AN: Will update about once a week, but I don't work well with schedules. What can speed me up is reviews. Glorious, wonderful reviews (even flames, which I would actually love) that tell me the thoughts of that currently characterless mass of people who choose to click the link in GA with a slightly clichéd, overly understated title, and continue reading enough to form an opinion.
Do not own GA, do not wish to.
Chapter 4
The light streamed through the wide window, picking out highlights in the untidy, wispy brown hair so that it looked like it was tangled with strands of spun gold. The sleeping face looked at least five years younger than its wakeful version, thought Hotaru as she watched her brother from the edge of the glass viewing screen. She stayed there a moment, watching as his hands moved with efficient sweeps over the strawberry-flushed skin, as if wiping away the bruises and cuts. Oblivious to him and his work, Mikan slept on, her breathing slow and even. Too slow.
On cue, Hyuuga reappeared in the scene framed by the window, walking over to the bed from an unobtrusive side door and placing something on the covers next to Subaru's arm. The young teacher immediately scooped it up – it was a vial – grabbed a syringe from the tray beside him, filled it with the vial's contents, and shoved it deep into his patient's throat before pushing on it.
To ensure it didn't leak from her mouth or get too diluted with drool, Hotaru mused.
The reality of such situations was a lot less romantic than their representation. A lot fewer mouth-to-mouth administrations and a lot more syringes were involved.
Hyuuga stood in a corner of the room, relatively unobtrusive; but that didn't stop sensei from ordering him from the room inside of five minutes. Her brother couldn't stand any distractions when he really had to concentrate, she knew. Which meant that this was one of those situations when he really had to concentrate. What was going on?
She glanced for a moment at the figure that came out the door next to her to stand at the other edge of the viewing window, before shifting her eyes back to the scene, where she could see the absolute faintest hints of a tremble in her brother's hands, and a vein or two standing in relief on his neck.
The last time he had been this taxed by a healing had been two years ago, when three people had fallen from a fourth-floor room and had all broken their necks. He had healed them all simultaneously to prevent brain tissue damage. He had had to work about this hard at that time. Maybe a little less.
The body beneath his hands stirred; the sight was bizarre, too much like a puppeteer and his puppet for comfort.
But it had been of Mikan's own volition. The hazel eyes opened, swivelled round, taking in her surroundings; her face contorted as she made a sudden effort, apparently to rise from the bed. Sensei spoke, the words obviously monosyllabic. She settled at once.
Hyuuga swept past Hotaru again wordlessly, entering the room next to her again. He left the door a fraction of an inch open. It was enough for sound to carry through, at least better than through completely soundproofed walls like this one. She had to remember to leave a present by his room in thanks.
Inside the room, a deathly pale man wearing a mask entered from the door that Hyuuga had used earlier. Although he was at least a foot taller, he entered just as gracefully and soundlessly as his younger comrade.
Mikan greeted him with a nod of her head, a corner of her mouth lifting. "Good morning. So nice t meet you at last, sir."
There was no response from the man; he walked o the edge of the bed, drew up a chair, and sat down, back ramrod straight. He said nothing for a long moment, silently examining his subject's face. She watched him back, with an expression that would have been grave on anyone else – on her cherry-lipped face, it was simply impudent.
Finally, the man spoke.
"I'm going to ask you a few questions. Can you answer me? Or would you like some time to…adjust, first, to your surroundings? I am given to understand that your ordeal has been – quite strenuous."
He received a mocking smile, but didn't react. Mikan answered a beat later than would have been strictly polite.
"By all means, continue. I'm well prepared to handle your questions. Would I have given myself up, otherwise, Serio Rei-kun?"
The man's face twitched. Mikan's lip curled, a tiny bit, before dropping back into its serious-but-not-serious cast.
"Very well. Please tell me your full name."
"Sakura Mikan." She sighed before he could continue. "I know you won't react to that, so I should tell you that it was Yukihara Mikan when I was born."
It had? That was the first Hotaru had heard of the fact.
"What method did you use to enter the school perimeter?"
"A radio-silent jet pack. Goodness, won't you even acknowledge that I'm trying to bait you?"
"Describe it."
"It's capable of transporting humans below 40 kilograms in weight up to a distance of 50 kilometres. It runs on water, which it converts to hydrogen and oxygen by hydrolysis and proceeds to burn as fuel, as well as trapping it in distributed chambers for increasing the system's buoyancy. Its design follows the principles of biomimics, based on the structure of a praying mantis. It is currently in the hands of Imai Hotaru. It was freely given to her by me. Goodness, at least just acknowledge that I'm baiting you for my own personal satisfaction, you won't lose anything by it, will you, Rei-kun?"
"How did this jetpack come into your possession?"
"I made it myself."
"Have you ever shown any aptitude in making or designing such devices previously?"
"No, of course not. You know how I got that particular ability. Don't act like your subordinate over there wasn't there, love. You know, avoiding speaking with me in context of that is going to put you in a difficult situation after a few questions. You know I won't be this helpful then."
"Have you any explanation for this sudden aptitude?"
"Yes. In was in possession of the Alice Stone of one Imai Hotaru, who has the Alice of Invention."
"What is an Alice stone?"
"This is getting ridiculous, really. A physical manifestation of an Alice owner's Alice, which functions as a tool for the use of that Alice by another person. Depending on the method of its formation, it can be an extension of that Alice's Alice, or an actual 'part' or the whole of it."
"How did you learn this?"
"Because my own Alice centres around the concept. You know that, you've met my mother."
"How did you learn it is what I asked. Please answer the question."
"From my mother."
"What is your mother's name?"
"Azumi Yuka. Remember her?"
"Was she an Alice?"
"Yes."
"What Alice?"
"Teleportation, Steal, Insertion. All of which you've seen yourself."
"Are you an Alice?"
"Yes."
"What Alice?"
"Nullification, Steal, Insertion."
"Was Nullification also inherited?"
"Yes. From my father. You knew him very well."
"What was your father's name?"
"Yukihira Izumi. He was a teacher here. But you knew that, too, Rei-kun." Mikan's voice had turned from light and mocking to frosty, but it was still perfectly clear and even, the syllables snapping as she said them, betraying a hint of an accent that had previously been undetectable. The corners of her interrogator's mouth turned down for a fraction of a second before he continued.
"Do you live with your parents?"
Mikan laughed abruptly. "That's rich. What are your intentions in asking, murderer? You know very well that I don't live with my parents."
Hotaru froze in place, suddenly unable to tear her eyes away from Mikan's face, and the expression on it. Mouth thin and straight, like a red slash; eyes abruptly bright and yet flat; cheeks chalk white and drawn in, suddenly highlighting the purplish rings around her eyes.
On anyone else's face, it would have been hate. On hers, it was pity.
How? If she believed in the veracity of what she had just implied, then how? How was it she could face this man without dissolving into tears? Into fury? How could she face him with pity on her face?
Hotaru felt like her spine had just dissolved, leaving ice in its place.
"Where is your current place of residence?"
"With an old man in a small village who has no blood relation to me. I've moved out, though."
"How did you come into possession of Imai Hotaru's Alice stone?"
"I stole it."
"When did you have the opportunity?"
"This morning, when she opened my April Fools' Day letter. I had hidden some snips of hair in it."
"Are you aware that mail sent to the school does not reach most students?"
"Yes. But I know it reaches her, because I've tested it before. I suppose it's a waiver because she gets so much correspondence from universities and the like? Or is it an Honour student privilege?"
"How powerful is your Alice?"
Mikan smiled sarcastically. "Had I not had the Nullification, I would never have learned to control it on my own, Rei-kun. Remind you of anyone?"
The man's face flickered again. Mikan laughed, the sound sharp.
"When it isn't limited, it can work across distances up to forty kilometres, as long as I know my target and they have something of mine with them. Better if said object was part of my body, so hair is convenient for larger distances."
"What is your purpose in coming here?"
"I wish to enrol in Alice Academy."
A beat of silence.
"There are more conventional methods of enrolling n the Academy. Is there a specific purpose for you choosing to do so outside the bounds of regulation?"
"Not if I'm aiming for your class, Rei-kun – sorry, Sensei. And I want people to know I'm here at the same time."
He was silent again, for a long time. Rather than scrutinising, the two simply watched each other, half wary, half challenging. Of course, subtly enough that it took listening to the entire conversation to even pick up on it.
"Very well, I'm finished. Thank you for cooperating." Abruptly, he stood; they didn't break eye contact.
"I apologize for troubling you." He turned, breaking the link with what looked like deliberate unconcern. He walked to the door he had come from, and stopped at the door, turning his head back.
"Another thing. Being that you are an Alice who has entered the academy premises and is underage, you are automatically an official student. As teacher for the Dangerous Ability class, I introduce myself as Persona, and warmly welcome you to Alice Academy." He opened the door abruptly, walked forward, and closed it behind himself with a bang.
Hotaru stood silently for a full minute before opening the door fully and walking in.
Mikan's smile was bright, but beneath it, strain was evident. Hotaru sighed.
"Just don't talk for now. You need rest. Sleep." She sat down next to the bed, picking up her friend's hand and wrapping it firmly with both of her own.
Mikan's face softened, the smile now weak. "Typical. You've got to make sure I stay alive, after all…"she laughed softly. "I haven't paid you back yet."
"No, you haven't. You'd better stay alive long enough to, I can't even collect from anyone else for this."
Mikan closed her eyes. "All right, then. I suppose I'd better." She relaxed against the bed, and in minutes, her breathing was slow and even once more. Normally slow this time.
Hotaru simply watched her face, her own expression blank and her eyes dark, not moving.
Twenty minutes later, the small door opened again. Hotaru didn't look behind her, but spoke in a low tone, first swallowing surreptitiously.
"Hyuuga."
"Who is she?" Natsume's voice was low and even, barely audible.
"Is that full payback for letting me listen to them?"
"It's even. Information for information."
"All right. You know this much: she's Azumi Yuka's and Yukihira Izumi's daughter. Her name is Sakura Mikan. Separated from mother as a child. Father died before she was born. Here, in fact. That man – Persona – killed him, if she's to be believed."
"Go on."
"She's met her mother since, and been trained too. Has a slight accent – French, maybe. Could be Abidjan."
"Abidjan. Azumi was there about a year ago."
"So she's travelled, international no less. I suppose your boss will find her useful."
"You know her."
"Met her four years ago. Before I came here. She was from the town I left."
"A friend."
"That was a joke. Really, a code. She was saying she was going to surprise me, but I wouldn't be surprised; not to let resist what she was asking, for her safety and mine; that she had moved out of the town; she had finished preparing last week; she was coming to where I was, meaning the Academy. Also not to try to stop her for anything stupid like friendship, et cetera. She'd make sure I wasn't in any way liable; and that what she wanted me to do was nothing, because it was already done by the time I got to finishing reading the letter."
Hyuuga blinked. "What kind of code? I searched, but I couldn't find any consistent patterns."
"Nothing more than oblique references everywhere. She's pretty good at it." Hotaru gave a tiny sigh. "The last time she tried to mail me was before I got my Honour student status. This is the only correspondence I have."
"It referred to other correspondence. The letter."
"Empty reference."
"Anything else?"
"Enough. You're paid back now. Leave."
"Not quite paid back. I did get her the antidote before the secondary function kicked in."
Hotaru became even more still, if that were possible. "Secondary function?"
"One of Anna's little tricks; they snitched it. The second-level effect of the sedative I was given to use is to increase receptivity to suggestion."
"As in, a brainwashing aid."
"Exactly." Natsume's voice went a little lower. "I ought to have delayed bringing it enough for that to happen. I pretended I forgot. What can I get for that?"
"Nothing from me. That's your business with her, when she wakes up."
"I have to leave now."
"Then arrange for it at a later date. I'm done."
Natsume paused. "Fine."
Ha said nothing more, but the door opened and closed again, creating a play of shadows on Mikan's face in the now slanting light. Hotaru stayed exactly as she had been, holding the slim hand in both of her own, unmoving down to the eyes, except for the slow, even movement of air in and out of her lungs that matched the breath of the sleeping figure on the bed before her.