Akasha rose again "We will recess for one hour to allow this to be cleaned up. I remind you that the council is still in session and the building has been sealed. There are refreshments outside and copies of the original rules for the new members
As they left the hall it was apparent that although refreshments had been set out, it was to be self service. Only one person stood at the top of the stairs leading to the atrium, he was the one identified as James. He stood behind a table piled with plain leather bound books set in front of two large printed posters that listed the Rules for Council. As the newer members watched the elders looked at the posters. Most politely acknowledged his presence and some greeted him briefly.
"How strong was Voronezh?" one asked a Russian counterpart as he waited.
"Difficult to say" he answered "He was given his domain by King Issa. Not the strongest, but not weak" he paused as he watched Moka, Kokoa and Kahlua leave the hall and separate. They walked slowly, not stopping to talk or listen but watching everyone as they passed. By now the two were at the table.
"It is the duty of the Master at Arms to ensure peace at meetings" James said as he saw where they were looking. "They will allow no violence at all" He held out three books to each "Rules of the Council, Laws of the Vampire and Laws relating to the Human World" He waited until they had taken the books "In answer to your question, Igor Ivanovich would not have been considered for his position if Lady Bloodriver hadn't been indisposed. Issa was a member of her house at one time but was never ratified as King by the Council, he was nowhere near strong enough" he saw that Moka was watching "Consider what you have seen; there are toilets downstairs" His voice whilst not loud was heard by all those near the table, and he turned to hand out another set of books.
Moka walked over "I will escort you to the toilet and guard the door. Only one person is allowed in at a time" she looked along the new members waiting by the table. "The council will not start again until I return so there is plenty of time for everyone"
ooOOoo
As Moka closed the door behind the last member Tsukune stood from where he had been talking with Akasha and Gloria. Once Moka was back on the stage Akasha turned "Are all female members accounted for Kokoa?"
"Yes Lady Bloodriver"
"Then I will go and do some work" Tsukune bowed and left.
"James tells me that they have quite a collection of guns now" Moka said after Tsukune had left "He arranged a chute from the toilet into a bin. He's got someone going through them at the moment making sure they're all safe. He says that some are quite unusual"
Akasha smiled and waited for a few seconds before returning to her seat and raising her voice "It has been many years since the last meeting and we have a lot to get through. For this session we will have introductions from the new members and then we will take their oaths. Then we will discuss any amendments that have been implemented or are needed since the last meeting fifty years ago. Requests for residence in the human world will be dealt with in the next session with Lord Aono present"
Kokoa picked up a list "Jules Aaron the third, Washington State America" she looked up "Please come and state the name of your sire and dam, and remove your Rosario or limiter if you wear one; then swear your allegiance to Lady Bloodriver as your Queen"
"I hate having a name that starts with two 'A's" he muttered as he reached Kahlua standing in the centre of the stage. The acoustics meant that everyone heard him, there were a few smiles.
Kahlua grinned good naturedly at him, she knew that Gloria had sought him out and explained what was to happen and what he was to do. She turned him to fact the hall "Please state the name of your Sire and Dam, after if you have a seal or Rosario please remove it"
"I have neither, I was attacked by a vampire and turned after being left for dead" there was a sudden profound silence that fell over the older vampires.
"Do you know who attacked you?" Akasha asked
"No Lady Bloodriver"
"When did it happen?"
"Seven years ago"
"How is it that you're here now?"
"Two years ago I was approached by a man claiming to be from King Issa, he introduced me to the society and told me that I could either pay the King and then I would be in charge of the vampires of Seattle or I would be killed"
"His name" Akasha was growing visibly more annoyed
"I found out that his name was Talaser"
Akasha looked up "Who is this Talaser?" she demanded. One of the elders stood "Kieran you know him?"
"Only by name Lady Bloodriver, he is part of the Nevada clan. I had heard rumours of this but never any proof until now. I was to raise it later with Lord Aono"
Akasha sat back returning her attention to Jules as he waited "I'm sorry that this had happened to you. You now have two choices, either you swear to me and we will find you a sire and educate you properly in our ways" she paused
"Or" he said with a slight smile "I face again that choice"
"I'm sorry" Akasha said "There is also the matter of Seattle, how many look to you?"
"Talaser has introduced me to ten so far"
"Kieran have you someone suitable"
"Seattle is a way off, but I do have some who need to stretch their wings. I'm sure that there is at least one in my clan who has a business in Seattle"
"Then it is so ordered" Akasha looked over to the recorder "As from this moment Seattle is part of the San Francisco clan" She turned back "Please ensure that it is brought to order with the utmost expediency"
Jules had watched the exchange in silence, when Akasha's attention returned he gave a little bow "I will swear"
Kahlua handed him a card "Read and add your name where appropriate"
"I Jules Aaron" he paused as he skipped the names of his Sire and Dam "do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Queen Bloodriver. That I will follow the laws and usage of the realm, and the orders of her Majesty and those she sets over me"
To Jules the world beyond the stage fogged, as he looked around everyone appeared frozen. Akasha smiled "It is just us two for a moment; few in the hall are aware that I have altered their perceptions and sped up time. You did well it must have been difficult for an American to swear to a queen I know. Be assured that there are no onerous taxes, the laws are the laws in the books you were given, there are no trials as such, your actions are judged in a zone of truth and as you have seen in such a zone it is impossible to lie. Where you stand is a different type of zone and shows us the truth of your words. I shall demonstrate. How much was stolen from you by Telaser?"
"Ten Million dollars"
"Now inflate the figure. How much was stolen"
"Twenty Million dollars" He jumped back as the floor flashed red around him.
"Do not watch the floor when the others take their oaths, watch the legs of my chair. Now we will go back to a series of lies" The fog lifted and he heard the sounds appear again.
Akasha looked up "Kieran the figure is ten million dollars." She turned to Jules "I accept your oath Jules Aaron of the Clan of San Francisco. Be faithful to your Clan Leader, but know that we are available to you in need"
Kokoa waited until he had cleared the stage "Abraham Abras, Burkina Faso" she looked up "Please come and state the name of your sire and dam, and remove your Rosario or limiter if you wear one; then swear your allegiance to Lady Bloodriver as your Queen"
Akasha sighed in her mind; it was going to be a long session.
More that just Akasha were showing signs of irritation as the last of the two hundred and twenty new vampires were sworn. Issa's blatant disregard for the fundamental laws of vampire society had given them all a headache. Adding new 'clans' to the existing clans of the American West might have placed a burden on them all. Few of those sworn did so without an almost imperceptible flash of red from the legs of Akasha's chair.
The main problem however was the Russians. There had never been a large presence there. The freedoms required to change identities without trace had been difficult in the communist state, as a consequence there were few existing clans. In essence there were over one hundred and fifty uncontrolled clans that had formed to take advantage of the increase in opportunities. Most were just groups of thugs associated with organised crime.
"This won't be sorted today, whilst the accepted clans of western states can be integrated into the existing clans of Eastern Europe the problem are with those in Central Asia and Russia itself. We will take a break to allow those newly sworn to read the rules and then those who wish to return to the human world can formally request it. Lord Aono will witness any request to return. Another meeting will be called in a week; that will give the court time to arrange matters" Akasha indicated to Gloria that she should continue.
"I heard one of you snort as if to say that you don't need to be protected. Is this what you think?"
"We are vampires, the strongest. Who do we need to be protected from?"
Gloria looked at Akasha with a sad smile, she shook her head as she addressed a specific section of the hall. "This session has been closed so perhaps you should meet some of the other races" her voice hardened "Not the weaker members but the true representatives of their races. Have you met a succubus?"
"Whores"
"Kokoa can you ask Kurumu if she would join us please" Kokoa went through the door as Gloria continued "Kurumu is a succubus and unless you truly wish to die I'd suggest that you keep a civil tongue in your head. You have no idea how to live as a vampire; I'll give you a simple example, where do you keep your money, in one of your banks?"
"Yes"
"When you die, as you must in the human world, what happens to it? Living over twenty years looking like you're still twenty as you won't age will cause talk but can be overcome. After thirty years the talk becomes whispers at forty there is real concern in the community. You haven't changed but those who knew you as a child are now all showing the signs of ageing; have grandchildren maybe even dead. You look the same. By now the authorities are very interested in you and your every move is watched. What will you do? The bank account has been closed, cards and papers withdrawn because you are obviously not the man who you claim to be" she looked at all of them "If you proclaim that you're vampires and immortal; the other races will destroy you; if we don't get to you first. We all live there and we don't want to be revealed. That is why we live by strict laws. All this assumes that you have lived beyond the next few years. So what happens to the wealth that you've accumulated?"
Gloria waited "What happens if you commit a crime and are sent to prison, you can't live for long without blood but if you feed from another in the prison you will be discovered. Abraham Abras will tell you that not all cultures have lost the knowledge about the other races, Russia has lost their oral traditions, but many still know how to identify vampires, even before it becomes apparent with their eternal youth" she watched as her words, like those of Akasha before, made little impact. All the heads turned as Kurumu came into the hall with Ageha and Tsukune.
"We were trying to talk to these but there are problems, most of them are Vor, Russian mafia and they don't respect women or any who are not 'thieves' the others are just criminals or greedy" Gloria said to Tsukune "I was going to show them that they aren't strong but that isn't the problem. They have sworn to Lady Bloodriver as their Queen but none here meant it, they blatantly disregard anything said to them by Lady Bloodriver and myself. All these lied when taking their oaths"
Some realised that there had been a separation after the oath. More than a few of the Americans had joined them on their side.
Tsukune looked at the rest of the hall "I thought that a recess had been called?"
"It had" Akasha said "But now we will continue as they are not listening or taking anything seriously" she indicated to the recorder who picked up a phone. James appeared with two others carrying a chair. This they placed besides Akasha. "Lord Aono please join our council"
Tsukune bowed "Thank you Lady Bloodriver" he sat beside her "Kurono Ageha has just returned from a meeting with her leaders and was advising me of their decisions. It might be relevant to the discussion here"
Ageha bowed "Lady Bloodriver" she turned to the hall "Members of the Council. In short" she paused "We have asked Lord Aono to deal with the problems to our members in two main areas as a matter of urgency. Because we don't wish to reveal ourselves, as is the law, many of our members have been abused, raped and forced into intolerable conditions in Nevada and Russia. Many have been killed by vampires. We know this as they have been drained of all blood with multiple bites on the bodies. In most cases we were able to collect them before the human authorities were aware of anything. We asked Lord Aono because it is his realm and we didn't want to precipitate a war if we dealt with it ourselves. We don't know the status of those involved"
"A full meeting?" came from the floor
"The first in my lifetime" Ageha replied
"How many have been lost?"
"Lost; almost a hundred that we know of. Affected; nigh on a thousand"
Akasha indicated the group "These are forsworn but live in the human world"
"Raise your hand if you wish to return" Tsukune said. Every hand was raised "Master at Arms may we have the first" Tsukune turned to Akasha "Lady Bloodriver if I might impose on you"
ooOOoo
In the silence the first was brought and stood in front of Tsukune and Akasha "You wish to return?" Tsukune asked
"Yes"
"Will you obey the laws of the vampires?"
"No" he looked surprised
"Will you obey the laws relating to living in the human world?"
"No"
"Will you respect all other races including humans as your equal under the law?"
"No"
"You can not but tell the truth" Tsukune frowned "Have you killed or had killed any humans since you've been a vampire?"
"Yes"
"Have you or any under you killed or abused any Succubae?"
"Yes"
"Do you or any under you have a Succubus held against her will?"
"Yes"
Tsukune turned "He cannot return" he sighed "There is also the admission of crimes committed there. Who has jurisdiction here?"
Akasha smiled a tight little smile that didn't reach her eyes "You do Lord Aono. We the Hades Lords have given the crimes and criminals in the human world our utmost priority"
"Then I can continue here?"
"Please do, he is forsworn in front of the council" there was a slight pause "For that his death is assured"
"Then I'm interrogating a criminal whose sentence has been passed"
Akasha's smile was accompanied by a sigh of relief "My thanks"
Tsukune turned back "Slowly and clearly so that it can be recorded, name those under you, and the locations of those held against their will"
Tsukune's face grew grimmer as the list progressed When it was finished Tsukune looked at Ageha then back "List all assets you own or control"
Akasha waited until Tsukune had finished. "Recorder duplicate those lists please" Akasha then looked at Kahlua "Who is the first house or clan"
"Present; Adalade"
Akasha indicated "Adalade please retrieve those listed and the assets. Bring them here. We will continue with the next." She watched as he took the list "With those who've broken our laws you needn't be gentle alive will do. Bring any hostages as carefully as you can though"
After he had gone Akasha sat with her eyes closed, suddenly there was a change "Kokoa open the door to the container, it now leads to a large dungeon. When we are certain we have all those responsible for these attacks on our honour it will be sealed then flooded with water"
Kokoa shuddered at the thought and opened the door on one side; she quickly glanced inside and then moved back to her position.
Akasha moved her hand and the man flew to thump against the end. There followed a cry as he fell then another thump three seconds later.
"James please arrange for all the available healers in the realm to be present and set up the unused wing as a hospital" Looking at Ageha Akasha bowed her head "Please inform your elders what is happening. Aono Kurumu will unseal and stay in her true form to reassure those who arrive" There was a pause as Tsukune looked at her "Ask Aono Mizore and Aono Sora to join us as well"
ooOOoo
Many were interested in the Succubus wife of Lord Aono and watched as she reached up to a Rosario with a clear stone. Since she wasn't introducing herself there was no display of Yoki, but her transformation was unsettling to many as her huge wings and long tail appeared. Everyone tried to calculate their chances of success against her in combat, more than a few turned pale as they realised her power when she turned malevolent eyes on those now trapped in a ward. Young she might be, with the lack of finesse that was gained with years of training, but her pure power had many that were held whimpering in fright.
"Yes, you meet a true Succubus" Akasha's voice was quiet "Would you like to call her a whore?" There was no answer.
ooOOoo
Another three had gone to the dungeon when Mizore and Sora arrived. They waited for a break in the questioning before introducing themselves. They were also asked to remove their Rosario's. They separated to opposite sides, Sora radiated heat as her tails appeared and Mizore stood almost invisible in a blast of freezing air.
Even though she knew all of Tsukune's household Gloria was stunned. She'd known that they were strong because of their connections with Tsukune, she herself had benefited from that. But it was apparent that Tsukune was still strengthening his family. The reason for the clear stones in their Rosario's was now apparent. From the muttering of the council more than a few had also realised. Akasha had given her display of power, and now Tsukune's other family members were doing the same.
Watching as Tsukune explored contacts designed to distance those questioned from their crimes the few who had illegal activities decided to axe them as soon as they returned. Safe from human investigation they might be, but the way Tsukune was exploring every avenue they knew if they were subjected to the same they would face the wrath of the new Lord and his families.
When the first of those rescued appeared their terror was palpable. To those who were human it appeared as if they had been transported into Dante's inferno. A grim faced mass looked at them as they cowered in front of monsters. The terror was lessened as one looked at Kurumu and broke away to run to her. Kurumu's wings came round to protect and reassure as she hugged the girl.
Akasha went to the group as they still huddled for comfort in front of a tall vampire cradling another in his arms. He gave a small bow then spoke in Russian for those around him "These were being held, they are not in good shape" his Australian twang caused a few smiles. He indicated with his head the girl in his arms "This poor baby had been beaten unconscious we did some emergency healing so she could travel, but they've all been drugged. Bastards"
"One of the servants will show you the way, I've set up a hospital" She turned her attention to the girls "Do you trust this man?"
"He seems kind" the girl's voice quivered
"Then he will stay with you as your protector until you are fit enough to make up your own minds. You will be treated for your injuries and addictions, others will help you come to terms with what has happened. Our healers work in a different way from your doctors but don't be alarmed, you can all stay together whilst they work" she glanced at the girl in his arms again "Watch whilst they treat her. You will be here for a while so if any of you have family who will be worried, write and we will send them the letter. Once you are fit then you can decide where you want to live, your families will join you then"
"Where to live, what will we do?"
"I think that he's taken an interest in that waif in his arms, I suspect that he will try and convince her to move to Australia so he can continue to look after her. As to what she will do" she looked at the vampire
"A good education, university and get used to the real world again" he smiled "She'll work in one of my companies if she accepts. Otherwise I'll help her set up with whatever she wants to do" He looked down "She looks a little young" he said with a frown.
"She's twelve" one said
He controlled his anger with some effort "School first then" He led them after the servant.
ooOOoo
There were some signs of impatience as Tsukune tackled yet another vampire about his conduct in the human world. So far this session had taken ten hours and looked to continue for at least twice that again.
"Is there a problem?" Akasha asked as she flicked the vampire into the container.
"Is this necessary to do with a full council?"
"If we were in the human world then no; it could be done by Lord Aono alone, without any reference to us in the slightest. However Lord Aono has accepted the precedent that these crimes were discovered here and we are pledged to assist Lord Aono in his duties" Akasha looked around at the impatient. "How many laws do we have as a race, and as a realm?"
"Very few, but these questions are not concerned with our realm"
"No but they are connected with our honour as vampires and Youkai. Our Honour is the very cornerstone or our laws. These have besmirched our honour as vampires in the human world to such an extent that the elders of the Succubae considered taking action against us; going to war with us" she paused "Where would the Hades Lords stand in such a case; the persecution of one race by another; the deliberate disregard or our laws in respect of conduct in the human world. If this came before me as a Hades Lord what would be the verdict?" She didn't wait for an answer "Lord Aono realised that there was a problem and has allowed us to sort it here, away from the gaze of the other races. We can transfer to the human world, there you can go and do whatever you consider is more important. Lord Aono would then have to report to the Council of Races as he is mandated to do if he takes such actions there" She looked again at those she'd noticed showing impatience "Shall we conclude this council?" She ignored them and looked to Kahlua for the next.
Tsukune woke between Kahlua and Kokoa, gently he got out of the bed leaving them still asleep. Once out of the bedroom he went to Kahlua's room, showered and then to his study where a spare suit was in one of the closets. He sat in his chair for a while and listened to Gagaku. When he had calmed again he then followed it with his own compilation CD. Moka came into the room as Haneoto was finishing.
"That's in the future" she said quietly as she sat in his lap. "Why are you in here listening to" she looked at the cases by the player "Oh"
"I did sleep for a while, but I felt that I needed to re-centre"
"There was nothing more that you could have done" Moka said
"It's not that so much. It wasn't a good reflection on humanity. Although they were vampires, their morals and culture were human. Their being vampires was at the most a distraction. I know that you all feel that a stain has been removed; but I know that it's still there. Women have less respect in modern human cultures that they did when your mother lived in Minoan Crete"
"So what are you going to do about it?"
He stood up holding her in his arms "At the moment nothing; but I do want to go to the hospital that's been set up and make sure that those girls are ok"
Moka took his arm as they walked to the wing "Steeling your heart?"
"I suppose so" he nodded "Yes in a way I am" Moka noticed the look that passed his eyes "We're fighting a war and I'm trying to buy time. A strike here then another somewhere else; I've to reconcile that this is good for us. It was unexpected and has allowed us to catch up a bit. But the cost, those lives ruined by giving such scum the power they had"
"Well I spoke to Tsurara and she's been monitoring the news reports. The first gangs we took out caused a bit of a furore, then silence. She's following up on where the orders came from to gag the reporters"
"No reports in Russia at all?" Tsukune was amazed
"None" Moka smiled
.
"You know" Tsukune said as they reached the temporary hospital "Most of these are younger that we are. Ignoring the child, all the others are between seventeen and twenty"
Moka shuddered "Where are the ones who preceded them?"
"I don't know. But it brings up the question of how far are we responsible. They were abusing the girls before they were turned. Do we cut off help then or now? Personally I'm going to set up hostels where any girl can go in need. I don't have the time at the moment to investigate the past. If they come in then it may well give us the information we need"
As they walked around the ground floor they saw groups watched over by their minders. Some had joined together and were having animated discussions. Tsukune noticed a few who sat by themselves. As they passed the groups they were watched, and as Tsukune and Moka made their way towards one of those who were alone the conversation in the nearest group stopped. Tsukune sat near the girl who was holding her knees and rocking, he smiled reassuringly as he saw that some of the nearest group were concerned.
"Ask them why she's like this can you" he addressed the minder.
He waited for the conversation to finish.
"My Lord" the vampiress turned to him "They say that she was taken, and even after being drugged refused to allow herself to be" her face grimaced "used. She was tied naked to a frame and raped by the gang, then left there for visitors. The girls" she moved her hand "had to clean her up. It was done as a threat as to what would happen if they didn't follow instructions"
Tsukune moved away slightly to allow Moka to sit next to the girl. Moka held her hand out to her, not touching but visible. The girl ignored her and continued rocking.
"Has she been seen by a healer?" Tsukune asked, then indicated that the conversation be translated.
"Yes my Lord. She put her to sleep and then healed the damage inflicted on her"
"But she's catatonic, was she like this before?"
After another brief conversation the vampiress turned again "I was the one who released her from the frame. They say she was normal before"
Tsukune looked around and saw one of his and Akasha's house waiting nearby. He beckoned her over. "Can you fetch Ageha please?"
The woman went off and Tsukune addressed the girls "She has retreated into herself, if this were the human world then she would be given drugs, but here I hope we can remove the cause from her memory and allow her to start living again. If the lady who comes thinks that she will be able to accept it then slowly, after she has been prepared, they will be returned to her. If not, then she will have no memory of what has happened to her. Was she a virgin when she was taken?"
"The healer asked the same and restored her hymen as she was working" The vampiress smiled at Tsukune, then answered the questions from the girls.
It was a while before Ageha came into the wing and over to Tsukune. Her eyes looked at the girl as Tsukune told her what they knew.
"I've seen this before and so have most of the elders. Before we start Moka I need to ask if you will allow Tsukune to be her father figure for a while. If I regress her age so that she has the mind of a child, then Tsukune can heal her" Ageha looked closely at the girl and moving into her line of sight touched her lightly on the arm and shook her head. "She will never be able to accept what has happened"
"How many are like this" Moka asked "Tsukune can't be the father to tens of girls"
All the conversations in the hall had stopped as the groups became aware that something was happening. After a lengthy discussion between themselves and the healers one of the healing witches held up a hand for silence.
"Lady Moka she is the only one that has descended into this state. Whilst many are a cause for concern we have been advised that they can be helped by the Succubae healers who are conversant with this form of mental stress. One of their healers is to come here tomorrow"
"What about the child that came with the first group?"
"She has been adopted by her saviour, her group are happy with that. They say that her family would not have had her back, she would have been seen as unclean"
"Will she be accepted back into her family after her abduction?" Moka indicated the rocking girl.
"She and I lived on the same street; no her family wouldn't have her back. Like mine we are dead to them" she paused "Her mother died when she was young, I don't know for sure but it wouldn't surprise me if her father sold her; he was always beating her and calling her names"
"I need to ask the wives" Moka said to Ageha then smiled "Another daughter and this one human won't be a problem"
"If Lady Kurono regresses her age I have a spell that I can cast on her to teach her English" the witch said "If she is mentally young then it will not be a problem, to her she will have always known the language"
"Do it" Moka said to Ageha "Then Tsukune is going back to bed; Kokoa and Kahlua will be upset if he's not there when they wake up. Another sister will be a surprise but I think they'll enjoy having a younger sister to spoil"
Ageha held the girl's face still and looked onto her eyes for some time. The girl relaxed her grip on her legs and eventually slumped to sleep on the chair. "What's her name?" she asked
"Natalya"
Ageha waited until the witch had finished "Tsukune wake her up"
Tsukune moved to sit by her and touched the girl on the shoulder "Natalya wake up"
The girl moved and looked at Tsukune "Papa I'm sleepy" she sat in his lap and hugged him falling asleep again. Tsukune's eyes fell and a smile appeared as he hugged her to him. He felt his mothers presence within him, slowly as he held her Natalya began to shrink. Eventually Tsukune was holding a four or five year old girl, most of her clothes had fallen off, but her tee shirt made a nice nightdress. Ageha extended a single claw and cut the straps of the bra, it then slipped down and she unhooked it from around her legs.
"Mother said that she'd never be able to adjust, so she can start again" Tsukune said wearily "It was hard"
Moka helped Tsukune stand "Ageha take him and put him back to bed" As they went through the door she continued to the awestruck girls "I only allowed him to come here because he was so worried about you. He needs to sleep for at least a day to recover from what he had to do. You will see him again, but not Natalya I think. Seeing half recognised faces so soon might bring back memories"
One of the original group rattled off a string of Russian
"She says that she knows Natalya is safe, she saw her father look at her sister like that when she was born. It is a fathers love in his eyes" she paused "And a mothers love in yours"
Moka smiled at the girl "Tell her that Natalya is my daughter now. Any who wish to harm her had better be prepared to come through me"
The vampiress bowed her head "Your child my life" she said as Moka left.
A few spoke English and had listened to the conversations. "Can she really protect her; she can't be much older than any of us here?" one asked in Russian.
"Lady Moka has few equals. My sire told me of her introduction; only the oldest would have a chance of living at an insult. None would survive a direct threat to Natalya" She didn't mention that Natalya's family also included Akasha. Lord Aono had advised them not to expound on the differences in culture
"Well she now has loving parents and" she paused "three sisters to look after her" she looked at the girl who had lived in the same street as Natalya "Soon you will have a family again as well"
ooOOoo
Kokoa grunted in surprise as she saw the little girl lying on Tsukune. That woke Kahlua who first looked across Tsukune at Kokoa. As Kokoa watched Kahlua's eyes changed focus to the blur on Tsukune; once there her eyes opened wide, then she. Squeed. Her hands came to her mouth and she did it again.
Her eyes found Kokoa's again "It is real isn't it?"
Kokoa nodded "A little girl" she made the effort to concentrate "She's a little human girl so we need to take a lot of care not to hurt her"
Kahlua extended a finger and lightly brushed the girl's hair. The little girl waved vaguely at the touch and caught Kahlua's finger. Holding Kahlua's finger in her fist she stuck her thumb back in her mouth. She took her thumb out and sucked on Kahlua's finger.
Kokoa watched the enraptured expression that came over Kahlua's face. At first she felt jealous then she realised that Kahlua wasn't mentally old enough when she was that age. To Kahlua this would be her first baby sister; for sister she must be to be sleeping on Tsukune. Kokoa resisted the urge to touch the girl as Kahlua had done; she just watched Kahlua's face and started to cry for her older sister.
Moka slowly let a little Yoki out, it impinged on the two in the bed. She went and sat next to Kokoa brushing the tears from her eyes. "This is Natalya, she was so badly hurt that Ageha had to regress her to an age where she didn't have unhappy memories. Then Tsukune and his mother made her body the same age so that she can have a happy life from now on"
"Can we adopt her?" Kahlua asked. Natalya was still sucking on her finger and she showed no signs of moving.
"We already have. She's your sister Kokoa, but what is she to you Kahlua?"
"I want to be her mama, but I can't. I will be her big sister and look after her as she grows up" Kahlua stopped looking at Natalya and looked at Moka and Kokoa "I couldn't be a big sister to either of you" The floodgates opened and she moved her finger and went to hug Kokoa and Moka. Holding them tight with tears streaming down her face "I'm sorry"
Hidden in the shadows, so that even Moka didn't know she was there, Akasha watched as Kahlua finally came to accept her real ability to love. Whilst the bonds between the three had grown strong since Kahlua had joined them, now they were inseparable. She caught a flicker of something as Natalya realised that she no longer had a comforter and smiled. Tsukune's mother wouldn't miss such an opportunity.