Disclaimer: I do not own Mai-Otome/Mai-HiME or the characters here. Sunrise Does.

Believing

7.

"EMERGENCY STATE ACTIVATED. CHAMBER 7 HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED. SECURY BREACH DETECTED. ALL SECURY PERSONNEL REPORT TO STATIONS IMMEDIATELY."

"What the hell is going on?!" A man asked over the loud, repetitive message that was being broadcasted through the building's intercom system as red warning lights flared through the building.

"The system shows a disruption in chamber 7,Sir." answered a young woman who typed speedily on a mainframe computer, "The cameras are out of service along with out server. Seems like it was overloaded."

"Overloaded with what?!" The man did not get an answer from his subordinate when a guard came running towards him.

"Doctor, the chamber has been infiltrated. The prisoners are no longer there and the whole chamber has been destroyed." The doctor's eyes widened in surprise, "How did that happen? How come we were not warned of intruders?" he asked as his mind raced with possible explanations but ended with none.

"It must of have come from inside…" the woman said as she found the last recording from the security cameras and started playing it. "Oh my God…" The doctor could not believe what he was seeing and knew that this was definitely not part of the plan.

The doctor turned to his stunned employees who mirrored the way he felt. He walked down towards a table where Nina laid with different scanners attached to her body. "You," he said pointing to one of the scientist studying the Otome, "Disconnect her this minute. I need to send her out in a hunt this instant."

The scientist nodded as he started to prepare Nina for the assignment. The doctor's fear grew by the minute although he tried to keep a cool façade so that he would not alert his subordinates. He watched intently as Nina stood up and waited for his orders, "Wang, go look for Viola, Kruger, and Zhang and bring them back immediately."

Nina blinked idly as she turned and left without a word, but with a mission in mind.

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"Shit…" Natsuki opened her eyes but closed them immediately when the sun's rays hit brightly across her face, 'Sun? Where am I?' She turned to her side and attempted to push herself up with her arms but was pushed down when an unfamiliar weight draped over her. She was under a shadow that protected her from the sun as she opened her eyes and froze when she saw what was above her.

"Ahhh!" Shizuru's eyes snapped open when she heard Natsuki's scream and turned to see her wife scrambling underneath a creature that strongly resembled a wolf. Although her sides were in pain, she tried to stand up and run towards Natsuki but was surprised when she suddenly fell to the ground as if she had been on a higher platform after a few steps.

Turning her head, Shizuru panicked when she saw she had been lying atop the head of something that resembled a large snake. Before she could react, several snakes identical to the first one joined it and looked at Shizuru with curiosity, or so it seemed.

Natsuki ran towards Shizuru and latched herself onto her from behind without seeing the creature, as she tried to escape the dog that was following her like a lost puppy. She felt that Shizuru's body was incredibly tense and her own body shook in fear when she saw the large creature that Shizuru was staring at. The purple creature moved to reveal an even larger head that looked just like a squid.

"Shizuru…where are we? And what are they?" Natsuki asked but her words were lost to Shizuru who looked on with strange emotions towards the creature. It's eyes seemed to be sending her a message that she was still trying to decode when a loud shot was heard.

Both Otomes turned to see the wolf-like creature shooting at an unseen enemy with what appeared to be cannons that protruded from it's back. When the dust brought up from the projectiles cleared, Nina walked towards them seemingly unharmed. She gained speed quickly when she spotted both girls but the creature kept shooting at her intending to keep her away from the two woman.

"Natsuki, are you okay?" Shizuru asked as she realized who was latching onto her back. "What are they Shizuru?" Natsuki asked as she watched intently as the creature kept firing without success at keeping Nina at bay. Nina had some kind of robe on that allowed her to fly past the small creature, but before she could reach them, the purple creature dashed from behind them and captured Nina but it refrained from killing her.

"Look Shizuru…" Natsuki said softly as the creature turned towards them with Nina in grasp and looked towards Shizuru as if it were asking what to do next. The wolf-like creature ran towards Natsuki, eliciting a shocked scream from the girl when it rubbed against her legs whimpering like a puppy. She focused her eyes directly at the wolf's and felt as if she was sucked into a dark hole as a rush of emotions overcame her.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru turned just in time to catch Natsuki as she fell limp against her arms. Tears ran down Natsuki's pale face as she remembered.

'Duran…Fuka…First District…Mother…Searss…Himes…The Carnival…Shizuru Fujino…Shizuru…'

Natsuki's mind filled with memories of a past life and saw all the pain that she had gone through along with the love of her life. The one thing she was quickly able to realize, was that in all her past lives, Shizuru was always with her.

Shizuru saw a content smile appear through Natsuki's tear-filled face. Although she seemed to be unconscious, Shizuru was surprised when a soft sound escaped her wife's lips, "Shizuru.'

Nina struggled against the large creature and freed herself when the creature lost resistance against her. Without thinking, she launched herself towards Shizuru and Natsuki but was surprised when she was pushed away from them, making her crash against a large tree.

"Nao!" Shizuru said as she looked up and saw Nao follow behind a creature that largely resembled a human-spider hybrid that had Nina against a tree.

"Shizuru, I don't know if you have your memories back, but it seems that Natsuki might be getting them back," Nao said as she pointed to Natsuki who still laid unconscious against Shizuru's lap.

"Memories?" Nao shook her head at Shizuru's question, "That's not important now, you'll get yours soon, now take Natsuki and your Childs and leave, they will do whatever you say. You must go back to Garderobe. I will take care of Nina."

'Childs?' Although Shizuru was not completely sure she understood what Nao was talking about, she decided against asking any more questions. She stood up and carried Natsuki in her arms as she started walking away but stopped when the purple creature got in her way. Trusting Nao, she stepped towards it and as if reading her mind, the hydra lowered one of it's heads as Shizuru stepped on it. Without need for words, the creature traveled to Shizuru's desired destination with the wolf-child following close behind.

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"What do you mean she is not there?!" Tate's shouts of anger rang through the office as his soldiers looked down ashamed after reporting the queen's disappearance.

"We went to check up on her like we were ordered but her cell was empty and no tampering was evident. She must have had a key of some sort." The soldier regretted speaking when Yuuichi's eyes pierced through him in fury, "You mean you didn't check her to see of she had a key with her?! You idiots!" The soldiers cringed at his words but were luckily dismissed by Takeda who decided it was enough.

"Tate, we will find her. She must be somewhere within the palace after all. I will send all the units available on a search for her, after all, how hard can it be to find a girl like her?" Takeda said trying to calm Yuuichi's rage.

"You're right Takeda-kun…we will find her…and this time I will make sure she doesn't escape…I'll make sure of that myself." Tate spoke maliciously as he returned to his seat with a smirk on his face.

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"Aoi, what are we going to do?" Mashiro's soft voice was heard in the dark room as they attempted to remain silent after the commotion outside subsided. They had sat quietly as the soldiers went on a frenzy trying to look for her when they realized she was missing.

"I don't Mashiro-sama. It seems too dangerous to go out there now even more when they know you escaped. They are looking for you and who knows that they might do to us when they find us." Aoi said and turned to rub Duri's small head as she sleep deeply, "Besides, I have to make sure all three of you are safe."

"So basically we have no way out?" Mashiro asked as she walked towards the inner wall and leaned against it. As if answering a prayer, the wall collapsed dragging her along with it. Aoi ran to the queen who laid atop the rubble from the wall.

"Mashiro-sama!" Mashiro took Aoi's hand to pull herself up but stopped when her sight focused on what seemed a tunnel that had been exposed, "Look Aoi! An Exit!"

Aoi turned to see the tunnel and felt a chill of cool air coming from it, "Did you feel that?" Mashiro asked after having felt the same thing.

"If it's a tunnel, there shouldn't be an air current though, I don't think it's safe…" Mashiro did not listen to Aoi as she grabbed both kids and handed one to Aoi, "It's our only chance. Let's go."

A sigh escaped Aoi's lips as she found her hands tied to the queen's actions. She took Duri and followed the queen into the dark tunnel that was illuminated by what appeared to be electrical-powered lights.

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"Ano…"

"Yes Arika-san?" Miyu asked when she heard the girl who rode with her through the sandy desert.

"What did you mean when you said that it was time?" Arika asked after a long period of silence that she and Miyu had grown accustomed to during the last hour of their trip.

"That is something that you will soon find out Arika-san." With a sigh, Arika turned the other way to watch the scenario that was unfolding as they got closer to Windbloom, knowing that she would not get any more information from Miyu.

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"It's Garderobe!" Mashiro exclaimed with joy as they exited the tunnel and walked into the large forest that surrounded Garderobe. Aoi smiled with relief as they finally were able to find a way out, after following the dark place for a couple of miles.

"I'm exhausted…" Setting Kiyo down, Mashiro leaned against a tree whose foliage gave her enough shadow to protect her from the sun's rays. "Mashiro-sama, although I myself am also tired, I do not think this is the right time to relax. If we're in Garderobe, we are in even more danger now, since from what I heard, they took this as their headquarters," Aoi explained as she walked closer to the queen and took Kiyo, who had woken up during the walk through the tunnel and seemed quite upset from the change in ambient.

"I guess you're right…but where are we going now? We're stuck…" Mashiro said as she closed her eyes but was surprised when a heavy weight fell against her stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs, "Uhf…" Mashiro opened her eyes and found her cat, Mikoto, sitting atop of her.

"Mikoto! Where were you?" As if answering' Mashiro's question, the cat looked up to the tree where it jumped down from. "Up there? Well I'm so glad you're okay!" Mashiro hugged her cat, who purred contently after finding its master.

As Aoi watched with amusement at the queen's reunion with Mikoto, Kiyo started crying insatiately, which immediately alarmed some guards that were patrolling the outskirts of Garderobe. "Did you hear that?" One of them said as they turned to walk closer to the place where Aoi tried to calm Kiyo down, "Yes, It sounds like cries, let's go see what it is…"

Mashiro quickly stood up and took Duri as she followed Aoi deeper onto the forest until the soldiers could no longer be heard, "That was close…" the queen said as she tried to catch her breath after the short run.

As they calmed down, both froze in spot with the kids in their arms, as some rustling was heard coming from nearby trees. Neither had time to react when a large creature came up to them and went directly to Aoi, whom held Kiyo as she continued to cry endlessly, and sniffed her carefully, letting out a small whimper.

Both Aoi and Mashiro stood frozen in place as they feared the creature's next move. Aoi quickly jerked back with the child, but the wolf just moved to Duri in Mashiro's arm and procedded to sniff her out as well. Before either of them could do anything, the creature snapped it's head back to the place where it had jumped out from and ran back towards the figure of Shizuru and Natsuki who walked towards them.

"Pri..Principal Kruger! What is that…thing?!" Mashiro asked as she pointed at the wolf-like creature that came up to Natsuki, whom petted him as she smiled.

"Him?" Natsuki asked as she nodded to the wolf who ran to the queen and sniffed her, "That's Duran. He's like my guardian," Controlling the urge to laugh at Mashiro's petrified face, Natsuki walked to her and took Duri, whom not so surprisingly still slept through it all.

"Gu-Guardian?" Shizuru let out a small laugh, realizing too how bizarre such a thing seemed, and it would of seemed even weirder if she had not gotten back her memories as they traveled here atop Kiyohime. 'No wonder we were inclined to naming our kids with such names, if they have always been with us, repressed in our minds with our hidden memories…' Shizuru had thought about their Childs when she had first been able to remember everything. Although past lives showed pain and suffering, she was happy to know that Natsuki had been with her, loving her through it all.

"Yes. We don't have time to explain everything right now, but you must know that they are our friends, and with them we should be able to defeat Yuuichi," Shizuru explained as Aoi walked to her and handed Kiyo to her, "They? Is there more than one?" Aoi questioned with surprise as she watched the creature gaze intently as Natsuki softly kissed Duri's soft cheek.

"That is right Aoi-san. So far, both Natsuki's and my child have manifested along with Nao-san's. It seems that they are a part of us, but only manifest when we are in the most dire need of them, and they know we can't survive without their help," Mashiro and Aoi both nodded as they took on the meaning of Shizuru's words, although it still seemed very complicated to them.

"Well, we can't stay and chit-chat any longer. Mashiro-sama, you and Aoi need to get out of here while Shizuru and I return to Garderobe," Natsuki said as she planned their next move to save Garderobe.

"What about the kids?" Aoi asked, concerned for the twin's safety. "Don't worry, I would never put my own kids in danger. They will be safe with us. Now go, before the guards return." Shizuru replied and before either could say anything, Natsuki and Shizuru left with the creature running behind them.

"Well, let's go Mashiro-sama," Aoi said taking Mashiro's hand but turned stunned when the young queen pulled her hand abruptly.

"I can't go. I have to return to the Palace. There is a room filled with weapons that I found a long time ago when I was playing hide-and-seek with Arika…" Mashiro felt a sting in her heart as she recalled the many times she and Arika would play around the castle like young kids, "…and if I can get a weapon…I can maybe kill Yuuichi…"

Aoi ran to the girl as a tear spilled from her eye, "Mashiro-sama…you can't kill anybody, not even Yuuichi, and I won't let you."

"But I have to get my kingdom back! I can't escape like a coward while my people suffer under his rule. I promised that I would be the best queen I could be, and running away is not what a good queen will do…" Mashiro ran back towards the tunnel where they had first arrived to Garderobe without letting Aoi catch up to her. Aoi tried calling her and stopping her, but she was too late as the queen disappeared in the darkness. Without slowing her pace, Aoi ran behind the young queen.

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"NINA!"

Nao's screams could be heard through the grassy plain where Julia struggled to keep the blue-haired girl in her grip, but the girl quickly escaped and attacked the creature, pushing her away and launching herself at Nao, who tried to keep the girl at bay without hurting her.

Nina grabbed the older girl by her throat, constricting her oxygen inflow and making her gasp for breath, "Ni…na…" Nao struggled from the grip and knew that she would not be able to free herself if she did not attack.

With pain heavy in her heart, she extended her arm as her element materialized and took a swipe at the girl, making her flinch and release her at once. Nina was thrown back as blood flowed down from the freshly opened cut that was now present across her stomach. "Nina!" Nao ran to her girlfriend's side as she held her carefully, trying not to hurt her more.

"I'm sorry…I had no other option…I'm sorry Nina…" Nao cried openly against the girl who laid across her lap unconscious. Julia stood behind Nao as she watched her master hold the young girl closely.

Nao had a sudden flash of memory as she recalled a story she had heard as a child, and without thinking how dumb it seemed, she leaned down towards Nina and planted a kiss onto her lips. At first, disturbed at the coldness from the girl's lips, she was surprised when Nina began to return the kiss.

"Nao…" Nina opened her eyes with a smile, but flinched as she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. "Nina! I'm so sorry…"

"Sorry?…Why?" Nina moved her hand to her stomach where she found a warm substance covering her.

"You were…like not you…and you were going to kill me…I had to do something…please forgive me…" Nao tried to explain with tear-filled eyes what had happened but was unable when Nina pulled her back to another kiss.

"I don't remember what happened…" Nina said as she released Nao, "I just remember that I was with you and then I blacked out and after that…I don't remember anything…"

"It seems like they used some kind of mind-control on you, but that's not important now, we have to get you to a doctor," Nao stood up with Nina in her arms and walked off towards Windbloom, not knowing what she would find there, or who.

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Arika hopped off Miyu's bike when they stopped in an alley close to the Palace. She started to run but was held back by Miyu, "Arika-san, there are guards all around the palace. You have no weapons and no defense. You will be eliminated at sight."

"I have to go. Mashiro needs me." Miyu nodded comprehensibly at Arika's words and said, "I will go with you, but stay close to me."

Both of them ran off toward the palace where they stayed hidden from view as they stealthy moved through the garden, as Miyu silently defeated any soldier in their way without making a disturbance that would cause alarm.

"Stay here Arika-san, I will go look for Mashiro-sama."

"Okay." Arika watched as Miyu flashed to the palace with speed that even an Otome could only dream to match. Arika kneeled beside the tree away from sight. She felt impotence run through her veins as it boiled her blood, she had no way of helping and Mashiro could be in trouble. It wasn't that she didn't trust Miyu, but she felt the need to protect Mashiro and wanted to help Miyu just in case she needed it.

As Arika pondered through all this, she turned when she heard some rustling come from some bushes across the garden. She was surprised when she saw Mikoto run towards her, but was even more surprised when she saw the cat's owner scramble underneath the large plant trying to get out.

A smile broke in both girl's faces as they saw each other. Mashiro stood up and as if forgetting the soldiers that could see her, she ran towards Arika. It was that moment that for both girls everything beside each other disappeared. It was only both of them as Arika hugged the young queen who cried onto her slender shoulder. Mashiro took the girl in a tight embrace that dare even the strongest to try and tear them apart.

"I'm sorry…" A single phrase was heard from Mashiro's lips before Aoi's screams were heard.

"WATCH OUT!"

Arika and Mashiro turned at the same moment to see two large figures dash towards them with weapons in hand.

Unarmed and defenseless, Arika moved Mashiro behind her so that she would be the one to take the full force from the hit, sparing Mashiro as much as she could.

"I love you."

Arika's whisper was the last thing heard as they embraced for the hit but were shocked when a loud scream escaped from the soldier's mouths.

Mashiro turned with Arika to see a large, illuminating figure lift up the soldiers with large claws into the air. Screams were heard before a few pieces of the soldier's uniform fell back onto the ground.

Arika pulled Mashiro backwards with her as the creature flew back and landed in front of them with it's claws showing no signs of the soldiers.

"A child…" Mashiro said softly as she remembered the other creatures she had seen earlier with the Principal and the Archmeister.

"That's right." Arika and Mashiro both whipped around to face Miyu who appeared behind them. "Arika-san, although you are not a direct reincarnation of a HiME like Kruger, Viola, and the others, you are a descendant from one, which means you have HiME blood. This is why you were able to unconsciously summon your child, Koan, when you most needed it."

"Koan…" Arika repeated slowly as the creature that strongly resembled an eagle, bumped her with its head as it tried to get its master's attention.

Arika smiled, taking quick familiarity with the Child, when the creature spun around, spreading its large wings around them to cover them from the shots that were being fired at them.

Koan launched itself against the mass of soldiers coming towards them, taking the fight into the sky. "Mashiro, let's go," Arika took Mashiro's hand as Miyu held back other soldiers who swarmed around them trying to kill them.

The queen and Arika ran into the castle to seek shelter but instead, found something worst.

"You!"

Arika was thrown backwards with Mashiro into a large wall with a large crash. Arika opened her eyes and was terrified when she saw Yuuichi hovering above them in a suit similar to that of his soldiers, except this one looked a thousand times better.

"I've been waiting for you Mashiro, and having you show up with your little girlfriend is like a birthday gift for me," Yuuichi said with a smirk on his face, "You have caused a lot of trouble for my men, and now with you two here, I can kill two ducks with one stone."

Arika was surprised when she saw Mashiro stand up beside her, "I will not let you harm her. You have done enough."

Without hesitation, Tate dove towards them with a long glaive that sported a sharp blade aimed directly at Mashiro's head, but was stopped as it was intersected by a crescent moon cutting blade.

Tate looked down in shock to see Arika holding a double-sided Halberd in her hands. He had no idea where the girl had gotten such a weapon, since he had not seen it with her before.

With a strong push, Arika threw Tate flying across the large room. "Arika! What is that?" Mashiro asked as she looked on to the weapon in Arika's hand with astonishment.

"I don't know. I just held up my hands as he swung towards you, and it appeared. It must be something related to the HiMe blood Miyu said before." Arika was unable to continue as she pushed Mashiro out of harm's way as Tate once more attacked them, except this time Arika was ready, and she was not going to forgive those that tried to harm Mashiro.

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Natsuki and Shizuru ran through the Garderobe halls with the twins in their arms as they ran towards the principal's office. "Shizuru, wait."

Shizuru stopped and turned to Natsuki, "What is it?"

"I think it will be better if we split." Natsuki said as she took Kiyo from her hands, "Take Duran with you and go to the founder's monument. Activate the system so that the Otome's powers are restored and they can help us. Since Kiyohime is so big, only summon her if it's really necessary."

"But-" Shizuru was cut off as Natsuki kissed her, "I trust you Shizuru."

Shizuru smiled and nodded as she ran back towards the monument. Duran was quick to take care of any soldiers that stood in her way. As she turned outside, she quickly hid behind a tree when she saw Masashi run towards the principal's office.

'Natsuki…' Shizuru turned to see Duran fighting with some soldiers, and without thinking it twice, she ran back to the direction where Masashi had ran.

'Finally. If I can get rid of the Principal myself, Tate will trust me and let me near him again, and hopefully I can get my chance to get rid of him…' Takeda slowed his pace as he neared the office, knowing that with this, he would be able to get Tate's trust back. Tate had been suspicious of everyone and did not let anybody near him alone. With all the guards around him, Takeda had been unable to get rid of him, which made Takeda really nervous as he feared for his own life.

"Principal Kruger." Natsuki's head shot up as she heard her name from the vicious man's mouth. She had been looking through her computer trying to unlock the system to facilitate Shizuru's job of activating the core, but now, she froze in place as Takeda held a gun pointed at her face.

"Oh look, you even brought your kids to watch you die. This will be a fun family event. Talking of which, where is your precious wife?" Takeda asked with sarcasm in his voice as he spoke the loathed word. Natsuki tried to move her arm to where she kept two automatic weapons just in case, but found them empty.

"Don't move!" Takeda yelled as he saw Natsuki's attempts, "It doesn't matter where Viola is, you are going to die."

Natsuki's heart speed up as she, for the first time, truly feared for her life. A soft click was heard as Takeda pulled back the hammer on his gun. "If you can't be mine…you won't be anybody's."

A/N: Wow…that was long. I hoped you liked it. Please review and show me some love :D

I really worked hard on this. I hope you guys don't mind the whole HiMe thing and mixing it up with this, but I just HAD TO!!!! One more chapter after this, and then I will be starting my next story! It will be AMAZING! A type of sequel to this, but even better. Here's the title, if this tells you something:

"Mai-Otome: The Next Generation"

!!!Awesome ne?!!! Tell me what you think ;)

Next Chapter: The Aftermath.