Chapter 21: Shattered Memory
There was a mind numbing agony ripping through her torso. What… was it? She didn't understand, nor was she aware that she had been rushed into the infirmary. It was a surreal experience; one that morphed her reality into a confusing mess. The pain coursing through her mercilessly intensified this spell. Is she dying? Natsuki was unsure, the void enclosing around her consciousness.
"-rest of them—...—gotten far. 'ick, after them!"
"What should we do—...—Ar-?"
"'rest her and get—...—she causes any more dam-"
Shizuru didn't know nor could she care less who the fragmented voices belonged to. Crumpled onto her knees, she uselessly stared at her lover's bloodstain. The blood had splattered in front and behind Natsuki at the time; somehow the stuff had even smeared across nearby machinery. Worse is Shizuru had not done a thing to avenge her. Natsuki was hurt—quite possibly dead—and all she did was stare stupidly where she had laid. What could she do? What would she do? Remain prone pathetically on the smeared laboratory platform? Collect the fired bullets and transplant them into the "Duke" surgically? Force her GEM to materialise and destroy Garderobe?
Many scenarios were spun by the downed Archmeister. Some mild, others psychopathic.
In the end she was isolated inside a crowded room.
Eight Years Ago
"My sponsor's visiting Windbloom this week, so I can finally meet her." Haruka said, releasing a sharp groan as she stretched. It was their initiation as Pearls and the future Brigadier General was frustrated beyond belief. For some damnable reason this tea drinker roommate of hers always, always beat her at everything. Everything! Was this some sort of joke? A scam? A system she hadn't been told about? It drove Haruka to insanity better than anything else.
"Oh, that is nice." Shizuru led them down the dormitory corridor, determined to reach the courtyard before the crowd overwhelmed them. She had reached the top of the class and stalemated her ex Pearl mentor in a duel. Ever since then, her reputation had spiralled out of control. She… wasn't quite sure what to think about it. Certainly, it had offered her many advantages in such a stressful environment, but even still? At times she felt as though she was cheating, even if her fellow classmates were entirely willing.
No. She used them, that was obvious.
"Viola! Are you listening?!"
Second-glancing the blonde, Shizuru stared at Haruka before regaining herself. "I was away with the fairies, I am afraid." She smiled innocently.
"Yo-ugh." Striding from out of the dormitory, Haruka headed for the courtyard.
Left to her own devices, Shizuru remained idle by the doors. She supposed she had better go and apologise to Haruka. It wasn't like she would be escaping her anytime soon. Before the homeroom period, they needed to sweep the courtyard under the intense scrutiny of their Headmistress; Miss Maria. Or rather, their unofficial Headmistress. The Founder had never replaced Shamrock after she had been removed from office. The Lutecian was simply that good.
Hearing the beginnings of activity inside the dormitory, Shizuru went her way to the courtyard. Miss Maria wasn't taking any excuses today as it was the new Corals enrolment week. She mildly wondered who she would be mentoring. Hopefully she is cute.
Nevertheless, she would find out.
"-iola? Viola? Viola!"
Broken from her train of thought, Shizuru mumbled incoherently as her shoulder was roughly shaken. Having been lost in the old but yearned memory, Shizuru hadn't realised the others now encircled her. Wearily pulling her gaze up to Haruka, Shizuru blankly watched the blonde get brushed aside by Yukariko.
"It's fine, Brigadier. Go and regain control of the academy. I will stay with Shizuru."
Knelt close to the Archmeister, the teacher spoke carefully as Haruka left for the stairs: "Shizuru?" Clasping her hands to the younger woman's shoulders delicately, she asked: "What happened?"
'What happened?' Shizuru's mind echoed, offering no respite. Pathetic. Laughing joylessly, a sigh broke Shizuru. Shoulders slouching, the Archmeister's mind remained in turmoil. Truly, what had happened? They had been unknowingly imprisoned, they had fought for freedom—then? Natsuki had been torn from her. Was Natsuki even alive at this point? The question remained unanswered as she looked anywhere but the teacher.
"I...I'm…" What? She's what?! Her world came crashing down at that moment. A choked gasp escaped her lips, the ragged breath overwhelming her into sobbing. Why did this happen?! Why? ...Why?! Her brow landed onto the woman's shoulder, arms wrapping around Yukariko's frame.
Seven Years and Seven Months Ago.
"Shizuru? Why are you here?" Natsuki eyed her gingerly within the moonlit garden. Just this week she had warned Shizuru away as it is. Why was the top Pearl even wasting her time here? Let alone in the early hours of the morning?
Standing her ground, Shizuru was unsure what to do next. Playing with the cuff of her sleeve, Shizuru wet her bottom lip in thought. "I honestly did not know you were here." She murmured, never quite looking the younger woman in the eye. At this point, it may as well be a standoff between them. What was she supposed to do anyway? It wasn't like she could utterly ignore her protégé's existence! That, and well—she liked the Coral? Her heart wanned at the fact, the sensation boring a hole into her chest. Pitted with a deep anxiety in the far reaches of her mind, Shizuru at last pulled her gaze to Natsuki's. "I would like to apologise for my behaviour. You mean so much to me."
"You sure have a weird way of showing it." The Coral only scoffed, leaning against the trellis behind her and crossing her arms. "You treated me like one of your clueless fans. What do I even mean to you, Shizuru?" Natsuki seemed to be thinking of more to add, until she instead shook her head.
"I… Natsuki…"
Staring into Yukariko's shoulder, Shizuru clutched the back of the woman's uniform. Wrenching the black fabric, the Archmeister sobbed. "I d-do-n't… I don't-" Clenching her teeth, she groaned. "I don't u-underst-and…!" Why now?! Why ever…?! Couldn't they just catch a break for once?! Questions flooded Shizuru's mind similarly to that of a tornado. They ripped apart any remaining logic from her already deluded mindset. In the end, she was going insane.
Seven Years Ago
Smiling in amusement at Natsuki's outburst, Shizuru clasped her hands in front of her waist. "Natsuki heard correctly. I was appointed the new Archmeister."
Natsuki could only stare at the woman astoundedly. "W-when was this? When did the Founder tell you?" She had only just received her results that she had passed and that she was the Pearl representative! Don't tell her that Shizuru's known about her new position for some time now?
"I was warned last month by Miss Maria to expect something from the Founder. I never would have expected her to choose me as the Archmeister." A longer stare was her only reward, and Shizuru couldn't help but laugh. "I heard that you have become second rank."
"Y-yeah." Natsuki could only mutter lamely. She was conflicted. On one side she was happy for Shizuru, but on the other? It was no secret to Natsuki that she was infatuated by the new Archmeister. She had wanted to tell her before they permanently got separated by duties. But now? Natsuki wasn't sure at all. A vague feeling entered her chest which unsettled her greatly. Heartache?
"Kruger's ready to be seen."
Shizuru's eyes leapt open and flew over towards Nao across Yukariko's shoulder. The redhead could only spare a glance as she supported Yohko's weight into her side. Adjusting the shell-shocked woman's arm around her shoulders, she heaved her towards the infirmary.
At some point, Shizuru was also hauled up onto her feet by Yukariko.
"Would you like to see her?" The teacher asked. Only receiving a strained nod, Yukariko wrapped her arm around the younger woman's torso. "It's alright. We will go one step at a time. Let me know if you change your mind."
Shizuru held her breath.
"The Headmistress has sustained a bullet to the lung that has caused a pneumothorax. She has a chest tube inserted that is removing blood to allow oxygen back inside." The nameless doctor said, having been brought in by Windbloom. "She is fine, Archmei-"
"-Just let me see her." Shizuru snapped exhaustedly, pushing past him. She didn't have the time—no less the energy. Entering the domed infirmary, Shizuru's legs turned to lead as her gaze froze against the downed Headmistress. A tangle of wires were haphazardly surrounding the central medical bed with the woman inside it. There was a portable device beside the bed with a thick tube attached. That must be the lung tube, Shizuru realised, her eyes momentarily landing upon it. Forcing herself to move, she almost stumbled in the air as she rushed to Natsuki.
She was unconscious, a breathing mask across her face and was attached to a heart monitor. The cursed thing unsettled the Archmeister, driving her anxiety steadily upwards. Beep. Beep. Beep. It grated on Shizuru's nerves, solidifying the fear that those beeps would relent.
"When… when will she wake up…?" She mumbled quietly by the woman's bed, the man's footsteps unsettling her as he approached her.
"I cannot say." He said carefully, having been carrying a chair. "Here, I will be in the lab if you need me." He cracked a sad smile to Shizuru.
Six Years and Eleven Months Ago.
"Natsuki, why won't you just tell her?"
"Tell who what?" Natsuki asked Mai impatiently, standing by the Coral classroom. Now that their underclassmen had settled in, they would be meeting their protégés. As Trias, they were first served to choose theirs. Natsuki honestly didn't give a damn, she was far too concerned with her grades.
"The Archmeister, of course!"
"Shut up! How do you even know about that?" Natsuki hissed.
"It's written all over your face, Kruger." Laura cocked a brow her way, having approached from down the corridor to choose her own protégé.
"Not you too." Natsuki groaned, leaning against the wall beside the classroom door. "Who else knows?"
Mai snorted. "The whole year? It's been a bet this whole time whether you'd tell her-"
"You what?!" Agast, Natsuki stared at the redhead before massaging her temples. What does she mean everyone knew?! Did the staff know? Did Shizuru know?! Founder's sake. "Tell them to shut up, or I-"
"You're Trias, Kruger. That and they're afraid of you."
"Why? Because I'm quiet?"
Laura shrugged, slotting between her and Mai. "We only live once. Tell her before it's too late."
"...How long will you be like this, Natsuki?" Shizuru mumbled, feeling as though Earl had crashed down on top of her. The physicality of mental illness was what she hated the most when she suffered like this. Why couldn't it just disappear? It was hard enough that her lover had been shot—and through the lung!—like this. In the past year—or well, two because of her delusional Harmonium travels—they had been to Hell and back. When would they catch a break? Would they ever? Couldn't her head just shut up? So many impossible scenarios were wrecking her brain. Oh how Shizuru wished that Natsuki would awaken... At least her battered mind would earn its respite, but…
"No." Shizuru sighed, her body crumpling down as she remained seated by the Headmistress' bed.
They had been through so much together in the space of under a decade. She couldn't allow it to end like this. But what could Shizuru do? It wasn't like she would be allowed close to that scum twin. Even if she did, then what? Revenge was so clearly painted inside her conscience, and only one thing stopped her: Natsuki Kruger. What would she think if she murdered the Artain usurper? Would it spark outright war? Pursing her lips, Shizuru restrained herself from scoffing out loud. War. Wasn't the brat already committed to doing so to them? For what reason, even? Shizuru clearly had no idea why Arashi Dai Artai had even targeted them.
Out of spite? Why? For the kicks? ...Jealousy?
Staring at Natsuki's hand, Shizuru sluggishly reached for it. The heart monitor's clip was enclosed around her middle finger. Delicately picking up the hand between both of hers, Shizuru clenched her teeth to stop their vague chattering.
They hadn't even any knowledge of what Schwartz had been doing to their students. Gods' have mercy on their souls if they have hurt any of them. Shizuru didn't regret it for a moment that she had torn those men apart earlier. She was mildly annoyed that Artai had shot them dead rather than letting them suffer. She…
Pulling her gaze from Natsuki's prone body, she began to wonder what she was becoming.
Six Years Ago.
"Where is Mai?" Natsuki paced the corridor leading towards the assembly hall. It was their graduation for Founder's sake! It wasn't like she was about to chase after the Royal—actually, don't tell her; had Mai run away for this precise reason? Because she was afraid her family might show up? Natsuki's mind spun harder.
"I don't know." Sarah could only stand by and watch her mentor's best friend worry herself. "She was fine last I saw her." Fiddling with her tabard's ruffles, she paused as Natsuki came to a brisk halt. "Nats-"
"-I don't have time for this." The Pearl Trias muttered, grabbing the blonde's wrist and dragging her towards the assembly. "We're going to be late if we waste anymore time."
"M-Maybe something happened?" Sarah could only supply as the door was opened. Pulling her wrist from her upperclassman's grasp, she languidly rubbed it. "There were so many events today, maybe she got muddled up?"
"That's not like her."
Either way, this wasn't getting them anywhere.
Surveying the crowded hall, Natsuki failed to spot the redhead. The assembly was jam packed by students, staff and officials. Off beside the stage she saw Shizuru with Miss Maria. Her heart leapt, a sudden anxiety filling her at the idea she may soon leave Garderobe for good. This was quickly replaced by a mild depression, the feeling refusing to budge. Mai wasn't showing up, she would likely not see Shizuru for long periods of time, and… Her emergency sponsor was her own mother.
If an official didn't choose her today, she would be stuck in the Kruger State for probably the rest of her life.
"Natsuki?" Sarah started, also unable to find the top Pearl anywhere.
"She's not here." Natsuki muttered, standing by the blonde's side. This was pathetic, and people wondered why she had anxiety? "You should find the others, I need to talk with the Archmeister." Waving the confused Coral away, she headed straight for the stage as Miss Maria departed. Warily she approached, kicking herself for even feeling nervous around Shizuru.
"Natsuki? You look awful." Shizuru had spotted her well before Miss Maria had left. Gesturing the Pearl over, she pulled her gaze along her in concern. "What has…?"
"I think Mai's missing."
'Tokiha's missing?' Brushing her fingertips to her GEM, Shizuru called for its intercom. "Connect to the facility."
Feeling rather stupid, Natsuki could only stand around. For the time being, nobody seemed interested in piping down the noise. It felt more like a party than a Garderobe ceremony. Though the graduation would begin within the next hour. She supposed once she had spoken with Shizuru, she would have to begin job hunting.
Ugh. Job hunting.
"Mai Tokiha is possibly missing. The student, Natsuki Kruger has not seen her since…" Shizuru locked her gaze with Natsuki for an answer.
"Three hours ago." — "...Three hours ago."
"During lunch." — "During lunch"
"Yes, I believe so-" The Archmeister's brow furrowed faintly. "The Fire Stirring Ruby is missing?"
Huh? Natsuki's ears pricked at this detail. Wasn't that the GEM that Mai would be using? Had Mai taken it and left? If so, what is she thinking?! Letting the information soak in, Natsuki's concern grew greater as Shizuru fell silent. What was that antisocial medical scientist telling her?
"I see. Thank you, Doctor. I will notify Miss Maria shortly." Pulling her fingers from her GEM, the Archmeister's dementor shifted. Wetting her lips, she glanced to nothing in particular as she mused.
"Shizuru?"
"The GEM has been missing for an hour." Shizuru told her. Pulling her sleeve aside, she momentarily glanced upon her wristwatch. "There is no signal. Wherever it is, the thief has not yet used it." This could potentially mean it was misplaced, taken by an outsider, or indeed Tokiha had stolen it. Worst case scenario was the outsider. "I am sorry, Natsuki. I will call you if I receive any news. You should network while you have the chance."
"Hm thanks, Shizuru." Natsuki tiredly replied, steeling herself for the exhausting socialising to come. "I'll see you after the graduation?" She waved at the Archmeister, turning on her heel.
This was going to be terrible.
Before Natsuki knew it, the graduation ceremony was underway. Though she had spoken with various nobles and statesmen, none seemed to be a perfect match. The worry was niggling in the back of her mind. What was she going to do if things didn't turn out properly? Sat in her appointed seat, she attempted to ignore the empty chair beside her. Mai hadn't shown up; it was obvious that the Royal had indeed run off. Worse, the other Pearls were beginning to figure out what had happened. She pointedly countered her received glances cooly, a mere stare scaring her classmates away. Ugh.
"Today marks one of your most important life milestones." Miss Maria declared as she stood before the stage's podium. "This ceremony has remained unchanged for the past two centuries, and will continue like this for the unprecedented future. I ask that all students and Meister stand in the presence of the Founder."
"The Founder? But she's dead?"
The muttering from the Corals continued as Natsuki unceremoniously dragged herself up from her seat. The other Pearls followed suit accordingly, unfazed as a human sized cylinder was rolled from the backstage. Though it was made entirely of bulletproof glass, it was completely frozen, barring any sneak peaks. Absolute confusion from the Corals flooded the room with hushed whispers. The nobility and statesmen only watching the performance curiously.
The medical scientist, Dr. Yohko Helene who had wheeled in the cryofreezer then rolled in an old terminal. Attaching a cord to the cylinder, she typed in a command. Then, as the lid began to rise, a skeletal, disgusting arm reached from out of it.
Slammed awake, Natsuki choked on her very blood as the lung tube was dislodged. Completely disoriented and confused, she never noticed the distraught Archmeister beside her bed who was gently pushed aside. Several Wind and Ariesian doctors surrounded the bed, fixing the medical equipment swiftly. Once the problem was dealt with, Natsuki gagged for air. She felt as though the wind had been knocked from her lungs, and she had been drowning in the ocean.
"W-wh-at—ugh." Delicately leaning onto the edge of the mattress, Natsuki gagged into her hands roughly.
"...Natsuki." Shizuru rushed to the other side of the bed to lean in front of her. Once the coughing fit relented, she eased the younger Column's hands away from her. Being handed a cloth by one of the doctors as the others retreated, Shizuru eased it into bloodstained palms. "I was so worried, Natsuki. I… I thought..." The cloth froze between their grip, Shizuru staring hard into Natsuki's eyes. "I thought you had died."
"U-ug…? Wh..." Natsuki swallowed the thick taste of iron. "What happened?" She heaved, feeling terrible and incredibly woozy. Glancing towards the drip by their side, Natsuki's gaze wavered. "I was shot, wasn't I?"
"In the chest, yes." Easing the stained cloth from Natsuki, Shizuru gently pushed her down onto the mattress. You were shot in the lung by that… person." Her tone turned to venom as her mind momentarily shifted to Arashi. Her brow furrowed, her eyes fixated on Natsuki's hands. "I... " She mindlessly tugged the woman's breathing mask back down to her mouth.
"Shizuru?" Natsuki muffled, tearing her gaze from the drip and looking to her in concern.
Releasing a tense sigh, the Archmeister pulled away and stood. "If you had gone, my life would have ended." She could only force a smile.
Seven days have transpired since the forced takeover of Garderobe Academy. Thanks to the emergency effort of Aries and Windbloom's combined forces, all active Meisters had returned. The academy had swiftly been closed to visitors in an attempt to conceal the disaster. Or at least stall the news before it caught wind of the public.
"Schwartz was attempting to create GEMless Otome based upon the legendary HiME." Sarah reported from the head of the desk—or rather, desks that had been shoved together down in the lab. Sifting through a pile of documents, she studied the long list. "Doctor Helene may have saved us by restricting access to the Founder's System. In the process she was forced to corrupt much of the mainframe, causing it to overload in memory leaks." Not really understanding what the notes were even explaining, the blonde brought her gaze up. "The other Columns are unable to join us today. I usually act as Garderobe's Ambassador, however I am officially the Substitute Column and will be taking the Headmistress' position as she recovers."
Down the other end of the desks, the Brigadier General, Haruka Armitage sat with the Aries President, Yukino Chrysant. Standing, she placed a hand against her hip and smashed her other against the table. The notion made the mousy President jolt slightly, a sigh escaping her as she adjusted her glasses. "Gallagher! How can you be so calm about this?! These fools nearly killed everyone! Including innocent students!" Throwing an arm towards the infirmary, Yukino barely dodged it as it launched for her face. "Kruger's got a tube in her lung, Viola's gone nutty, Blythe's at death's door, Helene's shell-shocked, half the students included…! Yet here we are having a meeting like congress?!"
"...Haruka, please calm down."
"No, Yukino! I won't, not this time! These Schwartz are terrorists!"
As the President lowered her head into her hands, the others uncomfortably watched.
"Well, either way the situation is desperate." Sarah levelly said, refocusing her group's attention. "The Schwartz, Aswad and Artai members must be interrogated, there's no way around it. Prisoner 17's interrogation phase has restarted. Whether or not she actually breaks isn't important as we have John Smith and Arashi Dai Artai."
"Speaking of which." Anh Lu spoke up from the middle of the desks, separating Laura Bianchi and Rosalie Claudel. "When can I visit the Headmistress and Archmeister? I would like to clarify An Nam's allegiance to Garderobe."
"Sometime next week, probably." Sarah mulled for a moment before lying down her documents. Resting her hands against the desk, she narrowed her focus upon the teachers. "Miss Maria, Miss Steinberg." The latter glanced at the Epitome of Grace as the blonde continued: "How are the students?
Neither said anything for a moment until Miss Maria spoke up, her tone shocking the Meisters: "A quarter of the student body has been affected by these barbaric experiments. Most of my students have sustained nervous breakdowns—only the Trias including a few others have been strong enough to avoid this." Staring through the Column hard, the Epitome of Grace appeared sterner than ever—and incredibly angry. "There can not be a repeat of the Dragon King War."
"No, there cannot." Sarah agreed wholeheartedly, picking up a note that Natsuki had given her earlier. "The Headmistress has issued emergency care for the students." Reading the note a few times, Sarah mused. Between the lines she could sense her old friend's distress. It was possible that she was as horrified by these revelations as Miss Maria was. Natsuki loved her students, after all. "She's said that we will do the best we can, but if they're adamant in leaving, then—well." If the students truly wished this, there was no stopping them.
Perhaps this would be the end for Garderobe?
