Two days had passed since Machi had found herself brought to the basement. There were darker things on this island and even her discipline down there had been rather extreme and unexpected. One of the drugs of the two used against her had been rather long lasting.

The hallucinations had stopped but the suggestive nature of the aphrodisiac lingered for a bit after. Remarkable since it had only been used that once as far as she knew though the small blessing to that was that her arousal had not spiked.

Oddly she had craved further attention, commands all part of the suggestive nature of the drug but she would get a hold of herself with a degree of difficult. It made waiting tough though. The two days lasted forever it seemed longing for that attention but somehow throwing it off. It was probably due to her discipline of mind that formed when she practiced her martial routines.

While practicing it was easier to focus and she found that channeling all her attention into one thing helped for a while at least.

After the two days she was approached by Lauren a girl from her class. “Hey, Machi,” she approached after class. An outgoing girl good with track and field approached. She had brown hair tied into a simple pony tail, brown eyes and like all the other students she had been above average in the looks department with a full figure.

Once she had her attention she pressed on. “I was told by the Prefect that today's the day. I ran into her before class and she said to pass it along to you. So what did you do to get cleaning duty?”

It had been a while since her ordeal in the cold basement. It wasn't something she was going to forget in a weeks time let alone two days. No she hadn't been able to loose those fragmented memories that seemed to be more and more ridiculous each time she mauled them over. Perhaps it was the drugs she had been given. Her body never handled drugs and alchol properly, they tended to stick around a little longer than typical, but these drugs had also been different. Still the drugs had stayed for a while, and it was either well maintained discipline or just pure luck her sex drive hadn't increased at any rate.

She thought about this as left her last for the day.That was when Lauren jolted her from her thoughts. Not really but Machi was weary of the student body now, thanks to Daphnee. Just hearing the name made her blood boil with deep-sated fury, in some ways even. Hatred. Lauren was nice out going, not really all that special in a physical way. Though she had full figure. Machi wondered how that was possible plane Jane but still had the curves to draw lustful looks from the guys.

"After noon Lauren." Machi words were friendly but obviously short and direct. The brown haired school girl proceeded to tell her that today was the day she was to be in charge and participate in cleaning duty. Great she didn't even get the benefit of hearing it from the horses mouth. No Matter." Ugh, lets just say the school rules can be ambitious at times, and I miss read them."

That was all Machi was going to explain. No need to worry this student about the basement, though the rumors certainly did float about it. No Machi wasn't going to subjugate the other student to her personal nightmare. It was for her to deal with and to with alone.

Lauren had no pried having received that answer. Still it had been left up to her imagination about what had caused the Prefect to come down on the red head too. She had not known about the happenings in the basement nor would she have guessed at it and gave a polite nod.

If she wished to remain silent on that it was OK. Making a time with Machi she would meet up with her later at the swimming pool. It was drained of water and seemed somewhat empty though it had been drained before it was never drained for long.

Lauren had been here along with two other girls who's appearances would shame her. Others that had been subject to such discipline. Each greeted her upon her arrival, Ashley and Brianna. Both were freshman like Lauren though unlike Lauren they had not asked Machi what she had done. Maybe they had asked Lauren already.

“We were going to don school swim suits, easier to change back afterwards so we don't get our uniforms wet.” Lauren added. “The locker room has been unlocked for us and a number of school swimsuits has already been grabbed by Ashley.”

Ashley, a blond, held up a bag indicating the swim suits were inside. “I didn't know anyone's sizes so I grabbed a few of them.”

“And Brianna will get our cleaning supplies.” She looked to Machi. “If everything is fine. Do you know if the Prefect will be joining us?”

It almost felt as if she had been in charge yet Lauren seemed to be pretty organized as far as she could tell though no one seemed to spring into movement as if waiting for her approval first.

While it nice to see that these girls were prepared and didn’t need for Machi to tell them everything, she couldn’t help but feel as if something was off here. They didn’t seem to pry into why she was in charge merely accepted it. These where supposed to be problem students yet they were respectful and thoughtful... To say that samurai girls smelled something fishy would be an understatement.

Machi Merely just nodded not saying much was her thing.”No the Perfect didn’t m,mention anything about joining us.. As for the swim suits a good fore sight, as I had much of the same idea... Very well then lets begin cleaning the pool.”

While things had not felt right for Machi there may or may not have been a reason for that. The girls did not pry into details though regardless and did not seem as if they were truly unruly girls. It may have been that there was something strange here in the works that she was unable to put her finger on or that they were being punished for simple infractions such as being tardy too often.

It was tough to say why Daphnee had made them work as well though she did tell Machi she would be assisted.

Before long they were all changed and ready to go. Brianna had fetched the push mops, rags, cleaners and buckets.

The swim suit was a little tight for her in the chest department but cleaning had gone well. It was more time consuming then anything even with four of them hard at work though the girls probably made it longer gossiping a little unless she interceded.

Still it wasn't outlandish but somewhat normal. They had been nearly finished when the Prefect arrived. Daphne's gaze slid over them casually as she noted their progress.

“Miss Takashi, a word.” She called out. All the girls were in the pool at that stage. Daphnee waited for her to approach and lead her away from the others to the locker room. To Machi she seemed relieved. That or she desired to speak to her alone without the others over hearing. Her eyes had not been darting around as much now and settled upon her.

“How is it progressing thus far?”

They had been almost finished by the time Daphene came. They could have been done sooner had it not been for the gossiping. Machi didn't intercede really, and she found herself interjecting in conversation once in awhile, but she had only intercede twice to get things back on schedule. The red head wasn't particularly happy to see her. Seeing less of the perfect was more of a desire in retrospect. Still Machi hadn't ruled it out completely. The Swim suit was a dark blue and was tight on her. Most didn't look too good in bland swim wear but Machi wore brilliantly mostly because of her bust. Her nipples were slightly visible, and her rare was revealed as the tight and well rounded are. She had pear shape her hips had a bit of natural sway as she left the pool and approached the Perfect, who wished to to speak with her.

“How is it progressing thus far?” The Perfect asked.

Folding her arms under note-able bust Machi took a monotone response. " We are almost finished, a chatty bunch really, but what concerns me is that they are not the dilquent type. Atleast not from a first glance... What are they in trouble for exactly?" Machi was sure that the three girls were far more troublesome than they let on, and seemed to be testing the waters with her, not only she was sure half the school knew of her martial arts skills.

Not many could make the simple dark blue swim suit look good though Machi certainly had the figure for it. Add in the fact that it was a bit tight too and it emphasized that chest. She was a bit relieved to be out of there though and hadn't been back there but once. She had arranged her course that way where she didn't have to deal with the pool as she had avoided any sort of PE thus far.

She had been back there once with Ania but since that apprehension she had not been there otherwise. That had been an encounter to last a life time though she had her doubts that it would be there. For starters the pool ha been drained so it may not have been as fun for it though she was sure it would,,, employ other methods. She wasn't alone then, Kristy was with her but this was a small group so it was unlikely to manifest. Still she was uneasy there.

“Let's see … nothing major though that was the idea, pairing you with those that didn't need too much discipline unless -” she broke off that thought suddenly as if she wanted Machi to figure that one out for herself.

“Ashley had a few extra tardies to her classes that could not be ignored, Lauren for vandalism though it was nothing too big just writing on her desk in pencil, she's still got to clean a classroom or two. As for Brianna ...”

She glanced to the door as if expecting her to walk in before gazing back at her. “Contraband. Apparently she had intended to distribute it though by the time she was caught she only had a few things on her so she was lucky in that sense but I felt it might serve a purpose to let her know she's being watched.”

“Once you are finished here report back to me, I have a feeling -” she shook her head a little at her hunch. “It could easily be nothing though so don't worry if there is nothing unusual to report.” She seemed to be considering something as if there was a possibility that she wasn't entirely certain of occurring.

Machi was exquisite in that swim suit. Still she carried her self dignified. Machi listened to the Perfects explanation of her charges. She could sense the purpled haired woman's uneasiness around the pool. So she was afraid of water, useful information, yet the sword woman wasn’t cruel enough to do anything with it, in a sinister way. Machi found it the crimes fit the bill, unlike hers of course. The only person that sounded like a problem was Brianna. Daphnee glance at the door clearly told her she was expecting an eavesdropper. She had sensed someone trying to listen in, to what means she didn’t know. Shifting her weight Machi deduced what the perfect wanted. Outside the point to alert Brianna to the fact she being watched, it was clear the perfect was looking for a supply line, or a larger stash.

“ I see. I will report when we are finished..” Machi found the perfects statement odd. Was she sensing something she didn’t? Or did she know something the red head didn’t. Whatever it was it couldn’t be good and the swords woman had no intention of getting involved if she could help it. Still her instincts were screaming at her. She had a gut feeling she was being dragged into something.

She headed back to the girls and directed their work. By late afternoon they had finished the pool each girl’s traded their swimsuits for their casual clothes. It was an off day anyway, so it was fine. As far as MAchi knew so she didn’t complain. She headed to Daphnee’s office to speak with her, watching her back. Something was off that was for sure. The problem was she couldn’t tell if she was being followed or just watched. Either way she was on guard.

Daphnee nodded at that letting Machi return to the others. The afternoon had been spent cleaning with no such feelings of being watched now. Their swimsuits wet, their skin glistening she directed the work with the other three and got through it all changing.

It had not been until she was alone that she had that feeling of being watched again. The other girls had been no longer around and she had that feeling again. Living on this island one got use to the sensation of being watched though she felt that whatever it was wasn't malicious or if it were it did not seem imminent that it was going to pounce on her.

Only when she got to the dorm of the Prefect had it disappeared. It had not followed her in at least and when she rapt on the Prefect's door Daphnee answered it welcoming her in to the larger suite.

There were an abundance of dolls set out like nick knacks. Ventriloquist dolls. Her eyes slid over Machi's body casually as if not expecting someone else and making certain that she was she first before leading her to the kitchen.

Daphnee was dressed in her uniform complete with her blue sash. “Have a seat,” she gestured toward the table where she just left from. At first Machi might have mistook the book and notepad as Daphnee working on a homework assignment but closer look would reveal that it was a cookbook and she was copying a recipe, perhaps the book was borrowed. At the center of the table sat a bowl that had been half full of chocolate chip cookies. She was offered one once they sat down at the table prior to the report being ask for.

Machi entered the dorm the sense of being watched vanished. Her assumption was that it was a monster, or some other creature of the night. Yet she didn’t sense any blood lust or ill intent. Most likely curiosity is the most likely its intent. By watch the red head with a pixy cut? Machi sighed in annoyance as she entered the dorm rooms and the feeling dissipated.

The room was oddly... Machi couldn’t exactly think of words to describe it. The room was clearly vast. In comparison with her own room it amounted to a cell oppose to this one. It was also filled with dolls. Laid about in a common fashion; Machi felt a shiver crawl up her spine. As a child she always found dolls to be creepy, especially ventriloquist dolls. Shaking it off she took the seat that was offered her. She noticed the book at first it seemed like homework, but reading it upside down it was soon decerened as a recipe. She was a cook, even then.

There was cookies. She didn’t have a sweet tooth, and having the perfect offer her one turned her stomach. In all reality Machi was hear only because she made the deal, a deal she was sore about. She remembered what happened to her and suspected the cookies to laced with something. After all the purple haired girl had to drug her in order to subdue the sword maiden.

”No thank you.”

She had been wise to suspect the cookies as they were indeed laced. Keeping a fresh batch baked made things easier for her at times, especially with Kanoe about now. It was a quick way to instill the drug without most suspecting though she had to flush or throw out the occasional cookie to make it seem as if she were consuming them as well.

The aphrodisiac baked well into cookies and cake she fund though next she planned on lacing muffins when she had a little free time. She even once deliberately drugged herself; one to keep up appearances and two in order to try out the new drug for herself. It was similar to the one Vera used one her but NICE had advanced it to a greater degree.

Having realized just how potent it was with the small dose allowed her a first hand account of the drug's effect in order to be thorough with the reports she made on it.

Had she noticed anything amiss with Machi she did not address it or the dolls themselves. Throughout the years she had fashioned quite a few and the diversity in each told her just where she was skill wise in much the same way that someone could look back at a photo album and note the passing of time.

“Very well,” she was not offended by her decline in the cookies. When she finished recording down the details of the latest recipe she wished to practice before present her new found skills to her Mistress, she turned her attention to Machi free of distractions.

“Report Miss Takashi.”

She wasn’t offended by the rejection of the cookies. That didn’t bother her, what did was the fact Machi had to wait till the perfect finished her recipe. In a way Machi was becoming a little impatient, keeping her composer was easy. She had been trained since a child to hold up a poker face, though these days coupled with attacks and the memory loss she suffered. She felt as her usual composed closed off self was breaking even ripping at the seams. Well the perfect didn’t need to know that.

As she waited she looked at the dolls, noticing that some seemed to be much older than others. It dawned on her that this was a collection. She heard of people collecting certain things for specify time in their lives, the diversity also range greatly. Honestly the sword woman wondered why anyone would collect dolls. She understood stamps coins and weaponry, but never dolls.

“Report Miss Takashi.” The order came smoothly. Yet Machi herself biting her Tongue at the command before speaking.

“ as ordered we cleaned the swimming pool. The girls chatted, though nothing really came up except...” Machi stopped briefly for a quick breath.”Brianna speech became much more streamed line and slightly nervous after you showed up and then left.” The red head explained crossing her legs as she relied upon her memory. Recalling every detail and action. Even the ones they thought she hadn’t even noticed. Machi believed it was most likely because Daphnee had showed up, and given the indication of that they may have experienced the basement or some sort of event was clearly evident to the swords woman. There was also something very off on how they presented themselves.

“It was one thing to be organized but they seemed too organized. All of them seemed to be Following Lauren's lead, though they waited for my final verdict. It was clear they had some sort intention behind being organized. To what I don’t know. It could have been they blamed me for their hard labor, either way something is and was off with that entire ordeal. I suspect they are up to something, and Laruen is the ring leader. Also would there happen to more than one person involved with the contraband.” The sword woman was one to speak her opinion and give a through report. It was also clear to Machi that their punishment wasn’t a natural one. They seemed well behaved save for the infractions, still Daphnee clearly indicated a disciplinary problem on some front. That was clear to Machi.

Daphnee seemed unaware that Machi was checking out the assortment of ventriloquist dolls she had created throughout the years. They were everywhere though and she would have taken it in stride if she were aware.

Once she had finished with the recipe she listened to the given report her hands folding atop one another and her chin rested on them as her elbows rested on the table. She was ponder what she was told, thinking over what she was told.

Drawing her hands away she straightened her posture. “Yes, it is possible the all three could be involved in issues of contraband. I am unable to get too close to them given my position though I have it on good faith that Brianna is involved with it.

“In any case the others benefit from her contraband,” Daphnee stated. “The group are friends and they probably suspected something amiss with your presence, a degree of caution with a new face present. But today was a little experiment.”

She went quiet for a moment though she had already thought things through. “Perhaps an arrangement can be made … that is, if you are interested Miss Takashi.”

“So they were testing me.” Machi concluded to herself. She had deducted this of course but hearing this confirmed by the Perfect, only further the legitimacy. So this made sense, it clear the Daphnee needed an inside man. Someone to relay information to her about what was going on. Not only that Daphnee was testing her. Was it loyalty or did she need someone with their wits about them.

IF she wanted Machi get involved with them that is a rather tall order. As Someone who follows the ideal Honor code of the Samurai. This was clearly something that went against her ethics. She didn’t belong in the criminal world or so it was comparable in this case. It wasn’t crime really, from what she understood and heard their girls who could get devices that had been originally taken away, and certain liberties that weren’t exactly given on the island. For example candy, wasn’t allowed on campus, at least not in large quantities. Only the Head Girls and Perfects were privilege to have such sweets and could give them away as they saw fit.

The red head body stiffened. If her posture wasn’t already straightened it certainly would have. Her eye’s narrowed. An Arrangement? This purple haired girl wished to make another deal? Most likely she was willing to let the sword maiden go of punishment. Or she had something else in mind that could benefit her as well. Then again Machi had a sense of honor and justice. If these girls were breaking the rules, even though the rules were subjective. She should set them straight, at least give them a chance to avoid the basement. Yes, that what she would do. Give them a a chance of redemption, as she was sure this PErfect wouldn’t give them such a chance.

“I’m willing to hear you out... But.” She stated taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. Hoping she wasn’t going to regret making an “arrangement” with this girl.” If its not to my appeal, I will pass. And anything you have said will remain between us.”

Her Eye’s open starring into Daphnee’s as she conveyed her message.” However if it is within my abilities to aid. I have several stipulations needed. First I would like the chance operate according my own judgements. Which includes providing a secondary chance onto the suspects if I so deem fit. I also want clear complete understanding of the subject at hand. Which pertains and not limited to the extensiveness of the crime committed cooperating evidence and any all information pertaining to it. “ Machi was being bold by asking these things, but she was tired of these games the school heads played. After all she wanted to at least make it clear she wasn’t going to keep geting demerits for something she had permission for to begin with. She also wanted to give the group a chance to redeem themselves.

“All I ask is for clear details and knowledge of the assignment in full. I also ask that in return I be allowed a special designation area to train with my sword on campus in solitude.”

“I would imagine so. They may have suspected that you were a plant initially or it may be that they did not know you. When I pulled you aside earlier it was to show them that you were in charge of the situation as far as completing the task unless they think I would be so obvious with the display that you had to be a plant.”

She smiled, but it was clear that she did not really care what reasoning was going through their heads. She listened quietly as the conditions were spelled out. She did not need any form of evidence to inflict punishments but Daphnee was odd in that she preferred collecting it rather then arbitrarily declaring a punishment. It didn't have to be damning evidence but neither did she act upon weak evidence.

Daphnee functioned more like a judge in a civil claim suit dealing with the preponderance of evidence and what was more probable rather then needing evidence beyond a reasonable doubt though she preferred evidence in that later stage.

A part of redemption was part of ensuring that the right crime was being punished and redeemed.

“I have my sources on it, though obviously I cannot compromise her identity, otherwise she becomes useless to me. But as for hard evidence that would be your task to uncover it if it exists.

“I can arrange other simple disciplinary actions as a cover for any lighter infractions of the rules they would make. Any minor infractions you perform will be waved off, provided you inform me of them and their not on the lines of tarnishing the reputation of the school or hospitalizing one of the girls and so on.”

She considered for a moment. “As far as their punishments, assuming you find enough evidence, I'll let you decide. Sound fair? You'll be doing most of the work in this one so your input would make the most sense.

“As for a weapon though … regulations go against it,” she knew that this wouldn't be a metallic weapon and a wooden one wouldn't do much against the guests to the island. “Officially I am not allowed to let you keep it but I see no problem with it if no one knows about it. I can simply turn a blind eye to a certain area for some time, regardless, one person or many having restricted materials.”

The greater good and all. She was aware that she could not shut down contraband completely but she could limit most of it and if this was an easy way to accomplish that then so be it.

“Was there anything else?” She was ensuring that she had addressed all the concerns or if there were further questions.