A/N: This update came a lot faster than I thought it would but I think it only did because I'm neglecting my reading for class. So after this, I'm getting back to work. The Election ends in this chapter. Next chapter will have Minako in it and her true colors show a bit more to the Mabudachi Trio. Should be interesting. Anyway, I want to thank sanchezdianne, Mrs. Malfoy Bieber Sohma, and Knightgirl4Jack for reviewing. Till later.

THE ASCENT: The Election, Pt. 3

"I didn't know how long I chased her but when I finally caught up to her, I was out of breath. She was in the room where all the lockers were kept, just sitting there on the floor. She didn't even look in my direction. I sat down next to her and told her—

"I don't mind chasing girls around but you have to admit that this was ridiculous."

She shimmied away from him. "I bet Akemi went extra slow just so you could catch up and have a laugh or two at my expense."

"It wasn't like that Hitomi."

"Sure it wasn't," she muttered. "You only tease me every day."

"Always in good fun, Hitomi."

"You embarrass me in front of Hatori."

"That's in good fun, too." Hitomi sighed and tried to get up. However, Shigure quickly grabbed her hand. He was not in the mood to chase her through the school again. They looked at each other, him pleadingly and her angrily. Despite how she probably felt, she ended up sitting back down again. He breathed a sigh of relief and rested his head against a locker. "...Are me, Aya and Hari your only friends?"

"Is that what she was telling you about?" She asked. "About last year?"

"Kinda. She didn't exactly go into all the details."

"She probably told you all the 'important' stuff like how I ran to the bathroom crying or how I skipped the next day of school."

"She actually left that part out."

"Oh. Maybe she's not a total witch then."

"What happened? Why do you dislike her so much?"

Hitomi snorted. "I'm not going to tell you for your amusement."

"I'm not asking you to," Shigure said. "Is it that hard to believe that I'm asking just because I care?"

Hitomi frowned. "Knowing who you are, it is."

Shigure sighed. "Me talking to Akemi is not that terrible, is it?" Apparently she wasn't letting him get away with talking to her 'archnemesis'. He struggled trying to come up with a way to get her to talk to him, to at least yell at him if that would make her feel better. After all that effort, he had nothing. "Hitomi." He said only her name but the question was in his voice.

"You remember I was class rep, right?"

Shigure blinked. It took him a moment to see where she was going with this. "I was in your class."

"I know but you never seemed to pay attention when I sharing announcements. You were always talking to Ayame."

Shigure smiled sheepishly. So she had noticed. "I see."

Hitomi brought her knees to her chest. "It was almost the end of the year and the student council members as well as the class reps were deciding on how upperclassmen would be involved in the entrance ceremonies. Since the Student Council would be dissolved as of next year, it didn't matter much who would be in charge of organizing the help for it.I was actually nominated to be charge of the event."

"Really?" Shigure said, clearly surprised. He thought back to the first day of classes and frowned. "But you didn't help with the entrance ceremonies."

"That's because Akemi spoke up. She wanted the position and I can see now why she did. Anyway, she told everyone that I shouldn't get it because I wasn't a people person and as proof, she said that I didn't have any friends.

"Not like that bothered me. I guess what really got me was when she said 'It must be so lonely having no one in middle school.' That's when I ran out the room. It wasn't something I thought much about until then and when I did, I didn't just think of my first year of middle school but my whole life. My whole life I had no one and for the longest time, I thought that was fine."

"But what about those girls?" Shigure asked.

"What girls?"

"The ones who wanted to throw you a birthday party."

She thought for a bit before it clicked in her head. "Oh. They were there when it happened. They just felt bad for me. That's all."

"I don't get it, Hitomi," Shigure said, after taking in everything she had told him. "Why would anyone want to be alone?"

Hitomi opened her mouth but she didn't say a word. After a while, she just sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter. Not anymore. But I feel like Hatori probably hates me again."

"Again?" Shigure asked, catching the change in topic. Still, he went with it. She had told him more than enough. "Didn't you two just make up this week?"

"We did but we just argued about me writing Ayame's speech."

"Me and you argue all the time but it always blows over," Shigure said. "I'm sure this will, too."

"That's two different things!" She exclaimed, causing Shigure to be taken back. "My relationship with you is different from the one I have with Hatori. You can't compare the two!"

"Why not?" He asked, feeling like he had to ask.

She lowered her gaze, struggling to find her words. "Well, you see..." He watched her, waiting for the explanation. But she wasn't giving off the signals she would be if Hatori had been asking in his place. She would probably blushing or stammering her words or something. Finally she said, "You're less critical of me than he is. I can be more open and things will still be okay between us. It's, um, part of the reason I came looking for you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was almost happy to see you but you were talking to Akemi."

He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

She shook her head. "Don't. Be honest though: was it that bad to write Ayame a speech?"

He shrugged. "What do you think?"

"You can't answer a question with a question."

"Maybe," he said, standing up. "But once you answer that question, you will know the answer to your question."

Hitomi rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath about him being cryptic for no reason. She got up and took a step. Immediately, she lost her balance. She let out a tiny yelp of alarm before she crashed into Shigure's chest.

Shigure stiffened immediately, ready to go up into a puff of smoke and transform into a dog, but then he remembered – Hitomi was part of the zodiac, too.

"Sorry," she told him, laughing nervously. "My leg kinda fell asleep."

Shigure hesitated at first but then he went for it. He embraced her tightly in his arms. After a moment, she awkwardly returned the hug.

"Are you okay, Shigure?"

"She had no idea how badly I wished it was the other way around. How I wished that it was Hatori she was always talking to about how much she liked me and that I can be unaffected by it all. I doubt she knew why I held her the way I did or why I continued from that point on to steal moments like these when no one was around. But..."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Shigure said, finally letting go of her. "I thought maybe you might have needed a hug."

Hitomi shook her head at his answer, giving him a small smile.

"I could never tell her."

Shigure glanced at the wall clock and saw that lunch was almost over. Maybe if he ran, he could stop by one more first year class and say his piece. He looked at Hitomi but he also saw that her eyes were on the clock. "Um, I'll catch up with you in homeroom," he told her. "I'll try to do some quick campaigning." He had taken only a step when Hitomi take hold of his arm. He looked back at her.

"I'll try to save you some lunch then," she said, letting go.

"Thanks." With a nod and a wave goodbye, Shigure left the lockers and Hitomi behind.

"Let's give one last round of applause for Sohma Hatori!" Hatori walked off stage to rejoin the rest of the group, not paying too much attention to the cheers and applause for him. Hatori was never one to really soak in attention. Shigure never understood why when it was obvious that Hatori deserved it.

The dog of the zodiac patted his best friend on the back. "Your speech was better than I thought it would be."

Hatori raised an eyebrow. "Why are you back here again?" Last time he checked, only students running and a few faculty members should be the only one backstage.

"I snuck him in of course, Hari!" Ayame said proudly. "Who else is better to give us a pep talk than Shigure? It did wonders for Hitomi." He beamed at Hitomi and Hitomi tried to return the smile, failing rather miserably. Apparently being Hatori's presence was not doing any wonders for.

Shigure looked around. Most of the candidates were already gone, having already read their speeches and joining the rest of the school in the audience. The only reason Hitomi and Hatori stayed was because they wanted to be there for Ayame. The only other person who was backstage besides them was Akemi. She sat off in a far off corner, reading her speech and marking it up accordingly with a purple pen. She was the next person to go on stage.

"Up next, the first of your Presidential candidates, Suzuki Akemi!"

The audience clapped respectfully. Akemi finally got up and passed the Sohmas. "Good luck!" Ayame told her.

Akemi smirked. "I doubt I need it but thanks anyway." She walked out on stage. There were a few wolf whistles as the applause got louder, no doubt from the people in her year.

"Akemi's more popular than I thought she would be," Shigure said.

"I'm not too surprised," Hatori said."I've heard she dreamt of being Student Council President since her first year of middle school. She's probably been preparing since."

"Doesn't mean she deserves to win," Hitomi muttered.

Akemi stood on the podium and readjusted the microphone. Tapping it and then pleased to see it was on, she started reading her speech. "Hello, everyone. If you don't already know, I'm Akemi and I hope to be your president." There were some cheers in the crowd.

"I hope you all realize how important this election is. You are voting for the people you believe are the most suited to be on your student council. This year I'm proud to say we have some amazing choices. We have Sohma Hatori, Yamada Hiroshi-!"

"Is she choosing her council?" Hatori whispered but all his relatives heard him.

"I even think Hitomi would make a wonderful Treasurer," Akemi added with a smile, glancing at the Sohmas and winking. The crowd seemed to be with her. Suddenly her expression changed. "But I can't say that about all our candidates. I don't even know some of them that well. Can they really give the school what it needs? A strong group of leaders? I know that I'm qualified for the job. I was on the Student Council last year. I know what works and what doesn't. I know what this student body needs and I can give it.

"Ayame, on the other hand, is the opposite of me. Is Sohma Ayame capable of managing a Student Council as your President? I don't think so. I know he's not on my level and what can you as fellow students say he has done for the school? Nothing. Zilch. Nada. I know I may sound harsh but I think it's important that you are not lied to about this important election, especially by someone who thinks he can charm anyone through good looks alone. Vote for me and I'll be the best President you ever have. Thank you."

She bowed and left the stage, smiling as everyone, especially her class, cheered for her. She looked at the Sohmas. "I wish you the best of luck, Ayame. I think you might actually need it."

"I can see why you don't like her, Hitomi," Shigure said after Akemi left. He looked at Hitomi but she didn't say anything. Her mind was in some other place at the moment. He looked at Ayame who was also quiet. "I wouldn't listen to her, Aya. Akemi has no idea what she's talking about."

"Shigure's right," Hatori agreed.

"Where's my speech?" Hitomi suddenly asked.

Ayame pulled out a folded piece of paper. He held it up. "I guess it's a good thing you wrote this after all."

Hitomi grabbed it and unfolded it. She quickly glanced over it. "You also have your speech with you?"

"Yeah," Ayame said. "Hari said I should bring it."

"Good." And with that, she tore her speech into pieces over and over again until she couldn't rip it anymore. She ignored Ayame's horrified face as she dumped the contents in the nearest wastebasket.

"What did you just do?" Ayame asked in shock.

"Last but not least, your other candidate for Student Council President, Sohma Ayame!"

Ayame looked at the stage and then back at Hitomi. Hitomi rolled her eyes and pushed him toward the stage. "You'll be fine. Now get out there and show everyone how great you are!"

Ayame looked at his relatives before grinning. He then hurried out on stage and reached the podium. He looked at his speech and then at the student body. "My fellow students..."

Shigure looked back at Hitomi, giving her an all-knowing smile. "You finally came up with an answer, huh?"

She looked away. "After all that stupidness Akemi said, everyone needs to know the real Ayame. My speech couldn't do that, you know?"

Hatori looked back and forth between the two before it dawned on them. "So you listened to Shigure and not me."

Hitomi shrugged. "He doesn't judge."

Hatori was about to say something but Shigure intervened. "Isn't it about time you two ended this lovers' quarrel?" The two stopped talking and Shigure smirked. He turned back and watched Ayame give his speech. Ayame was confident as he spoke, earning cheers and a few laughs where appropriate. He was a natural. He didn't need to prep for years in advance. Through his charisma, he held the crowd's attention and those who doubted his leadership skills could now see his potential. It was a wonder why he didn't win.

After the principal announced the winners over the loud speaker, their homeroom cheered. While not all three of the Sohmas had won, they were excited that they had such great representation in the Student Council. Two out of five positions was not bad. Still, a few fellow classmates kept saying that Ayame should have won. But surprisingly Ayame was taking the lost gracefully and told them it was what it was. However, Hitomi couldn't accept that.

"Ayame lost by one vote," Hitomi reiterated. "Where did we go wrong?"

"We didn't," Hatori said. "Akemi just blindsided us."

Shigure nodded in agreement. "As always, you're right, Hari. It probably was her speech."

Ayame looked at his relatives. He didn't understand why they seemed so bothered by this. "But I'm okay with not being Student Council President. I'm just happy that you two won."

"Because she said she wanted us to!" Hitomi pointed out angrily. "She said so in her speech!"

"You won because you were good, Hitomi," Hatori said. "You really were."

"You can't prove that," Hitomi muttered.

"... You're not going to resign, are you?" Hatori asked. Hatori was trying to act unaffected but Shigure had caught the slight worry in his voice. But once Hitomi shook her head, Shigure was sure that whatever worries Hatori had disappeared.

There was a knock on the door. The classroom got quiet as their homeroom teacher walked over and opened it. There stood Akemi, grinning from ear to ear. The teacher congratulated Akemi on her win but Akemi only seemed to be half listening. Her green eyes flickered in the Sohmas' direction.

"Can I borrow Hitomi and Hatori? I know school will be over in five minutes but I really want to get to know my new Council. I have so much planned for this year."

The teacher turned toward the school's new Treasurer and Vice President. "Hitomi? Hatori?"

Hitomi stood up and started to put her stuff into her bag. Once she was done, she swung it onto her shoulder. "Bye you two."

"Bye," Shigure said.

"Should we wait for you after school?" Ayame asked.

Hatori shook his head. "This might take a while. I'll see you later." After he gathered all his belongings, Hitomi and Hatori left the classroom with Akemi. Maybe Hitomi wasn't excited to spend the afternoon with Akemi but at least she had Hatori by her side.

Ayame sighed. "I'm glad those two aren't fighting anymore."

"Fighting?" Shigure grinned at Aya's mistake. "More like Hatori scolds her about something and Hitomi doesn't like it."

"But I thought Hitomi likes Hatori."

"She does," Shigure admitted. "That's why she's practically dying every time it happens."

Ayame laughed. "Well that's a relief. I was under the impression that Hatori might like Hitomi. Now they get to spend their afternoons together discussing school affairs. Not terribly romantic but I guess it's better than nothing!"

"Somehow I forgot about that," Shigure said quietly.

"Don't worry, Shigure!" The dog of the zodiac quickly looked at him, completely caught off guard by Ayame's statement. Ayame was grinning ear to ear. "Hatori will still hang out with us on the weekends and the days he's not busy with the Student Council! We're not losing Hatori entirely!"

Shigure couldn't help but smile at how oblivious Ayame was to the situation. Perhaps it was better that way. Shigure sank back into his seat. "I guess you're right."