Chapter 5 - Upon A Breeze
"On the cold cheek of Death smiles and roses are blending, And beauty immortal awakes from the tomb." - James Beattie
...
Sachiko excused herself from class at the appropriate time. Her Onee-sama, Mizuno Youko, the current Rosa Chinensis, had already been by to inform the teacher that the raven-hair girl's presence would be required for the First Year Welcoming Ceremony. When it was the correct time the second year student stood up and pushed in her chair, taking up her school bag, and walked from the room without a word to anyone. Striding down the hallway it was her most ardent wish that the roof to the chapel would collapse at this exact moment so she wouldn't have to participate in the idiocy of welcoming a new crop of students who would be gone from these buildings in an all too short three years. Why do they even bother?
The Rosa Chinensis en Bouton stepped from the school building and walked along the path that would take her to the Rose Mansion where she was to meet the rest of the Yamayurikai. Lost in her own thoughts she failed to notice the two shadows that detached themselves from the side of the building and followed her at a discreet distance.
School, especially the third time through, had all made sense to her at the time. Having been through it twice already it made sense that it would be easy a third time. How could I have forgotten how monotonous it could be? Sachiko asked herself. Her father, upon hearing that she was going to attend Lillian, once again had imposed upon Youko to attend as well but at a year ahead of his daughter. Well aware of the soeur system utilized at Lillian the head of the Ogasawara clan thought it might be a good way to draw out his daughter who had become increasingly despondent over the last several decades. The older woman had been instructed to ensure that Sachiko was on the Student Council or took part in some club that would allow her interaction with other students in the hopes of drawing her out of the stupor she was currently in. "Onee-sama made it all sound like it would be so much fun," Sachiko lamented to herself as she walked along. Endless hours of mind numbingly boring review of papers, budgets and club schedules was the reality of Student Council life, as she soon discovered.
Glancing at the watch on her wrist she realized that due to languishing in her thoughts she was running late. "No doubt Onee-sama will yell at me again," Sachiko said with a resigned sigh. There's just no making that woman happy! Stepping from the paved pathway the dark-haired woman decided to take a shortcut that would take her behind the club house and hopefully allow her to arrive at the Rose Mansion on time. Turning the corner at the back of the building Sachiko rolled her eyes upon seeing a first year student standing there who quickly hid a pink envelope behind her back upon seeing the upperclassman.
"Gokigenyou, Sachiko-sama," the girl said with a nervous quiver to her voice. "Can I please have a moment of your time?" she asked as Sachiko drew near.
Curse my luck! I'm already late and don't have time for this! The older woman surmised, by the out of the way location and the hastily hidden letter, that this was yet another love confession. She had never once, in all three times she had attended school at Lillian, accepted a single love letter, box of chocolates or small gift. Why do they keep asking when they should already know the answer I'm going to give them? "Look out!" suddenly rang through the still air even as alarms rang through Sachiko's distracted mind. How did she know I'd be passing this way to confess to me? The raven-haired woman looked at the girl who had dropped the letter, only to pull a knife from her sleeve that gleamed wickedly in the bright sunlight. The sound of rushing feet from behind told Sachiko that this most certainly wasn't a love confession! Sachiko caught something dark moving behind her within her peripheral vision however she was unable to chance a look in that direction as the girl before her was advancing. Damn this is a bother! Onee-sama is going to be really pissed!
-oOo-
Yumi gazed up at the few stray clouds that floated past within the azure sky above her. Stretched out upon the rooftop of the clubhouse building with her hands folded behind her head the young brunette puzzled over her meeting with the members of the Yamayurikai. I should have known that she would have a hand in it, the brunette thought as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sunshine. Behind her eyelids she once more saw the events from earlier that day.
With Rei on one arm and Yoshino on the other she had little choice but to go where they took her. It wasn't that she didn't trust them but rather she had heard about the Yamayurikai and how all the members of the Student Council were of 'idol status' with the rest of the students. Not one to gossip and with far too much to do between school and her private instructors, Yumi had shied away from anything to do with the Student Council. It didn't matter to her what a group of students did anyways as all she wanted was to finish high school, have fun and enjoy herself before she had to start assuming the duties that came hand in hand with being of royal blood.
The three of them had entered the old two floored building and made their way up the creaking stairs to the biscuit colored door at the top landing. Upon entering through the door Yumi found four women waiting for them. "Gokigenyou," Yumi said as she bowed to the three third year students seated at the table. "I am Fukuzawa Yumi, a first year student in the Pine class," she finished just as Rei had instructed her immediately before they had entered the Rose Mansion.
"Welcome to the Rose Mansion," a woman with near shoulder length black hair said after standing. "I am Rosa Chinensis, Mizuno Youko," the woman introduced herself as. "This is Rosa Gigantea," Youko stated as she gestured to the woman next to her. "Satō Sei." Yumi smiled towards the light haired woman with western features. "On the end is Rosa Foetida, Torii Eriko," the standing women who had named herself Rosa Chinensis concluded with. Yumi smiled and nodded to the Rosa Foetida, noting the red hairband the woman wore. "Please, have a seat," Youko indicated the chair directly across the meeting table from the three Roses. "You're our guest today."
"Thank you," Yumi replied politely as she accepted the offered seat. Why am I here? The young brunette hadn't a clue, feeling more than a little out of her element and it was not a feeling she enjoyed experiencing. Rei and Yoshino walked around the table and took the seats adjacent to the one that the Rosa Foetida sat within.
"Would you like cream or sugar?" asked a sedate voice at Yumi's elbow, as a cup of barely tea was set before the only guest to the Rose Mansion.
Yumi turned, startled at not having heard the person approach only to exclaim, "Shimako-san! What are you doing here?"
"I am the petite soeur of Rosa Gigantea," Shimako said with a serene smile at her classmate. "It's only right that I be here to welcome you along with the rest of the Yamayurikai after all."
"The rest of the Yamayurikai?" Yumi repeated, her eyes suddenly darting towards Rei and Yoshino as realization struck her belatedly.
"I'm the petite soeur of Rosa Foetida," Rei confirmed with a grin, her brown eyes sparkling at the disbelief she saw on Yumi's face.
"Needless to say," Yoshino spoke up taking over where Rei left off. "I'm Rei-chan's petite soeur." The petite girl actually chuckled at the hurt look of betrayal Yumi fired her way for having kept this secret from her.
"How very uninteresting," Eriko said with a huff to indicate she was bored. "Is that the best the two of you can do in way of introductions?" she inquired towards the cousin's.
"It's not like we had a great deal of time to rehearse something, Eriko-sama" Yoshino snapped back in reply to the accusation, irritation clearly heard in each word.
"Yoshi-chan," Rei admonished the petite girl as she laid a hand upon Yoshino arm, instantly calming her lover. "We're sorry Onee-sama," Rei said turning to look towards the Rosa Foetida. "Had we known you were expecting something of grandeur we would have prepared better."
"It's alright Rei-chan," Eriko replied to her petite soeur only to grin upon receiving a glare from Yoshino for calling Rei by the name she herself used for her older cousin. "It wasn't as if I was really expecting anything better. I just hoped, with being pulled away from my studies, that it would have been something a little more…colorful than that."
"I like you!" the Rosa Gigantea suddenly exclaimed looking directly at Yumi. "When you're not careful your thoughts play across your face for all to see," Sei added with a grin. "It's very…entertaining to watch,"
"Onee-sama!" Shimako chided her Grande Soeur as she took her seat to the side of Youko, who was already seated in the chair next to Sei. "Please refrain from trying to embarrass Yumi-san as she is our guest."
Yumi could feel her cheeks begin to heat into a blush at Sei's words. The slender brunette had worked hard over the years to learn to school her facial expressions and yet there were still times when she forgot to do so. "Rosa Chinensis," the first year student said, turning to look at Youko directly. "If Shimako-san is Rosa Gigantea's petite soeur and Rei-sama and Yoshino-san are bound to Rosa Foetida, where is your petite soeur?"
"Oh she has you there Youko!" Sei commented with a chuckle that was infectious and caused several at the table to grin. "Oh where oh where has your little sheep gone?"
"Yes…well," Youko said to Yumi after shooting her fellow Rose a scathing look to let her know the absence of her petite soeur was no laughing matter. "That is one of the reasons we asked Rei and Yoshino to bring you here. We'd like for you to become the petite soeur of the Rosa Chinensis en Bouton."
"You want me to become the petite soeur of your petite soeur?" Yumi asked to make certain she had heard correctly.
"That's correct," Youko answered her with.
"While I am honored, Rosa Chinensis," Yumi started with as was the polite manner in which to refuse an offer, "I fear that between school work, as well as my other responsibilities, I just wouldn't have time to do Student Council work as well so I shall have to respectfully decline."
"Fukuzawa-sama said you would say as much," Youko said with a slight grin.
"My father? What does he have to do with this," Yumi asked in disbelief.
"Actually I was referring to your mother," Youko quickly clarified. "She contacted us and said it would be good training if you were to be on the Student Council. She requested that we find a way to bring you into the Yamayurikai."
"Training? I wonder what for?" Yumi asked playing the innocent. Damn that woman and her meddling! As if I don't have enough work to do already! Is it really that hard to realize I just want a normal life?
Sei snorted at the young girl's words. "That's what you get for being born a Princess." The Rosa Gigantea chuckled at the look of surprise that appeared upon Yumi's face when she realized that they knew her real identity.
"We can't coerce you into it or bully you into doing it," Eriko said, stepping into the conversation. "If we did that we wouldn't be fit to lead ourselves. You'll have to decide on your own if you want to or not."
"Take the rest of the afternoon to think about it," Sei told the underclassman. "You can let us know your answer in the morning."
"But I have the First Year Welcoming ceremony later today," Yumi informed them, at a complete lose as to what to do.
Youko reached into her pocket and withdrew a chain with a medallion on it. "You've been excused from the ceremony today as well as the remainder of your classes for the afternoon. I've already spoken to your teachers and they know not to expect you."
"Here, allow me," Sei said as she reached out and slipped the necklace from Youko's hand. "If she doesn't join us this may be the only time I get to do something with her." The Rosa Gigantea stood with a salacious grin and walked around the table towards Yumi who stood as well as the older girl approached. "In the honored tradition of our school," Sei intoned as she opened the necklace and held it up. "May Maria-sama watch over and protect you, Yumi-chan," the older girl said as she slipped the necklace with the Maria-sama medallion upon it over the first year student's head and settled it around Yumi's neck. After a few more casual and mundane questions about her time at Lillian, the brunette with pigtails in her hair was excused. Rei and Yoshino would be remaining as the Yamayurikai had a meeting scheduled that required their attendance. Left to her own devices, Yumi soon found herself in one of her favorite places to relax.
A familiar scent upon the breeze disturbed the brunette and caused her to open one eye, effectively retrieving her thoughts from the memories of earlier that day. Yumi inhaled, once again catching the familiar scent though she couldn't place it as yet. Climbing reluctantly to her feet she moved to the edge of the roof and peered about over the handrail. Movement below her drew her attention and upon glancing down she saw a girl standing there waiting it seemed. Even as Yumi pondered this, another figure with long flowing black hair that looked familiar, rounded the corner and approached the girl below. A love confession, Yumi surmised upon seeing the hastily hidden letter. As she started to turn away she paused, spying two other forms rushing up behind the unsuspecting woman approaching the waiting girl. Sunlight flashed off of the metallic objects in their hands. They're holding knives! "Look out!" Yumi yelled even as she vaulted the low railing along the edge of the roof. Her body dropped till her hands caught the edge of the roof where she hung for a moment before planting her feet against the side of the building and did a back flip which propelled her away from the structure to land atop the two girls attacking from behind. They crashed together in a tangle of arms and legs as all three of girls hit the ground. The young brunette quickly scrambled to her feet, a burning pain in the side of her neck telling her that at least one blade must have cut her.
"Three on one is a little uneven," she said with a grin, her flowing adrenalin causing her heart to race excitedly, as the other two got up slower than she had. Dead weight hitting you from the sky must hurt like hell! Both girls managed to get to their feet, weapons in hand once more and turned to face her. Yumi crouched slightly, her feet apart, one forward of the other as Rei had shown her when they sparred. "EH!" Yumi suddenly exclaimed as both girls looked at her, mouthing the same thing in unison before they looked to each other and then turned and ran as fast as they could away from her. Hime-sama? They must have recognized me. Yumi struggled to recall if she had ever seen them before but to the best of her knowledge they were strangers to her. Wait! If they knew who I was that means that they must be…damn I'll have to speak with mother concerning this. The fact that members from her clan were attacking human students with the clear intent to do harm was not something that could go unpunished.
Sachiko, upon her own assailant turning and fleeing before they had even come to blows, spun around quickly as she had heard a commotion behind her though she had been too occupied with her own attacker to risk a glance to see what exactly it was. Her sapphire eyes beheld a slender brunette with pigtails standing normally with her back towards her watching two other girls dressed in Lillian uniforms beating a hasty retreat.
Yumi turned back around, the blood still pounding in her ears and regarded the woman before her. "Friends of yours?" Yumi asked with a slightly disbelieving grin upon her countenance due to the sudden flight of the would be attackers. The dark-haired woman with captivating sapphire eyes simply nodded in way of response.
Sachiko stood transfixed as a sweet pleasant scent assaulted her senses. "Hold still," Sachiko told the underclassman as she stepped up and adjusted the girl's uniform which had become disheveled. "What class are you in?" Sachiko asked as she ran her hands along the sailor collar, pausing as they encountered a growing dark spot on the fabric near the underclassman's neck.
"Pine class," Yumi replied as the older girl stepped into her personal space while at the same time Yumi recognized who it was. "I'm Fukuzawa Yumi, Sachiko-sama."
"I see," Sachiko intoned, "A pleasure to meet you Fukuzawa-san, I'm sure," Sachiko added distracted by the alluring aroma of the other girl's blood. The older woman's pale fingers pulled back the edge of the collar of Yumi's uniform only to see the slender girl wince in discomfort. "You're hurt," Sachiko said more than asked as she withdrew her hand only to see blood upon her fingers.
"It's nothing," Yumi said as she watched Sachiko stick two fingers briefly between her full lips and suck on them for a moment. Well that's a little gross, Yumi thought watching the other girl suck the blood, the slender second year student was certain came from the injury on her neck, from her pale fingers. While she knew she should find it gross she couldn't help but feel a slight tingle of excitement upon watching Sachiko's full red lips as they suckled the appendages. "I think one of them scratched me," the slender girl offered in an attempt to downplay the extent of the injury.
"Is that so," Sachiko asked once she removed the fingers from her mouth and glanced at them to make certain that the red delicious liquid that had been on them was completely gone. Reaching into her pocket she withdrew a handkerchief. "Let me take a look at it. Hold still," she instructed Yumi who had started to turn away. Gently Sachiko peeled back the collar of the uniform once again to expose a gash that was about seven centimeters in length. "It's not too bad," she told Yumi as she pressed the folded handkerchief against to wound; the smell of the girl's blood was nearly intoxicating and it had taken almost all of her control not to lean forward and lap it off of the bare white skin before her. "Hold that against your neck until you get to the nurses office. I would go with you however I am already late for the ceremony. If you'll excuse me?"
"It's alright, Sachiko-sama," Yumi told her as she reached up and clasped the handkerchief in place. "Please don't let me keep you." Without another word the Rose Chinensis en Bouton turned and hurried off in the direction of the Rose Mansion leaving behind a brunette who held a multitude of questions, chief among which was why the other girls were attacking the raven-haired woman. Yumi stood there holding her neck in utter disbelief as the woman for whom she had just risked life and limb disappeared from view. "Not even a thank you! How do you like that?" And that's the girl they want me to become the petite soeur of? Shaking her head in disbelief, which only served to draw forth a gasp of pain from between clenched teeth, as the movement aggravated the cut on her neck. Turning about a shiny object upon the ground caught her attention. Yumi bent down and lifted from the grass a small metallic box such as what one would use for breath mints or small candies. Given its location she could only assume it belong to Sachiko-sama. Pocketing the container with plans for returning it later, the brunette girl walked off in the direction of her shoe locker. As Yumi walked along to retrieve her outdoor shoes so she could go home to the house she shared with her father and mother, when the Queen could get away, she pondered the events of the day. If I inform mother or anyone else of the attack mother will likely withdraw all clan members from the school, myself included. The young brunette's brow creased in thought for several long minutes before she arrived at a decision. I guess I'll just have to handle it myself!
Author's Note:
As promised, a little more Yumi & Sachiko this time around. The Muse has suddenly gone on vacation however I still have two other chapters after this already written so hopefully she's return within the next two weeks. If you happen to see a Muse wandering about please send her back my way. I hope you enjoy!
Kind Regards,
EJ Daniels
All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of Oyuki Konno the original writer of the Maria-sama ga Miteru light novel series.
(092712 - 3782)
