Yes I do own Mai HiME…yeah right. If I did then Natsuki would be the main and Shizuru… (gets lost in her own little fantasy) So, one can conclude that Sunrise still owns Mai HiME and Ming Yue is just a crazy fangirl whose just borrowing the characters for her own enjoyment.

Let's learn Japanese!

Ano—equivalent to English "er"

Chuugokusei—middle school student

Gakuen—Academy

Kaichou—president of a company or something like that

Kanin na—Kyoto-ben for "forgive me"

Kyoto-ben—polite accent that is found on people from Kyoto

Omoi—emotions

Who are those little girls in pain?

Just trapped in (the) castle of (the) dark side of the moon?

Twelve of them shining bright in vain,

Life flowers that blossom just once in years.

They are dancing in the shadow like whispers of love,

Just dreaming of a place where they're free of dove(s).

They've never been allowed to love in this closed cage.

It's only a fairy tale they believe…

It's only a fairy tale (Mai HiME Insert Song)

Part One:

Mending

Within miles of its vicinity, Fuuka Gakuen was all but deserted save for a handful of torn souls who had made this land their battleground, the place of their supposedly "last stand". The atmosphere of ardent despair surrounded the area, giving one the feeling that all hope was lost. Parts of the once peaceful academy now looked like a scene of war—battles had left many buildings in shambles.

Slightly further away form the gakuen, bathed in the unforgiving flames that lapped, that consumed what was left of it, was the First District. The cold air as well as the droplets of morning dew had quelled most of the fire. Scattered around the rabble were countless dead bodies whose ashes had mostly been sent towards the heavens. Had it only been less then a day when that despairing maiden with a calm yet despondent smile and crimson red eyes filled with hopelessness had—with frightening efficiency and speed—destroyed the District and everyone in her path?

It was like an eerie nightmare that had become a terrifying reality. And what was worse—the thing that they had refused to take part in—the Festival was drawing into a conclusion. One that had been repeated many times before in the past.

Driven by the torrents of their emotions, these twelve maidens had fought each other. Using those feelings—ones that one does not attempt to explain due to their complexity and depth—they pitted their demented Childs that were grown from these feelings against one another until the other was destroyed.

Omoi…such strong emotions that did not give to reason…how could they, granted with such power that was ruled by thier feelings towards their precious person, control them? And when a puppeteer sat behind the scenes twisting these misguided, uncontrollable feelings…

The Festival existed where the strongest survived and was granted even more power. It was something terrible; it was something that was proficient in how it was executed.

Watching in the close heavens was a burning red star that seemed to consume everything in its seemingly omnipotence. The HiME Star sat as the audience and one of the key factors of this century repeating chaos.

That was…until a single blade plunged into the ground where the 12 pillars stood; freeing those that were most previous to the sacrificial maidens from their confines.

One by one these precious, beloved people were returned in the green sparkles of light that had first taken them.

In the decimated, burned down church, she reappeared as she had "died"—in the arms of her beloved.

Fujino Shizuru blinked. Waves of terrible memories filled her with the bleakness and the complexities of what they held. Her eyes widened uncharacteristic of her usual countenance as her accursedly quick mind digested and processed these said memories of what had happened in the past few days. In seconds she had broke contact with the other.

By the time she had stood up, tears were falling from her face. The sheer force of raw emotions bled through as her ability to reason was returned to her. And now, like a punch to her stomach that devoid the third year of breathe; reason loaded her with the heavy package of guilt, anxiety, and denial of what she had done.

What had she done? What was left for her now? Everything…

Her hands covered her face; the once calm Kaichou was in a state of ambivalence. Her grief choked voice spoke.

"Kanin, kanin na Natsuki. I…"

"I've destroyed everything you disliked. I become a demon…I…

Still love you so much."

"It's alright Shizuru. It's alright," a gentle voice consolidated her with the benevolence of the words that they spoke.

Shizuru's teary eyes looked up to see a clear sense of purpose shining in the green eyes of the person she cared most for. Natsuki's pure hand went to touch her unclean shoulder. At that time both of them knew what had to be done—and that had the greatest priority.

They both turned to face the red star that they, unlike most of the other people in the world, could see.

-------------------------------

Flying towards the HiME Star; Nao felt that she was in conflict with herself. A part of the middle school student wanted to be childish happy and filled with positive emotions due to what had happened only moments ago, but...Granted she was happy that her eye was healed and her mother…yet the more jaded part felt otherwise. She had become too calloused from the world to feel suddenly lifted from the life she lived but, something else now existed in her.

Her eyes spotted a particular person. Nao's mind, happy for the distraction of thought, turned to face another pressing, almost equally terrifying matter. The memory of the destruction of Julia and her mother were still fresh on her mind. Without thinking, while glaring—the middle school student called out.

"Fujino! You…"

Shizuru turned, her eyes shone with uncertainty. Behind her Yukino (was that her name?) echoed the red head's sentiment.

The Kaichou's crimson eyes seemed serious; her overall self seemed to be in deep contemplation.

'Good let her think. She is the one that is in need of a counselor.'

Suddenly, the moment seemed to be shattered. Clapping her hands together, the clean yet once bloody naginata still in her hand; the crazy women merely said unseriously with that annoying airheaded smile, "Kanin na."

Nao felt herself nearly fall from where she was. Near her, both Yukino and Natsuki seemed to as well.

"That insane women…what does Kuga see in her?" The third year chuugokusei muttered to herself before she was interrupted.

-------------------------------

Destroyed with united strength of the twelve maidens of various ages, the HiME Star had disappeared. Now that it was finally over, everyone had dispersed; all of them left to go their separate ways. Mai had excused herself to feed her "adopted" sister; with Mikoto in her arms the orange haired girl had left. The others had soon followed.

Kuga Natsuki had nowhere to go. The realization had not hit until now when everyone had left. Her bike was trashed near the school—now that she thought about it—the decision to do so was poorly made. At the time it did seem like a good idea…

The school dormitory where she lived at, at the very least, her room was inhabitable—kudos mostly to Nao. The 17 year old first year sighed. For some odd reason, for once in her life she felt amazingly empty. All that she once strived for was suddenly…gone, into the air.

"Natsuki," a familiar said. Its voice came from behind her. The familiar drawl and the way that her name was so distinctively articulated spoke volumes about the owner.

She felt herself close her eyes. What was already ahead—no—behind her were two pathways in which she could choose to deal with this person. But this debate had been already concluded the moment she tried bringing anymore thought to it.

"Yes?" Natsuki heard herself say in a tone that portrayed an air as if nothing had ever happened between the two that had tested the bonds of their odd friendship when she had turned to face her.

Fujino Shizuru's demeanor was her usual serene one yet the younger of the two knew her friend well enough to see through the mask that almost completely hid the other's true emotions. The blue haired girl could perceive the tiny cracks that the mask did not hid; she could spot a flicker of hesitation and how the other's shocking crimson eyes did not fully meet her green ones.

There it was, that disarming calm smile that the older one put up to hide herself from the world. Natsuki could tell just from that incomplete smile the inner turmoil that was subject to the other's powerful feelings. The other's voice seemed stable with its melodic, heavy accented Kyoto-ben.

"It would seem that you have no where to go Natsuki," Shizuru said, voicing out what had been in the younger girl's mind.

With her own gentle smile Natsuki responded.

"Lead the way."

Somehow, with both of them "following" each other—as Shizuru seemed uncharacteristically reluctant in being ahead of Natsuki—they ended up at the half ruined school's Student Council Room. When entering the building Natsuki had visibly cringed at the sight of her bike that was once again broken. The moment when they went in, when the Kaichou had slid the nearly destroyed door was as far as it could close; Shizuru's face once again distorted. Natsuki could tell that years of her friend's upbringing had kept the other from expressing her emotions in the open had been broken; the tide of exuberant emotion once again consumed the brownish golden hair girl.

Uncomfortable with seeing her elegant friend in the state that she was: on the floor crying her heart out; Natsuki knelt down where Shizuru was and lightly embraced her. She without thinking stroked lightly the soft nearly golden brown head of her friend and whispered comforting phrases in the older girl's ear as the other sobbed. The very sound was raw with heavy emotions that had been harbored like an impenetrable fortress for years.

They were like that for a long time as if time had been frozen. Slowly had the taller girl's control over herself return, her weeping slowly became softer and softer and further apart.

Finally Shizuru spoke when the ability to do so was returned to her.

"Natsuki…I…kanin na…"

"It's ok Shizuru. I forgive you. It's all ok," the shorter girl whispered reassuringly.

"But I…all I have done…"

"It's ok."

"Natsuki," unable to say anything else, the taller one buried her head onto the other's shoulder, her arms gripping tightly to the other's body until her breathing had eventually evened out. Yet, despite the fact that she wanted to stay in Natsuki's arms, the still slightly teary eyed Kaichou broke contact with the other. Standing up, offering her hand to the other, Shizuru smiled her trademark smile—this time truly sincere—and said lightly.

"Kanin na Natsuki for getting your uniform all wet."

The air of sadness had been lifted from the atmosphere. Taking the offered hand, the younger one also stood up. Pouting cutely which caused Shizuru's small smile to widen, Kuga Natsuki replied gruffly.

"I don't want to hear another 'kanin na' from you. I'm sick of hearing that."

"Ara…kanin na Natsuki."

As expected, her friend's face contorted through as series of interesting expressions before the blue haired first year settled with her arms crossed angrily though a small smile on her slightly pale, china doll like face gave her away.

Shizuru moved to one of the still intact windows and looked to the outside world.

"Is it all over Shizuru?"

"I don't know."

The shifting rustle of movement behind her told the Kyoto born that Natsuki had sat down on her favorite seat in the Student Council Room—Shizuru's desk.

"So much had happened," Natsuki said out loud, as if to herself, "so much that I wonder if it would ever be the same."

Shizuru still had her back to her friend, enjoying the moment that they where sharing together. For, in this moment, Shizuru was bathed in a harmonious calm that existed after the raging battle. Her mind was clear, and for the first time in what seemed like an eternity—she felt clean and free from the wickedness that had plagued her.

"I don't know what to do now Shizuru—everything that has pushed, drove me to live my life—every incentive that existed in me has been cleared from me. I feel so free and unburdened from everything.

Even so… is it wrong to feel this way Shizuru? My mother…"

"I think Natsuki should live for herself," the other responded in a gentle, placid tone.

The blue haired 17 year-old looked up from her reflection. Smiling her timid smile that the Shizuru was the only one lucky enough to witness, Natsuki spoke a soft, "thank you."

It seemed so simple, the moment that they stood in. They enjoyed each other's strong presence that brought peace back to the other's souls. What had torn the strings of their friendship apart had now been woven tighter as the gray cloud of uncertainty had been lifted. In a sense, the things that were not spoken, things that had invoked doubt within each other had been resolved without words. Yet…

Gathering her thoughts the crimson eyes of Shizuru turned to meet understanding green ones before they were brought downwards. She had to get the burden off her chest.

"For Natsuki I would do anything…anything," her shoes were rather dusty and unclean to her dismay, "it hurt so much to see you recoil from my touch as if I burned you….at that time, all I could think of was you. I was so lost, broken hearted. Power corrupts…" she trailed off, not knowing how to complete her sentence.

Whispering softly, almost inaudible to the world, with pain in her voice she whispered, "I would destroy everything that hinders you."

"Why did I become so obsessed?" Her heavy accented voice asked, "what brought me to such insanity that caused me to stain my hands in so many people's blood? Was it my twisted omoi…? Natsuki. I'm happy that you forgive me but…if someone were ever to do something to you…I would likely do something similar."

Natsuki could not understand the depth of Shizuru's "suki" that the other had for her. She felt someone mystified and very flattered although confused how things had turned out the way they did. She remembered what she had said to Afro-san: how she didn't want to understand the love. Yet now, for Shizuru's sake she wanted to. Despite this, revenge lay heavy on her mind as well as her mother's "betrayal". She had only just been awakened from the dream she had been living. At the time the only thing she could do was comfort her friend.

Jumping smoothly from the table the younger of the two went to touch her friend's shoulder. It was her turn to be unable to the face the other; when she brought her back to the other, Natsuki broke the uneasy silence.

"Thank you for caring so much for me. I don't think I can fully understand at this time but your friendship is something I never want to lose. Without you, I don't know where I would be."

Smiling for she knew that nothing else was needed, from behind Natsuki, Shizuru wrapped her arms loosely around the other's waist.

"I am happy Natsuki thinks of me so."

She was about to let go when Natsuki suddenly retorted, "don't let go."

The Kyoto born girl's eyebrows were raised and in spite of the fact that she could not see the change of expression on Shizuru's face, Natsuki felt her own fall into the trademark blush that older girl had a knack for summoning to her face. Panicking, the blue haired girl stammered, "It's just—that I feel…comforted—ano your warmth…I…"

The crimson eyed girl's smile only widened and she squeezed her friend tightly, bringing the two of them in more intimate contact. This of course brought the blush to deepen on the green eyed first year. Natsuki really was far too cute.

"I am happy that Natsuki thinks of me so," she repeated, "if she wants then I will never let go."

-------------------------------

After filling her friend in one what had went on recently in Fuuka, Midori had wanted to pick up some things that were still on her desk. So she and Youko had went back to the high school to retrieve the papers that she wanted to grade—after all—without a doubt, the gakuen would start up again and be bustling in no time.

While traveling to the teacher's room and avoiding the broken shards of debris; the pair noticed the half closed, crooked Student Council Room's door. Struck by a wave of curiosity Midori had slid the door open. Immediately upon seeing what was there, Youko let out a sigh.

"That is far too adorable."

Midori could not help but to agree. In the corner of the half decimated room was Natsuki wrapped in the arms of Shizuru, sleeping peacefully. Shizuru, also asleep, had a pleasant grin of a well fed, content cat on her face.

Tugging on Youko's white doctor's coat, the self-proclaimed "17 year old" broke the silence.

"Com'on, let's get a blanket for those two. The last thing we want is for them to get sick—now isn't it?"

-------------------------------

…owari.

To the next chapter…whenever I put it up. I have a few pages already written and by the looks of it…it's going to be bigger than this one. I've originally planned this to be a one shot that dealt with everything but well…seeing how this one scene I imagined was so long…two chapters it will probably be. The third/final chapter is going to be an omake(extra) since it doesn't tie into the story and well…its just going to be very humorous and nothing more.

Now that I finished this, I don't know if I'm that happy with the chapter. It was definitely not what I had been expecting but oh well I guess. I hope that I got all the characters in character. Shizuru was really hard to write since I didn't want to mar her super Kaichou-coolness. Natsuki was easier since surprisingly…she acts a whole lot like me. Bunch of my friends actually pointed that out when we watched it.

I don't have a beta reader and my grammar is below par. Moved to the US in middle school…been working on it though if I had help it would be much appreciated. Yeah, thank you so much for reading this and a review or comment would be awesome.