Chapter Two: The Incorrigible Lupin

"So how you guys doin' tonight?" Lupins asked the guards as they drug him feet first down the hall, his back sliding across the janitor's clean floors.

"Not so bad," the tallest remarked. "I won twenty bucks betting it was you who snuck into the trophy room."

"What clued you off?" Lupin asked as his head bumped off some stairs they were descending.

"Sneaking runs in your family." He grinned. Another guard frowned. He must be the loser of that bet, Lupin thought. Potted plants and fancy chairs passed Lupin's head on his little journey, so he concluded he must be near the dean's office.

"Well, he were are." The tall guard said and pulled Lupin upright. In front of him was an elaborate looking door made of dark, dark mahogany with a simple little plaque that read "Zenigata Mariko, Dean." Lupin cringed.

"Er...any chance you'd like to make another twenty by setting me.." but before he could finish the door was open and the guards shoved him through. The door closed tightly behind him and he could barely hear the guards walking away.

"I've been expecting you." A low voice said behind Lupin. He turned around to get a view of the speaker.

The Dean's office was the definition of "lavish". The size of a Baseball field, the walls were decorated with paintings of Japanese mountains and fields, streams and wildlife. Cabinets containing books and scrolls lined the office, while aquariums with a variety of fish rested between. At the far end was a simple mahogany desk of the same dark flavor as the door. Behind the desk, a comfortable looking chair had its back turned to Lupin, and faced a crackling fireplace. Above the mantle was an enormous portrait of the founder, whose statue resided in the middle of campus.

"Hope I've lived up to those expectations." Lupin said while dusting off the dirt acquired from his recent trip and inhabiting a seat in front of the desk.

The comfortable chair turned and faced Lupin. In it sat a woman in her late forties, though you could only tell by the eyes. Her figure was trim, and hardly a wrinkle showed on her face, save when she frowned, perhaps, but those eyes gave the impression that she fought everything unholy in this world and emerged victorious! She was cunning, and ruthless, and many a professor feared her vindictive might, but by god you had to respect a woman who single handedly turned a struggling university into the premier school of the world.

"Quite," she said coldly, not looking at him but at a file on her desk. "My daughter Emi tells me that she found you snooping around the trophy room tonight."

"Emi's your daughter?" Lupin said coyly. "Well, at least I know where she gets her figure from." He said in his most debonair voice.

Her mouth curled into a small frown.

"Don't think flattery will get you anywhere with me, you little shit. I've heard every line from man's lying tongue, and I don't feel like listening anymore." She looked up from her desk and her eyes bore holes into Lupin's skull. He couldn't help whimpering a little. "

Now, lets take a look at your file."

She opened the file sitting on her desk and starting reading aloud, and it seemed her frown lowered a bit.

"Name: Arsene Lupin IV Height: 5'11

Weight: 160 lbs

Sex: Male.

Known relatives: Father: Arsene Lupin III, incarcerated (she smiled widely)
Mother: Mine Lupin, maiden name Fujiko..deceased.
Legal guardians: Daisuke Jigen, Natalie Jigen.

Interests: Journalism, Chemistry, Physical Education..Female Volleyball?
(Lupin smiles and shrugs, while the Dean shakes her head in disgust)

Record: 22 violations of attendance, 10 violations of curfew, 5 accusations of panty raids, 3 counts of verbal misconduct, 2 counts of indecent exposure, and now 1 count of breaking and entering.

She closes the file and sets it back on her desk.

"For only attending two years at this school, you've been keeping yourself busy." She said with a tone of contempt.

Lupin cleared his throat and sat up in his chair.

"For the record, I'd like to.."

"Shut up!" Dean Zenigata screamed. "You will keep silent while I speak! Every day someone, either student or professor, has something foul to add to your record, and it makes me SICK! Your presence at this school has brought nothing but shame and discomfort for all who attend, and if it were up to me, I'd boot your sorry ass out on the street!" her nostrils flared and a vein on her slender neck started to pulsate.
Lupin slinked back in his chair at her angry stare. After a few seconds, Dean Zenigata regained her composure and turned away from Lupin to face her fireplace.

"Unfortunately..." she said curtly, "Its not in my power to expel you. Your..family's... contributions to this school have been most generous. Plus," she paused slightly, looking up to the founder's portrait, "I made a promise to my father to see towards your education..and to keep an eye on you always."

Lupin looked at the portrait for himself. It was of a tall, dignified looking Japanese man, with a black-cropped haircut, firm chin, and fierce eyes. He wore a brown trench coat with matching fedora, and dangled a pair of handcuffs from his hand. A plaque with bold golden letters on the frame read "Detective Heiji Zenigata, Founder" Lupin narrowed his eyes in contempt.

"Nice guy." Lupin said sarcastically.

"Very." She said angrily. "Though I didn't know until I was 25 years old, when he finally bagged that bastard father of yours." Their angry gazes met, and they sat and glared at each other for minute. "But this is inconsequential." She said finally. "Why were you in the trophy room tonight?"

"Like I told your daughter, I wanted to take some photo's of the new trophy before it was displayed publicly. I thought it might get me some extra credit in journalism." He said somewhat sincerely.

"Oh really, well lets see how many photos you took." And quicker than thought possible she snatched the camera from around Lupin's neck and examined it. "Hmmmm, not a single shot. Care to revise your story?" she said smirkingly.

"Nah, think I'll stick to it." He said while rubbing his pinky finger in his ear.

"Well, I'm not sure why you're interested in Richard Dangler's latest achievement, but I'm sure it's unhealthy." She cleared her throat. "Now, your punishment for breaking into the trophy room is five months of volunteer labor for the custodians (Lupin cringed), five months of labor for the kitchen staff (Lupin whimpers), and five months of labor for...the Glee Club." She said with a wicked smile. Lupin fell back in his chair. He didn't mind mopping hallways or washing dishes so much, but helping the geeks in the Glee Cub was going to be slow, painful torture.

"I'm sure you'll find this punishment fair." She cackled. "Now get out of my office!"

She pushed a button on her desk and the same five guards burst in and dragged off a sulking Lupin.