hi hi~~~~!

me: so for three chapters, natsume won't be with us! haha *evil atmosphere*

mikan: eheheh okay... so who'll be the one replacing him again?

me: it's *drum roll* hotaru chan!

mikan: yey~~~! hotaru~~!

hotaru: great, so i'm like a babysitter for these two bakas?

me & mikan: hey!

hotaru: anyways, chapter 21.

me: oh and i don't own gakuen alice!

Chapter 21

Natsume's POV

"kyyaaaa!" I heard a girl scream as I looked closer to the screen. 'I hope she's safe.' I wished to myself.

"mikan sama? What happened? Let's get a closer look quick!" the reporter, kiki, ordered as they zoomed in more. There, in the screen, showed mikan dangling at the end of the rope, but she's still wearing the safety belt around her waist.

'mikan!' I practically shouted in my head, sat up straight, and fixed both my eyes on the dangling brunette.

"mikan!" misaki gasped in shock.

"what happened?" tsubasa ran to the living room.

"I think that bloody ladder broke." Hotaru answered with gritted teeth, but still, she narrowed her eyes on the screen, like she was looking for someone.

"mikan…oh I hope she's safe!" anna shouted.

'yeah… me too.'

Mikan POV

"kyaaaaa!" I screamed. 'what just happened?' I tried to remember, then I had a flashback

flashback

CLLIIINNKKKK CLLLAANNKKKK

'what's that?' I asked myself as I squirmed uncomfortably in my spot. I just decided to look around and find where it's coming from.

CLLIIINNNKKK

"nani? the ladder?" I shouted. 'wait…. This scenario seems familiar… déjà vu?' I thought to myself, but soon I was back to reality when I saw a screw drop, and it was from the ladder in front of me!

"oh no!" I stared at another screw; it's shaking, getting looser by the second. Soon, it'll get loose and the ladder will drop down!

Too late, 'cause the screw fell, along with the rest of the ladder.

'thank kami sama I didn't fall! Good thing this thing is safe!' I sighed in relief.

CRAAASSSHH!

"honey are you alright?" someone shouted from below.

"hai!" I shouted back.

But I spoke too soon….

End of flashback

RRRRIIIIIIIPPPPPPP

"nani?" I looked up, since it was coming from above.

The scene that welcomed me made my eyes bulge in shock and horror.

'The rope that was supporting and holding me will snap soon!'

"kyyaaaa! Put me down!" I shouted to the staff below.

"dooshite? What's wrong mikan?" someone asked me.

RRRIIIIPPPPP

'I don't have much time!' "just please! PUT ME DOWN!" I shouted really loud. God, if they didn't hear me, they should go to a doctor and let them check their ears!

Even though I love modelling, I hate heights! I mean, right form this instant, I really really hate heights! Just imagining me, falling fast, 30 feet from the ground makes me pee!

Back to the yukihara mansion…

"kyaaaa! Put me down!" mikan shouted after ten minutes since the ladder fell.

"dooshite? What's wrong mikan?" the director asked.

"what's wrong with mikan sama?" the reporter, kiki asked the camera man.

"mikan! What is she screaming about?" nonoko stood up as everyone winced at mikan's shrill scream. Just right in time, the camera zoomed in closer to mikan, who's looking above.

Natsume and hotaru's eyes bulged.

It showed mikan, looking cautiously at the rope, snapping little by little every second!

"the rope!" hotaru exclaimed as she faced natsume.

"where the heck is her little devil brother when you need him?" natsume cussed and cussed.

"he's buying something at the mall." Hotaru muttered between gritted teeth. Natsume bowed his head, deep in thought, until his head shot up with an idea in his head.

"don't even think about using your car, the streets are traffic jammed." Hotaru stated, knowing what he's thinking. For a moment, he tried to think of another idea, until he faced hotaru abruptly, and she just showed a sly grin, like reading his thoughts.

"the key is hanged on one corner of the garage" hotaru instructed as natsume made his way fast to the garage, while everyone just followed him with their eyes.

"where is he going?" ruka asked.

"he'll just prove something really important." Hotaru shrugged, as ruka raised his eyebrows at her.

"okaaayyy…"

"what are we standing here for? Watch the report!" misaki ordered as she plopped herself on the sofa, and everyone else just followed her lead.

"kyyaaaa! Just put me down!" mikan screamed nervously as she kept a close eye on the rope.

"okay okay!" the director replied hastily as the pilot started lowering mikan down slowly.

"he's taking too long." Hotaru said with alarm.

' mikan, don't worry, your knight will come and save you.' she prayed.

VRRROOOMMMMM VROOOMMMM

"tch, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I borrow this baby for a while." Natsume smirked as he revved up the engine of youchii's motorcycle. When he looked at the fuel meter (= is that even correct?) he saw that the fuel's a little low.

"hn, it's enough for the trip. Now where's that bloody remote for that baka garage gate." He then searched around, but still found nothing. After about wasting five minutes, he heard a loud gasp.

"MIKAN! Oh kami sama! The rope's gonna rip any minute now!" his eyes opened wide and quickly searched again like a tornado.

"gotcha." He exclaimed victoriously as he jumped on the motorcycle and put on the head gear. Natsume looked at his watch and tensed his jaws.

"damn. I wasted ten stinkin' minutes already!" he chided between gritted teeth. He opened the gate and started off.

'please.. mikan….'

Meanwhile with mikan….

"hurry!" mikan shouted to the pilot, she was now more or less 15 feet from the ground, yet it didn't calm her even a little.

"hai mikan sama!" the pilot answered. But then, the lowering stopped abruptly, making the rope snap faster.

"what's wrong? Why did you stop?" mikan shouted out, shocked of the sudden stop.

"…t-there's something wrong with this machinery!" the pilot cried out, scared of the situation.

"nani?" the director called out. "we tested that yesterday and today too!" he retaliated.

"I don't know, but it's jammed!"

"what? Jammed? How could you be so sure-"

"of course I'm sure! I can't move it even for a centimetre!"

"how could it be jammed? Unless there's something inside-"

"just please! Help me!" mikan cried out, with tears flowing from her eyes.

RIPPPPP RIIIIPPPPPPP TRRRRR

"oh no!" mikan gasped.

'anyone….please help me!' mikan wished hard.

"urggghhhh….. maria, what's for breakfast?" youchii plopped himself on a chair in the kitchen lazily, but no one answered.

"maria!" no reply. Then suddenly,

"*gasp* mikan sama!" a gasp was heard from none other than their faithful maid. As youchii heard the name, he quickly dashed to the living room, horror stricken.

"what? What happened to mikan?" youchii exclaimed frightfully.

"good. The sleepyhead's awake." Hotaru sighed irately.

"just tell me why maria gasped like that and mentioned mikan's name!" youchii demanded.

"fine. Just watch this documentation about what happened in the news." Hotaru tossed to him a video cam and he started playing the video.

"but before that, you'll pay me 12 000 yen later. Got it?"

"h-hai." Everyone sweatdropped. 'she doesn't even change even at a time like this!'

After 20 minutes of watching….

Youchii stopped the video and tossed it to the floor, and made a quick dash to his room, while shouting,

"why didn't you tell me in the first place? Shit!" hotaru just glanced at her video cam and examined it, then smirked in contentment.

"tsk, good thing this is shock proof."

After dressing up, youchii ran to the garage and looked for his black and teal motorcycle, but it seems that it suddenly disappeared.

"nani? where's my motorcycle?" he shouted with shock. He then barged in again the living room, and asked,

"did anyone of you see my motorcycle? It's just right there inside the garage!"

"then, you just use your car." Hotaru shrugged.

"but…but-"

"what, is your motorcycle more important than the life of your sister? A shame." Hotaru asked with a poker face, feigning innocence. So youchii just let out a loud groan, he got no other choice and ran for his car, started the engine, and drove off.

"mikan, just hang in there." He muttered. "I promised that I would protect you… no matter what."

"damn…. Come on… a little farther…" natsume murmured to himself between gritted teeth. He's currently two streets away from the park, but he got caught up in the traffic, for the fifth time.

"can't you go any faster?" he shouted in his head. He then searched around, hoping to regain his patience. 'how could i? polka's in trouble!' then an idea struck him.

Since he was at the side, near the sidewalk, he could make a fast escape of the traffic. 'c'mon! I have to be quick! The fuel's quarter empty!' he then changed its direction and started the motor. Soon, he was out of the traffic and on the sidewalk!

"get out of my way! OUT. NOW!" he ordered before he could drive.

"move!" he shouted once again, and everyone complied. He then revved up the motor once again and headed out faster, shouting,

"MOVE OUT NOW!" so the people walking just followed his orders in shock. He then turned to the left and increased the speed once more.

"…just….a little farther…" he murmured. He glanced at the fuel meter and found it almost empty!

"please…" but too late, after about ten minutes, the motor stopped working, leaving him half a street away from the park. 'half a street away and half a park away from mikan..' natsume thought.

"kyaaa! Help!" a scream came from afar.

Natsume stood up abruptly, removed his head gear, tossed it beside the motorcycle and ran to the park.

"i….better hurry…up…. Before it's….too late…." Natsume muttered between pants.

Meanwhile…..

"shit! Baka traffic!" youchii cussed as he hit the steering wheel in frustration.

"if I find who bloody stole my motorcycle he would-" he stopped in shock.

A familiar blur of teal and black dashed to a corner!

"hey!" he called out as he instinctively got out of the car and followed it.

"he's sooo damned dead!" he muttered as he neared the left corner. When he reached the sidewalk, his face turned white in shock.

"my baby! Grrrrrrr" youchii growled as he examined his motorcycle carefully. Unfortunately, the user left a scratch on the helmet and also on the side of the motorcycle, which made youchii fuse in anger.

"that does it! I'm going to sue that freak! No I'm going to kill that bloody freak!" youchii decided, but before he could continue with his plan, a familiar shriek was heard from the park.

"kyaaa! Help!" I shouted.

TRRRRRRR CRIIIIPPPPP

"THE ROPE! HURRY!" I shouted down once again, the director rushed to the staff, panicking, while I heard him order,

"quick! Where's the safety cushion? Inflate it now!" all of the employees dashed off everywhere, hoping to find it, while reporters flock all around.

"we found the cushion, sir." One of the staff reported.

"well? What are you standing there for? Inflate it now!"

"d-demo…. It would take a heap of time to-"

"just do it! NOW!"

"h-hai…" and so, he scurried to the staff, and repeated his order.

"hang in on there! We're going to inflate the safety cushion now!" the director called out to mikan.

"hurry please!" mikan cried.

TRRRR CRRRRRRRRRIIIIIPPP TRRR

"the rope! Hurry!" mikan cried once again as tears fall one by one.

TRRRRIIIPPP CRRRIIIIPPPP

"hel-"

SNAP!

"wahhhhh! Kyaaaa!"

The rope snapped just like that. But before I could fall down helplessly, I cried a name I missed so much…

"nat kun…. Natsu-"

But I didn't have time to finish it when a crash was heard.

'what happened….i-I can't feel anything…..'

"oh no! kyaaaaaaa!" 'mikan!' he then quickly dashed to the park, hoping his sister would be okay.

But when he reached the park, another shrill shriek was heard. And from that moment on, he knew he's too late.

"MIKAN!" he shouted as he continued on. And what he saw surprised him.

His sister was now in the arms of another man.

"wahhhh! Kyaaaaaa!" mikan cried as the rope snapped.

"mikan!" I dashed to her, hoping that I could save her life.

CRASH!

"m-m-mikan….." I whispered to her, hoping that she would answer, and I could hear her name once again.

"n-nat….u…" she uttered, as tears fall down. I was overwhelmed, 'thank kami sama she's alive!' I hugged her tight with joy.

"mikan…t-thank god!" for a second there I thought I was going to lose her, 'I was right on time…' then, as I released the hug, she looked straight in my eyes, saying,

"i thought you forgot about me….. I missed you… n-nat…k….." and after that, she fainted in my arms. But one thing is lingering in my mind,

'nat…k…?' is she trying to say something?

"MIKAN!" someone shouted behind us, everyone looked at that person, and I was shocked to see who it is.

"youchii." I said. 'the devil's back.'

me: is that okay...? i think it's kinda confusing...

mikan: it's thrilling! i like it!

hotaru: i don't.

me: wahhhh? dooshite?

hotaru: nothing, it's just because it's you who wrote it.

me: you're soo mean!

BAKA BAKA BAKA!

hotaru: no i'm not.

mikan: *sweatdrops* anyways... please drop a review!

me: oh and before you go and review... i would like to thank my best friend, ARMIE HOSSENILLA a.k.a. RENEVIERE07 for helping me think up for chapter 20 and 21! thanks a million~~~~~