This fic is inspired by the fake movie trailer, but the connection's rather weak. When I started this (a long long time ago, in a galaxy far away), the DVD with the trailer had not been released and all there was, was the advertisement in the products section of the official Mai Otome site which featured four screenshots from the trailer - four screenshots, and that's virtually the whole connection between the trailer and this fic. So please don't expect too many similarities with the trailer.

It will be a bit AU-ish here and there and maybe also over there, but I'm trying to make it consistent with the anime in most parts.

And the obligatory disclaimer: Mai-HiME/Mai-Otome belong to Sunrise.

"What is past, is prologue. ... What is past, is also sometimes the future." -- Delenn, Babylon 5 Episode 3.22 Z'ha'dum

Chapter 1
The Story Continues

They were everywhere. No matter in which direction she looked - there was no chance to escape. She was floating in space, surrounded by dozens of little satellites, all of them miniature versions of Artemis, Alyssa's Child. Mai ducked just in time to dodge the attacking satellite. She activated her Element and blocked a second one with a fire shield.

"Kagutsuchi!"

No Kagutsuchi.

"Kagutsuchi!"

Where was her Child when she needed it? Mai frowned and concentrated on creating a sphere of fire around her. She smirked. The satellites were now attacking in groups but didn't have the slightest chance against her shield. They bounced off the fire sphere and tottered helplessly in space before they were able to stabilise and attack again.

"Kaguts-"

Something smells weird... burnt... Mai looked around and saw with horror that the ends of her scarf were on fire. Since when do I wear a scarf?

There was a red scarf around her neck, its ends dangling in the blazing walls of the sphere. Petrified, Mai watched the flames devouring the wool, coming closer at an incredible speed. The burnt smell was unbearable now. She finally regained control over her limbs and grabbed at the scarf, trying to pull it off, but to no avail. She panicked. The more she pulled the more tightened the scarf around her neck. The fire spread to her hands. In a split second her hair was ablaze and she saw the flames dancing right in front of her eyes. Mai screamed.

"AAAAAAAH!" Mai gasped for breath, her heart beating like mad. She looked around, slowly realising that she wasn't in space burning to death but sitting bolt upright in her bed.

Natsuki stood in the kitchenette, startled looking at her.

"Mai..." A perplexed Mikoto sat on the floor next to Mai's bed, rubbing her back.

Mai slightly shook her head. A dream... just a dream... She sniffed. Why does it still smell burnt?

"Sorry... I burnt my toast." Natsuki smiled sheepishly and picked up the pitch black piece of toast she had dropped at Mai's scream. "You just scared the hell out of me... bad dreams?"

"Yeah... Mikoto? Are you ok?" I must have kicked her out of the bed.

"Yup!" Mikoto had recovered from the unintended contact with the floor and jumped at Mai, knocking her over. "Let's have breakfast!"

Mai smiled and ran her hand through Mikoto's tousled hair. "Yeah..." She looked at Natsuki, who was opening a window to let some fresh air in. "I better make breakfast before Natsuki has turned our room into a smokehouse."

Natsuki knitted her brows and mumbled something incomprehensible.

÷÷÷÷÷

One hour later, they were all on their way to the school building. Today was the first day of the new school year. One year ago, she and Mikoto had arrived in a truly spectacular way at Fuuka Academy. Today, everything was normal. No burnt trail across the school grounds, no mysterious circle on the grass in front of the school. Everything perfectly normal.

"Mai-chan!" Chie and Aoi were standing next to the school entrance, waving.

Yes, this year, she would be a normal high school girl, doing things normal high school girls do. Definitely.
Mai waved back and sped up, tugging Natsuki and Mikoto along.

÷÷÷÷÷

When Mikoto walked into her classroom, Sakomizu-sensei was already standing behind his desk. Next to him an unknown girl, writing something onto the blackboard, probably her name. Mikoto took her seat and watched the new girl curiously. She was about her height and had long auburn hair which was tied up at the back of her head and plaited into two braids. The girl finished writing and turned around. Mikoto could now see that she had turquoise eyes.

The bell rang.

"Good morning." Sakomizu-sensei beamed at the class.

"Good morning," echoed the students.

"I hope you all had restful holidays so that we can now start refreshed and full of energy into the new school year. But first we will welcome our new transfer student." He nodded encouragingly to the new girl.

"My name is Yumemiya Arika. Nice to meet you all."

÷÷÷÷÷

Natsuki stared out of the window. Outside the sun was shining, it was beautiful weather, perfect for a trip with the motorbike. And she was inside, sitting in the classroom and listening to lectures on English literature. Scowling, she kicked at her bag. She had already spent the whole holidays with learning to get transfered to the next grade. Her resentment vanished as fast as it had come, giving way to feelings of guilt. Shizuru didn't have holidays either. Hardly a day had passed without her coming over and tutoring Natsuki. One week ago, her university semester had started, since then Natsuki had not heard anything from her.

What could she be doing right now? Natsuki smiled. She's probably sitting in a lecture hall, drinking tea and...

"Ms Kuga, would you please pay attention!"

Ms Graceburt's stern voice jerked Natsuki out of her thoughts. The elderly woman was glaring at her.

"I won't tolerate slacking off in my classes. You will write a summary of chapter one and give it to me tomorrow. And now read the next part, page five, second paragraph."

Natsuki gulped and slowly started reading. Their new English teacher did not only have the looks but also the character of Cinderella's stepmom.

÷÷÷÷÷

"So, what we gonna do with the rest of the day?" asked Chie.

School was finally over and they were idly standing in the classroom.

"I have to work."

"Ok, we'll go to the Linden Baum and keep Mai company."

Aoi nodded in approval.

"It's kendo for me," said Yuuichi. He put his arms around Mai and kissed her. "I'll drop by later."

Mai nodded and kissed him back.

"Natsuki?"

"Some other time, I already have plans." She had finished packing her bag and went to the door. "Bye!"

Natsuki walked out of the classroom. She felt an impact and found herself lying on the floor, half buried under some girl.

"Are you ok?" Mikoto's worried face appeared above her.

Mai, Yuuichi, Chie and Aoi came rushing out of the classroom.

"Everything alright?"
"Whoa, that was quite a crash!"
"Are you hurt?"

The girl on top of Natsuki was moving. She looked at Natsuki and jumped up hastily. "Sorry... I'm so sorry... are you ok?" She held her hand out to Natsuki.

Natsuki took the girl's hand and slowly got up. "I'm fine... I think." Her hip hurt. Her shoulder, too.

"Where does it hurt?" Mai instantly knew.

"Hip, shoulder... nothing bad, really."

"You should let Sagisawa-sensei take a look at it."

"No, I'm fine."

The others didn't look very convinced.

"Really, it's nothing... Hey! Let go of me!"

Yuuichi had grabbed her from behind and Mai and Chie were each holding a leg of hers.

"No way, you're coming to the infirmary with us," said Mai.

"Put me down! Now! I don't need a doctor!"

They ignored Natsuki's screams and moved off.

Aoi picked up their school bags and followed them together with Mikoto and the other girl. "And you're alright?" she asked the girl.

"Yeah... oh... I'm Arika, Yumemiya Arika."

"She's in my class," added Mikoto.

"Nice to meet you, my name's Senou Aoi."

÷÷÷÷÷

The large bruise on her hip-bone was shining in violet and blue. Natsuki carefully applied the ointment Sagisawa-sensei had given her and tried to ignore the stabbing pain that shot through her hip when she touched it. It would take some time for the bruises to go away. But she was glad that it weren't serious injuries, something like a broken shoulder was the last thing she needed.

She cursed and zipped up her bike suit. She was late. And all because Mikoto and that Arinko girl had turned the school into a race track. Sagisawa-sensei's flabbergasted expression when the weird procession with her screaming and kicking self had arrived at the infirmary made up for it though.

She rummaged in the pile of junk under her bed. Must be here... somewhere...

The pile under her bed became smaller and smaller, the one in front of it larger and larger but her spare helmet was nowhere to be found.

I could swear I've seen... Ah! Natsuki smiled triumphantly. Right, Mai put it into the wardrobe "where it belongs".

She found the old helmet in a corner at the back. Natsuki snatched the other helmet from her bed and rushed out of the room.

She rushed in again, dropped the helmets onto the bed, pushed the pile of junk in front of it back under it, picked up the helmets and ran out again.

÷÷÷÷÷

She was already there, leaning against Natsuki's motorbike and typing on her cell phone, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings.

"You're late," said Nao without looking up.

"Sorry."

Nao finished typing and took the helmet Natsuki offered her. Then they both got onto the bike and rode off.

A quarter of an hour later, they had reached their destination. Natsuki parked the motorbike in front of the apartment building and they walked inside. After a short ride with the elevator, they were standing in a low-lit corridor. Natsuki went ahead and opened the door to her apartment.

"Go inside, I'll get the stuff from the cellar."

Nao just nodded and entered the apartment.

Light was flooding through newly inserted windows. Where once the remains of broken furniture and a jungle of cobwebs had been was now emptiness, the apartment had been cleared and spring-cleaned. Yet Nao couldn't shake off a feeling of uneasiness as she was walking across the room. Memories came rushing back and she could almost hear the sound of crushed debris when her feet touched the ground. Cobwebs were slightly moving in the draft coming from the broken windows.

Nao tried to chase away the images in her head. She leaned against the windwow frame and looked outside. She could see the roof of the opposite building. It was the roof where Julia had been crushed by Kiyohime's jaws. The roof where she had broken down after losing her mother. The roof where Natsuki had placed herself between her and a completely insane Shizuru.

"Something interesting out there?" Natsuki suddenly stood beside her, following her gaze.

Nao shook her head and turned away from the window.

"Fine, we can start then," said Natsuki and put a paint roller into Nao's hand. "You'll do this part."

"Hm." Nao picked up the remaining paint bucket and walked slowly to the wall Natsuki had pointed at. The other girl was already painting the corners. Nao dipped the paint roller into the paint and ran it over the roller frame, watching the excessive paint dripping off. I can't believe I'm actually doing this...

"Why me? Ask someone else!"
"You destroyed it, it's only fair if you help fixing it!"

"Hey! Stop dreaming, I wanna get this finished today." Natsuki moved on to the next corner.

"You're the one who was late."

"Oh shut up..."

Nao grinned and started painting.

÷÷÷÷÷

"We hope to see you again," shouted Akane when the last customers were leaving.

She continued wiping the tables. It had been very busy throughout the afternoon and into the early evening hours. Many of her schoolmates had visited the Linden Baum to recover from the stress of the first school day. It was closing time now and also the end of her shift, only a bit of cleaning here and there was left.

Kazuya looked up from cleaning the counter and smiled at her. Akane smiled back. They were now always taking shifts together. No, they were together. After the nightmare of the HiME Festival they had declared their undying love for each other and were inseparable ever since.

She realised that she was still staring at him and quickly continued with cleaning.

Finally, everything was done and Akane headed towards the dressing rooms. She met Kazuya in the corridor, he had finished his part of the cleanup earlier and had already changed into his own clothes.

"I'll wait outside," he said and she nodded, entering the women's dressing room.

She got her stuff out of the locker and rashly changed into her school uniform. When she laced her shoes, she noticed a notepad at the bottom of the vacant locker below hers. She picked it up.

That's Mai's... she must have lost it earlier.

She put the notepad into her bag, she would give it to Mai at school tomorrow.

Finished, she left the dressing room and said goodbye to the manager before leaving the restaurant.

Kazuya was standing a few steps away from the entrance. He greeted Akane with a smile when she came out and took her hand. Akane kissed him briefly and they set off.

--

The lights were red.

Akane let her gaze wander over the surrounding buildings and then up to the sky. But as expected, here in the city with all its lights and neon signs, she couldn't make out any stars at the firmament. She loved watching the stars. She had often been sitting at the window of her dorm room at night, looking at the sky. That had changed at some time last year when the starry sky had always reduced to the red one hovering right below the moon. Her gaze was now lingering on the LED ticker of an office building across the street.

00:37, 18.6°C...

Akane's heart stood still. Diagonally left to the ticker, on the roof of the adjacent building, there was a well-known figure silhouetted against the night sky.

Can't be... he...

She felt a sudden pull at her arm and almost tripped.

"Akane?"

The lights were green.

She looked at the roof again, it was empty.

"Akane? What's up? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

I did. "Nothing... I... I'm just a bit tired, that's all. Let's go."

It was just her imagination, right? She was tired and seeing things that weren't there.

Kazuya looked worried but didn't press her further. They hurried to cross the street before the lights would turn red again.

Akane glanced back at the roof. Nothing.