Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.
Chapter 10
As they walked through the camp, Mikan once again noticed the looks she got from the camp population. Most were rough looking men. A few were weary-looking women hanging laundry on lines hung between trees or cooking over fires. She thought she might have even glimpsed some children playing among the tents.
"This camp is only for royalty, His Majesty's council, a few soldiers, soldiers' families, and a few who were affected by curses. The majority of the soldiers, and there are a lot of them, are in a second camp not far from here. The families here are mostly those who had nowhere else to go, either because it would involve leaving motherless children alone, or because their village was sadly destroyed in the war," explained Ruka. "Most prefer to leave their families at home rather than bringing them to a war camp."
"That way goes to a nearby river, that way to the latrines: Don't worry, they're separated into make-shift rooms, that way to the main gathering place, and the way we're going to the 'kitchen'," Koko directed, pointing.
"This is all temporary. We move as necessary when the war moves. We could stay a little as a day or as long as a month. And when a major battle is to happen, the fighting forces, including the king himself, leave the camp for long periods of time, up to a year, leaving families and others to take care of things here."
"What Ruka means is, we men go out to fight while you womenfolk and children wait for us to return so that you may serve us a feast," crowed Koko, pushing out his chest. Hotaru flexed her hand, which she had attired in her metal glove, and Koko hid timidly behind Mikan.
"That women feeds on the sorrows of the good, like myself. Fear her Mikan, for fear appeases her. Ruka, I'm sorry, but the angered deity demands sacrifice!"
"What?" asked Ruka, before Koko pushed him into Hotaru. The two crashed together, Hotaru partly catching Ruka since his arms were fool with the pack. While she couldn't see his face, Mikan saw Ruka's neck turn red. Hotaru shoved him away from her, he fell to the ground, and she shot a look at Koko.
The look chilled Mikan to the bone. It wasn't a glare, just a blank stare, yet there was so much concealed fury and threat. And it wasn't even directed towards her, but Koko. Mikan couldn't help but to switch places with Koko, so that now she was hiding behind him.
"Betrayal, My Lady Fair! I said you may toss me to the dogs, but, have mercy, not the princess of destruction!"
Koko's monologue was forced to end when Hotaru stepped forward. He took a step back, Mikan doing the same behind him. It was a surprise when the blow Koko received was not from the girl in front of him, but from Natsume. The scarlet-eyed boy kicked Koko in the side, causing him to fall to the ground.
"You being an idiot is slowing us down. I know you're happy that you have a fellow idiot now, but keep the stupidity to a minimum while I'm around," Natsume rumbled.
Koko cried "Scary!" at the same time Mikan snapped "Who're calling an idiot?!"
Natsume stalked away, and the group had no choice but to follow. Finally, they reached a large tent, the front flaps open wide. Mikan could see a fire ringed with stones inside, along with a few boards that looked to serve as tables. Two figures were sitting by the fire, one messing with a pot that was resting in the flame, the other mixing ingredients together in a bowl. They got to their feet when the group entered.
They were two girls, wearing similar outfits: a honey-brown shift, an apron, and barefoot. The clothing looked worn, but they looked comfortable. One had hair so light an orange, it was almost pink. The other had dark hair that shimmered a deep blue when the light of the flames hit it. Both had baby-blue eyes.
"Hey guys, whatcha doin' he-" the peach-haired started and stopped when she caught sight of Mikan.
"Anna, Nonoko," Ruka motioned to first the peach-haired girl and then the dark-haired one. "This is Miss Mikan Sakura. She'll be staying with us from now on."
"Hello," Mikan chirped timidly, smiling.
"Aw, you're too cute!"
"Completely!"
Both girls wrapped their arms around Mikan in a hug.
"Let's be friends, Mikan," said Anna.
"O-okay."
"Too cute!" the two girls cried before finally releasing Mikan.
"So, Mikan, why are you joining our camp?" asked Nonoko.
"She's kind of, not really, in a way, cursed," Koko answered for her.
"What curse?" asked Anna.
Hotaru reached over and in to Mikan's bag and pulled out her mass of hair. It thudded to the ground.
"It doesn't cut," said Hotaru. The two girls took lengths of Mikan's braid in their hands.
"Wow! That's so neat!" cried Anna.
"You should let us do your hair sometime, Mikan," added Nonoko.
"Sure. No one's done my hair for me in ages," answered Mikan.
"Excuse me, ladies, but we came here because Mikan was hungry, right Mikan?" asked Koko. Mikan's stomach answered for her by growling.
"Oh my, we can't have that!" piped Nonoko before plopping Mikan down by the fire.
Anna went to one of the make-shift tables and picked up a cloth bundle and an empty bowl. She handed the bundle to Mikan, who accepted it gratefully, and ladled some of the contents from the boiling pot into the bowl. She and Nonoko sat down next to Mikan, and soon all the others were sitting as well.
"You haven't lived until you've had some of our famous fresh-water clam chowder! Here, here, try this bread! Ooooh, taste this venison!" the girls went on. Soon, Mikan was absolutely stuffed as they had her try more and more of their simple but delectable dishes. They were better than anything she had ever eaten. Hotaru helped herself to some of the chowder.
"God, how can such a little girl eat so much?" sneered Natsume. Mikan was about to snap a reply at him but was cut off by Anna sticking a biscuit into her mouth.
"I think it's better for a girl to eat a lot than none at all, Prince Natsume," Anna wagged a finger at him.
"I agree. It's an unhealthy trend to starve yourself for a figure," added Nonoko. The two nodded to eachother.
"So," started Mikan after she took the biscuit from her mouth. "Are you guys sisters?"
"Yup! We're fraternal twins," said Nonoko.
"Though everyone says if it weren't for our hair, we would have been identical," supplied Anna. Looking closely, Mikan saw they were right. If you ignored the hair, their features were exactly the same.
"Anna, I got those wild onions you-" a boy walked in with a small basket, and stopped when he saw the group. "Are you all having a party without me?! For shame! The lady I'm courting and my own brother among you!"
"Kitsu!" cried Anna.
"Oh, never would we have a celebration without you! Except that one time, and the time after that, and the time after that… Let me get back to you," said Koko, grinning like a maniac. "Mikan, this is my little brother Kitsu."
Mikan would've guessed they were brothers, since Kitsu looked like a barely shorter, slightly less-smiley, sleepy-eyed version of Koko.
"And who is this lovely lady?" asked Kitsu, looking curiously at Mikan as he sat down.
"This is Miss Mikan Sakura," answered Ruka.
"Watch what you say, Kitsu. After all, you already have Anna, and this one is not afraid of fighting back. She's already slapped Natsume twice," spoke Koko. Three pairs of eyes whipped to Mikan.
"Really?" Anna, Nonoko, and Kitsu asked in unison.
"The pervert deserved it," Mikan huffed, sending a glare towards the said pervert. Laughter sounded.
"I've already told you, Polka-dots, that I don't need to be a pervert to kids like you," Natsume grumbled.
"Polka-dots?" asked Nonoko.
"Anyway," Mikan changed the subject. "What do you mean Kitsu already has Anna?" She noticed Anna blushed before and after Kitsu threw an arm around the peach-haired girl's shoulders.
"I'm courting Anna. We are desperately in love," said Kitsu, making Anna's face redden more.
"Speaking of courting, Nonoko, how are you and Yuu doing?" asked Ruka, perhaps to relieve the embarrassed Anna of the spotlight.
"Fine. The other day he brought me a bouquet of wildflowers. He's so sweet!" squealed Nonoko.
"Yuu? You mean that boy from before? The squire?" asked Mikan. Ruka nodded.
"Anna! Nonoko! I'm hungry! Do have some cakes or something?" called a high voice before a little girl came into the room.
Author's Notes:
Yes, another chapter. I hope your liking the story. I'd just like to point out that I had to right this entire chapter one-handed because my grandma's three-legged lap dog is very clingy and cries if you don't pet him every second. Brownie points!