Chapter 7: State of Emergency
(State Room, Garderobe)
"It was good seeing you again Shizuru-chan." Ein said standing before the door to the stateroom she was staying in.
"It was; I had a really good time Onee-sama." Shizuru said not flinching as Ein took a step forward and cupped her cheek. "Ein…"
"Shhh," Ein said closing the gap between them she pressed her lips to Shizuru's while wrapping her arm around her waist pulling her closer. Ein really didn't know what she was doing she had just acted. Part of her wished she could blame her behavior on the wine but Shizuru had only ordered them one glass each and even then it was a light wine nothing to get a even a buzz off of. She reached behind her grabbing the door knob and opened the door. Ein guided Shizuru inside towards the bed until Shizuru's legs hit the edge and she fell over Ein following behind her.
"Mmm…" Shizuru said closing her eyes and taking a deep breathe enjoying a scent she hadn't smelled in years. She moaned softly feeling Ein cup her breast then move her kisses to her neck. "Natsuki…." Shizuru said her eyes shooting open realizing whose name she just called and whose arms she was in. "I can't do this." She pushed Ein away and quickly stood up straightening her dress. "Ein I'm sorry…"
"No Shizuru I should be the one saying I'm sorry." Ein said sitting up on the bed and standing as she too straightened her clothes. "I know what you have with the Principal and I have to admit I'm a little jealous but that's my fault I'm the one that let you go. At the time I thought that was what was best; whether I was right or wrong doesn't matter anymore."
"I did love you." Shizuru said.
"I know and I you." Ein said stepping towards Shizuru who instantly took one back. "There is one thing I have to know. Shizuru does she make you happy?"
"Yes, I couldn't be any happier with her. I love her more then anything." Shizuru said, "In a way I'm glad you let me go I would have never been able to fall for her if you hadn't."
"I'm happy for you then." Ein said taking another step forward pressing a kiss to Shizuru's cheek. "Good night Shizuru." She walked over to the door opening it for Shizuru who bid good night as well. Once Shizuru was clear Ein closed the door and turned to it dropping down to the ground as she cried.
(Laboratory, Garderobe)
"Strange," A young girl with short read hair said from her computer. She wore a pair of dark red pants, a white shirt and a matching red vest. Looking up from her computer she pushed a pair of glasses up and said, "The principal's communication signal is still down. We aren't getting any readings from her still. It's been close to twenty minutes."
"I figured it would have come back up by now. I imagine you've already ran a diagnostic?" A young man with messy black hair said leaning over her shoulder. When he didn't get an answer he tapped her shoulder and called, "Irina."
"It just finished Adam scan shows that all systems are normal." Irina said leaning up and pressing a kiss to his cheek then tapped a few more keys, "Looks like the director isn't too far from where the last signal came from. Youko-sensei," Irina said opening a communication line.
"Irina stop calling me that I'm not your teacher anymore I'm your boss." Youko said, earlier that year Irina had graduated and taken on the task of assistant director but had a hard time figuring out what to call her new boss.
"Would you prefer Youko-sama?" Irina joked. Youko had told her honorifics weren't needed but old habits die hard.
"What do you need Irina? I was about to call it a night." Youko said, "Just because you've got the night shift doesn't mean you can bother me all night."
"We lost contact with the Principal's GEM twenty minutes ago. The scans aren't showing any problems could you go and check on her since her room is just down the hall from your room?" Irina said.
"I'll drop by probably just a computer glitch the system hasn't totally been repaired from last year." Youko said, "Helene out."
"Kruger most likely just took her GEM off to have a night alone with the Archmeister." Youko said as she turned around walking back towards the principal's office. She knocked on the office door and when she didn't hear anything she opened it walking over to the bedroom door pressing her ear to it seeing if she could hear anything.
(Principal's room, Garderobe)
Shizuru opened the hidden door to her shared room with Natsuki. Very few people knew about this doorway and Shizuru was the only one that dared to use it. "Natsuki?" Shizuru said walking in the lights were on so she figured Natsuki was still awake. She closed the door behind her and walked into the main sleeping area. The first thing she saw was something written on the wall in red. "Happy Anniversary, love Tomoe." Shizuru said her eyes dropping to the bed seeing Natsuki laying on the bed a sword through her chest. "God No!" She shouted running towards the bed. As she ran the door opened and Youko ran in realizing this wasn't the Principal and Archmeister having a good time.
"Director we just got a reading from the Principal her vitals are seriously low." Irina said across the communication line.
"Irina get a medical team to the Principal's quarters now, prep the surgery room and cross match the Principal's blood type getting every spare pint you can find now!" Youko said making her way across the room. She knelt on the bed pressing her hand to Natsuki's throat feeling her pulse, it was very weak. She looked over to Shizuru who was knelling by the bed in shock tears streaming down her cheeks. "Damnit Viola she's not dead yet." Youko said reaching over and slapping Shizuru. "Pull yourself together."
"Wh-what do you need me to do?" Shizuru said the slap bring her to her senses.
"Pull the sword out, I can't treat her until it's out of the way." Youko said as Shizuru stepped onto the bed standing over Natsuki grabbing the hilt of the sword. "Try to pull it out as straight as you can."
Shizuru nodded as Youko held Natsuki down then she pulled the sword out dropping it to the ground and her to her knees pressing on Natsuki's chest a scream coming from the principal. "Shizuru…" Natsuki said looking up at Shizuru before passing out. Golden orbs then started floating up from her body.
"Damnit Kruger you are not dying on my watch." Youko said pounding on Natsuki's chest. She hit it several times then blew into her mouth as a medical team ran into the room. Youko stepped across ripping open the front of Natsuki's shirt as a medic pressed a defibulator to her chest shocking her. A few more shocks and the orbs disappeared.
(Kitchen, Garderobe)
Nina's ears picked up at the sound of a whistle and she walked across the kitchen taking a tea pot off the stove. She poured the heated water into a cup then dropped a tea bag into the cup. "A little chamomile tea is just what I need to sleep." Nina said to herself taking a sip of the tea and walking to the door. She had been having a hard time sleeping lately and knew it was because Sergay wasn't there. She hadn't realized how used to his presence she had become; she missed feeling his arms around her at night and resting her head on his chest as she slept.
She headed upstairs and started walking back to her room, heading past the infirmary wondering why there were several people running around including Irina. She shook her head and continued towards the front doors. The kitchen was in the basement of the administration building. She would have to walk across the courtyard to get back to the dormitories. On the way here she had run into Yukariko and after explaining she was having trouble sleeping Yukariko had instructed her to get her tea and head back to bed. Nina crossed in front of the stairs jumping out of the way as Youko, and a medical team rushed down the stairs with a gurney between them. Right behind them ran Shizuru, forcing Nina press herself against the wall dropping her tea. As they went past her not even noticing her Nina saw who it was on the gurney. "Principal…." Nina said watching them enter the infirmary. "Alyssa." Nina ran out the building rushing across the courtyard to the dormitories. She ran down the hall looking at the signs on the doors until she found the one marked Kruger, Bylthe and Murin. Then she pounded on the door until Alyssa answered the door wearing a pair of pink pajamas with bunnies on them.
"Nina-sempai?" Alyssa groggily said.
"Alyssa you have to come quick something has happened to the Principal." Nina said pausing for a minute to catch her breath.
"Natsuki!" Alyssa said rushing out of the room. "What's happened?"
"I don't know I saw director Helene taking her to the infirmary on a gurney." Nina said leading Alyssa down the hall, "There was so much blood…"
(Infirmary, Garderobe)
"Shizuru, what is going on?" A blonde woman entering the infirmary said. She wore a pink robe though she didn't have her customary headdress on.
"Tomoe," Shizuru said staring at the closed door to the surgery room.
"She was here?" Maya asked. She had heard while she was in Cardair that Tomoe had been sighted and tracked her to Windbloom.
"Hai," Shizuru said still standing in front of the door her eyes glued to it. "She attacked Natsuki."
"What?!" Maya said rushing to Shizuru's side, "Is she alright?"
"We don't know." Shizuru said. "It's bad."
Maya looked to the Archmeister as Irina came running out of the surgery room wearing a pair of scrubs covered in blood. Irina didn't say anything just ran past them into the supply refrigerator grabbing several pints of blood. She stopped at the pearl sitting at the front desk, "Run a search on the computer for students with A type blood I need six donors up her now. Get the Trias to help draw the blood."
"Woods," Maya said grabbing Irina's arm. "What's her status?"
"Not good." Irina said pulling her arm trying to get free. "Please Onee-sama the Principal needs this blood."
Maya nodded and let go Irina entering the room with the column right behind her. "Blythe this is a clean room get out of here." Youko said looking up from the table.
She ignored the director walking straight to the head of the table reaching for Natsuki's ear and taking the GEM off. "Patch her up doc." Maya said palming the silver colored GEM in her hand as she walked out. She walked across the room and handed the GEM to Shizuru. "If she lives give it back." She then went over to the Imari standing across the room taking the blood of a coral. "I'm A positive. Take a pint."
"Natsuki!" Alyssa said running into the room with Nina right behind her. She stopped at Shizuru's side grabbing the older woman. "Shizuru! How is she?"
"I don't know Alyssa." Shizuru said holding the coral in her arms.
"It's bad but I think she'll make it." Youko said walking out of the room. She turned to Imari and Shie as they were taking blood, "She'll need several more pints see that she gets them."
"Can we see her?" Shizuru asked rubbing Alyssa's shoulder trying to calm the younger girl and herself.
"She's still asleep but yes. Only the two of you, her wounds are quite bad." Youko said walking back into her office. "Irina page me if there are any changes."
"Hai, Director." Irina said.
"Where was she attacked?" Maya asked as Shie poked her arm with a needle drawing the blood.
"Our bedroom," Shizuru said pausing at the door.
(Principal's Quarters, Garderobe)
The fifth column walked into the room looking around like Shizuru the first thing she saw was the writing on the wall. "Happy Anniversary?" Maya said thinking that Natsuki and Shizuru's anniversary was in the spring not the fall. "Love Tomoe… the occupation was around this time." Maya said remembering hearing rumors about Shizuru's imprisonment and how she had been a gift to Tomoe from Nagi. She had never pressed Shizuru about it respecting the other woman's privacy. Everyone at Garderobe knew Tomoe was infatuated with the Archmeister and there were all kinds of rumors about what happened while Shizuru was Tomoe's 'guest'.
She walked over to the bed seeing the large blood stain on the bed and the forgotten medical equipment. Next to the bed lay the sword used in the attack. Maya reached down picking the sword up. She remembered it Natsuki had ordered it from a blacksmith from Zipang and asked her to bring it back for Shizuru's birthday several years ago. "She used a weapon at the scene. Something doesn't seem right about this." Maya said walking around the room looking from floor to ceiling. She spotted a syringe over by the door. "I'll get the geeks in the lab to run a scan on this I have a feeling this isn't either of Natsuki or Shizuru's. So Tomoe breaks into Garderobe unarmed sneaks into their room catches Natsuki instead of Shizuru and attacks her. She used whatever is in this syringe to subdue Natsuki then uses Shizuru's sword to attack Natsuki." Maya said walking back over to the bed seeing the main blood splatter and then two smaller spots on the side of the bed. "Kruger should have known you would put up a fight."
(Infirmary, Garderobe)
Alyssa sat asleep on a chair in the room while Shizuru sat in another right next to the bed. Natsuki had been asleep since the surgery and neither Shizuru nor Alyssa had left her side. Alyssa had fallen asleep but Shizuru couldn't. All she could think of was how she had almost cheated on Natsuki and how while she was fooling around with Ein Natsuki had almost died. "Forgive me Natsuki." Shizuru said stroking her hand through Natsuki's hair. They had bandaged both sides of Natsuki's wounds and had the principal propped between several pillows lying on her side.
"Shizuru…" Natsuki whispered opening her eyes and trying to roll over but the pillows held her and she winced.
"Natsuki! Hold still." Shizuru said standing up gently grabbing Natsuki holding her still.
"Tomoe!" Natsuki said looking around seeing she was in the infirmary with several IVs hooked up to her one of them full of blood. Her shoulder hurt more then anything she had ever felt.
"She's gone." Shizuru said still stroking Natsuki's hair, "Miss Maria has the pearl class searching the grounds but we haven't been able to find anything. Natsuki… I'm so sorry."
"Shhhh Shizuru, it's okay. I'm okay." Natsuki said gesturing with her free hand for Shizuru to lean closer. She whispered in Shizuru's ear then pressed a kissed to her cheek Shizuru nodding.
"I see you are awake how are you feeling?" Youko asked walking into the room.
"I've been better." Natsuki said then looked over to Shizuru. "Shizuru,"
"I know." Shizuru said then leaned down kissing on the cheek. "I love you." She looked over to Youko then walked to the door putting her arm on Youko's shoulder. "We need to talk."
"Natsuki?" Alyssa said sitting up and watching Shizuru leave the room with Youko. "God Onee-chan are you alright?"
"I think so. I'm a Kruger it's going to take a lot more then that little witch to kill me." Natsuki said cringing as Alyssa hugged her then let up a little.
"Alyssa-chan if could you step aside I need to check her dressings." Youko said walking back in the room. The coral moved away with Youko lifting up the bandage showing that there still was quite a bit of blood. "I think there is still some internal bleeding. Principal I'm going to have to operate on you again. No sense pumping you full of fresh blood if you are just going to leak it out."
"Hai," Natsuki said looking over to Shizuru nodding.
(Surgery Waiting Area, Garderobe)
"They've been in there two hours what is taking so long? I thought the director said that it was just a minor surgery." Alyssa said looking up at Shizuru.
"I don't know Alyssa-chan." Shizuru said looking up as Irina ran out of the room once again heading to the supply refrigerator. "Irina!"
"I can't talk several of the stitches broke she's bleeding too fast." Irina said rushing back to the door but stopped as Youko walked out.
"Irina, stop. It's too late." Youko said then turned to the Archmeister, "Shizuru I'm sorry."
"No! No! Please no!" Shizuru said dropping to her knees crying. Alyssa fell to the ground with her clinging to Shizuru tears in her eyes as well. "God no… Natsuki…."
"There was nothing I could do the damage was too much." Youko said looking up as Maya and Ein walked into the room hearing the last of her sentence. Ein ran straight to Shizuru's side pulling both her and Alyssa into her arms holding them.
"She's dead?" Maya said stopping still in her tracks as Youko only nodded. Maya closed her taking a deep breath she had known Natsuki since the principal was a child. When she opened them she saw Shizuru in tears as well as everyone in the room in shock. "Irina, issue a level two recall I want Nao and Sara back here immediately."
"Hai, Meister Blythe." Irina said running down to the labs not bothering to change.
(Royal Palace, Zipang)
A young red head knelt on the floor wearing green kimono looking over to her side where a young man and his body guard sat. In front of them was a young priestess serving tea. "Damnit Kruger, why couldn't you have sent Sara here?" Nao thought to herself bored out of her mind. "Is he actually enjoying this?" She thought still looking at the Shogun who had a smile on his face as he took the tea offered.
Nao jumped a little feeling her GEM warm up then a beeping in her ear followed by a computer voice. "Level two recall authorization for materialization granted report to Garderobe immediately. Do you confirm Break String Spinel?"
"Huh?" Nao said the message repeating in her ear, "Level two recalled confirmed." She looked over to Takumi his bodyguard Akria glaring at her, "Forgive my interruption Shogun I have an urgent message from Garderobe." Nao said standing up and walking from the room pulling her cell phone out of her pocket. She quickly dialed Garderobe waiting for an answer, "Woods put me through to Kruger now."
"Nao-sempai I…I can't." Irina said.
"Irina you tell that woman she can't recall me like that and then avoid my call." Nao barked into the phone hearing a second voice on the line.
"Zhang, this is Blythe get your ass back here now." Maya said.
"Not until I get some answers from Kruger what the hell is going on?" Nao said.
"Nao…. Natsuki's dead." Maya said pausing for Nao's reaction.
"Look Blythe if this is some kind of new column prank it isn't funny." Nao said remembering all the jokes both Maya and Sara had been pulling on her such as sending her to points all over the world saying it was training when they just wanted to see how fast she could make it from Cardair to Artai.
"This isn't a prank Nao, Tomoe broke into the school last night she caught Natsuki by surprise used some kind of drug on her and attacked her. We need you back here." Maya said.
Nao stood there the phone slipping from her hand and hitting the floor. She stood still for several minutes vaguely hearing Maya's voice still on the line. Finally she reached down and picked the phone up, "I'm on my way." Nao said reaching up to brush a tear from her eye.
To be continued….
Author Notes: If you are wondering who Adam is he is another NPC that I brought over from Distances. And yes he is a romantic interest for Irina. Plus yet again to the ShizNat fans out there please don't kill me. No killing the author you can't get another chapter if I am dead.
