A/N: I'm back, whoo! My muse kept flickering while I was working on this, but I finally sat myself down, put Hidamari no Jikan on repeat, and forced myself to finish.
And spoilers ahead for people who haven't caught up with the manga, but GA finally ended while I was gone, and oh my God, everyone's grown up! ;w; (though wtf is up with Nodacchi's goatee? It works on Tono, in my opinion (just slightly), but not on our sweet, scatter-brained time traveler! Tell me I wasn't the only one who thought this). Overall, though, I'm a little conflicted over how I feel about the ending, but I won't get into that now because that would take forever and I'm sure you're all just itching to read :P
Kimee08: Like I told another reviewer, the trait I'm trying to show the most is how 'tsundere' Natsume can be with his affections :P He does things in a very round-about way, but they always have good intentions behind them, which is the basis for his personality in this fic more than anything else. But, yes, you're absolutely right that the change in setting attributes a slight change in characterization. That's probably a partial reason if you find him OOC :)
lala: THANK YOU! :D Your review left me smiling for a looong time. I'm a Percy Jackson fan, too, actually! Maybe that subconsciously affected my decision to write this story in the first place, haha. And patience – Mikan will of course warm up to Natsume; it's slow, but she's definitely starting to realize he's secretly a nice guy and warming up to him :3
AAA: Why, thank you, my dear :) That's such a nice compliment to give me when I'm feverishly trying to give it an interesting twist.
Guest: Updated! And Tsubasa's journey is in here, too~
nix: I'm trying to show Natsume's nice side in really subtle ways, like it happened in the manga. If I had to pick just one scene that I use as a reference to his personality, it's when he throws tea on Mikan to keep her from eating the spoiled cake. He really shows his affections in unusual ways, which is the part of him I want to shine the most in this story :)
Guest (a second one!): I think most schools don't teach Mythology, though, unless you take a specific class for it, right? The only time I was ever taught was in elementary, when the curriculum is less strict in my opinion. But omg, yes, Hades stuck out to me like a sore thumb! I thought, "Why am I so obsessed with death?" Haha.
anniely: Yes, she is! Since she's a demigoddess, that means she's half-goddess (from Izumi's side) and half-mortal (from Yuka's side). And thank you! :D
Icy: No worries, I completely understood! And I'm so glad you like it :D Also, thank you so much for taking the time to review even when English isn't your first language – it's extra sweet :3
sarah: I really love this combination, too! (Which I guess is pretty obvious, considering I'm writing it, haha). But I love Greek Mythology AUs in any fandom, and I love novels based around the myths, and I love reading about the original myths, too. There's even Greek Mythology fanfiction on this site! I think finding that section is another reason I was inspired to write this story, tbh. You're actually the second person to tell me this reminds you of Beauty and the Beast. I wasn't thinking of that when I wrote this, but now that two people have said it, I can really see the similarities. Not a bad thing, of course, because I love that movie :D
Igarashi23: Why, thank you :) Here's the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters.
Natsume's palace, as Mikan had suspected, was gigantic.
Even a full tour later, she still could not remember where half the rooms he'd shown her were, partly because she'd been so awed at the idea of touring the death palace, and partly because he had too many rooms for the small number of people that lived there.
"You'll probably get lost the second I leave you alone," Natsume sneered from behind her, immediately lighting a fire underneath her that displaced her amazement.
"No, I won't," she rebutted without hesitation, folding her arms and speeding up ahead of him.
He caught up with ease, for he was quite a bit taller. "If that stupid look on your face was anything to go by, you didn't absorb a single thing I said."
"I-I did!" she insisted, but she faltered over her own words and he smirked cockily.
She didn't have a chance to be enraged further by that confident look, because he suddenly took a detour by turning a corner, and she had to scramble to keep up. In contrast, he was cool and relaxed, his hands tucked lazily in the pockets of his robes, and she hated how only she was the stumbling idiot between the two of them; someday, she hoped to see him lose his cool, and she would relish in it.
"That's enough of the palace," he decided once she had caught up. "We'll take a ride out to see the rest, or else it'll take all day."
"The rest?" she asked curiously.
"The rest of the Underworld, of course," he scoffed, rolling his eyes towards her. "There's more to my kingdom than just my palace, you know."
"I know," she replied rudely, refusing to admit that she'd momentarily forgotten there was more when her head was still spinning from everything she'd already seen. She had a feeling he'd figured that out himself, however.
"Wh-Where's the ride?" she asked haughtily, refusing to meet his eyes out of sheer stubbornness.
"Out in the stable." He led her outside to a barren area she could only assume was the side of the palace, and she realized this was the first time she had ever stepped foot outside; it was just as dark and dead as the rest of the kingdom seemed to be, with grey dirt beneath them and no plant life to speak of. Though her guide seemed perfectly unaffected, Mikan curled her arms around herself and shivered. There was no life here.
She quickened her pace, trying to keep up beside him so she wouldn't lose her own warmth just by falling back alone. "Is it a horse or something?" she asked nervously, glancing at her surroundings with unease.
"Not quite." There was a smirk in his voice that she didn't quite trust. "Ever heard of the beast of the underworld?"
She almost missed a step and faceplanted right into the ground, catching herself just in time to gape at him in shock. "The beast of the underworld?" she repeated, her voice breaking into a shrill squeak at the end. "The beast? Cerberus, the vicious, three-headed dog that keeps souls from ever leaving and attacks anyone living who tries to enter?" Her tone was bordering on hysteria at this point, as her knees shook from the prospect of what she was about to do – what she was about to face.
Natsume leveled her with a flat stare. "Do you always believe every rumor you hear?" he grumbled in irritation, leading her to a humongous, though rickety, building she could only assume was the stable. She stayed a good few paces behind him, ready to bolt at the first sight of the terrifying beast she had heard so much about.
Natsume swung open the door, and inside they found a gigantic, fluffy, yellow...chick.
Mikan was silent, staring up at it in disbelief for a good few beats. "...What...is this?"
"Piyo," he answered smoothly. "Ruka picked it up a few decades ago and didn't have the heart to turn it away, so we keep it here."
It was tall enough to almost touch the ceiling of the stable, taking up all the room inside so that it was obvious this was its own, personal stable; no other animals could possibly have fit inside. It gazed down at them silently, slouched into a puffy ball of feathers, and when its eyes drooped, Mikan realized that it had been sleeping.
"A-And the beast?" she choked out, still burning a hole into the chick with her flabbergasted stare.
"Like I said, a rumor. It keeps people away." With a sigh, Natsume untied the dainty rope tied around its webbed feet, then pulled on a nearby lever that seemed to activate a door. It was an entrance just as big as the stable itself when it had opened to its full capacity – a way for the animal to easily walk out.
"You coming?" Natsume scoffed when he noticed she was still frozen. He ascended a ladder tied securely to the wall, jumping onto the top of the chick's head and settling down in the center. With a pat to the spot beside him, he called down, "Not scared of heights, are you?"
"Are you telling me," she breathed shakily, "that this is our ride?"
"What else would it be?" he asked impatiently, clicking his tongue. "Now hurry it up, idiot."
It was with a weak chuckle that she followed his steps up the ladder, almost daring herself to peek at the mutant chick that was now watching her closely with its beady eyes. Briefly, before she hopped on top of it, she remembered how terrified she'd been just a moment ago at the thought of a three-headed dog, and grimaced.
This is so much more terrifying.
.. ღ ..
The Elysian Fields were simply gorgeous.
True to their name, they were nothing more than a vast, empty meadow, but Mikan found herself enchanted by the beautiful sight. The darkened sky had dulled to a pale, cloudless blue, more clear than anything she'd ever seen. Tufts of soft-looking green grass covered the ground, with rosy flowers littering the greenery until it looked like a canvas of vibrant colors mixed together underneath them. She even spied a large oak tree in the distance, and souls that weren't wandering the plains had settled underneath it for shade. Everything was peaceful.
"Pre-tty," she breathed, looking out at it all in awe.
When Piyo kneeled – thanks to Natsume's not so gentle prodding – the two slid off his feathered back to land safely below, just as a bespectacled boy hastily rushed towards them.
"Lord Natsume, welcome," he said cheerfully. Mikan faintly recognized him, though she couldn't quite remember from where.
"You're..." she prompted, furrowing her eyebrows in concentration.
He laughed and immediately introduced himself. "I am Tobita Yuu, God of Dreams. We have met once before."
Yes, of course! How could she have forgotten the boy she'd met on her first night here? He'd been the only sane interaction she'd had that night, aside from perhaps Ruka, though she hadn't seen him in the palace since. Perhaps this was where he worked.
"Yes, that's right," he confirmed when she asked, nodding enthusiastically. "I really do enjoy working here; it's so much nicer to me than anywhere else, since everyone here is so happy." With a look towards Natsume that seeked his approval, he took over the task of explaining, "The Elysian Fields are a land of paradise for the blessed. Centuries ago, they were reserved only for heroes, but now they've been expanded to include souls that led virtuous lives." He smiled at the frenzied look of Mikan's face, who was trying her best to remember everything, and made it much easier for her. "In generic terms, they are, as mortals like to call them, Heaven."
"Ohhh," she replied in awe, looking out at the scene again. It made sense, as this was quite possibly one of the nicest places she'd visited in the underworld and the human realm. When a cool breeze whipped through her hair, she grinned and plucked a flower by her feet. "It's so nice," she said, taking a sniff. "So you do have plants and life here."
Natsume looked away, though she couldn't see, but Tobita's answering laugh was cheerful.
"Oh, no," he corrected her with a wave of his hands. "These are all just my illusions."
She stiffened. "What?"
"Plants can't grow down in this realm – no sunlight," he explained. "This is my work here. Everything you see here is something I've created through my powers, all for the souls to rest at peace. We place them in the Fields I've created, and in their minds, I show them everything their hearts desire."
Slowly and carefully, Mikan inspected the flower clutched in her hand. It looked real, and it had even smelled real, but if she concentrated on it – really, truly concentrated on it – it suddenly felt entirely different from anything she could fathom. She let it slip from her fingers.
Suddenly, she didn't like the Fields any longer. As the Goddess of Spring, there was something unreal and almost creepy to her that everything she saw was fabricated from someone else's mind – that someone had created a replica of her domain for the sake of tricking others. Everything suddenly looked fake to her, too plastic, and just as she'd done back at the stable, Mikan wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.
"So," she said slowly, "Heaven is fake."
Tobita's grin faltered, but from behind her, Natsume let out a scoff.
"Of course not," he spat bitterly. "You don't see them complaining." With a jerk of his head, he motioned towards the wandering souls who'd been given a place in Heaven.
It was certainly true, what he'd said. Each one of them seemed content, whether they were trapped in an illusion in their mind, or whether they were of sound mind and were simply enjoying the peaceful environment. Just like the concept of Heaven promised, they were all certainly happy. Still, she didn't quite like the Elysian Fields as much as when they'd first arrived.
"Let's just go," she mumbled, stalking back over to Piyo, but it was still with a cheerful smile that she bid farewell to the sincere God of Dreams.
.. ღ ..
The Asphodel Meadows were much more to Mikan's liking, because the moment they stepped into them, she could have sworn she'd been transported right back to the human world. Small buildings and cozy shops made of wood lined the rock-cobbled street under them. She saw colorful signs hanging above the stores and interesting trinkets peeking out from the windows, beckoning the customers to come inside. Even the people were to her liking. Crowds of people pushed past each other, from stuffy mothers with their screaming children to lanky men holding their purchases to even teenagers who seemed to be spending the day together. It wasn't silent and serene here, like it had been in the Fields, but rather, noisy and crowded and just like the human world. Mikan immediately loved it.
"What is this place?" she asked Natsume excitedly, yanking on his arm and pointing to the bustling scene. She had even forgotten her previous anger with him in her amazement, and he wasn't about to remind her of it.
"Asphodel Meadows," he told her.
Mikan cocked her head to the side, looking at the scene in confusion. "Meadows?" She didn't see any meadows here. It looked just like a small village.
"It used to be just one large meadow," he explained for her benefit. "Just like the Fields, but not as nice. Since then, the people have built this small town to live in like they did up in the human world. They named it Central Town. If you walked to the edge of town, you would still see remnants of the meadow this was built on." He shrugged. "It makes them feel more comfortable, so I let them do as they pleased."
Mikan's lips parted in wonder, and she gazed at everything with stars in her eyes. Oh, the scene was so familiar! She could smell the aroma of fried foods in the air. She could feel the smoothness of the rocks under their feet. She could feel the stickiness of being inside a throng of people. She could hear the sounds of children laughing and shop owners bargaining with their customers and the whistling of different machines being used all at once.
"Central Town," she sighed dreamily, cupping her cheeks with her hands and bouncing forward.
"Oi, don't get lost," Natsume snapped, tucking his hands into the pockets of his robes and lazily following after her.
Mikan began hopping on the spot, impatiently turning back and waiting for him to catch up before she bounded into the crowd once again. He followed after her with a roll of his eyes, but inwardly, he was so relieved that she seemed to be taken with this place. Perhaps Central Town would be the place that would convince her to stay in the Underworld with him.
She seemed to be running on an endless amount of energy, as she bounced from shop to shop and gazed at everything in wonder. She laughed herself silly at a comedy duo that was performing at the town square, played eagerly with some children inside a toy store, tried on possibly fifty dresses inside a clothing shop, and even pouted that she couldn't eat the cotton candy a kind sweets shop owner offered her.
"Do you think they have those Fluff Puffs in the human realm?" she asked Natsume, looking genuinely heartbroken that she hadn't been able to taste the fluffy, pink treat. "I don't think I've ever heard of them before."
"Probably not," he replied smoothly, and she looked crushed. Natsume was torn between feeling happy that something in this realm seemed to attract her so strongly and feeling grim that the "something" was cotton candy. This whole, vast new land to explore, and that was what she focused on?
As he grumbled to himself over his conflicted emotions, Mikan suddenly nudged his side with her elbow, looking mildly concerned.
"Hey, hey, Natsume?" she whispered when he raised a questioning eyebrow. "I've been noticing this since before, but isn't everyone staring at us a lot?"
He glanced around at the crowded street and discovered her words to be true; most of the shoppers' gazes seemed to linger on them, though they quickly looked away when they realized they had been seen by the couple, embarrassed to be caught staring. Some of them whispered or giggled among themselves, and a few of the older souls, when their eyes met Natsume's, smiled and bowed politely.
He scoffed. "Of course they would be staring. I'm a celebrity, you know."
Mikan mistook his words for cockiness and rolled her eyes, and it occurred to Natsume that she had genuinely forgotten who she was speaking to. Was that a good thing?
"Idiot, I'm their King," he reminded her, and her lips parted slightly as she looked up at him as if in a whole new light.
"O-oh, yes. Y-you are," she agreed under her breath, berating herself for letting something so important slip her mind. It was kind of hard to see him as a ruler when he'd been following behind her so crabbily all morning, much like her mother did when she and Izumi dragged her along on their shopping excursions. She'd gotten too carried away by the town to remember their position.
As if on cue, a gaggle of teenage girls passed by them, but they all stopped a few inches away and bowed towards Natsume. "Good afternoon, Lord Natsume!" they greeted him cheerfully, and then ran off squealing and giggling together about the encounter.
Natsume rolled his eyes at their noisiness, but Mikan watched them leave in wonder. They didn't seem to be scared of him at all; on the contrary, they turned back to look at him with flushed faces, still giddy about getting to talk to him. As she looked around, she realized that though everyone averted their eyes, it was honestly out of embarrassment from getting caught staring rather than fear. Children gazed at him with awe, teenage boys with admiration, teenage girls with longing, and older souls with sincerity. It was like the maids at the palace all over again. They loved their king, and, once again, Mikan felt like she was missing something.
"Is...is it all right for you to be seen with me?" she asked unsurely, fingering the end of a lock of her hair. She realized that her hair was probably a mess from all her excitement and frowned.
Natsume watched her from the corners of his eyes. "They probably already know about you. The maids at the palace like to gossip." He frowned as well, but in disapproval.
Mikan chewed on her lip. "What do you think they've heard?"
Natsume raised his eyebrows. Did this bother her? He wasn't exactly a fan of being the latest gossip either, but he wouldn't have expected that of someone as bubbly as Mikan. Then again, he mused, this was a touchy topic. And now her good mood had been ruined. That much was obvious, since she was more taken with her shoes than she was with the shops around her, unlike a second ago.
With a heavy sigh, Natsume swooped down and took her hand in his. When she started and inclined her head questioningly, he held up their joined hands.
"If the rumors bother you so much, we could just properly announce everything right here?" he suggested tauntingly. "I can officially introduce you as my bride."
She ripped her hand away as quickly as if she'd been shocked, red in the face, and began to rant endlessly at his nerve. "Idiot! Who's your bride! Demon! Fox! Short eyebrows!"
He snickered. "What do the short eyebrows have to do with anything?"
"They're part of your stupid face!" she screeched, stomping away from him as he followed her lazily once again. Her list of peculiar nicknames went on for a long time, but she was also no longer wary of the whispers of the people around them. It was like she'd forgotten they weren't the only two people in the world because, once again, all her attention was on him. That was just the way Natsume liked it.
He smirked as she hurled one insult after another his way. Getting her angry with him always seemed to fix her somber moods.
.. ღ ..
Mikan began pouting the moment they left the Meadows and did not stop even when the town was no longer in sight.
"Why couldn't we have stayed?" she kept complaining, absentmindedly petting Piyo's feathers. She seemed to have gotten over her fear of the giant bird without even realizing it.
"You could stay forever if you became my Queen," he hinted, and she immediately began to splutter, trying to take back her words.
As he smirked at her reaction and incensed her even further, it suddenly occurred to Natsume that the path they were on would eventually lead them towards the Fields of Punishment. Those lands were reserved specifically for people who had committed crimes against the gods, who had dared to tempt the almighty beings as mere mortals. Punishments there were gruesome, consisting of nothing less of horrible, horrible torture.
The king swiftly glanced at his bride from the corners of his eyes. She was still whining over his words, but was now also repeatedly smacking his arm for ignoring her. The god was no fool, and he also knew Mikan quite well. The Fields of Punishment were not something to show her. He was sure that the slightly ditzy and overtly clueless girl wouldn't be able to handle the most treacherous part of his kingdom. It would make her hate the Underworld even more, and he couldn't allow that.
At the next fork in the road, he subtly changed their course, and Mikan was none the wiser.
.. ღ ..
Natsume wished he had skipped Tartarus as well.
Even just standing outside the gates, it was obvious Mikan was terrified. The screams they could hear from inside were horrific, and on top of that, soft whispers by something obviously terrible bounced off the walls. Large flames were threatening to burst open the doors with their strength, and they caused eerie shadows along the cave ceiling.
"This is..." she whispered, frozen on the spot.
"Hell," he filled in for her, watching her expression closely. He really regretted bringing her here. She was already afraid of the dark, and tonight, she just might have nightmares. "Or that's what humans call it, at least. It's where we punish sinful humans."
"So the fire is their punishment?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"As Lord of this realm, it's my job to keep it going," he supplied, holding up a fist to remind her of his fire powers.
Her eyes widened in horror. "Your fire...tortures people?" she asked in a choked whisper.
He had nothing to say to that.
Eventually, she rubbed her arm and inched away from the entrance. She could feel an ominous presence inside the gates that scared her beyond any fear she had ever felt before, and it almost felt as if it was beckoning her inside the flames. There was no way to describe the feeling in any other way than just purely evil.
Natsume noticed when her bottom lip quivered and assured her, "I won't be taking you inside."
She visibly relaxed at his words, though her body was still rigid, and it was then that he fully noticed how pale and white she was, shivering down to the bone. This went beyond just simple dread. This was full blown terror, the kind that made one fear for their very life. He really shouldn't have brought her here.
It was almost on instinct when he took her hand in his own. It was different than when he'd done so back in the Meadows, because he did it not with some ulterior motive in mind, but solely for comfort. The action started out slow; his pinky carefully brushed against hers, silently asking for permission, and when she did not move her hand away, he hooked their little fingers together. She responded to the comfort eagerly, clasping his fingers and tugging his hand closer so that she could grab onto his palm tightly. He squeezed back in reassurance.
"But Mikan," he said gravely. "I'm telling you now. You must never, ever come here."
She nodded her head slowly, still too scared to speak.
"Then, let's go," he suggested softly, tugging her along by the hand. "You don't have to stay here any longer, and you don't ever have to come back. Forget this place ever existed."
She shuddered as he led her away and didn't look back.
.. ღ ..
Tsubasa was beginning to get slight chills from the eeriness of this place.
The darkness didn't seem to be getting any brighter, and there was nothing but silence around him, so quiet he could have heard a pin drop. Folding his cloak over himself, he folded his arms for warmth and just kept on walking, hoping the end was near.
Not much later, somewhere farther down his path he could make out a small burst of light up ahead if he strained his eyes. It wasn't much brighter than the surroundings, especially not enough to illuminate anything, but he felt his heart rate pick up at the sight of it. Excited by the possibility of another person, he quickened his steps.
He turned a corner, almost slipping on the jagged ground, and when he caught himself in the nick of time, he saw him: a man, older than maybe even his nineties, wandering down the path with a dim lantern clutched in his hand. His face was unusually blank as he stared at nothing but what was up ahead, but Tsubasa still found himself breathing deeply in relief.
"Excuse me?" he called out cautiously, jogging over to the man. He didn't even react, and a frown marred the god's face as he raced to catch up to him. Wondering whether he simply had not heard him, he tried again. "Excuse me, sir?"
As he caught up, he reached out an impatient hand to grab him by the shoulder and yank him back. But just as he touched his arm, his hand passed straight through. With a horrified yelp, Tsubasa had to catch himself yet again as he almost toppled right through the man's entire body.
At least it had succeeded in catching his attention, for the man swung around with narrowed eyes and boomed, "Who's there now?" His gaze latched onto Tsubasa, who gaped at him, still trying to process what had just happened.
"I just passed right through you..." he whispered slowly, staring at his own hand.
"'Course ya did!" he boomed in return. "Don't ya know nothin' 'bout souls? Ghosts ain't solid, and if I remember right, I'm dead now." He appraised the god, noting his boyish features, and his forehead creased. "Ya look mighty young. A real pity, that is, dyin' so early. Though ya don't look see through like the rest o' us."
"No, I...I'm alive," Tsubasa informed him under his breath, finally shaking off his previous shock and straightening up. It wasn't as if a wandering soul was something he had never heard of before; he'd simply lost his cool because it was his first time encountering one himself. Of course he wouldn't be able to touch him.
"I thought as much," the ghost said pointedly, nodding his head. "But you're heading off to river Styx, ain't ya? Else ya wouldn't be on this path. I'm headin' the same way. Gotta get me ta the other side, where Lord Natsume decides where I go. Hopin' for the Elysian Fields myself, but I reckon that might be a bit too arrogant; I know I'm not perfect."
Tsubasa nodded absentmindedly as they headed off down the path again, this time together.
"Well, son, what business do ya have here if yer not dead?" the soul asked, holding his lantern higher so they could both see their way. It didn't do much to help, however, and the darkness was as thick as ever. "Need ta have words with Lord Natsume?"
"Something like that," he replied coolly, his jaw hardening in place. "And you? Can I ask how you..."
"Died?" he filled in with a smile. "Peacefully in my sleep, thank the gods. I reckoned my time was drawin' near. These old bones don't work the way they used ta no more. At least I saw the world before I passed. That's how I know so much about this here Underworld. Did a lot of research in my young days."
His chatter helped them reach the end of their path with ease, but both of them stopped short when they'd reached their destination and sucked in a breath at the glorious River Styx.
"Wow..." the old soul breathed, his eyes roaming over the water. "No research coulda prepared me for this."
It was a marvelous body of water, and at the same time, it was the most terrifying. It was a thick, murky yellow that glowed throughout the cave, misting the entire riverside until the haze was too thick to see the other side, punching Tsubasa in the gut with the feeling of being slowly suffocated. Shadows ran over the surface like bandits in the night, twisting in the waves and eerily creating the image of souls floating aimlessly underneath. It seemed endless; perhaps it was the color, but it was impossible to actually see into it, let alone see the bottom, and they wondered whether it was possibly an endless body that would forever drag fallen travelers through the yellow, to a bank that didn't exist.
"Careful not ta fall in," the man joked weakly, unable to look away. Tsubasa, who came to his senses much sooner, grunted and pushed him along before he actually began hyperventilating.
There were other souls here, now that they had reached the end of the path and made it to the legendary dock. They all crowded around together, possibly too afraid of the river and the mist to risk separating, and chattered among themselves. Tsubasa spied a confused looking young man in the crowd, who was taking in everything with awe.
"Where am I?" he seemed to be asking, but no one paid him any mind. "Where is this place? Why am I here?"
"Does he not realize he's dead?" Tsubasa asked his companion, who had finally returned to his senses as well. "How do you make it all the way to the river without realizing it?"
"It's rare, but I suppose he died in some surprisin' way, where he couldn't realize what happened ta him," he explained. "The path to the river's enchanted, ya know. Anyone dead or looking for a way here would just know in their gut that it's the road to take. I figure he don't realize what happened to him, so the path just rightfully brought him here."
Tsubasa thought back to when he had first entered, when somehow his instincts had just happened to know that the path he was on was the right one, that it would take him where he needed to go, and realized he was right: he'd been upon an enchanted path.
The souls suddenly began stirring among themselves, chattering much louder than before. The cause, Tsubasa discovered, was the arrival of the ferryman who would take them across the river: Ruka.
"One at a time, please," he called out as all the souls began crowding past him, rushing to get on his boat. The confused young man who didn't know he was dead simply followed the crowd. Even the man beside him hurried forward.
"Better get going," he called over his shoulder, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Don't wanna get left behind."
But Tsubasa was in no rush. He followed the crowd one slow step at a time, all the while keeping his eyes trained on the ferryman to assess him. He looked more haggard than Tsubasa might have expected; his blond hair was slightly mussed and unkempt, and his eyes seemed heavy and weary, as if he'd just gone through some rough ordeal. Considering the rest of him was in immaculate condition, Tsubasa figured something must have happened up at the palace during his last trip.
With Mikan, perhaps? he wondered, and was immediately consumed with rage.
Bounding past several souls and roughly pushing them aside, he grabbed Ruka by his cloak before the poor boy could even react, jerking him away from the crowd to slam him against one of the walls made of rock. He heard the breath get knocked out of the blond in an 'oomph!' Several souls looked at the pair in shock, some murmuring among themselves at the scene that was taking place, so Tsubasa took care to hide in the darkness and drop his voice.
"Where is my sister?" he hissed.
Ruka had yet to collect his bearings. Rubbing at his weary eyes and attempting to find his balance on the slope they stood on, he had yet to realize just who had grabbed a hold of him until he finally looked into his gaze and his eyes widened by a fraction.
"You're –"
"God of Shadows," he introduced himself, "and Mikan's older brother. Now, where is she?"
Ruka instantly looked away, unable to meet his gaze as he looked rightfully ashamed. "I'm sorry, but I don't know anything."
"You really expect me to believe that?" He roughly shook the collar of the god's cloak, thrusting his back against the rocks a few times, and demanded in a low, threatening voice, "Take me to her."
He averted his eyes again, the shame slightly giving way to guilt. "I'm sorry, but I can't." As Tsubasa opened his mouth to let loose his rage, he rushed on to explain, "The ferry has been enchanted so that it can't handle the power of a god! King's orders. If you tried to force your way on board, it would only sink and..." He looked Tsubasa straight in the eyes. "You know what happens to those who fall into the river, don't you?"
He did know. He'd heard horror stories of it from the gods since he was young and a lot of the young ones even had nightmares about it.
"Then just un-enchant the ferry," he hissed, but Ruka shook his head.
"It's not within my powers to do that. I'm not the one who enchanted it, nor can I take the spell off. And the person who did works only under Lord Natsume's direct orders."
Overcome by his helplessness, he slammed the ferryman against the rocks again, cussing under his breath. He could sense that the man was telling the truth, and even if he wasn't, there was no way to use his powers on him; there were no shadows in such a dark place for him to control.
"Tsubasa-san," Ruka said gently, grabbing his wrist and prying off his hands. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave now. The living do not belong in this world."
His eyes flashed. "Mikan is –"
Before he could get the words out, he heard growling from behind him and looked back to find two wild dogs baring their fangs at him, poised to attack on command. He glanced back at the ferryman, who looked at him apologetically, and remembered that his satyr powers included an ability to communicate with animals. He was sure they were mythical creatures that could harm even a god; creatures like those, though rare in the mortal world, were abundant in the Underworld. It was another reason so many of the gods feared this realm.
"If you don't leave, they'll have to escort you out," he murmured.
With a huff, Tsubasa let him go and took a few steps back. "I'm not giving up," he growled. "I'll be back for my sister. Make sure Natsume gets my message."
With one last glare, he was forced to admit defeat.
.. ღ ..
Mikan dipped her fingers in the body of the Styx and immediately shivered.
Retracting her hand, she rubbed it on her thigh and mumbled shakily, "It's so cold. It's like it's sucking me in."
Natsume stood behind her, his arms folded, and watched over her carefully as she explored the area. It was the last stop of their tour before they would return to the palace, so he was content with letting her run around as much as she wanted – not that there was much to do here. Mikan had gasped when they'd first arrived, marveling at the prettiness of its color, but one touch seemed to have scared her off.
"Of course," he answered back, watching her blow on her fingers to warm them up again. "The Styx is a river of pure grief. Legend has it that it was created from the tears of dead souls."
She hugged herself, taking a step back from the water, and asked, "Legend? Shouldn't you know?"
"I wasn't always Lord of the Underworld, you know," he replied with a roll of his eyes. She didn't even know basic history. "I came to this realm when my powers were discovered, and this river was already here."
"Oh." She looked sheepish. "So fire powers automatically mean you get to rule the Underworld?"
He shrugged, looking off to the side. "Maybe. Or maybe they were scared that I would lose control of my powers one day, and so they banished me here so I couldn't hurt any of them." He trailed off sounding a bit bitter, though he hadn't intended to, and Mikan watched him closely.
"Why not just leave?" she asked quietly after a pause. "You obviously have control of your powers now. Why not just leave this place if you don't want to stay?"
He glanced back at her sharply, standing a bit more straight. "I won't leave." His voice gained back its usual confidence as he said simply, "This is my home now."
Mikan chewed on her bottom lip, contemplation passing across her features. All this time she'd been so upset that he was forcing her to stay in this realm, but it seemed the gods had done the same to him. It might not have made his actions justifiable, but she could no longer blame him for not understanding what she was going through. But he had learned to love this place...
"Careful not to fall in," his warning interrupted her thoughts. "This river is beyond my control. If you fell in, even I couldn't save you."
She glanced down at the yellow water in front of her and unconsciously took another step back. It might have been pretty, but from one touch she could tell it was dangerous. She ran her gaze over the vast surface, shivering as she imagined what it might feel like if her entire body was submerged. And that was when it happened.
For a split second, her gaze flickered to the other side, and she spotted an eerily familiar mop of dark blue hair. Her eyes widened.
"Tsubasa-nii?"
Natsume heard her murmur and sharply followed her line of sight, where he too spotted the familiar god heading in the direction of the entrance as two dogs followed closely behind. Even more quickly than that, though, he spotted the look on Mikan's face and just knew a millisecond before she did that she was about to do a very stupid thing. That one millisecond was crucial.
"Tsubasa-nii!"
She lunged forward, obviously intending to swim across to her brother through the river he had just warned her about, but Natsume wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his chest before she could damn herself.
She immediately began to struggle, elbowing anything she could as she clawed at his hands. "Let me go!"
"Idiot," he hissed into her ear, holding on for dear life. "You can't jump into the river. What did I just tell you?"
"I don't care!" she yelled, twisting in his hold. "My brother is – TSUBASA-NII!" Her voice got even louder when she noticed the man had rounded a corner and almost disappeared completely from sight. He didn't even react to her calls or seemed to realize she was there at all, which only made Mikan more desperate.
"He can't hear you," he growled, his voice strained. She was surprisingly strong. "It's not possible for anyone on that side of the river to see anyone on this side of the river. We're in a completely different realm from the one he is in."
"Then let me go to his realm!" she screamed, finally twisting around to glare at him. "You're the one keeping me here! If you just let me go –"
"But I won't," he said simply.
Mikan stilled, shocked at his blatant admittance, and a shadow crossed over her face as she ducked her head. He could no longer see her face, but he didn't have to to know she was cursing him in her mind.
He grimaced. It might have been cruel to say, but he wouldn't lie to her – not about this.
"Natsume," she finally murmured, and her voice was alarmingly quiet. "Please let go of me."
He licked his lips once, his eyes darting across the river where he could see that her brother was no longer in sight, but still hesitated in retracting his arms.
Mikan seemed to sense his thoughts and assured him, just as softly, "I won't go into the river. I won't go after him at all. I promise. I just...I don't want to see your face right now."
He didn't expect any differently – didn't have any right to expect any differently – but the words still stung. His cool facade in place, he slowly let her go and took a step back.
She didn't spare him a glance as she marched over to Piyo, who had been patiently waiting for the two faraway from the water. It chirped in confusion when she stopped before it, especially since Natsume, its master, hadn't moved an inch. Mikan glanced up at it pleadingly.
"Piyo, could you take me back to the palace?" she requested, clasping her hands together in front of her face. "Alone?"
Piyo's beady eyes flickered towards Natsume, who nodded his head once so slightly that the chick almost missed it. Since its master had given silent permission to fulfill her request, it dropped to its knees and allowed Mikan to climb her way to the top of its head, at which point it stood up straight and stalked away, back towards the direction of the palace.
As the thumping of Piyo's footsteps died down, Natsume took a seat at the edge of the river and didn't move away for the rest of the afternoon.
.. ღ ..
"You're an idiot." Ruka didn't bother sugarcoating his words, but Natsume was glad that he didn't. They were words he needed to hear.
Dinner with the ferryman had done wonders to calm his nerves, as was the case anytime he talked to Ruka, but it was still grating at him that Mikan had locked herself away in a spare room and refused to join them for her meal. The two maids from that morning had taken a tray of food to her instead, and once the noticeable lack of her presence in the dining hall tonight had led to Ruka asking about their day with worry, Natsume had spilled everything.
"Even if you didn't want to lie to her," his best friend continued, shaking his head in astonishment at his stupidity, "there were better ways of phrasing that. Not so blunt ways. Did you think about her feelings at all?"
"I was more worried about her safety than anything," Natsume hissed through gritted teeth. "The idiot was about to jump into the Styx!"
"Well, now you've gone and made her hate you even more. I thought the point of this tour was to show her the good sides of the Underworld? And to maybe show her in subtle ways that you're not such a bad guy either?" He felt the need to shake his head again, as if to emphasize his disbelief that anyone could be so self-sabotaging. "Centuries of dating and you still have no idea how to handle women."
"Correction: I don't know how to handle that woman," Natsume huffed.
"And, oh, the irony that she is the woman you've fallen head over heels in love with."
He glared at the blond, who seemed to be enjoying himself. "What happened to the loving, sympathetic, and helpful Ruka I know?"
Ruka grinned his way, a small, affectionate smile touching his lips. "You want my help? Well, word of advice, Natsume. You pretty much said it yourself, but don't treat Mikan like any other woman you've ever been with."
"I don't!" he immediately argued, affronted by the very notion that Ruka would suggest he saw Mikan as someone disposable. "I treat her like a Queen!"
"Wrong," his best friend shot him down without hesitation. The lines of his face hardened with seriousness. "You treat her like a prisoner."
The Lord of the Underworld opened his mouth, but then closed it again instantly afterward. He had nothing to say in return to that. The declaration had shocked him down to his core due to its gravity, but more than anything, he could see the truth behind it now that it had been said, no matter how much he didn't want to.
"You remind her constantly that you won't let her leave," Ruka continued. "Instead of comforting her when she saw her brother, or explaining to her rationally why she couldn't meet him, you pretty much threw your power over her in her face. Even at dinner last night you were horrible. I was very sorry that she slapped you, but I could understand why she did it."
He drummed his fingers across the tabletop in agitation. "Well, she's so stubborn –"
"So are you. You expect everyone to fall on their knees for you, which is understandable after how long you've been king, but you refuse to empathize with those who don't, like poor Mikan." He glanced pointedly at Natsume, who seemed to be mulling over his words. That was a good sign.
"Think of it this way, Natsume," he continued eagerly, while he had his best friend's attention. "The women you've been with until now? Of course they wouldn't have been stubborn or given you any trouble. They reside in the Underworld. You are their King. They thought themselves lucky just to have a chance to be with you, as the maids like to say. And they also fully understand your powers and your prestige, so they wouldn't do anything to make you angry or go against you in any way.
"But Mikan? She's different. She grew up on the surface, and she's probably heard tons of horror stories about this world and its ruler. She's probably been scared to death since the moment she woke up down here, so honestly, you have to commend her for looking past all that and giving you so many chances – having dinner with you, spending the night with you, letting you take her on this tour and giving this world a chance. And she's also stubborn because she treats you like she would any other man, not just a king she feels she has to please in every way."
Natsume grumbled something incoherent under his breath, but Ruka understood it to mean his words had gotten through the god's thick head, and he grinned.
"You like that, don't you?" he pushed. "That she challenges you and doesn't cower under you like so many of the other gods do? She's an accepting person. Isn't that one of the reasons you fell in love with her?"
"Gods, Ruka, you're such a sap!" Natsume suddenly growled, roughly running his fingers through his hair. Displayed on his face was obvious embarrassment.
"Okay, fine," he finally snapped after a moment. "Your words make perfect sense and I can see your point. So what now? What do I do?" It took just an instant for his irritation to change into helplessness. This was the first time Ruka had ever seen him feel so insecure over a girl – insecure over anything, really – and the ferryman decided he rather liked it.
"Well, you prove that you're not all the horrible things she's thinking about you right now," he advised him. "You're going to have to go out of your way to actually treat her like a Queen. That's if you really want her, of course?"
"Of course I do!" Natsume barked, sliding a hand through his hair again.
"Then I suggest you start showing her that."
Having said everything he'd wanted to, Ruka patted his shoulder comfortingly as he got out of his chair before retiring to his room for the night. He wouldn't do all the work for his conflicted best friend, no matter how much he wanted to help him out. This was something he needed to figure out on his own, or else his relationship with Mikan would be meaningless.
Good luck, Natsume, he wished feverishly as he departed.
The Lord of the Underworld sat there until morning, thinking of nothing but his bride-to-be.
A/N: Ruka talking some sense into him just had to happen. It just did.
Next chapter: So, as a first, I don't really know exactly what I want to happen next chapter yet. I changed the ending of this chapter from what I had planned at first, and that's led to a slight change in plot (well, really, an addition of a plot point I hadn't planned before). I had originally planned for something big to happen next chapter, but I think that's now going to have to wait until the next next chapter, after Mikan has warmed up to him a lot more. (*sigh* I don't even know why I bothered to plan this story out beforehand, because I keep changing everything as I write -.-)
So, basically in the next chapter you can expect to see Natsume's various attempts at "wooing" Mikan, haha. He's got a lot of damage to undo, after all. Don't worry. I won't make him into a total sap or anything. That's just not Natsume's style ;)