Well, here it is! Chapter 4! Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Normal POV

(3 days after Mikan joins DA)

"Huff huff huff!" Mikan was breathing hard as the cold rain splattered all over her, getting in her eyes as she ran the slippery course. A whip was snapped at her legs and feet when she slowed or stopped, so me made sure never to. But sometimes the sadistic bastard would do it for fun.

"Faster!" a voice snarled.

CRACK!

The whip hit her calves this time, cutting into her flesh and making her stumble as she ran across a four inch beam. It hurt like hell, but she made no sound as she was forced on. She then leapt from rock to rock, Persona shouting instructions and orders the entire time. Mikan ran the course twice more before being told to stop.

"On the ground. 150 pushups. You have 5 minutes." He ordered.

Mikan nodded and began.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6...

Simple practice is what he'd called it. Running crazy courses in 2 minutes flat through icy rain at midnight non-stop for reasons that weren't even explained to you was simple and easy practice? BS. Mikan's arms ached and muscles burned as she continued doing the pushups. She wanted so bad now to collapse and give in, but said nothing and merely obeyed.

'After all, this is nothing compared to that place.' she thought darkly.

Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. down.

91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96...

"Three minutes!" Persona said. His sharp voice rang out, crystal clear even through the rain and thunder and Mikan sped up, moving faster than before.

145. 146. 147. 148. 149-

"150!" Mikan shouted with still a minute of her given time to spare, pushing up from the ground and looking through the rain at Persona with defiant eyes. He grinned.

"Most impressive... 7 hours of non-stop work and you still going strong. Queen of the DA indeed." Persona said approvingly. They stood there staring at each other for a good length of time, battling with their minds. "Now do it all again. Blindfolded."

With that order Mikan ripped part of her shirt, tied it over her eyes, and once again began dashing through the rain, running the course with the leather snapping behind her.

--------------

Natsume POV

I watched helplessly from behind a tree as the girl who I wanted so much to protect was run through brutal training again and again. I was soaking and cold but I didn't move, choosing to stay and watch her instead.

'How could I have let this happen?!' I asked myself angrily.

She was now running the course blindfolded- surprisingly doing it perfect as well, but blindfolded none the less.

"Jump!"

SNAP!

I cringed as she was once again hit with Persona's disgusting whip as I had when I'd been doing this very same course. But unlike me, she didn't even flinch as it ripped her flesh and blood began dripping down her legs.

'How? How can she endure this all? It's only been three days...' When I had begun, it took me weeks to get where she was now. 'Just what kind of past does this girl have?'

I watched calmly as she leapt 10 feet across a ditch, landing perfectly on the other side and continuing without a hitch.

'Maybe she really doesn't need my protection...?'

No. She does. Mikan is more fragile than you think... remember the first night? The voice said.

I suddenly remembered the crying girl from the hospital room. The voice was right. She did need protection, and he'd keep a close watch over her from now on.

"Again!"

CRACK!

----------------

Normal POV

Mikan walked into the class room. There was a bandage on her right cheek and wrist. Various bruises covered her arms, and she had covered the whip cuts with knee-high socks and the scrapes and bruises with the long sleeves of her blazer.

She sat down in her chair beside Natsume without a word and Hotaru walked over to her. In the four short days that Mikan had come here, she'd befriended the infamous ice queen. She still didn't trust anyone or talk much, but Mikan speak when around Hotaru which is a big deal because she rarely spoke any other time.

"You're hurt." she inquired, making a quick rundown of Mikan with her eyes.

"It's nothing." Mikan murmured. Her voice was soft and cold as it always was. "I just fell. It was slippery."

Hotaru looked doubtful but nodded her head and went back to her seat.

"You really should be more careful." a deep voice said beside Mikan. She turned her head to see Natsume- the boy she recognized as her classmate and partner- staring at her. His crimson eyes were hard and she looked at him blankly.

"What?" she asked.

Natsume sighed. "Tch. I said to be more careful. Imai isn't going to believe those lie forever- she smarter than that. If you don't want to get your cover blown I'd come up with a better excuse than falling." He then turned his head away and began talking to Ruka.

Mikan stared at him a moment, thoroughly confused until she finally realize the reason for his words. 'Oh. He's worried about me. How... nice of him.'

She tilted her head to the side and tugged on Natsume's shirt sleeve to gain his attention. His expression went from being annoyed to shocked when he saw her face.

"Arigato." she said with a smile. Though it was small, it was innocent and pure and he gasped in surprise. The entire class stopped and stared at the girl. But just as quickly as it came, it disappeared and she turned away and looked out one of the large windows, leaving the class to wonder if it was their imagination.

'She just smiled.' Natsume thought incredulously.

"Natsume, did you see that? She smiled!" Ruka exclaimed.

Natsume nodded slowly, trying himself to process the scene that had just played before him. He thought back to the inoccent expression she had then and couldn't help the small upturn of his lips at the image, Ruka's eyes widened when he saw it.

'She should smile more often.' Natsume thought to himself. 'It suits her.'

Believe it or not, that was well over 1000 words. =/

Seemed short though, huh? Well, please review! XD