Tenshi no Uta (2/16)
Sep. 20th, 2014 12:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wendyjolyTitle : Tenshi no Uta
Author : WendyJoly
Pairing : Guess who~
Rating : PG
Genre : SF
Lenght : Chaptered
Beta : Confetti shower to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chibipinkpetals
Genre : Music, love and star ships
Disclaimer : I owe nothing but Arashi owns surely my soul
Summary : “An Angel has the power to pacify a crowd, to convey emotions people ignore. But…when an Angel sings for his master, this man can feel the fullness of body and mind…however, one Angel is made for a Master and only one. And the master can’t choose his Angel.” But when Ninomiya Kazunari, an Angel fated to belong to the ruler of the galaxy chooses the Commandant of the ship designated to guide him to his Master, what will happen to him?
CHAPTER 2
“Young master! Come back please!”
The kid giggled behind the thick red curtain which was hanging down the wall. He took a glance towards the other side to enjoy the anxious face of the old Intendant of the House, and grinned painfully when someone dragged him out of his hiding-place by the ear before placing him in the middle of the inlaid Hall. He sensed the burn of the pinching, sure that a human ear couldn’t afford such a treatment and felt the tears blurring his vision. When the man finally released him, he threw him violently on the floor.
The boy curled on to himself, unable to look at his father in the eyes. A deadly silence suddenly fell on the Hall, in spite of the crowd gathered all over the place, all their gazes focused on him, awaiting the outcome of the fight.
One foot farther, the red robe, boarded by golden ivy, mark of the Sakurai Household informed the kid about the identity of the man who was above him. The old man suffered probably more of the situation than the child himself and Sho understood why when he noticed his mother’s presence behind the Intendant.
“Apologize properly to Waseda-san.”
Sho felt the blood rush to his ear where his father hurt him so much and he knew that he would keep the mark for days and days, like the tangible stain of his infamous behavior.
“In Sakurai household no one ever used a servitor for his own amusement, you won’t be the exception. Bow to him.”
Slowly, Sho put his jointed palms on the floor, clenching his jaws strongly to keep a cry of shame and pain for himself, sticking his forehead to the cold surface.
He knew without seeing it, the gesture of his old teacher to make him stand and the gaze of his father to prevent him to do so. He guessed the disappointment of his mother because he was humiliated in front of all those people. He knew that he will do his best to avoid this situation at all cost in the future.
Sho heard the crowd resuming their conversation as if the incident was closed but he stayed still. As long as his father didn’t ask him to rise, then he would stay on the floor and would assume his judgement.
He waited the night, as the Hall was totally empty, to finally feel a hand on his shoulder.
“Stand up, son.” Said the low voice of his father.
Sho rose up slowly, ready to cry because his body hurt so much, his limbs feeling flimsy like cardboard. But he pinched his cheek hard and hid his feelings.
“Can you understand why I punished you?”
“I do, father.”
“You’re 7 years old, Sho, it’s high time for you to be aware of your rank. You are the future Baron Sakurai, this title will allow you to live a privileged life but you will have to be exemplary and to show an inalterable sense of duty.”
“Did I disappoint mother?” Murmured the boy shyly. Perhaps he had no right to question his father but he couldn’t help it.
“You made her sad. This universe is a battlefield, my son, and you have to find your place to honor the famous name of your ancestors. Since the Succession war, General Okada favored our family and a great destiny is waiting for you. Come with me, I’ll guide you to your room.”
Sho followed his father three steps behind, his gaze focused on the giant shadow of the man on the floor. Once at the door, the Baron cleared his throat and faced his son.
“Today, an emissary of the General brought me a letter. He thinks it’s time for you to join the Imperial Academy and he recommended you personally.”
Sho gazed at his father suddenly, an unreasonable panic seizing him. He knew he would have to leave his family, but so soon?
“My lessons here aren’t over, Father.”
“I know, but the Academy dispenses the best education ever, I know you will honor your family.”
Sho looked at his father straightforwardly and a fierce determination overwhelmed him.
“Well. Go to bed. You will join the next promotion at the Academy.”
The boy reached out and shook his father’s hand and once the threshold of his bedroom passed, he saw the old Intendant of the household waiting for him.
Sho ran to him and nestled his face against him, sobbing like the child he still was.
Waseda-san caressed his head with love and murmured him “I know” again and again until the moment he felt him sliding on the floor, exhausted.
~Ã~
The big Hall of the Military Imperial Academy was fully packed during the cold afternoon, the biggest names of the Galaxy were gathered. The most famous aristocratic families were represented, waiting the beginning of the welcoming ceremony for the new aspirants.
Some of them exchanged cold greetings, some of them reunited in clans, but the old enemies didn’t become allies by the simple magic of an inviolable Peace Treaty.
The General Okada, subtle strategist and totally aware of these old rivalries, imposed them to give to the Academy a child he could form to become a faithful servant. Some families with a unique child were forced to let him becoming a soldier. This career, if it wasn’t inglorious, imposed a way of life that certain families didn’t adopt enthusiastically.
Sho held his mother tight, trying to carve in his memory some images of her, that he could cherish for the five next years he had to pass far from his family. The boy could clearly see she wasn’t happy either but she couldn’t struggle against the will of her husband and Okada’s recommendation was to hear as an order.
Sho didn’t know what they said at the ceremony, he couldn’t listen to the speech, too anxious to pay attention to the Admiral Abe Sadao, the Director of the Academy.
Too soon, he had to leave his mother’s side but he saw her crying and his father taking her into his embrace to comfort her discreetly.
He didn’t seem to be so brave now, this great man.
Sho followed the line of children until the core of the Academy.
They entered a dormitory where tens of beds were settled. All the aspirants had to sleep here and they didn’t have to choose their bed. On each of them, a name was written and Sho looked at the movements of the children searching for their place, anxiously. He pulled himself together and began to stare at the signs at his turn.
When he finally found his bed, at the end of the dormitory, he put his bag at the feet like the other children. He stood up in the aisle and waited for the instructions.
“Look on your right.”
Sho turned the head and saw a little thin girl, her jaw clenched yet unable to prevent tears to fall on her cheeks.
“Look on your left.”
He saw a boy slimmer than him, as tall as him, but his gaze was determinate and he filled up his chest proudly.
“They will be your companions until you’ll leave this dormitory to join the cadets. Now, put your things into the trunk at the bed’s feet and put on the uniform which is in. You have ten minutes. Now!”
They opened their bags and did what they were told. The blue navy uniform with the Academy’s coat of arms was folded tidily and Sho put it on without argue.
He stared at the girl once again but she kept her eyes on the floor, focused on her task and he was perfectly aware that, just like him, she tried her best to not cry. The boy on his left was tidying up his stuffs enthusiastically and when it was over, he braced in the aisle.
The Instructor-Chief showed them the Academy around and all the children were thrilled to see the training rooms where the cadets were practicing close combat or learnt to fly a star ship.
Then, he guided them to the mess to take their first meal and finally at the shower, where they noticed, astonished, that they would have to share a common bathroom.
The proud boy approached the Instructor and asked the question that was on everybody’s lips.
“Sir, there are girls here. We can’t take a shower with girls.”
“What’s your name?”
“I am the Baron Matsumoto.”
“Well, Aspirant Matsumoto, I would like to know where you saw girls. I can only see Aspirants here.”
“I…But…”
He froze under the cold look of the man and finally shut his mouth, then stripped.
The children imitated him without any say and showered before heading to the dormitory. They were in bed less than an hour when Sho heard the sobs of his neighbour.
“What’s your name?” He whispered to her. She stopped crying immediately.
“Aspirant Cadet Ueno Juri.”
“I’m Sakurai Sho. Are you sad to be here?”
She nodded in the dark.
“Me too. But we have to be courageous and do our best.”
“It’s true.” Said the little voice and Sho smiled.
“We’ll do our best together, right?”
“I’ll do my best too to honor my family” Said a third voice strongly and they heard a “hush!” all over the dormitory.
Sho stared at the boy who talked. He heard about his family, of course. They were rare, the Barons of the Galaxy and the father of this boy was probably the worst enemy of his own father since ages.
“Are you the Baron Sakurai?”
“I am.”
“So we will compete.” Said Matsumoto proudly.
Sho frowned and turned to Juri. She smirked gently and he smiled in response.
“Do you want me to tell you my planet, Juri-chan?”
The girl nodded joyfully and Sho told her his planet where the lakes were snowy in winter, with a thick layer of ice, which allowed him to skate with the servants of the Sakurai Household.
The next day, the lessons began and Sho could take a better look at the others Aspirants. Unsurprisingly, Juri sat next to him in class and Matsumoto took the chair on the other side. If the little girl looked for a friend, the boy tried shamelessly to observe Sho leisurely. He visibly designed him as an alter ego amongst the entire promotion and Sho ignored if it was good news or not. For the time being he decided to ignore him.
Days passed quickly for the Aspirants.
Every morning, they had theoretical lessons about strategy, Galaxy History and Empire, about faraway tribes, Biology, biotechnology, medicine. In the afternoon, they were formed into little groups and the theory made place to the practical part. They learnt close combat and to manipulate weapons, the basis of the survival in hostile territory, the first notion of flying, even if they weren’t allowed to fly a star ship before 15.
When they entered the dormitory at night, they were too exhausted to even think about their families. The life at the Academy was harsh. The dormitory wasn’t warmed and in winter it was a real torture. Sho noticed rapidly that the Aspirants coming from rich families were at a disadvantaged, when the kids from poor families, like Juri, used to the lack of comfort were a step ahead.
If Sho and Juri were always together, Matsumoto was all alone, his obsession to become the best in everything, isolating him from the rest of the group.
At the end of the first year as Aspirant, their young age had helped them to forget they once lived outside of the Academy. The tests classified Sho at the head of the class in every theoretical course but Matsumoto was the best for the practical lessons. He was a real daredevil, showed an unfailing determination and his teachers often warned him because of his intrepidity.
But he was stubborn, enough to put his life in stake at each exercise and seeing him behind him, in spite of the clear disdain he displayed, frightened Sho.
The last day of the year, the Aspirant of each promotion were separated into two distinct groups and have to confront during Games organised by the Leadership of the Academy.
Unsurprisingly Sho led the Red team while Matsumoto led the Purple one. When Sho reached out to shake his hand, the other laughed and turned tail.
They gathered into a simulation room they knew well, the Survival Room. It changed permanently, according the desire of the Academy programmer, a genius named Tamaki Hiroshi.
Today it was a thick and dark forest and each group received a summary cart of the place. A stream cut the forest into two separated parts and the players wore a colored scarf that the opposite team had to catch to eliminate them.
The winner was the first team to grab the totem of the adversary. This totem was immovable and on an exposed glade.
The teams penetrated the room by opposite doors and once the threshold passed, they gathered to establish the plan for the attack. They have to use everything they learnt during the year to win. They weren’t really experienced and they felt the pressure to be observed by the entire Academy via giant screens spread all over the buildings. Sho knew the victory depended of the preparations and a good teamwork and if he was sure about something, it was the fact that his opponent was neither patient, neither federative, it was his luck.
He gave accurate instructions and in a perfect silence his teammate nodded with a smile and disbanded beneath the dense forest.
Matsumoto faced his soldiers, his hands firmly clenched on his hips.
“You’re gonna eliminate as much soldiers as you can…it’s as simple as that. They will be surprised by our quick reaction, we’ll play on the surprise effect. When they will be down, we will catch the totem. I'll stay here, with our totem and if someone comes near, I nail him, get it?”
Some of them didn’t sound to be delighted by the plan, but they couldn’t refuse a direct order, it was the ABC of the soldier’s work. They disbanded like birds not so silently, since the purpose was to confront the enemies, why avoid them?
Matsumoto sat quietly, under the totem and absentmindedly nibbled a blade of grass, thinking with disappointment he won’t have the chance to meet his adversary.
Long minutes passed and he heard cries afar and he regretted to have forgotten to establish a system of communication between him and his army. The next time, he won’t commit the same error. He waited and waited, dying to see what was happening on the battlefield. But he couldn’t leave the totem behind and he was all alone in the glade. He couldn’t ask to anyone to take over the watch.
The fear built slowly but surely in his mind. It’s been a long time now and no one came back to him to announce the victory. And if Sakurai won?
He rose and walked around the totem, trying to hear the voices which, he was convinced, were approaching.
Then suddenly, he saw him. He ran, visibly, since he breathed loudly, but he was smirking.
“Give up, you’re all alone.” Said Sakurai.
“You’re bluffing…I hear their voices.”
“It’s my team. You’re so conceited; you thought you could keep the totem by yourself?”
“Come claim it. As long as he’s mine, you didn’t win.”
“I can wait…” said quietly Sakurai leaning back at a tree. “No one will come to help you. When my teammates will join me, you’ll be lost. United we stand, divided we fall, does it ring a bell?”
“Come here, bragger!”
Sakurai laughed at Matsumoto’s anger.
This latter was stuck between the urge to hit him up and the need to stand firm. After a few minutes, he was still alone and Sakurai was sitting at the feet of a tree. Matsumoto exploded, rushing to his enemy, sticking him to the ground. But as soon as Sakurai stop moving, he heard the bell ringing, announcing the end of the game and they raised their heads. In the middle of the glade, the little Juri was holding the purple totem proudly.
Matsumoto stared at her, incredulously.
“There’s only Juri and I, the others members of the team were hidden close to our totem.”
Matsumoto turned his face to Sho who reached out to make peace. But he slapped the hand and punched Sho’s face to make him fall into the grass before leaving the place, furious.
When the night fell on the dormitory, no one slept. Because of this thrilling day of course, but especially because it was freezing within the huge room where they all resided.
Juri nestled against Sho to keep him warm and they whispered when his neighbour kneeled on the floor, interrupted them.
“I’m deeply sorry for my behavior. I set a disgraceful example. I will stay here all night long, to repent this failure.”
Sho gazed at Juri who pouted and they observed Matsumoto, head hanging in shame, his teeth rattling.
“Go to bed.” Said Sho.
“I’m too ashamed to sleep…If my father saw me…A man should accept the defeat stoically and admit his failures.” Murmured Matsumoto.
“You’re gonna catch a cold. Go to bed.”
“Never.”
He was known to be stubborn and Sho knew he won’t give up easily. But he couldn’t find a way to send him to bed without hurting his pride.
Surprisingly, Juri straddled Sho and went to Matsumoto, grabbing his hand to lead him to his bed. This latter was too dumbfounded to argue. He gasped when he felt her sliding with him under the sheets and warming his body.
Sakurai was surely smiling in the dark, but Jun was convinced that it wasn’t to mock him.
He closed his eyes, his heart beating fast, Juri’s head on his shoulder weighting heavily, sensing her intimately.
It was good. So good. He felt her smile against him as his cold feet met her warmth. He apologized in an undertone and she put her index finger on his mouth and hushed him.
“Do you want me to tell you of my planet? It’s covered by forest and every morning I used to climb on the trees to find the eggs of the big birds nestled on the highest branches.”
~Ã~
Sho opened his eyes and looked at the bed beside his.
He half-closed his eyelids, embarrassed by what he just saw. Jun was elbowed on his bed, his temple against his palm and he smiled to Juri who giggled in her sleep.
“What is she dreaming about?” He asked to Sho.
“To the birds of her planet, probably…”
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
“Jun…”
“What?”
“Don’t you think we should stop this?”
“Stop what?”
“You know what I mean…to let her sleep with us. We’re too big now.”
“She doesn’t complain.”
“Of course she doesn’t….but…it will become complicated.”
“What are you talking about?”
Jun stared at his friend, defiantly.
“I see the way you look at her.”
Jun was about to answer but the girl stretched out.
“Good morning, what time is it?”
“5 o’clock, go to bed, the Instructor will be here in a minute.”
Juri smiled and slid on the floor, passing by the beds on her all fours, waving at Sho on her way. Sho murmured an “Good morning” and went back to Jun who kept his eyes on her.
He was worried about the situation. They were 13 now and he knew Jun and his fiery character could push him to some extremity sometimes. And in spite of his young age he could only see how much his friend was in love with their common friend.
In less than one week, they would play their last game as Aspirant Cadet and they would finally be allowed to go back to their families for two long months.
When they will pass the threshold of the Academy again, they would wear the gold braid of the Cadets.
That’s when their future career will be defined.
According their will, their scores and the determination they showed, each Aspirant became Cadet in the Imperial Army. If some of them became simple workers on the star ships, others wished for pilot’s position or, for the most brilliants, Ship Commanders. It was the case for Sho and Jun. Their names didn’t allow them to aim for another position, even if Jun dreamnt to pilot a battle cruiser.
As a matter of fact, Juri decided to follow them, her excellence permitted her the greatest hopes.
Sho and Jun ate at the mess, conversed about the last game into the training room.
Each year, Sho and Juri have won and each year he promised to take his revenge during the next game.
“I lack of preparation, that’s all…” He was saying with bad faith when they heard a sound of fighting in the hall next to the mess. They rushed and walked through the crowd. They figured out, horrified Juri on the floor nailed by another Aspirant, Yokoyama.
Yoko and his friends found amusing to defy them but Juri has always been appeasing, advocating diplomacy.
Yet, she sounded to be speechless and she was hitting back as if her life was at stake. Jun jumped on the guy and began to punch him while Sho stood between the opponents and a possible rescue.
Whistles rang all over the place and they immediately stood up.
“What’s happening?!”
The three fighters hung their heads but kept silence.
“Good, you’re grounded and no game for you.”
“But Sir…”
“Go back to the dormitory.”
They nodded and exited the room in an absolute silence. Sho followed them and sat on his bed.
They were scary. Juri’s lip was bleeding, her hair was a mess and Jun’s eye was blue and swollen.
“What happened with Yokoyama? It’s not you…Juri?”
“…”
She hung her head once again then looked at Jun thinking she owed him the truth, since he fought for her.
“He mocked me.”
“He always mocks everyone…what did he say to you?”
“…Half-woman.”
The two boys gazed at each other, perplexed.
“What does it mean?”
“It means I’m a Cadet. And when you’re a woman Cadet you can’t marry or have a family.”
“Why?” whispered Jun.
“You can’t be a good imperial soldier when you have a husband and children.”
“But…we…We’re allowed to be married.”
“You don’t have to bear a child and your wife will take care of your home.”
They never really thought about it. Obviously, the two barons knew that the day would come when they should take a spouse; it was part of their duty as nobleman. But for the girls of the Academy…the expression “way of life” took a very particular sense.
“So, we won’t marry either.” Said Jun firmly.
“What?!”
“I said we won’t marry either. Anyway, you would have been unable to decide between me and Sho, isn’t it?”
Sho stared at Jun with an unreadable gaze. As if one of them could marry a poor girl…it would be less complicated to explain a celibate than a misalliance, but he saw a real relief in the girl’s gaze.
“And you…” Smirked Jun “You better win those games for us and crush Yokoyama’s gang for us.”
“I swear.”
Everything happened like they planned and the next day they separated for the very first time in five years. Each of them have to go back to their own planets and tried to resume a life they totally forgot.
Sho felt out-of-place in the sweetness of the familial palace. Everybody was delighted to meet the young baron who became a young man. He spoke with Jun every day but in spite of all his efforts he never managed to reach Juri. If Sho missed her, Jun was totally crazy. He was ready to steal a ship to find her back to be sure she was all right but Sho reasoned him, persuaded that if something happened to her, they would have known.
When they finally went back at the Academy she was nowhere to be seen. In their new dormitory reserved to the Commander-Cadet, they figured out there was no bed with her name and they began to really freak out.
She was quietly sat at a table of the mess, amongst other Cadets they recognized on the spot. Yokoyama, Nishikido, Tadayoshi…she smiled at them and visibly, she wasn’t in danger at all. Jun ran to her, too happy to see her.
“We searched for you everywhere and you didn’t give us any news! What did you do during those two months, we were out of minds with worry!”
The entire mess was listening but he didn’t care.
“I was busy, it’s not a big deal.”
Juri looked away and Tadayoshi smirked at her. Jun felt the anger overwhelming gradually, as if she slapped him.
“And why aren’t you with the Commanders?”
“I changed my mind. I want to be pilot.”
“She’s with us now.” Whistled Nishikido.
Jun and Sho stared at the group and indeed they wore the pilot’s wings on their uniforms.
Sho was too astonished to answer, he guessed something happened without pinpointing it, but it was surely something that he would end up without an answer, should he have asked.
Jun, however, was not satisfied with that and reached to grip Juri’s collar.
“I advise you to leave her alone," murmured a seemingly bored Tadayoshi, still eating.
“You’re her bodyguard now?”
“I only want what’s the best for her and apparently, it isn’t your case. So you have two options you leave her alone or I will force you to.”
Jun clenched his fists, but Juri kept silent, her gaze firmly on Jun’s.
He released her suddenly, letting her fall on her chair and stared at her with disgust before turning tail.
“Sorry, Juri” murmured Sho and he saw she curbed a sob. He ignored what happened but he knew she wasn’t changeable.
He ran after Jun and saw him entering the dormitory. When he heard him crying he discreetly closed the door and left him alone.
Author : WendyJoly
Pairing : Guess who~
Rating : PG
Genre : SF
Lenght : Chaptered
Beta : Confetti shower to
chibipinkpetals Genre : Music, love and star ships
Disclaimer : I owe nothing but Arashi owns surely my soul
Summary : “An Angel has the power to pacify a crowd, to convey emotions people ignore. But…when an Angel sings for his master, this man can feel the fullness of body and mind…however, one Angel is made for a Master and only one. And the master can’t choose his Angel.” But when Ninomiya Kazunari, an Angel fated to belong to the ruler of the galaxy chooses the Commandant of the ship designated to guide him to his Master, what will happen to him?
“Young master! Come back please!”
The kid giggled behind the thick red curtain which was hanging down the wall. He took a glance towards the other side to enjoy the anxious face of the old Intendant of the House, and grinned painfully when someone dragged him out of his hiding-place by the ear before placing him in the middle of the inlaid Hall. He sensed the burn of the pinching, sure that a human ear couldn’t afford such a treatment and felt the tears blurring his vision. When the man finally released him, he threw him violently on the floor.
The boy curled on to himself, unable to look at his father in the eyes. A deadly silence suddenly fell on the Hall, in spite of the crowd gathered all over the place, all their gazes focused on him, awaiting the outcome of the fight.
One foot farther, the red robe, boarded by golden ivy, mark of the Sakurai Household informed the kid about the identity of the man who was above him. The old man suffered probably more of the situation than the child himself and Sho understood why when he noticed his mother’s presence behind the Intendant.
“Apologize properly to Waseda-san.”
Sho felt the blood rush to his ear where his father hurt him so much and he knew that he would keep the mark for days and days, like the tangible stain of his infamous behavior.
“In Sakurai household no one ever used a servitor for his own amusement, you won’t be the exception. Bow to him.”
Slowly, Sho put his jointed palms on the floor, clenching his jaws strongly to keep a cry of shame and pain for himself, sticking his forehead to the cold surface.
He knew without seeing it, the gesture of his old teacher to make him stand and the gaze of his father to prevent him to do so. He guessed the disappointment of his mother because he was humiliated in front of all those people. He knew that he will do his best to avoid this situation at all cost in the future.
Sho heard the crowd resuming their conversation as if the incident was closed but he stayed still. As long as his father didn’t ask him to rise, then he would stay on the floor and would assume his judgement.
He waited the night, as the Hall was totally empty, to finally feel a hand on his shoulder.
“Stand up, son.” Said the low voice of his father.
Sho rose up slowly, ready to cry because his body hurt so much, his limbs feeling flimsy like cardboard. But he pinched his cheek hard and hid his feelings.
“Can you understand why I punished you?”
“I do, father.”
“You’re 7 years old, Sho, it’s high time for you to be aware of your rank. You are the future Baron Sakurai, this title will allow you to live a privileged life but you will have to be exemplary and to show an inalterable sense of duty.”
“Did I disappoint mother?” Murmured the boy shyly. Perhaps he had no right to question his father but he couldn’t help it.
“You made her sad. This universe is a battlefield, my son, and you have to find your place to honor the famous name of your ancestors. Since the Succession war, General Okada favored our family and a great destiny is waiting for you. Come with me, I’ll guide you to your room.”
Sho followed his father three steps behind, his gaze focused on the giant shadow of the man on the floor. Once at the door, the Baron cleared his throat and faced his son.
“Today, an emissary of the General brought me a letter. He thinks it’s time for you to join the Imperial Academy and he recommended you personally.”
Sho gazed at his father suddenly, an unreasonable panic seizing him. He knew he would have to leave his family, but so soon?
“My lessons here aren’t over, Father.”
“I know, but the Academy dispenses the best education ever, I know you will honor your family.”
Sho looked at his father straightforwardly and a fierce determination overwhelmed him.
“Well. Go to bed. You will join the next promotion at the Academy.”
The boy reached out and shook his father’s hand and once the threshold of his bedroom passed, he saw the old Intendant of the household waiting for him.
Sho ran to him and nestled his face against him, sobbing like the child he still was.
Waseda-san caressed his head with love and murmured him “I know” again and again until the moment he felt him sliding on the floor, exhausted.
The big Hall of the Military Imperial Academy was fully packed during the cold afternoon, the biggest names of the Galaxy were gathered. The most famous aristocratic families were represented, waiting the beginning of the welcoming ceremony for the new aspirants.
Some of them exchanged cold greetings, some of them reunited in clans, but the old enemies didn’t become allies by the simple magic of an inviolable Peace Treaty.
The General Okada, subtle strategist and totally aware of these old rivalries, imposed them to give to the Academy a child he could form to become a faithful servant. Some families with a unique child were forced to let him becoming a soldier. This career, if it wasn’t inglorious, imposed a way of life that certain families didn’t adopt enthusiastically.
Sho held his mother tight, trying to carve in his memory some images of her, that he could cherish for the five next years he had to pass far from his family. The boy could clearly see she wasn’t happy either but she couldn’t struggle against the will of her husband and Okada’s recommendation was to hear as an order.
Sho didn’t know what they said at the ceremony, he couldn’t listen to the speech, too anxious to pay attention to the Admiral Abe Sadao, the Director of the Academy.
Too soon, he had to leave his mother’s side but he saw her crying and his father taking her into his embrace to comfort her discreetly.
He didn’t seem to be so brave now, this great man.
Sho followed the line of children until the core of the Academy.
They entered a dormitory where tens of beds were settled. All the aspirants had to sleep here and they didn’t have to choose their bed. On each of them, a name was written and Sho looked at the movements of the children searching for their place, anxiously. He pulled himself together and began to stare at the signs at his turn.
When he finally found his bed, at the end of the dormitory, he put his bag at the feet like the other children. He stood up in the aisle and waited for the instructions.
“Look on your right.”
Sho turned the head and saw a little thin girl, her jaw clenched yet unable to prevent tears to fall on her cheeks.
“Look on your left.”
He saw a boy slimmer than him, as tall as him, but his gaze was determinate and he filled up his chest proudly.
“They will be your companions until you’ll leave this dormitory to join the cadets. Now, put your things into the trunk at the bed’s feet and put on the uniform which is in. You have ten minutes. Now!”
They opened their bags and did what they were told. The blue navy uniform with the Academy’s coat of arms was folded tidily and Sho put it on without argue.
He stared at the girl once again but she kept her eyes on the floor, focused on her task and he was perfectly aware that, just like him, she tried her best to not cry. The boy on his left was tidying up his stuffs enthusiastically and when it was over, he braced in the aisle.
The Instructor-Chief showed them the Academy around and all the children were thrilled to see the training rooms where the cadets were practicing close combat or learnt to fly a star ship.
Then, he guided them to the mess to take their first meal and finally at the shower, where they noticed, astonished, that they would have to share a common bathroom.
The proud boy approached the Instructor and asked the question that was on everybody’s lips.
“Sir, there are girls here. We can’t take a shower with girls.”
“What’s your name?”
“I am the Baron Matsumoto.”
“Well, Aspirant Matsumoto, I would like to know where you saw girls. I can only see Aspirants here.”
“I…But…”
He froze under the cold look of the man and finally shut his mouth, then stripped.
The children imitated him without any say and showered before heading to the dormitory. They were in bed less than an hour when Sho heard the sobs of his neighbour.
“What’s your name?” He whispered to her. She stopped crying immediately.
“Aspirant Cadet Ueno Juri.”
“I’m Sakurai Sho. Are you sad to be here?”
She nodded in the dark.
“Me too. But we have to be courageous and do our best.”
“It’s true.” Said the little voice and Sho smiled.
“We’ll do our best together, right?”
“I’ll do my best too to honor my family” Said a third voice strongly and they heard a “hush!” all over the dormitory.
Sho stared at the boy who talked. He heard about his family, of course. They were rare, the Barons of the Galaxy and the father of this boy was probably the worst enemy of his own father since ages.
“Are you the Baron Sakurai?”
“I am.”
“So we will compete.” Said Matsumoto proudly.
Sho frowned and turned to Juri. She smirked gently and he smiled in response.
“Do you want me to tell you my planet, Juri-chan?”
The girl nodded joyfully and Sho told her his planet where the lakes were snowy in winter, with a thick layer of ice, which allowed him to skate with the servants of the Sakurai Household.
The next day, the lessons began and Sho could take a better look at the others Aspirants. Unsurprisingly, Juri sat next to him in class and Matsumoto took the chair on the other side. If the little girl looked for a friend, the boy tried shamelessly to observe Sho leisurely. He visibly designed him as an alter ego amongst the entire promotion and Sho ignored if it was good news or not. For the time being he decided to ignore him.
Days passed quickly for the Aspirants.
Every morning, they had theoretical lessons about strategy, Galaxy History and Empire, about faraway tribes, Biology, biotechnology, medicine. In the afternoon, they were formed into little groups and the theory made place to the practical part. They learnt close combat and to manipulate weapons, the basis of the survival in hostile territory, the first notion of flying, even if they weren’t allowed to fly a star ship before 15.
When they entered the dormitory at night, they were too exhausted to even think about their families. The life at the Academy was harsh. The dormitory wasn’t warmed and in winter it was a real torture. Sho noticed rapidly that the Aspirants coming from rich families were at a disadvantaged, when the kids from poor families, like Juri, used to the lack of comfort were a step ahead.
If Sho and Juri were always together, Matsumoto was all alone, his obsession to become the best in everything, isolating him from the rest of the group.
At the end of the first year as Aspirant, their young age had helped them to forget they once lived outside of the Academy. The tests classified Sho at the head of the class in every theoretical course but Matsumoto was the best for the practical lessons. He was a real daredevil, showed an unfailing determination and his teachers often warned him because of his intrepidity.
But he was stubborn, enough to put his life in stake at each exercise and seeing him behind him, in spite of the clear disdain he displayed, frightened Sho.
The last day of the year, the Aspirant of each promotion were separated into two distinct groups and have to confront during Games organised by the Leadership of the Academy.
Unsurprisingly Sho led the Red team while Matsumoto led the Purple one. When Sho reached out to shake his hand, the other laughed and turned tail.
They gathered into a simulation room they knew well, the Survival Room. It changed permanently, according the desire of the Academy programmer, a genius named Tamaki Hiroshi.
Today it was a thick and dark forest and each group received a summary cart of the place. A stream cut the forest into two separated parts and the players wore a colored scarf that the opposite team had to catch to eliminate them.
The winner was the first team to grab the totem of the adversary. This totem was immovable and on an exposed glade.
The teams penetrated the room by opposite doors and once the threshold passed, they gathered to establish the plan for the attack. They have to use everything they learnt during the year to win. They weren’t really experienced and they felt the pressure to be observed by the entire Academy via giant screens spread all over the buildings. Sho knew the victory depended of the preparations and a good teamwork and if he was sure about something, it was the fact that his opponent was neither patient, neither federative, it was his luck.
He gave accurate instructions and in a perfect silence his teammate nodded with a smile and disbanded beneath the dense forest.
Matsumoto faced his soldiers, his hands firmly clenched on his hips.
“You’re gonna eliminate as much soldiers as you can…it’s as simple as that. They will be surprised by our quick reaction, we’ll play on the surprise effect. When they will be down, we will catch the totem. I'll stay here, with our totem and if someone comes near, I nail him, get it?”
Some of them didn’t sound to be delighted by the plan, but they couldn’t refuse a direct order, it was the ABC of the soldier’s work. They disbanded like birds not so silently, since the purpose was to confront the enemies, why avoid them?
Matsumoto sat quietly, under the totem and absentmindedly nibbled a blade of grass, thinking with disappointment he won’t have the chance to meet his adversary.
Long minutes passed and he heard cries afar and he regretted to have forgotten to establish a system of communication between him and his army. The next time, he won’t commit the same error. He waited and waited, dying to see what was happening on the battlefield. But he couldn’t leave the totem behind and he was all alone in the glade. He couldn’t ask to anyone to take over the watch.
The fear built slowly but surely in his mind. It’s been a long time now and no one came back to him to announce the victory. And if Sakurai won?
He rose and walked around the totem, trying to hear the voices which, he was convinced, were approaching.
Then suddenly, he saw him. He ran, visibly, since he breathed loudly, but he was smirking.
“Give up, you’re all alone.” Said Sakurai.
“You’re bluffing…I hear their voices.”
“It’s my team. You’re so conceited; you thought you could keep the totem by yourself?”
“Come claim it. As long as he’s mine, you didn’t win.”
“I can wait…” said quietly Sakurai leaning back at a tree. “No one will come to help you. When my teammates will join me, you’ll be lost. United we stand, divided we fall, does it ring a bell?”
“Come here, bragger!”
Sakurai laughed at Matsumoto’s anger.
This latter was stuck between the urge to hit him up and the need to stand firm. After a few minutes, he was still alone and Sakurai was sitting at the feet of a tree. Matsumoto exploded, rushing to his enemy, sticking him to the ground. But as soon as Sakurai stop moving, he heard the bell ringing, announcing the end of the game and they raised their heads. In the middle of the glade, the little Juri was holding the purple totem proudly.
Matsumoto stared at her, incredulously.
“There’s only Juri and I, the others members of the team were hidden close to our totem.”
Matsumoto turned his face to Sho who reached out to make peace. But he slapped the hand and punched Sho’s face to make him fall into the grass before leaving the place, furious.
When the night fell on the dormitory, no one slept. Because of this thrilling day of course, but especially because it was freezing within the huge room where they all resided.
Juri nestled against Sho to keep him warm and they whispered when his neighbour kneeled on the floor, interrupted them.
“I’m deeply sorry for my behavior. I set a disgraceful example. I will stay here all night long, to repent this failure.”
Sho gazed at Juri who pouted and they observed Matsumoto, head hanging in shame, his teeth rattling.
“Go to bed.” Said Sho.
“I’m too ashamed to sleep…If my father saw me…A man should accept the defeat stoically and admit his failures.” Murmured Matsumoto.
“You’re gonna catch a cold. Go to bed.”
“Never.”
He was known to be stubborn and Sho knew he won’t give up easily. But he couldn’t find a way to send him to bed without hurting his pride.
Surprisingly, Juri straddled Sho and went to Matsumoto, grabbing his hand to lead him to his bed. This latter was too dumbfounded to argue. He gasped when he felt her sliding with him under the sheets and warming his body.
Sakurai was surely smiling in the dark, but Jun was convinced that it wasn’t to mock him.
He closed his eyes, his heart beating fast, Juri’s head on his shoulder weighting heavily, sensing her intimately.
It was good. So good. He felt her smile against him as his cold feet met her warmth. He apologized in an undertone and she put her index finger on his mouth and hushed him.
“Do you want me to tell you of my planet? It’s covered by forest and every morning I used to climb on the trees to find the eggs of the big birds nestled on the highest branches.”
Sho opened his eyes and looked at the bed beside his.
He half-closed his eyelids, embarrassed by what he just saw. Jun was elbowed on his bed, his temple against his palm and he smiled to Juri who giggled in her sleep.
“What is she dreaming about?” He asked to Sho.
“To the birds of her planet, probably…”
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
“Jun…”
“What?”
“Don’t you think we should stop this?”
“Stop what?”
“You know what I mean…to let her sleep with us. We’re too big now.”
“She doesn’t complain.”
“Of course she doesn’t….but…it will become complicated.”
“What are you talking about?”
Jun stared at his friend, defiantly.
“I see the way you look at her.”
Jun was about to answer but the girl stretched out.
“Good morning, what time is it?”
“5 o’clock, go to bed, the Instructor will be here in a minute.”
Juri smiled and slid on the floor, passing by the beds on her all fours, waving at Sho on her way. Sho murmured an “Good morning” and went back to Jun who kept his eyes on her.
He was worried about the situation. They were 13 now and he knew Jun and his fiery character could push him to some extremity sometimes. And in spite of his young age he could only see how much his friend was in love with their common friend.
In less than one week, they would play their last game as Aspirant Cadet and they would finally be allowed to go back to their families for two long months.
When they will pass the threshold of the Academy again, they would wear the gold braid of the Cadets.
That’s when their future career will be defined.
According their will, their scores and the determination they showed, each Aspirant became Cadet in the Imperial Army. If some of them became simple workers on the star ships, others wished for pilot’s position or, for the most brilliants, Ship Commanders. It was the case for Sho and Jun. Their names didn’t allow them to aim for another position, even if Jun dreamnt to pilot a battle cruiser.
As a matter of fact, Juri decided to follow them, her excellence permitted her the greatest hopes.
Sho and Jun ate at the mess, conversed about the last game into the training room.
Each year, Sho and Juri have won and each year he promised to take his revenge during the next game.
“I lack of preparation, that’s all…” He was saying with bad faith when they heard a sound of fighting in the hall next to the mess. They rushed and walked through the crowd. They figured out, horrified Juri on the floor nailed by another Aspirant, Yokoyama.
Yoko and his friends found amusing to defy them but Juri has always been appeasing, advocating diplomacy.
Yet, she sounded to be speechless and she was hitting back as if her life was at stake. Jun jumped on the guy and began to punch him while Sho stood between the opponents and a possible rescue.
Whistles rang all over the place and they immediately stood up.
“What’s happening?!”
The three fighters hung their heads but kept silence.
“Good, you’re grounded and no game for you.”
“But Sir…”
“Go back to the dormitory.”
They nodded and exited the room in an absolute silence. Sho followed them and sat on his bed.
They were scary. Juri’s lip was bleeding, her hair was a mess and Jun’s eye was blue and swollen.
“What happened with Yokoyama? It’s not you…Juri?”
“…”
She hung her head once again then looked at Jun thinking she owed him the truth, since he fought for her.
“He mocked me.”
“He always mocks everyone…what did he say to you?”
“…Half-woman.”
The two boys gazed at each other, perplexed.
“What does it mean?”
“It means I’m a Cadet. And when you’re a woman Cadet you can’t marry or have a family.”
“Why?” whispered Jun.
“You can’t be a good imperial soldier when you have a husband and children.”
“But…we…We’re allowed to be married.”
“You don’t have to bear a child and your wife will take care of your home.”
They never really thought about it. Obviously, the two barons knew that the day would come when they should take a spouse; it was part of their duty as nobleman. But for the girls of the Academy…the expression “way of life” took a very particular sense.
“So, we won’t marry either.” Said Jun firmly.
“What?!”
“I said we won’t marry either. Anyway, you would have been unable to decide between me and Sho, isn’t it?”
Sho stared at Jun with an unreadable gaze. As if one of them could marry a poor girl…it would be less complicated to explain a celibate than a misalliance, but he saw a real relief in the girl’s gaze.
“And you…” Smirked Jun “You better win those games for us and crush Yokoyama’s gang for us.”
“I swear.”
Everything happened like they planned and the next day they separated for the very first time in five years. Each of them have to go back to their own planets and tried to resume a life they totally forgot.
Sho felt out-of-place in the sweetness of the familial palace. Everybody was delighted to meet the young baron who became a young man. He spoke with Jun every day but in spite of all his efforts he never managed to reach Juri. If Sho missed her, Jun was totally crazy. He was ready to steal a ship to find her back to be sure she was all right but Sho reasoned him, persuaded that if something happened to her, they would have known.
When they finally went back at the Academy she was nowhere to be seen. In their new dormitory reserved to the Commander-Cadet, they figured out there was no bed with her name and they began to really freak out.
She was quietly sat at a table of the mess, amongst other Cadets they recognized on the spot. Yokoyama, Nishikido, Tadayoshi…she smiled at them and visibly, she wasn’t in danger at all. Jun ran to her, too happy to see her.
“We searched for you everywhere and you didn’t give us any news! What did you do during those two months, we were out of minds with worry!”
The entire mess was listening but he didn’t care.
“I was busy, it’s not a big deal.”
Juri looked away and Tadayoshi smirked at her. Jun felt the anger overwhelming gradually, as if she slapped him.
“And why aren’t you with the Commanders?”
“I changed my mind. I want to be pilot.”
“She’s with us now.” Whistled Nishikido.
Jun and Sho stared at the group and indeed they wore the pilot’s wings on their uniforms.
Sho was too astonished to answer, he guessed something happened without pinpointing it, but it was surely something that he would end up without an answer, should he have asked.
Jun, however, was not satisfied with that and reached to grip Juri’s collar.
“I advise you to leave her alone," murmured a seemingly bored Tadayoshi, still eating.
“You’re her bodyguard now?”
“I only want what’s the best for her and apparently, it isn’t your case. So you have two options you leave her alone or I will force you to.”
Jun clenched his fists, but Juri kept silent, her gaze firmly on Jun’s.
He released her suddenly, letting her fall on her chair and stared at her with disgust before turning tail.
“Sorry, Juri” murmured Sho and he saw she curbed a sob. He ignored what happened but he knew she wasn’t changeable.
He ran after Jun and saw him entering the dormitory. When he heard him crying he discreetly closed the door and left him alone.
