A/N I'm So Sorry! I promised this ages ago! But being the klutz I am I only went and lost the notebook witch had chapter 3 in it. However it has finally been found which is why you are finally getting this chapter where Mikan and Natsume meet.

Please do rate and review my story though, it makes me really happy and encourages me to keep writing.

Chapter 3 – Welcome to Tokyo

Mikan's POV

Two hours later and Youchi and I are sat on a train heading to Tokyo. The largest city in Japan. Surely even Kuonji can't find us there.

Buying the train tickets had been the hardest part. I wanted us to be as unmemorable as possible. Youchi understood. I don't know how but for a four year-old he's incredible perceptive. Instead of being his normal stoic self as I stood in front of the ticket counter, he stared wide-eyed around the station before running around me in circles chugging like a train. I smiled gratefully, if we couldn't be un-noticed then it was best to not be like ourselves.

"Two one-way tickets to Tokyo please," I ask "one adult, one child."

The ticket lady glances over at Youchi then back at me, the smile never faltering. Inside I'm feeling incredible relieved, the make-up and outfit make me pass for a 25 year-old, a suitable age for a young mother.

"One way? How come?" the lady asks conversationally with a bright smile as she starts tapping something into the computer she's sat by. I suppress a groan, a chatty ticket lady, exactly what I need. Not.

I place a bright smile on my face and answer anyway. "My sister's fallen sick. I need to go and look after her and I don't know when I'll be back so…" I say, trailing off knowing that she'll have gotten the gist of my lie. Possibly saying Mum would have been more realistic than sister but I couldn't bear to.

"I see" the lady says nodding along to my story, handing me my tickets. "I hope your sister gets better soon!" she called after me as I walked off to the platform Youchi's hand tucked into mine.

I sigh as I relieve the situation as I stare out of the window watching absently as the views hurtle past at 100 miles an hour. The naïve fool didn't even ask our names. Not that I would have given her our real ones.

The ratteling of the train stirs me out of my remincising and I focus on Youchi instead.I think that Youchi likes trains, he's keeping his normal stoic face but if you look carefully than you can see a small sparkle in his eyes that lets me know he's happy. I smile in content. We're free Youchi, I think, a new start. In a new town, sure it's Tokyo, there'll be more gangs but I don't need to involve myself with any of them. I can go live with Misaki-nee and Tsubasa-nii, get a job, send Youchi to school and settle down. I close my eyes happily imagining it all but a jolt in the train wakes me from my daydreams and I narrow my eyes as the train trundles on. I seriously doubt it will be that easy.

"Well Youchi, welcome to Tokyo!" I say once we arrive. Despite having only been to Tokyo once myself. Back when I was like three so I don't even remember anything. "Come on Youchi," I say "I'll buy us lunch and find a map and we'll find our way over to Misaki-nee's and Tsubasa-nii's ok?"

Youchi nods and we start wandering our way away from the train station, hoping to find a café. We're not that close to the centre of the city, closer to the subhurbs. Sort of inbetween the two actually, on the outskirts of the city. There are still shops and such around though, just not the big branded stores, smaller ones instead. It's not as busy either. There are lots of people around but there is still plenty of space. It reminds me a bit of the highstreet back home. No, not home, this is home now.

I'm so lost in thought that I don't notice Youchi tugging at my sleeve. I turn around to face him and he points towards a little coffee shop. It's a quaint looking place, sort of aimed for families but what draws my attention is the stack of tourist leaflets and maps stacked by the till.

"This one then Youchi," I say as he tugs me along so that we're stood in the air-conditioned shop. It's lovely compared to the sweltering heat outside. I buy a cheese and ham sandwich for Youchi and pick up a salad for myself. I'm not feeling particularly hungry. I also pick up a carton of apple juice and a chocolate chip muffin for Youchi, then once we reach the till I order a coffee, (milk, two sugars) pay and sit down. Grabbing a map as I do so.

Youchi tucks in hungrily while I pick at my salad and open the map. Misaki-nee and Tsubasa-nii's apartment is nearby, I know that much, so I concentrate on finding the street name and using that to find the apartments. I take a long sip of my coffee as I trace the street line with my finger working my way back to were we are now. I work it out to be a couple of miles away. I wait patiently for Youchi to finish while a finish of my coffee and move my salad round my plate as if I were a little kid trying to look like they'd eaten more than I actually had.

Youchi finishes up and I return the map to the till, noticing as I fold it up that halfway along the path I traced there's a back road that would make getting there quicker. I then hurry into the toilets at the coffee shop having decided to wash off the make-up and look more my age. I splash my face with the water, trade my heels for trainers, unbutton my jacket, re-apply some make-up to cover my bruises and hitch my skirt up slightly. There. Now I look more like an 18 year old. I smile slightly and head out of the coffee shop carrying Youchi because he's been walking for quite a while.

Ok. Truthfully I just wanted to hold him close while at the back of my mind little triclets of doubt are sneaking in. I really hope I made the right decision to leave. Who knows how Kuonji will react?

Youchi silently wraps his arms round my neck and rests his head on my shoulder, closing his eyes and drifting off into sleep. I frown slightly, just how much sleep has Youchi been getting over the last few days? I summarize that the answer must have been very little because he was looking after me and also that he is now sleeping away peacefully despite having insisted to me over a year ago that he didn't need afternoon naps anymore.

For a while I just walk down the highstreet enjoying the summer sun and wishing that I didn't need to wear a long sleeved top and jacket. They were leaving me sweltering in the heat.

A couple of streets away from the highstreet and I found myself walking alongside this incredibly high brick way with a metal railing on top. What I could see of the place seemed very nice, there were lots of trees, a rariety in the city and that instantly made me like the place. I'd always preffered the country to the city. The country seemed free and peaceful. Everything I wanted but doubted I would ever get. The city, on comparison, seemed dirty and crowded. Admittedly though I like the buzz of excitement from the city. I reckoned that there would always be that part of me. The part of me that loved the thrill. If there was one criminal thing I enjoyed then it was racing. I loved it, you're going so fast that you can only think about what's directly infront of you. It was dangerous of course, one wrong turn and I'd crash and I'd die wether I was wearing a seatbelt or not. It was also dangerous for the innocents though, however much I loved racing I used to sabotage the races passed through town and the busy roads in my old town.

Right on cue a sleek black race car with a red strip sweeps past us. Youchi startles awake and clings on to me tighter. I move as close to the wall as I can. Out of the way of two, more battered looking, cars following behind. One of the cars screeches past and bats the other car out of the way so that it's veering towards us. I cringe and hurry forward as the car bonnet crumples against the wall were we were just stood.

I bend over slightly, trying to catch my breath from the adrenaline rush. It's not like I ran that far even. Youchi's clinging onto me even tighter.

"Hey are you ok?" comes a call.

I look up and realize that Youchi and I are now stood infront of a huge pair of gates that lead into the brick walled place. I looked up a bit further and saw engraved on a star at the top of the gates 'Alice Academy.' So it's a school. Nagging me at the back of my mind is a little thought that's telling me I've heard of this place before but I can't remember where.

Behind the towering iron gate a man is running towards us. Upon reaching the gate he opens up a smaller side gate and comes up towards us.

"Are you ok?" he repeats.

"Fine" I reply placing Youchi down on the ground. "Just relieved" I add glancing back at the car. The driver is slumped over the steering wheel and the right corner of the bonnet has crumpled against the wall. Whoever he is he's lucky. He'll live. Anybody in the passenger seat would have died.

"I'll call an ambulance for him" the man says looking anxiously over at the car. "You sure you don't need to go to hospital too?" he adds, digging his phone out of his pocket. I stand up straight and look at him properly for the first time. He's rather… flambountly dressed. He's wearing loose fitting purple trousers and a pale blue shirt with a purple butterfly on it. Combined with the slightly wavy blonde hair that falls at his shoulder and it's a rather girlish appearance.

"It's fine, really, I got out of the way in time" I tell him. Going to hospital would be a really bad idea. They'd see our wounds, ask our names, they'd be a record we were there… Altogether something I do not want to go through. I truly appreciate the sentiment though. "Thanks, though Mr…" I trail off realising that I don't know he's name.

"Narumi-sensei, I teach at the school here." He says pressing a final button on his phone and lifting it to his ear.

"Thank you again, Narumi-san, We'll be off now so goodbye!" I say, giving a small bow. Great. I went all-formal. I run off quickly before I can embarrass myself any further.

I don't get far before I slow down. Youchi can't run as fast as I can. He's fast for his age but I'm taller so my stride is farther and sports was always what I was best at in school. I pause looking around for a moment and realize that if we cross the road here then we can cut through the back way to create a shortcut. Looking carefully both ways, Youchi and I cross the road. I'm keeping a sharp ear out for anymore racecars. You'll hear them long before you see them.

Thankfully, we make it safely across the road. We start cutting through the estate and I'm getting more and more excited at the prospect of seeing Misaki-nee and Tsubasa-nii again. The feeling of happiness and relief crosses me again and I walk through the street with a broad smile on my face.

And then I hear the scream.

I walk cautiously down the path from where I heard the scream. Youchi is gripping my hand tightly. The alley bends of to the left and I scowl as I hear another scream. It's more like a yelp really.

As we round the corner, I spot a flash of pink that stands out in the grubby alley. It's hair I realise, a girl with curls of pink hair, her light-blue eyes wide with fright, pinned against the wall by three men with their scarves round their faces and there hoods up. I beckon to Youchi to go hide.

"Leave her alone!" I yell, successfully startling the three of them. They turn to face me. The pink-haired girl glances at me and tries to struggle free while there distracted. Unsuccessfully unfortunately.

One of them stays with the girl while the other two approach me, there laughing, which only succeeds in pissing me off even more.

"You should know who your meddling with you little pest" one of them spits out, rolling his sleeve up to reveal the inky lines of a black sun.

"Gang members of Black Sun I'm presuming," I say with a nonchalant shrug, "I've met your sort before."

They're looking really pissed off at my calmness. It's almost funny. I look behind them and swear softly, the one with the pink haired girl is trying to force himself on her. He's leaning in to try to kiss her when my shoe hits him hard in the side of his face. He stumbles slightly, the girl pulls free of him, and runs off to the side gazing anxiously back at me.

I can't stop myself. I start laughing as he walks towards me, uttering curses with a bright red mark on his face.

"Why you!" he stumbles towards me aiming a lousy punch which I dodge with ease. They're all drunk I realize. I can beat them with ease.

8 ½ minutes later

I stand back to admire my handiwork. The three of them are lying unconscious on the ground and I got away with a single punch to the shoulder.

I wander over to the girl with pink hair and shake her shoulder gently; she fainted during the fight and is slumped against the wall. I shake her a bit harder when she doesn't wake up. Slowly, her eyes flicker open and she glances over at the three men and then back at me.

"Are you ok?" I ask.

"I'm fine" she replies, "er, thank you very much, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't turned up."

A slight frown furrows my brow. I know all too well what would have happened. I push the thought of it away.

"I'm Yu-" I cut off and change my mind, "Sakura Mikan" it will be far easier if no one knows my real name.

"I'm Ogasawara Anna" she says, "You can call me Anna if you want."

I give her a smile, "It's nice to meet you Anna-chan, you can call me Mikan."

"Thanks Mikan-chan" she replies a smile appearing on her face.

I smile back warmly and then turn around looking for my shoe. "Have you seen my shoe?"

Anna glances around too, "It's over there," she says, pointing across the alley, "I'll get it." She stands up but her legs are still shaking and she sits back down again.

"Don't worry I'll get it" I say, "You should rest a bit" I add looking over my shoulder as I bend to get my shoe.

The sound of feet running makes me glance back up again. A boy, who I'd guess is about my age, with raven-black hair and crimson coloured eyes is running down the alley panting hard. He's wearing jeans and a black top with a jacket tied casually round his waist.

My head jerks upright as I spot a black sun tattooed on his arm, with a smaller silver sun in the middle. "Tch, more of you huh? And a silver at that" I say standing up straight.

He glances at Anna, then at the three men, then back at me. "What did you d-" He cuts off when my shoe hits him square in the face.

"Leave Anna alone!" I yell.

I approach him and glare down at him glad he fell over because I'm certain that he's taller than me. It's so much harder to be intimidating if you're glaring up at someone.

I bend and pick up my shoe before grabbing Anna's hand, beckoning to Youchi and walking out of the alley.

Anna is looking dumbfounded. "You attacked him" she finally bursts out with.

"Yep" I reply, I'm still replaying the shoe hitting him in the face, it was brilliant.

"Where do you live?" I ask, "I'll take you there."

I don't think Anna heard me. She's gazing off into the distance when she comes to an abrupt halt." "You're not from here are you?" she asks.

"Nope" I reply, "we just arrived here today, we're going to be staying at my cousin's place."

"That explains it," Anna said.

"Explains what?" I ask, curious.

"Why you fought them. Anyone from here knows not to mess with Black Sun.," she answers

"I've heard of Black Sun." I say bitterly, "they had lackeys were I came from too."

"Oh" I think Anna heard the bitterness in my voice because she didn't ask me to elaborate. I ask where she lived again and we walked over there in silence.

Natsume's POV

Who was that girl? There I was running down the alley, hoping I wasn't too late to stop those morons, only to see a girl with waist-length brunette hair and amber eyes stood in the middle of the alley.

I've got to admit that my first impression was that she was hot.

Then I noticed those three goons unconscious on the ground and a scared but relieved looking Ogasawara at the side of the alley.

"What did you d-" When her shoe hits me in the face with such force that I'm knocked over. She walked towards me steadily and her amber eyes are glaring at me with such loathing and hatred I shuffle back slightly, (Not enough that anybody would notice though.) trying to work out what I did to annoy her so much.

As she bends to down to pick up her shoe though, I can't help but smirk.

I watch quietly as she helps Ogasawara up and calls out for a little boy who comes out and takes her outstretched hand and together the three of them walk out of the alley.

I stand up and touch my face gingerly. Ouch. Who'd have thought a shoe would hurt so much? I glance over at the three morons who are groaning in agony. Maybe I got off lightly.

I just stand there, thinking for a while. That girls interesting, maybe too interesting. Black Sun is going to be very interested in her. I smirk again; I'll be seeing you soon, Polka dots.

A/N Thanks a lot for reading! So Mikan and Natsume met! By Mikan throwing her shoe at him, I've got to admit that this is probably going to one of my favourite parts of the entire story. It seems quite originally to me too, I mean a shoe? Never seen read that in a fanfic before which I'm really happy with because I already know that there are some really good runaway fics for Gakuen Alice already (like confessions of a runaway and before you hit the ground. Go read those they're amazing!) so I am trying to make sure that this fic is different. Essentially by making it darker I guess. But basically I'm not trying to copy. I just wanted to write about a Mikan who was strong and less foolish and trusting, so yes the characters are going to be OOC for a while but this is more a fic about them becoming more like there selves from the manga and to be honest, the characters are older and have been through different situation it's an AU so there not going to be exactly the same.

Sorry, just felt I should warn you because really Mikan is very OOC but there is a good reason for that.

Anyway please rate and review, I love to know whenever people are liking my story, or even if your not liking it, I'd love to know. (and why please.)