Puroko stared at the two of them, grateful for the option they were offering her. But, at the same time, she wasn't sure quite sure what to do. Looking around nervously, she stated, "Ano, I'm supposed to wait for Tenshi�. And I'm not supposed to ride with strangers�."
"We're not strangers. You know me. And he's just Jasper, my big brother. Come on, Puroko! Do you want to be here forever?"
Puroko didn't, and she didn't know where Tenshi was. So it made sense to her to go with them. Afterall, Amber was her friend, and Jasper seemed nice enough. "Okay," she agreed. She jumped off the bike rack and hopped into the car.
As he started the car back up, Jasper added, "Oh yeah, just one thing. I got to pick something up at home. Is it okay, if I stop there first, Puroko?"
"Hai," she answered absentmindedly as she continued looking around for Tenshi. She didn't spot her, but she did see Tenshi's convertible as they drove through the parking lot. So Tenshi hadn't left. Puroko almost asked to be let out, but then decided that it would be rude to reject Amber and Jasper's offer now that she was already in the car. So she stayed where she was.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Neko somehow went through the motions to get herself home. She barely responded to Chibi as she passed him in the hall on her way to her room. She got to her bed and collapsed onto it, not planning to move for the rest of her life.
"I had to do it. It's for the best," she whispered, trying to convince herself. But if it was the right thing to do, why did it have to hurt so much?
There was a knock at the door. She ignored it, but Chibi opened the door anyway. "Uh, Neko-chan? Are you okay?" She didn't respond, so he tried again. "Neko-chan?"
"I'll be fine, Chibi. Arigatou," she finally answered, unconvincingly.
"Are you sick? Do you need anything? Soup? Chocolate? Ice cream?"
She didn't respond.
"I'll get you something," he promised. *Coffee ice cream will make her feel better.* It was the general cure-all for Neko.
He ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. As he pulled the ice cream out of the freezer, the doorbell rang. "Coming!" he yelled.
He opened the door. "Keri-chan! What a pleasant surprise!"
"I was going to call first, but I decided I'd just surprise you. Come to the movies with me," she flashed him a sweet smile.
"Ano�." Normally, Chibi would've jumped at the chance, but he and Neko were still grounded. "I'm really not supposed to leave the house�."
"Oh, please, Gabriel. I've had the most awful day, and I had my heart set on going to this movie, but it won't be the same without you. Can't you find some way to come with me?" She pouted.
He didn't stand a chance. "Okay. Let me just run something up to my sister. I'll be right back."
He grabbed the ice cream and a spoon and ran upstairs.
"Uh, Neko-chan? I brought you some coffee ice cream." He put it down on her dresser. "Ano, Keri-chan's here, so I'm going to the movies with her."
That got her attention. She sat up. "We're grounded," she pointed out. "And Otou-san doesn't like Keri-san."
"Oh, like you've never been out when you weren't supposed to be. In fact�, that's why I'm grounded, remember? You still owe me. So just cover for me with Mom and Dad, okay?"
"Chibi, don't!"
"Look, you promised. So just do it, okay?"
He ran out of the room. She followed, but he was out of the house before she could catch him. She ran to the door and watched him get into Carrie's car. Carrie saw her and waved, smiling broadly. Neko couldn't place her finger on it, but there was still something that bothered her about Carrie. Especially, when she smiled.
And as they drove off, she figured it out.
It was the same smile that Jian-wa had used on her back when he was just pretending to be her friend. Back when he was evil.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Mi-chan made her way home quickly from the exhibition, as she had been receiving a sudden sense of urgency from her sister. Come to think of it, Neko hadn't stuck around as long as she had planned to watch Mi-chan's fencing. She couldn't have been in that much of a hurry to get home simply to be imprisoned there, could she? Mi-chan wondered if she had snuck off to be with Tenshi for a few minutes before she was due home.
Of course, Neko could just be upset because she was restricted and Mi-chan wasn't. That didn't happen very often. Maybe she just wanted her twin to come home and make her feel better.
But it was best not to take any chances.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Puroko's eyes widened at the humongous mansion before her. She was too young to remember living at the castle on Neptune, and this house was bigger than hers was now, which she had always thought was pretty big. "Oh, wow! You really were right, your house is huge!" She bounced in the backseat.
Amber beamed. "You wanna come in? It's even cooler inside."
"Uh huh! Uh huh! Uh huh!" Puroko practically jumped out of the car as Jasper stopped the car in the driveway.
Amber got out and took her wrist. "Come on!" she led her towards the house. But as soon as they were inside, Amber's grip tightened around Puroko's wrist.
"Ow!" Puroko tried to pull her hand away, but Amber didn't let it go. "Amber-san, that hurts!"
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