Chapter 3: Compassion

The day begins like any other, we wake up at dawn and have a quick breakfast that consists of my one sided conversation. No matter how enthusiastic I get, Natsume's answers are always the same "Tch", "Hn" or the oh so traditional shrug. I don't think he's a morning person, not that his personality changes much throughout the day. Shortly after we pack up and destroy any signs of our camp; it's amazing how fast we've gotten at hiding our tracks in the last couple of days.

Ten days and counting, and I still feel I have made no progress with Natsume. It's not that I desperately want him to like me or anything, but if I must travel with this guy then at the very least we should get along right? Oh and the fact that he's hot has nothing to do with this!... Just for the record. Also just because he showed signs of being human and had compassion the other night by the lake… well that also has nothing to do with it. Also … also … ahhh! Why am I giving myself explanations?

That's it let's change the subject. The forest is nice, I thought that it would be scary to have to travel through it but to my surprise it's strangely calm. Aside from the occasional bunny, squirrel, or mouse, there are no wild animals. Even though I was told in school that these woods are dangerous because of the animals, I doubt the bunnies are going to confuse me for a carrot any time soon, and even if they did, so what? I know, I'll ask Natsume.

"Ne, Natsume" I call, he doesn't turn around or respond but I know he's listening "you know you must be really lucky" I say and Natsume huffs at my comment, he acts indifferent but I know he's a very curious person "do you want to know why?"

"Amuse me Polka" he says, curiosity threatening to break within his response, just like I expect.

"Oi! What's with the Polka! I thought we agreed that my name was Mikan, Mi-kan" that pervert he's taken that nickname as my real name and last time we agreed my name was Mikan…

Flashback

"Natsume when I introduced myself I said my name was Sakura Mikan did I not?" I say trying to be logical

"Yes" he responds raising his eyebrow

"Then you understand and hence solemnly believe that my name is Mikan, correct?" I continue logically

He smirks before answering "Correct" amusement written all over that one word.

"Great! Then we have an understanding" I say accomplished

End flashback

SEE! He agreed "Yes" he answers coolly "I know it is, but what of it?. Polka-dots is far more fitting in my opinion"

My eye twitches, he had tricked me and now I understand the meaning behind his smirk that time. Natsume tricked me into thinking I had gotten through to him. That one loophole has turned me into a fool again! It's so like him to pull a stunt like that. I growl inwardly "You tricked me!" I accuse.

"Well it's not that hard" he says shrugging "Now why is it that you think I'm so lucky?" he says spitting with disgust the word 'lucky'

"Not telling you conniving jerk. Bleh" I say sticking my tongue out at him

"Then don't tell me" he begins "but I would hardly consider myself lucky … leave it to you to think me of all people to be lucky"

I stop and stare at his lonely figure walking ahead. It's not the first time I've gotten that response from him, Natsume acted the same way when he told me his name. There are thing about him that I just can't figure out and usually those things always make me want to reach out and … and hold him … comfort him. My hand moved on its own, reaching out so close to his arm, almost within my reach…

"Huh?" before I can though, my face slams against the floor "itay" I huff, rubbing my nose.

"Can you possibly go two steps without tripping on your own two feet" Natsume scolds, already by my side

"B-but I didn't" I say bringing my feet in front of me and examining them "something grabbed my ankle" I tell him pointing to my left foot but there was nothing to prove me right.

Natsume's hands gently move to my foot also examining it "there's nothing there" he says his hand lingering on me "you probably just tripped on the root of the tree"

"But I felt something pull on my leg" I insist.

"Are you positive?" he asks very serious. I nod slowly, he doesn't say anything in response but I know he believes me. With just a glance of understanding he lifts us both from the ground and takes hold of my hand, pulling me behind him. I look up at the trees following his gaze, I don't see a thing but I'm positive he's already aware of something in the trees.

After a long minute I become anxious "Natsume?" I whisper wanting him to tell me he is just being careful and that everything's ok. That, however, is not happening anytime soon. Not a second passes when a wave of vines spread our way. I scream and duck only to find ashes falling, right 'Fire Alice' I tell myself.

I look up and two men stand in front of us, they look related, brothers maybe. They both have dark hair and green eyes, their clothes look rural which meant they're probably from around here. That only worries me more, they have the edge.

"What do you want?" I hear Natsume demand, pushing me further behind him.

"Isn't it obvious?" the younger of the two challenges, I know right away that he and Natsume will clash the most.

"Look kid, just handover the girl and we'll let you go. It's obvious you're just another lackey hired by her family. We don't want to fight so just go report she was kidnapped and we'll let you pass unharmed" the older man tells us very causally, it makes me wonder how many people they have pulled this trick on.

Natsume raise an eyebrow in defiance "and if I refuse?" he says matching his same causal tone.

"I don't think I need to explain to you what will happen?" the older man speaks again, while his brother seems to be growing inpatient. He look ready to lash out and fight with Natsume; I kept my eyes fixed on him not letting my guard down.

Sure enough I'm right, the younger one of the two loses his patience "enough!" he yells and reveals his Alice which was no surprise. He manipulated the forest around him sinking both Natsume and me into the ground, nailing us in place.

"Always so impatient" his brother comments but never the less follows him and reviles his Alice as well. Just like his brother he also manipulates his surroundings, but his Alice manipulates the energy around him, sending waves of it towards us.

I'm sure the pain will come in the matter of seconds but it never does. Natsume protects us both sending his own Fire Alice. The impact is big but it's obvious the fire surpass the energy waves, the effect concealing us in smoke. In those few seconds Natsume managed to slip out of the ground and pull me out of my own restrain as well.

"Stay there" he tells me sternly as he shoves me away from what I could only guess would be the war zone.

"but-" I begin to protest but he's already walking away. I can only watch as he goes into a 2 on 1 fight, not that he is out matched, he's holding his own. Most of the time he has both brothers on the edge, if it weren't for the younger brother sinking him in place every two seconds; Natsume would probably have won by now. Not only that, Natsume kepts sneaking glance in my direction making sure I'm ok, that of course just makes it more difficult. I felt so useless, but there isn't much I can do, I was never taught in combat.

I continue to watch until finally I can't take it anymore, from a far I can see the two brothers come up with a plan. The younger brother unleashes his Alice keeping Natsume distracted enough for the older one two sneak behind him unleashing his best attack. I do the only thing that comes to mind, in fact, it's the only thing I can do. I get in between.

I manage to nullify most of it but I know very well some of it will pass through so I raise my arms in front of me as the impact throws me back and leaves bleeding gashes on my arms.

"Mikan!" I hear from behind me, I must have hit my head hard because that sounds like Natsume, but he's never called me by my name. Immediately after Natsume's beside me, his eyes in a state of rage, a ring of fire formed around us. The flames expand from the center out, the two brothers have no alternative but to retreat into the trees. Not that it helps much, in the matter of seconds the trees are also on fire. I hear the two brothers begin to curse but I kept my eyes fix on Natsume, he's angry to say the least, I've never seen him this out of control before.

The yelling then turns into pleads, and that's when I look away, everything is a shower of red, orange, and yellow. "Natsume Stop! You'll burn them alive" I yell.

"That's… the point" he says through gritted teeth. I look from him to the sea of flames not believing he's really going to … to…

"What do you want? We'll give you anything j-just put this out!" one of them yells, I can only guess it must be the older one.

Before I can even say anything Natsume answers me "they'll just come back later, stronger, with more people" he says "or worse they'll give us away" of course Natsume's right but he's talking out of rage. I will not let him do this; I use my Alice on him, stopping the flames. Both men quickly emerged from the trees, and I can feel Natsume stiffen, wanting to finish them off.

"Thank you" the older man says. I step in front of Natsume, mostly to prevent him from doing anything stupid. The younger of the two burned his right arm and I can't help but feel a bit guilty, even if they did attacked us.

"What do you want?" the hurt man spat. I feel Natsume inch forward and I place my hand on his chest holding him back, though I shouldn't, this guy doesn't even feel bad.

"Nothing" I say calmly "just leave and don't dare say a word about us"

"If I so much as find out that one of you opened your mouth, so help me I will hunt you two down like dogs" Natsume adds with such hate I don't doubt he would. The two nod wearily and then disappear into the forest. Both Natsume and I stay frozen until we are sure they are a good deal away.

I let out a long breath that I don't even know I'm holding in. I look up at Natsume hoping he's as relived as I'm but he's still just as angry as before.

"What the hells wrong with you?" he says trying to restrain his anger… trying.

Me? "What's wrong with me?!" I yell back "what's wrong with you?! You nearly burned down the whole forest, those two included" I say pointing to where the two brothers had disappeared.

"That was the point" he tells me much too calmly for his words. I can't think of anything to say, I try holding his cold eyes and fail. I puff out my anger and look away. "Let me see" he says… well more like demands, I reluctantly lift my arms for him to see.

Natsume inspects my arms, his fingers gracing my skin softly. How can he be so gentle and say such horrible things? He begins to treat my wound "It won't leave a scar" he comments, but I'm really not concerned about that. I nod absent minded "They were bad men" he says suddenly, and finally saying something that catches my attention "they won't keep quiet…" he pauses a bit and I shut my eyes knowing what he will say next "you should have just let me … finish" he says, picking his last word carefully.

"They still didn't deserve to die" I argue hoping to change his mind, but I don't even get a glance, he keeps his eyes focused on his task, wrapping my arms. I wait for his rebuttal but nothing…

Not until he finishes wrapping my arm in bandages "They would have killed you" anger was evident all over his voice and body "come talk to me about deserving to die when you've lived a bit more little girl"

He moves to pick up our bags and begins to walk back in the same direction as before. I guess that's his way of saying end of conversation, not that he needs to say it, there is nothing I can answer to that. I slowly follow him "thank you" I say, more or less Natsume was right and I did owe him for saving me. After all, what those two wanted was me. He doesn't even turn around, and then a thought hits me "ne, Natsume" I called "back then I heard something"

"Really?" he calls back to my surprise "that's good, so then your brain isn't completely empty? And when you were being an idiot back there, it did try to warn you?" I should have known it would be one of his many idiotic comments!

"No!" I yell

"No? No, it is empty then? What a shame" he teases

I grit my teeth "No, that wasn't what I meant" I scoff "I heard someone call me" I add sounding much happier "they said my name… He said my name"

"Is that so" he says sounding uninterested

"Yup!" I say happily "You called me Mikan… you did, I heard you!"

Natsume looks back raising an eyebrow "you hit your head a lot harder then I though"

"I know what I heard!" I yell, he can't deny it now

"Believe what you want" he says, again sounding uninterested, but it doesn't matter, I know I heard my name. I skip next to him grinning up at him when I reach his side, he looked away as soon as I do.

The sun had gone down hours ago and still Natsume doesn't show any signs of wanting to stop. He must be tired too… no I'm sure he's exhausted after that fight, but he doesn't stop. I rub my eyes, hoping to rub away my sleep, but it's noy helping. Normally by this time we're usually settled down, I look ahead from where I've trailed behind and see Natsume's shoulders are tight. Why is he pushing himself so much today when it is so evident that he's tired? I shake my head; Natsume's the type of person who will drive himself to dead to accomplish something he set his mind on. I just wish I knew what this something was, I put myself together and make may way over to him.

Well, I try, but I trip before I make it all the way there. This is how I know he's tired, half the time he catches me before I hit the ground, and the other half, he's already by my side before I even acknowledge I've fallen. This time he's reaction is slow, he turns, his tired eyes betraying his tough exterior. He runs his fingers through his hair "A three legged horse has more grace than you" he shoots as he walks over.

I glare at him "yeah well you probably wouldn't work the three legged horse as much as you do me" I say and ignore his out stretched hand. Natsume shifts his weight and exhales; this just reminded me that as tired as I was, he must be ten times worse. Now I feel bad about my comment, the last thing he needs is a whining girl tripping all the time. I let a moment of silence pass before opening my mouth again "I'll try and watch where I'm going" I say in hopes of making amends.

"God, I'd love to see that happen" he huffs completely turning my peace offering into a full on war.

I grabbed the closest thing I could find and fling it at him as hard as I can. I'm guessing that in any other occasion he would have dogged it effortlessly but today right now, it makes contact. "I'm trying!" I yell as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Try" he begins emphasizing each word "harder" he then turns around and begins to walk again as if nothing happened. I exhale; he will be the end of me. Natsume is by far the most infuriating man on the face of the planet! "Just a little further" I hear him say "I promise" this time his word are at bit softer.

I nod and decided not to question it. I slowly make my way back to his side again, and it's an hour before we reach what I'm guessing Natsume is aiming for. In the middle of the forest is a small town, it looks old but even in the dark it gives off a homey felling. I'm afraid to ask but I suppose it was written all over my face because Natsume answers without me having to ask "We're here"

"Where is here?" I ask careful not to sound too demanding, not that I had any energy left to sound anything less than tired.

"… just a friend's house" he says as he jumped the fence. I could be just my imagination but Natsume almost sounds excited, but why doesn't he just using the front door?

"Why all the mystery than?...I mean if you're friends?" I ask but he merely lays down our stuff and extends his arms to pull me over as well.

"Don't ask so many questions Polka" he finally says and we walk across the field to the main house. When we reached the back door he looks a bit uneasy "I need to go inside … you wait here though" he tells me and looks a bit reluctant to leave. Is he worried about me?

"I'll be ok" I reassure him, trying to sound less tired than I actually am. Natsume just looks at me and after a long pause nod and goes inside. I wait until I'm sure he has gone all the way inside before letting my really exhaustion sink in. Behind me are stacks of hay, I only plan on laying down for a bit while Natsume comes back, but in just a few seconds my eyes became heavy and thats it…

THANKS FOR READING!