Normal POV:
Tama rushed around the orphanage getting everything ready, packing food, dressing the little kids, last minute cleaning, etc., seriously is she the only one that works around here?
After everyone had had their breakfast and they had their coats on they made their way into the mini bus. Unfortunately, Mikan and Shizuko were forced to sit next to each other for the journey. The journey was surprisingly peaceful, aside from the occasional mini punches from Shizuko, and after an hour's drive they had arrived at their destination, the woods for a nature walk.
All of the children were told to walk in pairs behind each other, with tama leading the way. None of the other staff wanted to come; they didn't want to have to deal with all the little kiddies in the middle of a forest. But Tama did, she thought it was time they got to know Mother Nature, so she brought them out by herself.
Mikan and Shizuko were paired together right at the back. It would have been fine if they had both just kept quiet, but Mikan had to speak up, "Why do you hate me Fujioka-san?"
"Do I need a reason?" She whispered back harshly.
"Yes, I have tried to be friends with you so why do you reject me?"
"Shut up"
"No"
"Yes"
"No"
"Oh for god's sake!" Shizuko sighed in frustration and dragged Mikan away from the line and into the bushes as everyone else kept on walking.
Natsume's POV:
After finding the location of the Orphanage I set off right away. It wasn't that hard to find really, a large house in the middle of a small village. As I approached the building I saw people coming outside so I hid in a nearby tree. A bunch of children led by a tall long haired woman, she urged them into a car. I realised I must have got the wrong place but two older children approached the car, Mikan and some other girl with long ginger hair. They climbed into the car too. I followed the car, using the flying skateboard I got from Kitsuneme on my birthday, I was careful not to be seen though, before I left Shiki gave me an alice stone, he said it would keep me hidden if I needed to be. I didn't think I would actually need it. The journey took nearly an hour ,seriously where are they going?.
Turns out they were going to the woods. When they started walking through the woods it was easier to hide without the stone so I put it away and kept myself hidden in the trees. I kept a close eye on Mikan, waiting for the right time to pull her away and speak to her.
"Why do you hate me fujioka-san?" I heard Mikan say.
"Do I need a reason?" How dare she speak to Mikan like that?
"Yes, I have tried to be friends with you so why do you reject me?"
"Shut up"
"No"
"Yes"
"No"
I was getting tired of their bickering and was tempted to drag Mikan away right there and then but then that girl dragged her into a bush.
She led her in a different direction to where the other children were going, I could hardly keep them in sight, with all these stupid trees and bushes.
"Where are we going Fujioka-san? Tama-chan and the others are going that way!" Mikan was ignored as she was pulled deeper into the woods. I tried to keep up but eventually I lost sight of them.
"Shit"
Mikan's POV:
"Fujioka-san! Wait! Your hurting my hand! Stop!"
At last she let go of me, she turned around and glared at me.
"What the hell? Why did you take us away from Tama-chan? Now we're lost!"
"Do you know why I took us away from that bitch? So I could do this,"
"Wha" I couldn't finish as I was slapped right across the face.
"I haven't been able to do that for a while!" She let out a menacing laugh.
"Why are you so mean to me? I haven't done anything to you!"
"You piss me off so much! How can you smile like that?!"
"What do you mean?"
"All you ever do is smile! I beat you up every day after school and you don't even cry! You just smile at me! It's so nauseating! Even after you grandfather died and you were made an orphan you still smile like that! Why?! You're not normal! You have no reason to smile like that! I was stuck with horrible parents who beat me every day! All they ever did was hit me! And then I ran away and was taken in by this damn orphanage. So tell me, what's my reason to smile?! Why should I have to smile in this crappy world?!" I was shocked by what she just said, I was even more shocked to see tears in her eyes, but I think I finally understand now.
"I understand now, Shizuko-chan…. I keep smiling because I made a promise,"
"What do you mean?" She was trying desperately to wipe away her tears.
"I can't remember when I promised or who I promised to, all I know is I promised someone very special to me, that I would keep smiling no matter what, even if my world seemed sad and miserable, I would still keep smiling. Do you understand Shizuko-chan? If I didn't keep smiling I would have broken down already by now, I smile to keep myself going,"
"Now Shizuko-chan, I'll ask you again, let's have a truce? Maybe we could even be friends?"
Normal POV:
Whilst Mikan and Shizuko were talking they didn't notice they were near the edge of a cliff, or the unstable tree on the verge of breaking…..
Shizuko POV:
I was speechless; all this time I had told myself I hate this girl, this girl with the bright smile. I had kept myself distanced from everyone. I had bullied her, I made her life a misery, and yet, here she was again, reaching out her hand towards me, asking to be my friend,
"Now Shizuko-chan, I'll ask you again, let's have a truce? Maybe we could even be friends?"
I reached out my hand towards hers, but before I reached her, a large tree suddenly collapsed.
"SHIZUKO-CHAN MOVE!" Without thinking, I pushed her out of the way, the tree missed, I thought we were safe, but we both stumbled over a large branch and fell, over the edge of the cliff, "KYAAAAAAA" We both screamed.
Natsume's POV:
I panicked, where could they have gone, after about ten minutes of searching I heard a scream, "KYAAAAAAA" Mikan.
I raced towards where the scream had come from, as I grew closer I heard voices.
"I've got you Mikan! Hold on, don't let go!"
"But you're going to fall too!"
"Shut up you idiot and hold on! I'll get you out of this!"
I reached the source of the scream, and found Mikan hanging off the side of the cliff, with that girl hanging onto her.
Mikan's POV:
As I fell Shizuko-chan grabbed my hand, "I've got you Mikan! Hold on, don't let go!"
"But you're going to fall too!"
"Shut up you idiot and hold on! I'll get you out of this!"
"Bu-"
"It's ok, my legs are wedged between those branches their see?"
"I see, then how are you going to respond to my offer?" I don't know why I was asking this now, while I was dangling from a cliff, but I just wanted to know.
"YES! I-I would love to be your friend Mikan," She was crying, and I almost was too.
"Trust you to befriend your enemy, and in a situation like this nonetheless," Who's that?
A boy who looked around my age crouched down beside Shizuko-chan and reached out his hand. He had black hair and ruby red eyes, I've seen him somewhere before.
"Hurry up and take my hand you idiot! Before you fall!" Scary. I grabbed his hand and he, along with Shizuko-chan, pulled me up. As soon as I was on solid ground again, he embraced me tightly, holding my head towards his chest.
"W-what are you doing?! L-let g-" Before I could finish, those pictures filled my head again, they swirled around in my head faster and faster until I blacked out.
Authors note:
I might go back later and add more detail to how natsume found mikan...