Owned

By Nanaho-Hime


"Imai knows."

Hyuuga Natsume peered lazily up at his best friend's panicked visage. Natsume was perfectly aware of the twisted rivalry Ruka shared with Imai Hotaru and really he wasn't too concerned with what Imai had found out about Ruka this time. Of course he felt bad for the poor, blonde, closet animal-lover, but as of yet, all Imai's dirt on them had merely fueled their popularity and their music career, and hid the ulterior motive of their rising stardom.

"Is it the bunny, Ruka?" Natsume put the manga he was reading down on the sofa beside him, "She found out you sleep with a stuffed bunny? I'm sure the fans will find it endearing…"

"It's not the bunny," Ruka hissed, upset with Natsume's lack of urgency, "She found out about the freakin bunny three months ago –it's about the, you know…"

Ruka's blue eyes were begging Natsume to understand the meaningful, exaggerated looks. Although their friendship was a deep one, and all though Natsume had an uncanny ability to read facial expressions (however much he lacked said facial expressions), he could still not, for the life of him, understand just what got Ruka so upset.

"Sorry Ruka but I have no idea what the hell you're talking about," Natsume lifted himself off the couch, slightly alarmed now, "What exactly has Imai found out about?"

Ruka groaned as though he still could not believe just how incredibly, terribly, sneakily, devious Imai was. He peered around, aware that Alice Corporation tended to hide cameras in all of their charges' rooms.

"Let's go for a walk." Ruka whispered, still frightened that one of the CEO's would hear.

Realization dawned on Natsume's face as he finally understood the calamity that was about to befall them. It wasn't possible, they never spoke of it. Was there a traitor in their midst? Was Imai just that good? For the first time in years he felt an uncomfortable churn in his stomach that he vaguely registered as fear.

"Let's go." He rose up immediately, Ruka in pursuit. When he threw open the door he was halted in his tracks, Ruka peered over his shoulder and let out a noise reminiscent of an angry dog.

"Imai," he snarled, as Hotaru leaned casually against the frame of the door.

"Mind if I join you?" Hotaru tilted her head, and phrased the question to sound more like a command.

Ruka's blue eyes were livid, "You banshee! Give me time to break the news to him; he's involved the most out of this whole damn deal!"

Natsume's red eyes darted between Hotaru's calm ones and Ruka's enraged ones. He put a restraining hand on Ruka's shoulder and countered Imai's cool gaze.

"Of course Imai-san, it's always a pleasure to have a fellow Alice employee join us on one of our walks."

It was a mouthful for the usually silent lead singer, and Hotaru's lips upturned slightly at his tact.

"At least one member of Double F has some semblance of perception," she commented archly and without another word made her way down the hall toward the elevator. Ruka was obviously angry but unsure if it was wise to vent at the infamous ice queen when she held so much power in her dictatorial fist.

"I must say Nogi," Hotaru pressed the down button for the elevator, "I'm hurt by your lack of enthusiasm, I only have your best interests at heart."

The elevator had arrived and they stepped inside. It took every ounce of self restraint Ruka had not to lash out at this girl who had been the bane of his existence since his elementary school years.

"Don't BS with me Imai," Ruka warned, his eyes narrowed and his teeth clenched. She smiled ever so slightly at his reaction.

Imai Hotaru was the clandestine ice queen of Alice Corporation, a favorite of the administration for her uncanny ability and business sense. She was the most successful paparazzi they had in years, exploiting members of the company, and making a name for herself. The entire world followed Imai's magazine because she had the most convincing way with a camera, and had the ability to catch even the most careful of celebrities in the most compromising of situations.

Imai was manager of the group, Citrus, and they were quickly rising up in the charts, second only to Natsume's Double F. She was a genius, and an inventor and not to mention one of the hottest girls at Alice Co. according to the poll sponsored by the company few months.

But even Imai had her troublesome secrets.

They all had their troublesome secrets.

Upon exiting the massive branch building Imai made her way across the street, in the direction of the civilian apartment buildings, away from the Alice Co.

Ruka and Natsume shared an apprehensive glance, but followed her silently to wherever it was that she wanted to talk.

She stopped in front of an old, destroyed, abandoned building.

"This is the Anti-Apartment Complex," Hotaru explained casually stepping into the ruins, motioning for them to follow her, "It was burned down in the great fire 30 years ago, and my purposes for it will, as of yet, remain unknown, considering I don't trust either of you."

Natsume had to respect her. She had every minute detail planned to perfection which was why, he supposed, she had managed to shove them into a corner.

Carefully maneuvering over the debris, she led them to the back of the building. The only sign of any shady business was a round table and a collection of assorted chairs around it. The windows were smudged black, and there was a light bulb dangling from the ceiling over the table. Chunks of the ceiling lay, charred on the ground, and shafts of light entered the bleak little room through the holes in the roof. Sakura Mikan was sitting in one of the chairs looking frightened. When she caught sight of Hotaru she sighed.

"Hotaru!" she cried dramatically, "You know I hate it when you leave me alone in this place!"

Hotaru didn't spare her a glance, but took a seat next to her at the table, "Quit the histrionics Mikan."

Mikan sighed again, but went rigid when she caught sight of Natsume, "What's he doing here?"

Hotaru ignored her, "Nogi, Hyuuga, please take a seat."

Natsume, who had gone equally stiff at the sight of Mikan, took a seat across from Imai. It was always a fight between him and Sakura. Not that they hated each other, well some would call it hate. It was more like a much distorted friendship, with constant bickering over silly topics as they danced around the real issue. In any case he didn't want her involved in anything that was going to transpire. She was too naïve, innocent, and stupid, and it bothered him.

Just bothered him.

He had taken a seat across for Imai who was staring at him through intertwined fingers. She was as much an enigma as Natsume was, and he couldn't ever tell who had the upper hand when she was involved. Ruka took a seat next to him, smiled at Mikan, and continued to glower at Hotaru.

They were silent for a solid five minutes before Natsume broke it.

"So spill Imai."

Hotaru tilted her head, her bangs falling away from her eyes, "I know you're trying to get out of the contract."

So it was as he had feared.

"What do you want?" Natsume questioned her quietly; you had to deal with Imai like a time bomb.

Hotaru rolled her eyes, "It's obvious isn't it? I want out too, we want out."

Mikan seemed to know more than originally anticipated because she gulped and nodded. Her eyes were softer, sadder now.

"You know the deal," Hotaru's voice was harsh in its monotony, "Alice Co. took us away from our families and our homes, and basically owns us now. They took us for our talent and our potential and have designated our futures. They sent us to fancy school but now we are locked, trapped within their contract, we can never leave unless we are relieved of our duties. And I know that all of us here want out."

Mikan felt her heart clench painfully. She missed her freedom, she loved her job, she loved to sing, and she loved to act. But she hadn't even been able to attend her grandfather's funeral. She had to run all of her music through the board and she couldn't even breathe without a written form of consent. They owned her.

"First off," Hotaru held up a finger, "Your plan, it will never work."

Natsume raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback at her lack of confidence in their own ability to get themselves out, "And why is that?"

Hotaru's expression never changed, "The more successful you get the more the company will get a hold of you, the so called special privileges are nonexistent, you won't be able to buy your way out of Alice Co. Do you think we're the first to try and get out? We've got to be precise."

Natsume couldn't help but be intrigued. If you couldn't buy your way out and you couldn't sneak your way out then what could be done?

"I don't understand how your plan will work though," Ruka had given up the hostility and was actually negotiating with Imai now.

"It's simple," Hotaru motioned to the notes on the table, "Alice Co. only lets people go if they are of no use to them anymore, or on the off chance that anyone of their shining stars loses them money or if said star is no longer a fan favorite."

Natsume leaned forward in his seat. He really didn't like what Imai was getting at.

"Most people are deluded into actually loving their so called 'fathers' in the Alice Co., those who want to get out are afraid of losing their fans."

"So you want us to lose our fans?" Ruka interrupted. Hotaru rolled her eyes.

"Do you honestly think I'm that stupid?" Hotaru was irritated at the alleged assumption that she was less than genius, "What we're going to do is make you so popular that we're going to be the most powerful Alice idols they've ever had. The increase in popularity will majorly screw up and then we'll let it fade into nothing. Alice Co. will be frustrated with the sudden lack of revenue after the rapid increase they had been experiencing and at first try to threaten us, we will then reveal that Mikan is pregnant and…"

"What?!" They all turned to gape, horrified at Hotaru. Mikan was in such a state of confusion that she didn't really register what Hotaru had just said, Ruka was panic stricken, but Natsume was absolutely livid. He turned to Mikan his eyes subtly flashing in quiet rage.

"You're pregnant?" Natsume's voice was quiet but all the more terrifying for the underlying tone of ire.

"No!" Mikan defended, turning to Hotaru, a plea in her eyes.

"Calm down Hyuuga," Hotaru leaned forward across the table to stare directly at Natsume, "You got her pregnant."

Everyone was completely lost by this point, even Ruka who had a vague understanding of what it was that Imai was proposing.

Hotaru rolled her eyes, "Just let me finish you idiots."

Natsume was still trying to figure just how he had gotten Mikan pregnant. While Mikan was trying to understand how Hotaru knew she was pregnant when she wasn't.

Hotaru stifled a groan of exasperation, "She not really pregnant, we're going to pretend she's pregnant, when the company realizes this , they'll put her out of commission, and when they find out that Natsume's the one who got her pregnant, he'll be out before the media can find out, as for me and Ruka we're going to have a rather nasty break up and the bad publicity will send us packing."

"Wait, break up?" Ruka was staring at Imai with wide eyes.

"I don't understand Hotaru," Mikan was befuddled no question about it. She was pregnant with Natsume's child while Ruka was breaking up with Hotaru?

"Look," Hotaru started over, her patience running dangerously thin, "You know those polls that the company holds every year to decide on the star line up?"

Natsume scowled. Of course he knew about those damn polls he was always somewhere in the top, hottest, best dressed, best singer, best something or other.

"Well are you aware of the who would make the best couple poll?" Hotaru continued, "Well looking at the last five polls the best away to take hold of the fans complete attentions is to go by their own opinions, their own polls, so have you seen the most recent polls?"

Natsume snorted. That was his least favorite of the damn polls. One year he was best suited with Sumire, the other Luna, one year he even got paired up with Anna. Seriously? It really got random at some points. Harada Misaki? Seriously?

"What are you getting at Imai?" Ruka's suspicion was growing and he was wondering why he had agreed to her proposition when he was only given a vague outline. Oh right, he was black mailed. But to break up with Imai he would have had to be with Imai and that was making him very very very uncomfortable.

"Well, honey," Hotaru's lips were quirked in the tiniest way, "Get ready, because we're number two."

Ruka's jaw dropped. Natsume was slightly worried that he'd keel over.

"Me and you?" he let out a strangled sort of shout, "How?"

"Apparently my black mailing you and you getting angry enough to care is a sign of our deepest secret affection." She shrugged her slender shoulders.

Ruka felt as though he would begin to hyperventilate. Hotaru Imai, did everyone think that they were an item? What was this? He wouldn't go so far to say that he hated her, he certainly didn't wish her dead, just very very far away from his own current location. Wait a minute. What was it that she was suggesting?

"So we're together now snookums, get ready to buy me plenty of gifts, it's essential to getting you and me out of the contract." Hotaru smiled deviously, leaving Ruka to soak in the news.

"So," Natsume was finally catching on and he didn't like what he was hearing,.

"So," Hotaru finished his sentence, "The top couple for the last five polls , with 10 million votes worldwide is the lead singer of Citrus and the lead singer of Double F, Sakura Mikan and Natsume Hyuuga."


A/N: Hello and welcome to the prologue of my first Gakuen Alice fanfiction. I'm kind of surprised that it was so long and I hope it wasn't too confusing. I'm only going to continue if I garner enough interest, because what's the point in writing it if no one likes it?

So if you have any questions, comments, critiques, please feel free to leave me a review.

In other words reviews would be lovely :)