Mikan: “Tsubasa-senpai’s leg…”

Mihara smiles evilly at this.

Tsubasa: “Ughh…”

Mikan: “Tsubasa-senpai!”

Mihara: “Persuading these disobedient children is such a difficult task. You… Azumi-kun, it’s rare that you’re here, originally the plan was to get rid of these nuisances and make it look like this incident never happened, which can be done by removing their Alices. To the ‘Black Cat’, this is a relief, isn’t it?”

Tsubasa: “Relief?”

Azumi: “Sorry, my ability is not strong enough to take on all four Alices at once.”

Mihara: “You are obviously a parasite here, but you’re useless in an emergency. Continuing like this under this leadership will just result chaos. We should have a conclusion just about now.”

Natsume releases his Fire Alice to protect them all.

Mihara: “What do we have now, a ‘Wall of Fire’? No need to be shy, it will only be a while before you become a rock. If you are obedient and show me your sincerity in become a part of this group, I will help you become human again, hmm.”

Shiki pushed Mikan in front of Mihara. Mihara gets hold of Mikan. “As long as we have this, you have no chance to wreak havoc. Moreover, you cannot abandon your companion and escape, foolish people like you who torture yourselves, I like them best of all.”

Mihara gets ready to attack Tsubasa-senpai again.

Mikan: “Danger, Tsubasa-senpai!”

But Ruka pushes Tsubasa and gets Ruka’s left shoulder frozen instead.

Natsume: “Ruka!”

Ruka: “Ughh…”

Mikan: “Ruka-pyon!”

Tsubasa to Ruka: “Baka, why did you shield me? Oh my, it hit the shoulder.”

Mihara: “The wall of fire obstructed me, hence i can’t seem to concentrate. If it spreads, it will block the flow of blood to the heart. He has been struck in a dangerous part of his body. Shortly after that his situation will be troublesome.” He is still smiling evilly.

Natsume: “Bastard!” Then Natsume begins to cough again.

Tsubasa: “Natsume…”

While Natsume is coughing, Mihara gets ready to use his Alice on him.

Mikan sees this: “Natsume! Escape…”

But too late… Natsume’s hand is frozen.

Mikan: “Natsume!”

Mihara: “The hand you’re used to using is immobile already… It must be very hard to use your Alice. Look, the fire will be extinguished soon.”

Mikan thinks: “I really want to protect everyone…”

Natsume produces another flame on his other hand. But Mihara freezes it again.

Mihara: “Next will be…”

Mikan can’t take it anymore and grabs Mihara’s shirt. “Stop it, idiot!” Tears began to fall.

Mihara: “Wh… You little brat…”

Mikan thinks: “I will not let this fellow do what he wants anymore, I will not let him use his Alice. Unforgivable.”

Mihara uses his Alice on Mikan but of course, doesn’t work.

Mihara: “This… irritating Nullification Alice… Azumi, take away black cat’s Alice. He’s just a weak little child, no matter how useless you are, surely you can do this.”

Azumi approaches Natsume, who still doesn’t move.

Mikan: “Natsume, quick, run!”

But Natsume just stands there, and so does Azumi.

Mikan: “Natsume, what are you doing? Quick, run, silly.”

Natsume remembers the teachers’ conversation again. Jinno: “Moreover, a girl like Sakura Mikan… Anyway, that girl is part of the Anti-Gakuen Alice movement, Azumi Yuka’s daughter, you know…”

As Natsume was thinking, Azumi is ready to steal his Alice and reaches out her hand towards him.

Mikan: “Quick, run, Natsume!”

Tsubasa: “Natsume…what’s wrong with you?”

Natsume thinking: “This woman… Have I been waiting for such a moment in my heart…? Is that why I can throw away everything and be here with them… By this woman’s touch, give up everything, dare I hope that things will become easier…? He remembers what he had said to Ruka. “I don’t need this kind of Alice… I don’t want it…”

Mikan: “I said run! Natsume!”

But he doesn’t move. Again, he remembers something… He remembers what Mikan had said when they were captured by Reo. Mikan: “What failure? This is too early for all of us… Let’s go back together, back to school. Everyone is waiting for us.”

Natsume evades Azumi’s hand, but she quickly snatches his hand.

Mikan: “Natsume! Let go of his hand, idiot!”

Azumi tries to steal his Alice, but doesn’t work. “Can’t take his Alice?!”

Mikan, without knowing it, uses her Nullification Alice from a far distance.

Mihara: “This girl…”

Tsubasa: “Mikan, get down!”

Suddenly an explosion came on the ceiling (must be from Shiki). Pieces of bricks from the ceiling came, and a lot was falling on top of where Mikan is.

Tsubasa: “Mikan!”

Natsume: “Quick, bring her out.” Remembers… Jinno: “Because that girl is Azumi Yuka’s daughter.”

Shiki teleported to Mikan and brings her to safety.

Mikan: “Ah…”

Azumi: “Shiki…”

The computers have been destroyed due to the explosions. And the place is falling apart.

One of the Z agents said: “Impossible execution, the controlling system is already half destroyed. If this carries on, emergency self-detonation will take place. What should we do?”

Mihara: “Damn brats…”

Azumi striked Mihara with a knife.

Azumi: “Sorry, Mihara-san.”

Mihara: “You…”

Azumi: “I have already averted the main disaster. As long as you get help soon enough, you will not die. However, due to loss of blood, your memory will be a little bit hazy. think about your body and not about using Alices for now.”

Mihara: “Bastard… You traitor…”

Mikan thinks to herself: “This person… Why…” And remembers the time when she also helped her get the antidote.

Azumi gives the knife with Mihara’s blood to Natsume. “Lick his blood, this will undo the petrification of the body and you will soon recover.”

Mihara: “Azumi, you traitor…”

Azumi: “Drink his blood, then leave quickly. Quick, if you take any longer the self-destruct programme will kick in.”

Tsubasa, Natsume, and Ruka all do what she says.

Mihara: “You bastards… Don’t think I will let you escape after doing this kind of things…remember that…”

Mikan thinks: “Why…”

Azumi gave Mikan one last look before she teleported to another place with Shiki.

Tsubasa: “Are you okay, Natsume? Lick a few more times, you were petrified in two places.”

Natsume: “Disgusting…”

Tsubasa: “You can’t not lick.”

Mikan runs up to them: “Everyone…have you all recovered?”

Tsubasa: “We must go, Mikan. Although it still hurts a little.”

All the others have already evacuated. The gang headed outside the room.

Tsubasa: “Come to think of it, all the people here have run away…wonder where they went, the place is empty now. Hey, the corridor has been blocked.”

They pass the map drawing again.

Tsubasa: “What’s that drawing…what is it doing here?”

Natsume: “What? Who has time to find out what that srawing is…we need to find an exit now.”

Tsubasa: “I’ve seen that drawing before… Isn’t this the map of the surrounding area…?”

Mikan: “Surrounding area…? Tsubasa-senpai?!”

Tsubasa: “Say anything, come over here and say something to activate this.”

Mikan: “Ha?!”

Tsubasa: “Don’t you get it, this drawing is a map of the portals in the area. Maybe it’s like that time in the Senior Section and we can open a passageway, who knows. The corridor is blocked, but those fellows managed to get away. That can only be explained if this map is a portal. And to have a map here is very strange…”

A piece of brick is falling from the ceiling and is about to hit Mikan but she avoided it. Unfortunately, the antidote fell out of her pocket.

Mikan: “Ah! The vial!”

Tsubasa: “Mikan?! What are you doing?!”

Written on the antidote was the name Zero.

Natsume sees this: “Zero… Eh, Shadow, it’s Zero. Zero is the password, Z’s real name.”

Tsubasa: “Zero?!” He touched the map and his finger seems to go in the map. “Whoa, i’m…i’m going to be sucked in, come over here, quick. Eh, Mikan, hurry up, too.”

Mikan was reaching out her hand in the crack on the wall to reach the vial.

Tsubasa: “Mikan?! What are you doing, idiot, quick. The opening is going to close.”

Mikan: “I can’t, the vial…”

Tsubasa: “Ignore it.”

Mikan: “How can I ignore it, this…this could be the special antidote that Hotaru needs.”

Tsubasa: “What are you talking about, the ceiling and the floor are going to collapse already.”

Penguin jumped into the crack without hesitation.

Mikan: “Penguin!”

Azumi meets Mikan in her cell and stares at her.

Azumi thinking: “In front of me, moving, staring unwaveringly at me. Meeting here now. The child of my beloved and I.” She remembers the time when she was about to steal Mikan’s Alice and the time where Hotaru got shot. “Ah…you’re from that time. The intruders from that time… I hear you have the Nullification Alice?”

Azumi thinks: “I thought that we wouldn’t meet again. I really should have eliminated you from the dephts of my heart, but the feelings that should be long gone are still welling out. She was actually so small. My child from that time…I’d never thought we’d meet this way.”

Mikan remembers Narumi say: “Mikan, you musn’t let enemies know your Alice.”

Mikan: “I…I won’t tell you about such a thing.”

Azumi: “Why did you come here?”

Mikan: “To save my friends.”

Azumi: “Friends?”

Mikan: “My friend, who had his Alice stolen by you. And the one you hit with the poisoned bullet…both of them are my friends.”

Azumi was surprised because she didn’t know that that bullet actually hit someone. She thinks: “Hit by the bullet? That time, that bullet…hit someone? Hit that child from that time…”

Mikan: “So I must get the antidote and Alice back. Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

Mikan grabbed the collar of Azumi’s shirt. “Hotaru did it to protect me. If it continues like this, even her life could be in danger. Iinchou was also in tears because he might not be able to stay in the school. It’s all your fault. Before, in the Reo incident too, why would you want to do such things to us?!”

Azumi still shocked, thinks: “Because using your Alice, you can continually carve out a path for them from the school to safety… So that students like us, won’t appear again…”

Mikan: “You people are the worst! Return Iinchou’s Alice! Make Hotaru recover, idiot! I’ll never forgive you all!” Tears began to fall from her eyes.

Azumi remembers that there’s a camera on the wall watching them. So she hits Mikan with a bag that opens from the hit and spills out contents.

Azumi: “Whining and whining, so noisy.”

Mikan: “Wha…” She hits the floor.

Azumi: “I’m not tolerating the brat’s noise any longer.” She tries to steal Mikan’s Alice, but it doesn’t work. “So it’s really Nullification after all. Even if you whine about the past, you can’t change whatever’s already happened. I’ve originally planned to interrogate gently, but i’ve changed my mind. Go ahead and enjoy that sexual sadist’s treatment. By now, your companions have probably been caught by that fellow, too.” She rolls the antidote using her foot under Mikan’s tummy and leaves the cell.

Mikan thinks: “Eh? She stuffed something under my tummy…”

As Azumi walks back down the hallway, she remembers what Mikan said: “It’s all your fault! Give the Alice back, idiot! I’ll never forgive you!” She clenched her fist and walked away.

Mikan is sitting beside the skeleton, thinking: “What’s this? Liquid capsule? How come…”

Then suddenly the skeleton managed to open the door and was about to get out but Mikan quickly rushed outside and closed the door leaving the poor skeleton behind. She says to the skeleton: “Sorry. Really very sorry.”

She quickly ran away, thinking: “Everyone…please be safe. I’m rushing there now.”

Scene changes to Natsume, Ruka, and Tsubasa.

Mihara: “Only upon meeting would we know that. That actually, this kind of child is ‘Black Cat’, huh.”

Natsume: “Where’s Mikan?”

Mihara: “Even though I don’t know why you’ve come here, I suppose this situation is a spot of good luck falling into my lap…”

Natsume: “Where’d you bring that fellow?”

Azumi enters the room.

Mihara ignores Natsume’s question: “Shiki-kun, to see what standards their powers are at, come have a try, first.”

Scene back to Mikan.

Mikan is walking down the hallway, looking at the antidote she was holding, thinking: “Even so, why would that person give this to me? …The look in that person’s eyes, was like…” Her thoughts were interupted when the antennae of the pin Penguin gave her was moving. “Can it be…this is a transmitter?! Does it want me to go in the direction the antenna’s pointing at?”

Mikan followed where the antennae was pointing. On her way, she saw a map. “What’s this map…suddenly appearing. It’s…it’s different from a drawing, huh. But feels like i’ve seen it somewhere before…”

She stopped in front of a big door. The antennae showed that it’s that way, inside. So Mikan opened the door to find her friends and the other Z agents. She saw Tsubasa-senpai stepping on the enemies’ shadow, and she also sees Natsume panting heavily (must’ve used his Alice), and Ruka-pyon and Penguin on the other side of the room.

Tsubasa: “Mikan… You’re safe…”

Ruka: “Sakura…”

Mikan: “Senpai, Natsume, Ruka-pyon, Penguin!”

Tsubasa: “Don’t come over, Mikan. Go outside.”

Suddenly, a man comes behind Mikan and is ready to attack her.

Natsume: “Mikan!” He pushes aside Mikan and surrounded them both with flames so that the enemies cannot hurt them.

Mikan: “Whoa… Natsume…”

Natsume hits her on the head, hard. “Do you wanna die, idiot! Have a good look at the situation before you make a move! Haven’t you learnt your lesson even after falling in the sand jail?!”

Shiki made a move and tried to attack Natsume and Mikan by sending an explosion near both of them.

Ruka: “Natsume!”

Again, Natsume shoved aside Mikan and recieved damage.

Mikan: “Natsume…” She thinks: “I finally understand. Looking at Natsume like this… I can understand how the life he’s been living, is so different from others.”

Tsubasa: “Are the two of you alright?”

Ruka: “Natsume, the blood…”

Mikan still thinking: “No matter when, always standing straight, with that strong back of his. Behind that confident back, I experienced the events that happened to him.”

Natsume to Mikan: “Stay behind me. Don’t stand any further forward than me. There’s no choice, so i’ll protect you…only this time, don’t leave me.”

Mikan clutches the Alice Stone made by Tono-senpai, still thinking: “And I… I want to protect everyone. Using my Nullification, even if i can only defend a few of the Alice attacks, I still want to protect everyone…”

Mikan to Natsume: “I’ll protect myself. You don’t need to protect me, rather, let me be your strength. Don’t let yourself be hurt so much anymore, let me be your strength.”

Mihara: “Shiki-kun, Azumi-kun… The oponents are just kids, how long do you intend to be as inactive as this?”

Shiki teleported behind Ruka and was about to attack him. (He has the following Alices-Barrier Ability, Illusion, Explosion, and Teleportation.)

Natsume: “Ruka!”

Mikan: “No, both are illusions!”

And another Shiki appeared behind Mikan and grabbed her.

Tsubasa: “Mikan!”

Mihara: “Little kids really are stupid. For you all, this child’s Nullification is your only bet against my Alice.” He took off his glasses and freezes Tsubasa’s left foot. (Mihara’s Alice is Ice)

Mikan: “Tsubasa-senpai!”

Natsume: “Mikan!”

Mikan can’t see anything anymore. It was dark. “Whaa… What is this? Skeleton dungeon!?”

The hospital…

Misaki: “Everyone…Imai…”

Subaru: “Doctor, the patient’s condition has suddenly worsened.”

Misaki: “Imai, hang on. Even though President Imai’s Alice is helping, it’s still the body of a child. Defending against the strong poison robs her of much of her strenght.” Misaki-sensei thinks to himself: “Man…at such an important time, that fellow…i’ll definitely kill him the next time I see him. He’s unforgivable. (reffering to Narumi)”

Hotaru murmuring: “Mikan…uh…slow and idiotic Brinjal.”

Everyone at the hospital didn’t know what she meant by that, and was surprised.

Hotaru, still murmuring: “Slow…slow and idiotic Brinjal, just like Penguin.” She senses something, probably that Mikan was in danger.

Scene changes…

Penguin was helping Tsubasa open the ground.

Tsubasa: “Dammit, can’t open it. What kind of contraption is this? Is it a deathtrap? It pulled Mikan in, then closed up again.”

Ruka: “Where did they bring her? Can it be, Sakura’s buried in the sand?”

Tsubasa: “No, it’s probably some tunnel or hole in there. I can tell from the echoes. Natsume, can you think of a way to blast through this with your Alice? Much as I don’t wanna try that.”

Natsume is panting and coughing. He remembers about the teachers’ conversation about Mikan (a few chapters back). “Especially that girl… That girl…”

Tsubasa: “Natsume?”

Natsume: “That fellow’s probably alright. She won’t be killed that easily, and we should be worrying how to get that fellow back. Trying to waste our time before we can get to the destination. From what’s just happened, those guys probably want to disperse us and get rid of us one by one. From now on, even if we want to chase them, we must try our best not to be separated.” <coughing> He thinks to himself: “Dammit, this body…”

Ruka: “Natsume…”

Tsubasa: “Hey, the door’s open.”

Scene changes to Z…

Mihara: “Did we only manage to catch one in the dungeon? Never mind, no matter how it goes, they’re all trapped. Direct the remaining three to the big room.”

Person: “Kanbu, because of security concerns, comparing data of these intruders with information in the organization’s database has shown, this kid…is the ‘Black Cat’, Hyuuga Natsume.”

Mihara: “Oh, that’s really… It’s the first time i’m meeting this famous junior of mine, huh… This’s really interesting. Immediately contact the boss, and tell him about this good news.”

Camera: Tsubasa: “Hey, are you going in? I’m asking you, are you going in there? Natsume: “We can only go here, there isn’t another way, is there?”

Scene changes to Mikan…

Mikan finally opened her eyes, spitting sand.

Mikan to herself: “Where is this? Where’s everyone? What’s going on…the floor suddenly collapsed…I seem to have been pulled down into the sand by a strange skeleton, and separated from everyone.”

Then Mikan sees the skeleton and began screaming, horribly shocked, because it was moving. It seems the skeleton is also shocked because of her loud voice.

Mikan: “Ah, w-why is it moving!? Is this because of Alice, too? Or is it a demon? Ah, anyone…help me!”

She doesn’t know that she is being watched.

Person: “Regarding Hyuuga Natsume’s companions, even though we couldn’t find records of two of his companions in the organisation’s database, we did discover something about that girl. There’s one point worth noting…”

Mihara: “What is it?”

Person: “It’s this child’s Alice, this girl seems associated with the Reo incident, previously. Because there’s no actual data to work with, it’s hard to confirm, but if this is true, it’s a very rare Alice she has…the Nullification Alice.”

Azumi was stunned: “Nullification?”

Mihara: “Rare, indeed. Be it Hyuuga Natsume or this girl, what’s up with these fellows, shall we bring this girl directly to the boss?”

Azumi: “Please, wait a moment. Bringing her to the boss with insufficient data…I feel that that is too rash. It’s better to confirm it before we do anything. Besides, being able to update this information is a great thing, too.”

Mihara: “Hmm…well said.”

Azumi started to walk out to the door.

Mihara: “Where’re you going?”

Azumi: “When it comes to collecting data, I can more or less help. To a child, perhaps it’ll be more comforting for a woman, such as I, to go.”

Mihara: “Hmm…then Shiki-kun, we’ll pass the task of collecting information regarding Nullification fully to her, can I trust you to capture ‘Black Cat’ and the rest as soon as possible?”

Azumi to Shiki (using telepathy): “Hey, Shiki, what we’re doing, is it really the right thing? If we could use your Alice to help the children of the school, that’d be great. “

Shiki to Azumi (still using telepathy): “…I don’t know.”

Azumi to Shiki (still telepathy…): “But…”

Azumi left. The other Z agents are still discussing.

Back to the three…

Tsubasa: “Is it really alright to go in? The door’s closed again. Basically, any door that opens itself stinks of a trap. Even though nothing strange happened so far.”

Natsume: “Those fellows have already created the conditions to lure us onto this path, if the opponent’s itching for a fight, we’d have to accept, ofcourse.” <remembering Mikan’s fall>

Tsubasa notices he’s angry: “Even if you’re angry, it doesn’t help matters. Even if you’re angry, Mikan won’t come back. Well, don’t need to care about it too much. It’s true that you seem to have especially taken a liking to bluffing, yet actually unable to save Mikan, of course this feels bad, and it feels worse than you can ever feel.” Tsubasa-senpai patted Natsume’s back.

Natsume was even more angrier than before. Tsubasa-senpai exploded into the air, caused by Natsume’s Fire Alice.

Natsume thinks: “When I see those fellows, I want to confirm one thing with them. Is what they said true? Does that kind of Alice really exist?” He remembers again about the teachers’ conversation. Jinno-sensei: “Especially that girl…she also has the Alice of Ability Theft.”

Traps were suddenly activated. There were rays of light fired everywhere. One was headed towards Natsume’s direction. Luckily, Tsubasa-senpai pulled him aside.

Tsubasa: “Natsume, it’s dangerous…you…why were you dazed?”

Natsume was speechless.

Natsume: “Let go!”

Tsubasa: “Ah, ouch, ouch! If you’re so energetic, then run, quick!”

As they were running…

Tsubasa: “…It’s like, don’t you feel that these rays of light seem to be automatically chasing us wherever we go?”

Natsume: “…It seems so.”

They entered a big room. They saw a person (most likely Shiki).

Ruka: “Eh…”

Shiki: “I have been waiting for you, Hyuuga Natsume and your two companions. Welcome.”

Scene changes to Mikan…

Mikan was imagining things again. In her head, she remembers Hotaru’s words: “Mikan…don’t cry. Don’t cry, Mikan. You must always keep on smiling.”

Mikan: “But, Hotaru…i’m scared of monsters.”

Hotaru’s voice: “Your crying face makes you look three times uglier than usual.”

Mikan: “But, even if you say that, monsters…”

In her head, she pictures Hotaru hitting her with her ‘Baka Gun’. “Didn’t I already tell you not to cry? Bloody irritating-”

Mikan returns to reality from her daydream.

Mikan: “Just now…an illusion!? Was it because it was too scary?” She sees the skeleton again, peacefully sitting at the corner.

Mikan: “I can’t…I can’t be caught now. Because I was scared, I panicked… Crying doesn’t help anything! I’m such an idiot!” She then began hitting her head.

After a while, she began to laugh.

Mikan: “After laughing, look…that skeleton doesn’t seem scary anymore. But… What I should be wondering about now, is how to escape this room and reunite with everyone.”

Scene changes…

Azumi is walking down the hallway towards the dungeon Mikan is in.

She remembers all that had happen regarding Mikan. She also remembers what the other Z agent said: “It’s regarding this girl’s Alice, it seems to be Nullification.”

She also remembers that time when she and her companions invaded the academy. Hotaru had said: “Stupid, Mikan! (causing Azumi to remember what she named her daughter)”

And also that time when she had tried to use her Alice on Mikan, which didn’t work. “Nullification Alice…”

Azumi thinks: “Why, why…what went wrong? How did things turn out this way?”

Flashback between Azumi and Mikan’s father in high school:

Azumi: “Sensei’s Alice is great! It’s Nullification!”

Mikan’s father (still don’t know the name): “Hm? What’s wrong? Someone’s looked down on your Alice again?”

Azumi: “Nah, I don’t care about that. Anyway, I made them cry.”

Mikan’s father: “Did you fight? A girl’s body shouldn’t be treated that way, wounded and bruised everyday.”

Azumi: “Nothing to do. I’m just such a detestable person. I’m used to it. Obviously never stole anything, yet being treated as a thief, and always looked down upon. What’s with ‘detestable person’!”

Mikan’s father: “You definitely have many friends who understand you, and many companions to follow you. Of course i’m one of them.” He patted her head and smiled.

Present time… Azumi: “That day, it’s so…so far away from me…”

Flashback again:

It was raining, and Azumi was wet and sad, crying, sitting on the floor outside.

Mikan’s father: “If they’re distanced from you because they are scared, it’s proof of their narrow minds.” He was carrying an umbrella and offered a hand to her.

Azumi looked up.

Mikan’s father: “No matter what kind of Alice, it can either hurt or heal, depending on the user’s choice. Isn’t it most important to believe in and love your own Alice? That you are here on earth with this Alice, there must be some meaning to it.”

Present time…

Azumi: “Sensei…”

She has reached the dungeon Mikan was in. She saw her wrestling with the skeleton. Mikan was too busy wrestling it she didn’t notice another person was there.

Azumi looked closer, something about Mikan reminded her of something. “…Sensei.”

Azumi thinks to herself: “Always…wanting, wanting to be together…”

Another flashback:

Azumi: “But, to tell the truth, if I had kids, i’d rather they had no Alice.”

Mikan’s father: “Why?”

Azumi: “Because having an Alice will only cause pain. And being unable to see your parents, too. If it really can’t be helped, I still think Sensei’s Alice is better than mine.”

Another scene (flashback), the day Mikan’s father died:

Azumi: “What suicide, you’re lying! Saying this is an accident…it’s impossible!”

Classmate: “Sensei was murdered!”

Azumi: “You’re lying, Sensei isn’t dead!”

Present time:

Mikan then noticed now that there was another person watching her. She looked at her.

Azumi thinks: “Only this child…only this child, I hope she can live on without being associated with Alice. Why…only this child…why, why have things become like this? Only this most important child…of Sensei and mine…how did the gears of life turn out so wrong, like this…like this…”

Both of them stared at each other.

Want to wash your car in three seconds? Here’s how.

Excellent idea right?

I heard from the news yesterday that three of the most beautiful sceneries in the country are nominated to be part of the famous 7 Wonders of Nature. I had time to visit the site and of course, vote our own- The Chocolate Hills, Mt. Mayon, and the famous Tubbataha Reef located in Bohol, Albay, and Palawan respectively.

The Chocolate Hills is a rolling terrain of haycock hills — mounds of general shape which are conical and almost symmetrical. Estimated to be at least 1,268 individual mounds to about 1,776, these cone-shaped or dome-shaped hills are actually grass-covered limestone hills.

An active volcano in the Philippines on the island of Luzon, in the province of Albay in the Bicol Region. Its almost perfectly-shaped cone is considered by some to be the Philippine equivalent of Mount Fuji in Japan

A unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species; the North Islet serveing as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles. It is a unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species; the North Islet serving as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles.

Visit www.new7wonders.com to vote for your favorite nominees from all over the globe. Voting will end on December of this year and the New & Wonders of Nature will be announced in 2010 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Man, this sucks! I think the third chapter is a bit dragging but I’ll try to finish this…. Ideas. Ideas. Ideas. I need ideas! Amen

Natsume went near the lake and took sips of water.

Mikan: “Ah, so you came to get a drink. Well…if you’d waited just a bit longer, I’d have brought the water back.”

Natsume: “Got tired of waiting.”

Mikan: “Ruka-pyon’s just gone to look for you.”

Natsume: “How could I continue staying on at a place surrounded by Penguin and Shadow.” He remembers what Ruka had said earlier, that he would give his Alice Stone to Mikan.

Mikan: “Why do you dislike others so much? And why isn’t Ruka-pyon back yet? He ran all the way back in the hope that you’d be able to see this beautiful scenery, too. I can understand the feeling he has, wanting to share this beauty with the person he likes. Come to think of it…Ruka-pyon must really like you. I mentioned this much to Ruka-pyon, too. I wish I could appreciate this with Hotaru. Because the relationship Hotaru and I have seems very similar to the one the two of you have.”

Natsume: “That’s disgusting, it’s not similar at all. Don’t mention us in the same sentence as you.”

Mikan thinks to herself: “Just now, the moon I saw with Ruka-pyon was sparkly and beautiful…but why does the moon I see with this guy just seem so blurry?”

Natsume: “Just now, you were talking to Ruka, about the Alice Stone.”

Mikan: “You heard the conversation I had with Ruka-pyon? If you’d known we were around, you could at least have called out.”

Natsume: “Do you know what it means to exchange Alice Stones?”

Mikan: “Is there some special meaning?”

Natsume remembers. Flashback:

Some girls: “Ruka-kun, Natsume-kun!”

Natsume: “What?”

Girls: “Want to exchange stones with one of us?”

Permy (Sumire): “Wait! You, there! What’re you doing!? You shouldn’t Natsume-kun, Ruka-kun. Must be more careful. If you’d really exchanged Alice Stones, you’d be ‘engaged to be future partners’, that is dating, you know! It’s a long established dating tradition. It’s common relationship knowledge around the school, you know.”

Back to the main scene:

Mikan: “Hey, Natsume…”

Natsume is in deep thinking.

Mikan thinks: “What’s up with this fellow? Is he trying to say that my Alice can’t match up to Ruka’s, or something like that… Ah, seems like something he’d say. Why isn’t Ruka-pyon back yet? Somehow I feel that being alone with Natsume is really tiring. It’s probably better if I went back to Tsubasa-senpai. Really, just thinking about it, I know Ruka-pyon’s Alice Stone will be fantastic.” She pictures herself using Ruka’s Alice Stone; all the animals gathered around her. “I think my Alice Stone would probably be useful, too. As long as it’s ability is strong. That time, too.” Remembers when being attacked by trees. “Ah, but that was thanks to Tono-senpai’s Alice Stone. Strange…somehow Natsume’s always involed when my ability’s most useful. Ah, that time it was useful.” Remembers being kidnapped by Reo.

She remembers about that time…

Mikan thinking: “If Natsume didn’t have Alice, if he weren’t as strong as he now is, he wouldn’t have been kidnapped by Reo. Further more, Natsume wouldn’t be so used to danger. How Natsume feels towards his own power…an unwanted Alice…even though I’ve never really thought about it… =<UnDerCovEr WorKeR…..MurDeRer>= (echoes in Mikan’s mind) Ah…whoever needs my Alice the most…”

Mikan: “Hey, Natsume…I’ll give that stone to Natsume. If I grow up, and become powerful, and make a very fantastic Alice Stone…”

Natsume was very surprised.

Natsume: “I don’t want it. Haven’t you arranged that you’d give it to Ruka?” He thinks: “What’s up with this girl?”

Mikan: “Umm…so i’ll make two stones.”

Natsume: “For someone like you, even if you’re grown up, I doubt you could make two Alice Stones at ease.”

Mikan thinks: “And I thought I could make at least three, for Ruka-pyon, Hotaru, and myself.”

Natsume, still remembering Ruka’s and Mikan’s promise about the Alice Stone, and sees Ruka’s happy face in his mind. “You only need to make a stone for Ruka.” Then splashed Mikan with cold water.

Mikan: “Ah! Cold! What did you do that for!?”

Natsume: “Too noisy, you ugly girl, stupid, ugly girl.” They started the water fight.

Mikan: “You mentioned ugly girl twice, you stinky fox!”

Natsume: “Stupid ugly girl, slow ugly girl, extremely ugly girl!”

Mikan: “Hey, don’t add stuff on top of ugly girl!”

Both of them are dripping wet.

Natsume still remembering what Mikan had said: “When I grow up…i’ll give my stone to Natsume…when I grow up…”

Mikan: “Damn! So cold!” <coughing, panting>

Natsume: “Hey, ugly girl…”

Mikan: “I’m not answering you.”

Natsume: “Do you still plan to have that hairstyle in five years’ time?”

Mikan: “What?”

Natsume: “That hairstyle won’t be suitable in five years’ time. Put your hair down. Put it down, it looks better that way.” He turned around and headed back to camp.

Mikan blushes: “Who…what are you…suddenly saying that kinda thing…” She thinks: “The moon that was just so blurry has somehow become so bright.”

Mikan: “Who’s just gonna listen to what you say.”

Natsume: “Let’s go back.”

Mikan: “Wait…wait a minute.” She followed him back.

Once they were back, they saw Tsubasa-senpai and Ruka-pyon laughing so silly at nothing.

Tsubasa: “Yo…the two of you… Geez, this really gives me a headache, this mountain… The grapes Penguin’d brought back…they seem to contain alcohol, ya know.” Tsubasa laughing so silly, and looks kind of crazy. So does Ruka-pyon.

Natsume and Mikan: “Eh?”

Ruka: “Been defeated again!” <saying weird words to no one>

Tsubasa: “I’m not really drunk, so it’s alright, but Ruka-pyon is…” He explains to them what had happened.

A little while ago…

Ruka: “Eh? Where’s Natsume?”

Tsubasa: “Man, don’t care about him. Have a bit of these grapes, they seem pretty tasty.”

Tsubasa-senpai just finished eating one of the grapes. “Whoa, did this contain alcohol?”

Ruka ate, too: “Na…Natsume isn’t back yet.”

Present time:

Natsume grabbed Penguin: “Isn’t it about time to burn him to a crisp?”

Mikan: “Wait, Natsume!”

Tsubasa grabbed Mikan and hugged her tightly. “Eh…Mikan, why do I feel like you’re especially cute today, lil’ girl?”

Ruka (still drunk) pushes Tsubasa-senpai away from Mikan: “Stop bugging her, idiot!” Then hugged Mikan.

Mikan (very surprised): “Eh? Whoa, Ruka-pyon?”

Natsume: “Ruka…” He holds him. Ruka hesitated. “Natsume…Natsume…” Then hugs him tightly.

Ruka has fallen asleep but doesn’t let go of Natsume’s hand.

Tsubasa (calmed down) to Mikan: “Natsume doesn’t seem to be in a very good mood because Ruka-pyon isn’t letting go. Anyway, it’s probably about time for you to sleep, too.”

Mikan: “Yeah…I was really shocked for a moment there.” She lied down on the grass and used tree leaves as blankets. “Tsubasa-senpai, aren’t you going to sleep?”

Tsubasa: “Who’s fault is this? I’m still very awake, it’s alright.” Because Tsubasa-senpai
got beaten up by Natsume a while ago for giving Ruka those grapes.

Mikan: “But…”

Tsubasa-senpai patted Mikan’s head. “Quick, go to sleep. It’s not good to sleep without someone to keep guard. Especially in this kind of forest.”

Mikan thinks: “He’s obviously used a lot of Alice and is probably as tired as everyone else. Compared to us, Tsubasa-senpai is really like an adult, even though only older than us by four years. No matter what happens, I must definitely, definitely bring back Hotaru’s medicine and Iinchou’s Alice. Tomorrow, I must do my best. I will do my best, Hotaru.” And she drifted off to sleep.

Ruka-pyon has finally let go of Natsume.

Natsume is coughing roughly.

Tsubasa: “Natsume? What’s up?”

Natsume, coughing blood. Very serious.

Tsubasa: “Natsume?”