EXODUS

Chapter Ten: At the Point of No Return

All of them took martial arts.

It was a requirement really, as Alices, they should know how to protect themselves. After all not all of them have an active power.

Hence, martial arts classes.

But like other things in life, there are some who fare better than others.

Mikan's agility, talent for sports and perseverance even her recklessness made her stellar but that was only expected since she was also trained by Natsume since they were twelve years old.

Yuu's concentration and efficiency, Hotaru's cool head and unflinching composure made them one of the best.

Ruka's determination and surprising strong will, made him an unpredictable opponent.

Monchu's strength and inner stability made him more than good. Koko's alice made him nearly impossible to beat as Kitsuneme's made him more than impossible to touch. Even Anna and Konoki with their agility and speed were more than passable. But as they watched Natsume danced around his opponents, they saw that Natsume was in a whole other league.

Control.

Experience.

State of mind.

Even the level of ruthlessness and efficiency was different.

It wasn't just his superior balance, flexibility and body strength, not to mention stamina, strategy, reflex, focus and it was no use denying it, the killing instinct. But most of all, they knew Natsume was far better than them because of the reason behind his actions. When they fight, it was to protect themselves while for Natsume it was a matter of life and death as well as the safety of the people that he felt responsible for.

If they somehow failed to win against their attacker the worst that could happen was they would be sold to the highest bidder but the general reaction against Kuro Neko was either 'kill or be killed' so it was only natural that Natsume's motivation was stronger than theirs ever will.

It also wasn't just speed or his inhuman-like reflex, it was also the sharpness of his senses, it was like he knew where the enemy was at all time, like he was in tune with their movements and thus able to respond before the enemy even had a chance to react.

They watched Natsume dodged a punch and use his body's momentum to kick the person behind him as he again pivoted to catch another person with an elbow. He moved in a controlled, steady motion, there was no hesitation, no pause as he sidestepped, ducked, flip, jumped and twisted in the air as if he was free from the bounds of gravity.

Unbelievingly graceful, precise and undeniably beautiful.

If you can't predict their movements, manipulate.

Mikan can almost hear Natsume's low voice in her ear as she watched the fight. She clamped her fingers together when Natsume caught a small knife that was heading straight to the back of his head and threw it to the person at his left who reflexively dodged to the side…right into the path of Natsume's roundhouse kick.

He fell and no longer moved.

Her heart jumped when Natsume blocked a swing of a kodachi with his arm and exhaled when she heard the sharp clang of metal against metal. He's wearing an arm guard. Thank Kami.

Always be prepared. Expect the unexpected.

When those clichés rolled off his tongue Mikan had rolled her eyes at him. That should teach me.

Another went down for the count.

From fourteen, five was left. It was the first time Mikan felt glad to see Natsume hardly breathing hard but she was far from relieved. The leader of the bunch hadn't showed his true color yet and he was pretty strong, she sensed it.

And the fact that they were brave enough to sneak into the academy with only fourteen people made her think they have something up their sleeves.

She jumped when a hand pressed on her shoulder and exchanged a wobbly smile with Ruka.

"He'll be okay."

She nodded and resisted the urge to bite her fingernails. Her instincts were screaming inside of her demanding her to help, to jump into the fight but she had promised him and though it pained her, she also knew she'd be more of a hindrance than help. Frustration and bitterness welled up inside her. Like Hotaru once said, her power is as selfish and one dimension as the rest of her. It made sense, after all, isn't their powers apart of them? Why shouldn't it suit their personality?

A sharp shriek filled the air when Natsume's fireball deflected towards an innocent crowd of grade school students. Without thinking Mikan ran towards them and was about ready to nullify when her concentration jerked at Hotaru's voice.

"Don't!"

Experience, trust and friendship made her obey rather then question so instead of using her powers she bowled over and pushed them to the ground, the fire ball missed their heads by mere inches. It wasn't after her friends rushed over to help by pulling the little kids away that she realized her mistake.

Enemy. Don't let them know your Alice. Right. Natsume is so going to kick my ass later.

Mikan's eyes met with the broadness of Natsume's back, blocking the enemy's curious eyes from her and the others.

The leader's chilly blue eyes flicked to Kuro Neko's mask, as if he was trying to calculate his chances of walking through Natsume.

Mikan snorted, fat chance. An hand grasped her arm and jerked her to the back of the crow and she turned a befuddled look to Koko. "Natsume wants you to go inside the academy."

"What? No, I don't want to go."

"Mikan." Hotaru cut Koko off. "Go. It won't help Natsume if they take an interest on you."

If anything would Mikan, those words would be it.

Natsume clenched and unclenched his hand when Yuu signaled that Mikan was gone. His crimson eyes focused on the remaining three, they were good fighters and experienced enough than the others. Merely hurting them was not an option, it was evident on their faces. He'd rather not have Mikan there to watch him draw blood.

If he had a choice, he'd feel better if nobody was there, especially his friends. After this, the rumors about him would no longer be just that, it will change into cold hard facts.

This is his home and they brought the stench of blood in it and even worse, they force him to do what was necessary in front of his friends.

The primal anger seemed to seep out of his pores that he wouldn't be surprised if he saw smoke coming out of his skin.

As if sensing the change in his demeanor, the blonde's taunting smirk changed into a mean smile. "Tell me, Kuro Neko-san. How many have you killed? How many lives have you taken? You're so young, but old in sin, no?"

The hand that fluttered in the air was graceful and elegant. "And for what? For all this? For them?" Those icy blue eyes spread to the students cowering at the sides, unable to leave and unwilling to participate. Several faces reddened at the disgusted tsk. "Hardly seems worth it."

The cool yet lazy blue eyes sharpened. "Kuro Neko, the famous guardian of Alice Academy…or should I say infamous? Notorious perhaps?" He chuckled and trade glances with the two behind him. It was obvious to Natsume that he likes the sound of his own voice, it was just so cliché, the monologing bad guy. Natsume stifled a snort.

"Do you know that you're like the boogieman in our world? They say you'll come and snatch bad little alices in their sleep." His gilded head tilted in curiosity. "What do they give you to earn such loyalty? Money?" He shook his head and tapped a manicured finger to his chin. "No. Not money. Do you believe in their lofty ideals? Their high and mighty principals? Are you a believer, Kuro Neko-san? Is that why you bleed? Why you go out every night to search for prey at the bidding of your masters? Why you sacrificed your freedom to be a tool for those who don't want to get their hands dirty?"

To say that his words didn't bother Natsume would be a lie but what bothered him most was the maniacal gleam in his eyes.

Great, not only a killer but also a disgruntled killer. Just my luck.

"Are you here to talk me to death?"

Blue eyes blinked then smiled. Pleased. "I came here to kill you but I also want to understand you.

An amateur psychologist… that's it. Someone's going to die.

An appreciative smile curved on the disturbingly cold face. "So calm, so contained. Perhaps it's true. Killing at such a young age, doing missions at an age where other children still believes in Santa Claus and The Easter Bunny." Those blue eyes narrowed in thought. "Do you resent it? Don't you resent having to sacrifice your own childhood so they can live the life that should have been yours?" He nodded his chin towards the watching crowds. "Look at them, weak cowardly creatures. They're not half as good as you and I, not half as talented, not half as powerful. So why do you protect them? Why do you go night by night, sacrificing your life, your eternal soul?"

"Do you believe in God?"

Natsume checked the urge to roll his eyes. If this carries on much longer, he'll throw in the towel just to make him stop. Talk about cruel and unusual punishment.

"I heard things about you. How they fear and envy you. Fear the very thing that protects them. They abhor you for taking a life, ignoring the very fact that it is by that act alone that their lives were spared. They look down on you for doing what they consider immoral work, dirty work, they lecture you about the right thing to do, about God, about mercy, not realizing that the fact that they can stand so high on their pedestal, feeling so superior, sprouting scriptures as if they are God's prophets is because you crawled on your hands and knees, drenched in mud and blood and tears and vomit to build those pedestals. They live on your sacrifice. They owe their peace and their happiness to every drop of blood and tears, every scar on your young body, every shred of your lost innocence, every crack in your heart, every love lost, every dream shattered, every promise broken and every nightmare that keeps you awake at nights. They should grovel at your feet, instead, they reject you, repulse you. How dare they?"

The silence that greeted the long winded yet true speech was broken by Natsume. "Hm. I think you're projecting. Feeling a little underappreciated, are we?"

Natsume dodged the three kunai's that the spy threw at him, caught the other two with his left hand. He felt relief at the enemy's decision to fight hands on, it minimized collateral damage and it'll help his stamina. He dodged and flipped as he tossed back the kunai's that he caught back at the spy. The spy was fast and he thinks on his feet. He was persistent, his anger adding to his speed and strength. Natsume shifted his feet to duck under a punch, blocked the punch to his kidneys, the spy countered with pivoting and was about to smash an elbow to his temple but Natsume bent at the waist and lift a leg and kicked his chin, forcing him to step back a couple of times, dizzy. But he recovered quickly and pulled out two kodachi from its saya that hung from his back.

Philosophically, Natsume shrugged, sure, they had weapons and he didn't but he knew that will only be a disadvantage if he let it. It was easy enough to disarm them. Weapons were made of metals, metals can be heated. His Alice was fire.

Simple, isn't it?

The one with the gun fell unconscious as the bullets in his gun exploded in his face, the one with the sword fell screaming as Natsume pulled and kicked, breaking the joints of his leg and hands. Not going to walk or hold something anytime soon. He wondered why it looked better since it was bloodless when the truth was it would've been more merciful if he'd stab him. The guy was whimpering on the ground, unable to move.

"Impressive." The blonde shifted his eyes as if he was distracted, Natsume immediately knew by what when a bruised and battered Koko burst from the back of the crowd, his left hand hung at a strange angle from his side. His face looked pained, frustrated and angry. Blood ran from a cut above his brow, a distressed Yuu and Anna held him from running towards him. "Give her back."

Natsume didn't have the luxury to hesitate because he felt something behind him and he leapt away…and met Mikan's tense amber eyes.