Hello! And Happy New Year! Never mind that ten days have passed already... I'm terribly sorry for the late update, but guess what. Come on. You can't? Really? Well (haha), let me tell you then. This story now has a Beta! Stand on your feet and start cheering for Crosswood - an irreplaceable Beta Reader! Honestly, she's awesome. As awesome as awesomeness itself. No, really. I'm so excited.

So! Now the narration has a slightly different feel to it, if you know what I mean. I hope the change is for better and you people like it ^^ Because I sure do - everything seems to flow so nice... Did I mention that Crosswood is super ultra special awesome? I did? Well, that's 'cuz she is! (hooray for references)

If you have anything you wish to share, don't hesitate to do so. I love feedback ^o^

Disclaimer: Mai-HiME - not mine.

"Weren't we going back to school?"

Mai was determined; she was going to break the grim atmosphere that had hung over the group for the past half an hour. They were all sitting silently in Natsuki's apartment, staring idly at things they deemed interesting. Well - all except for the owner. Natsuki was sitting cross-legged on the floor, going through her possessions in the living room. Each was inspected closely before being thrown into one of two large piles; it looked like she was sorting somehow, but Mai saw no logic in how each item was being picked.

"We're not going back to school," stated Natsuki, "because I need to gather up my things." She turned to fumble with a thick folder. There was no hint that there had ever been other any other people in the dwelling; Peter and Clarisa had disappeared without a trace. Mai sneaked a glance towards the other three girls. President Fujino was perfectly composed, as always; she stared out of the window, hands clasped behind her straightened back. Chie's and Aoi's eyes were a shade duller than previously, Mai noted with sadness. The earlier events had taken their toll on the two normal high school girls. Wait… what was she thinking? She was normal, as well, right? Well… she had been… at least until all of that had happened.

Mai turned her attention back to the subject at hand "So… why do we need to get your stuff?"

Mai stood from her place and moved behind Natsuki's back, peeking at the folder, which was immediately shut. Natsuki turned to scowl at her.

'Oh, progress!' noted Mai.

"I'm getting out of this apartment."

"And where will Natsuki be going?" rang the melodious voice of Shizuru.

"Mai's."

Everyone paused, then a foot swung out of nowhere to firmly plant on Natsuki's face.

"Oh, no, you won't!" protested the future roommate, shoving a little. Natsuki lost her balance and fell in a heap of limbs on the carpeted ground. Mai continued to glare daggers, which Natsuki ignored in favour of rubbing her probably hurt nose.

"You didn't have to go and kick me!" she protested in a rare display of childish pouting. Natsuki glared accusingly up at Mai, who was standing fuming above her, feet braced in a threatening pose.

"Oh, you're right about that!" Mai snapped, "It was an entirely voluntary act on my part! I didn't feel any obligation. What do you mean 'you'll be living with me'?"

"Exactly that." Natsuki growled. "I can't stay here any longer! That bastard is driving me mad… I need to move to a place where he can't reach, and the only place that fits the bill is campus. Fuuka School is like an impenetrable fortress."

Chie perked up, interested. She casually leaned towards the intriguing conversation.

"Kuga-san seems pretty knowledgeable on the subject," Chie hinted. This attempt was shamelessly ignored; which made Chie pout. She had her ego to think of – her pride as the most reliable information gatherer around. Mai's mind raced to think of another solution.

"Why not move with president Fujino, then?" nagged Mai. She knew full well Shizuru was a far closer friend to Natsuki than she had ever been.

"No can do." Those midnight tresses shook in denial.

"Huh?" Mai's state of anger prevented her from using more complicated sentence structures; her scowl, however, effectively conveyed her message.

"Shizuru lives on the same floor as that bulldog," casually replied Natsuki, getting up from the floor. "It would be impossible." Heading to her room, she pulled out an already half-full backpack; a few pieces of clothing hung out from it.

"You mean Suzushiro-senpai?" Mai frowned heavily. "If you didn't give her reasons to be suspicious, she'll just leave her alone!"

Mai was sure that if Shizuru had been more ill mannered, she would probably have sneered at her naiveté. Instead the president restricted herself (when she replied in her friend's place) to a short phrase, the truth of which made everybody fall silent in agreement.

"This is Haruka-han we are talking about, Mai-han."

Not even Mai could argue with this.

There was a pregnant silence. "Okay," the stressed ex-maid groaned. "Why me, then? Can't you stay with somebody else?"

"No." Natsuki said again. "You're already involved - you already know too much about me. And your ramen is delicious."

Mai sighed, defeated. "You may think you're smart, but you're pretty simple-minded, you know." There really was no helping it and besides, what harm could possibly befall them if they were safe at the campus?

"So Kuga-san is going to live with us mortals, then?" A hint of a scheming glint peeked out from behind Chie's glasses. Aoi and Mai felt a chill come from the gossip queen's direction.

'I have a bad feeling about this,' Aoi thought helplessly, but she could only look fearfully ahead to the future. The future stared right back at her with the promise of an exciting second semester.

Living with Natsuki really wasn't actually that much trouble, Mai concluded after two weeks of hosting her. The girl paid her rent (yes, Mai had been cruel enough to make her pay, since thanks to her Mai had lost serious income) and didn't hinder her daily errands or life. Natsuki did require attention, but it was different from the type that Mikoto demanded.

Natsuki came home only at the last possible moment before the curfew, was as private as she the small dorm would allow, and rarely spoke about things involving school. She rarely spoke about anything, for that matter. Natsuki did seem to care about her new roommate, though - once she had even warned her not to go at the east part of town, since she expected there to be another fight in that area.

"But even so," murmured Aoi, tired from the exams. Mai's thoughts snapped back to the present. "I'm still quite shaken about the stuff downtown two weeks ago. How is Kuga-san coping, since it was she that instructed those people to go there?"

"Can't really say," admitted Mai to her classmates. They were in recess and had decided to stay inside the classroom, instead of going out in the heat. It was almost time for the summer break and all the students were anticipating it with eagerness.

"We didn't talk about it after that day," she continued thoughtfully, before scrunching her brows. "She probably doesn't care much, though. I would be surprised if there was even a trace of sympathy in that person."

"She hired you after losing your job and saved your life. What makes you think that?" wondered Chie, looking through the photos on her phone.

Naturally, after the fights, Mai had told both Chie and Aoi about her incident at one of Hazard's gaming rooms and that Natsuki had hired her as her maid. Chie's response had been to joke about Natsuki's 'maid fetish', and to ask searching questions about it. Mai had denied everything vigorously, which naturally did not help her case at all.

This did not change the fact that the girls were now involved with the whole 'gang' business - but Natsuki had clearly stated that she didn't want to talk more about it.

"She used me, Chie-chan… she used Takumi as well. I don't think I'll ever forgive her." Mai admitted to her two friends. Seeing the distress her friend displayed at the mere thought of being betrayed, Aoi changed the topic of the conversation.

"By the way, Mai-chan, I heard from a little cat that you'll be on a date with Tate-kun tonight too." The sweet smile Aoi sent her made her smile back, even though mostly this was to cover her urge to twitch. She really had to talk to Mikoto later.

"Yes, Mai-kun, you're a steady couple now, right?" Slyly joined Chie, eager to know more. "What about Kanzaki Reito-san, hmm?"

"Uhm, yes… well, we talked and I told him it wouldn't work… and that I like Yuuichi. As a matter of fact, I need to get going! I have to prepare for the date!" Mai abruptly stood up and gathered her her haste she was gone before her classmates could point out that they still had a few more classes before the end of the school day.

She still didn't feel comfortable talking about her relationship with Tate Yuuichi. Mai knew she had a problem in Shiho, and was ashamed to admit that she didn't know what to do about the meddlesome girl. It was already taking all her control to keep her cool in front of the hostile middle-schooler, who in return was doing everything in her power to ruin romantic moments.

Being engrossed in these thought, Mai paid little attention to her surroundings on entering the dorm. When the sleeper finally caught her attention, therefore, she almost dropped her books in shock. Natsuki was sprawled out on the wooden table fast asleep, her hair sprayed out across the surface breathing lightly. Mai rarely saw Natsuki at home, much less home in broad daylight, and for her to be asleep was unprecedented.

It was the first time she had witnessed that distant person let her guard down, but that thought was quickly qualified by the realisation that it was not intentional. The papers lying on the table looked like some of the blueprints she had seen earlier at Natsuki's former apartment. Mai knew nothing about them, not even from which angle they were designed to be read. Natsuki had told her not to pry. It was probably for the best she didn't know.

Her motherly nature quickly gained the upper hand over curiosity, and she grabbed a blanket from a bed with the intention of throwing it over the sleeper's arm brushed accidentally Natsuki's left shoulder on the throw, and Mai was hard-pressed to stifle a startled scream in her throat. Pale, merciless fingers had wrapped around her wrist, and blurry emerald eyes pierced her with unhidden enmity.

"N-Natsuki," she croaked. Her shaken voice served to wake up the groggy rebel who released her at once, as if surprised by her own actions. Mai took a step back, clutching her arm close to her chest.

"Oh, it's just you," huffed the other girl, running a hand through her slightly dishevelled hair. Ignoring the less than effusive greeting she had just received, Mai fixed her attention on the appearance of her new roommate.

Dark circles lived under her eyes, her dark hair had lost its usual shine, and the piercing eyes held the look of a wounded wild animal.

"You… look tired." Mai concluded, earning a dark chuckle in response.

"Nice one, Captain Obvious." Came the mocking reply, without any attempt at denying weakness.

"Is it because of that accident?" Mai swallowed, not wanting to remind even herself. According to the news, they had unknowingly sent around eighty people to their untimely death. It was truly a tragedy, and even though she had told Aoi and Chie that the ruthless Ice Princess probably didn't care, she had silently believed that was not true. Obviously, she had been right in that.

Natsuki didn't respond, instead turning her head towards the blueprints. After a brief last observation, she gathered them up carefully, shuffled them into an order, then put them away. Her hands trembled while leafing through the large sized papers. Mai couldn't help herself. She reached for Natsuki, kneeled by her side and lightly gripped the other girl's upper arm.

"What's wrong? Why are you so tired? Aren't you supposed to be the aloof and uncaring individual you try to pass yourself as?" Mai voice rose into a kind of half shout, openly startling her new roommate. "Are the voices of all those people getting in the way of your rest? Do they haunt your nightmares, like they do mine?"

Natsuki unconsciously licked her dried lips, staring at Mai with wide green eyes. Mai's own lilac held a demand. There was a slight pause.

"I didn't know that you felt responsible about something that didn't concern you." Natsuki said slowly. The reply was a slap the speed of a lightning. It hurt like lightning, too.

"Answer me! I just revealed part of my soul to you!"

Mai literally shook with rage, truly outraged that the biker thought of her as not feeling guilt.

"Your mind isn't as complicated as you think, Mai." drawled Natsuki, expecting (and, unsurprisingly, receiving) another slap. This one fell on the other cheek.

"You're horrible!" Mai shouted with all the whole power of her prodigious lungs. She received back a knowing look. Why was this wretched person taunting her? Tears filled her eyes, threatening to tumble down her cheeks. Natsuki's next words, however, stopped them cold.

"Yeah. I do hear them." Natsuki looked at Mai evenly. "The fuckers are screaming so damn loud I can't close my eyes for a second without them bothering me. It's a hindrance, really. Almost as bad as your nagging."

"You… do care, don't you?" swallowed Mai, releasing the other girl's arm.

"No, not really. I told you," tired green eyes closed, "it's a nuisance. Not letting me sleep because they blame me. Those idiots." Her bland expression flickered, revealing stark torment. Those vibrant eyes reopened to look at Mai, curious but unconcerned. "What, you not going to hit me?"

"Just stop it already." whispered Mai, letting her hand drop to her side, eyes filled with accusations.

"I'm not doing anything." Natsuki lifted her brow in defiance. There was a silence.

"Why are you always pushing people away?" the other girl asked, finally able to vocalise what had been bothering her since the beginning of their conversation. "Why are you acting so distant towards the ones who care?"

"Why shouldn't I? Other people always hurt. I won't trust them with my personal…"

"Can't you see how much you hurt them? Fujino-san is evidently trying her best to befriend you and you just… disregard her kindness and good intentions."

"Yeah… Shizuru." An emotion nearing nostalgia swam in green eyes, looking through Mai and into the dreamscape of memory. "She's probably the only one, who…"

Natsuki drifted off in silence, her sentence trailing off, again unwilling to share with her roommate. The latter opened her mouth in an attempt to say something, but found no suitable words, so finally gave up and just waited. It wasn't long to wait before Natsuki woke up from wherever she had gone, shaking her were pierced by clear emeralds.

"She cannot be involved with me. She shouldn't be put in jeopardy. She needs to stay safe. She must." Natsuki scowled heavily, but Mai realized that the anger was not directed at her, but at all the dangers which could potentially reach the student council president.

"She's smart enough to know the risks, Natsuki. Fujino-san still seeks your friendship. This should be say something to you!" reasoned Mai.

"I don't know if I'd be able to live with myself if something happened to Shizuru, Mai," finally admitted Natsuki, looking nothing like herself. She had focused her gaze intently on the floor, and her hands were balled into fists. Shoulders slumped under the weight of known and unknown problems and dilemmas.

Mai stifled a gasp. So Natsuki was actually as she had hoped – the famous Ice Princess wasn't uncaring. Cold and aloof, yes, but still an individual who was capable of forming bonds with other human beings. It had somehow not occurred to her that the mysterious young woman was simply a troubled teenager, very much like everybody their age. Before she could reach out to her roommate, though, Natsuki's behaviour abruptly hardened.

"You're going to be late for your date," she drawled out, returning to normal in both speech and posture.

Mai started, puzzled. She probably feels that she's revealed too much of herself… that's why she's changing the topic. Well, I won't be that easily… wait. What?

"You're right!" Mai frantically looked at the clock on her desk, realising how late it was. If she didn't begin to prepare now she would definitely be late.

She flew herself to the bathroom door and bolted inside. A single moment of peace reigned. Then that moment was over – Mai's head popped back out, staring at Natsuki in incomprehension.

"How did you know?"

Natsuki smiled. "Mikoto's been fuming about it since before she left. She in love with you, or something?"

"No," Mai blushed unwillingly. "She just thinks that I'll stop paying attention to her if I get a boyfriend and that I won't prepare her meals anymore."

"…I see."

According to the expression Natsuki sent after a retreating Mai, she really didn't.

"Why did you have to drag me along as well? We're not best friends just because you think we had a tear-jerking moment," grumbled Natsuki, reluctantly tagging along to the start-point for Mai's date. The girl in question laughed sheepishly, adjusting her hair fretfully.

"Because I'm sort of nervous, and you were the only person available," she replied, in a solid attempt at a light-hearted manner. Natsuki sighed and drew her palm over her face in an act of frustration.

"You don't fool me. You're just scared since this is your first date ever and you have no idea what to do. Why? Do you expect other things to come after kissing and hugging?" Natsuki's comment crushed Mai's laugh, leaving it stillborn in her throat.

"I hate it when you do that," Mai said, crestfallen. The faintest shade of a smile still lingered on her face though, however broken it might have been. A few people on the street turned their heads to look at them, intrigued.

"What? Seem oblivious but then turn out to be absolutely right about what you're thinking or feeling?" tiredly asked Natsuki, staring directly ahead, her hands stuffed in her uniform jacket's pockets.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Nah… you're doing a pretty good job yourself. Besides, do you see me laughing?"

"…you're horrible." muttered Mai.

They'd reached the meeting place, but Yuuichi wasn't there yet. It had been his suggestion that they go to a new movie; the one chosen featured the famous young film star Anh Lu, and was a high-school romantic drama. Mai had been looking forward to it, but mostly for the actress – the plot revolved around a scandalous love affair between a teacher and his student.

"Looks like he's still not here." Natsuki said, indifferently. "I'm going to get myself a coke from the vending machine in front of that department store." Natsuki tried to stalk away, but found that hard with a whining Mai suddenly attached to her arm.

"Don't leave me alone!" she begged, clinging to her roommate. Natsuki was busy throwing murderous looks at people around them, who were shamelessly staring. They looked exactly like a quarrelling couple.

"Let me go!"

"I don't want to. You're right, I'm scared!"

"Come with me then!" Natsuki ground out, ignoring the gasps of the old ladies coming out of the store with their food-filled plastic bags.

"Young girls these days!" Mai heard one of them whisper, before realising how the whole scene could look to those not knowing the surrounding circumstances.

She stumbled back, letting go of Natsuki's arm. The other girl was regarding her with a truly glacial glare, and was blushing furiously, but whether from rage or embarrassment Mai didn't she could apologize - or say anything for that matter - she was once again granted the sight of Natsuki's back, midnight tresses swaying, retreating into the department store. Mai quickly followed, not wishing to be left standing there like a fool.

"Could you get me a soda?" she requested sweetly, arms clasped in front her and a smile on her lips.

"You're seriously starting to irritate me. Get one yourself. I'm not your girlfriend," snarled Natsuki, not looking at her for a moment. She took her coke from the machine, popped it open and thirstily drank.

"I'm sorry. I forgot my wallet," Mai admitted, embarrassed.

Natsuki had just started to reply crossly when Mai was abruptly distracted. Lilac eyes now looked at a blond boy quarrelling with a middle-school-aged girl. The girl's hair was in four strangely shaped pig-tails, and both of them were standing in front of the crowded entrance of the cinema. Mai didn't even notice when Natsuki stopped talking also started to look puzzled. Both stared mutely at Yuuichi and Shiho.

"What's Tate doing with that little pest?" Natsuki inquired rudely to no-one in particular. Mai didn't answer. Her mouth was hanging open, gaping at the scene unfolding before her.

The traffic light for the pedestrians flashed green and she started walking, dazed.

Her foot stepped on the zebra crossing. Shiho slapped Yuuichi and started running away. Another step. He chased after her, both of them disappearing behind a corner. Another step, followed by another and another. She broke into a full-out sprint, forgetting that she was wearing uncomfortable high-heels or that her skirt was not fit for running. As if in a trance, turned the corner as well, Natsuki effortlessly following.

Mai stopped, rooted to the ground, swallowing hard against the tears that threatened to pour to the pavement.

The main lane of one of the city's parks began where the small street ended, and there stood Yuuichi and Shiho; the boy was embracing the girl from behind, saying something. Mai whimpered as the younger girl cupped her 'bother's' cheeks and planted a firm, hungry kiss on his mouth. He seemed surprised, but didn't make any move to pull away.

"You bastard! What do you think you're doing?" Mai trembled at the power of that wrathful war-cry - it came from behind her. The roar shoved her out of her nightmarish internal shock and she raised her palm to cover her mouth. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks. When had she started crying?

She blurrily witnessed as her roommate practically flew at the two, who immediately let each other go. It sincerely looked like Natsuki was going to pummel Tate, but Shiho jumped in front of him before the first swing, her arms spread wide.

"I won't let you hurt brother!" she shouted defiantly, shivering under the blazing emeralds that threaten to reduce her to ashes. Tate stood, petrified, behind her… before a bout of manliness prompted him to throw his arms around the small girl. He attempted to glare back.

"Get out of my way!" demanded Natsuki, rolling her sleeves up to her elbow. The middle-schooler swallowed hard, but didn't budge.

"No!" she stated firmly, despite visibly shrinking before the raging Ice Princess.

"You asked for it!" Natsuki raged again, raising her fist. She was stopped from inflicting any damage, however, by a falsetto exclamation from Tate. "You're going to hit a girl?"

He resorted to pushing Shiho out of Natsuki's way. His attempts to prove himself a tough-guy were unimpressive, not even to himself. It seemed that the girl with the pig-tails didn't notice the boy's strong desire for her to get out of harm's way, however, so she continued pushing forward towards her early death.

Natsuki growled ferociously. "Get lost! You've nothing to do with this!" Her teeth were gritted and her jaw tight.

"Isn't it you that's got nothing to do with this?" came the logical reply from the startled, frightened Tate. Even Shiho had fallen silent at the exchange, and simply stared incredulously, her mouth agape.

In the name of not being caught presumptuously rushing into a fight that didn't really involve her directly, Natsuki turned to fume at her roommate.

"Aren't you going to say something? Isn't he your boyfriend?" she snarled at Mai, who was standing, motionless. Mai's arm fell limply to her side; she no longer attempted to hide her tears. Her lips trembled. The other three fell completely silent.

"I… I don't care… about him."

Surprise bloomed all over the others' faces. Where she found the strength to turn around and walk away with her back straight they didn't know, but she did – proud and dignified. This lasted back around the corner, out of sight, before she broke into a run, sprinting home towards the dorms of Fuuka.

"Leave me alone!"

"No."

"I'm not unlocking this door! I'm not letting anyone inside!"

"Open the god damn door! I live here too!" Natsuki's angry hammering on the wooden door, and the deafening shouts, were starting to attract attention towards their room's entrance.

A few moments of silence followed and a quiet click was heard, signalling that the lock was no longer obstructing Natsuki's entrance. Some of the curious students whistled encouragingly, others clapped and laughed, urging Kuga to enter and cheer her girlfriend up. Grumbling and glaring, the disgruntled Ice Princess slammed the door behind her, shutting off Mai and herself from the noise outside.

The latter was curled up in a ball on her bed, her clothes still on, clutching a pillow to her face. Muffled, anguished sobs came from her shaking form.

"Mikoto's sleeping at her brother's, right?" Natsuki asked, evenly. Even the strange question wasn't able to surprise Mai enough to make her she made something close to a nod.

Natsuki nodded back. "Okay."

Behind the veil of her breakdown, the busty teenager's calm side heard her roommate enter the bathroom. Some minutes later soft steps hinted that Natsuki had walked to the bed beside her. The lights were flicked off, and the shuffling of bed sheets followed. In contrast to her own ragged gasps, she could make out Natsuki's even breathing. No other sound escaped her new roommate. Mai felt weirdly cheated.

"Natsuki?" she whispered, swallowing her tears and her pride.

"Hmn?" came the sleepy retort.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"…like what?"

"Like something to say."

Mai tried to calm herself down by turning on her back and staring through watery eyes at her darkened lamp.

"Oh, right. Didn't know you felt that way about that kind of stuff."

Stuff? She lifted her brow in inquiry, even though she knew that the other girl couldn't see her.

"Good night, Mai."

"… … … what?"

Mai jumped upright, her fists clutching the fabric of her sheets.

"What do you mean 'what'?" came the drowsy and annoyed demand. Natsuki sounded half-asleep already.

"No words of consolation? Nothing to tell me to help me overcome the crisis of my broken heart?" screeched Mai, confusion replaced with a mad mania to suffocate the other girl with a pillow.

"Not really," huskily replied Natsuki, now more awake after the painful experience of having been screamed at.

"You're a terrible friend," deadpanned Mai and plopped herself back on her messy bed. She pulled her blanket over her head and silently cursed her roommate to hell.

"Say… Mai," came that quiet voice. It almost gave her hope that she was going to be able to pour all of her hate out.

"Yes?" she wistfully asked, praying that her earlier comment had managed to somehow cause an internal struggle and/or feeling of remorse in the other teen.

"I'm thinking of creating a gang."

"Don't worry about it. And yes, he's a total jerk. I can't believe he… wait. What?"

"Don't shout! Jeez… you're so overly-emotional."

"I wonder why?" she managed in reply, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Just forget that guy, he's a loser anyways. I'm talking about something more important," Natsuki murmured calmly, soothingly, as if to a three-year-old. Mai gripped her hair painfully.

"Why?" she asked shortly, it being the only question she really wished answered. Why did Yuuichi do that to her? Why did it hurt her that much? Why was her new friend having such idiotic thoughts?

"Simply put; this city sucks. I'm sick and tired of having to play by someone else's rules," Natsuki said through a yawn. "You'll be helping me, by the way. Since you won't be distracted by stupid romance and other shit like that."

"Sure, do whatever you want," spoke Mai, thickly. She was exhausted from all the crying and simply didn't care that she had agreed to become an under-aged criminal. She had her own worries, and wasn't capable of processing other people's babblings. Not tonight.