Heh. And here I told myself I'd never write another fanfic. Ah, well, c'est la vie. I was extremely disappointed with how Erstin ended up in the anime, compared to some I viewed as deserving much worse than their due. Coughtomoecough So I came up with this idea, and the temptation was far too much for a mortal such as I to resist.

Anywho, on with the story. I don't own Mai Otome, though I rather wish I did.

The Beginning of Things

It was dark. That was all she knew about the odd void she drifted in. It wasn't loud, nor was it quiet. She didn't feel hot, but nor did she feel cold. It was nothingness.

And she was content.

She couldn't remember much about the time before she was in the void, but she could remember sadness, and confusion. There was happiness as well, but it was a dull feeling next to the sharper ones of sorrow. So she was fine with floating in nothingness. Here, there was nothing but her thoughts, forever.

Then there was something else. A snatch of music, faint but growing stronger. Teasing in and out of the organ's heavier tune was snatches of a softer, sweeter sound, that of singing. It was the singing, more than the music, which made her look about for the source of the sound. The melodic voice was one she recognized; one that made her heart beat faster. It made the happiness she remembered feel so much sharper than the sorrow.

She saw it. A pinpoint of light in the darkness, growing larger as the music grew louder. She reached for the light, trying to move through the emptiness, a single thought reverberating though her mind.

"Ni… na…"

Many people, she knew, would be grateful to be in her position. Several more would likely kill to be in her position.

At the moment, though, she wished that she was anywhere else.

"Ara, Natsuki, I'm surprised at your boldness. If you want to do that, we'll have to cancel our date." Her companion's teasing tone instantly made the girl in question's face turn red.

"Sh-Shizuru! I didn't drop my pants on purpose!"

"That's too bad, I wouldn't have objected." Moving forwards, Shizuru wrapped her arms around Natsuki from behind, pressing herself to her lover's smaller form. Though that made the Gakuenchou blush, it also, oddly enough, made her relax.

"Idiot… We've been planning this for far too long to cancel. Who knows when we'll both have a day off again?" She leaned into the embrace for a moment, and then slipped free. "I have to go change my pants, then we can go. I accidentally put on the cut pants again." Tossing the pants on top of the trash can, Natsuki went into their bedroom to change.

Meanwhile, a pair of well-manicured hands carefully picked up the pants and placed them in the dirty clothes. "Fufufu, poor Natsuki still hasn't caught on."

A little while later, the two of them were roaring through the streets of Wind City on Natsuki's bike. They made quite a sight, Natsuki slipping in and out of traffic easily, and Shizuru catching the eyes of many a viewer. Yelling to be heard over the wind, Natsuki turned back and asked, "Where to first, Shizuru?"

After thinking for a moment, Shizuru replied, "How about a café?"

Natsuki chuckled. "Of course."

A few streets later they found a likely place, the Linden Baum. After Natsuki locked up the bike, they walked in together. "How was the trip to Carlteya, Shizuru?"

The ever graceful brunette put her hand to her cheek and sighed. "Poor Akane is still trying to find some alone time with Kazuya, but Maya is still acting the vigilant mother-in-law." She smiled, "But relations are going very well between Carlteya and Florince. I was hardly needed at all."

Natsuki nodded. "Good. They're finally getting over the incident with Kazuya and Akane. Maybe now they'll sign the Technology Proliferation Treaty."

Sliding into a booth, Shizuru said, "Maybe. If they don't, I'm sure Queen Mashiro will convince the King somehow."

Natsuki winced a little. "If she doesn't lose her temper again."

Shizuru hid a smile behind her hand. "I don't know, Natsuki, usually she only ever loses her temper at Arika nowadays."

Natsuki opened her mouth to retort, but before she could say anything, the waitress popped up next to their table. "Welcome to Linden Baum's. How may I help you?"

"I'll have some green tea, thank you."

"A coffee and a bagel with mayo, please."

"Okay. I'll bring it over right away." Bowing, the waitress hurried away from the table.

"Ara, Natsuki, all the mayonnaise you eat is going to make you fat. Not that fat Natsuki won't be just as cute." Expecting a blushing denial of cuteness and of the unhealthiness of mayo, Shizuru was surprised to find her lover's face thoughtful.

"Shizuru. Haven't we seen that girl before?"

Shizuru turned to look again at their waitress. The girl had short blond hair and green eyes, though the most noticeable feature about her was her rather gregarious bust. Looking thoughtful, she turned back to Natsuki. "I can't place where, but I think we have. Maybe she was the waitress at another café?" A flash of deviousness appeared on Shizuru's face, and she pouted. "Ara, but is Natsuki checking out other women? And I thought I had a special place in her heart." Turning away, the sly brunette began to fake tears.

That time she was rewarded by a panicked Natsuki's vehement assurances that Shizuru was the girl she loved, the only girl she loved, and that she would never leave her. However, Shizuru let slip a small smile, and Natsuki immediately blushed. She'd been tricked. "Shizuru! Stop teasing me!" Folding her arms across her chest, she glared across the table at her girlfriend. "I face down the most cunning ambassadors and monarchs, and you still trick me."

Shizuru's smile grew into the pleased grin of the cat that got the cream. "The day a stranger knows more about my Natsuki than I, why, that's the day I give up tea."

"Here you go, Ma'ams. One coffee and bagel, and one green tea." Carefully the waitress set down their orders. "Just flag me down if you need anything else, or you're ready to leave."

She turned to leave, but was stopped by Natsuki. The Headmaster of Garderobe had gotten her blush under control, and looked very much her role as she asked, "Excuse me, but may I ask your name?"

The blond hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Yes. I'm Erstin Ho, Ma'am."

Both Natsuki and Shizuru's reactions to the name were immediate. Shizuru gasped, and Natsuki jumped out of her seat. "Erstin! You're supposed to be dead!"

Aaaaand that's all for Chapter 1. Horrid, eh? Well, drop me a line and tell me how to improve it. More updates as I write more chapters.

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