What happen to me when you're around.

Camille’s expression beams with even more joy as I say I’ll let her show me around. She takes my hand and guides me out of the classroom, saying without even looking at me,

“First, let me show you around the place.”

She walks with me from classroom to classroom. She seems to have a good knowledge of the place, even though it’s also her first day. Did she arrive early?

“And this is the general classroom. This class can adapt to whatever you wish to study here.”

I look at the completely empty room and say, going inside and looking around,

“How does it work? I don’t see any screens or anything to change the place.”

As I say this and look around the empty room, Cali says, coming to my side,

“According to the data I received, this classroom needs someone designated as a guide. Alias itself has its own catalog of robot teachers to control the class mechanisms. I’ve actually been authorized to use it for medical treatment purposes.”

She says this and focuses on a point in the classroom as medical equipment begins to appear from a metallic slime on the floor. The simple white room shifts into a full nursery. Camille jumps excitedly at the door, and a few minutes later, the room is fully prepared. Cali says,

“Everything’s ready. Who wants to play doctor?”

I roll my eyes as I lie down on one of the nursery beds and say,

“You shouldn’t be using your superpowers to play, don’t you think? You probably received permission to use this class to treat me if necessary, right?”

Cali looks away and says, fidgeting with her uniform skirt,

“Well, that’s the main reason, but I can also be considered a teacher since I have access to limitless medical knowledge. So, if you want to pla… I mean, if you want to learn more about biology and other…”

I get out of the bed and move to Camille, interrupting Cali,

“No, that’s not necessary. Let’s just continue wandering around the school. Someone else might need to use this class.”

I say, leaving and taking Camille’s hand to guide me again. Cali looks quite disappointed but still seems willing to help me find new interests.

“Hmm, well, if you don’t want to learn about medicine… hmm, what else do you want to do here? We could go to another classroom or talk to someone.”

Cali catches up with us, looking down at the ground. She’s clearly upset about being dismissed like that.

Sigh. “Okay, tell me what you suggest. I’m not interested in medicine, so try something else.”

I say, crossing my arms and looking at Cali, since she’s the one who’s supposed to be helping me with choices but is struggling to think of something. Cali, on the other hand, perks up a little and says,

“Hmm, well, we could work on compensating for what you lack, maybe a classroom about social interaction or how to make friends.”

I scoff and say,

“Definitely not. Do you want me to be even more embarrassed today? If we go into another classroom, people will just start pointing at me and my ears and tail.”

As I say this, Cali and Camille look at me with the same expression. I can’t quite name what they’re thinking, but I’m sure it’s the same thing. It’s not as if their gaze would make me change my mind. Hmph.

“You’re not going to get anywhere if you just keep dismissing all our ideas, you know.”

“Yeah, Cali’s right. You shouldn’t just dismiss us like that.”

As they say that, I feel my tail swinging rapidly, a feeling of unease running through me. Their words fade into the background as I stare down the corridor. I know what’s about to happen, so I swallow hard and look at Cali with a slight smile, saying,

“Cali… uh, please help. There’s a harpy over there.”

I say as I look at a boy with feathered wings on his back. As I say it, Cali steps in front of me, opening her arms protectively. My gaze doesn’t leave his wings, which are opening and closing behind him. He’s too focused on his phone to notice.

“Hey, uh, Layla, focus on my eyes. Just my eyes. Breathe in and out. Don’t hunt, okay?”

Camille looks behind me at the boy, then back at me, confused by my distress. I say, trying to focus on Cali’s eyes,

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it. I just can’t… meow.”

My face grows hot, but I can’t tear my gaze away from the boy. My tail keeps swinging rapidly behind me as Cali says, still focused on stopping me from moving,

“Layla has a different biology from humans. She’s not like Semis who just have animal characteristics from birth. Her DNA is truly mixed with feline DNA. It’s a total mess. She reacts like a cat to certain things like that.”

I compose myself slightly and say, annoyed,

“Stop saying things like that. It’s embarrassing. I can control myself normally. I’ve already stopped tearing up the couches, so that’s progress. I just need to…”

I can’t control myself anymore and quickly move to get away from Cali and chase after the boy with feathered wings. But I don’t succeed. Cali grabs me by the wrist and holds me close. I struggle to free myself.

“Let me go. I just need a bit. Just one. Let me go, ugh.”

As I say this and struggle against Cali’s grasp, Camille comes next to me and starts scratching my chin. I look at her, a bit annoyed, and stop struggling against Cali, turning my face slowly to look at Camille.

“It worked. I did it right? She doesn’t look like she wants to chase him anymore.”

Cali looks at Camille, then back at me, smiling brightly but clearly aware of the growing annoyance on my face, as she says,

“Uh, yeah, it worked, but not for the reason you think.”

I pull away from Cali, freeing myself, and step back from Camille, taking a deep breath and saying,

“Since it helped, I won’t scratch your face, but know that I’m not a pet, okay? Never treat me like that again.”

She puts her hand back down, looking down. Did I do it again? Is she going to stay away from me because of it? It would be better anyway. I’d just end up being a burden to her.

“Layla, she helped you not make a mess at school. You should at least thank her. And don’t start thinking that no one will like you because of this again, okay? You know how it is. Just turn around and apologize to Camille.”

I get even more annoyed by her comment, but I can’t help but agree with her. She seems to know exactly what I’m thinking sometimes.

“Yes, I know.”

This is a bit scary, but I go to Camille and say, holding one of my arms,

“Sorry for getting angry at you. I don’t like it when people treat me like an animal. Can you please not give up on me?”

As I say this, she simply smiles and says,

“Oh, I never planned to. It was really fun to see you mesmerized by that boy’s wings.”

Before I can say anything, Limer appears from behind us with a smirk. She’s being carried by a large robot that’s holding her arms while she simply looks at us, hanging in the air, as she says,

“That was truly amusing to see. It looks like the little human cat has some funny secrets. It looks interesting…”

The big robot simply puts her back on the ground as he says,

“I’ll be waiting at the exit. Remember you can’t come back home until the agreed time, or your parents will take away your video games.”

Limer crosses her arms and looks at us, saying,

“Don’t worry about that. I just found something interesting to do here. So, what were you guys doing just now?”