The Spinning of Webs
I was currently seated on the opposite side of my desk in the student council room sifting through a stack of papers to read and sign, a certain blue haired biker sitting across from me diligently typing away on my laptop. Luckily the council didn’t have a meeting today, which meant Natsuki could stay as long as she wished, or as long as I allowed, and lord knows I would keep her here with me forever if I could. The two of us had remained silent for the past ten minutes before I spoke up, and needless to say, the girl really hadn’t expected it.
Pausing in her typing, Natsuki looked up at me, “Hmm?”
“The School Anniversary Celebration is coming up, remember?” I said, laying my pencil down and propping my chin up on my hand.
“Oh yeah,” she stated while leaning back in her chair, “What about it?”
“Since it’s the student council’s responsibility to organize the events, we’ll be having meetings every afternoon…”
“Oh?”
“…So you probably won’t be able to use my computer next week, is what I’m trying to say,” I concluded.
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Good. I just wanted you to know…and I wanted to apologize in advance for any inconveniences.”
Natsuki raised an eyebrow at this, “What are you saying? You don’t have to apologize for anything, Shizuru. I’m just lucky that you let me use your computer in the first place. It’s no big deal if I can’t for a week. That’s nothing to worry about, I’m sure you have enough stuff to stress over anyway.”
“I guess you’re right. I’m just glad to be of some help to Natsuki, even if it isn’t that much.”
“You help me more than you know,” she replied, turning back to the screen to continue her work.
I couldn’t help but smile broadly at her words. She had said them so casually that I really didn’t know if she was aware of the depth of them. Or the depth that could be there. Maybe I was looking into it too much, but even though my brain argued that it could be nothing, my heart said otherwise.
There was a short pause afterwards as I reveled in the presence of the girl, watching her, simply watching her, before I decided to break the silence again, “So, are you going to attend the festivities?”
“I don’t know,” came the curt reply.
“You should. Maybe we could walk around and look at the booths together.”
This got Natsuki to give her attention to me again, along with a slightly baffled expression, “Huh?”
“What do you say, hm?”
“Eh…well, I’ve never really been one for crowds…”
“Oh, come on, Natsuki…Please?”
“Oi, Shizuru—“
“Please?”
“…Fine.”
“Ookini, Natsuki!” I exclaimed, a full smile on my face as I tilted my head to the side.
The girl merely huffed at me.
I continued to smile sweetly at her as she let out a sigh, “Well, I’m done for today.”
“You’re leaving already?”
“Already? I’ve been here for half an hour, Shizuru.”
“Exactly,” I stated, pouting slightly.
Natsuki shook her head at me, “I really do have some stuff to take care of in town.”
“I see…” I mumbled, my head drooping momentarily before regaining my composure, “Be careful then, okay?”
“Of course,” the girl confidently responded while standing, “I guess I’ll see you at the festival then?”
“But that’s over a week away…”
“I thought you just said you were going to be busy until then.”
“You could still come visit, you know,” I lightheartedly protested.
Before Natsuki could say anything, the phone on the edge of my desk suddenly rang making us both jump slightly. I immediately stood and answered it.
“Student Council room.”
“Fujino-san? This is Himeno Fumi. I’m calling on behalf of Rijichou Kazahana whom requests your presence at the moment if that is possible.”
“Yes, that’s fine. I’ll be right on my way.”
Once I had finished, I placed the receiver back in its holder, “It seems that I have somewhere to be as well.”
“Who called?”
“The Director’s assistant.”
“About what?”
“I’m about to go find out,” I said as I pulled out my keys and proceeded to wave them at the biker as I walked towards the door. Natsuki was quick to follow.
“I’ll walk with you,” came the voice from behind me as I locked the door.
I turned to the raven-haired girl with a playfully quizzical expression, “But I thought Natsuki had someplace to be?”
“I’m sure I can afford a small detour,” Natsuki replied with a roll of her eyes.
The two of us made small talk as we made our way out of the building and towards the director’s residence. Once we had made it to the end of the main walkway, Natsuki abruptly halted.
“You can manage from here I assume.”
“What? Natsuki doesn’t want to say hello to the director?” I teased.
The girl paused for a moment, almost as if she was contemplating her next words, before shrugging, “And get a lecture on my slacking attendance record? I think not.”
“That’s my job, isn’t it?”
That certainly won me a glare, “Whatever. Have fun with your little chat.”
I simply shook my head at Natsuki’s sarcasm as I watched her walk off and back towards the school, inevitably to go fetch her motorcycle from its secret hiding spot in the wooded area close to the school. My smile quickly faded, however, as soon as my friend was out of sight. I turned and began walking towards the front entrance of the house.
What was that just now, Natsuki? When I mentioned the director…Was it…resentment? Distrust? Why is that…?
I was just about to knock on the door when it swung open, revealing a cheerful face amongst pink curls.
“Good afternoon, Fujino-san,” the woman greeted me along with a bow.
I imitated the gesture, “Himeno-san, it’s good to see you again.”
Stepping out of the way, the older maid motioned me inside, “Please, right this way.”
Following her instruction, I entered and was quick to follow her once she had closed the door. Ms. Himeno led me to a familiar room. It was large and spacey, the giant windows running from floor to ceiling along one of the walls only adding to the openness. There was a small break in the line of windows where a section of wall was placed to reinforce the structure, and it was here that an old grandfather clock stood. In front of it was a table with a single comfy looking chair for company. The young director currently sat on the opposite side in her usual wheelchair, turning to us when she heard us enter.
“Fujino-san, I’m glad you could come. Ah, Fumi-san, could you please prepare some tea?”
“Yes, Mashiro-sama,” the pink haired woman replied before disappearing to another room.
“Please, have a seat,” the young girl continued.
Doing so, I smiled, “You seem well, Kazahana-sama.”
“Yes, I have been. And yourself?”
“Very much so, although things are beginning to pick up lately.”
“Hm, organizing the School Anniversary Celebration is a rather heavy burden, isn’t it?”
“At times, yes, but thankfully I have a very resourceful team to work with.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“I assume that’s why you called me here today?”
The violet haired girl’s visage quickly changed from content to sternly serious, “Actually, there is something else I would like to address you about…”
“Oh?”
“It has come to my attention that you have recently awakened, Shizuru-hime.”
A crack in the mask.
It is quickly repaired.
“Whatever do you mean, Rijichou-san?”
“Nagi…you have spoke to him, have you not?”
That boy? Mmm…she clearly knows about this…All of it, it seems…There’s no point in playing dumb now…
“…Yes,” I calmly answered.
“And he has explained your purpose?”
“Purpose?”
“Orphans…Monsters that appear from another place into our world…They can only be destroyed by you HiMEs. That is why you were invited here after your father’s—“
“I see,” I interrupted a little harshly before she could continue, “So you brought me here to kill these Orphans?”
“Yes. Although you have already done this…recently, wasn’t it?”
It was true. About a week ago I had been on my way home from the market with a few groceries when the thing had appeared. It chased me into the woods by the dorms, and it was there that I had summoned my Child and my element. With Kiyohime by my side the monster hadn’t stood a chance. She had grown gradually since I had first accepted her and continued to do so. Why this was, I had no idea, but even so, the mighty creature obeyed my every command without hesitation.
“Yes,” I gave the vague response.
“You are…Kiyohime’s master, correct?”
So she knows about her as well…This is all very interesting…
I simply nodded in reply, and I was surprised and somewhat confused to see Kazahana-san sadden the instant I did so.
“I see,” she practically whispered. After a bout of silence in which the Rijichou seemed to be in deep thought, she regained the strength in her voice once again, “You must make the decision for yourself, if you will fight or not. I will not punish you in any way if you chose not to, but…you, and the others like you, are the only ones who can fight the Orphans. I ask that you please consider that when you do decide.”
I didn’t stay for the tea.
After Kazahana-sama and I had exchanged eerily pleasant goodbyes, I left the mansion with all haste, without making it appear that way, of course. On my way back to the student council room, my mind replayed the previous conversation in my head several times.
She said there really are others like me…other HiMEs…Thinking back, Nagi said the same when I first met him, right? And…why did she look so…troubled…when I told her Kiyohime was my Child…
Entering the room, I merely collected my things and left yet again, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything after what had just taken place.
So she wants me to fight these monsters…I’m sorry, Rijichou-san, but I have only one purpose…one reason to use these powers bestowed upon me…And she is the only one I will fight for.
Spotting my target, I made my way over to the bar. Yamada always sat on that same stool whenever he was at the counter. He always got the same drink too. Placing my helmet on the wooden surface as I sat down, I immediately dug into the inside pocket of my jacket, removed a small white envelope, and slid it over to him. The man casually reached out and took the money, securing it in his vest as we both continued to look straight ahead. I was the first to break the ice.
“Any information?”
“I discovered an abandoned research facility.”
“…Where?”
“Near Fukanuma beach…”
That place?! It’s—!
“…about forty miles from…”
…Mother…
“Hey, Kuga, are you even listening?”
I set my inner turmoil on pause.
“Fukanuma beach. Forty miles. I got it.”
At that, I stood and made to leave.
“H-hey…”
“Keep looking, Yamada. I’ll go check this place out when I get the chance.”
“Right,” my informant nodded before turning back to his drink.
I exited the room the same way I had come, being welcomed by artificial light as I made my way back up to the surface. Walking over to my bike, I mounted it with a sigh.
“I guess I’ll have to go there at least once,” I muttered to myself as I pulled my hair back in preparation to place my helmet on.
I was so involved in my own little world that I didn’t even notice the familiar redhead run by until she stopped herself right beside me.
“Eh?!”
“You’re—“
“Kuga-san? You haven’t happened to see Mikoto, have you?” Mai hastily interrogated me.
“N-no…Why? Did you lose her or something?” I questioned back but with a twinge of sarcasm.
“She’s been missing since this afternoon. Nagi said that something bad was happening and—“
“Nagi?!”
“Yeah, he said that Mikoto and some other girl were in danger here in Tsukimori, but I haven’t been able to find them at all. I don’t know where to start.”
“Alright, alright, calm down,” I insisted followed by an agitated sigh, “Wait here a minute, I’ll see if anyone downstairs has heard anything.”
Dismounting from my motorcycle once again, I headed back down to the bar, but rather than venture inside, I merely stood in the doorway.
“Has anyone heard about or seen a dark haired middle school girl around this area?” I asked the crowd, raising my voice so all of those inside could hear.
I was honestly uncomfortable with all those eyes on me, especially the ones that lingered on certain areas of my body, but that couldn’t be bothered with at the moment. Eventually a voice spoke up from the back. Of course, he had to look like a potential pedophile…
“I’ve seen a middle school girl hanging around these parts for a while now. Always with a new guy, the little whore…”
“Do you know any specifics on a location?”
“Word has it she likes to take ‘em where they’re working on that new office building.”
“Behind the Violet Crown?”
“That’s the place.”
“I see…Thanks,” I said with a nod.
“No problem,” the man replied with a wink.
I held in my snarl until I had turned around and was halfway up the stairs. Once I had reemerged from the darkness below, Mai nearly knocked me back down into it.
“Did you hear anything?”
“Yeah, rumor has it they might be nearby—“
“Where? Can you take me there? We have to hurry, Mikoto could be…”
“Just follow me,” I snapped before taking off at a sprint towards the main road.
Mai was right behind me as we ran down the sidewalk, weaving around the crowds of people who littered the street. We turned quite a few heads and earned a couple of not-so-nice comments, but I kept my focus on locating the right building. When I finally spotted the sign, I skidded around the corner and proceeded to creep towards the next, my back against the cool cement wall.
“She’s really at a place like this?” Mai quietly questioned, peering around me to get a look.
“What the guys from the bar say is usually true.”
“But what were you doing in a place like that?”
“You don’t need to—”
Footsteps.
I stopped in time to see a teenage boy who appeared to be in a fast food uniform walk past us, and freeze when a voice sounded from nearby. From our current position, Mai and I watched in secrecy.
“Hey…I’m really bored right now. So, you want to play with me a little?”
“You a junior high student?”
“Yes.”
A mischievous leer was emitted from the male before he followed the young HiME down another alley, and out of our sight. I turned to the redhead beside me who was wholeheartedly dumbfounded by the event that had just occurred. She stood silent for a brief moment before exploding.
“Wha-wha-what is Mikoto doing?!” she screamed, grabbing me by the shoulders and violent shaking me back and fourth.
I tried to pry her hands off of me, but she had a better grip than I thought, “What? Well…”
And then another set of footsteps was heard. Lighter this time, they effectively got both of our attentions. Leaning around the corner again, I was surprised to see another girl in a middle school uniform cautiously follow the pair that had just gone down the same alleyway. I was distracted, however, when a hand made contact with the top of my head and forcefully pushed me down out of the way.
“She’s!”
“Get off of me…” I grumbled at Mai, and she did, but I doubt it was because I had said so.
“But that girl! She’s Aoi’s roommate…I think her name is Nao. She and Mikoto had been talking lately, but…Mikoto would never do something like this. I bet that girl’s making her do it! Aoi did say she wasn’t the best person to be around…”
“Even if that’s the case, Mikoto still had to go along with it. It’s called free will.”
“Yeah, but—!”
“How about we just go find out for ourselves,” I remarked more like a statement than a question.
Finally, Mai collected herself and nodded her agreement.
Luckily we made it in time before anything serious happened, but I was shocked to see the claw weapon on this Nao’s hands.
So she’s a HiME as well…
“That’s enough!” I yelled out as we entered the construction area before turning to the boy who was currently shaking at the red-haired HiME’s feet. “You there, I’ll let you escape just this once. Don’t ever do anything like this again.”
The pervert let out a scream as he fled. I followed him with my eyes to make sure he didn’t stick around, but somehow I didn’t think that was going to be a problem.
“Mai…” I heard Mikoto whisper, and I turned my gaze back to the girls before me.
“Why do you do this? Such foolish things?” Mai questioned in a tone harsher than I had heard the girl sound since I’d been around her.
It was followed by a mocking laugh, “Mikoto told me about you two…You two are HiMEs as well, right? Then don’t you understand? What’s wrong with using my power the way I want to? That kid-director said it herself, ‘decide what to do on your own’.”
The red haired girl paused for a moment before she continued her rant, switching back over to the original subject, “She was pissed about you treating her like a child, so I taught her a lesson. The use of the power we have.”
“Mikoto…” Mai muttered.
The golden-eyed HiME averted her gaze as Nao spoke up again.
“Plus, I hate people like you. Acting like, ‘I’m innocent, I’m a good sister, I’m having lots of trouble…’I’ve heard so much of that that I’m getting calluses in my ears from listening. ‘Mai-chan is so great at working hard.’ You retarded or what? Makes me want to puke.”
“Mai…” Mikoto barely uttered again at the sight of her now teary eyed friend.
Certainly, the girl’s words were harsh. They were as sharp as the blades on those claws of hers, but I honestly have to say that I did see the truth behind them…and deep down, I agreed with her. But still…
This time it was my turn to laugh, “True, you do have a point. The First District…There’s no reason for us to follow their orders, and it’s entirely up to the individual how they use their powers…”
The green-eyed girl smirked, “You know the deal.”
“Therefore,” I continued, materializing my element and turning it on the girl, “it’s my right to not like your idea as well. Right?”
I stared at her with a smug grin on my face as she licked her element and extended the crimson claws even further, “I knew it.”
“Wait! Hold on, you two,” Mai pleaded, “Yeah?”
Nao merely waved her fingers at me, enticing me to come at her, “You want to try dying first?”
“Nao,” Mikoto piped in.
And then the comedian showed up…
“Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it.”
A very drunk comedian…
“Hold it right there,” Midori exclaimed, gripping my shoulder and using it to propel herself forward. I jerked back from the motion.
The woman stammered for a bit, nearly falling down on her intoxicated ass before straightening in posture, “Stop fighting. Hic.”
“Midori-chan?” Mai questioned in concern.
“Stop it, or else…” our sensei warned, sobering up enough to summon her element before returning to her drunken stupor, “I’ll punish all of you at once.”
She tried to swing her bardiche, but ended up just incapacitating herself instead.
She really is an embarrassment…How is it that they let her teach at our school?
“Who is she?” Nao asked.
Somehow, the woman in question was back on her feet, grabbing the girl by the shoulders, as she managed to lecture even in her current state, “You crazy dunce. You’ve got to take better care of yourself—Ergh! I feel sick…”
The oh-so-lovely sound of someone puking their guts out.
A disgusted scream.
And an annoyed sigh amongst the ruckus, but that one surely wasn’t heard.
Mai was quick to grab Midori and drag her over to the side, a trail of orange liquid showing where she previously stood. Nao was sitting on the floor from where she had stumbled backwards when the spewing had begun, Mikoto standing nearby having not moved since we arrived. I remained where I was, massaging my temples at the whole thing.
Honestly, why do I always—!
Suddenly, Nagi dropped down from the sky right in the middle of our little powwow, “That’s enough.”
“Nagi!” I said in shock.
“You…” Nao mumbled.
The boy walked in front of the red-haired HiME, “I’m not here to comment on what Nao does. It is up to you guys how you use your powers. But…no fighting amongst HiMEs.”
Nao was quick to bite back, “Why not? Those guys are…”
“If you cause too much trouble, I’ll punish you, Nao-chan, “ the boy countered in complete seriousness, and the girl visibly shuddered at his words.
“Besides,” Midori interrupted, seemingly recovered enough to rant again as she wrapped her arm around Mai’s shoulders, “you’re bound to regret what you do when you realize who it is that you really love.”
Surprisingly enough, Nagi agreed with an amused smile, “Well said, Midori-chan!”
“What would you know?” Nao screamed, her red claws turning into strings that wrapped around the overhead beams. “All of you deserve to be squashed.”
And then she was gone. Nagi was quick to follow, and as the ceiling began to crumble, panic set in.
“Let’s get out of here, we’ll get crushed,” I announced, turning to Mai to make sure she had our stupid professor with her.
“Mikoto!” the redhead cried out.
The younger girl remained stationary, and Mai instinctively reached out for her, “What are you doing? Hurry up!”
Metal beams fell around us, blocking the path between the three of us and the dark haired HiME.
“Mikoto!” Mai desperately tired again, but the girl still didn’t move.
More and more of the building continued to crumble. Mai screamed out again, and forcefully grabbing her by the waist, I somehow managed to pull all three of us out of the way before more heavy debris landed on top of us.
After our rough landing, it took a little effort to pull myself up again, and turning back, I only saw a pile of steaming rubble where the half-finished building just stood.
“Mikoto…MIKOTO!” Mai wailed, the sounds of her cries completely heartbreaking. “No! Mikoto! Eh?!”
Getting to my feet, I couldn’t take my eyes off of the sight before me.
At the top of the smoldering pile, a figure emerged.
“That’s…”
“Reito-san?” Mai stated in bewilderment when the male came into the light, Mikoto in his arms.
“Kanzaki…”
But…how…?
I silently watched on as the student council vice president carefully maneuvered his way down the mountain of wreckage, and once he was safely on the pavement, away from the now collapsed building, Mai was immediately by his and Mikoto’s side as he lowered the unconscious girl to the ground.
The two were exchanging words, but I was far too preoccupied to listen.
Where did he come from? And how did he get Mikoto out of that death trap? She was…done for…
I glanced over at the slightly older boy, squinting my eyes at him.
I don’t like this at all.
I was relieved when the girl awoke a few minutes later. It didn’t seem like she had been injured at all during the mess. Maybe that was partly thanks to her HiME powers, but Reito had certainly played a big part in her being here with us right now. Poor Mai looked both physically and emotionally exhausted from the whole ordeal. Watching her worry over her friend like that, it made me wonder if I put Shizuru through the same thing. Granted the older girl had no idea of what I really did and the dangers I put myself though, but still, I knew she could tell whenever I had been injured or was tired. She wouldn’t always verbalize her concern or what she saw, but I knew that she was well aware. You could just tell by the look she always got in her eyes.
I decided to keep my distance from Mai, Mikoto, and the whole scene, not wanting to get involved, especially when the police showed up. A few minutes later, I was just about to slip away when Mai caught me by the arm.
“Kuga-san, wait!”
“What is it?”
“Um…thank you. If you hadn’t pulled us out, Midori and I might have been crushed…and without your help, I might not have found Mikoto in the first place.”
I shook my head, “Don’t worry about. Just keep an eye on her from now on.”
The girl smiled with tired eyes, “Right.”
Snaking my way through the crowd of bystanders that had accumulated, I eventually made it back to my bike, hastily pulled on my helmet, and drove off towards home.
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