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Chapter Ten - I Make A Shocking Discovery

Chapter Ten - I Make A Shocking Discovery

I think I'm dead. When you're in heaven, aren't you only supposed to see white?
I felt a pain in my arm. What the?
I looked down. A familiar scent invaded my nostrils; antiseptic and disinfectant. I spotted a glass of water nearby and took a small sip.
Was that all a dream? Reo Mouri, the famous popstar, kidnapping and poisoning me? That he was part of the AAO and that he took me to their base where I was poisoned some more before I started hallucinating Natsume rescuing me? Damn. I think I need some alcohol or a drug to forget that crazy shiz. Especially the part where Hotaru and my parents were blaming me for their deaths, even though Hotaru was still alive. I traced the rim of the glass with my finger. But for how long? For how much longer can I keep putting the people I love at risk? As if mom, dad and grandpa weren't a lesson enough. If it wasn't for Rei...
He was the one that saved me the first time. He busted me out of the AAO's hideout and gave me to my granpa. If only I could speak to him now....
'Are you okay?' An older boy with back hair and eyes asked me.
I was too weak to do nothing but nod.
'That's a relief. I thought one of them shot you back there.'
We leaned against eachother for a few minutes, back to back.
Gathering up my voice I turned to him, 'Why did you rescue me?'
He looked at me surprised. 'You didn't want me to?'
'No, it's not that, but why? There were other children there as well. Why did you pick me? You're only putting yourself in danger.'
'Why's that?'
'I have the nullification and SEC alice. I'm only putting you at more risk of being found.'
'Nullification, eh?' He tilted his head back towards me, 'You wouldn't happen to know how to make an alice stone, would you?'
I nodded, 'Why? What's your alice?'
'Mark of Death.' His voice was bitter.
'Oh. If you hate your alice that much, then instead of me nullifying it, why don't I just steal it?' I asked curiosity.
He gave me a blank look, 'How do you steal an alice?'
'I told you I had the stealing alice.'
'Noooo. You told me you had the nullification and SEC alice.'
'Exactly.' I gave him an odd look, 'You have no idea what that means, do you?'
'Not a clue.' We looked at each other and burst out laughing.
It took a while for me to explain it to him and after that he took me to his abode. We moved around several times to make sure that we wouldn't be caught by the AAO or GA. I told him my name was Mikan Yukihara and he told me his name was Rei Serio. He gave me a nickname: Sakura. He said I was as beautiful and delicate as one. He was like my older brother. But all good things must come to an end. The AAO and GA organisations had found us. He had done some private investigating and found where my Grandpa lived. He took me to my Grandpa's house and left me there. He told me that he'd come back for me but he never did.
I don't know where he is. He'd never work with either the AAO or GA so I think that he'd kill himself. He had said earlier that he'd rather die than work for them.
So I honoured his memory, my older brother, by changing my last name to Sakura.
He died for me. He could have left me to fend for himself. That way at least he'd still be alive. He wouldn't have joined the list with my mom, dad, Grandpa and all the other innocent people. It's my fault that they're all dead. I should never have been born.
I winced as the glass cracked and shattered in my hand. Blood ran down it in thin crimson ribbons. I watched as it stained the sheets and my clothes.
This was my own blood. I refuse to let anyone else die for me. To die for a monster.....
Let this spilt blood be a testimony to that. I will lock up my heart. Raise up the walls and double check the locks and secure it tight. I'll keep trying to be me but I won't let anyone get close. For all that do I never see again. Except for Hoatru. She's my only exception. My only relief, pleasure and indulgence. But that's only because she's dieing anyway....

۞ ~ ۞ ~ ۞ ~ ۞

Persona stalked through the Northern Woods. He paused before punching a tree. It quickly whithered and died.
He quickly withdrew his hand to touch his necklace. On the end was an orange stone.
Dammit, Sakura! I promised I'd protect you! Even if that promise was years ago I still intended to keep it! How did it go so wrong?! You were never supposed to come here! I did everything thing to keep them away from you! I sent my worst students to investigate to fool the HSP and ESP! What did I miss? How did Narumi end up finding you?
He put his head in his hands and sank to the floor.
Wasn't it enough? Enough to keep you away from danger?
He recalled when he first saw her in the Northern Woods. He had been shocked to say the least. He knew that he had to change his aura. After all, he'd taught her how to determine people based on their it. It made his heart crack a little bit; to see her in a fighting stance against him. She shot a lighting bolt at him! Where did she even get the lightning alice?! Copied from Jinno?
He clutched at her alice stone around his neck. He hadn't used it yet. He was saving it. To make her last as long as possible. He sensed the forest guardian coming.
Persona stood up and straightened himself.
Mr Bear soon came into view. He nodded at Persona before handing over nine different coloured alice stones and a piece of paper.
Intruders have been taken care of. The hole in the defence has been fixed. The mole was a nurse in training at the hospital. We've done another investigation check on the backgrounds of the rest of our employees and two agents have been eliminated.
Persona nodded. 'I'll take my leave then.'
The bear nodded back and went back in the direction he had come from.
After a few minutes Persona emerged from the forest. Hm. What should he do with these alice stones? Let's see... invisibility, sound, running enhancement, hypnosis, sleep, barrier, physical enhancement, detection and camouflage.
Better give them to the HSP. He rolled the stones in the palm of his hand. They made a soothing grinding noise as they rubbed against each other.
Maybe he should stop by the hospital on the way. He shook his head. What was he thinking? He couldn't just expose himself! She probably thought he was already dead! He raised a black gloved hand and covered his eyes. He felt the coolness of the metal rings circling his fingers press into his skin.
He had to think of something to get her out of here. She didn't belong here. No one did. This place was so corrupt you could see it everywhere you looked.
Sakura...
He sighed and slowed to a stop. Funny. He was thinking about her so much now that he could even feel her presence

۞ ~ ۞ ~ ۞ ~ ۞

The sound of knocking on the door made look up from my palms.
A nurse came in carrying a tray with pill tablets and an orange coloured glass of liquid which I suspected was a vitamin drink.
Her eyes widened in surprise. "Mikan! You're awake!"
I forwned. "I can go back to sleep if you want me to."
She laughed. "No! Please don't! I need you to drink as much of this as you can. You don't need to finish it but it would be preferable if you did."
I took the cold glass between my hands before lifting it up and bringing it to my lips.
I nearly gagged. The taste was horrible. Like a mixture of bile and lemon zest, burning as it went down my throat.
The nurse gave me a sympathetic look. "Try to drink as much as you can. I'm going to open the windows and let some fresh air in."
I pursed my lips, pinched my nose with my fingers and proceeded to gulp down as much as I could.
The burning in my throat came back and I squeezed my nose harder, brining tears to my eyes.
The nurse took one look at the tears streaming down my face and gently took the glass from my fingers and handed me the water I had druken earlier.
The water didn't do much to help after the orange drink and it felt like I had swallowed a prickly cactus.
'Do I have to drink that again?' I asked wincing as my voice sounded raw and nothing like what it sounded like a few seconds ago.
'Fortunately no. I'm just going to do a quick check up now. Please open your mouth.' She placed a paddle pop stick into my mouth and shone a light as I 'Ahhed'.
'Everything seems to be fine. The poison has already left your body. You can leave the hospital now if you want.' She smiled cheerfully.
I gave her a smile in return. 'I'd like that very much!'
I tugged the blanket off me.
'There should be a spare uniform in the cupboard. I'll go now and give you some privacy. When you're done, remember to sign out at reception before leaving!" She shut the door quietly.
I stretched my arms and legs. They felt heavy like weights probably because I hadn't used them in some time. I opened the cupboard and got dressed when I encountered a problem.
There were no shoes.
I sat on my bed and contemplated what to do. I could go outside with these hospital slippers and hopefully encounter no one I knew on the way, or I could steal somone else's...
I shook my head. I was already stealing things for this school. If Rei were with me, he'd probably steal their wallet as well as their shoes. Hmm...
Stuff it. I'll can be stealthily!
I opened my door and looked both ways. All clear. I have to make my way to the reception, but how?
I sprinted down the hallway and pressed the button for the elevator.
Please be empty! Please be empty!
The doors dinged open and luck was on my side!
I hit the close button first before G for ground floor. Oh god, I hope that there's not many people out there.
The doors eventually opened again and the small breath I was holding was let out in a sigh of relief.
I quickly signed out and exited the hospital.
I can't go back to class wih these gaudy things! How do I get back to my room again?
D

amn!
Looks like the only thing I can do now is walk around and hope to come across something familiar.
Maybe if I made back to Mr Bear's place, could tell me where to go.
Woods woods woods
I frowned as I looked around and squinted as the harsh sun bore holes in my eyes.
"Ugh." I had to pause and stop to rub my eyes.
I made my way to the shade of a tree and waited for my eyes to adjust again.
I sighed before I slapped both my cheeks.
This isn't the time to be doing nothing!
I took off with no clue whatsoever where I was going marching around blindly.
Suddenly my skin prickled and I stopped. The hospital was no longer in my line of sight. This presence...
Rei?
I walked cautiously towards where I thought the presence came from and almost collided with someone.
"Rei?" I blurted out before I could stop myself but the person that I had bumped into was more surprising than the reply.
"Sakura?"
I stared in shock. Black hair, metal piercings, a silver mask: how could this possibly be Rei? But, he could me Sakura... Well duh! I'm going by Mikan Sakura!
My internal monologue was interrupted when Rei/Persona opened his mouth.
"Nice shoes."

SORRY FOR THE EXTREMELY LATE UPDATE! I KNOW I HAVEN'T UPDATED SINCE OCTOBER LAST YEAR! T-T
TO BE HONEST, I'M REALLY NOT SURE WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS STORY SO IT MIGHT TAKE JUST AS LONG TO UPDATE. :(
IN EXCHANGE, I'VE WRITTEN A CUTE ONE SHOT OF NATSUME LOOKING AFTER MIKAN WHEN SHE'S SICK!
BYEEEEEEEEEE! ~ AUTHOR-SAN