Christiana started a vid' call to her friend Samantha. Ever since their chance encounter at the middle school a few months ago they have been calling each other regularly, every few days. They usually chatted for half an hour each time, and Haruhi-nee often joined in as well.

Amelia-oneechan, in an attempt to work on her burgeoning business plan, had hijacked her womb-mate for the evening. Johnathan-nii was currently playing vid' games in his room to give her some privacy. Of course, he only did this after she had promised to spend the rest of the night with him once she completed her conversation.

Samantha quickly answered. "Hey there chibi!" she said cheerfully.

"I'm not short. I am vertically challenged!" she retorted with a grin. While The two were only a Year apart the other girl was quite a few see-emms taller than she was. The difference in their heights was a running joke between them

The older adolescent broke into a fit of giggles. She quickly followed with more than a few chuckles of her own.

"How have you been?" she asked.

"Well, I got a new top," the other young lady announced. With that, she panned the camera down to show the casual shirt she was currently wearing. Since royal blue was her favorite color, the blouse was mainly of that hue. It also had black piping and an ebony collar, thus showing her status as a Keeper.

"I like it," Christiana replied. She also loved azure, although she preferred a slightly darker shade. Not as dark as navy or midnight, but not as bright as the one on the screen. "It complements the color of your eyes."

"Thanks!," her senpai acknowledged with a big grin. "How have you been the past few days?"

"Things have been going okay," she responded. She was hesitant to tell her friend about the conversation she had had with her mother earlier in the week. Since Haruhi-nee sometimes talked with Samantha, it would be an issue if their mutual companion let it slip that Christiana had already completed the basic level of training. If her siblings found that out, then they would constantly pester her to stop her evening instruction and spend more time with them. While that would be fun in the short term, it could be highly detrimental in the long run.

After all, she wanted to gain every advantage that she could over the competition. Besides, because of her patSister Sakura-nee's prior experience in a Keeper competition, she was pretty sure that the other girl would have quite a few tricks up her sleeves. She needed to get as much martial arts practice as possible during the remaining handful of weeks.

"How are things progressing with your weapons training?"

"They are going well," she replied. As always, she wanted to tell the truth whenever she could. She just didn't elaborate any further.

"That's great to hear! I can't wait until you get here. I desperately need a reliable ally at the academy."

"What happened at school?" she asked, concerned by Samantha's statement.

On the screen, her normally cheerful friend looked quite down, and she wanted to learn the reason.

"Yesterday was not a good day. You know I am only average in athletics. I came in third out of six competitors in the physical half of the competition. I only got the position because I had a perfect score on the written test. I told you this before, didn't I?"

"Yes, you mentioned that when we first started calling each other."

"Well, that matter is coming back to haunt me. That, and the fact that they have labeled me a 'brocon.'"

"What's a 'brocon?'" she asked. She had never heard of the word.

"I had to look it up myself. It is a term from Old Earth that means a sister who is in love with her Brother."

"Eww, that is kind of gross!"

"That's how I feel about it too. You need to remember that I treat Matthew in a much more humane fashion than all the other Keepers care for their Brothers at that facility."

"So they are making fun of you because you regard him as a person?"

"Exactly."

"So what happened that upset you?"

"Yesterday while at lunch I was escorting Matt-otōto as required. We had gotten there early for a change, so we got our food from the counter and took a seat nearby. While we began eating, the line continued to cycle through with every Keeper accompanying their brothers. That was when I saw it."

"What did you see?"

The other adolescent sighed deeply before she proceeded. "A schoolgirl named Tasha was attending to her patBrother Charles. This girl takes great pleasure in tormenting the poor boy whenever she has the chance, so he is extremely meek around her, hoping she will let up on him. If anything, it's the opposite. The more he acts submissive the worse she treats him."

"That's awful! How would she like to be tormented each day?" Christiana asked in a thoughtful manner.

"Those are my thoughts as well."

"Why would she do that to another human being?" Christiana asked, genuinely confused by the actions taken by the girl that they were discussing.

"I think she does it because she can. That and she does not look at him like that."

"She doesn't see him as what?" Christiana was confused yet again, unable to fathom what Samantha was getting at.

"As a person. Most of the Keepers view their brothers as little more than a commodity. Something that will make their matFams and House a lot of money when they graduate and are old enough to be married off to the highest bidder. Some even treat their male kin as nothing more than a burden."

"If that is the case, why did they decide to become Keepers?"

"That's easy. They did it for the prestige and the perks of the position. Who wouldn't want an increased dowry compared to their Sisters? Who would not prefer the rewards given to those who wear the Black? It opens up a lot of doors in the future, from preferential admission to most universities to lofty positions in any family-owned or House affiliated businesses. Simply by successfully fulfilling their duties as a Keeper a high school graduate has many advantages over their siblings."

"I have never thought about it that way." Christiana replied. "All the perks that Keepers get almost sounds like cheating in life. Especially for those who don't properly care for their Brothers."

"They put these privileges in place to act as payment for protecting their Brother over the Years of middle and high school. Since that is a pretty lengthy commitment, it makes sense that the reward is fairly large. However, this process assumes Keepers treat their assigned males well. Unfortunately, in the case of Tasha, this is the furthest thing from the truth."

"Go on," Christiana urged her friend.

"She was rushing the poor boy like she always did. Yelling at him to choose his food quickly, place it on his tray, and follow her to a table. It was because of her shrieking that I looked up from my meal." At this point, the older girl paused, as if she was trying to control her emotions.

"What happened then?" Christiana inquired, yet again gently urging her friend to continue her story.

"As the boy was turning around to accompany her, she stuck her foot out and tripped him."