My Past: Juliet Nao Zhang

(Confinement Wing Artai Capital Building, Artai)

A young girl around the age of thirteen sat in the corner of a small room shaking. There were no windows in the room nor was there any light expect a small crack from hatch on the center of the door that could be used to pass small items through or to look in. The girl had her head hung low staring at the ground covering her eyes from the light as best she could with the shackles around her wrist. She wasn't sure how long she had been in here but it was long enough for the light to hurt her eyes or that's what she told herself. Usually the guards didn't leave the hatch open and the shackles on her hands and feet prevented her from moving out of the light. Normally the girl would have picked the locks but she had already tried that the guards secured her hands to the wall after that being sure she couldn't reach one hand with the other. Her red hair hung over her face thankfully but still didn't block the light. She thought she couldn't have been in here more then a week. Her trial had lasted all of one day. Swift justice for sure, swift but was it fair? There had hardly been a trial it seemed more like sentencing. Her sentence was being sent to the mines in the north to serve six years hard labor in the coal mines.

What was her crime? The list could go on and on but the reason she was sitting in the cell now facing six years of servitude was simple drugs. She had been running a delivery for the boss. It was supposed to be a simple deal. The package had been fifteen kilos all she had to do was go to Sunday services sit through the sermon then hang around praying. A priest would then come and hear her confession where the switch would be made. It wasn't the first time she did this or was she the only carrier that did either. What she didn't expect was an Artaian police detective pretending to be the priest to approach her. She reached the confession box and pushed the package through to the priest but rather then getting the envelope with money in it she earned a pair of cuffs on her hands.

The detective had tried to convince her to rat out her contacts but the girl refused. She feared her boss far more then she did the police. Even after he offered protection and a home though the girl knew she would probably end up in another orphanage. Going to work in the mines didn't scare her that much because she knew she would be able to escape either in route or while there. After refusing the deal she was sentenced, she figured that was a few days ago. She waited now for the transport.

Every so often the girl would start shaking uncontrollably, the best trick to keep people loyal to you other then fear was to make them dependant on you; which was exactly the girl's current problem. She had last gotten a fix shortly before leaving to deliver the package. She always preferred doing a job with a high made it seem to go smoother. But she figured that was a week or more ago. The cravings were driving her insane.

The door opened and she turned away hissing at the light. "Time to go Zhang, we've got a seat picked out for you everything." A guard said walking over to her and kicking her before leaning down to undo the shackles. A second and third guard came up as well pinning her to the wall. To anyone that didn't know the girl's history would find this odd two grown men treating a small girl like this but since coming her she had already made three escaped attempts and in the last one she had managed to fight the guards. The one that released her sported a long fresh cut that started at his temple and ended near his mouth. They fixed her in a set of irons her hands being secured tightly to a chain around her waist and her feet shackled together allowing her stride to be barely six inches. "Get her up." The two guards roughly pulled her to her feet and the first leaned real close in her face holding a knife tracing it on her cheek just like the cut on his cheek, "I'm going to miss you Juliet."

"Nao," She corrected emphasizing her correction by spitting in his face earning herself a slap.

The guards then pushed her from the room forcing her to stumble but she quickly caught her balance shuffling along. If she thought the light in her cell was bad it was nothing compared to the light outside. She squinted her eyes and shuffled along the guards leading her to long bus outside on the street. She was a good hundred yards from the bus slowing her pace to give herself enough time. When the guard had gotten in her face he hadn't noticed that Nao took the keys off his belt. She had her hand cuffs off and was looking for a way to get the ones off her feet. Ahead of her she noticed a hole in the ground shifting her path so that she walked right past that hole tripping on it. "Ow my ankle!" She yelled leaning over it so the guards couldn't see her un-cuff her feet.

"Come on get her up I'll carry her onto the bus if I have to." The guard said ordering the other two to get her standing again but Nao curled into a little ball seeming to become dead weight. She waited until one was kneeling next to her trying to pull her up but was unable to. She reached out no longer pretending to be shackled took his knife hitting him in the mouth with her fist and the handle then turning to the other guard doing the same thing to him before he could react. The third guard had caught on by now but it was too late for him as well. Nao rolled past him slicing the tendon on the back of his ankle dropping him to the ground the gun he had been drawing landing out of his reach. She stood over him looking down as he bled on the snow.

"I'm going to miss you too." She said kicking him in the stomach and running off. She headed back to the buildings knowing she could easily get lost in the crowds though she would have to ditch the light blue jumpsuit she wore. Near the building she saw a young politician sitting on a bench eating his lunch with a long coat hung over the back of the bench. It was spring in Artai but even still there was snow on the ground. Today was warmer then most so he had taken the coat off. Nao ran past the bench taking the coat and by the time the man noticed she was lost in the crowds. Throwing the coat on, she ran through the crowd already hearing the guards push through the crowd looking for her. Ahead of her there was an alley she wasn't sure where it led but even though the light blue jumpsuit was covered her, bright red hair made her a prime target. As she entered alley she collided with a tall blonde man and a boy with light blue grey hair. The man was knocked over landing on several crates breaking them while she and the boy hit the wall. The alley was a dead end and there was no where for her to flee. She turned to leave but saw the barrel of a hand gun pointed straight at her. Instinctively he knife came up the tip pressing to the boy's throat. "Move aside or I'll kill your master." Nao said thinking him just another spoiled rich brat.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" The boy said carelessly looking down at the knife then back up at her.

"I don't give a fuck who you are order your manservant out of the way or you are dead." Nao threatened.

"Manservant? Did you hear that Major you are my manservant now." The boy laughed. "Put your knife down."

"Just get the hell out of my way." Nao said though the blonde man made no moves.

"You are way over your head child," The boy said even though it was clear that the girl was older then her.

"Child? What are you? Ten years old?" Nao said pushing the knife closer.

"I wouldn't do that." The boy said.

"Why not?" Nao hissed.

"Because if you do Major Wang here will put a bullet in your head, while I most likely will survive I rather not go through all that recovery. You on the other hand will be dead and won't be able to consider my offer." The boy said.

"Offer? What the hell could you offer me?" Nao said.

"You really have no idea who I am do you?" The boy said but didn't give her a chance to answer but rather reached out moving her coat showing the light blue jumpsuit with numbers on the breast pocket and the prison logo beneath that. "Maximum Security, all prisoners in your status are transported by at least three elite guards. You've no doubt over taken them or it was dumb luck but I'm inclined to believe it was your skill. I may have use for someone like you."

"Sir you can't be serious." Major Wang said holding his gun on her. "She's a criminal and look at her, her eyes are bloodshot she's a junkie."

"Major Wang how many thirteen year old girls do you know that can overpower and outwit three elite guards?" The boy said.

"What are you talking about?" Nao said but was ignored.

"The council has been pressing us about not submitting a candidate yet, your Nina is still a year off and they've threatened to give our seat to another nation if we don't present a candidate soon." The boy said.

"Enough of this, tell me what the fuck is going on or I skewer you!" Nao shouted not caring that it drew more guards to her.

"She's taken the Grand Duke!" A guard said.

"Grand Duke? A pip squeak like you is the Grand Duke?" Nao said in shock.

"Nagi-sama what are your orders?" One of the guards said as the six of them aimed rifles at Nao.

"Stand by." Major Wang said.

"Here is the deal; put the knife down and whatever charges against you are gone." Nagi said.

"I'm not an idiot you want something more from me." Nao said.

"Of course, if I didn't I would order you shot as soon as the knife was gone. Artai has been without an Otome for near a century now. We have the strongest Army on Earl but it is nothing against the Otome." Nagi said.

"Otome?" Nao said, "You want me to be one of those maid looking freaks?"

"It's either that or a bullet in the head. Major Wang your gun." Nagi said as Major Wang handed him his gun. Nagi raised the gun aiming it right at Nao. "So which is it? Become a warrior more powerful then anything you have seen or be a bloody mess on the snow?" Nao stood there a minute then lowered the knife handing it to Major Wang.

(Grand Duke's Office)

"Sir, you really can't be serious about making that girl an Otome. Look at her file. This isn't her first arrest it's just the only one that has stuck." Major Wang said holding up a thick file, "We have everything to petty theft to assault, drug trafficking, drug use she's escaped from custody on all of these charges and after being placed into maximum custody for being a flight risk she nearly escaped three times not to mention less then an hour ago she had a knife pressed to your throat."

"Sergay, she's perfect, she's ruthless I like that." Nagi said sitting at his desk with his feet on it while Major Wang paced before the desk.

"Need I say she almost killed you?" Sergay said.

"I was in no danger. Zhang may be a loose cannon but she isn't stupid she knew that if she killed me she would die. She was stalling trying to find a way out or hoping we would fold to her bluff. For our plan to work, we need someone like that. Do you think your Nina can do that?" Nagi questioned.

"Do you think you can control her?" Sergay said not addressing the topic of his adopted daughter and his prime candidate for Artai's Otome.

"If she graduates she will be bound to me she'll have no choice then to obey." Nagi said.

"If she graduates is the key factor. How are you going to keep her in line at the school?" Sergay asked.

"That will be your job Major Wang; I'm reassigning you to Windbloom at the end of the summer. You search for a suitable candidate is over. We will submit Zhang this year and next year Nina Wang. Until then you are to continue your other search. Am I understood Major?" Nagi said.

"Yes, sir," Sergay said though he still didn't agree but an order from the Grand Duke was final.

"Zhang will be held at a treatment facility until she has worked the drugs out of her system I already have an aid burying that file you are holding and any other records of her misdeeds. Then she will be transferred to your custody she will live at your home and you will prep her for the exams." Nagi said.

"I will not!" Sergay said stopping his pacing and slamming the file down on the table. "I will not let that delinquent near Nina!"

"You will do as ordered and if she gives your trouble simply remind her that she could easily be six feet under in an unmarked grave. I'm sure no one will miss her." Nagi said standing up and leaving the room.

(One Week Later, Artai Medical Treatment Facility)

Nao paced back and forth in a small room she had been here for a week now. The doctors would come check on her every so often through the day. Bring her food, things to do and run tests. Still she was sick and tried of being in this room. She stopped at a small table picking up a book. She had finished it a day ago and it wasn't all that interesting in the first place. She looked down at the book then threw it at the door before walking over to the door pounding on the door. "Let me out of this place!" She shouted as an orderly walked by looked into the room then continued on with his checks. "Get your ass back here and let me out of this fucking room!" She pounded on the door a while longer then walked back over to the bed. It was a bunk bed as it appeared the room was often used to house two people.

Nao grabbed the railing on the bunk bed knocking it over as she screamed. "Fucking, narcotics department! I should have known something was wrong. Sunday Mass usually has far more people then that!" She growled then picked the table up slamming it against the door. The table splintered into pieces and she took the leg she was still holding hitting it against the door breaking the glass window. She used the table leg to break the glass out of the rest of the window. Once it was out of the way she reached through the window trying to reach the door knob it just barely in her reach. She flipped at it for a while and just as she was able to reach it the door opened pinning her against the wall.

Two orderlies rushed in pulling her arm out of the window and holding her against the wall as a woman doctor came into the room, "Juliet-san you need…."

"My name is not fucking Juliet!" Nao said struggling against the two men. "It's Nao. N-A-O, Nao!"

"Fine Nao-san you need to calm down. This is just the narcotics working out of your system. Given time the cravings will cease but you need to calm down." The doctor said.

"I will not calm down until you let me out of this room." Nao said pulling free from the orderlies and hitting one of them with her fist then picking the table leg up hitting the other. The doctor moved to stop Nao but she was no match to stop her. She shoved the doctor into the room and closed the door taking the keys with her. She ran to the door and stopped unlocking it continuing on until she was outside. She looked around seeing that she was out in the country. The walk back to town would be quite long and she only wore a light weight uniform and was starting to feel the biting cold of Artai. She sat down on a rock pulling a pack of cigarettes she had swiped from the front desk and a lighter out of her pocket. She lit a cigarette up taking a drag on, "I could really go for some weed but this will have to do." She said as she looked out into the mountains noticing a car drive up. She didn't move until the car stopped and Sergay stepped out.

"What are you doing out here?" Sergay asked looking at her as several doctors came running out.

"Getting some fresh air," Nao said backing away from the doctors coming at her and eying the car.

"Major Wang, forgive us for not being able to stop her. She destroyed her room attacked two orderlies and a doctor." One of the men said.

"I thought I told you to behave." Sergay said looking disapprovingly then stepped to her taking the cigarette putting it out on the rock and taking the pack from her. "Don't even think about it."

"I was tried of being locked up in there they wouldn't let me out." Nao said sitting on the rock again like a scolded child. "Look I don't want drugs anymore, I don't need to be here."

"Your doctor had thought that as well but now I am starting to wonder." Sergay said as the woman doctor came running out.

"She's cleared get her out of my facility." The woman said.

"Can I go now then?" Nao said looking at Sergay.

"Get in the car and don't touch anything." Sergay said as Nao got in the car climbing straight to the driver's seat looking for the keys. Sergay walked around to the driver side door holding the keys up. "Move."

(Three months later, Windbloom)

Sergay, Nao and girl about a year younger then Nao rode in a car heading to Garderobe; Nao looked out the window not paying attention to anything. "Nao-san, father asked you a question."

"Yeah, Nina so what?" Nao said looking at the other girl. She had dark blue hair pulled into two pig tails that flared out. "I wasn't paying attention and don't care."

"That's impolite Nao-san." Nina said looking over at Sergay who was just shaking his head.

"Are you always this much of a kiss ass?" Nao asked looking at Sergay who had a displeased look.

"As I was saying, you will be representing Artai here and you will behave this isn't the clinic and Natsuki Kruger doesn't not have the patience I have. I don't think I have to remind you what happens if you get kicked out." Sergay said.

"Yeah, yeah you kill me but I don't think you got the balls to so I will probably get sent to the mines, whatever look I'll play nice." Nao said pulling at the uniform she was wearing. "Seriously this uniform is so gay."

"Get used to it you will be wearing it for the next two years." Sergay said as the car pulled to a stop in front of the school where a woman with long blue hair stood next to another woman with long brown hair. "Meister Kruger, Miester Viola."

"Major Wang, I trust this is Juliet Zhang." The woman with blue hair said shaking Sergay's hand.

"It's Nao," Nao corrected glaring at the woman.

"Excuse me?" Meister Kruger asked.

"Meister Kruger, she prefers to go by Nao." Sergay said glaring at Nao.

"I see, Welcome to Garderobe Juliet Nao Zhang." Meister Kruger said.

"Are you deaf? I said my name was Nao." She smarted off.

"Natsuki," The brown haired woman said stopping Natsuki from saying anything.

"I've gone over your test results. No one has scored that high since... Well since Shizuru." Natsuki said looking over at the other woman.

Nao looked at the older woman seeing she was tense and briefly wondered if this woman ever relaxed. Then it hit her, the Principal of Garderobe was in the class after the Archmeister. "So, that means I scored higher then you? Nao said as she started laughing.

Natsuki glared at her with her eyebrow twitching, "Shizuru, I think that this one will do well in the cells while her room is being modified for holding."

"As if that would hold me, relax Kruger." Nao said tucking her hands in her pockets.

"Did anyone say you could address me like that?" Natsuki barked. "I am Natsuki Kruger, the second pillar and principal of Garderobe!"

"Yeah whatever your highness, serious when was the last time you got laid? Oops Otome no sex unless..." Nao said looking over to Shizuru, "You prefer the softer gender."

"You little..." Natsuki said stepping forward but Shizuru put her hand out to silence her.

"Nao-chan, you should do better then to talk about other people's love life." Shizuru politely said wearing her usual mask.

A growl came from Natsuki and it almost sounded like she was clearing her throat, "If you're going to act like an urchin I'll keep you like one."

"Hey that Gallagher woman gave the thumbs up; I scored higher then anyone since the Archmeister you wouldn't pass on the chance of having someone my skill here." Nao said that smirk still on her face.

"I could live without your mouth." Natsuki said they had already approved Nao and even though there were questions about her records Fumi had approved her enrollment.

"It's gonna be a long year then." Nao said giving Natsuki a big smile.

"Especially for you, I don't think you've had the pleasure of being under the ruler of Miss Maria. She'll have you on the straight and narrow in no time." Natsuki said.

"Right whatever. I take it this is my room assignment? Nao said seeing the papers Shizuru was holding and went to take sheets of paper from her but the Archmeister grabbed her hand.

"Nao-chan, you might not want to try that again." Shizuru said as she glared at Nao who stared back at Shizuru then pulled out a pack of cigarettes lighting one. Without even seeming to move Shizuru took the cigarette and pack and leaving only the paper in Nao's hand. There is no smoking on campus. You are dismissed."

Nao shrugged and then wandered towards the entrance to the dormitories as slid another out from behind her ear lighting along the way but was stopped by an old woman in a grey dress. "Juliet Nao Zhang I take it." The woman said then took the cigarette from her along with the others that were lined through out her uniform in total a pack of them. She broke them all in half dumping the remains in Nao's hands, "You'll have to do better then that."

"Who is the old bag?" Nao said dropping the broken cigarettes on the ground and wiping her hands on her uniform.

Natsuki walked over a large smirk on her face, "Juliet, meet Miss Maria. Don't you need some help sweeping the auditorium?"

"Indeed" Miss Maria said putting her hand on Nao's shoulder holding it tight and leaded the girl off to the auditorium.

The End…