Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Homeward 
December 30, 2029 
"Then, in 1951...puppy dogs in France had a...a...zzzz..." Kat began to doze off, seated in the Academy library with a history textbook in front of her. 
"Y'know, KittyKat, if you wanted to take a nap so badly, your bed's still a viable option." 
Kat jarred awake. "Bah! Who the hell...oh, hey, Sparky. Guess I nodded off." 
"Yeah, that was obvious. Hang on...are you actually studying? During winter break? Are you, uh...feeling alright?" Max asked. 
"Just peachy, thanks. No one's in here, so I thought I'd take advantage of the lack of human beings in the immediate area. Getting close to crunch time, y'know." 
"Oh, I know. College entrance exams are getting closer by the day. Third year's gonna be here before we know it. Actually getting to be time to think about life after the Academy..." 
"Ugh, stop iiiiiit." Kat covered her ears. 
"It's gonna be a bummer when it happens, yeah. But we've still got plenty of time." 
"Aaaand you still bring it up. Wait...what are you doing here, anyway?" 
"Oh, I was just returning a book. Staff already knows about it. I'm going to lunch with Barb in a bit." 
"Checking books out of a library...how very old-fashioned of you, Sparky." 
"Nothing wrong with a little old-fashioned." Max put the book back onto the shelf. "Happy studying." He walked away. 
"Hm. Wonder what book he was borrowing?" Kat pulled the book out. "The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha. Hunh, didn't Prof have us read this last year? The one about the old guy that thinks he's a knight and attacks a bunch of windmills..." Kat realized something. "Wait, what time is it?" She looked at her phone. "Shoot, I've been in here too long. Gotta meet with Prof soon..." 
Kat packed up her things, and left the library. 
--- 
"Right...said to meet her by the flower shop." Kat said to herself. "Wanting to meet with me one-on-one, with nothing to do with Shizuka...what could she be up to--" 
Once she turned, she was met by the sudden appearance of an odd woman. "Curious." the woman stated. 
"GAH! Where'd you come from?!" 
The woman, wearing a black, Gothic Lolita-style dress and boots and possessing dark red hair, stared unblinking into Kat's eyes. "This aura about you. The gods of fate have taken a keen interest in you. Why is that?" 
"I think you're about 5 steps ahead in this conversation, lady! Who the heck are you?!" 
"Don't humor her. She has an intense case of starry-eyed stupidity." A glasses-wearing man with light red hair, a slender frame and an apron appeared suddenly behind Kat. 
"JINKIES! Where do you people keep coming from?!" 
"What, you've never seen a man in glasses before?" 
"She was likely frightened by your own intense aura of mediocrity, Ranmaru." the Gothic woman said. 
"Probably has more to do with your empty, corpse-like face, but insane people can rarely recognize their own faults." 
"Duly noted." 
"WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!" Kat exclaimed. 
The door to the flower shop opened. "Ranmaru. Araragi. Please don't frighten people. Especially when they're Rin's protégé." Hana said. 
"Sorry, Aunt Miu." they both replied. 
"'Aunt'?" Kat questioned. 
"So you are Ringo's chosen pupil. Your aura is far more sensible with that context." Araragi commented. 
"Do you mumble that insanity in your sleep? Dont corrupt the youth with your stupidity." Ranmaru chastised. 
"Stupid is as stupid does." 
"That's more than enough." Rin arrived. "You two can argue inside without traumatizing my students. If you would." 
"But of course. I would never do such a thing to one promising enough to catch your attention. Unlike some people." Ranmaru adjusted his glasses. 
"Save the flattery for someone else. Move on. Please." 
"Tch. See what you've done now?" 
"Haughtiness precludes a lack of awareness. Do not follow his example, young miss. Farewell." Araragi uttered, and the odd pair went into the shop. 
"Sorry about them, blossom. I'll see you for dinner later." Hana said, before closing the door. 
"Ugh..." Rin groaned. 
"So...your mom's taken on some help, I take it?" Kat uttered. 
"If that's what you want to call it. They're my cousins. Mom's trying to repair the rift with her sisters, so she agreed to take them on as a favor to my aunts. As you can see, they have their own...quirks, so it's been a process." 
"Considering that your whole family has...quirks, that's saying a lot coming from you. No offense." 
"Everyone has their unique parts that make them up, and I love that about people. Still, some quirks are easier to adjust to than others. Anyway, let's get going. I haven't been to the café we're going to in eons." 
"Lead the way, capitano." 
Rin led Kat to a café fairly close to the Academy. "Back when I was a student, my friends and I would come here all the time. I haven't been here since graduating, and the owners moved on a few years ago, but seeing the place after so long takes me right back to that time..." Rin mused. 
"Totally not sounding like an old lady, Prof." Kat joked. 
"I have access to your grades, you know." 
The two entered, and took a seat at a table. Rin sighed. "I can just picture it now. Tenko being her usual happy-go-lucky self while Jugo and Shinji are at the counter." 
"Officer Huckleberry and the tech guy used to work here?" 
"That's right. This is where I met them. Along with...Nobuhiro. The man who was secretly the Reaper. Kerberos' former host." 
"Aw, cripes. Now I've gotta check the water for Kirby-chan particles..." 
"Settle, that was a decade ago. Kerberos won't be haunting anyone else. You made sure of that." 
"It was way more than me that did it. So getting away from creepy topics..." 
"Right, I didn't invite you here to get into morbid things like that. How did your Christmas go? Is Monaco as breathtaking as they say it is?" 
"It was so much more than that. I felt so out of my depth with how pricey everything was. Having Care and Hoodsie there with me helped a ton. Oh, speaking of Care, her gift to me had a lot to do with your chaotic clan." 
"My...? How do you mean?" 
Kat snickered. "Tell your big bro that his mix tape is so fire. I've been listening to it on repeat, it's so...my energy." 
"Aw, nooooo...he really did go and finish it..." 
"The record labels are gonna be clamoring. I stan." Kat shuddered. "Bleeeh. That word makes me feel dirty. Soooo...about the meeting?" 
"Right. To the serious business." Rin composed herself. "I couldn't help noticing that you still have your school bag with you." 
Kat appeared surprised, giving her bag a quick glance. "Crud, I forgot to drop it off...I must look like a nerd." 
"Nothing wrong with that. Were you studying?" 
"Yeah. In the library. I know, entrance exams aren't for a few months, but I wanted to get ahead of the game instead of cramming. So unlike me, right?" 
"I wouldn't say that. In fact, it's part of why I called you here. I've gotten everyone's test scores from before break." Rin took out a sheet of paper. "This is for the entirety of the second-year class. Take a look at the top." 
"Lemme see..." Kat perused the list. "Keebie at the top, that figures. Care Bear not far behind, brainiac she is...third is probably Ba--" She stopped. "....." 
Rin let up a smile. "You seem a bit surprised. Something wrong?" 
"This...this is a typo, right? Or...has there been another So-yin Kit in this school that I never knew about? T-that's probably it, lemme see some more pages, that would make more sense..." 
"I can assure you, there's only ever been one you. I know you've had some spells of exhaustion the past few months, so I wanted you to see for yourself that the effort was very much worth it. Third in the entire class is no small feat." 
"Nooooope, nuh-uh, negative, Ghost Rider. I'm in Bizarro World right now, aren't I? I mean...grading out ahead of Barbie and Sparky? How does that even happen?" 
"You worked yourself to exhaustion, and it's paid off. You should feel proud. Your mother certainly is." 
Kat froze. "You...told my mom already?" 
"I'll admit that I've been emailing her regularly about your progress. And to get some advice from someone who's been an educator for much longer than I have. She strikes me as the type that doesn't vocalize her approval very often." 
"Yes." 
"Well she made her approval very well known to me in her response. Her strictness has always been for your benefit. Tough love or not, she's still your mother, and your happiness and prosperity is her priority. And our discussions have led to an agreement about how we should go forward. It's still a little while before you all hand in your career paths, but I wanted to ask you personally--Kat?" 
Kat was visibly shaken, and was clearing her face of any tears. "I'm good. For real, I'm good. I, uh...you want to know what my plan is for after we graduate, right?" 
"If it isn't too much. I can give you a moment to de-stress. Excuse me, could we get the most calming tea you have?" Rin asked a waitress. 
"Certainly." 
A few minutes later, the tea arrived, and Kat regained her composure. "You okay now?" Rin asked. 
"Yeah...sorry. So, my plans. I actually do have one. Kenny has this fancy art school he's looking at back in England. Me, Care and Nat really, really looked into it during break, and we all think it's in a really nice spot, and it's somewhere we can see ourselves spending a lot of time in, so...obviously, there's a lot of time left before entrance exams, but if everything works out perfectly, the three of us are thinking of rooming together." 
"That would be great if that happened. I'm impressed that you're thinking so far ahead." 
"Well if something goes against the plan, there'd be time to get a backup going. I know it's impossible to keep everyone together. Barbie and Sparky are probably gonna go stateside, and it wouldn't surprise me if Keebie followed them. Maggie has one school in mind close to here, and Kicks is planning on talking to some pro teams here about maybe staying in Japan. England's a longer way away from home, and it'd be a huge adjustment, but having some of us around would help a ton." 
"So you're intent on staying with Carrie and Natalia." 
"I am. I realized during break that those little moments with them...I could have a lifetime of them. So for the future, it's gonna be the three of us being super cutesy with each other." 
"I'm happy that you have that plan sorted out. Just one other thing...what is it you want to do?" 
"I, um..." Kat started to turn red. "I actually want to teach. Like my mom, and...like you." 
"Oh...is that right?" 
"B-but not high school kids like the two of you, I'd die if that happened. I was thinking smaller, like around Shizuka's age. I wanted to ask...what made you want to teach kids that you're not even ten years older than?" 
"Hm. I was wondering when one of you would ask me that. I'll admit that teaching wasn't my first choice for a career path out of high school. I wanted to be an author, and that's something I'm still working at. But something that I noticed when I was here was that the majority of the staff here are older men. I don't doubt their credentials at all, but the one thing they can't do is really relate to what the current generation of students is experiencing." Rin began. 
"That, I think, has helped create this vicious cycle. Disenfranchised adults poorly judging the younger generation, and the students becoming disillusioned with society in turn. It's never about creating a better world, but rather accepting harsh reality and becoming loyal worker bees in the current machine. You have the same desire that I did back then, don't you? About shaking a corrupt system to its core? I understand exactly how this world functions, and I can guide the next generation--you all--in a way where you can be better positioned to illicit change." 
"Wow. That's...really cool, Prof. I can guess that's why you're always talking about the other teachers pushing back on you." Kat questioned. 
"Oh absolutely. They can't stand how close I am to you all. How practically every student wishes they had me for homeroom." Rin took a sip of tea. "But that's none of my business." 
Kat snickered. "You did not seriously make that reference." 
"Still think I'm an old lady? I keep an Applin plush on my desk. I'm more like you all than you'd ever believe. So, I do have a couple more loose ends to take care of. First..." Rin reached into her handbag, and brought something out. "A gift. From Rose and me." 
It was a plush toy of a feline-like creature, black-and-white in color, with a blade-like appendage sticking out of the side of its head. "Is that...Absol?" Kat asked. 
"That's right. It's a thank-you gift. For being so good with Shizuka. With how cramped our schedules are, having someone to look after her is a blessing. I thought you should have a token of our appreciation, especially with all the work you've been putting in towards school and...cognitive matters." 
"Oh-em-gee, sweet disaster boy!" Kat took it and hugged it. "He cute. I loves him. Thank you, Prof." 
"You're so welcome. As for the most important matter...the plan your mother and I agreed upon. Now that I know what your future plans are, this is even more important to go over. I'd like to take a much deeper involvement with your education, Kat. A more direct mentorship role than just one class a day." 
"You sure you don't wanna be asking anyone else in class that first?" 
"You're someone I feel I can benefit the most. Career advice, general life advice, things like that. And as cliché as it sounds...I see a lot of myself in you. I'd like to help you out in whatever way I can." 
"You know, Prof...your mom called me your protégé back there. I don't think that's such a bad idea. So like, if there's something I'm not really getting, you'd help me out with it? That'd be like cheating, wouldn't it?" 
"My job is to put you in the best position to succeed. I'll help you within reason. Just don't expect me to slip you the answer sheet when exams come around. I can give you information, but what you do with it is up to you." 
"If you say so. Would it be wrong of me to ask for some of that advice right now?" 
"Absolutely not. What did you need help with?" 
"Okay, so I've been working on that foreign novels project you gave out, and I'm having a little trouble following along..." 
As Kat and Rin discussed literature, Rin thought back to the email Kat's mother had sent her. "So-yin has always had the best reactions to authority figures when they're women not that much older than her. 'Big sister' types. I believe that you are the perfect person to mold her to her full potential. Guide her well, Professor." 
"Quite the task you've given me, Mrs. Kit. But if I've done anything these almost-26 years on this planet, it's making light of expectations." Rin thought.
--- 
A couple of hours later, Rin was seated on her couch, listening to something on her headphones, a grim look on her face. Kat sat in a chair, observing and trying to suppress her laughter. 
"CALL ME BY YOUR NAAAAAME, TELL ME YOU LOVE ME IN PRIVATE--" 
Rin's cheeks began to equal her hair and eyes in their redness. 
"Spicy, ain't it?" Kat joked. 
Rin stopped the song, and took the headphones off. "Sometimes I forget that my brother has a very...colorful vocabulary." 
"I honestly don't know who between my Pops and DJ Tan Man has the most abused vocal cords, because oh, mama, did I have to tone the volume down so none of Care's uber-expensive windows or porcelain would shatter." 
"I had to tell him to stop doing it at his apartment. The neighbors were starting to report the sounds of, and I quote, 'children being massacred'. When Dad was still around, he had to soundproof our old house so that Tan's singing wouldn't agitate any ghosts that could be wandering the halls. I've offered to pay for singing lessons, but he insists that it's perfect." 
"Is there anyone in your family that's not completely bonkers, Prof?" 
"In all honesty, Dad's side of the family is fairly normal and serious-minded. Once you start looking through Mom's side of things, though, that's where the eccentricities begin. Ah, you probably don't want another history lesson after our little study session." 
"Prof, if we're going to be doing the mentorship thing, then I wanna know more about what makes you tick. I'm all ears." 
"Exactly what I wanted to hear. Come to my office." 
Rin brought Kat upstairs to her office. Momo was sitting next to the door. "Hi, kitty!" Kat greeted. The cat promptly got up and walked away. "...was it something I said?" 
"Don't take it personally. She's getting on in years and she's not as personable as she used to be. Which says a lot considering she was never the overly social type." Rin replied. 
"Guess I got used to Nat's kitty being, well, a furry Nat. Poor blep is probably tired." 
Rin opened the door to her office, and immediately began skimming through her bookshelf. "Let's see...where did I put it..." 
Kat had grabbed what appeared to be a large diary, with an ornament resembling a hornet adorning the front. "Wow...these all look hand-drawn. 'The F🐜astic World of Bugs, by Sumiko Sakaki'. Heh, cute. This is by Shizuka's big sis, isn't it?" 
"Oh, yes...that's her personal journal. Filled to the brim with all of her favorite encounters with the creepy and the crawly." 
"Is this okay for me to look at? I know how special she was to you." 
"By all means. She'd want people to enjoy her work. It wouldn't be alright of me to hog her memory for myself. She's a huge part of the reason why I became a teacher, after all. Her fearless love of bugs was...a lot to deal with at times, but it was what made her, her. And that part of her was stifled by an awful home situation. She only got to indulge in her personality for about five years. That's why I can't stand this 'be at one with the working collective' mentality society's created. So I carry a reminder of that thought everywhere I go." Rin took off her glasses. 
"Those belonged to her, right?" 
"Look through my high school pictures up through my first couple of years at college, you won't find a single one with me in glasses. I went with contacts up until Miko passed. It's my little way of keeping her close." 
"Awwww. That's super sweet, Prof. Lemme take a gander at this while you're still looking." Kat skimmed through the journal. "Ohhhhh lawd, what's this here?" 
"What's caught your eye?" 
"'Since butterflies and moths don't have mouths, they're left unable to eat. They build up all of their energy as caterpillars, then use that energy to metamorphize in the cocoon stage, before emerging as a fully grown insect. Whatever energy they have left after that is all they'll have for the rest of their days, as their sole purpose now is to find a mate as quickly as possible, before they fall down dead in a matter of days.' So wait, the entire point of a butterfly's existence is to flap around looking to get some before they starve to death?" 
"A despair-filled life, indeed." 
"Should we...should we maybe suggest to the princess to find a new favorite bug? Maybe one that doesn't lead such a depressing life?" 
"To be fair, isn't that the life of pretty much every biological lifeform?" 
"I...okay, ya got me there." 
A few moments after, Rin pulled out a red-colored book. "Here it is. A comprehensive history into the clan Hanazaki. My mother's bloodline can be traced all the way back to the mid-16th century, to the time of Oda Nobunaga. The Oda Clan was primarily headquartered at the castle in Kiyosu during this time, and the gardens located near the castle were said to have been carefully maintained by a kindhearted gardener with distinctive red hair. Her name was Hanazaki Kanehime." In the book was an old portrait of a woman wearing robes, tending to a garden. 
"That's just the one trait that's persisted throughout the years, isn't it?" 
"Physically speaking, yes. Predominantly in the women of the family, though a boy here and there ends up with it, too. Kiyosu is where my mother's family has been based in for generations. They maintained the castle grounds up until 1613 when the seat of government moved elsewhere. Shortly after that was when the first of many flower shops was opened, and the tradition's been kept ever since." 
"Talk about dedication. Did you ever consider going into the family business, Prof?" 
"Certainly when I was little. My parents spurred me to go further with my studies, though, and that made me worry about whether my mother could keep the business going on her own. She had Rose for a while, but now that she's taken up the Academy job, Mom needed someone to carry on for when she eventually retires." 
"And thus enters the Spooky Space Kook and Snooty McSnooterton." 
"Yeah...they're a little much. Araragi is the daughter of the older of Mom's sisters, and she is, shall we say, psychically attuned. The type that does tarot readings for enjoyment. Ranmaru is the son of the younger of my aunts, and was raised from birth to be perfect at every facet of flower arranging. Technique-wise, he's a master. His attitude, on the other hand, is a major work in progress. As you saw earlier, the two argue. Constantly. Mom has the patience of a tortoise, but the bickering's pushing her a bit too much. They need to get their acts together soon, because I want Mom to have a relaxing few years before retirement. After everything we've endured, the last thing she needs is for the shop she built to become toxic. I'm prepared to unleash Rose on them if I have to." 
"'The Stare of Disappointment can subdue even the most unruly of young colts.'" Kat imitated Rose's way of speaking. 
Rin snickered. "I shouldn't laugh at that, but it was actually pretty good..." 
"You know her mannerisms better than anyone. That death glare has some power behind it." Kat paused. "Must suck having to keep all the chaos together yourself, isn't it?" 
"No, not at all." 
"Prooooof." 
Rin let out a sigh. "I'll admit that it takes a lot of willpower to get through every single day. Work, parenthood, keeping every extreme personality around me from going nuclear. Everyone is always looking to me to have all the answers, and I'm more than happy to help out, but some days I just feel like relaxing with some tea and a good book. That's why I'm so thankful for you helping with Shizuka as much as you do. I'd love to spend every singular moment I could with her, but--" 
"It's alright, I understand. Girl's gotta have some time to kick her feet up and enjoy herself. You and Doc just need to take like, a week off and go be all lovey-dovey somewhere. When's the last time you two had some real alone time?" 
"...our honeymoon. Five months ago." 
"Woof. Yeah, y'all need to take a break. I know from experience, working yourself to the bone isn't a way to feel good. Valentine's Day is coming up. Maybe the two of you should slip away and..." 
"I'll take your advice. Noooo need to go further than that, or make this conversation needlessly uncomfortable." 
"Okay, fair enough. Let's take it back into wholesome territory. I've got a family origin story of my own. BRB." 
Kat returned with a rectangular book of her own. "Ta-da." 
"The Captain and the Cat Thief. Is this a children's book? The artstyle looks pretty cute." 
"Bingo. I brought it so I could read it to Shizuka later. It's a pretty popular tale back home, but a lot of people don't know that it's based on historical events. Super toned down to be more suitable for the kiddies, but yeah." 
"And you said this was a familial story, right?" 
"Well, yeah. The titular cat thief's real life self is my ancestor. Guess thieving's in the blood the way gardening's in yours. But anyway..." Kat had a realization. "Oh God, I'm about to tell my professor, the published author, all about the kid's book I like. I can feel my GPA dropping by the second." 
"You know I'm not that judgmental. Let's hear about it. Have to see if it's suitable to tell Shizuka, after all." 
"Hey, I'd never expose her to anything hardcore! I'm keeping her innocent for as long as I possibly can. Okay, story time. It's the tale of three childhood friends who end up taking different paths in life. The girl becomes a lady-in-waiting to the imperial princess. One of the boys becomes captain of the emperor's royal guard, while the other boy--the dashing, handsome, quick-witted Lee Moon-bin--takes up the life of a thief. Both Moon and the captain vie for their lady friend's heart, culminating in Moon beating his old friend in a duel and living happily ever after with his true love." 
Kat continued. "It's kind of a Robin Hood story, where Moon is a thief but only steals from bad guys and gives aid to people in need. The captain, despite his noble ideals and position, is a prideful man who puts his loyalty to the emperor over his old friendship with Moon. It's got lessons on not judging a book by its cover, and being loyal to your friends." 
"Very good lessons to teach. Now I'm guessing that the real events weren't so straightforward, were they?" Rin asked. 
"Nope. In the book they live happily ever after, but in reality, Moon killed the captain in their duel. Now, since killing the captain of the royal guard is kind of a big no-no, Moon became the most wanted man in Korea. He escaped by boat, and crossed the sea to Japan, where he spent the rest of his life in hiding. As for his lady friend, she wound up becoming pregnant by him, and went into hiding herself to avoid the public scandal. Her family name was Kit. And so started the magical bloodline that eventually resulted in moi. Few people outside the family know about this history, and I'd like to keep it that way. Otherwise I'd get badgered for being the descendant of a folk hero." 
"Daughter of a former idol and descendant of a legendary thief. You have quite the pedigree, Kat." 
"I don't make a big deal out of it. Got nothing to do with me other than sharing blood. I'm not Golden Wei, or the Cat Thief of Legend. I'm just Kat. Not trying to be anything other than that." 
"Well I for one think 'that' is just as worthy of respect. Who knows, when it's all said and done, they'll be making folk tales about you some day." 
"They'd better wait until I'm long gone before doing that. The embarrassment would do me in on its own." 
A growling sound echoed out. "Aw boy. Guess we didn't actually eat all that much for lunch, huh?" Kat asked. 
"I'll fix us up something quick. You'll be staying for dinner, right?" 
"If it's not too much trouble. I do wanna read the princess this little diddy before I leave." 
"By all means, she'll probably be bushed when Rose brings her home. In the meantime, I'd love to hear some more fables involving the master cat thief." 
"Sure thing. Got a few good ones my Pops told me about..."
--- 
January 1, 2030 
The first morning of the new decade has arrived. Many in the country had already begun filing out, some to celebrate, others to offer up prayers at their local temple, in hopes of a bountiful new beginning. 
Over at the entrance to Mt. Shirayuki, the four boys, wearing jackets color-coded to match their Metaverse garb, stood waiting. "A lakeside picnic with a sextet of beautiful, kimono-clad girls...I'll never have a year start better for as long as I live!" Sahir chimed. 
"There's an unfortunate word to use..." Max responded. 
"It's as if the stars aligned for him to use it at this very moment." Kenneth added. 
"Snicker all ya want, Kenny. There'll never be a sight more breathtaking than what I'm envisioning. You could never appreciate such otherworldly beauty!" Sahir exclaimed. 
"Hrm. That a fact?" 
"Not gonna chime in on this, Keeb?" Max asked. 
"Nope. Not risking it." Kibō replied. 
"Ohhh, I can hardly stand it! Where oh where are our fair maidens?" Sahir asked. 
"Sounds like someone's got an appetite for something other than food." a voice responded. 
The boys looked, and Sahir's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Standing there was Ibuki, wearing a bright red qipao dress and same-colored slippers, the dress possessing white fur around the collar. Her hair was tied up, and she had a red hibiscus flower perched on her right ear. "See anything you like, boys?" 
"Holyyyyyyy--" Sahir responded. 
"Tongue in your mouth, Fido." Max chided. 
To his annoyance, Max felt a sensation behind him. A sneering Ibuki was pressed up against his back. "You should be flattered, Sparky Boy." 
"I'm afraid to ask...why?" 
"This is probably the last time in a long time that a girl lets you near her. Savor the moment. You'll be thinking of this when you're sleeping." 
"Really laissez-faire about brushing against me like this, Fireball." 
"Don't hate cuz I'm sexy and proud of it, plains boy. Maybe if you fixed up this nerdboy haircut of yours, you'd have girls coming at you that aren't just trying to bust your balls. Or better yet, maybe KittyKat would still be meowing up your alley instead of looking at vacation homes on the French Riviera." 
"What...?!" 
"Anyway." Ibuki promptly backed away. "There's no point in getting impatient with our resident maidens. Ladies need time to get prepared, unlike you brutes that'd walk out of the house in boxers if you had the chance." 
"Any of you guys gonna say anything?!" 
"Oh no, I'm actually enjoying this." Kenneth replied. 
"Can't argue when she's, as Kat would say, 'spitting facts'." Kibō added. 
"Step on me, please." Sahir uttered. 
"Epic defending, guys. Really appreciated." Max griped. 
"Now I spy with my little eye, maidens of the formal variety..." Ibuki gazed into the distance. 
The girls arrived in formal attire, color-coded much like the boys. Barbara, Carrie and Natalia were wearing flower-pattern kimono: Barbara in light blue with a white cornflower pattern; Carrie in purple with a lilac pattern; and Natalia in yellow with a dandelion pattern. Sakuya wore her own qipao and slippers, magenta in color, her hair tied up in ox horns. Kat, meanwhile, wore a black blouse shirt, accompanied by a black-and-pink skirt worn slightly above her waist. All of the girls wore flower corsages on their left wrists, the three in kimono wearing the same flower as their patterns, Sakuya with a magnolia, and Kat with a moonflower. 
"Your wildest dreams have arrived, gentlemen." Kat said. 
"Ladies, ladies, ladies! One at a time, please!" Sahir exclaimed. 
"You'll have to excuse him, ladies. Something has clearly reawoken the spirit of the primordial skirt-chaser within him." Kibō commented. 
"God help us all." Barbara replied. 
Kenneth looked curiously at Kat's attire. "Is this the traditional garb your mother sent you, Katherine?" 
"Uh-huh. It's a hanbok. Mama really wanted me to wear it this year. And yeah, I've already sent about four or five photos her way of me wearing it. I already know I'll be wearing this to everything now. Gut feeling." Kat replied. 
"How does it fit, Hinotama-san?" Sakuya asked Ibuki. 
"Like a glove, Saku. Definitely more my speed than a big ol' robe. Sparky Boy's a big fan." Ibuki teased. Max groaned in response. 
Kat had a thought. "Hey, Kenny. Hoodsie did some pretty good work, didn't she?" 
Natalia overheard, and froze. "Ah, that's right. She made the kimono from the ground up. How do they wear?" Kenneth asked. 
"Super comfy, but that goes without saying. It's a Natty staple, after all." Barbara replied. 
"It's a wonderful job for her first time making such garb." Carrie added. 
"Y-you all are just flattering me, any expert on making these would probably laugh--" Natalia nervously replied. 
Kenneth began feeling the fabric of Natalia's robes, much to the girl's shock. "Hmm. It very much feels like one of your jackets in terms of texture. Otherwise, one would assume it was store-bought. That isn't a slight at all, by the way. It's very much a compliment...hm? Are you feeling alright, Natalia? You're as pale as a ghost." 
"I'm fine, really! Totally. Fiiiiine. Just a little chilly, a-choo!" Natalia faked a sneeze. 
"What's that all about?" Kibō asked. 
"Oh, Keebles. So smart, yet so naive." Ibuki twirled her finger around his ahoge. 
"You still haven't read the book KittyKat gave you, have you?" Sahir asked. 
Barbara clasped her hands together. "OK, everyone! It's lakeside picnic time! Let's get a move on!" 
"Your lips to my ears. Care for a ride, my lady?" Sahir asked Sakuya. 
"On your back, Sahir-kun? I'm okay with walking. I don't want to put stress on your legs." she replied. 
"No worries, I've been running up and down the field for the full 90 minutes lately. Never felt better! It's the gentlemanly thing to do." 
"If you're sure it's safe..." Sakuya put her arms around his shoulders and lifted her legs up. 
"Alright, all secure! Pleasure awaits!" 
"Try to take it easy and gentle, Sahi--ah!" Sahir sprinted up the trail. 
"Someone's in a good mood--eep!" Barbara was suddenly lifted up. "K-Keeb, what are you doing? I wasn't expecting the princess carry..." 
"Like the ace said. It's the gentlemanly thing. Any objections?" Kibō asked. 
Barbara put her arms around him. "Nope~." 
"Hunh. There might be some hope for him after all--" Max began, before feeling something hopping onto his back. "You're just trying to kill me now, aren't you?" 
"Don't they teach country bumpkins like you proper manners? I'm every bit the delicate flower that the other gals are." Ibuki replied. 
"Delicate. Sure...that's the word I was looking for..." Max struggled to hold himself up. 
"Come on, you can't handle just a little bit of muscle, Sparkplug? Maybe this'll get you moving..." She whispered into his ear. "I'm not wearing a bra." 
Max's face turned beat red and his glasses lit up. "JESUUUUUUUUUS!" He hustled and began running out of panic. 
"Hahahaaaaaaa! Ride like the wind, Bullseye!" Ibuki joked. 
"...well." Kenneth uttered. 
"And he thought I was bad." Kat responded. "So just warning you, Care, I don't see me carrying you working out, and I don't wanna stress out your back, so..." 
"It's alright." Carrie grabbed her hand. "The old-fashioned way is fine by me." 
As they walked, Kat bumped Natalia slightly, then gestured towards Kenneth. 
"Uh..." Natalia uttered. 
"Quite the awkward spot we've been put into." Kenneth stated. 
"Y-you don't have to carry me if you don't want to, that would be way over-the-top--" 
"I wasn't about to. I think we'd both be uncomfortable with that. But..." Kenneth held out his hand. 
"Ah..." 
"I wouldn't want you to lose balance and lose the admirable work you did. And, my relationship with inclines is still a work in progress, so I wouldn't mind the reassurance." 
"Oh, but...you've climbed this mountain a bunch of times just fine, right?" 
"Some times are better than others. If you don't want to, then I'll just--" 
Kenneth was interrupted by his hand being grasped. "Okay. I'm good with this." said a blushing Natalia. 
"Ah...why are you looking at me like--" 
Natalia led him along before he could finish. "I must be crazy. There's no way he could...but...why would he use that excuse now when I know his problem's only with stairs? Was it just so he could...no, don't be silly, it's just me being nuts..." she thought. 
"She's been acting strangely ever since coming back from break. It's odd...this feeling...it couldn't be, could it? After all that trauma from my youth, is it actually possible that I could..." Kenneth thought. 
The two were the last to make it to the spot near the lake where they had set up their place to eat. Sahir had his hands on his knees, and was panting. Max, meanwhile, was on the ground. 
"Hercules, Hercules, Hercules! What an alpha you are, Sparkster!" Ibuki joked. 
"I told you to take it easy, Sahir-kun. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but don't overexert yourself for my sake." Sakuya said. 
"What, me overdo it? Nah...I could go another five laps around the lake..." Sahir replied unconvincingly. 
Kat had her phone out, and nudged Carrie to get her attention. She showed the result of a search for the term "yamcha dead", an image of a dark-haired individual in orange martial arts wear, lying beaten in the middle of a crater. Max was in a nearly identical pose. Carrie chuckled. 
A few minutes later, the boys composed themselves. "Feeling better?" Barbara asked. 
"I can't remember any of the last 20 minutes." Max replied. 
"Liar. You'll never forget any of it." Ibuki teased. 
"So we gonna get our grub on now, or...?" Kat asked. 
"Hold on, the sun's hitting the lake at just the right spot. It's the perfect time for a group shot. Ladies?" Barbara replied. 
"I'm game. Which one of you delinquents has the steadiest camera hands?" 
"Not him." The other boys all pointed at Sahir. 
"Scoundrels! You'd deprive me the opportunity to capture such beauty in its utmost radiance?" Sahir griped. 
"Right there? You just proved our point." Kibō replied. 
"I'll do it." Kenneth volunteered. 
The girls all got into position in front of the lake. "Alright, Kenny. Make us look pretty." Barbara suggested. 
"You could at least make this somewhat of a challenge." 
"Awwww." Carrie uttered. 
"Love ya too, Kenny. Ain't that right, Hoodsie?" Kat asked. 
"Mmmmmm..." Natalia uttered sheepishly. 
The photos were taken, and the group took their seats on the mats they'd placed. "Alright everyone, you all know the drill!" Natalia presented a large basket. "It's all--" 
"It's all been made with love." the others all repeated in unison. 
"Darn tooting!" Natalia sat on the words. "Is that the right context for that?" 
"I mean, I guess." Barbara replied. 
"Why are you asking us? We might be from the South, but we're not rednecks." Max added. "I hate the taste of beer, I've never gone hunting in my life, and I've never once driven a truck." 
"You're still a bumpkin, Sparkplug." Ibuki nudged Max's back with her foot. "Actually, now that you've brought it up...do any of you guys actually know how to drive?" 
"Nothing bigger than a bike." Kat replied. 
"Haven't had the chance to learn, no." Carrie added. 
"Me and Maxie have our permits, and we're gonna try for our licenses in the summer. Don't think they're valid over here, though." Barbara said. 
"I just got my license over the break." Kibō answered. 
"Guess we know who's gonna be driving us to Sapporo next month." Sahir said. 
"I, uh...wouldn't bet on that. He only just got it, after all. It'll be safer to just let the Professor drive." Barbara retorted. 
"I could do it if needed." Kibō said. 
"No! Uh, I mean...you don't have to force yourself. It's all the way across the country. Better to play it safe." 
"What's with the panic in her voice? He can't be that clumsy, can he?" Kat thought. 
"Hold up, what's going on in Sapporo? You guys going to the snow festival up there?" Ibuki asked. 
"Oh, we didn't tell you, Hinotama-san? Kenneth-kun has been assigned to build an ice sculpture for the festival." Sakuya answered. 
"No kidding. Hell of a responsibility, Kenny." 
"I welcome the challenge. I'm a good deal into the sculpting stage at the moment. It requires the utmost care and patience." Kenneth replied. 
"We're renting a bus to take us up there. It'll be way quicker if we flew, but we thought spending a few days touring the country would be an awesome experience." Barbara said. 
"You're more than welcome to come along if you want." Carrie suggested. 
"I'd have to arrange things with my sister first, but I'd be super down for that. I can spend the entire trip kicking Sparkplug's seat." Ibuki replied. 
"Joy of joys." Max grumbled. 
"By the by, what're you sculpting, anyway?" 
"Well, the theme they gave me was 'growth'. So I picked what I see as a suitable subject." Kenneth answered. 
"It's me. He's sculpting me." Natalia uttered. "I've mentioned this before, but I was a mess when I got here and for a while after. Depressed, timid, suffering from a bad stutter. It wasn't until these guys talked me through it that I started putting myself back together. For the first time ever, I'm starting the year off completely happy with who and where I am." 
"And I have something in mind that will showcase that strength for the world to see. When I first got the topic, I knew exactly who I wanted to base it around." 
"You could've done it on yourself too, Kenny." 
"My transformation was not nearly as inspiring as yours." 
"But it's still far away from where you started! This guy was a complete antisocial jerk when he got here. No offense." 
"Can't be offended when it was the truth." 
"Now he's just a regular social jerk." Kat winked. 
"Still...it made me really happy when you said you were inspired by me, Kenny. And if it helps someone else find their inner strength, it'll make me even happier." Natalia said. 
"Of course...ah...Natalia? Your hand..." Kenneth pointed out. Natalia's hand was squarely on top of his. 
"Ah...ah!" She quickly moved it. "S-sorry, I was just resting and didn't see your hand there. Bit of a walk, y'know? Hehehehe..." She laughed nervously. 
"This is either gonna end beautifully or in utter disaster. Keep it together, Hoodsie..." Kat thought.
--- 
"Expert setup you've got here, Sparkplug. The guppies aren't gonna know what hit 'em." Ibuki said. 
The group were on a wooden pier stretching into the lake. A fishing pole was set up at the end, with a chair and a box of bait next to it. "It ain't a guppy I'm after. What I'm gunning for is the stuff legends are made of." Max replied. 
"You've been talking this up all week, Maxie. Really think you can pull this off?" Sahir asked. 
"You're gonna have to fill us in here." Kat said. 
"There's a long-standing rumor around town that this lake is home to a massive, century-old carp. And that whoever catches it will be blessed with equally long good fortune." Kibō explained. 
"Could such a thing really exist here undetected for so long?" Carrie asked. 
"Hence the use of 'rumor'. While carp are quite hardy fish, the ones that can be found in the waters around here tend not to grow any larger than your garden variety koi." Sakuya replied. 
"Something tells me that such a beast wouldn't pass up the chance for a pair of feathery snacks dancing near the surface..." Kenneth smirked. Carrie and Kat looked away, blushing. 
"So Mr. Man here is gonna go after it with a standard issue rod and eensy weensy teeny weeny bait." Ibuki said. 
"Unless your name is Jeremy Wade, I have a difficult time envisioning much success doing that." Kenneth added. 
"Gonna make it all the more sweeter when I serve you all a heaping helping of 'I told you so'. I'm gonna be on every front page once I reel that sucker in." Max affirmed. 
"Shoot for the stars, Sparky. We're gonna be back over there...doing things that aren't that." Kat replied. Most of the group walked away. 
"Don't take it too hard, Maxie. Even if it's not a legendary monster fish, you can still catch a good-sized one and we'll cook it up for everyone." Barbara said. 
"'We'? You forgetting what happened at Christmas dinner? Pretty sure Grandpa hasn't." Max replied. 
"C'mon, it wasn't that bad!" 
"Barb, there's a reason the council members started calling him 'Chief Cindered Brow' after that. If I catch something, I can handle the cooking myself." 
"Fiiiine. Don't be too long, okay? Remember we have dinner with the Professor later." 
"I've got time. Tell her we'll be having a heaping helping of carp stew." 
Barbara walked away, and Max took his seat, set the bait, and tossed out the line. All that was left to do now, was wait. 
After a few minutes of sitting as still as a rock, Max was jarred from his tranquility. "You're hell-bent on making this harder than it has to be, aren't you?" 
Ibuki had grabbed her own chair and was seated behind Max, her feet propped onto his shoulder, and eating from a bag of chips. "Nice word choice, big boy." 
"I'd ask what you were doing here, but I know it's what you're doing now." 
"You're going after a fish probably bigger than you are with a hook and some bread. I gotta see this shit. And you need someone else here, so everyone's not looking out to see you just sitting here by your lonesome." 
"Appreciate the thought." 
For the next few minutes, there were no sounds other than the crunching of Ibuki's chips. "Could you make that a little louder, please? Maybe enough so that every fish in the lake can hear it?" Max griped. 
"Least I'd be stimulating them somehow. You'd be boring them to sleep otherwise. They've probably seen this a million times." 
"Haven't met the fish that could resist a bite to eat." 
Silence for another few minutes. 
"Do I make you uncomfortable, Maxie?" 
"How do you mean, in general? Or how you're using me as a footrest right now?" 
"You're a straighlaced kid with crazy good grades and morals coming straight from an old hero flick. And here you are being teased by an ex-hooker while you're just trying to fish. Nothing about how I've lived really jives with your view of the world, does it? I mean, I won't be 20 for a few months, and I've given company to more seedy guys than I can count." 
Max remained silent as Ibuki continued. She looked towards the shore, where the others were talking and enjoying themselves. "I see how cute and lovey they all are. Physical affection actually means something to them. I dunno if it could ever mean anything to me. For me, it was just something I had to do to survive. There wasn't any affection or love in it. I hated most of the guys I was with. That's why if Mr. Right ever comes along, I dunno how I'm gonna feel when the physical love comes into play." 
"....." 
"Does it make you feel dirty whenever I touch you, Maxie? Or that I'm even talking to you in the first place? I bet you hate the sight of me, don't you?" 
"You assume too much. I don't hate you." 
"You don't?" 
"No. I hate the system that made you have to do those things. I hate that you had to suffer behind closed doors and that the ones that hurt you the most were supposed to keep you safe. There's too much of that garbage nowadays. We can talk about how blatantly corrupt people in power are, but it's the ones that leave their evil in the shadows that are the worst of the worst. The ones that pretend everything is normal on the outside while destroying the lives of others where no one can see. My old man was the exact same way." 
"Maxie...?" 
"He pretended to be the All-State coach that every kid wanted to play for. Undefeated season after undefeated season. Then you start digging and you come across the lies. The bribes. The racist quips. The affairs. The abuse. He used to chuck empty beer bottles at my head when he wanted me to fetch him more. I used to think I was singled out to suffer, until I realized that people like him exist everywhere, preying on those they think won't ever rat them out. Scum like that...what I wouldn't give to snuff them all out." 
"Maxie, uh..." 
"Hm?" Max snapped out of his train of thought long enough to realize that his line was being pulled. "Shoot, here we go!" Ibuki hopped to her feet as Max got up and began fighting to reel in whatever was on the line. "Geez...this guy's a fighter...feels like a big one, too..." 
"You've gotta be kidding." Ibuki instinctively grabbed hold of Max and began to help him pull. 
The rest of the group watched from afar. "Well. That looks spicy." Sahir uttered. 
The tug-of-war continued for several more minutes. "Gotta give it one...last...heave...hoooooo..." With one last bit of force, Max yanked the line out from the water as a larger-than-normal carp erupted high into the air. 
Ibuki manifested her bow and aimed at it. "Smile, you son of a--!" She fired an arrow, skewering the fish and sending it to the ground, where the arrowhead side was impaled into the wood of the pier. 
"Well...that was dramatic." 
"Lookit Deadliest Catch over here!" Ibuki tightly hugged him. 
"That's tittily not necessary--TOTALLY! SHIT!" 
"HAHAHAHAHA! Justice Boy or not, you're still a dumb, thirsty teenager!" Ibuki rubbed Max's hair. 
After settling down, Max grabbed the unmoving fish. "Definitely not a 100-year old giant, but it'll make for a good dinner. Thanks for the assist." 
"Aw, you know I did 95% of the work. You were too busy appreciating the moment." Ibuki teased. 
Max sighed. "It's like KittyKat with an even worse filter." he mumbled to himself. 
They walked over to the rest of the group. "Wasn't what I was looking for, but I caught us some dinner." Max said. 
"Oh, you were catching something, all right." Sahir raised his eyebrows. 
"Shut. Up." 
"So should we start heading back down? Still a few things we can do before we meet with the Professor and Dr. Rose." Barbara asked. 
"Yeah, we should start packing up. A shrine visit wouldn't hurt. Most of the early visitors should be gone by now." Kibō replied. 
"....." Kenneth stood pensive. 
"Something wrong, Kenny?" Natalia asked. 
"I'll meet you all at the bottom. There's someone I wanted to check in with." 
"Who could you..." Kat took note of the cabin on the other side of the lake. "Oh, right." 
"Maybe we can all stop in and say hello. I'm sure she'd appreciate the company." Carrie suggested. 
"Y'all know the one living in that cabin?" Ibuki asked. 
"That's where Ms. Hana lives. She's our Professor's mother. When she's not at the flower shop she owns, she lives in that cabin by herself." Kenneth explained. 
"When she's not out doing secret concerts..." Barbara muttered. 
"Heck of a place to be out by her lonesome. Wouldn't hurt to go say hi when it's right by the way we came." Ibuki said. 
The group gathered their things and walked over towards the cabin. "You think she's home? Doesn't look like the lights are on." Sahir asked. 
Kenneth was about to knock on the door, but paused. 
"What's wrong?" Barbara asked. 
"Shhh. Do you hear that?" Kenneth questioned. 
From inside the cabin, the tune of a string instrument was emanating, accompanied by low-toned singing. Kenneth motioned towards the window, and for the others to keep back while he looked. 
The only light source inside the cabin was a number of candles at an altar. Pictures of both Kaito and Tohru Kubo were placed in the center. Hana was kneeling before it, playing her shamisen. She finished her song, then put her hands together in silent prayer. After a moment, she looked back up. "Happy New Year, my love. And my dear, misguided boy. This hole in my heart only grows with each passing year. I still have Ringo, and Hyōtan. My family has come back around. Even Reiko has found it in her heart to forgive. Things are wondeful...but the wound can never really heal, can it? I know we will see each other again one day. Until then...all I can offer is my song." 
As she began playing again, Kenneth backed away from the window. "What's happening?" Max asked. 
"I think...we should leave her be. Even now, she is in mourning." Kenneth answered. 
"How sad...but I understand. Every holiday is a bittersweet reminder of what we've lost." Carrie uttered. 
"Not to sound disrespectful, but who's she mourning for?" Ibuki asked. 
"Her husband and younger son--Prof's dad and older brother--both passed away years ago. She's a super easy-going lady, so she presents a good front. But deep down, it has to be painful to live with." Kat answered. 
"I'd like to offer up some comfort, but it sounds like she needs to be alone right now. Maybe we should ask the Professor if there's anything we can do to help." Natalia suggested. 
"I know a couple of Prof's cousins just started working at the flower shop, so that should help take some pressure off. Problem is, they argue a ton. Poor lady probably needs her quiet moments more than anyone." Kat said. 
"Damn. No shortage of sad stories around here, huh?" Ibuki asked. 
"We all have our crosses to bear. For us, it helps to have everyone around to help. But for some, self-reflection and personal care are much more effective. Some issues, you can only resolve on your own." Sakuya answered. 
"Let's leave her be, then. Alone with her memories. We can offer our help some other time, some other way. Come along." Kenneth said. 
The sounds of a string being tuned in the background, the group headed back down the mountain.
--- 
Late in the afternoon, the students arrived at the Kubo household. "Bookie's still not here yet, huh?" Kat asked. 
"She should be here shortly. She's bringing her sister and niece along." Sakuya replied. 
"Oh, dang. We actually haven't met her big sis yet, have we?" Sahir asked. 
"You had them over for Christmas, didn't you, Saku?" Natalia asked. 
"Yes, that's right. Kaede-san is a lovely person. Personality-wise, she is very different from her sister. And there is something else you should be aware of..." Sakuya answered. 
The door opened before she could elaborate. "Good afternoon. You all look exquisite today." Rose welcomed, garbed in a blue kimono with her hair tied up, the bud of a rose attached to the upper left-hand corner of her robe. 
"Afternoon, Doc. You're pretty well put together yourself." Kat replied. 
"As should be expected from a woman of such refinement--!" Sahir chimed. 
Sakuya yanked his ear. "Save your hunger for dinner." 
"Please, come in. We had to rearrange the seating a good deal to accommodate everyone, so I hope it's to your comfort." Rose let everyone inside. 
Shizuka, dressed in a little purple kimono with butterfly patterns, sat on the couch listening to music. "AAAAAAH!" Kat squealed at the sight of her, ran over, sat down and gave her a hug. "Omigod, princess, you look so CUTE! Did your moms help you with it?" 
"Mmhmm. You look super pretty, KittyKat!" Shizuka replied. 
"Awwww, thanks, sweet thing. My mommy got it for me. Speaking of, where's Prof hiding?" 
"One moment, please." Rose moved next to the stairs. "Your guests have arrived, beloved. It is time to grace us with your presence." 
"You really don't have to present me like I'm some sort of noblewoman." Rin called out. 
"I merely wish for them to see you the way I always do. As a goddess of beauty." 
"Ahh, stoooooop..." 
"I can feel her blushing from here." Barbara giggled. 
"Now what is going on here?" Kibō asked. 
Rin emerged from the hallway. The class was mesmerized by her appearance. She was in a red kimono, with a mane of pink fur, artwork of the branches of a sakura tree, and red socks. Her hair was tied up, a pair of ornamental sticks poking through it in an X-shape. She was blushing, and her glasses were absent. "Hello, everyone...welcome to our humble abode." 
The students were stunned speechless. "You appear to have cast a spell of Silence on them, Rin." Rose joked. 
The boys struggled to get any words out. "We're standing right here, you know!" Natalia griped. 
Rin came down the stairs. "I'll take this response as a compliment. You all look wonderful. That's quite the unique hanbok you have, Kat." 
"Uh, yeah...custom-made like everything else I wear." Kat replied. 
"Black and pink are your colors, after all. Are you feeling okay? Weird not to hear you make some kind of quip." 
"I've got no quips, Prof...you really do look beautiful. Like, what I'd imagine a goddess would look like as a person..." 
"Ah...d-don't you start with the flattery, too. I get enough of it from Rose." 
"I say nothing that isn't true." Rose took a sip of tea. 
"Well if we're finished trying to make my face match my hair, do we have our meal ready?" 
"I'm gonna get right on it." Max replied. 
"And I've got the desert taken care of." Natalia added. 
"Wait one moment...is Ms. Hinotama not going to be with us?" Rose asked. 
"She'll be here shortly. She's going to be bringing her niece and sister." Sakuya replied. 
"Her niece is a year younger than Shizuka. Could be a chance to play the matching game." Barbara said. 
"The more the merrier. You want another little friend, princess?" Kat asked. 
"Sure, I guess." the girl replied. 
There was a knock at the door. "That should be them." Rose went to answer. 
On the other side of the door, Ibuki was holding Kanae, wearing a little pink kimono. Next to her was a young woman in an orange kimono, with chin-length black hair and glasses. "Missed me, party people?" Ibuki asked. 
"Like a duck misses gator season." Max uttered. 
"Say hi to the nice people, bubblegum." 
"Hi." Kanae waved. 
"Say hello, princess." Kat asked. 
"Hello, princess." Shizuka uttered. 
"You wanna introduce them more formally?" Ibuki asked. 
Kat took Kanae. "Let's have a do-over." 
"Oh, and where are my manners? This is Kaede." 
Kaede wordlessly bowed. The students greeted her. "Family resemblance is strong with this one, eh?" Sahir asked. 
Kaede prodded Ibuki. "Don't mind him. He's the dumb, friendly type." Ibuki signed. 
"That was sign language, wasn't it?" Kibō asked. 
"I was going to mention this earlier. Kaede-san is deaf. She can't hear a thing." Sakuya explained. 
Kaede signed to Ibuki again. "What's she saying?" Natalia asked. 
"She says it's a pleasure to meet everyone. And that the Prof has a lovely house." Ibuki replied. 
"Thank you for the compliment, Ms. Kaede." Rin signed. "I'm Rin. I'm lucky enough to be the teacher of this bunch. It's a pleasure to meet you." 
"You know how to sign?" Kaede responded. 
"My best friend's husband was mute for many years, so we all learned sign to accommodate. I just hope I'm not rusty." 
"I've seen worse. Half the time, Ibuki sticks her middle finger up for no real reason. I think it's instinct." 
"Hey, c'mon, you don't gotta bring that up!" Ibuki signed. 
On the couch, Shizuka sat next to Kat. Kanae stood in front, looking at Shizuka with curiosity. "Hiiiiii!" Kanae chimed. 
"Um...hi." Shizuka answered. 
"My name's Kanae! What's yours?" 
"Um..." 
"Sorry, she's a little shy. Her name is Shizuka." Kat answered. 
"Hi, Shizuka! Wanna be friends?" 
"Uhhh..." 
Kanae sprung onto the couch, and sat close to Shizuka, affectionately hugging her. "Friends, friends, friends! Yaaaay!" 
"KittyKat...what's happening?" Shizuka mumbled. 
"Embrace it." Kat replied. 
A short while later, dinner was served. "Enjoy, ladies and germs, for your taste buds are set for a destined encounter with culinary magic." Max boasted. 
Kaede nudged Ibuki. "What'd he say?" she signed. 
"He says that he knows he's mediocre, but hopes you enjoy the food anyway." Ibuki responded. 
"Right. That the sparky boy you keep mentioning?" 
"I don't know what you're talking about." 
"So on top of everything else, your sister is hard of hearing...I don't know how you managed it." Barbara said. 
"Just another thing to overcome in the laundry list. I have to be way more alert when Kanae-chan needs something, but it's fine. It's always been a matter of adapting and learning to take it as it comes. I take it as her never having to hear what our old man would say after mom died. It wasn't pretty." Ibuki replied. 
"How very old man-esque." Max muttered. 
Kaede prodded Ibuki once more, pointed towards Kibō and signed something. Ibuki nodded. "I have something on my shirt?" Kibō asked. 
"She wanted to know if you were 'Thunderbolt's boy'. Ibuki grew up with posters of your mother all over her room. She's very happy to get to learn from her." Rin translated. 
Kaede cheekily signed something, leading Ibuki to quickly shake her head. "He's taken already." Ibuki signed back, gesturing in Barbara's direction. Kaede shrugged. 
"On the subject of mothers, Professor, have you spoken with Ms. Hana recently?" Kenneth asked. 
"Just last night, actually. The family was over to celebrate New Years'. Why do you ask?" Rin responded. 
"We stopped by her cabin on the way down from the mountain. We let her be because she was, well..." Carrie answered. 
"Is something wrong with Ms. Hana?" Rose asked. 
"I peered inside the window and saw her playing the shamisen in front of a small shrine. There were pictures of your father and brother on it. The way she sounded, you could feel the heartbreak coming from the instrument." Kenneth replied. 
"I see..." Rin uttered. "It's something I've come to expect. Holidays are always bittersweet, but every year it gets a little tougher. This year will be 19 years since my dad passed. The same number of years they were together. It's the thing no one wants to mention." 
"I'm guessing that having the Terror Two in town isn't helping matters." Kat said. 
"I know Mom is happy that she can start healing with her family, but the constant arguing is only adding needless stress. It's their differing worldviews that cause the strain. Araragi is an ardent follower of the Hanazaki credo, of following the wheel of fate. That everything is predestined. Ranmaru, on the other hand, is much more grounded and, frankly, egotistical. Both of them have ideas about taking over once Mom retires, and given how both of them have conducted themselves, I'm honestly concerned. Tan is starting to insist that he could pull double duty with the market, but Mom will never let him stretch himself. I want so badly for her to not have so much stress, but from what you saw earlier today, she's still dealing with old wounds." Rin sighed. "Oh, Mom..." 
"We're sorry, Professor. I wish we could do something to help..." Barbara said. 
"Remember my suggestion about you two taking a break? I think your whole fam could use that." Kat added. 
"We'll have to make a trek up to the cabin soon, Rin. Just for some reassurance." Rose urged. 
"Agreed. I'll call her after dinner. I think a more serious family meeting is in order." Rin affirmed. 
Dinner came and went, and the guests slowly began heading for home. "Thanks for the hospitality, Prof! Maybe we set up another playdate, yeah?" Ibuki waved. 
"Bye, Shizuka!" Kanae waved cheerfully. 
"Um..." Shizuka sheepishly waved back. 
"See ya bright and early next week, Teach!" Sahir exclaimed. 
"Safe trips back, everyone. Next week it's back to serious business." Rin responded. 
"Hey, Prof...just one thing before I'm out. My mom wanted a pic of you and me in the fancy garb. If it's not too much." Kat requested. 
"Well I can't disappoint Mrs. Kit. Not when her daughter is looking so refined, herself. Let's do it in the garden. Rose and I just planted some lovely bigleaf hydrangeas..." 
The two made their way to the backyard garden, as the others started back for home. The first day of the new decade was now drawing to a close. 
--- 
... 
... 
STARTING 
STARTING 
PRISON OPERATING SYSTEM NOW ONLINE. 
WELCOME, CAPTAIN. HOW MAY I BE OF SERVICE? 
"Take me to the creation page. I have a new task for you. Is the Sub-Warden feature online?" 
AFFIRMATIVE. 
"Good. I've got a few names for you. I'm entering them now." 
PRISON CREATION PROCESS NOW ACTIVE. 
PRISON LOCATION: NARUKI CITY MARKET DISTRICT 
PRISON SUB-WARDEN: ARARAGI HANAZAKI 
PRISON SUB-WARDEN: RANMARU HANAZAKI 
PRISON SUB-WARDEN: HYŌTAN KUBO 
PRISON PRIMARY WARDEN: MIU HANAZAKI KUBO 
ARE THESE THE SETTINGS YOU DESIRE? 
"Yes. You may proceed." 
PRISON GENERATION NOW IN PROGRESS. 
CREATION TIME: 2 HOURS, 37 MINUTES, 34 SECONDS. 
WILL YOU BE NEEDING ANYTHING ELSE OF ME TODAY? 
"That'll be all for today. Thank you for the work." 
UNDERSTOOD. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, CAPTAIN.