Woot! Update! I seem to be missing some reviews. =| Honestly, is it so bad that it's not even worth reviewing?
Chapter 10
Shizuru stood once more on one side of queen Mashiro while Rena stood on the other. On the outside she appeared perfectly calm and pleasant as always, but inside, inside was another story. Inwardly she doing everything in her power to keep her thoughts and emotions in check to try and avoid fretting.
The reason for her concern was simple, earlier that morning and not long after breakfast she had received a call from Moriko the Gypsy tailor who report that Kuma's new clothes were all done, she just needed Kuma to come back so they could check the fit and make whatever last minute necessary changes if any were needed. Shizuru had promised they would be there soon, unfortunately just as they were ready to leave she had received a report from Erstin that some of the dignitaries and nobles wanted to have an audience with Mashiro to discuss some issues that had arisen. Normally Shizuru would have Haruka stand in as the queen's attending Otome being as the hot-headed blonde was her second in command, but Mashiro specifically asked for Shizuru to attend the meeting with her. She had been fully prepared to call Moriko back and apologize for needing to come in later instead but Natsuki had stopped her.
"I'll take Kuma while your in the meeting. The fitting shouldn't take too long and even if it does you'll be out of the meeting by the time we get back." Natsuki had shrugged at that.
"Ara, but Kuma isn't Natsuki's responsibility." Shizuru stated.
"It's not like being around Kuma is a chore," Natsuki pointed out "and besides, she's not that bad once you get used to her."
"Ara, ara, so is Natsuki offering to be the daddy while I'll be the mommy? Ookini." Shizuru teased smiling.
Natsuki had instantly turned an adorable bright red at that. "Sh-SHIZURU!!! That's not what I said at all!"
Shizuru pouted at that. "Then Natsuki doesn't want to be my husband?" Her eyes suddenly started to look watery. "Does– Does Natsuki think I'm ugly? Am– Am I not good enough for my Natsuki?" She turned away and hid her face in her hands as she fake cried at that.
"O-oi! Shizuru I– I don't think your ugly! And you'd– you'd make anyone very lucky to have you by their side." Natsuki blushed even as she tried to stop Shizuru's apparent crying.
"But– But Natsuki doesn't want to be my husband!" Shizuru's voice trembled. "How am I, supposed to raise Kuma alone? She– She needs a father too!"
"I– I never said I didn't want to, I– I just—" Natsuki struggled to think straight as she felt herself begin to panic as tried to stop Shizuru's pain and find an anwser.
"Then, Natsuki will be Kuma's papa? And my husband?" Shizuru sniffed.
Natsuki hesitated. "...Will– Will you stop crying if I say, yes?"
"Hai."
"...Okay then." Natsuki murmured.
"A-Ara?" Shizuru could hardly believe her ears, she had never expected Natsuki to actually say yes.
"I said," Natsuki took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'll be Kuma's new papa and– and your hus-husband." She stumbled a bit towards the end as she felt her face ignite once more.
Shizuru slowly raised her head to look at her first love. Natsuki was once again blushing but she also bore a small tentative smile.
"Ookini, Natsuki." Shizuru whispered, she felt so much at that moment that a tiny tear made it's way down her face.
"Oi, you promised you stop crying." Natsuki grumbled gently as she reached out to wipe it away.
"Kanin na, I did promise." Shizuru smile softly while taking Natsuki hand between her own.
Natsuki just smiled back quietly as she felt her own heart skip a little while butterflies took flight in her stomach.
.
The hard part after that had been convincing Kuma to go with Natsuki. It wasn't so much that Kuma didn't like Natsuki or not want to go, she just argued that she was duty bound to stay with Shizuru at all times if possible in case she was needed to do something. At that point Shizuru had pulled Kuma somewhat aside and pointed out that it was Kuma herself who had also said that it was her duty to look after those that Shizuru cared for and though Shizuru cared for everyone a great deal she cared for Natsuki the most above all others. Kuma had had little to say in retaliation to that and had sullenly agreed, eventually that is.
And so there Shizuru stood listening to a boring meeting as the various nobles and dignitaries argued over any and every petty little thing that seemed to come to their minds. Shizuru remained calm but she couldn't help worrying at the back of her mind. What if something happened like last time? What if Kuma really got hurt? Or what if Natsuki got hurt instead? She could have growled at that thought but didn't, if either of them got hurt there would be hell to pay.
.
Natsuki sat back and simply looked on as Moriko took measurement after measurement and slightly readjusted what had to be nearly very article of clothing she had made, which seemed to be quite a lot. The majority of Kuma's new clothes seemed to be mostly white from what she had managed to pay attention to. Sighing quietly she tried to think of something to distract herself with but she repeatedly came back to the same train of thoughts. Why hadshe agreed to Shizuru's joke? Natsuki realized it had all been a joke before and yet, and yet she had not treated it like a joke, instead she had agreed with total seriousness. Sighing once more she scratched her head and tried once more to set these thoughts aside.
"Do I smell tea?" Kuma had paused as she changed into her original clothes.
Moriko glanced up from where she was working on yet another set of clothes at her table. "I believe you do. That's some nose you've got there, they should have only just got around to brewing it by now. You really are a little bear."
'Why do you say that?' Natsuki almost asked but stopped and thought about it a bit. Where her family lived, which was near the border of the Free Nations and not all that far from the Thunder Mountains, there were plenty of wolves and bears and growing up she had learned quite a bit about both.
A bear's sense of smell is it's strongest sense of all and it's even stronger than that of a wolf or even a bloodhound, seven times great in fact. Their hearing is as good as any dogs and their eye sight is as good as a humans at the least if not better. They're also very strong and surprisingly fast despite their size. They are also extremely solitary and fairly territorial, provided you don't bother them they are generally harmless, sometimes at least, mostly because they proffer to avoid people. Looking at Kuma they small girl wasn't exactly her idea of the human equivalent of a bear due to her size but she had to admit, Kuma did tend to live up to her name sake in manner and attitude at least. What's more, she had never heard of a blonde bear before and Kuma was blonde, while Shizuru leaned more to the pale brunette side of the hair color spectrum Kuma was definitely more of a pale blonde.
"I could of told you that myself." Kuma snorted, then asked. "How long will this take? I'd like to get back as soon as possible."
"Nerves without your Contract?" Moriko teased good naturedly.
"It's not that." Kuma frowned. "It's just– Something feels, off. Not right, like a bad smell or something."
Natsuki nearly snickered at that but held it in.
Moriko raised a greying brow at that. "A bad smell." The old Gypsy dead panned.
Kuma shook her head, her frown deepening as she struggled to get her thoughts across. "I don't mean that something stinks, I–" She seemed to glare at something unseen. "It's kind of like smelling gasoline in the middle of a forest, it just doesn't belong there, not naturally at least."
Natsuki frowned, what was that supposed to mean? She understood what Kuma was saying but no idea where it was going.
"I see." Moriko just looked thoughtful at that. "Well I'll try to have everything finished for you quickly. In the mean time fell free to have some tea once it's ready."
Kuma nodded before taking her place beside Natsuki. The both of them heaved a heavy sigh, looks like they'd be there for sometime.
.
Shizuru watched as the arguments began to grow more heated between the dignitaries, one of the more passionate arguers even went so far as pound the table for emphasis. A quiet cough was all she did to remind them of where they were right now and the man quieted down though he never stopped arguing.
She sighed inwardly, it was going to be a looong morning.
.
Natsuki would have killed for a yo-yo right now as lame as that might be, but she was just so utterly bored right now! She glanced at Kuma who had managed to sprawl out comfortably in her chair and looked ready to start blowing spit bubbles by now. And from the looks of things, Kuma might have killed for a yo-yo too.
One of the shop assistants chose that moment to pop in and announce. "Tea's ready."
Sharing a short glance the two of them got up and followed the other girl out.
Natsuki paused and stared a moment. "What is that?"
"A samovar." Kuma answered simply. "It's what Gypsies use to prepare tea. The cups are there beside it, along with all the fixings for it." She pointed.
"How...?" Natsuki was trying to wrap her mind around how the large brightly decorated contraption could possibly brew tea.
Kuma suddenly chuckled.
"What?" Natsuki demanded.
Kuma smiled. "You're pretty easy to read, it's all there on your face and in your eyes." She turning back to the tea she explained. "The actual tea itself is brewed in concentrated form in the tea kettle that sits on top of the samovar, while the samovar itself just boils water that's used to dilute the tea, unless you proffer your tea strong that is."
Natsuki raised a navy brow at that. Who would have guessed that Kuma was so knowledgeable, and about tea no less! But she had one question. "What's the bowl for?"
"Samovars tend to drip sometimes so the sump bowl is used to catch the drips rather than letting it turn into a mess to clean up later." Kuma picked up one of the odd tall cups that looked to be made of glass incased in finally worked metal around the lower half.
"What kind of tea is it then?" Natsuki picked up one of the cups to take a closer look at it.
"Russian Caravan, as it was called during Old World times. It's a black tea blend of Oolong, Keemun, and Lapsang Souchong although the mixture sometimes varies." Kuma glanced up as she fixed her own cup filling it with two thirds tea, one third water, a touch of milk, and two sugar cubes. "It's called a podstakannik, Old World Russian mean "thing that sits under glass" it's a tea glass holder. There not connected so I'd watch how you handle it otherwise–"
Natsuki had just turned the cup upside down the glass part slipped out and she might have thought she'd have a heart attack trying to catch it. Luckily she had very good reflexes and caught is safely.
"–it might fall apart." Kuma finished lamely. "Nice catch Aniki."
"...thanks." Natsuki muttered as she polished the glass before replacing it back into it's holder. "So..." She pointed at the thing.
Kuma smiled again. "Start with the tea from the kettle then add water from the samovar, just turn the spigot. Add whatever you like after that, there's sugar, milk, honey, and lemon."
"You've had this before?" Natsuki started fixing her own cup which was simpler to do then she expected, she took a sip of it every now and again to check the taste. Once she was satisfied with the strength of her tea she add honey and lemon, she never bothered with milk and sugar unless she was drinking Earl Grey.
"This is the Gypsy equivalent of high cultural tea, and I've spent a lot of time around Gypsies so yeah, I've had it before." Kuma chuckled.
Natsuki raised her brow once more. "You're calmer." She realized.
"Huh?"
"You're calmer, normally you be pace or fidgeting by now but you're calm."
"I'm also bored." Kuma pointed out.
"But you're still calm."
"Probably the tea, no offense against Shizuru-Aneki but Oolong really isn't my favorite kind of tea, neither is green or white tea."
"I'm sure she wouldn't be offended."
They passed the rest of the time like that just talking and drinking tea and the more Natsuki drank of the strange tea the more she began to like it. At one point she started to wonder if Shizuru would like it too.
Finally Moriko came out with everything boxed up and ready to go so they loaded up the car they'd came in, but just as they were ready to leave Moriko stopped them and pulled Natsuki aside to give her a small bag tied shut at the top. "Give her one of these when she gets cranky, it'll put in a better mood. And these," She handed over a second bag. "if she ever gets sick, they'll help her feel better."
"To be honest she's often grumpy." Natsuki admitted.
Moriko chuckled. "Well crankier than usual then."
Natsuki was frowning at the bags and tried feeling what was inside them, as far as she could tell one was full of a bunch of small oddly shaped sticks while the other had a bunch of chunks of, something, that felt hard but kind of brittle but it wasn't heavy at all. "What is this?" She husked.
The old Gypsy woman chuckled but smiled gently. "Don't you worry none, they won't hurt her at all, they're both very good for her actually. Now, you better get going before she gets antsy."
Still frowning she tucked the bags into her jacket pockets and turned once more to head to the car but stopped herself this time. "Ano, I wanted to ask you about something before we leave."
"Oh, about what, miss?" Moriko looked curious.
Natsuki rubbed the back of her neck. "Um, the tea actually. I was wondering–"
"Unfortunately I can't bring myself to sell my samovar to anyone, miss." Moriko stated abruptly. "But, I can get you in contact with a good tea merchant I know who can sell you one. He keeps good solid pieces in stock, unlike many of these ridiculous imitations you might find in one of the street markets."
"Really? Where?" Distantly Natsuki wondered why she was suddenly so excited about buying tea, a small voice whispered to her that she was somehow just trying to impress Shizuru. She pushed it aside roughly. Impress? Why should she have to impress Shizuru when the other woman already felt so much for as it was. Besides, she was probably starting to worry back at the palace, they had been gone for some time already, and it would be nice to give her a gift.
Moriko made a quick call to check that the merchants shop was open. Once she'd made sure of that she gave Natsuki the directions but asked Kuma to stay a bit.
"I've something special for you little brother, something I think you'll like." Moriko smiled.
"What?" Kuma was impatient to go and do something right. First she had to leave Shizuru her Aneki and Contract, now she has to stay behind while Natsuki runs a quick errand on her own. Just how much more annoying could this day get?
"Just come on. I know you said you didn't need a new Surcoat but you do need to look like a proper noblewoman's Rogue." Moriko placed her hands on her hips. "Not only that, you are now the Rogue of a Meister Otome, and it's about time you had a proper uniform to show that, little brother. Now come, Miss Kruga won't be gone long."
With a groan Kuma followed the old woman outback as Natsuki headed out the shop door.
.
Shizuru very nearly sighed as the meeting finally came to a close. It had taken a great deal of negotiating and even more flattery to calm the dignitaries down enough until the meeting was finally adjourned. Looking around now she if Natsuki and Kuma had returned, she was still a little worried.
As she moved down the hallways away from the conference room she couldn't help but notice how various maids and servants were scurrying about busy as a beehive. She stopped a nearby maid for a moment.
"Excuse me but, what's going on?" Shizuru asked politely. "Has something happened?"
"One of the foreign nobles is coming to visit." The maid answered.
Shizuru was puzzled, she didn't recall hearing anything about a visit. "When was this announced?"
"Just now." The girl seemed anxious to get back to work.
"And when will they be arriving?"
"Today, soon. If that's all you wanted to know Meister Fujiola? I really need to get back to work."
"Yes, of course, please." Shizuru waved her on elegantly and with a curtsy the maid was off. So a foreign noble was on the way and would be arriving soon? This was most peculiar since most nobles whether they were foreign or native to Garderobe had the courtesy to warn them several days in advance before coming. Now the only question left to be answered was, just which noble was coming to visit?
.
The tea shop was easy enough to find and the shopping was even easier! The tea merchant had been very kind and incredibly helpful. As soon as Natsuki had said the word gift he had politely asked her to describe who the gift was for, what kind of person were they, what were they like and what did they like?
For Natsuki it had taken very little thought before she'd simply summarized Shizuru as elegant and charming, witty and wise, incredibly patient and unbelievably caring, as well as one of the most beautiful people she had ever met. She was gentle natured and quietly thoughtful but deeply protective and strong. She had a strong fondness for tea and teasing people and she enjoyed cultural things as well. And lastly but not least, she was the epitome of what every proper noblewoman should be.
The merchant had smiled and showed her several great sets including the samovar, and it's kettle, sump bowl, the glasses and their holders, all of them equally wonderful. Natsuki eventually settled on a beautifully elegant set, the samovar was made of silver enamelware depicting a scene of a gnarly old cherry tree blooming gloriously atop a snow-covered hill, the tree itself was dancing in a phantom wind while hundreds of its rich red petals fluttered about the air, the background was a soft lilac. The tea kettle was the same soft purple color and had several fluttering red petals strewn across it to help carry the motif. The sump bowl bore the same simple design as the kettle as did the sugar bowl and creamer while the silver platted tea glass holders for the tea glasses simply brought the motif full round with the same gnarly cherry tree engraved on the front along with dozens and dozens of tiny cherry blossoms carved all over them. The actual glasses themselves bore a simple silver lip. It might not have been the most spectacular set in the shop, but to Natsuki it was perfect.
She asked him what the best teas were and what went best with them. He boxed up everything and gave her a great deal on it all including the teas, pastries, and the "fixings" as Kuma had so inelegantly put it, meaning the sugar cubes, milk, lemon, and honey. She quickly paid for it and sent carefully loaded the car once more before getting in herself. Now it was just a matter of grabbing Kuma and heading on back to the palace. She could hardly wait to see Shizuru now.
.
Shizuru stood patiently beside Mashiro once with Rena only this time they were in the throne room and both Elliot and Ahn stood with them on the dais. The remaining Otome stood nearby along with Nao and Mikoto while several palace guards lined the walls. The only one's missing aside from Natsuki and Kuma were Chie and Yohko who were very busy with something import, or so they said. This ways not an uncommon, or unwelcome, sight to see in honor of a foreign politics visit. Even with Nao and Mikoto it was not all that unusual. The only unwelcome sight were todays uninvited guests themselves. It seemed that Nagi had gotten it into his head to pay a surprise visit today of all days. For now, Shizuru was almost glad that Kuma wasn't there if only to avoid dealing with Nagi and his cruelty.
Thinking about Kuma lead to thoughts of Natsuki who was currently still with the small Rogue and she became slightly distracted for a moment. She instantly snapped to attention at Nagi's last words.
"Your Majesty Mashiro Kazahana, glorious High Queen of Garderobe, I ask you now," Nagi paused dramatically near the bottom of the dais steps where he dropped down to knee and kneeled."will you marry me?"
Total silence descended for a small eternity before anyone spoke.
"What did you just say?" Haruka asked slowly, she could hardly believe her ears. Not that anyone could blame her, none of them wanted to believe what they were hearing right now. But Mashiro, out of all of them, was the most disbelieving of all, as she should be of course.
Nagi smirked. "I asked Mashiro-Chan to marry me."
"And my answer is no." Mashiro stated strongly. They could scarcely recall a time when she had looked more determined.
But Nagi failed to loose his smile. "Aw come on Mashiro-Chan, you must like me too after all."
Mashiro expression was like that of cold iron. "To be perfectly honest Archduke, there are times in which I can barely stand the mere sight of you even from afar, let alone you yourself in person. And this, is one of those times."
"Well I'm sure I could persuade you if you're going to be so troublesome." Nagi was grinning outright by now.
A familiar husky voice suddenly rang out from the doorway, sounding as cold and frozen as a glacier. "I'll like to see you try, half-pint. I guarantee you won't get far." Natsuki stood glaring at Nagi and his two right hands intensely from the doorway.
"Hey," Growled a second and equally rough voice from behind her. "at least save me some, my muscles have been starting to cramp up from lack of use. I mean, sparing with Mikoto is great and all," Kuma moved to stand beside now. "but it's not the same as all out fighting."
For a moment Nagi looked genuinely surprised. "Ara, since when does the animal wear such finery?" Nagi also wasn't the only one surprised, after all, none of them had known quite what to expect when it came to Kuma's new clothes and they were all fairly surprised.
Kuma literally growled and made as if to go at him but Natsuki wrapped an arm around her and held her back murmuring to the dark preteen to try and calm her a bit. To be honest, Natsuki really couldn't blame Nagi for his surprise, but he really had crossed the line with that animal remark. Kuma was currently wearing her new uniform which wasn't much of a surprise really.
Kuma's new uniform consisted of a pair of loose fitting lilac colored pants held up by a simple white sash and tucked into a pair of no-nonsense-down-to-business white boots with a red trim. In place of a conventional shirt Kuma's entire torso was wrapped in a rich red sarashi-like clothe, only this time the wrappings extended all the way down her arms and even to her fingertips. Over this she wore the new Surcoat which Moriko had insisted on and it was this Surcoat which had most surprised everyone including Natsuki herself when she first saw it. Why? Because Kuma's new uniform coat was nearly a mirror image of Nagi's own mantle of office if it weren't the difference in colors and slight design changes. Nagi's mantle was mainly a dark and nearly-black blue color trimmed in white and burgundy red. Kuma's Surcoat on the other hand was a bright almost silvery white color trimmed in a similar deep crimson color as her sarashi and the same soft lilac color as her pants, that very same lilac color was also a perfect match to the color of Shizuru's Meister uniform.
Nagi was quick to regain his trade mark sleazy smirk and aimed it at Kuma tauntingly
Kuma growled deeper than before and the vibrations of the harsh noise were so strong that Natsuki could feel the vibrations through the arm which held Kuma.
Natsuki leaned down so mouth was level with Kuma's and started whispering. "Kuma, Kuma listen to me." Kuma tried to pull away again. Natsuki growled quietly in frustration as she pulled Kuma back. "Listen to me damn it!" She hissed. "If you so much as nock a single hair out of place on Nagi's head he'll have Schwartz declare war on Garderobe." "By Garderobe's laws you are considered to be Shizuru's unofficialized legal ward and that makes you a member of the Fujiola family in your own right. Attacking him will get Shizuru into huge trouble and you said it was your job to help keep her out of trouble. You got that? You can't touch him, or else–"
Shizuru's voice rang out elegantly. "Ara, ara, Natsuki and Takehiko seemed to be so deep in discussion, what about I wonder? Is it so important that they need to block the door?" She teased them. "If so I'm afraid you need to move, the Archduke has overstayed his welcome." This was said politely but it was obviously an order to leave.
Nagi practically pouted. "It would be such a shame to leave already, I only just arrived after all, and I still haven't gotten answer."
"Don't bullshit me," Kuma growled as she stalked her way to the dais. "even I could hear her from the hallway. Mashiro said no and no, is no, is no. Just like a bear, is a bear, is a bear."
"As if a beast would know anything about marriage." Tomoe sneered. "You're nothing more than an uncultured, ill-mannered savage."
Kuma's eyes flashed. "This coming from the girl who apparently doesn't know the difference between her hair and a handkerchief." She snapped back.
Tomoe's face went blank before it pinked in embarrassment then quickly darkened with anger. "What did you say?"
"What, you don't know how to clean your ears either, bugger-brain? Savage that I am, even I know that you're supposed to blow your nose in a tissue. But you, you look like you've been sneezing in your hand and then whipping it off into your hair for the last, what? Ten, fifteen years? Honestly, how retarded can you be?"
With a shriek Tomoe tried to launch herself at Kuma only to be pulled up short by a delicate pale and elegantly long-fingered hand that was impossibly strong. Turning she found herself staring into the same blood red eyes she had fallen madly for, but now they burned with a dangerous light. Tomoe actually shivered under their intensity.
Kuma, who had instinctively dropped into a defensive crouch, was now stock still as she stared at her Aneki in shock. She hadn't even seen Shizuru move for Pete's sake! Kuma knew from what her Chichiue had told her that an Otome was capable of doing incredible things while wearing their Robe, but she had never suspected that they were still capable of amazing things even without it! Kuma was finally starting to really understand that not only did she know so little about Shizuru as a person, she knew basically nothing about what the Meister Otome was capable of. And seeing the intense look in eyes actually caused her to shiver.
"Ara, Tomoe," Shizuru smiled, but the smile held absolutely no warmth or gentility. "I'm afraid that I've grown rather fond of Takehiko, despite her grumpy temper, and therefore I cannot simply stand by and allow you to harm this child of mine."
"O-Oneesama? This– I– Why–?" Tomoe babbled, stumbling along.
Kuma felt her ears perk up at that as she rose back up to a standing position. "Hers?" Kuma thought privately. "Since when did I become her 'child'? I'm just the Rogue."
"If you would all please leave? We would be–" Shizuru was suddenly cut by a sudden roar from Kuma, the sound was so bestial and so much louder than she would have expected from the young preteen. Turning she just managed to see Nagi jump back and away from Kuma as the Rogue aimed a wild sword swipe at the Archduke's stomach while holding a hand to her back. Now faced with Kuma's back Shizuru was able to see the last major difference between Kuma's coat and Nagi's. Right there in the middle of Kuma's back, just between her shoulder blades, was a large blood red snowflake.
"DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME YOU LITTLE SHIT!!!" Kuma roared.
"A red snowflake." Nagi murmured seemingly unphased by Kuma's apparent rage. "So that's who you are, eh?" He suddenly grinned. "Takehiko of the Crimson Avalanche."
'What?' The same thought rang through everyone's mind. Just what the hell was Nagi talking about? But Kuma just glared at the minuscule Archduke.
"So you know who I am, big fucking whoopity doo daa day! That still don't give you no goddamn right to tou–"
"Oh, I don't just know who you are, I know exactly what you are, I know that you're capable of incredible things." Nagi smirked.
Kuma feel silent and glared at Nagi hatefully.
"You are known as the Crimson Avalanche because you singlehandedly destroyed a Slaughterhouse circuit. You slaughtered the Slaughterers, so to speak." Nagi chuckled.
All eyes focused on Kuma. KUMA! The ill-tempered, grumpy little preteen who was even smaller than Mikoto! Sure she growled more than she laughed or smiled but she was practically harmless! There was just no way–!
"I was under orders of the Syndicate," Kuma explained, she had never looked more serious. "The Slaughterhouses in our territory had taken an alarming number of children and Rogues captive over the years and it was high time someone taught them their place. Six feet under to be exact. Chichiue and the other Crime Lords thought it best to try and combine their resources, they each had very few Rogues since the majority of them had all been captured and thrown into the Slaughterhouses to entertain the wealthy." Her expression darkened. "I was chosen as to be a part of the unit since there were so few of use and no matter the age or size, a Rogue, is a Rogue, is a Rogue."
No one moved as they stared at Kuma feeling horror shiver down their spines as disgust clawed it's way up their throats. There was no way, just no way, that Kuma could have–
Nagi's eye's sparkled maliciously. "And when your people realized that the Contestants of the Slaughterhouse fights had all been driven well beyond the edge of insanity you were ordered to kill them all."
"WELL WHAT THE FUCK ELSE WERE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?!?!?" Kuma demanded looking around at all the shocked and horrified faces. "They couldn't even tell they were alive anymore! They didn't know who or what they were, never mind remember what they had been before their madness took them!"
"And so you murdered all those children." Nagi laughed.
"WHAT ELSE COULD I DO?! WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE CHOSEN BETWEEN SPENDING THE REST OF YOUR MISERABLE EXCUSE OF A LIFE TRAPPED SO DEEP WITHIN YOUR OWN MADNESS THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN HEAR YOURSELF SCREAMING, OR WOULD YOU RATHER SIMPLY DIE INSTEAD!?" Kuma shook with under the strength her own emotions. Then she shook her head hard stamped her foot once and squared her shoulders trying to stay strong. "What we did for them was a mercy."
"But that still doesn't change the fact that you killed them all. While the rest of your brethren each took on a different Slaughterhouse arena you yourself entered one with a small band of three other Rogues to take it down. While the others were being butchered by Slaughterhouse fighters you faced a pack of them on your own. In that moment where you faced your own demise for the first time you displayed an insurmountable power that far surpassed any Rogue before you,"
Kuma was shaking again. "Shut up."
But Nagi plowed on. "and with that power you killed everyone inside in one huge massacre."
"Shut up, damn you."
"And when others arrived to investigate they found you standing in the middle surrounded by hundreds of bodies so utterly soaked in the blood of your victims that no one could tell just who or what you were."
"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!" In a fit of pure rage Kuma suddenly did something that no one had ever expected, she threw Red at Nagi, barely missing him it instead buried itself into the wall beside his head.
Nagi cast the sword a casual glance completely unmoved by it. "And according to rumor," He delicately ran a finger along the back of the blade down to the hilt. "your sword was permanently died the same blood red as proof of your unforgivable sin. That's why you yourself are so utterly despised within the Free Nations. And that's why your family was murdered, the same way that you murdered all those poor innocent children."
"Just keep talking Archduke and maybe I'll be of a mind to visit Schwartz and show you just what a Crimson Avalanche looks like." Kuma snarled.
Nagi smiled. "Why don't you come with me to Schwartz now?"
Kuma frowned now. "What?"
"You aren't appreciated for you talents here, nor will you ever be! Look at them!" Nagi indicated them all with a sweep of his hand. "They're terrified of you now, maybe even hate you! Are you really so willing to stay here and bear it? And for what? Nothing! Come with me and I will make you glorious beyond your wildest dreams!"
"The only glory to be found with you is yours alone." Kuma growled.
"Be that as it may, but, tell me," Nagi pointed at Shizuru now. "has Shizuru-Chan even once tried to officially confirmed your contract with her?"
Kuma looked torn for a moment at that, then snarling. "Leave Aneki out of this! She's got nothing to do with you!"
Nagi went on. "Come with me and I'll unlock your true power."
"Don't you get it, you little shit?" Kuma growled. "I don't want anything to do with you!"
"Such a shame." Nagi shook his head sadly. "Well, no matter, you'll come around eventually."
"NEVER!"
"Bye, bye, Hiko-Chan." And with that Nagi swept out the door followed closely by Sergay and Tomoe.
**AN**
Ookini - Basically the Kyoto-ben equivalent of Arigato.
Kanin na - Kyoto-ben equivalent of Gomen nasai.
Fun fact: A bears sense of smell really IS seven times better than a bloodhound's according to the American Bear Association. Go figure.
Podstakannik - See above story explanation. :p And if you're still confused just Google it.
Samovar - An urn with a spigot at its base used especially in Russia to boil water for tea. Description courtesy of Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary. The word samovar literally means "self boiler". Google is my savior. XD Although Bing is pretty cool too.
You know, I'm pretty damn sure that there isn't a Russian tea set in the word that looks quite like Shizuru's. XD
I'm pretty damn sure Nagi says "Ara" just like Shizuru, though he's not nearly as famous for it. He says it a few times in My-Otome at least, I think.
By the way, I said Kuma was going to be twelve before which makes her eleven now but I'm officially changing it so that's she's twelve for now and will be thirteen come winter. So now if you read back you'll that in chapter 9. I'm also changing Elliot and Rena's ages as well so that now Elliot will be thirty-three and Rena will be thirty-four. If you go back through chapter one you'll see the changes.
And there you have it, the latest chapter. Please review if you liked it? It encourages me to keep going.
Oh! Quick question. Has Kuma ever come off as a bit Mary Sueish? I'd like to avoid having her go into the Mary Sue side of the Force so if she ever does seem to be leaning that way characterwise, just warn me and I'll try to fix that. I know Mary Sues really aren't that welcome and they can be majorly annoying too.