This was a complete waste of time.
Kurumu winced at the pain in her side. For more than four years her body had ached from this hunger. It was steadily getting worse, demanding more to fill this void.
Her mother had told her that all she needed to do was win the affection of her peers. Well aware of how her mother handled men of all species, Kurumu knew what sort of things her mother expected. She refused to demean herself.
That first year had been confusing. The pain would come and go, though she did nothing differently. Her body was maturing, but it was nothing to brag about since most of her classmates were also at that awkward age. She was content to remain in the background, despite her mother's warnings.
It was shortly after her thirteenth birthday in junior high that this nagging pain would not diminish. At first she had thought it merely growing pains, considering how her wings, tail and breasts all seemed desperate to grow out as much as they possibly could in three months. It had been futile to even try to wear a bra with how sore her breasts were all the time and how nothing that fit one week would work the next.
It felt like all the girls hated her. They would whisper or stop talking whenever she entered a room, though she would catch snippets now and then. She had always known her kind was not very respected and being the only one on campus only made things worse. They were all waiting to condemn her the moment she showed her true colors.
And then it started to happen. The hunger felt like it diminished, replaced by a heavy weariness. Her steps faltered as she had moved in the hallways, her vision becoming a dim haze of colors and shapes. Her mother had been called in after the first collapse. Kurumu finally understood why she could not rebel against her nature.
It had been difficult to swallow down her pride in the face of inevitable death. Frightened the other girls would only treat her worse, Kurumu had initially approached the boys lowest on the social pyramid. These were the sort of guys that would be lucky a pretty girl would even look at them, let alone say anything.
Kurumu could not hope to describe the satisfaction of her first conquests. All she had done was simply talk to them and that insatiable ache of her body subsided. But like a man starved, she could not stop at the first taste of food. She kept talking with them, every day, yet somehow it never destroyed that void.
As expected, the girls talked about her using those boys. It was maddening as Kurumu could not fathom what they had expected her to do. It felt like they wanted her to die painfully. If they hated her that much, there was no point even listening to them.
So Kurumu had declared war the only way she knew how. She charmed the most popular boy in junior high using every trick she had ever seen her mother utilize.
Her mother had explained the simplicity of allure. All Kurumu had to do was look into a man's eyes and think how much he wanted her. The more she believed it, the stronger her control over him would become. Even the most powerful of demons could succumb to her charms.
It had been a dangerous game to play with a Tengu. But for some reason, even under her spell spouting platitudes of undying love for her, the hunger never left her. Takada had been the most powerful and popular boy in school, but his ensorcelled love for her failed to rid her of this incessant ache deep in the core of her being.
Feeling dirty, Kurumu had spent the last half of her eighth grade year trying to win over the heart of every boy in the school. If Takada was not enough, then she reasoned she needed more. By her fifteenth birthday, there was not a single boy she knew of that had not confessed his love for her.
The victory remained hollow.
Perhaps her failing confidence released him. Perhaps he had never truly been under her control. Regardless of how it happened, Takada pulled her aside one day and told her that she would never find what she needed in this realm. Apparently only a human could ever fill the void she felt. And with a wistful smile, Takada apologized for not being able to do more for her. Kurumu had lacked the heart to ever talk with him again.
She did manage to find the fury to exchange some heated words with her mother over this. She angrily demanded to know why she was not in a human school, instead of wasting her time with all these boys that could not sate this hunger. Her mother went on and on about how dangerous humans were and how she was not prepared to deal with human society. Kurumu was furious that she would have to put up with this ache for three more years and it was even worse now since she knew any guy she met would have no hope of giving her what she needed.
She hated her life.
Her mother was ridiculously pleased to send her off to Yokai Academy. As her alma mater, her mother had talked highly about the place for over a year, so it was not like her enrollment here had been a surprise. Despite assurances that she could be the most popular girl at school, Kurumu had held no such aspirations. She would do what she would have to do to survive. If that required a few admirers, so be it. She would not repeat her antics from junior high, hoping that all of her classmates would continue their education in Sankei High, the recognized prefectural school of Tottori.
When reading the student manual, she noted the school strongly encouraged remaining in a human-like appearance. This was not too difficult, though it did require some thought. Kurumu had never held up such an image for so long, so she had practiced over the break. School or not, she knew she had to learn this if she ever could hope to win over the affections of a human.
Lost in her thoughts, Kurumu apparently had found her way to the row of doors that marked the entrance to the school grounds. There was nothing too special about this place. It was bigger than her junior high, but similar. It resembled an expansive estate, sweeping out in all directions. At least it was more impressive than the drab buildings that served as dormitories.
"Hey, gorgeous, what class are you in?"
Kurumu smirked at how easy it was to find a meal around here. Gripping her schoolbag handle with both hands, she glanced over her shoulder at her admirer.
He was an interesting boy with fine, black hair. His eyes were narrow with a crimson iris. His broad nose had a stud pierced through his left nostril and his left ear was dotted with three garnet studs.
"Class 1-3."
His grin became feral. He held his schoolbag back over his shoulder by a single hand, his broad wrist bared to her. Like her, he had decided not to wear the cumbersome, long sleeved jacket with the school logo. He had rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt while tucking it into his black slacks.
"Then we are classmates. The name is Burumoto Ushio."
Without meaning to, she thought how much this guy obviously wanted her. She saw his eyes glaze over and cursed inwardly. Averting her gaze, she turned fully to him, holding her bag daintily in front of her short, pleated skirt.
"I am Kurono Kurumu. Perhaps we can sit by each other then."
"Yes. That would be nice."
It was not like she made him say that. People under her charm usually spoke the truth, or at least what was on their mind. There was always this misconception that she could make guys do things they did not want to do, but that could not be farther from the truth. She could make a man love her if she really believed he did, but she could not make him harm someone else. Well, maybe she could. She doubted it.
Burumoto laughed heartily, rubbing the back of his head.
"Sorry, I spaced out there a bit. Shall I walk you to class?"
Kurumu smiled, careful not to meet his gaze. She did bother to study his body though. He was a very thick fellow, perhaps indicating he was rather large. He looked powerful. Her first thought was he might be an ogre of sorts.
"Sure."
It felt so good to walk beside him into the building. The breaks between semesters were always distressing. For whatever reason, her mother lived like a hermit in the spiritual realm. Things had been so much different in the human realm, which they had to abandon once her tail had emerged in the fourth grade. The only souls she would see for weeks were the servants her mother had brought over from the human realm. Kurumu would rather die than resort to seeking the attention of some middle aged men.
She had asked about her kind but her mother was always evasive. Kurumu had never seen another succubus. She had heard she was a dying breed, but had no knowledge as to why. Even when she had pressed the issue of needing a human, the only thing she had been told was that if she kissed one, they would become her thrall and would do anything she wanted them to do. She had been too angry with that to discuss the topic further.
None of the servants were her father. She did know that. It was a constant source of bickering as she believed it was her mother's promiscuity that had driven her father off. She often wondered what her life would have been like if he had stayed. He probably was a real good man, which would explain why he would abandon that worthless sack of flesh she called a mother.
"You don't have to be shy. Ask me anything you want."
Kurumu smiled demurely. His interest in her was very satisfying.
"I can't help it. You did call me gorgeous."
"Because you are."
As nice as this felt, she knew she had enjoyed better. Of course, there was no real reason to seek out someone else. Being in the same homeroom meant they would spend most the day together, so he could keep her sated. Having a second admirer in class might not hurt, but she would wait to see if she needed that.
"I'm going to sit in the back of the class if I can."
"Oh?"
"Do you know anybody in class?"
"Doubtful. I know a few in some of the other classes, but I think they intentionally mix us up so that we won't readily know the true form of our classmates."
"I guess that makes it fair for those that don't have any friends."
"A pretty girl like you must have some friends here."
Kurumu smiled, aware that the compliment was not nearly as genuine as it sounded.
"No, I'm all by myself here. I wasn't very popular with the girls."
"I wonder why."
Kurumu tried not to smirk.
"I can think of at least two reasons."
"Jealousy being one of them?"
Kurumu left it at that, figuring any references to her body at this point might damage the image she wished to maintain here. She noted how few students were in the halls, though she had intentionally come early to ensure her seat in class. While sitting in the middle would certainly increase her potential admirers, she did not want to stir up any trouble.
"You come to class early?"
"Normally, no. But my mother says it is best to make a good first impression."
"If you had to guess, what would you say I am?"
He grinned wickedly as they neared their classroom. He drew back the door and gestured for her to go ahead.
"Gorgeous. Beautiful. Coy."
"I meant what kind of monster."
"We are not encouraged to talk of these things."
"I wonder why not."
"Perhaps to limit bullying. If people knew the popular guy was only a kappa, they may not care for him anymore. That sort of thing."
Kurumu nodded as she made her way to what she hoped would be her desk. She picked the seat in the back next to the one nearest the window. This way she could have a boy on either side of her. She set her bag down on the smooth surface.
"You want to sit in front or beside me?"
"Beside."
He smirked as he set his things down in the seat of the desk next to her. She almost met his gaze again, but deftly closed them with a smile and a slight turn of her head.
"You have very pretty eyes."
"Every guy says that."
"You've heard that a lot then?"
"I don't mean to. It just happens."
She smiled apologetically, taking her seat. She pulled out a notebook and mechanical pencil from her bag before setting it aside at her feet.
"I guess we're the first ones in class. We're not that early."
"Eh, twenty minutes is. But I say it was worth it, considering I just secured the best view in class for the whole semester."
Even though the words were not genuine, Kurumu blushed at his bluntness. It was going to be so hard keeping this innocent image.
She should have been used to this sort of attention by now. Every new face that walked into class carried this unmistakable lust that slaked the thirst deep inside her. It was so much worse than junior high as she was not even trying to make an impression. These boys needed to find something better to do with their spare time.
She supposed it could not be helped. Even in her true form her body was built for seduction. Squeezing it down into this smaller human package resulted in a ridiculously burdensome bosom. For some silly reason boys were fascinated with breasts. To Kurumu, they were as much a bane as a blessing. While they did their job in gathering her up all sorts of attention, they also were the first extremities to notoriously ache when she needed a fix.
So far it seemed like an even distribution of students. As anticipated, most of the girls sat up in the front. Kurumu measured several of them up as they entered, aware that they were doing the same to her. Satisfied that she was their superior in looks, she would return her bored gaze to her notebook and fidget with her pencil.
She did not have to even look up for a boy. She could feel them enter and she only bothered to note them if the sensation was strong. One kid had long brown locks and tanned skin. He had stalked right up to her, taking the seat in front of her. As he was not terrible looking, she did not protest.
The class was nearly full up when the teacher walked in. The blonde had a nice look with some roguish locks on the side of her head that almost looked like cat ears. As the scraggly locks were quite thick on the side of her head, it was quite possible that those were her ears. So much for the creed of maintaining a human form.
Disregarding that, the woman wore an orange top beneath a short sleeved, white blouse. The thin orange material was tucked into the hem of a burgundy hued pant with a slim belt fed through the tiny loops. A chrome buckle in the shape of the school crest was perfectly centered at her waist.
"Hey, Burumoto?"
"Hmm?"
"What do people do for fun around here?"
The boy in front of her turned about, gripping the back of his chair. He snickered at her, his long tongue snaking out to touch the top of her desk. Kurumu tried not to visibly draw away.
"I could think of many fun things to do with you."
This was a boy she had no qualms charming. She smirked as she looked into his beady, black eyes. There was no color at all, not even white in them.
"I'm sure you do."
His eyes went distant.
"Yes. What would you like?"
Giggling, she glanced over to Burumoto.
"And here I was asking for ideas."
"We are all new here, so I have as much of an idea as you do. There's a lot of clubs on campus and I know my floor talked about a human run."
"A human run?"
"Some of the kids run out into the human realm and see what sort of mischief they can do. You only have so much time, considering getting caught by the staff could have severe repercussions."
The boy in front of her chuckled with glee, clearly recovered from his daze.
"Sounds like fun. Would a pretty thing like you be interested?"
Kurumu smiled at the thought of venturing into the human realm. As tempting as the thought was, she disliked the notion of being caught and that she would only be there for so long. Such narrow time restraints were more in tune with causing trouble.
"I may have to pass on that. And you are?"
"Saizou. Komiya Saizou."
"I am Kurono, and this is my friend, Burumoto."
"A boyfriend?"
Kurumu smirked, idly turning the pages of her notebook.
"We all are new here, so you know that isn't true."
"Your words wound me."
"Aw… but you have to be my friend first if you ever want to be more than that."
"I can accept that."
"You don't have to be friends to do what I have in mind. You know where to find me, babe, if you want a good time."
Saizou chuckled as he turned back around in his seat. Despite his crude behavior, he had a flavor about him that pleased her. Sort of like how mashed potatoes could blend in well with most meals. On its own, it had the potential of being fulfilling but it usually worked better as a compliment to the main course.
"Attention, now, everybody. My name is Ms. Nekonome. I think now is the best time to remind everyone about the rules here."
Several groans answered the teacher's remarks. Kurumu glanced over to the empty desk beside her that faced the window. While it held nothing of interest, she suddenly realized there was a young man sitting in the desk in front of the vacancy. She wondered why she had not noticed him before.
She quickly noted this waif of a boy had nobody in front of him either, making him isolated from the group. He did look the part of the solitary loser type. She smiled wistfully at him, wondering if he would be a better source of affection. Burumoto seemed the type that would make friends.
"Here at Yokai, we are charged with the task of giving you the education and skills you need to survive in the human realm. This is no laughing matter. Many of you require human interaction, albeit sometimes to a human's disadvantage. Still, in order for you to function, you must know how to be human else you will be destroyed."
Ms. Nekonome seized a slender pointer that had rested upon the podium at the front of the class. She tapped one of the desks in the front row to accentuate her point.
"That is the simple truth of it. If the humans do not kill you first, the lords of our realm will certainly make sure that you are dealt with. It must never be known that our kind exists among them."
Inexplicably, the woman giggled.
"So, I insist that every student here maintain their human form, even in your dorms. The more practice you have, the better you will coexist. The school also discourages students from sharing their true forms with each other. You must treat each other as humans would. Consider this practice."
"Why bother? It's not like some of us want to coexist with the humans. I hear that they are very tasty."
Kurumu felt the oddest sensation from that slender boy. It was almost like he was worried over Saizou's remark. She wondered if he was some sort of witch. Actually, that would explain why he would readily isolate himself.
The dabblers of the magical arts were a strange hybrid. In many respects, they were human. But witches possessed a natural ability to tap into the weave of creation and bend it to their own desires. Sorcery was not highly admired in the spiritual realm as it bordered upon blasphemy of the natural order of things.
In a matter of seconds, Kurumu decided that she wanted him. She had never had a witch before. It would be so much like having a human. Just toying with the thought caused the ache of her body to become more pronounced. She only needed the opportunity to introduce herself. From there he would either naturally yield to her charms, or she would help convince him.
"We can't go eating humans simply whenever we please. Unless of course one happened to find its way onto campus. We could not allow someone to run back to the human realm with evidence of our existence, now could we?"
The thin kid made such an odd squeal that many in the class glanced in his direction. There was nothing too special about him. His dark, short hair was well kept. He wore that long green jacket like most of the other students were.
Now that Kurumu thought about it, she was the only girl in class wearing the beige, sleeveless sweater vest over the traditional dress shirt. Did the other girls not realize those heavy jackets did nothing to accentuate their assets? And wearing skirts only catered to those that liked skirts. Kurumu was very aware that a nice, hugging pair of slacks could do so much more than a skirt in the ways of seduction. Unfortunately for her, pants proved too baggy around the waist.
"I swear I smell a human in here."
The door drew back dramatically as a pink haired girl nearly spilled into the room. The girl was heaving deep breaths as she clutched at her knees, likely giving quite the show to anyone still in the hall. Her fine tresses hung over her shoulders like wisps of silk.
"Oh my. Who might you be?"
The girl stood up and smiled brightly. Her eyes were a lovely blue and her skin was somewhat pale. Even with the jacket, Kurumu spied the swell of an ample bosom. She could feel the attention and desire drift off. Even Burumoto's source was momentarily cut off.
"I am Akashiya Moka. I'm sorry I'm so late."
"Moka?!"
The slender kid stood up, his face betraying astonishment.
The pink haired girl brightened immediately at the site of him.
"Tsukune! I'm so happy we are in the same class!"
Without any real warning, the girl bounded across the room to leap up against the boy. It sent both of them sprawling to the floor, his chair sliding back against the vacant desk behind him. The girl giggled and laughed, hugging him brazenly with her arms about his chest and her skirt in such disarray that every male in the class could see those lacy, pink panties.
Saizou's tongue hung out in envy.
"Ms. Akashiya. Ms. Akashiya! Please compose yourself!"
Kurumu grimaced as the pain in her side sharpened like a knife. In this moment nobody acknowledged her existence. Wincing in shock, she crumpled over the top of her desk. It was not unbearable as much as unexpected, but she hoped her dramatization would draw some attention from this hussy's public display of affection.
But nobody noticed her. It was a solid couple minutes before the bimbo finally extracted herself from the boy and took a seat next to her.
"Hey, are you alright?"
It was like she was mocking her with those words. But it tasted sweet, even if it was annoying. It was confusing and out of place. No girl had ever poured out any such emotion towards her before. She had no idea how to digest such a thing.
Sitting up, Kurumu turned her head away from the girl.
"I'm fine."
She was probably some sort of nature sprite, like an undine. Kurumu heard they could be very carefree.
"I'm Akashiya Moka."
Kurumu rolled her eyes. She was definitely taking that boy from this ditz.
"I know your name. I was listening."
"Oh, but I didn't catch yours."
"Girls, girls. We have no time for gossip right now. It is time to begin the lesson."
Ignoring this Akashiya girl, Kurumu clicked the end of her mechanical pencil and prepared to take notes.
The bell sounded out the last of the hour. Ms. Nekonome squeaked in delight, one arm up daintily bent at the wrist with her hand in a small fist. As expected, their homeroom teacher was also their last teacher of the day.
"One last order of business before we leave."
Several groans answered the teacher, but she smiled all the same.
"I must know if anyone has an interest in being the class representative. According to the registrations, the only one that expressed any interest at all was a…"
The teacher glanced down at her notebook.
"Nazohashi?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
A girl with short, raven hair stood up stiffly at the far corner of the room, nearest the door. Her locks were braided from the front along the sides such that she had no bangs and her small ears were well defined. Her hair tapered in the back to a delicate point at the nape of her neck.
"Nazohashi Tora. Is there anyone else interested in challenging her for this duty?"
Saizou snickered.
"If the girl wants it, she can have it."
Most of the boys laughed at his remark, but none spoke out against the girl having the role.
"Okay, quiet down. It would seem the task is yours, Ms. Nazohashi."
The girl bowed stiffly.
"Thank you, Ma'am."
"Now if I may, would both you, Ms. Kurono and Ms. Shirayuki join me in the teacher's lounge?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
Kurumu frowned, favoring Burumoto with a genuine confused look. He only offered a shrug while the teacher pranced out of the room with her things in hand.
"Stand."
That Nazohashi girl was quick to take charge. Reluctantly Kurumu stood up, noting that most of the class was mildly protesting the formality while yielding to it.
"Bow. Dismissed."
Kurumu gathered up her things, still confused as to why she and this other girl were being singled out. She had been so cautious the entire day. Instead of seeking out attention from other boys, she had accepted Burumoto's offer to join him for lunch. She imagined the offer had something to do with how clingy that Akashiya girl was with that other boy. Still, it was genuine interest in her and diminished the pain.
There was nothing she could think of that would warrant this summons. If anyone was to be accused of seducing strangers, it would be that Akashiya harlot. Clearly she had done something to start a relationship so fast with a complete stranger.
Unless for some strange reason the two knew each other. That went against what Burumoto had told her and she could think of no reason why he would lie to her. No, that girl clearly was doing something against the rules.
"You want me to wait up for you? I can walk you to your dorm."
Burumoto was planning to join the soccer team. They had spent most of the lunch hour talking about what sort of clubs they would join. Kurumu honestly had no idea what she should do, but was content to let him ramble on and on about his intentions for the school year. She smiled at the thought of his suggestion of joining a cheerleading squad, figuring he only wanted to see how she looked in a skimpy outfit.
"I should be fine. I'll see you in class tomorrow."
"Till then."
He grinned, slinging his bag over his shoulder much like he had this morning. With a casual gait, he started off for the back door to the class.
They were doing it again. That hussy was clinging to that boy's arm seemingly oblivious to the glares the other boys shot at them. Kurumu shook her head at how idiotic that girl was behaving, as it was only going to cause trouble for that kid. Even after the two left, the boys continued to simmer with jealousy.
"I don't get it. What's a hot babe like that doing with him?"
Kurumu shrugged at Saizou's remark. She held her bag by the handle with both hands out in front of her. She started down the aisle, her thighs bumping against the bag.
"She's probably going to eat him. That's my guess."
"You think so? I might enjoy seeing that."
Kurumu smirked, knowing that was always a possibility, even if devouring fellow students was frowned upon. She stalked over to the front of the class to join Nazohashi. The girl was only a hair taller than her, though that might simply be due to her rigid posture. She had very exotic, jade green eyes. The girl nodded slightly, glancing about for this Shirayuki.
Nazohashi said nothing as the class steadily emptied. Thin, long fingers were closed about the handle of her bag that she held at her hip. Her other hand rested on the desktop. She was an average looking girl in all regards, though her skin had the same ruddy hue that Saizou possessed.
Nazohashi frowned as the last of the students departed. With a confused look, she regarded Kurumu.
"Which one are you?"
Her voice was pleasant, rich and assertive.
"Kurono. Kurono Kurumu."
"Do you know this Ms. Shirayuki?"
Kurumu shook her head, her ponytail brushing slightly against the back of her narrow shoulders. Nazohashi sighed heavily.
"I guess we will have to go without her. Follow me."
Kurumu was relieved that this girl knew where they were going, as she had no idea where the faculty offices were. Due to her mother's procrastination, she had not arrived in the dorms till last morning, missing the welcoming ceremony that had been scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Kurumu had bothered to figure out her class and room schedule, but little else.
"Ms. Nazohashi?"
"Yes?"
"Why did you want to be the class representative?"
"Because I want something to do."
"Something to do?"
"Idle hands are for the devil's work."
"You could always join a club."
"I've never enjoyed the group setting. As a class representative, I get to assign chores, work with the student council and do what needs to be done to help our class run smoothly."
"Isn't that the same as a club?"
"Most clubs you will be nothing but a mindless follower. I don't enjoy taking orders from others without good reason to."
Kurumu frowned. As they descended the nearest staircase in the direction of the front mansion, she had to wonder what Nazohashi's true form was.
"And you, Ms. Kurono? What sort of things do you plan to do with your spare time?"
"Study, I guess. I was never in a club in junior high, so I don't really have any such aspirations here."
"Hmm… so you must be a delinquent. That explains this."
Kurumu gaped in disbelief. She had half a mind to whack that snot nosed girl with her bag, though it would only confirm the assessment.
"I haven't done anything wrong. I have no idea why she wants to talk to me."
"Oh, please. A pretty girl like you is not known as the type for studying. You were even sitting in the back row."
"Because the boys are more likely to gawk at me in the front."
"At least they would be facing the right direction."
Kurumu grimaced, glancing to the black trim that ringed the wall along the floor. She was quite aware that Nazohashi was correct about that, though Kurumu felt that the Akashiya tramp was more blatantly a distraction.
"Just because I don't have a club in mind does not mean I'm causing trouble. And sitting in the back does not make me a delinquent."
"A man and his son are going home for the holidays."
"Huh?"
"Due to road conditions, the man loses control of his vehicle and drives them both into a tree. The man dies instantly in the crash, but his son survives. An ambulance quickly arrives on the scene to ferry the dying boy to the nearest hospital."
"Is there a point to this?"
"Once in the operating room, the surgeon recognizes the boy and leaves the room immediately. When asked what was wrong, the surgeon answers in a shaky voice, 'That is my son. I cannot operate on him.' So, can you tell me who the surgeon is?"
Kurumu frowned at the odd question. She wondered if this was some odd sort of test. Obviously the surgeon was not the boy's father since the first phrase was a man and his son. Then again, it did not say biological son.
"I get it! It's the boy's father!"
The astonished look Nazohashi favored her was satisfying.
"I'm right. The man driving the car was obviously the boy's stepfather."
"Uh… no, that was his father."
"Oh… the surgeon is his stepfather?"
Nazohashi stopped in the grand foyer, obviously flustered.
"No, no, no! There was no divorce in this situation!"
Kurumu shrugged, feeling stupid till an idea surfaced.
"Ah, I know. This is one of those modern marriages between two men."
Nazohashi stared at her blankly. Shaking her head, the girl resumed her walk across the foyer.
"We're almost there."
"Hey, wait up. What was the answer?"
"You managed to ruin a totally good riddle."
"What?"
"I guess I should blame modern society. Humans are becoming more and more like monsters every day."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I am not interested in explaining that."
Nazohashi paused before a doorway and slid it open. She walked into the large room with a simple gesture to follow.
Kurumu quickly noted the many desks and chairs scattered about the room. While the place seemed disorganized, there was not much clutter to complain about. Then again, this was the start of the school year.
She recognized Ms. Kagome whom was in charge of their mathematics along with some others she had seen this day. The woman was talking to some brute of a man whom Burumoto had identified as the gym teacher and coach of the soccer team. Being the first day, the gym hour had been skipped to allow an early dismissal. Kurumu wished they had also skipped the bespectacled woman's class, since math was not her strongest subject.
"I brought Ms. Kurono as instructed, Ma'am."
Their homeroom teacher was poised on a swivel chair, her feet daintily touching one of the spokes at the base. She seemed unaware that a ropy, furred tail was wrapped about the post that connected the back of the chair to the cushioned seat. Ms. Nekonome set the notebook aside and pouted.
"And what of Ms. Shirayuki?"
"She either left or was absent this day."
The teacher favored them with a dramatic sigh.
"I suppose it can't be helped. So… you are Kurono Kurumu."
Kurumu stiffened up and bowed deeply to the teacher, lacking the imagination to do anything else. She shuddered at the sensation of sudden interest flooding into her core, but she dared not move. Apparently some teachers enjoyed these short skirts too much.
"Yes, Ms. Nekonome. I am sorry if I have done something."
"Oh, no, no, child, this is nothing like that."
The teacher giggled and clapped her small hands twice.
"Up, up, Ms. Kurono. I only wanted to see the daughter of a friend."
While she was relieved with the permission to straighten, Kurumu frowned at the remark. She noted that odd grin again. The teacher seemed to have this odd habit of closing her eyes whenever she smiled.
"Daughter?"
"Yes. I was in the same class as Ageha and Tsurara."
"Oh."
Kurumu flushed, throwing a frown at her guide. Nazohashi merely shrugged.
"So how is your mother? Still popular with the guys?"
Kurumu groaned.
"I'd rather not talk about her."
"Well… if you do speak or write to her, mention me. I'm sure she would be interested to know one of her friends is your homeroom teacher."
"I guess I could."
"Oooo, you're so adorable just like she was. I absolutely love that lacy ribbon in your hair. It really suits you."
"Um… thanks."
"Ms. Nekonome? Was that all you needed me to do?"
"Oh, no, no, Ms. Nazohashi. I want you to keep those two girls out of trouble."
Kurumu bristled at the remark.
"What?!"
"Yokai Academy has always been a dangerous place for young spirits still trying to figure out their place in this world. I would feel terrible if something happened to one of the daughters of my friends while under my tutelage."
"What exactly are you wanting me to do?"
"Simply keep an eye on them and let me know if they need any help."
"What of Mr. Komiya?"
Ms. Nekonome frowned.
"What of him?"
"I saw him at lunch today, bullying that kid with Ms. Akashiya. He threw him pretty hard."
Kurumu perked up at this information.
"I will speak to him about it."
"Ma'am, if the purpose is for us to learn integration into human society, I would say Mr. Komiya deserves suspension for his actions. He clearly acted in a manner unbefitting of a human."
The teacher sighed.
"It is only the first day of school. It is normal to expect some to take some time adjusting to the rules. It grieves me to say this, but the freshmen fatality ratio is always the highest."
This clearly agitated Nazohashi.
"But… we are forbidden to kill each other!"
"Sadly, if one can get away with murder, it is treated as a mere misfortune. The school only allows a week of investigation into such things and dismisses it after that point. While human integration is our aim, the school also recognizes that some students by their nature will bring harm to humans. If they can do so without being caught, then they have proven their ability to coexist."
Kurumu shuddered at the thought. This was very different from junior high.
"But I… I really think… Komiya… expelled."
"Ms. Nazohashi. The faculty is strongly discouraged from investigating into the true forms of our students. I have no idea what I would be dealing with when I approach Mr. Komiya about his transgression."
"Hey! If you know my mother, then you know mine!"
The teacher grinned.
"Yes, yes. I specifically requested you and Ms. Shirayuki to be in my class because of that reason."
"Are you saying you are afraid of Komiya?"
"Well… yes, Ms. Nazohashi. I know looks can be deceiving, but I am merely a Nekomusume."
Kurumu gawked. There was nothing deceiving at all, as it had been outright obvious from her very introduction as to what she was.
"I'm sure you could bring another teacher if that is your concern."
"But I can't do that. Then it would be obvious that I can't hold my own."
Nazohashi sighed.
"I suppose I could talk to him before class starts tomorrow."
"Oh, that would be such a responsible thing to do, Ms. Nazohashi! I'm so glad you agreed to be our class representative."
"Y-yeah…"
"And make sure this one doesn't start any fights with Ms. Shirayuki."
Kurumu soured.
"Why would I start a fight with a girl I haven't even met yet?"
"If you two are anything like your mothers, you'll be at each other's throats in no time."
Kurumu rolled her eyes.
"I'm nothing like my mother."
"So says every girl at your age."
"Actually, I'm very much like my mother."
"Oh… you didn't have to contradict me so quickly."
Nazohashi laughed. It was the first time Kurumu had seen the girl smile and it looked good on her.
"If it isn't a bother, would you check in on Ms. Shirayuki?"
"Who, me? Certainly Ma'am."
"You should go with her, Ms. Kurono."
Kurumu smiled apologetically and bowed politely.
"I think I shall pass on this for the time being. If I may be excused?"
"Yes, you may go."
Kurumu nodded and turned about. She quickly left the room, aware that Nazohashi was likely to follow her. Realizing it would only be rude, she slowed her step. She had no idea what she would talk to the girl about, but it was probably better than walking back to the dorms alone.