This is a wonderful Otome story :D Thanks for sharing with us!

This was brilliant. Full of raw emotion.

I love your take on this relationship, I don't think anyone has given such thought into it as you have. Awesome stuff.

How could I skip this? It's actually one of the few stories I read that depict Shizuru in a way I find realistic, sincere in her own arrogant and manipulative mindset, and -finally- light years away from the naive and slightly helpless Shizuru I usually find around. I also read your Kyoto Hunt and Mai Kisaki, and with this other story you truly confirm your perfect knowledge and understanding of the Mai Otome characters. Not to mention your perfect command of the pacing and style. Bravo!

"You deserve better."
I nearly swooned at that. Glad to see your back, thought we'd lost you there for a while.
Anyway, the story, as usual, loved it. Haha sorry my reveiws are so pointless, but i can never find anything to critise so i just praise :D
Fantastic work, i liked how it still tied in loosely with your other fics.
Hoping to see more soon.

Absolutely amazing. Each line and each of your story are very well written. Please keep up the good work!

Good oneshot! I liked how you snuck in that line about Ann being a cunning linguist ;D Thx for sharing.

Something new wasn't quite bad. Actually, it was good. :)

WOW!! That was awesome!! Thanks.

It's beautiful, so beautiful I read it over and over. It's really amazing how your style of writing can bring out such realistic scenes on my head and now that their in my head I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing xD

I know one thing though, this fic goes to my fav. =P

I'll submit a more formal review on LJ, but I just wanted to say this was a welcome surprise. I loved it!

Ange,
You are one of my favorite authors around here, if not my favorite one. I have devoured ALL your works published here with one exception: Mai Kisaki. I am exactly in the middle. And the reason of that is because I do not want it to end. (Such a patetic reason, isn't). Guess I am not ready to know what it will happen. Best, I am affraid of what will happen.

The way you have linked all your stories is just excellent, and all of them are very well written, and this one is not the exception. I am guessing that you are are a professional or close to be one. The argument of the story is coherent and beyond of that, real. Real world is that way, is not as perfect or romantic as we would possibly like it to be. Your portrait of this Shizuru is a bit crude and darky, but real. Other star for you is the way that you linked both MaiHime and MaiOtome, I got some ideas after reading the first chapters of Mai Kisaki, but wanted to wait until the end to make a comment.

However, when I was watching the series, both MaiHime and Mai Otome (which are my favorites from all the times) one thing that I found, mainly in Mai Otome, was the deep devotion of Shizuru on behalf Natsuki. For me, it was more that just being so willing to die under Natsuki's commands. Lots of people complain about the cold relationship beetwen the two of them in the series (me included), but if you watch carefully, Shizuru is always protecting Natsuki, always. Whatever, that's not the point. It's maybe a wish that a talented writer like you could give a shot on that in the future.

I have two comments for you regarding this story:

1) I think that you have material here for a longer story, I felt it a bit rushed in some parts. Like a resume? I can understand that is the way you wanted to make it, I just think that the Otome world is soo rich and extended that deserve more detail.

2) In the same way of thought, I missed the part when Shizuru and Natsuki became lovers here, how they pass from being attendant and oneesama to something more. I know, I read your note at the begining about being a story focus on Shizuru and Ann. I have not heard the complete drama-cd of MaiOtome, so I do not know if they mentioned it there, but I have not found yet the story that touch my heart about how they start their relationship in MaiOtome as I found it in Antipode for the MaiHime universe. Your Antipode is my favorite story ever (Together with the Russo-Japanese War 2015), I can not get tired of reading it and I truly wish, it could exists something like that at MaiOtome.

Since I do not have nothing more constructive to say, you are just too good writing, I just want to say thank you for your stories and welcome back. I kind miss reading something new from you. When I found the courage to end Mai Kisaki, I will send you another review.

Regards
Galadan

wow thought it wasnt also shizuru and ann i dont mind o.o it was really hmm awesome and interesting? really good i must say ^^ hehe

wow.
I usually am a Die hard Shiznat fangirl :]
but you have converted me!
amazing work

yes, i can see it tied to Mai Kisaki.
i feel kinda bad for Natsuki though so you have to update Mai Kisaki and the other stories soon, okie :D
because in Mai Kisaki, Viola is completely devoted to Natsuki and when Natsuki is under control, she's competely a love slave, sadly. What matter is that in that story, Shizuru loves Natsuki.
And from reading this story, I can see that Natsuki has the right to be mad at Shizuru because *coughs* first love died hard BUT that love couldn't be compare with Natsuki now, is it?
Mai Kisaki has prove it, she has devoted herself to one :D

*glad to see you back!*

You've just fulfilled one of the dreams I never knew I had.

This is incredibly original and undeniably well-written, bringing new insight into Shizuru's and Ann/Ahn/Anh/Ein/blargh!'s relationship. There wasn't enough information on their background in the Otome anime, but your interpretation and the way you portrayed them was breathtaking.

Skillfully drawn out aspects of their characters, and I'm always appreciative of being shown the darker side of things. I suspect that I'm starting to like Ann/Ahn/Anh/Ein/grah, based on your version of her (supposing that it isn't already true, because it was so beautiful that I'm ready to just accept it as fact).

In conclusion, this is a masterpiece.
I was staring blankly at the screen for about ten minutes after reading it.