Chapter 01 "Penance"
"You do not take your studies seriously enough Watanabe-san", admonished the Principal, pushing her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose with a finger in emphasis, the sleeve of her habit sliding to her elbow.
The guidance office sister nodded gravely, "If your father, the ambassador, were to learn of your poor conduct…." The sister left the rest hanging.
The corners of Ryoko's mouth turned up in irony, as she smiled for the first time since entering the Principal's office. She met the sister's eyes with that smile, causing the sister to take an involuntary step closer to the principal. Pale blue eyes, cold as a glacier, and just as hard, legacy of her American grandfather, set into her classical Japanese features, caused most people she met to look at her twice, and then look away in embarrassment. Direct indicators of foreign parentage, her eyes were the cause of an often troubled childhood. Ryoko, perforce, had learned to use her eyes as a weapon at a very young age. "My father," Ryoko began, "Is out of the country…again," she finished, looking back down at the floor. The bangs of her waist length, dark hair swept forward, hiding her offensive eyes from view. "He doesn't care," she muttered, swinging one foot absently.
"However, I do Ryoko-chan," intoned a familiar voice from behind. Ryoko hunched her shoulders, staring harder at the floor, her foot swinging faster.
"Your Excellency," the sister said severely, bowing deeply, "Thank you for coming." The sister glanced down at the young 'lady' kicking her foot, "We are at a loss," she said, shaking her head.
The Principal stood, and bowed from behind her desk, "Thank you for coming Excellency Watanabe."
The bishop walked over to stand behind Ryoko's chair, his ecclesiastical robes swishing softly as he moved, and laid his hand on her shoulder, "Ryoko-chan," he said kindly. She ignored him, and continued to swing her foot. "Ryoko-chan," he called again. "Look at me Ryoko-chan." There was an authoritative edge to his kindly spoken words. Ryoko found herself turning to look up at the bishop, her jaw clenching as her hard, pale-blue eyes met his, soft, dark, and deep brown. She hated his brown eyes; she hated all of their dark brown Japanese eyes. "That's better," he said. "Have you been cutting classes again?"
"Indeed," said the guidance sister, nodding. "Watanabe-san's grades have begun to suffer," she looked at Ryoko, "as we warned her would happen the last time we spoke to her on the same subject."
"It sets a bad example for the other students," said the Principal, sitting again. "We simply cannot tolerate this sort of behavior from our young ladies."
Ryoko said nothing, and looked away, her gaze sliding from her uncle's face to his robes of office. Uncle was always in his robes, every time she saw him. She wondered idly if he slept in them, then, flicking her gaze up and down, decided that was impossible given their impeccably clean state. She had been admonished often enough by teachers and senpai for the occasionally rumpled condition of her uniform when she forgot to remove it, and fell asleep, studying on her bed.
This caused her to remember a particularly distasteful incident with a first year. It was bad enough to have her shortcomings pointed out to her by teachers and senpai, but to have an upstart first year, Soeur of the Rosa Chinensis en Bouton or not, telling her pointedly, she should have more respect for herself and her classmates, was intolerable. Ryoko had suggested Ogasawara-san prick some other poor student with her thorns, she wasn't impressed. The ensuing argument raged back and forth, Ogasawara's heat matched in equal proportion with Ryoko's chilly ripostes. They eventually attracted a small crowd of students, every last one of them properly attired in a clean and pressed uniform. Their murmured commentary slithered into her ears like a poisonous serpent, "Rumpled Americajin", "Aisu purinsesu", "Delinquent", "They only let her stay because her uncle is a bishop", and worse. Eventually, Ryoko decided enough was enough, turned her back, and pushed her way out, barely making it to class on time, because she refused to run and give the appearance of fleeing.
"Ryoko-chan?" the bishop reprimanded, recalling her attention, "Ryoko-chan, are you listening?"
Ryoko blinked, and looked up at her uncle.
"No," he sighed, "of course you are not." He rubbed his forehead, his brow furrowing, then nodded to himself, obviously reaching a conclusion. Ryoko's stomach suddenly knotted in apprehension. She turned to see him more clearly, her fingers tightening on the back of her chair. "We'll see if a little hard work and prayer will bring you to your senses," he said looking down at her. "You will spend the rest of this term assisting the Sisters in the Sanctuary." Placing his hands behind his back he continued, "For one hour, and an extra half hour for prayer, each day you will report to the Sanctuary, and perform whatever task may be asked of you."
"Uncle!" Ryoko cried, "That isn't fair!"
"Indeed!" The guidance office sister agreed, "That is far too light a penance!"
Ryoko's head shot around to face the Sister, mouth open, and pale blues eyes wide. She quickly closed her mouth, and looked down at the floor again, rethinking her position. An hour and a half? That…that wasn't too bad, was it? Surely she could survive ninety minutes of anything? And thirty of that devoted to prayer, or at least the appearance of it.
"No Sister," said the Principal, standing once more, "The punishment fits the crime." Looking pointedly at Ryoko, she said, "If young miss Watanabe wishes to cut a class, the least we can do is provide her with something constructive to do during her free time."
Ryoko wisely kept her mouth closed, when her uncle nodded at the Principal, "Please see to it then, and if you would be so kind, furnish me with a regular report detailing her improvement." He turned to Ryoko, and raised an eyebrow, "There WILL be improvement, won't there Ryoko-chan?"
"Yes uncle," she replied meekly.
Nodding once, her uncle smiled at her with his hated warm brown eyes, "It is always good to see you Ryoko-chan. I wish it was not usually under these circumstances, however."
"So do I uncle," she said to herself, as he made his goodbyes to the school staff, "So do I."
Watching her uncle's swishing robes depart, Ryoko sighed, and turned back around to face her jailers. Seeing the stern look on their faces she smirked, "Ninety minutes a day?" she said, looking from one to the other, "I practice kendo longer than that."
"Do you, Watanabe-san?" asked the Principal, raising an eyebrow. Steepling her fingers, the sister smiled back at Ryoko, "Well, we shall have to see if we can find you a proper 'sword' then, eh Sister Counselor?" she said turning to the guidance office Sister.
"Oh, indeed, Sister", the guidance office sister chortled, envisioning push-brooms, and mop handles, "indeed we shall!"
Ryoko frowned, wondering if she had perhaps, overplayed her hand.
oo000oo
It's been two weeks, two very, very long weeks, Ryoko grumbled to herself, and flung open the door to the Sanctuary's cleaning closet, indiscriminately tossing in the dirty dusting rag, empty bucket smelling of cleaning oil-soap, and damp mop. She winced, looked at her dry, and cracked hands, also smelling of cleaning oil-soap, and wished she had listened when the stern sister in charge of cleaning the Sanctuary recommended she use the available yellow rubber gloves. She had tried them once, but they made her hands sweaty and stink of rubber afterwards. She had decided to tough it out, but was paying the price now every time she flexed her fingers.
"I warned you Watanabe-san," the sister tsked, "if you continue cleaning without the gloves you will soon end up with hands like these." She held up her own leathery hands, displaying their permanently dry and cracked appearance to the younger girl.
"I'm fine Sister," Ryoko said coldly. She turned her back to the cleaning closet door after closing it and leaned against it. Her long mass of dark hair hung limply in a single braid down her chest, so she was unable to use her preferred defense against unwanted eye contact. She turned her head away instead, pretending to study a stained glass window of St Peter hanging upside down on a cross. Winter sunlight shining through a yellow panel turned her skin pale yellow, and her frost colored eyes glowed a sickly green when she glanced over at the sister; who repressed a shudder at the unnatural sight, and managed to stop her hand from rising to cross herself. She grasped the large, wooden crucifix dangling from her neck instead.
"We are all God's children," the sister mumbled, looking anywhere except Ryoko's eyes, louder she said, "You may begin your time of prayer after you have washed." She continued mumbling, as she turned and hurriedly walked away, caressing the cross.
Ryoko leaned her head against the door, and tiredly watched the sister, not fooled for a moment. She pushed off the door and made her way to the restroom to wash her hands, and unravel the braid, giving her waist length tresses a few quick strokes with a brush. Thirty minutes of staring at the floor later, Ryoko gathered her things and stepped outside the sanctuary. She had used the "prayer time" to mentally review her appalling loss in a practice bout against a first year, Hasekura Rei. Ryoko believed her foot-work was the primary issue, although the intensity of Rei's attacks spoke well of the first year. She smiled as she stepped into the brisk winter air remembering what happened after the match. After removing their head-gear, Rei did not react at all when she saw Ryoko's eyes, but bowed formally, and returned to her place with the other first year's, not saying a word. It was just another kendo bout, with just another opponent, as it should be. Examining her wrist-watch, Ryoko noted it was almost time for her last class, English, with maybe ten minutes to spare. With ample time it would be a slow, leisurely, walk from the sanctuary, with no need to hurry.
Taking her normal short-cut around the back of the sanctuary, Ryoko stopped in her tracks as she rounded the corner. Long, Western blonde hair mingled with Asian black, as two girls embraced against the wall. That, in and of itself, wasn't surprising, soeurs hugged each other all the time. The blonde hair was what stopped Ryoko, and the finely chiseled features of the taller girl, so Western, so…foreign, it could only be Sei-san, a kindred spirit, if not a friend. And then the two girls kissed, that was surprising, definitely beyond the usual soeur relationship, if they were soeurs. Ryoko could feel her cheeks growing hot, and she ducked back around the wall before she was spotted. Sei-san, Ryoko breathed the name silently, and then peeked around the corner, not able to stop herself from watching. Her breath escaping in frosted wisps, she could just barely hear their quiet conversation….
"I kept thinking of you, when we were apart… even while I was praying, I kept thinking of you. I didn't know why it turned out like this… and I felt pathetic." The smaller girl said, leaning into Sei, who rested her chin atop the smaller girl's head.
"Shiori," Sei closed her eyes and listened to the younger girl. She confessed about how she'd stayed at the principal's room in the convent during the break. About how she met with her uncle, who came to Tokyo, and how they spoke about the future.
"The principal figured out what was between us, and she was greatly worried. She was vehement about me not taking a misstep. I understood what she tried to say, and I thought I shouldn't be with you, and I promised with her, that I wouldn't see you again, but it was no good."
What's going on? Ryoko wondered, pulling back around the wall. Sei-san and this Shiori-san are that way? She looked around, suddenly afraid she would be seen, and connected with the girls around the corner, but the area was empty of other students. Feeling guilty and relieved, Ryoko resumed watching Sei and Shiori.
"What's going to happen to us?" Shiori asked, looking up at Sei.
"I don't know," Sei replied, and turned her head towards Ryoko, causing her to gasp, and her chest to squeeze, until she realized Sei's eyes were closed in thought. They hugged tightly, each seeming to be afraid the other was a mirage. Shiori's fingers were entwined in Sei's long honey-blonde hair, playing with it absently as they talked. Ryoko found herself wondering what Sei's hair felt like, was it different from her own raven black Japanese hair? They seemed so peaceful as they embraced, and Shiori certainly didn't seem to mind Sei's mixed parentage. Examining Sei more closely, Ryoko decided she was rather pretty, in the American model sort of way.
"Shiori," Sei began, "let's run away."
"… What?" Shiori looked up at Sei, as confused as Ryoko was by the comment.
"Don't worry, we'll be okay, I know it. Let's live together, where no one can interfere." Sei looked down at Shiori, a desperate glint in her eyes.
"Live…?" Shiori was becoming more confused by the moment.
"Yes." Sei asked Shiori if she didn't want to go, didn't want to go with her. She sounded scared, hesitant. Ryoko felt her chest tighten, as if it were she who was asking Shiori, and looking down into her dark brown eyes with her own pale blue. She found herself hoping the answer would be yes…it had to be yes. If you can't trust the person you love to see beyond the superficial, who can you trust?
"Of course I would, I'll go anywhere with you, Sei, but-" Sei placed her index finger on Shiori's lips.
"We can."
Ryoko could see the intensity in Sei's gaze as she looked down at Shiori. What would it be like to have someone look at me that way? Ryoko swallowed hard.
"Bring the minimal amount of things you need," The blonde said, brushing Shiori's hair out of her eyes, with delicate strokes of her long fingers. "Let's go now."
"Okay," Shiori agreed softly.
Ryoko grabbed a handful of uniform over her heart and squeezed, overcome by a series of emotions she couldn't describe. She quickly moved back around the corner of the Sanctuary, and leaned against the wall, resting her head against the cold stone, and feeling her eyes well up with tears. She felt happy for Sei, and relieved, and scared for her, and a touch envious, and mortified for having eavesdropped.
"See you."
"See you."
The sound of footsteps departing….Ryoko continued to lean against the wall. What will become of them? Will I ever see them again, see Sei-san again? Ryoko was in the same class as Sei, but she had avoided her, the En Bouton of Rosa Gigantea. Classified as a "known troublemaker", Ryoko was in the habit of staying as far from authority figures as possible. At Lillian, student authority did not go any higher than The Rose Families, the Yamayurikai. Her few encounters with the roses had seen mixed results…still…Sei-san….
Ryoko pushed off the wall and glanced at her watch, class was already in session. She sighed and decided to ditch. Not that it mattered with English, it was the one class she made top marks in consistently. The daughter of an ambassador had its advantages as well as its disadvantages. Truth be told she would much rather have failing grades and a father who was around more often. Oh well, as the saying goes "Rained on ground hardens". Walking past the statue of Maria-sama, Ryoko stopped and offered a prayer for Sei and Shiori, then continued off the school grounds, and caught a bus to the shopping district.
Author's Note:
I borrowed somewhat from the light novels, specifically the dialogue between Sei and Shiori. My goal was to place Ryoko in a position where she could witness Sei and Shiori's relationship, and realistically give her a reason to become interested in Sei.
Next chapter will jump ahead a bit, Sei has become the Rosa Gigantea, and Ryoko has another run in with the Yamayurikai…but who with this time? And how does Sei become involved? Hmmm….
Special thanks to EJ Daniels for returning the favor, and editing my first Marimite fanfic.
I appreciate any and all reviews, comments and Private Messages. Please let me know what you like and what you disliked.
Take care,
~IC
All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of Oyuki Konno the original writer of the Maria-sama ga Miteru light novel series.