WARNINGS FOR CHAPTER (PLEASE READ BEFORE MOVING ON): Mentions of Teen Pregnancy and Teen death (subtle), slight nudity, body branding, scars, foul language

Sorry for the wait, but hopefully the wait was worth it. There is to be a lot in this chapter, so be prepared. Enjoy the chapter!

I do not own Twisted Wonderland. They belong to their respective owners. I only own my oc.

Chapter 2: Explainations over tea

Rook waited patiently outside of Vil's room as Tanza went to her own to grab a couple of things, as per request, before she spoke with Vil. It had been a few minutes already but soon he saw the young woman come down the hall carrying a few items, the folds of her ankle length pleaded skirt under her dorm uniform flowing like window drapes to a gentle breeze. From what Rook could see, Tanza was carrying a clearly worn and very used journal, something that looked like a picture frame which he was sure had something inside it and a small parcel wrapped in a white cloth.

Tanza did a fast walk back to Rook before stopping in front of Vil's door, panting a little bit.

"Apologies for the wait. I just wanted to get a few items, as I feel like they will explain more than words" she said as she took a deep breath.

Rook gave a smile and a shake of his head, "It's all fine. Nothing to fret, mon ami. Now then…" he said as he gave three knocks on the door. "Roi du Poison, I have come with Tanza. May we enter?" he asked.

Tanza looked at Rook for a moment in confusion when she heard the nickname he had for Vil, but then she heard her dorm leader speak.

"You may, and shut the door behind you when you enter" Vil's gentlemanly voice called from the other side of the door.

Rook then opened the door to the room and moved aside while holding a hand out, welcoming Tanza into the room. She then took the message and entered the room, looking around at the dorm leader's bed chamber. It was clearly the biggest room in the dorm, but then again he was the dorm head so it was obvious. Looking around, she saw hand weights and items that she recognized as yoga equipment. There were also a few mirrors behind Vil's bed, one on a vanity and the other looking like a wall mirror. The room was very neat and clean, carrying the smells of a floor that was just vacuumed and furniture that had just been dusted with cleaning spray. Beyond the bed was a table and two royal couches, the former covered with an elegant table runner, with an array of small finger sandwiches, fruits and meat and cheese wraps on many small plates. Looking just a little behind one of the couches was a teapot on a small electric burner, the steam from the pot becoming noticeable as Vil, with his back turned to the pair, watches it carefully.

Tanza hears the door shut behind her as Rook made his way to the couch closest to Vil while she made her way to the other one, setting her items down next to her as she made herself comfortable. She was nervous at first, but the scent of the tea caught her nose and immediately helped her relax. Everything on the table looked delicious but she dared not to make a move in case it was improper manners. Vil then came around with the teapot and began to slowly pour a cup for each of the three in the room, Tanza's first, then Rooks and finally his own. Once that was done, he set the teapot on a hot pad and took his place on the couch next to Rook. Looking at Tanza, he then gave her a simple smile.

"I'm glad that you could come. Hopefully I didn't interrupt you" Vil said, relaxing a little on the couch.

Tanza just gave a small nervous smile and a shake of her head, "No no, not at all. I was just cooking something in the dorm kitchen" she explained.

"Oh? What exactly did you make?" Vil asked, his eyes narrowing just a fracture, but enough for Tanza to notice.

"Poor man's croquettes. Oven baked potato cakes, more or less. It's a common snack where I'm from" she explained. She then moved to take the cup before her, gently taking a sip of the tea. Immediately the scent of lemongrass filled her nose, making her give a relaxed sigh. "Delicious" she said quietly.

"I'm glad to know you like it" Vil said as he took a sip of his own tea. He then lowered the cup and held it in his lap. "Now, as for those potato cakes, how often do you eat them? And what would be your typical diet?" he asked, his tone a bit on the stern side, "I ask this because many foods with excessive amounts of butter, sugar, flour, and such can be bad for the skin, and I don't allow many of them to stay in this dorm. The same goes with potatoes as they are filled with starch and could cause bad effects on the body" he explained, his gaze stern and his eyes serious.

Tanza froze a bit at his words but she then put the cup on the saucer on the table. She then gave a sigh before she started.

"I'm sorry, but I can't say that my diet is all the best. My hometown is rather poor and we have many farms, including the goat farm that has the creamery. And…being from an orphanage, I just ate what I was given, healthy or no, it was all we had" she explained, pausing a bit, looking off to the side. But then she looked back at them, "Although, after finding work in the village, I was able to buy food for a balanced diet, albeit we were rather limited in what to work with. Regardless, I focused more on vegetables and less on the meat. But if I needed protein, I would eat a dish with mushrooms and nuts, only to eat meat if I didn't have either available…" she said, unsure if this was good information to give or not.

Vil gave a frown, "And what type of meat would you usually eat?" he asked.

"Game based meat. Venison, rabbit, duck, goose, wild pig…we often have farms that help raise these animals in a natural environment. And of course, we have people who use magic to make the grass grow quicker so that the animals could eat more naturally than giving them grain or corn" Tanza explained.

Vil's eyebrow quirked, "Really? Game farms? That's unusual…" he said.

Tanza nodded, "We raise game animals as per the tradition of one of the many cultures in my village. It's a long story for that part and I don't want to keep you for long….but I do have something to give you" she said. She then gently picked up the small white parcel and handed it over to Vil. "It's cheese from the goat farm who makes the shampoo products that I have told you about before" she explained. "I wanted to give this to you earlier as a thank you gift, but sadly….it got overwhelming…" she said, trailing off a bit. After handing the parcel to Vil, Tanza picked a finger sandwich from the selection and took a small bite, the combination of thinly sliced fresh vegetables and light Dijon mustard sandwich sauce waltzing on her tongue as she chewed.

Vil took the parcel and unwrapped it, seeing the small bundle of cheese inside. It felt cold to the touch, indicating cooling magic, possibly to keep it fresh if it couldn't be in the fridge. He noticed the scent of the cheese near his nose, an aroma that indicated that it wasn't from a machine or a factory, like how most machine made cheeses tend to be.

"I'll see about this later, but thank you for the offering" he said. "Anyway, while your previous diet does sound reassuring, I will put you on a diet that helps improve your overall body system. As you said, you came from a poor community, which limits your options for healthy food. But while you are here, I will make sure that you are not only fed a diet that helps your skin and hair, but also one that helps you build muscle and strength. However…" he paused, looking over Tanza from head to toe and what he could see with her dorm uniform, "You do seem rather fit, at least from what I can see. What do you do for exercise?" he asked her.

Tanza smiled, her posture relaxing, "Before coming here, I often went out for a good jog along the roads and the wild fields. I usually jog alone but sometimes I went with some of the neighbor's dogs or, if I felt like running, I would even race with some of the deer that were near the fences. It's really nice on a clear morning in the spring" she explained, a genuine smile gracing her features. "Then I would practice Capoeira to keep my body moving and if I didn't feel like doing that, I would practice dancing, both of which work hand in hand at times" she added.

Vil's eyebrows raised in interest, "Capoeira? Your village teaches that?" he asked.

"Indeed. My village is full of people who teach various forms of knowledge, for example…" Tanza paused and then looked at Rook, "Rook-san…Pourquoi appelez-vous Vil Roi du Posion?" (Why do you call Vil Roi du Poison?) she asked, speaking in fluent French, shocking both men at once.

Rook then finally spoke, "Tu parles français? C'est étonnant! Je ne m'attendais pas à ça ! (You speak French? That is amazing! I wasn't expecting that!)" he said with a big smile.

Tanza smiled back, "En effet, et ce n'est pas tout... (Indeed and that's not all…)" she said. She then turned to Vil, "Sie sind wirklich ein wunderschöner Mensch, Vil-san. Würde es Ihnen etwas ausmachen, ein oder zwei Geheimnisse zu teilen? (You truly are a beautiful person, Vil-san. Would you mind sharing a secret or two?)" she asked Vil, speaking fluent German.

Vil jolted a bit in surprise but a smile came to his face at hearing this, "Du kennst diese Sprache also? Wie faszinierend. (So you know this language too? How intriguing.)" he said back to her. He then decided to challenge her knowledge a little. "你偶然知道这个吗?(Nǐ ǒurán zhīdào zhège ma?) (Do you by chance know this one?)" he asked, speaking in fluent Chinese.

Tanza smirked, "如果这是一个挑战,那么它已经收到了。 (Rúguǒ zhè shì yīgè tiǎozhàn, nàme tā yǐjīng shōu dàole.) (If that is a challenge then it has been received.)" she said, speaking fluently back to him.

This caused Vil to give a hearty laugh, "Well well, there is certainly more to you then meets the eye. How many languages do you know?" he asked, setting his cup on the table to prevent spilling.

Tanza was about to answer but then she paused, a questioning look on her face as she pulled out her hands, her fingers counting the languages. "Sev…Eig…..Niiii-Nine. Nine languages total" she said, her face returning to it's normal state.

"Nine?! Merveilleux! (How wonderful) You are just full of surprises, Tanza-kun" Rook complimented.

Tanza gave a chuckle, "I can also do ventriloquism and do different voices, but sadly that takes a lot out of my voice and I'd rather not lose it while we're talking…" she said, semi-requesting. It was clear that she was now fully relaxed as she talked to the men before her, the smile on her face wide with happiness as she continued her conversation.

Vil gave a nod to her request, "That's fine, but you also said that you danced if I heard correctly?" he asked, to which she gave a nod in return, "What type of dance do you do?" he asked her.

"Truth be told, Templeland style dancing is my forte, but I also know a few other dances like Cha-cha, samba, a bit of quickstep, and a few others. Dancing is my passion, as it was my mother's" she explained.

"I see. Your mother must've been an amazing person by how you speak of her so fondly" Vil said, a soft smile gracing his face.

"Oh she was. She was the strongest person I had ever known. I still recall the stories my aunts told me about her" Tanza explained.

"Wait…" Rook suddenly said, looking at Tanza, "You grew up in an orphanage but you had your aunts nearby?" he asked, sounding a bit confused.

"Oh I should explain, they're not my real aunts, rather they were a part of a 'sisterhood' with my mother when they worked in the Frallen Traveling Circus. After my mother was abandoned, they left their traveling lives and settled in my hometown. But by the time I was born, they couldn't afford to take care of me, so the church took me in and they took up their forms of business to try and survive. Now they both run two great shops, one works with making her own clothes and the other runs a teashop and reads fortunes" Tanza explained.

"Ah, now I see. Then that does make sense" Rook said with a smile. He then gave a look that was concerned, "And, if you don't mind me asking, do you know anything about your father? You don't have to explain if you do not wish it, but I suppose my curiosity is getting the better of me" Rook asked. He then felt Vil's stern gaze out of the corner of his eye.

Tanza grew quiet as she gave a sigh, "My father is still alive but…I want nothing to do with him. He cheated on his wife with my mother and when she was pregnant he abandoned her and me. For all I care, he is dead to me….and one of many reasons why I'm nervous about being here at Night Raven College…" she said, her voice growing a bit tense.

"One of many?" Rook asked.

"Rook, that's enough" Vil said abruptly, his tone firm and his gaze stern, eyebrows furrowed in slight anger, as if to say 'no more asking about that'.

Tanza sighed, "It's fine…I need to explain this, as I feel like I owe you an explanation for my behavior as of late. Plus…" she then looked at both Vil and Rook, "getting this off my chest might help me move forward…however," she paused, her hands gathering a small amount of her dorm uniform on her leg, "I ask that what I'm about to tell you stays between us…and that after I tell you, I hope you don't see me…well…from a negative perspective" she asked, her gaze growing uncertain, but she took a deep breath and relaxed her hand.

"Don't tell us more than what you're comfortable with. We can talk about this another time if this is no good…don't push yourself if it's too much…" Vil said, his tone sincere. But deep down, he felt uneasy since the topic of mothers can somewhat be testy to him.

Tanza nodded before she took another breath and looked at both men before her, "Then let me start with a question" she said, "How old do you think my mother was when I was born?" she asked them, a nervous smile adorning her face, "Just take a guess, any guess" she added.

Rook and Vil turned to look at each other and then paused in thought.

"Let's see…you're sixteen now, correct?" Rook asked, earning a nod from Tanza, "Then if I had to guess….mid twenties?" he guessed.

The sides of Tanza's mouth lowered a little, but not enough for Vil to notice, "Think younger…" she said.

Rook felt a twinge of uneasiness as he guessed again, "Early twenties?" he asked.

"Younger" Tanza said, her smile fading slowly.

Both men's eyes widened slightly.

"Nineteen, surely" Vil said, a hint of panic in his voice being notable, as he didn't like where this was going.

Tanza gave a sigh, "Nineteen…" she paused, looking at both men, "…minus three years" she added. "My mother was sixteen when she gave birth to me, the same age I am now" she said, her tone soft as she revealed the truth, "And she died four months later, when she had just turned seventeen a week before…" she explained, her tone now growing quiet.

Both men gave a soft gasp as they heard her say this, shock clearly evident on their faces, but they stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

Tanza then moved to the picture frame that was beside her and turned it picture side down before handing it to both Rook and Vil. "This is one of only a few pictures I have left of my mother" she said.

Vil took the picture frame and turned it around, his eyes widening a fraction as he gazed the image before him.

Golden brown skin, long black braid draping over her right shoulder with a few curls lose around her face, a smile that was full of sass and life, and a pair of peridot green colored eyes that were full of hope, fun and happiness. She was dressed in a traditional Templeland saree, royal purple silks adorned with silver colored patterns gracing her features, showing a body from the waist up that was thin but not to the point of unhealthy. Her hair was adorned with a traditional Templeland kundan headpiece, set in silver with simple strands gently gracing her hair as a single large pendant set itself upon her forehead, a peridot in the middle surrounded by diamonds in a teardrop shape. The woman was a spitting image of Tanza, or rather, Tanza was a spitting image of the woman in the picture.

"My word, she was beautiful. And it's quite clear that you inherited her beauty" Rook said with a smile.

Tanza gave a small chuckle at his response, "I don't know about that but I'll accept your compliment. However, I still have a long way to go before I can be as good as her" she said before turning to look at Vil.

A calm look of criticism was adorned on his face, his eyebrows furrowed as he examined the woman more closely. His eyes then glanced at the bottom of the frame, where it appears that a name was burned into the wood.

"Purnima" Vil said, "Was that your mother's name?" he asked.

Tanza nodded, "It means 'full moon'. My aunts say that mother said that she was born under a full moon, and hence received her name, but I don't know if that's a true fact. My aunts can sometimes overdramatize a story when they talk about my mother, so it's hard to tell what is truth and what is fiction. But what is true is that there are two things I didn't inherit from my mother. The first being her peridot green eyes. Sadly, I inherited my eyes from my father, but I've been told that the fire within them is my mother's burning passion for life. The second thing that I didn't inherit, and I'm sure she'd be happy about this, was that I didn't get her poor health. Being born premature, my mother also had a poor immune system. She was often told that she wouldn't survive to adulthood let alone toddlerhood because she was so weak. But she didn't give up. She was very feisty and determined to prove others wrong, even if she was the one who was in the wrong" Tanza said with a chuckle, "But when she discovered dancing, that was all it took to prove others that she was a fighter. She danced like her life was on the line, but she also had the desire to live a good life, so she expressed that in her dancing. So full of life and full of hope" she explained. She then gave a nervous chuckle as a sweatdrop formed on her cheek, "But with that determined feisty nature came a stubborn side that was almost comical. I was told that she would often get sick and required rest for a day or two, but the moment she broke her fevers she would be up and dancing, even if the doctors told her to stay in bed. She was like unpopped popcorn on a hot skillet, as my aunts would say. 'I rested long enough, now I make up for lost time. Not even the strongest medicine will keep me from dancing' she would say" Tanza explained, a laugh dancing in her tones.

Vil chuckled too, "Sounds like she was quite a character. I would've loved to have met her" he said.

Rook sensed that Vil was faking that laugh, but he decided to play along, "Oui, I feel the same. A wildfire of a beautiful soul, truly a shame that we couldn't meet her. But hopefully you inherited her fire. I would love to see that burning determination shine through you, Tanza-kun" Rook said.

Tanza gave a laugh, "Well, we'll have to see. But…" she then trailed off, her smile fading to a soft frown, "I need to get over my fears first…" she said.

Vil then set the picture down on the table, "The fear of following your mother's path?" he asked, his tone serious with a hint of concern.

Tanza nodded, "That and letting my guard down only to be taken advantage of…however, there are a few things that are helping with that. Most of them being the conditions I had in attending this college" she explained.

"Conditions?" Vil and Rook asked at the same time.

Tanza gave a nod, "Vil-san, do you remember what Headmaster Crowley said after I was chosen for Pomefiore? About the possibility of expulsion if I was to be harassed by anybody? That was one of the conditions I set for coming to the school" she explained.

"Eh? Well, I can understand your reasons, but don't you think that is a bit over the top?" Vil asked, a sweatdrop forming on the side of his face.

"To some perhaps, but what do you think of first when you hear the phrase 'There is a girl in an all boys school'? Realistically it is one of two options, the first is fearing for the girl's maidenhood, the second being that the girl entered on purpose, making her a…" Tanza paused, her body tensing as she said the word hesitantly, "…a slut".

Rook picked up on this, sensing that this was a word she was called before. But he kept quiet, watching and listening while taking a bite of a cucumber sandwich.

Tanza then cleared her throat and continued explaining, "With that condition, I also requested that I would be there to give my side of the story and that I would speak with the person in question with either Crowley himself, or if he wasn't available, then one of the teachers. Though this may be unnecessary as I feel that many of the students here are indeed respectful, but there are those who would take advantage of me being the only girl in the school, and thus may see me as an easy target. Therefore, after both sides of the story are heard, I would give my thoughts and I would then leave the result of either receiving or being spared expulsion to Crowley or the teacher in his absence. But if I feel like the person deserves another chance, then I would request it and it would be given, but if that person does the same thing a second time and shows no remorse, then it is immediate expulsion" she said.

Vil nodded as he heard this, "Yes, that does make sense. I can see that being reasonable, as I can think of a few students who might see you as a chance to show masculinity. Poor tastes if you ask me" Vil explained.

Tanza nodded, "Agreed. And with that in mind, for those who would attempt to take advantage, I requested that I would carry an 'anti-magic' device on me which can cancel different types of magic that makes a girl vulnerable. Or as my aunts would put it, a device that carries 'anti-harassment' magic that can cancel out any magic that involves hypnotism, body restraint, body control, or anything similar, which would allow me to catch them off guard and possibly get myself out of the situation to where I could get my way to the principal. And though my unique magic allows me to teleport within a two mile radius, the farther I travel, the more of a toll it has on my body, and I want to be there to explain myself. Therefore, if I were say at the colosseum, I would have a device that would allow me to teleport over a long distance without any trouble" she explained.

"I see, and what is this 'device', exactly?" Vil asked as he was both intrigued and concerned as to what it could be.

Tanza then moved her hands to her neck and fiddled with her collar, pulling out what appeared to be a simple rope necklace, but when she grabbed what was holding the necklace down she then removed her hand to show a crystal that was about 3/4ths the length of her palm, a sky blue glow emanating from within and the sense of a powerful magic emanating from the crystal could be felt by both Vil and Rook.

Vil's eyes widened at the sight of the crystal. "Tanza…that crystal…" he said, somewhat speechless.

Tanza gave Vil a nod, "This is Crystaliam crystal, a rare gemstone with unknown amounts of magic. My hometown is on top of one of the last mines that exist in the Rose Queendom. I would tell more about the history, but that's for another day. As for now, my crystal has been blessed with the so called 'anti-harassment' magic, and when it reacts, be it by magic or by my emotions in the situation, the person in question becomes stunned for a short period, allowing me a chance to escape"

"I see, a clever form of magic for one who could be cornered. However, I hope you won't have to use it so often, as it could be seen as a double edged sword" Rook said, thinking about all the possibilities that could occur with using the crystal at school.

"I hope so too, but in case it does happen, I will be ready" Tanza said as she worked to put the crystal back under her shirt. "And while I do have this, it won't solve everything. As it is also because of my own personal fear, which in turn has made me weary of men in general. However, both of you are exceptions, since you, Rook-san, remind me of one of my brothers, and Vil-san being my dorm leader and for having an equilibrium nature when it comes to men and women. And though many of the students in Pomefiore have been open and friendly…I still feel anxious around them…." She said, looking off to the side, returning to her tense-self from when she first entered Vil's room.

Vil's eyes narrowed a bit, "And why is that?" he asked. He could tell that she was hiding something and not wanting to explain, but he felt that a little push might help her overcome her fear and, as she stated earlier, help her move forward.

Tanza rubbed a bit of fabric in her fingers as she paused to find the words to say. Finally after a few seconds, she spoke, "As I said earlier, the first thing that people think of when they hear my situation is that they either pity me or scorn me, and with that scorn, it could come from both the public and the school, and I have been called…the 's' word…at least once so far here…" she explained, hesitation laced in in her tones.

Rook looked at her confused, "And by the 's' word, you mean 'slut', yes?" he asked in a blurted manner.

Vil jerked a glare to Rook before turning back to Tanza, who nodded at the question.

"Yes…it wouldn't be the first time I've been called that…" she said, still appearing uneasy.

Vil gave a sigh, "Tanza, if you don't want to explain anymore you don't have to. It's clear that this isn't an easy topic for you to talk about. And we have taken in a lot of information about you. However, if I might ask one last question…the words you said at your entrance ceremony, how you felt fear every time you looked in the mirror, does it have to do with you being called that one word? Because I feel like you're holding back more than you let on…" Vil said, keeping his gaze on her.

Tanza jumped a little in shock, but then gave a sigh, "Well…there is something…but I can't really explain it with words….so I think it's better that I show rather than tell…."she said.

Rook and Vil gave looks of confusion. "What exactly do you mean? Is it that book you have with you?" Rook asked, looking at the book.

"No no, that's my mother's lessons, I always keep them near her picture, hence why I brought both of them" Tanza explained in a quick manner. "Rather….if I show you as we are now, you may get the wrong idea. So if I could ask a small request?" Tanza asked, looking at the pair.

Vil gave her a questioned look, but he nodded, "Very well, but what is it exactly?" he asked, caution evident in his tones.

"If you and Rook could stand up and turn around for a moment? It's not something that I could just hand to you, since it is actually on my actual person, if you know what I mean…" Tanza explained, hoping the two men would catch her drift.

Both men then understood what she was asking and nodded. "Very well, but don't make us wait too long" Vil said in a stern orderly fashion.

"Yes sir" Tanza agreed.

Both Rook and Vil then stood up and moved behind the couch with their backs turned to Tanza. During this time, the sound of clothes being removed and folded could be heard.

'Wait, does she actually mean to-!' Vil thought as uneasiness started to rise through his body.

'Just what could she be doing?' Rook thought to himself, feeling the same as Vil.

After a minute of movement, a small hiss of pain could be heard from the woman behind the men's backs, making both of them get goosebumps all over their arms. After a small sigh, Tanza spoke.

"I'm decient" she said, slight fear and hesitation in her tones.

Vil and Rook hesitated, but gave a quick glance to each other. Rook then turned around first.

"Very well but wh-! Sacre bleu!" Rook said with a soft shocked tone, his hands immediately flying up.

Vil caught Rook's shock and turned around, his own eyes widening at the sight before him, a gasp of both shock and horror leaving his lips.

There was Tanza, her back turned to the men, naked from the waist up save for a simple black bralette that served as a frame for the horror before them. Upon her back, smack dab in the middle of her shoulder blades and mid back, was the burned imprint from a hot iron brand, looking similar to that of a wax seal on a paper letter with the signature of the letters J and R combined right in the center for all in the room to see. Around the brand, the redness of sore skin and muscle was evidently showing, indicating fresh pain, while the outlines of the brand show charred skin, as if to show the heat of the iron. There was a light scent coming from the burn area, one that was unpleasant to the nose, which made Vil's own scrunch lightly in disapproval.

Tanza turned to look at both of the men before her.

"This is what is making me fear the men at this school" she said, her gaze stern and serious, but also filled with pain and ambition, like a warrior on a battlefield.

Author's Notes
(Doing the same here because of the weird glitch)
Alright, then that's another chapter down. Hopefully you guys liked it. Let me know what you think ^^ Comments help move this story along.

Now for some fun facts
-The Crystaliam crystal mentioned in this chapter is a reference to the crystals of one of my favorite Disney movies: Atlantis the lost empire.
-Templelands is a reference to India and Templelands style is referring to Bollywood. Tanza practices Bollywood style dancing the most.

I think that's all for this chapter. Hopefully you like it! Thanks for Reading!