This time, you're going to get back at Hiyoko.

Acting isn't your strong suit, but you give it your best shot, trying to look as pathetic as possible. You beg Hiyoko to stop hurting you. You tell her you'll do what she wants right away! You don't like it, but you'll make it so Mahiru hates you just as much as Hiyoko herself does. Then, you beg Hiyoko to just have the two of them leave you alone... You won't hypnotize anyone anymore!

"You can bet on that last part!" Hiyoko agrees with a wicked smile, still digging her fingers into your hand. "But about leaving you alone...? I'm not so sure! I mean, it's not like I'd ever want to seek out your ugly face, but sometimes, when something stinks too bad, you can't help but look for what's causing it, riiight? So, please, forgive me and my real Big Sis if we have some fun with you!"

The fact that this brat is even considering that someone as nice and level-headed as Mahiru ought to be joining her in bullying you like a middle schooler told you just how warped and immature Hiyoko's personality is. You don't feel bad at all about what you're going to do. Keeping all of that to yourself, you nod rapidly and shed tears for her. You don't have to fake the tears: she's really hurting your hand! You need those to work!

Finally, she releases your hand, still wearing a grin that says "there's more where that came from," in case you got any funny ideas. She indicates she's done talking to you by getting back to work on her spaghetti and meatballs. Just looking at her, you can tell she's imagining what kind of cruel pranks she'll get up to, knowing now that her best friend will join her instead of trying to stop her.

You'll see about that. You start to take your lunch, before realizing the **** Mahiru can't walk. To take her back to the lab, you'll need two hands. Sighing, you leave your tray where it is and scoop up Mahiru's body instead, carrying her back to your room and trying not to draw eyes.

This kind of physical activity... and stress... really takes it out of you. But... it'll be worth it... when you see the results...!

At the expense of all of your afternoon classes, you've done it. You've finally reprogrammed Mahiru to a more reasonable version, and, with her help, even had time to clean up your workspace, afterwards. You can't wait to tell Hiyoko. In fact, you knock on her dorm room door with Mahiru at your side and a big grin on your face. You're so pumped up, you feel like your ordinarily shaky nerves are all gilded and ready to stand firm for you. You don't think Hiyoko will find you easy to push around right now.

The dancer opens her door, her face lighting up in a smile at seeing her friend and darkening to a sneer upon seeing you. "Well? Don't just stand there like a dumbass, Tomomo. Is she fixed?"

Oh yes, you tell her. Mahiru's fixed. She's back to normal, and you've merely corrected the mistake where she considered an obnoxious monster to be a friend.

"That's great, you obnoxious monster!" Hiyoko replies with a snicker. She turns back to Mahiru. "Okay, same questions as earlier today. How do you feel about photography, Big Sis?"

Mahiru steps out from around you, where she'd been halfway hiding. She's wincing a bit and looking uncomfortable, but she works to correct that to a polite smile. "Photography's my passion, of course. I'm here as the Ultimate Photographer. Everybody knows that."

Hiyoko doesn't catch on yet. She giggles in satisfaction, then asks the next one. "And how do you feel about me calling you 'Big Sis?'"

The redhead winces again. She struggles to keep her tone cordial. "It's, uh, interesting... You are a University Student, right? I think it'd be better if you acted more your age. Some others might find that a little, hm... creepy."

By now, Hiyoko's caught on. You can see the anger and color rising in her face as she realizes the trick you've played on her. "And how about this fat, geeky dumbass? How do you feel about her, huh?"

Mahiru is clearly offended now, and plants her fists on her hips. When she speaks again, she doesn't even talk to Hiyoko, but to you. "Tomo, why are we here talking to this creep, again? I came because you're a friend, but all she's doing is asking me uncomfortable questions and insulting you. Wait... has she been messing with you?" Mahiru stands between you and the smaller girl in the doorway, shoving a finger in Hiyoko's face. "Look, Buster, if you think I'll let you push around a good friend just because of her body shape and her hobbies-"

"Oh no, I'm not playing this game!" Hiyoko immediately shoves her friend aside, then marches towards your room. "I'm gonna show everyone all your nasty little toys. Then, the University will make you fix my friend, you'll get expelled or arrested, and your stupid games will be over." Your door isn't locked, and she easily throws it open. When she does, she sees...

An ordinary dorm room.

Only half of your afternoon had been spent programming Mahiru. The other half was used to dispose of all of your unfinished projects and revert any evidence that your room had been used for brainwashing. After all, you don't need any of that any more. You have good data to give your benefactors, and you have a real ally who'll stand up for you. There's no longer any need to brainwash anyone else, or to waste your time trying to fix the unfixable.

Hiyoko's jaw is dropped in shock. She helps herself to your room, throwing things around and trying to find so much as a loose screw to prove you were working on something here. Finally, she turns back to you and Mahiru, along with the crowd her little outburst has drawn. "Mahiwuwuwu!" she growls once again, trying to deactivate her friend.

This time, Mahiru only recoils in disgust. "Look, instead of pet names or whatever the heck you're trying, we need to have a serious talk about your respect of personal space. How dare you just barge into my girlfriend's room-!"

"Your girlfriend?!" Hiyoko interrupts Mahiru, her orange eyes bigger with indignation than you've seen. "You've gotta be... Big Sis Mahiru!! This creepazoid brainwashed you! She used her little knockoff electronics to mess with your brain!"

"Is that right?" Mahiru keeps her fists on her hips, all pretenses of friendliness and politeness gone. "See, that's funny, cause the only brainwasher I've heard about is a certain Traditional Dancer at this university. I thought it was weird that so many people would turn out to see you practice some old-fashioned art like that. But if your dancing actually brainwashes them into enjoying it, I can start to see why you have fans, and why nobody takes you to task for all your bullcrap. And I can't believe that just because you have a shady talent like that, you think you get to lord it over a sweet girl like Tomo! What the heck is wrong with you?!"

"That's... messed up!" Hiyoko cries, stomping her sandaled foot on your floor. She can see that just behind you and Mahiru, a crowd of people are gathered, murmuring. A lot of them have probably technically known Hiyoko longer than you, but it's hard to imagine many of them consider themselves fans or friends of the standoffish dancer. Now, they're all starting to take what your notoriously level-headed and reliable friend is saying about her very bullyable looking girlfriend getting bullied seriously. In other words, the tide has turned against Hiyoko, and she can see it. She stomps her foot on the floor a couple more times before loudly shouting. "Mahiru! You're supposed to be my friend! My best friend! My... only friend!"

Mahiru rolls her eyes. "I can't imagine a world in which I become best friends with a jerk like you. Fix your attitude, apologize to Tomo, and I'll consider forgiving you. Is that clear?"

To your surprise, Hiyoko doesn't fly into a rage, attack you, or argue her case any further. She just bites her lip and cries onto your floor, not saying anything. You find that in spite of how great you thought it'd feel to get **** on Hiyoko, you still pity her. But, if she wants her friend back, she can start acting like a decent human being...

Mahiru shoos off all of the onlookers, reprimanding them and telling them this isn't a circus show. While she's doing that, Hiyoko stumbles over your way. You're sure she's going to break into one of those scary grins, kick you, or even pull a knife from her kimono and stab you. Instead, she just looks at you for a moment with her sad, reddened eyes, trying to make words come out. Finally, she manages. "I'm... sorry, okay? I'm actually sorry! I was being a jerk and... I was wrong. Just, please, fix Big Sis again. I won't bother you after that!"

... You tell Hiyoko that she's misunderstanding something. You didn't hide your hypnotic electronics somewhere: by now, they're probably on their way to be permanently destroyed. You remind her she's the one who **** your hand... Seeing more big tears roll down her cheeks and onto the floor, though, you realize you're no bully. You tell her that if she does turn over a new leaf, you'll vouch for her with Mahiru and try to make it so those two can be friends again.

She stares at Mahiru's back, considering it with a stubborn frown on her face. Moments pass without her saying a word, only sniffling. Finally, she speaks again. "She's your girlfriend? Seriously? I can't believe you."

You tell her you honestly can't believe it either. You admit that, frankly, you might have gotten carried away in the moment, trying to get ****. But, then... You can't say you regret it, either. It turned out there weren't many switches that had to be flipped to make Mahiru compatible with you. And she's nice, she's pretty, she's talented, and she's patient... basically the girlfriend you always wanted. And, you found out when she proposed to you, she's a surprisingly aggressive kisser. She used her tongue like she'd only seen makeouts in movies, and from the way she uses her hands you can tell she doesn't mind a big girl, either-

Hiyoko kicks you in the shin, then storms off, flipping you the bird as she leaves. "I'll start being nice to you tomorrow, Tomomo! Enjoy your new girlfriend, you creep! But not too much, blech!!"

As Hiyoko leaves, your new girlfriend rushes to your side, checking out your leg to see if it's injured. "Honestly, what is with that girl? I hope someone can fix her rotten personality someday..."

Wondering whether the surprisingly painful sandal-clad kick in the shin or the new girlfriend is what you deserve, you shake your head. It's out of your hands. Now, the only one who can fix Hiyoko is Hiyoko herself.