Oh yes, before you start reading this chapter, I have something to say. I know all of you are intent on scolding and beating me -gulp- as long as Mikan is not found. But if she is found that would mark the end of this story right? If I give her back right away, where's the 'fun' of writing this piece of fan fiction?

Believe me, I do not enjoy keeping Mikan invisible either. Torturing Natsume is so cruel -sob- poor Natsume! It is essential, not that I like it -whimpers- Please don't kill me!!!

I changed the genre from Romance/Angst to Romance/Mystery for…um…I don't know why I did it! Ahehe…

Disclaimer: Would you believe it if I said I owned Gakuen Alice? No, right? So there you have it. I do not own Gakuen Alice.

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Chapter 3

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A raven-haired boy sat by a window sill, pondering his problems. Visions of his last encounter with Mikan, or someone who resembled her, kept flashing across his mind.

Why? Why did she disappear when someone called his name last night?

And most importantly, why did she say 'goodbye'?

She will come back, he thought firmly. She will. Mikan won't leave all her friends behind her. She just…can't!

He pictured the bubbly idiot giving the cold shoulder to her friends. Almost immediately he shook it out of his mind, scolding himself for allowing such a whim to stray into his thoughts.

No. Mikan would never abandon them. She would not abandon him. Kami-sama, anything but that!

"Natsume?" Ruka said softly from the door. Natsume turned around to meet his best friend's concerned gaze.

"Ruka." He made a move to stand up but staggered. Ruka was by his side in an instant, propping Natsume up by his shoulders. He could feel Natsume's thin frame shaking beneath his grasp. Apparently the boy had not completely recovered from his bout of fatigue.

"You really should've stayed at the hospital instead, Natsume," he said in a worried tone.

The fire alice shook his head weakly. "No. I want to…" he trailed off, trying not to retch over the floor. Ruka received his unspoken message.

"Come on Natsume, the Academy is huge. How are you supposed to find her alone? In this condition, no less."

Natsume growled. "Are you implying that I am weak, Ruka?"

"No. But think," Ruka said gently. "Think, Natsume. Do you think Mikan would be happy if she found you like this?"

The fire alice was stunned. So far, he had only focused on searching for her. He never gave a damn about his own well-being. Mikan, on the other hand….

"No," he finally muttered. "But she isn't here to care."

Ruka was silent after his grim statement. Suddenly he gave his friend's shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

"She will always be with us, Natsume…"

"In case you didn't realize, Ruka, she's not here."

"True, she isn't," he said with a soft smile. "But she will always be in our hearts."

Now it was Natsume's turn to be silent. Ruka's words were brimming with wisdom and mirrored pure truth. Mikan was already embedded in their hearts. She will never truly leave them, ever.

Natsume eyed Ruka carefully. "You know what? I think Imai already affected you."

Ruka turned a thousand shades of red.

',',

Much to Natsume's annoyance, he was made to stay in his room for the rest of the day. No amount of shouting, yelling and yes, even begging (though only once to Ruka alone, and that was only after an eternity of debating with himself) would sway Ruka's firm decision.

"You have to get well before you can go out, Natsume," he had declared, leaving a defeated Natsume in bed. Natsume had fumed for hours afterward.

Now, however, his opinion of Ruka's firmness was beginning to change. Natsume actually felt some of the ache leaving his limbs and muscles. Even his head had ceased throbbing painfully.

In fact, he was actually grateful that he was force-fed Ruka's advice despite his reluctance a few hours back.

Natsume flexed his muscles, testing them for aches and pains. He then placed his feet gingerly on the floor to see if they would support his weight. He felt rather wobbly, but his feet did their job.

Placing a palm against a wall for extra support, he started taking baby steps to the bathroom, where he undressed and decided to take a bath in the luxurious pure white bathtub. Foam and bubbles thrived in abundance there, spilling over the smooth porcelain edges. Natsume crept into the sea of frothy rainbow-coloured bubbles and submerged his body in the warm water.

Warm liquid tumbled from a tap placed conveniently in one corner of the bathtub, spewing more bubbles into the water. The entire bathroom smelled of mint, something Natsume secretly fancied.

While he sat there, he could not help wondering what a one-star's bathroom looked like. A lot smaller than his, that was for sure. How could Mikan withstand living in such a cramped space?

The mere thought of Mikan brought a pang of grief upon his heart. That girl could be anywhere, perhaps in another u – NO! Natsume thought vehemently. She's still alive. I KNOW it.

After all, Ruka did say that she would always be in their hearts. But Natsume was not contented with that.

No. He wanted more.

He wanted the girl herself, in the flesh.

He wanted to ravish her tender body, touch her skin, anything, anything as long as he could secure her as his own.

She meant more than anything else he had. She was his life, dang it!

And he wanted her…he wanted her so much.

Mikan…where are you? Natsume thought beseechingly as his head slid into the water.

',',

"Natsume you idiot!" Ruka yelled, quite forgetting just how dangerous the fire alice can get at times. "If I didn't barge in when I did, you could've died!"

"Hn," Natsume said through chattering teeth. He lit a small fireball and allowed it to hover close to his body, feeding him its warmth. He pulled the blanket closer around his thin body to conserve body heat.

"Why did you choose such a place to fall unconscious?! You could've fallen on the floor or when you were sitting on a chair, but no, you had to faint when you were taking a bath!"

"…" Natsume lowered his gaze to the floor. He hated the way Ruka fussed over him like a mother hen, but he hated himself even more for causing his friend concern. He did not like people to worry about him. It made him worried as well.

Ruka's glare softened. "Don't be too hard on yourself, Natsume. We'll find her. I promise."

"I…I don't know. Ruka, I think I miss her," Natsume choked out with difficulty. He found it very awkward to be admitting it to anyone, much less Ruka, but he was the closest friend he had after Mikan.

The animal lover stared at him. Had he really heard correctly? Natsume missed her?

Then again, nothing was impossible anymore. Mikan's mysterious disappearance had breached that rule.

Ruka gulped. Things were changing drastically with the bubbly brunette's absence. What else would spring out at him next?

',',

Two days later Natsume was deemed well enough to resume classes, and return he did, trailed as always by numerous fangirls. It took all of his willpower to restrain himself from reducing them to ashes. Ruka, noticing his rapidly deteriorating patience, hustled him into class without further ado.

Their classmates longed to bombard Natsume with questions, but they knew better than to pester him unless they had a death wish. So they contented themselves with sneaking furtive glances at the irritated fire alice, heads snapping back whenever he gave them a seething glare. Kokoroyomi did not dare to use his alice on him. He did not have to use it either. The fire caster's expression told all.

Class went on as usual that day, albeit being noticeably quieter than it normally was before Mikan disappeared. Even the normally enthusiastic and slightly wacky Narumi-sensei was subdued.

Natsume stuck his hands into his pockets and strode out of the steaming classroom as soon as classes were over, glad to be free of prying eyes.

His freedom was short-lived.

"Um, Natsume-kun -"

His head snapped back. Natsume set a murderous glare upon the newcomer. How dare she call him Natsume-kun! Did she not have any respect for him?! That was another reason he abhorred fangirls. They thought they had the liberty to address him as though they were close to him when they were most certainly not. In addition to that, they crowded around him when he least needed their annoying company.

The girl gulped and took a step backwards.

"No one," Natsume growled, "calls me Natsume-kun. Is. That. Clear?"

"B-But you let that drab Sakura slut call you that!" she protested.

She never got any further. A blazing sheet of flames roared to life and enveloped her, obscuring her vision and melting her skin away.

"Shut your mouth!" Natsume yelled, a hysterical glint in his inflamed crimson eyes. Mikan, a whore? The nerve of that girl….

The excruciating pain that had left him returned again, nearly knocking him into a nearby wall. Natsume had to bite his lip to refrain from crying out. The agony was almost blinding.

"You…idiot," he gasped before falling to the floor in a faint.

',',

"He's awake," someone murmured.

Natsume blinked. Where was he? And why did he hurt all over? Didn't the pain recede after two days' worth of rest? Memories rushed back to him and he gripped the snow-white blankets in anger.

"Hey, Natsume?"

He looked directly ahead of him. There was someone stooping over him, but he could not make out who it was. All he could see was a coloured blur.

Sighing, he shook his head ever so slightly, regretting it almost immediately. Blinding pain sent daggers into his mind and shut it down. Natsume was forced to close his eyes to dull the agony he was enduring.

Finally he opened them again, crimson eyes gazing blearily at the ceiling. He then allowed his gaze to travel around the room. What he once saw as a collection of hazy dots cleared up to reveal his classmates huddling close to his bed.

"What am I doing here?" he croaked.

Ruka looked grim. "You fainted after using your alice on a student."

Natsume looked away. "Hn." He was not in the least sorry for her. After all, she had brought it upon herself, calling Mikan a slut like that.

His classmates took it as a sign to leave. Quietly they filed out of the hospital cubicle that had served as Natsume's recuperating room for the second time that week. Only Ruka and Hotaru stayed behind.

"The student was admitted for second degree burns," Hotaru said, observing Natsume carefully.

"Hn."

"What did she do to deserve your wrath?"

"She called the baka a whore."

Natsume might have imagined it, but he thought he saw anger flash past Hotaru's empty violet eyes. Her grip around her baka gun tightened and she left the room in silence. The door clicked shut behind her.

"You were really angry, weren't you Natsume," Ruka said evenly.

"…"

Ruka sighed. "Tell you what. As long as you're not back to full health, I am not allowing you to search for Mikan."

Natsume glared at him. "You can't stop me."

"But -" the latter continued "- if you have recovered by the end of the week, I shall accompany you when you search for her, classes or not."

"Bribery," Natsume scoffed. "You really are taking after Imai."

Once again Ruka had to fight down the blush that crept upon his face. But Natsume was not interested in that, comical as it was. His mind was far away, deep in his thoughts of one very special person who had chanced to catch his undivided attention.

That very special person was Sakura Mikan.

',',

Unsurprisingly, Natsume made a speedy recovery after that, taking care not to overuse his alice. He received no missions either, which was a relief. It aided his recovery in its own way.

However, he took care to steer clear of his fangirls lest they should anger him again. He doubted it though. The girl he had injured was still in the hospital, probably scarred for life with the numerous burns she received from him. He really could not care less.

He was intent on finding his Mikan again. She was the only thing that mattered to him now. Screw classes. They were a nuisance to him. They deterred his search for his missing ray of sunshine.

Every day he would comb a selected area of the Academy with the hopes of stumbling upon her, or at least her apparition. He had a weird feeling that it was connected to her somehow, yet not related at all.

Nothing made sense. Then again, nothing in his life ever made sense. He was a walking puppet, after all. His sole purpose was to entertain the audience until he was worn down then discarded like a piece of trash afterward.

But that was his life. He was used to it. He was used to all the torture he was forced to undergo ever so often, and the pain that sliced into him, threatening to rip his life away.

He would not deny that he had wished for death. Oh yes, he had wished for it, and more than once too. Before she had entered his life, he had undertaken missions nurturing a tiny flicker of hope that he would perish in the process.

Now, the mere thought of it seemed absurd. Natsume did not know why, but now he found himself fighting to live. To live, damn it! Yet Natsume would not throw his life away for the world, as long as he had Mikan by his side.

And that, he resolved, was the sole reason for him to carry on with his life. To regain Mikan. To claim her as his and lose himself in her deep eyes as she succumbed to his embrace. To see her again every time he opened his eyes.

Who would have known that the imperious Black Cat would fall for a girl? Others saw Mikan was a plain girl, with a low IQ and a klutz to boot. But Natsume saw her as the most beautiful girl he had set his eyes upon, the only girl worthy of his friendship.

Love does many things to one, he mused. Who would've thought I would think of her as such? Even I never thought it possible, yet here I am, reminiscing about her as though she were a jewel. She is, in a way.

A precious jewel set in my heart. A precious jewel I have sworn never to let go. And retrieve her I will, even at the risk of my life. For she is mine, and mine alone. If I can't have her, no one can.

No one defies Hyuuga Natsume's wishes, not even the Anti-Alice Organization. Fuck them for taking her away from me. FUCK THEM! I wish they rot in HELL!

"Natsume! Did you find her?" Ruka hollered, coming out of the Western Woods. He was already worn out, for he never received the vigorous training Natsume had undergone for the sake of missions.

Natsume shook his head. "No. Go and rest, Ruka," he added upon seeing Ruka's bedraggled look.

"Demo -"

"Go on. You're tired."

Ruka's shoulders slumped in relief. "Hai. Goodnight Natsume."

"Hn."

Crimson eyes trailed after Ruka's retreating back, watching him as he faded into the distance behind numerous boughs and leaves. Natsume was very grateful for Ruka's assistance, but there were times he wished to be left alone.

Sticking his hands into his pockets, he decided to take a short rest in his favourite spot, namely the sakura tree. He could not lie down in the copse anymore since he had single-handedly demolished it a week ago, and he could not say he regretted it. Anger still bubbled within him whenever he caught sight of the sorry mess that was a former paradise.

A gentle wind blew across his face, sending shivers down his spine. It was cool, yet it carried an air of mystery about it.

It seemed to wrap wispy tendrils around Natsume's body and tug playfully at him, lifting the ends of his bangs. At the same time, it led the baffled boy towards the edge of the forest.

Natsume obeyed it without hesitation. After all, how much damage can a soothing breeze cause?

More than he bargained for, apparently.

Suddenly the fire alice pressed a palm to his heart, finding it extremely hard to breathe. His air supply seemed to have been cut off. He gasped and panted in vain. Natsume fell to the ground, clawing desperately at his chest.

"What…the Hell -" he wheezed before a veil of darkness came over him.

',',

"Natsume…get up Natsume…"

"Hm…?" With a small grunt, Natsume opened his eyes and rolled over so that he was leaning on his elbows. Crimson eyes scanned the area carefully. Try as he might, Natsume could decipher nothing. Figures since the entire area was pitch black without any source of light….

"Natsume…get up…"

"Who are you?" he snapped, furious at his inability to see.

"Help me…"

"Do you expect me to help someone I can't see?"

"Help me…you must…help me…"

"Show yourself," Natsume demanded. He was really pissed off at the ethereal murmuring. Why could the person not reveal himself or herself? It was very frustrating to talk to empty air.

Natsume experienced a moment of triumph when the voice did not reply. Perhaps it had been an illusion set up to trick him. Well, the plan was foiled.

"As you wish…"

Suddenly the area was bathed in a calm golden light. Natsume had to shield his eyes from the sudden burst of radiant light. When his vision cleared somewhat he tried to search for the source of the golden rays.

He barely took two steps before he froze, nearly forgetting to breathe.

No way…it was impossible, yet…it was her.

Sakura Mikan, or something that greatly resembled her.

She stood there with her eyes closed, her aura flaring as brightly as ever. Natsume stared at her. A rush of emotions clouded his mind.

Was she Mikan? Was she the real Mikan?

The girl smiled at him, finally opening her eyes to reveal her beautiful brown orbs. They sparkled and danced as cheerfully as those of Mikan's, yet her innocent fawn-like eyes held a dash of sorrow and despair. Natsume could see it in her eyes. She wanted freedom.

"Help me," she whispered.

Then she was gone. All of a sudden the blackness lifted and Natsume found himself crouching on the ground. He was shaking with anticipation.

D-Did Mikan really…ask him for help? Was she in danger?

A soothing breeze picked up again and started nudging Natsume. Naturally, he was wary after the nasty shock he had received. But this time, the breeze simply pushed him towards its desired destination. One that Natsume would never guess even if he had tried.

The thing the mystical breeze had brought him to see was, in fact, something he saw every single day to the point it was insignificant in his life.

The sakura tree. Of course. How very absurd.

Why did the wind bring him here?

The fire alice frowned. Oh well. Might as well get some rest in one of the boughs. With that thought in his mind he reached out for a sturdy branch and leaped up, feet landing nimbly on the broad branch.

It was already dark, so Natsume used his alice to light a small fireball. It spread warmth to the tip of his fingers and lit the place with a soothing glow. Natsume watched the tips of his fire dancing away, irregular and passionate in all its reddish-orange glory.

Suddenly it undulated out of his hand, unraveling and stretching slowly to form a thin fiery snake in the air. Natsume gaped. His fire had never gone out of control before….

The snake's head – or what Natsume presumed to be the head anyway – shot towards the trunk of the sakura tree. It hovered for a moment in the air before diving and forming words by burning away some of the bark, feeding them its own flames in the process. Natsume watched it at work with growing fascination.

He paid the flames even more attention when he saw the fiery words inscribed into the deep brown bark of the tree. The same threads of flame remained there, burning with a mysterious air about them. It gave the luminous words an eerie look as though displaying an urgent message.

Sure enough, the thin thread of fire did not disappoint. The words that glowed in its wake were these:

Find me.

Catch me, Natsume.

Natsume buried his face in his hands and contemplated the words. How many mysteries must he solve? How many barriers were there to overcome before he would reach his beloved?

His unruly flames fed itself completely to the bark, licking off the smooth bark to make way for a new word.

There, in fancy letters, was a single word below the message, flaring brightly before his eyes and burning itself into his heart.

Mikan.

The fire alice stared at the word through the slits in between his fingers. Of course, the message relayed by his own flames was from her. Who else could have manipulated his fire like that? Come to think of it, how could she do it? She did not have his alice, after all.

Mikan…I swear, I'll find you.

….

I hope this chapter pleased you! So now Natsume is one step closer to finding his Mikan, no?

Care to leave your comments? Normal reviews and criticisms are allowed, but no flames please! If you burn me I won't be able to continue this story! -grins-