Disclaimer:

I just own a carrot stick and a piece of watermelon here...

Author's Notes:

The last chapter must be very boring, that's y no one care to review...

Never mind I present to you this better chapter then

Torn Between Love and Duty

Chapter 6: The Festival

Mikan's POV

I combed my auburn hair and let it fall down my shoulder. Putting on light make up, i smiled at myself in the mirror while admiring the beautiful pale pink kimono with sakura flower design my mother left for me.

Holding up an accesory, i clipped it on my hair as my finishing touch. Staring at myself in the mirror again. Satisfy as the sakura flower design clip match the kimono perfectly... the sakura clip... a gift from Ruka-sama...

I sat on the edge of the bed, my mind began to wonder...

He gave me this clip last summer on this very festival. We stood by the river, he held my head up. Slowly and ever so gently, he pinned the clip on my hair. I blushed ten shades of red as he smiled and said, "Wait for me, i'll come back very soon... Mikan-chan..."

Mikan... chan...

"OI!!! BAKA!!!!"

My eyes shot opened.

"How long do you think you want me to stand here calling you?? Are you deaf or something?!" I was left face to face with this brute, a complete opposite of Ruka-sama... Natsume...

"Ara, Natsume-kun?" I looked around. "What time is it?"

"A quarter past seven, you dimwit." How come he can still look so calm??

"Nani?!" I stopped and thought for a while. "We're an hour late!!" I jumped up from the bed and charged through the door while shouting, "WE'RE LATE!!!!"

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Natsume's POV

Actually... believe it or not... this is my first time going to a festival...

This place is amazing. There're a lot of people -which i hate most- wearing different colours and design of kimonos. The lanterns hanged are lighted with different colours. The first time in my life i've ever seen these amazing colours -besides blood and gunshot, that is- Despite the annoying laughter and chatters, this place is packed with food, souveniers and games.

I had to admit... This is quite... amuzing...

A nonstop giggling sound coming from the brunette. The annoying princess is laughing without a care in the world. For that... i admire her.

She never cares about the outside world nor having to care about everything that is happening. Well, besides the fact that she's a princess, she's pretty much like a 3 year old. Actually, i've never seen her cry before, or seeing her getting depressed, hopeless... alone...

Not like me, i'm nothing like her. I'm carrying the weight of everything in the world. Undergo massive training, going for missions, plotting plans to conquer Alice Country, planning my revenge... This are all the things i'm doing ever since i was brought back by Persona. And soon... this dream will be achieve...

Pretty soon...

"Awwwww" I heard a groaning sound breaking up my thoughts coming from the Princess. " I missed again..."

I look towards her direction. Heh... she's playing a game. A shooting game, but only using a toy gun to say at least. And... she's losing badly.

"I'll never going to get that pink teddy bear..." She said again. She looks quite disappointed, but not depressed.

A game of shooting, eh? Easy as pie.

I walked towards her. I snatched the toy gun away from her and starts shooting. I imagining the targets as civilians, desperate screaming victims as i lost myself in my dark memories.

Holding a handgun, i ran through the dark alley. A week after Persona took me in and trained me. My mission was to assasinate as many civilians as possible. Everytime i aim my gun at a person and pull the trigger, the gunshot sound and the screams never reached me. They were just like wind blowing past me. I was lost in the nasty smell of the blood...

"Mister...?" A voice called me.

I looked behind. A fat man in his fiftees grinned uneasily at me.

"You've shot every prize in my stall... I'm afraid there is nothing left for you as gifts..." He has fears in his eyes. As if he thought i will kill him -if i like to-.

I shrugged as i hand over the toy gun. Stupid hallucination. I cursed to myself.

I looked around and search for her. I spotted her. As weird as she is, she's handing away all the gifts i've won without permissions! Darn her.

"Here you are, little boy." She smiled as she hand out the pink teddy bear that she wanted in the first place.

"Arigatou, nee-chan!" The little boy grinned at her and went away.

"Oi, baka. How come you didn't keep that?" I stepped closer to her.

"Hm? Oh, you mean that teddy bear?" She tilted her head and try to think as she continued. "He wanted it so i gave it to him. And besides, i can try and win it next year." She giggled a little.

"You ARE a big baka, aren't you?" I sighed at her stupidity...

"You know, Natsume-kun, ever heard of the 'it's better to give than receive' policy?" She pouted and walked ahead.

We walked along without uttering a sound. She went to buy something to eat, when i heard...

"Hey, isn't that the dangerous nullifier?"

"Yeah, i think it is! How come the palace let her out on this specialand peaceful occasion?!"

"They should really keep her in. It's safer for us that way."

Insults.

For some reason, they made me extremly mad. Unable to control myself, I flicked out a spark of fire.

Little did i know, the fire burnt up fiercely. The fire slowly spread through the already lighted lanterns and everything began to burn up. And soon, everything went chaotic. The people we're running wildly while searching for water.

I panicked as i went to search for her. I was afraid... something might happen... to her.

Pushing through a wild crowd, i finally spotted her.

She had her eyes closed and hands clasped together in front of her chest. The most amazing thing was... She was glowing, like a real angel. Ever so purely... ever so beautifully...

And soon, the fire died. Must be because of her nullifying alice. No wonder Persona wanted her.

She opened her eyes slowly and stared into mine. She smiled gently and asked, "Is everything okay?"

As i was going to answer, someone distrupt me.

"You saw that?! That's her dangerous alice!! She caused this fire!!"

"Yeah! She must be locked up in the castle and not coming out!! She's going to destroy our country!!"

"If it isn't because of her being the daughter of the King, she'll already died now!"

Soon... The crowd is getting larger. Everyone pointed at her and shouted at her.

I took a peak at her. She looks terrified... depressed, helpless and... alone...

I grabbed her hand and escaped the crowd along with her.

Dammit, she doesn't deserve this hell!! She did nothing!!

After the voice of the people slowly fade away, we stopped by the river to catch our breath. I put a hand against the tree to regain my balance. Inside me, i was furious.

Only the sound of the running stream was heard. Both of us were silent.

Suddenly, a sob break through the silence. I looked down at her. She was crying.

Crystal tears flowing down her cherry cheeks. She buried her head into her hands and cried silently.

I sat beside her. Feeling guilty for everything i've done. My hand, with a mind on its own, taking her shaking body to lean against my chest. My other hand embraces her slowly.

As if time stopped, we sat there, enjoying each other's company, never felt depress, helpless... nor alone again...

Author's Note:

That's all, folks, RxR!!