Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters.
Chapter 3: Just a Dream
"You bitch. Don't think you can hide from me. You'll never escape. Wherever you go, I will find you," mocked the person standing in the shadows.
"Stay away from me." I could barely contain the fear in my voice.
"No can do. Well, I can, but that would take the fun out of things," the figure chuckled. "You're funny you know. You act calm when your life is threatened. But that's just it; an act. On the outside you're tough, but on the inside, you're easy to tear."
"What the fuck do you want from me!" Crap. All of the composure I had left just slipped away.
Another chuckle. "What I want is something small. The lives of you and your friends… But if I can't take theirs, I'll gladly snatch yours from right under you. God knows, I haven't succeeded yet."
"You… You psychotic bitch…" I muttered. "Stand where I can see you!" As soon as those words left my mouth, oh how I wished I could take them back.
"Really? Alright, I will. With a simple snap of my fingers this place will be flooded with light. Ready?"
"No! Stop!"
"3," the figure said.
"You fucking bitch!"
"2." Dammit, I can feel the lunatic smirking at me.
"1."
"NO!" I yelled.
Snap.
My eyes went blind for a few seconds when light spread throughout the whole area. I felt like throwing up when my vision returned. My stomach did flips, and not in a good way.
"Luna," I whispered. "No… Why…?"
The strawberry blonde girl smiled at me. She smiled, while holding the dead bodies of my parents by the hair on their heads. One in each hand. Their blood lay in a pool around Luna's feet.
"Look behind me Mikan," she commanded.
I looked behind her out of reflex to her command, and paled. The blood in my body went cold, and I went numb.
There, lying in a bloody mess behind Luna, were the bodies of Hotaru, Anna, Nonoko, Sumire, and Misaki. I could tell they were dead. The feeling in my gut told me that.
Luna laughed, and laughed hard. I glared at her through the moisture forming in my eyes. I refuse to cry. I refuse! Not in front of her.
"Well, they're certainly fallen angels now, are they not? I think it suits them. The perfect angels that everyone looked up to have fallen. Fallen as in dead that is." She then burst into giggles, clearly amused with her words.
When she was done laughing, she said, "The fun isn't over. Maybe you should look at what I left on your lap out of the kindness of my heart." Then she continued her giggles.
Suddenly, I gained the feeling back in my body. And it hurt like fucking hell. But the person lying on my lap made it hurt even worse. It felt like something had grabbed my heart and yanked and squeezed so that it burst.
"… Natsume…"
I looked at his face. It was handsome, even in death. His red eyes stared blankly; staring at nothing. Hesitantly, I reached out and stroked his raven locks. "Natsume," I whispered.
"Oh I'm sorry. I meant who I left in your lap. Handsome, isn't he?" Luna mocked.
I couldn't take it anymore. I looked at the sky and screamed my lungs out.
[Natsume's POV]
My eyes flew open. Noises floated into my room from the slightly open door leading to the balcony.
What the hell? I glanced at the alarm clock on my desk. It read two in the morning.
I got out of my bed, and walked out onto the balcony. The noises were more clearer out here, and from what I could tell, they were coming out of the balcony to the right of mine.
Wait, isn't that one of the new girls' room? Mikan Sakura's?
A loud, bloodcurdling scream pierced through the air, making me jump with surprise. What the hell is going on over there?
I climbed onto the railing of my balcony so that I could stand on it. Using my right foot, I pushed so that I could jump easier onto the balcony next to mine. It was only a few feet away, not that hard.
Jeez, I hope that idiot doesn't make a habit out of leaving this balcony door open. But I must say, it's pretty damn convenient right now.
When I got inside, I heard whimpering. In the darkness, I could see the outline of a lamp next to a bed, so I turned it on. Sure enough, it was Mikan. She was wearing a pink tank top, with matching shorts to sleep in. I decided to ignore the fact that she looked really pretty.
Tears slipped onto her cheeks through her closed eyelids. Her right arm clutched at her tank top, right over where her heart should be. I could see red on her bandages. Her wound must have opened.
"Hey you, wake up." I sat on the edge of her bed and shook her gently.
"… Why couldn't you… have taken my life instead…" she murmured. Great, she's talking in her sleep. "I should've been… the one to… die… Not them…" I froze.
"Hey little girl, wake up!" I shouted in her ear. I probably shouldn't have done what I did next, but it worked. I slapped her cheek; hard.
Mikan's eyes flew open, tears still running down her cheeks. Her hazel orbs were unfocused.
"Little girl, can you hear me?" I asked.
She looked at me, and I could see the recognition forming in her eyes. Mikan's expression went from recognition to shock, and then anger. "What the fuck are you doing in my room? How did you get in?" She demanded.
I rolled my eyes. "Well, I was sleeping peacefully in my bed, when noises floated into my room. It sounded like someone was dying. So, I came to investigate. Your balcony door was open, so I invited myself in. You were having a nightmare."
"Oh… Sorry for causing you trouble then…" She then tried to sit up, but I gently pushed her back down. The look on her face said what-the-hell-man.
"Your bandage is starting to be soaked with blood. It probably reopened. Where do you keep the first aid kit?"
Mikan was silent for a minute, but mumbled, "… Cabinet in the bathroom…" I nodded, then went to retrieve the kit so I could bandage her arm.
[Mikan's POV]
Shit, someone saw me in a weak state. Out of all people, it had to be him. Natsume Hyuuga. I let out a quiet sigh.
Damn, that dream felt so real. I clutched at my tank top with my left hand. Ugh, my chest aches as much as it did in my dream. But there's one thing I don't get. Why was Natsume in my dream?
I rolled onto my side and hugged my knees, while still clutching at my chest. Damn that lunatic. That dream better not become reality. I don't know what I would do.
"You bitch. Don't think you can hide from me. You'll never escape. Wherever you go, I will find you."
No, get out of my head! It's not true!
"You're funny you know. You act calm when your life is threatened. But that's just it; an act. On the outside you're tough, but on the inside, you're easy to tear."
Well shit, she was right about that one. Saw right through me. Ugh…
"Well, they're certainly fallen angels now, are they not? I think it suits them. The perfect angels that everyone looked up to have fallen. Fallen as in dead that is."
No… I started hyperventilating, and clutched my head out of fear.
"Oh I'm sorry. I meant who I left in your lap. Handsome, isn't he?"
I remembered Natsume's dead body from my dream. I screamed. Again.
"HEY! Snap out of it!" Strong, but gentle hands turned me over so that I was on my back. "C'mon little girl, look at me."
Well, fucking crap. I forgot he was here.
"Look at me," he whispered. I did. I looked at him, and our eyes met. Here we go again. One look into his mesmerizing crimson eyes, and I'm sucked in.
Something about them fills me with a tranquil calmness. My breathing slowed after a few minutes, and not once did my eyes leave Natsume's.
I took a deep breath and said, "My name isn't little girl. It's Mikan Sakura."
Natsume smirked at me. "I see that you're back to normal."
"No thanks to you. Now where's that first aid kit? The bandage on my arm is completely soaked now." I smirked back at him.
"Yeah, yeah whatever. It's right here. I soaked a towel with water to clean your wound." He carefully removed the bandages on my arm, and proceeded to clean my wound. I winced, which made Natsume smirk again.
"Damn you, you're enjoying this.," I hissed.
He began wrapping my arm with new bandages. "Maybe just a little."
"Jerk. Whatever. Look man, thanks… for this," I said.
"Hn," he grunted. He finished wrapping the bandage. "So… That must've been some nightmare to make you scream twice. Mind telling me what happened? You might feel better if you talk."
[Natsume's POV]
Mikan stayed silent for a minute. "… Remember when I said that some psychotic bitch was after me and my friends?"
I nodded. Wow, I didn't actually expect her to start talking.
"Well… It seems like she's even haunting me in my dreams. Pathetic, right? But it felt so real… Sh-She was holding my dead parents, and there was so much blood. Then the Fallen Angels, my girls, my friends… They were dead too. A bloody mess."
By now, her eyes held a horrified, haunted look. I didn't dare interrupt her.
"Then… On my lap… I don't know why it made me hurt so much. Felt like… Like I was being torn…"
After that she fell silent. I didn't know why I was still here in Mikan's room. It felt right though. Weird, right? Me, Natsume Hyuuga. Showing concern for a girl. I've never done that before. But out of all of them, I wonder… Why this one?
Unconsciously, my hand had begun stroking the brunette's hair.
Although, I wonder what she meant by the words "on my lap". Whatever was left on her lap was probably horrible, like the other things in her dream.
"Um… Natsume? What are you doing?"
Oh shit. I pulled my hand away from her hair. "Sorry," I mumbled.
"Nah… It's alright. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but it felt nice actually." Mikan giggled, and gave me a bright smile.
Th-thump.
"Hey Natsume. Can I tell you something?" she asked.
"Hn," I grunted.
"What a way to answer, Hyuuga. Well anyway… I'm afraid."
Choosing to ignore the fact that she called me by my last name, I asked, "What's there to be afraid of?"
Mikan sighed, and shifted uncomfortably. "I'm afraid… That she'll find me, and hurt my friends again. Afraid that she'll hurt any new friends I make. Afraid of what she'll do… Maybe what I saw in my dream will become reality."
I snorted. "Oh c'mon. She won't find you so easily. If she does… If she does, I'll do my best to protect you. I'm sure my friends can help the Fallen Angels. They're quite taken with them, you know."
Crap, all of that spilled out of my traitor mouth. I actually said something so cheesy. But what's even cheesier, was that I meant every word.
Mikan's hazel eyes eyed me seriously. "You might get hurt if she actually shows up. You know… It's crazy. She scares me… Luna… That's her name. She scares me. But if she hurt you, I don't know… What I would do."
Th-thump th-thump.
I felt my face starting to grow warm, so I turned my head away so that Mikan wouldn't see me blushing.
"What do you take me for? Some sort of weakling? I didn't know you cared that much." I turned, my face completely blush free, and smirked at her.
Mikan pouted, her cheeks puffed. She looked so cute. "Don't be so conceited, jerk." Then she yawned, her eyes fighting to stay awake.
I reached out again and began stroking her hair, hoping it would make her go to sleep faster. It worked. Jeez, she really is childish.
When I walked over to the balcony door, I turned back to look at Mikan one more time. I smiled.
[Almost start of class; 7:55am]
[Hotaru's POV]
Something's up with Mikan. She came into the classroom her usual, calm and alert self, but the air around her doesn't have it's stay-away-from-me edge. It's softer, and… happier.
The high school uniform looks good on her. Well, it looks good on everyone in our group. Everything from the black, outlined with blue blazer, to the white button-up shirt, to the blue plaid skirt, and lastly the black boots.
Then Mikan turned to me, and broke into a huge grin. Crap, I actually forgot about this part of Mikan's daily routine. She started running towards me with her arms outstretched.
I did what any person would've done. Okay not anyone, just me. I pulled out my baka gun and shot Mikan with it. She flew across the room to the door.
"Owwwww, Hotaru! Why must you do that every time, it hurts!" she wailed.
"I don't want your idiot germs," I replied.
The door behind Mikan opened, revealing Hyuuga and Nogi. Hyuuga looked down at Mikan and smirked.
"Hey Polka," he said. Mikan stared at him with confusion, until she seemed to realize what he was talking about. Then she turned angry.
"Natsume, you PERVERT!" she yelled. Hyuuga's smirk grew wider as he walked past her and to his seat. Nogi followed him, but not before he helped Mikan and said, "Sorry about that Sakura."
The bell rang, and everyone scrambled to their seats, just as Narumi twirled in. Ugh, just seeing him makes me want to shoot him.
"Class~ I have an announcement~" he sang. "We have another new student! Isn't it great?"
The class erupted into murmurs and talking. Wow… 7 new students in only two days? That's a bit strange. I looked over at Mikan. She was gripping the edges of her seat pretty hard, her knuckles white. Then I looked at the other members from the Fallen Angels. They had all stopped what they were doing, and had gone stiff.
What's going on? … No. It can't be, right? Koizumi couldn't have found us this fast.
"Come in, and greet your new classmates, Tsuyoshi Suzuki~" What? Why is HE here? That bastard! Sure, he's not anywhere near Koizumi's level, but he's pretty damn despicable.
With that, a tall teenaged boy walked into the classroom. He had dark green hair, with black eyes. The girls around us started squealing about how handsome he was.
Sure girls, you may think he's handsome, but on the inside, he's just scum.
"Hello. My name is Tsuyoshi Suzuki. It's a pleasure to meet you all." Then he saw us, the Fallen Angels. Dammit, he knows that wherever we are, Mikan will be. I glared at him when our eyes met, and then he shifted his attention to Mikan. He walked our way, and stopped when he was in front of her.
"And it's a pleasure to see you again, Mikan-chan," he purred.
:D Thanks for reading.
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