After a few minutes of not really letting Jian-wa help her study, Mi-chan decided it was time to talk about tomorrow with Neko. �Ne, Neko-chan?� Neko tore her eyes from the math book to see what her twin wanted. �We have to talk about school tomorrow.�
Instantly, Neko was on her feet and ready to go. Mi-chan knew she was anxious to be a part of everything, and that the idea of going to school would get her attention.
�What do I have to do?� Neko asked eagerly. �Are you going to take me there now to see the school so I don�t get lost? Introduce me to my teachers? Do I have to get caught up on schoolwork?�
�Whoa, slow down!� Mi-chan hadn�t expected her to be this excited. It was obvious she couldn�t remember how horrible schoolwork was. She tried to think of the best way to approach the subject.
�I think it�d be best if we don�t tell our sensei right away. We should at least wait for Mom and Dad to return so they can discuss it with them. Some of our teachers probably won�t believe it coming from, say, me.�
Neko cast her eyes down, as if her next question was going to make her look dumb. �Won�t I get all the answers wrong if they ask me a question? Shouldn�t I have done all the reading and everything beforehand?�
Mi-chan shook her head. �It�d be impossible for you to get caught up before tomorrow. I�m in your classes, so if they ask you about something that we can�t study before class tomorrow, I�ll just have to feed you the answer mentally. What that means, is you have to make an effort to stay connected to me, do you understand?� Neko nodded, looking relieved that she wasn�t going to be disgraced in front of her classmates the next day.
�Okay, we also have to worry about your reactions to other students. Do not be all shy around everyone!�
�That�s a good point,� Jian-wa concurred. �When you came in, you were very formal and timid around me. If I hadn�t known about your condition, I would still have known something was wrong.�
�If you stick around with me,� Mi-chan continued, �I�ll be able to give you the names of people you�re supposed to know. You also won�t have to worry about getting lost. Anyway, you should just give anyone you meet up with a simple �hello� and go along with anything they�re saying. It�s nothing to worry about, I�ll be with you.�
Neko continued indicating that she understood and would do what Mi-chan wanted. But Mi-chan knew there was one final point that Neko wouldn�t be so happy about.
�Neko-chan�, people expect you to be in love with Tenshi-kun. If you suddenly start shunning her in school, people are going to want to know what�s up. So you�re going to have to pretend that you at least like her a little.�
Neko stopped nodding her agreement. Her eyes flashed defiantly. �I won�t! I�m not going to give her any ideas!�
Mi-chan kept her cool. �She�ll know the difference. A touch of civility won�t fool her. It�s just a show put on for others.� Neko crossed her arms and seemed to be considering whether this was a good idea or not. Mi-chan added, �It won�t kill you to be a little nicer to her. She�s not as bad as you think she is.�
Neko had decided to voice her objections after all. �You�re one to talk. You won�t even give Jasper-kun the luxury of being anywhere near either one of us. He�s never done anything to me, but you keep yelling at him and threatening to beat him up. How can you expect me to forgive Tenshi-kun, when you won�t set an example with Jasper-kun?�
�It�s not the same thing!� Mi-chan cried in exasperation. �I watched as Jasper-kun tried to kill you. All Tenshi-kun ever did to you was try and kiss you� which, oh by the way, she had every right to do because you�re supposed to be her fianc�e. Jasper-san is manipulative, and no matter how nice he�s acted when he�s around you, he�s evil! Tenshi-kun is a great girl � she�s nice, and smart, and charming, and she�d do anything for you.�
�If you think she�s so great, why don�t you go date her?!� Neko said rashly.
Mi-chan turned bright red, which was actually quite rare, except for when she was really angry. �Don�t be ridiculous, Tenshi-kun�s a girl.�
�You think she�s less of a girl for me?!� Neko argued.
Mi-chan suddenly found herself in the awkward position of defending herself from Neko. She forced herself to lower the volume of her voice. �That didn�t used to matter for you. Besides Tenshi-kun�s not my type.� She gave a quick glance in Jian-wa�s direction. The poor boy looked even more uncomfortable than she felt. And with good reason. Neko had just all but suggested that Mi-chan dump him for Tenshi right in front of him.
Mi-chan quickly added, �All I�m saying is that you should put on the appearance of civility for school. And maybe give her a chance.�
Neko shook her head. �I�ll never give her a chance. You wouldn�t give Jasper-kun a chance, would you?�
Never! Mi-chan was dead-set on that. Jasper didn�t deserve one, and she wasn�t going to budge on the issue. Unless� �Go on a date with Tenshi-kun.�
�Nani?!� Neko was so thrown by the suggestion that she didn�t immediately respond with an argument.
�I�ll give Jasper-kun an honest chance if you give Tenshi-kun one. Go out on a date with her. See for yourself if she�s really as big a monster as you think she is. Give her one date, and if you still hate her, I won�t push anymore. And I�ll stay nice to Jasper-san. Deal?�
Neko seemed to fumble for an appropriate response. �Y- You want me to go on a date with Tenshi-kun?� Mi-chan nodded. �How do you know she won�t hurt me? I mean, she might� she might do something.�
�Neko-chan, she�s not Kaido-san! She won�t do anything!�
�Who�s Kaido-san?�
Oops! For years Mi-chan and Hoshi, the twins� best friend from Mercury, had been convinced that Kaido was the reason Neko never went out on dates (rather than Neko�s actual reasons � one being that she was still deciphering her sexual orientation, and the other being that she didn�t think it was worth going out with someone she probably wasn�t in love with). Kaido had tried to force Neko into a date with him and when she had rejected him, he had responded violently, until Mi-chan had come in and showed him that messing with her twin was not an option. But from then on, whenever Neko voiced some concern at being hurt by a guy, they almost automatically responded with the �he�s not Kaido-sempai� argument. Mi-chan scolded herself for forgetting and using it now.
Simple was best, she decided. �He�s a stupid guy who tried to hurt you when you rejected him.�
Or not. �L- Like in the woods, with the bandits?� Neko asked nervously.
Mi-chan instantly regretted keeping it simple now. �No, not like that. Kami, no! We wouldn�t be having this conversation right now if he had tried that!� Neko looked up, curious about why not. �I think I�d probably be in jail for killing him if he had tried anything like that,� Mi-chan explained. She looked Neko deep into the eyes. �Trust me, Neko-chan, I�ll never let anyone hurt you. And Tenshi-kun knows that. She knows I�m a force to be reckoned with. You never have to worry because I�ll always protect you. It�s my job, always has been.�
�Always?�
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