@galaxy-brain said from [x]:
Fret's stomach dropped. For not being able to read other people's minds anymore, Neku's shocking accuracy had Fret nearly tripping over himself. All the words he meticulously prepared and the charming smile he kept plastered wiped away by one measly sentence. Fret wanted to come clean on his own terms but someone beat him to it and now Fret can't even ease the news with a joke or a grin. Damn it. Neku's disappointment always stings the most.
"Who told you? Was it Beat? Nagi? Don't tell me it was Rindo--I promise that they probably made it sound a lot worse than it was," Fret frantically caught his tongue, smiling nervously and holding his hands up. "I mean, who would’ve guessed that it’s actually possible to convince people that Gatto Nero's haunted!"
It was a stupid bet he made against Shoka--that he won somehow; did he get lucky with a superstitious crowd?--to see whether or not he could convince people that the popular brand has been haunted by a spirit possessing Mr. Mew. Maybe it was because Fret was drawing on images of the same stuffed cat that once shot at him with lasers and tiny adorable versions of itself with the intent to annihilate their group.
"I didn't mean for it to go this far…"
Neku let out a sigh. One that might sound like one of disappointment to the other but that was far from the case. Shortly after they couldn’t help but smile- then let out a light laugh. It was one of the craziest things he had heard people genuinely believe even if there was a grain of truth in it. But by no means was Gatto Nero really haunted. Maybe Mr. Mew’s eyes were incredibly lifelike sometime for a stuffed animal but that was more part of being used seeing the stuffed animal animated.
“Don’t worry Fret, I’m not mad. Not like Gatto Nero is my brand anyway. I bet the little rumor might even drive sales up for a while.” As to who actually told them... that would remain a mystery.
“People in Shibuya are gullible. That’s why trends change by the day. They’re easy to influence. It’s a creators paradise, that’s why there’s so much art and marketing here, and that’s why the Prince still makes appearances here. I’ve seen the people convinced of a lot worse. Don’t let it get to you, alright? Just keep it in mind for next time. Oh, and don’t forget to collect on that bet.”
