Neko appeared on the bank of the pool, where Tenshi had placed the white stone, and collapsed.
"Neko-chan!" "Koneko!"
They all ran to her. Mi-chan grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her awake. "Neko-chan, wake up!"
Neko opened her eyes and looked drowsily at her sister. "Mi-chan?"
She was done and awake. That's all Mi-chan needed to assume the best. She hugged Neko ecstatically. "You did the ritual. It's okay! You're back!"
Neko still looked like she was trying to get her bearings. "Mi-chan�."
"No, it's alright. Everything can go back to the way it was. With us on the same frequency, and you in love with Tenshi-kun, and everything. We can�. What is it?"
It was apparent to Mi-chan that Neko was feeling a bit uncomfortable. But not as apparent as it should have been, she realized. "Neko-chan�?"
"I'm sorry, Mi-chan," Neko whispered. "I- I couldn't do it. I failed."
"No," Mi-chan cried. "That's not possible. The stones disappeared! They were supposed to give you your memories back! You have to have them back!"
Neko shook her head. Mi-chan turned to Jasper accusingly. "This is your fault!" she yelled at him. "She would've been fine if you weren't here, messing things up for her! She spends a couple of hours with you and her world turns upside down. How dare you?!"
"Mi-chan," Tenshi said as calmly as possible from right behind her. "Don't blame him. It's my fault!"
"You're damn right it's your fault! How dare you confuse her like that too?!" She whirled around and punched Tenshi in the face.
Instantly, she was sorry. She truly had meant to take it out on Jasper, but Tenshi was challenging her and did share the blame. But Tenshi was obviously hurting enough with Neko's animosity towards her. Or maybe punching her was all Mi-chan needed to get over her anger and give her a little sympathy.
Jasper would not get any such luxury. She turned back towards him. "I will never forgive you for costing Neko her memories." She took a threatening step towards him.
"Stop it!" Neko screamed. "Stop it, Mi-chan! Beating him up isn't going to fix anything." She ran up and grabbed Mi-chan's arm. "Please don't hurt him, Mi-chan," she requested. "Let's just go home."
Mi-chan looked at her with grief-stricken eyes. "Please tell me that you were just joking, Neko-chan! That it was all a joke, and you're really back the way you were."
Neko shook her head again. It was not a joke.
"No! You have to get them back!" Mi-chan begged her. "You can't stay like this. I need you back! Neko-chan, please!"
"I can't," Neko said quietly.
"Mi-chan," Tenshi suggested softly, "let's go home."
"Fine, but we're not giving up." She was not going to accept this just like that.
No sooner had the words left her mouth, than all four of them began to glow. The mountains and forest around them disappeared and they were transported to the foot of the mountain, just outside Senken's temple.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The quartet entered her temple, as the first rays of dawn began to hit the mountain. "Junnashojo," Senken acknowledged Neko solely. "I see you return only slightly more enlightened than you left."
Neko eyes were focused on the ground beneath her. "Gomen nasai."
"Not as sorry as you will be," she prophesized.
To be continued�
Memory Home
