"Headmaster Aono, I find what you are insinuating quite crass and insulting. Even among us Yokai we find the idea of slavery distasteful, and yet here you are saying that your son technically held title to the life of the deceased. How can you stand there and say such a thing with a straight face? Explain yourself," the head of the school board demanded.
"Simply this, Vampires and Orcs recognize the rule of the strong. While most other races of Yokai have moved past such, There are many who recognize the old treaties and covenants and will respect them. Within his first day upon this campus, my son came into conflict with the deceased, Kaguko Fauru, defeated him, and made claim upon his life. Within the bounds recognized by Orcs, Vampires, Oni, Ogres, Werewolves, and Youko he was the possessor of Mr. Kaguko's life, and it was his to do with as he saw fit. That includes taking it on a whim with or without a reason," Tsukune responded, a slightly bored look on his face.
Everything he had said was true. The laws of combat were still recognized, if typically forgotten in the day and age. Tekeshi had clearly stated in the presence of witnesses that he had claimed him, and that was all that was required. At this point, if they tried to push any further and continue to threaten his child's life, he had every right and duty to slaughter them where they sat. His pride and position at the head of his clan demanded such.
"Surely you do not expect us to entertain such a disgusting and outdated mode of thought. Especially not as the head of this academy."
"I can as the Head of the Shuzen Clan, and the strongest single individual here. And frankly I would be honor bound as head of my clan to slay all of you if you attempted to pursue this any farther. I can produce many documents that have hundreds if not over a thousand years of standing that support this position that you do not have the privilege of ignoring."
A member of the board sitting to the right of the head chair spoke up, "Head Chair, as much as we would like to think we are above such, everything he has said is true, and cannot, nor should, be ignored. If we ignore ancient laws such as these for our own gain or convenience, then we will make enemies that would endanger our ability to maintain this academy. I speak plainly, if you place Yokai Academy or the members of this board in danger so casually, then I believe that your time upon this board has come to an end."
Tsukune watched this with disguised interest. He was not a fan of the Head Chair, but he hadn't plotted against him in any matter. Granted he knew that he was his biggest detractor on the board, and he wouldn't mind him being removed, but he strictly avoided interfering with the School Board for the express purpose of maintaining peace with them. However it seemed like one problem was at least sorted.
"Come on, Utsuki. We are all worried about him, but we can't just sequester ourselves because of this. It won't do him any good."
Utsuki wasn't sure who was at the door since it was muffled. She just knew it wasn't safe for her to be outside her room without Tekeshi there. The other girls didn't know that she was human, mainly since Headmaster Aono instructed her not to tell them (mainly because of Harumi's experience).
"I don't feel well, just leave me alone."
"Listen Dyke, if you don't open this door I will cut through the lock. Besides, we need your help with a plan we are cooking up to help him," Utsuki didn't even have to wonder who said that.
"What help could we be for him? Unless I forgot something we are still schoolgirls, not warriors."
"You might not be, but we are. Our families aren't that typical. Now open the door before we come in on our own."
Belize was such a beautiful country. It had such a pleasant climate and environment. The perfect place for recovery. The perfect place to rebuild.
"Kiria, what is the current status of our forces," Kaneshiro Hokuto asked as he walked against the current in the wave pool.
Physically he was still nowhere near where he had been, but at least he no longer had to rely on crutches to stay upright. He knew it really didn't matter if he released himself. It just wasn't good for him too.
The screen before him popped up a message, ' Fifty units are in place to assault the manor and take it. A full thousand stand ready to fall upon the school as soon as the word is given. The only thing we are worried about is the strength that he has gained in the years since. I have doubts about the students being able to put up much of a fight, but we shouldn't rule it out. In addition we have confirmed that their son is attending, and that the poison has affected him severely. While he is quite powerful for a yokai, he is below almost any vampire. Combat training and treachery have mitigated that though. We have also confirmed through spies that a human has been allowed entry into the school, and their son has been placed in as a bodyguard for her.'
"Good, that is more complete than I expected. I know that we won't be able to take the school, but should be able to shake confidence in Aono, and bring the school down that way. After that forging a force to conquer the humans shouldn't be as hard. Ah, I do fear what he might do if he found out that we managed to poison his son in his crib. I can only imagine the shame that a sickly child that can't even hold his own against another vampire has brought upon the name Shuzen. Have our forces ready to mobilize as soon as I deem the situation perfect. I wish that I could be sure of the results of the strike, but it matters very little as long as Aono is seen as too weak to defend what is his."
The screen went dark and Hokuto climbed out of the wave pool. Reaching for a towel and his cane he stretched every joint that he could and felt the relief of them popping. It had taken twenty years for him to come to this point, and he was glad that he finally had. If only his Doll had come as far.
As he entered the main house of his compound he heard a light humming. That was most of what she did now, hum. She would eat, turn and look at someone if they talked to her, and she could take care of herself for the most part, but that was it. Shuzen Kahlua, was mostly a living doll. Her injuries were so severe as that, that she might possibly never fully recover. She was no Shinso, so she would never have their impressive healing abilities, but she had her uses, and would maintain her attractiveness long after he had finally died. If only she were more active in such activities.
"You want to WHAT," Utsuki could barely believe her ears.
"Your not only a dyke, your deaf too. WE WANT TO KIDNAP HIM AND TAKE HIM TO THE HUMAN WORLD SO THAT HE CAN ESCAPE THIS," Harumi yelled to the amazement of the three other girls.
"Hey Megaboob, if you yell louder I am sure that the school board will be able to hear you from here," Yusa intoned blankly.
Asusa took a breath, "Tekeshi would be able to hide quite easily in the human world compared to someone like us or Harumi. He spent half his life among them and was able not to reveal himself. Did you know he wasn't human when you first met him?"
Utsuki paled. They couldn't possibly know that she was human. Her and Tekeshi were very careful, and had even come up with the cover story that she was the daughter of an elf and a human. Elves technically walked the boundary between humans and Yokai, but were not common among humans regardless.
"Relax, we all spent enough time around humans to pick one out. You have absolutely no Yokai in you. In a way it is like looking at you, but feeling like you shouldn't even be there. So the secret is out, happy Dyke?"
"Would you please stop calling her that, and get that look of superiority off your face before I wipe it off you myself. You are just jealous that Tekeshi spends so much time around her, and he runs for the hills every time you show up. Get over it," Asusa had finally gotten enough of the succubi's mouth.
Asusa really did like Utsuki, and would even go as far as to call her one of her best friends. Harumi was basically family, but even family could push your buttons one too many times. It was her massive jugs fault that the event had even occurred, so there was no reason for her to be calling her that anyways.
Harumi was outraged, "You little snow slut. I don't care if our mothers are best friends or not, I will eviscerate you if you ever, I mean ever, talk to me like that again. I don't care how bad you think you are, I am much..."
"Noisy," Yusa said as she dropped her hand from freezing Harumi's tongue.
Asusa stepped to the other girl, "Right now we don't have time for your ego. We need to concentrate on helping him. Tekeshi is quite likely to be sentenced to death for going out of control like that. While that bastard deserved to die, the school board isn't going to see it like that. In the dark where they can deny that anything actually happened they will ignore, not something in public like this. You acting like you are all that does nothing to help him. So forget about those overgrown chest bags and get with the program."
Utsuki shivered, "But, I don't think he wants to be rescued so he can run away. He is a vampire after all. Won't he see that as cowardly and below him?"
Three faces fell as they realized their mistake, "We never thought about that," Harumi admitted sheepishly.
Tekeshi stirred as he heard the door to the room open. Visitors had not been allowed due to his incarceration, so it was someone official. Opening his eyes he saw his father and two robed individuals approaching the bed. Silently his chains were removed and the robed ones left.
"Smart move claiming the orc as property at the end of that fight. Otherwise we would not have had a leg to stand on. That one move saved your life, just don't repeat it."
"I don't understand what you mean. Slavery is illegal even among yokai isn't it," Tekeshi asked confused.
Tsukune shrugged, "Believe it or not, not universally. It isn't common, but those that are more power focused will recognize when a weaker opponent is claimed by the victor if they survive combat. Vampires and Orcs are both among those. For millennia Orcs claimed humans as their property and assume that anyone they can best is that weak and deserve to be owned by the strong. Vampires, are a little more complicated, as in they only seem to claim opponents as property much as you did, as recompense for slights during combat. The specific events never came up during mine and your mother's fighting days, but even we might have done such."
"That isn't exactly comforting, and it honestly makes me feel like I need a long shower to wash the stink of that whole situation away now that I know it even existed. How can any thinking being recognize such disturbing ideas?"
"It's something that may even still exist among humans in this day and age. They are no more holy or evil than yokai are. As I said, don't do it again. I almost had to go to war with the School Board this time over it, and were it not for cooler heads among them I would have. Right now though, I will answer one of your questions. Think carefully, because I will only answer another after I feel you have had enough time to come to terms with the answer."
Tekeshi was stunned. He had always met hard refusals from his father on that subject. Letters, phone calls, and visits left him with nothing, yet now it was just being handed to him like this. He had to make this count, because he had no clue how long his father would wait before thinking he was ready for another question.
"What was the sickness that I had that left me so powerless compared to other vampires?"
Tsukune sighed, "I don't know. Your mother doesn't know, or your aunts, or any other long lived and knowledgeable vampire healer. It was nothing they had ever seen. One minute you were fine, and then lesions started appearing on you, you began burning up, and were having seizures. Your mother lost all dignity and was in hysterics, I couldn't think, and your aunts were shell shocked. It was your grandfather who took charge and had me and your mother both inject blood into you due to how much you were starting to lose. We were so afraid that we were still going to lose you, and we almost did. The lesions finally started to close and the fever broke, we couldn't thank your grandfather enough for his help."
"So, I am actually a Shinso, but I don't have the power of one. How can that work? You and mother are so incredibly powerful, that it defies logic. This iron cross that I was told of in that dream, its a seal isn't it?"
"Yes. That being said though, it is a full answer for another discussion. For now, you should probably go see the Harlot Squad part II before they do anything stupid. Miss Shiraishi has a fairly good head on her shoulders, but your cousins, not so much."
Tekeshi could only groan, "You don't happen to have any kind of male chastity belt that isn't a bdsm device do you?"
A/N: This is the first bit of fanfic writing I have been able to finish in years. I am really sad it has taken this long, and hope I can start getting something out more often. It is amazing to think that I have been doing fanfiction for almost ten years now. I want to thank everyone that has read and enjoyed the story for this long, even being unfinished. I hope to continue providing enjoyment for years to come.