Hi! I am back with the new chapter. I hope you enjoy this… Domo…
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.
AnimeMango - tee hee hee... thank you very much... I am glad to hear that from you. Well, expect an update every Tuesday morning... As long as my ideas are allowing me to create them... Thank you once again... ^_^
Chapter 9: Unexpected Visitors from Another world
Chapter Summary: They were shocked as people were slowly invading their own world. But that wasn't the main reason why she was having doubts at that very moment…
Her eyes were still widened and her heart was beating really fast. She gripped the sheet of her bed with her hand while her other hand was on his chest. His lips were touching hers.
Natsume was kissing her.
Her face was utterly red. She had never imagined that he could kiss her at all. They always fought and he was a pervert. Could she consider at what he was doing to her right now was a perverse activity? She didn't know.
She was confused as she thought at that very moment that Natsume was being somewhat romantic… with the kiss he was giving her. She decided to close her eyes when she realized that he wasn't going to stop until later and would think the consequences after.
Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka!
The sound of a gun being fired to their direction especially at Natsume's head that caused them to separate from each other. She fell back on the bed while Natsume landed on the floor.
"I believe that I only told you to keep an eye on her not to harass her like that."
Upon hearing the voice, she shot back up and looked at the door. Her eyes widened when she recognized the people there.
"I see that you are doing fine," The other person said at her, still shocked at the scene they had just witnessed, "Sakura."
Her expression changed into something glad and widely smiled, "Hotaru! Ruka-pyon!"
The girl called Hotaru looked at her, "Keep your voice down."
Mikan didn't listen to her instead she jumped from her bed and reached for her, "Hotaru! I missed you so muc—"
Baka! Baka!
She landed on the floor as well as she received two blows from Hotaru's baka gun.
"You never changed."
Mikan slowly sat up as she held on to her head, "B-but I truly missed you… a lot." She looked down trying to hold her tears to fall.
Hotaru looked at her. She was blushing at that very moment and was at the edge of crying as well. She knew why she was acting like that. The raven haired girl looked at the person who was responsible of her vulnerability and glared at him.
Natsume was still sitting on the ground and was just looking at the almost crying girl. He knew that her stupid best friend was glaring at her but he ignored it. In the end, he stood up and looked at Ruka. The blonde boy was probably shocked at the scene that they saw when they first arrived there. He was blushing as he petted his rabbit in his arms. He sighed and inserted his hands to his pocket.
"What are you doing here?"
"You are taking too long," Hotaru eyed him, "And I was right about going to this place. You are taking advantage of the situation."
Natsume scoffed as he looked away. Ruka looked away as well. Hotaru and Ruka just saw the two of them kissing a while ago. Who wouldn't feel awkward about that?
"H-Hotaru…"
Hotaru looked at Mikan who was looking stupid in her eyes. Sighing, she walked closer to her and crouched in front of her, "You idiot, stop acting like that. You look ridiculous."
Mikan bit her lower lip before she jumped on her. She couldn't stop crying as she hugged her best friend. Hotaru let her and hugged her back. She let out a tiny smile as she thought of Mikan's nature.
After a few minutes:
"You are going to stay here?" Natsume asked couldn't believe what Hotaru was saying.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Hotaru asked back.
"For Ruka none," Natsume looked away before he continued, "You, maybe."
"Too bad," Hotaru smirked at him, "Guess you won't be harassing Mikan anymore."
"I am not harassing her." He whispered very low as he glared at her.
"Yeah, right."
"Hotaru, Natsume please stop that," Mikan intervened. She couldn't understand why these two weren't compatible with each other. They didn't seem to get along at all and she wondered about that, "But I am glad that Narumi-sensei sent the both of you. We really need reinforcements to aid Sakuno."
Hotaru and Ruka looked at each other before they looked back at her. Mikan and Natsume noticed their weird reactions.
"What's the matter?" Mikan broke it.
Hotaru stared at her before she said her words, "Mikan, we're here to tell you something."
She blinked, "What is it?"
"We are not really staying here." Hotaru became serious and somehow worried about something, "It's about something else."
"You're not?" Mikan frowned as she couldn't understand what Hotaru was saying.
"Sakura," Ruka interrupted, "We need Ryuzaki Sakuno's help."
Natsume was paying attention at that very moment. He knew that something was up and whatever it was, he was not going to like it.
"I'm…" Hotaru started not sure how to say her words. She gripped her hands tight before she finally continued, "I am losing my brother, Mikan."
The others who hadn't heard the news were pretty shocked. That was totally uncalled for and not really good for Mikan's case. The area was filled with silence after that.
Wednesday:
There was no afternoon practice so the school was out early that day. Ryoma was supposed to be upset because the practice was postponed due to an important meeting between the coach and the officers but wondrously, he was fine about it.
In fact, he had other plans for that day.
Being fast at all, his senpais weren't able to catch up to him and made his way home. He dropped his bag and grabbed Karupin which was lying on his bed, "Let's go sleepy head, we're going out."
As soon as he told someone that he was going out with Karupin at the door, he yanked his phone and called someone.
"I am on my way to the park," He said casually walking on the street, "Be sure to show up this time." With that he placed back his phone to his pocket and gave out a smirk after that. He didn't actually know what he was doing but somehow, he knew that he would enjoy her company later.
Meanwhile:
She was stunned at her position. She halted at opening her locker when she received a call from him. Yeah, Ryoma had just called her and he was on his way to the park.
He wanted to see her.
Was he pertaining about the 'meeting' that was postponed last weekend? And they were having that right now? There was no practice today because of the meeting but she was still at school. She was on her way home when Ryoma called her.
She didn't know how to react.
"What's the matter?"
She jumped when she heard Tomoka's voice behind her, "T-Tomoka-chan," She freely sighed as she looked at her, "I-Iie, it's nothing. Are you going home?"
"Duh, there's not practice so I have to," Tomoka dejectedly sighed, different from hers, "Now I have to babysit my brothers back home."
Sakuno couldn't help but giggle, "You must really love your brothers a lot."
"What! No way!" Tomoka denied, "They are just annoying!"
"Big sisters say that." She closed her eyes and sweat dropped when Tomoka continued complaining, "Anou… I should go now. There's not much things to do here anyway."
"You're right," Tomoka said walking ahead of her, "See you tomorrow then."
"Hai! See you!" She waved at her and then walking on her way… to the park where Ryoma was waiting for her.
Later on:
Her heart was beating fast when she spotted the tennis prodigy sitting on a bench with Karupin sitting on his lap patting its head. He looked cool at his movements there. She took a deep breath before she started walking to his location. Sensing that she was approaching him, he looked at her direction.
"K-konnichiwa, Ryoma-kun," She shyly said standing in front of him, "D-did you wait long?"
"Not really," Ryoma shortly said as he smirked afterwards, "I thought that you would lose your way here."
"W-what—I—well I did not!" She defended herself leaning closer to him and blushing in the process. Suddenly, the cat was jolted right in front of her face. She blinked twice as she stared at Karupin's amber eyes.
"Karupin wants to see you."
"O-oh…" She reacted as she slowly grabbed the cat from him and hugged it to her chest. Not long before Karupin had started licking her cheek making her giggle from the tickling sensation, "K-Karupin! That tickles!"
Karupin continued licking her cheek making her laugh as she closed her eyes. She never saw Ryoma's action at that time. She only opened her eyes when she heard him scoff and his expression was somewhat different.
"W-what's wrong?" She asked him sitting beside him in the process with Karupin cuddling to her lap.
"Nothing," He said pinning his hat down and looked at Karupin. The cat just meowed at him, "Karupin finished its milk yesterday."
"R-really," She answered looking down at the cat patting its head, "You are such a heavy drinker." She let out a smile when the cat responded to her.
They remained silent for a few minutes. Sakuno didn't know what to do or say at that very moment. They were just sitting there, watching the people pass by in front of them. It was wonderful that she found the silence comfortable enough for the two of them but she decided to break it.
"Umm, Ryoma-kun, what are we going to do now?"
There was a long pause before Ryoma answered.
"I actually don't know."
"I see…" She looked down and thought of Karupin, "What do you do with Karupin when you go here?"
"We just walk, that's all." Ryoma shortly replied.
"Should we walk then?" She asked not really know what to suggest to him.
"I guess that's fine." Ryoma stood up first. Sakuno followed suit carrying Karupin to her chest.
They walked in silence and no one wanted to break it. Sakuno was in deep thought at that very moment. Spending time in the park with the person she admired was almost unbelievable for her. She couldn't help thinking but walking in the park could be considered as a date. Then she blushed at the thought.
Snap out of it, Sakuno. This isn't a date. Ryoma-kun said that I could see Karupin whenever I want. He just brought Karupin for me to see today. That's all. She thought as she looked down. Karupin meowed probably the cat thought that she was in deep thinking.
"Ryoma-kun," She decided to break the silence after. Ryoma looked to her side and urged her to continue, "Y-you didn't practice today, did you?"
"…"
"I… I could have visited Karupin in your house instead," Sakuno looked down when Ryoma didn't say anything, "I don't want to use your time for your practice like this."
"It's okay."
She looked at him when he said that.
"I can practice anytime I want." He said inserting his hands to his pocket.
"Are you sure?"
"Un… besides," He nodded and smirked at her, "You haven't visited Karupin since the day I told you."
Blush crept to her cheek when he said that, "I… I keep that in mind. A-and sorry about the last time… for not showing up."
"You made it today so it's fine." Ryoma said not looking at her.
Sakuno gave him a smile and closed her eyes at the same time, "Hai, arigatou. Ryoma-kun is such a nice person."
Ryoma pinned his hat down to hide his feeling that he was having at that very moment. Sakuno just continued smiling at him. They went back to uncomfortable silence while walking inside the park.
"Sakuno, Ryoma-san!"
Both of them looked back to see the person who called them. It was Mikan and Natsume. They were with other people that they hadn't seen before.
"I've been looking for the both of you." Mikan said as they approached them.
"W-what is it then?" Sakuno asked still wondering about the people behind her.
Mikan scratched her head and chuckled, "I am sorry for ruining your date but you see, we —"
"We're not on a date!" Both of them said at the same time. Sakuno and Ryoma looked at each other and looked away at the same time as well, wearing different shades of red.
Natsume grunted as he smirked, "That's not what it looks like."
"It is!" They chorused once again.
"You two are really funny," Mikan said trying to dry down the laugh that was about to build from her lungs, "Well, as I've said earlier, we need to talk to you about something."
"About something?" Sakuno blinked as she wondered about it.
"Before anything else," Natsume cut them and look at the tree that was a few meters away from there, "You two can come out now."
Ryoma and Sakuno were really shocked when two people did come out from the tree that they were hiding.
"F-Fuji-senpai? Momo-senpai?" Ryoma's eyes widened when they saw them there, "What are you two doing there?" He glared at them, "Were you trailing us from the very beginning?"
"Saa, I wonder about that." Fuji said giving them his signature smile.
Momo chuckled as he scratched his head, "I guess Hyuuga here has a strong sense of feeling, spotting us there."
Ryoma scoffed as he looked away. Sakuno was blushing, realizing that they had been watching them from the very beginning. Mikan was just smiling at them.
"Ummm, ano…" She eyed the blonde haired boy and the raven haired girl who were behind the pigtailed girl.
Mikan noticed that and stuck her tongue out, "Gomen, I forgot to introduce you to these two," Mikan pointed them, "Ryoma-san, Sakuno, this is my best friend, Hotaru and Natsume's best friend, Ruka-pyon. Hotaru, Ruka-pyon, these are Ryoma-san and Sakuno, they are the people that I am talking about," She then looked at the senpais, "And these are my senpai-tachi from Seigaku, Fuji-senpai and Momo-senpai."
"Nice to meet you two." Fuji said looking at the new faces.
"Same here, same here." Momo said.
Ryoma and Sakuno did the same.
"So, you are the Ryuzaki Sakuno that she's talking about." Hotaru said eyeing her. Her eyes were kind of bored and she couldn't even smile. She was pretty serious when she asked her.
"H-hai…" She stuttered. She remembered that Mikan mentioned her name before. Now she understood why Mikan wished that Hotaru was like her. Hotaru was kind of aloof as she noticed her odd behavior of talking, "Nice to me you too, Hotaru-san."
Hotaru nodded at her. She then looked at Ruka who was eyeing her arms. She did the same to his arms as well. Her eyes widened when she spotted something to his arm.
"A rabbit!"
"A cat!"
Both of them said at the same time and looked at the same time, surprised at their outburst, "You love animals?!"
They were taken aback at their actions at the same time. They both looked down and blushed at the same time. And for the last time, they nodded at the same time.
"I see chemistry here." Fuji teased as he watched the two.
"Aaaa, So young, so young." Momo grinned.
"W-well, this is Ryoma-kun's cat, Karupin. We were just taking Karupin for a walk." Sakuno said as she looked at Ryoma.
Ryoma's eyes were closed but he nodded. No one knew what he was thinking at that moment… except for Fuji, of course.
"Karupin's cute." Ruka smiled at her and then to the cat.
Karupin seemed to understand what he was talking about. Sakuno fondly stared at the cat, "Indeed…"
Ryoma didn't miss the gesture that the girl was giving to his cat. He didn't know but he felt something odd at that very moment. And he couldn't believe that he was having that feeling right now.
"We should go the secret garden," Natsume caught their attention, "We have something important to discuss."
"Wait," Ruka said, "Are they okay about it?" He looked at the two seniors. He and Hotaru had been informed that Ryoma knew about their secret but he wasn't sure about the two.
"It's fine, they knew it."
Fuji and Momo looked at each other. When Natsume walked ahead of them, they knew that something big was about to happen. Without saying another word, the rest followed to their next destination.
At the garden:
"This place is beautiful." Ruka awed as he explored the place. The birds were flying just above him. He whistled calling their attention, "Please guard the place for intruders." They started to fly elsewhere.
"S-sugoi," Momo said, surprised at the scene that he had just witnessed, "So, that's your alice."
Ruka blushed as he looked at him, "I am an animal pheromone alice user."
"No wonder that you love animals," Sakuno smiled at him, "You can understand them."
"This place is good indeed," Hotaru agreed, "If it isn't for the situation we are in, I won't mind inventing in this place either."
Mikan and Ruka sweat dropped while Natsume scoffed at her comment. The others frowned because they didn't know what she was talking about. Mikan cleared it to them.
"Hotaru's alice is invention. She invents weird things."
Baka! Baka!
"Hotaru!" Everyone flinched and sweat dropped when Hotaru shot her to her head with her invention.
"My inventions are not weird, you dummy."
"Geez, you don't have to hit me hard!" She said as she pouted.
"Well, what does that gun do?" Fuji asked rather curious about the invention that Hotaru was holding.
"This," Hotaru said, "This just hit stupid people like these people around me."
"Hey! Who are you calling stupid?!" Natsume and Ruka said at the same time.
The rest just wore different reactions at that moment.
"Enough with the chitchat," Hotaru became serious, "Let's get on with the business."
Everyone became serious but Sakuno was the nervous one there. She knew that it had something to do with her alice. She flinched when Hotaru looked at her.
"Can you control the alices inside you now?"
"I… I at least managed to control it." She admitted.
"Have you used the healing alice yet?" She asked again.
She was surprised at her question. She took a glance at Natsume only to find him seriously looking at her. She was intimidated by the stare he was giving her. She immediately looked back to Hotaru and replied, "N-no, I haven't."
"When she hurt herself because of one attack, the alice had automatically healed her." Mikan said with the hint of concern in her voice.
Hotaru nodded, "We don't have time Mikan and we need to move fast."
"I know… but…" Mikan said looking at Sakuno, "Will Sakuno be able to do it?"
The others were rather confused at what they were saying. Fuji broke the confusion and talked;
"Could you please explain what is happening now?" Fuji looked at the both of them.
Hotaru sighed and looked at the tensai, "My brother, Subaru, who is the owner of the healing alice…" She started looking at everyone, "…Is dying."
"What!" All of them were shocked at the revelation.
Mikan turned around and gripped her hands. Sakuno noticed this.
"Prior to the incident where Mikan," She paused and tapped her shoulder telling her that she wasn't blaming her for it, "Accidentally stole his alice from him, he received a critical blow from the school's enemy. He could be cured but not entirely without his alice. My fellow alice's potions are not working on him anymore."
"…"
"He needs his alice back, Sakuno," Hotaru said eyeing her, "He needs it to continue living."
Sakuno was shocked. It wasn't because she needed to bring the alice back to its rightful owner, it was the fact that the owner of the alice that she had was dying. But if she gave her alice back, her life would be at stake and there was no indication that the alice would leave her any minute now. She asked the obvious after a few minutes of silence;
"H-how am I going to do that?"
"Ryuzaki-san," Momo called out to her, "You do know the consequences, right?"
"I know," Sakuno said and then looked at Hotaru, "But this is not my alice to begin with and I am not an alice user in the first place anyway."
"But giving the alice back even to the owner would take a toll on you." Natsume nonchalantly said to her.
"I am aware of that either." Sakuno looked at Natsume making the latter flinch at her answer.
"Don't worry," Hotaru said, "Mikan will only steal some amount of alice within you. If we do that, maybe the alice will heed to our request and leave your body at will."
"What about her health then?" Ryoma couldn't help but ask. He knew the consequences when the alice was forcedly taken away from her and it wasn't different from using Mikan's stealing alice.
"I have to admit this; Sakuno will feel restless for a few days but she could recover after that." Hotaru told them the truth, "The equal life force from the healing alice would be taken away because of that but she will be fine, I assure you."
Sakuno somehow felt relieved when Hotaru said that. She would freak out about losing her energy after she surrendered some alice to the owner but knowing that she would be okay after that, she thought that there was nothing wrong at trying.
"I'll do it."
Everyone looked at her when she said that. Ryoma was really shocked at her decision. As he slowly knowing the girl, things like this could be readable for him.
"Ryuzaki-san…" Fuji opened his eyes this time, "Are you sure about this?"
Sakuno looked at them and to Ryoma, "Hai… don't worry about me."
Mikan hugged her and whispered, "Thank you… and I am sorry."
Sakuno just tapped her back telling her that it would be alright.
"We will take Ryuzaki-san back with us tomorrow night," Ruka said calling their attention, "She would be gone for a few days but we would give her family an alibi for her leave."
They were shocked once again. They weren't prepared at the sudden situation.
"Where are you taking her then?" Fuji asked the blonde boy but Hotaru answered for him.
"We will bring her with us to Alice Academy."
Done! How was this chapter? Haha… I don't know what to write next. Let me gather ideas first… Domo…
As promised, I gave you their date? How was their date? I know it was typical, well Sakuno wasn't thinking that as a date after all and Ryoma... well, he was denying it too... tee hee hee... sly and cunning...
Gakuen Characters: Hotaru Imai, Ruka Nogi and Subaru. Their Alices have already been explained. For more info... read the manga tee hee... you'll love it... I promise... ^_^
The others are POT characters...
Care to motivate me? Need help and encouragement though… Thank you very much.
Next Chapter: The Path to Alice Academy