characters are ooc…

Disclaimer: NOT MINE! Don't own Mai Otome/Hime

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Chapter 1:

There she was again…

The noise of the market place receded and the colorful clouds became a blur as Shizuru Viola paused inadvertently, her attention captured and held, her awareness to the woman so intense that it took up her entire consciousness and she didn't even notice that she had lost Nao.

She was struck less by the coincidence of seeing her again so soon, as Kathmandu was a small city. A tiny bubble of excitement was growing, in conflict with a gathering sense of disturbance that was almost foreboding, as if in some way the woman threatened her.

It was strange, both exhilarating and unnerving, to find herself reacting to a woman in this way after the frozen years in which she had been oblivious to all emotional and physical temptation. It was like an awakening from a long, cold sleep, and it caused a feeling of guilt as she realized what was happening to her, as if she committed a betrayal, although she had always known that her long mourning must one day ease and end, even if the bitterness of her loss never quite left her.

It was inevitable. She was young and healthy, and the woman was the most arrestingly female creature she had ever seen.

Shizuru knew she was staring, but she couldn't help herself. Khaki jeans and black shirt clad a frame exuding an impression of controlled strength. Power was in those shoulders and the head covered in midnight-blue tresses was carried at an angle denoting utter self-confidence and an unconscious pride. The carved profile was a little bit arrogant and her bearing was that of a woman who exercised authority as a right.

Was that why she felt threatened? The woman was one who would command, perhaps even dominate. She would be a demanding lover-------

Shizuru flushed slightly at discovering herself thinking of a perfect stranger in such a context, and it was as if the sensuality of her fantasizing reached out and betrayed her, because it was at that moment that the woman turned and looked at her.

It was as it had been yesterday up at the monkey temple. Deep, green eyes assessed her with little mercy for her sudden discomfort. It was a ruthless inspection without being hostile, and her quickened breath caught in her throat. It was a moment of panic, but also of knowledge, and she felt her blood heat at the awareness the woman found her desirable.

The glimmer of a smile appeared, gleaming on the woman's mouth. It was a beautiful mouth, the mouth of a passionate lover, and the energy of her virility seemed to reach out and claim Shizuru without even stirring from where she stood.

Suddenly Shizuru was frightened, as by the way the woman seemed to mark her as hers simply by just standing there and looking at her.

It was too soon. She wasn't ready.

Shizuru thrust her shaking hands into the pockets of her jacket, while her inner muscles clamped, clenching as if to deny the woman ownership. With the reserve back in her deep crimson eyes once more, she looked away from her with as much disregard she could summon. The brunette was aware of the flash of anger in those green eyes and the tightening of her features as she marked the rejection that was a denial of the instantaneous awareness that had flared between them on both occasions that they had stood looking at each other in crowded public places.

The first encounter had been as silent and as explicit as today's, ending similarly, and it had taken Shizuru hours to rid her mind of the woman. A thousand questions had teased her—who she was, where she came from, what she's doing in Kathmandu and if she had a woman in her life. She had a companion yesterday, younger than she was, with blue eyes and equipped with one of the most expensive cameras available, which had Shizuru to wonder if they were tourist. They didn't have that air, but the woman, her woman, had apparently been pointing out things of interest to the younger.

Today, however, she alone and Shizuru wondered what she was doing in the market place.

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This might be too short for your liking and probably you have the vaguest idea where I'm going with this. . .

I do want to read your reactions however, so if it's not too much of a hassle drop a line a line or two…XD