Still Waters 2.7: The Queen of Light
123456
There Were Voices Down The Corridor, Thought I Heard Them Say
123456
Author's Pre-notes: This is a story about Chizuru, Ayaka, and Natsumi, a few months after their high school graduation, and what happens when circumstances bring the three of them to the home of Chizuru's aunt, who raised her from childhood. But the Aunt just might be a lunatic, and she lives in a big creepy castle. Let's hope this one doesn't end with a bloodbath like the others, ok? I hope you enjoy reading it.
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After a rather tiring day of work at Fulcanelli's Materials, one of several magic shops in Mahora, Naba Chizuru entered her small apartment, picked up her mail, and collapsed on the couch. Ah…the lovely couch; she let out a long sigh as she settled onto the comfortable cushions and began to go through her mail. 'Bill…bill…bill…magazine subscription renewal notice…and a letter from Aunty Rosalind.' She frowned pensively at the envelope and her aunt's elegant, measured writing. It had been quite some time since she had heard from the other woman; other than an expensive pen set received upon graduating from high school, Aunty Rosalind seemed to have forgotten completely about Chizuru's very existence, not that the young beauty harbored any such illusion; the old woman had meaning in everything she did.
Chizuru sat up on the couch and settled her tired feet on the floor. A letter from Aunty Rosalind… Her frown deepened as she reached for a letter opener. The woman had raised her since early childhood, after her mother... She had never been a loving caretaker, to put it mildly.
She opened the letter and began to read.
Dearest Chizuru,
Chizuru smiled humorlessly at that; Auntie Rosalind always opened her letters that way and had little regard for the Japanese conventions of etiquette such as honorifics; the woman considered it 'hogwash', if Chizuru recalled correctly. She resumed reading.
The mansion has been oh so lonely, and my heart has ached without your company. Therefore, I humbly request your presence beginning on the tenth of the venerable month of Augustus. You may ride to The Refuge on the cargo vessel, if you wish; it arrives on the tenth, twentieth, and final day of every month.
However, I will be quite disappointed if you do not arrive on the time. Please see to it that your affairs are put in order before you arrive, as you may be detained for quite some time.
I look forward to your visit, as we have much to discuss, about a great many things.
Eternally yours,
Your beloved aunt, Rosalind Strachan
'Eternally yours', was it? 'You may ride on the cargo vessel', was it? 'See to it that your affairs are put in order'? 'You may be detained for quite some time'?
She crumpled the letter in an unusual show of frustration and tossed it aside. So, Aunty Rosalind wanted her to return to the mansion. She left the crumpled letter where it had fallen behind the couch and pulled a large brown suitcase from the closet. She wasted little time, and soon had the suitcase filled with the essentials and several sets of clothing. Curse the woman! How dare she demand Chizuru's return in such a manner? And naming the tenth of August as a deadline! The woman had to have known that her letter could scarcely have arrived before the eighth; Chizuru had perhaps thirty or so hours to 'set her affairs in order' and arrange travel plans to The Refuge, as Aunty Rosalind called it; the island in the south. She supposed others might have cursed; Kotarou-kun would undoubtedly have had many colorful things to say in such a situation. Chizuru settled for pursing her lips and stomping around the perimeter of the room several times, then gave it up. She simply was not good with displays of anger.
With the suitcase packed, she went into the small bathroom and stripped down for a shower. It felt nice to be out of the clothes she had been working in all day, and the hot water felt good against her skin. After a shower perhaps a bit too long to be considered proper, she turned off the water and began drying herself off. She had made it perhaps halfway through drying her hair when the doorbell rang. Now who on Earth…? She wrapped a towel around herself and deftly arranged the other towel around her hair in a sort of turban as she made her way to the door and looked through the peephole to see none other than Ayaka, and she belatedly recalled the dinner plans she had made the week before.
"Please wait a moment," she said through the door, then rushed to find something to wear.
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Ayaka and Natsumi waited impatiently as Chizuru rushed around inside, tossing boxes by the sound of it.
After one particularly loud crash, Natsumi turned to Ayaka. "You don't think she forgot, right? I mean…this is our first get together since you got back…" Ayaka had just two weeks ago arrived back in Japan after spending almost a month in America; she had been trying to convince her parents to let her return to Mahora.
Ayaka shrugged and tried again to look through the peephole; it didn't work very well. "Chizuru-san? Is everything all right?"
The banging sounds stopped and Chizuru's voice floated back to them. "I'm fine!"
Natsumi slumped comfortably against the wall and looked around the hallway. This was a nice place, much better than she could afford on a waitress's pay. She glanced over at Ayaka and realized the other girl didn't even seem to notice the near-opulence of the building. She thought about the mere 1470 yen left in her pocket to get her through the next week and sighed at the disparity of income between Ayaka and Chizu-nee, and herself.
Seconds later, Chizuru opened the door.
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"Welcome, Ayaka, Natsumi-chan. Come in, sit down, I'll bring some tea," Chizuru said as she made her way into the kitchen.
"Thank you, Chizuru-san," Ayaka said politely as she glided over to the couch and seated herself gracefully.
"Thanks, Chizu-nee," Natsumi said as she wandered around the room, looking at things. This was the first time she had been to Chizu-nee's new apartment; it was nice. 'Must've cost a mint, though,' she thought as she picked up a delicate looking glass…thing from a shelf and looked it over. She almost dropped it when a thin piece that stuck out from the side broke off with a sharp little 'tink' sound; she quickly put it back where it had been before.
Chizuru returned with some tea, and the three of them sat down and drank it over friendly small talk, mostly between Ayaka and Chizuru. Soon enough, the small talk dwindled and died, and the three of them sat in companionable silence for a moment as everyone tried to think of something to say. While Chizuru asked Ayaka about her time in America, Natsumi got up and strolled over to the window; the night lights were pretty from here. She briefly wondered whether or not Chizu-nee closed the curtains when she changed her clothes, and quickly brushed it off. The other woman wasn't that naïve. Surely not. Right? She glanced back at the woman who had been like a big sister to her for the past six or seven years, and noticed a crumpled ball of paper lying behind the couch. She wandered over and picked it up, and a brief sense of curiosity compelled her to straighten it out; Chizuru made a strangled sound and choked on her tea when she saw Natsumi start reading the letter.
"You're…leaving, Chizu-nee?" Natsumi asked sadly after a moment.
"This is the first I've heard of this," Ayaka said, giving Chizuru a level look.
"It's…my Aunty Rosalind, I mean, um…I'm sorry. She's getting older, and she wants me to visit her."
"Oh, that sounds nice! I think I will join you," Ayaka said suddenly. "Just let me check my schedule…"
"Ah, wait! No, I don't think that would be a good—"
"Nonsense," Ayaka interrupted. "It will be fun. Now when are you leaving?"
"The letter says she has to be there by the tenth," Natsumi supplied.
"I see you are already packed, so you must be leaving tomorrow, correct?"
"Yes, but—"
Ayaka flipped her cell phone open and dialed a number. "Yes. It's me. Please pack several changes of clothes and send them to this address…" she repeated Chizuru's address through the phone. "Do it as soon as possible, thank you." She ended the call and flipped her phone shut. "There, it's done. What time were you leaving tomorrow, Chizuru-san?"
"Wait, what, I don't, I can't—"
"It will be fine! Won't it, Natsumi-san?" Ayaka asked, turning to the other girl.
"Sorry, I've got work. I can't go with you," Natsumi said, raising her hands in an I-don't-want-to-go sort of way.
Ayaka put her hands on her hips and assumed a thoughtful stance. "Hmm…no problem." She again pulled out her cell phone and made a call. "Ah yes, is this Kikuchi-san? Yes. My name is Yukihiro Ayaka, and I am interested in buying your business. Yes, you may speak with my accountant. Thank you." She flipped the cell phone shut and turned to Natsumi. "I just bought Kikuchi's Diner. You're fired. Now you're free to come with us, correct?"
Natsumi's jaw dropped. "…my…my job…"
Ayaka turned to Chizuru, who sighed in defeat. "So…?"
"I…I suppose it will be ok. But you must understand, Aunty Rosalind is very…unusual. If she says something offensive..."
"…my job…" Natsumi said again, but was completely ignored.
Ayaka gave her best 'ojou-sama laugh'. "Oh, don't worry about your Aunt Rosalind." She had been dealing with that sort of thing her whole life after all; and some mean old woman who felt the need to hide herself from society on an island somewhere wouldn't be able to hold a candle to Yukihiro Ayaka, who, at the tender age of ten, had reduced an experienced fifty year old woman to tears with her mastery of the unspoken word.
"Well, we need to leave early tomorrow, and…Natsumi-chan, are you all right?" Chizuru asked.
"…m-my job…"
"Oh dear…"
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The trio met up outside Natsumi's ex-place of business and took a taxi to the airport, where they took one of Ayaka's private jets down to Tsuken-jima, and then made their way from the small airstrip to a small dock on the southeast side of the island just in time to catch the supply boat out to The Refuge, as Chizuru's aunt had named it in her letter. The man running the boat was nice enough, and offered the three girls his cabin during the hours-long trip, a bit of hospitality poor Natsumi desperately needed; the girl became seasick almost as soon as they left the dock.
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The boat finally tied up at the dock on The Refuge, a rocky island created by volcanic action in far ancient times. The island was roughly six miles long, rising from a low point on the south end to jagged, badly undercut cliffs two hundred feet high on the north. It was perhaps two miles wide at its widest point, and evidence of its origin could be found in the numerous geysers and the occasional gas vent. Vegetation was present, but only the hardiest plants could survive in the unfriendly soil of The Refuge, and most of it grew on the north end of the island, including a small scraggly forest of trees of the various types found all over Okinawa. And, on the highest part of the northern cliffs, was perched The Strachan House, a complex, almost schizophrenic stone and plaster structure with large columns, buttresses, spires and towers, battlements and parapets. The overall effect, combined with the rest of the island, was something akin to the blighted dwelling of some demonic gentleman straight out of a nightmare, and Natsumi found herself shivering before she even set foot on the dock.
"It looks like a castle," she said after climbing off the boat.
Ayaka had to agree. It definitely looked like a castle, if perhaps one designed by a madman. "Has your aunt lived here long, Chizuru-san?"
Chizuru nodded. "Oh yes, thirty years or more. She inherited the house and island from her grandfather; his ancestors started building it in 1602, after discovering the island. They…were mages," she added conspiratorially as the other two nodded. All three of them were familiar with such things; they had been since way back in middle school, when Negi-kun was their teacher.
"They weren't, er…evil mages, were they?" Natsumi asked, eyeing the nightmarish building.
Chizuru shook her head. "We must hurry, it wouldn't do to keep Aunty Rosalind waiting."
"No, it would not," Ayaka agreed as a stone-faced man led them to a car.
The drive up to the mansion was short and uneventful, all conversation stifled by the oppressive feel of the car and the general look of the island. When they arrived at their destination and climbed out of the car, Natsumi couldn't help but gawk at everything like a country bumpkin on her first trip to the big city. She followed as Chizuru led the two of them up to the porch, where another expressionless servant opened the wide double doors to reveal an older woman, perhaps forty years of age, in an elegant looking but somehow simple dress.
"I have returned, Aunty Rosalind," Chizuru said politely. "Please allow me to introduce my friends; Murakami Natsumi of Mahora, and Yukihiro Ayaka of the Yukihiro Group. Natsumi-san, Ayaka-san, this is Rosalind Strachan, my beloved aunt."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Strachan," Ayaka said formally.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Strachan," Natsumi repeated awkwardly; she turned red when she realized she had mispronounced the woman's name.
"The pleasure is all mine," the woman replied, ignoring Natsumi's mistake. "Please, do come inside. I am sure we have much to talk about," she said, directing the last part at Chizuru.
"Of course. Come along, Natsumi-san, Ayaka-san. I will show you the way," Chizuru said as everyone went inside.
Soon, they were all seated in a room with all sorts of fanciful decoration and light colors that nevertheless somehow managed to be gloomy. Perhaps it was the elaborately carved window frames and their thick glass that let in little light, or it might have been the lit candelabras and the resulting smoke, but Natsumi quickly found herself ill at ease. The building was oppressive from the inside, too. She turned her attention back to Ayaka and Mrs. Strachan, whose name she had given up trying to pronounce. She glanced at Chizuru and found the other woman seemed inexplicably torn between horror and admiration while she watched Ayaka and Mrs. Sutu…Stururei…Chizuru's aunt interact. Natsumi watched on as the two talked about inconsequential things without actually saying much of anything for almost twenty five minutes before a servant or a messenger or someone like that arrived with a clipboard, which Chizuru's aunt scanned over. Natsumi caught a glimpse of the sheet; it was probably a delivery invoice from the boat.
"Why do I not see the crate of leeks I ordered listed here?" Rosalind suddenly demanded. "They should have arrived at that abominable little island yesterday. Why are they not on this invoice?"
"I do not know, my lady," the servant said blandly.
"Well, you must convey the importance of this cargo to the captain. Tell him I demand the crate be delivered as soon as it arrives, even if it arrives tomorrow. Go!"
"Yes, my lady." When the servant left, another one, expressionless like all the others, stepped into the room and waited beside the door.
"I am sure you two must want to see your rooms; you may be here for some time after all," Mrs. Strachan said distractedly to Natsumi and Ayaka. She motioned to the servant, who promptly led them away, out into the hallway. When she was sure they were gone, she turned and faced Chizuru and just looked at her for a moment. "Chiiiizuruuu~"
Chizuru put on an outer look of perfect calm and tranquility as she sipped some tea from her teacup, deliberately taking her time in order to avoid the coming showdown.
Rosalind waited until Chizuru was finished before she spoke again. "Well I suppose you are happy with yourself."
Chizuru didn't respond, but instead opted to place her teacup on the table very carefully.
"Bringing strangers into my home, have you taken leave of your senses? What if one of them were to find her way into the cellar? What then?"
Chizuru remained seated and folded her hands in her lap. She hoped Aunty Rosalind wouldn't notice them shaking. "They insisted, I—"
"No matter. They are here now, and will remain until the twentieth, when the boat returns." The woman glided over to the window and pretended to look outside; there was no way she could see through that thick, dark glass however. "The Yukihiro girl…she is a half breed like you, correct?"
Chizuru looked away, but nodded.
"Look at me when I speak to you. What do you think you are, a servant?" Rosalind didn't wait for a reply, nor did she even look back at Chizuru to see what effect her scolding might have had. "The Yukihiro girl is quite bright; I haven't had such a worthy opponent since your mother. In any case, I look forward to future conversations; she may need to remain in the refuge for quite some time."
"Aunty Rosalind, she can't—"
"The other one, however…what gutter did you dredge her from? Did you see the way she eyed my good china? I have seen that sort of look before; I suppose I must have the servants count the silverware before she leaves on the twentieth, if I do not toss her into the sea myself before then."
Chizuru spilled the tea she was pouring. "Aunty Rosalind! How can you say that?! Natsumi-chan is—"
"'Natsumi-chan', that misbegotten gutter dog, is a foul taint in my house. A foul taint, I might add, that you brought upon us, Chizuru dear. Now clean that spill; if it stains the tablecloth I will put you in the cellar again," the woman added as if saying such things had no effect on her. When it looked as though Chizuru would argue, she arched one carefully shaped eyebrow. "Do I need to remind you of the results of your last failure? Come now, we must speak of the Springfield brat. Tell me, how have things progressed thus far?"
Chizuru's face tightened at the word 'brat', and she reluctantly began her report.
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"Ayaka…how do you think she's related to Chizu-nee?" Natsumi asked as the servant led them through twisting hallways. Natsumi had tried to keep an eye on where they were going, but was soon completely lost.
"Mrs. Strachan? She is an aunt, I know that much at least. I don't know if she is a paternal or maternal aunt…why?"
"Just curious. I didn't know Chizu-nee had European relatives. I always thought she was Japanese like me."
Ayaka looked back at the other girl for a moment. So, Natsumi was feeling left out, was she? She and Chizuru would have to remedy this soon. Natsumi was an old friend, and it simply wouldn't do to have the girl feel too out of place. "She is Japanese, as far as it matters one way or the other."
"Yeah, you're right," Natsumi said as she clasped her hands loosely behind her back and looked around. This place truly was enormous, and she wasn't sure she could find the exit again by herself if something happened. The hallways were long and oddly shaped, sometimes turning abruptly here, curving gently there, and crisscrossing all over the place.
The servant abruptly stopped before a door and Natsumi almost bumped into Ayaka before she could stop herself.
"This is the lady Ayaka's room," the servant stated. He pulled out a large, heavy keyring containing at least a dozen keys, then selected one and unlocked the door, revealing a dark and somewhat musty smelling room. "The Lady Rosalind wishes to apologize for the lack of proper lodging, she was unaware of your impending presence on the island."
"I understand, it's no problem," Ayaka said smoothly as she followed the servant into the room. Natsumi stood in the doorway, surveying the room while the servant moved here and there, deftly performing various small tasks such as opening the curtains and lighting several lamps placed here and there around the room, which was quite large by Japanese standards.
When he was through, the servant spoke again. "The Lady Rosalind wishes to have your company for supper; please dress appropriately. We will summon you when it is time."
"Of course, I understand," Ayaka replied as she popped open her suitcase. One of the servants had brought it into the room soon after they arrived; though why that same servant hadn't done the small tasks one must do to prepare a room for visitors...
The servant exited the room and stood in the hallway with a stony expression, apparently waiting for Natsumi to stop gawking.
"Er…sorry. I'll see you at dinner time, Ayaka. Well…let's go, Mr…what's your name?" she asked the servant. He didn't reply, just looked at her with his unchanging expression as she came out into the hallway. He closed the door to Ayaka's room and led her away.
"Hey, wait a minute, where are we going? Why can't I stay near Ayaka?"
"The Lady Rosalind wishes for you to be housed in the east wing of the manor," the servant replied.
Natsumi glanced back down the twisting hallway; Ayaka's room was already lost from sight. "The east wing of the manor? How big is this place?" she asked aloud.
"The Strachan House contains over one mile of passages, and many dozens of rooms."
"Oh…" Natsumi said, not knowing what else to say. She hadn't really expected an answer.
It seemed they had walked for a hour or more before the servant finally stopped before a door and against produced that heavy keyring. "This is the lady Natsumi's room," he stated, then unlocked the door.
Natsumi looked in and couldn't help but frown. This room was quite a bit smaller than Ayaka's room, and only had one window and a much smaller bed, though this one was a canopy bed, which she had never seen outside of books and TV. She followed the servant inside.
"The Lady Rosalind wishes to apologize for the lack of proper lodging, she was unaware of your impending presence on the island."
Natsumi nodded absently as she watched the servant open curtains and light the single lamp in the room. "No electricity?"
"The Lady Rosalind has no need for such things," the servant replied as he replaced the glass cover on the lamp. He strode over to the closet and opened it, revealing many dresses along with a great big spider which he promptly disposed of. "The Lady Rosalind wishes to have your company for supper; please dress appropriately. We will summon you when it is time."
"Ok…" Natsumi said, looking into the dark closet with trepidation. That spider had been huge…
The servant went out into the hallway and closed the door behind him, and Natsumi finally found herself alone in the room. She heaved a sigh of relief and relaxed, slumping her shoulders. This place made her uncomfortable in more ways than one. She flopped down on the bed and couldn't help but grin. The canopy above the bed was like something out of Cinderella! After a moment, she got up and went to the closet again. Some of these dresses were really nice; she would have to choose carefully.
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Supper was a rather low key affair, even with all the fancy clothing. Natsumi found herself seated opposite Chizuru at a fairly long, rectangular wooden table, with Lady Rosalind at one end and Ayaka at the other. Meaningless small talk continued for a time as everyone settled in, but eventually drifted to a standstill, overcome by the clink of silverware on plates. Natsumi, while aware of how to use a knife and fork, wasn't particularly familiar with them, and it showed in her clumsy attempts to cut her steak into more manageable pieces.
"My, what do they teach in that academy of yours, Chizuru dear?" Rosalind said suddenly, making a show of her deft movements with knife and fork.
"What do you mean, Aunty Rosalind?"
"Why, one might think it was a place for the common rabble, rather than a fine institution of learning," Rosalind continued. Ayaka looked up at the woman consideringly, then glanced at Chizuru, who looked away quickly. She glanced at Natsumi and found her concentrating on her plate, oblivious to what was being said; or, rather, what was not being said.
"Mahora is home to many fine schools," Chizuru said, hands shaking. Her fork clinked loudly against her plate and she carefully placed her knife and fork down and lowered her hands below the table top.
Rosalind made a small motion with her hand. Not if I am to judge by what I see here, the gesture said. Her eyes darted toward Natsumi, then away.
Ayaka sat up straighter, if a bit stiff, and glanced at Chizuru, who shot her a pleading look. Please, do something!
"Tell me, Lady Rosalind, do you have a garden?" ALL Ladies must have a garden.
The woman stiffened, but nodded. She carefully chewed a bite of food for a moment before answering. Silly girl, you are not worth my attention after all. "Why yes, it is very well designed, might I add." As if you would know 'well designed' if you saw it.
"I'm sure." Lies. "This house is quite…interesting. What style was it?" In Bad Taste, I believe.
"Oh, my grandfather called it 'Modern Neo Gothic', I believe. Few have the privilege to live in a structure so grand." Low class girl, you don't know fine architecture from a mud hut!
"Modern Neo Gothic? I don't believe I have ever heard of such a thing. In any case, it is nice, for a summer home. Not quite so large as father's house in Sweden, I believe, but quite cozy." Low class? You old beggar, THIS place is a mud hut!
Rosalind straightened in her chair and raised an eyebrow. Your parentage must be questionable to produce such a difficult child.
Ayaka sniffed delicately and took a sip of tea. Questionable? And what might your parentage be, mixed Canadian and Australian?
Rosalind carefully placed her fork and knife on her plate, and lowered her hands below the table top to hide the way they shook in rage. She let her eyes roam around the room and smiled ever so slightly. Scottish and German, you enfant terrible. And this is my house, my kingdom. You are my subject here, half breed rice girl.
Ayaka nearly rose out of her seat until Natsumi suddenly knocked over her tea cup, splashing herself and the tablecloth with the hot liquid. "Oh! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Oh this pretty dress, it'll be ruined…!"
Rosalind just stared at the girl in open mouthed surprise mirrored by Ayaka and Chizuru for a few seconds until the shock wore off and she quickly rose. "Servants! Come quickly, this must be cleaned before it stains!" Two servants rushed into the room and led Natsumi away while others quickly emptied the table and removed the wet tablecloth for cleaning. Rosalind sniffed and looked at Chizuru, totally ignoring Ayaka. "I am afraid supper must be canceled. I hope you ate well." This is not over, half breed rice girl.
Ayaka smiled pleasantly. I agree, mongrel spawn of a bull and a bitch.
Rosalind was left sputtering as Ayaka quickly gathered a gawking Chizuru and left the room.
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"Ayaka, you mustn't do that!" Chizuru said when they were outside. "Aunty Rosalind is—"
"She is an irritating old hag, and I don't see how you can stand to be around her," Ayaka growled. "You saw all that about Natsumi, right? How could you miss it? The nerve of the woman!"
Chizuru looked down as she walked. "That's just her way…"
"Her way is wrong," Ayaka said bluntly. "Natsumi-san is our friend, and I won't allow—"
"Is dinner over already?" Natsumi asked as she walked toward them in the hallway. She had quickly changed back into a comfortable pair of jeans and a t-shirt after the tea spilling incident.
"I'm afraid so," Chizuru said reluctantly.
"That's too bad. Oh well…I'm sorry about your dress, Chizu-nee."
Chizuru blinked a few times. Her dress? "Oh! I thought it looked familiar. Aunty Rosalind must have sent some of my old dresses for you to wear to supper. Don't worry, it's fine." 'I don't have the heart to tell her I wore that dress when I was ten…' The poor girl would never fill out the chest of any dress Chizuru had worn in her teens. In fact, the servants had to have taken in the chest of the dress Natsumi had spilled tea on just to make sure it fit correctly. She abruptly stopped walking and hugged Natsumi. "You're a good girl, Natsumi-chan. Hang in there."
Natsumi was left spluttering while Ayaka muffled a laugh into her hand.
----
Later, after dropping off Ayaka at her room, Chizuru and Natsumi walked side by side toward Natsumi's room. Chizuru glanced at Natsumi, who was humming a song as she walked.
"I'm sorry about Aunty Rosalind," she said. "I don't know why she behaved that way—"
"Don't worry about it. I kind of expected it," Natsumi said.
"You expected…?"
Natsumi shrugged uncomfortably. "Well…I realized she didn't like me at lunchtime."
"But how did you know? No one said anything…"
"No one said anything? Like the way Ayaka didn't 'say anything' at dinner time? Come on Chizu-nee, I lived around you two for six years. You mean to tell me you didn't think I would pick up anything like that?"
Chizuru stopped walking and just looked at Natsumi while she went on ahead a few steps and turned around.
"Chizu-nee?"
"I'm sorry, Natsumi-san. I…I think I underestimated you…"
Natsumi grinned awkwardly and shrugged her shoulders. "Don't worry about it, Chizu-nee."
When they arrived at Natsumi's room, Chizuru told her the same thing she had told Ayaka earlier.
"Now, when you get ready for bed, you must make sure the door is locked. Also, you must not go out into the halls at night." Natsumi gave her a look, so she expanded on that last one. "It can be dangerous at night. Please promise me you won't go out," Chizuru demanded.
"Ok, I promise, Chizu-nee," Natsumi said, rolling her eyes at the other girl's paranoia. "Don't worry. Besides, we did all that traveling today and I'm exhausted; I'll probably sleep like a log."
Chizuru nodded, convinced that Natsumi would follow her advice. "Ok then. Good night, Natsumi-san."
"Good night, Chizu-nee. See you tomorrow," Natsumi said as Chizuru exited the room and stood in the hallway. Chizuru pulled the door shut and Natsumi plopped down on the bed and heaved a sigh of relief. Honestly, these rich-girl types were too wrapped up in worrying about offending and being offended. 'Chizu-nee needs to relax a little,' Natsumi thought as she flopped back on the bed, arms flung out. She simply lay there for a while, looking at the canopy above the bed and thinking about the weird places life may take you.
"And to think; two days ago I had a job and lived in a small apartment in Mahora," she said aloud. Now, here she was on a southern island in a big spooky castle. She realized she was drifting off, so she crawled out of bed and went to the door. The huge, old fashioned lock gave her trouble for a moment but she soon figured it out, and even worked out that putting something between two of the parts prevented the lock from being opened at all, if she were careful where she put it. She took out her apartment key and wedged it in there tightly, then returned to the bed and crawled under the covers. She really was exhausted. 'I'll probably sleep halfway through the day if no one comes to wake me up,' Natsumi thought as she started to drift off. "I'll deal with that when the time comes," she said aloud, mumbling the words. She was soon asleep.
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Author's Notes: So, here's another one. This one should be three chapters, and I hope to have it done before Halloween. The middle chapter sure has the right atmosphere for a Halloween story, in any case. But what about Chizuru's aunt Rosalind, huh? Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story.