The Dark Alice Chapter 11: Of Muffin men and spineless books, a gakuen alice fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Higuchi- Tachibana sama.

This story though, belongs to me.

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RECAP:

He sat back and crossed his arms.

"Since we've found out the truth, its going to be a lot harder to complete the mission. Persona and the higher-up's know we won't hurt those who don't deserve to be. The reason they've given us this one month is not just to watch that scatter-brained fool of a girl closely. It's also to complete the mission and find that damned book. They're probably keeping close surveillance on us as well."

"Hmm…" said Luca "I suppose you're right. So we've been given free rein for a month…or so that's what they think we think" Luca looked at Natsume worriedly. "But what if we don't find the book in that one month?"

"That's the problem. Knowing Persona…"

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Chapter 11: Of Muffin men and spineless books

"Bye Hotaru!! Bye Anna-chan and Nonoko-chan!! See you tomorrow!!!"

The three girls stopped in their tracks and turned around. Anna and Nonoko looked at Hotaru as she gave a deep sigh.

"Sorry Mikan. I'm afraid the three of us won't be coming tomorrow."

"Eh?? Why not?" asked Mikan confused.

"Tomorrow is a Saturday Mikan." said Hotaru.

"Oh…I'd forgotten..."

Every Saturday, Anna and Nonoko stayed over at Hotaru's house and worked on their inventions in her lab. Mikan usually went with them, most of the time made to stand in a corner for breaking one of Hotaru's more precious inventions, but not this time. To Mikan's utter misery, the state of the library downstairs hung over her head like an extra stubborn ghost, refusing to budge and certainly NOT go away.

Mikan waved forlornly at the three girls and closed the main library doors, heaving a sigh. She made her way to the hidden entrance and started walking down the stairs slowly.

"That night was scary…especially that masked guy." She muttered to herself and thought of the events that had transpired a week ago.

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"She's fine" She heard a voice say

"What about him? Is he alright?"

"Can't say. Knocked out but may have possible injuries. It fell on his back… so I'm not sure. Let's take him back immediately."

"And the girl? Are we going to leave her here? Oh…looks like she's coming to… I'll take care of this."

She heard a scraping sound and suddenly felt lightweight. She felt someone carrying her and tried to see, but his face was blurry. She felt herself being placed gently on the ground.

Her vision kept swimming and she'd found it harder and harder to concentrate on the words being spoken.

"We can leave her here. Someone will find her in the morning. Uh oh..she's opening her eyes! Do something!"

"Wait..", said Mikan weakly. "I want to thank you..who are you people? What's going on? I-", Mikan stopped as she was suddenly enveloped by a pink haze. From it, a big black cat slowly materialized in the air in front of her. She tried to hold it but her hands seemed to go right through it.

"See? I knew there… was a...kit...ty…"

The next thing she knew, a creepy looking man in white with a mask was flashing a torchlight in her eyes.

"WAAAAAAAH!!! Don't kill me! I didn't eat the muffin man!!"

The man seemed taken aback and blinked a couple of times before wiping his forehead and coughing slightly into his gloves.

"It seems like she's going to make a full recovery. No need to worry. Idiots heal faster than normal people after all."

"I know that voice... Subaru ni-chan!! What are you doing he- ow ow ow ow…stop that Hotaruuu...it hurts..." she said tearing up a little as Hotaru pinched her cheeks.

"Idiots should lie down and not talk.", said Hotaru turning to Subaru.

"It's a good thing my big brother was still around at this time. Otherwise he would've gone home and it would've been hell to drag you all the way there to get you treated."

"Mikan, rest up. You have a couple of bruises but nothing to worry about. You'll be fine in a day or two. Hotaru, you owe me big time for this.", said Subaru Imai.

Subaru Imai was Hotaru's big brother, older by 8 years. He was an alice too and had the alice's of healing and pain. It was also one of the reasons why he was one of the top doctors in the country, despite being so young, the other being that he was also a genius.

"No problem," shrugged Hotaru "Mikan, you owe us both now, so be ready to pay your dues soon.", with a glint in her eye.

Mikan sweatdropped and Subaru edged away visibly from his sister. He knew his sister well enough to predict her mood swings, rare as they may be.

"I'll be going back now. You staying back Hotaru?"

"Just for the night …or morning", she gritted out glaring at Mikan,"as the case may be."

……I'm dead, thought Mikan, really really dead.

Hotaru saw her brother off while Mikan sat on her bed contemplating the advantages of suicide. Hotaru's footsteps became louder as she neared the room and so did Mikan's heartbeats. Mikan flinched as Hotaru closed the door with a soft click and turned around to glance at Mikan indifferently.

She sat down on the chair next to the bed, grabbed a magazine lying at the foot of it, opened it to a random page and started reading it like nothing had happened. For Mikan, it was pure torture. Hotaru this quiet usually meant she was boiling inside and Mikan knew it was only a matter of time before the normally dormant volcano exploded.

I've got to say something! thought Mikan. If I don't I'm gonna go craz-

"Mikan."

"YES??" shouted Mikan in shock.

"Water. Table on your right." said Hotaru stretching her hand out barely glancing Mikan's way.

"Ah…um...yeah. Hold on a sec" said Mikan, turning to look at the table beside her bed.

She reached out for the water jug and hefted it onto her lap, searching for a glass. She found one next to a little digital clock on the same table and stretched her hand out for it. As she did so, she noticed the time.

8 o'clock?? In the evening? I was out for that long? No wonder Hotaru was angry…

She glanced at Hotaru who continued to read.

It must've been a real shock for Hotaru to see me like that. She must've been worried. Bringing me here all the way would've been tough. Plus, she asked her brother to treat me when he's supposed to be at home relaxing…and I know how much Hotaru hates counting on Subaru-ni chan for anything. I'm sorry Hotaru. I'm sor-

"Mikan?"

Mikan stared up at her best friend, wondering why she looked so much like a fuzzy blob, and then realized that tears had welled up, unknowingly, in her eyes.

She hurriedly wiped them away with the back of her hand and smiled feebly.

"I'm sorry; I really don't know what came over me. Heh...heh. There isn't anything to cry about." she said a little sheepishly, sniffing a little.

"Then why are you still crying?"

"Ah...uh this is...uh" sniffed Mikan, "this is...I'm sorry Hotaru. I always seem to be causing trouble for you and you always bail me out and…and" she cried, her nose running a mile a minute.

Hotaru looked at her and suddenly, her face softened. "It's alright. I don't mind that much. Now, I can get all my errands done by you for free" she said putting her nose back into the book.

I always do them for free!! thought Mikan obstinately.

"Say something?" asked Hotaru, her eyes glinting.

"No!! Nothing at all!! Absolutely!!"

Does she have esp. or something?

"No, you're just too predictable." said Hotaru leafing through the book.

She suddenly stopped turning pages and kept her book on her lap, staring at it fiercely.

"I was so worried when I saw you like that, lying on the floor. You didn't even move. I thought-" she said pausing briefly before swallowing "I thought you were dead…"

"Hotaru" said Mikan, with a little lump in her throat.

"…then you rolled over and sang something about a cat and a spoon…"

Ah…

"…and I realized that idiots probably wouldn't die so easily and brought you here."

"I'm sorry Hotaru, I really am. I promise it won't happen again. Ever." said Mikan earnestly.

"It better not…"

"Ha ha!! It wont" smiled Mikan, happy that her best friend cared so much.

"And wipe your nose. It's disgusting."

She smiled at the memory and continued down the stairs, switching on the light at the foot. She closed her eyes quickly, scared of what she might see.

I don't want to see this!! The shelves and books are gonna be all over the place. Oh no, she groaned, the shelves. They're so heavy; I'll break my back trying to lift even one of them!! Ok Mikan.

She took a deep breath-

You can do this!! It's just a matter of will power

- and slowly opened her eyes.

"Hey wha-? Who?"

Mikan was dumbstruck. The shelves were standing. Upright. Just as before; in the same positions. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped a little.

"How did they-? Oh…Hotaru…" she smiled, little tears of happiness welling up in her eyes. "She must've used her inventions to put them back in place! She's so kind…"

She looked at the shelves, a little smugly, until her eyes fell upon the floor of the basement. The books were……everywhere; strewn across the floor, some open, some closed, some standing on their spines and some…well, quite without them altogether. It was…hell. Mikan froze and surveyed the entire basement her eyes widening, her jaw dropping even further, her despair growing by the second.

"Hotaru…..help…"

MY LAST EXAM JUST ENDED TODAY!!! yAAY!!! NOW I HAVE VACATION FOR....2 weeks...damn.... I hate this...Oh well!!! Expect more chapters in the weeks to come!!! I've got them all sorted out in my head, so I'll keep them coming as fast as I can type em. Hope you like the chap!! Please review and tell me what you think of it. Oh! And corvus corone is holding the Gakuen Alice readers choice awards this year. the link is on corvus corone's page. ^_^ do check it out!!!