We entered Café Mew Mew and I guided Emiko to the door to the basement. I was so happy I hadn't run into Sho that I couldn't help but smile. I knocked on the door and I heard a cry from down the stairs to come in. Pushing open the door, I motioned for Emiko to follow. We climbed down the stairs and walked over to Ryou.

"Hey Ryou, this is Emiko." I said, doing my little introduction. He looked up from the computer screen and looked at Emiko, then smiled. "So you must be Zakuro's daughter." Emiko's eyes widened a little but other then that she made no indication that she was surprised, she only nodded to tell him that he was correct.

She looked at him up and down then said, "And you must be Ryou. My mom has told me about you, and how you turned her into a wolf girl." At this remark Ryou looked completely stunned.

"So you already know about your powers and how you use them and why to use them?" he asked in a testing voice.

She rolled her eyes and said bored voice, "Yes I know about my powers, yes I know how to use them, if I didn't this girl here would be dead, and yes I know why to use them, to defend the earth and helpless people and for good and all that jazz. Happy now?" Ryou didn't look to happy, but he had gotten the answer he wanted so he didn't complain.

"Um… I think I'm going to go now… I have to get back home before dark and it is already really late, so… BYE!" and with that I ran up the stairs and out the door before either of them could say anything. I walked out the door of Café Mew Mew and started down the street towards home. I heard a car coming up behind me and I took a quick glance behind. IT WAS SHO'S RED SPORTS CAR! I quickly dove into some bushes to wait for it to pass by.

'He must be looking for me, or maybe some another pretty girl that wont put up such a fight.'

I was not about to go back home on foot if he was still looking for me. I dug into my pocket and pulled out my cell. I had to call someone who would willingly come pick me up, but wasn't a girl or to far away. I thought hard and then a person came to mind. I quickly punched in some numbers on my phone and put it up to my ear. It rang 2 times before he answered.

"Hello?" He asked.

I took a deep breath and said, "Um… hi, Mikio? Um… Oh gosh, how do I say this…? Um… could you walk me home?" It was quiet on the other line for a couple of seconds and I knew it was from shock.

"Um… sure… um… where are you?"

"Oh…" I poked my head out of the bush and looked at a street sign. "142 Timber Way. It's just a short way from the café. Oh… I'm in a bush…"

"Um… okay, I'll be there in a minute." He hung up and I leaned against the fence behind me.

I sat there waiting for what seemed like hours when a head poked into the bush, a smiling, annoying face that I was overjoyed to see.

"Mikio! Oh thank goodness you're here! I was so scared that you wouldn't come!" I flung my arms around his neck and hugged him. He was laughing and I knew he was laughing at the way I had reacted to seeing him but I didn't care, he was there and he would protect me.

"What were you doing in a bush?" he asked after I had finally let go.

"Hiding…" I said, felling a little childish for doing so.

"Hiding? What were you hiding from?" I looked down at my feet.

"Sho" I said feeling even more childish.

"Sho…? You mean that guy who chased you into Café Mew Mew?"

I nodded, "He was driving by and I didn't want him to see me so I just hid." I felt tears prickling the back of my eyes, trying to escape, but I pushed them back, I wasn't going to cry for such a dumb reason. To my surprise I felt myself get pulled into a hug.

I heard Mikio whisper, "Thank god you're okay…" I hugged him back and then we started walking towards my house. When we finally got to my house he walked me to the door and before I could go in, he took my hand and pulled me over to him. We looked into each others eyes for a couple of seconds and then he leaned down and kissed my hand. Goosebumps went up my arm were his lips had touched me and when he came up there was a twinkle in his eye.

"Goodnight" he said.

I smiled and said quietly, "Goodnight."

I walked into the house and leaned against the door, my eyes shut and a smile on my face. I heard someone clear their throat and I opened my eyes and found myself gazing at my father, and he didn't look very happy.

"Oh, hi dad…" I said, straitening up.

"Were have you been and why do you look so happy?" he asked curiously.

I shrugged, "I was at the park but then met up with some of my friends so I was hanging with them for a little while."

"And why do you look so happy?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"What? Is it against the law to be happy or something?" I said with a big smiling. "Night dad." I walked around him and started heading up the stairs.

"Yuki, I have someone I want you to met tomorrow, so don't stay out as late as you did today, come home strait after work."

"Okay dad." I ran up the stairs and into my room and flung myself onto my bed. I didn't know why, but I felt really happy. It wasn't like I liked Mikio, because I didn't… or at least I think I didn't. The way he had held me when Sho had tried to take me, and they way he looked into my eyes. My thoughts were interrupted by my phone ringing. I quickly answered it and when I heard the voice on the other line my heart gave a leap. It was Mikio.

"Hey Yuki, work has been canceled for tomorrow, instead we are having a party, and… I was wondering if you wanted to go." My heart stopped. Had Mikio just asked me out? "All the mews are going." he added quickly. I felt my heart start beating again. No, he hadn't asked me out, he was just wondering if I could go.

"Sure! But I have to leave at 7"

"Okay, it's a dance so wear something nice"

"Okay, when does it start?"

"4:30, it's at Sunshine Hotel" My eyes widened. Sunshine Hotel was the fanciest hotel in town, and also the farthest from home. I would have to get a ride there and a ride back if I were to go.

"Okay, I'll be there."

"I have to go, call the others. Bye!"

"Bye." I hung up and sat on my bed thinking for a short time.

'What am I going to wear?' I thought. I quickly got off my bed and walked over to my closet and yanked the doors open. I looked at all my clothes I had to choose from. This was going to take a while. I pulled out a pink dress and slipped it on. It was one of my best dresses. It went down to my knees, and was really frilly, too frilly. I pulled it off and threw it onto my bed. The next dress I pulled out I didn't even bother to put on. I wouldn't be caught dead wearing it. It was a yellowish brown color which reminded me of puke and had a bunch of bright green ducks on it.

'Where the hell did I get this!' I thought as I threw it onto my bed. I would have to dispose of it as soon as possible. I pulled out a blue one

'Too casual.'

Then a white one, 'Too many flowers.'

And after that an orange one, 'Too tropical.' Before I new it I had no dresses left in my closet. I started sorting through my dresses, trying to find the best one out of them all. I heard a small knock on my door and Mum came walking in with a basket of clothes. I quickly ran over to her and grabbed the basket from her and started digging through it. Mum looked totally stunned.

"What are you doing?" she asked looking at all the dresses scattered all over my bed and room.

"I'm going to a party but I don't have anything to wear."

"It looks like you have a lot to wear to me…" she said, still looking at the huge mess I had made.

"Yeah I have stuff to wear but nothing good to wear. This party is at Sunshine Hotel!"

Mum's eyebrows raised and then she left the room. I turned my attention back to the dresses on my bed and continued to sort threw them. To my surprise Mum came back into my room holding a box.

"Come here Yuki," she said. I walked over to her and she handed me the box.

"I want you to have this. A friend of mine gave it to me when I was about age and I want you to have it now." I looked at the box carefully. It was really dusty, so she probably hadn't looked at it for years.

I pulled off the top and gasped. It was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen! I tried it on and studied myself in the mirror. I had never thought it was possible for me to look so… beautiful! It was a red, sleeveless dress that went down to a little above my knees and there was a huge black bow in the back. I turned and looked at Mum, then I flung my arms around her.

"Thanks Mum, this is the best." I said hugging her tightly. She kissed my forehead. I watched her walk out of the room and then turned to the mess I had made. I took off the dress that Mum had given me and laid it on my desk chair, then I pulled on my pajamas. After that I put all my dresses back into my closet… well almost all of them, I threw that duck one in my waist basket. I walked over to Cherry's cage, took her out, and gently laid her on my pillow then laid down beside her and instantly fell asleep, a day like I had had really wears a girl out!