Special thanks to Tsume and Nocturne from the Shoujo-Ai Forum for the beta-reading. ::HUGS:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The kingdom of Windbloom was experiencing growing pains. With the promise of newly available technologies, the capital, Wind City, was inundated with opportunists, entrepreneurs, refugees and politicians; all hoping for a piece of the action. Construction companies and contractors were doing the best as the battle- scarred buildings were repaired and new buildings; research labs and hospitals appeared almost over night. Scientists the world over came to help Garderobe's Youko-sensei refine nano-machines fit for civilian use. These new machines would help seriously ill patients recover while the machines dissolve into harmless proteins after the work. The resulting revenue from research would allow Garderobe to offer scholarships to less advantaged yet gifted students. Plus, Windbloom could fill its strained treasury. "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Of course, none of this currently meant a thing to the Kingdom's ruler. Queen Mashiro Blan de Windbloom's day had gone from routine to chaos, when her head maid, personal assistant, and close friend Aoi Senoh announced her intention to take a personal holiday. "I told Your Highness about this weeks ago," Aoi replied. The two walked along the grande promenade, where new frescoes depicting the rebuilding of the kingdom with all people working together adorned the walls. "I KNOW that!" Her Royal Highness shrieked. "I approved it. You deserve a holiday. But I never approved calling HER back." "My queen, she's the only person with clearance high enough to attend to your personal needs this week." Aoi said, trying not to raise her queen's ire. "It was either her or Sakomizu." "Well..." Mashiro hesitated. "Your highness!" the maid exclaimed as the fiery monarch appeared to seriously consider her rotund, afroed advisor. "All right, she'll have to do," Mashiro conceded grudgingly. "His hands are way too big so he couldn't wash my back as gently as you do." "That isn't quite the point," Aoi said, deflating with relief. It seemed Mashiro might be finally getting over her "The Incident" from weeks before. Had she a window into her queen's imagination, she'd see the lavender- haired monarch activating the "Ultimate Obnoxious Onyx" GEM and charging up for her "Ultra Brat Attack." The two paused at the entryway as the garrison arrived. Queen Mashiro had sent her otome to inspect the border garrisons in the extreme south of the kingdom. A sound tactical choice since the remnants of Schwartz were still being mopped up. "It really wasn't Arika's fault," Aoi said as she saw the look on her queen's face. "She didn't know she was talking to a tabloid reporter." "Thanks for reminding me," Mashiro gritted her teeth. The procession of burly honor guard halted, leaving an empty space. Mashiro Blan de Windbloom readied herself to let their leader have it with both barrels. Oh, she was going to pay... When the past walked in. The tiny figure, dressed in sand-scoured fatigues and a worn but lovingly maintained tan poncho entered and stood before the gathered troops. Her brown, twin-ponytaied hair was tucked into the tan collar and her face, so young told the tale of countless hours under the relentless desert sun. But the eyes, those azure eyes shone with the same radiance and honest determination she'd had on their first meeting. The eyes spoke of a girl who would throw herself before any danger without a second thought for those she loved. Her friend, confidant and Meister Otome Yumemiya Arika had arrived. The scorn she'd been saving up died upon Mashiro's lips. Arika was here. The one person she couldn't hide her true self from. The only person who accepted her unconditionally. "Mashiro-chan," that sweet voice, untouched by the hard road, began. "The southern border is secure. The Schwartz-allied forces won't be coming back any time soon. We 'persuaded' them that any further incursions would be unprofitable...Mashiro-chan?" "WHAT'S with your appearance?!" the queen exploded, surprising all assembled and herself. "How dare you report to me looking so disreputable?" "I'm sorry Mashiro-chan," the otome replied evenly. "I came directly to the castle to see you--erm, to report." "My queen," Aoi interjected, "shall we complete the preparations?" "Very well," the queen exhaled heavily before she took off leaving courtiers and others scrambling to catch up. *Why did I just say that?* Mashiro had wanted to grab her friend's hand and take her somewhere to talk. To apologize for being selfish. To ask her not to go away ever again. But somewhere between her brain and her mouth it turned into scorn. As they walked along the grand corridor towards the queen's rooms, the honor guard lagging behind, Mashiro noticed Arika walked with a slight limp. She slowed her pace noticing the right leg of the otome's fatigues was a bit thicker around the thigh. "A little souvenir from Schwartz," Arika smiled seeing her friend's gaze. "Don't worry, Mashiro-chan. The nano-machines are taking care of it." "As if I'd worry about you," Mashiro huffed. "You wouldn't die even if they killed you." Arika gave her a chagrined laugh. "And do something about the way you address me," she pressed on. "I can't have you calling me -chan in front of everyone." *Why did I just SAY that?* That comment hit home as Arika stopped short in the middle of the corridor. Mashiro almost jumped to an apology when she noticed the brown-haired otome wasn't paying attention to her. "You actually did it," she said only loud enough for Mashiro to hear. New murals adorned the walls depicting the people of Windbloom rebuilding the country. "Well I had to remodel after the second time you wrecked my castle," the queen said nonchalant. These walls formerly held murals of the former royal family, and their loyal Meister Otome, Rena Sayers. Royal historians were scandalized when the queen ordered them taken down and loaned to various museums around the kingdom. Editorials sprang up deriding the young queen for throwing away the past to cement her own rule. Only two people in the corridor knew the real reason. The other's face was tracked with fresh tears. "Thank you, Mashiro-chan." Arika whispered. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Aoi walked toward the waiting sedan someone carried HER bags for a change. Though she couldn't see beyond the smoked-glass windows she could feel a familiar presence. "Are we doing the right thing?" she asked her waiting companion as she entered the car. "I can't go on like it has," Chie replied, handing her lover a blue rose. "Those two don't do well without each other." "I know," Aoi grinned as she accepted the gift. "I just can't help worrying about leaving them alone. Who knows what might happen." "You should worry about yourself sometimes," Chie gently chided. "Like how you're going to get into this." She handed over a small gift bag. The maid looked inside and immediately turned beet red. "Um...Where's the rest of it?" "Exactly," Chie grinned mischievously. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arika tore through the darkened castle halls. An intruder had breached security and threatened the queen. Arika swore to get to the scoundrel first and tear him a new trachea. The corridors of the rebuilt castle began to take odd twists and turns. The otome cursed herself for not memorizing the new format. Somehow the lighting in this section had failed. Rounding a dark corner, something heavy rammed into Arika's stomach, sending her to her knees. Groggy from the impact, Arika found someone upon her, pinning her arms above her head. The Meister Otome willed her Robe to Materialise...but nothing happened. "W-who are you?" She demanded. The assailant remained silent but reached out and began to run a finger along her lips. The assailant leans forward, Arika closed her eyes concentrating. What does he want? She can feel hot breath on her lips. The otome guessed his (his?) intentions. "No! You can't! I'm saving them for..." Arika faltered. Whom was she saving her lips for. Was there no one special to her? No one she wanted to give her first kiss to? "I'm saving them for," she continued as she looked into the insane, sea-green eyes of her attacker. She could feel the hot breath upon her lips. "MASHIRO-CHAN?!" Suddenly freed, Arika bolted upright...and nearly fell from her bed. Her quarters within the castle were dark on this moonless night. For several moments, all Arika could hear was the pounding of her runaway heart. "What WAS that?" She demanded of the darkness. The bed sheets were twisted about her body as if she'd been acting out that odd dream. Dream? But her lips still burned from the dreamt kiss. Arika tentatively touched her flushed cheek. "Mashiro-chan touched me here," she whispered. A furtive sound caught the otome's attention. The sound of slipper-clad feet rushing down the outside hall, away from her room.
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