"Its your turn Steph."
Steph narrowed her eyes, gazing at the cards in her hand. After a quick meet and greet, Steph introduced Ren to Hazel, Ruby, Emerald, and Sapphire. Unable to decide on what to do the group decided on a game of Uno. Steph now lay a red 8 in the pile. "Your turn Hazel."
"So Ren," Hazel asked, as she changed the color with a blue 8. "What brings you here all the way from Japan?"
"Lady Aiko asked that I watch her great granddaughter Misaki," Ren stated, laying down a draw 2. "She was worried the poor girl would become homesick while attending school."
"So your Misaki Nakomoto's nanny bot," Hazel said.
"How do you know the girl," Ruby asked as she now played a skip down.
"Principal Masters told me about a new exchange student coming tomorrow," Hazel said. "I just didnt realize she had a nanny bot, let alone a soul drive unit."
Ren sheepishly rubbed her neck as she looked at her soul drive sisters. "Well technically speaking I'm not a nanny bot."
"So what's your function," Saphire asked.
Ren squirmed slightly, despite not being programmed to feel embarrassment, she understood that prostitution wasnt exactly seen as the most noble of profession. Especially if that profession revolved around gathering information for the Yakuza. "I was programmed as a...hostess by the Nakomoto clan," she said.
"A hostess," Ruby asked. "For dinner parties and such?"
"More like a personal hostess," Ren said sheepishly. "Specifically for male clients of the clan."
A collective oh now escaped the other four soul drives as an awkward silence befell the group. It was finally Steph who broke the silence. "What's it like?"
Ren was stunned, she had never really considered how it had felt, it had just been her function. "I guess it was nice," she shrugged. "It could get a little messy sometimes. Thankfully my, um, depository for lack of a better word is interchangeable. Plus teflon coverings and fur made cleaning up a breeze."
"Sounds interesting," Emerald stated. "I mean I'd never even considered serving a human, well in that way."
A small chuckle now emanated from the Soul drives as they continued to talk. As they did they began to learn more of Rens time in Japan. Knowledge that to say the least shocked them.
"Wait your like a spy for the mob," Ruby exclaimed.
"Sort of," Ren shrugged. "My duties were to gather any possible information that could cause Lady Aiko, and in turn the clan, concern. Not to toot my own horn but I was REALLY good and gathering information. You'd be amazed how quick men bare their souls after doing their 'business'."
Another chuckle now escaped the group. Steph though did wonder what else Ren and in turn Misaki could mean for Darren. "Ren should I be worried about Darren?"
"Darren," Ren asked, slightly confused. "I dont even know who that is. No, I'm here because Misaki was asked to watch Sachiko. Shes the niece of Lady Aiko, from what I heard the girl is in danger."
"This girl Misaki," Hazel asked. "Is she a Yakuza princess or something? I really dont feel comfortable with having the mob at the school."
"No Misaki isnt connected to the Yakuza," Ren chuckled. "Her grandfather Tomo fore swore any claim to leadership. Lady Aiko and the clan may look out for her but shes a good kid."
"Well it will be nice to have you around Ren," Steph smiled.
*******************************
Akira didn't like keeping things from his wife but desperate times called for desperate measures. While Ayami had gotten over her initial worry over Misaki, she had embraced the girl rather quickly. Ayami found the girl to be sunny with only Sachikos best interests at heart. What Akira had in mind now though would most certainly land him in the doghouse.
After starting the lessons with Misaki, Darren, and Hannah, Akira excused himself. Sneaking down into the basement, the kitsune began searching amongst the many artifacts located there. Finally finding it buried under some boxes, he pulled off the rather dusty sheet exposing his world mirror.
Akira hadn't used the world mirror in decades, not since his time serving in Fukushu's army. The mirror was a kitsune artifact, given to him by Fukushu when he acquired his fourth tail. After acquiring Akira had used it to travel between worlds or maneuver his forces during battle. Now, he had a different motive.
Mumbling a spell he had nearly forgotten, Akira watched as the mirror glowed, an image slowly coming into focus. Taking a deep breath Akira now stepped forward through the mirror.
Akira now narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the barren throne room before him. While it appeared no one had been here for decades, Akira knew otherwise. As a blade now pressed against his neck he knew he had found he was looking for.
"Where is your master Abolith?"
Abolith, the dark elf assassin, now slowly strolled in front of Akira, her sword tip pressed firmly to the kitsunes throat. "You have alot of nerve coming here," she growled.
"I need to speak with Fukushu," Akira stated.
"You turned your back on him nearly a century ago Akira," she hissed. "You aligned yourself with the wizards. The guardian of the next generation of wizards. You've made it your mission to stop Fukushu at every turn."
"And I succeeded," Akira smirked, causing the assassin to press her blade more firmly into Akiras throat.
"Abolith is that anyway to treat my former protege."
Abolith sheathed her sword, taking a knee as Akira glanced upwards. Fukushu now emerged from the shadows, the dark orange kitsunes nine tails swaying lazily as he strode towards Akira.
"Lord Fukushu," Akira growled, furrowing his brow. "How are you my old master?"
Fukushu smirked, looking the six tailed kitsune over. "This is not a chance meeting Akira," he said. "You risk much to enter my sanctum."
"I'll keep this brief," Akira stated. "I learned recently the identity of the wizard who took Isao's sight."
Fukushu's ears twitched, yet his face remained expressionless. "Isao has been dead for nearly 80 years no thanks to you."
"He died trying to kill me in case you forgot," Akira countered. "And if you want to be technical it was Casseus who killed him."
"Which reminds me I never thanked you for taking his head," Fukushu smiled. "I never liked him much." Akira simply glared at the nine tails. The two had been enemies since Yurikos birth. Since then the two had spared, Fukushu trying to destroy the wizards while Akira protected them.
"Fukushu," Akira sighed. "We have been enemies for far too long. We are the same clan, I fought by your side for centuries."
"Until you aligned yourself with those who would destroy us," Fukushu growled. "Wizards, mortals, those that have butchered our kind."
Akira simply shook his head. "The power of a nine tails with the wisdom and temperament of a two," he sighed. "All these years fighting the wizards and you still have not learned that they are not your enemy."
Fukushu and Akira said nothing, the six tail turning to leave. "I came to give you information on the Normal Fukushu," he said. "I know despite your rage you still care for our kind. The Normal stole Isao's sight. They now threaten my daughter, A One tail kitsune child. I know you have aligned yourself with them in the past. Used them to further your own agenda. Perhaps, you should take a closer look at those you consider allies."
Akira now vanished from Fukushu's home. The six tail kitsune leaving his former master with much to ponder.