Voice of the Present
Serpents in Eden
Chocolat
Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 6pm
Suzumi Tamao stood silently as she watched the two horses, first black due to the color, and then finally white fade off together into the growing darkness. Despite outward appearances as demonstrated by her efforts to safely send Hikari and Nagisa off with their loves, respect and admiration silently vied with resentment and jealousy in her heart and mind. She could sense her emotions quietly resonating with the black-haired one beside her, and then oddly from behind. A hand touched her left shoulder. Tamao turned her head to see amber-blonde curls and the sad smile she remembered from Sunday night. Momomi's left hand was setting lightly on Tamao, her right on Yaya.
"Let's go you two. There's three of us, four if you count Tsubomi-chan. If that's good enough for Le Rim, it's good enough for us. It's time we have the first meeting of the Impossible Odds Club. Cold water on your face, then hot tea in your tummies followed by chocolate is in order."
"Sounds marvelous," Tamao responded with a sigh.
Yaya looked more than a little reticent. "Tamao-san, this is Momomi. As in Momomi." Volumes hung in those words.
"It's okay, Yaya-chan. Remember what she's been through this week, too." Tamao turned her head to look at the girl and saw she needed to be more blunt. "Tennis?"
Yaya's eyes got wide as comprehension finally dawned. The black haired girl then looked at Momomi and said, "Sorry."
"Oh, it's alright, Yaya-san. If I was you, I'd likely be even less forgiving. Then again, now you of all people should understand what love can drive a woman to do." Momomi's smile was warm. "Now, it's getting cold and dark, and my offer still stands. Come join me in my room?"
Tamao and Yaya nodded. Tsubomi looked uncertain.
"I don't want to intrude," the kohai said, although her look of concern at Yaya made it clear she very much wanted to come.
"No intrusion, Tsubomi-san. Whether Prince, Queen, or Angel, I think we all here have a common bond of fighting impossible odds?"
Tsubomi expression turned startled and she looked up at Momomi briefly before looking again at Yaya, relieved to see the reference by Momomi was completely lost to her senpai, likely due to the girl's intense current self-absorption.
The four girls made their way to Strawberry Dorms and the Spica wing.
***PGBR***
"Momomi-san, this isn't just chocolate, this is…" Tamao's voice trailed off, words failing her.
"Sensuous? Decadent?" the Spican senpai supplied the options with a grin.
"Something like that," Yaya added, a dreamy look on her face.
"I could seriously get used to this. Where have you been all my life?" Tamao added, face similar to Yaya's. Even Tsubomi seemed to be experiencing at the very least a PG-13 gustatory moment.
When Momomi meant chocolate, she meant chocolate. Even Tamao's extensive descriptive lexicon covering several languages failed her as she sampled hand-made creations that transcended the mortal plane.
"I didn't realize you were a chocolatier, Momomi-san," Tamao began again after her latest moment of bliss faded into contentment.
"Oh, I'm not, Tamao-chan. I have a sister, however, who is. She's a former Le Rim student, as in very creative, and is studying to be a Chef de cuisine in Europe currently. She's taken a particular interest in chocolate, and carefully ships me what she insists are her 'failures'. I'm not sure if I buy that, but needless to say this is a sister I intend to keep very much on my good side." The blonde Spican then began to partake in another piece of heaven and Tamao chose to leave the girl to her symphony of senses.
The tea Momomi served was nearly on par with her chocolate. Tamao had to suspect the same sister was behind that as well. Between the tea and chocolate, the mood in Momomi's room was surprisingly jovial given the events of an hour before. Tamao had some experience with hosting, having helped her mother and the staff prepare for some events, and she could detect the subtle smell of herbs and incense she knew to be used to relax a setting. Despite Momomi's demure denial that she was doing nothing but serving up her sisters' creations, it was clear to Tamao that Momomi at some point had received training in the entertainment arts. Where, to what extent, and with what focus Tamao wasn't certain. Still, Tamao saw no reason to believe Momomi's intentions were anything other than what she portrayed up front- a desire to bring the four "impossible odds" commiseraters together for an evening of esprit de corp. Tamao was sick of maintaining her guard, and chose to let Momomi's skills entrance her as well.
Being around Shizuma is making me paranoid around everyone, Tamao thought. Damn her to the Nine Hells. She's not going to ruin this moment for me!
Tamao's reverie was broken by Momomi standing before her with an offer of more tea. Tamao smiled and lifted up her tea cup to accept more of the amazing liquid.
"You had slipped away from us a while, there, Tamao-san. Is everything okay?" Momomi asked as she poured the tea.
"More than okay, Momomi-san. You're an amazing hostess."
"Why thank you, Tamao-san. It's been a long while since I have hosted anything like this. I've been so intensely focused on one person for so long, I had forgotten the joys of sharing an evening with a group."
"How is Kaname-san? I'm surprised she isn't here." Yaya chose that moment to say.
Tsubomi had been taking a sip of her tea and, just barely, managed to keep from spraying it. Clearly, even the youngest Spican was shocked at Yaya's lack of appropriate timing. Tamao had been looking into Momomi's face at that moment and saw the wince…preambled by an expression she couldn't quite place but strangely made her think briefly of her next youngest sister. Tamao dismissed that errant thought and tried to express sympathy in her smile back in that moment.
"Kaname is well, and I suppose you are actually right that she belongs here. I wouldn't be the only one fighting impossible odds for the affections of someone here present with us, ne Tsubomi-san?"
Tsubomi looked down into her tea cup and remained quiet. Yaya looked quizzical, clearly not getting what Momomi was intimating.
You really are thick as a brick, aren't you Yaya? Tamao couldn't help but think. The thought came to her as she was still sharing a gaze with Momomi, and some sense of her thoughts must have been clear to the older girl as Momomi's smile strengthened and she winked back at Tamao before moving on to refill Tsubomi's tea cup.
"Anyway, in answer to your intended question, Yaya-san," Momomi continued with a heavy sigh, "Kaname is still dealing with her feelings for the Prince. We have confessed our continuing love for each other, but we both also know I can't help her right now. I'll be waiting for her when she's finally sorted things out. In the meantime, I thought I could make myself useful, and help deal with my own pain, by reaching out to others, most particularly those I previously wronged in my misguided efforts to find fulfillment with someone who was deluding herself, and me, about her own feelings. Nagisa and Hikari, whom I wronged most, have found their own peace and now exist beyond me. But I share a common bond with you all, that of being an 'also ran', second best. I hoped that trouble shared would be trouble halved."
Momomi finished this as she sat back down in her chair, looking down thoughtfully at her own tea cup. Tamao watched as a tear fell from Momomi's chin into her cup, something not lost on Tsubomi either as both girls got up to console Momomi at the same time.
I never took you as someone so attuned to others' feelings, Tsubomi, Tamao thought. I've never seen someone grow into a role so spectacularly, young serviteur de l'étoile. Then again, as Momomi pointed out, in many ways her situation and Tsubomi's are the closest.
Tamao and Tsubomi hugged Momomi from opposite sides. "It's going to be okay, Momomi-san," Tamao reassured her. "As you point out, Kaname-san just needs to get her head straight again and things will work out."
"At least the one you want actually has a clue," Tsubomi said quietly, audible only to the three girls engaged in the hug.
Momomi looked up at that last, and placed a hand on Tsubomi's arm. "The price was pretty high to find that clue. I pray you have better luck than I did," she responded in a whisper.
The huddled girls realized the forth girl present had come up, unsure exactly what was happening, but recognizing she was missing something and not wanting to be left out or seem disinterested. As one, Momomi, Tamao, and Tsubomi broke the hug and composed themselves.
"Everything's fine, Yaya-san," Momomi assured her clueless kohai.
Yaya looked from one girl to the next, finally settling on Tsubomi. "You okay, kōhai?"
Tsubomi looked up into Yaya's eyes, sighed, and said, "I'm fine, Yaya-senpai. It's just been hard to see you and Tamao-san, and now Momomi-san, hurting." That's an honest statement, Tsubomi thought. Not the whole truth, but enough for Yaya to continue as clueless.
Yaya surprised Tsubomi by sighing herself. "I'm sorry for worrying you. I know Tamao and apparently Momomi have been worrying too." She smiled weakly at the other girls. "I'll be fine. Hikari-chan and I know each others' feelings, and I've promised to be a good friend because I want her to be happy. It's just going to take me a little time to learn the part, since I would have preferred to be so much more."
Tsubomi chose, for once, to be slightly bold. "If there's anything I can do to help, let me know. I want very much for you to be happy."
Yaya looked curiously at the younger girl for a few seconds. "Thank you, Tsubomi-chan. As annoying as you can be sometimes when you're in nag mode, I really appreciate that. I know you at least used to have a crush on Hikari-chan. There was a time when I thought you might be a rival. Little did either of us know what would come galloping out of nowhere." Yaya winced at her own metaphor. "It must be hard working so closely with her and Amane-san with those feelings."
"So you think it was only Hikari-senpai that I liked?" Mounting frustration further emboldened Tsubomi.
"Wasn't it?" Yaya's expression was confused.
Tsubomi looked into Yaya's eyes for a few moments before determining Yaya still wasn't ready to get it. "Yaya no baka…" Tsubomi exclaimed more in vexation than anger, then turned and left the room, shaking her head.
"My, that went well," Momomi observed from the table where she and Tamao had returned to enjoy more tea as they quietly watched the spectacle unfold between the two girls.
"Young love is so much cuter on the outside looking in, isn't it, Momomi-san," Tamao posited before taking another sensual sip.
"Absolutely," Momomi replied.
"What is up with all of you, and especially her?" Yaya's own exasperation was apparent as she pointed a finger at the door. "Tsubomi-chan's always liked Hikari-chan, which is one of the things I found so annoying about her. And now she's acting like she likes me! I'm trying not to encourage her because I'm sure it's some kind of rebound thing, but you two aren't helping!"
Momomi and Tamao's eyes both got wide, and when they looked at each other they couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"What?" Yaya insisted.
"You think she's rebounding?" Tamao managed to get out.
"This is priceless." Momomi herself managed.
"Yaya, you idiot. Tsubomi-chan is all worried about YOU rebounding on HER! Especially after all the teasing, not to mention groping, you've been doing with her. Like that incident during the Étoile Coronation celebration when you both fell out of the stands much to the annoyance of your director." Tamao tried to explain.
"But I was just trying to cheer her up!" Yaya defended.
Tamao looked up in a 'give me strength' expression, then looked back at Yaya. "Yaya-chan, Tsubomi-chan is tsundere. I'm not sure you know what that means, but the harder she is on you, the more she likes you. Who, pray tell, is she hardest on in this world?"
"I know what a tsundere is," Yaya replied gruffly. Then the two observing girls could see the cogs start spinning, and realization eventually dawn. "You mean she's always liked me?"
"Duh!" came the reply in unison.
A dozen emotions passed over the black-haired Spican's face before settling on determination. "Um, excuse me but I think I have some apologizing to do."
"Indeed you do. Now go, but realize you owe us a play by play later. ALL the details, mind you!" Momomi demanded.
Yaya glared at her senpai. "You're the only one in this school more hentai than I am."
"Damn straight," the honey blonde readily admitted. "Now scram."
And Yaya proceeded to do just that.
"And then there were two. It appears our club lasted all of about two hours." Tamao observed as she drained the last of her tea.
"I suppose there is such a thing as too successful," Momomi agreed as she, too, finished off her tea.
"Are you sure things'll be fine between you and Kaname-san. The truth this time."
Momomi smiled. "She's got it bad, certainly. But eventually she'll come back to me. It was Shion-san herself that once noted we deserve each other." Momomi's smile widened to a grin.
"You make that sound X-rated."
"Indeed."
Tamao sighed. "So that leaves me."
"Indeed," Momomi repeated. "What's your plan."
"Watch and wait."
"That's all?" Momomi appeared disappointed.
"For now, yes. Love for some is about possession, and there's nothing wrong with that. For others it's about letting go." Tamao shrugged. "I just want Nagisa to be happy."
"Tamao-san, nice girls finish last."
"Perhaps they do, but at least they finish…and usually in one piece. Where I come from, there's something to be said for that."
Momomi looked thoughtful. "And just where would that be, Tamao-san?"
Tamao realized at that moment that she had said too much. "It's just a figure of speech, Momomi-san. I just meant to say that I've known people who fight so hard to get what they want, they never have fun along the way and end up miserable despite having achieved their intended goal. My philosophy has always been about enjoying the journey and not worrying about the finish line. I'll get there eventually, one way or the other."
"Nice words. Something tells me they will be tested a lot for as long as Nagisa-san is with us."
"Perhaps. Anyway, I really must be getting back to my room before room curfew. I'm not in the mood to be sneaking around trying avoid the Sisters tonight. I also may be nursing Nagisa through riding soreness. I'm pretty sure she's never ridden a horse before, and I know for a fact she didn't stretch before Shizuma-sama snatched her."
Momomi winced, indicating she knew exactly what Tamao was referring to. "You get along then. Thank you again for joining me this evening. It was truly lovely. I hope we can do this again sometime."
"As long as you bring more of your sister's 'failures', you can have me over anytime." Tamao grinned at the thought, and also in response to Momomi's smile. She then went over to hug the older girl, much as the Momomi had hugged her on Sunday night. Tamao then turned and made her way back to see if Nagisa had returned yet.
She hadn't.
In fact, it was after 10pm when Nagisa slipped quietly back in the room. Tamao had long since turned out the lights and placed herself in her bed, but never fell asleep. She pretended sleep for Nagisa's sake, knowing to do otherwise would just embarrass them both. She listened as Nagisa changed into night clothes, slid into bed, and was quiet a few moments.
"I don't know if you're really awake or asleep, Tamao-chan," Nagisa whispered such that Tamao could barely hear even in the silent room. "But if you are listening, just know that Shizuma-sama was again the perfect lady. Nothing happened."
Tamao then heard Nagisa turn over and, assumedly, go to sleep. Tamao found that she could do so now as well.
***Author's Note***
No OOC sharks have been jumped in the making of this chapter. If anything about the chapter doesn't quite feel right, think on the arc title. It was *very* carefully chosen.