Chapter 14: Mai-HiME VIII
Opening Theme: Koi Se Yo Onna no Ko (Best Student Council)
Marie smiled as she watched as the vines continued to consume Hanabi. "Well it seems it is my win," Marie said.
"Not yet," Hanabi stated struggling against the vines.
"This is still but a taste of my Child's power," Marie said. "Do you really think that you can defeat me, when you can't handle this much?"
"I've only begun to fight!" Hanabi said as she put all of her strength in her right arm. She shot it into the air she stopped it and pulled her body to her hand releasing her from the vines.
"So you managed to get out," Marie said. "But you still aren't strong enough to defeat me."
"We'll see about that!" Hanabi shouted stretching her arms back behind her. "Rubber BAZOOKA!" Hanabi screamed snapping her arms forwards and hitting Marie's Child breaking a section of it off. "How was that!?"
"How imprudent," Marie said as her Child's body went back to how it was before it was attacked.
"What the…" Hanabi said shocked.
"See nothing you do can defeat my Child," Marie said. "Just give up and I'll give you a quick and painless death."
"Sorry," Hanabi said with a smile as she landed on top of a tree. "But I can't lose yet. Not until I become king of the pirates."
Everyone stared at Mai in disbelieve. "She's still a QUEEN?" Yuuichi asked.
"Then that means she is able to use her Child without a Key," Kazuya said.
"Not only that but she also has power that out ways any HiME," Yuuichi said.
"But I thought she lost that power," Akane said.
"She probably never lost it," Natsuki said shocking her. "She probably just stopped using it."
"So what if you are a QUEEN!?" Nao asked. "You are hardly any better off that the others! I'll still defeat you!" Nao swung her arms letting wires launch out from her claws. The wires hit Mai and were vaporized into nothing. "What!?"
"To be truthful I never actually went all out against Natsuki and Tate," Mai said. "Of course I didn't want to hurt them but I still had to put up some kind of fight to see if they had the resolve to stop Takumi. However we are running out of time and I have to get passed you to save the head master. So I'll defeat you in under a minute!"
Rein ran through the forest heading in the direction of the giant plant like Child. "If I had to guess Hanabi is there," she said to herself. "I have to hurry and get there to help, assist, and back her up."
Out of nowhere another Child shaped like a bird and lion shot out of the woods. Riding on it was Midori. "Hey, are you heading for that too?" Midori asked pointing to the Child.
"Yeah I'm sure Hanabi is there," Rein said.
"Then hop on!" Midori said. Rein smiled and jumped on top of Gakkuten-ou. The Child speed off towards Hanabi's fight.
"How strong is Hanabi?" Midori asked.
"She's the strongest, mightiest, and most powerful person I know of," Rein said confidently.
"She should be able to hold her own then," Midori said.
"I just want to make sure she's still okay," Rein said.
"Defeat me in under a minute?" Nao asked in shock. She then started laughing. "Do you really think you can?" Mai stared blankly at her saying nothing. Nao glared at her. "Fine then let's see you try it!" Nao shouted as she and Julia shot off towards Mai.
Mai closed her eyes as Nao and Julia hit a wall of flames. "What the hell!?" Nao shouted in shock.
The flames surrounded Nao just missing her body by near centimeters. Before anyone could react Mai swung her hand down the front of Nao spiting the flames and the eye that was controlling Nao. The eye erupted in flames and vanished. Nao's eyes went dark before she passed out. Mai stopped using her QUEEN abilities causing the giant Elements and the Black Kagutsuchi to disappear. With Nao unconscious Julia and her webs vanished too.
Mai caught Nao and fell to her knees to take a breather. Yuuichi and Kazuya ran over to the four HiME.
"Akane-chan, are you okay?" Kazuya asked.
"Yeah," Akane said. "What about you Kazu-kun?"
"I'm fine," he said with a smile as the two hugged each other.
"Are you okay Mai?" Natsuki asked.
"Tokiha?" Yuuichi asked in concern.
"I'm sorry," Mai said. "I didn't want to use this ability again after all the trouble it caused everyone."
"It's fine Mai," Natsuki said.
"No matter where the power came from as long as you use it, it can be used for good," Yuuichi said.
"Yuuichi…" Mai said looking up at him with tears in her eyes.
"Let's go save the head master," Yuuichi said extending his hand.
"Right!" Mai said allowing him to help her up.
"We'll take Yuuki-san to the nurse's office," Akane said.
"Call us if you need any more help," Kazuya said as the two summoned Hari.
"Yeah," Yuuichi said as he helped Natsuki summon Duran. The two groups got on their Child's and dashed off in two separate directions.
Mikoto struggled to stand back up. She held out her hand and summoned Miroku again. She began panting after doing so as she started feeling fatigue from all the times she had summoned her Element.
Youkihi smirked as she watched. "See I told you, meow," she said to Mikoto. "You won't be able to beat me without those other two. Not only that but I know all of your moves so I can keep you from doing too much damage, meow."
"We'll see," Mikoto said as she charged at Youkihi. "I'll beat you for Mai!"
"Great resolve, meow," Youkihi said as she raised her leg. "But it's not enough, Atomic Smash!" She shouted as she extended her leg towards Mikoto's attack and planting her foot against the side of Miroku knocking it off course. "Maokyu!"
Her child roared as it shot off hundreds of needles. Mikoto glared at it and began to spin while she dragged Miroku in the ground around her. She made a full turn before raising Miroku and stabbing it into the ground in front of her. "Miroku!" Mikoto shouted as a dark purple energy shout out of the ground stretching in either direction of where Miroku was. This created a wall between Mikoto and Youkihi causing the needles to hit it and not Mikoto.
"So you blocked it? Big deal, meow," Youkihi said as the energy vanished leaving a slash in the ground from where it had been. "You still won't be able to defeat me. You are too tired to keep this up for too much longer, meow. This will be my win, meow!" With that she ran towards Mikoto.
'I'll only get one chance,' Mikoto thought as she got ready to counter attack.
"King of the Pirates?" Marie asked. "There is no such thing. Those barbarians wouldn't know how to rule anywhere even with the help of a noble man. Do you really think you can accomplish something like that?"
"Of course," Hanabi said not missing a beat.
This set Marie aback for a bit. She hadn't expected such a quick answer. Either this girl thought she'd really become king of those vicious pirates or she was completely insane. At the moment Marie assumed it to be the latter.
"We'll then show me your resolve then future pirate king," Marie said confusing Hanabi. "I'll use my full power from here on out. If you can still at least keep up with me I'll consider it your win."
Hanabi smiled. "Thanks but that won't be necessary." Her smile then turned into a smirk. "That's because I'm going to beat you."
"Well then let's see it then," Marie said as she closed her fan in her palm.
Hanabi launched herself towards Marie. "Rubber…"
"Too slow!" Marie said as a tree grew from under Hanabi launching her skywards.
"What the…" Hanabi began as she tried to get her barrings.
"You see my Fleur Symphony doesn't only control vines but all of nature itself," Marie said.
"So you really were holding back something," Hanabi said. "That just mean it'll mean more when I beat you!" Hanabi said throwing an elastic punch towards Marie.
"Oh, please," Marie said as thorn vines shot out of the tree covering Hanabi.
"Uwaa!" Hanabi cried as the thorns dug into her skin. She fell out of them and hit the ground.
"How is it going Sagisawa-sensei?" Kazuya asked. He turned to face a woman examining Nao's wounds. She had shoulder length black wavy hair. She wore a dark blue tube top that exposed her midriff and tan jeans. Over her clothing she wore a white lab coat.
- Sagisawa Youko, Nurse at Fuuka Academy -
"She's fine," Youko said removing her stethoscope-like Element from Nao's chest. I've healed her main injuries but after healing the two that Midori left with me I'm running out of steam."
"That means it'll be a while before Mai-chan and Kuga-san can get healed for their injuries," Akane said feeling a bit disheartened.
"Speaking of those two where are they?" Youko asked. "From what you said they are severely injured and shouldn't be fighting anymore."
"They went to go and look for the head master," Kazuya told her.
"Those three," Youko said with a sigh. "Always going head long into danger without any thought for their own safety."
"Atomic Smash!" Youkihi shouted as she tried to drop kick Mikoto. Mikoto dodged the attack causing Youkihi to make a crack in the ground.
Mikoto back flipped and spun around again. She stabbed Miroku into the ground as the area around her exploded into light. From beyond the light Youkihi's foot shot out and kicked the claymore Element out of Mikoto's grip sending it into the air.
"Atomic Dual Crash!" Youkihi shouted with delight as she delivered two severe punches to Mikoto's chest and stomach sending her flying backwards into a tree. Mikoto hit the tree with enough force to cause blood to fly out of her open mouth. Mikoto fell to the ground slumped against the tree with her head down.
"You see I told you I'd win, meow," Youkihi said licking the back of her hand. As she walked over to Mikoto. "It took a while and I applaud your tenacity but I'm still a QUEEN and you are but a HiME, meow."
Mikoto slowly looked up at Youkihi with blood trickling down from the corner of her mouth.
"Shall we finish this, meow?" Youkihi asked as her hand summoned another paw of energy.
Hanabi stood back up panting a bit. She glared as Marie who was looking off into the distance with a look of boredom on her face. "It seems I was right," Marie said. "You really aren't worth my time."
Hanabi ground her teeth as she got ready to fight again.
"Hanabi!" a familiar voice called from behind her.
Hanabi turned and saw Rein and Midori riding on Midori's Child. "Rein!"
Rein jumped off Gakkuten-ou and pulled out a hand of playing cards. "You need help, support and back up?" she asked.
"No I'll beat her," Hanabi said.
"Are you sure?" Midori asked. "It took me, Suzushiro, and Yukino to defeat her before."
"Ah yes," Marie said as if she had just remembered the incident. "I remember you Sugiura-san. I'll get to you after I've finished will little Pirate King-chan here."
"I'm the one who's going to beat you!" Hanabi shouted at Marie who smirked at the threat. "Listen behind her to the left is a cave. That is where they are holding Mashiro."
"Are you sure?" Midori asked.
"Yeah but this boy named Nagi is guarding her," Hanabi said.
"I can handle Nagi," Midori said. "Rein come with me so while I hold him off you can go in a get Mashiro and Fumi out of there."
Rein hesitated a bit. "Are you sure you've got this captain?"
"Yeah," Hanabi said. "I'll beat her soon."
"Alright," Rein said hopping back onto Gakkuten-ou. "Good luck Hanabi." With that Rein and Midori took off again.
Marie turned her head to watch as they went by. "You really think that you can beat me on your own?" she asked turning back to Hanabi with a bored look on her face.
"I know I can," Hanabi said with a confident smirk.
"Alright then let's have at it," Marie said as her Child sent more vines towards Hanabi.
Gakkuten-ou stopped just outside of the cave. "Well, well," Nagi said as he walked out from the darkness. "If it isn't the leader of the Anti-Orphan squad herself. I see you brought me one of the two trespassers. I'll take her off your hands now."
"I don't think so," Midori said. "Rein you go in there and check on Mashiro and Fumi."
"You got it!" Rein said as she jumped off and began to run for the cave.
"You really think you can get past me?" Nagi asked.
"MIDORI DYNAMIC!" Midori cried out as Gakkuten-ou transformed and punched Nagi. It removed it's fist just in time for Rein to leap over the hole it made to allow her access to the cave. "I just hope we aren't too late," Midori said.
"That wasn't very nice," Nagi said from behind Midori. Midori turned to see about twenty Nagis. "We'll just have to get rid of you for a while."
"Try it," Midori said swinging her Element as she got ready to hold off Nagi.
Hanabi slid back after getting hit with the vines. She jumped into the air and threw a punch at Marie. Fleur Symphony brought up vines to defend against Hanabi's attack. Vines laced with thorns flew towards Hanabi. Hanabi used her arms like vines to swing from tree to tree to dodge the vines but was hit in the head with one of them causing her to fall to the ground.
Hanabi stood up and put her hand on her head she felt some liquid on her hand. She removed it from her head and look at it. In it she saw blood and a few strands of straw. Hanabi's eyes widened but then narrowed in anger as she removed her straw hat.
"What's wrong?" Marie asked. "Did you lose your nerve at the sight of your own blood?"
"This was my dad's hat," Hanabi said looking at the hole in the side of it. "And you ruined it."
"Is that what you are so angry about?" Marie asked. "You can just replace it right?"
(Insert Music – Mezame (Mai-HiME))
"It's not something you can replace!" Hanabi shouted. "It was his treasure and he gave it to me before I left home."
-Flash Back-
Hanabi lay on her back panting after sparring with her father. She noticed he was looking at his straw hat with a far off look. "Dad where did you get that hat?" Hanabi asked.
Luffy looked at Hanabi in confusion. "Didn't I tell you about it?" he asked causing Hanabi to shake her head. "I got it from my hero Red Haired Shanks. He gave it to me after he saved my life. He said it was his treasure and to return it to him someday. When that day came he decided to let me keep it. It is now my treasure."
"Where is Shanks now?" Hanabi asked.
Luffy's face hardened for a minute before he got his trademark grin. "Don't worry about it," he said putting the hat back on his head. "Come on let's go another round."
"Ah, alright!" Hanabi said standing back up.
-End Flash Back-
Hanabi gently put the hat on the ground next to her. She gritted her teeth as she turned to face Marie. "I won't let you get away with ruining my dad's, no my treasure!" Hanabi shouted as she charged at her.
"So you still want to continue this endeavor?" Marie asked. "Just become fertilizer for my Child already!" Vines shot towards Hanabi.
Hanabi jumped on the vines and used them to dodge on coming attacks. "What!?" Marie shouted in shock. Before she knew it Hanabi was in her face.
"Rubber Pistol!" Hanabi shouted as she punched Marie sending her flying back into her Child. Hanabi then threw both of her arms back. "And Rubber…"
'I can't believe it,' Marie began.
"IRON BAZOOKA!" Hanabi screamed as she delivered a severe attack to Marie's chest. The attack was similar to the Bazooka but this time Hanabi kept her hands closed in fists.
Marie was forced into her Child causing it to break apart substantially. 'I'm losing to this girl…' Marie thought to herself.
"I'm not done yet!" Hanabi said as she shot her arms to the top of the Child shooting herself into the air above Marie. She began to spin like a wheel with her arms out. "Rubber…"
'That last attack nearly smashed my rib cage,' Marie thought. 'I have to get away before…'
"SPEAR!" Hanabi yelled as she shot her legs out hitting Marie in the gut with the ends of her toes. This forced Marie through her Child again and into the ground. Marie's eyes rolled back from the pain as blood shot out of her mouth, her Child disappearing around her.
Hanabi landed next to her and looked over her. She lay unconscious. "I won," Hanabi said.
"Youkihi stopped in mid attack. "Marie lost, meow?" she asked as she looked over to where her friend was fighting.
"So have you," Mikoto said holding up her right hand to Youkihi.
"What do you mean, meow?" Youkihi asked. "I know about your Element. If I don't destroy it, it remains in materialized mode. So you can't summon it, meow."
"I can do this!" Mikoto said opening her hand wide. "MIROKU!"
"What are you-" Youkihi began before she was pierced through the stomach with the claymore like Element, "But how, Meow?"
"I can call on Miroku," Mikoto said as she began to slip into unconsciousness. "From anywhere…"
"I can't believe we both lost, meow," Youkihi said as she collapsed with her Child vanishing.
"I won Mai…" Mikoto said before she passed out.
Mai's eyes widened before she hopped of Duran and summoned her Element. "What's wrong Tokiha?" Yuuichi asked.
"I'm not sure but I just got a bad feeling," Mai said as she took off to where Mikoto was. "You continue on, I'll catch up!"
Akane grabbed onto Kazuya's shirt. "I felt something just now," she told him.
"So did I," Kazuya said grabbing onto her hand.
"Mikoto?" Midori asked turning to where Mikoto was fighting.
"I guess the battling is over," Nagi said as they each began to disappear. "Oh well I guess I've lost this time around. Till next time."
"So it's finally over," Midori said as Gakkuten-dai-ou and her Element vanished. "Mashiro!" she shouted running into the cave.
Rein continued running through the cave looking for Mashiro. She reached a corner and turned. As she got a look of what was around it she stopped and looked on in shock. What she saw took away her breathe.
Time Left: 0:00
Ending Theme: Guuzen Tenshi (Best Student Council)