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"Now hold still. It's gonna hurt a bit," she wiped the blood from his abdomen which made him groan in pain. He touched her hand and begged her to stop. A look of shock appeared in those lavender eyes.
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He trodded in the cold, misty, autumn night. He remembered what had happened earlier that night.
FLASHBACK
Mikan: I think I'm having feelings for you, Ruka-pyon.
END OF FLASHBACK
He clutched his chest and tried to hold back his tears. His dream of happiness were shattered all because of those painful words uttered by his beloved brunette. His dreams of holding her tight one day faded in his thoughts. Every step he made broke his heart further. He then stopped in a dark place situated in the back of the academy. A masked man was waiting for him there.
Persona: Good evening, my Kuro Neko.
Natsume: Shut your trap and tell me what's my mission.
Persona: Excited aren't we? Well, I'll tell you what your mission is. But first, let me warn you. This is not the same as your other previous missions. This one is harder. You must save an elementary student named Yamaguchi Hitomaru. He was kidnapped by the AAO this morning. And I need you to get him back here alive. The men guarding him were former Dangerous Ability Type students, which makes them harder to destroy. You must do whatever you can in order to save the boy.
Natsume: (wearing his mask.) I'll be going now.
Persona: If something goes wrong, remember what I taught you.
Natsume: Yes.
The firecaster then climbed up the tree and jumped from branch to branch. He ran towards a certain black limousine and rode in it. After approximately thirty minutes, he arrived in the base of the AAO. (A/N: If you don't know what AAO is, it is the Anti-Alice Organization. I think this organization is weird it is because they are people who have alices who are anti-alices. How can people with alices be anti-alices? It's so weird!) He opened the door of the vehicle and proceeded to a certain hideaway. He scanned the place and found the building where the hostage was said to be hidden. He waited for the guards to leave their posts and he ran towards the building. As he approached the door, he felt his arm becoming cold. He looked upon it and realized that his arm was covered with ice. He melted it with his alice. He then heard a laugh. He looked upon the silhouette of the person beside him.
Man 1: I see you're here again, Kuro Neko.
Natsume: Why did you miss me?
Man 1: Stop playing jokes, Kuro Neko. Now, just stay there and I'll freeze you to death.
Natsume: (showing a fireball.) Not a chance.
He threw the fireball to the man's face; however, the latter avoided it easily. He laughed at the firecaster.
Man 1: Is that the best you can do?
Natsume: No, I'm just warming you up.
Then a group of fireballs surrounded the man. Natsume placed the fireballs nearer to the man until he collapsed because of the intense heat.
Natsume: (to the man.) That was easy. I didn't even perspire.
Man 1: That's what's wrong with you alices. You depend entirely on your alices. We anti-alices, however, depend on two things. Our alices.. and our guns.
The man revealed a gun from his pocket and shot the firecaster on his arm. Crimson blood flowed from his arm and the raven-haired teenager groaned in pain. He gripped his wound in order to stop the fast flow of blood. The man pulled the trigger again hoping to end Natsume's life once and for all. Luckily, Natsume saw this and melted the bullet. He jumped on the villain and punched him countless times. He continued to do it until the man lost his consciousness. He took the gun and examined if it still has ammunition. However, he found out that the man already used his last two bullets. He then threw the gun on the floor. He opened the door and scanned the room if there were guards. Nobody was there. So, he silently walked across the room and up the staircase. He slowly walked along the hallway hoping to feel the hostage's presence. He then heard the moan of someone from one of the rooms. He approached the room and began to knock on its door.
Natsume: Hitomaru. Is that you?
Hitomaru: Mmhmmmph!
Natsume: Don't worry. I'm here. Just hold still. I'll open the door.
He melted the doorknob and the door opened. He saw the poor child whose hands and feet were tied up with thick ropes, and his mouth was gagged with a piece of cloth. He approached the child and burned the ropes. He removed the cloth from the child's mouth and the latter hugged him. The child cried in relief.
Natsume: Now let's get out of this place.
Hitomaru: Arigato, Onii-chan. (A/N: Awww! It's so cute!)
As the firecaster was about to jump out the window with the child, a group of armed men entered the room. The child screamed in fear. Natsume placed the child behind him and revealed two fireballs.
Man 2: You just won't give up do you, boy? Why won't you join us and you won't die. You will no longer suffer any of these.
Man 3: Give up, kid.
Natsume: Eat smoke.
He threw fireballs at the men. However, he felt someone arrive behind him. The person from behind then hit him on the head with his gun. That person had the teleportation alice. Blood began to flow from Natsume's head. Hitomaru screamed in horror. The group of men laughed in triumph.
Man 4: (to Hitomaru.) See, kid. Your Onii-chan's helpless now. No one's gonna save you now.
Hitomaru: No! He's gonna save me!
Man 4: (gripping Hitomaru's arm.) You know, you've been a bad kid. You should be punished for that.
The person clenched his fist and tried to punch the child. However, he felt his body becoming hot. After a few moments, he felt like he was burning. He looked upon his body and realized he was literally burning. The man screamed in pain and jumped out the window. (A/N: Didn't he hear about the Stop, Drop and Roll thing? He's so stupid!) The group of men stood still in surprise. One of them checked outside the window and saw the lifeless corpse lying on the street.
Man 3: He's dead!
Natsume: (revealing a fireball.) Why? Do you want to accompany him?
Man 3: Not if I let you die first.
The man then multiplied himself and began to attack the firecaster. Natsume just burned them one by one. Later, the room was filled with the aroma of burning flesh. The child cried in fear. The raven-haired boy threw fireballs at the group of men again and took the child for them to escape the window. As they were about to jump...
BANG!
The firecaster gasped in pain. He coughed and blood began to flow from the sides of his mouth. (A/N: No!) Hitomaru cried in shock.
Hitomaru: Onii-chan!
Natsume: Hitomaru.. Gasp.. What's your alice?.. Groan..
Hitomaru: S-speed alice.
Natsume: G-good.. Gasp.. T-there's a black limousine.. Gasp.. Parked outside of this building.. Run towards there and ride in it.. You will safely return to the academy..
Hitomaru: (Crying.) How about you?
Natsume: D-don't think about me.. Gasp.. N-now go!
The child then ran in an intense speed and arrived in just a couple of seconds in front of the black limousine. He went inside it and the limousine left the building. Natsume coughed out blood once more and looked at the men who were grinning evilly at him. He let out a large fireball and felt himself weakening. A bullet then entered his abdomen. He groaned in pain and fell down on his knees.
Man 5: Give up, kid. You're killing yourself bit by bit.
Man 6: Why won't you give us the honor to kill you?
The group of men began to laugh in triumph.
Natsume: (in his mind.) T-this is it. W-what Persona h-has been telling me. To give up my life if something goes wrong. I-I can't die right now. I-I need Mikan. But, she already has Ruka. M-my life is filled with sadness and grief because of these darn missions. My life is useless because of these darn missions. A-and I won't be doing these missions if these guys haven't shown up. They're the reason why my life is so miserable!
A fireball then appeared in his hand and the group of men stopped laughing. Fear were seen on their faces. Natsume stood up and the size of the fireball increased.
Natsume: N-no.. Gasp.. You don't need to kill me.. I'll just kill myself.. But.. I'll just let you die with me..
He burned the whole place and the men cried in agony.
Natsume: (a tear flowing from his right eye.) Goodbye, Mikan. I'll always love you. Ruka, take care of her for me.
A small breeze blew on his face and he realized that the window was still open.
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In the academy..
The door of a certain three-star student opened and a raven-haired girl went out of the room holding a lit candle. She walked along the corridors of the dormitory. It was 1:05 in the morning. She approached the three-star bedroom of her bestfriend. She opened the door and saw her hugging her pillow and uttering words like Hotaru and howalon. (A/N: Woah. Mikan loves things that start with the letter H.) She closed the door and walked towards her room.
Hotaru: It's for nine straight days that Mikan hasn't fallen off her bed already. I would like to congratulate her tomorrow. But, she didn't lock her door. I'll hit her with the BakaGun tomorrow.
As she turned her doorknob, she heard footsteps echoing in the dormitory. She stood still and scanned the hallway. However, no one was around. Then the footsteps became louder and a figure emerged from the stairs. Her heart began to beat at an intense speed. As the figure draw nearer, she soon realized it was the firecaster.
Natsume: I-imai..
Hotaru: (surprised.) Hyuuga-kun.
Natsume then collapsed which made the inventor come near him. She tried to wake him up, but as she touched him, she felt something wet on her hands. She looked upon it and saw a crimson fluid.
Hotaru: (in her mind.) He's bleeding!
She ran towards her room and took her flying duck. She placed the unconscious Natsume on the vehicle and let it enter his bedroom. (A/N: Good thing he doesn't lock his room.) She placed him on his bed and removed his clothes. (A/N: Hey, Hotaru doesn't have any bad intentions for Natsume, all right? Don't even think about it!) She saw that he was already losing a lot of blood. The firecaster groaned in pain.
Hotaru: That's it! I'll bring him to the hospital.
Natsume: (groaning.) N-no y-you're not..
Hotaru: You're still awake?
Natsume: I-isn't it obvious?
Hotaru: For a dying person, you're still stubborn.
Natsume: Just let me die.
Hotaru: No, I'm not. Remember what I said to you last night? I'm not gonna let my baka bestfriend cling on me like glue. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. I'm going to bring you to the hospital.
Natsume: No.
Hotaru: You're not gonna change your mind?
Natsume: No.
Hotaru: If that's the case, then I'll be the one to cure you then.
The firecaster just stayed silent. Hotaru returned to her room and took some complicated objects from her first-aid kit. She returned to the Natsume's special star room again and began to clean his wounds. As she was cleaning them, she saw something glistening from his wounds. She took the object from the wound on his abdomen and found out it was a bullet. Natsume moaned in agony. Blood began to flow from his body again.
Hotaru: Now hold still. It's gonna hurt a bit.
She wiped the blood from his abdomen which made him groan in pain. He touched her hand and begged her to stop. A look of shock appeared in those lavender eyes. She just looked at her hand which was held by the firecaster. She tried to remove it, but it won't let go.
Hotaru: Let me go. I have to clean your wounds.
Natsume: It hurts.
Hotaru: Of course, it hurts. Come on. Let me go.
Natsume: (hesitating.) F-fine.
The raven-haired girl then continued to clean his wounds.
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In the morning..
Jinno: Imai.. Imai.. Imai Hotaru..
The class just sat silent.
Jinno: Imai's not here? Well then, this is a big minus in her conduct. She broke her perfect attendance record.
The brunette began to worry. It was odd for Hotaru to be absent in school days. Then, she felt a sudden chill beside her. She looked upon the empty seat beside her. She realized that the firecaster, too, was absent.
Mikan: Ruka-pyon. Do you know where Hotaru and Natsume are?
Ruka: I was about to ask you the same question.
Mikan: It's so weird. The last time I saw Hotaru was when she returned Sakura to me last night. She said Natsume was on a mission that's why she was the one who returned Sakura to me.
Ruka: Maybe something wrong happened to them.
Mikan: Ruka-pyon. I'm scared.
Ruka: Don't worry. Maybe there's a safe reason why they are absent.
Mikan: I hope there is.
Then, a knock on the door was heard. The door opened and a certain raven-haired girl appeared. She greeted the teacher and proceeded to her seat.
Jinno: Imai. Stand up. What's the meaning of this. Aren't you running for honors? Why did you come late, today? Explain this to me!
Hotaru: You don't have any business about it.
Jinno: Tell me, or I'll deduct your star rank.
Hotaru: Sigh.. Fine. Last night, Hyuuga-kun went in the dormitory wounded. So, I stayed up all night cleaning his wounds. So, are you satisfied? I'm still sleepy.
Ruka: (standing up.) What? He's wounded? Where is he? I have to go to him!
Jinno: Nogi. Sit down.
Ruka: Come on, Sensei. Please.
Mikan: Please, sensei! Pretty please! With howalons on top. (A/N: Mikan more hungry than concerned.)
Jinno: No.
Then the whole class began to riot. They all wanted to go to Natsume.
Hotaru: See, Sensei. That's the reason why I didn't want to tell you why I was late.
Jinno: Fine! I'll give you twenty minutes!
Class: Yehey!
The class then stampeded towards the special star room of the notorious Hyuuga Natsume. The first one to enter was Ruka.
Ruka: Hey, Natsume. How are you?
Natsume: ...
Ruka: I'm sorry, if I didn't come earlier. I didn't know.
Natsume: (in a small voice.) It's okay.
Then a little child hurried towards the firecaster and hugged him. (A/N: Awww! So cute!)
Hitomaru: (crying.) Onii-chan! You're alive! I'm so happy!
Natsume: (patting Hitomaru on the head.) If you're happy, why are you crying?
Hitomaru: (wiping his tears.) I thought you were going to get burned. I saw the building filled with flames.
Natsume: Don't worry. I'm okay.
Hitomaru: Get well soon! I'll go back to my class now. Thank you for saving my life!
Natsume: It's nothing, really.
Then the little Hitomaru skipped towards out of the room. Mikan went near the firecaster and revealed a worried look.
Mikan: Natsume, are you all right?
Natsume: ...
Mikan: It was a really brave thing you did for that little kid.
Natsume: ...
Mikan: You risked your life in order to save him.
Natsume: ...
Mikan: (to herself.) He's not talking to me.
Silence filled the room and the brunette became irritated.
Mikan: Fine. If you're not talking to me, I'll just go. I really wanted to check on you if you're all right. I was really worried about you.
Natsume: You don't need to be worried. Ruka, and all of you are the reason why I'm still living. I didn't want to leave you.
Mikan: (touched. Awww!) N-natsume.
The whole class crowded the firecaster and began ask him a lot of irritating questions.
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Konichiwa, minna! Woah! I'm already in the fourteenth chappie! Weeeh! I know some of you Natsumikan fans already hate me because I'm pairing up Ruka and Mikan! I'm so sorry! I just can't help myself. I warned you that this story has a lot of twists and turns! Waaah! Just read on and guess who's gonna be together in the end. But, I'm not assuring you that Natsume and Mikan are going to be together in the end. It will depend on my mood. Mwahahaha! Sorry.
I would like to thank ap and ruin princess for the reviews, even if they scolded me for pairing Ruka and Mikan. Waaah!
Please review and read on! I have lots of things in store for the characters.