Next chappie! I'm on a roll. I'm so proud of myself for updating so regularly like this. So yeah, I wanna give a shout out to my most loyal fans. I am super appreciative of your reviews every chapter. They keep me going. So thank you to:

o0fuYuHAnAsHIrAZuKI0o – where'd you come up with that name?

Devil Diaries

You guys are my own personal heroes! _

03/24/10: Rewritten/Edited

Disclaimer: I'm trying to think of a plan to make Gakuen Alice mine, but I haven't succeeded yet…

Mikan and Natsume followed Narumi towards the drive in front of the school headquarters. As they approached, the group of their classmates near a limo came into view. Moments later, they could make out the center of all the attention.

Hotaru stiffened and reflexively reach for her Baka Gun as she sensed the presence of idiocy approaching. However, with great effort on her part, she refrained. Moments later came the call.

"!"

Mikan ran across the drive and flew towards her best friend, slamming into her with a forceful hug. Hotaru lightly patted her back as Mikan clung to her, already crying. A few feet away, Permy, Koko, and Kitsuneme looked on in amazement.

"Wow…I can't believe Hotaru hasn't beat Mikan to a pulp yet." Permy watched the pair in disbelief.

"That's because Mikan has already had a really bad head injury recently. She doesn't want to hurt her any more than she already is." Koko responded matter-of-factly, reading Hotaru's mind. Kitsuneme snickered.

"Yeah, if she gave her another head injury, the brain damage might be permanent."

Natsume and Narumi finally caught up with the others. Natsume walked towards the pair and stood a few feet away from them, next to Ruka. An awkward silence dragged on between the pair, but neither knew how to break it. Narumi joined Misaki-sensei, looking on at their students with somber expressions.

Mikan cried and cried for a good few minutes before Hotaru had had enough. Pushing her back, she looked at her best friend's tear streaked face.

"So ugly. Remember, I told you to smile."

Mikan nodded her head, sniffling and trying to force a smile on her face. Hotaru reached into her bag and pulled something out.

"Mikan, hold out your hand."

Mikan looked at her quizzically, but obeyed. Hotaru set the object in Mikan's hand. Mikan looked at it curiously. It had a pig face, with a speaker where the mouth was, then it curved down to another speaker, like a phone. The bottom speaker had a pigtail coming out the back.

"This is the HAM (Hotaru and Mikan) caller. If you pull the pig's tail, it will call mine and vice versa."

A real smile came on Mikan's face as she looked at the present in excited surprise.

"Oh! Thank you, Hotaru! I knew you cared!" She made to glomp Hotaru again, but Hotaru held out a hand, hitting Mikan in the forehead and stopping her.

"Only call me when necessary. Usually I'll be very busy with experiments and projects. I don't need you distracting me with every little crisis in your life."

Mikan nodded in agreement, her smile not lessened by Hotaru's rules. That Hotaru had even given her such a thing was proof that she cared. Hotaru beckoned Mikan forward for one last hug, before stepping away.

As Mikan backed off a bit, Subaru approached his little sister. Looking down at her, he shifted uncomfortably before speaking, resting his hand lightly on the top of her head.

"Have a safe trip and be careful. We'll bring you back as soon as we can." He turned to look at Sakurano for conformation, to which Sakurano nodded his head in agreement. Turning back to his sister, he contemplated for a moment before wrapping both of his arms around her in a hug. Quietly he added, "I'll miss you, imoto. I'll try to be a better brother when you get back."

Hotaru stood awkwardly in her brother's embrace for a few minutes before he pulled away. She was about to turn and get in the limo that would be driving her to the airport, when she felt the winds of idiocy speeding her way.

"Cool Blue Sky!!"

BAKAN!!

Hayate impacted with the shot midflight and was sent flying head over heels backward till he hit the ground with a painful thwack. Natsume raised an eyebrow at the scene. What was with Hayate lately? He was acting so different from usual.

"Ignore this fellow," Hotaru said coldly. "Let's go," she addressed her escorts as she turned toward the vehicle.

"But…But!" Hayate stuttered as he scrambled to his feet. Hotaru followed her own advice, ignoring him with great efficiency.

"I'll be waiting for you! Be careful, Cool Blue Sky! Come back soon!" Everyone else stared at him in disbelief and confusion, some even with pity at his hopeless cause, but Hotaru continued to pretend he wasn't there. She turned to Mikan once more.

"Goodbye. And don't worry. I'll be back before you know it."

Mikan nodded, offering Hotaru a last watery-eyed smile. Natsume walked over to Mikan and grabbed her hand tightly in his as Hotaru climbed into the car. Ruka looked at Mikan longingly. He wanted to comfort her, but… He glanced over at his best friend. Natsume's eyes met his briefly. Natsume gave a quick jerk of his head, signifying that it was ok, before turning his eyes back to the limo. Ruka took a step forward, toward Mikan, and grabbed her other hand. The three stood there, silently, as the door closed, and the long car began to drive down towards the exit.

It wasn't until the door had closed – concealing Hotaru safely behind tinted glass from the eyes of the others – that she allowed the tears she'd been fighting to roll down her cheeks. She watched Mikan out the window as the car started forward. It's good that she has Ruka and Natsume. She shouldn't be too lonely. She should be okay. As the vehicle pulled through the gate and rounded the corner, blocking the three from her sight, she sighed heavily, wearily. But will I be ok without her?

As the others from their class began to leave, Mikan and her two supporters watch as the limo left the campus, the gate closing behind it. They stood there until the vehicle was completely out of sight. Even after it had been gone for a while, they still remained, tears trailing down Mikan's face, her smile falling now that there was no one to hold it for.

After a while, she calmed down, sniffling, and swiped the tears out of her eyes. As they turned to leave, they noticed Sakurano, Narumi, and Subaru were still there.

"I know this isn't the best time, but it can't wait any longer." Narumi started off gently. "The high school principal would like us to reconvene tonight to make the decision that has been delayed for the last five weeks."

Mikan knew this would be coming sooner or later. Natsume shot her a concerned look, but Mikan simply gestured that she understood.

"Do you still have that stone I gave you?" Sakurano asked softly. When Mikan confirmed that she did, he continued. "Use that to transport yourself, Ruka-kun and Natsume-kun to the principal's office in two hours, ok?"

With the plans laid out, Narumi escorted Mikan, Natsume, and Ruka back to the dorms to wait until it was time to meet.

As Mikan entered her room, she noticed something on the desk. Walking towards it, she noticed it was a small bag and a note. Picking up the bag first, she looked inside to discover it was full of Alice stones. Surprised, she reached for the note.

Dear Mikan,

Please forgive me for involving you into dangerous matters such as this. I heard from Naru about Mikan's Stealing Alice. If Mikan also has the paired Alice of Stealing which is Insertion, I hope that with that power these stones could be of use to you for whatever is to come. No matter what you decide, I want you to know that I love you very much. I was terrified when I thought you might not come out of the coma. Please know that I have always had your safety and happiness first in my heart. Whatever path you may take, I hope these Alice stones can help you. Your Alices don't have to be a curse.

Your mother,

Yuka

Imoto – little sister

So some of you may have noticed the bag of stones and the note are both taken from chapter 125. Parts of the note are verbatim and parts are changed for the sake of my story. In case anyone was wondering.

So, that's the next chapter. Hoped you all liked it. Sorry Hotaru fans, but don't worry, I'll bring her back eventually.