Hello everybody. I am posting here a small one-shot which is an attempt to describe what is happening inside Shizuru's dream at the moment that we see her blushing while sleeping in episode 4 of Mai Hime.

I must admit it's been a while since I wrote anything ShizNat related so I'm a bit rusty. English is not my native language so please bear with all my grammatical mistakes! :o)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shizuru or Natsuki or any of the Mai Hime characters mentioned in the story. Sunrise does.

Rated M: Just in case :P

INTO HER DREAMS

The Great Hall was crowded that night. There were people gathered from all the corners of the Japanese world, just to attend the ball given by the royal family. Shizuru was between them; she had just arrived and was already swarmed by dozens of fans and admirers. Dressed in her finest purple dress, having long gloves reaching up to her arms and hair tied up into an elegant hairdo, she was certainly the most beautiful and astonishing presence in the hall.

Nevertheless, Shizuru seemed nothing like satisfied with the effect she had with the people around her. She didn't need any of this, to say the truth. What she was expecting for though, was far from possible to happen that night. She knew that she hated this kind of crowded gatherings...

"Shizuru -sama! You look amazing tonight!" the sound of a love-struck fangirl reached her ears and the chestnut haired girl did her best to smile. She wouldn't like to give away her emotions, especially at a moment as this. With slow lady-like movements she took off her gloves and held them in her hand while with her other she accepted a drink offered by one of the girls.

"Who will be your escort tonight?" another fangirl asked, looking at Shizuru with such adoration that she would expect her eyes to be replaced by big beatings hearts in any moment.

"Ara, I didn't think of that. Does that mean that you offer to be my partner?" Shizuru said looking intensely at the girl's eyes, almost making the younger girl faint under her gaze. The other fangirls were staring at them with envy, cursing mentally the girl's luck to have the purple lady flirt with her like that.

"I... I wouldn't..." the girl muttered and turned dark red, amusing Shizuru with her reaction even more.

"Yes?" Shizuru said and she brought her face a bit closer to the girl's, just a tiny change that had the most visible effect on the younger girl. She was turning purple and she was captured by Shizuru's crimson gaze, the council president's soft voice sounding like melody to her ears.

And suddenly, Shizuru's playfully expression vanished. In fact, it hid behind something else, an emotion that didn't usually appear on the tall girl's face: astonishment. Her attention was attracted by someone else, who was standing behind the rapidly blushing fangirl.

Natsuki was dressed in a black tuxedo, her blue hair nicely falling on her shoulders, hansomely dressed in clothes that suited her and made her irresistable for Shizuru. The kaicho was surprised in the most pleasant way to see her friend there, when she was starting to abandon every hope to spend the evening with her. A small smile appeared on the taller girl's face, while her eyes were glowing with a red shine.

"My lady." Natsuki said and made a step between the excited fangirls who were staring at the beautiful pair. As she stood in front of Shizuru she knelt on her one knee and held Shizuru's hand in hers, placing a small kiss on it.

"Ara, who could have thought that I would meet you here?" Shizuru said, with that playful tone in her voice, making Natsuki's cheeks get a light pink shading.

The blue haired girl stood up and looked a bit to the side, obviously not comfortable in saying what was in her mind.

"I learned that you were here so I came to..."

"What did Natsuki say?" Shizuru said grinning at Natsuki, who was still so embarrassed of expressing her feelings to her.

"I- ehm... I would like to..." Natsuki's voice faded away just as she noticed that there were dozens of eyes staring at them with excitement and curiosity. She started getting irritated, when even at such a moment she couldn't have some privacy.

"Come!" she said, glaring at the fangirls, grabbing her friend's hand and dragging her on the dancing floor, no sign visible anymore of the earlier courtesy that she showed. Many pairs were already dancing, the beautiful melodic music filling the whole room, offering fast rhythm for the dancers to move with.

"I didn't know you could dance." Shizuru mused in a teasing tone drawing more pink on the blue haired girl's face.

"I had a few lessons." Natsuki replied and avoided looking at Shizuru's eyes.

"You look really handsome tonight, Natsuki" Shizuru said and started swirling with Natsuki in a fast paced dance.

"Thank you. You look beautiful too." replied Natsuki and afrer a small pause she added "In fact you are the most beautiful girl in the whole room."

"Natsuki." the kaicho started but she didn't finish what she had in mind of saying. Was Natsuki really interested in her in that kind of way? This was all so dreamy, it was hard for her to believe that it was really happening. Natsuki's hold around her waist tighened and it was Shizuru's turn to blush in a light pink color that made her adorable to her friend's eyes.

"Shizuru, you are the best thing that happened to me. I don't think I could really live without seeing you every day, or hearing your voice. Please don't you ever forget that."

Natsuki's hand was sweaty and she looked as if she gathered all her courage to say what was troubling her the last days, expressing her feelings towards the older girl who was dancing with her.

"You are my best friend and a lot more than that." she managed to say and finally decided to look into Shizuru's eyes to see that red flame burning in their depths. Without any of them noticing, their faces had moved closer to each other. There wasn't much distance separating them anymore and they both were aware of that. Their feet had stopped, while everyone else around them continued to swirl with the music, as if they were all protecting them from unwanted gazes.

"I love you Natsuki." Shizuru said, speaking out the words that were burning Natsuki's chest. Natsuki's face took the most relieved expression and she gave a genuine happy smile to her best friend.

"Not as much as I love you Shizuru." she said and slowly leaned towards her friend. Shizuru's heart was almost leaping out of her chest, the most dreamed moment was just arriving, a kiss with Natsuki was offered and she would gladly accept it. She placed her warm palm on the other girl's cheek and then... the music stopped. The dancers weren't swirling anymore and a bunch of girls stormed towards the hugged pair and got their hands on Shizuru.

"Shizuru-sama, the prince asked to meet you!" Their voices, full of excitement and mostly their hands, pulling away Shizuru from Natsuki were never as annoying to the kaicho as they were at this moment. They seemed to be so many, pulling her and dragging her away, shouting in enjoyment and Natsuki was just a figure, standing there, calling her name. Soon the figure was hidden behind people and the only feeling left for Shizuru was the warmth of their embrace, still wrapping her body, just as Natsuki's arms did a few moments ago.

"The prince will see you now. Please wait here." said the old lady who was expecting her at the entrance of another room, right next to the Great Hall. The fangirls were no longer present, she was alone there with that unknown woman and soon another one came in, only that this one was not as old. She was a girl around Shizuru's age with long blond hair and an expression full of anger.

"What do you think you are doing here? Bubuzuke onna!" the girl said and lifted her fist up in the air with force. "Don't you think that we didn't see what you did with that friend of yours out there? And you dare appear to the prince with such a flushed face! I won't allow that! The justice shall be restored!"

Shizuru's hands reached her burning cheeks the same exact moment that another girl entered the room, this time a girl short brown hair and glasses, who placed her hands on the blonds' back and talking to her in low, soft and calm voice.

"Haruka-chan, we really should leave or else we will be late", she said and started pushing the blond towards the exit, who shouted something sounding like 'not forgiven' and then stormed out of the room, having the other girl rushing behind her.

As Shizuru realized at that very moment, she was alone in the room. Why was she waiting in here when the only person she wanted to be with was out there? She didn't care at that moment for any prince or whatsoever. For her whole life she hid herself behind that mask, but now there was no need for that. The truth was more than beautiful for her to hide it like that. 'Natsuki loves me.' she whispered to herself, these words sounding so strange in her own ears.

She started walking towards the door, she had no reason to stand in an empty room anyway but her way was blocked by Reito. Reito, who was dressed into a nice tuxedo and looked absolutely aristocratic.

"Wouldn't it be rude to go now? The prince is waiting for you." he said and bringing his fingers on his chin he added "Besides Kuga-san left the Great Hall a while ago."

"Are you sure?" Shizuru asked. Could it be that she had hurt Natsuki? She should go find her and apologize to her. Natsuki came to be with her and Shizuru had left her alone and now she was waiting in a room for a prince. She didn't give a damn about that prince.

"I must find her." she said in a worried tone and walked fast but her way was interrupted by Reito who blocked the doorway with his tall body. Shizuru didn't have time for games though. She was determined to meet again her beloved friend.

"Let me pass-" she started in an angry tone but before she had time to finish her sentence another voice sounded behind her.

"The prince will see you now." The same old woman that was standing there earlier appeared again, next to another doorway that Shizuru would swear that didn't exist a few seconds ago.

Within a moment she was alone again and now weirdly the only door to the place she was standing in was leading into the prince's private chamber. There was no way out, only thing she could do was walk ahead and meet the prince. She didn't intend to discuss any matter with him; she wasn't in the mood for chatting anyway.

Determined to get over with it as fast as possible she entered the chamber and scanned the room for another presence. The prince was standing next to the large window, looking out at the clear sky. His back was turned towards Shizuru and she couldn't see his face. Only his hair, dark blue and tied together with a blue ribbon.

She approached him and bowed elegantly, gesture unseen by the royal eyes.

"Your highness..." she said with voice soft which hid a tone that gave away that she was on a hurry, that she would prefer running after her loved one than making acquaintances with the prince.

"Isn't the moon beautiful?" said the prince with an unexpectedly female voice that reached Shizuru's ears as the most beloved and beautiful sound ever heard. Natsuki? The chestnut haired girl walked slowly, approaching the prince and staring at the beautiful face with a loving expression.

Yes the moon was beautiful but nothing could compare to her Natsuki, her prince. She didn't answer the question; she replied something that was more of a realization.

"It was you all along." the kaicho said with a whispering voice.

Natsuki turned around and hugged Shizuru. The sound of music playing in the Great Hall was reaching the royal chamber as a distant melody, the moon was lighting the pair through the open window and the embrace was full of emotions that were ready to be freed, desires that were too long suppressed to be ignored. It was the perfect moment for what Shizuru was longing for, a kiss, the real proof of their love.

They moved closer, still embraced. Crimson red sinking into emerald green as their lips were almost touching. Bringing her hand on the back of her friend's head, Shizuru brushed her lips on her friends' ones, filling herself with that intoxicating feeling, a sensation addictive as a drug. The light touch became contact and now they were kissing with passion, devotion, love, affection - everything they were keeping within offered in a single kiss.

"So this means that you want me?" said teasingly the beautiful purple lady, but instead of a reply she received another kiss. A deep passionate kiss that was... cruelly interrupted.

It was only a dream. The realization hit Shizuru the same exact moment that Shizuru opened her eyes. The whole magic atmosphere, the warm emotions, the passionate contact were all in her dream. She was alone in her dark room, cheeks flushed with dark pink color and still feeling Natsuki's arm wrapped around her body, her lips on hers.

The girl closed her eyes trying to fight the sad emotions that surfaced as she found herself alone. She closed her eyes and did her best to remember every single detail of that beautiful dream. Soon, the sad expression was replaced by a wide grin as she was recalling Natsuki's figure clad in that tuxedo. Attractive, handsome, sexy figure... such a pity to let a nice dream like that go to waste, she thought and with a satisfied smirk she turned around in her futon, determined to continue the dream from the point where it stopped.

The End.~