A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I was preoccupied with family events.

I do not own Mai Otome.

Chapter 2: Dreams of Aswad.

The Otome trials were in progress as many rigorous tests were performed. Auditions and written tests were only part of the requirements to qualify. You needed sponsorship from a willing nation, or a wealthy benefactor to pay your way. Medical exams were also mandatory. The week was long and stressful for everyone involved. The faculty seemed to work late into the night as they cast more and more girls aside. When they did, they caused more work for Midori.

The woman had her own ideas on proper strengths and weaknesses. She wanted to group class sizes and similar students together to minimize anyone having an easy time of anything. Often, she placed even harder strains on the girls, laughing at their ineptness. She was harsh, but, she wasn't unforgiving as she personally bandaged the injured often giving solace and encouragement. She was indeed a leader. Yukino had spent most of her time with the woman of Aswad if only to better understand her. The methods Midori used were questionable at times, thus they proved to be fascinating.

The night had finally drawn to a close as Midori walked under the stars. A nearby tree became her refuge, finding the lavished comforts of the schools dorms to be over extravagant. She preferred simplistic things, and the dorms in her school were just that. Simple. Sleeping bags instead of beds. Lights that had to be filled with oil constantly or they would burn out. The girls wouldn't be taught traditionally. No, sometimes to be a true woman of power, you had to fall harder than everyone else around you.

Queen Mashiro had also learned to be a political leader in such a way. Perhaps that was why Midori had even agreed to come here in the first place.

Her eyes closed with the tune of the world around her, but, she wasn't unprepared. There was someone else by that tree. "You're up awfully late." She smiled. "Come to listen to the world around you?" Crickets chirped lightly and the hum of cars in the distance made sure to remind Midori that she was far from home. As far as she could possibly be, if the truth were to be spoken.

"No. I find that I'm far more suited to the sounds of a classroom." Natsuki curtly replied as she stood next to the tree with her eyes on the stars. "I was looking for Yukino." As she paused to pull a strand of hair back from her face she looked at the figure above her. "I thought she was with you, though, I doubt she'd be the type to scale a tree."

"No, I guess not." The redhead shrugged in reply. "Neither are you. Frankly, I think you understand very little about the world around you." She jumped from the tree, her shoes scraping the gravel on the ground and rustling the short grass around her. "Otome power is very strong, but, I wonder if those girls could survive like we of Aswad did."

"I do understand." Natsuki defended taking a step forward, her look fierce. "I know more about the world than you may think…but" She halted at the look she saw in Midori's eyes. "Uh, no..I-um-I can't say we would." As she placed her back against the tree she huffed in annoyance. "I don't know if we would have survived I mean."

"You lack the real realities of power. Until you acquire them, the name Otome is nothing more than a catalyst for destruction." As she turned she sighed, her back seemed to be carrying a great weight. "Understand me, Natsuki Kruger, I have not come here because of Garderobe, I came because another leader formally asked me to lend my aid." Midori made her way down into the city streets, a deject look on her features. "I personally think this city could never teach what Aswad can." Her voice became faint as Midori continued onward, almost as if begging Natsuki to pick a fight.

Thankfully, the bluenette was smarter than that.

Natsuki stood quietly for a few minutes. She had come a long way from being a brash individual who would fight back at the admission. Instead, she was in deep contemplation. She hadn't heard the near silent giggling that was taking place behind her until Haruka was bellowing; a few teens asked her to help them study. Yukino went to stand next to Natsuki as they watched Haruka usher the kids inside. The blond was loudly reminding the students about a little thing called curfew.

"I saw you were talking to Midori. I'm surprised she even held a conversation with you at all." When that earned a questioning look, Yukino tried to better explain herself. "It seems like she doesn't like being near any of us, the only ones she gets close too are her own people of Aswad, Mashiro, and Arika. I just wish I knew why." Thin wire frames were pushed up the bridge of her nose with a slender finger as she looked thoughtful. Her eyes weren't focused on Natsuki, but, rather the tree that Midori had found a perch in. "She seems so distant. I've never seen any sort of figurehead quite like her."

"You are distant too you know." Natsuki smirked slightly, hoping to have gotten the one up, totally missing the point.

"That's why I'm confused. I'm distant because as a national figurehead I need to be distant. Aries is one of the few nations that follow a proper democracy. Midori and her people don't approve of anything we do. Apparently, in her eyes, every nation is in the wrong." As the short woman sighed with worry she took out a clean cloth to tend to her glasses. "I just don't see how any woman like her can think like that."

"Aswad always has issues with us for some reason or another." Obvious fact was the best way to broach this situation. Unlike Haruka, Yukino would take the sound fact over guts and instinct. "They are dangerous. Please do well to remember that." Natsuki's voice softened. "Yukino, it would not stand well among your people if you get chummy with those who can actually fight Otome and have a viable chance at winning."

"May I remind you, this is exactly why the woman is here in the first place." Yukino smiled. Otome were very cautious people, and, in a job like theirs, you had to be. Yet Arika saw no fear in this woman, in fact, Mashiro also called Midori 'Leader'. It all left an unclear vibe for Yukino. "I think there is more going on than anyone will care to admit."

"If you'd like, speak with the Mashiro, or perhaps take it up with Arika." Natsuki began before stopping, removing the annoyed attitude from her speech, replacing it with the tone of indifference. "However, I'd prefer if you'd stay away from Midori without someone of strength with you. You are one of the higher profile people; you'd be an easy target."

"Aswad wouldn't stoop so low." Yukino seemed assured. "They appear to have far too much honor for that, Midori especially." When one thought about it, Aswad and its members had a lot of pull because of Windbloom. Right now they supported Windbloom, or perhaps that was what it merely looked out on the surface. "She wouldn't make a move here. I'm safe strictly because of that."

"Well, I may not be able to convince you otherwise, but, please do try to be careful." Natsuki turned to face the smaller woman. A level of compassion was just beneath the surface of her words, not that many people could actually read into that. "I can't speak for everyone, but I can and will speak for myself. I say, that you, Madam President, are too important to be walking around on a whim."

Yukino smiled at that, if only slightly. "You know, there are a few women who could say the same thing about you." Her bitter sweet smile fell, a frown filled with burden quickly replacing it. "While I've been in office I've had Haruka at my side, but, I see more than I care to admit behind an office desk. I have power because of my words and Haruka has brute strength, but…well; Midori has power all because of who she is. I think I own the people of Aries a better leader. She may be able to teach me a few things."

"So, this is because you are starting to question yourself? I'd never thought I'd see the day when the president stood here looking like a confused school girl again." A deep chuckle punctuated the admonishment. Yukino was rarely a woman to feel lost, or alone, or anything of the sort. "What will Haruka think? She assumes the world of you. If she finds out you're second guessing yourself she'll drive us all into insanity…or make us deaf."

"Well, I think it's time Haruka found a new reason for being. She's so aggressive when she's worried about my safety…she acts like I'm a woman made of glass. I feel like I should start looking into suitors, wed, and retire from office after this last term. Haruka has her own life she needs to live too. I want my friend back Natsuki, a friend I don't have to send into danger every time something goes wrong. I could have lost her so many times since all of this fighting started. I won't run that risk; I won't allow her to suffer because of me."

Yukino's words were defiant, and, they were pleading. It was as if she was begging Natsuki to protect Haruka. Strange, yet, it was a likely thing to happen. Natsuki knew well enough to know that Haruka actually liked danger and she also knew Yukino's loathing in dealing with it. "Yeah, I just dare you to say that to her." The tone was tinged in amusement and slight endorsement. "When you do, get it on tape. I'd love to see who she'll blame it on and what she'll do to said person."

"She's not that bad." Yukino grinned. "She just…she's Haruka. If she wasn't in everyone's face then I'd start to worry." Both laughed at that. "Anyway, you know how Haruka is, she'd be just as happy leading the front lines, where her overtly obvious demeanor would be welcomed." She took a few steps towards the dorms, watching as Natsuki followed behind slightly. "I'd feel badly if she wasn't so protective, but…I don't want to be the one to call her into another battle."

"Because she's the Otome you chose?" Natsuki's voice was masked at best, rough at worst.

"More like, because Haruka chose to be my Otome. It's a wall, for the both of us." Yukino didn't say much else, but she didn't need too. Natsuki knew well enough what wall had been built, and why it had been placed between them.

Midori, for her part, found the city to be a place she absolutely hated. Technology was both a gift and a curse in her eyes. It was a thing to be loved, and a thing to be despised. It was the object that destroyed her home; it killed off many of her people. Yet despite all of that, it was also giving others life. Still, Midori refused treatment. Her body felt the daily pressures of being in such a limbo. Her body was living off of the instability of REM and its ability to control her illness.

Soon she would need cybernetic enhancements or she would die, just like countless others had before her. Midori was as stubborn as anyone could possibly be. She refused the help she had found for the others. It would be unfair of her. Asking to have a normal, healthy body was a sick and twisted wish. People she had loved died before their time. Midori already knew the truth. She was cheating death, and that was why she bore the pain. It made her strong, but more importantly, it made her remember.

She was a leader because she had to stand. Children were born with the painful illness. A few children had been lost because of it. Then there were others, they weren't fatally ill yet, but, the pain was still there. What kind of person of Aswad would accept treatment before those more deserving? Midori wouldn't. There were still children and elderly, parents and other caregivers. These people needed the treatments first. She'd rather die an honorable death, or face the painful realities of gaining a cybernetic body, before she ever accepted something as trivial as treatment.

Midori was their leader, thus, she would bear their pain.

Still, on nights like this, she couldn't help but want to run away. Run and hide back in the place she knew so well. The home of Aswad was a place few would be welcomed into. Aswad was ruthless. Rumored to be attack and kill on sight. Aswad allied with few, but those they assisted gained immense power. Aswad was not a nation, rather a hated society. Its world and inner workings were far different than that of other political realms.

She spat on the sidewalk. The lights of the city were disgusting. The nightlife was so annoying. It wasn't needed, it shouldn't be allowed. She didn't need all of this glamour. People could survive in a cave, little food, hardly any clean water. Midori and her people did it daily. That was why she couldn't understand this city. She could hear the foot falls of someone behind her and groaned in annoyance. "If you intend to follow me, at least have the decency to show yourself."

"I'm not hiding from you." The reply was soft and velvet. The woman's words were something that laced venom and seduction very well. If Midori had been into that type of thing, she would be in deep trouble. "I just happen to find a peaceful stroll to be something an Otome rarely covets. I thought I'd quite like a chance to enjoy one before day break." Shizuru was a woman of the night too is seemed. Crimson eyes showed that of innocence, acting as if she truly had no interest in the redheaded woman.

"You're eyes speak otherwise. If it were not for the name of the GEM you wear on your ear, I'd have to question the validity of the statement." Midori wasn't one for small talk with Otome, however, she also wasn't fond of being tailed either. "If you wish to accompany me, I wouldn't be opposed." A dark gloved hand marked the way, as if asking Shizuru to walk beside Midori instead of behind her.

"That is very kind of one such as yourself." The velvety voice said again as she came onto full view. "Although, I am not sure you are speaking the truth. I know full well that I am not welcome among you."

"You people have no idea what you spew…you know that?" All that could be heard after that was the click of thick soles hitting the ground as she stomped over to the nearest slab on concrete. She took a seat before pulling a leather case out of her pocket. "Now, you can either join me by having a seat, or accompany me on a walk." Pulling out a few pills, she swallowed them quickly. She then proceeded to inject her arm with blue liquid. "Either way, it's your choice. Just don't think I'm so stupid to think we've met up on this night by accident."

"You are very insightful for not being of this city." Shizuru smirked as she very daintily sat on the slab as well. "Can you blame me for being interested in a woman such as yourself?" Light tresses of fair colored hair wafted in the wind, easily showing the GEM the Otome held in her possession. A statement of her strength, Shizuru was an Otome who had nothing to hide.

"I'm a woman of Aswad, but that doesn't make me daft." The redhead shot back. She absolutely hated most of the Otome, especially those of Garderobe. "What does an Otome like you even want with a person like me? It isn't attraction, and I can all but guarantee I have nothing you could want. With this knowledge passed on, I know what you want isn't a material or a frivolous item." She paused as Shizuru seemed to consider this. "So…what do you want from me?"

"Answers." Shizuru said plainly. "I merely want answers. Why are you here if you didn't have something to gain?"

"Because, I made a promise to aid a leader." Midori wasn't relenting. Her reasons were hers alone. It was annoying to even think of letting an Otome such as Shizuru to know the realities. "I don't have any further reason than that."

"Isn't that a bit odd? In this world, surely there is something you're after." Aswad had no real homeland anymore. Midori could easily be seen as dangerous. Her reputation alone was enough to strike fear into most cities. "You can't be here simply because of your word."

"I don't see why the hell not." Midori's curt reply caught the woman beside her off guard. Shizuru's eyes were that of bewilderment and Midori simply couldn't care one way or the other. "Listen here Smiley," Midori was like Nao in one way, it was a very horrific idea to get on her bad side. Shizuru was very close to doing just that. "Not all of us work like the cities out here do. Windbloom and Aswad are on friendly terms. We owe each other more than any amount of money or any material item can give me. You wouldn't understand."

"I'm sorry." A voice almost meek replied. "I didn't mean to upset you. However, Garderobe isn't the safest of places nowadays. I and the others can't help but worry." If it hadn't been for the look in Shizuru's eyes, the look of actual remorse, Midori would have attacked her right then. However, it was clear, Shizuru hadn't been informed. Then again, it hadn't really been any of her business in the first place.

"Alright you...listen; I'm only going to say this once." She pulled out her leather case again, slight anger still in her stance. "See this? This is my life blood, along with a flurry of other medication. I am one of many people who are still very ill. Mashiro has given us the key for our survival. At the moment Windbloom is an ally and a dear friend of the Aswad because of the aid we've received. You will not be attacked by our people. I'll go as far to say if someone tried to cause malice here I'd personally have their head for it. You aren't in danger, in fact Mashiro saved Garderobe from being attacked by us."

"So, you'll attack us at any moment should you see us as a threat?" Shizuru stated more than asked, yet it was still left in the air, and all Midori could do was give Shizuru a revolting look. The flaxen haired girl only then realized the fact that she was making a scene for the passersby, lowering her voice. "Can we really trust your word?"

"Mashiro does." Midori shot back, almost eerily calm. "I would suggest you do the same." She gave a figurative look at Shizuru. "Here's some friendly advice. Stop following me, if you want answers I'm sorry to say I can't really offer you anything here. Nothing I say would be enough. You can't grasp it, and, if you find me to be an enemy, I doubt you'd believe me anyway." With those words bestowed upon Shizuru she walked away, paying no mind to the crowed she had attracted. Among them were Otome and civilian alike, none fully understanding what had just gone on.

All that could be done at that point was return to Garderobe, and Shizuru promptly found herself doing just that. Her mind wandered idly. She worried for Natsuki, Yukino, and Haruka. The many nations also passed her thoughts for only a moment. She concerned herself about the grand scheme of them all. The fate of Otome were in the hands of many people, however, the one with the most say in the matter wasn't a person easily controlled. It was something that perplexed many, and yet, no one was more confused than the five pillars themselves. They were now forced into blindly trusting one very deadly person.

That person was Midori.

TBC~~~

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