially considering what Amai had said about it before, it could effect the team. How, Zakuro wasn't sure, but she decided not to press on the subject and make her any more uncomfortable.

"It's okay. I was just curious. But let me tell you something." Zakuro held Amai's shoulder. "You said to me that hiding behind a mask holds me back. Not opening up to people and caging the real me is something that I'd regret forever. I feel stronger since I took my mask off, so I suggest you take your own advice and take your mask off, too. Soon. I don't know what it is you're hiding, but I can see you can't conceal it forever."

Zakuro left it at that, choosing to walk back in the direction of the girls, leaving Amai alone.

The Mew Mew stood there a while, pondering over what had just been said to her. It was all true, of course she knew that. She knew the time was coming to reveal herself to her friends, whether she liked it or not. But could she really handle it?

"What am I gonna do?"

"What's this?"

Gasping in fright, Amai spun around and glanced up, to where Kisshu was floating dozens of feet above her. "A little kitty all alone?" Amai took a step back. "They told me to stand by, but I just had to see you, my darling Amai!"

He left no time for any response before sending a jelly down to a nearby lizard, which grew into a large Chimera Animal. Transforming, Amai jumped just before its large tail could hit her. She hoped that the girls would arrive soon to help her.

Landing on the pathway, she looked up at Kisshu, floating above the Chimera's head. "So, what's this little secret you're hiding, kitten?"

Amai nearly gasped in fright, but held it in. He heard that?! Thank god she didn't reveal anything to Zakuro, otherwise he would know that she's half alien, and if she wasn't ready for her team to know that, then she DEFINELTY wasn't ready for the enemy to know, either.

Kisshu chuckled. "Whatever. Get her!" The Chimera lizard lunged at her again. Amai readied her wand, but its tail caught her hard and slammed her down. Pain exploded on her side as she struggled to sit up.

"You poor thing. But still, bad girls need to be punished." After Kisshu spoke, a ball of some amber liquid came out of the lizard's mouth and stopped above Amai's head. The ball dissolved, the liquid growing and forming a dome around her, crystalizing in seconds.

"I'm trapped!" Managing to get to her knees, Amai glared at the crystal prison surrounding her. Pushing herself up, she stumbled before pointing her weapon at the dome. "Ribbon Sweet Shine!" The attack hit the wall, but it didn't leave a signal mark. Amai tried again, yet still nothing.

Again and again she struck, getting more tired with every try she made to break the crystal. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead when she stopped, breathing heavily. It was no use. No matter how hard she hit it, the wall wouldn't break.

"My only other option would be to teleport, but if I do that, then Kisshu will know, and then..." Amai fell to her knees, gripping her wand tightly.

"If I wasn't a Mew Mew, I wouldn't have to worry about hiding everything from everybody. I wouldn't have to hide, and I wouldn't feel so conflicted all the time. Sometimes I wonder why I was chosen, but..."

She might never understand why she was picked to be a Mew Mew. But she was, and she had to learn to balance that with everything else in her life.

Suddenly, a stroke of light hit the dome, shattering it to pieces. Looking up at the source, Amai was elated to see Zakuro in the air, her whip raised high. The other Mew Mews followed behind her, landing on the ground in front.

"Are you okay?!" Mint asked. Amai sighed in relief. "Guys!"

"Ugh, more people trying to stop me?" Kisshu groaned. "Then I'll get rid of you, too!" Two more lizards appeared from the ground, the girls springing into action. They took turns attacking, Amai's being the final blow.

Kisshu pouted. "All I wanted was a date with Amai, but your all getting in my way." He looked at Amai. "Later, Amai. I'm gonna make things way more fun from here on out, so I hope you like it! Bye!" He floated up and out of sight.

Amai stared after him. She was grateful her secret was still that for now but prayed that it wouldn't linger in the alien's mind.

At sunset on the bridge above, Ichigo told everyone that Aoyama had asked her out, which thrilled them. Their Cupid plan had worked. Amai was happy for her, finally getting a real date with her crush.

At home, Amai went up to her father. "Dad, I need help." Keita turned his full attention to her, urging her to continue. "Zakuro asked what my secret was today. I didn't tell her, but she encouraged me to tell it soon, said to take my own advice and not hide. I don't know what to do."

The alien knew that his daughter wasn't ready to reveal herself yet. Though he secretly wished her to say something soon, only she could decide the right time to come clean. And with one Mew Mew interested in what she was hiding, Keita suspected that the time would not be too far away.

"Just continue what you've been doing. Focus on your mission and wait for the right time. Remember that you alone will know when the truth will be revealed. And perhaps Zakuro is right, that soon will be the proper time."

Amai sighed. "Maybe." She hugged her father. "Goodnight, Daddy." She retired for the night with a stressful heart. A feeling in her said that her purple-haired friend was definitely right, and that's what frightened her.