XIX

Scary lessons

A quick glance at his watch told Kouta that the session was just about finished. After this, most of his classes would be done for the day and he'd be able to start going home. He was going to wait to see if Yuka would also be going with him.

He could see her sitting there to his left, this session being one of the rare few ones that they still shared; after this period Yuka would go to classes that he wasn't eligible for. It was a decision she had made for herself because she wanted to challenge herself and accomplish more, and Kouta supported this decision one hundred percent, though it was going to be harder for her to juggle these extra classes.

Honestly, he had been quite upset when he learned that Yuka had come to this school instead of choosing one that was more suited to her abilities.

'I've been such an idiot. It was so obvious… I should have noticed it far sooner.' For all that time they spent together, he'd never really noticed how easy it had been for her to keep up with the homework or score the highest scores on the tests. 'You're way smarter than I will ever be, Yuka. You shouldn't waste your own future for my sake. I want you to reach your full potential.'

He didn't feel ashamed about admitting that she was way smarter than he was, the perks being that he could always count on her when the homework and other projects were becoming a bit too much for him to handle alone. Once he got home he would go and have a talk with her about her plans for the future, though it was likely that she would get home later than him. If that was case, he'd take up dinner duty and lighten some of the load on Yuka.

'You don't need to look after everything. You also have your own future to focus on. You shouldn't let taking care of all of us hold you back because you deserve better than that.' He wanted to help her even more than that; in fact, they all should in consideration of everything she's done for them. There was definitely plenty of work around the house still left to do. Well whatever it might be he also personally needed to find a way to pay her back for the effort and trouble she had went through when he was hospitalized, taking care of nearly everything during those long months. 'Man, you've always impressed me Yuka. I don't think I would have been able to pull that off if I were in your position.'

Well it would be something for him to think about later, the bell went and with that this class was over for today. Quickly packing everything into his bag, he hurried to the door without paying much attention to his surroundings until it was too late. He bumped into somebody rather forcefully, causing both of them to fall in a tangle of limbs.

"My apologies! I'm so sorry!" He rushed back up on his feet, leaning over to help the person he'd knocked over when he realized that he didn't recognize the person. She wasn't a student.

She was definitely feeling nervous alright. Yuzuka and Azusa had briefly debriefed her on the various clubs they were interested in, and just the number of clubs they listed was a daunting prospect for Saeko to bear. She just hadn't been aware of these activities despite knowing that her sister was a member of one. It's true that in the past she'd considered joining that specific club simply because Mayu was in it, she didn't care about the club or its activities just as long as she could be with Mayu it would be fine.

That would have been wrong of her, if her friends would have accepted her choice then and there she would have felt guilty about it, also she wasn't really sure if art was for her since she had never been able to be inspired by the things she saw Mayu make for the club. She was always impressed by the pieces, sure, but while she wished that she could create masterpieces as well, she just couldn't find the passion within herself to do it.

Saeko also promised herself that she wouldn't join any of the sports clubs since she already had enough fear of being discovered every time they went to PE class. It wasn't really the changing part that made her feel uncomfortable; in fact being naked felt pretty normal to her. Rather, it was the fact that changing her clothes risked making the ribbons hiding her horns fall off. If that were to happen then it would mean the end of her life in school, this life she had come to cherish.

'I can't take that risk…' In front of her, Yuzuka and Azusa were already standing at the entrance for the next club, she was so glad they were also more interested in other clubs.

"Saekorin! Quickly! Over here! You have got to see this! Oh this is so cute!" Yuzuka shouted though she wasn't that far away. The action felt pleasant in some way.

"I'm coming, Yuzu-chan. What club is this?" All Saeko could see were vases arrayed around the room with flowers in all of them, she did have to admit that every single one of them looked beautiful.

"This club is for flower arranging, all of the bouquets you see here have made by the club members. Isn't it so beautiful? All of those vibrant colors. Do you think you would like this?" Azusa pointed towards the vases as she spoke.

Saeko fell silent as she took it all in; she had no idea that such a club existed, and there must still be tons more that she wasn't aware off. She suddenly grew excited. Who knew what other kind of clubs this school had to offer? She wanted to see more of it.

Mako got her first glimpse of Matsumoto as she was getting off the train. It was certainly different than what she was used to from Kamakura or even Tokyo for that matter. No matter what direction she looked, the mountain ranges were always in sight. That shouldn't have come as a surprise given to where the city was situated.

"Bah, this place is even worse than I thought it would be. A fine mess you got us in, I might add," Bando grunted as he got off the train, the long rest he got on the journey seemingly having no effect on his foul mood. "Honestly if I had known it'd be like this I would have stayed back in fucking Kamakura. But since we are now here in this godforsaken shithole we might as well get going to find that professor of yours."

Mako held in a groan. Honestly she hadn't minded his company while he was asleep. Why did that have to change the moment the man woke up and decided to be a total jerk again.

"If you can stop scaring people then I will call for a cab. We aren't scheduled to meet until another hour so we still have some time. Also, please behave and let me do the talking. You'll just get us into trouble or worse, land us in jail." Though Mako's words held no sympathy for the man, she was still secretly grateful to have him there. Just like he said, this was a sketchy place where anything could happen. Who knew what she'd encounter if she came alone.

"Fine," he agreed reluctantly while he adjusting his glasses. "Let's get going then."

Mako nodded in agreement and led the way, heading towards the main exit where surely several cabs will already be waiting.

"How long do you think this meeting with the professor of yours is going to take?" Bando asked all of a sudden. "I don't think we should stay here any longer than needed. And the guy had better not talk to the wrong people or we are going to be in trouble."

She looked at him, tilting her head a little. "Don't you think you're being a bit paranoid? Besides, I'm not going to tell him everything. I'm not that stupid and I've done my homework on him. He seems clean so far, and it's not like we really have a choice since we're running out of options for her."

He scoffed. "We are only running out of options because you people are too limited. There is always a way. Won't be easy and can possibly even be dangerous but it's there you know."

"What's that supposed to mean? That sounds pretty disturbing coming from you," Mako objected, though he did have a point. There was a way to help her for sure; they just hadn't thought of it yet.

"What do you think it means? You're supposed to be so damn smart aren't you? Ha, doctors. You're all just pathetic. Anyways, let's get going. If this is a waste I will toss you off the train. Mark my words?" He shook his head after that. "Seriously. You people drive me insane."

From where she was standing she could see his hand move underneath his jacket. She was under no illusion as to what his hand was hovering over. To think that he'd even taken it with him on the train though he wouldn't be Bando if he didn't come prepared for the worst.

"Believe me, we wouldn't have come here unless I was certain he'd be of help. I don't want to waste my time either. Now let's go find a cab and find out just how useful he may be for us. After that we can go home." Having said that, Mako was entirely sure that even if he could help them, there was every chance existed that the man wasn't going to be willing to help with this complicated matter. Doubts kept plaguing her mind, as expected when so much could just go wrong.

Much like the previous club, this one also served to completely capture Saeko's attention. She just gazed at all of the pretty clothes that were displayed before her. From what Yuzuka had told her, this was a sewing club, though the word "sewing" doesn't quite do the club justice. Each of the clothing items displayed were top notch work, and they were just so gorgeous that she really wanted to just grab some and try them on.

"Oh my God this is adorable!" Yuzuka squealed while starting at a particular outfit. "I really want to try this on, it's just way too cute for me to pass up on! I absolutely adore this style!" As soon as Saeko and Azusa came over, they instantly understood the reasons behind Yuzuka's intense enthusiasm; rife with frills and cute prints, it almost seemed like the dress had been designed with said girl in mind.

"It really does suit you Yuzuka-san, and I think you would look great in it."

Then the two turned towards Saeko expectantly, clearly wanting to hear her opinion on the matter. This made her feel very uncomfortable. "… W-Well… I-I uh… ah… I t-think she's right… it would look really… nice on you and all…" She nodded her head as well.

For some reason she couldn't really explain, she really wanted to wear that dress as well. The colors and the style just appealed to her, all the way down to the gentle and soft feeling of the fabric.

"Isuzu-san?" Azusa had noticed the look in Saeko's eyes as she stole glances at the outfit. "Do you like this one as well? Would you like to be a maid?" She asked with a giggle.

Saeko was snapped out of her daze, confused. What was a maid exactly? And why did the idea make Azusa giggle? She voiced her concerns aloud.

Yuzuka chuckled upon hearing the question. "Oh Saekorin, you're so adorable when you ask such questions, that's what I like so much about you."

The noises caught the attention of one of the club members in particular, who then started to make her way over towards them. "Do you like this outfit? I made it myself," she offered before explaining to the three of them what her inspiration for the outfit had been. Yuzuka interrupted the girl at several times in order to satisfy her own curiosity.

"So you got the inspiration for this after a trip to Akihibara? I actually haven't been to Tokyo yet... how was it there? What is it like, senpai? Please tell us!"

Not certain what they were talking about Saeko kept quiet as she listened to their little conversation, the girl seemed to be a nice person. She also had to be pretty talented if she could make such a lovely outfit but she was still wondering what exactly a maid was.

"S-Senpai?" She had raised her hand without even realizing it. "Can I ask you what a maid is? And how exactly does it relate to this outfit?" Before Saeko had even noticed it she had asked that question out loud.

There was a sudden ceasing of activity as it seemed like everyone in the room had heard the question. The pause only lasted briefly however, as one after another the club members as well as those other students present started grinning from ear to ear before bursting out laughing.

Hearing the stifled giggles and stares, Saeko began to blush heavily. She felt so embarrassed and incredibly stupid for having asked such a dumb question in the first place. She tried her best to hold back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. She didn't want to receive an answer anymore, and just dashed out of the room as the tears started running down her cheeks, she couldn't care about it anymore. Behind her the faint cries of Yuzuka and Azusa fell on deaf ears, all Saeko wanted was to get out of here, to get away from the pain.

After helping her get back on her feet, Kouta was able to really look at the girl and be amazed at how beautiful she was. Long black hair caressed her shoulders, framing her elegant face and complimenting her radiant eyes. He was simply dumbstruck by her elegant and gentle appearance and it made him feel all the more guilty not to mention really stupid for having knocked her over. "I'm so sorry miss, are you alright?"

The girl dusted off her skirt before giving a reply. "Thank you kindly for helping me sir, your apology is accepted. My name is Anna. Who are you if I may ask?" Despite having been rudely bumped into by him, she seemed remarkably polite and kind. In a way she gave of the impression of the traditional Japanese young lady and if she had been wearing a kimono he would have expected her to be one.

Taken aback by her gentle manners, Kouta didn't know what to say at first. "... I-Isuzu Kouta, pleased to meet you. Sorry again about that. But ehm... I don't think I've seen you around before. You're not a student of this school, right?"

Anna tilted her head a little. "I am sorry but I would like for you not to inquire into a personal matter thank you sir. I have my own reasons for being here. If you could be so kind enough to direct me to the principal's office I will be on my way again."

She was polite although somewhat rather formal in her ways. It was odd though not that unexpected.

"It's in that direction," he pointed in the general direction before adding on an afterthought. "I can show you the way if you want?"

She however, would have none of it. "I'm sure that I will find it, but thank you kindly for offering, sir." And just as quickly as she had come, Anna disappeared down the hallway. Kouta was left slightly dazed, replaying the recent events in his mind. She had a rather odd name, Anna, that certainly wasn't Japanese though she definitely looked like one.

"A strange girl, that's for sure." Pushing the whole incident aside, he thought back to the real task at hand, which was to check up on Yuka and then go home. Though try as hard as he could, Kouta still couldn't get the girl entirely out of his mind; something about her just kept stirring in the back of his mind.

Just his luck, as he rounded the corner, he found himself looking at two, rather imposing looking, men in suits stopping Anna. They were definitely not school officials, so he watched on quietly to make sure that she wasn't in any kind of trouble. She appeared to be talking to them, though from where he was standing he couldn't hear a word of their conversation and getting closer was also not an option as it appeared that one of the suited men was doing his best to keep people away.

Other students quickly got the memo and kept their distance; it made him wonder who all three of those people were and what business they had at the school. Somehow he got the impression that there was something to her that didn't match at all with a person of her age. He didn't know what exactly but if he were to see her again he would make certain to keep an eye out on her.

He turned to take another route, leaving the matter alone for now.

While gazing at the building Bando stated the obvious. "So this is the place? Doesn't look so impressive to me." He reached out and lit a cigarette. Not having been able to smoke on either the train or the taxi ride had made him yearn for one by now.

"You're aware that it's a non-smoking building right?" Mako remarked as she pointed towards the sign next to the entrance stating clearly that no smoking was allowed in either the building or even on the premises. For his part Bando just shrugged and continued. Mako sighed, knowing that she would have to wait for him to finish before they could go inside. Though she wasn't really expecting any trouble at the moment, she would still rather not go inside on her own. Bando was there for a reason after all.

Although Dai had done his best to keep the existence of the few remaining Diclonius well hidden after all of their supposed deaths, she did expect that there were still those out there who would not rest until they saw the proof for themselves. Those people represented a constant risk, but luckily they were few in number and as long as they kept their vigilance then the girls would be fine. The longer the skeptics went without proof the weaker their resolve would become, and hopefully eventually they would simply give up and move on. However in the very bag she was holding were the incriminating documents which would give those people exactly the proof they needed to confirm their doubts.

"You know, I'm kind of feeling a little nervous about this. I just hope he hasn't forgotten, otherwise this whole trip would have been for nothing," she joked.

Bando didn't seem to find that scenario to be particulary amusing in any way. "If that is the case then I'm going to kill the both of you," he spat as threw away the last of the cigarette. "Now let's go. This professor of yours had better be inside or you're gonna get it."

Mako nodded, having gotten used to and frankly sick of rebutting his threats and insults. She wanted just as much to get this over with. "You're right."

She suddenly started to wonder about how it's been for Kogorou, seeing as neither of them had seen or spoken to each other for a long time. They had been going in two very different directions, after all.

"Isuzu-senpai?! Isuzu-senpai?!" Mayu turned around at the sound of someone calling her name and saw that it was one of Saeko's friends. If memory served her, the girl's name was Yuzuka.

"Isuzu-senpai?! Isuzu-senpai?! You need to come quick!" Yuzuka cried again once she reached Mayu and started pulling at her arm. "We need your help! Saekorin ran away and we can't find her! Please senpai, we've looked everywhere!"

"Wait... what?! What happened to Saeko-san? Why did she run away?" Mayu was equally shocked and began to feel panic settling in. What in the world could have happened that had made Saeko run away from her beloved new friends? "Weren't you guys with her?!" she demanded to know. If these girls were really Saeko's friends then how could they have let this happen? She thought they knew how shy and timid the girl was, so why weren't they more careful?

"We…" The girl couldn't really get the words right. "W-We were just looking for clubs, i-it was just the sewing club a-and we saw this cute maid outfit. S-Saekorin didn't know what a maid was and asked. People laughed when they heard that and she started to cry and then ran away from us. We didn't want her to get hurt or mean for that to happen! We're so sorry, we really are. Please senpai, you'd know better where she may have gone." Yuzuka started to cry herself.

"It's fine, Kayano-san. The forgiveness isn't mine to give but I'll help you look for my sister. What direction did she run off in?"

"I-I don't know, she was so fast. W-We kind of lost her by the time we got into the hallway. But we need to find her because she's our friend, we're worried about her senpai!"

Mayu placed a heavy hand down on the girl's shoulder, telling her to calm down. It wasn't going to help them find Saeko if Yuzuka was in a state of panic as well. "Please calm down Kayano-san. You're worrying will not help find her. Please think harder; do you have any impression of which way Saeko-san turned? Left or right? I know you can remember."

Yuzuka tried her best to relax and thought long and hard. "L-Left, she definitely went left, I'm sure of it."

"You're sure of this?" Mayu questioned, needing to be certain of the fact. "We have to be absolutely correct so as to not waste time and make things worse."

"I-I am, senpai, I'm certain she went left."

Mayu nodded and grabbed her bag. "Alright then, let's go look in that direction. We need to find Saeko-san quickly before somebody else does and things get out of hand."

That last statement prompted a confused look from Yuzuka, perhaps because she thought that Mayu was overreacting a little or maybe she felt that Mayu was being overprotective of Saeko. In reality, she wasn't aware of the grave danger that existed now. Being in such an emotional state increased the risk of Saeko accidentally retaliating against further threats with her vectors by accident.

If she were to hurt or, dare Mayu even think of it, kill a student, then who knew what would happen. People might realize the truth, which would put both her family and sister in serious trouble. She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't allow for her sister to become a murderer. They needed to find her before somebody else did. After that, she would have a long talk with Yuzuka and Azusa to find out exactly what went down.

"Come on, we need to find her. And where is your other friend? Is she waiting for us or did you guys split up to look for Saeko?"

"Azurin is looking for her. She told me to go look for you while she kept up the search. So do you have an idea on where Saekorin might have gone senpai?"

The uncomfortable truth was that Mayu didn't have a single clue either since there were plenty of places for her sister to hide. There was also the fact that with her vectors, Saeko could even be in places that students usually couldn't access. It was a bit unfortunate that today was the club presentation since more students would be on campus than usual.

"I don't know, to be honest. Normally when this happens she would try and go somewhere where people can't find her."

"So where could've Saekorin gone too then?" Yuzuka asked, becoming aware of the problem they were facing, casting a quick glance Mayu could see that she was feeling guilty.

She knocked on the door three times, glancing at the sign to confirm that she did indeed have the right room. In her mind a small voice kept on repeating that it still wasn't too late to leave. Unfortunately, a young man answered the knocks. He looked relatively young to her, most likely a student of the professor's. "Can I help you?" He asked.

Mako nodded. "Yes, hi. I am Takebe Mako and I have an appointment with Hashiratani-hakase. He is expecting me," she had been pretty clear but still a look of confusion crossed the student's face. Hadn't they been told?

"I ehm, will need to go and ask sensei. Please wait here." And with that said he closed the door without allowing Mako to respond. That was definitely not the kind of reception she had been expecting.

Bando made a small remark. "I can kick in the door along with that brat, you know. In fact, I'm going to give him two minutes to get his sorry ass back here."

"No!" She snapped back at him. The last thing they needed now was for Bando to start making a mess and scaring the crap out of people. "Please, just wait a little longer alright? Give him some time; the professor probably just forgot about this meeting. He's a busy man after all."

"Fine, have it your way. But if he isn't here within five minutes then I'm going in regardless. Like hell am I going to let some damn professor keep me waiting, I have already dealt with more than enough of those weirdo's!"

"Oh for goodness sake! Show some damn patience you jerk! How hard can it possibly be to wait for a couple of minutes?! Did you lose your common sense in that factory or something?! God I am an idiot for having you here!"

That was the spark that ignited yet another heated argument between the two of them, in hindsight it was a good thing that nobody was present in the hallway and that the place seemed to be well isolated otherwise the two of them would have attracted plenty of unneeded attention. If anyone was disturbed by the noise, they didn't make it known as the hallway remained just as empty.

"You think I actually want to be here, fucking babysitting you?! I still remember everything that horned freak did to me a week ago! You're lucky I didn't break her arm!"

"You arrogant bastard! You pointed a gun at one of my daughters! A gun!" Mako was lit with rage. Oh she was so going to make him eat his words the next he asks for medical help. "You're just insane you maniac! Honestly they should just lock you up in a psychiatric ward!

"Watch your words!" Bando remarked. "They're horned freaks! Why shouldn't I use a gun when those freaks have those diseased hands of theirs?! They're worse than anything I could ever do! Did you even think about that?! You people forgot what they can do with those?! Fucking answer me dammit!"

Their bitter dispute was interrupted when the door opened again, and a different student motioned for them to enter. "Sensei can see you now. This way please."

Though the two had enough sense to finally shut up and walk in peacefully, Mako was still visibly upset about what had just transpired with Bando. He wasn't a terrible person, but as soon as he makes his presence known then things start getting ugly.

Once inside the room, she was surprised at how quiet it remained even with all of the humming produced by the equipment. Several students glanced up from their workstations to look at the guests but most just kept working diligently. Briefly she wondered if they had heard the commotion outside. They stopped outside a smaller office situated at the back of the laboratory and were told to wait for the professor to finish his conversation with somebody else. Bando chuckled as he folded his arms across his chest.

Rising from her seat Kagome gave a courtesy bow before turning on her heels and leaving the room. A different agent had already been assigned to escort her out of the building, which Dai was all too grateful for. It had been yet another stressful meeting, and he was wondering just what command was thinking by keeping their rather ridiculous demands. He could almost sympathize with Kagome, and understand her constant foul mood.

"Well I sure am glad that that's over," he sighed, glad that he wouldn't have to do this again for another month. "These meeting are far too taxing on me."

"My apologies, agent Hirano. You did well to resolve the situation. My sincerest apologies if my actions led to some of the unfortunate tense moments. I have to say though, I am impressed by how you were able to handle it all. I can see why she is not an easy person to deal with."

'Talk about an understatement,' Dai told himself as he rolled his eyes, knowing that the poor man had yet to experience every unpleasant facet of Kagome. He would find out in time, and hopefully soon so that he wouldn't get into trouble with the head of Kakuzawa Industries.

"With all due respect, sir, it would be best if before the next scheduled meeting you make sure to read all of the previous material. I think that would be the best way to avoid further tense moments in the future."

Mizuno agreed. "A good point, agent Hirano. I will take note of it. Now if you would be so kind as to hand over the notes from this meeting, I need to report of it to command."

Dai happily obliged, just happy that at least he didn't need to handle the boring task of reporting in addition to talking to Kagome. "Good luck with everything sir. Would it be okay if I took a short break?"

"Permission granted agent Hirano, you may take your leave. That being said, I would like to have a personal meeting with you after my report to command. I will sent somebody for you after I am done."

Dai hesitated, knowing personally that those meetings generally went on for hours on end. He was going to have take a late night shift if he needed to wait for Mizuno to come back.

"With all due respect sir, would you not prefer for that to wait until tomorrow? I would expect for you to be pretty exhausted after the meeting especially since you're going straight from this one. It would be in your best interest to get some rest."

Mizuno raised an eyebrow, clearly seeing through the ruse. "Agent Hirano, I'm hoping that this isn't some poor excuse to slack on the job. I expect you to be there when I get back from the meeting. Do you understand?" His tone made it clear that there would be no room for argument.

"Yes sir," Dai sighed, now that he was actually was going to be stuck here. And with Mako out in Matsumoto, the girls would home all by themselves until he finished up, which was sure to be really late. Sure they could probably handle themselves just fine, but he still didn't want them to be alone. "I will be right here if you need me."

After a stiff bow he too left the conference room and started to head back to his own office. He had to make a phone call.

Sitting there all by herself with her arms folded around her knees in the darkened storage room, Saeko fought back her tears furiously. She could barely see but it wasn't as if anyone could see her either.

"… People… kept… laughing… at… me…" She murmured in between sniffles. Why had they been so mean to her when she had only asked a simply question? It wasn't her fault that she didn't know what a maid was. How could she? Those people didn't know what she had been through, and how hard it was for her to keep up with her fellow students. "… I… want… to… go… home… with… master…"

She felt even smaller when remembering Yuzuka and Azusa's reactions. Why hadn't her friends stopped people from laughing? Why hadn't they stopped her from making a mistake? Why had she even gone with them to look for clubs in the first place? Why hadn't she just declined and went straight home? Home where she would be safe.

"… R-Real… friends… wouldn't… have… let… me… get… h-hurt… they… wouldn't… t-they…w-wouldn't…"

For the first time since meeting them she started to question if Yuzuka and Azusa really were her friends. The sound of approaching footsteps pulled her from her thoughts and she held her breath as they got closer. She kept whispering for them to leave like a mantra. "…P-P-Please… l-leave…me… please…?"

She didn't dare move for fear of making a noise that could alert whoever it was of her presence. Her heart jumped to her throat when she saw the footsteps came to a halt at the door.

"Go… away… please… go away… leave me… alone…" she kept on repeating over and over to herself and despite also telling herself that she needed to stay quiet, her voice grew louder and louder. She didn't want to be found by anyone at the moment; she just wanted to be left alone until she could get her emotions back under control. Perhaps after all the clubs ended and nearly all of the students left she'd try and leave. She would fake being sick, that way she wouldn't have to face everyone in school tomorrow and avoid getting laughed at again. Hopefully Mayu wouldn't really mind. Then, much to her relief, the footsteps started to move away from the door and disappeared into the distance. She rested her head on her knees again. What had she done to deserve this? Hadn't she been a good girl all this time? The ringing of bells signalled that the school day was officially over, which hopefully meant that all the clubs would start packing up quickly. Only then could she finally go home.

"Hey Saten-san, can you give me a hand? We need to do some cleaning up. Can you get a few brooms from the storage room for me? I will go and get the boxes to put the costumes back in."

Saeko nearly shot up, seized by panic. She was trapped in the room and there was nowhere to hide in order to evade this Saten-san.

"Sure, just give me a moment." Once again footsteps approached the door. "Is it just the brooms you need? Anything else I should also bring?"

"Ah no, that should be enough," The original speaker said before walking away, as indicated by her faint footsteps. Before Saeko could come up with any sort of plan, the knob turned and the door creaked open slowly.

When the door to the office finally opened, Mako took a good look at the blonde haired boy who walked out. He seemed rather young to be a student of the professor's as well, and listening as the boy said his goodbyes, she couldn't help but notice that they used a more informal speech. Could he be related to the professor? His son? No... that didn't feel quite right. Perhaps a nephew?

"Oi watch where you're going, brat!" Bando growled when the boy bumped into him by accident. He then lifted said boy off the ground by the scruff of his shirt. "My eyes aren't the best anymore brat but even I can see damn fine when there is somebody in the way! Now apologize!"

"Bando!" Mako snapped at him "Let go of him now! He just bumped into you by accident! He's just a kid so put him down!" The frightened kid seemed to be no older than ten or eleven years old.

"I would also prefer if you could let go of my nephew. Do it now or I will have security escort you out of the building," the professor stated coldly, having come up behind the two. "I won't warn you again, and I've already called for them."

Bando relinquished his grip and the boy was dropped back on the floor. "Fine. Go on brat. Get out of my sight. But bump into me again and I'll make sure you're sorry whether your pathetic uncle threatens me or not."

By this point Mako had already turned around to make a formal apology to the professor. "My sincerest apologies Hashiratani-hakase. I am terribly sorry for the rude way that my less than competent companion has treated your nephew," she made what felt like the deepest bow in her life, promising to herself that once this was all over she would actually give Bando a slap that was long overdue.

"Ah you must be Takebe-san then. I had been expecting you," He looked at her, eyes squinting. "Honestly with the way you have treated poor Ryouta I feel hesitant to listen."

This was exactly what she was afraid of; Bando could very well have ruined their chance at this.

"But you mentioned on the phone that it was a delicate matter so I am willing to listen to why I should waste more of my precious time." He looked away from her, towards the boy and spoke. "Ryouta, you should go home."

When two men in uniform entered the room, the professor pointed towards Bando. "Escort him outside and make sure he doesn't set foot on the premises." Taking their orders from him they needed no further explanation and moved towards Bando who seemed already aware of their intent. He however, was having none of that. "Like hell I'm going to let some punks like you drag me away."

"Bando!" Mako snapped at him, not wanting to lose the forgiveness of the professor. "Just go with them! You've done more than enough. Stop ruining Saori's chance at having a normal life you egoistical maniac!"

Hearing that made Bando grit his teeth. "Is that so? Well then take care of yourself. Don't come shouting for me if mister squinty eyes here attacks you." And with that he left, making sure that he scared not only the security guards but also those students dumb enough to look in his general direction.

Mako couldn't help but bow once more. "Again my sincerest apologies for his rude actions. I beg that the actions of that unfortunate person will not prevent me from explaining my reasons for being here. Please, it has been a long journey coming here from Kamakura."

The professor let out a long sigh before dragging his hand down his face. "Very well. You get ten minutes to explain, and if it doesn't interest me then you can take yourself and that buffoon of a companion of yours away from my office."

This was the best she could get for now, and she intended to make the best of the ten minutes given.

Nana was awoken from her rather comfortable nap on the couch by the sound of the phone ringing. This was odd since normally nobody would call this place. Forcing herself out of the couch she made her way into the hallway where the phone was situated.

"I wonder who it could be. Maybe Kouta-san? Or Yuka-san? Or maybe even Nozomi-san? That would be nice," she said to nobody in particular as she reached out and took the phone off the hook. "Hello? Maple Inn?"

"Nana-san? Is that you? It's me, Dai. Is Kouta-san or Yuka-san present? I need to ask them for a favor." It took her a moment to recognize the voice; it seemed the phone was starting to have issues again. Even though he had said his name it still took a while. "Ah, Dai-san!" she remarked, getting all excited to hear from him. "I'm really sorry but neither of them are back home yet. I don't really expect them to be back soon either, at least another hour or so I would guess."

She heard him curse a little. "Well then can you tell them to call me on my cell phone the moment they get back? It's really urgent that I get to speak to them. Can you do that for me?"

Nana grew uneasy. "Of course I can. Can I ask what this is about? We aren't in trouble again are we?"

"Oh no. No, no. I didn't mean to imply that at all. You're all safe. No, it is just that my boss wants me to stay behind and it's definitely going to run late, and Mako isn't home either. I could really use somebody to watch Kyou, Ryou, and Sei for the evening. I would feel a lot better if they were not home alone at night. You know what I mean?"

Nana could relate completely and even considered offering to go and watch the girls herself. Still, she couldn't leave Saori alone either, especially now that the fever had come back. That meant she couldn't be left on her own for even for a short period. "I can go and have a look once they come back; right now I need to take care of Saori-chan. She's sick again."

"That fever again? Damn that is what, the fifth time this month?"

Nana swallowed. "Actually, it's the seventh already. They're starting to become far more frequent and the seizures are lasting longer. To be honest we are all getting little worried about her health."

She could hear him sigh over the phone. "Damn, God I really hope Mako is going to have some luck over there. What about the medicine she's been prescribed? Has she stopped responding to those?" He kept on asking, trying to find if there was a way for him to help.

"Yes, and we aren't sure why they don't work as well as they used to. Do you want Mako-san to come and see her once she gets back? I will make sure that she is numbed."

Numbing, it wasn't something Nana was feeling so confident about using on Saori anymore. A part of her worried that the fevers were caused by the constant numbing. Still she could not be allowed to have control over her vectors if Mako were to give her a quick check up.

"Anyways, I will ask her when she comes back and let you know. Also take care of your little sister first; she needs your help more than Kyou and Ryou. They can take care of themselves. Give my regards to the others when you see them. Goodbye Nana-san." The call ended, leaving Nana wondering what she was going to do now.

Talking about Saori had made her become aware again of just how fragile their little sister really was. There was a rush of guilt as she wondered if she was in part to blame for her deteriorating condition since she was the one who had started the numbing. Had she caused it by what she had done that fateful day, when she had sliced of both of Saori's horns?

While leaning against the fence Bando reached out for a fresh cigarette. If he was going to have to wait for Mako to round up her little chat with that crazy weirdo professor, then he might as well make himself as comfortable as possible. Fortunately patience was one of his strong suits, but there were only a few cigarettes remaining. He would just have to make them last till then, and after Mako came out he swore he'd drag her with him to find a drink.

"Maybe there is a cafe that I could visit nearby?" He wondered, suddenly all too aware of the heat that seemed to only be rising. He stopped in his musings when something caught his attention; just around the corner some punks were ganging up against a student. Bando recognized the boy instantly.

"Got yourself into trouble already, brat? I told you to be careful." Still, there was a rush of adrenaline that surged through his body as he anticipated a fight. It might prove to be rather fun, or at the very least a way to kill some time. He made his way over carefully all the while sizing up his opponents. There were no less than five of them, and by this point that number seemed like nothing. The thugs had definitely noticed him making his way over by now, but were either too occupied with the kid, Ryouta he thinks the professor said, or didn't sense him as a threat. How wrong they were.

"Oi ossan, get lost! Mind your own business!" Angry voices greeted him.

"You punks must be feeling pretty tough taking on one guy! What a shame that there are only five of you! I suggest you get out of my fucking sight before I decide which way I'm going to wring your worthless necks!"

They proved to be even dumber than they looked as without warning the guy nearest him jumped forward, his arm raised with the intention of delivering a punch. Bando scoffed at the gesture.

"Y-You think you can take us on?! You're stupid!"

Another guy came from the other side, a knife in hand already. So the punks really wanted to play, and he was happy to oblige. They would soon come to regret that foolish mistake. It was all too easy for him to avoid the clumsy swings, and taking a step forward he grabbed the kid's arm and twisted it hard. Taken by surprise the kid fell but before he could even yelp in fear, he was flung through the air and landed hard on the pavement.

Bando sidestepped the writhing individual and caught the other one fully in the stomach. The kid doubled over, desperate for air as he slumped to the ground. Damn punks were just worthless these days, Bando told himself. He proceeded to plant his foot on the kid's chest to make sure that he wouldn't get away. "Punk! You actually thought you could take me on with a fucking knife?! I'll fucking break your ribs!"

A well-aimed kick with his good leg sent the kid skidding across the pavement. "That was your warning. Now you vermin get lost! If I ever see you again, I will make sure to kill you!"

This time it didn't take long for them to get the message and they scampered away as quickly as their legs could carry them.

"Damn punks. Not an ounce of strength in their worthless bodies. What a fucking waste of time," he looked down, towards Ryouta who was still sitting there, possibly still shaken by the series of events.

"Oi brat, get on your feet. What the hell is it with brats like you getting yourself in trouble? Honestly you're just so hopeless. Now get up," he growled, not intending on helping the boy get back on his feet. If he couldn't even do that on his own then he wouldn't have been worth the trouble of helping.

Ryouta said nothing as he got up, keeping his eyes firmly locked on the man who had just came to his rescue. Despite the kind act, it still didn't take away from the fact that he found the man to be rather intimidating not to mention scary. Gathering his courage he made a quick bow.

"T-Thank you..."

The response he got was less than polite.

Holding her breath as she pushed herself as flat possible against the roof even more, Saeko watched with anxiety as the girl walked inside the storage room. She had used her vectors to launch herself against the ceiling and it was not a moment to soon as just as she was there the lights were turned on.

"Now where did they put the brooms? Honestly I thought the storage rooms were kept in better shape than this."

Saeko prayed that the girl would quickly find what it was that she was looking for. In the meantime, she had a closer look at this person. The girl's long black hair trailing behind her as she moved through the room. She looked rather young and lacked the air of authority many of the upperclassmen carried, so it was likely that she was also a freshman at this school.

"Geez, senpai really keeps me working hard. To think I even had to help with getting everything set up in the clubroom. I didn't even get a chance to show them my sketches. Ah well. At least once I'm done cleaning up I can go home."

On some level, Saeko could relate to this girl. They were both going through some troubles at this point. What kind of club was she a part of? Saeko wondered as she continued listening to the girl's rambling. It was odd how she just kept talking to herself like that. Or perhaps she was fully aware of Saeko's presence in the room? Her heart skipped a beat as that thought surfaced. No it couldn't be, nobody could have known that she had been hiding in this room.

In the few moments that her thoughts were distracted, she nearly lost her grip on the ceiling. Just in the nick of time she focused again and kept herself aloft. After a few tense moments she let out a sigh of relief when she noticed that the girl hadn't noticed her little moment of distress. She wondered if she had fallen to the ground, would this girl have come over to help her? Would she be kind or would she just laugh at her like the others once she recognized her face?

A part of her wanted to just land back on the floor, to see what her reaction would be. Yet she also remained fearful, she didn't want to get laughed at again or be hurt. Eventually her curiosity won out over her fear and slowly she started to lower herself so as to not scare the girl. She stopped when a sharp crack came from the direction of the open door. Kikuchi stood at the door, with a vile grin that ran from ear to ear as he closed it.

Author's note: So there we are gain, 2 weeks have already passed which also means that its time for another chapter to be post. Hope that you all are having a pleasant a weekend, the weather here today is pretty sweet today so we're having a bbq to celebrate it. To all of you enjoy the read and have a good weekend.

Elfenliedfan, you're going to find some anwers in the next couple of chapters. Just rest assured that there's going to be a lot happening in this story.

Cheers