Encounters-A Kaito HiME piece.

takes place after 'The Means' on Tamayura night-Hope you all enjoy!

---

“I figured ‘d find you up here Kai,” a voice drifted to Kaito’s ears through his sleep dazed mind. He frowned and shifted slightly, willing the voice to go away. “Ugh! You’re so lazy! Get up!” the voice ordered a bit more forcefully, shoving him with a foot, jolting him from his sleep.

He sprang up and a fist flew a few precarious inches away from a stunned face. He blinked, letting his heart slow for a moment before lowering his fist, allowing himself to shift to a more relaxed stance. He frowned, “Michiko…that was dangerous,” he scolded, plopping himself back down on the pavement of the roof. “Why’re you up here anyways? Aren’t you helping with booth setup?” he asked, laying back down and tucked his hands beneath his head.

Michiko gave her friend a huff and flicked some stray ginger bangs from her face, “I’m up here to get you, you slacker of a Kaichou!” she shook her head, “I know you aren’t going to the festival and all, but some of us are. So would you at least fulfill your duties to the Student Council?” She leaned over him, blocking his view of the sky and harrumphed.

“Your breasts are blocking my view,” he complained, smirking as the girl jumped back and blushed. A snicker rose from his chest, “Trying to seduce me to get my work done. Naughty Vice President!” he laughed, sitting up. “But then I guess it runs in the family right? Large Melons that is,” he smirked again before making a startled noise of pain as the girl dug her heel into his back.

“Don’t make me hurt you Kaito…” she warned, growling. Though it was hard to be menacing when she was still blushing over his comment. She pressed harder, causing the boy to bend forward before giving her foot a small shove, sending him tumbling a bit. “Pervert.” She accused.

Kaito grimaced and rubbed the small of his back tenderly, “Sadist…” he grumbled, standing, “Geez…I’ll go do some work, alright? Slave driver,” he accused, stretching his limbs.

“Why were you up here anyways?” Michiko asked, walking over to the edge of the roof, placing a hand on the metal fence, “Normally it’s Kanaye who I find up here,” She watched as he walked over and joined her, burgundy eyes surveying the campus below.

“I dunno,” he asked truthfully, “I guess I figured it’d be quiet up here, and I could just take a break from all of it,” he leaned on the fencing, “I guess I’m nervous,” he mumbled.

Michiko allowed there to be a silence for a few moments. It was so rare that Kaito would let her see what he was really thinking, so she couldn’t rush this. “About tonight?” she received a slow nod, “I know I can’t stop you from going and trying…but please Kai,” she turned amber eyes towards the silent boy, “Be careful,” she begged.

Kaito gazed out at the campus for a few moments before nodding, “I will,” he pushed off the fence and glanced at Michiko, “I’m sorry by the way,” when she blinked in surprise he continued, “That I won’t be attending the Tamayura. You wanted to go with me right? I’m sorry,”

“A-ah…” Michiko blushed, waving her hands, “N-no, it’s fine. Besides…I should apologize for saying such terrible things to you too. After all, you didn’t deserve for me to say such awful things,” she muttered, bowing her head.

Kaito gave a stray chuckle and grinned, “It’s a Tohika trait, right? You’re quick to irrational anger,” he teased, his grin brightening his face for the first time in weeks. A true sort of happiness, “I deserved it. I know I haven’t been fair to you guys,” he turned to face Michiko fully, “Especially you Michi,”

Michiko blinked and marveled at the look on Kaito’s face. It’d been ages since he’d grinned like that. That carefree, goofy grin. The one that made his eyes twinkle. How could he be smiling like that if he was about to go off and do something so dangerous? “Not...been fair? I…that is to say…” she shook her head, “You’ve lost me…” she murmured, ducking her head slightly.

“It means…” there was a loud protest of the metal fence behind Michiko’s back as Kaito’s palms pressed against it, “That I should have been paying more attention. Been being a better friend,” he was dangerously close to her now. Far too close for comfort really. His eyes…Dear god his eyes.

They smoldered.

There was no room to think. No room to react. There was just his face, his eyes, and his lips. Absently she realized Kaito must have been wearing some sort of cologne, his scent so much more then she could ever remember. That faint whiff of ice, of the pine trees in the forests far north, it seemed to invade her senses. But that couldn’t compare to the feeling that he’d currently added to the mix. His lips.

She was spinning. She was lost. And yet, she was still right there, held in place by his arms that were keeping her in place.

It didn’t last long. He pulled away and his eyes were boring into hers again. “I’m sorry,” he apologized quietly, “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that…” he shook his head, “This isn’t the time for this, alright?” he gave her a apologetic look, “Will you wait for me?” he questioned quietly, bringing one of his hands to her cheek and stroking it gently.

“Yes,” the whisper slipped from her lips before she could even register she had said it.

That slightly shy smile, the one that was so rarely on his face slowly formed. “Thank you.”
---
“So you’re just gonna go alone ‘Chiko?” Kanaye asked his friend as they patrolled the booths, “You’re not even gonna go with Suzushiro? ‘Cuz you know he’s gonna wanna give you a wish ribbon…He won’t let you put it on the railing, but he’s gonna give you one anyways,” he grinned.

Michiko gave a giggle and shook her head, “I’m sure you’ll keep him busy, right? Besides, Suzushiro’s a bit too neurotic for my tastes. He’s cute enough I’ll admit, and his little brother is even cuter, but he isn’t my type. My kinda man’s gotta brood a bit more. Sometimes it’s better to leave things unsaid, you know?” she grinned, “I don’t want to have to worry about him going OCD on me so,” she shook her head, “I’ll reject him if it comes to that. But I’ll just stay away from him, and it’s your job to help with that, right?”

Kanaye laughed freely and nodded, “Right, I won’t letcha down there ‘Chiko, ‘aight? So you just have fun tonight and forget that Kaito’s a bit of a jerkwad at times,”

Michiko gave her lime eyed friend a thankful smile and let her eyes drift to the pathway out fo the school campus where Kaito was currently walking. “Well…He’s got his reasons, and you know Kai; He won’t stop until he gets what he went out to get,” she heard a snicker come from the boy besides her.

“Well, he’d better solve that problem soon. I’m getting tired of his pain in the ass emoing non-stop.”
---
“Okaa-san? I’ll be busy with the Tamayura festival today and tomorrow, I’ll be staying at Kanaye’s and I may be a bit late. Love you, bye,” Kaito left the message on the home phone and snapped his phone shut. He took in a deep breath and glanced out the tinted window of the white van he was traveling in.

“Took care of your alibi?” Hideyoshi questioned, turning from the shotgun, “You could move up here you know, there’s an extra seat.” He offered, watching as his grandson sat on the metal bed of the van and leaned against the side.

“Nah, this helped me focus more, it’s colder down here, so I get a bit more time if I focus,” Kaito dismissed. He closed his eyes, “How much longer?” he inquired, gripping the pant legs of his cargos slightly.

“Maybe ten minutes from the drop point? We’ll be there just as the sun starts going down. That’s what you wanted right?” Hideyoshi mused.

“Yeah, they’ll be changing guards then and most of the them will be at the Tamayura festival, since they think I’ll be there. They won’t expect me to show up in front of them,” he took in a deep breath, “Besides that, okaa-san is in a meeting at around the same time, so she won’t get my message until later when you’ll have my phone and it’ll go to the messages,” he reasoned, “I’ve put a lot of thought into this.”

A loose chuckle, “So you have. Loosen up though Kaito-kun, you’ll be too stiff to fight if you keep sitting like that,” a scoff met Hideyoshi’s ears and another chuckle echoed in the van.
---
“We’re honored that you wanted to meet with us Fujino-sama. It’s not often that the assistant head of the zaibatsu offers to talk with us,” a bow was made by the representative from SEARRS, the blonde hair slicked back and a formal suit crinkling slightly with the bow.

“Ara, not at all Gerald-han,” Shizuru was amiable, a light smile on her face as they both seated themselves. “Surely I put you all at an imposition by asking you to come here on such short notice, and on such a festive night…I’m sure many of your colleagues are at the Tamayura festival, no?”

A polite laugh and a shake of the head answered her, “It’s not an imposition at all Fujino-sama, after all, it’s my duty to be sure we can answer any of your questions, and while most of my work mates are enjoying themselves at the festival, I’m here keeping good relations with a major funder of the festival, correct? The Fuuka branch of Fujino Corps funded donated quite a bit of money to the school’s student council for this festivity,” he replied.

Ara, it appears he’s quite good at this…Well, I’m better unfortunately. A smile curled on Shizuru’s face, “Surely you can understand, my son is the current Kaichou of the school, and I endeavor to help him out with his work. I can understand the hard work that goes into the festival every year, and it always looks good to help the local academy,”

“Of course, you were the president when you attended Fuuka Academy as well, correct Fujino-sama?” Gerald questioned. Shizuru only sweetened her smile. SEARRS already knew what she had done during high school. The data that Miyu had collected had been put to some use after the final battle after all. “The ability to lead must run in the family,” he complimented, using politician flattery already.

“Ara, is that so? Ookini, Gerald-han,” She folded her hands under her chin, “However, I did not call you here to discuss my son’s school achievements, nor my past scholar achievements either,” she narrowed her eyes and her smile became razor thin, “What I would like to talk about, to start, is your position on the formerly known Valkyrie Project. Would you happen to know anything about that, Gerald-han?”
---
“So Twenty Minutes on the serum,” Hideyoshi informed, “less if you insist on using that ice shield that you’ve been working on. Ice and steam will drain you quickly, so I’d suggest not doing anything flashy until you really need it. Do not take any unnecessary risks, you understand? If you can’t get in, get out.” He order gravely.

Kaito took the hypodermic needle and frowned at it, “I know. But I can keep the shield up as long as I need-I just have to steer clear of getting hit. I can dodge bullets well enough,” he answered. He took the needle to his arm and hissed, feeling pure ice run up his veins and the brand on his arm burn. He stood shakily and opened the back of the van. “If I’m not back by tomorrow contact someone to try to get me out, alright?”
---
“Surely Fujino-sama knows that SEARRS dropped that project years ago,” Gerald maneuvered, “We erased all traces of that project once the attempt to take Fuuka failed,” he smoothed over. “Surely you don’t mean to dig up old skeletons?”

“Oh, but that is what I intend to do Gerald–han. You see, I’m fairly certain that you and your company have been meddling in affairs that should be skeletons, but in fact are not,” Shizuru leaned closer, “I assure you I am quite serious when I feel my personal past has been dragged back up to the present. Particularly when it involves my family.”
---
Kaito was occupied. As in, he was doing everything that his grandfather had warned against. Sure, sending huge shards of ice into security cameras wasn’t the smartest idea, but he needed to drag the guards out and get them in one fell swoop. Granted, there were more of them than he had though there would be. A another bullet froze against this shield and he gritted his teeth. He was running out of time damn it! He only had eight minutes left-and that time was getting less with each bullet. He threw out a few more larger shards of ice, watching them expend to capture a few men’s hands and feet. It wasn’t enough!

Inside the building a guard was sprinting to a back portion of the facilities. He skidded to a halt and burst through the door, “Sir! We need you-it’s…It’s not natural! It’s-it’s a HiME!” he gulped in a few breaths and stared in hope in the dimly lit room. A pair of icy eyes met his.

“Can’t you idiots do anything right? Fine. If this isn’t worth my time you’re going to pay,”
---
“I don’t have any clue what it that you could mean by us interfering with your private life Fujino-sama,” Gerald countered, clearly getting antsy underneath his false smile, “We at SEARRS hardly would go snooping in another’s business,”

“Even if what you were dealing with was business itself?” Shizuru voice was ice cold, razor sharp, contrasting the smile on her face, “I heard a rumor that SEARRS dealt in buying human lab experiments and slaves so to speak not too long ago. You wouldn’t know a thing about that though, would you Gerald-han?”
---
Another bullet-another ten men down and trapped. Five mintues!
---
“I assure Fujino-sama, those days are long past us. And I can fiercely defend our current head’s reasoning behind our formal actions,” Gerald’s voice was growing thin, his hands shaking in front of him. He was losing his patience and his cool in front of this woman. He wouldn’t be able to dodge these shots for much longer before something spilt from his lips that wasn’t supposed to.
---
Kaito fell to his knees, and froze as he heard a gun’s hammer pull back. No…he’d gotten all the gunmen, hadn’t he? He didn’t have the power to stop this! He heard the trigger pull and squeezed his eyes shut, letting loose a guttural scream, dragging any last shred of power he had left to the surface-anything to stop the bullet that would surely take his life if he did nothing.
---
Michiko blinked and looked up into the distance from the Fuuka Shrine. She squinted, looking in the distance. Was that a…blue glow? She focused further, and gasped. Ice. Ice in season? And not just ice-a column of ice that rose far above the trees. She felt her heart pinch in fear. Kaito…please…don’t let that have been you.
---
Shizuru was sure she had the man before her neatly in her trap as his cell phone began to ring and he hastily answered it. She watched as the man’s reaction grew angered, fearful.

“You idiots! Get her in there! Damn it-why wasn’t anyone paying attention to the kid?!” he barked into the phone, “I’ll be back soon-you morons better fix this by the time I get back,” he warned. He snapped his phone shut and turned to Shizuru, “I’m sorry Fujino-sama, but something urgent has come up back headquarters. This meeting is over. Goodbye.” He was crisp, hurrying out before Shizuru could protest.

“Damn.” Shizuru glared at the door, and rubbed her mouth, briefly wondering how she had let such a curse slip from her mouth. But then again…she had been so close.
---
Kaito couldn’t feel anything. His body was numb. He slowly came back to consciousness when he heard something cracking around him. Dim booms reached his ears through a unseeable barrier. Suddenly he was falling, and he hit the pavement with a harsh gasp of breath. His eyes shot open and he saw the large shard of ice resting around him. He…had been encased in ice? He didn’t have any time to think on the matter though as suddenly a cold muzzle of a gun pressed to his forehead.

Eyes met-a pair of shocked and murky crimson, and sharp jade, not a single once of compassion in them. A scowl met with an agape mouth and immaculate head of dark navy, with a mess of slightly frozen chestnut.

“Well…Aren’t you an interesting one…” the husky voice brought tears to the crimson eyes, “You’re a pain you know? A stupid pup who stuck his nose in something too big to handle,” a cold smirk rose to her face, “Well, the pup’s gotta learn his place, eh kiddo?”

Kaito sat there frozen and only one word slipped from his mouth, “Mother.”
------

I might be able to finish the next one later this week since it's already been written. In the next one, we meet grandpappy Fujino and moar Natsuki =D

(I hate my internet connection for losing my review onThe Means to the Ends. -.- Settle for this review if it goes through...)

I must say, Kaito and Michiko's bickering chemistry entertains me. They're so cute together, it makes me wanna cry.

*sniff* Mai-HiME fanfiction has straightness at last. *sniff*

Hold on a sec, I thought Michiko was into girls too...

Reading both parts, I can't help but adore Michiko even more. She's your average girly girl who blushes and worries for the boy hero, only she comes with a richer background than other similar characters from other shows and fanfiction. The girl does snap from time to time, but she couldn't be anymore feminine. ^_~

His eyes…Dear god his eyes.

They smoldered.

Wait for it....wait for it...

Spoiler:

Someone was a little too inspired by Tangled. Don't blame you one bit, nope.

Shizuru's meeting (or should I say interrogation..) of SEARRS couldn't of been anymore intense. The game of wits, which Shizuru was very good at playing. Good move on your part to have a phone call interference to delay what those bastards are up to this time. The various Mai-HiME anime plugs made me go "yay" btw. There's nothing I love more than canon-connections. I totally made that word up.) Gotta hand it to Kaito, his skills are just as amazing as his mother. Ironically, it was his mother who took him down. I mean, who else could do it with ease?

Very nice read, Kona-chan and now I want more Michiko fanart. XD By "moar Natsuki", will her and Kaito battle? Fights are easier to write for than love scenes (imo...) so if it takes place, I hope it's more explosive than Natsuki's battle with Shizuru in episode 25.

Luu Sky Sapphire wrote:(I hate my internet connection for losing my review onThe Means to the Ends. -.- Settle for this review if it goes through...)

I must say, Kaito and Michiko's bickering chemistry entertains me. They're so cute together, it makes me wanna cry.

*sniff* Mai-HiME fanfiction has straightness at last. *sniff*

Hold on a sec, I thought Michiko was into girls too...

Reading both parts, I can't help but adore Michiko even more. She's your average girly girl who blushes and worries for the boy hero, only she comes with a richer background than other similar characters from other shows and fanfiction. The girl does snap from time to time, but she couldn't be anymore feminine. ^_~

His eyes…Dear god his eyes.

They smoldered.

Wait for it....wait for it...

Spoiler:

Someone was a little too inspired by Tangled. Don't blame you one bit, nope.

Shizuru's meeting (or should I say interrogation..) of SEARRS couldn't of been anymore intense. The game of wits, which Shizuru was very good at playing. Good move on your part to have a phone call interference to delay what those bastards are up to this time. The various Mai-HiME anime plugs made me go "yay" btw. There's nothing I love more than canon-connections. I totally made that word up.) Gotta hand it to Kaito, his skills are just as amazing as his mother. Ironically, it was his mother who took him down. I mean, who else could do it with ease?

Very nice read, Kona-chan and now I want more Michiko fanart. XD By "moar Natsuki", will her and Kaito battle? Fights are easier to write for than love scenes (imo...) so if it takes place, I hope it's more explosive than Natsuki's battle with Shizuru in episode 25.

The 'smolder' line actually came BEFORE I saw Tangled. xDD Then when I went back and finished this I couldn't help but laugh at it-To be honest I think Flynn and Kai have a lot in common xDD and as for Kaito and Michiko-I had to have them together-they just NEEDED to. which is strange considering I was thinking of Kai remaining single and Kanaye getting Michiko instead. x3 But token straightness is token straightness. I felt that if they weren't straight, I'd go insane. (Besides...I've got Shin'nou and Maeda for gay-ness in the OC HiME-dom courtesy of Kitkat xD)

As for Shizuru's meeting-oh god it took SO LONG. xD I'm glad you liked it-I struggled with it. We did battle, and it almost won. x3 (Sometimes I think it did, because I wish it was better in hindsight) but the phone call turned out better than I had hoped as a interruption. But the moment where Kaito's ice pillar came up in view is my favorite. -nodnod- I think that scene was better than the interrogation scene in my mind x3

As for Natsuki...I was so excited to write about her I was a bit disappointed that she was only there for about ten seconds when I finished. I was a bit mad at myself for cheating her out of a cool fight-but the ice pillar was soooo enticing that I couldn't resist. So there'll be more of Natsuki in the next one-mayhaps not so much fighting, but she'll have a more prominent role, as will papa-fujino, Shizuru, and Kaito. It's a family reunion xDDD Sort of-I like to think of it that way since I have them all in the same story, just not at the same time.

As for Michiko art...I just finished coloring one of her and Kai! So I'll have to put it up for you xD and I'll be drawing her more too, so I'll hopefully appease you there.