Normal

"God! Kana! What the hell?" A very pissed-off Koko said as an uncharacteristic scowl was on his face. He was drenched from head-to-toe and the ends of his hair were singed.

"Oh god. I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I thought you were an intruder or Natsume or something!" Mikan apologized as she bit her lip and looked at the mind-reader fearfully. He just saw her. He freaking saw her. Man, Saiko was going to be a bitch later because she didn't sense his presence on time.

"Just get me a towel and something to wear." Koko said, the scowl still on his face. He was pissed-off beyond belief and very confused as well. Pissed-off because Kana had just singed his hair, burned his English homework which was now on the ground, in ashes, drenched him from head-to-toe and quite possibly burned all the feeling from his left shin. Confused because he thought she had the female pheromone alice, not water and fire.

"Sorry again." The brunette said as she arrived with a towel and a shirt and a pair of pants. She handed him the towel and gestured for him to follow her inside the cabin.

"Whose clothes are these?" He asked as he held up the plain red v-neck and the stone-washed jeans.

"Natsume's. He sometimes changes here after his missions." She answered quietly as she stared at the ground. "Uhm you can go change in the bathroom over there." She pointed over to a wooden door at the end of the hallway.

He nodded and limped over to the bathroom. Once Mikan heard the click of the lock, she immediately slumped to the ground and held her head in her hands. Damn, she was in trouble.

Natsume

Seriously, it's completely unfair that Mikan gets off most of the day because she has 'female troubles'. I mean, she can heal herself. I bet she's probably at Bear's cabin right now doing practice or around campus looking for alices.

"Damn that woman." I cursed as I walked around the hallways looking for her. I'd looked for her by the Sakura tree, her room and in the library. No such luck. Time to check the cabin I guess.

When I reached the cabin, no one was outside but there was a puddle of water by the trees, ashes on the space next to it. There were two sets of footprints. One were Mikan's, I was sure because they were barely there and very light. The other set wasn't Saiko's. The footprints were wet and muddy. Oh god, who was in there with Mikan?

I readied a flame in my palm and calmly but silently entered the cabin. I took note of the muddy footprints heading to the bathroom. I followed the prints until I reached the living room, the door to the bathroom a few paces away. I didn't see Mikan anywhere. Suddenly, the fire on my palm disappeared.

I tensed. "What the-" Oops, too late.

I was sprawled on the ground on my stomach and someone was pinning me from above. An arm pinned my neck down and knees were kneading into me. One was painfully on my back while another one was poking into the back of my thighs.

"Oh, Natsume, I thought it was someone else. Hi." Mikan. Of course, she was the only one, aside from Saiko and Persona, who could have caught me off-guard like that. And she is the only nullifier I know.

She was sitting on my back now while I helplessly lay on the ground. "Get off me." I complained.

"Fine." She complied and helped me get up. "What brings you here?" Her eyes flicked from me to the bathroom door. There was someone there.

"Who else is here Kana?" I asked, not using Mikan. If someone else was here, I couldn't risk getting her cover blown.

'Koko.' She mouthed to me. My eyebrows shot up. Koko? What the hell was he doing here? And why was he in the bathroom?

"Hurry. Go hide or something." She whispered to me as she pushed me towards the door.

"What? Why?" I whispered harshly.

"Just go hide!" She replied. We both tensed when we suddenly heard the click of the lock on the doorknob.

Koko

What the hell was that? Kana was doing stuff with the water and then when I went closer she suddenly drenched me in water, burned my homework and all the feeling from my left shin!

"Ugh." I groaned as I put a bit of weight on my shin. I couldn't feel anything but it was very red and gross-looking.

I grunted as I unlocked the door and hobbled outside, leaving my clothes by the sink. My left shoe was singed at the edges and a bit blackened but still usable.

"Hey, Kana." I called out as I leaned on the hallway for support.

"In the living room." She said. I limped over to the living room.

Kana was sitting on the couch. "Don't you have a first-aid kit here somewhere?" I asked as I sat beside her.

"Don't need it." She replied as she gave me a steely gaze. "Put your foot on my lap."

I complied but I flinched when I saw the full extent of her fire. "Sorry." She said as she held my shin gently. Was it just me or did the room's temperature increase?

I could feel a warm feeling go through my foot and then I realized she was healing it. How?

"Oh, wow. Did you do that?" I asked as I inspected my foot and poked my shin. All the burnt skin was gone and it wasn't red and icky anymore.

She nodded. "Uhm, I guess I've got some explaining to do." She shifted in her place as I put my shoe back on.

"I guess I've got to start from the beginning."

Natsume

I managed to squeeze myself in between two panes on the ceiling, all of my limbs in use to keep me from falling.

"Dammit Koko." I cursed under my breath. Why'd I have to hide in the first place?

"Don't need it." Mikan said monotonously. "Put your foot on my lap." Wah?

I gritted my teeth as I glared at Koko and his foot. If anything happens aside from Mikan healing his foot, I'm burning his whole foot off.

"Uhm, I guess I've got some explaining to do." Fortunately, Koko was already putting his singed shoes back on.

Then Mikan told Koko all of it, from her real name to having SEC as an alice along with nullification to doing missions. The whole enchilada.

"But wait, why are you telling me this?" Koko asked as soon as Mikan stopped narrating.

She huffed. "Because you're a mind-reader. It's easier and more convenient for me to tell you than to always keep my guard up around you and besides, you already saw me practicing outside."

Koko nodded solemnly. "Sorry again about the stuff I did awhile ago. I thought you were Natsume trying to catch me off my guard so I attacked you. First I threw at you at chest-level but you used your homework to block it which was pretty stupid. Next I sent a wave of fire directed at your feet then I drenched you to stop the spread of the fi-"

"Okay, I get that you're deadly." Mikan cracked a smile. A smile? Last I checked, she only smiled at me.

"Yeah, so…" Mikan trailed off as she sent a subtle glance my way. I glared at her.

"Mikan, are you using your fire alice? Why's it so hot in here?" Koko asked as sweat trailed down his face. I smirked. Ha. That's what you get when you flirt with my girlfriend.

As if hearing my thoughts, Koko's gaze trailed upward and landed on me. "N-Natsume?"

I smirked at his reaction and dropped down to the floor, behind the couch they were sitting.

"Enjoying your time with my girlfriend, Koko?" I said menacingly as I put my arms defensively on the part of the couch where Mikan was.

"Yeah, I'm enjoying my time with my best friend." A restraint in me popped and I sent a ball of fire his way and just when it was about to mar his face, it disappeared. Damned nullification.

Mikan

My brow twitched at Natsume's possessiveness. He can't seriously be starting a fight with me in the room?

"Yeah, I'm enjoying my time with my best friend." Best friend? Who said Koko was-

Suddenly, a fire ball whizzed past me headed for Koko's face. At the last minute, I managed to nullify it. Damn you, Natsume!

I stood up from the couch, a dark aura surrounding me. Both of the boys looked at me and I inwardly smirked when a flash of fear passed through Natsume's eyes. Oh, he knows what's going to happen.

I grab both of their ears and pinch hard. My hold on Natsume was especially harder since he flipped over the couch and landed on the space where I was before.

"O-ow! That hurts, woman!" Natsume glared at me. I smirked at him.

"K-Kana! Mikan! Ouch! Ow!" Koko complained.

"If one more word comes out your pretty little mouth, Natsume, I'll rip you're earring off." I threatened as I pulled on his red earring.

"You think my mouth is pretty?" I pulled on his earring harshly.

Natsume immediately shut up but he still opted to glare at me.

"Can you let go of my ear now?" Koko asked meekly. I sent him a look that immediately shut him up.

"You two are being annoying. Natsume, stop being an overly-possessive bastard. Koko, just shut up." I let go of their ears and pinched the bride of my nose. Seriously, could they act more mature?

"Sorry Kana. Mikan. Whatever." Koko apologized with his eyes downcast. I patted his head much to Natsume's chagrin.

I gave Natsume an expecting look. "What?"

"Well?" I crossed my arms.

"You're expecting me to apologize? Pft. Yeah right, you know I don't apologize." He looked at me defiantly with a smirk on his lips.

"Yes, you're supposed to apologize. You apologized that one time." His eyes widened for a bit in realization but his face remained stoic afterwards.

"Fine, if you're not going to apologize, me and Koko will be going." I grabbed Koko by the arm and led him out.

Natsume

Damn it! Why can't you just let your pride down for once, Natsume, and apologize!

I watched from the corner of my eye as Mikan and Koko walked out of the living room and exited the cabin, slamming the front door in the process.

I mentally hit my head against the wall.

I made the silent decision to follow them but not without changing first.

I rifled through my clothes, looking for my red v-neck. Where the hell was that shirt? And where were my favorite jeans?

Wait, didn't Koko's outfit look familiar?

Normal

Mikan and Koko had been loitering around central town for awhile now and it didn't help that females from everwhere constantly staring at the brunette and glaring at the dirty-blond beside her.

"Mikan!" Both heads shot back to see a silver-haired teenager accompanied by a silver-haired child. "Wait up!"

"Hey Youchi." The brunette smiled fondly at the small child who immediately clung to her legs, abandoning his older brother.

"What? No 'hi' for me?" The older of the two complained.

"Nope." Mikan replied, popping the –p. She patted the head of the child before turning her attention back to the teen. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Doing some shopping for the summer dance." Kaito beamed before turning towards the brunette's companion. "Koko! Didn't notice you there for a sec."

"Hey Kaito." Mikan looked between the two, contemplating on how they know each other.

As if sensing her question, Youichi piped up, "Onii-chan and Koko went to the same school together as kids."

"Oh."

"So, Mikan, on a date with Koko? Ditched Hyuuga-san?" Kaito grinned cheekily.

As Koko was about to reply for her, the brunette clamped a hand around his mouth. "Nope. Koko is taking me around to buy stuff for the summer dance too. Right, Koko?" The last part, the brunette said with a menacing ring to it.

Koko nodded his head eagerly, a bit too eagerly. In a last attempt to speak out the truth, Koko bit her hand. "But she did ditch Natsume!"

The brunette glared at the mind-reader. "Ooh. Does that mean I have a chance, then?"

"Shut up, Kaito." Mikan scoffed as she hauled Youichi up into her arms. "I'd rather go on a date with Youichi."

At this, the said child looked up at the brunette. "Which I might do right now. Have fun with Kaito, Koko."

The brunette walked away with the spirit-manipulator in her arms.

"What do you want to do, You-chan?" She beamed brightly at the child.

Youichi looked at her cutely. "Howalon."

"Sure." She brought them to the Howalon store and ordered one large box for the two of them.

They both settled on a bench nearby, the child seated on her lap. "Here You-chan."

She opened the box and held it to him. The child took one immediately. Not long after, the box was empty.

"Hey, Mikan!" She looked up to see Koko racing up to her, Kaito lagging behind.

She rolled her eyes and said simply, "What now?"

"We saw Hyuuga-san!" Kaito exclaimed as soon as he reached the two, his hands on his knees, panting.

The brunette's eyes widen for a fraction. "So?"

"I guess it was pretty predictable he would follow you over here but that isn't what's important!" Koko raised his arms up and waved them hysterically.

"Then what is it about?" She hissed as she gave Youichi back to his brother and tossed the empty howalon box in the nearby trashcan.

Koko looked around frantically before sighing in relief. "He was getting beat up by this huge group of guys!"

She rolled her eyes again. "Natsume? Getting beat up? You know he doesn't get beat up, he does the beating up." She said disbelievingly.

"No, seriously. Like, he was letting them hurt him!" Her face paled.

"Where?" The brunette suddenly asked as she stood up and gave Youchi back to his brother.

Kaito pointed to the dark mass of trees in the far part of central town. "They were leading him in there."

She nodded as she sprinted towards the trees, producing her mask from her pocket. "You idiot."

Once she reached the edge of the trees, she placed her mask on her face and ran inside.

She heard the faint rustling of trees and bushes coming from further in the forest. Leaping from tree to tree, she swiftly reached the source of the noise.

Down below were a group of guys wearing ski masks, some were holding wooden boards or pipes, others had only their hands and alices. They surrounded a familiar bleeding raven-haired teen who stood his ground and glared ferociously at the group.

"You don't deserve her, Hyuuga." One commented as he slammed the pipe into Natsume's gut.

Natsume released a wave of fire in return, but only the grass and the nearby bushes caught fire.

"Haven't you learned your lesson? We got these ski masks other than for identity concealing." One of the other guys use a wind alice to send wind blades at Natsume, slicing open fresh wounds.

"These masks protect us from your fire alice, our own invention alice made these." He gestured over to a lad who was holding some sort of contraption.

"Don't worry, we're not going to kill you, we're just going to teach you a lesson, to stay away from Kana." Suddenly, every one of them attack all at once.

"Bastards." Kuro Tenshi muttered under her breath as she nullifies the effect of the ski masks. Leaping down from the tree, she landed right in front of the bleeding fire caster thus receiving a few blows from the boys.

"You fucking bastards." She spit out as blood dribbled down her chin.

"Mikan?" Natsume mumbled from behind her.

"Ooh, got a babysitter now, Hyuuga?" One hissed as he tried to land a punch on the masked female but he was too slow and the brunette grabbed his hand and twisted it, causing him to buckle his legs in pain.

"Here's a lesson to all of you." She grabbed on to the hand with both hands and used him as a human mace, breaking his arm in the process.

Using her fire alice infused with nullification, she set fire to all of the masks, revealing their faces. The guys gasped, unaware of how she did it.

Her glare hardened as she realized that these guys were the usual guys who insisted on following her wherever she went.

"I could kill every single one of you but then I'd get in trouble so now, I'll just give you all fatal injuries." Using her wind alice, she sent multiple blades towards them, cutting their skin and sending blood sputter all over.

"You bitch." The one with the invention alice spat as he fell to his knees. As a last resort, he grappled with his contraption and pressed a button.

It let loose a large bullet-shaped projectile with a very sharp edge, headed straight for the brunette's mask.

The bullet was too fast, too fast for her to block with a shield or counterattack.

It hit the forehead of her mask and from that point, the mask cracked open slowly and when the mask fell, it revealed the face of the person they were seemingly doing this for.

"K-Kana-sama?" The invention alice choke out before flame engulfed his hand. All the others were too shocked to notice the screaming inventor as they stared at the female fall to the ground.

Blood ran down her face from the part where the mask had cracked open. The impact of the sharp bullet had penetrated through the mask and had cracked open the skin. Her brown orbs were wide open and blood poured out of her mouth.

"You fucking bastards!" The fire caster yelled as he gathered the brunette in his arms and set fire to every single one of them.

"Mikan! Mikan!" From the trees, two teens and a red-haired teacher arrived.

"Oh god." Koko voiced as he stared at the scene before him. Kaito just stared open-mouthed, shock taking over.

Saiko merely surveyed the scene before letting her wind alice take over, using a vacuum to suck up the air that was fueling the fires.

She walked over to the couple and stared at the brunette whose breath came in raggedly. "How's she doing?"

"I-I don't know. Her lung must have gotten punctured by one of the wooden planks she got hit with when she came in front of me." The fire caster held her in his arms tightly.

"Mikan. Stay with me. Please. Stay with me." He stared into her eyes that barely kept open as they stared back.

"Nat-su-me." She grinned lightly yet the blood staining her teeth made it look deadly. She raised her hand up to his face to caress it. "How're you?"

"Why are you asking that?" He held the hand that was holding his face. "I should be asking that. I'm fine. You got the blow to the head, you idiot."

She coughed and more blood came pouring out. "You're the idiot. You didn't have to follow me in the first place. You should have just stayed in the cabin."

He rolled his eyes. "You're going to be alright, okay? Just shut up. We're getting you to the hospital."

"Whatever you say." Her eyes started to flit close.

"Mikan! Mikan! Stay awake. Come on, please!" He pleaded as a single tear trickled down his face. "I love you."

She merely smiled before letting her eyes droop close.

-o-

NOT THE END, okay? Just a cliffie. :D

Anyway, could you do me a favor and review? That would be awesome of you. The really nice reviews I reply to, although in PM.