Sierra looked at the familiar blue-haired girl. It was her again and she called her by the same name the last time…Presea… What did it mean? Why did this girl mistake her for someone who she was not? The blonde fencer just waited for an answer. So far, it looked like the pretty blue-eyed girl was thinking. But Sierra could not wait any longer. She repeated her question, "Who are you?" she said in a friendly way.
Umi Ryuuzaki? The girl that rumors said to be THE great
fencer of McKinley High? Although so many questions had passed Sierra head,
she kept her calm expression. "Let me introduce myself again. I am Sierra
Masters, the second in command of the Jonan team, after my two captains."
The McKinley captain looked at her with an even more
puzzled expression. "Did you just say your last name was…Masters?"
"Yes. Is something…the matter?"
Sierra continued to look at the Umi Ryuuzaki curiously. She
turned to her cousin, Fuu, and searched for answers…but Fuu's eyes simply
reflected Sierra's curiosity.
***
Today…it seemed like there's something special about
today. It wasn't just because of the fencing competition, it was beyond
that…but what? Presea Masters looked at the watch on her wrist. If I
don't hurry, I'm going to be late for the match, she reminded herself.
"Hikaru! Come on! Hurry up!"
"I don't need to hurry up! Mom does!" Hikaru yelled
back.
After what seemed like eternity, they were off to the place
of the match. It was an indoor match since it was cold and there was snow
everywhere. Not to mention it's February. February always reminded Presea
of…Valentines'. Valentines' reminded the blonde of Eagle…
"What about Eagle?" Presea whispered to the window of
the car.
Kakeru, Hikaru's older brother, interrupted her thoughts.
"Did ya say somethin'?"
"No," she told Kakeru, speaking more to the window,
"It was just...nothing."
Something's going to happen today…I can feel it.
If Presea was lucky, she'd get there at least a few minutes before the match
to talk to Umi-chan. Her best friend said she'd be at the warm-up room before
the match. Suddenly, the car stopped. She looked outside and recognized the big,
wide structure of the gym. We're here…
She hurried to the warm-up room; luckily, the match won't
start for another five minutes. As she opened the door, she gasped. There were
three figures in the room….
A girl with emerald green eyes and chin length curly hair,
Umi-chan, and…an exact copy of herself in a fencing suit.
***
Fuu Hououji's eyes widened as she saw two identical
copies of her cousin. How could this be? Fuu had a feeling it wasn't
coincidence at all.
"Presea…" she heard the blue-haired girl say. The
Captain of the McKinley fencers seemed fazed. The sapphire-eyed girl closed her
eyes and shook her head twice, then finally, opening them again.
"Sierra…" Fuu managed to say, still in shock. "Do
you know who that girl is?"
But Sierra just stared at the girl as the girl stared right
back at her.
***
Who is this girl? Why does she look…like me? EXACTLY
like me? Sierra questioned herself. It was no good, even if she did ask
herself over and over again, she wasn't going to get any answers. Obviously,
this girl was the one known as Presea. This girl was also the friend of the
Captain of her rival school. But who was she really? Can anyone explain it to
her?
Sierra thought hard, feeling like a lost child.
***
Someone please tell me what's happening, Presea
begged silently. Who is she? Why did she look identical to this girl? Is it just
coincidence? Please…Presea's expression showed the confusion she felt
inside. Suddenly, she remember what Umi-chan asked her at the restaurant…
[Flash Back]
"What took you so long?"
"Weren't you just in the bathroom with me?"
"No, I was here the whole time."
Then, there's that waiter…
[Flash Back of another scene]
"You switched seats, I see."
"I'm sorry, you must have mistaken me for someone
else…"
Was she there? Was she in the restaurant yesterday?
The long silence of shock has gone on long enough. "Who
are you…?"
But before her identical self could answer, an announce
over the speaker said, "All fencers please make final preparations..."
***
Emeraude and Zagato looked at Sierra's pale face. Zagato
couldn't help wondering how she got so pale… "What's wrong? You look
like you just saw a ghost."
"I might as well have…" Sierra responded as a
whisper.
What does she mean by that? Zagato asked himself. She
sounded so…shocked…about what?
Zagato saw Emeraude lean her fencing sword against a near
wall. A look of concern replaced her cheery, but at the same time, distracted
expression. "Sierra? Are you sick?"
"No," Sierra said, "I'm…I'm fine…"
" Are you sure you want to fence? You look really
pale…"
"Yes, I'm fine. I'm going to compete and win."
Sierra said sounding cheerful, but Zagato could tell she wasn't fine.
Something in her eyes seemed…lost. But before Zagato can say anything, the
shocked sophomore walked away to get ready for her match.
***
Eagle looked around the gym…it wouldn't be long until
the fencing match. He looked around for Presea, the pretty girl who
"slipped" into his arms yesterday morning. She's sure to be here since
her friend fences. Eagle shook his head remembering her shock when she first
looked at him.
Then, out of nowhere, he saw Presea walking toward the room
Jonan High School were keeping their equipment. It was strange…Presea wore a
fencing suit. I didn't know she was on the fencing team. Eagle thought.
But why is she going to the Jonan equipment room? In order to get to that
room, she had to pass Eagle, but when she did, she didn't bother to say hi to
him. So, he said greeted her instead.
"Hi."
Presea looked at him with a confused expression. "Do I
know you?"
"Uh…I'm Eagle, remember? I saved your yesterday
morning," Eagle smiled. Presea wasn't smiling, though. In fact, she looked
like she was haven't trouble with something.
"Is something wrong?" He asked her, just noticing how
pale she was.
"N-No," she told Eagle. "I'm fine, I just need some
fresh air."
As she turned to leave, Eagle asked her why she was going
into the Jonan High equipment room and she said the most confusion thing…
"I'm part of Jonan's fencing team."
Doesn't she go to McKinley High? Didn't I walk her
there yesterday?
***
Presea walked Umi to the McKinley High equipment room. She
was still in shock and confusion, not that anyone could blame her. It wasn't
just her, though. There was also Umi, who seemed to be in a daze, pinching
herself constantly.
The two walked in silence, both in deep thoughts. What
Presea didn't see coming was a lady who looked like the other girl in the
warm-up with chin length curly hair, only older by at least twenty years.
"Fuu probably told you my apologies for not being able to
come to your fencing match," the green-eyed, petite lady said, "but I am
here to watch your match for your Uncle's meeting has been cancelled."
Umi paid no attention to the lady for she was too
distracted, but Presea knew very well that this woman was probably thinking she
was talking to that girl identical to herself.
"My niece, Sierra, where is your fencing suit? Hurry up
and change!" the lady grabbed Presea's wrist and dragged her over to the
changing room. "We have better
hurry, the match is going to start very soon."
In no time, Presea was dressed with fencing suit and the lady gave her the fencing sword.
"But…I…"Presea started, but it was too late,
Sierra's aunt has already pushed her out the door, her helmet-like thing still
in her hand. She was now watched by hundreds of people from two different
schools…
But at the same moment, her identical self also went in the
fencing room, entering from a different door. The audience watched with a
shocked expression as two identical girls, both without their helmet-like things
on, faced one another in the fencing room, unaware that from the second floor
balcony, Mrs. Shidou watched, her eyes wide.
Hikaru's mother ran as fast as she could, to get the
fencing room…
***
Sierra gasped. How did this happen? She thought
looking at the one known as Presea. She doesn't fence…or does she?
Not far from the entrance Presea came from, she saw her aunt. It's…Fuu's
mom!
It would be no surprise at all if Mrs. Hououji had dragged
Presea into putting on fencing suit and going out. Great, just my luck, now
EVERYONE is confused…
Just then, a woman with red hair who was about Mrs.
Hououji's age, appeared
"Well, if it isn't Aiko Nakagaski, or is it Hououji
now?" the red haired woman glared at Mrs. Hououji.
"Oh, it's you, Akane Shidou," Mrs. Hououji,
also known as Aiko, said harshly. Sierra never thought she'd hear the day when
her aunt would be anything but polite.
"So I guess after sixteen years, you've been living
very close by all along, Ms. Priss," Akane Shidou continued to glare.
"Yes, I have. It's none of your business anyway, Ms.
Tomboy," Aiko Hououji said rudely.
As the crowd watched, appeared a younger vision of Akane
Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, Fuu, Innova, Emeraude, Zagato, and a cute blond haired
guy. They watched confused. These two ladies seemed to know each other pretty
well…
"Aunt Aiko," Sierra began, "do you…do you know
her?"
"Yes, unfortunately, I do," her aunt said, "She was
your mother's best friend…I really don't know why, though. This woman was
nothing but a tomboy all through high school, always the sports person! Not to
mention, she stole date for Valentines' my senior year."
What? They knew each other since high school? Sierra
felt like this was too much to handle. So many questions she wanted to ask. And
her mother…the mother that died giving labor to her…
"I was also your best friend that year," Akane Shidou
reminded Mrs. Hououji with fury. "I didn't steal your date, he said he
couldn't find you and he asked me to dance! You also shouldn't blame me for
being athletic, you're niece, the one you raised, is also an athlete or did
you forget? "
Suddenly, it was the younger version of Akane Shidou that
spoke next. "Mother, I was just wondering…are Presea and this
girl…related?" she asked Mrs. Shidou, pointing to Sierra at the same time…
"Yes, they are…" Mrs. Shidou answered. "Presea,
meet your twin…Sierra…"
My twin…Sierra thought. My twin…
***
I have a twin…? Presea was barely breathing now.
She had a twin all along? Why didn't Hikaru's mother, who was like a mother
to Presea, herself, tell her?
"My twin…" Presea and Sierra whispered at the same
moment. Both gasped in surprise because of their unison.