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Four

Concordia decided it was best to leave Touko alone while she spoke to her father she had expected him to be chatting with her or at least sitting near her. She found him sitting at his desk, behind the glass doors it was in front of he kept a mattress on a plain bedfram. His clothes were put away neatly in the leaving mostly empty space everywhere else. He didn't care to clutter things too much.

"What is it?"

"You know." she said nodding over her shoulder he sighed.

Glancing at her over his computer before turning back to his work typing away, if he were to speak honestly he was completely out of it. Drained, the words seemed to bleed together he wasn't sure if it was an order form, an email for everyone in the area...or maybe a story. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"She's beautiful though I've lost control of the situation already I won't bother talking to her."

She cocked her head.

"Admitting you lost control?"

"I decided to go with the threat, it made me nervous she is getting over a cold her clothes were dry but still...don't like the idea of anyone ogling her while they were wet."

She sighed when he heard about Touko he pulled Concordia aside saying he knew about her few dates, she thought for his protective ways that he'd forbid her to go out. But instead he asked for advice, she had only seen him working with women hearing him question the basics she realized it wasn't just what she'd seen but it was all it was the only thing her father didn't know much about that mattered for him.

This was out of his league.

"You hurt someone close to her."

He leaned forward resting his head on his raised fist.

"No I just showed her the shadow triad's vision I had them grab one of her friends so she understood it was actually happening."

"Father you can't win her over with actions like that."

"Don't be ridiculous, I have no need for 'winning her over'."

She eyed him.

"So you'd be fine if she was afraid of your every move."

"Of course."

"And didn't act...speak..live without your permission."

"I don't see why that would be an issue."

"And keeping her distance would be silently appreciated."

"Get to the point Concordia."

"You want her to be a like one of the Grunts, even knowing why she's here." she said plainly.

He stared at her a frown growing all the firmer she shrugged.

"Father you remember how you came to know all of us?"

He nodded slowly, Zinzolin had been careless his mistake was putting the wrong address in a request form these were sent to the Grunts sector that got pokemon. An orphanage was destroyed it was fairly small it didn't have much money and the kids were frail by the time the Onix were preparing to return having broken down what they assumed was correct the pieces of concrete had put an end to many of them. The girls had been playing outside having met N in the forest near by they liked to keep him company, they thought he was cute and needed big sisters to watch out for him.

Having always been small for his age, they returned when Ghetsis came to look over the damage so the Triad could shift a few memories and wipe this mistake from the public eye. He could have left them there but there was something about them. Those little faces covered in dirt and tears, he told them to wait for him that he had to arrange a few things. They were kids with little in life no one to look out for them they did as they were told.

When he returned with clean clothes and toys saying they could stay with him that had become and remained his greatest...and only act of kindness. Time went on and they became a family no matter how odd it was. He kept them close only shooing them away when it was time for punishment, those that did respect him remained that way knowing his limited softness was for them, he'd still rip anyone apart that crossed him.

He sighed heavily glancing at the picture of them on his desk, N's first 'birthday' with them they didn't actually know when they were born but he finally set up days for them. They were celebrated every year, they smiled at him without so much as a raised voice he grit his teeth.

"As if I'd forget it."

"And if things could be done over again, would it mean as much keeping us near if you scared us into respecting you instead of raising us with love?"

"Concordia..."

"Don't you Concordia me, you're just meeting fine...but I mean you can train a group of Grunts in a couple days. They may want to kill you, betray you and watch you fall but they would be too scared to piss you off and take punishment. Since she's different maybe it would be worth it to avoid that step."

"Why so concerned? Do you think I don't know that?"

"I think you'd rather pretend that you don't."

He leaned back needing a drink, it wasn't that simple probably never would be, and even though this was the first time they were meeting he wasn't angry with her for speaking her mind now. It would be easy to turn Touko into another boss pleasing whore like Jupiter. She claimed she only had eyes for Mars but would bend over backwards for Cyrus part of why she wanted to come here in the first place. He thought of what he did know about Touko, while he monitored many places and that became the norm he supposed it was off in this situation. For all he knew she wasn't even aware of why she was here.

He stood up to go back to her room and attempt to talk to her had he been a little more well rested he might have cut his daughter off. Though for now, she had a point.

While his actions were sometimes, creepy, to say the least there was a reason for it and it was the same one that explained why he was the way he was. Letting the thought fade, he moved down the hall until he reached the door N was leaning against the doorframe he could hear Anthea talking to her almost bubbly. He glanced in, the decorater had stopped by after he called he brought in a few pieces of furniture in the few hours that she had been here the little storage area was a much cozier room.

When he knocked on the door she thought it was Ghetsis coming back to check on her but he had some Grunts helping him move things in. The dresser was under the window seat giving a place to view the ocean over the buildings that housed the Grunts. She had a desk but hers had a television to keep her occupied. She could lounge in front of it on the plush carpet or against the sea of pillows that were brought in.

He told her Ghetsis would take care of the bill and left her room she'd been alone until Concordia brought her brother and sister to speak to her. She could still get a little nervous around new people sometimes though she didn't carry herself like it was like that. It wasn't just the boss, the whole family was a little off.

Here and there.

Touko smiled slightly until she realized who else joined them, her cold seemed weak at the moment at least it wasn't as bad as it was before she was freed. She wasn't so sure she just wanted to sleep anyways...these people gave her a vibe, not all that bad, or good something was just off. She froze as he walked over though he rested his hand against her forehead it felt a little warm even to him. Her cheeks were a little red.

"Father?"N started.

"Any allergies?"

She shook her head.

"Get her a little cough syrup, being kept in that little cage..it's probably swimming with bacteria guess you got off lucky." N left and returned with a bright pink bottle.

"Drink this...and only this we are careful with taking things from those outside this group." though she didn't want to get on his bad side and find out what those..things could do to her friends she worried about taking any unknown medicine.

"Just do as he says Ms. Touko or he'll get a shot instead." Anthea said.

Touko blanched at the thought of him jabbing her with a needle the image in her head was unpleasant..more than that really. She did as she was told she felt she should for something very different from concern for her friends. It had a peach flavor and it quickly made the last of her sour throat fade he touched her forehead again feeling normal he straightened up patting Anthea's head. She thought it was strange for them to call her 'Ms.' but Concordia said it was just how they were raised.

"Come you should go relax while you can we have another trip tomorrow." Ghetsis said they were up with a nod to Touko before heading out quickly on his word.

She almost wanted to beg them not to leave her alone with them, though clearly they already knew better than to disobey. She looked at him as he sat on the bed next to her.

"This is yours as well as a few other safe areas because of your role here."

"You want me to join your..team?"

"Something like that, I intend to marry you."

"You can't be serious..."

"I'm completely serious you see the Grunts we keep on the outside both high and low paid don't know that there is no debt. Your father didn't screw the team over he worked for it on a different secret project not even my oldest members know. He was one of our best scientists and when you turned eighteen he was to prepare you for a little harmless test. If you failed...well nothing you wouldn't be here right now. See I didn't have to threaten you, you have to obey me because I'm in charge here, you're no where near as scared as you would be without it. You haven't crossed me and you know because of what your father drugged you with that I'm nothing to fear."

As he spoke he raised a hand resting it against her cheek though she remained still.

She chewed on her lip staring at the folds of the blanket she sat on as if the ripples would tell her anything. It was no lie, not the work of a silver tongue that was how she felt he could have said anything and she would have believed him..though seeing is believing. She didn't panic because there was that feeling she could say it was only because of her friends he already had kids if all she had to do was marry him that was easy.

Wasn't like she had anyone back home.

"...I can't imagine what he could do to me that would just kick in now."

"Then Dr. Fuji is still brilliant, you will learn what it did, just don't question yourself too much that will make you crazy."

Before she spoke he stopped her.

With a kiss.

…..

(Yeah...getting into more nonsense fun huh stay tuned.)