It's All Relative

    "Hi, I'm Rue Remalade with the Portal News Network and I am reporting live from the Rashian Public Safety Commission Building in Orphias, Rashia," the portalvision blared at the front of the room. Takun, Sasuke, and Sirod took their seats in the back row.  "We now bring to you Chief John Lansing of the Rashian Public Safety Commission."

    A mahonin stood at the stage. He was tall with a dignified stance, sandy colored hair,  and a round stomach. His uniform was cleaned, starched, and pressed. Lansing's icy blue eyes were locked on the camera, as if he were scoping out the attacker from the millions of magical creatures and mahonin watching the broadcast. 

    "At 6:34 this morning, two large attacks took place. The larger of the two took place at the Mizukasui Embassy just north of Nemura, Elizfa. The second took place in the United States at the Western Magical Commission in Los Angeles, California. 
   
    "At Mizukasui Embassy, approximately two hundred and thirty one people were killed. Approximately forty eight survivors were found and they remain in critical condition.  Approximately fifty six mahonin and magical creatures are missing. At the Western Magical Commission, one hundred and ten people have been killed, twenty five people are missing, and thirty eight people have survived.

    "May we have a moment of silence," the commissioner said.

    Takun closed his eyes and tried to black out all the memories of the last major attacks in Atheria. The attack on Megami Bara eleven years ago was what started the war between magical creatures. He remembered his mother packing her bags as the news of the Megami Bara attacks spread through their small village.

    "Are we leaving because of me?" he remembered asking his mother. She was packing more of his stuff than she was of her own.

    "Please hide here," she had said, pushing him into a crawlspace in the pantry. "Don't come out until I tell you."

    She closed the pantry door and he was surrounded by darkness.

    "Hey," someone whispered and took his hand. Takun glanced down at his trembling hand and saw Sirod's fingers laced with his own. He wanted to take his hand away lest he give people another rumor to start. Instead he squeezed it and didn't let it go.

    Chief Lansing's voice echoed through the cafeteria as the broadcast continued.

    "As a safety precaution, the Rashian Government has implemented a curfew effective tonight at 10:00. The Government is asking that all magical creatures be indoors by 10:00 p.m. or be issued a fine of a thousand royale. The curfew ends at 7:00 a.m. and will be instated as long as the government feels necessary.

    "Mahonin and magical creatures with portal passes may only leave during the hours of 7:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. If you wish to return, you will be permitted to return on Fridays and Saturdays during the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

    "We hope you understand the reason for our curfew and portal access restrictions. This will help us in our investigation of the situation. We need cooperation from the public to help us gain justice for those killed in the attacks." 
   
    "I'll now open the floor up for questions," Lansing said coolly.   
   
    "Do you know who might behind the attacks?" a voice off screen called out.

    "The investigative team is looking into the matter. We've only narrowed it down to groups of creatures. Our evidence isn't very specific at the moment and we are getting details. We can only take this minute by minute."

    "What is the government doing to stop more of these attacks from happening?"

    "We are heightening security to government buildings and other places around Atheria and around Koudo. We are working hard with the American Government, the Koudonese Alchemist Commission and the World Goddess Federation-Koudo Headquarters. We are doing the best we can to provide safety and security to the citizens of Atheria and Koudo."

    The man hesitated. "We have designated areas for animari and other magical creatures who have obtained portal permits. We will have a separate voluntary evacuation for them."

    "How can animari get portal permits?"

    "A temporary suspension has been called on any applications turned in after the first of the year. We will not be allowing anymore portal permit applications at this time."

    "The designated locations are expected to be filled to maximum capacity. Females and their offspring are allowed to leave first and the males will leave shortly afterward. All magical creatures without portal permits will be required to stay here until we are able to find more locations available."

    The broadcast continued, but Takun stopped listening. He was sure they weren't saying anything important anyway. Students were discussing their theories amongst themselves. Takun looked at Sasuke, who staring blankly at the floor. Takun took his hand away from Sirod's a little more quickly than he had wanted to.

    Finally, Enna had shut off the television, her eyes red and puffy.
   
    "So, what we're planning to do, after the culture walk, is have a discussion about this situation so we can see how the students are coping. We do have counseling available all-day and tonight as well, so if any students need someone to talk to you can refer them to the counseling center... or if you feel comfortable, you can find a location and talk to them yourself," she said, trying to put on a smile. She failed miserably. Enna walked off the stage and was instantly on her portal phone.

    "This is so illogical," Sasuke murmured to himself, biting the tip of his thumb nail.

    Takun nodded. "What do we say to them about it?" 

    "Just say there was an attack this morning and that we're going to discuss it after our activities," Sasuke said. Takun nodded and jumped at the sound of girls giggling and screaming his name.

    "Oh... it's him!" voices yelled. Takun perked up his ears and saw several girls running from the airtram station. The girls stood in his line, looking at him and blushing. He was used to this. There's been little groups following him around since birth trying to snap pictures of the bastard heir to the SakElements Sake Empire. He wasn't in the mood for this right now.

    The giggling girls were at the front of the line. He looked at Sirod and Sasuke, who went to their tents, trying to look as happy and welcoming as they could. They too failed miserably.

    The students probably didn't hear about the attacks since he imagined that they'd be on the airtrams to the university at the time of the press conference.

     His feet carried him outside and his mouth forced a smile. His mind was somewhere else.

    "Can we have your autograph?" the girl with one with the bigger breasts said. She held up a magazine with his picture on it. Takun recognized his ex-girlfriend clinging to his arm in the picture. They were both wearing huge human-made sunglasses and the girl had one of those big trendy human-made tote bags.

    Ah, Eva. He remembered her long red hair and green eyes. Or were they blue? Maybe they were brown. It wasn't like it mattered now.

    "Yeah, sure," he said in the false polite tone that many people in his circle had developed over the years. He glanced over the page, looking for a place to sign and ignoring the "Pregnant?!" headline and the large pink circle drawn over Eva's flat stomach.

    "Did you guys hear about the attacks this morning?" he asked.

    "What attacks?" the twins asked in unison.

    "There was an attack on the Mizukasui Embassy and some place in Koudo," he told them. They looked at each other, then shrugged.

    "Well, we're not mizukasui," one twin replied.

    "Nor do we have family in Koudo," the other added in.

    "That's right," he smiled. "It doesn't concern people like us."

    "Exactly," they said. He signed the picture.

    "Can you make that out to Lira Savarani?" the girl asked. He noticed the gray Pomeranian ears that they had hidden under voluminous piles of golden brown hair. He scoffed. 'People like us'. The Savaranis were considered new money. Their parents struggled as bakers in Primarian City up north in Moraa. They got their money in an insurance claim from a mysterious fire caused by a burning bagel and negligent children.
   
    "Sure," he said with a smirk and a wink. Yet, despite their status and rank, they were distributors of SakElements Sake Coolers and Drinks, so it behooved him to be nice to the girls. "Well, I'll be seeing you around."

    The girls giggled again, as Lira snatched her autograph away. The two girls traveled down the hallway to their dorms. Takun rolled his eyes and sighed.

    Another girl with blue hair and golden eyes took her place.    

    Takun greeted her. "Hi."

    "Whatever," the girl replied. Takun glanced at her. She was tapping her foot impatiently, her eyes fixed in a hawk-like stare. Her blue hair was bone straight and her body was lean, like she spent her time working out. He liked girls that worked out. And that whole 'angry at the world' thing was a nice touch.

     "So fat-ass, are you going to finally let me sign in or what?" the blue haired girl asked.

    "Name?"

    "Taiyo Hiyama," the girl replied.

    "Aren't you just a ball of sunshine?" He smirked. She narrowed her eyes at him as she signed her name. She snatched the folder out of his hands and stalked off.

    "Taiyo!" Takun heard Sasuke exclaim. "Did you hear about the attacks?"
   
    "What attacks?" she asked, her slightly monotoned voice carrying the smallest hint of .

    "The Mizukasui Embassy and a place in Koudo was attacked this morning," Takun filled in. Taiyo looked from him to Sasuke, then back to him again. "We're going to talk about it after this morning's activities." Takun said filling the silence.

    She looked at Sasuke.

    "We'll talk later," Sasuke said, abruptly. "See you around." 

     The girl stalked off down the hall. Who was that girl? Takun saw the way they looked at each other, like two people who shared a secret. Takun was pretty sure that Sasuke didn't have any girlfriends or one night stands or any baby mama drama or whatever. The two seemed to know each other pretty well though.

    "Hey!" someone yelled, jumping up and down trying to get his attention. The girl had bright turquoise hair and bright dark blue eyes. Her ears were a strange hue of purple tips and were reminiscent of a Corgi with large ears, one of which started to fold over.

    "I'm Usagi Chidori Shigure Momiji..."

    "Okay, just find your name on the paper and sign," he said. "Your name tag should be in your folder with the rest of your stuff."

    "Hey, I know you. You're that guy, from that place. What's your name?"  Usagi said, reading his name tag and pointed to his ears. "Ta-kun. What type of name is that for a cat?"

    "It's Takun, just one word. And I'm not a cat, I'm half lion and half wolf."

    "That's weird," Usagi said.

    "What type of name is Usagi for a dog?" He was starting to get agitated.

    Usagi smiled. "It's Rashian and I'm part rabbit and part wolf too." 
       
    "Okay."
   
    "All right then."

    "All right," Takun said. Rabbit-wolf? That was an odd mix. Takun didn't think there was a more stranger mix than a wolf and a lion, but he was just proven wrong.
   
      Usagi was still standing at the table staring at him as if she were waiting for him to complete his thoughts.
   
    "I still don't know why they call you a princess," she said. "You look a little girly, but not really..."

    "What?!" 

    "Those giggling girls called you 'Princess Takun'," Usagi said. She pointed to the group of girls swooning over his autograph. Takun cocked his head to the side.

    "Anyway, have you heard about the attacks?" Usagi asked, her tone going from exuberant shouting to serious whispering instantly. The change in tone caught Takun off guard.

    "Y..yeah, I have," Takun said.

    "The media isn't saying anything, but they said that cursed wolves are to blame."

    "What makes them say that?"
   
    "The survivors are the ones that were put under the curse," Usagi explained. "They were the ones that were carrying out the attacks."

    "And they think we're... I mean cursed wolves are the ones to blame?" Takun rose an eyebrow. He didn't want to be lumped in with the stereotypes of cursed wolves; that they killed people for sport, ate dead bodies, and were insane and deformed. He clinched his jaw. He knew what her answer would be. The same answer everyone gave.

    "Not many curses are curable only by death," the rabbit-wolf explained. He was right. 

    "It could be different, you don't know that," Takun said. "There are other people who can inflict curses and stuff."
    
     "I'm just telling you," Usagi said. "They aren't sure, but at some point, they're going to have to blame someone."
  
     "And you think it's cursed wolves?" Usagi didn't even need to answer.

     "I don't think it's cursed wolves, but the Loyalist do and if they can get the general public into a frenzy about it... well..." Usagi trailed off. "Just be on your guard."