I am back with the next chapter. Thank you for reading this crossover fic. I kind of expected that this will not going to receive some reviews unlike the others but it's okay. I just love writing and writing I shall be.
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.
Chapter 6: The Lone Cat
Chapter Summary: She was beginning to like cats. They were some kind of comforting and she wanted to take care of them… even though they had different attitudes.
It had been two weeks since the incident happened to her and she had been training for one week to control her unexpected power. Mikan and Natsume took turns whoever trained her. The others would just watch and see her development but mostly, it was always Ryoma who would stay behind.
They couldn't stay together every day or else the others would get suspicious about it. She told Ryoma that she was fine and he didn't need to stay and watch her practice.
But the boy insisted to stay and told her that he had got nothing to do after practice so entertaining himself with the new revelation was a good idea for him. Ryoma had been her audience since then.
What she was worried about was Natsume's condition whenever they would train in the garden. Mikan had previously told them about his fourth shape alice. And the type was a dangerous one that could lead him to his own death if he acted recklessly. Everytime they practice, Natsume would run out of breath and most of time, clenching his shirt. He must've used his alice for longer than expected despite that Mikan was always there to stop him whenever he was using his alice for more than that he could handle.
She must do something about it.
She didn't want to see him like that. She would end up worrying about him whenever they practiced. Natsume had done a lot of things for her. Even though, he was rude towards her, he still considering about teaching her how to fight back. She believed what Mikan said. Natsume was cold on the outside but he was nice in the inside. She wanted to thank the boy of what he had done for her. A simple gesture would be nice as she thought.
She looked to her side where he was sitting. He was busy reading his manga at that very moment. Their first period had just finished so they had a little time for themselves before the next class. She took a deep breath before she voiced her thoughts.
"N-Natsume-kun…"
He didn't reply to her but he looked at her from the corner of his eye before he went back to reading.
"Where do you eat lunch with Mikan-chan?"
Natsume looked at her with a questioning expression to his face.
"A-anou…" She looked away as she tried to reason out, "I… I want to do something for you—in return of helping me out, that is."
"You don't have to do anything. Just protect yourself." He coldly said closing the book in the process as well as his eyes.
"But still, I want to something," She leaned closer catching his attention, "Please, come to the rooftop tomorrow during lunch; I'll make you a bento."
"What?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I'll make one for Mikan-chan as well," Sakuno was determined to convince him, "It's my way of saying thank you."
"Tsk." Natsume only grunted. He then went back from reading and totally ignored her afterwards.
Sakuno was glad at his reaction. She knew that he agreed even though he acted ignorant after that. At least she had convinced him to come.
Later on:
"Sakuno, come on, we're going to be late!" Tomoka called out to her. The girl was already outside of the classroom while she was still packing her things up.
"I am coming," She said as she grabbed her bag and ran to her, "Sorry to keep you wait."
"You're such a slowpoke," Tomoka commented, "Learn to haste, will you?"
"You know that I can't haste things right away," Sakuno looked at her, "Besides, Natsume-kun's not here to help me clean out today."
"He's your partner, right," Tomoka agreed as she nodded. She looked at her afterwards, "Tell me Sakuno, do you have a crush on him?"
"W-what?" She blushed when Tomoka suddenly asked that.
"You always stick to him. I always see you talking to him and you blush," Tomoka said, "He's a hottie and his cold attitude adds his good looks. That's why everybody admires him."
"H-he's my partner at everything! That's all!" She defended herself.
"Chill out girl, I am just joking," Tomoka chuckled, "It would be a problem if you are. What about Ryoma-sama?"
She blinked her eyes as she looked at her, "What about him?"
"What about him?" She repeated with a shock on her face, "Sakuno, we know that you have a crush on him so it will be totally a problem if your attention will be divided between them."
"T-tomoka-chan!" She blushed really hard, "Lower your voice down. W-why are you saying that all of the sudden? You have a crush on him too."
"Mine is only for admiration," Tomoka said placing her hands to her cheek, "But yours is for affection so are different."
She blushed even more at her best friend's comment, "Mou… Tomo-chan."
Tomok giggled, "You're really cute when you blush like that."
"Stop it already," She ran ahead of her, "L-let's go, we're already late."
"It's your fault you know," Tomoka shook her head as she followed her, "I hope we could still see Ryoma-sama play in the court."
Next morning:
"That pervert, I can't believe him," Mikan retorted as she walked her way to the school, "He left me leaving with a note that he would go ahead. What a jerk!"
"A-anou…"
She looked at the person who called her. A smile was formed from her frowned face when she spotted Sakuno approaching her, "Oh hi! Sakuno. Good morning!"
"G-good morning," Sakuno greeted back, "Ummm… you're on your own?"
"Well, Natsume left me," Mikan grunted as she pouted at the same time, "We had a small fight last night, you see."
"Y-you fought with him?" She asked her.
Mikan nodded, "He just ripped of my und—err my clothes. I hate him."
"Eh?"
"That pervert gotta get it when I see him today."
"M-Mikan-chan?"
"It's normal for us to be like that," She closed her eyes as she thought of something, "He's just so difficult to understand sometimes," She opened her eyes and then smiled at her, "So don't worry about it."
"I… I could see that." She sweat dropped as she said that.
"What about you and Ryoma-san?"
"E-Eh?"
"You seem to be getting along with him."
Sakuno flushed as she flailed her hands in front of her, "I-ie… he's the same like Natsume-kun," She fidgeted with her fingers as she blushed, "But I guess he's not a pervert or something." She just whispered her last sentence so she didn't know whether Mikan heard her or not.
"Well, let's go," Mikan said grabbing the girl's hand and dragged her to the entrance gate, "We don't want to be late, do we?"
Lunch Break:
She asked Natsume to go to the rooftop that time. The boy was no longer in the classroom as the bell rang for the lunch time so she assumed that he was already at the rooftop. She promised him that she would make him a bento that day just to give him thanks for everything. She just hoped that the boy would appreciate her effort.
She immediately went to the rooftop. She told Tomoka that she was going to find him to give her his bento resulting for another tease from her. She gave out reasons as possible because she didn't want to be misunderstood.
But she couldn't tell her the real reason why they had to be seen together. She had to even though she felt guilty hiding it from her best friend.
As she opened the door to the rooftop, she immediately spotted the boy there, lying on the cold tiles with his eyes closed. The manga that he was reading was just flatly lied beside him. She gave him a weak smile. What the boy doing at that very moment reminded her of Ryoma. He did the same thing when he was there alone on the rooftop as well.
"N-Natsume-kun?"
Upon hearing his name, he opened an eye and looked at her. She used that chance to walk closer to the boy.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," She sat beside the lying boy, "I made you a bento as promised." She then placed the bento beside him.
"Why are you bothering yourself doing this?" Natsume suddenly asked her sitting in the process.
"I-it's the least that I could do," She answered looking down, "For helping me out."
"I tried to attack you before." He commented.
Sakuno looked at him, "I—I know but that was just an impulse… and you surprised me. I think Natsume-kun is such a kind person."
"Tsk," He grunted as he looked away, "You don't know me."
"That's true too," She answered, "But I am slowly getting to know you… and Mikan-chan as well."
He just silently looked at her before he focused at the bento in front of her.
"G-go on," Sakuno said smiling in the process, "Tabe yo."
Natsume opened the bento and saw different food inside. Sakuno opened hers as well and they silently started eating their lunch not until Sakuno broke it.
"A-anou…" She started trying to think a good approach to ask him, "I heard that… you had a fight with Mikan-chan last night."
"That doesn't concern you."
"I… I am sorry," She looked down as she bit her lower lip, "I am just a bit worried that's why."
"…"
"I hope that you two are okay now."
"We're just like that," Natsume looked away as he placed a hand to his chin, "Getting angry just because I ripped her underwear."
"U—underwear?" She blushed really hard when he said that.
"It's was only an accident."
"N-Natsume-kun b-but that's…" She couldn't look at him now. But that's really… no wonder she's mad at you.
"I am done," He said standing up, "Thanks."
"W-wait…" She called up to him.
"What?"
She stood up as well, "A-are you okay now?"
"W-what do you mean?" He stoically asked him.
"A-about what happened the last time…"
"…"
"…"
"I am fine," Natsume answered after a few minutes of silence, "Stop worrying about me, will you. I can take care of myself." With that he continued walking to the door and went in.
"But you are pretty stubborn to do that. No wonder that Mikan-chan worries about you." She pouted as she said that to herself. Natsume didn't tell her what really happened to him that day. But she had an instinct that he had a fight from someone at the academy he belonged to. Whoever the person was, she didn't have a clue. Sighing, she decided to pack their bentos and went down the stairs as well.
Unbeknownst to them, there was another person that was just resting at the other side of the rooftop and heard everything that they talked about.
Later on:
"They are on it again?" Eiji commented as they watched the two transfer students bickering to each other.
"Well, senpai, you should get used to it by now," Momo said as he watched them as well, "We always see them like that anyway."
"Like the two sets of fight we've often seen." Inui said scribbling something as usual.
"What do you mean, senpai?" Momo asked him.
Inui pushed his glasses to his nose, "You should know that yourself Momoshiro."
"Eh?"
"It's about Momo and Kaidoh." Eiji whispered to Ryoma.
Ryoma just smirked at the information. He was also thinking the same thing. They just watched them bicker as it was a normal scene to watch. Their practice was just over and they thought of going home that time. He was about to leave them alone when the braided-pigtailed girl went closer to them and tried to stop the two.
"Ryuzaki-chan's their medium?" Fuji asked as he too watched the scene at that time.
"Look at them," Eiji said pointing at the three people near the court, "She's trying to make them get along."
Curious, he looked at them as well. He didn't know if it was for the timing or not but he saw how the braided-pigtailed girl grab the raven haired guy's and the pigtailed girl's hands and joined them together. Natsume was shouting at her but she was just smiling and trying to convince him. And so as Mikan.
"It looks like she's the solution to their problem." Oishi said as he smiled at the scene. They were calmly talking right now.
"Yeah, Oishi doesn't need to help them anymore." Eiji said nodding.
"What do you mean by that?" Oishi looked at his partner. Eiji was just smiling at him, "Eiji!"
They continued watching the scene until Natsume himself didn't let go of Mikan's hand as they started to walk away. Ryoma could see how the pigtailed girl blushed as she was being dragged by the boy. Sakuno was happy to see them getting along with each other. Seeing enough, he turned his back on them and grabbed his duffel bag.
"Where are you going Echizen?" Momo asked him.
"Home." He shortly said not planning to stop. He had seen enough of the day.
Really, he had seen enough.
Night:
She was feeling a little nervous for some reason and she didn't know why. She had an instinct that something might happen again just like the first time. Sitting on the bed, she thought of something to do. She felt something different inside her and she didn't like it. Her thoughts were cut when something caught her eyes. There was a light near her window. She stared at it until it disappeared. As everything had calmed down, she slowly walked her way to the window and looked outside.
But there was nothing unusual.
Just as the light disappeared, her eerie feeling disappeared as well. Her face frowned when she spotted something flash at the corner of the street.
We will meet soon.
She was taken aback when she heard someone talked to her, "W-who are you?" she asked but the person didn't reply anymore. The person used telepathy for a short while and she was able to receive it. Whoever that was, that person might be powerful that even her who didn't have the ability to talk in their minds was able to do so.
Her feeling seemed to calm down and she knew that she could breathe as well. But she knew that she mustn't let her guard down. It was not the right time to act free and let things like that. She almost jumped when her phone suddenly rang. She immediately grabbed it and answered the phone without seeing who the caller was.
'H-hai!'
'Did something happen?'
Her eyes widened when she recognized the voice, 'R-Ryoma-kun?'
'Aa.'
'A-anou… I…' She blushed when she heard the person's voice. It was actually the first time he called her. They had been exchanging messages through mails and it was rarely happening between them. They asked for each number afterwards.
And now he was calling her for the first time. His voice looked cool even on the phone.
'Did something happen?' He repeated.
Her thoughts were cut when he spoke, 'Something happened, your right.' She then told him everything from the light that appeared outside her window to the voice that talked to her a while ago.
Silence was erupted after she explained everything to him but not until he broke it;
'You didn't tell me.' He firmly said.
'G-gomenasai, I… I was about to b-but you beat me up to it.'
'Tell me, before or during the occurrences not after.'
She sat up to her bed once again still clutching the phone to her ear, 'H-hai… I… I will.' Ryoma called because he sensed it? But how did he know about that? 'H-how did you know, Ryoma-kun? How did you know about today?'
'... Instinct.'
'Eh?'
'I was right after all.'
'What do you mean?' She asked him. Sometimes, his answer was not compatible to her question so she didn't ask him most of the time.
'Ne…'
'H-hai…'
'On Sunday morning at the park.'
'Eh?' She blinked her eyes twice. She didn't know what he was talking about. Her heart was beating fast and this time it was the normal kind of beating that she was feeling at that very moment. He was up to something and he made it clear for her.
'I'll bring Karupin there.'
'Y-your cat?' Her eyes widened when he mentioned about his cat.
'Un.'
'Hai…' She smiled at the thought. She was going to see Ryoma and his cat on Sunday. She still remembered that Karupin liked her just like what Ryoma told her. Was that the reason why he wanted to bring Karupin in the park on Sunday? She didn't know but the thought of seeing them together was enough for her to blush really hard, 'I—I'll see you on Sunday then.'
'Un, ja.'
Ryoma dropped the call after that. She was still in a daze as she looked at her apparatus. She didn't know what really happened. No, she couldn't believe it. Her face flushed to the fullest as she thought of something.
He wasn't asking her for a date, was he?
She immediately buried her face to her pillow to suppress her feelings. She knew that it was impossible and he was bringing Karupin with him too. But the thought of seeing him, the only person that she was going to see on Sunday happened to be him. She was panicking once again.
She had to admit it. She was looking forward of seeing Ryoma and Karupin on Sunday. She was excited about it.
Meanwhile:
"It's already been a month, why aren't we doing something to retrieve them?' A person talked to someone that night. The whole place was dark and it was their temporary hideout for the meantime.
"Let them enjoy the power for a while," The other person said, "That girl could be a good use when the time comes. They are actually making us the favor."
"We only need to stones," The person said with a little hint of showing concern, "We don't have to drag her in."
The other one looked where the person was talking, "What are we going to do then? Do you want to force the stones out from her body?"
The person cursed, "This is harder that we thought, "Why did she have to absorb the stones? She's only putting herself in danger even more."
The other person smirked at the companion, "You still have a soft heart, don't you know that? Considering that you have—"
"Don't you even think about completing you sentences," The person said cutting the other person's words, "You know my goal and that's to take her away from the academy and live a normal life outside."
"I know that," The person said looking at the window, "That's why I am with you."
"I'll need the girl's help now that she has the alice stones inside her body," The person stood up as well, "We really don't have a choice but to use her."
"…Even though you know the consequences?"
The person sighed, "I am not that bad so we will just control her," And then looked at the other person, "And I need your help for that."
The person smirked at the other and said, "Were partners in crime so leave it to me," The person looked outside the window and told the companion something, "I visited her today and I think that she was that easy to manipulate."
"Really?"
"Yes," The person agreed while staring at the people walking below them, "I'll give her a test when we meet again."
"A test?"
"We will play some games," The person's eyes had playfully eyed the people below as well, "While we're at it."
The other person was just continuing looking below. No one said a word after that. They both know that coming to that world was pretty a big risk for them. They were not only dealing with the girl who had possessed the stones that they were looking for but they were also dealing with the people that the other person didn't want to fight with.
How the other person wished that everything would turn out according to plan and if it was worth harming to vessel of the stones, they wouldn't mind doing it.
They had entered a serious war after all.
Done! How was this chapter? Mysterious, isn't it? Who are the two people talking at the last part? Can you guess? Something will happen next week, find that out. Domo… ^_^
Reviews please… I need to know your thoughts… Thank you very much.
Next Chapter: A Date with the Enemy