Considering I got nearly twice the reviews with 1/10 the number of words, I think I'll stick with this fic for now. Quick update, but next one will likely take some time. Still exposition, but with 17 characters, what do you expect?

I'd like to note that the title is supposed to be "12 Little HiME (+ 5 others)", but the system won't recognize any symbols other than the hyphen.

Thanks to all who gave a review. Special thanks to Naolin for catching the mistake about Akane's boyfriend.

Again, My-HiME is Sunrise's.

11/27/07


Everyone enjoyed the great lunch prepared by Mai and her two assistants. Sure, it was just paninis, but Mai knew how to please the eye and the tongue. ("In more ways than one for Yuichi," Nao would joke later.) Few present didn't notice Natsuki wasting no time getting back at Shizuru for her earlier teasing. Natsuki made plenty sure Shizuru saw her spread far too much mayonnaise in her food. The verbal sparring that followed provided much entertainment for all.

For Yukariko, it was a pleasant distraction. She still wore her habit even on vacation (she wouldn't dare be caught dead wearing something as skimpy as a two-piece). But other than admonishing others (especially Nao) for using the occasional swear word around virgin ears, she really wasn't in any mood to be a rule-enforcer. Between admonishments from the Archdioceses of Tokyo over her affair outside of marriage and the array of conflicts with Ishigami over the nature of their relationship, she would much rather use the time to recollect herself for when she returned and faced him again. She had snapped one day while posing for a portrait at Ishigami's art studio, and the shouting attracted a lot of attention from faculty (it was only by good fortune that school was off for Golden Week, and the only students that caught wind of it were on the Student Council). Come to think of it, Yukariko was certainly blessed in only getting admonished for breaking something as crucial as her sisterly vows. She suspected someone on the Council had pulled strings for her, though she didn't have any idea who. Yukariko was also secure in knowing that her Megumi was in safe hands. For all of Ishigami's faults, she knew that at heart he was a good man, and that he would not allow any harm to come to her – their – daughter.

"Hey, Sister," Midori said. The hand on her shoulder shook Yukariko from her thoughts. "Something wrong?"

"Not really, no," she replied. "Simply enjoying being around friends."

"Guess there's nothing wrong with that." The two of them looked towards the group, specifically at Alyssa and Miyu near the edge. "Still some growing pains, I see?"

"Indeed. Though earlier when we were playing Monopoly they seemed to fit in pretty well."

"If you consider taking over the game as God 'fitting in', I'd agree." The two of them laughed while Midori took a sip of her drink. Yukariko became curious. "What kind of drink is that?"

"Piña Colada."

"Eh? I thought this ship didn't have anything alcoholic on it."

"It doesn't. This is a virgin piña colada."

"What does that mean?"

"No rum in it. You learn new things overseas."

"Ah, I see. Trying to set a good example for the children?"

"More like I'm not entirely satisfied yet that these guys will be fine without me. Don't want to put the entire burden on you if something comes up and I'm gone."

"I appreciate it."

"No problem." Midori's attention briefly went back to Alyssa and Miyu. While they were enjoying the spectacle of either the continuing verbal duel between Natsuki and Shizuru or the eating contest between Mikoto and the tag team of Reito and Tate, they were merely observing, never getting actively involved for so much as cheering on someone. "You sure they going to be alright?" Midori asked.

"Maturation is not something that should be rushed. Alyssa has had the misfortune of having hers rushed. She is a very brilliant girl, but she has virtually no idea how to interact with her peers."

"No one here is her age, though."

"It is not about age so much as who she can identify with. Right now, us former HiME are the ones she can associate the most with. Before Alyssa can be ready to step out into the world, she needs to start here."

"So why not make her become involved more? She's been clinging to that robot like her life depends on it."

"In a sense, it does, at least to her. Miyu is the only real companion she's ever had, and I don't believe her emotional psyche is ready to stop leaning on her for support. Too soon, and the damage can be devastating."

"But Alyssa needs to be free of those training wheels sooner or later, right?"

"I do agree, Sugiura-sensei. I will provide a push when I think it appropriate. But the satisfaction of learning something is greatest when one does it by oneself, yes?"

"I guess so." Midori looked at Miyu, who never strayed far from Alyssa's side. "How's she taking this?" she asked, motioning to the android.

"She already knows the time is coming when Alyssa will no longer lean on her, and she understands that that is best."

"Huh. Didn't think robots were even capable of doing something like that."

"It surprised me too. She told me one night after Alyssa had gone to bed. She admitted that, as an android, she wasn't fully capable of understanding human emotions, but that she did care very much for Alyssa. She did express concern about what would happen once that day came. Miyu seemed almost…afraid. It was one of the few times I had forgotten that Miyu was made, not born."

"Wow. Technology is amazing."

"Indeed."

"Hey," Nao said, interrupting the two. The rest of the group had more or less paused their doings to see this. "Don't mean to interrupt your pondering about the meaning of life–"

"It's 42."

Nao paused, not knowing just how many drinks Midori has had since the trip began. "Anyway, it's time to change, and I'm sure as hell not doing this without you too."

"Aw, do I have to?" Midori whined. Several of them laughed, even though they knew that would have been Midori's response.

"Yes, Midori-chan, you have to. A promise is a promise," admonished Mai.

"Set a good example for them," Yukariko suggested.

"All right, all right." Midori got up. "Keep your head up," she said to the sister. "You'll be a great mom."

"Thank you." With that, Midori and Nao walked down death row, with Mai and Akane escorting them. Tate pretended to play taps on a bugle to much laughter, to which Nao (when seeing the Sister's back turned) gave him the finger before disappearing behind the corner.

"Hey, why did Midori say the answer to the meaning of life is 42? Isn't it a really unlucky number?" Mikoto asked.

"Who said that?" Natsuki asked.

"My grandpa. He said it is a very bad number." (A/N: 4 in Japanese is shi, 2 is ni. Though one would say forty-two as "yon juu ni", "shi ni" can also mean "going to death".)

"Oh, please. My apartment number is 413. The last two digits on my Ducati's license plate are 5 and 2 (4 times 13). I should be many times as unlucky."

"You can't be serious!" Shiho said in disbelief.

"Ara, Natsuki is quite contemptuous of fate," Shizuru added.

"Yeah, are you trying to get misfortune placed on your head?" Akira asked.

"Good grief, I'm surrounded by superstitious idiots," Natsuki said in resignation. She sat down at a table, holding her face in her hands, while the others broke up into separate conversations once again.

Later, everyone was inside the ship's lounge while hula girls Nao and Midori came in and began serving various tropical drinks. Those that had cameras or camera phones began taking pictures of the two of them like it was a photo shoot for a couple of supermodels.

"Oh, man, Chie and Aoi are going to be so pissed when they find out they missed this!" Mai exclaimed.

"You wouldn't dare!" Nao said. She was quite irritated at the prospect of having so many embarrassing shots floating around.

"Aw, come on, Nao. Midori seems to be enjoying herself." Sure enough, when Nao turned to look at Midori, she was virtually bathing in the spotlight. No way could someone come up with so many poses in such a short time – Nao suspected Midori secretly wanted to lose the bet just so she would have an excuse to do this. "Let her enjoy herself in her own way, 'cause that ain't how I do it."

"Suit yourself." Mai continued to take pictures of Nao anyway over her protests. Nao resigned herself to her fate (she was outnumbered 15 to 1) and began subtly posing for shots. Her attracting the attention of some of the others didn't go unnoticed by Midori, who began to redouble her own efforts to win the crowd back. One thing led to another, and eventually…

"Wait, where did this pose-off come from?" Natsuki asked.

"Who knows and, honestly, who cares?" Reito replied. "It's quite enjoyable."

"Yeah, I guess so."

Given the nature of Nao and Midori, few were surprised (but most were pleased) when insults began to be hurled.

"Having a bit of a mid-life crisis, I see."

"That wouldn't impress a geek!"

"Resorting to that? Come now, surely someone with your experience can do better!"

The fun ended when the captain of the ship came on the intercom. "Um, I hate to interrupt your impromptu exotic dancing girl contest, but we're a few minutes from docking at the port. You'll probably want to gather your belongings and prepare for docking. As for you two, you might want to change out of those things if you don't want to leave a poor first impression on your hosts." The disappointment was evident among the gang as Nao and Midori walked out to change back. Nao wasn't so disappointed: "That rope can really grate on your skin."

Natsuki looked out the window at the approaching dock while continuing to sip on her mix of cranberry and grapefruit juice plus peach nectar, idly wondering how they had managed to find those three ingredients. "That was a rather interesting turn of events, ne?" Shizuru asked.

"Quite."

"Yuuki-san seemed quite into it."

"Yeah, I know. Rather unusual, really. I didn't think she'd be willing to do that kind of thing."

"I think it was because of Sugiura-sensei. It appears the two of them always want to out-compete the other."

"Great. Are we going to have another competition like you and Haruka?"

"Competition?" Shizuru asked innocently. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"You know, the fact that – ohh…." Natsuki said. "Dissing others, Shizuru? Maybe you've been hanging around us too much."

"It's the price I pay for hanging around you," Shizuru replied with a hug around Natsuki's neck. This time Natsuki didn't resist like earlier on the deck.

From another part of the room, Tate and Reito were observing the developing scene. "Lovebirds are at it again," Tate noted, taking the last sip of his Sprite.

"Indeed so."

"You ever going to find a girl?"

"Maybe someday. But for now, Mikoto's the only girl I need in my life." Tate raised an eyebrow at that statement, to which Reito quickly clarified, "I mean as siblings."

"Yeah, yeah. You're right, though. You guys really haven't had much of a chance to be like real siblings have you?"

"What about you? Are you ever going to make your move?"

"About what?"

"You know very well about what."

Just then Shiho came up. "Onii-chan, help me carry my luggage, please?" Tate sighed and Reito gave a look of sympathy. As Tate began to leave, Reito mouthed a "Good luck" to Tate, to which he nodded.

During this time, someone witnessed what had just transpired. "It's worse than I thought," she said softly to herself. "It was a good decision, then, to make those changes." No one else heard her, though, as the ship had docked and everyone was clamoring to disembark and transfer to the boats that will take them to their destination.


Again, please R&R.