This is the Mai Otome universe with a little twist on it: Natsuki and Shizuru have three children that nobody knew about, which are Mizuru who is 16, Caleb who is 3 (almost 4), and Lorelei who is 3. Nobody expected that. What powerful women can hide from the media. (It is assumed that they have just been covering their personal lives very well.) Oh, and also their marriage. But that is not the premises of the story. The story is in the p.o.v of Mizuki Chiba, a girl hoping to be an otome. Who is she? Read and find out.

I've always wondered why bad things occur when it's raining. The day my father left, the day I tripped and fell in mud at school and everyone laughed, and the day that she said no. I assume only disaster strikes when the lightning does. Rain haunts me as do the experiences I have had in those dreary days. Rain hates me, curses me, and I hate it just as much. Only bad things happen in the rain.

I awaken to hear the sound of a drizzle outside. Today is off to a wonderous start already. I lean up and look around the pale room. The somber tone and dim colors remind me I am most likely alone. I hate it when Mother goes off for days, parties and drinks her life away. She has no business doing so. She is a grown woman and should have learned that partying is for younger people like me. I don't think she will even know that. I continue looking around. My uniform is laid out in the chair which is pulled up so close to my work desk. My homework sits upon the surface, untouched. I know I should have done it, but I was too busy making dinner for myself and cleaning up the apartment. I was too tired to even attempt it. My eyes advert to the small white kitten playing with the dog toy. My cat, Christopher, is a strange one. He likes to cuddle, takes baths, and go for walks. I swear he is part dog. "Come here, Chris."

He jumps up on the bed and sits in my lap, expecting me to rub his stomach. Of course, I concede. I exhale and look to my door. I guess I should really get up. "Come on, Chris. We have stuff to do today, I guess."

I stand up and stretch and Chris run out of the room energetically. I walk over to my dresser's mirror and look in. I see me. My black, long hair is a tangled mess like always. Half of the time, my hair looks perfect and the other half, my hair looks like a rat colony moved in on the top of my head. Today, it leans more towards the latter half. I brush it out, get on my school uniform, and start applying make up. Luckily, my liquid eyeliner is cooperating today. My azure eyes pop with the black make up. I guess my face makes up for my hair.

"Oh my gosh! I forgot! Today is the day that the scout is coming to the school! Oh, god, I've got to hurry!"

I get all I need to get done and hurry out the door. I hop on my motorcycle and arrive at school fairly shortly. Luckily, I live about two minutes away from school. I hurry in and go to my class on the eleventh grade hall. My school is a prestigious private school. I received a grant three years ago to attend since my grades are remarkably high for a girl in a public school. That is why our classes are so small and separated by gender. There are only two classes of twenty for eleventh grade. We all know each other and know a lot about one another. I have a few friends, but most people don't associate with me. I intimidate them with my hardcoreness, I guess. I wear my dad's black leather jacket every day and break dress code constantly. I'm only wearing my uniform today because of the recruiter. I had to look more presentable. No Guns-N-Roses shirts today. No combat boots. No leather jacket.

Minutes later, my teacher, Mrs. Hara, enters rather hastily. She must be nervous, but who isn't?

" Good morning, class. As you are aware, today is the day that the Artai Principality government sends out officials to recruit new otome candidates to the school. They are looking for ten representatives from all of the private schools in Artai. Since our school is so well-known for having at least two representatives, two of you might have a chance at being accepted into Garderobe acedemy for Otomes! How exciting. Throughout the course of today, all of you will be called down to talk to the council of scouts and will be questioned and quizzed. Answer honestly and you will do fine. Good luck girls."

I raise my hand out of curiosity and I like to see all of the smug looks I will get after I ask the question.

"Y-Yes, Ms. Chiba?" Mrs. Hara says quaintly.

"Does everyone have to participate?"

Instantly, Kamiko Dokaiku, a girl who had hated me since day one, declares, " You would think she would be grateful since she is the one who got a grant to even go to school here." Some people snicker and her 'inner circle' laughs.

"Well, at least I'm smart enough to receive a grant. I don't need money from my daddy to help me afford higher education," I snap back just as quickly. A few people laugh and a few other 'Ooh.'

"Girls, settle down! How unladylike of both of you," Mrs. Hara scolds. She looks to Kamiko." It was a fair question." She looks to me. "And yes, every girl will be called up to the scout council. If you do not wish to attend Garderobe, tell them that you appreciate the possible offer, but you respectably decline. That's quite alright to do so, just make sure that you are kind about it."

"Thanks," I answer back. She nods. For about twenty minutes, girls get called out of class and return frazzled, excited, tranquil, or even crying. I wonder what they could have said that could make all of these girls so on edge and emotional. Man, I wish Mizuru's mom was one of the members of the recruitment commity. This would be a breeze. The truth is I can hardly hold in my amount of excitement for this opportunity. My dream is to either become an amazing otome who is dignified and respected, or become a engineer. So, probably an otome would be better in general.

"Mizuki Chiba," calls out over the intercom. I gulp, stand, and leave the classroom as a fellow classmate Hiraku Chii enters. As I pass her, she whispers, " Good luck." I didn't register what she said in time to reply.

Soon, I reach the room that the meeting is held. Should I enter or turn back? No, no, I'll be fine. I smooth out my skirt and enter the room. There is two men and a woman. I recognize two of them. One man is Nagi Dai Artai, the Grand Duke of Artai, and the woman is a woman that works in the palace, doing official matter. I think she is the personal assistant to the King. I'm not sure of her name.

"Sit, please, Miss - Mizuki," the Grand Duke announces as he glance at a paper with my name upon it, I presume.

"Okay." I go and sit at the table with the three scouts. They glance among each other at my reply. Did I say something wrong? Don't worry about it. I'll be fine. Just fine.

After a few boring questions, the Grand Duke looks at me funny and asks, "What are your favorite bands?" The other two scouts glare at him.

" Guns-N-Roses, Metallica, Halsey, AC-DC, Journey, Melanie Martinez, Deep Purple, and many more. I can keep going. I love music."

I can tell he thinks about something in his head, but he doesn't voice his thoughts. Seconds later, he asks,"Can I have a minute alone with Mizuki?' The others don't know what to say, so they both exit the room, to my surprise. " So, Mizuki, do you want to be an otome?"

"Well, yeah, I mean who wouldn't want to be? They are respected, and -"

"That"s not why you want to be an otome, is it?"

"Wait, did Natsuki tell you?!" Damn her.

He seems appalled, " You know the headmistress personally?"

"That's not what you meant?" I ask, trying to recover my slip up. If he doesn't know a certain something, he doesn't need to know.

" I thought you would say 'because they fly and that is cool' or something similar. You have made it more interesting. Do you actually know Headmistress Natsuki Kruger?"

I laugh nervously. " You could say that." I tell him a long story of how I know the headmistress of Garderobe Academy, which I do. I have known her since I was ten years old.

"How interesting. So, you date her daughter? I know that Natsuki and Shizuru... seem rather different, but I had no idea that her daughter was not heterosexual. I must look into this more. Maybe even stop by and chat with her about such."

" No disrespect, but don't be afraid to say gay or lesbian. It's not like it is offensive to us. That's what we are."

The Grand Duke just can't hold it in anymore. He burst into laughter, which of course makes me laugh, too. We laugh for a few minutes, but finally calm down. Then, he says, "I like you a lot, Mizuki. I think you already got the spot. Then, you will get to see your girlfriend daily."

So many things are running through my mind. The Grand Duke of Artai and I laughed about me being a lesbian, I was told that I probably am going to be an otome, and I will get to see my girlfriend every day. I am really happy. Elated.

The other two scouts enter the room. The woman says to me that I am excused. I tell them thank you for their time. I go back to my classroom giggling. Right before I go in the room, Kamiko comes out and sees me so happy. "Why did you take so long?"

"It wan't me. The Grand Duke wouldn't stop laughing." I tell her honestly.

"Yeah, right. Like the Grand Duke would laugh at anything you would have to say. You probably talked about astrology or something nerdy."

"No, he really did. And Kamiko, astrology is the study of the positioning of celestial bodies. I study astronomy, the study of stars and outer space."

Feeling dumb, she walks away briskly, agitated. I made her seem stupid. Good. She is, so I helped her see the truth. She didn't even realize I pretty much said the same thing, just in lamen's terms the second time.

The rest of my day goes by fairly regular. I leave school, go to the coffee shop and get a vendi mocha frappuccino, go home, take a nap, call her, make dinner, take a shower, and go to bed. Lying in bed, I wonder when I will know if I get into Garderobe's secondary audition rounds for entry to the Academy. Maybe tomorrow...