Chapter 10

Mikan handed a letter to Jinno sensei. They were standing at the gates of the Academy, the sun barely even rising. Mikan is carrying a single case, all her treasured things packed. She feels nauseous, physically and emotionally.

"Please give this to Hotaru. Please tell her I have to go home immediately. My grandfather is very sick." Mikan smiled sadly at Jinno sensei.

"Are you sure? You don't look very well." Jinno sensei felt Mikan's forehead. She has a slight fever and she looks like she was about to faint!

"I'm fine, don't worry." She smiled bravely at him.

"I hope you're grandfather recover immediately. We're going to miss you Mikan. By the way, why is Natsume not here to say goodbye?" Jinno asked.

"I... said goodbye last night. We both decided its better this way. Anyway, I should be going sensei. I have a long way to go."

"Take care, Mikan." Jinno wave at Mikan's departing figure. He hopes that she is going to reach her destination safely.

Mikan takes slow dragging steps away from the academy, away from everybody she cares about. I'm sorry, Jinno sensei; I have to lie to you too. It's like my cursed, to deceive everybody that I love. She thought bitterly. She took one last look at the place she called home for seven years. It's time to start for a new beginning. It's time to go home, where she truly came from.

Azumi opened the door positively thinking it was her friends coming to a visit. She gasps when she saw her only daughter smiling weakly at her.

"Mother. I'm home." Mikan announced solemnly. Mikan was about to hug her when she swayed and suddenly fainted in Azumi's arms.

"Mikan! Darling, are you alright? Wake up." Azumi cried in panic. She shook her shoulders gently and felt that her daughter's body is burning up! She has a very high fever! She immediately took her inside and laid her into bed. She called her close friend Malerna, to ask for her help.

"She's very pretty, your daughter. She looks just like you." Malerna said comfortingly. They were standing besides Mikan's bed, staring worriedly at her.

"Really? She reminds me of her father, my sensei."

"She is definitely the spitting image of you." Malerna insisted.

"She has my Alice and her father's, both nullification and stealing."

"Wow. She must be very strong."

"But unlike me, she didn't use her stealing Alice to harm other people. We only recently discovered that she has the second Alice. But she refused to use it in any way. Always caring about other people first, just like her father." Azumi smiled sadly.

"But why is she here anyway? I thought that it was a secret that you're alive?" Malerna asked puzzled.

"I'm wondering about that myself. Only she and Jinno know that I'm alive."

"She doesn't look good, you're daughter. It looks like she has suffered a lot."

"I know, that's why I called you. Please use you're healing Alice to find out what's wrong with her. I was just about to give her some tablets for her fever." Azumi informed worriedly.

"I'll do my best." Malerna took Mikan's hand and closed her eyes. Her hand's started to glow as she uses her Alice to find out what's wrong with her. She suddenly gasps and drops Mikan's hand as if she was burn.

"What's wrong?" Azumi cried in panic.

"I'm afraid that you can't give her tablets for her fever. It may harm her after all." Malerna announced.

"What are you saying? Is she going to die?" Azumi asked her face stricken. Malerna shook her head gently and smiled serenely at her friend.

"Congratulations, grandmother!" Malerna grins suddenly at her. Azumi felt her mouth drop.

"What? She's pregnant?" Azumi asked shakily. Tears of joy slowly form in her eyes. Her little girl, having a baby!

"It's very early. Even a doctor can't find out this premature. But my Alice is very strong, I am very sure." Malerna said, pride in her voice.

"I simply can't believe it. If it's still too early, I'm guessing that Mikan doesn't even know it yet."

"Definitely not." Malerna agreed.

"Natsume." Mikan suddenly whispered feverishly. Her eyes are still close and she's breathing in short pants.

"I'm assuming that he is the father of the baby." Malerna look at her friend inquisitively.

"Yes, he must be. I remember him. He's close to my daughter, also studying at Alice Academy. I've always like him. He always protects my Mikan." Azumi said with a smile. He's quite good looking too! She can't wait to see her grandchild.

"Does he happen to have the Fire Alice?" Malerna asked curiously.

"Yes, how did you know?" Azumi stared at her shock.

"Just a guess. Now I better cure your daughter with my Alice before her condition worsens." Malerna announced at her friend. She felt the baby while holding Mikan's hand. Even though it's still very small and young, she can feel the strong power emanating from it. Heat. Definitely his or her daddy's Alice of fire. What a lucky child. She thought.

Hotaru reads Mikan's letter expressionlessly. She is in the classroom waiting for the next teacher. Permy and Iinchou are waiting anxiously for her to finish the letter.

"That idiot. She said her grandfather's sick and she has to take of him. She didn't even bother saying goodbye." Hotaru finally announced.

"Why she must leave so abruptly? Jinno said she left before dawn. She should have said goodbye to all of us." Sumire exclaimed. She's a little angry at Mikan.

"Her grandfather must be really sick. He is very old isn't he?" Iinchou said defending Mikan.

"But still, were her friends!" Sumire insisted. Iinchou shrugged his shoulders in defeat. They both look at Hotaru and saw her looking absently the window. Maybe she doesn't want them to see that she's affected. She has always been strictly in controlled with her emotions.

"Something is suspiciously wrong here. Last night, I was so sure that I was at the forest going to my lab. The next thing I know, I was at the hospital being treated for a cut in my arm. They said I probably tripped and bumped my head because of the rain." Hotaru explained irritably. How come she doesn't remember a thing? But she remembers something about Mikan. Was she there that night in the forest? No, that can't be it. She left Mikan safely in her room.

"Hmmm... then Mikan suddenly disappeared!" Sumire cried out.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence. These two things can't possibly be connected together?" Iinchou asked sceptically.

"I don't know. But I have to find out." Hotaru said determinedly.

"She finally left the academy, master. I saw it with my own two eyes." Toya said as he bowed loyally to his superior.

"Good. The plans can finally be set to motion." The hooded figure laughed madly. The time has finally come! His ultimate vision is finally going to be a reality.

"I'm very happy for you, Master. The path is finally cleared."

"Yes, but it is still going to be a lot of work."

"I will be here to help you, Master."

"You will be rewarded accordingly, Toya."

"Thank you, master."

"You know the targets right? Find them immediately."

"Yes, master."

"Leave Hyuuga to be the last one. I have a feeling he is going to be hardest of all. In fact, leave him to me!"

"I understand. I'll be going then." The hooded figure disappeared noiselessly.

Mikan walks slowly down the road. The sun glinting brightly at the blue sky, the air breezes softly into her hair and dress. Birds whistled happily in the trees, a river rustling can be heard in the air. She is carrying a basket of flowers; she just bought them at the Market. It's been about three months since she arrived at her mother's village. She never thought she could survive that long. But her mother helped her to slowly recover from the pain. She now fully accepted this is her faith. In a way, she is happy because she is finally able to spend time with her mother. She can't believe she missed a great deal of her life without her.

She still misses the Academy. It took a lot deal of her strength not to write a letter to Hotaru. And at night, when she lies in bed, she dreams about Natsume's warm body embracing her own. How she misses him, his handsome face and the sound of his voice. She will give half of her life just to be able to be with him again.

"I'm home!" Mikan announced cheerfully. She went to the kitchen and arranged the flowers in a vase. Her mother is standing by the stove, stirring something in the pot. Her mother is a great cook! Oddly enough, in spite of her depression, she is gaining a lot of weight!

"It smells delicious mother! But you're spoiling me too much. I'm getting fat!" Mikan laughed.

"It's normal to gained a little weight. You should be eating a little more than usual." Azumi informed at her daughter. She hadn't told her daughter that she's going to have a baby yet. She wants Mikan to discover it herself.

"Why?" Mikan asked bewildered. Azumi didn't reply. She smiled mysteriously at her daughter.

"I feel a little dizzy again. I think I'm going to throw up. Not again!" Mikan cried as she runs towards the sink. It's really odd that she only feels sick in the morning. It's getting bothersome. But her mother and Malerna assured her that it's nothing to worry about.

"Here darling, have your tea and buttered toast." Azumi consoled her daughter as she assisted her towards a chair. She pitied her daughter. She remembered being severely sick as well during her pregnancy, too bad that it runs in the family.

"At least I feel better after eating this." Mikan said munching mournfully at her food. She stared at the window, suddenly getting depressed. Her emotions are queerly going way hire! She feels happy then in just a span of a second feels sad. Natsume! Her heart cried out. I hope you're alright.

Natsume stumbled weakly into his room. The pain in his arm is excruciating. He dropped into his bed and began breathing slowly, hoping it will ease the pain. He just came from another mission. A mysterious disappearance of people with strong Alices began to cause a panic inside and outside the academy. People are getting really scared. Students have to follow a very strict curfew to avoid these incidents. A group of volunteered students lead by Natsume began to patrol the Academy during the nights. They agreed to keep the academy safe.

A student was attacked by a hooded figure last night, the victim a middle school student who has the Water Alice. Good thing he was near in the vicinity. The hooded figure was very strong and skilled fighter. He manages to hit him with a dagger in the arm then disappeared suddenly. He felt like he has met the guy before.

"Natsume, I heard you were back." Ruka entered his room without even knocking. He gaped at Natsume's condition and immediately come to his aid.

"Are you okay? What happened? " Ruka asked worriedly. He is cleaning Natsume's wound gently. The cut is large and deep. He must be in a lot of pain.

"A student was attacked last night, a middle school student with the Water Alice. I tried to fight the attacker but he manages to escape." Natsume replied.

"Really? How the hell they were able to get inside the academy?" Ruka asked angrily.

"They are obviously much powerful."

"But why are they doing this?"

"I'm beginning to think that there's kind of a pattern here. The people they kidnapped must be all involve and linked somehow."

"They really picked out the strong ones. What the hell are they doing to these people? Do you think they kill them?"

"That's what I want to find out myself." Natsume said determinedly.

"Natsume, you're getting obsessed with this. You can't do this alone! You're going to kill yourself!"

"I don't see the point considering I'm already half- dead inside." Natsume laughed bitterly. Ruka sympathizes with his friend. Ever since Mikan left the academy three months ago, Natsume immediately reverts back to being cold and callous.

"Just take care please. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Do they have news yet?" Natsume asked grimly. His face is masked expressionlessly. Ruka knows he is asking about Mikan's whereabouts. Hotaru and the others are looking for clues to locate Mikan. They recently discovered she never came to his grandfather's house at all. No letters arrived from her making them sick with worry. She just disappeared.

"Nothing. I'm sure Mikan has a very good excuse." Ruka said sadly.

"Or she simply didn't care." Natsume said coldly.

"I'm sure..." Ruka explained but was cut by Natsume.

"I like to be left alone now, Ruka. Thanks for your help. Please leave the room." Ruka has no choice but to leave the room. He wishes he could do something to help his friend.

Hi guys! I'm sorry I got some of sad because of the last chapter. Anyways, things are looking brighter, isn't it? Mikan and Natsume are going to have a baby! (squeals with delight)

Thanks for those who subscribe and made this their favourite story and me their author. This chapter is for all of you. Thanks!