CH 36
Kashiro had a hard time staying awake Monday during classes. He'd worked until midnight on his cabin Sunday night, then had to get up at three to do his four to seven shift patrolling the school grounds. The lack of sleep didn't hit him hard during his rounds because he was on his feet and moving. During his first class however, sitting quietly and trying to pay attention to the teacher, he drifted off.
When Kashiro's head fell back and he started to snore, Namiri reached over from her seat and poked him. Kashiro replied with another snore. The teacher's back was turned, she she hit him in the shoulder to wake him up.
Kashiro fell out of his seat. Waking up on the floor, he sat up wondering what happened.
"Mr. Aono," the busty brunette math teacher said as she looked down on him with a hand on her hip. "Why are you on the floor?"
"Late night," Kashiro said as he got back up into his seat as the whole class was trying to hide their giggles.
"Then perhaps you need extra study time this afternoon since you cannot pay attention mow," the teacher said.
"Can't, I have the afternoon patrol," Kashiro told her.
"Oh yes, the Student Police. Well then, Mr. Aono, I hope you pass the quiz Friday," she said with a smirk.
Kashiro rubbed his face and stretched. "I'm good now," he said becoming fully awake.
"We shall see," she said, and walked back to the front.
Kashiro's eyes started do drift shut. His head bobbed, catching himself each time he began to nod off. Thankfully the bell rang.
As soon as he got up, Namiri was by his side. "Just skip and get some sleep," she told him. "Your patrol schedule isn't that tough, is it?"
"No, but I was working all weekend," he explained.
"On what?"
"My cabin. I have to get it built," he said wandering along in a daze.
Namiri held his arm to steer him along. "Why are you building a cabin?" she asked.
"Kaiyo's coming. I have to be ready," he said and blinked to clear his vision.
"Kaiyo? That purple haired girl you took to your room?" Namiri asked in a worried tone.
"Yeah ... she's not a student, she can't stay in the dorms," Kashiro explained. He forced himself awake, and managed to take the stairs and not fall down.
"And who is Kaiyo?"
"My sister. She needs a place to stay."
"Ahh! I see!" Namiri said happily. "You're doing this for your sister. How nice of you! I'll help," Namiri told him. She then guided him to the nurse's office and to a bed. One push and he fell on the bed and passed out.
.
Kaiyo was quickly becoming irritated. Carrol and Roger were both upset that she was seeing an older boy. She sat patiently through a 'facts of life' lecture from Carrol, then Roger took his turn to inform her that boys John's age only wanted 'one thing', and to not be afraid to 'put him back in his place' if he tried anything. John was not helping any, walking her home and introducing himself as her boyfriend who would love her forever.
She managed to dodge a weekend date by hiding on the roof. She had thought John would go home when no one could find her. Nope. He sat on the front steps all day waiting for her to show up. Of course Cameron came later, wondering why John was taking so long and parked next to him. Kaiyo had to come down and spend time with John, also inviting Cameron in to avoid John trying to kiss her. Cameron dragged him home after Roger told him it was getting too late for visiting.
This 'charm' was getting out of hand.
Monday morning, John arrived to walk her to school. As they went to school with Kaiyo under John's arm, she tried to think how to shift the charm to Cameron so she could have a waking moment to herself. Getting to school, Kaiyo didn't see Reilly anywhere. That was a plus.
Thinking hard, Kaiyo knew her Mama Kurumu charmed crowds 'lightly' with her singing without even trying. Her fan mail usually arrived in a truck or in the self-clearing E-mail box. She decided to try and use one of her mother's early songs to shift the charm from herself to Cameron.
At lunch, Kaiyo let John get her lunch and pay for it.
"Here, sweetheart," John said lovingly as he set her tray in front of her. He settled down beside her, casting her puppy-dog eyes. Unnoticed, Cameron sat down on his other side.
"Thank you," Kaiyo said politely. Scanning the lunch crowd, again she noticed no Reilly. She ate her lunch with John sitting right beside her. Any closed and she'd be on his lap.
She had to do it, he was driving her crazy.
Kaiyo cast John a smile and got his attention. "John, Cameron has a song for you, but she doesn't dare sing it. Mind if I do?"
"Yeah, sure. I bet you have a voice from heaven itself!" John said, beaming her a smile.
"OK stay here," Kaiyo said and got up. "This is from Cameron," she said. Cameron was eyeing her suspiciously.
Walking to the end of the table so John had to look at Cameron to see her, she cast her illusion of music.
.
John waited eagerly for Kaiyo's song. He swore he could hear music playing as she began. Her singing was clear and heartfelt.
NOTE: ANY Rosario + Vampire fan should know this song
Hoping you might notice me
as you look the other way
I'm afraid to see
what could be
in the line of your gaze
My tender heart,
my quivering breasts
so alone and unadorned
Why can't I be the one?
Just tell me how
My heart is yours, don't you see?
I'll wait a countless sum of days,
forever if that what it takes!
How can I charm you heart and take your breath away?
Your smiling face, left with no trace!
I'm blinded through bitter tears
So I stand alone!
So I stand alone!
Yahoo yahoo, Don't. You. See?
Although the song was short, the dramatic drum rolls and lyrics hit John with their full affect. At nearby tables, he heard people weeping. Kaiyo was looking at Cameron. John noticed Cameron was looking at him. If he didn't know better, he swore her gaze looked pleading, her lips partway open as if expecting a kiss.
John returned his gaze to Kaiyo and got up. He ran over to her and hugged her tight. "You will NEVER be alone!" he promised. Right after John hugged her, another boy joined the hug from behind her, then another boy, a pair of girls, then three more guys. Everyone in the group hug was weeping.
"Bakas," Kaiyo grumbled quietly.
.
Kashiro awoke and wiped the droop off his cheek. At first he had no idea where he was. It took him a moment to realize he was in the infirmary. "How'd I get here?" he wondered aloud.
"Too tired," a flat voice said.
He sat up to see Belle watching him. "Belle?"
Belle stood up and offered her hand. "Classes are over. Come, I will help build your cabin."
Over? Kahsiro shot up. He then realized what else she said. "How do you know about my cabin?" he asked.
"Big mouth Namiri. Come."
.
Belle followed Kashiro to the dorm. He made her wait outside while he went in and got cleaned up. When he came out not only was Belle there, but so was Namiri and six other girls dressed in work boots, jeans and red and black plaid flannel shirts. Each one carried an ax over her shoulder.
"What's this?" Kashiro asked.
Thrusting out her hand in a thumbs up gesture, Namiri said, "You have to chop trees for your cabin, so we're here to help!" The girls around her nodded.
Itching his ear, Kashiro winced and said "Actually, I have enough trees cut down already. Most of the work is sawing, cutting out notches and nailing boards."
Namiri blinked at him. "Oh," she said. "We'll STILL help!" she announced.
Kashiro eyed them and said, "You can help, but only do what I tell you, OK?"
All the girls nodded. Kashiro went to his cabin with his troop of yokai lumberjacks.
Kashiro found that the girls were a help. He still cut the logs down into timbers with his large toothed saw, but they shaped the timbers and put them up on the walls. Namiri somehow became the 'foreman', and directed everyone on what to do.
Even with his long nap at school, Kashiro was weakening from the constant cutting. Taking a break, he noticed Belle come up to him. She eyed him, then opened her shirt and said "Feed."
"What are you doing?" Kashiro cried.
"You are weak. Feed," Belle said.
Kashiro was hungry. "OK, thank you," he said. He wasn't going to take blood from her breast though. He held her close and as gently as he could, sank his fangs in her neck and drew out a mouthful of blood. It tasted so good, he wanted more. He didn't want to weaken her though. Belle was hanging tight to him as she let out a sigh.
"Hey! We're suppose to be working here, not making out!" Namiri scolded as she came over, wearing a hardhat she had gotten from someplace.
Belle cast Namiri a sleepy smile. "Feed. Need blood."
Namiri eyed Belle, then Kashiro. "Oh, you're a vampire, huh?" She then waggled her finger at Kashiro. "You're not suppose to say what you are at school!" she scolded.
"We're not at school," Kashiro reminded her.
"Oh," Namiri said. She tossed her hardhat off then started unbuttoning her shirt and stated, "I'm next."
"Whoa! Thank you, but you don't need to take your shirt off," Kashiro told her.
"Belle did," Namiri countered. She flung her shirt off to show her pink bra. She then pulled Belle away from him and hugged him, casting him a blushing smile.
Kashiro drank from Namiri, then saw another girl waiting. Her shirt was off, showing her plain white bra.
"Just a bit more," Namiri said with a happy sigh as she clung to him.
"I'm good now, honest," Kashiro told them. He gently pushed Namiri off him.
Namiri snapped her shirt up and shrugged it on saying, "All right, feeding time of over, back to work!"
Kashiro was wide awake now and felt pretty good. He sawed a small pile of timbers, then his alarm clock rang. It was time for a patrol. He re-wound his clock he kept inside on the table stump.
The cabin was going up much faster, the walls were two meters high now. He also noticed there were no window holes, and the doorway went up the full two meters. "Ah, Namiri? Can I talk to you?" he asked.
Kashiro explained to Namiri about the need for doors and windows, and how she had to think 'house', when putting the walls up before he left. With that done, he asked they not work all night, then went off on patrol.
.
The patrol with Jun was as boring as usual. Jun quizzed Kashiro on rules and regulations as they walked along past the main school building. It helped pass the time. Once their patrol was over, they returned to the station house and checked out for the night. Kashiro went to his dorm room, got some sleep and was up and ready for the school day three hours early.
Going out to check on his cabin, Kashiro noticed it looked ... odd. The walls were straight, and although small, there were holes for the windows. The doorway was tall enough, a little over two meters. He then realized what was odd. It had a flat roof made of timbers.
Kashiro had to re-do the roof. Not a big deal, since he'd had so much help getting this far. When he looked inside, he found Belle curled up, sleeping on the stump-table. All the other girls were sleeping on the floor.
"Ah, morning!" Kashiro called. "We need to go to school!"
Heads perked up, then panic. Kashiro was bowled over as they rushed out the door.
"Ouch," Kashiro moaned as he got up. Belle appeared before him and helped him to his feet.
"Feed?" she asked with a blush.
"I'm good," Kashiro said quickly. "You have to get ready for school."
Belle gave a fast nod. "Then more work on our cabin," she said, and left.
Kashiro smiled and watched her go, then tried to think about what to do in the couple hours he had. He then paused and asked no one, "Wait, OUR cabin?"
.
Kaiyo was looking for any signs of Reilly. She walked to John's house as she asked Cameron about it. John was high in his glory walking with his arm around her. Kaiyo didn't even think he heard what her and Cameron were saying.
"No news, not at school, or in the papers," Cameron said. Flicking her eyes at John, she added, "It's safe to give him back."
Kaiyo frowned. "I would really like to think so. Reilly only wanted to use John. What worries me is why she gave up so easily. In her mind, she was set on splitting up you and John. I'd like to find this Jesse she was working for. I know what she looks like, but I don't know where to find her."
"Can you use your tail to show me what she looks like?" Cameron asked.
"No, sorry, I can only read minds, I can't show you what's in mine."
Coming to a curved driveway, Cameron steered them up it and said, "Make me a drawing, I need to find Jesse."
"I'll try. I don't draw very well," Kaiyo told her.
An angry looking brunette woman stood on stairs in the driveway retaining wall. Arms crossed over her chest, the thin woman eyed the trio.
"Hi Mom, this is Kaiyo, the girl I've been telling you about," John said happily.
Kaiyo bowed to her. "Greetings, Mrs. Conner ... I mean, Mrs. Baum."
Sarah's nose flared at John. "Inside, now," she grated.
"Never say that name," Cameron cautioned.
They went inside. John's mother looked pissed.
Right after they got inside, Sarah commanded, "John, kitchen! You two stay here!"
"Mrs. ... Baum, I can explain," Kaiyo said quickly.
"All right, explain," Sarah said heavily, eyeing Kaiyo with daggers in her eyes.
"Reilly didn't care about John, she was only trying to get him away from Cameron," Kaiyo explained. "Cameron asked me to get John away from Reilly, and I did. As soon as I am sure Reilly is gone, I'll give John back to Cameron."
Sarah's face flushed in anger. "WHAT? You think you can treat John as some ... toy to manipulate and pass around?" she asked in a shriek. "And what do you mean by 'giving' John back to Cameron? Just who in the hell are you?"
Kaiyo wasn't that surprised at her anger. Papa had been plenty mad when he found out she was involved with Kashiro. "Mrs. Baum, I know this may come as a shock to you, and it's not like John and Cameron are true brother and sister, I mean, Cameron is a golem after all, but they do belong to each other."
Snapping her glare to Cameron, Sarah asked, "WHAT have you been telling this child?"
"Kaiyo has learned everything on her own. She can read minds," Cameron explained.
Screwing her face up in disbelief, Sarah turned on John. "And you are falling for this? And telling people about us? John, what is wrong with you?" Sarah raged.
"Not his fault, I charmed him," Kaiyo offered.
"You, be quiet!" Sarah snapped at Kaiyo, then snapped her head back to John. "WELL?"
John held Kaiyo close and said, "It's OK Mom, Kaiyo is awesome. She won't tell anyone."
"And you know this HOW? Just because you have the hots for a little girl? You are out of control, John! She is at least two years younger than you. Tell me you don't see that! And what the hell is this shit that you belong to Tin Miss here?"
"She's not made of tin," Kaiyo said.
"SHUT UP!" Sarah snapped, glaring at her.
Kaiyo frowned back at her. "Don't tell me to shut up! Maybe you should listen!"
"You can leave, NOW!" Sarah grated.
"But, Mom!" John pleaded.
Sarah fumed in place. "You're right, she does know about us, so what do we do with her, John?"
"You can send me home, like Cameron told me she would," Kaiyo offered.
"Where do you live?" Sarah asked.
"Witch Hill."
Sarah let out a snort and shook her head. "I see, this is an elaborate joke, right? Get one over on Sarah." She let out a giggle that sounded like she was going mad. "Yes, making up a story about little miss Kruger here getting the best of Cameron, then making the mutant your girlfriend. Very good, John. You got me."
Becoming angry, Kaiyo said, "My name is Kaiyo Aono, NOT Kruger. And don't call me a mutant again!"
Sarah waved a finger at her. "This is all very funny," she said, not sounding amused at all. "But I see through your plan. I got it, the joke's over. You can leave now."
"It's not a joke," Cameron stated.
Sarah eyed Cameron malevolently. "Prove it!" she snapped.
Angry at her, Kaiyo waved her hand in the air over Sarah's head.
BONG
The brass pan appeared and came down on Sarah's head. Sarah collapsed.
"Mom?" John asked and went to her as she held her head and moaned.
Cameron looked at Kaiyo. "You should leave. She might shoot you when she gets up."
Kaiyo took her advice.