�Come on, Chang, you know that Neko-chan�s probably upset about something, and Mi-chan just wants to help out. You can�t hold that against her!� he scolded himself.
He executed a solid kick at yet another stone.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Neko watched the gulls dive for fish and the rare surfer out there in the relatively calm waters beyond �Tenshi�s� beach. Though this beach was best when she shared it with Tenshi, it was also a great place to be alone and think. But even that wasn�t in the stars for her today.
�You�re not the person I wanted to find me here,� she said softly, not bothering to turn away from the sea.
�I know I�m not Tenshi-kun, but we need to talk too,� Mi-chan pointed out as she sat down beside her twin on the white sand of the beach. �Besides, you know I�d never let you be alone if I knew you were hurt.�
Neko sighed and watched as the waves hit the shore. �Yeah, I know.�
�That is� as long as I know�.�
Neko finally turned to her sister, and upon seeing the worried frown on Mi-chan�s face, she knew it was time to tell her about the ability she was certain she had acquired.
�Mi-chan, Saturday night� when you felt me disappear, well, I think I know what happened.� Neko blinked in surprise at the urgent questions that filled Mi-chan�s expression, and she almost faltered, but instead managed to continue. �That night, Tenshi and I got really� intimate.�
Mi-chan eyes and mind still seemed to be probing Neko for information. �How intimate?� she asked, obviously not quite sure what this had to do with anything.
�As intimate as possible,� Neko answered, beginning to blush as Mi-chan�s eyes suddenly widened with understanding and shock. She quickly added, �But that�s why I was so happy when you told me that you lost our link. I- I think I might have developed a mind shield so that I wouldn�t� disturb you while I was making love to Tenshi.�
When Mi-chan didn�t respond right away, Neko couldn�t help but give a nervous laugh. She had no clue how Mi-chan would respond to this news, and Mi-chan�s initial lack of a response was making her more anxious than ever.
�M- Mi-chan, I don�t want you to think� I mean, it�s not Tenshi�s faul- What I mean is that Tenshi didn�t force me. All those times you asked me if she was pushing me too fast, well, she wasn�t. It was me that pushed her. I seduced her! So please, Mi-chan, don�t get angry with her or anything.�
Mi-chan still seemed to be processing things, so Neko stopped a moment to allow her to do so. Finally, Mi-chan spoke. �You can�t have a mind shield!� she said forcefully to Neko.
Neko was totally thrown off at how Mi-chan seemed to skip over the news that she and Tenshi had slept together. �Wh- Why not?�
�It just doesn�t make any sense.�
Neko didn�t understand what Mi-chan meant, nor why Mi-chan seemed so against the idea that Neko�d have a mind shield. �But you have one! And you said my feelings were blocked from you. I mean, I know I obviously haven�t mastered it like you have, but isn�t it possible that it automatically appears as a defense mechanism for me like it did initially for you.�
But Mi-chan didn�t agree. �This can�t possibly be the same thing. I mean, it wasn�t just that one time. And it�s like you totally disappear. That�s not what it�s like when I use one, is it?�
Neko shook her head. �But you know tricks to using it and stuff. And I know nothing. It�s probably defaults to full strength.�
�No, it�s like you don�t exist.�
�You�re probably not used to it�,� Neko said desperately. It wasn�t fair. Mi-chan had had a mind shield forever, while Neko had never had any power beyond their link. Why couldn�t Mi-chan agree and let Neko rejoice in her new power, especially when the alternative would be that something was wrong with their link?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Mi-chan had recovered quickly from Neko�s announcement that she had had sex with Tenshi. After all, the couple had been fooling around for months. Hell, they were engaged! It wasn�t like Neko had randomly picked up Tenshi in a gay bar that night or something. Frankly, Mi-chan was surprised that they hadn�t given in to their passions earlier. She was astounded, though, to hear that it was Neko who had seduced Tenshi. Her shy sister�. Well, perhaps Mi-chan had finally had a good influence on her, she thought with amusement. She was actually quite proud of her twin.
No, it was Neko�s suggestion that she had a mind shield that worried Mi-chan. Did that mean that Neko wasn�t receiving the same lack of feelings that Mi-chan was? Or did she just assume that Mi-chan was on full-blown mind shield phase? But Mi-chan did know what it was like to lose contact with Neko. She had felt it when Neko had lost her memories. Yet, even then, she could sense that Neko existed. Ryo had explained to her that even with her mind shield at maximum strength, he still knew that she existed. Neko would have sensed it the same way. So even if Neko thought that Mi-chan was just using her mind shield each time, she should have known the difference.
Mi-chan knew she was beginning to get this point across to Neko. Neko�s lack of presence suggested that this was something different from just a spontaneous mind shield.
�Neko-chan, have you ever felt like I was dead? Because that�s what this is like. As if you have totally ceased to exist. I don�t think you understand how potent this is. If it�s a mind shield, it�s, like, a hundred times more powerful than mine, but I don�t think that�s it. I think there�s something wrong, and we need to find out what it is so we can stop it!� Mi-chan knew she was beginning to look as desperate as Neko was, but she couldn�t stand the thought of losing her link with Neko.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Neko looked at her pleading sister and finally conceded. �Okay� we can ask Otou-san. Maybe he�ll know,� she said softly, standing up slowly and returning her eyes to the ocean. Upset as she was, she couldn�t help scowling as the surfer drew closer to the beach. She hoped he wouldn�t be frequenting Tenshi�s beach. Short of Tenshi�s apartment, this was the only spot she and Tenshi could get some privacy and romance. With another sigh, she turned back to Mi-chan. �Alright, let�s go.�
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