Chapter 24 – Natsume's Negations

Mikan was at the arena, sitting on the ground while watching the fire caster do his practice. He creates a fireball, he tries to target it, but he didn't make it. He was exhausted after practice. The masquerading lady was holding water and a towel and a book. She ran towards him and offered the bottle of water that she was holding. He drinks up and closed the bottle. She offered the towel too, and he wiped it on his body. Then, he noticed that she was hiding something.

"Natsume," says Mikan as she took a peek inside the book, "You were so close in hitting that target. Also, there is, oh yes." Mikan took another glance at the book, "In this book, it says that you should increase your speed by 0.5. It'll do better."

"Taking advice from a book," Natsume says as he tries to get the book from Mikan, "What book?"

"There's no book. Nothing," Mikan says as she hid the book behind her. Unfortunately, Natsume knew where it was, so he took it and read its title, "How to Improve on Casting."

"So this is it?" Natsume says, holding the book in his hands, "I never thought that you would have this book in the first place. But better if I took advice from my coach. Isn't that right Mikan?" Natsume asked as she nodded her head.

"Um, Natsume, don't exclude me. I only wanted to help you. But I'm clueless in anything about casting so I did some research. Ok, you can stop now." Mikan says as Natsume continued to look at the contents of the book. Mikan reaches out for the book, but Natsume insists.

"Hey, I want to do borrow it. Lend it to me to see." Natsume says as Mikan continues to get the book.

"Okay, okay don't look at it anymore." Mikan said, holding the book already, taking the book back from Natsume, but Natsume was curious about the book.

"Hey, I wasn't finished reading the book yet." Natsume said. They were fighting for a book. Mikan holds a side, while Natsume was holding the other side. They wanted the book so much. Then, Mikan lost strength, and was pulled by Natsume through the book. Mikan finds herself lying down on Natsume, facing him. Then, she remembered the kiss from the beer party the other night. Mikan's eyes widened. Then, Natsume asked her.

"Mikan, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Natsume asked the staring Mikan. Then, Mikan came to her senses, and she looked on the other side. Then, she stood up laughing.

"Hey, remember that… you must increase your speed by 0.5 seconds okay? Okay, continue practicing." Mikan said as she walks away from Natsume. Then, as she walked away, the Ice Prince just appeared.

"Shuichi!" Mikan was surprised to see the Ice Prince, "You jerk, you still dare to come here?! Didn't I warn you not to come?! You…" Shuichi was trying to speak, but Mikan continues to speak, "Oh yes, I know! You must be scared so you're spying on Natsume practicing, huh? Am I right, did I guess right?" Shuichi took the time to look at another distance as he tries to speak.

"Are you done talking? You're such a blabbermouth. With my ability, how can I count Natsume as a worthy rival? I just happened to pass by here and find my good friend here." Shuichi said.

"Good friend," Mikan says to Shuichi, "Please, how can you have friends here? Please…"

"As I was saying shortie, you have a lot to say but in a short time." Shuichi replied.

"Eh, you think you're so great for being tall? Why are you calling me shortie?" Mikan asked, while Natsume was walking back to his place, to make a bull's eye but Shuichi stopped him for a while.

"Natsume Hyuuga, what's wrong?" Shuichi asked as Natsume faced him, "You just saw me and you're already scared? Are you still going to use your health problems as an excuse so you can't fire cast?"

"You jerk, what's wrong with you?! Are you being possessed with an evil spirit or have been cursed? Your rotted teeth falling from your mouth," Mikan said, but Natsume stopped her.

"Mikan, enough. Just ignore him. Let's continue with practice." Natsume said.

"Okay, we'll practice on our own." Mikan said to Natsume as she turned at Natsume, "I'll tell you. I'm not a shortie. You're actually half-animal and half-man." Then Mikan followed Natsume after. She talked to him.

"Natsume, let's just ignore him. You remember right… about the seconds thing. Find the right timing to fire cast." Mikan said. When Natsume was about to strike, Shuichi called him.

"Natsume, just a simple target and you can't make it? You know what Natsume; you don't fit to be a fire caster." Shuichi said to Natsume.

"Hey, you back off from Natsume you jerk!" Mikan said to Shuichi. Then, Shuichi used his Ice Powers to hit the target. He gains the Ice from water inside his body, and he makes a bull's eye on the target. Then, he brags more about him. It happens that Mikan's brother Shiro was walking until he stops by the arena.

"I finally found the sports field." Shiro says, hiding from a block behind. He went near and sees Mikan, Natsume and Shiro. "Hey, isn't that Hyuuga Natsume? What are they doing?" Shiro says to himself. Then, he sees that it was Natsume's turn. Natsume lights up the fire in his hands, focuses on the target, tried to fire cast but because of his health problems, he fell on the ground. Mikan saw this, runs to Natsume and tries to help him. But Natsume was so stubborn, he continued to light up the fire, but he fails to do it and can't target. The pain he was feeling in his chest was very painful. Mikan asked about his condition.

"Natsume, are you alright. Relax first, stop it." Mikan said to Natsume. Then, Shuichi went towards him, trying to brag.

"It's good to have health problems as an excuse so you can't fire cast." Shuichi says as Natsume held his chest. He can't describe the pain. Then, Shuichi was mimicking Natsume. "Oh, I'm Natsume Hyuuga, my chest hurts today, I don't think that I won't be able to fire cast anymore." Then, he got so mad at Natsume, "How can you compete with me like this? Are you joking me?!" Then, Mikan defended Natsume.

"Hey, you've never had the alice that reduces your life every time you use it. You don't understand the pressure he has!" Mikan said to Shuichi.

"Pressure? Even if a caster is in a duel and he's suffering, he would still continue till the end! You like this, you haven't even started but already want to avoid it?!" Shuichi shouted, "Remember this, Hyuuga. Casting and dueling hasn't given up on you! It's you who gave up casting and dueling."

"You don't understand anything!!! You don't understand how miserable Natsume is, okay?! You have no right to talk to him like that!" Mikan said to Shuichi, as she talks to Natsume, "Natsume, let's ignore him."

"Mikan," Natsume tried to speak.

"Hyuuga Natsume, since you've decided to return to the duel match, you must remember that casting is not a game, that you can play whenever you want, and when you don't want to anymore you just drop out! Many had trained hard to achieve what they want! To achieve their highest goals, one has to exceed in their limit, and use their body to win! You can't cast with that kind of attitude!" Shuichi shouted and encouraged Natsume.

"Hey, how can you say that?!" Mikan was pushing Shuichi, "You may go now! Alice Academy doesn't welcome you anyway." Mikan shouted at Shuichi, as Natsume began to speak.

"You can think whatever you want, I don't care. But, I am doing this for those who support me. So, this time I'm casting for myself. It doesn't matter the outcome, well that's my business." Natsume says as he was panting heavily.

"Say whatever you want. I'll be waiting to see your duel. But I'll warn you, don't think of giving up this time. I won't let you give up on yourself." Shuichi said this, and walked away outside the school gate. Then, the two were both alone.

"How come I think he's here to support you? But he's an arrogant wacko! It can't be that, I think too much of it!" Mikan said.

"It doesn't matter what others think. The most important thing is… is our promise to each other." After Natsume said this, Mikan had a ridiculous reaction. Her eyes widened and she continues to breathe fast due to excitement. She was hit inside by what Natsume said.

"Natsume, I'm so touched. No, I meant… my responsibility is heavy. No, what I really mean was… let's work hard!" Mikan said as she resists smiling. Natsume grinned at Mikan, and messed up her short hair.

"Here, I'll help you." Mikan offers help to Natsume. She takes Natsume's hand and rolled it onto her shoulder, lifting a side of him. They slowly walked until they reached the infirmary. "Be careful," Mikan says to Natsume.

On the other hand, remember Mikan's brother who was spying on them? Then, he thought; "The duel will occur in a few days. Hyuuga Natsume, in your current condition, can you really lift up to my standards?"

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"Ring!!!" The alarm clock rang. Mikan and Natsume woke up by the sound. Natsume snoozed the clock and prepared it for another day. Natsume stood up after, and Mikan followed next. It was 7:00 or 8:00 by then. They jogged in the Track-and-Field lap. While jogging, Mikan stole a look from Natsume and she smiled after. Then, Natsume was doing some warm-ups as Mikan brings the water and towels. She also brought food for their selves. She ran to Natsume and offered a break.

"Natsume," she called, "take a break and eat something."

"Okay," Natsume answered as he stands up and sits down at the benches. Mikan and Natsume ate together, and were having a break after a very tiring practice.

"Is it good?" Mikan asked Natsume. Natsume nodded his head as an answer. Then, Mikan opens a can of the delicious juice she loved. As she took a sip, the juice sparkled inside her mouth. Natsume looked at Mikan for a while, and continued eating. And then, he asked.

"I want to ask you something," Natsume says to Mikan, "If I can't defeat my enemy in the duels, what will you do?" Mikan got complicated with Natsume's question. She hasn't decided yet on what she's going to do when Natsume loses, but she needs to follow her brother's rules in the bet.

"Then I'll be taken back by force to the U.S by my brother." Mikan replied which worried Natsume, "But don't feel guilty. It's not even your problem; it's my brother causing problems for me. If in the end I have no other choices, I could always quarrel with my brother that I haven't seen you fire cast and won't go back even if I die." Natsume smiled after what Mikan said. Then, he took another glance and asked again.

"Then you? If I can't fire cast, what will you think?" Natsume asked Mikan once more.

"I… Of course I want to stay in Alice Academy because I have so many good friends here. I can't afford to leave." Mikan replied as she takes another sip from her delicious juice. Then, Mikan thought; "It doesn't matter the outcome. I just want to stay by your side." Mikan stole a look from Natsume as Natsume looked at Mikan. Mikan looked away after as Natsume continues to grin at Mikan.

"Stay here…" Natsume says as Mikan faced Natsume, "No matter if I win or lose the duel, you should stay here, okay?" Mikan giggled after.

"Natsume…" Mikan said as Natsume messes up her hair.

"That's not what you promised!" Then, Mikan's brother Shiro appeared from nowhere, standing in front of the two. Mikan stood up after.

"Brother, how did you come here?" Mikan asked as she went to her brother.

"I told you before, Mikan's leave or stay rests on whether if you can defeat your enemy or not. If you don't want me to take Mikan back to the U.S, then focus on winning the duel. Within a few days I'll be leaving Japan. Until then, Mikan's condition depends on you. Based on your current performance, in a few days to win over your enemy, must be hard to achieve!" Shiro said.

"Bro, Natsume is already trying very hard. He's practicing furiously trying to improve. I saw it all! Even if he lost the duel, it's not his fault. What matters is that Natsume is fighting for himself. You just don't understand." Mikan says to her brother. Then, Shiro looked at Natsume for a while, and finally spoke.

"A caster who can't fight or duel is useless." Shiro said that made Natsume mad. Mikan tried to defend Natsume.

"Bro! How can you say something like that?" Mikan asked her brother. She already had her eyebrows crossed. Then, a guy appeared and reported Natsume.

"Natsume, the coach is looking for you." Says the man.

"Okay, I'll be there. Mikan, thanks for the snacks." Replied Natsume as he followed where the guy leads him to his coach. Mikan and Shiro were left fighting.

"Look at him, a useless guy! I talk down on him and he doesn't even get mad. He is so useless." Shiro says. This time, Mikan was very mad.

"Brother," Mikan said as she turned her back away from him, "I hate you, I HATE YOU!!!"

"How can you say something like that to me?!" Shiro asked Mikan. "My insults were to stimulate him to gain progress. It was all for you. Okay, I was rude to talk to him like that. But it's because I'm your brother. A brother that cares for his sister, do you understand?"

"Brother, if you really love me, you have to respect the person I love! When you hurt Natsume, you're hurting me too! Do you know that?!" Mikan asked her brother. She stepped his foot so hard, and ran away after. Shiro called, so she stopped after.

"Mikan, don't forget that even if he wins the duel, whether you can stay or not, is still my decision. Please remember that!" Shiro said, Mikan looked at her brother for a while, very mad, and continued to run away. After Mikan ran, Dr. Mei Tian appears from nowhere. He clapped his hands after seeing the two arguing.

"That was such a touching brother and sister talk." Dr. Mei said.

"You… What are you doing here?" Shiro asked Dr. Mei.

"I'm a school doctor. When I have nothing to do, of course I'd wander around, seeing if anyone's sick." Dr. Mei said to Shiro. He tries to caress his cheek, but Shiro was against him.

"Don't come over," Shiro said. Dr. Mei waved his hair after.

"I already told you before; you're not the type I like. Looking at you, I have no interest at all. And what kind of show were you just acting out? Oh yeah by the way, the ring on your hand – Did you buy that from the Night Market?" Dr. Mei asked.

"What do you mean?!" Shiro asked Dr. Mei.

"I meant that your ring is so low." Dr. Mei answered.

"LOW?!" Shiro asked.

"Your tactics are more like the ones bad guys use in dramas. Are you sure you're a smart student from Harvard? I really can't tell." Dr. Mei asked Shiro.

"Thank you for your advice, but I feel that people like you don't understand brother and sister love. I meant brother to brother love." Shiro said.

"I understand that's why I'm saying all this." Dr. Mei replied as he gets nearer to Shiro, "If you continue to be like this, I'll make sure you'll use the one you love." Dr. Mei answered as Shiro was terrified of what Mei said. Dr. Mei caressed again Shiro's cheek.

"I am gay!" Dr. Mei confessed, "Who doesn't tell lies." Then, Dr. Mei came near to Shiro and kissed him on the cheek. Shiro was surprised of what the doctor did to him.

"Eew, you psychopath!" Shiro said as he wipes of the kiss on his face.

"Oh yeah, I might as well stay as the good guy until the end. Natsume Hyuuga will compete in a few days. If you want to watch it or not, it's up to you." Dr. Mei replied as he walks away Shiro.

END OF CHAPTER………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….