Hybrid Theory Ch. 02

"We're here."

Gabe smiled slightly and nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the door, stepping out. He stood outside and closed his eyes for a bit, just breathing slowly and looking downwards as he saved everything he had just observed and learned into his brain. After about a minute, he looked up and opened his eyes to find Mu standing before him, waiting quietly.

"Ah, sorry about that; I just had to commit the directions and everything to memory. I forgot the first rule yesterday in my being overwhelmed by the occasion and my embarrassment, so I'm going to be doing everything properly this time around."

Mu looked up at Gabe.

"What do you mean doing everything properly? What rule are you talking about?"

"Huh? Oh just a few rules that I was told to follow by my Gramps. Anyway, so we're here huh? Damn this section is massive."

"Indeed, I told you it was."

Gabe just looked up in slight amazement as he and Mu stood before a set of buildings so large, he didn't really know how to react. He also saw a large number of people walking in and out of the buildings, sitting around, talking etc. After a short while, Gabe looked down at Mu.

"Whoa, what are all these people doing here? Classes haven't started have they? Or have they?! How long was I asleep?!!"

Gabe started having a mini freak out session, and that composed and impressive version of him from the cab had completely disappeared, causing Mu to chuckle to himself.

"No, classes haven't started; it's just that there are many students who run clubs, who take extra classes, etc. It's always busy around here, as there are also day and night classes, as you heard yesterday. Anyway, do you want to go inside and—"

"Oh hell yeah I wanna go inside! This place is probably PACKED with nerdy, extra credit seeking bitches, and I'm so going to get a few to bring back to my apartment!"

Mu just sighed and shook his head, before walking ahead of him.

"Very well; if you would please follow me. By the way, what exactly are you going to be studying?"

"Oh, you know, businessy shit and what not."

They walked in silence for a bit, as Gabe felt that was a competent answer, while Mu disagreed

"Uh... excuse me?"

"Yeah, like business shit... I dunno man, business..."

Mu just remained silent and looked back at Gabe with quite the look on his face.

"Are you being serious here, or are you playing me for a fool? How can you NOT know what you're studying?!"

"I DO know what I'm studying punk, I'm just... Look, after being home schooled all my life, and being in an environment where I couldn't escape the studying as the studying was all I could do, now that I'm elsewhere, living my life has become a priority, while my studies have firmly taken the back seat, you know?"

Mu looked at Gabe, and felt as though he could relate slightly. He gave him a slight nod which was reciprocated, and turned around, focusing on walking.

"Well then Gabe, allow me to show you to the 'businessy shit' lecture halls."

"Will there be bitches?" Gabe asked as he looked around at the women who were around, grinning lewdly.

Mu's head shot back as he glared at Gabe, who was still looking off to the side. When he finally did look back towards Mu because of the lack on an answer, he finally got the answer in the form of Mu almost glaring holes into his face. He then put his hands up apologetically as he chuckled nervously.

"Okay okay, sorry... Just forget my previous question."

"Already forgotten." Mu said as he turned back around.

The tour was rather brief as Mu not only had a brisk walking speed for somebody so short, but because he thought it would be best to get it over with quickly, before Gabe started asking him stupid questions about women again. Once they had finished walking around, Mu noticed that Gabe had actually been awfully quiet during the entire walk, so he looked back to see that Gabe was busy doing the same thing he was doing in the cab; making mental notes of everything. He eyes were darting around this way and that, as he thoroughly scanned everything like a robot. They walked back out of the buildings and made their way over towards the parking lot where the cab was still waiting for them. As they were walking, Gabe suddenly stopped, repeating what he had done when they first arrived. The only difference is though; that this time it took only a few seconds as there was much less for him to process. He looked up at Mu and smiled.

"So, I noticed that there were some flyers, as well as people talking about some Orientation Day thing that's going to be happening in a few days."

Mu looked at Gabe and nodded at him.

"Yes indeed, there is an Orientation Day that happens at the beginning of every semester. What it essentially is, is just a situation in which all the races, and Were's of every kind are forced into meeting and mingling, rather than keeping to their own little groups as usual. Even the regular humans come as well."

Gabe just looked at Mu intently as he spoke, nodding as well.

"I see. Well, let's get to the Town and have some lunch shall we?" Gabe said, not even feeling slightly ashamed to be taking advantage of Mu's willingness to pay for everything.

Mu, having sensed nothing of this, just nodded and walked past him to the cab, opening the door for him. Gabe nodded in appreciation as he got in and sat down, buckling himself up. Mu once again, got in on the other side, doing the same and mentioned their destination to the cabbie, who was standing to make a fortune today. The drive was once again, made in total silence, as Gabe did his surveying thing. Once they got into town, Mu just mentioned the name of a restaurant, to which the driver nodded and started heading there. They reached a nice Oriental restaurant after a few minutes, and Mu got out the car. The closing of his door prompted Gabe to follow suit, and once outside, committed everything he had just learned to memory. He carefully appraised the restaurant, and noticed some golden statues of oriental dragons, and he found himself thinking that he had seen this particular type of dragon before. Before he could dwell on the thought any longer, he heard Mu speak.

"Gabe? This way please, we're going in."

Gabe looked up and saw Mu had already ascended the stairs before them and was waiting at the door. He made his way up the stairs and suddenly the door opened. There was a rather pretty hostess standing with her head in a reservation book. Mu suddenly said something in a language Gabe had never heard before, and the hostess looked up. A look of surprise and intimidation hit her face, before she bowed slightly and replied in the same language. Mu initiated a conversation with this woman and gestured towards Gabe while talking. The woman looked at Gabe, whose eyes suddenly bucked as he was looked at. He smiled and waved dorkily.

"Oh! Uh... Hello!"

All credibility of the pimp-like character he wanted to portray shattered in the eyes of Mu as he observed the greeting, rolling his eyes. The hostess giggled slightly, and her cheeks just had a slight tinge of red in them, before she nodded at him in reply. Mu carried on speaking to her, and the woman once again focused all her attention on him, nodding as he spoke. After the conversation was finished, Mu looked over at Gabe.

"Alright Gabe, this way."

Mu motioned with his head, and Gabe walked up to him. The hostess had already turned around and scurried into the restaurant, and Mu started walking, with Gabe in tow. As they walked, all the waiters and waitresses said some word and bowed their heads, never making eye contact with Mu. Gabe just looked around and found this all very strange, yet oddly impressive. Something made these people fear and respect mu, and he didn't know what it was. Mu, the very same Mu who yesterday, was getting his ass handed to him by three rather weak looking vampires, was now looking commanding and rather intimidating, something which made Gabe smile for some reason.

"I guess I still have a lot to learn about the ways of the world." Gabe said to himself more than anything.

Mu just looked back at Gabe, slightly confused.

"Excuse me?"

"Huh? Oh nothing, just talking to myself."

Mu just shrugged, before leading Gabe to a booth that was at the back of the restaurant. It was rather large and comfortable, and they both sat down. Gabe looked around, admiring the décor and the art all around the place.

"Wow, this restaurant is fucking amazing, just look at this place."

Mu just smiled and nodded.

"Thank you." He said appreciatively

Gabe looked at Mu with a slight look of confusion on his face now.

"Huh? What are you thanking me for?"

"I'm thanking you for the compliment. This restaurant belongs to my family. Welcome to the Golden Dragon."

Gabe just looked at Mu all wide eyed.

"Really? You own a restaurant?! I thought these dragons looked familiar – I saw one such dragon on the card you keep paying for shit with!"

Mu was slightly surprised, but then remembered how Gabe seemed to pay attention to everything in the cab, so he just waved it off in his own mind.

"Yes, that's right. The dragon is my family's symbol, which is why it is on my card."

"I see." Gabe said, while nodding. "Anyway, I was just wondering why it is that your family has a restaurant here on campus? Are all these people part of your family as well?"

"No." Mu said, shaking his head slightly. "These people are all employees. This isn't the only restaurant we have mind you, it's part of chain of restaurants. This one has been left to me to run..."

Gabe detected a hint of bitterness coming from Mu's voice and demeanor, and moved quickly to change the subject.

"S-So what are we eating? I trust the meal will be free!"

Mu looked at Gabe and shook his head slightly, before sitting back and relaxing into the seat.

"Well, I told the Ming to tell the chef to prepare something quickly, so—"

Just then, two waitresses popped up, holding trays which had what appeared to an assortment of starters.

"Excuse us for disturbing you Sir." One of the women said. "We have brought some starters for you and your guest."

Mu looked up at them in surprise, before shaking his head and slowly face palming himself.

"Didn't I mention that we only stopped by for a brief meal?"

"Yes Sir, you did, however Mr Fei said that he would be ignoring that and bringing you both a full course meal."

The two girls then set the plates and bowls down before nodding and smiling at both men and scurrying off. The restaurant wasn't empty, but there weren't all that many people currently inside. Gabe just looked around at each of the employees, making notes of how facial expressions and demeanors. He looked at Mu, who seemed to be slightly embarrassed and smiled.

"Anyway, I have some questions for you if you don't mind."

Gabe's voice snapped Mu out of his embarrassment, and he looked over at him, shaking his head to indicate that he didn't mind.

"Not at all Gabe, ask away."

Gabe just nodded with appreciation.

"Thanks. So, who or what is the King, and why does he have beef with you?"

Mu looked at Gabe with slight surprise on his face, and before he could respond, Gabe spoke again.

"I only ask because while those guys were beating the shit out of you, the main one mentioned this King. In fact, you yourself mentioned that Werebats can't have a King, so I assume there is more than one King, or, there is one King, although anybody can be nominated for the role of King."

Mu listened to Gabe, and he finished talking he took a deep breath, and just waited for a bit. Just as he was about to start talking, he looked up and noticed that the waitresses were back with drinks.

"Excuse us, but we have drinks."

As they carefully placed each drink down on the table, Gabe just looked up at each lady and smiled. Once they finished, they gave both Gabe and Mu bows and smiles, to which Gabe responded with his trademark smile.

"Thank you very much." Gabe said as he nodded.

The women quickly walked off, and then Mu waited for a second before started talking.

"Alright Gabe, this is current landscape around here; on this campus, every kind of Were has a King, if it is adequately represented. Werewolves have a King, although they prefer to be referred to as Alphas, Vampires have a King, Werebears have a King, and so on and so forth. The King of a particular group generally is the leader, and ruling... lord over each Sect. Let us focus on the Vampire King is the boss in Vamp Sect. He generally decides the rules and laws of the area that can be changed or amended by him, with the consent of the Dean of the college of course. He stays in the Palace, a very large property on the outskirts of Vamp Sect, and is the place where vampires hold important talks and meetings. The King serves as a link between regular students, and the higher ups of this place. Most grievances that the vampires here have are relayed to the King who decides on the course of action..."

Throughout Mu's speech, Gabe was paying an uncanny amount of attention. While doing so though, he reached for what he thought was a drink, but rather, was a bowl of some kind of sauce. He slowly wrapped his fingers around it, and brought it to his mouth, before slowly sipping. The realization that what had entered his mouth wasn't a drink suddenly hit him when the thick, savoury and extremely spicy fluid hit his tongue, and almost made his mouth explode. He let out a slight, almost inaudible squeak, before swallowing and very calmly putting the bowl back on the table. He decided that it would probably be safer for him not to try and drink anything else, and just listen to Mu.

"... and the Vampire King is usually too concerned with himself to care about anybody else. Anyway, all the other Kings are privy to the same benefits that The Vampire King receives, in that they are able to choose anybody to be their Queen, and I mean anybody. As long as that person gives the King their consent, anybody can become the Queen. In fact, there have often been cases where a woman is chosen as Queen, and she chooses somebody to be her King. Also, even though there are many Kings, only a few of them are truly strong, therefore the weaker Kings who represent smaller groups of Weres often ally themselves with the Kings of larger groups in order to survive. Also, what you said before is correct in that anybody can become King, as long they are nominated by somebody strong and high up in the food chain, and receive a majority vote from all of the Weres of that Sect."

Gabe, who now had sufficiently recovered from almost melting his tongue off, looked at Mu, still paying attention.

"Alright, I see. You mentioned something about Werebats not being able to have a King – why is that?"

Mu reached down and grabbed what was actually a small cup with a sort of light green fluid in it. He brought it to his mouth and sipped on it slowly, enjoying the flavor before putting it down. Gabe was secretly hoping that the fluid was some sort of ridiculously spicy sauce as well, but he had no such luck.

"Because the Vampire King decreed that Werebats are not allowed to have a King. Simple as that."

Gabe decided not to question Mu any further on this subject, and just nodded. He reached for a little crisp pastry roll thing and threw it into his mouth. It crunched and closed his eyes in pleasure, chewing slowly, savouring the tasty morsel in his mouth. After swallowing it, he opened his eyes and looked at Mu.

"Fucking hell, that thing was fucking delicious!"

"Glad you enjoyed it." Mu said with a smile. "Dig in, as I'm guessing there's more where that came from."

Gabe didn't need a second invitation as he started digging in. Mu decided to do the same as he figured the serious discussion was over now. He was pleasantly surprised at the seriousness displayed by Gabe when we was speaking, as well as his ability to take a hint with regards to him not wanting to discuss the Werebat's lack of a King. As the two were eating, the employees of the restaurant were coming more and more obvious in the attempts to watch the two and listen in on their conversations, as they both appeared to be rather friendly with each other. The two of them had finished the appetizers and drinks, and almost instantly, the waitresses were back to clear their table. As they left the table, two more suddenly appeared carrying main courses, and placed them on the table. The two men thanked them, and started eating. Mu suddenly spoke.

"So Gabe, tell me about where you grew up."

Gabe looked up briefly and noticed that Mu was using these two wooden sticks that looked like pencils to pick up his food. He looked down and noticed that he had gotten a pair too, so he decided to try using them as well as he spoke.

"Well Mu, I actually grew up in the country; on the outskirts of Stern. Well, rather than the outskirts of Stern, I grew up on the outskirts of those fucking outskirts!"

Mu laughed, and the conversation between the two flowed quite well, and Mu seemed to be relaxed and happy, smiling and laughing, and in general, just having a great time with Gabe, who had failed so hard at eating with chopsticks that he abandoned that idea and started eating with a fork. The entire restaurant had long since stopped caring about trying to spy on the sly, and a group of all the employees was now standing on the other side of the restaurant watching the two of them, chefs included. They just watched as for the first time in years, Mu was actually having a conversation with somebody and was looking happy.

"It's absolutely amazing to Master Yin Li in this kind of a mood." Said one employee.

"I agree. That boy has such a warm heart, yet the things that he goes through..." Said another.

"It's not like he could just go home and find warmth and comfort, because he gets the same treatment there as well."

"The way he gets treated here really is no different is it?"

"Not at all. I know that it's not my place to say so, but the way the boss treats Master Yin Li is absolutely atro—"

"You be quiet! We don't know who could be listening, and it would be extremely disrespectful to say any more!"

"Yes I know, it's just that—"

"I understand how you feel, but can't you just be happy that the Young Master has found himself a friend at long last? I can't tell you how much it warms this heart and these crusty old bones to finally see him smiling with somebody else."

"Yeah, I agree."

"Me too."

"Absolutely."

The employees all stood there watching on in happiness as Gabe and Mu had a nice conversation. Once the main dishes were finished, the group suddenly dispersed and everybody tries to look busy. In fact, all the other tables were neglected and ignored during the little gathering, and if it wasn't for the food, those customers would've left. Two waitresses cleared the table, and another two brought some desserts. Gabe just licked his chops and dug in to his meal once again, eating as though he hadn't already consumed copious amounts of food already. Mu ate his desserts as well, another thing that was noted by the staff as they hadn't seen eat Mu eat this much in many years. After their meals were finished, waitresses came to clear their dishes and then walked off. Gabe smiled at them and stood up, stepped out of the booth and starting stretching and rotating his hips. Mu looked at him.

"Oh, I always do this after eating a large meal. Gets the blood flowing. Force of habit I guess."

Mu just shrugged and stood up as well before looking up and noticing just how little work was being accomplished, and how much attention was being paid to himself and Gabe. This made Mu quite uncomfortable, and he just started walking towards the door, with Gabe, once again in tow. As they neared the entrance, Gabe and Mu heard someone say something in that language that Gabe heard them communicating in the entire time, causing them both to stop and look behind them. What they saw was every employee with their heads bowed and hands by their sides. They then all said something in that language that made Mu look rather emotional, causing him to turn around and look away. Then an old man spoke.