DISCLAIMER: MaiOtome is Sunrise's property and I still love the fun of playing with them.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: As this story nears completion, I look back, and realize a year has gone by. Some questions may remain unanswered here, finding a home in another story. As always read, enjoy, and review.
Mai Otome: Our Legacy
Chie Hallard ran through the Grand Theater like a woman on a mission, she really owed Tomoe, and wanted to nail her badly. As for being kicked out by Kaede and Shiori, she resigned herself to the fact that they felt secure and didn't need her. After searching through most of the lower levels, Chie headed back up and ran into directly into Natsuki. Both women hit the floor cursing and recovered as quickly as possible.
"Where are our daughters, Hallard?" Haruka asked in near rage.
"They sealed themselves in on the stage and barred access from this side," Chie replied feeling the overwhelming urge to lash out at Haruka, rank be damned.
Haruka barely listened to what Chie said and sent her mace through a wall into an adjourning room. From there, Haruka proceeded to make her way around to the Main Lobby. The side access had been great cover, but was a serious time delay.
"Armitage, control that attack, Meister Wang is still in here somewhere. Queen Mashiro would have a field day if anything happened to her Otome," Natsuki grumbled as they rushed from room to room behind Haruka and Chie.
"So she didn't get to the limo to help set up the retreat?" Chie questioned, though it was more to herself than out loud.
"It would seem we are not the only ones looking to stop Tomoe's madness," Shizuru said moving along rather cautiously in her heels.
"First come, first kill," Natsuki growled her anger flaring over the issues at hand as well as past.
Grand Theater, Main Lobby, Second Floor,
Nina was trapped in a corner and running low on ammo. Even without her robe, Nina needed to fight to help these people, as well as her peers. Nina would spend the rest of her life trying to make up for her past transgressions. Not because she was ordered to, but because she knew she had to.
Cursing madly, Nina timed the shots coming from the men that trapped her, before she would return fire. It was growing extremely cold, rather like a winter in Artai, and Nina needed to move as she noticed ice forming on the walls. The next closest spot for cover was quite a distance away and Nina was unsure of getting to it safely.
"Great, well it's now or never," Nina thought to herself as there was a loud explosion below.
Noticing the distraction created by the explosion, Nina stepped around the corner and fired a three round burst into the only soldier still facing her. As the man dropped, Nina advanced to the next spot, which brought her directly behind two more of the men. Nina had just enough ammo to drop them both, but not to kill them both.
As Nina discarded the empty gun, she dropped to the floor and dodged across the hall to a nearby pillar. Nina was too far from the dead man to retrieve his weapon. The man firing on her was now sitting up, picking his shots, as he tried to get the angle to shot her directly.
Nina could hear the commotion and the yelling from below, but had to remain focused on her current situation. Nina felt a brisk chill as the ice advanced along the wall and the floor towards her; suddenly she realized she would have no choice but to move soon.
"You murdering bitch, you're mine now," Nina's attacker said as he found his angle by leaning against the wall.
Just as the man was about to fire his weapon, a loud scream pierced the air and electricity arced out from the frozen wall and floor. Without hesitation, Nina jumped over the railing as bullets hailed the area she had been standing in, and the man was hit by the advancing ice and electricity.
Both the man and his weapon became instant icicles and were shattered not long after. All Nina saw was the advancing lobby floor and a green blur that nearly knocked the wind out of her.
"Baka," was all Haruka said as she returned Nina to the Lobby floor safely with the rest of the remaining group.
"Thank you, Haruka onee-sama," Nina replied biting off the retort that flittered across her mind, opting to show respect as she was trained.
"What were you thinking, Wang?" Natsuki growled as she noticed the advancing ice and electricity heading towards them as well, "Damn it."
Suddenly the Lobby was engulfed in bright light and the laughter of a child filled the room.
'KA'
None of the women could believe their eyes as the small child emerged from the light and turned towards them smiling. While everyone was at a loss for words, the small child approached showing no sign of malice or fear, until the sound of gunfire from across the Lobby rang out.
Before Haruka could move or Chie could get off a round, the little blue-haired child turned and yelled loudly and incoherently. Everyone in the room, including the man who fired the shots, was frozen in awe as a large trident whip materialized in front of the child. As the talons of the whip shot out towards the man, he screamed in panic. Not another shot was fired as the talons knocked him back, one impaling him to the wall, as the other two embedded themselves alongside him, killing the man instantly.
"That's just improbable," Haruka muttered dropping her mace directly on her foot, barely noticing the pain due to the shock of the moment.
" Impossible, you dolt, and I think the dead man would disagree," Natsuki said as she took two cautious steps forward feeling Shizuru's hand on her forearm, "Don't worry, I doubt she's going to hurt us."
"And what makes Natsuki believe this?" Shizuru asked as the little girl turned back to them and smiled.
'JI' the little girl said loudly as she advanced as fast as her little legs would carry her straight towards Haruka.
Haruka's voice failed in her throat as the little arms lovingly wrapped around her leg.
"Okay maybe I'm reading too much into this but…" Chie said as her words were cut off by another piercing scream from inside the Main Theater.
XoXoXo
In the Future, Crystal Shrine,
"I knew I'd find you here," a voice said comfortably from behind Shizuru, "So you sent her back."
"I did no such thing, Haruka," Shizuru replied as she turned and smiled.
"She did it herself, but you brought her here," Haruka said looking beyond Shizuru to ring in the center of the Shrine. The ribbons tied along its railing just resettling.
"Be that as it may, shall we find ourselves a seat?" Shizuru asked as she waved her hand towards one of the small benches inside the Shrine.
"Do you think it will take long?" Haruka asked as they both sat for the time being and watched the ring.
"Even after all these years, Haruka, patience still eludes you," Shizuru replied and sighed.
"How does my impatience have anything to do with that question?" Haruka asked even as they both smiled and settled back in laughter.
XoXoXo
Grand Theater, Stage,
Kaede was now on the stage floor with her head resting comfortably in Shiori's lap. Both were exhausted from their powers, still spreading from them dangerously out of control. Kaede's skin was becoming pale and blue tinted her lips as her body finally started to give in to the disease and the power.
Shiori was not faring much better, because of the power drain exhausting her body. As she knew would eventually happen, Shiori prepared herself to share Kaede's fate as well. Each time her power surged, Shiori cried out, but it was as Kaede started to slip away that her screams pierced the Theater itself.
The entire auditorium was covered in ice and they were the only living beings inside the room. Most of the bodies present were frozen solid, some though were nothing more than little chunks of ice, having been shattered by arcs of electricity from Shiori. Most of the Theater's beauty was lost in the ice, soon enough the entire structure itself would be as well.
Summoning her strength, Kaede reached up to stroke Shiori's cheek, but found her hand instead. Tears welled in Shiori's eyes as she watched the only person she ever loved slowly give in to her Fate.
"Please, Kae, don't leave me here," Shiori begged as Kaede's labored breathing hitched in her chest and her eyes closed.
Shiori's scream was so heartbroken and primal that it seemed to echo around her. Her power shot out unrestrained, shattering walls, seats, a door, the main curtain, and many of the frozen bodies in the room.
Shiori felt suddenly as if the world were closing in on her. There was such searing pain in her chest and all of her senses suddenly betrayed her. All Shiori noticed was a green hue, surrounding both her and Kaede, as it seemed their bodies were disappearing there on the stage.
'Ka'
Suddenly, standing before her was a beautiful child, long curly blue hair and violet eyes, smiling at them as she reached to touch Shiori's face. The denied possibility before her gave Shiori comfort as the entire room was engulfed in bright light and they were gone.
"No…" Haruka gasped as she hit her knees in disbelief.
"What the Hell just happened?" Chie asked though it was clear they were gone.
"Not even a good-bye," Natsuki whispered as her body felt suddenly heavy and she turned to embrace Shizuru, whose mask had already fallen as Haruka hit her knees.
XoXoXo
Otome Guardian Force HQ, Founder Core,
The small medical bay in the Founder Core seemed overwhelmed by bodies as Irina was abruptly called to check on Kaede's and Shiori's plummeting vitals. Megumi had already removed her earring and was now handing her limitation band to Mitsuko as well, tears falling in silent understanding.
"I have to at least try, Tsu-koi," Megumi said as she placed a kiss on Mitsuko Hallard's cheek and walked across the room to Kaede and Shiori.
As valiant as the deed and the thought behind it were, it was also unnecessary as both Kaede and Shiori seemed to recover and slowly awaken.
"Viola…" Shiori said weakly to Natsuki, realizing the tears in her mother's eyes.
"She's with your mother, relax," Natsuki said soothingly as she wiped her tears as they refused to subside
Kaede tried to sit up, but Ayame held her down as both she and Yukino realized Kaede's intention, "Stop being so stubborn, you only just woke up. Besides I've got back up if you try to fight me."
"Please even with the Spaz, you couldn't stop me if I wanted to get up," Kaede said as Kanna Yumemiya stood in materialized form next to Ayame, looking like the cat that ate the canary, "Oh please, go glow somewhere else."
Kaede and Shiori glanced at each other and smiled as they reached for each other, though their hands couldn't span the distance.
"Okay everyone, except for the patients, needs to clear this claustrophobic, saccharine environment," Irina ordered as she pointed for the doorway out of the core. The Columns easily agreed, but both Natsuki and Yukino cut her hard glares, "The two of you may wait outside this room."
Neither Natsuki nor Yukino moved and all Irina could do was just shake her head and mutter under her breath. Though she needed to just check vitals, Irina had a few questions that she preferred to ask without interference.
"Fine, just don't interrupt me," Irina said as she checked Kaede first and then Shiori. As she pulled up a chair between their beds and started with the questions, Yukino and Natsuki listened intently, neither parent letting go of their daughter's hand.
Crystal Shrine,
Just as Haruka and Shizuru stopped laughing, the room light up and there Little Viola was smiling intently. As soon as the light dissipated, the little girl ran for her grandmothers.
'Ji' Viola said as she clasped Haruka's leg before Haruka bent to pick her up.
"Glad to see you again, too," Haruka said as Viola tried to reach her arms around both of her grandmothers.
"So you had to come back alone?" Shizuru asked as tears welled up, thinking of the daughters they never got a chance to let go of.
"Are they gone completely?" Haruka asked, remembering the shock and the pain she felt that night in the theater.
All Viola could do was giggle and shake her little head.
XoXoXo
Chisa thumbed the steering wheel of the limo as she watched everyone enter the hotel. It had been slow going, trying to get here, as the frightened patrons swarmed the streets outside the Grand Theater in near panic. Even as the local authorities tried to approach the area, their cars stopped by numerous people, not allowing the officers to get out of their vehicles as they pounded on the windows begging for help.
Tomoe was too quiet and Chisa understood exactly what was roaming through her devious partner's mind. Suddenly two Otome streaked past them as blurs of light heading back towards the Grand Theater. Before Chisa could say anything or try to stop her, Tomoe exited the limo and bolted into the hotel.
Chisa caught up with Tomoe just as she approached the concierge. They were both still in costume and the smile that light that man's face revealed has willingness to help, as loyal patron of the theater.
"Of course, of course…some of our guests just returned. Amazing women, the Otome," the concierge said as he booked them a complimentary room and authorized a key card for them.
Both women plastered their brightest false smiles on their faces as they gratefully accepted the key and headed towards the elevator.
"Amazingly dead women…" Tomoe said as she wrapped her arm with Chisa's, still smiling, just as the elevator doors closed.
