Here's chapter 4. please please please review.. please please please... enjoy
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Chapter 4
Interruption began with a loud...
BOOM
Pieces of rubble flew everywhere and furnitures were broken down and the three storey inn crumbled while people can be seen running away like ants do when the rain comes.
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Mikan looked around desperately after regaining her consciousness not too long following the unexpected blast. Her eyes scanned the area, beneath the ruins and everywhere she could lay her eyes upon, in the hope of finding Oria. And she found her after a good one minute of darting her eyes to and fro. Oria was lying under a piece of wood, her eyes close and only her head can be seen while her body was buried in a whole heap of mess. Mikan's heart pounded as her mind began to wildly imagine her little step-sister's condition. Before she knew it, the person in her mind was lifted up by none other than the prince she just met, Natsume.
Releasing the breath she didn't realised she held, Mikan tried to stand up and head towards Natsume before anything worse could happen. Her attempt faltered however. She hadn't notice her right leg was clipped in between the ground and the ruins of what looked like to be a table before the explosion. She cringed at the attempt of moving it and a startling 'ouch' escape her parted lips. That instantly caught Natsume's attention. He removed Oria from the pile of rubble and quickly strode over to Mikan and placed Oria beside the older girl.
Without asking anything, he heaved the heavy piece of wood and threw it over to the side. He panted as a result of the job and kneeled in the process to take a good look at Mikan's heavily bruised ankle.
'It's alright, I can heal it' Mikan quickly assured him when she saw his eyebrows knitted together showing what looked like worry. Placing her own hands over to the part of her leg that hurt most, she closed her eyes in concentration. Not before long that she stood up to test the result of her healing and it looked like it would do for the moment. It would have to do, she thought grimly before muttering an unsure 'thank you' to Natsume who nodded in return. Meanwhile Oria's eyes fluttered open signalling her wake.
'Are you alright?!' Mikan gasped, kneeling down once more to meet her sister's level. Before Oria could say anything, an arrow found its way towards Mikan, barely missing her arms by just an inch. Mikan whirled around to see the source but was pushed roughly by Natsume to take cover behind another broken table.
'Come out, Princess. You know you can't run any longer' a voice reverberated into the empty night. The inn was after all situated at the far end of the town and it must have been some time after the explosion since there was not any other soul to be spotted.
The voice, deadly familiar, shook Mikan to her spine and she trembled. Natsume who, still clutching her arm from earlier escape, could feel the trembling.
'Reo' Mikan muttered fearfully. Thoughts were racing in Mikan's mind. This won't do! He's famous for hypnotism. I have to act alone this time and tell, what's the name, oh yes, Natsume to get Oria out of here as fast as possible!
Nodding to reassure herself, she pulled herself together and moved closer to Natsume and whispered the instruction to him. At first Natsume looked at her with a stern expression but nodded seeing how distressed and worried the girl was for the younger one.
One, two and three!
Mikan stood up making it seemed like she was surrendering while Natsume took Oria in his arms and crept slowly away from the inn from behind.
'Reo!' Mikan hissed. The mentioned seemed to be satisfied and trudged slowly and carefully towards Mikan; only to stop a couple of steps from his original position. By this time, Natsume and Oria had successfully crept out of sight and went unnoticed with all the noise Mikan made to cover for them. That was very self-sacrificing, Natsume carefully noted.
Some distance away from the inn, almost nearing the nearby forest, suddenly a piercing scream made its way to Natsume's ears and he turned to look. He blanched at the sight. Mikan was shot in the legs!
Muttering some improvised instruction to Oria, he slowly made his way back to Mikan while Oria headed hesitantly towards the woods.
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'How did you find me?' Mikan asked, trying to steal enough time for her sister and the prince to escape.
'Well, well, did you think I was that stupid, princess?' Reo spat while his companion snickered behind him.
'You know fully not to behave that way to a princess' Mikan retorted gravely with a challenging tone.
'Impudent wretch! You know better than to defy Dieci! Master had been very angry when he found out about your little disobedience. Now come back with me or you'll pay!' he bellowed.
'Never! I'd rather die! And tell that old grandpa master of yours he can remain angry' Mikan refused and took a step back defensively. Just then an unexpected arrow slipped from the bow held by the accompanying man and plunged its way towards Mikan's legs.
A sharp scream came out all the way from Mikan's stomach and she sank to the ground, panting heavily while clutching the pain-giving thigh.
Reo smirked and closed in on Mikan but before he could touch her, his companion screamed an agonizing scream causing Reo to look and jumped back in surprise. He was on fire! Slowly and tormentingly, the man collapsed finally and the fire was gone leaving only the unconscious body. Mikan stood up painfully to look for the source and know vaguely that Reo was searching too.
Reo's eyes met Mikan's and Mikan knew he was anxious. Impulsively, she clicked her finger and summoned ice darts. Before they could hit the target however, Reo disappear into the night like fading smoke, leaving no traces. Not before long, Mikan's sight turned pitch black and she found herself plunging towards the ground. She didn't get the pain she anticipated of reaching the ground however and she opened her eyes only to meet a pair of crimsons before falling into utter darkness.
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'Princess Oria is not in her chamber, your Highness!' a servant panted nervously after a run to and from the said chamber. The king blinked in confusion and surprise at the intrusion but tore his eyes from a history book he was reading until realisation dawned on his like a boulder that had just hit his head.
'What?!' the king boomed sending the servant a chill down the spine. This couldn't be. Oh, what a disaster, he thought, frustrate. First Mikan is gone, now Oria?! This is making him insane. Mikan had to go - that he understood - but why in the name of Alice Kingdom did Oria left too?
'Is Hotaru still here?' he asked after a while of calming himself down. He was still pacing in his study however. The servant nodded anxiously and left at the command of the king to summon the Ice -gulp- princess.
Not too long after waiting did Hotaru turned up at his study door.
'What is it, your Highness?' Hotaru asked, emotionless although she fully knew what the king wanted to ask.
'Have you heard? Oria is gone'
Hotaru nodded at the solemn statement. The king had had to continue.
'Where do you think had she gone to?'
'After her sister I believe, to Gior as well' Hotaru replied shortly and sharply but calmly.
The king's pace became quick and abrupt around the room. His daughter could be in any mortal danger. Oria's power hasn't mature yet. She's only 12 for goodness sake! And what was she thinking about when she sneaked away in pursuit of her sister. He did not doubt the fact that he has raised a fine, kind and cheerful daughter; but that's way out of hand!
'I was just about to climb into the carriage to head to the city when I was summoned. Don't worry uncle. She - they will be fine I'm sure' Hotaru said before taking her leave after the king's acknowledgement. She quietly cursed herself for making such stupid not to mention empty promise. But knowing Mikan's ability Hotaru wasn't afraid, worried yet but not afraid.
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Jyan!! I squeezed this out of my mind coz i was having what you call a writer's mind blank.. i'll wait till i'm in a better
mood to write again. it's always fun for the suspense. next chapter has hopefully (not a promise ok.. just a guess.. for
my part as well) some getting-to-know-each-other scene between Natsume and Mikan.. coz i've realised that i'm making Natsume invisible in this chapter.. but he'll become more important. after all the journey together has only begun bwahaha...
please review!!
kuronekomimi