Disclaimer
I, Shirogami, would like to state here, that I don't own any character of Mai-HiME Animation I used in this latest fan-fiction of mine. However, I do own this storyline.
This story was written with some minor changes from the animation itself, so please bear with its inconvenience.
Please enjoy this story and R&R. NO FLAME IS WELCOMED HERE. In the mean time, I am not a good English writer, so please be tolerate if there are (?) many grammar mistakes. Thank you very much.
P.R.I.N.C.E
By Shirogami
If time never dies, I will protect you with the rest of mine.
Monday
It is the same morning for the second day of the week. As the day is dawning and the sun shines its light upon the land, everyone is preparing for the start of the day. Along the street you even notice some hardworking teenagers are doing part-time job by delivering newspapers.
And Tokiha Mai is one of them.
After she earned a scholarship and transferred to her new school a month ago with her only family – her little sickly brother, Tokiha Takumi, Mai now bears the responsibility of a mother as well to earn income for daily expenses and expensive medical fees for his heart disease treatment. Fortunately, unlike other teenage girls who love fame and wealth more than anything else, Mai prefers respectable way to being a part-timer as restaurant waitress and newspaper delivery.
"Fuh, I guess that's all for today. Ah, good morning, mister, here's your paper." Mai stops by a grocery store and greets its owner along with the last copy of the newspaper. She eases off the helmet and flips it behind her, and slowly sweeps her orange hair with her other hand to loosen them so her head will feel more refreshed. Her flying sweat shine like crystal in the air, reflected by the golden sunshine from her back.
Mai gives a small breath, checks the basket in front of her bicycle and smiles happily. As a part-timer, nothing cheers more than able to finish the job earlier and takes the payment as soon as possible. She drinks some water from the bottle she kept in the basket. The water slipped out from her fast gulping slowly sliding down to her chin, then along her neck until her breast. All of her movement may looks normal for a teenager, but not for a middle-aged shopkeeper who is watching her now with a light blush on his cheek.
After she finished, Mai twists the bottle cap and looks at her watch. "Okay, time for school. Good day, mister." As soon as she leaves the grocery store and guns back to hostel, a dark shadow slowly appears from the alley and observes her target wickedly.
I found you, Tokiha Mai
It's 7.30 am in the same morning, and also another starting day for the students of Fuuka Academy.
LOVE, IS NOT ALLOWED.
The very first rule which stated loudly and clearly for every student of Fuuka Academy but some of them just don't buy it and date secretly.
Right around the corner of the school, near a small garden planted with various flowers, a pair of couple is talking in secret.
Unfortunately, they are not lovers.
"So, there is still no sign of another Orphan?" Kuga Natsuki, a long, marine-blue haired HiME with a cool character, is standing under the tree and asking the gardening teacher before her.
"Nothing for now, everything seems fine for the time being." The gardening man answers, while he lifts up his spectacles and wipes his face with the towel that rung on his neck. "But isn't it good enough, Kuga? No battle, and peaceful place to live."
"Hmph! Not for me." Natsuki starts to walk away since there is nothing she can get.
At the same time, a teenage boy, dressed in white shirt and light brown slacks, looses several of his shirts' buttons and reveals the crimson singlet under it. Many girls passed by the stranger will take a second look for his obvious yellow spiky hair followed a long ponytail reaches his waist. He is around six feet tall, which fits well along with his firm abdomen and broad shoulder. On his back he carries a club bag and a normal square school bag with his left arm. There is a luggage next to him too.
His jet black eyes observe the metal plate that planted on the red brick pillar next to the entrance gate.
FUUKA ACADEMY
He slowly takes out a handkerchief and wipes his sweating forehead. "Man, this is hot." He complains the bad weather, but he behaves seriously after he looks at the envelope with 'To Director Kazahana Mashiro' written on it.
"But, if she can help me as 'she' said, this may worth it." The teenager stretches out both of his arms and twists his head a bit. "Well, let's pay the director a visit, shall I?" then he pulls the bag's belt tighter to his shoulder and starts walking. Just when he almost reaches the corner of the pillar, a person bumps him from behind and starts to fall down by his side.
"Huah" A female voice catches his attention. The teenager let goes all his holdings on impulse, and reaches out his left hand to catch the person, while the other arm grabs the pillar to support himself.
"Ah I am saved." The person is Mai, and she is rushing to the school because she is almost late. She feels relieved at first, but stands up quickly after she noticed a stranger was catching her arm and staring at her.
"Are you… alright?" the teenager's cheek blushes when his eyes are in contact with hers.
"Yes, I am. Thank you." Then Mai glances at her watch. "Oh, my God! I am late, please excuse me!"
"Wait! Do you know where the director's office is?" he asks while watching she goes.
"It's a huge house far right to that direction, across a large garden, you will see it." Mai points to the right while she is running far enough.
"Thank… thank you." The teenager yells the last word with his palm hold by his mouth, acts like a speaker. Then he takes his stuff and keeps walking towards the direction Mai had pointed him to.
"Mai, are you okay? You seem so tired." Higurashi Akane, one of Mai's classmates, asks after she noticed the panting girl took her seat.
"I'm fine. It's just Mikoto, she was sick this morning." Mai lies herself on the desk and gives a relieved sigh, then closes her tiring eyes, wishing she can take a nap right now.
"That energetic Mikoto? Now that's NEWS. What happened?" Mai's another friend, Harada Chie, adjusts her unique small rectangle glasses and wants to hear more, while her buddy, Senou Aoi tends to hear too.
"Stomachache, resulted from couldn't wait for my breakfast and ate the whole piece of ham… uncooked." Mai covers her face when she remembers Mikoto vomited many times before she finally gave up and let Mai took her to the nearest clinic.
"So, where is she now?" Akane concerns and keeps asking.
"Resting at home. Don't worry. She is resilient, you know her." Mai returns her friends a convincing smile.
"I hope so." Akane finishes the conversation, as the teacher is entering the classroom.
"So, this is the reason you're sent here." The director of the Fuuka Academy, Kazahana Mashiro, talks softly to the spiked-haired teenager that is standing still in front of her right now. She folded the letter and put on her limp legs, along with the envelope had her name written on it. While her maid, Himeno Fumi, serves tea on the table next to them, Mashiro observes the teenager carefully.
"Yes, Director Kazahana." The teenager answers with full of respect, as he knew she is worth for it, although he cannot believe what he is seeing.
But, when he is looking into her eyes, he ensures himself that her thinking is far more 'intelligent' for a child in her age, even him too.
"Please ease yourself, if what written in this letter is true, then I shall have no reason to stop you…" After a short silence, Mashiro finally speaks and unfolds the letter again to catch his name, "Keiji, am I right?"
"Yes, and for the unique reason, I have to change my name to Akitoh Keiji. I hope you understand my situation." Keiji quickly bows and hoping his request won't be a hard one.
"That won't be a problem, name registration is a paper work. What's more important is…" Mashiro's mouth mumbles some last words along with her uncertainty look upon him.
After Keiji heard her worries, he raises his head with a smile and answers her, "I understand. But if you have faith in 'her', Director Kazahana, please do the same to me as well."
"Of course, 'she' sent you after all." Mashiro finally decides to believe him. "You can leave your luggage here, I will get some man to sent it to your new room." Mashiro hands over a piece of paper to him, "This will be the address."
"Thank you, Director Kazahana, for allowing my ridiculous request." Keiji gives a low bow again. "I think I shall go for my first class now, time is running."
Before Keiji gets his bags and leaves the guest room, Mashiro stops him and asks for something she is still wondering until now.
Keiji looks back to the director, forces himself a smile and gives her a certain and satisfying answer.
"Did you hear that? We got a transferred student today!" Some female students start gossiping before the next section of class starts
"Another after Yuichi…" Mai thinks when she heard the rumors. Tate Yuichi, another male student who was transferred at the same time with Mai, had always been the person she always quarrels with, but the more they fight, the more they become closer and understand each other. They are not lover though, but only time can tell.
Currently, Yuichi is leaving to participate Kendo competition as school representative.
"Really?" The gossip continues.
"I am damn sure! And I bet he will be here by any minute!" Chie acts cool and answers.
Huh? Mai starts wondering.
"Did you just say 'he'?" Some girls are getting excited.
"Yup." Chie adjusts her glasses until a spark shines on it.
"Ah I just hope he is handsome" A girl holds her palms together and prays.
"Not the one I just bumped on this morning!" Mai touches her lips with her fingertips and wonders.
"Mai-san? Something wrong?" Akane notices Mai's reaction and asks.
"Huh? No, I am okay, hahaha..." Mai closes her eyes and smiles.
The sliding door of the class is opened slowly and students are returning to their own seats. Two figures enter the class and one of them is carrying bags with him.
"Students, today we had a new student today. Introduce yourself please." The teacher looks at the spiky haired boy and leaves the self-introduction to himself.
"Good afternoon, my name is Akitoh Keiji. Please to meet you." Keiji writes his name as 'winter-far-celebrate-second' in Kanji on the blackboard behind him and finishes with a bow. His ponytail slides slowly over his shoulder.
"He may not handsome as we expected… but his hairstyle is so cool." Keiji barely hears the talk.
"Keiji-kun will be studying with us for a week," The teacher states out Keiji's situation "He is in the middle of experiencing different schools' environment before he confirms his studying place. So be friendly with him, okay?"
"What? Only a week?" Some female students shout out. "That's too short!"
"Too short for what?" The teacher stares at the questioning group and asks.
"N… nothing, nothing at all, hahaha…" the female group forces themselves a smile and avoid further questions.
Like a culture of any studying place, the new student will be given the opportunity for the class to ask him question, sort of orientation session.
"Then, Akitoh-san, what is your interest?"
"Martial arts, mainly Kendo and Taekwondo."
"Do you have any level?"
"I just started Kendo, but I am a black belt in Taekwondo."
"Favorite music and artist?"
"R&B shall hit my taste, but I don't mind enjoy Pop as well. Favorite artist huh… Hirai Ken, Nakahara Mai, Chiba Saeko, and umm… Minami Kuribayashi also not bad. "
Both Mai and Natsuki react by looking at Keiji when they heard the names.
"Any girlfriend?"
"Excuse me?" Keiji is surprised to hear it.
"Come on, or you are married?" the whole class laughs.
"No, Neither a wife nor girlfriend for me right now."
"That's mean you are available? Lucky!" A female eases him. Keiji can feel a giant sweat is breeding behind his head.
"Students, skip those nonsense, will you?" The teacher finally decides to stop the orientation and points the seat besides Tokiha Mai. "Keiji-kun, there will be your seat for the time being."
"Thank you, teacher."
"Akitoh-san, right? I am Tokiha Mai, please to meet you." Right after the class finished, Mai introduces herself to Keiji.
"Please call me Keiji, Tokiha-san. We are classmates after all. And be free to correct me if I occur any mistake." Keiji bows lightly.
"No, no, it is I who should be corrected. And you can call me Mai, it sounds more friendly." Mai returns a bow as well. "And… about this morning, I am really sorry."
"It's okay, Mai-san. It is you I concerned, had you injured yourself anywhere?"
"Thanks to your nimble catch, I am okay. Well, I guess you are not bluffing about your ability after all."
"It's just my luck." After Keiji packed his things in the bag, he starts to leave. "Would you excuse me, I am going to visit the Student's Council, the director wants me to report myself to them after the class."
"Let me guide you then, I know the place." Mai offers help like she always did to the others.
"Thank you, Mai-san. I am counting on you then." Keiji takes his bags and tends to shake hand with her.
"Leave it to me, Keiji-kun." Mai replies with her usual smiley face and shakes his hand.
"Damn, he had contacted with her. This will be far more difficult than I thought." A dark figure observes Keiji and Mai from a tree and curses for the unfortunate situation. "I think I need a plan."
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" a female shouts at it from below, followed with a click of the trigger.
The dark figure leaps and slowly lands on the ground like a feather, her sight is locking on the gunner. She smiles wickedly and says, "Well, well, isn't it the famous Kuga Natsuki? Please to meet you."
Natsuki observes her target carefully; the figure is dressed in total ebony tight leather suit like a biker. She is slim but B-cup breast size had acknowledged her sex, her purple iris with black pupil is in contact with hers, although they are slightly covered by her crimson bang. Natsuki raises her pistol and aims at her. "Who are you? And how do you know my name?"
The figure says nothing but smirks, slowly dark aura is generating around her body. Within a blink it went disappeared before Natsuki can open fire. Leaving her laughs echoes around her surroundings.
After Mai had directed Keiji to the Student's Council's room, she leaves for her other part-time at restaurant. He knocked the door and a male student who wears dark blue school uniform answers him.
"So you are the new transfer, please to meet you. I am Kanzaki Reito, a third grade and the co-president of the Student's Council." After he invites Keiji into the room, Reito introduces himself and points at the girl with hazel hair, "And she is our president".
"I am Fujino Shizuru, a third grade too, please to meet you." Shizuru sips her green tea before she continues. "Keiji-kun, I had heard about you from Director Kazahana. I hope you will have an unforgettable memory during your study." Shizuru pours another cup of green tea and passes to Keiji.
"Thank you very much." Keiji holds the cup with both of his hands – left palm support the bottom and the right one holds it by side. He spins the cup and drinks the served tea slowly until it is finished. After he spins it again and puts it back on the table, he compliments that it is a nice tea.
"Looks like your parents had taught you well about Chado, hard to be seen in these days, right, Reito-san." Shizuru looks at Reito with her closed fan taps on her shoulder.
"Please. Not in front of the junior, Shizuru-san." Reito feels teased and forces himself a unwilling smile.
"But for normal time like this, Keiji-kun. That won't be a necessary." Shizuru chuckles at Keiji.
"Is it? Then I think I'd just overdone it. Hahaha…" Keiji knows his funny act and smiles. "Anyway, I wonder why does Director Kazahana want me to report myself for?"
"Actually, she asked you to meet us so we can be acknowledged about details for new students like you, and we can inform related personal immediately, like your teacher when it is needed. Plus to avoid any other people take your place without your notice and causes trouble by putting the blame on you and so on."
"I see. Well I guess we should start it now because it is getting evening, right?"
"Indeed, time is money." Reito takes out the Student's Note and starts to drops down Keiji's details.
After meeting with Shizuru and Reito, Keiji decides to walk around the town.
"Although I had heard lots of this place from mom, but I think self-exploring always works better than listening to stories." Pulling his bags close to himself, he starts walking around the town. Slowly, all the shops' lights start to twinkle around and live up the night. As Keiji keeps walking, the street is getting crowded and becomes more energetic than morning.
"Not bad from I had in my mind, although it's a bit out-dated." As Keiji is observing one of the boutique's display cabinets, a sound from the dark corridor not far from him catches his attention. His curiosity makes him decides to take a look.
"Yo, babe. How about spending some time with us, your boyfriend seems not able to accompany you for now." Three youngsters are trying to force a girl to join them, Keiji also finds out another teenager in his dirty hooded jacket just passed up after been beaten badly.
"No… help! Someone please…" a palm immediately covers the girl's mouth before she finishes and pushes her against the wall, the youngster smirks and says, "Don't worry, babe. I will let you yell or moan as you like later, hehehe…" The youngster unzips his pants and uses his right knee to spread the girl's legs open. To make she surrenders herself, he even starts to kiss her neck and rubs her bosom with his left hand, while the right one holding both of her arms high.
"No… please… stop it…" Although the girl's face blushes for the ecstasy, but her tears are telling them the other meaning. Too bad, it is worthless for the molester, as he is getting more aggressive with his left hand starts to slide down for her panty.
But not for the one is angered by witnessing the whole incident.
"STOP IT!" Keiji finally grabs his club bag on his left and enters for rescue. With his silhouette against the colorful streetlights, the gang notices him easily. "And what are you trying to do, hero? Hahaha…." The leader laughs as they underestimate Keiji with the amount of people he has and continues, "Get him, boys!"
Before the youngster steps forward, Keiji had taken his first move forward. As another of fact, as Shizuru mentioned earlier, Keiji had been educated well in many manners, but she just haven't seen or known what exactly Keiji had been taught.
"My mom always says that, a man was born with two things that should be used correctly …" Keiji dashes forward and punches at the nearest teenager's face with his right knuckle, followed with a left leg knees him to the wall. "The Strength to protect the weak…" The martial artist continues his way by leaping forward and stretching the bended knee into side kicking straight to another approaching teenager's stomach, causing him kneels on the ground. Keiji finishes him with a blow at his head by using the club bag. "… and the Courage to fight for it."
The last teenager starts to getting pissed off, but he is way too smart to fight right away, he grabs the fainted girl, that her shirt just had been torn and revealed her naked front. He pulls out a multipurpose knife, unfolds it and then lays it by her neck.
"Hey hero, I don't care what the fuck are you talking about, but you won't let a girl die in front of you, right?" He manages to escape by using the victim to threaten Keiji.
"Stop it, or I'll make you regret for that."
"Is that so?" With pressing the knife harder, its sharpness cuts her skin lightly and makes the blood streams from her neck slightly and slowly. Just when the teenager is trying to tease Keiji again, he suddenly sees nothing but totally black, then he feels dizzy and pain at his nose. He tries to move but his strength is like not his own anymore, he is losing it unwillingly and he even drops his knife. The last thing he ever sees before totally pass out is Keiji's pose of stabbing his club bag with his left hand over the girl's shoulder and his angry eyes which is staring at him.
"I warned you…" Keiji whispers and catches the girl in his arm, with his irises glows in green and glares at the falling teen.
After sending both the girl and her partner to the hospital, Keiji finally reaches the place appointed to him. It's a hostel for the students of Fuuka Academy, each room is meant for two students to live. However, he managed to request from Director Kazahana, that he would occupy a single room, so he can run his mission easily.
After he put all the things on the light green colored matted floor, Keiji exhales after what he had gone through for the first day. Thanks to the daily-cleaning services for every empty room, he finds neither dust nor spider web from the light brown room. He checks for the provided furniture; a bed on the right with a desk by its side; followed with a cupboard; a bookshelf; a kitchen with all cooking stuff and refrigerator; a small space in the middle of the room main for study or dining purposes, and finally a bathroom located between the balcony and the kitchen.
"This place sure is enough for me." Looking at his watch, he continues, "It's still early, may be I shall start arranging my room."
When Keiji makes the last step of sweeping the dirt and throws them, he takes another look at the bed-sitter: a new set of blue bed clothes; a lamp is posted on the desk besides it; he managed to hang his spare school uniform and some clothes he brought in the cupboard. He skips the painting job because he only stays for a week.
"Well, it sure a long day for me." Keiji breathes and enjoys the silence of the night at the balcony. Then he lies on the railings and looks at the lower unit with lights on, he can hear familiar laughing voices.
"Mai, I hope you won't mind this, but I have to stay here to protect you easily." Then Keiji turns around and enters his room.
"Yes, as I am ordered… no, destined to."
End of MondayAuthor's word:
Hello, everyone, especially the fans of Mai-HiME, I hope you all enjoy the Anime like I did.
I had managed this story for a long time after I watched Mai-HiME animation and Mai-Otome as well. It takes me time to have a storyline, rough write-out, check and proofread, before I finally decided to submit this in this site.
Does the headline sound familiar? I got that inspired from 'The Phenomenon'. Hope it doesn't sound weird.
See you tomorrow.