Upon exiting Sister Margret's office, Eiko was greeted by Kaho. "I was asked to show you to class," the other girl chirped excitedly. "Are you pumped for your first day?"
"So very pumped," Eiko deadpanned, but her heart jumped as she wondered if she would run into Satellizer. "So, tell me – Satellizer, does she not have a Limiter?"
"Huh, well, no. She despises people, but especially males," Kaho explained. "There are rumors that one guy tried to partner with her and she sent him to medical."
Eiko could imagine it, having seen firsthand the violence Satellizer could show, but something felt off. Eiko could not shake the feeling that there was more to the story. "So, then, she would be severely handicapped at the Carnival?"
"As handicapped as the Untouchable Queen can be, I suppose. But then, her strength counts for nothing if she cannot move."
"I have experienced that, yes."
"Oh, that's right! You defeated her with a freezing!"
"Please lower your voice," Eiko pleaded.
"Oh, everyone knows," Kaho dismissed with the wave of a hand. "Anyway, we need to head to class. We are dueling with our volt weapons today!"
Eiko swallowed the lump that rose in her throat. "Um, actually, I am still not feeling full strength and Elise said I should take it easy today. Can you just tell the instructor that I will attend tomorrow?"
"Oh, uh, sure. I will leave you to rest then!" Kaho waved as their paths diverged.
Eiko headed back to the dorms and was struck by a whim. She searched the directory for the room number of Satellizer and ascended to the second floor, going in search of the other girl's room.
Outside the door, she bolstered her courage, before finally rapping sharply on the door. After a few moments, she heard the bolt unlock and the door opened to reveal a newly showered Satellizer, wrapped in a towel.
"Uh, Ma'am, I thought about your question. Can I talk to you privately?" Eiko's eyes dropped to the floor, unable to look at the woman who might end her life at any moment.
"Come in," the door opened wider, allowing Eiko passage.
She breathed a sigh of relief and shakily stepped over the threshold. "Thank you," she breathed.
"Sit there," a finger pointed towards a chair, "and do not move." Eiko followed the command, placing herself firmly in the chair, hands clasped in her lap and eyes averted. After a few moments, she looked up for find Satellizer staring her down from across the room, dressed in her school uniform. "Start talking."
"Right," Eiko acknowledged. "So, I am not positive how I use freezing, but, I think that if you help me to learn to conjure a volt weapon, I can then help you to use freezing without a Limiter."
"You cannot conjure a volt weapon?"
Eiko sighed, wonder whether she should regret having told Satellizer. "No, I cannot."
"Are you sure you are not a Limiter?"
"I am a Pandora," Eiko insisted, "at least, I think I am." She exhaled sharply. "Will you help me?"
"No. Get out."
"Wait," Eiko stood, "ple-"
Her words were cut off by the tip of Satellizer's blade pressing to her throat. "I said, 'get out'."
"Yes, I heard you," Eiko spoke hastily.
"Then why do you insist on further conversation," the pressure on her throat increasing.
"I can help you," Eiko insisted.
"You are a Pandora that cannot conjure a volt weapon," Satellizer barbed.
"Or a Limiter. I can be your Limiter."
"I do not need a Limiter," came the cold reply.
"The way I heard it, yes you do," Eiko pushed.
"Can you even control your freezing?" Eiko's heart dropped into her stomach. She had not considered the fact that she might need to demonstrate. "Freeze me now and I will let you live," Satellizer commanded.
Eiko felt the rush of panic and a pulse rock her body. Her breathing became shallow and she took a step back, falling into the chair. Satellizer made no move to follow. "There," Eiko declared, but her tone exposed her fear.
"Let me go," Satellizer demanded.
"Agree to help me," Eiko countered.
"Are you extorting my help?"
Eiko's breath hitched. "You have threatened my life on multiply occasions – I think it is fair."
A roll of Satellizer's eyes was the most normal action Eiko had seen from her. "Fine, release me."
"You are agreeing to help me?"
"I can only help you if I can move," Satellizer reasoned. Eiko drew back her panic, quashing it and the freezing that accompanied it. Satellizer banished her volt weapon and motioned for Eiko to stand.
"And you are not going to kill me," Eiko pressed.
"I am only violent when cornered or surprised, and it is always instinctual. Currently, I am in control, which eases the mind."
Eiko nodded dumbly. "Fair enough."
Satellizer donned a pair of glasses and Eiko had to repress a giggle. The Untouchable Queen was rather cute when she was not preparing to maul or behead someone. "Stand here," Satellizer motioned to the center of the floor. Eiko did as instructed, standing rigid, unsure what to expect. Satellizer circled her, making her feel like prey about to be devoured. "Remove your shirt," Satellizer dictated.
"I am sorry, what?"
"Let me see your Stigmata." Eiko breathed in calm, trying to steady her rapidly rising heartrate. Fingers slowly pulled the shirt over her head, exposing bare flesh to the gaze of Satellizer. "You carry six Stigmata and you cannot summon a volt weapon?"
"Pathetic, I know," Eiko huffed, dejected.
"I would use the word 'curious'. There must be a reason." Satellizer was behind Eiko, out of the range of her sight. "Do not move," Satellizer warned. Eiko's heart jumped when fingertips came in contract with her flesh. Satellizer traced the Stigmata Eiko possessed, one by one.
"So, us making physical contact by your hand and then you killing me would be really backwards – you are aware of this, yes?"
"Stop being silly. I am initiating contact. Your hands are not on me."
Eiko squeaked as palms lay flat on her back. "Just making sure," she managed through her tightening throat.
"You should feel power radiating from your Stigmata," Satellizer explained. "Do you feel it?"
"In all honesty, all I can feel is your hands on my back," Eiko confessed. "I mean, the Untouchable Queen has her hands on me," she rambled on.
A warmth spread through Eiko's chest, originating from where Satellizer's hand rested on her back. She gasped as the feeling shifted, becoming pleasurable and spreading through her body. "What are you doing," Satellizer panted from behind her, leaning forward to rest the weight of her body on Eiko's back.
"I am not doing anything," Eiko protested. "What are you doing?!" She was increasingly aware of the pressure of Satellizer's chest upon her bare flesh. She was also experiencing a presence against her front and the smell of her own hair filled her nostrils, clouding her mind.
"This is an Ereinbar Set," Satellizer breathed, tickling Eiko's neck, and sending a pulse through her body.
"What does that mean?" Eiko's voice betrayed her level of pleasure.
"It is something shared between a Pandora and her Limiter," Satellizer explained before giving Eiko a shove. Eiko tumbled onto Satellizer's bed, the disconnection of their bodies halting the Ereinbar Set. Eiko panted in its absence, looking to Satellizer for some explanation. "You cannot conjure a volt weapon, but you can spontaneously form an Ereinbar Set?"
"What did you mean when you said it is something shared between Pandora and Limiter? Are we partners?"
Satellizer stood straight once more. "No, there has been no baptism and we did not agree to become partners."
"So what now?"
"You leave."
Eiko made a move to rise, but the look in Satellizer's eyes stopped her. "Just like that? You have not helped me."
"Your presence makes me uncomfortable. Come back another time."
Eiko stared at her, drank deeply the fear that radiated from the Untouchable Queen. "Something happened to you, did it not?"
"Fuck off."
"I am serious," Eiko pressed, rising from the bed, advancing on Satellizer. She instinctually grabbed Satellizer's hand, meaning for it to be a comforting gesture, but the contact crashed pleasuring stimulation through them both. Eiko immediately removed her hand from Satellizer's, looking warily up at the other girl. Tears ran slowly down Satellizer's cheeks. "I am sorry," Eiko breathed. "I will leave."
She hastened escape, the door between them ensuring her safety. She sighed as her body quit producing adrenaline and she felt exhaustion overwhelm her.