A/N: Hello fellow readers! Glad to know that some of you enjoyed my last chapter. It was nice reading all of your private messages and reviews. I admit some of them made me smile.
Writing this chapter was a lot of fun. I knew I wanted to include a part in my story where the Tojis go to a matsuri (cause every classic anime story needs a matsuri scene in it, am I right?). Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 6:
"Um...what's with this atmosphere?" Kaoru sweatdropped. It was as though a dark cloud was hovering over the whole room.
Mai, Sayaka, and Ellen stared at Kanami and Hiyori with equal discomfort. The two were usually seen together side by side, sometimes holding hands. However, for the first time, neither of them had greeted or even said a word to each other, when the Tojis stepped into Hiyori's cell. Their friends could tell that there was a noticeable tension between the two, but didn't dare bring it up.
In fact, ever since that day, it was as though an invisible barrier stood between Kanami and Hiyori. Of course, Kanami had still visited Hiyori, but their interactions were not the same as before. The more the two Tojis tried to understand their emotions and each other, the larger the rift between them grew.
Which Mai, Sayaka, Ellen, and Kaoru were unfortunately caught in the middle of. It was Mai that took the initiative to break the awkwardness.
"Um...Hiyori-chan, we all were wondering whether you wanted to come to the matsuri with us that's happening in Ichigaya," Mai tentatively said.
"Yukari-sama has been told by Konoka-san that you completed your training, so she has given you permission to come out just this once," Ellen piped in.
"Out of all the dumbest things I've heard, that has got to be the dumbest of the dumbest," Hiyori said with a glare. "You honestly expect me to leave Kagari here alone for Tagitsuhime to kidnap?"
"That's where we come in," said a voice behind the Tojis.
Hiyori craned her head to see Maki and Suzuka, standing by the doors. Suzuka had a bright smile on her face, whereas Maki looked as though she had been smacked on the head with her own okatana.
"We'll look after her, Hiyori-san," Suzuka said. "You should go have some fun."
"Origami Yukari says that you need to wear your wig and contact lens though," Kaoru mumbled.
"Come on, Hiyoyon," Ellen giggled, swooping Hiyori into a hug. "Join us! I'll bet that there'll be stuff with mint-chocolate."
Hiyori let out a sigh, staring at the faces of her friends. As much as she wanted to spend time with them, the thought of spoiling their happiness made Hiyori push her yearnings to the back of her mind. They deserved to be happy. Not pulled down by some friend who was practically a burden, not to mention a danger to humanity. She gently pulled away from Ellen's hold on her.
"You should have fun without me," Hiyori answered. "We all know that it's for the best. You're my friends and...you all deserve normal lives."
"Hiyori-chan," Mai gently said.
Mai had experience with choosing her words carefully, due to having two little sisters, and knew that she had to talk to her friend with a gentle, but reaffirming tone.
"How long do you plan to hide for and have this mindset?" she asked. "It's not right for a girl your age to be so elusive."
Sayaka, who had said nothing the whole time, said, "Hiyori...please come."
"Remember what we all said, Hiyoyon, on Grandpa's submarine? Our reason for fighting is to protect those around us, and that includes you and Kagari-chan," Ellen said, before winking. "We won't let Tagitsuhime touch either of you. We made a promise, right?"
She took Hiyori's hand and held out her other hand to Kaoru, who took it before taking Sayaka's. Eventually, all of their hands were clasped together in a circle. Almost. Everyone's heads turned towards Kanami and Hiyori, who stood inches apart from each other, still separated. Biting her lip, Kanami's eyes slowly met Hiyori's before slowly holding her hand out to her, hoping her feelings could somehow cross over to her friend.
Hiyori's gaze was fixed on Kanami's open palm. Here was the moment for her to draw away, to close her heart off, and retreat to the safety of rejecting everything. However, Hiyori found that she couldn't stop her hand from slowly taking Kanami's.
Kanami's hand was warm, just as Hiyori remembered. Their gaze met and just by that gesture alone, all of the words that were left unsaid before passed between them.
"Well, will you look at that?" Suzuka smirked as she continued to watch the spectacle.
"Juujou Hiyori's friends are definitely there for her," Maki agreed. "Just like how I'm here for you."
"Maki-san..." Suzuka shook her head, her lips curled upwards in a grin.
If the girls looked up towards the Elite Guards, they would have been curious, if not surprised. They were too preoccupied with giggling amongst themselves that they didn't see the coquettish glances that Maki and Suzuka shot at each other. Glances that were too flirtatious to be considered friendly.
"And remember she must be put to bed at seven," Hiyori said, putting Kagari in Suzuka's arms.
"It'll be fine, Hiyori-san. I've taken care of a swarm of little cousins before," Suzuka reassured. "I know what to do."
"I don't," Maki muttered.
"Come on, Hiyoyon," Ellen said, turning Hiyori around and adjusting her yukata in certain areas. "Let's see... Contact lens and wig on? Check. Pity we can't put up your hair though."
Kanami, who was standing beside the metal doors with the rest of the girls, kept staring at Hiyori wistfully. She'd seen Hiyori in a yukata before, but couldn't help thinking about how cute her friend looked. Her eyes slowly wandered up and down Hiyori's figure, but stopped once Kaoru whispered, "Stop mentally undressing her already," in her ear.
"Okay, let's go!" Ellen cheered.
The matsuri was more crowded than Hiyori would have liked. As they walked through the streets, Hiyori couldn't help trying to hide behind her friends and darting her eyes everywhere, in case Tagitsuhime chanced to appear. The farther they walked away from the Ministry of Defense Headquarters, the more Hiyori thought of this as a bad idea. Maybe if she trailed behind a bit, her friends wouldn't notice her slip away.
"Hiyori-chan, there's mint-chocolate ice cream," Kanami pointed out. "Shall we get some?"
Immediately, Hiyori threw away her plans of trying to leave and nodded her head.
"Let's all meet on the hilltop, so we can watch the fireworks together," Ellen suggested. Nobody objected to this and as a result, everyone went their separate ways.
"Come on, Hiyori-chan!" Kanami said, pulling her friend to the ice cream booth.
Although it was nice spending time outside of her cell, Hiyori couldn't help watching Kanami attentively with woeful eyes. The energetic brown-haired girl, whether enthusiastically licking ice cream or bobbing for apples, wore the same smile that Hiyori loved so much. Seeing her friend so vibrant and carefree, a slight pain made its way up Hiyori's chest as she felt herself give into her insecurities. Kanami deserved better than her.
When they both reached the solitary hilltop, Kanami excused herself due to having to use the washroom, leaving Hiyori underneath a cherry blossom tree. The pink petals fell lightly around the aradama Toji, as she basked in the moonlight.
"Ah, the beauty of cherry blossoms!" a voice commented. "Flowers that symbolize the beauty and fragility of life."
Hiyori turned to see a man beside her. Her nose registered a familiar smell. Alcohol. She tossed her head the other way, hoping the man would get the idea and leave.
"You seem lonely, girl. How about you and I go somewhere else and have some fun?" the man pressed.
"Fuck off," Hiyori snarled.
"Aw, come on now," the man whined. "If there's someone I do wanna fuck, it's a cute middle-school Toji."
Hiyori looked at him sharply.
He continued, "Don't give me that look. Practically everyone now talks about the five heroines, but I've heard rumours that there was a sixth."
Hiyori tried to back away, but he clenched her arm in a vice-like grip. As a result, Hiyori did the first thing her mother had taught her to do in such situations.
"Kanami! Hel-" Hiyori yelled to only have her mouth covered by the man's large hand.
"And I see now that the rumors I've heard are true. You really are as bewitching and full of intrigue as they say. Now, let's go somewhere private, shall we?"
Hiyori struggled with all her might, vainly trying to grab Kogarasumaru, which she had hidden underneath her yukata but it was no use. The man's grip on her was too tight. Hiyori desperately searched for any sign of Kanami, desperately hoping she'd make an appearance. And she did spot her, but immediately wished she hadn't.
She could see Kanami near the edge of the street, hidden partially by the trees growing beside it. However, she wasn't alone. Another girl stood beside her. Hiyori recognized her as Uchizato Ayumu, the Ayanokouji Academy Toji who looked up to Kanami and sparred with her several times. Ayumu seemed hesitant and appeared to be talking with her best friend, but Hiyori felt her heart drop when she then saw the younger girl lift her head up to kiss Kanami on the lips.
Hiyori's shoulders shook as sobs made their way up her throat. She almost forgot about the man she was trying to fight against, the image of Ayumu and Kanami refusing to stop flashing in front of her eyes.
"Aw, no need to cry. By morning, you'll forget everything," her captor chuckled, pulling her away.
Hiyori's sadness was replaced with anger. She would not let anyone touch her again! In her rage, suffused with heartbreak, she violently jerked her head backwards, crunching the man's nose. The man let out a cry of pain, releasing his hold on her. Hiyori then took the opportunity to push him away, but did not expect to see bolts of lightning shoot from her hands as she did so. The man screamed in agony, clutching his chest where he was struck.
"H-How?" he spluttered.
"I-I didn't-mean to," Hiyori stammered, staring at her hands in fear.
As his consciousness faded, the man snarled, "Monster."
Hiyori did not dare stay for a second longer. Without another thought, she fled, running as fast as she could from the scene back to the Ministry of Defense Headquarters. Tears streamed from her face, but she didn't dare sob out loud, in case her emotions caused her powers to appear again. She burst through the headquarter doors, not pausing or throwing a glance at the soldiers and Tojis who stared at her confused.
When Hiyori reached the safety and privacy of her own cell, she found it in a messy state, as though a tornado flew through it. Maki and Suzuka wore exhausted looks and immediately froze when they saw her, stammering out explanations.
"Hiyori-san, we can explain! Kagari-chan wouldn't stop mo-" Suzuka desperately tried to explain, but stopped when she saw the redness of Hiyori's eyes and the tear stains. "Hiyori-san, are you okay?"
"Leave."
"Juujou..."
"Just leave!" Hiyori yelled.
The Elite Guards didn't dare try to say any more while Hiyori was in such a state. Once she heard the doors slam shut, Hiyori collapsed on the floor, releasing her emotions. Flashes of lightning flickered around her as Hiyori's powers blasted furniture to smithereens. She remained like this for several minutes, crying her soul out.
"Hiyori-chan..."
Through her ragged sobs, Hiyori could hear the gentleness of her aunt's voice. Konoka bent down so that she could look at her niece in the eye.
"Go away, Aunt Konoka. Why are you even here?" Hiyori mumbled, refusing to get up from the floor. "You're only supposed to come in the mornings."
Konoka didn't reply, but instead helped Hiyori up from the ground. She gently wiped the tears from Hiyori's face with a clean cloth, before helping her niece back into her uniform.
"Now, do you mind telling me what happened?" Konoka asked.
Hiyori recounted everything that occurred. Kanami almost kissing her that fateful day. Her friends trying to persuade her to join them for the matsuri. Seeing Kanami kiss Ayumu. And the incident with the man. Konoka's face was calm and emotionless as she listened to her niece, never showing surprise or fear as Hiyori expected. When Hiyori finished, Konoka hugged her closely.
"Listen to what I'm about to say, Hiyori-chan," she whispered. "I understand how terrible it must have felt having to go through all that. So, please take my advice... Stay away from Etou Kanami."
"What?" Hiyori gasped, pushing her aunt away.
"Just think about, sweetie. Etou-san plays with your feelings and then doesn't speak with you for weeks? She excuses herself leaving you alone to fend yourself, just to kiss that girl? That doesn't sound like love to me," Konoka reasoned.
She drew herself up stiffly, before saying, "Etou Kanami and all your friends...locking you up in this cage... They fear you."
Hiyori stepped back a little. It was as though a truck hit her.
"They love me," she argued. "We all made a promise."
"You think I haven't heard those words before?" Konoka said. "I've been in the same position as you, Hiyori-chan! Feared and alone! And it's all because we are both different from others."
Hiyori's patience was wearing thin. Her aunt didn't know anything about her! Her friends loved her for who she was. Or did they?
"And now, Kanami has a new friend. Or more like a new lover," Konoka continued.
That was the limit! Hiyori didn't know why her aunt was talking like this, but it was definitely making her blood boil. Hiyori's hair started to flow, as her anger slowly start to heat up.
"Kanami is my friend!"
"She'll never understand you or love you, Hiyori-chan. And it is only a matter of time before the rest of your friends think the same way."
"Shut up," Hiyori growled.
"Because it's people like you and I that the world see as nothing but villains!"
"I said shut up!"
Hiyori's left eye glowed dangerously, as a shockwave of lightning erupted from her heart. It blasted through the prison walls, reducing them to rubble before fading into the distance of the night sky. Alarms rang throughout the headquarters, as soldiers and Tojis outside tried to make sense of the commotion of what just happened.
"Get me the Origami family!" a soldier shouted into his walkie-talkie.
Hiyori stared horrified at her hands and the rest of her body, which had just started to crackle and glow with lightning. She didn't know if she was imagining it or not, but it almost looked as though her hair had turned more blue. Nothing like that had ever happened before.
"What have I done?" she whispered.
Then, with a look of rage, she turned to her aunt and yelled, "What did you make me do?!"
Konoka only gave her a sly smile. Hiyori felt her stomach clenching at the sight of that grin. It was unlike the kind and gentle ones she had seen before.
"I should have never trusted this bitch," Hiyori thought.
"That, Hiyori-chan, was not my doing. It was all you," Konoka crooned. "I've waited a long time for this moment. The moment when you finally realize the truth."
"The truth of what?" Hiyori gulped, afraid of the answer.
"That you're a monster. Just like me."
A/N: Wow! So now Hiiragi Konoka has revealed that she's not so kind and helpful as Hiyori initially thought she was. What will happen next for Hiyori?
I actually was looking forward to writing this chapter because of all the drama in it. I hope you all found it interesting. Again, reviews and criticism will be greatly appreciated!