Vale of Avalon

Chapter Five

"You're happy."

I grinned secretly to myself, my fingers curling into the fabric covering my chest.

"It's weird."

Her words didn't mean a thing to me. I'd barely slept an hour but I had never felt better. I was laying on a cloud. There was no rain in the forecast.

"Okay, seriously, you're freaking me out. Get out of bed! It's almost noon."

Sighing, I decided that I might as well listen to Eira. After all, I couldn't spent the rest of my life dwelling on the night I had spent with Takuma. I would need to get up if there was a chance to see him again.

…But it was daytime. He wouldn't be out and about just yet. I could pine a little longer.

"Ergh, fine. Just lay there like a worm. I have to get ready since I'm going out later."

The idea was still so surreal. I hadn't just dreamed so vividly of our meeting, had I? I hoped not, but at the same time it didn't matter. I knew that I would eternally cherish the minutes on the Academy grounds when the universe revolved around only Takuma and I, whether it was only my imagination of not. There was nothing that could wipe the smile from my face, dim the stars in my eyes, train the butterflies in my gut …

I was running out of metaphors. But that didn't matter - I still had Takuma.

The sudden fit of giggles that I couldn't be bothered to hold back must have been too much for my roommate. When a knock came to the door in the next moment she was quick to jump at the distraction rather than command me to act the part of her personal butler.

"Ohayou, sempai-tachi. Please allow me to inspect your dorm."

"Eh? It's that time of year already, huh?"

"Hai. I must confiscate anything that I consider disruptive or hazardous."

"…Can you confiscate her?"

Just out of curiosity, I allowed myself to float down to earth and join reality. Sitting up for the first time since settling into bed the night before, my gaze wandered to the doorway where the female prefect and Eira were staring at me with unreadable expressions. Eira's look could be disregarded as lackadaisical loathing, but what was odd was that the young prefect had dropped her jaw as if she had laid eyes on a ghoul. Did the lack of sleep have some kind of horrendous physical effect on my face?

"Whatever," Eira spoke after a short period of enduring the strange silence. "I don't have time for freshmen or freaks. I have friends to hang out with."

And she was gone before my next blink.

"Anou…" I muttered awkwardly, not knowing exactly what to make of this situation. Takuma taking a back seat for the moment, I decided to find out what was wrong with the girl gaping at me as if I were the living dead. "Daijoubu?"

The girl snapped out of it, instantly braking out into shaking laughter that left no doubt in my mind that she was anything but fine. Rubbing the crown of her head, my kouhai plastered on a meretricious grin.

"Daijoubu! I just spaced out for a second there, Enrai-sempai!"

I smiled, glad she was alright and understanding her daydreaming completely. Was there a Takuma in her life as well, I wondered?

…But how did she know my name?

Stepping into my room but leaving the door open behind her (I expected, judging by the large hamper waiting in the middle of the hall, that she was prepared to exhume some sort of taboo from under my bed and toss it into the awaiting bin) Yuuki seemed to pull herself together and asked, "How are you feeling?"

Bewildered, I blinked. How had she known I was sick? I was nowhere near popular enough for the lower classmen to hear of my sudden illness. It was strange, but I decided to let the matter go and simply go along with the polite banter.

"I'm much better," I replied honestly, hoping the delight threatening to burst out from my body wasn't too outwardly obvious. "Thank you for asking."

The situation was atypical, but I was thankful for the kindness filling the walls. This poor room hadn't seen much camaraderie since Eira and I had moved in. Even if Yuuki was here to uncover any potential threats I might have been hiding, her untrammeled naivety and cheering spirit was a refreshing change. Besides, it's not as if I had anything hiding in the closet.

"Wow," the girl mumbled, apparently coming to the same conclusion that I had just been musing. "This is the first room I've come to where I haven't had to take away any Night Class memorabilia!"

No, she didn't have the power to take away my Night Class treasures. There was no way she or anyone else could remove my memories.

Smirking with tight-lips, I hid my mouth behind a hand and shifted into a more alert position. "No, I'm not the type to obsess to that extent. And Eira, well… she's too busy praising her own looks to care about how beautiful anyone else is."

Yuuki straightened up, having been on her knees to scan beneath Eira's bed, and cast me a sympathetic look. "She's always like that, then? I thought she might have just been having a bad morning and was upset that I had shown up for the inspection."

I shook my head somberly. "Unfortunately, that's the attitude I always have to live with."

"That's too bad," the prefect said, wandering over to Eira's dresser and sliding her eyes across her collection of perfumes. "My roommate and I are good friends. She's so helpful when I need to catch up with classes because of my patrolling duties."

"Yes, that seems like a lot of work," I nodded. Ironically, I tried to consider why strolling along the grounds after dark was deemed necessary at all. It just seemed like a needless practice to me. What could really be lurking around after dark?

"Yes, more than you can imagine," Yuuki alluded, lowering her head with a sigh of what I could only assume to be exhaustion. "It's too bad the Chairman didn't let you become a prefect! Sometimes I wish we could take in more people to help out."

Become a prefect? I hadn't even thought of that. It was perfect! I could become a prefect and become closer to Takumathan any of his fan girls could ever dream! I could already imagine it: he would be sure to notice my addition and loyalty to the job; I would protect him with my life, if it came down to it! And besides, as Yuuki had said - she could use the cover. I just had to approach it the right way as to not make myself look like just another sycophant trying to worm my way in.

And maybe Yuukiwas the key. The Chairman could never turn down someone who was so dutifully looking out for his beloved daughter's best interest and offering more opportunities for family visits. Because, after all, if I was there to take on some of the weight Yuuki could be let off for a few hours to spend time with him. I just needed to reciprocate that idea the right way and I was as good as in! I would go see the Chairman about it right away!

"Do you think I could, Yuuki?" I nearly squealed in excitement, clearly startling the poor girl who was used to me lulling around like a handicap. "Do you think if I went to see your father he would let me become a prefect?!"

I couldn't grasp the look of horror that flashed across her face. "No!"

My brown lowered, euphoria dispersing. "Huh? What do you mean?"

She had said she wished the Chairman had let me become a prefect, hadn't she? Then why…

Wait. She had said it was too bad the Chairman didn't let me become a prefect. Didn't let me? It sounded like I had tried before. But I hadn't. Had I? Of course not! I would have remembered something like that. What was going on?

"I-I meant," Yuuki stuttered, visible fumbling on her thoughts. "I meant to say wouldn't let you. H-he doesn't want anymore prefects!"

I frowned, gazing out the window. Why hadn't she just said that, then? Now I was disappointed. But maybe I could still try, just for the sake of it? I knew I would regret letting this chance slip by if I didn't take advantage of it.

"Ne, Yuuki," I uttered quietly, slipping off of my mattress and padding lightly to my closet. "It wouldn't hurt to try would it? Even if you say the Chairman doesn't want any more prefects, I could still try my hardest to convince him."

She was silent for a while, giving me the time to step into the closet and pick out some casual week-end cloths. Her silence forced me to assume that she had left at some point while I was changing and abandoned my inquiry in favor of continuing her searches. When I emerged from the closet, dressed and nearly prepared for the day, I was almost startled to see her still standing in the middle of the room, unmoving and in the same state that I had left her. But was more alarming was the distress that seemed to plague her.

"Yuuki, do you need to lie down?" I question, tilting my head in concern. She really didn't look verywell. So saturnine. Despite that fact, though, she shook her head and cleared her throat.

"Iie, sempai. I'm fine. And I guess… there's really nothing stopping you from visiting the Chairman. Just… just don't expect things to work out in your favor. That's all."

I nodded, hoping that I managed to mask my confusion decently. Why did she sound so morbid when she said that? Her dolorous tone made it seem as if I was visiting the executioner. There was nothing bad about become a prefect, was there? Why did the job suddenly have a black cloud hanging over it? The Chairman had always struck me as an agreeable and charismatic man: the worst that would happen was him politely refusing my request to join the team. That wasn't so horrible. So then, what about my plan had gotten Yuuki so frazzled?

"Aa, I'll keep that in mind."

"…so, you see, I figured that if you were to have more helping hands then the prefects could take shifts. For instance, I could cover the Night Class in the evenings and Yuuki could join you in a family supper! I think you'd enjoy that, ne, Chairman Kurosu?"

His face showed anything but joy. For a moment I was reminded of a man mourning. What was there to be upset about? Why was he looking so morbidly nostalgic? The questions concerning his strange attitude were endless. I though Yuuki would be the key; I thought he would dance around the room in elation and ask to adopt me for suggesting this arrangement.

He looked ready to cry.

"Enrai-san," he said, tone concentrated and full of a mysterious purpose. "I must ask you something, and I would greatly appreciate a truthful answer."

I was beginning to get scared. What was this about, now? Had something happened that I didn't know about? Had there been a crime of some sort committed? Did he suspect me?
Had I done something wrong?

With no other choice in the matter, I gulped and nodded my consent.

"Why do you want to become a prefect so badly? Really?"

I didn't know whether to be relieved or even more nervous. I was stumped.

"Etou…" I let out, buying my time with some useless ramble before answering. "I suppose I just… want to help. Yuuki always seems so worn out and the idea of only two people handling the entire school day and night seems a bit ridiculous to me. I don't know why you've decided that she and that other boy are the only two prefects the academy needs, but I believe your judgment in that sense was wrong and the two are in over their heads."

It may have sounded a little harsher than I intended, but I was in no state to sugar coat my words any more. Now that I was here and thinking about it in more circumspect, the chairman's move in employing only two young teens was selfish and foolish. I though back to the evenings I had spent watching the Night Class migrate, where Yuukiwould be beside herself hollering and rounding up obsessive females. Really, it was a wonder how the petite brunette managed the feat at all. Between her and her rebel partner, the prefect system seemed at the moment, to me, unreliable and destined to break.

I took a deep breath before looking up again. Chairman Kurosu held our stare, his golden gaze hard and penetrating. I nearly shuddered, not knowing what sort of subliminal message he was trying to convey in the connection.

"And it has nothing to do with the proximity to the Night Class itself?"

My cheeks flushed scarlet, I tiny whimper leaving my throat. I nibbled on my lips to quiet the involuntary reaction. "It might be a small benefit, to be honest."

His golden gaze was penetrating. I came close to shivering after a moment, completely unnerved by his stare. The intensity was breathtaking.

If there hadn't been sunshine pouring in from the open windows and the singing of birds in the distance I would havebeen terrified, I think. This man in front of me was not the same Chairman I had grown to know during the past two years at the school - this man was someone drastically altered. Kurosu Kaienwas a jovial man who vibrantly cheered out his emotions to the world. I would never imagine he could be so forlorn and miserable. Tortured, even. From something as petty as an offer to prefect? It just didn't make sense.

"Enrai-san," his dulled tone called out, snapping me from my reverie. "You must trust me with my decision, alright? Even if it doesn't make sense to you, the assignments of Zero and Yuuki are specifically handed to them for a reason. I am sorry, but they are all the help I need in securing the grounds."

My fingers went numb. Something told me I should have been angry about the injustice of his vague apology, but any chagrin was masked with sobriety. I would dwell on the subject more later, maybe, but for now the only thing I wanted to do was get out of this office and away from this man as soon as possible. I couldn't explain it, but there was a certain gloom in the room that repelled me. It was instinct that was beginning to take over, urging me to leave and rioting in my gut.

"Of course, Chairman Kurosu," I forced out, my voice cracked and inexplicably hoarse. "I understand."

I didn't understand. Not at all. What was going on? I wanted to find out. I needed to find out. But not from him - I had to do it on my own.

"You must promise me that you won't go out looking for answers, Enrai-san," the Chairman said with impeccable timing. I stiffened, not liking the feeling that he knew what was going through my mind.

Against my better judgment I caught his eye. I had always respected the head and founder of the school, and perhaps that was the only reason I didn't demand that he elaborate. When a person drilled you with that kind of silent, desperate plea, it was near impossible to deny them.

I opened my mouth wordlessly, trying to dig out the words that he was looking for. I didn't want him looking at me like that anymore. "Y-yes. I… promise."

Could I really promise that? Would I be able hold back from snooping around on my own? Did I have that much self control to ignore my curiosity?

"I have to ask," I blurted out without properly thinking, "why? Why don't you want anyone else?"

I would settle for this. If I got a decent answer I would let the fine details go and rely on the fact that the chairman was doing what he thought was best. He just needed to give me something to keep me content.

It seemed that this time it was he who was at a loss for words. He let an eternal moment pass, his blink seeming to take an hour. After a few years, though, he leaned forward on his desk and placed his chin delicately onto his folded hands.

"I'm afraid the specifics cannot be shared with you," he spoke evenly, crushing my hope, "but I'm sure that you would not be able to handle the responsibilities of the prefects."

I focused on keeping my breath steady, mulling over that strange explanation. "How do you know?"

My mouth was working on autopilot, as it often did when I was under pressure. Mind and tongue were two entirely different systems that weren't at all connected at all.

"Well," Kurosu reasoned, "…let's just say it's a strong suspicion."

I couldn't find the words to describe what I was feeling. Rejection, maybe? But that wasn't it. There was anger, too, I admit. And betrayal. Confusion, anxiety, doubt, dread, and guilt. Guilt, oddly enough, because I knew that I couldn't keep my promise to the chairman; I wouldn't be able to stay away. Rather than settle my nerves and earn my trust, my interest had only been peaked after speaking with the man. If the chairman was going to hide something from me and not even give me a reasonable cause for it, then I couldn't be expected to be assured by his empty words. I wouldn't depend on someone who wouldn't depend on me.

But I wasn't a delinquent. I wouldn't disregard all the rules on focus blindly on uncovering whatever it was the principal was trying to keep hidden. I needed to have more finesse - this needed to be done carefully. I would investigate for myself, find out exactly what was going on with the prefects and prove to Chairman Kurosu that I could handle the mysterious 'responsibility' behind the job.

Because I could, without a doubt, handle whatever responsibility was thrown at me. As long as Takuma was involved I could make it through anything. There was nothing that would quell my determination to get closer to him. He would accept me, even if I had to give my life for it.

(A/N) A very pathetic update, but an update all the same. I know things are going around in boring circles right now, but I feel like I have to establish the beginning plot before I can really get into the romance. I guess I'd rather have things go slow and steady than jumping into it too fast, so I'll be focusing more on Eden's development for a while. I'll try my best to throw in Takuma where it seems appropriate :]