Yeah, finally a new chapter :) It's about time I think ^^
Enjoy the new chapter and please write a few reviews. . .or not? *puppy eyes*
I wanted to update this chapter long ago, but then I found a lot of things I wanted to change while reading so. . .yeah it took some time to look it over. . .
Disclaimer: Mai Hime belongs to . . .Sunrise. . .
Chapter 9:
Natsuki held Shizuru tightly to her body, to prevent her from falling down.
Meanwhile Shizuru was in her own world. She stared down at the small city lights, totally stunned, that the world could look so peaceful and gorgeous.
It's really amazing and Natsuki is able to see this whenever she wants to.
They were high enough, so that people wouldn't see them accidentally, but low enough for Shizuru to see all the cars and people rushing through the streets.
Shizuru looked back at Natsuki, who choose just this moment to look at her. The brunette could see Natsuki's cheeks turning red, because she was staring at Shizuru.
"Does Natsuki see something she likes?" Shizuru smirked at the poor gargoyle.
"B-baka. . ."
Then the blunette looked away from Shizuru, obviously to hide her blush.
Shizuru smiled slightly. Liking the cute blush very much.
"Natsuki?"
"Yes?"
"Where are we going? I thought we would just go home, but this is a totally different direction."
Shizuru looked once again around and was sure, that they flew into the opposite direction, because of the landscape slowly changing. Instead of houses and loud cars, she saw a huge forest not far ahead and a few mountains.
"I. . .uhm. . .I just wanted to speak to you. . .alone. . .please. .." Natsuki looked pleadingly into Shizuru's red orbs.
"Okay, but where are you taking me?"
"Don't worry, you'll see soon enough."
Natsuki smiled and Shizuru felt, that she sped up a little bit. In the process Shizuru tightened her hold on the gargoyle.
I wonder where Natsuki's taking me. I just have to wait a little while longer. ..sigh.
Shizuru was very curious, but didn't ask any more questions. She still trusted Natsuki, even if it wasn't much anymore since this incident.
A few minutes later Natsuki began to sink and finally landed, placing Shizuru gently onto the ground.
The brunette looked at the scenery in front of her. They were at some cliff and there were ruins of an ancient castle. Maybe 2000 years old.
Shizuru turned around and looked at Natsuki questioningly.
"Where are we?"
"Home."
This answer startled Shizuru and she looked back at the castle. Of course, this was the place she had seen in her dreams. She didn't recognize it at first, because in her dreams it was a lively place with lots of people and everything was in place.
Now the big gates were totally destroyed and only also the walls were almost completely gone, so that you could see the whole market place without entering.
She heard Natsuki's voice, but didn't turn around, instead she listened to her husky voice.
"I found it right after I arrived in town. But I never was up this close. My first priority was. . .yeah . . .you know, finding you." Natsuki scratched her cheek sheepishly.
Shizuru now looked back at Natsuki, not really understanding why Natsuki wanted her to know all that.
Natsuki caught this look and said: "You are wondering why I am telling you all of this right?"
A nod was her only answer.
"To say the truth, I don't know either, but I . . ." She stopped mid-sentence, not sure how to go on.
"Natsuki. . ."
Shizuru saw the troubled look in the blunette's eyes and approached her cautiously. She placed a hand softly onto the gargoyles cheek and caressed it gently, until Natsuki looked into her eyes.
"All I want to know is, was everything until now only a lie to get me to transform you into a complete gargoyle? What you said back then was the truth. Am I right?"
Natsuki wanted to look away, but Shizuru's hand prevented her from doing so.
"Yes, I was only interested in your powers. I regret, that I was not honest with you from the beginning, but I . . .sigh. . .I was just so damn stupid back then."
She stared intentionally into these beautiful crimson orbs and continued.
"I didn't want to see the real person behind this facade. You were nice to me, even after you had seen my real form. For the first time in years I wanted to become friends with someone, but on the other hand I'm so scared, that I'll be betrayed once again. All I want to say is. . .I am very sorry."
Natsuki bowed her head in apology, waiting for any response from Shizuru, but there was none. She dared to look at Shizuru and was shocked. The brunette stood there. . .crying.
Shit, I'm such an idiot. What did I do this time? Shizuru. . .
"Gomen, I didn't. . . "
"No. . .I . . ."
The next moment Shizuru hugged Natsuki with all her might, crying at the gargoyles strong shoulder.
Natsuki embraced her and held her tight. It felt so good to embrace Shizuru like this, even if it was not the right moment to think that.
"Shizuru?"
Worrying herself to death, she slowly released the brunette to check, if she was alright, but to her surprise Shizuru didn't want to move one bit, instead she just hugged the gargoyle tighter.
What is wrong with her?
Natsuki just let her stay like this for a few seconds longer, until she tried once again to look into Shizuru's eyes.
This time the brunette backed away a little bit, but still embracing Natsuki.
She refused to meet the gargoyles eyes, but Natsuki softly tilted her chin up, so that they were face to face.
"Tell me what's wrong."
Taking a deep breath Shizuru decided to tell her what was wrong, easing her worry.
"It. . .it hurts. ..right here." She placed a hand on the place where her heart was beating.
"I don't. . ."
"Seeing Natsuki's sad look and hearing what she's so afraid of. . .it was just too much for me. It hurts to see you suffering like this."
"Baka. . ."
Natsuki once again placed Shizuru's head on her shoulder and let her cry.
Several minutes later she heard the sobbing slowly subside.
"Do you feel better now, Shizuru?"
"Yes, thank you."
They let go of each other slowly and looked back at the castle. Natsuki wore a slight blush, because she still felt Shizuru's body heat. Welcoming this warm feeling.
"Natsuki?"
"Mh?" The gargoyle looked at Shizuru, only to see her worried face.
"Are you sure, you want to go?"
Nodding her head she grabbed Shizuru's hand and together they approached the ruins of the castle.
Natsuki hesitated before entering, but a short squeeze of her hand told her, that she was not alone in this situation and she was thankful therefore.
Shizuru on the other hand was worried, that walking around the castle would be a bad idea, because it only hurt Natsuki more to see what she had lost.
I wish I could do something for her.
Deep in thought Shizuru didn't see the ruins slowly changing, until the castle was complete once again, like it was hundreds of years ago.
Natsuki was taken aback by this sudden change and she looked at Shizuru to confirm her suspicion. Shizuru had unconsciously used her powers to rebuild the castle.
"Shizuru. . .?"
The brunette didn't respond, instead her whole body trembled and she lost consciousness, falling into Natsuki's arms.
"Shizuru!"
Natsuki scooped the woman up bridal-style and carried her to the nearest bank, placing her gently down.
Taking a look around she stared in disbelief at all the people coming out of their houses. She knew almost all of them, but that was impossible. They should be all long gone.
Then she looked back at the brunette and it all made sense.
Shizuru didn't rebuild the castle. . .We are in the past. . .
Natsuki scooped the still sleeping woman up into her arms again and hid in an alley way to prevent the people from seeing them, because her younger self must be here too and she didn't want to change something.
She knew, that she could possibly change the future and save all her friends, but her mother once taught her, that everything happened with a good reason. So she tried her best to avoid any contact with her old friends and family, even if it pained her greatly.
She knew that there was a cave nearby and choose to hide there with Shizuru. No one knew, that this cave even existed. Only her cousin and she herself knew where it was, but she was sure, that they should be save there for the time being.
Fortunately Natsuki knew where a small hole was in the city walls and luckily it was well hidden by the houses standing there, so that nobody would see them. She looked around to see if everything was clear and vanished through the small hole.
Then the gargoyle jumped down the cliff behind the castle and shortly before landing in the ocean she spread her wings and flew around a corner, where the entrance was.
Just in time, because the sun was going to rise any minute and she would turn into a human, unfortunately without wings.
She placed the sleeping woman gently down onto the ground and let her rest.
I never thought, that Shizuru would be this powerful.
She sat next to Shizuru and watched the sunrise. She felt at ease in this moment.
A few minutes later her body started to transform, the pain enveloping her whole body for a short moment, until it was all gone and she breathed in deeply to calm her racing heart.
I think we are stuck in here till sunset. . .sigh. . .
A sudden movement at her left side told her, that the brunette's slumber would be over any minute now.
"Natsuki?"
Natsuki shifted her body, so that she had a better look at Shizuru.
"I'm right here Shizuru."
Slowly crimson eyes opened, looking tiredly back into Natsuki's worried veridian orbs.
"What happened?"
She tried to sit up, but Natsuki halted all her movement by placing a hand on her shoulder, pushing her down again gently.
"Don't, you are still very exhausted."
Shizuru looked around and then back at Natsuki with questioning eyes.
"You used your powers."
"But I can't remember when . . ."
Natsuki unconsciously caressed Shizuru's cheek and explained what had happened.
"One moment we stood in those ruins and the next moment we were standing on the market place. Everything was rebuild. I thought that in the first few minutes, until I saw all the people walking around. We are in the past. I don't know how you did this, but we are almost 2000 years in the past and I didn't want anyone to see me here. Right now I'm only a little child. . ."
Natsuki smiled sadly.
Shizuru placed her own hand on Natsuki's and leaned into the warm touch. Of course the blunette blushed, but didn't comment on this. She liked Shizuru touching her hand, but she would never admit that out loud.
"Natsuki, where are we?"
"Ah. . .sorry, I forgot to mention it. We are in a cave below the castle. For the time being we should be save here. You can rest a little bit longer. You must be still tired."
It was true, that Shizuru was still tired, but on the other hand she was a little bit afraid. Not because of Natsuki, but because she should sleep in a cave. She never liked camping or something like that, so she was a bit uncomfortable.
Natsuki sensing that something was wrong asked the brunette.
"Shizuru? Are you alright?"
A few seconds the brunette thought about lying to the blunette and keep her facade, but she decided fast to tell Natsuki the truth, even if it was somehow embarrassing.
"I'm a little bit afraid. . .I never slept in a cave and it's creepy."
If Shizuru's face hadn't been so serious, Natsuki would have definitely laughed at her. But now she just laid down next to Shizuru.
She asked Shizuru to lift her head a bit, so that she could place it under her. Now she had a hopefully nice pillow. The other arm was loosely draped around her waist.
Shizuru was speechless and a slight blush adorned her face. Natsuki was still able to surprise her. Now she didn't feel so uncomfortable anymore.
"Is this okay?"
Shizuru only nodded her head and snuggled closer to Natsuki, missing therefore the deep blush.
A few minutes of silence past and Natsuki thought, that Shizuru was fast asleep, until she asked:
"What are we going to do now?"
"I don't know. But we will find a way to go back, don't worry."
To prove her point she tightened her hold on Shizuru.
"I'm sorry. . ." It was only a small whisper, but Natsuki heard it nonetheless.
"Ssh. . .It's okay. I'm not mad or anything. It wasn't your fault."
"But. . ." Shizuru faced Natsuki to protest, but was stopped as a finger was placed on her lips.
"Don't. . ."
This one word silenced Shizuru completely and she forgot what she wanted to tell Natsuki. She lost herself in those dark jade orbs.
Shizuru didn't know what was going on, but her heart was racing and she was sure, that Natsuki could feel it too. She had never felt something so intense. Her whole body started to warm up.
Without thinking she lowered her head, seeing Natsuki's eyes slightly widen, but meeting no resistance, she placed her lips upon Natsuki's soft ones, closing her eyes in the process.
I wanted to write a different end, but the two just ignored me and started kissing. . .*starts pouting*
I hope you liked the chapter :) Please let me know.
One important point I want to mention here:
I will reply to all reviews, but it just takes some time to do so ;)
See ya
OMAKE:
Author: Okay, I want you to. . .
Natsuki & Shizuru: *start kissing*
Author: "HEY, that was NOT, what I wanted to write!"
Natsuki&Shizuru: no reaction, just kissing, ignoring the poor author. . .
Author: "HELLO, I'M TALKING TO YOU TWO!"
Natsuki&Shizuru: still no response. . .
Author: "Okay, do what you want to. I don't care anymore. . ." *walks away*
Natsuki: "Is she gone?"
Shizuru: *looks around* "Yes, now we are finally alone my Natsuki." seductive tone of voice
Natsuki: *hugs Shizuru* "Good to hear my love."
-censored version- ;)