Note : Very soon, things are bout to become 'M' rated for safety due to content. Instead of shifting the entire fic to "M", the follow on chapters will be put up as Capu5M, and continue on the same story lines. I will add this change to the description on both sections to bridge them together. Why M rated? Hmm, maybe I should sing! "Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet..." :)
CH 39
Tsukune strode down the halls of the newly built school outside the town of Schors in the Ukraine. There were still workmen around finishing up the details. A few yokai were painting the walls, and one was hovering near the ceiling on his back, small buckets of paint dangling around him as he painted a mural.
Making his way to the office, Tskune introduced himself to the blue secretary with white hair and yellow eyes. "Aono Tsukune, Ma'am. I'm here to see the director."
"Oh, Lord Aono!" she beamed at him. "This is such an honor!" She then hit the button on her intercom. "Mr. Smith,Lord Aono is here to see you."
"Show him in, please," John Smith's voice replied.
The secretary jumped up and wrapped her long, slim fingers around the door marked 'Director' and opened it for him. Beaming him a smile, she said, '"Lord Aono, I want to thank you for all you've done for all yokai."
"You're welcome," Tsukune told her pleasantly. His smile vanished when he saw John, Ageha and Apollo sitting around a table with the school plans before them. He waited until the door was shut, then asked, "Where is Kaiyo?"
"Ohh Tsukune!" Ageha said. She got up and went over to him. "I'm so happy you came to see us!"
"You might not be," Tsukue warned.
"Don't be like that," Ageha said, attempting to be cheerful. "We were just taking care of that sweet girl. We do need to talk, Tsukune, dear."
Apollo got up out of his seat and faced Tsukune. "Yes, we DO need to talk," he stated heavily.
"Damn right we do!" Tsukune replied in a hard tone. "What did you do with my daughter?"
"What you failed to do, keep her safe!" Apollo snapped back.
Glaring at Apollo, Tsukune yelled, "You have no idea what's you've done! I kept Kashiro and Kaiyo apart for a GOOD REASON! How DARE you interfere!"
"I interfered to save MY Great Granddaughter's LIFE!" Apollo yelled back. "It was YOU who dumped her in a world set to explode in two years! It was YOU who took her away from her Destined One, fated her to shrivel and DIE! What kind of father are you?"
Tsukune's fangs grew longer as his hair turn silver. "You pompous bastard ..." His yokai energy flared.
"STOP!" Ageha screamed as she got between them. "Tsukune, Apollo, this is not helping! Let me explain, PLEASE!"
"You can explain why he interfered with my family business?" Tsukune growled.
"Apollo didn't interfere, I did!" Ageha barked at Tsukune.
Tsukune blinked. "What? Ageha, why? You know Kashiro and Kaiyo are brother and sister, they can't have a relationship together!" he cried.
"They already do," Ageha countered. "For good or ill, they already do. Kashiro is Kaiyo's Destined One, her Mate of Fate. They are perfect for each other."
"How can you say that?" Tsukune wailed. "You know the dangers of siblings... Why would you put them back together?"
"Stop thinking human!" Ageha snapped. Calming herself, she explained, "Yes, human siblings mating can cause all sorts of problems with their children. Kashiro is a vampire, Kaiyo is a succubus. Tsukune, the only children a succubus can have, is more succubi. You haven't noticed both your daughters by Kurumu look all but identical? If you took a picture of me when I was in high school you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between me and Kurumu, or Kumiko. It doesn't matter what we mate with, our children will basically be clones of us."
Tsukune stared at her as his yokai energy receded. "But ..."
Arms over his chest in triumph, Apollo said, "Quite frustrating when you see something happening you can do nothing about. Isn't it, Tsukune?
"Apollo, enough, please!" Ageha said, turning to him. She turned back to Tsukune. "Tsukune, you know I love you, but you made the wrong choice."
Fuming, Tsukune asked, "If that is true, then why didn't Kurumu tell me that?"
"Tsukune, dear, For the last few years Kurumu has been ... immersed in human culture. I know she does it for you, and for her singing career. Sometimes I think she has forgotten how to be a succubus. I'm not saying that she is doing anything a bad, she is happy and you are all doing well. In this one case, she has forgotten something very important. I could not let that go, dear. I could not let something bad happen to one of my precious granddaughters," Ageha said, finishing in an almost pleading tone. "I had Apollo retrieve Kaiyo for her own good, and yours. I know you would feel terrible if something bad happened to Kaiyo."
Tsukune had never heard Ageha put forth such a well constructed argument. She was obviously very serious. Still, he had a hard time with his son and one of his daughters being together. "But, It was best..." he stopped as Ageha shook her head.
"No, dear. It is best if they are together. You must stop thinking human, they are yokai," Ageha said gently.
What she was saying grated against Tsukune hard. Everything he had learned told him Kashiro and Kaiyo being together was in no way acceptable. Then again, he had learned the human way. He'd made the mistake of 'thinking human' before, and it had almost cost him his precious wives. Tsukune gave a stiff nod. He by no means liked it, but he had to accept it.
"All right," he said with sand in his throat. "Can you tell me where to find them?"
.
Kashiro left school with Belle on one side, Namiri on the other, and three more girls tagging along behind them. Kashiro carried the large box of parts to build a shower, Namiri carried the top of the toilet tank, Belle carried the base. The girls behind them carried piping and fixtures.
"Ahhh, we can finally go inside and not have to run out into the woods," Namiri said happily.
"You can stay at the dorm," Kashiro reminded her.
"No way! We built our house, we're staying there!" Namiri announced.
"Our house," Belle said and cast a smile at Kashiro.
Coming to his cabin that was somehow becoming a 'their house' a somewhat bigger than he'd planned it to be, Kashiro turned to the girls and asked, "Who has the drills and the windmill parts?"
"I do," A small dark haired girl said who was holding a box twice her size.
"OK, take them off to the left there, I'll be right back out."
"No," Belle said. "Take them over by those two big stumps to the right, that's where the water is."
Kashiro nodded. "Thanks, Belle," he told her. She replied with a smile.
With all these parts, Kashiro knew he'd have to build some kind of shed to start putting things in. They had extra lumber, so that wouldn't be a problem. He also realized that if he would have thought to put in a back door, or a kitchen door, they wouldn't have to walk through the house with all this stuff. "Live and learn," he mussed. Tomorrow's project, make a kitchen door.
Dragging his large box of supplies through the house, since he could not carry them through the door, Kashiro headed for the to-be bathroom. Kaiyo appeared and helped him get started, then went out to the kitchen and got dinner started for everyone as they worked.
.
Tsukune found the location of Kashiro's house by the hammering and sawing noises. A couple Student Police told him about where Kashiro was building his house, but they were not certain of it's location. He followed the sounds and found it. Outside, two girls were working on a windmill, one high up on top while the other was at ground level. Another girl was pounding a rod in the ground underneath it. She struck the rod down to ground level, then screwed in another on top of it, and kept pounding it deeper.
Tsukune stopped and watched. When that rod was almost to ground level, water spurted up out of it.
"Yay! We got water!" the girl cried, and quickly put a pump on top of the pipe. Between her and girl on the lower part of the windmill, they got the pump hooked up, and started filling jugs of water as the windmill ran the pump. Yet another girl was making a pipe run between the windmill and the house. Tsukune followed the pipe run back to the house and up the side to a good sized tank by the top of the chimney. A pipe ran into the house up under the eaves.
Tsukune walked up to the house, noting the rough but solid structure. It was a log style design, but with squared off logs instead of rounded ones. The house was good sized, most likely two floors, although someone had forgotten to put windows in the front of the second floor.
Going to the front door, Tsukune knocked and watched the windmill get finished as he waited. The girl up on top was climbing down the structure. Tsukune shook his head and chuckled. He wondered what they were gong to do when the wind died down.
A raven haired girl came around to the front. Seeing him, she stopped short and blinked. "Our house," she said.
"Yes, and you are doing very well building it," Tsukune assured her. "Is Kashiro here?"
The girl nodded. "This way," she said, and went in.
Going inside, Tsukune caught the pleasant smell of stew. At a rough wood table, Kaiyo had a pot of stew in the center, and was setting the table. She glanced at the dark haired girl and said, "Belle, we don't have enough chairs. Help me with that..." Kaiyo then froze in place. Slowly she turned to see Tsukune.
"Greetings, Kaiyo, didn't expect to see you here," Tsukune said evenly.
Kaiyo's mouth moved, but nothing came out. She finally gasped out, "Papa?"
Tsukune looked around as he approached her. "A little rough, but overall, a nice job. For a hand build house, it is very nice," he mussed.
"Papa! I ... I can explain!" Kaiyo said quickly as she turned pale.
"Help?" Belle asked as she grabbed one side of the bench and looked at them.
Tsukune went over and helped Belle take the bench over to the table. He glanced at Kaiyo, who was staring at him wide-eyed, her mouth hanging open. "I can see you're busy, Kaiyo, we'll talk when you have some time," he told her.
Once the bench was in place, Belle went over to Kaiyo and pushed her chin up to shut her mouth. "Not pretty," Belle said.
The action got Kaiyo moving. She bowed quickly to Tsukune, just missing banging her head on the table in her bow. "Welcome, Papa, I ... will be right back." She then fled the room. A few seconds later, her panicked voice drifted back to them. "Kashiro, Papa's HERE!"
Tsukune headed for the voices.
After a crash and a curse, Kashiro's voice drifted out. "What? You're not serious!"
"I am, he's right out there! What are we going to do?"
"OK, calm down. I'll think of something."
"Kashiro, I'm scared!" Kaiyo whinnied.
When he heard Kaiyo crying, Tsukune stopped just outside the doorway to the room where materials lay against the wall.
"It's OK, everything will be OK. Please stop crying. I'll make everything OK," Kashiro said in a soft voice.
Tsukune looked at the floor. Kaiyo was afraid of him? That thought made him feel horrible, to have one of his children terrified him as if he were someone out to do them harm. He knew without looking, Kashiro was holding Kaiyo close, doing his best to comfort her. Her only support in the world.
"There's nothing to be afraid of," he said, hoping they would part so he didn't have to see them hugging. "I just found out some information that you need to know."
Tsukune stepped into view. Kashiro and Kaiyo were side by side, an arm around each other, looking at him as if he were about to attack them. Damn, this was hard! Before he lost his focus and yelled at them to get away from each other, Tsukune said, "I talked to Ageha. Apparently, my ... concerns for you two ... being together was unfounded." Tsukune took a breath to struggle on. "I was wrong and I nearly caused ... all of us much grief. I can't say I ... in any way ... like the two of you in a relationship like this. But, if that is what you truly want . If that is what makes you happy ... I'll deal with it." Pausing, he said with a sad chuckle, "When your mothers and I got married, we caught hell. Many people didn't like it, but they had to live with it. Now, it's my turn I guess." Wanting to get away from this subject as quickly as possible, Tsukune looked at the jumble of shower wall, pieces of pipe all over, and the toilet lying on it's side and asked, "So, Kashiro, need any help in here?"
"Thank you, Papa!" Kaiyo wailed and ran into him, hugging him tight.
Tsukune hugged her back. "You are going to school at Yokai. I brought your records, you're expected in the main office tomorrow to register," he told her firmly.
"Yes, Papa," Kaiyo said with a sniff. "I have to go get dinner ready."
Tsukune released her. She took a couple steps then turned and asked, "Papa? You're staying for dinner, right?" she asked with a tearful smile.
"I'd be happy to," Tsukune told her. "Oh! One more thing," he said. "In your file, I put you down as having a maiden name of Kurono. You two were promised to each other in an arraigned marriage. Both of you got that?"
"Yes, Papa," Kaiyo said and went off to call everyone to dinner.
"You got that?" Tsukune asked Kashiro.
Kashiro nodded. "I, um, already told people Kaiyo was my sister," he offered weakly.
"You had to lie to cover up the truth," Tsukune said evenly.
Kashiro offered him a smile. "Of course, Papa."
"And son, I fully expect you to take care of Kaiyo. She's your responsibility now."
Straightening himself, Kashiro nodded. "I will do my very best."
"Good," Tsukune said, then asked, "I take it this mess is going to be the bathroom?"
A much relieved Kashiro showed his father what he was doing.
.
The stew was hot and good. Nothing to brag about, but it was obvious Kaiyo had put all her effort into it. The girls were excited about meeting THE Aono Tsukune, leaving Kashiro alone to talk quietly with Kaiyo as they sat side by side. The only uproar came when Namiri mentioned that Kashiro was so kind to let his sister move in with them.
"Kaiyo is not really Kahiro's sister," Tsukune told the group. "Long ago Kashiro and Kaiyo were promised to each other for marriage. To keep that promise, Kaiyo took on the name Aono."
Namiri gapped at Tsukune. "You mean ... they are MARRIED?" she ended in a high pitched squeak.
"Not officially yet and are not due to marry until they are at least seventeen," Tsukune said, stressing the age for Kashiro and Kaiyo's benefit. "But , yes they will be wed."
"That's not fair, making Kashiro marry anyone!" Namiri stated loudly. "He should get to choose his wife."
"Me," Belle stated.
"Why Kaiyo?" Namiri asked in a stressed voice.
Tsukune wasn't going to admit it was because Kashiro was already registered in school as 'Kashiro Aono'. Kaiyo was the only one he had a chance to change. "Their union will keep the bond between the Aono's and the Kurono's firm."
"If Kashiro HAS to marry Kaiyo ... then he should be able to choose another wife for himself," Namiri stated.
"Me," Belle said.
Kaiyo frowned at Namiri and asked, "What's wrong with me being his wife? If we didn't agree, then we wouldn't be doing it."
Pointing her finger at Kaiyo in a grand gesture, Namiri said, "You are the political wife, only for show. Kashiro is going to need a REAL wife also!"
"Now hold on just one second, I will be a real wife!" Kaiyo shot back, glaring at her.
"No, you're like the badge we have to wear for the Student Police!" Namiri stated, "Something that has to be there. Kashiro! You must have another wife of your own choosing!"
"Me," Belle said and slid closer to Kahiro as she looked at him.
"Namiri!" Kaiyo barked as her eyes flared. "Kashiro has already chosen. ME. Tell her, Kashiro!"
"He'll only say what he's suppose to say. Right, Kashiro?" Namiri asked. She then turned on Belle. "And what's with this 'Me' stuff?"
"Kashiro's other wife. Me," Belle stated.
"No, NOT you! Whoever Kashiro chooses. Maybe someone like me who is hard working, intelligent and willing to do whatever it takes!" Namiri announced as she thrust her arm up, finger pointing skyward.
The blue girl raised her hand and said,"I am hard working and intelligent, I have better grades than Namiri does too."
Kaiyo shot to her feet, hands balled into fists at her side and yelled, "I will be his ONLY wife!"
"Political wives don't count," Belle said. Pointing to herself, she said, "Real wife."
"You should be pointing at me when you say that," Namiri told her.
"Kashiro, TELL THEM!" Kaiyo cried.
Kashiro felt boxed in. "Hey, guys? Kaiyo is going to be my real wife," he told them.
At the same time, Belle and Namiri said, "Only a political wife."
Kaiyo then turned to Tsukune. "Papa!" she cried.
"I will be the real wife," Belle said, leaning against Kashiro.
Kashiro also looked to his Father for support. Tsukune's arm was on the table, his head on his arm, and chuckling helplessly. Why in the hell was his Father laughing?
.
Kumiko and Liz got to their room. Behind Kumiko, Liz shut the door a little harder that was needed. At first, they didn't speak as they undressed. Then Liz turned to Kumiko.
"You want to sleep with Frank?" she asked.
Kumiko looked at her. Liz's face was unreadable, but her tone was not. It was almost as if she had said, 'I'm jealous."
"Don't you?" Kumiko asked innocently.
"I've been with Frank five years," Liz stated. As she spoke, she started quaking. "We have ... gone though hell together. I have always thought it would be Frank and me together, no matter what."
"You are devoted to each other," Kumiko agreed. "I was a little surprised you aren't sleeping in his room."
"Frank doesn't ... do things like that!" Liz said in a hitch of breath. "We prove our devotion by working together!"
It took Kumiko a moment to figure out what Liz was saying. "Frank won't show you any affection," she concluded.
"No!" Liz said in a whine as her face became stricken. "I would do anything for Frank, even protect him from himself if I have to! Kumiko, all I want is for him to hold me and tell me that he loves me!" Liz said and choked back a sob.
"Oh, Liz!" Kumiko said, and went over and hugged her. "I am sorry to hear that. I feel bad for both of you."
"I just want to feel loved," Liz said as she held her friend.
"We'll work on him, OK? I'll make sure you get that hug," Kumiko told her softly.
"Hey Liz..." Frank said as he flung the door open. Seeing them standing in their underwear and hugging, he flushed red and finished with. "Ahh, sorry, never mind. I'll lock the door so you won't be disturbed." He then quickly backed out, shutting the door before Kumiko could explain.