Chapter 1:

Natsuki was sitting on the deck of the ferry, basking in the sea air. She was accompanied by Yuuichi Tate and, to her consternation, Shiho Munekata.

"I could have handled this on my own, Kuga," Yuuichi said.

"Shizuru asked me to come," Natsuki said with a weak grin, "Dad's sponsoring the Founder's Day Festival, so Shizuru said I should make sure we were getting a return on our investment. I think she was trying to do something nice for me. So, you're here on behalf of the Student Council, and I'm here on behalf of my Dad."

"Right," Shiho said, "So don't you be bothering her with your perverted ways, Big Brother."

"Hey, Kuga's with Fujino," Yuuichi said defensively, "Even if I did hit on other girls, I don't hit on girls who aren't interested."

"And I appreciate that about you, Tate," Natsuki smirked, "And I promise, I'm not going to try and take your 'kid sister' away from you, either."

Yuuichi mock-scowled, "Fujino's right, you are a meanie."

"I was way worse before I met her," Natsuki smiled with satisfaction. In truth, though, she was scanning the horizon. She'd gotten the surprise of her life the night before when she had tried to halt the District One limo, only to find that the girl they were transporting was a bit of a scrapper. Miyu had helped her evade the strokes of the blade the girl had been carrying, and Duran had managed to knock the girl off of her feet, although he'd also shoved her off of the bridge and into the inland sea below. Now, Natsuki was trying to find her in the water. Prevailing winds and currents wouldn't have carried her far from the bridge, if she'd survived. And Natsuki didn't know what it was, instinct, a sixth sense, but she was certain the girl had survived.

"Well, I for one am happy that you're dating Fujino, Kuga-san," Shiho smiled, "You've been good for her, too."

Just then there was a commotion from the far side of the deck. Sure enough, it was the girl from the night before, laying face down in the water. She was pulled from the drink by the ship's crew, and as they hoisted her aboard something happened, causing the crewmembers to be dumped back into the water, while the girl, laying on the deck, was in need of CPR.

Natsuki was relieved when a buxom redhead began to administer first aid. She did not fail to notice the red birthmark on the unconscious girl's upper right arm. She'd known she was a HiME, of course, but she had only seen her own mark, and Shizuru's. Natsuki also didn't fail to notice that the redhead administering CPR noticed the mark, and that there was a look of recognition on her face.

Of course, Yuuichi provided her a perfect opening to get to talk to the girl when he started leering at the girl's chest, now prominently on display due to her shirt being soaked. The girl hadn't failed to notice, either.

"Excuse me, Miss," She approached, "I'm Natsuki Kuga. These are my associates, Shiho Munekata, and we'll be apologizing for the antics of Yuuichi Tate, here. Shiho, why don't you admonish your 'brother' while I escort this young lady."

"I'm Mai. Mai Tokiha. The girl…"

"The ship's staff will tend to her," Natsuki smiled reassuringly, "Come on, Tokiha-san, I'll escort you to your room."

Natsuki began to direct her chair down the ramp to the passenger cabins, as Mai led the way, "I truly am sorry about Yuuichi. I'm sure he wasn't trying to be a creep. Your…ahem…assets are kinda noticeable with your wet clothes clinging to them."

"Yeah, I know," Mai sighed, "It's not the first time I've been the subject of someone's attention."

Mai reached her cabin, "Would you like to come in?"

"Sure," Natsuki nodded. She wanted to confirm her suspicions with her own eyes. And she wasn't disappointed when Mai began to undress. There it was, the shooting star birthmark on Tokiha's chest.

"Oh…" Mai sighed, "I don't anything to change into except…my new school uniform."

Mai unzipped the bag, and Natsuki wasn't at all surprised to see the Fuuka Academy uniform.

"Oh, you'll be attending Fuuka Academy, then?" Natsuki decided to try her hand at small talk to glean information.

"Oh, you know it?"

"Of course," Natsuki offered a smile, "It's where we go to school, too. Tate will be mortified when he sees it. Um…in the sudden interests of full-disclosure, as well as self-preservation, I have to admit to you that I'm in a relationship with another girl. However, I promise I didn't come here to ogle you, and I would appreciate it if you would defend me on that count should Tate suggest it. I don't want my girlfriend to think I'm some shameless flirt."

"Sure," Mai said, "But if you guys already attend the Academy, what are you doing on the ferry?"

"Well, we're thinking of having the ferry service host a special party later this year. We call it the Founder's Day Festival, and it's a huge deal. My Dad is actually one of the corporate sponsors. And Tate is a gofer for the Student Council, so he was going to report back to them."

Mai frowned, "Honestly, I think a party on a boat like this is a bad idea."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Cramming a bunch of high school guys like Tate on a boat with the girls, all of them with access to rooms like this…"

Natsuki blinked, then flushed scarlet, then coughed and laughed nervously, "Um…yeah…We probably should have considered that, too."

"Well, sometimes it takes…"Mai paused and looked down at her feet. She suddenly changed demeanor and was scowling, "Oh, he's going to get it!"

"Tate?" Natsuki asked.

"No," Mai retrieved a small plastic container from the floor, "My brother."

Natsuki recognized it as a pill caddy. She'd been in enough hospitals to know.

"Your brother is sick?" Natsuki asked, then raised her hands, "Not that it's any of my business."

Mai shrugged, "It's a perfectly normal question. Yeah, Takumi is sick. Bad heart. There was an accident when he was little. Anyway, he skipped his meds today, and I'm going to force them down his throat!"

Natsuki smiled, "Wow. So that's what it's like to have a big sister. I always wondered?"

Mai grinned, "I take it you're an only child, then?"

"As far as I know," Natsuki nodded, "Now, let's join the others. I have got to see the look on Tate's face when he sees your uniform."

As they left Mai's room, Natsuki added, "Thank you, by the way."

"Huh? For what?"

Natsuki gestured to her chair, "For not asking."

Mai gave her a gentle smile, "I figured if you want me to know, you'll tell me."

"Let's join the others…Oh, but you go on ahead," Natsuki nodded at a lavatory, "I actually need to take care of something."

"You don't want me to wait for you?" Mai asked.

"I appreciate the gesture, but it actually takes me a little longer, for obvious reasons. I don't want to hold you up. And you said you needed to get your brother his medications."

"True enough. Well, I'll see you when you're done."

Natsuki wheeled her way into the lavatory, locking the door. She then whispered, "Miyu, quick scan."

"We are alone, Miss Kuga," was the reply in her ear.

"Dial Dad."

There was a dialing sound in her ear, and then her father's voice, "Natsuki, is everything alright?"

"Fine. The girl survived, just as I suspected. I'm sort of relieved. I'm prepared to do my worst with District One agents if need be, but I'm not out to be a cold-blooded killer."

"Which is gratifying to hear," Genichiro said sincerely.

"I need you to look into some people for me. Mai Tokiha and any family she might have. I think District One slipped another one past me."

"I'm on it. Be careful. That Homura brat might intervene if you push too hard."

"Moi?" A voice spoke behind Natsuki, who didn't even jump. She groaned in irritation.

"Nagi," she spat the name, "This is the lady's room. Do you mind?"

"Oh, it's not like you're actually doing anything in here," Nagi chuckled, "Besides, I think you and Daddy Dearest have another issue to contend with. Our dear little Mikoto is awake."

~~*~~

Natsuki wheeled her way to the infirmary, and nudged the door open. She did not, however enter. She was less than surprised to see that the infirmary bed was empty. But Miyu confirmed that there were life signs in the room.

"I'm not looking for a fight," Natsuki called into the room with what she hoped was a calm and reassuring voice, "I'm not armed."

"You're a HiME," a young girl's voice replied, "You're always armed."

Natsuki chuckled softly at that, "You have a point, but I don't have my Element drawn, and I won't call my Child if you don't call yours."

The girl dropped down from the ceiling, holding an obsidian claymore, which only proved her status as a HiME, because Natsuki had observed that fall into the inland sea when they'd brought her aboard.

"You won't need that," Natsuki said, "I'm not trying to fight you, and I wasn't trying to fight you last night. I was trying to save you from District One."

"Do I look like I need saving?" the girl, whom Nagi had dubbed Mikoto, said sharply.

"No," Natsuki smiled, "I suppose not. Still, my intention was not to fight, but to talk."

"I'm going to Fuuka. Grandpa told me to find my brother there."

Natsuki nodded, "Family is important. That is why I'm opposed to District One. Nine years ago, they killed my mother. I want to know why."

Mikoto relaxed her stance, "Your mother died?"

"And your brother is lost," Natsuki said evenly, "We can help each other. Or, we can continue with our misunderstandings and try and kill each other. Or, we can just pass like ships in the night. Dad always tells me that it's better to have friends than enemies."

"Grandpa told me to rely on my own strength."

Natsuki pursed her lips, then nodded, "Fair enough. But if you won't be my ally, can we at least agree not to be enemies?"

"That," Nagi popped up from nowhere, "Is an excellent idea. Besides, HiME are absolutely not allowed to fight each other. And besides, the two of you have both had a chance to learn your own skills, but it seems like a good time to initiate the new girl, huh?"

"Nagi!" Natsuki shot hotly, "No! Not aboard the ship! There are too many innocent people, and…"

The lights flickered, and the ferry was rocked by an unseen force.

"You ladies have fun," Nagi grinned, "I've got more than a few guests showing up to entertain the lot of you."

And with that he was gone. There was another shudder through the bulkhead, and Natsuki heard the sound of rending metal, and felt a shift.

"Mikoto," Natsuki turned to the younger girl, "The ship has begun taking on water. There's another girl here, another HiME, and there are innocent people. We have to…"

Swirling shadows were creeping down the darkened corridor, "It's an Orphan."

"Mikoto, please, people will die unless we help them. I can't do it without your help. I'm begging you."

"Kuga-san," she heard Mai Tokiha's voice, "What's going on? I came to find you and…"

"Mai, listen to me. We're all in grave danger. You, Mikoto, and I, we're all blessed with special powers. We're HiME. I saw your birthmark earlier, and I know you saw Mikoto's. Mine's just above my left hip. The ship is…"

"What's that!" Mai pointed, and Natsuki turned to see several pairs of gleaming yellow eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Orphans," Natsuki whispered somberly, "Miyu, no sense hiding it now. Arm all systems."

"I can buy us some time," Mikoto said. She raised her sword, then brought it down on the deck. There was a flash of light and then Natsuki realized that the creatures were getting further away. Then she realized why. Mikoto had cloven the ship into two parts, and the Orphans were in the half now drifting away from them. There was a sudden rushing of water, and the two halves began to fill up and dip into the water at the edges where they had been cut.

Natsuki gave Mikoto a rueful smirk, "Smooth. You know I can't swim, right?"

"Sounds like a personal problem," Mikoto shrugged.

"What the hell is going on?" Mai demanded.

"Well, we all have magic powers, and there are monsters coming to get us," Natsuki sighed.

"Yep," Mikoto nodded at the other half, "And it turns out the monsters CAN swim. Oops. I thought that would slow them down."

"Again, smooth. Come on, let's get to the life rafts. Miyu, I need full mobility."

"Exo-frame engaged, Miss Kuga. You are now free to move. Suggest seeking the upper decks."

"Sounds like a plan," Natsuki nodded, then grabbed Mai, "Come on, let's move! Mikoto, you coming?"

"Ew, tentacles and teeth," Mikoto opined as the Orphans crossed the distance between the split halves of the ferry.

"We've got to see that the others get off the boat quickly," Natsuki said, "Miyu, I really wish Greer had made you bouyant."

"I find myself equally perturbed by the prospect of you drowning, Miss Kuga," Miyu informed her

"Let's see if we can't make a life raft, then."

Little did any of them know what was in store for them as they tried to reach the slowly rising bow of the ship.

To Be Continued….

Author's Note: I wanted to explore a world where Natsuki's father was forced to stay in her life, and as a result, she was far less bitter, cynical, and closed off. I don't know yet where this will take us, but I hope you're eager to come on the journey.