Chapter one: My childhood friend…..
Natsu-chan…..
-Sakura's house-
"I'll be going now, stepmother!" Mikan said as she walked out of their peaceful dwelling. After her father's death, her stepmother and two mean stepsisters treated her as a slave. They made her life like hell; they made her do all the tiring chores and endless housework. Mikan wanted to abdicate this kind of life but her stepmother was an ominous witch with a heart as cold as stone plus she has nowhere else to go so she got no choice but to stay and bare this harsh treatment given to her. There was this time when they sent Mikan to buy the foods, she came home late so she got hit and kicked by her stepmother.
It was the first hour in the afternoon and they sent Mikan to buy all of their personal necessities. While she was walking through the crowded streets of the fire kingdom, she felt a familiar presence following her. She tilted her head to see who it was, but then she saw nothing but a mere odd-looking concrete post. The lass just shrugged of the tense she's feeling and continued on her way. Little she didn't know a lad was smirking evilly behind that concrete.
"Ohayou senpai!" she shouted aloof as she waved her hand at the boy in front of the vegetable store. This lad has a star on the left cheek, right below the left eye. A rare mark that shows, he is the first son of the respected family of the Andous. The family of andou has the largest farm in the whole wide world. They grow the healthiest vegetables and other crops among all kingdoms. The Andou clan is a respected family because they were known as Alice users.
"Konnichiwa Mikan-chan! Same list as before?" Tsubasa spoke as he opened the door for the brunette with an endearing smile plastered on his face. As Mikan entered the shop, she saw Tsubasa's wife, Misaki.
"Here's the list Misaki-senpai" she said handing the list to the maiden "I'll pick it up later" she continued "I have some business to attend to" the brunette said so soft that made it like a whisper. She handed the money.
"Ja ne" was her last phrase before she skipped happily out of the door.
'That girl' Tsubasa thought
"Misaki, how can Mikan still smile when she's suffering and abused by those three witches?" Tsubasa wondered sleepily.
"I don't know sweetheart, but she's really brave and strong" Misaki said with her eyes gleaming.
-Fire kingdom royal palace-
Outside, in the garden of the majestic palace, birds are chirping over the sakura trees. The butterflies are flying over the bloody red roses sucking their nectar that will serve as their food, same as the deep sea blue hummingbirds. There was a fountain placed at the center of the garden with clear water circulating in it. Just looking at the scenery will refresh your worries and problems, an indeed breathtaking sight.
But inside the palace was a total opposite of what is outside. You can see maids and guards panicking around the hallways .They were all panicking and screaming their lungs to death AGAIN. This happens so often, precisely every week.
"The prince is missing again!!" a maid shouted and that's where the panicking started.
"That kid!" the king stated as he hit his head with his palm hard. Every time the prince was missing, the servants all go crazy about finding him. What a child. But he's not a kid anymore, he probably considered himself as a full pledge man. At the age of 14, he has mastered the element of fire, making almost all people in the world recognize him as the youngest flame caster. He's a 21 year old lad now and can master the fire phoenix and the fire dragon technique which was made by the first and second ruler of the kingdom.
"He needs a girlfriend or maybe a wife, don't you think, king yokan? Queen Nina suggested.
"That's a great idea! Honey…. Call the royal announcer now!" the king proclaimed in the loudest voice he can.
"We will have a special in three days!" he announced as he placed a smile on his face.
-In the lake-
It was three in the afternoon and the sun was still high. In a lake sat a young lady with waist-length hair eating her favorite sweet, fluff puffs. Her cheerful mood turned into a frightened look when she heard a branch broke. Suddenly, she felt a pair of hands cover her eyesight preventing her to see anything.
When that someone removed his hands, the first thing she saw was……. a scary dragon mask that made her shriek.
"aaaaaaaaaaaahh-mmpph" she was cut off when the creature placed a hand to cover her mouth.
Without hesitation, she gathered all the courage inside her and bit the hand until it bleed. The man winced in pain and hurriedly took off his mask as he scowled when he saw his injured palm. The man has the prettiest tantalizing crimson orbs and his skin so fair and smooth. An earring with a ruby gem below it was place in his pierced left ear. After moments of thinking, Mikan finally realize that it was his childhood friend, Natsu-chan.
"Natsu-chan, gomenasai! Here." She said as she reached for his bleeding hand. Then a small light glowed and in a blink of an eye, the wound was gone, no blood, no scar.
"Thanks polka." He said smirking and grazed at his palm.
"Hey" Mikan started a conversation.
"Why don't we go for a swim?" she said hoping for the lad to say yes.
"No" he said bluntly
"Pretty please" she said with two cute puppy eyes
"Still no" he said a bit irritated
SPLASH!
Its too late for the lad was splashed with water by the girl. Mikan laughed her heart out when….
SPLASH! SPLASH!
The brunette was now wet and fuming. She tried to catch up with Natsume but ended up stumbling on the water. They played and laughed along all afternoon as if they're the only ones who existed. Time went by and the sun was almost setting.
The beautiful crystal blue water reflected the humongous red orange sun making beautiful scenery for the two to watch.
"It's almost time!!" she said alarmed and she was about to go away when the crimson eyed boy held her arm.
"OUCH!" she winced in pain making the boy perplexed.
"I'll be here on Sunday" he said in a cold tone. His curiosity was killing him inside. He kept on wondering why the girl winced when he held her arm. He can't see the skin of her arm because she was wearing a long sleeved dress so he decided to spy and follow her home.
-Andou's vegetable store-
The brunette ran into her fullest speed. She opened the door of the vegetable store panting.
"Misaki-senpai, the basket please!" she said between pants.
"My, my, you're such in a hurry Mikan" she replied handing the basket to the young lady.
Without another word the lass snatched the basket from Misaki and hurriedly closed the door with a loud bang that surprised all people in the store. Misaki just plastered a goofy smile. After several minutes she arrived home only to meet a pair of angry eyes which belongs to her stepmother, Rowena.
"Why are you late?" she dragged Mikan into the house by pulling her hair. Natsume was watching the whole scene which made his blood boil in anger. When they got inside the house he peeked at the opened window at the back of the big house.
"For your punishment, no eating dinner tonight, now Mikan cook for our supper!" Rowena said as she kicked Mikan's stomach which made her cough out blood. Two not-so-beautiful ladies came out from a room and laughed evilly at the poor Mikan. Suddenly a sound of trumpets disturbed them. Mikan opened the door, when she saw the royal announcer she bowed down.
Natsume saw this and thought that they are looking for him so he hid himself where he can still hear the conversation outside.
"Every maiden in this house should attend the…….
TBC!