DISCLAIMER: Mai Otome and its characters are Sunrise property.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: The closer vacation gets, the further away it feels.
Our Legacy ch49
The Shrine, Inside the Ring,
Megumi sat up and looked at Nadia as they had been in the same position close to half an hour's time. Megumi did not agree with the way Nadia had treated Mitsuko earlier and needed to voice that to her.
"Never do that to Mitsuko Hallard in my presence ever again, Nadia. Are we clear on that?" Megumi asked her face very stern.
"Mitsuko was being too familiar with you and it upset me," Nadia said pulling away from Megumi's glare and standing up.
"That isn't an answer Nadia Wang." Megumi said as she pulled her legs in close and rested her chin on her knees.
"I'm your lover not her, we take care of one another," Nadia replied not facing Megumi still.
"NADIA, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I JUST SAID OR NOT?!?" Megumi yelled in question very irritated by her younger lover's reaction.
"NO, I DON'T 'GUMI," Nadia yelled back as she whipped around tears heavy in her eyes.
"I may not have the same feelings for her that I once did, but I refuse to see her hurt for them. Do not think because I am in your bed and in your embrace that I am completely yours. I am always going to love her for what we shared and what we still share, that my love is a bond not even Heaven or Hell can break," Megumi said as she threw herself backwards lying in the center of the ring.
"Between Kaede and Mitsuko how can you say you are in love with me? I don't understand this side of you Megumi Tokiha," Nadia said as she looked at one of the ribbons tied around the ring.
"First of all, Kaede Armitage is and always has been my best friend. Kaede never let anyone treat me like an outsider because of the way I acted…" Megumi said as she remembered all of the running around on all fours after flipping Coral skirts to get a peek.
"That isn't what I mean…" Nadia said as she continued running the ribbon through her fingers.
"Secondly, Mitsuko Hallard was my first love. I love them all Nadia, but with Mitsuko it was different from the very first look to the very last embrace. She knew me and loved me like…" Megumi's words were failing her as she thought she heard Mitsuko's name.
"Is it the same way we love each other, 'Gumi?" Nadia asked as she clenched her fist around the ribbon. She didn't want to have this conversation anymore.
"Look, Nadia, please don't ask me to explain it to you any further. It's difficult for me to explain most things I do on any given basis, but Mitsuko and I…I just don't have the words to say that wouldn't break your heart," Megumi said as she righted her body and stared at Nadia. Megumi couldn't cry anymore and she couldn't comfort Nadia the way Nadia needed her too.
"So I'm supposed to just accept that and be alright with everything you just said or yelled at me? I don't know what your reasons are Megumi Tokiha and right now I can't say I really care, I'm done with all of this insanity," Nadia said as she tore the ribbon from the ring and walked off.
"MATERIALIZE."
Megumi had no appetite even though she hadn't eaten in awhile. There was too much confusion in her spirit conflicting every thought and emotion. Megumi walked over to the ribbon Nadia tore free from the ring as she heard the screams and clashing outside. The ribbon bore Mitsuko's name in Megumi's handwriting something she had done not long ago. Megumi shoved the ribbon into her concealed pocket and materialized knowing what she was about to face.
"STAY OUT OF THIS ZHANG…IT'S YOUR LOVER I WANT." Nadia said as she and Katsumi were struggling against each other in the air just a few feet away from Mitsuko. Mitsuko's lip was bleeding and she was trying to finish putting on her clothes.
"NO WAY NADIA, NOT LIKE THIS…" Katsumi replied as she pushed Nadia away and dropped to Mitsuko's side just as Megumi flew up beside Nadia.
"What are you doing Nadia? This is crazy, it's not like you," Megumi said as she grabbed Nadia by the shoulders and tried to bring her to the ground without force.
"What does it matter 'Gumi look around you? Everything we loved about this world is gone. I don't need physical proof to know the truth about my mothers'. They are gone and I can feel that inside of me, deep where no one can touch, not you, not her either…You and your sister had a closer relationship with my mother than I ever did, how can you not feel it?" Nadia had finally said the words that kept her so distant.
"That was your parent's decision as Otome, Nadia. Erstin Ho was contracted to Aoi Senoh-Hallard before you were even born. Considering their separation all those years it was out of their love they decided to have you. You were the missing partner they could never hold when they wanted to, the light in their world that gave them strength and hope for a better future," Megumi said just before Nadia slapped her hard and materialized her halberd.
"Don't you defend her and talk about my parents in the same breath. I know why I was born Megumi…" Nadia said as she flew straight up and then launched herself straight at Mitsuko and Katsumi with twice as much speed.
Megumi and Mitsuko reacted at the same time. Megumi called forth her dual quarter-staffs and Mitsuko pushed away Katsumi as she called forth her twin katana. As the blow struck the crossed katana just above her head there was a surge of electricity along the blades as they glowed in brilliant blue hues. Megumi pulled Katsumi further away and told her to stay out of the conflict before heading in herself.
"Why should I listen to you?" Katsumi asked haughtily. As Megumi turned back, Katsumi realized there was nothing more to say. Megumi's expression was dark and her beautiful golden eyes were now deep red.
"BECAUSE I SAID SO…" Megumi said as she flew towards the two struggling Otome and extended her quarter-staffs to full length. The staffs slipped between the girls and Megumi used all her strength to separate them. Mitsuko barely recovered as she saw Nadia heading straight for Megumi.
"I'M NOT ASKING THIS TIME NADIA. STOP…" Megumi's expression held no meaning as something for Nadia to fear and so she charged Megumi. Mitsuko tried to say something but it wasn't soon enough.
As Nadia hit Megumi with all of her speed and might Megumi reacted with her training and no consciousness. Megumi leveled her palm straight into the bridge of Nadia's nose and dropped the girl. Their combined strength and Nadia's speed made what should have been only a glancing blow a fatal one. Not only had her nose broken up into her brain, but her neck had snapped back severing completely from her spinal column.
Mitsuko caught Nadia's falling body and realized what she had seen was true. Mitsuko brought the body to the ground and then looked up at Megumi in shock. Megumi was still beyond words and yet to realize what she had done. As Megumi looked down at Mitsuko something in her facial expression didn't seem to quite match her eyes. Megumi flew straight at Katsumi and powered up a blow in flight…
"Why…What the Hell…Megumi…?" Mitsuko asked as she rushed to intercept the blow. Katsumi materialized her claw and tried to swat away Megumi a moment too late. Megumi's strike lifted Katsumi off the ground and sent her flying against the Shrine's outer wall knocking her out.
Mitsuko was too quick in her actions and lashed out just as Megumi turned around. The twin katana slid into Megumi nearly to the hilts, the shafts bore a purple hue stained with her blood. Nadia's body was already gone, green-sparkles claiming the Otome into the next life beyond. Mitsuko let the katana go immediately, trying in vain to will them away as she dropped her materialization and held Megumi's body. The damage was already done.
"Why?" Mitsuko asked through her tears as Megumi started to fade into those very same green sparkles.
"Love…next life," these were Megumi's last words; her hand reaching for Mitsuko's face, before she completely disappeared.
Mitsuko couldn't hold back the tears as the last light faded away. Katsumi was all that was left and through her pain and tears Mitsuko made her way to Katsumi's prone body. She was only knocked out, but Mitsuko wasn't sure how bad her injuries could be. For the moment at least they were not life threatening. If Katsumi were to die as well, Mitsuko wasn't sure she would be able to leave this place and return to the Founder base.
Mitsuko pulled Katsumi close to her and held tightly as she cried trying to make any sense of what had just happened. The cold hard ground shook beneath them and the sky above them flashed with multiple streaks of lightning. Each strike grew closer to their bodies and Mitsuko lifted Katsumi as she stood up. Nearly falling back over in her haste to get to safety, Mitsuko tried to materialize and found that she couldn't.
Mitsuko lifted Katsumi awkward onto her back as she stood once again praying to avoid the lightning strikes as they drew nearer and nearer. Once safely inside the Shrine, Mitsuko lay Katsumi down and tried once again to materialize with the same result. The entire room suddenly light up in a green hue and Mitsuko blocked her eyes as she turned toward the ring. Inside the ring there were twelve young women though Mitsuko could make out nothing more than their forms before the light blinded her and she passed out.
Founder Base, Founder Core room,
Keiko Tokiha was sitting at the board with Irina Woods and Juliet Nao Zhang as all Hell had broken out in the corridors. Chiyako Hallard and Cara Gallagher were rushing towards the room just as they entered the hallway.
"What's all the fuss?" Nao asked as they approached.
"Natsuki Kruger wants a meeting with everyone now. Megumi hasn't returned and Nadia, Katsumi and Mitsuko have gone to go get her. They headed for the Shrine…" Cara said through ragged breath.
"We know where they are so what's the big deal?" Nao asked again impatiently.
"Their memories are different from ours and those pictures have changed again," Chiyako said as she leaned against the wall before sliding to the floor.
"How have their memories changed?" Irina asked as she pulled off her glasses and squeezed the bridge of her nose, another headache was coming on.
"It's a bunch of little things…It's not their memories that worry me, it's the newspaper clippings," Chiyako replied as she pulled out one of the frames from her pocket and withdrew the clipping.
Nao opened the clipping to its full size and noticed the picture was of Garderobe with the heading: OTOME GUARDIAN FORCE OF EARL. Nao read a small portion of the article and then stormed off down the hall cursing.
"Kruger did the same thing before she threw the frame at me and told me to come and get everyone still here," Chiyako said just as the Founder Core room flooded in a brilliant green light.
Irina rushed in with the others behind her and was nearly electrocuted as she reached for the board. The four materialized Meister signatures were moving in attacking and defensive patterns in front of their eyes. Helpless to do more than watch Irina started to cry as first Nadia Wang's signature disappeared and then Megumi Tokiha's signature did also. Keiko started to yell incoherently as twelve ghostly figures appeared in the light before it spread out beyond the room. Everyone in the room and the base itself passed out.
The Pearl Graduation went off beautifully and the celebration afterwards seemed to reach all throughout the streets of Windbloom. Queen Mashiro had formally appointed Aoi Senoh's Ambassador standing with the Ministry and her station listing as Aries Nation Windbloom Embassy earlier that morning. There had been minimal commotion as the position had been well in effect for some time now. Aoi Senoh had already proven to be equal to the task and handled the Ministry's few dissenters gracefully. That very same afternoon Aoi Senoh and Erstin Ho formed their contract as Master and Otome.
King Nguyen Bao also contracted a new Otome that afternoon with Eriko Torii of Annam replacing his daughter. She had been Pearl Number Two and was definitely going to suit her new standing as the King's Otome. Her intelligence had kept Erstin's standing as number three and then two almost to the very end when Erstin finally showed her prowess in the field of battle and tactics. Meister Torii was relieved to be going home to Annam especially as the Nation's top Otome. Her contract with King Bao would end with her retirement and marriage to the King's eldest son as he ascended to the throne.
The ceremonies festivities lasted well into the night though the dignitaries slowly preceded either to their home nations or Embassy's as the night stretched on. Kaede and Shiori had been watching over the children while their parents attended the ceremonies. It had been the only recourse since their presence was to remain as well guarded a secret as possible. They had watched the televised event in the Founder Core with Youko and kept the children up as long as possible to ensure a hopefully good night's rest for all.
The next morning had seen the arrival of couriers bringing anonymously gifted tickets to the upcoming play in Florence. The entire afternoon was spent making arrangements for travel and formal wear. Nao had declined her tickets as did Youko. Midori was coming to the campus for an extended visit and neither woman seemed too interested in leaving anyway. Sarah and Ahn had also declined wanting to spend the time alone with their daughter.
"Well then…I can't believe I'm going to do this," Natsuki said as she paced her office looking at Nao.
"Hey at least I'm not going to be in charge while you go on your little 'vacation'," Nao said smiling as Natsuki paced about.
"Like I'd ever leave you in charge of anything," Natsuki replied with a huff wondering why Nao was sitting in her office to begin with, "Why are you here anyway?"
"Well as I gave mine and Youko's tickets to the Twin Meister's I noticed something of interest," Nao said filing her nails and looking like the cat that ate the canary.
"So spill already and go," Natsuki said as she headed towards the sofa Nao was sitting on.
"Who says I came to tell you anything?" Nao said looking up at Natsuki who was now sitting on the sofa's arm.
"Don't play with me, Zhang," Natsuki said thinking of how irritating her fellow Column was.
"I'll leave the playing to Viola, though I must admit you are cute when you're like this," Nao said as she stood up and proceeded towards the door.
"Gah…Nao, just tell me already," Natsuki said to the young woman's retreating form.
"Take a closer look at the tickets…" Nao said as she closed the door and left the office laughing.
Natsuki went over to her desk to look at the tickets remembering half way to her desk that Shizuru had taken them and put them away until tomorrow's departure. Nao's little taunt sent Natsuki down the hall to Sarah's room to ask to see the tickets she and Ahn had received. Standing there in the doorway half dressed Ahn smiled and informed a frustrated and blushing Natsuki that they had their tickets to Chie and Aoi.
As Ahn closed the door Natsuki could hear her laughing softly and cursed. Things at Garderobe were going to become very interesting with Ahn back in the fold as a teacher. Natsuki muttered to herself all the way down the hall and outside as she knew there was no one left to ask with the other's still in Windbloom.
Natsuki had returned earlier citing a headache though Shizuru knew the truth. Natsuki only liked shopping alone with Shizuru and the group dynamic was too infuriating. Natsuki spent too much time blushing and fidgeting while everyone else was lost in the whirlwind of excitement. Natsuki had all intentions of starting on crushing mountain of paperwork that awaited her until she had run into Nao.
Natsuki walked up to the Gazebo to cool her thoughts knowing she would have a long wait ahead of her. The group would return later that evening to find Natsuki still irritated and impatient to see one of the tickets. Nao had crossed her path taunting her more than once during her wait.
"Just let me see a ticket already," Natsuki said as she watched Yukino pull her tickets her jackets inside pocket.
"Is there something wrong with them?" Yukino asked as Natsuki study the tickets closely for a moment and then broke into laughter. The answer she was looking for had been right in front of her face the entire time.
Natsuki turned the tickets around and held them up to the group. No one else said a word looking over the tickets intently until Natsuki moved her hand closer to the playwright's name.
"E. R. Jasper don't you get it? Eternal Recurring Jasper…that sly old fox."