Hello! Please, enjoy what you read at your own will, within reason and respect. Thank you for reading.
Disclaimer: I do not claim nor own anything. All rights are reserved to their respective owners and no copyright infringement intended. This fiction is for pure entertainment only and not for commercial purposes.
The situation at the amphitheatre was dealt with quickly, although not as quietly as intended. The media came flourishing in when the authorities had closed off the building for inspection. The bombs have been disarmed by the bomb squad and had quickly left the scene before the media caught them. The only news the media got was the armed woman and her guards arrested for illegal weapons and harming citizens. No casualties, but it was still a crime as the armed woman fired openly in public.
As for the kidnapped victims, they were safely released and out of public's eyes, except for the blonde-haired girl Alyssa. Alyssa was singing on the stage when the attacked happen, so the media would no doubt press on the authorities about her condition. Natsuki apologised to Alyssa that the authorities would have to escort Alyssa through the public. It was not to arouse public suspicions. Alyssa agreed once she had taken notice of the kidnapped victims' condition. They would meet elsewhere privately.
For that reason, the kidnapped victims were a sky blue-haired woman, Miyu, and a lavender-haired girl, Mashiro Blan De Windbloom. Miyu was Alyssa's manager and producer, whereas Alyssa was a singer. Underneath that occupation, they were both important people the governess wanted to meet early. That did not go as planned when the blue-haired girl, Nina, could not warn them.
Erstin's diligent effort in finding witnesses had led her to an early riser, whom witnessed three vans stopping beside a pile of garbage near a district not far from the government's prefectural building. The witness had seen a person coming out from one of the van to dump a sack, and then leaving with haste. Erstin checked on that sack, since the witness thought they must have been in a hurry to consider anything suspicious for dumping garbage.
To Erstin's surprise, she found Nina gagged and bound in wires that could easily cut flesh if any hasty moves were made. Miraculously, the sack had tiny holes and gaps to allow Nina to breathe, but the experience had shaken her a little. Nina was knocked out when she had found a leak about the governess meeting two important people. The kidnappers invaded Nina's home, triggered like a beacon when she had turned on the computer.
Based on Nina's physical condition, the kidnappers tortured her without restrain, bandaged from head to toe. Nina was very resilient, and refused to surrender any information for the kidnappers to gain access inside the government's prefectural building. Unfortunately, Nina was not so lucky when the kidnappers had enough of her wasting their time. Moreover, Nina had been waiting for backup from the secret intelligence, one that had never arrived to help.
The lack of intelligence about Mai's attackers, Nina's disappearance, the leaked meeting, and Mashiro's kidnap was very concerning. Natsuki and Shizuru highly suspected that the Aristocrat's location might not be true too. They decided to investigate their secret intelligence, after Mashiro has her meeting with Alyssa and Miyu. Mai and Mikoto were helpless to assist them for the moment, so they were given an excuse to leave. That included Erstin and Nina, who were now sitting on the bench far away from the commotion at the amphitheatre.
"I'm fine, really." Nina assured to Erstin, who was looking for any of her bandages or injuries that required attention.
Erstin glared at Nina furiously, forcing Nina to be silent under her gaze. Erstin wanted to lash out that Nina was not fine, but she reeled in those emotions, as Nina has had enough to carry on both in mind and body. Nina noticed those conflicted green-eyes filled with worry for her. Nina knew that look and tried to calm down Erstin, only to find herself suddenly embraced. Nina blinked her eyes in surprise, until she noticed Erstin trembling and a hand clutching on her sleeve.
Nina's mouth stuttered to say anything, words failing to come out. Nina was happy that she was cared, and at the same time, she was sad that she was the cause of Erstin's worry. Nina did not know what to do in the embrace, until she felt something wet dripped on her shoulder. Nina panicked and wrapped her arms around Erstin, rubbing her hand soothingly on Erstin's back. Nina whispered assuring words to Erstin's ear that she was fine and alive, glad and thankful that Erstin had found her.
"You could have died… you could have died…" Erstin murmured on Nina's shoulder, tightly winding her arms around Nina.
Nina winced and suppressed the urge to reveal her pain, yet Erstin realised it and loosened a bit. Nina whispered her apologies and comforted Erstin, wrapping her arms around Erstin tightly. Mai and Mikoto had left them alone to allow them their privacy and affection. It felt a little invasive when Mai and Mikoto watched them, so they decided to take a stroll.
"They're really close." Mikoto said, as they aimlessly strolled along the pathway.
Mai grinned and nodded, "So close, yet they dance around each other." She said and sighed, familiar of the couple's relationship.
Mikoto snickered, "It must've been tough watching them." She smirked amusedly.
"Oh goodness yes! I would just…. Ergh!" Mai amusedly huffed as she threw her hands up.
Mikoto chuckled and changed the subject, "Where do you want to go?"
"What about you? I'll be fine wherever you want to go." Mai stopped and looked at Mikoto with a pensive look.
"Mikoto knows what she wants to do now thanks to Mai, but as to where and how, it remains unknown." Mikoto's golden-eyes firmly looked at Mai, honesty in her soul.
Mai smiled softly, "Okay… would you like to go to a studio with me? I want to validate my resignation on my career." She sheepishly grinned when Mikoto stared at her wide-eyed.
"Tell me what it's like being an actress. Did you enjoy it?" Mikoto toothily grinned and asked.
Mai blinked her eyes, shocked that Mikoto did not tell her to keep her career. Instead, Mikoto's curious golden-eyes were pleasantly looking at her without disbelief or shock. Mai assumed that she would have to keep up with people's expectations of her, but she found it so much comforting and relaxing that Mikoto does not stress her about keeping her career. Mai's lips slowly curved into a broad, warm smile and began talking about her adventures, risks, stunts, and friends in the studio.
Mai's time in the studio was a struggle for her, as the other actors and actresses were competitive. Mai had found them so animated when they played their role, and their performance dazzled her. Mai admitted that she had a few years of acting compared to those who had five years or more. A little timid and out of her element, Mai feared that she would get in their way during the sets.
However, Mai realised that the more stiff and nervous she was in acting, the more obvious and infectious it was to the others on the set. Mai had no teachers or instructors, even if the president scouted her; she had to teach herself. The experience was both self-humiliating and embarrassing, as Mai taught herself through different personas ranging from cute, temperamental, smug, prideful, chivalrous, and so on.
Mikoto herself was enjoying Mai's animated gestures with her hands and poses as they talked. It seemed that Mai actually loved and enjoyed her career, despite of the struggles and frustrations of being incompetent to either of the actors or directors. Mikoto chuckled when Mai confessed that it was because of a crush Mai had on a hot actress. It was a crush that Mikoto found endearing when Mai described everything about the actress.
However, Mai's crush for that actress broke apart when she found out about the actress's lover. Mai blushed and pouted when the actress purposely dragged her around to improve her acting. Then, the actress gave Mai an opportunity to become a heroine based on recommendation. That startled Mai comically, and the actress answered that Mai has a developed body of a fighter, yet the heart of a loving, strong maiden.
Mai squeaked and fiddled her thumbs at that point of the story. The actress actually admired Mai's fierce determination and endurance to hardships. Mai was squealing and jumping for joy, which ultimately made her embarrassingly look idiotic in front of her ex-crush. The actress giggled and said that Mai was endearing to have fallen for, but her heart belonged to her lover. Mai expressed greatly and looked to Mikoto with sparkling eyes, as if she had seen something beautiful. Mai described how the actress and her lover expressed this 'beauty' by their touch, voice, contact, and rhythm.
How their touch seemed to meld and unify them, peaceful and full of affectionate caresses. Their voices tingling about each other's favourites as they talked, noticing the subtle hints of genuine, pure, blissful joy. The way they could easily 'feel' or 'know' each other's presence without raising so much noise or attention, just subtleties that only those two communicated. Finally, the sense of rhythm they had, how they figured one was tired, stressed or frustrated. They moved like the ocean's waves, coiling, consoling, reeling, confronting, and understanding their emotions and feelings. It was far too much to express or describe at how they fit each other beautifully, wonderfully, and perfectly.
Mikoto had a broad grin on her face as she watched Mai continue to talk about her favourite persons. Although the subject has changed, Mikoto was more than glad to see Mai happy and lively talking about them. In fact, Mikoto was interested in Mai's story about those two. They seemed enchanting to Mai's vision, until she realised she had been talking about her favourite persons instead of her job.
Mikoto shook her head with an amused smile, "It's okay. They're your favourite persons that make Mai very happy to admire." She said and giggled as Mai blushed furiously.
"Y-yeah… they're really beautiful to admire… I mean… yeah! Really, really beautiful! But, I don't stare at them too long!" Mai squeaked and bit her lips, impressively embarrassed that she could manage to confess her secret admiration.
Mikoto looked at Mai with a comforting gaze, "Mai, it's okay to admire something that is beautiful to see. Mikoto used to stare at children running to their parents."
Mai looked to Mikoto with blinking eyes, noticing the wistful voice escaping Mikoto's lips. Mikoto smirked and mentioned how she liked the way the children ran into their parents' arms. Though some of the children may not be as expressive, Mikoto could tell by the look in their eyes and body language that they do love their parents. Then Mikoto sighed and folded her arms as she recalled a rare sighting of children absolutely frightened or hateful of their parents.
Mikoto told Mai about her fondness of the bonds she had observed of families. Mikoto was told to do it because of her teacher, so that she may understand and value the sights she has seen. Mikoto was envious to be honest, watching those children in the arms of their parents, while she was with none but her teacher, who was as close as family, yet not. Despite of that, Mikoto did in fact felt a tingling sensation in her heart, yearning. Mikoto chuckled fondly; her yearning was not of desire or want, it was to give what families do.
"Love, acceptance, and friendship… but perhaps there is more…" Mikoto said a loud, her faint smile and gaze lingering at the sky that appeared wistful.
Mai warmly smiled at Mikoto, "I'd love to hear about it." She softly said to avoid breaking Mikoto's trance.
Mikoto looked at Mai with a quirked brow, "Mai doesn't find it weird?"
Mai mirthfully quirked a brow back at Mikoto, "Not as weird as having a crush and obsession at looking two of my favourite couples?"
Mikoto laughed aloud, placing a hand on her forehead as she shook her head. Mai whined and pouted with a stomp of her foot.
"What's so funny?" Mai wrinkled her nose with her lips pouting at Mikoto.
Mikoto toothily grinned at Mai, "I could have mistaken Mai for a fanatic or a stalker. If Mikoto had slept in Mai's room, I might have looked for Mai's secrets."
Mai blushed and gasped, "You wouldn't?!"
"Not if I had a dislocated shoulder, a tired face and accepted your invitation for the bed." Mikoto amusedly smirked and wiggled her eyebrows.
Mai gasped deeply as her blush took a furious red, "You…! You... are a sly and saucy girl." She huffed and crossed her arms with her lips in an amused frown.
Mikoto blew a raspberry, "Mikoto's in her twenties." She chimed cheerfully.
Mai stared at Mikoto wide-eyed, and before she could utter a word, a small pile of snow suddenly fell onto her head. Mikoto blinked her eyes at the comical look on Mai. Mai tightly pressed her lips shut with her brows furrowed in annoyance.
"We're sorry!" Someone shouted from above them, but neither of them turned to look.
Mikoto snickered, and the laughed aloud at how impossibly timed and comical this looked to her. Mai had snow on her shoulders, the jacket's pockets, her hair, and on her face, which was even more amusing with her eyes narrowing on her nose because of the snow. Mai's lips turned into a frown and stomped her feet as she looked at Mikoto laughing at her, which only served Mikoto to laugh even harder as the snow on her hair fell to her face, covering her eyes.
As the bellyaching laughter from Mikoto resounded, Mai growled and wiped away the snow. Mai found herself a little flustered and amused at Mikoto's amusement of her, but that does not mean Mikoto would escape unscathed from snow. So, Mai scooped up a ball of snow from the ground into her hands, and waited for Mikoto to stop laughing. It did not take long for Mikoto to pause and look at Mai, sniffing with a toothy grin on her face, which slowly turned into an expression of shock and then a sheepish fear.
Before Mikoto could utter a word to Mai, Mai grinned amusedly and raised her hand to throw the snowball at Mikoto. Suddenly, the snowball turned into a pile of snow, which was actually because of another pile that fell from above… again.
"We're so sorry!" Someone from above shouted again.
Mai blinked her eyes and looked at the fallen Mikoto, lying flat on the ground with snow covering the entire body, except for the arms and legs. Mai burst out laughing hard, holding her sides as Mikoto's legs and arm flailed to get out of the snow. Mikoto groaned with a twisted amused smile on her face, clearly not expecting another, yet bigger pile to fall onto her.
"Could a twenty years-old Mikoto, please get out of this snow." Mikoto dryly said and huffed, resigned to the snow trapping her as Mai kept on laughing.
Mai sniffed and went over to Mikoto with a broad smirk on her face, "Well then, twenty-two years-old Mai would like to know something about Mikoto."
Mikoto wryly smiled at Mai with a quirk of her brow, gazing at violet-eyes staring at her with a pleasant warmth. Mai raised her hand and swept the sprinkles of snow on Mikoto's face, earning a brief and gentle laugh from Mikoto.
"Would you date with a celibate woman?" Mai asked with a challenging smirk and gaze, as Mikoto mouth gaped open and stared at her with disbelief.
"Wow… I thought a gorgeous woman like Mai had a lot of relationships." Mikoto said, and Mai nodded in confirmation.
"I do, but not a lot of them like my conditions because it's hard and overbearing for them, and my unwillingness to take the next step." Mai easily replied, as Mai gauged Mikoto about her.
Mikoto smiled, "I can understand their 'needs' fulfilled, but I think finding mutual ease, trust and certainty with your partner is something a relationship needs to be understood." She said with an inquisitive look.
"So you think I must meet their demands in physical intimacy to understand each other?" Mai curiously added as she dug out the snow from Mikoto's body
Mikoto shook her head, "Mikoto doesn't believe it in that way. I think that building the sense of familiarity and connection to your partner helps your vulnerabilities feel less exploited, emotionally and physically otherwise." She sat upright as the upper-half of her torso was free of snow.
Mai hummed approvingly, "I'm impressed with you, Mikoto. Did you share a partner or companion?"
Mikoto chuckled, "No, I tended to myself. Mikoto's teacher made me feel awkward with the 'talk' before I reached my teens." She blushed a pink hue as she scratched the back of her head.
Mai giggled, "It is a healthy precaution in a case of awareness, be it of male or female gender really." She brushed off the last of the snow on Mikoto and stood up with an offered hand to Mikoto.
Mikoto took Mai's offered hand and rose up with an embarrassed sigh, "Mikoto was repulsed and upset about it, but soon realised that teacher cared about Mikoto to avoid pregnancy or shotgun-marriage."
Mai faintly smiled, "Even then, did you ever feel left out because of others claiming their experience and youths as part of normalcy?" She asked sombrely.
Mikoto tilted and blinked her eyes at Mai, "Never… Not at all really." She said and looked up at the sky.
Mai placed her hand on Mikoto's arm and squeezed comfortingly, "I'm sorry I've unsettled you."
Mikoto looked at Mai and smiled, "One's heart is like a banner in your hands…" She started and put her hands over Mai's hand on her arm.
"Raise it high or low, the banner will flutter, waver or tear in the protest of several elements." Mikoto's cryptic words seemed to quirk Mai's intrigue with a raised brow.
Mikoto chuckled, "It was teacher's words, and it can mean a lot of things. At that time, Mikoto figured that no matter who or what you are, there will be people who may and may not accept where you belong or stand." She squeezed Mai's hands, whether it was to comfort herself or Mai, she does not know.
Mai stepped closer to Mikoto and put her other hand over Mikoto's hand on hers, "You're teacher is wise, and it's not far from the truth." Her gentle violet-eyes gaze into serene, wistful golden-eyes.
They stood there, locked and staring into mesmerising eyes, as if catching a glimpse of their souls. The blush of their cheeks a pink due to the cold, yet the warmth from their hands made them forget the cold. Then, something small has formed inside them, expanding with each thrumming of their hearts. It urged them to do more than touching, embracing or glancing. However, as they tried to set their mentality straight, they were unable to deny the ebbing desire in them.
"MAAAIIII!" A fanatic shriek startled the life of out of the two from their trance.
They immediately turned to see a group fans with gleeful faces, running for them.
"Run!" Mai grabbed Mikoto's hand and ran as if her life depended on it.
"Wha-wait! They're just-" Mikoto failed to assure Mai when she heard unbelievable requests from the fans.
"Please crush us between your thighs!" "Crush us into your armpits!" "Squeeze my ribs Mai!"
Mikoto was utterly flabbergasted, and Mai sheepishly chuckled and continued to run with Mikoto dragged along. Oh the love and limits you could do for your fans, Mai thought with a grimace.
