Hey, I'm Sik. I'm trying something new here and I'm not sure if it'll work. This poped into my head a while ago and I just felt like I had to write it. I hope some of you think this is worth while.
Disclaimer: I don't own Mai Hime and I got the feeling I never will...
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The little girl peeked around the corner quietly, blue hair swaying from side to side as she made sure that nobody else was paying attention to her and just as quietly she walked through the hall reaching the building exit. Once outside she took a deep breath and relaxed, smiling slightly as she walked towards the medical bulding just a few minutes away. She wasn't allowed outside without supervision, her mother always told her she wasn't ready for the 'camp' and that in time she'd be able to come and go as she pleased. The bluenette had never been interested in the camp before so staying inside wasn't a problem for her however, recently something interesting came.
Nervousness kicked in as she reached reached her destinatuion, palms gripping the handle and brows furrowed she stood there for a few minutes. Her resolve crumbled and suddlenly this seemed like a very bad idea. Sneaking around and disregard her mother, really, what had she been think-
"Please sit down, you're only agitating yourself." A voice from inside the room, the nurse she figured, cut in.
The girl leaned closer into the door. She heard a soft grunt.
"You see? You need to stay in bed for a few more days. "
"Don't look like that. Here, it's lunch time." She heard before opening the door just enough to glimpse inside. She caught sight of the nurse placing the tray on the table next to the bed where a lightly tangled head of hair began to sit up. The girl at the door leaned in closer to get a better look at the person in bed as they turned to reach for the food. The bluenette sucked in a breath of air and then 'ding', she got it, a small flash or red before she found herself tumbling down...
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Green eyes blinked once... and then twice before groaning.
"Owwww...." She stared hard at the loose rocks on the ground trying to will them awayas she sat up and looked around. The trail they where following was pretty clear, only surrounded by trees and bushes. She had traveled in this area only once before.
"Natsuki! Are you ok?" Her friend said.
"I'm fine. Keep going."
"You sure? That fall looked kind of bad."
"Really, I'm ok. Just a little scratch here, nothing to-"
"Then we have to take a look at it!" The red head reached to examine the other girl before she pulled away, sadly the girl had already jumped away with an annoyed look in her eyes. "I just want to look at it..."
"Mai! I'm fine! let's go aready we're almost there!"
The red head crossed her arms in a pout, "I know you wan't to get there as soon as possible but you don't have to be so loud. Mikoto-" She turned to look behind her but found no sight of of spiky hair, "Mikoto?"
"Ohhh no. Where's the brat?" Natsuki said while looking around,"Don't tell me she got lost!"
"No, no. Mikoto wouldn't wander around by herself too far, she's probably around here somewhere."
She growled, "Damn! I swear if she's out there chasing a butterfly again I'll-"
"Mikoto!" Mai gasped and ran towards the younger girl who was faced down a few yards away from them behind some trees, she was quick to place Mikoto's head on her lap,"C'mon, get up. Look at me." Her voice was began to shake at the end.
Natsuki kneeled down besides them worry clear in her eyes, 'Is she hurt?'. She was about to speak when a growling noise interupted her.
It came from the sleeping girl.
Slowly Mikoto opened her eyes,"S-so hun-gry..."
Twitch. "Are you freaking kidding me!"
"Heh. We really should be more used to this." Mai said wondering why she was fooled as well, 'Guess Natsuki's fall set me on edge.'
Natsuki pointed towards the cat girl. "You-!"
"Now, now. I can see why Mikoto fainted, it's already past lunch time and you know how much she hates missing meals. We might as well take a break to eat something considering how peacefull this area looks ." Her friend said in a rational voice while petting Mikoto's head.
Natsuki debated in her head for a minute or two before huffing and reluctantly looking away,"Fine, let's take a break. A small break... tiny."
Mai beamed,"Good, 'cause I brought something delicious." Then she got up and searched her bag.
"It better be." She muttered under her breath.
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"Natsuki-sama!" The nurse ran towards her in panic.
"Nggghhh, my nose!" Her voice was dulled as she covered her face and treid to shake off the pain. 'What was that?' Had she just been caught listening in and falling flat on her face? 'How embarrassing!' The nurse continued to fuss over her and she tired to wave her off too caught up in her attempts to notice a wide pair of curious eyes following her every move.
"You're supposed to be in the main building. What are you doing here?"
"Er, I just wanted some fresh air..." She was mentally kicking herself hard for the lame excuse her little mind came up with. The nurse stared down at her with dissaproving eyes and began a long rant about rules and safety. The bluenette began glancing everywhere looking for a way out until her eyes found the shy stare of the person in the bed. She found it. Soon the nurses booming voice became faint and her mind became blank, weather this was a good thing or a bad thing she did not know.'How weird.'
"Now wait here while I call for an escort for you.... Natsuki-sama?" She caught the girl's gaze and followed it to the other girl in bed, misunderstanding the meaning behind it, "Please don't feel nervous around her, she's a little shaken but she's harmless besides she will be joining the camp soon. But for that," She now turned to face the one in bed smiling,"we'll need you to tell us your name ok?"
Feeling all eyes on her the brunette turned away intent in keeping silence.
After a moment the nurse gave up,"Still nothing huh? It's been four days and still nothing."
She clenched the bed sheets on her lap until her knuckels turned white and Natsuki watched her unsure of what she was trying to decipher, the sudden fear in those eyes struck something in her.
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"Oi, slow down Mikoto!"
"You guys just walk too slow!"
"Just get back here brat!"
The spiky haired girl shook her head and continued on ahead irritating the bluenette more.
"Let her run a little longer she's just excited." Mai said when she noticed her blue haired friend about to scream again. Natsuki rolled her eyes and looked away knowing Mai was right. The redhead sighted an prepared for the question she had wanted to ask since the begining of this trip.
"Natsuki, are you sure it's ok to just pop back in there again?" Mai had a bad feeling about this but didn't know how to say it to her friend. Besides, she didn't want to worry her more either.
Natsuki was a little caught off guard for a second but took her time to think about it. It made no sense really, fighting so hard to leave only to comeback latter. Leaving her freedom to willingly step into her cage again was something she never thought she'd ever do, although in her mind Natsuki always knew she would return one day but the circumstances where always different in her head.
"I know nothing good can come out of this but... I couldn't stand it," Natuski took a deep breath as a troubled look crossed her face," this way, it feels like I can do something." 'because so far I have only been useless.'
Mai knew very well that Natsuki regreted leaving and understood her feelings just as well.
"MAI!" Mikoto screamed excitedly making both girls look up ahead to where she was leading the way. "Look over there, I can see the place!"
Mai walked ahead to where Mikoto was and looked on, a small smile on her face. Natsuki on the other hand stood still, feeling nervous and excited at the same time. She couldn't help it, her mixed emotions where getting the best of her.
"Ne Natsuki, we're going home."
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She didn't know how it had happened but the bluenette found herslef sitting outside, talking with the same red eyed girl she met a week ago before getting grounded for her escapade. Ok, lie. She did know how, it was after sneaking outside in hopes of finding said girl again that it happened. But she wasn't about to tell her that.
Durung their brief conversation she had come to learn that she was the younger out of the two and that the other girl had already been accepted into the camp a few days ago.
"What's the camp like?"
"It's quite... interesting." The older girl didn't really know how to describe it but she figured that was the best answer. She absentmindedly held her left side.
"Do you like it?" The bluenette didn't notice it but there was this hopefull tone in her voice as she turned to see the other girl.
'no' she wanted to say, 'I hate it' she usually said, but for some reason this time she didn't. "I'm not sure. There are still somethings I don't understand." Again, another safe answer.
"Oh." As soon as she said that she turned back to stare at the ground.
"Erm,"The brunette noticed her companions shoulders sink and for some reason couldn't stand being the reason for it, quickly she changed the subject. "How is your nose?"
The younger girl blushed, "N-no, that-" 'you mean you remeber!?' "You shouldn't worry about that, it was nothing really, j-just forget about it!" Her mind searched for more excuses and topics but found it near impossible to think in her panicked state.
Red eyes widened and took in the flustered display of flaming cheeks and embarrassed looks. A weird feeling spread inside her chest causing her to smile. Then, for the first time in two weeks, she laughed.
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'Garderobe of the Elites' as some would call it, lied ahead not too far from them. The First District's pride and joy, it's most treasured institution and lastly the place Natsuki was born in. This had been her home for most of her short life.
"Mai, you guys can turn back if you want. You don't have to do this because of me."
"Are you kidding me? This was my home too you know." Mai smirked, "Beside, we wanted to come back here. There are somethings that need to be fixed."
Mai then fixed her gaze toward the camp with an odd look in her face. A mixture of nostalgia and determination. Typical Mai. But Natsuki couldn't let her friend put herself in danger like that. This home of theirs didn't look kindly upon deserters, especially those whom they had high aspirations of like Mai and herself. Mikoto was a special case.
Garderobe is one of the most accomplished research facilities of it's kind, it's bigest goal has always been to create the perfect soldiers in all ways. Natsuki's mother was in the first group assigned to the task and shortly rose to the top of the project with her many theories and break throughs. It took many years until they came across a concept that seemed to work, their first succes case was made before Natsuki was born, and thus the 'camp' was build in order to breed test subjects.
Natsuki turned to speak seriously with her friend, "Mai, once we go back, I don't think we'll be able to leave."
"Huh? sigh, Such a pessimist... Natsuki, you have to belive in us more." She said pointing to Mikoto and herself, "Belive in our friendship."
Not knowing what to say Natsuki just kept walking for a few more minutes marking the end of their conversation.
Soon enough they had steped within the camp's territory and just stood still after hearing the alarm that only trained ears could spot. They knew it was only a matter of time before the scouts reached them. "Natsuki, no matter what keep your goal in mind."
Natsuki didn't answer, she closed her eyes and waited. She heard the faint brushing of leaves and the sound of her own breathing as she consentrated on it. It wouldn't be good if she aggitated herself now Mai was right, she needed to keep calm.
"They're here." Mikoto whispered besides her. Wow, that was fast. Before she could think of anything else she heard people landing around them with a soft thud.
There was a moment of silence as Natsuki felt Mai stiffen on one side and Mikoto shifting her weight on the other side. She simply stood there trusting her ears that told her there where three scouts around them, ready to use force at any given time.
"Kaichou, what do you suppose we do with them?" That voice was new. It sounded small and soft, a complete opposite of the person who yelled next.
"Y-you... Deserters! We have to take them in imidiately!" Natsuki recognized this person however, she was sure the beggining of this comment was mostly directed at some one else.
"Haruka-chan..."
"Kaichou, what's the hold up? What are you waiting for?!" The irritated loud girl growled, she was all bussiness like always.
She heard steps walking slowly, stopping a few feet from her group. The third person let out a small 'hmmm' and for some reason Natsuki had the feeling this person was smiling.
"Ara, all of them? Well that's a shame"
"Kaichou!"
Natsuki froze. This person, 'It's almost like you haven't changed.' Then she opened her eyes searching shortly before finding
"Shizuru."
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"Shizuru," She smiled. "that's my name."
"O-ok." The bluenette answered lamely, she was currently busy repeating the name over in her head.
"Do you have a name?" With amusement clear in her voice Shizuru tried to suppres a giggle as she saw the look of embarrassment on the other girls face. Again. Shizuru already knew the name of course, but... she just wanted to hear more of the bluenettes voice.
"N-Natsu...ki." Natsuki was confused, hadn't Shizuru already heard her name back at the medical building?
A moment of silence passed as Shizuru closed her eyes still smiling.
"Ara Natsuki, you are very cute."
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That phrase, 'Garderobe of the Elites' I feel like I've I've heard it some where I can't remeber right now...
Ok, I really wanted to use Fuuka as the facility but the name just didn't sound 'supe soldier' matereal so this came out. At this point Natsuki's mother is dead. Or is she?... I think so. Any ways, she ran away five years ago for some odd reason and returned for an even odder reason. Shizuru always seems to be 'Kaichou' huh? she's a little weird right now due to some of the methods used in 'camp' but I'll explain that latter. The flashbacks where their first meeting as you could have guessed. The good times...
I'd really apreciate some feed back since I'm sure at some point's this story can get slopy XP
At least I tried...