Okay, so as promised, I dedicate this next chapter to mah girlz newroz and HaCel!
xoxo Lexi1989
Previously:
Just as his hands were about to reach Youichi's arm, a young woman emerged from the entrance at the side of the mountain.
"DO NOT TOUCH HIM!" She said in an authoritative tone.
Youichi turned towards the voice and a smile lit up his face. He ran towards the young woman and she knelt down to envelope him into a tight hug.
"Onee-chan!"
CHAPTER 6: WILL OF THE GODS
She approached the two fairies slowly, her feet hovering slightly above the grass. Mikan's eyes widened as she looked at the approaching young woman's feet. They weren't moving as she approached, she was actually floating just above the grass. The path she treaded completely covered in ice. It shouldn't have come as a shock to her, given they had just encountered two other dangerous Yokai hours before, but she was still mystified.
The Yokai was in the image of a beautiful young woman with ice blue hair and eyes. Her hair was let down, curled at the ends with the tips touching her shoulders. She wore an offshoulder, long sleeved dress made of tulle. She looked every part of a 'Yuki Onna'*.
Natsume stepped in front of Mikan, untrusting of Yokais at this point.
"I have been waiting for you." The Yokai said in a gentle voice.
"Who are you?" Natsume demanded.
"You already know me Fairie boy. From the legends and folklore that have been passed from generation to generation in the kingdoms of the country of Alice. Be wary of being ill-mannered to me. I may feel contrite about offering my aid to you in your journey." The Yokai reprimanded him but he paid no heed.
"I don't care if you are a Yokai. I already know as much. But if you claim to want to help, let yourself be known." He insisted.
The Yokai breathed out a sigh of exasperation and it took awhile before she finally decided to introduce herself.
"My name is Nobara Ibaragi. I am the guardian of Alice Mountain." She said with pride.
"Are you the one making it snow at the top of the mountain while it remains green here at the bottom?" Mikan couldn't help but ask. She'd always wondered about it since she was a child and started climbing trees. She'd been told as much by her grandfather as well.
"Yes I am, Mikan." She said with a slight smile and took the brunette Fairie by surprise.
"You know me?" Mikan asked and the Yokai nodded.
"I do. You are Mikan. And he is Natsume. You are both Fairies. My brothers were sent to fetch you."
"You mean the bug guy and the mist guy are your brothers?" Natsume raised a brow. He didn't like this fact one bit.
"Yes. Rui and Hajime are my Yokai brothers. And Youichi has informed me of their actions. I deeply apologize for the nuisance those two have caused due to their mischief. They will be punished once they reach home." Nobara gave them a low bow.
"Ano.. Nobara-chan?" Mikan hesitantly asked. She didn't know if it was fitting to even call a Yokai that. But to her amazement, the Yokai's eyes lit up along with a huge smile on her face. That prompted her to take it one step further.
"Could you help us find out friend? Hotaru is out in the forest somewhere, and I'm worried about her. We were at the oak grove when your brothers… err.. when we met your brothers." She said.
"But of course. Come with me." She turned back towards the entrance of the mountain with Youichi at her heels.
Natsume didn't want to follow, lest this was another trick but was forced to when Mikan grabbed his arm and pulled him with her. He kept his guard up as they entered the small opening. Just as soon as they were situated just beyond the entrance, the hole Youichi had created earlier shut closed behind them making Mikan yelp as they were enveloped in darkness. .
Natsume was about to summon a flame in the palm of his hand when lights began to flicker on above them. They could see small wisps of light congregating in small amounts and leading them inside the earthen labyrinth inside the mountain.
They were surprised to see that deep inside of the mountain, it looked like a large spacious house. Dwellings were carved into the earth, and there was even a large table carved from the earth that stood in the middle which Mikan guessed was the dining area. That made her wonder what comprised of the Yokais dinner and she hoped that it would not be them. She suddenly felt second thoughts about why she'd agreed to follow Nobara and Youichi inside the mountain.
Nobara offered them a seat before floating towards a dwelling nearby, covered by a curtain of vines. She parted them and called to the Yokai inside the dwelling. There was a soft sound of a swish, before she walked out, followed by an older looking blonde woman with brown eyes. She looked at the two Fairies curiously before taking a seat at the head of the table.
"This is Serina. She is our Yokai Mother. She is all-seeing when the forest is concerned. For as long as your friend is in the forest, she can find her. She was the one who found your presence and asked Rui and Hajime to fetch you and bring you here and out of harm's way."
"Wait.. what? Harm's way? One of the two almost suffocated Mikan with insects and the other one cursed me." Natsume said gruffly and was faced by an apologetic looking Nobara.
"Should we have left you alone to your own devices, the Flame Guard would have been at your location after a few hours." Natsume stiffened at the mention of his Kingdom's guards.
"Can you find my friend?" Mikan seemed to have not noticed Natsume's change of mood and was focused on finding her best friend.
"I sense a great amount of power here." The Yokai Mother said unceremoniously as she gazed on the two fairies who looked puzzled at her words.
The Yokai Mother began to hum softly and with a grand gesture of her hands, a small clump of vines materialized from the table. A small "pop" followed and a ball of crystal nestled itself onto the small nest of vines. Mikan and Natsume watched in awe as the Yokai Mother Serina began to hum louder and her gestures became bigger. The crystal ball began to fill with a dark smoke, until one could see nothing inside it but darkness. This continued on for a few more minutes before the smoke began to turn light. Once the smoke dissipated, they saw an image of Hotaru, climbing up a large oak tree. In the distance, they could make out smoke, most likely from the Flame Guard, walking the path were they came from.
They sat, mesmerized as the image became clearer. Hotaru had reached the treetops and was gazing out into the forest.
"Stupid idiots, where did they go?" She murmured under her breath.
There was a brief moment of silence before a very loud screeching sound was heard. And then there was nothing.
"What happened?" Mikan asked, as the crystal ball once again turned dark.
The Yokai Mother nodded towards Nobara who then leaned in. Words were exchanged and it seemingly appeared that both Nobara and Youichi were dismissed. They rushed out, hand in hand, leaving Mikan and Natsume with a lot of questions.
"Is my friend going to be okay?"
"Everything happens according to the Gods' will." Was the vague reply from the Yokai Mother. She just sat with her eyes closed which left both Natsume and Mikan in a tense silence.
It seemed like forever before Youichi and Nobara reappeared with a dazed looking Rui and Hajime in tow. At the sight of the dangerous Yokai, Natsume stood up in front of Mikan, determined not to let them near her this time. Nobara however held her hand up and nudged the two mischievous Yokai forward. They knelt on the ground, and moved forward, foreheads pressing on the cool earth.
"Gomen' Gomen'asai Fairies. We didn't mean to disrespect you." They said in unison, much to the two Fairies. They stood there looking blankly at the two Yokais.
After accepting their apologies, the two sullen looking Yokais were banished to their dwellings without another word.
"Nobara-chan, can you tell me if my friend will be alright?"
"Everything happens according to the Gods' will, Mikan-chan. For now, please rest. A dwelling has been prepared for you and Natsume-kun." She then ushered the two puzzled Fairies to a nearby dwelling behind a curtain of vines.
"EH?" Mikan's shriek was heard all throughout the dwellings.
"You heard her. She put us here. We have to stay here. Doesn't look like they'll answer our questions or let us leave anyway." Natsume shrugged, looking at the bed made of earth.
It was big enough for the both of them, but without that much room for space in between. The bed, much like the table in the center room, was made from the earth inside the mountain. Above it sat a woven blanket, made of soft leaves and feathers. Similar looking pillows were situated at the head of the bed as well.
"But… but.. I don't want to share a bed with you." She complained.
"I won't do anything to you, ugly, flat chested girl." He smirked. She huffed in response but instead of retorting, resorted to just mumbling under her breath about a rude, lying, ill-mouthed Fairie. Looks like she hasn't forgiven him for lying to her and her grandfather.
She climbed onto the bed, making sure to put as much space in between them as she could. She didn't notice until now but she was dead tired and at first, she'd expected that the bed would be uncomfortable but somehow, it felt relaxing lying on woven leaves and feathers. Pretty soon, she succumbed to the call of slumber. Natsume was lying next to her, hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling.
He had a lot of questions, probably more than she did, but he knew the Yokais would not answer them. He wondered about what the Yokais had kept on saying. "Everything happens according to the Gods' will. He was never too reliant on his faith. He believed in the Gods and an omnipotent being, but he also believed that it's the mortal's actions that bring him to where he is at some point in his life. Be it a man, woman, child, animal, Fairie or whatever creature that roams this earth.
He wondered about why he was stuck here. He knew he could have just up and left despite his wound, but he didn't. It was a mistake, he'd first thought, fully aware of the manifestation of his powers on his name day. To have a commoner witness that would have been truly hard to explain, especially since he was known in the Kingdoms to be an heir. But this intriguing young woman, a commoner at first look, did not recognize him. And she turned out to be a Fairie too. She intrigued him in ways he'd never felt before.
Sure enough back home, his mother had tried to set him up with a few of the ladies of royalty in their court but none had ever spiked up his interest more than this woman lying beside him. The ladies would fawn over him, wearing ornate dresses, slathered in greasepaint, never running out of compliments. He could no longer count the many times he had heard the lines "You are so strong.", "You are so handsome.", "You are so courageous." from the young ladies who were trying to win his favor. Instead of getting his favor though, they had in turn ended up making him very irritated and annoyed of their presence. Thus giving him an additional reason for wanting to leave the Kingdom.
Mikan however, was a different story. She dared to call him names, insult him straight to his face, and even had the skills to wound him, despite him being caught unaware. Not many a maiden could do that, Fairie or not. She wasn't really ugly. He only told her that to incite a reaction at first. She was pretty at first sight. She had this aura of sunshine. It made him feel warm, inexplicably. And he was quite perplexed as to why he felt this way around her. It was also a reason why he didn't want her to find out that he's a Prince. He was somehow afraid she'd become one of those ladies in the courts who only liked him for his title.
He remembered how she looked at him when his powers emerged. He remembered the shock he'd felt when she'd touched him. A spark somewhat. He contemplated on that. He wondered if Hotaru's suspicions were correct. It was evident from the form of Mikan's wings that she was a true blood Fairie. But her lineage was still questionable. Some half-blood Fairies have powers, much like Hotaru's brother who was enhanced with the power of Healing. Some would have wings but none as prominent as his and Mikan's. She was declared an orphan, so is it possible that the rumors of Queen Yuka being pregnant as she fled were true? Could she really be the true heir to the Fairie Throne. If she was then his problem would be solved. He would not need to stake claim to take a seat on a throne and title he didn't want.
He remembered how he felt an urge to protect her, when they were faced with danger. It stirred something within him, not just because it was a call of duty to protect, but because he didn't want anything to happen to her. It was then that he realized he liked her. Probably more than he should as a friend. He quickly dismissed these thoughts, knowing it would probably not end well and decided to keep his feelings to himself.
He was about to fall asleep when he heard her mumbling in her own slumber.
"Okaa-san…" She twisted and turned in her sleep. He turned to face her. Her brows were furrowed and she was still mumbling incoherently.
For whatever inexplicable reason, he took her in his arms, settling her head on the crook of his neck. He was careful to ensure he didn't wake her. She was cold to the touch, it was freezing in the dwelling due to the presence of the Yuki Onna Yokai. As soon as she was settled against him and the natural warmth he had within him, her mumblings faded and she let out an unconscious contented sigh.
"I'm sorry I lied to you, Mikan." He whispered against her hair. He liked the sound of her name from his own tongue.
Her tangerine scent lingered, as his face was pressed into her hair. And oddly enough, he felt at peace too. Like he was where he belonged. For once, he did not doubt if this was the will of the Gods. He liked this feeling. And he didn't want to let her go.
Mikan awoke, feeling oddly refreshed. She'd been having nightmares again. She was always in a cold dark place, but someone whom she kept referring to as her mother would show. Always just a silhouette, never a face, taking away the sunshine and leaving her. She'd had these nightmares since she was little. And she would always wake up in the middle of the night, sweaty and in tears.
Her grandfather would sometimes comfort her, with a cup of warm cocoa with a dash of caramel to warm her up. But today was rather different. In her dream, her mother had left her, but someone had come from behind her and hugged her, making her feel warm all over. She could feel strong arms wrapped around her. But before she could turn around to see who it was, she had awoken.
Her eyes fluttered open and at first, she had been surprised to be in an unfamiliar place. She started to stretch but found that she couldn't move for a strong pair of arms pulled her back. She struggled in the darkness, thinking the worst before she realized what had happened before she slept. She was in the dwellings inside Alice Mountain and the only other person with her was Natsume.
She wanted to move out of his grasp. She tried to move away but it caused him to unconsciously pull her back. She pretty much gave up knowing he was far stronger than her in the physical department. Instead she took it as an opportunity to observe him. There was still small wisps of light emanating above them and she could barely make out his features.
She knew by his steady breathing that he was fast asleep. She wasn't angry anymore that he'd lied to her, despite never hearing any apology. But his actions seemed to show that he felt remorse somewhat. He had tried valiantly, although he had failed, to protect her from those mischievous Yokai in the forest. She also wasn't the type to hold grudges. She knew she couldn't stay mad at him for long. She was also grateful he'd taken some time to teach her about flying.
She didn't notice the curtains to the entrance of the dwellings part and was about to touch his face when she heard a familiar voice.
"Well, well, well, aren't you two getting cozy?" Hotaru was standing at the entrance of the dwelling, accompanied by a blonde, blue eyed boy.
"HOTARU!" Her scream woke up the sleeping Fairie beside her who quickly snapped his crimson eyes open and look towards the sound. He groaned as he saw Hotaru and sat up, as Mikan, now released from his grasp made her way out of the bed to hug her best friend.
"You're safe, thank Kami." Mikan hugged Hotaru tightly as she just stood there, waiting for Mikan to let go. Mikan only let her go when she noticed the young boy who cleared his throat next to Hotaru.
He had wings just like her, albeit his was white with blue accents. He stood proud and tall with a beautiful face. He bowed low to her and introduced himself.
"Ohayo. My name is Ruka Nogi, prince of the Nogi Kingdom." He offered his hand, and Mikan, with the intent of shaking it took it. He took her by surprise though, when he gently placed her hand to his lips. She blushed as he kissed her hand before letting go.
"Ohayo Prince Nogi. I'm Mikan Sakura." She bowed to him, still blushing.
"Please, call me Ruka. And yes, Imai-san has told me all about you and my friend Natsume."
"EH? YOU KNOW HIM?" Mikan looked back and forth at the two boys. Natsume looked hard at Ruka, mentally imploring him not to blow his cover.
"Yes. From way back." Ruka seemed to have gotten the point and answered vaguely.
"What brings you here, Prince Nogi?" Natsume inquired, making sure not to seem too familiar with him.
"Well, I was on my giant eagle, looking for my lost pet Usagi-chan, when I stumbled upon Imai-san being accosted by the Flame Guard. I could not leave a damsel in distress to fend for herself, no?" Hotaru snorted at the reference to her being a damsel in distress. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. In fact she had been about to pull out her secret weapon when the Prince showed up and sent the Flame Guard away.
"But how did you find us?" Mikan asked.
"Well, once the Flame Guard were sent away, a cute little boy came to us. He pointed to her and said the word.. ermm "Fairie"… " To which Hotaru let out a subtle cough under her breath.
"The term was "ugly girl Fairie" and "meanie boy Fairie". It doesn't take much to put two and two together." She smirked as Mikan pouted at the reference.
"…well anyway, I offered to accompany Imai-san in case any Flame Guard were still lurking nearby. And well, she told me about your interesting story. Plus, knowing my old childhood friend Natsume was here, then I couldn't let myself leave without ensuring your safety in your journey." Ruka finished.
"Say what now?" Natsume asked.
"I'm going with you to the Glade of the Fairies!"
END OF CHAPTER 6
*So Yuki Onna is translated as "Snow Woman".
And Natsume seems to be liking Mikan more now. (If you know what I mean) ;)
Also Ruka has now appeared and he is accompanying Mikan, Hotaru and Natsume to the Glade of the Fairies!
Stay tuned to find out more about their adventure!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Okay so first of all, I'm taking a short hiatus since my cousin is arriving from out of town and we going on a short trip, sans laptops. This will probably be for a week or so..
But I may also update "Starting over Again" before going on hiatus. Depending on my schedule, I may or may not update this week.
Anilissa – Not quite, Misaki may make an appearance later on though ;) and well, Mikan's unaware of her real powers for now, she only knows she can fly but that's about it. She's not that good at flying yet either. XD
newroz – Correct! But as to why they can't touch Youichi, that will be explained in the next chapter.
Derp1Derp2 – Thankies! And it was Nobara ;)
HaCel – Good guess! And whatever happened to Hotaru is up on this chapter ;)
STORY CYCLE UPDATE
Starting Over Again - The Scam - Philophobia - Secrets - Fairie Tales
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Ja Ne!
xoxo Lexi1989
