[NatsumexMikanxRuka] Its been 2 years since Mikan was mysteriously released by the Elementary School Principal and many things have changed. When she returned, Natsume had vanished without a trace and no one knew or could tell Mikan where he was no matter how desperately she asked. Now fast forward 2 years to the present. Ruka has been Mikan's support all these years in place of Natsume, and it has blossomed into an actual relationship. Just when Mikan thinks she had forgotten her scars from the past, however, Natsume suddenly returns to Gakuen Alice, but he's come back a different person. Where has Natsume been all these years? What will happen to Mikan and Ruka's relationship now that Nastume is back? And what of Mikan's still unexplained release from the Elementary School Principal's grasp 2 years ago?

These Chains that Bind Us

**Note~!: I intended for the prologue to be a counterpart to Chapter 141 of the manga where Mikan gets locked up at HQ

~Prologue~These Memories that Bind Us

Many of my memories from two years ago are fuzzy now...Too many sad things…Too many happy things...but I'll never forget that night.

The very last time we met.

"MR. BEAAAAAR! Look! The snow is falling! And on Christmas Eve too!"

The emotionless stuffed bear refused to change his gaze to the oddly overexcited, bouncing girl sitting next to him. Instead, he continued to stare out the window into the snowy distance.

"Wouldn't it be nice? To spend Christmas Eve at the Christmas Ball with everyone….just like last year…..I…really would like..to…"

The bear finally turned to the girl. Tears seemed to overflow the brims of her eyes and endlessly stream down her face. Upon seeing such a bright, young girl break down hysterically like this, the bear instantly and almost reflexively found himself hugging the sobbing girl as tight as he could.

The snowfall began to get worse.

For some reason, he could sympathize with her. This feeling. Yes. He, too, constantly lives with that deep and throbbing pain of wanting so badly to be by someone's side but being unable to do so. That feeling of knowing that no matter how hard you try it just won't be good enough to restore everything back to normal.

"I know it's shameful to cry as much as I am right now..but I really want to see.." Just then the snowfall worsened into a blizzard, making it harder to make out her words between sobs. A lock turned and the door suddenly opened. A small, boyish figure appeared from the shadows of the dimly lit hallway. It was the elementary school principal. His gaze drifted over to the sobbing girl hugging the stuffed bear. Bear glanced up at him out of the corner of his eye and saw a smirk creep up the corners of his mouth. "I'll offer you a deal if you'd like. Under certain conditions, of course."

The girl barely whimpered out a sob-filled "What do you want?"

"Don't be such a brat." The principal chuckled but then regained his usual serious composure. Checking his watch he exclaimed, "Looks like you should be able to make it in time for the Christmas Ball masquerade dance."

"…You mean I…I can finally leave this place?"

"What you thought I'd let you go just like that? No, like I said before, I need someone with an Alice as exceedingly rare as yours to get these Alice stones out of me." Mr. Bear saw the principal's eyes narrow schemingly.

"Ah, but my condition is that you return here immediately after it ends."

The bear tried to stop her but the girl shot up and looked the principal straight in the eye. "I'll go! I'll do it! I don't care about the conditions…If I can at least see them again..even if it's only for a little while..I'd be happy." The principal smirked again then snapped his fingers. Two maids came into the room carrying a white snow-angel dress and a white mask. The principal stopped before he exited the room. "Oh and one more thing…" The girl looked up at him again.

"It's futile to even attempt to escape….so don't even think about it. Remember the deal. The Fuukitai will be all over the place watching your every move anyway so you shouldn't say much either…if you want to prolong what little time you have over there…my Cinderella." He smugly laughed as he left the room.

After she had changed into the sparkling, white dress and the maids had left, she took out her pigtails and let her hair down. A tear rolled down her cheek.

Why am I still crying? I..should show the others my smiling face.." Mr. Bear helped brush her hair out as she placed her hands over her face.

You look three times as ugly when you're crying.

She quickly wiped away her tears, slipped on the mask, and silently ran out to meet the Fuukitai who would escort her to the dance.

The girl stopped just before entering the door, remembering the many memories that were made at the Christmas Ball last year. So much…So much has changed since then. She had one objective, however—to find everyone and let them know how much she missed them. But there was one person she especially had to find and properly talk to. The Fuukitai pushed her in and the sound of beautiful classical music filled her ears. Many of the students whispered to each other because of the unknown girl who had just entered the room.

Hey, who's that girl with the long brown hair?…Why'd she come so late? She didn't even help out with the set up of the ball. How rude. Little brat.

Many of the students started to cause a ruckus by obstructing her way. They got even angrier when she wouldn't respond to them. She knew that the Fuukitai would take her away immediately if she spoke, and she didn't want that. They pushed her to the ground and kicked her. She wanted to call out to her friends, to him. She reached out in the direction of the giant tree on the other side of the room, silently mouthing his name.

"Ne, Imai-san, they said there's some strange girl who just arrived…Do you think it's…" Permy's hand shakily covered her mouth. "No way…" Hotaru immediately dropped the donut she was eating and left to search the room hoping, just hoping, that it really was her. "Shouda-san….." Permy turned her head to find Ruka frozen in his spot. His face cringed in a way that made him look like a lost puppy. He wouldn't move. Permy's head dropped as she smiled while wiping away tears. "I've actually been thinking about this for while….but I'll be performing my last duty now as president of the Natsume and Ruka fan club—who exist to bring happiness to the wonderful Hyuuga Natsume and Nogi Ruka of Class B." She pushed him towards the crowd of people supposedly gathering around the unknown girl.

"Go."

"Who do you think you are?" The girl's mask almost fell off due to one student who tried to rip off her mask. She managed to slip away from the angry crowd because the Fuukitai had stepped in and stopped it before it had escalated. They would not allow anyone to know her true identity. She frantically wiped away her tears as she ran to the giant tree at the other end of the room.

I'm sure he'll be there….Waiting for me…I'm sure of it..

The classical music that once filled the girl's ears now transitioned into a slow, melancholic piano piece. She stopped when she had reached the bottom of the tree. Her head lowered and her tears only worsened. This isn't good…If I can't even speak to them and express my feelings because of the Fuukitai…I should at least greet them with a smile. She wiped away her tears and punched the air. "Osu!"

"Imai-san!" Hotaru turned around to see Ruka running after her. "Do you really think it's her? I…We need to tell him." Hotaru stopped in her tracks. "Baka…Can't you feel it? Mikan's brightly-shining presence. Though it may be dim as a result of all that's happened to her, I know my best friend is somewhere here. …I'm sure he has noticed as well."

Osu!

A familiar voice in the distance. "Imai-san did you hear that?" Ruka and Hotaru instantly turned their gaze in the direction of the voice. Just then, through a small separation in the crowd across the room, they saw a young brown-haired girl carefully wiping away her tears and punching the air. Without a word, Ruka had already started frantically running in that direction. Hotaru whispered her name and ran towards her as well.

The girl knew she had little time but seeing this tree caused her memories from last year's ball to come alive. She started to remember that kiss. Last year…it was her first kiss with him. She carefully touched her lips as she finally looked up at the tree, hoping…longing…to see him.

Except…

He wasn't there. All her feelings completely burst at that point as she collapsed onto the floor crying. She was running out of time. Just then, a boy grasped her hand and pulled her towards the center of the room. Through her tears, she could only make out a black, masked figure, but she knew immediately it was him. She could feel the familiar, fiery warmth pulsating from his hands. She wanted to call out his name so badly, but she didn't want to be taken away from him by the Fuukitai. It seemed he somehow knew of her situation with the Fuukitai as well. She gripped it tighter. If only time could stand still like this…He stopped as she reached her hands around his neck and hugged him closely. She could feel the heat emanating from his neck as she buried her head in it. He turned around and rested his forehead against hers. She could see the burning resolve in his eyes. The boy suddenly started coughing violently. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain pierce her in the core of her heart. "Don't cry…I'll…I'll definitely find a way to save you." She silently sobbed as she felt hot tears run down her face at the sound of his voice. As the music started to climax he twirled her around and they began to dance. Such a short moment of happiness…I was happy to be able to spend it with you…

Ruka and Hotaru watched as the two danced. Ruka felt tears unconsciously begin to fall as he watched the two who were silently dancing. A sad, bittersweet feeling began to fill his heart. Although she was here for now, he knew that the principal wouldn't have set her free just like that. But what could he be scheming? He knew that they'd only have this short amount of time with each other. I'll find a way to make you two meet again. I will.

The clock struck at the hour and one could hear bells tolling in the distance. She felt the grip of his hands tighten around her fingers. "I'll always be with you…even if I can never stand by your side again….

…Mikan." Just then a single tear slowly slid down his cheek. The Fuukitai, upon hearing the bells as ordered, grabbed the girl to take her back to the elementary school principal.

"Natsume!" The girl cried out desperately reaching her hand back out to him. The Fuukitai carrying her must have had the Teleportation Alice because the next thing she knew she was outside the building where she was being detained. The elementary school principal was standing at the entrance smirking.

"Having an Alice that sucks the life out of you in exchange for vast amounts of power…

It's just too bad isn't it?"