A/N: Hey! Yea…I know…it's been forever! I apologize! Please don't hate me! My excuses are pretty good though, like problems with the woman who gave birth to me, and therefore losing my laptop! I got it back though, which is how I was able to finish this finally! Yay! My life has been pretty busy, but now I'm all done with school (until the new school year of course) so I hope to be able to be more diligent with my writing. Once again I apologize for the super long wait, and hope it was worth it :D

*Sorry for any mispelling and any other errors you may encounter in your journey :P I'd also like to dedicate this to all of my readers who have made this worth it! I decided to update today since my birthday is July 11! So its a birthday gift for me! lol

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Mai-HiME or the characters here. Sunrise Does. I do own this story.

Apocalypse Angels

10

Time froze.

Everything around them disappeared.

It was only Shizuru and Natsuki.

For the last time.

"Please Shizuru…" Natsuki cried as she held Shizuru softly against her. The chestnut-haired angel smiled weakly, "Shhh…Natsuki…don't cry."

Tears streamed down the eyes of her beloved, but Shizuru was happy. "You are free my Natsuki. Your years of imprisonment by Mashiro have ended…you should be happy now."

Crimson began to pool around them, Shizuru's white dress, silk and pure as her divine self, was now soaked as she struggled to breathe.

"I can't be happy without you!" Natsuki cried desperately, her own clothes now stained with her lover's blood.

Natsuki was freed from Mashiro's mental chains by Shizuru's own blood. Her divine powers were embedded in her blood which cleansed Natsuki from the malice of Mashiro's tormenting binds. It in itself was enough for Natsuki's soul to be freed and her divine powers to come back to her completely. Her sword, identical to Shizuru's own with the exception that the amethyst gems that adorned Shizuru's blade were bright Sapphires on Natsuki's sword of name Duran, laid carelessly by Natsuki's side as she cried inconsolably.

She had wounded Shizuru.

The one person in the world she loved the most, she had hurt.

As Natsuki stayed with Shizuru, around them the war continued. Midori and Yukariko had managed to enter the large cave where they were at and now fought against Nao and Shiho that had followed them inside. Mashiro watched with amusement as Shizuru died at the hands of her soul mate. "Isn't this just a great day for death Fumi?" She asked and Fumi nodded, "Yes Mashiro-sama. It is indeed."

"Natsuki." Shizuru said softly, "Kill Mashiro. You have to. It…It is the…only way…" Natsuki's heart shattered into smaller pieces every time Shizuru's voice became weaker.

"I will be back for you love. I swear." Natsuki said before kissing Shizuru softly. She took off her own golden jacket that had appeared on her as part of her angelical wear as soon as her powers awoke, and rolled it into as neat of a pillow as she could manage and gently laid Shizuru's head atop of it. "I will be back Shizuru. Please wait for me."

Shizuru managed a small nod, "I will be waiting Natsuki."

Natsuki grabbed Duran and stood up, the light weight of the sword feeling extremely familiar to her. As she crossed the large cave towards Mashiro who smiled wickedly at her, Nagi stood in her way.

"Oh my, if it isn't Natsuki-chan! Seems like you need a hug, after all, killing your lover must be pretty harsh." Nagi's tease was his last. Natsuki did not hesitate a second before slicing at the short boy who snickered as he materialized a dark sword in his hand. The dueling was short as Natsuki expertly evaded his hurried attacks, and with one quick move, the ripping of flesh was heard before his head rolled away.

Seconds later, his body caught on flames before ending in dark smoke that burned the nostrils of the angels.

But Natsuki was too focused on her next target to care. She was going to kill Mashiro once and for all.

Nao fought against Midori who was wasting no time in her attacks, keeping them coming without letting the shorter girl have a second to breath. From her fight, she saw her once-partner walking towards Mashiro who did not stop smirking. Fumi was at Mashiro's side with weapon in hand and already in position to fight.

Knowing that one distraction could be her doom, Nao focused back to Midori completely. The usual talkative and cheery Archangel had now fire in her eyes and remained silent as she sought to kill the demon quickly to go aid Yukariko who was fighting against Shiho.

'Fight Natsuki. Forget that angel and fight Natsuki.'

Mashiro's order came directly to Nao's mind, and although she hesitated, she knew she had to follow orders. She managed to evade Midori's stab and with a powerful shove, pushed her away and ran towards Natsuki.

Now closer to Mashiro, Natsuki's blood was boiling in anger. She had been the cause that Natsuki had stabbed Shizuru. She would now pay.

As Nao ran towards Natsuki, she was intercepted by Tate Yuuichi. "I'm back bitch, and this time you're gonna die." He growled as he stood between Nao and Natsuki who seemed oblivious to it since she was completely focused on Mashiro.

"You're supposed to be on my side asshole, not on theirs." Nao countered, trying hard not to rip the man in pieces since Mashiro would probably be mad if she killed one of her own. "I don't care much about sides anymore. It seems like Mashiro will lose anyways, so I might as well enjoy myself while I can, and by that I mean destroying your bitchy self." Tate retorted before striking at Nao with as much force as he could possibly muster.

Nao grunted as the blow hit her and she tried to hold it up before it touched her with her metallic claws. It seemed that in the time he had "disappeared" after making her lose her eye, he had been training or something similar because he was definitely stronger this time.

Midori smirked upon seeing the two demons fighting. If she attacked them now, she could kill both of them easily since they were too engrossed in their own battle to even notice her. She moved towards them but something stopped her.

'Don't hurt Nao. Kill Tate.'

The order came from Natsuki, who was not as oblivious as she seemed. Although she now had her memories and everything was back, Natsuki also remembered the poor soul that had fallen prey to Mashiro's hands, and how Nao wasn't really bad, she had just an extremely bad life, and Natsuki wanted to give her a second chance.

Midori frowned but had to listen to her superior.

Nao was left wide-eyed when the Archangel she had just been fighting came to her aid and pushed Tate away with a mighty blow, "I was ordered to help you, if it were up to me you'd be dead now." Midori stated as she stood beside the short demon. Nao smirked and turned towards Natsuki who was now engaged on a heated combat with Fumi, "Thanks mutt." She murmured before turning back towards Tate who charged at the two.

Shiho spotted Nao fighting against Tate alongside Midori and realized that Tate was having a real hard time fighting against the two. She looked back to Yukariko who was now really weak, not being a good hand-to-hand combat fighter, and realized that she had the chance to destroy the angel now.

Looking back to Nao, she was glad that the angel had spared her life and decided to return the favor. "I won't kill you." Shiho's words were shocking to Yukariko, "Wh-what? But-but are you really?" Shiho rolled her eyes, "Yes, let's go away to safety before I change my mind."

Grabbing Shiho's extended helping hand, Yukariko pulled herself up from her position on the ground and was taken by the demon towards Shizuru who was now close to passing out, too weak to keep her eyes open. "Shizuru-sama!" Yukariko cried as she and Shiho reached her side.

Shiho looked up towards the blue-haired angel who was fighting Fumi, 'You better hurry Kuga. You are the last hope not only for them, but now for Nao and myself as well.' By not killing Yukariko she had committed complete treason and she would die if Mashiro survived and won the apocalypse, and Nao would probably be guilty of treason by fighting alongside an angel as well.

Basically, it all came down to Natsuki.

Kuga Natsuki was their last hope.

"Ku-Kuga"

Fumi muttered before falling to her knees as Natsuki extracted her blade from Fumi's chest. The sapphires on the blade were now dull with crimson blood that soon turned to dust as Fumi's body burned in flames just like Nagi's body did.

The sapphires returned to their bright shine.

Mashiro looked in awe as her top demon glared at her after destroying her most trusted advisor. "Will you kill me too Natsuki?" The lavender-haired devil smiled, "After all our good memories?"

"You will die Mashiro." Natsuki's words were full with rage as she brought her sword over her with a powerful slash.

"Die. Die. Die!" Nao repeated with a smirk as she pressed Tate's own weapon through his stomach. Blood gurgled in his throat as he chocked on it. Midori watched with a glint of amusement in her eyes as the redheaded demon killed Tate.

Nao released a happy sigh and turned to Midori after making sure that Tate was completely dead, his body turning into dust before them, "Thanks for the help...I guess. I could've done it eventually without you, you know." Midori shrugged, "Yea, whatever."

A loud sound of rock cracking snapped their attention towards Natsuki who stood before a transformed Mashiro, large horns protruding from her forehead as her body was now engrossed to a larger size with visibly more muscular mass on it. She carried a large weapon on her right hand that consisted of two large blades that met in the middle where she held it securely in place. Her evil glare was now on Natsuki who did not flinch once.

"You are not strong enough to defeat me Kuga Natsuki." Mashiro spoke with a deep bitter voice, but Natsuki did not respond with words, instead she launched herself against the Demon.

Natsuki found herself being sucked into a portal that took both her and Mashiro in a dark void. Everything around them was pitch black, and she could not see where or what she was standing on, the only visible thing in the void beside Natsuki being Mashiro herself, the evil grin never disappearing.

"This is my world."

Mashiro's voice echoed in the empy space around them as Mashiro stepped towards Natsuki. Unsure of her footing, Natsuki stood in place.

"You cannot defeat a fish in the water if you cannot swim, as you cannot defeat a bird on the sky if you cannot fly. This is my territory, my sea and my sky and here you cannot swim nor fly."

Natsuki raised her weapon, sensing Mashiro's power only growing by the second. She knew that she had slim to none chances of winning, but she had to fight. Mashiro's words echoed still in the air.

"Poor Natsuki. I had so much hope in you, but now you will have to be destroyed."

Holding her breath, Natsuki waited and could do nothing to protect herself as Mashiro momentarily disappeared and appeared again beside Natsuki to swipe at her with such force that the Archangel was thrown in the air before hitting an invisible barrier that bounced her back hard against the dark floor.

Natsuki raised herself weakly, her energy draining rapidly as the invisible barrier that she had hit seemed to have sucked out a large amount of it. Mashiro began pacing towards the bluenette again.

"This is it Natsuki. Game over."

Back in the cave, after Mashiro and Natsuki disappeared into a portal that opened up beneath them summoned by the demon, Midori and Nao went over towards Yukariko and Shiho who were beside the fallen Archangel.

Shizuru's eye were closed tightly as she held her gaping wound trying to stop the bleeding. Yukariko tried to help but her powers were not enough to help the brunette. The pain that Shizuru was suffering at the moment was not only her wound but Natsuki's own pain. Their connection allowed Shizuru to share the pain so that Natsuki did not have to go through it alone, but she did it so that Natsuki was not aware of it. Shizuru knew that her lover would not have allowed Shizuru to take additional pain to the one that she had already caused upon her.

"Na…tsu…ki" Shizuru called out as she felt the pain coming from Natsuki increasing, and knew that Natsuki was losing against Mashiro.

Shizuru knew what she had to do.

"ARGH!" Mashiro exclaimed in pain as Natsuki stabbed her, but smirked wickedly when the wound was quickly sealed and she once again attacked Natsuki. The archangel was held under Mashiro's grip as she struggled to free herself, but the demon was far too strong. "THIS IS IT NATSUKI! I HAVE WON!"

Mashiro pressed hard against the angel, and as Natsuki felt her last energy leave her, she suddenly felt a surge of energy coming from inside of her, and a rare power overtook her giving her more strength. With a push, she was free from Mashiro's grip and realized that she now wore a silver armor with golden streaks around it.

Power swelled within her, but tears streamed down her eyes as she realized what had happened.

Midori, Yukariko, and the rest of them watched as Shizuru's ragged breathing stopped. Being a Seraphim meant that Shizuru's body would not disintegrate automatically like the other angels and demons, instead that would happen once Natsuki returned the "borrowed" powers that Shizuru had given her, and then her soul would be able to leave in peace.

'Shizuru…she didn't wait for me…she couldn't wait for me…' Pain poured out of every pore of Natsuki's existence as she took a glance at her sword that was now larger and more powerful, its blade now enveloped in an ethereal glow, and looked up to Mashiro.

'This is for you Shizuru.'

"No Mashiro, this is Game Over for you."

Mashiro's eyes widen in horror as the Archangel charged towards her, hate-filled eyes set on their target and sword ready to strike.

Natsuki ripped through the demon as she stabbed the Demon's black heart, her blade engulfed in blue flames that burned Mashiro from within as she released a loud cry of horror and pain before falling to her eternal death.

The Apocalypse had ended and Mashiro had been destroyed, but with its destruction, Natsuki's heart had also fallen.

Natsuki returned to the cave immediately as the portal brought her back after the void disappeared. She ran over to Shizuru's side as the columns of hell began to shake in fury before starting to collapse one by one.

Sensing Natsuki close, Shizuru's last energy helped her open her eyes to meet those of her beloved. "A-Ara…" She began weakly, "My knight in shining armor is very beautiful." Natsuki held Shizuru and could not stop crying, knowing that the powers that had aided her in defeating Mashiro had come from Shizuru and now Shizuru had absolutely no chances of surviving.

"Hey," Nao nudged Midori on the side as the Archangel tried hard not to join Yukariko and Natsuki in their crying. "What?" Midori asked annoyed. "Since that Archangel is dying, and I heard she was Natsuki's soul mate or something like that, won't that mean Natsuki will also die?" Nao asked remembering what she had heard from Mashiro.

Midori shook her head, "No, they are not actual Archangels but Seraphim, which means that their lifeline is not intertwined forcefully, rather by choice, although in a permanent death as such she will most likely not be allowed to join Shizuru since she must take leadership of the Council of Archangels and help with the clean-up now that Mashiro is gone."

Nao was confused, "Not be allowed by whom? Who can make a decision like that for her?" Midori sighed, 'Why do I always get the stupid ones?' "By the celestial deity of course. Don't be stupid Nao."

"Natsuki…Remember I will always love you." Shizuru's last words were softly spoken from the weak lips of the Archangel that released her last breath as her beloved held her in a loving hug filled with desperation, regret, and repentance, but mostly love for the brunette that had filled her heart with the greatest joys known to humankind throughout their lifes together.

Natsuki could not speak as her words were stuck on her throat, pain too great and deep to contain, before a chilling scream of hopelessness escaped her as she was too weak to contain it. She had known the greatest joys, and now she understood the greatest pain of humans and all creatures in the world and all realms of existence.

The losing of a loved one was the greatest pain of all.

"Natsuki Kuga."

Her name was spoken like an echo played by a thousand sweet voices. She looked up to where a divine light shone upon Shizuru's body. Knowing who it was, Natsuki pleaded, "Please let me go with her. I beg you. You know my pain, for you surely feel it within yourself. I plead that you won't let me suffer without my love."

The divine figure spoke, its sweet voice carrying a joyous tune.

"Because you killed the angel of death,

We will aid you in your pain.

Her life will come back,

But a century will go by

Before your souls reunite.

A dreamless sleep you will sleep

Until you are called again to breathe

And join each other once more to live."

Hell collapsed, and the souls of those lovers were joined in their rest as they waited to see each other, hold each other, and love each other once again.

A/N: Wow! Isn't that something else? Well…I hope you know…you liked it…I worked really hard on it and I hope I didn't dissapoint since there seemed a lot of you guys who were really looking forward to it. Please keep in mind that I suck at writing action scenes, so you probably noticed I skipped around with those a lot LOL. Well, anyways I hope you liked it, and if not, sorry :(

Please do review and tell me what you thought. I really hope we can hit the 100 reviews mark! That would be super awesome! I also was thinking to write an epilogue…what do you guys think? Like to show when those hundred years go by and stuff like that. But it's up to you guys. So tell me what you think :D

Thank you very much to all of you!

***Oh, and if you guys wanna see what Mashiro looked like in her transformed form, you can either look at the link on the bottom (remove spaces) or just remember on Mai-HiME when Mashiro transforms into her Child Form to fight against Mikoto when Mikoto is under Reito's orders and fights Fumi.

MASHIRO DEVILISH FORM

http : / e-shuushuu . Net / images / 2007-03-29-48916 . jpeg

Once again, a very sincere thank you to all of you who have read, reviewed, added to favorites, followed, and everything else in between :D