"Mother...MOTHER!" As the smoke from the explosion cleared, all Mikan saw was her mother, lying still on the floor. Her eyes teared up almost instantly. She ran over to her mother, pushing those still too traumatized to move aside. She knelt down, putting her hand against her mother's cheek.

"Mother..." She rested her head against Yuka's chest. She could hear the faint sound of footsteps coming from behind her, but she didn't turn around too look. She felt a hand on her shoulder trying to pull her around. When she refused to turn, they held out her hand and put a small stone in her hand. She looked up.

"Natsume..." He let go of the stone and closed her hand.

"Use my healing Alice stone, it might save her." She turned quickly back to her mother and placed both hands against Yuka's chest, inserting the stone. Some colour started to return to Yuka's face. She opened her eyes slowly.

"Mi...kan..." Mikan held her hand.

"I'm here mother." She smiled slightly.

"I'm sorry Mikan...I wish I could have been...a better mother for you...for Sensei..." Mikan felt another person come close next to her. They put their hands over hers. She looked over to Narumi.

"Narumi-sensei..." He didn't hear her; he just stared into Yuka's eyes. She stared back, and raised a hand to the side of his face.

"I'm sorry Naru, but I'll have to leave you behind again." Narumi tightened his grip on their hands.

"I'll never let go Senpai...not again..." She brushed the hair out of his face.

"Naru...please look after Mikan for me..." He looked at her with tear-filled eyes.

"What are you saying Senpai? We'll look after her, together!" She just rocked her head slowly from side to side.

"I'm sorry Naru...Mikan..." Mikan held her mother's hand tight.

"Mother...no, please no..." Then Yuka's grip loosened and she fell limp.

"Mother..." Her tears started gushing over. Her mother was gone, after just getting her back, she was gone again, forever. Mikan let out a scream of agony, then she felt someone pull her into their chest. He was also crying.

"Narumi-sensei, why is she gone! Why did she leave me all alone again!" Naru just held her closer.

"Mikan...listen to me, I know it's sudden, but please do as I say." He knelt in front of her and looked her in the eye.

"Teleport us out of here, Yuka too. We need to get you out of here." Mikan's breath caught.

"But Sensei, everyone else..." She looked up at her friends. Imai-senpai, Shiki, JinJin, Tsubasa- senpai, Ruka...Hotaru...Natsume. She threw her head into her hands.

"I can't do it Sensei! I can't leave everyone behind!" She looked up again, noticing that Tsubasa was no longer in the room. She looked around to see a figure leaving in the distance. Natsume noticed too. He ran off after them. Mikan yelled at the top of her voice.

"NATSUME STOP!" Her pained voice stabbed through him like a knife. He froze in his place. Mikan stood and wiped her tears away.

"Why are you chasing Tsubasa-senpai?" Natsume turned his head toward her slowly.

"That isn't shadow. It's the shifter, he's a traitor." Everyone's breath caught. Mikan hung her head, and as he turned to pursue, she whispered.

"Please don't go..." His heart throbbed as her tried to pursue, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Jinno-sensei rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Shiki and I will pursue, stay with your friends, they need you, and you need them." Then they ran after the shifter. Natsume slowly turned to see Mikan's pain filled face. They both knew she needed to leave as soon as possible. They both stared into each other's eyes from across the hall. Footsteps could be heard echoing in the hallways, but nothing would break their gaze. More pursuers gathered from both sides. Hotaru and Ruka, with help from their Alice's, held back the pursuers. Narumi shook Mikan's shoulders.

"Mikan, if we don't leave now, we won't be able to get out." She still stared at him. He lowered his head and almost commanded her.

"Go." Everything around her went quiet. He looked up.

"I promise we'll see each other again. I'll come find you." Ruka and Hotaru were backed up against Natsume. Natsume created a sea of flames between the enemy and themselves.

"Go now!" Narumi picked up Yuka's body and held Mikan's hand. She stared at her friends, fighting to save her. What would happen to them? As she stared, Hotaru turned towards her.

"Mikan, we'll be fine. Go while you still can." The tears started building up again. Hotaru whispered under her breath.

"We'll all come find you, we love you." As the pursuers made their way towards her, she activated her Alice. The scene was becoming fuzzy as they began vanishing. Just as they were teleporting out, Natsume got pushed into them and also began teleporting.

"Ruka! What are you-" He just smiled.

"You need each other. Imai and I will come look for you when all this is done. Goodbye for now." And then they teleported out of the academy's grounds. As they disappeared, the offence of the enemy forces became too much for Hotaru and Ruka, and they were both knocked unconscious and taken to the Elementary School Principal.