AN: a huge thanks to Jamie-chan, who did not kill me after this chapter. ;-)
The graceful loss
Natsuki looked around frantically, but there was no trace of Shizuru.
Her gaze met the one of Haruka who seemed to have read her mind. Natsuki saw her mouth twisted into a sneer, and then the blond woman spun on her heels, hurrying towards the exit with a stormy expression stuck on her face.
Natsuki had no other choice than to follow her.
She spotted Haruka in the corridor, ahead of a small group of soldiers. In a few strides Natsuki was at Haruka's side.
"We must find her," the Colonel hissed, without turning.
"I know, but how? She could be anywhere."
Haruka grinned, giving her a sidelong glance. "She's heading to her room."
"How do you know?"
"What do you think the surveillance cameras are for? Chie, is it confirmed?" Haruka stiffly asked a tall woman with short black hair and headphones in her ears.
It took a moment for Natsuki to recognize in that stern looking guard the teasing Trias she knew so well.
Chie touched her headphones and nodded. "General Viola is in her room right now."
A chuckle escaped Haruka's lips. "Good. This time it will be her turn to be on the wrong end of a handgun."
Wondering what the Colonel was meaning Natsuki stared at her. "I won't allow any acts of violence to hurt Shizuru, keep this in mind."
"Don't worry. I don't want to beat your sweetheart black and blue; I'll just scare her a little bit."
"Not if I can stop it," Natsuki harshly replied.
"Oh my Goddess, Nagi was right, you are so boring."
"Colonel Armitage, there's someone shouting along the corridor," Chie intruded.
Natsuki listened carefully, and a far echo of sobbing reached her hears. "Let's go."
Hearts pounding in her chest she started running.
A pitiful scene was awaiting them in front of General Viola's apartment.
Akane was knelt there, helplessly hammering the closed door with her fists. She was crying, and calling Shizuru's name with Tomoe standing behind her.
Natsuki saw a frown of disgust appear on Haruka's face.
"Stand up, loser. Your General is finished."
Before Natsuki could do anything, Tomoe turned, pointing a gun at Haruka. She shot two bullets hitting the Colonel right in the chest, but Haruka didn't even flinch. She closed the distance and kicked the gun out of the control of a very surprised Tomoe. Then, a final back kick slammed the shocked girl against the door. Her neck snapped with a revolting sound as she collided against Akane, knocking the other girl out. Both girls crumbled to the floor.
Chie knelt beside them. "Akane is just unconscious, but Sergeant Marguerite definitely needs a doctor."
"Send a call," ordered Haruka who slowly turned to face Natsuki. The Colonel was madly grinning.
"My grandma taught me not to go out without a flank jacket. But now, let's go back to more serious business." She extracted a small plastic card from one of her coat pockets, inserting it in a slit on the wall. The door silently opened.
The room was dimly lit, and the only illumination came from a small globe placed on a table. Natsuki and Haruka lingered for a moment on the threshold and, as their eyes grew accustomed to the lack of light, they spotted Shizuru quietly seated on the sofa, apparently busy in reading something on her cell phone.
"Shizuru!" Natsuki made a step towards her, but she instantly felt the strong hand of Haruka on her forearm.
"Don't make a move," the blonde Colonel hissed.
"What?" Natsuki asked, as firm as she could.
"Can't you see she's got a grenade?"
Gasping the Headmistress stared at Shizuru. And only then did she see the grey cylinder that Shizuru was holding above her thigh.
Her attention returned to Haruka. "Leave us."
The Colonel indignantly stared her back. "You must be crazy, Headmistress. She's dangerous, and that stuff is powerful enough to blow up the whole apartment, killing both of you" Haruka said, lowering the voice.
Natsuki grabbed the front of Haruka's coat, drawing her closer. "Don't tell me this won't make you happy. Secure the area; I assure you that to die here is the last thing I want."
An awkward expression of respect passed on Haruka's face, as she nodded. "As you order, Headmistress. Don't get yourself kill."
Then, shooting a glance at Chie, Haruka and the others left Natsuki alone in the room.
She cautiously moved towards the sofa, uncertain as to what she should say, but she stopped when Shizuru raised her crimson eyes on her.
Unreadable feelings lingered on Shizuru's gaze, and a thick silence dropped between them, until General Viola abruptly broke it with her soft, charming voice.
"Natsuki, how old do you think I am?"
Surprised by the question the Headmistress shook her head. "You can't be that much older than me," she replied.
Shizuru smiled. "I'm ten years older than my counterpart on Earl. And the same goes for all the people you have seen here, and this is because our timelines are not synchronized. But the reason why I'm telling you this is because I want you to understand for how many years Natsuki, my Natsuki and I, have been friends and lovers."
The General fixed her eyes on the bright globe. "When I first laid my eyes on her I was still a cadet, but she was already the President, chosen a few years before, after the death of the previous one. I could clearly see how scared she was, because her fate would have been to dedicate all her life to the Republic. She was always sad and alone, but in the depth of her eyes I could see her desperate fury. She wanted to escape that golden cage, and in that moment I swore that I would help her. All of my life has been committed to this goal, everything I've done, it has been for her. Slowly Natsuki learnt how to open her heart to me and how to love me, but always in secret. It was dangerous, and I started to wonder. If this war ended, there would have been no more use of the President, so we would be free. Natsuki and I started to make plans that the other Colonels didn't enthusiastically accept, but we knew that the population would have supported us. Then, tragically, one year ago two members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff resigned, and Mashiro and Nagi took their places."
Shizuru paused, and Natsuki saw her grip on the grenade tensing. When the General spoke again her voice was still calm, but so cold it seemed to freeze the very air around her.
"Haruka already opposed the war, but she was alone because Sergay had never been bold enough to oppose us. On the other hand Mashiro and Nagi were young and ambitious, and the balance of power shifted in their favour. Soon Natsuki and I had only a few commanders on our party, yet, they would have been enough. I knew that the biggest obstacle for the Colonels was the President but, even if I should have foreseen their move, I would never have thought that they were so desperate as to kill her."
Natsuki stared at Shizuru, incredulous.
The Headmistress opened her mouth, finding it difficult to speak. She tried to close her hands but her fingers were numb and useless. "Are you saying that you were ready to destroy half of your world only to stay with your Natsuki?" she asked bluntly.
Shizuru smiled her. "Only? She was my dream. I would have done everything to make her happy and safe. Wouldn't you do the same? But that was the past. You were my future. You could have been happy on Terra. I would have made this place a Paradise for you, where you would have been adored as a Goddess."
Natsuki sadly shook her head. "A Paradise built on the ashes of millions of people? I would never have accepted it."
The Headmistress reluctantly made a step back. 'She's completely insane. The loss of the President must have unbalanced her mind.'
"You were a politician, Natsuki, I thought you would understand."
"What? That the end justifies the means? Besides, I too I have someone I love. Someone who, as you said, I'll protect no matter the costs."
Natsuki stared at Shizuru, and for the first time she saw the General lose her composed smile. "Is this your ultimate decision, Natsuki?"
"Yes. She needs me, I beg of you to understand."
Only silence welcomed her words. Natsuki's lips tighten into a narrow line. "Let me go back home, Shizuru, and you shall accept your defeat."
"I would rather die, Natsuki."
Shizuru's eyes left her and rested again on the cell phone, her lips curled into a dreamy smile.
Suddenly she rose up, approaching Natsuki. The Headmistress stood still, while Shizuru lightly caressed her face.
"Sorry if I lied to you and for dragging you here. But you were just too similar to her and even if I do not believe in miracles, the second I saw you I felt that I could have a second chance. I knew I was being egoistical but I loved her too much not to try, even if this would have meant to make another Shizuru sad..."
The General slipped the phone in Natsuki's hand. "Go, Natsuki, but promise me you'll tell her my story, and that you'll keep this message as a memento of our love."
Natsuki gripped firmly her arm. "I can't accept it. You'll come with me."
"Why? There's nothing left for me. It's time to go. And then…" Shizuru looked away, eyes gleaming. "I want to see my Natsuki again."
Abruptly she turned, and the Headmistress had to resist the temptation to hold her tight. Because Natsuki knew that she would have never let her go. Tears began to gather, and Natsuki's voice choked in her throat.
"Farewell, Shizuru," she whispered.
Then, she slowly walked out of the apartment. The doors closed behind the Headmistress, and it was only when she turned the corner that she heard the muffled sound of an explosion. The lights flickered and, somewhere, an alarm started screaming.
Natsuki leaned against the wall, hiding her face on her hands and fighting back the tears. 'I won't cry for you Shizuru. Tears wash away the pain and the remorse. And I want to remember you forever, because you wanted me here, and I could not save you.'
Seconds later she heard the sound of heavy military boots. Swallowing her pain Natsuki looked at the small delegation leaded by Mashiro and Haruka.
"Where is General Viola?" the blonde Colonel asked brusquely.
Ignoring her Natsuki stared at Mashiro. "She's dead."
For a moment she saw a shadow of guilt in the Colonel's green eyes, but it was immediately replaced but a calculating look. "It's a pity, and an incalculable loss for our country. However, you must be tired. My guards will accompany you to your room, give us time to arrange a transport and you'll soon be taken to the dimensional gate."
Irritation started to boil inside Natsuki. "Colonel De Windbloom, your dismissive attitude is scandalous" she coldly spat out. "Don't even think I can't see that this is exactly what you and your colleagues wanted. As far as I know, this is but a well organized coup d'état. Your despicable tactics have forced Shizuru to take that path, and her death is exactly what you wanted from the very beginning."
Mashiro seemed unimpressed by Natsuki's anger. She caressed her sleek hair, smiling knowingly. "Why these harsh words, Headmistress? Before feeling sorry for her, think about all the lives that could have been lost. I assure you that General Viola's death was not planned, but I can't deny that she made the right decision."
Abruptly Haruka's hand clasped Natsuki's shoulder, squeezing it. "Please, listen. Shizuru knew the game; nonetheless she put everything at a stake. And when she lost she preferred to die instead of resigning. She would have been disgraced, disowned, and sent into exile, but she chose to die as true warrior, in a last blaze of glory. We were not friends but, in this moment, I'm proud of her."
Confused by Haruka's words Natsuki dimly smiled. "That's what scares me the most about your world. Some of you have a surprisingly honourable code, Colonel Armitage, while others are just incredibly cynical."
Mashiro handed Natsuki a long cape. "Cynicism? We call it 'realism', Headmistress, and you don't earn promotion to the highest ranks if you can't practise it. Now, wear this. We'll claim that you died with the General, so you need to stay hidden."
With those words came the realization that there was no point in arguing further with them, because the game was over. Feeling defeated, Natsuki reluctantly nodded. 'This is not my world, Shizuru's dead, and the war has been avoided. It's time for me to go back home.'
But, unexpectedly, one of the guards made a step forward, kneeling.
He was young, his face almost lost under the helmet. "President, what are your orders?" he innocently asked.
As one, all the other soldiers fall to their knees. Haruka and Mashiro looked around, completely at a loss.
Before they could say anything, Natsuki seized the opportunity to say what she was looking for.
'Of course. Even if they knew my real identity, their instinct to follow the President's orders is probably too strong, especially now that they have lost the Commander in Chief.'
The Headmistress squared her shoulders. "Colonel De Windbloom, I hereby promote you to the rank of General."
Mashiro stared at her, eyes wide, but Natsuki had something else to add. "I'll give you a message that has to be sent to Queen Mai Tokiha. This is my only order to you: put an end to war."
A pale grin returned on the lips of the lavender hair woman. "You'll find it surprising but I agree with you."
"Even if you know that you'll lose your powers?"
Mashiro flashed Natsuki a cunning glance. "The process of establishing peace is long, and everything can happen in the meantime."
Natsuki shook her head. "This military dictatorship won't survive the end of the war, soon the people will ask for a real democracy."
Then she looked intently at Haruka, because a thought had occurred to her. "Shizuru and the President were close friends; they would have liked to be buried together."
Something unsaid passed in Haruka's eyes. She nodded. "Of course, Headmistress. We know this was their last wish and, I assure you, they'll never be apart."
Natsuki's hand closed on the phone in one of her pockets. Tears threatened her eyes again but the Headmistress held them back. She only mumbled a quiet 'thank you', before letting the soldiers take her away.
AN#2: Ara, ara... forgive me people, but this was truly needed. Here, take some kleenex and... it's not quite over yet!