"Sir."  The voice at the door belonged to Kotori, Party Chairman Oda's
secretary.  At his nod, she stepped into the room and stood before his
desk.  "The trial you said to keep an eye on, it's begun today."

"Really," the politician said, finally looking up.  "How far are they
into it?"

"Just a few hours.  They may be adjourning for the day soon, though."

"All right.  Just keep me posted on the progress."

Kotori nodded, then paused, looking slightly awkward.  "If I might ask,
why are you so interested in the trial of some common schoolgirl?"

Oda raised both eyebrows, then casually let his smile look slightly more
feral than friendly.  "You are a curious one, Kotori-chan.  Do you mind
if I'm so informal?"

The girl shook her head, seemingly trying her best to shrink into
herself without retreating from her spot before her desk.

"Good.  I would hate to... offend."  His voice dripped danger.  Then he
smiled, all threat gone from his voice.  "I serve the people, I suppose
that precludes me from keeping secrets.  The trial is within my
district... it would be quite the poor showing for me not to follow it."

"Of.. of course, sir.  Please excuse me for questioning you."

"Don't worry about it."  The Chairman smiled, giving a nod of dismissal
to his secretary.  She gratefully bowed and left his office.  Hierophant
sat back, lightly stroking his chin.  The fate of the Paradox, and so
many other Arcana personally involved... this trial should be
interesting.

* * *

Arcana
Chapter Thirty
The More Things Change

started by Scott Schimmel
written by Erin Ellis

* * *

The trial was over.

The judges filed out, eager to be freed from the dreary courtroom.
Spectators and press rushed to the front, each trying to gain the
attentions of the lawyers for their own petty purposes.  It all rushed
past Hotaru, who felt as if the world had sped on, leaving her in slow
motion.  The strange buzzing feeling had continued throughout the day's
proceedings, but dulled to a steady throb once the judge adjourned for
the day.

Tomorrow, the defense would present their side of the story... but there
would be a lot of work to do for them to make up for today's testimony.
Natsu had frozen on the stand, not only unable or unwilling to answer
most of their queries, but carrying herself in a manner befitting the
guilty.  And that just couldn't be true... Hotaru wouldn't accept it,
even if Natsu would.  But if the judges decided otherwise...

She looked up to meet Natsu's eyes as she was led out of the courtroom.
The blonde gave a weak grin that made Hotaru want to cry.

"Shirosawa-sempai," she trailed, turning and looking at him for the
first time since Natsu had been called to the stand.  He was agitatedly
peering around behind them.  "Sempai?"

"Eh," he grunted, turning.  "Hotaru, I have to go.  Why don't you and
Sumire see if you can talk any with Rusty... he's got to have some plan
for the defense presentation tomorrow, and he might need your help.  You
are best friends, after all."

"Where are you going?" Sumire interrupted.

An uninterpretable look crossed his face.  "I'm going to find Hanako."

The Ace's eyes narrowed, but said nothing.  "Fine, then.  Hotaru, let's
go."  She stood, looking expectantly at Hotaru.  Hotaru reluctantly
stood.  Hopefully Will's lawyer could do something...

* * *

Pace, pace.  Keisuke reached his hand towards the doorbell, then paused
in midair.  Again.

He knew why he was here; he needed to know why Hanako was with Maki.
And to convince her to come back.  Probably.  He didn't really have any
other reason to be here, to talk with Maki, not anymore.  Hotaru had
seemed convinced earlier, and Chris hadn't had any idea of any sort of
double meaning.  Still, Sumire seemed unconvinced of Keisuke's
intentions.  He wondered if he would ever regain his Ace's trust...

Keisuke was thrown out of his reverie as the front door opened.

"Excuse me," a cross voice announced.  "Is there something you need?"

"Ah.." Keisuke whirled, facing the butler.  "Is Maki in?"

"Let me show you inside."  The old butler escorted Keisuke into the
Kurayami mansion, leading him to a tastefully decorated parlor.  "Please
take a seat.  Mistress Kurayami will be here shortly."  He disappeared,
leaving the Knight of Wands alone.  He sat.

Soon, Maki entered, a cross between a frown and a smirk upon her face.
"So, the prodigal son has returned?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"  Keisuke stood, stiffing.  He had the
distinct impression he was being insulted.

"Christian reference," Maki tossed as an aside.  "Why are you here?  I
thought you chose your little school friends over me.  I do not take
kindly to backstabbers."

The boy's face hardened.  "I didn't betray you.  The whole reason I
talked with you in the first place was because I didn't want anyone to
get hurt.  Seems like you're the one not keeping up the bargain.  Why
don't you keep Chariot out of things?"

"Hmm.. are we feeling jealous?"  She gave a low chuckle, slowly circling
Keisuke.  "You are a beautiful man... I may be convinced to take you
back, given the right... incentive."

He stared back at her, incredulously.  "Are we having the same
conversation?  I'm not trying to be 'taken back'; you never had me in
the first place.  I just want to know why you have Hanako.  Why you have
her with Will."

"The Page of Pentacles belongs with her Queen.  As for the keeper of the
Chariot, I have use for him.  That is why he is here.  If you are only
going to ask foolish questions, you should leave and stop wasting my
time."  Her voice was cold as ice, and Keisuke involuntarily took a step
back.  With a blink and turn of her head, she was sweetness and light
again.  "Rest assured, Hanako-chan is in good hands.  I would never
allow harm to come to one of my court."

Keisuke didn't know about that, but now didn't seem the time to get into
pointless arguments.

Maki stepped closer to him, leaning in coyly.  "You wish to speak with
her," she didn't question.

"I don't want her to become any more involved in all this."

The dark-haired girl cocked her head, examining him deeply before
dropping gracefully into an armchair.  "Your capacity for chivalry in
the face of war is admirable.  To truly maintain the peace, you know
what you must do."

The tall boy stuck out his chin defiantly.  "Do I."

"If all of the Arcana are unified, then there will be no need for them -
- for us -- to fight against each other.  Is it not true?"

Keisuke couldn't help but nod.

"Now, alone, different Arcana have tried to gather, with varying degrees
of success.  The ill-fated Council.  The futile attempts of the Trumps.
Even your own little group seems to be dwindling.  Today's trial didn't
go so well, did it."  She let this sink in, noting the way his shoulders
tensed at the remark.  Still, she kept her voice light.  "Don't you
think it would be better if we all joined forces?  Strength in numbers,
and whatnot."

"Join under you," Keisuke countered, sounding a lot fiercer than he
felt.

"Well, I didn't necessarily say that," she demurred, looking downward in
mock-humility.  "That's a bridge to be crossed when we come to it.  For
now, the meeting is the thing."

Keisuke was quiet, running his hand over his cropped hair in thought.
"So now you truly want me to betray my friends," he trailed.

"Not betray.  Convince them a united front is best.  Or at least,
mention it.  You will probably find more sympathizers than you'd think."
She rose and took his hand, seemingly innocent amber eyes gazing into
emerald.  "Our goals aren't that different, yours and mine."

The tall boy steeled himself, roughly pulling his arm away.  "You can't
charm me into doing anything for you."

"No, I can't," Maki said, eyes slightly sad.  "Your choices are your
own, as they have always been.  Something tells me one way is more
fortunate than others, though."  Abruptly, she stepped back, bowing
formally.  "Well, I shouldn't take any more of your time.  It's been
good to talk with you, Shirosawa-san.  Aso will show you out."  She
departed, leaving Keisuke confused and lost in thought.

* * *

Hanako watched Keisuke leave from her hiding spot in an adjoining room.
Why couldn't she talk with him?  And Keisuke seemed so troubled...
definitely something was wrong here.  What was up with her Queen?

* * *

"You've returned," Maki said, smoothing her dress like regal robes.  "I
trust you have been successful, Atsuko-kun."

The Knight of Pentacles nodded towards the bed, which held the prone
form of Usono Ichido.  He was bruised and dirty, and still bleeding
profusely from what looked to be a bullet wound in his leg.  Maki
wrinkled her nose.  "While I applaud your efficiency, I would have
appreciated it if you'd left him someplace where he'd be less of a
mess."

Atsuko shrugged, her entire carriage lending an air of inoffensive
indifference.  "You just said to bring him here," she said mildly,
sleepy mahogany eyes blinking a few times.  "The bed seemed as good a
place to drop him off as any."

Maki closed her eyes, letting out her breath in one long hiss.  As
worthless and apathetic the girl seemed now, Chuyama Atsuko was
incredibly loyal and effective... qualities that seemed to be lacking in
her other subordinates.  That in itself was reason not to get angry...
not at her Knight, anyway.

There was a light knock on the door.  After a shared look, Maki opened
it, standing in the doorjamb.  "Yes?" she asked sweetly.

The housekeeper bowed slightly.  "Mistress, dinner is served.  Your
mother requests your presence at the table."

"Requests?  Of course I'll be there.  Give me a minute to wash up?"

"Yes, Mistress."  The door closed again.

Maki strode to Atsuko, all business.  "Clean him.  I'll be back within
the hour, so don't leave.  It's been too much trouble to retrieve the
Fool to risk losing him now."  Turning on her heel, Maki left the room,
her confident strides changing to tripping steps once she left the room.

The Knight of Pentacles sighed, running a hand through her chin-length
hair.  "Man, I should have brought my homework..."

* * *

Tetsuya shook his head.  He had walked over or through what seemed to be
the entire city.  Hanako was nowhere to be found.

"I give up!" he announced to the surrounding area.  A couple bystanders
turned and looked, but most shuffled past, actively not noticing the
schoolboy tearing his hair and yelling at the sky.

* * *

"Icchan..."

'Kaasan.

"Icchan!"

There was no reason.  No way.

The woman drifted into view.  She was running, searching.  Faster.
Chased.  She raked a hand through her hair, harriedly pushing the
reddish strands out of her eyes.

"Mama," he moaned before he even noticed.  This couldn't be happening.
Not again.

"Ichido!  Where are you?"

What would the others do?  How would the others act?  ...But there were
no others, are no others, only the one who is nothing.

"Mama, stop!"  He waved, trying to get her attention, but she gazed past
him, seemingly seeing through him.  She couldn't see him through the
flames.  And suddenly it was hot and smoky, the acrid smell of burning
plastic, and tin, and flesh...

"Please..."

He ran forward, but the gulf between them only seemed to widen with each
step.  And he was falling through the fire, falling through darkness,
falling through fields.  Falling through fireflies.

Surprisingly, he hit bottom with a splash.  Or rather, the splash hit
him.

He woke up.

* * *

"Took you long enough, Usono-kun."

It took him a few beats to get his brain back in gear.  "I was falling."

"And I caught you.  Like I said, the Queen still has use for you, though
I couldn't tell you what it is."  The girl grinned lopsidedly.  "You
might want to look out though, she's kinda sore you bled on her sheets."

"You caught..."  He shaded his eyes, giving a shuddering sigh.  His head
snapped up, smiling.  "Atsuko-chan!  Sorry for being out of it right
then.  Now, what have I done to offend Maki-chan now?"

"Hmm, what haven't you done?  She's always mad.  I try not to worry
about it."

Joker smiled wryly.  "That's a noble cause... of course, she spends
considerably more time being angry at me than you."  He sighed, leaning
back into the bed.  The Fool back with the Queen of Pentacles... this
didn't bode well for the spread.  Well, that wasn't necessarily true.
But it probably wouldn't be good for his personal well-being.. or that
of the Magician.

"You can't leave," Atsuko commented.  "I'd have to stop you if you
tried, so."

And she probably would, especially considering his injury.  Joker sat
back, deciding to wait for the moment.  Maki could command him around
all she wanted.  As to whether or not he would follow...

He smiled unnervingly at the Knight of Pentacles.  From now on, the
Joker was wild.

* * *

notes.

+ A great woman once told me "Don't apologize, make them apologize."
After that, there's not much of anything to say by way of notes...

+ I don't want Keisuke to seem like an idiot... Christianity isn't all
that widespread in Japan, so there's less reason for him to be familiar
with phrases like the 'prodigal son'.  Or else, he's just a jock.
Whichever you prefer.

+ There is a lot of Joker's past... but what of Ichido's?  Other than
reading a lot of books...  Interpret his dream how you wish.

eme 5/20/01