Enid was driving to school, several weeks had passed since she’d visited the US base. She noticed there was still a tail. She didn’t bother trying to lose them. She’d noticed them the morning after her visit. She had just gone about her business, well not all of it, she had cut back on hunting and was just doing school, teaching and taking classes at the Dojo and avoiding Nobuyuki and the Yakuza all together. She hadn’t tried to evade her tails at all, they had been watching her apartment. They even rented the unit across from hers. She pondered if they had done enough investigation to notice she owned the building. She shook her head. They had planted a Japanese woman, but Enid could tell easily from her accent and behavior she was from the US. It was so amusing to her they would think it would slip by her. She’d been living here for four years. She knew the people and the country. She sighed and pulled into her parking spot locking her doors. Her pack was in a new school bag she had purchased as soon as she noticed the first tail. She purposely left a purse in the car with copious feminine hygiene products, extra underwear and anything else she could think of to annoy them when the inevitably broke into her car. She was fairly sure they had a tracker on it. She didn’t bother to remove it. In fact, she went out other way to look ridiculously normal. Eventually her bubble of normalcy would burst if the Yakuza got a call from Taichi or the like. About the only thing she hadn’t done at this point is gotten a boyfriend. Miko had a lot of prospects for her apparently, she had been quite popular in their high school. Enid was almost tempted to acquiesce with her demands she find a man now that they weren’t kids.

Enid slung her backpack over her shoulder. She’d gone with a nice blouse and skirt today. She always did her best to look professional for her university classes. The professors seemed to like it and considering she was a white skinned westerner, she needed all the help she could get. She’d had to take a Japanese language mastery test to get in even with her Japanese citizenship they didn’t believe she was as fluent as a Japanese person. The racism in Japan was quite apparent if hidden by a vale of politeness. It didn’t bother her, she was indeed a foreigner but she did her best to fit in with their beliefs and follow their customs.

Enid sat down in class and notice a new gaijin in it. She would assume British prep schoolboy, if not for the fact the US government was so focused on finding out who she was. She hadn’t gotten too her age without being able to spot a plant a mile away. She would do it in the past to complete investigations into vampire misdoings. That was a nastier minefield though. If they had a clue what hey were sending the boy into they’d probably shit their pants. She pulled out her books and began taking notes. At least the spy they put into her class had a clue how to speak and read Japanese. He had gone with a t-shirt and shorts. Thus the professor had picked on him mercilessly, also he was the new guy.

“Melanie-chan.”

Enid looked back. It was Ishagi, an old classmate from her senior high school. He rushed to catch up.

“Did you get the assignment done?”

“Yes I did. Where is Isamu?”

“Oh, he’s… He’s probably about to fail at asking someone out.”

Enid giggled.

“He always was terrible with girls.”

“Yes, yes he has. You haven’t come out with us lately. Is everything alright?”

“Oh yes, I’m just very busy between school and the dojo.”

“Well we’re doing a study group-milkshake get together at the Go-Go. Would you come?”

I have been pretty anti-social. I don’t want to alienate my class.

Enid pondered for a few moments. She caught a glimpse of the plant trying to evesdrop. She nodded.

“I suppose I can, there are no classes to teach tonight. I really have missed going out.”

Ishagi smiled and clapped his hands.

“I told them you’d come.”

“Who?”

“The girls. Isamu and I have told them all about you from school.”

“Anyone need a ride? I have a car.”

“Oh I could use one and Miyano, and Fukui.”

“Okay my car is in the east lot, it’s a black civic.”

“I will see you there, good luck in your lab.”

Enid nodded and walked towards her chemistry lab class. She arrived and sat down at her lab table. Unlike her main classes this one was bereft of people she went to high school with. Seeing only a westerner who were widely considered careless and lazy no one had partnered with her, and she was the odd woman out, and the lab instructor had just not bothered to force someone to partner with her. It suited her fine she could get the work done faster without interference of a mortal, especially since the classroom had no windows. She saw the plant come in and he spoke to the lab teacher who pointed to her table. She frowned. Looks like her afternoon of peace was about to be disturbed. She moved her backpack off of the extra seat and put it at her feet. He smiled at her. She marveled at how he thought that would work for her especially when she wasn’t in the sun. The only urges she had, were the ones she wanted, mostly. He offered his hand, which to a Japanese person was almost in insult. She took it as not to be rude. He understood the language but not the culture. He had a British accent.

“Aiden Pearce, and you are?”

And definitely not your real name.

Enid smiled at him shaking his hand.

You know damn well who I’m supposed to be.

“Melanie Stuart.”

“Is that a Scottish Accent?”

“It is indeed.”

“What luck, I land in the school with someone else from the UK.”

“Some of us would rather not be part of the UK.”

He blinked at her. She kept a serious look on her face then let it melt as she gave a small laugh.

“The look on your face you British get, always so serious about Queen and Country.”

His shoulders relaxed. Seeing him panic about his cover being wrong amused her. Precious else did sometimes. Playing the game with him might provide her with some amusement. The cat had found a mouse and now she was going to play with it until it fled in terror.

Lets start by his cover.

“So, Aiden, what brings you to Japanese University? Daddy couldn’t get you into Oxford?”

Enid blinked innocently while pouring the extremely concentrated acid they were using for the experiment today under the fume hood. She could see she’d stung his pride slightly, the want to correct her error but he smiled and shook his head.

“No, my father is here at the British Embassy and thought I should go to school here and ingratiate myself to our hosts.”

Enid nodded.

“And how did a pale Scottish lass, from the highlands if I am not mistaken about your accent, end up here on this sun-soaked skin cancer causing island paradise?”

“Oh, I wanted to study Karate and my sister travels a lot for business.”

“So, no parents?”

“No, well there is my somewhat adoptive one who took me in when he realized I was fifteen and, on the island, alone. Nice man runs all the crime on the islands. Very protective of his daughters, which now includes me.”

She continued to work on their project, splitting her attention between her work under the fume hood and keeping an eye on ‘Aiden’. Whatever his real name was. He feigned surprise, all but confirming her almost certainty he was a plant sent to spy on her.

Did his research knows how well I’m connected. At least he’s not stupid, terrible actor though.

“Wait, you’re not lying.”

“I figured I’d get that out of the way before you got any ideas. I have found it’s better that way, instead of going out on a date with me then a few hours later finding yourself in a limo with a Yakuza boss explaining about how you need to consider your future carefully.”

He nodded.

“Well I’m a gentleman so I’m sure he’d see that.”

You aren’t half as attractive as you think you are you blonde haired asshat. First off no beard, second off, not a barbarian from Gaul.

She blinked at herself and almost dropped the vial of acid when the door opened and the sun shone on her back and she had a sudden rush of hormones when she remember Rolf behind her. The door closed and she got control of her body’s reactions again.

God damned amulet.

She felt his hand on hers as he helped her steady the vial. He seemed to have noticed her suddenly flush breathing and racing heart.

“Careful there, Melanie, that stuff is dangerous.”

“My bad, I should have eaten before class.”

“Well, we could go grab something after lab?”

Ha, he thinks that was him.

“I’ve got plans.”

“Come on, when is the last time you had food and spoke English while eating it hmm?”

“If you call what you speak English I know some tutors I can introduce you too.”

He chuckled.

“I don’t know anyone here, and you know how they are.”

“I don’t really, see I grew up here, I went to high school here, I have friends at the University, but fine, if my friends are okay with it I’ll let you tag along. But stop speaking English, you’re offending my Scottish sensibilities. I hope your Japanese is better.”

He shook his head and jotted down a few more notes. It amused her because half them were hers and she’d done them in kanji. She could tell he couldn’t read it worth a crap. He kept having to ask her what she’d meant.

Not so good with the kanji I see. Who did your government bribe to get you into this school? Did they just look for random stock young looking British guy with intelligence training who knew some Japanese? I’ll find out, no powers though, where’s the fun in using those?

“How did you get into this school? You can’t even read Kanji.”

“I cannot read your Kanji, are you a doctor or something?”

Enid groaned.

“You’re hilarious.”

“I always thought I was.”

“Stick with medicine because you’re as funny as a root canal.”

She pulled her lab book closer and wrote the notes out again in the ancient Greek alphabet in the time they had left. She kept him from seeing what she was doing then handed him back the book. The underlying language was still anglicized Japanese she just used the Greek alphabet. She actually took all her notes in ancient Greek. Helped her remember the lessons better.

Amara would be proud.

She handed him her lab notebook. She winked at him.

“In case you wanted to compare with yours. You can give it back when we meet at the Go-Go diner. 6pm. Don’t be late.”

He opened her lab book and stared after her. She just pictured him rushing to get a copy so they could get the code breakers on it only to realize it was just lab notes of a first-year chemistry student.

Mmm, I feel young again.

Enid tugged a change of clothes out of her bag and put on a full t-shirt. She didn’t show off her Yakuza tattoo to her friends she usually wore a shirt over her bathing suit to conceal it if they dragged her swimming. She changed up her skirt to a mini-skirt and pulled on a pair of sneakers. She folded her nice clothes and put them in her pack and headed to her car. She shifted her school books into the backpack and pulled her pack over her shoulder. She saw Ishagi and the two women he’d mentioned looking around. She called out and waved. They headed over.

“Ishagi!”

“Miyano, and Fukui, this is Melanie. My good friend from High school. Melanie, this is Miyano, and this is Fukui.”

They had a round of small bows.

“Well, I’m starving, I hope this place is as good as I hear.”

Ishagi nodded

“It is, all American food. Authentic diner, run by an American couple. Very popular with the military.”

Enid nodded and motioned for them all to get in the car.

“Please.”

Enid picked up her school bag and put it in the trunk, and offered the option to everyone else, everyone accepted, and she closed the trunk and got into the right side of the car and started it up.

Ishagi was looking around the car.

“This is fully loaded, did your father buy it for you?”

“Yes, a graduation present, after I told him I was going to take the bus to school instead of getting a ride with Edo.”

Enid started the drive to the diner. She sighed.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t get to ask first but the new guy from class this morning, invited himself along.”

Fukui perked up.

“The blonde one? Oh, I love blonde hair on boys. Is he American?”

“One step worse I’m afraid, British.”

“Oh, they have such accents when they speak English. Did you invite him because you were interested?”

“No, I’d as soon tell him to go find some sharks.”

“So, you don’t mind?”

“Not at all, but I think he is interested in me, so, there is that.”

“Oh.”

Ishagi spoke up.

“Melanie, I thought you were from Britain.”

“Where I’m from those are deeply offensive words.”

Enid got a serious look on her face.

“I am sorry for any offense Stuart-san.”

“I’m teasing you Ishagi. I’m Scottish we have a long history of trying to kick the British off our land. Like thousands of years.”

“Oh, I understand.”

“Now its more of a thing we joke about, but we Scottish have very long memories.”

He nodded and smiled. The girls were giggling in the back he gave a bit of a glare back at them. She pulled into the diner after some more small talk. Enid had felt a ping of jealousy when ‘Aiden’ parked his motorcycle. And pulled off his helmet. To keep up appearances she rarely rode hers. Enid watched him shake his longish blonde hair out. A normal eighteen-year-old girl would have been appreciative of his physique, charming smile and roguish good looks. However, Enid’s mind was entirely elsewhere.

Hmm, maybe I should pick a country and job next time where women riding motorcycles is okay, oh, maybe a navy fighter pilot. Bet that feels like living life on the edge.

She was brought out of her mental meanderings by Ishagi nudging her elbow with hers. She heard the girls talking in the back.

“Is that him?”

“Check out those abs.”

“And the motorcycle.”

Enid blinked.

Actually, if I’m trying to blend in and make them think I’m normal I probably should gush over him. I’d rather cut my hand off with a dull spoon. Maybe I’ll wait till after dark, so I won’t throw up.

Enid got out of the car and checked the doors to make sure they were locked. She watched him approach. Leather jacket and all. He wasn’t hideous and there were traces of Lucius in his hair, and face. She wasn’t sure if that made her hate or like him more.

Also, he could be related to me, my great…two thousand years between descendants. Threw up in my mouth a little. Maybe I should date a Japanese guy, there is no chance we are in anyway related.

She shook her head and slung her pack over her shoulder. Gave Aiden a winning, Lady Sarah smile and walked inside. Isamu was already there, the girls sat together as did the boys. The servers were dressed in what looked like fifties diner uniforms. They were this awful color of pink. The lady who came to their table was a westerner. She was older, Enid assumed sixties. She walked up to the able and spoke Japanese, she’d obviously been here a while since it sounded less accented than most. She put the menus down which had both the English and the Kanji.

“What can I get you kids to drink?”

Everyone asked for different milkshakes. Enid wasn’t a fan of dairy, so she asked for a cola and picked up one of the menus. Ishagi spoke up.

“No milkshake, Melanie?”

Enid shook her head.

“I am not a fan of ice cream or milk.”

“Oh.”

Enid looked back at the menu. She was completely oblivious to Ishagi’s slight look of horror. When the server returned with the milkshakes, Enid who hadn’t really explored non-Japanese food as a mortal answered when they were asked if they wanted anything else.

“French fries, gravy on the side, and a double cheeseburger with bacon please.”

The woman looked Enid up and down before writing down the order.

“Burgers are pretty big here, you sure you want the double.”

“Absolutely.”

“Okay, one double coming up. Be about ten minutes.”

The server took a few other orders all small sides, took the menus and walked towards the food bar. Enid looked at everyone at the table. Finally noticed Ishagi looked like he wanted to shrink into his seat. Raised an eyebrow, but knowing Japanese men, didn’t press him on what was bothering him as to not embarrass him unduly. Another one of the unspoken rules of politeness in Japan. They were close friends, but that was a conversation for private, if he brought it up. Isamu broke the ice.

“So, Melanie-san, you don’t like ice cream? I didn’t know that.”

Enid nodded.

“It is too sweet, and thick. Same with milk. Not something I’ve ever been a fan of, maybe it’s because of this book I read when I was younger. I read a lot.”

It was more of a stack of papyrus, but either way.

“Oh, what book?”

“There was Greek story about the Ancient Persians, and it is probably I shouldn’t talk about at the table when we’re about to eat, but it left an impression that I wanted to avoid milk all together.”

“You can’t just say that and not explain, Melanie-san.”

Enid frowned slightly. Isamu was never the model of Japanese decorum. She glanced around the table, and she had everyone’s interest.

“Well as long as everyone is sure.”

Everyone nodded. Enid looked down at the table.

I wonder how much of it was BS on Plutarch’s part, he always seemed like a sketchy fellow to me. Damn it I should have asked Sextus. Or better yet Amara. Oh well they asked for it.

“Well Plutarch described how the Ancient Persians would bind someone in a boat, force feed them milk and honey and cover them in it, put another boat on top, then the criminal gets slowly eaten by vermin, like flies and such. Eventually, after a long torturous death they would remove the second boat. This was done to someone who claimed they killed a wannabe king, when the prince in waited wanted to claim the kill. So, in essence it was the punishment for a liar.”

She looked at Aiden as she said the last part. She noticed a slight shift in his posture. She was amused he got the subtext.

“Anyway, after I read that story the thought of milk or honey makes me feel ill, so I never touch the stuff, as a rule.”

The Japanese students all looked a mix of intrigued and disturbed. Ishagi couldn’t look at Enid after she finished and was actively avoiding her gaze.

Weird. I was polite, I warned them, I confirmed.

Isamu was looking at Enid, more engaged with her and the conversation then he had been. She’d obviously sparked one of his interests.

“Do you often read such things, Melanie-san?”

“I read a lot of things, it was just on the shelf next, so I read it. I stayed indoors a lot when I was younger.”

“What book was it?”

“It was a Greek story called, Life of Artaxerxes, by Plutarch. He was a Greek who had Roman Citizenship. He said the story was based on a Greek historian’s writings who lived about twenty-four hundred years ago. I’ve seen some of that history, it is, not something I consider, well authentic. Just based on the lack of corroborating evidence. So, either the Ancient Persians were really disturbingly sick, or Plutarch was. Or Ctesias was. Who knows?”

I mean there was that one time with the…

Enid gave a small shudder and stopped that memory in its tracks. Isamu was complete focused on Enid now. She felt slightly uncomfortable. She often didn’t get that much attention from decent men. She wasn’t conventionally attractive and was in fact quite plain more so now that she’s used her shapeshifting power to make herself even more generic. Aiden was looking between Isamu and Enid. Enid glanced at him and was saved from whatever was about to happen by the arrival of food. Enid started eating her French Fries right away.

Oh, this is really good.

Enid realized she was probably eating in an impolite way, at least by Japanese standards and toned it down. She had never had French fries and gravy before, or a hamburger and now she was wondering why beyond the fact she was in Japan. Even with some restraint she finished her whole meal before the rest had gotten through their small snacks. She could feel her cheeks getting red. Isamu seemed completely enamored with her now. Aiden a look of awe on his face. Ishagi was blushing as well.

“Well, that was really good food. Ishagi thank you for recommending it.”

He did a small bow while still sitting. Everyone else seemed as full as Enid felt. Isamu was still looking at her with more focus than she felt comfortable with considering the other girls were interested.

“I just realized; I need to go take care of some things. Is everyone alright to get home?”

Everyone that she gave rides too nodded.

“Excuse me, sorry to eat and run.”

Enid walked to the register and put down enough money to pay for the meal and provide a large tip.

“Thank you, it was amazing.”

The older woman nodded, and Enid made her escape not looking back at Isamu.