Snowflakes By Kourika(jscaife@austin.rr.com) This story takes place during the same timeline as my previous Hime-chan no Ribon story, Hime ni Naru. However, it is a prequel of what *could* have happened after Daichi left, and Hime-chan was having to adjust to not having him in her life. It is not necessary to have read Hime ni Naru before this one, but it may be more interesting that way! The characters presented here are not mine; they are the creation of Mizusawa Megumi-sensei, and Shueisha and TV Tokyo own the rights. Please don't sue me; I'm just a college student, so I wouldn't have anything worthwhile anyhow.^_~ Enjoy! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hime-chan sighed in frustration and clamped the pencil between her teeth. "This algebra stuff doesn't make any sense, and it *would* be assigned on the night when Aiko-oneechan's out of a date, Mama and Yumeko went to an event at the elementary school, and Papa's on location for another film!" The eighteen year old tugged on her shoulder length hair impatiently and bit the pencil so hard it snapped in two. She stared at the pieces helplessly, then stood, slamming the math book shut. "I'll just see what Oneechan left for dinner...maybe my homework will make more sense if I have a full stomach." Another girl, identical to the first except for her wavy hair, perched in the tree outside peering in through the bedroom window and smiling. "Hime-chan, Hime-chan..." Erika shook her head. She eyed the window longingly, but finally climbed down and brushed off her pale pink dress. Years of acquaintance might have earned her some privileges, but Erika preferred *not* giving her best friend, and Human Realm double, a heart attack after all this time. The doorbell broke into Hime-chan's thoughts as she pattered about the kitchen attempting to heat her dinner without any major mishaps. "Who could it be this time of night?" she mused, wiping her hands on her skirt and heading towards the door. "Erika!" the blonde girl squealed with delight as the door swung open. She launched herself at the unexpected visitor and hugged her tightly. "Come in and visit for a bit!" The girl rushed back to the kitchen and began clattering dishes around at a frantic pace, searching for the battered teapot. "If you come in here I'll get something for you to eat..." The Magic Realm's crown princess pushed her hair back behind one ear and stared pensively into her tea mug. "I've meant to come for a while because I thought you'd probably be a bit lonely...with Daichi up in Tokyo that is." Himeko's face clouded suddenly, and she fiddled uneasily with her hands. "I haven't heard from him since he left," she finally whispered. "He promised he'd write, but it almost feels like he's deliberately avoiding me..." Erika comfortingly placed a hand on her friend's arm. "Did something happen before Daichi left?" She pulled away slightly, blushing. "Of course, if it's too personal I understand..." The other girl reddened and hung her hand. After a long pause she finally admitted, "Daichi and I...we...we became lovers the day before he left for school, and I'm afraid that he thinks I was trying to convince him, or trap him, into staying with me..." The princess' eyebrows rose, and she coughed delicately. "I never imagined *that* would be the problem!" she thought nervously. "I just assumed they'd fought again. Honestly, I assumed I'd be the first with the engagement and all..." Trying to conceal her shock, she met Hime-chan's eyes. "There...there's no chance you're, well, um...pregnant?" Himeko blushed more deeply and shook her head. "It's nothing like that...b...but what if Daichi's met someone more feminine in Tokyo?!" She lifted her hair off her neck and yanked harshly. "Even this doesn't conceal the fact that I'm still a tomboy at heart, more masculine than most men!" Erika sighed softly and looked away. "Can't Hime-chan see that Daichi loves her precisely *for* her genki, outgoing personality, not just her appearance?" she thought sadly. "If only there were something I could do to help..." She leaned forward and placed her forehead against the other girl's, smiling mysteriously. "Do you find me beautiful?" Erika asked suddenly. Himeko blinked and tried to pull away, confused by the abrupt change in topic. "You're the loveliest girl I know," she answered truthfully, "along with Aiko-oneechan, but I don't know what that has..." Erika cut her off by lightly putting one hand over her lips and cupping the base of her head with the other. "They say that every snowflake has another that looks exactly like it, somewhere, a perfect match in every way," she breathed huskily, drawing her hand from the other girl's mouth. "*You*, Himeko, are my snowflake," and she brushed a feathery kiss over her double's lips. Hime-chan stiffened in shock and weakly put her hands on Erika's shoulders. The princess gently moved the other girl's hands to her firm breasts and squeezed carefully, gasping with pleasant surprise at the sensation. "What are you doing, Erika?!" Himeko panicked, falling backwards in her chair. Her face shone with a faint sheen of sweat, and her ears burned in embarrassment. The other girl leaned over and stroked her face, and a mischievous light filled her eyes. "Are you sure it doesn't feel good?" Erika breathed into her double's ear, deliberately tracing the contours of her breasts and flicking the taut nipples. "Let me prove how beautiful you are!" She murmured something unintelligible, and a red light flashed between her hands. "Tell me now if I should stop..." Himeko stared into her friend's brown eyes and realized that if she wanted this bizarre incident would end and never again be mentioned, but..."Her touch feels *good*!" she thought in surprise. "It's almost as if I *need* to be loved..." The princess took her silence as acquiescence and swiftly pulled her arms above her head, binding the wrists with a red silk scarf. Straddling Hime-chan's waist, she seductively licked her fingertips and traced a moist path upwards from her friend's collar heading for her satiny lips. Erika traced her companion's mouth meticulously with her fingers, then replaced them with her wet, pink tongue. She tentatively probed the other girl's slightly parted lips, and Himeko moaned softly, twisting erotically beneath her to deepen the kiss. Hime-chan entangled Erika's tongue with her own, drawing it deep within her mouth. The princess tasted of tea and something sweet and intoxicating the other girl could not identify, and she nibbled at Erika's mouth in the same manner that had excited Daichi only months before. She was rewarded with a gasp of pure enjoyment, and the princess clutched at her shoulders, trying to keep from falling forward and smashing Hime-chan's nose. However, seconds later Erika pulled away and began trailing kisses back down towards the collar. Her pace was agonizingly slow, skillfully building tension, and for every hot, tingling kiss Erika deftly undid one button on her companion's loose blouse. When she reached the final button she lightly bit the tender skin at the base of Hime-chan's throat, then opened the cotton garment to reveal the other girl's small breasts. Erika paused a moment, staring at her friend's torso, then reached back to unzip her dress and revealing her bare breasts. She experimentally massaged herself, quivering at the new feelings, then slipped her hands under Hime-chan's back to undo her bra. The princess repeated the subtle massaging motion on her double's chest, moving her hands in smaller and smaller circles until she reached the rosy nipples. The other girl arched into her touch, panting heavily and rubbing against her palms straining for more contact. Erika shyly moved one hand and bent to enclose the tip of Hime-chan's breast with her warm mouth. Her double whimpered and twisted her bound arms in order to hold the princess's head more firmly to her, encouraging Erika to continue. She suckled eagerly, eliciting a sharp cry from her companion, then caressed the erect nub with her tongue. A mysterious warm glow blossomed in her belly as she turned to her friend's other breast, then moved down Himeko's body, playfully licking her stomach above the waistband of her pants. Erika unsnapped the other girl's jeans and chewed her lower lip in frustration as she struggled with the zipper. She finally succeeded in slipping the garment down past her companion's knees and hiked her pink skirt up around her waist. Annoyed with the difficulties in removing clothing the Magic Realm's crown princess whispered a few words and eradicated their remaining undergarments, eager to move forward with her task. Himeko whined, protesting the sudden chill, and rubbed against her friend impatiently. Remembering the other girl's gratifying response to the oral stimulation of her breasts, Erika eyed her nether regions warily and slowly shook her head. Her fingers would just have to do... The princess hesitantly inserted one finger until she reached a sensitive spot then reached out to repeat the technique on her double, instinctively beginning a steady, pulsing rhythm. The girl beneath her moaned enticingly, and Erika inserted a second finger, increasing the intensity for them both. The blazing coil inside tightened painfully, and she added a third digit, probing desperately until something shattered inside, and waves of ecstasy washed over her. An instant later Himeko shuddered below her and called out Daichi's name, tears overflowing. "I'm sorry," Erika apologized as they gathered their strewn clothing, "but it was the only way I could think of to prove how feminine you truly are." She turned an attractive shade of pink and nervously fiddled with her hair, studying her feet. Hime-chan smiled and hugged her friend tightly. "You gave me the opportunity to back out, but I didn't...because part of me wanted to share a lovemaking experience with you..." Erika's face brightened a little, and she met her double's dark gaze. "Do you mean it?" she asked hopefully. "You're really not angry?" The other girl shook her head decisively and patted Erika's shoulder. "I have a favour you could do for me though," she added turning away to rummage through the kitchen drawers. The princess raised an eyebrow and shrugged elegantly. "You know that I'll do anything I can to help..." Hime-chan turned back and handed the other girl a pair of scissors. "You helped me see that I need to move on and stop moping...so, please cut my hair for me!" Erika's eyes widened, and she grasped the tool limply. "Are you *sure*?" she asked in surprise. "You worked so hard to grow it out..." The other girl nodded fiercely. "I wore it like this to be pretty for Daichi, but without him here to see it there's no meaning anymore." The princess sighed quietly as she ruthlessly sheared away Hime-chan's shoulder length locks. "If you'd like to meet someone new, you could try spending more time with your math tutor, Urayama," she teased. "I know that he's interested, and *you* could use the extra study time!" Hime-chan stuck out her tongue and laughed. "What about you and Sei?" she joked back, lightly elbowing her friend. "Things don't seem to be going anywhere with you two!" Erika blushed deeply and dropped the scissors on the table. "Things are going slowly..." she admitted shyly, "but he becomes more attractive and mature with every day that passes." The other girl winked and stood, raising her right arm. "Here's to new lives, with or without men in them!" she smiled bravely, hiding the pain in her heart. "Ike ike go go jump!" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Snowflakes are said to come in pairs, just like the people in the Magic Realm have a double on earth. Therefore, Hime-chan would be Erika's 'snowflake' twin.^_~