Anaphora Tomoe's footsteps echoed in the empty halls that led to and from the Emulator room. Her stay inside that apparently sacred place came to a swift end when Mai had gone. The only souls allowed into that chamber were those belonging to Natsuki and Shizuru. For every other member of Dammerung, it was forbidden. She herself walked a fine line between death and security. Natsuki was always one step away from cutting her down, but she was considered useful and was thus spared. Why kill someone who could make an effective meatshield or foot soldier? Perhaps Shizuru had something to do it. She had gotten Natsuki to spare Ann, so why not Tomoe? The onee-sama always looked out for her younger peers, didn't she? And Ann! What a sudden dismissal! It was mind bending how fast things were happening. Shizuru was with the Otome. Shizuru was with the HiME. Shizuru was with the Otome again. It really didn't matter what side of the conflict Tomoe found herself on. All that really mattered was staying at Shizuru's side. Lord knew that she needed some stable presence with all the chaos that was occurring. She saw a dead look in Shizuru's eyes that had never been there before – not even during her imprisonment. It frightened Tomoe how Shizuru had gone from the Headmistress' equal to the Headmistress' bitch in a matter of moments. It wasn't often that Tomoe was allowed to even speak to her onee-sama, which was a matter of great distress given how Shizuru looked like she was searching something, anything, to hold on to in her moments of despair. Something was very, very wrong and the Shinso-like woman in the Emulator had something to do with it. So, when everyone had settled in for the night, save for the Dammerung soldiers who maintained a line against the still raging Orphan hordes, Tomoe made her move. She briskly walked down the hall towards Shizuru's quarters, as she had memorized the exact location of such a room the instant she discovered where it was. Upon reaching it, no guards in her way, she knocked on the door. "Shizuru onee-sama?" No answer. She knocked again, a bit louder. Still nothing. Gently, Tomoe grabbed the handle and opened the door. Everything was shadow. She peered in, but could not make out the details of the room. Fumbling for the light switch, she eventually illuminated everything. It was very spartan. Only items necessary for basic sleep and recovery were present. Shizuru was not there. The green haired aristocrat sighed in frustration. Now where had she gone? Oh. She shut her eyes tightly to block out the mental images. Still, some morbid curiosity got the better of her. With a slight tremble she proceeded further down the hall, heading for a pair of doors that would have led into the base commander's room. 'Ashura' had long since been scratched out. It was Natsuki's suite now. Tomoe held her breath as she approached the final distance, and shut her eyes again as her worst fears were confirmed. All Tomoe could hear was lustful groaning and screaming. None of it was from Shizuru, who kept dead silent throughout. Her fists clenched and tears threatened to break through, but she held them back with incredibly strong will. What was so special about that damned Natsuki, anyway? She bit down on her lip to stop an outburst of rage, nearly breaking the skin. Damn it. - - - She who was not Natsuki had a firm, possessive hold on the sweat laden figure next to her, crimson sheets barely curled around both their bodies. Shizuru, of course, had not given her the satisfaction of making any noise whatsoever. No indication that pleasure had been a result of strategic ministrations. The Obsidian Lord knew that his little slave had climaxed, but there was not even a whimper involved with it. No meeting of the eyes. Shizuru had been completely and utterly disengaged, even when forced to return the favors. How pathetically stubborn and rebellious. It didn't really matter. All it proved was that despite it all, Shizuru was most definitely a proper pawn to be used as necessary. Submissive and obedient. Just what was required. The Obsidian Lord forced Natsuki to run her tongue along Shizuru's neck, and a filthy smirk followed when Shizuru flinched and turned her head away. And yet she endured it all. It wasn't Natsuki, it was Natsuki... everything was the same but horribly different at the same time. The poor girl felt violated and alone, didn't she? The Obsidian Lord nearly chuckled, and then felt like playing a bit of a game. Shizuru watched as yellow eyes closed, and a small tremor ran through Natsuki's body. When the eyes slowly opened once more, they were a brilliant green. Everything was still for a moment, Shizuru's heart beating faster and faster as hope filled her. Had Natsuki taken control over the Obsidian Lord? Natsuki released a shaky breath and Shizuru felt fingertips just barely brush against her stomach with a great degree of hesitance. Too timid. Too fearful. This was not the Obsidian Lord. "S-Shizuru," Natsuki, the real Natsuki, stammered. As Natsuki's world became more lucid, all the information and memories running back into her head, her chest tightened. When she realized just what position she was in, and what the Obsidian Lord had surely done to Shizuru, an emotional dam broke. Tears fell against Shizuru's bare chest and Natsuki sobbed just once. In the next moment, Natsuki drew the other woman close and buried her face into her neck. Guilt and rage and sorrow overwhelmed her at the same time. "Shizuru, Shizuru..." The name became a mantra, repeating and repeating in some childlike plea as tears continued to spill from emerald orbs. Shizuru wrapped her arms around a body that now, finally, felt warm and familiar. Both clung to each other for countless moments, Natsuki's mantra slowly warping into, 'Alyssa, Alyssa.' Shizuru's hands ran through Natsuki's slightly damp locks, and she planted kissed on her forehead while whispering soothing words to try and calm the biker down. "Shh," Shizuru began. "I will make sure that Alyssa lives." Nails dug into her side. Rage became the dominant emotion. There was a growl and a hiss to Natsuki's voice. "What did that thing do to you?" "Ara, Natsuki should not worry about such matters." Shizuru gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. "But it isn't me, it's that thing!" Nails began to dig deeper as a roar of anger was repressed. A gentle, enigmatic smile. "I can bare it. Please, do not worry." "Shizuru..." A hand brushed hair out of her face before trailing down the side of Shizuru's face. "You're so kind. Putting up with such actions just for my sake... it's so noble. And loving. And caring. And so damn sickening and depressing that I just want to break your damn soul to see how much energy I can take from you!" Green eyes snapped open to yellow once again as the Obsidian Lord snatched away the bait that had been dangled in front of the Ikusahime. Shizuru found herself once again pinned, quite roughly, by the aggressor. Dark hair lowered like a curtain as the Obsidian Lord loomed over her. Shizuru forced herself to remain calm. Emotional distress was this thing's source of power. She wouldn't allow anything to show. Her jaw remained tensely closed as that which was not truly Natsuki stared down at her with those alien eyes. "If you truly want to make good on your promise about Alyssa, then you'll have to defeat the other Ikusahime before the Star draws near, or else it will be too late. And you know... perhaps there's a way to extract her alive and well that I haven't told you about," The Obsidian Lord teased. Shizuru stared back with eyes that once again displayed an inner sense of defeat. "Ah, yes, that got your attention, didn't it?" "Do not tease in such a way." "I do not," the other female said. "I speak the truth. And that truth will not be made into reality if the other Ikusahime kill her before you can slay them. It's imperative that you strike first, to hinder their progress. They're going to try and work as a team. You need to ensure that they are pitted against one another as soon as possible." The first mission begins, then? "Miyu will, fortunately or unfortunately depending on your view, not leave the Thirteenth's side. You must do this alone, and I'm sure that you can handle such a meager task. When dawn breaks, I want you out of here and hunting. Do you understand?" No response. The Obsidian Lord grabbed her roughly by the neck. "Do not even begin to try to withstand me again. You've learned your lesson from that. You know that if you do not follow my orders, Alyssa will die. All thanks to your unwillingness to fight. They're all going to conspire to kill you anyway, after what happened. Everyone is on the line. Alyssa, Natsuki, you... the whole happy family. You have no choice. So accept your fate." Shizuru was released and she swallowed what moisture had collected in her mouth. So it was. "I accept." With feminine grace, Natsuki's body slithered down Shizuru's side, lips planting kisses along her side, hip and thigh. Shizuru shut her eyes and pretended that it truly was Natsuki performing such actions, but everything was different. Too different to allow the fantasy to be at all realistic. Shizuru shuddered, but it was not because of pleasant sensations. After some time, the Obsidian Lord stood from the bed, Natsuki's trim and naked body shown off in the dim lighting. Clothing was pulled back on and it looked as if the Obsidian Lord was set on leaving, not caring for sleep. "Save your strength," Natsuki's voice warned. "You will need it." - - - "Oh, this isn't good." It was a worried little phrase that Mai had uttered countless times that day. She and the others sat in the middle of the Altar of the Ikusahime within the main HiME base of operations. Underground and surrounded by loyal soldiers, it seemed like the most logical place to gather for a strategy meeting. In the aftermath of the failed Emulator raid, a plan was very much needed. But with Fujino, who had been somewhat of a leader, now a slave to the Obsidian Lord, who would take up the lead? Midori had tried, but had been too dramatic in her opening motivational speech. As a result, no one had taken her seriously and she now sat pouting a few feet away. This left a bewildered and somewhat lost Mai to take up the position of grand HiME field marshal, or whatever rank put her in charge of the whole damn mess. There were multiple chaotic conversations around her, everyone having some differing viewpoint on the matters at hand. "Are we going to have to kill them?" "No, surely there's some way to avoid that." "But what if it's out of necessity? And Alyssa! What about her?" "Like she could even handle being brought back into the world after so long a sleep. We'd be doing her a favor." "If those women have to be killed to stop the world from ending, then dammit, I say.." There needed to be some kind of order to it all, and if Mai was the only one who could do that, then so be it. She stood up from her position on the floor and raised her voice enough to let it boom over the others. It wasn't stern, just attention grabbing. "Now just wait a minute!" All eyes turned to her, some people with their mouths still open from being cut off in the middle of a sentence. Mai blinked a few times in uncertainty, not sure exactly where to go from there. She herself wasn't exactly sure what to do in regards to the situation they faced. Mai had one advantage, however. She had been, with Mikoto, one of the last HiMEs to see the end of the Carnival before Mashiro worked her last minute trickery. The pair of them had spent more time with the Obsidian Lord than anyone else in the group. She had to draw on that experience. "The last time this happened, it was kind of similar. The Obsidian Lord took a host and he had Mikoto for a guardian, but we were able to get both of them back without major injury. There's no need to rush out and kill either Natsuki or Shizuru. Besides, the Lord would just find a new host if we did that," Mai reasoned. "Mai said she loved me! So I didn't want to fight," Mikoto confirmed, nodding her head. Nao rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but that's because you and Mikoto had some sick little bond going on. Shizuru's the Obsidian Lord's hand now. It's not the same. No one here is close with Shizuru. No one here is even friends with Shizuru. The only people she cares about are Natsuki and Alyssa, and they're on the other side. She had no reason to listen to anything we say." "That aside, we still managed to get the Obsidian Lord before Reito could be killed," Mai reminded. "His power was stemming from Mashiro's body and the HiME Star. So if we can get Alyssa out of the Emulator somehow, and if we can destroy that new Star, we stop everything before Natsuki is harmed." "The Star isn't all that close. From the looks of things, it'd take us days to reach it, and the Children can't provide us with orbital life support that long. I don't imagine robes couldn't either," Akira pointed out. "So, what? We can't destroy the Star just yet, so we have to run around Kyoto with Shizuru on our tail until we can?" Nao huffed. "Not my thing. Much as it sucks to kill that creepy kid, our best chance is to rush in there, blow up the Emulator and take the Obsidian Lord down with it. His 'digital copy' has gotta be stored on it." Midori shook her head. "Did a lot of research in the archives here, when we first arrived and when I was still undercover. Never saw anything about any safe extraction of the human cores in the old Emulators. We might just have to say goodbye to Alyssa-chan then and there. We can try, but who knows if it'll even be safe to try considering we'll be swarmed by the enemy." Akane tentatively spoke up for the first time that meeting. "W-well, if something could be done to get her out, don't you think Miyu would have tried by now? She could technically overpower Natsuki, so there'd be no need to let herself be enslaved unless Alyssa's only life support was the machine itself. ...Right?" "Catgirl has a point," Nao managed to insult and compliment at the same time. Mai groaned slightly. Damn it, would they really have to go through with killing Alyssa? If it came down to it, then... yes, it would have to be done. It was better for Alyssa to go than to be a human battery for the rest of eternity. Her spirit needed to pass and be reborn, as the others had the luxury of doing. "Fine. If we have to, in order to stop the Carnival, I guess we might have to kill her. But if there's another way, we'll take it." "And the other two?" Yukino asked. "There's gotta be a way around it," Mai continued to preach. "Reito and Mikoto didn't have to die, so neither should they. Attack if they start something, I guess, but try to just knock them out or disarm instead of just killing them." Nao, and occasionally Akira, took up the other position, and the debate raged for quite some time. The Carnival had barely even begun and emotions were flaring up. A side effect of the Obsidian Lord's new presence amongst the far reaching Emulator wavelengths? Whatever the case, all those involved felt the pressure of the battles to come. One of the HiMEs who had been 'recruited' in the midst of the last battle began to have doubts. Although vague memories of conflict were in her mind, something was unsettling. She could not betray Garderobe so readily. So, as the others verbally warred, she began to slip out unnoticed. Headmistress forgive her. - - - Mashiro had kept silent for a very long time, as military matters weren't exactly her forte. The current situation was quite severe, however, and things were most certainly not how they should have been. So, in her truest and bossiest fashion, Mashiro began to storm down to the depths of Dammerung to face the Headmistress to find out just what the hell was going on. A nation's Otome had been banished and disconnected from her robe. Shizuru was switching sides more than a bisexual hooker. Representatives had vanished. Monsters were roaming the streets. It was just too much! Haruka was with her, also concerned and equally bossy. Their combined effort would surely be enough to strong arm any information from the Garderobe brass. Haruka was as loyal as ever, but it was unfair for things to be kept so quiet. Everyone had a right to know what was going on, after all. It was for the safety of all those involved. Information was power, and soldiers needed to be kept up to date on what was truly happening around them to be effective warriors. She cracked her knuckles, a bad habit, as she walked alongside the lavender haired girl. As she marched down the hall, she found Shizuru heading in the opposite direction. Mashiro waved an arm to get her to stop, but the Archmeister let it bounce off as if she had never noticed it. She was on some kind of mission, and did not even stop to turn around to look at the young queen. "Hey! Archmeister Viola, wait a moment!" Nothing. Shizuru disappeared down the hall like she was deaf to their calls. Haruka looked as if she was a bit offended by the lack of attention. "Viola! You! Bubuzuke-onna!" When the Archmeister vanished, they were left to continue on to meet with Natsuki instead. Haruka fumed next to the queen, her muscles tense and her stand demanding respect. It was uncommon for Haruka not to get her way. She was usually loud enough to force anyone into submission. But never Shizuru. That woman had always been a constant source of annoyance. In recent times, especially. They reached Natsuki's quarters just as the Headmistress was leaving them. The dark haired woman adjusted her blue trench coat and barely noticed that they were present at all. It was only after a few quiet seconds that Natsuki bothered to greet them. "And what can I do for you, your highness?" "We want to know what the hell is going on! Shizuru's back again, you've dismissed my onee-sama, and nothing makes any sense!" Haruka naturally took charge before Mashiro could do anything. Mashiro tried to lighten the mood a bit. "Ah! What she's trying to say is, well, we need to know what's going on to properly handle things. Some of these actions have been worrying. On what grounds did you banish Ann Lu? She's the Otome of one of the kingdoms, so she can't just be given the boot. The political ramifications of that..." "Will be dealt with," Natsuki finished. "If you must know, she was dismissed from her duties due to the fact that she was the one that allowed the HiME to infiltrate Dammerung. She was guilty of treason." "...What?!" Haruka screeched. "That's... Ann would never do that!" "Wrong." "But what about the other missing Otome? Akane and Shiho, and all the rest who have vanished. The diplomats, too. You're forgetting that we came here on a diplomatic mission, and we weren't meant to get involved in any actual war. We should get everyone and just go home before this becomes an even bigger mess," Mashiro reasoned. She could see Natsuki clench her jaw in irritation. The words that came out were controlled, but an underlying tone of anger was evident. "Mashiro, I am handling this by the book. Ann committed treason, so she was dismissed. I have Otome battling those monsters to protect you and the rest of the team. And believe me – I am continually hunting for our missing personnel." With that, Natsuki left them for the command room, where she found herself glued to the monitors that gave her feeds of various places in Kyoto. Mashiro and Haruka could only stand and watch her go, entirely frustrated by the situation. Mashiro had a tough decision to make. Technically, she outranked Natsuki and could exercise her political power to get everything in order. She could take charge... but would it work? Ah! Shizuru had gone looking as if she'd been assigned to a mission. "Did you hear anything about Shizuru being sent out to do something?" Mashiro asked her companion. Haruka shrugged. "I don't hear anything beyond 'defend the parameter.'" "Perimeter, I think." When Haruka rolled her eyes, Mashiro took it as a sign to continue. "Well, maybe you should follow her to see what Natsuki's up to?" Haruka's eyes lit up with a sense of duty. It was a covert and stealthy mission to discover the truth behind a conspiracy going on in the academy's highest ranks! The GEM would have to be turned off, as Natsuki could easily track its position and get suspicious. But it was fine. She could hold her own against anyone using just her flesh and blood. She prided herself on being virile without the GEM's augmentations. It set her apart from the rest, she thought. Even Shizuru. What could that bubuzuke-onna really do to her now that she had destroyed the Graceful Amethyst GEM? "No problem, your highness! She'll never know I'm trailing her!" Haruka switched off her GEM and took off down the hall at top speed, hoping to catch up with her new 'target.' Mashiro quietly wondered if it wouldn't have been better to send someone else on a mission that required grace and silence. - - - She safely exited the HiME base without much resistance, as the guards were all under the impression that she was no longer a threat. They'd taken her GEM upon arrival. Stripped of a weapon and armor, she couldn't make any sudden movements. HiME were on one side. Otome who felt she was a traitor were on the other. In between was a horde of monsters ready to tear her flesh off her bones. The return to Dammerung was going to be rather treacherous, but she'd been trained to handle it. Her legs carried her swiftly down the tree laden hillside that led down into the city, taking her away from the nest of the HiME. Her chest heaved as she brought in enough air to fuel her sprint. Branches whipped against her face, but she didn't care. She had to return. Too much longer and there would be no place for her. She couldn't, she just couldn't, leave her Garderobe comrades like that. She'd been there too long, and she had mentors who meant the world to her. It was treason and it was dishonorable. She couldn't buy into this Ikusahime nonsense. She didn't remember anything they did. Nothing about this 'hunt through Kyoto' or much of this Carnival business. A vague memory of pain and fire. That was it. She wanted no part of it. She'd go back to Garderobe and resume her classes, and everything would be normal again. All this chaos was too much to handle. Jumping onto and over a rock, she landed roughly on slippery mud, a fresh fallen rain having moistened the ground. She slipped slightly, but maintained her balance. Her boots slid along the surface, surfing down the sloping ground. When she came to a halt she proceeded to run once more, eyes scanning the trees for any sign of danger. She felt so vulnerable. What if the other Ikusahime came after her for deserting them? Would they really chase her? Would they have noticed her absence by now? After a half mile of slipping and running down the Kyoto foothills, Yukariko came to a halt. She quickly took in her surroundings and tried to navigate in the fairly unfamiliar landscape. If I keep going this way... just a little bit further to the south. Dammerung should be there. Was that right? It was so confusing to do this without her robe's flight capabilities. She put a foot down, intent on moving again, but timidly returned to a normal stance when she felt the ground quake. Tectonic...? No, that couldn't be it. Her nerves lit up and adrenaline began to pump through her system. Instincts proving right, the ground soon gave way to a monstrous form. The path ahead became blocked by a large purple serpent of some kind. A Slave?! Yukariko turned to run back the way she came, but saw an identical creature rise up from the soil. Soon two more appeared on either side. She was entirely surrounded by serpents, and she did not have a GEM to call her own. Those damned HiME! Her evasive skills kicked into high gear when the ground below her began to crumble away. She jumped off what seemed to be the body of a massive hydra, rolling to a stop once she hit the ground. Springing to her feet once again, she searched for a decent escape route. She couldn't fight something that size by herself. Turning on her heel, she took off to the southeast, but skidded to a halt the moment she saw someone who had once been her ally. Now, she wasn't sure. Wasn't this the Archmeister's 'Child?' Trying the diplomatic approach first, Yukariko extended an arm. "Shizuru!" A red bardiche snapped up in Shizuru's arms, and that answered the blonde's inner question. "Are you bringing your weapon up against me? I'm going back to Dammerung! I'm not your enemy." She didn't even know how to properly reason with Shizuru. There were too many facets of the war. Shizuru might not have even been fighting for Dammerung alone. This girl was such a wildcard! Her true cause was mysterious and her actions erratic. What was Yukariko supposed to do? Her right hand trembled, and she felt a searing heat race through her body, borne from a small patch of skin next to her jaw. What was that sensation? Was that...? Shizuru looked entirely disconnected from the world around her. Having lost her composure, Shizuru's dark side had fully emerged, and she began to taunt her new opponent like a conceited villain. "My, my... having to run away from a group of teenagers like a frightened deer. I was under the impression that faith alone would save you. How pathetic you now seem." Kiyohime writhed behind her, but she tried to pay no attention to it. "I don't know what's wrong with you, Shizuru, but snap out of it!" "It is amusing, really. I can remember, so clearly, the day when Kiyohime ripped your body apart in order to put an end to the original Columns," Shizuru recalled. Her face fell into a dark frown. "And if we could do that to you, then what will stop the others from doing the same thing to my dear Alyssa?" "I... they aren't wanting to kill her! They want to try and save her from the Emulator core! No one wants to harm this... Alyssa girl," Yukariko explained, straining her memory for any indication of a child named Alyssa. A young blonde choir girl, was it? A broken smile. "The deadline is short. They won't have time to research the procedures, if they even exist. Because of that I cannot deviate. Sister, please do not give into defeat so readily. At your very core, you know what must happen. Do it with honor, or let me finish you quickly." When Shizuru began to move, and when Yukariko heard Kiyohime hiss from multiple angles, she found herself given in to her primal desire to fight. That ancient power howled inside like a beast waiting to escape from a tightly locked cage. As Shizuru moved forward, preparing to swing her weapon, Yukariko released all that hidden strength. With a shout, she held both her arms up. In her hands formed a stylistic bow much like her standard Otome Element. A quick shot forced Shizuru to evade, giving the former nun time to scurry to the side and prepare for a true battle. Shizuru managed a small grin. "As you wish." Yukariko fired another arrow of energy towards her opponent. Shizuru ducked and charged forward, flinging the chain of her bardiche out. The end lashed towards Yukariko, who came to a quick halt and held out her left hand. One of the Otome's pan-robe abilities was a skill that had once been Yukariko's alone, Searrs having taken it during the death of the HiME. As she extended her arm, an energetic defensive shield formed to block Shizuru's incoming attack. The bardiche bounced off the nearly invisible wall, and Shizuru quickly retracted it. Before the slave of the Obsidian Lord could strike a second time, Yukariko pushed that defensive barrier out, knocking Shizuru back with a telekinetic shove. Everything came quite naturally, but was that because Yukariko began to remember, or because her Otome robe had most of the same functions? Yukariko decided to pray upon Shizuru's recovery time as the other woman began to climb to her feet. The instructor fired her Element, and Shizuru was forced to roll out of harm's way. Another arrow shrieked towards her as she finally stood. With quick reaction time, Shizuru brought her bulky blade up in time to turn it into a makeshift shield. The arrow hit the weapon and vaporized on impact. But it was a volley that followed that forced Shizuru to go on the proper defensive. Kiyohime slithered away in one direction while Shizuru sprinted into the dense forest at an opposite angle, Yukariko firing after her until Shizuru disappeared from sight. Was that it, then? Had Shizuru surrendered? Surely not. Yukariko felt like there were predatory eyes on her, stemming from some unknown location. She slowly began to walk in the direction that Shizuru had gone, her Element held high and ready to fire with the release of her taut arm. Every slow and controlled step was silent. Yukariko's eyes scanned the underbrush and the tree branches with meticulous care, waiting for the rival Ikusahime to jump up at any given moment. She kept low and strained her ears to detect any kind of abnormal noise coming from the woods, her nanomachines having increased her senses ever so slightly after the initial injection years upon years ago. Despite the battle, even the birds were silent. The wind was still. There was nothing that indicated another presence was even there. But Yukariko knew full well that just as she was hunting Shizuru, Shizuru was hunting her. It all depending upon which one had the most patience – and Yukariko had quite a bit. Finding cover in thick underbrush, her green uniform blending in quite nicely, she waited silently for any sign of movement. All she needed was for Shizuru to move first. Then it would be too late. She kept her ears active in hopes of not being caught off guard by a surprise attack from behind. She had tried to keep herself strategically situated by the tree to prevent that from happening. She was certain that Shizuru had gone this way. She had to be out further in the distance. She had to. She focused so intently on the trees and growth that her eyes began to feel sore. For five minutes she sat and waited, Element ready. Then, finally! She saw a purple kimono between a pair of trees. Shizuru was finding a new place to hide, or purposefully trying to draw Yukariko out. It didn't matter. Yukariko had the ranged weapon. Shizuru's chain whip was limited. And Yukariko had the aim of a world class sharpshooter, comparative with Natsuki's skill in the heavy firearm category. Yukariko's clenched hand opened abruptly, the energy arrow flying out through the woods, sailing passed trees and stumps. Somewhat miraculously, it narrowly shot through the two trees that Shizuru was behind. Yukariko could see the body flinch. It hadn't been a deep wound, only a scratch, but it had been something that proved that Shizuru was not an invincible demon from the netherworld. In an inwardly heated, but externally calculated, reaction, Shizuru used her chain whip to cut through both of the trees. The pair fell forward, towards Yukariko. They were well out of range, but she took the chaos as a prime moment to run and find a new hiding place. While Shizuru searched for her, bardiche hugged close to her body, Yukariko scrambled up a nearby tree, ducking down on one of the branches to keep as best out of sight as she could. As Shizuru made for cover, Yukariko fired a second time. Shizuru must have detected the flash of light, as she knocked the arrow away with her weapon before it could hit. Shizuru dashed forward with surprisingly intimidating speed, closing the distance between them as Yukariko leapt down from the tree. She was too close, then. Well within range to use the chain whip. Yukariko prepared to go on the defensive as she fled, sliding down an incline and into a small ravine. Now, in the narrow cut through the ground, they faced a dangerous situation. Evasion would be difficult for either of them. Yukariko fired her weapon, and Shizuru ducked below the attack. Seeing that Shizuru was set to lash out with the chain whip of her bardiche, Yukariko had only one real option left. She filled her lungs with air and then released it with a mighty shout. "St. Vlas!" Only half-expecting that he would come to her aid, given her distrust of the HiME thusfar, she found herself momentarily stunned by the creature. His red eyes lit up and forced Shizuru to stop in her tracks. While Shizuru fell victim to St. Vlas' mind manipulation, Yukariko scurried out of the ravine to find a good place to get a ranged shot in, like a sniper hunting for cover. - - - "I've been thinking about getting a motorcycle," Alyssa said to her. With that horrid statement, Shizuru was forced to put down her book of ancient Japanese poetry to properly address the idea. Why? Was one Kuga sister risking life and limb for the sake of adrenaline not enough? Yes, it was fun to go on a road trip, but Alyssa was so young. It wasn't fair. Shizuru, and no doubt Natsuki, would be worrying far too much if such a thing were to happen. "Why?" "Because they're cool." "Some people think chainsaw killer movies are cool, but one does not generally go out and slaughter a group of teenagers in such a fashion." She was an older sister figure like Natsuki, was she not? Shizuru could technically put her foot down on the issue, despite the fact that Alyssa was just shy of becoming a proper adult. The blonde woman shrugged. "Highly efficient, really. And I could customize it with a lot of secret gadgets, like James Bond and his cars. It would just take adequate planning and ample time. But no matter." "If you get road rash in some gut wrenching accident, I'll have to keep you from that bike using any method possible. That Natsuki is not a good influence on you. She'll be getting a talking to tonight. If I find out you're beginning to like firearms, she'll be even worse off." Alyssa blushed wildly. "I...It's not like that! This has nothing to do with sister worship!" "Ara, ara... Why do you look so flustered, then?" "I'm not!" She nearly pouted. Shizuru could not help but grin. How like the other one. Both were just so wonderfully cute when they became embarrassed. "There's no real shame in looking up to your dear onee-chan. It's quite charming. Just try to focus on her less dangerous attributes for my sake. You know how concerned I can be when it comes to your well being." "Yes, you and Natsuki were experts and driving my last date away. He's afraid to even set foot in Kyoto now. I hope you're both very happy." "He was rude. You deserved better, so we simply got rid of the young man," Shizuru defended with a small smile. "Ah, don't say that like you're a member of the mob!" "My aunt knows a person who has a roommate who..." "I've heard all that before, and don't believe a word of it." Shizuru shrugged and watched the younger girl stand from the couch, moving to gather her belongings. "Very well, but you mustn't say that I didn't give you fair warning about family connections with the darker side of Moscow." Alyssa turned to head towards the door that led out of Natsuki and Shizuru's home, but turned back at the last second. Like Natsuki, she was quite emotionally reserved. The few exceptions were spared for Miyu, Natsuki and Shizuru, who was just as good as family. Shizuru smiled happily as Alyssa reached over to give her a short but loving hug around the neck, Shizuru's arms briefly coming into contact with a torso that quickly escaped the hold. "I have to go make some headway on a project for work. Would you and Natsuki like to come over for dinner?" As gathering around a table, either at Shizuru and Natsuki's place or at Miyu's, for a family dinner was tradition, she could not refuse. "I will tell Natsuki that dinner is at your house, then. She'll be home shortly." Alyssa nodded and headed for the door, but Shizuru stood, hoping to catch her off guard like she did with Natsuki so many times. As the young blonde started off, Shizuru quickly caught her around the torso. Arms held Alyssa tight while Shizuru grinned like a giddy child, unable to see the blush but knowing full well that it was there. Alyssa was such a darling younger sister-in-law. It was simply amazing to see how much of Natsuki had manifested in Alyssa over the years. Shizuru knew full well that Natsuki felt honored and complete to have genuine living family who cared about her, and that fact lit Shizuru's heart up as well. She had never had a sister before. It was a warm and pleasant feeling... ...that was snatched from her all to suddenly as everything around her vanished. Her mind snapped her back into reality, where she was forced to remember that Alyssa had been entrapped for over a thousand years, her innocence stolen and her body a tool used by a depraved organization that had already inflicted undue suffering upon the girl at the tender age of nine. It was not fair. It was not right. Shizuru's blood boiled. - - - Shizuru re-entered the real world in between the two sides of St. Vlas' iron maiden chamber, both ready to snap shut at Yukariko's command. The Ikusahime had gone, and now stood above the ridge, watching Shizuru and trying to find the perfect moment to make that final strike. She was hesitant, naturally. Shizuru was still one of the elite warriors at Garderobe and had been a valued ally in battle for many years. Yukariko was not sure if she could really do it. It was that fact that allowed Shizuru to strike. How dare that Child. How dare it force me to remember such wonderful memories in great detail, only to torture me further with the knowledge that I am always one step away from losing Alyssa forever. Damn you, cruel saint. Her soul alight with fury, Shizuru performed a lightening fast lunge with her bardiche, the tip of her weapon piercing through the exposed center of St. Vlas. There was a loud and deep groan from the horse-like figure as it struggled to pull itself off the weapon, mutating into its bird form to try and fly away. Shizuru would not let it. She twisted her weapon and withdrew it, leaving a gaping wound. Spinning round, she finished the injured Child off by slicing through it top to bottom using the chain whip, sweat having formed on her brow. She stared at the disappearing enemy with fiery eyes that had become enveloped with rage and bloodlust. Yukariko screamed in the distance, dropping to her knees as she felt the tug on her soul... that same pain that all the other Ikusahime had felt in their previous lifetime. Most precious person. Yukariko's Key became the victim, set to disappear with the Child. Yukariko dropped to the ground with a lifeless expression, her emotional balance destroyed. She was worth nothing now – useless to the Ikusahime and to the Otome. She was lost, powerless and soulless. The walking dead. One of Kiyohime's head dipped down into the ravine, and Shizuru willingly stepped onto it, the beast gently taking her up and out. As the last bits of green dust wafted away in the wind, Kiyohime took her mistress out of the area, knowing all too well that the rest of the Ikusahime surely heard the screams and the roars. She could not fight all of them at once, no matter how skilled she was. Shizuru was forced to make an exit, her mission partially accomplished. Yukariko stared after her, unmoving and apathetic. - - - The veteran Otome had come into the Headmistress' office to deliver the latest news from the international assembly to the Galactic Aquamarine, who was filling in for their missing leader. She sat the papers down on the desk, and Sara gave her a kind smile while in the middle of a phone call. The blonde soon put down the device after concluding her conversation with a dignitary, and properly thanked the other woman for her efforts. "I hope it wasn't much trouble today. Things have been so frantic as it is." "It's quite stressful given the situation, but it was manageable. It is mainly the diplomats who are worried. After all, it is their Otome who have been dispatched as part of the support team to Earth, and their lives are still bound to their guardians. I would..." Sara furrowed her brows. "You would...?" She brought a hand to her chest. What was this... sudden pain? She felt almost like she was having some kind of heart attack, but she was in such good shape for her age. This didn't make any sense. Her breath caught in her throat and she became unable say a word. Her usually stern eyes looked up pleadingly at Sara, who could only stare back in shock before the temporary headmistress could properly act. She slammed her button down on the intercom, calling her assistants. "Send a doctor up here immediately!" Sara shouted. She then came to the other female's side. "Miss Maria! Miss Maria, what's wrong?" The long time teacher and staff member tentatively reached out at nothing, and watched in absolute horror as her hand broke up on the molecular level, turning into a fine green haze. This is what happened to Slaves when they died, and what happened to Otome masters when the guardian fell in battle. But how? She was no Otome master. This should not have been happening! Maria wanted to scream, but could not, and her mind began to spin as more of her arm faded away in a green mist. Sara gasped and watched with fear in her eyes. She tried to grab hold of Maria, but every hand or arm she tried to touch snapped and broke into that same fine dust, like disturbing a sand dune. Everything crumbled away into nothingness, and Maria's silent screams filled the air as her throat, jaw and face finally vanished. Soon, all that was left of Maria was her GEM, which hit the ground with a dull clank. Sara could hardly believe her eyes. Was she dreaming? She must have been. When Youko and the other doctors came rushing up into the office, it was already too late. In grim reality, Maria had perished. The senior most warrior, and one of the most skilled, had been lost to some unknown foe. And what could they do but mourn? - - - Deep with Dammerung, one of the eleven lights on the doors to the Emulator room began to glow a faint green. The first Key had been acquired.
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