Chapter 2: Adjusting

Umeko pulled her uniform's shirt over her head. The dark green sailor shirt was followed by a dark green pleated skirt with a pink stripe at the bottom. Umeko took her tie and slid it under her collar. She grasped the pink material and tied a simple square knot. She pulled on her white knee high socks and then slid into her slippers.

"Ohayo," she mumbled as she sat down at the table.

"Ohayo, Umeko-chan," her mom bubbled as she set Umeko's breakfast down.

"You look nice, Ume-chan," her dad said, pecking her on the cheek.

"Arigato, Otōsan," Umeko replied.

"You must be the cutest girl to ever wear the Junior High uniform," her mom smiled.

"I would look better in my jeans," Umeko whispered under her breath.

"What was that?"

Umeko shrugged. Why disguise it? "I said, I would look better in my jeans."

Her father and mother frowned. "Umeko."

Umeko sighed. She would have to let it go. After all, if they hadn't moved she wouldn't be a Mew Mew. A smile spread across her face. She reached down towards her right knee. Her socks didn't cover the mark. Would her parents notice?

She wolfed down her food and ran up to her room. She grabbed her backpack.

"Umeko-sama!" a pink fluffball with black wings and mouse ears and tail barreled into Umeko.

"Ohayo, Yumi-chan," Umeko laughed.

"Here," Ryou handed her a pink robotic piece of fluff. "It's R2014."

"I shall call it. Yumi."

"Let's go, Yumi-chan. It's time for school."

The walk to school was pretty uneventful. The only shocking thing was how uneventful the walk was. In America, Umeko had been nearly run over every day on the walk to school. Here…nothing. Not even a bicyclist to clip her accidentally.

The sight of her school made her nearly bite the dirt. The place was bigger than she thought it would be. "Whoa." The word slipped out.

"Hi!" a bright sunshiny voice shocked Umeko out of her staring fest.

"Huh?" she turned to see a short girl with bright yellow hair grinning at her.

"You're the new American girl, right? I'm Igarashi Sakura, and you're Yuki Umeko!" the girl chattered.

"I'm not actually an American," Umeko tried to sound firm but failed.

"American Umeko!" Yumi chirped.

Aw, shoot! Umeko thought.

"We're going to be the best of friends!" Sakura took Umeko's hand.

"H-H-Hai," Umeko stammered in shock.

"Wait. Is that a robot?" Sakura asked spotting Yumi.

"Ummm…" Umeko gaped. "Hai!"

"Robot, that's me!" Yumi chirped again.

"Cool," Sakura said nonchalantly. "You can call me Sakura-chan by the way. Can I call you Umeko-chan? What's the robot's name? And what's the deal with it?"

She'll never believe the truth, Umeko thought.

"It's name is Yumi. She's my guide to being a Mew Mew," Umeko smiled.

"That…is so cool!" Sakura screamed as she suddenly embraced Umeko."

"Eep!" Umeko shrieked as her ears and tail popped out. Yumi gaped and her tail went straight.

Watching from afar, Ryou grasped his hair. "I can't believe this…" he groaned.

"Ooh, look! Your ears and tail are out!" Sakura's distant squeal reached his ears.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Umeko's scream was perfectly clear.

"Oops," Yumi spat out.

"RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGG!"

The last bell, Umeko almost whispered. Is Sakura around? I don't feel like another ear-popping incident. Umeko peaked around the corner. I guess I'm being mean to Sakura but I can't risk it! She'd understand. Right? Right!

A hand came from behind her to clamp over her mouth.

"Umph!" Umeko grunted. Next thing she knew, she was zipping away in a car.

"WHAT IS UP!" Umeko screamed.

"Huh?" Ryou said.

"I DON'T WANT TO WORK AT A CAFÉ ALL ALONE!" Umeko continued.

"You're just like Ichigo sometimes," Ryou mused.

"Excuse me? I thought you were over her."

"I am. I'm engaged to Fujiwara Zakuro."

"Oh."

"Anyway. Enough about my personal life. There's been some weird readings over near the center of town," Ryou became very businesslike.

"What kind of weird readings?" Umeko asked.

"Some kind of virus. It's attacked an animal and caused permanent genetic changes. Well, except for someone like a Mew Mew," he smiled.

"Well, then what are we waiting for?" Umeko grinned. "Mew Mew Plum Metamorphooooosis!"

She popped out of her transformation in a cannonball. "Mew Umeko has arrived!"

"Heeeeelp!" a poor pedestrian screamed as a mutated animal advanced.

"Stop right there!" Umeko shouted. "For a world of dreamers, I'll lend my services! Chu!" She backhanded her hip and threw her other hand up to frame her open eye. The hand made the sign I love you.

"Plum Blossom Star!" A star with a pink flower appeared. "Ribbon…Plum Blossom…Check!"

The animal shrieked as it returned to normal.

"Are you okay?" Umeko knelt by the innocent bystander.

"What are you? Who are you?" the person scrambled backward.

"I'm a Mew Mew. I happen to be Mew Umeko."

"Thanks…I guess," the person mumbled and ran off.

"Wow! That was sugoi. I can't believe it," she spread-eagled on the grass. "I'm so excited. I can't feel my feet," she giggled. "I can't feel my feet! I can't feel my feet!" she rolled in the grass.

"Hey!" Sakura leaned over Umeko.

"Whaa!" Umeko screamed.

"You were the coolest! Man you are so lucky."

"How did you find me?" Umeko asked rising.

"I followed the car the blonde guy pulled you into," Sakura answered.

"You—" Umeko stopped. How could she say this nicely? What she wanted to say was "You're a freaking stalker!" But that was really mean… "Look, Sakura-chan, you're really nice but…well, I can't afford for you to keep shocking me in public. Being a Mew Mew is something I have to keep secret."

"Is it now? I knew a girl just like you once. Well except for the green hair," a man with dark green hair and stunning gold eyes extended a hand. "Hey, I'm Kish."

What is with those gigantic ears? Umeko wondered.

"Wait…are you one of the aliens who tried to take over Tokyo years ago?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah," Kish replied. "My buddies dragged me along for the ride."

Umeko looked behind him. There were three aliens there. One was rather short with brown pigtails. Another was tall with black hair and the last was medium height with auburn hair.

"Are you here to attack earth again?" Umeko shifted to a stronger position.

"Actually no," Kish said. "We're here to get married."

Sakura and Umeko gaped. "Get married?"

"Yeah, Tart there is marrying this girl named Fong Pudding," he indicated Mr. Brown Pigtails. "Pie is marrying Midorikawa Lettuce." Here he indicated Mr. Tall and dark. "And Kyo is marrying Akaii Ringo. I'm not marrying anyone."

"Okay, I think my life just got a whole lot more complicated," Umeko stated.

A/N okay I'm some OCs in this chapter and I don't think I used any new words. Thank you, kind reviewer shashuko the paisley maiden.

Okay not much to say besides I'll try to get the next chapter up soon