Disclaimer: All rights to Mai-HiME (both the manga and the anime), Mai-Otome, and Lord of the Flies are reserved to Sunrise and William Golding.

Author's Note: Before I go on I would like to say thank you very, very much for the reviews. They really made my day and I hope I don't disappoint you with this chapter. Coomunication between Natsuki and Shizuru are somewhat limited, but as I said earlier, I hope to take it slow. Third, fourth and fifth chapter are already done, I'm just trying to improve where I can.

Also, I would like to say that I have never seen Battle Royale before. This story is based more on Lord of the Flies (which is a fantastic read, by the way. I suggest you read it) and my slightly twisted imagination. However, I would like to see this Battle Royale movie everyone is talking about. :)

Thanks again for the great reviews. Pardon me for any grammatical mistakes I might have missed.

Shizuru pushed past the vines and bushes, covered in scratches and bites. Already, the forest was a death trap. All she had were her hands to fight against the snakes and the bugs that slithered from the filthiest crevices of the island.

The sun beamed down on Shizuru and, at one point, she had to loosen her tie and take off her sweater. Yes, she had been given her uniform to wear, but it did not bode well with the tropical weather of the island.

Sweat beaded Shizuru's forehead and plastered her hair against it. Her knees were weak and wobbly, but she did not show such a thing as she walked upright.

Upon her one hour stay on the island, Shizuru had already learned how to summon her Element. It was a naginata, long and foreboding. She saw this as a coincidence since her father's favourite weapon was the naginata and Shizuru had been taught how to use it from a young age. Her knowledge was rusty now, due to her lack of communication with her father, but she was still quite good.

Shizuru kept it in hand, in case any snakes decided to come after her and try and bite her like last time. They were terribly bizarre snakes, considering they were small and metallic. The last one that had bitten her was fairly large and left two long gashes on Shizuru's right arm.

She had stabbed a few snakes previously and wires spilled out of them, resembling the organs of a real snake, before they dematerialised right before Shizuru's eyes. Perhaps they too were Orphans. Shizuru was not aware that they came in smaller sizes.

Shizuru pressed on through the brush and trees and began to believe she would never find anything to keep her belly satisfied until she heard rustling in the bushes. Shizuru backed away a few steps and hid behind a random palm tree, crouching behind the bushes.

She heard footsteps pause only a few metres away. Shizuru kept still, making sure to halt her breathing for a couple of seconds.

Then she heard the clang of metal. Her grip on the naginata tightened and she crouched, ready to strike if threatened.

There was lingering pause that had Shizuru's muscles tighten before the noises returned, only this time they were louder. It was close, whatever it was. With baited breath, Shizuru waited for the thing to approach.

A second passed. Then a minute.

Then a blue beast erupted from the green foliage. Shizuru tried to strike, but it pinned her down. Its cold metal paws slammed onto her chest, causing the wind to be knocked out of her.

Shizuru raised her naginata and was about to drive it through the beast's muzzle until she heard, "Duran, what—?"

Kuga Natsuki paused upon seeing Shizuru lay under her companion.

"Shizuru?" she said, narrowing her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"If it is possible," said Shizuru, barely able to speak, "could you get this 'Duran' off of my chest? I cannot breathe."

"Oh, right." Natsuki motioned for Duran to back up and he heeded her silent order. Natsuki watched as Shizuru struggled to get up, holding her chest which must have been bruised at that point. "Now answer me. Are you a HiME?"

Shizuru eyed Natsuki and noticed that her severe expression was mixed with a type of pity and anger.

"I suppose I am, considering I am on this island," said Shizuru as she smiled charmingly. Natsuki deepened her scowl.

"Why didn't you tell me this?" she snapped.

"I did not see it as important," Shizuru said with a playful shrug. Natsuki's pretty face twisted up into a dark expression.

"Whatever," she said after a minute. "You're the school president. Do you know who else is a HiME?"

"I was not given a list, being a HiME myself," Shizuru said, her smile widening. "However, I was given a cute collar for my troubles. By the way, the red suits you."

Natsuki's face went through many shades of red until it finally matched with the colour of her collar.

"T-this isn't the time for jokes," she snarled as she turned away, Duran padding alongside her. Shizuru did not know whether to accompany her or not. When Natsuki paused, turned, and waved at her, Shizuru got her answer. She caught up with Natsuki and the two of them walked through the foliage.

Natsuki was greatly confused. Shizuru was a HiME? She didn't look anything like HiME material.

Unconsciously, she wondered how Haruka would have acted to this. She snickered to the thought of Haruka going completely ballistic and smashing everything in sight.

"Tea-woman?" A HiME? Unexpectable!"

"Uh… you mean, unacceptable," Yukino would pipe up. "Unexpectable isn't a word."

"Ara, what is so funny?" asked Shizuru upon noticing Natsuki's breaths of laughter.

"It's nothing," replied Natsuki, immediately recovering. She did a quick look-around and spotted the beach. She headed for the exit of the leafy maze and both she and Shizuru emerged into the vast light of the sun.

Natsuki squinted and put a hand over her eyes for shade. She saw Mai gaping at Shizuru.

"Kaichou?" she sputtered. "You're a HiME now?"

"Is it such a surprise?" asked Shizuru with that white smile of hers. She approached Mai and Mikoto and exchanged greetings with them. Natsuki exchanged looks with Duran who had little to express.

"Mai," Mikoto whined suddenly, "I'm hungry."

"We need food," said Mai. "I guess—"

"I'll get it," Natsuki said. "I think there are fruits around here."

"Can you tell which ones are poisonous and which ones aren't?" asked Mai with a raised brow.

"Uh…"

"I will help," said Shizuru. "I have studied such things."

"Uh… sure." Natsuki turned and marched back into the forest, Shizuru trailing behind her.

Natsuki still didn't really know what to think of Shizuru's being a HiME. Did she even know how to summon her Child yet?

Probably something purple. Ever since meeting Shizuru, Natsuki had caught onto her obsession for all things purple. She wasn't surprised she hadn't dyed her hair purple or something.

The mere thought was marring, so Natsuki stopped her thought process by speaking.

"Hey, Shizuru?" asked Natsuki. "What's your Child?"

Shizuru didn't speak for a while. Natsuki and Duran paused to turn to her. Shizuru shrugged with an amused grin on her face.

"I have no idea," she said. Natsuki was hardly surprised.

"At least you know how to summon that sword thing," said Natsuki.

"A naginata."

"Oh." Natsuki was slightly embarrassed by how stupid she had sounded and went back to searching for fruits.

"Natsuki, wait," said Shizuru for the umpteenth time that evening. "That isn't good."

"And why not?" asked Natsuki, exasperated. Shizuru kept back a sigh and pointed to the fruit which crawled with spiders.

"It's probably rotten," she said.

"No, there are just spiders all over the place," said Natsuki. "Oh, whatever."

She threw the fruit into the bushes and had it roll away.

"Ow!"

Shizuru and Natsuki glanced at one another, silently asking if it was the other who made that noise.

Natsuki was quick to summon her guns and creep closer to the source of the voice. After a second, she motioned for Duran to follow. He crept forth on nimble feet. After much creeping and patience, Duran pounced. Natsuki ran over to where Duran had gone and paused. She stared down at her new victim and snarled, "Who are you?"

Shizuru slowly approached. She looked down to see that, under Duran's large paws, was a small girl with brown hair and cerulean blue eyes.

The girl whimpered and said, "Yumemiya A-Arika."

Shizuru inspected the girl. She didn't appear to be a major threat.

Natsuki seemed to sense this. She ordered Duran to back away and she watched as Arika struggled to her feet. Shizuru heard something from behind and whirled around only to be face to face with a bo staff, hitting her right in the mouth. She went crashing to the ground, her face stinging.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki cried out.

Natsuki paused.

The blade pressing hard against her neck was dangerously close to breaking the seal of her skin as the blue-haired girl with the green eyes stared into Natsuki's matching ones, boring into them like drills.

Natsuki scanned the girl's first year uniform and she growled, "Who are you?"

"You're in no place to ask me anything," the girl replied. She looked over at Shizuru and motioned for someone to approach.

A blonde girl with a fair bust size went over to the Arika girl and asked if she was alright.

Natsuki watched this go on and tried to turn to Shizuru, but the sai pressing so hard against her neck discouraged her from moving too much.

"Wait a minute…" The girl suddenly let the sai drop from Natsuki's throat and she muttered, "You're Kuga."

Natsuki rubbed her throat wearily before scrutinising the girl who seemed to recognise her. However, Natsuki was bad with faces, so she couldn't get a name.

"Chun Mei," said the girl as she offered her hand. Natsuki didn't take it. Chun's eyes narrowed and she dropped her hand. Natsuki backed off and leaned down to check on Shizuru who was still spitting out blood.

"You alright?" asked Natsuki, gripping Shizuru's chin so that she could inspect her mouth. Shizuru moved away.

"It is just a cut," said Shizuru as she rubbed her mouth free of blood on her sleeve. She inspected the sleeve of her blouse and noticed her mistake. She quickly rolled it up to her elbow and spat out a bit more blood.

"No broken tooth?" Natsuki questioned, her heart shrivelling a bit. She couldn't imagine how Shizuru would look with a tooth missing.

Shizuru shook her head and said, "All I need is water."

The girl with the golden hair handed Shizuru a water canister. Shizuru took it with a nod of appreciation and took a swig before spitting it out with a hiss of pain.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki cried, panicked. She felt a flame ignite within her and she turned on the threesome. "What'd you give her?"

"Salt water," said the blonde girl. "It's all we had."

"T-that's quite alright," said Shizuru, waving it off. Natsuki didn't think so, but she let it go. She helped Shizuru to her feet. "I feel better."

Natsuki let Shizuru go with some difficulty. Shizuru seemed to be doing alright so she tried to stop worrying.

"I am guessing you're all HiMEs," said Chun.

Natsuki didn't reply, but Chun didn't seem to mind.

"You haven't seen a Yuuki Nao by chance, have you?" she continued.

"You know Yuuki?" asked Natsuki.

"We've been acquainted," was all she said. Natsuki didn't like this curtness, but left it alone. "Have you started to hunt Orphans yet?"

"We're still looking for food," Natsuki replied.

"Oh, can we join?" asked Arika. "I'm good with finding things!"

Chun looked over at Natsuki for an answer to the girl's question.

Natsuki was very tempted to say no, but Shizuru obviously didn't mind that she got hit in the face by the blonde bimbo just a minute ago.

"Of course you can join us," said Shizuru. "Isn't that right, Natsuki?"

Natsuki didn't respond.

The more, the better, Shizuru thought to herself. She wasn't very appreciative of what they'd done to her face, but they were obviously good fighters. Having them on their side would be a most splendid idea.

Natsuki didn't seem to admire the idea, but Shizuru knew what she was doing.

All five girls soon went on a scavenger hunt for berries and other fruits for many hours. Since Chun was also an expert at identifying good and bad fruits, their search sped up tenfold. By the time they reached Mai and Mikoto, they had five handfuls of fruit.

"Ah!" shouted Mai, looking excited. "You brought more people!"

"Food!" Mikoto cried gaily, choosing to cut past the greetings and heading straight to the necessities. Shizuru dropped her handful of oddly-shaped fruits in front of Mikoto who was quick to gobble some of it up.

"Hey!" spat Natsuki as she hit Mikoto upside the head. "Don't eat everything, you little demon!"

Mikoto whined and went back to Mai, curling up next to her and shooting Natsuki a dark look.

Upon arrival, Chun, Arika, and the girl who was called Erstin introduced themselves to Mai and Mikoto. Mai was kind and welcomed the new additions to their small team. Shizuru went over to the ocean water and rinsed her mouth from the rest of the blood, cringing as she felt the salt sting the gash in her mouth.

It was already nightfall when the four began to eat. Shizuru was not hungry, so she stayed by the ocean, wondering if her father was alright with the news he had been ambushed with only the previous night.

Subconsciously, Shizuru traced her fingers over the metal of her collar. It was awfully cold for a summer's night.

As Shizuru was inspecting the moon, a cry of shock shook her to the core. She whirled around and her face nearly had an intimate encounter with a flying fruit.

"Mai, what the hell?" snapped Natsuki.

"T-there was a spider in that thing!" Mai retorted, looking as if she had just seen a ghost.

"Don't act stupid, Mai," Natsuki replied. "It's just a goddamn spider."

"It was a big one," Mai muttered. Arika was next to scream and throw away her fruit as she jumped to her feet and swept the spiders off her body.

Natsuki scrunched up her nose before looking down at her hand to see spiders swarming it. She yelped and dropped the fruit.

Shizuru watched as the group asked questions and panicked. Her crimson eyes followed the spiders as more and more of them appeared. Shizuru felt something touch her leg and she whirled around to see one that had longer legs than she. It nudged and scratched at her with its spindly legs. She stepped out of its way, her eyes wide.

The spiders soon emerged from the water, the forest, everywhere. They even came from the sky, if possible. Soon the sand was flooded with scurrying spiders as they all gathered together to form a larger version of themselves, only less organic and more metallic.

Shizuru watched as it grew and grew until it looked ready to scrape the sky. It gnashed its pincers as black ooze dripped from its fangs and its multiple legs jittered and shifted clumsily.

Chun and Natsuki were the first to release their Childs and Elements. Duran went soaring, cutting through the solid night like a silver blade and sunk his fangs into one of the Orphan's gangly legs. It squeaked and shook Duran off. Chun's Child, a cougar, pounced at the Orphan and barely touched it as it was swatted right out of the air.

As this happened, the Erstin girl summoned her Child, a great stag, and it galloped towards the spider, quickly rammed its antlers into one of the Orphan's long legs. And Arika, with her sword and her long-legged unicorn, ran forth. Mai hadn't summoned her Child yet, but she was doing some good work with her Elements.

Shizuru could only watch as great beasts rose from the sand and materialised in the air, attacking the large spider. She felt incompetent, watching the HiMEs fight. She had nothing but a naginata to defend herself. At this point, she was probably deadweight.

However, the spider proved to be a great foe as it swung its colossal limbs and knocked its attackers from the air.

"Shizuru!" spat Natsuki. "Try to summon your Child!"

Shizuru did not know how to try. She thought about it, she tried calling out names in her head, she tried to pent up emotions, but nothing worked. It just wouldn't work.

"I can't," Shizuru said, feeling very, very hopeless.

"T-try!" Natsuki cried out as she saw that Duran went flying towards her. He went skidding across the sand and slammed into Natsuki, having her tumble back. She propped herself up on her elbows and saw how her companion laid in the sand, motionless. "Damn it! Duran, get up!"

Duran only raised its head weakly, as if unable to go on. Natsuki shot Shizuru a look of contempt mixed with plea. Shizuru could not meet with those eyes and turned her head.

Suddenly, as Erstin's stag was about to be crushed by one of the legs of the Orphan, tentacles suddenly rose up from the sand and wrapped around the leg. It yanked it right off, receiving a loud squeal of agony. Another leg then another leg was torn away from the arachnid large spider and limbs went flying and oil went spewing everywhere.

The spider slowly dematerialised, shrieking in pain the whole while. Silence filled the crisp night air as the tentacles retreated to the ground.

Shizuru moved her head over to the small figure in the distance with its shining eyes. Upon closer inspection, however, Shizuru could see that these 'glowing eyes' were, in fact, glasses.

"Yukino," she whispered.

Upon seeing Shizuru's face, Yukino was very surprised as well as happy. She had been wandering about aimlessly, trying to find a path and fed on certain berries. Shizuru, at first, was quite worried and asked for any symptoms. Yukino felt quite dizzy, but that was because she was oh so tired.

Natsuki was sore, but in more ways than one. She was not only bruised in her ribs, but she was upset with her Child's feeble state. She suddenly became withdrawn and angry. Her drainage of energy was evident and she had no idea as to why this had happened.

"He's been getting weak lately," she grumbled as Shizuru sat alongside her. Everyone had fallen into a deep slumber and both Shizuru's and Natsuki's dread and grief kept them awake. "Sometimes I wonder if he can stand up straight on his own sometimes. He always has to sit down. I don't know what's been happening to him."

Shizuru was ashamed of what had transpired earlier on. She too had been weak in not even being able to summon a mere Child.

"I am sorry, Natsuki," she said after a long pause. "For not helping."

Natsuki grunted. "It's not your fault."

The two of them sat in silence as they watched the stars twinkle above. The moon shone as bright as ever and nearly blinded Shizuru with its strength. Its light spilled over the beach and, to Shizuru's slight horror and great fascination, Natsuki appeared to be positively glowing. The lack of tea was already affecting her sight.

Shizuru only drank tea to calm her frazzled nerves. Without it, she saw, felt, heard, tasted, and smelled things rather differently. It was a replacement for the pills. Her father used to give her pills after a certain accident involving something about a male relative, but Shizuru had lied and said that she was perfectly fine without them. The tea was a near perfect substitute.

"I need mayonnaise," muttered Natsuki as she curled up and propped her chin upon her folded arms. "I can't live on fruits."

Shizuru wanted to quip that mayonnaise was not the healthiest of things to eat on an empty stomach, but she was not willing to speak all that much. Her shame even weighed on her vocal chords and she could barely speak, let alone make any sort of remark that would have Natsuki vigourously defend herself.

"Haruka's not a HiME, is she?" asked Natsuki. Shizuru glanced at her.

"No."

Natsuki smiled to herself, mutely rejoicing.

"Thank God."

They sat in a comfortable yet rather awkward silence as they both stared into the twinkling horizon. Shizuru cast another glance at Natsuki and saw that she was blinding with her pearly white skin and her viridian eyes shining in the white light—

Shizuru turned her head away suddenly, remembering to breathe.

What was happening to her? Shizuru blinked rapidly and swallowed. Surely, it was nothing but the lack of tea.

"Shizuru."

"Yes, Natsuki?"

"When did you figure out you were a HiME?" Natsuki asked.

"It has not been all that long ago," said Shizuru. "Perhaps a week or two."

"Well, I'm sorry for being curt with you earlier," said Natsuki, her eyes downcast. "It's just… Tate hasn't been…"

Her eyes narrowed.

"Tate hasn't what?" asked Shizuru, her interest peaked. Though she dreaded hearing her name, especially since the previous year and hearing of his mounting popularity among the HiMEs (including Natsuki), Shizuru was rather curious. What had they argued about that had them drift apart?

"Tate's been… moody," she grumbled. "I haven't talked to him in weeks. Mai couldn't even summon Kagutsuchi because she's been upset about it. The last time they saw each other, they argued. She's been depressed. The only reason it doesn't show is because she hates it when people worry about her."

This probably explained why Natsuki was so weak yesterday.

Shizuru's heart sank for her younger friend. Tate tended to cause much conflict between Natsuki and Mai. Without Tate, their evident fire and motivation, their performance was less than spectacular. Tate was practically their world...

Shizuru felt a bitter taste in her mouth and she scrunched up her nose. The moon no longer looked all that appealing.

"We must get some rest for a new day," Shizuru said suddenly as she lied back and wished that her mattress was beneath her. "Goodnight, Natsuki."

"G'night," she muttered as she curled up on her side. Shizuru stared at her for a while before turning her head away.

The tea-withdrawal was doing weird things to her head, too.