3rd person's POV
"Elementary... elementary school principal!" Men run towards the slightly injured body of the principal who lays on the ground. His body fazes into view, clothes slightly scorched from Natsume's desperate flames. His eyes remain closed as the man recovers from the shock and pain that floods his every nerve.
"He's pretty injured... someone got get the medical class!" One of his subordinates orders, kneeling next to the principal. "But you made it at the last moment. That's really-!" He cuts himself short when the principal's eyes shoot open.
They stare forward, wide and furious. The man resembled an angry, wild lion, dignity bashed as his pride turns on him. "Get Luna now." His voice commands, small arms wobbling as he attempts to lift his body from the ground. "Then, tell her to go to the Sakura's maze residence... and use her Alice to capture those two like that." He glares up at his men, sending a wave of fear throughout their bodies, "Since the acting Junior High Principal broke our deal, I hereby revoke the joint guardianship of that girl. From today onward, Sakura-Futago will be under my complete and sole guardianship."
He grits his teeth, green eyes boring holes into the ground as he curses the man responsible. "Damn you, Shiki.... I won't forgive you. I won't forgive any of you!"
///
Benjiro stares into the screen in horror from behind Shiki as his classmates and senpai's all fight off their enemies. "W-what are we to do now?!" The boy begins to raise his voice, turning towards his cousin. "The principal will go after the twins now-!" Panic arises in his chest, anxiety overwhelming his mind as the boy's voice cracks.
Benjiro had been doing very well at keeping his composure but fear has slowly been eating at his being throughout the whole ordeal. The young boy quickly rushes to the door, attempting to get to the twins room as quickly as possible to try and stop the principal from getting them.
"Benjiro-kun." Shiki's voice rings out, stopping the boy from moving any further. Benjiro stays facing the door for a moment as he calms his breathing, slowly turning to face Shiki. He stares at the big with a calm yet tense expression, "Calm yourself." He says.
Benjiro tries swallowing but his mouth was dry from the stress he was feeling. He takes a deep breath, nodding at the man before taking off once again. He bursts through the doors, sprinting towards headquarters as the boy does his best to follow his cousin's orders.
Calm down. You won't be able to fight in this condition! Get ahold of yourself and focus on the goal, keep Akako-Chan and Mikan-San from the hands of the ESP.
///
Natsume uses fire to keep the Fuukitai at bay, injuring a few while Tsubasa uses the shadows to cause others to fall from the boy's side. Behind them, Jinno uses his electricity to stun his opponents, Tono aiding the teacher and giving him a wider radius of attack with his amplification Alice.
If we don't catch the esp soon, Mikan and Akako will be in danger. We have to go after him now!
Everyone glances at Natsume who fights with all his might, using his Alice to its fullest extent in order to finish the battle quickly. The faster it ended, the faster he could get to the twins. Ruka takes place behind Natsume, back to back as the boy protected Natsume's rear. After fighting for a while, with the help of everyone present, the group was able to defeat the present Fuukitai.
Jinno turns towards the other teachers who had arrived and helped them. "Noda-Sensei, Noriyuki-Sensei! Please help us all escape here by time travel and teleportation!" He requests, capturing the attention of his fellow coworkers. "The venue is full of unconscious students, we should avoid affecting them! There are loopholes in the barrier that Shiki-San created in this venue, we'd be standing right in a trap if we stay here!" He points out. A grim expression takes hold of his face, "This is where we split up. Focus on catching the ESP."
Everyone pauses at his words, wondering how they were going to be successful if they couldn't all work together. The younger students were to be sent away.
"Hyūga has overused his power. It's time for you to rest." The teacher tells the boy, leaving no room for argument. He then turns towards the teachers as he explains his plan, "Noda-Sensei, please use your time travel Alice to transport the students out of here. We teachers will use Noriyuki-Sensei's Alice of teleportation to get out of here."
Misaki-Sensei steps forward, shaking his head, "But Jinno-Sensei, Noda-Sensei's time travel is getting strong interference waves from the elementary principal." He speaks out in worry for his friend. Nodacchi glances worriedly at the teacher as he points out a flaw in the plan."Besides, we can only take a certain amount of students and we can't guarantee that we'll come back to this specific date and time."
Jinno walks towards the time traveling teacher, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Please take care of Hyūga and the other students." He pleads, "We can't allow Hyūga and the others to dirty their hands for the school any longer. Our mission is to capture the esp." Everyone listens intently to Jinno, "I've come to an agreement with Narumi-Sensei."
The man recalls the moment when Narumi told Jinno of his plan, remembering Narumi's wishes.
::
The blond man begged for him to take care of everyone, "I don't think Natsume will ever listen if we try to stop him. But... I don't want him to become a murderer. He can no longer take any heavier burdens. It's our indifference that made this school.. and these students suffer. And I don't want it to ever be like that time when everyone blamed him- I don't want that to ever happen again." Narumi's violet eyes plead the harsh teacher who had become one of his closest allies, "Jinno-Sensei. In case it ever happens, please stop Natsume... from making a big mistake in his life."
::
"Noda-Sensei." A voice from the back of the crowd speaks up. Everyone turns to see Tono and Tsubasa, "if the number of students you can take is limited, you don't have to include us." Tono offers, "Focus on taking the elementary students first. We don't have to take a break." The senior speaks on behalf of him and the shadow user.
With that, Nodacchi gets to work, gathering the conscious students from class B. The children stand in a group around the teacher, holding on to one another as they prepare to enter the time-space zone. Their bodies begin to faze, the teacher slowing the process when he notices a stray student standing off to the side.
"Imai," he calls out, "come here, before the second team of the elementary principal arrives." He beckons.
Hotaru clenches her fists, walking forward and grabbing on to Natsume's wrist. She stares into his crimson eyes, a pleading tone escaping her mouth. "Promise me that you'll be okay."
Natsume'a heart falters when the girl says that. Hotaru cares very much for Akako, even though she was much closer with Mikan. It broke Hotaru to learn that both Akako and the one Akako loved were ill and wouldn't last much longer. She wanted Natsume to live with Akako for a long time but she didn't want to watch the boy have his fate decided for him. The girl knew that deep in his heart, Natsume wanted to rush after the esp and save Akako and Mikan.
"Promise me that the connection between you and Akako will not be interrupted by this." Hotaru's grip tightens on the boy, "promise me or I won't give Akako to you." As her desperate words reach Natsume, Ruka and their other classmates watch the interaction, "Prove it to me. If you can't even show me the connection, don't bother going after the esp!"
Natsume stares at the girl, shocked that she was encouraging him.
"For Akako... at least chose the way to live."
"Imai!" Jinno scolds, not wanting the boy to stay. He wanted to protect the promise he made to Narumi but as the blond teacher had stated, there was no way Natsume would idly stand by and have decisions made for him.
"Instead of being aware of death, if you have the confidence to face the esp while being aware of your life at stake... if you can make a promise like this to Akako, you should come over here. To save Akako."
"Hurry, Noda-Sensei!" Jinno ushers, wanting the teacher to take Natsume into time-space as quickly as possible. Nodacchi quickly begins to faze out but it's too late. In an instant, Natsume grabs Hotaru's wrist and pulls her towards the group, switching places with her at the last moment. Ruka quickly throws himself away from the group, staying with Natsume. The blond boy didn't ever want to abandon or be separated from his best friend. And if he could be of use in saving his friend and the girl he loves, he would definitely fight.
Natsume quickly spins around, watching as Yuu catches Hotaru. "I know." Natsume tells her. "I promise."
Noda-Sensei enters the time-space with the students of class B. Hotaru immediately apologizes for her actions but begins to explain her reasoning as she holds on to Nodacchi. "Having heard what Jinno said... it feels he's right accept but I'm aware that he is one person who will not allow Akako to go too far."
Even those in the real world were aware of the words Hotaru was speaking, thanks to her communication device that was still functional.
Hotaru's heart twists, knowing that even though Akako had Mikan as motivation for living... Akako would throw her life away in a second to save her sister. That was one of Akako's faults that Hotaru despised about the blond twin, the fact that she didn't value her life. Akako had been doing it for years, always putting others ahead of herself but in doing so, she never realized how much her actions hurt those around her. They wanted nothing more than for her to be okay but she would carelessly put herself at risk for them, time after time. If she had Mikan as well as Natsume and Ruka by her side... there was a chance that they could all stop each other from the doom they all expose themselves to. Maybe.... All of them will save one another.
"Ruka, Natsume, please take care of them."
///
Akako's POV
I feel my heart race, listening as their fists pound on the door. Members of the Fuukitai all showed up and are banging on the door, trying to get to me and Nee-Chan. Their aggressive advances ignite the anxiety that slowly takes over my body.
"Strange situation out there." New-Chan mutters for herself, picking up bear into her arms as the stuffed animal holds into a bag for defense.
I stand next to Mikan, adrenaline running through my body. "Mikan-Nee, if they're able to get in, please stand behind me and bear!" I turn towards my sister, pleading her.
Her brown eyes glare daggers into me, a frown settling upon her usual cheerful face. "But Akako! You aren't well, you can't fight!"
I huff at my sister arguing. "If worse comes to worse, I'll have to! I can't let them take us, we need to keep the stealing Alice away from the esp." I rush towards our table, grabbing hold of a chair and dragging it towards the door.
This is just a precaution in case they manage to get through the barrier and door.
I lean the back of the chair under the handles to prevent them from being turned. I run back to my sister's side, turning and flinching when another loud bang echoes from their attempt. My hand darts out for Mikan's hand, gripping it tightly as I try to calm myself.
"It'll all be okay. Hopefully Shiki-San will be able to hold the barrier!" Nee-Chan tries comforting all of us. I gulp, closing my eyes when a shout echoes from outside.
Did someone attack them? Why did they shout? Could it be... Natsume..?
"No..." My head snaps towards Mikan, frowning when she replies.
How did she know what I was thinking?
I quickly realize that my sister hasn't read my thoughts. Her head was turned, looming at something behind us. Right away, I begin to panic at what she could be seeing.
Has someone infiltrated the room?!
Spinning around, my blood runs cold at the sight. Mikan's hand slips from my own and a shiver runs up my spine. How...?
There, across the room, stood my classmate. I don't know how she's here... she should be in the infirmary, being treated. So why was she standing in our room, in front of us?
"Nobara..."
Sooo I couldn't remember if I made Benjiro related to Shiki and the previous MSP but I think I wanted him as a distant cousin of sorts? I can't remember if I wrote that in a previous chapter but if I didn't, I'm gonna have to go back and proof read a lot😭
Anyways! I hope you all enjoyed!