AUTHOR'S NOTE AND DISCLAIMER: Well, here's the tenth chapter for this fic… Hope you guys enjoy it! I had a wonderful Christmas, and I even got to wear gothloli clothing! I was so ecstatic! I hope that all of you had a fun Christmas as well! Shinnen Omedetou!
I have also written a new fic for Fruits basket. Please check out Extinguished Screams (rated M).
I DON'T OWN GAKUEN ALICE!
Chapter 10
Mikan braced herself, waiting for the painful clash of the whip against her skin.
I'm going to be strong…
I won't give in…
Natsume worked hard to protect me and keep me away from the academy's clutches…
I can't let his efforts go to a bloody waste… I can't I can't I can't I-
CRACK!
Oh yes, the whip surely met its target.
But why is it that Mikan felt absolutely no pain at all?
"Who said that I'm going to whip you?," Persona's voice made Mikan open her eyes, and resuming the glare they previously had, she looked up at him with all the contempt she could muster.
And that was when she lost it, her resolve crumbling into pieces.
For Youichi was tied to a nearby post, his naked eight-year old back marked with a thin bleeding slash. Nearby, Persona was standing with a sneer on his masked face, using his most favourite tactic to get through her.
He was hurting the people she loved most.
"YOU-CHAN!," Mikan screamed, tears running down her face as she watched Persona lash out again and again, the sickening crack of the whip against human skin resounding in the room, "YOU SICK BASTARD! LEAVE HIM ALONE! HE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!"
Youichi's normally impassive face was now laced with pain, but he turned to Mikan, his voice strong and loud for a young kid, "DON'T WORK FOR HIM, NEE-CHAN! Don't worry, I'll be alright! Don't-"
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
Persona flogged the young boy again and again, ecstasy visible on his face.
"I am really enjoying this, Sakura-chaaaan," his sinister voice filled with glee, "I will absolutely not have any objections to doing this until you surrender. We can even do this all night…"
"STOP IT! YOU'RE COMPLETELY FUCKED UP, PERSONA! STOP-"
"The question is, will poor You-chan ever see the light of day after this?"
"PLEASE STO-"
"You're being really selfish, Nee-chan. Can't you see how hurt he is?"
"NO! NO NO NO-"
"And this is only the beginning. I wonder what will happen if Imai-san and Nogi-san meet a rather tragic 'accident'?"
"I-"
"It's now or never, darling. Either work for us, or SEE YOUR FRIENDS DIE ONE BY ONE!"
CRACK!
Mikan sobbed, completely helpless.
Natsume…
Help me…
What can I do? This situation has no escape at all…
I can't let them get hurt…
She lifted her head, saying three words that brought extreme satisfaction to Persona's ears.
"I'll do it."
"Very good. That's my girl…"
"Just leave them alone, you fucking asshole."
Natsume…
I'm sorry…
--
"Oi Bunny-boy."
Ruka turned towards his so-called girlfriend, ignoring the name-calling habit she has never gotten rid off. Hotaru Imai never ceased to amaze him.
"What is it, Hotaru-chan?," he teased back, slipping a hand around her waist.
"Seriously Ruka, I'm not in the mood to be lovey-dovey," Hotaru replied, an intimidating expression on her pristine face, "Have you seen Mikan today?"
"Come to think of it, no I haven't," he replied, worry surfacing in his voice, "She has been absent for the past few days. I tried asking around, and I even tried visiting her in her room just in case she was sick. But no one answered when I knocked."
Hotaru turned away from him, staring out of the classroom window.
"…"
"Hotaru-chan, if you'd like, I can ask the animals to go look for her."
Ruka breath hitched as the inventor hugged him abruptly. A growing wet spot on his shirt told him one thing.
She was crying.
Hotaru, the ice queen of Gakuen Alice, was crying.
Stroking her hair, he hugged her back.
"It'll all be fine, Hotaru…"
He shrugged his head at the complete stupidity of what he said.
Damn. Why can't I think of something encouraging to say?
Ruka never felt weak and inadequate in his whole life.
Until now.
--
Mikan's shoulders tensed as she heard a rustle behind her. She whipped her head around, clumsily bumping it into the trunk of the Sakura tree she was currently resting on.
Please don't be Persona with another stupid mission.
She had never felt so battered and bruised in her whole life.
For the past few days, Persona assigned mission after mission, not caring whether she had been wounded on the previous ones.
"It's all a part of it, my pet. Natsume suffered worse."
"Nee-chan," Youichi stepped out of the shadows, waving slightly at her.
"You-chan! They've released you from the hospital! Are you all right? Does your back still hurt? Has Subaru-san healed you? I wasn't allowed to visit you and I've been really busy lately. I'm so sorr-"
"Why did you agree to this?"
Mikan looked down, at loss for words.
"Well?," Youichi waited, eyebrow raised.
"…"
"Aniki worked hard to save you from this."
"You could have been killed Youichi. Hotaru and Ruka-pyon can also be-"
"Do you think they'd approve? Do you think we're happy with you saving our asses by slowly killing yourself?"
"Hn. You're being just like Natsume, You-chan," Mikan sighed, ruffling the young boy's silver hair, "You're really scaring me. You're eight, yet… You are much wiser than stupid, old me."
"I understand that you did it to save us, Nee-chan," Youichi's tone softened, "But you also have to understand that by agreeing to work for the academy, you've signed a contract with the devil himself."
Giving her a peck on the cheek, he upped and left, leaving her mind in a muddled up swirl.
A contract with the devil himself…
Hmm..
But if it's to save the people most dear to me…
I'd gladly go through the fiery flames of hell…
Natsume did that to protect me…
I want to do the same for my friends…
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know… I know… It is a bit shorter than my previous ones. Sadly, my sister was bugging me while I was typing the chapter, which is why it may be a bit lame. Please review, 'kay?