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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: Thanks for the review, Huggler! *huggles Huggler* I was constantly reminding myself that too much of my OCs would lead them dangerously down the road of "Mary Sue" as I've seen many complaints over other stories. I know I shouldn't. After all, much as you said in your previous review, none of my characters have garnered any objection from readers. To the contrary, many even have fans. Actually, Shizuka is among them... Eiko, too. And Asuka... Well, apart from persistent and illogical writer fears then, there's still that this story was to center around Yaya and Tsubomi... among certain other things, and so I tried to limit how often other characters appeared when they aren't directly involved.
You've got the right idea going about Asuka and Eiko. Hopefully, what I have set for those two and Yaya and Tsubomi will provide you a satisfying conclusion. ^_^ Speaking of Asuka's dominant sid- *poof gone*
*poofs back upon realising you had more to say* x_X Everyone's confused about Kaname and Momomi. And now Amane! xD I'm not sure Kaname has a harem. That was more Shizuma's thing... and in a way, Chikaru's... HENSHIN! But I digress. I'm not sure Shizuka's personality is much of a fit for a harem, though she does well as Chikaru's partner in crime. Kagome/Makoto's goal isn't so much Kagome's goal as it is Makoto's. Kagome has mostly been there to allow Makoto out of her depression following the travesty of the Senkou Dance. As for Makoto and Asuka, *poof gone* *for real this time* *oh wait, no not for real as I still have to talk about the following chapter now, but poof for commenting on your review xD*
*Ahem* This chapter is going to start a final arc to head off towards the end of the story. As I've been saying, neither Tsubomi nor Yaya know what to do. For whatever reason, the both of them figure just talking to one another isn't an available option. =p Instead, someone else will get things going. ^_^ Additionally, everyone is finally getting into motion so new developments should come quicker… which will also help me as I no longer have to write about directionless days of indecision and doubt. xD Let's see where it all goes.
~Strawberry Panic: The Second Year~
"…and so the Romans were defeated at Teutoburg Forest. Hubris and underestimating their enemies led them to such a downfall and this is why you must never forget the Principles of War in any battle, be it an all-out war or a minor skirmish by a rebelling unit. The Romans had always thought of the Germanic tribes as barbaric simpletons and it cost them."
Asuka listens intently to the teacher's lecture about warfare strategies and their uses in the field of battle. She is alone in this endeavour as it is amid a sea of weary yawns and groans that she contemplates the information being presented. The teacher had given several examples of failed tactics and a few surprising victories, which she reviews in detail. After all, she too has a battle to fight and proper steps taken according to the principles of war will go a long way toward ensuring success.
"To secure the objective, it may be advisable to do all that is necessary."
"Oh, I plan to." Asuka mouths under her breath.
Web
An apple falls through the air. Suddenly, in the middle of its descent, it is struck through its core by an arrow. The shot has not only hit the core dead centre, it has actually bisected the stem as it penetrated. Following the projectile's trajectory a short distance away reveals that it had come from Noriko's bow, its archer still holding her follow-through position. Once the apple has landed on the ground, she moves to it and carefully examines the depth of penetration and point of entry, which, this time, she seems satisfied.
She sighs as she turns to her roommate who has been watching her all morning and notes, "I've finally got that closed stance down!"
"That's fantastic! I suppose now you'll be needing to try it at mid-range?" Chihaya asks, to which Noriko nods, though she will be acclimating herself to the newly acquired stance a bit more before adding the distance variable.
Noriko takes another apple from the basket Chihaya has carried with them and gets into position again, making sure to keep true to the footing she's learned. Elsewhere nearby, hiding behind the brush, are their friends and next door neighbours who currently watch them. They are joined by the blue haired second year, Chiyo, who acts in a secretarial capacity for the peeping President of Miator, jotting down bits of data as she whispers them to her.
When the arrow hits another bull's-eye, Nagisa gasps in excitement, "Wow, Mizushima-san is amazing! It must be from all the support she has from Chihaya-chan."
"You're not wrong." Tamao replies, "Mizushima-san has always held great potential within herself, but she's nervous around people and is easily dissuaded by doubt and insecurity. When I first met her, it was only her first day in Archery Club, but because she didn't have balance yet, she couldn't draw her bow well and her arrow didn't even fire. She was ready to quit and nothing I or even the captain of the club said could convince her to keep trying. It wasn't until Chihaya-chan complimented on her being an archer that she was willing to keep practicing."
"Oh, then it was lucky Chihaya-chan showed up when she did. Otherwise, Mizushima-san wouldn't be performing so many wonderful shots like this."
"Lucky… I think it's more than that. Chihaya-chan just seems to be able to say the right things or do the right things that push Mizushima-san further when she's ready to stop." Tamao states.
"Hm, so they're just like us." Nagisa mutters, her words getting Tamao's attention as she turns to face her roommate.
"Nagisa?"
"I was always feeling lost and unsure of myself and my place in Astraea. Last year, I didn't know what to do." The redhead explains, "But you always knew, didn't you, Tamao-chan? Tamao-chan was always there; you took care of me."
"Nagisa…"
"That's probably why Rokujou-san chose us. We have a powerful bond and that made us strong candidates. That's why-" Nagisa looks out over the bushes, "That's why Chihaya-chan and Mizushima-san are even stronger."
Though true, Nagisa's words are also biting for the President. Her mind takes her back to those moments, when every fiber of her being wanted desperately to cling onto her Nagisa-chan, but she knew in her heart that the girl's path was leading her towards the former Etoile, Hanazono Shizuma. If she really loved Nagisa, there wasn't a thing to be done about it. She did what she had to and ultimately pushed her love to another. What Nagisa deemed a wise decision by President Rokujou had been a callous trick for Tamao. As her roommate continues to watch the couple in the distance, oblivious to the President's old scars, Chiyo goes to her, taking her hand and peering into the girl's solemn eyes with her understanding pair.
STRONGHOLD
In warfare, it may be advisable to locate and isolate a valuable tactical position from enemy combatants forcing them to risk suffering heavy losses attempting to retake it or abandoning it and the advantages it affords.
Asuka reiterates the copious amounts of notes she'd taken during the teacher's lecture, deciding on a multi-pronged assault following her intelligence gathering missions. From them, she knows all about the church that seems to be a focal point of Yaya's heart. Such a valuable tactical position would go a long way in Asuka's quest for the wayward girl. To that end, she has been visiting the area frequently as of late, each time adding more details about it, noticing any exploitable points. This she compiles into a crude blueprint of the building and surrounding garden with marks for each location she plans to advantage.
"Now, the tricky part of it will be implementation." She mumbles to herself, peering out from her hiding spot, surveying the perimeter of the structure.
She goes back and forth from her blueprint to the actual building, the brunt of her focus granted to the actual goal, not the church itself, but the unassuming section of grass at its side. Under normal circumstances, it barely had any visitors anyway, but it had many accessible points that anyone could use to seize the territory. Yaya had been frequenting it recently, as well, which therefore meant that anyone, even accidentally, reaching it might be able to capture the girl before Asuka could. Though that outcome was unlikely, even to distract Yaya at a crucial moment during Asuka's plans could prove ruinous.
"Nothing can go awry."
Once her strategy is finalized, she commences the operation. Cleverly, she's managed to bundle the equipment she needs and bind it to herself, allowing her limbs the freedom they need to sneak through the whole of the building. As with any stronghold tactic, Asuka lays out various forms of fortifications in the form of barriers and traps, the latter of which can mostly be triggered remotely. Of course, there is a bit of a hiccup with so much preparation. The area she means to secure is mostly vacant anyway and, as remotely as she can trigger her traps, each contraption must still be watched to prevent misfires. She realises a bit late into it that she can no longer leave the church if she wants to maintain any workable purpose of the strategy.
In warfare, it may be advisable to locate and isolate a valuable tactical position from enemy combatants forcing them to risk suffering heavy losses attempting to retake it or abandoning it and the advantages it affords.
It is about this time that Asuka realises the flaw in using the stronghold tactic in her situation. Unlike the encounter her teacher had recounted, Asuka's "enemies" hadn't any idea there was a war to be had or that there was a valuable tactical position available. As such, while securing the church would allow her a vantage point with Yaya, it mostly hinged on if she arrived and if any of her other pursuers did, as well. The traps would distract them while she could then seize the goal, but without foreknowledge of any of this, none of her pursuers were likely to stop by and Asuka didn't know how long it might be before Yaya could be back either.
And there is yet another hiccup, "What are you doing?"
Asuka looks behind her to find a much older woman clad in black and bearing a rather menacing scowl upon her face. "S-s-sister…"
Suffice it to say, the stronghold tactic has met with failure.
DECEPTION
All is fair in love and war. As such, the use of deceit and misdirection is a powerful weapon in war. Misrepresenting one's military strength can both protect a weak front and draw out a careless opponent. Additionally, false information can be leaked that might guide enemy forces away from an easy victory and instead towards treacherous terrain. Proper use of deception has been proven to change the tide of battle.
Yaya is the intended target and Tsubomi the obvious enemy in this scenario. With that in mind, Asuka reviews the intelligence she's gathered on them both, tracing each route they use on their day to day. She locates any points of intersection and goes about blockading them, even going so far as to stage diversion signs surrounding these points to guide her targets from reaching them. Unfortunately, as she'd done too well a job of the redirection, both Yaya and Tsubomi, not to mention most of Spica's student body, casually form alternate routes with which to travel to the same destinations and those alternate routes likewise feature intersecting lines between the two. Furthermore there's…
"What are you doing?"
After her second scolding, Asuka sets out to be more mindful of the explicit nature of her ploys. Rather than having any visible mechanisms that the sisters might happen upon, she's gone a different path. Much as her height and personality clash with her young age, so does her level of influence within the first years' circle. Though various means, Asuka has garnered their adoration and, more importantly, their willingness to believe what she imparts to them.
"That's wonderful news, Asuka-chan! I've heard so many fun stories about Tsubomi-san from Eiko-chan. Do you really think she'll participate?"
Asuka's mouth curls into a pleased grin, "Of course she will. It is the duty of seasoned Spica girls to help guide and mold we naive first years."
And elsewhere, "Oh, today's practice for the Saintly Choir was relocated?"
"Yes, I heard it from President Kenjou myself. The lot of you are to report to the train station at the foot of Astraea." Asuka explains.
"That's far, isn't it?"
"President Kenjou believes that it would be beneficial to practice with nature, especially as this may be your last chance before it becomes too cold."
"Oh, I suppose that's true. I'll make sure to tell the others in the Saintly Choir in case they didn't hear about this. Oh, but I haven't seen Yaya-san in a few days and I don't know where she usually goes after practice."
"You let me worry about Yaya. I'll make sure she gets the message." Asuka replies.
"That'd be a great help. Thank you, Asuka-chan! See you later!"
Later on, Asuka sits by herself beside the lake, going over the steps of her plan. Tsubomi has been diverted to a meeting with a group of the first years, which no doubt, Eiko would want to attend even if it meant skipping a practice. Asuka had already arranged for Tsubomi to be excused under the special circumstances and that would allow the two to come together at a designated time of Asuka's choosing. Meanwhile, with the other girls of the Saintly Choir lured away from their usual location at the church, Yaya would be all alone, thereby completing the objective the stronghold tactic had been meant for. Though, she wouldn't be able to act on it just yet, keeping other eyes off of her Yaya aided in her goal. For the moment, she could focus on her enemy.
"Tsubomi… you've a meeting to attend."
BAITING
The cost of war is a heavy toll on all combatants. Proper allocation of assets can alleviate some of the burden. In 1805, Napoleon sent a protracted unit into Austerlitz, the purpose of which was simply to draw out the enemy. Once lured into battle, Napoleon then released his full force, ambushing and crushing them for a swift victory. Successful baiting of his enemies allowed Napoleon to win with minimal cost.
The pink-haired girl looks over the notes she's prepared as she walks. Her eyes drift to the church on her left for a moment and her mind wanders to it, playing out several of the daydreams she's been having as of late, most of them related to that one day she'd spied Yaya performing by herself. Of them, a majority had been of a scenario where she revealed herself to the talented singer rather than remain hidden. A "what if" alternative that ended in various favourable results. Of course, Tsubomi hadn't revealed herself in the reality and she'd been fruitless in trying to replicate the same conditions of that day; Yaya hasn't been back to sing that song since.
With a sigh, she moves on, going back to the notes and making sure everything's together. Apparently, a group of the new students had wanted a session with her to discuss any lingering confusion and concerns they had. It was odd, Tsubomi had to admit. For her, the first choice to resolve such a matter should have been the Etoile as they are older and, especially in Tsubomi's eyes, both Hikari and Amane have more to offer the first years than she ever could. However, they'd requested her and she wouldn't deny them. Besides, it was a bit flattering.
"Oh, Tsubomi-senpai!" The voice of her young kouhai chirps in surprise, alerting her to her presence.
"Eiko-chan, are you going to the lounge, as well?" Tsubomi greets.
"Yes, I am. Actually, I was coming to find you." She replies, lifting up a piece of paper in her hands, "The choir handed out a new song sheet and I wasn't sure about some of the notes. Actually… weren't we supposed to have practice today?"
Tsubomi beams with pride at her kouhai's diligence, nodding to say that, "There is practice today. From what Haruhi-san told me, Kenjou-san changed it to near the train station for today, something about it getting colder soon. I was asked to help the other first years adjust to school here so I'll be missing it. Perhaps you should go if you're having trouble with the new piece."
"You think I should? But I really wanted to listen to Tsubomi-senpai."
"There will be plenty of opportunities, but if you don't practice with the choir, it hurts the overall performance of the group. The needs of the many-"
"-outweigh the needs of the few."
Tsubomi had always wanted to say the line so it is a bit difficult to hold in her excitement at having successfully used it and on her kouhai at that, but she manages to keep herself collected, settling herself by calmly placing her hand on Eiko's arm. The girl shifts uncomfortably, part of her knowing what her senpai is pushing her towards and knowing that it is the right course of action, but another part wanting to stay with Tsubomi in spite of it. Her foot digs at the ground as she hesitates, Tsubomi oblivious to it. There's a sudden rustle in the leaves above them and, when they look, a slip of paper flutters down in front of them. Eiko takes it into her hand and examines it.
"Etoile-sen…" She reads, the word catching Tsubomi's attention.
As she comes to realise she is holding a flier for the upcoming election, Eiko blushes and gazes at Tsubomi, a slew of thoughts racing across her mind. Tsubomi takes the flier from Eiko and seems to fixate on it, as well, reading every word on the document. This is exactly as Asuka has planned, the girl watching from the densely covered branch above them. Granted, whether or not the pair decided to enter the Etoile-sen didn't matter to the girl. The point was to get them thinking in couple terms so that Tsubomi wouldn't pose a threat to her acquisition of Yaya.
"Tsubomi-senpai, what is the Etoile-sen?" Eiko asks, though she knows full well what the event is.
"It is the most important thing in the whole of Astraea, Eiko-chan. When the current Etoile graduates, a new pair will take their place. We hold an election to decide who they will be. Last year, when the former Etoile, Hanazono Shizuma-sama, was about to graduate, both Spica and Miator nominated representatives to take her place." Tsubomi begins to explain, though her eyes are still on the flier in her hand.
"That is how Tsubomi-senpai's friends became Etoile?"
"Yes, Hikari-senpai and Amane-sama won. They were competing against Nagisa-sama and Tamao-sama…" Tsubomi replies, her voice drifting.
"Wow, President Suzumi was competing to become Etoile, too?"
Tsubomi doesn't answer this time. Instead, looking over the document unconsciously causes her to look back to the church peeking out over the trees in the distance. Asuka notices this, as well, and realises the meaning behind the girl's actions before she does. With that, there is another strategy she needs to implement.
BLITZKRIEG
In various instances of war, another method to minimalising costs is to strike the enemy down in one swift stroke, eliminating the threat before it has the chance to organise or mount a counter-offensive.
As Tsubomi continues to gaze at the church and Eiko at her, Asuka descends from her perch. She launches herself at Eiko, pushing her into the older girl before ducking behind the same tree to avert suspicion. However, the force behind the impact catches both off guard and Eiko's body ends up toppling them both. As Eiko recovers, they both notice the awkward position they are in. Eiko had propped herself up with her arms, but she'd placed them exactly over both of Tsubomi's wrists, their faces mere inches from one another. Even more so, Eiko's legs had parted both of Tsubomi's and her knee was currently nudging a place neither of them cared to acknowledge at present, particularly given that Spica uniforms comprised of a skirt. Suffice it to say, no one has ever stood from a fall as quickly as they did and neither has anyone done so as stiffly or been quite so pale in doing so.
"I-I should get going…" Tsubomi stammers, straightening herself out before making her way to the dorms.
As Asuka watches from behind the shade of the brush, her lips curl into a grin. Though, the act had made the situation awkward for both girls and Tsubomi continued on her way, she could see the seeds of lust were planted in Eiko. A bit of nurturing would be all that remained before Asuka could proceed with the next and hopefully final stage of her plan.
"Isolate…" She whispers to herself, "And Encroach."
Shu kara erabarete kono yo ni uerareta
Mou hitotsu no mi o nozomare
Arigatou kizuite nakatta
Dorehodo aisarete iru noka
Hajime kara ima made kami no ai wa
Itsumo sosogarete ita koto
Arigatou sono ai oshiete kureta
Shu kara atae rareta kimi ni
Kirisuto no ai de motto tsukae
Watashi mo kono yo ni tsukae you
Kimi wa aisareru tame
Soshite sono ai tsutaeru tame
Shu kara erabarete kono yo ni uerareta
Mou hitotsu no mi o nozomare
"That was beautiful, Yaya-chan." Hikari applauds, her eyes aglow with admiration.
Just as Asuka had intended, every member of the Saintly Choir was told to practice at the train station except for Yaya. Likewise, as she only visited every so often, Hikari hadn't been told either. They'd arrived at the church together to find that no one else was there. Naturally, they believed it odd, but as they didn't have any other information at hand, Hikari thought it'd be fun for Yaya to perform the piece alone. Of the whole of the choir, it was Yaya's voice that permeated the air, standing out from the others and yet somehow able to blend them together in harmony.
"Let's try another one then, since it looks like the others got lost." Yaya suggests, taking her place before the altar.
Tobenai tori
Hitori hagure
Haruka na michi
Yuki mado wo demo
Chiisana hoshi no hikari ga
Kotori wo Attatameru
Kanashimi no yoru asari
Tobitatsu asa
Applause rings out throughout the room, but this time Hikari's has company. Makoto and Kagome approach the two as Yaya promptly hops down from the stage. By the time the pair reaches, Yaya has already removed her choir uniform and packed it away in her bag. She signals to Hikari for them to take their leave.
When the two pass by, Makoto decides to speak, "Seems the night is giving way to a new day. The star is fading."
Her words stop Yaya as anticipated since the girl knows the exact meaning they imply, "That star is special. It will continue to shine like the sun. You're just in the wrong place to see it, Kusanagi."
"I'm only waiting for it to come back around and show me her flare." Makoto readily retorts, a smirk creeping up on her lips as she silently celebrates success.
"Don't hold your breath." Yaya shoots back, slamming the door behind her.
"I won't have to." Makoto notes, turning to attend to Kagome.
"Well, you're sure of yourself, aren't you?" Kaname muses, making her presence known as she steps out of the shadows.
"Madam President." Makoto greets, "I assure you that everything is on track."
"Yaya's a smart girl. I hope you know that… for your sake. Don't take her words too lightly."
The two simultaneously shift their gaze to the door from which Yaya and Hikari had left, the gears ticking away within each of their heads. Meanwhile, Kagome idles the time, staring at the altar with Percival in her arms.
"What time will daybreak be?" She mumbles to herself.
"Cheers!" The group of friends chirps in enthusiasm at the start of yet another of their tea parties.
Unique to this gathering is the location it is being held. Where normally the group had gathered together in Nagisa and Tamao's room, this time Chikaru and Shizuka have used their significant influence to bring them to an actual courtyard with teapots and cups of delicate azure porcelain that sit upon round glass tables propped up by intricately decorated metal frames. Grapevines crawl up latticed dividers that enclose the area they sit. Several glass jars line the pots, each with a different ingredient to be selected for the tea. At the heart of the table is a rack, its several tiers filled to the brim with various flavours of scones, crumpets, and sandwiches. With the salivating Nagisa staring at them, though, it won't remain that way for very long.
"Nagisa-sama, slow down!" Tsubomi whines, "You almost bit my fingers!"
"When Nagisa-oneesama sees food, you'd be wise to get out of her way." Chiyo says with a giggle.
Tamao and Chikaru are too busy to enjoy the scene. As President of Miator, Tamao is tasked with ensuring the pride and prestige of her school. To that end, given how much Chikaru's intervention aided them in the past, Tamao seeks her counsel again to bolster her chosen two, Chihaya and Noriko. While the couple are strong and have risen in the ranks of the students of Astraea through the many events Tamao maneuvered them into, Noriko still has an apprehension to crowds, which could hinder her performance.
"You mean to say, you'd like for me to have a talk with her then?" Shizuka states, knowing well enough that Tamao means to relate Noriko's nerves to her own grievances with her popularity.
"Yes, we think you are the only one that can relate to her, Shizuka-senpai." Nagisa blurts out a reply, having just downed another of the sandwiches.
"Any amount of guidance Shizuka-oneechan could provide would be a benefit." Misato adds, pouring another round for the group.
The other girls of Miator also plead with her, but she replies with a smile that she has no intention of denying them. She will meet with Noriko and help her with her dilemma. Meanwhile, the girls of Spica watch Miator and Lulim conspire, Hikari glancing at her friends beside her from time to time. Her roommate casually looks at them, her head resting against her arm. She is not deaf to the noise around her. She knows the whispers of many of Spica's students and has fought to ignore the lot of their stares and blushes. Much as there are girls in Miator that adore Tamao and Nagisa's neighbours and want them to run in the Etoile-sen, there are many in Spica that want Yaya to run. She smiles to herself, though it is not because she is pleased. She smiles because it is a ludicrous notion. To enter the Etoile-sen is to do so with a partner and that partner must be one with whom a strong mutual bond has long been forged which will be further strengthened by attaining the Etoile. However, for Yaya, those who'd dreamt of being hers she cares not for and those whom she does do not reciprocate. These thoughts have been with Yaya for some time now and she's all but made peace with that reality, but neither her roommate nor the pink-haired girl sitting beside her are aware of those thoughts or her resolution of them. The latter tries her best to hide her own anxiousness, being quite attentive to the discussion over Chihaya and Noriko, particularly whenever specifics are drawn about the Etoile-sen. In her hand, which she hides from their view, she is still clenching the flier from earlier, the potential future it bears unfolding as unspoken desires in her mind.
Author's Note: So I wasn't able to keep the "secret" for very long, after all. Wasn't like it was a well-kept secret anyway, right? x) Chihaya and Noriko have been scouted to be candidates for Miator for a few chapters now. Makoto hasn't exactly hidden that she means for Yaya to be great and what greater role would there be than the Etoile? Sadly, the poor girl doesn't seem to hear those voices that want her to be Etoile, too. That could be because she feels she doesn't have a partner. Of course, now there's Asuka… *poof gone*
There you are, Huggler. Shizuka will be assisting with Miator so you'll be seeing her shortly.
次回予告
Eiko: The Etoile-sen.
Asuka: When two become one.
Eiko: A brilliant light for all us girls gracing the hills of Astraea.
Asuka: I'll make her see.
Eiko: The Etoile-sen.
Next time on Strawberry Panic, Breadcrumbs!
Asuka: The Etoile-sen.
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