Tekeshi was missing the family breakfasts on weekends. He looked forward to them more than anything else during the week, because his mother's food, way better than the school cooks or the restaurants at the arcade were. Thankfully he wasn't useless, and while he wasn't a master chef or anything, he could make a good stack of pancakes. Something that Utsuki had apparently never had gotten a chance to eat before.
"They are, flat," she observed.
"If made properly. Machiko's always turn out lumpy as hell. I can teach you to make them if you like. It isn't all that hard," Tekeshi told her as he wondered why none of the boy's dorm rooms had a kitchenette like the girl's did.
"I would like that, I kinda, want to learn to cook."
Tekeshi looked over his shoulder at her, "You don't know how to cook?"
"Mom never taught me, and really hasn't had the time since she started working here. Apparently she is having a little trouble getting things straight, more related to figuring out how to advise non humans on what kind of careers they should focus on with their interests, and helping highly violent and at times cannibalistic students with conflict resolution," Utsuki told him as he handed her a bottle of viscous brown liquid that she looked at questioningly.
"It's called maple syrup. Tastes good, put some butter on first though and let it melt, then just drown them. Technically they have to eat their own kind for it to be cannibalism. I think the arachnids around here are the only actual cannibals, but they have a good excuse, they are horny," Tekeshi joked as he smoothly poured the batter in the pan.
"Ok, that is true. Speaking of eating people, you said that you passed Deesseedra naked in the hallway?"
"As the day we met her. I think she was heading to the bath, anyways the basket and towel she had in her arms made me think so. I think she is growing on me. At least we aren't insulting each other every chance we get. Hey is Madonna ready for me to start attending lessons again, or are you all still meditating naked for hours on end?"
Utsuki finished the bite of pancake she was eating, "Still naked, still meditating. I won't say I'm not a little disappointed you don't try to peek. Still, I am also glad you aren't trying to. I don't particularly want you looking at other women naked."
"Yet you aren't throwing a fit about me seeing Deess in the buff," he laughed as he flipped the pancake he was cooking.
"That's Deesseedra, you are basically looking at me naked. Oh, god, I just realized that. Oh, god," Tekeshi caught her with a finger on her forehead before she could drop her head in the plate.
"That stuff is sticky. You don't want it in your hair. It's still Deess though. Not you. I'm happy to wait until you are ready to show me. Hey, my dad took his bike to the house, and the jeep is still here. I could ask Aunt Ruby for a pass and we cou..." he started.
"Not happening. I remember the last time you took me out on the town. I really don't want to get into a fight with your ex-girlfriend again. She doesn't play fair," she shot down his suggestion straight up.
"Ok, I can't argue with that. The problem with this place is that there isn't that much to do on the weekends when your homework is done already. Has Tomoe showed back up yet," he asked as he sat down with his plate and started spreading butter on his pancakes.
"Yeah, she uh, apparently during her temper tantrum some of our old orc friends ran onto her, and tried to do what orcs do. She didn't want it, and well, they were stronger than her. They had her clothes torn off, and one was just at her when Yltoun showed himself. Needless to say we won't have to worry about Fauru's gang anymore. According to what little she has said, and what Deesseedra got out of Yltoun, is that he was beyond pissed. He swallowed one whole, which I don't understand how he managed that. The rest he tore apart bodily before eating. Apparently this got Gozen-san really worked up, and you can imagine the rest. They have a much better relationship now."
Tekeshi momentarily considered a bite of his food before finally eating it, "Yeah, I guess saving her from being assaulted would help a lot. How did they even manage to bring her under control before she could get her sword to hand? I can tell you from first hand experience that once she starts swinging, there isn't much that would be able to stand up to her. I, only, just manage to."
"Numbers. Only numbers, and the fact she was too caught up in her own mind and misery. She said something about being ready to begin your training sessions again pretty soon, but didn't give a good indication of what she meant by soon. Aren't you planning to hang out with the Mongrels later," she asked.
He shrugged, "May or may not. I haven't made a decision on that. While we are pretty close, we don't spend every second we can together."
"How did you get hooked up with them in the first place? They are, diverse," Utsuki asked as she took another bite of what had to be one of the best things she had ever eaten.
"Community music program. Aunt Yukari thought I needed to have more friends than I did, so she got me signed up, and over time we just ended up together. Most of their families had the same idea, and Akoni's just wanted him out of the house for a while. There really isn't that much to talk about on it. You've, heard about the activities we got up to. So, yeah, that is the origin of the Mongrels in the short version," Tekeshi told her as he finished another bite.
"So the band predates the gang?"
"I would say they are pretty much contemporary. But yeah, music is what actually brought us together in the first place. So, you said you didn't really have any frie..., any real friends before you came here? Beyond just the curse, I imagine there had to be someone that you had some way of at least commiserating with. You couldn't have always just been alone. I refuse to believe that you were in such a sad situation," he said as he picked up another bite, then grinned mischievously as he put it in front of her face.
She gave him a look like he was a child, but still took the bite off the fork and answered after she swallowed, "You saw what I was like in my memories, and heard what my mother said about me. I was horrible to my family. It seemed like as a response, even when people were nice to me, they just wanted to use me. More than once, someone tried to rape me. Not just guys either. I had one girl that was as close of a fried as I had, but she, died. Otherwise it was always 'You are so pretty, why don't you come with us to karaoke, or shopping. Maybe we can find some boys who want to hang out, guys are always flocking around you'."
"What happened to the girl who died," Tekeshi asked, a note of concern entering his voice.
"I never found out for sure. We separated as we were going home from school in seventh year. There hadn't been any indication of anything being off or anything like that, so we just split off to go to our houses like we usually did. I didn't see her for several days, and then I get home one day to a police car. They asked me a few questions, and I didn't understand what was going on. She, appeared to have committed suicide. She walked in front of a car out of nowhere."
Tekeshi's jaw went a little slack, "Holy, nobody knew why? Or even if she did it of her own accord?"
"I don't know if she did. I never found out. I distanced myself from most people afterwards. I wasn't interested in having any other friends after that. I, think I may have been the reason. She always had an inferiority complex. She was always worried about how she looked, how much she weighed, even how people talked to her. She wasn't as pretty as I am, which you know my opinion on all of that, and I think she just kept comparing herself to me, and it reached a tipping point. Oh Mio, I wish I knew what really happened," the happiness drained from her as she let her mind drift back to her friend.
"She had a beautiful name. Do you have any pictures of her," he asked as he reached over to put a hand under her chin.
"I don't. I never even went to pay respect at her funeral. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I hate that I didn't, but I," she started to cry.
Tekeshi stood up and walked around the table to embrace her, "Utsuki, do you know where her grave is, and would you like to visit her?"
"I, yes. I would."
"What has he been doing," Ruby had finally started getting back into work.
"He wanted to improve the electrical and telecommunications infrastructure for the school. It was, difficult, to find yokai that had the requisite skills to do so," Galdia replied as she laid out another ledger.
"We didn't have have any real telecommunication infrastructure ten years ago. How is the school not bankrupt? Oh, god. Tsukune, are you trying to finish me off. How do you even have a hundred thousand yen a month internet bill? Is that even possible in an institutional setting? Ok, we need to start looking at better alternatives, and what is, why did he, actually that security budget doesn't seem too out of line" finances might not have been the best option to start with.
"Miss Tojo, most of this has been run past a financial advisor. We are still maintaining a good positive balance. Also, I was responsible for the increase in security. I honestly believe that the Orc admission rate is, rather too high," the elf said.
"Let me guess, high rate of disappearances and sexual assaults? Ok, like I said, that is justified. Fully staffed, and equipped medical center, and Yukari doesn't have a salary? Why is she, why, why, why is she not getting paid," this was starting to melt her brain.
"She requested not to be paid, as she really doesn't have much need for it. I was hesitant as well, but Tsukune overruled me. Oh, Amethyst, please don't touch that. I, am not one hundred percent sure what it does, and I haven't had a good chance to research it. Let me put that over in this cabinet.," the little statue that she put away was currently changing colors, angrily.
"I thought the colors looked pretty," the girl pouted.
Ruby chuckled, "Just because it is pretty, doesn't mean it is safe Baby. Trust me, Aunt Moka is the best example when she gets angry. What is, seven hundred and fifty eight thousand yen a year food budget? Hooooowwoowoowoowowooww? I don't even know how to start trimming things into shape. Ok, I need a break before I work myself into such a shape I need this chair for the rest of my life. Galdia, I want to know something," she rolled over to Amethyst and rustled her hair.
"Yes Miss Tojo, what can I do for you," she asked.
"Did you drink my entire wine stash over the last ten years?"
"Wine stash?"
Ruby's smile grew wide, "Oh, that is the greatest answer I could have gotten. Now I just have to, oh coming."
Opening the door she saw Tekeshi and Utsuki, "Tekeshi, Utsuki. How are you two today?"
"We are doing alright. Hey Amethyst, Galdia," the last name wasn't said with the same warmth as the first.
"Teki, Teki, I had cereal for breakfast this morning. It was good," the six year old girl had started acting like a six year old faster than was expected.
"Cereal is good. Hey Aunt Ruby, we want to see if we can get a pass to go off school grounds. "Suki is wanting to visit a friend of hers. A late friend," he said, not sure how to really say something about a grave in front of a child who hadn't had any exposure to death.
"I see. I don't see an issue with that. Galdia, would you mind," she turned to the elf.
Galdia nodded as she walked over to the desk, "Of course Miss Tojo."
"Aunt Ruby, do you understand how strange it is to watch you order yourself around," Tekeshi commented.
"Yes, your mother commented on it before she left for Mizore's. Still, there could be weirder things occurring. I take it you will be taking your father's jeep rather than using magic to get there," she asked as Galdia filled out the paperwork.
"Yeah, 'Suki here isn't a fan of transportation spells. She said it makes her feel," he turned to her not quite sure how to explain it.
"It makes me feel purple. I don't understand how I feel like a color, but there it is," the girls said shrugging.
"I see. Can I ask a favor of you and Galdia? I actually need to speak with Tekeshi for a moment. Could you two take Amethyst and find her a snack while I do? I promise that it won't take more than ten or fifteen minutes," Ruby asked as she shot the look a like a glance.
Utsuki nodded and took the little girls hand, "Anything you would like?"
"Gummis. I want gummis," Amethyst said as the three exited the room
Ruby rolled over to close the door, "Take a seat. I need to ask you something."
Tekeshi sat down as she returned to face him, "Ok, what do you need?"
"Do you really understand how dangerous she could become," the question was seemingly straightforward, but the teen didn't understand what she meant.
"How dangerous who could become," he asked.
"Utsuki. You know what she is. Do you know that much about them," she never took her eyes off of him.
"Only what I've learned from the lessons with Madonna. I know that they view themselves as living weapons, and that the first witches were born from them, but other than that, not much," he replied.
"I looked through some of the materials left behind by my former mistress. She had very complete histories, especially concerning the early history of our race. Great care was taken to erase them from history, because of what they could do," Ruby rolled back slightly.
Tekeshi shifted in his seat, "What they could do? I don't get it."
"Witches were born to them due to the demons they are bound to. They don't use magic though, at least not in the same way a witch like I would. They force their will onto reality itself. The strongest can permanently damage parts of existence. They shouldn't exist, at least, they shouldn't live long enough that they could be capable of it. Do you understand how dangerous she could become," the older woman had an edge of concern in her voice.
"Aunt Ruby. How old are those histories? How long since anyone wrote anything about them? Even talked with one? I know that their power is completely different from anything I am familiar with, but I don't think they are quite as malicious as you think they are. Have you talked with Madonna yet? Besides being a Witch of War, she is also an employee here, so you need to get to know her," he said keeping his breathing even.
"I haven't yet. Tekeshi, be careful. I can see how much you care for each other, but not all injuries, come out of malice. Nor intent," she said as she rolled out of the way for him to leave.