Bittersweet Rain

By: Cherishxme

Disclaimer: As disclaimers apply.

Summary: Surprise! Usually Gauken Alice Academy makes sure none of their students ever go off campus, but for some special reason, the school has granted permission for the students to be able to go to Camp Sommerset as a reward for graduating their last year in Elementary school! There are many things to be done within that week of fun and entertainment… many sinister things as well.

Natsume is hiding a secret, and becomes more and more frustrated as he tries to keep his friends and the one he cares for the most from falling into the same darkness as him. However, his body condition has been worsening, and time is running short for him.

Sakura Mikan only wants everyone to have fun, and make great memories together. But she might lose the one thing in the world that means the most to her as she realizes with such gifts as Alice's, there comes responsibility and danger, and most of all, sacrifice.

"Hotaarrru!"

The beautiful young girl with dark locks and equally dark eyes that remained quite expressionless took out her always present baka-gun to fire a few shots at her overly eager friend.

Baka! Baka!

"What is it?" Hotaru asked as she finished counting the money she had made off of her blackmail pictures of Ruka in a pink frilly skirt.

Sakura Mikan, a small but very adorable elementary school Gauken Alice student managed to get herself off the floor after getting hit with a few shots from the baka-gun.

"I wanted to ask you to partner up with me for the camping trip we're all taking to the mountains!"

The brown haired girls heart broke into a million pieces as Hotaru continued sorting her money and put up a sign that said,

'Too cumbersome.'

"Hotaru! It's going to be so fun! I didn't ask anyone else!"

"I'm not going." Replied the ever-stoic dark headed girl.

Sakura started to cry as she clambered onto her friend's back and start pleading with her dear beloved friend.

"But Hotaruuuu! Everyone has a partner and I wanted to share my tent with you! It won't be any fun without you!"

"Hotaru doesn't want to go because she hates camping and doesn't like not having clean showering facilities."

Kokoroyomi replied as he stood next to Hotaru's desk. His mind reading capabilities were a bit of a nuisance.

He barely dodged the baka-bullets.

"But it's a one of a time experience! You should come! Ruka-pyon and Natsume are coming too!"

The dark haired pyro gave Sakura an annoyed look.

"Can you stop whining and yapping your mouth Polka-dot panties?"

"Can't you just forget that? I thought we were friends! Friends!" Sakura screeched.

"Class lets settle down now! Has everyone found a camping partner to share a tent with today?"

Narumi asked, his pheromones spreading everywhere as he quieted the class down with his presence.

The poor partner-less Sakura Mikan started to sob.

"Raise your hands if you have no found a partner. I'll assign you one."

Ruka shook his blonde locks and sighed. He felt sorry for Sakura who was slowly raising her hand to signify that no one wanted her.

'Well. I would've been her partner but we can only go with the same gender.'

Before Sakura's hand could complete its humiliating trip up to being the class loner, Hotaru grabbed her friend's hand and yanked it down.

Sakura stared at her friend in astonishment, and a slow smile spread across her face as she realized her friend has accepted her proposal to be partners.

"Hotaru!" Sakura whispered happily with a look of relief.

"I guess everyone has found a partner then!" Narumi said with a bright smile. "I'll have to lay a few ground rules for this camping trip because it will be our first camping trip off of Gauken Academy's privately owned grounds."

Title: Bittersweet Rain

Chapter title: Camp Sommerset

"Nnnn!"

Stretching after a good nights rest, Sakura energetically patted the sides of her face with both hands and let out a loud woot.

It was her first actual camping trip.

It was signifying the end of elementary school, and their graduation towards middle school, but this was very exciting for the easily excitable Sakura Mikan.

She splashed water on her face and diligently combed her hair and put it up into her two signature ponytails.

'Eh? I grew taller.'

Sakura stared at her mirror and turned to her side and patted her chest.

'Well. I don't have any chest yet… not enough to wear a bra…'

"MIKAN!"

Someone knocked on her door loudly.

"You better get down to the buses or I'm leaving without you!"

Sakura took one last look at her self and grabbed her bags that she had spent all night packing yesterday night.

"MIKAN!" Shumire screamed.

"COMING!" Sakura chimed back as she opened the door to follow all her awaiting friends towards Camp Sommerset.

"…Nee-chan…"

The little boy with a mop silvery brown hair tugged on a long strand of light brown hair.

"Please… Youichi… don't…"

The usually energetic and happy Sakura looked as if she was going to barf. Her face was turning an interesting shade of purple and green as she clung desperately on the school bus windows, her chest dry heaving.

"You don't seem so good…" Iinchou said with worry. The class representative was sitting in the seat in front of Sakura Mikan. He turned around and looked down at his friend with worry.

"I don't know why I have to sit next to her." Natsume said with an exaggerated sigh. Sakura glared at him.

"You decided to sit here on your own!" Sakura hissed back.

Natsume pretended not to hear her, much to Sakura's anger.

"Here."

Hotaru was sitting behind Sakura. Using a new device she had designed, Hotaru handed Sakura something that looked like candy with a robotic arm that stretched out over the seat so that lazy Hotaru didn't have to move a muscle.

"What is it?"

"Something for your motion sickness."

Stars sparkled, mixing with tears of happiness in Sakura's eyes.

"Hotaru! Uwah! You truly are the best of friends! I love you!"

"By the way Youichi, aren't you a little old now to be sitting on Mikan's lap?" Hotaru asked, ignoring her friend's overly doting arms.

Tears of rejection streaming down her face; Sakura opened the candy wrapper and ate it.

An explosion of flavor flooded her mouth and seeped through her body. Somehow effectively settling her nervous stomach.

"Ara! I feel better!"

Hotaru used the mechanic arm to retrieve the discarded package that Sakura had thrown aside carelessly and turned it over and pointed out some words.

The bright shiny red wrapper said:

Motion Sickness Go Away!

In a burst of flavor, say goodbye to sickness!

Warning, side effects may occur with consumption.

"Side effects? Ara?"

The light haired brunette felt something poke out on her forehead.

Pop. Pop.

Natsume looked over, his crimson eyes widening slightly. Quickly he turned his head away, his shoulders shaking.

"Ugly girl. Became uglier." The small boy sitting in her lap said with a straight face.

"Whhhhaat?! What happened? What happened? Why are you laughing Natsuummmee!"

Ruka, who was sitting behind Natsume looked over and let out something that sounded like a cross between a laugh and a snort. Upon the brown haired girls confused look, he took out a mirror from his pocket and handed it to her.

Two lovely brown horns were growing out of her head.

"HOTTARRRUUUU!"

Two clenched fists rubbed furiously at tearful eyes as the horned Sakura Mikan stepped out of the school bus with a pout on her face.

For two hours Sakura had wailed and cried about the two horns on her head, and nobody would give her any comfort and just kept on giving her hell about it. Especially Natsume.

"Hey Polka, those horns make you look better. By just a little."

Taking a few steps from the bus Sakura pushed her arms straight down both her sides with a look of fury on her face. Her eyes were red from all the bawling.

"Stop being so mean PERVERT!"

"Because of you we couldn't enjoy the change of scenery." Natsume replied.

Hotaru emerged from behind Natsume, her purple eyes looking as expressionless as ever as she popped two earplugs out of her ears. She was the only one who enjoyed the ride in silence.

"C-change of scenery?" Sakura whimpered. She blinked and looked around, actually taking time to drink in the surrounding around her.

Three buses were unloading Gauken Alice students and the chatter of the students excitedly buzzed around the brown haired girl. The sun was bright and high in the sky, and beautiful foliage surrounded her. It was different front Gauken Alice's Northern Forest. It had no threatening aura. The forest was beautiful and warming to the heart.

"Oy! Mikan!"

Sakura turned around just to be gathered up in the arms of her most favorite senpai.

"Tsubasa-senpai!" Sakura yelled in delight as he twirled her in the air and slowly brought her down to her feet.

"What brings you here?" Natsume asked, his voice icy and his eyes murderous.

'That kid hates me.' The older dark haired senior thought with nervousness as Natsume glared at him with hatred.

"I'm a chaperone! A few of the older students volunteered to help you graduating elementary students out and knowing you were in it Mikan, I volunteered right away."

"I'm so happy!" Sakura cried, her eyes sparkling.

It was then that Tsubasa noticed the two horns.

"Ara? Sakura… what are those two horns doing on your head?"

Sakura gasped, suddenly remembering why she was upset in the first place.

Ruka was thrilled. Nature was all around him and as soon as he stepped off the bus he was greeted by many forest companions.

The blonde haired boy enjoyed the beautiful scenery. For some reason, Camp Sommerset (he read the sign just as they entered the camping grounds) felt very free. It didn't feel like a prison like their academy usually did.

"What are you thinking about?"

Ruka turned around to look at Sakura, and blushed because she had pushed her face barely an inch away from his face.

"S-sakura… just… how beautiful it is today."

Actually, he was appreciating how the sun streamed through the locks of almost golden brown hair on Sakura Mikans head, and how pretty her brown eyes were against the beautiful scenery around him.

"How long is it going to take?" A student yelled from the back at Narumi, was taking the lead.

"Another hour!" Narumi sensei replied cheerfully, much to the dismay of the poor lagging behind student.

"Just kidding! Just fifteen minutes!" Narumi replied at the loud sounds of groaning.

"At least my horns went away…" Sakura muttered under her breath.

Hotaru passed her on a mini giraffe go-cart. All of her luggage was neatly stacked within the cart and Hotaru pressed a button, and the strange yellow and brown cart had a small device that popped out and poured a cup of sparkling soda for the thirsty and lazy student.

"Hotaruuu! Can I ride with you?" Sakura called after her friend, trying to jog faster to keep up.

"Sorry. This cart can only handle this amount of luggage and one person." The ice maiden replied as Sakura ran next to Hotaru's go-cart to catch up.

Ruka smiled at Sakura as she stopped to catch her breath.

"Do you need some help? My friends can help you carry your luggage."

Sakura looked up quickly and saw that animals were carrying Ruka's luggage, and Natsume's as well.

'Why do I have such a useless Alice?' Sakura thought to herself as she watched Sumire pass by in her animal form in lightening speed with her luggage on her back, and the kid with the floating alice floating himself and his luggage to its final destination.

Natsume was not very happy with the long hard trek to their camping site. He didn't really like doing so much work right now at all.

He leaned against a tree and rested his head against trunk as he put one hand up to his heart. His heart pounded erratically as he tried to bring his harsh breathing down to normal.

'My body has deteriorated so much… This really sucks.'

"Hey! Natsume!"

Natsume clenched his teeth together, gritting it to brace himself as he quickly pushed himself away from the tree trunk to face the familiar voice.

Bright brown eyes accompanied by a big bright smile greeted him. Her hands held two glistening cold water bottles; one of them was open with the words "MIKAN" written in permanent marker across the front.

"So exciting isn't it? Do you want some water? Tsubasa-senpai and Tono-senpai are handing out water bottles."

Natsume didn't reply and just stared at Sakura's face.

'I did it all just for her. I don't know how much longer I can be next to her.'

"Natsume?"

"Oy Ugly. Let me use your bottle."

"B-but I got you one--."

Without giving her a chance to finish her protest, he grabbed Sakura's bottle and gulped the rest of her water down and tossed her the bottle, effectively hitting her across the head.

"HEY!"

Sakura shrieked as she shook her empty bottle.

"Tsubasa-senpai said we only get this one water bottle till tomorrow morning!"

Natsume gave her a look and grabbed the unopened full bottle from her other hand.

"Well that's too bad."

"N-natsume!!" Sakura shrieked, making Natsume's ears bleed.

"If its that bad… do you want me to share this water with you?"

"Yes!" Sakura said haughtily.

"It's a very hot day and I barely even got a sip out of my own water bottle!"

A smirk made its way across Natsume's face as he leaned forward, making Sakura uncomfortable.

"No."

'I must be a masochist.' Natsume thought with ill humor as Sakura started to wail and pain his ears with her rants about his selfish and perverted ways.

But for some reason, Natsume wishes days like this would last forever. Because he knew they wouldn't.

Sakura had a hard time pitching the tent by herself.

"HOTARUUU PLEASE HELP ME!"

Her partner didn't reply.

Sakura wiped her hand across her sweat soaked brow, effectively smudging dirt across her face.

All the Gauken Alice students had to pitch their own tents.

"It builds character." Jiro sensei replied at the students groaning.

The tents were divided by gender. There were two large clearings separated by a small row of trees, and an even larger clearing that connected the two areas together. One side was for the girls, and the other side, was for the boys.

There were four smaller camps within the big camp, and each smaller camp had one older student, and one teacher guarding them. Sakura and Hotaru was lucky to have Misaki be their older student chaperone, unlucky Tsubasa had the pleasure of chaperoning Natsume, Ruka, and all the trouble making boys.

"Hotaru?"

Sakura tripped on her feet when she saw the all too familiar catepillar sleeping bag that her best friend liked to go into when she wanted to be left alone.

"What about the experience of sharing a tent? The comradely?" Sakura begged from outside the smiling caterpillar entrance way.

Hotaru didn't answer.

'Fine! I'll make the tent and have so much fun Hotaru would WANT to join me!'

Sakura got up and brought her two hands in front of her in a gesture of self-determination.

'Just you wait Hotaru! I'll pitch a great tent for you!'

Thirty minutes passed, and Hotaru decided to open her sleeping bag because she had not heart a word out of Sakura during those thirty minutes.

"Mikan?"

"H-h-hotaru…"

A tearful voice replied.

"Baka."

Sakura had pitched something up, but it didn't look like a tent. In fact, Sakura had somehow managed to tear the top of the tent with her well-known "gracefulness".

The girl burst into tears, sobbing as she looked around at everyone else's perfectly pitched tent of many sizes and shapes. Everyone had a pretty tent in his or her area, except for her. It was all her fault.

"I'm sorry Hotaru! I wanted you to have fun and I know you didn't want to get dirty out here in the dirt so I tried to pitch a tent so we can have fun in… and I messed it up! I'm so sorry!"

After listening to her wailing friend for a few minutes, Hotaru got up and walked over next to Sakura.

"Huh?" Sakura stopped crying to look up at her emotionless friend.

Hotaru removed a small black seed from her pocket and planted it in the ground before them. Hotaru crawled back into her caterpillar sleeping bag and came back out with a water bottle and sprinkled a little water over the seed.

FWOOSH!

A big gust of air blew up in both of the girl's faces as a very grandiose and peculiar looking tent magically grew from the seed in front of them.

"W-what?" Sakura stuttered, staring at instantly made tent.

"It's a tent in a seed, my invention. I managed to compress a high-tech tent into a small seed for easy storage… It comes with AC, beds, television, a fridge, and a shower." Hotaru replied.

"SUGGOIII! HOTARU IS SO WONDERFUL!" Sakura replied, clapping her hands together.

The tent was purple with a gigantic penguin head on top. There were windows with princess curtains, it was almost three times as big as everyone else tent, and was crushing a nearby student's tent with its enormous size.

"We're going to make great memories here Hotaru! I can just feel it!"

Hotaru managed a small smile at her friend's happiness. Sakura's excitement was contagious. She had a feeling this would be the first camping trip that she'd enjoy in her lifetime.

"Gauken Alice Academy, elementary division?"

A tall lady with long wine colored hair that was layered to flawlessly frame her small oval face and big green eyes, looked at the small dark haired boy in front of her. He stared back at her haughtily, and with and icy demeanor.

"I'm the elementary school president." He replied at her question. "You must be Phoenix Green."

"Yes." The lady smiled at the little boy. Her smile was almost contemptuous.

"I've managed to bring out the student here, so will you or will you not?" The principal asked at the mysterious lady with a quizzical eyebrow.

"Usually I'm not interested in such trivial games such as yours, but if you have that something that I want, I'd be more that happy to help you with your leisurely pleasure of destroying other peoples lives." Phoenix Green answered with a dry smile.

"If you're looking for what you told me you wanted, here it is. I also want her, I'll let you use her for that one goal of yours as long as you help me get what I need."

Phoenix Green scrutinized the small figured boy with hard green eyes.

"Well. You have got your deal. Many things are going to happen this week, and since we're out of Gauken Alice territory, anything that can happen, will."

The echoes of student's voices nearing the large connecting clearing for dinner signaled the end of their conversation.

"Well, let me introduce you to our students. I'm sure they will be thrilled to see you." The principal said with a small smile.

"You are a horribly selfish and cruel man." Phoenix said with a small smile as she saw a few kids with lighted lanterns crowd towards the camping ground.

"But that's why we get along."

To be continued…

Please read and review!

Xo,

cherishxme

In chapter 2:

Preview:

"I'm Phoenix Green. I used to be a student at your academy, just like all of you nubile young students today! I'm actually a volunteer who decided to give back to the school which has given me so very much!"

Smiling broadly, the oddly pretty stranger waved at the crowd of Gauken Alice students.

"I'm going to do my best to make your experience here one you'll never forget! Welcome to Camp Sommerset!"

There were loud cheers and shouts.

Natsume was the only student who did not look enthused. In fact, his crimson eyes looked very worried.

'That lady looks very familiar…'

He also found it very odd that Gauken Alice Academy would allow field trips off school grounds, and not just that, if this was a trip specially designed for just the graduating Elementary students, how come all of the elementary school division ended up tagging along? Something didn't feel right.

"Psst… Natsume… Isn't that Nobara?"

The black haired youth was shaken out of deep thought as Sakura Mika pointed out the ice princess standing at the back of the stage, next to the principal, and most of all standing next to…

"And isn't that Persona? What is he doing here?"

A shiver of fright went down Natsume's back.

'What's going on?'

It didn't make it any better when Persona caught his eye and removed his mask to smile at him.

'Something is going on…'

Natsume felt his heart speed up a little bit as he looked over at Sakura Mikan and all of his friends sitting there blissfully without a care in the world.

"Nobara must be here because she's graduating too!"

Natsume was so concerned with his thoughts, he did not notice the green eyes of the mysterious lady named Phoenix Green scan the group of students with her eyes. He didn't notice the slight smile that came across her face as her eyes landed on Sakura Mikan, and how her grin grew wider as she looked at the group around her, and how she eyed Natsume hungrily.