Disclaimer: Same as previous, Yuki Kaori and Konami own them.
Nearing Towards You: Chapter 2
Ah, Saturday, Erika thought to herself with a smile. A half day of class after the first week she'd had felt like a break. After waving to her friends as they headed off to their respective club activities, she let her feet take her across campus as they pleased.
Erika cringed as she thought back on her classes. She had set out Monday morning determined to master her language courses. As it had turned out, she counted herself lucky that none of the Strahl Candidates shared her schedule. There wasn't a single subject she felt confident about after only one week. It didn't help that her language teacher had a reputation as the most strict member of the faculty. He only needed to nail one boy in the middle of the forehead with a piece of chalk for not paying attention before the entire class knew to not slack off in his presence.
Until she managed to get an A in the class, though, Erika wouldn't let herself join the literature club. Since the only other sure way she knew to achieve her goal involved maintaining at least straight B's in all her classes, she used her time alone to think of an alternate plan even as she laughed to herself at the ridiculousness of her thoughts. "It's not as if I'm going to war", she murmured with a shake of her head. If someone had asked her why she felt so strongly about Naoji, how could she have possibly answered? Her feet stopped as she considered the question.
A smile curved her lips a moment later. "I'm following my dreams," she responded quietly, a renewed strength in her step. Though hard to explain, Erika knew her visions at night held more meaning than wishful thinking. After all, how else could a language she had never heard and places she had never been appear before her so exactly while she slept? She had studied the various details she could recall in the hopes of finding answers to the who and why, but found nothing contrete.
Very few things about the ongoing dreams made clear sense to Erika, but one of them was Naoji. The first time she saw him onstage at the entrance ceremony, she had recognized him as the young man engaged to her dream-self. It hadn't so much been his looks as the way he carried himself, calm and proper but with an unmistakable underlying strength.
The only other conclusion she had reached while analyzing her dreams was that her betrothed's country of origin was indeed Japan, and so she had meant to travel there in search of him after her schooling was completed. Her purpose in choosing Rosenstaltz hadn't been to find him directly, but rather to befriend the Strahl Candidates and anyone else who had connections abroad. Erika smiled up at the clear sky. It seemed the middle step had already been done for her. Still, a goal remained before her, and Erika knew the amount of work necessary to achieve it.
The soft sound of water lapping against stone snapped Erika out of her thoughts, and she realized she had wandered to the lake on the edge of the campus. A sense of deja-vu occured to her as she looked out across the water and Erika physically shook herself from the memory of her dreams.
A vibrant laugh a ways away pulled Erika's attention from the lake. She turned and saw two of the Strahl Candidates, Orpherus and Eduard, headed down the path that ran alongside the water. Orpherus noticed her first and murmured a word to his companion before both looked in her direction and stepped off the trail.
When they drew close enough to talk with their voices at a normal level, Orpherus smiled at her and nodded. "Hello, I don't believe we've met yet. I am Orpherus." He motioned to the redhead at his right. "This is Eduard. The two of us are going around the school introducing ourselves to the student body. As Strahl Candidates we would like to get to know as many people as possible." Beside him Eduard grinned and waved.
Erika returned their smiles with a pleased and slightly embarrassed one of her own. "My name is Erika, Erika Klaus. It's very nice to meet both of you."
Glancing around, Eduard leaned a little closer as if engaging her in a private conversation. "Whatcha doing out here all by yourself?"
Flustered at the unexpected question, Erika stammered, "I... was on my way back to the dorm but got lost in thought and ended up here at the lake. I can see it from my dormroom window, it's on the second floor. It seemed like a peaceful place and..." She trailed off, aware she had rambled from the indulgent smile on Orpherus' face.
Eduard laughed, the same sound that had signaled their arrival. "You're an interesting one, I like you." He threw her a quick wink. "We'll have to talk sometime. Right now, Orphe and I gotta get going. We're getting together with the other Strahl. You met any of them yet?" Erika shook her head mutely, amazed at how fast Eduard grew friendly with others. "You'll probably see 'em around before too long."
"It was a pleasure meeting you." The look in Orpherus' eyes made Erika believe he truly meant the words. "I hope to see you again soon." He held out his hand for hers and once her fingers curled across his he raised them to his lips. Erika barely felt the brush of skin against skin but blushed nonetheless.
"Likewise," Erika replied, a little short of breath.
Eduard swept his arm out in an elegant bow, the gesture overly emphatic. "My lady," he intoned with mock-seriousness before a grin took over. "See you around, Erika!" The two of them wandered back to the path and headed in the direction of the boys' dorm. Erika smiled again as she watched them go, then turned back to the lake.
The sun had fallen further during the brief conversation, and the lake sparkled less vividly in the waning light. Erika took a deep breath and headed back to the girls' dorm. From Eduard's words it seemed that Naoji already had plans for the evening, so there was little point in wandering outside in the hopes of seeing him.
As Erika entered the dorm she looked around for people she knew. Spotting Marin and Wilhelmine sitting together at a small table from the lounge doorway, she went in to join them. The redhead spotted her coming from across the crowded room and grinned. "Eri! I just learned the greatest thing in the occult club!" Her pigtails bobbed as she bounced excitedly in her chair.
Sitting down between them, Erika decided to humor the other girl. "What's that?"
"How to make all the boys fall in love with you!" Marin answered loudly. Her smile, Erika mused, could have lit the entire dorm.
Wilhelmine made a shushing noise. "You don't want everyone else to hear," she reprimanded gently. "Or they'll all do it too."
Suddenly serious, Marin nodded. "Right. So I can't say it here." She smiled again as the lilt returned to her voice. "Let's talk about it after supper in my room!" Before either could respond, she stood up and waved across the room. "That's one of the other members of the club. See you girls later!" She disappeared across the room, her hair streaming behind her along the way.
A loud sigh accompanied a shake of Wilhelmine's head. "That girl..." Her tone of affection betrayed the exasperated words. After a moment's pause she looked to Erika. "What do you say we go to the cafeteria? We can meet up with Marin again afterwards."
Erika grinned and nodded as the two of them stood from their chairs. "That sounds nice."
Just as supper ended, Erika and Wilhelmine ran into August and insisted she join them at the impromptu meeting in Marin's room. The other girl declined politely by pointing out that she had yet to eat and did not want to keep the three of them waiting for her sake. She promised to hear a summary from them in the morning and shooed them up the stairs with a small smile.
They had to knock twice and call out their names before Marin opened the door and ushered them in quickly. "For secrecy," the redhead assured them as they all sat down on her bed. A long pause later, she continued solemnly, "It's a magic potion."
Erika blinked a few times and covered her confusion with a smile. "A what?"
Marin gestured with both hands in a wheel-like motion. "The secret to getting all the boys to fall in love with you. It's a magic potion! The president mentioned it today in her introduction speech. We're going to learn to make it!"
The small sigh from Wilhelmine went unnoticed by the exhuberant redhead but Erika heard it clearly. "Marin," Wilhelmine began in a placating tone, "that was the big secret you had to tell us?" Erika could understand the other girl's disappointment but didn't want to hurt Marin's feelings.
"Of course!" Marin grinned as if it could have been the only answer to the question. "It's foolproof if you do it right!"
Erika searched for a quick way to keep Wilhelmine from expressing her displeasure at what she thought was a childish idea. "When did your president say you were going to learn how to make the potion?"
Marin's smile grew bigger. "Right before Valentine's Day! Isn't that perfect?"
"If by perfect you mean annoying because I'll hear about this for the next five months," Wilhelmine muttered under her breath.
Erika smile weakly at the blonde. "Maybe it will work and we can have Marin teach us how to make it," she suggested. When the other girl's expression grew a shade darker, she hurried to add, "but I think we should keep it a secret until then, okay? So Marin, you shouldn't tell us any more about it until after you learn to make it. We don't know who might be listening."
The redhead's eyes grew wide. "You're right! I won't say anything about it. And I'll get enough of the ingredients for all of us. August too." She looked to the other two for their approval.
Wilhelmine finally gave her an affectionate smile and answered, "That's lovely of you. I won't tell a soul about it, and we'll save the excitement until February." She glanced out the window and rose from the bedside. "Oh my, it's this late already? I have to get working on the latest assignment for debate class."
Surprised at the time that had passed, Erika joined the blonde. "I'll be going too. Goodnight Marin, and thanks for sharing your secret with us."
The redhead went with them to the door and waved as they left. "Night-night you two, see you in the morning!" Erika waved to both of them and headed down the hall to her own room and the homework that waited on her desk.
Once she had finally finished her assignments, Erika stood beside her open window and let the breeze stir her uniform dress' skirt. The evenings were pleasantly cool in September even though the days stayed warm. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander as strands of hair fluttered in her face.
A faint noise made Erika's eyes open wide. At first she thought she had imagined it, but she listened longer with her breath held and the sound came again. A soft melody played on some kind of woodwind rode the air currents and entered her room. Erika let her eyes drift closed once more as she tried to follow the notes, their sound beautiful but somehow lonely.
After a time had passed, the sound disappeared altogether. Despite the obvious sadness in the music, Erika felt uplifted and got ready for bed with a smile on her face.
Calendar notes:
September 14th, 1935