Eclipsed (for zxn)

Hilde listened to Chigusa speak. Her eyes widened. "Where did you hear that?" She sighed. "If you're just going to fight her one on one then I won't but you don't understand... How do you even intend to stop her?"

"I don't intend to stop her," Chigusa said, "That would be too hard. She's dead set on her goal, and there's very little anyone can to to change that. No, what I intend to do is make her respect Eclipse, instead of thinking we're just another bunch of weaklings she can push around easily. It's quite easy actually, someone from Eclipse just has to beat her in a match."

"Which is why I'm worried about you," Chigusa said, "Lukretia isn't going to fight fair, and she might get some illegal help in the match. I'm worried that you might try to step in."

A smile crept up on Hilde's face as she listened to Chigusa. When she finished, Hilde let out a soft chuckle. "I thought that because you found me and because you even managed to find out Lukretia's plan that you really had been studying her but you don't know her at all." She looked down. Why do you want her to respect you so badly? You have fame, fortune and thousands of adoring fans... why does it matter if one more person respects you? Especially a monster like Lukretia?"

Chigusa sighed when she heard Hilde's response. "You're right, I really don't know much about Lukretia. I haven't bothered to try and talk to her, nor have I tried to talk to other people who know her," Chigusa said, "But even then, I doubt that they can tell me anything that I haven't already figured out. I thought you'd be able to tell me a bit more about your sister, but I'm mistaken."

"And it seems that you don't quite get me either," Chigusa said, "If you did, you wouldn't be asking that question. It's not that I need Lukretia to respect me, I'm not narcissistic. It's more like I'm looking out for myself. Like I said before, Lukretia thinks that people like me and Tomomi don't deserve to be here. She thinks that just because we focus more on entertainment that we're weaklings who can't fight. I want to prove her wrong." She raised a fist to her face. "I want to prove that the entertainers here are strong, and that we have a place here. Hell I want to prove that we're stronger than she is!"

Hilde sighed at Chigusa's response. "I don't want you to get hurt..." She began. "and I don't say that because I think you're weak. I just know Lukretia. Her methods are unorthodox, but believe it or not, she means well by what she does. People can't see that because they hate her..." She lowered her head. "The fact that you want to show her you belong here means she's already won." She whispered. "Ms. Yuuki please don't do this. It's not worth it everyone else already knows how great you are... can't you just fight me instead?" There was a look of shame in her eyes. "It's my fault that she is the way she is, I deserved to be punished instead of having this brawl..." Hilde didn't know what to do. She was loyal to her sister even though the woman treated her like a servant and yet she still didn't want her to fight. She knew Lukretia wouldn't stop until they were crushed and would fight until she was dead. No outcome would be good for any party involved.

"Hilde... I've got no grudge against you," Chigusa said, "Can't you see you're being used? Your sister is putting you up like a shield so that you'll take the damage and she'll be safe! How can she mean well by anything she does? All she wants is her own little dream to come true, without any thought to others! This isn't about me or Tomomi or anybody else Lukretia and all those like her have hurt in the past, it's about the fact that they're allowed to hurt people!"

She took a deep breath. She had lost her cool for a moment there, and she needed to calm down. "What I mean is, someone has to stand up to her. I don't care if I'm hurt in the process; it's just that if nobody even tries, then Lukretia would think it's ok to force people to follow her little dreamworld. I can't allow that."

Hilde's arms tightened and her fists clenched at her sides. "Nein!" She shouted. "Lukretia is not using me! I am not doing this on her behalf." Her voice began to falter and tears streaked down her face. "Every decision I make is my own choice. If Lukretia heard this conversation she would be angry with me for trying to keep her from a fight. She is my baby sister and I will do whatever I can to try and protect her even if she is stubborn and cruel and deserves to be taken down a peg or two. I wasn't there for her when she needed me the most and so I will be there for her even if she never needs me again." She wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry. I know who she is but she is all the family I have and it upsets me when people assume I am just a dog when they don't know the circumstances. I hope your plan succeeds but win or loose you won't change her and you will have gone out of your way to prove your strength to someone who wants a place built on the backs of the strong."

"Ah, so it is love then?" Chigusa said, "That's truly touching. You love her, and so you want to protect her. I appreciate that." She walked up and embraced Hilde tightly. "Love is truly powerful ne~? But that's why you need to step aside and let me fight Lukretia. She's become a problem now here, and she will be hurt in the future if someone doesn't try and stop her before it is too late. Let me fight her Hilde! I won't hurt her, if only for your sake."

She let go of Hilde. "Your sister wants to build a place of strength, but what she needs to realize is that all that yields is not weak. Tomomi is strong, Megumi is strong, I am strong. What Lukretia needs to see is that those seemingly weak people have their own strength. Everybody is needed in this place, we can't just turn people away because of our judgement."

Hilde appreciated the hug and returned it with the same amount that was given."I know that now, if I had known it when it mattered then Lukretia might not have turned out the way she is now." Hilde was about to speak when suddenly Lukretia entered and opened the locker next to Hilde's and began to rummage through it. "How cute, you made a friend all by yourself. I didn't think a dunder head like you could manage something like zat. I thought ze only vay you could get any one to pay attention to you vas to attach yourself to one of ze leeches zat clings to meine heels." She shut the locker and looked at Hilde's box of masks. "Quit playing dress up und get ready. I have a meeting in an hour. " She seemed to turn to leave without even seeming to notice Chigusa Hilde sighed and lowered her head, trying to not to look in either's eyes. "Yes mistress..." She muttered meekly.

"Tch, she's here," Chigusa thought, "And I was making progress with Hilde too. I was just about to get her to help me too." Her eyes flared with anger, but she was not going to let it show. She was going to be in control, and hopefully manage to provoke some response from Lukretia. She hoped that what she did wouldn't just backfire in her face.

"How pathetic," Chigusa said, "And here I thought your sister was so formidable Hilde. Now I get it; she's nothing more than a bitch with a bad accent and a bad attitude." She walked to the doorway, blocking their way out. "But that's not what's most sad," Chigusa said, "A dominatrix with only her sister as a slave? Even I can do better than that!"