Midori

Since we had spotted the first Orphan I had been hyper-alert, which was why I had taken to waiting behind the door of my classroom, out of sight from students and listen in on them for a little while before entering. Gauging whether they seemed upset, if anything had happened or if it was just the usual chatter going on. Of course it was ridiculous to think they would keep being attacked to themselves instead of telling a teacher, but you never knew. Seeing my fellow HiME when they had been in high school had had me amazed of what people were able to hide beneath their usual exterior.

Today it was business as usual, the noises from the classroom were neither hushed and frightened nor otherwise excited above a normal level. I could make out Kikuchi, who was complaining about something her boyfriend had forgotten to do, some guys from the track club talking about their training schedule and Yoshiko laughing that distinctively grating laugh of hers. While I was getting more tense with every passing day, the normalcy of student life had not been interrupted since the first and only attack.
breathing a sigh of relief, I straightened my back before entering the class room with a cheerful "Good morning!"

Immediately all conversations died down and an echo of good mornings travelled through the room as they all went back to their seats. Doing the roll-call and starting the lesson went well, but my heart was not in it today, just like it hadn't really been since my I had been able to summon my Element again. Not even my head was really into the lesson, something I secretly loathed myself for.

When my professor had died, teaching had been the one thing to pull me out of the black hole my existence had become. Vigorously I had thrown myself into it, to escape the bleak meaningless life without him and without adventures. Trying to inspire them to learn, to maybe feel the same passion and burning curiosity that I once had felt for ancient cultures dragged me out of bed in the morning. Of course I taught history class, and most of the time it was fun, apart from the bitter-sweet moments when I stumbled across a topic my professor had loved. Still overall, teaching had given me a purpose.
But now my mind was always elsewhere, trying to find answers not given in the curriculum. Why were our powers back, but only for seven? What would happen next? How can I prevent it?

Especially the last two questions I was mulling over and over in my mind. Initially I had hoped the arrival of the others would calm me down, instead it felt like more pressure to provide answers. Of course they were all looking to me, I was the leader, but this time I didn't feel up to the task. §Every night I was waiting to hear alarmed screams, finding another mangled body or worse. The smallest noise woke me up at night and my muscles were ready to charge into a fight at all times. Already, I had been thinking about seeing Youko for a light soporific, but couldn't bring myself to risk it. What if something happened just the very night I were to take it? I couldn't wager it, I needed to be alert to guard the other girls.

Being in the dark like this was no good, I thought, not for the first nor the last time. All poring over books Fumi and I had done so far had amounted to nothing and it was driving me crazy. Maybe Natsuki still had her contact man from first district, he might have some information for us. I made a mental note to ask her later. All the while my mouth was moving, reading out loud from the textbook without blinking. It may have been the first time ever that I actually appreciated how strict and non-flexible the Japanese curriculum was. During my own school years I had abhorred it, listening to teachers without being allowed to think for ourselves or ask questions. Until I called up on Ayashi and wondering why there was no response. A slight cough made me look up from the book and the girl who had coughed was telling me what I registered with my own eyes in this very moment, namely that Ayashi was out sick today. I had even wrote it down at roll call. Sadly I shook my head, this had never happened to me before in class. Mean as it was, to save face I made her neighbour answer the question, the same girl which had reminded me of Ayashi's absence. Teacher's prerogative, even though I was not proud of it.

When the bell finally rang and all students had filed out I deflated in my chair. Sighing I ran a hand through my hair, debating my options. Youko would give me a coffee and some encouraging words if I visited her, but lately it felt like taking advantage of her kindness by dropping by every day yet not being able to tell her much. Fumi would grant me leave from my next class, all I needed to do was ask, however as much as not teaching appealed to me right now at the same time I felt bad about how my morals were dropping. If only there was an attack right now, it would give me something to do, absolve me from this waiting, if only for a few moments. Thinking along those lines made me feel even worse about myself. This had to stop right now!
Checking my watch I resolved to go seek out Natsuki right now. Searching more books was a bleak prospect but if Natsuki still had her contact it might actually be able to get us somewhere..

Anything was better than being useless.

I had an hour until my next class, it should be plenty enough time. Natsuki was not in her room. I knocked, but no reply came and when I tried the handle I found the door locked. Mai's room was down the hallway and my next best guess. If Natsuki was not there I might try my luck in the cafeteria. From what I remembered of her she was never a very studios kind of girl so I doubted looking in the library might be worth the time. On the other hand the dedication with which she had researched First District was admirable. Considering I wanted to lead this women I knew very little about them. Sure, I tracked them down, but that was just following hints and patterns, kind of like archaeology finding new old excavation sites. Concerning who they were as persons I had little to no clue apart from Mai, if I wanted us to be a team this needed to change. But first I needed to find Natsuki. We should all have exchanged our phone numbers, it would make things much easier, I thought, making a mental note to bring it up at the next meeting. A meeting where hopefully I could present them with some direction on how to proceed.

Concerning relationships I was far from an expert, but looking for Natsuki in Shizuru's room seemed doubtful. When I had first found their joint address I had felt very happy for them, these two needed some happiness in their lives badly, but then at some point Shizuru had suddenly moved out for no reason I had been able to see in the records. And even I had noticed how frosty Natsuki was to Shizuru in our meetings. Or rather how she was not interacting with her at all. No, Shizuru had probably as much clue about her whereabouts as myself.
Which left me with Mai.
I checked my watch, there was still time left until I had to give my next class. When I knocked at Mai's door there was silence. I thought she might also be out but then I heard rustling behind the door and seconds later she opened looking pale and not at all energetic like she did yesterday.
"Mai-chan, are you okay? Did you get sick?" I asked concerned. She shook her head. "It's good you're here, please come in." her voice sounded hoarse, but quiet.

"Just let me call Fumi-san to cancel my class."
By the time I had ended the quick call and followed Mai inside her room, the kettle was already steaming and cups were ready. When she made to get up I stopped her. "I'll get it," I told her and poured us tea which made Mai smile weakly.
"So what happened that got you all shaken up?" I asked her after she had a first sip.
"I had a dream, that," she shook her head, breaking of mid-sentence. Mai started up again but no words came, instead she took another sip of tea while I sat there, trying to be patient as worry and a hint of excitement both had me anticipating something for the first time today. What Mai then revealed still floored me.

"I saw Nagi last night."
My mouth gaped open, this couldn't be could it. "Or I don't know if 'seen' is the right word, it was more like a ghost or a vision." Mai went on. "I woke thinking someone had called my name, it was strange, the door to my room was open and I always thought I saw somebody disappearing just from my sight when I tried to look."
Even remembering made Mai look pale. I drank some tea, listening intently.
"Whatever it was, it lead me to the glass dome and there Nagi appeared to me. He said he came to warn us."
"Warn us about what?!" I interjected despite my intentions, excited we might have finally gotten a lead. Mai shook her head. "He didn't know, or," her lips pressed together in a thin line "he didn't want to say it. He might be playing us."
I nodded in agreement. With Nagi you never knew, last time had been nothing more than an entertaining game to him.
"Did he mention anything else to you?" It was important. Had I known Mai had seen him, I would have cut my first class too and gone straight to her, instead of checking only up on the girls I had sent on patrol.
"Yes, he confirmed the star was destroyed but he said old powers are rearing their heads."
I hummed, already thinking of the next research steps I could take. "Anything else?" I pressed. "No. I'm sorry."
My eyes focused on Mai again, looking as depleted as she had sounded, the way she sat at the table, with dark circles under her eyes, shoulders hunched and hands clenching her teacup and I felt appalled by my callousness.

"Are you alright Mai-chan?" I asked as I moved closer, unsure if I ought to give her a hug or not. "Nagi didn't hurt you, did he?"
She showed no signs of an injury but one could never now. Fortunately she denied this. Still, when I felt relieved already, a silent sob rocked her body. "Why does it have to start again Midori?"
As Mai looked at me with watery pleading eyes the familiar feeling of disappointment dropping like lead into my stomach came. Finally I moved in to hug her if only to avert the begging gaze for which I had nothing to offer.

My younger self would have probably told her not to worry, that we would be able to bash off anything coming at us because we were the good guys. Still, I had to try, after all I was the leader. I took a slightly shuttering breath.
"At least this sounds like what ever will come, it will have to appear through the gate. We can rotate guarding it and..."
I felt Mai's head shake where it was burried into my shoulder. "Nagi made no mention our foes would emerge from there. He would have told that otherwise, wouldn't he?"
She raised a reasonable point. "But we have to start somewhere. You may be right, but it also just might give us a lead. I will set Yukino and Natsuki on it for now. Will you be alright?"
Mai still wore a haunted look but she nodded. "I'll be fine, just let me get some rest."
As shaken as she looked I wasn't sure if Mai would be able to find rest, but there was nothing I could do here right now and with guarding the gate there was some action to be taken. Also I still needed to talk to Natsuki about her old contact.
"Call me if you need anything." I told Mai and got up, my tea almost untouched.

I found Natsuki outside the doorm, she had seized a mostly empty tool shed right next to the building for her motorbike and now she was there, tinkering at the machine.
"Natsuki!" I called as I jogged up to her waving. "Oi," she replied giving me a wave with one greasy black hand. Something cluttered, Natuski cursed and dived down behind her bike.
Mai defintely hadn't talked to her about last night, otherwise Natsuki would not seem so happy. Or maybe happy was not the right word, but the way she gently placed a tube back into its assigned slot, securing it with discs and nuts, she seemed more at peace than I had seen her since her arrival. It's good, I thought if not each of us was pulled tight like a bow string before snapping every minute of the day.
"Is it broken?" I asked, watching Natsuki repeat the motions with a second tube. She shook her head without averting her eyes from the task. "Just basic maintenance."
"Great!" I clapped my hands, "I have a request from you and you might need to be mobil."
That got her attention, she put the wrench down and rose from the crouch. A crease of concern apperead on her forehead. "Did something happen Midori?"

Quickly I filled her in on what Mai had told me, the frown on Natsuki's face deepened with every word I recounted to her, troubled by what Mai had seen. "Mai is fine, she was just a bit shaken when we talked. It was a warning, so we should try to make use of it." I had to ease Natsuki's concern if I wanted her focused on the task at hand.
"It might be grasping for straws but we have to reach out in every direction. Do you still have a possibilty to get into contact with your informant from First district?"
Natsuki shook her head. "I haven't heard from Yamada since high school, there was no need."

"Ah dang!", my shoulders slumped forward, "There goes another idea." I must have looked really crestfallen, for Natsuki put down her tools and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Hey, now. I can still see if his old number is still valid and check out the bars he used as meet ups back in the day. If he's still in business, he might hang around. It's worth a shot."
Eagerly I nodded my agreement. I was well aware that the chances of First District being involved in the reappearance of the Orphans were slim, but not even having the possibility to verify it, had dampened my spirits. "See if you can find out anything. Even if he can only tell us there's nothing going on with them, it would be something."
"Leave it to me." Natsuki stated and returned to her bike.