Chapter 30:

Chapter 30, A Near Normal Night

Saichi sighed as she stepped out of the car and looked up at the house that loomed before her. She knew the driver would take her to her uncle before it took her home, it always did. She looked up and smiled softly when she saw Akito waiting at the steps of the manor.

"How was your day, Saichi?" he asked cordially.

"It was good," she answered. "I was able to get into the club without anyone knowing my intent."

"Good. Let's go inside so we can talk."

Saichi nodded softly and followed him inside. She paused when she saw Akito talking to a dark haired man with the coldest green eyes she had ever seen and shivered when those frozen eyes turned to her for a moment. The man walked passed her without so much as another glance but she could tell that he was watching until he had left in the car that had brought her. She continued to follow Akito until they arrived at his study. Once inside the dark room, he sat behind the large desk and motioned for her to sit in the chair before him.

"Who was that, uncle?" Saichi asked as she sat down.

"Oh, that's just someone who is helping me with a project," Akito dismissed. "How was their club?"

"It was interesting. They apparently dress up every now and then to entertain those who come to visit. They were dressed in traditional clothes today."

"Did you get to meet Haruhi?"

"Yes. She...she was interesting. Even though I was right in front of her, I couldn't feel her Arcana or detect where the dragon you mentioned was."

Akito put his hand on his chin in thought. "It's possible that the dragon is shielding her magic. A Summon doesn't need to be with it's Summoner to do so if there was a final contract truck before they died. Silly Kotoko, to think that even in death you try to protect her from us."

Saichi wondered if her uncle knew that he had said that last part out loud but decided to not bring it up. From what she had been told from her grandfather, it was more likely that the dragon was trying to protect her cousin from just Akito. Apparently others of the family had come across her without knowing it and the dragon hadn't reacted.

"Uncle," Saichi called softly. "What do you want me to do now?"

"You need to head home and get ready for dinner," Akito stated. "Make sure to look your best. We are meeting the Suoh family after all, and we want you to be seen in your best."

Saichi nodded and stood. With a soft bow to her uncle, she turned and walked out towards another waiting car. She closed her eyes after she had gotten in, sitting down with a soft huff. She opened her eyes as she felt the car move and yelped slightly when she saw the man from before sitting across from her, his hands folded in his lap with his legs crossed.

"You are slightly more observant that then rest of your family," the man said blandly, a chill surrounding every word. "Either it was sheer happenstance that made you open your eyes or you are quite adept in perception."

"You were speaking fluent English with my uncle a moment ago," Saichi uttered in shock. "How is it that you are now speaking in perfect Japanese? Aren't you American or English?"

"Not really."

"Then where are you from?"

She shivered as he smiled and his eyes bled solid black. "Take a guess, little caster."

"Void," Saichi whispered, fear growing in her quickly.

The man nodded and the black faded from his eyes. "I am, though other than you, none of the Katayama know that. I only show you because you are slowly earning the trust of my Caller."

"Ootori-senpai."

"You are quick to catch on. I have only been confirming his suspicions on your family and I have been keeping him abreast of everything they do. I am sure you can figure how I have been doing so."

Saichi nodded. "Then I am sure you know that my intent is to not hurt my cousin. I want to have a chance to get to know her, as does the rest of my family, but Akito wants to abuse her power. Mold her how he wants her to be, like he tried to do with Aunt Kotoko. If she is really as strong as he says she is then she needs to be kept away from him and everyone he has under his control. For her own safety, as well as for everyone else's."

"She is not that powerful," the man stated, causing Saichi to look confused. "She is far stronger than that. She has an instructor and is learning how to use her power. At the rate she is learning, she will be more than a match against him."

Saichi sighed. "Uncle has skills in many different forms of Magic. He is classified as a Level 3 Universal Mage."

"Haruhi is learning magic from a Level 4," he intoned.

"There are handful of Level 4 Mages across Japan and only two Level 4 Sorcerers. And most of the Mages are..."

"Katsuro Nekozawa and his wife Alyona are teaching her," he interrupted. "Though most are in the pocket of your uncle, there are also a fair few more than just then just those who could teach her."

"They are Dark casters though. Haruhi wouldn't be able to do anything against Akito with their lessons!"

"Only Lord Nekozawa is a Dark Caster. Lady Alyona is Balance, like your aunt Kotoko was."

Saichi's eyes widened and she felt hope bubble inside her. If her cousin could master Balance then Akito's magic would be negated and she would be safe. Maybe she could help teach Haruhi with some of the reflective magic she knew thanks to her dad. It might not be much, or she might have already learned some but it was worth a shot.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as the car came to a stop. Saichi looked out the window and saw her house and looked across from her to find an empty seat with a small note where the man had been seated.

Play your game carefully and you will gain several friends, the note read. I will be watching, as will my Caller.

Saichi put the note in her pocket and opened the car door to get out. She walked up the stairs towards the front door and walked in. She continued through the house until she got to her father's study and knocked gently.

"Come in," a calm voice called.

"Father," she said softly as she poked her head in. "I'm back."

Sasuke looked up and saw his daughter at the door and nodded softly. "Welcome home. We will be leaving in a few hours for a business dinner. Do as much of your classwork as you can and get ready. Also, can you get your mother ready? She has had a hard time getting dressed and facing a mirror since..."

Saichi nodded, knowing what her father was trying to impart. Her mother had been a bit unhinged since the accident that put her and Jin in the hospital. Her mother had been in a coma for a few days and when she came to, she knew who Saichi and her husband were but she had no recollection of Jin since he was still so young. The doctors said that it was amnesia, and there was a possibility that she may or may not come out of or remember anything. It was wholly possible that she may never recall her memories of Jin but it was equally likely that she could. Saichi thought that is was a bit of a mixed blessing. Her mother wouldn't remember that Akito had raped her but she would also never know that Jin was actually her child.

She could tell that her father was just as conflicted about what had happened. He made sure that there was round the clock care for Jin at the hospital but was torn on if he should tell her mother why he was caring for Jin when she had insisted that the child wasn't hers and wanted him to stop wasting his time and resources.

"I will," Saichi said calmly. "How is Jin doing? Has he woken up yet?"

"No. Not yet. I am hoping that we can be there with your mother if he does. While he sleeps, he looks like Akito but with his eyes open, he looks just like her."

Saichi nodded sadly. "I will go get mother ready."

Sasuke nodded and Saichi left his study. She dropped off her bag in her room and went to her mothers room. Luckily she didn't have any class work to do since she did it during her free period that day.

"Hello mother," she said with a smile once she got into the room. "I am back from school."

"Saichi," Sazuna smiled. "Welcome home, sweetheart. How was your day?"

"It was good. Father asked me to help get you ready for tonight's dinner with the Suoh family."

"I have a dress chosen already. It's hanging in the closet."

Saichi nodded and went to get it. She sighed as she saw the long dark blue dress. It would hide the fact her mother lost her legs in the car accident that took her memory and placed Jin in a coma but wouldn't hide the fact she was in a wheelchair. She took it off of the hanger and carried it back to her mother.

"Would you like a bath before we go?" Saichi asked.

"No, thank you though, dear," Sazuna smiled. "I had one before you got back. Help me dress and have one yourself. Have to be presentable for our important dinner tonight."

Saichi nodded and began to help her mother change into the long dress. They talked softly though it was mostly her mother complaining about the fact Sasuke was still taking care of Jin even though she didn't know why he bothered when the child was clearly Akito's. Saichi did her best to not repeat the statement that Jin was also hers and that Sasuke loved him dearly despite that fact. It wasn't her mothers fault she couldn't remember but it was becoming more and more apparent that her mother wasn't even trying to remember Jin or anything about the accident for that matter either. Once her mother was dressed and in front of her vanity putting on makeup, she had finally gotten over her aversion of the thing once the more prominent marks to her face had healed, Saichi left to take a long bath and get ready herself. She had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

*~*0o0o0o0o0*~*

Quin'Derax stood over the small battered child in the medical bed, his cold eyes soft and gentle despite his nature. He knew the reasons this child was here. Glancing to his side, he saw a mature woman dressed in a black and red kimono with deep crimson eyes.

"Lady Nenai," he bowed softly. "I am glad my Caller was able to inform you."

"As am I," she said calmly. "His care will be transferred to those I trust but they will report also to Sasuke Kanzaki, as requested. The change will be written as a precaution due to a drop in the child's brain activity recently. Zarik is well versed in handling such delicate surgeries as well as the after effects."

"The fact you trust one of your Raptors to care for this child is considerable. Why him?"

"This child should have woken four days after the accident and the surgery that followed when he arrived. Zarik had done the procedure himself to begin with. The fact that he is not means that someone has either worsened his condition and/or he is trapped in an illusion, thus keeping him in this state. The former is what Zarik can fix, the latter is a skill that either I or Sasori will handle."

"Sasori?"

"My daughter."

The Void only nodded. "Very well. I will leave the child in your care. My Caller will be grateful."

Nenai nodded and sighed once the Void had faded. He told her every detail about the child's life and felt sympathy for him and his mother. She knew what such a birth had done to the mother as she had gone through the same ordeal but the difference between her and Sazuna Kanzaki was that the man who sire her child, her brother Illidus, had actually taken responsibility and, to that very day, was doing all he could to make amends for his transgression. She had repeatedly told him that she had forgiven him, as had the rest of their family, but he still tried to do all he could. When Alexander, Nani's husband and mate, had learned what had happened, he hadn't faulted Illidus as her brother had been under the Hex of a small clan of Cuubi. Illidus had still been learning how to defend his mind against such and therefore couldn't be blamed for what happened, only expected to try and make amends. Something that Illidus had done a hundred fold.

When Sasori was born, Alexander claimed her as his but had asked that Illidus be around the child as well. Since Alexander was human, and not Sasori's true father, he didn't have the connection to her that Illidus and Nenai had. So Sasori was raised knowing that her uncle was her sire but Alexander was her dad.

Nenai smiled as she felt Sasori walk in. It never ceased to amaze her how silent her child was.

"He has the same story you do," Nenai sighed, placing a hand on the glass window. "But yours had a happier ending."

Sasori looked at the small child, her crimson eyes glowing softly. "He is strong for one so young but the illusion he is in keeps changing and it is making the injuries to his mind worse."

"I thought as much. He has had three guests that are constant, according to the registries. Two men and a young girl. One of the two talks to him softly or reads to him from some children's books. The other speaks softly but says nothing of importance, just day to day things. The girl tells him about her day and the things she has done over a weekend or what she is hoping to do when he wakes."

"Do any carry magic?"

"All three do," Nenai stated. "Though I can tell it is not the girl. She doesn't have the skill equal to cast an illusion of this magnitude."

"Who are the two men?" Sasori asked.

"Sasuke Kanzaki and Akito Katayama."

"It is possible it is either of them or both to a extent. One could be using the illusions to help keep the child's brain working while the other is trying to tear it down. The only question now is who is using which method."

"I intend to find out. Zarik will be doing a scan of the boy's mind after each of the visits. It will look like a routine check of brainwaves since he is comatose so none will be the wiser."

Sasori nodded, her gaze hardening. "And once Zarik knows who is doing what, I will remove the one damaging him."

Nenai nodded. "Be careful though, he is still a child. Such removals could be fatal to one so young or have permanent damage to their minds."

"I will be careful, mother. He has a long life yet to live and I can feel the will to do so bubbling underneath. I will do all I can to make sure he sees it."

Nenai nodded and left the room, Sasori following a moment later after leaving a small familiar in the corner of the child's room where no light could touch. The boy would be watched and cared for and the one that put him in such a state would meet their end if they walked into that door after she learned who they were. To Sasori and the rest of the Scorpion family, a person who threatened a child's life was not worth keeping alive.

*~*0o0o0o0o0*~*

Haruhi groaned as she looked up at the black sky of the Vortex. Her vision was blocked shortly thereafter by a very concerned and apologetic face after a few moments.

"You okay?" Satoshi asked. "You landed pretty hard."

"Yeah," she groaned as she sat up. "I didn't know I could fly that far."

"You are pretty light and I have been doing this since I could walk."

"I will give you that. Can I have a hand?"

Satoshi chuckled and helped Haruhi stand up. They had been practicing some Judo while Hunny and Yasuchika were sparing in a different section of the courtyard. Mori was practicing one of the styles that Asuda favored with him and Trekiva was up in the study with Kyoya. After they had finished changing out of their costumes, letting Satoshi get a picture of how she and Mori looked before hand of course, Tamaki had tried to offer Haruhi a ride home but Kyoya ended that line of thinking when he brought up the important dinner he was having with his father and grandmother that night. Kaoru smiled with a soft chuckle as Tamaki ran out after changing and bid Haruhi a good evening as he left after promising that he would let her know how Hikaru was doing when he got home. It had been decided that the rough outlines for the Gala costumes could wait another day so that they could do it all together rather than piece by piece. Hunny, Mori, Yasuchika, and Satoshi were going to come with her to the Vortex rather than go to the estate, since their parents had agreed that being inside the Sanctuary was more beneficial to all of them. Kyoya stated that he was coming as well since he got some new information that needed to be shared with Trekiva.

Haruhi brushed off the small bits of dirt from the lower half of her gi. She glanced over towards the doors of the courtyard and saw Alyona walk in. With a soft bow to Satoshi, which he returned, she walked over towards the older woman.

"Ready for another set of lessons?" Alyona asked with a smile.

"I am," Haruhi smiled. "Uncle is with Takashi by the targets and grandfather is in the study."

Alyona nodded and let one of the Shadows carry her bag to the room she was going to be in during her stay in the Vortex. She had a great deal planned and knew that Haruhi would get through it all, possibly more. She was already into the fourth level Tomes and was practicing third level Magic like it was second nature.

"We are going to go over what you have read from the fourth level and begin to work on some of the early level four spells," Alyona explained. "If it goes well, we can do a trial duel to see how you fare."

Haruhi nodded. "I am going to change out of my gi so that it won't get destroyed."

Alyona nodded with a smile. Though the uniform for Karate and Judo was made of durable material, it wasn't able to withstand the fluctuations of Arcana or some of the destruction spells. To prevent Haruhi's clothes from being obliterated by practicing her spell work, and ensure her well being should things go awry, Alyona had made a few sets of clothes that were enchanted to resist Magic of any kind. She had done her best to stick with sets that she thought Haruhi would like and it was with a bit of help from Ranka and the Hitachiin twins that she was able to make the sets.

To prevent Haruhi from trying to refuse the gifts or attempt to pay the elder woman back for them, Ranka had given her a few of Haruhi's actual clothes that she liked to wear when she was out and about, while the twins had made a few sets of clothes that matched Haruhi's personality but were also a bit more on the formal side. It had only taken her a couple hours to imbue the defenses into the clothes and she was glad that Haruhi liked them. Even if she had been slightly cross about the outfits being made against her consent.

She smiled when Haruhi came down in some light denim jeans and a soft peach shirt with some white tennis shoes . Over her shoulder was a small version of Qurdox who bowed his head in greeting.

"Good even to you, Qurdox," Alyona greeted politely, summoning Vaska to her side. "Shall we get ready?"

Qurdox nodded again and both women began to draw their power to the surface, their familiars forming to full size next to them. Alyona's first direct lesson was how to get Haruhi to call on her pool of mana with as little thought as possible so that she could react as quickly as she needed to. She had also made sure to instruct Haruhi on how to call it slowly as well as which spells were best for different situations. Trekiva and Asuda had assisted in those lessons by teaching her how to draw on the energy through meditation as well.

Once both had their magic ready, Alyona began to give Haruhi calm and patient instruction. She would demonstrate the different spells and have Haruhi preform them with her. Alyona's line of thinking was that one learned best by doing rather than through demonstration alone, which worked wonders for many casters who had begun learning late into their lives. When Haruhi failed or stumbled in making a spell or incantation, Alyona would calmly explain what went wrong and how Haruhi could prevent it from happening again. As with every lesson she had given, Haruhi would learn from the mistake and do better the next time around.

As was the plan inside the Vortex, Alyona would spend an external hour teaching Haruhi all she could during the time frame. When the elder woman had to leave, Haruhi thanked her for the lessons and told her that she looked forward to the next ones. Alyona would smile and then depart after a meal inside the safe haven. When she was gone, Haruhi would then join the others in the library to touch up on her homework and study some more of the tomes. All in all, it was a near normal night for the group, just like they had been hoping for.