Writer's Notes: Chapter 10. This is kinda getting patchworky too…Damn me and my lack of planning.
Internal thought: Why does Mikan hunt for the wolves sometimes? They're wolves! It's what they do; they're not pups, they're full grown! They can hunt for themselves, gosh. X_o
But all your reviews seriously make me really, really happy. -squeals-
-/MyLadyWolf/-
The wolves had felt fear when the forests' temperature dropped dramatically. They all ran to get out of the forest, in hopes of it being warmer. Even if they were used to Alices, this temperature was too much for their bodies.
Something had obviously happened with Kurayami. An intruder in the forest was here, but they could get nowhere close to the clearing where Kurayami inhabited; it got colder and colder as they went nearer. They could smell him, and they knew he knew that too. He was toying with them, all of them, giving them warning that the time was near.
The wolves were enraged. They had given the last intruder a wound to go home with, but the fact they had sent him (or was he coming of his own will?) meant that they would have to call a meeting. If the other side was beginning to act, then they had to get a move on as well.
After the ice had melted, the forest dripped with steamy fog and wet air. It was almost like a tropical rainforest, but none of the inhabitants appreciated this sudden change. Mikan had to use a wind Alice to dry everything out, while Nobara and Natsume worked on adjusting the temperature. Sumire and Ruka worked their Alice to communicate with the animals, trying to assure them this wouldn't happen again, that they could stay in the forest. Hotaru coolly observed everything, seemingly trying to figure out what had gone wrong with Kurayami.
Once the forest was basically back to its normal state, Sumire, Nobara, and Velvet Rose followed Mikan to her house, and where the wolves usually were.
Not a single canine was seen. Mikan narrowed her eyes.
"If any of you are here, then come out." She said, and her voice echoed throughout the forest, ringing in a tone that was powerful with authority.
No one came, which meant that none of the wolves were in the forest any longer. Mikan wasn't worried that they left her for good, or concerned about where they went. But she did wonder what was happening. The wolves never left without her knowing, and this time, all fifteen had simply disappeared, right after Kurayami's incident. It was very possible that it was all related.
Or they could have run because they knew she would confront them this time, but that again made everything related.
She sighed, and Sumire looked at her.
"Where…did they go?"
"I don't know. But there's no signs of struggle so they weren't taken…they'll be back." The brunette said, shaking her head. And I'll make sure everything's clear then.
She had never been very concerned about her past, although her curiosity did perk when Imai mentioned that the wolves should know it. But now, there was an unpleasant feeling inside her. The blood found at Kurayami's clearing seemed her resonate with her own. There was something familiar about the scent, the taste…and nothing pleasant.
Blood, red, red, blood…was all she seemed to see from it. Of course it was blood. But there was something else…
"Mikan?"
Nobara's timid voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Are you…worried?"
Mikan glanced around the forest and shook her head again. "No. But they've never just left like this…"
Blood blood blood. War. War. War. Give me more blood. Coat the forest in my favorite red.
"What the hell?" the brunette groaned, hitting her head. That small drop of blood had definitely stirred something inside of her, but she wasn't happy with the constant image of blood in her mind.
"Mikan?" Nobara repeated her name, coming nearer.
"I…I'm okay. I need to…clear my past with the wolves…when they come back. I don't think…my own blood will settle down if I don't."
"Are you ready for it?" Sumire said, her voice loud and clear, startling them a little since Nobara had talked in quiet tones. "You're making this decision kind of quick. And so suddenly. What's up?"
"I told you. I don't think my blood will settle down. That blood at Kurayami's clearing…made my skin prickle and I don't feel…right. Her situation and the wolves' disappearance may very well be related…and…these images in my head…something inside me…is…"
Sumire stepped closer and held Mikan's face firmly with her hands, staring into her eyes. "Calm down. It's your choice to ask the wolves when you come back. But right now, Mikan, your eyes looked…different. Calm down. Think of something else. Or I feel like the...'thing' inside of you is going to devour you."
As the brunette took a few deep breaths, the pounding in her head started to fade slowly with the touch of the older girl's cold hands. Once her eyes seemed normal, Sumire let go, and jerked her head towards the school.
"Let's go to the cafeteria. The caf food isn't too bad here…and I think we need a change of pace."
They all picked at their food without really eating it, and a thick silence fell over them.
"So. What was going on inside your head?" Sumire asked finally, looking at her friend, watching her eyes.
"…Blood. I think. Images of blood. 'Coat the forest in my favorite red'…" Mikan repeated slowly, shaking her head. "The problem is…whatever the 'thing' inside of me is, it's part of me."
"Part of you?" Ruka asked.
"Um…this…'thing' is a part of my very existence. It's like…a side of myself I've never known about." She shook her head again. "I don't know what's happening to me. I just feel…unsettled…"
Sighing, the brunette stirred the contents of some soup she had randomly picked up. "Imai mentioned my past last time and the wolves definitely seem to know about it. I never cared before and decided I would wait until they just…told me. But now something inside me is telling me that I need to know what is happening now before…I don't know." She frowned. "Maybe if I don't know that…'beast' will come out."
A silence enveloped then again.
"Say, wouldn't you two have an idea about Sakura's past?" Ruka suddenly asked, "You've been friends for a while, right?"
Nobara shook her head. "We met Mikan by chance in the forest. So all we know is that she could communicate and control the wolves."
"…Did you never find it strange that you could do that?" Hotaru asked monotonously. Her amethyst eyes flicked to the brunette and back to her food. "Wolves are distrustful of humans by nature. Especially wild animals."
Sumire, Nobara, and Ruka's eyes widened, and Natsume felt a little surprised as well. No one really thought about why Mikan Sakura had such control over the wolves.
And apparently, neither did Mikan. Furrowing her eyebrows, she seemed to be deep in thought.
"When I…first arrived at the forest…" She stopped and shook her head. "When I first woke up in the forest, I didn't know where I was, I didn't remember anything, only my name. But after I wandered around a little, I found wolves. Yes, they were wary at first, they growled, or just stared, but…" she paused, thinking. "It might have been my scent or something. It took about two minutes for them to sink into a submissive stance."
"They listen to you." Hotaru said. "You have the voice of the alpha, the command that they follow. But why are you, a human, able to do that?"
The brunette put a hand over her heart. She smiled oddly. "This beast…I think it makes me half-human, and half not."
She looked at Natsume.
"You should remember. So essentially, I'm only partly human. This beast is…more frightful than I thought…"
It dawned on him that she was referring to one of their first encounters. Luna, with her slaves and the metal bats. The beast unleashed. Triggered by blood.
"You said that…your own blood didn't trigger the beast. Yet…that time…"
Looking confused for a second, her eyes widened slightly. "Massive…quantities…of blood…" she whispered. "Something about that…is why the beast…will trigger even if it is my own blood…"
True. Head wounds bled a lot, and the blood had nearly coated her entire face, staining her hands, dripping into her lap, blooming like flowers on her white dress.
She looked around the table, and they all stared back at her. Her past, and the beast inside of her, branching from the images and sole clue of immense bloodshed.
"Mikan…" Nobara whispered. "Don't worry. We'll still be with you."
The brunette smiled a little sadly. "Even if my past is drenched in blood?"
Her two friends smiled back. "Mikan, you forget where both of us come from."
The exchange of smiles left out Velvet Rose, so they had a silent conversation amongst themselves.
Hotaru and Ruka looked at Natsume expectantly. Only he could handle the beast, although there had been no bloodshed to trigger it.
He nodded, and subtly jerked his chin towards the brunette. Can you think of anything else?
Hotaru and Ruka shook their heads.
Mikan Sakura is a good person. But the thing inside her could be a monster. She needs to learn how to control it, or she will be consumed. The inventor communicated back, flicking her eyes to the brunette, nodding, and hoklding a hand over her heart. Pointing to her own eyes, she narrowed them, and both Ruka and Natsume understood.
Her eyes at the time didn't just look like they were going to consume her. They looked dangerous.
"You want a war, you pup?"
"Can you not hear the sounds of war already brewing, you rabbit? It has already become unavoidable!"
"Ignore them. What of the princess?"
"She is safe for now. But they know of her whereabouts and did not hesitate to make it known. Twice. We are in danger."
"They wish for a war. They wish bloodshed."
"…"
"We know what they want and we absolutely cannot let them have it."
"Of course, you dumbass."
"…"
"Sorry, I uh…picked up on some human slang."
"Fool, watch yourself. You are not human. Remember that. Act like a human as much as you wish but never forget you are a wolf."
"Yes, elder."
"And the war? What shall we do?"
"What can we do? We can only plan and keep the princess safe. But we will fight. It is our nature to do so."
"Beware the princess. Keep her safe."
"And you. When your group returns you know what your master will ask. Do you plan to tell her?"
"Of course. She is strong. And matters will only become more dangerous if she does not. If worst comes to worst, she knows how to defend herself."
"And of Kurayami?"
"…"
"She…exists. As a ghost."
"So it is certain she is dead?"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…No."
"What?"
"She is visible, although she does not show from time to time. But just because the students are Alices does not mean they can all see the supernatural, although some have Alices that do so. And Kurayami herself can still operate her Alice. Alices always die with their host…supposedly."
"So…what does this mean?"
"I don't know. It is possible that Kurayami is truly dead. It is also possible she is not, and she is special."
"But…we saw her…and he…"
"…Yes. This is only a possibility. There is more of a chance that I am wrong."
"…"
"Fools. Should Kurayami be alive we shall rejoice. However we must now concentrate on this battle. We shall all live, or we shall all die."
"Or some shall live and some shall die. That is the way of life."
"Shush, fool. You know the elder dislikes that."
"The princess always did too."
"…"
"…"
"Fools! Did I not say we must concentrate? Do you wish for us to lose everything we have and let the forest be terrorized?"
"N-No, elder."
"Then listen! Concentrate! We will have time for rejoicing and reminiscence later, not now!"
"Y-yes, elder."
"Now listen, fools!"
After school was over and everyone returned to their dorm rooms (and Mikan to her house in the woods) Velvet Rose met up with Sumire and Nobara in an empty classroom.
"Okay," Sumire began. "So Imai noticed that Mikan's eyes were…not normal. And we all know that Mikan doesn't feel right." Her emerald eyes flicked to the fire-caster. "And you know what your role is. Everything relies on you, 'cause you're the only one whose been able to stop Mikan."
"You….know?" Ruka asked; they hadn't met the two friends until after the incident.
"Why shouldn't we?" Sumire smiled.
"And we heard from Mikan-chan about that particular incident," Nobara added in. "She's really grateful to you, Hyuuga-kun."
"Has this ever happened before?"
"…Yes. But not often, because she's careful. Especially after she met us."
"How did you meet, anyway?" The blonde-haired teen inquired, taking a seat in one of the chairs.
"There's a fun story," Sumire smiled oddly, leaning against the wall. "Nobara? A little background on your side?"
Velvet Rose knew Sumire's story, but they didn't know Nobara's. The shy girl smiled softly, taking a seat.
"There's not much. I was experimented on like Sumire was, except it was to strengthen my Alice. That's why it's a bit unstable now and why I can't control it very well. It's not artificial, but…the amplification Alice was forced into my body. It was compatible so nothing happened to me because of that, but…I couldn't handle the sudden surge of power. It wasn't my natural Alice, and it blended with my ice…a reaction."
Hotaru listened to this intently. It seemed as if their Alices were just…ingredients, so easily combined at the cost of human lives. And Sumire and Nobara's parents called themselves scientists. It was a disgrace. It was disgusting that Hotaru could call herself an inventor when these people were 'inventing' such things, using humans as test subjects…
Ruka looked over and blinked at her expression—a subtly hidden but strong surge of hatred.
"Mikan has been training me and she can keep it in check so it's much more stable now," Nobara reassured them. "And the Ice Lady was born during those experiments. In the beginning I didn't know she existed, only that I hurt less. But I discovered her deep inside me, and we've…learned to 'share' a body." She smiled, and held a hand to her heart. The Ice Lady was a precious friend.
A silence fell until Sumire spoke.
"After that, we ran. Our parents allowed the 'test subjects' to be with each other sometimes. So we planned ahead and ran like hell. Ran until we dove into the forest, and met Mikan."
There was a pause and Sumire laughed, and Nobara did so as well, albeit a bit more nervously.
"Well…this was the beginning afterall…" Nobara said, scratching her head, recalling the memory.
Ruka smiled. "I'm assuming you became fast friends? You guys are pretty close now."
Sumire grinned. "Of course not. This was beginning. She tried to kill us."
Velvet Rose blinked.
"You would defy the Alpha?"
"N-No...you know that I cannot…"
"Then do as I say…I am not pleased with this either. Take her and go. We will die but I will not have any harm come upon her. She is on her own now.
She was taught well. I have no concern that she will not be able to fend for herself."
"B-But…"
"Did you not hear me? I said. To take her. And go. You would defy me?"
"You know…that I cannot…"
"Very good. Farewell. I bid you a safe trip."
"…My Queen."
~./End Chapter Ten/.~
…And that's all?
Writer's End Notes: What, like, three, almost four months and this is all I manage to come up with? I know, I'm sorry. I really am. D:
Writer's block is a bitch, especially when it doesn't go away.
Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, it makes me want to keep writing even when my brain's empty. Thank you thank you thank you!