DISCLAIMER: Mai Otome and its characters are Sunrise property.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Things are about to start getting bipolar. Read, enjoy, review…

Our Legacy ch17

Miss Maria sat in Natsuki's office trying to remain calm. Students had been trying to get 'the dirt' on the lucky couples and were starting to get bold enough to ask her. There had been more student punishments in the past two days, than there had been in the past six months. Both Pearl and Coral class students alike were driving the teachers crazy.

"Just make some kind of announcement to shut them up already. They love to hear you growl," Miss Maria said not really wanting to have this conversation with the smiling Headmistress.

"I would really like to help you and the teachers with this problem Miss Maria, but I cannot," Natsuki replied her eyes alight with joy.

"You want me to stop using the tournament reference. I'll concede, if you make an announcement," Miss Maria said knowing full well this was all Natsuki truly wanted to hear.

"I will think of something and make an announcement before the end of the school day," Natsuki replied before standing to look out her window.

"Before I leave Headmistress, I would just like to say congratulations to you and Miss Viola," Miss Maria said just as she left the room.

As the elder Otome left the room, Natsuki looked toward her bedroom and hoped that her present to Shizuru was going to be well received. Natsuki walked over to their room and looked at the present again as she had done since Shizuru had gone to Youko about six hours ago.

"There had better be a country when we get back here, Captain Hallard. I swear to the Founder that I will kick your ass if things aren't any better. This matter has gone on too long," Haruka said making the younger woman want to yell at her.

"Tomoe Marguerite has slipped under our radar. We have a large force out there trying to track her down, but she seems to be very slippery," Chie replied trying to restrain her frustration. Tomoe had been her room attendant in Garderobe and one of the Valkyries during Grand Duke Nagi's coupe in Windbloom. There was also a forgettable attempt at the Presidency.

"Then get under the radar with her. Look Hallard, off the record I know this hasn't been easy and I don't blame you for any of this. You are a good officer and an even better Otome, so I put high expectations into everything you do," Haruka said smiling at Chie.

"Where is the President meeting with you?" Chie asked referring to their trip to Windbloom.

"Well you see Captain Hallard, that's the reason I called you here in the first place…" Haruka said closing the office door.

Had there been anyone in the hallway they would have ducked for cover when Chie yelled, "What did you just say?"

Ahn was not sure that she should be going back to Garderobe alone. This was a decision she had made with Sarah and thought that if it was to be, then Sarah should be with her. Ahn's father had recently spoken with her about her retirement as his Otome and filling in more of her role as his daughter. No, Ahn was not the heir apparent to Annam's throne, but all of her training would make her an excellent diplomat. The king knew his daughter well enough to know that she needed a life beyond the one she was now living. As well as he knew she would never voluntarily admit to it.

The transport to Windbloom was quiet and lonely especially without Sarah beside her. They shared many mutual interests, but it was their places of disagreement that Ahn had taken to. There was to be a scheduled stop in Lutesia before Windbloom, but Ahn had been too distracted by her good news to actually care. Even as someone sat next to her Ahn seemed totally oblivious of them.

"My dear Ahn, you should have called for me," Sarah said as she placed her hand on Ahn's looking into the woman's eyes.

"I had intended to do so, but you are a Column of Garderobe. You serve the Founder and our relationship is one of convention at this point is it not," Ahn sighed as she replied though very happy to have Sarah with her.

"There is nothing conventional about how I feel for you. It was with an open mind and free spirit that I asked you to share this, all of this, with me. The thought of a true place to call home with you has been the only sanity for me as of recent. This life is getting strange for me, Ahn," Sarah said trying to remain earnest.

"My father seems to approve of my decision and hinted to me that I should retire as his Otome," Ahn said to Sarah, but trying to digest the thought also.

"Are you ready for that? Have you honestly considered it?" Sarah asked her heart in her throat now unsure she wanted to know the real answer.

"Have you notified Midori of your intentions, Youko?" Moira asked as Youko got up from the bed and started to redress herself.

"Not yet I haven't. Midori will be told when I am sure that this is not in vain," Youko said to her friend not wanting to feel the anxiety running through her. She was the first and the imaging equipment pronounced her to be in good health. This was only the beginning and Youko did not want there to be any false hope. Shizuru had just returned to her quarters not long before Moira had asked Youko to submit to the scan.

"That may be so, but you are not doing this all on your own you know. If it were me, I would want to know right away," Moira said playing the advocate this time, "I would be very hurt even though I would be happy. Everything you do from here on out is not just about or for you anymore."

"I will inform Midori as soon as I am comfortable, Moira. Midori has enough to worry about besides this," Youko replied leaving the woman alone ending their conversation dead in the water.

The two women joined fiercely, savagely, and at moments degradingly in their confines. If this was a relationship it was far from a healthy one. There were tears coming from the woman on the bed from the smack she had received. This was not how she expected herself to live her new life. What brought her back to this vile person? They had never shared a relationship of love; theirs was always a means to an end, always with her here like this so broken and defeated.

"So this is a virus you are talking about?" the aggressive beauty asked the person on the phone.

This was the last the woman on the bed heard as her attacker/sexual partner left the room, locking the door as she went. The room itself was not unpleasant, but even aesthetics could not make up for the brutal displays that happened in its confines. A prison would always be a prison, whether physical, emotional, or in this case, both.

"I'm not even sure who I hate more right now, Tomoe for doing this to me again? Or me, for being the weak person I am, too soft to fight her back like I should? I should not have gone to meet her when she came to Lutesia. Now I am not even sure anymore where I am? I am truly damned…" Miya thought to herself aloud as the tears overtook her before she retreated to the bathroom to wash away the sin and the traces of violation.