Author's note: I don't think there's any spoiler of growth 3 since I haven't watch it yet but it's certainly inspired by many artist's fanarts :P
In the dark
She's falling.
Claudine feels how her body falls at full speed, going into the depths of an unknown world consumed by the most absolute darkness and silence.
She feels the cold wind hitting her face, making a feeling of fear take over her.
Where am I?
She asks herself as she keeps falling, stretching her arms out to try to get a hold onto something that could help her stop her fall, but it's futile, her hands only meet the abyss.
Then, Claudine feels a strange sensation enveloping her body, observing how her casual clothes start tearing apart to turn into her revue outfit.
The sneakers she was using until that very moment start to disintegrate giving way to a pair of black boots with golden trims and tassels.
Her black ripped jeans disappear slowly, showing off the smooth skin of her legs as a black kick-pleated skirt with a white band and a light-gray tulle dress tail appears instead, attached to her waist by a golden belt with a silver buckle.
Her bare arms begin to get dressed with a pair of black cuffs, the clothing covering them up slowly until a black jacket with silver piping and buttons and a red pelisse jacket with golden piping over her left shoulder finally rest over her, covering and hiding the orange t-shirt she was wearing until then.
She observes her golden button shining in the middle of the darkness as she keeps falling, now with her revue outfit completed.
Lastly, she feels the cold touch of the metal of her sword's hilt against her hand, making her grip it as hard as she can as if that was going to save her from the fall.
The darkness and the abyss keep looming over her until finally, her sword comes in touch with something rather soft, and soon, she feels her body sliding down along that soft something with ease before she gets tangled in a large red fabric and falls onto the ground with a loud thud.
Slightly disoriented, Claudine looks at her surroundings to try and find any hint of her whereabouts, but then again she meets nothing but an overwhelming darkness.
She grips her sword tightly, in alert, trying to scan her surroundings for any threat as she stands up.
How naive…
She thinks she hears. She furrows her brows and tries to listen attentively but hears nothing at all.
Were those words product of her imagination? No, they couldn't be, they sounded too clear to be a product of her imagination.
Are you sure?
She hears again, gasping in fear, but she tries to not show it.
- Who's there? Who are you?
Claudine throws the questions out in the air, getting only silence as an answer which makes her tense up and adopt a fighting stance ready for any surprise attack that may come her way.
But she isn't ready for the hand she feels snaking around her neck moving her hair slightly aside, startling her consequently, before she quickly turns around brandishing her sword.
Almost.
The voice whispers in her ear and Claudine quickly jumps away, trying to move out of the way of whoever that is playing tricks on her.
- Show yourself, coward!
She yells out in anger, waving about her sword in the middle of the darkness, only to hear an amused laugh echoing in the abyss.
Are you sure?
The voice says again, a hint of wickedness laced in its tone.
- Of course I am! Just show yourself already, coward!
Claudine yells again, starting to grow frustrated and impatient at this stupid game.
As you wish, but don't say I didn't warn you.
The voice says and Claudine can't help but chuckle amused at the voice's warning. But her amusement lasts shortly as an orange spotlight turns on, illuminating the spot she's on while blinding her momentarily.
- Aw, you tell me to show myself and when I do, I find you with your eyes closed. How disappointing.
Claudine hears the malicious voice clearly now mocking at her. It sounds really familiar to her but she can't put a finger on why.
She brings her hand up to shield her squinted eyes from the bright light and looks around her.
She can see herself on a stage, but other than the spot she's illuminated on, the rest of her surroundings are still dark.
Claudine then hears slow but strong steps, seeing a silhouette coming out of the darkness. What she witnesses next just makes her blood run cold.
- That... Y-You can't be...
- You? – the other presence says, chuckling amused – I believe I'm you, but a darker version.
Claudine hears her dark version saying, laughing darkly as she perceives an unabashed grin on her face. Only her laugh is enough to send shivers down her spine.
- But… how?
She asks bewildered, taking into account her appearance.
The girl in front of her is an exact replica of her except that her revue outfit is made of darker colors, being almost completely black and it lacks of anything that could add some color to her clothes. She's also wearing a black mask covering her mouth, or it's supposed to as her dark version moves the mask away to let her see her face completely.
Claudine observes at the dark version of herself in front of her with full attention, following closely her movements, studying her gestures and expressions… everything is just so alike her that it makes her feel uneasy. It makes her stomach churn the more she observes her.
Her dark version grins at her agape and puzzled expression and grabs her own sword tightly, running towards Claudine with a fiery gaze in her eyes.
Claudine gasps surprised and gets ready to block the attack barely in time, eliciting a loud laugh from her counterpart.
Her dark version attacks again with more strength than the previous time and Claudine quickly realizes that even though they look the same, their strength is different. Dark is much stronger than she could ever be...
Claudine keeps struggling with each attack thrown at her, panting due to the effort of having to block them. Her dark version isn't hesitating to cause her any damage.
- Aw, don't tell me that this all you have in you, no wonder why you can't defeat Maya – dark Claudine says, grinning through her mask.
- Shut up – Claudine mumbles under her breath, lunging forward to stab her dark version but the latter easily dodges it, laughing.
- Did you forget that we're the same person? Therefore I know you and your attacks.
Claudine is taken aback by her words, suddenly realizing she's right, but she doesn't let her replica see through her and tries to mask her thoughts and insecurities the best she can.
- Don't compare us! We aren't the same!
She yells, lunging forward again but Dark grabs her wrist rather tightly to stop her and kicks her knee, making Claudine go backwards limping and wincing in pain. She barely has time to get over that kick when Dark kicks her again, this time in the ribs and so hard that she sends her flying away until her back hits a column hard.
Claudine yells out in pain, coughing some blood as soon as she lands on the floor. She tries to stand up, still coughing before she's kicked in her ribs again, sending her back to the floor.
She can't help but think how it feels like a miracle that none of her bones are broken yet.
She sees dark Claudine's boots appearing before her unhurriedly, her dark laugh ringing through her ears, echoing around the empty stage.
- So, this is all you really got after all – dark Claudine says sardonically, looming over her.
Claudine gazes up at her, coughing more blood before trying to sit up, wincing. She sees Dark grinning through her mask with an amused glint in her eyes before she moves her sword forward to attack her in what she intends to be a fatal stoke.
Claudine closes her eyes tightly before she hears the sound of metal clashing. When she opens them again, she finds another girl between her replica and her, blocking the attack with difficulty.
- Saijo-san, are you okay?
Maya glances briefly back at Claudine, seeing her sitting up holding her sore ribs and with a shocked expression on her face before she turns her attention back to dark Claudine, putting more pressure into her own attack and sword to make Dark go backwards.
- Y-Yes.
Claudine says, between coughs before she cleans the blood off her mouth with the cuff of her jacket.
Maya looks back at her with concern, before she puts more pressure into her attack to try and push Dark away as much as possible.
- Aw, how cute. You two are finally together – Dark laughs, leaping backwards to another spot on the now completely illuminated stage.
Maya glances at her before rushing towards Claudine, offering her hand to the ash-blonde to help her stand up but Claudine slaps it away, rejecting any help coming from the brunette to stand up on her own.
- Nobody told you to come to help me – she mutters, bothered with the brunette.
- I'm aware of it, but you're my partner so it's my duty to come in your help when you need it.
- My duty… you say – Claudine murmurs, snorting furiously at the fact of, not only be losing against her own dark counterpart, but had Maya to come to help her.
- Leave, I'm perfectly fine on my own.
- Saijo-san… don't be-
- Get the fuck out of here! – Claudine ends up yelling at Maya angrily, raising her sword at the brunette menacingly while glancing back at her own dark version.
Maya sighs heavily at the ash-blonde's stubbornness and walks dejectedly towards the side of the stage to leave but before leaving, she stops upon hearing a deep voice.
- Are you already leaving, Maya? What a shame.
A grey spotlight turns on abruptly, illuminating a dark version of herself.
- Who are you? – Maya asks tensely as soon as she sees her replica, staring at her and taking into account how she looks exactly the same as she does but with a darker outfit, almost completely black and lacking of any color on it.
Maya tries to not show the shock on her face and grips her rapier tightly.
Dark Claudine clicks her tongue, observing amused the scene carrying out.
- How cute, the both of them shared the same expression and words, you two sure are in synch.
Claudine snarls at her, stepping forward to attack her own replica when another sword clashes against hers.
- Those aren't manners, Saijo-san.
Dark Maya says, a grin on her face almost as insufferable as the usual grin on her original's one, but hers is worst, darker. Claudine stumbles given the replica's strength and steps back.
- Claudine – Maya says, promptly appearing next to the ash-blonde to place a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down, but Claudine just moves away, slapping her hand and a brief glint of hurt flashes in Maya's eyes because of it.
- Don't touch me!
She snaps at Maya, making her dark version laugh.
- My, my, Claudine, that's not a way to treat your lover, right mon amour.
- Indeed, ma chérie.
Maya and Claudine both gasp at the nicknames their replicas give each other, watching agape how their dark versions step closer to each other with a fond smile on their faces.
They see attentively how dark Maya tucks a strand of hair behind dark Claudine's ear, making her smile widen and her eyes sparkle with love towards her as a light blush tints her cheeks.
- The fuck?
Claudine mumbles under her breath while Maya, on the contrary, can't help but keep looking at the scene developing in front of her in complete shock, observing how affectionate they are towards each other. Something completely different and almost unthinkable taking into consideration how Claudine and she are always bickering.
Dark Claudine grins at their perplexed expressions and smirks to herself at the desired effect their display is having on their original versions, taking another step forward to let dark Maya hug her tightly against her body before they look into each other's eyes intensely and share a deep and tender kiss.
Claudine grits her teeth enraged at their display and dark Claudine's deliberate gestures and grips her sword tightly, her knuckles becoming white with the hold before she lunges forward to separate them, sick at the sight of them kissing.
Dark Maya notices it and spins dark Claudine around, letting her go with regret to fight against Claudine, grinning at her furious expression as she blocks her attacks one after another.
This only enrages Claudine further, causing her to pour more strength and rage in her attacks until in one of them, she makes dark Maya stumble backwards almost falling onto the floor but dark Claudine is fast and she's promptly right by her side to catch her and surround her waist with her free arm.
- Are you okay, mon amour?
- I am, thank you ma chérie.
Claudine feels disgusted, her rage rising by every second passed at the sweet display showed in front of her.
She hates the way her dark version holds dark Maya against her body so carefree, with a tender glint in her eyes and a soft smile on her face. She hates the way their eyes stare at each other with such love in them… the way they talk to each other so calmly, so tenderly…
They make her… envy them.
And that's exactly why she's so angry at them, because she envies what they have, because she wants what they have.
She wants to be able to have Maya in her arms like that, holding her tightly against her body as they look into each other's eyes with such tenderness and love. She wants to kiss her and shine together on the stage as one…
But she can't. There's no way she'd ever have that. There's no way Maya would ever see her like that, and the mere thought of it enrages her.
- Claudine...
Maya says her name softly, looking at her worriedly, seeing how Claudine's knuckles go white again as she grips her sword really tight.
Maya sees a flash of pain in her teary eyes before she sees her running towards their dark versions.
- Claudine don't! Wait!
Maya yells at her but Claudine doesn't listen to her, too enraged brandishing her sword savagery.
Dark Claudine realizes of her imminent and frenetic attack and spins dark Maya around, clashing her own sword against Claudine's at the last second.
- It is very rude to interrupt others when they're having a moment of intimacy.
Dark says slyly, making Claudine grunt and push her.
Her dark version takes advantage of how blinded by the rage is the ash-blonde and tries to deliver a fatal stoke with her sword but Maya comes before Dark can hurt her original counterpart and knocks Claudine down, receiving a cut on her shoulder instead.
Claudine gasps upon seeing Maya getting hurt because of her fault, seeing the brunette clenching her shoulder with a pained expression on her face as blood gush from the wound.
- Tendou Maya… what...?
- It's okay Claudine, don't worry. Just don't let them provoke you, it'll only make everything worst – Maya tells her with a reassuring smile on her face despite the pain she is in and Claudine feels her eyes start to water.
- You should listen to her, Saijo-san – dark Maya tells her with a calm smile on her face, making Claudine grit her teeth again.
This is their entire fault to start off. She thinks, ready to face her but Maya grabs her by the wrist that is gripping her sword.
- Please Claudine, calm down.
- Shut up! – Claudine yells at her frustrated, releasing herself of Maya's grip and pushing her aside to go towards their replicas but soon, everything turns pitch black and Claudine finds herself alone once again in the middle of an overwhelming silence and darkness.
Claudine looks everywhere around her trying to discern something, a weak light or a silhouette but it's futile. She grips her sword tighter, a mix of angriness and concern about Maya, trying to search for her.
You're worried about her, aren't you?
- Shut up! I'm not!
Claudine hears a giggle and soon feels a hand covering her eyes completely before another rests against her heart, bringing her body closer to another behind her.
- We won't hurt her.
Her dark version whispers in her ear.
- What do you two want? – Claudine asks them confused.
- We want you to admit it.
- Admit what?!
- That you love her.
Dark Claudine's words resonate in her head strongly, making her breath get caught in her lungs while her heart races against her chest wildly.
That you love her…
Claudine bites her lip, trying not to cry at the dark truth, at the revelation that she loves Maya even when she's aware she shouldn't.
- I-I don't! – she says with cracked voice, gaining a sigh from her counterpart.
- Méchante va, you're just as stubborn as she is.
Claudine remains quiet, not fighting against her replica, not saying anything. Then, she feels somebody else, a light breath crashing against her lips.
- Are you sure it is like that, Saijo-san?
Dark Maya whispers against her lips. Claudine can almost feel her lips brushing hers.
- N-No...
- No what, my dearest Claudine? – dark Maya whispers to her, touching her jawline down to her neck fleetingly.
- No… I-I don't love her.
Claudine says now more insecure than before, feeling dark Maya's lips barely a centimeter apart from hers.
She can almost taste them…
- Are you sure? – dark Maya lures her with her hoarse voice.
Claudine wants to keep denying her feeling for the brunette, but she finds it harder to do it every second that goes by. She only wants to taste her lips, even if those lips are the one from her dark version...
- Enough!
Suddenly, darkness leaves room to the light as Maya bursts in with her rapier, pushing her own dark version away from Claudine, the sudden movement bringing the ash-blonde out of her trance.
Dark Claudine lets her original version go, making her stumble forward hazed and fall right into Maya's arms.
- Claudine! Are you okay? Did they hurt you?
Maya asks her frantically, and Claudine can only shake her head and bury her face in Maya's chest, clutching her clothes tightly as she quietly starts to sob.
The brunette looks at her shockingly then glares at their dark versions with rage in her eyes, tightening her hold around the sobbing ash-blonde against her chest in a protective way.
The mere thought of their dark counterparts have done something to Claudine or hurt her to the point of making her end up just like this, makes her tighten the hold around the hilt of her own rapier angrily until her knuckles go white.
- What the hell did you two do to her!? Answer me!
She yells at them angrily, seeing them looking at them amusedly and giggling, enraging her even more.
She grunts and makes a move to stand up and go for them but Claudine stops her, clutching her clothes tighter.
- ….
Maya hears Claudine murmuring something against her chest but she can't understand what she's saying.
- Claudine? What's wrong?
She asks her concerned, making Claudine smile slightly against her chest and relax into the brunette's embrace.
- I… I love you...
Claudine whispers to her so quietly that Maya barely hears her but she does, gasping at her words, feeling her heart beating fast.
- Finally! – dark Claudine exclaims, intertwining her fingers with dark Maya's while they look at them tenderly.
Maya doesn't understand what Dark is referring to but she's happy to hear Claudine reciprocating her feelings.
- I love you too, ma Claudine.
She whispers back at her, nuzzling her hair and letting all the tension and rage in her body go away.
Claudine starts to cry again in the brunette's chest, this time happily, feeling the brunette wrap her tightly with both of her arms, rubbing circles on her back.
- I really love you, ma Claudine.
- Silly.
Claudine whispers embarrassedly, hearing a giggle in the background. She turns to glare teary at her dark version, seeing her winking at her in return.
- Looks like our part is done then – dark Claudine says with a mischievous grin on her face while dark Maya smiles fondly at the two girls in front of them.
- What do you mean? – Maya asks her confusedly.
- We just came to force the both of you to admit your deepest and darkest desires and feelings – dark Maya explains.
- You mean…
Maya starts off before she hears dark Claudine clicking her tongue.
- Exactement, to admit that you two love each other. It wasn't that hard, was it?
Claudine grunts, still in Maya's arms and glares at their dark versions, making both girls laugh.
- Oh come on, don't look at us like that, you two were so stubborn that it was painful to look at you. You two just needed a little push.
- Shut up – Claudine murmurs embarrassed at Dark's carefree words, making all chuckle.
- I'm afraid we should return to our world now girls – dark Maya says sorrowfully and somehow, even though they irritate her with their cockiness and affectionate display towards one another, Claudine feels sad about them having to leave.
Although she has to admit she's also glad they're leaving, her sanity can barely stand one Maya, as much as she loves her, let alone two. As with her own dark and very cocky version, and also their lovey-dovey eyes, kisses, sweet nicknames and display... it's just too much for her.
- Thanks – she mutters.
- Oh? Did I hear right? – dark Claudine pesters her, making the others laugh while Claudine grunts again, hiding more into Maya's chest.
- Take care, girls – dark Maya says as they approach them to hug them briefly.
- Don't be so stubborn – dark Claudine whispers in her original version's ear, kissing her temple fondly before their dark versions disappear into the darkness, sinking both girls in an awkward yet also comfortable silence.
- So… you love me.
Maya says playfully after a couple of minutes like that, still holding the ash-blonde tightly against her chest and before she gains a shove on her shoulder.
- Shut up, infuriating woman!
Claudine says embarrassed, hearing Maya laughing wholeheartedly, bringing a smile upon her face.
- Claudine – Maya whispers her name softly, making the ash-blonde gaze up at her – I love you too.
She says with a tender smile on her face, shortening the distance between them to kiss her tenderly.
Claudine sighs into the kiss, quickly kissing her back and wrapping her arms around Maya's neck to pull her closer and deepen the kiss.
She has to thank their dark versions, especially dark Claudine after all for pushing her to admit that she really loves Maya…