Christmas just wasn't Christmas without her best friend, being so loud and cheerful all the time.
Her only bestfriend, since they were still in kindergarten and up until now, knowing that she's locked up inside a tower with only Mr. Bear having to accompany her till God knows when..
Gakuen Alice is now celebrating its 2nd Christmas this year. Gifts, unlimited foods and surprises are to be expected. The academy grounds was filled with people..students, staff workers, and of course, teachers. Students from the different divisions were assigned to wear costume-like clothing, and also the teachers as well. Booths, stalls and bazaars were set up almost everywhere..
With this, the Queen of Inventions took a plate full of crabs from the buffet section and sat down on one of the tables together with her so-called friends. Hotaru started snapping and cracking the shells of the crabs, until she heard someone sighing, a deep one. She stopped as she raised her head from her plate to see Nonoko and Anna with sad looks on their faces.
"Oh this reeks, Christmas will soon be ending in a few weeks and we didn't get to even have some fun or relax for a few days.." Nonoko sipped her warm tea and turned to Anna with an expression telling her to continue what she just said. Anna relaxed her shoulders. "Yeah, and the exams are coming up next as well.."
"D-Don't worry you guys, I'm sure that there will be new events that we can join and have fun with.." Yuu, also known as Iinchou, gave Nonoko and Anna a sheepish smile.
The jet black inventionist certainly wasn't satisfied at all with what they were talking about, so she got back into eating her crabs and started nibbling on them.
After having to finish her crabs successfully, permy let alone, came to their table and asked if anyone of them has seen either Ruka or Natsume. Nonoko and Anna were too busy chatting and giggling to even notice Sumire's presence. Fortunately, Iinchou did a quick response, and just shook his head with a no. Sumire turned to Hotaru, hoping that she might have an idea were they were located.
Hotaru, upon seeing Sumire looking at her, replied back with her usual bored face and monotone voice. "If you're that willing to know where the both of them are...I think I know their exact location by now.."
Sumire beamed with a sly grin on her face. "Where are they Imai..?"
Hotaru calmly stepped a few centimeter backwards and took something out of her purse.
Sumire gave Hotaru a puzzled look. "And what's that suppose to be Imai?"
"It's a tracking device..I snuck into both of their rooms and stuck this onto their clothes the day before yesterday.."
"Why would you do something that suspicious Imai-san? Could it be that you're-?" Sumire was cut off when Hotaru shot her baka gun.
"Shut up you noisy cat-dog."
"Well then? What are you waiting for? Give that tracking device to me now so that I can find them." Sumire was giving off an aura of excitement.
"That will be a total of 30,000 yen."
"3-30,000? Imai are you kidding me? I can't pay that high of a price!"
"You're lucky that I'm already giving you a discount. This was originally 50,000."
Permy snorted and just walked angrily away mumbling something about being so stingy since it was Christmas and all.
Without having to do anything else, Hotaru went to look around for something that can satisfy or much less interst her in some way..
Nothing...she roamed around the stalls and booths for the 5th time now, but still, there was nothing that can satisfy her. She knew that something, or rather someone was missing. Since this celebration started, she never felt the warmth and excitement that made her heart jump like last time. Remembering and wating to feel, just wasn't enough for her.. she needed her so badly.
"Mikan you fool...this is what happens when you follow someone who you shouldn't have followed in the first place.." Seeing as where her feet had taken her, she was now nearing the gates of the academy. Not long after, it started to snow, Hotaru was still lost in thought about Mikan.
It was getting dark. Night will be greeting the academy soon.
"Stupid ankle, how can I get back now that you've become twisted..?" She thought to herself.
She leaned her upper body on the tree. "Man..it's getting colder and colder..Is this some kind of punishment from God..? If it is..I don't know if I should be happy or not recieving this kind of punishment.." Hotaru spoke softly and gently. "This must be it then..."
The snow kept on falling continously, Hotaru closed her eyes as her conciousness drifted away somewhere far. She didn't know if she was just dreaming or remembering what was happening to her right now.
Seeing her best friend, Mikan Sakura, calling her name not from afar. Her heart can feel the warmth that was radiating with that smile of hers. Hotaru smiled, walking slowly towards Mikan who was waving her hand at her. "Over here Hotaru...! Hurry up~!"
"Don't rush me stupid.."
"What did you call me? =A=*"
Hotaru chuckled softly, she prefered to be over here than where she was earlier. Here was everything where dreams can be granted. Ruka and Natsume appeared beside Mikan, waiting for her. But things weren't what she had been expecting. She kept on running, but the distance from where she last ran felt like she didn't even move an inch at all.
Hotaru looked infront, Mikan was still waving at her and calling out her name.
"Hotaru~! Hurry up..!"
"Imai.."
"Imai! Imai wake up right now...!"
Hotaru opened her eyes slowly, her vision was still blurry. "M-Mikan...?"
"Imai, it's me, Ruka."
"Oh..it's you.." Hotaru's vision was starting to come back to normal. Automatically, she aimed her baka-gun towards Ruka. "Don't touch me."
Ruka backed away looking a bit weary with a smile at Hotaru. "Seriously Imai, this isn't the time for that.."
Hotaru put down her baka gun, and stared at Ruka. "What are you doing out here when it's already dark?"
"I should be the one asking you that question."
Hotaru pointed her index finger upwards. Ruka looked up, and saw a nest of a bird's family.
Hotaru told Ruka that one of the mother bird's babies must've fallen off the nest when she found it, so she tried to take it back where it belonged. It was getting cold as well, the baby needed her mother's warmth, but unfortunately, when she was going to come down, she slipped and lost her balance and ended up spraining her right ankle.
"You could have called me and let me take care of that matter.."
"The bird might freeze to death if I did that..."
"..." Ruka sighed and carried Hotaru on his back. "Well then, we should get going, I wouldn't want you to freeze to death here..And what were you thinking of sleeping in such a state that you are in now?"
"It's better for me to freeze to death than go back to the academy and make Mikan sad again.." Hotaru continued to release what she had felt, since the time Mikan got locked up on that tower. "Mikan wouldn't have gone through all of those horrible things if it weren't for me..I'm not worthy of being called her friend.."
"Imai, stop this nonesense what so ever! I know...I know how you feel towards Sakura now that she's in that kind of situation, because I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to Natsume.."
Ruka continued to walk while carrying on his talk together with Hotaru. "I sometimes feel like I'm useless as well, but when I am needed by Natsume, I feel happy and like there's this role that I have to play inside this world."
"Role...to play..?"
Ruka nodded. "Yes, I'm here for a purpose, as a friend, I am here to protect and support him in any way..and guide him into the path that he's going to take.."
Hotaru wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, while being carried. Startled, Ruka stopped his foot steps, "I-Imai~? Wha-"
"Shut up, it's cold.."
"Er..s-sure.."
"So that means...that I..also have a role to play for Mikan..?" Ruka continued as he listened to what Hotaru just said.
"Yeah..not just only you and I, but the others as well.."
Ruka and Hotaru finally reached the Academy where Iinchou, Nonoko, and Anna were all waiting for.
"Oh dear me, Hotaru are you okay?" Nonoko looked at Hotaru with a worried expression.
Iinchou came close to Hotaru and smiled at her. "We were beginning to get worried when you didn't come back and all.."
"Thanks guys, now then, I still have some things that I must do. Ruka, go and take me to my brother."
"S-Sure..but for what..?"
"To get this ankle of mine healed of course. Now get going if you don't want me posting those embarrassing picture of yours."
Ruka ran as he was told to. Not a few minutes have passed, Hotaru and Ruka found Subaru in the High School Division, wherein he usually hangs out with Sakurano, the High School Representative.
The inventionist told Ruka to wait for her outside. Ruka left the room quietly and the conversation between brother and sister started.
"...What is it that you want from me now..?"
"I came here to get my ankle healed, stupid brother."
"Is that how you ask a favor from someone, annoying little sister of mine?"
"Yes, and if you may, please do hurry it up, I don't want to be late for my dance.."
Subaru started healing her sprained ankle. "Ho~? And who might you be dancing with tonight..?"
"It is none of your business.."
Hotaru looked out of the window, taking her time looking at the rabbit-ear's silhoutte, who just helped her earlier.
Subaru glanced at Hotaru and a smirk crept on his face. "It's done."
Hotaru stood up from where she was sitting and headed towards the door.
"And I didn't even get a single 'thank you'? Heh..don't go off with that Nogi boy for long got it?"
Hotaru turned to her brother and said, "Brother..you don't have to get jealous you know.." Hotaru dragged Ruka away, leaving her brother astonished.
"I-Imai..! Where are we going..?"
"Surely you know how to dance right..?"
Ruka caught up to Hotaru's pace and nodded to her in response.
I guess, Mikan isn't the only one who's important to me now..
..You have also..come.. inside this world of mine..
A/N: Whooo~! My very first Gakuen Alice fanfiction is now completed. :D I'm happy for what I have done. Hotaru X Ruka is my second favorite pairing in Gakuen Alice, since it's Christmas, I have decided to write this kind of thing and etc.. I hope you guys enjoyed it~
R&R please~! Cx