Mew: Hello! Here we are at the tenth chapter of Alice Crystal Chronicles!

CrystalKitten: Yes. Here we are finally. I've been thinking a lot lately, of how the flow of the story is going a bit too fast with me rushing in updating my stories. And this chapter will be all about how Natsume and Emustan find the answer to the riddle.

Mew: Uh-huh.

CrystalKitten: About the last chapter, I did say that I will be giving the answer to the riddle here and so I will. Congratulations to –minshall, anonymous reader, for getting the second word of the answer! The answer is…

Mew: AMETHYST CASTLE! See below!

CrystalKitten: Amethyst is a blue violet jewel. We all know the answer now but the Gakuen Alice characters don't. So the first part might be a bit confusing. Now on to the story!

Mew: We do not own Gakuen Alice.

CHAPTER 10: Journey to the Amethyst Castle!

Natsume was getting worried.

Emustan had just told him some weird riddle and the answer seemed to be the name of the place where Mikan and Nakim are.

It was all too strange. Why would anyone do that?

His mind was filled with thoughts of the odd happenings that he didn't notice Ruka sit beside him.

"Hey, Natsume."

No reply.

"Natsume."

"…"

"Natsume!"

"……"

"NATSUME!"

"Huh?"

Ruka looked worriedly at Natsume. "Natsume, you look like you have your head in the clouds."

"Clouds?"

"And you don't get idioms. What's wrong with you?"

At this, Natsume finally noticed Ruka. "Hey, Ruka! Where have you been? You weren't here when I came back."

"Oh! I went somewhere. Don't worry."

"Fine. Anyway, I've got to go now. I'm sorry but I just don't feel well today. See you tomorrow." He stood up and started to walk away.

But Ruka held him back. "Wait Natsume! I've got something to ask."

Natsume looked back. "What?"

Ruka smiled. "Tell me Natsume, do you like jewels?"

"Huh? What are you talking about, Ruka?

"Are you fond of jewels, Natsume? Jewels are precious, you know. Do you like them?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because they're just objects."

"Are you sure of that, Natsume? I believe you like jewels. You're just not sure of yourself. In fact, a certain jewel you like is in danger right now."

"What are you playing at, Ruka? Just get straight to the point."

"That's up for you to find out. Sorry for asking though but I think it's vital that you get it. Because it might just be the solution to a problem you have right now. Anyway, I have something to do too so, I'll see you tomorrow. Bye!"

Ruka ran off with a smile on his face. "You should be able to guess the answer from what I told you. I'll get ready tonight."

Natsume stared at the direction where Ruka ran off. "Why did he ask such an odd question? What was that all about?"

0-0-0-0-0

Natsume was back in his room, his mind still swirling with thoughts of Mikan and what Ruka just said. "Why did he ask me about jewels? Maybe he was using jewels in a symbolic way?"

Jewel. This word kept ringing in his head.

"A precious jewel was in danger? But the one in danger is Mikan. But she's not… Wait. Maybe Ruka knows something about this. No, that's impossible. But what he said was too much of a coincidence.

"Want me to help you, Natsume?"

Natsume grunted. "Emustan…"

"You know, what your best friend said is quite odd, don't you think? Both of you were talking about something else when he suddenly asked that question. Is he always like that?"

"No."

"I haven't told you about this because I thought it's just my imagination but I have an odd feeling every time you're near that best friend of yours."

"And what's your point?"

"What he said rings a bell. I feel like I've heard that phrase when I was young."

"I don't count on it. I feel you have a poor memory."

"Hey! I'm telling the truth! Jewel refers to girls! And a precious jewel to you will be Mikan, right?"

"Shut up."

"I hate it when you're hotheaded. Why can't you admit it, huh?"

"That's not the reason! It's because Mikan and your girlfriend Nakim are in danger!"

"Hey! Hey! Nakim isn't my girlfriend. Anyway, about the riddle, have you thought about the arc of the sky?

"I've been thinking that it's a rainbow but I don't get the "5th and 7th dye."

"Maybe it's the color! The 5th color is blue and the 7th, is it Indigo?"

"Violet! Honestly, you don't even know that?"

"So the riddle says we must combine the 5th and 7th dye, so that's… Blue Violet? It seems so laughably simple. There's got to be more."

"How about the part, "the setting of fantasies and tales?"

"Fortress?"

"No. Fantasies and tales? Maybe…'

"Castle?"

"Probably. But I don't get, 'the first word and its kind are abundant in this place?' Does that mean we have to get the first word first?"

"No. If Castle is correct, what would be abundant in it?"

"Hmm…"

"People? Soldiers? Maids? Kings? Queens? Princes? Princesses?"

"Those are ALL PEOPLE Emustan! You're getting to be a bit repetitive you know. Can't you think of something else?"

"Horses? Knights?"

"Be logical. What would blue violet have to do with horses and knights?"

"Well, crowns?"

"No. Wait. Hmm… Ah! That's it!"

"What's it?"

"Jewels!"

"Hmm… Yeah, you're right. But we have another problem. What about that blue violet thing?"

"…"

"Natsume, maybe, just maybe…"

"What?"

"I think I know…"

"Well?"

"The answer. As well as Mikan and Nakim's whereabouts."

"What is it? Tell me!"

"The riddle says the answer is two words. If the second word is Castle, that mus mean blue violet is wrong. We need to change it to one word. But the riddle specifically said 'a solid one'. And one of the answers we came up is solid which is…"

"Jewel?"

"That's right. We must think of 'a blue violet jewel'. And I think I know. I couldn't believe I didn't realize it earlier. There is an actual place whose name is the answer to the riddle."

"What?"

"It's a place called… the Amethyst Castle."

"Amethyst… Castle?"

"That's right, Natsume Hyuuga! Or should I congratulate both you and your Transformus Emustan?"

It was someone else who spoke. Natsume stood up and looked around but there was nobody there.

"Natsume, quick! Let me out!" Emustan's words echoed through his head.

"Huh? What?"

But it was too late. A strong breeze swept through the room. A boy with brown hair and green eyes entered the room through the window. He looked at Natsume and smiled.

But Natsume looked like he was about to kill. "Who are you? How did you get here? How did you know about Emustan?"

"Whoa! One question at a time. But then since answering some of your questions is one of my tasks, I'll do it. I know about Emustan because I'm like him."

"You're… a Transformus?"

"That's right. My name is Akur."

"I don't care who you are! Tell me how you got in here! You used your magic?"

"No. Your window was open so I entered in. It just seemed a bit dramatic and creepy to you."

"Well, what's your purpose?"

"I'm the guide who will take you to the place you seek". The boy smiled.

"What? Are you the one who wrote that riddle?"

"No. I'm on someone's orders. I'm only following. Anyway, since you figured out the answer to the riddle, I'll be taking you to the Amethyst Castle!"

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because I'm your best friend." He shone in a blinding flash of light and instead of the boy, there stood…

Natsume couldn't believe his eyes. "Ruka?"

Ruka frowned. "Natsume, I can't believe you had difficulty figuring out the answer to that riddle. If I hadn't given you that clue, you would have never thought it was serious."

"Clue?"

"The jewels. It was a clue. Anyway, since you figured out the answer, my mistress abides by her word."

Ruka transmorphed into the brown-haired boy. "I will now take you to the Amethyst Castle. But first, let Emustan out."

"Fine."

Natsume transmorphed into Emustan. "Akur, why are you doing this?"

"I have my reasons. Let's go!"

They both glowed in a bright light and disappeared into the night.

0-0-0-0-0

Mew: This is the end of the 10th chapter!

CrystalKitten: This chapter is long but it's entirely about how Natsume and Emustan find out the answer to the riddle and the introduction of our new character, Akur. He's a Transformus, who's taken over Ruka! Are you all sensing a best friend showdown?

Mew: Wow!

CrystalKitten: We'll find out in the next chapters, of course! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Mew: Next chapter title: "The Fourth Transformus!"