Capu 4 ch 10 OH MY GOD
Tsukune was surprised to find Ruby at the front door with Chris Tappan, bag in hand.
"We need to talk, and Miss Tappan needs a room," Ruby said.
Takio, one of the 'harem', had come to announce Ruby's arrival. Tsukune knew her shift was almost up. He'd followed her down to greet Ruby so Takio could leave for the day. He wasn't expecting a guest. "Takio, before you leave could you show Miss Tappan to the guest quarters?" he asked.
"Yes, M'Lord," Takio said with a bow and held her hand out to Chris. Chris bowed deeply to Tsukune, then went with Takio. Once they were on their way, Tsukune motioned Ruby to the sitting room.
"Why did you bring her here?" Tsukune asked as they settled down in chairs.
Ruby pursed her lips to collect her thoughts. "Because our house is already full, and I cannot put her in the dorms," she said. "You see, Chris ... has male parts."
"Oh," Tsukune said slowly. "So Chris is really a guy? Put him in the boy's dorm then."
Ruby shook her head and said, "You don't understand. Chris is a girl. Males will catch her scent."
Tsukune raised an eyebrow at her. "You just said Chris is a boy."
"And a girl," Ruby said.
"Huh? She ... I mean, Chris can't be both," Tsukune complained.
Slowly, Ruby clasped her hands and explained. "It is very rare, but Chris is a hermaphrodite, carrying both fully functional male and female genitalia. From what I've learned from Chris, that has caused many problems. Chris has been treated less than kind by others. Everything from being called a freak, to abusive and even violent attacks. Chris also is a witch. With the religious upbringing Chris has had, Chris views witchcraft as evil, so she insists that she cannot be a witch because God has accepted her."
Tsukune didn't know how to respond to that. "Have you gotten her to talk besides singing and prayers?" he asked hoping for some good news.
"I have, but once she realized I used a spell, she has been fighting it." Putting a hand to the side of her head in frustration, Ruby said, "From what I can tell, Chris is smart, and yes, Chris does have power, but it is uncontrolled. She first insisted I was an angel. After I convinced her I was a witch... things almost got ugly. She stopped short of attacking me and started crying out for you. I promised her I would bring her to you to calm her down."
"Why me?"
Ruby locked her eyes on Tsukune and said, "Chris sees you as God."
"What? Me ... God?" Tsukune asked wide-eyed.
"Chris told me she can sense yokai energy. Only to Chris, it's holy energy," Ruby explained. "To her, you are the great and powerful God All Mighty."
Tsukune stared at her. "That's not even funny," he said.
"Well that is how she sees you," Ruby said with a shrug.
Tsukune shook his head, "No ... no way, we have to set her straight right now!"
"You can't!" Ruby insisted. "All Chris knows is religion. Chris is only behaving now because you are God. If you destroy that illusion, it will most likely destroy Chris. As I said, Chris does have uncontrolled power. If Chris becomes very upset we may have to do something harsh to stop her. We might even have to kill Chris. You cannot just come out and tell Chris you are not god."
"Then what am I suppose to do?" Tsukune cried as he flailed his arms out. "I can't have someone running around telling people I'm God!"
Ruby shrugged. "Maybe if you break it to her slowly. And I mean very slowly, you can get Chris to accept what is real."
"How do I do that?"
"Lie to her," Ruby stated. "We've lied to people before. You lied to your parents. They didn't know you'd become a vampire until you had no choice but to tell them."
Flopping back, Tsukune dry washed his face. "I don't believe this," he moaned.
"Chris is in desperate need of help. Help only you can give," Ruby said firmly.
Tsukune didn't like lying, especially about something like this. He wondered briefly if lightning was going to strike him down for pretending to be God to this girl ... guy ... whatever Chris was! From what he could see, he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. "OK," he said with a heavy breath.
"Lord Aono, Miss Tappan would like to speak with you," Takio said from the doorway.
Tsukune gave Ruby a lost look. "Would you please send her in?" he asked Takio.
"Yes, M'Lord."
"Then that will be all today. Thank you." To Ruby, Tsukune said in an unhappy tone, "If you wouldn't mind, could you stay so we can fabricate this lie together?"
"Of course, M'Lord," Ruby said with a grin.
"It's not funny," Tsukune reminded her.
Chris came in a short while later and immediately dropped to her knees, hands clasped together. Before she could start a prayer or a song dedicated to him, Tsukune went over to her and clasped his hands over hers. "Chris, we need to speak. Come over here and sit, please," he said gently.
Tsukune got Chris into the chair beside his. "You need to listen to me carefully, can you do that?" he asked.
Chris nodded vigorously, eager to hear words straight from God's mouth.
Tsukune then explained his 'cover story' to her. "Chris, here my name is Aono Tsukune. No matter what you know, you MUST call me Lord Aono, or around the house here, Tsukune. It is very important we keep our ... true identities secret." He then fed the poor child lies about who everyone else was and what to call them to keep people from finding out who they really were.
Ruby herself was happy to hear that she was an undercover angel.
.
Kurumu came flying home from band practice. Their new manager, who used to be that other woman's manager before the she was fired in a screaming fit, was an energetic woman by the name of Iwasaka Kata. Miss Iwasaka was already distributing their recordings to all the major radio stations in Japan, got them a record contract and had another 'opener' concert scheduled in Komatsu for the early fall, and another two weeks later in Kamakura.
At first, Kurumu wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of not being close enough to home to see their babies every day. The rest of the band members were excited, and through Miss Iwasaka's enthusiasm -and valid point that she could help take care of her family financially - was why Kurumu agreed to the concert. It would be hard for her to be away from her family, but since it was for their benefit, she agreed to it, so long as it was all right with Tsukune.
Gliding down over the house, Kurumu came in for a landing just over the second floor balcony railing. Folding her wings as she dropped down to run inside, she called, "Tsukune, I have the BEST news!" Coming to a halt she scooped up Kumiko and gave her a kiss. Akemi cried for attention, so Kurumu scooped her up too.
"How are my sweeties today?" Kurumu asked the babies. Seeing Tsukune appear with a blonde girl trailing after him, Kurumu cast him a smirk as she said, "I'd hug you, but my arms are full."
Then let me do the honors." Tsukune gave her a loose hug and a kiss.
"Another angel, and cherubs," Chris said happily.
Kurumu stared at her, then beamed her a smile. "Oh isn't that sweet!" she said happily.
Tsukune cleared his throat. "No Chris, this is Kurumu, my wife, and these are my children, Akemi and Kumiko," he explained.
Chris cast Tsukune a confused look, then nodded knowingly. "Oh, right. I forgot, I'm sorry." She then looked behind her and asked, "But I thought The ... I mean, Moka was your wife?"
"I have two wives. You have to remember that," Tsukune coaxed.
"I won't forget," Chris assured him.
Kurumu noted something odd. While Chirs seemed to be a girl she couldn't help noticing a very male feeling of lust coming from Chris as the girl eyed her. "Tsukune? Who is ... this?" Kurumu almost said 'she', but with the feelings Kurumu was getting, this was some cross-dressing boy.
"This is Chris, she will be staying with us for a while," Tsukune said quickly.
"Greetings, Chris," Kurumu said pleasantly.
Chris bowed to Kurumu while sweeping her body with her eyes. Chris then asked, "Are you really Lilith?"
"This is Kurumu," Tsukune told Chris.
"Who's Lilith?" Kurumu asked as she eyed Tsukune suspiciously.
Eager to show her knowledge, Chris said, "Lilith was Adam's first wife that God sent to him, but she was really a succubus, and Adam rejected her."
"Very good, Chris!" Tsukune said quickly before Kurumu could say anything. Smiling at her, he asked, "Could you please tell Yukari it's almost time for dinner? You remember who she is, right?"
Chris nodded and ran off.
"Who's Adam? And why does he have against Succubi?" Kurumu asked, puzzled by the conversation.
Tsukune left out a huff and said, "OK, hon, bear with me for a moment..."
.
"NANA!"
Nana looked up. "I'm being called," she said. Hopping down, she stood in front of Apollo who had quieted his crying. Holding his face in her hands, Nana looked at him seriously and said, "Nana has to go now, but if you need a friend, or feel really sad again, you come see me and we'll eat ice cream again. No more fighting, OK?"
Apollo couldn't help but gently caress her face. "Such a pure, sweet child," he whispered.
Nana offered him a smile. "I have to go now, see you later," she said happily. With a wave, she ran off with a yell of, "COMING!"
Apollo watched the child go. As he did, suddenly the school at Witch Hill made perfect sense. He'd heard about the backlash from his attack on Witch Hill. The media had focused on one thing, how the students had banded together, no matter what they were. Their school song. The public memorial to the Yokai who'd died saving a girl's life. Even Lucy, for how caustic she was, was being swayed not by any laws or decrees, but by living and learning in a school environment. Aono wasn't trying to make adults see reason, he was teaching their kids to get along. Once the children were taught to live together, they would grow up and teach their children to relish differences, not despise them.
It was a stroke of genius.
.
The undercover policeman that had been watching Mr. Kayanaka's gang finally had a good report to submit. He finally had names not only of those Yakuza, but also of a rival gang that had sent that kid to spy on them. He left his 'homeless' box in the usual way. Going down a back alley, he came out on another street and began pestering people until he got picked up and taken to a station by a patrol. Once there, he was released at the main desk, and went to his own desk to type up his report, complete with pictures.
Satisfied they had enough names to begin checking other records, he turned his report in, and waited for the Captain to review it.
"Furuta, get in here!" the Captain bellowed.
Furuta went into the Captain's office, noting the sour look on the man's face. "Sir?" he asked.
The Captain eyed him. Reaching over, he turned his shredder on. "I'm doing you a favor," the Captain grated, and shredded his report.
Furuta's jaw dropped, "But, Captain ..."
"Shut up, and sit down."
Once Furuta did, the Captain eyed him angrily. "Don't watch many movies, do you?" he asked.
"No Sir, I am focused on my job. Why did you do that?" Furuta complained. "I have good info from that kid, and pictures."
"The kid huh? His name was..."
"Strange name, Kint. Said his friends call him Verbal."
"Right, and who did he work for?"
"A man named Kaizer Soze."
Holding up a picture of a man carrying a briefcase into the cafe, the Captain asked, "Who's this?"
"Mr. Kobayashi. The kid knows who he is, a lawyer I suspect works for Soze."
The Captain slapped the picture face down and wrote on the back. As he wrote, the Captain said, "Pick up this movie. Watch it, then tell me what was wrong with your report." He slid the picture over to him.
"The kid lied to me?"
"If this was the old days, you'd be forced to commit Sepuuku out of embarrassment," the Captain stated.
* Note : Sepuuku is Hari-Kari (Gutting yourself)
Flustered, Furuta said, "Sir, let me drag that kid in here and get to the bottom of this."
Sporting a humorless grin, the Captain said, "My guess is, you'll never hear from him again."
.
In a convent on a remote mountain in New Zealand, Angela put her bags down by her plain bed. Getting out of her traveling clothes, she washed up and re-clipped her short gray hair.
It had been nice to go visit the missions in South America and see the sights of the jungles and give words of encouragement to the priests and sisters there, as well as break bread with the locals. It also was wonderful to see the Mayans were re-learning their language and history that had been taken away from them so long ago by the Spanish. Better yet, it seemed all had gone well in her absence. The report from Sister Collin was uplifting.
Nothing was broken, no walls had fallen down, no windows or ceilings exploded in her absence.
Angela put on the white and gold habit marking her as Mother Superior. With a quick listen to be sure no one was near, she reached her hand out toward her small desk where her rosary beads lay. The beads flew across the room and into her hand. She smiled at her small piece of mischief. One of the tiny bits of decatance she allowed herself. It was these bits that allowed her to retain control over Miss Tappan when she had her 'moments'. Coaxing her calm, assuring her everything was all right with just a touch of the Gift.
Ever since Chris had come here when she was only a toddler, Angela cared for her. For safety's sake, Angela made sure that Chris was known as a girl. As a boy, Chris would have been sent to a monastery, and the thought of Chris having no one to guide her or calm her fits was just too disturbing to think about. Angela understood Chris' difficulties all too well. Chris had the Gift, or if some were to be believed, the Curse. Angela took the stand that how one used their power, determined if it was a gift or curse.
Everyone here knew something wasn't right with Chris, and a few made matters worse. Obviously, Chris would not bathe with the other girls, and took some harassment for it. The worst being when a couple less than pure girls had seen her naked, and later cornered Chris in the garden shed. They had chided and threw things at her until she screamed. When her scream sounded out, the roof came off the shed quite suddenly, throwing boards and roofing all over. Angela had seen what happened, and rushed into the falling down structure to calm Chris down. Later, she let those girls firmly know that it was God's anger at what they had done, that caused the explosion. Thankfully, the girls believed her. She made girls to apologize, then sent them in for fifty 'Hail Marys', and extra cleaning chores.
Angela went out to her office and picked up the two months worth of mail that had been waiting for her.
"Mother Superior, it is good to see you returned safe and sound," Sister Bennet said happily as she came in.
"Thank you, Sister. It is good to be home," Angela replied with a smile. Leafing through her letters, she saw one that had Chris' handwriting. Staring at it, she checked the return address, Japan.
"Where is Miss Tappan?" Angela asked, not believing what she was seeing. This couldn't be right! How did Chris get to Japan? She felt the blood drain from her face. Chris did not accept change very well. That meant trouble.
With a smile of relief, Sister Bennet said, "Father Lucia found a good home for Miss Tappen."
"DAMN!" Angela spat, which caused Sister Bennet to back up and gape at her. In a throaty voice, Angela said, "I want to speak with Father Lucia, right now!"
"Yes, Mother Superior," the Sister said, and fled the room.
Hands shaking, Angela dropped her mail except for Chris' letter. She tore it open, tossing the envelope on the floor. The single page letter was in Chris' fine script.
Dear Mother Superior,
I have arrived safely in God's house. It is a bit strange, but very wonderful here! I have been blessed to meet God and a variety of Angels. I am very glad I took my bible studies seriously, for some Angels I can recognize. The Christmas Angel is real! I watched her make ice on the pool so she could swim in it, and she made it snow for me. I can see without a doubt that we are all God's creatures, and God loves us all. Remember the Genesis story of how God gave Lilith to Adam first? She's here! I have no idea why Adam rejected her, she is so pretty! I also saw the Holy Mother, she has pink hair. Some I don't know who they are. Others, I can tell by their feel who they are. The Angel of Death is a woman with pink hair and horns. Lucifer came to talk to God. I knew it was him by the evil I could feel coming off him. He was polite, but seemed unhappy. I suppose I would be too if God cast me down. Gabriel was also here, he has the light blonde hair, flowing robes and is very handsome, though I don't think he and the Angel of Death get along very well.
School is starting soon, and the Angel Ruby has put me in a class and provided a uniform for me. My room is truly magnificent, as you would expect in God's house. The bed is big enough put half the choir in! I have my own bath, so I can bathe in peace and not have to worry about someone seeing me. A servant does all my laundry, wakes me in the morning, and comes to get me for meals. I feel so special living here.
I have begun to study for school. That and playing with the cherubs is all I really have to do. The little Angel, Yukari, told me we will have to study other things when I am ready.
"Drugs," Angela muttered as she stopped reading. Father Lucia had taken Chris to some hospital where they pumped her full of drugs, making her hallucinate. Chris was seeing figures from the bible instead of whoever was really around her. They were drugging that poor child!
Livid in rage, Angela had the sense to snap up the envelope and see where it had come from. The place was called Witch Hill. Very ironic, but still, it confirmed to her that the place was an asylum.
She stormed off to give Father Lucia a piece of her mind and get Chris back home
Striding across the compound, Angela went into the Priests office building with the door opening before her. The father's door was open, he was on the phone with someone. Angela shut the door behind her as she glared at him.
Wearing a surprised look, Father Lucia held up a finger for her to wait and said, "Yes, that will be.." He stopped speaking as the phone yanked itself out of his hand and slammed down on the desk. As he stared at the unruly phone, Angela tossed the letter down.
"Explain this! What did you do with Chris Tappan?" she snapped.
Father Lucia eyed her, then the phone. He picked up the letter and scanned over it. Setting it back down he drew a breath and said, "I did what needed to be done. Those people can take care of her."
"Did you read that? They are drugging her out of her mind!" Angela cried.
"The child is possessed!" Father Lucia snapped back. "Mother Superior, we called in an exorcist to deal with the evil within her..."
"You, Imbecile!" Angela roared. "Chris doesn't need an exorcist, she needs love and support! Grant me an airline ticket to Japan. I'm going to bring Chris back before something disastrous happens! You are endangering her life, and possibly others."
"We cannot have her here, these people know how to deal with her kind," Father Lucia insisted.
"And just WHAT is her kind?" Angela asked in a caustic tone. If he said anything about being a freak, or 'creepy', she was going to put him through a wall.
Glaring back at her, Father Lucia stated, "That girl is not human! I don't know what she is, but that Aono guy knows how to take care of ... inhumans. Mother Superior, Chris Tappan is out of our hands."
Angela's whole body shook as she worked to contain her rage. "And who is this Aono? What makes him so capable to take care of a confused girl such as Chris? Read that letter, they have her filled up with some pretty strong drugs. How can you tell me the way to care for someone, is to put them away in la-la land for the rest of their life?"
"I am sure there is another explanation."
"Read the damn letter!" Angela growled.
Father Lucia let out a huff and shook his head. Sternly, he said, "Mother Superior, you are obviously very distressed. I know you were close to that girl, and I'm sorry, but we cannot deal with her. I would suggest you spend some time in prayer to collect yourself."
Angela looked down on Father Lucia and a sly grin crossed her face. "Yes," she agreed, "Suggestion is a very good idea."
.
Two hours later, Angela was back in traveling clothes and waiting at the airport for her flight to Japan. She had even 'suggested' to Father Lucia for two return tickets and some money to live on.