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Disclaimer: Sakurako Kimino, the creator of Strawberry Panic and Media Factory, the company that sponsors its anime, own all copyrighted material this fanfiction may include such as characters, events, et cetera.
The rest of it is mine... ALL MINE! BWAHAHAHHA! *thunder crackles in the background* ... So no stealing! =p Well, unless you ask me nicely. ^.^;;;
Author's Note: Thank you, Huggler! I've always strived to make my OCs as fitting to the series as I can. If you're a fan of Final Fantasy X, you might want to try reading my other fanfictions, namely Eternal Love, in which I've had a few readers cry over the OCs. ^.^ It's a bit more intense than this fiction as per the typical Final Fantasy story types, but you might like it. ^_^;;;
I hope I meet your expectations, aguslay. I tried my best to maintain the essence of the play without plagiarising too much. There were a few lines that were too nostalgic or meaningful for me to change so, my sincerest apologies to thee Shakespeare, but I rippeth thou off. =p
And to my dear Guest, I am glad you have found a way to keep reading and reviewing the story. Hopefully it isn't too much of a distraction for you, but I do appreciate it. ^_^ I do wonder what it is you've realised about Kaname and Makoto's actions, though. I certainly wouldn't call you slow or anything as my intention was to keep the readers guessing until it was blatantly revealed. As such, I'm hoping you haven't gotten completely out of that swirling loop just yet. =)
Oh, which reminds me, don't worry about understanding Makoto's goal, Huggler. During the anime, I couldn't understand Kaname either. xD It was in keeping with that that I set Makoto out on the same path. Still, I hope the end will come as a surprise to everyone. =) *nudges Guest back into the swirling loop* ^_^;;;
I must say, when I was writing the outline for this chapter, I did not consider just how much I'd be writing. xD My outline spoke of "scenes" as if they were to be mentions or something and that wasn't what I was planning. For whatever reason, it didn't occur to me that what I was planning on each of the scenes I was writing as part of the play was going to take a bit longer than a scene for the chapter. Therefore, while the outline looked about right in terms of content, the actual bits made this chapter a monster.
However, I highly enjoyed writing each of the scenes. I actually took a look back at the copy of Taming of the Shrew that I have, as well as, Macbeth, and then I got myself the full play in digital to work at the scenes side by side. If any of you are familiar with the plays, I'm sure you'll notice several differences and quite a bit of shortening – Shakespeare really knew how to drag out a description of something, didn't he? xD – of many of those scenes. Honestly, I'd gotten so immersed in it and my memories of having read and seen the plays that I almost did rewrite each line, but it was getting the chapter just a bit too long… as if it wasn't already… so I had to cut them down. I hope you enjoyed my interpretation, though.
Speaking of interpretations, there have been several things going on that have yet to be unveiled. I'm curious as to what you lot think they might mean or what they might be leading the story towards. Still, best leave that to after you've read this behemoth of a chapter and gone off to review. =p
~Strawberry Panic: The Second Year~
"Tomorrow…" Shizuka allows the word to roll off her lips while considering what connotations that particular word carries.
"Destiny is the unavoidable consequence of life. Some work towards it; others run and they do run far. Nevertheless, we are all of us ever moving closer to it." She thinks as she wanders about her room, glancing at the various drawings made by her roommate, the outfits she'd made hanging in both their dressers, and the collage of pictures from the girl's many clubs.
"If this is true, then what is the use of choice? Can there be free will en route to a predetermined destiny?" She arrives at her window and brushes the curtain from shielding it.
Looking outside into the night, she finds something that catches her eye and leans against the window, crossing her arms as her thoughts progress, "Perhaps it's the conception. Perhaps it is flawed and the destiny we label as some singular and encompassing entity is really a myriad, a web of fates, each one different from the next and the one we eventuate is to be determined by the line we tread with our every action."
Two of Spica grace the courtyard, their movements and the pieces of paper they hold in their hands reveal they are rehearsing. Indeed, as steps into the dim lights reveal to her their features, she recognises the Etoile and her roommate.
"So it is to be tomorrow…"
Stage
Lulim is abuzz with sights and sounds of girls rushing about. It is a mad scramble wherever one might look, planks and boards of wood marching to and fro, paint brushes being launched at them with incredible ferocity, though this does result in several misfires and many girls bear the colourful splashes of scars to prove it. There is much more emphasis on the backdrops and scenery than before given the more character and costume centric nature of the play.
And this is why, inside the school building, specifically the designated clubs and extracurricular rooms, has been flooded with girls in all phases of dress. Yes, this event, which relies so heavily on costuming, has afforded the Student Council President a seemingly endless supply of models to fit into any number of her creations. Her henshin club, normally housing but a few members, has exploded to include practically the whole of the student body. If not for the number of them required to create the backdrops, they'd probably be in attendance, as well.
None of this surprises Kaname, of course, as she stalks the school. The moment Lulim heard the announcement that their selection had been the one approved, activity in and out of its walls spiked. Their star had volunteered to write the script for it, after all. They would do everything they could to ensure the perfect conditions in which to have the actresses perform it. And where is our writer by the way?
"Precisely, our brilliant star is not only the writer, but the director, the coordinator, and the scenery and prop manager, tasked with supervising each endeavour, be it that banner there or those drapes over there." Kaname says to herself, hiding in plain sight what with her target too occupied to do a thing about it.
She watches the girl review the completed backdrops, test the movable scenery, examine the props, and formulate a map and checklist of each item. Once they've finished with everything at Lulim, they'll be setting it up in the theatre atrium and that will need a catalog to mitigate incidents. Kaname is familiar with that, having been a part of the "incidents" last year.
Once she's given the crew their instructions, she rushes off to the theatre to begin preparations for the lighting and sound. Kaname follows and admires the girl's capabilities. She keeps a close watch over her decisions, which she compares to the previous years when Rokujou Miyuki was responsible for much the same. Though Shizuka is far less strict about things than the former President of Miator, her methods seem to have a bit more effect in guiding the stage crew. Kaname remembers how many issues Miyuki had had in organising the event before. She and Momomi had even pointed them out, though she can admit it now that it was all done to undermine their rival school.
"There's no need to sabotage you, my dear Shizuka." She mumbles as she continues to watch the parade of girls, but soon recognises she is being watched and adds, "Then again, I doubt I'd come out of it unscathed if I did…"
Shizuka turns her attention back to her duties, finishing her guidance of the FX team before taking her leave to tend to other matters. Kaname breathes a sigh of relief and takes a seat. Suddenly, a slender brunette approaches her, a broom in her hands. She offers the item to Kaname, who is at a loss, asking what her intention might be. She notes that Shizuka had instructed that the "tall, tan girl in the Spica uniform" be charged with cleaning the stage and clearing it of any obstructions. The scenery crew will be arriving shortly and they'll need the stage clear in order to begin installation. Suffice it to say, the President is beside herself, but begrudgingly, she acknowledges her defeat and accepts the tool, carrying out the task Shizuka appointed to her.
"Shall I now?" Chihaya recites, looking at the script in her hand.
She has paused a moment to digest her next lines, which are bizarre. Looking to her company with a sigh, she gets the nod to skip over the odds bits and say only the crucial words.
"I don't know who you are therefore there's no reason to believe a thing you say. And you mean to keep my other teacher away; away so he might remain unaware and not drop these pretenses. Is there reason for me to do so?" She states more confidently, though she knows she'll be spouting gibberish for the true performance.
"Ah, now it's tuned." The seasoned veteran of the school play, Aoi Nagisa, chirps from her spot on Chihaya's bed.
Noriko clears her throat as she gives her line, "You forgot one..."
She, too, looks over to the pair on her roommate's bed, asking, "Are we expected to say all this?"
She points to the same rubbish that Chihaya had been apprehensive about. The two of them still have difficulty presenting the lines with the same conviction that they could if giving them straight and without the additions.
Tamao smiles at them, explaining that, "You are supposed to keep your conversation secret from Nagisa-cha... I mean, Hortensio."
To that, a sheepish grin appears on the redhead's features and, after clearing her throat, she recites, "I have not!"
Noriko shoots the girl a peeved expression, but shrugs the nonsense they'll be expected to perform with a yawn. She then goes to lean against her dresser, exhausted by both the difficulty of the roles and that she had been given it to begin with. Aversion to staring eyes has long been a trait of hers.
"Chihaya-chan and Mizushima-san are doing wonderfully." Tamao commends, noticing their budding frustrations, "It will be a glorious event for Miator."
Noriko will have none of the President's flowery talk, "Why were we even picked for this?"
"Yes, I have to concur with Mizushima. We haven't performed in major roles before." Chihaya adds.
"So?" Noriko presses, nearing the President.
"That information is classified until further notice." Nagisa chimes in, gathering up Noriko and walking her to Chihaya, "So, should we keep going?"
Chihaya and Noriko trade suspicious looks, but sighing, Chihaya continues, "If it is tuned, I should not want to miss hearing it."
She pulls Noriko close and "whispers" her next line to her, "I still have yet to build my trust in you."
"Really now?" Noriko sighs again, "Trust in me comes before long. For now, there's yet another tune."
"That was perfect!" Tamao exclaims in excitement.
"Chihaya-chan and Mizushima-san are going to light up the stage!" Nagisa adds, sharing in her roommate's glee.
As for the actresses, they are far less confident. They flip through the script, their doubts growing after every page they find their roles present. They've been at it a while, but the words bear too much implication, more so than they know what to do with.
In her own room, Tsubomi has also been spending every one of her waking hours rehearsing her lines. She patiently awaits the day of the school festival, hoping her goal will come to fruition. This is quite possibly the most she's worked towards one, but she reasons that any worthy student of Spica would put forth the same effort and she shouldn't dally.
Flailing out her arms, she mimicks the actions she'll need for the scene she currently practices, "He has almost supped. Why have you left the chamber?"
The scene is a conversation between Tsubomi's Lady Macbeth and her husband, but Eiko is not present and so she is forced to, "Hath he asked for me?", perform both roles.
"Know you not he has?" She responds... to herself, though drawing more emotion as she performs her own role's lines.
"We will proceed no further, blah blah blah..."
"Was the hope drunk where you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since?" She scolds... herself, adding, "And wakes it now to look so green and pale at what it did so freely?"
Crossing her arms as if angered by her husband's hesitation, she furthers her insult, "Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem'st the ornament of life and live a coward in thine own esteem?"
"Prithee peace!"
She pauses after saying this and comments to herself that, "Eiko-chan will love this part. This will be so fun for her."
"Ahem," She shakes her head of the distractions and continues, "What beast was it then that made you break this enterprise with me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man. They have made themselves and that their fitness now unmakes you. Know this, that I would have dashed the brain out of a tender babe while it smiled in my face, should I have so sworn to you."
"But if we should fail?"
"We fail?" Tsubomi seeths, clenching her fists, "But drown your cowardice in glory and we'll not fail. When the fool king Duncan sleeps as the day's hard journey should lull him, his chamberlains with wine shall I coerce and their minds will I meddle until memory of this night seems but a midsummer night's dream. Then, it will be they not us who shall bear the guilt of our great quell."
"Whew," She gasps, weary of the exertion used in the lines and wiping a few beads of sweat from her brow, notes Macbeth will say, "Something about using the drunks own daggers to absolve them of the crime. Wow, how dispicable. It sounds like what President Kenjou did to Hikari-senpai."
With a chuckle, she goes on with, "Who dares receive it other as we shall make her griefs and clamour roar upon his death?"
Taking a breath, she walks to her desk and places the script down, "After that, Macbeth agrees to my plan and that closes Act I."
She peers outside and stares down into the courtyard. After another deep breath, she picks up the script again, "Alright, next one."
Lifting up one of her arms, she gazes at it, pressing points of it with her other hand. She stops herself to reexamine the move. It is crucial that she presents this well as the scene is one of the few vital to the character she plays and if she is to be successful in her endeavours, she needs to give the best performance possible. She lifts her arm again and focuses on it.
"Yet here's a spot..." She mumbles, stumbling about.
"Hark, she speaks!"
The crowd is transfixed with Tsubomi on her arm as they watch her wander the stage. She is dressed in rags, walking as if bearing a limp, and her eyes seem to have glazed over due to her time scheming with her husband. The onlookers voice what the audience is thinking and they share the same cold apathy over her suffering. What she had done, how far she'd brought her husband, has stunted their compassionate hearts.
"Out, damned spot! Out, I say!" She screams now, scratching at her arm, "One, two, why then is there time to do it? Hell is murky. Chamberlains, two there were. What need we fear who knows when none can be swain to the contrary? Yet who would have thought the codger to have so much blood in him?"
A gasp rings out throughout the theatre. Tsubomi's Lady Macbeth leaves none unmoved, least of all one specific attendee with hair of bistre. Her amber eyes watch the acts playing out intensely, so much so she must remind herself time and time again that it is fiction before her eyes and not reality. Though a part of her marvels at the young girl's uncanny capabilities, she is haunted by it, as well. She can't help but imagine Tsubomi's lines as truth and it plagues her mind.
"The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where has she gone? What, will these hands never be clean? No more, my lord; I beg of you mar not with which you bestow upon all who start."
Yaya stares at the girl who trembles and wanders the stage. With her company voicing pity and disdain as they watch her, she finds she's slowly succumbing to dread. The girl's husband, Macbeth, has long since risen from the cautious mouse she once was and now led the charge down their path. Through Tsubomi's insistence, she'd become King of Scotland and, for Yaya, the King of Devils. She'd betrayed those loyal to her, done despicable things to maintain her power, and all but forgotten her conscience, which now seems to be the thing killing her Tsubomi.
"Thou knoweth what none should." One of the onlookers, an attending psychiatrist says to the other.
"She spoke what none should hear, of that I am sure, but only Heaven can know all that she's known." She replies, cowering in the distance.
Tsubomi reacts to the cue and promptly blurts, "Here and here, the stench of blood is still here! All the perfumes of the world cannot sweeten this little hand."
"This disease is beyond my skill, I'm afraid." The psychiatrist acknowledges to the other onlooker.
Taking a breath, she goes on to say, "Yet I have known those who have walked from their sleep and still can die holily in their beds."
Tsubomi stumbles forward again, this time staring out at the crowd and says, "Wash your hands… put on your nightgown… look not so pale…"
She takes her hands to her cheeks and pats them as she turns away from the crowd and back towards the stage, "I tell you again, Banquo's passed. He can never come out from his tomb."
"To bed! To bed! There's a knocking at the gate… Come now… Take my hand… What's done cannot be undone. The rest… is silence." She mutters, lifelessly moving off into the darkness behind the stage.
The play finishes to a standing ovation, the first one received by the underclass performance. They are ecstatic at the resounding success and give their credit to it, none more so than to Tsubomi, who'd been the most vocal of their strategies. However, this de facto leader is nowhere to be found. As soon as the curtain dropped, she'd gone to change and catch up with the departing crowd. There is a rather long break between plays during which she desires to seek out her senpai and gather her opinion on the performance.
"Tsubomi-senpai!" An all too familiar voice shouts, trying her best to keep up with the girl, "Did I do well?"
Tsubomi stops her search for the moment to pat the arriving girl on her head, saying, "Yes, you were brilliant. It was a performance I could never have asked for and you still delivered it. I'm very proud of you."
"Thank you, Tsubomi-senpai!" She shouts in excitement, bowing her head before pushing forward for a hug.
"You deserve the praise, Eiko-chan, but more than from me, I think. Shouldn't you go with the others and meet your fans?"
"Tsubomi-senpai is all the fans I'll ever need."
The pink-haired girl blushes at the statement, but thinks on her own desires and understands the girl. She tells her that she feels the same way, which is why she means to find her own senpai. Eiko nods her understanding and leaves her to her search. With a friendly wave, Tsubomi is off again.
She feels she's scoured every corner of the school grounds and she's seen just about everyone but her senpai. However, she knows she will be in the next play, which means she should have returned to the theatre by now, if she's to be ready. With that in mind, Tsubomi moves back to the theatre and begins a search of the backstage area. Eventually, she locates her, or at least someone else with a long head of bistre, and makes her approach.
"Tsubomi-chan?" Blonde curls bar her path.
"Oh, Hikari-senpai!"
"Hello, Tsubomi-chan. I saw the underclassmen's play and I have to say, Tsubomi-chan was wonderful." She tells her.
Though this senpai wasn't the one she'd intended to meet, she is still flattered by the compliment. She decides to seek out her Yaya-senpai later as they'll have even more to talk about after she sees Yaya's performance. After all, both of them have roles as the leading ladies of their respective plays. She hopes Yaya might draw inspiration from her performance. She knows her senpai will make a fantastic Katharina.
Unbeknownst to Tsubomi, Yaya knew she wanted to find her. She had been deliberately avoiding the girl. She wanted to spend the time moving past the girl's Lady Macbeth. Her fall still haunts Yaya even into the start of her own play. Her first scene goes by without issue, but throughout the wait until her next one, the memories slowly build. When she converses with Chihaya as sisters Katharina and Bianca, she begins missing her cues and carrying herself oddly. This Chihaya notices and begins making attempts to progress the scene.
Yaya's mind is a blur of wicked ghouls. She sees a bloodied king and another one with hands covered in that blood. This king with blonde hair and topaz eyes does unthinkable things after the murder, so much so that even her subjects cannot endure them, most importantly the one closest to her. She sees the king as an enemy and a trickster. Ultimately, her ambitions cost her lady her soul. Yaya replays the scene of Lady Macbeth's downfall, her so-called unclean hands, and she blames this on that king who had been smote down by none other than her turquoise-haired kouhai, Asuka. She replays that scene, as well, and moves into alignment with her kouhai to deal the killing blow, though, when she does, her opponent's visage changes.
"Yaya, stop." Chihaya whispers to her, loud enough to bring Yaya back, but low enough not to alert the audience to Yaya's anomalous actions.
The girl had collapsed onto the floor when Yaya apparently attacked her. Yaya stops herself, waking back into the present where she remembers the scene she currently plays. It is sheer fortune that Yaya's Katharina was to strike her sister, Bianca, and Yaya uses this to adlib a line in order to mitigate any suspicions the crowd might draw over her odd behaviour.
"Where does she come by such behaviour?" Makoto voices as she arrives on the stage, "Get to safety, my Bianca. You see what you do to her? Tears fill her eyes, the precious. Tend your chores, thread your tapestries and leave her be. Quell that demon inside of you and ask it what quarrel it has with angels."
Chihaya takes one final look at Yaya, showing that she is concerned for her, and exits the stage. Yaya thanks her silently for covering and then takes her eyes to Makoto, whose expression displays judgment and adversarial amusement.
Leering at the fifth year, she proceeds to give her next line, "Her light pains the onlooker and as the victim I will seek my justice."
She makes to chase after Chihaya, but is stopped by Makoto, which prompts her to say, "What, am I not to be protected? No, of course I won't. One must be treasured for such luxuries. A father's love, a husband, then perhaps a few babes. They can gather and dance barefoot upon my grave when your love plunges me to Hell. Never you mind, I will to my spot and weep my own tears and bide my time until a proper moment."
With that, Yaya takes her leave of the stage, as well, leaving Makoto to finish off the scene with, "Be there a sadder gent than I?"
Behind the curtains, Yaya goes back to the changing area to calm herself and try again to forget the nightmarish memories. An important scene is to follow and many more after that. For the sake of everyone who worked so diligently on the production, she tells herself she needs to do her part, as well.
"Good morrow, Kate, for that's your name, I hear." Hikari greets her, as she reemerges onto the stage.
Taking a deep breath, Yaya feigns confidence and responds to her roommate, "Your ears do not serve you well, then, for I am Katharina to those who speak of me."
"Oh, but you are Kate, pretty Kate and bountiful Kate and at times Kate the Razor-tongue, but Kate all the same." Hikari proclaims, astounding Yaya with her aggressive posture, "So accept these, my words, Kate; I have heard of you in every town from here to Sicily. They speak of you, your serenity, your virtue, and your beauty, and to that I claim you as my wife."
Yaya is stunned by the girl's powerful presence, and with a smirk, she puts forth her next words, "Pass. With haste do you pass. What tedium so dropped you here, let it take you back."
Hikari stifles a giggle, remembering the various times they'd rehearsed this segment and all the jokes Yaya made about how passive she'd been. She continues, remarking, "Hark, for I have passed and so I take it you accept me."
As Yaya takes a step forward to speak her line, she is struck again by her troubles, this making her forget her line. To compensate, she calls back her knowledge of the actual play and decides to say that line instead, "Asses are made to bear, and so are you."
Hikari is surprised by this, her lack of experience in improvised acting causing her to stall until she recognises what Yaya has said. Quickly, she responds, "Women are made to bear, and so are you."
However, despite her success, Yaya is stalled. It is quite unlike the girl, but there is no time to question this. Instead, Hikari moves onto what her character is to say next, "Alas, good Kate, I will not burden you as I know you are but young and light."
"Too light for such a swain as you, I think." Hikari sighs in relief as Yaya catches herself, though she notices that the girl speaks her lines from the actual play.
"Come now, you wasp. You are too angry." She says, hoping to bring her back into the script.
"If I be waspish, best beware my sting." Yaya snaps at her with the right words, allowing the blonde to calm.
With a huff, she retorts, "I'd simply pluck it out."
"If a fool such as you could find it."
"What fool wouldn't? In his tail." Hikari remarks.
"In his tongue." Yaya corrects.
Taking a few steps towards her roommate, Hikari ponders this and replies, "Tongue, you say? Whose might that be?"
"Yours if you talk of tails and so farewell." Yaya immediately answers, turning away and leaving a few strands of her long hair to brush against Hikari's face.
Hikari bats them away and adds, "What? With my tongue in your tail? Come now, I am a gentleman."
Yaya feigns disgust, "Let such indulgences keep you warm on your way then."
"No, you are to be married to no other than me for I am the one to tame you, Kate."
Yaya gasps, "You rogue!"
Hikari charges forward and takes Yaya by the small of her back, "From the wild, I will take you and fit you to households. You will be like unto their Kates and you will be my wife."
"Monstrous villain!" Yaya growls, though she can barely keep a grin from creeping across her face.
Hikari likewise loses her composure, but uses the smile to her advantage as she says, "Ah, here comes your father."
"Signor Petruchio, bode you well?" Makoto purrs, making her approach.
Hikari bows in respect and answers, "As well as can be, sir."
Makoto nods to her before turning to Yaya, "And you, my daughter, Katharina?"
The bistre-haired so-called shrew retorts, "Daughter do you call me? I see you show your fatherly regard when you do wed me, but wed me to a joker must you?"
"I'll see you Sunday." Hikari muses, tipping her hat.
"I'll see you hanged on Sunday first." Yaya grumbles.
Makoto chuckles at this trade and remarks to the Etoile, "She means to see you hanged not wed, sir."
With both watching intently, Hikari takes a deep breath and presents her next line, "Patience. I chose her for myself. Jubilant we two are but that she must still be in cursed company. I tell you, sir, how much she loves me. Oh, kindest Kate, she could barely keep herself from me; And all that talk of tongues and tails, she won me to her love. Kate, I will to Venice and adorn you in apparel for that day and provide feast and drink to all, to father, to guests. We will, all of us, break bread and make merry."
The silver-maned fifth year silently applauds the Etoile, praise that is evident in her voice when she says, "Words do not express. Bless you, Petruchio, this is a long-awaited match."
Yaya had used this time to exit the scene before Hikari's final line, the move to show that Katharina would not accept domination by the lout, Petruchio. However, once she was behind the curtain, she stopped and turned, also applauding Hikari's performance.
"Father and wife, adieu. I will to Venice and Sunday will have roses and ornaments and all things merry. Kiss me, Kate. We will be married." She says before taking her leave.
"Then, must I simply tune my lute and fair Bianca will come to me?" Nagisa calls out from the left of the stage.
Noriko narrows her eyes in that direction, grumbling, "That moment will never come. Go on, tune."
Smiling at her, Chihaya goes to the nearby table prop and lifts a book to ask, "Where did we leave it last?"
"Right here, m'lady." The purple-haired Lucentio answers, drawing close to point out the specific spot to her, though she has barely any idea if her answer is true. Still, she does her best to pretend, "Vidi vici veni."
"Um, are you sure that's quite right?" Chihaya asks her, raising a brow at her supposed teacher.
While Yaya's Katharina is being pursued by the Etoile's Petruchio, Chihaya's Bianca has two suitors, Nagisa and Noriko who portray learned Hortensio and Lucentio, respectively. The pair had each concocted a scheme to become Bianca's schoolers in order to garner privacy with which to woo the fair lady. However, as they'd both reached for the same direction, an implied battle ensues between them, matching bow and pen. To the victor will go the lady, but the lady is no fool. She's long since seen through them and decides to test their tenacity in winning her.
"Semotus, as I said, Stella, my name is Lucentio, Veritas, son of Vincentio of Pisa, Telos. I hid myself in this guise so that I might have a chance to win your love, Caelum Denique. The, Exigo, Lucentio properly wooing you, Noctis, is a man named Tranio, Fleuret, posing in a guise of me." Noriko tells her, hiding her true message amongst a ridiculous jumble of latin that any true student could easily spot.
As Chihaya stifles a chuckle so does the crowd watching below. Among them is the President of Miator, who silently praises her assistant's success. The line was one she and her roommate had had trouble with, what with how nonsensical it made the speech. However, Noriko had performed it well and engaged the audience in her actions, lulling them to cheer her on.
Nagisa shouts again from backstage, "My instrument has tuned!"
As Noriko readies to speak in retort, Chihaya beats her to it and muses, "Ooh, do play it for us!"
She eyes her latin teacher who promptly goes off in Nagisa's direction. As the music starts to play, there is a sudden jerking and the sounding of an offkey note before Noriko reappears.
"Bloody hell, methinks you'd best tune it again." She remarks, covering her ears as she goes back to her student.
When she arrives, Chihaya clears her throat, "Shall I now? Semotus, I don't know who you are, Stella, therefore there's no reason to believe a thing you say, Veritas, and you mean to keep my other teacher away, Telos; away so he might remain unaware, Caelum Denique, and not drop these pretenses, Exigo. Is there, Noctis, reason for me, Fleuret, to do so?"
Tamao gives a thumbs up to the girl. They'd both completed the difficult line successfully. From her seat, Tamao can also see the redhead peeking out from behind the curtain and shares a wink with her. Their own plans are in motion and the response from the crowd is exactly what they'd hoped for.
"Ah, now it's tuned." Nagisa shouts.
Noriko grunts at her competitor's pestering, "You forgot one."
"I have not!"
Chihaya takes this opportunity to cause more mischief, saying, "If it is tuned, I should not want to miss hearing it."
Taking the purple-haired suitor aside, she adds, "I still have yet to build my trust in you."
With her words, Noriko comes to understand what she must do to win and replies, "Trust in me comes before long. For now, there's yet another tune."
"Right, now first..." Nagisa starts to say, coming on stage with what appears to be a hastily patched up cello... or something that was meant to resemble as such, but looks more like kindling and string.
She would not get the chance to play her... kindling and string, however, as another voice calls from behind the curtain, that of fair Bianca's servant, "M'lady, your father calls upon you retire from your studies. An important day dawns for your sister and she is due to dress the part."
"Yes." Chihaya responds, bowing to both teachers, "I bid you fare well, my masters, and so I go."
The day of the wedding of Katharina and Petruchio has arrived, but the groom is late. Quite a bit late, actually. As the prior scene unfolded, Yaya's Katharina left the stage in worry that she'd die an old maid and Makoto as her father paced about wearily. However, eventually, Petruchio's arrival is announced and after she does arrive, however, everyone is shocked by her appearance. She appears like a lost and starved traveler on safari with a cowboy hat and stained tanktop. Her pants are inside out and she wears boxes for shoes, one tied on with rope, the other with glue to her sock. By anyone's judgment, she's seems a lunatic, but as she greets the audience, it seems a yet another plan is afoot.
Taking in a breath to absorb her surroundings, she addresses her audience, "Friends, I thank you to wait on my entrance. I know you mean to dine with me and so have made ready a grand feast. It is expected; I am happily to wed. However, Verona does call to me in haste and I must adhere to it and take my leave."
Though, everyone is surprised by her notice, Makoto is the first to respond, "Can this be? Can you not to take flight in the evening, at least?
"I must away before nightfall. You would condone this know you my plight, but I do give my condolence to good company. You have celebrated with me as I wed my sweet and dear wife. To you I say, please attend with father and drink in my stead." Hikari says, making her way through them.
"This cannot be." Makoto gasps, following Hikari's every step.
She turns to face her, "I'm afraid it is."
"Even should I ask you stay?" Yaya finally speaks, taking Hikari's hands in her own.
She's been struggling to force Tsubomi's performance into the back of her mind, but she's nearly there. As long as there is nothing else to provoke them, Yaya tells herself she should have no worries in finishing the play.
"I should be so pleased."
She catches her cue and asks, "Pleased then to stay?"
"Pleased you would ask, but no." Hikari replies, moving away and towards the drawn curtain leading backstage.
"Even should I profess to you my love?" Upon saying this line, Yaya's eyes open wide.
Suddenly, there is a pause in time. Memories flood back through, though not of the previous play as it had been. Instead, they are memories of the previous year and, try as she might, Yaya can't seem to push them away.
"Master, your steed." She hears Kaname's voice announce, the girl's presence only worsening the happenings in Yaya's mind.
"My horse is ready." She hears her Hikari speak.
It is time for her next line and Yaya doesn't want another mishap like before with Chihaya. She pushes through and forces herself to say her line, "Fine, do what you will. I will remain."
Seeing Hikari and Kaname so close and Makoto looking at her, she remembers what she felt when she handed Hikari off to Amane for the Etoile-sen. Her mind goes back to that day and relives it at this, the worst possible moment.
"Today I will and so I will tomorrow. I leave if I so choose... but I suppose I will be alone." She mumbles.
Hikari notices her roommate's reminiscent posture and quickly goes to her, "My Kate, be not angry."
Yaya is beside herself, though, and lost to her own devices. She whispers again, "I will be alone..."
Taking one more look at Hikari, she realises she can't keep up this act and it is causing her to ruin her acting. She backs away from the group, seeing their eyes gazing at her with what she perceives as annoyance and disdain. Seeing as she is ruining the play, she decides it best to leave. Without a second thought, Yaya takes off for the other side of the stage, disappearing behind the curtain.
Hikari begins to give chase, but stops herself when she realises she is needed to mend the broken scene. She scans her scattered mind for a way and chooses to present her closing line for the scene, with a few last minute edits to save time.
"Friends, go forth and dine." She announces, directing her words to both the group and the audience below, "This be the bride's command and obey her you who attend. I will seek her and we shall part this place together."
With that, she leaves for the back. However, no matter where she looks, Yaya is nowhere to be found. Soon after, Kaname arrives, bringing with her both stage managers Chikaru and Shizuka. They have been made aware of the situation, but neither they nor Kaname have had any more luck than Hikari and more Katharina and Petruchio scenes are coming up. Hikari is at a loss for what to do. Shizuka notes that they could always sub-in an alternate, but takes her eyes to Kaname as they have the same idea. The President tells Hikari to continue her search. Finding Yaya is more important than the fluidity of the event.
"Thank you, Kaname-san." The Etoile says with a bow, taking her leave immediately after.
"Now, what are we to do?" Kaname muses, turning back to the girls of Lulim.
"I know that tone." Shizuka comments, crossing her arms and letting loose a sigh as Chikaru giggles.
"We are short our leads. That can't be left alone."
"I suppose we'll need substitutes for both then." Chikaru notes, linking her arm with her grumbling roommate.
"Quite right. Shizuka, would you be a dear and take on our absent Etoile's role?" Kaname requests, the sly words rolling off her tongue as if venom from a serpent's.
"Petruchio?" Shizuka replies, "And here I thought you'd make me out as the shrew."
"Oh, Shizuka, you think so little of me."
She sighs, "I'm not sure I think little enough of you."
Kaname smirks at her words, adding, "Je te dis merde." which only furthers the girl's grief.
"Merci, Kenjou-san. Then, I'll play the shrew to you, my good tamer." Chikaru says, performing a courtsy as Shizuka kneads the furrow in her brow.
A lone figure wanders the dark corridors, her usual haven when the world becomes a bit too much to bear. She traces her figures over the portraits along the walls. She does this only due to leaning close to that side, which is also the side opposite and therefore furthest from the stained glass windows. The figure thinks to be alone and, despite there being no possibility anyone might spot her from behind stained glass, she is not quite of sound mind to notice this.
"I messed it up for them." She mumbles to herself, kicking at the foundation blocks of the corridor.
"I wanted to do better this time, honest I did." She continues, eventually taking her fist to the wall, though this only damages her hand and causes her more embarrassment.
"I'm useless."
By this time, there is no more corridor for her to wander. She's arrived at its end and the double doors that lead to her true destination. Her fingers that traced the portraits move past the corner that joins that wall to the doors before her and she feels the worn wood that constructed it. These fingers slowly push on to the metal handle, but she is unmotivated to make use of it.
"I'll bet Tsubomi-chan is talking about it now." She tells herself, her thumb fiddling with the handle, "She's probably teaching her little kouhai all about how not to be like me. Proper Spica girls always come prepared for important things like this. They shouldn't get so easily distracted. After all, both she and Eiko-chan did an excellent job with their play. To then see how I failed in mine…"
She beats at the door instead of opening it, tears starting to build in her eyes in lieu of her frustrations. Her mind has started to admit she hardly cared about the embarrassment she faced over her poor performance. No, the truth is she had wanted to be the good Spica girl Tsubomi always spoke of, the ideal Spica girl she idolised, which Yaya knew she could never be. Maybe then… maybe then…
"No, I wouldn't dare." Kaname tells her company, tucking away an object in her hands.
"Am I the bride so that he can discount me in the census?" Chikaru complains, grabbing the President by her arms, "Even beggars when they plead they are fed. But I, who never did nor ever had reason to can nary a scrap. Using vows he feeds me and with wit keeps me from my dreams. Is this plague? A horrific omen? Does my well-fed stomach and well-rested brain bring pestilence and death to the masses? If not then I demand you bring something, anything that I might sate my bodily urges."
"What might that be? A pig's foot perhaps?" Kaname suggests, tapping her chin with her finger.
"Yes, fine, just bring it."
However, Kaname shakes her head, "Oh no, I fear that does not befit you. Perhaps then a slab of something broiled?"
"Yes, yes, that will do." Chikaru hastily replies, shuddering in her impatience.
"No no, that could not." Kaname begins pacing as if despairing for a solution, but the grin on her features suggests the contrary.
"Is your role to feed me with the mentions of meat then? A curse upon you and yours that would revel in my dismay. Begone with you!" Chikaru growls.
She goes to the taller girl and beats her with her fists in a frenzy. The audience is sympathetic to her; it seems her husband has been starving her since their departure from Padua. Of course, there is barely any notice that this Katharina is slightly taller, older, and has a very different voice than earlier in the play. To those who know of the replacement, they credit Chikaru's impressive acting prowess. It is truly a serendipitous incident that has allowed the Lulim Student Council President to grace the theatre again.
Meanwhile, the scene is still ongoing, yet someone is repeatedly missing her cues, her cues being the many many many MANY punches Chikaru is landing. Kaname turns her attention to the side where she finds the wayward actress who is standing quite calmly with her arms crossed and leaning against one of the ropes keeping the backdrop hanging. She seems to be enjoying the cues too much to interrupt them, which prompts Kaname to shoot piercing daggers of rage with her flared eyes.
With one hell of Cheshire Grin emblazoned on her face, she finally appears onstage and lends voice to her line, "How goes it, my sweet?"
Though trying her best to stifle a giggle, Chikaru manages to say, "You are a mongrel to use that word."
"Be of good will, my Kate." Shizuka proclaims, waving to where she'd come, "Bear witness to my hardships and steadfast resolve, I have personally dressed this meat and brought it to you. Surely, this gesture does garner your gratitude?"
She bows, but Chikaru only huffs and turns away. She goes to the girl and places her hands on her shoulders. When she does, Chikaru turns back to her, blatantly showing the frown upon her visage.
"What? Nothing?" Shizuka asks, pretending to be surprised by this which is to be used as an excuse for the words to follow, "I knew it; you deem this creation a failure. My works have amounted to naught. Take this rubbish away."
"Wait!" Chikaru blurts upon realising what is about to happen.
She takes her roommates hands into her own, "Please leave it."
To this, Shizuka embraces the girl and wipes away the tear that hasn't actually formed in her eye, "Such graciousness for such lousy work. I shall show my thanks to your generosity good and proper next time."
Though her eyes are filled with venomous enmity, Chikaru replies with, "I thank you, sir."
"Feast, my love, and I will drink to your contentment." Shizuka says, taking her backstage with Kaname following behind.
Tsubomi busies herself outside. She'd hoped to watch the whole of play, but during the intermission after Yaya and Hikari's "wedding", she was called away to help her Lulim friends pack away the props from their play. It was her kouhai's belief that they could get a head start on the clean up so they could be together for the congratulatory party afterward. Tsubomi smiles about the notion; she had been the one to tell the enthusiastic girl that festivities began as soon as everything was put away and she had even complained that the clean up had taken too long the previous year, causing the party to begin after nightfall. Of course, Tsubomi had meant it as a way of subtly flaunting her hard work and not to say that the party would have started any sooner. She takes a moment to reminisce about her time with the first year; it has been quite the adventure acting as someone's senpai and she can't help but wonder if her own felt the same.
"Tsubomi-chan!" Chiyo shouts, breaking the girl from her thoughts, "Yaya-san is missing!"
"Missing?" Kaede asks while Tsubomi absorbs what she's just heard.
"Yes, when we saw her leave the stage, she disappeared. Nobody can find her!" Misato answers, catching up with Chiyo.
"Then, it's up to us to look for her!" Kizuna proclaims, somehow already changed into her Sherlock Holmes costume.
"Tsubomi-chan? Are you alright?" Chiyo asks.
Realising she's been staring as the situation plays out before her, she quickly recollects herself and nods at her friends, "Yes, we have to find her."
"To the contrary, my dear son, I'm afraid yours is the cruelest of fates." Makoto states, patting Shizuka's shoulder... or trying to had she been tall enough.
Instead, it appears that her hand's fallen just a tad low, as she notices and, as Shizuka's eyes move to the non-shoulder she pats, a blush creeps onto her cheeks. She promptly removes the hand and clears her throat, adding in a few improvisations to keep the scene going.
With the smile still upon her face, the star of Lulim utilises it to pronounce her character's smugness, replying that, "I can assure you, no, and to do so... Let us each send for her and whomsoever comes first will be deemed most loyal and win for her man this wager."
"Certainly, but what do we wage?" Nagisa asks, her Hortensio having found a minor character to wed.
Noriko answers, "Twenty crowns."
"Ha! A measley twenty?" Shizuka scoffs, crossing her arms as if insulted, "I'd risk such over a contest of my pets, but of my love, twenty times that still an insult be."
Noriko raises her hands up to calm her and suggests, "A hundred then."
"Accepted." Nagisa chirps.
"Alas... let it be so. Grumio, do go to each of the ladies' chambers and beckon them come forth at our behest." Shizuka orders of her servant.
Her servant, the President of Spica, nods and replies, "Immediately master.", before making her way backstage.
"This is a contest?" Makoto questions, her words implying collective knowledge in an obvious victor, "Son Lucentio, I am in your corner. My Bianca will most assuredly arrive with haste."
Nagisa agrees with her, but adds that, "Well, first she may, but I know the last and it won't be my lady."
When Kaname makes her way back to them, she further asks, "Ah, where are our maidens two?""
Kaname is shrunken as she says, "Um, apologies my master, but they send word of preoccupation."
To this, a fiendish grin appears on Shizuka's face. She exaggerates a surprised reaction and exclaims, "Oh heavens no. They do not come? What villainous sorcery is this? That fair Bianca does not come nor wife unto my dear friend Hortensio, then it need not be said for surely my Katharina stays, as well."
As she finishes, Makoto notices someone in the distance and, gasps in shock, "Do my eyes deceive me so or does she come now?"
From offstage, Chikaru approaches the group, "You beckon me to your side, my husband?"
"My Kate! Oh, sweet Kate, but where is your sister and Hortensio's wife?" Shizuka asks.
"Why they are in conference near the fireplace."
Shizuka feigns anger at this, "Bring them here to this place at this time. Scold them they who dare ignore the beck and call of their men."
Chikaru bows humbly, "Yes, my husband."
"Unfathomable!" Noriko gasps as Chikaru makes her way back offstage.
"What sort of omen could this be?" Nagisa adds, her eyes never leaving Chikaru's exit.
Shizuka goes to the pair and pats them both on their shoulders and says, "Wedded bliss be this omen, of peace and love under the law of rightful supremacy.
She makes certain Makoto is aware that she has succeeded in the move, a few extra pats to the girls' shoulders for good measure. Makoto finds herself clearing her throat again, a bead a sweat sliding down the side of her face in embarrassment. And then another as she realises the hand she's used to clear her throat is the one she'd patted Shizuka's "shoulder" with and she quickly puts it down.
Recovering, she says to her, "Good show, my son, good show. You won their hundred and so too the wager I placed. Now this twenty thousand crowns is yours. Let it be another blessing to your happiness together."
"I thank you, father." She replies, noticing the new arrivals, "Ah, and there they come."
The group of friends have searched nearly every corner of the school by this point and still, they can not find Yaya. Theories start developing that a spirit must have spirited her away or that Yaya became one with the night from which she draws her name. Of course, these types of theories can trace their origins back to a single redheaded source, but after all this time and with such little success, even Tsubomi has begun second guessing if they might be true.
"Yaya-san is too good at this." Kizuna pouts, trying to catch her breath.
"We've looked everywhere! At this rate, I think we'll find Eden before we find her." Remon also complains.
Hearing this, Misato takes a moment to think, "If only we had a lure. There must be something that Yaya-san likes."
"You mean besides Hikari-san?" Chiyo replies, nudging Tsubomi.
Right at that moment, Tsubomi's eyes light up, "I know where she is!"
"What silly game is this?" Chihaya grumbles.
"If that is what you deem of your duty, let it be known your hesitation lost me one hundred crowns." Noriko scolds, shaking a coin purse at her.
Chihaya huffs and turns away, "Then, you are a fool for gambling with my duty."
Mischievous devices crawl into Shizuka's mind as she goes to Noriko, "Such insolent charges, I do see. Oh Kate, tell them who know not proper acts what the role of wife truly is."
Chikaru bows to her husband and makes her way to the centre of the stage. She spins around to face the other wives and points a finger to them, "We who are wives do remove such unkind furrows from our brow and stare not with unsettling eyes. How can we do so to our masters, our rulers, our keepers? Such expression rots beauty and spurns you to infamy."
The group follows Tsubomi's lead, running towards the church where the Saintly Choir usually had their practices. It is empty now; every student is at the festival on the other side of the campus. Tsubomi and her friends know this as they've already been around the whole of the campus several times.
As Kizuna notes, "Tsubomi-chan, we've already been here!"
"No, she has to be there." Tsubomi replies, keeping up her pace.
"Women who do forget their duty are but shaken ponds, muddy and opaque, unseemly. When it is so, who dares sample its waters?"
When they arrive, Yaya is leaning against the stone wall, simply staring out at the grass field. Not one of them makes a move and Yaya doesn't notice them.
"Our husbands are our lives, our merry, and our meaning. They keep us safe when harm befalls us, fed when our stomachs whine, clothed against the harsh environment."
Seeing that she was right, Tsubomi is suddenly sullen. She knows this place not from personal experience, but from hearing the story during one of their midnight tea parties. She knows that this is where Yaya first met Hikari, quite possibly the only place in the whole of Astraea Hill that is precious to her. This fact stings at Tsubomi's heart, but she can't admit to herself why.
"They do so at the expense of their bodies, tasked in sea and land alike, watching the darkest of the night and the coldest of days while we may keep to our homes' warm embrace."
None of the others make a move, so Tsubomi takes it upon herself to do so. With each step, she feels the weight of this place, this sanctuary of her Yaya-senpai's. There are ghosts all around, memories of everything Yaya did to bring herself closer to Hikari. It is a constant reminder of where the girl's heart is and where it would never be.
"That they do this and what do they ask but for our love? Hardly a price, is it not? What then is a woman who strays from this duty if not a traitor to her king? Shame on you who wish for war when you should kneel in peace or seek domination when you are but the servant."
"Yaya-senpai." She says, though it is a feeble sound that escapes her mouth.
"I was once such a fiend with a mind to subjugate and eyes toward the skies that are not mine to revel. I too fought tooth and claw with my betters until I saw they were but scratches on an oak, pebbles against a fortress. Our strength is but a fancy, our weakness too many to count. So wake from such nonsense and place your hands below your husband's foot. In token of which duty, if he please, my hand is ready; may it do him ease."
When she hears her name, Yaya becomes aware of her onlookers. She specifically notices one with long and flowing pink hair, kept away from the girl's face by a taupe headband. Unlike she'd been expecting, the girl is solemn and there is honest concern in her yellow eyes, which seem to be close to tears.
"Tsubomi-chan?" She manages to utter.
"Yaya-senpai, we've been looking everywhere for you. What happened?" Tsubomi tells her.
At first, she fumbles in her mind for the words, but she shakes her head of this and simply says, "It's okay. I messed up a few of my lines and got embarrassed at myself."
She waits for the girl's anticipated disciplining and even smiles about it to herself, thinking back on each of those obnoxious tirades of hers. She closes her eyes and recounts each one. Spica girls should be this. Spica girls should do that. That is unbecoming for a Spica girl. And so on and so forth. She opens her eyes to add to the record, but is made to witness something unexpected.
Shizuka applauds Chikaru's speech and goes to take her in her arms, "Ah, there is proof of fine works. Come Kate and kiss me fast."
She turns to the others, showing them a smug grin as Noriko stands frozen in shock, "Impeccable is it not?"
"Impossible more so." Nagisa is likewise surprised.
In contrast with everything she has come to know of the pink-haired girl, Yaya finds herself in Tsubomi's embrace. She gazes down at her small form and returns the hug, gently placing a hand to the back of the girl's head.
"It's their loss." Tsubomi quietly mumbles.
"What is?"
"They won't get to see the rest of Yaya's performance."
Shizuka smirks at their words and goes back to her loving wife, "Come Kate, we'll to bed."
This is when she notices that Chikaru isn't there, but to keep up appearances, she continues to speak, "We three are married, but you two are sped."
She continues to look around the stage, but Chikaru is nowhere to be found, "Twas I won the wager, I who claimed the fight and, being a winner, God give you good night!"
At this point, everyone on stage, much like everyone watching in the audience, has already realised that Chikaru has left without Shizuka. They begin laughing as Shizuka continues her frantic search, rushing off stage to catch up with her tamed wife.
The curtain falls as the crowd rises to give their applause. As it rises again, each of the actresses stand in a line, bowing to their adoring viewers. However, one of the actresses on stage has her mind elsewhere. She wonders if two of her schoolmates have convened yet. It has been some time and they should be there beside the church. For Kusanagi Makoto, what transpired on this day had been expected, hoped for even, and she prays that this time, it has also ended as expected.
Author's Note: Yes, more Yaya drama, but it did have somewhat of a happy ending this time, didn't it? Well, better than lately, at the least. Shizuka's plan seems to have failed, though, since Yaya never got to see it all the way through. However, even if she didn't end up hearing or speaking the important part, she did have to rehearse it quite a bit… I'm sensing the words, "What am I talking about?" from my good readers. xD I'm speaking about the soliloquy that Chikaru ends up presenting instead of Yaya. There was a reason I had it over the scene between Yaya and Tsubomi. What Chikaru says as Katharina hints at Yaya's frame of mind as she meets with Tsubomi, though, much as the play, the outright words spoken are not the intended meaning. =p I suppose you'll have to wait a bit to find that out if you haven't already. *giggles*
Additionally, it seems things worked towards Kaname's favour, what with her finding an excuse for Shizuka to go on stage. Though, it was serendipity that allowed her to make such a move, it will still factor into future events and interactions between the two. Of course, there might be more in store for the both of them what with there still being so many details from earlier chapters left unaccounted. Oh, and to those wondering, Kaname said, je te dis merde, which is the French way of wishing someone luck on stage, something similar to the "break a leg" said in English.
As an easter egg of sorts, I threw in a bit of my other works during one scene in particular. I wonder if any of my old fans figured it out. For my new readers, remember the faux Latin lesson between Lucentio and Bianca? In the actual play, they presented a few random blips in between what they were actually saying to one another. Similarly, I parsed bits of Latin into the lines, as well. On my end, though, the Latin words I use are from various writings I've done. For instance, the first two words, Semotus and Stella make up the name of a cooperative fiction I made. ^_^
Alas, I think I'm going to rest a bit before the next chapter. I know, I know, the last time I said this it took me nearly half a year to put up a new chapter. I promise that will not happen this time. It's just, there's eighteen pages of writing here. xD I need some time away from the keyboard.
次回予告
Kaname: It's nearly that time once again.
Tamao: It certainly is.
Kaname: I never would have imagined it, but it is perfect.
Tamao: Even so, Miator will not lose.
Kaname: We will see.
Next time on Strawberry Panic, Falling Leaves!
Tamao: They are ready.
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