Summary:
For Natsume angels have never existed but when Mikan dies in a car accident he is forced to believe in the one thing he swore he wouldn't have faith in. AU (NxM)
Disclaimer:
I can't say Disclaimed in this one because of two things… scratch that three things.
1. I don't own Gakuen Alice; the series belongs to Higuchi Tachibana-sensei.
2. I actually got the idea from Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler. I've basically replaced the characters with the Gakuen Alice characters, and also the storyline is quite similar. I've just decided to add a twist to it. Give thanks to these two authors for such an amazing plot!
3. I don't own anything… Probably not the idea either. Oh well.
T.K.'s Rant:
I've finally finished this story by Elizabeth Chandler and I have to say; OMG! O.o; I was so frustrated with how it ended, but it was sooooooOOOOooo amazing! Just for reference Nasume=Ivy, Mikan=Tristan, Ruka=Lacey, and Hotaru=Will. (Except since I've changed the ending a bit, it won't be the same couplings as the book. So relax. :3
Genre:
Tragedy, Crime, Angst, Mystery, Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Romance, Slight Humor, Supernatural
To Believe or Not:
Was this the end? Was this where we draw the curtain on this charade and call it game over? Has this endless cat and mouse game come to a close… and I just happened to be the mouse?
Taking a deep breath I breathed in slowly, ranging how long I had before this ended.
"You should have minded your own business."
And the gun fired off.
"Neh, Natsume?"
"What?"
"Do you believe… in Angels?"
"No… I don't."
"Moe, couldn't you have said something cheesy like: 'Yes, since you are my angel.'"
"…"
"…"
…
"Don't give me that look!"
"Tch, I was stupefied by how corny that line was."
"Well sorry!"
…
"Do you?"
"Do I…?"
"Believe?"
"Yes, I believe in many things. Angels just happen to be in my top three list of beliefs!"
"Then… that's good enough for me."
"Really? … So you do believe?"
"No… but you can believe for the both of us."
"Hehe. Alight! I'll pray for the both of us then!"
That was the last night me and Mikan were together.
Our last discussion…
Our last kiss.
"Mikan?" I remembered sitting in the passenger's seat of her beloved car. The windows were currently rolled down, and our music was blasting. If I had been a bystander walking along the road, I would have called us both idiots for barreling down the mountain path at 45 miles per hour with our music so loud that it caused the ground to shake… but I wasn't.
"Yeah?" She had stopped singing along with the lyrics long enough to answer back.
Did I chuckle? Or did I move along with the bass? I couldn't remember. All I was trying to do was make fun of her, and perhaps gain some more brownie points for being an awesome boyfriend. For some weird reason girls really like guys who were very protective.
"You know you can slow down. I don't care if we're late."
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried over her health and safety. If we did wind up in an accident I probably would have blamed myself. No, not probably. I would have… but I wasn't really worried. Mikan was a great driver, maybe even better than I was. She was always careful on the road.
Trust me. It took a lot for me to admit that someone was better than me. Truly it did.
"Alright, alright!" I watched her move her right foot that was hovering over the accelerator to the brake and she gradually pressed down on the brake. Only the car didn't slow down like it was supposed to. It continued down the path at the consistent speed of 45 miles.
"Mik-!!" I was about to shout some kind of profanity but her frightened gaze stopped me. Her hands, porcelain white, clenched the steering wheel tightly. Her right foot was pumping the brake, probably hoping like me, that it was only a brake malfunction. It was her face that scared me the most. It was actually the one thing that still haunted me from the accident.
Hazel orbs fixated on something that happened to freeze in front of her. A deer froze in the middle of the path and just like Mikan, had frozen in its spot. Stupid deer. If it had a normal brain it would have jumped out of the way and we'd be alright… but it was again one of those 'what if?' statements.
If only.
"Watch out!" I had hoped my voice would bring the deer to its senses and leave, but I think I was trying to warn Mikan as well. At the time I didn't know what I was thinking. I was just hoping that we wouldn't wind up dead.
"Natsume---!" I heard the frightened honey-soaked voice that belonged to my girlfriend. Her voice trembled, and I could feel the tears. She was going to cry. She had last hope.
The last time…
The last words…
This was my eternal nightmare.
"You cut her brakes."
My voice never wavered as I stared hatefully at the man before me.
"All because you thought she saw something."
"…"
"She was making a delivery that night the murder of Yuka Azumi happened. Unfortunately the delivery was to her next door neighbor at 32nd street and Willow. She should have been at my house for her little brother's…. Youichii's birthday party but that stupid Tsubasa told her to make one last delivery for him.
It had started to rain heavily, and as she was running back to her car… she had no idea that a murder had happened. In fact, when she looked up at her house with no lights inside she didn't think twice about the shadow in the window. She was just worried about making it to my house in time.
But in reality, you shot her mother and when you looked outside you saw Mikan's retreating figure in the rain. You feared that she saw the murder with her own eyes and would tell the public of what had happened.
That was when you changed targets.
The sad thing was though… she didn't even witness the crime that you committed. In fact, she didn't think any of it at all. Later that night when the police arrived telling her and her brother that their mother was found dead, she never doubted it to be a murder. She assumed it had been suicide. That was, after all, the reasoning the police came up with.
You would have definitely gotten away with your crimes if you hadn't had murdered Mikan. I wouldn't be here now risking my life to catch her families' murderer. Too bad."
My voice dripped with venom; it was all true. At least it made sense with what had occurred in the past three months… and he would never have gotten to where he was without the help of Tsubasa and Hotaru.
"How…" he finally spoke to me, finally acknowledged my presence. His deep vibrato echoed within the barren warehouse. "Did you get to that conclusion Natsume? Did you hire a detective? Guessed?"
I grimaced as he began to laugh out loud.
"Tell me." His black onyx eyes gleamed with humor.
Taking a deep breath, I began down my memories once more.
It was two weeks after the accident.
I was very fortunate to have survived, but it was an entirely different matter for Mikan.
Perhaps it was the angle of how she hit the deer, or was it the mountain? All I could remember was the glass imploding in, the sickening crunch of bone as the deer crashed through, and the car swerving to the right at a ninety degree angle.
The velocity we hit caused Mikan to die instantly.
And me?
I suffered four gashes, ten bruises, and thirty-eight stitches.
Pretty damned lucky.
"We stand here today to send Mikan Sakura above to where her living mother shall welcome her beyond the gates to heaven…"
My hands clenched tightly to Youichii's as he began to cry; He was after all the only one left in his family. His step-father disappeared, his mother committed suicide, and Mikan died in this accident. I wouldn't blame anyone for crying if they were in his shoes.
Honestly I thought men should never cry; they should always leave those emotions to their girlfriends, mothers, and sisters… but when it revolves around a loving girl, your beautiful girlfriend, and a young, older gentle sister?
Like I said before, I wouldn't blame anyone, man or woman, who shed those tears of grief.
After the burial Mikan was buried six feet under and just was left of the grounds was the gorgeous tombstone that was decorated with a porcelain angel on top.
Here rests Mikan Sakura
A loving daughter
A caring sister
A wonderful lover
Youichii stood beside me as the shadows of people moved to place their wishes and flowers on the ground. I didn't budge from my spot as people offered both me and my little protégé their condolences.
I didn't know how long I stood there, but it was well beyond a couple hours.
The only reason I knew that was because Youichii tugged onto my sleeves as the clouds shifted into a darker gray. The thunder rolled by soon after that and the wind picked up. Then the drops started falling. They came from the clouds above, and down my face.
"Natsume-nii-san?"
It was his voice, his eyes. Everything about this ten year old boy sent me crashing down to my knees. It was too unbearable. This weightlessness in my heart; the pain of not ever seeing her next to me. That day, I truly did feel like I had died as well. Everything in me died.
"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry Youichii. I'm sorry I couldn't…" I croaked over the words, trying to wipe the tears from my face so that he wouldn't see me weak.
God damned Pride.
"I couldn't protect her." With my left hand I pounded on the earth where she laid and cried angrily out.
"If only… If only I had died… If I died, she wouldn't be down rotting with the rest of those forsaken souls… She'd still be here with you, eating her favorite howalon snack… Damn it all… If I hadn't had pressured her into going out for dinner that night… To dance at the lake… to lie out in the grass! If I…!"
I had stopped berating myself when Youichii's small hands wrapped around my neck in a comforting hug. His face was soaked by the rain that was slowly beginning to become heavier. Soaked in our black tuxedo's we stayed there in the quiet graveyard crying our hearts out.
Unable to stand it I brought us both into a tight hug and stared at the sky. The looming darkness remained overhead as if to shed its own tears for the death of her.
It was ironic.
Mikan had talked so much about her faith in those angels…
Why did it seem to me that out of the two of us, why did they take Mikan away? If they truly did do miracles, they would have at least protected Mikan.
Then the revelation came to me.
Angels… are… not real…
And I refuse.
I refuse to believe.
"Nastume!"
…Who's there?
"Natsume!"
Who's… there?
"Natsume please remember!"
Mikan!
With my hand over my heart I awoke with a start. The comforter had shifted to the floor as I jumped out of my bed. I thought…
"Mi…kan?"
I swore she was there.
But she wasn't.
Relaxing my tensed shoulders I wiped away the sweat that had accumulated from the dream.
There was nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
"Damn it all." I had grumbled. My hands were terribly shaky and I couldn't even tell what the time was.
Was it morning?
Was it the afternoon?
Was it still night time?
Positioning my left knee up to my chin I shook my head and hoped the insomnia would pass.
"Natsume-nii-san?"
I stopped my 'cooking' at the counter to see Youichii holding a small package in his tiny hands. His hands were clenching it as if it was of dire need of protection.
"Yeah? What's up?"
This chef was preparing a peanut butter sandwich for him, and I had to say, it was going to be the best goddamned sandwich available.
"Do… you… believe in angels Natsume-nii-san?"
The butter knife that I had in my grasp slipped from my sweaty palms, then it landed on the counter with a horrible sound. So much for that amazing sandwich.
"Do… you?"
I was faced the opposite direction of him, trying so hard not to snap or breakdown. It was... still hard to grasp that she wasn't around.
"Natsume-nii-san?"
"No."
I could feel my voice shaking. My whole soul was screaming at me to stop. To shut up and ignore his questions, but I knew who he was. He'd continue to persist until he got an answer. Like sister like brother.
"I don't believe in something that would take Mikan away from me… from us. I refuse to."
Picking up the utensil I dropped I began to splatter the peanut butter onto the bread and slammed the two pieces together. Then with unnecessary force I tossed the knife into the sink.
"If…" I heard his trembling voice. It was like he was convinced that angels were real. He was pleading me. Begging me to believe.
"Don't."
Coldly I replied to him. It wasn't like I wanted to hurt the poor ten year old, but the topic was touchy for some reason.
"But…!"
"No!" I grunted out in quick action. To emphasize my point I even slammed the two pieces of bread together and handed it to him.
"Eat. I'll put your toy in your room."
I didn't want to be the villain in this situation… but I was quite stubborn. Hell, I was selfish and wasn't ready to deal with anything, not even from the one person that was close to her. I'm such a prick.
"It's not a toy Natsume-nii-san! It's an angel Mikan-nee-chan told me to give you! She said that you need to believe in…"
"Enough!"
Taking the angel from his hands I deftly put the sandwich in his hand and stomped my way out of the kitchen. The soft sobbing that he had started could be heard even beyond the closed door.
Bringing myself to the couch in the living room I brought the angel above my head and groaned.
"Angels… aren't real…"
It was our first day back to school since the accident. After I had made up with Youichii I dropped him off at his school and made my way to my own high school.
Though my insomnia had yet to vanish, and I could tell that my sanity was on the verge of breaking. My little outburst with Youichii the previous day was proof of that.
"Yo! Natsume, you okay man?"
I snapped out of my trance to find Kokoroyomi's hand waving in front of my face; he was my one friend from elementary school besides Mikan. Those two were the closet to me… well now one is close to me now.
"I'm fine." Swatting his hand with my own I pulled my raven hair back from my forehead. "It just… feels like I'm forgetting something important… It's like its eating me up from the inside."
I watched him think about what I said, and then he shrugged his shoulders and bit his apple. His eyes began to trail towards the bland school ceiling.
"Maybe in the accident your memory lapsed?"
Thank you Koko for taking the moment as seriously as you could.
"It is plausible. Or perhaps Mikan's death was too traumatic and you just forgot. Poof!"
That was when Koko acted out with his hands an exploding bomb that exploded in close quarters.
Then again, I should have known he wouldn't take this seriously.
"I… don't know." I admitted finally.
It wasn't like I was going to get anywhere with this thinking anyway. Maybe Koko was right? Maybe my memory relapsed and over time I would remember the details… Though what if I regret remembering?
"…remember…"
I snapped my head up as her voice popped into my head.
"Woah! Natsume, you okay?"
"…Our accident… not… believe…"
"Do you hear that?" I asked, looking around me to see if someone was playing a prank on me.
"Hear what man? That the students are talking in the background? We are in the cafeteria you know."
"No, it's Mikan… Mikan's voice." I replied, carefully choosing my words as I looked around the room. I guess I didn't choose my words well since Koko stiffened.
"Uh, I'm going to get the nurse. Stay here, okay man? I'll be right back!"
The screeching sounds from his chair echoed in my ears as Koko rushed away. I stared at the ceiling, and then I looked at my untouched food. Surprisingly, just looking at that food made me sick.
"Mikan? Are you there?" I whispered, honestly feeling like a lunatic. My lack of sleep, these trances, and the strange feeling of heat erupting from my forehead seemed to be getting me.
"I'm sorry I don't get it." I mumbled finally and then I collapsed.
That was the first time in a while that the darkness was pure bliss.
"I suggest you stay home for a while Natsume Hyuuga. Your fever has clearly peaked over 101 degrees and it would be quite the predicament if you gave your cold to the other students."
I laid silently in the gurney as the nurse Rei Serio looked me over to see if there was anything else wrong with me.
Was it bad for me to hate someone for no reason? I remembered Mikan didn't like him that much… so maybe I was biased?
"Do you hear me Natsume?"
"…Yes. Now get out of my face."
Unfortunately he didn't seem to take my threat seriously and decided to stay longer.
"How is your memory doing? Kokoroyomi was telling me about your fragmented memories. Perhaps I could help you decipher them?"
Damn you Koko.
"It's nothing. I just keep remembering glass imploding. The deer was aiming for our car too… at least in the dreams. I was shouting out to her and Mikan was scared. I could tell she didn't even know what to do."
"And anything else?"
Was it just me, or did he just try to probe more into a traumatized student?
He was even taking notes.
"Nothing…"
With a snap f his notebook he left my side and went to his desk.
"If you remember," I heard him say. "Come to me immediately. Perhaps I can help you with finding a clue to your elapses. Now you may go."
With the flick of his wrist I was directed to the door and I was taken home.
"Will he hear me?"
"I don't know. His hatred to himself and towards the angels seems to be blocking us."
"Natsume… is there anything I can do? He's suffering."
"And he'll continue to suffer…"
"I have to get him to remember though… if we can't get him to remember… he may wind up like me. He has to know that something bad has happened."
"…Mikan."
"It'll be painful for him, but he has to know. Natsume has to know that our accident was not an accident."
"…"
"Ruka please help me!"
"…Alright. Then allow me to offer my assistance; as a friend and as an angel."
"Thank you. Ruka."
I was sitting in the driver's seat driving down the path. The music was blaring and the windows were down. The wind that had rushed inside the cabin had played with my hair indicated that I may need to get it cut soon.
One of my hands were lightly holding onto the steering wheel, and the other was resting on the armrest holding her hand.
"Natsume?"
"Yeah?"
"You know you can slow down. I don't care if we're late."
"Alright, alrigh-!" I moved my foot to the brake and froze. It was the same. The exact same on that night.
"Mik-!!"
My right foot pushed on the brake, hoping to the gods that the car would stop before the deer would appear. I pleaded, begged, and finally stopped.
My eyes fixed on the road, the fear coursed through my mind as the pedal fell to the floor without resistance.
It wasn't working.
The. Brakes. Weren't. Working.
"Watch out!" Her voice brought my attention to the road and the deer that was waiting. Staring at us with those glazed eyes.
"Natsume!"
"Natsume! Natsume-nii-san!"
The horrible screams that filled my ears didn't stop until Youichii had slapped my head with a pillow.
Go Youichii.
"Youichii…?"
I saw him drop the pillow. His eyes were filled with tears as he embraced me.
Did I terrify him?
I must have because he began to bawl into my shirt and trembled.
"You were having a nightmare… and I was so scared that you wouldn't stop screaming… I tried waking you but you didn't respond. Natsume-nii-san… don't leave. I'm sorry. It was a nightmare. It's just a nightmare!"
Wrapping my arms around him I moved so that I was leaning against my bed frame and sighed.
"Forgive me. Onii-san is not leaving you. Relax."
"Natsume-nii-san?"
"It's nothing. Just stay by me tonight. We'll both fight off the nightmares. Okay?"
"…Okay."
We stayed up all night randomly talking about absolutely nothing, and while I was still wide awake when Youichii began to doze off and then he wound up asleep in my arms.
Bringing the blanket over his sleeping form I looked at my ceiling.
These nightmares were going to be the death of me. I know it.
"What the hell do you want?" It had been two days since my last nightmare. It wasn't like I was neglecting my health or anything but everyone around me thought I would drop dead.
Enter the reason why she was here.
"Is that all you have to say to me after two years Hyuuga? I'm hurt."
Pushing me aside from the door, she dropped her luggage near my couch and inspected my home. Damn witch.
"I don't care how you feel, but who the hell told you would be staying here? Go find yourself a hotel, since we both know you have the money for it."
It wasn't like I disliked her, correction, it wasn't like I hated her but she was a pain in the ass.
It was essentially painful especially with that camera she sported around with her. Not to mention those random gadgets she makes for her own profit and mischief.
"Subaru told me that you might commit suicide so of course I can't leave for a hotel. That's why I'll be here to prevent it. Nii-san doesn't want to have to see another autopsy report for another body in this town."
"Damn you. You Imai's just love to stick your nose in the middle of things, don't you?"
I saw the ghost of a smile cross her face. Her amethyst eyes sparkled with the humor as if she'd been told a joke.
Curse her.
"Of course my dear cousin, now show me to my room so I can rest, and you better have crab brains in your fridge by dinner."
"Get your own Goddamned brains yourself Imai."
Slamming my door, I walked passed her to go towards the back of the house. There were two rooms and a guest room (currently being used as storage); next to these rooms were the kitchen and the bathroom. A small but cozy home.
Here's a little snippet of my life in a nutshell. The reason why my family isn't here is because I'm emancipated. Being seventeen had its advantages, and I wasn't about to move over seas just because my parents told me. I suppose that's why people tend to call me a rebel, but my main reason for staying here was for Mikan…. With her gone I really don't know what I want to do anymore.
"Here you go Ice queen. Hope it's to your liking."
Walking into the threshold she held her nose as she viewed her new home for a while. Hell I wasn't a five star hotel. She'd just have to deal with what I gave her, and that was one of the reasons why I was smirking ever so slightly.
"…It'll do. It's a bit dusty, but you can clean it for me…"
"I'm not your maid!" I retorted. There was no way in the nine hells that I was doing cleaning for her.
"But you are the host, there also needs to be a computer in here for me to complete my work. Your laptop will do."
Stoic bitch.
I could feel my eyes twitching.
"…Anything else?"
My voice was tipped with anger but I tried to contain it. That's all I've been doing lately, containing and breaking.
And to piss me off further she said the next nine words with humor.
"Lose the suicidal attitude and I can go home."
"Fuck you Hotaru."
"You're tired, rest Mikan."
"No…he's still…"
"If you push yourself too hard you'll wind up in hell and your mission won't be completed."
"…My mission… Ruka… did you?"
"Yes, I've found out about your accident… and how it's connected to your mother's incident. We'll talk later after you're rested."
"But…Natsume he…"
"He's not going to budge on the angel deal… and don't worry. Hotaru Imai is staying at his dwelling with him and Youichii. He's safe so rest."
"I see…"
Closing her hazel eyes she surrendered to the dark.
"How many dreams do you intend to show him Mikan? Until he remembers or until he starts believing… what's your true motive in all this Mikan?"
"How long since your last nightmare?"
"A week and a half."
I sat still in the uncomfortable seat provided by my new guidance counselor. Who knew Rei Serio also had a degree in psychology?
"Are you sleeping alright?"
"Hn." The nightmares did indeed stop but that didn't mean that I had bouts full of sleep. It was quite the opposite actually; strangely I had thought that the dreams were nothing more than grievances and regret. That it was one of the things I had to endure in order to cope with Mikan's death.
…But for the dreams to stop only two months later?
There was something wrong with that.
"I'll take your irate response as a no. Could it be because of your memories? Did you remember anything?"
Snapping my raven head up I saw his onyx eyes gleaming with curiosity. He was softly smiling as if he had just won a prize; why was he so concerned over my fragmented mind? Could he know what I didn't? Did he assume that I had seen something during the accident that could determine that something had gone awry?
All I knew was that this was by no means a 'therapy' meeting.
Somehow I was under the impression that this session was started to show whether or not I remembered this 'something.'
Too bad I don't have the slightest clue, but I had a sort of key to this puzzle. This puzzle of mystery could only be solved with my memories of the accident. Why else would Mikan's voice come back to me and fervently tell me to remember?
"Sorry. I don't know remember anything else other than what I told you previously in our last meeting."
I don't trust him.
"I see. That's all the time we have then."
I don't like how his eyes begin to gleam whenever he mentions my traumatized mind.
"Hn."
I don't like that smile he sports whenever he thinks he's discovered my weak point.
"Well Natsume, you may go back to class. Our next session will be next Thursday. Same time."
I rose from my spot, glaring suspiciously at his nonchalance in this, but all he did was nod and pointed to the door.
Good, one council meeting over, twenty-bazillion to go.
"Ah, yes; before I forget Natsume, I heard your cousin Hotaru Imai transferred in. Make sure you don't trouble her too much." Serio-sensei chuckled at his own joke, pleased to know that I was hatefully glaring daggers his way.
"Right," I replied coldly, "Because I'm on the brink of insanity. You all can go fuck yourselves and mind your own business."
Watching the boy walk out of his office Rei Serio moved to his desk to where his phone lay. Picking it off of the receiver he dialed a number and waited for the response of the person he was calling.
…
"Just so you know, he doesn't know anything; The Golden kitty never mentioned the incident she saw to him and the Black Cat has yet to suspect foul play… but I think he's playing it out until one of us slips….Yes, I plan to. Don't worry; one more murder won't be too much. I can cover that much, at least for the autopsies. Imai won't be doing the autopsies, I can assure you of that; yes, yes. I'll contact you later."
Hanging up the phone Rei Serio sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"He was always such a greedy man."
I was determined to get behind everything. The find out why this chain of events happened the way they did. Was it truly an accident? Was I just over thinking this? Shaking my head I walked crisply through the cafeteria to the one person I knew I could trust.
"Imai."
I hated the fact that I was forced to rely on her of a people, but she did manage on her first day here to receive the legendary title of: "Blackmailing Queen." That in itself must be good. Sort of.
"Hyuuga. How can I help you today?"
I could see the smirk tugging at her lips at the thought of a Hyuuga asking an Imai for help…. And as always, she seemed to know exactly what I was asking for.
"I need you to do me a favor…"
"Ruka?"
"Oh, you're up?"
"Mhmm, how long was I out for?"
"Two weeks. Do you need me to catch you up?"
"Err… yes please. How is he?"
"Natsume is fine. He's suffering from insomnia but the nurse prescribed him a sedative to take. Imai began administering it to him when she thought it was necessary."
"So he's still alive and well?"
"More or less. He's beginning to suspect the accident."
"The dreams have helped him then? Maybe it was Youichii's asking him if he believed…"
"Not sure. We'll see what happens; but Mikan I was wondering. Why are you so persistent to reach him? He's alive and you're dead. You guys can't be together."
"….I know; but I can't stop hoping that we'll be together again."
"…Mikan."
"I know its impossible Ruka but there has to be a way just to reach him… to tell him that I love him, and that he should move on. He should fall in love, he should have a family, and he should enjoy the wonders of living! I… just don't know. I figured we were meant to be, but… after this I'm not so sure."
A single tear escaped her hazel eyes as she faced the clouds.
"…"
"…Ruka."
"Yeah."
"Tell me about the incident of my mother, and the connection it had to my death. If Natsume is searching for those answers… then I should too. That way I'm on terms with what's happening presently."
"…And what if you don't like what you see?"
"There's nothing I can do about it Ruka. As you said, I'm dead. I can't change that fact, but I want to help Natsume from facing the same fate as me. I was brought her as an angel to help him after all."
"Alright, then I'll start with this then. Mikan do you remember the night of your mother's incident?"
"You mean when she committed suicide?"
"Yes, should I help you recollect your thoughts and perhaps shed light on what truly happened?"
"She didn't commit suicide then? She was murdered?"
"I'll leave that to your impression once I show you."
"But won't that tire you?"
"…A bit, but after some rest I'll be fine. Don't give me that worried look Mikan. You're here to do one thing and that is to save Natsume Hyuuga… and it revolves around your family. Now, Mikan close your eyes and we'll relive your memories."
"…Okay."
This evening I had taken a liking to the gaming system Youichii had in his room. It wasn't like I was trying to drown out reality but… okay maybe I was, but Imai was just taking too long.
"Score two for Youichii!" His soccer ball had busted through my unbeatable defense and past the goalie. Curse it all.
"Neh, Neh, Natsume-nii-san, I believe I win this round with three to one!"
Shaking my head I dropped my controller in defeat and sighed. There went my allowance.
"What do you want squirt? A book? Another game?" The conditions were of course set by me obviously thinking I could win against a nine-year old kid at FIFA Soccer 2009. Boy was I dead wrong.
Normally I used proverbs to help back my point… but I suppose: "I wouldn't back up a losing horse…" would fit this type of situation. Oh the irony.
"I want Natsume-nii-san to buy me another game!! It has to be multi-player so that we can both play!"
"And so that you can overkill me as well?" I smirked. The kid was getting a bit too dangerous to be considered a 'non-lethal threat' at games.
"That too!" I saw the smile spreading across his face, and for an instant I thought I saw an image of Mikan standing behind him rubbing his hair. She always did that when she was praising him. Lifting my hand to my red eyes I rubbed them until the apparition went away.
There was no way I was letting this get me down. I had to move on.
The door to the living room creaked open and a pair of footsteps fell short behind me. Curious to see who it was, even though I had the feeling it would Imai, I lifted my head back to see her standing above me in her usual Denim jeans and long sleeved stripped shirt. On top of that was her favorite black vest.
Suddenly my eyes locked onto the packet that she was holding in her left hand. It looked to be about ten inches wide… which wasn't a good sign.
"Youichii," I started, "Turn the game off. It's time for bed."
The kid absently nodded, noting the sour atmosphere and did as he was told. When he was on his way out of the room, he turned around and smiled lightly.
"G'Night Natsume-nii-san, Hotaru-nee-chan."
"Night." Surprisingly both of us said this at the exact same time and we ended up glaring at each other to see who was mimicking the other first.
This was getting us nowhere.
"What's that?" I replied in a bored tone. My feet were rising from my sitting position to check that the television and Playstation 2 were turned off properly. I knew Youichii had turned it off, but I used it as an excuse to move around.
"Your report," I heard her start. "It's about your girlfriend's car, and I also decided to do some extra looking into it just because I was concerned."
"You make it sound like you discovered something bad."
"I did."
I noticed Imai's face slightly crack, the sadness in her eyes, the way her lips quirked in that frown. Crap, this was definitely not good.
"Give it." She handed the report to me almost immediately as if the paper burned her. It looked like a regular manila packet, the seal nicely set at the top, clearly tempting me to break it and peer at the papers inside.
Ripping it off I pulled out the papers that were neatly stapled together and read the first paragraph. Two pictures slipped out from the bottom as I skimmed the rest of the details.
"You're dropping the pictures Hyuuga." She said out loud to me, the monotone tone came back just as quickly as it had broken. She was very good at covering up her true feelings, I'd give her that.
"Can we sit down? I think it might be easier than standing on edge."
"The great Natsume Hyuuga having a weak moment? Wait, I need my camera." She was about to turn around but my right hand clamped down on her shoulder and kept her from going.
"You get that camera and there will be one more death that your brother may have to investigate."
"Relax, I'm joking." Somehow I doubt that.
"…Tch." Walking over to the table I pulled the seat out and plopped down exhausted.
"So, why were you interested in the accident? Did something happen?" Hotaru pulled out the chair across from me out and sat down calmly. Her amethyst eyes were concentrating directly on the papers in my hands. If anything, this should have the answers to all the questions I've had.
"I don't know…" I placed the papers back down on the table and pulled my raven bangs from out of my face. "I've been having these strange revelations about just the accident. Sometimes it would be me driving, sometimes it would be just be the glass imploding, other times it's been just her voice asking… no it wasn't asking, it was pleading me to remember. Then those counseling sessions with the nurse at school has been asking me about my omitted memories. Why can't I remember something? Why is Serio persisting on my memories of the accident…?"
Hotaru put the two pictures down on the table in front of me and the gruesome images taunted me over and over again. The car's front was indented in and the windshield was destroyed beyond repair. Blood splatter was all over the upholstery and the left side of the car was heavily damaged. The right side, the passengers, wasn't damaged to the extent like it was on the other side.
"Suspecting foul play?" She replied nonchalantly.
"Maybe… Yes… no… I don't know, but if it was foul play why would someone kill Mikan? Or was their target someone else?"
My head was hurting, it wasn't like me to just give up but what else could I do? I've endured the nightmares, I've survived the incident, and her voice keeps coming back to me as if to warn me. Somehow the only rational thought that keeps entering my mind is: why her?
Hotaru grabbed the first packet of papers she found on the table and skimmed the details again. That was until she paused.
"…Did Mikan get her car checked recently?"
Absently I waved the question off. "Yeah, she told me her brake's belt had been screeching, and that she decided to play it safe--!! Wait a minute, her brakes!"
"I believe your suspicion of foul play is well-founded Hyuuga. In this report it says that the brakes were not working, but since the front of the car was practically destroyed, they considered that the belt, along with the engine, the heating and cooling system, and the radiator broke in the accident."
My right hand felt heavy, and it followed with a heavy thud on top of the living room table.
"Her brakes… that's a lie… I remember. She was trying her hardest to apply the brake, I noticed that she was pumping the brake pedal and that was when the deer appeared. I should have realized it sooner but deer don't jump out in the summer time… very rarely do they do that, in fact they like to go towards the southern forest. We were in the Northern Forest. There shouldn't have been any deer there."
Hotaru measured the truth in my face, the way I was desperately trying to go against the report.
It didn't make sense so why?
"I believe…" Hotaru started, placing the report lightly on the table and clasping her hands together in front of her. "You are correct Hyuuga. I don't believe this is a mere accident. Someone cut her brakes, and that makes this…"
We were on the same line of thought, and both of our lips moved to form the same two words.
"A murder…"
"We have to stop him Ruka! He's going to…? Ruka?!"
"Sorry Mikan… just need some rest…"
"Ruka? Will you be alright?"
"I'll be fine, the rest is up to you Mikan, you have to save Natsume now, or you'll lose him too."
"Stop Ruka, you should accept the dark and rest. I'll find a way to save him. I won't let that man kill Natsume!"
"…Hehe, You're a good girlfriend. I'm jealous."
The chuckle was soft, a soft hum echoing through the air, as sweet as honey. His azure eyes gleamed with fatigue.
"Mikan, I don't know when I'll wake up. You know how irregular our sleeping hours are."
Mikan could tell he was trying to crack a joke.
"Yes, because two weeks is an equivalent to one day for us angels!"
"Mikan, that man has a slight suspicion that Natsume knows what's going on; He's planning to silence him once and for all… and I believe that your mission… your reason why you're an angel, is to save Natsume. Not just his life… but his belief for us as well; you must. At all costs."
His figure began to fade as the darkness seeped in; and just like that he was gone. "I'll stop that man before… before he kills again. Natsume, Youichii, Hotaru… please be safe."
"Someone cut her brakes, but the question behind this is who and why. Was there something that Mikan did to cause her to be targeted? Or perhaps she saw something she wasn't supposed to see?"
Hotaru had her crab brains in her left hand, her right hand held the report that her eyes had gone over for the umpteenth time that night. It was late, well beyond midnight and we were searching for these answers within the texts.
I was hoping that my recollection would help us further investigate, but it hasn't led us anywhere than prove it was murder.
Nothing else was of use to us. Nothing.
"Mikan was the type to squeal about anything she saw wrong. She was always a tattletail, and besides she was always so ditzy, clumsy, and wore polka-dotted panties; there wouldn't have been anyone in this town that hated her. "
"Polka-dots? What are you a closet case Hyuuga?"
"No, a closet case is someone who is trying to be sexually attracted to the opposite sex. It's also not my fault that her skirt likes to ride up whenever we're in the car."
I knocked down those two reasons with my arrogant answer; I was palpably tired from these deductions she was making. Taking a deep breath I raked through my hair and waited for her response but nothing came. She had calmly resumed eating her brains as if nothing fazed her.
Finishing her food, she wiped her mouth with her hand and stared at me evenly.
"Then we can only assume their target was you. What the hell did you do now?"
I felt the anger peak beyond their normal level and I threw the papers that were currently in my left hand in the air behind me.
"You know what; you and your fucking deductions don't make this any easier. Why the fuck would someone target me? I helped her family out when their step-father disappeared, I had asked her out, I had her brother's birthday at my house, I comforted her and Youichii when we found out their mother died the exact same night, I maintained good grades; so why the fuck would I be targeted? Why would Mikan be targeted? We didn't do anything!"
Somehow during the middle of my monologue I had stood up and raged on about my dilemma. Hotaru calmly stayed in her seat waiting for me to vent through my feelings. After a while I was heaving for breath. I was probably on the verge of hyperventilating.
The seconds ticked by as we both waited in silence. She was sitting, I was standing, and after a moment I slid down in my seat.
"Calm now?"
"Shut it."
"Just making sure I could rationalize with someone and not have a shouting match again."
"Fuck you."
"You said… her mother committed suicide? When did that happen?"
Hotaru was still the same, always going for deductions, but I stopped caring. Let her play detective, I just don't give a damn anymore. Though it would be a lie if I said I wasn't interested in what she was getting at.
"She died on Youichii's birthday; June 20th. The police found her with a gunshot wound in her chest. The gun was in her hands, and there were no other prints found on it or anything else in the house. Her hands had the residue from when the bullet was shot as well."
I was spouting the same stuff the police did to us on the same night she died.
"Hyuuga put two and two together. When was your accident?"
"July 29th. I don't know what you're getting at."
"You're a genius, figure it out." She waited a moment but when she saw the tired look on his face she sighed and pulled up the report of the car accident. "Don't you find it odd? Two people from the same family died in little than a month. Isn't that too coincidental?"
"I see where you're getting at but why would Mikan be targeted? On that day her mom died she was at work delivering for Tsubasa Andou. She said she couldn't make it to Youichii's party until 7:30 at night. It had something to do about deliveries to finish for him."
Her eyes darkened and taped the paper on the table. "And where did she deliver to?"
"How would I know? All I know was that she was soaking wet from the expedition."
"Let me spell it out to you Hyuuga. If she had a delivery near her home, and let's say, her mother's suicide wasn't suicide, but actually murder. If she had to deliver to a neighbor and the murderer saw her, they would assume that she saw them commit the crime. Ergo target her. This is all speculation but if Mikan stumbled upon a murder scene, it would make perfect sense to target her."
No. Way.
Mikan.
"That… idiot!"
"Indeed. Let's call Tsubasa and then Subaru-nii-san. These two will be beneficial to us if our deductions are correct."
Shaking my head, I closed my eyes to stop the tears from pouring down.
T.K.: Hope you guys liked it so far. This is part One. Part Two is coming up shortly. Happy New Years Everyone.
Read and Review Please!!