Sorry I took so long with these chapters, demo, when i came back from my mini holiday to see friends, it seems that our internet was cnacelled so we had to wait and wait and waaaaaait forever and ever amen. But, I have chapters, so, don't fret about it and yet again, I am sorry, and don't be mad at me, I haven't seen my friends since I moved, to be honest.

On with the story, and, DISCLAIMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED for all rights belong to Tachibana Higuchi-sensai, my idol, other than Tetsuya Nomura. He's a fantastic idol and I want to work for him one day, when I learn japanese of course.

Dedicated to all reviewers and my family. One day, I will become something to be proud of. (My dream is to be a teacher)

Thirty-Six
Playing Games. 1

Life is a game, Hyuuga brat. And when you meet Risa Mikota, you play by her rules, you play her game. In every game, I am the queen..

Those words rang through Natsume's head as he lay in bed the night after Risa Mikota had appeared. He couldn't sleep because of that dreaded woman, he feared for his wife and sister. Mikan was laying asleep next to him, peacefully sleeping as he watched her, sitting up in his bed. He wanted to protect Mikan at all costs, they had been through so much together already, and he wouldn't let her go, now now.

She had been through enough. He didn't want her to leave him all alone in the world, he didn't want to be left in darkness again. Mikan was his light, and so was Aoi. He needed to hold onto that light before it snuffed out and left the darkness encased around him.

He kicked off the covers entangling him and kissed Mikan's forehead as she mumbled something about pancakes in her sleep, she was such a heavy sleeper, he was glad. He didn't want her to wake up, he liked her sleeping, she always snored and spoke in her sleep. It comferted him, alot. She was always there for him, even when they disliked each other and wanted to rip each others hair out of their skulls. He brushed some of her hazel hair from her face, and stared at her.

Like sleeping beauty, but, more beautiful, and she was snoring and mumbling, too.

Natsume got of bed silently, walking around barefooted as he looked around the darkened room. He didn't want to sleep, he couldn't because the evil girl was there,in his mind, her horrible words echoeing through his mind. Also, he was scared that she would come back and hurt Mikan. Natsume put his hand on his forehead. She was trouble, that Mikota girl, just like Reo.

Natsume couldn't believe he was related to Reo, he still wondered if Risa and he were related, even so, she would still be as weird as ever. Natsume sat down on the floor, he was going to look through some old things. He needed to rid his memory of that retched woman.

He looked under the dresser where most of his things were in boxes, and one white box caught his eyes, it was the only white box, to be exact, and he pulled it out from under the dusty cave it lived in, and he coughed silently as dust tickled his nose. He couldn't sneeze, that might wake his wife up or something, or just make her snore louder. He grinned.

Her snoring was already pretty loud, he might have to peg her nose, or something like that. He carefully opened the box, and saw what it contained, most of his child hood things, and he saw that there were words on the lid, too, spelling out 'Natsume's MemorY's.' he grinned, he wasn't a very good speller, was he? Well, Mikan was worse, she thought her name had a Q in it and spelt it 'MiQuan,' she was so useless as 5 year old, but fairly cute and cuddly, too. She was still cute, and especially cuddly, he thought to himself, grinning.

He wanted to hug her, then, but decided to stay on the floor and look at old things. He saw pictures of his mother holding him as a baby, and pictures of him tripping Mikan, pulling her hair, burning her and poking her forehead. He grinned, ah, the good old days where he was a sweet kid, well, an okayish kid, he thought to himself, he was really bugging and annoying, but so was Mikan Hyuuga!

She was more annoying than he was, he smirked, he saw a picture of Mikan, that his mother must have sneaked in the box, as she put half the things in there, and it was of Mikan in a bikini, smiling and building a sandcastle as Natsume stood, watching her and making faces. He laughed quictly. She looked so cute, like a little kid.

She was 15, then, he thought to himself. She looked so kiddish and beautiful, and her eyes lit up with such wonder. It was as if she was alive in the photo. He stared at her more, she hadn't changed much, just her body. He hoped she wouldn't change anymore, he loved her the way she was.

Then, he looked through more things after that picture, there was quite a bit in his box of memories, he thought. Nina must have put half of those things in, but, they were important, like baby rattles and pictures of him as a baby and him holding a baby Aoi in one photograph, pictures of his father and of his mother together, and more pictures of a pretty Mikan as a child or teenager.

"She's changed too much, except her mind and body language. She's just changed in height and everything on the outside..." he thought to himself, then heard a voice in his head.

"Having fun remembering old times, Hyuuga brat? You had better cherish it, because that box will be the only thing left to contain your memories when I'm through with you all." sneered that terrible, cruel voice that was cold and un-loving. Natsume stared at the window, wide eyed as he paled. He shook his head, trying to wipe her voice out, Risa just laughed.

"You can't get rid of little old me, Hyuuga, remember? This is my game and you play by my rules. I can't be erased, and this game is life or death for your wife and sister, but, I'm pretty sure you will live throughout it all, you have a strong enough heart. You can't lose me, Natsume Hyuuga, I'm the one who controls you, now, my puppet!" snapped the voice, and Natsume jerked, he would become paranoid before he knew it. That's what Risa wanted, and, she wanted to drive him away from Mikan and have him all to herself.

"get out of my head, you witch!" Natsume hissed, Risa cackled.

"How conveniant, I AM a witch, I can use magic like good old Reo, and, your dead mother! But, alas, I am the only one left, but more will come when you're mine!" she yelled as he growled.

"You're pretty stupid to be saying your plans now, wench!" he snapped out as she cackled again. Mikan stirred, at leats Risa was only yelling through his mind, if she was yelling out to both him and Mikan, his wife would awaken and get worried.

"Not stupid, not in the least, Hyuuga. You see, my voice phermone can make you keep your trap shut! If you hiss one little word, I will personally deal to your wife and sister by myself! I will rip their mouths off and then slit their throats. Those pretty little faces won't be so damned pretty anymore!" she screeched out, and Natsume turned whiter, he dropped his box of things, how could someone be that cruel to anyone else? Risa had bad blood in her.

She sickened him.

"You're fairly silent, Hyuuga. Maybe I scared you? What, so it scares you that the swans will die? Tch, you hated that excuse of a queen before you got married! You should still hate her!" Risa yelled, Natsume stopped being scared of the wretched girl, and smirked at his reflection in the window. It was soon going to hit daybreak,

"Ha. Well, I love her. I'll do what I can to protect Mikan." he hissed back to Risa. She seemed angry and screamed yet again. He had the image that she was pulling out her long purple hair. He grinned again and again and again. He really detested that woman. She was just weird and mad. She was beyond crazy.

"Love has no place in this damned world, you ignorant brat! If you want love, I can show you love! And protecting her!? She has the alice, and I'll break it into pieces like you! Idiotic pig!" snapped Risa coldly as Natsume glared at his reflection, he cracked his knuckles. He looked down at his memories box again, and found a picture of a laughing Mikan with Aoi, hugging her.

"Mikan..." he thought to himself, and smiled secretly. Risa had left him alone, she was tired with shouting in her head, it aggrivated her to talk to Natsume when he wasn't on her side. But, he would be soon. She grinned to herself, the n chuckled. It was fun playing with his mind, he would soon be her pinnochio. She was pretty sure of that, her game was only just beginning, and, she would win, because she was the Game Master, and only she knew the rules to her game.

And, Natsume sat in shock as he stared at a card that was the 1 of hearts, and on the picture was Aoi, wrapped in vines and holding a dagger that had been pierced into her heart...

What kind of girl was Risa Mikota, anyway? A sick girl who loved to watch others whither in pain, or someone who had never been loved in her entire life? It seemed, that she was both, because she would do anything to destroy Natsume and Mikan's love, and to watch Mikan's pain and suffering. Risa wasn't just the queen in the games, she was also the Joker. SDhe could destroy the game at any time, she could cheat. She was the games Master.

"I am the queen of all games, and no one can beat me!" she snapped to her reflection, staring at herself in wonder and smirking. She would send Natsume a new card whenever she could, she thought to herself. Because she, the queen of hearts, wanted to show Natsume Hyuuga that she could control the hearts of all his loved ones, and destroy them in one go.

Her plan would soon unfold, and she would destroy Mikan and reign all fo Alice, something her dead half-brother could never do...

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yet another chapter done. Hope you liked it, and sorry for everything again. Aurevoir.

Kelly

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