Sorry, just a short update this time, but with other two Otome showing up. Well... sort of... ;-)

Terra
The eerie expectation

Her assigned quarters were huge, but furnished in a minimalist style of plain and empty surfaces. If dominant colour outside was black, inside brown, beige, or other soft colours reigned. Natsuki looked around, secretly pleased. 'For a moment I feared that all their flats were gloomy like that meeting room.'

"I hope you like it…" a voice behind her said.

Natsuki turned to look at Shizuru's secretary, a jovial girl with the same face and sweet attitude of Akane Soir. "It's perfect. I didn't expect to find such a luxury apartment inside a military base. This is even better than my own apartment at home."

"Oh, the others are not this big, but this belonged to the President."

Mindlessly the Headmistress rubbed her forehead, while her attention returned to the unadorned walls of the room. The whole place oozed chilliness and solitude. 'It wasn't easy to live like a Goddess, was it, Natsuki of Terra?'

Fighting the moment of sadness she stared at Akane. "So I suppose I must stay here for the sake of appearances."

"Exactly. Few of those assigned to this sector know the General's plan, and the others would get suspicious if we relocated you. Please, feel free to use everything you find here. The clothes and the rest of the President's personal belongings have been completely replaced. And if you need something else you just have to tell me, I am here to assist you with everything."

The Headmistress looked away, feeling strangely embarrassed. Then a thought occurred to her. "I'm grateful to you and to Shizuru for your help, but didn't Natsuki also have a personal secretary?"

Akane lowered her head, her voice reduced to a feeble whisper. "Yes, Liutenant Erstin Ho. A girl I knew very well, since she was only few years younger than me."

"She… was?"

"Erstin was killed by the same bomb that took the life of the President."

Natsuki's lips tightened in a narrow line. 'Here too… I had hoped to find you alive, Erstin.'

"I see. And did you manage to capture the terrorist?"

With those words she saw Akane turn pale.

"She was the one who delivered the bomb."

Natsuki stiffened in horror. "A traitor?"

"So our top leadership found out."

Akane's eyes filled with barely controlled fury. "To think she was only playing the part, when we actually believed she was a friend…"

Her tone was so hateful it surprised Natsuki. 'The Akane of Earl would have never spoken such harsh words. I keep forgetting they are not the same people I know.'
The Headmistress nodded gravely. "I'm truly sorry for your loss, and I hope that my presence will be useful here."

"I'm sure of it. I'm leaving you to study the speech. You have the number of my cell phone if you need me. I'll be back in two hours to help you change for dinner."

Natsuki's cheeks reddened. "I can do it alone…"

"Better if I help. The General chose a quite complicated dress."

"I didn't think it was a formal dinner. And I would rather refrain from dressing up, I'm not on vacation." Natsuki replied, stiffly.

"General Viola didn't extend any other invitations, so I assume you two will be alone. But the dress is her personal gift for you. Please, accept it. She rarely shows her affection but I've been her assistant for many years, and I know she's deeply grateful to you."

Words long denied flew out before Natsuki could stop them. "Well, I wasn't being offered too many choices. I'm stuck here, and the only way to see my friends again resides in the good will of your chiefs."

But Akane only gently smiled, shaking her head. "We all know. That's also why the General is so obliged to you. Please, do not disappoint her by refusing the gift, General Viola was enthusiastic when she saw it. She said it was made for you."

Natsuki turned swiftly, so that Akane couldn't see her face turn a fiery scarlet. "The last thing I want is to upset her, she reminds me so much of by best friend back home. I will see you in two hours then," she managed to mumble.

'But now I wonder in which ways you are different from my Shizuru, General Viola.'