Author Note: where have I been, you ask? I've been writing a book, I say. And you say, you? write a book? Yeah right dude. And I tell you, no seriously! To which you reply, whatever. Now hurry up and write. To which I start because I'm so thankful nobody killed me. That's when you turn around and kill me with Two-Ton Tundra. You realize that since I'm dead I can't write, so you bring me back to life and kill me a couple more times before sitting me down at my computer and ordering me write.

In other words: I've been distracted, but now that I'm story-less, I have gotten by brain back on track and I'm very sorry and here is chapter twelve FINALLY.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. Oh, I forgot the pain of having to mention that. But I use this computer so much that it's practically mine now.


CITY IN A SNOW GLOBE by Before Their Eyes

And in my dreams
I've tried running but I can't
Escape from you in my memories


"Do you ever feel really…trapped here?" Misaki asked as she walked down the street with Tsubasa. He chewed thoughtfully on the piece of grass he had in his mouth before answering.

"Sometimes," he admitted. "Sometimes I hate being stuck in this place. But I've got stuff here. There's Kaname. There's you now, too." He turned to face her as if to ask 'why do you wanna know?'

"Just wondering," Misaki said with a shrug. Tsubasa snorted.

"Misaki, you don't just wonder," he told her. "I've figured that much out about you." Misaki scowled. She searched for the nearest heavy object, but all she saw was a giant mailbox and she didn't think she had the strength to pick it up, much less raise it high enough to smash it over his head.

"Do too!" she growled. Tsubasa gave her That Look (something entirely different from The Look). It was the look that told her he didn't believe her so she might as well come clean.

"I just think…" she struggled for words and Tsubasa waited patiently. "Well, I feel like I'm trapped in a bubble."

"What kind of bubble?" Tsubasa pressed. The weird part was that he found himself genuinely interested in this. Although he was genuinely interested in Misaki so maybe it wasn't so weird after all.

"I had a dream," Misaki sighed.

"If you tell me you want to be a princess, I might have no choice but to laugh," Tsubasa warned her and she elbowed him.

"I mean a real dream," she said exasperatedly. "Like zombie pig sleepy dream."

"Can't say I get the zombie pig part, but I know what you mean," Tsubasa said with a snort. "Now please explain the dream."

"In my dream, I was out of here," Misaki said. "I was in the country, you know? Where I always wanted to be. But then my mom was all around me, closing in on me. And then I was back in the city and every time I tried to escape, this glass stuff was in my way. She was, too."

Tsubasa was quiet.

"Almost like snow globe?" he guessed. Misaki brightened up.

"Exactly!" she exclaimed. "The city was in a snow globe!"

"Freakishly symbolic," Tsubasa commented.

"You're the symbol freak," Misaki reminded him. He shrugged, flashing her a quick smile that made the day brighten considerably.

"Too right I am," he said wisely. "Which is exactly why I know the plan I'm formulating in my mind is friggin genius and you should listen to it without question."

Misaki raised her eyebrows at him. Tsubasa tended to drag her all around the place by the hand, something that turned the media on like blood did to sharks. It pissed off her mother which was why she let him get away with it.

"Take me away, jerk," she said with a slight smile. He winked and took her hand before dragging her to the dollar store.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a handful of money and counted it silently.

"Perfect," he said sounding quite pleased with himself. He seized a little plastic basket before wandering down the aisles, mumbling to himself.

Misaki chuckled quietly. They were attracting more attention than she would've liked not so long ago, but now she just thought it was funny.

"Here we go!" Tsubasa said cheerfully. Misaki looked up and her jaw dropped.

Snow globes.

Christmas themed, Halloween themed, Easter themed, birthday, graduation, unicorn, it went on and on and on and on (kind of like the Journy song-only less cool).

She watched, completely lost as Tsubasa put all of them in his basket. Soon, the dollar store had no more snow globes to sell.

Smiling smugly, in on his own private joke, Tsubasa wrapped his pinky finger around Misaki's before pulling her to the counter.

The clerk stared at them, both shocked at the company and their purchases, but rang them up all the same. It took ages, but they made it out fine.

"OK," Misaki said. "You bought your snow globes and blew all the money you had. Now what?" Tsubasa grinned and didn't answer her question, purposely infuriating her.

Just like him to do something like that.


Misaki spent the whole trip asking Tsubasa just what the hell his genius plan was, but it was like talking to the air. Air is very antisocial and rarely replies.

"Here we are," Tsubasa said in the tone of the cat that had just devoured the canary in one swallow.

It was the huge building he'd brought her the very first time. Misaki felt the rush of fire when she remembered what it was like being close to the edge, having the world finally brought into focus. She remembered what it was like having herself finally complete.

"We going to the top again?" Misaki asked.

"Aren't you glad you aren't wearing those beasts you call shoes?" Tsubasa asked.

"Very," Misaki said heavily before following her best friend up the endless staircase.

The wind blew around them gently, a whisper in their world. It was nice and Misaki almost said nothing. But the suspense had been eating her up and anyone who thought Misaki was patient deserved a good kick to the head. Hopefully it would set their brain straight.

"So now what?" Misaki asked.

"Pick one," Tsubasa said, gesturing to the large pile of snow globes. Misaki pointed at the one that had a short goblin thing in it. Upon closer inspection, Misaki realized it was supposed to be a fairy.

It might be, she thought, if the artist could be diagnosed with ADD.

Tsubasa picked it up and chucked it over the edge.

Misaki jumped.

"Breaking barriers," Tsubasa said as his way of explanation. He picked up a snow globe with purple sparkles and a miniature reconstruction of one of his father's buildings. His eyes hardened slightly before he threw the damn thing as hard as he could. He watched the empty space for a moment before smiling and turning back to Misaki.

"You sure we should do this?" Misaki asked. Tsubasa grinned.

"It's symbolism, Misaki," he said with a low laugh. "Try."

Misaki picked up the nearest snow globe, not even looking at what it was before tossing it over the side of the building. She rushed to the edge to see what happened and could barely make out pieces of shattered glass on the ground.

Her heart beat accelerated and her breathing grew rapid.

"This was the best idea you've ever had," she told Tsubasa excitedly. He grinned and tossed her another.


It took an hour to get rid of all the snow globes. By that time they were sitting together a foot away from the edge and there was one left. It was the biggest and had a tiny replica of the city.

"Our friendship should get married," Tsubasa said suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Misaki asked. Tsubasa laughed.

"Let's have a little wedding," he said. "Be friends for ever and all that stuff."

"Sure," Misaki said. In all honesty, she was so exhilarated, Tsubasa could've proposed they actually get married and she would've said yes. Maybe.

"Then we gotta do it right," Tsubasa said firmly. He proceeded to push Misaki up so she was standing and move himself so he was on one knee.

"Seriously?" Misaki asked laughing.

"Misaki?" he began. "Will your friendship marry mine so they eternally be together and all that stuff that comes with getting married?" Misaki snorted.

"Yes, Tsubasa," she said. "Of course it's yes."

"Sweet!" he cheered and grabbed the large snow globe. Misaki sank down on her knees so she was beside him.

She put her hand around the snow globe, her fingers brushing his.

"OK then," he said. "I'm not really sure how to do this, so we'll just chuck this thing over the edge and consider our friendships married."

Misaki snickered at the ridiculousness of the whole situation but nodded all the same.

"One," Tsubasa whispered.

"Two," Misaki breathed.

"THREE!" they shouted together and tossed the snow globe over. It joined its shattered brethren in pieces on the ground and Misaki felt free.

She could barely see the thing crack and break, but it did and the city fell loose.

The city wasn't in the snow globe anymore.

And neither was she. One glance at Tsubasa told her he felt the same. At least she thought that was why he looked like the best thing in the world had just happened to him.


Phew. I have no idea where the sort-of wedding came from. Maybe a hint for the future ;) Probably not though...anyway, I'll try to update faster and now that I have my pet project out of the way, I guess I'll be able to...over and out, off to write some more!