'The Night Festival'
By Majah
Disclaimer:
I don't own Gakuen Alice but I do own the story in this fic and things that are non-Gakuen Alice related. All the name of places, historical events and other things mentioned which you don't seem to know IRL, are products of my imagination. Any similarities with the actual thing are purely coincidental.
Author's Note:
Now, the fun begins. Hehehe :P
From Previous Chapter:
The raven-haired boy's head was bent forward and his shoulder slouched. His feet were propped up as usual on the desk but no movement came from him.
"Natsume…?" Mikan called out once again. She made her way around to her side of the table and slid on the seat beside him. She peered curiously at the boy.
"Natsume? Are you alright?" For a moment, she hesitated, but nevertheless reached out and waved a lock of hair away from his face. Upon doing so, it revealed his closed eyes and slightly parted mouth. His breathing was steady and his face looked relaxed without an inch of the frown that he usually had.
"A-ra? " Mikan whispered. "He's sleeping."
For a moment, she just stared at the boy and thought that for once, he looked harmless. She wondered for how long he had been in there. Eventually, her eyes traveled down at the object he was holding.
"A book?" She leaned forward to get a closer view.
Chapter Two: "A Dream?"
"A book?" She leaned forward to get a closer view.
It was dark which made it difficult for Mikan to see what the boy was reading at first glance. But the night hadn't completely taken over. There was still a faint glow of the setting sun beyond the windows.
The pig-tailed girl curiously stretched her neck. "Huh? Is Natsume reading two books?" She rubbed her eyes and slowly touched what the boy was holding. "There's a smaller book tucked inside his manga."
It was obvious that the first book was a manga but the other one seemed to be some kind of a novel. "Eeeh?" Mikan blinked. She couldn't quite make out the paragraphs but she could safely deduce that it probably has a traditional setting, judging from the words she caught every now and then; like kimono, aburage, shinto, but amongst them she has no idea what an obake was nor yurei.
For a moment she just stared at the inner book. "Do we have a special homework?" She placed the tip of her finger below her chin. "Something that has to do with history and culture?" She searched her mind but to no avail.
She became teary-eyed all of a sudden. "Uwaaa…I don't want to miss out on something. I don't want to get into more trouble." Then, she lightly hit her head with her hand. "Baka! Baka! Baka! Why do I have to forget this kind of things? If Natsume bothered to actually do it, it means it is an important project."
Mikan sighed. "It's no use. I don't recall anything. I hope it won't be due tomorrow. I can always ask Hotaru or Iinchou about it."
She closed her eyes for a while and savored the silence. Hmmm….this is comfortable. She thought with a smile, and then realized that she wasn't exactly with the best company. The little girl peered at the sleeping boy beside her. "I wonder why he won't wake up." She leaned over to pinch his nose, but nothing happened. There was no reaction at all. "Eeh? Doushite?" She wasn't exactly quiet. If her memory served her right, she screamed when she came in earlier when she mistook him as a ghost. "I didn't know that Natsume was such a heavy sleeper."
The auburn-haired girl glanced at the boy intently. Her eyes became soft as she realized something. "A child." She said. "Being like this…Natsume finally looked like a child." She giggled. "Oh but he is supposed to be a child. He is ten, after all, like me." She happily concluded. True, the fire alice boy usually has a serious and annoyed look on his face which made him looked like more of an adult than a kid, but while being in an innocent slumber, one could almost say that he looked harmless.
A few minutes passed and Mikan didn't move on her seat. She kept looking at the boy who had always bullied her and the smaller book in his grasp. She contemplated on whether she should open the lights but there was something in the way the boy bent his head that it seemed like his current position was better suited in the darkness. It felt like she would be invading something.
"That's silly." Mikan gave a small laugh. "What would I be invading?"
She was silent once more. What am I waiting for? She found herself asking inwardly. I should just take my notebook and leave. He is none of my business anyway. He'll probably cause me trouble when he wakes up and sees me here. She set her lips in a grim line. "Such a jerk." She muttered.
But her curiosity was eating her.
It was deeply aroused by the question of what made him sleep so soundly. Did he spend the rest of the afternoon reading that book? If so, then why does he have to hide it inside his manga? Was he too indulged with it that it took all his energy that was why he was currently deep in slumber?
Mikan fidgeted. She knew that she would be asking for trouble if she got more involved with Natsume Hyuuga. She thought that the dodge ball game they played before would have lightened his mood since she was sure that she saw him having fun, but judging from the way he acted today, it could be said that nothing has changed.
The pig-tailed girl sighed once again but nevertheless, her eyes fell on the book.
"I think a quick look would be okay." She edged closer to the boy and peered at the things written inside the book.
She slightly moved near Natsume's sleeping form in order to let the remaining light shine some of its brightness at the sentences she was attempting to read.
"The air was crisp as the night progressed. One by one, they came with lanterns in hand." Mikan read. "All made from a special paper which a normal candle could not even burn." The little girl suddenly felt her head become light. For some reason, her gaze wavered. A-ra? Why am I…getting sleepy all of a sudden? "Only one color shone throughout...the…" Her shoulder swayed as a feeling of tiredness overcame her. "…the…the…" Mikan's eyes started to droop. "…the…the……str—eet…" And eventually, they closed and the little girl was instantly pulled into the same deep slumber which made her body fall…face first…right smack into…
… the book resting on top of the raven-haired boy's lap.
Ruka had been running all around campus. It had been hours since the time he briskly strode under the Sakura tree where he and Natsume agreed to meet that afternoon. Unexpectedly, his childhood friend wasn't there when he arrived. He was greatly surprised by this. Natsume wasn't the type to be late. Usually, Ruka was the one who would arrive later than the other, so something like this was very rare.
And it's not like Natsume was planning to go some place else. The blonde boy thought.
He waited for an hour and still, there was no sign of the fire alice boy that he started to worry. Up until now, he wasn't convinced that his friend was alright. He had no idea how Natsume was able to walk normally today despite the fact that he went on another mission the night before. He had been observing him for a while and noticed that Natsume's body condition was worsening. It was these instances that Ruka felt frustrated. He couldn't do anything for his friend.
The hour became two which increased Ruka's worry. Something might have happened. "Where are you, Natsume?" He said to himself as he started to roam around the campus to look for his friend.
He searched the Sakura grove if there was a sleeping boy on one of its branches. Then, he went to the dorm, cafeteria, library but not a shadow of the raven-haired boy could be found. He had searched high and low but had always come empty-handed.
"He couldn't have been taken by Persona again, could he?" Ruka grew angry yet scared at the thought of more abuse to his friend's body.
He was starting to get drowned with his own thoughts when he realized that he was in front of the elementary building.
Was Natsume still in the classroom?
Ruka almost kicked himself for his stupidity. There was no need to think the worse. Natsume might still be inside building. Though, he doesn't know any reason why his friend might still be there since one look at the building told him that no room inside had its lights on. In short, the building looked isolated.
Nevertheless, the blonde boy ran inside to look. His footsteps echoed as he ventured through the empty hallway and practically threw the doors open when he finally arrived at Class B's room. His hands searched for the light switch and flipped it on.
"Natsume!" Ruka exclaimed as bright light flooded inside the room and revealed a sleeping raven-haired boy at their usual seat in the back row. He exhaled in relief. "Natsume, you scared me. I thought something bad happened to you." He continued to pace closer towards his friend. "What are you doing here anyway? Why haven't you left?"
But, he received no response from the raven-haired boy.
"Huh?" Ruka looked puzzled. His friend wasn't really a deep sleeper. His voice should be enough to wake him up, but the fire alice boy didn't even stir. "What's wrong? Natsume?"
He walked closer and was about to ask again when he stopped dead on his tracks the moment he realized that his friend wasn't alone.
"U—WA!" Ruka exclaimed with his mouth wide open in complete shock which brought a thought inside his head that his friend wasn't really sleeping. Because…
…there was a girl with Natsume.
And this particular girl was…
…seemed to be…
--the side of Ruka's mouth twitched—
…she has…
--twitch—twitch—
…she has her face buried on Natsume's lap…
--twitch—twitch—
…more specifically…on the…crotch area.
Ruka's face immediately turned red. "I'm…I'm not…interrupting anything…now, am I?" He stuttered. "A…A-no…?"
But the two person before him didn't change their position.
Ruka's face was hot with embarrassment as his arms started to move in frantic gestures. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't know you were into this stuff, Natsume!" He exclaimed. "But! But! Gaaaaaah! I never thought you were that kind of a guy! You were always followed by our fan club, but I didn't know you were the type to give in!" Ruka was becoming redder and redder in every second that passed and started speaking in a very fast manner. "I know I should leave both of you to carry on in whatever you guys are doing but…but…what will happen if a teacher comes along? I think this is way against school rules! I mean, in any school, not just Alice Academy. You've always been a rebel but I think this is over doing it! WE'RE ONLY TEN FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"
Still no response from the perpetrators.
"Oi! Natsume!" He stomped closer and did another summersault when he recognized the girl.
"MIKAN SAKURA?" Although, her face was buried on Natsume's lap, the pigtails and hair color gave her away. "WHAT THE?"
She wasn't exactly someone who belonged in their group of admirers. In fact, this girl had always fought with Natsume. What the hell was she doing with Natsume? And in this…err…circumstance?
Then, a thought struck him.
"Natsume! You're not bullying Sakura-san, now, are you? I think that's enough! This is going over board! How can you make Sakura-san do such a thing?" Ruka balled his fists and threateningly stood at the aisle. "And Sakura-san! How can you let Natsume force himself like this on you? You can always nullify his fire alice!"
For some reason, he was starting to get angry. Natsume was his friend and he should be on his side. Heck, he didn't even do anything when Natsume bullied the girl before and even watched as he took her panties off, but now…things were sort of…different. For the weeks that passed, the girl had earned his respect despite her great stupidity. He had somehow considered her…
…considered her…
A what?
A classmate?
An acquaintance?
A… He blushed a little.
…friend?
He wasn't so sure about the last part but he knew that she wasn't an enemy. And perhaps…even an ally.
Ruka grabbed the raven-haired boy's shoulder and began to shake him. He doesn't care whether he disrupts the couple's mood or not. "Natsume!"
It was odd that he didn't get any response from either of them, but his actions made Mikan's head slightly rock towards Natsume's knee and revealed another object in between them.
Ruka blinked. "A manga?" The blonde boy calmed down. Mikan wasn't doing what he thought she was doing. She had simply fallen asleep on top of Natsume's manga. He exhaled in relief and eventually felt ashamed that he had accused his friend of such a thing.
"But…what a way to fall asleep." He murmured.
Then, he looked closer at the raven-haired boy. His friend was indeed sleeping. He gazed from Natsume to Mikan. What could have happened to make these two sleep together?
"Natsume isn't the type to accept company just like that." Ruka remarked. "And…" He blinked at Mikan. "…I don't think Sakura-san will be willing enough to be with Natsume in this way either." The blonde-boy was completely confused. This was indeed something one wouldn't see every day.
He bent down and lightly shook Mikan's back. "Sakura-san…Sakura-san…"
But same as before, there was no reply. Both of them were sleeping so soundly despite his noisy demeanor.
"What on earth could have happened?" He said to himself; puzzled.
Natsume hopped from one closely entwined tree branch to another. He had been going around for quite some time now, completely forgetting about the time in the real world. Below him, various sceneries unfolded as the night became enthralling; weird yet warm. He paused for a moment to look at the sky. It never failed to amaze him on how accurately detailed and realistic the dream world the book had created for its reader. Everything above was clear like a blanket of smooth black velvet adorned with twinkling jewels. It was quite a marvelous night sky and perhaps something that was even regarded as rare to see in real life.
He inhaled deeply to capture the fresh scent of the night.
Again, he was enthralled on how everything seemed so real. Yet, as he absent-mindedly ran his hand on his face, he was reminded that all that he sees now was nothing more than a mysterious make-belief world created by people's different alices, namely those from his family.
He briefly tapped the hard object on his face. Yes, He was currently wearing a black neko mask; much to his surprise.
He touched the hard mask which hid his flesh. He was sure that he didn't wear his neko mask before reading the book that afternoon, but somehow, when his consciousness entered the dream world, a vagrant character approached him and offered him an identical-looking black mask as what he had in real life. It puzzled him for a moment as this particular being kept shoving the mask to him and wouldn't leave his side until he had finally worn it. Eventually, he remembered something that his grandfather once told him.
'This book records the features of the heir.' The old man said. 'It documents the first time it was read by the successor including what he had worn or attached to himself in that very moment that it was read including specific abilities. In this way, that person becomes one of the characters of the book.
He was only four when his grandfather showed him the world created by the book. He was wearing ordinary clothes back then, even the old man was in the same demeanor, but the moment they stepped inside their dream, he recalled his grandfather emerging in a multi-layered yukata with a long pipe in his hands.
"So does this mean that it already recorded my first entry?" He asked out loud against the gentle rustling of the leaves around him as night air blew swiftly. As heir. He added inwardly. The book wouldn't care what he looked like if his father was still alive. This was yet another proof that his family was indeed dead. There was no one else to succeed.
Natsume tried using a small fraction of his fire alice. The black neko mask immediately reacted, sending charges of electricity into his head.
He smirked. "It even got this mask's purpose right on the dot."
People in Alice Academy, may it be teachers, students or employees, have, one way or another, the ability to use alice. And for those who possessed a great deal of it, control devices were used to restrain the amount of alice they could wield. Hence, it prevents them to use their alices.
Up to some extent, that is… Natsume thought.
The black neko mask, which he was wearing, was one of these devices. It was probably one of the most extreme reserved for delinquents like him. It was the third restraining device which he had worn. The earrings on both of his ears were two of them, but unlike them, the neko mask discharges a hefty amount of electricity as punishment for the person who attempts to release his alice. A normal alice wielder would be completely paralyzed by it, but Natsume wasn't exactly normal. He could overcome the mask if he really put his mind into it.
So what was the purpose of wearing it if he could bypass its functions anytime he wants?
The answer was that he had worn it to make an impression on his enemies, or rather, to Alice Academy's enemies. The black neko mask was something you wouldn't see him normally wear as a student. Unless, of course, he was once again punished by the higher ups. But needless to say, the black neko mask was part of his 'get-up' as one of the Academy's operative. Persona insisted on this and even made it a part of his training to overcome the charges of electricity being thrown at him by the mask while using his alice. This added a greater impression of fear and lethality to his opponents, hence, he became known as the Black Cat in the underground.
This was the reason why Natsume hated the mask. It was a symbol of him being manipulated by Persona and controlled by the Academy.
But…
"For now, I am grateful for this mask." He murmured. If there was one thing that the mask was good at, it was hiding his face. He had found anonymity in wearing it. It was the thing that shall somehow make him 'blend in', though, his school uniform wasn't exactly something a character of the book wears, but it was better than nothing. Plus, he wasn't sure what to do if he meets a member of his family. He wasn't sure if he could face them or even looked at them straight in the eyes.
Yes, this was one of the mysteries of the book.
Each family member had left an amount of their alices behind, to some, even to the extent of leaving a part of their soul with the reason of trying to guide and take care of the family's future generations. One could say that their ancestors made themselves available for the young in this way.
Natsume closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
The book could only do so much. The future generation still has to walk their paths in this world. The book wouldn't have any power to what they ended up doing in their lives.
"I am such a disappointment." His little body slightly shook as an image of surroundings enveloped with fire flashed inside his head.
'Oni-chan…! Oni-chan…!' A recollection of a frail girl's voice erupted in his ears.
The raven-haired boy clenched his fist hard which almost made his knuckles white.
"Are you…" His shoulders dropped down. "…are you…" He repeated. "…still alive?"
'Oni-chan!'
Another set of images swam inside Natsume's head. This time, the sea of flames was intensified by the house caving in.
The boy shook his head.
There is only one way to find out. His inner self said which made him glanced at the far lantern-lit town at the center of the book's dream world.
If she's dead then you would definitely see her there. After all, she had once been inside this book like you. The perturbing voice pointed out. Every non-living Hyuuga leaves a part of them here once they've passed away. She wouldn't be any different.
It hurts to think that way but it was the truth and a solid way to answer his question.
"But…" Natsume riveted his gaze. "…I couldn't face them." He leaned against the tree. "I couldn't face my ancestors and tell them that I've killed everyone else."
So yes, for now, he was glad to have his neko mask. Not only did it hide his face, it also cloaked his fire alice which was probably the only obvious sign that would lead a family member inside the book to tell that he was indeed a Hyuuga.
With this, he took a deep breath and started to venture again, deeper and deeper into his so-called dream.
"IIIiiiiiiiii-YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Mikan screamed on top of her lungs as she ran from one place to another. She kept bumping unto something which she didn't dare to encounter. "Yyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!" One scream followed the other with the horror she saw with her own eyes. "WHERE THE HELL AM I?"
Around her, different type of creatures and spirits flew around. Some were cloaked in white as they float in thin air. Some wore black with their hoods hollow like a faceless void. Others were weird creatures with one eye, a few with multiple heads and there was even a couple who have bodies of women in kimono whose heads were being swayed by their elongated necks. Animals were noticeable as they stood in their hind legs like a human and were dressed from simple hakamas to elaborated yukatas. They ranged from fox, wolves, rabbits, horses and so on and so forth.
And as if it wasn't worse enough, creepy-looking ghosts followed Mikan wherever she went which utterly horrified her.
"GO AWAY! GO AWAY!" Mikan shouted and continued running with her eyes closed.
What exactly happened, she didn't know. All she could remember was that she was reading Natsume's book and suddenly felt sleepy. She knew that she did eventually fell asleep but the moment she opened her eyes, she was in a narrow dirt road surrounded by trees with different kinds of ghosts and creatures walking or flying around. She freaked out. Then when sense came over her and thought that perhaps she was dreaming, she tried pinching herself. But the moment she did, pain throbbed and she was instantly convinced that everything was real.
It all looked real.
It all smelled real.
It all felt real.
Therefore, it is real!
"What on earth happened! Please God save me!" She shouted, hoping to get enlightenment or help, but she only felt herself bumping on something which made her fall hard on the ground. "Oof!"
Mikan rubbed her bottom. "Itai…" She opened her eyes only to let out a scream louder than before. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Before her, a one-legged monster stood. Its foot was hairy and its body was like some kind of furniture. Its head looked like an umbrella with one eye. A red paper lantern dangled on one of its thin arm as it bent its head down and curiously peered at Mikan.
The little girl was shaking and was scared out of her wits that her body simply refused to move anymore.
"Ple..please…don't hurt me…" Mikan's lips quivered.
But the huge 'umbrella-thing' just inclined its head side-wards and question marks literally blinked around its head.
"Ha-ah?" She rubbed her eyes and then glanced again towards the monster. The question marks were still there; in rainbow color. The little girl sweat-dropped.
Its huge eye blinked as it stared down at Mikan. Behind him, another creature came trotting around. It also has one leg but its torso was like a yellow rubber duckie, almost like the she saw Hotaru take with her while taking a bath. Mikan's face could not be painted. Her face twitched not knowing whether to laugh or to scream. The 'duckie' seemed to talk at the 'umbrella-thing' as it made squeaking sounds at the other.
"Are..these things…bakemonos?" The pig-tailed girl quirked her head slowly at the direction she came from. Unlike the road behind her, this path wasn't full of creepy-looking women with elongated necks or faceless voids. So, in a sense, they were less scary than the former? Even the little ghosts that had been following her stopped at the elbow of the intersection of the dirt path and were just curiously looking at her. She wondered why.
But her moment of peace was interrupted the moment a shrill sliced in the air and another weird creature came hopping towards them. This time, a sponge-like monster with three eyes quickly gestured at the 'umbrella-thing' and the 'duckie'. A flashing exclamation point hovered on its head. And like the first two, it also carried a red paper lantern on its hand.
Mikan stared at them, not knowing what to make out of the situation. Maybe, I am really dreaming. She thought.
Whatever the 'sponge-thing' said, it seemed to alarm the other two as the blinking questions marks disappeared and were replaced by the same flashing exclamation points.
"A-no…" The little girl slowly raised her hand in front of her as she sensed the change in demeanor. The three monsters in front of her were speaking to each other with weird sounds. Maybe she should make some sort of sound as well?
And so, with her fear slowly dissipating due to the outrageous guise of the monsters rather than their horrendous appearance, Mikan attempted to 'communicate'.
"Quack? Quack?" She quacked while sitting on the ground.
The three creatures stopped and gazed down at her. They were silent.
"Ummm…hehe" The little girl scratched her head. "...Choo! Choo!" She mimicked a train.
--Silence--
"Choo! Choo!" Mikan repeated and this time, she even made gestures with her hands as if she was pulling the whistle of the train. "Choo? Choo?"
--Silence--
--Silence--
She started making a series of sounds. "Boom! Boom!" She drummed. "Coocku! Coocku!" She knocked her head. "Meow! Meow?" She made her hands claw towards them.
--Silence--
She continued but all three were still silent. Then finally, she slumped down on the ground, utterly exhausted and teary-eyed. "What am I supposed to do anyway?"
Ruka gazed from Natsume to the sleeping girl on his bestfriend's lap. Up to this moment, he has no idea why the two of them were sleeping so soundly and wouldn't even wake up. He tapped his fingers on the desk.
"They can't continue sleeping here like this." He said to himself. "This might arouse…errr…uninvited rumors."
He doesn't think Natsume was the type that would care what other people might say about him, so that kind of argument wasn't strong for him to throw.
"Okay…hmmm…" He crossed his arms and looked at his rabbit who only blinked up at him. "They might end up catching a cold if they sleep here through the night?" He glanced at his furry friend for approval while shrugging.
The rabbit only shrugged back at him.
"Both of them could have cramps in the morning if they sleep uncomfortably this way?" Though, deep inside he knew that it wasn't as 'uncomfortable' as it seemed to be, because both looked quite cozy with each other. He glanced at his furry friend once more.
Again, the white rabbit just shrugged.
"Gah! Why does it feel like I am really interrupting something?" He exclaimed and took another look.
He sighed.
"Needless to say, I think I should carry him back to his room where he can rest more properly." The blonde boy deduced as he stood up and contemplated on how to get his friend out of the seat. He could do this the fastest way or the gentler way.
Unfortunately for Mikan, he chose the fastest way.
Ruka pulled Natsume which caused the little girl's head to fall straight on the seat. The manga dropped down on the floor together with the book tucked inside it and tumbled farther underneath the desk which the blonde boy failed to notice.
"Gomenasai, Sakura-san." He murmured as he eased Natsume on his back. For a moment, Ruka wasn't sure on whether to leave just like that. On an instant, a certain raven-haired girl's threat flashed back to him.
'You better watch over Mikan.' He recalled what her signboard said. 'Or else…' Which was followed by a glint of evilness in her cold eyes.
"It has to be like this, hasn't it?" Ruka tilted his head to one side in defeat. "Daijoubu…I'll be back for you later, Sakura-san." He darted a gaze towards his white rabbit. "Please look after her while I'm gone." He remarked to it. His furry friend nodded.
"Okay, here we go." He secured the sleeping Natsume, but sighed before finally taking off. "I never would have thought that these two are such deep sleepers."
Mikan looked around her nervously. She didn't know when it happened but after she did all those different sounds, a few more one-legged monsters of different sorts appeared behind the three she first encountered. Actually, 'a few' was an understatement. To be more precise, she was completely surrounded.
"A-no…?" The little girl became worried as she glanced around her.
The newly arrived bakemonos started to speak to one another in different sounds. They ranged from chirps to shrills to howls which became too much for a human, that Mikan couldn't help but to cover her ears with her hands.
And then, there was silence one more.
"Huh?" Mikan peered at them.
She was once again met by silence.
But eventually…
She felt something nudging her at the back. She twisted around and realized that one of the weird-looking monsters was poking her with a stick in hand as if she was some sort of incredulous pile on the ground.
--poke--
--poke--
"Hey," Mikan complained. "Stop that."
But she only got blinks. Soon, each and everyone of the creatures started poking her as well.
--poke--
--poke--
"Hey!"
--poke--
--poke--
"Stop…"
--poke--
--poke--
None of the bakemonos were listening. They continued to pry and nudge her to the extents that Mikan started to feel pain.
"Stop it!" She cried out helplessly but to no avail. They were caving in around her that she opted getting up and protected her head.
So once again, she was on a run. This time, a horde of weird-looking creatures were on her trail instead of the ghosts. Poor Mikan's screams sliced through the night once more.
"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME! SOMEONE HELP ME!" She scampered with all her might. Behind her, the one-legged 'things' were catching up despite the fact that they were practically hopping.
"Go away!" She exclaimed for the nth time that evening.
Just when she thought it was the worst, a rather large object emerged from behind the hopping monsters. It was rather tall and unlike the majority of those following her, this one was two legs. It was a slender-looking ladder.
A slender-looking ladder wearing sneakers.
"Eh?" Mikan's expression was priceless as the 'ladder' thing made a huge stomp and reached out for her. "Iiiiiii-yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" She screamed as she felt herself being lifted from the ground. "Let go! LET GO!" She tried to wriggle free and practically wrestled with all her might. But the 'ladder' thing was strong and she kept getting pulled.
"NO! No! NOooooooooooo!" With one last effort Mikan felt her hands touch a tree trunk. She grabbed the tree for support in the tug-of-war with her own body. Her feet were up in the air since it was where the 'ladder' thing was pulling her. "I'm not going to let go! You can't have me!"
--pull--
--tug--
--pull--
Mikan felt her hands slipping. "Hotaruuuuuuu! If this is some kind of a joke, please, I can't take it anymore. Please stop it!"
But Hotaru wasn't the one who was responsible for all of these, so she didn't get any response and continued to be pulled hard.
"Nnnnnnnnnooooooooooohohohoooooooo!" Teary-eyed Mikan's hands lost their grip on the trunk, but just when she thought that all was lost, she was able to grab one of the tree's branches. "You can't have me yet! You can't have me yet!" She shook her head vigorously. "YOU CAN'T HAVE ME!" She shouted on top of her lungs.
And then, there was silence.
"Huh?" Mikan blinked. The 'ladder' thing was still holding her two feet but it wasn't pulling her any longer. Its one-legged companions weren't moving as well. "What's going on?" All of them were looking at something.
And this something seemed to be near Mikan. To be precise, they were looking on something that was standing on one of the tree's branches.
More specifically…someone that was standing on the tree branch she was holding.
The little girl looked up with questioning eyes only to be met by a boy wearing Alice Academy's uniform and a distinctive mask on his face. Though, she couldn't see his face, she felt that he was staring coldly at her.
"A…black Neko?" Mikan asked in a whisper.
(Up NEXT Chapter Three: "The Mysterious Boy")
Author's Note:
I have so many stories to update. Busy! Busy! Busy! So please cheer for me!
R and R Onegai Shimasu!
(P.S. I was invited to join an fanfiction guild GaiaOnline. Here's a link for those who wants to take a peek. http/ )
