DISCLAIMER: I claim no rights to K-on!
WARNING: Rated T for safety though I doubt there will be little to no explicit content.
The Pocketwatch, the Oars and the Mysterious Voice
"Mio, watch me as I'll retrieve the object and become a servant of passionate love and justice." The brunette said while the sun's rays shone a portion of its light as it escaped from the clouds' thin layer of visible mass, making her eyes glowed in excitement.
The servant in question was apparently eager to help the boy in his quest to retrieve the pocketwatch and give it to the one he loves. She gladly entertained the idea that she was the bringer of good news to the ones she lends a hand to because Ritsu, no matter how foolish she was, considered her deeds as her own medals.
Hiding from the sun, Mio rubbed her temples in response to Ritsu's absurd statement to clearly emphasize that she was indeed a being born to be of help to others but the way she said it was comparable to typical kid's shows about people who worked for love and justice - the kind of image that was ultra-unfitting to an eighteen year old girl. She was far more suitable to play as a villain than a dignified heroine free from deceit.
"Are you sure, Ritsu-oneechan?" the boy asked, worried with the girl's resolve to help him, "The Lake's so deep that not even I can reach the bottom."
"Easy… easy, Takkun" she playfully patted the boy's shoulder to reassure him that she could perfectly do the job without fail, "your oneechan is one of the island's best swimmers… dipping on the waters is not a problem let alone I can breathe for a minute without resurfacing."
Those words emitted conceit but nonetheless the boy nodded and took the sly girl's quaint service without objection but the other girl was quite skeptical, she wanted to verify Ritsu's claims otherwise this mission will forever be in naught. She couldn't stand the fact that her reputation will be sullied by the brunette's silly demeanors to play heroes.
"How can we trust your words, if I may ask?" Mio darted her question to the girl who arched an eyebrow, flustered on the younger girl's pessimistic view with regards to her abilities.
"Fear not, Ms. Skeptical" she said teasingly, crossing her arms while flashing a pose of brimming confidence, "the Great Ritsu will fulfill her duty to serve the others especially those in dire need. I choose no clients regardless of status and age but I was chosen to cast light upon them!"
"Then prove it to us. Specifically, prove it to me that you have what it takes to bring the pocketwatch back."
"No problem" the amber-eyed said in an expressionless face to imply her seriousness regarding the matter, "then how about I'll prove it to you this instant?"
This instant? Is she going to the waters in this very moment?
Ritsu nonchalantly walked towards Mio while smiling smugly. She leaned closer to Mio's face, her hands on her knees, "How about you check if I'm going to breathe less than a minute? If I did, I'll quit right away."
A blush crept on Mio's cheeks as Ritsu brought her face close to hers. They looked like they're about to kiss! She almost shoved the brunette away when she spotted the boy in the corner of her steel eyes stood in shock, his jaw slackened upon Ritsu's blatant display of commendable advances.
This idiot!
But she never did; she was there, frozen in her spot. She looked at the amber orbs that shone candid at its best while the brunette crooked a smile, still not breathing. More than a minute passed, they stared straight to each other without a word until the brunette fell from her knees, panting "Whew! I barely made it!" she held victorious against the one who issued a challenge to her abilities.
"See that kid?" the amber-eyed turned around to face the boy while she flashed a V-sign, "I'm more than enough to retrieve your gift."
She shifted her gaze back to Mio, whose black locks completely served the purpose to hide her blushing face. The younger girl sat still until Ritsu cleared her throat to catch the former's attention, "Yo! It's not really a big deal if you lose to such a small challenge like this" she sported a grin to raise Mio's spirits up, "it's just that you chose a wrong opponent this time because… I am invincible and that is all to it!"
Her words never had a chance to cheer the grey-orbed up but it had just gave her the reason why Ritsu should be added in the 'People I would like to hit' list. The amber-eyed may sound blunt as far as Mio is concerned but what's more surprising is that Mio never made an enemy out of her instead she felt Ritsu was the type whom she could be herself without worries.
'A friend?' The younger girl shook her head in disagreement. She was a little bit unprepared to entertain that thought even though she made good yet quite odd friends in her school. Now that a mention of 'odd' had Mio pondered for a while that she was indeed like a magnet which attracts people with quirky personalities.
First, she had a brunette friend with chocolate eyes whose existing taste buds was none other than the sweet receptors itself - despising anything when it comes to sour and bitter delicacies. Her love for sweets was as much as she loves her sister, Hirasawa Ui, albeit she would cry in despair when she is bound to choose between the two: confections or her lovable and reliable imouto?
Then she had another weird friend in her circle of friends by the name of Kotobuki Tsumugi, heiress to Japan's top leading corporations partly responsible for the country's excellent economy. She is what you call the Oujo-sama among the oujo-samas. She may be suspected of a European descent because of her blonde hair, sapphire eyes and those unique eyebrows that were made as the Kotobuki emblem; that in this very era, an eyebrow has the ability to define one's status, causing social stratification much to the blonde's dismay.
Despite men of different lineage and of distinguished family were unsuccessful to win the blonde's heart, as their joyous woos turned into cries of woes. They have given up on the hope that Tsumugi would look at them the same eyes the men had in her. She and her yuri goggles was partially responsible for breaking up the poor men's hearts where the hopeless went to the raven-haired girl as their remaining pilgrimage to return to - to keep them sane from the cruelty that such an oujo-sama would never appreciate heterosexuality.
To make things worse, a freeloader by the figure of a bespectacled woman happened to join the three in their merriment, a group with no particular purpose but to enjoy life to the fullest with confections. The trio has yet to be recognized as officially part of the school's list of clubs but they lack a member to fill the position.
As far as Mio could remember, that one spot was devoid of human ever since she became part of the light music club; that very spot that's supposed to act as the band's raw energy, waiting to be unleashed by the ever-agile beating of the drums. But to her dismay, that instrument was left untouched not unless the airhead felt playing the cymbals to ease her growing boredom.
"Geez, Mio… you're spacing out too much."
She snapped back when the sly brunette blew the strayed raven strands hanging atop Mio's face, revealing her steel eyes that were once again lost in the sea of thoughts.
"If you keep doing that then you'll never witness my acts of valiancy firsthand" Ritsu tried to look cuter to appease the raven-haired who remained idle on her position.
Squatting, Ritsu stood from her knees and went back to the boy to talk about the location of the pocketwatch with much accuracy.
Left behind the shades, the younger girl raised her voice that caught the two's attention who were busy untying the ropes that kept the boat on shore for atleast more than half a century.
"I'm coming with you" she said sternly while her fragile palms clasped each other, "I want to make sure everything's going fine not unless someone will pull a stunt to put herself and the others in jeopardy."
"Hey, hey… Are you talking about me?" Ritsu raised an eyebrow upon Mio's not-so obvious reference to the brunette's brashness, "I'm pretty sure that the operation will be a success… you just need to relax and wait for our return."
The younger girl never said a word but it was clear that she wanted to go along no matter what. Ritsu shrugged and in the end, she agreed half-heartily to Mio's persistence, "Okay, okay… You win" she rolled her eyes while arching both of her shoulders, "Just this time, Mio."
The younger girl sighed in relief. What was she in relief for? Because she managed to persuade the older girl to bring her along? No. She had this inexplicable feeling that was plaguing her the moment the amber-eyed decided to retrieve the pocketwatch. She was uncertain why she had this kind of feeling; perhaps this is what they call an ability to perceive danger up ahead?
Without notice, the sly girl carried Mio like a princess. She slipped her thin arms onto Mio's back and onto the back of her knees. One swoop and they were like the prince and princess in a children's fairytale.
"W-wait!" Mio stuttered, unable to recover from the brunette's sudden action. The feeling of being carried like what every woman desires had just triggered her hidden side: her love for fantasy. Her mind was swirling, too ineffective enough to make logical interpretations.
Right now, she was relishing this rarity of a moment, looking at the older girl who smiled at her while the latter's hair and eyes reflected golden. For a moment, Ritsu looked like the sun itself not because how her radiance stood out when exposed under sunlight but because of her ability to bring smiles and hope to the desperate - a knight in shining armor only that her only piece of protection was nothing but a cotton shirt weaved with much intricacy.
She watched steadily on her knight while the older girl's locks swayed gracefully as if she was following a rhythm that was non-existent in the first place. Her soft footsteps, her hair and the way she glanced at different directions synchronized with one another. It seems like she was singing a hymn - an unheard melody that will forever remained as it was, maybe because the amber-eyed has a reason to keep it herself.
Mio came into her senses when Ritsu carefully descended her on a small space of the old boat where ladies are always placed while the other passenger will do the rowing. She was definitely enjoying her privilege and she found it quite hard to believe that she did not hated it despite she was the one who perfectly rejected such acts whenever the boys will treat her with such.
That enigmatic feeling has once again brought Mio into question that she had definitely encountered this peculiar girl and that she has yet to discover the real identity of the one who introduced her to a different perspective that the world is such a nice place to thrive in.
"Hop on the boat, kid" the brunette slowly pushed the vessel away, her pants and the hem of her shirt soaked wet.
The boy obliged; he raised his boots one by one until he found himself sitting in the part where the navigator will always assume to act as the one who will give directions to the oarsman.
Later, Ritsu joined the two then grabbed the oars to start propelling on the middle of the lake with enormous speed.
By speed alone, the brunette had Mio's clothes drenched wet by her violent rowing, revealing the steel-eyed girl's voluptuous curves and… highly stimulating black brassiere that supported her healthy mounds to keep it from sagging.
Whether or not she had done it in purpose, Mio knew for sure that Ritsu deserves a good bash on the head to keep her craziness in check. She gave the girl a swift strike much to the older girl's agony then turned her gaze to Takumi to check if the boy saw a portion of her sacred body.
The boy fidgeted, refusing to look to the aggravated victim of fanservice out of fear. Fear what? The Dangerous Queen saw the most crucial evidence to include the boy in her bestowal of divine punishment: drips of crimson trickled on the lad's hand as it tries to cover the gushing blood on his nose… out of excitement, perhaps?
"N-no, wait! I can explain!" he defended; cold sweat started to fall on his pale cheeks, his voice muffled by his desperate covering.
The cracking of the fists signified his inevitable fate. He, like Ritsu, will share the same fortune for summoning Mio's alternate identity - the Dangerous Queen.
KA-POW!
A fallen soldier by the name of Takumi joined the raft of corpses in the battlefield. The sly never made it to the end; she was also caught dead by the Queen's fist.
These two were definitely alike! Had Yui met this idiot, I think my head's going to explode!
"What do you think you're doing?" a girl stifled a cry, oars still on her rough palms, "How can we get to our destination if you keep hitting us with your fist?"
"Pardon me for my untoward reaction" she politely said, "it is one of my countermeasures against people with perverted desires" the raven-haired said nonchalantly, feeling less guilty about the outcome but nevertheless was surprised to see herself pulling such a move when she hadn't had a chance to do in her life as a celebrity maybe because she was certain that there were no hidden cameras and paparazzi on the loose to catch a glimpse of her unbecoming.
"Oh come on, Mio." Ritsu defensively stated, "You know how serious I was when I said I'm getting the job done before we head home, do you?"
"I know that and I'm perfectly sure that doesn't include wetting up my clothes."
Ritsu cringed when the younger girl gave her a grave look straight into her amber yes. For the meantime, the former halted her crafty advances out of concern that she might not able to see daylight.
This time, she rowed properly while the boy was in charge of the navigation, trying to win Mio over and make her forget his previous reaction upon seeing the steel-orbed girl's body by accident.
"W-were here!" the chocolate-eyed exclaimed when they reached the point where the pocketwatch was buried by the sands underwater.
"Oh-hoh…" amber eyes gleamed excitingly, dropping the oars inside the vessel, "guess I need to work now."
"Please wait." Mio interrupted Ritsu's brief exhilaration that skyrocketed beyond the earth's atmosphere, "We have to take measures to ensure your safety."
"Aaw… That's no fun at all" she pouted, dejected on the fact that the raven-haired was so stern about the idea of implementing safety measures to keep everything in accordance.
"I was eager to show you my move aside from getting the pocketwatch."
"Move? You're going to show one?" the boy listened to the older girl intently, waiting to find out her stunt.
"Yup, your Ritsu-oneechan knows some tricks…"
Mio had had just enough of Ritsu's silly antics. Instead of reprimanding the girl for her display of foolishness, she grabbed a rope then threw it to the amber-eyed.
"So how are we supposed to use this, Ms. No-fun-at-all?"
"Well… this should be enough to keep you safe whenever things don't go according to plan."
Ritsu gave Mio a quizzical look, still unable to fathom the meaning behind the latter's action. She played the object in her hand, spinning it round and round until it created a centrifugal force enough to keep the rope in loop.
"So you're telling me to hook myself with this? That would make me look like a fish!"
"It's better than you drown yourself…"
"And not long after, turned into barnacles." Ritsu continued where Mio left but it wasn't what the raven-haired was about to say.
That abominable word earned Ritsu a swat straight into her right cheek then unknowingly, she found herself out from the vessel's premises. She was already in the waters, her hair doused wet which made her locks crammed around her amber eyes.
The older girl ran her fingers on her hair to clear her face from the wandering locks, revealing those tantalizing orbs and a scar that marred the brunette's handsome face.
Mio took the moment to examine at the older girl whose new look had been the subject of her musings. She thought Ritsu suits this image more than her locks down because she looked livelier and full of energy this way. She wondered why the brunette preferred to hide her eyes… was it because of its innate candidness? Or did she have an existing reason to do so?
"Gosh, I think I'm gonna die first with your fist instead of drowning in this very lake." She unwillingly attached the rope to the chains that act as her only buckle to her loose black pants. She ended up tying it skillfully to appease the girl who was watching her carefully, trying to check if the brunette had done it properly.
"I assume that this is fine in your eyes not unless you're too particular with perfection?"
"I think you did fine" the raven-haired commended the older girl's effort though she could be much more generous by giving her more credit but she knew the older girl will succumb to her conceitedness that's why she chose words that will not cause further elation.
Slightly frustrated, the brunette gave the younger girl one last smile before she plunged down to the depths of the lake to retrieve the object, "Mio, I trust you to watch my back in behalf."
The raven-haired beauty watched Ritsu sunk deeper. A whirl of uneasiness plagued her mind. She held the rope in her hands - her only attachment to the amber-eyed who had just traversed the line between life and death.
"Mio-oneechan" the boy looked at her with a worried expression in his face, "Is Ritsu-oneechan going to be alright?"
Her shaking fingers came into halt when the chocolate-eyed asked whether the amber-eyed will make it through the end. Mio gave him a reassuring smile, "Yes, she'll do fine" her steel orbs glistened with unwavering trust, "because the idiot said she's invincible… and I am in-charge of watching her back in behalf."
The worried look turned into a genuine smile as the boy curved his lips while his half-lidded eyes synchronized in response. He was undeniably like Yui when he makes that kind of expression - unmarred with the thrusts of their stressors.
Surprised of the resemblance, the girl graced a smile on her beautiful face - a rarity when she never smiled to the opposite sex with the exception of her father.
'Gah! What a letdown for a good experience!' the amber-eyed continued to swim deeper despite the growing frustration, 'I wasn't able to show my move because of her!'
Reaching the sands, she lazily settled her feet while looking for any traces of the object, 'Not here, huh?'
An idea flickered on Ritsu's mind when she saw something to use against Mio. She grabbed the object and shook the rope repeatedly to pull her up. Mio, perceiving it as the brunette's success, responded to her action and immediately pulled the rope up with her average strength.
"That was quick, you found the watch?"
"No, I found something interesting…" she smiled wryly before she showed the object to Mio.
"Kyaaaa!" the raven-haired squealed when she saw the barnacles covering the entire object on Ritsu's hand. She grabbed the oar and whammed it straight to Ritsu's head.
"Itteeeeeee!" the brunette almost got drowned from the impact, she kept afloat while evading Mio's fierce bashes with the use of the wooden propeller.
"You idiot! How dare you show me such hideous entity?!"
"Come on… that was just a joke, Mio" she continued to evade all the strikes, moving to her left and right while she wore a satisfied expression when she had successfully enraged the raven-haired.
"Go and retrieve that object, you idiot!" she said angrily, not knowing what will become of her if Ritsu doesn't' stop her pranks, maybe she could definitely kill the girl with a justified reason - for scaring the shit out of her.
"Alright, calm down already. I'm gonna swim down and get that watch." The amber-eyed plunged deeper once again until she continued where she left, particularly to the spot where she picked the barnacled object.
She continued her search until she found something that was sparkling in golden. She slowly moved her legs, tiptoeing on the soft mass engraved by her footprints.
Woah? A sunken boat in here? Interesting…
She swam towards the wrecked vessel and picked the object up before she rubbed it in her palms to clear it from the small greenish particles that enveloped the object.
'Good going, Ritsu' she mentally praised herself much to her vanity, 'I see that your skills did not rust, huh?'
Ritsu?
The girl looked frantically for the owner of the voice, her amber-eyes widened in disbelief when she deemed it familiar.
She held her neck when a number of bubbles escaped from her mouth. 'Damn!' she cursed under her breath, 'I took a long time underwater. I guess I have to return now before I run out of oxygen.'
The brunette slid the item on her pocket before she struck a pose to swim towards the surface.
Ritsu?!
The voice became louder than before, sending tremors to the girl who was stunned when she realized the owner of the voice that was screaming on the back of her mind.
Mi-
Just before she had to resurface, the amber-eyed found herself unable to do so when she vied against death - her body started to suffer from inadequate oxygen.
Shit! I was late…
More bubbles escaped in the depths before her body lost the ability to move. Ritsu's consciousness started to fade, her amber eyes reflected somberness when she saw she couldn't make it.
I guess this is the end?
A/N: Hi, IQzero here. Like the usual, I want to thank these people:
-Keeper Aki: Thank you very much though I had to admit that it felt OOC. Sorry. *cowers in the corner while drinking iced coffee* I hope you're fine with it otherwise feel free to complain.
-P3uke: Thank you. I know that chapter wasn't that satisfactory because it was too long and nothing happened much. Feel free to complain, my dear.
-Kylhie15: Thank you for following this story. *smiles
-Namikaze Nara: Hi, thank you for keeping me company for a while and by adding this story to your list. Hope we could talk soon. Hahaha..
-To you readers out there: Thank you for reading this story. *smiles
Well… to tell you the truth I'm almost done with the seventh chapter (87.3%, I think?). But then I decided to post it next 1-2 weeks because I had so much things to do and I think the next chapter is quite longer and that will serve as a conclusion to the "Servant of Love" arc. Wait; was this an arc in the first place? Reviews are much appreciated, let me know if you think I need something to work onto with regards to my punctuations, grammar and the likes and if there's a betareader out there who's willing to lend a hand to this thing, I will gladly accept your help with open arms. Once again, thank you very much for reading. I'm off to drink another cup of iced coffee.