A/N: For those of you screaming "SHIZUMA IS SO OOC!" I want you to take a good long look at the last ten minutes of the final episode of Strawberry Panic. Shizuma gets over her emotional angst at the end and she's really awesome and girly…. In a good way, of course. "Nagisa! I love you! Let's go." And then she grabs Nagisa by the hand and they run away together and Nagisa is like, "Now what?" and Shizuma goes, "…um.." and Nagisa is like "You mean you don't have a plan?" and Shizuma is all "blush blush Well I just thought of stealing you back just now!" And then they kiss! Yay!

OK, enough of that. Not much happens in this chapter. But those who know me know something twisted will happen soon… something involving… something that hasn't happened yet in the StoPani universe!

(The truth is I'm still having trouble deciding between two possible outcomes. Bear with me while I think of plot twists.)

Oh yeah- And Kizuna makes Remon moan. You'll see. Gawd, I love writing cheesy stuff like this.

Chikaru: Dragonwings144 doesn't own me or Strawberry Panic!

Enjoy!

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When she arrived at the Strawberry Dorms, no one recognized her. In fact, no one even noticed her, what with the sudden influx of guests to the dorms. The late morning, usually quiet while the students were in their classes, was abuzz with energy and excitement that the silver haired woman did not share. Her only passion wasn't there, and so she couldn't join in the festivities. Navigating her way through the crowds, she marveled at how the normal tranquility of the dorms had changed in the year she had been gone.

She placed a hand over her chest where a large white sticker had been plastered on, reading in big red letters: GUEST.

It was true. She was a stranger here now that she had graduated. So much of a stranger that when she knocked on the familiar wooden door to Nagisa's room, she was surprised to see that the living arrangements had been turned completely upside down.

A barely pubescent girl opened the door with a flourish, throwing her arms wide. She was wearing bright purple pajamas with bunny prints tracked all over in toxic green. "You made it!" she said, joyfully. But when she saw who was standing outside her door- not her family visiting as she had thought it was- she paled and froze in place, her arms still akimbo.

"Shi… Shi… Shi…Shi…." she said, the color rushing rapidly back into her face until she was as bright as a tomato. "Shizu- Shizu- Etoile- I- I mean Shizuma-sama!" she yelped, slamming the door shut in Shizuma's face. Shizuma crossed her arms, smirking as she heard loud clangs and bumps inside as the second year tried to clean up her room and get dressed at the same time. After perhaps five minutes of this, a much disheveled Chiyo Tsukidate burst out of the room, looking as though her head was spinning. Her black Miator dress still had wrinkles in it and the tie was skewed. "I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else! Have you seen Nagisa yet? No? But then… why are you here? I mean, at my room of all places?"

"Chiyo-chan," the woman said, smiling down at her. Chiyo seemed surprised that the former Etoile even knew her name. "I thought this was Nagisa's room…"

"It is!" Chiyo said, nodding her head violently. Then she slapped herself before shaking her head 'no'. "I- I mean, it isn't! It was, b-b-b-but now it's mi-m-mine." Her stuttering began anew as Shizuma straightened her tie. "Ah, th- thank you."

Feeling gleefully wicked at the reaction she was getting out of this girl, Shizuma patted her on the head, moving her hand down to pinch her cheek affectionately. "Not a problem, cutie," she said, provoking another scarlet blush to spread over Chiyo's face. The second-year completely stiffened up, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Oshibaru thinks Shizuma is confused."

A thin voice spoke up from somewhere behind Shizuma, who turned to see a waif-like girl standing in the hallways of the Dorms with a stuffed bear clutched tightly to her chest. She lifted the bear up to her ear, as if listening to it. "Oshibaru also wants to say that Shizuma is in his way."

Shizuma courteously stepped out of the way and Kagome walked into the room, Oshibaru trailing behind her. She plopped down on one of the three twin beds inside, resting the bear next to her as she looked at Shizuma still standing in the open doorway.

"Family Day is a new celebration in the Dorms," she told Oshibaru, tucking her legs under her. "The new Etoiles decided that it would help some of the younger children get over their homesickness as well as allow parents to see the condition of the school. Yes, I agree Oshibaru. It's a very good idea; it makes Chiyo happy to see her family."

Brushing past Chiyo who was still standing rigid as a statue, Shizuma bent down near the bed and spoke to Oshibaru. "And does Oshibaru have anything to say about where Shizuma might find Nagisa?"

Kagome fixed her with a serene, blank stare. "Oshibaru doesn't know," she said. "But I think Nagisa is further down, into the hall that used to belong to Spica School. Ever since the new Etoiles decided that the students shouldn't be separated by schools anymore, we've been organized by grade."

Shizuma's eyes lit up and she gave Kagome a hurried farewell before rocketing out the doorway so fast she almost forgot about Chiyo. Stepping back a few paces, she bent over and pecked her on the cheek. "Give your family my regards," she said into her ear, resisting the urge to cackle. That would be unseemly.

Chiyo nodded and bowed down from the waist, her hair hanging down in front of her face. "OK!" she squeaked.

OoOoOoOo

The girl set down the paintbrush and sat back in her stool, admiring her work with a pleased smile. It was a nature scene of a forest in the spring, with the light shining down on a particular slanted tree. The forest was a real place, as was the tree, but Nagisa didn't need to see it to be able to paint it. The place was forever sacred to her and she could pull it up in her mind's eye whenever she wanted, and remember why she waited.

She sighed, her smile drooping. Standing up, she stretched and wiped her paint-stained hands on her paint-stained apron, wishing the noise of the Family Festival outside would die out soon. All her friends were out there with their families, after introducing them to her of course. All of them had been amusing or embarrassing in some way, especially with Tamao, who had insisted that one day she would adopt her roommate and they would be sisters forever. The worst part was that her roommate's family actually seemed to think it would be a good idea.

"This is Nagisa Aoi," she said, imperious yet charming. "And she's my best friend!"

And that's all it would ever be. Even though Tamao would constantly let her know that she was available if Nagisa ever got tired of waiting for Shizuma. Ever. As in, at all. Even if it was just a little bit.

Nagisa's stomach growled, reminding her that it had been a while since she had had breakfast. She had sat down to paint after she had finished helping Tamao set up the fair earlier in the morning and hadn't gotten up since, and her body demanded refueling. Standing up and stretching, she made her way outside into the hallway, thinking that maybe the café wouldn't be too crowded if the third years were doing their job right. Third years were in charge of the food and beverages booths during the first day of the fair, while fourth and second years were in charge of games and the dunking booth (unfortunately Yaya drew the straw to see who would be dunked into the water). The second day it would be the first, fifth, and sixth years' turn while the others took a chance to spend time with their families.

And that's why Nagisa was in her room while everyone else was at the fair- her family was still abroad. Sighing again, she pulled off her apron and hung it on the desk. But she didn't get far out of her dorm room when a pair of hands clamped over her eyes, pulling her close. "Guess who…."

Nagisa struggled against the hands for a moment, wildly waving her arms in the air. "What the- Let me go!" she complained, trying to turn around. "Whoever this is, this isn't funny!"

"You mean you can't recognize me by my voice? Nagisa-chan..."

Nagisa stopped squirming for a moment, putting her hands on her hips in what she hoped was an intimidating way as she blindly stared into the darkness of her covered eyes. "Yaya-chan, is that you? Are you skipping out on your duties? You know I'm going to have to tell Hikari-sama that you're- eeek!" The person hooked a foot around her leg and tripped her, stooping down to catch her and heft her up just before she hit the floor. Nagisa gave a girlish shriek, clutching onto the person for dear life when she saw a familiar wisp of silver hair.

Shizuma was holding her like a child, one arm under her knees while the other was wrapped around her shoulders. "Well, hi."

"Shizuma-sama!"

"Oh, you remember me?" Shizuma asked her. "That's a relief."

Nagisa wrapped her arms around the woman's neck, resting her forehead in the hollow of her shoulder. "Of course I remember you!" she said, squeezing her and fighting back tears. Shizuma set her down on the ground and they embraced, arms encircling, giving and taking comfort for the pain of twelve months apart. "Of course I do. I missed you- I missed you so much!" She held her tighter. "Shizuma…! You came back!"

Shizuma silenced her with a kiss.

"How…. CUTE!"

Krrssh-snap!

Shizuma and Nagisa started as a bright flash went off and a pair of giggles echoed through the empty halls. Two girls wearing the soft pink uniform typical for Lulim School students crowded around a Polaroid camera, one of them desperately shaking the photo for the image to appear.

"This'll look great on the cover of the school newspaper!" the one not holding the photo gushed, leaning over her friend's shoulder to get a good look. Her thin glasses slid down the bridge of her nose. Then she gave a moan of despair. "Kizuna-chan, your thumb is covering Shizuma-sama's face! I told you I should have held the camera!"

"Psh…Shizuma-sama is old news!" Kizuna said, snorting impatiently and tossing the photo aside. She pointed directly at Shizuma, grinning from ear to ear. "She's the FORMER Etoile for a reason, you know."

Shizuma was suddenly very aware of the glaring red GUEST proudly plastered to her left breast.

Remon grabbed her friend by the front of her sailor fuku, shaking her madly. "That's not the point! Don't you see that? We're not doing what's popular, or with-it, or whatever! We're doing the truth! The truth, Remon-chan! As in, true love that transcends all barriers!" The third year let go of Remon's shirt, turning away and crouching over with her hands clasped to her throat. "And if we don't get a picture by the end of this week we'll be letting Chikaru-sama down! Oh, agony, AGONY!" Remon sank to the floor, a shadow seeming to cross over her face.

"There's a school paper?" Shizuma whispered to Nagisa.

"Lulim has clubs for everything, remember?" Nagisa whispered in response.

Meanwhile, Kizuna was busy trying to drag her friend away towards the fair. "It's OK, Remon-chan! We'll get another picture of true love soon, I know it! Heck, we could even use the current Etoiles. I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"But everyone knows about them! We need something fresh and original or else Chikaru-sama will think we're hacks! Ohhhhh…" she moaned again and they disappeared around the corner.

Nagisa sweat-dropped, putting her hands on her hips and smiling helplessly. "They're supposed to be helping the other third-years with the fair," she said, "But I don't have the heart to tell them not to work on their new project."

Shizuma's slightly bemused expression turned serious as she stared at Nagisa, something glimmering in the pools of her emerald eyes.

"What?" Nagisa said, crossing her arms defensively.

Shizuma fairly pounced on her, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and laughing. "Look at you, acting so mature!" she teased, lifting Nagisa's chin with one slender finger.

Nagisa made an 'ack!' noise, waving her arms in the air. "Shizuma, my neck can't go that far back!" she said, but the taller girl ignored her.

"You think you can fool me acting like a perfect little fifth year, hmmm?"

Shizuma could still make her blush. "Well, I'm sixteen now so I need to start acting like it." The silver-haired woman smiled at that, closing her eyes and kissing the girl on her cheek. Nagisa blushed again, trying to continue explaining herself. "Or, y-you know, th- that's what T-Tamao-chan says…. Sh-Shizuma! Keep your hands to yourself, we're in public!"

Nagisa grabbed at the woman's roaming appendages, glancing all around her as if expecting Remon and Kizuna to show up again.

"Yes, public, of course," Shizuma said, gesturing at the empty hallways. She brought Nagisa's paint-stained hands up to her lips and gently kissed her fingertips. "Couples kiss in public all the time, Nagisa."

"Couples do, but Shizuma tends to forget herself," Nagisa said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss her girlfriend on the lips to take away the sting of the reprimand. She could feel Shizuma's lips smiling against her own and couldn't help but giggle at the familiar sensation.

"I haven't seen you in a year," Shizuma reminded her, her mouth brushing lightly over Nagisa's closed eyelids as she explored more of the face she saw every night in her dreams. "If you want someone who'll behave after a year of abstinence then you fell in love with the wrong girl. And also… I wanted to say…"

Krrssh-snap!

Shizuma growled deep in her throat.

"Just act like we're not here!" Remon and Kizuna hissed from around the corner, readying the camera for a few more snapshots.

"Voyeurs…" Shizuma muttered, grabbing Nagisa's arm and dragging her back into her dorm room. "You're right; we need to continue this someplace private. I don't think I could stop myself if I try again and they're here to watch. Don't ask, you'll find out soon," she added, since Nagisa seemed confused at what Shizuma would have to 'stop'.

"Huh? But-" Nagisa's eyes widened suddenly. "Shizuma, you don't mean- but I- uh- I haven't even had lunch yet!"

"Don't fret so, my love. This won't take long ♥."

The rest of their conversation was cut off as the dorm room door slammed shut.

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A/N: (Because this is fanfiction we don't have to put up with that horrific ending sequence with the two voice actresses in Miator dresses. Now we can go straight to the preview for the next episode!)

Kizuna: Maybe we could rappel down the side of the building and hang outside their window to see what they're doing, Remon-chan!

Remon: Ah, I don't think those are the sort of photos Chikaru-sama would be interested in, Kizuna-chan…

Kizuna: Is that what they're doing? Ew. But something tells me all's not how it seems with Shizuma and Nagisa… And it looks like the Family Fair is just getting started!

Remon: The new first-years are so cute! It's good to see how they and our older friends get along with their families, but of course things are crazy as usual in the Strawberry Dorms even with the parents around! A White Princess, a duel to the death, and a wet T-shirt? My goodness! All this and more-

Remon & Kizuna: -Next time on Strawberry Panic! "Old Faces, New Friends!"

Kizuna: I wish we could take those sort of photos, Remon-chan…