By kouya Date 2007-07-29 11:42 Edited 2007-07-29 18:38

Oh wow, I'm almost afraid to comment >_>

Chapter 40.

He raised his head to meet cold emerald eyes staring at him. He gazed into them, seeing nothing but a terrifying, yet fascinating swirl of hate. He knew very well that the girl standing so tall before him had the power to do whatever she wanted with him...and without even the slightest effort at that. It was, to say the least....frightening.

Natsuki paused a moment, observing him. Reito was paralyzed, not moving a single inch. Was it the wounds she had inflicted on him or was it fear? Either was fine by her... she felt the corner of her lips curl into a smile. He brought this upon himself, she thought. He had some nerve to confront her, especially when he didnt even know what happened. And to question her feelings for Shizuru? Who did he think he is? Had he not realized Shizuru never loved him?
Just thinking about that made her anger grow terrifyingly fast, reaching peaks she didnt remember reaching; not even when he had forced Shizuru into marrying him.

"...Kuga..." He finally murmured, gulping.
Even his voice made her shudder. She slowly raised her arm again, aiming at his heart. Just one shot and that was it. The turmoil, the rage ripping at her insides, it would all stop at once. She would never have to deal with the bitter ex. Her teeth were still clenched in anger, but she felt like smiling.
It would be so easy to --
Her train of thought was stopped abruptly as cold metal pressed against her neck. "Kuga-san... Drop your element." A familiar, very quiet and slow voice ordered.

Suddenly waking up, Natsuki stayed still. It took a moment to realize and understand her position, let go of her weapon and watch it disappear as soon as it hit the floor. Slowly, she turned around, still unsure about the face she should associate with the voice. Meeting the piercing red eyes, she wondered how this happened. Mai said she had made Miyu human..... Her gaze traveled down to the weapon pressed against her skin; the long blade wasn't part of her arm this time.

"What's the meaning of this?" The stoic figure questioned, before Natsuki had a chance to say anything.

Natsuki's eyes left the blue-haired girl standing in front of her, as she noticed someone else standing a little behind her. Surely the last person she wanted to see right now...or wanted to see what she did to Kanzaki. "I...." she started "....he..." Her voice died in her throat. She had no valid explanation, she realised. Her blood ran cold as the reality of what
she did dawned on her. She too had succumbed to those uncharacteristically strong negative feelings.

Now sure Natsuki wouldn't take her guns out again, Miyu knelt down beside Reito. "Are you alright, Kanzaki-san?"

He nodded slightly, but groaned in pain as he did so. So much for looking tough. Miyu looked up, considering the options. After a quick analysis, she decided that having Natsuki take Reito with her to the infirmary wasn't the best solution... and sending Nao to watch over them would only worsen the situation. But she still had to go get Alyssa; her class would be over very soon. She let her element disappear and slipped an arm around Reito's waist, helping him up. "We'll go ahead. Nao, could you please get Alyssa for me?"

The redhead nodded silently and made her way out of the classroom. Miyu followed her, Reito limping and leaning on her. Natsuki followed a few steps behind the two of them, she too was heading to the infirmary after all. Her mind was lost between what had just happened and understanding how the blue-haired girl turned out to be a HiME. She almost bumped into said girl, as Miyu stopped in her tracks to look at her.

"I think you should go with Nao." She gazed knowingly at Natsuki. "You have a few things you need to talk about." She turned her back to her again, continuing on her way to the stairs.

Natsuki paused, watching them disappear. As much as she hated the idea, Miyu was right; she and Nao should clear things up as quick as possible. Changing directions, she jogged to catch up with the redhead but didnt catch up with her before they got to the childrens ward. Nao was waiting by the door, leaning on the wall for support; the kids would be coming out very soon now. She walked to her as casually as possible, choosing to stand beside her.

A moment of very uncomfortable silence went by, with Nao observing the ground in religious silence and Natsuki scrutinizing her form. She knew the other girl was openly staring, but she couldn't bring herself to meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry." she finally uttered.

Natsuki looked away. A few hours earlier, she would have felt the urge to jump at her throat for even thinking of saying that. But right now, she wasn't really any better than her. True, Kanzaki provoked her and she didn't go as far as Nao did... but then again, he confronted her because he was worried.... and who knows how it would have turned out if Miyu hadn't stopped her?
She sighed deeply. "It's Shizuru you should apologize to."

Before they had the time to say anything else, a childish voice boomed in their ears.
"Nao-neechan!" The little blonde smiled excitedly and ran up to her.

She turned away from the raven haired girl. "Hello, Alyssa..." She answered kindly, crouching to be on the same level as her.

Natsuki watched as the redhead picked up the girl, giving her what had to be the most sincere smile she had seen from Nao.

After having hugged Nao tightly, her eyes traveled to Natsuki. She blinked a few times. "Where's onee-chan?" She wondered, frowning.

"Something came up... lets go meet up with her, okay?" She finger-combed the blonde hair and replaced the half-untied ribbon. Alyssa nodded, beaming. Nao turned and headed back, intending to meet up with Mai and Miyu.

Natsuki decided to follow a few steps behind, watching as Alyssa explaind to 'Nao-neechan' how her day went and how hard it had been for the teacher to remove chewing gum from some kid's hair. When she was done, they were already almost there. Nao slowed her pace slightly, allowing Natsuki to catch up with her.

"I'm sorry." She very quietly repeated.

"...You already said that." Natsuki sighed, walking a few steps ahead. Hearing the steps behind her stop, the raven haired girl turned to the other girl, observing her a moment.

"I really, really mean it." The redhead said in an unusually sincere but strong voice. She clutched Alyssa tightly, her gripping, vivid green eyes locked with Natsuki's darker ones. "I never meant to go so far. I never wanted to hurt her...in that way..."

"In that way?" Natsuki snorted. "Implying you still meant to hurt her?"

"...She hurt me first." Nao started walking again, eager to be anywhere else than alone with Kuga.

"Did she?" Natsuki rolled her eyes before following behind the redhead. What she had discussed with Shizuru the night before poked at the back of her mind. She wondered if she should tell Nao that she knew how she felt and why she attacked them.

Nao walked in silence, running her hand in the blonde hair of the child she carried.

"You're just making excuses," Natsuki mumbled, deciding to make her say it instead...but Nao simply kept walking, seemingly oblivious to what she was saying. "Shizuru never did anything to you." She added, pressing the matter further.
The other girl's lack of answer was annoying.
Her lips tightened as the irritation seemed to grow quickly. Nao had the audacity to ignore her still. "You did it to hurt me." The words slipped before she could catch herself.

Nao finally looked at her. Natsuki hadn't noticed this, as she was walking a few steps in front of her, but her eyes were enraged. "What's your problem, Kuga?" She spat, venom tainting every one of her words. "Stop acting so high and mighty! You just did the same as me and all you can think of is blaming me?" She held Alyssa tighter and glared viciously at the older girl.
"I understand it's not the same to you, that you don't care half as much if Kanzaki-san gets hurt, but see, I don't give a damn about Fujino either! She is to me what he is to you!" They stared at each other for a moment, Nao trying to calm down and Natsuki stunned by her outburst. "And...for the record... I, at least, am trying to make up for what I did.
You're the last person in the world who has the right to look down on me right now," she added before resuming her walk to the infirmary.

The raven-haired girl stood alone in the corridor, guilty and a little disconcerted. Since when was Nao so mature?

*****

Shizuru watched the blue-haired, red-eyed girl help Reito into bed. It was obvious what happened, to her at least. She only wondered what he had told Natsuki and if she had calmed down by now. Yet another rampage wouldn't slide as a coincidence. And this time, people wouldn't stop talking about those who wielded 'strange weapons'.
As she was about to get up, Miyu glanced at her, pushing up her glasses. "Don't worry. She's fine."
Shizuru wondered if her actions were that obvious or if the quiet girl could read minds. Her eyes then drifted to the black-haired boy...he seemed in quite a bad shape. He also seemed to make it a point not to look her way.
Fine, she thought, letting a small sigh out.
She didn't really feel like having any sort of discussion with him at the moment anyways. She didn't really feel like having any sort of discussion with anyone but Natsuki, actually.

Nao was the next one to come in, holding Alyssa very tightly to her chest.
She looked over at Shizuru briefly but averted her gaze almost immediately, carefuly setting Alyssa down next to Miyu.

"Onee-chan!" Alyssa hugged her legs instantly.

Miyu smiled and bent down, patting her head. She didn't pick her up though, as she started busying herself with tending to Reito's wounds; Yohko was in her lab right now and his wounds didn't seem bad enough to fetch her. However, she did start chatting with her, a smile playing on her lips, asking about her day and how she felt. Alyssa proceeded in recounting everything she had already told Nao.
The redhead herself dissapeared in the next room, more comfortable around Mai and Mikoto than around Shizuru.

Natsuki followed only a few minutes after Nao. Her gloomy expression lightened up instantly, seeing Shizuru awake AND sitting in her bed. She immediately sat next to her, kissing her lips lightly. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," she said with a soft smile. "....How about you..?" She glanced over at Reito.

Natsuki understood her lover already knew she was responsible for his current state. She looked down, feeling very uncomfortable. She felt her warm hand caress her cheek and bring her in for another soft kiss.

"Don't worry... I'm not angry or disappointed with you," she murmured so only Natsuki could hear. "...I know how it is and how you feel." She touched their foreheads together, smiling faintly.

"...." Natsuki closed her eyes and resisted the urge to hug her tightly. Shizuru might be better, but it would still hurt her where the claws had slashed open deep wounds. Feeling her so close was at least a little comforting.
She opened them and gazed into the crimson eyes. "Did you get up at all, today?"

"No...I just woke up, half an hour ago," Shizuru admited.

Natsuki nodded, closing her eyes again. "Thought so. Your breath stinks." She grinned slightly.

******

TBC

thanks to Naolin for beta-reading <3
---
http://0-kouya-0.deviantart.com/