Chapter 8 – Off to Cardiar
Resisting the urge to fidget her arm in the sling, the unlucky coral glumly looked outside. Her shoulder was still sore from the recent abuse that it had been put through. It had all happened so fast. One moment she was falling at terminal velocity to her doom and the next some mad Aswad leader was holding her up single-handedly, with a sneer on her face.
The blistering wind.
The adrenaline pumping through her veins.
The uncertainty of survival.
Looking back on it, it had been quite the rush.
But that was gone and past, and now she was bored, bored, bored out of her mind.
There really wasn't much to do in the middle of the desert. Even though the cave was large enough to house all of the newcomers, the coral could almost feel the walls starting to close in on her. She was going stir-crazy in here.
At least observing the country had been a little interesting at first.
Aswad was composed of dirt and rock and lots of sand. Despite the frilly little postcards that she had seen in tourist shops that emphasized the beauty of the desert landscape, she wasn't impressed. After you've seen some sand dunes and rock formations, it all started looking the same. Really, dirt was dirt, and sand was sand and, yes, sure, if she squinted hard enough she could sort of make out what appeared to be a deformed version of shinso's face on the rock formation over-yonder.
Boring.
The people who lived here weren't much more interesting.
Most of them were busy with their day to day tasks of fetching water, and sewing clothes, and looking for food. The garb that they wore in the desert was a bit destitute, but very practical. There was also a twinge on their accent that she couldn't quite place. It all felt very foreign, and was a start contrast from the gleaming walls and lush gardens of Garderobe.
Rural was the best word that came to mind.
A few of the students had offered to help with their daily chores, but with so many new arrivals the adults grew quickly tired of trying to show the girls the proper way of doing things. And in reality, with a population this small, its residents did not need to devote that much time in order to survive. With no agriculture, their needs were met through hunting and gathering. A single one of those Jabbar monsters could be used for weeks. But, really, what on Earl did they do with all the rest of their spare time? And where did the rest of the population disappear off to?
Perhaps some of these people liked hiding under rocks.
It was an enigma.
But then again it was just one of many for Aswad.
There was a few off the tip of her mind: like why they had such a primitive lifestyle if they held so much technology, or why they were slowly dying from some unknown illness, and most important of all: why they even bothered making beds if their beds were made out of stone.
Of course, the adults here wouldn't bother answering such questions. She tried before, and all she got in answer was an open mouth, or an arched eyebrow, and in even one case a slap in the face.
The adults were a bit mean and closemouthed here.
Since they wouldn't tell her why, thinking uselessly about them wouldn't make her boredom disappear. And she was bored.
There was always the option to go outside in the sand to play, but the sun was being oppressive and hot, and so it was not exactly the ideal thing to do.
Nothing, nothing to do.
The coral sighed, and gave up, flopping onto her back.
"You know, somehow I get the distinct feeling that we've been forgotten about."
It was a sentiment that the coral mostly voiced to herself, but soon found that the other girls nearby murmuring in agreement. Somehow she had sparked a conversation, but the coral was far too lazy to get back up and see who was doing the speaking. If the desert was good for anything, it would be for making her drowsy.
"Yeah, they haven't really told us what's going on at all."
"We haven't been able to get anything out of Yukariko-sensei or Miss Maria, either." Someone sighed. "The pearls don't know anything more than we do."
A laugh,"Miss Maria? As if, she would tell us anything, anyway."
The coral let the voices float over her mind while attention slipped in and out of focus. She was never very good at listening anyway, and if she kept on lying down like this in the warm heat the coral was sure to fall asleep.
"—that wasn't the Gakuenchou?"
"How could it be with that wolf?"
"The wolf? Please don't talk about it."
"Stop, I'm going to cry just thinking about it."
A voice dripped with dread, "—I don't think I can fly again."
The coral found her eyelids getting heavier.
"Gakuenchou and Shizuru-oneesama have been in there an awfully long time."
"Well, at least the screaming stopped a while ago."
"But, what exactly do you think they're doing in there?"
"Heeey," a voice drew out the word, "You wanna bet?"
Her ears caught snippets of the conversation that made the coral roll her eyes. Couldn't her classmates think of anything else?
This place really was boring.
And with that last thought the coral went back to sleep.
ch 8
Behind those closed curtains an aura of impending doom wafted in the air.
It was there for good reason.
Waking up to an extra concentrated Super Stomach Remedy pill being jammed down one's throat had rightfully earned a place on Natsuki's top-ten-list of most traumatic experiences. It started out innocently enough, the triple effervescent action had cleared up her sinuses, but then the bubbling had continued relentlessly. It wasn't long before the chemical reaction got out of control with too much foam in her normal-sized mouth, and so she had drooled, the foam having no better place to go but past her lips like a very angry, very rabid dog.
Now, even if she wasn't a foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog at the moment, Natsuki was still very, very, angry.
"Now Arika Yumemiya, was it?" Natsuki began; her hand locked in a death grip around the younger girl's shoulder. "You do know that was wrong to say shove pills down an unconscious person's throat?" Natsuki asked, "Right?"
Arika flinched, as Natsuki full well knew the girl should. Waking up so abruptly like that made Natsuki attack her assailant without first checking who it actually was. It had not been intentional, but Natsuki had landed a solid hit on Arika's face and as a result the girl now sported a black eye.
Natsuki scoffed at herself; well it was really the girl's own damn fault.
"Right?" Natsuki repeated.
Arika hesitated, her hands clutching the folds of her dress nervously, as she looked guiltily at the ground. "But Shizuru-oneesama told me to do it."
Natsuki sighed. "And if Shizuru-oneesama asked you to jump off a bridge would you do it?"
"Of course!" Arika happily replied; the tension of moment lost in an instant.
The infectious, giddy, nature of Arika's voice made Natsuki blink vacantly. There was something wrong about this girl. Was something not quite wired correctly up there? Or perhaps, there was just something wrong about this whole world. Did all of these people not have a lick of common sense in them?
Natsuki let the pause grow, as she determined a way for girl to understand. Well if there really could be such a way.
"Arika, there are—" Natsuki paused. "There are certain things you mustn't do. Common courtesies. Things that, people with any grain of common sense, would not do."
"But, Shizuru-oneesama said your tummy hurt!"
Natsuki felt a vein pop.
"People DO NOT shove random medicines down other's throats."
"But, grandma always said that you have to take good care of sick people. "
"How does that count as taking GOOD care of sick people?"
"But…" The girl paused, "But I…"
Arika looked downwards. She was no doubt welling up a bit, making puppy dog eyes, while she trembled lightly under Natsuki's grip. Why was this stupid girl making Natsuki feel guilty? This was a hopeless cause. The girl really had no malicious intent, but she completely lacked any sort of sense.
Natsuki sighed and loosened up her grip. In a calmer voice she asked, "You won't ever do that again, right?"
"Um…" The girl was hesitating.
"Just say it." Natsuki demanded.
"I won't ever do that again." Arika mumbled. "Probably."
Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. Her attacker was as innocent as the mallet that some psychopath uses to bludgeon his victims with, and she was just as dense as well. Natsuki couldn't put any blame on the girl.
Natsuki let out another sigh.
"You can go now." Natsuki waved the girl off.
Arika paused in hesitation, before the realization that she was free hit her mind. She bolted away from Natsuki and sent the curtains fluttering in her wake. Natsuki barely had a moment to breathe, before the girl returned abruptly, bowed deeply and then ran away again.
What an odd little girl.
Natsuki turned around. Of course, if the girl was not at fault then all of the blame rested with Shizuru. Her culprit stood there smiling all the same, with an entirely unreadable expression on her face. As far as Natsuki could tell, Shizuru was entirely unmoved by what Natsuki had gone through to catch and scold Arika.
"And as for you," Natsuki pointed a finger at the Bewitching Amethyst. "You're in deep, deep trouble."
"Ara, ara."
Shizuru's tone made Natsuki freeze.
Why did she sound so damn happy about it?
ch 8
"Shizuru."
Natsuki was angry. Shizuru could tell it instantly with that tone. It was gruffer, harsher than her Natsuki, but still it was welcome. To her ears, it was sweeter than any melody. Oh, how Shizuru missed that voice.
And an angry Natsuki was always fun to play with.
"Oi, are you listening to me?" Natsuki frowned, waving a piece of paper in front of Shizuru's face. "Sign it."
The paper that was being furiously waved in front of her face came close to grazing her cheek. Shizuru snatched the offending piece of paper with her right hand.
"What is this?" Shizuru asked.
"A contract." Natsuki answered.
"Ara, a contract?"
Shizuru's mind raced at the possibilities. In their world was this like a contract between Master and Otome?
"A contract."Natsuki did not elaborate further.
Shizuru simply glanced down at the document. It was a bit wrinkled now, as if it had been thrown around in a tussle and then forcibly shoved into a jacket pocket. If Natsuki did not explain it any further, she would have no alternative but to figure it out herself.
The document itself was no more than a long list of rules. The rules themselves made no particular sense to Shizuru. There were descriptions about proper definitions of personal space, and then some peculiar lines about negi, and hitchhiking, and lingerie. Her eyes quickly skimmed through the list, before a hastily added line caught her eye. There, near the bottom of the page, was an addendum about medicines and a sleeping sub-clause.
Shizuru stifled a laugh as she made the connection.
Indeed if she were Fujino what would she do in this situation?
Shizuru looked up, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, and found herself looking at the top of Natsuki's face. Somehow, the girl had managed to find another piece of cloth to wrap around her forehead.
Yes, what could Fujino do? Or, rather, what did Fujino already do?
Natsuki looked uneasy under Shizuru's gaze. "Would you just sign it?"
"Sign it," Shizuru said seductively, "like your Shizuru did?"
Natsuki blanched. "On the paper, of course."
"And you would trust me, to do so?"
Natsuki nodded nervously.
"Ara, I am honored then." Shizuru said, as she took the offered pen.
Signing would be a present. After all, that document did give Shizuru some very interesting ideas for when she finally met with her Natsuki.
Shizuru deftly signed her signature at the bottom, and returned the document to Natsuki.
"That's weird." Natsuki could help but grin looking at the signature at the bottom. "It's exactly the same."
Natsuki was grinning a little too much.
Shizuru arched an eyebrow at the comment. Now, what was this Natsuki plotting?
ch 8
And so here they were again.
Not talking to each other. Not doing anything productive. Nothing but plotting, thinking, and brooding.
Yohko knew why Midori was so intently staring at reformed battle plans and uncounted maps of terrain.
It could only be for one thing: Cardair and revenge.
Midori had a very strong sense of justice, but that justice was fine and narrow. Her people admired her for being strong and resolute, but at the same time the woman couldn't wrap her head around exceptions and special circumstances. It was either this or that; action or inaction, and Yohko knew that one day that that misguided sense would be the end of her.
So, here she was trying to convince a boulder not to roll off the mountain to crush the angry peons below.
It was a rather futile to do so, but Yohko still had to try.
Yohko stood in the conference room, her arms crossed as she waited for someone to bring up the subject.
Yohko waited some more.
Time passed, and then moments passed into minutes, then minutes into an unbearable stretch of time, whose silence created such tight tension in the air that Yohko might have choked on it.
Yohko frowned. This was stupid. Midori was being too stubborn.
"That look on your face," Yohko said scrutinizing Midori's expression, "You're not regretting taking them in, are you?"
"Hmmph," Midori replied, her face slipping into a grimace at the thought of the guests.
Yohko laughed.
"Fools, acting like fools, does not change a thing." Midori quipped, drawing her eyes off of the plans in front of her. She turned to face Yohko with a smirk on her face, "I do not see how you get along with them."
"Patience and practice, but besides that," Yohko started, "We did not have a chance to finish discussing—"
"There isn't anything to discuss." Midori cut her off, her voice returning back to business.
So quick, Yohko noted to herself. "You still won't listen to a word I say will you?"
Midori glanced down and Yohko followed her gaze to see what she was so fixated on. It was that green r.e.m—that gem imitation that allowed Midori to have strength that rivaled an Otome. It was a flawed technology; the nanomachines in her body were continuously activated so Midori would not age a day past 17.
Was it really power or was it a curse?
"We're going to Cardair and that's final." Midori's harsh voice broke Yohko out of her thoughts.
Yohko took in a sharp intake of air, and calmed herself. Midori was just being Midori after all. Two could play at this game.
"Even, if leaving leaves you open to attack?"
Midori scoffed, as if it was the most absurd thought she had heard of. "It has been considered and taken care of. Our people can handle it, especially when the attack will be brief."
Yohko's eyes narrowed. "Even, if there are strangers in your land?"
"The fools would not be a problem." Midori replied, her patience wearing thin.
"And after that display yesterday?"
"All the more reason not to be scared of them." Midori grunted. "Without their robes, they are nothing."
Midori looked at Yohko smugly, as if she had just won the argument then and there. Yohko sighed.
There was one last card to play.
"Even, if I ask you not to?" Yohko let the question roll slowly off her tongue.
Midori gave her a predatory grin. "Not. Even. Then."
Stupid and simpleminded to the last.
There was no helping it. Midori was an idiot.
"I'm going with you." Yohko stated.
It was not a request.
ch 8
It was an hour later before Midori was satisfied with her preparations. The change in timing had forced her to reschedule duties around the base in addition to thinking of additional fallback strategies. Every moment that she was here, was another moment for Cardair to reinforce its defenses.
And so she had to hurry.
Midori took one last look at Aswad before she departed.
It was strange to see her home filled with so many strangers, but they were mostly harmless. A good number of them were injured and the others who had potential to do harm like that fake Gakuenchou were too stupid to do so. Really, it was ironic how useless those girls were without activated gems.
Yes, Aswad would be safe while she was gone.
"Rad, Lumen, Gal, Dyne!" Midori called out. "We're leaving."
The cyborgs nodded at her, falling into step behind their leader, the familiar footsteps gracing her ears, strong and steady against the rocks and sand, but there was something else there too, the sound of light determined footsteps, and Midori could feel her face turning into a grimace.
Yohko was still following her like a chick that imprinted on the wrong animal.
Good lord woman.
"Stop following me, you're not going." Midori spoke without turning around.
"I am going." Yohko said firmly.
"I don't carry around dead weight." Midori told her, "Aswad doesn't carry around dead weight."
"I know," Yohko replied, "But I'm still going."
Midori sped up her pace as if that action, by itself, would dissuade the other woman, "Then tell me, how you are going to Cardair without our help?"
"I'm sure the Gakuenchou would be happy to ferry me across." Yohko said opportunely plucking Natsuki out of the crowd as she walked past. "That wolf of hers will take us to Cardair."
"Wh--What?" asked Natsuki, trying to shake off the hand that had grabbed her by the collar. "Where are we going?"
No one answered her.
"But what of duty? Or is even that lesson lost on you?" Midori jabbed, "What about those students of yours? Will you just abandon them here?"
"Oi," Natsuki tried to break into the tense conversation whist being pulled backwards, "Why am I being dragged along like this? Stop walking so damn fast."
"Miss Maria can look after the children." Yohko replied.
"So, you pass your duty onto others." Midori sneered, "It seems that is a common pattern with you."
"Hello?" asked Natsuki.
Yohko and Midori just glared at her for a moment.
"Fine, fine, I'll just shut up while you talk." Natsuki's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Because we all know it's such a lovely day to walk in the middle of the desert."
"Is it wrong of me to want to stop a friend from making a mistake?" Yohko asked her seriously.
Midori halted her movements, her retort halted on the tip of her tongue. All of this was ridiculous, and now yet another fool was coming.
Out of the corner of her eye, that column had almost caught up with them.
Midori sighed. Was it really too much to ask for her to go out and usurp some King in peace? Really, she was just asking for was a few days to set a kingdom back in place. All Midori wanted was to blow it up a little, kill its leader and then return home.
Was that too much to ask? To do something like that, alone?
"Ara, that was rather rude, taking Natsuki like that." Shizuru commented, removing Yohko's hand off of Natsuki's collar.
"Rude?" Natsuki muttered to herself, "Everyone is crazy here."
Shizuru patted Natsuki on the head, in sympathy.
"Quit that." Natsuki said, swatting away the hand.
Shizuru smiled and desisted. "Now, what's all this about?" Shizuru asked in all seriousness.
"None of your business," answered Midori. "Nor yours either." Midori directed the comment toward Yohko.
Midori brought out a small spherical object between her fingers.
"Leave me alone. We're leaving and you're not going. You should be happy I haven't cut all of you fools down yet." Midori turned away, "Let's go gentlemen."
"Midori…" Yohko whispered.
"Come out, GAKUTENOU!" The sphere was thrown up high in the air, and Midori grinned as the vortex appeared. Gakutenou took its time, the red and gold creature emerging impossibly from thin air. Midori would never tire of watching this, her instrument for change; it was so powerful, so deadly, and so very loyal.
And she liked that last part about it the best.
As Gakutenou was drawn forth from the vortex, its shrill cry cut off any more arguments that had begun to form on the tips of their tongues.
Midori leaped up with the cyborgs following close behind. Gakutenou was ready this time, and willing, there would be no more blue-haired witches to ruin her day.
"Do not follow, or I will cut you down." Midori threatened.
"Until next time ladies," Rad added waving at them.
"To Cardair!" Midori called out.
And then Midori braced herself as Gakutenou accelerated, flying into the sky with incredible speed, and watched as Aswad, and her ungrateful guests zoomed by until they were nothing more than specs in the horizon. Yes, this was the feeling: with the wind in her hair and Gakutenou beneath her. Everything was in unison, and everything was in its place, and everything just felt right.
Midori took a deep breath in contentment. Finally, some peace and quiet.
She gained some more altitude, for there was hardly any cloud cover here. It would be best if their approach went undetected. Cardair, while foolish, could not be underestimated.
Oh, but Midori was sure that she would get the best of them. No one could get away with slighting Aswad. No one.
"Leader!" Rad's voice snapped her back to attention.
Midori felt a wave of dread pass over her. She took a deep breath and looked behind her.
Again?
And it was them.
That blasted wolf was following them, the beast leaving an icy trail of air in its wake. On top of the creature was Yohko, that fake Gakuenchou, and the column.
The three fools.
Really, Midori had been calm. She had been patient. She had given numerous warnings. And still they had not listened at all.
Was it too much to ask for a little respect?
Midori clenched her jaw. She was really going to kill them this time.
End of Chapter
Author's Note: A somewhat boring and disjointed chapter, but that should hopefully be remedied in the next chapter, which will have some more action and explosions and the like.
Also, if you're wondering who the coral is, she's just some original background character that I wrote in so I wouldn't have to research some obscure character that really only has one line. She probably won't show up again.
Comments, Questions, and Criticisms are welcome as always.
