Shamura’s Return

Shamura’s Return

Another Invidia Short by AMI MEITSU

A/N: This was requested by and is dedicated to my good friend Brittany, who came up with the general idea in the first place! This story takes place in the middle of 2202, sometime in September…

A young woman sat at her computer staring at various list on different pages. She was definitely looking for something…the address of a one, Princess Invidia.

A couple days later Invidia stood in front of her closet with half of it thrown around the room. She didn’t know why it was so hard to pick out a dress for a date. Invidia sighed. ‘I know he doesn’t care what I wear but I want to look nice at least…’ She then looked back in her closet and found something in the back, it was a dress she bought a little while ago but had never worn. ‘Perfect! Now all I need to do is…’ Her thoughts were broken by a knock at her door, she left her bedroom and went out to answer the door, where a familiar looking woman stood. She had brown hair and eyes to match, and looked a little older than Invidia maybe six years?

“No…” Invidia said. “You…you can’t be…She’s dead!”

“No she’s not…Mistress…” The woman said.

Invidia’s eyes filled with tears. “Shamura!” She hugged her as Shamura began to cry herself. “Where have you been? I was convinced you were dead!”

“I got off the comet once the Star Force boarded and came here, I thought you were dead too, until I saw the reports on the trials. Then, I just had to find you.”

“I’m glad you did.” Invidia got up and went over to the couch, Shamura followed. “But where are you working? And…”

“Listen, I know what you’re going to ask, but I can’t work for you again. I have a job as a writer for a fashion magazine now, and let’s face it you don’t really need me anymore.”

“Yes I do! But not as my servant, as my friend! And just that!”

Shamura smiled. “I’d like that.” She said, then she looked around and noticed the pictures around Invidia’s apartment, most were old pictures of Invidia and her father, but one on the computer desk stuck out to her. She went over and picked it up. “Mistress, who’s this?”

“Hmm? Oh, well…That’s my boyfriend, his name is Arty.”

“Oh so you have a boyfriend now? Finally.”

“Hey!”

“What? You never seemed too interested in men.”

“Well he saved me once and I took him out as a favor, but he kept calling, he’d fallen in love with me, and soon after he kissed me for the first time I realized that I loved him too…”

“Aw, someone got her first kiss!” Shamura teased.

Invidia blushed. “Yes, and it…well…it was the most wonderful feeling in the world, I just wish that it could’ve been deeper…”

“You’ve turned out to be a romantic I see, but have you two…you know?”

“No! Of course not! What do we look like? Married?”

“You’ve turned into a romantic but you still have your conservative views I see, and those gowns.”

“I had to have all of them remade.” Invidia informed her. “And it’s not cheap either.” Then she looked around noticed the clock. “Crap, I’ve wasted too much time.”

“What is it, Mistress?” Shamura asked, she still hadn’t broken her habit of calling Invidia by her formal name for her.

“I’m going out tonight, but I don’t have much time to get ready…”

“I’ll help.” Shamura offered.

“Really?”

Shamura nodded.

“Then you know what that means, right?”

“Hm?”

“Bubble bath!”

Shamura smiled and went to go set it up, and Invidia came in.

“Since it’s not like my old bath, you’ll probably see a lot more of me…and I…”

“It’s fine, I’m just here to help you get ready, and think about it, there’s nothing on you that I haven’t seen before.”

“Right…” Invidia looked down for a second, and Shamura turned herself out of habit as Invidia slipped her robe off and got in the bath, which actually covered her well with the amount of bubbles around her. She shook some of them out of her hair, sending them around.

“You’re still pretty cute when you’re in the bath…” Shamura took a handful of bubbles and playfully blew them at Invidia.

Invidia laughed and blew them back.

“Do you always do this before you go out?” Shamura asked.

“Of course, it helps relax me, and I’m not going to go out dirty…and…he likes the way my shampoo smells, he tells me I smell like a sweet mint. But that’s nothing compared to how he smells, it’s a mix of cologne and a certain smell I can’t place, it’s just wonderful …” Invidia was blushing when she got to the part about Arty.

Shamura smiled. “You really love him, don’t you?”

Invidia blushed heavily at that. “I…Well…Of course I do, and he loves me too…”

Shamura laughed a little, she couldn’t believe how flustered Invidia was getting over a guy. ‘She must really like him a lot…If she’s this embarrassed while talking…’

“What? What’s so funny?”

“Nothing…” It was then that Shamura noticed that some of the bubbles were clearing, out of habit she grabbed the bottle of bubble bath but Invidia stopped her.

“Don’t bother; I just have to wash up.”

“But the water…It doesn’t give you a lot of cover and…” Shamura said, she knew Invidia used the water to cover herself most of the time.

“I know, but like you said it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.” Invidia told her.

“Then, I hope you don’t mind me saying, but you’re very pretty, and I never understood why you liked to have so much cover.”

“That’s why, I really don’t like people staring at me, even if I…uh…even if I do have curves in all the right places, as Arty says, but he does it to tease me…”

“So, you let him look at you?”

“I don’t know how he noticed though…, hey, what time is it?”

Shamura looked at her watch. “Six o’clock.”

“I’ve only got an hour and half?! God, I’m slow…” Invidia muttered.

“No, you’re just glad to see me.”

“Speaking of that, do you want to come to dinner with me and Arty?”

“Isn’t it supposed to be a date?”

“He won’t mind, trust me.” Invidia smiled at her, and then picked up a washcloth and Shamura turned to let her wash up, afterwards Invidia went back into her bedroom to change and let Shamura do her makeup, which, was done just in time.

“He’ll be here soon.” Invidia quickly put her shoes on and looked at Shamura. “You need something to wear…here.” She handed her a blue dress that had turned out to be too long for her when she had put it on.

“Are you sure it’ll fit?”

“Yes, it’s big for me, Nova let me borrow it last week, she wanted me to wear it to one of the EDF’s receptions, but it was too big for me. I meant to give it back, but she went up to the lake house with her family.”

“So…”

“She won’t be back until tomorrow and you can wear it tonight, but please hurry, I don’t want to be late.”

Shamura nodded and went into the bathroom to change, she still wore her black sandals she had with it and it looked fine. She came out just as Arty arrived, Invidia let him in and he just looked at her.

“Wow…You look amazing…” Arty said as he looked her over. Invidia wore a black strapless dress that went down to her feet; it showed her off well and showed a pretty modest amount of her cleavage.

“Thank you.” Invidia kissed him, and then just looked at him. “Arty?”

“Yes?”

“I was wondering…do you mind if I bring someone to dinner with us…?”

“Uh…who?”

“Shamura.”

“Your old bath servant? I thought she was dead.”

“For the last time, she was also my best friend! And it turns out, she’s not dead. Shamura!”

Shamura came out and Arty looked at her. “So, you’re the Shamura I’ve heard about. You look nice, but can you excuse us?”

Arty pulled Invidia into the kitchen. “Invidia, do you know what you just did?”

Invidia shook her head.

“You turned a romantic dinner into a dinner for three!”

“So? She’s nice, and I just met up with her again! We have to spend some time together, and besides, now she can get to know you.”

“Fine, but you owe me.”

“I love you.” Invidia hugged him. “Shamura let’s go!” She left and Arty and Shamura followed.

Arty had doubts about their dinner, but it was actually fun, Shamura had quite a few interesting stories to tell, including a couple embarrassing tidbits about Invidia, to which she just blushed. And Arty laughed, Invidia was so cute when she was embarrassed…Afterwards Arty took them back to his place, where he and Invidia sometimes went after their dates.

“All those times and you haven’t slept together?” Shamura whispered when they came in.

“Shut up.” Invidia elbowed her. “It’s only been a few months! And for the last time we’re not married yet!”

“So, Arty, this place is nice.”

“Oh, thanks, at least someone likes it.”

“I never said I didn’t like it!” Invidia snapped.

“No, you said it needed work and dark colors.”

Shamura laughed, they sounded like a married couple.

“Quiet you.” Invidia said to Arty as he came out and handed her a cup of tea.

“You want any?” He asked Shamura. “I only give it to her, because she likes my tea.”

“That would be nice, thank you.”

“Oh, I’ll get it.” Invidia said. She put her tea down and tried to walk but Arty got in her way.

“No I can do it.” He said. “Move.” Invidia snapped, she tried to move again but Arty knocked into her and they fell, with Arty landing on top of her.

“You know, in this position you’re really cute…” Arty teased.

Invidia blushed. “Get off!” She said.

“No, this is fun…” He leaned down and kissed her as a tease.

“Arty!” She snapped when he broke off. “Get off! And stop staring at me!” She saw where his eyes were going.

“Fine…” He got off and Shamura laughed.

“You two are so cute together!”

They looked in opposite directions at that. Everyone always said it and it was embarrassing…

“Well maybe I should take you home…” Arty said.

“Actually I wanted to go with Shamura, is that okay?” Invidia looked at Shamura.

“Sure, and I can take you home later.”

Arty then grabbed his keys and took both women down to Shamura’s apartment. “It’s a little small…” Invidia said.

“You’re just used to penthouses, but I like it.”

“But don’t you think it could use more, like dark red or some blue.”

“No, it’s okay.” Shamura said. “Now about Arty…”

“Arty’s just a big tease. He likes to pick on me, and stare at me sometimes; then there are times when I think he just likes my body…” Invidia said.

“You are pretty, but I think he likes you for you, you seem so sweet around him.”

“Well, I can’t be mean to him, I love him…”

“The same reason you were never mean to me or your Father unless we started it?”

“Yes, something like that, but this is different…I can’t really explain it, but I like it…I think that being in love is the best think that’s ever happened to me. Oh, I’m boring you, aren’t I?”

“No, it’s interesting, I mean like I said earlier, you never showed an interest in anyone before, and I’m happy for you, remember, I used to know what love was like too.”

“That’s right, and I’m sorry about your husband…”

“It’s fine, the point isn’t that he’s lost, the point is that maybe one day I’ll find true love waiting for me again.”

“That’s nice you can think that way, I just can’t, sometimes I think my own father is doomed in prison…” Invidia looked down at her hands from her position on the couch.

“Don’t think that, he’ll be fine, okay?”

“Right.” Invidia nodded and Shamura hugged her. “Hey, Shamura?”

“Yes?”

“I want you to come with me tomorrow, Nova and I were going to go shopping when she got back.”

“Of course I’ll come. I’ve always liked shopping with you.”

Invidia smiled and leaned her head on Shamura’s shoulder, just enjoying the evening.

The next morning Invidia met up with Shamura at the mall, where, Nova was waiting with Setsuna, who was only a baby at seven months old.

“You’re late.” Nova said.

Setsuna just looked confused.

“Sorry, and Nova, this is Shamura.” Invidia said.

“Oh, so you are alive, I thought she was lying… anyway I’m…”

“Nova Wildstar, I know. I’ve seen you and your husband before on TV at the EDF building. But, who’s this?” Shamura looked at Setsuna.

“Her name is Setsuna, she doesn’t talk yet…”

“Setsuna…That’s a pretty name…”

“It was my idea; I always liked the way it sounded.”

“Setsuna…” Shamura, who wasn’t one for baby talk, took Setsuna’s hand and looked at her. “You’re a very pretty girl, just like your mother…”

Setsuna smiled at her and giggled.

‘Stupid baby…all she has to do is smile and everyone is pleased…’ Invidia thought, it wasn’t that she didn’t like Setsuna, in fact she thought Setsuna was very cute, but she was annoying at times.

“Something wrong Mistress? You look annoyed.”

“No I’m fine, let’s just go.” Invidia walked off and the women followed. They spent the next four hours walking around and shopping, even if they had to shop for baby clothes for an hour…

“Nova, this is boring…” Invidia whined, she sat on a bench with her own bags while Nova looked at clothes for Setsuna, who was in a baby carrier next to Invidia.

“Don’t whine.” Shamura said. “We already went everywhere you wanted to go. And Nova, this is cute; you think she’d like it?” She held up a small, long-sleeved pink dress.

“She already has a dress like that in blue, but she’s always looked good in pink too…”

‘Okay, this is boring…’ Invidia liked Shamura and Nova a lot, but all the baby talk bored her, she sighed just as Setsuna began to cry.

“Aw, what’s wrong sweetie?” Nova picked her up.

‘Maybe she’s as tired of this place as I am…’ Invidia thought.

Shamura looked at her. “She was fine a minute ago…”

“And it’s not her diaper and I just fed her…”

“Maybe this is your problem.” Invidia sighed and picked up the stuffed white cat that she had dropped.

“Is this is?” Nova took it and showed it to Setsuna. “Do you just want your kitty back? Huh?”

Setsuna, who was now just whimpering made a grab for it and Nova handed it over.

“Problem solved, let’s go.” Invidia said.

“No! We’re not done yet, keep her busy.” Nova gave Setsuna to Invidia while she and Shamura went to check out another part of the store.

“Great…” Invidia huffed. “What am I supposed to do with a baby?”

Setsuna just smiled at her and reached up, then, she grabbed a strand of Invidia’s hair that was hanging over her shoulder and pulled it. Hard.

“Ow! Knock it off!” She scolded, practically screaming.

Setsuna looked up at her with sad eyes, and began to cry, she didn’t know what she had done wrong. She just thought it was fun.

“No! Stop crying! Your mom is going to kill me…”

“Invidia, what did you do?” Shamura asked as she came over and picked up Setsuna.

“She pulled my hair! It’s not my fault if she can’t handle a little scolding!”

“She’s a baby! She doesn’t understand…Do you honey?” Shamura bounced her a bit and Setsuna’s cries turned to whimpers. “Don’t yell at her anymore!”

“I don’t know how to handle a baby! Do I look like a mother? Or a babysitter?”

“Just be quiet, I like you Mistress, you know that, but…” She put Setsuna back down in her carrier and took Invidia’s hands. “You still need to learn some things, and you need to control your emotions a bit. I’m not going to lie, I have to learn some things about Earth too, but you have much more to learn than I do. You never liked nor were you used to a lot of people; you only had few that loved you. Here, you have more, but you need to learn how to deal with some of them better, do you understand?”

“Kind of, are you telling me that I need to learn how to deal with things better? I know that, but when people make me mad I just yell at them, like always…” Invidia explained.

“Well you can’t do that here, you know that.”

“It’s just hard…you know what they say…”

“Old habits are hard to break?”

Invidia nodded.

“But you’re getting there…That’s what counts…” Shamura hugged her. “And you can do it, I know you can…”

“Thanks…” Invidia hugged her back, and she was happy. Shamura wanted to help, just like always, and she was a big one too…

“No problem, now what do you say we get out of here? Looking at baby clothes looses its enjoyment if it’s not really your baby.”

Invidia laughed. “Sure…but what about Nova?”

“I told her I’d check on Setsuna and then we’d go wait for her at the Italian restaurant downstairs, is that all right with you?”

“Sure, but how do you…?”

“You don’t think I’d forget? I know you love Italian food as much as you love kren.”

“Just not…”

“Pizza.” Shamura finished.

They laughed and grabbed their bags before heading off, and heading right into Arty!

“You didn’t tell me you were going out!” Invidia said when she saw him.

“I wasn’t going to until about a half hour ago; my mother called me and told me to get some things for dinner tonight, my parents are coming over and that’s why we couldn’t go out.”

“That’s fine, but if you’ve got nothing to do…then do you want to have lunch with us?”

“Sure, if that’s okay with you…” Arty looked at Shamura.

“It’s fine with me, as long as it’s fine with Nova, she’ll be joining us soon…”

“I don’t think she’ll mind.” Arty said as he went over and slipped his hand into Invidia’s and they walked off.

Shamura smiled at her and Invidia smiled back happily. She felt the happiest she had ever been on Earth, her best friend was back and for the first time in forever…she wasn’t sad or lonely…and all was well…