Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Parental Health
August 18, 2029
"It feels like we've done this before." Rin stated.
It was early morning in the residential district. Rin sat on her couch, with Momo on her lap. "Well, there's a difference this time around. Tenko actually made a reasonable amount of noodles this time." Rose replied.
"There's that. And then there's me dealing with adults instead of their children. This'll be my first time meeting with them in person. I hope I can meet their expectations."
"You'll be fine. And in case you aren't, that's why I'm here. To calm every overactive nerve in your body."
Rin let out a sigh. "What would I ever do without you?"
"Shall I present the list?"
"Please don't." Rin glanced at her phone. "9 o'clock. Our first guests should get here soon."
"Did it have to be this early? Surely most of them should have jetlag after such long trips."
"The school wanted these done early, before the festival tonight. Personally I wasn't keen on it, but they did allow me to do the meetings at home, so I can't really object."
"Well, hopefully there won't be too much of a mess. Literally or emotionally."
"That's what the therapy cat is for." Rin held up Momo, who let out an inquisitive "meow".
Rose sighed. "Therapy for whom remains to be seen..."
---
I. Star and Emperor
"Just so you know, we'll be short one party today. Mr. Ishimaru called and said that Ms. Kyoko wasn't feeling very well." Rin said.
"Probably still drained from the Kyohei episode. Can't really blame her for that. Though I'll admit, I was planning on her taking a sizeable chunk of those noodles..." Rose replied.
"I just hope everyone else finds the house okay..." Rin looked out the window. "Oh. Guess that answers my question."
She opened the door. "Hello? Excuse me..."
"Oh, shoot! Sorry, I hope this doesn't look too weird..." There was a woman kneeling beside one of the couple's flowerbeds. She had brown hair, freckles, and a pair of feather earrings, along with a red checkered jacket. She spoke with a Southern U.S. accent. "I was just admiring your setup here. It's very professionally done."
"I'd be shaming my family if I didn't have a good arrangement. Though I'll admit that my significant other had more to do with it. So, I'm taking one good look at you and guessing that you're...Annette. Barbara and Max's mother."
"That I am, darlin'. And looking at that red-as-a-bullfighter's-cape hairdo and wardrobe, you've just gotta be Professor Kubo. Moonbeam and Starbolt told me all about you. Oh, sorry, that's what I call my babies. Hope that isn't weird or anything."
"Miss, I've been called 'apple blossom' my entire life. I'm used to motherly nicknames. Please, come in."
As Annette walked in, she turned to Rin. "By the by, just wondering...do your neighbors like their alcohol?"
"Hm? Well, if I'm being honest, my best friend does have a fondness for sake. Why do you ask?"
"I could smell it on the way here. I spent close to twenty years married to a blackout drunk. I almost have a sixth sense for it now."
"Well I don't think she's that bad..."
Rin motioned for Annette to sit on the couch. "Please, have a seat."
Rose appeared. "Care for some tea?"
"Oh, sorry, didn't see you there. Sure, tea sounds good." Annette replied.
"Annette, this is my wife, Rose. Rose, this is Barbara and Max's mother, Annette." Rin said.
"A pleasure to meet you, miss. I have nothing but lovely things to say about your daughter. She takes such good care of our own daughter. She'll actually listen to some of Barbara's songs to help go to sleep."
"Aw, that's my Moonbeam. You could've sworn I dipped her in sweet tea when she was a baby. So, Rosie, if you don't mind me asking...where are you from?"
"...Canada."
"Hunh. Does everyone in Canada have eyes like that?"
"Only where it's extremely cold."
"So...Canada."
"...yes." Rose muttered.
"Anyway..." Rin began. "I have nothing but good things to say about your children either. They really are model students. Always finishing near or at the top of the class when it comes to grades. You have plenty to be proud of with them."
"Awk, you're gonna make me blush, Appleseed. I hit the lottery with those two. Especially when you consider...ugh. Their old man. The ogre." Annette replied.
"I'd heard from the twins that it was contentious."
"'Contentious'. Yeah, that's one way to put it. I just got through a messy as all Hell divorce from the brute. I'm ashamed it didn't happen sooner."
"What made you stay for so long?"
"Lots of things. Not wanting to take the kids away from their dad, him dragging me away from home. Which, is so calculated when you think about it. But the other thing is, I'm a physical therapist."
"A healer by trade."
"Exactly. So in my mind, I'm thinking 'I can fix him'. About twenty years and countless drunken tirades later, I found another skank--sorry, another woman's number on his phone, and that's all she wrote."
"I'm sorry you had to endure that, Ms. O--sorry, I can't imagine you kept his last name?"
"Oh, absolutely not. I've taken back the much more intimidating name of Jadefang. Soon as my babies turn eighteen, that's what their names are gonna be. Probably the biggest thing the old brute took from me was my heritage. My old man is as proud a Cherokee as they come. And my ex took every opportunity to make fun of our traditions. Disgusting, really. So when I kicked him to the curb, the first thing I did was sage the entire house. Just because I knew it would get under his skin."
"At least you got the last laugh there. So he's permanently out of the picture now?"
"Far as I know he's still lurching around Louisville, probably in a permanent stupor. I've got a restraining order on his sorry butt. But just in case he ever comes by Oklahoma..." Annette made a motion imitating the cocking of a shotgun. "I've got a 12-gauge waiting for him."
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that..."
"Aw, look at what I'm doing. Coming thousands of miles to talk your ear off. You just have such a welcoming atmosphere here."
"I try to make things comfortable for everyone. It's why I wanted to have these meetings here. My class interacts with my inner circle regularly. I want to be more than just the teacher they see for five days a week to lecture them. Everyone is welcome here, within reason of course. Maybe it's easier for me to lean that way when the age difference isn't all that great."
"...how old are you, again?"
"I'm twenty-five."
"And you've already got 'Professor' next to your name."
"You want more surprises? Rose has a doctorate. She's the school therapist."
"Not to gloat or anything." Rose said.
"Unbelievable. Big brains really must attract each other." Annette said.
"Helps that she looks absurdly cute in those glasses." Rose replied while taking a sip of tea.
"Rooooose." Rin muttered.
"Haaa! Guess it's easier to have a comfortable home when you two are so adorable." Annette exclaimed. "I do have one other question, though. There's this one girl I heard about...Kitty, I think? She rooms with Moonbeam."
"Oh, yes, Kat. Our Class Captain, as we call her."
"Moonbeam sings her praises like nothing else. Starbolt even said he dated her for a while, but even after that says it's nothing she did wrong. In your 'scholarly opinion', I guess, is this girl a good influence?"
"My daughter certainly thinks so. She babysits for us along with Barbara. I'll admit that she got into a bit of trouble back home in Korea, and even when she first got here there were some behavioral incidents. But she's come around wonderfully. She's a great girl. And if I'm being honest, your daughter might've worn off on her. You don't have anything to worry about there."
"All I wanted to hear. Moonbeam says she's a singer, too?"
"Only around a few people. Her parents come from musical backgrounds. That common ground might be how they ended up roommates. You could ask her yourself at the festival tonight. I don't know if she'll want to sing in public, though."
"I won't pressure the poor girl, then. Now about my son's roommate..."
"Sahir. Yeah."
"Are the stories Starbolt tells me true?"
"One-hundred percent."
"He once tried to seduce a statue." Rose added.
"It was a mistake. A tragic, tragic mistake." Rin assured. "But if you're thinking he's a bad influence, then he isn't. He means well, really. And he's had his eyes on one girl in particular, so he's settled down quite a bit as of late. You won't have to worry there."
"I'll take your word for it. I'm just happy knowing that sending my kids here was the right call. I miss them like crazy, but it's good to know that they're in good hands. Can't go wrong with a cute redhead, eh?" Annette teased.
"Ms. Jadefang, please...I get enough teasing from Rose..." Rin uttered.
Rose simply smirked, and took another sip of tea.
II. Moon
"Okay...that wasn't so hard." Rin exhaled.
"All you're doing is talking with people. It's what you do best. No need to be so nervous." Rose replied.
"It's different when it's parents asking me about their children. And maybe they look at me differently because of my age. It's hard not to be nervous."
"Your age doesn't disqualify you from getting the proper respect. You're at home, you don't need to lose your nerve. And remember, you have the therapy cat."
"Right, right...can I have the therapy wife, too?"
"You already do, beloved. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week."
The doorbell rang. "Time to steel yourself. I'll get the door." Rose went to open it, but paused, and took a sniff. "Is that...cologne?"
"Thick enough to go through the door?" Rin questioned.
Rose opened the door, and the scent of the cologne hit like a tidal wave. There in the doorway was a slightly overweight man with dark hair, sunglasses, gold chains and a leather jacket. "Good morning, ladies~. I know I can be a bit intimidating, but try not to avert your eyes."
"(Kind of impossible with that heavy scent...)" Rin thought.
"Please ignore the simpleton." Behind the man, a woman dressed in black teachers' garb, bespectacled and looking annoyed, nudged him forward. "And shoes off. Don't you know your manners?"
"Yes, deeeeear." the man complained.
"Um..." Rin piped up.
"Mamaaaaaa!" Shizuka called out from her room. "It smells like pee!"
The woman snickered. The man was oblivious. "I'll take care of it..." Rose uttered and walked away.
"....." Rin was speechless.
"Hey, are those noodles? Mind if I take a bite?" the man asked.
"Um, if you want--"
The woman slapped him on the shoulder. "Talk first, eat later. You aren't going to starve."
"I don't mind, really. We couldn't possibly have it all ourselves." Rin said.
"The lady of the house has spoken. Bombs away." The man grabbed a plate.
His companion groaned. "Fine. If he's preoccupied, so much the better. I apologize for his...him-ness, Professor Kubo. He's the reason I tell people I have three children. The two I birthed and the one I married. That aside, we have more important matters to discuss."
"Right you are. Please have a seat."
"Thank you. Apologies for not introducing myself. I'm Kit Joon-yi. And this over-the-top numbskull is Wei-yin."
"The famous Golden Wei himself." 
"Often imitated, never duplicated." Wei chimed.
Joon shook her head. "Why anyone would want to is beyond me."
"Excuse me..." Rose walked in. "Is there someone else on the patio?"
"Oh, yes. Her. It was a herculean effort just to get her out of the house. I didn't come across the water to deal with attitude, so I'm leaving her be out there."
"I see. At least let me offer her some tea."
"If you want. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Rose went outside and shut the door. "Awfully courageous of you to step in this town again...Viper."
Perched against the wall was a young woman, with dark hair parted to one side and having green streaks, sunglasses covering her eyes, green fingernails, and black-and-green boots and jacket designed to evoke the image of a snake. "Couldn't pass up the opportunity to see my favorite people again, right, Rosebud? And cut the 'Viper' talk. Ma hears that, and I can just see the vein popping in her head. It's Lin."
"If that's what you want, Lin. So what's your intent? Something around here you felt like pilfering?"
"Sweets, I don't know if you realize this, but my thieving days are done. Kaput. Poof, gone. Pitty and his band of Moonie Men made sure of that. You know what my deal is, right? Their little experiments let me save myself from dying. Problem is, every time I do that..." Lin pulled her mouth open, revealing her canines to be more akin to fangs. "Yeah. And since I'd like to avoid a future of curling up and laying eggs, I have to play nice."
"Certainly one way to learn your lesson. Maybe now you can be a proper influence for your sister."
Lin dropped her head, revealing her eyes to possess vertical irises, like those of a snake. "There ain't a time where I haven't been."
"First step, Ms. Kit: admit you have a problem." Rose turned to walk back in.
"Hey, Rosebud. That's Chuckles' house over there, yeah?"
"If by 'Chuckles' you mean the man you stole from and threw into a maddened rage, then yes."
"Heh. Good times. Have fun with the fam."
Rose walked back in. "Your eldest daughter is very..."
"We know." Wei interjected.
"Let's get back to more pressing matters." Joon insisted. "So-yin's grades. How have they been? Progressing?"
"Yes, actually. They were rising steadily throughout the year last year. I was honestly concerned that she was just coasting along, not taking anything seriously. But she's pleasantly surprised me in that regard. In several regards, actually." Rin replied.
"Describe them for me."
"Well..."
"Eye contact, Professor Kubo."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean any disrespect."
"Some words of advice from a fellow educator. You've accomplished a great deal for someone your age. Try to have a little more confidence."
"Yes, Mrs. Kit. I'll try."
"Now then..." Joon removed her glasses. "Not from another teacher, but from another mother. How is she doing, really? Is she really good with the other students?"
"Oh, absolutely. All of them gravitate towards her. Not a single one of them doesn't adore her. You ask anyone of them who the class leader is, and they all point to her."
"Hear that, Joon? She's doing great. That is great, right? She hasn't turned them into an armed gang, has she?" Wei asked.
"No, not at all." "(Not in the criminal sense, anyway.)" Rin thought.
"So...she has adjusted well to life here, then? She's providing a good example?" Joon asked.
"Mrs. Kit, I entrust Kat with looking after our daughter. She idolizes Kat. That's who she wants to be when she grows up. I'll be honest in saying that there were some attitude problems when she first arrived. But now? I hope my Shizuka does grow up to be like her."
"That's...okay, that's good. It's a great relief." Joon sighed. "I was...immensely worried about where she was going before we made the decision to send her here."
"She was going off the cliff, in a way." Wei added. "She'd lost all of her friends, she'd stopped playing games, she'd been banned from most of the stores in town. She would just lock herself in her room and not come out for hours."
"We didn't want her to make the same mistakes as her sister. We knew So-yin had the potential to be something wonderful. We just had to get her out of the house and out of that town where everyone knows who we are. Sending her so far away was not an easy decision, but it seems that it was the correct one."
"It's totally understandable. Most of my students' parents had similar reasons for sending them here. A change of scenery and a chance to meet new people. It's worked wonders for your daughter. I can see how much she wants to improve herself. My one concern is that she still needs to work on being more open and honest." Rin dictated.
"You're gonna have your hands full there, Prof. Kitten doesn't talk about her feelings easily. That wall of sarcasm she's got? It's a shield." Wei said.
"My daughter's heart is filled with a great deal of love. But there's also a good deal of hurt. I'm worried that if she doesn't open herself to talking about it, then she might slip back into dark habits. Promise me you won't let that happen, Professor." Joon asked.
"I'm going to do my best. I can be very persistent. Same goes for some of my students. Your daughter is in good hands."
"Thank you. You have a good future ahead of you, Professor. Experience will bring confidence. Come on then, Wei."
"Can I at least take another bowl?" Wei asked.
"By all means." Rose replied.
"Beautiful." Wei helped himself.
Kat's parents departed. Rin looked out the window and caught sight of Lin giving a thumbs-up, before leaving. "Well, that worked out okay--what are you doing?"
Rose had brought out several cans of disinfectant spray. "Expunging the cologne before it becomes one with the walls."
"It's a fragrance, not an alien virus..."
III. Death
"Pretty kitty...pretty kitty..." Rin was petting a satisfied Momo. Rose, meanwhile, continued spraying the kitchen.
"There. The bacterial threat has been thwarted. Just a lingering scent of rotted eggs remains." Rose proclaimed.
"'Bacterial threat'? Did you see it eating away at Mr. Kit's flesh?" Rin asked.
"For all we know it could be masquerading as his skin. Or hiding so deep within his DNA that its only giveaway is its foul odor."
"I think you're confusing his cologne with Kerberos, Rose."
"...hm? Do you hear that?"
The sound of something tiny hitting the door could be heard. "Our next round of company, maybe? Don't know why it sounds so faint..." Rin went to open the door. She peered out. "Hello?"
"Mew?"
Rin looked down, and saw a fluffy, yellow-and-white cat sitting on the porch. "Oh, hello there. Rose, it's just a cat. A very poofy cat."
Rose peeked outside. "That is rather poofy. Is it lost? I don't recognize it..."
"Maybe it was lured by the scent of another cat."
The cat brushed against Rin's leg. "Hehe, it's affectionate, at least. Someone has to be missing it. Let's see what the collar can tell us..."
Rin checked the pendant on the cat's collar. "'VD Comfortabel Dragen'. I feel like I've seen this logo before...and isn't this Dutch?"
"CICI! There you are, you naughty thing!" A woman appeared and picked up the cat. She was blonde, and had a puffy yellow blouse with the same logo as the one on the cat's collar present in the left-hand corner. "I'm so sorry if she bothered you ladies. YANNICK! I found CiCi!"
A man poked his head out from a nearby bush. He had brown hair, wore glasses, and had a yellow collared shirt with the same logo in the corner. "Where'd the little puffball run off to?" he asked in a nasally voice.
"Sitting on these ladies' porch, probably begging for cuddles. My apologies again, we were looking around for our daughter's teacher's home, and then this one decided to go on her own little adventure."
"Well I don't think you'll be very mad with CiCi for much longer. If your daughter has long blonde pigtails and a penchant for hugs and hoodies, then you're at the right place." Rin replied.
"Unbelievable, the puffball's got a better sense of direction than us!" Yannick exclaimed.
"Ohhhh, I envisioned a crimson beauty in my mind, and you're exactly how I pictured! Come here and give Mama Sophia a hug!"
"Ma'am that's really not--" Sophia tightly embraced Rin before she could get another word in. "Okay...yeah...you're definitely Natalia's mom...ow, okay, you can let go now..."
"Um, Madame? I'd prefer it if you didn't make me into a young widow..." Rose said.
Sophia put down a gasping Rin. "I got my point across, anyway. Let's not dilly-dally. YANNICK! Stop playing around in the bush and get in here!"
"Yes, my beautiful goddess." Yannick brushed some leaves off of his head.
"I hope you don't mind us bringing CiCi along. The school won't allow pets in the dorms, but we couldn't just leave our danish's favorite comfort behind." Sophia explained.
"You don't need to convince me of the merits of bringing a cat around." Rin replied.
At this point, CiCi was investigating Momo, who was laying on the floor nearby. The more playful CiCi was urging the older cat to get up, but Momo did not seem enthused.
"Hey, does anyone smell anything?" Yannick questioned.
"Um...like what?" Rose asked.
"Smells like...cheap cologne and overcooked jerkey..."
"I...bought a new incense the other day. Clearly that was a mistake. I've been airing it out all day."
"I'd think about suing whoever sold you that stuff, 'cause it is rank."
"Why don't we move to a less...rancid topic." Rin suggested.
"Yes, please. I want to hear how our baby is doing. Getting along with the other kids, I hope?" Sophia asked.
"She's getting along very well. Complete 180 from when she first got here. I haven't heard her stutter since early on last year. The others have really helped bring her out of her shell."
"The Carrie girl, the one with all the gemstones? We saw the little heart necklace she gave our Nat. She's really a genuine friend to her?" Yannick asked.
"Oh, absolutely. I rarely see one without the other. Carrie took an interest in Natalia from Day 1 and since then they've helped each other grow. There's a genuine sense of love tnere."
"Bless that girl's heart. Thank GOD! Finally, our danish has real friends. Not like those horrible girls back home..."
"I've heard about how difficult it was for her on that front. What would these girls do to her?"
"Ugh, don't get us started. The little harpies would be all nice and sweet and 'aww your clothes are so cute, Nat' when she was around. It was all just a cruel joke. She'd be so flattered by what they said that she'd make them clothes free of charge, hand them something from our store, anything. Then one day she overheard a group of them making fun of her. All admitting that they were only nice to her so they'd get free stuff." Yannick explained.
"We gave her everything she could ever want or need. New materials, equipment, the cat. But all she really wanted was someone to share herself with. Watching our child fall into an awful depression and not knowing how to fix it was excruciating. Then one day...I couldn't find her. I looked around the store, our home, the neighborhood...for hours, I couldn't find her. She'd made her way to the roof of our store. I came across her huddled next to the edge...and she just looked up and said to me 'Mama...I don't know what's wrong with me...I think I should go...I wish I was never born.' That just...destroyed me. I just sat there and held her for what felt like hours." Sophia continued, tears welling in her eyes.
"We both knew that if she was gonna be okay, she couldn't be around there anymore. That's when we decided to send her over here, away from all the toxic nonsense. When she finally came home for the summer, we barely recognized her. She was smiling, she wasn't stuttering, she talked about how great her friends were. I think sending her to you might've saved her life."
"I'm happy to have helped even the tiniest bit. That kind of sadness and despair is something that many kids her age have a hard time mending. I...can speak from experience." Rin replied.
"Wait, you? You seem like such a bundle of happiness to me..." Sophia said.
"Not always."
"Rin..." Rose uttered.
"It's okay. I'm fine with talking about it now. When I was Natalia's age, I was in my own personal pit of despair. I lost my father when I was younger, and my older brother had just passed away."
"You poor thing." Sophia said.
"My brother was..." Rin took a moment to think. "He was not a good person. Truthfully, he hated me. He would say some of the most despicable things to me. And then he died right in front of me. All of that emotion, all of that confusion, it just built up until..." Rin carefully rolled up her sleeves. Both of her arms were covered with faded scars. "I was lucky that I survived the attempt. I thought life would only continue falling apart after that. But...it didn't. A decade later, I've never been happier. I absolutely love the life I have now. That's the best thing that I can convey to your daughter, that no matter how horrible it seems, it will get better. I think she's already figuring that out herself."
"You're an angel, Professor. I'm thankful that you're the one guiding our Nat." Sophia said.
"For real. Not to speak ill of the dead, but this brother of yours must've been a real piece of work to hate you." Yannick added.
"That's certainly one way to describe him..." Rose mumbled under her breath.
Shortly after, Natalia's parents got up to leave. "Thank you for letting us visit, Professor. And thank you again for helping our daughter. I would have been so lost if she didn't do well here." Sophia said. "I hope you don't mind another hug..."
"Go on. I'm well-versed on Natalia's policy when it comes to--oof!" Sophia embraced Rin again.
"Hey, has anyone seen CiCi?" Yannick asked.
Rose looked around. "Oh...oh dear."
Momo had pinned CiCi beneath her, clearly frustrated with the younger cat's repeated attempts at grabbing her attention.
"Yeah, I'd be shocked if I hadn't seen this before." Yannick quipped.
"Guess we needed a reminder about who's really queen of the pride around here..." Rin uttered.
IV. Fortune
"You can't just be attacking other people's cats, Momo. CiCi is still a baby, you're a grown cat. You should know better." Rin lectured.
"Mew."
"Don't look at me like that...ugh, how are you still so huggable after being so mean? Naughty old queen..."
"So all I need to do to receive cuddles and headpats from you is exert my dominance over a smaller creature? Valuable knowledge, indeed." Rose chimed.
"Don't be silly. You already get those for free."
"Remind me again how it took over eight years for us to confess?"
"One of the great mysteries of the world."
The doorbell rang. "Cuddles will have to wait." Rin said. She went to open the door, but there appeared to be no one there. She looked down. "Okay...no cat this time..."
"Over here, Professor." spoke a female voice.
Rin peeked over to see a woman seated in the bench. She had dark purple hair tied into a bun, turquoise glasses and similarly colored, expensive looking clothing and jewelry. "My apologies for scaring you if only for a moment. I merely wished to admire your lovely garden for a while longer. It's far too lovely a day to not enjoy it for as long as possible."
"I appreciate the compliment. By any chance, would you happen to have a niece predisposed to purple-colored wares?" Rin asked.
"Yes, I very much would. My name is Melinda. Caroline is my darling niece."
"I had a feeling. I was told that her uncle would be making the trip, also?"
"Unfortunately, my husband had last-minute business to attend to and couldn't make it. But I was intent on being here for Caroline. The image of her alone amongst the other students and their parents was far too much to bare."
"I'm sure she greatly appreciates it."
"I've tried filling in for my sister as best I can, but the bond Caroline shared with her mother could never be replaced. I know it still bothers her a great deal, reluctant as she is to admit it."
"Rest assured that you've done a commendable job raising her. Carrie is an amazing young woman. So generous and kind, and so impossibly strong in the face of so much hurt. And on that note..." Rin bowed her head. "I want to formally apologize for allowing her to suffer grievous injuries during her stay here. If I were more attentive..."
"You're sweet, Professor, but you needn't apologize. There was no way to predict something so heinous. It is solely the fault of a wicked man. My family knows much when it comes to wicked men."
"Even so, my students are my responsibility. And knowing of the tragedy that had already befallen your family, to have this happen to her...I really am so sorry."
"My beloved is rather fond of apologizing, as you can see." Rose had emerged from the house, holding a cup of tea. "Care for a cup?"
"Ah, thank you." Melinda took the cup. "Truth be told, after learning of what happened, I questioned whether letting her stay here was wise. Seems that she's forced to endure trauma every time she leaves home. I didn't want her to be confined to the mansion for the rest of her life, but I didn't want to lose the last piece of my dear Mariana that I have left. She has suffered much in her short time on this Earth. Physically and emotionally. And yet...she has stayed strong. She reminds me so much of her mother."
"Can you tell me about her parents? If it's not any trouble." Rin asked.
"It's no trouble at all. Mariana was much like her daughter. Kind and generous, and so very persistent. She was an ardent gem collector, going miles and miles from home to some perilous places, looking for rocks. No matter how many scrapes and bruises she accrued, she would keep going until she got what she wanted. And so it was that she wound up on the beach in Monte Carlo. There was Rodrigo, measuring the water temperature. He was a brilliant man. So ambitious, and devoted to preserving as much of the world as possible. But that ambition came at a cost."
"Did Carrie not get along with her father? She rarely ever speaks about him."
"It isn't so much that they didn't get along. I know for a fact that Rodrigo loved Caroline. But the problem was that he was dedicated to his work. It would take him far from home, and for long periods. Most of Caroline's formative moments happened only with her mother present. So it was that Rodrigo made the trip to meet the Amir of Qatar a family trip. He had only the best of intentions with that journey. But you know what they say about flying too close to the sun..."
"Do you think that Carrie blames her father for what happened?"
"I feel that part of her does. She and my sister would not have gone had he not suggested it, nor would he himself have gone were it not for his own ambition. I don't believe that she hates her father. But I do believe that she hasn't entirely forgiven him."
"I can understand how she feels. I lost my father to violence at a young age. Same with my brother. Even now, my feelings towards him are...complicated. And it feels like I can never really resolve those feelings because he isn't here. They're as they were the day he left this world. There's no easy answer for how Carrie should feel. Everyone processes grief differently. All that I and anyone else can do is be as supportive as possible."
"You are right, Professor. I'm thankful that she's settled in well here. I have to ask..."
"You want to know about Natalia, right?"
"Yes, actually. How did you guess?"
"Her parents were just here and asked me about Carrie. I'll tell you what I told them. Those two have a wonderful bond. You see one, you see the other. I know your niece absolutely adores Natalia. When the explosion happened, she shoved her out of the way and took the brunt of it. You don't endanger your life like that if you don't have a deep well of love in your heart."
"So much like my sister. I know when Caroline finds that person she wants to share her life with, it will be something so beautiful. Actually, there was someone else..."
"Another of my students you wanted to know about?"
"...ah, on second thought. She wouldn't want me discussing such things."
"Okay, then." "(Has she picked up on it, too? It might just be my imagination, but...)" Rin thought.
Melinda took a sip of tea. "Mmm, this tea is divine. Would you happen to have the recipe with you?"
"Not on me, but I can ask Rose about it."
"Splendid. I should be going soon. Not to cut the visit short, but I wanted to do one shopping run with Caroline before I left."
"It's no trouble, I understand completely. I'll get you that recipe."
"Thank you, Professor. I'll just enjoy your garden for a little while longer."
V. Sun
"Smart idea telling her about the flower shop, Rose." Rin said.
"She seemed so entranced by the garden that I thought she would enjoy it. 'We're renovating our garden and I could use some knowledge from a master'." Rose replied.
"I'm sure Mom'll appreciate the business. Getting to share her know-how should brighten up her day. There's no better gardener in this town. Present company excluded, of course."
"Oh, don't be so flattering. I still remember who I learned from."
A knock on the door. "There's our company. Steel your nerves, I was warned we might be in for it." Rin said.
"In for what?"
Rin opened the door, to the sight of a dark-skinned young man standing casually at the door. He had a dark goatee, long dreadlocks, tattoos on his arms, and a blue football jersey bearing the emblem of Olympique Lyonnais. "Well, well, well. Little bro told me that there were some transcendent beauties here, but I didn't think it would be an understatement~."
"(Gee. I wonder who his little brother could be.)" Rin thought.
"Sorry about the dummie, teacher lady." A preteen-age girl in a green dress and braided pigtails appeared from behind the young man.
"Nabil doesn't know how girls work." Another, identical girl appeared next to the first.
"Aw, shut it. I know how to talk to girls just fine. I've just never seen one with hot sauce hair before."
"Hot sauce?" questioned Rin.
"Clea, Crea, don't tease your brother, please. Nabil, please don't try seducing your brother's teacher." From behind appeared a woman with long, dark hair and a green dress. "Apologies, Professor. I thought I'd taught my children better manners. My name is Anita. Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise. Please, come in." 
"Mama, there's a kitty!" Clea exclaimed.
"Can we play with the kitty, Mama?" Crea asked.
"Only if the Professor says it's alright."
"By all means. Just be careful, though, she's a bit of an older cat, so she can be a little moody..." Rin replied.
Both girls darted towards Momo, the cat sprinting off wondering why it was her day to be tormented.
"...you can quit staring, you know." Rose said bluntly.
"Quit? I've barely even begun, my lovely." Nabil replied, leading to his mother grabbing him by the ear.
"So, ah...what Sahir said was true. You are two women, married." Anita said.
"Yes. Is that a problem?" Rose asked.
"Not to me, it isn't--" Nabil chimed, causing his mother to squeeze his ear.
"I personally don't take issue with your lifestyle. My husband, on the other hand..."
"Sahir told me that his father had a very...strict worldview. Where is he, anyway?" Rin asked.
At that moment, a large man with a beard and a black Tottenham Hotspur jersey walked in, carrying two bags with his arms crossed. "Know what this is? It's two bags of nuts."
"Samir--" Anita tried to interrupt.
The man put his arms down. "Know what I just did there? I uncrossed the nuts. Yeah. Now let's get this over with. How bad's the boy doing? Don't need to hold back, I'm used to crushing disappointment." He pointed to the logo on his jersey.
"Um, Mr. Musa--" Rin began.
"Mr. Musa's my father's name. Now hit me. I can take it. My father used to tell me, you want to learn how to swim, you've gotta drown a little. You've gotta die a little."
Rin was speechless.
"...tea, anyone?" Rose offered.
"That would be good, yes." Anita replied.
"Dunno how you can afford your own maid, but I'm not judging." Samir said.
"Maid...?" Rose asked, somewhat offended.
"H-how about we take a seat?" Rin asked, desperately trying to change the subject.
"Welcome to our reality." Nabil chimed.
The adults sat down, save for Rose, who bore an unamused expression.
"So, to answer your earlier question...Sahir isn't doing badly at all. He could stand to lose the wandering eye, but recent events could be changing that." Rin explained.
"He already introduced us to the little Sakuya girl. Such a sweetheart. Very polite." Anita said.
"More tea, madame?" Rose asked.
"Ah, thank you, sweetie."
"Hey can I grab some too?" Samir asked.
"Sorry, we just ran out." Rose answered bluntly.
"Sheesh. Snippy little maid you got there, huh, Teach?" 
Rose paused, clearly hiding palpable amounts of anger beneath her cool exterior.
"She's just been under some stress lately...Rose, why don't you take a seat?" Rin asked.
"Very well." Rose promptly sat...right on top of Rin's lap.
"Uh-oh." Nabil muttered.
"Hey, uh...do maids here always get this touchy?" Samir asked.
"You'll have to excuse me. This is my favorite seat." Rose replied.
"Rose...you know I can't talk seriously like this." Rin uttered.
"My apologies." Rose put her arms around Rin's shoulders, and crossed her legs. "Is this more to your liking?"
"Holy shit." Nabil muttered.
"I dunno what kind of Playboy nuttiness you've got going on here, but you need to tell your maid--" Samir began.
"I have a name. I am Rosemary Minerva Wolfe. Doctor Rosemary Minerva Wolfe. And I'm not Rin's maid. I'm her wife." Rose affirmed.
Samir's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "You want to run that by me again?"
"Wuh-oh." Both girls uttered, as Nabil ate some noodles and gawked.
"Knew I shouldn't have let Joseph send the boy here. It's a den of crazy people!"
Anita grabbed him by the ear. "Pardon me, ladies. I need to have a word with my husband."
"Oooh, I know that voice." Nabil chimed.
"Somebody's gonna get it~." the girls sang.
Anita dragged Samir outside.
"I really wish you didn't do that." Rin uttered.
"I refuse to be belittled in my own home. We didn't take vows to each other just to pretend we're something we aren't." Rose retorted.
"I know, and I'm sorry, but you put me in a difficult spot. Not to mention how it could make things more difficult for Sahir to explain...you know."
The door opened. "Now sit there like a good boy and pout all you want. Make anymore of a scene and I'll split your lip!" Anita threatened before shutting the door behind her. "I am so sorry about that, ladies. His mindset is...incredibly old-fashioned."
"Splendid. So are same-sex relationships. Have you ever heard tale of Achilles and Patroclus? Or Sappho? Or how the Spartans would--" Rose began.
"Rose." Rin interrupted. "I can understand now why Sahir is so intimidated by him. Makes me wonder how he'd react if he was ever told..."
"Ever told that the Sakuya girl was actually born a boy?" Anita interrupted.
"Ah--you knew?"
"Sahir told me about it earlier. I told him that it was a very, very fine line he was walking. His father has not taken well to such things in the past."
"In the past? What happened?"
"Salim." Nabil replied.
"Papa kicked him out." the girls added.
"My eldest son, he...came out, a few years ago. Samir was furious. The oldest boy is the first heir. Salim left afterwards to live with my brother-in-law in London. Sahir surely fears that the same shunning would happen to him should his father find out." Anita explained.
"Little bro's already on thin ice after the hippo disaster. And my old man can hold grudges for a long time. If he got the Maid Girl bomb dropped on him, hoohoo." Nabil added.
"As difficult as it sounds, given what we just witnessed here, an ugly confrontation might be unavoidable. Sahir has an impossible decision to make, but if he cares about Sakuya as much as I believe he does, then he'll take that risk. Love is love, as the saying goes. Right, Rose?" Rin stated.
"Hm." Rose took a sip of tea.
"I'll council your son as best as I can. But only he can know what the right thing to do is. Whatever the result of that is, I'm here for support."
"So supportive even after being offended in your own home. Sahir was right about you. I just hope the rest of this venture goes without any more drama." Anita replied. "Thank you for the hospitality. Sorry again about my husband."
"I've dealt with far worse. You can't change everyone's mind in a day."
"(Cheeky.)" Rose thought.
"See you lovelies later~. Preferably in the presence of other...distinguished company." Nabil chimed.
"They're all out of your league, doofus." the girls said back.
The clan left shortly after. "What's that look for, Rose? Still upset?" Rin asked.
"'Can't change everyone's mind in a day'. I know exactly what you're thinking of. Is that what you wish to 'council' Sahir about?"
"Well I can't just intervene like that without his permission. If he wants our brand of help on the matter, I'm all for it."
"Cheeky. So very, very cheeky."
VI. Chariot
"Hmm. Our guests should have been here by now, yes?" Rose asked.
"Maybe we've just been lucky so far with no one getting lost. I'll go check outside. I can wave then down if I see them." Rin replied.
Rin walked outside and peered around. Sure enough, there was activity over at the Mirai residence. "Someone over there talking to Mimi?"
Over on the sidewalk was an orange-haired woman in a gray trenchcoat, holding the hand of a young girl with similar hair and freckles wearing a blue jacket. The woman was waving. "Top of the morning to ya, lass! Classy day today, ain't it?" she said with a Liverpool accent.
On the Mirais' porch was a young woman with brown hair, her braids tied together with alternating black-and-white hairties. One of her eyes was pale, the other black, and her nails and clothing also alternated. This was Aimi Mirai, nicknamed Mimi, a nursing student, Jin's younger sister, and a former Death's Hand agent. She was seated, and was giving a baby milk from a bottle. "Um, I guess. Not really morning, though. More like...early afternoon."
"Ach, same difference. Messed up timezones and all that. Cute babe ya got there. Must've hurt like hell pushin' em out, yeah?"
"I mean, I'd imagine so. My sister-in-law never complained, though. This is my niece."
"Oh, sorry for the mix-up. Guess Ma and Da are out doing the responsibility thing, yeah?"
"Mmhmm. So, are you lost or something?"
"Mum, can I pet the doggo?" the girl asked.
"That okay with you, lass?" the woman asked.
"I guess. Fuba doesn't bite. I only have him leashed up so he doesn't eat the grass."
"Excuse me, Miss?" Rin approached.
"Oh thank God, a distraction." Mimi muttered under her breath.
"Oh, top of the...ahem, early afternoon, missy. I'm taking it that you're Professor Kubo?"
"That would be me."
"Sorry if I kept ya waiting. Suzie here saw the pupper and just couldn't resist stopping to chat. I'm Kenny's auntie Catherine. Cathy if you're feeling nasty."
"I'm not exactly sure if I'm feeling 'nasty', but I won't judge anyone for wanting to boop Fuba. Even if I'm a cat person myself."
"He can hear you, y'know." Mimi chimed in.
"Let's get you situated so we can chat. Thanks for keeping them company, Mimi. Give Rina a cuddle and a kiss for me."
"Yeah, yeah." Mimi said in a tired manner.
Rin returned to the house with her guests. "Bit of a prickly one, that one." Catherine said.
"I know Mimi to be a hypochondriac and a bit of a klutz. She's probably just tired from her night shift." Rin replied.
"Can I take your coat, Madame?" Rose asked.
"Much obliged, darlin'. So, Kenny wasn't joking about his Prof having a special lady friend."
"It's not a problem with you, is it? Just asking since it caused a...bit of a stir with our last visitor." Rin asked. Rose said nothing.
"Lass, I ain't my dipstick brother and his she-devil of a wife. Your business is your business. Kenny was telling me how pleased he was to have a Prof 'like him'. Poor boy's gotten a rough go of it. He must've been a handful when he first came around."
"You could say that. He was so defiant that I had to ask my neighbors for help. They're the older brother and sister-in-law of the girl you just spoke to."
"Oh, did he tell all about that. Said they gave him a right thrashing."
"I saw from the get-go that he had a problem with women in positions of authority, so I figured, why not introduce him to my best friend, the Olympic gold medalist fencer? If she wasn't pregnant at the time, the end result might've been even worse. I'm sorry it had to come to that."
"Ach, the boy needed to learn the hard way. He's always been spiteful with ladies older than him. All because of that wretch of a mother he has. He was even that way with me when I first took him in. Thank the gods I did when I did, though. Kenny might've become a beast if I hadn't."
"Just what kind of lifestyle did his parents put him through?" Rose asked.
"No kind at all, rose bush. They shut him away from the world, took away everything he was interested in, tried to mold him into their own obedient puppet. It was sick to watch. Was a complete nightmare when they found out he was gay. I know people like to say they're 'old-fashioned', but this was the work of barbarians. She'd whip him, you know. 'Do it again until it's perfect.' I can't blame the boy for being so bitter."
"I count myself thankful that my mother was so understanding. I forget that it's not that way for a lot of people. Still, it's commendable that you took him in when you did. Sending him here was another prudent move. His attitude has improved tremendously, and I'm happy to see him following his sculpting passions. He's still a bit of a lone wolf, though. From what I can gather, unless the class is doing something as a group, he'll usually prefer to spend time alone in his room." Rin dictated.
"Baby steps, Prof. It's a lot easier for him to blend into the background when there's more people around. I think he's still trying to figure out how to talk one-on-one. Still, he's oceans ahead of where he was at when I first brought him in. I can be thankful for that much. I've got this one and two older ones to think about already. Knew bringing Kenny in was a gamble, and sending him your way was an even bigger one. But it was a gamble worth taking." 
"As smart a gamble as any, Ms. Catherine." 
"Hanazaki women know much about gambling, don't they..." Rose mused.
"Ahehehehe..." Rin laughed it off.
"By the by, before I head off...the Valkyrie lady that sends him on food errands. That's the same one that lives next door, yeah?" Catherine asked.
"That's our Tenko, yes."
"Sounds like a tough as nails sort, if she won gold for swordfighting. Just the kind I'd want to set Kenny straight."
"I think you'd love her if you met her. She can be a lot to handle, but I couldn't ask for a better best friend."
"Somewhere, Tenko is suffering from a nosebleed and not understanding why..." Rose muttered.
VII. Temperance
"...well, if someone was going to be running late, might as well be the last." Rose said.
"Given who it is, I don't believe she got lost. But I do think I know where she might be. I'll be back in a little while." Rin replied.
Rin left the house, and made the walk over to another neighborhood a couple of streets down. "Now if memory serves, it should be right around here..."
She approached a house that looked much like the others, though it bore signs of not having been maintained for years. Aside from weeds, all that stuck out of the front lawn were pieces of religious paraphernalia. And on this front lawn, there was a woman, staring at the house in silence. She had dark hair tied back, and wore a simple black shirt with images of white lilies on it.
"This place has seen better days, hasn't it?" Rin asked.
"Hmph. I don't know what you mean. The demon that used to live here is gone. The house has never been better." the woman replied.
"Forgive me. I can't even imagine the things you must have gone through in there. I only know what your daughter has told me."
"My...Saku..."
"So you are Hua Baihe, yes?"
"Call me Lily. I don't much like using my old name, or...the name he made me use. Just Lily is fine..." She rubbed her elbows in a nervous manner.
"Do you need some more time?"
"...I hate this place. I hate it! It just represents everything that's gone wrong in my life. I let a demon fill my head with BS and drag me away from home, just to watch him torment my baby for years."
"You were still a child yourself. You can't be blamed for what happened."
"I wasn't a child when I finally left. When I...when I left her there with him. I keep replaying that day in my head over and over again, thinking of what I could've done differently. Instead I've spent the last eight years thinking that I'd left Saku to die. Not even all the booze in the world could drown it out. I never thought I'd come back here after all that."
"But you did."
"But I did."
"Why?"
"Because I love my Saku more than anything. Do you have any kids, Professor?"
"I do."
"So you get that, right? You'd do anything for them, no matter how painful it was for you, right?"
"Without question."
"That's why I have to be here. It's why I quit drinking. Why I'll deal with the urge as long as it lasts. Because Saku needs me, and...I need her. So I...made a decision, after she left. I couldn't stand the idea of being away from her again after so long, so..."
"So?"
"I'm...moving back here."
"Are you sure about this? Your time here wasn't exactly good."
"Sacrifices, Professor. I need to be near my baby. I need to know that she's okay, and she needs to know that I'm okay. I've already gotten a job at a travel agency secured, and I'm looking at housing..."
"I'd imagine this one right here is out of the question."
"No way. There's too much pain in those walls. This could never be home for me or for Saku. If it were my decision, I'd have the place torn down and the dirt exorcized. But I don't even want to think about religion right now. Let someone else walk in with a clean slate. All I want is a clean, new place for me and her. After everything, she deserves to have a place to call home."
"I'm happy that you're putting her welfare first. Having you close by would put her mind at ease. Maybe even get her to loosen up, though that might be asking too much."
"True. Plus, I'll get a first-hand view of this football guy she keeps mentioning. Gotta make sure he's on the up-and-up, you know?"
Rin laughed. "Spoken like a true mother. Don't let me keep you away from her for too long. See you at the festival tonight?"
"Guess I have to. You've met the other kids' parents already, right? Not too crazy, are they?"
"...you'll have to be the judge of that." Rin started back for her house.
"What have I gotten myself into?" Lily scratched her head.
"(I hadn't even thought about that...all those personalities in one place. I hope there isn't too much drama..." Rin nervously thought.