Persona BLEACHED 5: Chapter 7

Persona BLEACHED 5
Chapter 7: Echoes of A New Beginning
August 10, 2036
Kyoto. The Kita residential ward. Early morning.
"Everything buttoned up okay?" Kat asked.
"Worn to perfection, Kitten." Carrie finished helping her adjust her clothing.
"Welp...do I look professional?" Kat wore a pink, long-sleeved blouse, a black skirt and black, knee-high heeled boots.
"I'll put it this way. I have the urge to raise my hand and ask the delightful teacher's assistant a question." Carrie was garbed in a purple dress.
"Ask away, Madame Secretary." Kat responded while mimicking a French accent.
"Are you available for lunch today, at all?" Carrie put her arms around Kat's shoulders.
"I'll have to look at my schedule to make sure. Something tells me I'm gonna have a lot to talk about."
"Positive thoughts." The two kissed. "Let's get going."
Carrie grabbed her own shoes, they both grabbed their bags, and they headed downstairs. In the kitchen, Parvati was eating her breakfast. "Morning, sunshine." Kat greeted.
"Morning, Kitty Kat. You're both looking really pretty today. You heading out?" Parvati asked.
"Yep, on our way to the magical land of higher learning." Kat hugged her. "Good luck today, okay? If you've got any problems, any at all, call me. I'm expecting good things at dinner later."
"I'll try my best. Good luck, guys."
"Love ya, little cuz. See ya soon."
"Au revoir, Ms. Parvati." Carrie bid, and the two women exited the house.
"You think she'll be okay?"
"I'm positive. She went to Tokyo all by herself the other day with no issues. She's trending in the right direction."
"I sure hope so. Sooner she's comfortable being here, the better."
"Good day, ladies." Rose walked up, garbed entirely in blue office-type wear. "Are we prepared for today?"
"You bet, Doc. Man, what a crazy week it's been...Sparky and the Bookster's wedding, Natty opening up shop..."
"Now it's your turn to begin your journey. I know you're going to be fabulous at it." Carrie reassured.
"I've got the same confidence." Rin walked up, wearing a red, button-down blouse with pink sleeves, red pants and ankle boots, along with a pink hairband. "And if for whatever reason you feel stuck, I'll be right there to help you along."
"You have *no* idea how much that makes me feel better. Getting to be your knowledge sponge is gonna help a ton when I start teaching on my own." Kat replied.
"I might have to test that a little down the line." Rin winked. "Alright, ladies, let's get to it. Step into the Kubomobile."
"The 'Kubomobile'? Pffft, gosh, you're such a dork sometimes." 
"'Sometimes'?" Rose questioned.
The four women got into the Kubo clan's vehicle: a blue, relatively new car. "I will be forever shocked that this thing isn't red." Kat commented.
"We had a staring contest to decide whose choice we'd be getting. Even with years of experience in besting Tan..." Rin began.
"None can withstand prolonged exposure to the Stare of Intensity." Rose concluded.
"What an Earth-shattering sight that must have been to witness." Carrie said.
Rin got in the driver's seat, while the other three got in the back. Shizuka, wearing a blue-and-orange school uniform, was in the passengers' seat, staring out the window. "Morning, Shizuka." Kat greeted her.
"...morning." the girl replied.
"I'm working on a new nickname for you. In case you were wondering."
"I wasn't."
"I know when you're lying. I'll make it a cool one, since you're so grown-up and all."
"I've only ever given her one. And it's the one she's keeping, no matter how much she tells me not to." Rin said.
"...because I still like it." Shizuka mumbled.
"What was that, lovebug?"
"Nothing."
The car started up, and pulled out of the driveway.
"May I say something?" Rose spoke up.
"You don't need permission to do that." Rin replied.
"I didn't know if you had something you wished to go over with Ms. Kit. Well then...Shizuka?"
"...yeah?" the girl responded.
"We want you to make your best effort to make friends this year."
"I..."
"Please, Shizuka. I'm saying this not as Dr. Rose Wolfe, the therapist. I'm saying this as your mother who loves you deeply. A girl your age should have more friends. It's okay to open up to other people if you feel you can trust them. We want you to have more friends over than just young Ms. Kagetora and Ms. Hinotama."
"I...don't know how..."
"Be yourself. Your loves are drawing, bugs, and playing the guitar. There are plenty of people who share those interests. But you'll never know unless you let them in."
"She's right, Shizuka. You should have friends independent of the people in this car. I know how much you miss Tokyo and everyone there. But we've been here for four years now. And in that time, the only ones I've seen you interact with are either in this car, or..." Rin paused. She pulled the car over to the side of the road. Then, she put a hand on Shizuka's shoulder. "You miss Momo, don't you?"
The girl tried to avert her eyes, but nodded.
"Me, too. Horribly. She was just a tiny baby when I got her, and she was with me for half of my life. I'm still adjusting to her not being on my lap while I'm reading. And you...this is the first time you're dealing with loss, isn't it?"
"...I'm afraid. I'm afraid of hurting. I wanna have friends, but...I'm afraid of losing them like Momo. It hurts so bad...I don't wanna feel that way." Shizuka uttered.
"It's okay to feel that way, love." Carrie spoke. "Your mothers both understand the pain of loss. So do I. When I was younger than even you, I lost everything. My whole world was shattered. The pain...the heartbreak...that stays with you forever. But as bad as that feeling is, it reminds you of how important every moment is with the ones you love."
"She's right, Shizuka. I know how much you're hurting. But don't let that stop you from getting to know other people. Trust me, I know how short of a leap it is to go from being the quiet lone wolf, to everyone's target. Don't let that happen to you." Kat added.
"We're your family, Shizuka. It doesn't matter that we don't share blood. We love and adore you all the same. And we want what's best for you." Rose continued.
Shizuka tried covering her face to hide her emotions. "...can we go now?"
"Sure, lovebug. Don't want to be late." Rin agreed, feeling that they'd gotten through to her.
They continued their drive, eventually reaching the central administrative ward of Nakagyō. They stopped in front of the entrance to a red-bricked building, the Kyoto Junior Stars Academy. Shizuka grabbed her bag, and opened the door.
"Have a wonderful first day, lovebug." Rin said.
"Remember to be your best self." Rose added.
Shizuka looked around anxiously. "...can you both step out for a sec?"
"Certainly." Rose said.
"Of course." Rin agreed.
The two women stepped out. Shizuka hugged them both at once.
"Oh, this girl breaks me." Kat said, observing.
"That tells me she heard everything." Carrie added.
"Remember everything we've told you. Listen to your instructors, mind your manners, and be your best self." Rose instructed.
"Ms. Carrie will come get you after school and bring you to the Academy. We shouldn't take too long after that. We'll be thinking of you all day." Rin added.
Shizuka let go, picking her bag back up. "Mama Rin, Mama Rose...I love you. I'll try to do good. I promise."
"We love you too, lovebug. Good luck." Rin bid. The two mothers waved, as Shizuka walked towards the school building, waving back.
Rin and Rose got back in the car. "Okay...now that we've gotten our morning cry out of the way, let's keep going." the former said.
"We promise this won't be *every* morning, ladies." Rose assured.
"Hopefully all it took was the one." Kat replied.
Driving a couple of blocks down, the four arrived at the entrance of a quickly growing center of higher education, the Kyoto Rising Stars Academy. Having once been notorious for being strict and regimented under the previous regime led by one of Kirumi's older sisters, the school had significantly eased up in the last four years. The buildings themselves were colored a welcoming red and white.
The car stopped in front of the main administration building. Rose and Carrie got out. Students by the dozen were filing in. "Today shouldn't be too busy, unless there's a sea of repressed stress from the summer." Rose said.
"With teenagers, you never know." Carrie replied. "Good luck to you both."
"Same to you, my brainy secretary. I'm gonna need it." Kat responded.
"You'll be brilliant, my sweet kitten. Take care of her for me, Professor."
"She's safe with me, Carrie. Keep an eye on my dainty rose, if you can." Rin assured.
"If compliments were acorns, this gathering would be a squirrel's banquet. Let us be off, Ms. Blackthorne." Rose urged.
"Best of luck, mon bien-aimé." Carrie followed her inside the building.
"How did I ever get so lucky, Prof?" Kat asked.
"Believe me, I ask myself the same question every morning when I wake up." Rin replied.
She parked the car a short distance away, and the two got out. "Alright, so a few quick reminders. While we're on-campus, I want you to be as professional as possible. So that means calling me 'Professor Kubo' instead of 'Prof' or 'Rin'. I'll be referring to you solely as 'Ms. Kit'." Rin dictated.
"Yes, ma'am." Kat agreed.
"You'll have plenty of opportunities to put that colorful personality of yours on display, but you also have to remember where we are. This is a private institution for the brightest minds in the region. Strive to be as helpful as you can be. You're here for a reason, Ms. Kit. You passed all of your courses with flying colors, but now comes the real deal. I have the utmost faith and confidence in you to succeed. Do you have any questions or concerns before we go inside?"
Kat stood with poise. "No, Professor Kubo. I will perform to the best of my abilities. I hope to reward your belief in me, as well as the belief I have in myself. I'll be a teacher worthy of your example." She let out a breath. "...was that professional-sounding enough?"
"Flawless, as I've come to expect. One more thing. From here on, we'll be colleagues, rather than teacher and student. I'll be treating you as such, with all the respect it entails. I expect you to conduct yourself accordingly."
"I have one objection to that, Professor."
"What would that be?"
"You'll always be my teacher. I'll never stop learning from you. I am who I am because of you. So I'm not ready to close the notebook just yet. Ma'am."
"Heh, of course. How could I forget. Let's get going..."
"One more thing really quick, Professor?"
"Sure, what is it?"
Kat took out her phone. "Can you take a picture of me? It's for my mom. I promised her I'd send her one of my first day."
"Oh, of course. I'm sure Ms. Joon and everyone back home will appreciate it."
"Trust me, they could use some good vibes."
Rin took the phone, Kat posed, and the picture was taken. "Thank you, Professor."
"You're welcome. Now let's head inside."
"Yes, ma'am." Kat sent the photo to her mother, then followed after Rin.
---
Over a thousand kilometers away in Seoul, a woman with dark hair, glasses, and business attire started towards the door of the apartment she was in. "Your father should be here in about an hour, Lin. You'll be alright until then?"
Lin, meanwhile, was next to a crib, giving a baby in a pink onesie a bottle of milk. Another baby in a matching blue onesie was laying down in the crib. "I'll live. Hyun's gonna be by for lunch, so Pops doesn't have to stay the whole time."
"If you're sure."
"You don't gotta worry, Mom. I'm over the shock. We've gotten it to a routine. I'm good, really. There, all done. Now it's your brother's turn..." Lin sat the baby down in the crib, then picked the other one up.
"Well, I'll still be by when school is finished. I'll be checking--" Joon got a notification on her phone. "That's probably your father forgetting his keys again..." She looked. "Oh, my word. Lin, come look. Your sister just sent me this."
Lin walked over and saw the picture, with the caption "First day! Thinking of everybody! Love you lots 🩷🖤"
"Aww, look at your little mini-me. She's gonna do you proud, you know. She's too stubborn not to."
"There's not a doubt in my mind."
"Don't forget to let her know that."
"I was going to."
As Lin returned her attention to her baby, Joon typed and sent her response.
---
As she followed Rin through the well-maintained campus, Kat received a text.
"Perfectly put together as always, kitten. Your parents and sister send our love and we couldn't be prouder. Good luck. I expect great things. 🖤 Love, Mom."
That put a smile on her face.
"Ooooh, I thought the atmosphere felt brighter! Good morning, Rin-chan!" a woman's voice called out.
"Good morning, Dr. Yuki. Out for your daily constitutional?" Rin stopped to ask.
The woman she was speaking to was older, with long, graying hair, a set of spiral-patterned glasses adorning the top of it. She wore a blue uniform, the top two buttons undone to reveal a white shirt beneath. This was Dr. Shirone Yuki, the Academy headmistress. "Well I wasn't staying cooped up in my office today of all days. Nothing brightens up the old educator's day quite like seeing smiles on new students' faces. And if they aren't smiling, well, that's why we have Dr. Wolfe on board, isn't it? I know she's good at making you smile, Professor." She winked.
"Ahaha, yes, you're quite right about that."
"And hello to you, young Ms. Kit! Finally ready to get your feet wet?"
"Yes, ma'am. There's no better way than to learn on the job, and there's no better teacher than Professor Kubo." Kat replied.
"I see your Professor's habit of singing people's praises has rubbed off on you. You'll be just fine. Now if you ladies excuse me, there's some freshmen with questions that I'm absolutely *dying* to answer. Happy teachiiiiing!" The headmistress seemed to fly off.
"In case you're wondering, yes, this *is* how she is all the time. Has been since she was my headmistress." Rin said. "Alright, let's go meet our charges."
The two women went up to the fourth floor of the main building, to room 4-017. "Let's see if anyone's home." Rin knocked on the door.
It opened. "Professor. Ms. Kit. Hello." Standing there was a woman, with distinctive long, silver hair, and icy blue eyes. She wore a blue military-style uniform, the jacket made to look like a long fur coat, along with dark pants, boots, and gloves. On the back of the jacket was an image of a wolf's face, with 'P.D.F.' written across it.
"Hello, Judge O'Donnell. Glad to see you made it safely." 
Judge Barbara O'Donnell, nicknamed Bobbi, was the twin sister of Defense Force Commander Max O'Donnell, and the New York branch's highest-ranking arbiter. In sharp contrast to her younger counterpart, this Barbara was also a feared combatant, known as 'the Ice Queen' both for her power set and her chilled demeanor. "I've made the trip enough times to know what to expect."
"Is it safe to step out looking like that?" Kat asked.
Bobbi presented a small device. "Relax. Cloaking tech. To everyone walking down the halls, I look like a janitor."
"Is everyone accounted for?" Rin asked.
"All of them are inside. Power dampeners have been applied, along with cloaking tech where needed. Their background info has been taken care of when it comes to documentation. Now, before we step in...protocol requires me to remind you of what's at play here."
"Inside of that room are five youths from our world that the Defense Force have deemed to be at heightened risk of becoming threats, along with one from your world added by Dr. Wolfe's request. Your duty, as you have agreed to, is to prevent them from falling into dangerous habits. You've been selected for this task due to your reputations for keeping others on a proper path, and for being largely divorced from the issues that brought them to our attention. Approach them from an unbiased point of view. Work with them and try to understand why they are where they are. With all that being said, do you understand what is being asked of you?"
"Yes, Your Honor. We'll keep them on the right track. I've made a career out of it. Any hesitation, Ms. Kit?" Rin responded.
Kat took a deep breath. "None, Professor. I'm ready for anything."
"Good answer. Come inside and let's get this started." Bobbi directed.
"(Here we go, So-yin. This is what you've been preparing for. Time to be great.)" Kat thought as she entered.
Inside the classroom, six youths were seated--three boys and three girls, all of them sitting apart from each other and looking different measures of nervous or unbothered. All were garbed in the standard black Academy uniforms. Six P.D.F. agents in blue armored uniforms stood guard around the room.
"Ladies and gentlemen. Allow me to introduce your homeroom instructors and supervisors for the foreseeable future. Professor Ringo Kubo and her assistant, Ms. Kit So-yin. You are to give them the utmost respect, or there will be problems. And not from me." Bobbi instructed.
"Hello, all. It's wonderful to meet you. I'm Professor Kubo." Rin introduced herself.
"And you can call me Ms. Kit. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone." Kat added.
One girl raised her hand. "Lovely to meet you both! I am so looking forward to learning *so* much in my time here!" She had ashen blonde hair, and spoke with a Mid-Atlantic accent, a polite smile on her face.
"Do *not* get started, missy. If you're trying to be two-faced, it won't be working. Ms. Kit is skilled at detecting deception." Bobbi chastised.
The girl dropped the act and puffed her cheeks. "...tyrant."
"Heh." Another girl, tall, with long, red hair tied back, chuckled.
"Now, if nobody else feels like interrupting, let's go through rollcall. Ms. Kit, if you would?" Bobbi handed Kat a sheet.
"Yes, ma'am. First on the list...Cobalt?" Kat called out.
A nervous-looking, tan-skinned boy raised his hand. "M-Me, ma'am."
Bobbi's voice echoed through Kat's mind, from when the judge first went over the students' profiles.
"(Cobalt. Species: Lemurian. Measures have been taken to hide the glowing markings typical of the island. Needn't draw attention to why a boy his age would have tattoos, especially here where those are more closely associated with organized crime. His father was part of the extremist sect loyal to Princess Calypso, the former Wolfpack general who I personally saw to dispatching. He's intelligent, but skittish. He claims not to share his father's beliefs and only wishes to serve the royal family, but I'm hesitant to believe him at face value.)"
"Eyes up front, Cobalt. Averting your gaze is disrespectful." Bobbi ordered in present day.
"Y-Yes, Queen Barbara, sorry, I mean--" Cobalt stuttered.
Bobbi glared at him. "What did I say about calling me that outside Lemuria's borders?"
"Y-Yes, Que--Your Honor. My apologies. Ma'am."
Bobbi's annoyance stemmed from her other position: she was married to Elpizo, the ruling king of Lemuria, an island of aquatic mages dedicated to oceanic study, and mother to its crown princess, Candice. It had taken several years for Elpizo to finally convince her to join him, but even then, the title of 'Queen' was an uncomfortable one for her. "Please continue before I pop a blood vessel."
"Right..." Kat proceeded. "Next is...Nu-wa?"
"Pfeh." The tall red-haired girl raised her hand. "Does this satisfy your militaristic desires?"
"(Nu-wa. Species: Wyvern. Measures have been taken to conceal her eyes' usual reptilian appearance. The first member of her species to be found since Commander Genbu and his family over a century ago. She came to our attention when she ambushed Genbu during a festival in our Kyoto, saying she would avenge her father. DNA analysis after her capture revealed her to be the offspring of the former wyvern emperor and Wolfpack general, Zhenlong. Both Genbu and Suzaku insist this should be impossible. Every one of his children supposedly died centuries ago, and her flippant attitude has made getting an explanation difficult. Good luck, is what I'm getting at.)"
"Well, are you satisfied? Do you want me to curtsy? Bow to your supposed might?"
"There'll be no need for that. This is a classroom, not a gladiator arena." Kat replied.
"There's more to learn in live combat than stuck at a desk wearing dainty costume. Why must I be beholden to such a farce as--"
Kat suddenly appeared sitting on Nu-wa's desk, arms crossed and looking right at her. "Are we going to be having problems?"
"--?! When did you..."
The other students all looked just as stunned. None of them had seen her move.
"Let's make one thing straight: neither me nor Professor Kubo are intimidated. At all. The things we've faced already are more than anything you could possibly come up with. So I would suggest canning the attitude and doing away with any thought you might be having about picking a fight with either of us. Because I guarantee..." Kat raised her right index finger. "...I'd only need the one digit to beat you."
"Grrr..." The wyvern girl's aggression quickly faltered. She could sense this was not a winnable position.
"But I'd really rather not. I actually like this outfit and I'm not due for a nail appointment for a while. I'd hate to mess either up." Kat hopped off the desk and walked back up front.
"Heh." the ashen blonde-haired girl mockingly uttered.
"Your Number Two has a spine, Professor. I don't know many who'd look a wyvern in the eye and dare them to try something." Bobbi whispered.
"I learned a long time ago that Kit So-yin is unshakeable. There won't be much that scares her." Rin whispered back.
"Moving on..." Kat went back to the list. "Serena...Southgate?"
A girl with short, red hair, freckles and an emotionless expression raised her hand. "Yes." She spoke with a Welsh accent.
"(Serena Southgate. Species: Enhanced Human. I'll address the elephant in the room in regards to her surname: she is our Ken Southgate's daughter. Her mother is unknown, and frankly you can say that about nearly everything about her. Ken kept her existence a secret, supposedly to avoid any potential contact with his brother Ezekiel, the Wolfpack's former second. She has all the hallmarks of a trained assassin, right down to her speech patterns: she only speaks when spoken to, and the only responses we've been able to get out of her are 'Yes', 'No', or 'It's a lovely morning/day/night'. If you're able to get her to say anything else, I'd consider it a minor miracle.)"
"You can put your hand down now, Ms. Southgate." Kat said. "(That is gonna be real weird to say.)" she thought.
Serena did so, wordlessly and with no change in expression.
"Is this chick some kinda robot?" a boy with dark skin and short black hair muttered to himself.
"Next we have..." Kat continued, "Taylor Ralfsson?"
The ashen blonde girl cheerfully raised her hand. "At your service, Ms. Kit~!"
"(Taylor Ralfsson. Species: Witch. You recall Harold Dystergaard, yes? The leader of the Brotherhood of Loki mage cult who killed Emily's mother and aided the Wolfpack invasion four years ago. Taylor is his granddaughter. Emily caught her while on an outing with her girls. Taylor tried to attack her in broad daylight, which I needn't tell you, did not end well for her. She may seem sweet and pleasant at first, but don't let her fool you. 'Vindictive and manipulative' are the words I'd use. Keep an eye on how she interacts with the boys, especially. Oh, and one other thing...her mother is--)"
"May I just say, that is a lovely shade of pink you have, well, everywhere, Ms. Kit. Is that your natural eye color?" Taylor asked.
"Don't make me repeat myself, little girl." Bobbi sternly reminded.
"It's okay, Your Honor, it's just a question. Yes, this is my actual eye color. It runs in my dad's side of the family." Kat replied.
"Lovely and polite, a winning combination if ever there was one! Some people could learn a--" Taylor responded.
"Shoot a look my way, and you're walking out of here an icicle." Bobbi warned.
"(Vindictive or not, it's better to build a good rapport early. Make it clear what your boundaries are, but also that you're not a heartless drill sergeant here to make them miserable. You're doing good, Kat.)" Rin thought.
"If we could keep it civil in here, I'd like to continue." Kat spoke up. "Todd Dangerfield?"
A boy with his head covered by a hoodie, looking down at the desk, slowly raised his hand, saying nothing.
"(Todd Dangerfield. Species: Enhanced Human. He was picked up on a misdemeanor assault charge in Chicago. That sort of thing normally wouldn't get our attention in New York. But the Chicago-Great Lakes branch ran his DNA through our global network, and, well...let's just say we had to intervene. We're fortunate that we found him first before any other parties did. By all accounts he's a good kid, just hasn't gotten the best lot in life. He's another one that hasn't opened up at all. First order of business is getting him to stop covering his face.)"
"(I won't press too hard on that last point yet. He'll open up when he's ready.)" Kat thought. "And lastly, we have...Devon Ironside?"
"Uh, yup, that's me." The African-American young man raised his hand.
"(Devon Ironside. Species: Human...and something else. Unlike the others, he's from your world. Your Dr. Wolfe recommended that he participate in this because he's at just as high of a risk of falling down the wrong path. From what I've gathered, his mother is a highly respected attorney in Philadelphia. He's largely stayed out of trouble, until an incident a few months back. A gang jumped him, and he defended himself with...an odd display of power. I'm still hazy on the details, honestly. Dr. Wolfe knows a lot more than she's willing to disclose. Be gentle with this kid. Finding out about all these different things at once will be a lot to process.)"
"Um, so like...is this like juvie? The ankle monitors, the, um..." Devon looked up at one of the armored guards. "...security. Is this gonna be all the time?"
"The guards are going back with me. The monitors are power suppressants. People in this world aren't as aware of the supernatural as they are on ours. The number of enhanced individuals is in the double digits. This is being done as a precaution. If they begin to malfunction in any way, you are to report it to Professor Kubo or Ms. Kit immediately. Failure to do so will bring consequences." Bobbi responded.
"I think we should make it clear that this isn't a punishment. You won't be restricted from leaving school grounds. You're free to come and go at your leisure. We want this to be as normal of a high school experience as it can be. Every precaution is for the safety of you and everyone else." Rin added.
"'Normal', how quaint!" Nu-wa scoffed.
"Oh, here she goes again." Devon mumbled.
"Exactly what is so normal about me hiding my true nature in order to avoid spooking the hairless apes? I am Wyvern. Scion of the Immortal Dragon King Zhenlong. People *should* fear me. Does the lion wear a mask so as not to frighten the antelope? Is there anyone in this room who is here of their own volition, purely to lie about themselves?"
"Sweetheart *really* must want to have her rear end kicked." Taylor snickered to herself.
"Y-You really shouldn't be provoking anything, do you know wha--" Cobalt spoke up.
"Wha-wha-wha, speak up, you stuttering fool! This entire charade is beneath me. I won't be beholden to lesser beings such as--" Nu-wa began to get up.
Before Kat could intervene, someone else burst from their seat.
Todd was standing, clutching his chair. His knuckles were wrapped in white bandages.
The others showed signs of fear, save for Serena, who remained stoic. 
"What are you--" Nu-wa looked at Todd with some trepidation. He glared back at her, his eyes a dark hazel shade.
"Are you in a hurry to go to jail?" he questioned. "Or maybe you really want these people to beat you to a pulp?"
"What makes you think--?"
"Don't you know who these people are? They're the reason there isn't a Wolfpack anymore. Us here...we're the Wolfpack's miserable leftovers. Our options are either go home and probably end up in jail, or worse, or this. You're so full of yourself that you can't see the gift you're being given. Maybe drop the aggro act and quit trying to pick a fight with people ten times stronger than you *when* your powers are working."
"You little...who do you think you are, talking to me like that?!"
"Who am I...?"
Todd took off the hood. His hair was messy--and silver. "You take a look at this and you tell me."
"....." Nu-wa relented.
Todd sat back down. "Sorry for the interruption."
"Mama, I'm in a madhouse." Devon mumbled.
"That hair, that hair, oh, oh, we're all going to die..." Cobalt panicked.
Kat took a hard step with her boot. Everyone's attention turned to her.
"This is not juvie. This is not a punishment. You're not being held hostage. What this is, is a second chance. You all were put in a bad spot. What the Defense Force did in bringing you here is making sure that you have an opportunity to get out of it. I know what an olive branch can do for someone's life. Seeing it and personally experiencing it. Before coming to school here, I was a pickpocket. My options were either intervention away from home, or jail time. I took the former. Today's my first day teaching alongside the woman who saved me. Give us a chance to help you the same way. If anyone still thinks they'd be better off taking their chances out there, just say the word."
"....." The students remained silent.
"Everyone cool? Even you, grouchy?"
"...I'm abstaining from speaking further." Nu-wa declined.
"Cool. Glad to hear it."
"Is that all from you, Your Honor?" Rin asked.
"I think you two have it under control now. I'll be checking in at the end of every month." Bobbi returned attention to the class. "Give them your respect. Same with everyone else here. When I return in a few weeks, I expect to hear good things about your progress. That is all. Let's go, gentlemen." 
A blue portal opened, and she and the agents all entered it. Then, it closed.
"That chick is *scary*." Devon uttered.
"Tyranny must run in the family." Taylor quipped.
"....." Todd grumbled.
"(Yeah...we've got our work cut out for us, Prof.)" Kat thought.
---
Lunchtime arrived. Most of the student body were outside, eating their meals across the campus' serene backdrop.
"Anyone got any saltwater? Just a little they can spare?" Cobalt walked around asking people. "Know any beaches around here?"
"Lay off, weirdo." one male student dismissed him.
"I'll settle for an estuary!"
Elsewhere, Serena sat under a tree, eating, staring forward...
"...honestly it's the only shampoo brand I can recommend, I need to keep my hair as luxurious as possible, and no other brand gives me the same texture. Hopefully it exists in this universe, or I'm going to be so cross..."
...and tuning out Taylor as she talked at her.
Atop one of the buildings, Nu-wa was alone, sitting with her eyes closed in a meditative state. She let out a breath ".....at least the wind is the same here."
Down below, Devon sat on a bench, looking pensive. "....."
"Hey. Devon, right?" 
He looked up. Todd, with his hood back over his head, was standing there. 
"This seat taken?"
"Oh, uh, nah, you're good. I can't make friends that quick." Devon replied. "Todd, right? Danger man, or--"
"Dangerfield." Todd sat down. "...you've looked wide-eyed since this morning."
"Can you blame me, man?! This whole thing is crazy!"
"Lower your voice."
"Sorry, sorry. How else am I gonna act? Four months ago, I was just a normal kid in Philly. Now here I am hearing about other worlds, and magic, and witches, and it's nuts! That scary red-haired girl said she was a dragon! Like an actual, firebreathing--" Devon mimicked the act of breathing fire. "...I thought moving to Japan would be the hardest part, man."
"Can't say I don't get the feeling. You probably have a million questions."
"Yeah, probably closer to a billion. Guess I'll start with...who were those people with the armor? And what's a 'Wolfpack'?"
"That lady and the armor people are with the Planetary Defense Force. They're a global security team that, well, defends the planet. The Wolfpack are...were...a gang that terrorized our world for decades. I called us the Wolfpack's leftovers because every one of us is related to someone who worked for or with them."
"But they're not around anymore, yeah?"
"Not like how they used to be. They invaded this world four years ago. The P.D.F. helped the people here to fight back. Most of the Wolfpack was wiped out."
"You'd think I would've heard about a big fight like that."
"They've got ways of cloaking these things, from what I hear. I don't know all the details. All I know is that since then, outside of a couple of losers that escaped prison, they're toast. Hopefully it stays that way..."
Devon looked at Todd's bandages. "So, uh...you get into a lot of fights, or..."
"Oh, no...this is from training. I do boxing."
"Oh, cool. So like Rocky."
"They have Rocky here?"
"Heck yeah, they have Rocky here. I'm from Philly, I pass by The Steps every day."
"Please tell me you have pics, that movie changed my life..."
While the boys bantered, inside the faculty break room, Kat and Rin sat along with Rose and Carrie.
"Well, I suppose a near-fight was to be expected, given the history involved here." Rose said.
"Kat had it all under control. She held herself perfectly and made it clear that we wouldn't tolerate that kind of behavior lightly. There won't be any disruptions like that, I don't believe." Rin replied.
"Not surprising. My kitten doesn't suffer that sort of behavior. But I'm so glad to hear that you held your own." Carrie said.
"I won't lie, I was wondering the whole time if I was doing the right thing. I kept waiting for Prof to--for Professor Kubo to--" Kat corrected herself.
"We're on break, Kat, you can let your hair down a bit." Rin assured. "I would've stepped in if I felt like I needed to. But you said and did everything correctly. If there was one thing to critique, it's that you were a little too willing to engage with Nu-wa in a fight. Some might perceive that as an open challenge."
"Yeah, fair enough. With that kind of personality, you need to let them know you're not intimidated. Most of the time, they're all talk anyway. But I'll put that in my notes. Anyway, how's your day going so far, Care?"
"Nothing to complain about. It's very serene in the office, and the appointment process is fairly straightforward. I'm sure it'll be much busier as the year goes along, but for now it's been very manageable." Carrie replied. "Of course, you can say the same, Dr. Wolfe."
"To my utter surprise, I haven't had any students come through my office just yet. The 'summer of stresses' must have occurred elsewhere. It's been so quiet that I had time to step out and have tea with Ms. Blackthorne." Rose described.
"Give it a week. Once the breakups start happening, then you'll start seeing an uptick in business." Kat replied.
"Consider it practice for exam week." Carrie added.
"By that point, I think *everyone* is going to be needing sessions." Rin said.
Kat got an alert on her phone. It was a text from Parvati. "Hey. Just got back from class"
"Awesome!! How'd it go? You get home and back ok?"
"Yeah. No problems. I'll tell you more later."
The next part of the message caused Kat to get out from her seat.
"Is something wrong, Kitten?" Carrie asked.
"N-No, everything's fine, Parvie just sent me a scary meme. Give me a second..." Kat walked to the corner.
"Since when does she get scared of meme pictures...?" Rin questioned.
The rest of Parvati's message went as followed: "There's a package here for you from...somewhere. Want me to put it in your room"
It was accompanied by an image of a small box. The sender was listed as 'Melinda Giraud-Cartiér', with an address in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
"PUT IT SOMEWHERE SAFE IT'S TOP SECRET" was Kat's response.
"Ok"
She put her phone away, putting her hands over her heart and doing a little jump. "(Thank you, Aunt Melly.)" she thought.
She returned to the desk. "Sorry about that. It was too spooky for mortal eyes to see. I'll get her back later."
"O...kay." Rin responded, sensing that Kat was hiding something.
"So, uh, Care..."
"Yes, Kitten?" Carrie replied.
"I think we could totally go for some unwinding after today. That flower garden you took Parvie to...is it open Mondays?"
"I believe so, but I believe their last entrant is at 4, so we most likely wouldn't make it."
"O-Oh, okay...might have to try for the weekend, then..."
"Why don't you two come over for dinner at our house?" Rin proposed.
"I'm all for that. A celebratory measure for a first day well-done." Rose agreed.
"That would be wonderful! I'm sure Parvati would like to be included, as well." Carrie suggested.
As the three spoke, Kat was in deep thought. "(Okay, Prof's house, that works. Witnesses are better. And it's basically a flower garden anyway, ugggh, dummy, you should've thought of it fiiiiirst! I mean, my first thought was the lake, but it's too far off--)"
The school bell rang. "Hmm, time flies when it involves food. Let's be off, Ms. Blackthorne." Rose said.
"Very well, then. Good luck with the rest of your day, you two!" Carrie bid as the two packed up and left.
"You, too, ladies!" Rin replied.
"W-Well, here's hoping our charges don't swallow their other teachers whole, off to the world of literature--" Kat got up. Rin put her hand on her shoulder to stop her.
"Ms. Kit."
"Uh...yes, Professor?"
"I know you well enough to know that a single meme picture isn't enough to frighten you. What's going on inside that brain?"
Kat gulped. "...permission to speak unprofessional-like for a minute?"
"If you're more comfortable doing so."
"As my teacher...as my mentor...as someone I trust more than I trust a lot of people...I need you to know that..." Kat's cheeks turned pink. "I'm about to do something crazy...and I need your help."
---
Later that afternoon, Parvati sat in the living room of her home, watching TV. The door opened. 
"Good afternoon, college girl~." Carrie entered, taking off her shoes at the mat.
"Hi, guys. Was today good?" Parvati asked.
"It was wonderful. Your cousin got Professor Kubo's stamp of approval. She'll be teaching her own classes in no time!"
Kat entered. "Why don't we get through Week One before talking about flying solo..." She unzipped her boots and took them off.
"I'm going to hop in the shower first, love. Want me to take your change of clothes out?"
"Yeah, I'm gonna go with the black dress with the pink sash. Please and thank you."
"Of course, mon petit chatte~. I won't take long." Carrie went upstairs.
Kat waited for the sound of her entering their room, before running over to Parvati. "Where is the quarry?"
"The.. the wha...?" her cousin uttered.
"The box! I need it yesterday! Where'd you hide it?"
"Oh, I hid it in the pantry. Behind the crackers."
"It's gotta be more discreet than that, what if she really wanted crackers?! Would she really ignore the box with her aunt's name on it?" Kat ran and grabbed the package.
"Calm down! What's even in that box, anyway?"
Kat cut the box open, and looked inside. "I swear, if it's missing..." She let out a sigh when she confirmed the contents were secure.
Parvati looked, and gasped. "So...So-yin, is that what I think it is?!"
"Yes, yes, it's what you think it is!" 
"Kitten?" Carrie called out.
Kat scrambled and hid the box underneath the table. "Yeah?"
"It looks like my loofah is on its last legs. Would you mind if I used yours until I can get a new one?"
"Yeah, of course. What's mine is yours, and all that."
"Merci~."
Kat heard the bathroom door close. "We're having dinner at Prof's house. Get changed and look nice because this thing I've got here? I'm not waiting to use it. It's happening tonight."
"TONIGHT?!" Parvati exclaimed.
"Shush!"
"Sorry, sorry. Oh, this is not how I thought today would go. Let me get my nicest wear. I hope you've got this planned out, Kitty Kat..." Parvati left for her room.
"I've got it all figured out." Kat assured. "(Is what I wish I could say.)"
---
A short while later, now in more formal dinnerwear, the three women knocked on the door of the Kubo home.
Rose opened the door. "Welcome to our humble abode, ladies. Everything is set up in the back."
"Oh, dinner by moonlight, how mystical~." Carrie chimed. The women entered.
"A word, Ms. Kit?" Rose stopped Kat.
"Yeah?" Kat replied back.
"I hope the ambiance will be to your liking. It may not be Lake Shirayuki, but our backyard is delicately maintained. It should suffice in terms of atmosphere."
"I can't thank you and Prof enough. I know this was super last-minute. But I've been sitting on this for way too long, and...I can't wait anymore. I..."
Rose took Kat's hand, which was shaking. "Your nerves are as heightened as I imagined they'd be. Let me help." A blue glow emanated from Rose's hand. "Better?"
"...yeah. I'm good. Totally."
"I have no shortage of teas here if you need it. Including your uncle's brand."
"I couldn't ask for anything more right now."
"I'll brew some up. I'll see you in the back. Good luck."
Kat went outside. The Kubo clan's backyard was a perfectly maintained flower garden, with its occupants carefully selected so as to attract different kinds of butterflies. A table had been set up, and the others were already seated. Kat sat down next to Carrie.
"Are you alright? Did Dr. Wolfe need something?" the latter asked.
"She just wanted to know what kind of tea I was having. And absolutely nothing else. Hehe..." Kat nervously laughed.
"That's a fake laugh." Shizuka commented.
"Is not!"
"Totally fake. You're hiding something."
"Um..." Rin took hold of Shizuka. "Why don't we go see if Rose has anything she needs help with?"
"I don't think she forgot how to make tea..."
"Do it or you're grounded."
"Ugh, fine." Shizuka got up and walked back inside. Rin did the same, giving Kat a reassuring look beforehand.
"I'm, uh...gonna go...do some Parvie stuff." Parvati also got up and went inside.
"'Parvie stuff'?" Carrie questioned.
"(Really couldn't come up with a better excuse than that?)" Kat thought.
With that, the two were alone. Kat fidgeted in her seat, trying to come up with anything to get a conversation going. 
Carrie looked up at the night sky. "The stars are out, the moon is radiant...it couldn't be a more perfect night for an outdoor meal."
"Yeah...it was on a night like this, wasn't it? When we had our first dance, I mean."
"Oh, yes. Almost seven years ago, if memory serves."
"Yep. Glad that we're both keeping track. I still have my dress from that night in my room in Seoul."
"Mine is still in Monte Carlo, perfectly preserved. The first night of many a beautiful one."
"Yeah...lots of good, lots of crazy...a lot more crazy than I'd like. Honestly, I wish we could've gone to the lake tonight to celebrate. That place has a lot of special memories."
"Indeed it does. Although I can imagine Ms. Hana might not like so much noise this late in the night."
"That lady *loves* noise, though. She's probably the most nightlife-loving grandma I've ever known. She's probably out at a club playing guitar right now."
"Hehe, on a Monday night?"
"I said what I said."
Then came the silence.
"...Kitten?"
"Yeah?"
"They're all taking quite a long time getting back out here."
"Yeah...weird. Must be a big batch of tea."
"Perhaps. Or..." Carrie turned to Kat. "Perhaps...they wanted us to be alone out here."
Kat froze up. A bead of sweat appeared on the side of her face. "W-Why would they want us alone? That'd be totally weirdo...they're probably just making an extra big batch of--"
Carrie leaned in closer. Kat, cheeks heating up, tried to move back. Her hand instinctively moved towards her bag. Carrie noticed, then returned her gaze towards her girlfriend. "I know when you're hiding something from me."
"I-I-I'm not hiding anything!"
"You've been acting strangely since we left school. Almost like you're fishing for anything to talk about. You're sweating, and turning redder with every passing second."
Carrie put her hands on her lover's knees. "Talk to me. What's tormenting that special mind?"
"My...my mind's not special. Not compared to yours. If it was...I wouldn't be bundling this right now. I've rehearsed this so many times, and here I am, fumbling over my words."
"Rehearsing?"
"I..." 
Kat tried to stand up. "I need a minute--"
Carrie brought her back to her seat. 
"....." This was becoming more than what Kit So-yin could handle. She could barely look her true love in the eye. It was almost torturous.
"This is unusual, even for whenever you're trying to hide something from me. Why can't you say what's on your mind?"
"Because..."
Carrie brushed the side of Kat's face. "Talk to me. Get it off your chest. Please, this is getting concerning."
"...I love you."
"Is that all? I love you, too."
"No, I mean I...really, really, *really* love you. I love you more than anything else in the world. Every inch of me is screaming your name right now. It...feels like I'm sinking into a bottomless pool. And every drop of water's filled with one thing. Six letters, two syllables. My heart is speeding up, and..."
Concern evident, Carrie put her arms around Kat's shoulders in a warm embrace. "...do you need me to call a hospital?"
"No...no. If anything, call the cops."
"Why?"
"I had something stolen."
"Stolen?"
"Yeah..." Kat reached for her bag. "My heart."
She took out a small, white box. Carrie gasped. "Oh my God."
"Caroline Hilda Blackthorne..."
"OH MY GOD."
"I know you wanted to wait until we were both totally finished with school, but...I can't wait any longer."
Kat dropped to one knee. Carrie put her hands over her mouth. "K-Kitten, I..." Now it was her turn to become flustered.
"This last month and change has been a whirlwind. I moved. Again. I became an auntie. I started my dream job. I watched one of my best friends start *her* dream job. I stood with another of my best friends as he married the love of his life, and it dawned on me that...life comes at you fast. A lot happens in a short amount of time. And all the time I've got left, I want it to be with you. I asked Sparky when we went to the zoo, about when he knew the time was right to ask Bookie to marry him. And he said, 'When I stopped framing it as 'Do I deserve to be happy', and started framing it as 'Does she deserve to be happy'. After that, it was easy.' You deserve to be happy, Care. With everything you've gone through, you deserve it more than anyone."
Carrie's hands shook. Tears began forming.
"You've taught me what it means to be kind. To love. To keep going no matter how hard it gets. You're as strong as a diamond, and ten times as beautiful. I feel like I can be me when I'm around you. I want to make you as happy as you've made me."
"You do, my dear, sweet, beloved Kitten, you do. I've watched you grow from a recovering, remorseful pickpocket to the beautiful, kind, big-hearted woman here before me. When we first danced, you said that I could have anyone in the world. I could only have ever had you, my most precious love! This heart of mine beats for one person, and I'm looking into her perfect, pink eyes, knowing that she's waiting for her answer."
"Before you do, I want you to see what's in this box."
Kat opened the box. Carrie gasped again when she saw what was in it: a ring with a purple gemstone. "That ring...is that..."
"Call it an assist from your auntie. When I called her up and asked her if it was okay to do this, she told me she already had a ring in mind."
"This is...this is my mother's ring! She never took it off from the time she married my father to the day they died...I thought it was lost...and Aunt Melly had it all along..."
"She told me she intended to give it to you someday, but she felt like it would be more meaningful if I did the honors."
Hands still shaking, Carrie held the box as tears streamed down her face. "This...is the happiest day of my life. Seeing this ring again...and you being the one to give it to me...my heart has never been more full...I don't know what to say..."
"SAY YES! SAY YEEEEES!"
Both women turned to see Shizuka looking at them through the patio door. Rin and Rose were with her. Parvati was filming the whole thing. 
"Why do grown-ups have to make everything so complicated?! Just say yes already!" Shizuka demanded.
"You couldn't be more tactful, Shizuka?" Rose asked, as Rin wiped away a tear.
Carrie, wiping away her own tears, burst into laughter. Kat quickly followed.
"Ahahaha...it's only fitting, isn't it..." Carrie uttered.
"Welp, guess I can give her what she wants." Kat presented the ring again. "So, with all that said, Care...will you...will you marry me?"
Carrie nodded, contentment in her expression. "Yes, Kitten. Of course I will. Nothing would make me happier."
"Really?! Yeeeeees!" Kat leapt up. "Let me do this before I faint..."
She gently placed the ring on Carrie's finger. She gave it a long look. "Thank you for this gift, Aunt Melly..."
"You all are going to be the emotional end of me!" Rin exited with the others. "Congratulations, you two. I'm honored that you would do it in my backyard. I thought you'd figured out all the ways to make me cry, and here you go with another one."
"How do you think I feel?! I thought I was gonna pass out!" Kat replied.
"You kinda put it on yourself. Oh, by the way, I've already sent the vid to my mom. Which means you should expect a call from your mom in a couple minutes..." Parvati said.
"Yeah, my phone's probably gonna be blowing up for the next couple days, at least..."
"I'll be calling Aunt Melly when I have the first opportunity. But in the meantime..." Carrie took Kat by the hand. "...why don't we have ourselves a wonderful dinner?"
"Yeah. Life-changing questions work up the appetite. We got the grub ready, Doc?"
"I'll go get it now. I'm expecting a much livelier dinner discussion now. Do excuse me." Rose went back inside.
"What an exciting beginning to the school year, wouldn't you agree?" Rin asked.
"It can only go downhill from here." Kat replied.
"I wouldn't say that. Every passing day is another day closer to standing with you at the altar." Carrie retorted.
"Guess I can't have a bad day with you around." Kat put her head on her beloved's shoulder. "I can't wait to spend eternity with you."
"Here's to the future."
Under the stars, the glow of the moon reflecting off of that beautiful, amethyst ring, the two passionately kissed. It was a day they would not soon forget--the day that their lives truly began.