Disclaimer
I, Shirogami, would like to state here, that I don't own any character of Mai-HiME Animation I used in this latest fan-fiction of mine. However, I do own this storyline.
Please enjoy this story and R&R. NO FLAME IS WELCOMED HERE. In the mean time, I am not a good English writer, so please be tolerate if there are (?) many grammar mistakes. Thank you very much.
P.R.I.N.C.E
By Shirogami
If time never dies, I will protect you with the rest of mine.
Tuesday
"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!……"
The rectangle digital clock on the small wooden cabinet keeps beeping like Sunday's church bell to its prayers. The screen on the clock shows clearly '04:30 AM' in green.
A lazy hand slowly slips out from the blanket and looks for its target. It keeps tapping from the pillow to edge of the bed, then to the cabinet, finally lies on the button above the clock and kills the alarm. The clock then been brought into the blanket. A pair of sleepy eyes is trying its best to open and observe the time.
"Huah... what time is it?" Keiji yawns before he lifts up the blanket and looks at the clock clearer, then he gains half of his spirit awaken and slowly lifts the rest of the blanket. He gazes out through his balcony's glass door with a smile.
"Well, it's time."
After Keiji gets himself prepared, he looks at the large body mirror to double check himself. He is wearing a white T-shirt, followed with marine blue waistcoat; a pair of black fighter's pants and white jogging shoes makes him feel more comfortable than normal tracksuit. He kicks slowly to stretch his leg muscles and tests the pants' flexibility before he makes the final adjustments.
Keiji slides the balcony's glass door open. The chilling breeze of the crack of the dawn flows tenderly and refreshes him. Keiji takes a deep breath, then looks down at hostel entrance. He sees a female, dressed in her orange T-shirt and white short pants, just gunned away from the hostel with her bicycle.
Keiji turns his head and looks at the door behind him at first, but he refuses to use it. Instead, Keiji grabs balcony's railing and smirks, "This way's faster." then he leaps over it, spreads out his arms and falls his way down from the five-story tall building like a landing eagle. By the time he reaches the second floor, he grabs the balcony's railing by one hand and causes himself lands by the wall. As his long ponytail falls and reaching his eye level, Keiji gathers energy at his leg for another leap to the air and lands on the ground after a spin. Keiji spreads his legs, bends down his body and uses a hand to support his jump when he reaches the ground, so he can balance himself and reduces the falling force. He slowly stands up from the floating sand dust, then continue his way by running and jumping over several rooftops.
Unfortunately, someone witnessed his whole action and decides to follow him with her bike.
"Fuh, having another hard day, am I?" After she delivered the last copy of the newspaper, Mai starts counting her payment happily.
"Counting money in the middle of the road? Aren't you afraid of snatchers or something, Mai-san?" A sudden call surprises the part-timer. Mai immediately keeps back the money in her porch-bag and looks behind her.
"Kei… Keiji-kun? What are you doing here?" Mai relieves a sigh after she recognized him.
"As you can see, I am jogging. I always do this to keep my stamina." Keiji answers while keeping his jogging action. His sweating figure caused by the search is also covered with the reason as well.
"I see. By the way, where do you live now? I haven't seen you around this place." Mai asks before she starts drinking her water.
"May be you just missed me, I live somewhere nearby." Keiji finally stops his jogging.
"You may be right." Mai ends her drinking and prepares to close the bottle. But after she notices Keiji's sweating face and panting, she decides to pass him the remained water. "You want some?"
"Is it okay?" Mai smiles and nods as a reply for Keiji's question. Keiji receives the bottle and holds it above his head level. He slants it slowly until the water flows out from the bottle. Keiji aims it to his mouth and starts drinking it. After Keiji drank a few gulps, he passes the bottle back to Mai.
"Thank you, Mai-san. It helps a lot."
"Don't mention it, we are classmates, remember?" Mai smiles and puts the bottle back into the rack. "Say, which way are you going next?"
Keiji points at the hostel's direction. "I manage to jog over there."
"I live over there. Since my part-time's done, mind if I join the morning jog along?" Mai gets herself prepared to leave along with Keiji.
"Sure, just don't cycle too fast." Keiji replies and starts jogging again.
"Hey, wait for me!" Mai laughs and follows.
Kuga Natsuki observes Keiji and Mai from far. She has been tracking Keiji from the hostel, and she managed to meet up with them.
"Whatever he is, he may have something done with the Orphan." The bike's engine roars as she accelerates it and guns back to the hostel.
"Better keep an eye on him."
"Good morning, Keiji-kun!" As soon as Keiji steps into the entrance, Mai greets him from behind.
"Mai-san, good morning!" Keiji greets back with a smile.
"Getting used to the new school?" Mai asks.
"For the second day? I am." Keiji replies.
"I'm glad you did." Mai suddenly notices her roommate's action. She is looking at Keiji curiously.
"Opps! I almost forget! Let me introduce, this is Mikoto, my roommate. Mikoto, he is Keiji that I told you last night." Mai taps her forehead for her forgetting behavior and quickly introduces Mikoto to Keiji.
"I am Minagi Mikoto. Just call me Mikoto. Please to meet you, Keiji-san" With her covered sword hanging on her back, Mikoto introduces herself, but she still stares at Keiji with her eyebrows together, just like observing him by every inch.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Mikoto." After Keiji notices her sight, he asks by touching his cheek one after another, "Is there... something on my face?"
"Wait a minute, Mikoto, it's rude to look at people like that!" Mai quickly grabs Mikoto's shoulder. "I am sorry, Keiji-kun, you mind to leave us a moment?"
"Sure thing, see you in the class then." Keiji leaves Mai and Mikoto, while his sight is still looking onto Mikoto.
" 'She' is right. Mikoto is really sensitive as a natural fighter." Keiji whispers to himself.
"Mikoto, what were you trying to do just now? That's rude to stare at people at first meet!" After Keiji leaves, Mai scolds Mikoto and asks for her reason of her act just now.
"Mai, is he strong?" Mikoto ignores Mai's question, she actually did not listen to her. All of her attention just concerns fully onto the stranger.
"Huh?" Mai is confused.
"Please tell me, Mai. Is Keiji a strong guy?" Mikoto is waiting for Mai's answer.
"Hmm… he said that he is a black belt in Taekwondo. I guess he is strong in some senses." Mai gazes at the mid air with her index finger by her cheek and remembers Keiji's self-introduction.
"Really? But I sense that he isn't just as strong as he said, may be more." Mikoto speaks out her thoughts.
"What makes you think such a way?"
"Because he has the same scent… like my brother." Mikoto holds her necklace.
"You are too sensitive, Mikoto." Mai rubs Mikoto's head and says, "Keiji may looks strange, but he is not a bad guy as you think."
"If Mai says so, then it is true." Mikoto replies with a trusting smile.
"I see, no wonder Mikoto was looking at me like alien." Keiji takes a bite of his sandwich while chitchatting with Mai during the recess.
"That's what she told me." Mai takes a slice of sardine sandwich and munches it. "This is delicious! You really make this by yourself?"
"My… my mom taught me before I came here for my studies. She says there is a need for a single guy like me to know how to make food when living outside." Keiji closes his eyes and smiles at Mai.
"I see, can you teach me the recipe? Then I can make it to Mikoto as well." Mai begs Keiji, as she loves cooking and always looks for recipe for either new or delicious meal.
"I will pass it to you after I wrote it down on a paper." Keiji ate the last slice and prepare to clean the table.
Suddenly, Keiji feels that someone is looking at him from behind. Keiji turns around and notices Natsuki is staring at him icily.
"Yes, anything I can help?" He asks as calm as he is, although he knows it is hard.
"Akitoh Keiji, right? Meet me at the garden after school, we need to talk." Natsuki leaves after she told her message. Her act leaves to both Mai and Keiji nothing but confusion.
"Who is she?" Keiji asks.
"You don't know her?" Mai surprises, as she thought they know each other because it was Natsuki who invited. Keiji swings his head as a reply.
"Her name is Kuga Natsuki. She is one of our classmates." Mai explains.
"Natsuki, huh?" Keiji suddenly holds his chin and thinks deeply.
"She skips class sometimes, no wonder you don't recognize her." Mai suddenly notices Keiji's gazing on the table. "Keiji, Keiji! Hello…" Mai swings her hand in front of Keiji and it catches his attention back. "Is there something wrong?"
"Huh? No, not really." Keiji smiles at Mai.
Mai remembered Natsuki's expression and asks Keiji. "Say, had you done something angers her? She was looking at you like her enemy just now."
Keiji shakes his shoulder once. "Beats me."
On the other hand, a group of girls is chatting not far from Keiji.
"Chie-san, does anything happened to Akane? She is absent today." Aoi asks.
"Don't you know that, she was almost raped last night. Now she is staying at the hospital." Chie explains.
"She… what?" The news just shocked everyone who is listening.
"I don't know the actual detail. What I got from the hospital and her colleague is it happened when she was going out with her friend, then some gang showed up from nowhere and took them away. Her friend was beaten badly, while she was harassed from the wounds she got, luckily she is still a virgin after the doctor checked her up." Chie tells, and then bites some junk food before she continues. "The rest is unknown until I phoned the hospital this morning and they told me that she already woke up."
"How about the gangsters then?" Aoi continues asking.
"You wouldn't believe this. They are all beaten up worse than the victim. The one who assumed is the leader kept mumbling the same lines many times, just like he had gone crazy." Chie adjusts her glasses and suddenly looks at Aoi seriously.
"What… what is he actually mumbling about?" Aoi takes a small gulp of her saliva and asks.
"He's a ghost… a ghost with green eyes… GET AWAY FROM ME!" Chie asks like a ghost and scares Aoi.
"Akitoh." By the time Keiji turns to his back, Natsuki is standing right at his back and glares at him icily.
"Kuga-san, right? Why are you calling me here for?" Natsuki replies by aiming her pistol at him.
"Kuga-san, please be careful with that, will you?" Keiji rises up both of his hands by instinct.
"Who are you?" Natsuki sounds like demanding.
"What are you talking about? I am Keiji. You know my name, right?"
"I mean, the real you." Natsuki's glare becomes even more threatening. "Or you won't got another chance to do it."
"Kuga-san, you won't just kill me without a real reason, right? And what do you mean the real me? I am what you can see here." Keiji stands back a bit while he is answering.
Keiji is shocked by the shot and shouts, "Jesus! What the heck do you think you're doing?" But his anger is returned with another aim. "Now, tell me who you are." Natsuki keeps demanding.
"Natsuki, what are you trying to do here?" Just when the situation is getting tense, someone appears behind Natsuki and stops her.
"Shizuru, huh? Nothing much, just trying to make a friend by knowing his true identity." Natsuki answers. She slowly lowers her gun and Keiji finally able to relieve a sigh.
"Whatever it is, you shouldn't point your gun at people, it is not the real reason for a HiME to use her element." Shizuru rings Natsuki's waist and whispers lightly, so Keiji cannot hear them. Her sudden act immediately makes Natsuki's face blushes in shy.
"I knew it, but he is far too suspicious than a normal person. I saw him jumped from the top of the hostel this morning!" Natsuki releases herself from Shizuru quickly and points at Keiji while she is explaining.
"Hmm… is it true, Keiji-kun? Are you that powerful like Natsuki said here?" Shizuru asks.
"Come on, ladies. I may be a black belt, but not a superman!" Keiji quickly denies.
"I don't trust you!" Natsuki looks at Keiji and starts pointing her gun onto him again.
"Believe it or not. I am out of here." Keiji starts running away while Natsuki is trying to stop him. "Wait!" Natsuki shouts while aiming at him. But Shizuru stopped her with another tender hug that softens her every muscle.
"No, you are the one who should wait, I have something to tell you."
"Fuh… that was a close one." Keiji holds his panting chest. "She saw me this morning? Why can't I sense her around?" Keiji keeps thinking for his mistakes this morning until he notices the evening sun and takes another look at his watch.
"Mai said that she wants to visit Akane by evening. May be I shall pay a visit too…" Keiji takes his studying stuff, then starts walking towards the hospital's direction.
"Or should I say… revisit?" Keiji smiles as he whispers.
"Akane-san, are you alright?" Mai asks while she is slicing an apple for her friend, along with her visit are Chie, Aoi, and Mikoto, who is eating other fruits from the basket.
"I am better now, thank you." Akane sits on the bed and bows lightly for Mai's concern.
"Akane, where is your Kazu-kun?" Chie grins at Akane wickedly, with her index finger adjusts her glasses' bridge lightly.
"He… he was discharged this afternoon and now resting at home, he will come later." Akane replies with a pink blush by her cheek.
"That's a good news to be heard, right? Everyone." Chie continues, "Anyway, Akane-chan, have you have a chance to remember your savior?"
"I am sorry to disappoint you, Chie-san. But I was too scared and passed up at that time. When I opened my eyes again, I was already here."
"I see. Never mind, I bet he will visit you if he cares for the one he saved." Chie makes a wild guess.
"He?" Akane wonders as she never know who her savior is.
"Remember the gangster who did this to you? Now he is almost crazy and keeps mumbling about some guy with green eyes." Chie explains.
Suddenly someone knocks the door in the middle of their conversation, Akane answers by saying 'yes' before he opens the ward door.
"Sorry for coming late… ehh, Chie-san and Aoi-san are also here?" Keiji enters the ward and greets everyone. He walks closer to the group and hands over a fruit basket. "Some little present from me, hope you like it."
"Thank you, Akitoh-san." Akane received the basket and passes to Mai to replace the one Mikoto just emptied.
"Please, just call me Keiji like others did, Higurashi-san."
"So as you, just call me Akane." Akane returns Keiji's friendliness with a happy smile.
"How sweet you are, Keiji-kun..." Chie grins at Keiji and uses her elbow to jab at him.
"That is nothing…" Keiji notices Chie and Aoi's wicked way of looking at him before he replies, "Really!"
"Ahh… how can I forget this one? Akane-chan. I just asked the doctor and he said your condition is good enough to leave next morning. Congratulations!" Mai suddenly remembers this news and tells everyone.
"Really? Is that true, Mai?" Aoi wants to makes sure about Akane's discharge.
"Hundred percent sure." Mai winks and shows a thumb-up.
"That is great! Akane. Then we can come and get you then, what should we say, everyone?" Chie suggests and the others nod their heads in at the same time.
"Thank you. But don't you all need to attend class tomorrow?" Akane reminds them.
"Don't worry, Miss Saiga will understand us if we explain to her." Chie tells that they will beg for some time.
Chie, Aoi, Mikoto and Mai leave after a while. They left Keiji as he stays for a reason to go around places near the hospital by night after the visit. After he inserted the eaten fruits into plastic bags and cleaned the table, he sits by Akane's bed and starts to peel an apple with a knife.
"Keiji-kun, do you mind if I ask you something?" Akane observes him for a while, then she finally asks.
"Yes, Akane-san. What is it?" Keiji answers while he is peeling the apple carefully.
"You said that you are good at Taekwondo, right?"
"I did, but still far to become a master. Why do you ask?"
"Remember those guys sent to the police? Actually a police officer came to me this morning and questioned me for details. He told me that they were all beaten up by someone knows martial arts, from all their wounds and injuries." Akane explains the reason she wants to know her savior, and she wonders if Keiji knows him by any chance.
"I see. That hero sure had followed the right master." Keiji starts slicing the apple and puts them on the table.
"Huh? What makes you think like that, Keiji-kun?" Akane is confused by Keiji's word.
After Keiji prepares the apple slices, he finally puts down the knife and turns facing Akane with his legs crossed. "Any martial artist can be good or evil with the skills they learned. And their master is the most influenced person to guide their path instead of their own will." Keiji holds his palms together on his knee while he keeps explaining. "I wish I can meet this person, may be we can chat a lot."
"So you don't know such a person around here too?" Akane sounds disappointed.
"Come on, Akane-san. I just arrived here yesterday and don't have many friends at this town."
"Now you remind me about that." Akane chuckles.
"Forget the topic. Here, have some apples."
Keiji leaves around at late evening, but firstly, he goes to the nurse station. He meets with the nurse who takes care of Akane, he thanks her for not telling Akane and the others about his rescue.
The nurse actually wonders and asks for his reason, but Keiji refuses to answer and leaves the hospital.
Keiji turns back when he is in front of the hospital entrance. "Thank god she didn't recognize me." He whispers as he is looking at Akane's room.
"Mai, I am hungry" When Mai is hanging clothes at the balcony, Mikoto is begging for food.
"Again?! You just ate lots of fruits not long ago."
"I know. But I am hungry" Mikoto keeps begging.
"You really don't know when is your time to eat, right?" Mikoto grins as Mai is complaining, but she is not angry at all.
"Okay, I think a instant ramen won't take a long time." Mikoto jumps when she hears it, but then she grabs her stomach by he next second as it groans and makes Mai chuckles.
Just when Mai turns in the room and closes the balcony's door, she misses Keiji, who just reaches the entrance of the same hostel.
"Hold it right there." A familiar voice stops Keiji from behind.
"Kuga-san, can we discuss this matter more politely?" His question only replied with dead silence from the gunner.
"Man, what do you actually want from me?" Keiji turns facing Natsuki and finally gets frustrated of Natsuki's annoying act.
"Like I said before, THE TRUTH." Natsuki tightens her hold on her gun.
"Just what kind of truth do you want from me?"
"Whatever, as long as you tell."
"This is crazy!" But then Keiji suddenly looks behind Natsuki and becomes totally quiet. His act surprises Natsuki and makes her prepares for any assault.
"Kuga-san, I think you better leave here now. Your ELEMENT had summoned something bad here." Keiji let goes his school bag and wields his club bag hard.
"What are you talking about? The only bad thing here is…" Right before she finishes, Keiji leaps at Natsuki and pounds her down on the floor. On impulse, Natsuki opens fire and the bullet passes Keiji's shoulder.
"Let me go!" Natsuki is angered when Keiji suddenly act like a sex maniac, but she is speechless when she noticed another cut wound at Keiji's right cheek.
"Quiet! Or you want to die the way you never wish to." Keiji warns Natsuki with his sudden change of attitude. Now he is more serious from his way of talking and watching. "You better stay here, and don't ever call your CHILD." Then Keiji runs to the main gate of the hostel. He looks around, then continue running and leaving the hostel.
"How does he know it? They are supposed to be secrets." Natsuki thinks as she is watching Keiji goes. "Whatever it is, he is sure suspicious." Natsuki dematerializes her gun, summons her CHILD - Duran and follows.
"I never imagine the ELEMENT can make you show yourself." Keiji talks to the a dark figure under the full moon,.
"The HiME always gets my attention. Keiji-kun." The figure is actually the female Natsuki met yesterday.
"Keep your mind away from them, Kurohime. You know it won't change anything." Keiji warns.
"Not if I kill you here." The woman Keiji called Kurohime raises her opened palm and faces Keiji, slowly dark purple aura starts to gather in front of it and finally morphs out a silver Magnum with 10 inch barrel attached. Kurohime grabs it and aims at Keiji.
Keiji finally unstrings his club bag. It flippers open and reveals the object within it - The purple hilt of a 3 feet katana with a red oval crystal sealed at its end. The crystal slowly glows to life, just like acknowledges its master that it is ready for action.
"You really wish to end this here?" With the light of full moon shoots at the fighters like a spotlight, Keiji's thumb pushes his katana's guard and the steel blade shines brightly. His eyes are locking onto Kurohime with full attention and cautious like a samurai.
"Then so be it." Their fight ignites, as Keiji dashes forward and Kurohime pulls the trigger.
End of TuesdayAuthor's word:
Hello, everyone, especially the fans of Mai-HiME, I hope you all enjoy the Anime like I did.
It is really a hard time to hide your secrets from anyone, especially to someone who lives near to you, same class with you, or even talks a lot with you. But still, if that secret is going to affect anyone, we better keeps it in our heart, until it is the suitable time to reveal it.
See you tomorrow.