The school year began and I assumed the role of Student Council president. I impulsively entered myself as a candidate last year when Natsuki needed classified information about the school. It's a bit embarrassing but I won by a landslide. Being the president wasn't that heavy a burden. The legwork was done by the Executive Committee, under Haruka. As president I mostly saw to it that all the work was done by the right people. Delegation. Supervising. Meeting with school officials. It kept me busy. But what about the necklace, you ask? What happened to the creepy necklace? Ah yes, I was just getting to that. I... I am ashamed to admit that I did not destroy it when I had the chance. I don't know why, I don't know what hope I clung to that made me reluctant to destroy it. Or maybe it influenced me somehow... I prefer to think of it that way. When I woke with the necklace in my hands, I tried to throw it away again. It didn't work. The director was less than forthcoming about the necklace. She insisted it was just a gift, and nothing more. I didn't believe her. After a few more attempts to get rid of the necklace, I found it behaved when I kept it in my pocket or elsewhere on my clothing. Even when I tossed it away with the rest of the laundry, it still appeared in the next day's school uniform. At least that was better than waking up with it entwined in my hands. I still dreamt though. My head would touch the pillow then I would open my eyes and find Natsuki beside me in the bed. We would talk, or make love, or spend the night just holding each other. But when the sun began to peek above the horizon, Natsuki would vanish, the dream would end, and I would wake. Sometimes I would wake with a peaceful feeling, having spent the night in her arms. But more often I would wake feeling empty and hollow inside, where Natsuki had been in my dreams. My bed would seem so lonely. There would be a pain in my chest and an ache in my stomach and I would curse the dreams bitterly. They gave me a taste of what I would never have, a taste of the forbidden fruit. On one hand I was ecstatic to experience with Natsuki something I would never know in real life. On the other hand, how can you have something in your dreams and not desire it when you wake? I wanted it, heaven help me, I wanted it. But I refused to let a hint of it escape my tightly controlled mask. My dreams were a private matter, Natsuki didn't really need to know about them. I never told her about those dreams, not even after the Festival, not even after we got married. How would I say it? "You know honey, I used to have these really erotic dreams about you." Then stand back and watch her burst into fits of blushing. What's funny is that Natsuki might think I was just teasing her. I did tease her often, but I knew my boundaries. I knew when getting an inch closer meant the difference between her feeling uncomfortable, and her feeling threatened. I knew when I could tease her and when she was in a bad mood. I just wish I knew myself as well as I knew her. -o- The old crones were true to their word. There were no further attempts on Natsuki's life. That was a great relief. Natsuki already had a lot do deal with, what with all the orphans attacking our school. I was pleased that she made friends with the other HiMEs. She and the other HiMEs did an excellent job. There were a few times I had to step in and destroy a few orphans that escaped their attention but all in all, they did a good job. I was a bit grateful to the panty stealing orphan though. Most of Natsuki's lingerie collection was destroyed in that incident so I had to help her shop for more. That was delightful. Aside from those shopping trips, she also spent some time with me in the Student Council room. She'd leave when the rest of the Student Council entered but when it was just me, she'd be in and out of the room. She freely used my higher security clearance as the president. She was welcome to it. That, at least, was a way I could help her that didn't need to be kept secret. I thought of telling her, part of the truth at least. Tell her I was also a HiME, that I could fight by her side. There was one time I'd half made up my mind to tell her. She'd gone to school that day because one of her subjects had a test. That was her policy, even if her attendance record was spotty, she refused to give her teachers any reason to complain about her written exams. She wasn't in her classroom. I found her in the Student Council room and when I entered, Natsuki was sitting in my chair, fast asleep. Her chin was propped up in one hand and the other hand was tightly clenched into a fist. I stood behind her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. So tense. She'd been through a lot, especially these past few months. I let her sleep, she looked like she needed the rest. "Natsuki." I held a few strands of her hair loosely in my hands. I let them go and watched them fall. They fell and caressed her cheek. I wondered. What would it be like, to wake her with a kiss? I sighed and firmly placed my hands behind my back. I moved to sit on the windowsill and watched her from a distance. I wondered idly what she would taste like. I shook my head. I tried to distract myself. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty... Her hair's messed up now. Maybe I should fix it? She looks so beautiful... No. No. Naughty Shizuru. I took a deep breath. Think of something else. Two, four, six... Don't go there. Vowel substitution bad. Three, six, nine, twelve, fifteen... I turned and resolutely kept my eyes fixed on the view outside the window. Natsuki finally woke up after a while. "You seemed to be sleeping well." She blushed. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to." "You still have some drool on you." I teased her. She frantically rubbed her mouth. She looked so cute. "Just kidding." "Shizuru!" She gave me an annoyed glare. "Haven't you been working too hard recently? You must be tired." "A little." "Anything else I can help with, aside from lending you that?" "Thanks, but I'm heading out now. Sorry to bother your work." "Natsuki, I'm always thinking about you. Don't forget that." There. Part of the truth at least. "I'm grateful to you. But don't get too close to me. Please." I sighed as she left. I didn't tell her after all. And after that time I didn't get much of an opportunity to tell her. After that day, everything became pretty hectic. But you do not need me to tell you that. You already know most of what happened. How Nao kidnapped Takumi. How Akira-kun was defeated. How Takumi disappeared. How Mai burned the forest to the ground. You know most of what happened, you know how Natsuki learned about her mother's betrayal, you know how she was captured by Nao. She found herself in trouble that she couldn't get herself out from. It was then that I revealed myself to Natsuki. It was necessary. -o- "Stop right there please. I won't let you hurt Natsuki." I wasn't frightened, I didn't even feel nervous as I faced Nao. All I felt was a cold certainty that gripped my heart. It said that now was the time to act, now was when Natsuki truly needed me. I felt removed from myself. Not that my senses were dull, mind you. They were on the contrary, extraordinarily sharp. The light from the full moon seemed to illuminate the night. I could hear the crash of the waves, I could smell the salty sea air. I could sense the slightest hint of breeze stir Natsuki's hair, I could sense Nao's every motion. I felt removed from my emotions. I was prepared to fight, to do what was necessary to protect her. To protect Natsuki. "You're..." "Yuuki-san, was it?" Yes, I knew her. She was the one who had caused Natsuki and the other HiMEs so much trouble. "For the President to know me, I've sure become famous." "You're such a poor girl. You must notice too many details. If you were a little duller, you could have had an easier life. Having been restricted by your surroundings, you were able to live only by paying so much attention. Am I wrong?" I knew about her past. The president did have access to information other students didn't have. "What is this? You think you're some sort of counselor? Are you saying that you understand the situation here?" I just smiled. I understood the situation perfectly. A crazy psycho - regardless of how she got that way - was threatening to harm my Natsuki. Wouldn't happen. Definitely wouldn't happen. "Oh, I see." "You're right, it's not my business to know what kind of past you had. All I want is to protect Natsuki." I reached out my hand. My naginata materialized. "I do not forgive those who hurt Natsuki, whoever that may be." "I see, so the rumor is true. You're the one who needs a counselor. You make me sick." From her hands came what looked like the threads of a spider web. They wrapped around the blade of my naginata. Nao looked smug, she seemed so sure of herself. A distant part of me pitied her. "Kiyohime." My Child emerged from the ground below us. Maybe it was just my imagination but I thought she'd gotten bigger. She threw Nao's child off the cliff and into the water. I cut off the part of the cliff where Nao lay to prevent her from coming after us. At that time, I had no intention of defeating anyone else's Child. I had no intention of being a player of any sort in the mad Festival. I just wanted to get Natsuki to safety. I brought her to a house that belonged to one of the students I taught tea brewing to..
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