Once again, it was just the two of them, Kazuya and his big sister, walking down the hallway towards the headmaster’s - or more accurately, the headmistress’s - office. For a moment, Kazuya pondered as to whether or not Kazuha was going to carry him on her hip as was the case earlier with Yu-Mi and the other instructors. He was thankful that didn’t end up being the case, though he had a feeling that if he asked to be carried, Kazuha would have no objections to such an arrangement.
While Kazuya certainly didn’t mind the feeling of being held and pressed against the bodies of so many towering beauties, he found the act to be a little emasculating and embarrassing at times. It made him feel as though he was either an infant or some kind of living teddy bear for them to haul around while they walked and talked, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. Given that he was a new arrival to West Genetics, the notion of such an arrangement still felt rather foreign to him.
“So,” began Kazuya, deciding to strike up conversation as the two of them walked down the hall, “am I in some kind of trouble?”
“I don’t believe you are,” replied Kazuha, “given that it’s your first day of classes. Unless you happened to pick a fight with someone already.” The tone in Kazuha’s voice indicated that she was teasing her little brother, knowing damn well that Kazuya wasn’t the type to instigate or start a brawl with somebody…at least for no good reason anyway.
“No. No schoolyard fisticuffs or heated shouting matches yet,” replied Kazuya with a chuckle. “I’d rather not make enemies here, period, but especially not on the first day.”
“Have you made any other new friends yet?” inquired Kazuha as she matched her stride with Kazuya’s, making sure she wasn’t walking too fast for her little brother. “I’ve heard that you’re becoming acquainted with several of the third-year Pandoras already.”
“Well, let’s see,” thought Kazuya aloud. “As far as third-years go, there’s Satellizer L. Bridget, Rana Linchen, Chiffon Fairchild, Ticy Phenyl, and Elizabeth Mably. I’ve also met Kaho Hiragi, whom you’ve met earlier, as well as Ganessa Roland.”
“The top-ranked first-year and second-year Pandoras already. You really DO get around, don’t you little brother,” chuckled Kazuha. “That and also getting acquainted with the highest ranking Pandoras among the third-years; you’re fast on your way to having some powerful friends on your side.”
“It certainly doesn’t hurt to have prospective allies in the future,” replied Kazuya.
“Some of those girls also come from prestigious families to boot,” continued Kazuha. “Satellizer, Elizabeth, and Ganessa all hail from rich and politically influential families back in the United Kingdom. In fact, several Pandoras here come from well-to-do families.”
“I hope that’s not the main reason they got into being Pandoras,” muttered Kazuya. He didn’t like the notion of having a lot of money being the reason for being accepted into an academy like West Genetics. The idea of people simply buying their way into a place left a bad feeling in his gut.
“Of course not, Kazuya,” replied his sister. “They understand that they have a duty to help the continuation of our species in the face of the Nova threat. They also happen to have a relatively high compatibility rate with their stigmata. In fact, having a high enough compatibility rate with stigmata is the key defining feature in becoming a Pandora. It’s more important than money, status, grade scores, or social connections. After all, we’re raising these young women to become warriors in order to fight off the monsters at our doorstep.”
“Makes sense,” thought Kazuya aloud. “Say, got a question, sis,” he continued.
“Yes?” asked a curious Kazuha.
“For the Pandora who survive and graduate from Genetics, assuming there are those who either wish to retire, or become something other than Pandora, do they have their stigmata removed as a result?”
“Removing a stigmata from a Pandora is something that almost never occurs, unless it's done as a punitive measure or if a Pandora is already dead,” answered Kazuha. “Removal of the stigmata tends to result in serious long-term physical and psychological trauma onto a Pandora. It’s only done to a Pandora who is seen as too dangerous and a threat to those around her. Such an act is reserved for those deemed as either malicious or psychotic.”
“So…when a Pandora is no longer a student at a Genetics facility, is she forced into service with Genetics or Chevalier for the rest of her life?” asked Kazuya.
“Most Pandoras choose to continue their service, either as instructors at a Genetics facility or being rolled into Chevalier as soldiers. As to whether or not such a thing is enforced against their will, it’s only in matters of wartime emergency. Think of it effectively as a military draft for Pandoras, and Limiters as well. If the Nova incursion becomes too serious that mankind is either losing territory or too many casualties to the Nova, then yes. Both Pandoras and Limiters are pressed into service for the good of the human race. So as long as we’re not in a state of wartime emergency, then Pandoras and Limiters are free to mingle with the general public.”
“Seems kind of risky, don’t you think?” inquired Kazuya. “I mean, having women who average around eleven feet in height walking and interacting with the general public…doesn’t that strike you as something that is bound to become problematic?”
“Thanks to the efforts of Genetics and the pooling of global resources, society has been altered significantly to accommodate Pandoras among the masses. Homes, roads, public spaces and venues, several aspects and features of society and everyday life have been altered to accommodate us bigger girls. Ceiling height, seating arrangements, restroom dimensions, properly-sized clothing, you name it and chances are that there have been accommodations made in turn to cater to a Pandora’s needs,” explained Kazuha.
“That’s certainly something…having to restructure society around the world so that Pandoras can fit in among them. The price tag for such a thing must be astronomical,” replied Kazuya.
“When it’s a matter of survival of the human species, money becomes secondary,” stated Kazuha in a matter-of-fact tone. “Genetics and Chevalier have effectively been given a blank check when it comes to making whatever is required for Pandoras. And since Pandoras are basically needed around the world, then the world needs to make accommodations for us big girls. It’s that simple.”
“I mean, I know that it’s been many years now, so society has become more normalized to interacting with Pandoras and all, but it’s still kind of profound when you think about it,” thought Kazuya aloud. “Tens of thousands of years of human evolution uprooted in the span of a few decades. A world where men were the dominant sex because of their greater physical strength is now a thing of the past. It’s been replaced with a new world order where women call the shots, simply from the power of their size alone.”
“Does that arrangement bother you, Kazuya?” asked Kazuha as she paused in her walking and looked down at her little brother.
“Me personally?” replied Kazuya. “No, not really. I mean, I’ve pretty much grown up in a world where Pandora have become somewhat commonplace. It’s just that I know that there are people out there who are still alive and old enough to recall when things were different. And some of those people probably prefer to keep to the old ways where men were stronger than women and running the show, you know?”
“Change is sometimes scary, I understand,” said Kazuha. “But change occurs whether we want it or not. A caterpillar doesn’t always stay a caterpillar. Sometimes it becomes a butterfly. Sometimes a mountain ends up being a volcano when it’s no longer dormant and part of it is blown off in the process when it eventually erupts. An infant doesn’t stay an infant forever; it eventually grows into a fully-matured man or woman. Such things are simply the everyday facets of the world in which we live.”
“But you’re talking things in nature, big sister,” explained Kazuya. “I’m referring to broader society, and some people are loath to change their ways.”
“To those people, I’d simply say ‘Adapt or die.’ in response,” replied Kazuha. “Change is the essence of nature. To survive is to embrace change when it inevitably occurs and work around the changes as best as one can. To fight it is to engage in a losing battle in the end. I know that there will always be those who simply cannot accept the world in which we live now. However, the Pandoras are here to stay, and there are certainly a LOT of us after all these years. Therefore, society in general is simply going to have to come to terms that more and more women have literally more power in the physical sense than men. I mean, after all, when you’re walking around places being ten, eleven, or twelve feet in height, it’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll be stronger than even the strongest of men in the vicinity, especially when you’re more-or-less double his height and have several hundreds of pounds more in weight than him. Like it or not, the world in which we live is now basically a woman’s world, and it’s becoming more so with every passing year as the number of Pandora goes up.”
“I agree with that,” said Kazuya. “All I’m saying is that there’s always the risk of a Pandora causing a scene of some kind and using her size to her advantage to harass, intimidate, or even harm members of the general public. I figured that society in general wouldn’t want to take that kind of risk, being at the mercy of a bunch of amazons who average around eleven feet in height or more.”
“They have no more risk from being harmed by a Pandora than they would being harmed by a non-Pandora,” replied Kazuha. “Society tolerates the risk of normal-sized people walking about with the free will and the capabilities to do harm in any number of ways, whether that’s with a firearm, explosives, a vehicle, a chemical or biological agent, or any other type of weapon or tool used to kill or harm. Adding Pandora to the mix is simply one more factor being added to the overall formula, that’s all. And besides…”
“Besides what?” asked Kazuya with a cocked eyebrow.
“Given how many Pandora there are globally now, it’s fairly commonplace for a good Pandora to intervene and stop a rogue Pandora whenever she acts out of line or maliciously,” explained Kazuha. “Fortunately, good Pandora vastly outnumber bad Pandora, so it’s rather unlikely for a Pandora to try and pull something on a non-Pandora with intention to intimidate, harm, or kill. After all, Pandoras live in this world alongside everyone else, so we figure that it’s best for everyone if we all get along with one another. As long as society can accommodate our needs due to our increased size, then there’s really not that much of a problem in the big picture, at least in my opinion.”
The conversation between the siblings was approaching its end, for they had arrived at the headmistress’s office just as Kazuha was done speaking.
“Well, Kazuya, it seems we’ve arrived,” stated Kazuha as she looked down past her bosom at her little brother. “Are you ready?”
“I like to think I am,” answered Kazuya. “I know you said not to worry over the notion of being in trouble, but I can’t help but be just a little nervous as to what this whole thing is about, at least until I know what I’ve been called here for. I never did like uncertainty.”
Kazuha leaned down in a crouching position on one knee and proceeded to give Kazuya a rather endearing hug, smothering his face in the stupendously substantial cleavage of her bosom before giving him a tender smooch on his forehead. All the while, she had him wrapped in a bear hug, completely enveloping him in her arms while she embraced him with all the tenderness she could convey, which was to say a hell of a lot of it.
“Don’t worry, Kazuya,” Kazuha said with both a smile and tone of voice that were so warm that they could melt butter. “I’m sure everything will be perfectly fine. If anything sudden or alarming comes of this, rest assured that your big sister will be there to help you out. I promise.”
Kazuya closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then exhaled before responding in kind to his big sister’s assurances.
“Thanks, Kazuha,” he said with his own warm smile. “You seem to know just what to say to help put me at ease, you know that?”
“I’m your big sister, Kazuya. It’s my job to be there for my little brother.” Kazuha finished with a playful wink and another smooch on Kazuya’s forehead before standing upright once more, towering high above her little brother yet again. She then briefly knocked on the door before announcing herself.
“Sister Margaret?” asked Kazuha. “It’s me. I’ve brought Kazuya to you as requested.”
“Please, come in,” replied Margaret’s voice from beyond the door.
Kazuha entered first with Kazuya right behind her. Sure enough, up ahead sat Sister Margaret at her desk with a humble and calm smile on her lovely features.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Aoi,” began Margaret. “Please, take a seat. I trust that all has been well so far for your first day here at West Genetics?”
Kazuya walked towards a chair which was centered directly in front of Margaret’s desk, though the chair was far beneath the edge of the desk, which meant that Kazuya wouldn’t be able to see Margaret over the edge of her desk and vice versa for Margaret unless she leaned forward to peer over it.
“Umm, headmistress,” began Kazuya, “I don’t mean to make things awkward, but I’m not sure how we’ll be able to see each other given the uh…current seating arrangements.” Margaret simply chuckled for a second and broadened her smile before replying.
“Please, Mr. Aoi,” she gestured towards the seat in front of her desk, “just take a seat and I promise that everything will work out just fine.” From what Kazuya could gauge, there was nothing devious in what Sister Margaret was saying. Glancing off to the side at Kazuha for a second opinion on the matter, Kazuya simply saw his big sister nod her head in agreement, as if she was saying “Go ahead, take a seat.” Deciding to play along, Kazuya took the seat that was offered to him.
Just a few seconds later, Sister Margaret pressed a button on her desk and right afterwards, Kazuya’s seat began levitating off the ground and proceeded to make its way towards Margaret’s desk, all the while securing Kazuya’s waist and torso in automatic straps which snapped securely over his person. Once it had hovered directly over the desktop, Kazuya’s chair had descended down firmly in the center of Margaret’s desk, coming to a rest and releasing the restraints upon his person as it did so.
The experience was rather alarming at first, though Kazuya managed to keep his composure all the same. Now he sat atop the headmistress’s desk with her right in front of him, up close and personal. Kazuya was surprised to find that the height of her desk combined with the height of Kazuya’s chair on top of it ended up with Kazuya staring at roughly eye level with Sister Margaret, if perhaps slightly up at her from where he sat. This was most likely done on purpose as a reminder to whomever was visiting as a guest before the school’s headmistress. It was only natural to have to look UP to someone who was above you in rank and standing after all.
“My apologies if that was a little sudden for you, Mr. Aoi,” said Sister Margaret as she propped her head upon her hands, fingers laced as she rested her elbows on her desk and focused her gaze upon Kazuya’s face, smiling all the while. “I figured this would be more dignified than simply hoisting you up like a small child onto my desk or having you sit in my lap. This way, we can have a respectful and honest heart-to-heart conversation. And it’s also a nice way to test out the latest technologies here at West Genetics.”
‘A hover chair, huh?’ thought Kazuya as he examined it closer. Clearly, Sister Margaret could deduce what Kazuya was thinking as she continued speaking.
“A new device that we’re testing out, so that Limiters can sit at the same level as Pandora during their study sessions and time in the classroom, without having to make Limiters climb steps or ladders. It’s a way for us to try and make the two sides more equal with regards to respect and dignity for both groups,” explained Margaret.
“I see,” replied Kazuya. “It’s nice to know that efforts are being made to try and make Limiters feel more…what’s the word…equal, I guess?” Of course, Kazuya knew that when men are in the presence of women who are basically twice their height, it’s a little hard for those women to not look down upon those men, both literally as well as figuratively. The sheer difference in size was simply too great for things to be otherwise, though the effort to make things more equitable between Pandoras and Limiters was appreciated all the same.
“So, if I may ask,” began Kazuya once more, “why was I called down here, Headmistress? I hope I’m not in trouble for something.”
“Oh, heavens no, Mr. Aoi, nothing of the sort,” replied Margaret with a chuckle. “This meeting is merely to inform you of certain changes regarding your scheduling.”
“Changes?” asked a rather curious Kazuya.
“Yes, I know this is all rather sudden, but there have been some last minute changes made regarding your scheduling of classes here at West Genetics,” answered Margaret. “The order came from the higher-ups, so I’m afraid that I had little say in the matter.”
‘Higher-ups?’ thought Kazuya. ‘Wonder who she’s referring to exactly. I doubt it would be military big-wigs. They don’t really seem the type to do such a thing. It probably is someone within the administrative wing within Genetics, or maybe Chevalier. One person comes to mind as to who would be behind this, but I’ll keep that to myself for now, until I know for certain anyway.’
“So, what would the changes be exactly?” asked Kazuya.
Margaret proceeded to reach for one of the drawers in her desk and pull out a normal-sized sheet of paper (normal to a non-Pandora, which made it rather small in her hand). She handed the sheet to Kazuya for him to look over. While Kazuya took the sheet and started looking it over, Margaret spoke once more.
“What you’re reading is your updated schedule with your class times and the instructors listed. You’ll also be having the same classmates in every class throughout the entire day. I understand that this sort of thing normally isn’t implemented among high-school aged students, but under these circumstances, the powers that be felt it optimal for your time here as a student,” explained Margaret.
Kazuya looked over the courses one-by-one, and found three rather surprising points upon his inspection of the new schedule:
- The instructors listed were people Kazuya had already met by this point. In fact, Kazuya had made the acquaintances of literally ALL of them. They were Yu-Mi Kim, Elize Schmitz, Violet L. Bridget, Kazuha Aoi, and Amelia Evans as teaching assistant.
- As for Kazuya’s classmates, most of the names Kazuya came upon were familiar to him as well. Among the names he was familiar with were Chiffon Fairchild, Ticy Phenyl, Elizabeth Mably, Satellizer L. Bridget, Rana Linchen, Ganessa Roland, and Kaho Hiragi. There were other names listed among them which Kazuya had yet to become acquainted with.
- With regards to his fellow classmates (and instructors), Kazuya discerned that he was quite literally the ONLY male in the crowd among the listed personnel in his schedule. He figured that there would be at least one or two other males listed among his fellow classmates or the instructors, but no. It was literally just Kazuya Aoi, all by his lonesome among a flower garden of women.
It was these realizations that made Kazuya flutter his eyelids briefly in response after looking over the newly updated schedule. He turned to look up at Sister Margaret, who was sporting that same genuine, calming smile of hers.
“Something concerning you, Mr. Aoi?” she asked warmly.
“This…seems rather odd, in my opinion, Headmistress,” replied Kazuya. “The fact that I’m the only male in these classes, assuming this schedule is accurate.”
“It is, Mr. Aoi,” commented Margaret, “Rest assured, it most certainly is.”
“And why exactly is it set up like that, if you don’t mind my asking, ma’am?” inquired Kazuya.
Margaret exhaled out her nostrils gently as her smile became more pronounced. Kazuya could have sworn the older woman chuckled, as well as his big sister standing just off to the side during the conversation between Kazuya and Margaret. Kazuya turned his vision back and forth between the two women before returning his gaze upon Margaret once more, expecting an answer.
“Well, Mr. Aoi,” said Margaret once more, “how do I put this gently without being too…forward, I suppose.” She turned towards Kazuha for assistance in finding the best way to word the explanation for the state of things.
“To be frank, little brother,” stated Kazuha, “the powers that be have decided to set you up with what they’ve considered to be prospective partners.”
“Partners?” asked Kazuya. “You mean as fellow comrades for combatting the Nova?”
“For that,” replied Kazuha, “and other things as well.” Kazuya could have sworn that both Margaret and Kazuha were blushing ever so slightly upon what Kazuha was insinuating with her tone of voice at the end of her response.
While Kazuya didn’t consider himself a genius by any stretch of the traditional definition of the word, he was keen enough to discern what was going on here: This was a borderline matchmaking in the process under the guise of classroom scheduling. Kazuya had already made the acquaintanceship of most of these women, and with this newly arranged schedule for him, it appeared as though he was going to stay VERY acquainted with pretty much all of them throughout the day-to-day humdrum of life on campus.
“One thing that confuses me a bit,” commented Kazuya.
“What is that, Mr. Aoi?” asked Margaret once more.
“I know that Miss Roland and Miss Hiragi are juniors compared to the other girls listed in this itinerary,” explained Kazuya. “Wouldn’t it be odd for them to be in the same courses as third-year Pandora, given the difference in grade level?”
“Both Ganessa Roland and Kahol Hiragi have been given special exemptions by the higher-ups so that they may attend the same classes as the third-year Pandoras,” answered Margaret. “While this is certainly an unusual deviation from normal procedure, we have found that both of them are rather bright students who we feel can learn adequately among their seniors.”
‘Once again, talk of higher-ups pulling the strings behind the scenes,’ thought Kazuya. ‘I’m pretty sure I know just who they’re referring to by this point. But I’ll leave it alone…for now, anyway.’
“Well then, I suppose I only have one question left regarding these circumstances,” replied Kazuya.
“What is that, Mr. Aoi?” replied Margaret.
“When does this updated schedule of mine begin to take place?”
“First thing tomorrow,” answered Kazuha with a grin.
“That soon?” asked a bewildered Kazuya. “I figured maybe a week at the earliest, not tomorrow.”
“Rest assured, the Pandoras and instructors listed in your scheduling are being notified as we speak, and I can pretty much guarantee that there will be no objections from any one of them regarding this arrangement,” explained Margaret. “In fact, if I understand it right, pretty much ALL of them will be more than happy to make your acquaintance.” The hidden meaning behind Margaret’s words wasn't lost on Kazuya. This was almost assuredly a matchmaking procedure in the works between Kazuya and these women listed.
“Well then, I guess I have no other questions or concerns then,” replied Kazuya. “I suppose I’ll take my leave then. If you’ll excuse me, Sister Margaret.”
Of course, given that Kazuya was seated on top of a large desk, which was a good five feet or so from the ground, the task of getting down would be a bit awkward for him to do so. While the fall from such a height wouldn’t harm him much (if at all), it would be rather odd to engage in the task of jumping down from atop the school principal’s desk. He pondered if perhaps Sister Margaret would simply have his chair levitate back down to its original position from where it sat at the start of the meeting, though he was somewhat surprised to find that she initiated no such act.
“Do you require assistance, Mr. Aoi?” asked Margaret with a chuckle.
“Umm…well…” muttered Kazuya aloud, pondering as to whether he was going to engage in the act of hopping down off the desk.
At that very moment, Margaret rose from her chair and walked around to the other side of her desk. She held forward both arms outstretched towards Kazuya and spoke in that warm, calming tone of voice she had.
“May I?” she asked.
Kazuya knew full well what she was getting at. The woman was asking if it was okay for her to pick him up and carry him like he had been carried and handled by the other Pandora he had met earlier right before this little meeting. While the notion of being held in such a manner was still somewhat awkward for Kazuya (though certainly titillating in its own way), he didn’t want to be rude. Briefly shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath, Kazuya responded the moment he opened his eyelids.
“Very well, ma’am,” replied Kazuya. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Sister Margaret proceeded to bring her hands underneath Kazuya’s armpits and lift him right off her desk. Kazuya was somewhat taken aback by how effortlessly she was able to initiate the act of lifting him. A moment later, he was being held securely in her embrace, with one of her arms cradling his buttocks while the other secured his backside, holding him firmly against her stomach and bosom. At that very moment, Kazuya felt his heartbeat pick up at being in a rather familiar position. What made it all the more awkward was that it was the school principal who was holding him oh so tenderly against her, with a passion that seemed to hover somewhere between romantically and maternally (though Kazuya wasn’t sure which of the two it was).
“Please, rest assured, Mr. Aoi,” said Margaret looking down at the young man in her arms (with his face more-or-less pressed up against her sizable bosom), “you’re in good hands here.” The double meaning was certainly not lost on Kazuya, which made Sister Margaret chuckle all the more in response to his reaction.
“I must say, Kazuha,” said Margaret with a chuckle to the other Pandora in the room, “I can certainly see why you dote on your little brother here. A part of me just wants to keep him for myself.”
Upon Margaret finishing her statement, Kazuha walked over to her, which placed Kazuya in very close proximity to both Pandoras now. What surprised him somewhat was that Sister Margaret wasn’t placing him on the ground as he expected to be done by now, given that the meeting was over and he had gotten his updated schedule.
“Uhh, Sister Margaret?” asked Kazuya as he stared up at her.
“Yes, Kazuya?” she responded, looking down past her bosom to make eye contact with him.
“Could you please let me down now, if you don’t mind?” continued Kazuya with a rather distinct blush at being handled as he currently was. Margaret simply chuckled in response at his request.
“I suppose I could, Mr. Aoi,” she replied, “though I must confess, I’m rather enjoying his moment right now, so I’m a bit reluctant to do so.” Margaret slightly tightened her grip on Kazuya, which in turn pressed his face deeper into her bosom. Even with the religious garbs Margaret wore, Kazuya could feel the buoyancy and swell of her breast pressing up against him. What made the situation more sexually frustrating for Kazuya was the fact that he could take in the richness of her scent, given that he was quite literally pressed up against her. Even if she was an older woman, Margaret was certainly very enticing in her own right and was no less appealing physically compared to the other Pandora whom Kazuya had met so far.
“Sister Margaret,” said Kazuha, “I feel that Kazuya is perhaps a bit flustered by your actions.” The older Aoi sibling felt it necessary to step in on her younger brother’s behalf (and perhaps out of a touch of jealousy at the sight she was witnessing to boot).
“Well then, my dear Kazuha,” said Margaret with that grin of hers, “by all means, help yourself to a little fun.” With that, Margaret made her way towards Kazuha and held out Kazuya before her. Instinctively not wanting to risk Kazuya being dropped (even though Margaret made damn sure he was secure before releasing him), Kazuha reached out and held her little brother against her own torso and bosom. Now Kazuya found himself in the same position, only with a different Pandora. During the exchange, it was rather stimulating that his head was pressed against Margaret’s bosom in the back and with Kazuha’s bosom in front, especially since the upper slope of Kazuha’s breast was exposed, giving Kazuya direct skin-to-skin contact with his big sister’s boobs literally in his face.
“Th-that’s not what I was getting at, Sister Margaret,” said a flustered Kazuha, holding her little brother firmly against her own body before looking down with a somewhat awkward look on her face. The gesture was returned in equal measure by Kazuya, who was sporting a rather deep red blush on his face, given the awkwardness of the situation.
A moment later, Kazuha gingerly placed her little brother back down on the ground before standing upright once more. Both Aoi siblings were trying to let the awkwardness of the moment (and the hidden sexual tension that came with it) pass as quickly as possible. Deciding to break the silence, Kazuha spoke up.
“Well then, we should be on our way,” said Kazuha. “I assume that the meeting is adjourned then, Sister Margaret?”
“Yes, we’re finished here,” replied the headmistress with a smile. “It was nice to see you again, Kazuya. I hope you become well acquainted with your fellow classmates in the days to come.” Margaret proceeded to hold out her hand to Kazuya, bending over to extend her reach to the young man.
Kazuya reached out his hand to accept Margaret’s handshake. Her long, dainty fingers pretty much swallowed his own hand into her fist, yet Margaret’s touch was remarkably gentle during the handshake. Once it was finished, Kazuya took a brief bow before saying goodbye.
“It was nice to make your acquaintance as well, ma’am,” he said, still a bit flustered from the recent playful displays of affection he was subjected to just a moment ago. “And thank you for the updated schedule.”
And with that, Kazuya and Kazuha took their leave from Margaret’s office. A moment later, the headmistress returned to her seat and reached out to the phone on the side of her desk. After pressing a few buttons, the phone began to ring before being answered on the other side.
“Hello sir,” began Margaret. “It is done.”
“You’ve given him the update schedule?” replied a male voice on the other end.
“I have, sir,” answered Margaret.
“How did he take the news?” inquired the mystery voice.
“He seemed a bit perplexed by it all, especially given that he’s the only male in the entire group. I explained a little to him as to why that was, and I believe he understands the greater meaning behind it all. If I may ask, sir?” said Margaret.
“What is it?”
“Doesn’t this seem a little rushed? You’re bringing Kazuya into this whole thing a bit faster than I would have recommended, sir. In my opinion, this sort of thing needs to happen organically…at a more natural pace. It shouldn’t be rushed.”
“Kazuya is not your typical Limiter. He’ll adapt quickly enough to the situation as it develops. And the sooner he connects and bonds with the Pandoras in his group, the better things will progress. It’s for the best, and besides…”
“Yes, sir?” inquired Margaret.
“He’s an Aoi. I know he’ll rise to the occasion when the situation demands him to. Such a thing is expected of men in our family.”
“I’ll defer to your judgment on that, Mr. Aoi,” replied Margaret.
“Please, Margaret,” replied the voice, “how long have we known each other? No need for such distant formalities. Call me Gengo.”
Sighing at the insistent friendliness being conveyed by the man on the other end, Margaret decided to wrap up the conversation there and then.
“Anyways, Kazuya has been updated on the change. We’ll see how he fares in the coming days. I’ll keep you posted if anything out of the ordinary comes up,” finished Margaret.
“Please do,” replied Gengo. “Good day then, Sister Margaret.”
With that, the phone line cut out and Margaret refocused her efforts on the humdrum of deskwork once more. While she was somewhat skeptical of Gengo Aoi’s designs, especially when it came to his family, she would trust in the man’s decision making, for the time being anyway.