DESPECTUS

AKANE

It was about eleven when Akane finished her class. She tried to get that kind of thing done earlier rather than later, and AU's flexible scheduling system gave her that freedom. She had another later tonight, which was unfortunate but unavoidable.

As she adjusted her sword bag over her shoulder, she wondered if she should call Ling again. She hadn't come back last night, not since her heavy-handed attempt to seduce Derek failed. Honestly, judging from his reaction, Akane doubted it would have worked even if Laura and Akane weren't there. She was a bit worried about Ling, but Adam had passed along her message, so Akane was pretty sure she wasn't just sleeping on the street.

Akane hadn't seen Flynn since Saturday. They only had class together on Friday, but they had each others' phone numbers. He had called her yesterday, but she had ignored it. She needed to ignore it. He was just another distraction.

And speaking of distractions... she kept letting her thoughts wander, thinking of anything but what she had to do now. She didn't want to do it, but she didn't really have much choice. She was expected.

She headed out of the campus with a heavy heart, not even bothering to drop off her backpack at her room. She'd need it to carry the stuff she was getting. She found the light rail and used it to head a couple miles north, closer to the heart of the city.

There weren't many homes this close to Necessarius Central, but there were a few nice apartment buildings here and there, nestled between Doctor Clarke's labs and the various barracks. It hadn't always been NHQ, but those who had lived here first now enjoyed better security than they could have dreamed of.

There were downsides, of course, like always. Higher security meant it was less convenient to come and go as you pleased, pretty much like any other military zone. Akane was stopped by a 'sarian checkpoint as she was exiting the light rail station, and another six just walking the three blocks to her destination. Luckily, Butler had thought to give all the Paladins Alpha-level security badges, so she was sped on her way without much trouble.

The apartment building she was looking for was much the same as when she had left it. Well-maintained, but not terribly high-quality, without any of the hanging gardens the city was so famous for. Some idiot had built the place out of imperfect, porous materials. If gardens were allowed, they'd suck all the nutrients out of the walls, and in a few years the entire building would come crumbling down.

She passed through the front door—they changed the locks with alarming frequency, but not that fast—and crossed the lobby to the elevator, not looking at the concierge at the desk. He didn't really like her. She had given his daughter a sprained ankle when they were younger. Of course, that was because his daughter and six other girls were trying to beat Akane up at the time, but try and explain that to an overprotective parent.

The elevator carried her to the right floor soon enough, and she exited faster than was probably necessary. She could've sworn she could feel the concierge watching her through the camera, but it must have been her imagination. It didn't matter. The only cameras were in the elevator, so she was safe now either way.

Akane knocked lightly on the door. No one answered at first, and she began to hope that she was out, and she'd be able to avoid this for at least one more day. Normally she didn't procrastinate, but this was a special case.

Unfortunately, she was wrong. The door opened after only a moment, and she was greeted by the sight of Yasu Nakano.

She was a short Japanese woman, a little over forty years old. She was still beautiful, her minimal wrinkles accenting it rather than cutting into it, but her soft face was scrunched up in a frown, and her hair a bit disheveled. It seemed as though Akane had caught her in the middle of something.

“If this is a bad time, I can leave,” Akane said quickly, and headed to go.

Yasu grabbed her arm angrily, and it took Akane an effort of will not to shake her off. “Never mind that. Get in here.”

Akane stumbled into the apartment and nearly tripped over a cardboard box in the middle of the room. It was especially noticeable because the rest of the place was immaculate. The box couldn't have been more obvious if it had been painted neon.

“There it is,” Yasu said. “I'm sure you don't want to stay any longer than you have to.” She retreated to the kitchen without another word.

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Akane looked in the box with a bit more caution than was needed. There were all her books and movies, what few ones she had, stacked neatly together and ready for her to take. She should be able to fit them all in her backpack and leave in moments.

She sighed. Like that was an option.

She stowed her possessions away, just in case she did need to leave in a hurry, and made her way to the kitchen.

Yasu glanced at Akane. “I thought you'd be gone by now.”

“I thought I could stay for some tea, Yasu.” She flinched as if Akane had slapped her, and she corrected herself. “Mother, I mean.”

Yasu sniffed. “That's better. And of course. Sit down, I'd be happy to make you some. You still prefer milk tea?”

Akane blushed slightly as she sat. Milk tea was for kids. “Yes.”

Her mother didn't say anything as she fussed about the kitchen, setting the water to boil and preparing the tea bags. She was avoiding talking, and Akane couldn't blame her.

Akane was, in many ways, her father's child, not her mother's. She had taken to the Akiyama legacy with a will, and accepted all the implications of that inheritance. If her father was still alive, or if a thousand other things had been slightly different, Akane and her mother might actually be civil to each other. But they weren't, so they weren't.

Eventually, there was nothing else for her to do except wait for the water to boil, so Yasu reluctantly sat down across from Akane.

Yasu was quiet for a long time, and the silence stretched on. Before it could become unbearable, Akane broke it.

“I didn't hear from you on Saturday,” she said, trying not to sound confrontational. It was hard when dealing with her, though.

“I was at your father's grave,” she replied without inflection. “I noticed you didn't show up.”

Of course. Akane's father had died on her seventh birthday. Her mother never tired of reminding her.

“I was busy.”

“Doing what? You don't have friends.”

Akane frowned. Don't get angry. “I have friends. They threw me a surprise party. Gave me presents. You know, normal things that happen on normal birthdays.”

Yasu rolled her eyes. “Normal people don't have fathers who liked threatening people with swords.”

“Mother, he saved three people that day. He considered it a worthy sacrifice, I'm sure.”

“He died in the process.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Besides, he killed five more people to do it. How does that make sense?”

“Sometimes you have to kill in order to save, mother.”

She glared hatred at Akane. “How would you know?”

“I...” She couldn't tell her. Yasu wasn't Domina-born, and had spent most of her time in the city nestled in the safe embrace of Necessarius. She didn't understand how the dark parts of the world worked. If Akane told her that she did, from personal, bloody experience, Yasu would disown her.

She had to keep calm.

Yasu shook her head again. “It's that Derek character.”

She had to remain strong.

“He's a bad influence on you. It's just like what happened with your sisters.”

All Akane had to do was keep her mouth shut. It wasn't hard. She did it all the time.

“I hear he runs around playing cowboy, just like your father did.”

Treat Yasu like a stranger. She practically was, so that was easy. Akane didn't talk around strangers, so the problem was solved.

“He's going to get himself killed, and you with him.”

All Akane had to do was stay quiet until she got bored and shifted topics.

“At least the city will be better off without him.”

Suddenly, Yasu jumped out of her chair and backed away as fast as she could, her eyes big as dinner plates. She was breathing hard, and the only reason she hadn't fled the room was because Akane was between her and the only exit.

Akane had half-drawn her sword without even noticing.

She almost did it. She almost unsheathed it entirely. She wouldn't have attacked, of course. Just scared her. Just a reminder.

The tea kettle whistled.

Akane sheathed her sword.

“Your tea is done, Miss Nakano.” Then she turned on her heel and left.