Chapter 11
Sestuna is in the middle of her own science project. She isn't making any progress. "What trouble's you?" Sesshomaru asks her stoically. Setsuna looks up to see her father leaving the office. "I have to find a fragrance that has a certain purpose." She answers to him.
Sesshomaru comes up and reads the page that Setsuna was holding. "For this assignment, you are to find a sample of a plant that has a pleasant scent. Bring in the sample and write a report on its history, and its purpose."
He looks down to see that the table has Sestuna school backpack, and the ipad that she's trying to find the right piece. "Why don't you go to your mother's garden? I'm pretty certain there's a variety of plants that can help you with your research." He speaks indifferently. Setsuna nods, "Ok. I think going there will help me." She takes her ipad and goes outside. Once the door closed, Sesshomaru looks at the stuff that Sestuna left behind. 'At least I don't have to go in there.' He groans remembering the last time he had to go in there.
Flashback
A few days earlier, Sesshomaru is about to go to his office, realizing that Rin isn't with him. Usually they work together in his office. He spots her briefcase on the dining room table. He can tell that her scent is outside. He secretly groans, knowing one thing is that he has to go into her garden to find her. And that's one thing he can't stand.
He sighs and goes into the garden's pathway. After few minutes, the garden's many scents are making it more difficult for him to find Rin. He turns a corner to see her near a huge flower. Just a slight sniff, Sesshomaru feels he's going to gag due to the flower's stench.
"Oh, Sesshomaru, I didn't know you'd come here." Rin turns her sight to him, seeing how the flower is making him uneasy. "I'm sorry, I was in the middle of taking care of this plant that I lost track of time." Rin walks up to him. Sesshomaru nods, "Let's go back in to discuss the plan."
End of Flashback
Sesshomaru goes into the kitchen's fridge and grab a beer. "A stressful day?" Rin asks him as she enters the kitchen through the sliding doors with a basket full of vegetables. "I just told Setsuna to go into the garden to find some ideas for her research project." Sesshomaru responds as he opens the can.
"I did that as well with Towa. I guess they can't do the task alone." Rin smiles as she gets some ingredients from the fridge for dinner. "I had a hunch; twins do things alike. I just hope they don't get the same piece for their projects." Sesshomaru speaks as he moves aside so that Rin could get the cutting board.
"I just hope neither of them will pick the corpse flower. It's too much for them." Rin said nervously. "You should know that flower really did a number on me." Sesshomaru spoke in annoyance.
"That's why I had to keep it away from the other plants." Rin explains to him.
Sestuna takes a few pictures of the flowers around the garden. "Setsuna, are you here to get a sample for the project?" Towa asks her sister as she sees Setsuna looking through the internet.
"Kind of. Father thinks that the garden would help me out." Sestuna answers without looking. "Have you found your yet?"
"I almost did. It was a corpse Stinking Lily." Towa said as she looks at the other flowers. "I know that the samples we told the class can't be used for the project."
"Corpse Stinking Lily?" Sestuna looks up to her older twin.
Towa nods, "Yeah, that flower is huge. But it has a foul odor that is too much for demons and half-demons." She said.
Sestuna looks the flower online to see what it looks like. The picture shows the measurements of the plant. "Whoa. And it's in here in mother's garden?"
Towa leads her to the spot where it's located. Setsuna plugs her noise. "It's gross." She said as she spots the plant up ahead. Towa nods back. "Yeah. There's no way either of us should do this one. Image the class reacting to it if we to bring it in."
Just hearing that made Setsuna shudder. "Yeah. Not happening. As such I'll do this one." She turns and picks a flower randomly. Towa sees that Setsuna placing her fingers delicately onto a flower. "A snowdrop?"
Setsuna nods. "I'll do the snowdrop." Towa smiles. "Ok then I'll do the flower for the month we were born."
"The flower of the month? What are you talking about?" Sestuna asks her curiously. Towa nods. "Yeah. Each month has a different flower. Kind of like birthstones."
Towa shows Sestuna the chart of the flowers of each month it's associated with. "I was thinking Larkspur would be a good idea."
Setsuna blinks her violet eyes. "So then Snow drops are January's. But neither of us were born in January. We were born in July." She points out.
"Yes. I just like the way Larkspur is," Towa takes a sniff. Its fragrance has a gentle scent that made her smile. "We'll go to the nursery later this week to buy them. I don't think taking any of these plants would be right."
Sestuna agrees. "I think mother would be angry if she noticed that something bad happened here." They walk back to their house.
The next morning, the girls enter the school groups, even though the barrier is visible to them, they're able to pass it. "Ok, that's one strong barrier Shiori is able to put up." Moroha smiles to see the other students coming in rather easily.
"We should head to class." Setsuna said as she turns around towards the building's front doors. Moroha and Towa are taken aback for Setsuna's sudden change of attitude.
"Did I say something wrong?" Moroha asks Towa.
"Not that I know of. Setsuna is never like that. We should do the same thing." Towa shakes her head as she and Moroha enter the building.
The hallways are somehow different than yesterday. Almost every student are along the walls, making way for someone in particular to pass them.
The trio each went to their own lockers to swap some of their textbooks for their upcoming classes. 'What is going on here?' Moroha asks herself so far as she goes to her math class.
Towa is walking in one direction for her first period. 'Something isn't right about this.'
Setsuna is taking her seat in her assigned classroom, 'Whatever it is, we have to be vigilant. There's no telling what could happen within a blink of an eye.'
The school bell rings to alert that it's time to start class. "Good morning." The PA speaks through the speakers everywhere in the building.
"This is Headmistress Mrs. Yahamito. I'm here to make an announcement. One of our students has passed away. We are to remain silent as we go through a loss to this school's student. Gin Fumitomo." The woman said sadly.
The school is deathly silent. Even those with keen sense of hearing wouldn't be able to hear a thing. "Class may now resume." The headmistress said turning off the PA.
That moment alone was certain that Moroha, Towa, and Sestuna were able to tell. The student's death has got them concerned.
