Hello again, and thanks for the reviews. I hope I can perform up to expectations! And yes, it does look longer than the prologue, but this should be the normal size for the rest of the chapters, I think. Haha, let's hope.

Mai-hime and its various offshoots belong to Sunrise.

Chapter 1: Wisterias by the Roadside

"Shizuru."

The five year old looked up from the colorful pages of the book she had taken out of her father's study. The voice in question belonged to the owner of the book, who in turn opened his arms wide and scooped the girl up into the air. A giddy laugh tumbled out of her lips and the stern expression on his face melted to one of amusement.

"Shizuru, were you sneaking books out of my study again?" he asked with a laugh.

"Otou-han, you said I could take one book," Shizuru argued in a matter-of-fact tone.

He tweaked her nose with a gentle finger.

"I did, didn't I? Shizuru, you are growing too observant for me!" His lips puckered into a thoughtful pout.

"What'll happen if your Otou-han grows senile and forgets everything?"

She erupted into childish glee.

"But Otou-han, you're going to live forever!"

"Hm…" He shifted his grip and brought his only daughter up to his shoulders. "I suppose you're right. I wouldn't mind living forever… but only if you do the same!"

Her legs swung freely as she grasped onto the wavy locks of brown hair on his head. She took special care not to tug on his hair and rested her cheek on the very top of his head.

"It's a promise, then," she intoned in a serious voice.

He smiled to himself as he pat his daughter's feet.

"Ah… It's a promise."

Fifteen years later Fujino Shigeru looked relatively the same as he did when Shizuru was five. He dressed in tailored suits with unchanged measurements and his brown hair still retained its color. Maple-colored eyes were still as alert as ever even with crow's feet creeping up on them. He was not one to wear down quickly—his occupation had a high turnover rate for those who did. His position as head of an economical conglomerate did not particularly suit him. He was a brawler, someone who would much rather pick a fight and win through sheer force of will rather than manipulate people for his own gain. His father had once lamented the generational jump of this ability but had since rescinded in favor of pride over his son who turned into a most capable leader of the family.

The young woman stared at him as he adjusted his reading glasses. She had traveled from overseas to reach him here in his office with the papers in tow. Out of politeness he had decided to grant her an audience and read through the thick packet of papers as carefully as possible. She waited with a hopeful smile when his gaze flicked up from the papers to her face.

He almost flinched as he took her hopeful expression in. She looked like a carbon copy of her mother—his sister, he reminded himself. They were not complete strangers. He settled his gaze on her face and hid his frown with the papers. They looked nothing alike despite her being his niece. Her eyes were a cold gray and her hair a strange shade of green—he hoped it was a bad dye job. But what did he care? He hadn't spoken to his sister in years. When Fujino Kyoko cut off all ties with the family he was actually quite relieved. They had never gotten along and there was always something off about that woman. It only grew apparent when she married a hotshot foreigner with a severely inflated ego and unwarranted sense of self-importance. He always wondered what happened to that Marguerite fellow.

"… I'm sorry Tomoe, but I can't exactly concentrate on this at the moment," he admitted with a tired sigh. "I am supposed to meet with Shizuru in the hospital soon. Can this wait?"

His niece nodded.

"Sure, uncle," she replied congenially. "I wouldn't have you rush this at all."

He gave her an unreadable look before getting up from his chair. He pulled on a coat and held the door open to let his niece out.

"Please make yourself at home," he said. "I will be back soon."

"Oh? Will you be visiting her alone?" she asked.

He frowned. Even when they had grown up together—something about preventing a schism, his father had warned him—the two had never quite gotten along. Why would she show such keen interest now?

"… Yes. The doctor is only allowing family to visit."

"I am family too, am I not?"

Shigeru was sorely tempted to say otherwise, but he held his tongue. He was not a child, he reminded himself. Instead he repeated his earlier sentiment and drew his coat around his body before walking away. If he had waited, he mused later, he might have seen the strange glint to his niece's eyes.

Fuuka University Hospital was a twenty minute drive from his area office, a small but richly-furnished hotel. He had planned on giving the office to Shizuru when she graduated, but now he had taken up residence in the building until her recovery was certain. After checking in with the front desk he rode the elevator up to the recovery ward. He walked to her room and noticed that his daughter was still asleep. The doctor had cautioned him that there would be little day-to-day change, but that information had been disregarded in favor of blind optimism. With a sad smile he stroked her cheek and pulled up a chair to wait.

The door slid open to her room and he looked up, registering the blonde hair of the daughter of his business partner. He nodded as she gave a stiff bow.

"… At ease, Haruka."

She sighed but remained standing. She was joined a few minutes later by a mousy girl carrying three small paper cups of steaming liquid—coffee by the smell of it. He accepted one and took a small sip.

"Thank you, Yukino-chan," he said with a placid smile.

She gave a hasty bow when Haruka relieved her of the cups. Silence pervaded for the next few minutes as Shigeru threw a concerned look towards his bed-ridden daughter.

"You must be wondering why I've called you here," he began slowly.

When he was sure he had their attention he continued.

"I may be growing paranoid," he announced with a throaty chuckle. When no response came his lips drew a thin line. "To be honest… I'm not convinced that this was an accident at all, despite the reports."

He paused. "Have you seen her friend? Kuga-han, was it?"

"Kuga?" Haruka echoed. She frowned. "What does she have to do with any of this?"

"A few days ago I was told by a friend of Kuga-han, Tokiha-han, that she was at the scene of the accident as well," Shigeru elaborated with a wave of his hand. "If there is anyone who would confirm or deny my suspicions, it would be her."

"Records indicate that Kuga-san was placed in a recovery ward of this hospital," Yukino added in her quiet voice. "But the room was empty when we checked."

"I suppose she's not the type to answer questions, then," Shigeru noted.

Haruka snorted.

"Kuga is a truant and a bawler."

Yukino coughed.

"… Brawler, Haruka-chan."

Haruka frowned and cocked her head to the side.

"Didn't I just say that? Anyway, she wouldn't hesitate to cut and run if it meant she would avoid an interrogation." Her stance softened. "… But I wouldn't put it past her to try and figure out what happened. You can say she cares for Fu—Shizuru."

"I see. A brawler, huh?"

He could relate to that. He turned back towards his daughter.

"Haruka, you've grown very capable over the years," he commented.

"I have?" Haruka asked before clearing her throat. "I mean… I have, yes."

"You have," Shigeru confirmed. "You are truly your father's daughter."

Yukino blinked and adjusted her glasses as Haruka silently basked under the praise. Really, it wasn't a mystery where Shizuru gained her flattering skills. He exchanged a knowing look towards Yukino, who barely maintained a straight face.

"… As you may already know, Yukino-chan, the Suzushiro family prides itself in three things…"

"Strength, beauty, and GUTS!" Haruka and Shigeru chorused with varying amounts of enthusiasm.

Yukino suppressed an amused smile. If Shizuru was awake, she mused, she would have enjoyed the display. Shigeru cleared his throat once more after finishing his coffee.

"It is this capability and adherence to those values that I treasure most out of you," Shigeru continued in a more serious tone. "I'm glad you haven't changed…"

He drifted off as a distant rumble of thunder rolled past. It would be storming soon. Haruka blinked and a small frown formed on her lips.

"… Sir?" she asked after a terse moment.

Shigeru reached over for his daughter's hand and cradled it between his own.

"… I can't right stay here now. Not with these suspicions clouding my thoughts." He gently set her hand down and straightened the covers over her prone body before standing up. "My place isn't here, not when I am still able to hold my own."

"Will you be returning to Kyoto?" Yukino asked softly.

"I will go wherever my search takes me," he said cryptically.

"But—"

Maple-colored eyes seemed to reflect the flash of lightning outside as he looked at Haruka. Her argument died on her lips.

"I am entrusting my daughter's care onto you, Haruka, until my uncle is able to move her to our main house in Kyoto."

Shigeru gathered his coat but before leaving he leaned forward and placed a hand over Shizuru's forehead. After straightening he turned to regard the two girls and bowed his head curtly.

"It was a pleasure to see you two again, although I hope our next meeting will be under better circumstances."

"… You say that as if we won't be seeing you again," Haruka replied.

Despite her roughness he could see the worry begin to form beneath the terse lines of her frown. This caused the corner of his lips to pull upwards as he watched Haruka shift uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Will you give me a warm embrace if it really is our last parting?" Shigeru asked with a wistful sigh.

"Wh-what makes you think I would do something like that?" Haruka said with a slight squeak.

That reaction was what he had hoped for. This time he could not hide the glee that spread from his lips to his eyes.

"Oh, come on, Haruka. One hug wouldn't hurt, would it?"

Haruka took two steps away from the man.

"You… Suzushiros are a strictly no PTA family!" Haruka sputtered as she crossed her arms and stood her ground.

Yukino masked the giggle that threatened to break through by coughing.

"What is the matter with you, Yukino? Do you need something to drink?" Haruka asked.

"I'm fine… and it's PDA, Haruka-chan."

"Huh? But that's what I said—"

She yelped as she was roughly grabbed by burly arms and smashed into the impeccably-dressed owner of said arms. Her arms waved frantically and she attempted to shove herself away from her attacker but Shigeru's grip was bolstered by the sheer determination to win some affection. The man held her and swung her in place like one would a small child while she flailed in indignation.

"There, there, Haruka," he crooned over her enraged squawks. "This isn't so bad, is it?"

She finally shoved herself out of the hold and glared at him as he held his hands up in a placating measure.

"You… You… You don't go grabbing people like that!" Haruka protested hotly. "You're not much better than the roadside pervert who flashes people in the park!"

"You wound me, Haruka!" Shigeru exclaimed in mock-sadness. "Is this how you treat your precious Shigeru-ojisan?"

"You call yourself precious?! And you're no uncle of mine," she huffed in annoyance. "… Bubuzuke-otoko."

"Ah… I haven't been called that in a long time," Shigeru remarked as he clamped a hand on top of Haruka's head and began to pet her. "It brings me back to the days when your father and I went to school…"

Another round of enraged sputters ensued but he laughed them off and turned towards her friend.

"Take care of this one, Yukino-chan," he said with a smile. "Poor thing is clueless."

Yukino stammered out a good-bye that could barely be heard over Haruka's protests but he nodded just the same and waved before stepping out of the room. He noticed that a small army of nurses were now descending upon the hapless Suzushiro heiress. After some squabbling over endangering the patient by the former and cries of sexual harassment by the latter Shigeru chuckled to himself and popped the collar of his coat.

"Poor girls," he muttered to himself. "I hope they do well."

The company car was waiting for him when he exited the hospital. He quickly sprinted through the rain and entered the car. The driver offered a curt greeting before starting off and soon Shigeru felt himself begin to nod off.

"… Sir, I think we are being followed."

"Hm?"

Shigeru leaned his head back and turned slightly. Through the back window he could barely make out another car through the rain. He narrowed his eyes.

"Try to lose them, Takeshi."

"Yes sir."

His senses were on full alert when the car began a breakneck run through various out-of-place roads. Either the car tailing them was local or the driver very persistent as he realized that they had yet to lose their pursuer through the myriad of lane changes. The jagged cliffs overlooking a raging ocean were ahead. He bit his lip in an uncharacteristic display of nervousness. This particular road led to the docks. If they did not lose the car here through the mountains, there would be no where else to go. Nothing short of running the car off the mountainside could lose their follower.

The road was already tough to navigate but the plummeting rain made it even more unmanageable. He could hear the tires squeal as they struggled to keep a firm grip without hydroplaning off the road. Bright lights flashed in front of them and he squinted.

"Sir, we're going to crash!"

A horn sounded off through the heavy rain. The booming noise could only belong to a truck. The driver attempted to avoid it but the tires would hold on no longer. They locked in place and skimmed over the water-logged road. The nose of the car barely touched the truck. Shigeru breathed a short sigh of relief.

The car's left side caved in when it smashed into the guard rails of the mountainside. A free-fall commenced when the rail gave way to the open waters below. Shigeru's mind turned blank before flitting through mental snapshots that dizzied his perception and made his head tilt back. The gray ceiling of the car swam through the mental images and he blinked, suddenly confused. An unintelligible scream erupted from the front—the driver, he belatedly realized. The car was swallowed up in darkness as the ocean greeted them into its fold.

Water gushed through the cracks of the window and a surge of sea water smashed into him when the glass gave way to the pressure. He threw his arms up to shield himself from the freezing water and glass but his mouth opened as a cold shock settled in his body. Numb fingers fumbled with the seat belt buckle before his thumb managed to jam the button in. In front of him he registered the driver's arms limply floating up to the ceiling. The water around him was dyed in tendrils of deep red.

It was too cold. He could feel his arms begin to give out even as his fingers grazed the jagged glass of the destroyed window. He clenched his jaw and fought the burning in his lungs as unresponsive legs attempted to kick. Despair began to flood into his brain along with the adrenaline. He made one desperate push and mentally cried out in victory when he managed to kick himself free of the rapidly-sinking car. His luck was beginning to turn as he felt steely fingers grasp onto his wrist. He felt himself being pulled upwards and soon his face broke the surface of the water.

Shigeru gasped for air as he tumbled up and over what seemed to be a rowboat. The rain plummeted onto his back as he doubled over and spat out a mouthful of sea water before oxygen flooded his lungs. Adrenaline faded and his limbs began to feel like leaden weights when he finally turned around to try and acknowledge whoever his savior was. He gaped as he recognized the familiar gray eyes.

"Y-You…"

Something heavy cracked over his skull and he fell back with a heavy grunt.

When he failed to get up from that strike, Tomoe stood and observed her handiwork as she held the oar in her hands. The boat rocked slightly but she paid it no heed even when a man emerged from the water. He climbed onto the boat and took a few seconds to catch his breath.

"Did the driver survive?" she asked in a low voice.

The man shook his head.

"… Good."

Her smile took on a vicious curve as she turned her attention back to her uncle's unconscious body.

"Now, uncle… we'll play by my rules."

Author's Note: It seems that most if not all of the main characters have mother issues now that I think about it. Then again it's been a while since I watched any of the franchise's series.

Do let me know what you think.