Chapter 4: A Powerful Allies
Friday Morning
Mai was fuming. This morning, when the fiery haired girl woke up she noticed that she was alone in their room at the hotel, guessing where the two went made the busty girl seethe in anger while waiting for their arrival. The sudden opening of the door signaled that her waiting is over and was ready to yell at the two girls, but their expression caused her to just swallow her anger up. Natsuki was pale and it was obvious that the blue haired girl was fuming despite her pale appearance, but it wasn’t Natsuki’s state that caused her concern to rise up, it was Mikoto’s expression that can be described as something that was at the border of being scared and worried. There was no answer when she voiced out her concern, Mikoto held onto her and whispered to her that they will discuss about what happened over breakfast as they were famished.
Mai’s anger came to life once again when the two girls explained to her what happened…
“Baka…Natsuki no Baka!” Mai cussed after they hurriedly exited the fast food restaurant, “Mikoto no baka!” Mai added.
“Mou Mai!” Natsuki said pouting. Mai stopped walking and hurriedly faced the blue haired girl.
“Don’t pout on me Natsuki! You knew that I came here to help find Kaichou-san and you left me!”
“But Mai! Mai was sleeping peacefully and Mai doesn’t like running!” Mikoto explained her side.
“Stop making excuses!” Mai shouted, “We were in these together and you two left me! If I were there we might have taken Kaichou-san! But you didn’t think of it!”
“That’s why we are saying Sorry Mai!!” Natsuki screamed back, “It’s my fault! I was so eager to get there I thought that waking you up will be a waste of time! I thought that you’ll slow us down because you’re not a runner like us! Everything is my fault so stop screaming at Mikoto!” Natsuki’s face was red from exertion.
Silence.
“You have no idea how hard it is to hold onto someone until you lose them, so please spare Mikoto, it was all my fault.” Natsuki said sadly and then she walked passed Mai, “Gomen…I wasn’t thinking…” her last words were a whisper as she walked away from her now stunned friends.
“Natsuki…” Mai softly called out but the blue haired girl did not stop. So Mai grabbed Mikoto and ran towards their friend, “Natsuki…”
No answer.
“Sorry Natsuki…” Mai said with a remorseful face.
“You don’t have to say sorry to me, it was my fault…” Natsuki replied softly, Mai almost leaned her face towards Natsuki’s mouth to hear it.
“But I said yes!” Mikoto exclaimed, “Natsuki must not cry!”
Natsuki stopped walking and took a deep breath, “I haven’t been thinking straight lately,” Natsuki said after she shrugged her shoulders.
“Maybe Natsuki misses her Mayo so much!” Mikoto tried to cheer the blue haired girl up and Mai nodded as she patted Natsuki’s shoulder playfully.
“Come on, I did promise you to go Mayo hunting yesterday ne?” Mai said smiling.
Natsuki looked at the two girls and smiled, “Yeah, I guess I haven’t touched Mayo for two months now.” Natsuki agreed giving her own smile.
“Two months?” Mai and Mikoto exclaimed with wide eyes, Natsuki nodded her head.
“Not even a bit!” Natsuki confirmed.
“What? You’re abstaining from mayonnaise as a vigil for Kaichou-san?” Mai asked.
Mikoto frowned. “What is vigil?”
“Well…” Mai rolled her eyes to try to explain the word.
“Well it’s not vigil Mai…whatever that means; I just suddenly lost my interest in mayo…that’s all.” Natsuki explained.
Mai patted Natsuki’s shoulder as if the blue haired girl lost her favorite dog once again, “Lovesick I say…love sick…”
Usually, Natsuki will flushed with such a tease but it has been long since Mai noticed Natsuki not reacting to any teases at all1 kaichou-san’s disappearance really took its toll from Natsuki, O please Kami-sama, bring Shizuru-san back to Natsuki, we missed our ice princess…
And they spent the rest of their day Mayo hunting but ended up buying nothing.
XXX
Saturday
There was no plan in going to Kyoto Gakuen, there are several reasons for this but three are sufficient enough:
Saturday. Though Natsuki and company believed that they are dealing with a very unusual entity, they believed that whatever causes this disturbance will stick to the routine that Saturdays and Sundays are school-free days,
Yamada and Himeno both said the same thing. Don’t push too hard, the one causing the disturbance may notice it and change the game or it may do something that will be bad for Fujino Shizuru,
And last but the most important reason, they have to wait for their Allies and they will arrive on Sunday evening after all the masses are done (clue…clue…clue…)
Since they’re free for the weekend, Mikoto wanted to look around Kyoto, see the city’s famous temples and historical places. It was a very informative morning for the three when they decided to head back to the main street when the three HiMEs suddenly felt the sudden surge of power inside their bodies.
“Miroku is acting up again.” Mikoto whispered. The smallest girl stopped from walking as she felt this.
“Yeah, I felt it too…The same feeling as yesterday morning.” Natsuki agreed stopping in her tracks as well, followed by Mai, “Can you feel Kagatsuchi?” she asked the fiery haired girl beside her.
“Yes…but…” Mai was facing south, so she turned to her right and suddenly felt a sudden increase of Kagatsuchi’s power, “It increased when I faced right Natsuki,” she said. She noticed this because she accidentally faced right before stopping when she saw someone on her peripheral vision. To prove her theory, she turned 180 degrees and to her left and felt the decrease in Kagatsuchi’s power activity, “And it decreases when I faced left.” Mai said calmly, but deep inside her heart started galloping like a horse in a race.
Mikoto and Natsuki nodded and tried it themselves, frowning when they too felt what Mai did. So the three turned right and they were now facing the street. Across the street is an old bookstore and it seemed that it had no patrons.
“Maybe we should try crossing the street and see what happens?” Mai asked.
Mikoto shrugged her shoulders, Natsuki put her hands inside her pockets and nodded her head slightly and Mai nodded to the two to signal that she was ready. The three girls crossed the street and stopped in front of the old bookstore.
“It’s stronger.” Mikoto whispered, her eyes was now serious and started looking all around, cautious, her muscles tightened as if to prepare herself for another battle just like during the Carnival.
“Yes, I feel it too.” Natsuki agreed, she put out her hands from her pockets and slid it to her back and felt the gun handles protruding from her pants.
“Why don’t we try walking along this road and see what happens?” Mai suggested once again and the other two nodded their heads in agreement.
The three walked forward, away from the bookstore and they felt the power insurgence slowly decrease. So they walked back feeling it returned, but when they passed the bookstore, the power decreases once again. The three girls looked at each other and nodded their heads. They started walking back to the bookstore and stopped in front of it. Natsuki took a deep breath and hold on to the bookstore’s door handle.
As if some magician putting an illusion, as soon as Natsuki held on the door and opened it, the sudden change of atmosphere began.2 Like an invisible wave of an unknown force passed them by, and the once decadent and depopulated bookstore building became a busy and modern diner.
Diner? Natsuki and Mai thought. They were sure that the establishment they went in was an old bookstore, and they were sure that there was no one as the bookstore’s front was covered by a see through mirror. Natsuki and Mai decided to step out again to make sure, Mikoto dragged out by the busty red head. They frowned when what they saw from the outside was the same old bookstore they saw before they enter. So they entered again and their jaw dropped when the modern, populated diner came to their view again.
“What the hell is happening?” Natsuki whispered.
Mikoto’s eyes was looking everywhere as Miroku (1) kept on bugging her and her eyes bulged when she saw someone familiar, “Kaichou-san and the little girl.” Mikoto whispered loud enough for Natsuki and Mai to hear.
The taller girls looked at where Mikoto’s eyes were focused and their eyes widened with what they saw. There at the corner of the diner was Shizuru, laughing gaily while talking to the little girl that pulled Shizuru away from them.
Natsuki’s face dimmed, “That baka girl…” she growled, she was to step forward when she was stop by Mai.
“Natsuki! Remember what Yamada and Himeno-san said.” Mai reminded her.
Natsuki looked at her, “I can’t let this pass Mai…please…” Natsuki said without removing her focus on her targets.
Mikoto held Mai’s hand and nodded her head, “I’ll stay by the door, go with Natsuki.” She said seriously. Mikoto’s aura was dark and serious, the same from back when they were in Fuuka two months or so ago. Mai understood and agreed and so the two taller girls approached the table. (2)
“Shizuru.” Natsuki called out and frowned when Shizuru did not turn her head and instead the chestnut haired girl continued on telling the little girl a funny story.
Mai scrunched her forehead as she too was puzzled and amused at the Kaichou’s lack of reaction, as if she was a brain in a constant tabula rasa.
“Shizuru!” Natsuki called out loudly but instead of Shizuru looking at them, it was the little girl who turned her head and looked. Her angelic smile was replaced by a dark one, her crimson orbs were looking at them as if she was ready to pound on Natsuki and then she shook her head as if to warn them to stop what they were doing. Natsuki just frowned more and in her angry state lashed out and tried grabbing Shizuru.
Mai and Natsuki’s eyes widened when the blue haired girl’s hand passed through Shizuru as if she was a hologram.
XXX
“Onee-sama…” Kiyo said and Viola looked at her, “I think we should head home now.”
“Oh…” She turned her head to where Natsuki and Mai was standing and waved her hand to ask for their bill. The waiter stood at the end of the table, just as where Natsuki and Mai was standing and took the money from the chestnut haired girl. Viola and Kiyo stand up and started walking out of the diner passing through the stunned HiMEs. Kiyo was clutching on Viola’s arm as they too passed Mikoto.
Kiyo looked back at Natsuki with an evil smile before they disappeared.
And as soon as the two stepped out of the establishment, the power inside them died down, and the wave of force hit them once again and the three were now looking in an old bookstore devoid of any human beings and was surrounded by old books. Their thoughts were called upon by a loud coughing sound.
XXX
Natsuki wanted to follow the two but was restrained by Mikoto and Mai, so with slumped shoulders she resigned herself and sat at an old chair that was leaning on the wall.
“Ahem…” They looked at the old man who suddenly approached them, “It seems you are my first customer, why don’t you look at my books here and you might want to buy something, and if you three bought a book each, I will give you an extra book for free!” the old man said smiling, but his eyes told them that the old man felt whatever it is they felt themselves.
With the offer, Mai looked around and found some books she wanted to read and haven’t found in a newer bookstore, while Mikoto found some old mangas she was interested in. Natsuki being down and have no strength to argue just grabbed a magazine and then the three went to the cashier to pay.
“Here,” The old man handed Natsuki an old book, there was no title but the cover of the said book says that it has been kept for quite a long time.
Natsuki frowned and tried scanning the book, each page was yellowed and crisp, and the smell says it might have been older than them, perhaps as old as the bookstore owner? And mostly unused, “What do we need an old book for?” she asked with a frown.
“I felt a very dark aura a while ago, just before you three entered, and it went away after sometime.” The old man said and smiled.
“So you saw the people around here?” Mai asked with wide eyes.
The old man shook his head, “There were no people, and I just saw a young girl with black hair. I know I’ve seen that girl before, but I am not sure where.” He said.
“I don’t think we need this oji-san.” Natsuki said handing the book back to the old man; the old man shook his head.
“Please take this…as a gift from me?” he said smiling, “Please?”
Natsuki was stunned from the old man’s pleading voice so she took the book and nodded her head, “Arigato oji-san.” Natsuki said then bowed her head. The old man nodded acknowledging Natsuki.
Then the three left.
Natsuki took out her phone and dialed Himeno-san’s number to tell her of what happened. After her conversation with the older woman, she disconnected and called Yamada.
XXX
Sunday was a bore so the three decided to visit an art gallery. They have no idea if it was fate or whatever, but they again saw the little girl with Shizuru passed by them after feeling the same wave of an unknown force hit them, changing the museum into a busy street and the two rode an old-model train (3), they rode a train inside the museum itself. Natsuki again glared at the girl who once again glared at her with evil eyes, as if provoking Natsuki to do something. But this time Natsuki knew there was nothing they can do. They needed their ally before they can move.
XXX
“Finally!” Mikoto screamed when they found three females sitting at the hotel’s waiting lounge.
“I thought you’ll arrive later this evening because you’ll be finishing the masses?” Mai asked one of the three.
“The masses in the afternoon were canceled because Father Enriquez was called for a special mass at Tokyo.” Miyu Greer said, “We were asked by Himeno-Fumi-san to come early today.” She added.
Natsuki frowned, “I thought Fumi-san will be sending Miyu and Alyssa? How come Yuuki is here?” Natsuki asked
“Oi Kuga! As if I wanted to come here and looked for that Fujino!” Nao said smirking, “Himeno wanted me to come, said I’ll be useful for information.”
“Information like what? This isn’t Fuuka!” Natsuki screamed.
“Hey! For your information Natsuki Hime, I can rival that old Yamada dog of yours when it comes to information! Plus I am here to look after Alyssa-chan!”
“You two!” Mai snapped, “Can you please go along even just for once?”
The two harrumphed and faced the other way as they crossed their arms.
“I think Nao-san’s having a major PMS(4).” Miyu said which earned a full face blush from Nao, “Mr. and Mrs. Fujino were informed about everything and they arranged everything here. Mr. Fujino will take care of all the financial aspect of this mission.” She said.
Natsuki looked at Miyu, “Oh…”
“That will include yours and your company Kuga-san.” Miyu added and Natsuki nodded.
Their conversation was interrupted by the hotel’s manager.
XXX
Monday
Miyu, Nao, Mai, Mikoto and Natsuki started walking towards the Kyoto Gakuen, Alyssa was slung over Mikoto’s back. They arrived at the school gate at 630 in the morning, all of them who were wearing watches synchronized the time. They strategically placed each other at different points. Alyssa and Miyu hidden at the top of the tree and below them is Natsuki. Nao situated herself on the telephone booth where Mikoto and Natsuki saw the little girl suddenly come out. Mikoto was at the first alley where they ran into and Mai was hidden at the school gate.
“It’s coming.” Miyu said as she felt the power cover the whole place, “I cannot decipher where the stronger power came but I can feel a HiME's power at the center.” She analyzed and said loudly for Natsuki to hear.
“Can you override the power Miyu?”
“Not alone!” Miyu said.
“Then how?” Natsuki asked.
“I can disrupt it but it cannot overcome the power, we need Fujino-san’s cooperation to overcome this power.” Miyu explained.
“But she cannot see us!”
“Just stay there Kuga-san! You are the key.” She said.
And the once sweet morning darkened mimicking an early afternoon day.
Miyu leaned at Alyssa and the little girl whispered a command, the Yggdrasil unit inside Miyu activated and she created her own force field. As soon as she created her own force field the school bell rang and the once empty school ground was once again littered with students.
“I can only maintain this shield for 5 minutes Kuga-san!” Miyu screamed trying to overcome the loud bell.
Like an illusion, Mai, Natsuki, Nao and Mikoto’s clothes changed into Kyoto Gakuen’s uniform, Mai got stared at by male and female students who were rushing out of the school, Nao suddenly saw a little girl appeared before her eyes, out of nowhere, the girl had raven hair, crimson orbs, she was wearing a printed black yukata and was carrying two purple umbrellas. Mikoto’s eyes widened when she noticed that the alley at her back changed into an old street with old homes.
“Natsuki!!” Mai yelled when she saw Shizuru walked out of the gate. Natsuki went out of hiding and watched the chestnut haired girl walked regally and passed her by.
“Shizuru!” She called out, and when she thought that she wasn’t heard again, the chestnut haired girl suddenly stopped walking…
XXX
Onee-sama… Kiyo thought as she saw her Onee-sama stopped from walking and slowly she turned her body to face…that girl…again! How…how…
“Sorry little girl but you’re time’s up!” Nao said smirking as she pulled the girl back to her, giving Natsuki more time.
Kiyo’s eyes darkened as she turned around to look at Nao, “YOU! YOU are not part of this world!!” she screamed and before Nao can even react, the little girl’s face assumed a snake’s face and pushed Nao hard, “I’ve killed you! And I can kill you again!!” Kiyo screamed.
“NAO!!” Miyu screamed when she felt Kiyo’s power, Kiyo’s rage, “Kiyohime!!” Miyu screamed.
“I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU!!” Nao screamed back as the now raging serpent closed her fingers around Nao’s neck.
“NAO!” Mikoto screamed as she was the closest, she ran as fast as she could, finding the fallen umbrella, Mikoto picked it up and struck Kiyo with it.
But it wasn’t Mikoto’s attack that made her release Nao, it was…
XXX
“Shizuru…” Natsuki said, her emerald orbs now wet with tears.
“Shi…zu…ru?” Natsuki nodded her head as a reply to Shizuru’s question.
“Do you remember me? That earrings, I gave it to you as a present for your birthday…”
“Shizuru…”
“Please…remember…” Natsuki reached out her hand to Shizuru.
“You…you’re the girl in the painting…” Viola remembered, “You have the most vibrant green eyes…” Viola extended her arms to Natsuki, “Na…Natsu…ki…”
“NOOOOOOOO!!” Kiyo screamed and along with her pouring heart was the increase in power.
“I can’t hold on any longer Kuga-san! This is enough for now!” Miyu screamed.
“GET OUT OF MY WORLD!!” she screamed before everything was drowned into a whirlwind of chaos and all of a sudden.
It all stopped.
All that was left was the HiMEs and Miyu.
“Shizuru…” Natsuki was standing, tears fell down from her eyes, “My Shizuru…”
XXX
…Natsuki
Crimson orbs suddenly opened as the sudden assault of pain in her chest caused her to gasp for air, the chest pain that came after hearing someone’s name.
Natsuki…my Natsuki…
There is nothing that can alleviated the pain in her chest, she doesn’t know what was happening as she felt her face wet from waters that comes from her eyes… what are these?
Kiyo hid the fact that she was still awake, she could hear her Onee-sama crying to bring back everything will hurt you Onee-sama, I am your salvation and you are mine, I don’t want to be alone anymore Onee-sama…we were fine then, why does this have to happen…Onee-sama Kiyo closed her eyes and let tears fall down on her own face I will not let them have you Onee-sama, I’d rather you die than be hurt again…
-end chapter 4-
A/N : Whoo! This was longer
(1)Is Mikoto’s Miroku the same Miroku at Naruto Movie 4, I was thinking that Miroku from shippuden movie could have been the story behind Mikoto’s child, hence if that is the case, Miroku reacts more with an evil aura as Miroku was the protector of the underworld or something? A demon priestess ne?
(2)The scene at the bookstore was really inspired by Tenchi Muyo movie 2, as this whole story was inspired by that movie, so for the Tenchi Muyo fanatics you should at least get an idea what happened, it was just the inspiration but the story was different of course and the ending will be different too
(3)There was this old train called tram-via, it was a single train that is open, just really like an old train. Can’t explain though, I could research it and fill in the next chapter if someone is interested (Which I am sure not so many anyways.)
(4)I belong to a sorority that has an initial of PMS (no it’s not pre marital ahhmmm), it stands for PhiloMedica Scientia, but that’s not what PMS means, its premenstrual syndrome! (Anyone who wanted to know what tabula rasa is, and echolalia from last chapter you can just ask me. Hahahaha