[A/N] This was made for RavenFire2023, and as such, it includes a few of the characters from their Fangan, Danganronpa: Exotic Paradise. You should definitely check it out! Emika, Hiroshi, and Shiori all belong to them, and Minato (and obviously Monterio) belong to me.

"Don't worry," Monterio Mukai signed, "She's just a kid who LOOKS like a cat."

"Why would anyone want to model themselves after cats?!" his little brother signed back aggressively, wide-eyed and panicky.

"I don't know," the dancer admitted, shuddering. "They're rascals."

"Um, excuse me, loves?" a woman a few paces away asked. Monterio turned his head to look at her. Minato followed shortly thereafter, following his brother's gaze.

The woman, a sweet-looking lady in a quilt-patterned dress, approached them with soft steps. "That there," she said, swapping into sign language, "is Shiori. A dear friend of mine. Do you want to be her friend, too?"

"Sure, but I don't like cats."

"What's not to like about cats?"

"We were both used as scratching posts when I was eleven and he was five. We had to go to the doctor to make sure nothing got majorly infected. They scare us a bit," Monterio explained verbally.

"Ahhh... I see. Hiroshi, come over here, if you would be so kind!"

"Why?" a teenager in dark clothing asked, eyeing the brothers with suspicion.

"Just come." She then clicked her tongue at herself. "My, how rude of me. I haven't introduced myself. My name is Emika. This is Hiroshi, Shiori's older brother."

"I'm Minato! This is my big bro, Monterio!" he signed, which Emika translated.

"What's up?" Hiroshi quirked up an eyebrow, popping a gum bubble.

"These lovely gentlemen want to befriend Shiori, but they're afraid of cats."

"Of CATS?" he snorted. Emika shot him a glare of disapproval. "I-I mean... that's gonna be a problem for my sibby."

"D-Does she scratch?" Monterio whispers anxiously.

"No? Mew doesn't. You're... really weird, dude." Monterio sighed in shame and agreement. All the while, he and Emika took turns signing for Minato, who also sighed.

At this moment, Shiori herself rushed up to the group, curious as to what her friends were up to. "Bro bro!" she exclaimed cheerfully, latching onto and hugging the older boy.

Minato rushed off. "Ah! Minato, wait!" he scolded, though he knew Monterio ran off after him. Oh, gosh, as if they needed an even worse first impression. Bolting at the sight of someone was not what Monterio would consider a good way to befriend them. His brother fled all the way to the car.

"OPEN IT," he demanded.

"We can't leave the park! Mom's still working, she can't drive us. Don't you wanna play?"

"RUDE. I know that! I forgot my rock collection! I wanna give mew a geode or some quartz! Crystals are the coolest, and I wanna give something cool to her to show mew that I think SHE'S cool!"

Monterio gave a smile of relief and unlocked the car. Minato scurried inside and grabbed a shoe box full of pretty rocks, and the two made their way back. Minato opened the box wide for mew, and she looked back and forth between him and Hiroshi.

"I think it's okay, sibby. He's offering you one, I think," he mumbled, petting her on the head. She purred ever so slightly as Monterio nodded in confirmation. Shyly, she approached him, and he smiled nervously. The two children sat on a bench, with Emika there to translate, and Monterio saw his brother's eyes light up in wonder. "Little siblings, amirite?" Hiroshi elbowed him slightly.

"Pretty fantastic," he agreed.

When they noticed that the fear of cats had come up in conversation, Shiori began playfully chasing Minato, hissing as he raced away in some mix of joy and mortal terror. But then she cast a glance at Monterio. He shook his head no, seeing where this was going. Mew squealed in delight and sprinted off towards him, giggling to mewself. And they all played keep-away until they were out of breath.

"I can help you get over your fear of cats, nyah!" mew declared confidently, grabbing Monterio's hand and making it so he would pat her on the head.

"Shi, you sure?" Hiroshi asked, a little confused at how quickly she'd grown attached.

"Yes! Big Bro Mo and Little Bro Mina don't understand how adorable kitties are! I can't just let them stay scared forever, nyah!"

"That is remarkably kind of you, Shiori," Emika praised.

"Kana would love that," Minato signed, making direct eye contact and a cheeky smirk at his brother.

"She's gonna be ecstatic. At least now I won't be stopping dead in my tracks every time I see that stray in the neighborhood," he signed back, trying to keep himself from blushing in embarrassment.

Emika couldn't help but laugh. "I'll keep that one confidental, okay, hon?" she smiled.

"This is unfair!" Hiroshi protested with a grin.

"Learn sign, then," Minato sassed.

"Don't be rude!"

But when Emika translated, both siblings laughed. "I guess I have to, now, if you're apparently going to be around for a while."

"YAAAAY! Nyah! Bro bro, you're the best!" Shiori cheered, embracing her brother.

Monterio wordlessly gave Hiroshi his phone number.

"Boys!" their mother called out. The Mukai brothers waved goodbye to their new friends, with Minato ecstatically telling their mother about the whole ordeal. Monterio turned around to cast one last glance at the siblings and at Emika. What lovely people.