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TITLE: Intents and Purposes
SERIES: My Otome
AUTHOR: Dreiser
EMAIL: dreiser7@yahoo.com
YAHOO ID: dreiser7
MY WEBSITE: http://www.dreiser.org/
CONTENT: F/F romance. F/F sex. Haruka/Yukino.
SUMMARY: Haruka Armitage and Yukino Chrysant have done everything in their lives for a common purpose with a shared intent.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my dislike of the A/C being set to freezing temperatures.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Haruka, Yukino, Shizuru, and midterm battles.
Intents and Purposes
By: Dreiser
Six
The end of the year battle Haruka Armitage had during her first year at Garderobe was something that would be spoken about for years to come. Her opponent was Beatrice Gidian, the No. 25 Pearl, and their battle lasted precisely three minutes and fifteen seconds. The second that Principal Vandeveld announced the start, Haruka flew from the pillar that she was standing on, and saw the attack from Beatrice coming almost immediately, her violet eyes going wide as she watched the glaive being at aimed at her.
Flexing her fingers and feeling the joints crack, Haruka clenched her jaw and stopped the glaive with her hands, wincing as she felt it cut into her gloves, piercing her skin. Wearing a reckless smile as she witnessed the look of shock on Beatrice's features, she swung the glaive with her opponent still holding onto it into the air, sending it and the older girl flying into the far wall of the coliseum. The structure shook and bricks dropped onto Beatrice's fallen figure from where she lay in the large hole in the wall that Haruka had created. Slowly, she pushed herself out of the rubble and wearing an expression of rage, she launched herself at Haruka who smirked, biting back the pain in her hands. The exact moment when Beatrice would have reached her, she kicked at one of the large pillars, sending it crashing down onto the other girl and another section of the coliseum, causing students to scramble as more bricks started falling.
Seeing Beatrice struggle under the weight of the pillar, Haruka lifted it off the ground, though it slipped in her grasp because of the blood from her injuries and as she did, the Principal's voice echoed in the air, announcing Haruka as the winner. Something that caused the blonde to jump in celebration, flinging the pillar through the air, and sending it crashing into the wall of the coliseum, creating a bigger hole than before.
While it took Haruka just over three minutes to create the massive damage to the coliseum, two weeks passed before it could be repaired. Mostly because the repairs were a duty given to Haruka alone with Miss Yukariko supervising her as Haruka was the one who caused all of the structural problems in the first place. The battle did what it should though, it placed Haruka as the No. 1 Coral, with Shizuru following behind at No. 2. Though she wasn't able to gloat over her superior ranking in anything close to a satisfying manner because Shizuru quickly got over this defeat when just a week after the battle, she was approached by Anh Lu to be her heya-gakkari.
For Haruka it was entirely strange to see Shizuru with Anh because that mask of perfection, it didn't so much lift as it transformed into an absolute and real kind of happiness and admiration for the Pearl who doted on Shizuru almost constantly. She would never admit it but Haruka found herself missing the brunette as Shizuru began spending all of her time with Anh. Somehow she had gotten used to having Shizuru hovering around and Haruka was nearly immune to her teasing, though she still was uncomfortable with Shizuru's habit of hanging onto her. Their tiny dorm room just seemed incredibly empty without the brunette's presence. To distract herself, Haruka increased her strength and combat training and instead of writing once a day to Yukino, she began writing the older girl both in the morning and again in evening.
Haruka also took to exploring the massive library on campus, going through the historical texts of the Otome, reading all the various myths and legends, eagerly taking in as much information as she could. She had been at Garderobe over a year and two birthdays had passed, placing her at the age of fourteen, there was still so much Haruka knew she had to learn about being an Otome. While she felt learning was best done by experience, she liked being in the library with the books, there was something about the place that made her feel close to Yukino. Perhaps because the brunette loved reading so much that her room back home in Aries could pass for a library itself.
Whatever the reason, Haruka had taken to spending her free time there and that was where she was when she heard Shizuru's winsome voice echoing lightly in her ear, blowing back her hair as she said, "Haruka-san studies very hard, doesn't she? I admire her dedication."
"Bubuzuke," Haruka muttered, turning to her roommate who was resting her chin on the blonde's shoulder. She had long since learned any sort of loud outburst would remove her from the library so she grimaced and shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to get the other girl to move. Unfortunately all it succeeded in doing was cause Shizuru to wrap her arms around the chair and Haruka's waist. Making a frustrated noise at her current predicament, Haruka remarked, "Shouldn't you be with Anh-oneesama? You might die from the reiteration."
"Ara," said Shizuru with a warm chuckle, placing her cheek next to Haruka's. "I think Haruka-san means we might die from our separation. I'm pleased that you're concerned for my health but you needn't fret, I can survive away from my oneesama."
"Could've fooled me," mumbled Haruka, frowning deeply when she noticed they were attracting curious onlookers thanks to Shizuru's position. Shrugging her shoulders again and moving her chair side to side, she tried, quietly as she could since she had some more reading she wanted to finish, to dislodge herself from Shizuru's embrace. Sadly, she failed, and Haruka turned to her roommate with a scowl, putting their faces just a breath apart and her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" she demanded.
"Why must I want something to spend time with the kind and lovely Haruka-san?" asked Shizuru playfully, tapping Haruka on the nose. She followed Haruka's gaze to the crowd of Coral students and a few Pearls and a slow smile curved on her lips. "I see," she murmured with a sort of delight that caused certain dread to form in the pit of Haruka's stomach. "You don't appreciate the admirers we've attracted, do you?"
"And you do?" asked Haruka gruffly, displaying a certain clear disbelief.
Although she wasn't spending nearly as much time with her roommate since Shizuru became Anh's heya-gakkari Haruka still felt that she and Anh herself were the only ones who managed to see past the perfect air Shizuru created around her. That meant no matter what Shizuru might like to pretend, Haruka didn't believe she enjoyed having a constant stream of gawkers accompanying her every day activities. For her own part, Haruka ignored them the best she could, until eventually it got to the point she didn't notice they were even there. Unless they got too close, of course, then she was reduced to yelling in outrage to get some space for herself. The fact that other students wasted their time with such things baffled Haruka, she was an Otome in training, just like them, and being Coral No. 1 didn't make her anything special, it certainly didn't make her anything to stare at. Besides, shouldn't they be concentrating on their own studies? It irritated the hell out of her that because of their rank, fighting skills, and the scores they achieved she and Shizuru were placed on a pedestal of sorts. Haruka thought it served no purpose.
"If they want to stare, then let them stare, it isn't like it will teach them anything," said Shizuru dismissively though she did release her hold on the blonde and smoothly moved to sit next to her at the table. Resting her chin in the palm of her hand, she smiled at Haruka and said, "I haven't seen much of Haruka-san lately. It depresses me when I think of it, my heart might break into little pieces from the loneliness."
"Right," Haruka snorted, looking at Shizuru with a supremely skeptical expression. Leaning back in her chair, the front two legs lifted off the ground and Haruka arched an eyebrow at the brunette. "You always want something," she stated plainly, folding her arms over her chest. "I won't be tricked by you again. Not like when we had the wilderness survival exam."
"I never tricked Haruka-san," said Shizuru, looking wounded at the suggestion. "I truly was injured."
"You stubbed your toe, you didn't break your ankle!" roared Haruka suddenly and her chair went crashing down on all fours as she pointed an accusing finger at Shizuru. Though she was well aware this was going to get her kicked out the library, she couldn't help herself, she got so angry when she thought of all the things she did for the brunette on that outdoor exam because she thought Shizuru was injured when it was really about Haruka being teased and seeing how far she would go to pass. Rising to her feet and standing over Shizuru, she said, "You tricked me, pretending you were injured, so I did everything. I cooked, I carried your pack, I hauled you up that damn mountain!"
Looking over her shoulder at the librarian heading their way with a severe frown on her features, Shizuru took Haruka's hand in her own, pulling the blonde after her as she gracefully moved through the building and the crowd of their onlookers. "Haruka-san might have a very valid argument indeed but I think it best to not tarnish her standing as the No. 1 Coral by getting scolded yet again for being noisy in the library," Shizuru remarked as they snuck out the little used side entrance to the building.
"I'm noisy because you tricked me," Haruka groused, yanking her hand away from Shizuru's once they were a good distance away from the library. Shoving her hands into the pockets of her skirt, she marched away from her roommate and muttered under her breath, "Unforgivable, doing that, and on an exam too. Never trying to work, and I have my promise to keep to Yukino, could've made me flunk if I wasn't strong."
"Haruka-san," Shizuru said her name and there was actual remorse in her voice, causing the blonde to pause in her walk and focus on the other girl. Walking over to Haruka, she lightly touched her face, frowning when Haruka flinched then moved backwards slightly, leaving her fingers touching the empty air. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that to you, not when I know how seriously you take your studies."
"Why did you do it anyway?" asked Haruka irritably.
A wry smile tugged at Shizuru's lips and she murmured, "I suppose I wanted to see if Haruka-san really would carry me up a mountain. You seem to dislike me quite a bit but you do care about your grades and I found myself curious to see which would win out in the end. Ultimately I found that Haruka-san's focus cannot be undone by her distaste for me. It was useful information to have, in its own way."
"I don't," Haruka mumbled and the rest of her words seemed to disappear with the wind.
"What did Haruka-san say?" asked Shizuru, honestly curious as she didn't catch the rest of the blonde's sentence.
"I don’t dislike you," said Haruka firmly, staring Shizuru down, before a blush covered her features. Averting her eyes, she looked into the distance, fixing her gaze on the west tower to Windbloom University, and somehow finding comfort in looking at a building on the campus to Yukino's school. "Maybe I dislike how you pretend, how you tease me, and how you act perfect but I don't dislike you." Haruka fixed her gaze back on Shizuru and said in earnest and forthright tones, "Because that isn't you, is it?"
Blinking at this, Shizuru seemed to consider it for a moment, then she looked to Haruka with a faint smile. "I think the teasing is me," she revealed with a hint of humor. "The rest… I believe Haruka-san is more clever than people give her credit for. Perhaps if she stopped using raw power and mass destruction as a means for advancement then this would finally be recognized?"
Releasing a humorous snort, Haruka shook her head and started to walk back to the dorm. "The teasing is definitely you," she remarked. "And why should I hold back on my strength anyway? Everybody here should be able to take it if they have any guts at all." Looking over at Shizuru, a smirk played on her lips and she drawled, "You're not scared of me and I've pushed you around plenty."
"Ara," Shizuru exclaimed, skipping after Haruka and linking their arms, smiling when the blonde rolled her eyes and grumbled at this gesture. "But my ears, they still sometimes ring, remembering the tremendous crash of that much metal landing on me."
"Sure," Haruka scoffed. They continued to walk across the campus in silence and Haruka did her best to ignore the stares from their fellow students but when she felt the tell tale pressure of Shizuru resting her head on her shoulder, she focused on the other girl and questioned, "Won't Anh-oneesama get upset? You hanging on me like this?"
"Why would she?" responded Shizuru who formed what was meant to be a look of innocence.
Though she knew better than to fall for Shizuru's expression, convincing as it might be, Haruka still found herself turning red as she tried to work out exactly what she wanted to say in a way that her roommate couldn't mock her for it. In the end she couldn't think of anything so she clenched her jaw and scowled as she grumbled, "Never mind. Forget about it."
"I don't want to forget about it, not when it sounds so very intriguing," Shizuru remarked, leaning into Haruka, and smiling up at her. "What does Haruka-san think Anh-oneesama could possibly get upset over?"
"You know the answer," Haruka said, gritting her teeth and glowering at her roommate. "That's why I'm not saying."
Shizuru pouted cutely at this and Haruka blew a frustrated puff of air from her lips, allowing the other girl to continue to hang onto her as she had accepted that trying to shake Shizuru off caused more problems than it was worth. The episode in the library was proof that reacting to her roommate's various attempts to poke at her never led to anything good. They stayed this way until they were back at their dorm room where, much to Haruka's displeasure, Shizuru placed herself on the blonde's bed. All of this was enough to make Haruka wonder why she had been crazy enough to miss Shizuru in the first place.
---
Midterm exams were always taken with a great deal of excitement simply because they weren't as difficult as the end of the year exams and they still allowed for Coral students to advance to the Pearl class if they did well enough in their written and battle portions. The battles were eagerly anticipated since they focused on fighting in pairs. This meant instead of being alone in your battle with just yourself and your opponent the students had at least one other person to fight with which led to far more exciting matches. Particularly since the weapon you would be fighting with wasn't announced until you were in the coliseum facing your opponents. This was a training method devised several years ago by the first Galactic Aquamarine as a way to try and ensure students were comfortable using any sort of weapon.
When the listing for battle partners came out, Haruka, despite all the issues she sometimes had, was reluctantly pleased to see Shizuru's name next to her own. Although the pleasure she felt was soon replaced with a measure of worry when she saw that their opponents were Anh Lu and Maya Blythe the No. 1 and No. 2 Pearls. It wasn't that Haruka was afraid of the challenge, no, quite the opposite, she looked forward to facing people who possessed real strength in the coliseum. She was more worried over the fact that Shizuru was Anh's heya-gakkari and the close relationship Shizuru had with the older girl. Though Shizuru never confirmed it, Haruka heard the rumors and she saw enough with her own eyes to confirm that they were more than just friends.
That being so, Haruka wondered if Shizuru could bring herself to fight all out against her oneesama in the midterm battle. She said as much to Shizuru who looked at the blonde in surprise and her eyes were lidded, a wisp of a smile on her lips as she murmured that Anh would never forgive her if she didn't try her very hardest in a battle they would fight together. Then she latched onto Haruka's arm and announced that this type of concern was why she could see herself falling in love with Haruka, something which caused the other girl's face to turn bright red and a loud outburst to come from her lips, one that could be heard across the entire Garderobe campus.
Once again, they returned to the library, devising strategies and tactics for the midterm battle, trying to think up ways they could last in the battle against two much stronger students in hopes they would advance to the Pearl class themselves. Once their strategy was in place, they found an area of the campus, deep in the woods, that was isolated and brought their plans to life, practicing well into the night, sometimes past curfew. This lasted up to the day before the midterm exams when they trained until they heard the tell tale sound of Garderobe instructors and Pearl students roaming the campus, looking for people breaking curfew. Moving through the woods on their usual path which kept them far from the intrusive and punishing eyes of those patrolling the campus, they headed back to the dorm, and just a minute into the walk, Haruka felt the familiar weight of Shizuru leaning on her, hooking their arms together.
"Bubuzuke," Haruka said her chosen nickname for her roommate in almost affectionate tones, smiling when Shizuru looked up at her in surprise upon hearing it said that way. "Why do you want to be an Otome?"
Silence and for a moment, Haruka thought that Shizuru might not reply, then the brunette fixed her gaze into the distance and said in far off tones, as if she was lost in another place and time, "My father is Archduke Shigeru Viola. When I was young, much too young to remember, my mother died so it has always been my father and I. We're terribly close and I will admit, he spoils me, he can't seem to help himself." Haruka snorted at this, understanding why a parent and a father in particular would have that impulse with Shizuru. "I grew up surrounded by all the noble girls of Windbloom and there hasn't been a moment when I wasn't utterly bored with them and their witless chattering and I began to dread the idea of becoming like them. Now, I'm sure Haruka-san will think me quite foolish, but one day I saw Meister Lena Sayers single handedly save half of Windbloom. She did it in seconds and watching her, I wanted to be like that, to have the same power and purpose I saw in her. That," Shizuru drew the word out slowly, tilting her head as she looked to Haruka, "is why I want to be an Otome."
"It's not foolish," said Haruka quietly. "I think it's a good reason."
"Kind as always," Shizuru murmured fondly. Her hand stretched out, fingers lightly prodding Haruka's side as if in a tickle but they were seized in the blonde's strong grip, causing Shizuru to pout. "Well?" she prompted. "Can't I hear Haruka-san's reply?"
Instead of replying, Haruka held Shizuru's hand in her own and moved into a quick run. They were soon inside the dorm, making their way through the hallways, avoiding the Pearl who was patrolling, and it wasn't until they were safely in their room that Haruka spoke. "I made a promise," she began in solemn tones, walking over to her desk and looking at Yukino's old pair of glasses she kept as a source of comfort during the more difficult times.
"So Haruka-san has said," Shizuru responded playfully and she sat at the edge of Haruka's bed, crossing her legs and studying the other girl with a curious gaze. "Might she finally tell me what that promise is?"
"I have someone important," Haruka said and her voice was a whisper, causing the brunette to strain to hear it. Her gaze fixed on Yukino's glasses, Haruka reached out to hold them in her hands. "I want to be an Otome that way I can protect and be with them always."
"Haruka-san must love this person very much to want such a thing," Shizuru's voice was friendly in its reply and when Haruka turned to her, she smiled gently on seeing the look of surprise on the blonde's features. "Am I wrong?"
"No," murmured Haruka, shaking her head. "You're not. I do love her. Probably more than anybody. More than my parents even."
"I think," Shizuru drew the words out slowly as she rose to her feet and walked over to Haruka. Easily taking Yukino's glasses in her hands, her lips quirked up in a smile as she unfolded them and perched them on Haruka's nose. "They are a very lucky person to have one like Haruka-san care for them in that way. I'm certain if you asked they would agree."
"Shizuru," Haruka said her name quietly, squinting to see the other girl through the blur of Yukino's prescription lenses.
A look of delight crossing her features, Shizuru exclaimed, "This is the first time Haruka-san has called me by my name! I must remember to mark the occasion down on my calendar as this is a date that surely deserves recognition. I think it a miracle of sorts."
"Stop joking," muttered Haruka, forming a scowl and blinking her eyes.
"Ara," Shizuru released a great sigh, "if I must. What was Haruka-san going to say?"
"I can't see anything with these glasses on," Haruka revealed as a smile formed on her lips and she chuckled quietly, soon joined by her roommate who removed the glasses from her face and looked at her with a questioning expression. Taking them back in her hand, Haruka folded the glasses carefully and put them on her desk. "They're not mine, bubuzuke. I took them from a friend. It's stupid but I wanted to have something of theirs with me while I was at school. Makes me feel like they're with me somehow." Sitting on her bed, she peered up at Shizuru and said, "We're going to win tomorrow. I just know it. There's no way we won't, not with how hard we've trained."
"Haruka-san does realize I'm not as delicate as people think, doesn't she?" asked Shizuru with a quiet concern that caused the blonde to furrow her brow as she looked at the other girl. "Our plan," Shizuru continued, moving to sit next to Haruka on the bed. "I think it is a good one but you could be hurt very badly in the process. We needn't take it that far, I can withstand some attacks myself."
"Our plan is fine like it is," said Haruka firmly, her face set in determination. "You've got the speed and I've got the strength and stamina. There's no way I'd be able to dodge all their attacks so I'm best off drawing their fire. If we do it the way we worked out it doesn't matter how much stronger they are because in the end, we're going to outlast them in the battle and that's what'll count most in points."
"Very well," said Shizuru almost reluctantly and a moment passed before a glint formed in her eyes, causing Haruka to groan before she heard what the brunette said next. "Just make sure not to be hurt too badly. Your important person might never forgive me."
For this, Haruka didn't have a reply.
---
Obtaining admission to the Garderobe exam battles was perhaps one of the most difficult things to accomplish. Tickets were hard to come by and expensive on top of that. A limited number were available to the Pearl students to give to their friends or family but they were in short supply. Yukino had been trying, without Haruka's knowledge, for weeks on end to get a ticket to the midterm exam battle since she knew it was going to be an important event for the blonde. How she placed determined if she advanced to the Pearl class and though Haruka was very reluctant to admit it, Yukino knew she was anxious about the exam. Since tickets were almost impossible to find, Yukino kept her attempts from the other girl out of fear of disappointing her if she wasn't able to find any for the event.
Yukino had just about given up when the day before the exam she was approached by another student from her dorm study group, Eugene Notara, who asked if it was true that she was trying to get a ticket to the Garderobe midterm exam. Apparently Eugene knew a friend of a friend who had a pair of tickets he was willing to part with for a fairly hefty price. She only needed one but it was either buy them as a pair or not at all and that's how Yukino found herself with an empty wallet but a satisfied smile as she sat in the Garderobe coliseum with her roommate, Rin, on the day of the midterm exams. They had witnessed three battles thus far when the Coral students sitting in front of them began to chatter in anticipation and she heard them mention Haruka's name along with Shizuru then Anh and Maya-oneesama.
Just moments later, the voice of the Garderobe Principal echoed in the air yet again, announcing Anh Lu and Maya Blythe, the No. 1 and No. 2 Pearls. Upon hearing their names and watching them emerge from the coliseum floor as their pillars rose into the air, the crowd erupted into cheers and the Coral students in front of Yukino released ear piercing shrieks of their names. This had barely started to die down when Haruka's name was announced along with her rank as the No. 1 Coral and this time, rather than finding herself bemused at the manic cheering Yukino couldn't help but take a certain amount of joy and pride in it. She didn't cheer herself though, simply because she found herself mesmerized by the sight of Haruka on the pillar, rising out of the ground, clad in her Otome robe and wearing an utterly solemn look on her features.
Throughout their years together Yukino didn't see much of Haruka's sparring. She tended to avoid it for her own peace of mind because there was little that she imagined could hurt her more than watching the person she cared for more than anyone else getting hurt. That being so, she hadn't really seen Haruka look like this before. Naturally she had seen her serious and determined, those things were a huge part of Haruka's nature, but the look she had now it was something else. It reminded Yukino of the soldiers in Aries, of the blonde's own parents, in the sort of innate confidence and clarity Haruka was carrying with her as she kept her gaze level with her opponents. There was a stoic beauty to how she looked standing there, prepared for battle, and it made Yukino's heart race to see her that way.
Despite the fact Haruka was ranked higher, Yukino couldn't help but notice the cheers were much louder for her roommate, Shizuru Viola, who gave a graceful bow to the crowd before turning to face the Pearls and doing the same thing. The Coral students took great delight in the brunette's gestures, remarking on how wonderful Shizuru was and Yukino couldn't help but feel a little put out that Haruka hadn't received the same kind of praise. Shaking her head, she kept her gaze fixed on her friend, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose and watching with concern as Haruka flexed her right hand in what she thought to be a nervous gesture.
"Haruka-chan," Yukino said her name softly but with a strength in her tone. "You can do it."
"She'll be fine," reassured Rin, nudging the younger girl who looked at her gratefully. "I don't even know her and I think she looks tough to take down. I’m sure she'll give those upperclassmen a run for their money."
Her reply was cut off by the Principal announcing the chosen weapon for this battle would be broadswords and the length of the battle was five minutes. Whoever was left standing or had the least amount of damage at the end would be declared the winner. With that, the call to begin reverberated in the air and Yukino watched with wide eyes and a good amount of amazement as Haruka materialized a large sword in one hand and flew across the coliseum faster than Yukino could properly track at the older students. The Pearl that Yukino recalled was named Maya easily dodged Haruka's attack and swung her own sword at the blonde only to be blocked by Haruka whose attention soon turned to her roommate who was being targeted by the other Pearl, Anh, and it was then that Yukino gave her first cry of the evening.
In a hard swing, Anh was bringing her broadsword down and Yukino was strangely certain that Shizuru could have avoided it but she remained where she was and then, out of nowhere, Haruka appeared taking the blow, holding the sword in her left hand while her right had her own sword firmly extended, blocking another attack from Maya. While this went on, Shizuru disappeared from the midst of the confrontation and flew at Anh once more, landing an attack to the older girl's side, and Anh started to pursue Shizuru but Haruka was there again, taking the fight for herself, splitting her attention from Anh to Maya and back again while Shizuru avoided all possible conflict herself.
To Yukino it seemed like Haruka was doing most of the work, she was blocking the attacks from the Pearls, she was taking their blows herself, she was constantly protecting Shizuru from harm while the brunette flitted about the coliseum attacking in spurts. Anytime Maya or Anh would fix their attention on Shizuru there was Haruka, taking the attack head on, and the longer this went on the more upset Yukino was becoming until eventually she let out an cry of frustration, "Mou! Why isn't she doing anything? Haruka-chan is the only one getting hurt."
"I don't know," said Rin, honestly perplexed about what she was seeing. This battle was far different than any of the others they encountered where the pairs seemed to take on equal amounts of damage. In this fight, however, it was just Haruka who seemed to get attacked.
When it seemed as if her anger couldn't possibly get any worse, Yukino took notice of the Coral students in front of them, who were once again analyzing the battle excitedly. Hearing them speak Haruka's name, her attention was drawn to their conversation.
"You see? She did it again. Each time Anh or Maya-oneesama try to attack Shizuru, that's when she moves into action," the first one pointed out, watching as Haruka flew across the stadium to intercept Maya.
"Strength is her thing, right? I mean, she's the only Coral to wreck half the coliseum," the second remarked.
"Right," the first agreed. "Since Haruka can absorb greater damage without getting hurt she's taking the attacks, distracting both oneesamas that way Shizuru can land more blows. Haruka is strong but not fast so I guess they figured there wasn't any way she could avoid getting hurt with how fast Anh and Maya-oneesama can be. But," she paused to say this worriedly, "she is taking a lot of hits. Sort of worries me."
"Oh! She just sliced at the pillar, you don't think she's going to kick it again?" the second exclaimed eagerly and Yukino quickly moved her attention back to the battle where Haruka was indeed kicking the large pillar she had just sliced at the bottom, sending it crashing down onto Maya who was immediately announced to be removed from the battle.
Shifting her sword over her shoulders, Haruka fixed her gaze on Anh, and soon went flying across the coliseum with Shizuru at her side and both girls launched a combined attack on the remaining Pearl. It was so fast and fierce and Yukino couldn't see the swords, just the sharp glare of metal with sparks flying, and she heard the thunderous noise of the weapons crashing together. Haruka swung her broadsword in a massive circle and at the last moment Anh dodged its blow, causing it to slice into a good portion of the coliseum creating a large and gaping hole. Moments after she did this, Anh reappeared behind Haruka and Yukino released a shriek of terror when the older girl swung her sword down onto the blonde, causing Haruka to go flying across the coliseum, crashing through the wall, and landing in a pile of rubble.
Principal Vandeveld announced Haruka's removal from the battle along with the time remaining which was just forty five seconds and although the battle between Anh and Shizuru was still going on, Yukino kept her eyes fixed on where Haruka had landed, only breathing easy when she saw the blonde emerge from the coliseum debris. Haruka's Coral robe was in tatters, her body bruised and bleeding, and she was covered head to toe in a thick layer of dust but to Yukino she had never looked so beautiful. She was safe, she was alive, and for Yukino that was the only thing that mattered. Not the fact Shizuru had managed to stay in the battle with sixty five stamina points still in place while Anh was leading her with only a five point difference, the best score any Coral other than Lena Sayers had managed to produce.
Shizuru might have made it to the end of the battle but to Yukino the real winner was Haruka.
---
Becoming a Pearl had its advantages. Duties such as the daily cleaning and maintenance of Garderobe grounds and the preparation of meals were left entirely up to the Coral students. You were also allowed to take on a heya-gakkari which was a Coral who would serve as a room attendant and little sister of sorts. Despite all of the wonderful things that came along with being a Pearl the only thing that mattered to Haruka, besides it being proof of her hard work and dedication, was the fact that it meant she could leave the campus far more often.
That was why becoming the No. 23 Pearl after the midterm exams made Haruka so happy because it meant, even with Shizuru ahead of her in ranking at No. 22, she would be able to leave the Garderobe campus and see Yukino. The instant that classes were over at the start of the weekend, Haruka took off in a run, ignoring the teasing remarks from Shizuru and dashing into the crowded streets of Wind City on a path towards Windbloom University. She knew if she hurried she could make it in time to greet Yukino as she exited her final lecture for the day.
Winding through the citizens of Windbloom, Haruka pushed her way onto the university campus, and continued her run through the school, not aware of the stares a Pearl student from Garderobe was attracting. For the people of Windbloom, and most others in the world, an Otome was a combination celebrity and soldier, someone to be admired, and Haruka garnered quite a lot of attention as she made her mad dash through the university grounds in search of Iversen Hall where Haruka knew Yukino had her course on Defense Policy.
The class ended ten minutes ago but Haruka was hoping to find Yukino in the general area and her gaze soon landed upon the older girl's figure. She was standing on the lawn with a group of five other students including a tall girl with dark red hair, laughing and smiling brightly and Haruka was suddenly unable to move. Seeing Yukino laugh and smile, that wasn't unusual for Haruka, but there was something different about how the brunette looked. There was an ease, a self confidence, she had in her body language and expression that Haruka wasn't used to and looking at her, she wondered if maybe her friend had somehow passed her by. Yukino was always more mature than she was, she was smarter, and sometimes Haruka wondered what it was about her that the other girl liked because Yukino was so much further ahead of her in so many ways. She was strong, yes, and she was brave and she did work hard but she didn't understand things like Yukino did and there were times when Haruka felt as if Yukino was holding herself back for her sake and it was almost enough to depress her.
Watching Yukino with her university friends, Haruka had a moment where she contemplated leaving, seeing her some other time but the presence of a Garderobe student had created a crowd and Yukino was drawn to the noise. Haruka was frowning and trying to avoid all the attention when Yukino came pushing through the university students, a great smile on her features, happily calling Haruka's name and wrapping her arms around the taller girl in a hug. It was like time slowed down and everyone else disappeared because for Haruka it was only the two of them, no one else mattered. Her arms slipped around Yukino's waist, pulling the other girl closer to her, and she dropped her head, nuzzling her face into the crook of Yukino's neck and breathing in the clean scent the brunette always carried, Haruka felt at home.
This was why she worked hard, this was why she fought to become a Pearl, this was why she wanted to be an Otome. All of it was to keep Yukino safe, to share the dream they had together, to be with her always. Maybe she wasn't smart like the other people at university and maybe she didn't catch on as quickly as Shizuru but she knew where her place was in the world and it was at Yukino's side. That was the one thing Haruka could be certain, no matter what else happened that would never change.
---
Hand in hand, they walked through the Windbloom University campus, and for the first time Haruka was able to see Yukino's dorm. Inspecting every detail with curious eyes, remarking on the furniture and knick knacks with a smile, while Yukino subtly took in Haruka's figure which filled out her Pearl uniform quite nicely. Finally, Haruka asked to see Yukino's room, and her smile got that much larger when she took in shelf after shelf of books. Sitting on the small bed, she reached for the brunette's hands, pulling her forward until Yukino stood in between her legs and Haruka wrapped her arms around the older girl's waist, resting her head against Yukino's stomach.
"I still can't believe you came to the battle without telling me," Haruka marveled. "I wish I'd known. I would've tried harder."
"Haruka-chan," Yukino breathed her name, sifting her fingers through thick blonde hair, an affectionate look on her features. "Don't say things like that. You did so well… I can't say how proud I was of you. Although, I was scared for you too. I was afraid you'd be hurt."
"If you fight, you get hurt," said Haruka simply, lifting her head to look at Yukino with an earnest gaze. "Yukino shouldn't worry." Her right hand slipped from behind the brunette's back, moving up to cup Yukino's cheek, and Haruka smiled when the other girl leaned into her touch. "I'll always come back to you. It's a promise."
"And you always keep your promises, don't you?" said Yukino tenderly, laughing and holding Haruka's face in her hands. Haruka gave an enthusiastic nod of agreement and an affirming noise, causing Yukino to smile sweetly. "I was so angry watching that battle. It seemed to me like your roommate was letting you get hurt and not doing a thing to help you. Then I overheard some Coral students talking about the strategy you were using and it helped calm me down. Still," Yukino confessed, her voice barely above a whisper, "I didn't like it. Seeing Haruka-chan getting hurt like that."
Haruka didn't know what to say to that and so she didn't say anything at all, she simply dropped her head and wrapped her arms more firmly around Yukino's waist, hiding her face against the older girl's stomach, losing herself in their embrace. Smiling at this, Yukino sighed, her fingers running through Haruka's hair, enjoying this quiet time with the younger girl. It was one of the things that Yukino loved about their relationship, how they didn't have the need to constantly talk, to fill the air with jabber and conversation, Yukino was weary of her classmates who couldn't seem to take the concept of silence, the very idea making them uneasy. It was different with Haruka though, she wasn't afraid to be herself and when she didn't know what to say, she didn't speak at all, and Yukino loved that about her. She loved that Haruka felt comfortable enough with her that she didn't have to spend her time on meaningless chatter like the some students at Windbloom University.
Her gaze drifted through her room, fixing on the calendar on the wall, and Yukino was astounded by how much time had passed. It had been a month since the midterm exams at Garderobe. In five months a new school year would begin for them and Haruka would be fifteen. Looking down at the blonde whose eyes were shut and her expression peaceful, as if on the precipice of sleep, Yukino wondered when she should reveal her feelings. It didn't feel right yet, the timing, it was off and Yukino suspected Haruka still wouldn't understand and while she knew she couldn't do anything about the love she felt for the younger girl sometimes it made her feel guilty because Haruka had no idea.
Was she taking advantage in times like these? When she held Haruka so close? But Haruka was the one who initiated this contact and that made it all right, didn't it? Yukino found it all so very confusing and it tore her up at times as she debated on what was right and what was fair in her treatment of Haruka because she was tempted all the time, tempted to be close, to touch, to hug, to take Haruka in and Haruka accepted everything she did so easily because she cared for her and that made it so much harder setting her limits.
"Yukino," Haruka said her name in a low murmur and Yukino jumped slightly, startled at the sound, though she quickly relaxed as she looked into warm violet eyes peering up at her with an open and honest affection. "I want to stay like this forever."
Blinking back tears and trying her best to control the immense feeling of love she felt on hearing this, Yukino cupped Haruka's cheek with a trembling hand, resting their foreheads together as she replied softly, "Me too."
To be continued...
SERIES: My Otome
AUTHOR: Dreiser
EMAIL: dreiser7@yahoo.com
YAHOO ID: dreiser7
MY WEBSITE: http://www.dreiser.org/
CONTENT: F/F romance. F/F sex. Haruka/Yukino.
SUMMARY: Haruka Armitage and Yukino Chrysant have done everything in their lives for a common purpose with a shared intent.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my dislike of the A/C being set to freezing temperatures.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Haruka, Yukino, Shizuru, and midterm battles.
Intents and Purposes
By: Dreiser
Six
The end of the year battle Haruka Armitage had during her first year at Garderobe was something that would be spoken about for years to come. Her opponent was Beatrice Gidian, the No. 25 Pearl, and their battle lasted precisely three minutes and fifteen seconds. The second that Principal Vandeveld announced the start, Haruka flew from the pillar that she was standing on, and saw the attack from Beatrice coming almost immediately, her violet eyes going wide as she watched the glaive being at aimed at her.
Flexing her fingers and feeling the joints crack, Haruka clenched her jaw and stopped the glaive with her hands, wincing as she felt it cut into her gloves, piercing her skin. Wearing a reckless smile as she witnessed the look of shock on Beatrice's features, she swung the glaive with her opponent still holding onto it into the air, sending it and the older girl flying into the far wall of the coliseum. The structure shook and bricks dropped onto Beatrice's fallen figure from where she lay in the large hole in the wall that Haruka had created. Slowly, she pushed herself out of the rubble and wearing an expression of rage, she launched herself at Haruka who smirked, biting back the pain in her hands. The exact moment when Beatrice would have reached her, she kicked at one of the large pillars, sending it crashing down onto the other girl and another section of the coliseum, causing students to scramble as more bricks started falling.
Seeing Beatrice struggle under the weight of the pillar, Haruka lifted it off the ground, though it slipped in her grasp because of the blood from her injuries and as she did, the Principal's voice echoed in the air, announcing Haruka as the winner. Something that caused the blonde to jump in celebration, flinging the pillar through the air, and sending it crashing into the wall of the coliseum, creating a bigger hole than before.
While it took Haruka just over three minutes to create the massive damage to the coliseum, two weeks passed before it could be repaired. Mostly because the repairs were a duty given to Haruka alone with Miss Yukariko supervising her as Haruka was the one who caused all of the structural problems in the first place. The battle did what it should though, it placed Haruka as the No. 1 Coral, with Shizuru following behind at No. 2. Though she wasn't able to gloat over her superior ranking in anything close to a satisfying manner because Shizuru quickly got over this defeat when just a week after the battle, she was approached by Anh Lu to be her heya-gakkari.
For Haruka it was entirely strange to see Shizuru with Anh because that mask of perfection, it didn't so much lift as it transformed into an absolute and real kind of happiness and admiration for the Pearl who doted on Shizuru almost constantly. She would never admit it but Haruka found herself missing the brunette as Shizuru began spending all of her time with Anh. Somehow she had gotten used to having Shizuru hovering around and Haruka was nearly immune to her teasing, though she still was uncomfortable with Shizuru's habit of hanging onto her. Their tiny dorm room just seemed incredibly empty without the brunette's presence. To distract herself, Haruka increased her strength and combat training and instead of writing once a day to Yukino, she began writing the older girl both in the morning and again in evening.
Haruka also took to exploring the massive library on campus, going through the historical texts of the Otome, reading all the various myths and legends, eagerly taking in as much information as she could. She had been at Garderobe over a year and two birthdays had passed, placing her at the age of fourteen, there was still so much Haruka knew she had to learn about being an Otome. While she felt learning was best done by experience, she liked being in the library with the books, there was something about the place that made her feel close to Yukino. Perhaps because the brunette loved reading so much that her room back home in Aries could pass for a library itself.
Whatever the reason, Haruka had taken to spending her free time there and that was where she was when she heard Shizuru's winsome voice echoing lightly in her ear, blowing back her hair as she said, "Haruka-san studies very hard, doesn't she? I admire her dedication."
"Bubuzuke," Haruka muttered, turning to her roommate who was resting her chin on the blonde's shoulder. She had long since learned any sort of loud outburst would remove her from the library so she grimaced and shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to get the other girl to move. Unfortunately all it succeeded in doing was cause Shizuru to wrap her arms around the chair and Haruka's waist. Making a frustrated noise at her current predicament, Haruka remarked, "Shouldn't you be with Anh-oneesama? You might die from the reiteration."
"Ara," said Shizuru with a warm chuckle, placing her cheek next to Haruka's. "I think Haruka-san means we might die from our separation. I'm pleased that you're concerned for my health but you needn't fret, I can survive away from my oneesama."
"Could've fooled me," mumbled Haruka, frowning deeply when she noticed they were attracting curious onlookers thanks to Shizuru's position. Shrugging her shoulders again and moving her chair side to side, she tried, quietly as she could since she had some more reading she wanted to finish, to dislodge herself from Shizuru's embrace. Sadly, she failed, and Haruka turned to her roommate with a scowl, putting their faces just a breath apart and her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" she demanded.
"Why must I want something to spend time with the kind and lovely Haruka-san?" asked Shizuru playfully, tapping Haruka on the nose. She followed Haruka's gaze to the crowd of Coral students and a few Pearls and a slow smile curved on her lips. "I see," she murmured with a sort of delight that caused certain dread to form in the pit of Haruka's stomach. "You don't appreciate the admirers we've attracted, do you?"
"And you do?" asked Haruka gruffly, displaying a certain clear disbelief.
Although she wasn't spending nearly as much time with her roommate since Shizuru became Anh's heya-gakkari Haruka still felt that she and Anh herself were the only ones who managed to see past the perfect air Shizuru created around her. That meant no matter what Shizuru might like to pretend, Haruka didn't believe she enjoyed having a constant stream of gawkers accompanying her every day activities. For her own part, Haruka ignored them the best she could, until eventually it got to the point she didn't notice they were even there. Unless they got too close, of course, then she was reduced to yelling in outrage to get some space for herself. The fact that other students wasted their time with such things baffled Haruka, she was an Otome in training, just like them, and being Coral No. 1 didn't make her anything special, it certainly didn't make her anything to stare at. Besides, shouldn't they be concentrating on their own studies? It irritated the hell out of her that because of their rank, fighting skills, and the scores they achieved she and Shizuru were placed on a pedestal of sorts. Haruka thought it served no purpose.
"If they want to stare, then let them stare, it isn't like it will teach them anything," said Shizuru dismissively though she did release her hold on the blonde and smoothly moved to sit next to her at the table. Resting her chin in the palm of her hand, she smiled at Haruka and said, "I haven't seen much of Haruka-san lately. It depresses me when I think of it, my heart might break into little pieces from the loneliness."
"Right," Haruka snorted, looking at Shizuru with a supremely skeptical expression. Leaning back in her chair, the front two legs lifted off the ground and Haruka arched an eyebrow at the brunette. "You always want something," she stated plainly, folding her arms over her chest. "I won't be tricked by you again. Not like when we had the wilderness survival exam."
"I never tricked Haruka-san," said Shizuru, looking wounded at the suggestion. "I truly was injured."
"You stubbed your toe, you didn't break your ankle!" roared Haruka suddenly and her chair went crashing down on all fours as she pointed an accusing finger at Shizuru. Though she was well aware this was going to get her kicked out the library, she couldn't help herself, she got so angry when she thought of all the things she did for the brunette on that outdoor exam because she thought Shizuru was injured when it was really about Haruka being teased and seeing how far she would go to pass. Rising to her feet and standing over Shizuru, she said, "You tricked me, pretending you were injured, so I did everything. I cooked, I carried your pack, I hauled you up that damn mountain!"
Looking over her shoulder at the librarian heading their way with a severe frown on her features, Shizuru took Haruka's hand in her own, pulling the blonde after her as she gracefully moved through the building and the crowd of their onlookers. "Haruka-san might have a very valid argument indeed but I think it best to not tarnish her standing as the No. 1 Coral by getting scolded yet again for being noisy in the library," Shizuru remarked as they snuck out the little used side entrance to the building.
"I'm noisy because you tricked me," Haruka groused, yanking her hand away from Shizuru's once they were a good distance away from the library. Shoving her hands into the pockets of her skirt, she marched away from her roommate and muttered under her breath, "Unforgivable, doing that, and on an exam too. Never trying to work, and I have my promise to keep to Yukino, could've made me flunk if I wasn't strong."
"Haruka-san," Shizuru said her name and there was actual remorse in her voice, causing the blonde to pause in her walk and focus on the other girl. Walking over to Haruka, she lightly touched her face, frowning when Haruka flinched then moved backwards slightly, leaving her fingers touching the empty air. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that to you, not when I know how seriously you take your studies."
"Why did you do it anyway?" asked Haruka irritably.
A wry smile tugged at Shizuru's lips and she murmured, "I suppose I wanted to see if Haruka-san really would carry me up a mountain. You seem to dislike me quite a bit but you do care about your grades and I found myself curious to see which would win out in the end. Ultimately I found that Haruka-san's focus cannot be undone by her distaste for me. It was useful information to have, in its own way."
"I don't," Haruka mumbled and the rest of her words seemed to disappear with the wind.
"What did Haruka-san say?" asked Shizuru, honestly curious as she didn't catch the rest of the blonde's sentence.
"I don’t dislike you," said Haruka firmly, staring Shizuru down, before a blush covered her features. Averting her eyes, she looked into the distance, fixing her gaze on the west tower to Windbloom University, and somehow finding comfort in looking at a building on the campus to Yukino's school. "Maybe I dislike how you pretend, how you tease me, and how you act perfect but I don't dislike you." Haruka fixed her gaze back on Shizuru and said in earnest and forthright tones, "Because that isn't you, is it?"
Blinking at this, Shizuru seemed to consider it for a moment, then she looked to Haruka with a faint smile. "I think the teasing is me," she revealed with a hint of humor. "The rest… I believe Haruka-san is more clever than people give her credit for. Perhaps if she stopped using raw power and mass destruction as a means for advancement then this would finally be recognized?"
Releasing a humorous snort, Haruka shook her head and started to walk back to the dorm. "The teasing is definitely you," she remarked. "And why should I hold back on my strength anyway? Everybody here should be able to take it if they have any guts at all." Looking over at Shizuru, a smirk played on her lips and she drawled, "You're not scared of me and I've pushed you around plenty."
"Ara," Shizuru exclaimed, skipping after Haruka and linking their arms, smiling when the blonde rolled her eyes and grumbled at this gesture. "But my ears, they still sometimes ring, remembering the tremendous crash of that much metal landing on me."
"Sure," Haruka scoffed. They continued to walk across the campus in silence and Haruka did her best to ignore the stares from their fellow students but when she felt the tell tale pressure of Shizuru resting her head on her shoulder, she focused on the other girl and questioned, "Won't Anh-oneesama get upset? You hanging on me like this?"
"Why would she?" responded Shizuru who formed what was meant to be a look of innocence.
Though she knew better than to fall for Shizuru's expression, convincing as it might be, Haruka still found herself turning red as she tried to work out exactly what she wanted to say in a way that her roommate couldn't mock her for it. In the end she couldn't think of anything so she clenched her jaw and scowled as she grumbled, "Never mind. Forget about it."
"I don't want to forget about it, not when it sounds so very intriguing," Shizuru remarked, leaning into Haruka, and smiling up at her. "What does Haruka-san think Anh-oneesama could possibly get upset over?"
"You know the answer," Haruka said, gritting her teeth and glowering at her roommate. "That's why I'm not saying."
Shizuru pouted cutely at this and Haruka blew a frustrated puff of air from her lips, allowing the other girl to continue to hang onto her as she had accepted that trying to shake Shizuru off caused more problems than it was worth. The episode in the library was proof that reacting to her roommate's various attempts to poke at her never led to anything good. They stayed this way until they were back at their dorm room where, much to Haruka's displeasure, Shizuru placed herself on the blonde's bed. All of this was enough to make Haruka wonder why she had been crazy enough to miss Shizuru in the first place.
---
Midterm exams were always taken with a great deal of excitement simply because they weren't as difficult as the end of the year exams and they still allowed for Coral students to advance to the Pearl class if they did well enough in their written and battle portions. The battles were eagerly anticipated since they focused on fighting in pairs. This meant instead of being alone in your battle with just yourself and your opponent the students had at least one other person to fight with which led to far more exciting matches. Particularly since the weapon you would be fighting with wasn't announced until you were in the coliseum facing your opponents. This was a training method devised several years ago by the first Galactic Aquamarine as a way to try and ensure students were comfortable using any sort of weapon.
When the listing for battle partners came out, Haruka, despite all the issues she sometimes had, was reluctantly pleased to see Shizuru's name next to her own. Although the pleasure she felt was soon replaced with a measure of worry when she saw that their opponents were Anh Lu and Maya Blythe the No. 1 and No. 2 Pearls. It wasn't that Haruka was afraid of the challenge, no, quite the opposite, she looked forward to facing people who possessed real strength in the coliseum. She was more worried over the fact that Shizuru was Anh's heya-gakkari and the close relationship Shizuru had with the older girl. Though Shizuru never confirmed it, Haruka heard the rumors and she saw enough with her own eyes to confirm that they were more than just friends.
That being so, Haruka wondered if Shizuru could bring herself to fight all out against her oneesama in the midterm battle. She said as much to Shizuru who looked at the blonde in surprise and her eyes were lidded, a wisp of a smile on her lips as she murmured that Anh would never forgive her if she didn't try her very hardest in a battle they would fight together. Then she latched onto Haruka's arm and announced that this type of concern was why she could see herself falling in love with Haruka, something which caused the other girl's face to turn bright red and a loud outburst to come from her lips, one that could be heard across the entire Garderobe campus.
Once again, they returned to the library, devising strategies and tactics for the midterm battle, trying to think up ways they could last in the battle against two much stronger students in hopes they would advance to the Pearl class themselves. Once their strategy was in place, they found an area of the campus, deep in the woods, that was isolated and brought their plans to life, practicing well into the night, sometimes past curfew. This lasted up to the day before the midterm exams when they trained until they heard the tell tale sound of Garderobe instructors and Pearl students roaming the campus, looking for people breaking curfew. Moving through the woods on their usual path which kept them far from the intrusive and punishing eyes of those patrolling the campus, they headed back to the dorm, and just a minute into the walk, Haruka felt the familiar weight of Shizuru leaning on her, hooking their arms together.
"Bubuzuke," Haruka said her chosen nickname for her roommate in almost affectionate tones, smiling when Shizuru looked up at her in surprise upon hearing it said that way. "Why do you want to be an Otome?"
Silence and for a moment, Haruka thought that Shizuru might not reply, then the brunette fixed her gaze into the distance and said in far off tones, as if she was lost in another place and time, "My father is Archduke Shigeru Viola. When I was young, much too young to remember, my mother died so it has always been my father and I. We're terribly close and I will admit, he spoils me, he can't seem to help himself." Haruka snorted at this, understanding why a parent and a father in particular would have that impulse with Shizuru. "I grew up surrounded by all the noble girls of Windbloom and there hasn't been a moment when I wasn't utterly bored with them and their witless chattering and I began to dread the idea of becoming like them. Now, I'm sure Haruka-san will think me quite foolish, but one day I saw Meister Lena Sayers single handedly save half of Windbloom. She did it in seconds and watching her, I wanted to be like that, to have the same power and purpose I saw in her. That," Shizuru drew the word out slowly, tilting her head as she looked to Haruka, "is why I want to be an Otome."
"It's not foolish," said Haruka quietly. "I think it's a good reason."
"Kind as always," Shizuru murmured fondly. Her hand stretched out, fingers lightly prodding Haruka's side as if in a tickle but they were seized in the blonde's strong grip, causing Shizuru to pout. "Well?" she prompted. "Can't I hear Haruka-san's reply?"
Instead of replying, Haruka held Shizuru's hand in her own and moved into a quick run. They were soon inside the dorm, making their way through the hallways, avoiding the Pearl who was patrolling, and it wasn't until they were safely in their room that Haruka spoke. "I made a promise," she began in solemn tones, walking over to her desk and looking at Yukino's old pair of glasses she kept as a source of comfort during the more difficult times.
"So Haruka-san has said," Shizuru responded playfully and she sat at the edge of Haruka's bed, crossing her legs and studying the other girl with a curious gaze. "Might she finally tell me what that promise is?"
"I have someone important," Haruka said and her voice was a whisper, causing the brunette to strain to hear it. Her gaze fixed on Yukino's glasses, Haruka reached out to hold them in her hands. "I want to be an Otome that way I can protect and be with them always."
"Haruka-san must love this person very much to want such a thing," Shizuru's voice was friendly in its reply and when Haruka turned to her, she smiled gently on seeing the look of surprise on the blonde's features. "Am I wrong?"
"No," murmured Haruka, shaking her head. "You're not. I do love her. Probably more than anybody. More than my parents even."
"I think," Shizuru drew the words out slowly as she rose to her feet and walked over to Haruka. Easily taking Yukino's glasses in her hands, her lips quirked up in a smile as she unfolded them and perched them on Haruka's nose. "They are a very lucky person to have one like Haruka-san care for them in that way. I'm certain if you asked they would agree."
"Shizuru," Haruka said her name quietly, squinting to see the other girl through the blur of Yukino's prescription lenses.
A look of delight crossing her features, Shizuru exclaimed, "This is the first time Haruka-san has called me by my name! I must remember to mark the occasion down on my calendar as this is a date that surely deserves recognition. I think it a miracle of sorts."
"Stop joking," muttered Haruka, forming a scowl and blinking her eyes.
"Ara," Shizuru released a great sigh, "if I must. What was Haruka-san going to say?"
"I can't see anything with these glasses on," Haruka revealed as a smile formed on her lips and she chuckled quietly, soon joined by her roommate who removed the glasses from her face and looked at her with a questioning expression. Taking them back in her hand, Haruka folded the glasses carefully and put them on her desk. "They're not mine, bubuzuke. I took them from a friend. It's stupid but I wanted to have something of theirs with me while I was at school. Makes me feel like they're with me somehow." Sitting on her bed, she peered up at Shizuru and said, "We're going to win tomorrow. I just know it. There's no way we won't, not with how hard we've trained."
"Haruka-san does realize I'm not as delicate as people think, doesn't she?" asked Shizuru with a quiet concern that caused the blonde to furrow her brow as she looked at the other girl. "Our plan," Shizuru continued, moving to sit next to Haruka on the bed. "I think it is a good one but you could be hurt very badly in the process. We needn't take it that far, I can withstand some attacks myself."
"Our plan is fine like it is," said Haruka firmly, her face set in determination. "You've got the speed and I've got the strength and stamina. There's no way I'd be able to dodge all their attacks so I'm best off drawing their fire. If we do it the way we worked out it doesn't matter how much stronger they are because in the end, we're going to outlast them in the battle and that's what'll count most in points."
"Very well," said Shizuru almost reluctantly and a moment passed before a glint formed in her eyes, causing Haruka to groan before she heard what the brunette said next. "Just make sure not to be hurt too badly. Your important person might never forgive me."
For this, Haruka didn't have a reply.
---
Obtaining admission to the Garderobe exam battles was perhaps one of the most difficult things to accomplish. Tickets were hard to come by and expensive on top of that. A limited number were available to the Pearl students to give to their friends or family but they were in short supply. Yukino had been trying, without Haruka's knowledge, for weeks on end to get a ticket to the midterm exam battle since she knew it was going to be an important event for the blonde. How she placed determined if she advanced to the Pearl class and though Haruka was very reluctant to admit it, Yukino knew she was anxious about the exam. Since tickets were almost impossible to find, Yukino kept her attempts from the other girl out of fear of disappointing her if she wasn't able to find any for the event.
Yukino had just about given up when the day before the exam she was approached by another student from her dorm study group, Eugene Notara, who asked if it was true that she was trying to get a ticket to the Garderobe midterm exam. Apparently Eugene knew a friend of a friend who had a pair of tickets he was willing to part with for a fairly hefty price. She only needed one but it was either buy them as a pair or not at all and that's how Yukino found herself with an empty wallet but a satisfied smile as she sat in the Garderobe coliseum with her roommate, Rin, on the day of the midterm exams. They had witnessed three battles thus far when the Coral students sitting in front of them began to chatter in anticipation and she heard them mention Haruka's name along with Shizuru then Anh and Maya-oneesama.
Just moments later, the voice of the Garderobe Principal echoed in the air yet again, announcing Anh Lu and Maya Blythe, the No. 1 and No. 2 Pearls. Upon hearing their names and watching them emerge from the coliseum floor as their pillars rose into the air, the crowd erupted into cheers and the Coral students in front of Yukino released ear piercing shrieks of their names. This had barely started to die down when Haruka's name was announced along with her rank as the No. 1 Coral and this time, rather than finding herself bemused at the manic cheering Yukino couldn't help but take a certain amount of joy and pride in it. She didn't cheer herself though, simply because she found herself mesmerized by the sight of Haruka on the pillar, rising out of the ground, clad in her Otome robe and wearing an utterly solemn look on her features.
Throughout their years together Yukino didn't see much of Haruka's sparring. She tended to avoid it for her own peace of mind because there was little that she imagined could hurt her more than watching the person she cared for more than anyone else getting hurt. That being so, she hadn't really seen Haruka look like this before. Naturally she had seen her serious and determined, those things were a huge part of Haruka's nature, but the look she had now it was something else. It reminded Yukino of the soldiers in Aries, of the blonde's own parents, in the sort of innate confidence and clarity Haruka was carrying with her as she kept her gaze level with her opponents. There was a stoic beauty to how she looked standing there, prepared for battle, and it made Yukino's heart race to see her that way.
Despite the fact Haruka was ranked higher, Yukino couldn't help but notice the cheers were much louder for her roommate, Shizuru Viola, who gave a graceful bow to the crowd before turning to face the Pearls and doing the same thing. The Coral students took great delight in the brunette's gestures, remarking on how wonderful Shizuru was and Yukino couldn't help but feel a little put out that Haruka hadn't received the same kind of praise. Shaking her head, she kept her gaze fixed on her friend, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose and watching with concern as Haruka flexed her right hand in what she thought to be a nervous gesture.
"Haruka-chan," Yukino said her name softly but with a strength in her tone. "You can do it."
"She'll be fine," reassured Rin, nudging the younger girl who looked at her gratefully. "I don't even know her and I think she looks tough to take down. I’m sure she'll give those upperclassmen a run for their money."
Her reply was cut off by the Principal announcing the chosen weapon for this battle would be broadswords and the length of the battle was five minutes. Whoever was left standing or had the least amount of damage at the end would be declared the winner. With that, the call to begin reverberated in the air and Yukino watched with wide eyes and a good amount of amazement as Haruka materialized a large sword in one hand and flew across the coliseum faster than Yukino could properly track at the older students. The Pearl that Yukino recalled was named Maya easily dodged Haruka's attack and swung her own sword at the blonde only to be blocked by Haruka whose attention soon turned to her roommate who was being targeted by the other Pearl, Anh, and it was then that Yukino gave her first cry of the evening.
In a hard swing, Anh was bringing her broadsword down and Yukino was strangely certain that Shizuru could have avoided it but she remained where she was and then, out of nowhere, Haruka appeared taking the blow, holding the sword in her left hand while her right had her own sword firmly extended, blocking another attack from Maya. While this went on, Shizuru disappeared from the midst of the confrontation and flew at Anh once more, landing an attack to the older girl's side, and Anh started to pursue Shizuru but Haruka was there again, taking the fight for herself, splitting her attention from Anh to Maya and back again while Shizuru avoided all possible conflict herself.
To Yukino it seemed like Haruka was doing most of the work, she was blocking the attacks from the Pearls, she was taking their blows herself, she was constantly protecting Shizuru from harm while the brunette flitted about the coliseum attacking in spurts. Anytime Maya or Anh would fix their attention on Shizuru there was Haruka, taking the attack head on, and the longer this went on the more upset Yukino was becoming until eventually she let out an cry of frustration, "Mou! Why isn't she doing anything? Haruka-chan is the only one getting hurt."
"I don't know," said Rin, honestly perplexed about what she was seeing. This battle was far different than any of the others they encountered where the pairs seemed to take on equal amounts of damage. In this fight, however, it was just Haruka who seemed to get attacked.
When it seemed as if her anger couldn't possibly get any worse, Yukino took notice of the Coral students in front of them, who were once again analyzing the battle excitedly. Hearing them speak Haruka's name, her attention was drawn to their conversation.
"You see? She did it again. Each time Anh or Maya-oneesama try to attack Shizuru, that's when she moves into action," the first one pointed out, watching as Haruka flew across the stadium to intercept Maya.
"Strength is her thing, right? I mean, she's the only Coral to wreck half the coliseum," the second remarked.
"Right," the first agreed. "Since Haruka can absorb greater damage without getting hurt she's taking the attacks, distracting both oneesamas that way Shizuru can land more blows. Haruka is strong but not fast so I guess they figured there wasn't any way she could avoid getting hurt with how fast Anh and Maya-oneesama can be. But," she paused to say this worriedly, "she is taking a lot of hits. Sort of worries me."
"Oh! She just sliced at the pillar, you don't think she's going to kick it again?" the second exclaimed eagerly and Yukino quickly moved her attention back to the battle where Haruka was indeed kicking the large pillar she had just sliced at the bottom, sending it crashing down onto Maya who was immediately announced to be removed from the battle.
Shifting her sword over her shoulders, Haruka fixed her gaze on Anh, and soon went flying across the coliseum with Shizuru at her side and both girls launched a combined attack on the remaining Pearl. It was so fast and fierce and Yukino couldn't see the swords, just the sharp glare of metal with sparks flying, and she heard the thunderous noise of the weapons crashing together. Haruka swung her broadsword in a massive circle and at the last moment Anh dodged its blow, causing it to slice into a good portion of the coliseum creating a large and gaping hole. Moments after she did this, Anh reappeared behind Haruka and Yukino released a shriek of terror when the older girl swung her sword down onto the blonde, causing Haruka to go flying across the coliseum, crashing through the wall, and landing in a pile of rubble.
Principal Vandeveld announced Haruka's removal from the battle along with the time remaining which was just forty five seconds and although the battle between Anh and Shizuru was still going on, Yukino kept her eyes fixed on where Haruka had landed, only breathing easy when she saw the blonde emerge from the coliseum debris. Haruka's Coral robe was in tatters, her body bruised and bleeding, and she was covered head to toe in a thick layer of dust but to Yukino she had never looked so beautiful. She was safe, she was alive, and for Yukino that was the only thing that mattered. Not the fact Shizuru had managed to stay in the battle with sixty five stamina points still in place while Anh was leading her with only a five point difference, the best score any Coral other than Lena Sayers had managed to produce.
Shizuru might have made it to the end of the battle but to Yukino the real winner was Haruka.
---
Becoming a Pearl had its advantages. Duties such as the daily cleaning and maintenance of Garderobe grounds and the preparation of meals were left entirely up to the Coral students. You were also allowed to take on a heya-gakkari which was a Coral who would serve as a room attendant and little sister of sorts. Despite all of the wonderful things that came along with being a Pearl the only thing that mattered to Haruka, besides it being proof of her hard work and dedication, was the fact that it meant she could leave the campus far more often.
That was why becoming the No. 23 Pearl after the midterm exams made Haruka so happy because it meant, even with Shizuru ahead of her in ranking at No. 22, she would be able to leave the Garderobe campus and see Yukino. The instant that classes were over at the start of the weekend, Haruka took off in a run, ignoring the teasing remarks from Shizuru and dashing into the crowded streets of Wind City on a path towards Windbloom University. She knew if she hurried she could make it in time to greet Yukino as she exited her final lecture for the day.
Winding through the citizens of Windbloom, Haruka pushed her way onto the university campus, and continued her run through the school, not aware of the stares a Pearl student from Garderobe was attracting. For the people of Windbloom, and most others in the world, an Otome was a combination celebrity and soldier, someone to be admired, and Haruka garnered quite a lot of attention as she made her mad dash through the university grounds in search of Iversen Hall where Haruka knew Yukino had her course on Defense Policy.
The class ended ten minutes ago but Haruka was hoping to find Yukino in the general area and her gaze soon landed upon the older girl's figure. She was standing on the lawn with a group of five other students including a tall girl with dark red hair, laughing and smiling brightly and Haruka was suddenly unable to move. Seeing Yukino laugh and smile, that wasn't unusual for Haruka, but there was something different about how the brunette looked. There was an ease, a self confidence, she had in her body language and expression that Haruka wasn't used to and looking at her, she wondered if maybe her friend had somehow passed her by. Yukino was always more mature than she was, she was smarter, and sometimes Haruka wondered what it was about her that the other girl liked because Yukino was so much further ahead of her in so many ways. She was strong, yes, and she was brave and she did work hard but she didn't understand things like Yukino did and there were times when Haruka felt as if Yukino was holding herself back for her sake and it was almost enough to depress her.
Watching Yukino with her university friends, Haruka had a moment where she contemplated leaving, seeing her some other time but the presence of a Garderobe student had created a crowd and Yukino was drawn to the noise. Haruka was frowning and trying to avoid all the attention when Yukino came pushing through the university students, a great smile on her features, happily calling Haruka's name and wrapping her arms around the taller girl in a hug. It was like time slowed down and everyone else disappeared because for Haruka it was only the two of them, no one else mattered. Her arms slipped around Yukino's waist, pulling the other girl closer to her, and she dropped her head, nuzzling her face into the crook of Yukino's neck and breathing in the clean scent the brunette always carried, Haruka felt at home.
This was why she worked hard, this was why she fought to become a Pearl, this was why she wanted to be an Otome. All of it was to keep Yukino safe, to share the dream they had together, to be with her always. Maybe she wasn't smart like the other people at university and maybe she didn't catch on as quickly as Shizuru but she knew where her place was in the world and it was at Yukino's side. That was the one thing Haruka could be certain, no matter what else happened that would never change.
---
Hand in hand, they walked through the Windbloom University campus, and for the first time Haruka was able to see Yukino's dorm. Inspecting every detail with curious eyes, remarking on the furniture and knick knacks with a smile, while Yukino subtly took in Haruka's figure which filled out her Pearl uniform quite nicely. Finally, Haruka asked to see Yukino's room, and her smile got that much larger when she took in shelf after shelf of books. Sitting on the small bed, she reached for the brunette's hands, pulling her forward until Yukino stood in between her legs and Haruka wrapped her arms around the older girl's waist, resting her head against Yukino's stomach.
"I still can't believe you came to the battle without telling me," Haruka marveled. "I wish I'd known. I would've tried harder."
"Haruka-chan," Yukino breathed her name, sifting her fingers through thick blonde hair, an affectionate look on her features. "Don't say things like that. You did so well… I can't say how proud I was of you. Although, I was scared for you too. I was afraid you'd be hurt."
"If you fight, you get hurt," said Haruka simply, lifting her head to look at Yukino with an earnest gaze. "Yukino shouldn't worry." Her right hand slipped from behind the brunette's back, moving up to cup Yukino's cheek, and Haruka smiled when the other girl leaned into her touch. "I'll always come back to you. It's a promise."
"And you always keep your promises, don't you?" said Yukino tenderly, laughing and holding Haruka's face in her hands. Haruka gave an enthusiastic nod of agreement and an affirming noise, causing Yukino to smile sweetly. "I was so angry watching that battle. It seemed to me like your roommate was letting you get hurt and not doing a thing to help you. Then I overheard some Coral students talking about the strategy you were using and it helped calm me down. Still," Yukino confessed, her voice barely above a whisper, "I didn't like it. Seeing Haruka-chan getting hurt like that."
Haruka didn't know what to say to that and so she didn't say anything at all, she simply dropped her head and wrapped her arms more firmly around Yukino's waist, hiding her face against the older girl's stomach, losing herself in their embrace. Smiling at this, Yukino sighed, her fingers running through Haruka's hair, enjoying this quiet time with the younger girl. It was one of the things that Yukino loved about their relationship, how they didn't have the need to constantly talk, to fill the air with jabber and conversation, Yukino was weary of her classmates who couldn't seem to take the concept of silence, the very idea making them uneasy. It was different with Haruka though, she wasn't afraid to be herself and when she didn't know what to say, she didn't speak at all, and Yukino loved that about her. She loved that Haruka felt comfortable enough with her that she didn't have to spend her time on meaningless chatter like the some students at Windbloom University.
Her gaze drifted through her room, fixing on the calendar on the wall, and Yukino was astounded by how much time had passed. It had been a month since the midterm exams at Garderobe. In five months a new school year would begin for them and Haruka would be fifteen. Looking down at the blonde whose eyes were shut and her expression peaceful, as if on the precipice of sleep, Yukino wondered when she should reveal her feelings. It didn't feel right yet, the timing, it was off and Yukino suspected Haruka still wouldn't understand and while she knew she couldn't do anything about the love she felt for the younger girl sometimes it made her feel guilty because Haruka had no idea.
Was she taking advantage in times like these? When she held Haruka so close? But Haruka was the one who initiated this contact and that made it all right, didn't it? Yukino found it all so very confusing and it tore her up at times as she debated on what was right and what was fair in her treatment of Haruka because she was tempted all the time, tempted to be close, to touch, to hug, to take Haruka in and Haruka accepted everything she did so easily because she cared for her and that made it so much harder setting her limits.
"Yukino," Haruka said her name in a low murmur and Yukino jumped slightly, startled at the sound, though she quickly relaxed as she looked into warm violet eyes peering up at her with an open and honest affection. "I want to stay like this forever."
Blinking back tears and trying her best to control the immense feeling of love she felt on hearing this, Yukino cupped Haruka's cheek with a trembling hand, resting their foreheads together as she replied softly, "Me too."
To be continued...
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^___^
I liked the Shizuru and Haruka talk too. They DO like each other, even if Shizuru drives poor Haruka nuts at times. Heh!
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(After having read this chapter 3 times already, heh.)