Here goes nothing. This is another work of fan fiction being contributed to the rapidly growing Mai-HiME fan base. Although, I'm not a big fan of shoujo ai I find it finely balanced and well executed in the series. It's safe to assume that I somewhat... appreciate shoujo ai and yuri since I've seen the entire show (Mai HiME, anyway). Obviously, this is an AU story but I will try my best to retain the essence of the series that make it so popular in the first place. So yes, you can expect favorites such as Shizuru/Natsuki, Aoi/Chie, and of course, Haruka/Yukino. Though such relationships will strengthen--albeit slowly.

To put all of this in a nutshell, I hope you guys will enjoy it. And please tell a fool something when he makes glaring mistakes.

Disclaimer: Shit. I wished I was the creator of Mai-Hime... Enough said.

RATING: T or PG-13. It's a dark and gritty story with Haruka as the main protagonist. As lovely as she is you must tread carefully. Contents are violence, mild language, sexual innuendo and use of drugs. Hey, this is just another business day in the eyes of a private eye.

MAI HIME

AN EYE FOR A P. I.

PROLOGUE

The night is young, but slow. It was a quarter to midnight and most of the city was damp from the steady rain it had hours prior. This hasn't been my kind of week. Business was virtually nonexistent and the weather's been terrible since Monday afternoon. Damn, the sound of constant rain makes me sleepy. There was nothing to do. Since I wasn't making any money for now, I might as well spend a little.

"Oh! Haruka-chan!" My lifelong friend and partner called. "Maybe I should rent this." She held up a display box of 'Hard Candy' for me to see. It was a foreign film. "It was critically acclaimed as one of the best movies of the year and I hear mostly positive opinions about this one so far."

Right. We were at a video store.

"You can't just believe everything you read or hear, Yukino." I scoffed and folded my arms across my chest. "I mean, really, what does candy has to do with stationary rape?"

"Statutory." She chirped, correcting my slip.

I couldn't help but pout at her for helping me like that. She's been doing that all my life. Yukino returned a confident girlish smile at me. I guess she was determined to check out that movie. True, I am a fan of foreign films-- especially American movies, but I just didn't watch anything the comes before my eyes. Why, I wanted to see 'Lucky Number Sleven' for weeks now and I finally got the opportunity to rent it! I'll watch anything with Morgan Freeman starring in it. He's one of my favorite American actors.

"I guess I'm lucky," I said as I snatched the film from the shelves. "This is the last copy in the store."

Yukino giggled at the grin that appeared on my lips. "You've wanted to see that for a while now." She told me. "You better hope it was worth the wait."

"You bet it is." I replied. Dressed in a green sweater and black jeans, Yukino was a small, slender woman. She has been so since childhood. She's sort of an introvert and speaks very softly. Although she's not painfully shy, she is a very smart person. If it weren't for her my line of work would be much harder than it already is. Her hair is brown and is done in a quirky, yet stylish hairstyle. Her large eyes are brown and they were rimmed with small glasses. Her small face was littered with freckles-- especially in the center around her nose.

She's a living image of Velma from Scooby Doo... only she was far more appealing and she didn't utter 'jinkies' enigmatically (ahem, erratically).

"I guess two movies should do." Yukino informed me. She took a glance towards the horror section and looked back at me with a smirk on her face. Even though she was shy she was not at all afraid of horror movies. I, on the other hand, was downright terrified of them. Back in my youth, my mother messed around and let me saw the 'Exorcist' ... which left a horrible impression on me and then about a decade later I just so happened to watch 'The Nightmare on Elm Street' with Yukino. I've been traumatized by both.

So no. No horror movies.

"Let's get going," I remarked. "We've been here long enough." We made our way towards the checkout counter. I suddenly didn't feel right. Every since we've arrived here in the store nearly fifteen minutes ago there was a rather suspicious looking young man that was roaming both inside and outside the store. From time to time he would ask the guy who was working here a question about the availability of a video game and then he would hit on the girl that was working here. Apparently, the two employers were a couple.

"How long has he been in here?" I asked the handsome male.

"Haruka-chan!" Yukino chided. "That's none of our business."

Obviously, he wasn't paying much attention to the seemingly browsing costumer. "Hmm. I don't really know." He cupped his chin in thought.

"Hey, that's a really good selection you have there." The female said. I knew her. Her name was Akane. Despite her youthful appearance, she is two years older than I am. We've went to the same high school and all. "Would this do for tonight, Haruka-san?"

"Umm... yes." I answered uneasily, shifting my gaze back at the guy in the back of the store. He's been back there many times and now he's all shifty eyed. "Yea, this and Hard Candy." Yukino handed me her rental.

"Alright. Let me check your membership card." Said Akane. Now the guy in the back was heading towards us.

I whispered low enough only Yukino and Akane heard me. "I don't like this guy. He's acting weird."

"Haruka..." Yukino shushed me.

"Excuse me." The costumer said after a long time. "I would like to check what's in your inventory." By the sound of his voice and the way he looks he couldn't have been no more than eighteen. Heck, he's probably still in school. He should be at home and in bed. It was a school night after all.

The handsome employer perked up. "I'll give you a hand. Let's see what's in the drop box eh?"

The boy nodded. "That's won't do. I want to check out the cash register."

Did I just heard right? I'm only twenty-four and it's not time for that yet.

Yeah... I was right. He pulled out a gun. Whoop-de-do!

I knew it. It all added up: the skull cap, leather gloves, dark clothes, and the over-sized trench coat. We had a winner. The bastard said, "Hand me all your money! Now!"

Akane gasped and Yukino squealed. The attractive male and I raised our hands in the air.

"Just-- just calm down, sir." The male said. I could tell that he was reaching for a hidden silent alarm behind the counter. "I'll get the money for you."

Akane whipped her head at him in disbelief. "Kazu-kun?"

"Quiet! The both of you!" The robber demanded. "Just hurry it up and hand me the cash!"

Ahem...

"What do you call yourself doing?" I spoke to him at last.

His brow was now quirked and he slowly turned to gaze at me. "Excuse me?" He asked me harshly.

"I guess that you're trying to make a name for yourself huh?" I prodded, waist high in risk. "What made you decided to do this, hmm?"

"Listen lady, don't get fresh with me," he warns me. He pressed the revolver against my pert chest. The steel was cold and it tickled me through my indigo blouse. "Don't play with me. I'll riddle you with bullets. I don't care if you are pretty."

Check him out. "Thanks for the compliment, kid. But don't put yourself through this. Do you actually think that you are going to get away with this?" I kept talking. I knew he was bluffing. He was trembling slightly. "This place is full of hidden cameras. It's clear that you are the proprietor."

"Perpetrator." Yukino corrected me in a highly timid tone of voice.

"This is not the time, Yukino." I said in a sing-song voice, miffed.

"Who do you think you are lady?" The robber was irritated now. Good. I had him. "Don't you know that I am for real? I will blow a hole right through you!"

In an instant, I soundly knocked the gun from his extended hand. He didn't even see it coming. He gasped in shock as it flew to a far corner in the store. Akane hoped over the counter and went to retrieve it. "I am Detective Haruka Suzushiro." I revealed to him, enjoying the fear on his face. "Give it up. We're phoning the cops as I speak."

In his horrified eyes I could see now that they were becoming glazed with fury. "Why you...!"

I was counting on him to try a desperation attack. He brandished a pocket knife from his trench coat and he charged at me. That was foolish of him. I was adept in Judo, thanks to my mother. The main principle of Judo was to use your opponent's force against him or her. As he closed in he tried to swipe at my face but I ducked the attempt and used some strength the lift him over my head and tossed him into a shelf of used movies for sale. He crumbled in a unconscious heap on the floor.

It was too easy, but it was the most interesting moment of the night.

"That was impressive." 'Kazu' praised.

"It was nothing." I replied. "All in a day's work."

Akane returned to the counter with the offending weapon. "I tried to warn him." She quipped.

"That's Haruka-chan for you." Yukino giggled. "It's just like her to go all out like that."

Moments later, a police car appeared at the front of the store. And out of the bucket with the flashing lights on the top of it was two officers I used to work alongside back in the good ole days. The confident and well-groomed Reito 'Rad' Kansaki and the lone wolf, Natsuki Kuga. I knew Reito from college. He's smart, athletic, and he was indeed a ladies' man. He was the Japanese Adonis. He stands six feet even and he has a slim yet muscular body. He's always the hard worker, he has a good sense of humor and he was very optimistic. He charmed the hell out of me and countless other women.

"I guess the dirty work has already been done." He said in a cool voice.

"Uh huh." The raven haired partner said. "Out cold."

"Go on ahead and cuff him, Kuga." He instructed the younger woman. "I'll put this offense on file." He took out a notepad and began scribbling it.

"Damn." Kuga was looking at the offender's school I.D. "He's only a kid. Seventeen years old."

I didn't met Natsuki until I started working for the local police. Even now she seems pretty much mysterious as she was when I first met her. She's very pretty but she's a little rough around the edges. She even speaks with a somewhat butch voice. She's not bashful like Yukino but she is socially isolated. She keeps a lot to herself and yet she does speak her mind. Physically, it shouldn't be hard for her to catch a man. "Say, what are you looking at?" She asks me.

She caught me looking a bit too hard-- wondering. "Nothing much." I joked.

"Smart ass..." She muttered.

Ah, that's Natsuki for ya. She didn't changed a bit. But really, she's a nice woman deep down inside. She... just needs to borrow further. She gets a lot of unwanted attention from the men on the force as I recall. Sporting long raven hair that's so dark that it's almost blue. Her hairstyle was without bangs and it accented her cute, infantile forehead. She is a girl of nice build. Although her chest is kind of demure, she was svelte and she has a noticeable round butt. I don't swing that way but I'm relaying the facts.

"You roughed the kid up pretty badly." Reito was saying. "Still got that temper huh, Haruka?"

"Ha. Not really, I just chunked him like a rock, that's all." I rested my hands on my hips. "You could say I roughed him up. It's the reason why I quit the force."

Natsuki had a grin on her face. "What? You wanted to assault heathens or something?"

"Nah." I relayed to the tomboy. "I rather beat the crap out of an offender than shooting him when he gets out of hand. I'm not violent, honest." I flashed her a triumphant smile. Kuga looked like she wants to burst into laughter.

The weather was making up again. I heard thunder in the distance. Great. Yukino exited the store and went to the sport utility vehicle. "I'll join you in a minute, Yukino." I told her before she was inside the vehicle. I reverted my attention back to the two officers. "Nice night, eh guys?"

"I know, right?" Natsuki lifted the comatose teenager on her shoulder and headed outside. "Don't let this take all night."

"I swear you guys are so much alike it isn't funny." Reito chuckled, allowing his dreamy eyes to meet mine. "How are you faring tonight?"

"I'll hang in there." I told him. "Business is a little slow so I decided to hop to the video store and grab a few movies. It's better than snacking on stale donuts and watered down coffee in the after hours. Don't you think?"

Reito laughed. "Ah. You got jokes huh? Same old Haruka."

"You better believe it." I laughed along with him. Akane and her boyfriend were closing the store and they both looked at us as if we were high. "Maybe we should get a move on." I said sheepishly with a blush of embarrassment.

"I agree." Reito acquiesced and left the store along with me. I could see Yukino was trying her best to stay awake in the passenger seat. "I know that you're ready to call it a night, Haruka." Said the charmer. "So I'll get right down to business."

I rose a brow, "And that would be?"

"Tomorrow's my day off. An entire day with free time on my hands. So... I'm asking you would you like to join me for brunch tomorrow."

What did he just said. "Really?"

"We can get together for dinner as well." What was he trying to do? Was Reito trying to rekindle what we had in college? Sure I dated him a couple of times, but... "You can bring your friend along as well. Everything will be on me."

Okay. This is getting interesting. "And why should I?"

"Hey, there's that Mexican restaurant that you always enjoyed dining at." Hey conned. Damn him!

"Alright then." I agreed. "But no funny stuff. Besides, you're going to have Natsuki under your spell pretty soon."

Reito took a moment to take a quick glance at the said woman in the police car. Figures... she was in her own world. She had a Nintendo DS in her hands and from the sound of it she was playing New Super Mario Bros. Hey, who don't love Super Mario? "Ah... Kuga's sort of a tough nut to crack." He whispered. "Besides, I believe she finally has someone in her life."

What? This was news to me. Kuga, you go girl! "That goes to show you that even you cannot charm every pretty woman that you see. That hurts doesn't it?" I quipped.

"I haven't even tried." Reito admitted. "Knowing her, she'll probably beat even me in a fair fight."

"Yeah. Whatever. Just be ready for our brunch tomorrow." I pointed out.

"I anticipate it highly, dear Suzushiro." He replied, making his voice smooth.

"I warn you. I'll get the most expensive selections on the menu." I joked.

"Is that so?" He smirked at me. "Bring it on then."

We went out separate ways, he went to his police car and I went to my Lincoln. I better get home. It was drizzling again.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR SUZUSHIRO

We arrived at our apartment eighteen minutes after one a.m. and I thought I should check what's on the cable before I crash. I lead my drowsy roommate to her room and the moment she hit the bed she was snoring. Yukino was a rough sleeper for as long as I remember. I went to the refrigerator but I decided against getting a snack. Yukino recently said that I was putting on some weight. Pfff! What does she know? My tummy's just as flat as an ironing board.

I flopped on the couch and turned on the television. There was an action movie on.

'"It's clobbering time!"

The Fantastic Four. An internationally know group of comic book superheroes... adapted to a live action movie. I never seen it before but I think it's going to be good. Besides, my dad used to tell me that he grew up watching Fantastic Four on television when he was a kid in the sixties. Back then, the nation was still recovering from the Second World War and North America has become the biggest partner in trade. Marvel was one of the many wonders from the West.

Just as Johnny Storm was about to attempt a seemingly suicidal stunt on his bike, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I fished it out and realized that someone has left me a text message. It was from an friend of mine...

Chie Harada.

I read the text, I have something that you may be interested in. Call me back.

So that's what's up? I dialed her number. I knew that she was still up this time of night.

"Yeah, run your mouth." Chie answered.

"You run yours." I quipped as a reply. "You the one that have something that I may be interested in." I could hear jazz music and the sound of pool sticks. She was up at a jazz pub. Something I haven't went to in years.

"Of course I do. Hold on." I heard her took a shot on a pool table and I hear someone said 'damn!' "Alright, alright, pay up the twenty-five thousand, loser. Hey boy! Stop tapping that pool stick against my butt or I'll snap your skinny ass like a twig."

I wanted to laugh, "Sounds like you're having a lot of fun."

"You could say that. Although these guys apparently never seen a woman playing pool before and they don't know how to act." Chie said with amusement in her voice. "I'm getting rich off these guys and I'm not even a hooker."

"So, what did you have to tell me?" I inquired.

"Oh that... well, I have a case for you and you have business." That lifted my mood completely. Yes! Private Eye Suzushiro is back!

"It's about time." I said. "It's been quiet for over a week now."

"Well, how about we meet at 'The Taste of Mexico restaurant tomorrow at noon." Chie informed. " I can discuss details to you then. Meanwhile, I have to show these boys how to play some pool. I'll see you tomorrow, girl."

She hung up and I was ecstatic. However... there's a bit of a problem...

I was suppose to meet Reito there for brunch tomorrow.

"Damn!" I bellowed aloud.

END OF PROLOGUE

Now hiring for a beta. Anyone interested? Please...