Mai-HiME Fan Fiction ❯ Mai-HiME: Found Objects ❯ "Found" ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome are the property of Sunrise and Bandai. This is a work of parody and I gain no profit from it.
 
 
Author's Note: Parts of this story take place during the same timeline of my previous stories; Loose Threads and Masquerade. Don't worry; it'll all tie together in the end. I hope.
 
 
 
 
 
Mai-HiME: Found Objects
 
Chapter 1
Found
 
 
Yumemiya Arika just couldn't stop smiling. She tore up the cobblestone paths of Fuuka Gakuen, exclaiming all the way. It was to be her first autumn at school and it seemed the very trees vied to show forth their bounty.
 
Rich mahogany gave way to burnt sienna, ochre and amber, while even evergreens added to the riot of color.
 
“It's all so pretty!” she said cried breathlessly, twirling to take it all in.
 
“Wait up Arika-chan,” called her friend and roommate Erstin Ho. The blonde girl hurried to stop her friend's spinning as several other students (mostly male) were getting a good look at some panties.
 
“Get lost, perverts!” Arika fumed, her hair standing on end. “Sorry Ers-chan. I still can't get used to how short the high school uniform skirts are.”
 
“Then maybe you'd do better with trousers,” a voice wryly noted.
 
“You're mean, Nina-chan!” Arika pouted to her approaching roommate.
 
“You've been in high school for a month now,” Nina Wang chastened her friend as she scowled prettily (for if anyone could look pretty with a scowl, it was Nina). “At least try to act more mature. And don't go around shamelessly flashing your sempai.”
 
“Well, excuse me for not being a genius and skipping a grade like you.” Arika retorted as she fell into step with the others.
 
“Maturity isn't just intelligence,” Nina continued loftily. “It's also about attitude and grace.”
 
“Really?” the brown-haired girl feigned interest as she sidled up to her companion, extended a finger to her ribs and…
 
“Aaah!”
 
Time stopped as dozens of nearby students stopped to stare at the rumored prodigy who was inexplicably gripping her sides while blushing furiously.
 
“A-RI-KA!”
 
“You should be more mature, Nina-chan!” Arika called as she raced away from her impending doom.
 
Nina Wang gave chase, fuming all the way. Meanwhile, Erstin followed the two with an unabashed smile on her face. She new that no matter how annoyed Arika made Nina, the brunette just couldn't stay angry at her bubbly roommate. Even Erstin, who'd know her much longer, had noticed the change. Nina, who was always so stoic, had begun having such beautiful facial expressions. One might even call them cute, if Nina weren't in the room.
 
Nina continued running after Arika, vaguely wondering if this was what the other wanted all along. If she'd been aware of herself, Nina Wang, honor student and prodigy who'd entered high school early, would never be seen running along sidewalks on campus.
 
“You're falling behind Nina-chan!”
 
Nina felt a tentative smile tug at her lips. That idiot…
“Arika, look out!”
 
Turning at the last moment, Arika ran headlong into something soft, yet unyielding. The feel of fabric in her hands told her it was a person and position of certain parts told her it was most likely an adult.
 
A teacher?
 
The adult deftly deflected the force of Arika's impact, pirouetting gracefully to avoid spilling them both to the ground.
 
“Are you all right?” A sweet voice called to her.
 
Arika opened her eyes and looked up into tranquil green eyes. Words failed Arika as she was captured by the moment. Who IS she?
 
“Are you hurt? Do you want to go to Youko-sensei?”
 
Arika couldn't decide what she liked more about this concerned face so close to her own. The sea-green eyes, the pastel-pink hair or those perfect lips through which the angel's voice issued.
 
Her mind still unable to slip back into gear, Arika uttered the only thing that came to mind.
 
“You're too pretty to be a teacher.”
 
The eyes widened a bit at this, but never lost that composure.
 
“That's the first time I've heard that,” the woman said. She sounded a bit bewildered but not at all upset. “Though it's true that I'm an administrator and not a teacher. Mind letting go now?”
 
Horrified, Arika realized she'd been clinging to the beautiful woman during their entire encounter. She hurriedly bowed in apology. “I'm sorry for running into you!”
 
“That's quite all right,” the older woman replied graciously. “Please remember to always look out for pedestrians. By the way, may I have your name?”
 
“Oh! It's Arika. Yumemiya Arika.” The girl bowed sharply again. Now that she had a better look at the woman she nearly bulldozed, Arika saw that she was wearing an expensive looking business suit of dark blue with a sensible skirt and smart-looking pumps.
 
“I am Himeno Fumi, director of this school,” she introduced herself.
 
“Eh?!” Arika felt all of the blood rush from her face. She'd almost killed the most important person at school. “I-I'm sorry…”
 
Noticing the girl's knees wobbling, Fumi quickly caught the poor thing and steadied her. “Are you sure you don't need Youko-sensei?”
 
“I'll be fine,” Arika chirped. Honestly, being this close to the director so soon was not helping quell her fluttering stomach. “Um, thank you. I'll be careful from now on.”
 
Arika noticed that she was clinging to the woman again (and noticing some curves the younger girl could only dream of developing) she took a hasty step back and bowed once again.
 
“Well, I'm glad you're doing better,” Fumi's charming smile put her at ease. “Please enjoy your school day.” Arika's heart sank as the director turned to go.
“Oh, I almost forgot. I'm holding a costume ball at the Director's Residence, Sunday. I hope you will attend.”
 
Arika could only nod dumbly as Fumi turned to leave. She continued staring as the director's retreating figure disappeared into the admin building. She even failed to notice a slight punch in the shoulder or a hand passing before her eyes.
 
“Arika-chan's totally mesmerized,” Erstin said, poking at her friend.
 
“I can't believe how rude she was to the director,” Nina frowned.
 
“Don't worry, it looked like they really hit it off,” Erstin replied. “Arika-chan has a way of making people like her.”
 
“Amazing,” Arika exclaimed wistfully. “I always read about it in novels but I never thought it would really happen. It's a destined meeting!”
 
“Honestly!' Nina huffed. “You really are an idiot.”
 
Back in her top-floor office, Himeno Fumi worked at her computer. Her face felt so strange. The matronly smile she reserved for greeting students had disappeared, replaced with a truly amused grin. Had meeting that one, odd girl done this?
 
“Such a delightfully unexpected girl,” she laughed softly. How long had it been since she'd done that?
 
A gold gleam caught Fumi's eye and all mirth vanished. Kazahana Mashiro's eternally frozen smile shone to her from the photograph. Fumi felt tears leak from her eyes, roll down her cheeks and puddle on her desk.
 
“I'm sorry.”