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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: xD Miator has already had their time in the spotlight. It's time Spica had their turn. You've hit upon the exact right question, though, which will be dealt with in this chapter. And I do suppose Asuka's path is similar to Yaya's, but I think it is a bit less refined, similarly to their levels of being pranksters. x3
In all honesty, the kiss bothered me a bit too when I thought of it, but I feel it is necessary. Hopefully, as the story unfolds, you'll come to agree, as well. =p As for Kagome and the dancing well... xD I did hope to get in the adoreable points for that scene. Kagome is one of my most favourite characters in the series. She seems to know much more than her appearance or age would lead one to believe, but she carries herself so innocently that the insight catches everyone off guard. Such as when she could "see" that Nagisa was crying over Shizuma during her ruse to assure everyone she was fine.
x_X Yes, I was trying my best to develop Chihaya and Noriko, but I don't think there was enough material in the series for me to work off. Still, I did give Noriko a bit of judo to her repertoire. x) That scores her some points, doesn't it? =p
Last chapter started us down the road towards this story's conclusion. A big moment between Yaya and Kizuna led to an even bigger moment between Yaya and Asuka, though it ended before any of the consequences could be told and before any details could be unveiled.
Speaking of which, I actually hinted at something in the last chapter, but I doubt I made it easy to figure out. Don't worry about it, though, as it will be revealed in this chapter in great detail. xD
Now, without further ado, please enjoy the chapter!
~Strawberry Panic: The Second Year~
The sun isn't as bright lately. The days are growing shorter as they cede to winter's unyielding grip. It has yet to start snowing, but the air already carries its foreboding chill. How similarly the season has reflected on her own state of mind. Yaya ponders this as she remains curled in her bed, thinking on the events of the night prior. It felt wrong. It shouldn't have, Yaya knows that. Her kouhai hadn't forced it and the time they spent together had been a welcome change to all the aimless wandering, but still it felt wrong. Her mind took her back, replaying the memory from the beginning. Asuka's fingers traced from her cheek to her neck, across her clavicle, then further down. Yaya's hand unconsciously moves itself to it and she cringes. The memory continues on through the motions, Yaya's eyes staring at the white of the wall running along the side of her mattress. Each touch, every contact seems to have left an imprint and slowly now, their presence have become more vivid, causing Yaya to feel as though her body is haunted by them all. The night moves on and another feeling moves Yaya's hand along her thigh until it reaches a spot. Once it has, Yaya releases a weak gasp as tears flood into her eyes.
Moving Heaven and Earth
It's become quieter. There are less people idling their time outside with the cooling temperatures. Asuka peers out at the campus from her perch atop a branch of a tree beside the dorm. A frown is cast upon her face, as well, though she questions it. She should have been happy. What she had set out to do had been accomplished. It was her first and she'd been with the one she loved. Every quality she had ever admired was a part of her Yaya and that hadn't changed. However, try as she might, she couldn't ignore the truth bubbling to the surface of her mind.
"It doesn't feel right." She whispers.
The time they spent together made up the best moments of her young life and through each of them, Asuka assured herself that Yaya felt the same. However, she'd arranged for it all. All the planning and coordinating events so they would lead to this had come from her. In the end, she had to allow herself to accept the truth. Yaya would never have chosen her otherwise. Asuka flinches as she realises what her mind is telling her and she stubbornly refutes it.
Yaya did honestly seem to be enjoying herself. She truly was an amazing actress. That was evident as far back as the play when Yaya had portrayed Katharina in the upper class's play. Even though the first years of Spica had praised Asuka for her portrayal of Macduff, slayer of Macbeth, the whole of Spica's students celebrated Yaya's Katharina. And, in spite of her having departed before the play's iconic finish, most merely remarked their disappointment and their hope that she'd return to the stage in the future. However, her act had done favours for neither of them, this time. Perhaps she hoped they could be fooled into believing and so be content under the pretense, but that had been proven otherwise.
"It's one-sided." Asuka finally admits to herself, a tear sliding down her face as she grits her teeth.
"The stars are coming into alignment…" Makoto mutters as she sits at her desk in the Student Council Office, "They are finally aligning, but the solstice will have already passed."
Yaya had adopted a destructive behaviour, leaving behind any semblance of the qualities Makoto saw in her. In addition, her corresponding partner in Tsubomi was busy with other things and the two have hardly been found in the same part of the school grounds let alone progressing towards a united path as Makoto hoped. Even if they were, if they realised the pairing, they hadn't practiced for any of the tests required of them in the election. To much time had been lost trying to have the two come together and there was little hope left of success.
"What will Kusanagi-san do?" Kagome asks of her as she stands before the same desk, Percival propped atop its surface as Kagome fiddles with his paws.
The office is empty but for the two of them. Makoto was glad for it as she wasn't in the mood for another round of political jabs with the President. Though she's maintained that Yaya and Tsubomi would be ready for the Etoile-sen, it is becoming clear that that is not the case. She's been keeping Kagome with her more and more often as that situation deteriorates, finding that the young girl provided her some relief and bolstered her self-confidence when she was around. However, with Yaya and Tsubomi worse off than ever before, there is little time for comfort. If Spica is to succeed in establishing another of its own as Etoile, there could be no bounds that Makoto dared not to cross.
"Desperate times mean equally desperate methods can no longer be overlooked. I intend to do what I must." Makoto whispers as she stands to move to the door, not quite meaning for Kagome to hear despite having said it in response to the girl's question.
She takes a breath, not looking back as she silently resolves to accomplish her mission by any means however extreme. Her hand grasps the door's handle and opens it. As she exits, Kagome's hands slip from Percival's, concern shown for the girl as she slightly reaches out for her.
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
Tsubomi stops herself from continuing. Try as she might, practicing hasn't allowed for much improvement today. She knows the reason for it, though. She's felt strangely since last night. Since the twilight hours, she hasn't been able to sleep, an unidentifiable feeling never leaving her since. In fact, it is due to this feeling that she decided to practice singing by herself, sat out at the heart of Astraea overlooking the lake. Of course, there was that reason. There is also another.
"How unbecoming…" She scolds herself.
Though she isn't herself on this day, she reminds herself that she hasn't been herself for longer than that. Not in a literal sense, but Tsubomi has felt less and less as she believes she wants to be. In the past, her lectures were often ignored and her serious nature used as fodder for comedy. With her kouhai at her side, this is no longer the case. Her lectures now have an attentive audience and the seriousness she's shown to studying is the basis for self-improvement. Eiko clings to every word she has to say and considers each piece of advice she's ever given the girl with care and diligence.
"Am I an idiot?" She groans in question.
What could trouble her about that? She's traded a group of undisciplined delinquents that take her for granted for someone who appreciates everything she has to offer. Of course, therein lies the problem. People have tried again and again. Those who religiously follow a path of logic-mindedness walk an endless road of failure in their attempts to give reason to all of life's facets. Sometimes, life doesn't listen to reason. Sometimes, all the positive and attractive points a person can list just don't hold up against something else possessing none of those qualities. That is what's happened here, Tsubomi admits to herself. As much as she appreciates Eiko for the promising singer and student that she's become since Tsubomi first met her, it isn't enough. To the contrary, it's become tedious. For every time her friends have ignored or poked fun at Tsubomi's complaints, they've had fun in the end. Not to say she no longer enjoys Eiko's company. Far from it. Eiko is everything she ever wanted in a kouhai and friend, someone who would listen to her for once. However, she wants that someone to be another.
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
She attempts using song to push those thoughts away from her mind. They are rubbish, after all. They don't even make sense. Unfortunately, after finishing the song, the thoughts are still with her and she is in no frame of mind to try again. Instead, she gets up, brushes herself off, and begins to wander. The journey actually gives her a literal edge to the figurative, as it begins to allow her to retrace the steps of the previous year. Though she'd never admit it then, she had a crush on Hikari. She admired everything about the girl and even joined the Saintly Choir in order to spend more time with her. In times when Hikari was troubled, Tsubomi had felt a desire to be there for her. In her private moments, Tsubomi had fantasised about one day having that friendship blossom into love. However, when Hikari and Amane were elected to become Etoile, it finally dawned on her that the "love" she had for Hikari was a simple crush. She was upset that she didn't get her fairytale ending with her senpai, but it wasn't so devastating as to be equated to losing her true love. Soon after the Etoile-sen ended, she even found herself happy for the couple, acknowledging as most others already did how perfect they were together.
As that memory comes to a close, Tsubomi notices she's wandered all the way to the Spica horse track. Her mind reviews her past and begins to sense the similarities. Eiko's fascination with her is the same as her own fantasies of being with her Hikari-senpai. In time, the girl would come to realise this, too. Now, Tsubomi is in love again, but this time, she knows it is real. With Hikari, she notes, most of the attraction started simply from admiring her voice and romanticising a storybook relationship with her. This time it's different. She loves every aspect her mind can list of the girl. She loves the jokes, the teasing, and the time they've spent. She even loves the childish pranks, the untamed character, and each time she'd been cross with her.
"Yaya-senpai." Tsubomi whispers.
"Quite a bit of movement in the winds, wouldn't you say?" Kaname asks, taking a sip of tea from her cup.
Tamao nods as she brings her fingers up to her chin, "There does seem to be a lot going on as of late. Do you believe these occurrences will pose any trouble?"
"I'm sure it will sort out for the best." Momomi suggests, though she's not as invested in the conversation as the others around her.
The student leaders of both Miator and Spica have decided to gather together in an unlikely meeting. Never before have their members been too fond of one another and, in spite of particular examples of these occurrences, Tamao is still apprehensive about Spica's Student Council. Momomi and Kaname had been responsible for several of the ills that befell her friends. Chiyo is likewise wary of the two, but is in attendance in place of Chihaya and Noriko who are all but publicly known as Miator's Etoile-sen candidates.
"You seem a tad sure of yourself, Momomi." Kaname notices, pulling the girl to face the group, "Any reason for that that you'd like to share?"
"A girl's got to have her secrets. Life's more interesting that way."
"Speaking of secrets, thought it isn't hidden all that well, how is your love life faring, dear President?"
Tamao is taken aback by the sudden shift in topic, stammering, "W-what do you mean?"
"Oh, I don't know. Only making polite conversation." Kaname responds, her eyes shifting for a brief second to the Miator President's accompaniment.
Instinctively, Tamao pulls Chiyo behind her, eyes fixed upon the blonde. Kaname merely smiles at the overly defensive maneuver, knowing full well that her reputation unsettles them. It isn't her intention, at all, but she relishes in it nonetheless. Momomi, on the other hand, decides the games have gone on long enough and moves to reassure their Miator counterparts that they mean no harm this time.
"I believe that." Tamao admits, "I know neither you nor Kenjou-san mean to cause permanent harm. Additionally, though I have to say that I disapprove of the methods, they did ultimately lead to Spica taking the Etoile seat from Miator."
"And so too are our methods this time." She reaffirms.
"Speak for yourself." Kaname interrupts, "I am an agent of chaos. I rejoice in the madness."
"Alright, she enjoys wreaking havoc."
"It builds character."
"It's despicable." Tamao growls.
"But effective."
"In any event, I feel we are in agreement over the candidates and that they will all be ready." Momomi notes, clapping her hands together.
"Yes, I believe so." Tamao agrees.
"Hopefully, everyone will be okay with the results." Chiyo finally says, leaning close to her President, causing her to furrow her brow.
Yaya sits by herself on the side of the St. Mary fountain. She has brought her blanket with her, having wrapped herself within its comforting warmth. There is little life in her eyes as she stares blankly at the statue of the virgin mother. To the unknowing onlooker, she seems to be aimless, idling away some time in her day. However, within her mind, she is a torrent of nightmares, drowning in her sorrows.
"Hey, Hikari, do you want to get to know Amane-sama better?" She remembers saying once to her roommate.
"I can help you if you want."
She was such a fool. She'd offered her assistance to help Hikari meet her prince as a way to spend more time with her. She could have told her how she felt about her. She could have been honest with herself, but she hadn't and, by the time she'd realised to do so, it was too late.
"Hikari, you're beautiful… just like an angel." She'd finally told her, moments before the start of last year's Etoile-sen, "Do your best, Hikari."
"We should go, Hikari." Amane said to her, having arrived at the door soon after.
And that was it. After that day, Hikari was lost to her forever. However, Yaya had found another and she was the chance Yaya needed for a fresh start. Yaya's memories remind her of where it began, the two of them sitting on her bed, each of them hugging their knees close as they struggled to accept their loss.
"The Etoile-sen has started." Yaya had told her.
"I already know who will win. I don't need to be there to see it."
Yaya smiles weakly as she remembers their talk, mumbling aloud what she'd said back then, "What are you saying? You're going to miss Hikari's grace and beauty, dummy."
"Yes, I'm a dummy. I just want to stay here."
"Do what you like."
They'd spent the remainder of the school year like that, each slowly coming to terms with Hikari's relationship with Amane. That was such a lie. Yaya knew full well and could now admit to herself that they'd become very close even before Hikari's desire was realised, but both of them had been too stubborn to let themselves believe in it. Even when this year started, neither of them gave voice to how close they've become, settling for episodes of Yaya's teasing and her complaints about them.
"Tsuuuuuubbooooomiiii-chhhaannn!"
Her frightful jump was adoreable. "Yaya-senpai! Why are you… Why did you… Ooh, I'm always falling for those tricks!"
"Um, Tsubomi-chan…" Yaya had said to her, reveling in the bright shade of red the girl's face had turned in embarrassment.
It was too late again. For Tsubomi, there was now another. "Tsubomi-senpai!"
"Eiko-chan! Nice to see you. Are you ready for your first practice?"
That fateful meeting gave Tsubomi her new future. Yaya can still see the night of the Senkou Dance clearly. She could still see how hope enveloped her heart and she had gone in search of her moonlight blossom amidst the crowds of colour. How upon finding her, that hope vanished with a kiss. Soon, Tsubomi would be lost to her just like Hikari before her. Yaya's own inaction had done this. As this becomes clear to her, Yaya takes up a stone from the ground and throws it into the fountain in anger.
"Why am I to be forgotten?" She seethes as she asks the question, adding silently to herself, "Why am I merely the tool they use to find their love?"
Unknown to her, Asuka has been watching nearby. It's clear to her that Yaya doesn't love her now more than ever. She had hoped so much that the previous night would have done something to change that, but everything she'd done to bring that night to fruition had only deepened Yaya's misery. Her Yaya belonged with Tsubomi. Seeing her like this has allowed Asuka to accept this truth, to accept that she'd been the thing that kept them apart when they were just about to find one another. It is her responsibility to undo what she'd done. Biting back her tears, she leaves her love to go to work.
"That's more like it." A silky voice purrs, having overseen the whole of the situation.
She rests her back against a large tree, somehow staying hidden from all despite her alluring attire and unrivaled prominence. Behind her hazel eyes lie the secrets guiding it all. Shrouded in her benevolent character, blinding through public perception, Mori Shizuka had been intricately woven into the motivations of many of the recent events. She'd been watching Kusanagi Makoto, deciphering her movements to know she wanted Yaya and Tsubomi as Spica's candidates to challenge Chihaya and Noriko. She could be more open about her involvement with Miator, given Chikaru's good standing with them. However, the players in Spica viewed themselves her adversaries. As such, she needed to stay hidden, guiding them without their knowing. Kizuna had had the most recent of those roles, though there were and still are many others.
"I thought last night might do the trick." She remarks with a smile, pushing herself from the tree and taking her leave, "My apologies to you, Asuka-chan. You, as well, Eiko-chan. Though, I'm sure losing them will be a point of growth for the both of you."
The pieces are falling into place. Shizuka takes a breath, her eyes shifting to the deep brush beside her for a moment, before she moves on, running a hand through her long ebony locks and showing off a knowing grin. You see, she, too, is being watched and her audience is finally one she can appreciate. She hopes they've enjoyed her performance so far.
Author's Note: BAM! xD Yes, just as you've read it, Shizuka's been a guiding force behind several of the events in the story. We've already seen a few of the more apparent ones such as Shizuka and Chikaru leading Yaya and Tsubomi to one another before the events of the Senkou Dance. The end of this chapter shows just how involved Shizuka has actually been and the lengths she's willing to go to accomplish her goals, something that should intrigue Amane and Kaname, the latter of whom has witnessed this one telling moment. Of course, as I've always done, this isn't the whole of the situation either, but we'll be getting to that shortly.
There's also a bit of a lapse, what with Hikari deciding to spend more time with Yaya at the start of the last chapter. Unfortunately, I couldn't fit any of those scenes in this chapter, but the opening scene was originally to have Hikari crying behind the door as Yaya has become inconsolable, but it didn't work with the scene's flow. xD So, sorry if it seemed to be a bit of an oversight, but she's supposed to be there spending that additional time with Yaya and it's only due to Yaya not wanting company that it isn't seen.
Now that Asuka's accepted the truth and resolved to repair the damage she's caused, how successful will she be? How much collateral damage might she inflict? Collateral damage including the pain of loss she herself must be feeling. =p I'm a terrible person to my characters, aren't I? xD
次回予告
Asuka: I need you to listen. I need you to understand.
Asuka: So much happens that we could never know.
Asuka: Where we start, what path we follow, it seldom leads to the ending we sought.
Asuka: The people we hurt, the chaos we inflict, can we ever be forgiven?
Asuka: Do I dare ask for it?
Next time on Strawberry Panic, Proper Alignment!
Yaya: It's a lost cause.
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