Disclaimer: I do not own Mai HIme or Mai Otome

Natsuki spent the day inside the cabin of Midori while Shiho helped out Midori in preparing the biologist's diving gear. Yoko had to attend an important symposium about stuffs in the animal kingdom.

The curly red head checked on Natsuki after completing her tasks. The room was messed up. She saw her friend asleep with tears starting to dry. 'What happened to my poor Natsuki…?'

Her eyes widened when she saw blood on the bed and two familiar opened books Natsuki was clutching on her chest: the girl's own journal and Shizuru's.

'How did that get to her?'

She immediately checked Natsuki's body and was relieved to find out it was just "that time of the month".

'Phew…'

She was relieved for a minute then was agitated again. 'That diary…She shouldn't have it…'

Reito pondered at the words of the woman who called. He held onto his sister's diary.

'Maybe this can help her remember, though it may take her a long time to accept it all.'

He took a deep breath. 'She has to know. She has to.'

Midori grumbled. "Great. My temporary assistant joined in the hibernation. Ugh! Darn it Yoko! Come back soon!"

She was checking on three finned pilot whales they saved from whaling. She surfaced from the long dive.

She heard Natsuki and Shiho's voice. They seemed to be quarreling.

"You said so yourself! It is pointless to commit suicide! Killing yourself won't clear your conscience!"

"You don't know how ugly my life is! How am I going to face Mai or the rest of our friends? I am shameful! A disgrace!"

Shiho slapped her. "I gave up everything for you! And I won't let anything or anyone break us apart even death!"

Natsuki was speechless. Shiho was crying.

"I love you Natsuki…Forget about Shizuru. She will never come back…"

Midori left the two. 'Sheez…It's already too personal. But I do hope they get over things right.'

She was having a little nap on a hammock she placed on the deck when Shiho woke her up.

"Hey, Midori. Can you drop us by this island?"

She was puzzled at first but Shiho's eyes were gleaming with joy. She grinned at the blue haired lady behind Shiho.

"So are you guys eloping or something?"

Natsuki blushed. "No! W-We're not!"

"Come on. We're all adults here. No need to be shy. I might as well change my covers. After all, you two were spending too much time in my cabin,"Midori teased.

"Hmm? Well… You really have to change your covers. And…We're holding back 'till we reach the island," Shiho replied sweetly.

"I-I can't believe you're in this too, Shiho?"

"Hey, loosen up a bit sport. I'll be generous enough to drop you two off to your love nest in a jiffy."

"Why you-!"

Shiho giggled. Midori laughed as well.

Natsuki slowly dropped her fists. Her heart warmed at Shiho's laugh.

'Why am I happy when I did something horrible?'

She remembered Shiho's words earlier.

After reading Shizuru's diary, she wanted to die right on the spot. She threw whatever she could throw. She stopped when she saw the medicine kit she threw. She reached for it and saw a pair of scissors. She held it, her mind dictating her to drive it straight to her heart. But she changed her mind when the thought of Shiho brought back her conscience.

She cried and cried until she fell asleep. She woke from Shiho's touch.

"Natsuki…"

Her friend's voice was cold and firm. The red head picked the scissors on the bed and threw it. "Were you…?"

She chose not to utter any word. She's not a good liar after all.

"Th-Then you really did try…"

She turned away.

"You said so yourself! It is pointless to commit suicide! Killing yourself won't clear your conscience!"

"You don't know how ugly my life is! How am I going to face Mai or the rest of our friends? I am shameful! A disgrace! I had committed a grave sin that neither death would suffice to pay for it!"

Shiho slapped her. "I gave up everything for you! And I won't let anything or anyone break us apart even death!"

Natsuki was speechless. Shiho was crying.

"I love you Natsuki…Forget about Shizuru. She will never come back…"

She clenched her fists. Forget? NO. That's impossible.

They were both silent for a moment. Natsuki hesitantly approached Shiho and embraced the lady.

"I'm tainted with black…You should stay away-"

"You're asking something impossible."

"Shiho…"

'My heart…This girl…Why does she matter so much….?'

Mai grimaced. A woman named Midori told her earlier that Natsuki and Shiho won't be back for a very long while. They were in the island.

"Sheez… And they were my best employees…"

Her cell phone rang.

"Oh, Reito. Good thing you called. I have something to say."

"Me too. Are you busy?"

"Not much. Why?"

"I'll come and get you. I need your help."

"O-Okay. Is this about Natsuki?"

"…No… It's about Shizuru. I think she's alive."

She gasped. "For real?"

"Just a feeling. That curly red haired woman… She's keeping something. Sorry for imposing but can you contact Natsuki for me?"

"I can't. They're already in the island."

"They?"

"Shiho, the one you're talking about, is with her."

"Wait. I'll put you on hold for a minute. Tate's on the other line."

"Mmm.. 'Kay."

Her face soured at the thought of the perverted man then her thoughts went back to what she had just learned.

'How is Shiho involved in all of this?'

They had been in the island for almost three days. Shiho tried her best to distract Natsuki from committing suicide. Takumi and Akira would also help up every now and then. She's been enjoying herself ever since they arrived in the island. She would often see Natsuki do cool things like diving for oysters, mending broken roofs, climbing rocks, molding pots. She almost thought they were like husband and wife enjoying their first year of marriage.

She just finished having a bath when she saw Natsuki clawing on her arms.

"Natsuki!"

She grabbed the lady's hand immediately not minding the towel uncovering her body. "Stop it…!"

"Let go!"

She pulled Natsuki by the shirt and glared. The lady, noticing her nakedness turned away blushing. "G-Get dressed!"

She forced Natsuki's face towards her. "Not when you're still hurting yourself…!"

She looked deep into green eyes wanting to pull that hurting girl out of her misery.

Slowly, her face closed the distance and their lips fused. Natsuki tried to break away but she was forceful. A sudden flash of heat swept through her body. She hungrily kissed her friend. She pressed the lady's shoulders down when the other attempted to rise. She used her weight to constrict the other from moving. Her hands began searching, touching caressing every part of Natsuki.

"N-No…! Shiho…!"

Green eyes widened when her hand went underneath the cloth that covered the lady's center. Natsuki gasped, heart beat racing.

"Hmmm… You're wet…"

"SH-SHIHO!"

"Kawaii… Now off with your shirt."

Natsuki saw passion flaring in Shiho's orange eyes. Throwing away all of her resistance, she submitted herself.

'How I wish they were red…like Shizuru…'

"Mine all mine! No man will claim you! You belong to me!"

Her eyes were closed but she felt it all: the kisses planted all over her face and her body, the gentle caresses from soft warm hands, the sucking and the licking. To top it all was the probing of her inner most innocence towards the cruel reality. Everything was clear. Her friend betrayed her.

She fell into the trap she thought she was dodging. She was saved by Tate before but now, no one will save her. She thought being around other people was secure enough. She just drank one cocktail during the party in celebration for the successful play. Now she was in her friend's room, defenseless.

"I love you so much…Shizuru…."

She was shocked. Natsuki suddenly volunteers to play her violin for the festival. 'How unusual…But not bad…Not bad.'

Shizuru's eyes widened when she heard the dreaded melody. 'No… You've been corrupted by the blight it brought to my life…!'

"Wow. That knave had the guts to play 'Last Glimpse of Dawn'-"

The girl shut her mouth when the owner of the masterpiece, who was just standing beside them, turned away and left the auditorium.

'Why? Why Natsuki…?'

After that incident, it seems like Natsuki didn't even do a thing to upset her. She tried so hard to conceal the rage that had started to build inside her.

"Fujino-senpai,p- please do the honor to p-play your master p-pieces for our p-performance…!"

Her mind cleared from her deep thoughts. She put on a fake smile and looked at the nervous girl. "Ara…. What is it again, Senoh-san?"

The younger girl went red. "Uhmm…Ano… The play for the festival… Ahh.. T-The drama club w-wishes to i-invite you…you to-"

She was amused looking at the girl's reaction. She tucked some of the hair that covered the girl's face. "To what Senoh-san?" she whispered to the girl's ear. She laughed when the girl fainted on her shoulder.

As if in sync, two figures ran towards her for assistance.

"Aoi!"

She handed the girl to Chie Harada, one of the main characters for the play. She just gave a curt nod to the other person who's also part of the play.

"Ch-Chie-senpai…"

"Silly girl. You didn't have to be the one. You know how Fujino-senpai is."

"I'm fine. I just need Fujino-senpai's reply…"

Shizuru looked back at her underclassmen pretending to feel hurt. "Ara…What does Harada-san think of me?"

Chie froze. "I-I…"

As much as she would like to tease Chie, she stopped herself. That person was glaring at her.

"I would love to see you two kiss at the end of the play while I'm playing my violin," she said smiling at them.

The two flushed.

She walked away with Natsuki tailing her. They ended up in the green house.

Natsuki grabbed her firmly by the hand. "What was that for? Flirting with underclassmen at the middle of the corridor!"

She eyed Natsuki, danger flashing in crimson orbs. "It seems Natsuki never got used to my ways," she said calmly.

The grip tightened. Then abysmal look slowly faded as the tricking innocence took over. "I-I'm sorry… I just got carried away."

She almost flinched from the hand that touched her cheek. "Hey… We should go out sometime… I just keep having this feeling that you're avoiding me."

"And guess what? I'm also part of the play! I'll be Chie's loyal body guard," the lady continued when she didn't answer.

"I see… That's nice."

She couldn't recognize the person in front of her anymore. 'You've changed… You're no longer my dear Natsuki. You've succeeded on taking away someone precious from me, Otou-san…'

Her vision blurred as memories of her childhood pulled her back to the past.

A slap made the eight year old brunette little girl fall back. "Otou-san…Yamete kudasai…O-Okaa-san…she's hurt…"

Her tears and pleas didn't reach her father. "Shut up! This whore is no longer your mother!"

The girl watched as her mother got beaten by her father.

"Okaa-san! OKAA-SAAN! Okaa-san didn't do anything…!"

She took the kick that was aimed to her dear mother. "SH-SHIZURU…!"

"Out of the way, you stupid girl! That mother of yours thinks I wouldn't catch her cheating on me? Hah! You can't outsmart me!"

Her mother shielded her from the man. "Daijoubu, Shizuru…I met up with my friend and agreed together that he will take you far away from here. We'll get your brother from where he is after that," her mother whispered.

Her mother's warmth gave her strength.

But her mother was soon a cold corpse after a few months, hearing that her one and only remaining friend was murdered. And her mother knew who had done it.

"Such a disgrace. Killing one's self. I feel sorry for her husband."

She would often hear people say that. "No! My mother isn't like that!"

How she wished she could freely say it. Not when her father is around. She would cry silently on her own.

On her mother's burial, she played 'Last Glimpse of Dawn'. Her father had forced her to compose it. She would always get a beating for making lousy pieces. She would play her violin until her fingers were all covered with blood. She was deprived of food and sleep for one single piece.

The crowd was moved by the sorrowful melody; having more sympathy for Akihiro Fujino. They weren't aware that the piece was nothing but a melody of suffering.

That night, the innocent girl was locked deep within and brilliant red eyes turned dull.

Her father would always let her play her very first piece during her mother's death anniversary.

'Heartless… Yes… I am my father's daughter. I am one of his perfect dolls.'

Many wanted to be friends with her because her because of her looks, her charm, and her father's wealth. In turn, she would play with their game and later on just watch as her father destroy their families without them noticing.

She changed when she met Haruka and Yukino. She started having fun. They taught her how to feel joy. She felt so real. It would have been forever that way if Yukino stayed so Haruka will not go after her. She even lost communication with them.

Shizuru hugged Natsuki for support.

"Shizuru?"

'Fate won't release me from this endless suffering…'

To be continued….

CAIE: [nervously praying] I hope she forgives me…

Shizuru: [dangerous look on her face] Caie-chan…What did you just let Shiho do…?

CAIE: Shiz-[voice trailed off]

Shizuru: KIYOHIME!

CAIE:… MAMAAAAAAAA!