It was noon, and Mai and Mikoto were patiently waiting for Natsuki to arrive for lunchtime. After the carnival, lunch had become a daily ritual. Most of the former HiME's gathered together and related their new experiences. While some obvious tension and rivalries still existed (Nao and Natsuki), not many people who hadn't lived through the carnival could understand their reactions to the world's events. They had been waiting for about five minutes when a red faced biker tapped Mai on the shoulder.

"Hey Natsuki, why are you so late?! Mai didn't let me start my lunch because of you!" growled a hungry Mikoto. Mai had been trying to incorporate some manners in her, but she hadn't been dealing to well with the etiquette that tied in with food and eating.

"WHY?! You ask me why I'm late?! After going through hell this morning?!" Here Natsuki's eye began to twitch, a certain sign that she was near her limit of patience. Her body language (as defined by our cunning red-eyed brunette) was:

a) one eye twitch- annoyed, possibly about to lose her patience

b) a couple of eye twitches- get ready to run for your life

c) death glare - unable to be defined as all Shizuru could say was "Kawaii!"

d) jaw clenching- barely restrained desire to hit someone

"Calm down. Mikoto was just wondering what had kept you. What do you mean by 'hell', anyway?"

Natsuki sighed and began to relate her story.

------------------------Flashback---------------------

After arriving at school, Natsuki had taken her old path as planned. Relieved that nobody could see her, she hid her bike behind a tall bush and sprinted towards the main entrance. She decided to put revenge at the back of her mind, as she would be late to class, thus receiving a long lecture from Midori and later in the day, Shizuru. All such good-girl thoughts left her brain the moment she spotted a kendo playing pervert waiting for her at the door.

TAKEDA!!!!!!! That moron! GRRrrr, I'm going to go teach him NEVER to paint my bike such a color, or leave such obvious tracks. I mean, come on, it's like saying "Come little wolf, eat me."

"Hello, Natsuki-chan," Takeda beamed. Natsuki's jaw clenched.

"You do not have the right to call me by my first name or with '-chan'," she growled out.

"But we're going to be dating soon. Then what will I call you?" the kendo player said innocently. Then he pouted his lips, as if getting ready for a kiss.

Of course, that was all Natsuki needed to start pummeling him. At one point she got out her knife, in an attempt to castrate him. Unfortunately, before she could succeed, two strong arms slipped around her waist and warmth spread through Natsuki's body. There was only one such person who would ever try such a feat (and be successful with it) and that was Shizuru.

"Ara ara, what have I told you about violence?" said a voice full of amusement. The Kyoto native was blowing on the biker's ear and recieved a pleasant shudder in return. Shizuru smiled mischeviously.

"S-Shizuru? I was just- Takeda, he..." Natsuki stammered.

"Ara? Takeda did what?" the tea addict purred. Shizuru's little, insatiable, wolf-poochy-poochy-pup with a fast-wagging tail and two cute ear muffins (A/N: This is the nickname that Natsuki agreed to and was trying to keep Nao from discovering) blushed two shades deeper than the color of her bike.

"She said she would be my girlfriend if I was a better kisser than you," Takeda interrupted.

"WHAT?!"

Shizuru extracted herself from Natsuki and looked tearfully back at her.

"Natsuki wanted to dump me? I-I see. Well, I'll take my leave," Shizuru said as her voice cracked and she began to cry. Before the biker could react, Shizuru sprinted out of her reach. The temperature suddenly dropped and Takeda began shivering.

"W-wait, a sec! I have proof!" he said as the wolf-girl's eyes began to gleam with a deadly predatory gaze. His cell phone was offered and she blinked, looking down at it.

"What do I want with that?" she asked icily.

"Read it, it has the message you sent me this morning," he begged.

Natsuki took the phone and checked the number it was sent from and was surprised to see that it was from her cell. She started to read:

Hi, Takeda. I've been bored by Shizuru lately, and even though she's a good friend, I want someone new. If u can kiss better than her, how about a date? Meet me in front of the school before class starts. 3 Natsuki.

Wtf?! I never sent such a message! I knew it, someone's out to get me...

Natsuki quickly explained to Takeda that she had never sent the message (and never would) and she apologized for trying to castrate him. After receiving a "No problem" she started to run to her first period class. Luck wasn't on her side this morning and she had just reached the door to her classroom when the bell rang. She opened the door and recieved a detention from her Sentai-Ranger sensei (aka. Midori). She dragged her feet to her desk and plopped down, waiting for the morning announcements.

---------------End Flashback-----------

Natsuki finished her story with a sigh, wondering what torture was left for her this day. Nao and Reito had come toward the end of it and had began to chuckle at her expense. Mikoto had been nodding her head every few minutes with a "yup, yup" and Mai had been offering her condolences.

"Wow. Now I understand why you were in such a bad mood this morning. I wonder if someone from your fanclub did this, considering it broke up you and Shizuru-san."

"Nah. Most of those idiots don't have enough braincells to come up with such a plot to separate the flea bag and her master."

"Who are you calling 'flea bag', worm?" hissed Natsuki.

"What was that, you tyke? So you agree that Fujino is your master?" Nao hissed back.

"Now, now, stop fighting you two. You can finish your discussion after lunch, as I don't want to lose my appetite like last time," Mai calmed the two down.

"Fine, I don't want to associate with such scum, lest I throw up on her," Natsuki replied.

Mai glared. The same kind of glare that she gave when someone insulted her karaoke costumes. It was enough to shut both of them up, but as usual, Reito and Mikoto simply smiled. Natsuki began to open up her bento, feeling depressed about her spat with Shizuru. If it could even be called that, considering the Kyoto woman hadn't given her a chance to explain. Suddenly she froze. There was a baby bottle in her bento.

What the- how did this get here? Why did Shizuru...wait a second. Please don't tell me this means she's pregnant! How's that even possible, I'm a GIRL! Oh man, what'll her parents say and how will I- oh, there's a note.

To my obedient little Natsuki: Ara, when I checked up on you this morning, you were sleeping like a baby and even drooling a little bit. It gave me an idea, and I put all of your mayo in this bottle. Enjoy .

O.O Shizuru, what the hell?! Crap, I better keep quiet lest on of the others asks me what this is all about. And who is she calling OBEDIENT? And...why is there NEGI right by it?! Hnn, another note.

Natsuki, this is a reminder. If you EVER eat another bottle of mayo at one time (besides the ones I give you), I will not hesitate to use negi as punishment. 3 And you know what that means...

SHIZURU!!!!!!!!! WHY ARE YOU SO KEEN ON TORTURING ME DAMNIT!? And last time I was sick, too!

"HEY! NATSUKI!!" Mai yelled as she waved a hand in front of her friend's face.

Startled, the biker jumped, which sent one of the notes tumbling on the ground. Nao caught her eye and both of them dove in an attempt to get it. The poor wolf pup was unsuccessful and Nao began to read it to herself. It was the one with the "baby comment." Snickering as she read the beginning and then laughing hard when she read the comment did not help Natsuki's complexion remain "white as purest snow." By now, the others were looking at them, wondering what had set Nao off.

"Oh, ho, ho. Christmas has come early for me this year. So you're obedient to Fujino, eh?" Nao cackled out.

"Shut up! And give me that note back!" Natsuki yelled.

"Give me one reason why I should."

"Because it's MINE, damnit!"

"It is. You're right."

"EH?" Natsuki paused for a moment.

Nao took out her cell phone and started dialing a number. Her eyes brightened a bit when she reached her source and asked "Chie, would you like some serious scoop about Fujino and Kuga?"

"NAO!!!!!!!"

"Here, I'll read the note out loud," Nao stated, just as she dodged a blow from twitchy-eyed Natsuki. Mai held Natsuki from pummeling Nao, but she stopped when she heard the contents of the note. Then no force on earth could have held their laughter down.

Natsuki's face was purple (with both anger and embarrassment) as she collected her bento box and her bag. She ignored their laughter and headed of into the woods. Not one of them could stop her because they were laughing so hard that their sides hurt and tears rolled down their eyes. All the biker girl did was flip her hair and drive home, clenching and un-clenching her jaw, eye twitching madly.

Shizuru, I don't know if I should apologize to you or not for what happened this morning (especially since it wasn't my fault), considering that my reputation is now in flames. When I find you...I really don't know what I'll do.

o------------------------0o0-------------------------o

Omake;

Natsuki: My head is starting to hurt from all this blushing.

Shizuru: Why don't you lay down on my lap? If you rest a bit, you'll probably feel better.

Natsuki: Thanks. Falls asleep.

Shizuru: Ara, she's so cute. Smile

----------------------oOo-----------------------

A/N. I updated as fast as I could. I figured that Natsuki deserved a break from all the hassle so I gave her some nap time in the mini-feed.