Once Upon a Time
By buttercupbella
You have cried and told me
Not all fairy tales do come true
It's impossible for me to become your beloved prince
- Tong Hua_
Once upon a time, there was a princess who longed for a prince, and got, instead, a pirate.
.
Once upon a time, a pirate was searching for treasure, and found, treasure, indeed.
.
Once upon a time, a fairytale never came true…
The awaited day had come.
Today, Sakura Mikan and all her classmates were performing a play about princesses.
She snagged the lead role.
The truth was, everyone from their school had to go through fishbowl picking in order to determine their plot. Luckily, Mikan got to pick "fairytale".
When the picking had ended, it was settled; she was with Iinchou, Ruka, Koko, Anna, and Wakako. Natsume, Tsubasa, Hotaru, Youichi, Hayami and Akira ended up in the pirate play.
And unfortunately for Sumire and Misaki, they were the only ones who picked the horror category.
"This is unacceptable!," Sumire fumed, assaulting Narumi with her deadly fingernails. "Why in the world would you just make two papers for the horror category?"
"Now, now, Sumire-san-"
"How are we supposed to act in a real play when there's just the two of us?"
Narumi waved her off easily and smiled insincerely, his pheromone alice working underneath his sly smile. "You have to make a battle plan for that; it's clearly not my problem anymore."
Sumire, undeniably infuriated, stormed out of the room, with Misaki tailing her unwillingly.
Mikan faced Ruka and the others. "Ruka-pyon! You'll be the prince!"
Ruka nodded almost too quickly when Koko dangled a bunny keychain in front of his nose. Koko said, "And you, Mikan-chan, will be the princess."
"No! I mean, it's okay," Mikan responded, making gestures that pointed to Wakako. "Besides, Wakako-chan likes Ruka-pyon, right?"
"No thanks," Wakako said, getting out of her chair and leaving the excited students. "I'm absent at that date, so it's not like I care. Also, I don't have to play the princess role, because Ruka-pyon is already my prince."
Ten feet from afar, Hotaru cast a chilly glare towards Wakako's direction, sending the poor girl running for her life.
Mikan glanced at Hotaru, who was back to her duties writing the script. Her eyes trailed off to someplace else, to a black, spiky head, which turned and revealed ruby-red irises.
Natsume.
Mikan blushed instantly and turned away, focusing her mind on the fairy tale play.
That was two weeks ago.
Today, Mikan sat on the nearby stool, flattening her carnation pink dress that reached her toes. She touched the studded golden crown sitting on her light brown mane and sighed contentedly.
It was a dream-come-true, after all.
During her childhood days, she had wished upon a million stars that she would one day find her prince; that someday she would be riding off to her prince's kingdom, rose petals twirling in the air as their mighty horse galloped past the commoners.
And here she was, starring in a play about fairy tales.
At least she could experience a sliver of that fantasy, couldn't she?
Almost, believing this one's not pretend
Almost, she thought, a hundred brain mechanisms whirred in her head. Although she thought she was doing something intellectual; someone from two inches away would really think of it as useless daydreaming.
A raven-haired boy drove past her, ignoring the drooling stalkers he had beyond the velvet curtains. He shrugged and grabbed a chair from his right, pulling it near to where Mikan was sitting. The boy waved his perfectly sculpted hand in front of the girl's blank face. "Hey, Strawberry Fields."
Mikan was immediately jarred back to reality, her soft features twisting like an old hag's at the sight of the guy in front of her. "What is it now, Natsume?"
Natsume folded his arms grumpily and looked, well, grumpy, clad in a pirate costume, but otherwise, he was just as handsome as he was every single day of his life.
Pushing his long sleeves up his biceps, Natsume said, "Nothing, Polka. I figured out you're spacing out again, probably thinking about me."
"You arrogant-"
Natsume pulled her chin, facing her head-on with his intense flaming eyes, and Mikan couldn't help but look away and feel burnt to ashes. "Polka Dots-"
The sound of footsteps slapping against the wooden floor startled the both of them.
It was Ruka, ever so charming in ultramarine-colored attire fit for a prince, with magnificent bell sleeves and silver piping. He flipped his hair unconsciously and flashed his pearly whites at Mikan. "I'm so excited!"
"Me too, Ruka-pyon!," Mikan said, standing up and giggling fervently. "It's just like Snow White all over again!"
"Yeah, but this time, there's no such thing as gender bender!"
"Right!"
Feeling totally out of place, Natsume walked out and said coolly, "Good luck, then."
"Good luck too!," Ruka answered, waving his hand in goodbye.
Mikan left the dashing Ruka, looking into the fascinating sets that were further enhanced by their alices. It was paradise, in Mikan's sense.
She toured the stage, playing the ignorant fool card while releasing 'oohs' and 'aahs' at the sight of glowing trees and glimmering palaces. The characters looked enchanted, too.
Finally, her stupid fantasies were interrupted by the view of ghastly props and the same ghastly faces, either dripping with blood, or smeared with purplish or black cosmetics.
Sumire, at the least, still looked pretty human-like even with her hair frizzed and messed up and her beautiful, dazzling eyelids powdered with grayish pigment. Her furious mood didn't help, though.
"This is utterly degrading!," she screamed, making sure Narumi was hearing every syllable of what she was saying. Sumire faked tearing her hair out. "I'll definitely sue you people!"
Narumi yawned and clapped his hands. "All right! We shall begin with the very interesting play entitled 'Once Upon a Time', led by none other than Ruka Nogi and Mikan Sakura!"
Rounds of applause filled the air, satisfying Mikan's crave for appreciation. Then she noticed that Ruka, one of the main characters, was gone.
"Where's Ruka?," she asked meekly, but loud enough for the others to hear. "Did anyone see Ruka-pyon?"
Everybody whirled around to find the blonde boy, but nobody seemed to catch a glimpse of him.
Beads of sweat appeared on Mikan's faultless forehead. Why now, Ruka?
She ran, towards the emergency exit, the theater entrance, everywhere- but Ruka seemed to vanish into thin air.
Mikan hastily opened the door to the comfort room, hoping Ruka was there, maybe fixing his getup or something, but he wasn't there. Mikan, as nervous as ever, kicked the cubicle doors, one by one, until she saw a curled frame, bound by nylon ropes. The mystery person's mouth was gagged by a white cloth. Mikan shivered and her body went rigid.
Ruka…
On instinct, she untied the ropes while assuring Ruka that he would be safe, that she will find a way to find whoever did this to him. Ruka was unconscious, and perhaps, convincing him that he was far from harm wasn't the best idea, given that harm was already situated from Mikan's back.
Mikan realized this presence, and immediately nullified the attack that came a second later.
She turned around and ran from the intruder, sorry that she had left Ruka completely vulnerable, but she had to tell the authorities. She had to tell them because she knew that they could take the enemies on better than she could.
Narumi-sensei…
Three armed men blocked her path, and stepped closer, closer until Mikan was forced to run away. She tripped on her dress, then quickly regained her composure, after which she saw a possible form of escape.
Which was, ironically, a vent opening.
Natsume tapped his foot in boredom.
Where the hell is Polka Dots?
Five minutes ago, he had seen her open her mouth in awe as she saw the stage. Now, he believed, she was gone.
His red eyes seemed to deliver anxiety and suspicion, knowing that the fairy tale play was about to start.
And even though Mikan had a crudely constructed peanut brain, she had to know better than taking last-minute retouches.
Come on, he thought, eyeing every single person who ran around frantically, searching for the missing cast members.
The only one who was having benefits from this was Sumire.
She wiped her make-up off and combed her curly hair, dragging Narumi from his seat and explaining her plan.
"The play is about to start, so we have a change in our strategy. All the three plays will be abolished, and everyone will be participating in one single play. I and Natsume, of course, will be taking on the lead roles, and I guess everybody will be accountable for their own roles."
"As for the script?" Narumi asked.
"As for the script," Sumire continued, "well, there won't be a script. It'll be impromptu. But I made up a storyline and came up with this: a pirate is trying to find treasure and comes across a poster which says that huge loads of money will be given to the one who rescues the lost princess. Sure, he finds his treasure and rescues the princess. But, get this: the treasure is…"
All the students stared at her blankly, until Koko spoke up, "Money! Duh…"
Anna slapped her forehead. What's the suspense for if it's the obvious…
"Love, of course," Sumire smirked, gazing at Natsume like a smitten puppy. "He saves the princess for the sake of rewards but ends up realizing he never wanted the rewards at all; only the lost girl's heart."
A lot of people went 'aaww' at that statement and agreed to Sumire's suggestion.
Narumi was convinced. "I see. Sumire-chan, go to the wardrobe and find the appropriate clothes for your role."
"Finally!," Sumire shouted in glee, rushing to the dressing room.
Natsume winced in frustration and stood up. "Shouldn't you still look for Polka Dots and Ruka even if we're holding a play? Because even if this thing is, I don't know, fun, the elementary school principal is still lurking behind our backs and treading through loopholes."
"I agree with Hyuuga," Hotaru added, taking her pirate hat off and nodding in silent agreement. "I'm suspicious as to how Mikan and Ruka disappeared in mere seconds."
Iinchou joined the conversation and tugged at his pants nervously. "I have a bad feeling that Natsume's right."
"Everyone!," Tsubasa yelled, gathering their attention. He panted and held his hand up in the air, revealing a bundle of brown hair. "I saw this in the comfort room, and I'm thinking maybe-"
Natsume ran out the door with a serious face, not letting Tsubasa finish his sentence. Hotaru walked to the doorway, and was about to follow Natsume, but she stopped and looked at her schoolmates for a second. Her indifferent expression changed a bit.
She looked down and breathed like she was losing air.
"Mikan's in danger."
"Aaah-a-aachoo!"
Sneezing and wheezing inside the vent, Mikan rubbed the tip of her nose and pulled her dress groggily, half of her mind regretting that she had to wear such a long outfit. But she continued crawling, anyway.
Are they there?
No, she refused to look back, for she was scared, scared that the elementary school principal was behind this, scared that if she didn't run away now, she couldn't run away for the rest of her life.
I'm afraid…
Mikan hunched over, and now, she noticed the claustrophobic space that constricted her lungs. She stared at the long way ahead of her.
When will it end?
Soon she began to realize the darkness was devouring her soul, and that she had to crawl faster, at the rate things were going. Plus, she was really terrified of ghosts.
A single tear slid down her cheek, shivers running down her spine and shaking her with involuntary tremors. It was dark. So dark…
Mikan needed the light.
The light…from Natsume's flame.
Natsume felt like a trapped animal.
"Let go, you stupid-"
"Natsume, calm down!," Hotaru said, gripping the boy's vest tightly and shoving him to the backstage. "You really can't do anything!"
Tsubasa helped Hotaru in pulling Natsume to the props, easing his fury. "Natsume, it's going to be alright. Let's just proceed with-"
"What the hell is wrong with you?," Natsume barked, struggling to free himself from Tsubasa's grasp. "Why aren't you even worried sick?"
"Of course we're worried sick!," Hotaru said, pulling Natsume's collar with building irritation. "But there are a lot of people waiting back there."
"Hotaru's right," Tsubasa insisted. "They may get wary, and do you think stirring up the audience would help?"
At that statement, Natsume cooled a little bit and settled on the chair. He adjusted his belt and inhaled deeply. While he wanted to rest for a while, Tsubasa kicked him in the knee and put his hands on his waist. "You've got a show to save, pyromaniac."
Natsume rolled his eyes and took out his dagger, fashioned out of crystals and rusty gold. He sighed and opened the curtains.
A stream of girlish shrieks followed shortly.
He didn't mind, though, and spoke gruffly but clearly. The words came naturally like he knew this story long ago, like this story was already his own…
"Once there was a pirate…"
The audience hushed each other.
"…who was reckless, stubborn, and-"
You arrogant-
Natsume swallowed. "-and arrogant. He only wanted treasures because it was a way of proving himself to piracy."
"Once, he saw a poster that embarked him on a journey to discover that the treasure he was meant to find was…"
The curtains flung wide open, showing a huge papyrus that was hung on a wall made of bricks.
Hayami appeared so suddenly and toyed with his bandanna. "Hey, Captain, what do ye think this is?"
Natsume peered over his shoulder and averted his eyes. "Just another missing person, I guess."
Anna pushed Hayami away and scrutinized the poster further. "And not just any other missing person, Captain. It's the princess!"
"The princess?" Iinchou asked, wondering about the possibilities. "If it's the princess then that means-"
"Heaps and heaps of doubloons," Koko finished. "Sire, we're gonna be rich!"
"Anna, prepare the ship and the sails. Hayami, make sure that the engines are not defective and also, check the cannons. Iinchou, prepare the supplies, food, everything. And you, Koko," Natsume said, "buy some oranges. I don't want to get scurvy. Now get going, idiots!"
Everybody rushed off to their duties while Natsume smirked at the poster. He wasn't worrying much about the reward, he was absolutely sure that he'd find the princess.
Narumi, as one of the audience, nodded, aware that Natsume was acting like a professional.
He knew that he had some trick up his sleeve.
What is it, you may ask?
Natsume huffed, returning to his mighty ship and looking far out to the horizon. "Money doesn't last forever," he whispered to himself. "Well, it'd last forever, but only if…"
"…only if I'd get the lost princess to marry me."
With those final words, the curtains closed and the students who were watching the play whooped in excitement.
Only two feet left…
Mikan had imagined this. And she wouldn't know that there were only two feet left ahead of her if she didn't continue on crawling along the dark vent.
She didn't mind if she had insect bites or that the limited space was scaring the hell out of her, because for all she knew, Ruka was already haunting her for leaving him to be beaten up by the bad guys.
I'm really sorry…
Mikan wondered if she could scream for help, but that would be a total mess since if the ones chasing her heard her cry, then she'd be as good as dead.
Breathe, Mikan thought, loosening her ruby necklace and leaning against the wall.
So close
To reaching
That famous happy end
She was so close to fulfilling that part of her dream, and it was just pretend…but, still, she couldn't achieve that simple wish. Maybe Sumire bagged her role; maybe, she was looking daintily at Natsume right now, about to kiss him, just like in the fairy tales…
No, Mikan swiveled her head, blocking the selfish desires she had in her fragile heart. If I'm like this, I may just become like the ESP…
Shuuckk-shhuucckk.
Muffled noises came from the other side of the vent.
They're coming…
Mikan's eyes widened.
She had no choice but to flee and find the exit.
Apparently, Natsume's ship had landed on a deserted island that looked like a beautiful garden in the midst of spring.
Anna hopped off the ship and bowed down to Natsume. "Captain, the engines overheated and the mechanisms broke down. It'll take a while to fix."
"Okay. Then I'll scout for help or some resources," Natsu replied, sheathing the dagger from his the compartment of his belt. "Stay put and don't let your guard down."
"Got it," his crew responded eagerly and went back for the repairing tools, speeding up the process by using their magnificent alices.
Natsume made his way through the thick rainforest, ignoring the ferocious wildlife that waited behind the woods.
Then he saw them; Tsubasa and Hotaru, lying down, or rather, acting unconscious on the ground. Hotaru had a big bruise on her eyebrow, while Tsubasa's lower lip was bleeding. Wow, Natsume thought, good job from the prep team.
Natsume inched a little closer to them. His eyes widened and he shook Tsubasa's shoulders. "Come on, wake up, Tsubasa! Hotaru!"
Upon further inspection, they were knocked out.
For real.
Light!
Mikan finally saw it, her tiara nearly falling out of her head in glee. Light!
She could see the dusty vent cover.
Quickly, she scrambled to the end of the vent and did not bother about her clamor.
"Hey! I hear something!"
She froze. Then crawled again, reaching for screws.
Locked. And it wouldn't budge.
She pulled harder. Please! Open up!
The voices neared towards her, the voices of those who were entitled to kill her.
Please…
Click.
The screw came loose, and her tears overflowed, kicking the cover off and hurrying to be in the outside world again. She landed on the heel of her left foot and rose from her hunched position.
The bad thing was, the 'floor' at which she stepped on was suspended fifty feet above the actual floor.
Mikan yelped. It wasn't even a floor, but a metal beam hanging right above the spotlights. She gasped and reached for the attached iron rods, which she used as a banister.
Careful, now, she thought, hanging on for dear life. She looked down and gulped. It's so high up here…
Natsume balled his fists and turned around quickly, searching for an out of place face or a hand clutching a lethal weapon.
Nothing.
The audience looked at him almost expectantly. He knew they were waiting for the scene to progress, and that he had to think of some 'romantic' line to stimulate their senses. After all, the play involved a boy and a girl.
Reluctantly, Natsume spread his porcelain arms up in the air, and said, "My princess! How long will you keep me waiting?"
"How long will you hide in the darkness?"
There was sincerity in his voice.
"How long will you believe that I'm the bad guy?"
The girl students swooned and drooled over their half-eaten popcorn.
"How long will you keep me searching?"
Mikan froze in midair.
Natsume's voice…
"Natsume…," she whispered, pausing in her tracks and taking in the loveliness of Natsume's feelings.
"How long do you intend to keep me waiting?"
Keep him waiting? Mikan, at the moment, was the one waiting for her knight in shining armor.
"Maybe, at first, all I wanted were riches. But then…"
Out of sheer stupidity, Mikan stood still and let the clocks tick. But then…?
Three guys in black coats emerged from the tiny vent opening and scrambled after the damsel in distress. "Hey! There's the kid!"
"After her!"
Startled, Mikan ran away, forgetting she was running on a metal bar above ground. The heel of her shoe caught and she tripped.
"Aahhhh! Somebody-"
In despair she grabbed any object, but what she mistook for a part of the bar was actually a basket full of flower petals.
Natsume closed his eyes mournfully and turned to the audience.
"…I realized that maybe, I wanted to fall in love for the first time."
At the exact second he finished his sentence that touched everyone's plump hearts, Mikan's weight landed on Natsume's muscular arms and the petals twirled in the air like wedding confetti. Mikan held on to Natsume's neck and cried for all she was worth.
Now you're beside me
And look how far we've come
Natsume was pushed to the floor, and he opened his mouth in disbelief and surprise.
"Where the hell were you-"
"They're coming, Natsume!," Mikan wailed into his chest, gripping his clothes tightly in fear. "They took Ruka-pyon! I escaped but-"
"They took Ruka-pyon? And they almost took you?"
"Y-yes," Mikan replied, unaware that the audiences were watching with their tissue papers ready, in case they ever bawled about the sad love story.
"Did they hurt you?," Natsume asked with concern, tucking Mikan's loose hair to the back of her ear. Her face was grimy all over and her dress was torn apart. The boy held her close in his chest and kissed the girl's forehead tenderly. More tears streamed down Mikan's face. "Almost."
Natsume gritted his teeth and continued on kissing Mikan's face-her eyes, her freezing nose, her crimson cheeks, until he had reached her chapped, but still beautiful lips, but then-
"Natsume, look out!"
Too late, he looked, but the marauders had already stabbed him on the back.
"Natsume!," Mikan sniveled while looking at the nefarious villains pleadingly, every bit of her scared of the gushing blood.
The audience ran out of the theater and a massive stampede occurred; shrieks of terror pierced the cold atmosphere. Narumi stayed with the already conscious Tsubasa, together with Misaki, the furious but frightened Sumire, Hotaru, Koko, Anna, Iinchou, and the middle school and high school principals. They rushed forward but were deflected back by an impenetrable force field.
"Barrier alice!," Iinchou exclaimed, cupping his hands in panic. "How can we enter?"
Mikan was dragged across the stage by the men, fingers clawing the wood. She got free with the help of a kick and touched Natsume in the face, whimpering over the amount of bloodshed.
Then there was a surge of power that rippled along her fingers.
Mikan stared at her hands for a second, and then began shaking uncontrollably. Spasms flooded her nerves and pain racked her body parts. Her heart seemed to be squeezed; her lungs deflated completely. Mikan fell to the floor in surrender to the throbbing sensation.
The foes were supposed to haul her back but she still managed to nullify their attacks with the ounce of energy she had left.
What's this?, she thought, feeling as if she had been strengthened but then, also weakened. In curiosity, she flicked her hands and gasped terrifyingly at the sight.
A small flame flickered on her hand.
I stole Natsume's alice?
The bad guys came again, and this time, she created a wall of blazing fire to protect herself and her love. It worked, but it lacerated a part of Mikan's soul, making her scream in agony.
Hotaru's ears snapped open at the sound of Mikan's shrill voice. "We have to hurry!"
She immediately whipped her bag open, taking out an electrical disk and throwing it to the barrier. The blockade shattered and the students' jaws hung open in awe.
"I invented it," Hotaru explained. "Now hurry up before it's too late!"
The MSP and HSP rushed forward, battling the twenty other reinforcements that, they guessed, the ESP had sent to help the intruders.
Hotaru's league advanced and abruptly halted, their irises expanding at the sight of Mikan throwing balls of fire.
"Fire?," Anna asked, trembling. "Did she just steal Natsume's alice?"
"Natsume!," Sumire shouted helplessly, immediately transforming into a cat-like creature and pouncing on the other enemies. Anna joined the chaos, and soon, everyone else did, too, except Hotaru.
…
…
…
…
…
…
After all the men were finished, Hotaru wept at the sight of her clumsy best friend, the clumsy Mikan, and cradled her head in her arms. "Mikan…"
However, Mikan's eyelids didn't flutter.
Natsume coughed up blood, the small wound in his back seemed to heal on its own. He turned his head and groaned in pain, then saw his Mikan lying down and breathing in slow paces.
"Mikan!," he yelled, wincing, but then he noticed Hotaru actually crying.
"I'll go get those bastards-"
"They're done. Besides, you don't have the power to do so."
"Why not?," Natsume grumbled. "I'd risk my health to use my alice."
Hotaru's index finger pointed to Mikan's charred palms. "She has it. She stole it on accident."
"She WHAT?," Natsume yelled again, this time, with anger and regret.
He didn't believe it, and desperately tried so many times to feel the warmth of his own flame. His hand remained cold and nothing came out; his efforts were made futile.
So that's why he felt light and eased of his burdens; the fire alice was taken from him.
Even his curse came along with it.
His crimson eyes became glassy with tears and he bellowed with anguish. "Why the hell did it have to be her?"
"Why did she have to get my suffering?"
Because everything was too good to be true, his subconscious barely
Narumi swiftly carried Mikan away from the two, sprinting to the nearby hospital, with the others trailing behind him in ragged breaths. He nearly slipped on the limestone floors but regained his composure and kept on scuttling.
"Doctor!," Narumi screeched while he kicked the emergency room doors. "She's dying! Help us!"
The nurses scooped Mikan up and laid her on the green hospital bed. Black blood spread and spilled all over the covers, but the medics team didn't lose hope while operating on Mikan's cold body.
The doctor swiveled his head and said, "We can't do it without an alice stone that has stealing alice! The fire alice is devouring every bit of her!"
"But she's the only one who has the stealing alice!," Koko yowled and choked up on tears.
Natsume stepped forward in misery and balled his fists. "I'll find it! Just keep on trying to save her! Because I can't already…"
With that, he spun on his heel and darted to the hospital entrance.
Natsume's teardrops dissolved in the wind while he was running to nowhere in particular.
He turned around and around; seeing the fluffy Howalons, the ones Mikan loved to eat; the shops, where Mikan bought Natsume's card; the school, where he spent most of his time sulking and pestering Mikan about her underwear; and the tree, lit with colorful lanterns, where they had their first kiss.
Natsume was determined never to let those memories go.
He thought of a place that he needed to go to, the one place that could give him just what he needed.
Yuka's grave.
Quickly, he wiped the salty substance off his face and walked to the gloomy side of the city inside Alice Academy, seeing the tombstone surrounded by daisies and periwinkles and Bermuda grass.
Natsume bent down and stroked the smooth stone, whispering, "Yuka-san, I-I want to be with your daughter for a few more years. I don't want to let her go yet… I wish you could help me."
No sound was heard.
"P-please, Yuka-san…I need her! More than everything!"
Not even one single squeak.
Natsume, desperate for the alice stone, banged on soil and kicked the dirt.
He kicked and kicked and kicked; everything in his way, and then he kicked a peculiar pebble with an orange color. It was glowing.
Although caught up in his emotions, he picked the stone up gently and examined it thoroughly. It was then that he realized, and so he scrambled back to the hospital.
Sakura Yuka had extended her hand.
Natsume arrived at Hotaru's side, breathless as he saw Ruka on the corner, resting. "I found the alice stone."
By now, he expected them to snatch the luminous pebble from his hand, but everyone stood there motionless. Natsume slammed his hand on the table. "Is anyone even listening to me?!"
Hotaru did snatch the stone, but inevitably hurled the stone on the floor. She was livid and shivering, bloodshot eyes peering through her ebony hair. She had barely murmured.
"What did you say?," Natsume queried.
Hotaru stared at him with soft eyes. "S-she's..she's..dead, Hyuuga."
She's dead, Hyuuga.
She's dead, Hyuuga.
She's dead, Hyuuga.
She's dead, Hyuuga.
…
…
…
…
She's…dead?
The stabbing words rang again and again in his ear, causing him to lose balance and stumble on his knees.
"T-that can't be…right," Natsume said.
Iinchou sniffed and patted Anna's back, who was crying terribly. "You were too late, Natsume."
"Too…late?"
"She wanted to see you the last time, since she spoke your name softly. And then she was gone. Seems like she couldn't wait any longer…" Koko replied.
How long will you keep me waiting?
Natsume's face was buried into his sorry palms and there the sadness poured out, all the sands of their time together slipped away from his grasp and scattered to the ground, the air- everywhere he couldn't see them.
"…I realized that, maybe, I wanted to fall in love for the first time."
Stupid play, he thought miserably. I never got the happy ending.
But, were pirates ever supposed to love princesses?
Not even a glimpse of Mikan's final breath, not even a peek at the image of Mikan lying under the white covers, lifeless. He never got to see any of that.
Too late…
He wasn't the one who became her knight in a shining armor. Instead he was the one saved, but then again, left alone to wilt until the day he would die and see her again.
Natsume couldn't do anything sensible, let alone punch the wall and risk his fists bleeding.
He was a coward.
A coward, even afraid of that day when he was supposed to let her go…
…..
Hotaru gathered fresh peonies and violets and strung them up with pink ribbons.
It was the most understated work she had ever done.
Emotionless, she took her black coat from her bed and spiraled down the staircase, joining the hundreds of students clothed in dark garments with an addition of equally gloomy faces. No wonder…
It was Sakura Mikan's funeral.
Hotaru's tears had been spent for countless days and immeasurable nights, making her face look like someone who aged thirty years older.
She sat in the second row, glancing at the naturally-grown blooms at her hand. She had imagined putting this on Mikan's lovely hair and making flower necklaces together. Yes, imagined.
For it was only up until imagination that she could do any of those now.
The grand coffin was directly in front of her, but it didn't shine, it didn't gleam. It was full of dreadful atmosphere and grief.
Hotaru swiveled her head and saw Ruka and Natsume together, Ruka carrying a plush bunny, and Natsume, nothing, but another children's book.
"Even now you still have the habit of mocking her, Hyuuga," said Hotaru, a little bit mad at the intentions.
"This doesn't mock," Natsume snapped back. "It reminds me of what we never had together."
With that, Hotaru snatched the thin book and scrutinized the cover. Her heart suddenly leapt in sadness and pity.
Of course…
It was a classic princess story.
Hotaru tossed the book back to him carefully and motioned for them to sit beside her. Ruka nodded eagerly and hugged the bunny close to him. "Hotaru-chan, did you cry last night?"
"Who doesn't, idiot?"
Too much preoccupied with his own matters, Natsume ignored Hotaru's jabs and went on glancing at the coffin.
Let's go on dreaming
Maybe Natsume would wind up in an isolated place later on, maybe thinking about a million what-if's and making theories about what Mikan would have looked like if she was still alive.
For we know we are
Narumi absent-mindedly tapped on the microphone and began speaking. "Today, we witness our heroic schoolmate, friend, and student be placed upon the care of God…"
"Today, we bid our goodbyes for only time can tell when we'll meet again."
"Today, let's cry, not because we're sad Mikan's life is over, but because we happened to experience our lives with her."
"Let's hear from Shouda Sumire, everyone."
Sumire rose up from her seat, her face looking puffy and so she headed to the lectern and bowed politely.
"To Mikan," she said, "if you were alive right now, I would have strangled you because of attaching yourself to Natsume-kun."
"If you were alive right now, we would have been performing side by side, with you calling me Permy."
"If you were alive right now…you would've dressed up in a skimpy Halloween costume and I would've been a cat."
Many people laughed at that statement. But suddenly, Sumire began to sob and choke.
"I-if…you..w-were alive, we would've become greater friends…"
"If, if you were alive…I-I would've apologized, for i-intimidating you."
"I-I know..that- I have a lot of sins…but I wish you'd forgive me, Mikan."
Sumire smiled genuinely and wiped her tears the boyish way and never minded if she looked like a street child.
"Mikan, I don't want to cry for you forever."
Natsume slowly looked up and absorbed what she had said.
"I want to live life as happy as I can…because it just reminds me that life would've been happier if you will be there with us."
Silent moans echoed in the Alice Academy garden, drifting, somehow, into the clouds in heaven.
"We love you, Mikan."
Sumire stepped out from the lectern gracefully and turned toward the coffin and blew a small kiss. She walked proudly to her chair and grinned even though tears escaped her eyes.
Rounds of applause followed shortly.
Hotaru took her cue and tucked the flowers into her coat. Her gaze moved onto the students in black attires.
"Honestly, I think my best friend is the most foolish human there has ever been."
Gasps and unbelief aroused.
"She's clearly stupid, since she always wants to be the hero, always wants to be the one who's saving…well, she's the one who needed the saving."
Hotaru smiled to herself and looked up again. "I wonder if I'll miss her idiocy."
"I wonder if the future will ever be the same without her."
Our life goes by
Romantic dreams must die
Natsume cleared his throat and closed his eyes in solemn thinking. Finally, he opened them again. He whispered, "I was so close to feeling alive, Mikan."
"You made me alive."
"You opened the world for me to see."
"It was too late for me to realize that. By then, you were gone."
"I wish that we had more time…"
So I bid mine goodbye
And never knew
"Remember the stuff fairy tales are made of?"
"I knew they weren't real but somehow wished them to be."
"That wish didn't come true, Mikan."
So close
"We were so close, Mikan…"
"But then, things had to go differently, and now, I couldn't even stretch my arms out that far to hold your hand, wherever you may be right now."
"I'm sorry for keeping to myself, when in fact I knew forever that all that I wanted was to hold you."
Was waiting
Waiting here with you
"Mikan, I hope you'll forgive me someday."
"How I wished that I could be the prince to your fairy tale."
"But I was the reckless, stubborn, arrogant pirate who only wanted treasures."
"I'm sorry…that we didn't have our happy ending."
And now forever
I know
By the time he had finished delivering his message, everyone was crying into their hands. He bit his lip and began to weep, too.
All that I wanted
To hold you
So close
Guiltily, Natsume ran away to the sidewalk outside the academy, ignoring the honk of the cars and the number of food stalls he had bumped to.
Then it began to rain without thunder and lightning.
So far we are
Natsume stopped running and savored the cold droplets from the gray skies. Are you crying, Mikan?
He sat on the sidewalk's low walls and laughed to himself. Were you touched by my words, Polka?
But so close
Unnaturally, he found himself enjoying thinking that he finally expressed his emotions and swore that Mikan should've heard.
The rain poured harder, the tides sweeping over the sidewalks like fierce tsunamis. Natsume didn't bother and closed his eyes.
Right now, Mikan, would you be saving me?
Natsume caressed his lips and laughed again.
You're in my heart
When all the world is gone
It was just utterly pathetic that he couldn't even face Mikan's burial.
I wanted to save myself…
Thunder crackled and the final great waves washed over the messed up sidewalk. Drivers shrieked and steered their wheels abruptly to the other direction, knocking the vending machines out of their places, the winds billowing and the trees swaying in accord with the pace of the ocean's current.
By the time the waves had returned to the sea, the sidewalk was washed over my marine debris and left only seaweeds and coarse, gray sand. Nothing else remained.
By the time the waves had returned to where they were supposed to be, Natsume was gone.
Once upon a time, a fairytale never came true.
.
Yes, it never came true, here on Earth, in the land of unearthed mysteries and a world of endless sins and a million mistakes.
.
Once upon a time, the sun shone one last time as it set and disappeared, touching the sea of the world that has yet to discover it, creating a prism in the clouds.
.
And in the clouds were two figures that held their pale hands together, looking at the fairy tales on Earth come true or be shattered into irreplaceable pieces.
.
Once upon a time, Sakura Mikan and Hyuuga Natsume never had their happy ending on Earth.
.
But they did, in heaven.
.
Because it was too good to be true, yet no one said it's not going to happen, anyway.
owari
Disclaimer and credits_
Jon Mclaughlin's song So Close
Creator of Gakuen Alice, Higuchi Tachibana
Chinese song Fairy Tale (Tong Hua)
Erika here_ Concrits are deeply appreciated. I know that the story lacks in execution, so I would like to ask for beta help.