Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters. All credits go to the creator, Tachibana Higuchi.
6 years ago; September 29, 2006.
"Will the defendant please rise." The judge announced.
Kuro Hyuuga glanced at his lawyer nervously, before his lawyer motioned him to stand up. He stood up shakily.
"The jury has been gathered here today to hear the crime that Kuro Hyuuga has been charged with. He has been accused with first degree murder on not one, but 3 people. Has the jury reached a verdict?" the judge asked.
"Yes we have sir," said a man as he stood up. Clearing his throat, "The jury has decided that the defendant is…guilty. He is charged with a death sentence."
Kuro Hyuuga's eyes closed as he heard his lawyer muttering a stream of cuss words. "Are there any last reasonable requests that you have, Mr. Hyuuga?" asked the judge.
His eyes reopened at the sound the sound of his name. "My son," he said immediately, "I would like to see my son for the last time."
"Very well." The judge motioned to an officer standing by his side, "Find Hyuuga's son." He commanded. He then motioned to another officer to take Mr. Hyuuga into custody, "Case dismissed." The judge said, while Kuro Hyuuga was being led out of the courtroom.
"Wait here while we go get your son." The officer said gruffly, leading Mr. Hyuuga into a cell. "We'll put you out when your boy gets here."
Kuro paced around the cell anxiously. He knew that this day would be inevitable; he knew that this was the result of being a member of the Blood. He knew that once he was in, there was no getting out. He just hoped that his son wouldn't make the same mistake as he did.
"Your son is here." the officer announced, opening the door of the cell.
Kuro walked out and immediately started to look for his son. His eyes didn't find him, but his ears did.
"Dad!" he heard, as he tried to locate his son. And soon enough came face to face with his son.
"The judge told me the verdict. Why did you do this to those people? To yourself? To us?" his son asked earnestly.
"I had no choice, Natsume." Kuro quietly said.
"People always have a choice! Don't give me some bull shit answer." Natsume angrily replied, then softening his tone, "With Mom and Aoi gone… you're all I have left, Dad. But now even you're leaving…"
Kuro embraced his son as several tears escaped from his eyes, "I'm sorry Natsume, but everything I did was for you. So please don't make the same mistakes as I did. Be happy, and stay true to yourself. Don't forget who you are in the end."
"I'm sorry to intrude Mr. Hyuuga, but your son has to leave now." A man said.
"Isn't there something you can do for my father?" Natsume pleaded, "Is a death sentence really necessary?"
"Your father has committed the worst crimes a human being can commit. The justice system is here to make everything righteous. How do you think the other families felt when they lost a family member, young man?" the man said sternly.
Natsume remained quiet, but still didn't intend on giving up on his father. "Is it possible that I may speak to the prosecutor?"
"You're already talking to him, I am Izumi Yukihara."
Natsume stared into the man's eyes, and clenched his fists in fury.
"Natsume…" Kuro started, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Stop. There's no saving me now. I deserve this."
"But dad-"
Kuro shook his head with a sad smile, "The only regret that I have now is that I won't be able to be there for you, or see you grow up into the fine man I know you will be."
The prosecutor began to lead Kuro Hyuuga away. "Wait!" Natsume exclaimed.
"Time is up, young man." The prosecutor said.
Kuro turned to embrace Natsume for the last time, "Good bye Natsume, I love you."
Natsume never wanted to let go, he tried his hardest to keep a hold on his father; the only person he had left. Several police officers had to hold him down so that they could take his father away. All he could do was let tears flow down his face and watch people take away his father away from him for forever.
-0-
2 Months later.
After the death of his father, he was placed in the home of his other relatives. But he was someone that was full of hatred, and resentment. He caused trouble for every one of his caretakers, and in the end no one wanted him. He did whatever he had to get by on his own. It didn't matter if he had to steal or threaten people, he didn't care anymore. Natsume Hyuuga was a completely different person now.
It was a rainy day, and as usual Natsume was walking around aimlessly, and hungry. His clothes were ragged and torn. His hair was matted, and long to the point where it covered his eyes. He dragged his feet across the wet pavement as he felt his eyes drooping. He was about to give in and close his eyes. A part of him wanted to close his eyes and to just give up, while another part of him knew that he had to survive to take revenge for his father.
He staggered on for a few more steps before his feet slipped in a puddle and he his body heavily fell towards the pavement.
"Fuck." He muttered to himself. He tried to use his arms to lift himself from the ground, but from the all the fatigue that he had, his arms gave up on him as he fell back down to the ground. He laid on the ground lifelessly for the next few minutes as the rain continued to fall all around him.
"I guess this is it for me…" he thought before he closed his eyes.
He had only closed his eyes for a couple minutes before he felt someone began to lift him up.
He reopened his eyes, "What the?"
"A young boy like you shouldn't be laying outside in the rain like this."
Natsume stared at the person in front of him, "You don't seem to be that much older than me."
Ignoring this statement, "I'll take you back home. You can join us."
"Us?" Natsume questioned.
"The rest of my family."
Natsume began to protest but suddenly all of his energy went away, and his world became black.
When Natsume woke up; he was in a room on a bed, clothed in decent clothes and his hair was combed out. There were shoes next to the bedside, and Natsume slid his feet in them before he walked out.
When he got out of the room, he came into a hallway. At the end of the hallway he heard loud voices.
"Are you dumb, he obviously cheated!"
"I did not."
"Let's let Roy figure this out."
Natsume then made his appearance into the brightly lit room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at him.
"And sleeping beauty awakes." Someone muttered.
"Reo…" Someone warned.
A boy around the same age as Natsume walked up to him, "Hey man, how you feeling?"
Natsume scrutinized the person in front of him, "It's you. I saw you before I passed out."
The boy smirked, "I know. I'm Roy. What's your name?"
"Natsume, how long have I been sleeping for?"
"Three days. We thought you were going to die." Roy said sheepishly.
"Three days, huh?" Natsume mused, "That's a lot of sleeping." Then suddenly Natsume's stomach growled.
Roy chuckled softly, "Come closer to the table, Misa should be almost finished preparing the food."
Natsume followed Roy towards the center of the room. "Where am I?" Natsume asked.
"The meeting area of the Blood members." Someone said, walking into the room.
"The Blood?" Natsume repeated.
"Yes, it's a group of people just like you, Natsume."
"Just like me…?"
"People who have no one left, and have a certain purpose in mind to live."
Natsume remained quiet.
"How would you like it, if you were to join the Blood, Natsume?" the person asked.
"To join…?" Natsume repeated hesitatingly.
"You can always decline the offer if you want. But if you were to join, the people here," he paused to gesture to the all the people in the room, "They would become your new family. And we'll help you get revenge on your father."
"My father?" Natsume asked, "How do you know about my father?" he demanded.
"Don't worry," the person reassured, "I did a little research on you while you were out for the past 3 days. I can't just let anyone stay here without knowing who they are."
Natsume remained quiet, and the person continued. "Natsume Hyuuga. Age 16. No more living relatives. Mother and sister died in a car crash. Father died two months ago in a death sentence after being prosecuted by the State Prosecutor, Izumi Yukihara. Am I right?"
Someone in the background let out a low whistle, "That's a long list…"
"Poor kid…" someone else muttered.
"You're right…" Natsume said slowly.
"You'd be warmly welcomed here, Natsume. We could be your new family. Your decision." The person said soothingly.
"I'll join." Natsume declared.
The person smiled, "That's great to hear. Welcome to the Blood, and welcome to your new family. I'm Eric."
Natsume turned around to face the other people in the room and saw them all smiling back at him.
"However," Eric began, "Before you truly become a member… there's something that you have to do."
"What do I have to do?"
"You have to prove yourself."
"How?" Natsume inquired.
"By killing Izumi Yukihara and his family."
Natsume stayed quiet. "Isn't that what you wanted to do in the first place, Natsume?" Eric asked.
"Definitely." Natsume said. "When do I do it?"
Eric chuckled, "Not now. But I would say… in about 2-3 months. We have to prepare you for it."
Natsume nodded.
"Now that that's settled, it looks like Misa is done with the food. Let us feast in celebration of our new family member today!" Eric said as people gathered around the table.