Title: Reminiscence
Author: Aklea N.
Pairings: implied Natsume/Mikan, RukaRu, Nonoko/Yuu, Anna/Koko, Sumire/Mochu
Genres: Angst,
Rating: T
Summary: "Smile, just once, I want to see you smile, a genuine smile." He had smiled, and she had died.
The fire was beautiful, the way it danced with the wind, never dying. She lay on her side, pain chasing away almost all rational thought. She couldn't move, all she could see was the fire, burning, waves of heat radiating around it making the world hazy, or it could have been the pain.
This whole operation had been a trap. She had arrived with her partner to collect a flash drive coded with the AAO's plans to attack the academy, but as soon as the 2 of them entered the compound they were surrounded. They had fought, with his fire and her copied Alices, but it hadn't been enough. They had been injured, captured and tortured for information and still they refused to say a word.
That was when they lit the fire. They had left them there, with no way to escape, too weak to use any alices and too little time to call for back up.
She knew they would die.
Unless…
"NATSUME!! Get out!!!! RUN!!!" She screamed, trying to move her unresponsive body. He didn't have to die. He was closer to the exit and was not completely surrounded by flames. He had an opening, mere seconds to escape and she wanted him to, because he didn't have to die, not for the academy, and not to save her.
He watched the inferno, furious at his inability to control it. He watched as orange flames burned her slowly, her screams for him to run echoing in his ears. He felt a reckless feeling of fear and desperation rise up inside him as he lunged to save her. But it hadn't brought her back. Already she had been pushed past her limit, her head had slumped onto her chest as he fought desperately to control the flames.
"Mikan!" Her eyes fluttered open, the hazel irises cloudy and warped from the heat.
"Nat-nat-sume! Run! Get out of here! Don't worry about me!" She coughed from the smoke and his heart clenched. He shook his head, ran through the fire surrounding her, never minding the burns and picked her up, wincing as he pulled the long lacerations that covered his back.
"Natsume… you need to leave!" She sat up, in a sudden show of strength and grabbed his arm.
"Not without you! I can't leave you to die." He growled as he half-carried, half-dragged her towards the exit.
"Let go!" She swung her legs out of his grasp and pushed him towards the exit. He was running out of time. He stumbled through the door as the building exploded behind him. A body landed next to him. It was Mikan.
"Mikan!" He scrambled to her side and gasped as he saw the grotesque burns and bruises that mark her skin.
She was still breathing.
Her eyes opened slightly. She looked up on him and smiled.
"Natsume…" She winced and coughed the force making her battered body tremble.
"Mikan, don't say anything. Backup should be here soon and we can get you to a hospital." He felt a helpless rage will up inside him. He couldn't do anything for her; he hadn't been trained in emergency medicine to care for this level of injury.
"Natsume, you know better then that. I won't survive this."
"Don't say that!"
"It's true… Natsume before I die… I want you to do something for me."
"You're not going to di-"
"Smile, just once, I want to see you smile, a genuine smile." Natsume was taken aback.
"Please Natsume." Mikan pleaded with him.
He smiled.
"You should know that I would only do it for you, Polka-Dots."
"Thank you. Natsume when I die… don't let them mourn, okay?" He felt sick, she hadn't responded to his name calling.
"What do you mean?"
"No one needs to know I died."
"What!?"
"No one needs to know. I want them to be happy; I don't want them to be sad." She shuddered as if in pain.
"Mikan…"
"Promise me."
"I promise." She smiled one last time, her breathing slowed; each breath seemed to come harder for her. Natsume held her hand as she passed into the final stages of death. Her hazel eyes locked with his as she drew her last breath, and her grip on his hand grew slack.
She was gone.
Gently, he reached out and closed her eyes. He could barely believe it. She was dead.
"Natsume! Are you and Mikan okay?" He looked to the left. It was Narumi-sensei. They had finally sent backup, but it was too late. He didn't answer, he felt empty, like if he opened his mouth the rest of his being would come out and he would have nothing left.
"Natsume! Oh…" Narumi had run up to them and he saw Mikan.
"She's dead." He stated, not caring anymore.
"Natsume…" Narumi knelt by him. He floated away. He lost track of time. The next thing he knew Narumi had wrapped his arms around him and Natsume let him. He needed comfort. Wetness on his cheek startle him and he reached up to touch it, he discovered it was tears.
He was crying, crying for a girl that he had loved for 6 years but he had never gotten the guts to confess. He was crying for a girl that always had a bright smile, who always took her misfortunes as an opportunity for change. He was crying for the girl that had been his light, a bright light in a dark world that was filled with hatred, and hopelessness. She had given him a life that was worth living and now she was gone.
"Natsume." He looked up. It was Narumi again.
"The elementary school principle told us that it is best that you go to school tomorrow. Also we will not tell your classmates that Mikan is gone and we beg you to do the same."
"Why?"
"Mikan left a will."
"What?"
"A will. She wishes us not to tell any of her classmates that she died, but instead erase any memories that they might have of her. She said in her will that she doesn't want anyone to be hurt."
"Stupid."
"That's what she wants."
"…"
"She also wants us to give you this." Narumi handed Natsume a charm bracelet.
"What is it?"
"She made Alice stones and she found which ones complimented you the best, then she made it into a bracelet. She also has left the decision of memory erasure entirely up to you. If you want to have your memories of her erased then we will include you. If not then you will keep your memories and be the only one who will remember who she was."
"I want to keep them."
"I know."
"Narumi-san! Where shall we bury her?"
Some place special was his only answer.
They didn't know, not yet and they would never know.
He had come to class this morning. He had greeted Ruka and Hotaru, and then sat down in his seat. He had done everything that he usually did but it felt wrong because… Mikan wasn't there. His class mates buzzed with excitement about the upcoming senior prom, but all he could think about was her.
Ruka glanced at his best friend in confusion. He was staring blankly at the paper. Despite the fact that Natsume barely ever did homework, he always took the tests and usually scored the best on all of them, but he wasn't writing anything down.
"Natsume!" he hissed, elbowing him in the ribs. He looked up, started.
"What?" he mouthed back. Ruka gestured towards the test. Natsume blinked.
"Oh…"
Ruka rolled his eyes and turned back to his own test.
"Nogi! Hyuuga! Are you talking back there?" Jinno-sensei barked, his wand lighting up dangerously. Ruka hastily shook his head and ducked down out of sight.
5 minutes later
"Hyuuga."
Natsume looked up and saw Jinno-sensei standing next to him.
"It's okay, you can go." He picked up the paper. Natsume nodded and with slightly robotic movements walked out the door. Ruka watched him leave.
What's wrong with him?
It was break. Natsume had returned after Jinno-sensei had left and he was sitting there unmoving.
Suddenly the door burst open.
"Natsume-nii!" Youchi ran into the room. He ran up to Natsume, an unspoken question in his eyes.
Natsume nodded and Youchi burst into tears. Everyone gaped; Youchi Hijiri was not a boy who cried easily, he was like a mini Natsume.
Natsume wrapped his arms around him.
"It's okay, Youchi. It's okay."
They held the funeral in a clearing in the eastern Forest. Only a few select teachers and the Dangerous Ability class attended. Some of the younger members of the class began to cry.
Mikan had taken care of them when she joined. She had loved them even if they didn't need it because the people in the class had drifted to far away from the humane roots that would help the kids. She cared and that was shat mattered to them.
Narumi was there, so was Jinno, Misaki and Serina. Persona stood at the back, he showed no grief, but he was sorry for the loss of one of his students. She had worked hard and had been one of his finest pupils.
"Mikan Sakura was one of the brightest, most cheerful students I have ever encountered. She was always smiling despite the hardships put on her when she first arrived. I watched her work her way up from a no-star to a special-star, from having the worst grades in the class to having some of the best. She helped everyone in her class become motivated, and she worked the hardest of all. I know I will miss her very much."
"Okaa-san, I will miss you where ever you go."
"Mikan Sakura was a very interesting girl. Her alice made her different but that didn't prevent her from making a multitude of friends. She tried her hardest at everything even though it did not seem like it at times. Though I made her a no-star at the beginning, she has certainly earned the rights and privileges of a special star. She brought light to many of your lives and she will be missed."
"Shiro Neko was a fine student. She worked hard, completed many missions and brought great honor and fame to her name. She was one of our very best agents and her loss is felt by many."
"She was one of my first friends. She didn't care about differences. She didn't care about my spilt personalities. She made friends with me and for that I am forever grateful.
"Mikan, thank you for coming to the academy."
(A/N: If you can't figure out who said these, I will put the order at the bottom.)
8 years later
"Mr. Hyuuga! You have a call." Natsume glanced up from the paper work.
"Thank you, Tina." He picked up the phone.
"Hey Ruka."
"Natsume, can you meet me at the café on 7th street at 2?" Natsume checked his schedule.
"Sure, what's wrong?"
"Nothing I just have some news."
"Okay, see you." He hung up.
"Tina, I'm leaving at 1:50."
"Okay, Mr. Hyuuga."
Natsume finished up his work. Running a company wasn't easy but he managed. He was glad for Tina because she helped him managed the details of his life. She was engaged, so there was no threat of the so called 'office scandals' that were said to happen between secretaries and bosses.
He glanced at the clock. It was 1:50.
"Bye Tina."
Natsume walked out of the building to the café where he was meeting Ruka. He was surprised when he got there to see Hotaru there as well. They chatted for awhile then.
"Okay, what's the big news?" Ruka looked at him with a big smile on his face."We're getting married." Natsume choked on his coffee.
"That's great!" he said putting some enthusiasm in his voice. Ruka beamed.
"Good, Natsume will you be my best man?"
"Of course, I will. Who's Hotaru's maid of honor?"
"We're asking Nonoko, Anna, and Sumire to be bridesmaids." Hotaru replied. "They can fight among themselves for the honor of that position." Natsume shook his head, Hotaru was still the same cold, indifferent person she was before but now she's getting married.
"When's the wedding?"
"January 1st. Hotaru wanted it to be on January 1st." Natsume froze. It couldn't be. They couldn't have remembered.
"Why? Is that date special? Other then the fact that it's New Year's, of course."
"Nothing really. I just like that day for some reason." His heart fell. The memory erasing had been to strong.
They chatted for a while longer. Natsume's mind wandered. Today was the day. He should go visit her grave.
Natsume stood up from his seat at the café table.
"Natsume, where are you going?" Ruka asked.
"Gakuen Alice."
"But I thought you vowed you were never going back."
"I'm going to visit someone."
"Who? Youchi?"
"It doesn't matter, anymore. You don't know her."
"It's a girl?"
"It doesn't matter. I'll be back, congrats on your engagement."
"Natsume!! Wait!" but he was already gone.
Natsume entered the academy grounds through the east entrance. He carried a bouquet of flowers. He entered the forest and walked slowly to a clearing by a small pond. It was a beautiful place filled with wild flowers and tall grasses. The birds sang sweetly and in the day the sun would always shine. Occasionally a deer would come and drink the sweet water from the pond, not fearing anyone, because this clearing was a safe haven for everyone.
By the pond was a simple white gravestone. Natsume knelt in front of it, replacing the flowers in the dark purple vase that was always there. The flowers were pretty in the scenic surrounding, several pastel ivory-white roses intermingling with pale orange tangerine tree blossoms.
"Hey Mikan. It's me. It's been 8 years, 8 long, long years since you died, 6 since I left the academy. I'm sorry I haven't visited very often. How are you? How's heaven since I know you're there? I started my own company and it's flourishing. Ruka and Hotaru are getting married, soon. They started a company as well. They are creating and selling machines that will help crippled animals. It's just like them. Nonoko and Yuu are expecting their first baby. They started a magic shop together. Anna and Koko got married a couple of months back. Anna started her own restaurant. She's calling it, Hikari Bishou, because she wants to put a smile on everyone's face and bring light to their lives. At least that's what she told me. Sumire and Mochu are still together but they said that they don't want to get married yet. They settled down in Central town and Sumire works with the police to track down criminals. Your Tsubasa-senpai married his girlfriend and they moved to America. We lost touch but I know they had twins and named them Erika and Merrin. Nobara has become a professional ice-skater. She's happy. I'm in good health since I stopped using my Alice after I left the academy and I went to the doctor yesterday. They told me that my lungs and heart were stronger, so you don't need to worry that I'll join you anytime soon."
The wind blew and the leaves on the trees around them rustled as if they were laughing.
"Everyone is happy, Mikan. Your wish came true. No one was troubled by your death since no one remembered who you were… except me. I want you to know that I still remember you. There was never anyone else and probably never will be. You'll be in my heart forever. I love you."
After his little speech, he leaned forward, and placed a gentle kiss on the cold marble of the gravestone. As he got up to leave, a picture caught his eye. It lay a little to the left of the vase. Mikan Sakura stared out of the picture, a bright smile lighting up the clearing. He could almost hear her tell him to smile
Smile, Natsume! Smile!
He stared at the photo for a long time. Then he walked out of the clearing, through the shadows of the great trees that made the eastern forest, then into the sun again… and for the first time in 8 years, Natsume Hyuuga smiled, a true genuine smile.
AN: Do you like it? Please review. Just click the little button down there. It's that easy.
At the funeral, this is the order of people who spoke:
Narumi
Youchi
Jinno
Persona
Nobara
Natsume
Hikari: light
Bishou: smile
Please tell me what you think!!!