Gakuen Alice Fan Fiction ❯ The Scrapped Prince ❯ Natsume's Best Friend, Ruka ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: ayumi25

Hi everyone! This is my new fanfic on the anime series "Alice Academy". I based [not entirely] the storyline and title on the anime "Scrapped Princess".

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Alice Academy and Scrapped Princess.

The Scrapped Prince

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Chapter Two: Ruka, Natsume's Best Friend

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"Oh, at last!"

Mikan kept the cleaning tools in the cabinet. "Job done."

She gazed at the large grandfather clock located at the lobby of the castle. It's only 10:00 in the morning.

"...My, I must've woke up early so I can visit Hotaru!"

She hurried to the basement, and this time, she knew where she's going.

"Left, then right, then..." she stared at the plain wall on her side. It was the wall where you can go to Natsume, the mysterious young man's room.

"What if I go and visit him first?" she looked at the way to Hotaru's place. "Oh well, Hotaru can wait."

Mikan leaned on the wall and pushed a little. Suddenly, it opened as it was before, and then she turned sideways and walked through the room.

"This place is surprisingly tidy for a guy," Mikan noticed. Every corner is well-maintained.

"Hello? Natsume?" Mikan called out. "Come out, please?"

She continued to walk only to find Natsume sitting on a couch reading a comic book.

"There you are. Why aren't you answering me?"

"And why are you here, young lady?" he asked scornfully. "What do you need?"

Mikan's cheeks puffed, "Hey, I was just visiting you, is anything wrong?"

"I don't need you." He answered flatly. "You may go now."

"What!!!" Mikan cried "I thought you were just lonely down here! I paid you a visit then this is what I get? Hmph!"

"Who told you that anyway," he continued reading his comic book and ignored her completely.

"Good morning!" a cheerful voice called out this time.

"I see, you have other friends visitng you," Mikan said sadly, "I guess a maid like me isn't worth your time. I'll go then. Goodbye,"

Natsume put away his comic book. "I was just kidding, you know." He muttered.

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"Good morining Na---"

Another young man stood silently and surprisedly in front of Mikan and Natsume. He was carrying a bunch of food with him. And on his basket, a rabbit was residing.

"Good morining!" Mikan cheerfully greeted the shocked man.

"Natsume---" he suddenly said, "who is she??"

"You must be his friend! I'm Mikan Sakura!" Mikan continued, smiling at him.

"Oh, she's just a maid Ruka," Natsume said nonchalantly. "Don't mind her. Come here,"

"A maid? I think no one's allowed to go in here," Ruka said. "If that's the case, then she shouldn't be here."

"Oh no! Yes, I am just a maid, and I'm here to---"

Ruka covered his mouth with his right hand, and afterwards he said something:

"Is she your concubine?"

Natsume was flushed. "NO WAY! Ruka, I'm too young for that!" he exclaimed, almost jumping off the couch. "Alright, she's Imai's friend. And here to bug me."

"Oh why you!!!" Mikan shouted, getting angrier. "Is that what you can say to your visitor? I came all the way down here just to see you yet---"

"I see," Ruka interrupted her. "Nice meeting you, Mikan. I'm Ruka. And I am Natsume's best friend."

"Hi!" Mikan's mood suddenly changed. Natsume went away and didn't came back after almost an hour.

"Does he ever become lonely here?" Mikan asked him as they continued their chat.

"Oh no, Imai does his entertainment stuff." He showed her a closetful of gadgets Hotaru made.

"Wow," Mikan said, smiling.

Finally, Natsume came back. "Can I borrow some, Natsume?"

He stared at her and shrugged.

"Pretty please?"

"Go ahead," he simply answered. "Just don't break them."

"Sure!" she said. "You're so kind, thanks!"

He just turned away from them. "I'll go and take a nap,"

"I guess we better leave him first, Mikan. Let's continue our talk outside." Ruka said.

"Alright. Bye, Natsume!"

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"I've known Natsume since we were little." Ruka began narrating. "We grew up together and had school together."

"Oh nice! Just like Hotaru and I!"

"... the reason why Natsume is hidden there is because of that stupid prophecy..."

"P-prophecy?" Mikan asked. "Tell me about it..."

"The seer told Natsume's father that he'll bring destruction on his 16th day on earth." Ruka said. "and from the day he was born, he was considered dead by his family."

Mikan gasped, "Poor Natsume!"

"It's just so devastating, and the country can't even have a new king."

"King? How did royalty came to the story?"

"Natsume is the prince of this kingdom. The scrapped prince."

"WHAAAT?????????" Mikan exclaimed. "He is????????"

"Yeah," Ruka said sadly. "As a friend, it's so sad that I can't do anything for him."

"Don't worry, Ruka! I know there'll come a day that Natsume won't be imprisoned there." Mikan said optimistically.

"I hope that day will come." He replied. Ruka checked his watch. "Oh my, it's time for me to go. Thank you for today!"

"Alright, don't you worry, I'll keep Natsume company when you're not around!"

"Thanks. I hope we meet again."

"Bye!"

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The next day, Mikan woke up early again. This time, she has no work, and she's not going to see Hotaru. She went straight to Natsume's room.

"Good morning!!!"

She carefully and silently entered his room. She looked around and found out that he's still sleeping in silence. Mikan went closer to him, watching his peaceful face and breathing. After some time, his eyes opened slowly.

"H-hey..." he muttered, getting up. "?"

"Hi there..."

"It's you again," Natsume said. "What's wrong now?"

"I am here to be your company! Here, have breakfast with me!" Mikan said happily. "I'm so lonely up there eating with no one, so I guess we better share this meal, right?"

"Whatever."

Mikan poured out the tea and spread out the blanket on the table. She brought along with her cookies and tea.

"Hmn! Yummy!" she said. "Itadakimasu!"

Natsume just followed her and took a cookie. He stared at it for a moment, and then took a bite. He found it delicious.

"Who made this?"

"Anna-chan! She's such a talented girl..."

"Do you cook?" he asked

"Oh yeah! I was my grandfather's cook back in our town!" she said proudly.

"Okay,"

"Do you like some more?"

"Sure,"

Moments passed by and they finished eating up all those cookies and drank up the tea.

"That was great," Mikan said. "I think I'll be asking for more cookies and I'll deliver them to you."

Natsume kept silent again. Mikan has nothing to say either. She sat beside him on the couch as if they both don't exist in that room. Time continued to fly and the utter silence annoyed Mikan.

"Hey, mind if I ask you something?" Mikan asked.

"Nope,"

"Um, am I really annoying? Hotaru always tells me that,"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Natsume laughed out. "Oh that frank girl, she didn't spare to make a lie for her friend!"

"Why are you laughing?" Mikan was flushed. "stop it,"

"Oh sorry..." he said, stopping. "Anyway, the answer to that is..."

Mikan looked at him.

"No, you aren't. Maybe just a little," Natsume continued.

Mikan smiled. "Oh well, I hate to go but I have to. Mr. Narumi might ask me to run errands for him. Bye,"

He simply waved his arm and got up the couch.

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Wow, I've never seen him laugh like that before... I wish he'd laugh like that more often. Maybe I just need to stay with him so he'll be happy.

Mikan continued walking until she came across Mr. Jinno.

"Ms. Sakura, where have you been?" he asked, and his frog echoed a croak.

"Um, just at the basement, do I have an errand to run?"

"Do you know that the basement is prohibited?"

Mikan bowed her head down. "I'm so sorry, sir. I won't go there again."

"Just make sure," Mr. Jinno said, "Or else you'll get kicked out of the castle..."

His warning was dangerous, but Mikan knew that there's still more to what her job is.

Hah, no way! No one can stop me from seeing my friends!

Back to Natsume's room, Ruka arrived. He saw the messy table, indicating that Natsume had eaten already.

"Pretty early today, huh..." he said. "I guess you had eaten."

"Yeah, the girl came here and brought me food," Natsume said.

"Mikan?"

He nodded. "She's such a comical girl."

"And she's nice too." Ruka added. "Let me clean this for you,"

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Mikan went back to her room after being scolded. She lied down on her bed and felt happy.

"I wonder what Hotaru's doing now..."

*knocking on the door*

"Mikan are you there?" it was Hotaru's voice calling.

"Hai!" she got up quickly. "Ohayou!"

"What's that fuss you were in with Jinno?" Hotaru asked.

"That's nothing!" Mikan said cheerfuly. "Don't worry, I won't follow him!"

"Mikan, listen. Don't you ever go to Natsume again." Hotaru said seriously.

"But why?" Mikan asked. "he's such a nice boy!"

"He's very dangerous," Hotaru said, looking straight at Mikan. "And you promised me that."

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't go near the fire, you might burn yourself..." she said and left.

With Hotaru's parting words, Mikan got more confused.

"Fire? What fire?" she asked herself. "Oh well, that doesn't stop me from seeing Natsume."

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TO BE CONTINUED