Never thought I would be writing for this fandom, even the first time I read the manga and watched the ánime, but then this time around I got hit by this idea like a cannon bullet and then couldn't get it out of my mind. This story is pretty much an AU, the basics remain: Angelic Layer, the tournaments, Icchan as its creator, Shuu as Athena's deus, Oujirou a famous deus, etc. Though one apparentl minimum detail has been changed, and it kinda snowballs from there. Also, this happens when our main characters (all of them) are about seven years older than in cannon).

Hope you'll like this, even with the somewhat radical changes I've made in some things. I happen to be proud of this work of mine. (Considering the story is finished already, and in just four days too!) (Also, that means the updates depend totally on you people leaving reviews, no reviews mean no chapter). Also, because there happens to be so many flashbacks throught the whole fic I'll put those in italics, so you'll know when you're in the present and when you're just being told something that already happened. See ya!

Himitsu Himemiya

By: Lalaith Quetzalli

Disclaimer: Don't own Angelic Layer, yadda, yadda…this is kind of an AU though.

He, the Prince of the Layer, she, just a high school girl; they seem to have nothing in common yet they're in love. At least until the Cheating Queen turns their world upside down. Will a simple girl be able to take up an Angel and fight the evil Queen in the Layer? Only one way to find out.

Chapter 1. The Strength Friendship

A nineteen year-old woman with clear-blue eyes and thick curls of mahogany hair that came together in a messy knot at the base of her head, with her two fore-bangs hanging free framing her beautiful porcelain face; wearing a halter, knee-length red, white and black dress with black heels and a dark-red cloak covering her from the shoulders down. She was the image of a doll, a perfect little princess, delicate and gorgeous. She was also the miracle rookie in a world-famous game known as Angelic Layer: her name…

"Himemiya-san!" A voice called her.

The newcomer was a young girl, twelve-years old at the most, with piercing violet eyes and midnight-blue hair that fell straight to her waist; wearing a purple two-piece short dress and black boots, she smiled widely at the older girl.

"So, here we are…" She declared.

"Ha-hai." The young woman nodded, and then began pacing. "Oh Kami…what am I doing here? What made me think I had even the slightest chance whatsoever? What…"

"Let me see." The girl raised her fingers one by one. "You're here because it's the only way to make things right; and it was your plan in the first place, not mine. I think it's quite obvious you have more than just a 'slight chance', seeing as you won the undefeated winner of the Regional Tournament. You know, no one has managed that since the Goddess Queen? You are great Himemiya-san, more than great."

"What if I lose now?" It was obvious the older girl was definitely nervous. "I've trained so much but still, this is the first time I actually compete in Angelic Layer…"

"Only because you chose not to do it before. Had you chosen differently I'm quite sure you would have been champion several times over by now."

"You're so optimistic Hatoko-chan…Wish I could be like you."

"You can, you just need to stop being so awfully pessimistic all the time! You got this far, didn't you? And you did it because you're talented, very talented. After all, it's in your blood, Angel princess…"

"Angel princess?" Himemiya seemed puzzled. "Where did that come from?"

"Tamayo-nee-chan, she says it's a fitting title for you, after everything you've gone through, and everything you've done, especially in the last couple of months."

"I think Tamayo-san is too much of a romantic for her own good."

"Maybe, or maybe it's her pregnancy making her thoughts go haywire…" The violet-eyed girl mumbled the last bit under her breath, as if complaining to herself.

"Tamayo-san's pregnant?! Why wasn't I told? I talked to Kotarou-san on the phone a couple of days ago."

"Etto…" Hatoko realized she had said more than she should have. "My nii-san said it may be better if they saved the news until after the finals, so you wouldn't be distracted. It's not been that long since they found out either, only a few days. Gomen, they are planning on telling you the day after tomorrow; have the idea of making a double party, to celebrate Tamayo-nee-chan's pregnancy and your victory at the same time."

"But I haven't won yet! We don't even know if I'm even gonna win."

"You don't know. I'm sure you will. After all, you've already defeated some of the very best this country has to offer: Shibata Maria, Saitou Kaede, Seto Ringo, Tanaka Chitose, Fujisaki Madoka, and many others. You're the greatest prodigy that has gotten into this game since the Prince of the Layer began his career."

"And what about you?"

"Me? I'll always be the Little Goddess, even if I've only managed to reach the finals once, I had the delight to fight the Queen at least once, before she retired from the Layer; even if I lost, I at least got that chance, it's something I'll never forget."

Himemiya took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for what she knew was coming. Hatoko was right, she had already gone through so much, first to qualify for the Tournament, then during the Regional, and the Nationals, and now she was finally in the Finals…Yes, she had gone through so much to get there, she couldn't give up now.

"Let's do this, Hatoko-chan." Himemiya declared with a smile as she pulled the hood of her cloak to cover her head and half her face, as had become usual for her during the Tournament.

"Lets do it." Hatoko agreed, overjoyed by the fact that her friend had recovered her confidence and strong will, she would be needing it.

.---.

"And here we are!" The announcer was calling in a very excited voice. "The semi-finals for this year's Nationals in Angelic Layer! Our competitors are the very best this country has to offer: first, the famous Ice Machine: Jounouchi Sai! Also, the perseverant fighter: Fujisaki Arisu! Another experienced deus who this year seems to be focused on proving herself as the best: Atarashi Kyoko! And finally, our miracle rookie, the undefeated: Himitsu Himemiya! Show them your love people, these four before you are the most talented Deus in Japan, now, who will prove to be the best? We'll know soon. Also, don't forget that, like every year, the winner of this tournament will have a chance to defy our very own Prince of the Layer: Mihara Oujirou!"

As soon as the presentation of the finalists was over each of the deuses, along with their seconds, went to their respective stations.

The first fight was announced almost right away: Jounouchi Sai, with her Angel: Shirahime, against Atarashi Kyoko and her Angel: Queen.

Himemiya turned her back on the platform as soon as the first round was announced, instead choosing to concentrate on some papers she had on her lap.

"You really aren't going to watch the fight?" Hatoko asked as she raised her head from the laptop in which she had been typing.

"What for?" Himemiya asked, without looking up from her own papers. "We both know that, no matter how strong Shirahime and Sai-san may be, there's just no way they're going to win against the Cheating Queens."

Hatoko just shook her head at the title that Himemiya had assigned to the bushy haired deus, it would be bad if it wasn't so right. That deus was cheating to get through the Tournaments, had been doing it since the very first battle, no one seemed to be able to stop her. In fact, that was the very reason why Himemiya and Hatoko were there in the first place:

***Flashback***

Himemiya was standing in the middle of the park, under the rain, her high school uniform as soaked as the rest of her, the long tresses of dark hair hanging heavily down her face, which she held in her hands, she seemed to be crying, though it was hard to tell with the rain.

Suddenly another person arrived to the park, in the white and blue uniform of the Eriol Junior-High, Hatoko stood under her black umbrella, waiting for the other girl to notice her.

"Ha…Hatoko-chan?" The blue-eyed girl finally noticed her. "What are you doing here?"

"Nii-san told me what happened." Hatoko explained without delay. "That bloody bas…"

"Hatoko-chan, language!" Himemiya chastised the younger girl, before sighing and adding in a low voice. "It's not really his fault. His hands are tied."

"Only because he hasn't looked for a way to untie them. You can't tell me that, with the power he commands, both as a Deus, the 'Prince of the Layer' and as the younger brother of the Father of Angelic Layer, he can't get off his ass and do something about it!"

Himemiya shook her head sadly, choosing to ignore the language Hatoko kept using.

"If only it were as easy." She finally said in a sad tone. "But it isn't. This isn't just about him, or me or even Atarashi. This is about everything Icchan-san and his team have worked so hard for, the future of Piffle Princess…"

"Mate…" Hatoko was shocked as she finally understood. "You mean to tell me Atarashi is blackmailing Mihara Oujirou?!"

"Shhh!!! No one's supposed to know."

"Why not? Why not telling the police, or whoever what Atarashi is doing and getting this trouble finished already."

"I already told you it's not that easy Hatoko-chan. What Atarashi is using to blackmail Oujirou-kun is too delicate and too important."

"How much?"

"Almost all the records concerning a top-secret project Piffle Princess has been working on for the past five years."

"Ok…" Hatoko sighed. "That's big."

"Hai. Atarashi has promised Oujirou-kun that if he lets her get her way and win in Angelic Layer this year she'll give him back everything, all the written records, the diagrams, the software, everything."

"And where are Ichirou-san and Shuu-dono?"

"On a business trip. As a matter of fact, they went to get the final part of the budget for this very project, as well as to register the patent that will help them finally make it official."

"And do they know what's going on?"

"Iie. That was one of Atarashi's conditions when they negotiated things, no one was must know what's going on."

"And yet you know."

"Hai…"

"There's more, isn't it?"

Himemiya decided that sometimes Hatoko was too clever for her own good.

"What is it? What else is Atarashi demanding in exchange for those things she stole?"

Himemiya's answer was so low the younger girl couldn't make out what was being said.

"Nani? I didn't hear you."

"I said she wants Oujirou-kun. He must ask her out during the Finals and keep dating her until she tires of him; during that time she'll be giving him, piece by piece, the things related to the project, if he refuses she'll either destroy everything, or even worse, sell it to the American competition. And before you say it, there's just no way to report the robbery, because no one out of Icchan-san and his team even know this project was under way!"

Hatoko growled in frustration, things were defiantly bad, more than bad even, they were between a rock and a hard place. And if she thought it was like that, she didn't even want to know how her friend was feeling. Hatoko had known Himemiya for practically all her life, since her brother Kotarou went to school with her. Hatoko, being a great fan of Angelic Layer since she was four, had received a great surprise when discovering her brother's friend knew someone directly related to those who made it. And yet, perhaps the most surprising part of all was the fact that she didn't play Angelic Layer herself, said she just wasn't interested. At least until all this disaster began.

"So, what are we gonna do then?" Hatoko asked her friend. "Because I hope that, after all this speech, you're not planning on just stay sitting there and taking all this s…"

"Language…" Himemiya repeated, and then took a deep breath. "And I don't know what to do. I mean, I know I should do something, but just don't know what."

"Why don't you compete?" Hatoko suggested suddenly. "I mean, you know I will do it, but two are always better than one, that way at least if one of us losses before this is over it'll only be half the chance gone…"

"Wait, wait, wait. You can't expect me to compete. I've never battled with an Angel!"

"But you do have one, don't you?"

"Hai. I do, one of the first to be made, but I already told you, I've never used her to fight. Only to dance and such."

"Why not?"

Himemiya just shrugged.

"Well, doesn't matter." Hatoko assured her. "If you can dance with your angel that means you must have a good coordination, it must not be hard for you to fight."

It seemed like Himemiya was about to complain again, but in the end decided it was useless. Hatoko was right in that they had to do something, and since Oujirou seem to be having such a hard time, she'll have to do something herself.

"Alright." She nodded. "We'll do it."

"We'll fight, and do our best to stop Atarashi from becoming Champion." Hatoko agreed. "And if in the way we can somehow recover what she stole, all the better."

"Hai." The blue-eyed nodded. "I'm so glad to have you with me on this, Hatoko-chan."

"It's my pleasure," The younger girl assured her. "I owe you and your family so much, without you, Suzuka and I wouldn't be who we are now. You know you can count on me."

"Arigato." Himemiya insisted.

"Now come on." Hatoko said suddenly. "Lets get you out of this rain before you get sick."

***End of Flashback***

By the time Hatoko had finished reminiscing the battle in the Layer was over, and like the two girls had expected, the winner had been Atarashi.

"You know, I almost feel sorry for Sai-san and Shirahime." Himemiya declared suddenly. "They're such a talented team…if things were the way they're supposed to be, they would have been the ones to win this fight."

"And you would be facing them in the finals." Hatoko pointed out, she giggled. "I know what you mean. I too have a very deep respect for them, they're the ones who defeated me. The reason I'm not giving you a hand like I originally promised…" she sighed sadly.

"Hey, don't be sad." Himemiya told her. "You're still helping me, a lot. I have no idea who I would have chosen for my Second if you hadn't been here."

"Maybe Ryo-san." Hatoko suggested, half-joking, half-serious.

"Iie. Ryo-san is being very helpful in his own way, but I don't think I could trust him the way I trust you." The older girl declared honestly.

"Arigato, Hime-chan." The violet-eyed girl was beaming with happiness.

"The second part of the semi-finals will begin now!" The announcer's voice sounded from the speakers right then.

"Guess that's my cue." Himemiya declared.

Hatoko helped her put the headset on without pushing down her hood, it had become a part of her 'character' it gave her an air of mystery and danger that the fans seemed to love, especially since she had passed through all the battles undefeated. The hardest thus far had been her last battle in the regionals: against Hatoko and Suzuka; in the end it had been a draw, one of the few to ever take place in Angelic Layer, and since it was already normal for two of them to pass to the Nationals, the coordinators of Angelic Layer allowed the draw to remain as such; the other had been in the finals: against Saitou Kaede with her angel Bransher, Himemiya had come so close to loosing that fight…it had been so long since she had seen an Angel go into Hyper Mode she had completely forgotten such a thing was even possible.

.---.

In the Control Room a twenty-four year old man with cerulean eyes and short dark hair with a few bangs half-hiding his eyes, dressed in black slacks, a casual forest-green button-up shirt and black shoes stood before the great monitors from where he had watched the first battle of the semifinals in the National Tournament. A battle where, he knew, the winner hadn't been truly determined by talent, but by cheap tricks; and yet he had done nothing…

Everyone around him kept silent, even those who were experienced enough with Angelic Layer to at least suspect that something fishy was going on, had been going on since the beginning of the official tournaments. And it was that he was Mihara Oujirou, the Prince of the Layer, brother of the one who had created Angelic Layer, champion for the last five years…there was just no way he would allow something as low as cheating to be happening.

Still, one of the people there, a woman in her early thirties, just watched the young man in silence, while pretending to be very concentrated on her own work. She could see the sadness in her young boss's eyes, the grief, and it pained her as well; she only wished she could do more to help.

"I just hope this'll all be over soon…" She whispered to herself.

Meanwhile, Oujirou himself couldn't help but turn to look at the photo in his hand, the one thing he kept with himself at all times, that helped him keep going, doing what he hated with all his heart but knew was necessary if he was to protect what his loved ones had built. It was a picture of a young couple in the park, smiling at each other and almost kissing, surrounded by flowers and the rests of a picnic.

"Onegai…" He whispered to no one in particular, and in a voice so low none of his employees could actually kill him. "Angels, give me the strength to do that which I hate, yet know must be done…" he sighed as one lonely tear fell down his cheek. "And may She some day forgive me for everything…"

.---.

In the stadium, the second battle of the semifinals was being called:

"In the east side Deus: Fujisaki Arisu, Angel: Alice." The announced called. "On the west side Deus: Himitsu Himemiya, Angel: Hikaru…Angel fight!"