Pardon me (Neko Rin)

Ch 1

Rin pov

I stand with my back up against the wall. I look at my tail once more. when I woke up this morning it was thicker longer and fluffier. Then when I looked in the mirror this morning I saw two dark blue cat ears. I can't be... I stayed at the dorm for Christmas and my birthday while Yukio went home to the church. I can't bring myself to go back.

Not after all that has happened. Although I do wonder what is Yukio. Surely he is not a Neko. He is too tall for that... Nekos are the smallest breed on top of being the most fragile. Is that why I am so short? I look in the mirror again. I reach up and I touch my ears. They are indeed real... I slide down the wall. I fall into a ball of sadness.

I'm a Neko. Why? Anything but a Neko! Why am I cursed? small, weak, son of satan. Now, this? This of all things?! Should I tell someone or keep it a secret? I am going to have to register for my required courses to deal with inheritance now that I am sixteen... Those courses affect everything.

Well if I register that I am a Neko my cooking degree will go out the window. No one would let a Neko around a stove because they would think the Neko was too sensitive and soft. And too weak to deal with a stove. Maybe if I register for the classes... But I don't have to tell the exwires! They already dislike me for being the child of satan. Now being a Neko on top of this...

I start crying. I hate this! Why can't I be something else? Literally anything else! I would feel much better. What am I going to do? And who can I tell? Who am I going to tell? I hear meowing and scratching on the other side of the bathroom door.

"Rin are you ok?" Kuro asks while scratching the door. 

"No," I whine. 

"Rin let me in," Kuro mews. 

I stay put. I don't want Kuro to see me like this. Kuro transforms into his largest size and pushes open the door with his nose. 

"Rin? Are you ok what's wrong?" Kuro asks as he pushes open the door. He sees me on the floor. He is shocked when he sees me.

"Just go away Kuro. I don't want anyone to see me like this," I sigh.

Kuro shrinks back down to his normal size and walked into the bathroom and cuddles up beside me. He starts purring and that helps me cheer up. But only a bit. Being a Neko is the worst possible thing in my life. Now all the things I find fun will be taken from me. I will be seen as even more pathetic and weak.

Yukio probably won't even look at me. I am a disgrace to the family name. I am welcome nowhere. Now that I am a Neko I will be pitied. I hate being pitied. 

"Hey, Rin you should tell someone about this. The sooner you say something the better you are going to feel," Kuro replies.

"But who should I tell?" I ask. 

"Your guardian. Mephisto. I know he seems like he doesn't care and he seems like a sadist who only likes to cause pain. but that's not what he is truly like at all. That is just the surface level. Rin he cares about you and he will know what to do. He will help you," Kuro mews.

I bite my lip. "But I don't trust him," I reply. 

Kuro sighs.

"He certainly is not the best at keeping trust at first glance. but in reality, he is keeping many promises. all of those promises are to keep you safe. He has lied and protected you for years behind the scenes. You may not believe me but I was there when he had meetings with Shiro about you and Yukio. If anything were to happen to Shiro they made a plan to keep you safe. Mephisto knows how you were going to react to him at first so he went about it the way he did. He has a plan. and in the end, he wants to keep you safe. You just need to trust him even if it is hard," Kuro replies.

"But he needs to earn my trust that how relationships work," I reply. "Human relationships yes. But you need to have faith in your guardian and older brother," Kuro mews. I nod.

 "Can I at least take you with me?" I ask. 

"Of course," Kuro replies. I nod and pick Kuro up. I then get my key and put it on the bathroom door. I move the key to the right and I open the door.

"Hello there Rin," Mephisto chirps happily. 

I don't know how to react so I stay still. I have a second of panic when I think about running back through the door which I came through. I back up and put my hand on the doorknob. Mephisto seems to be surprised and a bit worried. I don't know why I feel so scared. I have never had a problem talking with him before. Now I am overwhelmed. Mephisto doesn't smell dangerous. Just powerful. It is a bit overwhelming.

I open the door a bit. "Rin wait." I freeze. "Just have a seat for me ok?"  Mephisto asks softly. 

I nod and I sit down on his couch with Kuro still in my arms. He props up his head on his desk with his elbows. "So what did you come here for?" Mephisto asks softly. 

"Well, I am Neko and I didn't know who to tell. Kuro suggested I talk to you so here I am," I reply.

Mephisto smiles and seems surprised but proud at the same time. Mephisto stands up from his desk and walks over to the other couch and he sits down across from me. "So, would you like me to help you register?" Mephisto asks and I nod. 

"Alright... So there are going to be a few schedule changes but nothing too drastic. but I can easily take care of all of those for you," He says, once again I nod.

Mephisto looks me over and smiles. "I had a feeling you were going to be a Neko. Your mother was once and Yukio did not show any of the signs. But you... You, on the other hand, showed them all. Especially your ability to withstand a hard time. I have put you through a lot during this past year. But I hope you can forgive me and come to understand that everything was done in your best interest and I promise to not pull anything else as I did." 

I nod. Kuro purrs proudly. "I am not really worried about my normal classes but what about cram school? Is there a way we could keep this a secret?" I ask. 

"Well, Nekos are allowed to break certain school rules for their own comfort. One of those being the school dress code. If you wish you could wear a hat or a beanie if it makes you more comfortable," Mephisto replies, I nod and stand up. 

"Thank you for your time," I reply as I head to the door. 

"Rin before you go. I just want to tell you if you ever need help with anything. Anything at all I will be here... And happy birthday," Mephisto replies.

I smile and nod before walking through the door.