Where the Darkness Forms

Chapter One

Arrival

Mai thought she would hold the title of 'New Girl' for a long time to come. Since arriving on the ship with her brother and learning that she was a HiME, called to arms to fight the Orphans, she was just that. The new girl, someone always turning heads and being the center of conversations.

Until Ashlin arrived.

She was odd. Silent, lonesome Ashlin who walked with her hood over her face despite being told by the teachers not to. She instantly took up the title.

Others said she was simply shy as she walked by without acknowledging any greetings or invitations, but Natsuki, Mai's friend and occasional enemy, said she didn't buy it.

"There's just something about her," she said the first time they discussed her. She was standing alone beneath a tree, watching everyone with a sour look on her face. Natsuki shook her head. "she's an odd one."

One day during class Midori told her to remove her hood and she finally did, revealing spiky blonde hair that didn't look punkish, just wild - like Mikoto's. That made Mai smile, but Ashlin looked miserable at having to show her face.

As soon as class was over, the hood went up again.

The school 'mistress or rumors' Chie, was very interested in her. "Did you see her hair? Totally rebellious. And what's with the hood? She's always wearing it. She's a total loner and I think she likes it."

Aoi felt more sympathetic. "But she always looks so sad," she said, watching her leave the classroom with the hood back on, glaring at Midori as she watched her leave her classroom, shaking her head.

"No hood next time, Ashlin," she called after her.

"And what kind of name is 'Ashlin'", Chie went on.

Mai sighed. "Who knows," she said, but she knew that on the inside…

…she wanted to know more about this girl.

"Well, she isn't a HiME."

"Are you sure?" Mai asked, surprised, as Natsuki filled her in.

"Positive," the raven-haired girl said. "I looked into it, and she's definitely not one of them. She wasn't called here and Nagi claims he has no idea who she is. He isn't happy about it either." She smiled devilishly. "He doesn't like not being in the know."

Mai, Natsuki and Mikoto were sitting together in the fields, surrounded by others but alone in their small group as they shared lunch.

Mai looked around but could not see Ashlin anywhere. It seemed she didn't share lunch. He frowned. It had been two weeks since her arrival it she hadn't made any friends according to Aoi and Chie, and they had even tried to talk to her. She always said she was busy and took off.

Funny, thought Mai. I've never even saw her doing her schoolwork. She's always asleep at the table, sick in the nurses office, or using some excuse to leave the class.

She was an enigma.

"If she isn't a HiME, then why does she smell of blood?" Mikoto asked suddenly, watching a bug fly past with rapt attention.

Mai and Natsuki looked up from their lunches and stared at her. "What?" they asked in unison.

Mikoto turned to them, irritated as they distracted her from the bug which took this opportunity to fly away. "She smells like blood," she repeated, exasperated. "Like she's killed lots of monsters."

"Wait, monsters?" Mai sighed. "Thank God, I thought you might have meant human blood."

Mikoto shook her head and looked for another bug.

Natsuki looked thoughtful and flipped her hair. "Monsters…" she muttered to herself. "Orphans or… something else?"

Mai and Natsuki's eyes met and they both silently said the same thing. Not more monsters!

The next day, Mai wanted to try to speak to Ashlin. The decision to approach her was because of a few reasons. Natsuki had asked her to, for one, so they could find out about the potential threat Mikoto claimed she was facing, but Mai also wanted to know her on a personal level. Why was she always brushing people off and facing things alone? Why did she always look so tortured?

Mai felt for her.

She knew what it was like to feel alone even when you were surrounded by people. The HiME fought together but also fought their battles alone.

Ashlin had been milling about the grounds all day, seemingly searching for something that she couldn't find. Mikoto, Mai's shadow, spotted her at her favourite tree where she seemed to had given up on her search.

She slumped to the ground at the base of the tree and went still.

Mai, gasping, rushed over.

"Are you alright, Ashlin?" she asked, dropping her bag and hurrying to the girl's side.

A blonde, spiky head lifted. Her hood had fallen and her sharp grey eyes stared at Mai. For a moment she looked sad. Just plain sad, tears shimmering in her eyes and her lip beginning to quiver. Then something flashed over her face and she physically shook it away.

Impatience replaced sadness. "What do you want?" she asked. She didn't sound angry, just… exhausted. It was as though she just couldn't be bothered to talk.

Mai blinked back, surprised that she girl seemed to be fine after all. She looked a little pale and withdrawn, but other than that she was fine.

"Sorry, I-I just wanted to see if you were okay."

Ashlin blinked back and rose an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you fight monsters," Mikoto piped up innocently.

Ashlin's eyes flashed and Mai hissed at her young friend. "Mikoto!"

Ashlin suddenly rose. She swayed a little on her feet, but stepped back as Mai tried to help her. She stared at Mikoto, then at Mai, and anger burned in her stormy eyes. "You know nothing," she said, and took off across the grass before Mai could say anymore.

Mikoto looked as confused as Mai felt. "What was that about, Mai?" she asked.

Mai shook her head, puzzled and concerned. What was Ashlin's secret? "I have no idea," she admitted to Mikoto, clenching her fists at her sides with determination. "But I'm going to find out."