A/N So, yeah. I apologize for taking such a long hiatus without warning, but you guys are probably already used to that...still, that's no excuse. Anyway, everyone's lovely reviews lately have inspired me and I'm ready to start writing again.3 I hope to wrap things up in this story soon so I can start on the other story ideas I have. I'm really excited about them, but I promised myself I wouldn't write any more fanfics until I had finished this one, so yeah. x3 So, before I continue on with the story, a dedication/replying to my lovely reviewers so far is in order. :)

The Innocent Bystander Thanks :D and thank you for reviewing - and more than just once! I really appreciate that :)
Anne Whitehead No worries, I wouldn't leave this story alone... (of course it might seem like it sometimes _ I'm sorry "orz /sob)
Aliceneko-chan Hohoho yes :3 Their fighting scenes are the most fun to write. ^^ Glad you like it and thank you for reviewing3
BloodlyCherryBlossom ILY TOO :D and it's okay - review whenever you feel like it x3 Just as long as you review x'D
theforgottencreatures thank you! :D I hope I can update soon, too xD this story kills me whenever I don't update. x_x
Me Ah, thank you, "me!" :3 haha those are my favorite parts too x) I hope I can have some more...although I might force them to work together, too, just to torture them some. x)
Dark Neko 4000 Well, I couldn't tell you that now, could I? Or it wouldn't be a surprise. ;)
AmuKuroNekoHime asap :) Thanks for reviewing3
fbgalover3 Aww, thank you! I'll keep trying hard to stay motivated and update for you :)
wahmhy2x Thank you! :D and the next chapter is out now, thankfully. I hope to update more frequently, now that my muse has returned. ^^ And about Kyo's true form...well, you'll see. ;) Thanks for the kind words3
XxnatsumikyohruxX thanks for the encouragement3 I'll do my best! :)
Sakura Breeze Thank you3
Hellomeyay It's here now, thankfully! I am so sorry that I made you wait. :( I really am. Crap just turned up, and yeah. But me and the Sakura Portal are back! :D Huhuhu I love Kyo, Yuki, Haru, Natsume, and Mikan, too :D I'll never get tired of those guys3 Anyway thanks for reviewing :D
RavenshadowPhantomhive YES! I WILL! :D Thank you for reviewing and reading33

So! That's all! Please forgive any mistakes (I had to rush editing this _;) and enjoy the story! (oh, and I don't own Gakuen Alice or Furuba. Just my OCs and the plot.)

Tohru's POV
For a moment I was paralyzed. I just sat there, staring into Raiden's warm brown eyes. I quickly tried to regain my senses and said feebly, "U-uhm, hi...we were just looking for our dress designs, some kids ran away with them - we'll go now, sorry for eavesdropping-"

"Ahaha, don't think you're getting away that easily, Tohru-chan. I know your secret now, sweetie," Raiden said, grabbing my collar to stop me from running away. "I think I'll keep this one here, too. I'm sure she knows something as well," he said. No matter how much I struggled, he was still stronger and he pulled us to where the other two teens were standing.

I rubbed my head and looked up to see Avaron Omori paying two kids. The two kids held Kohaku's clothing designs. "Good job," Avaron was saying. "It worked perfectly. Now scram."
They nodded and ran away, looking eagerly at the money in their hands.

"So, what do we do with the little brats?" asked a boy that looked like a mix between Kagetora and Tsubasa.

"Well, take them to the ESP, of course! What else did you think, Hayate?" Raiden asked, looking at him incredulously.

Hayate frowned and opened his mouth to retaliate when Avaron slapped her hand across his mouth. "No, don't say anything. I don't want to listen to more of your guys' stupid bickering," she snapped. "Let's just get these guys to where they need to be and go."

Raiden smiled good-naturedly and put up his hands in surrender. "All right, all right, don't be so hasty, sweetie. Can't help but correct the ignorant. Anyway, let's go, Tohru-chan," he said, turning to me.

I refused to get up, shaking on the ground. "No. I don't want to go to him. I won't. You've got it all wrong - I'm Mikan, I swear -" I protested. I had to keep this going if it was going to work. The ESP couldn't know about the Sakura Portal.

Raiden just smiled. "Oh, try as you might, it's too late. We already know - we heard it from your own lips. Now, I'll say this one more time, and if you don't listen, you won't like the consequences. Shall we go?" he asked, stretching out his hand.

I shook my head, despite the fact I was scared out of my mind about what he might do to me. Who knows what sick power he has up his sleeve?

He sighed and actually apologized. Then he approached me and rested his hand on my head.
Suddenly an excruciating pain spread throughout my body. I heard myself scream faintly and the blinding white pain only grew worse with every hour-like second.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of pain, I felt myself slowly ebb into sweet unconsciousness.

Kyo's POV
I jumped up out of my seat, disturbed by the daydream I had just had.

"Kyo? Do you have something to add?" the stern teacher asked, peering at me from behind his glasses.

I grunted and gave a shake of my head. I slowly relaxed as I remembered I was inside the boring classroom, learning about who knows what.

However throughout the rest of the class the dream haunted my mind. I couldn't exactly remember what the dream was about, but my hair stood on end and my muscles were tense, so it was certainly not good. I traced circles on my desk with my finger as I tried to remember what it told me...it seemed to be important...

RIIIIING!

I leaped out of my seat again, looking wildly around. I heaved a sigh of relief when I realized it was just the bell signaling the end of the day. I rubbed my face and then shoved my way out of the class, wanting to get home as soon as possible.

"Hey! Where're you going?"

I turned around, my irritation level rising by the millisecond. This had better be good, I thought. Otherwise somebody's going to get their head bitten off.

"Sohma-san! Come here! It's important!" a short boy with glasses exclaimed, panting.
I cocked an eyebrow and said impatiently, "What's important?"

"I-It's about Sohma Momiji-san and Honda Tohru-san."

My eyes widened. "Tohru? Momiji? What happened?"

"Come on - I'll show you."

I followed the short boy, worry spreading in my heart. Had someone found out that Tohru wasn't really Tohru? And what had Momiji done?

The kid led me to the place they were making the preparations for the spring party. I walked inside to hear a bunch of surprised chatter and wary stares. I looked around but didn't see Tohru-Mikan or Momiji anywhere. I turned to the boy and asked him impatiently, "Well? Where are they?"

He looked as confused as I was. "I don't know, they were here a moment ago."

"Well, what happened, then?" I demanded.

The boy hesitated then said, "Well, Honda-san fell, and she fell on top of Sohma Momiji-san. Something strange happened, although I can't remember what exactly -"

"Okay, yeah. I-I need to go find them," I muttered, cutting him off. I knew exactly what had happened now. But how they had lost their memories so fast was a mystery to me. There was no way any Sohma with memory erasing abilities would find out about this incident so fast and then be able to erase this entire crowd's memories. So how?

I mingled with the crowd, thinking hard as I went until I was stopped in my tracks by a flash of a man in a black suit.

A chill ran down my spine. I glanced around, trying to reason with myself that it might be a policeman coming to investigate - but then I caught a glimpse of several more. They moved with inhuman speed, and the aura they cast sent more chills down my spine. I bit back a curse. Men in black suits are never good, especially when escaping a suspicious scene unseen from everyone else.

I took a breath to steady myself, but the more I ran through the scenarios in my mind, the more I panicked. These men might have taken Mikan and Momiji, and erased everyone's memory while they were at it. I was almost surprised they didn't erase Tohru and Momiji from everyone's memories entirely.

I was about to pursue these men when I felt a small hand on my shoulder. I turned around, but before I could see who it was, the person dragged me away from the scene.

I tried to protest but another hand clamped over my mouth. I flailed and tried to catch people's attention but they were too caught up in their confusion to notice. So I was dragged into the empty school halls and then outside.

When we reached the outdoors, the hands let go of me. I swiveled around to see Natsume standing there, looking even more pissed than usual.

"What's your problem? You could've just told me to come with you rather than-" I stopped myself for a moment, not willing to admit he'd scared me half to death. So I said instead, "Rather than dragging me out like that."

Before I could let loose some more cuss words, he held up a hand and said, "You would have asked questions and argued before you came with me. This was easier and faster, and we can't talk freely under the circumstances. Even now we must be careful," he lowered his voice, his crimson eyes darting back and forth, as if he expected the shadows to leap to life and attack him.

"So you saw the men in suits," I said.

"No duh. I was there at the scene when it all happened. Mikan fell on Momiji and Momiji transformed. The crowd freaked, and I tried to get to Mikan and Momiji, but everyone crowded around them and tripped me. I had to escape the place in order not to get trampled. When I came back, everyone was confused. I was just as confused, but when I saw a man in a suit disappearing, I knew exactly what had happened," Natsume explained.

I frowned. "Wait - how do you know what happened? Do you know who they are?" I asked.

"No, not exactly. But I can guess. They're probably officials working for someone. They're probably Alices," Natsume replied.

"If they're Alices..." I trailed off, my eyes widening. "That means they used the Sakura Portal to get here!"

Natsume nodded. "Yes. So we're not the only ones to know about it and to use it. Except I have a suspicion that these people know how it works. So if we can find them and get them to tell us how it works, it would solve everything."

My hands clenched into fists eagerly. "Yes. Let's get going!" I said.

Natsume cocked an eyebrow. "Where? We have no idea where to go," he replied coolly. "We've just assumed everything so far - we don't even know if we're right."

"But we have to be!" I retorted. "Well, you can stay here and mope about how we can only assume. I'm going to go find evidence." I turned around and marched back into the school, feeling triumphant. Let the little brat eat that.

In my blind triumph, I didn't notice someone standing right before me, blocking my entrance to the party preparation room. I bumped straight into the man.

"Hey, move it, will ya..." I began to yell, until I actually absorbed the person before me.

He was in a suit.

I cursed and backed up quickly, almost tripping over myself. "Uh...hi there...I, uh...," I paused, looking behind me. Where was the little brat when you needed him? "...just wanted to get by...if you could kindly let me pass, that would be great?" I asked, my voice squeaking feebly at the end. Crap. First I run into the stalker-in-a-suit dude, then I go and act stupid in front of this dude, I thought, cursing myself over a few times yet again.

The man didn't respond, only loomed over me in a creepy fashion. I frowned. Was he trying to intimidate me to death?

Shortly after wondering that, a stream of men came pouring in from the doors. They came in single file, looking like well groomed army men. Their faces were stoic and emotionless, and their motions were swift and graceful yet still mechanic in a way, as if they stalked random high schoolers everyday.

They surrounded me in a flash, forming a perfect circle. My fists clenched as I watched their mechanic movements. How am I going to get out of this mess?

Suddenly the hairs on the back of my neck tingled, and I stepped aside just in time to dodge a suited man falling to the ground. I turned around to see Natsume, one fist clenched and the other smoldering with fire. His eyes gleamed and he stepped towards me.

I backed up, raising my hands. "Whoa, don't get near me with that fire. I'm not the one you want to kill, remember?" I said, eyeing Natsume's flame warily.

"Shut up and focus! Why would I be here if I wanted you dead?" he spat. Suddenly his eyes widened and he yelled, "Duck!"

I dropped to the ground. After a moment, I looked up to see a fist that had just barely missed me. My heart began to pulse excitedly, and I felt a rush of adrenaline renew the energy in my bones. I grinned and met Natsume's eyes for a moment; my excitement was reflected there. Even if we hated each other and thought differently about everything else, the one thing we shared in common was the love of battle.

The rest came easily. I snapped up to a standing position, my fist meeting with the man's jaw. He flew back with the impact, slamming into two other men. Punch, kick, dodge, defend, repeat.
After several repetitions of this pattern, there was only one man left. He stood there, facing us with an emotionless look. I took a step forward, ready to finish the job, when Natsume stopped me. I frowned at him, confused. He gave a slight shake of his head.

The suited man noticed our hesitation and used the moment well - he made a run for it. His super speed aided him, and he was gone in a second.

"Great. Now he's gone - we would have beaten them all! Why did you do that?" I asked Natsume, agitated.

Natsume gave me a bored look. "Do all you ever think about is winning? I let him go so we can follow him. He'll give us a head start on where Mikan and Momiji are, and maybe in the long run Tohru," he replied, examining his nails.

I bit my lip, realizing he was right. I snorted and turned towards the door. "Let's go, then! He's probably halfway there already!" I exclaimed.

Natsume nodded. "I hope you aren't tired from all that fighting, stupid cat. I'm not waiting for you if you can't keep up," he said, then bolted out the door after the suited man.

I sighed and ran after him. For once, I wasn't upset at his taunts. I smiled. Tohru.

A/N Well, there we go. Sorry for such a short chapter, but I couldn't find any more muse for this particular chapter, and I needed to get this off my chest...anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapters shall be action and drama packed, so stay tuned! :D I'll hopefully have the new chapter out in...two weeks max? I'll set that goal for myself. Well, see you all next time! Please review! The more reviews I get, the faster I'll type. :)

Previews for next chapter!

"Oh, fancy meeting you here, Cat..."

"Who...who are you? You're...not Tohru, are you?"

"Why does she hate me? I only did what I had to - you understand that, right?"