Shizuma smiled as she stepped out of the vehicle they had finally arrived at their destination Astrea Hill. "Wow…So this is the famous Astrea Hill…Nice…. But way to expensive" Kira said Shizuma sighed "Thanks Kira, make me feel bad" She said smiling as she turned around looking at Kira and an annoyed Ace. Ace had drove five hours listening to Shizuma and Kira argue about Zombies.
"Ace are you okay?" Shizuma asked looking at her worried, Ace smiled and nodded "Yeah just a little tired nothing a food run won't cure" She said. "I have not been her since" Shizuma was cut off though "Since graduation almost seven years ago" A female voice said. Shizuma turned around and she smiled as she seen a women in nuns clothing with blue hair and golden colored eyes.
"Miyuki?" Shizuma asked, Miyuki nodded and she hugged her old friend "How did you become a nun" She asked laughing some. Miyuki smiled "Long story I'll tell you a bit later, she then turned and looked at Ace and Kira "Wow I did not know you were going to bring your lover with you Shizuma" Miyuki said. Ace and Kira looked at her "Actually let me introduce myself.
"I'm Ace Hanasaki personal body guard and this is Kira Kennedy my apprentice" she said. Miyuki bowed "I'm terribly sorry Ace, please forgive me" She said but smiled "I remember you… you were here that day" she said smiling. Ace nodded.
Shizuma then looked at Miyuki "So what else has changed?" she asked, "Not much to be truthful only the staff" another female voice said, Ace noticed Shizuma eyes widen as she turned around, in front of her was a young woman with brown hair and pink almost red eyes, she wore a black top with a black skirt "Nagisa" she whispered. Miyuki nodded "Nagisa is our new French teacher, who would have thought considering her french was the worst in the school at the time" Miyuki replied.
Shizuma only smiled lightly as looked at the ground, Ace noticed this sudden change and looked at Miyuki "Ah Miyuki could I speak to you in a moment in private?" She asked pulling the young headmistress to the side. Miyuki looked at her "What is it Ace?" she asked "Shizuma and Nagisa what are the relations?" She asked. Miyuki smiled "I see she has not told you, well Shizuma and Nagisa were lovers at one point" she said. Ace nodded and they left.
Shizuma was asleep on the bed as Ace sat there hooking up a laptop to look up information, the door to the side opened and Kira came in "Ace, I sent you an email with the map of the school and the church Shizuma will be talking at" She said. Ace looked at her "Are you feeling alright Kira normally I have to yell at you for you to do that" She replied laughing a bit "Oh nothing." Kira said smiling; Ace looked at her
"Hey Kira are you okay?" She asked Ace noticed something different about the girl but she only nodded "Hey since you have done what I normally ask before I do and it's been a long car ride why don't you take the rest of the day off " she offered. She smiled "Thanks but if you need me I will be out for a run" she said and left. Ace was a bit shocked by that normally she used all her free time to play a game. Hmmm strange what next she thought as she opened her email and looked at the map saving it smiling.
Kira was out running she had a lot on her mind, but even more when she felt the impact and she fell to the ground, she lay there. Under her normal clothes was what now Ace insisted on wearing a black long sleeve shirt with jeans was bullet proof vest, one that she had designed. The design was so clever she wondered why she had not sold it, though it looked like a normal bullet proof vest it was not, where ever the impact was fake blood would appear and on top of that a drug would be injected into the body that would appear a persons heart rate was going down and eventually appear to be dead.
She was glad she had decided to wear it as she laid there, she kept her eyes closed and steadied her breathing like Ace had shown her. She then heard footsteps, and then heard talking
"Is it the actress?"
"No… it's the new kid"
"There dead…"
"Great wrong target…. Let's go"
"I want to have some fun with those kidnapped girls"
"Yeah… you try that and the boss will shoot you in the head like the last guy who tried touching them."
"True… damn let's dump the body in the river"
Kira then felt herself being drug then heard the river and felt her body being thrown in. After floating a little bit she came up form the icy water and sat on shore. Captured girls…a plot to kill Shizuma… This is bad… But what do I do… I should tell Ace... But she is already stressed enough… I know I will leave little hints about it… I will take care of the main problem. She thought and smiled she would come back that night; she had marked where she had been and remember where the foot steps had come from.
Ace opened her eyes and rubbed them she looked around; she had fallen asleep without meaning too. She sat her laptop down and stood up and stretched she looked over at the bed where Shizuma was last. She almost fell over when Shizuma was not there, she then franticly searched the room and Kiras room but there was no sign of Shizuma. She then ran out of the room and into Miyuki's office without even knocking
"MIYUKI SHES GONE" she screamed looking at her, Miyuki on the other hand looked to be perfectly content " 'tthere" she said. Miyuki only laughed "Calm down Ace... I had a feeling Shizuma would do this… She did when we were in school together come with me" she said as she got up. Ace followed Miyuki and she stopped when coming to a field, Shizuma was under a tree her head pressed into the bark.
Ace looked around and seen Miyuki had disappeared, she took a step forward. She watched as Shizuma turned around, she could not help but looked into her face. That beautiful figure had the saddest look in her eyes; it could break even the coldest of hearts. Ace had never seen Shizuma like this she took another step forward and then Shizuma walked to her and nuzzled into her chest "Shizuma?" she asked. Shizuma did not say anything.
"Promise me something" she said softly, Ace looked down "Sure what is it?" she asked, the grip from Shizuma became stronger "Promise me… promise me you will stay with me" she said. Ace smiled "I'm sticking to you like glue" she said holding her close.
"Coming here…has brought back a lot of memories, good and bad" she said. Ace nodded "I understand" she said she then felt Shizuma nuzzle into her more "Your heart, I do not think I have ever heard it beat so fast" she said softly. Ace smiled "Well I have not been this worried in a long time… When I woke up and I could not find you I though I was going to die… I panicked" she said.
Now the two were under the tree sitting Ace was holding Shizuma, both were clam now. Shizuma was still nuzzled into her, which Ace did not mind. Retuning back to the school was Kira she went to her room she smiled when she seen the door to the rooms open it meant Shizuma and Ace were out. She quickly took out her green bag; Ace had given it to her. She closed her eyes to think what she would need. No guns…I will need a knife, rope, and smoke bomb she though, she was getting the stuff out and then remembered the missing girls.
She went to Miyuki's office and knocked on the door and entered. Miyuki looked up at her and smiled "Oh Kira, its' you how can I help you?" she asked smiling. Kira smiled "I was wondering if any of the students form the three schools were missing" she asked. Miyuki looked at her "No why?" she asked, Kira looked at her "Oh I was just wondering, um what about any that have left for events. I just need to know it's something Ace makes me ask" she replied lying quickly.
Miyuki smiled "Well Spica's equestrian club left about a day ago to go compete but other then that no" She replied. Kira nodded "Thank you Miyuki sorry for the sudden questions and taking up of your time" She said and left. Kira returned to her room and sat down, now she had to leave a note to Ace, telling her yet not telling everything. Ace used this lot and Kira unlike Ace was not very creative at making them. Ace had told her they were used just in case someone else read the note they would have no idea what the not meant only gibberish.
Kira sat there thinking she looked over and seen a rose, she smiled and then started to write the letter. She placed the letter in Ace's laptop, so when she opened it she would spot it. She looked at herself in the mirror she smiled a bit this is the real thing, no drill I can't make a mistake she thought she smiled and then left. Ace had her eyes closed she had been relaxed for a while now "You know nothing about my past here in this place do you" Shizuma asked softly.
Ace opened her eyes and looked down she shook her head "Only you were Etoile and Nagisa was your love at one point" she said. Shizuma nodded "This place… holds a lot of history for me…From grade one to six I never left this place… always me and Miyuki" she said. "When you met me…I …I just lost her…" she said softly. "I had just lost my Etoile partner, Kaori also my love" she said and closed her eyes. Ace did not know what to say.
"I changed… my heart became like Ice…Or so Miyuki said but it was true, then I meat Nagisa and it started to melt." She said. Ace looked at her she noticed the change in Shizumas eyes "What happened?" she asked. Shizuma shrugged "I graduated with Miyuki and my class we fell apart, I never wanted to hurt her but I did. Not being there for her... She broke us off... and I plunged back the darkness."
"Even in the deepest pit of hell there is light but none for me" She said. Ace hugged her "That's not true" She said "You'll find your light I know you will." She said smiling and she kissed Shizuma on the forehead "You must" Ace whispered. As she got up and carried Shizuma back to the dorm, she laid her on the bed and she went to open her laptop. As she did she seen the piece of paper, she opened it and read it, she knew it was Kiras hand writing.
Beware mighty thorn that protects the precious rose, for a gardener is planning to pluck it and not put it in water. Alas the gardener has snatched up some of the rose's comrades and may intend to cut them and not put them in a vase of water, only a single Bee goes after the flowers to keep the Gardner away
Ace looked at the note she was a bit confused by it, Thorn protects a rose… I'm protecting Shizuma… gardener? Ace was confused and laid there she did not notice that Shizuma looked at the note "Something bothering you" Shizuma asked as she sat on the bed. "Flower and water… what is the connection does it matter if they are cut or not?" she said closing her eyes sighing. "Well of course it does fresh cut flowers will not live if you do not put them in water" she said.
There was a knock on the door and then Miyuki came in, after a moment Shizuma left with Miyuki to go to her office. That is when Ace went to Kiras room and noticed things missing. That is when it hit her she had a real crisis on her hand; can not tell Shizuma she will be worried must put my faith in Kira she can do it. I know she can she thought. She then went back to the room and started to look at the map.
Kira smiled once she found her marker she left she climbed a tree and sat there; she looked around and then spotted a tent. Now I just have to wait she thought to herself smiling. She rested then noticed two more tents, and she could hear the men talking. Miyuki and Shizuma were having tea in her office "It's been a while" Miyuki said, Shizuma nodded "Yes, it has" she said. "You know Shizuma you have changed" she said, Shizuma looked down at her cup of tea.
"And why do you say that?" She asked as she closed her eyes. "Simple I have noticed the look in your eyes, like your heart has melted so has your eyes, you see emotion in them" Miyuki replied, Shizuma looked at her "It is because of that women is it not" she asked, Shizuma only nodded "Have you told her how you felt?" Miyuki asked and Shizuma shook her head. "Why?" She asked sometimes she thought she knew her friend and then others she did not.
"Simple… I do not want to hurt her" she said. "You of all people know that everyone around me gets hurt Miyuki" she said. Miyuki sighed "And if Ace has the same feeling?" she said, Shizuma shrugged "Then I have no idea what will happen"
Ace sighed she had grown bored of sitting in the room so she went to explore. She stopped in front of the music room and peeked in she heard someone playing the piano. As she looked in she seen it was Nagisa and the piece she had heard Shizuma play before. She then heard Nagisa stop and she looked up, Nagisa was smiling and motioned for her to come which she did. "I bet you hate me" she said, Ace shook her head.
"Hate is such a strong word…I just want to know what happened" she said taking a seat beside Nagisa. "I loved Shizuma… I still do…I…I broke us off because I did not want to keep holding her back" She said "I wanted to see her advance in her career because I knew she could." She said smiling looking down. "So you sacrificed your love so she would succeed. That is a very honorable thing to do." she said smiling.
"And Shizuma hates me for it" she said as tears started to fall, Ace hugged her "No, I know for a fact Shizuma does no hate you… "She said and rubbed her back. After Nagisa clamed down Ace left she was lonely without Shizuma or Kira around. She went for a walk and stopped when she heard singing it was beautiful it came from a choir. She smiled as she listened they sounded like angels singing to her. Ace smiled as she kept walking around thinking, "Watch out" she heard someone scream but it was too late.
Ace opened her eyes, her vision was blurry, and she then heard singing "Is this heaven? Did I die?" she asked softly, Shizuma smiled "Maybe" she said and then rubbed her arm after Miyuki punched it "Shizuma" she scolded. "Ace-Sama I'm so sorry for your injury it's entirely my fault... I take full responsibility" A girl said.
Ace looked over and smiled "Karen" she said smiling. The girl looked confused but Shizuma frowned "Ace?" she asked, She looked up "Shizuma," she said and then they all watched as her eyes went wide "Shizuma I'm sorry" she said as she rose up real fast but winced in pain "Take it easy" Miyuki said. Ace then looked at the girl "I'm really sorry Ace-Sama I…I've agreed to stay by your side all day as part of my punishment" She said.
Ace looked at her "Huh?" she said, Miyuki smiled "Lets' just say Karasu-Chan will be following you the rest of the day" Miyuki said. Ace was sitting outside and she looked over at Karasu "What exactly hit me?" She asked. "It was a Lacrosse ball but since we were training I used sand in it…I was throwing it my team mate and I used too much power and it hit you" She said looking down "Sorry Ace-Sama" she said. Ace laughed a little "It was an accident I do not blame you and just call me Ace." She said
Sitting on the front steps in the Spica school building was Ace and Karasu, Ace turned in the direction of the singing she heard once more. "That is St. Spica's choir" Karasu said, Ace looked at her "Oh" she said "They are practicing for tomorrow ceremony afterwards" She said smiling that's when Ace noticed Karasu had black hair and brown eyes. Ace then watched as another girl tackled Karasu.
"Karasu Chan I'm so sorry I heard about your punishment I'm so sorry" She said, She then looked at Ace "Ace- Sama I'm sorry I did not mean to interrupt" She said bowing. "No it's quite fine and who might you be" Ace asked. "Oh please forgive me I am Tsume, Karasus companion" She said and sighed "I'm the reason you have that bandage on your head. Karasu was teaching me to play Lacrosse, so far it's not been very good" she said.
Ace smile and laughed, she watched the two for a moment "So you are lovers" she said. Both Karasu and Tsume face blushed a heavenly crimson "Ye, Yeah" Karasu said. "No need to embarrassed, If I had a girlfriend like Tsume I would shout it to the world" she said smiling. Karasu and Tsume seemed to clam down. "Ace-Sama what about you and Shizuma-Sama are you two dating?" Karasu asked Ace shook her head "No, I'm just her bodyguard" she said
"Really, it seemed more, Shizuma-Sama was so worried about you. I was scared she would try to kill me actually" Karasu said rubbing the back of her head. "No need to worry I would not let Shizuma hurt you" she said smiling.
After dinner Karasu was relieved of her duties, Ace was sitting on her bed and watched as Shizuma was brushing her hair. She then got up and took the brush form Shizuma and started to brush her hair for her "What's this? You normally hate when I ask you to mess with my hair" Shizuma said "I know, but tomorrow is an extra important day so many are waiting to hear you speak. I want you to look extra beautiful" She said smiling. "Even for the dance?" Shizuma asked as she took Aces hand and placed it on her cheek.
"Wait did you say dance?" Ace asked, she nodded "Yes, there is a dance tomorrow night in our honor" Ace looked worried but Shizuma nuzzled into her hand more "Please do not be worried everything will be okay I will be right there with you the whole time" she said. "It's not that I'm worried about it is clothes." She said, Shizuma smiled "Not to worry. I prepared for this occasion" she said Ace sighed "I believe you" she said smiling and hugged her from behind. Shizuma smiled.
"My, my, you have changed" She said smiling as she put her hand on Aces. That night the two though they had separated beds fell asleep tighter Shizuma was nuzzled up to Ace and ace was holding her close.
Kira was still in the tree she was stiff from so much waiting but she finally smiled when they started to move, that was her signal they were splitting up. She watched as only one person left the group that would be the assassin for Shizuma. When they left she jumped into another tree and smiled there were only four others one and she could take them all on. She waited a little longer and then she struck her first victim she knocked the guy out easily and tied him up,
She tied him up so good that not even Ace could untie him he would have to be cut free. The second and third were the same way, but the fourth she could not find, she found the girls and started to untie them when she felt something hit her in the back of the head, she fell to the ground "I thought something was wrong" he said, He kicked Kira in the side "You should be dead we shot you" he said kicking her harder.
The man screamed in pain as one of the freed girls jumped on his back. Kira used the chance to get up, as he threw the girl off Kira used and uppercut on the man. When he fell to the ground she looked at him and jumped up as high as she could and stomped on his gentile area. "That's for trying to hurt the girls and for shooting me" she said smiling as she tied him up and gathered them up. She left them high in a tree if they made one false move they would fall and most likely break some bones.
Shizuma was done giving her speech and the doors to the church opened and clapping could be heard "Bravo, Bravo again another excellent speech from the former Etoile" A woman said she had brown hair with brown eyes she was built a lot like Ace. Ace looked at her and then noticed Miyuki was in her hand she was tied up and had duck tape over her mouth she looked as though she had been beaten up as well.
She kept coming toward the front pushing Miyuki "Too bad this will be your last speech ever" she said pointing a gun at Shizuma. Ace growled "Try again" she said as something smacked the woman hand hard it was metal. Since Miyuki would not allow Ace to carry a gun she had to rethink her normal strategy. Miyuki was able to get away form her and she ran to Shizuma. Ace ran forward and the woman attacked her with a knife Ace moved her head but the knife still cut the side of her face.
She kicked the woman to the ground and pinned her and then cuffed her "It dose not matter even if I do fail in killing Shizuma the Spica students will die in her place." She said. "Actually I took care of your goons" Kira said coming in with the girls. Everyone started to clap. Ace smiled, the police came and picked up the goons and the woman. Back in the room Ace hugged Kira tightly "I'm so proud of you" she said smiling.
Kira smiled "I would have not been able to do it, if I had not listened to you. Thanks Ace you really are a great teacher" she said. "Now its time to get the great teacher ready for the dance" Shizuma said smiling.
Miyuki was at the ball in her normal attired the nun outfit she only had some minor cuts and she was feeling much better. Nagisa was standing beside her in a white halter top dress, everyone was waiting the arrival of Shizuma, Ace, Kira was already down, and she was wearing a black dress suit get up with a red tie. When the door opened everyone was gushing, Shizuma was in a very elegant black dressed that showed her back while Ace was in a black tux with a blue ribbon as the bow tie.
Nagisa smiled looking at them "There a very cute couple" she said to Miyuki, She nodded "Yes if only Shizuma would hook up with her" After the first dance Ace went to the sidelines to get a drink she watched as Nagisa and Shizuma were dancing "You know.. It's the perfect dance those two" Miyuki said. She nodded "I hope they get back together. I think someone sacrificing their love for someone career is honorable" Miyuki looked at her and smiled.
"Yes that is" she said. Nagisa smiled as she and Shizuma was dancing "Nagisa, Ace told me about…About why we broke up" she said "Will you please come back to me" she asked. Nagisa smiled "I love you Shizuma, but I can not" she said "You've found someone who makes you happy and you make them happy… I think it's time you showed them, "I'll always love you though" she said kissing her on the cheek softly. Shizuma smiled and nodded.
" I understand" she said. After that dance Ace had to go back to the dance floor. Shizuma smiled looking at Ace, Then felt the grip around her waist was tighter and Shizuma pulled her closer. Ace looked up into her amber orbs and then felt as though she was paralyzed. "Miyuki and Nagisa were right" Shizuma said "Ace, you are the one that's melted my heart" She said and with that she kissed Ace on the lips. The whole ball room erupted in squeals.
A/N: Don't kill me I'm sorry this was hard to write because I lost my inspiration but you know thanks to re watching strawberry panic I was good to go… the next chapter I'll have up hopefully a lot sooner, Thanks for all my loyal fans and readers. Next chapter is True nature