Last Night at the Park
The scent of cigarette smoke filled her senses as she tried to look
through slitted eyes at her annoying parents in front of her. She was
sick of them. She was sick of the nagging. She was sick of the daily
dinner rants. She was sick of these talks about college courses and
what was good for her and all. Infuriated, she got up from her seat
and walked away from them, stomped up to her room and locked the door.
To hell with them! She tried to find some of her college application
forms and ripped them into shredded pieces, no longer caring what her
parents wanted her to take. They wanted her to take up medicine but
all she ever wanted was to be a soldier! To fight for the colonies! To
fight for peace! To end this damned war! Holding her tears back, she
grabbed a pen and filled her college application form for military
school.
Several minutes later, the phone rang. Hilde answered the phone, quite
dreading the fact that it might be another prank caller trying to
annoy her in the wee hours of the night.
Yeah?
Hilde-chan? Its me. Cathrine.
Hilde almost dropped the receiver. It wasnt a prank caller, alright.
Hilde tapped her cheek for a second there. Am I dreaming? It wasnt
everyday that her school crush called her and this was definitely
shocking to her, at least. Hey, wh-whats up? You need anything for
school tomorrow or something?
There was a moment of silence then the person named Cathrine spoke up.
Actually, I need you now. Is it possible for you to come outside?
Hilde practically fell off her bed. Oh my God, shes asking ME to go
out to meet HER?! Heaven does exist! Of course! Uh, where do you
want me to meet you?
Well, we could meet at the park if you want cause its nearer your
house.
Sure! You need me to bring you something?
No. Came the sweet voice.
Then, why do you want me to meet you? Silence from the other end.
Forget what I said, Ill be there in ten minutes.
Thank you, Hilde-chan.
No problem. Hilde smiled. 'God, I just love that voice'!
Hilde scrambled about, pacing here and there in her room, looking for
something to bring with her as she met up with Cathrine. She brought
herself a jacket and an extra one. She snickered at herself. Not this
game of earning cutie points again! Hilde sighed. Not like Cathrine
would learn about her secret admiration for her. She just couldnt
help herself from falling in-love for the acrobat. A girl whos a few
years older than her... And not to mention that shes beautiful,
talented, kind, nice, sexy
The heavy banged girl shook her head and blushed. Hilde was kinda
frustrated at the girl. Shes perfect and all. Yeah, and someday,
shes going to meet some guy and marry him
yadda, yadda, yadda
Hilde looked outside, below her rooms window. Now how am I going to
sneak out of here? Im already fifteen years old and Im going to get
out of here by
climbing down a tree from my room? Forget it! She
paused. Ah well, its for _Catherine_, Hilde! Dont be such a bona!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was exactly after nine minutes and forty-five seconds when Hilde
arrived at the park. She did a quick look at herself in her
ever-present mirror and arranged her hair. It absolutely did *not*
exactly look like that when she wakes up in the morning. After a few
breaths, she caught a glimpse of a brunette from the corner.
Shes here!!! Calm yourself, Hilde
just
just calm down. Hilde
waved at Catherine.
The curly-haired brunette waved back with a smile that almost melted
Hildes knees into puddles of goo but controlled herself nonetheless.
Hi.
Hey. Hilde blushed.
It kind of surprised me that you agreed to accompany me tonight.
Arent you supposed to be tucked in bed early, Ms. Schbeiker? You are
supposed to be getting ready for an college entrance exam tomorrow.
Oh yeah, that. Hilde coughed. Im not going to _that_ college if
youre thinking Im going to Cutter University.
Really. From what I know, most of the population would be taking an
exam for that university.
Well, count me out. I never wanted to take up medicine, anyway.
Sensing the tension in Hildes voice, Cathrine tried to change the
subject. She thought of something that would lighten up the mood.
Do you know anything about daggers? Cathrine asked with a smile that
nearly sent Hilde off the edge.
Daggers? Yeah. I keep three daggers at home. Yknow, for protection.
Youll never know when one would go after my blood. 'Yeah, and it
kinda reminds me of your knives when you perform at the circus.' Hilde
added mentally.
Cathrine giggled at her friend. Silly. No one would want you hurt!
Youre such a good person.
Hilde blushed. Yeah but I do want to protect the ones closest to me.
Like you, right? 'Sheesh, lame line! Courtesy of Hilde Schbeiker...'
Well, whatever you say. Hmm, Im asking because I collect daggers,
you see and
You _collect_ them?! Cool!
Cathrine smiled. Hilde is just full of life and shes really fun to be
around. Its not really surprising that Cathrine admired the other
girl. Shes really cute, actually. I just wish
, nevermind
'
Yes, I do.
I used to think you only used those knives for your unibanged
target. Hilde chuckled.
Cathrine laughed with Hilde. You really enjoy humoring me, dont you?
Well, I also have my own collection. I got into it and started
collecting some for my own
when Im lucky.
Lucky? Huh? What do you mean?
Yes. Usually when its the circus season. Sometimes when we go off
on tours and the crowd loves us. Some instances when much money comes
in.
Is that why you always move from place to place?
Yes.
Hilde frowned. That was the reason why her friend was left behind by
two years in school. She always moved from place to place and barely
had time to finish high school. She often wondered how the acrobat
even managed performing and studying at the same time.
I often wondered how great it is to travel and to be known, Hilde
said, walking towards a tree and sat under it, with Cathrine following
suit. To see the world and the colonies and to appreciate the beauty
of both sides.
Yes. And in my case, to bring smiles to people's faces even for only
a moment in their lives through my performance despite the war that is
occurring right now. Cathrine added, looking at her hands. Cathrine
closed her eyes, recalling the pain of having to lose her family
because of this... war... She shivered.
Hilde stiffened and rummaged for the extra jacket she brought with
her. Without a second thought, she covered Cathrine's shoulders with
her jacket.
"Merci[3], Hilde. You always carry an extra jacket with you?"
Hilde blushed. 'Uh-oh... busted!'
Cathrine giggled, putting on the jacket. "You really keep on
surprising me, Hilde Schbeiker. What more is going on in that brain of
yours? I'm so curious!"
Hilde blushed harder and turned her head away from the curly-haired
girl. 'No, you _really_ don't wanna know, Cathrine Bloom!'
Cathrine sighed. She can sense something in the air. Actually, she had
_always_ sensed this kind of tension in the air whenever she's with
the other girl and she couldn't understand what it was and why.
Perhaps it was because she knew in her heart that she felt something
for Hilde. So strong and she couldn't supress it. And now, the
feelings she had locked inside a cave in her heart must somehow be
voiced out... before she leaves the said person behind.
Hilde on the other hand was struggling with something to block out the
tension. Instead, she cleared her throat and brought up the almost
forgotten topic. Well, um,... anyway... Is that why you called for
me? You want me to accompany you buy a new dagger? Hilde said as she
turned to face Cathrine again.
Cathrine just stared at her for a few seconds, before tearing her eyes
away and got something from her pocket. She handed a little
leather-cased gadget to Hilde. Hilde accepted the gift with a curious
frown settling between her eyebrows.
"It was given to me by Madame CM, our Circus fortune teller, for my
birthday five years ago."
It was a little, shiny dagger. The handle part had little carved stars
on it. But that wasn't the decor which captured Hilde's attention. It
was the engraved name on the blade.
Princess Cathrine of the Circus
Hilde's eyes widened in shock as the realization had hit her. Cathrine
is entrusting this dagger to her?! Impossible!
"Cathrine... I... I... wha--?"
If Hilde's eyes could widen even more, it would have already. It was a
good thing she had been able to slip the dagger into its leather case
right away just before Cathrine held her in a tight embrace.
"Goodbye, Hilde-chan. The whole circus is moving and I have no choice
but to move again and leave this place once more."
"What?! I don't believe this. You're kidding, right?" There was a
tremor in Hilde's voice. Too much is happening in one night! She
couldn't handle this all at once! Somebody please tell her this is NOT
true.
Cathrine on the other hand, is struggling with her own emotions for
the other girl. Another look into Hilde's innocent eyes and she might
not be able to control herself much longer. A large part of her was
urging on to at least tell Hilde her feelings and how happy she was to
be able to meet her... but that was not all. It was telling her to at
least tell Hilde what big part of her life she was in it and she won't
forget her for that. This is a struggle she was fast losing into.
She looked at Hilde and smiled, tears forming in her eyes but refusing
to fall. "I'm sorry, Hilde. Thank you for making my stay here on L2
special. It has been hard for me to make friends but you were the only
one who've became mine whom I will never ever forget. I hope you won't
forget me as well. I need to go now." Cathrine smiled and stood,
letting the tears drop to the ground as she bowed farewell to Hilde.
She was startled as she felt her arm fiercely tugged and met Hilde's
anger filled eyes... and... was that pain in those dark blue depths?
"Sorry? YOU'RE SORRY?! Is that all you have to say? HAH! Here we are,
probably sharing our last night together in this park, and you just
have to LEAVE me a precious dagger and a few words of farewell... and
YOU'RE GONNA LEAVE _ME_... without knowing how much I care for you!
How much it would HURT me to see you go. How much I love you and how
true it is that it would KILL me if you left!"
Cathrine's jaw dropped at Hilde's sudden outburst.
"........."
And if Cathrine had the time to kid around, she'd think she and her
brother Trowa had SO much in common.
Besides, would she have TIME to kid around right now while Hilde's
lips is pressed against hers?
Then again, maybe not because she's too busy kissing Hilde back.
After Hilde broke the kiss, both women stared at each other in
complete shock.
"Oh God. I did that?" Hilde touched her lips and her eyes widened.
"Go--gomen nasai, Cathrine-san! I... I..."
"Hilde," Cathrine advanced, circling her arms around Hilde's
shoulders.
"I shouldn't have done that. You might think I'm such a ditz right now
for doing such a... a..."
"A stupid thing? Since when was Hilde Schbeiker discouraged of her
stupid acts? Isn't it when she realizes her mistakes, she goes on and
try to make her way out of the falsehood? Make her own stand to fight
against it? To make things straight? To make things better?"
"Did I make a mistake?" Hilde asked the older girl with pleading eyes.
"Yes."
Hilde's face fell. "Oh."
"You didn't voice it out earlier, silly!" Cathrine embraced her human
plushie.
Hilde embraced her back and they held each other like that for some
time. The dark blue-haired girl wiped Cathrine's tears away with the
back of her hand and offered her a soft smile. "I'm gonna miss you."
"Me too." Cathrine said, entwining her own fingers with the ones on
her cheek.
Hilde looked into Cathrine's eyes and felt herself drowning into those
depths. 'If I let myself drown, then I don't wanna get out of it. I
don't want to lose you. I've been looking for you all my life.'
"I'm coming with you then."
"What?"
"You heard me. I may not know much about cleaning cages or feeding
animals or walking on a tight rope but I would like to be with you. I
want to fight for the colonies but I want to be with you all my life."
Concern lingering in her heart, Cathrine turned away. "If you do that,
how will your parents feel? Have you ever thought about the people who
care about you? Don't act like a spoiled child. The people who live...
who will live without you won't be able to do anything but cry."
With Hilde's soft hands, she turned Cathrine's head to make her eyes
meet hers. "I don't have anyone but you." With that, she pulled
Cathrine into another sweet kiss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cathrine Bloom sat in front of a mirror, removing her star earrings.
Smiling to herself, she recalled the events that happened earlier that
day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Aw c'mon, Trowa! What do you mean I have to be your substitute?! I
already covered for your turn on feeding the lions! Oi, one of them
almost ate my left hand, you unibanged cur!"
". . . . ."
"Trowa! I can't be your sister's target for her knife-throwing act!
I'll be chopped to pieces before the day ends!"
". . . . ."
"TROWA!"
"Oniisan said she'd give you a _surprise_ tonight if you would do the
honor of being her target for tonight's act."
". . . . ."
"It's settled then. Here's your costume."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Why are you smiling to yourself? Come to bed already." Hilde
grumbled, still blushing.
Joining her lover on the bed, Cathrine aimed Hilde a sexy smile.
"Excellent performance today, _target_."
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