Hello again! Time for a brand new multi-chapter story! (I say 'brand new' as if I didn't write this over a year ago ahaha, but hey, it's new to being posted!)
Got this idea a while back and it was something very different from my usual stuff, so I hope you'll enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.
Tamamo No Maya
Chapter 1. The Fallen Bird
"I learned many feelings… I ate people's dreams… I drank people's love… But coming into contact with you, I have learned what I truly want."
Maya practices her lines of the village girl in various tones. With their performance of Fox of Legends coming very soon, she has only a few more things to perfect about her leading role of Tamamo-no-Mae.
Only a few nights prior, she had sat down to watch the video tape of Sessho-seki with Futaba, where the two of them had discussed many things about the play. Maya had taken Futaba's interpretation of a more action-themed genre into consideration, and gone through their lines together many times with her. Thanks to Futaba's assistance, Maya had finally discovered a satisfying way to view the priest Genno, whom Futaba would be playing alongside her.
She also takes to heart the conversation she had had with Claudine shortly afterward, which had helped her find her preferred version of the village girl, turning her into more of a devious villain than a meek regretful dame.
Now that she felt that all of her past, present, and future versions of Tamamo-no-Mae were connected in some way, Maya practices her role with complete confidence.
Today, she rehearses a few scenes in the rehearsal room as she stretches, even getting so absorbed in them that she doesn't realize right away that her classmates are calling to her.
"Hey, Tendo Maya!" It's Claudine's call that has Maya looking up from her toe-touches. Claudine and the rest of her friends are lingering by the doorway, about to head out. Claudine is standing with her hands on her hips. "Quit spacing out, would you? Sensei just said we're doing a full run-through today onstage. You're the lead, aren't you? So let's go!"
Maya straightens herself up with a smile.
"But of course. I was simply lost in thought."
"As usual," Claudine huffs. "You're so focused on your role that you lose focus on everything else. Get it together, would you?"
"My apologies."
With that bit of friendly banter, Maya follows Claudine and the others out of the studio and heads toward the auditorium where they will be performing the play in just a few days' time.
Those who have a role in the play are asked to run through a few scenes onstage, while the others help with critiquing, set arrangement, or anything else that's necessary.
Maya runs through her scenes with Futaba as the main roles, as well as her scenes with Kaoruko and Hikari, who play minor characters. She keeps to her interpretation of a more devious Tamamo-no-Mae, a woman who causes mischief and misfortune, on top of being a cunning seductress.
After an hour or so, the actresses are told to get into costume and do a full run-through of the play. As Futaba is helped into her priest's robes and given her staff, Maya puts on her dress to become the peculiar village girl for the opening scene. After a brief narration from Junna to set up the story, the opening scene of the priest tending to his shrine begins.
"Hm…" Futaba utters. "How odd that a bird would simply fall out of the sky in such a manner. It's almost as if it was being drawn to that stone…"
Maya slowly moves her way onstage, posture slightly hunched, allowing her hair to cover her face a bit.
"You mustn't go near the stone…"
Futaba turns back to her curiously.
"Oh, are you from the village? What are you doing alone in a place like this?"
Maya ventures closer to the prop stone and fallen bird lying at Futaba's shoes.
"I am only here to warn travelers to stay away from the stone. Do you know of a terrifying fox spirit known as Tamamo-no-Mae? She bewitched people, and bends whole countries to her will…" As she speaks her lines, she lets a wickedness creep into her tone, projecting her voice in a bit of a hiss. "The dark souls of Tamamo-no-Mae transformed into this stone. It emits a poison called miasma even to this day!"
Undaunted, Futaba stands her ground and faces her.
"To keep taking lives even after passing… she must have died with some terrible regrets. In that case, I will save her spirit myself!"
Maya keeps the previous conversations she'd had with both Futaba and Claudine in mind as they continue on with the play. She pours her feeling into the role as she would with any, truly striving to understand what this fox spirit would have felt, how she would have acted, and for what purposes.
At one of the scene changes, when other characters take precedence, Maya hurries backstage for a costume change, where she is then given her faux fox ears and tails. She'd practiced while wearing them many times before, so that her movements would appear natural and fluid, as though they were truly a part of her.
They run through the play from start to finish, and when it has finally concluded, an applause rises up from their classmates in the audience. Maya, Futaba, and the others who played a role come together to take a bow.
"Well done!" their teacher calls. "We'll go through it in parts tomorrow, and then fully once more before the performance. Dismissed!"
At this point, Maya turns to head back to the changing rooms with the others. In only minutes, the rest of her friends join them.
"Tendo-san, Futaba-chan!" Karen blurts. "That was incredible! You guys really made some changes, huh?"
"Even though it's a more traditional setting, it feels rather fresh," Kaoruko says.
"I just love Maya-chan's interpretation of Tamamo-no-Mae!" Nana smiles. "Even though she's cunning and cruel, she still has a bit of humanity left in her from time to time. But I like that overall she's a villain more than anything!"
"Oui, I agree," Claudine says. "I rather like the changes you've made, Tendo Maya. Particularly when her spirit is being freed from its grudge. I could feel her sorrow."
Maya dips her head as she begins removing her faux ears.
"Thank you very much. I have you to thank for that, Saijou-san. Our conversation the other night truly helped me figure out how I wanted to play this role."
"A-All right, if you say so. Now are you going to take off those tails or are you going to go to sleep with them?" Claudine steps up to begin helping Maya undo her obi, and Junna helps with unwinding the wire around Maya's waist that holds up the weight of the tails. As soon as they're off, Maya stumbles a bit, not yet used to her own weight without them. Claudine quickly steadies her.
"Hey, careful!"
"My apologies."
"It must be so difficult moving with those," Mahiru frets. "I don't know how you do it, Tendo-san!"
"With Hanayagi-san's help in how to best move in traditional clothing," Maya replies. "It was just a matter of getting used to the extra weight after that."
"You look natural onstage," Hikari says. "It almost doesn't look like a costume."
"Why thank you, Kagura-san."
Maya finishes removing her costume, then changes back into her uniform before joining the others on the walk back to Starlight Hall for supper. After showering and getting ready for bed, Maya wishes her friends goodnight before heading to her room.
It's no surprise that Claudine follows her, given the nature of their relationship that has grown more intimate in secret. As Maya lies herself down on her bed she lets out an accomplished sigh, smiling as her head rests on the pillow. Claudine lies down more slowly, pulling the blankets up over them both with a suspicious look in her eyes.
"What's got you so gung-ho? Are you sick or something?" Claudine presses the back of her hand to Maya's forehead, earning a chuckle from her.
"Not at all. I am simply feeling confident and comfortable with my role of Tamamo-no-Mae. I very much anticipate the performance in a few days' time."
Claudine's expression relaxes.
"That's fine, then. Just don't let it get to your head, Miss Genius Stage Girl."
"I would never."
"Uh-huh."
Maya chuckles, pulling Claudine in for a brief kiss before wishing her goodnight.
Considering the eventful day she'd had and how active her mind is, Maya didn't think she'd fall asleep for a little while. But as far as she can tell, it's only seconds after she closes her eyes that Claudine's presence fades from her senses, and Maya finds herself in an odd dream.
There is a forest and a village, but she can't be certain where she herself is located in all of it, nor what role she is playing. As she looks skyward, she glimpses a bird… or rather, perhaps she becomes the bird. Because the next thing she knows she is seeing the world from high above. She can see the forest, the village, and then a shrine. The sky is beautiful and blue, stretched out endlessly before her…
And then a darkness shrouds her vision.
Suddenly she can't breathe as black poison fills her lungs. Her vision blurs, and far below she catches a glimpse of orange fur dashing amongst the shadows. Her wings stop working, and a dreadful numbness spreads throughout her body. She plummets, no longer a bird but herself once more, draw in by that miasma as she falls helplessly toward that stone, which waits to split her skull-
Maya wakes with a start, gasping as her eyes open wide. It's the middle of the night, but she feels like she only rested for a moment or two. Her insides are tight and twisted from the panic brought upon by the nightmare, and her skin is prickling and clammy. Her heart pounds heavily, and she swallows as she tries to control her breathing.
Claudine stirs from a much more peaceful slumber beside her, blinking slowly as she discovers Maya's distress. Claudine immediately pushes herself up, her eyes vacant of all sleepiness as they become hard with concern.
"Maya? What's the matter?" Claudine reaches for her, covering her hand gently. Maya is more thankful for her comfort than she is guilty about waking her, which speaks to just how disturbing the nightmare had been.
"It's nothing. Just a strange dream…"
"It was more than that," Claudine murmurs. "You're shaking."
"It was just a little intense. I am all right."
Claudine opens her arms and wraps them around her, pulling Maya in close to her as she lies down again.
"It's all right. None of it was real. Would you feel better if you talked about it?"
Maya is quiet for a moment. She curls her fingers more tightly into Claudine's nightgown, pressing closer into her.
"I would rather not…"
"That's fine. Just take a deep breath, okay?"
Maya closes her eyes and exhales, tucking her head against Claudine's collar. She listens to her heartbeat for a few moments, until her own pulse has slowed to match it. All the while, Claudine runs her hands gently up and down her back, combing through her hair. She leaves a few small kisses on Maya's head, ensuring the blankets are tucked snugly around her.
"There," she murmurs. "Are you all right now?"
Maya breathes out slowly, allowing herself to press close to Claudine and become lost in her presence.
"Yes. Thank you, Claudine."
"There's no need. Just get some rest. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes."
"All right."
Maya closes her eyes once more, letting Claudine's steady pulse and breathing fill her head. The last of her shivers fade away as Claudine hugs her close, and within minutes Maya feels her conscious fading once again.
She doesn't dream for the rest of the night.
The following days, they practice for the play as intended, and Maya pours all of her efforts into her role.
But each night she dreams something unsettling.
First it was the bird plummeting to its death on the rock.
Then she dreams of the bird sitting atop that stone, only to be ambushed and crushed within the jaws of a fox.
The following night, she dreams of the fox being lured to the stone by the same miasma, only to be snared by a hidden bear trap.
In every instance there is a foreboding dread which she can't escape.
Every time, Maya wakes just as the bloody death occurs. The disturbing images always affect her to the point of mild panic, and shuddering distress. But she holds it all back, to the point where Claudine doesn't wake the second or third night. Maya handles it all on her own, only seeking the minimum amount of comfort by nestling close to her sleeping partner without rousing her.
Especially the night before the performance, she doesn't want to cause Claudine to become worried about her, so Maya just stays quiet and tries to get as much sleep as possible until morning.
Thankfully, the nightmares didn't steal enough of her rest away to make her lethargic the day of the play. Maya pushes the unsettling images to the back of her mind and focuses on the performance.
She gives her best display, as is expected of her, portraying her version of Tamamo-no-Mae to an intrigued audience. She lets herself feel the fox spirit's grudge; her wicked mischievousness, her cunning seduction, and eventually, her resentful liberation. She pours her soul into these emotions, into these expressions, conveying what she believed such a spirit might experience to the best of her abilities.
She moves with fluid motions on the stage, as though the tails truly were a part of her, and she turns her head to listen as if the faux canine ears truly worked.
All in all, the performance is a complete success. At the conclusion of the play, Maya takes her place at the center of the stage, with Futaba on one side, and Hikari and Kaoruko on the other. They all take their bow together as the curtain begins to fall and the audience surges with applause.
It's then, when all the thrill and excitement and triumph of accomplishing a wonderful performance are washing through her, when Maya suddenly flinches. Luckily, the curtain has already fallen by then, shielding the girls from the eyes of the onlookers. But Maya is hit by a sudden wave of nausea, to the point where she drops to her knees without warning. Her fellow actresses, who had all been smiling, suddenly gasp and shriek.
"Whoa! O-Oy, what the heck-?"
"Tendo-han? Wh-What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
"Are you okay?"
As Futaba and Kaoruko help Maya back up to her feet, Hikari fetches a bottle of water and brings it to her. Maya accepts shakily, but due to her tails is unable to sit in the chair they offer her, so she continues leaning against Kaoruko for the moment as she drinks. By then, the rest of their friends have hurried over in a fluster.
"Maya-chan?"
"Tendo-san, what happened?"
"Was it an adrenaline crash or something?"
"Tendo Maya-?"
They all crowd around her while still giving her space, the happy expressions they'd just been wearing seconds earlier now furrowed with concern. Maya finishes her water and gives herself a light shake as they all wait for her to say something.
"I apologize," she manages at last. "I'm not certain what came over me…"
"You're probably exhausted," Junna reasons. "That was kind of a long performance."
"Did you eat properly beforehand?" Mahiru asks. "Maybe you were dehydrated?"
"Should we call for the nurse?" Nana asks. "Does anything hurt?"
Maya shakes her head.
"No, that won't be necessary. I wouldn't say there is any pain, just perhaps… I just feel a bit strange."
"Strange?" Claudine says. "Strange how?"
Maya shakes her head again.
"I'm afraid I can't explain it…"
"Well either way, the play is done," Kaoruko says. "So let's get changed and go relax, shall we?"
Claudine moves in on Maya's other side, keeping an arm around her just to be safe. Maya leans against her a little as they make their way to the changing rooms. As Kaoruko and the others move away, Claudine lowers her voice for Maya alone to hear.
"Hey, be honest. Have you been getting enough sleep? Are you sick?"
Maya is touched by her concern and offers a small smile.
"I don't think it's anything like that."
"Then what is it?"
"I truthfully couldn't say…"
Claudine clearly isn't happy with that answer, but she doesn't know what else to do right now.
"Then just get changed for now. We'll go back and eat, and you can get some rest, then we'll see how you feel in the morning."
"Very well."
"Do you need help changing out of that?"
"I can manage."
Normally, Maya would make a teasing comment to hear Claudine make such an offer. But right now she would prefer a moment of privacy so she might figure out exactly what is ailing her.
So she enters her changing stall alone to shed her costume and put her uniform back on.
Claudine watches her until the door closes, still troubled about Maya's sudden change in condition. She'd seemed perfectly fine up onstage, so to see her all but collapse the second the curtain closed was alarming to say the least.
Nana joins her a moment later.
"Kuro-chan, do you have any idea what happened?"
"Not really… as far as I knew, she was in tip-top shape as always."
"I thought so, too. Maybe it was just a bout of exhaustion after all?"
Claudine doesn't reply.
After a few more minutes, the rest of their friends have finished changing and join them to wait for Maya. And Claudine knows it takes a bit of time to change out of the Tamamo-no-Mae costume by herself, but by now she thinks it's been long enough. She steps forward to knock.
"Hey, Tendo Maya? Is everything all right?"
Claudine and the others wait a moment in concerned silence. But then the changing stall door creaks open, and Maya peers back at them through the crack.
"Saijou-san… everyone… I-"
"What, what?" Karen frets. "Is something the matter? Do you not feel well after all, Tendo-san?"
"Should I get the nurse?" Junna offers.
"N-No, please-" Maya says, her eyes anxious. "I… I'm not exactly sure…"
Everyone glances worriedly at each other.
"I-In any case," Mahiru says. "Just come out and talk to us, okay?"
Maya hides a bit more behind the door.
"I… I don't think I can…"
"Why ever not?" Kaoruko asks.
"Seriously." Claudine takes a step closer, offering her hand. "Now you're really getting us worried, Tendo Maya. If something's the matter then you have to tell us so we can help you, right?"
Maya hesitates, which is something that's very rare for any of them to see. But after looking to each of her friends and drawing in a breath, Maya seems to resolve herself.
"Very well…"
Slowly, she opens the changing room door. She'd put her school uniform back on, however…
"Uh, Tendo?"
"Must you keep the ears and tails on?"
As Maya reveals herself, two fluffy ears are perked on her head and nine fluffy tails protrude from her back. Her expression remains greatly troubled.
"That's just the thing… I already removed them…"
"…Huh?"
A collective sound of confusion rises up from the others as they peer into the changing stall behind her. And sure enough, the faux pair of ears and the nine wired tails are all there with the rest of her removed costume.
There's a beat of silence as all eight girls look back at Maya again, with her fox-like ears and tails all moving independently, in ways that no costume props ever could.
And then, a resounding cry of disbelief.
"Ehh-?!"
A/N: I remember that I had to go back to watch clips of this play in the mobile game a lot to remember the characters of the priest and the fox and the specific lines the girls were saying. Not often I get a fic idea that I actually need to research the game for and take notes on!
Also, I had over a year to come up with a title for this and I only just decided on one the day I'm posting ch1 haha... I was originally calling this my "Kitsune Maya" fic, so the title I chose is honestly just a play on that. But yes! Fox girl Maya is here! How? Why? What are the girls gonna do about this...?!
Please review!