Makoto was exceedingly glad she'd thought to put on her hunting clothing before leaving the clinic. Riding Johanna in that hip-hugging dress of Takemi's would have been impossible without revealing every bit of her thighs, probably a bit of other things as well. She would certainly have drawn more attention to herself. As it was, she followed the slow-moving Suzui coach at some distance. Her bike was noisy. And being this far back, she could see if anyone was taking undue interest in the coach.

No one was. A few people looked at her, however. But that was normal enough, and the ride to Azabu was blissfully uneventful.

The Niijima Estate gate was manned by four male guards who Makoto did not recognize. The new men from Okumura Security were already in place. So Justine must have gone home… or her barracks, or wherever mercenaries went. Yoshida acted quickly, and since Okumura Security Headquarters was near Azabu, the new men arrived promptly. Not to mention that the Okumura home itself was in the same neighborhood.

As the Suzui coach rolled to a stop before the gate, the blue-clad guards peered curiously through the bars. Each held a large polearm, and a short sword was strapped to their waists. Guns were expensive items. Apparently, these men didn't rate having them. That was not ideal, but Makoto supposed that the real threat was at night. And Caroline and Justine held two guns each.

"Who are you?" challenged one of the guards.

"That's obviously the coach we are expecting, you moron," said another.

"We need to know who they are!" said the first guard. "Don't open the gate until we're sure!"

"Shut up. Open the gate. This fuckin' guy..."

The gate opened without further verification. The coach ambled through the opening. Makoto followed on her motorcycle, highly displeased by this shoddy performance. They could be anyone in a coach and would be inside the estate! She stopped before the first man who had challenged their identity.

"What's your name?' she asked him. He was a middle-aged man with short, salt-pepper hair.

"Dojima, ma'am. And you?" He asked her with a challenging tone. He still wanted to know. Makoto was impressed. This was how a guard should be.

"I'm Niijima Makoto."

The man paled.

The other guards laughed at him. "We told you, Dojima."

"Good to meet you, Mr. Dojima." Then she drove on, leaving the guards to heckle their embarrassed comrade. Meanwhile, the coach was coming to a stop in front of the house.

Yoshida was coming out the front door, as were a few members of the returned house staff. Makoto recognized some faces she hadn't seen in over a year. Yoshida did indeed work fast. These people weren't in uniforms, but Makoto could care less. House staff uniforms? That was Father's desire.

Mr. Suzui climbed down from his seat next to the coachman, while Mrs. Suzui was the first person out of the coach itself. Makoto parked and switched Johanna off while Yoshida performed the ceremonious greeting of guests: a choreographed bow from him and all the staff in unison. This time, the bows from Yoshida and the four staff were all off-timing and out of sequence. Ah, but they were all a year out of practice.

Ann climbed out of the coach next, her mother having returned home. Then finally, Takemi's head emerged. "We need the strong men, please. To carry this stretcher."

The two male staff moved forward, and under Takemi's direction ("Gently, now. Gently.") slid Shiho's stretcher out from the floor of the coach's center. Shiho was awake, wincing slightly from the inevitable bumps and jerks of being carried. But the men were doing the best they could do. And the transfer to the bed was going to be even worse for the girl, but Takemi was confident it could be done safely.

"Friends, guests, welcome," said Yoshida in his host-voice; a booming, warm, rich thing. "We've the room ready. Staff knows the way."

The Suzui parents bowed shallowly to Yoshida and followed their daughter's stretcher into the house, with Ann and Dr. Takemi following closely after. Yoshida turned from them to Makoto.

"Ms. Niijima, a busy night?" He would speak formally to her when guests were about. "I was surprised by your letter." He looked to see if anyone was nearby. No one was. So he leaned down and smiled. "And a bit excited, to be honest, Makoto! Something is afoot, is it not? The vampire last night, and now this?" Yoshida's eyes had a vibrancy to them that Makoto had not seen since her father failed to return home.

"Tired of the quiet life already, Yoshi?"

"It's too different from the life I've lived," he said, still smiling. "When will you tell me all the news?"

"When today quiets down. I imagine once we have Shiho settled, everyone will begin to disperse for the time being. We can talk then."

Yoshida nodded. Then he straightened up and put on his professional visage. "I trust the preparations are to your approval, mi'lady?"

Makoto suppressed a smile. If he wanted to play his role, then she could play hers. "I'm afraid not, Mr. Yoshida. Though through no fault of you own. The guards at the front gate are fools. Okumura has sent us his worst, I believe."

"I'll have them replaced immediately, Ms. Niijima."

"But not the one named Dojima. He seems sharp. In fact, request Okumura to make him the leader of whoever they send over to replace the riff raff they provided us for day shift."

"Very good, Ms. Niijima."

"Is Sae here?"

"No, she is off on some contract. To the east."

That was a relief. Makoto still wasn't eager to see her sister. "And my messenger? Where is Ryuji?"

"He is assisting the groundskeeper with digging out the storm shutters. It has been some time since we suffered a typhoon, so they are deeply buried in storage."

"A helpful lad. Then I will attend to our guests."

"As you wish, Ms. Niijima. And a luncheon will be ready shortly in the breakfast solar."

"Thank you, Mr. Yoshida."

Makoto walked into the manor, leaving Yoshida to attend to the coach. A luncheon? Yoshida was pulling out all the stops. For the first time in a long time, Makoto felt like she was home. She took an immediate right in the main atrium and followed the soft voice of Takemi instructing the staff on how to move Shiho from the stretcher to the bed.

"Yes, that's right. Now. Do it."

Makoto entered as Shiho was set into the center of the mattress, her face wincing and her breath hissing audibly.

"I'm so sorry, my baby," said Mrs. Shiho. Ann was similarly distressed at Shiho's obvious pain. Dr. Takemi was frowning, but clinical.

"Ms. Suzui," she said to Shiho, "Can you look at me? Good. Can you follow my finger? Do you hurt in any new places? Can you speak?"

"Same… places," whispered Shiho. Then her eyes closed and she seemed to fall asleep.

"I see." Dr. Takemi straightened up. "It seems the move was a success."

The news didn't particularly relieve the Suzuis or Ann. A silence lengthened in the room. Shiho's somewhat labored breathing the only noise. With the goal of the moment accomplished, no one seemed to know what to do next. Makoto realized this too, was her role. Not only as the leader of the situation, but she was effectively Lady of the House. These were her guests. Not Father's. Not Yoshida's. Hers. In Niijima Manor. And she was Ms. Niijima.

"All of you are welcome to stay here, if you so wish," said Makoto, dropping the volume of her voice for Shiho's sake. "There is more than enough space for everyone. And I'm certain there is spare clothing and other such items that may be needed."

"I will stay. Tonight, at the very least,' said Dr. Takemi.

Everyone seemed relieved at that. Mr. and Mrs. Suzui looked at one another.

"I want to stay, of course," said Mrs. Suzui.

"Of course," said Mr. Suzui. "I'll set things to rights at home and return tomorrow."

Mrs. Suzui nodded. "You have those two wagons in this afternoon…"

"Right," Mr. Suzui frowned. "And I have to be there. Because I don't have a subordinate." He gazed at Shiho dozing on the bed. "You're right, Sawako. I need to start delegating. I'm sorry I didn't listen."

"Forget that for now," said Mrs. Suzui fondly. "I'll stay with Shiho, and you will maintain her home for when she returns to it, yes? We both have our part."

"Yes."

They drew closer together and seemed oblivious to the others for the moment. Makoto gained the attention of Takemi and Ann and lead them out into the hallway. She shut the door to Shiho's room to let the Suzui's have a private moment with each other and their daughter.

"Let me arrange some rooms for you two," Makoto told them. "I think you would prefer to be near Shiho? I can put you each on either side of her."

"Yes, fine," said Takemi, somewhat tersely.

"Umm," said Ann, her face falling, "My mom wanted me and Ryuji home before nightfall, Ms. Niijima, so I won't be staying over."

Makoto was mildly surprised. The brief time she had spent with Mrs. Sakamoto didn't make her seem like an overprotective or controlling parent. Was staying in the Niijima Manor somehow a problem? Oh, the woman probably thought her children would tax Makoto's resources, and she was trying to get them out from underfoot. That was probably it. It was unnecessary, but Makoto admitted to herself it would help the short-manned and out-of-practice staff from being overwhelmed.

"Okay, Ann. Feel free to visit whenever you want. I'll instruct the gate guards that you are always allowed inside without question."

"Thanks, Ms. Niijima."

"Mr. Yoshida said there will be a luncheon ready soon. It's something of an informal lunch buffet. It will be in the breakfast solar- if you head back to the atrium and turn left, at the far corner you will see a door to a brightly windowed room. You could wait there, or head outside the doors into the gardens. I think your brother is in the back barn rooting out our storm shutters with the groundskeepers."

"Ok…" Ann seemed to take that as a dismissal and turned to walk somewhat slowly back down the hall.

Makoto and Takemi watched her for a moment, then they shared a look. Takemi sort of raised her eyebrows as Makoto. She was unclear what Takemi was trying to say, but it was something about Ann. The young woman was clearly bothered, though surely the obvious reason was the injured Shiho. And Makoto and Takemi were already doing everything they could about that.

"Let me show you your room, Dr. Takemi. Everything is going to be covered in sheets, but I'll show you the service bell and we'll have staff whip the room into shape in no time."

Takemi made a sort of affirmative grunt and followed Makoto to the next door in the hall. Makoto entered into the room and found it only dimly lit due to thick window drapes blocking out the daylight.

"The lightswitch is here, Dr. Takemi, and this is the service bell. Just push it like so, and the staff will know something is needed and come to your room. I don't think we need the electric light; however, I'll just open the drapes."

Makoto flung aside the thick fabric, allowing the late morning sunlight to blaze into the room, immediately cheering the space, despite the sheets over everything. She turned around to find Takemi standing gloomily amongst the white-sheeted furniture. She seemed unhappy and her half-lidded eyes looked downcast. Was whatever was bothering Ann infectious?

Before Makoto could ask Takemi what was wrong, a short-haired woman appeared in the doorway.

"Yes, Ms. Niijima?"

Who was this woman? Makoto recognized her, but it had been over a year. Still, she'd been on staff for years before that. Makoto should know her name. Was it Nakagawa? No… that didn't sound right. But it was Naka- something. Naka... Naka… Nakayama!

"Could you please oversee the readying of this room, Mrs. Nakayama? Dr. Takemi will be staying the night. And arrange linens and a nightgown?"

"Of course, Ms. Niijima."

She rushed into the room and began snatching sheets off furniture items, moving around Takemi like a stream around a stone. Nakayama had everything uncovered but the bed and the dresser, but those sheets were much larger and her arms were already full.

"I'll return with help, Ms. Niijima. Ms. Takemi," she said with a slight bow and left.

Takemi seemed to look even more upset than before. She didn't even seem to be trying to hide whatever was bothering her. Makoto suddenly realized she had no choice but to ask.

"What is it, Dr. Takemi? Is the room not adequate?"

Takemi sighed and sat down on the still-sheeted bed. She leaned back on her arms and suddenly glared at Makoto. "No, the room is amazing. The whole house is. Your whole life is, apparently."

"What?"

Takemi winced, leaned forward and rubbed her face with her hand. "How ugly that sounded. I apologize. Perhaps I need sleep as much as little Ms. Suzui does."

Makoto didn't know what to say. Takemi seemed to be… jealous of her. But Makoto thought that was just an emotion that schoolgirls felt. Yoshida called it a childish thing, so Makoto had assumed only children felt it. But apparently not.

Takemi met her gaze again, and Makoto returned it, trying to think of something to say. But Takemi spoke first, perhaps interpreting Makoto's surprise and confusion as something else.

"I regret saying that, Ms. Niijima. It's just… I studied for a long time to become a physician, and that poor girl in the other room is my very first patient. No one comes to the clinic. People avoid me. While you- everyone listens to you. Everyone pays attention to you. And all you had to do was be born with a certain name." Takemi winced again. "God. I'm sorry. Why can't I close my fucking mouth this morning?"

Makoto felt a burst of anger. Jealousy was one thing, but Takemi apparently thought she didn't deserve the respect of the Niijima name. Though Makoto didn't consciously realize it, the concept was so close to her own self-doubts that it sent sudden flames burning through her mind.

"I'll leave you to the staff then, Dr. Takemi," said Makoto, unsuccessful in keeping the anger out of her voice. She strode for the hallway.

"Ms. Niijima, I'm-" said Takemi.

But Makoto slammed the door behind her. And then looked up to see three members of the staff looking at her with wide eyes. Makoto's anger hot skipped into full-on embarrassment, and she felt her own cheeks heat up. She wasn't acting as a proper Lady of the House.

"Please see to Dr. Takemi's needs," she said with what dignity she could manage, and then turned and walked down the hallway as the staff members opened Takemi's door and entered.

Makoto walked slowly back down the hallway to the atrium, trying to get herself back under control. Takemi had been incredibly rude, but Makoto didn't think she was trying to be. There was no animosity there, but the anger had come so suddenly upon Makoto that she'd been unable to fully control it. Makoto thought only Sae could make her that angry, but apparently not.

The manor atrium was empty. Yoshida must be off seeing to something or other. The guests were occupied for the moment. Well, no. Ann wasn't, Makoto remembered. She may be the only one alone, so though Makoto was suddenly in the mood for a bath and some solitude, she thought it best to check on Ann first.

Makoto turned left and headed for the breakfast solar. The long table was already half-full with pewter trays of tiny sandwiches and other such convenient food items. The kitchen staff sure hadn't missed a beat. But Ann wasn't here. Makoto walked to the glass doors which lead into the estate gardens, and there was Ann, sitting on the edge of the wood porch with an empty plate beside her. She seemed to be staring out over the flowerbeds. Makoto opened the door and went outside to join her.

Makoto flushed away the rest of the latent anger from Takemi as she closed the door behind her. Ann heard the door and turned to see who it was. When she saw Makoto, she stood and shifted her weight anxiously. "Ms. Niijima."

Takemi was right, though, Makoto did naturally command a lot of respect. Here it was, personified in Ann's rising upon her arrival.

"Relax, Ann. I came to sit with you."

"Oh."

They sat together on the edge of the porch and gazed out over the gardens. They were as vibrant as Makoto remembered. Yoshida never skimped on the groundskeeping. A pristinely trimmed lawn filled the space between two long, rectangular flowerbeds, bursting with multicolored poppies, and those flower beds bordered by similarly sized rectangular stone gardens, raked into mesmerizing patterns. And beyond this very precise, squared-away front garden, the real garden began- a more natural combination of tree, shrub, flower, and bamboo which was all specifically designed to appear undesigned. The edge of the rear barn could just be discerned through the foliage.

Makoto looked from the gardens to Ann. The young woman was downcast, her eyes focused on the grass just before them. It was a look not unlike Takemi's. But in this case, Makoto was pretty sure Shiho was the cause of Ann's distress, not some selfish, personal thing.

"Shiho is getting better, Ann."

Ann looked up at Makoto, seemingly surprised that Makoto was talking to her. Was she that deep inside her own head?

"I know," said Ann, looking back at the grass. "I'm just thinking about yesterday."

"What about yesterday?"

Ann looked again at Makoto, her blue eyes widening, then flickering back and forth between Makoto's eyes. Ann seemed to freeze a moment, then her eyes closed, reopened, and she began to speak::

"I just don't know how this happened. Was there some sign I missed?" Ann's voice began to steadily increase in both tempo and pitch. "Could I have stopped Shiho before she fell? And even worse, we were supposed to walk home together yesterday, but when she didn't show, I just left, figuring she was late! If I had just gone to look for her…!" Ann sucked in ragged breaths. "But I didn't. So she had to jump! I didn't do anything. I'm useless, Ms. Niijima!" Her face was red and contorted with sorrow, she looked at Makoto with bleary, glistening eyes before she buried her face into her knees and her shoulders bounced with the force of her sobbing.

My, God! What do I do? What do I say? I can't just sit next to her and let her cry like this! Makoto felt her own breathing become short and tight as she frantically tried to think of how she was supposed to handle Ann's meltdown. What would Father do? Makoto's mind searched for a memory of her Father being around while she was crying. Nothing came to her. Yoshida, then? He would simply put his arm around her and wait for her to finish. And Makoto remembered that being comforting. So now she lifted her own arm and placed it over Ann's shoulders. Ann responded immediately and leaned into Makoto's body. Ann's sobbing increased slightly, as if the floodgates were opening, but after a short time, that too began to subside.

It was a wordless time, and as Ann slowly collected herself together. Makoto wondered at what Ann had said. 'I'm useless.' Makoto knew that feeling. Makoto knew that guilt. The vague sense that she should somehow be better, do something more... What exactly? She didn't know. And that was always part of the problem. If she wasn't so useless, she would know what she should do, right? That not knowing what she could have done was objective evidence that she was useless. It was just so logical.

But was it? No. It wasn't, was it? Now that she was on the outside looking in at Ann, Makoto could observe the logical chain. See it from gestation to Ann's tears in this moment. First, Ann was incorrectly using retrospection as a judgment of her actions just before Shiho's fall. There was just no possible way Ann could have predicted such an event. Shiho wasn't a sad girl, as far as Makoto knew. Shiho was enthralled. If there were signs to such a thing, Ann would not be able to spot them. So any belief of 'would-have, could-have stopped it' was not logical- it was fantasy. Ann was torturing herself with an internal fantasy.

Makoto's mind went back two nights to the derelict farmstead. The little girl, freshly turned into a vamp slave. Makoto had wanted to confirm the target. Sae had opened fire and called Makoto useless. And ever since that moment, Makoto had been seeking a path to some grand success which would prove Sae wrong. But that wasn't logical, either. Makoto killed that entire pack of… ferals… as Amamiya labeled them. That certainly wasn't useless. And since then, Makoto was involved in this Shiho situation, and that, for the moment, was going much better than if she hadn't gotten involved, of that she was confident. So then, how am I useless, Sae? I'm not. It's a fantasy.

"Ann," said Makoto, "You can't blame yourself for what happened. There were no signs or signals you could have possibly picked up on, because if there were, you would have picked up on them- right?"

Ann raised her head back up. "I guess. But maybe there was and I just missed it, I could have-"

"No, Ann. Listen. You can't look back on the past and blame yourself for it, because if you could, you would discover countless other people to blame."

"... I would?"

"Yes. What about Shiho's parents? They spend the most time with her outside of school, yes? Did they notice anything? No. And what about the gate guards who allowed this vampire into the city in the first place? Should they have allowed the disguised creature inside the city? No! And that's just two examples- so how much blame would you give them versus yourself?"

Ann was wiping her eyes and nose. "I guess I don't know. But I think I know what you mean."

"And you were not useless, Ann. You helped get the horse cart to transport Shiho. You stayed near her in the clinic. You helped me with her parents, and with breakfast, and with getting her here. You've been extremely useful, Ann."

"...Thanks, Ms. Niijima."

"You can call me Makoto, if you like."

"Okay…. Makoto."

Ann offered a small smile. The puffiness of her eyes was beginning to die down. Makoto's words must have helped some. And Makoto could take her own words to think on herself. She'd been useful to many people in many ways. And she was only just getting started.

"Is- is that the barn there?" Ann said, indicating the mostly concealed building.

"Yes."

"I'll go see if Ryuji needs some help."

"Okay."

Ann stood up, bowed to Makoto slightly, and then walked out amongst the garden. She was walking more confidently than she had down the hallway earlier. So, that was something. She seemed a resilient young woman. Makoto could take a lesson from her.

But fatigue was settling on Makoto's shoulders. She wanted that bath. And some quiet time to herself. But she should find Yoshida and talk to him before she vanished to her room. She was Lady of the House, not the youngest daughter of Niijima.

She stood and returned to the atrium. "Mr. Yoshida?" she called.

"In here, Ms. Niijima," drifted Yoshida's voice. "The study."

Makoto walked down the right hallway and entered the study. It would probably be more accurately described as the library, as it was a sizable room lined with ceiling-high bookshelves. Makoto's favorite rolling step-ladder was in here, as were a majority of her childhood memories. She'd read most of the books in this room. Hundreds of them. Even ones she didn't understand all that well.

Yoshida was seated at the main desk near the far wall, brightly illuminated by the indirect noon sunlight streaming in through the room's tall windows. He was peering at ledgers through his half-moon reading spectacles. An abacus was near at hand, and he flipped a few of the beads back and forth as Makoto walked towards him.

"Already balancing the budget, Yoshi?"

"You know me too well, Hime-kun. Alas, the house staff. The extra guards. It puts us deeply in the red, you know. The estate revenue is not what it once was."

"We could live in the red for decades."

Yoshida looked up at Makoto seriously. "Don't say such things. Therein lies folly." He looked back down at his papers and frowned. "Fortunes should always be made to grow. Never shrink."

Makoto wandered around behind Yoshida to read over his shoulder. He was using several pieces of scrap paper to play with the monthly budget. This was the sort of thing Makoto had watched him do quite a bit, she could more or less follow the story of these numbers.

Little of the vast Niijima wealth was liquid, as Yoshida endlessly advocated 'putting money to work.' So while there was significant sums in several of the most prominent Tock-Yo banks (and even one bank down in Yoko-Ham), these existed primarily as potential emergency funds. They collected interest with the banks in question, but that gain was minimal compared to other options. Though Yoshida favored working money, he favored having an emergency fund as a high priority. One didn't want current events to force money out of a lucrative long-term investment.

The biggest volume of assets was in real estate. Various lands throughout Tock-Yo was legally recognized as Niijima property, both ancestral and newer acquisitions by Father and Yoshida during Makoto's childhood. The rent from these properties was the majority of the estate's monthly income, but while it was certainly much more than the average Tock-Yo family could expect, it did not fully cover the expenses of the manor itself: upkeep, staff wages, electricity, and other such things. Or at least, the newly re-awakened manor. It seemed the dormant skeleton of the estate this last year was just under revenue, so Yoshida had managed to run the place with a minor surplus of passive income.

Father had supplemented that income with lucrative bounties on vampires. He'd preferred contracts with city-state governments, advising Makoto that was where the money was, and he brought back boxes of gold and silver from exotic places: Yoko-Ham, Chi-Ba, Zen-Dai, even so far as Nag-Ya and Aki-ita. But now that influx of bullion was gone, though Sae did bring in some money- they were local contracts put up by merchant cooperatives; small-timers who would struggle to raise enough money by themselves to attract a vampire hunter into keeping their routes clear.

Yes, their wagons traveled by day, but delays happened. Wagons got stuck, or they broke down. Animals got loose. Or people just plain got stupid and forgot how much time it takes to get from A to B. Rather than write off an entire shipment and several employees to vamp slaves the moment it got dark, businessmen liked to keep the local land clear of menace. That way, the setting sun was not a guaranteed death sentence.

Finally, after rental properties and hunting contracts, the estate owned a few small businesses: a stable on the north gate; a public bath in Shinjuku; and a plum orchard and a honey farm in Shibuya's vast green space near Meiji Jingu, the central religious shrine of the city. Some claimed God dwelled there, but most regarded that as heresy.

Makoto's eyes finished her tracing of Yoshida's figures. She stuck a finger over his shoulder and pointed, just like she used to. "Is that the income from the honey farm? That's much larger than it used to be."

Yoshida nodded. "Yes. The old man who ran the place finally retired and his daughter took over. Chihaya Mifune is her name. I've met her a few times when I stop by… her head seems full of buzzing, and not just from bees. But she reports almost 50% more jars of honey than her father, and she's secured contracts with local bakeries for the product- without my input! The initiative is impressive."

"How did she increase production so much?"

Yoshida leaned back and gave Makoto an exasperated look. "She said that bees are sensitive to the movement of the universe, so she reads the stars for guidance."

"What?"

"I know. But results are results. Whatever the stars are saying to the girl, she's using that information to produce more honey."

"Does she seem overworked?"

"No. She seems entirely relaxed. Every time I go by, Ms. Chihaya is playing cards with herself."

Makoto pursed her lips. Honey was a valuable resource. Basically the only locally sourced sweetener. Sugar was imported from the south and that made it rather expensive. "Do we still own those empty lots? The overgrown ones?"

Yoshida bent back over his figures. "Yes, but it's not time to sell those yet. I'm sure the price will go up in the next few-" Yoshida froze. He leaned back to look at her again. "You're suggesting to establish new hives in the empty lots, aren't you?"

Makoto deepened her voice in an attempt to imitate Yoshida's lecturing tone. "If you have a talented manager, give them more room to gallop."

Yoshida laughed. "A wise man must have said that. I'd forgotten."

Makoto was suddenly taken with how old Yoshida did look now. Father's lifelong companion had always been something of an old soul, but this last year, since Father's disappearance, Yoshida had greyed significantly. He wouldn't be around forever. And that sudden realization nearly overwhelmed Makoto with a sharp, sorrowful pain between her eyes and nose, like tears were fighting to be created there. She tried to shake it off. There was plenty of time yet.

"Yes," said Makoto, "but I don't forget anything you say, Yoshi."

He gave her a genuinely touched look. The emotional man suddenly had tears glistening in the corner of his eyes, but then he looked away and cleared his throat, acting like he was intently looking at the ledgers once more.

"It's a good idea. I'm loath to sell land of any variety, anyway. There can never-"

Makoto continued her imitation of his voice: "One should never sell land because God will never make any more of it."

Yoshida looked at her and frowned this time. Then they both laughed.

"I'll invite Ms. Chihaya to lunch then, and we can discuss it," said Yoshida, "I'd like you there. It's time for you to take a more active hand in the management of your home. How about tomorrow?"

"Not tomorrow. I have plans."

"Ah, related to your capers of these last two days, I presume?" Yoshida stood up and walked to the study doors and shut them.

"Capers?!"

"Hijinks. Adventures. Hunts," Yoshida said as he walked back to the center of the study and sat on a small couch there. He indicated with his arm that Makoto should take the one across from him.

"Whatever you wish to label them, Makoto."

"Hijinks?" said Makoto as she sat down.

"Come. Don't tarry over my facetious terms. Tell me the news. All that you chose not to tell me last night." Yoshida's face had turned serious.

So then Makoto's did, as well. She walked him through the events of the night with Sae, her late ride, and her stalking of Amamiya. Yoshida's mouth curled into a frown.

"You stalked this man? What possessed you to do that? Hunters travel at night. It is no special thing. So why would this dark man from the road hold such interest with you?"

Makoto pressed her lips together as she decided what to do. Tell Yoshida the truth about Amamiya being a dhampir- or lie? Did she want Yoshi to know that she was… fraternizing with someone of vampiric descent? He was Father's oldest companion, he was major-domo to a pre-eminent aristocratic family known for vampire hunting, and he was more or less what passed as a mother to Makoto.

Yoshida's eyes narrowed. "Are you thinking of spinning webs, Hime-kun?"

Makoto sighed. The man could even tell when she was thinking about telling a lie. What was the point?

"Mr. Amamiya is a dhampir, Yoshi."

Yoshida blinked, but then his face relaxed. "Ah, that certainly explains the fascination. Very well, continue your tale."

Wait. That was it? Yoshida literally batted an eye and that was it. "Amamiya's heritage doesn't worry you, Yoshi?"

"Does the son of a murderer worry you, Makoto?"

It was Makoto's turn to blink. How quickly Yoshida could reverse a question into a lesson. Obviously, the son does not share the sins of the father.

"No, I suppose not."

"Well, there you are. Dhampir vampire hunters are uncommon this far north, but not unheard of. Your father worked with several in his career."

Makoto's mind went blank from shock. That defied every expectation she carried within her. "He- he did?"

"Certainly. Before you were born, of course. Before the Niijima name gained such social weight behind it. After Seven Day Parade; however, he stopped associating with their kind. Or anyone who associated with anything vaguely Imperial. Benevolent or no."

Seven Day Parade- that happened when Makoto was still a baby. It was the most key moment of Father's career. A band of noble vampire renegades had been striking wagon camps on the trade routes for months, leaving wreckage and nothing else behind. Father went into the frontier and came back riding the vampire prize wagon, and seven noble heads impaled on spears around him. People had walked with the wagon from the gates of the city to the City Council Chambers. It became a holiday. And Father had done it all by himself.

"Don't mistake me, Makoto. Your Father was a good man, but a sensitivity to public perception was one of his weaknesses. Or at least, it quickly became one. He turned an old ally away from this very doorstep once, for fear of rumor. I called him a fool for it, but he didn't listen. He stopped listening to lots of things…"

Makoto felt rocked again. Yoshida was sitting calmly in front of her, criticizing Father, on the couch in the study. "Why are you telling me this, Yoshi?"

"Because when I was sitting at the desk over there, and I looked over my shoulder and saw you standing above me, I realized you're a grown woman. And I would be doing a disservice to you if I continued to gloss over truths as I would for a child. And the point of it is this: don't let your name get in the way of what is right! If this Amamiya person is a good man, foster an alliance. But perhaps I am getting ahead of myself, you were stalking this man, and then what?"

Makoto had feared condemnation for becoming involved with Amamiya, but here Yoshida was practically advocating it, and she had yet to share the whole story. So with a halting restart, Makoto told of the events at the school, the physician's clinic, and of this morning. When she finished, Yoshidas' eyes were gazing off into space, his mind working at the new information.

"Interesting. The Akechi family is involved... And this Amamiya said the blood from our intruder last night is from some other creature? Not the one hunting the injured girl in our guest room?"

"Yes."

"I see why you requested the storm shutters. The night holds not one monster but several."

"Speaking of the night. Amamiya and I intend to stake out the school tonight."

"Then I suppose you should consider getting some sleep?"

"Yes."

Makoto did feel exhausted. She'd slept only sparingly last night, what with the intruder and then with needing to return to the clinic before dawn. And no sleep at all the night before that. Then this morning had been an emotional whirlwind: anger at Akechi, the anxiety of the Suzui's arrival, then more anger at Amamiya, then the journey to the house, and then even more anger at Takemi, then Ann's meltdown, and now Yoshida's candid speaking of Father. And no sleep tonight, due to the planned stakeout, and presumably an immediate transition into the investigation of the school after the sun rose.

"Yes, I think I should sleep," said Makoto.

"Go. I will handle the guests. Rest, Hime-kun. You've done well today."