"Hah! Mew Dark, fall back!" ordered PepperAnne.

"What're you doing?" snapped Kisshu. PepperAnne whispered something into his ear and he grinned. "Oh, I see!"

Mew Dark leapt away, leaving the Sweet Treat Mews snarling at her retreating back. "Bloody coward! Come back and fight when you're brave enough!" roared Carrie.

"That was odd." commented Ichigo. The other Mews nodded.

"Yeah, well, that's routine with PepperAnne. Most likely another big idea that won't work due to a, and I quote, 'slight mishap.'" snarled Lizzie, her transformation dissolving. "I assume you're going to want us to work with you now?"

"Well… Yes?"

The trio stood, looking frosty, for a moment. "Okay!" they all suddenly said cheerfully.

"You guys are very sudden." Mint said disapprovingly.

"Like she isn't?" asked Sharon, a tip of her head indicating Pudding.

The next day, the three were out-fitted and working at Café Mew Mew. Sharon was pretty in hers, her lemon hair matching the pale yellow of her dress perfectly. Carrie had a white dress that clashed with the black high-lights in her silver hair. Lizzie's was a notch too short, but it matched her and her dark colors perfectly. There was also a help wanted sign hanging in the window. PepperAnne would keep them plenty busy, the Sweet Treat Mews had warned. It was only reasonable to hire an out-sider.

Ichigo was at school when she met her. They bumped into each other. It was a girl with brownish-red hair and red-violet eyes. "I'm sorry!" she squealed, grabbing most of Ichigo's books before Ichigo could even register what'd happened. "I'm sorry! I'm in a rush, and I'm new here. Sorry I knocked you down!"

"Hey, it's okay." Ichigo said quickly, soothing the frazzled girl. "Wait a minute! You're supposed to be in my class! C'mon, follow me!"

As the day went on, Ichigo realized how good of a worker the girl, Alex, was. She was fast and accurate, eager to please, and cheerful unless she did something wrong.

"Alex! Do you need a job?" she asked after school.

"Well, yes, actually, I do." the girl blushed.

"I know somewhere where you might qualify! C'mon!"

Alex did qualify, and was soon out-fitted in a red-violet dress of her own. She worked the fastest of them all, delivering orders, seating customers, and collecting tips. She was a very good waitress. Just as well, because they had to go out and fight several times that week.

At the end of the week, someone came to the café.

PepperAnne, Kisshu and the other two appeared just as they were closing. "So, how's the new girl been working? Good, I hope!" PepperAnne laughed.

"What do you mean?" hissed Lizzie. She and Zakuro had not trusted Alex from the start, and now it looked like their suspicions were right.

"Mew Mew Dark, transform!"

Alex nodded, her eyes suddenly glassy. She pulled out a power pendant of her own, a silver one. "Mew Mew Dark! Metamorpho-sis!"

"She's Mew Dark! Transform!" Lizzie cried, jumping at Alex, transforming as she went.