Disclaimer: I do not own any character from this story.
Chapter 4. Kiyohime: The Broken One
A/N: Goodness! Hundred reviews! Thank you very much! Without further adieu, here's the new chapter. (*_*)
Shizuru woke up with a feeling of pain in her head. She opened her eyes but her vision was blurred. She opened and closed her crimson orbs until she saw white. White sealing... definitely not her color. Is she in a hospital? It can't be... it doesn't smell like it, besides the sheets were too soft and silky. Not definitely a hospital. She rolled her eyes and saw a familiar figure reading a book.
"Mai-san?" Shizuru asked is a hoarse voice.
Upon hearing her name, Mai looked at Shizuru, glad that the former kaichou was now awake. "Shizuru-san... good you're awake." She put her book down and went to pour a glass of water. "Please... you must be thirsty."
"Ara... thank you Mai-san." Shizuru tried to sit but flinched when she felt pain in her side.
"You shouldn't move too much. You have two broken ribs." Mai said.
The still confused bruenette gently took the glass and began drinking from it. She felt a great relief as the universal solvent traveled upon her throat. "Arigatou Mai-san... however... where am I?" She looked around. "Where's Natsuki?" Was it just a dream? Or a hallucination? Did she really saw Natsuki last night?
"Natsuki... she went out for a bit. Don't worry... she will be back soon. You should rest, I'll get you something to eat." The red haired girl took the glass from Shizuru, placed it on the side table and proceed to exit the door.
"So it was really her... Natsuki..." she whispered to herself. She was glad to know that it was really Natsuki and it wasn't just a pigment of her imagination due to the beating that was done to her. "Natsuki... Natsuki... Natsuki..." She slumped back under the sheets while tears slowly came running from her crimson orbs.
"She's awake." Mai said to the woman who was currently lying on the couch. "I'm going to make us some food. Would you like to talk to her?" The cook walked directly to the kitchen, opened the fridge to check what's in there and started to prepare a meal with a shock expression on her face.
"Hmmm... I don't know Mai... it's just... it's just... been too long." The woman in the coach replied in a husky voice. "I don't know what to say."
"You have been waiting for this day for so long Natsuki! And you just need to say one word... remember?" Mai replied as she cut the veggies.
Natsuki slowly moved from lying into cross sitting position. Her right hand was placed on the back of the couch while her left was still supporting her broken ribs. "Yeah... you are right... I just need to ask her 'Why' ".
BUZZZZZ BUZZZZ
The girl's conversation was interrupted by a buzzing sound that came from Natsuki's phone.
She flipped her phone open and answered the phone without even checking the caller. "Kuga... Ok... Right... " She put the phone back and went towards Mai. "She'll be here in a bit."
Mai looked at Natsuki with a concern on her face. "Great!... but Natsuki... you really need to... "
"Mai... please... on my own time... " Natsuki cut in before Mai's motherly attitude kick in.
"I just want to... " Mai started again.
"Mai! Please!" Natsuki said in a low but angry tone. She doesn't want Shizuru to know her presence.
"What?! Replied by the cook. Could you please just let me finish?" She exhaled. "I just want to tell you that you really need to stack real food. Holy crap Natsuki! Goodness! Your fridge only contains two things!" She gestured a finger. "Two things! Mayo and beer!" She sighed. "Three if you'll consider the ice. And your cabinets. Gosh! Instant Noodles! You don't even have eggs or salt or pepper or -"
"Stop!" Natsuki placed a hand on Mai's mouth. She was really not in the mood for this. "Save it Mai." Natsuki knew how to cook simple dishes, however, it pains her whenever she cook for it was Shizuru who taught her every recipe that she knew. She remembered accidentally cutting herself while slicing some tomatoes because all she can think was her beloved and the reason she left.
"I'm sorry..."
"Nah... it's okay..." She stared at the purple obs to guarantee the owner that no harm was done. "You better bring that to her before it gets cold."
"Aye! aye! captain!" And she was off.
Shizuru situated herself in a much comfortable position in the bed as those broken ribs stings like a bee when positioned incorrectly. She was patiently waiting for Mai to return. She got many questions to ask but at the same time, she needs to answer one particular question... 'Why'? She also made sure that her mask was completely in place.
The door opened and the red haired girl came holding a tray with a bowl. "Sorry for the wait." She used her feet to close the door but it was not enough to shut it close. She walked towards Shizuru and sat on the chair. "Please eat."
"Arigatou Mai-san." The tawny haired girl took the tray and began sipping the soup. "This is good."
"Nah... you give compliment too much. It was just an instant noodles."
Crimson orbs widen at the revelation. "Ara... I can never tell. For an instant noodle to taste this good, Mai-san must really have a magic touch. No wonder Mikoto-san loves your cooking."
"Ahehehe..." Main scratched her head at the compliment.
For a brief period of time silence engulf the room as Mai watched Shizuru eat. No one dared to say a word. The only sound that can be heard was the sipping of the noodles.
"Why?" Mai said in a monotone... breaking the ice. "Kaichou-san... why?"
"Please Mai-san... call me Shizuru... I'm not a kaichou anymore."
"Sorry... force of habbit. You really don't need to -" She was about to rebuke her question when Shizuru suddenly spoke. Mai knew it wasn't her place to ask the question but she needed to know. It was her who have witnessed Natsuki's pain and struggle and the cause of that was now sitting in front of her.
"I left because I can't accept that Natsuki had fallen in love with someone else." Shizuru had already expected this questions many years back. The fact that she wasn't able to answer that question until now was because she avoided any contact from any of their friends.
"What do you mean Shizuru-san?" Mai asked in confusion.
"Ara... Mai-san... please don't make it harder than it already it. I saw her propose."
"Propose? To whom? Shizuru-san... Natsuki has not gotten into any relationship after you left.
Mai's revelation caused Shizuru's mask to shutter. Her eyes widen and her hands covered her agape mouth. "Ara... What have I done." She now placed both of her palms in her face and began sobbing.
"Wah... Shizuru-san... please don't cry..." Mai said in panic. "Please... please..." The cook took a long deep breath and calmed herself down. If she wanted to calm the crying kaichou, then she needed to calm down first. "Crying won't help Shizuru-san... tell me what happened."
"Kannin na Mai-san..." Shizuru too took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure. She was given a glass of water in order to help her calm down.
"Before yours and Natsuki's graduation, I heard her talking to the phone. I didn't really quite sure whom she was talking to or their topic but she seemed so happy. Her expressions was one of the most rare expressions that she makes."
"I'll ask her after our graduation ceremony."
"Was the last thing I heard before she saw me. I didn't mean to pry but I was calling her for dinner and she didn't answer so I went to get her. When she noticed me, she suddenly turned paled and I can clearly say that she was hiding something. "Dinner's ready!" I told her while pretending not to hear anything."
"O-okay... I'll be there." She stuttered. And that's when I confirmed that she was definitely hiding something.
"That was close. I hope she didn't hear anything. Anyway, I have to go or she might suspect. You are aware that Shizuru's really sharp and I still need to find a perfect hiding place." "Natsuki though I was gone, but I stayed for a while, enough to hear everything and saw that she right hand never left her pocket. I took off the moment she brought the phone down."
"After dinner, I told her to take a bath while I clean up. It was already late and I should be going home soon. She never suspected that I heard something so she gladly oblige. I'm well aware that asides from mayo and lingerie, Natsuki also like bath so I know I have enough time to search. It doesn't took me a lot off time since the stuff she was holding was still luckily in her pocket. I opened the box and was shock to see a diamond ring. I got tempted so I tried it on but it was too small. I deduced that the ring was not for me because Natsuki knew the size of my ring finger. A single tear fell from my eyes as I realize one important thing... Natsuki and I were just friends... nothing more and nothing less... and I knew that there was someone else."Shizuru then began to cry once more.
"Few months before that, I already noticed that Natsuki was acting odd. She always come home late and when she does finally come home, she's wasted and tired. You guys were aware that the University was close to her apartment so I always go there after school to study and to cook for her. We always missed each other so I ofter ate dinner alone and left her share at the fridge together with her bento for the next day. One day I fell asleep on her couch and was awoken by her presence. She was shocked to see me there but still forced me to stay for the night. She held my hands and we walked towards her room. She passed out the moment her back touched the bed. As I laid beside her, I can clearly smell other women's perfume on her clothes."
"I tried to avoid Natsuki and even decided not to attend your graduation ceremony but she begged me. She told me that my presence was a must and she needed to tell me something. I felt pain in my chest as I anticipated Natsuki's moves. I wasn't ready. I can't accept the fact that there was someone else." Mai gave Shizuru a hanky to wipe away her tears.
"Arigatou Mai-san." She wiped her tears and blew her nose.
"I wasn't really planning on showing up, but Natsuki managed to corner me and begged me using her puppy eyes. So I gave up. But on the day of your ceremony, I got held up in the University due to a project but I manage to excuse myself as I don't want to let Natsuki down and was still thinking positive. The ceremony has already ended and all the students where scattered. I asked around for Natsuki but no one knew where she is, I also forgotten my phone that day so I got no way to contact her. It was then that I realized that my feet brought me to the rose garden, the same place where I first met her."
"My eyes widen upon seeing her with another woman. I was already expecting it but still, the pain in my chest felt like hell. I saw the woman holding the ring that I saw and Natsuki jumped for joy. She then gave the woman a tight embrace. And that was when I decided to leave. I left Fuuka and went directly to Kyoto, but it was not enough. That very same night, I boarded a plane going to America."
Unbeknown to the ladies in the room, someone was also listening to the story
"I can't believe that you didn't trust me enough." A voice said from behind the door. This shocked Shizuru as she knew the owner of the husky voice.
"It's better if I leave you two behind." Mai said as she stood up and walked towards the door. "It's now or never Natsuki. You've waited a long time for this day."
As Mai exited the room, Natsuki slowly walked towards Shizuru. Emeralds stared at crimson for a moment before taking a sit at the side of Shizuru's bed. "I had a lot of time to think." The raven haired girl started. "And I come to realized that it was my fault that you... that you left... that for two years after the carnival, you were always there besides me. You helped me with my studies, in cleaning my place, cooking my food and many other stuff. I knew you did those things wholeheartedly because you love me but I could only thank you. I was never able to tell you my true feelings."
No matter how strong Natsuki tried to be, she can't help to hold the tear that was about to come out from her eyes. She took a deep breath to prevent herself from crying. "I never told you..." She really can't hold it. Her voice had become shaky. "I never told you... how much... I love you."
Shizuru swang herself in front of Natsuki upon hearing the raven haired confession. They burst in tears. "Kannin na Natsuki! Kannin na!" Both ladies also ignored the pain from their injuries. They held onto each other like there were no tomorrow. "Kannin na..."
"Shhhhh... please stop crying Shizuru..." The tawny haired girl tighten her grip even more that caused Natsuki to flinch in pain. "Uhh..." Upon noticing Natsuki's pain and remembering that Natsuki must be injured, she let go. "Kannin na... Does it hurt so much?" She said while caressing the champ's ribs.
Natsuki got shocked on how Shizuru found out about her injuries. "How did you know?"
"I saw you fight." Shizuru was not talking about the fight with Vega but Zangief.
"Hehe... Vega didn't stand a chance." Natsuki was talking about her fight in the alley where she saved Shizuru. She doesn't have any knowledge that Shizuru was affiliated with the underground.
"I'm talking about Zangief." Shizuru's words caused Natsuki to stand up.
"You saw it?" She grabbed Shizuru by her shoulders. "You knew about the underground?" She started shaking Shizuru. "Since when."
Shizuru tried to free herselft from Natsuki's grip but it was futile. Her biker friend was strong enough to knock out a man like Zangief. "Uh... Natsuki... it hurts..." The raven haired beauty snapped back to reality and released Shizuru. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"
"I wasn't aware of the existence of the underground fighting society till last night."
"What was your affiliation with them?"
Shizuru doesn't want to lie but she also doesn't want to tell Natsuki everything. "My father was one of the people who runs it." She slowly caressed Natsuki's face which was warmly welcome as Natsuki closed her eyes to enjoy the touch. "How did you get there?" Shizuru can't help but ask. She needed to know. The person who was sitting in front oh her was completely different from the person she once knew. The Natsuki that she left behind has pale, soft and perfectly toned body while the person in front of her was tanned and muscular. The long mid night colored hair was now short. Her used to be flawless skin was now covered with scars and tattoos. At the fight, Natsuki was only wearing a sports bra and a boxer's short. It was then that she noticed that the biker's back was adorned by a wolf tattoo... probably in honor of Duran. But what surprised her the most was Natsuki's front tattoo. It was her child, Kiyohime. Two of Kiyohime's head was tattooed in Natsuki's legs, two were in her arms and the rest occupied her front.
"Months before graduation, my father stopped sending me money. I didn't know why. I don't know if he died or he just ran out of money or just simply got tire of me. I never knew. Tuition was not a problem since as a Hime, I was also given a scholarship. I managed to save some but still not enough to pay for the rent and maintain my bike. And there's this one item that I have been wanting to buy. So I asked Mai set me up with a job. I worked different jobs after school and one of them was being a waiter in a bar."
"So that explains the perfume."
"Yes... patrons tends to cling on me. But it's okay since they give a lot of tips." Natsuki made a toothy grin. "Then finally, three days before graduation, I managed to buy the item."
"Was it the ring?"
"Yes! That night I was talking with Mai that finally I was able to buy the ring. Because after graduation, I was planning to propose to you."
"But it wasn't my size and you knew my size."
"Yeah... that was my fault too. I was so excited that I have forgotten about the size."
"Ara?"
"Stupid of me... I brought it back on the next day but it'll take them a week to re-size it. So I called Chie and she told me about Nina."
"Nina? is she the girl with you at the flower garden?"
"Yes... her father owned a jewelry shop so I asked her if she could do me a favor. That if she could help me re-size the ring." Natsuki paused. "After the ceremony, we were both busy so I was not able to get the ring earlier on. It was just a coincidence that we bumped each other at the flower garden. She showed me the ring and told me that if was done. I was so glad that I jumped from joy and hugged her."
Shizuru was about to speak when Natsuki stopped her.
"Shhh... I'm not done talking." She put a finger on Shizuru's mouth. "I tried to find you. I asked everyone around. Pulled every strings that I could but I still couldn't find you. In my misery, I became violent and fighting was the only way I could think to release my anger. The only way I can feel alive was when I feel pain. Over time, I realized that you must have left because I wasn't good enough. So I blamed myself. I pushed everyone around. I became famous in street fighting but it wasn't enough. Fuuka wasn't enough. The was a time that I ran out of opponent. They became afraid of me. I travelled from town to town, meeting and fighting people. On my travel, I learned a lot of moves specially from two fighters who wore Gi. One day I decided to go back to Fuuka in hope to find you but you were still nowhere to be found. My anger brought me to an alley where I saw a man being beat up by a gang. I helped him and saw me beat up the gang more than I needed to. He saw my potential so he invited me underground and there I found my place. A place without you and a place where I can feel alive."
"Kannin na Natsuki... Kannin na..." Shizuru started crying again but was comforted by Natsuki.
"It's okay now... were together now... please stop crying." Natsuki gently scooped Shizuru's cheeks to wipe away the tears. Their faces were coming closer to each other. They both closed their eyes as they waited for their lips to meet for the first time in years when -
"KUGA!" The door slammed opened revealing Nao. "Oh! Sorry! So you and Fujino finally kiss and make up?"
"Made up yes! Kisses almost! Thanks for the interruption." Natsuki rolled her eyes.
"I already said sorry! Anyway... we need to talk." Nao paused and changed her tone from teasing to serious tone.
"Fujino's in danger."
To be cont...
A/N: Yey! I hope you like this chapter. I believe most questions have been answered. Please don't hate me for the lousy reason that they separated. =,= I just can't bring myself to have one of them cheat for I know the feeling and it really sucks. And for me, second chances are impossible for cheaters...
Oh... and can you guest the two wondering warriors that Natsuki met?
Please stay tune and review.
And, I got three short stories in my mind... but I don't know which one to start yet... so if you want to exchange ideas, PM me anytime. :)
