The Trials Of Time (ch9)

EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS!

Forgot to mention I wrote this fic before Seiran were introduced, so they aren't a part of this, sadly.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight

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							Chapter 9. An Uncertain Future

When morning comes, Maya wakes with a flame already blazing in her chest. She gets out of bed, gets dressed, and starts her day without any hesitation.

When she greets the others, they are all in a similar state of mind. Everyone is determined to end this before it can even begin.

They attend their classes, though it's a little difficult for Maya to focus right away. After all, the entire school is buzzing with murmurs about how Saijou Claudine had mysteriously been found unconscious and is now in a coma at the hospital for no apparent reason. She'd always been in good health and even better shape, so for her to suddenly befall such an intense condition bred quite the heavy gossip.

A lot of girls come up to Maya specifically to ask her about it, being that Claudine is her classmate, dance partner, and known rival. But Maya sadly shakes her head and claims she knows nothing, and can only offer honest prayers that Claudine wakes up soon.

It's a difficult first day for her and her friends, but they manage to get through it somehow.

Dance lessons are the hardest for Maya. She has nothing against having Mahiru as her new partner for now, but she just can't push away the nagging need to glance around the studio in search of Claudine.

Even so, she doesn't let her partner's absence affect her practice. She knows if Claudine ever found out Maya had slacked off, she'd get an ear-full.

They rehearse for their now-upcoming play once again, and as soon as classes are over, Maya convenes with her friends.

It has already been decided through various text messages and emails with the girls from the other schools that Frontier's group would be coming by tonight to handle whatever batch of Korosu raised their ugly heads. Kaoruko and Futaba will be going with them to provide extra backup, as well as the excuse that they were giving their friends a tour of the school if anyone caught them. Karen, Mahiru, and Hikari would act as an extra precaution group in case the Frontier girls couldn't come for some unexpected reason.

It makes Maya anxious to know her friends will be fighting without her tonight; she would much rather be there with them just to make sure everything was going smoothly.

But she needs to trust them with this. After all, she has somewhere she needs to be as well.

After a very brief half hour of practicing after school on her own, Maya finds she can't stand to be away from Claudine any longer. She, along with Nana and Junna, go into town to buy a bouquet before boarding the bus and riding it to the hospital.

Once there, they make their way to Claudine's room, and Maya almost expects to see her sitting up in bed as though she'd just woken from a long sleep.

But of course, her heart sinks to find the white curtains still drawn, and the same eerily-silent room with nothing but the rhythmic beeping of machines.

Junna arranges the flowers into a vase while Nana and Maya linger at the foot of Claudine's bed to offer silent wishes and prayers for her health. Only Maya gets near enough to touch her hand though, gently curling her fingers against Claudine's palm, trying not to make contact with the wires patched up on her veins.

She gives Claudine's fingers a gentle little squeeze - a silent promise.

When they've finished, they head back to the dorms.

The six who aren't scheduled to fight tonight try to busy themselves with their homework and other assignments before making dinner. Throughout the evening, Junna receives several texts from Futaba to let them all know that Frontier's girls had arrived, and that they would be heading off to the giraffe's stage.

It's about halfway through dinnertime when Futaba and Kaoruko finally appear, looking a bit disheveled in their uniforms, but they each give a thumbs-up. The other girls can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Their plan has worked so far. The seven girls who had gone to fight tonight had eliminated a solid wave of Korosu, and even after waiting for several moments afterward, no more had appeared. Both Elle and the giraffe had commended them and confirmed they didn't sense the presence of any more of the monsters tonight.

Futaba and Kaoruko had offered their sincere gratitude to Aruru and the others. Presently, Karen and Nana send them all more texts to thank them on behalf of everyone at Seishou.

And Maya knows she shouldn't be getting ahead of herself on only the first night. But her heart still lifts, just a little bit.

They celebrate that evening by watching a movie that Futaba and Kaoruko choose by means of thanking them, and Nana bakes them some special muffins for their dessert. Futaba massages Kaoruko all throughout the movie, and Junna massages Futaba's shoulders as well.

Everyone relaxes and enjoys themselves, confident in their new strategy to defeat the Korosu.

Maya is also feeling hopeful, but she still can't get used to sitting here on the couch without Claudine curled up at her side. Or rather, she feels she might be getting used to it, and she doesn't like it one bit.

When it's time for bed, the eight girls congratulate each other on a successful first night, putting their hands into a circle like they would before a big performance.

"We can do this," Nana vows. "We will do this. Together with everyone from the other schools."

"Yes!"

"Get some rest, everyone. Tomorrow, Karen-chan, Hikari-chan, and Mahiru-chan will be fighting with Rinmeikan, and if something happens and those girls can't come, Junna-chan and I are on backup."

"Right!"

They break, and begin heading off to their rooms for the night. Maya starts walking away too, but Nana stops her for a moment and pulls her into another gentle hug. Maya blinks in surprise.

"Daiba-san?"

"Nothing," Nana murmurs. "You just looked like you needed it."

Maya's throat gets a little tight, but she smiles. She wishes Nana and Junna goodnight before heading off to her room.

Still, when she closes her eyes, the nightmares haunt her. But she just keeps reminding herself of the reality - that Claudine is still alive. The beeping of her heart monitor still rings in the back of Maya's ears, and the softness of her hand still lingers on Maya's fingertips. She inhales slowly, deeply, and sends out a prayer for her, followed by a vow.

/We will save you, Claudine. I will save you. Even if it's the last thing I ever do./

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The next day proceeds similarly to the one before.

The girls go about their usual day at school, trying to quell the rumors the rest of the student body is gossiping about in regards to Claudine. They sit through their lectures, take their tests, eat their lunches, and have their dance practices and play rehearsals.

After classes are over, Maya visits the hospital again, this time with Futaba and Kaoruko who hadn't been able to come yesterday. Nana and Junna stay back at school in case Rinmeikan isn't able to come so they can cover for them. But Karen soon sends out a text to their group chat that their guests have arrived as planned, and they proceed with their initial plan.

Again, Maya lingers at Claudine's bedside while the other two pray quietly. She touches her hand, hoping that somehow Claudine knows she is there.

They head back to school, have dinner with the others, and eventually Karen, Hikari, and Mahiru join them bearing news of their success tonight.

It's then when Maya truly starts to believe this can work. Enlisting the aide of the other schools truly was their best chance at victory, especially since Elle couldn't transport them herself.

So long as they keep this up, they should be able to beat the Korosu.

And then, in just under two weeks, Claudine should open her eyes again.

With the hope of this future in mind, Maya sleeps tonight, and prepares for the coming day.

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When she wakes, she feels an even hotter fire burning in her chest than before.

Tonight is her turn to fight the demons that had caused all of this, and she is itching to cleave them into pieces.

Though that does mean she won't be able to visit Claudine today, so when evening comes she sends Karen's group off to the hospital with her best wishes. Futaba and Kaoruko stay at Seishou as backup, while Maya, Junna, and Nana wait to meet Akira and the Edels that evening. The Siegfeld girls arrive as planned, and all three Seishou girls bow deeply to show their appreciation.

"We truly cannot thank you enough," Maya says in earnest. She feels a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Lift your head, Tendo," Akira says boldly. "We as the esteemed Edels of Siegfeld Academy are honored to be able to offer our aide to comrades in need."

"That's right!" Mei Fan agrees. "We'll do anything we can to help Saijou-san!"

"Y-Yes!" Shiroi squeaks. "Saijou-san helped my sister and I sort out our differences… I owe her so much. I want to help her however I can…"

"It isn't just a matter of pride as Stage Girls," Michiru says. "But a matter of being friends."

"We'll gladly come to help fight whenever you need us," Yachiyo promises.

The Seishou girls thank them all again before leading them onto the campus.

Maya, Nana, and Junna walk at the head of the group, giving off the impression of being tour guides to anyone who might chance upon them. But luckily, no one spots them as they make their way down to the bottom floor of the building.

Even before the elevator is in sight, Maya can already see the faint red glow of its light. When the eight of them stand before it, the doors open up, and they quietly file in.

It's been several nights since Maya has last been here, and though a small part of her is dreading the memories it will surely bring her, the rest of her is raring to fight, to channel her stresses and her fears into her sword.

The elevator lurches to a stop, and Maya is the first one out. She leads the way through the dark aisles of the audience, her eyes set on the empty stage ahead. She hears the others murmuring behind her.

"So this isn't like a revue after all," Michiru says. "It's just a normal stage."

"But… I can hear something…" Shiori whispers.

Maya realizes she's right. That distant hissing sound is coming from behind the curtains once again. Oddly enough, she's glad for it.

By the time the eight girls make it to the stage, they all have their weapons in-hand and are dressed in their battle attire. As Maya leads the way up the steps on one side of the stage, Elle appears at the other.

"So you've brought Siegfeld with you tonight."

"Indeed," Maya replies. "We will not be slowing down in our efforts to eradicate these pests."

"And I'm glad to hear that," Elle says with a small smile. "I can't do much more than hope for your success, but I will continue to do just that."

And just as Yachiyo brings up the rear of the group and stands upon the stage, the Korosu begin leaking out from behind the shadows of the curtains.

Maya grips her rapier tightly, trying not to remember the last time she'd held it, the feeling of Claudine's bleeding body slumped at the other end. Maya shakes herself off, her lips curling back into a snarl. She charges first, eager to kill as many as possible. The other girls follow behind her, shouting out and striking down as many of the monsters as they can - whatever ones Maya leaves behind.

She unleashes every ounce of fury onto them, rampaging through their ranks and slaughtering just about every Korosu that crosses her path. Each one she kills is another step closer to the moment Claudine will be able to open her eyes again.

She slashes them into dust, slaying them without a second's hesitation. Her body seems to move on its own, but it isn't the same as when she'd been possessed. She still has control of herself - she just chooses not to use it.

She must kill at least half of the Korosu that come their way tonight, allowing the other seven girls a rather easy fight. After the last one has disintegrated, they wait on the stage for a moment, but no more materialize, and the hissing sound echoing around the theatre dies away. With a flick of her rapier, Maya turns and slowly heads back toward the others.

"Wow!" Nana sheathes her swords on her belt and claps. "Maya-chan, you were incredible!"

"I'll say," Junna agrees. "I felt like I hardly did anything."

"Nonsense," Maya says. "We eliminated the threat together." She turns to Akira and the Edels and bows again. "Thank you very much for your help tonight. We may call upon you for assistance again in the near future."

"Sure," Akira smirks. "The Edels will always be ready to lend you Seishou girls a hand. Especially now." Akira steps up to her and rests her hand firmly on Maya's shoulder. "So long as we keep this up, Saijou will back with us before you know it."

"Yes," Maya nods. "That is my hope. Thank you."

Akira steps back and turns away with a brief nod. Nana, Junna, and Maya follow after them. They take the elevator back to the surface world, and escort the Siegfeld girls off campus. After one last exchange of grateful words, they see them off, and then head back to make the walk to the dorms.

Nana texts the others of their success again tonight, and when the three of them arrive at the lounge, the others have already made dinner for them. They relay the news of their victory, and Maya can feel the atmosphere lifting higher and higher.

Now that they're becoming more comfortable with the routine, they allow themselves to enjoy their triumphs.

They spend the rest of their evening playing games and watching things to improve everyone's mood and keep their hopes high.

When curfew comes, Maya wishes them all a good night and retreats to her room. She still feels empowered from having killed so many of the demons tonight. In just about a week and a half more, Claudine will be waking up in that hospital bed as if from a long nap, and she will return to them.

That is the only future Maya will accept.

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The next day, all eight of Seishou's girls go to fight the Korosu without asking the other schools for assistance.

Maya notes there are definitely more Korosu now then there were last night, and the inevitable influx of their numbers is clearly starting to reveal itself.

They fight long and hard, but it doesn't exhaust them like it had the first few times. They are no longer dismayed by or scared of these battles. No one is uncertain about what they are coming here to do now. They all have something worth fighting for - a friend and a future they want to protect.

Not a tear is shed throughout the night as they battle the Korosu, and by the time it's finally over, the eight of them are breathless, but victorious. Elle offers her words of encouragement and reassurance before they take their leave again.

Even when the weekend approaches, the girls don't dare take time off from fighting. They spend their free time during the day practicing and rehearsing for their play in order to satisfy their classmates and teachers who are counting on them - the people who have no idea the girls have already performed the play and practiced twice as much in the past.

And after practice, they go to visit Claudine once more.

This evening, Kaoruko and Futaba will once again be accompanied by Frontier to fight the Korosu, and being that their numbers are steadily increasing, Junna and Nana have opted to go as well. They take their leave from the hospital as Maya and the others wish them well. A short while later, Karen's group decides to go back to the dorms just in case they're needed.

Only Maya remains in Claudine's room after that.

She knows she's being selfish. She knows she should go with them and offer her services to join the fight if they need her to. But she hasn't gotten to visit Claudine in several days now, and she just wants to stay by her side for a little while longer.

Presently, as she is now the only one left in the room, she pulls a cushioned chair over to Claudine's bedside and sits down.

Claudine is as still as the first time Maya had seen her here, lying in the same position with the same wires connected to her and the same mask over her mouth. Maya knows the nurses and Claudine's own parents have been taking good care of her though, as her hair has very clearly been washed recently, and her robes have been changed.

But Maya's heart is pained to notice just how pale she has become. And it's a bit difficult to tell with the sheets covering her, but she's lost quite a bit of weight as well.

Maya exhales a shaking breath and leans forward, placing both of her hands over Claudine's closest one. She curls her fingers through hers, and it's agony not to be able to feel Claudine curling hers back.

There is no response from her - not even a flinch.

Maya strokes her fingers gently across the backs of her knuckles and over her palm. Bowing her head, she closes her eyes and listens to the pulsing of the heart monitor for a long moment. She can't be too certain, but she thinks it sounds just a tiny bit slower.

"Please…" Her voice tumbles out in a broken little whisper as she opens her eyes again and turns them upon Claudine's sleeping face. "Just a little longer… Please wait for us just a little longer, Claudine…"

She releases Claudine's hand with just one of hers and reaches up toward her face. Maya hesitates, frightened at the possibility of potentially moving or obstructing her breathing mask. Slowly, as slowly as though she were touching a newborn kitten, she glides her fingertips across Claudine's forehead.

Her usual black headband had been removed, allowing Maya to stroke her fingernails back through her partner's hair in smooth movements. She keeps expecting Claudine to stir, to make that cute, sleepy little moan in the back of her throat, to glare up at her, half-annoyed that Maya had touched her and half-annoyed that she'd stopped.

But none of those things ever happen.

Maya watches the thin fog cloud over the mask as she breathes, carding gently through her hair. She can't bear the silence with only the beeping of the machine reminding her of the fact that Claudine is only truly alive on a physical level right now. So she talks to her, about anything and everything.

"We are fighting for you, Claudine," she murmurs. "Each and every one of us are fighting. Siegfeld, Frontier, and Rinmeikan, too. Even when we are not standing upon that stage with our weapons in our hands, we are still fighting. More than anything, we want to make the future where you will wake to us into a reality. We aren't giving up. Even right at this moment, our friends are fighting. And we shall continue to fight until you've returned to us."

At this point, in the movies or the books, there's usually a reaction of some sort from the person who is comatose - either a twitch of the fingers or a slight spike in their pulse, something to show they have somehow heard the other person's words and are aware of their presence.

But for Maya, none of it happens.

Claudine remains terribly still, her hand limp and weighted in Maya's, her pulse dull and unchanged.

Maya glides her hand down to the accessible skin on Claudine's cheek where the straps of the mask don't touch. Her gaze travels all along her profile down to her chest. Maya watches the delicate rise and fall of her collar, and some part of her fears that at any point it might stop altogether.

She still has trouble believing it.

That the fierce and lively Saijou Claudine who could captivate an entire audience with but one single word or movement could now be lying here so still, so helpless.

The girl who would scoff at the idea of taking a break even after pushing herself to the point of collapse.

The girl who would brush off her sprained ankle or bruised wrist after a fall as if they were minor inconveniences.

The girl who would fight to the death to protect her friends…

Anything could hurt her now.

One hitched breath or one tiny flutter in her pulse could take her away from Maya forever.

She is truly and deeply terrified by the concept that Claudine's fate may not simply be in the other Stage Girls' hands anymore. Even if they were to succeed, that didn't mean a real medical emergency couldn't befall her and cause her harm.

She doesn't want to think about it.

Maya carefully squeezes her hand again, and with her other fingers continues to caress her cheek.

"Saijou-san… Ma Claudine…"

The tears well up behind her eyes, but for some odd reason never fall.

She wants to cry - very much so. But it just doesn't happen.

She comforts herself into believing Claudine is doing this for her in some way, preventing her from crying as she might try to do if she were able to look into Maya's eyes and speak to her properly.

Maya stays with her a while longer, continuing to tell her about their friends and their classes, material they are learning and how the preparation for the play is going. The flowers they'd bought for her sit on a table across the room, providing a small splash of color in the otherwise bleak room.

Maya doesn't realize the time until a nurse enters and politely informs her that visiting hours for non-family members are over. With one last squeeze to Claudine's hand, Maya leaves her, dipping her head to the nurse and thanking her before taking her leave.

She meets Claudine's parents in the hallway, and they thank her for spending time with their daughter when they are unable to, due to strict work circumstances. Maya humbly returns that gratitude and imparts her best wishes onto them before she exits the building.

She takes the bus back to Seishou on her own, and finds herself back at the dorms just as she gets a text on her phone. Once again, the fighting tonight had gone successfully, and they hadn't even needed to call on their reinforcements.

She sighs in relief. To be honest, Maya had been worried that the Korosu might start posing more of a difficult fight now, but it seems they are remaining relatively the same.

There is a little over a week left until the day when they'd reset will occur. Either way, they will have to give their performance of Into The Woods without Claudine this time, as even if she does wake before then, it will surely take her many days of recovery before she can stand onstage again.

But so long as she comes back to them, not Maya nor anyone else cares how long it may take.

She meets up with her friends in the lounge, and everyone listens to Futaba explain how the fighting had gone. She does admit she'd thought they might have had to call for their reinforcement duo, but that they'd managed to hold out until the end. But it does confirm Maya's fears that the Korosu's numbers will likely start growing even stronger from now on.

She voices her concerns to the others, and everyone else is in glum agreement.

So they opt to get even more rest, cutting back their celebratory evenings a little in favor of building up their strength for what will no doubt be much tougher fights in future days.

But they will still make time to be together, to enjoy their favorite snacks and play games here and there. They will still support one another with everything they have. It's a promise.

So after reviewing tomorrow's plan, which will be for the designated pair of Seishou's girls - Junna and Nana - to fight alongside Rinmeikan, they part ways and head to bed.

And Maya has honestly not been haunted by the nightmares of what she'd done in recent nights. Instead, she's been blessed with more merciful images of herself simply sitting at Claudine's bedside, and sometimes she even dreamt of Claudine waking.

But tonight, the nightmares return. Only they're in a much worse form.

Rather than the nightmare Maya knows - the one she herself had lived, the one in which she had plunged her own sword into Claudine's heart - a new horror is shown to her tonight.

It's one she hasn't seen before. One she isn't expecting.

She is sitting beside Claudine in her hospital bed as she had been earlier today, holding her hand. And for the first time since this has all happened, Claudine actually stirs.

But it isn't how Maya had ever hoped it would be.

It's a cough, one so harsh and violent it causes blood to splatter up against the inside of her breathing mask. It starts to drip down her nose and her neck, and no matter how loudly Maya calls for help, none ever comes.

She is forced to sit there and watch Claudine bleed, forced to listen to the frantic beeping of her heart monitor spiral out of control.

And then, the dull, monotone note of a flatline.

Maya bursts up from her bed sobbing, and rushes to her bathroom to retch into the toilet.

She doesn't sleep for the rest of the night.

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Last night's torment reflects in the way Maya carries herself today. Her friends don't ask her what's wrong, but they seem to know. They offer her even more little snacks and hugs than usual, and she accepts them all.

Somehow, with their help, she manages to make it through the day of classes and practice, but she doesn't go to visit Claudine today, as Maya is part of the backup for tonight's fighters, along with Mahiru.

She knows her nightmares haven't become reality, because if anything had happened to Claudine in the hospital, the school would have been informed, and Maya knows her teachers would have told them.

But that doesn't stop her from wanting to see her so badly that she nearly starts crying all over again.

Karen and Hikari go to see her though, and once they arrive, Maya receives a light, easygoing message of reassurance that Claudine's condition is the same as it's been.

Maya breathes a little more easily after that.

However, she is stunned a few hours later when she and Mahiru are actually summoned by Junna to help her and the others fight. It's the first time any of them have needed to request their backup group to come and help.

Maya and Mahiru hurry to the school basement and the elevator, and quickly find themselves in the heart of a fierce battle.

The Korosu's numbers have definitely increased since a few nights ago when Maya had last faced them. Hers and Mahiru's arrival only just barely serves to fend them off and add another win to the Stage Girls' book.

Everyone is clearly exhausted though, so Seishou's girls thank those of Rinmeikan and see them off for the night, imploring them to rest.

Maya and the others wearily make their way back to tell their friends the troubling news, and everyone braces themselves for the fighting to become more intense from now on.

At Nana's coaxing, they converge in a long group hug before parting ways to go to bed.

Maya is scared to close her eyes tonight.

But to her surprise, what fills her head this time is nothing at all.

Just a blank, empty darkness.

And she's just so tired that she falls asleep before she can decide whether that is a good or a bad thing.

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Five more days.

They should've had five more days until the day occurred when Claudine had been killed.

They should have had five more days to be able to defeat the Korosu and save her.

But it's in the middle of their history class the next day, at the most unsuspecting time of morning, when their teacher is suddenly summoned by a call.

As everyone starts to mumble and mutter, Maya feels her stomach twist. And it only gets worse when her teacher returns to wave her over specifically into the hallway.

Maya can barely push herself up to her feet, let alone walk. She's already crying even before her teacher informs her of the terrible news.

"Last night," she says solemnly. "Saijou-san's condition suddenly took a turn for the worse…"

Maya doesn't even listen to the rest of what she has to say. She just takes off running.

Through the hallways.

Down the stairs.

Out the doors.

She doesn't even stop to wait for the bus, even though it would get her to her destination much faster. All logical thoughts are banished from her mind as she simply runs.

All the way to the hospital, without stopping for a second.

It's quiet in the lobby, and she only barely is able to force herself to catch her breath and calm down for half a second before she hurries to Claudine's room.

That's where she starts hearing the commotion.

There are people huddled around the doorway, including Claudine's parents. She can hear nurses and doctors inside, talking sharply and sternly to one another.

Maya tries to get there, but several people stop her before she can even hope to glimpse the inside of the room. She's escorted back to the lobby, where she collapses into a chair and sobs.

She doesn't know for how long, but it's long enough that her body starts feeling like it's been lit on fire from the inside.

Some time later, she finds that her friends have arrived as well, and they are also crying.

Maya just buries herself into Nana's shoulder and weeps until the last shred of her energy is sapped away.

But even as she falls into unconsciousness, all she sees is darkness, and all she hears is that low, monotone note of a flatline.

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A/N: They were warned...