Parasitic Bluffs [Job]

[Luna Melrose]

Parasitic Bluffs; Into the Den of the Kasumi'Oji

A portrayal of events involving Luna Melrose that led to her employment by the Kasumi'Oji, depicting all the trickery leading into it.

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This should've been a normal day, just like any other... It should’ve been, if only for one tiny detail; fate had other plans today, and they would involve quite the ruckus. While Luna was very fond of her schemes and the calculated nature of her own life, even she wasn’t immune to the whims of destiny and the effects it might have on her long-term goals. Sometimes, the unexpected would happen and whether it proved beneficial or not to her plans was a gamble, one she wouldn’t know she had won or lost until much later; this was one such occasion, defining the decades yet to come. Currently, she was heading for her Kendo class chaperoned by the fearsome Swordsman Kogane, a mundane afternoon she had no interest in; little did she know it would prove to be so memorable... Occasionally, one’s daily routine gets peppered with new opportunities and as luck would have it, this one would be a life-altering decision affecting the scope of her manipulation immensely.

Walking down the hallway toward her upcoming class, the girl had already taken care of all the necessary preparations beforehand; donning the protection equipment necessary for this training in swordplay, she would merely await the beginning of this lesson directly on the bamboo mat, she thought. It was certainly a bit early, but since Luna was moving between classes and had just been practicing Shunpo, which was quite the exhaustive activity, she knew there wasn’t enough time to start getting involved in any other pursuit and that her best use of this time would be to recover and catch her breath. Unfortunately, upon her arrival she was surprised to find others were already present; two individuals adorning formal clothes seemed to be escorting a young, golden-haired lady, the trio actively engaged in discussion with their teacher Kogane. Sitting away from this commotion in wait for their class to start, she nonetheless deduced from their attire that the group were nobles, the two robust men most likely on bodyguard duty for the one standing out.

“This is gonna be trouble, isn’t it~...?”, Luna muttered under her breath. While she couldn’t make out the content of their ongoing conversation, she could already figure from their tone of voice and body language that there seemed to be some sort of disagreement between them; was Swordsman Kogane opposing them? No, on closer inspection Luna could tell; the one throwing a stir was the noble lady, in opposition to everyone else... Perhaps the two men weren’t quite her bodyguards then, as she had initially surmised. Regardless, the confrontation lasted mere minutes before the class began flooding with students eager to prove their mettle at the sword and, now having an audience they couldn’t escape, it seemingly died down; giving a glance to the noblewoman as she passed nearby, the signs of emotion were apparent, her mind likely still uneasy and, although she had tried hiding it, traces of the red coloration cheeks would take after tears had welled up remained obvious.

Sighing slightly, the scheming girl focused back on the task lying ahead; there was no point in trying to understand for now, she would need to collect information after class if she wanted a clear picture of what she’d just witnessed. More importantly, a battle was soon forthcoming and she would need to pay attention if she didn’t want to get in trouble; according to the planned match-ups for the day her current foe was one of the top contenders in class and, compared to her and the bottom-of-the-barrel grades she had in Kendo, would prove quite a hill to climb if she even wanted to last a few seconds. Beginning with a bow as formalities dictated, she took her stance on the bamboo mat and quickly began the match with a swing from the left, hoping to at least catch this man by surprise; it proved pointless, the seasoned warrior seemingly blocking the blow effortlessly and countering with a stabbing motion, committing to it by taking a step forward which forced Luna within his range and made escape nearly impossible.

The man had already come up with this plan, she immediately thought; this wasn’t a random response of his and rather felt calculated. Fortunately, she was quick enough to avoid the strike but, as predicted, a checkmate came soon afterward; having now dodged the blade by side-stepping, a second blow came as he pushed his center of mass even further forward, causing his previous stab to transition into a slash coming from his left, or her right. With the momentum of her earlier attack now gone and being unable to create this much force again on such short notice, there was nothing Luna could do; she attempted to block his motion but was quickly overpowered and found herself lying on the floor quickly thereafter. Having been utterly defeated, she relented; offering her hand so that she could be pulled back on her two feet, the girl understood the difference in their skill, thinking she’d need better tricks to close their gap... However, while she had motioned for it, a helping hand would never come for her; no, because at that very moment, one event caught everyone off-guard and quickly became the focus of their attention.

*Crack!*

“AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH~!!!!”

A blood-curdling scream resonated throughout the room, a shriek so primal and guttural everybody just had to turn around, seeking its source; in a corner of class away from the rest, a duo of students seemingly fought in a Kendo match and one had been heavily injured, lying on their back and flailing around in pain. The other one, meanwhile, was completely frozen and paralyzed, incapable of handling such a serious situation; students from other matches quickly converged in a crowd around them, alongside Swordsman Kogane who hurriedly reached the scene yet was evidently in over his head and unsure what to do either. Haphazardly getting up, Luna rushed toward the commotion and tried peeking through the horde that now surrounded them; after a lot of difficulty, she managed to set her sight on the wounded, and it proved none other than the earlier noble lady who had sought discourse with their teacher... What was going on here?

Now trying to handle a crisis, Kogane took a step forward and pushed back against the students that had gathered; “Oi~, ya- kids! Need’n sum~ space ‘ere!”. Meanwhile, both of the lady’s caretakers, who Luna noticed had stuck next to the wall during practice but quickly got themselves involved once things went south, were awkwardly trying to do something, anything at all, to turn these events around, but it was futile as neither seemed to have the slightest medical training. First letting out an exasperated sigh, that’s when she took the decision to get involved; “Sir~, Kogane-sensei! I can assist; I’ve been taught~ medical practice thoroughly!”, said Luna Melrose, who had now jumped into the fray as well. Glancing over at her, one might’ve expected for Swordsman Kogane to oppose her choice but, due to a previous encounter between them, the man respected this girl’s skillset and judgment; seeing him click his tongue and step aside, Luna was let through and hoped she hadn’t overestimated her own ability or miscalculated the outcome of this accident, should her involvement be permitted.

As she approached them, the lady’s retainers were still in a frenzy, panicking and unable to pick a course of action... So, she picked for them; “Get Squad 4 here, now!!~”. Hurriedly rising to his feet, one of them darted away, excessively eager to fulfill his newfound search; paying it no heed, Luna tried examining the woman before her but, as she attempted removing the protective piece covering her wounds, the feeling she got from touching the girl was abnormal, as if her bones weren’t rigid. “Her body’s afflicted by some sort of disease, right~...?”; asking for the sake of treatment, she nonetheless didn’t expect such a question would be met with the horribly grotesque answer it received. “That’s correct; Lady Ryoko has suffered from a hereditary osteoporosis disease since birth”. Sensing fury suddenly welling up from inside, Luna cracked for a second, her usual mask leaking and allowing her true mind to peek through for once; “Then, why’d~ you put her through a Kendo match!?”.

Completely taken aback by this, the man tried to mutter a response but all that came out were incoherent and disjointed sounds, too pressured to properly defend himself. Regaining her composure, the girl still felt anger boiling, since this one sentence taught her everything she needed to know about the situation; this woman, Ryoko, hadn’t simply suffered an accident, it was an assassination in broad daylight. Likely pressured into taking up the sword for the sake of pretentious pride, the nobles behind this would surely put the blame for this event on the Academy, their teacher, her caretakers and herself; basically anyone but themselves. Such circumstances were usual among the nonsensical affairs of nobility, which explained Ryoko’s earlier tantrum; the barely concealed emotions Luna had witnessed were a sign of their ridiculous dilemma and the perilous scenario she had been pushed into. They effectively tried discreetly disposing of a burden, an heir with hereditary complications, which didn’t sit well with the woman; it was a mentality running completely opposite of everything she believed in.

Angered, her disdain had reached its climax and Luna took a decision; she’d save the girl no matter what, then polish this so-called weakness they all wished to discard into her own weapon. Focusing ahead, the situation was critical; from the pale coloration of her face and the fact that she had lost consciousness shortly after the strike, it was likely for Ryoko to suffer from severe internal blood loss, something which would prove life threatening if left untreated. “Lift her upper body, please”, Luna requested; this way, she had access to the straps on the woman’s protective pauldron and could safely take it off. After also tearing off parts of the clothing item covering the wound using scissors from a first-aid kit that had been brought to them, the makeshift medical team finally had its first look at her injury and it didn’t look pretty; a large area was swelling up with blood, the ribcage seemingly perforating her flesh during the impact.

Wasting not a single second, Luna immediately began a procedure; “Apply pressure on both sides~ here and slow the bleeding; be careful not to exceed what her bones can tolerate!”, she asked of the caretaker turned impromptu medic. Reaching down into her pocket, she then pulled out what looked like a small pouch and took out several dark gray cubes and rods out of it; “What are these?”. “Shh~, let’s keep that our little secret”; the bag she’d just taken out, filled with shapes of all sorts, was the result of experiments she was conducting on spiritual matter. Using this, she could easily produce spiritual flames by simply applying friction between them, a trick she’d used multiple times to create Kido effects beyond her real capabilities and fool her way through the associated classes; unfortunately, it was also too reliable not to use in this scenario, she would need to reveal this ruse and accept the consequences in order to proceed forward with the noblewoman’s treatment.

Shuffling through the shapes at her disposal, Luna settled on a long rod with a sharp, pointy end; this one would be ideal for what she had in mind. Putting its sharp edge against the girl’s skin, she aimed for where the culprit broken rib would be, responsible for all this internal bleeding, and pushed the rod inside her flesh, as close to it as possible. This would be a stopgap measure until an actual medic arrived; by placing this rigid cylinder against the source of Ryoko’s internal wound, the rib, they could now apply pressure on its exposed tip and provide clearance to the punctured organ, preventing the injury from worsening. This was necessary because Luna could now identify which organ had been impacted, it was the girl’s lungs; the injured’s erratic and rapid breathing while unconscious gave it away. In doing so, Luna’s current goal wasn’t to heal the wound, but rather only to stabilize it until further assistance could get on-site.

This solution wasn’t without problems, however; moving the rib meant creating an open wound, which would intensify the bleeding and eventually lead to Ryoko’s death. Under normal circumstances, this was suicide and would never have been attempted by Luna, but the special properties of the material she used as a supporting agent meant she could mitigate that and cauterize the internal wounds instead; by rubbing a smaller cube made of the same substance on the previous rod, she created friction between the two and, somewhat similarly to how one might start a campfire using dry sticks, generated a lot of heat on the surface of both. Doing so kept gradually burning Luna’s hands, the poor girl sensing immense pain steadily building up on their palms, but this had the unfortunate benefit of allowing her to gauge how much friction she needed to reach her desired results, and how much was overdoing it; with this, the blood loss would at least remain under control until a medical operation could be carried out.

Having at least preserved her condition, the healer now focused her attention on the vital function that remained inconsistent; her breathing. With such an erratic flow, the oxygen intake was likely disrupted and, given how much blood had already been lost, this could become problematic later if she didn’t tend to it right away. A full cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedure was beyond reach since the needed chest compressions would crush Ryoko’s fragile bones, but with cardiac issues not among her current concerns, at least for now, she could still apply revised CPR steps to address this worrying respiratory flow. Using Luna’s own airway to administer breathing assistance, she pushed its air into the lady’s lungs at a regular pacing to introduce a proper, natural rhythm to her inhale and exhale, subduing its abnormal behavior in favor of a calm and uniform respiration. Maintaining this undertaking while both herself and the retainer also kept regulating her blood deficit, Ryoko was effectively safe and secure now; all that remained was to wait for assistance with this emergency, which didn’t take much longer to appear.

Rushing into the room, accompanied by the lady’s attendant who had previously run off in search of help, were two Shinigami who, judging from their attitude, attire and overall equipment, certainly worked for Squad 4 and were medical professionals. Hurriedly dashing to the scene, the woman leading this charge took over while her partner pushed Luna and her impromptu assistant out of the way; “What happened?”, he questioned. While the girl was about to offer an answer, she was interrupted by Ryoko’s caretaker who bowed down, flustered and pleading for his lady’s safety; “We are terribly sorry! We were instructed by the Kasumi’Oji Elders to put Kendo practice back on Lady Ryoko’s class curriculum despite how brittle her bones were; nobody expected it’d end so badly, they simply wanted her to shine at swordsmanship too!”. Hearing that, Luna couldn’t help but scowl at their mindset; Ryoko had clearly been asked for an absurd ordeal, as even the greatest swordsmen wouldn’t manage to avoid every hit, forever.

Worse even were these retainers who didn’t feel like there was a single problem with their decision, and rather thought it was merely an unfortunate outcome, not realizing they had let things get to this point... Evidently, the student didn’t seem to be the only one irritated by that choice. Rolling his eyes, the medic let out a hard groan before continuing; “And you? Why was an Academy student taking risky gambles with her life, without waiting for professionals to get here?”. Receiving a strong glare, Luna wasn’t intimidated but feigned she was, understanding the message he was trying to get through and that it’d be bothersome if she didn’t at least act like she agreed; don’t play with people’s lives, was his message. “I’m sorry...”, she said while apologetically giving him a slight bow, even pretending to tear up a bit; however, outside of her field of view, someone else approached, unexpectedly providing the girl with his support, a true wildcard even at critical times like these.

“Oi~, bucko. Gave’er permission’s why. See, she’sa quick-thinkn’ dat one; kid evn’ sent ol’me flyin’ once, r’Ahahah~!”; turning around, the Shinigami met the gaze of their bulky instructor, who had remained by the side until now. Thinking back on it, Luna hadn’t paid attention at all to her surroundings during their emergency but it seemed the man had dispersed the crowd and then stuck around, making sure nothing could disturb them while they worked; for that, he had her honest thanks. Still, the healer didn’t feel quite as appreciative about his presence and clearly thought little of him, but Kogane definitely wasn’t one to care about another’s opinion, rather scratching his ear while awaiting closure; he was about to get scolded as well, when... “Wait, come have a look at this”. Surprised to hear his colleague call for him, he rapidly moved to her side and prepared to assist, expecting the worst; “Yes, Seventh Seat Miyaki?”. Although, what found itself before him wasn’t quite as he predicted.

Instead, what caught his sight was the frame of Ryoko on the ground, a young lady who had inexplicably almost entirely recovered; frozen in shock, this earnest man couldn’t find the words to convey his mind, rather stuttering in surprise. “T- That, is...”; “Correct. The procedure was unusual, exceedingly so in fact, but there’s no arguing with results; this young woman’s life would’ve burned away in minutes if nothing had been done, yet I suspect she’d have lasted hours in this condition”. Raising to her feet, the medical practitioner locked eyes with Luna, leading her to slightly jump and recoil; however, her gaze was soft and warm, convictions portrayed vividly between the two of them. “We have you to thank for it... Well done, you saved a life today”; at these words, the girl got flustered and blushed slightly, the gargantuan task she had just undertaken finally crashing down on her. With stress slowly returning to normal, her knees unfortunately buckled underneath her and soon, Luna fell unconscious from the weight of it all.

[Luna Melrose]

Recovering her senses, Luna Melrose slowly looked around, trying to grasp what had happened from her surroundings; her environment had seemingly changed, now a pale room with blinds suspended from the roof and blocking her view, enclosing a small area around her. Laying down in a warm bed at this unknown location, the student garments she had been wearing so far were seemingly replaced with a light hospital gown; from the looks of it, she was now in an infirmary of some sort and had received treatment as well. Trying to slowly get up, the girl suddenly felt lightheaded and lost her balance, slightly hitting her elbow on the guardrail and causing a thud to resonate within the room; she then heard someone swiftly get up and soon, the blinds in front of her were opened, revealing her presumed benefactor... It was none other than the woman from Squad 4 who had come to the rescue; “It seems you’re finally conscious; stay down, I’ll explain”.

“Where~ is this?”, Luna first asked the medic; “A room in Squad 4’s barracks. We brought you here after you collapsed, along with Ryoko-chan; you needed medical attention as well”. There were so many things the student just had to know, she had a rough time knowing where to begin; however, the heartfelt smile adorned by the Shinigami before her was admittedly very welcoming, causing the tension she instinctively built up in response to this foreign scenery to gradually melt back down. Comfortably shifting her position on the mattress and closing up the bedsheets after her attempt to get out of bed, the girl had one question on her mind that preceded all others... “How is Ryoko~?”; “Ah, yes, about that...”. Before she could get a full answer, the girl overheard some ruffling nearby and shortly, the answer made itself known; the blinds next to her bed hastily opened in a grandiose manner, both of the lady’s caretakers having each taken a side and pulled them clear to reveal her presence.

Behind them, a bandaged lady connected to an absurd number of medical equipment, certainly a form of precaution to ensure their noble guest wouldn’t end up with any complications while sojourning here, was made visible by their action; Luna couldn’t mistake who that was, being directly responsible for both of them reaching these grounds. Bowing down in respect, Ryoko addressed her impromptu medic for the first time since their eventful meeting many hours ago; “Please accept my eternal gratitude!”. Unsure how to react, the girl merely stuttered a few words in response, having not planned for their interaction this far ahead; “Ah~, umm...”. This was an awkward situation, to be sure; while she had struggled hard to keep the noblewoman alive, Luna never intended to play savior and didn’t know how to respond when faced with her honest emotions. In fact, this all felt very unnatural for her, who was used to get her way through hate and spite; even now, her involvement hadn’t been selfless, this woman rather serving a purpose in the girl’s schemes.

Frowning somewhat, the noble regained a natural posture and met Luna’s gaze with her own, filled with determination and kindness; “May I request the name of my benefactor?”. Inspecting her demeanor, the young lady didn’t appear fully sincere to Luna, who had a great eye to spot that sort of thing; it seems she, too, had ulterior motives... Relaxing her stance, the student understood they both had hidden intentions, and this made the crux of their interaction far easier; she just had to play mind games once more. “M- My name~ is Luna; Luna Melrose. Pleased~ to meet you!”; giving a slight bow, the gesture was returned by its recipient. “Ryoko Kasumi’Oji. The pleasure is duly mine, I assure you”; looking at her more closely, the woman could spot various signs of frustration, impatience and unease in her conduct. Although she did a good job concealing the clues, all things considered, Luna was too experienced at manipulation to simply miss them entirely; what did she have in mind, exactly? What might she hope to gain?

As if to answer these questions directly, the lady signaled for their Squad 4 medic’s attention; “May you excuse us, for a moment?”. Glancing toward Luna, the squad member approached and extended a hand after unlocking the guardrail and moving it down, to assist with her efforts standing up; “You should be able to come by her side now. Leave whenever you want, afterward”. Taking her hand, the girl slowly twisted her center of weight and lifted her legs upward, laying them on the floor to try and get up; after a short moment, ensuring her balance was stable, the medic let her move by herself and, just like that, the student was back on her feet. “Thank you~!”; “You’re welcome. Let us know once you return home; please use the day to rest”. With that, the woman left their room, careful to close the door firmly behind her; Luna was now awkwardly standing there, all alone alongside this entourage of much higher standing than her own.

“You both, too; I wish to converse privately”; at these words, her two attendants, who had kept a prone stance until then, recoiled and turned to face her. “B- But, Lady Ryoko!”; “Enough! My life is owed to our guest; I will not allow any protest”. Scowling from her response, each fell silent... Watching the student intensely, the caretakers clearly felt discomfort at their lady’s hazardous request; they were surely fearing for her safety while both would be gone, even if Luna had not shown any signs of harmful intent toward any of them yet. Such was the world of nobles; with their lives on the line, they had to keep others at bay and remain at arm’s length from anything harmful, while the more obscure threats were left unhandled... Nonetheless, they knew better than to act in opposition with the noblewoman and so departed from the room, leaving the two girls behind and allowing them to attend their private affairs; they instead left to stand guard outside, under the gaze of an exasperated lady.

“My deepest apologies for their conduct”, she said; “They mean well, but lack the proper etiquette...”. Motioning for Luna to come forward, she delicately grabbed her hand once the girl did so, her touch soft and velvety; Ryoko’s rigid posture, however, betrayed the many interrogations spinning through her mind. Just what was she trying to open up about? Luna would try to go probing for answers... “Is something still~ troubling you?”; asking with her head lightly tilted and a warm yet open look, squeezing the noble lady’s hand a little to capture her attention, the student was hoping to seem as agreeable to a serious discussion as she could. In response, the girl momentarily had a look of surprise but, quickly, she fell deep in thoughts, her gaze pointing downward; this noblewoman revealed a slight smile, an act Luna couldn’t rationalize just yet but that certainly held some sort of significance. Mere moments afterward, she lifted her eyes back up, the emotions felt through them on this instance summarized through one word: Determination.

With her lips finally beginning to move, it was as if she put her mindset on full display as she made her desires known; “While it may be a shameful request, especially in light of recent developments, I must set my pride aside and ask of you, --”. Briefly falling silent, the lapse in her words felt like an eternity, driving Luna insane; “-- would you accept employment among my entourage?” ...What? Taken aback by the offer, she could tell it was made in all seriousness, given the intensity of the pressure applied on her hand; the lady ahead, this proud noble who evidently kept elegance, manners and formalities in particularly high esteem, had now subjected herself to a disgraceful demand, especially in the circumstances. Honestly, Luna couldn’t fault her for that, understanding very well the value of a medic like herself near a person of high standing afflicted with a severe birth defect; however, she couldn’t put her finger on why... Why Luna, a mere academic who had only coincidentally saved her once, and not an experienced practitioner?

This mystery first gnawed at her for a few seconds until she had enough and, looking sincerely at the lady ahead, decided to sate her curiosity; “W- Well, I can’t really say without first asking; why me, specifically?”. This question was the pivotal one, as it would inform Luna of her own course of actions; the potential her inclusion into the realm of nobility could have, even if it was simply as one of the noblewoman’s lackeys, would prove an incredible asset if the girl could get her hands on it, but their whole situation felt very suspicious and, without a shadow of a doubt, Ryoko must’ve already realized that. With both girls staring each other down, trying to gleam any piece of information they could from one another, the atmosphere in the room quickly grew tense; this didn’t last long, however, as the noble soon broke their mutual line of sight, letting out a small sigh as she did so. Discomfort, perhaps?

“You are privy to my affliction, exact?”; “Yes”, the student simply answered. Looking upward to the ceiling, as if reminiscing on the past, Ryoko continued; “My life resembles a birdcage, its limits never my own to choose; I cannot revel in pleasantries for fear my survival might continuously be in peril. I solely... wish for your assistance, to assuage this distressing curtailment of my activities”. At her words, Luna fell silent, a glaring similarity between them obvious to the girl; they both had crippling weaknesses, and both tried their best to reach beyond them, instead of attempting in vain to overcome their reality... It was a kindred spirit, and in many ways her very first; recognizing this, her gaze mellowed, the only peak at this medic’s real emotions she would allow the lady to see today. “I understand your feelings~, but I’m confused...”; although her motive was now clear, the reason Luna was chosen for this remained odd... “Why pick me~, when so many others were already~ an option?”.

Laying her back against the bedframe once more, looking outside a nearby window, a reply was offered by the young lady; “The Kasumi’Oji lineage merits no less than the finest from its constituents... Acquiring a handful of good medics is a trivial matter, but we would rather seek someone with potential for growth; fostering your skills will be to our mutual advantage, and will get us further than simply settling on existing professionals”. The logic was sound and left quite the impression, inside the student’s mind; Luna’s skills were being recognized by the noblewoman, a justification she truthfully hadn’t been expecting. They were placing a wager on the girl’s future and, just as you should, now tried to stack the odds in their favor; “We amiably request your propinquity...”, Ryoko pleaded with her gaze resolute. As for the young medic, she agreed that their partnership would, at least on the surface, be beneficial for them both; the girl needed an excuse to enter the realm of nobles anyway, and this would provide an opportunity matching her own talents and skillset.

Deeply in thought, Luna pondered... How would this affect her schemes? Of course, the advantages having a connection to nobility could provide were enormous, especially in a society driven by aristocracy, and she already knew her influence would expand exponentially as a result; still, the greatest impact would surely be Ryoko’s presence alongside her, itself. With the noble lady among her close associates, any plot she made would fall on the noblewoman’s shoulders, as if the girl were a henchman following her orders; in essence, the woman would become a scapegoat for Luna’s own goals. Openly smiling, partly to convey a cordial image to the one ahead but also because this deal was no doubt to her advantage, the medical student finally gave a reply; “Hm~, I don’t know if I’ll be able to meet these expectations, but I’ll promise~ to at least try; if you wish to take me under your wing, I’ll do everything~ in my power to keep you safe”.

Her eyes widening, Ryoko’s joy couldn’t be contained at this very moment, the various shifts in her facial expression quite frankly a sight to behold; the lady’s emotions fluctuated wildly, from worry at first to outright glee as Luna finished her sentence. She quickly tried to turn around and hide herself, but failed in this endeavor, light tears seen falling down her cheeks before the lady could do so; “Mhm~~! I am once again indebted to you, Luna Melrose- !”, she muttered, emotions taking over soon afterward. Leaving her a moment to contain the feelings associated with their agreement, the girl calmly gave her a formal bow and began turning around, walking away, planning to grab her belongings and leave the room. However, before she could truly do so... “Wait! Before departing”; Ryoko addressed her directly, a slight bow given in return as well, “While you have welcomed my demand, it is customary for such enrollment to ensue by means of Hell Butterfly; I foresee a notice will be issued to legitimize our covenant”.

Now facing her, Luna acquiesced and politely confirmed her grasp on the formalities; “Understood. I’ll be at the Academy again starting tomorrow, feel free to reach for me anytime~”. Reaching for the door, the girl was respectfully given a heartfelt nod by her new employer, paying tribute to both her quick-witted rescue and their subsequent exchange; going through the doorway, both attendants of the lady also knelt down, solemnly prostrating and saluting the spontaneous heroine before rushing back into the noble’s medical accommodations. Sighing due to the exaggerated theatrics, Luna approached the front desk and informed them of her departure; “I’ll be on my way now~” “Of course; thank you again!”. Finally alone, the student silently started walking back home, reflecting on the busy day she’d just gone through; that had probably been the most impactful event she’d faced since joining the Shinigami, no doubt about it, and it would certainly redefine her life habits from now on... She wordlessly wondered if she’d ever get used to the lifestyle of nobility.

[Luna Melrose]

She DID say she would send a Hell Butterfly.

She did say it, but...

...

It had been a long three days of Academic work since the incident, life mostly returning to normal since then; she was only asked to provide a written statement on the events according to her own perspective, surely a way to put the responsibility on her shoulders and protect the Academy should anything occur with the nobility, an unwarranted safety measure given what she already knew of the lady’s situation. Nonetheless, Luna obliged, writing an exhaustive report listing everything she had witnessed on that day, no matter how innocuous, providing every detail of her reasoning for every step of the procedure she had performed; the document, in its totality, proved a never-ending retelling of the circumstances, certainly over a thousand pages in length. When she delivered this testimony to the administration office, their gaze told her everything she needed to know anyway; the less details, the better, which meant this brick of information would impede any attempts to turn things around and use the girl as a sacrificial piece, if the need for it ever arose.

Among her class, the events had left quite an impression as well; her very return was welcomed with an ovation on the first day, classmates cheering her bold and fearless actions. Perhaps it was due to most of them being from lesser noble families but, quite a few recognized in it something far more admirable than it truly was; she’d just tried saving a life being lost in front of her eyes, noble feelings outside the equation entirely. Still, their attitudes shifted a fair bit ever since and it became the hot topic for a few days; Luna got into discussions with people she’d never met before, and even the known delinquents seemed far less noisy these days, their silence overt to all. If nothing else, she had gained the respect of many throughout this ordeal, especially toward her medical skills; no doubts her influence would increase as a result of this crisis, her reputation favorably affected by the new connections she’d just made with the Kasumi’Oji.

It was with these thoughts in mind that she had begun her day, much like any other day, waking up early and preparing for the upcoming classes; mirror in hand, her cowlick rebellious as customary, a quick snack to be eaten on her way and several notebooks crammed in her bag, the girl had leisurely made her way out of the dorms and toward the classroom she would soon occupy, absentmindedly wondering what the next set of evaluations, rapidly approaching, would have in store for them all. Life had effectively returned to normal for her, which is why... What followed took her by surprise this much. Having taken the scenic route, a commonplace practice for the woman and meant to help her meet new groups, Luna was soon surprised to find what seemed like a large, highly decorated convoy standing in front of the gates to the Academy, clogging circulation entirely; from their looks and the proud demeanor they exhibited, she could easily surmise they were nobles.

Oh, no...

Moving closer, the woman noticed their many palanquins were adorned with the Kasumi’Oji Family Crest, confirming what she already suspected and feared; this large, ridiculous escort was definitely here for her. Sighing, she tried going through the gate nonetheless, but was quickly intercepted; “Excuse me, might you be Luna Melrose? You match the portrayal given to us”, a man in formal attire questioned. “Y- Yes...”; with her acknowledgement, this person, dressed as a butler, inclined himself slightly and gave her a look akin to what Ryoko had given during their discussion a few days prior, a fact that brought many memories back to the forefront of the girl’s mind. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Philip Milford, steward for House Kasumi’Oji. You have my gratitude regarding Lady Ryoko; I trust you have already been informed of my purpose here?”; she nodded and, in response, he revealed a lavish, highly decorated Hell Butterfly trapped between his palms, carrying a message for the student.

Even this creature bore the emblem of the Kasumi’Oji.

Lifting a finger, the fragile messenger delicately landed on the offered perch, providing its new host with information stored therein; offering her ear to the creature, the student was instructed to head toward the Kasumi’Oji Manor to discuss her employment terms, a ceremonial summons meant to legitimize the exchange she had with the noble lady a few days prior. Feigning a look of concern, the girl directed her attention to the steward ahead, an inquiry on her mind; “What about my classes~, though? I can’t just skip or let my studies slip~...”, she questioned. In truth, the matter of avoiding failure wasn’t that much of a worry for Luna, but it was nonetheless a priority and, by asking this, she would both set the tone of their negotiation going forward and hopefully get more information on how they envisioned this partnership between them. Gently stroking his blonde, light goatee, Philip promptly replied with a rebuttal to any such fears; “Worry not, the Academy has already been informed of your absence; a tutor from the Kasumi’Oji Family will also be available for you as needed, regardless of your agreement to today’s terms”.

Seemingly relieved by this swift answer, the young lady inclined herself in response, offering her best form of compliance and appreciation; “I understand; we can proceed as you see fit”. Nodding his head, the old servant walked toward the large apparatus before them both, holding its door open for the girl to embark; “May you please step in?”. Taking another glimpse at this large, ornamental palanquin located onward, Luna sighed and proceeded with the man’s request who followed suit behind her and boarded the vehicle as well, taking his seat in front of the anxious student. Whispers afloat, many of her classmates who had been passing by due to their class in common had also seen the scene, amassing nearby and gossiping just as vehemently as the days before, a flame reignited once more. Which impression might this display leave them with, she wondered? It was far too late to worry about that; she’d just have to move forward and see where this newfound path took her...

A sign of the hand was executed by Philip outside the veils covering the carriage’s exits and motions were soon felt by them both in response, the palanquin now carried by the Kasumi’Oji servants while the pair remained inside. Curious about what had occurred, Luna peeked out this opening by slightly unfolding the drapery preventing anyone from viewing those within the nobility’s means of transportation, offering her a brief look at the events instead; beyond the confines of their small vehicle, their attendants had formed a large escort, taking most of the street space and protecting not only their palanquin, but the others that had been brought along as well. What caught her attention even further were the bystanders however, most examining this overblown convoy while remaining out of its way whereas some would even prostate once noticing it, a fact that admittedly creeped the girl out quite a bit; putting the fancy curtains back in place and sealing the gap, she thought to herself how far they must’ve been pushed in life, to willingly put their fate in another’s very hands... Maybe she should do the same to them.

Their voyage a slow and painful trek through the Soul Society landscape, Luna eventually addressed the steward out of boredom, attempting to get what she could out of him and kill some time; “What should I expect~, once we reach the manor?”, she queried. Sitting upright, his mannerisms impeccable, the man glanced at her and gave Luna a frank, direct look, seemingly trying to gauge which details would be most important to divulge at this juncture; “Once we arrive, both of us shall meet with Lady Ryoko Kasumi’Oji in a reception room we have already prepared for the occasion, where we may discuss and negotiate the terms of your employment at our leisure. Then, I will show you around the manor and where your own, private quarters will be located, where we shall also take a moment to review the state of your manners”. His words proved valuable since they revealed what she hadn’t yet considered, that this residence might now become her own; it would certainly turn out much better for the safety of her research than dorms among a plethora of other students ever could.

Without much of a pause, he continued; “Lady Ryoko has requested we both grant you a period for leisure afterward; my apologies but I know not what activity she may have in mind at that point”. It seemed both women had the exact same thought in mind; ever since the incident and their impromptu meeting at the infirmary, Luna had wished to properly discuss at length with the noblewoman, without constraints nor deadlines. She planned to learn more about Ryoko and needed to start forming a proper bond between them, otherwise this new profession would remain meaningless to her schemes; “If you had~ to wager a guess, you think...~?”, she asked of the household’s senior employee, hoping to get a theory out of him. Rubbing his nose and looking to the horizon, Philip offered his thoughts on the matter, which coincided with the girl’s very own mindset; “...She most likely desires to make further acquaintance with you, over a cup of our finest tea”.

Great minds think alike; regardless, it seemed their long trip had now run its course, the palanquin soon immobilized and lowered to the ground, the duo having reached their destination merely seconds prior. Drapes lifted by the servants on the outside in order to let them both disembark, what manifested itself ahead of Luna’s eyes was a massive gateway behind which stood a mansion of gargantuan proportions; just how rich were these Great Nobles anyway?! Taken aback by the obnoxious level of luxury, the girl let out an audible gasp in response, her face flushed lightly from surprise; “Please, follow my lead”, Philip requested, leading the way for their large escort through the estate’s main entry. Tagging along on what seemed like an endless ascent, the student finally reached the top of these stairs and reached the outskirts of an impressive garden, bordering even on a field in terms of size; standing ahead was the main building of the Kasumi’Oji Household, and in front of it was...

...A young noblewoman adorning a traditional kimono, someone Luna recognized immediately.

Standing firm with the same two attendants as before always by her side, Ryoko smiled at the incoming girl, approaching only once her presence had been acknowledged; “Allow me the privilege of welcoming you first into our domain; I trust the voyage has been to your liking?”. Grumpily, the young woman voiced a protest, one she’d had on her mind since the very beginning; “Go easy~ on the escort next time, please”. “Understood. Nevertheless, the occasion warrants celebration, so that it may endure within our memory”; lightly chuckling, perhaps at the girl’s unease with their noble customs or the honest dialogue between them, both certainly rare novelties for the noble lady, she nonetheless quickly regained a rigid composure. “With your permission, let us proceed inside”, she asked of the student; “Of course~!”, her answer promptly came and, consequently, a small party consisting of Luna, Ryoko, Philip and the lady’s two close attendants departed toward the mansion behind them, leaving aside the remaining servants to their daily occupations.

Walking within the many halls of her host’s estate without a clue where they were all heading, this noble girl effortlessly guiding the student through these labyrinthine twists and turns as if second nature, it didn’t take long for the group to reach an intricately decorated room, one with a traditional short table centered within and surrounded by several beautiful cushions, the area illuminated with gilded candles; “I shall prepare some tea for our guest”, Philip said before continuing further into this long corridor, his destination surely further ahead. Taking a seat furthest from the doorway, Ryoko gestured for the young woman to sit in front of herself, which she did; it didn’t take long for the seasoned steward to also return, cups of tea in hand for everyone involved, swiftly distributed before seating adjacent to the pair of them, attendants meanwhile remaining in the corner of the small room, willing to assist should any such need arise. “Let us begin the formalities”, the noblewoman petitioned.

Motioning toward the one managing this family’s affairs, Ryoko instructed for their proceedings to begin; brandished before the young medic was a large manuscript, bordering even on the extreme, opened in front of her eyes and left sitting on the table ahead, so that she may have a read. “We will first begin with the responsibilities we expect you to fulfill”, said the old overseer; lowering his index finger to a position further down the document from where she was currently reviewing, the girl had no choice but to follow and try not to fall behind. The trickster did take notice, however, how methodical the maneuver seemed to be, as if it’d been planned long in advance... “In summary, the Kasumi’Oji wish for you to take on a role of medical caretaker, and personally oversee Lady Ryoko’s daily condition; you would fall under her direct supervision and will need to assist during both her morning and night routines”. Lifting his gaze to meet hers, the man queried for feedback; “Any interrogations so far?”.

Thinking about the implications of this role and potential precarious scenarios she may need to face in the future, Luna had one doubt in particular she needed to challenge right away, before even considering the option she was presented with; “Say~ I cannot attend to those needs at irregular intervals, what~ then? My other duties~ as a Shinigami may force me to miss some of these; which contingencies are in place for those occasions~?”. Philip’s gaze stiffened slightly, it seems the idea that other duties may prove just as important was foreign to him; nonetheless... “Your role will also be one of leadership; if you cannot attend in person, it is your duty to arrange for someone to do so in your stead. The responsibility of her health and physical fitness is yours to bear, but you may assemble other medical experts to aid you in accordance with that goal”. Letting a smile rise to her face and adorning it with glee, the young girl seemed satisfied; “No further concerns, then~!”.

Moving his index finger another few paragraphs downward on the lengthy parchment, the lady’s steward brought Luna’s attention specifically to another line of their agreement; “Now, as monetary compensation for your service...”, he casually let out in a single breath, meanwhile the girl nearly choked on her tea when she saw the numerical value indicated on the papers ahead. “...Is this enough for you?”; the pair appeared genuinely concerned, which led the student to sigh and facepalm... Much like the rest of her experience with the family thus far, it seems even this would be overblown to exaggeration. “We can negotiate~ again later if there’s ever a need for it, but for now I am satisfied with the offered~ wage”, she told them; Ryoko primarily seemed to relax profusely, her posture loosening somewhat. “Should you necessitate greater riches, converse with me and I shall hastily sanction their rightful distribution”, the noblewoman quickly replied; “Please also consider it a payment for your loyalty”, Philip added while nodding in agreement.

Her attention directed toward another section of this endless document, the girl interjected before their host had a chance to begin with his explanation; “You mentioned this on our way here, right~?”. Slightly taken aback by her concentration and heedfulness, the steward confirmed Luna’s suspicion while a noble lady simultaneously had an undeniable look of confusion, unaware of what had been discussed; “Correct; this is about your accommodations here, your private bedroom”. An eye always mindful of the noble sat across from herself, the medic noticed that this topic had apparently piqued her interest, titillated it seems by the matter; “You will be given lodging in our estate, and will be permitted to eat alongside many others at the designated period. We will also provide the appropriate uniform for work, although its maintenance will be among your duties”. Twitching lightly, a quirk of his she thought, the man focused on her reaction; “Are these accommodations acceptable?”, he resolutely asked, calling upon her opinion.

“If I may...”.

Turning his head around to face the young lady presiding over the negotiations, Philip bowed down in response to her words, anticipating a rebuttal; “Yes, Lady Ryoko?”, the man respectfully acknowledged. “I posit the chambers adjacent mine remain unfettered? Given her obligations, we should provide her with such lodging”; eyes widening, their steward seemingly had strong objections to her demand, Luna meanwhile had not a clue what was the big deal... “Respectfully, those quarters aren’t for ones of her stature; should we offer no regard to her status, your reputation may suffer among our peers...”; oh, so that’s what it was about. Nonetheless, it seemed the noblewoman didn’t budge, her face displaying quite the sulking expression; “My continuation evermore endangered should emerge as prerogative proffered. Suppose her omission amidst a catastrophe?”. Ryoko also had an additional suggestion in mind, one which may have lasting repercussions on the student’s life; “We may instead commit to escalate her standing and court the favor of our supporters... Would such a notion be deemed acceptable, you reckon?”.

Now their focus aimed at the girl in question, she was admittedly somewhat confused by the noble’s way of speaking but had still managed to get the gist of their conversation; the lady sought to avoid problems of prestige by having Luna meddle with nobles, she seemed intent to arrange her introduction as part of lesser nobility and someone who had garnered the Kasumi’Oji noblewoman’s favor. Deep in thought, the girl had to reluctantly admit it might be a necessary sacrifice, if she wished to reach her goals while using Ryoko as a front; besides, said noble lady was looking earnestly at her, an unknown glint clearly shown in her gaze, as if her true intentions were still concealed... There was only one way to unearth the truth from her hands. “If you’ll provide your assistance, I’m willing to play along...”, Luna disclosed, causing quite the outburst of joy from her host; the girl’s lifestyle and circumstances were both about to undergo a drastic transformation, a new reality unraveling before her very eyes.

Raising to his feet and carefully closing the document initially shown to the woman, Philip confirmed his intentions while exiting the small room; “I will soon return with a revised contract”, he said, leaving the door ajar while doing so. Left alone to their own devices, the pair of ladies were awkwardly sitting across each other, examining their analogue; Ryoko didn’t show any signs of discomfort from their current affairs and instead seemed perfectly serene despite them, possibly because she was used to such situations. “My gratitude once more”, she affirmed; “I must commend your faithful deference; this result will lead toward the best aftermath for our mutual benefits”. So far, it certainly felt like Luna was being led to a calculated outcome, a fact that admittedly didn’t sit well with the girl; perhaps sensing this, the young noblewoman offered words of comfort, attempting to reassure her peer. “Please be patient; I will expound my thinking once we have an opportunity to discuss privately”, she claimed; nodding, the medical student accepted her answer for now, awaiting this chance to delve deeper into it.

Cordial exchange aside, their alone period didn’t last much longer; soon, the man who had once left them came back to the ladies’ side, a new manuscript in hand. “My apologies for the delay”, the veteran asked of them both, “I’ve returned with documents that account for the changes to our agreement”; laying the long, tedious paper directly on the table while facing Luna, Philip sat down and resumed the negotiations where they had been left off. “I’ve altered the contract to include all relevant clauses granting you access to a bedroom in the main residential area, along with a bit of backhanded wording allowing you entry into lesser nobility; to that end, additional provisions have been made toward tutorship and the core teachings of a noble lifestyle”; looking to his lady for her approbation on these revisions, he queried directly, “Is that sufficient?”. “Mhmm~!”, she happily confirmed, a cheerful smile on display; all things considered, these changes were mostly to Luna’s advantage, which she felt grateful about.

Her opinion now taking the spotlight, the student remained thoughtful about the whole ordeal; “Are you ready to endorse this document?”, the sly steward requested; momentarily hesitating, the young medic took a moment before deciding on a course of action. “May I please have some time to review the specifics of what I’d be agreeing~ to?”, she demanded; “Of course! Take a moment”. Starting from the very top of this admittedly colossal document, no doubt meant to hide important details into a sea of boring legalese, Luna began searching for hidden motives and other signs of trickery, a specialty she assuredly excelled at; throughout her digging, she indeed fell on a catch, although not one she had been expecting... Seemingly, the wording surrounding her medical expertise went much further than simply serving as Ryoko’s personal physician, even though the related clauses did mention working under her direct command; it didn’t affect her goals directly so she had no qualms agreeing regardless, but Luna did wonder why they might need to include such a provision, what they thought she could provide beyond conventional healing...?

Regardless, she soon finished her perusal of the conferred document and having not seen any other cause for concern, the woman spoke up; “I don’t have any objections~; how should we proceed?”. Reaching into his attire and pulling out a small pencase, Philip placed a dull-looking pen before the girl; “For now, simply append your signature as indicated; other necessities will ensue during a formal nomination”. After doing as dictated, Luna returned the pen she’d used to write her name down and glanced up, awaiting a reaction from the pair ahead; the noblewoman rose up, soon followed by the attendants who’d remained entirely silent until now. “I look forward to our first informal exchange, later today; please come find me before sunset”, the lady happily exclaimed while looking at the student now under her wing, nodding as she did so; the man accompanying them returned the gesture, leading Luna to quickly follow suit, imitating what little she saw of their manners yet. “Thank you for the generous donation of your time, despite a very busy schedule; I’ll take over, now...”; turning around and facing their newly appointed medic, the steward signaled for her to follow.

It seemed there would be a busy day ahead.

[Luna Melrose]

OOC: This post should be taken with a grain of salt in regards to the layout and accommodations listed; I tried to remain faithful to the aesthetics and intentions regarding the Kasumi'Oji Mansion, but this isn't necessarily an accurate depiction of it. What you should infer from this post is that Luna Melrose visited said mansion; the matter of which individual elements exist and where they each are in relation to one another lies outside the canonicity this post is trying to establish.

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Tagging along with her guide throughout the halls, Luna knew already what came next; a visit of these grounds meant to help her familiarize with the new location, soon-to-be her workplace. Dauntless steps forward, the old steward confidently navigated through the premise with the young girl in tow, a sign of his enduring service in the noble family’s affairs. “I will guide you through the estate”, Philip indicated to the student, who followed behind like his very own duckling; “Please commit as much to memory as you can”, he asked of her in return. Looking around already, the medic paid heed to his words and affirmatively replied to the demand, her eyes studying the patterns and main arteries wherever they went while also memorizing any obvious landmark; “Will do~!”, she softly confirmed. Increasing his pace while arbitrarily making a swift turn along a different hallway, the pair soon found itself in front of an exit, leading back to the large garden the woman had briefly seen during her arrival.

View adrift among the beautiful scenery decorated in flowers and greenery, the girl couldn’t help but let out a small gasp; Luna hadn’t gotten the chance to truly grasp the monumental efforts that had gone into these surroundings during her earlier entry, but now saw just how much work was involved in maintaining and enhancing the eerie landscape. Sensing her awe, Philip commented on the tremendous work of his colleagues, complimenting their creation without a hint of shame; “Splendid, isn’t it?”, he remarked, “First impressions influence a relationship moving forward and should always be cultivated, especially among nobles”. Walking together along a wooden porch overlooking this floral arrangement, the man led her attention to a small building secluded from the decorative plant life, a greenhouse of sorts; “We can grow various other plants as well, if we need to. Should you desire medicinal herbs of some sort, we will be able to assist you”. Nodding somewhat, the girl gestured to attest her understanding; “Got it~”.

Passing by various traditional rooms for ceremonial functions, they soon reached the end of the veranda and turned toward the inside of the manor once more, their destination a set of rooms located further back near this side of the building; closing in, Luna could tell immediately they had entered the residential area for nobles of the mansion, given the clear flair of elegance and luxury permeating everything within her line of sight. “We’re approaching the bedrooms?”, she innocently asked, momentarily impersonating the many quirks of an airhead; “That’s correct; you’ll see Lady Ryoko’s room tonight, I am currently leading you to your own quarters... Both should feel noticeably similar, due to their neighboring whereabouts”. Motioning his hand toward a doorway, the student didn’t await the man’s permission before opening it wide, pushing him out of the way in the process; the residence gracing her with its presence was not one the young girl had been prepared to lay her eyes on, this gorgeous, remarkable bedroom revealing itself ahead.

“Wooah...~!”, Luna exclaimed as the realization hit her; this spacious area was now hers, fulfilling each of her many needs, a suite beyond the realm of her imagination! “Please offer your gratitude to Lady Ryoko; ordinarily, accommodations aren't nearly this generous”; slowly approaching the bedframe, the woman placed a hand on the mattress, its softness unmatched throughout her long lifespan. Ohhh~, this comfort was very much something she could get addicted to, if the girl wasn’t careful! Her eyes glancing at their surroundings, the ornate work desk and large bookcase, the grandiose amount of storage, the numerous commodities meant for a lavish lifestyle... This environment would be perfect to maintain her privacy and safeguard her research from curious minds; such a personal shelter would prove much more effective at these tasks than the dorms of an Academy, or the barracks of her future Squad. Bowing with her frame nearly parallel to the ground, the student profusely offered her appreciation for their unexpected gift; “Thank you very much!!”, she kept repeating to the steward escorting her.

Simply averting his gaze, the man left the room while gesturing for the girl to follow, taking the lead again toward a destination unbeknownst to her; “This way”, he asked, awaiting her compliance. Turning around and leaving her discovery of the room’s every quirk for another time, Luna joined up with him and began walking through the long halls once more, their direction seemingly the estate’s entryway; her hunch was soon proven to be correct, the main doors leading outside now within her sight. “As you can see, the main residential area is accessible through the path we’ve just walked”, he gestured toward the corridor behind them; “The estate is divided in several architectural sections; you will find most rooms contributing to the Kasumi’Oji lifestyle or their public image around here”. Leading her attention toward the large hall they currently stood in, he continued; “The main doorway connects to this hall, where guests of the family are commonly received; every corridor is structured around this section and use it as their centerpiece”.

Feigning complete ignorance, the girl gasped in awe; “Oooh~, I see!”. From their interactions earlier and given how she didn’t sense people buzzing around nearby, the woman had truthfully already deduced this separation between formal and mundane work areas; regardless, she had no desire to interrupt the man, especially while his words were packed with so much useful information! “Further down this area, rooms for ceremonial events, balls and other social gatherings are concentrated; you would also find the central dining room, as well”; pensive a second, he added a query for the young woman... “That reminds me; how would you rate your dancing skills?”. A blank look given to him in response, the student shrugged; “Your guess is as good as mine; I’ve never really tried before~”, she answered. “Hm. Duly noted”, Philip told the girl, his mind clearly still musing the newly acquired knowledge; “We shall surely evaluate them whenever the occasion will permit”, he revealed in return... It seems they took her inclusion in the realm of nobility very seriously.

Putting that fact aside for now, the medic questioned her host’s intentions, ready to move on with their visit; “Where will we head next?”, she earnestly inquired. Looking around himself, as if considering several different options, the man settled for a plan and soon indicated as such; “This way, please”, a vocabulary she saw as forthright and succinct. Traversing deeper into the large mansion, the woman’s gaze caught a good view of the beautiful ornaments they would pass by, a complete upheaval from what she was used to; aside from all the decorations, however, she couldn’t shake away the chills whenever the portrait of an obviously long deceased person graced her sight, a tribute she considered deeply disturbing... Why did they feel the need to revel in the glory of past heroics, instead of rising toward such heroism themselves? Thankfully, the bleak decor swiftly changed during their travel and rapidly took on a monotone character, a welcomed substitution from her viewpoint.

Abruptly taking a turn toward another corridor, the rooms they now crossed were ones proving familiar to Luna Melrose; each of them were a small, cozy room in which a table was centered within, the setup oddly bringing forth memories of their earlier negotiation... That’s it; “They’re like the room we were in earlier~!”, the girl proclaimed, blurting it out far too loud to Philip’s liking. “Correct”, he confirmed; “We entered the building through a different path, but Lady Ryoko was ultimately guiding us to this area”. A frown slightly visible on his forehead while the man rubbed his goatee, this old veteran offered additional words of wisdom; “We are currently standing in the administrative section of the Kasumi’Oji estate”, he informed the student. Coming to a sudden stop, her senior had seemingly reached quite the unforeseen realization, causing the young girl to actively collide against him; “Actually, I should probably demonstrate this, while I have the opportunity”, he concluded, before inciting Luna to move into one of the rooms.

Now both within this narrow space, the man took an alight candle left atop the short table and prepared to demonstrate a trick to their new employee; “The lotus is our symbol, and may be sought whenever you need assistance; should an emergency occur, look for the aquatic flower to find an escape route”. Pointing his finger toward a nearby drawer located in the corner, the medic quickly spotted a small lotus carved in the furniture itself; “Besides...”, he gestured with the flame near this cabinet, its smoke revealing a strong air current the hidden passage kept provoking, “You may use these to aid you in identifying them”. “Ooh!”, she uttered, this girl effectively suggesting she was impressed by his display, “I’ll be sure to recall this~, if there’s ever a crisis!”; with her eyes glued to the mechanism ahead, however, the schemer couldn’t help but wonder; “Although~, what security measures are in place to protect these from being infiltrated?”.

With no hesitation, the elderly steward replied to her query, an explanation given to alleviate the woman’s concerns; “A notable question... Guard rotations navigate between three checkpoints underneath, and an alert system is in place should the network be breached; each exit remains utterly sealed from outside as well, these tunnels congregating near the servants’ living quarters to allow them easier access”. Her focus peaking, that last bit seized Luna’s attention, a notable detail that ought to be premeditated; positing an unpalatable theory, the girl didn’t believe for a second this was made for the sake of their workforce, and rather likely had a specific purpose it was meant to fulfill. Thinking to herself, she reached a conclusion; what if, rather than an act of kindness, the Kasumi’Oji sought to force a decision from their invaders? With this setup, an assault force would be unable to fulfill both an offensive against the family itself, while also containing the personnel they employed; it guaranteed either the getaway of these nobles or the likely destruction of evidence implicating them, a strategy to their benefit no matter the outcome.

Fascinated by this stratagem, Luna nonetheless vowed never to be tricked into becoming a sacrificial pawn for their sake; never hinting at these thoughts, the duo soon left this small space in hopes of persisting on their lengthy visit and, after a bit of a stroll through the manor’s many hallways, soon found themselves faced with a row of doors, misleadingly giving the impression of an endless illusion... “Speaking of which”, Philip explained; “These are where our attendants reside, should you ever need to find them thereafter”. Leaving the girl a moment to mull over the view before they would continue on their journey, she had to admit this wouldn’t have been cutting it, had she been occupying one of these; the lack of secrecy aside, their shortage of individual character legitimately creeped her out, as if the rooms had been standardized to leave not a hint of self-expression... Weren’t it for Ryoko’s mercy, she’d be situated here right now; the mere thought gave her shivers.

Back on their way, it didn’t take much longer before Luna crossed the path of other servants, engaged in their daily duties and performing tasks assigned to them; politely nodding, it seemed her sentiment was mutual since the gesture would often be returned. Tagging along the veteran as he seemingly led Luna toward the heart of all this activity, they swiftly reached a door towering over the others and both moved across, revealing the bustle of a fully staffed kitchen during rush hour; “Cool’off the veal stock, promptly!”, a voice boomed above the ruckus. Lowering himself to meet the student’s ear, the old guide spoke a few words, clear somehow despite the uproar nearby; “Apologies for the commotion as they now prepare for dinner but, tuckered in this corner of the estate is our culinary installations, as you can most certainly see for yourself”. Momentarily orienting his focus toward the crowd, he let out a clear and concise command, “Marcus!”, a name echoing throughout the turmoil regardless and reaching its intended audience.

“Ahh, a new hire heh?”, an unknown voice offered to him in response; ”Welcome aboard, kiddo! You need anything n’ you come see me, ‘kay?”, this giant man in a chef’s coat unexpectedly affirmed to the young lady through the corner of her peripheral vision. “T- Thank you very much~!!”, she replied in gratitude, an honest salute along with it that apparently caught many by surprise, causing a short-lived period of silence in the kitchen; “I won’t be taking much more’of your time, but t’ was nice to meet’cha”, the rough looking cook expressed before returning to his workstation. Exiting back into the corridors and leaving the group to their everyday affairs, Philip addressed the young girl again, further knowledge awaiting transmission; “Should you need any information about our attendants or their work, he is the man you must speak with; Marcus is the most senior of our estate’s numerous employees, you may refer to him for matters involving them”.

Nodding gently, she confirmed her understanding and committed this new acquaintance to her memory; meanwhile, the steward guided them away from the kitchen and toward a doorway located adjacent to this busy mansion artery. Slamming it wide open, the woman’s breathing caught for merely a second, the sight ahead one she wasn’t prepared for; “Here is the Kasumi’Oji on-site warehouse, our last point of interest amongst the administrative section”, this man nonchalantly let out. Moreso than its size, which admittedly was already impressive enough, what felt remarkable to Luna was the meticulous and extreme coordination that went into this, crates with no end in sight each identified distinctly even within the same category of goods. Admiringly walking around the racks while pondering the methodology that went into this arrangement, she was nonetheless brought back to reality by the well-known sound of a doorway opening, a fact that led her to focus on Philip once more; gesturing for the medic to follow him, she obliged and soon found herself outside the building entirely, alongside the man.

Lying ahead was now a large courtyard stretching forward to an absurd length, a wide open area which would no doubt often be put to good use; on her left stood what seemed like the culmination of the earlier porch they’d navigated through during their visit of the residential section, this segment arranged into a leisure area by the looks of it and seemingly only accessible to the estate’s noble occupants. “Behind you is the one point of entry into the mansion besides the main doorways”, the veteran announced; “Always remain vigilant of suspicious activity occurring here”. Luna nodded, prompting the man to move further into the distance, eager to pursue the end of their long journey; meanwhile, she paid attention to the long paved road separating this yard in two halves, a conduit for merchandise located away from prying eyes. Another oddity frankly caught her attention as well; on the backside of this large manor, near this door they’d just crossed, was a surface decorated with stone sculptures of various abstract shapes, artworks vaguely resembling human physiology... Nobility sure had a bizarre taste.

That aside, her focus was soon diverted away from these odd statues and was instead directed toward an historical vestige by the old steward; “Look above”, said the man, his finger pointing to the mansion’s roof. Glancing up, what she saw, besides the ornamental edges holding in place an extravagant number of colorful tiles, were very clear delimitations within the building’s layout itself; “Understanding the story behind this structure may later aid you while navigating through its halls”, the seasoned employee stoutly declared. “The westernmost side of the Kasumi’Oji mansion is its oldest enclosure, followed closely by the formal arrangements surrounding it; these were built when the Kasumi’Oji dynasty rose to its current status as members of nobility”; paying close attention to his words, Luna tried to gauge whether anything Philip was saying would prove useful knowledge for her schemes. “The eastern area is its newest addition, architecturally appended to the existing design for bureaucratic purposes”; he lightly began tapping the side of his chin, as if pondering and thoughtful, before adding his final piece of wisdom... “It is the section most often renovated”.

“Ohhh~, I see!”, she loudly exclaimed; the young lady would surely remember these facts for a potential future ploy. Needless to say, however, that her current affairs took priority over immaterial, forthcoming gains, and as such her mind reoriented toward the estate tour she was being given; escorting her ahead and stepping into the lush woods covering the landscape behind this noble family’s mansion, the steward didn’t miss an opportunity to flaunt the plots of land they owned. “We own one of the largest parcel of woodlands in all of Soul Society”, he proudly disclosed while gesturing at the nearby forest; “Although we may not visit them today, numerous facilities are scattered throughout this territory, meant to accomplish various other important duties”. He didn’t need to say more for Luna to realize these were hidden away, likely to operate clandestine operations; though, she felt no need to press the issue urgently, especially now that she’d live here, with all the time in the world to snoop around at her own leisure...

No, what required immediate attention was moreso the location he’d just accompanied her at, the final destination of their long trek through this sylvan trail; standing ahead was a colossal gate, doorway closed, its sinister form safeguarded by half a dozen heavily-armed guards whose appearance clearly implied they weren’t here just for funsies. “This is the last landmark on our journey; a privately-operated Senkaimon”, affirmed the man, his gaze firm and stern; “Woaah~!”, a single word akin to an audible exclamation was hastily let out by the medic in response. “Sadly, it is no longer functional, a relic of times past; we lack the requisite permissions to operate it again, the gateway was properly neutralized a long time ago”, he then warned; her initial elation warped into utter dismay as she realized what massive privilege had been taken from them. Nonetheless, it was a formidable asset the young woman never dreamed of acquiring; if only the student could wrap Ryoko around her finger, she might be capable of restoring this path to its former glory, a gain which would surely prove invaluable.

One thing did bother her, however... “Where did all these guards come from? I don’t recall seeing barracks or the like when we visited the domestic quarters~”, she inquired; it was a legitimate concern for the girl, since it meant the military force she might be dealing with currently remained an unknown. Scrubbing his nose in thought, Philip gave a reply, albeit one slightly unsatisfactory by Luna’s standards; “The garrison is sheltered within the outer walls of the Kasumi’Oji domain; their barrack is embedded in its facade as well”. Ruminating his answer, she wasn’t left much time before he played his next move; “I trust you have paid attention thus far, yes?”... “Yes~!”, the girl apprehensively replied, sensing that something was now different; “Superb; then, please return to your chamber after collecting a flower from the entrance hall”, Philip requested. The young medic could immediately feel the pressure behind this task, her recollection put to the test; “Meanwhile, I’ll be taking the scenic route”, he added, killing any chance she might have to cheat her way around the exercise by following him.

This, might become a problem...

[Luna Melrose]

She finally made it back~! What a nightmare.

In spite of their tedious tour inside these facilities, the man’s command quickly proved a major hurdle for the student; following the trail they’d used to reach the Senkaimon gate in reverse, she swiftly found the doorway leading into the administrative area’s storage space again, located near the mansion’s backyard, but entering it led to difficult circumstances. Rows upon rows of goods elegantly kept in a chronological order unfortunately concealed the way inward, the gate heading into the manor’s labyrinthine corridors nowhere to be found; thankfully, the sequential nature of the merchandise also allowed Luna to logically deduce the right direction by knowing from her previous experience that the family’s most recent cargo was located near this other door. Soon finding her way, she began walking through the corridors but, due to the auxiliary structure of this section, it felt like the poor medic kept moving in loops; reluctantly asking for the correct path from another servant passing by out of sheer coincidence, she finally managed to get into the main area of this enormous residence.

Exhausted and drained of all energy, the medic grudgingly found the proper route and fetched a beautiful flower from a delicate vase near the estate’s entry halls, before returning to her own chambers with the fragile object in hand; she didn’t have to wait too long for her host to arrive, his attire apparently tidied up during this short absence. “Excellent, all things considered; most lose their way and require us to seek them out, when such a request is first made”, Philip reassured; however, what caught the girl’s attention far more prominently was the tool he’d brought with him into the room, held discreetly in the man’s right hand. “What’s that?”, she asked, a slight trembling in her voice; “Oh, this?”, he openly pondered while raising his arm forward, revealing within his palm a riding crop typically meant for horseback riding. Soon after, in a singular, quick motion, the instrument was hastily directed downward, its full force ascertained through an impact with the floor; “It’s to ensure your focus remains fixated on me, during our discussion”.

“Eep~!”, a crisp yelp of surprise was let out by the dismayed student.

Paying it no mind at all, perhaps because this was the reaction he had expected, the steward clarified the purpose of this discussion with the young lady; “As formerly mentioned, I shall personally review the state of your manners today; ordinarily, we would’ve kept this relatively simple, but since Lady Ryoko has now chosen to bestow a title unto you, I will have to be strict. My apologies in advance, but I shall probe your conduct in depth; this knowledge will be beneficial for yourself moving forward and will ensure we provide you with the correct assistance”. Straightening her posture while giving heed to his words, Luna confirmed her discernment of the reasons impelling him to act as such through a light nod of the head; admittedly, she was glad to receive proper guidance on the topic, since it’d become extremely useful information she could use to avoid standing out once involved with the messy affairs of nobility and politics. Adorning a cheerful and pleasant smile, the girl thus acquiesced through a tactful gesture; “Alright, I’m listening~”.

“Understood”, the man asserted; “Then, we shall begin with one’s introductions”. Motioning for her to approach closer, a request for which she quickly complied, Philip began explaining the ulterior philosophy behind a noble’s conduct; “Greetings are your foremost occasion to leave a good impression; always halt your current activities, rise if that isn’t already the case, and gesture earnestly toward the recipient. Your name must invariably be given in full during this exercise”. Offering a hand, she took it and he led Luna to the center of this bedroom in response, both now away from any furniture; “Standings must be considered when performing such an introduction; never initiate a greeting toward one of higher standing than your own, and always introduce one of lower status first. Should both be equal, then gender and age instead act as the determining factor”. Listening attentively, the young woman kept her eyes glued on the servant now partaking in a hefty monologue, keeping track of the subtle meanings behind such words; she was thankful for her initiation into the world of nobility, since such rules would’ve made every interaction with them a difficult ordeal otherwise.

Located in front of her and directly facing the girl, Philip requested she solicit his favor; “Please, attempt such an introduction forthwith”, he demanded. Taking a mere moment to mull over her approach, Luna placed her right foot slightly behind, swiftly curtsying to the man while extending a hand forward; “I am pleased to make your acquaintance~! My name is Luna Melrose, may I inquire about yours?”, she said while playing along. However, the custodian responded with several light slaps using the riding crop, two aimed at her posture, her arm and leg respectively, and one simply targeting the floorboards in general; “Bear mind to your overall form; never protract forward since that may be interpreted as vulgar, and use your left foot to curtsy, it should match where your heart lies. Please also avoid delaying when an occasion emerges, it will leave an impression as much as your introduction itself”. Caressing the wrist of her hand where she’d received the hit, the girl nonetheless acknowledged, desireful to correct these faults.

Turning sideways and momentarily placing the palm of his hand over his crestfallen face, Philip addressed another matter altogether, one he’d scrutinized since their initial meeting earlier today; “Onto the topic of conversation, we have much to improve”, he claimed. “Whhaaaat?!?~”, Luna blurted in response, not a clue why he’d said that; lifting an eyebrow, the man struck once more with his crop before lecturing her on the subject, hoping it’d serve as enough of a lesson. “Quite like I just surmised; a proper lady acts with elegance and avoids making such a fuss. Do not interrupt or create aversion with your words, never offend the listening party or besmirch those missing from discourse and always treat your opinion as such; these should be treated as the basics of noble chatter”; awaiting an acknowledgement from her, the old steward then followed up with an appeal. “I must request you avoid such drastic shifts in your body language, from now on”, he petitioned; while there was ultimately no way she’d oblige, the student still felt it best to seek for common ground through a lovable smile.

Lowering himself to her level, meeting her ear with his voice as if sharing a secret, he offered much needed advice to the young girl; “An unspoken rule, when conversing with nobles; every exchange is regarded as highly confidential and you are considered bound to secrecy, should one confide in you”. Perhaps his mention of such a fact meant it had proven a problem, previously? Regardless, the woman conformed with the sentiment, she wouldn’t squander her chances to be the recipient of such juicy mysteries; “I understand and will keep that in mind~”, she affirmed, along with a modest bow from the waist. “Thank you”, he commended; “You may also wish to keep any prideful tendencies in check; many have burned themselves coveting admiration”, the man then warned. Personified by impulses of eccentricity herself, Luna understood the risks of such behavior when standing amongst those who held one’s lifeline within their palm; she wouldn’t make the mistake of exposing herself to such retribution, whether it was justified or not.

“Now”, he said while shifting his focus, walking instead further into the large bedroom and stopping in front of its immense closet; “We haven’t arranged a proper wardrobe for your needs just yet, given the suddenness of this room’s attribution to yourself, but our attendants shall prepare suitable dresses and garments henceforth”. Noticing a restrained leer given to her physique by the man, the medic reflexively appeared to flinch and get defensive, a reaction wildly overblown given the circumstances; “For the most part, you are already on the right track. I can tell you have strong attention to details, from your hairstyle and the care given to your outfit; that’s a very valuable trait, in this lifestyle”. Pretending not to realize it already, Luna feigned an astonished look, a light hop and wide-open eyes to sell the act further; “Oh, wow! You can tell a lot just from looking at people~!”, she candidly commented. “That’s right, and that’s why...”, Philip said out loud, bringing to light another assessment of the girl’s appearance; “Why, would you alter the Academy’s uniform so... Excessively?”.

Taken aback, the girl clarified; “I- It’s just a matter of preference, I don’t like their flashy colors and wanted something a bit more original~; the cloak and mantle are also a memento, a precious memory of mine...”. Giving her response its due respect, the steward nonetheless sighed a bit, unsure where to begin; “While I understand your reasoning, you seem to have misunderstood the purpose of your own clothing”, Philip started explaining, his speech completely monotone. “Beauty is interdependent on every element of your attire, no singular raiment should be standing on its own... Think of it this way; your dress must match you perfectly, to the point it becomes a part of your persona. Proper clothing appears invisible since its task is to elevate you; always harmonize and nurture this image to enhance your social leverage”; astounded by his remarks, Luna had to admit there was some truth behind them... She could learn a lot more from their broad experience into the realm of nobility, simply by listening attentively.

Interpreting his words and spelling them out again into her own, the girl tried to outline precisely what should be done; “So~, in your opinion I’d do better, socially, with an authentic uniform?”, she asked. “Also, what about my coat? I don’t want to be discarding that...”; her gaze forlorn and figure pitiful, the woman attempted to garner sympathy and avoid that scenario at all costs. “This will not be necessary”, her senior replied in a frank, loud voice, his intention merely to ensure the lady remained courtly and dignified, the bare minimum required for her new rank within society; “I am not requesting you change fundamentally; simply pay heed to this factor and trust our judgement to guide you effectively. As for your cloak, I did not mean to imply you get rid of it, I apologize; I will merely ask you follow our lead for social events but, by all means, keep wearing it for everyday activities, especially if it embodies your nature”. Turning his sight toward the doorway pensively, he paused momentarily before adding a promise; “I’ll explain without any ambiguity to our personnel that this garment must be handled with additional care”.

Thankful, Luna didn’t dilly-dally further on the subject, instead taking his vow at face value; “What next~?” she questioned, using this occasion to sit on the large bed occupying most of the room. “Next shall be a discourse about the etiquette you should henceforth follow, during formal social gatherings”, the steward resolutely stated in response; sharpening her focus, the student was particularly attentive to any unknown tradition she might learn about through this treasured dialogue. “The infallible sign of a sophisticated lady is a devout pursuit of punctuality and a desire never to exploit the goodwill of one’s host; above all, don’t ever come to an event while uninvited”; so far, so good, although the girl did wish she could just arrive at such a noble gathering without needing to make a fuss of it; luckily, through her connections with Ryoko and the Kasumi’Oji family, being unwelcome would surely rarely prove itself an issue at all.

“Is there anything more specific I should know~?”, the young-looking medic inquisitively demanded, trying to now fish for any further knowledge; “I suppose I may cover a few additional pointers and some concrete scenarios, if you wish”. Nodding her head, Philip tried briefly collecting his thoughts, falling in a deep state of reflection; his musings soon concluded, the man gave a pat to his uniform and straightened it out before resuming thinking aloud, his suggestions and forewarnings never falling on deaf ears. “When one may eat, do not indulge, begin ahead of others or perform a ruckus; when required to sit, remain steadfast, avoid leaning on a surface and offer to stand should the occasion necessitate such a gesture. Celebrations aren’t meant for you to take the spotlight; if you wish to appear agreeable, focus as little upon your own affairs and indulge upon theirs”. Holding onto the tip of his blonde goatee, the Kasumi’Oji steward stared into the distance a bit, yet soon relaxed his stance while conversing with the student; “That about covers it all; do you have any further questions?”.

“Actually~, I do!!”, she asserted, almost even yelling it out before the man had gotten a chance to finish; “I'm just curious~, what's the rationale behind all this? You've gone in-depth about what I should do, but I'd grasp the concept much better if you at least told me what I’m supposedly trying to accomplish through those acts”. His eyes focusing onto the young woman, as if peering directly into her core, Philip relented once he saw how seriously she was taking this, the explanation he had given clearly not detailed enough to her liking; “Pardon me”, the veteran appealed, “I did not mean to withhold such information, yet most lack an understanding when it remains merely stated... Honor among nobility dictates we pay heed to four fundamental notions; location, timing, name and function. The former instructions ultimately all lead back to one of these, to upholding the value behind those four pillars”. Left wandering in thought for a moment, Luna made sure to commit the new information to memory; knowing this, she may now be able to call out when others lacked that proper etiquette.

“Anything else?”, the steward dismissively asked; “Nu-uh~!”, she shook her head in denial. “Then, I shall myself urge an answer out of you...”, he replied while shifting his posture slightly; in one swift motion, the elderly man suddenly changed expression entirely, turning grim and somber, and next placed his arm in a way that blocked the girl’s exit and robbed her of any escape. “I’d like to know what Luna Melrose, from the outer confines of South Rukongai, plans on doing here?”, he firmly demanded; at this abrupt assertion, the student’s eyes widened and, quite the rare occurrence for herself, she even remained fully silent. This was no small disclosure since he had effectively announced, using such an uncanny remark about South Rukongai, that they knew about her past and, by extension, her real identity; hardening her stance and glaring at the Kasumi’Oji employee, the girl revealed through body language he’d hit a sore spot and would do well to tread carefully on this subject.

“How~...?”, she first simply requested of him, believing he’d have no reason to hide such a detail; reaching into his coat and showing a document several pages in length, Philip handed it over, showcasing why he’d reached such a conclusion. Inspecting every word contained within, the medic quickly realized, with quite the dreaded look, that it was her own forged identity, the one she’d used to cover her tracks and prevent her connection with the underworld from coming to light... “This counterfeit paperwork was requested through our backchannels; you may not have realized, but it was made and certified by us, the Kasumi’Oji. We knew who you were, the moment we laid eyes on you”; laying down on the mattress, Luna left out a sigh, utterly defeated. Who could’ve guessed her transgression had been seen through this easily? Having no cards left to play, she resigned to her fate; perhaps there would soon be a chance to turn things around, but for now any signs of defiance would prove catastrophic to herself.

Gauging the adversary ahead, the medic shrugged, instead probing into his next move; “You got me... So~, what now?”. “Now, nothing...”, he merely retorted; quickly raising back to her feet, her face one of shock, the girl tried to understand that statement to no avail. Witnessing this reaction, the steward glanced away and cleared his throat, before plainly continuing to expound his thinking; “We welcomed you knowingly, the Kasumi'Oji offered you their grace despite your efforts to undermine the gesture. I have no intention to question Lady Ryoko's thinking, you may ask her about it yourself; what I wish to know is your own plan in the matter”. Promptly anticipating a response, Philip kept his gaze tightly secured on the young woman, leaving no trace of his own viewpoint peeking through; re-evaluating the future, Luna carefully measured her attitude yet soon revealed a stiff smirk, her true mindset somewhat shown through that one display; “Of course, what else? I’ll let my ambitions run wild~, as I always have! The Kasumi’Oji are simply a means to an end, a path I can follow toward my ideals~”.

At that unyielding statement, the old man chuckled, his glance now dark and terrifying...

“Good luck; I’ll be rooting for you”.

[Luna Melrose]

Her agenda laid bare from the very beginning, Luna’s hands were now tied, any escape route she might’ve had torn off from her grasp; the Kasumi’Oji had, at Ryoko’s command, brilliantly maneuvered around her own motives to place her in this predicament, an intricate trap from which she couldn’t break away any longer. Admittedly, the deceptive lady had made a grave mistake by relying on her forged identity to such an extent and, thinking back, should’ve attempted to cover the connection even further... Why would she, then, remain so nonchalant about it? Merrily smiling on her way to meet the noblewoman, a calm saunter along the corridors, you’d never think she has her back against the wall from that portrayal, her attitude contrary to expectations; there was only one plausible explanation, of course... The woman hadn’t thrown in the towel yet, and confidently expected to turn this situation around; since Ryoko wished to establish dialogue between them, she’d simply listen to her rationale and, should it not match her ambitions, would gladly offer her a fair share of overdue sabotage in response.

Approaching the terrace where she had been directed, located adjacent to the residential area and away from prying eyes, the young medic walked up nearby steps and entered its bounds; here, taking seat at a set of amenities meant for one to leisurely enjoy the outdoors, was Ryoko Kasumi’Oji, savoring a cup of what appeared to surely be their finest tea while comfortably awaiting the girl’s presence. Noticing a new individual amidst her entourage, the lady lowered her drink and glanced at the visitor, a strong conviction etched into every facet of her demeanor; “Welcome to my tiny abode, Luna Melrose; please, take a seat and make yourself at home, we shall remain unbothered here”. Doing as she’d just been told, the student took place directly opposite from her noble sponsor; that was certainly no coincidence and rather laid the groundwork for their upcoming confrontation, its necessity to reach a common understanding absolutely indisputable for either of them. “Thank you~!”, Luna responded with her usual, joyful pep; “I have looots~ of questions, I’d like to ask you...”, she said much more sternly.

“I’m sure”, the noble lady plainly replied, leisurely taking a sip from her beverage; sensing the tense nature of their current atmosphere, the girl ahead clearly now having hostility festering below the surface, Ryoko brought up the most pressing topic right away. “Let us address immediately what’s tormenting you; which revelation did you reach, while sojourning on our grounds?“; momentarily pondering whether she should reveal her hand, Luna conceded, her realization likely one the noblewoman already anticipated, given the wording she just employed, and moreover one the girl would need to disclose anyway for their discussion to get anywhere productive. “You knew about me, manipulated the actions I’ve taken until now and even ensnared me using that earlier agreement~. Correct?”; her reiatsu flaring and glare ice cold, it would prove difficult to ignore her shift in attitude, or to try and trick her any further. Leaning forward and attempting to pressure the lady while she had her attention focused fully on herself, Luna had no intention to provide any more leeway for manipulation; “I don’t appreciate being made~ a fool”, she nearly gnarled.

“In fact, I highly suggest you drop any further acts of deceit~, for your own sake...”.

Lifting an eyebrow, the noblewoman didn’t seem impressed, and rather gave the impression that she was confused by the matter at hand; “Ensnared you? That’s preposterous”. Pushing her tea aside and giving a frank look in return, standing her ground, Ryoko didn’t hesitate to reveal what she considered the truth behind their interactions thus far; “But, I’ll confess I did indeed identify your real circumstances ahead of our first contact; please, inspect the following credentials at your leisure”. Handing over a large document she’d kept on a stool nearby, the young medic began flipping through the pages, scrutinizing every detail for the sake of confirming what they truly knew about her; written within were the specifics about her life in the Rukongai, thankfully no further than her arrival amidst the outer districts, but nonetheless far too accurate to her liking. Even Nolt and Bark Face were vividly described, her former accomplices profiled in depth just like she was; “These are the conclusions ensuing our probing into your former dealings”.

Furious about this blatant breach of her privacy, the ordeals listed within obviously none of their business, Luna still kept a calm and collected demeanor for now; there was no need to agitate the hornet’s nest by throwing a tantrum about this... “Ohh~?”, she merely replied; without wasting a breath, the noblewoman handed several other documents she had set aside until now, resembling the report this student peeked through moments earlier. Skimming over the many pages, these seemed like similar details on several of her other classmates; Akito Himura, father of one, enrolled for revenge... Tarara Jido, bastard child of an aristocrat... Edward Fernández, tormented by a tragedy from the World of the Living... “It is customary for the Kasumi’Oji to dig into the background of all who may seek to do us harm... None caught on to your act until then, and I merely hence sought you out in accordance with your own merits”; recovering the files, Ryoko put them back down where they were originally located.

“Then~...”, Luna swiftly resumed, using the files as a basis and foundation for her thoughts; “You prepared a plot to approach me under the guise of distress, and devised a scenario with the appearance of a natural encounter for any~ of its other witnesses”. Nodding in agreement, the noble lady simply acquiesced while gently gulping down some more of her herbal brew; meanwhile, the young woman was deeply absorbed by her own rumination, unraveling the scope of that scheme she’d been subjected to. “You must’ve fooled your attendants~, then... Their sheer panic surely wasn’t fabricated. If anything was a ploy, it should rather be~ --”; suddenly coming to a realization, her eyes were now downcast and full of darkness. “That story... Did the Kasumi’Oji Elders act at your own~ request? You must’ve forged~ an assassination attempt of your very own...”; “Quite”, the noblewoman replied with glee, acknowledging the girl’s conclusion, “A fictitious threat to spur you into action”.

Readjusting a strand of her hair upward, the young noble lady hijacked Luna’s observations; “I fathom you might’ve seen through these pretenses”, she commented, “Hence, our deceit was kept out of your sight”. Looking back now, they had indeed kept her clear from any hints she could’ve picked on; any precursor signs of their conduct was kept under wraps and once the plan was put in motion, Ryoko’s aides were left unaware of it, ensuring their reactions would prove as realistic as they could be. Her only opportunity to spot the ongoing plot would’ve been during the outburst involving Swordsman Kogane, their only mistake being an expectation she wouldn’t reach their class ahead of schedule; although, that proved insufficient to disrupt the scheme, as the young medic didn’t participate directly in that conversation. Moreover, this also explained another of their decisions; “Was the Kendo class~ chosen for that reason as well? I doubt~ Swordsman Kogane would notice anything like this and, even if he did, I’m sure that teacher wouldn’t care about it anyway~”.

“Correct”, she replied, “We sought to act amidst an ideal setting”.

Leaning into her chair, Luna Melrose truthfully glared at the noblewoman ahead; if this was all there was to their scheme, she could tolerate it, but the crux of the issue was that earlier contract she’d signed, with obligations and various other restrictions... The student didn’t believe for a second there wasn’t a trick to it and, seeing how openly honest the lady currently was about their machinations, she could question her to ascertain the truth; “You then made me agree to an employment contract, and even pretended to care about my standing, all for the sake of what~, exactly? You must’ve been trying to gain~, some sort... Of, leverage on, my... Errhm~...?”, she gradually halted. Troubled and crestfallen, Ryoko’s facial features had contorted throughout the woman’s interrogation of her motives, leading her to stand up and slowly lean forward, placing a finger against Luna’s lips after doing so; “You have made a lapse in logic”, she murmured under her breath, almost pleading for the girl to stop and let her correct this supposedly faulty trajectory.

Remaining silent, Luna’s eyes were inquisitive, relaying all she needed to say; listening to her would do no harm, and she could certainly return the good faith Ryoko herself expressed so far. Viewing this stillness as an implicit permission, the noble lady explained her allegation; “You mistake my intentions; today was precisely as it seemed, a mediation for your enrollment deprived of any subterfuge”. Raising an eyebrow, the medic could hardly accept that at face value, but left her a chance to conclude nonetheless; “That you might feel otherwise is unavoidable, but I assure you the forthcoming days are in no way bound opposed to your will; we may audit our covenant, if you so wish, I attest nothing shall hold you captive to its terms”. Still unwilling to believe that may be the case, the girl posed a question, one prevailing at the very core of her hesitation; “Then~, why? How can you justify going this far, for a simple servant~? If you didn’t do this to pressure~ and threaten me, then for what?!”... She just couldn’t comprehend it.

“For cooperation; why else?”.

Taken aback by the suddenness of her response, she gulped, going silent while untangling the implications behind her words; for Luna, whose interactions with others were inherently conflictual, this was a foreign idea. Regardless, she gave heed to the notion that, perhaps, their intentions were of a collaborative nature and most importantly, could still fulfill her desires; sensing the girl remaining somewhat on the defensive, Ryoko sighed, well aware that further efforts would be required on her end. “I vowed my name unto your influence, to align our interests in lieu of an obscure stratagem”, she claimed; “Ascending your stature is of incidence to myself, thus a corresponding liability... I may not desist and am at your whim’s mercy”. The young Kasumi’Oji gave a solemn bow, a gesture Luna would come to interpret as an appeal to her goodwill and favor, whether or not that truly was the intention behind such a motion; she was conflicted, apparent from her constant fidgeting inside the bounds of her seat.

Looking into the distance, Ryoko’s gaze wandered over the scenery, reminiscing on the situation and her real motivations for seeking the young Rukongai medic out; “I do not wish to force your hand, nor coerce a favorable response; such a conclusion would hereafter lead to my own downfall, no doubts...”. A forlorn glance given toward Luna Melrose, she seemingly wavered momentarily before bolstering her stance and mentally preparing for the confrontation ahead; soon, the noblewoman gave a steady and resolute look in return, candid sincerity a forefront emotion the student could sense from the atmosphere she gave off. “I seek a partner amenable to their own volition, whose actions may not converge with my own but whom nevertheless has ambitions correlating mine”; the noble lady radiated a fervent vibe, and now awaited an equally sincere answer from the one she had accommodated within her domicile throughout the day. The ambiance was sober and tense, each passing second its own reminder of this building anticipation; “Might you be sympathetic to this friendship I offer, Luna?”, a query given to herself, eyes filled with expectations.

These eyes, her gaze...

Luna remembered.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

During their very first meeting, lying on Squad 4’s beds after receiving their respective treatments for the injuries incurred from the catastrophe they’d both narrowly avoided, she had already felt an intriguing, almost overwhelming sense of honesty arising from the Kasumi’Oji noblewoman; although such a feeling was set aside throughout the course of their discussion, there was no arguing the girl was led to a durable impression, a gut feeling that the lady was resolutely attempting to empathize with her, to an extent that well surpassed what was required to achieve one’s schemes. Such a sensation was alien to herself at the time and, to be perfectly honest, still was even today but, at least for now, she could be willing to believe in its value; call it intuition, perhaps, but everything kept pointing toward the fact that Ryoko had behaved in a heartfelt manner throughout every exchange they had, that the woman had left trickery at the door from the get-go...

That’s why, Luna could safely open up; if she wished, if only she thought so permissible, the option to act naturally was now one she might consider. An ally whose interests and mentality matched her own, who lacked any predisposition to turn against herself and with whom she could attempt to reach new heights, to claim such an individual was desirable would certainly be an understatement; in truth, such kinship was a sensation she sought to obtain, twisted as it may be given the undertones of such a relationship among her ilk... There was nothing to gain, no meaningful reason to struggle alone, nor to fight a war against this world when lacking the companionship of others; a mastermind, no matter how brilliant, would need the help of numerous pawns to advance their plans, there were no truths as fundamental as this one within the corrupt clutches of society. If she wished to move forward, she would need her own set of puppets... And Ryoko would prove a formidable one.

She could see it in these eyes, her gaze...

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

“...Alright~, I’ll give it a shot!”, Luna Melrose replied.

Eyes widening, an expression of delight surfacing succinctly across Ryoko’s face, she joyously raised to her feet and held the medical student’s hand somewhat firmly, grabbing it from the surface of this table stuck between them; “Oh; I am much obliged, Luna Melrose! That you would contemplate committing trust to myself warms my heart tremendously!”, she merrily exclaimed, undoubtedly on a high of emotions. “You were genuine~ from the very beginning“, the young girl now cheerfully returned her host’s smiles; “I have no reason to act disgracefully~ any further; I’m looking forward to building a close bond between us, Lady Ryoko~”. Reaching for her teacup, out of which she hadn’t even taken a sip yet, Luna finally indulged in the Kasumi’Oji’s hospitality; meanwhile, the noblewoman gracefully sat down and shifted her posture, making herself comfortable before properly addressing her newly acquired friend once more. “Ryoko shall suffice, among confidants”; nodding in response, it felt like the pair had come to a mutual understanding, their wavelengths now aligned toward a common insight.

Looking to the horizon, crepuscule was beginning to engulf the area, allowing them to enjoy today’s sunset together; pensive and withdrawn slightly into her own thoughts, Luna sought to clarify how they should operate, going forward. “Say~, how do you foresee these collaborative efforts, between us...?”, she simply asked of the one who’d made every attempt to materialize such a reality; glancing to the woman, Ryoko gave her accomplice a book she’d kept on the side of their table until now, which seemingly resembled a novel much like any other. Opening its first page, however, offered the young girl a different perspective, the author’s name listed within, ‘Sumiryo Ko'Ojika’, a direct anagram of ‘Ryoko Kasumi’Oji’; “You wrote~ this?”, she queried, somewhat curious and fascinated by this written work. “Superb!”, the noble lady let out, slack-jawed at Luna’s rapid comprehension of what she sought to show her; “Indeed, I have written numerous works of fiction; prominently tragic tales of intrigue and dramatics...”.

The medic understood her intention.

“You wish for us to communicate, using that medium~ as a cover?”; “Correct”, the noblewoman replied. Leaning slightly into her chair, the girl gave it due merits, they should be capable to covertly function while under the guise of such brainstorming and theorycrafting, associating it with the construction of a mystery for her novels; frankly, that was a great facade they could employ, provided that they didn’t overuse this channel for the transmission of information between them. Subterfuge, after all, was best kept as a last resort... “The assets I shall contribute are sizeable, and vast in their utility; I fathom it is the sole rationale instigating my feats of triumph thus far. Nevertheless...”; “...You don’t think you could properly compete~ against a person attempting to truly outmaneuver you, and felt best~ to seek me out for my experience?”, completing the sentence ahead of herself, a mind meld of sorts. Giving a nod in return, the frail Kasumi’Oji confirmed this inference; “I am ill-suited to intrigue; hence, your tact and poise are a crucial necessity for my desired selfhood, to spearhead such aspirations”.

Seemingly unsure how to breach the topic, the noblewoman looked momentarily restless before diverting the course of their discussion; “I am certain you have discerned the somewhat broad clauses implying you may utilize your medical prowess for further than merely my own care?”, Ryoko questioned. Luna recalled such wording within their agreement, and therefore nodded; “No need to expound the Kasumi’Oji secrets right away, you shall surely learn of them posthaste...”. Secrets...?! That word caught the medic’s attention immediately; although, she could patiently await their ulterior reveal. “Even so, such expertise pairs well with the underground dealings for which we Kasumi’Oji are notorious; your cooperation will expand my leverage and unite the family’s affairs, under your thumb”; a twinge of obscurity finally made itself known amidst her demeanor, as if the noble girl divulged the deepest corners of her corrupt thinking. The student caught a glimpse of Ryoko’s own darkness, at long last, and gave a wide, astounding grin in return for the gesture; “Of course~! My skills are at your service, for self-care and any other, depraved needs~ you may have...”.

Placing her fingertip to her lip, she pondered; “Althouuugh~, can I ask you something?”. “Mhmm?”, Ryoko affirmed her consent; “If I hadn’t~ acted... How would you have guaranteed your survival~?”, she curiously sought to know... “I shan’t have”; Huh?! Casually refilling some of her tea, also taking the opportunity to replenish her friend’s cup, the noblewoman plainly shrugged, explaining what she meant by that; “Pain and its cruel consistency are a normalcy of my livelihood; avoiding it would be lunacy”, she darkened her gaze, “My survival was wagered on your involvement and proficiency, much like it is now...”. Taking a sip, the Kasumi’Oji lady seemed calm; her associate, meanwhile, was dumbfounded and bewildered by the sheer lack of concern for her own life, a willingness to stake all her plans on a student she ultimately knew very little about. From Luna’s viewpoint, it was silly to expect everything would ever go according to the initial script; did this woman not grasp that risks were inherent to any clandestine undertaking, or was she just indifferent to her own fate...?

“That’s absurd~!”, the girl blurted, lifting from her chair.

Heightening her gaze in surprise, her employer was assuredly not anticipating that reaction; “Yep-yep~, I understand...”, Luna pouted, her face distorted in disgust; “...That’s vetoed~, from now on!!”. Sitting back down at her own pace, the young medic had only a glare to spare for her companion; “W-, What?!”, the noble lady queried while confused about this sudden backlash, the mood completely shifting from earlier. “You can’t just venture every plan of yours, on a wild guess~!”; raising her hand, she gestured as if scolding the young woman, “Listen~! Plotting is imperfect~, you can fail for any reason; that’s why you shouldn’t~ prepare for every eventuality and always prepare for failure instead... Keep something~ hidden up your sleeve, and never ever~ stake your life on a plan you’ve haphazardly made!”. Briefly shaking her own head in disapproval, the student didn’t offer any mercy, this subject surely a sore spot for herself; “I’ll acquiesce, that was undue peril...”, her response given with a solemn bow, the noblewoman accepting this criticism of her former mindset.

“Good~”, she sulked; while the last remnants of the sun flew below the horizon, the duo finished drinking their respective beverages, partaking in idle chatter until the gloom of nightfall truly submerged them. “Shall we go rest and commence our routinely traditions? I would prefer we do not linger too long”, the young noblewoman requested of her newest hire and friend; glancing to their surroundings, Luna noticed a fluctuation in the atmosphere as guards and other servants seemingly began flocking around, a rush of maneuvers she deemed far more proactive than those previously executed. Deducing these were caused by the twilight, most likely practicing different protocols once the night came, the student yielded to her concerns... “Yep~; we should head in!”, she replied; both girls soon raising up, Ryoko delicately caught the tea set on the table and handed the fragile cups to a nearby employee; meanwhile, Luna tried reminiscing, why did this flavor feel familiar? Unsure, she asked her host directly, trying to uncover this simple mystery; “What were we drinking~, just now...?”.

“Mhm; we indulged in a modest cinnamon brew”.

[Luna Melrose]

Led around the claustrophobic corridors by her noblewoman friend firmly holding the girl’s hand, Luna Melrose allowed herself to be guided through this environment, acknowledging that the lady’s directions would surely be a lot more accurate than her own; truthfully, while the young medic had paid attention during the earlier visit of these grounds, the serpentine and illogical layout of these halls still proved fairly challenging regardless, a structure she would need to explore further before correctly navigating. Despite the somewhat casual nature of their interactions so far, she remained slightly anxious over how her new duties would unfold; would Ryoko truly grant her complete authority to do as she pleased, willingly putting herself at the girl’s mercy? That was doubtful, but she nonetheless gave it the benefit of the doubt; they soon reached her room’s doorway, a location where all these worries would be quenched any minute from now. Given this lodging was a space she hadn’t visited yet, the girl quickly realized, anticipation was gradually building; she was eager to peek inside...

Her expectations were certainly justified.

Opening the door ahead using an elegant silver key, Ryoko simply walked to the center of its confines, the noblewoman patiently awaiting her friend’s entry; Luna meanwhile stood in the doorway’s frame, deeply astonished at the display before her eyes. “Woaah, so pretty~!!”, she softly asserted, since a glaring divide between this room and the rest of the mansion was indisputable; colorful drapes adorned every corner of her chamber, the immaculate looks of this room radiating a welcoming aura, a level of luxury in a league of its own. Wandering into the alien space at her own pace, the medic noticed a tray of equipment left in the middle of the lodging, with tools she easily recognized; they were an assortment of various medical devices, surely placed at her disposal for these nocturnal duties. “May you take a gander here?”, the noble lady solicited from her, gesturing to a door secluded near the far end of this room; a wardrobe, perhaps? The woman moved in its direction, indulging her host’s desires.

Looking inside, she found herself into a small bathing area, fairly limited yet nonetheless a stunning display of opulence; the materials and other elements serving as focal points in this environment were no doubts beyond her budget, by far. Although, what rather caught her attention immediately was the door located on the opposite side of this one, this lavatory apparently connected somewhere else, an entrance with a destination soon briefly clarified by Ryoko; “Your personal quarters lie on the other side; this passageway was my aim, while granting you the adjacent bedchamber”. Raising the previous key she’d used to unlock her room to the girl’s eye level, the noblewoman further explained her rationale; “Should you have taken residence elsewhere, I fathom your entry would’ve been restricted to my own attendance; this precaution would be unfit for the precepts of our dealings”, she shrugged in annoyance. “Please, use this path at your leisure”; nodding obediently, the student felt this to be a convenient setup and would take advantage of this perk, were it so readily offered.

“So~, let’s begin...?”; “Indeed”.

Returning inside the boundaries of the bedroom belonging to Ryoko Kasumi’Oji, the pair prepared for this first iteration of the mundane exercise they would soon partake with daily; “First things first~, I’d like to confirm you don’t have any active injuries”, Luna spontaneously conveyed, yearning to verify the state of her friend so she could assess the severity of her current situation. Moving toward the room’s center, her employer acquiesced, gracefully lifting both arms upward to make room for this inspection; “Go ahead”, she permitted. Kneeling before her, the young woman undid this noblewoman’s obi and the belts holding her kimono in place, conscientiously removing it from top to bottom and delicately folding it, leaving this fancy garb atop the nearby mattress; she diligently undressed the noble, laid bare for the sake of medical meticulousness. A mistake would prove inexcusable with such a condition, so this much was a necessity... Seemingly realizing the girl’s reasoning, Ryoko reassured her caretaker; “Pay it no heed... A small price to pay for one’s peace of mind”, the lady claimed.

At a quick glance, it was already obvious the poor lady was suffering from injury; her right arm was slightly darkened from markings of internal bleeding provoked by a fractured bone, which seemed to derive from a distal radius fracture. Her gaze gone somber, Luna’s mindset was set toward containing the wound to prevent intensifying this problem; they could work on properly healing the damage tomorrow, but it’d do no good if her bone was displaced in the meantime. “I’ll stabilize your arm~”, Luna called out; the medic scavenged through their medical supplies for splinting materials, she planned to perform a rigid splint and immobilize the noblewoman’s wrist along her elbow joint, restricting Ryoko’s movements so that her daily activities wouldn’t aggravate the situation. Thankfully, the rest of her inspection didn’t show any further signs of abnormal conditions nor, most importantly, evidence of open fractures; “Please~ be careful while sleeping, tonight”, her request quickly followed by a silent nod from its due recipient.

Consequently, Luna also began examining her through palpation, attempting to spot any issues that might not be perceivable using sight because they lacked visual hints of their presence; her priority was to verify the state of the young lady’s ribcage and spine, two crucial bones with very discreet failures yet immense consequences, which both proved particularly vulnerable given the nature of her illness. “Let me know if you feel~ any pain”, she ordered; the woman then placed her fingers along the sides of Ryoko’s abdominal muscles, pressing lightly while running each fingertip atop the ribs to sense any deformity or trauma. Not a trace of irregularity was felt so the student moved behind this noblewoman, performing the procedure again along her dorsal cavity, this time verifying the spine’s health; she confirmed that no grievous latent complications remained behind from previous shocks, that nothing necessitated urgent care she would’ve needed to address immediately.

Moving over toward the medical gear for another series of tests, the girl took out a stethoscope, inserting this auditory apparatus into her ears; beyond merely the osteoporosis they were aware of, Luna wouldn’t overlook any other elements that might affect Ryoko’s constitution or impact their work. She intended to ensure the young Kasumi’Oji would remain in pristine conditions, since her assistance became a necessity to advance the woman’s plans; to that end, she positioned the stethoscope’s diaphragm across her skin surface at various locations over her abdomen and chest, validating numerous vital signs along the way. “Naught but the ordinary?”, Ryoko queried with conviction, seemingly fairly certain of the results; “Hm~... I didn’t hear anything unusual, at the very~ least”. This auscultation reported no aberrant behavior, which proved reassuring; it meant her internal organs were in a healthy shape, demonstrating no early signs of deterioration... Returning the stethoscope to its rightful place, she now pulled a different tool; there was one final evaluation Luna Melrose wished to perform, before moving onto other matters altogether.

The instrument now held within her palm was a small impact hammer, its flat tip hardly bigger than a coin and light as a feather; using it, she would carry out a few percussion tests, an evaluation of the lady’s bone conditions. While the results of such an evaluation would obviously indicate a weak bone density, she was rather interested in any fragility that might’ve been left behind from ulterior fractures; “Tap~ my hand, if you feel any pain”, the student keenly asked. To verify her procedure would have the intended outcome, she first gave a soft blow on the arm they both already knew was broken, which resulted in two light taps on her wrist holding the hammer from Ryoko; “Just to confirm~, sorry!”, Luna rectified once the noble gave her a bit of a frown. Giving dull strikes on the various areas she wanted to investigate along the lady’s body, they were largely ignored until her left leg was hit, another pat given to signal pain; “Where did that hurt~?”, she inquisitively called.

Her vision was led to the noblewoman’s pelvis and left hip, whose fingertip traced its boundaries.

Leftovers of an injury that didn’t heal properly, perhaps? Leaving the tiny medical mallet among the rest of her supplies, she got back on her feet, ready to move on to a different topic; noting down the presence of this anterior strain for the sake of future treatment, she nonetheless planned to leave it be for now and rather focus on preparing for the coming days by delineating a treatment plan. “I’ll have a chat tomorrow~ with Marcus, to discuss your nutrition and define a clear diet... We’ll try and raise your bone density using a careful~ dosage of the right nutrients”, she informed the young lady; although the woman didn’t believe her medical care would prove quite that easy, given the source of her ailment, any gains she could muster would surely be welcomed and have a considerable impact on the noblewoman’s way of life. “May I duly request my involvement...?”, the interested party solemnly wished; “Mhm, of course~!”... Perhaps there were savory meals she didn’t want to see bygone, preferences she hoped would be left undisturbed.

“Now~...”, Luna resumed; “I’ve finished reviewing your disability but, if you’re willing to indulge me a biiit~ longer, I’d like to scrutinize other factors of your health and begin building a proper medical record”, she inquired from her host. Whilst her gaze was fixated on the dignified lady, awaiting a reply, the young girl also prepared a large, somewhat heavy balance device; “Act how you feel, paramount to my safety”, this response soon came, along with a modest shrug. “Thank you~, then...”; “...Stand here, correct?”. Having extended a hand to Ryoko in order to help her embark on the large mechanism ahead, the medic followed with various adjustments to the position of each weight, some smaller than others, attached to the bulky machinery; she wished to measure the mass of her friend, and gain an accurate assessment of its evolution over many days. Her objective was clear; evaluate whether this could become a cause for concern, since weight loss was a grueling task when it involved the adverse conditions toward fitness the noble lady had to contend with.

Recording her findings in a small notebook, the Kasumi’Oji was led back down and now sat atop the fluffy, admittedly very soft bed; after returning the weighing machine back where it belonged, the student took out a few more tools amidst the healing supplies and primed them for further study. The first she prepped for such an examination was a short flashlight, barely the size of her palm, which was meant for evaluating the eyes of a patient; using it, she positioned herself in front of the noblewoman and placed it facing the iris, giving short bursts of strong lumens to the girl’s retina while observing the contractions of her pupil. The same test was performed for both of her eyes, after which Luna reached her conclusions; the reflexes of her pupil were present and narrowed uniformly, the cornea wasn’t cloudy and its coloration was a clear white, neither any traces of red nor yellow... In other words, nothing worrisome that could’ve signaled an underlying pathology.

Leaving aside this meager light in favor of another tool she’d prepared, this one was an instrument most were well-acquainted with, one frequently used in everyday life; it was a thermometer, an excellent way to get an indication of one’s current wellbeing. She didn’t begin by employing it directly though, no, Luna rather firmly placed her palm against Ryoko’s forehead to get a feel for it first, an action the noblewoman collaborated with by reciprocating the motion and leaning her head forward; the lady truly demonstrated an abundance of trust and faith in this new servant of hers, didn’t she? Feeling nothing out of the ordinary, the young medic sought to confirm her impressions with a precise reading of her temperature; “Open~”, she demanded of the noble girl, who acquiesced and kept her mouth ajar. Placing the device right under her tongue and keeping it there for quite some time, a brief, awkward eternity for them both, she acquired the desired information and quickly scribbled it down her notes, expanding in scope on every occasion.

Before removing this instrument from the woman’s mouth, a tongue depressor was positioned within the oral orifice and allowed for an in-depth examination of its health; the head of this young Kasumi’Oji kept firm by placing one hand at its back, her caretaker used her leftover hand to hold the tongue in place and look for any other markers of sickness. Using this opportunity, she gave the lady’s oral cavity a thorough inspection, seeking various indications of swelling, redness or sores, to no avail; the young scholar couldn’t identify atypical odors from her breath either, which proved to be another positive indication. Performing a similar series of verifications by observing the back of the noblewoman’s throat, it seemed there would be nothing to worry about; however, preceding the removal of this wooden stick from her mouth, Luna first scraped its tip against her inner cheek to acquire a sample of saliva, the noble’s DNA contained inside. Carefully extracting this precious selection, she placed it in a vial filled with a solution for its preservation; the sample would soon be refrigerated, to retain its valuable information.

Next, the ensuing evaluation would be a measure of her blood pressure; pulling out a sphygmomanometer from the array of tools she’d already set aside for tonight’s tests, the student securely locked the cuff and made sure the pressure would be applied evenly around the lady’s arm, to avoid causing any injury during this process. Of course, the girl hadn’t installed the device around her right arm, sidestepping any risks of aggravating her current fracture even if it was lower and near the woman’s wrist; while this methodology was generally harmless, the osteoporosis this Kasumi’Oji carried with herself daily meant a pressure too strong, especially if it was unbalanced, could hurt her very quickly. That’s why, she wouldn’t take a chance and clarified her expectations with her employer; “Please, let me know~ if you feel unusual pain; I’ll stop it immediately~”. “Mhm... Naturally”, its recipient replied; flipping the switch, she awaited measurements to appear on the gauge’s terminal and transcribed the values shown into writing... It seems Ryoko suffered from slight hypertension, no cause for concern just yet but regardless a situation worth monitoring.

“I’ve finished measuring~ your vitals... I’ll just collect a few more samples~ and we’ll be done for tonight!”, Luna Melrose indicated afterward; nodding in silent anticipation, the noble seemed somewhat exhausted, fatigue building up and beginning to weigh down on them both. Extracting a short, sterilized syringe from their medical supplies, still isolated according to infection control protocols, the small instrument was set and aligned with one of the lady’s arteries along her left arm, positioned for a typical venipuncture; “This may hurt a little... Sorry~ in advance”, the medic apologized. Sensing her patient relax, each muscle going lax, her needle punctured the skin’s surface and siphoned some blood, going inside a modest container prepared specifically for that purpose; soon removed as swiftly as it was inserted, the needle was set aside and the young woman placed a cotton ball on the exposed opening, applying pressure while a bandage was made to prevent too much blood from escaping. She would need to maintain this specimen for further analysis; currently, however, her friend’s safety was the girl’s foremost worry on her mind.

The last evaluation on their schedule was perhaps the most important, since it was directly tied to Ryoko’s condition and would surely reveal crucial details about the inner workings of her affliction; dragging out another electronics terminal connected to what resembled a short lightbulb, albeit without any filament and rather filled with sand-like particles, the student turned on this device and inclined its bulb forward, letting the molecules gradually fill the space they had at their disposal. Although such a lightbulb emitted no light, contrary perhaps to one’s expectations, that quickly changed once the tiny apparatus was taken closer to the noblewoman, the particles contained therein seemingly charging up with some sort of energy and radiating a beautiful, clear glow; the terminal’s display lit up with all sorts of information and readings, scribbled down by Luna amidst her medical notebook... The machine was one meant to study a subject’s spiritual signature and characteristics, its purpose to soak up residual, latent energy and accumulate it for the sake of methodical scrutiny; its lightbulb was soon ejected and stored away, a snapshot of her spiritual state offering to be reused as needed.

Shuffling through the numerous pieces of equipment as if reorganizing them, the young medic soon took them to the side of the doorway leading into the lavatory before returning to the noblewoman’s side; “I’ll be keeping this on my~ end... Let’s stop here for today, since we’re both overdue some sleep; we can rest up~ and resume our daily examinations tomorrow”, she pleaded. “Ahh-hhaaaaa~~... Agreed; I fathom we shall find preferable for our vitality to be duly restored”, her yawns and fatigue both discernible amid the lady’s locution; the student cooperated with Ryoko for the remainder of her nightly routine, providing her assistance for any tasks that might prove difficult with the newly installed splint and bandages. Once she was firmly tucked in bed, the girl turned around and was about to move away, soon instead interrupted by a hand lightly pulling on her sleeve; “I’ll be eternally grateful, for your help...~”, words whispered almost inaudibly by her new employer. Walking toward the room connecting their two quarters, she extinguished the nearby lamp on her way, the sole remaining light source illuminating the boundaries of this noble’s bedroom.

“Rest well~”, the woman whispered in return.

Returning to her own room, Luna brought the medical tray with herself and left it near a wall adjacent to the bathroom’s entrance; she took a moment to grab the few samples she had collected and placed them inside a portable, refrigerated device, one she left by the side for their preservation until tomorrow, when she’d ensure a more appropriate means of conservation would be put at her disposal. For now, though, a student frankly drained of all energy and worn out from her tiresome day fell over her new bed’s mattress and slid under the comfy blanket, ready and quite elated to fall into a deep slumber; as her mind began dozing off, she remembered the various highlights of today’s happenings, starting with a flashy transit and leading into every occurrence afterward, negotiations and training alike. There was a peculiar aura, almost a delirious mood, permeating the beginning of this new epoch in her life; no doubts such an energy would now be felt everyday, guiding her way toward this unique, distinct lifestyle...

...There could be no greater reason to rejoice, for her ambitions had now shifted dramatically.

[Zeich Yajuu]

Alrighty, 127 Paragraphs x 300 Ryo per = 38,100 Ryo. Enjoy!