"I'm chasing after Tate Yuuichi?!" Natsuki Kuga roared, the black haired young woman slamming her script to the table of the crowded student council room. "You've got to be joking,"the furious young woman growled. The cast of the anime Mai Hime had gathered here before they were going to go to work on the manga incarnation of the series to read over the scripts and try to get a feel for their revised roles. Of course, those who were expecting things to be the same as the anime version were in for quite a surprise. "We're all chasing Tate, more or less," Mai Tokhia said wryly as the busty orange haired girl drank her morning coffee, "this is a harem manga, you know." "At least you like that pencil neck," Natsuki scowled at Mai. "Don't talk about my big brother that way," Shiho Manakata frowned, her red hair lashing about like tentacles. "Considering you only appear in a rape flashback," Nao Yuuki said as the redhead smiled coldly, "do you even survive into volume two?" "What?" Shiho's eyes went wide then she began to frantically flip through her script to confirm it. "Damn it, why the hell couldn't they have just stuck with the plot of the anime?" Natsuki said with a scowl. "I understand," Reito Kansaki said dryly from where the black haired young man was gazing out of the student council room window, "this series was created after the anime to be more popular with boys." "What could be more popular than lesbians?" Masashi Takeda asked, the kendoist leering at Natsuki covertly. "Pervert," Nao muttered. "I'm certainly glad to be in a more prudent role," Haruka Suzuchiro declared, the blonde standing dramatically for no reason whatsoever. "Prominent, Haruka-san," Yukino Kikukawa sighed, the brown haired girl pushing her glasses up. "That's what I said," Haruka added quickly. "You sound cheerful, Haruka-san," Mai noted. "I'm a Hime in this version," Haruka waved her script around, "and get to play a role fitting my statue!" "Stature," Yukino corrected absentmindedly as she read. She pointed to a page in the script, "Did you see who will be joining your squad?" "Hmm?" Yukino looked then her eyes widened in alarm. "I have to work with that delinquent Nao?!" "I'm looking forward to working with you too," Nao took on a sexy pose, "maybe we can resolve our... differences?" "I think I may be ill," Yukino made a face. "So where is the pencil neck, anyway?" Natsuki asked, referring to Tate. "He sent word he was going to be late," Akane Higurashi sighed. "We're already having problems with our star?" Yohko Sagisawa smiled wryly, the gorgeous nurse reading over her several page appearance. "He better not be," Mai muttered, clenching her fist. "So what do you think of the script, Mikoto?" Yukino asked mildly. "I like it," Mikoto Minagi nodded cheerfully. "I thought you'd be more upset, considering Tate being the lead," Mai looked over at Mikoto in surprise. "Take a look at this," Minagi pointed to a script page. Mai picked it up and read aloud as her eyes widened in alarm. "Mikoto grabbing me from behind... These are mine?! You even reveal my bust size!" she cried. "That's not the best part," Mikoto flipped ahead in the script. "You and I in bed," Mai read a bit and went flaming red. "Nice to see your relationship with Mikoto is progressing so quickly, Mai," Shiziru Fujino said mildly. "So what kind of relationship do you two have, Mai?" Aoi Senou ask from over where she and Chie were reading their pages. "The kind that I'm not going to discuss until Mikoto gets past the jail bait age," Mai answered sheepishly. "Indeed," Shiziru murmured as she gave Natsuki a side look, smiling as the other girl blushed and looked away. "You're taking your reduced role calmly," Haruka gloated. "This simply means that I can spend more time off work with my Natsuki," Shiziru said calmly, though her eyes glittered dangerously. "I wonder if we should protest somehow?" Akane asked tentatively. "Better not," Natsuki scowled, "they'll just bring scabs in to play the leads like they did in Mai Otome." "They wouldn't dare," Shiho protested, eyes wide with alarm. She had been reduced to comedy relief in Otome, she certainly didn't want it to happen again. "Wanna bet?" Chie raised a eyebrow. Nor did she sound too bothered, since her Otome part had actually been more dramatic than her usual one. Not to mention that Otome Chie was quite the player. "If I lose any more screen time to Arika and Nina I'll..." Nao scowled. Reito looked over at Nao curiously and asked, "Are the rumors about you and Otome Natsuki true?" Nao was about to answer smartly when she felt Shizuru's death glare on her. "No comment," she answered, playing it safe. "Wise move," Mai murmured. She scowled and burst out, "Where IS Tate?" "Yo, the Tate-man is in the house!" Yuuichi Tate smiled as he breezed in, his usual school uniform sparkling with added gold chain. "What the hell are you dressed like that for?" Natsuki asked, unconsciously speaking for most of the people in the room. "With so many ladies chasing me I thought I should dress the part," Yuuichi smiled as a fake diamond glinted on his tooth, "get some of that pimping bling going." There was a LONG quiet moment as everyone tried to digest that. "Mikoto," Mai broke the silence, "can I borrow your sword?" "Sure Mai," Mikoto summoned the blade then passed it over. "Now wait a minute..." Yuuichi began to back away. "Come back here!" Mai took a swing as he bolted and ran. "Big brother!" Shiho wailed. "Think we should save him?" Chie asked as Yuuichi clambered over a table then leapt out the window. "Nah," Aoi smiled, "it's more entertaining this way." "Would you like to help Mai?' Shizuru purred in Natsuki's ear. "Tempting, but this won't change what we'll have to do in the manga," Natsuki sighed. Shizuru slid a hand around Natsuki's waist, "Maybe, but it'll make us feel better." "True," Natsuki grinned as she and Shizuri followed the fleeing Tate outside. "Duran," she cried, summoning her Child, "load chrome cartridge! Fire!" Boom! "Who know being a star could be this painful," Yuuichi moaned, trailing smoke and covered in dirt from the near miss. "Get back here!" Mai took another swing at him with the sword. End Notes: this is a silly fic inspired by the three Mai Hime series (Hime, Otome and the Mangas) and the characters reactions to their changed roles. As you can guess I wasn't a big fan of the first volume of the manga...
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