AN: Aww, why all the sad faces people :p
Natsuki and Shizuru had to get separated at some point, but that's why I made sure to give you all the first 4 chapters full of fluffy ShizNat goodness ;3
But don't worry. ShizNat will always find a way ;3
As Shizuru walked through the Elven Village, being led along by Chie who still had a comforting arm slung across her shoulders, Shizuru suddenly heard a child-like shout. Then suddenly there were many voices of children calling her name, and Shizuru suddenly found herself surrounded by about a dozen Elven children, all smiling and grinning happily at her.
Shizuru felt a laugh bubble up and out of her, as she lowered herself to the height of the Elven children.
"Shizuru-sis! Shizuru-sis! You're back! We thought you'd gone away and left us forever. Please don't leave us again, Shizuru-sis," the little voices called out, as Shizuru reached forward and smoothed down the hair of a small Elven girl with wheat-blond hair, who was sucking her finger and looking up at Shizuru with wide hazel eyes.
"Still popular with the village children, I see," Chie said with a slight smirk, as she looked down at Shizuru being clamored over by all the kids surrounding her.
Shizuru just let out another happy laugh, as she tenderly patted the head of a dark-haired Elven boy, and then began to speak to the children. "I'm sorry my darlings, I won't run off anymore and leave you all behind. I promised my mother that I would always look out for the children in our village, and that means each...and every...single one of you," here Shizuru gently poked a few of the children's noses, causing them to let out delighted giggles.
"My, you still have a way with the kids, Shizuru," a new voice spoke up, and Shizuru looked up with a smile on her face, as a young female Elf with long, flowing brown hair walked towards her.
"Aoi," Shizuru said softly, as she rose gracefully from her stooping position, and greeted the other girl with a hug.
"It's good to have you back with us again," Aoi said with a gentle smile, as she stepped lightly out of Shizuru's embrace, and then turned to Chie. "And you, Ms Chie. Come here," Aoi said, while crooking her finger in a 'come here' motion.
Chie allowed a wide grin to spread across her face as she stepped forward, wrapped her arms around Aoi, and gave her a long, sweet kiss.
All the kids began crying out "ewww and cooties", which just made Chie and Aoi pull back from each other and laugh. Chie then wrapped her arms around Aoi's waist from behind, and rested her chin on Aoi's shoulder as they both turned to face Shizuru.
"Still scandalizing the children, I see," Shizuru said with a light smirk.
"Well, you know unlike the Humans, we Elves have absolutely no problems with being with someone of the same sex. I mean we live for hundreds of years. We have no control over who we fall in love with, whether it be with a male Elf or female. And it would get awfully lonely if we were to hold ourselves back from love, just because the person we happened to fall for was of the same gender," Chie replied as she nuzzled Aoi's neck, and then gave it a light kiss.
The kids all moaned again, and then ran off shouting back that they would see their 'big sis' later, and that Chie and Aoi were 'cootie magnets.'
Shizuru chuckled as she watched the kids run off, and she spared a brief moment of thought for her mother, and the promise that she had made by her bedside as she lay dying. She had promised that she would become the village children's 'big sister', and would always watch over them since her mother would no longer be able to.
Shizuru let out a deep sigh, before she turned back towards her two friends, and gave them a gentle smile. "Let's go to my home. There is...a lot that I have to tell you about, that happened to me yesterday."
"Alright, Shizuru. You know that you can always tell us anything, and we'll always be here to listen or give a hand where we can," Aoi responded, as she leaned forward with Chie still attached to her back, and linked her arm through Shizuru's.
"What would I ever do without you two," Shizuru replied with a light teasing tone, as she and her two friends began walking in the direction of her home.
"You'd have to depend on Haruka, and that's a horror too terrible to even think about," Chie answered with a shudder, as she moved to Aoi's free side, and linked her fingers through that our her Elven soulmate.
Aoi looked over at Chie as she felt her fingers interlace with hers, and gave Chie's hand a light squeeze.
"Yes, that would be...unfortunate," Shizuru said with a light giggle, as they all continued walking through the village towards Shizuru's home. Every now and then Shizuru would wave at a passing Elf as they made their way through the village, running whatever tasks and errands they had to do.
"Which is why you are very lucky to have us," Chie replied, with her trademark roguish grin.
Shizuru let out a full pleased laugh, as they finally came to the area set aside for her home, her father's home, and Reito's temporary home. And as Shizuru, Aoi, and Chie all made their way towards Shizuru's beautifully-built wooden structure, which was surrounded on all sides by colourful flowers of every kind, blooming cheerfully under the warm sun filtering in through the leafy treetops, Shizuru finally allowed herself to fully relax. She led Chie and Aoi inside, and after offering to and then making them some fragrant tea, they all settled down in the comfy chairs in Shizuru's guest area, and she began to tell them all about the midnight-blue haired girl with vibrant, sparkling verdant-green eyes, who had in the space of a day and a night, captured her heart.
************
"Mmm, yum! These cream puffs are sooo good. Here Mai, try one!" Mikoto cried out, as she scampered across Natsuki's large, four-poster bed towards the peach-haired girl to give her a taste of her cream.
Mai, who was sitting on the opposite end of Natsuki's bed, allowed the dark-haired girl to place her finger before her mouth, where Mai then leaned forward and lightly licked the cream puff filling from Mikoto's finger.
"It's good isn't it, Mai!" Mikoto cried excitedly, before she scurried back over to the other side of the bed, and to the tray of puffs that were sitting on the dresser beside Natsuki's bed.
"Why don't you two go get a room or something," Natsuki grumbled under her breath from the soft, cushy chair facing her bed that she was slouching down grumpily in.
"Now now, Natsuki. I know that you're not happy with the...punishment...that your mother cooked up for you. Being forced to go out on a horse riding date with Tate can't be very fun. I tried to suggest other less...unpleasant...ideas for punishment to her, but you know how your mother can get once she's made up her mind about something. And she'd decided that you and Tate aren't spending enough time together with each other," Mai replied, as she licked a bit of stray cream from her lips. Mai's light purple eyes then softened as she looked over at her miserable-looking best friend, as Natsuki just grunted in reply.
"I know that you miss, Shizuru. From what you've told me, she seems like a very special person, and not at all like the Elves who our parents usually have to deal with, when they have to attend to court matters," Mai said quietly, as she leaned back on the headboard of Natsuki's bed, and then felt Mikoto snuggled up against her side, having satisfied herself with her sugary treats for now.
Mai smiled gently down at the dark-haired head cuddled up against her shoulder, as she lightly ran her fingers through Mikoto's ebony strands. Mikoto let out a light purr, as she snuggled even closer against Mai.
"So, how are things going with you, your parents, and Mikoto?" Natsuki asked gruffly, avoiding the painful topic of Shizuru for now.
Mai looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling for a few seconds, before she replied, "well it was tough at first, as you know. When we first found Mikoto two years ago lost, alone, and battered in the forest out past the Kingdom walls, my parents immediately decided to take her in. She didn't have any memory of how she had ended up alone and hurt in the forest, and she had no recollection of her own parents or family. She was all alone in the world. And you know how my parents are. Being one of the chief advisers of your father's court, my parents are always doing their best to lend a helping hand to those who are less fortunate than us. That's why this Kingdom thrives so well. Everyone does their best to see that the citizens are all well-taken care of. And Mikoto is no exception. She's flourished under my parents care and support, and besides you of course Natsuki, Mikoto is my best friend," Mai said with a tender smile, as she placed a light kiss on the now-sleeping Mikoto's forehead.
Natsuki looked at Mai and Mikoto lying so peacefully beside each other on her bed, and she let out a quiet, sad sigh.
"Yeah...I do miss Shizuru. It's crazy! We only knew each other for a day and a night, but it just felt like...like...I'd known her my whole life, ya know," Natsuki finished quietly.
"That's why they call them Soulmates, Natsuki. They're the person that your heart and soul instantly 'clicks' with, even if you've only known that person for a very short time. Your soul knows immediately who this person is and what they mean to you, and no matter what your mind my say about it, your soul will always recognize its other half. I think that Shizuru is your other half, Natsuki. Just like Mikoto is mine...and I think that you need to be with Shizuru," Mai said quietly, as she continued to stroke her fingers gently through Mikoto's hair.
"But I can't see her! Weren't you listening when I told you about everything that happened. My father almost declared war on the Elves, and it would have been all my fault...I can't see Shizuru...not now...not ever..." Natsuki trailed off as tears came to her eyes, and she angrily wiped them away.
"Who says anything about your father having to know about you seeing her," Mai said mildly, as she watched Natsuki's face out of the corner of her eye.
Natsuki's body went still, and she looked suspiciously at Mai.
"And just what exactly do you mean by that?" Natsuki asked as she leaned forward in her seat, trying to mask the small surge of excitement that she felt, as she waited to hear what Mai had to say.
"Duran," Mai answered, with a matter-of-fact nod.
"Duran?" Natsuki asked with a confused expression on her face. "What exactly does Duran have to do with any of this?"
"Everything. He has everything to do with this, as he's going to be the one to help you get together with Shizuru," Mai replied, with a sly twinkle in her amethyst eyes.
"Okay, now you've lost me. Please tell me how this hair-brained plan of yours is supposed to work," Natsuki asked as she leaned back in her chair, but made sure to pay full attention to everything that Mai had to say.
"Well, you have that...thing...with Duran," Mai started.
"That thing? Just what thing are you talking about, Mai?" Natsuki asked with an incredulous rise of her eyebrow.
"You know...that...that...mind-reading thing that you two have with each other," Mai answered, as her cheeks brightened with a slightly embarrassed blush.
"Oi! I told you to never mention that out loud. What if someone heard you," Natsuki hissed at Mai, who gave Natsuki an apologetic smile.
"Sorry but I had to say it, as you were being way too dense to figure out what I was talking about," Mai replied with a teasing smile.
Natsuki let out a light grunt as she sat back in her chair, and then gave Mai a slightly uncomfortable look. "You know that besides you, only my parents know about it, and they were hoping that this...ability...would manifest itself when they introduced Duran and I to each other when we were younger. Only one generation every 500 years ever gains this ability, and lucky me I was 'chosen' to receive it. It's said that those born with the ability, will one day also be able to do even greater and more astounding things. That's a lot of responsibility. And I don't want it. The only good thing about it all, is that I get to communicate with Duran in a way that most would never even dream about. But again...what does all of this have to do with me being able to see Shizuru again?" Natsuki asked, as she gave Mai a curious look.
"Here, lemme show you," Mai answered, as she carefully moved her body out from under Mikoto's still-slumbering form. She then stood up and moved over to a table placed against the wall. Once at the table, Mai took a piece of blank parchment that was lying on the tabletop, and then she also took out the feathered quill from the inkwell, and began to scribble something on the parchment.
Natsuki watched her in silent curiosity, until Mai made a final flourish on the bottom of the page, and them walked back over towards Natsuki with a triumphant grin on her face.
"Here you go. Read it," Mai said with a smug smile, as she handed the parchment over to Natsuki. Natsuki eyed the parchment for a few seconds, as if it were a snake about to lash out and bite her, before she released a resigned sigh, and took the paper from Mai's hand.
Natsuki held up the parchment before her face, and began to read what Mai had written on it:
Dear Shizuru,
I have been unable to stop thinking about you since we last parted. I want to see you again.
I have sent Duran to find you and to give you this message, and you can send me back your reply the same way.
Just tie your message around Duran's neck like I did, and please let me know if you also want to see me again.
We can meet by the waterfall tomorrow night at midnight, as no one knows about the secret cave.
I miss you, Shizuru. I don't want to spend the rest of my life never being able to see you again.
So, please let me know if you will meet me by the waterfall tomorrow night.
I'll be waiting.
Yours truly, Natsuki.
"But...but...I can't send Shizuru this! It's too...too...sappy!" Natsuki wailed, as she waved the parchment in the air before Mai's face.
Mai rescued the paper from Natsuki's flailing hand, rolled it up tightly, wrapped a small piece of string that she had also taken off of Natsuki's table, and tied it securely around the parchment.
"You are going to send this message to Shizuru by asking Duran to carry it for you, and I will hear no further arguments about this," Mai said with a determined glare towards Natsuki, as she held out the tightly secured parchment to the cobalt-haired girl.
"Ugh, you drive me crazy," Natsuki replied, as she snatched the parchment from Mai's hand, and once again sat back grumpily in her chair, though a small smile that she couldn't quite hide began tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Oi Mai, do you really think that this will work...that Shizuru will want to see me again..." Natsuki asked quietly, as she looked down at the parchment that she held carefully in her hand.
"From all that you've told me about her and the time that you two spent together with each other...yeah...I'm sure. And I bet that she's missing you as much as you're missing her right now," Mai answered with a gentle smile.
Natsuki inhaled a deep breath of air, and then slowly released it as she tightened her hand slightly around the parchment. Then looking up at Mai with determination shining in her emerald-green eyes, Natsuki answered.
"I'll do it. I'll send Shizuru the message."
AN 2: I really hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know by leaving a review! =3
And even though I made some of you sad, Thank You to all those who left a review. It is very much appreciated =D
