DISCLAIMER: Mai Otome and its characters are Sunrise property.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: 11/09/09 – Originally there were no chapter notes just a brief intermission from O.N.N. (the Otome News Network). Just a little running gag I made up.

O.N.N. – We will now return you to our regular brainwashing…I mean programming for your continued enjoyment. For all of our publication members, please excuse the delay in the next installment of 'FUMI-SAMA GA MITERU'. All of our publications are indefinitely suspended due to hostile overthrow…I mean lack of funding. Please stay tuned for more Otome News updates…


Our Legacy ch27

News was spreading quickly of Nao's report and as Natsuki had predicted, some people were a touch offended. At this point she really didn't care; Nao had done the job and was on her way home. Shizuru and Natsuki were taking turns answering questions from other officials. This was Shizuru's idea because the Lutesia Remus people had Natsuki very close to losing her temper. Right now Natsuki was on the floor with Shiori and definitely in a better mood for it. There were stuffed animals strewn all around them.

Shizuru was speaking softly on the phone, even though her face said she was becoming cross. Natsuki did not look up during Shizuru's turn on the phone; she was trying to remain ignorant. Shizuru had the pleasure of answer a call from Nagi. Natsuki had received one from him earlier and hung up on him. Shizuru had no qualms of being forthright and descriptive of her punishment for him, if Nagi insisted on calling again. Nagi may have been able to incite Natsuki; Shizuru on the other hand, was an entirely different matter.

"No, you may not refer to yourself as Uncle Nagi. No, we will not send pictures of the children. But I must say that we will send a pleasant little collection of dresses to you. Explicit instructions will be sent to your guards as per their intended usage, if you should call again. Have a good day," Shizuru said as she hung up the phone. Natsuki looked up and had to smile because Shizuru wore a particularly malicious smile.

"You really enjoyed saying that didn't you?" Natsuki asked.

"I'll be happier when I send the little care package tomorrow," Shizuru replied with an even greater smile.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" Natsuki said with a quick wink.

Shizuru got out of the chair and joined Natsuki on the floor with Shiori. Just as they were about to kiss, the phone rang again. Natsuki was about to get up, but Shizuru had other plans.

"Let it ring, Natsuki. If they don't like the fact that Nao was the one to find Tomoe's hide-away that's their problem. Haruka called earlier saying that Chie and Aoi were coming to Windbloom and to congratulate Nao," Shizuru said as the phone droned on from the desk.

"That's big for Haruka. With all the trouble Tomoe has caused in Aries, it's understandable, but to congratulate Nao. I think they may want to lie off on the boulders, it's starting to affect Haruka's brain," Natsuki said. Natsuki loved that little piece of information and would use it when she could.

"You know I think it does more damage to the rocks than Haruka. She's vey head strong and I mean that in many ways," Shizuru said sly smile on her face. Natsuki started to get the twitch, because of the phone, so Shizuru held tighter to her robe.

"We don't want to explain to Youko why we need a new phone in here again, do we?"

With Nao's report to Garderobe, the meeting in Windbloom castle had been a rather quick one. Nina wasn't sure this was such a good thing; Arika of course wanted no part of the meeting having been denied her usual breakfast. Mashiro didn't care either way; all Mashiro wanted was news that Tomoe had been caught.

"This is good news, but the woman is still out there somewhere. If someone like Tomoe Marguerite can stay at least one step ahead of the law, where does it end?" Mashiro asked as she kicked Arika under the table.

"It doesn't until there is more evidence to follow," Nina replied adding her own kick to Arika.

"Will the two of you please stop kicking me already?" Arika asked as she pushed her chair from the table.

"Then pay attention, Queen Mashiro and I could have done this without you. Your input is just as important," Nina said as her chair slide back and she stood over Arika.

"I am paying attention Nina, I'm hungry and this fruit buffet isn't cutting it," Arika said looking anywhere but at Nina or Mashiro.

"You really can't lie to me Arika, just tell us the truth," Mashiro said motioning for Nina to sit.

"The truth is… that this is Nina's job not mine. Nina was the one you sent to Lutesia Remus. My word only carries weight when the situation pertains to your safety," Arika said as she looked at Mashiro firmly.

"If I didn't know you as I do, I would be tempted to say you were jealous. Truth, Arika, is not something you and I keep from each other," Mashiro said as she stood next to Arika.

"All of this is making me sick okay. The reports that I've read, and then there are the bodies of innocent people…aargh, and this damned disease. Bodies that just turn on themselves, flesh decaying at various rates…my head hurts as much as my stomach and my heart," Arika said feeling everything build into one massive knot in her.

"We are Otome for such reasons, Arika. We are protectors, not just of our masters, our countries, but all of Earl. You said as a student you would find a way to end all strife, wars would be unnecessary," Nina said with her hand on her forehead feeling her own headache.

"You don't need to remind me of that, Nina. Miss Maria never kept me to those words; instead she drilled them into my lessons. You and Mashiro are at my sides on a regular basis, sharing a common dream," Arika said as Mashiro ran a hand down her arm, holding her hand at the end.

"How about we finish this later tonight?" Nina asked looking for a way out. They all really needed the break and maybe Mashiro could ease Arika into a better mood.

"We'll wait until we receive more evidence how's that sound. You said we needed more evidence and that Windbloom has yet to be a target," Mashiro said looking at Nina. The young Queen understood another meaning in Nina's request.

"If that's the case, then may I be excused for the rest of the day?" Nina asked.

"That's fine with me. Arika and I will receive Aoi when her transport gets here. I expect you tonight though, I have something that requires your attention," Mashiro replied sternly. Nina left them as fast as her feet could carry her.

Mashiro laughed softly as the door closed behind Nina. Arika gave a small jump as Mashiro embraced her. Arika barely heard Mashiro say, "I swear sometimes, the things I do for the two of you."

Instead of just sending a report, Drue called Youko from Aries herself. The report would come only after some heavy editing by the military. Drue didn't care if she was breeching some contract. Youko had entrusted her with the nanomachines to continue her research, things unfortunately didn't pan out.

"The nanomachines are really good at numerous things, except as an aide in a cure for this virus. The people that manufactured this nasty little bug must have factored them in somehow," Drue said rather weakly.

"So they used an Otome to get her nanomachines, willingly or not is of no consequence at this point," Youko said as her own weariness became evident.

"That is where I have to violate my contract. The report is being doctored to hide what we found as a result of using Otome blood to run trials. Hold the blaring argument for another time and listen. We used samples from Meister Armitage and all of Delta Squad hoping maybe the differences in their genetic make-up would give us something. It gave us something alright, five women who would be dead if we tried to use this nasty bug directly," Drue said her pace quickening.

"So it was engineered against them?" Youko questioned.

"Maybe not specifically against Otome, no, but it broke down the nanomachines. It was weird to see in action, this bug consumes everything it comes in contact with. All the nanomachines did was temporarily slow the process," Drue said hoping to let it end there.

"So whoever engineered this took into account the nanomachines weakness?" Youko said mind running over too many things at once.

"Look this bug has one trigger from what I've been able to test so far, the body's biological breakdown of food through absorption. The rate of decay is consistent with organ function; it's not very pleasant to track…" Drue said losing her will to finish with the truth at the heart of this conversation.

"How the Hell did you get a volunteer? That goes against everything we do Drue," Youko asked.

"Call it an accident Youko. We lost a young lab tech because he wanted to do more than wait. The young man took it upon himself to test different methods. I got to watch him die, Youko. Do you really think I would allow something like this to happen willingly or Chrysant for that matter?" Drue asked blood starting to boil in her words.

"Just how deeply involved is Yukino Chrysant? Garderobe was told none of this Drue. Wouldn't you think this is something to be shared?" Youko asked responding to Drue's fire.

"I'm not involved in politics, Youko. Chrysant is a smart woman, what would make you think she's not sharing right now? " Drue asked backing down slightly.

"You are my link to Garderobe on this one. This information can't go through certain channels, even for a President," Yukino was the one taking now.

"Madame President…I'm sorry if I don't understand why this is some secret people wouldn't share?" Youko said as she toned down her anger in response to Yukino.

"My own military sees this thing as too dangerous and uncontrollable. I'm getting tired with the meetings already. There are others out there who would capitalize on this if they knew. This came from a government Youko. The need for secrecy will only serve to help us find out which one," Yukino said ending her part of the conversation.

"Understood, Madame President, I'll relay this information to the Headmistress immediately. Helene out…" Youko replied cutting their line and heading for Natsuki's office. Yes, the conversation could have been open to Natsuki in the first place, but Youko would have had to been consulted afterward anyway.

"The Headmistress is really going to love this one. Natsuki is no fool, but the underlying implications are far too numerous without the rest of the data Aries is holding."

Nao was going over the papers she took from the room before she had met with Laura Bianchi. There were a few newspaper articles in the mix, these held no significance to Nao. They were daily articles but Tomoe had used them as just something to draw on. There were notes to self that Nao just loved going over until she read the one about Shizuru. Nao couldn't even finish it because they were random and degrading in thought of the Bewitching Smile Amethyst.

Tomoe had some very sick thoughts there that only got worse as Nao read about Miya Clochette. Miya had been easy prey for Tomoe. The notes had random scribbles of god or gods. The names Nao saw ran through most of the people she knew. The one that Nao nearly missed looked like a list of names, possibly her victims, but Nao would leave that to Natsuki. Nao was going to get rid of the one about Shizuru, but decided to give it to Shizuru instead.

Nao would leave it up to Shizuru to decide what to do with it. It really was descriptive about her desires for the woman and the things Tomoe had done with Shizuru. As Nao pocketed the one for Shizuru, she looked at the others spread before her. There was no real pattern to them if Nao was any judge. All it really looked like was Tomoe couldn't keep a single thought in her head.

Nao, on the other hand, could keep only one thought going at this time, Midori. They had longer times apart from each other than this, but Nao couldn't wait to see her again. Everything she had shared with Midori before leaving, every word she had said, every word she heard in response, all lead her to the truth of their relationship. Midori had responsibility to the Aswad, but as of that night she had a responsibility to Nao also.

"I'll keep her to it, too." Nao said aloud even though there was no one else to hear it.

Erstin couldn't believe Nina was waiting in her room. Nina was not wearing her robes and Erstin couldn't help but smile. It was nice to see Nina in a pants suit even if it left every little detail to the imagination. Erstin had a very good one, so all she could do was smile. Nina wanted to talk about the other night.

"I wanted to answer your question. If you still want my answer, that is?" Nina said as Erstin sat on the bed with her.

"Do you really want to answer me, Nina?" Erstin asked feeling Nina shake just a little.

"You asked me about having a child together, Erstin. That answer is wrapped up in who we are. When you graduate Erstin you could be sent away tied to someone for life. That's not even the part that really bothers me. It's me, Erstin, everything I've done in this life and yet you want a child with me," Nina said finally cutting the mental red tape.

"I want the progression of our relationship to include them. I'm not asking you to agree to one right now," Erstin said with a soft smile forming.

"Oh, can I just say that I was mistaken when you asked? I agree to them, if we can continue this relationship as it is. Do you even know the power you have over me?" Nina asked with her own smile.

"Better than you think," Erstin replied pulling Nina into a kiss.

Midori knew what she had to do; the thought of it was choking her the longer she waited. Midori had left Nao's room not too long after Shizuru told her of Nao's return. Her people were safe and undisturbed. There were many questions from Dyne; the man was easily swayed when Midori told him she made her choice. He asked her to drink on it, but Midori said she rather hold off. The alcohol definitely didn't help her situation, so even to celebrate Midori would wait.

People were so glad to see Midori looking so much better once again. No, she wasn't completely back to herself yet, but she still looked better than she did when drunk. There were many questions of Kimiko and when Midori would convince Youko to bring the child. These Midori answered though she couldn't speak for Youko.

Midori went out with the men the next morning to bring home a Jabbar. Midori actually had some fun during the hunt. Dyne gave her some playful swats as she played around with him. Dyne wanted to do more than that because they were reigning in the Jabbar at the time. Midori was laughing and joking again and many were glad to see it.

Dyne saw Midori separate from the group and followed her. Midori was just sitting alone staring at the stars when Dyne sat beside her. They talked for a while before Dyne told her to go speak her peace with Youko. Midori made some grumbling about Gakutenou, but Dyne wasn't buying it. When she finally acquiesced, Dyne just laughed and went back to the group.

When Midori finally got back to Garderobe, it was nearing dawn and see knew that the students would be milling about soon enough. Midori was glad she wasn't stopped by anyone because she had no answer for anyone else. Getting into the Founder room, Gal greeted Midori and they spoke of many things including Midori's reason for returning. Gal was glad to hear there was a decision, but wanted to know nothing more than that.

When Youko finally arrived that morning Midori was asleep on one of the med beds and seemed to be looking a lot better. Youko wanted to wake her and ask why she hadn't come to her instead of here, but decided it could wait. Whatever Midori had to say could wait one way or the other because Youko buried herself in her work.

When Arika and Mashiro had received Aoi and Chie yesterday both were surprised how Chie was faring. Now Chie could make out colors as well. Things were still blurry, but Chie had yet to give up. Baby Mitsuko took an immediate liking to Arika as she held the child. There was a laugh from Chie about this because she knew the only reason Mitsuko liked Arika had to do with her ample chest.

They returned to the castle to talk of many things that night. When Nina returned from Garderobe, Mashiro pulled her aside with a devious little smile. Nina, at this time, was not so sure she wanted to know what the Queen was plotting in that mind of hers. There were quite a few smiles that night as people departed for their quarters to sleep. Nina's smile had been the largest of all but she really couldn't help it. Mashiro truly was devious, but also very understanding. Nina finally realized Mashiro was very different from most masters. Mashiro actually cared about her Otome's personal lives as well.

Just before laying down Nina decided that if Windbloom had a slogan that represented it truthfully it would be, 'The place where dreams are realized.' It was definitely going to be a good day for some tomorrow; others though would find their hopes and dreams crashing before them once again.