A/N: Thank you to everyone that left me their comments. I really do appreciate hearing from you. If I were forced to give this chapter a name, it would probably be something along the lines of "Another New Soeur & Time Goes By".
Disclaimer: I do not own MSGM nor any of its characters. All such honors belong to Oyuki Konno.
A couple of weeks later, Yumi was sitting in her usual spot at the head of the table in the meeting room of the Rose Mansion trying to handle a last little bit of paperwork for the week. Everyone else had already left and it would be another half hour or so before Sachiko's afternoon class let out so that the two could meet for dinner. She had been feeling somewhat nauseous the last couple of days and was hoping that she wasn't coming down with a cold. She would hate to have to run to the restroom while they ate dinner. She was also still a little down from her normal energy levels as well but she was sure that a good night's sleep would solve the problems.
She had been spending a lot of time studying recently trying to get ready for her exams. She had already filled out the necessary forms to get early acceptance into Lillian University and was keeping her fingers crossed that she would not have to take the entrance exams. Her grades had gone up a lot in the last year-and-a-half and if they were good enough she could be exempted from the exam. She still had to take at least a couple of other exams on the off chance that she did not get into Lillian at all. She prayed to Maria-sama every night that she would not have to take her second or third choice.
She sighed and finished signing the last purchase request when there came a soft knock on the door.
"Come in," she called. The biscuit door opened and, surprisingly, Touko-chan entered somewhat tentatively. "Touko-chan, you know you do not have to knock. Is everything alright?"
"Ah, everything is fine onee-sama," Touko stammered quietly from where she stood just inside the now closed door. She moved slowly to stand behind her normal chair next to Yumi before she continued. "Onee-sama, do you remember our discussion about finding myself a petite soeur?"
"Of course," Yumi replied with a hint of confusion in her voice, "I told you that you should not feel any need to rush and to find yourself a soeur that you could truly love."
"And I told you that I did not think that I could ever find someone that I could love as much as I do you or Sachiko-oneesama," Touko replied softly. "I still think that way, but . . . I have met someone recently that I think would be a wonderful addition to the Yamayurikai and . . . I think there is a possibility that she could be the one, onee-sama."
"Well then, why don't you bring her around sometime and introduce her to everyone?"
"Ah, well, I was actually introduced to her by Noriko-san and Shimako-sama. Yukiko-chan also knows her and she is in Nana-chan's class so they know each other as well. They all think very highly of her already even though she just transferred into Lillian a few weeks ago," Touko tried to explain.
"She transferred in the middle of the term? That's very rare. She must have an awful lot going for her to be able to transfer in now," Yumi showed her surprise, "and the future members of the council already know her and vouch for her," Yumi giggled at the continued discomfiture of her petite soeur. "Isn't that even better? Wait, Touko-chan, does that mean that only Yoshino-san and I haven't met this girl?"
"Ah, yes, that's right. I wanted to introduce her to you before I brought her to the next meeting so Yoshino-sama doesn't know about her yet."
"Touko-chan, are you trying to tell me that this young girl is, right now, standing outside the door waiting for your call?"
Instead of answering Touko went to the door and opened it, mumbling a few words before leading a young girl into the room by the hand, their fingers suggestively intertwined. Yumi wondered for a moment if Yuuki knew about this new development, but then she let the thought go. She knew that Touko was deeply in love with Yuuki and nothing would ever come between them.
The very pretty girl was almost as short as Yukiko, maybe 156 cm, but with a body that, even under the dark, baggy Lillian uniform, could be called nothing but voluptuous. She had long, wavy auburn hair that dropped down to the middle of her back and deep blue-grey eyes. Her skin was like porcelain, her slightly flushed cheeks were the color of ripe peaches and her lips, currently turned up in a shy smile, were the color of cherry blossoms in spring. She actually looked a little like a shorter, and sexier, version Shimako-san. She even seemed to have that same slight spark of devilment hidden in the depths of her large and expressive eyes. While she was obviously nervous about being introduced to Touko's grande soeur, Yumi could sense an air of great maturity about her.
However, looking at her petite soeur she wasn't sure which of the two girls was the most nervous. Yumi tried to smile her warmest welcoming smile as Touko-chan cleared her throat.
"O-onee-sama, I would like to introduce you to Sakura-chan."
-oo-
The summer break of his senior year at Lillian Girl's Academy was in every way better than the previous year, Hiromi thought with a smile. He and Tsutako, along with Yumi-san and Sachiko-sama, had once again traveled by train to his family's secluded summer house on Sagami Bay. Their days had followed the same schedule as the previous year: hitting the beach in the morning, lunch at the house or in the small seaside town, wandering the town's shops and entertainment houses in the afternoon, dinner either in town or grilling back at the house, and evenings spent playing card or board games, singing songs around the rented baby grand that he had had delivered the day before their arrival, or simply lounging on the porch with good friends and good drinks.
The nights on the other hand, at least for him and Tsutako, were no longer spent in separate rooms. They still did not "go all the way" as Tsutako so sweetly put it, but they had found many wonderful ways to experiment. There are things other than necessity that can be the mother of invention!
Remembering the previous summer, both Sachiko and Yumi asked him to teach them how to give a massage. Tsutako was perfectly willing to be his training partner when he was instructing Sachiko on how to massage her lover. What surprised him was when Sachiko asked to be his "training dummy" when he was teaching Yumi. Her rationale was, as always, perfectly logical in that she believed that it was necessary to feel the results of the touching, prodding, and kneading in order to better understand what felt good and what didn't. Or in this case, what simply felt good versus what felt absolutely wonderful.
What did not surprise Tsutako in the least were the requests from both red roses, after about a half hour of instruction, to take about an hour break. She and Hiromi could hear the shower running shortly after the two closed and locked the bedroom door. Then there were soft, muffled cries before there was silence once again. It was actually more like two hours before the girls were ready to continue their training, this time with Yumi as the one to receive the massage, only to have the same scene repeat itself. Tsutako just laughed as the two scampered back to their room, hand-in-hand with the most delicious expressions on their faces.
"Don't ever say I didn't warn you," she yelled at their retreating backs between giggles.
For whatever reason, the two roses were not seen again until the next morning, although they were certainly heard.
-oo-
The first days of the fall semester found the Roses heading to Hanadera to help them out with their school festival. Guys being guys, they had elected not to destroy the tests of strength and intelligence that they had built for the previous year's festival and so the Battle of the Roses as it was being called this year was essentially a repeat. Yumi, Shimako, and Yoshino were ensconced at the top of two-story red, white, and yellow wooden platforms watching as literally hundreds of male students tried to climb the various obstacles to have an opportunity to answer a question posed by the respective Rose. Yuuki stood next to his sister while two of the more burly members of the Hanadera council stood by Shimako and Yoshino. The likelihood that any of the Roses would be accosted in any manner was so astronomically remote as to be unthinkable, but that was what they had thought the previous year as well; the year Yumi was mistaken for her brother and abducted by the Mystery Novel Appreciation Club members. This year the men's council was taking no chances with the safety of their charges.
The hot, late summer sun was beating down on the girls. Their dark green uniforms retained the heat to the point that they were perspiring profusely. Cold drinks and wash cloths were kept in coolers so that they could replenish their fluids and try to stay cool. Even still, it seemed that Yumi was having difficulties with the heat. Luckily the event itself lasted only twenty minutes. The finals and awards presentations took another twenty minutes and, as the girls finally re-entered the air conditioned council room almost an hour after they first arrived all three seemed to be suffering from minor dehydration.
Yuuki refused to allow them to leave until they had each had at least a liter of fluids and their pallor's returned to a more natural hue.
"Alice, please write up a memo to next year's council informing them that they must find some way for next year's event be held indoors in an air conditioned environment," Yuuki told the council Secretary. There was a round of nods and "ayes" from the other members of the council as they sat or stood worriedly over their charges.
"We are not children, Yuuki," Yumi complained, "we should be able to handle a little heat."
Yoshino added her own voice to the argument claiming that the Roses were made of much sterner stuff than they were being given credit for. Of the three she was the least affected by the heat, but that wasn't saying much as she too was drenched in sweat and swilling down a sports drink. Nana-chan was providing her usual shoulder massage for her onee-sama and Yoshino was moaning every so often with pleasure. Noriko, not to be outdone, was providing the same service to Shimako who was actually in much better shape than anyone would have expected. The White Rose, however, forbore the moaning of the Rosa Foetida. She did, however, provide her petite soeur with a sincere smile of gratitude.
"Yumi, Yoshino-san," Yuuki tried to explain, "please don't think just about yourselves. What about Touko-chan, Nana-chan, and Noriko-chan next year? Would you really want to put them through that if you had a chance to change it?"
"Um, alright, I see what you mean, Yuuki," Yumi surrendered, "Yukiko-chan and Sakura-chan as well. While I might not have too much trouble with the heat," Yuuki just sighed as his sister adamantly refused to admit that she had probably been the most affected, "there is no reason to put them in the same position."
"Thank you, Yumi," he smiled with a nod to Alice to type up the memo for his signature. Alice grinned behind his hand as he headed over to a computer set up in the corner and sat down.
"Thank you, Yuuki," Touko said quietly after pulling him aside a little later that afternoon. She gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek as a better show of her gratitude.
"I know you would have been able to handle it Touko," he admitted with a smile as he held her in his arms in a less used corner of the school, "your training in the theatre and the hot stage lights you are used to would make this seem like a spring walk in the park. It was the others that I was worried about."
"Flattery will get you . . . well, maybe somewhere," she giggled with a slight blush, "but I was really worried about onee-sama there for a while."
"So was I, but she pulled through just like she always does," Yuuki smiled, "I swear that girl has more strength than anyone ever gives her credit for."
"Do not be fooled, Yuuki," she responded with her own smile, "every single one of the Yamayurikai and most of the girls at Lillian know exactly how strong your sister is. We have seen her pull through some of the most physically and emotionally draining episodes that any person could go through, including what I put her through last year, and she has always done so and come out the other side with a smile on her face. Believe me, there is a reason that she is the head of the Yamayurikai."
"Touko, you don't know how much it means to me to know that there are people that truly appreciate my sister the way she deserves. When I think of how she was just two years ago; how little self confidence she had and how much she denigrated herself and her accomplishments . . . and then seeing her as she is today, it's almost like seeing two completely different people. But I remember what Tsutako-san said to me one time during Yumi's first year. She said that if Yumi could just get a little confidence and self-esteem, she could be a major force at Lillian. I didn't think it would ever happen. Obviously, having friends like you have had such a positive impact on her life, all I can think to say is: 'thank you Maria-sama'."
Touko already knew how much Yumi's brother loved his sister, but it was still heartwarming to hear it in his own words. "Believe me, Yuuki," Touko-chan grinned, "we thank Maria-sama every day for having Yumi in our lives."
-oo-
"Yuuki," Yumi addressed her brother after dinner later that week, "do you think Kashiwagi-san would be willing to assist Hanadera again in their support of the Yamayurikai play for our school festival?"
"Mmm, I'm not sure. Why do you ask?" he replied around a bite of the chocolate cake Miki had baked for them.
"We are considering presenting a one- or two-act version of The Swan Princess and I couldn't think of anyone currently on the Hanadera council that would best fit the role of the evil sorcerer, von Rothbart," she explained.
"Are you talking Tchaikovsky, Balanchine, or Disney? I know that Suguru-sama can dance, but I'm not so sure about his skills in ballet," he chuckled.
"Very good Yuuki! I'm surprised they cover Swan Lake at Hanadera," she laughed as her brother stuck his tongue out at her. "It will probably be some combination of Balanchine and Disney. The dancing will be primarily limited to the scenes at Swan Lake and at the ball. Since the dance at Swan Lake will only include Siegfried, Odette, and three or four additional swans he will only have to dance a waltz again, if that, in the ball scene. It's not like von Rothbart is actually an invited guest at the ball."
"True, although he would probably jump at the chance if he got to wear tights again!" Yuuki laughed before sobering once again and giving his sister a serious glance, "but tell me, Yumi, do you really see Kashiwagi-san as evil?"
Yumi sighed before she answered, "I'm sorry Yuuki, I know you like him, even if he does try to seduce you every other time you two get together, but I just cannot see him as a . . . a good man. I know he loves Sachiko, at least as much as he can love anyone, and I know he even likes me for some reason, but . . . the best I can describe him is as a benign tumor; one that causes issues every so often, but not so much trouble that it needs to be cut out."
"Ouch!" Yuuki winced at his sister's description of his sempai. "If you don't mind, Yumi, I won't tell him you said that when I ask him if he will help you all out."
"I would appreciate that," Yumi giggled.
-oo-
"A princess get's turned into a swan?" Sakura asked Yukiko one day as the two, along with Noriko and Shimako, sat behind the education building eating their lunches.
"You have never heard the story of Swan Lake, Sakura-chan?" Noriko asked the younger girl incredulously. "I thought just about everyone knew the story; if not from the ballet, at least from the Disney film."
"Ah, you must remember, Noriko-sama, that until just recently I had led a very sheltered life," the newest and youngest member of the Chinensis family replied with a grin. "Coming from the deep country, I probably know more about Japanese folklore, myths and legends than I do about modern plays and films. I will not apologize for my current lack of knowledge; however, I would be extremely grateful if you could instruct me."
"Ah, I am sorry Sakura-chan, I meant no insult, it just surprised me. And I would be honored to help. Mmm, let me think, the abridged version of The Swan Princess: An evil sorcerer, von Rothbart, one day spies a beautiful princess by the name of Odette and demands that she marry him. Of course, she says 'no' so he turns her into a swan and places her in Swan Lake where he keeps a few other beautiful maidens that he has turned into swans over the years. They remain swans by day but by night they return to their human form and each night von Rothbart returns to demand that Odette marry him and each night she refuses.
"One evening a prince comes along hunting with his bow. He is about to shoot an arrow at a beautiful swan when he sees her change into a woman and the two fall madly in love. Odette explains her plight and the fact that only a true vow of love will break the spell. Siegfried is about to profess his undying love when von Rothbart shows up on his nightly pilgrimage to demand that she marry him and he and Siegfried fight, but Odette stops Siegfried from killing the sorcerer saying that if von Rothbart dies without the spell first being broken she will remain a swan forever.
"Siegfried has to head home to the castle where his mother, the queen, is throwing a ball so that he can meet eligible maidens to marry. He sees and dances with a girl he thinks is Odette, but is really von Rothbart's evil daughter, Odile. Just after he professes his love for the girl he has been dancing with, von Rothbart reveals that she is not Odette. Siegfried is shaken and runs back to Swan Lake where he finds Odette dying. She tells him she loves him and then dies in his arms.
"Von Rothbart shows up and Siegfried demands that he revive Odette. Von Rothbart and he battle and but Siegfried ends up badly injured and his sword broken. The other swans find his bow and arrow where he had thrown them away the first time and give them to him, whereupon he shoots von Rothbart in the heart, killing him. He once again takes Odette in his arms and tells her he loves her no matter what, and lo and behold she revives. They get married and, as they say, live happily ever after."
"Now if that doesn't sound convoluted, I don't know what does," Sakura declared with a harrumph. "I prefer the story of Kuzunoha any day over something like that. At least the Kitsune's story is straightforward. A hunter saves her when she is in fox form, she turns into a woman and they marry and have a child. One day the boy child sees her tail and she has to run away, but her husband still loves her so she goes back to him every night and they make passionate love. That's the way a story should go! What? Why is everyone laughing?"
"You are correct Sakura-chan," Shimako giggles, "it is a very straight forward tale, but maybe it has something to do with the one telling the tale." She laughed again as Noriko glared at her.
"Well, I happen to agree with Sakura-san," Yukiko chuckled. "I also prefer the old stories, but it probably has something to do with being a Miko. It is my job to know all about the old tales and the yokai."
"Hey," Sakura complained, "Kitsune are not yokai . . . well, at least not all of them," she pouted before she too joined the laughter.
Thank you for reading. Please feel free to leave a review or comment. I love hearing from you.
Take care.
CX