EXODUS

Chapter Eleven : Decide, Decide

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He was all but deaf except for the rush of blood in his head and the beating of his heart that counted the seconds.

He was all but blind except for her amber eyes and the glinting iron that was alarmingly close to her slender throat.

For seconds that was disturbingly long, Natsume's mind went blank, his balance shook and even time seemed to stop. His world that was so perfect when he woke up tilted at its axis.

Then training and instinct took over.

With a speed that was dizzying, his tunnel vision widened, taking everything in; from the ripples in the air to the shuffling movement of the crowd but fear slicked his throat even as his restless brain processed the situation. Surprise turned to confusion when he saw that Mikan's captor was the same guy with the exploding gun. A glance showed him where the gun and the slightly singed hat was, but the man was nowhere around.

A teleporter. Kuso!

Natsume's brow tweaked as something came into mind, wait, no way he could've survived that kind of wound. His mind ran a mile a minute as he accessed the facts. A dopple ganger replaced him so he could teleport to get Mikan. Idiot!

Natsume shifted his eyes when Mikan disappeared and reappeared in the blonde's arms. In the minute he realized that the look in Mikan's eyes was not pain but dizziness, he tried to calm his heartbeat.

Mikan's brow twitched when the blonde jerked her chin upwards so he could see her face and she slapped his hands away, not because she was brave or anything like that, it was because she didn't want to throw up her breakfast. Not that she would mind acquainting her captor to her eggs and toast, it's just that she knew that she would never live it down and she could count on Natsume to remind her again and again and again, her insides cringed, no way would she want that!

She scowled when the blonde guy chuckled and petted her hair. "Feisty. Big eyes." Mikan felt as if caterpillars inched up her skin when the guy sniffed her hair. She pulled at the arm around her neck but she merely got plastered to him even more. "Lovely long hair."

Freaked out was the order of the day. "Stop describing me. What is it with you guys and sexual harassments?"

Mikan swallowed an undignified squeak when she found herself lifted, her feet wiggling in the air, the side of her face pressed against the blonde's. The smell of sweat, heat and blood did nothing to calm her uneasy stomach.

"Do you know her?"

Leave your emotion. Emotion is a weakness in battle.

It was a good thing he was wearing a mask because he certainly lost all control of his face, cold sweat erupted on his skin as he tried to suppress the shiver that went up his spine. He shoved his trembling hands inside his pockets and forced the tension out of his body.

The blonde pursed his lips, his eyes fully on Natsume, calculating, thoughtful. The hand that was not holding Mikan up by her waist, petted her long hair absently. It helped Natsume's mood that Mikan looked more insulted rather than afraid.

But she heaved a breath of relief when he let her down but sucked it in again when his hand returned around her neck, keeping her close. An idea popped into her head, Mikan lifted her eyes towards Natsume, trying to catch his attention.

Natsume's merely flickered towards her but she knew she had his attention. Her hand traveled slowly on her captor's arm that was around her neck and hoped that Natsume knew what she was thinking. She almost smiled when Natsume got his hands out of his pockets and casually crossed them in front of her chest, covering it up as a gesture of defiance as he answered the blonde's question. "No."

Mikan ignored the exchange of words between the two alpha's and concentrated on Natsume's hands or more precisely, on the two fingers that was subtly pressing on his other arm, a few inches below his elbow. So focused was she on that, she didn't noticed the knife on her captor's hand until it caught the glare of the sun and bounced off Natsume's mask, highlighting the red, vengeful eyes.

"So, you really don't know her, huh?" The blonde shrugged. "Well, there's one way to find out."

Both Mikan and Natsume tensed at the tell tale click of a gun and she can't help but point out. "Now that is not fair."

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "There are two of us and two of you."

Mikan snorted. "One of us is a hostage while the other has a gun pointed at him, to his back no less. How is that fair?"

Natsume didn't know whether to be angry or disturbed when the blonde chucked Mikan's stubborn chin with the end of the knife in a gesture that was strangely affectionate. Great, even bad guys succumbed under her charm.

"True, but he is Kuro Neko after all. I think the odds are in your favor."

"So you say."

"You're cute."

"You're crazy."

The blonde chuckled and tapped her right cheek with the flat of the knife before he turned his attention towards Natsume once again. "So, you have a choice. If you dodge, the bullet will hit her. If you try to get the gun, I'll cut her throat. If you try to get to me, you get shot in the back and I'll cut her throat. Either way, she dies."

Natsume fists cracked. "Not much of choice."

Mikan scowled at Natsume who was fighting hard not to lose his cool.

"So is life as you very well know, Kuro Neko-san."

"True." Natsume shifted his feet and felt the man holding the gun at his back followed his every move. There was no way he could get to Mikan fast enough, especially if he was shot. Using his Alice was a no go, he wasn't quiet sure of his control right now. "You're probably feeling pretty smart by now, huh?"

The blonde's satisfied sigh fluttered Mikan's bangs into her face. She blew them back, seemingly untouched by the threat of the knife against her neck. "Yes, I am."

"Hm. You underestimated a few things though."

He tilted his head in inquiry, a mocking smile on his mouth. "Oh? What's that?"

Mikan's amber eyes met Natsume's fierce crimson and it was Mikan who answered rather than Natsume. "Me. "

Their audience didn't even have a chance to blink when Natsume pivoted, dislodged the gun that was aimed at his back with a well aimed fireball that melted the gun onto his hands. He howled in pain as he rolled on the ground.

At the very same time Natsume charged his opponent, Mikan somehow got loose, her captor's hand that seconds before held a knife to her neck now hung limp on his side, unable to move, the blonde stared at it in surprise before he came to his senses and reached for Mikan with his other hand.

Mikan leapt away from the blond and as if she sensed Natsume at her back, reached a hand behind her and gripped Natsume's. Their hands joined precisely when the blond got a hold of the edges of her hair.

Then everything was a blur of motion.

A horrified gasp tore out of the onlookers when Mikan erupted into flames, surprising the hell of the blonde who immediately let go. Like a scene of a particularly tragic dance, Natsume swung Mikan, her long hair flaring in a perfect circle that enveloped them in a curtain of fire before the fire rippled and died, cinders hovered in the air as Mikan found herself smooshed onto Natsume's broad back, his hand that was holding hers earlier on was hard on her back, keeping her there. She would've protested if she didn't feel his thundering heart beat, the slickness of cold sweat, and the tension that threaten to snap Natsume in two.

A sick, twisted kind of fury laced with a feral satisfaction burst in Natsume's chest when he finally saw a familiar emotion on the blonde's face as they faced each other.

Fear.

Like the animal they named him after, Natsume bared his fangs and with a speed that others found mind boggling and a flick of his wrist, the air was filled with the sounds of rippling flesh. Fresh blood splashed against the ground and decorated Natsume's mask with a silent hiss. The blond reached for his torn neck, trying to stop the flow of red, his blue eyes widen in disbelief, shone with tears before he dropped to his knees, gagging for much needed air, his mouth opened and closed in a silent scream before he fell on his face on the concrete, blood seeping in a slow widening circle.

The crowd stared in horror of what they just saw, their eyes fixed on the bloody figure lying on the quad and the blood splattered figure that stood, looking over it.

Silent, cold, deadly.

It wasn't until Mikan moved that they noticed her, plastered against Natsume's back like she was a part of it. Compared to the blood spattered background and unconscious bodies, she looked out of place with her white shirt, her cute face, her bright big eyes, and her slightly mussed honey blond hair, especially when compared to the one standing in front of her. Natsume's dark jacket disguised the blood stains but his mouth was drenched with blood, the burning eyes that looked out of its slit and the sheer dark, menacing aura that emanated from his tall and straight figure brought goose bumps on their skin.

Here was nightmare in the flesh, fear personified. It was only luck of the draw that had Kuro Neko on their side rather than the other.

Some, who knew and had tasted how harsh the world could be on people who are different, would sleep better at night knowing that. Some who didn't, would suffer through useless and unreasonable guilt and restless nights that will somehow produce finger pointing and air sniffing as they ease their conscious with disapproval towards Natsume's methods. Some who saw how efficiently Natsume 'took care' of problems vowed to never be a problem to Natsume while others found their minds blanked as they upchucked their breakfast at the nearest secluded space.

A wisp of a voice finally ruined the deafening silence that blanketed the quad. "Mikan?"

Mikan looked to the side as much as she could since her face was pressed against Natsume's shoulder blades and aimed a smile at the anxious faces of her friends. She gave them a thumbs up and watched their shoulders relaxed. Their eyes shifted towards Natsume but refrained from saying anything, it was a year ago that Natsume made them promise to never approach or recognize him when he was 'on the job', not even when they pass each other on the school hallways.

But promise or no promise, Mikan needed to breathe so she placed her palm on them broadness of Natsume's back and pressed gently, slipping Natsume out of his trance. She heard his harsh breath hitched and felt the large palm on her back flexed, fisting her shirt a second before letting go, one finger at a time.

Security flooded the quad, forcibly breaking the crowd, teachers belatedly ushered their students away but it was the arrival of Persona and seven masked figures that did the job. Both Natsume and Mikan did a double take at the new arrivals, it was rare for Persona to appear in front of crowds, especially when the sun was shining so brightly like today. Persona's affection for shadows has made him them brunt of several interesting speculations.

"You're late."

Even though the commentary was more careless than accusing, a state of fact rather a complaint, not just one or two of the masked figures cringed inwardly, trust Natsume to be the only one to who was braved enough to critique Persona…or more precisely, the only person who was allowed to.

Persona tsked as he idly poked his booted feet on the nearest unconscious person, his burgundy eyes accessing his condition. "I figured you could handle it alone."

Mikan saw the look that Natsume was giving the four masked students that was grouped on Persona's left and the way they shifted their feet. She recognized that look, somebody's ass was about to be hand out to them on a silver platter. She almost pitied them but for the most part, she was just glad that it was not aimed at her though she was sure she will get chewed on sooner or later. She already know the gist of it, words like irresponsible, reckless and harebrained ring in her ears. A whiff of rust and copper wafted to her nostrils and her eyes dropped towards the bloodied body at Natsume's feet and can't help but wonder how many had looked, had fallen like that. Just minutes ago, this person was still talking and still warm, his heart was still beating but now he was just…meat. She cringed at her own choice of words.

Does she regret the waste of life? Yes.

Does she regret what Natsume did? Yes.

Does she agree on what he did? Yes.

It wasn't like that there was no other choice. There is always a choice, it was simply the fact that the other choices were…unappealing. It was either them or us. Following her own train of thought, she realized that Natsume's and Hotaru's practicality had rubbed off on her.

Besides, it wasn't that she regretted Natsume's actions, she would rather that he didn't have to do to it. But, Natsume was never the one to back off when his hand was forced. She couldn't help but wonder whether the blonde had someone waiting for him, friends or family, someone who will be sad. She wondered what they were going to do with his body.

"Well, he's dead." Persona commented absently, supervising the removals of the unconscious body. "Cleaning his blood from the concrete will be a pain." He rose and shrugged. "But not our problem."

"Persona."

The white masked figure gave a questioning sound as he jerked the teleporter's head by the hair and abruptly let it loose so it dropped to the ground with a loud crack.

Mikan winced.

"I have a challenge."

Mikan almost took a huge step back when the numerous masked faces snapped towards Natsume, even Persona's. Obviously what he said was of an interest towards them. "Well, this is rare. Who will have such an honor?"

One by one, they followed Natsume's fierce gaze towards an individual who wore a rat mask. Mikan recognized who it was and winced again. Doumoto. This is not good.

"Not that I would enjoy that but you know the rules. You only get to challenge someone of your level or one level above you." Persona mused, obviously just for show. "Well, you only get to challenge someone of your level since you're already my pride and joy."

Mikan fought desperately to not roll her eyes.

"Consider it punishment then. He broke protocol."

"True." He waved a careless hand. "Fine. Whatever."

"He can't do that." Doumoto protested urgently.

"Watch him, Rat-face. If you found enough guts to broke protocol you should have the guts for the repercussions." The lion was tall and had red hair, it suited the gold color of his mask. Pale green eyes whipped towards Natsume. "Leave the preparations to me. It'll be done before your debriefing is over."

"Well, that's that."

Mikan who was trying to make herself nonexistent and oblivious while walking away from the crowd of masked people (it's been pounded into her by Natsume whenever Persona was around) failed miserably when her knees wobbled and sat hard on the cement.

She brought up a hand to indicate she was fine to the crowding figures of her friends, also to sign for Natsume who was watching her go from the corner of his eyes.

"Fine. I'm fine. I'm okay. Adrenalin rush. Gone." She blew a deep breath. Typically, now that it was all over, her heart started to pound a mile a minute and cold sweat slicked her skin. Talk about belated reaction, she winced when a subtle peek at their direction showed that the mask figures were all looking at her.

"Ah, yes. I heard you had an accident, Ko Neko. How are you doing?"

Mikan turned towards Persona who was again crouched down over another unconscious body, turning the person's head this way and that.

"I'm fine. Thank you for asking, Persona-san."

Natsume fought the bitterness that welled up in his mouth when Persona turned and beamed at Mikan. He wanted to push her out of the way of those burgundy eyes and poisonous smile but he stayed where he stood.

"You did well today. You kept your head."

"I'm very glad I did since that's how I prefer it."

Mikan winced when Yuu pinched her waist.

"Please excuse us, Persona-san."

Natsume noticed the many eyes that followed her back and can feel his spine straighten, one at a time.

"Well, never did say she didn't have guts." Persona signaled and each lifted an unconscious body. Natsume stayed silent, bristling inside, he knew that Persona was trying to provoke him. "A bit reckless. She's like you, Neko-san. Only louder."

The lion smirked and that smirk stayed when Natsume shifted his eyes towards him, he merely shrugged, unperturbed by Natsume's intensity.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go. I'll take care if this."

Natsume was uneasy by Persona's observation of the dead body but he went with the others and tried to quell the bad feeling he had about it all.