Mai HiME Short Story #1
Anime: Mai HiME
Characters: Tokiha Mai, Kuga Natsuki, Minagi Mikoto
Time: Post Carnival
Thanksgiving
“Hnn,” Mai hummed, smiling to herself as she read Takumi’s latest letter from America. “So that’s how they do it…”
“That’s how they do what,” Natsuki leaned her head back to look in the kitchen at her roommate from the dinning table. It was nearing the end of the fall semester for the two sophomores and one freshman and Natsuki was uncharacteristically busy studying for their finals that was coming up.
“Ah, Takumi said that America has that ‘Thanksgiving’ holiday around this time.”
“’Thanksgiving’,” Natsuki tested the English word with a dubious look. “What’s that about?”
Mai glanced back at the letter, giving it a cursory glance. “Something about Pilgrims and Indians and lots of food.”
“FOOD!” Came the outburst from a room away as Mikoto called through the walls. Even after the Carnival, Mikoto’s keen senses never ceased to surprise both Mai and Natsuki from time to time.
“Not yet,” Mai raised her voice in reply, earning a whimpering sound from their third roommate.
“Che, what’s the point of that,” Natsuki shrugged, her eyes returning to her notes. Being the more logical of the trio, Natsuki knew of the holiday but never gave it a second thought.
“Hey! It’s a really nice holiday,” Mai defended. “You get to spend time with your family and friends and reflect on the year and what you have to be thankful for. Don’t you have anything that you’re thankful for?”
“Not really,” Came Natsuki’s reply as she flipped a page. “I don’t have much of a family left to me, and even if I did, I’d rather not see them.”
Mai gave a knowing glance at her friend, being one of the few people alive who actually knew of Natsuki’s circumstances and the reasons behind some of her motivations. Despite that, Mai was not about to let her off the hook just yet.
“Na-tsu-ki~” her voice carried a tone that did not go unnoticed by her cobalt-haired roomie.
The young woman in question had indeed noticed the change in tone and knew that if she didn’t satisfactory answer Mai Tokiha, she wasn’t going to eat anytime soon. “Wha-what?”
Mai gave a ‘hmph’ and turned her head away. “For someone who eats my food on a constant basis, studies my notes from the other classes that she skips out on and whatnot, are you sure that there’s nothing you’re thankful for?”
“…”
“And to think that I let you move in so you could get away from Shizuru…”
“Okay okay Mai,” Natsuki sighed in exasperation. “I guess I have a lot to be thankful for this year, and all thanks to my big breasted friend here.”
“Mou~ Natsuki…” came the semi-indignant mutter from the kitchen.
Natsuki gave a chuckle as she resumed her staring at the line of notes. Yeah, she did have a lot to thank Mai for, and not just for feeding her. If not for Mai, well none of the rest of the girls would be alive today - included herself and Shizuru. The end of her pencil found its way between Natsuki’s lips as she realized that the thing she was most grateful for from Mai wasn’t the fact that she saved her life, although it was important to her, it was just being her friend - a sweet, motherly, nagging, patient, sometimes annoying, most of the time best friend. Suddenly, her curiosity got the better of her and she decided that she couldn’t concentrate until it was sated. “What are you thankful for, Mai?”
“Oh boy, too many things,” Mai answered back, with barely a pause. “Thankful that the HiME business is over and done with.”
“ Mattaku da,” Natsuki seconded, drawing a chuckle from Mai.
“Of course I’m thankful that Takumi is getting treatment in America.”
“With his girlfriend in tow, seems that might have been a bit perplexing, especially to his big sister,” Natsuki teased.
“Stop it, Takumi’s a good boy, he’s not going to do anything with Akira like that.” Mai dumped more ingredients into the broth, firmly trying to ignore the ever present pit in her stomach whenever someone mentioned her brother and something ecchi in the same sentence. “Besides, he’s sick.”
“For now at least,” Natsuki had a rare cat-like smirk on her face.
Mai gave a very deliberate cough. “Moving on… I’m thankful that I got to come to this Academy, despite everything.”
“And meeting a certain dirty blonde haired guy…” Natsuki chimed in as well.
“Oh don’t get me started on you and the ‘Madam President’ who threatened to not leave the school until you graduate.”
“I can’t help that and you know it.” Natsuki angled her head away from the kitchen. Leave it to Mai to bring up that oh-so-obvious point.
A moment later, a familiar and warm pair of arms wrapped themselves loosely around her shoulders. Natsuki barely gave a start, even stopping her semi-studying to angle her head against Mai’s for a moment.
“I’m also thankful that you’re my best friend and I hope that we keep being best friends for a long time,” Mai spoke in a hushed voice.
Natsuki heard the emotion in her friend’s voice and was only slightly surprised to find that felt exactly the same way. There was no way that anyone could have gone through what they had and not be best friends for life. “Same here, Mai,” Natsuki replied, pushing her head against Mai’s in a small show of affection, “Same here.”
“Mikoto thankful too!” Cue warm and fuzzy moment being broken by the appearance of the third who manifested her presence with a glomp that shook the table.
Natsuki was glad that Mikoto never saw fit to glomp her, which was entirely welcomed by the 17-year old.
“Ah, and what are you thankful for, Mikoto?” True to form, Mai reacted with all the practiced grace of a patient mother.
“Mai!” The young girl beamed. “I’m thankful for Mai!”
Natsuki couldn’t help the smile from appearing on her face from Mai’s expression. “I guess that’s something we can agree on.”
“Un!”
“What am I, a Mai-sandwich?”
“Wow, a Mai-sandwich! That has to be good to eat!”
“Mikoto…”
Oh Natsuki knew this was too good to pass up…
“Would Yuuichi know?”
“NATSUKI!”
~*~
Something I wrote out a few years back but never posted up anywhere. Thought I'd share since it is *gasp* Thanksgiving and all. Sorry if you were expecting something deep and profound...actually, no I'm not sorry. :P
Characters: Tokiha Mai, Kuga Natsuki, Minagi Mikoto
Time: Post Carnival
Thanksgiving
“Hnn,” Mai hummed, smiling to herself as she read Takumi’s latest letter from America. “So that’s how they do it…”
“That’s how they do what,” Natsuki leaned her head back to look in the kitchen at her roommate from the dinning table. It was nearing the end of the fall semester for the two sophomores and one freshman and Natsuki was uncharacteristically busy studying for their finals that was coming up.
“Ah, Takumi said that America has that ‘Thanksgiving’ holiday around this time.”
“’Thanksgiving’,” Natsuki tested the English word with a dubious look. “What’s that about?”
Mai glanced back at the letter, giving it a cursory glance. “Something about Pilgrims and Indians and lots of food.”
“FOOD!” Came the outburst from a room away as Mikoto called through the walls. Even after the Carnival, Mikoto’s keen senses never ceased to surprise both Mai and Natsuki from time to time.
“Not yet,” Mai raised her voice in reply, earning a whimpering sound from their third roommate.
“Che, what’s the point of that,” Natsuki shrugged, her eyes returning to her notes. Being the more logical of the trio, Natsuki knew of the holiday but never gave it a second thought.
“Hey! It’s a really nice holiday,” Mai defended. “You get to spend time with your family and friends and reflect on the year and what you have to be thankful for. Don’t you have anything that you’re thankful for?”
“Not really,” Came Natsuki’s reply as she flipped a page. “I don’t have much of a family left to me, and even if I did, I’d rather not see them.”
Mai gave a knowing glance at her friend, being one of the few people alive who actually knew of Natsuki’s circumstances and the reasons behind some of her motivations. Despite that, Mai was not about to let her off the hook just yet.
“Na-tsu-ki~” her voice carried a tone that did not go unnoticed by her cobalt-haired roomie.
The young woman in question had indeed noticed the change in tone and knew that if she didn’t satisfactory answer Mai Tokiha, she wasn’t going to eat anytime soon. “Wha-what?”
Mai gave a ‘hmph’ and turned her head away. “For someone who eats my food on a constant basis, studies my notes from the other classes that she skips out on and whatnot, are you sure that there’s nothing you’re thankful for?”
“…”
“And to think that I let you move in so you could get away from Shizuru…”
“Okay okay Mai,” Natsuki sighed in exasperation. “I guess I have a lot to be thankful for this year, and all thanks to my big breasted friend here.”
“Mou~ Natsuki…” came the semi-indignant mutter from the kitchen.
Natsuki gave a chuckle as she resumed her staring at the line of notes. Yeah, she did have a lot to thank Mai for, and not just for feeding her. If not for Mai, well none of the rest of the girls would be alive today - included herself and Shizuru. The end of her pencil found its way between Natsuki’s lips as she realized that the thing she was most grateful for from Mai wasn’t the fact that she saved her life, although it was important to her, it was just being her friend - a sweet, motherly, nagging, patient, sometimes annoying, most of the time best friend. Suddenly, her curiosity got the better of her and she decided that she couldn’t concentrate until it was sated. “What are you thankful for, Mai?”
“Oh boy, too many things,” Mai answered back, with barely a pause. “Thankful that the HiME business is over and done with.”
“ Mattaku da,” Natsuki seconded, drawing a chuckle from Mai.
“Of course I’m thankful that Takumi is getting treatment in America.”
“With his girlfriend in tow, seems that might have been a bit perplexing, especially to his big sister,” Natsuki teased.
“Stop it, Takumi’s a good boy, he’s not going to do anything with Akira like that.” Mai dumped more ingredients into the broth, firmly trying to ignore the ever present pit in her stomach whenever someone mentioned her brother and something ecchi in the same sentence. “Besides, he’s sick.”
“For now at least,” Natsuki had a rare cat-like smirk on her face.
Mai gave a very deliberate cough. “Moving on… I’m thankful that I got to come to this Academy, despite everything.”
“And meeting a certain dirty blonde haired guy…” Natsuki chimed in as well.
“Oh don’t get me started on you and the ‘Madam President’ who threatened to not leave the school until you graduate.”
“I can’t help that and you know it.” Natsuki angled her head away from the kitchen. Leave it to Mai to bring up that oh-so-obvious point.
A moment later, a familiar and warm pair of arms wrapped themselves loosely around her shoulders. Natsuki barely gave a start, even stopping her semi-studying to angle her head against Mai’s for a moment.
“I’m also thankful that you’re my best friend and I hope that we keep being best friends for a long time,” Mai spoke in a hushed voice.
Natsuki heard the emotion in her friend’s voice and was only slightly surprised to find that felt exactly the same way. There was no way that anyone could have gone through what they had and not be best friends for life. “Same here, Mai,” Natsuki replied, pushing her head against Mai’s in a small show of affection, “Same here.”
“Mikoto thankful too!” Cue warm and fuzzy moment being broken by the appearance of the third who manifested her presence with a glomp that shook the table.
Natsuki was glad that Mikoto never saw fit to glomp her, which was entirely welcomed by the 17-year old.
“Ah, and what are you thankful for, Mikoto?” True to form, Mai reacted with all the practiced grace of a patient mother.
“Mai!” The young girl beamed. “I’m thankful for Mai!”
Natsuki couldn’t help the smile from appearing on her face from Mai’s expression. “I guess that’s something we can agree on.”
“Un!”
“What am I, a Mai-sandwich?”
“Wow, a Mai-sandwich! That has to be good to eat!”
“Mikoto…”
Oh Natsuki knew this was too good to pass up…
“Would Yuuichi know?”
“NATSUKI!”
~*~
Something I wrote out a few years back but never posted up anywhere. Thought I'd share since it is *gasp* Thanksgiving and all. Sorry if you were expecting something deep and profound...actually, no I'm not sorry. :P