Hello, hello. I wanted to start off this chapter with a couple of notes. My main focus for this story is Shiznat, with interactions between them and those closest to them. So, there will be some Mai, Reito, Alyssa stuff and less of the other characters. Unless of course, I need them. For instance, I love Nao and I just might have to have her stir up some trouble ;D
All that aside, I don't own anything and thank you so much for the comments!!!! To answer a couple questions, yes, this is an AU story. I'm basically reworking the Hime myth; keeping and adding things. Yes, the characters are younger (right now). I think I had put that Natsuki was 14 and Alyssa 8, so everyone is around Natsuki's age. Let's see...Haruka, Reito, and Shizuru are of course 15ish; Mai, Natsuki, Akane, Kazuya and Tate are 14ish; Mikoto, Shiho, Nao, Akira and Takumi are around13 and 12. Anyone I didn't mention, just kind of get a general idea from what I have listed. I'm doing my best to get all the history/boring stuff out of the way, so bear with me please!
I don't mind answering questions, so hit me up :D (This chapter isn't as long as the previous and I apologize!)
After the introductions, Fumi began to speak.
"I'm sure you all would like to know why you are here. There is a power granted to 12 girls, a power that runs only through the blood of 12 families. This power is ancient and though this power has been used for different purposes, it should be treated as a good power. Those who possess this power are known as Hime; I am, Midori-san is and so is Yukariko-san," she said, gesturing to the women's whose name she had spoken. "You, also, are as well," she said opening her hands to the group seated before her.
There was a mixed reaction from the group in front of her. While a handful of people looked rather undisturbed by the news presented to them, others looked aghast. And still, others, mainly Nao, looked completely and utterly bored with the whole thing. To everyone's surprise, Alyssa's hand went up.
"If this power belongs only to 12 families, does that mean I have that power too?" she asked, extraordinarily articulate as her eyes focused on Fumi's.
Fumi smiled and nodded. "Yes, Alyssa-chan, you possess this power as well. But, it is your sister who bears the burden of being a Hime, not you." She turned her attention back to the group in general.
"Most of you already know everything I have told you and maybe even what I'm about to tell you now. Recently, there have been strange occurrences; people have gone missing, towns are being attacked by mysterious beings and so forth. These attacks are carried out mostly by orphans, monsters that enjoy wreaking havoc. The attacks have been linked to a company called The First District. We suspect they may be behind the resurrection of the orphans.
"Our ancestors had taken up the mantle of being a Hime and fought against orphans long before your time and mine. We have been granted these powers once again, so that we may defeat these monsters and the cause of their arrival.
"Again, I have brought you all here to learn. You will be trained for combat and also work to develop skills unique to yourself, which brings me to another point. The power of a Hime manifests itself in two distinct ways; an element and a child. No two elements nor childs are alike in anyway. Some of you have already learned to summon your element. And an even lesser amount of you have seen your child.
"Your element is your weapon, although in certain cases, an element can be for non-combative purposes. While you are here, you will learn how to utilize your element to its full advantage.
"As for your child, your ability to summon him or her depends solely on your decision to put that which is most important on the line. This means—"
"What, you mean our lives?" Nao interrupted, sounding suspiciously uninterested. "Have we not already put our lives on the line by being here? If these orphans are indeed as dangerous as you say, why bring us together to live in one location? It seems like you've made us the perfect and easiest target for our enemy." Shiho looked uneasily at the girl, as if she had been thinking of the same thing. The boy, Reito, turned to whisper something in Shizuru's ear and the girl seemed to nod slightly in agreement. Alyssa, too, reached up to whisper in Natsuki's ear.
"Onee-chan, I don't think she's very nice." Natsuki wanted to agree with her, but she didn't want to judge the girl before she knew her (even if the red-haired did laugh rudely when she was being crushed into Mai's chest).
"No," she whispered back, "I think she's just scared. All of us are, or should be." Alyssa seemed to think about her statement and then nodded. Natsuki knew she understood. For a girl so young and little, Alyssa was extremely bright and aware of the world around her. When Fumi confirmed that Hime blood ran through Alyssa's veins as well, Natsuki wondered if that might have anything to do with it. She glanced at Shizuru and Reito, noting that the pair of them looked to be about as comfortable as they would be in their own houses. Not too surprising, she thought, and turned away quickly when she realized she was staring too much at them. Mai caught her eye and smirked; Natsuki huffed and turned her attention back to Fumi.
"Nao brings up a good point," the pink-haired woman started again, "I do not want any of you thinking this is not a safe place to be. Another reason I had you all brought here was so that you would be protected, more so than if you were to stay at your own homes. At this moment, Yukariko-san's child is protecting this location. Her child has the unique ability of creating illusions, so that anyone approaching who need not be here will not find this place. Also, I know of another Hime's child who will prove advantageous to hiding this place even better. Now back to the discussion of childs.
"Some of you may have wondered why you were asked to bring a guest. This is because what you put on the line is that which is most important to you, that is, your most important person. If you accept your child, you risk the loss of the person you love the most." There was a dull silence after Fumi's words sunk in. Not long after, Mai's hand went up. After being acknowledged by the pink haired woman, she spoke up.
"What exactly is the function of a Hime's child?" the orange-haired girl asked. Takumi was the only family she had left. She'd prefer not to willingly put him in harms way and she was sure most of the other girls would be thinking along the same lines.
"A Hime's child is more or less an extension of their power. They are summoned for battles and obey every command their Hime gives them. Their size increases with how much emotion a Hime has for her most important person, or rather, how aware they are of their emotions for that person. For now, that is enough. I know it is a lot to take in, but it's also late and I would like to start working with you all tomorrow. Please, think of what I have told you. We will show you to your rooms." Fumi and the other women stood up and though initially baffled, everyone began getting up from their seats to follow them.
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Private discussions could be heard everywhere, mostly between pairs. Mai watched amusedly as Takumi tried talking to the seemingly antisocial Akira, who seemed to be content with the gruff responses her brother was (only) getting. She nudged Natsuki, who was holding Alyssa's hand as they walked down a long corridor.
"What do you think?" she asked her friend. Natsuki shrugged.
"I don't think Alyssa would be too proud of me if I just left, but not only that, if we have this power, why not use it for the good of the world?" the blue haired girl said, winking at her sister when she turned to her, beaming. Mai nodded in understanding, but not necessarily in compliance.
"But what about their lives? I think we are risking a lot; their lives plus ours, if we ever do fight. What will happen to them, if we die?" she asked, sneaking a glance at her brother (who was still chatting with Akira rather animatedly, even though Akira looked totally uninterested).
Behind them, another conversation was being held.
"Yukino! You're going to stay and fight, right?" Haruka asked her friend. Yukino turned to her friend.
"Haruka-chan, I'm not a fighter."
"Yeah, but that woman said she would help with that. Besides, you need to learn how to defend yourself. And I think I should be there with you when you're fighting, which reminds me I need to…"
Yukino listened vaguely to her friend's rambling. Haruka had been very understanding of Yukino's "quirks" and she took to the Hime thing real quickly. But who was she to endanger her best friend's life? But, she thought, maybe this is my chance to finally protect her for a change…
"Ara, it seems Fumi-san wasted no time getting to the point. I had thought the lecture would have waited till tomorrow," Shizuru said as she walked alongside Reito.
"At least everyone knows their purpose for being here. I suspect she would have had too many questions to answer, had she left it for the next day," Reito replied. Shizuru nodded.
"I wonder how many of the girls actually knew they were Hime. Besides the obvious, of course," Reito said, nodding slightly towards Akira's back. Shizuru smiled.
"I'm sure they are aware of their power, to a certain extent. Fumi-san put into words the odd feeling they've been living with," Shizuru added. "I can't wait to see everyone's elements; I wonder how the sensei's will deal with all of the training." She glanced at the raven-haired girl and wondered absentmindedly if the other girl's child would be as proud and cold as she seemed. She shook her head slightly and turned her attention back to her companion.
"I'm sure Kiyohime would love some company," Reito asked. Shizuru giggled.
"Yeah, because seven heads on one beast just isn't enough." Shizuru replied from behind her hand.
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After Fumi showed them to their rooms, Natsuki and Alyssa found that all of their stuff had been brought up already. Puzzled, Natsuki stuck her head out of the room to catch Fumi.
"Who put our stuff here?" she asked.
"We have a wonderful maid who takes care of the house," she replied as she ushered Mai into the room next to Natsuki's.
"Just one maid?" Mai asked, confused. Moving luggage for more than a dozen people was no easy task.
"Yes," Fumi replied amusedly, "We have one maid. Good night, ladies." And she turned and left. Natsuki shrugged and walked towards Mai's room.
"Where's Takumi?" she asked. Mai pointed down the other end of the hall.
"That's where the guys are staying. So, what do you think of all this?" Mai asked as she leaned against the doorframe. Natsuki leaned on the other side, eyes focused on the floor.
"I'm not so sure," she replied slowly. "I knew I had a power. I accidentally made two guns appear one time, but I was told not to do that again."
"You've already seen your element?!" Mai gasped. Natsuki nodded. Mai was a little jealous that she didn't know her own element, but she brushed it off quickly when she remembered the consequences of her power.
"I'm going to st—" Natsuki started, but stopped after looking somewhere behind Mai. Mai cocked her head to the side and turned around. Next to Mai's room and across the hall, Reito was standing outside what appeared to be Shizuru's room, both talking to each other. The black-haired boy then proceeded to kiss Shizuru's hand and walked away. Natsuki narrowed her eyes at the action, confusing herself in the process. What was it about them that got to her? She crossed her arms and tried to return her attention to Mai, but the other girl was watching the scene as well. As Reito passed the two, he bowed his head slightly and winked. Mai blushed, but Natsuki turned to look at Shizuru. Shizuru gave her a small smile and winked at her as well.
When both Mai and Natsuki looked at each other, they seemed to silently agree on keeping their mouths shut about the other's red cheeks.
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Please dial 1-800-MAI-HIME...haha, just kidding. Leave some reviews, por favor and...anyone know who the maid is? lol