Chapter I: Electroshock
Shizuru watched as Natsuki fled her own domain, blue hair fluttering by as she escaped. There was nothing to be done now except to wait. The meister sighed, heart pounding against her chest, before turning back to face her opponents. Three soldiers were advancing towards her, none of them looked too intelligent. A sly grin appeared on Shizuru's face as she straightened, holding her arms out in a gesture for them to attack her.
"Come on, boys. Let's see which one of you would attack a lady." And of course they took the bait. One of them rushed forward, his attacks sloppy and his punches overstepped.
Shizuru sidestepped one wayward fist, wrapping her hand around her attacker's wrist and twisting his arm. The man bowed at the pressure, doubled over at the waist. His frantic protests earned more pressure until he was released, and he slunk to the ground. Two other soldiers rushed her, guns cocked and ready to fire. Oneof them did, and Shizuru gave a small hop backwards to avoid any serious injury. The bullet flew past her, barely grazing the side of her face. Shizuru launched herself forward, catching the soldier off guard when her hand connected with the underside of his jaw. The soldier's partner latched onto Shizuru's back, muscular arms wrapping around the woman's neck. Shizuru felt the pressure on her windpipe tightening and swung her elbow into the man's chest, prompting him to let go. The meister Otome left little recovery time and swung around, pressing her knee into the soldier's midsection.
Shizuru brought a hand up to massage her throat, still having yet to recover from the attempt to asphyxiate her. An approaching form caught her attention and she readied herself to fight once more. Yet the woman paused when her gaze landed on the Coral Otome uniforms. Captives. She had been trained for times like the one now, and the option to either fight and risk her life as well as the lives of the students or to surrender and negotiate later.
Shizuru surprised herself when her arms slowly lifted through the air, stopping above her head in the universal symbol of surrender. Two lackeys of Schwarz bounded forward, flanking her on either side.
~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~
Meister Shizuru Viola was a prisoner of war, a captive of Nagi Dai Artai. The young woman sat ramrod straight, her back pressed to the dingy stone wall of her cell and her legs crossed in front of her. Iron shackles adorned her wrists, heavy in her lap and unberably painful. Anxious fingers tangled with one another, the nail of her left forefinger tearing at the skin of her thumb.
It was a dreadful habit that she had worked hard to break-along with Miss Maria's strict warnings whenever she was caught doing it, subconciously or otherwise-and it was only a habit that manifested when she was under extreme pressure.
Shizuru grit her teeth, clenching her hand into a fist in an attempt to keep herself from repeating the habit. Thunder bellowed in the distance, a forceful cry that shook the foundation of her cell, and Shizuru counted down the time it took for lightning to strike. A bright light lashed the sky, briefly illuminating the dim atmosphere of her cell before fading away.
She sighed, hoping that Natsuki was faring better than prayed to whatever God that was out there that the Otome was alive and still free, and if it were otherwise then she would never forgive herself for being the better person. Had Shizuru known that things would end up like this, she would've taken the low road and fled too.
But the woman had a moral compass that couldn't be betrayed. If she had left, she would've despised herself and found herself being despised by others. There came a certain obligation with being a Meister Otome as well as one of the Five Columns.
Had she fled Garderobe, her position would've surely been taken from her and her status would've been severely impacted. Perhaps it was better this way. No doubt if Natsuki was indeed free still that she would be devising a plan of action to reclaim Garderobe.
A sharp creak interrupted Shizuru from her thoughts, and the woman jerked her head up, startled at the sudden noise. The metal door slammed against the stone wall, revealing two of Schwarz's guards and the mastermind behind the coup. The Grand Duke was little more than a teenager, perhaps not even, yet he was still capable of instilling fear and awe in the hearts of those he manipulated.
He strode forward on prisitne boots, hands clasped behind his back and an arrogant smirk set on his lips. Shizuru narrowed her eyes at the boy, who regarded her with pale eyes reflecting malicious intent. It sent a wave of nauseating unease rippling through her core, yet Shizuru didn't let her glare falter.
"The Bewitching Amethyst, hm?" Nagi turned to the soldiers, regarding them with a devious smile. One soldier nodded firmly, satisfying the boy. "That's impressive." He shifted his eyes back to Shizuru and moved so that he was standing directly in front of her. He sneered down at the Otome.
"Tell me, Bewitching Amethyst Shizuru Viola, do you know we plan on doing to Garderobe?"
Shizuru averted her glare, mouth drawn into a thin line. There was no telling what Nagi planned to do with Garderobe, or with the rest of the remaining world, for that matter. Nagi scowled at the lack of a response. His hand shot out, jerking the Otome's chin with his thumb and forefinger so the infuriating woman was once again facing him.
"I'll give you a hint," His words were cruel, tainted with a sinister venom like that of a snake. He was a snake, Shizuru concluded. "Garderobe has fallen under my control. I control the Schwarz army and I have the Key to the Harmonium serving me."
He brought his face lower, letting his mouth rest near the woman's ear. "You seem like you're an intelligent woman, Shizuru Viola, you're more than capable of putting two and two together."
Her eyes widened and another wave of unease passed through her, running down her spine. She inhaled sharply, more so out of the uncomfortably close proximity between her and the Grand Duke than her hatred towards the boy himself. The Grand Duke edged away, a sinister grin overtaking his features as he studied her for a few minutes more before turningon the heel of his boot.
He paused in the doorway, hand resting on the frame as he glanced back at her. "I'll have someone sent to get you later this evening, Meister." He left her with those words floating in her mind, the echo of his boots fading as he retreated back up the stairs.
Shizuru released a tense sigh, calming her anxious heart and frenzied thoughts. She clenched and unclenched her hands several times, the weight of her shackles resting in her lap. Crimson eyes opened to regard the spot where Nagi had stood, directed at the floor yet seeing nothing.
The information that the Grand Duke had just told her was valuable, precious, and would cost her life if she wasn't careful. She hadn't expected things to turn out this way. It was not a mistake on her part that she never anticipated that the enemy would have such a great advantage. If Nagi held the Harmonium's player under his control, then everything was at risk.
The day the Harmonium was found and reawakened was bad enough, and although it hadn't been Arika's fault for bringing the accursed thing back into existence, Shizuru sure as hell had wanted to throttle the girl when she offered to tutor her. Now, knowing that more than one Player existed only served to upset Shizuru more. Time was not their friend, it seemed.
~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~
The storm had subsided gradually, the vehement bellows of thunder and sky-splitting lightning had diminished to a steady rainfall until the sky was no longer saddled with such a heavy burden. The air was cold, biting almost, and a forceful wind had settled, dragging violent tendrils through the branches of the trees, tearing loose leaves and frail limbs.
The air inside Shizuru's cell had grown unpleasantly frigid, and the young Meister found it difficult to rest and had given up trying altogether. She had curled into herself, hoping to generate enough body heat for the time being, and was thankful that her dress was fitted with long sleeves.
A gust of wind filtered through the cracks in the wall, prompting another spasm to run through Shizuru's body. Leave it to Schwarz generosity to throw her into the cell with the worst insulation.
Shizuru found it odd and a bit concerning that she was hoping to see whoever it was that Nagi said he was sending down. She was almost begging for them to come and take her to wherever was in store for her next. Well, perhaps not.
The woman tilted her head back, resting against the cold wall that her bed rested against. She wondered where Natsuki was, an ache toying with her heart, striking a chord of longing within her.
Her pessimism was slowly manifesting, briefly Shizuru envisioned a scenario where Natsuki had been caught, before banishing the thought from her mind. She didn't need those scenarios clouding her head.
The mechanism of her door alerted her of a visitor, and the jangling of keys could be heard from the other side. Rusting hinges skreaked in protest as the door slowly opened. Shizuru kept her eyes trained on the entryway, brow furrowingslightly when the figure registered.
The Meister sat upright, curious as to why a Garderobe student would be the one to retrieve her. Then again, the student in question was Tomoe Marguerite, and Shizuru shouldn't have been so surprised.
Silence remained between the former student and Meister as Tomoe moved to free her former idol from her restraints. Shizuru kept her eyes focused on the movements of the younger girl, taking note of the altered uniform and dangling crystal that adorned the girl's left ear. The heavy shackles fell to the ground with a harsh thud and Tomoe straightened, standing above Shizuru with her eyes averted.
The girl shifted almost awkwardly, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks as she muttered, "Grand Duke Nagi has sent me to escort you to another location."
Shizuru nodded, deciding that it was probably best to go along with whatever it was Nagi had planned for her. "Then I won't be one to interfere with your job, Marguerite-san." Shizuru levelled the girl with a steady look and the girl nodded with a bit more confidence.
Shizuru rose from the meager cot, finding relief in standing and feeling her muscles stretch out. She strode from the room, waiting for Tomoe to direct her down the correct path. The young Coral walked alongside Shizuru, her face set in a determined expression.
It was clear that there would be no room for idle chatter during this walk. They approached a door and the guards stationed promptly opened it, saluted, and resumed their positions as they passed by.
Shizuru found herself able to breathe a bit easier now that they were away from the dismal holding cells, finding comfort in the flourescents of the hallways. The corridors, however, were devoid of life and Shizuru yearned for when things were much missed the sound of students in the hallways, and concluded that it was much more lonely without the din of gossip and chitchat.
They rounded a corner which extended into a long hallway. Trepidation settled in the pit of Shizuru's stomach as they travelled down the length of the hallway.
The doors at the end led to Yokho's lab; the lab which had been taken over by Schwarz scientists during the coup. The lab that stood behind those doors was no longer familiar, and instead held threats of ill intent and the prospect of unknown experiments.
"Viola-oneesama," Tomoe called to her, pulling the Meister from her worries. "We're here. I am prohibited from accompanying you further." Shizuru glanced at the younger girl, nodded, and inhaled sharply as Tomoe entered a code on the keypad.
The doors slid open with a hiss, and Shizuru was left peering into an unknown abyss. The long set of stairs led to her fate, and whatever was to occur down in the labs set Shizuru's heart rapidly thrumming against her chest. There was no way out of this, not with Tomoe nearby. Shizuru forced back the wave of nausea, releasing air and tightening her hands into fists as she took the first step to her unknown fate.
~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~
"They have Shizuru hostage?" Natsuki seethed, one hand slamming against the surface of the table.
That was the last thing she needed to hear right now, and it was almost enough to send her over the edge. Not only were Arika and Mashiro both missing, but Garderobe had been commandeered by Nagi and those Schwarz bastards, and now her lover was taken hostage by that Grand Duke brat. "How?"
"It's been said that the Bewitching Amethyst was outnumbered, but other sources say she surrendered for the welfare of the students."
Natsuki eased into a nearby chair, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. It was unlikely that Shizuru had fallen to the enemy, Natsuki knew that her Otome was more than capable at handling Schwarz soldiers. And it sounded like a thing Shizuru would do, surrendering herself for the students.
"As long as she's still at Garderobe, there may be some hope left." Natsuki tried to sound optimistic, and it helped that some of the others forced weak smiles in response, but she knew that it was a long shot.
If it was true that Nagi had a way to control the Harmonium and that Schwarz was loyal to him, then things could go very wrong very soon. The principal just hoped that they didn't take a long time to devise a plan.
The blue-haired woman turned to regard the rest of the escapees. They were few in number, under half of them were Garderobe. Natsuki turned to regard Nao, scowling when she noticed the redhead was busy filing her nails.
"Nao," Natsuki barked, startling the other woman. "I need your help."
~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~
The dark is never a friendly place, and Shizuru certainly understood why it wasn't. A heavy weight had settled in the pit of her stomach, the weight increasing the further she descended the vast staircase. She came to a stop on the landing, turning to look back at the door.
It was strange that she hadn't simply turned around and escaped. Something compelled her to carry on, some sick and unsettling curiosity that frightened Shizuru was the reason she descended the next flight of stairs. That overwhelming urge to know what her fate would be led her to enter the sterile room at the bottom of the steps.
Shizuru stepped into the brightly lit lab, wincing at the sudden flood of bright after a seemingly eternity swathed in darkness. A detached voice greeted her. "We've been awaiting you, Shizuru Viola."
A man emerged from behind a large and complex piece of equipment, smirking at her. He was blonde, balding, beady-eyed, and Shizuru personally thought that his nose was rather parrot-like. To put it bluntly, the man disgusted her.
"Smith." Shizuru regarded the man with an obvious disdain. "It's been awhile. Last time I saw you, you interfered in affairs between Asward and Otome."
Smith chuckled, adjusting his glasses with the tip of his finger. "Witty as ever. And just as infuriating as well." He snapped his fingers and twelve soldiers were surrounding Shizuru.
"I suppose I'll get to the details. You're wondering why you're even down here, aren't you? You see, the Grand Duke gave me a glorious idea. When Schwarz interfered with the signal between the GEMs and The Founder, he said to me, "Smith, of you can do that and create new GEMs for the Valkyries, I bet there's a way to do that with existing GEMs already." And you know, he was right."
He snapped his fingers again and two soldiers moved to grab hold of Shizuru's wrists.
Smith edged closer to the machinery, studying it with keen interest. He peered over at Shizuru from behind his glasses. "This machinery was specially deisgned to link to the same source we used to produce the Valkyrie GEMs. Instead of creating, however, it rewires the data in existing GEMs instead."
The purpose of her being there was obvious and terrifying. "So why do you need me?" Shizuru challenged, trying hard to keep her fear from showing through her calm facade.
"I think you know just as well as I do why you're here." Smith shother a malicious look, sneering at the Meister otome. He gave a command and the soldiers began ushering her forward, directing her towards the machine.
Shizuru struggled against their grips, only to have one of the soldiers retaliate by landing a blow to the underside of her jaw. She faltered, staggering at the force of the blow and allowing for the soldiers to shove her into a nearby chair and chain her wrists to the armrests.
"I don't understand why you good guys struggle." Smith chuckled as he went about connecting wires to the machine. "It only makes it worse for yourself." He took a small device between thumb and forefinger, analyzing it carefully before hooking it to a cord. He circled back around so that he was standing behind the meister.
"And what if your technology doesn't work?" Shizuru croaked, her windpipe throbbing from the soldier's heavy hit. Her breath hitched in her throat when she felt stubby fingers weave their way through her hair, gliding over her roots before tightening and pulling sharply, forcing her head back.
"I assure you, Shizuru Viola, that this will work." Smith hissed in her ear, far too close for comfort. He straightened, yet his rough grip on her hair didn't relent. He took the small device in his other hand, fumbling for a moment before securing his grip on it, positioning it so it lined up with the edge of her GEM and let it latch on to the earring.
The hand in her hair never left, even when Smith turned to begin the process, typing in codes and numbers on the keyboard. A noise of confirmation sounded and Smith released his grip on Shizuru's hair, circling around so that he was standing in front of the woman.
Shizuru's gaze flickered down at his hand, reeling back at the sight of a syringe poised and ready to inject her with whatever vile substance was contained within.
Smith noticed where the woman's gaze was and shrugged. "Well we can't have you thinking or acting freely now, can we?" He told her before plunging the needle into the vein of her neck. "It's nothing personal."
Shizuru opened her mouth to say something, yet found that words no longer obeyed her. Her vision swam, the world shifting as the effects of whatever drug Smith shot her with began to kick in. She found herself staring at bright lights before falling into darkness, feeling as though she were floating, thoughtless and careless.
And then nothing.