A/N: Well, this is my first Mai Hime fanfic, as well as the first time I'll be crossing something else with Highlander. For many of you Mai Hime fans unfamiliar with the Highlander franchise, I would suggest you see/rent the original Highlander film starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery first before working your way through the sequels and TV series. I will tell you this, characters from both Mai Hime and Mai Otome will make appearances in this story and maybe some Highlander characters too. But I won't spoil it too much.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mai Hime or Highlander. All rights go to their respective owners.

Prologue

Fuuka City, Japan
midnight
Present day

All was quiet this night, save for the many sounds of the city. In a secluded part of the city a single figure stood holding a broadsword by their waist ready to strike as if waiting for something, or someone. The silence was broken when a pair of footsteps on the concrete echoed throughout the alley and another figure approached. While the first figure was male in appearance, the other was very feminine and carried what looked like a katana with a wolf's head pommel at the end of the hilt.

When her features were present within the only light in the alley where the other figure was, it reflected her dark blue hair that fell past her shoulders. Her emerald green eyes were fierce and stared at the man before her like a wolf ready to strike it's prey. Her slightly pale skin was covered mostly by the brown trench coat she wore. The man before her wore similar clothing, except his trench coat was a greyish color. He had spiky black hair and dark eyes and his skin was almost a dark tan color reflecting his Japanese heritage.

For a moment the two said nothing and just continued to stare at one another. But the woman finally spoke first.

"You should have stayed away, Takeda," She said to the man now identified as Takeda. "I warned you all those years ago that it would never workout between us."

"Despite that, Natsuki," Takeda said to the woman now known as Natsuki. "I could never open my heart to anyone else." He then sighed sadly. "You know the lives we live, having to only go through one lover and watch them die before moving on to another and watch them die as well."

Natsuki shook her head, "We didn't choose this life, Takeda, you know that."

"That is why I chose you," Takeda continued as if she hadn't said anything. "Like me, you can't die like anyone else. I want you to be with me for as long as we live until the gathering."

"And I told you," Natsuki snapped, her grip tightening on her sword. "My heart belongs to someone else."

This seemed to anger Takeda as he too gripped his broadsword even tighter. "If I can't have your heart," He said slowly in a low voice before he grew louder. "Then I'll take YOUR HEAD!" Without warning he swung his sword towards her neck, which she quickly blocked with her sword.

She narrowed her eyes at him as she held his sword where it was to her. "Then so be it. I, Natsuki Kruger of the clan Kruger, accept your challenge!" With that, she pushed his broadsword away and swung her katana at him.

Again their swords clashed and sparks erupted from them as they did. This continued as the two warriors continued to slice at the other's head; they pushed against each other towards the walls of the alley, their swords sparking and nicking one another as they fought. There were close calls on both sides and neither side didn't get away without causing a minor cut or two on the other. Both tried their hardest to cut off the other's head for some reason.

To an outside observer, this looked like some weird lover's quarrel. But, to those who knew these two, it was something else altogether. Both had continuously try to cut at the other while at the same time leave the other open for an attack. This dance continued for what seemed to be like fifteen minutes. It wasn't until Natsuki pushed Takeda's broadsword away that she finally saw an opening and thrust her katana into Takeda's abdomen, causing him to reel back in pain as blood began to seep from his new wound.

Natsuki then took her sword and sliced his sword hand, cutting it clean off with the sword in hand making the man scream and clutch it before dropping to his knees. Now that her opponent had been immobilized, Natsuki put both hands on the hilt of her sword and brought it ready to swing.

"I'm sorry, Takeda, but..." Natsuki said regretfully. "In the end, there can be only one!" With that she swung her katana clean through his neck separating his head from his body and both dropped to the ground.

Natsuki panted, but she knew what was coming next so she took a deep breath and braced herself. What happened next could baffle a casual observer. Lights around the alley way began to blink wildly and cars that were around it also began to work on their own as if an outside source were powering them. The next thing Natsuki knew, a bolt of electricity struck her body but didn't harm her, it actually flowed through her body and made her jolt. More bolts of electricity began to dance around the alleyway and they came from Takeda's now dead corpse. Wherever the bolts struck around her, sparks would rain down on the alley; windows exploded outward and shards of glass fell to the ground.

All of the electricity continued to flow through Natsuki as she screamed when the power went into her. She had done this so many times an no matter how many times it happened, she still couldn't get used to the Quickening and the pain it brought. This continued for what seemed to be like 5 minutes, when finally it was over and Natsuki collapsed onto her knees panting in exhaustion.

"That's one of the perks about being immortal," She said to no one, "You can endure so much pain."

Her thoughts were interrupted as the sounds of police sirens began to echo throughout the city and headed towards her location. Getting up quickly, she stowed her sword into her trench coat and ran out of the alley and ran for a few blocks passing the patrol units that went by. After a while, she finally slowed her pace and began her long trek home.

Ever since mankind began to advance itself, Natsuki had the tedious task of trying to cover her tracks. The more advanced police departments got, the more careful she got. After all, she had been doing this for almost a thousand years ever since she first learned of her immortality so many years ago.

End Prologue

A/N: Well, that was a short prologue, but I hope it grabbed everyone's attention. Now I would appreciate some positive reviews here, so click on the button below and tell me what you think.