"He's ok. Thank you, thank you, thank you, oh thank whoever I need to. That is the best thing I have heard since I found out I was pregnant. Is he coming home," Moka was ecstatic as Tsukune hung up.
Tsukune shook his head, "Unfortunately not. As you can gather though, he is sending someone here. I actually am wondering why he did this now, and didn't do the same thing for Miss Ortega. You also..."
"He is the one engaged in an all out war on the Fairy Tale cells that weren't in the valley. We knew that he was mostly likely the one doing it. There aren't any humans that would be able to do that much, without leaving any evidence, or taking casualties. Who cares though, he is ok. Tekeshi is ok," her smile was one of the biggest that Tsukune had seen on her face in years.
Tsukune sat back in his chair. He hadn't so much as heard his son's voice, in over six months. He didn't know how long it would be before he heard it again. Hopefully not long, but with what Tekeshi had been saying, it might be a while.
"Who is this person that he is supposed to be sending," Moka asked.
"I don't know. An orc woman. Apparently she was just working for Fairy Tale, and chose her life, and her family, over them. Apparently, he had a crisis of conscience, and he couldn't bring himself to kill her. I can't tell you how relieved I am that he chose not to," Tsukune held an arm out, and Moka walked over to sit in his lap.
The vampiress laid her head on her husband's shoulder, "I am too. I want him to come home, but I understand that he has decided that he has to do this. Whatever this is. He isn't a weak and sickly child anymore. He surpassed us, in just the strength of his personality, long before he ever sat foot in that valley. Whatever he is now, I hope that he doesn't lose what he felt."
For a few seconds they sat there, enjoying the contact between them. It was blissful, even with everything that was going on outside the room they were in. They didn't need the world right then, just each other, and the moment.
A gray light filled the room. Where there was an empty floor moments earlier, there was now a naked woman. A naked orc woman. This confused the two, and was an unwelcome interruption to their moment.
"Uh, look, I know how this looks. Before anything else is said, and I hope to god that you speak English, can I get some clothes? I'm not particularly shy having used a barracks shower, but I am married, and I don't think my husband would be real happy with me shaking my tits everywhere like this," the woman said.
Moka and Tsukune just looked at each other. This was something they didn't know how to handle. Also, they weren't aware that orcs even got married. This couldn't have been...
Tsukune cleared his throat, "Uh, you wouldn't happen to be a former member of Fairy Tale that I was supposed to be expecting? Would you?"
The woman grimaced, "Uh, yeah, probably. Uh, again, clothes please? I really don't want to just stand here like this. I have things getting viewing time, I really don't want on public display. Plus, I don't know where I am, or if there is going to be anyone else walk in here."
"He wouldn't. Not with him having 'Suki. He couldn't possibly do anything that wrong, and cruel," Moka hoped that the worst thought that could cross her mind was wrong.
"Look, if you are wondering why I look like I should be working a stripper pole, I wasn't wearing anything under my uniform. I think he said it would be better if I wasn't wearing anything that had their symbols on it... FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE JUST GIVE ME SOME PANTIES IF NOTHING ELSE," the yell resounded in the room.
The door opened and a woman who resembled Ruby looked inside, to be confronted with the bare backside of the woman. Her expression showed confusion as she looked over at Tsukune.
"Galdia, could you please fetch a robe for our, uh, unexpected guest here," Tsukune addressed the woman outside the door.
'Yes Sir, uh, right, away," she said as she closed the door.
"At least it is a start. God, I should have stayed in Kendrick. You don't have a blanket or anything in here," she tried to squeeze her legs together to hide that part more.
"Unfortunately not. I take it back, I am not as proud as I thought I was. I, just... Ok, Ma'am, what is your name? We might as well get started on figuring out this situation while we wait," Tsukune closed his eyes as he tried to figure out what was his next step.
"Dude, I am standing here with my bush in the wind. I don't really have it in me to be given the third degree. Why didn't I just let the kid shoot me," the woman was starting to turn a very unique shade that Moka couldn't really identify.
"I apologize for my husband's, lack of understanding of your situation," Moka said, "I must say though, I hope that my son, did not touch you. Otherwise, I will have to kill him, and then let his girlfriend have her turn at it."
The woman just looked at her like she had two heads, "Your, son? That was your son, wha... NO he didn't touch me. He was about to burn a hole in my head with how hard he was avoiding my tits. Please, can we leave the interrogation until I have some clothes, I am begging you. Why are you so interested in questioning a butt naked chick? What kind of pervert convention did I get sent to?"
Moka grimaced, "I'm sorry, I just, we don't know how to handle a situation like this. Usually anyone that is either a captive or rescuee of some sort, is wearing clothes when they come to us. Also, it is just really awkward for you to just be standing there naked and saying nothing. Name the last time you had to deal with this."
"Point taken," the woman finally said, "Fine. My name is Annalise Grimbal. Happy?"
Tsukune sighed, "At least we now have something to refer to you as. I don't believe naked orc woman would have been all that kind, even if appropriate to the situation. Ah, Galdia, thank you for your promptness."
The woman slipped in and handed Annalise a bathrobe. It covered some, but the actual bulk of her body prevented it from covering some important things. Things Tsukune was doing his best not to look at given the close proximity of his wife, and her jealousy of women she didn't approve of being naked in his presence.
"Mrs. Grimbal, it might behoove you to take your human guise. Most of the students here are, well, like us. However they are required to maintain a human form to better allow them to learn to interact with humans, at least until such a time is reached when we no longer have to worry about humans fearing us," he said, hoping that it would help the situation.
"Uh, you know, that does make a lot of sense. Give me a second, I am not the best at this," she said as she concentrated.
It took a moment, but where the large orc woman had been standing, there was now a tall, lean, and stunning woman. Both Moka and Tsukune had to do a double take. They hadn't expected her to be ugly by any means, but she was gorgeous.
"Ok Tsukune, it is official, Tekeshi is your son. No matter where he goes, he drags in beautiful women out of the rain. I don't even think he tries, and it doesn't look like there is an age limit. Thank heavens this one at least is already married, at least we don't have to worry about her chasing after him, " Moka threw her hands up, having no choice but to admit her son had a talent.
"Please don't blame me, he is doing this on his own. I didn't drag anyone in, you all came after me of your own accord. Anyways, , let me introduce me and my wife. I am A... right you speak English, I am Tsukune Aono, and this is my wife, Moka. As for where you are, you are at a school in Japan, known as Yokai Academy. I am the headmaster here, and have interests outside the campus that you may have some use in," Tsukune said as he squeezed his temples in one hand.
"I'm, in Japan. Uh, wow. Last time I was here, I was on my way to my only deployment in Korea. Look, I am really scared, really confused, and lacking in dignity right now. I would really appreciate some real explanations, and I am willing to tell you anything I know," tears were starting to form in the woman's eyes, know that her adrenaline was starting to subside.
Moka nodded, "Yes, are you familiar with the battle that occurred almost seven months ago?"
Annalise nodded.
"The young man that let you live, was the one that was shown fighting to everyone on Earth. He is our son, and up until that day, was a vampire," Tsukune said, allowing it to sink in to the woman.
"You are, vampires? Hehehehehe, oh god I am so screwed. I am going to die, once you have everything you need from me. I should have known that I was being jerked around. This even explains me being forced to get naked. Why me," the break down was unexpected, but the two vampires weren't unfamiliar with why the woman would think in such a way.
"We won't harm you. Tekeshi asked that we help you, and your family. My father in law will be tasked with bringing your family to somewhere safe. Right now, I want to know exactly what your connection with Fairy Tale is," Tsukune reassured the woman.
"I was sitting in a bar that mostly caters to nonhumans, and a guy came up to me. He said that he knew that I had been in the army, and that I must have some remaining hard feelings with how I was discharged. He told me that he could get me a job that payed way more than the shit pay that I had been getting, and definitely more than the pittance that the DOD gives soldiers. I have two kids, and a disabled husband. I didn't have that much of a choice then, disability checks don't go far, and day labor doesn't do much better," Annalise twisted the belt of the robe as she spoke, the expression on her face giving away her feelings of impending doom.
"I see. Why would your discharge, have hard feelings? If you don't mind me asking," Moka asked, curious at the phrasing.
The woman didn't answer for a few moments, "I was in service for about four and a half years. I joined when I was thirty, looking for something that might make it easier for me to find a better job later on. Close to the end of my service, my CO tried to sexually assault me, and I collapsed his ribcage. It was caught on camera, with video, so it went easier on me than it should have otherwise. He ended up dying of his injuries, and I only served a year for negligent homicide of a superior officer, and was given a dishonorable discharge. If it wasn't for the video, I most likely would have spent the rest of my life in Fort Lewis. The DD on my discharge papers screwed me over big time. I haven't had a steady job in two years. We were facing eviction from our apartment, this was a godsend, regardless of who I was working for."
Tsukune nodded. It was a situation that many people would have had a hard time turning down, especially with a family and those kind of troubles.
"So, what was your role with them?"
"I was the Head of Security for a research laboratory in Thailand. There aren't many nonhumans that serve in the military of any nation. Not even now. So the fact that I had any experience with formalized discipline, probably made me seem like I was a good risk. I don't care about ideas, they don't put food in cabinets. I just wanted the chance to work for them for long enough to ensure my family would eat, and to earn enough to buy a truck and start working for myself. They didn't let me know much about what they were actually doing. I was just supposed to make sure that the people assigned to security knew how to use their brains. As far as information that would be useful to you, my subordinates tended to know more than I did," Annalise continued to twist the belt.
Moka finally got up from Tsukune's lap, not having even thought about having been there the entire time, "Hey, it's ok. You are safe. Your family will be safe," she sat down next to the woman, "We give you our word. Like I said, I'm a mother too. I'm expecting my second child now, three months in. My son is seventeen, and well, he is interesting."
"I, kinda don't understand though. The guy that sent me here was white, both of you are asian. How does that work out? I wasn't great at biology, but I know that 1+1, does not equal 8," the orc woman asked.
"He was white? Wait a minute, Nalin did say something about him being able to change his appearance while she was with him. He is most likely doing his best so that he isn't recognized. Still, he is ok, he didn't look like he was hurt, wasn't eating right," speaking of Moka being a mother, she couldn't help but start questioning the woman on the brief time she had been with her son.
"Uh, he seemed ok. He folded a giant in half backwards," Annalise said shrugging, and promptly reaching up to pull the top back over her chest.
"At least he still knows how to make his mother proud," Moka smiled at the statement.
"MOKA, WHAT? Why are you proud of that," Tsukune stood up in shock.
"Vampire," she simply said.
"Right. One day I will learn. If you want, you can see about getting her some decent clothes and somewhere to sleep, and I will get your father on the phone."
Issa Shuzen observed the bodies. Two adult orcs. One missing it's left leg just above the knee. Probably dead for at least three months. Concerning, given the situation.
The kill team he was tracking at the moment tended to hit high profile targets that had actual importance. These two didn't seem to be of any consequence. So why were they targeted. Apparently they had some importance.
"Sir, there is evidence of children here, but no sign of any additional corpses. The only two shell casings we found were in the front room, so there is a good chance that the children weren't here when the adults were killed," a woman in a dark uniform and plate carrier said approaching him.
"Interesting. That still leaves the question of why. Is there any evidence that the children have been here since," he asked as he turned from the bodies and walked through into the kitchen.
"There are signs that someone had been eating food from the pantry and refrigerator. There aren't any other occupied rooms, and no sign of mail saying anything about past due amounts in the mailbox. I would say that they have been keeping the bills paid so that nobody came looking for them," the soldier said.
Issa found this even odder now, though the idea of keeping bills paid to a tomb to keep your crime hidden had its merits. Fairy Tale wasn't that impressive skill wise, but they did seem to attract people that had talent at covert activities. Many that seemed to almost match his own.
As he continued observing, he noticed that the washing machine looked like it had been run recently. Recently enough that there was a hand print on the lid. One smaller than an adults, but larger than a young child's.
He looked over at the window over the sink, and noticed that it led to a fire escape. It would be a wild shot, something that would only have made sense in a cheap action or horror movie. It was worth checking though.
His apparent age was deceptive as to his physical ability. He managed to slide out on the fire escape with little issue. Examining it, he saw signs of passage. The size of the dirty shoe print would correspond to a very young teen boy, or a middle teen female orc.
His phone rang with a specific tone, and he answered it as he ascended, "Tsukune."
"Gifu. How is the hunt," he heard his son in law say from the other end.
"Frustrating still. This team is good, but I will find and eliminate them. I doubt that is the purpose of you calling though," he said, following the prints to the roof of the apartment building.
"I need you to go to a city named Kendrick in Texas, in the United States," Tsukune said.
Issa raised an eyebrow, "That should be of little difficulty, as I am already there. What do you need me to do here?"
"I need you to find a family of orcs, and bring them back to the school. Adult female, adolescent female, Adult male with a missing left leg, and a prepubescent male. This is a priority thing."
"Tsukune," Issa stopped as he reached the roof, and noticed what seemed to be a teenage girl and a young boy eating something while hiding behind some shack like constructions, "It is strange how fate works things out. The children will be there. I am afraid, my prey, made the adults, theirs."