A/N: Ahhh the lovely Author's note- what to say. Rightyho- this is the first fic I've ever done on Mai-Hime. I only got into watching Anime a month ago and this is the first and the best one I have ever watched. I have read a lot of fanfics on here and have been inspired to write my own- it's a ShizNat fic- I ADORE ShizNat. Please R&R and I may be tempted to bribe you with sweeties.

Disclaimer: I am a penniless student who has not a chance in hell of ever owning these characters- Those lucky gits at Sunrise do. ShizNat owns me and I am at their mercy.

Tiny xxx

Chapter One

Kyoto

From the very moment that Fujino Shizuru took her first breath- she would never have had any way of knowing just how burdened that first breath was. The crimson-eyed Kyoto beauty was the eldest daughter of the notorious, ruthless and cunning business tycoon Fujino Hideyoshi and his wife Akemi. Knowing that the child Akemi had borne him was a girl and not the boy he had craved for going on 15 years of marriage- the feeling of disappointment and resentment was made clear each and every day of Shizuru's life. Yet she had received the proper education due to the heiress of the Fujino business empire and as she got older it was becoming ever more apparent of what was to be expected of her. The moment she stepped out of University- degree of Business Management studies in hand- she would take up her role within the family business. She would accept the proposal of the eldest Kanzaki boy- marry and bear many sons.

Shizuru's life had been entirely written out for her from the moment she took that first breath.

It had been 21 years in the making- yet 1 hour to bring all the hopes and dreams of the Fujino family to its knees. Shizuru had known for years where her true passion lay- as she had been home-schooled she had never really experienced the hub and the noise of the classroom or the cafeteria growing up. It wasn't until she started university she started to discover things about herself. There was indeed life outside of the Fujino estate and she was going to live it to the fullest. She knew from an early age that she was going to marry Kanzaki Reito as soon as she turned 18 however she had been able to persuade her father to postpone her impending nuptials until she had graduated.

This triggered off the chain of events that led to Shizuru finally gaining the one thing she had craved most... her independence. For the most of her University years she had fulfilled her father's wishes of working around the main offices- sometimes going to various parts of the country on business trips as her father's replacement. It brought a small smile to Hideyoshi's face each time he received compliments and words of congratulations for being the father of one of the most beautiful and intelligent young women in Japan. He knew of Shizuru's hidden talents in managing to bring even the most stubborn old fools to their knees in submission to the Fujino Empire. Men couldn't resist her- Women wanted to be her. Shizuru used the same weapon her father held as his father did before him.

Their entrancing, magnificent, paralyzing blood red- no- Crimson eyes. Those eyes that could pierce your soul and make you give your soul to the Devil without a moment's hesitation. Put it together with that bewitching smile of hers and you would find yourself putty in her hands! Any other father would be more than proud of his daughter after managing to accomplish so much in her years. Even if Hideyoshi was proud- he would never show it. No words or actions ever showed his affection for his daughter, and he was certain that had Shizuru have been born a boy... the little master would have been showered with affection or whatever he wanted. Shizuru hadn't been a demanding child, she did what she was told- usually with a smile on her face- to the very best and more of her ability and she did it without any resistance.

That was until now.

"Otou-san, Okaa-san,

I have been meaning to write such a letter to you for many years now. Now I feel it is the right time to express how I feel. I hope you will someday forgive me for not saying such things to your faces.

For as long as I can remember I have been told how one day I will be the one to fulfil all the many wishes and desires of our great family. I have always strived to do and be the best in everything put in front of me. All I ever wanted was to make you proud enough so one day you would actually express such feelings to me. Yet no matter how hard I worked, I never saw any feelings of love, adoration and affection. I wanted to make you proud to call me your daughter.

My life has been planned for me from the moment I was born and for the most part- I had accepted your plans as my own, but I can't any longer. I have no desire to work for or someday run the family business. In fact I wish to wipe my hands clean from it. I have zero inclination to marry Reito-san and he accepts this. I wish to build and follow my own path.

I have withdrawn all money from my account and have made generous contributions in the Fujino name, my debts are all paid, my hands are now clean and I owe you nothing.

I will build my own path or perish. Don't try to find me for I am now re-born.

Shizuru."

Shizuru smiled in satisfaction as she slipped the letter in a sealed envelope into the monthly report her father had asked her to compile before placing it in his briefcase. The old man wouldn't be in the office for another hour and her bags were already packed and by the time Hideyoshi would've found the letter- Shizuru would be on the train out from Kyoto. She was now heading straight for her new life... her new life as Shizuru Viola.

It hadn't taken that long for Shizuru to settle down in Tokyo with an old friend from Kyoto.

"Ara...Haruka-chan. Where would I be without you? Ookini for taking me in at such short notice."

Shizuru smiled sweetly at the frowning blonde in front of her. Despite those constant creases on her forehead Haruka was more than happy to see her old friend- it had been far too long since they had seen each other.

"Hmm... well I now have a spare room so thought I might as well- plus I suppose it's sort of nice to see you again bubuzuke." Haruka watched as her old friend placed her stuff on the floor- observing her as Shizuru took in her new surroundings.

"I hope you're not expecting me to take those into your room- you're not in Kyoto anymore Fujino."

Shizuru's smile got even bigger "Ara, I know. Ne Haruka... its Viola now. I am reborn. I have turned over a new leaf...I..."

"I know, I know, I'm a new woman" Haruka rolled her eyes and mockingly tossed her hair before getting serious again "I hope you haven't joined some sort of hoppy cult bubuzuke. The second you start stripping your clothes off to become 'one with nature' you are outta here" Haruka gestured to the door.

"Ara, I believe the word is 'Hippie' Haruka-chan. Mou...I would've thought Haruka-chan wanted me walking around her apartment naked- we used to do it enough when we were little." Shizuru pouted and then smiled as she saw her oldest friend go completely tense with her eyes wide in shock.

"Ara Bubuzuke woman you'll be the death of me yet. If you must just don't let Yukino see you in your naked...ness." Haruka averted her eyes from the smirking Kyoto woman and sighed before picking up a couple of the suitcases- opening the door to the spare room. She knew that by now she should have been used to her friend's teasing despite hoping before her friend had arrived that she had finally grown out of that teasing phase. Still, it was good to have her oldest friend living with her even if it was going to be a bit cramped in the 2-bedroom Tokyo flat.

"Haruka-chan, I could've sworn that you said we weren't in Kyoto ne? Why are you taking my stuff? Are you now picturing me naked and so you feel as if you have to dash off to escape an unfortunate nosebleed?" Shizuru had missed this; she had loved every opportunity to tease both Haruka and their other friend Reito when they were growing up together. When Haruka had left and Reito started to become more like his big-headed arrogant father- Shizuru felt even more lonely and concentrated more on her studies. She pushed herself so much to exhaustion however she felt it was justified when elected the Kaichou at Kyoto University.

Haruka rolled her eyes and took a deep breath- the past few months of living with Yukino had meant a lot of time and effort had been made to control Haruka's outbursts.

"Well seeing as you weren't going to take your crap to your room- I WILL". Ah well, Yukino isn't here to lecture me anyway- why the hell not...damn bubuzuke woman.

Just at that moment Haruka felt a pair of warm arms wrap themselves around her waist forcing her to tense up yet again. She felt the warm breath of her friend tickle her ear. Thank God Yukino isn't home yet.

"Ookini, again Haruka-chan. You are a good friend for putting up with me- as soon as I am able- I will find a way to repay your kindness." Shizuru took the opportunity and gave a short blow into Haruka's ear- loving the effect it had on her friend.

"Ok if you really want to repay me you can start by getting off me- I don't want Yukino to walk in on whatever this is." Shizuru removed her arms from Haruka's waist- maybe walking in on another woman- a stranger- giving your girlfriend a hug that to an outsider could only be termed as perhaps passionate...it may not be such a great idea.

"So Haruka-chan, when am I going to meet this lovely Yukino of yours?" Shizuru and Haruka simultaneously drew their attention to the front door where a woman who could only be described as resembling a mouse caught her breath.

"YUKINO? What are you doing? You don't have to flatter the door down- you have a key." Haruka stared at her girlfriend with her hands on her hips as the mousey-like woman caught her breath.

"It's *pants* batter *pants* the door down...Haruka-chan. My key wasn't working...I...I wanted to be quick...to meet Fujino-san."

"Ara- well it's an honour to meet you Yukino-chan. Please though call me Shizuru and it's not Fujino anymore." Shizuru extended a hand in Yukino's direction- smiling as the timid women accepted.

"Oh yeah- Yukino- Shizuru reckons she's pre-born now. She's got herself a new last name to go with it!" Haruka raised an eyebrow- looking distinctly unimpressed!

"It's're-born' Haruka-chan" Shizuru and Yukino answered almost instantaneously- giggling at the fact that they both found themselves correcting the blonde.

"You know what...I think it's going to be fun us three under the same roof." Shizuru could only nod and smile at the brown-haired woman in front of her. I think I like my new life already.

Haruka jumped off of the back of the sofa "Right. I'm going to make us some tea before bubuzuke woman here collapses from tea-withdrawal".

I'm definitely going to like it here.