Hi! I am back with the new chapter. I don't know what to write next but anyway. I hope you like this.
DISCLAIMER: The Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi-sensei and Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana-san. All rights reserved to the both of them.
Marika - Well, that question will be answered in the future... but I guess that it is to be hinted here... I hope you'll notice it... well, this is the next chapter... Thank you very much... ^_^
Chapter 4: Momo and Fuji
Chapter Summary: Their most trusted friends and senpais butted in. But then, was everything going to be alright?
It was really early that morning that she decided to practice her tennis. What she had witnessed yesterday gave her enough boosts to strive to become better. She didn't want to be left alone and just like what Ryoma said, she still had long ways to go.
That was why she was practicing really hard that morning.
She was pretty focused at her activity that she didn't notice someone was approaching her. She shrieked when the person grabbed her from the back and talked;
"Ohayou, Sakuno!"
"M-Mikan-chan!" She blushed as she recognized the girl's voice, "D-don't startle me like that."
"Gomen, gomen," Mikan grinned at her, "You were too absorbed with your practice that's why you didn't sense my presence."
"I… I guess…" She said as she weakly smiled at her. Mikan released her after that, "Y-you're early too."
Mikan nodded, "I am thinking of playing tennis too and then I saw you."
"I… I see," She replied fidgeting with her racket, "Mikan-chan is such a great tennis player."
"Eh?"
"I… I admire you that's why I am trying my best to practice too."
Mikan just looked at her all fidgety. Suddenly, she grabbed her hands and squeezed them, "I enjoyed playing sports Sakuno, and I know that you'll do well too."
"Mikan-chan."
"You practice a lot and I admire you as well."
"I… I am not—"
"As long as you enjoy tennis, there's no doubt that you'll be good at it, right?" Mikan closed her eyes as she smiled at her.
Sakuno looked at her for a few seconds before she gave her a smile as well, "Hai."
"Well, shall we play?"
"Eh?"
"Play me, Sakuno."
"E-eeeh!" That was all she could reply as she was being dragged at the center of the court. She couldn't protest at the energetic girl in front of her. And she couldn't reject her after all.
Mikan's sweet smile was contagious that it was impossible to resist. She liked the girl a lot.
Unknown to them, a certain amber eyes kid was currently watching them from a corner where he couldn't see by them. He tipped the brim of his hat as he smirked before leaving the place for them.
Later on:
'Sensei,' Mikan called out due to telepathy. Her inventor best friend from Alice academy gave her and Natsume some telepathy earplugs to keep with the communication between two worlds, 'Do you know when I can pull the stones out from Sakuno? One year is too long for her… for us.'
'I know,' The person from the other line answered, 'But you have to be patient, Mikan. We have to be careful not to harm the innocent girl.'
'You're right,' Mikan adjusted the earplugs as she looked down, 'But still…'
'I know that you are worried,' The person said again, 'But for the meantime, protect her. That's all you could do for now.'
"Hai,' She smiled this time forgetting her worries as she replied, 'Thank you Narumi-sensei.'
'Be careful Mikan-chan, I'll see you soon.' Narumi sang the last phrase before they ended the call.
Mikan chuckled as she removed the earplugs to her ears, "That Narumi-sensei…"
"What did that idiot say?"
Mikan turned her head around and saw Natsume walking to her direction, "Natsume, don't call him that!" She inserted the earplugs to her pocket before she replied to him, "The protection program is still progressing. We still need to keep an eye on Sakuno."
"Tsk," Natsume looked away as he narrowed his eyes, "What a bothersome kid."
"Hey, she's not bothersome, you know," Mikan defended, "She's just a mere victim," Her voice lowered down as her expression changed, "Of my actions…"
She was not looking at him so she didn't know his reaction. Natsume wasn't saying anything as well. They kept like that when she heard him shift from his position and finally talked;
"Why didn't you tell them everything?"
"Eh?"
"About the stones inside her body…"
Her eyes widened when he said that. She looked down as she bit her lower lip, "She would be freaked out if I told her."
"She has to know."
"I am aware of that," She looked at him, "Just… just give me time to tell her. I just hope that she will not use the stone at all cost."
He didn't say anything after that. He turned around and walked away.
"W-where are you going? Natsume?" Mikan panicked a little.
"What do you mean 'where am I going?'" He looked at her and gave her his cold stare, "Second class is about to start, polka dots."
"AH!" Mikan flinched, "I totally forgot. And don't call me that!"
"Whatever." With that they both descended the stairs away from the rooftop.
After School Practice:
"Ne, Echizen," Momo said leaning closer to the boy, "Do you think that something's odd about Hyuuga?"
Ryoma who had just taken a sip of his ponta, looked at him, "How odd you mean?"
Momoshiro blinked as he observed the raven-haired boy. Natsume's eyes were originally brown when he was calm but seeing that he was somewhat pissed, it was red today, "I think he has some kind of magic," He looked back at him and conveyed his thoughts, "He can change the color of his eyes, is that possible?"
"You're daydreaming, senpai."
"I am not!" Momo said.
"They are just contact lenses."
"Eh?"
"He's wearing one today."
Momo blinked once again, "You sure about that?"
"I've been wondering about that too."
Both of them looked at the approaching senpai to their location.
"You think so too, Fuji-senpai?" Momo asked the tensai.
Fuji observed the boy as the latter was rallying on the wall with full force, "I could see fire in his eyes at that very moment."
"Contact lenses." Ryoma insisted.
"How can you be so sure about that?" Momo retorted once again.
Fuji ignored their changed of words as he observed the new transfer student. Something was awfully mysterious about the scarlet eyed lad in front of them. Natsume was colder than Ryoma as he had proven days ago. Unlike Ryoma, he thought that he could hurt someone who would mess up with him. That was his pre-judgment about the guy. I better keep an eye about this Hyuuga guy then.
xxx
She went to the library after the class hour that day. Tomoka invited her to come and see the match in the court. She only shook her head telling her that she needed to do things today and she couldn't see them play. Besides, she had some practicing to do as well.
She was planning to join the ranking tournament this month.
She wanted to improve her skills more. She wanted to show them that she could do it too. She wanted to show Ryoma that she could do well in tennis… even just a little and she would do her best for the sake of her tennis.
She was a few steps closer to the library when a guy that was clad in black suddenly appeared in front of her, startling her in the process.
"Ryuzaki Sakuno, right?" The man in black asked.
She felt tensed when the guy talked. It was the same feeling she had just like when she first met Natsume for the first time. She took a step back, "W-who are you?"
"I came here for the stones."
"W-what...?"
"Just cooperate and let me take them from you." The guy took a step closer to her.
Sakuno walked back at the same time. She then remembered the consequences of the stones being taken away from her. She had to get away from the guy. She felt danger at that time. Without saying another word, she pivoted and ran opposite to the guy's direction.
Meanwhile:
"Fuji-senpai, Momo-senpai will treat us to burgers today." Ryoma said smirking in the process.
"I—I did not!" Momo said looking at him. They were on their way to exit the school that day. The rest had gone home and they decided to stay for a few minutes. Momo had invited him to eat burgers with him so he assumed that it was going to be his treat, "We will just eat together."
"But you invited us, and I accepted." Ryoma boringly said raising his hands to his head closing his eyes in the process.
"Why you—"
"Ne, isn't that Ryuzaki-chan?" Fuji said suddenly catching their attention, "Why is she running on the corridor?"
Both of them looked at the direction he was pointing at. Momo was curious about it while Ryoma became wide-eyed.
"W-who is that?" Momo pointed the black man that was tailing the girl.
Ryoma followed his hands as well and this time he knew that something was wrong. He lowly cursed but enough for them to hear it before he dashed to that direction.
"Echizen!"
He heard them call his name at the same time but he ignored it. He continued running to the direction where Sakuno was at definite full speed.
Fuji and Momo looked at each other before they decided to follow their kouhai. They also know that something was wrong about the situation. Ryoma was never that worried about something, let alone to a girl.
Meanwhile:
A sting from her arm made her stop from running. She stumbled as she grabbed her left arm with her right hand. She bit her lower lip to suppress a scream.
"Give it up Ryuzaki Sakuno," The guy said who had just shot her, "That was a stun shot I gave you. You would not be able to move for ten minutes."
Trembling, she tried to look at him with so much effort. What was going to happen now? Was having stones inside her would put her in danger? How was she going to get through this?
"With this stealing alice stone that I 'temporarily' I got," The man said as she heard him, "You have no escape now."
She flinched when the black man was just in front of her. Her eyes widened when his hand was slowly reaching her there. She couldn't find her voice or even gasp. She was in the merge of closing her eyes when a ball was being hit straight to the guy's face. With still the effort of moving which was surprisingly easy contrast to the guy's instruction, she was able to look at the direction where the ball came from and was really glad to see the amber eyes kid not far from them.
"R-Ryoma-kun..." She was able to whisper his name despite her condition.
"Stay away from her." Ryoma said positioning for another serve just in case.
The man recovered from the hit and stood up, "You got a strong serve out there, boy," He said wiping the dirt the ball created to his face, "But not enough to beat me."
"Hmmm," He said as he dribbled another ball, "We'll see about that."
But before he could do another serve, footsteps caught their attention. Sakuno could see Fuji and Momo ascending the stairs where Ryoma was standing. They wore confusion to their faces as they looked at the scene in front of him.
"What's going on?" Fuji said looking at Ryoma, "Who's the guy, Echizen?"
"I wish I knew." Ryoma glared at the guy.
The guy cursed as he stood straight, "Seems like I have to retreat for now," He said as a portal appeared to his back making their senpais wide eye at the scene, "This is not over yet. My master will definitely take the stones no matter what." With that he disappeared together with the portal.
"H-he disappeared," Momo pointed, "W-what was happening here?"
"Sakuno, Ryoma-san!"
Their confused look turned to a direction where Mikan and Natsume came from. It seemed that they sensed the danger as well. When Mikan saw Sakuno on the floor, she immediately ran to her.
"Are you alright?" Mikan asked showing a hint of concern to her voice.
Sakuno nodded as she removed her right hand, "I—I was shot by a stun gun but it disappeared."
The others walked closer to her and were shocked when she said her words. Sakuno was even surprised at the turn of events.
"T-that's your second alice," Mikan unbelievably said as she tremblingly touched her supposed to be injured arm, "It healed you."
"What's going on here?" Fuji asked again as he was beginning to get suspicious.
"Her life is in danger." Natsume suddenly blurted the information.
"What?!" Fuji and Momo reacted at the same time.
"Baka!" Mikan shouted at him, "D-don't say things like that! I can't believe you."
"Can you explain everything, why is Ryuzaki-chan's in danger?" Momo said as he looked at Mikan, "Who's that guy and what's with the portal thingy?" Momo's eyes widened when he remembered something, "You two were in the same portal before right after we met? No wonder that you two looked familiar to me. A-and what are you saying about stuff and healing?"
Sakuno looked at them before she looked back to Mikan. Ryoma remained quiet and was not going to explain any minute now. Mikan sighed as she helped her stand up and looked at Natsume. The latter was giving her the silent treatment urging her to continue.
"To make the long story short," She looked at the two with a serious face, "Natsume and I are not in this world."
Fuji's cerulean eyes opened while Momo flinched. Seeing not saying anything, she continued;
"We're from the Alice Academy from a different world."
"I don't get anything?" Momo said as he walked closer to Sakuno and looked at her supposed to be injured arm, "Ryuzaki-chan? What's happening to you?"
"Senpai…" She looked down as she couldn't explain herself.
"She's an alice user now, just like us." Natsume suddenly blurted making them to look at him.
"Alice user?" Fuji looked at Natsume, "What's that?"
Mikan approached him, "Fuji-senpai, let's go the rooftop where no one could hear us," She looked at the rest as she continued speaking, "We'll explain everything there."
Several moments later:
They were speechless for a few seconds. They had heard everything, from the necklace until the assault a while ago. Sakuno was looking down as she bit her lower lip. Her arm was completely healed at that very moment. It felt like it wasn't shot and experienced an unbearable pain a while ago. Ryoma was just sitting beside her. Natsume was standing not far from them and was silently listening to Mikan's explanation.
"She can use alice, just like you." Momo said, almost saying that to himself.
"Seems like it," Mikan said as she looked at Sakuno, "The wound from her arm healed by itself. That proven the power she currently possesses."
Momo crossed his arms and closed his eyes at the same time, "I would have been said that it's cool if Ryuzaki-chan wasn't in danger."
"What's going to happen now?" Fuji said looking at them, "This is something not to be ignored."
"I know, that's why we are keeping an eye on her," Mikan said looking at them, "We won't let something bad happen to Sakuno."
"Did you know all of this from the beginning?" Momo said looking at Ryoma.
Ryoma who had been remained silent all through the discussion spoke for the first time, "Not until I gave her the necklace."
"We should train her," Natsume suddenly said catching their attention, "How to fight back."
"W-what?!" All of them reacted at the same time.
"F-fight back?" Sakuno was tensed at that moment, "B-but I don't know how—"
"That's why we are going to train you." Natsume cut her off.
"I guess that's a good idea," Mikan said grabbing her hands in the process, "We will teach you how to use the barrier alice, Sakuno."
Sakuno looked at her with doubt in her eyes, "I… I don't know…"
"It'll be okay," She said as she gave her a weak smile, "The barrier will protect you all the time."
"I've been bothered by something," Fuji suddenly said making the girls to look at him, "How did the stones appear in this world?"
Mikan was surprised at his question. She was not prepared about answering that but she still did, "An anti-alice user tried to steal those alice stones from the academy but before they could steal it, I asked my senpai to hide it for the meantime but I didn't know that he sent it to a different world."
"Why would they want the stones in the first place? Is it powerful?" Fuji asked again.
"It's the healing alice," Natsume answered for her, "Healing alice can make the person recover in no time. They need a healing alice user to provide energy when they fight."
"They fight? For what reason?" Momo asked this time.
"It's the school's issue," Mikan continued, "The anti-alice members are totally against at our school's rules and they want the school to change their management or to completely close it for good."
"An anti-alice user who uses alice? Isn't that a bit cliché?" Momo wondered as he looked at Ryoma, "Don't you think so?"
Ryoma just grunted at his question.
"I am sorry about dragging you into this," Mikan said looking at Sakuno, "It's all my fault why you are in this mess."
Sakuno looked back at her and squeezed the girl's hands, "Don't be, Mikan-chan. I'll be fine."
"Just promise me that you'll tell us if you are in danger," Mikan assured her, "You just have to release some of your alice powers and we could sense you, just like what you did a while ago."
"B-but I didn't know what I did a while ago." She blushed a little.
"Don't worry, I'll teach you how."
Sakuno smiled back at her. Mikan then looked at the two;
"Fuji-senpai, Momo-senpai, please keep this a secret from everyone," Mikan pleaded to them, "We can't let anyone know that Sakuno has the alice stones inside her. It's for her safety."
Fuji stared at her for a while before he finally closed his eyes and replied at her, "Don't worry, Sakura-san. This won't be divulged within this area."
"We will protect Ryuzaki-chan at all cost too," Momo said as he grabbed Ryoma to his neck, "right, Echizen?"
Mikan smiled back at them. She could see Ryoma tried to break free from Momo's grip. She looked at Fuji and replied;
"Arigatou senpai. And please call me Mikan."
He smiled this time, "Alright, Mikan-san… Mikan-chan then." He immediately changed it when she pouted.
"We should go," Natsume cut them, "We stayed enough here. I don't want to catch another attention."
"Natsume's right," Mikan agreed, "We should go back."
Ryoma and the others nodded. They left the rooftop after that having the same thought in their mind.
At the gate:
"Where do you stay, Mikan-chan ?" Fuji asked as they stood in front of the entrance gate of the school.
"Well, Natsume and I are living in an apartment for the meantime. Narumi-sensei helped us to get a living in this world." Mikan explained.
"Who's Narumi-sensei?" Sakuno asked her.
Mikan faced her as she smiled, "He's our teacher at Gakuen Alice."
"I see…" She replied as she saw Natsume grunt after Mikan said that.
"You two live together?" Momo asked this time.
"Well… sort of." Mikan said blushing a little.
"We live together." Natsume corrected her.
"Natsume!"
"What?"
"Stop saying embarrassing things." Mikan looked at him.
"I do not."
The four of them watched them bicker. They sweat dropped as they watched the scene.
"C-could it be…" Momo wondered.
"Yeah," Fuji agreed smiling in the process, "They are…"
"They are what?" Ryoma asked them not knowing what they were talking about. Fuji just smiled while Momo sighed at Ryoma's obliviousness. Sakuno shyly looked away as she too could understand what was happening. He raised an eyebrow in the end, almost grunting for not receiving any replies from them.
"We should go home now," Mikan said after the little fight they had, "You should go home too, Sakuno. We will practice first thing in the morning."
"H-hai…" She nodded. She would have the practice about using the alice inside her. That meant she wouldn't be able to practice tennis for a while? She looked down as the two started walking away.
"We need to go as well," Fuji said looking at Momo, "See you tomorrow."
"I'll go with you senpai," Momo said catching his senpais message, "See you two tomorrow."
"B-bye…" Sakuno replied looking at them.
"Heh…" Ryoma grunted before he turned around and walked away.
Sakuno looked at him as she sensed him leaving the area. She blinked several times. A lot had happened to her and miraculously, she was not panicking at all. She was worried though. What will happen to her now? Would she be able to get through with all of this? She didn't know. All she knew at that moment was her heart was beating really fast.
"Ryuzaki…"
Then her heart skipped a beat.
"What are you doing? Let's go."
She flinched a little as she recovered fast, "H-hai…" She caught up to him afterwards.
"Next time…"
"Eh?"
"Be sure to let me know," Ryoma said tipping his hat down, "Let me be the first to know."
She blinked twice not really getting what he was pointing at.
"And I'll make sure that I'll come."
She looked at him for a few seconds before she realized what he was saying. Blush crept to her face as she slowly nodded, "H-hai… arigatou Ryoma-kun."
"Un." He shortly replied. They walked together with the comfortable silence after that.
Later on:
"What are you sulking about?" Natsume asked to her that night. She was just leaning on the wall using her feet to push her there while her hands were behind her back. Natsume was already lying on his bed ready to sleep.
Their apartment had two bedrooms and one bathroom. They had their personalized ref and a small dining room. The unit was pretty perfect for the both of them. Not really admitting it, he was impressed at the stupid-Naru that he knew for giving them the room.
"I am worried… about Sakuno," She said looking down showing concern at her own thoughts, "And I am scared for her... now that the stone is working inside her."
"…"
"I was the one who put her in that situation. If I could just get those stones from her body using my stealing alice, I should've done that a long time ago."
"…"
"If… it hadn't for her I…"
"…"
"…"
"You worry too much, polka dots."
"And why I mustn't?" Mikan looked at him. Natsume stood up and walked away from the bed. She looked away as she continued talking, "Those stones are highly important for the organization that they want them that badly a-and Sakuno have them inside her."
Natsume stood up and walked closer to her. He placed a hand on the wall near her face making her to look at him. His eyes were intensely staring at her, "At least she's someone that we could trust with the stones."
"N-Natsume…" She blushed at their closed proximity.
"She'll never use it in bad terms if we teach her."
She was able to look at him and observed his expression. The fire alice user was serious when he said that. She gave him a smile before she finally hugged him, "Maybe you are right. I know that she'll be fine."
"Heh…" Natsume smirked but he never said anything. He hugged her back instead.
"Arigatou, Natsume."
"Mikan," Natsume said and it was nice to hear her name from his lips and he often said her name that way, let alone calling her that way. He then leaned away from her and turned around, "I can't feel your front. Are you really a girl?"
"W-what?"
"You need to work on that," With that he went back to his bed and lied down once again, "You can start tomorrow, oyasumi."
Mikan was shocked when he said that. If she was blushing because of their proximity before, she was blushing now before of fury. She closed her eyes before she opened them again and retorted at the now sleeping Natsume.
"NATSUMEEEE, YOU PERVERT IDIOT!"
The night became comical between them involving the other units of the apartment.
Done! How was this chapter? I don't know what to write next. I hope it'll work out. If you remember the time where Momo and Eiji were there when they first met Mikan and Natsume, Eiji was pretty oblivious about it yet and I am thinking whether what to do to him in this fic… Let's just wait and see.
Just for clearance, the guy who attacked Sakuno here wasn't the main antagonist. He was just an underling so that proven when he mentioned about his 'master'. Sigh... I hope this will work out... Domo...
Reviews please… I need to hear your thoughts. Domo… ^_^
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYUZAKI SAKUNO, by the way... ^_^
Next Chapter: Training Regimen