Chapter 22.
A/N: Okay, to the Guest reviewer who asked if Shizuru's statement in one chapter was a lie, or if I simply forgot, I thought at the time that it was fairly obvious when I wrote the segment in question that Shizuru was trying to make a promise that we all knew she would never be able to keep. People say things all the time that they think are true, only to prove unable to live up to them. Not an out-an-out lie, because they believed it when they said it. But they were clearly mistaken. If that didn't come across, that's my fault. I mean, it's a story with Shizuru and Natsuki where Shizuru says she's got no intentions of acting on her feelings? That would be, to borrow another franchise, like Shaggy and Scooby saying that they were going on diets. Even if they mean it when they say it, they're not going to live up to it. At least, I'm assuming that's the line you're referring to, since you were a bit vague.And to the other reviewer (who may or may not be the same reviewer, I can't tell with anonymous reviews) who commented on not seeing enough of tough-girl Natsuki and that she's too forgiving for her own good, I acknowledge your first point. I wasn't focusing much on Natsuki's toughness here, though I hope I haven't neglected it entirely. As to your second point, I mean, Natsuki canonically forgave Shizuru when she thought she had assaulted her in her sleep. You don't get much more forgiving than that. In fact, Natsuki's capacity for forgiveness was always one of my favorite qualities about her. But she also isn't a doormat. She forgave Shizuru because Shizuru was genuinely repentant. And she forgave her mother, because as Sakomizu pointed out, sometimes people make mistakes out of love (and I doubt that John Smith was being entire on the up and up with what he told Natsuki in the first place).
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"The Festival has begun," Mashiro told Midori as the archeologist picked herself up off the floor, "Yukino Kikukawa is dead, and with her defeat, Haruka Suzushiro is gone. Before long, the HiME will be at one another's throats. It isn't merely the threat actually before them. The HiME star exerts an unwholesome influence on those who use its power. The slightest bit of tension will be inflamed to a roaring inferno in a HiME's heart."
"And there's nothing we can do about it?" Midori asked, looking at Fumi, still holding the scythe she'd wielded against her.
"Perhaps one thing," Mashiro held up a bubble in her hand, and blew on it gently.
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"I understand," Mai hung up her phone, then turned to Mikoto, "Mikoto, if you see Nao, stay clear of her, and let one of the other HiME know. She…She just killed Yukino."
"Yukino's dead?" Mikoto felt her eyes begin to tear up, "But, Yukino's my friend. Why would Nao do that?"
"I don't know. Kaichou called and said that Nao and Yukino got into a fight, and then…" Mai trailed off.
Mai frowned. It didn't make sense to her. Sure, Yukino would have been an easy target, if Nao had decided she was going to fight seriously, but wouldn't Natsuki have been an even easier target? Still, Fujino had said that Yukino started the fight…And Nao had said that she would defend herself.
"MIkoto, is Natsuki's motorcycle still parked in the woods?"
"I think she left it at her apartment," Mikoto said, "When she joined us in the fight, she jumped out of a helicopter with Nao."
"And Shizuru said she put Natsuki somewhere safe," Mai looked thoughtful, "Mikoto, we're going to Natsuki's apartment complex."
"Why?"
"Because, I think Nao might try to use Natsuki's motorcycle."
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In fact, Nao was at Natsuki's apartment, and she was looking at the motorcycle in question. However, she had no intention of trying to ride it.
"She loved this thing, so much," Nao sighed, running her fingers over its sleek frame, "It was part of who she was. And she can never ride it again, because I was too caught up in trying to get to Greer."
"Natsuki said we weren't to blame ourselves," Shizuru's voice spoke softly behind her.
"Natsuki's too damn soft-hearted. And she didn't used to be. I've heard what she used to be like, before she met any of us, from the guys down in those back alleys. She'd just as soon beat the crap out of someone as look at them. Then you came along, and you made nice with her.
"And then she became friends with that Tokiha girl. And Mikoto. Then she started hanging around Haruka. How the hell did that happen, anyway?"
"That was my fault, too," Shizuru sighed, "I wanted Haruka to go easy on Natsuki, so I told her about Natsuki's mother dying, and her father running out on her."
Nao sniffed, "Yeah, tough life, huh? And then I got myself hurt because I didn't leave well enough alone, and she actually took the time to try and cheer me up.
"And I think….I think I started falling in love with her, then."
"She is easy enough to love, once you get past the rough parts," Shizuru agreed.
"And we betrayed her," Nao sighed, looking at her warped reflection in the rearview mirror of the motorcycle.
Shizuru nodded, "Yes, we did."
"And now Haruka Suzushiro is dead, and Yukino Kikukawa is dead, and I feel…cold inside. Empty. They fought with me. They challenged me. Why the hell do I feel bad about this?"
"Because it was our sin that got them killed. Our dishonesty," Shizuru shook her head, "My dishonesty. I wanted it both ways, Nao. I wanted to say that I loved Natsuki, but I wanted to be able to enjoy the physical act, as well. Haruka is right. I used you to scratch my itch, while still professing my love for Natsuki. I was cruel to both of you. I'm the one who should have answered for that. Not Kikukawa and Haruka."
"I should be pissed at you, Fujino. But I don't have it in me, anymore. If I could just go back and change the way things went down. I'd give Kuga back her legs, if I could. Just to be able to see her ride her bike, one more time."
"What do you intend to do, Nao? Will you fight the other HiME? Or will you answer for the death of Yukino and Haruka?"
"Kaichou! Nao!" Mai descended from the sky, looking at both of them, "What's going on?"
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"Please, Duran, come out!" Natsuki pleaded.
"He won't answer," Nagi stood beside her, "A Child is fed by the love that a HiME feels for her most precious person. And you have no one anymore that you consider precious to you."
Natsuki glared at him.
"Don't blame me," Nagi held up his hands, "John Smith sullied the memory of your mother. Shizuru and Nao have betrayed you, and you have closed your heart to both of them, despite what you told Shizuru. And there was no one else that you considered close enough to be precious to you, even with your friendship with Mai. A HiME without someone to love is a HiME without power."
"And for the Festival to work, you need me to have power, don't you," Natsuki smirked, "But like poor Haruka, I still vanish if Shizuru dies."
"Do you?" Nagi smiled wickedly, "And where is she, right now?"
"She's trying to stop Nao from playing your sick little game. I told her it's what we needed to do."
"And you really had to twist her arm to get her to go to her lover, didn't you?" Nagi smirked.
Hot tears spilled from Natsuki's eyes, "Damn you."
"The balance of Fujino's heart…Does she love you, or does she love Nao. Even I don't know, at this point. It could even be that the two of your are perfectly balanced in her heart, and both of you could vanish if she were defeated. I've never seen it happen, but it's not necessarily impossible."
"Either tell me something useful, or leave me alone, Nagi," Natsuki said, "I don't have any powers, remember. All you're doing is kicking me when I'm down. Or are you here to shower pity on the poor crippled girl?"
"Well, I'm actually here to do something useful for you," Nagi said, and frowned, "Though it's not exactly a kindness, you understand."
He lifted her from her wheelchair. She tried to hit him, but he gave her a sharp look, "If I drop you, you're going to be in sorry shape."
He took her into the house, and rolled her onto a futon, face down.
"I need access to your HiME mark. I'm not trying to do anything weird here," He said. A huge Orphan appeared before her, with razor sharp claws, "If you move, it's really going to hurt."
The Orphan swiped with it's claws. Natsuki clenched her eyes shut, expecting to feel the sharp sting of rended flesh, but all she heard was the tearing of fabric.
"There it is," he nodded, looking at the space on her back. The Orphan vanished, "Ordinarily, I wouldn't do this. But I believe this injury counts as outside interference, wouldn't you say? That damned brat Alyssa was responsible for this. We really shouldn't have outside players."
Natsuki felt him touch the skin where her HiME mark was, his finger icy cold. Then, there was searing heat. It traveled through her body, even to the place of her womanhood, much as she'd felt when she'd first summoned Duran.
"Wh…What are you doing?!" She blushed, but when she looked over her shoulder at him, his eyes were closed, and his brow knit in concentration.
"Shhh. I'm looking for the damage. And there it is. Well, first things first, let's get rid of that annoying sliver of metal…" Natsuki felt something hot in her back, and then a liquid sensation, and then she heard a sound, and Nagi tossed the piece of shrapnel to the ground in front of her.
"There. Got that. Now…let's fix the damage. Apologies in advance, but this is going to be the worst pain you've ever felt in your life."
Natsuki felt nerve endings flare to life, and bone knitting itself back together. Her scream of agony split the night air.
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"Oh, sensei," Takumi greeted Wataru Ishigami as the teacher came into his hospital room.
"And how's my student?"
"They're getting me ready to travel to America, where I can have the operation," Takumi nodded, smiling, even if it was an uncertain smile.
"That's wonderful," Ishigami smiled, "Oh, Akira, can you do me a favor? I left some papers for Takumi in my car. Can you get them for me? It's just down in the lot. I'll keep Takumi company. They'll help him keep up his course credits while he's away, so he won't have to repeat when he gets back. Don't want you ending up like the school's most notorious delinquent, after all."
"Kuga? She's not so bad," Takumi smiled, "She's always been polite to me, anyway."
"Well, knowing about your condition, only a monster would be harsh with you," Ishigami smiled, handing his keys to Akira.
When Akira was gone, Ishigami sighed, "I'm really sorry that you got caught up in this, kid, I truly am. But…I have to ensure that Yukariko is the winner."
Takumi barely felt the needle.
"This will deal with both your sister and that damned crossdressing HiME at the same time."
Takumi's vision went blurry, and then he collapsed in his bed, his eyes rolling up into the back of his head. Ishigami calmly pocketed the needle. He played the part of worried teacher perfectly when the nurses came in, responding to the suddenly flatlining heart monitor.
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Shizuru, Nao, and Mai all looked at each other warily.
"Nao…why did you kill Yukino?"
Nao felt the coldness spread in her heart again. Why, she wondered, why am I like this? It's a perfectly rational question that Tokiha is asking. She's not even attacking. Why am I so eager to fight her?
"She got in the way," Nao heard herself say, "That Suzushiro bitch was getting up in my face about my relationship with Fujino, and I was trying to scare her off. But Yukino made it a fight. Too bad, so sad."
"Wait, you and…Fujino?" Mai looked confused, "I thought Fujino was in love with Natsuki."
"Oh, that? That's the best part," Nao grinned, "She is. She just needed to scratch an itch, and, well, Kuga's no good for that sort of thing, the way she is now. Isn't that right, Kaichou?"
Shizuru listened to Nao's icy words with growing guilt and shame. No matter how she looked at it, she had betrayed Natsuki. She had thrown her aside. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to hate Nao for stating as much. Shizuru had chosen Nao, after all.
Shizuru walked over to her, and put her arms around her, "You needn't be so cold about it, Nao. Of course I love Natsuki. I always will. But I, too, have needs. And I have room enough in my heart for you, as well."
"Wh-what are you saying?" Mai looked at her, shocked, "If you love someone, you can't do something like that to them! Natsuki loved you! And you just…tossed it all aside because, what? You wanted a roll in the hay? That's pretty low, Kaichou!"
Shizuru summoned her Element, "Are we going to have a problem, here, little Tokiha-kouhai?"