DML: I took way too long. But here is the chapter. I do not own GA. Enjoy.

The Invisible Line

Chapter 10: The Death That Sparked The End

"Mikan!" shouted Natsume. He stood up with haste as the brunette's eyes flew open.

Mikan, eyes wide still, sat up and cupped her forehead. She winced a little at the throbbing of her head. Mikan took a moment to look at her surroundings and felt a wave of nostalgia as she noticed the familiar décor on the walls. She used her left hand to boost herself up and faced three alarmed faces.

"Ruka is in trouble," Mikan said dryly, "We need to go to him, now."

"Baka," Natsume said as he tried to push her down to rest, "We'll get him, you need to rest."

Mikan fought back against Natsume's persuasive muscles. A determined look flash across her eyes and the raven haired lad backed away.

"Don't worry," Mikan smiled, "I'm fine."

Half a lie, she thought. But, she was not the person that they should be worried about now. She got off the bed and wasted no time filling Natsume, You-chan and Hotaru about the details in her latest dream.

"So," Natsume spoke first, "Why did Yuka-san keep your existence a secret from us?"

"BAKAN!"

"Really, Natsume?" Hotaru asked, blowing away the smoke from her baka gun, "That is your question?"

Mikan rushed over to massage Natsume's head, calming his inner demons as he glared long and hard at the violet eyed beauty. She might be dead, but that would not stop Natsume from murdering her, and he would feel less guilty too.

"She did it to protect you," Mikan began, "Which is what I wanted anyway."

"I don't mean to interrupt this tender moment," You-chan gave a little cough, "But how are we going to execute our plan to rescue Ruka-nii?"

Mikan stopped for a while and thought hard.

"You-chan," Hotaru said, "Find the old gang, and meet us at… Where do we meet?"

"Ruka's house," replied Mikan, "You-chan, here's a teleportation stone. We'll see you then!"

Mikan tossed a light blue stone to You-chan and grabbed both her best friend and boyfriend's hand. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard at Ruka's house. A soft blue light appeared and in a split second, they were sucked into a vortex with wind and spat out in front of Ruka's house.

"Ah," the kid laughed, "It seems they brought the party to us."

The kid glanced maniacally at the soulless body of Ruka, and let out a demented chuckle. He strode towards the door and opened it.

He was greeted by the sight of three very familiar, angry faces. The kid smirked and reached behind to take out three kunais from a hidden sleeve.

"Welcome!" he loudly proclaimed as he threw the kunais.

All three were put through vigorous training to go on missions, and one was already dead. So they had managed to dodge a simple ambush easily.

Hotaru took out her baka gun and took aim.

"BAKAN! BAKAN! BAKAN!"

However, whoever they were dealing with was also as skilled as he dodged all the locked-on bullets.

Natsume dashed forward, a flame blade protruding from his attacking hand. The kid had noticed his change in opponent and took out another kunai. The two duelled fiercely, but just as Natsume's flame was about to burn the kid's face, he stopped mid-way.

What the hell? Natsume thought as he struggled against his own body.

"How rude!" the kid laughed, "We didn't even introduce ourselves."

The kid smirked at the angry glares he got in return. He turned to Natsume and grinned maliciously at the frozen state the black cat was in. He shifted his gaze to the violet eyed beauty, no doubt she was a ghost, but he did not care. Even ghosts were scared of him some times. And then, there was the brunette, hazel eyes determined as ever.

"You like that?" He teased Natsume darkly, "That feeling of going against your will?"

Natsume gave his best death stare in response.

"This is my alice. If you'd like, I could reach into your darkest secrets, bring out the worst in you. Make you do things you think you'll never-"

But before he could finish his sentence, the kid felt a force so great against his right cheek.

"Over my dead body!" Mikan said, recovering from her flying kick. Her nullification was at its peak.

The kid gently touched his injured side of his face and smirked dangerously.

"You'll regret that, bitch."

And this time, the kid felt a force against his left cheek. Also, his head felt kind of hot.

"Over my dead body," Natsume said, cracking his knuckles.

Hotaru was about to join in the fun, but at the corner of her eye, she spotted a very still blond boy. His cerulean eyes were almost grey, and he stared blankly into space.

Hotaru stared in bewilderment at the state Ruka was in. Her hands shook and her lips trembled. Inside, her heart felt like it was being shot by bullets a thousand, trillion times.

Ruka's face had also been badly bruised. There were purple-red marks at his left eyes, his right cheekbone and the corner of his lips. His nose was also dripping blood, as were the side of his lips.

"Ruka," Hotaru whispered, her grip on her baka gun loosened.

The kid took the chance and snatched the gun from Hotaru's hand. He tried to aim it at her but Mikan had pushed her down and out of the way.

Natsume resumed tackling the kid. The kid struggled and tried to knock out Natsume using the butt of the gun, but Natsume head butt him instead. Using that second of unawareness, he wrestled the gun out of the kid's hands.

Mikan braced herself up and looked at the soulless Ruka. She glanced back at Hotaru and closed her eyes tightly. An orange glow seemed to shine from Mikan's hands. She opened her eyes and forced the stone into Hotaru's palm.

"Hotaru," Mikan pleaded, "Use this stone, free him, go!"

Hotaru blinked and walked over to the blond lad. She did not know how to cure him. Ruka stared on at Hotaru with dead eyes, and more bullets shot through her heart. She took a breath and placed her hand over his. Her free hand gripped on tightly to the nullification stone.

"I love you," Hotaru said, as a tear drop rolled down her cheek. She leaned in and planted her lips against Ruka's.

"This isn't over," the kid said, pushing Natsume off, who was distracted by Hotaru's actions. The kid took out a short katana from his jacket and unsheathed it.

He dashed forward towards Hotaru, hand ready to strike when a firm grip stopped him. The kid looked up in disbelief and saw the blond staring at him, his cerulean eyes calm and strong.

"Enough," Ruka said, "You've done enough, Roku."

Roku glared angrily at Ruka, who refused to budge. Instead, he took the knife from Roku's hands and sheathed it back.

"Ruka," Natsume questioned, "What is going on?"

"Yeah Ruka," came the chirpy Koko, "What is going on?"

"Hey guys," Ruka smiled warmly and glanced back at Roku, "This is my brother, Roku."

"WHAAAAAAAA~?"

Roku removed his hand from Ruka's grip and glared angrily at the blond boy.

"You are a selfish bastard," Roku began, directing his anger at his older brother, "Do you know how much Mama cried every time? How worried she would be about you? And yet you just go on with your life in the stupid academy with your stupid friends!

"I thought if that mission that killed your girlfriend went as planned that you'd return. I was wrong. You still had that fucked up best friend - the one that dragged you into the academy!"

And without holding back, Roku once again unsheathed the short katana and dashed towards Ruka. Tears were now spilling from his eyes as he raced like a mad man.

"I HATE YOU!" he screamed as he ran his katana through Ruka.

Crimson red blood stained Ruka's clothes, Roku's face and the floor. Along with it was a katana that was now stained crimson. The whole room went silent and Roku laughed maniacally at the blood on the knife, letting it drip onto his face. He dashed outside and leapt from the building, aiming his katana at his stomach.

"Ruka!" Natsume yelled, catching his friend whose knees had started to give way, "Ruka, stay with me!"

Ruka stared at everyone in the room and sighed, wincing slightly at the growing pain.

"Ruka-pyon, I can heal you!" Mikan cried, but Ruka just gently pushed her hands away.

"Everyone," Ruka sighed, "I'm sorry for the trouble Roku and myself caused.

"I should have tried to contact Mama more, then maybe she would not have felt so lonely. And maybe my little brother could have gotten to know me better, and not this way."

"Ruka," Hotaru said, as she knelt beside her beau, stroking his hair.

"I'll be joining you soon, love," Ruka smiled at her, tears welled up in his eyes and he glanced at everyone else, "I am truly so sorry."

And with that, Ruka breathed his last breath. Hotaru began to fade and disappear, but, her sad violet eyes and trembling lips were still visible. She gave Mikan a last hug, and held on until she disappeared fully.

Mikan was crying bitterly, because she was going to lose her best friend again. She held on to Hotaru too as she sobbed heavily. She could not say the words to Hotaru, but Hotaru understood, and the two just relished in their final embrace.

Natsume stared emptily at Ruka's lifeless body. His fists were clenched so tight that his knuckles were almost white. Natsume was shaking, though unaware of it, and he did notice when Hotaru pat his back before she disappeared. He was only drawn back to reality when a soft hand tried to encase his. He put an arm around her and let out a sob.

Everyone had their hands over their mouths. The girls were crying and the males hugged and comforted them, letting out silent sobs of their own once in a while.

A price was paid for the end of this terror.

The death of Ruka Nogi.