WAKE

WAKE

'Natsume.'

'What do you want, Persona…?'

'I have a mission for you, kuro neko.'

'Hn.'

Natsume was running as fast he could, his sweat dripping behind his mask. The enemy was after him. They were fast and were adept at utilizing their Alices. He didn't stand a chance. Why did that Persona give him this mission anyway? The objectives were vague and he had a bad feeling about it too.

'You are to infiltrate a store house by the pier.'

'Hn. That's a pretty easy mission.'

'You better watch your back, little kitten. You might not land on your feet next time.'

With those parting words, Persona disappeared leaving a trail of ashen roses.

"This is a suicide mission. Does the academy plan on getting rid of me?"

Looking behind him, Natsume sees that his enemies are gaining up on him. He continued running and took a sharp turn then bumped into a hard surface. He immediately fell flat on his ass.

"What the…!"

Natsume looked up and saw a burly man. He looked horrible. He was a picture of what you would call a mafia dog in American movies.

"My, you should watch where you are going, kitten."

Natsume moved back but was stopped when he heard his enemies' footsteps right behind him.

'Shit! I'm trapped.'

He opened his hand to unleash some fire works but his foe moved faster. He was knocked out and was bound.

"Go and make our prisoner comfortable boys…"

The speaker was a young man. He had brownish hair and had a lot of piercing.

"Natsume-kun… game over. I wonder if he would like the present I have for him…"

With that he left, chuckling as he went along.

Natsume slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry and could only make out a few things.

"Natsume…!"

Natsume was jolted awake by the voice. Immediately, his sight focused and saw the speaker.

"Mikan!"

"Thank goodness… you're awake! I was thinking you would never gain consciousness!"

"What are you doing here!"

Mikan remained silent and hopped closer to him and moved her lips close to his ear.

"I don't know… one minute I was walking towards Hotaru's laboratory… then… everything went dark… and I suppose I woke up here."

"Are you saying you were kidnapped?"

Mikan shook her head and faced Natsume with a serious look on her face.

"I'm not entirely sure…"

"But…"

"Ack!"

The conversation was roughly interrupted by the fact that Mikan had been picked up and knocked out by a faceless man.

"PUT HER DOWN!"

"I wouldn't get angry if I were you, Natsume-kun…"

"Who…"

Natsume turned and saw the speaker. His eyes narrowed in anger as he saw one of the people who he loathed the most.

"Why you…!"

"Che… that's very articulate, Natsume-kun."

Natsume, who was planning to set the ropes bounding him on fire, was interrupted as the speaker brought up his hand, as if telling him to stop.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"AND WHY THE HELL NOT?!"

"Else… pretty little Mikan here is going to pay…"

"NO! She's not part of this!"

"Now… answer a few questions Natsume-kun."

"I won't!"

"Wrong answer."

Natsume's eyes widened as the faceless man who held Mikan drove a katana through her. And then he saw nothing more than red and heard the sadistic laughter of his enemy.

"No… MIKAN!"