It seemed like an ordinary morning in class 2-D of Kaiwaia High School. The only thing that was different was the fact that a new student was joining the class. Although, this particular morning, the new student was late.
"She should have been here by now." The teacher said as he glanced at his watch. "Maybe we should just start now and she can introduce herself late-"
The door suddenly slid open as a short girl with bushy honey brown hair and dark brown eyes burst into the room and quickly tripped, landing on her knees.
"Ouch!" The girl hissed, wincing at the throbbing pain in her knee caps.
The class burst into laughter making comments like "What a klutz!" and "She's so cute!" and other comments of that nature.
"I-I'm sorry I'm late." He girl said as she got up, brushing herself off.
"Where's you're uniform?" The teacher asked as he stared at her bizarre outfit.
She wore black boots, her fishnet stockings disappeared under her black and dark pink plaid pleated skirt, a berry colored belt hugged her hips, a small purse the same color hung at the side of her belt, her black jacket with dark pink fuzzy trim covered most of her black and white shirt. Her bushy hair was pulled back into high pigtails as a headband matching her skirt sat on her head.
"Oh, I know this isn't the uniform, but I made a mistake while I was still in America-"
"Wait you're from America?!" A student exclaimed.
"Oh, um, y-yea." The girl laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Why don't you introduce yourself then you can explain what happened with your uniform after class." The teacher said with a slightly frustrated sigh.
"My name's Mandee." She said with a smile, "Mandee Ricardo."
"Hey Mandee, would you like me to show you around the school?" Tohru offered with a smile.
"Yea, sure! That'd be great!" Mandee smiled.
"Do you want to come too? Uo? Hana?" Tohru turned to her friends.
"I gotta make up a test." Uo said with a sigh.
"I'm sorry Tohru," Hana said, "There's this fascinating book I've been reading and I'm almost done with the last chapter. I was hoping to finish it today so I could return it to the library before I had to renew it again."
"Aw, okay." Tohru said with a smile as she turned to Mandee, "I guess its just us."
"Hey where's Orange Top and The Prince?" Uo asked.
"Oh, I'm not sure where they went." Tohru said as she looked around the class room.
"Who?" Mandee asked as she gave the three girls a curious look.
"Oh Kyo and Yuki Soma." Tohru smiled, "I'll introduce you to them later today."
"Why are they called Orange Top and The Prince?" Mandee asked.
"Kyo has orange hair," Uo said with a chuckle, "You'll recognize him when you see him. As for Yuki, he's got a little fan club that calls him Prince Yuki. Though he does kinda look like a prince."
"Are you serious?" Mandee laughed, "That's so ridiculous!"
"I know, right?" Uo laughed, "I think we're gonna get along pretty well kid."
"I'm glad you two are getting along." Tohru said with a smile, "We should probably get going, lunch will be over soon."
"Oh, right," Mandee smiled at the other girls as she waved, "I'll talk to you guys later."
Uo and Hana watched as Tohru and Mandee left the room.
"Strange…" Hana muttered.
"What is?" Uo looked at her questioningly.
"She reminds me of someone, but I'm not sure who." Hana said as she stared at the door.
Mandee fallowed Tohru around the halls, the two girls laughing and chatting away.
"It's so different in Japan." Mandee said with a smile as she and Tohru walked down the stairs, "High schools in America are chaos compared to schools in Japan."
"Really?" Tohru laughed then noticed a grey haired boy at the bottom of the stairs, "Oh there's Yuki. Yuki! I want to introduce you to some one!"
"Oh, Miss Honda, hello." Yuki smiled as he watched the girls come down the stairs.
"This is Mandee Ricardo." Honda said with a smile, "She just transferred into our class."
"It's nice to meet yo-" Mandee tripped on the last stair and collided into Yuki.
Yuki and Tohru's eyes widened as Mandee instinctively clung to Yuki as she fell.
Oh no! She'll see him transform! Tohru thought as sudden panic washed over her.
Yuki and Mandee crashed to the floor, but to Yuki and Tohru's surprise, Yuki didn't transform into a rat like he normally would.
"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" Mandee said as she quickly got up and offered her hand to Yuki, "I don't know why I'm such a klutz today. I didn't hurt you did I?"
Yuki stared at her in surprise for a moment before taking her hand.
"No, no," Yuki said as she helped him up, "I-I'm fine."
Why didn't I transform? Yuki thought to himself.
"U-um, Mandee?" Tohru looked at the brunette with a confused expression. "By any chance are you related to the Soma's?"
"That's a random question." Mandee said as she turned her attention to the ceiling with a thoughtful look. "To tell the truth, I don't really know anything about my biological parents."
"What do you mean?" Tohru asked.
"Oh, I've just kinda bounced from one foster home to another." Mandee said, laughing nervously, "My latest foster mom had family here so we left America to come here to Japan. As far as my biological family goes, I have no clue about them. For all I know they could be dead."
"Oh that's so sad, I'm sorry Mandee." Tohru said as she gave her a concerned look.
"No, no, it's fine, really. Besides you can't really miss what you never had right?" Mandee said with a weak smile.
"Still," Tohru muttered.
Mandee shrugged as she looked from Toru to Yuki.
"My name's Mandee." She said as she held her hand out to Yuki.
Yuki, who was still puzzling over the fact he didn't transform, stared at her hand blankly.
"Oh I'm sorry," Tohru said as she looked from one to the other, "Mandee this is Yuki Soma."
"Do you guys not shake hands in Japan?" Mandee asked as she looked to Tohru, her hand still out stretched to Yuki.
"I'm sorry," Yuki said as he gently took her hand, "I've just got a lot on my mind lately."
"Oh, no it's fine." Mandee smiled as she shook his hand.
"Hey Yuki!" A student called, "Could you help us over here?"
"Oh, yes, I'll be right there." Yuki said then turned to the girls, "I have to go for now, I'll see you after school though."
"Okay." Tohru smiled as she waved.
"Later." Mandee said then turned her attention back to Tohru, "So that's the one that they call The Prince, right?"
"Yup." She smiled. "He's really nice."
"And just who do you think you are?!" A blonde girl with pigtails named Minami barked.
She marched up to them with two girls, Mai, a black haired girl, and Mio, a red haired girl, fallowing close behind her.
"Well I think I'm Mandee Ricardo." She said, not attempting to hide the annoyance in her voice at the girls tone. "Who are you?"
"We are the Prince Yuki Fan Club!" Minami said proudly, "And don't get any idea's about taking Yuki for yourself!"
"Yea!" Mai and Mio chirped.
"I just met the guy!" Mandee said as she stared at the three in disbelief.
"Oh don't play innocent with us!" The Mio barked.
"We saw you throw yourself at him the first chance you got!" Mai snapped.
"I tripped!" Mandee barked. "Excuse me for being a klutz!"
"Mandee maybe we should go." Tohru said as she watched the girl clutching her fist.
"Don't even think of getting that electric wave girl!" Minami snapped, "She's not going to save you this time. We know what you two are up to!"
"And what's that huh?" Mandee growled as she glared at the girl, "Are any of you girls dating him?!"
"Mandee…" Tohru said nervously as she tried to touch the girls sleeve.
"No!" Mandee shouted as she looked to Tohru then the fan club girls, "I've never let anyone push me around and I'm not gonna start with these prissy little girls with a fantasy complex!"
By this time the other students that were in the halls were watching the scene unfold.
"What did you call us?!" Minami barked.
"You heard me!" Mandee shouted as she began marching up to the girls.
The fan club girls eyes widened in surprise as they slowly started to back away.
"Who died and made you boss of who gets to talk to who huh?!" Mandee growled, "Tohru and I can talk to anyone we god damn please to! What makes you think you have the right to tell us who to talk to huh? I bet you guys are more like stalkers than fans, right? You go through all the trouble to tell other girls to stay away from him, I wouldn't put it past girls like you to go all psycho stalker!"
The girls stared wide eyed, their knees shaking as the bell rang. Mandee turned her attention to the bell as Tohru grabbed her arm and started dragging her back to class.
"Well we better get going! Class will start soon!" Tohru said nervously as she rushed to the class room.
When they got back to class, Mandee looked at Tohru as she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.
"Listen, I'm sorry if I freaked you out back there." Mandee said, "I just can't stand girls like them."
"Oh no, no, it's fine." Tohru said with a smile. "Actually you kind of reminded me of Hatsuharu."
"Who?" Mandee blinked.
"Oh, he's another Soma." Tohru smiled, "Him and Momiji are first years."
"How many Soma's are there?" Mandee asked in surprise.
"It's kind of a big family, Miss Ricardo." Yuki said with a smile as he joined them, "There's only four of us here at the school though."
Tohru nodded happily, "They're cousins."
"That must be awesome!" Mandee smiled, "I'd love it if I could have a huge family like that."
"Well," Yuki smiled, "it's certainly interesting."
"Quiet down class." The teacher said as the students took their seats.
As the class went on, Yuki couldn't help but let his mind wander once again.
Why didn't I transform? He thought, I should have. Could she really be a part of the zodiac? But how? There hasn't been a new member of the zodiac in years. How could she be part of the zodiac? This doesn't make any sense!
Tohru smiled as she continued to take her notes, I can't believe it! Mandee could be another member of the zodiac! That has to be the reason Yuki didn't transform! I wonder if she's the horse? Maybe she's the rooster? I've met everyone else so she has o be one of them right? Wow this is amazing!
When class had ended, Mandee was laughing with everyone as they gathered their things.
"Oh my god I can't believe you did that to those fan club girls!" Uo laughed. "I wish I could have seen their faces!"
"I'm really sorry about them." Yuki said with a nervous smile, "I had no idea they were doing things like that."
"Don't worry about it." Mandee smiled then look to Kyo, "So I'm guessing you must be Orange Top?"
"Don't call me that!" Kyo hissed, "My name is Kyo! Not Orange Top!"
Mandee laughed, "For some reason you just made me think of a cat!"
Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki all exchanged quick glances as Uo and Mandee laughed.
"Ah, I know who you remind me of now." Hana said as she looked to Mandee, "For some reason you're electric waves remind me of Shigure."
"Oh that's right. Those fan girls said something about someone using electric waves or something." Mandee said then stared at her, "Wait, who's Shigure?"
"He's another Soma." Tohru said with a smile, "Kyo, Yuki, and I live with him."
"Why does she remind you of him?" Kyo asked as he stared at Hana.
"Its something about her electric waves." Hana said, "I can't quiet put my finger on it, but it's as if they're related."
"I doubt it." Mandee laughed, "I don't even know my biological family, I doubt I'd meet them here. Do you know the chances of that being a reality? I'd have a better chance sprouting wings!"
"Stranger things have happened." Uo said, "That would be amazing if you were related though."
"It'd be way to spook." Mandee said as she waved her hand, "With all the foster families I've been in, then getting put into one that actually takes me to my biological family, it sounds like some crazy fairy tale."
"We're being watched again." Hana said as she motioned to the fan club girls.
"Maybe I should talk to them." Yuki said as he glanced at them.
"Why?" Kyo asked, "They probably wouldn't even hear you."
"Well it would be better than doing nothing." Yuki replied.
"Hang on, I've got a better idea." Mandee said with a grin.
"Hm?" The teens looked at the new girl with curiosity.
Mandee, who had been leaning against her desk, stood up and waved to the fan girls. They gave her a confused look as they glanced to each other then back to the group.
"Sorry Yuki." Mandee said with a sweet smile.
"Huh?" Yuki blinked.
Mandee quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down slightly as she kissed his lips. Yuki's eyes widened in surprise as shrieks of the fan club rang through the room. Tohru and Kyo yelped, expecting Yuki to transform, though he didn't. Hana blinked as Uo burst into laughter.
Mandee pulled away from the kiss and smiled, leaving Yuki blushing bright red as the color covered his face.
"What were those girls screaming about?" Students asked, seemingly unaware of the kiss that had just occurred.
"Why didn't he transform?" Kyo hissed quietly to Tohru, who only replied with a nervous, almost frantic, expression.
"I better get going." Mandee said as she picked up her bag, "Sue will kill me if I'm not home in time to make dinner."
"Y-you you just…" Yuki managed to stutter as he touched his lips and looked at her.
"Think of it this way, those stalkers won't be messing with Tohru for a while since I just made myself there number one enemy." Mandee grinned. "Later guys!"
With that, Mandee ran out of the class room.
"It's official," Uo snickered, "I love that girl! We should ask her to hang out with us more."
"She's… interesting." Hana said as she turned her attention to Tohru.
"I-I wasn't expecting her to do anything like that." Tohru said as she looked at Yuki, I don't think Yuki was either.
"I need to talk to her." Yuki said as he quickly grabbed his bag and ran out the door after her.
"That was odd." Uo said.
"We should probably be going too." Kyo said as he stood up and looked at Tohru.
Tohru nodded and said her good bye's to her friends before she and Kyo left.
Yuki looked around the school courtyard until he saw Mandee walk out the entrance. Yuki fallowed her and turned the corner in time to see a puff of dark pink smoke. When the smoke cleared he saw a small, confused, boy staring at the pile of cloths Mandee had been wearing. A small, fuzzy brown puppy with pointed ears poked its head out of the pile of clothes.
"Wow! Are you a magician or something?!" The little boy exclaimed.
"U-um, yea, that's it kid." Mandee said, unaware Yuki was behind her.
Yuki ducked behind a mail box as Mandee looked around quickly, making sure none of the other students saw. She sighed in relief then turned her attention back to the kid.
"Listen kid, you can't tell anyone what you just saw, okay?" She said.
"Why not?" The little boy pouted.
"Because if you do I'll turn into… into… I'll turn into a rock!" Mandee said, hoping the boy would believe her.
"Really?!" The boy looked at her in shock. "I swear I wont tell anyone!"
"Good boy." Mandee smiled, her curled tail wagging happily. "Now go back to running off to where ever you were going."
"Okay." The little boy chirped as he ran off.
Mandee sighed and smiled as she shook her head, "Kids..."
So she is part of the zodiac. But how can she be the dog when Shigure's the dog? Yuki thought as he quietly stood up from the mail box and watched as the dog the size of a football tried to pull the black jacket to a near by bush, She's actually pretty cute in this form.
He smiled as he heard her growl quietly.
"Would you like some help Mandee?" He asked with a smile.
Mandee yelped as she turned her head up to the boy. "Y-Yuki?"