Kurumu sat up on the old mattress, hearing hushed chatter from the adjacent room. The faded brown sheet was drawn over her bare legs, wadded and twisted along the bottom of the mattress. She yawned, stretching her arms overhead with the feel of her creamy white chemise settling about her hips.
The bedroom was brightened by the morning light filtering in through the front window. She scooted back on the mattress, fumbling with the sheet as she freed her legs. She paused for a moment, yawing again as she noticed her blue curls below her navel. She had not trimmed them since she had shaved herself bald back in May after the Nagare incident.
She had to pee. Stumbling out of bed, Kurumu saw her suitcase lying in the dirt against the wall near the closet door. The top had been unzipped with the flap drawn back. She would meet his parents for the first time, so she had to wear something nice.
Delaying that decision, she walked around the bed, feeling the cool, packed dirt on the soles of her feet. Tugging open the door, she stepped up inside the bathroom, appreciating the feel of the wooden floor beneath her feet. She wandered across the room to pull the other door shut before plopping down on the wooden lid of the porcelain toilet.
There was not much to this bathroom. There was an old bathtub pressed against the exterior wall which she could rest her heels on while she pissed if she was so inclined. Next to the door along the wall with the toilet was an old sink with a mirror mounted about it.
This home lacked a means of doing laundry. Last night she had learned that mommy was going into town for that service. Doubting they would have time to do laundry before departing for Tsukune's home, Kurumu was unsure if she should wear her only clean bra today. While that seemed reasonable, it meant she would have to ask Tsukune's parents to use their washer and dryer right away. She supposed she could wear a bra again, though she had sweat quite a bit in the ones she had worn Friday and Saturday. The Thursday bra had been stowed in a plastic bag with dirty clothes, unlikely to smell any better.
Kurumu wondered if one of her outfits could be worn without a bra and still be respectable. She reached for the toilet paper, only to realize they had none. Kurumu rolled her eyes, getting up from the seat and flushing the toilet. A loud squeal rumbled as water rushed to fill the void in the piping.
"Sounds like someone is finally awake."
Kurumu did not bother to respond to mommy's cheery voice. As this was the first time she had used the toilet, she wondered if that ruckus was normal. Shaking her head, she headed back into the bedroom. Due to a pleasant sensation, she paused at the foot of the bed, lifting her chin up and moving her head side to side. She wondered if it would work this time. It had been three weeks since she had last tried.
Kurumu knelt down in the packed dirt beside her suitcase. Her new purse was resting near the top with her schoolbag. Her purple, lace ribbon with the yellow stars was placed in a corner next to her watch. She picked up the watch by the leather band, confirming it was almost ten before securing it about her left wrist. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the ribbon and reminded herself that this would not work the same as when her hair reached the base of her wings. But her hair had to be longer than it had been ten weeks ago after the incident with Hiboshi. She only needed enough for a tiny tail.
She frowned as she failed to get any suitable length to even consider working the ribbon about. She tried closer to the bottom of her neck but found that was worse. Sighing, she let go of her locks and regarded her ribbon. Her hair was longer but she must have imagined the feel of hair on her shoulders. There was barely enough length to make a short tail with an elastic band. Her ribbon would not work with that. With another sigh, she put the ribbon back in the suitcase and regarded her wardrobe options.
Kokoa had bought her eight outfits before term exams of which Kurumu had packed three. One of them was a long sleeved, black blouse with an olive, suspender skirt. It was not the best outfit for summer, but would look proper. The blouse was smooth and silky with shiny black buttons and a buttoned collar. It also had a decorative vermillion tie. The suspender skirt was pleated and would hang past her knees. The midsection had a decorative corset which served no purpose since it could not be tightened. The outfit had been custom fit for her, so it was not an issue.
Another was a blouse with black buttons and a black ribbon tied beneath a ruffled lace collar. The blouse sort of had short sleeves, as the ruffled lace would cover her shoulders but not much else. While she liked the black and pink checkered, button up shorts and the fancy white leather belt that was meant to accompany this outfit, the blouse fabric was much too thin to consider wearing without a bra. Upon noting the black, fishnet stockings also meant to compliment this outfit, she decided this was not the best ensemble to show up in even if it was more casual.
The last of her choices was a curve hugging cheongsam made of indigo silk with a white and pink lotus pattern. Kokoa had picked this one out of a catalog along with one for herself. It was a lovely, short sleeved dress which clung tightly about her hips and ended halfway down her thighs. It had a high collar with a tiny golden zipper which slashed down from the chin over the top of her left breast to end below her armpit. While she knew she would not need to wear any lingerie in that garment, she did not want Tsukune's parents to think she was some foreigner. She had only brought the silly thing because it took less space than the other outfits Kokoa had purchased and Tsukune had insisted on it.
Everything else was stuffed in a bag and needed washed. She had brought that maid uniform Kokoa had bought for her and both of her school uniforms she had worn Thursday and Friday, seeing no point leaving dirty laundry in her suite all summer long. The only other casual clothes she had brought along she had worn yesterday, thinking the tank tops and shorts she had packed were more like pajamas than something she could wear outside. Deciding on the black blouse, Kurumu tugged the chemise over her head and tossed it in the suitcase. She had brought all three and had already worn each of them twice.
As she pulled on the silky, black blouse, the fabric felt sensual against her bare skin. She wondered if guys felt the same way, though Tsukune lacked any clothes of this quality in his wardrobe. There was no way she would ask Ginei about it, certain he would tease her for bringing it up. Buttoning the blouse up to the collar, she tightened the wide tie which they had knotted last week. Kurumu had seen little reason to fully undo the slip knot, since it had taken them over five minutes to give up on it and have Tsukune tie it for them. The tie rested perfectly between her breasts.
Getting up on her feet, she stepped into the suspender skirt and tugged it up over her hips. The thing fit snugly about her rump and hips without really needing support from the shoulder straps. She tugged it up higher so that the bottom of the corset would be right below her breasts, fishing her arms through the straps and fixing them to rest on her shoulders.
Kurumu nodded to herself, remembering she should put some panties on. Two of her three pairs of boring cotton briefs were in the dirty laundry bag and she had no intention of wearing her only clean pair today. That left both lacy panties her mother had recently bought for her to choose from. She had worn both her boyshort panties the past two days and the only reason why she had brought the black thongs was because Tsukune had soiled them with the maid uniform.
The crimson panties would match the tie but the black panties matched the blouse. She wondered if she should think of panties as a needed garment like the blouse, or an accessory like the tie. She supposed black was the right call here, since crimson felt naughtier.
Fully dressed, Kurumu wondered if she should consider expanding her selection of socks, leggings and stockings. Other than those fishnet stockings she had picked up for that outfit, she only had boring white socks. She probably should own some black, dress socks. That would have gone nicely with this. As is, she would have to wear her shoes without socks. She needed better shoes too.
On a whim, Kurumu opened the door to the closet. Mommy owned lots of shoes and outfits because she rarely threw anything out. Though as Kurumu examined the contents of the closet, she suspected that mommy had gotten rid of some stuff. Since when did mommy only have six pairs of shoes?
Aware that her shoe size was only one less than mommy's, Kurumu grabbed a pair of dull, black flats and slipped them on. Feeling satisfied, she shut the closet door and finally emerged from the bedroom to see what the others were up to.
Kurumu smirked at the pair in the kitchen. Mommy was dressed in only a pale yellow shirt with her rump bared. Kurumu was used to that vision and could guess why mommy was still wearing what she had slept in despite the late hour. Silly woman probably worried about waking her.
Yukari was standing on her toes beside mommy, stirring a brown mix in a bowl with a wooden spoon. The witch was wearing a sleeveless denim shirt with loops stitched on the shoulders. Black suspenders stretched down the front and back of this shirt with huge breast pockets easily matching the size of the young girl's bosom. Both pocket flaps were snapped shut with brass buttons. The suspenders were crossed in the back the same as Kurumu's and clipped to a loose denim skirt with a frayed hem just shy of Yukari's knees.
"So what are the two of you are up to?"
"We're making your cake."
Kurumu nodded as she walked over to the pair. She glanced about the counters, noting there was nothing set out. She absently rested her hand on the refrigerator.
"Breakfast?"
"That was a couple hours ago, dear. I must say Ms. Sendou makes a wonderful breakfast."
"It wasn't that good."
Kurumu tugged open the refrigerator door, spying the meal saved for her. Smiling, she grabbed the plate and wandered back over to the table.
"You should get dressed."
"I should. And this little one should use the restroom. Poor thing is too embarrassed to go outside."
Yukari blushed, pushing the bowl away. The witch shook her head as she started for the bathroom.
"That's normal for civilized people, Mrs. Kurono. I can't believe you were willing to do that."
"You heard the clatter those pipes make."
"She didn't need to sleep in."
Mommy giggled as the witch ducked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Instead of heading to the bedroom, mommy came over to sit down in the other chair across from Kurumu. Kurumu smiled as she picked at the eggs on the plate, wishing there had been some meat with it.
"How long has she been holding it?"
"At least an hour."
"You're horrible."
Mommy grinned, letting Kurumu start on the meal.
"So the two of you plan to head to your boyfriend's place with her using the same tracking method."
Kurumu nodded, swallowing down the first mouthful. It was cold but not bad. Grabbing up a second portion, she gestured at mommy with her chopsticks.
"Are you planning to come along?"
"I don't think I should."
"Mrs. Shuzen wanted us to stick together."
Mommy waved a hand dismissively.
"Two or three days shouldn't make a difference. I expect you back before the weekend."
Kurumu nodded, not really wanting mommy to tag along. While Tsukune had not objected to her coming over with Yukari, she had never asked to bring mommy. She put down another couple mouthfuls.
"You don't have any toilet paper!"
"It's no problem."
"It is a problem. Please tell me you have something!"
Mommy giggled, getting up and wandering off to the kitchen.
"Guessing the poor girl had to do more than pee."
Kurumu grimaced at that thought, shaking her head as she continued her meal. Mommy walked over to the bathroom with a roll of toilet paper she had fetched from a counter beneath the sink. Mommy opened the door and leaned in.
"Sorry, Ms. Sendou."
Closing the bathroom door, mommy returned to Kurumu with a big grin. Kurumu shook her head as she swallowed down another mouthful, nearly finished with the meal.
"That's a pretty outfit. When did you get that?"
"Kokoa wasted a bunch of money on me. I showed you that maid outfit she bought for me."
Taking her seat, mommy frowned.
"Is she into roleplay?"
"Roleplay?"
"Well… I know a few of the men I've been with want me to dress up in odd costumes."
Kurumu blushed as she gathered up the last of the morsels on the plate into a small pile.
"Don't be stupid. That was work attire."
Kurumu picked up the plate and tilted it, pushing the last chunks of eggs into her mouth. Mommy smiled as the pipes squealed in the bathroom.
"I'm guessing you have no plans to use the bathtub."
Kurumu snorted, setting down the plate.
"I would rather ask Tsukune's parents."
"Bathhouses are not that expensive, dear. I've only used the tub here twice."
"You have a public bathhouse nearby?"
Mommy shook her head as Yukari wandered back into the room, wringing her hands.
"I go to a place near Niitsu station. It's not far from the laundromat."
Kurumu highly questioned the value of this arrangement, considering that was two hours of walking to the station followed by an hour on the train. Kurumu sighed as Yukari came over to the table.
"Do you have that crimson dress I gave you?"
"Why would you want that?"
"I don't, though I will need it for the wedding."
"I left that in the pocket dimension I created. I can get it with the bag I brought my futon and clothes in."
Grabbing up her plate, Kurumu regarded Yukari's black bag beside the couch. Getting up, she wandered over to the sink to set aside her dishes.
"You repacked it?"
"Why would I do that?"
"That's not the bag you had at Yokai."
"It's a pocket dimension, Kurumu. I can access it from any entry I create."
Kurumu frowned as Yukari picked up the bag. She opened it, turned it over and shook it vigorously. Nothing fell out.
"It's empty."
"Of course. The bag is a door while the pocket dimension is the room. I have to use a spell to open this door, so if I ever lost this thing, nobody could actually get to the stuff inside."
Kurumu snorted, gesturing at Yukari.
"If you lost that, you'd lose the room."
"Don't be stupid. You know this isn't the same suitcase. I can create as many doors to that room as I want, since I know the coordinates of the pocket dimension."
Mommy laughed from her chair at the table.
"Such a useful thing. She even has some family photos in there. I didn't realize I knew her grandfather until she showed me them."
Kurumu smirked as Yukari set the suitcase down and headed back to the counter with the cake mix.
"He was a science teacher all three years of your attendance, so you should have known about him."
"I'm bad with names but I remember faces."
"Your daughter says the same thing all the time."
As Yukari started stirring once again, Kurumu cocked her head. She wondered how this all worked and why it still worked, since the bus had a magic canceler equipped on it. Then again, these door spells were not much different than the ribbon tracking spell. Yukari had mentioned the bus had no impact on dormant spells, which might also be why it had no impact on Moka's rosary.
"Doesn't a spell like that take a lot of energy?"
"I'm in the middle of a forest so I think nobody will notice if I borrow some latent energy."
"It's a pity that witchcraft can't be taught. I would make good use of that magic."
Yukari smirked at Mommy's comment while stirring the mix.
"Use a spell like that too much and other monsters will notice the disturbance in the natural flow of energy. They won't be happy about it."
"Okay… why can't witchcraft be taught?"
"It can be taught, but that doesn't mean it will do anything. Drawing power from the environment is something intuitive to witches. My grandfather believes it to be genetic. There have been apprentices whom aren't capable of casting any spells despite knowing the process."
"You mentioned Moka might be able to use witchcraft is she drank your blood."
"Precisely why grandfather heavily favors the theory of it being genetic."
Yukari set aside the mixing bowl and opened the counter below the sink. She glanced inside, closing the door before moving to the next cabinet.
"I need a cake pan."
"Let me get that for you."
Mommy sprung up from her chair, quickly walking over to the kitchen. She opened up an overhead cabinet, pulling out two round pans and setting them down on the counter.
"When do we need to leave?"
"Probably right after the cake is finished. I don't know how much time it will take on the trains."
Kurumu smirked as Yukari poured half of the mix into the first pan.
"You didn't memorize the train schedule?"
"I memorized the Yonesaka line which connects Yonezawa to Tainai. I didn't get my hands on a time schedule for the other trains I rode."
Kurumu nodded as Yukari continued with her task.
"I didn't see a Tainai on the prefectural map or the railway map we picked up at Niigata station."
"That's because it's not an official city yet. The humans have been restructuring their cities since 2001, making things rather confusing. A lot of towns are being absorbed or combined."
Kurumu was aware that Aga had not officially been a town until this year.
"So… Tainai is that Kitakanbara district I've seen on the map."
"Correct. That district used to include Shibata and Agano before they became separate cities. In fact, Agano didn't even exist prior to the merger, much like Itoigawa and Uonuma. Myoko also used to be known as Arai, having changed the name at the start of this school year."
Kurumu frowned at the witch whom was scraping out the bowl into the second pan.
"Why didn't you mention any of this when I was writing the articles?"
"It's kind of old news to those living in the area. When I noticed those track girls had given you a bunch of new names the humans were using, I asked Ms. Nekonome about it. According to her, the school has had these regions in place since the 2002 school year, even using the names of cities not formed yet. I guess the Headmaster or Fairy Tale is involved in this restructuring process."
Kurumu nodded dumbly as Yukari set the mixing bowl aside. Before she could grab the pans, mommy seized them both and grinned at the witch.
"Open the oven for me."
Yukari nodded, walking by the sink to pull down the heavy, stove door. Mommy bent over to slip both pans on a grimy rack. Kurumu felt the heat right before mommy shut the door and smacked her hands together to signify the completion of her task.
"Now all that's left to do is wait."
Kurumu snorted with a glance down.
"And get dressed. That shirt isn't covering your afro."
"Afro?"
"She means your pubic hair, Mrs. Kurono."
Mommy waved dismissively, heading over to the couch.
"I'll get dressed before we leave."
"Get dressed now."
Mommy sighed dramatically, shaking her head as she changed course for the bedroom door.
"Yes, mother."
Kurumu fanned herself as they walked down the road in the summer heat. She knew this outfit had been a terrible choice, feeling like she had a private sauna going on under this black fabric. She could feel the dampness of the garment at the suspender straps, hoping she did not have visible sweat lines. Her new purse dangled from its strap on her shoulder.
Yukari's small suitcase had come with a strap which allowed it to be worn about her like her schoolbag. She groaned as they approached the weathered building of the Kanose train station which was near the police station. The police station looked more like a residence than a government establishment.
Mommy was trailing a few steps behind, struggling with Kurumu's suitcase. They had been taking turns with the luggage, Kurumu having handed it over at the shrine less than ten minutes ago. Mommy had squeezed into some khaki capris and a loose white blouse which was poorly concealing her tanned bra beneath despite the material not being that dark.
"I'm glad you're with me, Yukari. You can watch over me when I sleep on the train."
"You're such a baby. This walk was nothing for a genius like myself."
Kurumu smirked at the flush witch, thinking it would be hilarious if the brat passed out first. The train station was a white building with a black roof. Low roofs stretched over the sides to keep the vending machines and trash cans out of the sun. There was a single bench under this porch on the side of the building and a telephone booth was near the entrance. A sign over the glass door identified the station.
"Are you absolutely sure you don't want to come with us?"
Kurumu halted her approach in the small parking lot about the station. Yukari gasped out a breath, rubbing at her brow with the back of her forearm. It took a few seconds for mommy to join them.
"I don't think I should."
"It's got to be better than staying in that cabin."
"That may be true, but I'm sure that his parents would expect a responsible adult to make arrangements at a hotel for us. I don't have that kind of money and I doubt you want me working the city."
Kurumu grimaced, aware of what mommy had been doing to learn the Niigata area. Mommy had barely been at the cabin last week, living in hotel rooms funded by the depravity of men whom were all too happy to spend some yen on her services.
"Maybe his parents would let you share a room with me."
Mommy smiled coyly.
"Oh I don't know, dear. I'd rather not sleep under the same roof as a young man whom can give me another baby girl. I'd rather not play with fire."
Mommy lifted up the suitcase, presenting it to Kurumu. Kurumu sighed, taking the heavy thing.
"I'm sure you could restrain yourself."
"I don't want to get in the way of your relationship with that young man. He's young and full of indecent fantasies. The less I'm around him, the better."
"I guess. I'm just worried about you going on another binge in the city without me around."
"You worry too much. I'll be home waiting for you."
Kurumu sighed, shaking her head. Hefting the bag up into her arms, she turned on her heel and resumed her slow walk to the open station door.
"I'm going to be a polite, well behaved and respectable girlfriend."
"Says the girl that was on top of him during a field trip while I was in the same room."
Kurumu blushed at Yukari's indignant remark.
"That was one time!"
"Be yourself, dear. There's no point being something you're not."
"And what if that isn't good enough?"
Yukari huffed as they stepped under the small canopy which preceded the door.
"Now you're worrying over nothing."
There was not much to the train station. It was a small store which sold some apparel, snacks and train stuff. There were signs explaining the convenience of the Suica pass which mommy had bought two of weeks ago. Kurumu had stuffed her pass in the purse along with ten thousand yen mommy had hoped would be enough for her short stay at Tsukune's house. The only person in the store was a balding, white haired man working the counter. He was dressed in a white polo and gray slacks.
"I don't think you needed to come in here, dear."
"Do I need to add money to my card?"
"My card would need money before yours. I only put five thousand on both when I bought them. I've had to reload mine twice already."
Kurumu nodded, having no idea what the cost of tickets had been. She had swiped her Suica card at the turnstiles without noticing if a cost or balance had been displayed.
"We should ask for a schedule. It would give Yukari something to memorize."
"Why do I need to do that?"
Smirking, Kurumu walked over to the counter. The man looked up at her and she reflexively glanced down, fishing her Suica card out of her lavender handbag.
"Could you tell me the balance on this?"
The man nodded, taking the card from her and smiling beyond her.
"Afternoon, Ageha."
"Afternoon, Chomei. This is my daughter, Kurumu and her friend, Yukari."
The attendant nodded, swiping the card through a reader. He nodded again, handing the card back.
"You have three thousand, nine hundred twenty five yen."
"Thank you. So you know my mother?"
"Indeed. Silly woman walks about town too much. Keep telling her to buy a bicycle."
Kurumu chuckled at his gruff, wizened voice.
"I wish she would get a car."
"Car would be fine too. You city girls rely too much on public transportation."
"I'm not a city girl, Chomei."
"Bah. With hair like that, you can't fool me."
The man wagged a wrinkled finger at Kurumu.
"You should stop dyeing your hair too. It's bad for your image. People won't hire you."
Kurumu smiled softly, touching her card which he had left on the counter.
"Would my balance be enough to get me to Yamagata?"
"Yamagata? Hmm. There is no direct train to there from here."
"Where does this train go to?"
"The Ban'etsu West Line runs from Niitsu Station to Koriyama. Many trains stop in Aizuwakamatsu, but with Yamagata being your destination, you probably won't need to switch trains."
"Do you have a timetable?"
Chomei sighed heavily, reaching under the table to pull out a pamphlet.
"There should be free pamphlets in the bin by the door, but here you go."
Kurumu grinned, taking the pamphlet and handing it off to Yukari. The witch shrugged, unfolding the brochure as Kurumu pawed at her card.
"So do I have enough to get to Yamagata or should I add some yen?"
"Hold your horses, missy."
Chomei wagged a finger as he nodded. He wandered away for a moment, flipping through some papers he had stacked by the register.
"You would have to take a train from Koriyama to Yamagata. Depends on how fast you want to get there. Hmm. No. You don't have enough for either way. The cheapest you could make this trip is five thousand two hundred fifty yen, but that involves waiting at Fukushima station for half a day. If you want to arrive tonight, it would cost eight thousand one hundred twenty five yen."
Kurumu turned to her mother with wide eyes.
"Explain to me how the car is more expensive again."
Mommy laughed nervously, scratching her locks above her ear.
"Well… it's not like you would make that trip every day."
"There isn't a train leaving this station until five thirty."
Chomei nodded his head at Yukari's declaration.
"That is correct, little lady."
"And it doesn't arrive in Koriyama until eight fifteen. What time would we be getting there with your expensive recommendation?"
"Around ten at night. The Yamagata Shinkansen has only two stops between Koriyama and Yamagata, so it moves fast. That is also why the cost is a bit high, since those express trains cost more."
"Do I need to buy different tickets?"
"The Shinkansen line will accept the Suica card."
Yukari folded up the pamphlet, letting out a heavy sigh.
"If only we had left sooner. Maybe we could have caught the train at two."
The old man frowned.
"There is no train that leaves this station at two, little lady."
"I meant a train from the Oguni station."
"Oguni? We only have three trains heading into Niitsu from here, little lady, and they all depart before one. There's no faster way of getting to Oguni."
Yukari huffed, crossing her arms about her chest.
"The Oguni train which departs at five fifty arrives in Yonezawa at seven fifteen. Will there be a train in Yonezawa that can take us to Yamagata before ten?"
Chomei grumbled, shaking his head as he shuffled back to his schedules.
"Well… in theory if you could miraculously catch that train from Oguni, you could connect to the normal train running the Yamagata line. That's much cheaper than the express train and would get you there about an hour and a half earlier than what is possible from this station."
Chomei huffed as he returned to the counter.
"So shall I reload your card or will you discuss more unrealistic scenarios?"
"I think we will be fine. Come on."
Yukari gestured to them as she headed back out the front door. Frowning at mommy, whom merely shrugged, Kurumu hefted her suitcase up into her arms and started after her friend.
"Thank you very much, Chomei."
"Bah. Go somewhere cooler, silly women. There's no train coming here for two hours."
Kurumu chuckled over the man scolding mommy as she shuffled after Yukari. The witch strolled around the vending machines, dipping off to her left. Kurumu came to the side of the building, noting Yukari was in the open side door, gesturing for her. Having no idea what the girl was planning, Kurumu followed her into the small waiting room.
This tiny room behind the vending machines looked like it used to be a porch before someone had closed it in. There was a heater which was fairly useless this time of the year and several benches. There was also a bin mounted on the wall with copies of the timetables and a large, colorful map of the Aga region which showed the train stations, road names, tunnels and other landmarks.
"What are we doing?"
"Going out to the platform."
Kurumu frowned as Yukari opened the other door which led out to the back of the station. She waved Kurumu through before falling in step beside her.
"Are you sure you girls don't want to wait in the grocery store until the train comes?"
"We're not taking this train."
Yukari walked along the paved path flanked by a white steel barricade which was only hip height. After a few paces it transition to a wooden post fence with the red rails of the train tracks beyond. There was another wooden fence on the other side of the tracks and a row of houses. Among those houses was the small, family owned grocery store.
"What are you plotting?"
"I'm going to take us to Oguni Station."
Kurumu nodded as she walked up the ramp. Mommy had easily caught up with her, smiling.
"What is she talking about?"
"I can link this door to Oguni Station. I'm guessing it will also be empty at this time since there isn't a train coming or going from Oguni for the next couple hours. That should give me enough time to rest."
Further down the platform, rounded pillars held up a canopy. The lower half of these pillars were painted blue while the upper was white. In the center of this canopy was a small, heated room which had some chairs and a ticket dispenser inside. Kurumu grinned as they neared this room.
"So this will be like that doorway to the school you wanted to make at Tsukune's place."
"Precisely. It won't take nearly as much energy as I'm not hopping around a barrier, but I will be tired for a couple hours. I could also take your mother with us, if she likes."
"That would be wonderful! But why stop in the station instead of her boyfriend's home?"
"Because I have been there before. I remember the exact location of the door to the station. You would have to ride the train with us to Yamagata."
Mommy pouted as they came to a stop next to the small room.
"And you could bring me back to the cabin tonight?"
"I should be able to."
"Won't it be weird if I show up with my mother and then she leaves without me?"
"Don't mind me. I was only thinking it would be nice not to walk all the way back to the cabin."
"Maybe Yukari could send you home first?"
"I can't. I'm already going to have to tap on my inner reserves to make one door do this. I can't do two jumps in such a short time frame and especially not from the same location."
Mommy grinned, waving a hand dismissively.
"It's okay. I'm getting used to the walk. You would not believe this, but one time I got all the way here before realizing I had left my wallet on the counter."
"Oh my God, Mom. Get a bike. I don't care that you'll be working for Mrs. Shuzen soon, but it's stupid for you to live so far out and walk two hours for everything. Can't you get anything from Hekitawa?"
Mommy paused with a contemplative look.
"I can get the mail."
Kurumu sighed, letting her suitcase slump down with all the weight on her hands gripping the handle.
"I suppose we should be going then. That way Yukari can sleep off her spell at the other station."
"Come here."
Kurumu smiled, stepping into mommy's embrace. She let go of the handle to pat mommy's side with one hand as she felt mommy's hands rubbing her back. Mommy drew back to arm's length, staring directly in her lavender eyes so similar to her own.
"Be honest and be yourself. If they ask about how far the two of you have taken things, tell them. It will only be worse if you don't."
"What if they throw me out?"
"They would have to be the worst people in the world to do such a thing. I'm sure that boyfriend of yours was not born into such a cruel family."
"Yea. But it might feel worse if they let me stay only because it's the polite thing to do."
"It sounds like Ms. Sendou is quite capable of running you back home if it is unbearable. You are the most precious person in the world to me. Don't forget that. Don't ever think you have to be miserable for anyone's sake. My happiness is in yours."
"Talk about laying down the pressure."
Mommy laughed at her pout, reaching up to tousle her locks.
"And if things don't work out with him for whatever reason, you have friends like Yukari to depend on."
"That's not comforting."
"Why not? She'll make a fine wife."
Yukari huffed as Kurumu grimaced at the thought of spending her life with the witch.
"Excuse me, but my future lies in the bed of my Moka. Only she is worthy of being my life partner."
Mommy giggled, drawing back a step to cross her arms below her breasts.
"So entwined we are with those vampires. If his parents do approve of you, they are more than welcome to come visit us."
"I don't think that would be a good idea."
"Why not?"
Kurumu's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Are you that oblivious to the state of that cabin? I'd rather them not think so poorly of you."
"You can be honest in saying it was a recent move done without your approval. You could even let them know that you are independent of me, so they don't need to fret over providing your care."
"What? Kurumu's independent?"
Kurumu waved a hand dismissively.
"No, I'm not. Mother signed my guardianship over to Mrs. Shuzen to fix my body. They're going to look for a donor so that I can have babies again."
"That seems odd. Why would you need a donor to have babies? I thought you only needed someone willing to carry the baby."
Kurumu winced, having forgotten she had not told Yukari about this. She sighed, supposing it was no big deal now that she was going to have it fixed.
"When you got hurt, I was also hospitalized. The organ for making babies was destroyed."
Yukari regarded her with wide, brown eyes. She shook her head in disbelief.
"I didn't want to upset you. Especially after seeing how you reacted to Nerume's injury."
"I… I shouldn't be surprised, considering you erased my whole memory of what happened."
Kurumu smiled apologetically.
"I thought that was for the best. Do you think it is possible for me to be fixed? The whole organ that changes the baby stuff was destroyed."
"How would I know? There's nothing on record about your kind, but it stands to reason that they could manage a transplant if they had enough knowledge about the succubi anatomy."
"Well… I guess that's the case."
Mommy giggled, gesturing for Yukari.
"Come over here and get a hug before you go."
Yukari stared at mommy, not budging from her spot beside the closed door. She turned and pressed her palm to the door, her other hand touching the emerald stud of her left ear.
"I'm casting the spell now."
"Don't be like that."
"She's already hugged me three times today. It's scary."
Kurumu chuckled, aware of the second time after frosting the tiered chocolate cake. The poor girl had gone limp in mommy's embrace, arguing that playing dead was a common tactic of small animals in the presence of predators. The cake had been delicious.
"You will be back on Friday. Now that I know how easy it is for the two of you to get back, and how much train fare you'll be saved, I'm expecting a nice souvenir from you both."
"What exactly do you want?"
"Well… with it being summer… plums. Yamagata has amazing plums."
"And you know this?"
"I lived here as a child for many years. It's not like Yamagata is some faraway place. The heart never forgets the things it loves."
"Okay. I'll pick you up some plums."
"I'll warn you right now that I only took the six thousand, four hundred sixty yen I had in my possession and I've already spent two thousand, one hundred twenty five of that. I know the train from Oguni to Yonezawa is only a little more than a thousand but I have no idea what the cost of the other train is. Don't have any unrealistic souvenir expectations from me."
"Don't worry, Yukari. I'm sure she'll settle on another hug."
Yukari shuddered, turning her attention back to the door.
"Was it good enough?"
Kurumu frowned at her mother, whom smiled softly.
"Your birthday. The purse, the aquarium and the movie. Was that good?"
Kurumu smirked.
"It would have been better if we had a car."
"Then my first priority of my servitude to Mrs. Shuzen shall be dedicated to getting a proper identity, followed by a license and a vehicle."
"That's good for you."
"I suppose it is. You can keep the ten thousand. Pick up anything I might have forgotten to give you."
"I don't think ten thousand would cover all that."
Mommy pouted.
"It will have to be, because it's all I have to spare. I do need money for gas to feed that dumb generator. Now put that bag down and give me a proper hug."
Kurumu chuckled, setting the bag aside to step in for another hug. This time it felt better, pressing close and resting her cheek on mommy's shoulder. She kind of wondered why mommy's hair had such a lovely scent despite not having bathed recently. She hoped her hair was also this refreshing, since it felt sticky with sweat right now.
"It's ready."
Mommy let out a deep breath, relaxing against Kurumu whom was already thoroughly relaxed.
"Time to go, love."
"I love you."
Mommy pulled back, forcing Kurumu to stand on her own. She smiled softly as mommy caressed the side of her cheek.
"And you will always be loved. Now go have fun with your boyfriend."
Kurumu giggled, feeling guilty at the first thought that crossed her mind. Smirking, she shook her head as she hefted up her bag. Turning away, she started for the door.
"It's about time."
Yukari sighed dramatically, sliding open the door and gesturing into the room. It was such an odd display with the room contents being different on the open side of the sliding glass door compared to what was on the closed side. The open side looked like a store.
"It's not smart to hold this open long."
Not wanting to cause Yukari trouble, Kurumu quickly jogged through the opening. It actually was a store, not much different from the Kanose station. She wandered in a couple more steps, noting a middle aged man with short, black hair and a powder blue dress shirt working the counter. Train related fliers were mounted on the walls, indicating she was at the Oguni station of the Yonesaka line.
"Oh. That's not good."
Kurumu glanced over her shoulder in time to see Yukari stumble into a stand holding cheap rain jackets and umbrellas. She leaned heavily on the rack, threatening to push it over.
Sensing trouble, Kurumu dropped her suitcase and quickly grabbed Yukari. The girl wobbled into her torso, barely able to stand.
"Yukari!"
"Need to rest."
"Is the little lady okay?"
Kurumu struggled with the girl, finally electing to lower down on one of her knees to get a good grip on the unconscious witch. Hauling Yukari up into her arms, she flashed a smile at the attendant whom had already walked around the counter to assist.
"It's just heatstroke, Sir."
The man clucked his tongue, nodding with understanding. He turned on his heel and gestured for her.
"Poor thing. Come on back to the office. I got the AC running."
This man was an angel.
Kurumu walked up the last of the steps inside Yamagata station. At the end of this wide walk was a row of steel gates with green barricades which she would swipe her Suica card to get through. Yukari, whom was walking in Kurumu's shadow, would have to feed her ticket into the slot in the top of these gates.
That man at the Oguni station had been so kind and helpful, letting them spend most of their wait in his comfortable office. He had fussed over her hair which she admitted she was getting a lot of grief over and was thinking to dye back to black when she had the time. She lied about their plans, claiming that they were heading to Yamagata to visit her father and that Yukari was her little sister from a different father. Kurumu claimed she was going through a rebellious phase, since she disliked her stepfather but Yukari would not let her leave Niigata by herself.
When Yukari had finally woken up after an hour of this elaborate fabrication, the poor girl had been lost by the man's reaction of begging her to keep her silly sister out of trouble. Eventually she got the gist of what was going on and played along rather convincingly. In a surprising act of generosity, the man had paid for Yukari's tickets to Yonezawa and Yamagata, wishing them luck at bringing their family together.
The train ride to Yonezawa had been quite uneventful. There had not been that many passengers until they reached Imaizumi station, at which point there had not been much left to the ride. They transferred trains in Yonezawa. The second train had been more crowded, discouraging idle banter. Though the sun had dipped below the horizon before the switch, it had not felt that dark until after the Akayu station at which point they had left the city lights behind. Yukari had kept close to Kurumu's side, helping deter some of the passing lustful feelings directed upon Kurumu.
Yukari had confirmed with Tsukune that the Yamagata station was the best stop for them to get off at. They had kept their attention on the train announcer, since the train would only stop a couple minutes at any given station. They had quickly exited the train, but had allowed the crowd on the platform to disperse, hoping to avoid any congestion at the gates.
Kurumu swiped her card along the top of the gate, prompting the green barricade to swing open. Yukari used the gate beside her with similar success. Hefting her suitcase, Kurumu continued on to the other side of the station. The clock declared it was about twenty minutes after eight.
Off to the left behind glass walls and doors was the Yamagata ticket office center. There were a handful of people milling about despite the lateness of the hour. The hall they stepped into had a high ceiling with diagonal glass walls above the shop walls across the hall. None of these shops looked like a place to pick up souvenirs, so Kurumu turned her attention on her companion.
"Where to?"
"He said the west exit."
Kurumu nodded, starting off to the right.
"Your other west, idiot."
Smiling sheepishly, Kurumu followed the witch whom had started down the left passage. After passing the shops, this hallway continued as a crosswalk over the railway. There were displays about Yamagata on her left in between the windows overlooking the rails.
"Are you tracking your ribbon?"
"I'll activate the spell when we're on the ground."
The right side of the hall opened up for an escalator and a flight of stairs, but Yukari ignored it. Kurumu adjusted her grip on her luggage as they continued across the catwalk over the street which flanked the train rails. An overhead sign indicated Kajo Central was off to the right down another catwalk which crossed another street. Off to the left was another escalator and flight of stairs.
"Which way?"
Yukari shrugged as they reached the end of this hall. The right passage looked like it would take them inside the second floor of a building. Yukari drifted off to the left, waving for Kurumu to follow before the witch started down the stairs with yellow stripes painted on the lip of each step.
At the first landing the stair widened out. Yukari was avoiding the steel handrail and Kurumu preferred to carry her bag in both her arms. There was a vending machine at the bottom of the stairs and open arches without any barriers to keep them from the outside. In less than a minute they were on the paved stones outside the Yamagata station.
Yukari wandered over to a tree which had been planted in the midst of these paved stones. She bowed her head and touched both her ears. By the time Kurumu caught up to the witch, she lifted her head up with a slight smile. She pointed off to the left.
"It should be this way."
"How far?"
"It's close. If it was far away, I'd have to concentrate much harder to notice it."
That was comforting as Kurumu did not enjoy the thought of lugging her suitcase around for long. Yukari started towards the building they had avoided entering. It was a fairly tall building with lots of windows. It had Kurumu thinking of the buildings of Niigata and Kofu.
"Do you think that's a skyscraper?"
"A skyscraper has to be one hundred fifty meters tall. The tallest building in the Yamagata prefecture is the Sky Tower 41 built in 1999, which is only one hundred thirty four meters."
"Why would you know this?"
"I asked my father about skyscrapers when we were discussing what his university life was like. He let me know that I wouldn't find one in Yamagata, since they don't have any reason to build one here."
Yukari paused upon reaching the sidewalk that flanked the road. The girl turned left, following the sidewalk which also flanked an expansive parking lot.
"So… is the Sky Tower in this city?"
"I have no idea. I didn't ask."
There were quite a few buildings across the street they were approaching, but none were as tall as the one by the station. Kurumu felt confident that it was not Sky Tower, since the sign had said Kajo Central. She wondered if any of those buildings she had seen in Niigata had been skyscrapers.
"How much do you know about Yamagata?"
"Not that much. My parents had a prefectural map and a tour guide pamphlet from the early nineties. Most of what I know is random stuff I asked my parents over the years or looked up on the internet."
"You had internet?"
"My father's workplace does."
They reached the street with the pedestrian light flashing in front of them. With one hand still touching her ear, Yukari waved for Kurumu to cross the street. Shifting her luggage higher against her torso, Kurumu took quicker steps to ensure she was across the street before the pedestrian light turned red. Sadly this was not possible, but she waddled the last couple steps before any vehicles could protest her presence. Yukari promptly directed her to cross the other street, walking briskly with her left hand still touching her ear. Kurumu grumbled under her breath as she struggled to keep up with the witch whom was only burdened by an empty bag she could wear like a purse.
"Can't we slow down?"
"I don't like this place."
Kurumu sighed heavily, nearly dropping her suitcase when she lowered it to her knees. She really wished this thing had wheels. She looked over the parking lot they were now nearby, noting a row of vending before the gate access to the lot. Sighing again, she stopped where the row of bushes started which divided the sidewalk from the road.
"Could you at least cast the charm to make this lighter?"
Yukari paused, turning about with a frown. She drifted back to Kurumu, letting her hand lower from her ear as she glanced back over her shoulder.
"I suppose I can manage both enchantments."
"How far do you think it is?"
"Right now the signal is diagonal from here. It's hard for me to judge if we should go west or north. I had the same issue when I was tracking your ribbon so I just followed the road until the signal grew stronger."
Yukari closed her eyes for a bit as she touched the bag. She opened her eyes and grabbed the handle, hauling it up effortlessly for Kurumu. Grinning, Kurumu took her suitcase and immediately felt the weight redistribute against her in a way that made things simple. It was not much different than how she shifted her weight to fly, but she had found it impossible to explain this process to Tora. She simply had figured out how to do it when Takada had taught her to fly.
"We should hurry."
Kurumu nodded, starting after the witch at a brisk pace. She had no idea how proper it was to arrive this late at someone's doorstep, hoping Tsukune had warned his mother.
"Do you have any idea of things we could do on my birthday?"
"Why would I know anything?"
"Well… you saw a tour guide book."
"Full of hot springs, temples and ski resorts. I doubt any of those things are birthday activities."
Kurumu pouted as they approached the next street.
"I wouldn't mind a trip to a hot springs."
"It's the middle of the week, Kurumu. You're expecting too much from his parents."
"Maybe we could do something in the city. Like visit a zoo or a park."
"Have you forgotten that I don't care much for cities? What's wrong with staying at his house?"
"Come on, Yukari. We have to go out and do something. Don't they have anything special going on?"
Yukari huffed as they reached the street. It was clear Yukari intended to cross to the other side but the light was not in their favor. There was a solitary large tree at each corner across the street and a bunch of squat buildings which were only two or three levels tall. Some looked like residences while others were probably apartments.
"Yamagata hosts the hanagasa matsuri this weekend, but I have to take you back home the day it starts."
"What's that?"
"It's a big festival. I'm sure Tsukune could tell you more about it."
"Maybe we could go home a day early and come back for the festival. I'm sure my mother doesn't have the money to do anything special when we get back."
"I am not a taxi and I have no interest in taking part in a crowded festival. You shouldn't either."
Kurumu pouted, wondering why the brat had even brought it up when the light signaled for them to cross. She supposed Yukari was right, unsure if it would be a good idea to get mixed up in a huge human festival. She had enough troubles dealing with all the attention she got walking about the city at leisure. After crossing the street, they continued walking towards the white two story building after the tree.
"I don't own a yukata to wear to festivals.
"And why is that relevant?"
"I don't know. I wonder when they show the fireworks in Nagaoka."
"That's tonight, Kurumu."
"Really?"
"You asked Ms. Honda if she would see the show with Ms. Tobuyoku at our last club meeting. Since I was curious, I asked her when that was. Apparently the show is hosted the first three days of August."
Kurumu grinned as they walked by the white building, noting the sign over the door indicated the place was a hair salon. The place seemed too big for that, Kurumu guessing the shop had apartments above. A small alley divided this building from the next. This tan building also looked like an apartment building and had a small takeout eatery on the first floor.
"Are you interested in fireworks?"
"My mother explained the concept to me, but I would like to see it."
"Do you own a yukata?"
"What part about being in a crowd did you not understand?"
"But don't people normally wear yukata to see summer fireworks?"
"I understand you can watch these things on the television."
Kurumu sighed as they walked by another tan building that lacked any small businesses on the ground level. She glanced across the street, noting a residence with a restaurant facing the street.
"We should price some yukatas. Maybe we can go to a festival with Moka later this summer."
Yukari hesitated a step. She touched her ear, shaking her head.
"I never said I didn't own a yukata. It didn't cross my mind that I should bring it."
"I wonder when they hold the festivals in Kumamoto."
"You can't be this clueless. Most towns and cities will at least do something for obon."
"Yea… I wasn't thinking about obon."
After the building was another clearing with a couple trees before another alleyway. There was only one more two story building before they reached the next street. She noted on the other side of the street there had been another alley between the last two buildings.
"If we do go walking around the city on my birthday, you will come with us, right?"
"I suppose I can tolerate the city for a day or two. This place feels more open than Kofu."
Kurumu was unsure if she agreed with that sentiment, though it was definitely easier than being in the heart of Niigata. They finally reached the next road and the light was in their favor. Glancing both directions, Kurumu noted a Big Boy restaurant not far down the street on her left. There was an island between the lanes of traffic with streetlights posted in the grassy barrier. Off to the right was a bridge which probably went over the railway.
"We should go straight."
Yukari lowered her hand from her ear and continued towards the large multi storied building further up this street. Half this building had three levels of windows while the street side had two. This street did not look like it went much further, ending in a row of trees not far after the next intersection.
Kurumu noticed the building had two shops facing the street. The first was another hair salon while the other was a fabric shop with a sign which indicated it had been open since 1953. It had her think about the shops in Mononoke.
"Do you know anybody that lived in 1953?"
"I'm trying to focus here, Kurumu."
"How old is your grandfather?"
Yukari glanced at her before shaking her head.
"My grandfather was born in 1943 and my grandmother was born in 1957. They married in 1975."
"She was young."
"She was his student."
Kurumu frowned as they passed by the shops. There was a small covered parking space followed by another small shop which was a different structure built close to the other. Across the street was an open area which looked like it had a path which cut towards a clock before turning north through a break in the trees which was flanked with stone walls.
"Aren't your parents both witches?"
"They are."
"And your grandparents?"
Yukari smiled, shaking her head as she crossed the street. She pointed off to the left.
"It's this direction."
Kurumu frowned as she followed after the witch. There were cars parked in front of all these residences that flanked this narrow road on the right side. Most of these homes were two levels. There were less homes on the left side.
"Is your grandfather a witch?"
"Yes, Kurumu. Both my grandparents are witches. My grandmother happens to be Mr. Hakuru's niece."
"Our science teacher?"
"He's also a witch and good friends with Grandfather. He visits Grandfather every summer."
Kurumu sighed as they continued down the street.
"You could have told us stuff like this months ago."
"What for?"
"Because that's important, Yukari. I'm interested in knowing stuff about you."
Yukari favored her a dubious look.
"What's Kengamine like?"
"Huh? I… guess it's like a town. The homes are all spread out but the two schools and other community buildings are all pretty close together."
"And does me knowing this make me any closer to you?"
"Oh, shut up. I was only talking about this subject because I realized I don't know anybody that old. Like the Headmaster is probably the oldest, followed by some of the teachers."
"Didn't you know any of your village elders?"
Kurumu pondered over that.
"I would recognize them, but I can't recall any names."
"I am curious how old Moka's mother is. I understand now that both her and our Headmaster sat on the council that created Fairy Tale in 1800."
"And I suspect that Touhou Chinese guy is the third dark lord."
"I have no idea whom Touhou is, or if our Headmaster is a dark lord. The council I'm talking about is not the same as the three dark lords. The council was a collection of elders whom discussed the benefits of creating a unifying government to protect the monster races and eventually coexist."
"What about the dark lords?"
"That's supposed to be a myth. If Moka had not declared her mother being one of the dark lords, I would have not considered the tale to be true. I only learned about the Headmaster and Akasha Bloodriver being on the original council from my father recently. That is a recorded fact in Fairy Tale history."
"So… when did the dark lords fight the monster?"
"It's a myth, Kurumu. There's nothing that proves that ever happened. The first sixty years of Fairy Tale rule was in the hands of vampire families. It was not until Lord Kureshiba took things over in 1861 that we have consistent reporting of Fairy Tale matters. One of his first decrees was to remove vampires from authority positions in Fairy Tale which remained the case until Lord Doma became president in 1970."
Kurumu nodded as they neared the next intersection. She had not taken much notice of the houses but the next block seemed to be no different than this one.
"Maybe it happened right before this Kureshiba took over."
"Or it could have happened before Fairy Tale was created. It's pointless guessing when this myth could have taken place."
"Do you think Tsukune is related to Moka?"
Yukari shrugged as they crossed the intersection.
"Possibly. Moka's mother is old and may have had other children over the years. It's equally possible that Tsukune is a descendant of anyone else on that council. Maybe even the Headmaster."
"I remember Ms. Nekonome having a folder on Tsukune. It included an ancestry file which dated back to the Edo period."
"If I had that file, I might be able to answer your question."
Kurumu wondered if Ms. Nekonome still had that thing.
"Do you think one of his parents has the ability to remove Moka's rosary?"
"That should be the case."
Kurumu nodded, slightly curious if they would ever find that out. Some of these homes they passed by had their tiny front yards gated or hemmed in by a wall to protect it from the street. There was no sidewalk but the road was flanked by drain tiles which every now and then had an open grate.
Yukari pointed at a nice house which was preceded by a covered parking space suitable for a pair of vehicles. Both cars were sedans, one black and the other silver. The silver one rested lower to the ground and had bigger tires. It was parked farther from the house, Yukari was indicating.
"The signal is from up there."
Kurumu immediately questioned the poverty of Tsukune's family. It was such a pretty home. The walls were pristine white with a tall bay window facing the street. Directly above this window was a two pane window for an upper level room. A balcony with a sliding glass door was built on the side, likely opening into that upper room. She imagined that had to be his parent's room, since she did not remember seeing a sliding glass door in any of their visits into his mind.
She had almost questioned if they had made a mistake when she noticed a sign declaring the Aono residence mounted on the concrete barrier shielding the yard from the street. A fancy, wooden gate which was covered had been built slightly off center, allowing more room for the pair of bonsai trees standing in the front yard. They stepped beneath the covered area, noting a white bicycle had been parked on the other side.
"Maybe we should check if the sliding door on the balcony is unlocked?"
Yukari frowned as she placed her hand on the gate, drawing it slowly open.
"Why would we do that?"
Kurumu laughed nervously. She was terrified. She had no idea what they would do if they were turned away. While mommy had made it sound like it would be no big deal and that they could just use a door to get back to the cabin, Kurumu hated that possibility.
"I don't know. Maybe it would be a bother to his parents showing up this late."
"Don't be stupid. Sneaking into the house would be a horrible impression to make."
Yukari walked over to the covered porch which preceded the front door. She depressed the white button mounted on the side of the door frame and gestured for Kurumu to join her. Feeling anxious, Kurumu stepped up to Yukari's side, careful to keep her eyes averted in case Tsukune's father answered the door.
"Don't drop it."
Yukari touched Kurumu's suitcase and the weight immediately returned to normal causing Kurumu to stagger forward. She pouted at Yukari as the porch light turned on. Settling back in a comfortable stance, she managed a smile as the door opened.
A sandy haired woman wearing a black apron over a white blouse stood in the door. Her shoulder length hair looked similar to Tsukune's and she had hazel eyes. She smiled, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Oh thank goodness. At least I recognize the two of you."
"Mrs. Aono, I presume. I am Sendou Yukari."
Kurumu promptly bowed in unison with Yukari.
"And I'm Kurono Kurumu. I hope you don't mind the intrusion."
"I am Aono Kasumi. Tsukune mentioned the two of you would be coming. Come on in. You must be tired from your trip. I understand that you live in Niigata, Ms. Kurono."
"Yes, Mrs. Aono. I'm sorry we didn't call to firm up any details. My mother doesn't have phone service."
She followed the older woman inside the home, immediately feeling a bit of confusion. This was not the same interior she had seen in Tsukune's dreams. She shuffled over to the edge of the ceramic tiled genkan, setting her suitcase down. She leaned down to remove her shoes as Yukari did the same.
"You must live far out in the country."
Yukari snorted but quickly changed her posture to bow again.
"I'm sorry. I visited her first and can confirm that she lives in much more rustic conditions than my family. While we don't have cable or internet, we at least have electricity and running water."
"Oh my. That is surprisingly old fashioned for a girl with dyed hair."
Kurumu smiled softly, lacking the heart to respond about that.
"Will we be allowed to stay?"
"I could never turn away Tsukune's girlfriend on her birthday. You are more than welcome to stay."
Kurumu nodded, stepping up in the hall. The two doors on the left were closed as was the door at the end of the hall. The door on the right was open and she could hear the sounds of a television.
"My mother wants me to return home no later than Friday. If it is no trouble, can we stay till then?"
"It will be fine, Ms. Kurono. I've already cleaned out a room for the two of you to use, since our usual guest room is occupied."
Kurumu held her hand up in concern as Mrs. Aono drew open the first door on the left.
"Oh! I didn't mean to cause trouble if you had plans for other company."
"Oh, we had no such plans. Please put your things inside. I hope you can forgive me for the futons we left out for the two of you. We normally don't have this much company spending the night."
Yukari bowed again.
"Thank you, Mrs. Aono."
Kurumu smiled and bowed as well, following the witch into the room.
"You can pull the cord for the light in the center of the room. This is meant to be a room to entertain guests, or serve as an office. We barely use it."
With the light from the hallway, she easily found the cord and tugged it, activating the rectangular lamp mounted to the ceiling. It was an empty room with two windows which were covered with black drapes. There was another sliding door against the wall on her right, either for the adjacent room or a closet. Two white futons were rolled up and pushed against the wall beneath the side window.
"My husband is dying to meet you, so we shall visit with him before fetching you some tea."
Kurumu smiled, setting her suitcase down. Yukari dropped her bag against the wall near the door and had her arms crossed about her chest.
"Where is the bathroom?"
Mrs. Aono stepped back into the hall, gesturing off to the left while smiling at them.
"The laundry room and bathroom are through that door at the end of the hall."
"Is it okay if I do my laundry?"
Mrs. Aono laughed at her, turning about and waving them to follow her.
"Later, Ms. Kurono."
Smiling apologetically, Kurumu vacated the room. Mrs. Aono had stepped into the room across the hall and was introducing Yukari to a thin man with a full head of black hair and a wide grin. Tsukune's father was seated behind a low table facing a television mounted in the wall on Kurumu's left. He was dressed in a white dress shirt with the cuffs of his long sleeves unbuttoned and gray slacks.
"And this is Kurono Kurumu."
Kurumu immediately cast her eyes down as the father regarded her. He cleared his throat.
"Yes. I'm Aono Kouji, head of this household. I understand that you wish to marry my son."
Kurumu blushed as Mrs. Aono sighed.
"Don't start with that nonsense again."
The father chuckled, getting up from his seat. He walked over to Kurumu which caused her to glance up reflexively. She would guess he was not that much taller or thicker than Tsukune. She smiled softly, looking over at Mrs. Aono whom was standing in front of the television. Slightly behind her was an open door, through which Kurumu could see a dining room table.
"I am interested in marrying him, though I know we are both too young for that."
A heavy hand slapped down on her shoulder and she heard a genuine sob. Her eyes nearly met his gaze when she realized the man had literally burst into tears.
"I'm so happy! To think a gorgeous woman like you would find my son attractive. I swear what I wouldn't give to have had a high school life with a girlfriend as pretty as you."
Mrs. Aono's smile twitched.
"Language dear. I don't have any spare rooms you can use for the night."
"But how can I deny the truth? While I realize this is the girl he has chosen, I would have never been fortunate enough to bring home two girls to my parents."
"I don't think Yukari is here for Tsukune's sake, Mr. Aono."
Mrs. Aono sighed heavily.
"My husband is referring to the girl Tsukune brought home with him yesterday. Tsukune assured me that you are both familiar with Ms. Shirayuki."
Yukari rolled her eyes, sighing with open disgust.
"Where is Ms. Shirayuki?"
"She should be in the guest room."
"I'm going to strongly encourage her to leave."
"Leave it alone, Yukari. Mizore is a friend of mine, though she has trouble getting along with others. She joined the newspaper club after the field trip."
"Ah yes. That phone call gave my poor heart quite the workout."
"May we visit with Tsukune?"
Mrs. Aono smiled with a nod.
"I suppose the tea can wait. His room and ours are up the stairs. Let me show you the way."
"I can show them around."
Mrs. Aono wagged a finger at her husband.
"You can stay here. Come with me, ladies."
Kurumu grinned, letting Mrs. Aono slip back into the hall before following her. Yukari quickly joined her side, walking down the short length of hallway. They turned to the right at the end, heading up a steep flight of steps. The ceiling overhead sloped with the incline till they reached the top.
"For the record, I think Ms. Shirayuki is more of a charity case than a friend. Tsukune and the others are far too forgiving of her because bad things happened to her. She's still a selfish jerk."
Kurumu laughed nervously as they started down the narrow second floor hallway. There were two doors on the left and one on the right.
"She does have it rough, Yukari."
"So does Moka."
Kurumu could not deny that as they all paused at the first door.
"This first door is for our room. If for any reason you absolutely need to use the restroom and the one downstairs is unavailable, we do have a toilet room next to our closet."
Mrs. Aono gestured to the door on their right.
"And that room is for storage. I would have it locked up but somebody lost the key months ago and has yet to get it fixed."
Kurumu chuckled as they resumed their walk down the narrow passage. Mrs. Aono stopped at the end, knocking on the door. Kurumu took in a breath, knowing she would see Tsukune soon.
"Um… how long have you lived here?"
"Over a decade. Why do you ask?"
Kurumu doubted she could explain how the home in Tsukune's head differed from this one.
"I recently moved to Niigata and lived in a couple different places in Tottori. I can't really say I have a childhood home, so I was curious."
"This was my father's house, though he passed away when Tsukune was only four. We lived here with my mother at first to keep her company, though she passed away a few years later."
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. My parents had me very late. My father was already in his forties and my mother was not that far behind him when I was born. And I hope I don't look it, but I'm only a year shy of forty."
"My Grandfather is sixty two. It worries me to hear that humans can die so young."
Mrs. Aono frowned at Yukari. Shaking her head, she knocked on the door.
"Well… we can't live forever. Especially when we marry troublesome husbands and have sons whom won't answer their bedroom door."
Kurumu chuckled, glad that Mrs. Aono did not push Yukari to explain that slip. The mother sighed, pushing down the lever before pushing the door open. Kurumu followed Mrs. Aono into the room.
The room was different from the one in his dreams. There was no dresser with model cars. He did have a bookshelf pressed up against half of the window which overlooked the street. His bed looked the same with a black sheet drawn over the mattress. It had a black, wooden frame and headboard which was pushed up against the sliding glass door.
He had the same black desk from his dreams. A familiar silver CRT television was centered on it. Tsukune was seated upon the white cushion of the stool in front of the desk, holding a controller in his hands as he played a game. A pair of headphones were secured over his ears.
Perhaps catching the approach of his mother in the corner of his eye, Tsukune paused his game as he turned in his stool. He grinned upon noting Kurumu, tugging the headphones off and setting them along with the controller on the desk.
"I'm glad that you're here. I was starting to wonder if you were coming tomorrow."
"A young man needs to turn the volume down if he can't answer a door."
Tsukune smiled apologetically at his mother, nodding slightly as he got to his feet. He was already dressed for bed, wearing a loose white tee with black sleep pants.
"I'm sorry."
Kurumu smirked at him, crossing her arms below her breasts.
"I hear you brought a friend home."
Tsukune smiled apologetically again, gesturing behind them.
"What are you doing in here, young lady?"
Mizore was seated in the open closet near the bedroom door. She had her arms about her knees and was wearing her usual attire. As she was up on the higher shelf, everyone could see her striped panties.
"I was watching him."
"If you are not tired, please come down and watch television with my husband. I'm sure he would enjoy your company."
"I'm fine staying here."
"I asked you not to be alone with my son in his room."
"But I'm not in his room."
"Mizore. Please don't argue with a woman you want to like you."
Mizore cocked her head, lifting a hand to touch the end of the white stick nestled in the corner of her mouth. After a thoughtful moment, she glanced down at the floor and let her heels slip off the edge of the shelf. Her dangling legs were swathed in her usual striped stockings which ended shy of her knees. She scooted off the shelf, settling on her feet.
"Will Tsukune watch television with us?"
"Let me have a few minutes with Kurumu before I come down. Okay?"
"You are asking the wrong person for permission to be in your room alone with a young woman."
"Just a few minutes."
Mrs. Aono glanced over him suspiciously.
"If you're not down in ten minutes, I will come up and get you."
"I understand."
Mrs. Aono nodded, gesturing for Yukari and Mizore to leave the room ahead of her. Yukari waved to Tsukune before retreating out of the room. Mizore had a blank expression as she regarded them, offering a shrug before complying with Mrs. Aono's prompting. His mother paused at the door.
"Ten minutes, Tsukune. I should not have to come up here and get you."
"Yes mother."
Tsukune let out a huge sigh of relief after his mother closed the door. He hopped out of his chair, darting over to the door and pushing the small button in the lever and giving it a twist.
"What are you doing?"
"Discouraging Mizore. If I had remembered to lock my door, I'm sure she would have left me alone. I doubt she's willing to break my door down just to look at me."
Kurumu grinned as Tsukune wandered back over to her. She fidgeted with her hands, feeling some yummy desire directed upon her. She supposed she could let him do something if he really wanted to. She was wearing a skirt with sexy panties.
"So… you have me alone in your room."
Tsukune grabbed her up in an embrace. She sighed, letting her hands drift to the small of his back while he squeezed her tight to his chest.
"You feel so nice."
Kurumu breathed in deep, resting her cheek on his shoulder.
"You smell fresh. Did you bathe recently?"
"Two times in two nights. It's great having a bath that I don't have to share with a dozen guys."
Kurumu chuckled, relaxing in his grasp.
"How has Mizore been?"
"Trouble."
"Do I want to know?"
"Well… is it normal for a girl to sleep naked?"
Kurumu drew back with a pout.
"I hope you're not sleeping with her again."
"No! I meant… my poor dad went to check on her this morning and well… Mom's been pretty upset at him but I know that's an honest mistake."
Kurumu sighed, shaking her head.
"I'm going to have to apologize to your mother for that silly girl."
"I already have. I never thought she would sleep naked at my house."
"Who knows what is going on in that girl's head?"
"Lately it seems to be having a baby with me. I don't know what to do about it."
Kurumu grinned, rubbing her hands against his back.
"So… did you have something to talk to me about?"
Tsukune smirked, licking her up and down with sensual thoughts as he glanced at his bed.
"I didn't expect her to give me ten minutes."
Kurumu closed her eyes, shivering at this delicious assault.
"We shouldn't."
"But would you?"
Kurumu whimpered, rubbing her hands on his back again.
"We have to have something else to talk about."
"Can we lie down until we think of something?"
She was so bad letting him convince her so easily to lie down in his bed. She let go of him, wandering over to his bedside and sitting heavily on it. Turning away from him to face the wall, she snatched up his pillow and scooted over to the side so he could lie down behind her.
"If I fall asleep, it will be your fault."
She felt his weight against her back and she held her breath in anticipation.
"Then I will have to do something to keep you awake."
She closed her eyes and kept silent.