Good afternoon, Author here. Thanks for the sudden surge in reviews, lol :D
I'm not sure if people already know this, but here's a brief note: Oba-san means Aunt. The reason I put this here is because a friend of mine and I went into a somewhat heated debate over it until I retrieved a dictionary and pointed out that "Grandmother" has another "a" attached.
Mai-hime and related belong to Sunrise
Red Queen's Ascent
The Fujino Office in Fuuka erupted into a flurry of work as the assigned maids busily prepared for the arrival of their mistress. Tomoe noted this new surge in activity and frowned. She turned around in her office chair and stared out towards the open door to her office as she rested her chin on her palm. The back of her head was still pounding from the unforeseen beating she took several days ago but a couple of painkillers took care of that pain within the hour. She grimaced as she reached over and dug through her desk drawers. The white plastic bottle sounded hollow when she gave it an experimental shake, which lead to another search. It wasn't the physical pain that had been bothering her at all over the past few days. She had grown more occupied over the continuous questions about just what exactly had knocked her out that night.
She remembered black fur, lots of it, curiously dense yet soft to the touch. Her hand had shook from dumping a cartridge earlier into her uncle but now it stung when she had whipped the pistol around to shoot the rest of the bullets into the rushing mass of fur and claws. It was like attempting to use a cap gun to stop a speeding train. The wolf only lowered its head and charged. It had been incredibly cold during the few moments leading up to her unconsciousness, and ice crystals tinged with blood had danced over the creature's fur coat when it barreled into her. The lone green eye and fantastically sharp set of teeth was probably the last thing she saw until the back of her head collided with the ground.
After that, her memory grew a little hazy as her head pounded and struggled to make some sense out of what had happened. There were some snippets and flashes of light and color mixed in about her journey back to the area office in Fuuka, accompanied with being shoved some painkillers and told to keep away from strenuous activity. She briefly recalled that she had spent the past couple of days clutching onto the pills and screaming herself hoarse towards the remaining men who even bothered to report to duty when the club bombing incident fully came to light. No one was seriously injured from her escapades around the office, however. She wasn't too fond of being in even deeper trouble than she already was.
She stared at the memo placed on her desk earlier by her assistant and immediately she felt worse. A second bottle was found lying underneath several papers that she had yet to read through. The pill bottle was ransacked for another pair of blue pills that jangled as they exited the plastic container and into her palm. With practiced ease she dumped the pills into her mouth and drank from a ready glass of water. She pulled the memo off of the desk calendar and read it once more before crumpling it up and tossing it into the garbage bin along with the rest of the sticky notes that had littered her desk. With a sigh she leaned back against the chair and stared at the ceiling. For a moment she considered going outside for a much-needed nicotine boost but decided against it—her mother was not fond of the smell of cigarette smoke.
This is the pits.
She knew she would be in for it if her mother learned the news that Fujino Shigeru had been held captive in Sapporo for almost a year following an almost fatal car chase up and down Fuuka's winding roads. Now, this trouble would grow tenfold when she would also learn that he had been shot point-blank and could have died from the unfortunate incident. Tomoe counted her growing list offenses that concerned things other than Fujino Shigeru and finally threw up her hands in exasperation. She shook her head. It wasn't exactly her fault that she let the gun fire. Having someone barrel through at top speed was enough for anyone to get itchy trigger fingers. Tomoe sighed and shrugged to herself as she attempted to give out a mental pep talk. It was already over. What was done was done. There was really no use in going over it in fine detail and agonizing over the outcome. Still, her mother had called her in for a meeting, and she knew better than to refuse.
Tomoe took a leisurely walk over towards the larger executive office that had once been occupied by Fujino Shigeru. She opened the doors without warning and marched in through the empty secretary's quarters before pushing the main doors open. The room was furnished more for function than anything else. Bookcases filled with rare volumes littered one wall, leading up to the massive executive desk. John Smith stood near the right of the desk with his hands folded behind his back. He watched her through narrowed eyes but offered no greeting. It was just as well, she thought as she sent him a sneer. It was partially his fault that she had been called here in the first place. Several comfortable chairs were scattered in front of the desk. She really wanted to sit down. It would have hidden her shaking knees and given her some recovery time, at least. It was a matter of politeness, however. She had simply not been offered a seat and she doubted she would be granted a reprieve. Therefore she remained standing as the executive chair swiveled around to reveal her mother in a contemplative pose.
The pupils of her mother's eyes had been in snake-like slits for as long as she could remember. She failed to question the oddity of it and had even wished for them in the same wistful manner that most children wished for things beyond their grasp. Even as she grew and learned the reason behind the strange shape, she merely shrugged and went along with it. Her mother's eyes had always given off a sense of long-suffering patience. It was hard to see who would deny the calm wit and composed nature of Kyoko Marguerite. They were the victims here, Tomoe would recall. If it wasn't for the family's arrogance her mother would have been able to live the privileged life she deserved. She pushed these thoughts away as her mother's eyes centered on her.
"You've been a busy child, Tomoe," Kyoko commented quietly.
Tomoe blinked in sudden confusion. Something about that voice didn't sound right. There was no quiet acceptance behind them. Instead of being amused Kyoko sounded disappointed. This was an unexpected emotion and for a moment Tomoe found that her mind went curiously blank. Soon the girl let her gaze drop to the floor before picking back up to meet unwavering silver eyes.
"I was only going through with what we had agreed upon," Tomoe replied in a slightly hesitant tone.
She licked her suddenly dry lips when she received no response at first. Smith casually took off his glasses and began to clean them with a cleaning cloth he procured from his jacket pocket. She focused briefly on this action before mentally shaking her head and shifting her attention back to her silent mother.
Back straight, eyes level. Don't falter.
She repeated this mantra over and over as she inwardly shook under those exotic eyes. Kyoko studied her for another agonizing minute before folding her hands out in front of her.
"I see. You were following up on what we had spoken of." Suddenly those eyes narrowed. "Tomoe, you have a good memory for words. I would hope so, anyway. You are my child after all."
Tomoe nodded stiffly, unsure as to where this conversation was going.
"Since you have such a good memory, I will ask you a question. Several questions, in fact."
Kyoko tilted her head slightly.
"… During these talks we have had in the past, was 'spending the Fujino fortune until the coffers were bone-dry' a part of the agenda?"
When Tomoe shook her head Kyoko raised an eyebrow.
"I haven't? Well, that's something. Last month's expenditures seem a little outrageous then."
"The money was necessary to cover a few things, but I will admit that I went a little too far with spending the family fortune. It won't happen again," Tomoe said methodically, as if she was reciting a passage from a book.
Kyoko waved a dismissive hand, indicating little concern over that point. Tomoe was about to heave a sigh of relief when Kyoko spoke again.
"And when, exactly, have I explicitly told you to hurt my brother?"
Her brother. It was never "your uncle" or even "Fujino Shigeru." It had always been and would always be her brother. That soft, almost reverent tone of voice had never been used on her father or even herself—only towards the Fujino family, the same family that had ostracized her in the past. Tomoe clenched her jaw but remained standing even as she was pinned by her mother's studious gaze.
"It was regrettable," Tomoe began, only to be cut off with a disapproving sigh.
"Regrettable?" There was a quiet scoff that rang in Tomoe's ears. "Which part, Tomoe? The part where you disobeyed my orders not once, but twice? Or is it the part where you failed to even grasp your purpose?"
Tomoe failed to reply as she stared up at her mother's cold eyes.
"Don't think I did not hear of your little jaunt around Fuuka a year ago and your subsequent attempt at a cover up. Had Smith not reported to me about your wild antics up and down Japan, I would have taken your initial report as it were."
Tomoe did not hide the glower at the mention of her supposed advisor. Smith's lips twitched and he tucked his cleaning cloth back into his pocket, but there was no real acknowledgement of the dirty look she sent his way. No wonder her mother had come back to Japan at the first possible chance—the weasel had ratted her out.
Probably for some sort of deal, or money, even.
Her lips curled into a sneer as she took in his nonchalant actions. Kyoko appeared to ignore the undisguised malice when she continued.
"That would have been a forgivable albeit somewhat overzealous action, but not anymore, especially with the further development over you drugging your own cousin to maintain her silence before attempting to silence my brother permanently. Not only did you take out a gun in a very delicate situation, you used it on him."
"I had no choice!" Tomoe blurted out suddenly. "When he rammed into me my finger slipped and the gun went off! There was no stopping it. I didn't mean—"
"You didn't?" Kyoko asked musingly. "You didn't mean… what, exactly?"
"I didn't meant to hurt him," Tomoe finished lamely.
"… I did not raise a liar."
Tomoe stiffened as Kyoko stood. Despite their similar facial structure and eyes, Kyoko passed more easily as a timeless Fujino beauty than as the mother of the sharper-featured Tomoe Marguerite. Kyoko's eyes even had a sheen to them that made Tomoe's own eyes look muddled and tarnished in comparison.
"I don't think I raised a liar," Kyoko continued mostly to herself as she walked towards her daughter. "But I also thought that I did not raise a barbaric individual with a lack of self-control. Here I am, proven wrong."
Kyoko paused and turned towards Smith.
"What do you think, Smith?"
"Ma'am?"
She gestured towards Tomoe with a dismissive wave of her fingers.
"Of this situation, Smith. What do you think we are now up against due to this… unfortunate development?"
Tomoe looked on in mute disbelief as Kyoko awaited Smith's reply. Smith merely shook his head while he studied the dumbstruck girl in front of him.
"We are in a delicate situation, ma'am. It is fortunate that Miss Fujino was escorted back to us by young Homura, but that will not change the fact that Mister Fujino and his associates will retaliate, especially if Mister Suzushiro is inclined to act on this. Regardless, we should not have acted so outrageously in the past. Perhaps if we had gone through this a little more carefully, this particular situation would have been averted."
Despite his wording Tomoe was duly aware that he had been directing his all-inclusive statements solely onto her. Kyoko seemed satisfied with his explanation and gave him a nod.
"I see. Thank you, Smith."
When Smith nodded and retreated back to his corner Kyoko fixed her daughter with another critical gaze.
"Do you understand now, Tomoe? This would not have happened if you hadn't acted so out of line."
This was too much. Tomoe's mouth seemed to agree with her thoughts but before she could rein the words in they flew out of her mouth.
"Wasn't this about revenge?"
Kyoko raised an eyebrow but failed to comment as Tomoe frowned.
"You spoke for years about revenge, mother. Revenge over the Fujinos that did you wrong, that ostracized you for something beyond your control. That was all you ever spoke of."
She sent a desperate glance towards her mother.
"Revenge is about getting back at those who did you wrong, isn't it? What was wrong with what I did? I did what was necessary to ensure your interests, mother."
A wild noise tore from her throat as she expressed her frustration with a childish stomp of her foot.
"What was wrong with what I did?!"
Kyoko reacted in a split second. Tomoe felt her head snap towards the side from the force of the smack that went across her cheek. She touched the swelling skin and stared back at her mother in mute shock.
"Do not even attempt to assume that you are acting in my interests," Kyoko seethed. "Are you so mired in your own delusions that you cannot even understand what you have done?"
"Then you explain it," Tomoe snarled.
"I've heard some things," Kyoko continued in a more even tone as she lifted her chin and peered down at her daughter. "I've heard that you have been a little too obsessed with Shizuru. Beautiful girl, isn't she? She looks almost like her mother, but with my brother's eyes. Anyone would be captivated by her, and from what I have heard she has attracted a huge following. But your eyes have been lingering a little too long on her, haven't they?"
This was an uneasy change of topic, one that Tomoe had not been fully prepared to discuss with her mother, of all people. Tomoe cradled her bruising cheek and tried to discern some purpose out of her mother's emotionless stare.
"… I don't see what your point is," Tomoe muttered tersely.
Kyoko's lips formed a thin-lipped smile.
"You have forgotten your purpose here, Tomoe. Since you have been so wrapped up in such fantasies that your cousin would even look at you in the same manner, you would stop at nothing to have her for yourself. But you forget, Tomoe, you forget that you are here under my good graces. You are not here to have your way with my family's wealth and beauty."
Kyoko grabbed onto her daughter's neck and drew the shorter girl up to eye-level. For the first time, Tomoe felt nothing but fear as she stared into the silvery snake-eyes her mother possessed. This conversation had gone from unnerving to downright wrong, in her opinion.
"You don't even deserve to be here, surrounded by these opportunities," Kyoko hissed in a warning tone. "Remember that you are a Marguerite, not a Fujino."
Something strange and heavy fell from Tomoe's throat down to her stomach. She would never be up to her mother's expectations, no matter how long she slaved away at this form of amusement her mother had carefully built over the years. Kyoko impassively watched her daughter's conflicting emotions and attempt to analyze just what this sinking sensation was. Tomoe's feet finally planted themselves back onto the solid floor when she was released from her hold. Kyoko gave her one last look before she turned around.
"Think about that, and when you have cooled your head return to me."
With that, she was dismissed. Tomoe turned and stiffly marched out of the office and back towards her own. As she walked down the quiet hallways she looked up and caught sight of her cousins as they walked towards her. Nagi shot her an unreadable look and Shizuru looked ahead with pursed lips. Their paces slowed for only a fraction of a second as the two opposing forces passed one another. Time sped back up to normal and Tomoe tore her gaze away from the two before nearly running towards her office.
She opened the door roughly and walked in before pushing the door shut with her back. She took in a deep, steadying breath that slowly trickled out into a shaky sigh before her head tilted back. It was only when the door was safely closed and locked behind her that she finally let loose. With a rough swing the desk was cleared of papers and glass shards flew in all directions as drinking cups fell to the floor. A lamp that had been left on now careened towards the wall and shattered into glass and plastic, dropping a cloak of darkness in the room. The next thing to go was the books as they tumbled out of the bookshelves when Tomoe aimed a wild swipe towards their general direction. When the papers ripped and fluttered around, she heaved in a breath and screamed until she grew hoarse from the effort. Her fists pounded on the desk to ebb away the last of her anger. Soon, her stiff and shaking hands simply pushed against the dents in the wood as she struggled to grasp onto herself. A brief cry fell from her lips and her shoulders shook as she slid down onto the floor.
The minutes ticked by impassively as Tomoe sat there in that disorganized pile with her arms wrapped around herself. The distant ticking faded in the back of her mind, slowly being replaced by the sight of comfortably familiar maple-red eyes. Those calm eyes and that enchanting voice had gotten her through those boring days running around the Kyoto mansion and making sure nothing strange happened to impede on her own progress. Only, this image was now marred as her mother's words floated back into the forefront along with the image of that black-haired beast once more.
That wolf was the cause of all this trouble. She had the plan all wrapped up and ready to be concluded. The goal was within her sights and she could almost brush up against the tape with her fingertips. The large beast with its feral eye and meddling ways had caused enough trouble, too much trouble. This wouldn't stand, not anymore. That wolf, that beast within human skin, was going to pay. She gritted her teeth and nearly shrank into the desk. If she found that beast—when she found that beast—there would be no mercy.
Nagi escorted Shizuru down the hall and towards the Executive Office before he suddenly stopped. She turned and looked at the conflicting emotions on his face before she too stopped.
"You are not accompanying me into the office?" Shizuru asked quietly.
The younger boy shook his head.
"Whatever happens, don't let up," Nagi said softly.
Shizuru blinked but did not reply when Nagi offered nothing else other than this strange pep talk. He tucked his hands in his pockets and gave her a curt nod as he stood by the unoccupied secretary's desk. She turned and gently pushed open one of the doors that led into the office. As she stepped in memories began to flood her mind. Snatches of her early life were spent in this area office in Fuuka. The bayside view and "new" cityscape was the vacation spot to her seemingly more exotic childhood stay at the formal mansion in Kyoto. It was one of the reasons why she had elected to go to this academy rather than one closer to home—this was a homecoming it its own way. Despite the nostalgia behind the office she pushed those fond thoughts to the back of her mind.
This was not her father's office anymore. The warm memories washed away in favor of a comfortable coolness that settled over her mind and caused her face to grow neutral as she registered the faces in front of her. The blonde-haired foreigner lounging in the shadows was a new face, she noted quietly. The woman sitting before her was not, although it had been some time since they had last met.
"Hello, Shizuru. It has been a long time."
Shizuru bowed respectfully.
"It has been a long time, Kyoko oba-san."
What looked to be a fond smile turned the corners of Kyoko's lips. This was not unfamiliar to Shizuru, who had often been awarded so many smiles from countless individuals only to return the same forced smile that she was now being given. It was a patented smile, a quaint turn of the lips that signified mild pleasure. Kyoko's eyes spoke differently, however. They seemed a bit too happy. Shizuru had the distinct feeling that she had fallen into the company of a rather hungry snake bent on having a satisfactory meal after being denied proper sustenance.
"Please, take a seat."
Shizuru shook her head. She would not play along. Her father had some dubious liking to it and Shizuru herself had dabbled in the manipulations and mind games, but this was not an individual to test these talents on. She decided the best course of action would be to remain honest but not indulgent.
"No, thank you."
A minor setback. Kyoko folded her hands out in front of her and gathered her thoughts.
"How long has it been since we last met, Shizuru?"
"A little over ten years, ma'am."
It had been spring, then. She could still remember the distinct blue silk of her aunt's kimono, the earnest gray eyes of a younger Tomoe, and the warmth of her father's hand as he held one of her hands in a loose yet comforting grip. There were strained conversations exchanged over carefully-made sweets and cups of tea that she had painstakingly prepared. It had been the first formal tea ceremony that she had administered by herself to her father and aunt as her cousin wandered around in the gardens. Too western, Kyoko would say in a sniff when referring to her own child, and not enough discipline to learn these cherished arts. Shizuru knew that Tomoe could hear her through the thin rice-paper doors. As always, the Fujino and the lone Marguerite remained silent as they went through the motions and projected an image of familial stability. It had not been the first of many indirect comparisons, but it had been the last time they were connected to a tangible face. Shizuru studied the ageless beauty sitting before her. The current Kyoko Marguerite could not be super-imposed over the memory of the blue kimono-clad lady who presided over tea and sweets.
"You are correct." Kyoko leaned against her desk chair and sighed wistfully. "As always, your memory is impeccable. And you've grown up into such a beautiful young lady."
Shizuru remained quiet. Soon the silence began to settle into the room and Kyoko straightened.
"I will not mince words with you, Shizuru," Kyoko began. Her silver eyes flicked over towards the unsettling crimson of Shizuru's gaze. "However, my intentions are becoming horribly misconstrued through my daughter's rash actions over the course of this past year."
There was still no response. Kyoko took in the steady gaze and relaxed face before frowning. This wasn't like riling up Shigeru at all. Shigeru was both cold and hot, a calculating individual wrapped up beneath layers of bravado and a need to prove himself as his own master. It was easy to find his weak points and exploit them for her amusement. Shigeru even gave her the opportunities with their games that they had played back and forth over the years. The indirect product of one of those games was studying her with eyes that reminded Kyoko more strongly now of blue eyes that once matched a set of aquamarines she still kept locked up with her most precious jewels. She wasn't sure whether to be amused or irritated at the seemingly perfect combination of color and quality held within Shizuru's eyes.
"You must be wondering by now, why these unfortunate events have befallen you. I wish I could answer you." Kyoko sighed. "I was not aware of my daughter's actions until recently when I was informed by my assistant Smith."
The aforementioned man nodded briskly from the shadows. Shizuru's gaze locked onto him briefly before roving back onto Kyoko.
"You may already know what lies beneath me," Kyoko continued. "It aches and tears through my mind everyday. The medication is not working as well as it used to, and now I fear that with a higher dosage I may soon find myself in a vegetative state. There is no telling if there are others outside of our immediate company who could be suffering through the same thing, but there is one thing that I do know for certain. Gods cannot survive long within human shells before breaking down towards an inevitable madness. With your abilities, you can help solve a very pressing problem. Do you understand why you are here?"
Shizuru nodded and finally spoke.
"You desire my abilities as a mediator."
Kyoko found herself nodding almost eagerly but she stopped when Shizuru's lips twitched briefly. She was not done speaking yet.
"You cannot have them."
Now Kyoko was the one being stunned into muteness when Shizuru finished. Even Smith blinked in a rare display of surprise as Kyoko mentally scrambled for words.
"… I'm sorry?"
"You cannot have them," Shizuru repeated. "I sympathize with your current dilemma and with those of others suffering through the same condition. In another time perhaps I would have agreed… but I am already enmeshed and I cannot unwind myself without serious injury to my second party. That said… I cannot break my previous bond."
"You cannot?" Smith asked in mild curiosity.
She stared at him evenly.
"I suppose that I can. In that case, proper statement would be that I refuse. I will not."
"You are in no position to announce to us what you will or will not do," Smith argued. "You are going to condemn others to madness."
"Madness?" Shizuru asked, still in her gentle tones. Nevertheless Smith backed down and retreated back to his safe corner. "Mister… Smith, was it? I remember your name from the First District annals. You used to hold a high position there before the laboratory was closed."
Smith frowned. Those crimson eyes could read through anything, he mused.
"I did, yes."
"Then… you would understand that my abilities have no use towards others once I am enmeshed with someone. I can only break my connection when there is a dire need to do so, but there is enough risk attached to that to where I would not even dream of doing it."
Smith grew curiously silent. She was correct, of course. The research had not come up with a satisfactory alternative to this working theory of mediators and afflicted individuals—once a connection was made, it was mostly permanent. If they broke the connection, they risked creating another feral beast that would wreck havoc and would stop at nothing until it either died of exhaustion or through other means. This was, of course, assuming that the connection between Shizuru and Kyoko would stick if administered. There was always a definitive rate of failure when it came to establishing a permanent connection for the second time. He knew better than to risk it. Shizuru noted the sudden change in facial expression and continued on.
"In turn, you would also know that, indeed, while I am not in a position to barter, you are in no position to threaten me or guilt me into agonizing over lives I could have conceivably saved from a lifetime of madness. It is regrettable that I cannot, but it was never about those lives in the first place."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"No. This is just a continuation of something that had once been forgotten."
Kyoko and Smith stared at the young woman standing before them. Shizuru returned their strange stares with seemingly empty eyes.
"For a year I have been locked up and given drugs to soothe me into a semi-permanent haze. My cousin has attempted to break me through these means and she has failed magnificently. It is only through an inescapable and unfortunate turn of events that I am standing here, talking to the two of you. Do not think, however, that you hold all of the pieces required for a complete victory."
She turned towards her aunt. For a second those crimson eyes flickered as they took in the silent disbelief etched onto the older woman's face, but Shizuru then closed her eyes to banish the image. When she opened them once more, she could see the sudden change from disbelief to betrayal that shone through those strange silvery eyes, but she offered no overt reaction to it. Instead she tilted her head slightly in deference and spoke in that still, soft tone that she had addressed them with during the length of this meeting.
"In another time, perhaps, I would have gladly laid my life down to heal this rift in our family and bring in the light that you were denied. I am afraid, however, that this feeling has passed in light of the situation at hand. I apologize if this is not to your liking, but I have made my decision and I will stand by it. Good day, oba-san."
Shizuru bowed once before turning and walking away from the silence that failed to call her back.
Shizuru only let out a short sigh when she was far enough away from the executive office to make a mad dash for the outside world if it really came down to that. Of course, there was really no conceivable way to do so without running into nearly half of the armed guards that Tomoe and Kyoko had installed over every little exit. She shook her head at the sudden absurdity of her thoughts. Escape plans would have to wait. Running away would do nothing but delay the inevitable. With that in mind Shizuru lifted her chin and purposefully kept walking in brisk strides. The maids respectfully bowed towards her and she nodded her greetings as she made her way back to her old suite with Nagi in tow.
"That was a strange silence that came out of that room when you left it," Nagi commented offhandedly as he followed her into her room. He closed the door behind them and watched Shizuru rifle through a few papers left on her desk. "I would have thought that, at the very least, you would have been followed with her demanding that you change your mind."
He sat down on her bed as she moved towards the kitchenette and poured out two glasses of water; he accepted one as she offered it to him. After several sips of the cool liquid he held onto his glass with both hands and waited patiently as Shizuru sat down beside him.
"How long do you think you have until she goes completely bonkers and starts up with the threats and locking you up until something happens?" Nagi asked quietly.
"I would give her three, maybe four days," Shizuru replied evenly before taking a sip from her own glass. She frowned as her finger traced a line through the condensation on the glass. "… A week if I'm lucky, but I can't rely on that."
"That was a brave thing you did. Foolish, too."
Nagi drank until halfway before placing the glass on the bedside table.
"You do seem to trust Kuga-san a lot."
Shizuru nodded.
"I do. She trusted in me all these years. We would have gone nowhere if we didn't put any trust in each other."
"Still… this is a bit like stabbing a torch into darkness. Whatever progress you make comes back at you when you retract your arm. You could be walking around in circles for all you know."
Nagi rested his hands on his knees and pursed his lips.
"Tell me more about Kagutsuchi and your involvement with Mai-han," Shizuru said after the momentary lull passed.
Nagi shrugged. It was fair enough. He did, after all, drag his cousin out from freedom to cover his own botched attempt at capturing Kagutsuchi. If there was anyone who had a right to know, it would be Shizuru.
"Mashiro-chan pinpointed the spirit at the Edelweiss café roughly a week and a half ago and we were sent to investigate when word got around that there was another individual like oba-san. When we saw who the carrier was, we were both stunned to say the least. But she merely smiled and gave us both a slice of shortcake before sending us on our way."
"Mai-han is kind like that," she noted with a soft smile.
Nagi gave a short nod.
"We didn't want to believe it at first but it soon started to fit together. There was something darker within her, something that we obviously did not know of until recently. Mashiro-chan didn't want to pursue her, wanted to leave her be, but…"
Nagi straightened and sighed before deciding to pursue a slight tangent.
"First District was a strange, paranoid little company and their records were fairly… spotty, to say the least. As of now we already know that our family is involved in this transmutation process, but that would not explain Kuga-san or even Tokiha-san, who had no prior affiliation with our family or the company. For some reason I was ordered by John Smith to bring Tokiha Mai in for testing." He scoffed. "I refused at first and had loads of fun messing around with them, but then they began to collect collateral in the form of Mashiro's recent hospitalizations and the bills that began to collect because of it."
Each of the cousins had their own forms of attachment towards the others. As the eldest, Shizuru had extended a sort of surrogate mother/sister role towards the other three before Tomoe started to grow distant from the rest. Nagi and Mashiro were the closest due to the fact that their families retained a much closer bond to each other than towards the divided Fujino family and the wealth of problems they brought with them. They had their scrapes and fought spectacular matches over silly things, but at the end of the day the only ones they had were each other. When Mashiro had been diagnosed with a spinal cord injury that had confined her to a wheelchair, Nagi took it upon himself to help watch over the now calmer and disenchanted young girl. Nagi was a brutal trickster and Shizuru could barely tolerate him on a good day, but when it came to a certain Kazahana Mashiro the boy was all business. He would never take a threat lightly when it was directed towards her.
"They think she might have the same condition as Kuga-san," Nagi continued. "The doctors are really quiet about it, but some calls have been made to Smith and I think he agrees. The strange thing is, Mashiro-chan had predicted that she would be the potential medium for Kagutsuchi, not Tokiha-san."
"She is rarely proven wrong," Shizuru commented.
"Kyoko oba-san has an unhealthy obsession over Kagutsuchi. She said it was something that could finally break her out of her own curse, as she likes to put it."
"I doubt that would be the case."
Nagi looked up in mild surprise.
"Oh? What do you think the case is, then?"
Shizuru finished her glass of water and set it next to the half-full glass that Nagi had left on the table. She watched the water reflect the light that had been turned on when they entered the room.
"She isn't searching for a cure or even for relief. If she was then she would have been more forceful in trying to secure me as her mediator." Shizuru's eyes darkened and she frowned. "She wants my father. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Your father?" At Shizuru's nod Nagi frowned and raised an eyebrow. "What does he have to do with anything?"
"I cannot ignore the reason behind her actions. He is the catalyst that spurred her descent towards this plan of hers. If there is anyone who can get her to stop without causing further injury to herself or to others, it would be him. Holding me as collateral would be useless unless I was used to draw him out."
She paused.
"Perhaps she was planning for what might happen if she had failed on that tactic. Maybe… maybe she wanted to sire another generation of bitterness through Mai-han's awakened Kagutsuchi."
"What a lonely woman," Nagi replied.
He straightened and smiled.
"With all the power in the world and the means to do almost anything with it, you would think she'd be living it up or holding the world hostage. I like to think she'd enjoy the latter." He let out a clear laugh that seemed to echo in the stillness. "Instead, this god masquerading under human skin wants only to fit in with the rest of the world and be accepted."
Shizuru smiled as she took in her cousin's sudden amusement over their situation.
"Isn't that what anyone wants? To be accepted by those you care for."
"Perhaps."
Nagi hopped off the bed and turned to face Shizuru.
"Is there anything you want me to do before I leave you to fend for yourself?"
She nodded and reached over for a notebook and a pen.
"In the family temple back at Kyoto, there is a room sectioned off that contains the statues of the Shitenno. A parcel is hidden beneath the statue of Koumokuten. It is something that my mother once owned, and I would appreciate it if you deliver it to Kuga Natsuki."
Nagi accepted the written directions and pocketed them with a curt nod.
"That is an equal exchange, isn't it?" When Nagi nodded again, she smiled. "Then go, and please be careful with the parcel. It has been quite some time since it had been used last."
"Will do." He paused. "You know, Nee-chan, you have a lot to lose if any of this goes awry."
"Then… I will have to make sure to remind myself that I must play to win, not to be even."
The grin positively bloomed on his face as Nagi turned and left the room. As the door closed once more, Shizuru stood from her bed and made her way over to the windows. The view was absolutely breathtaking as was expected. Her breath lightly frosted the glass as she pushed a hand against the window.
Another day, another gilded cage.
Her fingers lightly swept across the glass as her hand closed into a loose fist.
This will be the last.
AN: The Red Queen is now making her debut, and the endgame is in session.
The Shitenno refers to the "Four Heavenly Kings" of Buddhist faith (lol not just Sailor Moon's FABULOUS generals, as someone had mentioned to me). Koumokuten presides over the West and the name means "He who sees all." An interesting thing is, in the Mai-hime manga, Haruka's Child is named Koumokuten. It's some sort of angler fish that fires laser beams from its mouth... lol something like that.
About Nagi's apparent 180: A lot of characters in Mai-hime were morally ambiguous and everyone had a serious lacking of morals in the later stages of the show, except perhaps Natsuki. I guess what I'm trying to illustrate here is that if Nagi was not a subordinate to the big bad Obsidian Lord or even the big bad leader himself, he would just be a punk looking out for number 1. Making concessions to stay out on top wouldn't be above him.
