The Morning After, Conclusions
It was very fortunate that classes had been cancelled at St. Lucifer's School for Peace and Wellbeing. That meant that there was, at first glance no one around to hear the uproar that one person was causing. That one person was not a student, but rather the parent of one. Kugekino Ayumu, father of Mephisto's resident ninja Yuuto, was ranting and raving with no small amount of noise. It was very fortunate that no one else around understood Jubanese, else the would have learned a few new creative swears.
As Ayumu stormed through the halls, he had but one target: his son. His son, who was in big trouble. He had failed his clan, publicly humiliating them. On television, no less. There were two things one did not do as a part of the clan: fail a mission and publicly humiliate the clan. His son was guilty of both.
Slowly, drearily, Bak's eyes fluttered open. She stretched out her arms, the blanket she had been wrapped in falling away, and let out an uncharacteristically loud yawn. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she shook her head at the yelling that was even now echoing its way across the school, boncing from wall to wall and down stairwells to reach even here. "Inconsiderate students, why now? I was having such happy dream too..."
She looked around her room. It took a few seconds for here to realize where she was, and even longer for her tired mind to sort out the implications of both her location and the yelling.
"Ahhhhh, what have I done!?!" She screamed, quickly wrapping her hook around the pipe in the ceiling to pull herself to her feet. "Stupid, stupid, how could I have fallen asleep?"
She'd let someone onto the campus, someone that wasn't supposed to be here because no one was supposed to be here!
A quick thought made her turn around to observe her makeshift bed, just to confirm the obvious.
They had taken Clara!!! Or at least, she was not where Bak had put her!
She stomped forward, throwing open the double doors separating the gym storage room she called home from the meeting room where she'd laid the boys down for the night.
She would have liked to let them sleep a little longer, but this was an emergency. "Wake up!" She yelled. "Can you hear, we have unknown trespasser on school property. As head of St. Lucifer's disciplinary committee and only present member of Student Council, I am deputizing you both."
Yuuto was having a pleasant dream. It was full of happy memories and childhood wonder and screaming. Wait, screaming? Why did it sound like Bak-san? When Yuuto opened his eyes, he noticed that he was at the school. It seemed he was in a conference room of sorts. This was a room he wasn't familiar with. At that revlation, he snapped instantly awake, mind searching for any danger. What he saw was Bak.
"Deputize? What is meaning of commotion, Bak-san?" Yuuto asked. It was then that he heard it. That thunderous voice shouting out some really obscene things in his native tongue. Yuuto's face (the cover had been torn to shreds during the commotion during the tournament and the park) paled. It was as if the wrath of
Kami-sama had come for him.
"No need to panic, Bak-san. Is not intruder. Is just otousan. He always make racket when angry. Is quite terrifying."Otousan? Bak didn't know what that meant, but the name conjured images of a vicious monster in her mind. There wasn't anything to worry about, though, even if it was so terrifying?
"You know this person?" She asked, walking forward with utmost concern. "What is it he is screaming about? He is going to wake everyone up."
Yuuto nodded at Bak's first question.
Hai, I know person. Is otousan. You might know word better as Father. Right now, he is screaming unpleasant things and threats to me. I shamed clan during tournament by failing mission. I shamed clan even further by failing to capture target. Otousan has heard of these by now, and I will have to face consequences. You have thanks for bringing me to safety, Bak-san. Stay here to watch over David. I shall have to face otousan alone." With that, Yuuto turned to leave the room, but he need not have bothered. As soon as his hand reached for the door, it slammed open. There, standing at his full seven foot height and dressed in ninja garb like his son, stood Kugekino Ayumu. Yuuto's spine straightened out quickly enough that it looked like it might have come close to snapping as he stood at perfect attention.
Bak was about to say something, but covered her mouth with her hands as the towering Ninja smashed his way in.
She understood what Yuuto was talking about. Whatever his assignment had been at the tournament, perhaps to win maybe, he had not succeeded. This was a matter of duty, and more importantly a matter of family. She should stay out of it.
She would, but she did see that this called for all this screaming and yelling. Her father had never done that. Bak Tsar was a tacit and stern man, and kept his reprimand to one or two soft words that hurt more than a thousand spankings. She thought this man was going about it the entirely wrong way.
Plus, something out of her dream had left her quite irritated, and this man invading her territory was an outlet for that.
"Stop right there. You can not simply be barging into council room like this." She said. "If you want meeting you must schedule one with Tovar...Comrade Clara or Mr. Mephisto."
It had taken a long time for David o fall asleep last night. He was not only in a foreign place sleeping in a less than optimal bed, but he was also quite stressed out by everything that happened that day. So, when Bak had gone to wake him, he had been less than cooperative with her prodding. He only half-listened to the conversation between Bak and Yuuto, trying his best to fall back to sleep. At least until the door burst open, and he went from half-dead to upright and aware instantly. The man standing in the entrance reminded him of Yuuto. It was an easy leap in logic to assume that he was his Dad. He wasn't sure what to make of all this until Bak started yelling. He may not know what was going on, but if Bak wanted him gone. He was going to back her up. He stood up quickly and spoke in an aggravated tone, "Hey buddy. You heard the Lady. Get an appointment or get out. Those are the rules. Respect them." David was prepared if the Hokage took offense to his words. He had portals over every inch of this school. If the guy stopped through even one doorway. He would find himself clear across town in a bowling alley.
Ayumu did not look impressed as both of these
children presumed to stick their noses in clan business. He shook his head. "Children like you do not understand clan business." With a few hand motions, the two would find themselves under illusions. Whether or not they could break out of them were up to their own mental fortitude. Ayumu turned to his son. "Yuuto!" His son's posture straightened up even more, if it were possible. "You have failed clan. You have humiliated clan. Why did you not take out the target?" Yuuto sighed.
"I tried, Otou-san. After initial attempt failed and target fled, I followed. There, in park, I was distracted by him." At this, Yuuto pointed to David.
"He appeared to have made friends with mark. He is tricky foe, able to open portals. Due to injuries from tournament and battle with new foe, I was unable to resume pursuit." Yuuto finished giving his report. Ayumu nodded. "Very well. We will discuss your actions later. I have heard no word from our... benefactor. These facts will be taken into consideration in front of clan council. Rest up, and report back by tomorrow. You will be expected to return to clan training and taking missions at that time, fully healed or not." With that, the mountain of a man swiftly turned on foot, dispelling the illusions if the two hadn't gotten out of them. Just as quickly as he'd arrived, he was gone without a sound.
"This is not..." Bak started, stepping forward before she stopped and a far away wistfulness seeped its way into her eyes. She smiled stupidly as she stood there motionless.
After all, she couldn't possibly step on the lambs. They milled about it the pleasant field she found herself in, sunlight cascading along rolling waves of grass. In the distance she could see a smoky little cottage, but her attention was drawn to a tug at the hem of her dress. She looked down to see one of the little ones gnawing at it, and laughed as she had a brief tug-of-war with the animal.
Suddenly, behind her, a voice all too famillier and yet strange called out, "Tsarevna!" It was light, and boisterous in an almost sing song kind of way that could lift the spirits of anyone on these hills if only the echo would be generous enough to carry it that far. The voice of a man completely unburdened. "Tsarevna, bring the flock in. Mother has dinner nearly ready."
"Coming papa..." She said, turning only to find herself back in her basement home fidgeting at the edge of her skirt, both men now only memories. She slowly put her skirt down and scanned the room, trying to trigger her thermal vision only to be reminded once again that Brutus had a lot to answer for when her repair bill came in.
Still, to her relief, Yuuto was at least still here. She stomped up to him. "Are you alright? Did he do anything to you?"
"Wrong answer!" David yelled as he brandished his pen, but before he could do anything, the world faded away. He felt a haze come over his mind.
He wasn't in the school anymore but on a stage. There was a crowd obscured by shadows and a blinding light shining in his eyes. He could make out the shape of a man standing on stage with him. He couldn't tell who he was, because of the light, but he heard the voice of Huges speak to him. "You did it, David, you helped them, you saved them." He told him, the crowd echoed his sentiments. He heard more voices he knew. The yelled things like, "Thank you Daivd!" or, "You really helped out kid." and a voice he did not want to hear said, "I was wrong about you." He'd always wanted this. To feel this admiration and acceptance, but with each praise, he only felt worse. His life had been a long list of failure after failure. He knew these voices and knew none of what they said could be real. All of this was too grandiose, a delusion born from a lack of confidence and self-loathing. He couldn't accept this reality that whispered him sweet nothings.
He didn't even realize the transition. He was suddenly aware that he was back in the school, and he watched as the Ninja man vanished without a trace. Again he had been too late to do anything. A moment later, Bak also woke from her delusion. He did not know what she saw, but she looked happy. "I guess she saw something she wanted to as well." David thought to himself. As soon as she was aware she was all over Yuuto, making sure he was ok. "Now, that someone worth admiring." David thought, his ghosts echoing in the back of his mind. The hurtful words they had used, and not the false praises from his dream.
"Unbelievable." Bak said, placing her hands on her hips. "We can not just allow people to walk in here. Is bad for...for...everything! What if he were assassin, or reporter, or worse."
She shook her head. His could she let this happen, especially after yesterday? Still, Yuuto seemed to be all right for now. David also seemed to be in good spirits.
Her eyes crept toward the door on the other side of the room. She might as well see if he was sleeping soundly with all this racket.
Bak stomped over and slowly pulled open Vittorio's door. There was a brief pause, like an intake of air, as Bak came to the realization that dreams really did come true.
The scream started small, like an animal growl, then pitched higher and higher and higher as she realized what had happened until it became something almost entirely inhuman. It was like two saw blades grinding against one another, throwing glowing sparks of white hot rage into the air. It continued until her jaw snapped shut, she aimed, and blew that offensively empty bed to smitheries.
Yuuto stood and contemplated the consequences of what was to come. He'd likely be coming to school sore and possibly bruised for the next month or two. Yet, as he stood in silence, Bak wandered off. She was only gone for a few minutes when Yuuto heard a scream, followed by an explosion. Yuuto quickly rushed off after her, utilizing his Void power to enhance his speed. He appeared next to her, sword drawn.
"Bak-san! Where is problem?" Yuuto asked, eyes scanning all around the room. What he saw was bits of a bed, as if it had been blown up. That must have been the explosion.
"What is matter, Bak-san?"She stood there, red in the face, nostril's flaring like a rabid bull as she ground every breath she took up into crumbs before exhaling it. She didn't speak for a long time.
"Wayward student." She finally said, her breathing becoming a little less labored. "Skipping class for first time. Did not expect him to be so brazen."
She turned to him. "You are not leaving too, da?" She asked. "They will allow you to come back? They will not send you away?"
Yuuto looked over at Bak. He shook his head.
Otou-san will not expect me in clan compound until next mission check-in. I have about two week until then."This, at least, seemed to calm her down slightly. "And after then?"
David had been tiredly listening to Bak's rant as she went on about all the damage trespassing could do. He was going to comment on posting security but thought better of it. "What good would a security guard do against a literal ninja." He thought to himself, as he watched Bak stomp over to an adjacent room. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, his mind was starting to slow down from all the sleep loss from last night. As a result, he was caught off guard when Bak started to scream.
An explosion followed shortly after, and in that instant, David's exhaustion was banished by a new flood of adrenaline. He didn't know what happened, but he was determined to stop it this time. He wasn't as quick as Yuuto was to respond, but he was at Bak's side right behind the ninja. He didn't see any immediate threat, but before he could say anything. Yuuto asked Bak the burning question.
David hadn't been sure how to take Bak's answer, but as Yuuto and her started talking David tried his best to remember the night before. He tried to remember who had been in that room. It finally hit him as a wave of memories. A single day that felt like a week. He spoke without thinking, interrupting the conversation, "Yo, what happened to that dyin kid?"
Yuuto shook his head at Bak's question.
"I will be pushed and trained into ground. I will be pushed to limit and then beyond. Clan training is tough. Even if bones are broken, is expected to keep training. I will still be attending, if that is concern. Just... no be surprised if I limp for a while, okay?" Yuuto answered. At David's question, he merely shook his head, indicating he had no clue where Vittorio had gone.
The way Bak's every feature tightened with apprehension at the mention of broken bones and injury made it clear that she wasn't okay with that at all. One more problem to add on to the pile.
Speaking of problems, David brought up the one on the bottom of the pile. "Gone!" She barked. Then she realized how that could be misconstrued. "He decided he was well enough that he could leave, the idiot. I caught him sneaking away this morning. I tried to stop him but he...he bamboozled me with dirty tricks!" Bak was glad she was already so red in the face, the little extra that crept in wasn't as noticeable. "Does not even understand what is going on, he was asleep for most of it."
Now that she was thinking about him leaving, Yuuto failing his mission, and the way that everything had fallen out yesterday, it was getting harder and harder to deny what the root cause of all this might have been. It all came back to Yuuto and, by extension, Clara.
She tried to think of a way to remedy that, and realized suddenly that she already had.
"Yuuto." She started. "If you are ever in need of any help, you can always come to us for it. You are student here. Council exists for you." She turned to David. "Both of you. And as newly deputized members of said council, if ever you think council is out of line you have power to raise objection."
Yuuto, at Bak's concern, had to mentally shake his head.
"I appreciate concern, Bak-san. You are truly too kind for cruel world. I will remember offer." The Yuuto said this, it sounded as if he were almost... sad. Yuuto knew that he would likely not approach the council for help unless he had no other choice. And forget speaking out about the Council's actions. Clara sure wouldn't stand for any sign of subordination. Neither would Mephisto. Yuuto's orders on following Clara's orders and reporting to him had been quite clear. Any form of dissent might make her suspicious of his true motives. So, while Yuuto said what he said, it was clear that he lacked the conviction to actually mean those words.
Nasearph hardly had to be pushed, someone attempting to enter the house was what he had been waiting for all night. He took the stairs to at a time, readying himself for a dramatic confrontation with the intruders.
He practically deflated when it turned out to just be the girls parents, though the tension in the girl behind him hadn't diminished in the slightest upon their arrival. Indeed, it seemed as though the only battle that was to be fought here was between them and he decided to stay out of it. At least until the woman casually dismissed him as though he were a serving boy. The gall, after he'd defended not only her home but the dignity of her child without asking for anything in return. For all she knew where it not for his car and impeccable driving talents Vera would be strewn in the gutter like so much stabbed up refuse.
Elders. They were the same everywhere you went. Oh well, it at least let him know which side of the battle lines he fell on.
"Yes, I'm afraid I may have broken something yesterday." he amended to the end of her lies. Somewhere Ria felt an odd pain in her leg. He smiled at them as they left, giving her father a wave as he passed. His smile vanished as soon a they were out of sight.
"Think nothing of it." he said to Vera. "Being unwelcome is something I've grown accustomed to. I can abide it until Andras is done drowning. Now, I believe you mentioned an alternative bathroom. I warn you, if you lead me to a birdbath it will be chopped in half."
It was hard to tell whether he was joking about that.
"Good. Thanks, Chrissy." Kathein said. Her voice was scratchy and tired, her eyes half lidded. The adrenalin rush of not knowing anything had worn off and she felt herself being pulled back into the well of sleep. "Can't let them run us out. Got a lot of...unfinished...business...
Her sentence trailed off into light snoring. She had promised to be up into two or three days, but for right now at least she slept.
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