"Ann!" Makoto looked back to the open door to the exam room. "They're here!"

Ann rushed out to the waiting room windows to peek through the blinds with Makoto. Dr. Takemi followed at a quick walk. They all peeked out the window blinds together.

A stately carriage was just coming to a stop outside. It was blessedly alone. Makoto had feared a crowd. The horses were barely still when the carriage door flung open and a lean, middle-aged woman with a round face and small nose quickly climbed down the steps. Her long, billowing formal gown wrinkling in the muddy street long before the coachman could even climb down, much less assemble the plank bridge to the wooden porch of the physician's clinic.

That gave Makoto a tangible sense of the woman's urgency, rare in high-society women. Though perhaps upper-middle class was more accurate for the Suzui family. Either way, it wasn't the time to dwell over minor distinctions like that.

"Ann, why don't you head out there?"

"Ok."

Ann moved for the door and stepped outside. The woman Makoto presumed was Shiho's mother was impatiently waiting for her husband to exit the carriage. He seemed to be indicating for the coachman to put down the plank bridge. In obvious frustrated impatience, Mrs. Suzui turned towards the clinic just as Ann stepped outside.

"Ann-chan!" cried the woman, relief obvious on her face. "You're here! Where is Shiho!?"

Makoto nodded to herself as the older lady rushed Ann. So, she'd been right. It wasn't a genius strategic move, but having them see Ann first thing was obviously the right play- the use of that endearment honorific was all the confirmation that Makoto needed.

"She's here. She's hurt- but getting better."

"Oh, thank God! What happened?!"

"Ms. Suzui, I-"

"Ms. Sakamoto!" said a more pretentious male voice. The father. He was stepping across the plank bridge and up onto the porch with his wife. "What is going on?!"

Takemi clicked her tongue inside her mouth. "He's going to be the problem."

Makoto agreed. Ann handled the emotional side, but the father was obviously going to need more official clout. For the second time in two days, Makoto decided to use Amamiya's advice and depend on the force of her father's name, no- her name. Her family's name.

"Mr. Suzui, I- Uh-..."

Makoto couldn't see Ann's face, but with Mrs. Suzui clinging on to her arm and Mr. Suzui leaning in towards her face with an aggressive stance, it was obvious she was under siege.

"Spit it out girl!" said Mr. Suzui.

Takemi turned her head towards Makoto. "You need to get out there, Ms. Niijima."

Ann was floundering under the man's pressure. Makoto did need to get out there. She looked down at her long, slim dress. It was one of Dr. Takemi's, and her height and figure was close enough to Makoto's to let the dress fit well enough. It revealed more of her figure than she was used to, and quite a bit more of her bosom- but it was not unlike the dresses worn by professional women of the aristocracy; those semi-radicals who stepped into male-dominated society and shoved their weight around with the men. Makoto had seen them at parties, social events, business events with father. Those women were heiresses without siblings, widows, or well-chosen wives of more passive men. Father told Makoto and Sae to mark them. Watch them. Be like them.

Now was the time.

Makoto smoothed the hips of the dress as she strode for the door. Makoto still needed to appear a woman (otherwise she would be viewed as trying to be a man, which would dash her credibility), but her seriousness would be regarded inversely to the diameter of her skirt. Thus, Makoto must walk with this hip-hugging dress and heeled shoes. Social politics were an exhausting but necessary evil.

They get you what you want.

Makoto's right heel wavered just slightly as she missed the heelstep, but her muscles were strong, they held her up. She steaded her gait, and stepped out into the morning light.

"Mr. and Mrs. Suzui," she said with as stern and formal voice as she could muster. Authority figures were stern- when they needed to be listened to, anyway. Yoshida was a master at this, his voice was like a toolbox, ready with the right tool for the specific task at hand. Makoto had watched him work as the butler, major-domo, and host of her home for her entire life.

"I am Niijima Makoto."

The Suzuis and Ann turned to face her. Mrs. Suzui didn't seem particularly concerned with who Makoto was. Her face remained the same mix of fear, concern, and relief. But Makoto's dramatic entrance wasn't for her, it was for Mr. Suzui- and his gaping, surprised mouth seemed to indicate that Makoto had the effect she wanted. Keel him over with the social power of her family name.

"Your daughter fell from the roof of the academy and was gravely injured. The people at the school were content to watch her die. Ms. Sakamoto was not. And neither was I. So we brought your daughter here. Please come inside and see her."

The Suzuis were silent in the wake of Makoto's statement, perhaps processing that information. Calculating their emotions. Mr. Suzui's face seemed to vibrating under multiple inclinations. The moment was teetering on the edge.

"Come see Shiho, Mrs. Suzui," said Ann, softly.

Mrs. Suzui looked back to Ann and nodded. Makoto felt immense gratitude for Ann's social instinct in that moment. It was a perfect guidance of Mrs. Suzui's priorities.

"Ms. Niijima!" said Mr. Suzui, stepping to the fore. " I want more of an explanation than-"

"Fujio!" snapped Ms. Suzui in a sharp, acidic tone. "Your posturing can wait! Let's see our daughter!"

Mr. Suzui rounded on his wife, shock on his face. He opened his mouth to speak to her, but-

"Fujio! Enough!"

The man's mouth opened and closed a few times. Makoto thought she could understand the man's emotions. He was publicly losing face, but to retaliate strongly against his own wife in public? That would be even worse. He was trapped between a rock and a hard place. He seemed to recognize this, closed his mouth, straightened his posture, and tucked his hands gracefully behind the small of his back.

"You are correct, of course, my dear." he said evenly. And doing a good job of resetting his voice back to a polite, noble tone.

Makoto indicated the doorway behind her with her arms. "Please, step inside the healer's clinic."

Control the vocabulary. Control the perception. Another trick of Yoshida's infallible hospitality and social diplomacy. Using "healer" evoked all the aspects that the word "physician" did, and avoided the latter word's social stigma.

Ann took a step forward, and since Mrs. Suzui was still grasping her arm, that pulled her along, too. Once again, Ann was pushing the moment down the favorable slope. Makoto stepped back inside the waiting room and waited as Ann and the Suzuis made the short journey up the few steps into the office. The next hurdle was the introduction of Dr. Takemi.

At the moment, Takemi Tae was dressed in a rather loose-fitting brown dress- a utilitarian affair common amongst female shopkeepers and industrious housewives. Makoto was a little surprised Takemi even owned such a thing, but she supposed a woman couldn't wear the type of society dress Makoto was the time. She glanced up and down Dr. Takemi once more. Then again… that dress did have a never-worn kind of look to it.

But then Ann and the Suzui's were in the door and introductions were in order.

"Mr. Suzui, Mrs. Suzui, this is Dr. Takemi Tae," said Makoto with a slight bow. "She is the healer who is overseeing your daughter's recovery."

Dr. Takemi bowed. The Suzuis, captured by social convention, returned the bow- though shallower in unconscious declaration of their higher social rank. If Takemi took any offense, her face didn't show it.

"Your daughter is strong," said Takemi, "It is early, but I am optimistic of her recovery."

Mr. Suzui opened his mouth to say something, but this time Makoto seized the momentum.

"Shiho is in the back room. This way please."

Mr. Suzui closed his mouth, and the group moved towards Makoto. Perfect. She opened the exam room door and led them all inside, Dr. Takemi a respectful distance to the rear of the friends and relatives of the patient.

"Shiho!" said Mrs. Suzui, and she surged forward to stand next to her daughter on the exam table. Her hands reached, but just as Makoto was about to offer a warning to not touch, Mrs. Suzui withdrew her hands back to her mouth. A lady with a command of common sense.

The party gathered around the unconscious Shiho. She looked unchanged from earlier this morning, as far as Makoto could tell. But again, that was a huge improvement over last night.

"What are her injuries?" said Mr. Suzui. His voice tense.

So, the sight of his daughter was realigning his priorities. That was a good sign. But it wasn't a question for Makoto. She turned to Takemi.

Takemi stepped forward. "The most alarming injury is her head. The bones of her skull were broken inward in a moderate area. That creates a dangerous pressure on the organ inside. I believe I was able to relieve that pressure, but I can do no more but wait. It is for Shiho and God to decide the outcome, now."

"Oh, Shiho," said Ms. Suzui again. Ann wrapped an arm around her.

Makoto's esteem for Dr. Takemi rose. She was casting herself as more a facilitator than a miracle worker. It was a great perspective to use in this situation. Makoto supposed a woman didn't last long as a professional physician in this would without some sensitivity to religious taboo.

"How is this done?" asked Mr. Suzui.

"I carefully remove the destroyed bone. It cannot be reset like a simple broken limb, understand. This removes the pressure, but also the natural protection the bone provided to the essential organ of the head: So, I must replace it with something else. In your daughter's case, I used a thin piece of metal, well-bathed in the preserving elements of drinking spirits."

Mr. Suzui blinked. That explanation was perhaps more technical than he expected, but it seemed to satisfy him. His thoughtfully concerned gaze turned back to his daughter.

"She also has numerous broken limbs, but they are, of course, not life-threatening. God was merciful and, to my knowledge, Shiho lacks any severe internal injury. Or if there is one, it seems in the body's natural capacity to heal with my assistance. Your daughter appears to be on the mend, and her visible improvement over yesterday is- well… astonishing."

Ann nodded. "It's true, Mrs. Suzui. She looks so much better."

"God is great," said Mrs. Suzui. "Can I touch her?"

"Just avoid the bandaged areas, Mrs. Suzui."

Shiho's mother tentatively reached out for a part of Shiho's bare skin. Mrs. Suzui sighed and her body relaxed visibly upon contact with her wounded daughter. To Makoto's mild surprise, Mr. Suzui stepped forward and did the same. So, the man was not as emotionally alien as Makoto feared.

As everyone gazed at Shiho and her parents tentatively touched her skin, the girl's eyes fluttered open. Makoto heard Dr. Takemi's breath hiss inwards first and then Ann and the Suzui's exclaimed: "Shiho!" in subdued voices, all at once. The girl's eyes dreamily looked from her mother, to Ann, to her father, then in the vague direction of Makoto and Dr. Takemi.

"What's… going on?" the girl said weakly.

Makoto felt a touch on her arm. It was Dr. Takemi.

"Let's leave them to it. Too many people is overstimulating for the girl."

Makoto nodded and followed Takemi back into the waiting room. She shut the exam room door softly behind them. Dr. Takemi seemed deep in thought.

"You did an amazing job," said Makoto.

Takemi looked up at her. "Apparently. But it isn't right."

"The girl is recovering. How could that not be right?"

"She took a grievous head wound less than twenty-four hours ago. This should not be possible."

Why worry so much over a good thing? Shiho was apparently recovering splendidly when only yesterday they feared her on death's doorstep. Makoto's father was not a religious man, so she was not raised in the church- but one could not avoid learning of God in this world. "Deus invisibilis operatur." she offered.

Takemi frowned and looked at Makoto. "Deus operatur per alios."

What did she mean by that? But before Makoto could ask, a loud, young male voice burst out from just outside the clinic door.

"Oh, Hey! Good morning, Mr. Amamiya! Uh- this is my mom."

A slight pause. Then: "Good morning, Mrs. Sakamoto."

"Good morning, Mr. Amamiya. My son told me you assisted my daughter's friend?"

"I played only a minor role. The others are inside the clinic, I believe."

It sounded like Ryuji was back and he brought his mother, and they arrived along with Amamiya's return. Three more people to balance in this tentative situation, and one of them a dhampir. Though it did not seem like most people were immediately recognizing Amamiya as such. Makoto started walking slowly for the door. She should usher them inside, but at the same time, she was reluctant to include them.

"I see. Whose coach is that, Mr. Amamiya?"

"I don't know. I only just returned myself."

"I'll ask. Coachman! Hey! Dude! Who do you work for!?"

"Ryuji! How many times have I told you about yelling!"

A more distant voice: "The Suzui family!"

"So Sawako is already here. Good. Let's go inside. Ryuji? Mr. Amamiya?"

There was no further delaying it. Makoto opened the clinic door to the surprised faces of the Sakamotos and the (almost) always neutral, pale face of Amamiya. Mrs. Sakamoto was a thin, tired-looking blond woman with what seemed to be permanent fatigue rings under her eyes. She was pretty, and Makoto thought if she got a few full nights of sleep and some relaxation, she would be beautiful. She was definitely Ann's mother.

"Mrs. Sakamoto? I'm Niijima Makoto," she bowed. "Thank you for coming this morning."

Makoto would much rather have not had her come here this morning, but there was nothing to do about it now. And the woman used the name 'Sawako' earlier, which must be Mrs. Suzui's given name. So the two mothers must be close. That explained why Mrs. Sakamoto had come. It didn't seem like it would have been Ryuji's idea.

"Ms. Niijima," said Mrs. Sakamoto, a bit in awe, but she bowed normally.

Makoto stepped aside to clear the passageway inside the clinic. "And this is Dr. Takemi.'

Those two exchanged brief bows as well.

"And where is Ann? And Mrs. Suzui?" asked Mrs. Sakamoto.

"With Shiho in the exam room," said Makoto. "She just regained consciousness a short time ago."

"For real?" said Ryuji. "That's great!"

"Oh! What a relief," said Mrs. Sakamoto. "From what Ryuji was saying, I feared the girl near death!"

"So did we," said Makoto. "But she took a miraculous turn for the better overnight."

"God is great," murmured Mrs. Sakamoto.

The exam room door opened and Mrs. Suzui stepped out. She caught sight of Mrs. Sakamoto first thing.

"Aiko?"

"Sawako."

The two mothers moved towards each other like magnets, slowly building up speed, eyes bubbling with tears, until they collided in a hug and both began sobbing quietly. Mr. Suzui walked around them to stand near Ryuji. Ann seemed to be under the influence of the matronly emotions in the room and was beginning to tear up herself. But she stepped close to Takemi and Makoto overheard her say that Shiho had fallen back asleep. Takemi nodded.

"Thank you for coming," said Mrs. Suzui.

"Of course," said Mrs. Sakamoto, "When I heard…"

The rest apparently didn't need to be said. The two women gave each other faltering smiles, then both pulled out handkerchiefs from their dresses and started blotting at their faces.

Mr. Suzui cleared his throat. "I would like to hear your version of events from yesterday, Ms. Niijima."

Mrs. Suzui nodded, still cleaning away her own tears. "Yes, me as well. I've only heard rumors and what the young Mr. Akechi told me this morning."

"Of course," said Makoto. She lead them through the events as she remembered them, but left out most information about Amamiya, except him allowing them to use his horse. She figured it would be better to keep him on the periphery, and she already knew the man didn't particularly enjoy attention. Even now he was leaning against the near wall, resolutely keeping himself out of the circle of people… but notably still close enough to hear and see everything.

But it was time to reveal their suspicions. "My associate and I..." Makoto indicated Amamiya near the wall. The Suzuis looked over and seemed to realize he was there for the first time. "... believe that Shiho was under the influence of a noble vampire. We think it is in, or near, the school so as to prey upon the students."

Silence met that conclusion. It wasn't news to everyone, but the Suzuis and Mrs. Sakamoto paled and began to look fearful.

"So they are not just rumors," mumbled Mrs. Sakamoto.

"A noble vampire in my daughter's school!" said Mrs. Suzui. She was starting to puff up. "Why are the authorities not doing anything?"

That was a really good question. Makoto hadn't thought about that. She'd made a quick political calculation and dismissed that concern. But rethinking it now: Akechi Goro, a self-proclaimed vampire hunter, hired Amamiya instead of tackling the issue himself. Seemingly content to let a sequence of schoolgirls go missing as the letter found its way to the presumably nomadic Amamiya, and for him to travel here. What was the turn around time of that letter? How long ago was it sent? How long did it sit in some hunter's tavern or posting board till Amamiya found it? Did that mean the Akechis knew this vampire situation was happening for a long period? Why would they be content to let a situation simmer as young women were kidnapped and presumably devoured?

Makoto's mind was whirling itself into overdrive with possibilities and assumptions. She tried to battle it back down and keep her focus on the essential situation she was currently in.

"I'm- I'm not sure…" she said, "But I think we need to be cautious-"

"Cautious! No!" said Mrs. Suzui. "We need to be decisive! We need to tell the papers! Everyone needs to know that the vampire is not some rumor! Our children are in danger! I'm going to march right over to the printing office! I'm going to gather the PTA! And we're going to tear that school apart and find this creature!"

A surge of dread rolled in Makoto's body. That would be a disaster. It would spread panic. And worse, send the vampire deep into hiding. Surprise would still be on their side if they kept this quiet.

"But- Um- Mrs. Suzui…" Makoto said again, but Mrs. Suzui wasn't even looking at her. She was glaring at Mr. Suzui.

"Write your merchant friends and get the news out! Ask them to lend some of their guards and mercenaries! We'll fill that school with swords!"

"An excellent idea," said Mr. Suzui.

This was rapidly spinning out of Makoto's control. It had been like the striking of a match. What had done it? Makoto quickly reviewed her words. Fuck! 'I'm not sure.' 'I think.' Those chinks in her display of command and confidence… publicly-active Mrs. Suzui had felt the slip instantly and slammed right through it, shattering Makoto's authority in an instant.

"Mrs. Suzui, what Ms. Niijima means is that-" began Ann, trying to help.

"Hush, girl," said Mrs. Suzui, "This is for the adults now!"

So much for Ann-chan. Mrs. Suzui's mind was revving up on the warpath and her momentum seemed out of control. Makoto's plan was falling apart. All the careful maneuvering of the Suzui family arrival and display of Shiho was crumbling to ash.

"You're a fool, Mrs. Suzui," said a soft voice. It wasn't loud. It wasn't stern. But it had just enough contempt in it to sound especially offensive. And the way it was slipped in between people talking made it striking.

All heads turned to Amamiya, standing tall and darkly against the near wall.

"Excuse me!" said Mrs. Suzui, sputtering.

"You're a fool," said Amamiya again, his voice even, his face neutral. "You're going to ruin everything."

"Who ARE you?' said Mr. Suzui.

"A vampire hunter. Who are you?"

"I'm a respected-"

Amamiya pushed off the wall and broadened his chest, making himself more physically imposing. "You're a fool, like your fool wife. Do you hunt vampires? Do you know how to track them? Identify them? Keep them from escaping and going into hiding?"

Mr. Suzui mumbled an incoherent response. But Mrs. Suzui's mouth was shut and her face had taken an angry but thoughtful cast. Makoto could see her mind chewing on Amamiya's words.

"If a mob could hunt a vampire, there would be no vampire hunters." said Amamiya, "And here you are, disregarding the words of a Niijima, in favor of your own ignorance."

Mr. Suzui was going red. "We know how to-!"

Mr. Suzui's voice stopped as Mrs. Suzui placed a hand on his arm.

"Mr. Suzui," said Mrs. Suzui, the formality having a visibly calming effect on the man, "Thank you for supporting me, but he's right. His words are true. I want to listen to them first."

Mr. Suzui's breath gusted out in a pent up breath, but he managed a nod.

Mrs. Suzui turned back to Makoto and bowed her head slightly. "I apologize for getting ahead of matters. What would the experts suggest?"

Amamiya recrossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, his pale grey eyes meeting Makoto's brief gaze. A brilliant rescue. Makoto felt immense gratitude towards the man. What was his name? Ren? Amamiya Ren?... With Ren's earlier accusations of her own amateur status ringing in her ears, Makoto managed a confidant: "That's quite all right. Emotions are high at the moment. "

She resolved to be careful about the authority of her own phrasing: "The correct path forward is a subtle investigation of the school. The creature is likely disguised as someone close to the students. Events indicate this is the case. I intend to search for the creature as soon as possible, with the aid of my associate here."

"It's Sunday today," said Ann quietly.

Ann was helpfully supplying information that Makoto had forgotten. She'd lost track of what day it was in the hectic pace of her life this week. Sunday meant that school was not in session. Not all the students would be there, nor any of the male staff, and the campus would be closed to anyone who didn't live there. It was a girl's school, and proper young ladies were not allowed to get into mischief on their days off. So they were shut up tight. No boys allowed. But was the vampire necessarily male? Amamiya indicated a sexual basis of vampiric hypnosis, but women could like women in that way...

Makoto would have to ask him, but not in front of the Suzui family. For now, she needed to decide on the best course of action. If they could not investigate the school today, then that meant another night of waiting. Amamiya said the vampire could track Suzui though, which meant the girl was at risk in the night. Dr. Takemi's clinic was not a secure location, nor was it a comfortable one. They needed a secure location with lots of rooms. At least until the vampire was handled…. Of course!

Makoto turned to Takemi. "Doctor, does Shiho need any more of your active care?"

"I need to keep watch on her healing from time to time, but no, there is nothing else for me to do but wait for her to finish healing and watch for problems."

"Can she be moved?"

"Carefully. But yes."

Makoto turned back to the group, all of them intently waiting for her decision. That felt unusual, but Makoto couldn't stumble again. Not after almost losing this enterprise to Mrs. Suzui. Ren would not be able to rescue her again.

"Since we cannot investigate until Monday. I want to move Shiho to my estate. We have plenty of comfortable rooms. Dr. Takemi may visit whenever she feels it is necessary. And the grounds are guarded day and night by Okumura Security."

And Caroline shot a vamp-slave just last night coming over the wall… but perhaps best not to mention that.

"That's- That's very generous, Ms. Niijima," said Mr. Suzui. He looked at his wife. She was biting her lip, apparently torn over the decision.

"She's Niijima's daughter," said Mrs. Sakamoto, "She knows about this sort of thing."

If only. But once again, her father's reputation was paving the way for her. Makoto was suddenly afraid of ruining this all and spoiling that reputation. If she messed this up and Shiho died or the vampire escaped, what would people think of the Niijima name then? In a sudden epiphany, Makoto wondered if this was what Sae felt. The pressure of the name? The pressure of being the heir as eldest daughter? Could this be what was driving her sister so hard? It was something to mull over when there was time.

But for now, Mrs. Suzui nodded. "Very well. Let's do what you suggest, Ms. Niijima."