Elizabeth Verenice Garcia was livid.

Not only had she gone through the emotional and physical trauma of intentionally driving her car into the ocean, but it turns out her life isn't even over yet.

She'd flashed into her apartment, completely intending to ignore everything and go to bed, when she remembered Oni. The white kitten was staring at her as soon as she walked into her new (small) bedroom in her new (small) apartment.

Liz sighed, looking at the cat. "I have to feed you, don't I."

'I mean, I wouldn't mind.'

She screamed, tripping over her own feet. "Wh-what-?"

'Oh, honestly.' Oni rolled his eyes, cleaning his paw. 'You'd think you never saw a telepathic cat before.'

"I haven't!" Liz sat up. "The others weren't in my head!"

He paused. '...Oh yeah.'

Liz sighed and stood up, going over to her closet and opening it. She groaned. "They weren't kidding..."

Oni padded over and climbed up her back, staring at the uniform over her shoulder. 'Ooh, scandalous.'

Liz facepalmed, scratching Oni's head with her other hand. She set Oni down, told him to turn around ('Like I'd wanna see that anyway...') and tried on the uniform. Not only were the Rainbow Cats not kidding about the skirt, they'd also made the skirt barely reach mid-thigh.

At least the shirt is my size, she thought, turning her body this way and that to see herself in the mirror. And the Blazers pretty nice.

'The skirt could be worse.'

Liz raised her eyebrows. Oh, so you can hear my thoughts too?

'Duh.' Oni rolled his eyes. 'Do you want to have to speak out loud to me in public?'

Liz shrugged. Good point.

Liz changed into her pajamas (an over sized sweater she found in the closet and some shorts) and went over to her tiny kitchen and looked for something a cat could eat. Hey, Oni?

'Yeah?'

What do cats eat?

'Beats me.'

She paused. But you're a cat.

Oni sniffed. 'Technically I'm an all powerful entity assigned to help guide you to happiness and enlightenment.'

...Right. Liz shook her head, continuing her search. So, what do all powerful entities eat, than?

'No idea. I, however, am partial to tuna and green bananas.'

Liz scrunched her nose. Tuna and bananas?

Oni shot her a glance. 'Not together, nunce.'

She tilted her head, grabbing the one banana on her kitchen table. Nunce?

'Just feed me.'

She snorted. She took the time it took for Oni to eat to explore her apartment.

Immediately when you walk in the front door, you see the sitting room and kitchen. They aren't separated but for an island. The sitting room had an old looking armchair, a bookshelf with some books on it, and a lamp. Then there's a short hallway that leads to the only bedroom (hers) and bathroom (also hers, though the shower looked like something out of a horror movie).

Well. That killed five minutes.

Liz sighed and looked into the bathroom mirror, at her messy dark brown hair and deep set brown eyes. She looked like an addict. Nothing like fluorescent lights to boost your self esteem.

She sighed and left the bathroom to put on the knee socks she found in her closet. She rolled her eyes. Freaking cats with their anime sexism.

Making up her mind, she walked over to the front door, putting on some slippers. 'Where do you think you're going?'

Liz glanced over at Oni, who had finished his banana. I'm gonna meet the neighbors.

'Dressed like that?'

What's wrong with this?

'You could get hurt or abducted. I'm coming with you.'

Yes, because a cat the length of my hand is going to look like such a threat.

Oni pouted up at her. Ugh. "Fine, you can come."

Oni bounced once in victory (it was adorable, his little paw was up) and crawled onto her shoulder.

She sighed. Darn my lack of willpower around cute things...

Oni preened.

Liz opened the door and almost walked right into a fist.

Haruji Fujioka lowered the hand she was about to knock with and bowed. "I apologize. I wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood, so I thought I'd come over. Sorry for scaring you."

Liz blinked. Well, this is convenient. "It's fine. I was actually on my way to meet the neighbors, miss..."

Haruhi blinked and smiled. "Haruhi Fujioka. I live two doors down." She looked at Liz's outfit. Her eyes widened slightly. "You were going out in that?"

'Told you.'

Shut up.

Liz smirked, fighting the urge to blush, and held out a hand. "Elizabeth Garcia. You can call me Elizabeth, Beth, Eliza, or Liz. I myself am partial to the last one."

Haruhi blinked. "Liz-sama, you're foreign?"

Liz nodded. "Latina-American."

Haruhi nodded and shivered slightly.

Liz's eyes widened.

'You haven't invited her in.'

I know!

"Um, I'm sorry, I'm being rude making you stand out in the cold. Won't you come in?"

Haruhi nodded gratefully and Liz stepped to the side to let her in, feeling like a horrible person.

Stupid stupid stupid! You made the poor girl stand out in the cold!

'Calm down, B.' Oni rubbed his face against hers. 'It's not your fault.'

Haruhi giggled.

Liz started slightly, causing Oni to cling to her sweater before letting go and landing in the carpet. 'I try to help you, you shake me off.'

Sorry!

He turned his head away. 'Hmph.'

Liz rolled her eyes and smiled at Haruhi. "You want something to drink?"

'Do we even have something to drink?'

We have tap water.

'Ew.'

Snob.

"No thank you, Liz-sama." Haruhi stood awkwardly by the armchair.

Liz gestured to it, moving the uniform she had discarded from it. "You can sit down if you want?"

Haruhi eyed her uniform. "You go to Ouran?"

Liz smirked. "Starting tomorrow."

'Hurray, less awkward!'

Haruhi picked up the blazer. "This is the male uniform."

Liz showed her the skirt. "Not anymore."

Haruhi sweat dropped. "How'd you pull that?"

Liz shrugged. "Long story."

Haruhi looked around before seemingly noticing something. "Liz-sama, if you don't mind me asking, where are your parents?"

Liz froze, before shrugging. "Don't know." True. "Could be dead for all I know." Also true. "Or care."

Oni jumped back on her shoulders. 'You chose this.'

You aren't helping.

Haruhi's eyes widened and she stood and bowed again. "I'm sorry, Liz-sama! I should've asked. Please forgive me."

Liz snorted. "Calm down, Haruhi." Her eyes widened. Crap. Is that offensive? "Can I call you Haruhi? Honorifics confuse the hell out of me."

Haruhi nodded and smiled. Liz let out a breath.

"Thanks. And don't worry about it. I could've just not told you if I didn't want to."

"HARUHI~! WHERES MY DARLING DAUGHTER? ARE YOU WITH THAT BLOND BUG AGAIN?"

Liza's eyes widened as Haruhi rolled her eyes. "That's Dad. I gotta go, now."

Liz snorted before covering her mouth. "Sorry, yeah, I get it. Go to your dad."

Haruhi smiled slightly and bowed. Liz tilted her head. "You don't need to do that."

Haruhi tilted her head. "Do what?"

Liz made a vague gesture. "You know, bow at me. I'm not Beyoncé."

Haruhi blinked. "Who?"

The door slammed open. "HARUHIIIII~! Have you seen- Haruhi! There you are! You had your papa worried sick!" Ranka turned to face Liz from where he was suddenly smothering Haruhi. He bounced over. "Oh, hello, you left your door unlocked. Who are you? New neighbor?"

She nodded, trying not to laugh. "I'm Liz. And you must be Haruhi's parent?"

A pause. And he pounced. "OH YOU'RE SO CUTE~! AND FOREIGN! You may call me Ranka-chan~!"

Liz patted him awkwardly on the back. "Okay, this is nice and everything, but-"

Ranka paused in his swaying. "Oh dear, I'm choking you aren't I?"

Liz tried to nod. "A little, yeah."

Ranka released her. "You'll be fine. However, me and Haruhi must be leaving now for bed and for work. Haruhi?"

Liz looked around. "I think Haruhi already left, Ranka-chan."

"And you didn't tell me?!"

"You were choking me."

Ranka went off, grumbling. "Everything's always my fault. BYE~, LIZ-CHAN~!"

"Please don't slam the-!"

SLAM!

"...door."

Liz slouched over to her bedroom, where Oni had escaped to during the Ranka segment. He looked up. 'Rough day?'

You were there.

'Heh. Yeah.' He cleaned his paw. 'But look at it this way. Tomorrow you have school and you can introduce yourself to the Host Club.'

And deal with Tamaki as another Ranka? My eardrums will be gone immediately before my sanity.

'What sanity? You're in an anime with a telepathic cat.'

Just let me delude myself, please.

Oni didn't respond. She shrugged and shifted. Good night, Oni.

Oni stretched out and closed his eyes. 'Night, B.'