Natsu looked down at the sleeping Hanako.  Right now, she was the very picture 
of innocence, a young girl lost in peaceful slumber.  But a few minutes ago, 
she'd awoken, claiming that she'd had terrible dreams.  She'd been afraid to go 
back to sleep, but was so exhausted that she'd done so anyway.

Sighing, Natsu brushed a few damp strands of hair from Hanako's forehead.  It 
wasn't fair.  Just when it seemed that Hanako would finally have a good life - a 
place to stay, people to care about her - everything went wrong.  Again the 
Arcana, Miyuki specifically, seemed to have turned on one of their own.

First Hotaru.  Now Hanako.  Neither of them deserved this.  Both of them 
deserved to be happy and well and free of all the weirdness that was going on.

It wasn't fair.  No, it wasn't fair at all.

*******************************

Arcana

Created by Scott Schimmel

Part 22: Waking Reality

By Kate Malloy

*******************************

Natsu patted Hanako's arm.  "I'll be right back, Hanako-chan," she whispered.  
Hanako didn't even stir in response.

Quietly closing the door to her room behind her, Natsu headed for the kitchen to 
get a drink of water.  No one else was home at the moment.  Her parents had 
taken the rest of her relatives off sightseeing for the day, though Chris had 
probably found some excuse to go wandering off on his own.  She smiled.  He'd 
probably found the nearest arcade and spent the whole day playing whatever new 
game there was, thrilled that he'd been able to find it months before it would 
come out in America.

As she placed a glass under the tap, a knock sounded at the door.  Puzzled as to 
who would come visiting right now, she went to answer it.

She opened the door to reveal Tetsuya, looking uncharacteristically upset.  
"Natsu?  Is Hanako here?" he asked.

"Why would I tell you if she were?" Natsu angrily replied.  "One of *your* 
Arcana attacked her.  How should I know that you aren't here to finish the job?"

"Please, Natsu.  I swear that I'm not here to hurt her.  Something... 
happened... between her and Miyuki.  I need to find out what."

Natsu frowned and crossed her arms, still blocking the doorway.  "You're 
actually saying 'please' to me?  My, this *must* be serious."

"It's not a joke.  I'll swear it on my honor as Knight of Cups if you want me 
to.  Just... please.  Let me see her if she's here.  And if she's not, please 
help me find her."

A few seconds passed as Natsu considered Tetsuya's words.  Finally, she stepped 
aside to allow him in.  "All right.  She is here.  But she's sleeping right 
now."

"That's fine.  I can wait.  Believe me, I can."

Natsu glanced over her shoulder towards the kitchen doorway.  "Would you like 
something to drink while we're waiting?"

Tetsuya shook his head.  "Nah.  By the way... what *is* that monstrosity 
outside?"  He pointed out the window at Victory.  "I've never seen anything like 
it."

"Oh, that?  That belongs to my Uncle Will.  His pride and joy.  He doesn't have 
any kids of his own.  I think that took their place."

"But I thought your cousin was in town with his family?"

"He's here with our other aunt and uncle, not his parents.  And..."  She paused.  
"Why am I telling you all this?  Come on, let's go watch Hanako."  She went back 
into the kitchen, filled two glasses, one for herself and one for Hanako, then
motioned for Tetsuya to follow her.

As they walked along, Tetsuya grinned.  "My, taking me to your room so soon?"

Natsu glared at him.  "You just be thankful that my hands are full right now.  
Here."  She motioned to the doorway of her room.  "Be a gentleman and get the 
door for me."

Hanako was still sleeping as the two entered.

"How long has she been asleep?" Tetsuya asked.

"For an hour or so.  I brought her here and gave her something to eat.  Then she 
said she was tired, so I figured it wouldn't hurt if she took a nap.  She fell 
asleep.  She woke up a few minutes ago, though, claiming that she had 
nightmares."

"What kind?"

Natsu frowned at him again, then sighed.  "All right.  If I've told you this 
much, I might as well let you know the rest.  They involved me, Hotaru, and 
Ishido.  And a woman she said was like Miyuki, but not blind."

"Is that all she said?"

"Did you expect me to interrogate her about a dream that got her so upset that 
she was crying?" Natsu said angrily.

Hanako muttered briefly and rolled over.

Natsu quickly glanced at her, embarrassed.  Then she looked up at Testuya again.  
In a much quieter tone, she continued.  "I just want her to be safe."

Tetsuya stared her straight in the eye.  "I'm not sure that's possible any 
more," he solemnly told her.  "Because if what I fear might have happened is 
true... I'm not sure if any of us will be safe."

*****

For the twentieth time in the past hour, Hotaru stared at the two cards Ishido 
had produced, now lying on her bed.

"Hanako... a burden... Has Miyuki gone mad?" she murmured.

"Perhaps," Ishido said airily.  "It's not unheard of."

She glared at him.  "You're not helping at all.  I don't want to think about any 
of us going crazy."

Ishido idly twirled a pencil in his hand.  "But, my dear firefly, I already *am* 
mad."  He smiled at her.

"You're infuriating."

"Thank you.  So, will I get to meet your father at dinner tonight?"

"No, Dad's working late tonight.  And I suppose we'll have to tell Mom that we 
called Natsu and she's not coming over.  I can't believe I'm making up stories 
like this."

"You're the Magician.  Creation of illusions should be second nature to you." 
Ishido's grin became even wider.

Hotaru blinked.  "Creation... of illusions... I'd never actually thought of 
that.  You mean that maybe I could make it look like I'm one place when I'm 
really somewhere else?  Or that I could make myself look like something else?"

"You're a fast learner, firefly."

"But... how on earth did I think of that?"  She gave Ishido a suspicious look.  
"Did you do something to me?"

Ishido shook his head.  "The memories are coming back to you.  Perhaps my 
presence, the presence of another Arcana, is hastening their return.  But it's 
all you, little firefly."

"I don't want this," she said angrily.  "I just want to be normal again.  
However... that's not going to happen.  Not in a million years.  So maybe it's 
time that I learned how to use these powers, instead of letting them control 
me."

"Bravo!" Ishido clapped.  "Well-spoken!"

"And at some point, I'm going to have to return to the T-" She stopped suddenly.  
She'd almost blurted out "Tower Reversed" right in front of Joker!  She couldn't 
reveal all her secrets to him, could she?

"The Tower Reversed?" he asked innocently.

"How did you know?"

"My dear firefly, I know many, many things.  Fear not.  I've known of the Tower 
Reversed for quite a long time.  And I think I hear your mother calling us down 
to dinner.  Shall we?"  He stood up and offered her a hand.

After a moment's hesitation, she took it.

*****

Sumire still could not believe it.  Not after a broken Miyuki explained, time 
and time again, that somehow her abilities as Fortune were gone.  That somehow 
Hanako had stolen them.  That now Hanako was both Page of Pentacles *and* 
Fortune.  Two Arcana manifest in one person.  Something that, to the best of 
Sumire's recollections, had *never* happened.  Should never happen.

"Impossible," Sumire murmured for the umpteenth time, looking over at Miyuki.  
The girl still lay on the floor, an occasional sob causing her fragile body to 
shake.  "Fragile" was not a word Sumire was used to associating with Miyuki.  It 
had shocked Sumire when she'd realized how much she, how much all of the Tower 
Reversed, had come to rely on Miyuki.  Fortune guided them; Fortune was strong 
for them.  Despite all her statements of self-reliance, all the times she'd 
sworn that she stood on her own, Sumire felt lost and adrift.  Who would receive 
the letters from the Council now?  Who would interpret their orders?  Hanako?  
That child?

Sumire shuddered as her new worst fear surfaced in her mind again.  If Hanako 
could drain Miyuki - a Trump - what would stop the girl from taking Sumire's own 
powers?  Or Tetsuya's?  Or Keisuke's?  Or even... Hotaru's?

"Why did we let her come here?" Sumire said, ice in her tone.  "Why did we take 
her in?  We should have left her where we found her."

"No..." Miyuki moaned softly.  "She didn't know what she was doing.  I doubt 
that she even realizes what she has done.  But... but that doesn't forgive what 
happened!"  She burst out sobbing again.  "I want it back!  I need it back!  If 
I don't have it, I might as well be dead!"

"Miyuki..." Sumire's voice trailed off as she realized that she had absolutely 
no idea what to say.  Should she attempt to comfort her?  Should she try to help 
her find her way?  Miyuki was just an ordinary girl now, and one without sight 
at that.  When had Miyuki's power come into being?  Had she ever been truly and 
completely blind?

"Miyuki..." Sumire finally said.  "How can I help you?"

Miyuki turned sightless eyes towards Sumire.  "Kill me."

"What?"

"Take your sword, Ace of Blades, and kill me.  Fortune is gone.  Only Miyuki 
Sokana remains, and she is of no use to you.  To any of you."

"I will not," Sumire said firmly.  "Never.  You may ask anything else of me, 
Miyuki, but never that.  Not again."

Miyuki bit her lip and pulled herself up into a sitting position.  Minutes 
passed as it appeared that some kind of heated debate was raging in her head.  
Finally, she spoke.  "The Council, Sumire.  They did this."

Sumire was too shocked to even speak.

Miyuki continued.  "I kept the balance.  I had a hold on them.  Without me, now 
they are free to act as they like in the world.  And oh, Sumire, it makes me 
very afraid."

"But the Council gives us our orders!  It determines our actions!  Miyuki... how 
can this be, Miyuki?  If we cannot follow the Council any more, who can we 
trust?  Is the Tower Reversed even safe for us, Miyuki?"

"I can't say yet, Sumire.  It's quite possible that they anticipated me telling 
you all of this.  They may have worked it into their plans."

"Hello?" Keisuke's voice called from the outer room.  "Is anyone here?"

Miyuki jumped up angrily.  "Traitor!" she screamed.

Sumire put a hand on her arm, both to calm and guide her, as Keisuke entered.  
"What is the meaning of this?" she asked.

"Traitor!" Miyuki screamed again.  "Meeting with our enemy, the Queen of 
Pentacles!  Scheming to betray us!  How dare you come back here, Keisuke 
Shirosawa?"

I should have been more shocked, Sumire thought.  There is no way on earth I 
should have been feeling this calm.  But she stared at Keisuke, steel in her 
gaze.  "Is this true?"

Keisuke seemed to shrink in on himself, no mean feat for a person of his size.  
"I... I never intended to betray you," he said quietly.  "I only wanted to... 
to..."

"Sit down, Shirosawa," Sumire ordered.  "There is much we need to discuss here.  
Perhaps we are all traitors now."

*****

Chris glanced as his watch.  It was probably time to head home.  Although he was 
pretty sure that most of the family would still be out sightseeing, Natsu was 
most likely there by now, and probably waiting for him.

Looking up, he noticed the girl from the other day walking down the opposite 
side of the street.  Should he follow her?  At best, she'd think he was weird.  
At worst, she'd probably think that he was some kind of creepy stalker.  
Still... it was tempting.

Hmm.  She was going in that cafe again.  Maybe he should try, just one more 
time.  After all, he was getting hungry.  He had a legitimate excuse for going 
to a cafe.  And if he just happened to bump into her... well... it was worth a 
shot.

Grinning, he strode across the street to the eating establishment in question.  
He opened the door, stepped in, and quickly glanced around the interior.  Wasn't 
she here?  He finally spotted her at a table in the back, sitting with another 
girl.

"Wow, she's gorgeous..." Chris murmured, staring at the mysterious girl's 
companion.  All thoughts of the black-haired beauty fled his mind as he 
continued to look at this new vision of loveliness.

*****

As if she sensed him, Maki glanced up from her conversation with Arisa and 
flashed a brilliant smile at the gaijin who had been so rudely staring at her.

She watched him approach.  The reading had been correct.  Although she had no 
idea at the moment how this boy would be useful to her, she had plenty of time 
to find out.

*****

"You go on ahead," Will to Francine.  "I need a smoke."

Sighing, Francine followed the rest of the family to the house.  She hated that 
filthy, disgusting habit of her husband's, but there seemed no way to break him 
of it.

Will lit up a cigarette and idly leaned against Victory. "So, partner, seen 
anything interesting today?"  He paused.  "The Knight of Cups?  Here?  Did he 
realize what you were?  ...No?  Distraught, eh.  Interesting.  And Fortune?  And 
the Page of Pentacles?  With my niece.  Hmm.  So there are three Arcana waiting 
in my house now.  And none of them the one that my other sweet 'niece' was 
looking for.  But perhaps if I wait, they'll draw her to me."  He chuckled.  
"Though convincing my darling Maki that patience is a virtue she has need of is 
nigh impossible.  What's that you said?  Temperance?  I suppose that might be 
true as well."

Taking one last puff from his cigarette, he stood up.  "Well, partner, I have a 
feeling that we'll be getting our chance soon enough.  Yep, soon enough."  He 
dropped the cigarette on the ground.  "Your light's going to go out soon, girl," 
he said, as he extinguished it with the heel of his shoe.

*****

Author's Notes:

It's a relatively short chapter, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. ^_^
And thus I add another Impro to my repertoire. ^_~

Thanks go to NDebugger, Scott, and Yonjuuni for prereading.

Hope you all enjoyed this.  Comments would be greatly appreciated.

-- Kate