Disclaimer: I do not own Mai-HiME or Mai-Otome and their characters, events or places.
[X]
Groggily, Nat sat up and ran a hand through his raven-colored hair. His head was throbbing and his shoulder was aching terribly. "You know, you shouldn't be sitting up quite yet. You're going to open your wounds again," chastised a firm, yet soothing feminine voice. Nat looked up, emerald eyes wild with terror. "And don't worry, I won't tell anyone. After all, how else am I going to keep my job? I'm only supposed to be a nurse. And even that's pushing things."
"What the hell are you doing here?" the soldier stammered. He scrambled to the head of the cot, back pressed against the wall.
The woman rolled her eyes and replied coolly, "It's a pleasure to see you too, Kruger." She sat down, arms crossed. Her eyes glared daggers at the young rebel and Nat settled back down. "But really, I'm here to help you. You want to keep on this little endeavor, right? Well, you'll need me. And, by the way, you're lucky that Zhang had enough strength and competency to stop the bleeding at first and wrap you in your primary bandages." Beside the disgruntled soldier, Jules laughed. "You're no better, Sergeant." The redhead fell silent immediately, looking thoroughly scolded. "Both of you could have been found out if I hadn't been the one to apply the field dressings. You're lucky I was there with the sister-"
"A sister? From a Catholic Church?" questioned Jules. There was hesitation in his voice and he looked scared.
Catching onto this, Nat asked, "What? Afraid the good sister is gonna come and make ya confess, Jules?"
"N-no! Shut up, ye dumb dog!" protested the Irishman. He made a move to leap at the other Southerner when a hand landed on his shoulder and forced him back down. "Godda-"
"Juliet Nao Zhang, hold your tongue lest you would have God rain holy fire upon your soul!" exclaimed an agitated blonde woman with short hair.
"S-sister Steinberg!" cried the redhead. "Y-Yer not wearin' yer habit!"
"I'm well aware of the fact, thank you." Her blue eyes were rather piercing and even Nat shivered at the look Jules was receiving.
Then, something clicked in Nat. "Juliet?" A grin spread on the soldier's face and exclaimed, "That's what Jules is short for! And you mentioned that your mother was obsessed with Shakespeare- Good Lord Almighty, I get it!"
"Watch it, Miss Kruger, I'm well aware of you as well. And please, refrain from taking the Lord's name in vain or using it to swear," Yukariko urged. She sighed and shook her head, muttering, "Lord, give me patience..."
"Yuka, patience won't help you with these two. They act like sisters," giggled Youko. She stood from her seat and patted the dust away from her skirt.
"Do not!" protested the pair of Confederates.
"Ah, yes...very well. By the way," the blonde woman chuckled as the pair stood to leave the moonlit room, "be wary of the young Viola ladies. They're quite..."
"Flirtatious," the brunette snickered.
"Why does that sound foreboding?" Nat asked.
"Because it's true," growled the redhead. She sighed and leaned back against the wall in the far corner of the dining room. Her emerald eyes glanced over at the raven-haired soldier and she stated, "I prefer to be called Nao, by the way. I hate the name Juliet."
"All right...but why? It's rather pretty, if ya ask me," Nat replied.
Nao scowled, feeling blood rush to her cheeks. She snapped, "Well, I didn't ask you, now did I, mutt?" Then, daring to lock eyes with the other soldier, the redhead inquired, "So, what's Nat short fer, dog?"
