A/N: The anime is the canon one. The anime came first. Therefore, let's be happy about the anime being the real thing. I do hate, to certain extent, the manga… it's… almost painful to read it… it even made me hate Mai HiME for an instant -cough- Anyway here I present you my manga version which will include more Shizuru and Natsuki xD This covers chapter 1 to 3 of Vol. 1. Special thanks to Inuzuka Notori for re-checking this fic.

I also wanted to state that the reason why I am doing this manga version is solely because I don't like the idea of how Natsuki and Shizuru are portrayed in it. Firstly, Natsuki`s way of acting around the people, especially with her 'Key'. And the thing I hate most is how the manga portrayed Shizuru: as a person who doesn't get Natsuki, cruel and heartless to an extent of being unbearable to me (that's at least how I interpret it). I just don't like it so I have done this version of the manga. That and I am a shiznat/natshiz fan. So don't think I am doing this because I hate Yuichi Tate, in the contrary I prefer to ignore him –which you will notice by reading this chapter (and no, I'm also not a very 'great' supporter of Maikoto but I am open minded enough to let ALMOST any pairing go). That's all. Oh and I do plan on letting other characters: Mikoto, Akira, Haruka, etc. have their spotlight moment.

Besides this a fanfiction and I can do as I like –sticks tongue out- so don't whine or complain if you don't like it. I am not forcing you to read it! Even if you do and then complain... that's weird o wo'

References:

HiME: HiME refers to the ability to create solid objects from photons, as well as the females who wield this ability. It stands for Highly-advanced Materializing Equipment. It is a acronym of HiME, the Japanese word for princess. All HiMEs have an identical birthmark shaped like the HiME symbol on various points of their bodies, usually the part of their bodies governed by their astrological sign.
Key: A Key is a being who enables a HiME to summon her Child by touching her Element to the Key. After the Child is summoned, the Key must stay within a certain distance (territory) of the HiME or the Child will disappear. That distance is variable with the affections the HiME and her Key feel for each other; the stronger the connection, the greater the distance.
Element: Element is the name for the objects the HiMEs can create. Most take the form of some kind of weapon, but a couple have non-combat functions.
Child: A Child is a creature summoned for battle by a HiME. Most have some origin in mythological beasts or deities. In addition, they seem to be bio-mechanical, as parts of their bodies resemble machinery while other parts seem to be real flesh.
Orphan: An Orphan is a creature the HiMEs fight. They typically have a monstrous form.

Disclaimer: -sigh- this is annoying –sigh- I don't own… Mai... HiME… manga or the anime T.T Several quotes are taken and will be taken from the manga.

Chapter 1: A New Child

"Mai."

"Natsuki."

Both of these young woman stood outside the Fuuka High School building, their voices were controlled and almost monotone. They stared at each other for a long moment as students began gathering by the windows waiting for the inevitable battle.

"You almost made me late, again," Mai said, emphasizing the last word, as she summoned her elements: two pairs of rings floating around her wrists and ankles. Soon they began to rotate and light with fire.

"You were in my way," Natsuki summoned her own element, a pair of pistols, and took aim at the other teenager.

From above the students began cheering for both of them. It had, after all, become a routine for these two to fight one another for any excuse.

"Kuga-san! Go Go Go!" most of the left side of the gathered students shouted and cheered for Natsuki while the right side did the same for Mai.

"Mai-san, don't let Kuga-san beat you! Do your best!"

The battle began immediately as the two women launched their fierce attacks. The raven haired girl aimed and shot with haste; yet the redhead, by flying around and swinging her fire rings, managed to avoid the icy bullets, sometimes even being able to destroy them.

"Geez, class is about to start!" Mai complained while swinging her upper rings as the flames intensified. She glared at her opponent below, "You're so persistent no matter where you are!"

"The way you are," Natsuki began saying, aiming her guns to find the right spot, "Your attitude! How you speak like you are detached from the world!" a soft click was heard as Natsuki began shooting rapidly again, "I hate everything about you! You are not qualified to be called 'HiME'!"

At the last second, as she was about to be shot dead, Mai began spinning. The motion created a flaming tornado, repelling the bullets and thus protecting her. Soon they had initiated hand to hand combat, Natsuki kicking while the redhead protected herself with her rings. Still, despite the struggle, the raven haired girl was able to tear off part of Mai's top. As they parted, Natsuki was about to shoot once again when she noticed a blonde boy by the bushes.

"AH! Natsuki!" the busty redhead yelled as she too noticed the guy. She knew her rival well enough to know that she might do something worse to the newcomer and was left floating while the other HiME went toward the intruder.

The raven haired shooter jumped into the bushes and pointed her gun directly to the guy's head who tried to back away in fear.

"Whose 'Key' are you?" she demanded, the boy raised both of his hand up as to signal surrender.

"What? Key?" he stammered, too afraid of the gun in front of him to speak clearly.

"Tell me! Whose 'Key' are you!" Natsuki demanded once again, glaring and pointing the gun even nearer to the guy's face.

"I… I only changed schools today… that is…"

"…Then that's all the more reason. This isn't the time you typically change schools!"

Finally her impatience got the better of her and she held the gun directly on the boy's forehead. The guy simply closed his eyes waiting for the inevitable to happen.

"Speak up or I'll kill you!"

"Stop it Natsuki! This person has nothing to do with us!" Mai yelled once again as she rushed toward the other two.

For an instant, Natsuki was startled by the sudden attack and it was enough for Mai to make her move. With a swift movement, Mai had tossed the other HiME into a tree. Immediately, she and the boy were running away from a soon-to-be-pissed biker.

Cursing incoherent words, the ice HiME stood up and gritted her teeth in anger. Her sea green eyes glared at the spot where both Mai and the guy had run off to. She gripped her pistols and was about to follow them when her cell phone rang.

"Damn it," Natsuki cursed once again, knowing full well what the phone ringing meant.

Mai was floating around rescuing and protecting Fuuka students while attacking a Liquid-Octopus-look-alike Orphan. While carrying another student to the doctor, Mai was caught off guard and attacked by the Orphan's tentacles.

A roar sounded and soon enough Natsuki showed up on her Ducati, shooting and freezing three tentacles. The busty HiME looked surprised for a second, but it was soon replaced by annoyance when the other girl spoke. Further away, another HiME used her elements to destroy the frozen tentacles.

"Because you let down your guard," But, as the words left her mouth another set of tentacles came behind Natsuki which in turn were destroyed efficiently by a double-braided girl cutting them with her sword.

"Because you let down your guard," Mikoto repeated the other girl's statement, earning pats and praises from Mai and a glare from the ice HiME.

"Right now we need to cooperate with each other, please don't fight," Akane pleaded, afraid of a battle within the team just like those other times.

Suddenly, they all jumped away as the Orphan stroke again with its tentacles. The HiME unit members stared at the gigantic creature.

"Akane! Get your 'Key' already!" Natsuki shouted, cursing their lack of power.

"Ehh!" the brunette stammered as she looked away shyly and began mumbling incoherently.

Just in that instant Akane was targeted by one of the tentacles. She yelped, horrified, as the tentacles began hugging all over her body and began sucking her inside of its liquid body. Natsuki tried shooting the tentacles but it was useless since the Orphan simply absorbed the bullets. Slowly, Akane's uniform began dissolving. Mai and Natsuki backed off quite hastily and looked away from the scene.

"This is definitely… not an opponent I want to get caught by," Mai stated, the images of Akane's clothes disappearing fresh on her mind.

"For once we share the same sentiments," Natsuki agreed between gritted teeth.

Only when Akane yelled for help once again did they snap from their thoughts and images of what had just happened.

"Just hurry up and help me! You two are so cruel!"

All of a sudden Natsuki began running toward the Orphan, to where Akane was. The poor teenager had already lost conscious by the lack of oxygen from being absorbed into the Orphan's body.

Natsuki glanced behind her before ordering, "Mai! Blow it away once I get Akane out!" she then looked at the other HiME, "Mikoto come with me!"

"Wait-t! Natsuki!"

However the ice HiME ignored the warning and simply kept running. Almost immediately, Mikoto followed as Mai nodded in agreement. They somehow trusted in whatever Natsuki planned to do.

"When we get close to the Orphan I want you to use Miroku and throw me to where Akane is, got it?"

Mikoto nodded, gripping her sword tighter as she did what she was told once both of them had approached the Orphan. Natsuki jumped, and Mikoto twisted around in a full circle, using the momentum to lift her blade off the ground just in time for the navy haired girl to land on it. Then, continuing her rotation and releasing Miroku's power Natsuki was sent flying toward the creature. Shortly after entering the Orphan's body, she succeeded in passing through it with Akane in her arms.

"MAI! kill it already! DAMN IT!"

The redhead tried in vain to blow it away with her powers but the Orphan was already beginning to regenerate. The HiMEs could only watch as it approached them.

"Tokiha!" A male voice shouted, shocking everyone as they stared at the same boy that had been almost killed by Natsuki moments before.

"What are you doing here! Get out!" Mai yelled back as she and the others HiMEs jumped out of the way of the Orphan's tentacles.

However, the blonde ignored her and ran toward the busty redhead. He hastily touched Mai's element and both of them began glowing. A white light engulfed both of them. A loud roar was heard next as a pair of green brilliant eyes blinked while staring at his Mistress. HiMEs gazed in awe at the newest, almost white, Child. The new being was a mix of dragon and phoenix with a long, red dagger piercing through its head. It was Mai's newfound Child.

"I don't need a reason! I want to do this!" The guy said to a still shocked Mai.

"Mai! The tentacles are...!"

"I understand," She interrupted Mikoto's warning and took the blonde's hand.

Both of them looked at the beast, and then HiME and Key commanded their Child.

"Kagutsuchi!"

The phoenix roared once again and breathed flames out of its mouth, disintegrating the Orphan completely. Students cheered at the pair and praised them, but no one noticed the intense glare the ice HiME was giving to the couple. Her murderous thoughts were snapped off when Fuuka's nurse came to check on Akane.

"Natsuki?"

"Ah-h!" startled, Natsuki almost let Akane's body fall uncovered, "So-sorry."

The nurse giggled and took off her coat to cover the naked body of the young woman held by the other HiME.

"I will handle this, Natsuki."

"Oh ok…"

The ice HiME gritted her teeth, wondering how Mai could have gotten her 'Key'. Not only had her act of rescue been forgotten, but now something inside her chest was unexpectedly hurting. No one noticed the retreating, defeated figure of the ice HiME. Or maybe one did.

Later that day, every student backed away afraid of what might happen to them if they were to become subject to Kuga Natsuki's rage. The HiME was beyond annoyance. She still could not believe that Mai now possessed a Key. Nevertheless, that wasn't the worst of it, the simple idea that she was overpowered by their Child, Kagutsuchi, was a huge stab to her pride; especially after hearing the praises and cheering those two had received.

Natsuki gritted her teeth and tightened her fists once again. She wanted to cause pain and death. She wanted to defeat Mai, yet without a Child it would be almost impossible. The ice HiME just kept walking, the room either getting colder or warmer than usual depending on her moods changes. She was too immersed in her cursing and death-related thoughts that she failed to notice an elegant figure staring at her until she was inside her classroom.

Shizuru grinned and walked away, a folder in her hands. She then stopped at a deserted room which had various long tables, a couple of chairs and desk. The chestnut haired girl sat at the desk and took a paper out of the folder. She smiled as her eyes showed amusement at what was written there.

A HiME stands for Highly-advanced Materializing Equipment and posses the ability to materialize metasubstance.

An 'element' is a certain weapon, not necessary always, created by its power.

A 'Key' is basically a person who can amplify the power of 'HiME' thus it creates the so called 'Child'.

The Child is different of each other. Its power and size depends much on the Key and the HiME.

Members of the current HiME unit:
Sugiura Midori
Higurashi Akane
Kurauchi Kazuya
Minagi Mikoto
Sagisawa Youko
Tokiha Mai
Tate Yuichi
Kuga Natsuki

A soft sigh escape her lips as the sheet of paper was tossed away along with its information. Shizuru looked at the closed door with yearning and thought about her precious person. However, a ring from the phone next to her stopped further thoughts about her beloved.

"Was that enough?" a loud, grumpy and annoyed voice asked, though it seemed as it was ordering instead of asking.

"Ah it was interesting enough, quite a good read to pass the time," the girl's soft voice replied.

"Information is still being taken, we will have enough data by the next attack," a third female voice said with indifference, or so it tried to do.

"Thank you for such wonderful work. I really appreciate it," with that said, she hanged up, "I wonder what my wonderful, lovely girl is doing now?" she said, dreamily smiling once again.

She giggled as she read another paper and noticed that Tate Yuichi had transferred to the same classroom as most of the HiME unit group.

"Oh my, the fun I will be missing by having to stay here and complete my duties," she thought in melancholy, though the smirk on her face said otherwise.

Omake: Revenge is Sweet

Yuichi: Phew, I thought I would be dead from the very beginning.

Mai and Natsuki: -glares- Why isn't he dead?

Mai: And why do I have him as my Key!

Raineel: -sipping ice tea- Wellll, it will be funnier if he suffers more instead of being killed right from the beginning. Torture has many ways. -smirk-

Shizuru: Raineel is right –smirk-

Mai: -whispers- Have the two of them been spending some time together?

Natsuki: -sweatdrops- Ah I don't really know… I really don't want to know.

Yuichi: -sigh- Why me… why me… -sigh-

Raineel: Now, now Yuichi where would the fun be if we killed you right away? –smirk-

Everyone: -sweatdrops except Shizuru who is smirking-

Mai: Why do I believe something not so good is about to happen?

Mai Otome Sifr (Humor me will you?):

Erstin: OH GOD! MOM! What are you THINKING? –points at the almost kissing scene between Rena and Elliot-

Elliot: Well she has big boobs?

Sifr: OH GOSH! WHAT THE HELL! I am going to marry that old dude!

Raineel: Well that explain nina's taste for old men.

Nina: HEY!

Mayo: OH MY GOSH BLOODY HELL! –otome suit-

Shion: Huh… Like your twist at Mai HiME Destiny wasn't enough. You look like a nun.

Kruger: WHAT THE HELL! –reads Gakuenchou's profile- WHAT KIND OF NAME IS UNA! UMA WTF?

Nao: And god is she ugly…

Sara: -cries- God… What have they done to my otome suit –cries more-

Raineel: Apparently you are a penguin… cute blonde penguin –tries hard not to laugh and giving a serious face-

Sara: -faints-

Everyone: -nods- Mai Otome 0 is screwed

Kiddo: WHAT THE HELL!

Raineel: Dear lord help us…

Yes, humour me, I give a 5 out of 10 to Mai Otome 0 it's decent enough but not to my liking.

Reviews will be appreciated and I won't mind if you people have ideas of your own. After all there are a lot of stuffs that suck at Mai HiME manga.

The anime is the canon. The anime came first. Just so people get it in their heads (but something tells me someone won't).