Guys, I'm coming here back for now because some how, I managed to. I have revised this chapter so I hope you will read it because there are a lot of changes at the second part. Significant in some eyes and insignificant in others.

Thank you.


"Mikan...wake up deary..."

It was the sound of mother's voice but why does it sound so distance... I forced my lids open and there she was. Right above me as I lay on nothing. "Mom..." I muttered.

Her hand felt so warm when she put it on my cheek. Her smile was also warm and full of kindness. "Mikan, you have to wake up. All of your friends are waiting for you." she said those words with full of compassion and...a bit of sadness. I slowly raised up and she removed her hands from me.

Hold on..."Mom? Are you serious? Am I dreaming? Am I like...y'know...dead?" I asked hesitantly.

My mom chuckled at my lack of scaredness for death. Why should I be? I died protecting my precious memories and my precious family.

"Yes, dear. No you're not dreaming. Sort of. No, you're not dead obviously or this place would have more light in it."

I looked around and I noticed the lack of light around us. Even the light surrounding me and mom were dim.

"So dear, back to our main topic that I'm sure you've forgotten-" she smiled knowingly at that one "why are you still here and not wake up? You friends are waiting you know."

I silenced at that one. "I don't know mom. I really don't know. Maybe it's because I just want to spend my entire time with you."

Mother didn't answer. She just put her hand back at my cheek and hugged me with her other arm. All I wanted at that moment was to be in pure bliss and just be engulfed in her warmth.

Memories of her and me started pouring in my head and before I knew it, I cried. I hugged her back. Our hugs got tighter.

I buried my head on her shoulder. "Oh mom...I miss you...so much...so much...It's hard mom. It's hard living everyday without you. Without onii-sama. Without everybody...So hard..." and I keep muttering those words while my mom would always reply with a "I know, Mikan...I know..." while continuing to pat my back.

After minutes, hours passed, the tears stopped and my mom slowly let go of me. She looked at my probably red eyes and wiped the bit of tears left on my cheek. "My dreamy child, I know you miss me but have you forgotten about you brothers at the real world? You friends? Your family? They're all waiting for you on the other side. You have to wake up so that you won't make them sad."

"But I don't want to live anymore! I'm too scared to come back!"

"Why?" her question strucked me right and hard. Yeah...why was I scared?

"B-because...if I go back...then something bad is going happen. I feel it...here." I put my palm to my chest where my heart is.

My mom sighed but gave me a smile anyway. "Mikan, do you remember what your father said to you the day of your brother's 18th birthday?"

I racked my brain for a minute before answering her question. It was hard because that was the day when she...died. But then, I came to a realization when I finally remembered what my dad said. "He said to live life to the fullest and to try my best to overcome any obstacle."

My mom smiled at that. She pat my head in congratulation. "That's my Mikan."

"So, are you ready to go now?" my mom stood up and lay out her hands for me. At first I hesitated on taking those hands but then, when she gave me that kind+puppy dog face, I couldn't help but to take it. Before I could pull myself up, she already pulled me into her hug. It hurts to think that this will be the last time until I die that I could hug her so at that moment, I hug her with all my heart and love. She did too. This time, the hug only lasted for a few minutes before she had to let me go.

Suddenly, a light appeared behind her. I looked at it, hesitantly.

"Go on. It won't bite." she joked.

I chuckled. With a final tear, I stepped away from my mom and went to the light. "Say hi to your dad for me..." her voice sounded distant. Out of shock of her words(I had totally forgot about the whereabouts of my supposedly dead father), I turned to look at her but by then, everything had already disappeared.


"She's waking up! Oh my goodness! She's waking up! Quick! Call everyone!" Nonoko shouted when she saw Mikan's eyelids fluttering and was about to fully open.

Hotaru who was beside her quickly tighten her grip on Mikan's hand. Natsume ran to her as fast as he could from the door that was only 2 meter away from Mikan's bed. Ruka who sat on the small sofa at the edge of her bed quickly got up and went to her side. By the time Mikan had finished adjusting her eyes to the light, Tsubasa and Misaki who were buying some food and drink had showed up. Misaki "Oh"ed a bit before dropping all of her things to the floor for Tsubasa to pick up and ran towards Mikan's bedside. Tsubasa sighed, picked up the forgotten foods and put it on the table in front of her.

"Hey guys..." her voice slurred and her throat felt dry. She gave a look to Hotaru and her best friend quickly grab a water at the table beside Mikan's bed. She poured some mineral water into a glass and raised Mikan's head a bit so that she won't chock. "Thanks." Then, she gave Hotaru a smile and her head was put back down. Slowly, Mikan looked at everyone around her.

"Missed me?" seeing everyone with a worried face just made her want to replace with a smile or even a glare.

Natsume did the courtesy of the latter. Of course, he added rolled-eyes.

Mikan slowly examine everyone around the room without moving her head.

"Where's Anna?"

"Well..." Misaki said slowly. Before she could continue, a figure showed up in front of Mikan's room door. That figure had a bandage wrapped around her head and a wound plaster on her right cheek. One of her hands were in a cast. That figure had her eyes on the floor. Realizing that person was Anna, Mikan quickly raise her body but she stopped halfway due to a massive pain in her head. She automatically slumped back to her bed. Natsume was half-raised, ready to push her down the bed. Hotaru, knowing what's going to happen next, used a remote controller to raise her bed a bit so that Mikan wouldn't have to move at all to see Anna. Ruka stepped out of the way so that Mikan's view to Anna was bright and clear.

"Anna, what happen?"

Mikan was shocked.

It was as easy as that.

She was shocked to see Anna wounded so badly. Concerns filling her heart, she looked at everyone around her. It made her neck hurt a bit because of the sudden and fast movement but she ignored it. Her eyes widen as she looked at the injury of everyone. And those were the one which were not hidden. Natsume had a bandage around her neck and bruise that was healing all over his arms. Hotaru had a small cut at the corner of her lips. Tsubasa and Misaki's was the most normal ones and Nonoko's hair was short.

She couldn't imagine the wounds that were hidden for her sake...

"What happen to you all? Did you had to fight with the Shadows? What happen?" the shock was still lingering in her head and voice.

Anna was the first one to speak up. Tears suddenly came out of her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mikan. I'm sorry I was such a fool for doing stupid, unnecessary move when we were going to rescue you. I'm sorry I couldn't beat that guy. I'm sorry that-"

Mikan cut her off. "Hold on. I don't understand. Move? Beat? What?" she finally said.

Hotaru sighed. "It started like this."

(Flashback of Hotaru and Anna's fight)

"Are you the one?" Hotaru asked. She had her twin swords out, Okane and Hitomi, and Anna was doing her fighting stance. Anna stood a step behind Hotaru.

"Yes." the boy with a sandy colored hair answered. He had no weapon, just like her.

"Of who?"

"Of the brother."

Hotaru nodded in acknowledgment and turned to Anna. "You fight him. I'll stand aside to over see you."

Anna nodded. She quickly charge towards the boy and they started fighting. True to her words, Hotaru step aside and watch with emotionless eyes. It's not her normal eyes. Usually, she had a bit of emotion but this time, none whatsoever.

Anna started with doing a flying kick but the boy blocked and caught it. Out of shock, she used her other leg to kick his free-of-anything side of face but he also caught that one. Her eyes were as wide as it could be. One minute her foot was on the ground, the next minute it was in the air. Both. Then, the boy kicked her body from behind and let go of her. In short, she fell on the floor and her back was killing her.

The boy did nothing to her after that. Anna took a deep breath before quickly turning around and swing her foot across the floor but the boy jumped high to avoid it. While in the air, Anna took her chance to get up. The boy had already prepared his legs to give her a kick straight to the stomach but it hit the wooden floor instead. The kicked made a huge opening on the floor. Anna, not caring about the floor ran towards the boy and punched him but the boy didn't even stumble down. Instead, he caught her hand and slammed her at the wall making a big, round dent on it. Anna coughed up blood. While still in the wall, the boy punched her on the stomach repeatedly until Anna finally took a last deep breath and fainted. The boy dropped her hand and she fell on the floor.

Hotaru said nothing when she looked at Anna at the edge of the room. Hotaru swiftly got out her twin swords, Okane and Mizu and start giving blows after blows at the boy. The boy had a metal protector that shielded both sides of his palm. It took Hotaru a few hard blows to make those metal shields to break and finally giving an 'X' blow on his body. That alone made the boy fall but before he fainted, he told them the where about of Mikan's brother, Persona and his mask came off.

(Flashback End)

"And that's what happen." Hotaru grabbed the a bottle of mineral water and drank it. Anna's eyes stayed at the floor, afraid to raise her head out of shame.

"Anna, come here." Mikan softly ordered. Anna knew she ordered and not asked because when Mikan orders, she raise her voice a bit. Anna slowly walked towards her. Hotaru made some space for Anna so that Mikan could hugged her afterwards. When she was in Mikan's arms and was patted in the head by her, she broke down and sobbed onto Mikan's hospital gown. All the while, Mikan continued to "Shhhh" her. Mikan kept the fact that her brain hurts whenever she moves from everyone but she could guess that Natsume noticed. Oh well, she guess he decided to let this one slide.

"Ahem. Don't we get a hug too?" Misaki jokingly asked.

"Of course." Mikan spread her arms wide so that everyone in the room could hug her. Of course, that's except Natsume, Ruka and Hotaru. Mikan frowned a bit at that but she knew how they could be and that eased the pain a bit.

Knock, knock.

Everyone looked towards the door. "Ahem. Could I please inspect on my patient?" a doctor asked.

"Of course." Nonoko answered for them all. The gang took a few step back and let the doctor do his work. While checking at her head, he talked. "My name is Doctor Yagami Light. I'm a neuron surgeon and I'm in charge of you for the rest of the coming week."

"All week?" Mikan answered weakly.

Yagami chuckled. "Yes. I'm afraid a week."

"Fine..." and Mikan let him continue checking her which meant doing some checkups which involves a bit of nudity at her back. For some odd reason, Hotaru was taking pictures of Natsume's face...(Anybody knows?). Yagami did the usual follow-the-light eye check, checking her heartbeat and he was done, he wrapped the stethoscope back around his neck. "Well, I see you're doing fine but I'll need to run some test to confirm. According to the previous tests, you had a huge stress on your brain. I'm hoping to know the cause but since you're friend here keeps glaring at me-" he looked at Natsume a bit "-I'll refrain my self from asking. So, any question?"

"How long have I been dead to the world?"

Yagami chuckled at the phrase that was used. "You were in a come for about one week."

"Ahh...I see..."

Suddenly, Yagami went closer to her and whispered at her ear "Your crimson eyed friend never left your side."

All of a sudden, she felt a surge of heat at her cheek and she quickly lowered her eyes to her clean, white bed sheet. With a final chuckle, Yagami exited from the room with a pair of burning crimson eyes following him.

"What did he say, Polka?" Natsume asked.

"Natsume! Stop with the nickname already. Sheesh. You could at least be nice to a sick person and whatever the doctor was saying is none of your business!" she said to avoid confrontation with the one question she does NOT want to answer. Surprisingly, even though Natsume gave her a glare worth dying to, he let it slide. Again. This is getting way too weird for her brain to handle so she let it pass away from her aching head.

"It is my business, Polka. Besides, your not sick. Sick people don't scream." well, he didn't let it slide that much.

"Natsume..." Mikan grumbled this time. Suddenly, a pain shot through her head. Her hand quickly flew to it, clutching it until the pain flew away. Tsubasa and Misaki half raised from their seats and Hotaru, Ruka were already clutching her hands. Natsume went a bit closer to her. Close enough to help her throw up or catch her.

"I'm fine guys but I think I'm gonna relax now. Looks like my brain can't handle stressing stuff. Haha." she tried to laugh it away but only brought sighes and rolling eyes from her team. She sweat dropped at that. She softly lay back her head at her bed and asked a question that had been lingering in her mind.

"Where's Aoi and Youichi?"

"They're at home. We forced them to stay there and wait for you. Oh, that reminds me, I should call them to let them know right away!" Nonoko said. She quickly got out his phone and went outside the room to make the phone call. Natsume sat in her place.

"Wait, are you saying you left them at home, ALONE?" her voice was full of disbelieve.

"No."

Mikan could guess something was about to be added behind that 'No' but then, she could feel in her heart that this topic would be delicate. "I see." Her eyes went dark and the aura around her turned black a bit. "Guys, can you leave me and Hotaru for a bit? There's something I want to talk to her alone. Please?"

"Sure" Misaki and Tsubasa were the first one to exit and the other's follow. Natsume and Ruka made no move to leave. That didn't shock her one bit.

"So, you know. All of you."

"Yeah" they answered together except Natsume. He just nodded.

"Who told you?"

"Master."

"Hmm...he knew...all this time...he knew...why didn't he tell me? Why did I have to hear it from someone else? Why from the man who killed my parents? My grandparents? Why?" Mikan looked at her best friends for answer. They could see her eyes, pleading for answers from then. Deep in their hearts, they wish they could answer it all and make that sad face go away but all they could do was keep their mouth shut. Mikan, looking at her friends looking away from her knew that it was a hopeless question. Slowly, she looked back at the white sheet underneath her.

"Because it was for you own safety and because your father asked it from me." a voice came from the door. Mikan looked up and standing at the door was her brothers and her uncle.

"Persona! Youichi! Uncle!" She spread her arms wide open from her two brothers to come in. Her uncle walked normally into the room and locked the door behind him. Again, for the second time, Mikan cried. So did Youichi and Persona.

The Persona cried.

"Mikan, I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry I killed mom and dad...and grandpa and grandma...and everyone...I'm sorry..." Persona said between sobs. Truthfully and normally, when people hear guys cry it was shameful but for anyone who's seeing that tearful scene between the three of them and knew what had happened in the past, it wasn't shameful at all for Persona to cry at all. It was perfectly normal and common after what he's been through. Plus, he didn't wailed. He cried.

From the corner of the tearful scene, Hotaru shed a bit of tears. Ruka hugged her from behind. Surprisingly, Hotaru twisted her body and hugged Ruka back and she silently cried for her best friend's awakening.

Obviously, Natsume and her uncle was the odd one. Natsume stepped back a bit to shield himself away from the shining, crying scene. Her uncle stepped in front a bit so that he and Natsume was side by side. "Hyuuga, never let her go and never make her let go, got it?" he said with a soft voice but Natsume knew it was pure threat.

"Why would I ever do?" he said in arrogant voice. Quietly, for the next fifteen minutes, the room was filled with sobs, whimpering and tears, tears, tears.

-15 Minutes Later-

"So, how have you been, Onii-sama? Really." Mikan wasn't going to accept anything but the truth.

"Well, you can figure it out. Hell. That sums it up." he was sitting on a chair at the other empty side of her bed with Youichi on his lap.

"Did you remember us at all?"

Persona smiled just a tinsy bit. "Of course I did. How could I not? I left you two in a horrible state after what I did." Youichi could hear the unsaid words so he looked up and pat his brother's head. Like his sister, he trusted his brother and accepted with whole heart that the murder of his parents were not his fault. He was zombie-fied and that's enough reason for Youichi to forgive his brother even though the 'pang' in his heart is still there.

"It's okay, Onii-sama. I understand" Mikan pat his shoulder once to assure him. Persona's smile widen a bit by an inch.

Then, Mikan looked at her uncle straight in the eyes. Face purely serious. "Spill it uncle."

Her uncle sighed and sat beside her on the bed. He put his hand on her forehead. His face was blank but his eyes were filled of adoration. For a moment, Mikan dozed. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you but all that I can tell you is that what Kuonji must have said is twisted truths."

"Twisted?"

"What did he tell you?"

"Basically, grandma died before grandpa who died in prison. Then he told me that dad was pretty awesome-" Ruka chuckled at that one "- and the project started because dad wanted to make a change for the jail people and along the way, he said that dad fell in love with mom and Kuonji was pretty pissed about that. The project was finally closed when they thought it was getting too dangerous. Mom and dad married and then that night happened. They form the first Guild and save the world. That's it."

Her uncle huffed. "Well, it seemed that Kuonji made it short and fit your parent's personality so you'd buy it a bit. True story was your grandmother didn't die before you grandfather. Your grandfather didn't die in prison. He died because at the end of the experiment, when your father had seemingly perfected the project, he had tested it on your grandfather. Your father didn't take account on the old age part so your grandfather died out of heart attack. Your grandmother, so grieved by her lost died not long after because of heart attack. That was the actual, detailed reason your father put an end to the project. It's exactly because of that. And then, he didn't have the will to continue to go on anymore by that time. At one point, he even went to the hospital for dehydration and malnutrition."

Mikan couldn't say anything back. She and the other just waited for the time Kazu would speak again.

"But then, your mother picked your father back up on his feet. She gave your father the spirit to live. She gave your father the chance to start over. Coincidentally, crime rates from overseas were getting higher. With the help of you mother's college and national assassin, Narumi . He-"

"Hold on! That gayish, weird looking teacher is an assassins? The Night Blood was him?" Ruka asked. His eyes were wide open.

Kazu seemed to be relaxed at his niece's friend surprise and the other's skeptical eyes. "Ex-assassin. But yes, he was the rumored Night Blood. He was a friend of your mother when they were in college. He and a few others with your parents managed to take over the underworld in less than a year. They became the first ever Guild."

"But why?" Natsume suddenly ask. He was leaning against a wall in the shadows which would made girls drool. "I thought the guy was done for. Why did he go through of the idea of killing?"

Mikan was about to ask that question when her uncle had finish talking but Natsume, as always, beats her to it. Unlike her, he didn't have manners. "Because Yuka convinced him that this killing was made for the better. At least he killed people who are actually evil, and free to do evil unlike people who are in jail, who are bound in steel walls and unable to do almost anything evil. Besides, at that time, it was the only thing Yuka could do to make him see light again because their marriage was starting to crack. Izumi went to hermit mode for weeks. Almost two months. When Guild was formed, the marriage was healed for the better. Although, I have no doubt that Izumi still feel the pain of killing whenever he executed those missions."

Kazu stopped for a bit before finishing his side of the story. "So, that's what really happen."

(Flashback)

"Hey, Onii-san, you know, whenever I look at Mikan, Youichi and Persona, I always knew I'll pull through. Yuka too. If she wasn't there, I'll probably kill myself." Izumi laughed a bit.

"Well, they say marriage changes a person."

"Haha. So, when are you going to get married, brother?" he asked, trying to change the topic. A stupid grin was plastered on his face.

A pen was thrown at Izumi's way. "Hey! That's hurts!"

(Flashback)

"So, what are you going to do with the Shadows?" Youichi asked. He was starting to get uncomfortable with the silence in the room.

Persona was starting to fidget in his seat. Mikan noticed that gave him a reassuring smile and tiny, mischievous grin. "What Shadows? Natsume, call the new members of Guild and tell them to meet up in the meeting room. Hotaru, set up a video cam here."

"Hn."

"Got it."


So? How was it?

I NEED A BETA FOR PROOF READ! PLEASE!

Reviews?