Disclaimer: The writer rightfully disclaims Gakuen Alice.
It took forever to update. Sorry. :/ Though it wasn't really intended. We were out of power for more than two weeks because the typhoon messed everything. Really, if you saw the ruins it did, it will be broke your heart entirely.
Shattered Memories
Chapter 7: Assailing the Assailant
The rays of the sun flickered through the opening of the window. The sky was so clear as it ever have been, the wind was tickling the branches of the trees softly, making them sway in utter ecstasy. A large bubble could be seen as it made its way through the window and on top of the face of the man sleeping soundly on his wide, flowerful bed. It popped and drips of water smacked the man's face.
He almost jumped in alarm. His blonde hair pointing to numerous directions, his emerald orbs searching for the signs of an indefinite intruder.
He only saw what he usually sees, his bedroom in its organized way.
He yawned, at the same moment that the piece of paper and a small bottle wrapped in a paper laid down on his lap. He looked and scrutinized his surroundings again, feeling bewildered that such things would fell upon him from an unknown source.
Curiosity made its way to his mind as he gawked at the fallen things. He finally gave in to temptation and grabbed the piece of folded paper. He opened out the paper to examine its contents. His eyes enlarged when he saw the word AAO. It was Mikan's handwriting, clearly. He had an irking feeling about this. He neared it to his face to not mistaken anything that was written in it. Finally, he read it on his mind.
(Read: the italicized words are included in Mikan's letter, the normal ones were narration.)
Dear everyone,
I hope you're all okay. I don't know how many days I have left but I am in the AAO right now, writing a letter. Don't worry about me, I'm okay. I have all the alices in the world, remember? I got the antidote, by the way.
It gave him a hint that he gasped loudly and his jade orbs widened in sheer shock and surprise. He read it again but his eyes were right. The letter came from Mikan doubtlessly and she had just invaded the AAO. Alone. He felt suddenly guilty. He was supposed to take care of her. He was supposed to! But why didn't he saw this one coming?
His stomach was tied in knots.
I know you're all angry with me this instant but I just can't sit idly by. I have to do something and this is the way to make my alices useful. I don't when I will be back.
Why would she think that her alices weren't useful? It's been so far the most helpful alice that the Academy had in decades.
Please tell Hotaru, Natsume and the others to not wait for me, anymore. I have my clone there, anyway. We have different personalities but at least I'm still there, right?
She could not possibly think that her clone would fill her missing spot.
His eyebrows scrunched. He can't decipher why Mikan can be so selfless that she would sacrifice her entire life for the sake of others. He felt so hopeless.
I can't escape, at least not now. They're too powerful for me. My mother is here, she helped me to write this letter and she gave me the antidote Natsume needed.
Yuka. Her mother's there. Why didn't she do anything to even save her daughter? Why didn't she, when she gave up herself and her future years ago just to save hers?
There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he knew that it's hopeless so he merely resumed taking in everything she had written.
But she is their leader; I don't know what to make of her at the moment. I'm confused as I guess you are all at the moment. I only have couple of minutes left until the other AAO members get back. So, don't come after me. Don't wait. Don't plan. Don't be sad. Don't worry. I'll see you all someday. Someday.
I love you all. This will be probably the last letter I will sent you so goodbye.
Love always,
Mikan Sakura
He finished the letter with tears that sprang down. He shook her head, as if in excruciating pain. Everything he read could not sink into him. It's utterly incredulous and downright absurd. Reading the letter yet again, he sprinted out of his room with one thing on his mind; the antidote.
He unlocked the door and he opened it and came in as quiet as he could muster. He saw Natsume sleeping like a rock and head toward him.
He sighed as he recalled that Natsume was the one whom Mikan sacrificed for. He felt contempt toward the young boy, but as much as he wanted the situation to change, it will not. All he could do now was to give Natsume the antidote that Mikan worked hard for. He sat on the side of the bed and opened the Natsume's mouth, then put the antidote inside it. He swallowed.
He stood up, ready to leave after taking a long look on the boy.
Help Mikan.
Few hours after...
"Hyuuga, would you do me a favour and let her go?" Hotaru said as soon as she entered Natsume's room; she came to let him read the letter that Narumi gave her but instead, here he was, strangling some clone that Mikan herself had made.
Joy.
Natsume simply looked at her with annoyance evident on his features.
"Do you know who this is?" he asked, gesturing for the girl that he was grasping on the neck.
"She's her clone," She said with utter sureness.
The clone Mikan whimpered once again, sending shivers to Natsume's spine.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he took a lustful glance at the clone Mikan and back at Hotaru.
"Let go of her and I'll explain everything you want to know," she bargained impatiently, as if she has has errand to attend to.
He considered for a moment, though he was not comprehending to anything Hotaru was saying. His grip on her neck loosened and the girl immediately jumped on Hotaru's side, ranting.
Hotaru glared at her, frustrated.
"Leave and shut the door," she ordered coldly to the girl on her side. The latter pouted then exited the room.
"Enlighten me with your explanation, Imai," he mocked with sheer ignorance.
"This is not the time to be kidding, Hyuuga. You will not be enlightened a bit with whatever I will be saying," she deadpanned.
She trotted toward the cushioned seat and comfortably sit, legs crossed sophisticatedly.
Natsume did not reply and merely followed her and took a seat across from her, eyes trained directly on the raven haired.
"Where is Mikan?" he finally questioned none too subtly.
Hotaru saw it coming and without second word's notice, she fished through her pocket and revealed Mikan's letter. She thrust it to Natsume's hand.
Natsume eyed the paper warily before accepting it. He unfolded it and began to read.
Hotaru watched her as many emotions flooded his face; shock, surprise, worry, frustration, confusion, but most of all, regret. She rolled her eyes and looked at him.
"You've already read it for the hundredth time, Hyuuga. As much as I would like it to mutate and give us some sort of good news, it wouldn't. This is not the right time to sulk and blame yourself," she scolded offhandedly and added, "even if it really is your fault. But that is beside the point."
Natsume forced himself to stare at Hotaru in the eye.
"Who gave you this?" he gestured for the letter.
"It's from Narumi. If you are thinking that this is some kind—"
"I don't think this is some kind of joke!" he interrupted with a rising voice.
"Does anyone else know?" he let out a tormented sigh and simmered down.
"If you're counting us as aliens, then no, only Narumi knows." She repositioned herself to be comfortable in the chair.
She's the one who's talking about seriousness.
He tsk-ed and evaluated her wholly.
One of the parts of his lips tugged upward at what he noticed.
"My instinct tells me you have a secret agenda."
He observed at how one of her eyebrows went up in a matter of seconds. That was his only confirmation.
"I see you've learned it. But it's more of a plan, not a secret agenda." That was so reassuring to hear.
The one thing he knows about Hotaru Imai; she will not tell anyone her plan unless she is sure that it will work, one way or another, he doesn't care. That what all he needed.
"Who's involved?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.
"As many help as we can get," she answered.
He nodded, agreeing to what she said.
Without blinking, he stated rather aggressively, "Tell me about the plan."
There are exactly four AAO hideouts. The one on the province was the one who search for other unknown potent Alice that they can use to do the obvious. The other three were on big cities; they are used for training, head quarters, and for hiding.
The head of the Organization is Kuonji Yukiro, the former principal of the elementary department in Gakuen Alice. When he was still a principal in Gakuen Alice, he was working tirelessly, giving all his attention and time to his job until one day.
The son of the founder of the school, Izumi Yukihira came. Kuonji thought that Izumi only wanted to be a teacher, but turned out he was wrong. Izumi wanted the school to be his, and in order to do that, he must get rid of the people who he thinks is a threat. Kuonji was sure a threat; all the faculty people admire him, students, too, so he made a rumour. An alarmingly terrible rumour.
The news had spread, people didn't believe it, and so Izumi faked evidence. That was enough for them to believe. He tried explaining and telling the truth. No one accepted what he was saying. He was dispelled on that exact day, but before he stepped out a foot outside the gates of Gakuen Alice, he swore; I'm going to make everyone around you miserable.
Thus, he created the AAO, making sure that all of his plans will turn out tremendously great. Except, there was no Izumi Yukihira to watch because his whereabouts is still unknown when he escaped several years ago—the same time that Yuka joined the organization— and passed the school to his older sibling, Kazumi Yukihira.
"Where are we going?" Mikan cried out.
"Just follow." Yuka yanked her head forward and walked ahead, following Kuonji's lead. Mikan went after.
She doesn't know what they were going to do, or maybe doesn't care to know.
"Mikan's the name, right?" someone from behind her asked.
She peeked over her shoulder to know who it was. His hair is azure, he have somewhat sparkles beyond his cerulean orbs. The guy seemed so strikingly familiar that she stared at him far too long.
"Earth to Mikan!"
She took a step back startlingly and laughed at her own sheer stupidity. She smiled at the guy and nodded. She mumbled a coherent 'sorry' on his direction.
They stopped at their tracks and exchange names. The other people does not seem to care a bit, except for very few.
"I'm Hayate Matsudaira, by the way. I've heard a lot about you," he blurted out, flashing shiny white teeth to her direction.
Mikan's brows crumpled from bewilderment.
"What about me?" she questioned out of curiosity.
He shook one of her arms together with his, a gesture that says 'you really don't know?'
"Keep up you two, will you?" a girl shouted from a bit afar, waving her hand enthusiastically.
Hayate raised a finger to dictate that they heard. They kept up their pace, talking to each other on the way.
"They were waiting for you for the last few years. They yearned for your presence so desperately. I don't exactly know why because I've never test your Alice, all I know is that they were always planning. I heard them talking once, out loud, as you can see I'm not really fortunate to be included in their conversation. But I can see through the Leader that he is delighted when he found out you came finally. That's as far as I can tell. Boy, aren't you something." He smirked at her the way Natsume would have, teasing in a good way.
She smiled in return though she couldn't really absorb everything he told her. There were no special bones in her body, and her alice is only-
Stealing alice! So that's why they wanted me from the very first start. She couldn't resist rolling her eyes. Disgusted.
Hayate kept on droning and droning about everything. She wanted to shut him up, but he's the only closest thing she know she will have as a friend. She can't risk getting a person angry with her, though she doesn't really care.
"This is the AAO base," Hotaru pointed to the map, "that I know Mikan would have gone because it is the obviously the closest." She looked at all the people- Alices- that have gathered to rescue Mikan. It was indeed a handful that wanted the latter back. They cared for her and will always protect her, as Mikan would have if it happened to other people.
"Listen very well. I will tell you this only once. No questions, side comments and undesired noises will be allowed until I finished discussing. So, this will be the plan."
And so did Hotaru tell them about the plan, it took more than half hour to finish assigning everyone about what they will do and how they will use their alice once they get there. All of the people listened very attentively. Not once did they heard some unnecessary noise. Not on Hotaru's watch anyway.
They all applauded and chorused in a proud and determined voice, "Let's assail the assailant!"
Natsume lead one group. The group that will place everything on check.
Ruka brought every animal that could help them.
Hotaru was the one to worry about the transportation.
And many others were the attackers. Few were the guards outside, to look out for any signs of casualty.
When all the equipment, and the people were ready, they started it. There were four buses floating- the one Hotaru invented. They rode in silent. They all expect the worst, but they were prepared for this, at least that's what they like to think.
"What if we don't find her?" one of the girls on the far right corner of Hotaru faintly asked.
Natsume was the one to answer, "Then we will keep on looking, even if it takes a long time. I'll keep on looking."
The girl only stared at him. Hotaru was satisfied at his answer. Ruka don't want to think of anything.
When they arrived to the warehouse, they climbed down smoothly, not making any noise. Natsume led the first group toward the stated place.
The others soon followed. They open doors when they found any. They used their Alice to know something- anything. But then failed. The AAO were too smart for their own good. They outsmart them.
"I think we're too late," Ruka muttered and soon regretted when everyone stared at him like they were going to eat him. Alive.
The air was filled with hostility until some familiar voice interrupted them and spoke,
"Never too late nor too soon."
It was Yuka.
Then the clone Mikan suddenly vanished into thin air.
[End of Chapter 7]
Author's notes: Was this chapter any good? Because I don't know if it got really boring or whatnot. I'm not really good at narrating battles and strategies. Anyways, this is about to end, just few more chapters to go so don't give up on me now.
Thanks for all the reviews I received! They always encouraged me into updating. (;
Responses to some reviews (Chapter 6):
To Gian Rose- You figured it out, the only one who did. Mockingjay was my inspiration when I started this, because I can't get the idea out of my mind until I wrote it and transformed it into a coherent story. Thanks, by the way! (;
To Gakuen Alice 7050- They will reunite, somehow, someday. Just you wait. I'm sorry if I broke your heart ^ I am tearing apart from what I'm writing, too. Thank you!
To strawbelle- Tuned in to know the whole story. Just a few more and I'm ready to evaporate- kidding. (;
To XxAnime . GeekxX (Without spaces) - Before Mikan left, she made a clone of herself, and that's what you are referring to. Thanks for saying this is unique and awesome. (;
To Maia Mizuhara- This will be a happy ending, or maybe not. -winks- Just wait patiently. Thank you!
And for plenty others who were glad that I updated last chapter and were waiting for me to update this, thank you very much. You're the one keeping this fic in one piece together. I will PM all others starting from this chapter. Thank God it's Sunday. ^
So, how about a review?
