DISCLAIMER: Mai Otome and its characters are Sunrise property.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This chapter has become a labor…really. As always dear readers: read, review, and enjoy. They say two out of three ain't bad, well Meatloaf does. Thanks for the alerts, the favorites, and the reviews; it's been fun sharing this w/ you.

Our Legacy ch58

Thanks to the commotion in the lobby, Tomoe easily slipped back to the elevator unnoticed. Dressed as a porter, Tomoe attracted very little attention on the elevator going up. As the elevator reached the last accessible floor, the Nina-voice told Tomoe she was walking blindly into danger. With a small laugh and a sneer, Tomoe leaned out the open door and actually laughed.

Farther down the Hall, Chisa was still keeping Maria locked up. Chisa was now so feral Tomoe realized the only way out for her partner would be in death. Tomoe resigned Chisa to Fate and allowed the doors to close. With a quick swipe, the keycard overrode the call signals from below and brought the elevator up to the penthouse suite.

The elevator had barely reached its destination when the sound of grief reached Tomoe's ears. Not only was Yukino crying but so was little Ayame. Kaede was now in Yukariko's lap and Aoi was sitting closer to Yukino trying to comfort and console her. Tomoe prepared for the opening of the doors and was surprised to see she was alone in the room.

'Screw the kid, get back on the elevator.' The Nina-voice taunted.

'Screw you,' Tomoe curtly whispered as she slinked into the main sitting room.

Tomoe made short work of the rooms avoiding the balcony reaching near orgasm when she finally found the children's room. As Tomoe looked at the two sleeping children she fought off the Nina-voice. Mitsuko Hallard was not asleep but playing with her feet until she saw Tomoe. The Nina-voice and Mitsuko screamed at the same moment making Tomoe cringe.

Before she could react, Tomoe watched as Mitsuko was engulfed in a white light that filled the room and nearly sent Tomoe through the wall behind her. The light was a solid wall of energy that was unfocused and would collapse in between cries. Shiori too was now crying out and Tomoe heard the casual footsteps of an approaching person.

"It's okay…" Aoi started to say as she entered the room and was knocked out from behind by Tomoe.

As Aoi collapsed to the floor both little girls screamed out, this time though Tomoe felt as if her body was struck by lightning. This time there was no relief as both girls were crying out uncontrollably. Aoi though passed out seemed to be unfazed by the building storm of energy created by the children.

Just as the Nina-voice screamed in her head again, Tomoe mercifully lost consciousness. Her body continued to be battered against the wall as the energy storm surged. Yukino and Yukariko stood helplessly outside the room calling out to the girls to calm them.

Yukino and Yukariko were both concerned for the young man in the room until Yukariko caught a good look at her former student. As the horror of the situation flooded through her, Yukariko sent Yukino into another room with the twins and had her lock the door once checking the safety of the room.

As Yukariko was about to return to the children's room to try to enter, the elevator announced its arrival with a chime before the opening of the doors. Yukariko stepped out of sight and mentally prepared herself for the worst, as Otome she would lay down her life if necessary. As a mother to be Yukariko refused to endanger the lives of her unborn children. While Yukariko promised her unborn daughters, by name, of their safety she armed herself with the nearest lamp-post.

With a deeply inhaled breath, Yukariko summoned her strength and swung the post towards the opening elevator doors. A bloody hand caught the post and yanked it forcefully from Yukariko's grasp.

"I will not allow any harm to come to any person in this room," Yukariko stated in a stern matronly voice.

"Always the proper Otome," Maria replied just before she collapsed to the floor.

Yukariko didn't know what to say but the sight of Maria Graceburt spoke volumes aplenty. Before she could fall over to the floor completely, Yukariko kneeled down and held Maria's head in her lap. The din from the children's cries raced through the exhausted elder Otome and she cut a glare in the direction of the bedroom it was emanating from.

"So Tomoe made it up here already?" Maria asked as she tried to gather her remaining strength and sat up.

"She's unconscious in the children's room along with Ambassador Senoh," Yukariko replied wondering if Tomoe was still being tossed like a rag-doll by the uncontrolled energy created by Shiori and Mitsuko.

"Where's President Chrysant?" Maria asked in a raspy tone as she stood and helped Yukariko as well.

"Locked in her bedroom with her daughters," Yukariko answered as she and Maria headed for the children's room.

Maria nodded her head as she agreed of the choice and bit back the pain that surged through her body passed even the nanomachines. If she could materialize the pain would easily dissipate but then this would be nothing more than a simple exercise in futility if that were the case. Maria nearly laughed out loud as she realized what was still happening to Tomoe, even though she was unconscious.

"Blessed Lady, how is such a thing possible?" Maria asked as she turned towards Yukariko and looked at her pregnant stomach and the womb housing the children they agreed to share with this world.

Nonplussed as well, Yukariko just shook her head and both women turned towards the opening bedroom door and the emerging President Chrysant holding her twins.

"I'm sorry Meister Steinberg, Meister…oh my," Yukino said as she realized that half the blood on Maria actually belonged to the elder Otome, "Has the danger passed?"

"For now it would seem. Has either of your daughters shown any power manifestations?" Maria asked before she turned back to the bedroom, "I expect proper Otome behavior from the two of you."

The din from the room stopped and there was a loud thud as Tomoe's body crumpled to the floor not far from Aoi's. A sudden wave of cold washed over the room and everyone turned towards the babies in the safety of the President's arms. Maria stepped forward and reached for Ayame, when suddenly appeared a miniature mace ball and a battle axe.

As the battle axe dropped to the floor and disappeared, the mace shot out and circled the three women protectively. Kaede smiled and cooed as the temperature continued its gradual decline. Yukino allowed Maria to take hold of Ayame as she lifted Kaede face to face.

"Are you trying to be Mommy's protector while your other Mom is away?" Yukino asked her daughter. There was so much innocence in her daughter's eyes that Yukino realized this Kaede was not the young woman she left dying back in the theater. There in Kaede's brilliant violet eyes, Yukino saw her beloved Haruka and the innocence that remained even now.

Ayame started to fidget in Maria's arms and cooed as she heard Kaede giggle. Kaede replied by sending the mace into the bedroom. Inside the bedroom the sound of more cooing could be heard from both Shiori and Mitsuko.

"What should be done with Miss Marguerite?" Yukino asked as Kaede's ball floated out of the room and disappeared.

"Well Madame President that would be the business of the King since this is his country," Yukariko said flatly. A silent wish flew through her mind that Tomoe was left to Otome justice.

"Her partner in crime is in the elevator," Maria stated giving no more information than necessary.

"Shall we await Headmistress Kruger or the Florence authorities? Or…" Yukino said as she stepped into the room with both Yukariko and Maria.

Outside the Grand Theater,

"Meister Torii, we are grateful to King Nguyen Bao for his support, but I must ask that you return to your Master," Natsuki said to the young Meister as the local authorities started to gather en masse around the theater.

"I'll inform him, Meister Kruger," Eriko stated as she bowed to them and returned immediately to the hotel.

"Erstin please return to your Master as well and take Miss Wang with you. We will remain here to answer to the authorities," Shizuru stated as Natsuki and Haruka headed towards the approaching guard.

"Erstin please inform Aoi I'll be back as soon as I leave my statement," Chie stated as she ran to fall in step alongside Haruka and Natsuki.

Erstin slipped her arm across Nina's back and tilted her head so that their foreheads lightly touched. Nina lightly draped her arm over Erstin's shoulder as they lifted off and returned towards the hotel.

As the day wound into the night, two people completely disappeared into history. Authorities all over Earl breathed a sigh of relief as word spread of the death of Tomoe Marguerite, along with the deaths one-third of the theater employees and close to half of the patrons of the play.

Founder Core, Director Irina Woods' office,

All over Earl, people were holding 25th memorial services for the ones lost in the Grand Theater Massacre. Portraits of theater employees, dignitaries, and the average citizens flashed across the background as news correspondents describe the atmosphere in the rebuilt theater. Director Woods and her assistant sat before the large screen in the Founder Core and watched as once again people remarked at how tragically Tomoe Marguerite's path of terror ended in the Grand Theater.

As Tomoe's life flashed before her on the screen, Irina sat quietly in her chair remembering the truth. Her young assistant was visiting from Windbloom University and caught her mentor's distraction.

"Why do you watch this every year, Director?" Silvana Bellini asked with a touch of concern.

"You were born in the years after Tomoe went rogue across Earl with her partner," Irina answered not turning from the TV, "The deaths…the seriousness of it all has been downplayed in the years since."

"Downplayed…you mean because of the conspiracy people?" Silvana asked thinking of all the stories

"Their deaths were confirmed, there are certificates on file, postmortem pictures, and still people will insist they've seen her," Irina replied shaking her head as she thought of the nonsense.

"Meister Lu made us study the conspiracy stories and the old files on Tomoe's reported workings. We learned that the 'Marguerite Law' went into effect in seven sovereign nations to help avoid such things from ever happening again," Silvana stated as she fought to override the sound volume spike from the TV console.

Irina got up from her seat, shut the old TV down, and headed for her office. Silvana followed behind and waited for entry permission at the doorway of the office. Irina just waved her in as she laughed softly and turned her gaze to the Founder capsule in the room beyond her office.

"We Otome of Earl have promised our lives in service, sacrificing not for the glory but in the name of duty," Irina said, hands folded before her in a prayer position, "Tomoe joined a failed regime that tried to pervert what we stand for and do on a regular basis. Fumi's intention was that Otome would stop all forms of mass conflict. We are granted great strength but it doesn't make us immortal.

We are trained and tested, physically and psychologically, but the real mettle of an Otome's character is not seen until they become Pearl students. Tomoe may or may not have become Otome if not for the fact she proved fallible as a Valkyrie. She had a very twisted view of self importance and took it out into the streets of Earl in the years after the Windbloom Occupation and President Chrysant's reelection in Aries."

"A few of the older Otome speak of Tomoe Marguerite like she's some kind of joke," Silvana said as the power of Irina's words washed over her.

"Not one of them knew her," Irina said shaking her head thinking of those who never knew Tomoe or faced insanity.

"As someone who knew her, do you think that if Tomoe Marguerite had been sent to a psychiatrist any of what happened could have been averted?" Silvana asked trying to scan the reflection of Irina's eyes in the glass partition that separated the office and the Founder Core looking for a glimpse of something beyond somber.

"No she was too charismatic and not in a good way. By the time it became evident what kind of help Tomoe really needed it was too late and another former classmate, Miya Clochette, was dead," Irina answered turning around to face Silvana and turn on the smaller new TV Irina had on the office wall.

Headmistress Keiko Tokiha looked uncomfortable as she was answering reporters' questions at the Florence Theater. As Garderobe's Headmistress and the political face of all things Otome, Keiko swore to herself to have a few words with Natsuki Kruger. This was never easy for Keiko and Natsuki never explained how she handled such matters. As usual Fourth Column Katsumi Zhang had to step up and save Keiko not only from embarrassment here, but upon her return to Garderobe with the rest of the Columns.

Keiko huffed and stormed off the scene as Katsumi took over fielding questions much to the dismay of the reporters. Katsumi Zhang always delighted in taunting the news crews so the official interview with Garderobe was now over. Irina had to laugh as Katsumi scattered the reporters, it seemed the Fourth Column had the scoop on them instead. Upon a closer inspection, someone would have realized the remaining people were not reporters or camera men. Sticking out of the bottom of one camera man's over shirt and one reporter's jacket was a familiar pink and white shirt.

"I wonder if they are dating again," Irina pondered out loud watching the smile spread across Katsumi's face before turning off the small TV again.

"They dated?" Silvana asked rather shocked.

"While Keiko was a Pearl and Katsumi was a Column in training, they were good together no one ever understood why they broke up," Irina said returning her gaze to Fumi's capsule.

"Director Woods is it true that all of Garderobe's secrets get passed down from one Director and Headmistress to the next?" Silvana asked her features becoming rather clouded in the process.

"Only the ones that you girls seem to make up every year," Irina responded flatly not turning to face her apprentice. Irina now understood how Youko must have felt with Irina around asking similar questions years ago.

Without another word, Irina turned around and opened her desk drawer retrieving a familiar looking key from her desk. Irina stood as she closed the drawer and motioned for Silvana to follow her quietly. As they left the Founder Core and headed over to the Mausoleum, Silvana felt great excitement building and then sudden trepidation as she realized the somberness to her mentor's features

"Before Natsuki Kruger created the outline of the Otome Guardian Force, there had been Strategic Otome Limitation talks. You know this I read all of your papers, your entire file once you asked to work in the Core," Irina said as she whispered the code to open the door lock.

"Otome in Fumi's creation were great warriors meant to protect all of Earl as she had once done. It was in the years after that the Kings and Queens of Earl got greedy and perverted that vision," Silvana answered thinking of her paper on Natsuki Kruger, the Founder of the Otome Guardian Force.

"You don't understand the truth behind all of it though. There were originally only five Columns of Garderobe, serving in Fumi's name, as her chosen Otome. The birth of the Twelve was for a different purpose which to this very day, Fumi has given us no better understanding since her creation of the new GEMs.

Each of those Twelve has something extra, a power beyond that given by the GEM. Yes Silvana, they were born with them and yes, we wondered if it was because of their genetic design. We have studied each child closely over the years, including you, only a rare few have the power. They are almost all Columns drawn to the life of Otome, the few that aren't, are either too young, or have never had incidence with their powers.

In the time of Rena Sayers, the original Blue Sky Sapphire, it was documented that she possessed power of uncontrollable nature. She overpowered GEMs and called upon a guardian called 'Artemis'. The research done during that time uncovered some things that the Garderobe Council thought best left to the past, since none besides Rena seemed to exhibit the power." Irina said as she stopped before entering the old Otome tomb, where stones of previous Otome were placed in recognition of death during service.

Silvana walked through the Garden of Crystal in silent reverence, noting that the last crystal placed here by date was for Maria Graceburt, the Eternal Recurring Jasper. Silvana felt awed by the history surrounding her until she heard the whoosh of another door. As she looked up to her mentor, Silvana Bellini noticed that the next room was newer in appearance but no less inspiring.

"Truthfully there have been things unexplained, as well as things best left buried, and over the years Garderobe has left them here. The Old Earth files have been turned over and over again, many advances have been made and some are still in the making, but here, in this room conspiracies are born."