Academy City Prime: A Mega-crossover

Two: Mai Hime Returns

Natsuki Kuga looked out over the united schools from the tower in the Fuka third of the island, where she had established her residence. Around them was the core of the Fuka Academy, the Shinto shrine, the underground shrine of the Hime and the newly established religion district, where a Christian temple, Buddhist monastery and other faiths were represented.

"I still can't believe this has happened," Natsuki mused, the thirty some years old woman looking back at the figure still laying in their bed. She wore her night clothes and a robe, the early morning light shining into their suite from the window.

Shizuru Fujino was sitting up under the covers, drinking from a cup of tea Natsuki had brought her. The brown haired woman had a calm, almost serene side to her as she drank, but her red eyes held a dangerous intensity in their depths. She was a year older than Natsuki but didn't look it, in fact she could arguably be said to look younger.

"Which don't you believe," Shizuru smiled at her beloved warmly as she said, "that the schools have been combined like this, or that you've been asked to be headmistress?"

"Both!" Natsuki snorted.

Shizuru sighed as she sipped from her cup of tea. "I don't know how Mashiro-sama accomplished this," she noted calmly, "but your appointment as headmistress is really not that unreasonable, Natsuki."

"I think you're talking as my lover rather than as a manager," Natsuki noted, frowning at her slightly. In the years since graduation Shizuru had turned a skill for negotiation and people handling into a career in management, something she was now applying to the schools.

"Not really," Shizuru shook her head. "You graduated from Fuka with a teaching certificate, and you've risen through academia to be a senior teacher in more than one school. You are, to be frank, qualified for the position."

Natsuki blinked, "But..."

Shizuru finished off her cup and put it aside on the bedside table, "We both know they have ulterior motives, but what of it? Miss Balalaika's past makes attracting students difficult, Mashiro-sama is physically a child, and the former Mahora headmaster is... well..."

"He looks like a reanimated corpse, he's so old," Natsuki offered dryly.

"Not diplomatically put," Shizuru noted, "but accurate."

Natsuki ran a hand through her long blue-black hair as she admitted, "I guess I just don't like feeling we're being manipulated."

"It's one way to look at it," Shizuru conceded.

For the past several years they had been covertly chased by the American based Searrs corporation, who were apparently still interested in the potential of the HIME DNA. They, along with the rest of the twelve, had been targeted covertly, with agents attempting to 'hire' them in jobs that amounted to kidnapping. When that failed they moved on to more blatant methods, including using MIYU type androids. The only thing that saved them was the return of their HIME abilities, possibly triggered by stress.

Shizuru shrugged slightly as she continued, "The united schools offering us shelter could be considered manipulation, but it might be from higher motives." She smiled slightly as she added, "We simply do not know yet, Natsuki."

"You're right," Natsuki nodded, turning decisively towards the closet as she added, "and it's time we found out."

"Natsuki," Shizuru shifted a bit, revealing she was still mostly naked underneath the sheets, "you don't have to get dressed right away..."

"Shizuru," Natsuki blushed, but joined her back in bed anyway.

Later that morning, Alyssa Searrs walked down a crowded street, the blond haired twenty-something smiling as she went to keep a appointment. Beside her Miyu Greer followed, the eternally unchanging teenager keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. Both were dressed in the new academy uniforms, skirts past the knee and sailor tops.

"Alyssa," Miyu pushed her light blue hair back as they walked past dorms towards a wooded area on the island, "are you certain this is wise?"

Alyssa shrugged as they walked down a worn path, "Our new academic advisor asked to meet here." She smiled slightly as her hair blazed golden and added, "Besides, I'm quite confident we can handle any surprises."

The old fashioned wooden home was set back in a clearing, the sunlight shining down through the trees. It was a larger home than one might expect, with two floors, several rooms on the first level and even a surrounding porch too.

Miyu lead the way up the steps to the door, then she rang the bell. A few moments later the door opened and a green haired woman smiled at them both. She was dressed in a maid's uniform, a pair of robotic looking antenna sticking out of each side of her head.

"Good morning," the maid smiled, "how can I help you?"

"We're here for a appointment with Mrs McDowell," Alyssa said simply.

"Come in," the maid opened the door, waving Alyssa inside. She put a hand on Miyu's arm as the other woman passed and added quietly, "I am aware of your internal weapons, Miss. Do not activate them here."

As Miyu followed Alyssa in she calmly said, "I will only activate them in self defense."

"Fair enough," the maid conceded.

Evangelene A. K. McDowell was not quite as Alyssa expected. The nearly white haired blond looked like a child, despite being dressed in a woman's suit, and certainly not looking like how she expected a school councilor to look. She sat cross legged on the floor by a low table drinking tea, her eyes twinkling with amusement as her servant lead them to a seat.

"Rei Chachamaru, get us tea," Evangeline ordered.

"Yes, mistress," Rei nodded, the green haired girl pouring more tea for her mistress, then for Alyssa and Miyu.

"Thank you," Alyssa smiled politely. She drank, savoring the well made tea, then looked at Evangeline as she said, "You aren't quite what I was expecting."

Evangeline snorted with amusement, "You're frank, I like that." She drank some tea, "Trust me, I am a hell of a lot older than I look." She put her cup down, "Now, as I understand it you're a junior at the university, correct?"

"Yes," Alyssa nodded, "I would have advanced sooner, but there were certain complications."

"Attempted kidnappings and fighting for your life," Evangeline nodded, "I understand." She leaned forward, "I've seen your record and I know how smart you are. What do you want to major in?"

"Politics and management," Alyssa answered promptly.

"Planing to take over the world?" Evangeline asked calmly.

"Eventually," Alyssa answered just as calmly, "it's more of a long term goal."

Evangeline laughed, grinning. "From most people, I wouldn't believe it," she said cheerfully, "but from you..."

Alyssa nodded respectfully, a smile tugging at her own lips. "So," she said briskly, "I'll need your help in organizing which classes to book, as well..."

Across the city in the headquarters of the new volunteer police force. Nao Yuuki really wondered what the hell she was doing there. The brassy redhead felt like some kind of fake dressed in a woman's business suit and trying to act like a responsible adult, even though she had been approached for this job by Haruka Suzushiro herself.

Nao's job was to run a 'covert' police force for academy city, even as Haruka and Yukino ran the public force called Judgment. They weren't sure what her branch would be called, yet, but it's role would be to keep a eye out for the sort of sneak attacks SEARRS had tried in the past, and be ready to counter them. Her staff would be recruited from the Academy students and teachers, as well as from 'private contractors' referred by Balalaika.

Rebecca Chambers was her 'co-head' sent from Balalaika's forces, and the tough looking brown haired woman looked as uncomfortable in a suit as Nao did. The third of their team was Mana Tatsumiya, a dusky skinned and black haired woman with cold, killer's eyes. Nao entered the meeting room with them, feeling oddly insecure with the two women.

Mana smiled slightly, her eyes still unamused as she asked them, "Does anyone else feel as uncomfortable as I do?"

"Seconded," Nao raised a hand, and Revy followed.

"So," Revy asked as she put the clearly borrowed briefcase on the table with a thump, "who's gonna run this show?"

There was a moment of dead silence as all three took seats at the table then looked at each other thoughtfully. "Revy is the eldest and most experienced," Mana said calmly, "she should lead."

"Are you nuts?" Revy yelped. More seriously she continued, "Look, I'm a good gun woman and I've picked up some skills as a island cop, but no way can I run this operation."

Mana shook her head, "I'm not suited to command."

After a moment both woman looked at Nao, who made a face. "I'm not really qualified," she said dryly, "but I think we can rely on Yukino for direction."

"You think?" Revy looked curiously.

Nao offered a sly smile, "Trust me, by the time we're done a month I can bet that Yukino will know most of the secrets in and around the school."

Mana looked thoughtful, "She's that good?"

"Oh yeah," Nao nodded, deciding not to get into Yukino's far seeing talent. Briskly she continued, "We'll need to look into who we can recruit for our agents..."

Revy had a quirky smile on her face as she sat back, "Balalaika has some field troops we can borrow, and I've worked with Rin Asogi's company."

Nao made a note as she said, "There's Yukino of course, and I've worked with Chie Harada in the past. She's running the school newspaper and is a natural hub for gossip."

Mana nodded coldly, "I'll volunteer to head up offensive operations, of course. Setsuna Sakurazaki and Kaede Nagase are both in Judgment, but I think they'd assist us too."

"Good, now...," Nao mused.

Revy and Mana exchanged a look, noting how Nao was running the meeting even if she didn't want to. It seemed that choosing her to lead might be a good choice after all...

To be continued...

Notes: 'Rei Chachamaru' is the second Chachamaru android serving Evangeline. I'm assuming the first has developed to the point where she's either attending classes on her own and/or has graduated already.