11I was absolutely inspired by Fujin of Shadows work She's Mine. I consider myself a fan of gender swaps in fandoms, yet until I read She's Mine (though it wasn't entirely to my taste) a female Tatsuya had never appealed to me. Though I will admit that was partially due to the fact that when it comes to Tatsuya I consider him perfect and wouldn't consider changing a single thing. Anyway, in this fic I tried to stay away from being too similar to the original and She's Mine, but I will admit that the first few chapters will undoubtedly be pretty boring and unoriginal.
(Important note, just like in She's Mine, Tatsuya is named Tayuya and Miyuki is Yuki, though they have kept to their original ages. I do not own either original work. Just my own words.)
"Onee-sama, I simply cannot accept it, it isn't right."
It is the day of First High's school entrance ceremony, and though it is early, two students, male and female, stand before the steps. Seemingly disagreeing.
"Is this still bothering you?"
The girl, small compared to the boy opposite her, is clad in a simple dress and jacket. And though both students are undeniably freshmen, there is a distinct difference between the worn apparel. And we're not talking about the difference between what a man and a woman would wear, but on the decorations on the jackets.
On the jacket of the male student is an eight petaled flower, the emblem of First High School. On the female however, the absence of this decoration is blatantly obvious.
"How could it not? Onee-sama you should not be a reserve! Going by your score on the entrance exam you should be the freshman class representative!"
The man's eyes flash with fire. No doubt born of the seeming mistreatment of his beloved older sister. But despite this, the young woman's stature is calm, collected. One might say soothing. It would not be wrong to judge that she is unbothered by the wrongs her brother is convinced of.
"Yuki," she says with a gentle touch to the young man's wrist. At the innocent contact he deflates, already defeated. "You know as well as I that my placement is justified. As a Magic High School they are not wrong to value practical skills over paper tests. I am simply grateful that I was accepted despite my limitations."
At his sister's words the young man sighs. "It isn't an accurate judgement." He says. "You more than anyone is proof of that. If they could see what you can do-"
"Yuki!" The sister says in a slightly stronger tone of voice.
He shuts his mouth, looking guilty and bows his head in shame. "I apologize."
Gazing at her little brother before her, Tayuya can't help the soft expression and slight smile that proceeds her hand lifting to cup his face in her hand.
"Do not be ashamed." She says, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "It lifts my spirits to see you angry in my place. You honor me Ototo."
A blushing face lifts to meet her gaze.
"You don't mean that."
"I do. It is selfish, but I am glad whenever my cute little brother rises to defend me. To know that he holds me in his thoughts the same way I do him."
For some reason her words deepen the blush on his cheeks, but a new light enters his eyes and he does not look away.
"That being said, you do understand that even if you back out nothing will be changed right?"
As she gazes into his eyes he looks as if is not yet ready to let the topic go, but in the face of her will he gives in and utters in a resigned tone,
"I apologize Onee-sama, please pardon me for being willful."
"There's nothing to apologize for. Now it's time for you to go. Good luck, I know you'll do well."
"You'll watch me?"
"I wouldn't dream of missing it."
With a smile Yuki disappears into the auditorium, leaving his sister to sigh in relief at a dodged bullet, and to ponder how to spend the next few hours until the start of the ceremony. Left alone on the huge (mostly empty) campus, Tayuya sighs. I guess I can catch up on my reading. She thinks as she walks, noting the closed cafe and facilities that she can not yet access without her yet-to-be-issued student ID card. It's not like there's anything better to do.
With that thought in mind and a data terminal in hand she abruptly changes course towards a courtyard located within the school grounds. Ignoring the few unfavorable looks and whispers she receives in the wake of her undecorated uniform, she arrives there quickly, and taking note of the time, settles down for the long haul.
An hour and a half later, Tayuya returns to reality.
In another thirty minutes it would be time for the school entrance ceremony, and as a result, her little brother's address. Having logged out of and stored her terminal, she makes to stand, but is interrupted before she can by a voice from above.
"Are you a new student? It's about time for the ceremony."
Startled at being caught unaware, Tayuya looks up into the face of a petite and smiling young woman a mere few years older than her. Noting the bracelet styled CAD on her wrist and the eight petaled emblem on her chest, she quickly deduces that the girl must be a member of the student council or committee and stands to face her.
"Thank you, I'll be on my way." She says, meaning to escape the girls gaze as soon as possible. Not because she was ashamed of her status as a course two student, but because she could not imagine getting involved with a high achiever who appeared to be a student council member.
However the other person appeared not to have these qualms, judging by her words immediately after.
"Was that a screen type?" She asks, referring to the terminal Tayuya had just stored away. "Our school disallows the use of virtual display terminals. But it's regrettable how many students still use the virtual display type. Yet you were using the screen type even before enrolling into the school. That's impressive."
At the friendly conversation Tayuya finally allows herself to look the girl in the eye. Slightly taken aback at the wonder in her gaze, completely free of prejudice or belittlement, she answers honestly. "The virtual type is not suitable for reading."
"And instead of watching animation you read! How commendable." The girl says, and then, reading Tayuya's expression, slips into an expression of sheepishness. "Ahh, I beg your pardon. I'm the student council president of First High School, Saegusa Mayumi. Written as 'seven grass', read as Saegusa. Nice to meet you!"
"Shiba Tayuya." She says reservedly, but making an effort not to forget herself tacks on a 'nice to meet you.'
"Oh! Are you that Shiba? I was very impressed by your scores!" Mayumi says excitedly. "Such high marks in magic theory and engineering is an unheard of record high."
Tayuya holds back a sigh and a bitter smile. "Thank you." She says. "But those are just paper test results. Data inside an information system."
This time Mayumi looks taken aback, but the look is quickly replaced by a sympathetic smile that Tayuya cannot bear to see. "Still, it's a terrific score." She says shaking her head. "I too am stronger in theory based subjects, and yet I know I could never score as high as you Tayuya-chan."
Listening to the earnest and reassuring praise from an upperclassman, Tayuya can only feel ashamed. Ashamed that she could not score higher in the practical exam, ashamed that the student council president's reassuring words were necessary in the first place. But she pushes down the prickly feeling and with a polite smile, excuses herself from Mayumi's presence before she can say more.
As she walks away, somewhere in her mind she thinks that talking with the older girl is a frightening thing. Though even she cannot say why.
Updates will be unpredictable. I do intend to go a long way with this, but no promises on updates and quality. Tayuya will eventually be involved with someone, but even I don't know who. Yuki and Masaki are popular candidates but who knows, maybe Leo, loveable natural disaster that he is, will come in and sweep Tayuya off her feet. Guess we'll find out.
To anyone unsure if this is worth their time let me lay a few things out there. I do plan to develop and extend these characters further than they are in the novel, and sometime I intend to either restore or expand Tayuya's emotions. Probably the latter, I don't think either Tatsuya or Tayuya will ever regain their full emotional capabilities, but hey, it's a possibility.
Also I'm toying with the idea of challenging myself to gender swap a few more characters. Like Lina or Honoka. Or Maya. And I'm open to suggestions. Whether it's names, characters to swap, or ideas you think might be interesting, give it to me. I need something to motivate me to write on the days when I can't.
