August 16th: "Evil is a Good Condition." (2)
Title: The End of the World
Summary: Akio's fallen state is both a problem and a solution.
Notes: Written for 31_days
It had not been long since Akio and Anthy had come to Ohtori Academy, but from the start it had held them as comfortably as an egg holds a chick.
However, as well as they fit this little world, there was no comfort for either of them.
Anthy’s face was paler than it should have been as she walked through school grounds by her brother’s side. The pain of the world’s hatred was overcoming her again. She needed to lie down (not that this was any comfort either).
As they passed the Chairman’s Tower that always drew Akio’s eye, a slim pale-haired girl emerged from the door. Kanae Ohtori, the Chairman’s daughter. One hand gripping Anthy’s arm, Akio changed course to greet her. She turned and regarded him with innocent wide eyes.
Akio smiled warmly. This was his kind of girl-though that could be said of every girl. “Miss Ohtori, I presume?” Beside him, Anthy’s lips trembled. She was looking at nothing but the ground.
“Y-yes. Who might you be?”
“You can call me Akio. It’s a pleasure to meet you-and a happy coincidence to meet you here.”
“Oh! Thank you, it’s a pleasure to meet you to.” Kanae closed the tower door and bowed.
Akio looked up. The tower loomed before him. “I’ve always been curious about what this impressive building contains. If you have the time, would you mind showing me around?”
Kanae smiled prettily. “I live here, actually. I’m afraid you wouldn’t find it that interesting. It mostly contains my father’s rooms and offices.”
Anthy swayed and gave a moan only Akio could hear. He pretended she was all right. A month before, concern for Anthy would have overwhelmed him, but this thought did not disturb him. Showing concern would interfere with the charm he worked over the other girl. “Surely such a large building contains more than that,” he said.
“Well….” Kanae paused. “Oh, there is the observatory on the top floor. My father adores astronomy, and he keeps quite the telescope there.” Her smile turned apologetic. “I’m afraid I can’t give you a tour at the moment, though. I must attend a club meeting.”
Akio told a lie that was neither of the reasons he wanted to enter the Chairman’s tower. “That’s a shame! I love the stars, and now I’m dying to see the telescope. Is there any way I can step in for a short time?”
“I….” Kanae glanced away. (She would not have hesitated had Akio still been a prince. He found himself hating her for it, though he showed nothing of this.) When Kanae glanced back, she seemed to notice Anthy for the first time. “Is that girl all right?” she asked in alarm.
Akio considered giving one of the real reasons and asking if his sister could lie down inside. But before he’d decided, Anthy lifted her head and said faintly, “The heat is getting to me….”
“Oh my! It’s cooler inside, so why don’t you go on and see the telescope. Just take the elevator to the top floor. Nobody’s in at the moment, but I’m sure my father wouldn’t mind.”
Kanae stepped away from the door. Akio nodded his thanks and ascended with an arm hooked under Anthy’s. Anthy stumbled on the steps and breathed in shallow breaths.
The inside of the Chairman’s tower was fine white marble. The entryway was decorated with old paintings and flowers in vases. Anthy sagged against his side, and, pulling her along, Akio went straight to the elevator, interested only in the top floor. “We’ll find you a place to lie down,” he told Anthy.
The giant telescope dominated the top of the tower. He paid it no mind. The stars were as distant as the power he’d lost, but they were nothing to him where his power was everything. Akio helped Anthy to a clean white couch. She was wearing her red dress again. He left her lying there and moved to the ceiling-height windows.
All the school was below him. White buildings, students small as dolls, sunlight streaming down. He could see everything. Akio felt as if he’d never been this high up before. There was only one place he couldn’t see: inside the forest opposite the tower. It reminded him of something. A witch’s forest?
Anthy moaned. If only Akio were still a prince, he could have helped her-no, she was the one he’d never been able to help. And she had brought her pain upon herself.
If Akio were still a prince, he could have pitied her. But there was no comfort here.
Memories of being a prince-of having the power that was his as a prince-consumed him. With time the memories were fading swiftly, leaving only the desire to regain his power. The dilemma was this: Anthy had stolen his power, but only a true prince could regain it, and Akio was no longer a prince, because she had stolen his power.
The blood is on her hands, Akio thought as he stared down at Ohtori. Never mind saving her. For now, I must concentrate on regaining my power.
He was vaguely aware that his past self would never have conscienced the thought. His past self would never have formulated the plan Akio was now.
In some ways, princes were useless.
First, I’ll make this place my own. The students will act for my sake. He turned to look at Anthy, in visible pain where she lay draped on the couch.
Although he acted entirely to regain his powers as a prince, Akio could only think how useful his fallen state is for his budding plan.
As he reacheed for Anthy’s shoulder to shake her awake, he could only think the same of her.
Summary: Akio's fallen state is both a problem and a solution.
Notes: Written for 31_days
It had not been long since Akio and Anthy had come to Ohtori Academy, but from the start it had held them as comfortably as an egg holds a chick.
However, as well as they fit this little world, there was no comfort for either of them.
Anthy’s face was paler than it should have been as she walked through school grounds by her brother’s side. The pain of the world’s hatred was overcoming her again. She needed to lie down (not that this was any comfort either).
As they passed the Chairman’s Tower that always drew Akio’s eye, a slim pale-haired girl emerged from the door. Kanae Ohtori, the Chairman’s daughter. One hand gripping Anthy’s arm, Akio changed course to greet her. She turned and regarded him with innocent wide eyes.
Akio smiled warmly. This was his kind of girl-though that could be said of every girl. “Miss Ohtori, I presume?” Beside him, Anthy’s lips trembled. She was looking at nothing but the ground.
“Y-yes. Who might you be?”
“You can call me Akio. It’s a pleasure to meet you-and a happy coincidence to meet you here.”
“Oh! Thank you, it’s a pleasure to meet you to.” Kanae closed the tower door and bowed.
Akio looked up. The tower loomed before him. “I’ve always been curious about what this impressive building contains. If you have the time, would you mind showing me around?”
Kanae smiled prettily. “I live here, actually. I’m afraid you wouldn’t find it that interesting. It mostly contains my father’s rooms and offices.”
Anthy swayed and gave a moan only Akio could hear. He pretended she was all right. A month before, concern for Anthy would have overwhelmed him, but this thought did not disturb him. Showing concern would interfere with the charm he worked over the other girl. “Surely such a large building contains more than that,” he said.
“Well….” Kanae paused. “Oh, there is the observatory on the top floor. My father adores astronomy, and he keeps quite the telescope there.” Her smile turned apologetic. “I’m afraid I can’t give you a tour at the moment, though. I must attend a club meeting.”
Akio told a lie that was neither of the reasons he wanted to enter the Chairman’s tower. “That’s a shame! I love the stars, and now I’m dying to see the telescope. Is there any way I can step in for a short time?”
“I….” Kanae glanced away. (She would not have hesitated had Akio still been a prince. He found himself hating her for it, though he showed nothing of this.) When Kanae glanced back, she seemed to notice Anthy for the first time. “Is that girl all right?” she asked in alarm.
Akio considered giving one of the real reasons and asking if his sister could lie down inside. But before he’d decided, Anthy lifted her head and said faintly, “The heat is getting to me….”
“Oh my! It’s cooler inside, so why don’t you go on and see the telescope. Just take the elevator to the top floor. Nobody’s in at the moment, but I’m sure my father wouldn’t mind.”
Kanae stepped away from the door. Akio nodded his thanks and ascended with an arm hooked under Anthy’s. Anthy stumbled on the steps and breathed in shallow breaths.
The inside of the Chairman’s tower was fine white marble. The entryway was decorated with old paintings and flowers in vases. Anthy sagged against his side, and, pulling her along, Akio went straight to the elevator, interested only in the top floor. “We’ll find you a place to lie down,” he told Anthy.
The giant telescope dominated the top of the tower. He paid it no mind. The stars were as distant as the power he’d lost, but they were nothing to him where his power was everything. Akio helped Anthy to a clean white couch. She was wearing her red dress again. He left her lying there and moved to the ceiling-height windows.
All the school was below him. White buildings, students small as dolls, sunlight streaming down. He could see everything. Akio felt as if he’d never been this high up before. There was only one place he couldn’t see: inside the forest opposite the tower. It reminded him of something. A witch’s forest?
Anthy moaned. If only Akio were still a prince, he could have helped her-no, she was the one he’d never been able to help. And she had brought her pain upon herself.
If Akio were still a prince, he could have pitied her. But there was no comfort here.
Memories of being a prince-of having the power that was his as a prince-consumed him. With time the memories were fading swiftly, leaving only the desire to regain his power. The dilemma was this: Anthy had stolen his power, but only a true prince could regain it, and Akio was no longer a prince, because she had stolen his power.
The blood is on her hands, Akio thought as he stared down at Ohtori. Never mind saving her. For now, I must concentrate on regaining my power.
He was vaguely aware that his past self would never have conscienced the thought. His past self would never have formulated the plan Akio was now.
In some ways, princes were useless.
First, I’ll make this place my own. The students will act for my sake. He turned to look at Anthy, in visible pain where she lay draped on the couch.
Although he acted entirely to regain his powers as a prince, Akio could only think how useful his fallen state is for his budding plan.
As he reacheed for Anthy’s shoulder to shake her awake, he could only think the same of her.