Author's Note: At last, the final chapter to When Death Comes Knocking is here. Aren't you glad that you people get to read the ending of this story? It seems pretty short, doesn't it? Including the sequel, I mean, hey. 14 chapters, and already complete. I'm pretty sure that there are other better stories out there that are longer, don't you think? Anyway, I'm very happy and proud of how this story turned out in the end! It's my best story so far! Out of my (current) 11 fics, this fic has the best stats out of all of the rest, including reviews. I am so proud I can cry. (sniff sniff)
Shadow: Get over it, Umbreon-Rawks.
Me: Oh, Shadow. Back so soon?
Shadow: Yeah, I need to knock Aritia out so that I can safely assure my victory in world conquest.
Me: Sokka. Ja, I shall carry on.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything concerning Gakuen Alice other than OCs, and my made-up Hotaru inventions. Oh yeah, and expect total OOCness, especially for Natsume.
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Chapter 14 – The Golden Opportunity
The sun bid farewell for the day, and soon the moon appeared, greeting everyone who was awake. It was around eight at night, and Mikan still refused to eat anything. In fact, she had been denying food since lunch, which was right after Natsume fainted and brought back to the hospital. Persona had been taken to see the Academy's higher-ups, and was eventually fired for mistreating Natsume, Mikan, Ruka, Hotaru and the other teachers of the faculty. Mikan sure was glad that the Persona and AAO nightmares were finally over, but then she had another nightmare: Natsume's life and death.
Would Natsume live? Would Natsume die? Would Natsume get his Alice back? These questions, and many others of the same topic, ran through Mikan's brain. She just couldn't get Natsume off her mind, and because of that, she hadn't even realized that she had skipped lunch and dinner. Hotaru and Ruka came every once in a while to check on her, but that was all the help they could offer, other than persuading her to eat something. Even Jinno was worried about her, and of course, the others were a bit surprised to hear from Jinno that he was worried.
"I'm getting worried for Sakura Mikan," was what that cold-blooded teacher told his colleagues. And their jaws fell to the ground, anime style. It was a hilarious sight, even for Hotaru.
Anyway, Mikan was lying down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She thought about Natsume, and her own feelings towards Natsume. Was she truly in love with that perverted raven-haired Dangerous Ability? Sure, he was one heck of a pervert (to her) and a very short-tempered one at that, but that was probably one of the most charming things Mikan liked about, even though she hated it when Natsume called her names. Just thinking about Natsume got Mikan remembering about the times they had together: Meeting Natsume for the very first time, watching Natsume sleep like an angel (at least, to her), playing dodgeball, Natsume getting kidnapped, rescuing Natsume from Reo, getting stuck with Natsume as a slave during the school festival, getting stuck in a dark room with Natsume, calling Natsume cute, wanting to dance with Natsume…
Just thinking about those precious memories made Mikan blush like hell, even more hellishly than that of Hotaru and Ruka's blushes all together. And those precious memories would also always be treasured by Mikan, for there was a chance that Natsume could die. And that was when… it started.
It was the confession of love that was about to take place, right there, right then, at the Alice Academy…
… hospital.
"Oi, Polka-dots…" Natsume muttered.
"Hmm? What is it, Natsume-kun?" Mikan asked. She had gone to visit Natsume that very night, just to ease herself, and making sure that Natsume was alright. He was definitely alright, for he was already awake when she went over to visit him. And his attitude was definitely back.
"I… I got something very important to tell you…"
"Yeah, what?"
"Well, the thing is…"
"… Go on?"
"I, um… I-I w-wanted to, uh, t-tell you…"
"Whoa! Hold your horses! Am I hearing correctly? You're actually stammering?!" And it was there and then when Mikan's pigtails got caught on fire.
"Just shut up and listen to me, you idiot!"
"OK! OK! No need to set my hair on fire!" Mikan anxiously looked around, and spotted a fire extinguisher. She removed it and sprayed the fire extinguisher on her hair, extinguishing the fire.
"I did that so that you would shut up, baka!"
"Mou! You're acting like that again!"
"What do you mean by that, you baka?"
"You see! You don't even notice it! First, you act all high and mighty! Then next, you begin to make fun of me! And then, after that, you start being all nice to me! And then, you go back begin high and mighty again! And the whole thing repeats itself! Just like today! You acted all high and mighty when you said not to worry about you, saying that you'll be fine! What did you mean by that then?! That you're strong enough to live through this?! And after that, you made fun of me AGAIN! And then, after that, you became so nice to me and tried to save me from Persona! And now?! You're being bad to me! What do you want to be now?! High and mighty? Making fun of me? Being nice to me? What?!"
"…"
"S-Soshite… That's one reason why……… That's one reason why I like you so much, Natsume-kun…"
"W-What?" Natsume couldn't believe what he had just heard, and Mikan couldn't believe what she had just told him. She didn't reply, and Natsume asked one more time, "What?"
"I…" Mikan paused. She thought about confessing her feelings. There would be two possible outcomes for her: One being Natsume's girlfriend, and the other being Natsume's enemy. For the first outcome, it might just turn out that Natsume liked her back and they become a couple like Hotaru and Ruka. For the second outcome, Natsume might not like her back and begin to hate her for liking him. Then he would tease her every single day of her life. Mikan surely didn't want that to happen, but since she had already accidentally blurted it out to Natsume, she figured that she might as well tell him the truth. "I… I like you, Natsume… I really really do…"
"Like… Like as in, like me as a friend? Or like me as in, 'like like'?"
"I… I 'like like' you, Natsume… I really do…"
"Is that what you… wanted to tell me?"
"Y-Yes, it is… And I know you'll just tease me and make fun of me again for liking you, so if you don't ever want to see me again, then I-I'll just leave now…" And as Mikan got up to leave, a firm grip on her arm stopped her from getting to the door. It was Natsume who stopped her.
"The truth is… That's how I feel about you too, Mikan…"
Mikan spun around and looked at Natsume. She couldn't believe her ears. "A-Am I deaf? O-or is there something in my ear? Can you say that again, Natsume?"
"Mikan, I… I like you, as in 'like like'… Really…"
Mikan blinked, and Natsume stared. Neither knew what to say to each other.
One year later…
"NATSUME-KUUUUNNNN!!!!!"
"O-OI, BAKA MIKAN!!!"
Before anyone else could say 'is that Natsume and Mikan?!' Mikan had fallen on top of Natsume, and Natsume was groaning in pain. That one year lacking in missions and full of medicinal drugs had made Natsume lose his strength he had when he was in the Academy years ago. Mikan's skirt almost lifted, and she didn't pull it down as she was too busy hugging her boyfriend.
That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Her boyfriend. Natsume and Mikan became a couple.
"Oof! Get off me, baka Mikan! You're too fat and heavy!"
"Oh! Gomenasai, Natsume-kun!" Mikan stood up and dusted herself. When Natsume got back on his feet, Mikan did another attempt to hug him, and he almost stumbled backwards and fell on his back.
"Ouch, how much high-fat products have you been taking recently, Mikan? You're getting heavier and heavier with every single day!"
That's right, people. Natsume was calling Mikan by her real name ever since they became a couple.
"I don't take any high-fat products! I just don't exercise!"
"For an entire YEAR?!"
"Mm-hm!"
"What exactly have you been BUSY with?!"
"Going out on dates with you! What else?"
"B-but our dates don't even take up an entire year worth of time!"
As Natsume and Mikan continued with their childish protests, another cute couple was having their own cute childish arguments. Who else could it be other than our favourite blackmailer and animal boy?
"Ruka, what were you doing with that Shouda Sumire?"
"I didn't do anything with her?"
"Oh really?" Hotaru asked, not believing her boyfriend. She took out her baka cannon. "This thing's loaded, Ruka. You'd better tell me the truth or else you shall face the wrath of my baka cannon."
"R-really, Hotaru-chan! I didn't do anything with Sumire! She just offered to give me her tickets to a movie since she didn't have a boyfriend to go with!"
"And where did she get the tickets?"
"S-she said that she won them in a lucky draw held at Central Town not too long ago. I accepted those tickets so that I can go the movie with you, Hotaru-chan."
"You think I'd actually buy that, Ruka-kun?"
"It's true, Hotaru-chan! Here are the tickets!" Ruka fished out the tickets from his pocket, and Hotaru snatched them. She scanned them thoroughly by looking at every single printed letter.
"Well, I suppose it's true then. Ok, I'll go with you to the movie, provided that you promise me not to go around womanizing again."
"I didn't womanize!" Ruka protested.
"Whatever. Now, entertain me, Ruka-kun. Massage my shoulders, massage my feet, and polish my shoes. Oh, and don't forget to make dinner tonight."
Ruka sweat dropped, anime style. "You're acting like as if we're a married master and slave…" Ruka muttered under his breath.
"What was that, Ruka-chan?"
"E-eh? Chan?" (A/N: Note that in Japan, kun refers to boys, and chan refers to girls. San applies to any gender. Sama is for someone you highly respect.)
Hotaru didn't reply. She just showed her boyfriend slash slave a few pictures she took of him wearing the snow white dress when he was ten, including a few pictures she took of him wearing a waitress dress, and a Cinderella-style servant dress. Hotaru smirked smugly as she watched the pure shock and embarrassment shown on Ruka's face.
"W-WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE?!!!!"
"Don't forget, you're my boyfriend AND my slave, so when I tell you to wear female slave clothes, I do that for a reason: taking pictures of you in secret."
"Argh! H-Hotaru-chan, please give them back!"
"Hmm, how about no?"
"Aw, PLEASE!!!"
Just then, Narumi over the PA system began to speak. It stopped the two cute couples from protesting and arguing childishly, at least. "Attention, can I have your attention please? I would like to see the following students in the faculty room: Hyuuga Natsume, Sakura Mikan, Imai Hotaru and Nogi Ruka. Could the following students please come and see me now? Thank you!"
Later…
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Come in," Narumi called out. The door opened, and it revealed Natsume, Mikan, Hotaru and Ruka. "Ah, yes, I believe you've heard my announcement?"
"Well, duh. You spoke so loudly I almost went deaf, and it wasn't any better with this loudmouth baka Mikan here with me," Natsume stated.
"Hey!" Mikan whined.
"Shizukani shitekudasai, you two! I didn't call you up here to argue! I called you up here because I have something very important to tell you. It concerns all of you here. Natsume-kun, you do remember that Persona had been fired a year ago, right?"
"Well, duh."
"And… you also remember that you were asked to come to this Academy because the higher-ups wanted to use you to complete their missions, right?" Natsume slowly nodded, and Narumi continued, "Well, that's the thing. You… You were admitted to this Academy just for that purpose and solely for that purpose alone, so… there's this rule of the Alice Academy… And that rule clearly states that once the student is no longer needed to go on missions anymore, and if that student had been admitted just for doing missions, then that student… doesn't need to stay in the Academy anymore."
"N-nani?" the four gasped in unison.
"Therefore, Natsume… According to the rules, you're free to go home."
"D-demo, why only now? Why not before?" Hotaru asked curiously.
"Because Natsume was hospitalized for that entire year. Remember, he only returned to the Academy last night, so the soonest I could inform him would be, well, now. And thus, Natsume, you can go back to your hometown. You can go back to the family that you miss so much."
"But then that would mean Natsume and I would have to be separated!" Mikan protested.
"Yes, that is true. And it can't be helped, Mikan-chan. Natsume-kun can't stay in the Academy even if he wanted to. Rules… are rules. I can't do anything to change them. I've tried talking to the higher-ups, but they insisted on letting Natsume go home based on the rules."
"Rules, rules, rules! It's all about rules! Why can't they think about our feelings for a change?!" Ruka exclaimed, not being able to bear the fact that he had to bid farewell to his best friend, and the fact that they wouldn't be able to see each other again for a very long time.
"Actually, Ruka-kun, I was about to get to you. The higher-ups also insisted on you going home with Natsume-kun as well."
"N-nani?!" the four shouted in unison.
"Like you said, the higher-ups should've thought about your close relationship with Natsume-kun. They've already argued over this matter, on whether or not they should let you go home with Natsume as well, seeing that you two are the best of friends and living in the same hometown, so… they've decided to let you go home as well, and the same rule applies to you, Ruka. Even if you want to stay in this Academy, you can't."
"That means I'll have to leave Hotaru-chan!!" Ruka cried.
"I already said that I've tried talking to the higher-ups about you two couples, but they, in turn, reprimanded me instead, saying that I shouldn't even allow love to blossom in the Academy, for according to the rules, the students aren't allowed to truly fall in love with each other in the Academy."
"Why not?! It's so unfair! Why can't they let us decide on our own future with the ones we truly care about?!" Mikan screamed, tears streaming down her face.
"Mikan-chan…" Narumi whispered, feeling sad for the foursome.
"I don't care! I'm marching all the way to go and see the higher-ups! And no one will stop me from doing that!"
"Are you nuts, Mikan? Who do you think you are? You can't make them fulfill our own desire; that's just plain selfish," Hotaru muttered to her best friend. "And besides, I have a plan, a plan that can get us all together without anyone needing to leave anyone else."
"R-really?"
"Yes. We'll talk in my lab. Right now."
Hotaru's lab…
"So, Imai, what kind of sneaky plan do you have up your sleeve?" Natsume asked, feeling rather curious about it.
"Okay, here's the gist: Hyuuga-kun, Ruka-kun, both of you get to go back to your hometown, right? And even if you want to, you can't stay in this Academy, right?" The boys in question nodded, and the blackmailer continued, "Well, I don't care if those idiotic higher-ups allow us or not, but Mikan and I will go with you."
The three became flabbergasted, and the emotion of shock was clearly shown on their faces, even Natsume. "What did you say?!"
"Mikan and I will return to your hometown with you two, and neither of you can do anything to stop me from fulfilling my greatest escape plan. For wherever Ruka goes, I will follow."
"Well, even though I've agreed that I'll stop chasing Hotaru around… (A/N: Refer to episode 26 of Gakuen Alice) but wherever Natsume and Hotaru go, I will follow!" Mikan declared.
"And wherever Mikan and Ruka go, I will go as well," Natsume replied.
"And wherever Natsume and Hotaru go, I will be with them as well," Ruka said.
"How about we all stop this talk about following and going with each other, and decide on being together forever?" Everyone stared at Natsume. "I don't mean that we fall in love with each other, you know. We're already respective couples."
"Anyway, listen up, every single one of you," Hotaru continued with her plan, "On the day Hyuuga and Ruka leave for their hometown, we'll sneak into the car boot."
"Car boot? For what?" Mikan asked.
"Baka. If they are going to leave, how will they get back home other than sitting in limousine home? Do you honestly believe that they go home on foot?"
"Well… no."
"Good. Anyway, back to the plan. Mikan and I will sneak into the car boot of the limousine that Hyuuga and Ruka are taking to get back home. And when they reach their hometown, Mikan and I will use my invention 041 to sneak back out of the car boot and wait for the limousine to go away. That would just leave us with Hyuuga and Ruka, so we'll finally be together, without having to complain to the higher-ups."
"What if you two girls get caught?" Ruka asked concernedly.
"We won't get caught, unless someone happens to know of my plan and tells security. If not, I'll use invention 041 to get Mikan and me to the car boot easily."
"What's invention 041, Imai?" Natsume asked.
"Invention no. 041: Ghostly Bracelets. When you put these two bracelets on – one being cerulean and the other being sapphire – you'll be able to attain two abilities that only certain Alices or ghosts can have: Invisibility and intangibility. Two bracelets per person, because the cerulean bracelet gives you the power of invisibility and the sapphire bracelet gives you the power of intangibility. If you lose either one of the bracelets, you attain only one ghostly ability. Note: The reason why I can't put the two powers into one bracelet is because no matter how hard I try, one bracelet isn't strong enough to sustain both abilities."
"… Were you talking to us or were you talking to the walls, Hotaru?" Mikan asked. "You were looking at the wall behind us, and not at us."
"Never mind me. Mikan, let's get the Ghostly Bracelets on now, in case Hyuuga and Ruka have to leave suddenly."
"O-okay…"
"And you two," Hotaru ordered, pointing at Natsume and Ruka. "Clarify with the teachers when you're leaving. And then pack your bags. This is the golden opportunity that can't be missed. Well? What are you two waiting for? Get going!"
"Since when is she the boss of me?" Natsume muttered under his breath as he proceeded to walk out of the door with Ruka. Unbeknownst to the foursome, Narumi, Jinno, Misaki and Serina sensei were listening in, and watched the entire scene with Serina's crystal ball and her Alice of Sight. Narumi sighed, Jinno folded his arms, Misaki groaned, and Serina looked worried. The teachers had all agreed on one thing, and that was to let the foursome do whatever they wanted. They mumbled to themselves one last sentence:
"I wish you the best of luck, you four. Don't miss this golden opportunity."
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A/N: And that is done! Done and complete! Finished! Whew! I swear, this chapter – no, this story – must've sucked at least half of my life force writing it! And I don't mean it literally. It's just a cute quote I heard from Tsukiria-chan at school the other day. Anyway, the reason why I can't continue on with this fic with this new plot idea is, well, because the plot of this story is for Natsume to escape death in the end and be with Mikan, that's all. And the reason for a sequel is because of the new plot that has unfolded!
Preview to the next chapter of the sequel: Our favourite four heroes/heroines are getting ready for the day Mikan and Hotaru escape to their boyfriends' hometown. The teachers of the faculty room are doing the best they can to prevent anyone from discovering their plan. Will Mikan and Hotaru make a successful attempt? Will Natsume and Ruka finally go back home? Why am I saying this, you ask? Well… because Mikan and Hotaru sneak into the wrong limousine! And Natsume and Ruka's limousine gets stranded in the middle of nowhere! What will happen to our favourite foursome now?!
Soshite: And then そして
Shizukani shitekudasai: Please keep quiet しずかに してください
ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU TO THE FOLLOWING REVIEWERS!!!
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Legend:
Italics: anonymous
Bold and italics: signed
ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU NE! PLEASE READ THE SEQUEL! JA NE!
Until next time… See ya! Oh, and before I forget… Treat your Umbreons with care! … Or else!
Umbreon-Rawks