Disclaimer: Mai-Hime is the property of Sunrise and Bandai.
Warning: This story contains graphic violence, sex and coarse language. If you are uncomfortable with any of these, please refrain from reading.
Chapter 1: Cheshire-Cat Grin
Ciudad Valles, Mexico: 10 months after the events of the Carnival
Gabriela rarely visited the taberna (1) after her show, but she felt differently tonight. Tonight she desired the heady warmth of alcohol, and the comforting presence of strangers who knew nothing of her fame. The Puesta De Sol (2) was packed with locals and travelers alike, which made it deliciously easy for Gabriela to melt into the crowd and discard her identity. She ordered a double-shot of the most expensive tequila in the house and winked at the ruddy bartender, who regarded the voluptuous curves of her body with poorly-concealed lust. Perhaps she would take him up on his unspoken offer if she was feeling especially daring later on in the evening.
Most of the customers at the Puestra De Sol were men, so it was no wonder that the obscured figure in the shadowed booth at the corner of the taberna caught her eye. The figure regarded no one, yet everyone, and seemed to carry an air of cool defiance in her every gesture. Gabriela did her best to catch a glimpse of the figure's face without seeming too obvious, but the allusive visage remained shielded beneath the brim of an off-white fedora. Unable to see the mysterious woman's face, Gabriela contented herself with taking in the rest of her rather eye-catching appearance. The dashing female was clad in a fitted suit that matched her fedora in color, and a button-up dress shirt made of semi-transparent, beige cloth. From the way that her clothing hugged her body, Gabriela could tell that the woman was lithe and fit. The suit also told Gabriela that the stranger was most-likely foreign, as it is considered odd in Mexico for a female to dress in something so definitively masculine. However, despite the non-traditional style of dress sported by the woman, she retained a certain muted femininity that was incredibly alluring.
Gabriela's inspection of the intriguing female was brought to an abrupt halt when a gentleman joined the woman at her table, effectively blocking Gabriela from making any more observations. She blinked several times, as though she had just been brought out of a trance, and realized that she desperately had to use the restroom. Gabriela rose from her seat at the bar, and staggered toward the back of the taberna; during the course of her study of the mysterious woman, she had consumed at least four drinks. As a result, she was slightly intoxicated, which probably led to her less-than-brilliant plan to relieve her aching bladder in the alley rather than wait for the currently-occupied restroom to become free. Upon reaching the alley, Gabriela squatted while silently cursing the maker of overly-luxurious flamenco dresses (3). Just as she was about to re-enter the taberna, though, a calloused hand was laid roughly on her shoulder and she was immediately spun around to face the stench of musky cologne, sweat and cheap liquor. Before she could even begin to react, the rough hands shoved her up against the outer wall of the taberna and began fumbling with the folds of her dress in fevered eagerness.
"Pl-please señor, I have money, please, I will give you however much you ask, just let me go," Gabriela pleaded, her voice trembling with the fear that had entirely replaced her light-headed inebriation. The anonymous man, who was roughly her height, but at least 80 pounds heavier, responded by merely continuing his assault on her dress. Realizing that she was not going to receive a reply, Gabriela let out several terrified shrieks that were quickly muffled by one of the man's grimy palms. In desperation, Gabriela attempted to lash out at her assailant with her feet and nails but he effortlessly over-powered her while, at the same time, forcibly spreading her legs with his knee. Just as he was moving to unbuckle his belt, though, something collided sharply with the small of his back. The breath of Gabriela's attacker escaped from his lips in a strained whistle, as he fell to his knees.
"Pardon me, señor, but I believe the señorita asked you to 'let go,'" murmured a husky voice from somewhere in the alley. The man shakily got to his feet, and cast his eyes about in bewilderment. Where was the voice coming from? Who the hell struck him? Slowly, but without hesitation, a figure stepped from the shadows cast by the awning of the taberna and into the subdued light that filtered into the alley from the street. Gabriela inhaled sharply at the sight of the strange female from earlier.
"Fuck you, you gringa (4) bitch!" the man growled, flipping a blade out from inside the pocket of his denim jacket.
"Ah, I see. Well, that's regrettable," the woman replied. Gabriela couldn't help but marvel at the lack of concern evident in the female's tone and mannerisms; in fact, the woman almost sounded as though she were exasperated by her encounter with this potential rapist. Moreover, even though the woman was obviously foreign, her Spanish was nearly flawless. "I suppose I will have to take care of this then. How…(sigh) irritating."
The man did not respond to the odd female's statement, but simply lunged at her. In the split second that it took for his sluggish body to bridge the ten-foot gap between himself and the strange woman, Gabriela witnessed something truly captivating: the mysterious female smiled. Not a full-fledged smile, so much as a lop-sided grin. A grin that seemed to whisper, "I have a secret that I am about to reveal to your eyes only."
Suddenly, the woman was gone—or so she appeared for the briefest of moments—until she landed in a crouched position in the spot that the man had just vacated in his attempt to accost her. Her hand held her fedora in place, which still concealed most of her facial features. Although, now that Gabriela was able to see her from a different angle, she realized that the woman had dark-mahogany hair that was pulled back into a lose pony-tail. Once again, though, Gabriela was distracted from fully appreciating the female's attributes when the woman swept her leg out and knocked the man from his feet. However, instead of disarming him while he lay incapacitated, the woman waited for him to rise before she deftly secured his knife-wielding hand and drew him close to her.
"Perhaps this will help you 'let go,'" the woman remarked, her voice hushed. Gabriela heard a sickening crunch as the mysterious female snapped the man's wrist in one swift motion. The man screamed like an animal caught in a trap and stared at the woman's face as tears of pain streamed from his eyes. In an effort to attain some degree of mercy, he sought eye contact with his enemy. Gabriela watched as the man peered beneath the brim of the fedora, only to shrink away from the woman's gaze in apparent horror.
"Demonio (5)…" the man whispered, after which he began to pray rather fervently. The woman loosened her grasp on his hand, allowing him to prostrate himself before God and then flee from the alley. Shaking her head, she turned around and approached Gabriela, her face having taken on an amused expression that also held a tinge of something more ambiguous.
"Are you hurt?" she asked, her voice gruff but gentle.
"No," Gabriela mumbled, shaking herself free from the fascination-induced haze in which the odd female had placed her.
"Beautiful girls should not urinate in dark alleys," the woman stated. Gabriela felt her face flush with embarrassment and she turned away from the intense, yet slightly teasing, stare of the other female. "What is your name?"
"My name…" Gabriela regarded her rescuer with helpless reluctance, "is Solymar."
The woman lowered her head and chuckled lightly before addressing Gabriela again, "You're a poor liar. Though, I suppose I don't blame you for not wanting to give out your name to a complete stranger." Despite her words, the odd female made no effort to reassure Gabriela by offering her own name or by removing her fedora so that her appearance could be readily seen. Instead, she turned and began making her way out of the alley. Still reeling from the previous events, but unable to simply let this intriguing woman slip from her grasp, Gabriela called out to her before she could merge back into the shadows of the night. Hearing her cry, the woman turned.
"M-may I…" the words caught in Gabriela's throat. She did not fully understand her own longing, but she needed to see the woman's face. Maybe even touch it, caress it…she didn't know anymore.
"May you, what?" the woman asked, sounding genuinely curious.
"May I… see you?" Gabriela choked out. The other female paused, and even though Gabriela could not fully view her expression, she could tell that the woman was contemplating her proposal.
"Only if you let me buy you a drink."
"S-si," Gabriela consented. Upon being granted permission for the drink, the mysterious female slowly strode up to Gabriela, stopping when she was mere inches away. Gabriela had to bite her lip to keep from letting out a whimper, as the woman's scent encompassed her. She smelled of summer rain. Refreshing, yet warm.
"You may look," the woman whispered. Gabriela nodded to show that she understood, before cautiously lifting the edge of the fedora.
Red. That was the first thought that entered Gabriela's mind. Never before had she seen someone with eyes of such an unnatural shade. Red. Like blood. A shiver ran up her spine, but not from the abnormal hue of the woman's eyes. She did not know why, but this discovery only made her want to interact with the strange female all the more.
"Gabriela," she murmured. Had she just told this woman her name? Why did she do that?
"It's nice to meet you. Now, if you don't mind, how about we get that drink?" the woman inquired, completely ignoring the fact that Gabriela had just willingly revealed her name, despite her earlier refusal. Again, Gabriela could only nod.
However, before they could step back into the taberna, Gabriela found her voice: "W-who are you?"
The lop-sided grin made a brief reappearance, but this time it was tainted with something bordering on sadness, "I would tell you, if I knew."
Fuuka, Japan: 2 years after the events of the Carnival (6)
A lone petty officer, dressed in a shimmering suit of metallic-blue, body armor and a matching visor that resembled a full-faced biker helmet, trudged heavily across the wasteland that lay before her. She crept toward a deserted building where she proceeded to appropriate a M12 Warthog LRV (7). Then, so as not to be detected, she drove the Warthog to a sheltered area behind a low-rising ridge and awaited the arrival of her nemesis. As predicted, a second petty officer emerged from behind the opposite side of the ridge, just as the first lowered herself from her vehicle. The second officer was identical to the first, with the exception of the color of her body armor, which was a shade of nearly-neon magenta instead of cobalt-blue. Once she had revealed herself, the second officer realized that the first had laid a trap for her and she hurried to ready her weapon before her crafty opponent could fire. To her dismay, the first officer was far too experienced, and the second officer was quickly dispatched without mercy.
"Major pwn! (8)" Natsuki yelled. Her victorious cry quickly followed by peals of triumphant laughter.
"Nani?! (9) Goddamnit!" Nao cried, her exasperation nearly piercing Natsuki's eardrum due to the fact that they were currently communicating via hands-free headset.
"Slightly inappropriate language for a potential nun, don't you think?" Natsuki teased, knowing full well that Nao had no intention of joining the Catholic Church, but was simply going along with her training so as not to disappoint (a.k.a. incite the wrath of) Yukariko.
"Fuck you, Kuga," Nao growled.
"You're not my type," Natsuki quipped.
"Ara," Nao replied, in an almost-flawless imitation of a certain ex-kaichou's Kyoto-ben, "Natsuki ikezu (10)." Natsuki blushed; all-of-a-sudden immensely relieved that Nao was safely tucked away in her dorm room, rather than beside her on the couch.
"Bite me, Yuuki."
"Now whose propositioning whom?" Nao jeered. Natsuki could practically hear the smug grin creeping its way onto Nao's face, and she rolled her eyes in response even though the younger girl had no way of seeing it. "How is she anyway?"
"Eh?!" To say that Natsuki was slightly taken aback by Nao's question was an understatement. Despite the fact that she and Nao had managed to become friends over time by focusing on their similarities rather than their differences, the younger of the two had never truly come to accept Shizuru beyond mere tolerance. Therefore, the genuine consideration that had wormed its way into Nao's question caught Natsuki off-guard.
"Jesus Kuga, that bad? What are you in the doghouse for now?"
"Shut it, Nao! Shizuru and I are just fine," Natsuki snapped, "I just thought that the question was a little unexpected, coming from you."
"N-nani?" Nao replied, "I'm not that big of an ass."
Natsuki couldn't help but chuckle good-naturedly at Nao's comment, "Yeah, I guess not. Well, thanks for asking."
"Don't go getting all sappy on me, here, Kuga. I don't swing that way."
"Oi, I don't think anyone with a bondage fetish has a right to judge me."
"B-baka!" Nao snarled, then in a slightly more subdued tone, "so, have you figured out what you are going to get her for your anniversary?" Unable to go to Mai, because of the constant presence of both Tate and Mikoto, Natsuki had sought help with this particular dilemma from her only other option: Nao. Under penalty of death that she not speak one word on the subject to Shizuru, of course.
Natsuki sighed deeply, "No. She's impossible to buy for. I mean, she already has everything that she could ever want." The truth of Natsuki's statement hung like a dead weight around her neck whenever there was a special occasion for which she needed to acquire a suitable gift for the elder woman. Shizuru was the sole heir to Fujino Industries, one of the most prominent and successful conglomerates in Kyoto. Her father had recently granted his daughter a position at Fujino Industries' Fuuka branch, even though she was only in her second year at the university. As a result, Shizuru spent the majority of her time doing some form of work, either for her father's company or for her business classes; hence the reason why Natsuki was currently spending her Sunday playing Halo 3 with Nao. On the upside, though, Shizuru's income was substantial enough to support both she and Natsuki quite comfortably. However, when Natsuki weighed being financially well-off against spending quality time with her lover, she preferred the latter.
"You could always get her a collar to put around your neck," Nao mused, "maybe a leash."
"Nao!" Natsuki raged, her eye twitching in irritation. What the hell had ever made her believe that Nao would be of any assistance in this matter? Her idea of a good present was probably a gift-wrapped pedophile.
Suddenly, a melodic voice cut through Nao's hysterical cackling like a knife through warm butter, "Ara, I see that you and Yuuki-san are having a good time without me, perhaps I should go back to the office, ne?"
"S-Shizuru!" Natsuki stammered, her expression unintentionally confirming Nao's implied description of her as Shizuru's puppy: upon catching sight of her girlfriend, her eyes had widened in excitement and her mouth had split into a goofy grin. In an effort to greet the elder woman, Natsuki jumped from her seat without taking into consideration the headset that was still attached to her game console. This oversight would prove to be Natsuki's downfall, literally. A yelp erupted from her throat as the wire from the headset snapped her backwards, causing her to perform a reverse somersault over the seat of the couch.
"Ara, ara…" Shizuru murmured in restrained delight over Natsuki's embarrassing antics as she crossed the room to attend to her 'wounded' lover.
"What the hell just happened, Kuga? Did that woman jump you already?" Nao inquired, the amusement in her voice suggesting that she actually had a fairly good idea about what had happened.
Natsuki was about to respond when Shizuru gently reached over, plucked the headset from her and spoke into the microphone, "Yuuki-san, you will have to excuse Natsuki, she has something that requires her immediate attention."
Nao was so stunned to hear Shizuru's syrupy-sweet accent, in place of Natsuki's gruffness, that all she could stutter out in reply was a strangled, "H-hai!" Once Shizuru effectively silenced Nao, she wrapped her girlfriend in a tight embrace. She had missed her Natsuki.
"Shizuru?" Natsuki mumbled, her voice somewhat muffled by Shizuru's chestnut hair, in which her face was comfortably buried.
"Mm?"
"What requires my immediate attention?"
Shizuru giggled lightly at the naivety of her lover, before drawing Natsuki into a less-than-chaste kiss. When she pulled away, the emerald green of Natsuki's eyes had hazed over, reminding the former kaichou of a forest shrouded in a dense mist. Shizuru allowed her gaze to noticeably flicker from the bedroom, and then back to the younger woman, before giving Natsuki her answer: "Me."
Tokyo, Japan: 11 months after the events of the Carnival
Yomoshiro Jiro (11) rubbed his temples with his forefingers in epic frustration as he stared at the intercom to his rather vast and lavish office. An office that he was in immediate danger of losing if he did not do something to quell this crisis, and fast. Reluctant to leave the comforting softness of his desk chair, but knowing that he would have to venture from it in order to properly greet his guest, he rose and adjusted the dark-navy jacket of his three-piece suit. Once he was satisfied with his appearance, he pressed the button to the intercom.
"You may send her in now, Mitsurugi-san," Jiro informed his secretary.
"Hai, Yomoshiro-sama," the secretary replied, just before the double-doors to Jiro's office opened to allow a woman decked out in business-casual attire to enter. As the woman approached, Jiro took in her distinctly Western features: dark-auburn hair; piercing, blue eyes and lightly-freckled skin. When she was within a safe distance, so that it didn't look as though he was too eager to speak with her, Jiro stepped forward from his desk and bowed to her politely.
"Ohaiyo gonzaimasu (12), Mason-san," Jiro said, his voice betraying little of his anxiety or anticipation.
"Ohaiyo, Yomoshiro-san," Dr. Mason replied, giving him her own—albeit less graceful—bow. Jiro motioned for Mason to sit down opposite him at his desk before he went about reclaiming his own seat. After which, he pursed his lips in thought and regarded her with what he hoped was a somber, fairly-emotionless expression.
"As you know, Mason-san, the specimen was observed in Mexico less than a month ago. Do you have any idea why she would be there?"
"Now, why would you assume that I would be privy to that kind of information concerning the (slight pause, as though out of distaste for the next word) specimen's whereabouts Yomoshiro-san?"
Jiro noted the way in which Dr. Mason expertly dodged the question, while managing to turn her answer into something resembling an accusation. He smiled in amusement, and continued, "As I have clarified before, Mason-san, the organization simply thought that because the specimen was primarily under your 'care' at the facility that you would have the most insight into her thought process."
"I see," Dr. Mason stated, allowing a detached smile to grace her lovely face, as she crossed elegant legs beneath a charcoal-grey skirt. Despite her subtle insolence, Jiro could not help but find her attractive, especially considering the way in which the creamy blouse that she wore hugged her sensuous figure. Not to mention her glasses, which made her seem both sophisticated and devious at the same time. "Well, Yomoshiro-san, I am sorry to disappoint you, but-"
"I hope you are aware," Jiro interjected, cutting her off in mid-sentence, "that the specimen represents a significant investment for First District. A rather irreplaceable investment."
"I am," Dr. Mason responded, seemingly unfazed by Jiro's abrupt reminder.
"Then you are also aware that the organization has no use for you if you persist in remaining…uncooperative in resolving this matter."
"I don't appreciate the implication that-"
"Do not toy with me Mason-san. I do not wish to report your behavior to my superiors. I may be forgiving, but I assure you, they are not," Jiro added, his voice retaining its eerie monotone, even in the lancing presence of his concealed threat.
Dr. Mason paused, suddenly appearing unsure of herself (if only for the briefest of moments) before-once again-finding her composure, "She may have an informant."
Jiro raised an eyebrow, as he laced his fingers together over the polished surface of his desk, "An informant?"
"Yes."
"And how might she have acquired such a thing?"
"She can be… very persuasive."
"Well, considering her origins, it is not surprising. However, it seems strange, don't you think, for her to have access to such costly associates?"
"Yes, her financial situation is of great interest to me as well."
"Ah, then am I to assume that you know nothing regarding her continuous source of funds?" Jiro inquired deliberately.
Again, Dr. Mason's mouth tugged upward into a small smile, "No, that would not be entirely accurate."
"Then, please Mason-san, enlighten me."
"It is possible that she is using funds pirated from my previous employer."
"Mhmm," Jiro mumbled in admiration, "she is certainly skilled."
"That she is," Dr. Mason nodded in concurrence.
Jiro leaned his chin onto his entwined hands, which he had raised from the desk and supported with his elbows, "You are dismissed for now." He closed his eyes after this statement, as though her were attempting to eliminate her entirely by removing her from his sight. She rose and bowed, though he could not see it, and strode toward the double-doors. "Oh, just one more thing Mason-san," Jiro called, halting the doctor in mid-stride, "do you think that she is pursuing her roots?"
"If you asking me whether or not she will contact the donors," Dr. Mason replied, not turning to meet his renewed gaze, "then I must say, no. I do not."
Jiro's lips twitched, as though he were on the verge of saying something. After a few seconds of silence, however, he simply let out a defeated sigh, "Very good, sayonara Mason-san." Once the doctor had left the room, Jiro picked up the receiver to his office phone and dialed a number with which he was intimately familiar.
After several dial tones, a distorted voice came on the line, "Oi."
"A pleasure as always Kurogawa-san," Jiro replied, "I need you to send an agent to Fuuka as soon as possible; the specimen may be on her way."
Author's notes:
(1)- Taberna is Spanish for 'bar.'
(2)- Puesta De Sol is Spanish for 'sunset,' but is also the name of the bar.
(3)- Flamenco is a type of Spanish dance in which the dresses are usually very flamboyant and many-layered.
(4)- Gringo/a is derogatory term for someone who is from the United States.
(5)- Demonio is Spanish for 'demon.'
(6)- This time period (2 years after the events of the Carnival) is 'present day' in the universe of this fic.
(7)- A M12 Warthog LRV is a dune-buggy type vehicle that is indigenous to the Halo series of video games.
(8)- Pwn, for all of the non-gamers out there, is a combination of the words 'powerfully' and 'own.' It is typically used by an individual who has just defeated someone in game play.
(9)- Nani is Japanese for 'what.'
(10)- Natsuki ikezu roughly translates, from Japanese to English, as 'Natsuki is a meanie.' Nao is mocking Shizuru here, as Shizuru refers to Natsuki as an ikezu whenever she teases her.
(11)- Jiro is actually the character's first name, but I have chosen to write his full name in the Japanese style with his last name coming before his first name.
(12)- Ohayou gozaimasu is a very formal Japanese way of saying 'Good morning.'
Additional comments:
As you may have noticed, some of the Spanish and Japanese terms in this chapter are not included in my Author's notes. The reason for this is because I assume that most of my readers are familiar with these terms already. However, if I am mistaken, please let me know. Also, I would like to thank all of the people who have reviewed my first chapter. I greatly appreciate everyone's positive responses to my work. Finally, I wanted to let my readers know that there will be more ShizNat interactions in the coming chapters (more so than in this one).
P.S. It seems that I made some minor errors in this chapter; however, I have since corrected them. Ookini, 'In Absentia,' 'Kar' and 'Rile E. Coyote.'
