Healing Kisses (ch39)

EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS!!

Back with another little something for nadie95!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

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							Chapter 39. A Normal Day...?


As the alarm beeps its usual pattern, Claudine rouses herself to get ready for the day.

It's Wednesday, and there are currently no major school events she needs to prepare for, so the sense that comes over her as she opens her eyes is that today is going to be just another normal day. After all the ReLives and battles with Korosu, she'll gladly accept an uneventful week or two where she can just focus on being a high schooler.

Humming a bit to warm up her voice, Claudine makes her bed and gets dressed and ready for the day, brushing her hair before giving it a toss over her shoulder.

"Très bien! Ready for another day."

After slinging her bag over her shoulder, Claudine struts out the door and begins her walk to breakfast.

As is often the case, the first person she sees is none other than Tendo Maya, who is exiting her room just as Claudine passes by.

"Ah, good morning, Saijou-san."

And Claudine can't quite put her finger on it. But right away, she can just tell that something is off with her.

She pauses, looking over Maya's polite smile with skeptical eyes.

"Good morning."

Claudine inspects her briefly, trying to pinpoint what is rubbing her the wrong way about Maya. Had her parents called and upset her again? Had she had nightmares and been unable to sleep last night? Was she frustrated about something and attempting to hide it?

Claudine runs through each possibility in her mind, but instantly disregards each of them. She'd seen Maya in all of those situations before, and she immediately knows none are the case today. Whatever is off with Maya today is something different, something Claudine isn't familiar with yet. She already doesn't like it.

Not wanting to sound as suspicious as she feels, Claudine begins walking beside Maya down the hallway, keeping a respectful distance between them as she chooses her words carefully.

"Hey, is everything all right?"

Maya turns to her curiously.

"Yes? Why do you ask?"

"N-Never mind. I'm probably just imagining things… But you know you can talk to me, right?"

Maya blinks, but gives a small nod.

"Of course."

The conversation naturally drops, but even as they continue walking, Claudine can't help but feel Maya's reaction was a little bit off somehow.

Maybe I'm just imagining things… Or maybe I'm the one who's off…?

Either way, whatever it is that's odd about today continues to happen, in just the tiniest little ways, and not just with Maya, but with all of her friends.

At breakfast, Claudine takes her seat with the others at the dorm cafeteria. But as they eat and chat, she can't help but notice tiny nuances that throw her off. Karen isn't as talkative, and conversely Hikari seems a bit too talkative. Mahiru interrupts them a few times, which she almost never does unless it's an emergency. Futaba is a bit flippant, and Kaoruko is a bit crass, while Nana seems just a bit too giddy and Junna is a bit too relaxed.

Claudine isn't sure at first if she's only projecting these oddities onto everyone because her mind was already so hung-up on Maya, but deep in her chest it feels as though something is squirming around and making her uncomfortable.

Just as things seem to be a bit strange with everyone else, there's still something not right with Maya as well, yet whatever that is seems to be even less apparent than the rest. And somehow that only makes it all the more glaringly obvious to Claudine.

She tries not to jump to conclusions. Maybe she was the one who hadn't gotten enough sleep last night.

But even when she really focuses and looks at everyone objectively, she can't shake the discomfort in the pit of her stomach.

Maybe they were planning something for her? Some sort of surprise they were all in on, and were acting a bit strangely by trying to put up a front to cover things up? But when Claudine rakes her brain for possible occasions, she can think of nothing. She hopes everyone will go back to normal as the day progresses.

But as they walk to school and start their morning classes, Claudine is constantly being nagged by the feeling that something just isn't as it should be.

Her friends continue speaking or behaving just slightly differently than she thinks they should, but what bothers her most of all is Maya. And not in the usual way that she bothers her, either.

Her smiles aren't any more infuriating than they usually are… but perhaps even a bit less. Which, to Claudine, just feels downright wrong.

And rather than quip back at Claudine in their typical challenging banter, Maya is rather obedient, and her responses lack any real substance. Maya still chuckles her same laugh and speaks in her same manner, but Claudine finds she can't bring herself to join in with her.

/Maybe it is me… Either way, something's going on…/

She'd had her suspicions from the start of the day, but it's during their final block, dance lessons, when Claudine becomes absolutely certain of her misgivings.

As always, she and Maya stretch together and are partners for practice. But in every way Maya touches her, something feels wrong. Her hands aren't as warm or as firm as Claudine knows them to be.

Not to say that Maya's hands are physically cold or that she isn't supporting her properly. She's still doing their dance properly. But it feels as though the dance is all she's doing.

Simply put, Maya is doing the bare minimum to get the routine done with Claudine, and nothing more.

The smiles she flashes at Claudine are all wrong, and the way she touches her is not the touch Tendo Maya has for Saijou Claudine, but rather just the touch one classmate has for another. The feeling Maya gives off is that she's a terrible actress in a half-hearted play.

It bothers Claudine to the point of interfering with her performance, to the point where she simply can't hold back any longer. She doesn't care if it's the middle of class and if all her classmates and instructors witness it. She just can't stand having this girl's hands on her a second longer.

Therefore, right in the middle of their routine, Claudine wrings herself free of Maya's grasp with a shout.

"Enough!"

Everyone in the studio stops to turn and stare. Normally, Claudine would never cause such a scene and interrupt class like this. But nothing about 'this' is normal. She refuses to go along with it another second.

Furiously, she glares at Maya in particular with her fists clenched at her sides. Maya blinks back, puzzled.

"Saijou-san? Whatever is the matter?"

"Save it," Claudine snaps. "I should be asking you that. What's the matter with you? No… that isn't it…"

Claudine shakes her head slowly and advances toward her. Maya shows no emotion as she approaches, but simply blinks again. Claudine gets right up in her face and narrows her eyes hard.

"What I should be asking," she snarls. "Is who the hell are you?"

Maya seems a little taken aback by that, which is another thing that's definitely wrong. The Tendo Maya that Claudine knows would either be stern with her for such an outburst during the middle of their precious lessons, or she would be fiercely concerned about Claudine. But this girl… she's as lifeless as a rag doll.

"Saijou-san…" Maya mumbles. "What do you mean? I am Tendo Maya."

"Shut up!" Claudine snaps. "Don't say my name, or hers for that matter! The real Tendo Maya would've responded with something much more excessive. And she wouldn't be so pathetic with her dances, or unable to hold a conversation with me. So you can drop the act now."

The room and people around them freeze now, and only Claudine and Maya remain. Maya heaves a regretful sigh.

"Very well. I suppose you've seen through it, then. Indeed, this is merely a ReLive for you, Saijou Claudine. This life we are living is not real, but merely a fabricated stage."

Claudine is more relieved than frightened. Knowing it's a ReLive is a bit unsettling, but she's much more thankful that she was able to break out of it and get away from these false versions of Maya and her friends. Claudine draws in a deep breath, keeping her distance.

"Good. Then I can get out of here and go back to my real life."

The 'Maya' in front of her nods meekly.

"Yes. But may I ask… Why was I not enough for you? Why do you not wish to stay here with me forever…?"

Claudine snorts as she turns away and flips her hair over her shoulder.

"That much is obvious. Because no one can replace my Tendo Maya."

With these words, the world fractures and begins raining down around her, shattered to pieces. Claudine breaks free of the ReLive that had imprisoned her without her knowledge.

The world - or rather, the stage - rumbles around her, bringing her to her knees as her vision temporarily goes dark. But after a moment, everything is still once again.

Slowly, Claudine opens her eyes. And she's never been quite so relieved to find herself on the underground stage before.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she's just glad to be away from the false world the ReLive had pulled her into. Her head is aching slightly, so she holds onto it for a moment while muttering to herself.

"At least that's over with… I can just get back to-"

"Oh-!"

Claudine cuts off at the sound of a startled voice, and then several more. She looks out into the audience, but finds only the same empty seats looking back at her. No, the voices had come from the higher levels, from above.

Claudine lifts her face, blinking in the bright orange spotlight to a row of seats higher up. She can see a familiar giraffe, as well as eight girls, who have all jumped up from their seats and started shrieking with glee.

"Oh thank goodness!"

"Kuro-chan!"

"She did it!"

And then a few shouts.

"W-Wait a second-!"

"T-Tendo-san?!"

But Tendo Maya doesn't pay them any heed. Claudine 's jaw drops as she watches her toss herself over the edge without a second thought, jumping straight down onto the stage. She lands with a heavy thud, wincing, and needs to recover from the sting in her legs for a moment. Claudine gapes at her.

"Hey! That was dangerous! What do you think you're-"

"Saijou-san!"

"Eh-?"

Claudine can only sit there on her knees as Maya rushes right toward her, her eyes all wet and wavering, and her lips are wobbling too. Maya runs to her and drops to her knees, throwing both arms around Claudine with a desperate force.

"Thank goodness-"

"Hey! What are you doing Tendo Maya?! Don't just go jumping off-"

"Saiijou-san, are you all right?"

"Mechante va- You're not listening to me!"

Their friends rejoice from above, glad that Claudine has been freed from the ReLive and that Maya had landed without injury, but Claudine can't hear anything they're saying past Maya's weighted breaths. She hugs Claudine more tightly and keeps her close.

"I am so very relieved…"

"You're so annoying-" Claudine corrects her with a huff, but she lifts her arms to hug her in return.

She knows right away that this is the true Tendo Maya, who would break down and show such tender and reckless affection for her without a second thought for her own wellbeing. After living through a day with puppets, Claudine has no qualms about hugging her without restraint. She can feel Maya shaking slightly, and Claudine tightens her hold a little.

"Hey, take it easy now," she murmurs. "I'm back now, Tendo Maya."

Maya sighs against her shoulder.

"Yes… welcome back, Saijou Claudine."

Slowly, they ease apart, and though Maya's eyes are brimming with tears, her smile is heartfelt. Claudine's heart flutters and backflips like it always does around her - like it never did around the fake.

"How long was I stuck there…?" she wonders. "And what kind of ReLive was that? It wasn't a play or anything. It was just a normal school day…"

Maya shakes her head.

"It is unclear as to why that ReLive formed and took place, or why it decided to chose you to star in it. The giraffe summoned us here to inform us of what had happened to you…" Maya tapers off when her voice wavers a little. She has to take a deep breath again and wipe her eyes. Claudine finds Maya's hand in her lap and gives a squeeze.

"I guess why it happened doesn't matter anymore," she says. "It's over now. I'm back."

Maya nods, reassured by her words.

"Yes. You've returned to us so soon… I truly am thankful…"

"What do you mean 'so soon'…?"

Maya composes herself a bit more, but can't seem to stay away from Claudine now that she's back. She sinks close against her in another embrace, speaking softly.

"The giraffe mentioned that this ReLive stage was very well-constructed. It was built using the residual energy we ourselves left behind. The versions of us you met were as close to the real things as possible. It was his understanding that the stage you found yourself on was perhaps the most immersive and believable one yet. It was not just a play's setting, but real life itself."

Claudine listens quietly. The stage using their residual energy to form fake versions of themselves certainly sounded believable, considering all the other things that had happened here before. It likely could've pulled any of them onto this ReLive, but it had just happened to be her.

Maya's arms have tightened around her again, so Claudine senses there's more she needs to say. Sure enough, Maya continues on softly.

"The giraffe had summoned us here not just to watch your ReLive… but to warn us."

"Warn you…?"

Maya nods.

"He wanted to warn us that… because this stage was so realistic and constructed of our energy… that it may have been enough to trick you and keep you for weeks, or even months on end. They only way you could have broken free was to realize it yourself. None of us could interfere, no matter what we attempted…" She closes her eyes, exhaling long and slow. "I was under the impression that you would be trapped on that stage for a very long time, unable to recognize that it wasn't reality… I thought you would be gone for a very long time…"

"Quelle?!" Claudine blurts the word outright in a laugh, giving a few firm pats to Maya's back. "You seriously thought that poor excuse of a stage would fool me? With such pitiful fake versions of everyone? Please. I could tell from the very first moment that something wasn't right."

"Is that true?" Maya eases back from her and blinks, still surprised and relieved, but also impressed. "We were all in agreement that that stage and those illusions were very much believable. We truly thought you might stay for quite some time without realizing…"

"Hah! Don't patronize me. Don't you think I wouldn't know fakes when I see them? Those girls were nothing like the others. And that Tendo Maya was the biggest phony I've ever seen!"

Maya blinks again, but is far too glad that Claudine had broken free to question it.

"Thank goodness you were able to realize it…"

"Of course I did. She wasn't nearly annoying enough to be the real you."

"You say that," Maya murmurs, with just a hint of mischief in her eyes. "And yet you referred to me as 'your' Tendo Maya, did you not?"

Claudine sputters.

"Wha-?! See, this is exactly what I mean! No fake stage puppet could ever replicate this infuriating personality."

Maya chuckles, wrapping Claudine in her arms once again. Claudine huffs, but doesn't hesitate to keep her close.

"Idiot. Of course I'd know that wasn't you…"

"I am very glad to hear it. I apologize for not having more faith in you, Claudine. But the fact that you were able to break out of it in only a day really is very impressive. I'm so thankful-" Maya gets choked up a little bit, inhaling slowly before sighing again. "I should never have doubted your heart. You love us far too much to be deceived by such a hoax."

Claudine's face becomes heated, but she doesn't deny the statement. She simply hugs Maya tighter and buries her face into her shoulder.

"It's good to be back."

"We are overjoyed to have you."

The prickle of discomfort that had been squirming beneath her skin all day has finally dissipated, and instead Claudine is filled with the gentle ease of being amongst her friends.

By now, the others have made their way down to the ground level, and they all call out to her from the aisle.

"Kuro-chan!"

"We missed you."

"Welcome back!"

"Good to see ya, Kuroko!"

"That's our Kuro-han. She saw through it right away."

"Saijou-san!"

"Kuro-chan, we're so glad!"

With the ReLive ended, the girls are now free to return to school. Claudine knows for certain they would have refused to have gone without her.

She and Maya help one another to their feet. Claudine has to reach out to wipe her partner's eyes gently.

"You can stop crying, Tendo Maya."

"Yes. I apologize."

"Idiot."

Together, they make their way off the stage to join the others, who all come together in a big group hug around Claudine. She hugs them all in turn before a yawn escapes her. Maya steps back in beside her and puts an arm around her back.

"Let us return to the dorms," she says. "It was quite the stressful day for us all, but you need rest most of all, Saijou-san."

"Says the girl who's been crying this whole time," Claudine mutters.

But they're in agreement. After making the walk back to Starlight Hall together, the girls go their separate ways for the afternoon to rest up. Maya brings Claudine back to her room, where they both change and climb into bed together.

As Maya cuddles up to her, Claudine's heart settles someplace safe and warm. No matter how well-made the false stage might've been, she never would have survived very long without this. And Maya likely wouldn't have either.

"Claudine…" Maya smiles as she cuddles close, saying her name just for the sake of saying it. Claudine murmurs back to her with equal affection.

"Maya…"

Now, with the event that should have lasted months over in just a day, both girls are able to rest soundly while nestled up against one another.

As Claudine fades off, she feels Maya's lips on her cheek, and returns the gesture.

Nothing at all could ever hope to replace this tender feeling.

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A/N: So yes! The prompt was for Kuro to be trapped in a ReLive that mimicked her everyday life and was meant to deceive her into staying trapped there. But of course she loves her friends enough to know something is wrong, even if she has no idea what.

Maya being a big worried puppy, enough to dramatically jump off the upper level of seats, is just something I can envision her doing for Claudine's sake in particular. Karen's the only one we ever see jump onto the stage like that in the anime, but in the game Claudine jumped in to save Maya in Erased, so I think it's only fair Maya would do the same out of sheer relief that Claudine broke free.

Even in writing the 'fake' Maya, I didn't write her as I normally would have. Like at the beginning, before the readers know it's a ReLive, I made sure to write her a bit differently and passively. I hope it worked well!