The Fascinating Silver Red – Chapter 13

This is a fanfiction by Doughnut Gunso.

“You are failing, Aika!”

The angry words of Sanzen’in Mikado echoed in his own study room at this night. Before him stood Kazumi Aika, in her usual kimono while visiting Mikado, but without her usual, confident smile. Instead, she was panting and sweating, as if she was ill.

“You told me that you had a plan to take that Katsura girl’s place as Student Council President!” Mikado continued, ignoring Aika’s physical discomfort. “You said that you could win in a Motion of No Confidence, but you failed. You also said that you could disband her cabinet by withdrawing yourself and that Auditor boy, but you also failed. Explain this to me!”

“I – I am sorry,” said Aika, panting even more heavily. “I have always known that Hina is bold, but I – I never expected her to name two… inexperienced girls into her cabinet.”

She was speaking as she set her eyes on a leaflet on the table, which listed the members of Hinagiku’s cabinet. Aika found it very difficult not to call the new Auditor, who had a face resembling a specific emoticon, an “idiot”. It was her insistence on verbal decency that forced her to use the word “inexperienced” instead.

“B – but… we are not failing,” Aika continued. “I am going to win in the coming Student Council election. I’ll be the Student Council President and Master of the Garden Gate, and…”

“It is too slow,” interrupted Mikado. “I have had enough waiting. So is ‘he’ who is inside you. I can’t say if ‘he’…”

“ARGGGH!” Aika screamed very suddenly as she fell onto the ground. She felt that something was going to explode inside her body, and her mind was becoming more and more hazy. It was as if that her mind and body no longer belonged to her.

“I see,” said Mikado as he stood up, grinning. “It really is too late for you, Aika.”

*

“To a successful election campaign and happy friendship among us!” said Hinagiku very cheerfully as she offered a toss – with tea.

“Sure!” answered her cabinet members, with different degrees of enthusiasm. Chiharu, for one, tried very hard to look “cool”.

The cabinet was having a tea gathering at the school cafe after lessons, on Hinagiku’s invitation. With new members joining and Chiharu being promoted to Vice Student Council President, Hinagiku found it necessary to get everyone together for a happy gathering. They had had difficult times before, and certainly they would have them again in the future. A little fun was what they – or at least Hinagiku herself – needed.

As such, she had decided not to talk about anything serious other than their next meeting time. She allowed most of the time for members to talk among themselves, especially with Fumi and Sharna (“Ah! I remember you from the district quiz, Fumi-chan!” squeaked Izumi). She laughed at jokes made by the SC Rangers, and even made some herself. The atmosphere at this table was merry and warm.

*

Elsewhere, Hayate was walking towards the school cafe. He wasn’t entirely sure why he wanted to go there, other than that he was free to do so: Nagi would spend her entire afternoon with Kayura, so Hayate would be free until 6 pm. He had the habit of going to wherever Hinagiku was when he was free at school. He couldn’t explain his habit, but he never had a problem with it either…

“Ayasaki!”

A voice suddenly came from Hayate’s behind. Hayate turned to see who was calling, and to his horror, he saw Segawa Kotetsu, Izumi’s twin brother and butler, running toward him. If Kotetsu were a girl, Hayate would admit that she loved him like mad. The sad thing for Kotetsu was that, he wasn’t a girl…

Kotetsu did not care about what Hayate thought about him. He grabbed Hayate very tightly from behind, almost knocking him down. “Oh my dear Ayasaki,” he exclaimed, “how wonderful it is to be with you alone in this very sunny afternoon! Let’s go have a date… OUCH!!!”

He was knocked in the ribs by Hayate’s left elbow.

“Seriously, I have no time for you, Kotetsu-kun,” said Hayate very coldly, his eyes glowing with murderous intent. “What are you doing here?”

“You really are mean, Ayasaki,” replied Kotetsu, picking himself up. “Anyway, I am going to check on milady at the cafe. She told me that the tea gathering would be concluded around this time. I have to take her home.”

“You know, you are not bad as a butler,” said Hayate with a sigh. “If you can give up your poisonous obsession…”

He cut himself short as he saw something. Aika had just walked past him, and Hayate noticed that she was staring blankly ahead, while her entire body was surrounded by some barely noticeable dark aura. Hayate did not feel right about it; the alarm bell in his mind was ringing like mad. There was something familiar about that dark aura…

“Ah, why are you staring at Kazumi-san, Ayasaki?” asked Kotetsu. “I am going to tell the Student Council President about this…”

Hayate blushed furiously at once. “W – why are you mentioning Hinagiku-san? W – what does she have to do with this?”

“Who knows?” said Kotetsu triumphantly. Apparently he had found something which could be used to blackmail Hayate. “Now if you want me to keep this as a secret…”

“BANG!!!”

There came a loud noise of explosion somewhere nearby. A moment later, Hayate and Kotetsu could hear people screaming and running towards them in fear. There must have been a serious accident ahead. Hayate’s heart skipped a beat as he realised where the people were fleeing from.

“Let’s go, Kotetsu-kun!” he shouted. “It is the school cafe!”

*

Everybody in the school cafe jumped up from their seats. Hinagiku turned to the entrance and saw Aika, who was grinning. The dark aura that surrounded her became more apparent and vicious.

“Aika-san!” she exclaimed. “What is going on…?”

A dark fist emerged from Aika’s aura, striking straight at Hinagiku. Barely managed to react in time, Hinagiku dodged the punch, which landed on the opposite wall, striking a huge hole through it. Hinagiku gasped. If that punch landed on her…

The others in the cafe began to scream. Hinagiku knew that her first priority was to keep the other people safe. She stood up and summoned Wooden Masamune, getting ready for a fight. “Everyone!” she shouted at the top of her voice. “Run!”

At her command, the students began to run out of the cafe. Grinning, Aika began sending out even more fists from her aura, striking randomly at walls, stopping the students from running. A few students managed to get out of the cafe after dodging some attacks, but many more were stopped dead from their flee.

“You – ” began Hinagiku as she dashed towards Aika. She leaped into the air and tried to strike at Aika. She intended to use her attacks as bait to attract Aika’s full attention, so that the students could seize the chance to escape.

Aika grinned again. Another dark fist came out and struck at Masamune. Hinagiku felt a strong pushing force from Masamune, knocking her back. She landed two feet away from Aika, and she felt that both her arms were shaking. It was a very powerful strike.

Hinagiku glanced at the other students. Chiharu and Masumi were guiding the students to the exit. Miki, Risa and Izumi were hiding under the table, clearly frightened. Fumi and Sharna were nowhere to be seen, so they probably had left already.

“You don’t have to worry about other people,” Hinagiku found Aika talking in a hoarse voice. “I only want you and your cabinet members!”

“You have to kill me before hurting my friends!” shouted Hinagiku.

“So be it…” said Aika as she began throwing even more fists at Hinagiku.

“Chiharu, Masumi!” shouted Hinagiku as she blocked and dodged the fists. “Help Izumi and the others, and get out of here now!”

“What about you, Hina?” shouted Chiharu. She knew full well what Hinagiku was doing, but she was definitely not leaving without the President.

“I will come after you… ARRGH!!”

As she screamed, Hinagiku fell onto the ground. Masamue was sent a few feet further behind. The distraction from talking to Chiharu was clearly too much during such a fierce battle.

“You are weak, girl,” said Aika as she stepped towards Hinagiku. “I see that you are not as strong as that butler boy, after all.”

“W – what are you talking about?” asked Hinagiku weakly. She had absolutely no idea what Aika was talking about.

“That butler boy defeated me with the same sword,” said Aika. “But now you have fallen before me.”

“What…?”

Aika laughed out loud. “I am going to capture you all…” she said.

“Not on my watch!” said a voice from the cafe entrance. Hinagiku and Aika both turned their heads and saw Hayate and Kotetsu. “Milady!” shouted Kotetsu.

“Kotetsu-kun…” they could hear Izumi crying from under a table. She was fine… for the moment.

“Ah, speak of the devil…” said Aika as she pointed her finger at Hayate. “It has been a while, butler…”

“What are you talking about, Aika-san?” asked Hayate, who was just as confused as Hinagiku.

“Get out of the way, unless you want to die with the Student Council!” hissed Aika as she walked towards the butlers.

Hayate looked at Kotetsu. “Let’s go, Kotetsu-kun,” he said. “We have only one chance.”

Kotetsu nodded. Knowing how serious the situation was, his mind was very focused.

“Now!” cried Hayate as the two butlers both dashed forward. Aika began her onslaughts on the two boys, but none of her attacks got close to them.

“Milady!” shouted Kotetsu again. Izumi heard his voice, and she picked up enough courage to emerge from under the table. She saw Kotetsu coming and began throwing her arms at him…

“ARRGH!”

Izumi heard Kotetsu screaming, as he was finally hit by one of Aika’s dark fists. He was sent flying out of the cafe.

“Kotetsu-kun!” cried Izumi as she saw her twin brother disappearing from her sight.

Hinagiku was still not on her feet, but she saw Hayate coming. “Be careful, Hayate-kun!” she shouted. “You can’t save us all, so just pick one of them and get out of here!”

“That’s exactly my plan!” Hayate shouted back as he dodged more and more fists, and to Hinagiku’s shock, Hayate chose to grab her.

“W – wait…” began Hinagiku, totally confused, as Hayate began bringing her out of the cafe in a bear hug. “No, no, Hayate-kun. The girls…”

“You said it yourself, Hinagiku-san,” said Hayate. “I can only save one of you.”

“But not me!” cried Hinagiku. “Save the other girls, not me, Hayate-kun!”

“I refuse to comply!”

“Put me down, Hayate-kun!”

“I won’t!”

As Hayate fled, Hinagiku’s eyes met with Izumi’s. Hinagiku saw the shock and fear from Izumi’s eyes, but she could also see the smile on her face. “It’s okay, Hina-chan,” Hinagiku could hear Izumi talking to her. “You are now safe.”

Hinagiku’s eyes began flooding with tears.

“NOOOOOOO!!!!” she cried out loud.