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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 constant dealing with time zones.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Skip ahead two years.
Intents and Purposes
By: Dreiser
Twelve
It always struck Haruka as strange that the Presidential campaign began two years before the actual election occurred. Every day Haruka was able to see Yukino multiple times, whether in person or on the television, due to how much the brunette was campaigning for her party's nomination. Her efforts had come to the national media's awareness and Ryota Guillen, the other main contender for the Egalitarian nomination was doing his best to make sure people had little confidence in Yukino's leadership abilities due to her inexperience. Several times Haruka had witnessed a debate between Yukino and Guillen whether it was in Senate or on some nightly news program and to her it seemed that Yukino always came out the winner. Although she had to admit perhaps her opinion wasn't the most objective.
While the Egalitarians battled amongst themselves for the party nomination, Xavier continued his military action as he began his own leisurely campaign across Aries. Speaking to the people, explaining his reasons behind the invasions, and presenting facts like the amount of terrorists they'd captured, and the decreased number of attacks since Haruka had become the Continental Orb Topaz. Whenever he brought this up in his public speeches, Haruka would redden, and duck her head as the cheers washed over them from the crowd. She never expected this kind of acceptance from the people of Aries.
Meister Blomquist had been the Continental Orb Topaz for so long and for a good amount of citizens she was the only Presidential Otome they knew and Haruka expected a backlash to her inheriting the GEM. That people would compare her to Blomquist and find her lacking and maybe there was, at the beginning, but the more she went on Xavier's missions, the more terrorists she captured, the more lives she saved, the more the public seemed to accept her and the began to delight in all the ways she was different. Blomquist was a controlled personality, someone that rarely interacted with the press and the public at large, but Haruka simply wasn't that way, she'd speak to anyone who spoke to her and this led to countless encounters with the media and her fellow citizens.
Xavier encouraged her interaction with the public, remarking it hardly hurt him for the people of Aries to love his Otome, and Haruka found herself giving interviews to reporters after her missions and accepting random gifts from people on the street. Many of which she donated to charities but a few she kept for herself, things like a teddy bear given to her by a kindergarten student who blushed and stammered the entire time he talked with her. She couldn't give something like that away. It simply wasn't in her, not when the child had been so adorable and determined to give her the gift despite his obvious nerves surrounding the gesture.
Currently they were returning from a trip to the nearby state of Iso where Xavier had made a speech along with General Pirnes about the successes in his military campaign. Haruka sat next to Xavier in his car, avoiding the curious gaze of the General's Otome, Meister Matilda Dowell, whom she knew from the pervasive gossip that surrounded The Hexagon was good friends with Meister Blomquist. Just like in their political system, there was an order of rank among Otome in Aries and as the Continental Orb Topaz, Haruka was seen as their leader, the one who gave orders in a crisis and she knew the older Otome had been sizing her up all day.
Their car had just started to travel the length of the large bridge that crossed Half Moon Bay, connecting the states of Sol and Iso, when Haruka heard a distant crash. Directing her gaze out the window of the car, she saw the unmistakable figures of slaves on the horizon, moving closer to their position on the bridge and her eyes widened as she saw their numbers increase from five to ten. They had to get the President out of there and they had to do it quickly. Turning to Xavier who had followed her line of vision, Haruka said quickly, "Certify me."
Nodding, Xavier leaned close, kissing her GEM and murmuring the words that caused the familiar swell of strength and power to seize Haruka as she materialized her robe. Looking across at Meister Dowell who followed her lead and was clad in her Otome garb, she said, "The President and General can't be here. Pick up the car and fly it to The Hexagon. I'll take care of the slaves and make sure your path is clear." Meister Dowell looked as if she might protest and Haruka frowned severely as she said brusquely, "Do it. I'll get rid of them, just like I've gotten rid of the others. The most important thing is to get the President to safety."
An automobile accident caused by the slaves appearance had ground traffic on the bridge to a halt and this was the only way to accomplish a quick escape. Besides that, these slaves had to be destroyed before they did more damage and killed any people. She opened the door of the car, followed by Meister Dowell, and stood on the bridge until the other Otome took flight, holding the President's car over her head. The moment she felt Dowell was at a safe distance, Haruka flew through the air, materializing her element and swinging the mace in her hand, extending the chain to take down three slaves at once. Leaping on the head of one slave, she hurled the mace at two that were nearby, removing their heads before killing the one she was standing on. The more she killed though, the more that seemed to appear and Haruka became more desperate in her attacks, trying to kill as many as possible, panicked at the idea of one of them getting closer to the bridge where so many of her fellow citizens were stranded above the rushing waters of Half Moon Bay that led out into the Oscurita Sea.
Try as she might, slaves did make it past her, and towards the bridge. She flew, faster than she ever before, the wind whipping her face and her eyes stinging from the speed, she flew, but she wasn't fast enough, Haruka killed the slave but only moments after it attacked the bridge, snapping it in two, causing cars to fall from it and towards the bay. Haruka caught two of the cars in mid air, watching helplessly as three others fell into the water. She deposited the cars she caught onto the shore, her mace flying out, killing the slaves near the bridge as she retrieved the cars from the water, one by one, relieved to see the people inside them alive but frightened. Things were happening too fast though, the bridge continued to crumble and the slaves kept coming, where were the other Otome? The army? Anyone? Haruka wondered, flying towards the bridge just in time to grab another car by the space between its open window and the roof. Clutching it with one hand while her other hand was pressed against the faltering bridge, holding it up, and Haruka grimaced at the sight of more slaves heading towards her position.
Looking down at the car, she saw a family was inside, a mother, father, and their daughter. The little girl looked at her wide and teary eyes, clinging to her mother, and Haruka offered her what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Don't worry," she said, grunting under the weight of the bridge and the metal cutting into her hand from holding the car aloft. "I won't let anything happen to you."
She could see the tears in all their eyes but especially in the little girl's and Haruka didn't want to break her promise, she wanted to keep them all safe, but she wondered how she could as she felt the bridge crumbling under her grip and she did her best to produce a shield, holding it up but it was too much, holding the bridge and this car and the slaves were coming closer. It was just as she was contemplating options of how to use her mace in this situation when she saw the blurred forms of the Delta Force come into view. Meister Dowell appeared in front of her and Haruka offered her a grin, nodding towards the car she gripped in her hand.
"Get them out of here," Haruka ordered, holding back a sound of relief when Meister Dowell took the car. Her gaze dropped back to the family and she smiled at them, keeping her expression calm and reassuring. "Meister Dowell is going to take care of you, okay? You'll be all right." Looking to the other Otome, she strengthened the shield and dared to glance up at the crumbling bridge for the first time. Her shield seemed to be holding it together so far. "I've got to stay here, keep this thing up, can you make sure the others cover me?"
"Yes, Colonel," said Dowell with a nod, a solemn look on her features. "I'll relay your instructions."
Thirty eight minutes later, the last of the slaves was destroyed and the other Otome joined her at the bridge, extending their shields, holding it together until every citizen was evacuated to safety and members of the Department of Transportation could move in with equipment to keep the bridge stable while they made repairs. By the time that Haruka could safely leave the bridge and dematerialize her shield more than four hours had passed. Once she returned to The Hexagon, she was ushered into meetings with the President, where he thanked her and informed her the attack had been from the remaining members of Fidelus Altus who were seeking revenge for the imprisonment of their comrades. Intelligence was already working on discerning their location and how they'd become allies with the Schwartz. Haruka listened to the information wearily, sitting gratefully in a chair the President offered her, head pounding from a headache and exhaustion behind her eyes.
As much as she believed in what Xavier was doing, in bringing these criminals to justice, it seemed as if it was never ending. That she would never find relief and peace couldn't be obtained on this path. She wondered if perhaps that was the reason Yukino protested so long and hard against the President's mission. Haruka wouldn't put it past Yukino to see the bigger, long term picture, and as much as she admired and had faith in Xavier he saw things on a smaller and more personal scale. All that Haruka knew was she managed, somehow, to do her duty today. She had kept her President safe and protected the people of Aries. No innocents died in the attack, just the slaves and their masters, and for Haruka that was good enough. For now anyway.
Capturing the remaining members of Fidelus Altus proved a difficult task. Intelligence worked on it around the clock but the information was varied and it was complex. Haruka herself went on many missions only to return empty handed and she knew she was disappointing Xavier but she couldn't do anything about it. There was nothing to be found and as the election slowly neared, the campaign becoming more fierce, Haruka watched as Yukino used the attack at Half Moon Bay to emphasize why Xavier's way of doing things was faulty, that in the end it would only create more enemies for their country and further increase the misery of war.
The days became longer, that was the sense that Haruka had, returning to her room just past two in the morning. Xavier had always worked himself nearly to death but since the attack on the bridge and the inability to locate Fidelus Altus, his popularity plummeted. More and more it appeared almost certain that Yukino would receive her party nomination. As she traveled through Aries, debating Guillen, she had the larger amount of supporters and she was the focus of the media coverage. When she watched Yukino on the television, sometimes Haruka wondered how much of what she said was from the brunette or her advisors. Some of it Haruka agreed with but certain things just made the blonde angry, she found it so inaccurate, such as Yukino proclaiming innocents were killed during their missions in Cardair and Artai, something Haruka knew for a fact was false. She had gone on those missions, recorded them with her GEM, and no one in Aries was responsible for the deaths of those citizens. That fell onto the shoulders of the terrorists they sought to capture and Haruka frowned deeply at the memories of those times, the people held hostage, the ones they couldn't save and she knew it wasn't their fault, they tried to rescue them.
Sitting on her bed, her gaze drifted to the small answering machine by her bedside. Only a handful of people had her private line at The Hexagon and her heart raced, wondering if Yukino had decided to take the chance, to risk calling her. Pressing play on the machine, she tried to restrain her disappointment on hearing her father's voice, telling her he pulled a few former commander strings with Xavier and managed to get her the day off for her birthday. He told her in cheerful instruction to be at their house at ten in the morning, guaranteeing it would be a special day that would cheer her up for months to come. Smiling at this, Haruka flopped back down on her bed and stared absently up at the ceiling. She should sleep, she knew that. In just four hours she would have to be up again and at work as the President's Otome and she couldn't afford to be tired and careless. There was too much at stake in her position.
Sleep was elusive though and Haruka rubbed her eyes, changing into her rarely used pajamas and turning on the television, perched cross legged on her bed, a faint smile forming on her lips as she watched the reporter on the news speak about Yukino. This was her life now, this was how she saw the woman she loved, on the news, in bits and pieces, clips and blurbs. Slowly but surely, her eyes became heavy and Haruka crawled underneath the covers but she kept the news on, soothed by the sound of Yukino's voice, giving an impassioned speech, the sound of it tricking her sleep addled mind into thinking that the brunette was there with her and that was enough to provide some comfort.
---
Empty was the first thought that Haruka had as she walked into her parents house. The entire place was empty and it was eerie in a way, she wasn't used to the house being this quiet, especially with her parents around, they tended to be gregarious and loud people, and silence just didn’t suit them in the least. Haruka opened her mouth to call out for them when she heard footsteps and looked up to see Yukino standing at the top of the staircase clad in a silky black negligee. Words escaped Haruka and she found herself moving forward, running up the steps and pulling the brunette into her arms and kissing her with an urgent need. Almost two years had passed since that day in the Presidential office and they had other moments, passing ones here and there, where they were alone together but nothing like this.
Nothing that allowed them to get this close without the fear of discovery and intrusion. Haruka didn't want to think about the why and the how of Yukino's presence. All she knew was that Yukino was there, and she was real, not a dream or a wish or a memory, she was flesh and blood, intoxicating in her smell, taste, and sound. Sliding her hands down, Haruka lifted Yukino up by her inner thighs, groaning as the older woman wrapped her legs around her waist, deepening their kiss as the blonde cautiously made her way towards her old bedroom.
Supporting Yukino with her left arm and opening her bedroom door with right hand, Haruka maneuvered them into the room, kicking the door shut and heading over to the bed which seemed much smaller than she remembered it. She supposed it was natural though, to see things differently as you got older and certainly being twenty one versus thirteen gave a different perspective on things. Lowering Yukino down on the bed, Haruka pressed the length of her body against Yukino's, working her leg in between Yukino's thighs, groaning when the other woman tilted her head, meeting their tongues as her hands searched for the zipper to Haruka's dress.
"Yukino," muttered Haruka, reluctantly pulling her lips away from the Senator's, shifting to sit back on her legs and reaching around to unzip her dress. "Let me." In moments, the material fell away and Yukino was pulling at it, removing the dress from Haruka's body and tossing it onto the floor as the blonde grinned, kicking off her boots, her hands trailing up the brunette's body, tugging the negligee over Yukino's head with this movement. When it was gone and Yukino lay before her, clad in only a pair of black panties, Haruka surged forward for another kiss, her hand slipping down, underneath the silken fabric, groaning at the wetness that greeted her, knowing that she was the cause.
"You feel so good," Haruka mumbled in between their kisses, slowly exploring Yukino's folds, taking in her gasps and shudders with a smile, kissing her deeply while she began her slow and deliberate thrusts. It was true, Yukino did feel good, better than anything Haruka knew and she missed it, she missed it so much, the sensation of being inside the other woman, feeling the proof of her desire, her love, and it was the best present she could have possibly received to be able to have that again. To feel Yukino in her arms, straining and shuddering, fingers biting into her backside, holding her close as she could when the orgasm hit her but Haruka wasn't satisfied, it had been too long, far too long. She moved down the brunette's body, smiling when she felt Yukino's fingers tangle in her hair as she ripped the panties from her body.
In an easy movement, she lifted Yukino's hips into the air, sliding her downwards and Haruka leaned forward, her tongue flat, moving in long strokes, lips sucking on the brunette's clit. She felt Yukino's fingers contract in her hair, encouraging her onward and Haruka lost herself in the taste and the texture of the older woman, absorbed in it, and Haruka felt Yukino come once and then twice, but she didn't stop, she simply couldn't, it had been too long and she wanted to have as much of Yukino as she could. Haruka finally ceased when Yukino gave a strong tug and Haruka looked up to see her smiling weakly, saying her name in a murmur, and the blonde slid upwards, kissing the other woman sweetly, taking time to explore the recesses of Yukino's mouth, saying words of love when they finally separated.
Her bra and panties quickly disappeared, tossed carelessly aside, and Haruka was pushed down on the bed, Yukino hovering over her with a certain dangerous intent. Desire gleaming in her green eyes and Haruka's left leg was hiked up, wrapped around Yukino's waist, and she was about to question, to ask what the brunette was planning, but Yukino was kissing her. She was kissing her with an intensity Haruka hadn't experienced in years and she moaned into Yukino's mouth, grasping at the older woman, her hips jumping when she felt fingertips trail down her abdomen to slip inside her pussy. Whenever they made love before it was gentle, always so gentle and tender when it came to Yukino, she treated Haruka like a priceless thing, something easily damaged, and Haruka had always wondered at it because she obviously wasn't. She was constantly beaten and bruised from her training and work as an Otome, she knew how to deal with the rougher things in life, that was how she grew up but Yukino touched her like she was the most delicate thing in the world. This was different though, that care, that tenderness was still there but it had been overruled by a more passionate need that couldn't be contained and Yukino was kissing her so deeply and her hands were insistent, caressing the length of her body, and her fingers, one, two, three, moving inside of her and it wasn't enough somehow. Haruka wanted more of Yukino and she strained upwards, moving into the other woman, matching the pace of her strokes.
How many times did she come? Haruka lost count, she didn't have the ability to track it, the only thing she knew was Yukino was with her, moving inside her, and she never felt this complete, and it almost made up for all the time they had to spend apart. Being vulnerable was an unfamiliar and uncomfortable prospect for Haruka, she avoided it at all costs, but when her orgasm struck, she couldn't seem to stop the tears from falling and the need to hold Yukino as close to her as possible out of some irrational fear of her disappearing. Three years had passed since they had been together like this and Haruka didn't want to lose this closeness again but she knew she would, she knew the moment they stepped out of this house it would return to how it had been and that was enough for her to drop her defenses and sob into Yukino's shoulder.
Yukino let her cry, holding her, stroking her hair, murmuring words of reassurance and love. Saying that she would win the Presidential primary and then the election and they would be together and Haruka wanted to believe it but it was all too much, everything that happened in these years they spent apart and some part of her felt like she just couldn't hope anymore because it was the hoping that hurt the most.
---
Hours passed and it well into the early evening when Haruka ran down to the kitchen, gathering random items of food and drink, then bringing them back to her old bedroom on a tray for them to eat. Tearing off a piece of cheese and feeding it to Yukino who accepted with a happy murmur, Haruka rubbed a lock of brown hair between her fingers, studying the other woman with a warm gaze. "You planned this with my folks, didn't you?" Haruka questioned in a fond accusation.
"What?" said Yukino, a teasing tone to her voice though a blush dusted her cheeks. "Haruka-chan didn't enjoy her birthday surprise?"
Rolling her eyes and reaching around Yukino's waist to pull the brunette against her, Haruka huffed, "Of course I enjoyed it! I'd be stupid if I didn't. But you're not answering my question, you planned this with them, right? My dad's the one who got me the day off in the first place."
"We thought that it would be good for you," Yukino murmured, offering some chicken to Haruka and smiling as the blonde mumbled her thanks and chewed on the food. "Having a day away from that man." Her fingers stretched out, caressing Haruka's cheek, and Yukino observed her with lidded green eyes, filled with affection. "And we haven't had a chance in so long to be together like this."
"I know," Haruka muttered, burying her face in the crook of Yukino's neck, breathing her in. "I've missed you."
"It will be over soon," promised Yukino, kissing the top of Haruka's head and then her cheek. "I've been speaking with Sato and unless something changes in the two weeks between now and the Egalitarian Convention I'm going to be their nominee for President."
The words were a loss for Haruka, she didn't know what to say, how to express her happiness on hearing this, and that hope was trying to rise up in her but she kept it contained, locked away where it couldn't hurt her, and she kissed Yukino, long and sweet and tender, allowing herself that tiny amount of happiness for the time being. When they parted, she rested their foreheads together and smiled softly.
"I knew you could do it," said Haruka with a quiet joy and for the first time she felt almost as if she was lying to Yukino because while she wanted Yukino to win she didn't know if she really could, just like she didn't know if she could beat Xavier. "I love you so much."
They continued eating, feeding each other pieces of food, and Yukino's eyes fell on the sunflower Haruka placed on the tray and not for the first time, she wondered where the blonde had produced it. "Haruka-chan," she began, smiling when the younger woman looked at her with wide eyes and wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. "Every week you deliver a fresh sunflower to my office."
"Yeah," said Haruka slowly, a frown forming, wondering where this was going.
"How do you do that?" asked Yukino, tilting her head to one side. "I know you can't be doing it personally because the Senatorial wing of The Hexagon would be a buzz with the presence of the Topaz, especially the aides and interns, who are around the most."
"It's a secret," Haruka replied, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
A strange part of Yukino wanted to pout and to wheedle the information out of Haruka but she didn't, partly because she was charmed by Haruka's response, and partly because she supposed it didn't really matter how the sunflower got there, what counted was the message its presence leant and the love behind the gesture itself. Sighing quietly, Yukino moved forward for a kiss, capturing Haruka's lips in a languid study, smiling at the groan the blonde released and the sensation of being pulled forward, onto the Otome's lap.
Clearing the bed of food and drinks, Haruka lost herself in the touch and the feel of Yukino again, trying to have as much of her as she could, to make as many memories as possible to hold her over in the time they would be apart. It wouldn't ever be enough, she was certain of this, and she knew the moment they parted the loneliness would return and the only comfort she would have were these memories and the knowledge that she was making a difference in her work with Xavier. That her President needed her and she believed in their mission.
That consolation was what caused her to react later, when they were dressed, and reluctantly parting company. Yukino had kissed Haruka again, hard and deep and passionate, vowing that she would win the election when they parted. That she would save Haruka and Aries from Xavier, saying he killed too many innocents with his needless fighting, and Haruka replied he didn't do that, she shouldn't say that.
"What?" said Yukino in a whisper, her eyes going wide, not used to hearing this vehemence from Haruka about politics.
"He's not a killer," Haruka repeated, her teeth grinding in her mouth, hands clenched into fists. "Stop saying that he is. You haven't been there, on those missions, I have. I saw those people get killed and it wasn't us that did it, the terrorists, they held them hostage and we tried to save as many as we could but sometimes we couldn't. When he saw what happened, you don't know how he looked, it's just like when he thinks about his wife dying. He's doing this to keep people safe, not to do more harm, so don't you call him a killer."
"Haruka-chan," Yukino said her name helplessly and she didn't know what else to say, how to respond. For so long she was used to stating her opinions, her thoughts, on these matters and having Haruka constantly agree but now Haruka was speaking up for the man she was going to run against in the Presidential election, the man who was her political enemy. The man, Yukino thought with a grimace, who was Haruka's Master.
"Maybe you're right, all these missions I go on, they just make it worse," Haruka continued, a severe look on her face. "I can see it now, that it's never going to stop, that each mission only leads to another and it just creates more enemies. I agree with that but what I don't agree with is trying to demonize our President, who's only trying to keep us all safe, he's not a monster, he's a man. Human just like anyone else and if you can have sympathy for the people who attacked our lands and our people, killing us by the thousands, I think you could have some for him." Yukino didn't say anything, she couldn't say anything, she didn't have the words and Haruka sighed, running her fingers through her hair before looking at the brunette with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to yell at you like that but I don't like it… hearing you talk that way about him. You don't know him like I do, Yukino. He's not a bad person, not at all, he's just trying to do what he thinks is best and maybe it's not the right way of doing things but he's not a cruel and heartless person. Not like people in your party are trying to make him out to be."
Absently, Yukino realized this was the first disagreement they ever had, the first time Haruka's opinion differed from her own and she wondered if once Haruka became her Otome more moments like this would occur. She never thought they would but it was only natural, they were two very different people who saw the world in very different ways and Yukino suspected up until this point Haruka had simply stepped aside for Yukino, let her take the lead in their opinions, in their thoughts, on things of this matter but no longer. Not after serving Xavier and seeing things in a way that Yukino just couldn't with everything she experienced as his Otome. Though it made her sad to know this, Yukino was somehow happy also, because it would bring a new source of ideas and opinions and she never wanted Haruka to be hesitant or afraid to speak her mind with her.
"I won't say things like that anymore," Yukino promised, cupping Haruka's face in her hands, moving in for another kiss.
Two weeks later, standing behind her President, in a room with his aides and advisors, she watched Yukino accept the Presidential nomination for the Egalitarian party and saw her keep that promise. Not one personal insult towards Xavier was lobbed, just the reasons why she opposed his policies and why Aries needed a change in leadership and the reasons she felt she was the person to provide that leadership. She could see the confusion in Xavier's advisors, muttering amongst themselves that Yukino was taking the high road, that they couldn't attack her because it would only make them look that much worse in comparison and Haruka was strangely proud of the brunette for confusing them. It depressed her at times, that decent behavior in an election was such a shocking prospect, but she thought maybe with this the election wouldn't be such a horrible torment for her. If she didn't have to see her Master and the woman she loved tearing each other apart in order to win.
She knew she shouldn't wish for Yukino's victory, that it wasn't her place as an Otome. She had to serve whomever the people chose as their President, she wasn't meant to have an opinion on such things. As an Otome in Aries she was part of the military, she was a Colonel in the army and the army served their President, not a political party but still, Haruka would think back to that brief day together, the sensation of Yukino's lips on her own, Yukino's fingers inside her, Yukino's scent surrounding her, and Haruka wanted her to win so very badly just to have that again.
There was also the fact she was becoming exhausted from their military missions. Every day it seemed like there was something new and Haruka wondered if it would ever stop. They still hadn't caught the remaining members of Fidelus Altus that attacked Half Moon Bay and she was on a constant hunt for them when she wasn't campaigning with Xavier, traveling every last inch of Aries, and listening to him explain why his actions didn't lead to the attack on the bridge. She wondered if that was true though, she thought they were partly responsible, but she didn't know why with all the surveillance they had accumulated, all the spies, all the intelligence, they couldn't see it coming.
That was what truly puzzled her and made Haruka question what all of those things were really for.
Endless campaigning, that's what it felt like to Haruka, and she started to suspect she was being used as something as a tool by Xavier. Her name was brought up often in his speeches, listing all the missions she had made into a success, the terrorists she captured, the lives she had saved, and the hours she held that crumbling bridge together with the help of her fellow Otome. It was only when the only debate between Xavier and Yukino happened did Haruka actually see anyone bring this fact up.
It took place in the large auditorium for Caeles University and Haruka stood by Xavier, waiting for his name to be announced so he could walk onstage, when she saw Yukino out of the corner of her eye. The brunette was surrounded by her advisors and Haruka fought a frown, she couldn't help it though, she hated them to some extent for being able to stay at Yukino's side constantly, whispering in her ear, giving her encouragement in ways she just couldn't. She also didn't like that they tried to influence Yukino about certain things, perhaps even their romantic relationship, in order to maintain her popularity and guarantee her success in the election.
Their eyes met and Haruka saw the love and the promise there and Yukino smiled at her sweetly, only turning away when her name was announced and she walked onto the stage to begin the debate. Shortly after, Xavier followed and Haruka remained in the wings, observing as the two politicians answered questions from the moderator and the audience. Though it was only when Xavier began speaking about the events at Half Moon Bay when Haruka truly focused her attention on the debate because it was then that she could hear a hint of anger in Yukino's voice.
Drawn forward, Haruka pushed Xavier's aides aside, her eyes fixed on Yukino's features as she looked out into the audience and said, "Everything that President Xavier has said is true but I find it curious that he's attempting to take credit for things that Colonel Armitage has done as if they were his own actions. She's the Continental Orb Topaz, the Meister Otome of the President, yes, but she is the Otome for all the people of Aries more importantly. The President has sent her on countless hard and nearly impossible missions and she has succeeded but it was her job to do so, to follow her President's orders to the best of her ability, that doesn't mean those orders were correct. It simply means the Colonel is an excellent soldier and a fine example of an Otome. I would think her people, the people of Aries, would far prefer not to see her fighting in a futile effort that only creates more enemies for her to battle in the future. I can think of better ways for her to spend her time."
An unbidden smile curved on Haruka's features at these final words, she couldn't help it, hearing them made her so very happy but she couldn't show that, not in public, not to Xavier's advisors, so she moved back to her old position, watching the debate from the shadows. Happier than she could say to watch Yukino continue on, arguing her viewpoints in such a way that Haruka could see her turning the tide, she could see the people agreeing with the brunette over Xavier and more and more that feeling of hope she tried suppress, it returned to her.
---
The Principal of Garderobe summoning an individual Otome to the school was somewhat unusual. Otome tended to be present whenever the Principal met with their Masters, various heads of state, and nobles, but requesting an Otome without her Master wasn't the way things were usually done. There were meetings, of course, of all the various Meisters, sometimes once a year but that wasn't what this was and Haruka found herself more than a little curious about what this was about, if not irritated because of Xavier's displeasure at her need to leave him for the day. While he was a friendly man and treated all of the Otome in the military well, Haruka was aware he was attached to her and preferred to have her by his side above anyone else.
Haruka couldn't help but be curious though, particularly when she considered who the new Principal was.
She landed on Garderobe grounds and restrained the urge to scowl upon being greeted by a Pearl student rather than one of the Columns. Instead, she kept her face neutral, thanking the Pearl who blushed and stammered in response, and led Haruka through the halls that she knew all too well until they came to the Principal's office. The door opened to reveal Natsuki sitting at a large desk and Shizuru standing at her side, pouring a cup of tea, something that caused Haruka to think that some things never change.
Soon as they were alone, Haruka raised an eyebrow and drawled, "Bubuzuke. You want to tell me why you or your plaything couldn't have come and greeted me down there? I just get one of your student fluctuates. That's a real nice way to say hello when you requested my presence."
"Fluctuates?" echoed Natsuki with a frown.
"I believe Haruka-san meant to say flunky," Shizuru offered, smiling winsomely and offering Haruka a steaming cup of tea. "Isn't that right, Haruka-san?" When Haruka accepted the tea and grunted her agreement, Shizuru smiled again, leaning close as she said, "Though she would do well to not insult my Natsuki again. She's the Principal of this institution and deserves to be treated with the proper respect."
Eyeing Shizuru silently, Haruka contemplated the change in her former roommate. If she ever doubted the other woman's love for Natsuki, she couldn't any longer and her lips quirked up in a smile and she dipped her head in concession. "Sorry, bubuzuke," she muttered then she shifted her gaze over to Natsuki, offering her a rakish grin. "You too, Principal. Guess I'm just grumpy from the election. It's starting to get on my nerves."
"That's part of why I called you here," revealed Natsuki, rising up from her chair and crossing over to where Haruka sat with Shizuru on the couch which granted a wonderful view of the Garderobe grounds. "Otome aren't meant to be used as political tools. Usually we don't have this type of problem but given the fact that Aries is a democracy things are a bit different. It's come to our attention that your President has been trying to use your popularity with the people as a means to get himself reelected. I had a little chat with him about it, how it breaks the regulations we have in place for Otome, and it would severely sour relations between Aries and Garderobe if he continued."
"Is this about those posters?" asked Haruka, her face screwing up in annoyance, thinking of the motto they had on them. A vote for Xavier is a vote for mission accomplished which was printed directly underneath a photo of Haruka in her Meister robe. "I never liked them."
"The posters, the pamphlets, the commercials, the speeches," Natsuki remarked wryly. "All that along with your clear popularity among the citizens and it's pretty easy to work out what he's been up to in his campaign strategy."
"How do you know about this stuff anyway? I didn't think you paid attention to this sort of thing in Garderobe," Haruka said, looking to Shizuru with a frown, lost as to why the Otome academy would take interest in Aries politics.
"Ara," said Shizuru with a mysterious smile, tilting her head to one side. "Let's say that a little birdie told us."
"Yukino," said Haruka in a murmur, her eyes going wide. "Bubuzuke," she scooted forward, suddenly eager. With the election coming closer, both campaigns were running at a frantic pace and she hadn't heard from the other woman in months. "You mean Yukino contacted you?"
"I do believe that was the birdie's name," Shizuru said kindly, taking the cup of tea from Haruka's hands before it spilled onto the couch and placing it on the nearby table. "She was concerned for you, afraid your President was using you in ways quite unethical. There was little she could do under the circumstances and requested Garderobe look into the matter which is well within our rights, as you are aware."
"How did she sound? Is she all right? She always looks so tired on the news," Haruka said one thing after another, the words rushing past her lips, anxious for any sort of answer.
"Chrysant-san seemed well, though you are right, she appears fatigued from her campaign," said Shizuru. She paused to form a warm smile, pushing a lock of hair behind Haruka's ear as she murmured, "She is trying her very hardest for both Haruka-san and Aries. Though I did not speak to her nearly as long as my Natsuki did." Shizuru focused on the Principal who blushed and blustered at the attention. "I fear they bonded."
"Shizuru!" Natsuki exclaimed, grumbling and looking to Haruka. "Senator Chrysant's an interesting person, that's all. I liked hearing her thoughts on Earl international politics. If she wins and gets on The Council I think we'd share a lot of votes in common."
"As I said," said Shizuru smartly, winking as she looked to Haruka. "They bonded."
Still grumbling, Natsuki looked to Haruka and said in solemn tones, "I wouldn't underestimate her in this election. I've only got a small idea of what it's like, having a democracy, but even after being at this job for only a year I've got some idea of what a real leader sounds like. Senator Chrysant has that feeling about her. The way she spoke to me on the phone was in the manner of a seasoned negotiator, there wasn't any way that she was going to give up until she had me agreeing with her point of view in how Xavier had been utilizing you in his campaign."
"I know what Yukino can do," said Haruka quietly. "I've always known. It's just that other people are finally figuring it out." She lifted her head to look over at Natsuki, frowning as she said, "Why did you summon me here to tell me this? You could've said it all over the phone."
Natsuki and Shizuru exchanged a secretive look between them, the kind that only lovers had, one that spoke of a silent language and understanding that outsiders could never comprehend. Then Natsuki offered a sheepish kind of grin, the sort that Shizuru was sure to dote over and exclaim with glee that it was beyond adorable, and said, "We thought you could use the break."
Laughter escaped her lips before Haruka could really help it because, honestly, it was startling to hear anyone say that. She had been working nonstop these past years, ever since she became the Continental Orb Topaz and she never thought anyone other than Yukino would say such a thing to her. Although she supposed it was fitting coming from her closest friend and the person who meant as much to her as Yukino did to Haruka. Shaking her head, Haruka rose to her feet, wandering over to the long windows and staring out at the grounds, grinning on seeing Miss Maria conducting the Advanced Fighting Tactics class. She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there when Shizuru joined her and when Haruka looked to her she found her former roommate giving her a genuine smile, real in its emotion and affection.
"Does Haruka-san feel nostalgic for a battle, perhaps?" asked Shizuru, her smile becoming sly, her rust colored eyes gleaming.
For a response, Haruka grinned and cracked her knuckles, and from the couch, Natsuki sighed, praying that The Destroyer Armitage and Bewitching Smile Amethyst would see fit not to completely ruin the very carefully maintained grounds of her academy.
---
Upon their arrival at the class, Haruka's gaze landed on the figure of Sara Gallagher, whom she knew from her correspondence with the younger blonde was the current No. 1 Pearl. With a grin, Haruka looked to Shizuru and suggested they pair up with the top two Pearls and when Shizuru agreed, Haruka immediately claimed Sara for her partner, leaving Shizuru to pair off with the No. 2 Pearl, Rosalie Claudel.
"Sara Gallagher," Haruka said her name fondly, pulling down the cap she wore until it rested just above her eyes. "We're going to win."
"Yes, Haruka-oneesama!" said Sara enthusiastically, her cheeks red and her eyes bright.
Chuckling at this, Haruka looked to Shizuru and called out, "You hear that, bubuzuke? We're going to beat you something good."
"Oh?" Shizuru questioned innocently. "Will Haruka-san spank me? I do enjoy the thought of that."
Mumbling under her breath, Haruka directed her attention to Sara and said, "You're the thinker, I'm the fighter. You think up a plan and I'll do it."
"Mou, Haruka-oneesama," said Sara in slightly disgruntled tones. She eyed Shizuru and Rosalie for a moment who were in their own private conference while Miss Maria rounded up the remaining Pearls, making sure they were a safe distance from the battle. "Rosalie tends to be easily distracted and Shizuru-oneesama isn't someone who would leave a student alone when they're struggling. Perhaps if Haruka-oneesama made an early attack on Rosalie causing Shizuru-oneesama to focus on guarding her, we could take advantage?"
"Sounds good to me," said Haruka with a nod, flexing her fingers and materializing her mace.
The instant that Miss Maria called for a start to their battle, Haruka swung her mace at Rosalie who yelped and barely avoided the attack and Haruka grinned on seeing Shizuru turn her attention from Sara onto her. In seconds, she was fighting off the Column while Sara easily landed attack after attack on Rosalie who called for Shizuru's help. That was when Haruka struck with her mace, causing Shizuru to fly across the grounds and crash into the Armory, destroying the main wall of the building. The sound of the wreckage reverberated across the entire campus, including inside of Natsuki's office where she paused in the middle of her work form an expression of aggravated resignation.
---
Aware of the stares but ignoring them, focused on the excited chatter of the younger blonde at her side, Haruka realized that for the first time in a very long while, perhaps since she had last been with Yukino, she felt truly happy. Sara formed an all too familiar look of petulance, bouncing in front of her, wagging a finger in Haruka's face as she declared, "Haruka-oneesama! You're not even listening to me, are you?"
"I'm listening," said Haruka, smiling and putting an arm around Sara's shoulders, chuckling at the way the Pearl's face turned bright red at this gesture. In the back of her mind, she thought of Shizuru's words of warning, to not encourage with a show of affection but it was hard, she was fond of this girl, so very much, but at the same time she knew displaying this would be cruel in a way and Haruka didn't want that. Which is why she removed her arm and tapped Sara on the top of her head. "You sent in your election ballot."
"Do you want to know who I voted for?" pursued Sara, her green eyes alight, a mischievous smile on her features.
"You know we're not supposed to do that," Haruka remarked, heading towards the hill near the grove where she trained so often, smiling on seeing it unchanged with the passage of time. "But I'm guessing it was for Yukino from the way you're acting."
"Wouldn't you rather be her Otome?" asked Sara, sitting next to Haruka, looking at her with a shrewd gaze.
Turning to Sara with surprise, Haruka shook her head, picking at the grass as she muttered, "Being an Otome isn't about that. We don't get to choose our Masters. We serve whoever we're assigned and we do our best to fulfill the orders they give us to the best of our ability. Who I want to serve doesn't matter, who I am serving is what counts, and that's President Xavier."
"If Senator Chrysant wins the election, then it will be her," said Sara wisely. "Isn't that the better option?"
Heaving a sigh, Haruka looked at Sara with a frustrated expression and said, "I can't talk this way. It's treason almost. I can think things to myself, maybe, but I can't say it aloud. Besides that, the President is a good man, just like Yukino's a good woman. They just don't see things the same, they want Aries to be safe, for it to flourish, but they have different ways of going about how to get us there." Flopping down on the grass, aware this wasn't the least bit dignified for a Meister Otome who she was sure was being watched by a good portion of the Garderobe campus, Haruka peered up at Sara. "What about you? Graduation is just around the corner. What do you want to happen next?"
"Meister Chandler is retiring," Sara offered and when Haruka raised an eyebrow, she blushed dark red. "You think it's silly, don't you?"
"You being chosen as the 1st Column?" questioned Haruka and when Sara nodded, she smiled softly, reaching up to push up the glasses that had begun to slide down the girl's nose. When Sara looked at her with wide eyes, Haruka murmured, "I think that you would be a good choice and Fumi-sama would be an idiot not to see it."
"Mou," Sara exclaimed quietly, a blush remaining on her features. "Haruka-oneesama shouldn't talk about the Founder that way."
"Why not?" asked Haruka humorously, a grin playing on her lips. "Is she going to zap me out of revenge?"
Before Sara could reply, Shizuru's voice echoed in the air, calling for Haruka and the older blonde scooted into a sitting position, shouting at Shizuru to stop yelling for her. Sara laughed at this inconsistency and Haruka turned to her, somehow knowing she was the source of the girl's amusement and she tugged the hat down again, peering at the other blonde as she said, "I'll be calling you Galactic Aquamarine soon, won't I?"
"Yes!" Sara exclaimed, nodding her head, halfway believing it just because Haruka had said the words with such conviction.
Forming a look of great satisfaction, Haruka rose to her feet and walked over to Shizuru, complaining at the other woman for yelling her name so the entire campus was staring at them. Shizuru pouted and perhaps feeling the same nostalgia she accused Haruka of earlier, clung to the Topaz's arm as she said, "Natsuki is upset with me because Haruka-san mercilessly sent me crashing into Armory. I'm meant to repair it."
"Sucks for you, bubuzuke," commented Haruka with a chuckle.
"Haruka-san is cruel indeed," said Shizuru, continuing to pout as they walked through the campus. After a few moments, she looked over at the blonde and said knowingly, "It seems as if the crush on you hasn't lessened over time."
Frowning deeply, not wanting to discuss Sara like some idle piece of gossip, Haruka said, "It's not like that. She's a friend and even if you think she feels that way, it's not going anywhere. Besides," Haruka paused to nod at all the students staring at them with admiring eyes. "This is all for you. You've always been the popular one in these parts, not me, so don't go talking to me about crushes."
"Perhaps," Shizuru allowed carefully. "Though Haruka-san is a beloved figure in Aries. I watched all of those reports that your Yukino sent to my Natsuki and it was quite clear to me who the admired Otome is in the eyes of your people. I would think that makes you proud."
"It's nice," admitted Haruka softly. "But it's not the same as being loved by somebody that really knows who you are." She lifted her gaze to look at Shizuru with a serious and searching expression. "Is it?"
"No," said Shizuru, her voice just as soft, and her features unusually reserved. "It's not."
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 constant dealing with time zones.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Skip ahead two years.
Intents and Purposes
By: Dreiser
Twelve
It always struck Haruka as strange that the Presidential campaign began two years before the actual election occurred. Every day Haruka was able to see Yukino multiple times, whether in person or on the television, due to how much the brunette was campaigning for her party's nomination. Her efforts had come to the national media's awareness and Ryota Guillen, the other main contender for the Egalitarian nomination was doing his best to make sure people had little confidence in Yukino's leadership abilities due to her inexperience. Several times Haruka had witnessed a debate between Yukino and Guillen whether it was in Senate or on some nightly news program and to her it seemed that Yukino always came out the winner. Although she had to admit perhaps her opinion wasn't the most objective.
While the Egalitarians battled amongst themselves for the party nomination, Xavier continued his military action as he began his own leisurely campaign across Aries. Speaking to the people, explaining his reasons behind the invasions, and presenting facts like the amount of terrorists they'd captured, and the decreased number of attacks since Haruka had become the Continental Orb Topaz. Whenever he brought this up in his public speeches, Haruka would redden, and duck her head as the cheers washed over them from the crowd. She never expected this kind of acceptance from the people of Aries.
Meister Blomquist had been the Continental Orb Topaz for so long and for a good amount of citizens she was the only Presidential Otome they knew and Haruka expected a backlash to her inheriting the GEM. That people would compare her to Blomquist and find her lacking and maybe there was, at the beginning, but the more she went on Xavier's missions, the more terrorists she captured, the more lives she saved, the more the public seemed to accept her and the began to delight in all the ways she was different. Blomquist was a controlled personality, someone that rarely interacted with the press and the public at large, but Haruka simply wasn't that way, she'd speak to anyone who spoke to her and this led to countless encounters with the media and her fellow citizens.
Xavier encouraged her interaction with the public, remarking it hardly hurt him for the people of Aries to love his Otome, and Haruka found herself giving interviews to reporters after her missions and accepting random gifts from people on the street. Many of which she donated to charities but a few she kept for herself, things like a teddy bear given to her by a kindergarten student who blushed and stammered the entire time he talked with her. She couldn't give something like that away. It simply wasn't in her, not when the child had been so adorable and determined to give her the gift despite his obvious nerves surrounding the gesture.
Currently they were returning from a trip to the nearby state of Iso where Xavier had made a speech along with General Pirnes about the successes in his military campaign. Haruka sat next to Xavier in his car, avoiding the curious gaze of the General's Otome, Meister Matilda Dowell, whom she knew from the pervasive gossip that surrounded The Hexagon was good friends with Meister Blomquist. Just like in their political system, there was an order of rank among Otome in Aries and as the Continental Orb Topaz, Haruka was seen as their leader, the one who gave orders in a crisis and she knew the older Otome had been sizing her up all day.
Their car had just started to travel the length of the large bridge that crossed Half Moon Bay, connecting the states of Sol and Iso, when Haruka heard a distant crash. Directing her gaze out the window of the car, she saw the unmistakable figures of slaves on the horizon, moving closer to their position on the bridge and her eyes widened as she saw their numbers increase from five to ten. They had to get the President out of there and they had to do it quickly. Turning to Xavier who had followed her line of vision, Haruka said quickly, "Certify me."
Nodding, Xavier leaned close, kissing her GEM and murmuring the words that caused the familiar swell of strength and power to seize Haruka as she materialized her robe. Looking across at Meister Dowell who followed her lead and was clad in her Otome garb, she said, "The President and General can't be here. Pick up the car and fly it to The Hexagon. I'll take care of the slaves and make sure your path is clear." Meister Dowell looked as if she might protest and Haruka frowned severely as she said brusquely, "Do it. I'll get rid of them, just like I've gotten rid of the others. The most important thing is to get the President to safety."
An automobile accident caused by the slaves appearance had ground traffic on the bridge to a halt and this was the only way to accomplish a quick escape. Besides that, these slaves had to be destroyed before they did more damage and killed any people. She opened the door of the car, followed by Meister Dowell, and stood on the bridge until the other Otome took flight, holding the President's car over her head. The moment she felt Dowell was at a safe distance, Haruka flew through the air, materializing her element and swinging the mace in her hand, extending the chain to take down three slaves at once. Leaping on the head of one slave, she hurled the mace at two that were nearby, removing their heads before killing the one she was standing on. The more she killed though, the more that seemed to appear and Haruka became more desperate in her attacks, trying to kill as many as possible, panicked at the idea of one of them getting closer to the bridge where so many of her fellow citizens were stranded above the rushing waters of Half Moon Bay that led out into the Oscurita Sea.
Try as she might, slaves did make it past her, and towards the bridge. She flew, faster than she ever before, the wind whipping her face and her eyes stinging from the speed, she flew, but she wasn't fast enough, Haruka killed the slave but only moments after it attacked the bridge, snapping it in two, causing cars to fall from it and towards the bay. Haruka caught two of the cars in mid air, watching helplessly as three others fell into the water. She deposited the cars she caught onto the shore, her mace flying out, killing the slaves near the bridge as she retrieved the cars from the water, one by one, relieved to see the people inside them alive but frightened. Things were happening too fast though, the bridge continued to crumble and the slaves kept coming, where were the other Otome? The army? Anyone? Haruka wondered, flying towards the bridge just in time to grab another car by the space between its open window and the roof. Clutching it with one hand while her other hand was pressed against the faltering bridge, holding it up, and Haruka grimaced at the sight of more slaves heading towards her position.
Looking down at the car, she saw a family was inside, a mother, father, and their daughter. The little girl looked at her wide and teary eyes, clinging to her mother, and Haruka offered her what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Don't worry," she said, grunting under the weight of the bridge and the metal cutting into her hand from holding the car aloft. "I won't let anything happen to you."
She could see the tears in all their eyes but especially in the little girl's and Haruka didn't want to break her promise, she wanted to keep them all safe, but she wondered how she could as she felt the bridge crumbling under her grip and she did her best to produce a shield, holding it up but it was too much, holding the bridge and this car and the slaves were coming closer. It was just as she was contemplating options of how to use her mace in this situation when she saw the blurred forms of the Delta Force come into view. Meister Dowell appeared in front of her and Haruka offered her a grin, nodding towards the car she gripped in her hand.
"Get them out of here," Haruka ordered, holding back a sound of relief when Meister Dowell took the car. Her gaze dropped back to the family and she smiled at them, keeping her expression calm and reassuring. "Meister Dowell is going to take care of you, okay? You'll be all right." Looking to the other Otome, she strengthened the shield and dared to glance up at the crumbling bridge for the first time. Her shield seemed to be holding it together so far. "I've got to stay here, keep this thing up, can you make sure the others cover me?"
"Yes, Colonel," said Dowell with a nod, a solemn look on her features. "I'll relay your instructions."
Thirty eight minutes later, the last of the slaves was destroyed and the other Otome joined her at the bridge, extending their shields, holding it together until every citizen was evacuated to safety and members of the Department of Transportation could move in with equipment to keep the bridge stable while they made repairs. By the time that Haruka could safely leave the bridge and dematerialize her shield more than four hours had passed. Once she returned to The Hexagon, she was ushered into meetings with the President, where he thanked her and informed her the attack had been from the remaining members of Fidelus Altus who were seeking revenge for the imprisonment of their comrades. Intelligence was already working on discerning their location and how they'd become allies with the Schwartz. Haruka listened to the information wearily, sitting gratefully in a chair the President offered her, head pounding from a headache and exhaustion behind her eyes.
As much as she believed in what Xavier was doing, in bringing these criminals to justice, it seemed as if it was never ending. That she would never find relief and peace couldn't be obtained on this path. She wondered if perhaps that was the reason Yukino protested so long and hard against the President's mission. Haruka wouldn't put it past Yukino to see the bigger, long term picture, and as much as she admired and had faith in Xavier he saw things on a smaller and more personal scale. All that Haruka knew was she managed, somehow, to do her duty today. She had kept her President safe and protected the people of Aries. No innocents died in the attack, just the slaves and their masters, and for Haruka that was good enough. For now anyway.
Capturing the remaining members of Fidelus Altus proved a difficult task. Intelligence worked on it around the clock but the information was varied and it was complex. Haruka herself went on many missions only to return empty handed and she knew she was disappointing Xavier but she couldn't do anything about it. There was nothing to be found and as the election slowly neared, the campaign becoming more fierce, Haruka watched as Yukino used the attack at Half Moon Bay to emphasize why Xavier's way of doing things was faulty, that in the end it would only create more enemies for their country and further increase the misery of war.
The days became longer, that was the sense that Haruka had, returning to her room just past two in the morning. Xavier had always worked himself nearly to death but since the attack on the bridge and the inability to locate Fidelus Altus, his popularity plummeted. More and more it appeared almost certain that Yukino would receive her party nomination. As she traveled through Aries, debating Guillen, she had the larger amount of supporters and she was the focus of the media coverage. When she watched Yukino on the television, sometimes Haruka wondered how much of what she said was from the brunette or her advisors. Some of it Haruka agreed with but certain things just made the blonde angry, she found it so inaccurate, such as Yukino proclaiming innocents were killed during their missions in Cardair and Artai, something Haruka knew for a fact was false. She had gone on those missions, recorded them with her GEM, and no one in Aries was responsible for the deaths of those citizens. That fell onto the shoulders of the terrorists they sought to capture and Haruka frowned deeply at the memories of those times, the people held hostage, the ones they couldn't save and she knew it wasn't their fault, they tried to rescue them.
Sitting on her bed, her gaze drifted to the small answering machine by her bedside. Only a handful of people had her private line at The Hexagon and her heart raced, wondering if Yukino had decided to take the chance, to risk calling her. Pressing play on the machine, she tried to restrain her disappointment on hearing her father's voice, telling her he pulled a few former commander strings with Xavier and managed to get her the day off for her birthday. He told her in cheerful instruction to be at their house at ten in the morning, guaranteeing it would be a special day that would cheer her up for months to come. Smiling at this, Haruka flopped back down on her bed and stared absently up at the ceiling. She should sleep, she knew that. In just four hours she would have to be up again and at work as the President's Otome and she couldn't afford to be tired and careless. There was too much at stake in her position.
Sleep was elusive though and Haruka rubbed her eyes, changing into her rarely used pajamas and turning on the television, perched cross legged on her bed, a faint smile forming on her lips as she watched the reporter on the news speak about Yukino. This was her life now, this was how she saw the woman she loved, on the news, in bits and pieces, clips and blurbs. Slowly but surely, her eyes became heavy and Haruka crawled underneath the covers but she kept the news on, soothed by the sound of Yukino's voice, giving an impassioned speech, the sound of it tricking her sleep addled mind into thinking that the brunette was there with her and that was enough to provide some comfort.
---
Empty was the first thought that Haruka had as she walked into her parents house. The entire place was empty and it was eerie in a way, she wasn't used to the house being this quiet, especially with her parents around, they tended to be gregarious and loud people, and silence just didn’t suit them in the least. Haruka opened her mouth to call out for them when she heard footsteps and looked up to see Yukino standing at the top of the staircase clad in a silky black negligee. Words escaped Haruka and she found herself moving forward, running up the steps and pulling the brunette into her arms and kissing her with an urgent need. Almost two years had passed since that day in the Presidential office and they had other moments, passing ones here and there, where they were alone together but nothing like this.
Nothing that allowed them to get this close without the fear of discovery and intrusion. Haruka didn't want to think about the why and the how of Yukino's presence. All she knew was that Yukino was there, and she was real, not a dream or a wish or a memory, she was flesh and blood, intoxicating in her smell, taste, and sound. Sliding her hands down, Haruka lifted Yukino up by her inner thighs, groaning as the older woman wrapped her legs around her waist, deepening their kiss as the blonde cautiously made her way towards her old bedroom.
Supporting Yukino with her left arm and opening her bedroom door with right hand, Haruka maneuvered them into the room, kicking the door shut and heading over to the bed which seemed much smaller than she remembered it. She supposed it was natural though, to see things differently as you got older and certainly being twenty one versus thirteen gave a different perspective on things. Lowering Yukino down on the bed, Haruka pressed the length of her body against Yukino's, working her leg in between Yukino's thighs, groaning when the other woman tilted her head, meeting their tongues as her hands searched for the zipper to Haruka's dress.
"Yukino," muttered Haruka, reluctantly pulling her lips away from the Senator's, shifting to sit back on her legs and reaching around to unzip her dress. "Let me." In moments, the material fell away and Yukino was pulling at it, removing the dress from Haruka's body and tossing it onto the floor as the blonde grinned, kicking off her boots, her hands trailing up the brunette's body, tugging the negligee over Yukino's head with this movement. When it was gone and Yukino lay before her, clad in only a pair of black panties, Haruka surged forward for another kiss, her hand slipping down, underneath the silken fabric, groaning at the wetness that greeted her, knowing that she was the cause.
"You feel so good," Haruka mumbled in between their kisses, slowly exploring Yukino's folds, taking in her gasps and shudders with a smile, kissing her deeply while she began her slow and deliberate thrusts. It was true, Yukino did feel good, better than anything Haruka knew and she missed it, she missed it so much, the sensation of being inside the other woman, feeling the proof of her desire, her love, and it was the best present she could have possibly received to be able to have that again. To feel Yukino in her arms, straining and shuddering, fingers biting into her backside, holding her close as she could when the orgasm hit her but Haruka wasn't satisfied, it had been too long, far too long. She moved down the brunette's body, smiling when she felt Yukino's fingers tangle in her hair as she ripped the panties from her body.
In an easy movement, she lifted Yukino's hips into the air, sliding her downwards and Haruka leaned forward, her tongue flat, moving in long strokes, lips sucking on the brunette's clit. She felt Yukino's fingers contract in her hair, encouraging her onward and Haruka lost herself in the taste and the texture of the older woman, absorbed in it, and Haruka felt Yukino come once and then twice, but she didn't stop, she simply couldn't, it had been too long and she wanted to have as much of Yukino as she could. Haruka finally ceased when Yukino gave a strong tug and Haruka looked up to see her smiling weakly, saying her name in a murmur, and the blonde slid upwards, kissing the other woman sweetly, taking time to explore the recesses of Yukino's mouth, saying words of love when they finally separated.
Her bra and panties quickly disappeared, tossed carelessly aside, and Haruka was pushed down on the bed, Yukino hovering over her with a certain dangerous intent. Desire gleaming in her green eyes and Haruka's left leg was hiked up, wrapped around Yukino's waist, and she was about to question, to ask what the brunette was planning, but Yukino was kissing her. She was kissing her with an intensity Haruka hadn't experienced in years and she moaned into Yukino's mouth, grasping at the older woman, her hips jumping when she felt fingertips trail down her abdomen to slip inside her pussy. Whenever they made love before it was gentle, always so gentle and tender when it came to Yukino, she treated Haruka like a priceless thing, something easily damaged, and Haruka had always wondered at it because she obviously wasn't. She was constantly beaten and bruised from her training and work as an Otome, she knew how to deal with the rougher things in life, that was how she grew up but Yukino touched her like she was the most delicate thing in the world. This was different though, that care, that tenderness was still there but it had been overruled by a more passionate need that couldn't be contained and Yukino was kissing her so deeply and her hands were insistent, caressing the length of her body, and her fingers, one, two, three, moving inside of her and it wasn't enough somehow. Haruka wanted more of Yukino and she strained upwards, moving into the other woman, matching the pace of her strokes.
How many times did she come? Haruka lost count, she didn't have the ability to track it, the only thing she knew was Yukino was with her, moving inside her, and she never felt this complete, and it almost made up for all the time they had to spend apart. Being vulnerable was an unfamiliar and uncomfortable prospect for Haruka, she avoided it at all costs, but when her orgasm struck, she couldn't seem to stop the tears from falling and the need to hold Yukino as close to her as possible out of some irrational fear of her disappearing. Three years had passed since they had been together like this and Haruka didn't want to lose this closeness again but she knew she would, she knew the moment they stepped out of this house it would return to how it had been and that was enough for her to drop her defenses and sob into Yukino's shoulder.
Yukino let her cry, holding her, stroking her hair, murmuring words of reassurance and love. Saying that she would win the Presidential primary and then the election and they would be together and Haruka wanted to believe it but it was all too much, everything that happened in these years they spent apart and some part of her felt like she just couldn't hope anymore because it was the hoping that hurt the most.
---
Hours passed and it well into the early evening when Haruka ran down to the kitchen, gathering random items of food and drink, then bringing them back to her old bedroom on a tray for them to eat. Tearing off a piece of cheese and feeding it to Yukino who accepted with a happy murmur, Haruka rubbed a lock of brown hair between her fingers, studying the other woman with a warm gaze. "You planned this with my folks, didn't you?" Haruka questioned in a fond accusation.
"What?" said Yukino, a teasing tone to her voice though a blush dusted her cheeks. "Haruka-chan didn't enjoy her birthday surprise?"
Rolling her eyes and reaching around Yukino's waist to pull the brunette against her, Haruka huffed, "Of course I enjoyed it! I'd be stupid if I didn't. But you're not answering my question, you planned this with them, right? My dad's the one who got me the day off in the first place."
"We thought that it would be good for you," Yukino murmured, offering some chicken to Haruka and smiling as the blonde mumbled her thanks and chewed on the food. "Having a day away from that man." Her fingers stretched out, caressing Haruka's cheek, and Yukino observed her with lidded green eyes, filled with affection. "And we haven't had a chance in so long to be together like this."
"I know," Haruka muttered, burying her face in the crook of Yukino's neck, breathing her in. "I've missed you."
"It will be over soon," promised Yukino, kissing the top of Haruka's head and then her cheek. "I've been speaking with Sato and unless something changes in the two weeks between now and the Egalitarian Convention I'm going to be their nominee for President."
The words were a loss for Haruka, she didn't know what to say, how to express her happiness on hearing this, and that hope was trying to rise up in her but she kept it contained, locked away where it couldn't hurt her, and she kissed Yukino, long and sweet and tender, allowing herself that tiny amount of happiness for the time being. When they parted, she rested their foreheads together and smiled softly.
"I knew you could do it," said Haruka with a quiet joy and for the first time she felt almost as if she was lying to Yukino because while she wanted Yukino to win she didn't know if she really could, just like she didn't know if she could beat Xavier. "I love you so much."
They continued eating, feeding each other pieces of food, and Yukino's eyes fell on the sunflower Haruka placed on the tray and not for the first time, she wondered where the blonde had produced it. "Haruka-chan," she began, smiling when the younger woman looked at her with wide eyes and wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. "Every week you deliver a fresh sunflower to my office."
"Yeah," said Haruka slowly, a frown forming, wondering where this was going.
"How do you do that?" asked Yukino, tilting her head to one side. "I know you can't be doing it personally because the Senatorial wing of The Hexagon would be a buzz with the presence of the Topaz, especially the aides and interns, who are around the most."
"It's a secret," Haruka replied, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
A strange part of Yukino wanted to pout and to wheedle the information out of Haruka but she didn't, partly because she was charmed by Haruka's response, and partly because she supposed it didn't really matter how the sunflower got there, what counted was the message its presence leant and the love behind the gesture itself. Sighing quietly, Yukino moved forward for a kiss, capturing Haruka's lips in a languid study, smiling at the groan the blonde released and the sensation of being pulled forward, onto the Otome's lap.
Clearing the bed of food and drinks, Haruka lost herself in the touch and the feel of Yukino again, trying to have as much of her as she could, to make as many memories as possible to hold her over in the time they would be apart. It wouldn't ever be enough, she was certain of this, and she knew the moment they parted the loneliness would return and the only comfort she would have were these memories and the knowledge that she was making a difference in her work with Xavier. That her President needed her and she believed in their mission.
That consolation was what caused her to react later, when they were dressed, and reluctantly parting company. Yukino had kissed Haruka again, hard and deep and passionate, vowing that she would win the election when they parted. That she would save Haruka and Aries from Xavier, saying he killed too many innocents with his needless fighting, and Haruka replied he didn't do that, she shouldn't say that.
"What?" said Yukino in a whisper, her eyes going wide, not used to hearing this vehemence from Haruka about politics.
"He's not a killer," Haruka repeated, her teeth grinding in her mouth, hands clenched into fists. "Stop saying that he is. You haven't been there, on those missions, I have. I saw those people get killed and it wasn't us that did it, the terrorists, they held them hostage and we tried to save as many as we could but sometimes we couldn't. When he saw what happened, you don't know how he looked, it's just like when he thinks about his wife dying. He's doing this to keep people safe, not to do more harm, so don't you call him a killer."
"Haruka-chan," Yukino said her name helplessly and she didn't know what else to say, how to respond. For so long she was used to stating her opinions, her thoughts, on these matters and having Haruka constantly agree but now Haruka was speaking up for the man she was going to run against in the Presidential election, the man who was her political enemy. The man, Yukino thought with a grimace, who was Haruka's Master.
"Maybe you're right, all these missions I go on, they just make it worse," Haruka continued, a severe look on her face. "I can see it now, that it's never going to stop, that each mission only leads to another and it just creates more enemies. I agree with that but what I don't agree with is trying to demonize our President, who's only trying to keep us all safe, he's not a monster, he's a man. Human just like anyone else and if you can have sympathy for the people who attacked our lands and our people, killing us by the thousands, I think you could have some for him." Yukino didn't say anything, she couldn't say anything, she didn't have the words and Haruka sighed, running her fingers through her hair before looking at the brunette with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to yell at you like that but I don't like it… hearing you talk that way about him. You don't know him like I do, Yukino. He's not a bad person, not at all, he's just trying to do what he thinks is best and maybe it's not the right way of doing things but he's not a cruel and heartless person. Not like people in your party are trying to make him out to be."
Absently, Yukino realized this was the first disagreement they ever had, the first time Haruka's opinion differed from her own and she wondered if once Haruka became her Otome more moments like this would occur. She never thought they would but it was only natural, they were two very different people who saw the world in very different ways and Yukino suspected up until this point Haruka had simply stepped aside for Yukino, let her take the lead in their opinions, in their thoughts, on things of this matter but no longer. Not after serving Xavier and seeing things in a way that Yukino just couldn't with everything she experienced as his Otome. Though it made her sad to know this, Yukino was somehow happy also, because it would bring a new source of ideas and opinions and she never wanted Haruka to be hesitant or afraid to speak her mind with her.
"I won't say things like that anymore," Yukino promised, cupping Haruka's face in her hands, moving in for another kiss.
Two weeks later, standing behind her President, in a room with his aides and advisors, she watched Yukino accept the Presidential nomination for the Egalitarian party and saw her keep that promise. Not one personal insult towards Xavier was lobbed, just the reasons why she opposed his policies and why Aries needed a change in leadership and the reasons she felt she was the person to provide that leadership. She could see the confusion in Xavier's advisors, muttering amongst themselves that Yukino was taking the high road, that they couldn't attack her because it would only make them look that much worse in comparison and Haruka was strangely proud of the brunette for confusing them. It depressed her at times, that decent behavior in an election was such a shocking prospect, but she thought maybe with this the election wouldn't be such a horrible torment for her. If she didn't have to see her Master and the woman she loved tearing each other apart in order to win.
She knew she shouldn't wish for Yukino's victory, that it wasn't her place as an Otome. She had to serve whomever the people chose as their President, she wasn't meant to have an opinion on such things. As an Otome in Aries she was part of the military, she was a Colonel in the army and the army served their President, not a political party but still, Haruka would think back to that brief day together, the sensation of Yukino's lips on her own, Yukino's fingers inside her, Yukino's scent surrounding her, and Haruka wanted her to win so very badly just to have that again.
There was also the fact she was becoming exhausted from their military missions. Every day it seemed like there was something new and Haruka wondered if it would ever stop. They still hadn't caught the remaining members of Fidelus Altus that attacked Half Moon Bay and she was on a constant hunt for them when she wasn't campaigning with Xavier, traveling every last inch of Aries, and listening to him explain why his actions didn't lead to the attack on the bridge. She wondered if that was true though, she thought they were partly responsible, but she didn't know why with all the surveillance they had accumulated, all the spies, all the intelligence, they couldn't see it coming.
That was what truly puzzled her and made Haruka question what all of those things were really for.
Endless campaigning, that's what it felt like to Haruka, and she started to suspect she was being used as something as a tool by Xavier. Her name was brought up often in his speeches, listing all the missions she had made into a success, the terrorists she captured, the lives she had saved, and the hours she held that crumbling bridge together with the help of her fellow Otome. It was only when the only debate between Xavier and Yukino happened did Haruka actually see anyone bring this fact up.
It took place in the large auditorium for Caeles University and Haruka stood by Xavier, waiting for his name to be announced so he could walk onstage, when she saw Yukino out of the corner of her eye. The brunette was surrounded by her advisors and Haruka fought a frown, she couldn't help it though, she hated them to some extent for being able to stay at Yukino's side constantly, whispering in her ear, giving her encouragement in ways she just couldn't. She also didn't like that they tried to influence Yukino about certain things, perhaps even their romantic relationship, in order to maintain her popularity and guarantee her success in the election.
Their eyes met and Haruka saw the love and the promise there and Yukino smiled at her sweetly, only turning away when her name was announced and she walked onto the stage to begin the debate. Shortly after, Xavier followed and Haruka remained in the wings, observing as the two politicians answered questions from the moderator and the audience. Though it was only when Xavier began speaking about the events at Half Moon Bay when Haruka truly focused her attention on the debate because it was then that she could hear a hint of anger in Yukino's voice.
Drawn forward, Haruka pushed Xavier's aides aside, her eyes fixed on Yukino's features as she looked out into the audience and said, "Everything that President Xavier has said is true but I find it curious that he's attempting to take credit for things that Colonel Armitage has done as if they were his own actions. She's the Continental Orb Topaz, the Meister Otome of the President, yes, but she is the Otome for all the people of Aries more importantly. The President has sent her on countless hard and nearly impossible missions and she has succeeded but it was her job to do so, to follow her President's orders to the best of her ability, that doesn't mean those orders were correct. It simply means the Colonel is an excellent soldier and a fine example of an Otome. I would think her people, the people of Aries, would far prefer not to see her fighting in a futile effort that only creates more enemies for her to battle in the future. I can think of better ways for her to spend her time."
An unbidden smile curved on Haruka's features at these final words, she couldn't help it, hearing them made her so very happy but she couldn't show that, not in public, not to Xavier's advisors, so she moved back to her old position, watching the debate from the shadows. Happier than she could say to watch Yukino continue on, arguing her viewpoints in such a way that Haruka could see her turning the tide, she could see the people agreeing with the brunette over Xavier and more and more that feeling of hope she tried suppress, it returned to her.
---
The Principal of Garderobe summoning an individual Otome to the school was somewhat unusual. Otome tended to be present whenever the Principal met with their Masters, various heads of state, and nobles, but requesting an Otome without her Master wasn't the way things were usually done. There were meetings, of course, of all the various Meisters, sometimes once a year but that wasn't what this was and Haruka found herself more than a little curious about what this was about, if not irritated because of Xavier's displeasure at her need to leave him for the day. While he was a friendly man and treated all of the Otome in the military well, Haruka was aware he was attached to her and preferred to have her by his side above anyone else.
Haruka couldn't help but be curious though, particularly when she considered who the new Principal was.
She landed on Garderobe grounds and restrained the urge to scowl upon being greeted by a Pearl student rather than one of the Columns. Instead, she kept her face neutral, thanking the Pearl who blushed and stammered in response, and led Haruka through the halls that she knew all too well until they came to the Principal's office. The door opened to reveal Natsuki sitting at a large desk and Shizuru standing at her side, pouring a cup of tea, something that caused Haruka to think that some things never change.
Soon as they were alone, Haruka raised an eyebrow and drawled, "Bubuzuke. You want to tell me why you or your plaything couldn't have come and greeted me down there? I just get one of your student fluctuates. That's a real nice way to say hello when you requested my presence."
"Fluctuates?" echoed Natsuki with a frown.
"I believe Haruka-san meant to say flunky," Shizuru offered, smiling winsomely and offering Haruka a steaming cup of tea. "Isn't that right, Haruka-san?" When Haruka accepted the tea and grunted her agreement, Shizuru smiled again, leaning close as she said, "Though she would do well to not insult my Natsuki again. She's the Principal of this institution and deserves to be treated with the proper respect."
Eyeing Shizuru silently, Haruka contemplated the change in her former roommate. If she ever doubted the other woman's love for Natsuki, she couldn't any longer and her lips quirked up in a smile and she dipped her head in concession. "Sorry, bubuzuke," she muttered then she shifted her gaze over to Natsuki, offering her a rakish grin. "You too, Principal. Guess I'm just grumpy from the election. It's starting to get on my nerves."
"That's part of why I called you here," revealed Natsuki, rising up from her chair and crossing over to where Haruka sat with Shizuru on the couch which granted a wonderful view of the Garderobe grounds. "Otome aren't meant to be used as political tools. Usually we don't have this type of problem but given the fact that Aries is a democracy things are a bit different. It's come to our attention that your President has been trying to use your popularity with the people as a means to get himself reelected. I had a little chat with him about it, how it breaks the regulations we have in place for Otome, and it would severely sour relations between Aries and Garderobe if he continued."
"Is this about those posters?" asked Haruka, her face screwing up in annoyance, thinking of the motto they had on them. A vote for Xavier is a vote for mission accomplished which was printed directly underneath a photo of Haruka in her Meister robe. "I never liked them."
"The posters, the pamphlets, the commercials, the speeches," Natsuki remarked wryly. "All that along with your clear popularity among the citizens and it's pretty easy to work out what he's been up to in his campaign strategy."
"How do you know about this stuff anyway? I didn't think you paid attention to this sort of thing in Garderobe," Haruka said, looking to Shizuru with a frown, lost as to why the Otome academy would take interest in Aries politics.
"Ara," said Shizuru with a mysterious smile, tilting her head to one side. "Let's say that a little birdie told us."
"Yukino," said Haruka in a murmur, her eyes going wide. "Bubuzuke," she scooted forward, suddenly eager. With the election coming closer, both campaigns were running at a frantic pace and she hadn't heard from the other woman in months. "You mean Yukino contacted you?"
"I do believe that was the birdie's name," Shizuru said kindly, taking the cup of tea from Haruka's hands before it spilled onto the couch and placing it on the nearby table. "She was concerned for you, afraid your President was using you in ways quite unethical. There was little she could do under the circumstances and requested Garderobe look into the matter which is well within our rights, as you are aware."
"How did she sound? Is she all right? She always looks so tired on the news," Haruka said one thing after another, the words rushing past her lips, anxious for any sort of answer.
"Chrysant-san seemed well, though you are right, she appears fatigued from her campaign," said Shizuru. She paused to form a warm smile, pushing a lock of hair behind Haruka's ear as she murmured, "She is trying her very hardest for both Haruka-san and Aries. Though I did not speak to her nearly as long as my Natsuki did." Shizuru focused on the Principal who blushed and blustered at the attention. "I fear they bonded."
"Shizuru!" Natsuki exclaimed, grumbling and looking to Haruka. "Senator Chrysant's an interesting person, that's all. I liked hearing her thoughts on Earl international politics. If she wins and gets on The Council I think we'd share a lot of votes in common."
"As I said," said Shizuru smartly, winking as she looked to Haruka. "They bonded."
Still grumbling, Natsuki looked to Haruka and said in solemn tones, "I wouldn't underestimate her in this election. I've only got a small idea of what it's like, having a democracy, but even after being at this job for only a year I've got some idea of what a real leader sounds like. Senator Chrysant has that feeling about her. The way she spoke to me on the phone was in the manner of a seasoned negotiator, there wasn't any way that she was going to give up until she had me agreeing with her point of view in how Xavier had been utilizing you in his campaign."
"I know what Yukino can do," said Haruka quietly. "I've always known. It's just that other people are finally figuring it out." She lifted her head to look over at Natsuki, frowning as she said, "Why did you summon me here to tell me this? You could've said it all over the phone."
Natsuki and Shizuru exchanged a secretive look between them, the kind that only lovers had, one that spoke of a silent language and understanding that outsiders could never comprehend. Then Natsuki offered a sheepish kind of grin, the sort that Shizuru was sure to dote over and exclaim with glee that it was beyond adorable, and said, "We thought you could use the break."
Laughter escaped her lips before Haruka could really help it because, honestly, it was startling to hear anyone say that. She had been working nonstop these past years, ever since she became the Continental Orb Topaz and she never thought anyone other than Yukino would say such a thing to her. Although she supposed it was fitting coming from her closest friend and the person who meant as much to her as Yukino did to Haruka. Shaking her head, Haruka rose to her feet, wandering over to the long windows and staring out at the grounds, grinning on seeing Miss Maria conducting the Advanced Fighting Tactics class. She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there when Shizuru joined her and when Haruka looked to her she found her former roommate giving her a genuine smile, real in its emotion and affection.
"Does Haruka-san feel nostalgic for a battle, perhaps?" asked Shizuru, her smile becoming sly, her rust colored eyes gleaming.
For a response, Haruka grinned and cracked her knuckles, and from the couch, Natsuki sighed, praying that The Destroyer Armitage and Bewitching Smile Amethyst would see fit not to completely ruin the very carefully maintained grounds of her academy.
---
Upon their arrival at the class, Haruka's gaze landed on the figure of Sara Gallagher, whom she knew from her correspondence with the younger blonde was the current No. 1 Pearl. With a grin, Haruka looked to Shizuru and suggested they pair up with the top two Pearls and when Shizuru agreed, Haruka immediately claimed Sara for her partner, leaving Shizuru to pair off with the No. 2 Pearl, Rosalie Claudel.
"Sara Gallagher," Haruka said her name fondly, pulling down the cap she wore until it rested just above her eyes. "We're going to win."
"Yes, Haruka-oneesama!" said Sara enthusiastically, her cheeks red and her eyes bright.
Chuckling at this, Haruka looked to Shizuru and called out, "You hear that, bubuzuke? We're going to beat you something good."
"Oh?" Shizuru questioned innocently. "Will Haruka-san spank me? I do enjoy the thought of that."
Mumbling under her breath, Haruka directed her attention to Sara and said, "You're the thinker, I'm the fighter. You think up a plan and I'll do it."
"Mou, Haruka-oneesama," said Sara in slightly disgruntled tones. She eyed Shizuru and Rosalie for a moment who were in their own private conference while Miss Maria rounded up the remaining Pearls, making sure they were a safe distance from the battle. "Rosalie tends to be easily distracted and Shizuru-oneesama isn't someone who would leave a student alone when they're struggling. Perhaps if Haruka-oneesama made an early attack on Rosalie causing Shizuru-oneesama to focus on guarding her, we could take advantage?"
"Sounds good to me," said Haruka with a nod, flexing her fingers and materializing her mace.
The instant that Miss Maria called for a start to their battle, Haruka swung her mace at Rosalie who yelped and barely avoided the attack and Haruka grinned on seeing Shizuru turn her attention from Sara onto her. In seconds, she was fighting off the Column while Sara easily landed attack after attack on Rosalie who called for Shizuru's help. That was when Haruka struck with her mace, causing Shizuru to fly across the grounds and crash into the Armory, destroying the main wall of the building. The sound of the wreckage reverberated across the entire campus, including inside of Natsuki's office where she paused in the middle of her work form an expression of aggravated resignation.
---
Aware of the stares but ignoring them, focused on the excited chatter of the younger blonde at her side, Haruka realized that for the first time in a very long while, perhaps since she had last been with Yukino, she felt truly happy. Sara formed an all too familiar look of petulance, bouncing in front of her, wagging a finger in Haruka's face as she declared, "Haruka-oneesama! You're not even listening to me, are you?"
"I'm listening," said Haruka, smiling and putting an arm around Sara's shoulders, chuckling at the way the Pearl's face turned bright red at this gesture. In the back of her mind, she thought of Shizuru's words of warning, to not encourage with a show of affection but it was hard, she was fond of this girl, so very much, but at the same time she knew displaying this would be cruel in a way and Haruka didn't want that. Which is why she removed her arm and tapped Sara on the top of her head. "You sent in your election ballot."
"Do you want to know who I voted for?" pursued Sara, her green eyes alight, a mischievous smile on her features.
"You know we're not supposed to do that," Haruka remarked, heading towards the hill near the grove where she trained so often, smiling on seeing it unchanged with the passage of time. "But I'm guessing it was for Yukino from the way you're acting."
"Wouldn't you rather be her Otome?" asked Sara, sitting next to Haruka, looking at her with a shrewd gaze.
Turning to Sara with surprise, Haruka shook her head, picking at the grass as she muttered, "Being an Otome isn't about that. We don't get to choose our Masters. We serve whoever we're assigned and we do our best to fulfill the orders they give us to the best of our ability. Who I want to serve doesn't matter, who I am serving is what counts, and that's President Xavier."
"If Senator Chrysant wins the election, then it will be her," said Sara wisely. "Isn't that the better option?"
Heaving a sigh, Haruka looked at Sara with a frustrated expression and said, "I can't talk this way. It's treason almost. I can think things to myself, maybe, but I can't say it aloud. Besides that, the President is a good man, just like Yukino's a good woman. They just don't see things the same, they want Aries to be safe, for it to flourish, but they have different ways of going about how to get us there." Flopping down on the grass, aware this wasn't the least bit dignified for a Meister Otome who she was sure was being watched by a good portion of the Garderobe campus, Haruka peered up at Sara. "What about you? Graduation is just around the corner. What do you want to happen next?"
"Meister Chandler is retiring," Sara offered and when Haruka raised an eyebrow, she blushed dark red. "You think it's silly, don't you?"
"You being chosen as the 1st Column?" questioned Haruka and when Sara nodded, she smiled softly, reaching up to push up the glasses that had begun to slide down the girl's nose. When Sara looked at her with wide eyes, Haruka murmured, "I think that you would be a good choice and Fumi-sama would be an idiot not to see it."
"Mou," Sara exclaimed quietly, a blush remaining on her features. "Haruka-oneesama shouldn't talk about the Founder that way."
"Why not?" asked Haruka humorously, a grin playing on her lips. "Is she going to zap me out of revenge?"
Before Sara could reply, Shizuru's voice echoed in the air, calling for Haruka and the older blonde scooted into a sitting position, shouting at Shizuru to stop yelling for her. Sara laughed at this inconsistency and Haruka turned to her, somehow knowing she was the source of the girl's amusement and she tugged the hat down again, peering at the other blonde as she said, "I'll be calling you Galactic Aquamarine soon, won't I?"
"Yes!" Sara exclaimed, nodding her head, halfway believing it just because Haruka had said the words with such conviction.
Forming a look of great satisfaction, Haruka rose to her feet and walked over to Shizuru, complaining at the other woman for yelling her name so the entire campus was staring at them. Shizuru pouted and perhaps feeling the same nostalgia she accused Haruka of earlier, clung to the Topaz's arm as she said, "Natsuki is upset with me because Haruka-san mercilessly sent me crashing into Armory. I'm meant to repair it."
"Sucks for you, bubuzuke," commented Haruka with a chuckle.
"Haruka-san is cruel indeed," said Shizuru, continuing to pout as they walked through the campus. After a few moments, she looked over at the blonde and said knowingly, "It seems as if the crush on you hasn't lessened over time."
Frowning deeply, not wanting to discuss Sara like some idle piece of gossip, Haruka said, "It's not like that. She's a friend and even if you think she feels that way, it's not going anywhere. Besides," Haruka paused to nod at all the students staring at them with admiring eyes. "This is all for you. You've always been the popular one in these parts, not me, so don't go talking to me about crushes."
"Perhaps," Shizuru allowed carefully. "Though Haruka-san is a beloved figure in Aries. I watched all of those reports that your Yukino sent to my Natsuki and it was quite clear to me who the admired Otome is in the eyes of your people. I would think that makes you proud."
"It's nice," admitted Haruka softly. "But it's not the same as being loved by somebody that really knows who you are." She lifted her gaze to look at Shizuru with a serious and searching expression. "Is it?"
"No," said Shizuru, her voice just as soft, and her features unusually reserved. "It's not."
To be continued...
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