A/N: I died last night.
Chapter 7: Forgotten
"Natsuki, what would you like to do today?" Takeda asked, extending out his arm for Natsuki to take in a gentleman like manner.
She hesitated a moment before hooking her arm with his and let herself be guided to their awaiting carriage, rather car to be exact. Natsuki gave a small smile glad that she intended on skipping classes for the day. "I'm not sure. Something fun and exciting maybe would be nice."
Takeda opened the door to his car and bowed. "Ladies first."
Natsuki slid into the seat near the opposite door, the same place she sat the last time she was in the vehicle. Takeda followed in suit, settling himself next to her and shutting the door.
The prince gestured the driver to go, watching Natsuki fold her hands in her lap.
Emerald orbs looked at him expectantly. "Where do you plan on taking me?"
"It's a surprise." He winked playfully, causing Natsuki to grunt with disdain. Surprises were not on her list of joy.
For the next few minutes, neither spoke a word to each other. Takeda was busy thinking of what he should say to start a conversation that wouldn't die down and Natsuki wondered how she should apologize for the way her mother acted the other night. Obviously, her mother was an embarrassment to society.
"How's your head?"
Takeda gave the silence breaker a strange look before understanding what she was talking about. The attack lingered in his memories vividly. "Fine, though a little sore, but nothing I can't handle." He rubbed the back of his head, a small bump remaining. He silently vowed to strengthen his abilities and be able to defeat an Otome with or without a robe even if the goal was aimed too high.
Natsuki grinned; glad her mother didn't do as much harm as it had been viewed. Honestly, she figured he may have had a concussion or permanent brain damage.
"I'm sincerely sorry for what Gakuenchou did to you! I don't know what got into her!" Natsuki explained.
The prince merely laughed, "It's alright, just a misunderstanding." A painful misunderstanding. "I shouldn't have challenged her in the first place. It was certainly a mistake of mine to have done so."
Natsuki tugged at the end of her uniform. I should have changed out of this when I made up my mind not to attend school. "Aa, I guess."
"Viola-san," Takeda started, "your friend. Does she have something against me? She acts like I'm a criminal of some sort, that I'll cause harm. She's strange."
The Coral glanced out the window, the topic certainly most interesting. "Onee-sama is strange, I agree."
He raised an eyebrow. "Onee-sama?"
"That's right," she confirmed. "No relation is that's what you have in mind. I was assigned her room attendant for misbehavior. Now I take lessons on manners from her even though I don't need them." She recalled Shizuru telling her they would meet for training. Shit! I almost forgot completely! Natsuki glanced at Takeda quickly. I'm sure I'll be back before classes end.
"You don't need lessons. If anyone, she does! Viola-san is rude in my opinion."
"Her? No. What would make you say that?" His words made her blood boil.
"For one, she has her own way of being rude with politeness. On the tour around Garderobe, she kept mentioning unnecessary things and was quite disrespectful to me." He stated, crossing his arms.
Before Natsuki could say anything, the car halted and the driver announced the arrival of their destination. How dare he speak of Shizuru like that!
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Shizuru strolled through the courtyard, making her way towards the training fields. Today, she would fulfill one of her duties as an Onee-sama, not that she hadn't been in the first place. She had secretly been looking forward to this event all day; being with Natsuki.
How would train another especially when both weapons differ greatly? Corals had the standard default weapon, a pole that could extend. As Pearls, when materialized the students earned a weapon that best suited them properly, which was a double-edged naginata. Natsuki would surely be hurt, but holding back wasn't an option and unfair to Natsuki.
The Pearl had seen the Coral practice merely to observe the talents and potential of each individual, carefully choosing which would serve well as a possible room attendant. Given her eyes were keen and able to see through people, it made the investigation all the more easier.
Two candidates were the Kuga and Tokiha girls. Marguerite Tomoe would have been one if she wasn't such a freak with an obsession. Shizuru felt picky for finding the top ranks in the Coral class more appealing than the lower ones that needed actual help in academics and physical combat.
When the opportunity to take either on under her wing arose, she found herself pleased with the news. Shizuru wanted Kuga who interested her greatly unlike Tokiha whom is currently in Nao's care. She wondered on whether or not Nao was a better Onee-sama than herself.
"Viola-san!" Ah, there's the redhead now.
"Tokiha-san, good afternoon." Shizuru gave one of her many dazzling smiled.
Mai bowed. "Have you seen Kuga-san since this morning? She wasn't in any of her classes. Gakuenchou is both worried and infuriated! She says she wants to see you because you might know."
"Natsuki's gone?"
Natsuki skipped her classes for the day? Does that mean she's not here either? Shizuru mused. Or perhaps she's in trouble. It disappointed her to know that Natsuki did not attend school and would be severely punished when she returned.
Shizuru hurried to the Gakuenchou's office accompanied by Mai. So nice of Tokiha to join me; she must be worried about Natsuki too. Upon arrival, Mai patiently waited outside the door as Shizuru went into the room, coming face to face with intimidating, raging golden eyes.
"Where's Natsuki?" Kruger demanded.
Shizuru linked her hands behind her back. "I honestly have no clue."
"WHAT!"
Shizuma was calmly listening to Kruger, feeling a headache arising from all the rants and yelling she had endured since the news of Natsuki's sudden disappearance from campus. To clear her mind she began the process of preparing tea for the three of them, finding that it would help alleviate tensions forming for both Kruger and her. Must she overreact so much?
Shizuma cleared her throat. "Please, Gakuenchou, go easy on her. If she says she doesn't know, yelling at her won't make her."
Kruger huffed, blood boiling. She sat in her leather chair trying to make herself comfortable. "Viola-san, when was the last you saw Natsuki?"
"If I recall correctly this morning in the cafeteria; she had somewhat abruptly walked out after conversing with Tokiha-san. I'm not sure where she went though."
Kruger closed her eyes in thought. Just where could that daughter of hers be?
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A child, no younger than about five years old, stumbled into the courtyard of Garderobe through a hole in the fence surrounding the territory of the school. Not familiar with the area around her, she waddled out into the open and gazed at the large building in front of her with amazement and babbled some incomprehensible words.
In the distance, Tomoe had halted and ceased the fellow members of her Shizuru fan club to stare bewildered at the intruder. Blue cotton candy hair like her own and in the usual childish clothes was her younger sister, Toki.
"Toki!" The five-year-old turned her head at the call of her name and saw her older sister running towards her.
Toki took time to register in her brain that her Onee-sama was coming for her and darted off in the opposite direction, wanting to play a game of cat and mouse. The girl ran into a pair of legs and fell, tears threatening to spill as wide eyes looked up the taller unknown person in front of her.
"S-Shizuru Onee-sama!" Tomoe stopped in front of Shizuru, whom Toki had bumped into. "Excuse my sister for not looking where she was going."
"Ara, what a cutie!" For a moment, Tomoe though Shizuru was talking about her, but growled when in reality it was to Toki.
Shizuru picked up Tomoe's little sister and cooed. Toki gave a big grin and nestled herself in Shizuru's arms, finding the bigger much more loveable than her own Onee-sama who was an 'embarrassment to society' as her mother liked to say. The tears had disappeared quicker than they appeared.
"Sorry for running into you little one," Shizuru said.
Toki shook her head and tugged on Shizuru's clothes and squealed with glee.
Mai laughed. "She seems to like you very much Viola-san even though she doesn't know you."
"It seems so." Shizuru smiled.
"Shizuru Onee-sama.." Tomoe murmured.
"Marguerite-san, this is your sibling as you said? She resembles you a lot." She poked Toki and heard Tomoe idly reply to her. "What's your name?"
Toki spoke softly and shyly, "Toki Marguerite."
"It's nice to meet you Toki. My name is Shizuru Viola."
Mai appeared in Toki's view. "And I'm Mai Tokiha!"
The three of them laughed and Tomoe watched with jealousy that her little sister existed and was in her Shizuru Onee-sama's arms. She made her exit quietly, seething with hatred.
After the introductions were made, Shizuru offered to show Toki what Otome do and how to train as the child wanted to be just like her.
"Tokiha-san, would you care to join me? I can help you train in return because Natsuki decided to skip her session with me to wander off wherever she is now." Shizuru shifted Toki in her arms as the girl pleaded to Mai with puppy dog eyes.
Mai gave into Toki. "Alright, I will." I wonder how Natsuki will take this if she sees us.
"Yay!" Toki cheered happily. "I can't wait to see Shizuru and Mai fight!"
At the training field, Shizuru set Toki down on the benches and patted her head lightly before she and Mai took opposite sides of the field, activating their robes.
"Ready Tokiha-san?" Shizuru asked, summoning double-sided naginata.
"You know it!"
A/N: This was short but trust me…you're going to like the LONG, INFORMATIVE PAST about Shizuma, Natsuki, Kruger, and Shizuru. Filled with drama, romance, and angst…the favored mix of genres.
Next Chapter- Kruger and Shizuma's past are revealed, foreshadowing the future of what Natsuki and Shizuru to be. Natsuki's relation to Kruger is shown through this story which connects them all and shapes them to who they are now.
lonely bloodied rose