A/N: This story took place 5 years after the carnival. So I should presumed that Natsuki is then 22 years old and Shizuru is 23. If I'm wrong, please inform me of any mistakes I should make. I'm pretty new at this Mai Hime/Mai Otome world and have little access to such information. I only wrote this story according to the reference in Mai Hime. Five years had passed so I might have to play around with Shizuru and Natsuki's character, therefore, please bare with me.
I started out with a poetry entry to express how Natsuki feel and go from there.
Chapter 1: Some things Never Change5 years later:……….
I have never loved anyone before
But I wish to be with you for eternity
If I have done wrong in the past
God has already punished me
By bringing on to me loneliness
I learn how to love because of you
I'd like to believe
You still love me
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'Miss did not wished to be disturbed by anyone. Let me be frank with you, Miss doesn't want to see you. She wanted me to give you a message,' the maid reached out and gave the envelope to Natsuki.
'What does this mean?' asked Natsuki.
'You may have to read the letter if you wished to know,' came the replied.
'No, I wished to speak with your Mistress,' she demanded.
'I'm afraid I cannot let you through,' the maid was determined to used force if necessary.
'Do you think the like of you can hold your ground?' Natsuki was irritated by the maid's act.
Natsuki gave the maid a dead glare before she raised her voice and shouted, 'Fujino, do you think you can hide forever? Get out here or let me in. We need to talk!'
'That's enough, Kuga-san.' The maid did not like the tone that her mistress's guest used and how she addressed her lady in a disrespectful manner.
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"Hey, Natsuki…" a girl gently shook the dark-hair's shoulder. "Wake up sleeping beauty, we have arrived in Tokyo." Slowly and wearily, the dark-haired girl moved and adjusted her sitting position.
She opened her eyes and sighed with a voice that sounded almost like a whisper, "What?"
She had forgotten that they were still inside the airplane. As she opened her eyes she saw her friend with both hands on her waist with an irritated facial expression.
Natsuki wasn't sure if she should laugh or be annoyed by such a sight. Maybe it was due to the fact that she was unconsciously awakened when she was enjoying her dream. Having good dream was unusual for Natsuki and times like this was when she craved to stay trapped inside her dream, where reality is something she could laugh at.
To Natsuki's surprise, she thought she had just seen a ghost and stared at the girl above like a three-year old who was distracted from a good sleep.
The friend huffed at the incomprehensive sight of Natsuki's action, "Don't 'what' me, and get up! The plane has landed," the other girl grabbed the dark-hair girl's hand and pulled her up from her comfortable seat. "Geeze, we're going to be late for our ride to the hotel. Father had already left and he probably awaits us outside the airport."
Frustrated and aggravated, the blond haired girl made a disapproval gazed, "I have to spend ten minutes trying to wake you up. It was embarrassing how the flight attendant tried to wake you up but failed, badly. You know, it's not easy to wake you up!"
Natsuki looked around and noted that they were the only one left in the airplane. She looked dumbfounded as she eyed the other girl with a repentant face and she received a stern gaze from her friend.
Natsuki stretched her hand and rubbed her forehead. "Darn, I have to do something about my sleeping habit." She tried to clear her vague vision with one hand. "Did it really take you that long to wake me up?"
Her friend answered in a sarcastic tone, "And weren't you glad you have a 'reliable' friend like me?" she smirked. "Although, I doubt that you would do anything about that sleeping habit of yours. People say bad habits die hard."
Her friend frowned, "And Natsuki." Natsuki's eyes met the other girl's gaze. "Seriously, you have repeatedly saying it for the passed years, but you never bothers to even tried. Don't be saying thing you cannot do. More importantly, I think you are making up excuses."
Her friend chuckled, "That bring back some unforgettable memories, don't you agreed?" She paused and heard no answer from her dark-haired friend. She smiled at the sight she now gets from Natsuki's behavior. The dark-haired girl had crossed both her arms and shoots her nose high into the air trying to ignore the subject. Natsuki knew better than to keep her cool as she was sure where this conversation would led to if she battle against the other girl.
It seems like she had finally got Natsuki out off her sleep. She smiled at this posture, "Perhaps, the happy memories that had caused Natsuki to embarrassed herself."
Now she had done it, she had got this far, how could she not take her price. She smirked, "Ah." She clapped both her hands together so she could get Natsuki's attention. "I remembered something that happened during our camping trip a year back. You…." She didn't get to finish her sentence.
'Damn that woman, always get the best of me!' Natsuki turned around and walked off the exit door, "Don't even mentioned it. 'Unforgettable memories!" my ass.' Yeah right, it was all your fault to begin with." She heard her friend trailed behind and giggles. 'Just watch, I'll take my price now that we're in Japan' Natsuki thought.
After a long silence of walking, they make their way out and headed toward the restroom.
Natsuki could only smile at what happened earlier. And before she knew it, her mouth already formed the word, "Thank you."
With a skeptical face, the blond girl asked, "What…you thank me for what?"
"I guess for everything. I don't know why but sometime you just remind me about someone I once knew."
"No problem," the girl answered. "Errr, someone you once knew? Who is that 'someone' of yours?"
Even though Natsuki and the blond haired friend had known each other for almost three years, Natsuki had never mentioned about one specific chestnut haired friend, the one person who had changed her life for the better. She talked about Fuuka Academy but never have she mentioned anything about Himes and slaves. This concern the ability of human being fighting repulsive and hideous monsters, with some sort of power gathered from their most important person. Of course, if this kind of life-style were to be told to anyone, there are doubts that people would comprehend the given action. And her blond haired friend was no assumption. She would probably take the story into account as some kind of fairy tale. She would probably say something along the line, "You've watched too much television or you have read to much comic books."
As a matter of fact, Natsuki haven't really talked much about herself. She tried to forget about the Himes Carnival and what was between her and her friends. It was a painful memory to regard back to, since everything ended the day she decided to study aboard. As for her sandy-haired friend, it ended at the threshold of her home, when she refused to congregate with her. Natsuki demanded that they have a little talk and was displeased that her sandy-haired friend just ran away from her like their friendship was nothing.
Things were going well after the carnival ended. After Natsuki graduated and her friend started college, their friend changed bit by bit as if a piece of jigsaw puzzle was taken away day after day. Natsuki concluded this was due to Shizuru's overloaded work with her family businesses, but she was wrong to think otherwise.
Truth to be told, Shizuru still felt guilty and accountable over what she had done to her beloved Natsuki. She was too ashamed to feel worthy of Natsuki's forgiveness, love, and care. Therefore, she must set some boundaries between their friendships. She knew Natsuki don't had the same feeling as she do, so with distance, she hope would heal the wounded she caused inside Natsuki's heart and inside herself.
Maybe, one day she would have the courage to face Natsuki. However, this action was probably too much to asked of Natsuki, since to her action was more than word. Due to the logical manners Natsuki's mind function, Shizuru's action had caused Natsuki to leave the country. Would Shizuru ever get the chance to redeem herself when Natsuki was a thousands miles oversea? Yes, it seems that Natsuki had finally moved on and only moment in time could explain whether or not the friendship still exist.
Natsuki's name was called a couple of times before the voice snapped her back to reality. "Natsuki's are you all right? You seem like a mile away." The other girl asked with concern.
"Ye..ah. I am all right," she laughed awkwardly and lifted one hand onto the back of her head.
"Well, then should we get moving or do you want to have another nap around here."
Natsuki held up her hand in defeat and sighed, "hai, hai."
When they walked out of the airport, Mr. Yamada was already inside the limo waiting for his daughter and her friend. The blond haired girl entered inside the car first, followed by Natsuki, who was still tired and exhausted from the long trip. The only thing on her mind was to have a hot bath and take a long nap and of course, a good dinner would do. The food in the airplane wasn't any of her likings. She was only eating it because she had no other choices.
Inside the limo, Natsuki yawned before she made a glanced toward Mr. Yamada, who was busy doing what a businessman would do. A laptop neatly on his lap and only business people would know what he was doing. Natsuki turned to her side and her foreign friend was looking out the window and it seemed she was captivated by whatever she saw outside.
Natsuki break the silence first, "Sara."
"Yes?" Sara answered not really paying attention to Natsuki's voice.
Natsuki crossed her arms and closed her eyes, "When we arrive at the hotel, I expected you not to bother me," Natsuki demanded.
Sare turned around not really trusting the voice of her friend, "That is cold!" She frowned. "You need to show me around Tokyo, you promised," Sara stated with a wounded plead.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm all drained out from awfully that long trip and I won't be able to tour you around in this stage. 'She acted as if I know everything about Tokyo!' I need to rest as soon as possible. We will do the tour tomorrow. And not to mentioned, I don't remember making any promise."
Silently, Mr. Yamada was listening to the conversation and he could only smiled under his nose, acting like he was actually doing something with the laptop.
She glared at Natsuki before she moved her lips to replied, "Natsuki you are being cruel. It's not fair you know that. We only stay in Tokyo for two days before we head out to Kyoto."
'Kyoto, uh? I have forgotten that we will be staying at one of the hotel in Kyoto. I wonder if she's still living there.' Natsuki thought.
Mr. Yamada closed the laptop and decided he should do something since he knew too well of his daughter's temperament. Mr. Yamada interrupted the quarrel before Natsuki could give a defense answer.
"Sara, my dear. I agreed with Natsuki-san. It's too late of a tour for today, don't you think? I have arranged dinner and rooms at the hotel for us, so I asked that you push your tour for the next day," he smiled. "Don't worry, I think two days in Tokyo will be enough. Beside, I think you will love Kyoto."
'We're talking about Tokyo! Tokyo, right now! Before Sara could open her mouth to protest, her father continued, "If you want Natsuki-san to stay at the hotel in Kyoto with you while we are here, you should at least start by controlling your stubbornness. Your temper as well, if I may have to asked. While, I asked that I want you in your best health during our stay. You promised me to be in your best manners while you are here, did you not?" He smiled.
Sara frowned at her father and realized that her father was correct. Mentally, she kicked herself for being unprepared. 'Crap! I won't be able to convince them now. I'm out of tactic.' "Find! Tomorrow and no excuses!" She crossed her arms in defeat and had closed her eyes so she could ignore the satisfied look on Natsuki's face, if there's any. 'I expected my summer vacation to be fun and now I'm stuck with that stupid promise I make. Danmits!'
"People say bad habits die hard, uh?" Natsuki reminded Sara of what she told her earlier back and distracted Sara away from her thought.
"Shut up!" she gave her dark-haired friend a dead glare.
Natsuki smirked, "What goes around comes around." With this, her friend turned to the side and look out the window continuing on what she did earlier.
END OF CHAPTER 1A/N: I think this is a good place to stop, don't you agree? Yes, Shizuru is not in this chapter yet, at least not until Natsuki go to Kyoto.
Chapter 2: Natsuki go to Kyoto and end up staying at one of the finest five stars hotel, the Fujino Hotel. From here on, begins the legend of Natsuki's return. She encounters one of the most gorgeous and attractive women on earth. How does Natsuki handle this person?
Please review and let me know what you feel. Like other writers, I feed on reviews and get encouragement to write more. Of course, I will continue the story but might not post. Mainly, I wrote this story because I love the couple and also I was inspired by other stories of theirs. So, please be kind and leave me review when you make your departure. Thanks for your time! This is my first time at so go easy on me. I believe your review will improve my development.
I'm going back to college (I live on campus) so it will be a while for the next chapter. I didn't want to post this chapter up since I haven't start on chapter 2, but I couldn't help it so I did. I have to do so or I will forget about the story. But you'll never know, if I receive enough reviews, chapter 2 might be on its way.