A/N: Well people, I told myself that once my first Tokyo Mew Mew story, Those EARS!, got five reviews, I'd work on a sequel! I was so honored that I got the reviews I got, they were all so encouraging. So thank you, all of my lovely reviewers! I reply to your reviews here.
cruelfeline: You...You wrote Healing! (squeals in utter delight) Yes, showers...how awesome they are to give us stories. Thank you SO much for your review...I'm not very good at characterization usually, and I try with my grammar, so that meant a lot to me. And to whoever else reads this: go read her fics NOW. Especially if you like Kisshu/Ichigo and/or Pudding/Taruto.
Raburinna: Aw, I'm flattered so much! What can I say, fluff just tickles me so. Whoever else reads this: Raburinna's got some awesome alien fics! Go read them guys, seriously!
blackdevil: Kisshu likes the abuse. Hee hee. Thank you!
Thank you! (hugs Pai/Lettuce with you)
Shanegua: You would e-mail this to someone who hates TMM? (is very, very flattered)
iriena15963: Pai's comeback was probably my favorite part of the story too. It's more likely he'd say something like that as opposed to the more popular 'Your mother.' XP Thank you!
Mew-Sahara: Aw, thanks so much! They're my favorite three couples.
Summary: The aliens are back, much to Pudding's happiness, Ichigo's amusement, and Lettuce's...horror. Pai's doing everything to get her to stop avoiding him, but the mew keep giving him these RULES!
Couples: Same apply! Pai/Lettuce, Taruto/Pudding, and some Kisshu/Ichigo
In life, there are rules. Specific rules that labeled how people thought of you. Like, if you wore glasses and conservative clothes, you were labeled nerdy and smart, while if you wore pink and frills, you would be labeled as cheerful and possibly ditzy. If you changed, people thought of you differently. Those are rules. Romance, like all things in life, also had rules and labels. Wait two days after a date to call your date back, or you'll be labeled too eager. If you're going out to meet your girlfriend's/boyfriend's parents (though some would rather commit suicide), you had to try to be perfect in every single way, but don't act like you were walking on egg shells, or said parents would easily label you unfit to date/marry their child.
Any rules governing an alien's actions after returning to Earth eluded the knowledge of Pai, Kisshu and Taruto.
Kisshu watched in amusement as he observed his less-than-relaxed comrades. Taruto was doing anything to occupy himself; pacing, levitating, tapping his toes, pulling on his ears, while Pai was typing busily on his computer, shoulders hunched with tension. A familiar and devious smirk grew on Kisshu's lips.
"Ne, you two look like we're going back to war," Kisshu said with laughter in his voice. Taruto gave him a glare, while Pai ignored him completely. Kisshu weighed his options-- who to torture first? Remembering Pai's kick from the previous year, Kisshu quickly decided Taruto.
"Ta-ru-to!" Kisshu sang out to the young alien. Taruto eyed him warily.
Kisshu gave a grin, showing a fang. "Since you've grown so much, maybe you'll actually be taller then that monkey girl."
"Shut up!!" Taruto snapped. "...And her name is Pudding."
"Yes, Pudding!" Kisshu sang. "Oi, Pai, get a load of his face!"
Pai turned about halfway, and it was painfully obvious he was trying not to smirk at the young alien's red face. "You shouldn't tease him so much, Kisshu. I mean, what if Pudding is still taller than him? He'll hate you for getting his hopes up."
"Shut UP!!" Taruto repeated in a louder voice. "She's annoying and bratty, anyway!"
"Ah, lighten up!" Kisshu said. "You know you're excited. So am I. And so is Pai, no matter how much he denies it."
"Hmph."
Lettuce groaned as an annoying ring pierced her slumber roughly. Her brother had a nightmare a few hours ago in the middle of the night, so she had stayed with him until he fell asleep...at least an hour later. And now the girl wished dearly to spend that lost hour snoozing, but she had to work at Cafe Mew Mew...
Lettuce sighed as she sat up, brushing stray hair out of her face with her hand and setting her glasses on her face. She was normally so chipper in the morning (at least, compared to her other friends). She trudged into the bathroom, taking a little longer than usual in the shower as to wake herself up. Realizing she was running late, Lettuce grabbed the first two things her hands touched in her closet-- a stained, oversized orange shirt and baggy green pants with a hole in the leg. I'm just going to change into my uniform anyway... Lettuce sighed as she threw them on quickly.
Running to work, Lettuce tried to fix her green hair into braids, the result appearing haphazard and messy. I'll just fix them too... Lettuce reasoned, though slightly self-conscious about her less-than-beautiful appearance.
She burst through the door, catching her breath. "S-Sorry I'm late!" she said on reflex.
"Morning, Lettuce!" she heard Ichigo's voice say. Lettuce glanced up at the redhead, who looked ten times better in a white blouse and ruffled, hot pink miniskirt.
"I-I just figured I'd get changed...I was rushing..." Lettuce told her as Ichigo's eyes traced her choice of attire. Ichigo laughed abruptly and awkwardly.
"No, no, Lettuce! I wasn't...I mean...we aren't working today," Ichigo said.
"Eh? We aren't? Did Shirogane-san give us the day off?"
"Lettuce-onee-chan doesn't know na no da?"
"Good morning, Pudding," Lettuce said with a smile. Her smile was quickly replaced with a confused frown. "Know what?"
As if to answer her question, Mint, Zakuro, Ryou and Keichiiro came into the room, accompanied by three others. When Lettuce recognized the figures, she could only think one thing.
Oh, no.
Oh, heck no.
"TARU-TARU!!!" Pudding screamed with utter joy in her face. She tackled the alien to the ground, clinging to him for dear life.
"H-Hey! Knock it off...!" Taruto barked.
"You were telling the truth na no da!" she said with absolute mirth. "Taru-Taru is back!!"
"Hey, you two," Kisshu greeted, walking up with Pai.
"Kisshu-onii-chan! Pai-onii-chan!" Pudding chirped, composing herself, straightening. "You're back na no da!"
"Ah, you wouldn't believe how much Taruto missed you," Kisshu smirked.
"SHUT UP KISSHU!!!" Taruto yelled.
"I missed you too, na no da!!" Pudding said, hugging Taruto again. A subtle red stained the youngest alien's face, but he immediately pushed her away.
"Stand still," he ordered. She gave him a confused look, but obligued. Taruto stood straight as well, then anger crossed his features.
"I told you, Kisshu," Pai said. "Don't get his hopes up."
Is turning that red healthy for a human? Pai found himself thinking when he saw Lettuce.
Greeting the humans and assuring them of their race's success was very much the point of this visit (Of course Kisshu and Taruto wanted to see their girlfriends, Pai thought dryly), so there seemed to be no reason for Lettuce to be so embarrased at this point. She looked slightly more mature; her face seemed a bit more angular and her hair was the tiniest bit longer. (This basically applied to each Mew save for Pudding, who kept her hair about the same length.) Apparently, though, visual maturity didn't change the green Mew's tendency to get flustered so easily.
She is kind of cute, Pai thought, then quickly disregarding the thoughts before anything could stem from them.
"Ichigo!!" Kisshu sang and, spur-of-the-moment person he was, flew to the pink Mew and kissed her. But he seemed to have some respect; it was only on the cheek, and this saved him a slap.
"KISSHU! Don't do that, perv!!" she shrieked at him. She recovered quickly though, albeit with a scowl and a cross of the arms. "How's it been on your planet?"
"Perfectly fine!" Kisshu said happily. "So we came back to tell you, like we promised."
"For how long?" Mint asked.
"Mmm...about two or three weeks, maybe longer if we feel like."
Lettuce, who was hiding behind Ryou and trying to blend with the background, felt her jaw drop. Things were going to be very awkward. What was she supposed to do, go up to Pai and say, "So yeah, sorry about invading your personal space and pulling on your ears"?!! That didn't seem to sound good.
M-Maybe he forgot, she mused, but when she saw Pai turn his neck a centimeter closer to her angle, she just felt as though the floor should eat her that instant. The fact was, she remembered how embarassed she felt that year ago, and things were going to feel odd.
This'll be a long few weeks...
A/N: So, yeah. A few more chapters, 'kay? And the title will make more sense. Please review!
