Chapter 6

Naturally

Hotaru had just arrived to Alice Academy in Denmark after a really exhausting tour. She was accompanied by Narumi as a safety thing, and also because he too wanted to see Mikan again. But knowing Hotaru the excursion wouldn't go after the plan, after all she had some very specific cravings; she had refused to sit on third class. She had simply refused to leave Japan; until they said she could sit on first class. So naturally no one was happy when she wasn't, and do not, I repeat, do not anger Hotaru Imai or you will feel the wrath of her wicked mind.

It was a wonder they even made it to Denmark, and Narumi was definitely worn out when they arrived; he had been forced to sit on the third class all alone, while Hotaru sat on first class seats and had her own stewardess to fix all of her needs. This was all the while Narumi sat packed together all kinds of people, who definitely hadn't learned how to make their kids behave. So after many hours of no sleep whatsoever, Narumi had bags under his eyes and looked like he invented the word jetlag. Naturally Hotaru looked like she always did, and completely ready to let Mikan feel the wrath of her new inventions.

"Naru, when will we arrive?" The Ice Queen asked not even pitying the worn out teacher.

"In half an hour" came the reply from the driver of the limo that they had just entered.

"Fine" she said finally turning her head to the apparently sleeping teacher beside her. Narumi had just entered the limo, when he fell asleep, so naturally he hadn't heard Hotaru's question.

But looking at the sleeping teacher gave her an idea; oh yes, she had more than one of those.

First of all there was money in this kind of situation, so good for her that she brought her blackmailing camera. Secondly she was definitely not letting him sleep; after all she was preparing for some revenge, so starting a bit before she was let loose on Mikan, wouldn't hurt. Would it?

She took some pictures firstly, then she drew some funny drawings on his face, and took more pictures afterwards. 'This is definitely good blackmail material', she thought as she wore a very wicked smile 'And now to the fun part'.

Hotaru had brought a mini radio in her handbag, of course designed and invented by herself. She turned up the volume and started singing; if you could call that singing. It was more like screeching than anything else. The perfect inventor alias the Ice Queen had definitely not a single tone in life. Who knew?

The poor teacher was bound to wake up sooner or later. And as if having a nightmare of worst the kind, he sat up looking straight at Hotaru.

'What the hell was that?'

But still looking dumbfounded at her, he finally got it.

"Imai, could you turn down a bit?" he asked in an almost pleading voice.

"No"

"Ehe… And why not?"

"Because I don't feel like it" was her dry and uncaring reply.

"Oh…" he simply didn't dare to make her turn it down. Not even with the use of his Alice; he had seen the gadgets she so often brought around with her, not to say use them on people. And of course there was the blackmailing thing. Not that he was aware of the pictures that she had been taking earlier, but he was definitely sure she would dig something up if she wanted to. Who knew what she had heard or seen? She was a scary person when it came down to that. Even he had to admit that.

So for him that meant half an hour with her none stop screeching.

"Kelvin! Would you please stop skipping classes?" yelled the lovely brunette.

"No. I have better things to do"

"Mou, like what? Taking a nap, or maybe read one of those dirty manga's? Is that it?"

"Yeah, that should be about it. Why don't you scram, your voice annoys me."

With that last statement of his, he earned himself a pretty hard hit on his head, much to his dismay.

"Auch! That hurt you know!" he said while rubbing his sore head.

"Mou! You deserved that you know, and would you please just come with me to class? You know I can't understand what they say"

"Yeah I know, and whose fault was that? As far as I remember it had nothing to do with me. Still I don't really get how you could ruin all of those language chips." He said while sweat dropping at the last statement.

"I know it's my own fault, but I don't quite get it myself actually" she said while tapping her index finger on her chin, unsure of how she really ruined them. All of them.

"Baka"

"Stop calling me that! And would you please, please, please go with me to class? I won't stop nagging you until you do so" she said as if threatening him in her own way.

"Fine! But then you'll have to shut up for the rest of the day"

"EH! You know I can't keep quiet for a whole day, I will go nuts!" she practically screamed at him much to his annoyance.

"Fine, then just promise me to shut up while we walk to the class" he had already given up on winning this fight, so he just hoped he at least could get something out of the deal.

"Okay. I can do that" she said with a cheery smile.

"Then come on. I don't have all day you know. You look like a total retard if you keep standing there" he said while starting to head towards the class.

"Stop calling me names, Kelvin!"

"Didn't you just agree to shut up?" he just shrugged.

"Oh yeah. I will keep quiet from now on then." Unbelievable enough she actually did so. At least for a while she did. She just couldn't ignore the fact that Kelvin just had to pull out one of her pigtails. But then again, why should she cope with that, she never did so before and she definitely wouldn't now. So as always she started chasing him, while screaming nonetheless, to take back her ribbon. But Kelvin being a boy, a trained one like Natsume, it wouldn't be that easy for her to catch up with him, since he was already ahead of her, because of her slow reactions. She really had to fix that habit of hers, or at least get her reflexes checked.

She did a pretty god job, trying to catch up with him, and came pretty close to get her ribbon back, but as soon as they reached the school building he snatched her other ribbon, and started running towards the classroom through the corridors. She, of course, started screaming even louder and run even faster, not even caring if the whole school could hear her screaming and cursing. Simply because people didn't care anymore, after a whole month people got used to their, Mikan and Kelvin's, little interactions and fights in the halls and corridors. So naturally they hardly noticed it anymore, or at least sweat dropped at the thought of the two, running idiots.

"Class, this is Hotaru Imai from Japan, and she is going to be a one-week-exchange-student. Mainly because of Mikan's clumsiness-"before Lina could continue the class snickered at her comment about Mikan, but dropped the matter when Lina continued introducing Hotaru. "Hotaru comes from the same school as Mikan so please be nice to her, and try to make her feel welcome while she is h-"But again Lina was interrupted with the screaming voice of Mikan in the corridors. She could only sweat drop at it, since it happened almost every day.

"Haha. They're at it again"

"Yeah, those idiots"

"But it's kind of sweet"

Those were the comments coming from random students, before Kelvin entered the classroom like nothing happened. But when he looked up, he caught Hotaru's stern gaze and stopped walking any further, just to have a yelling Mikan running into his back, obviously surprised because she hadn't noticed he stopped walking.

"Eh, why did you stop Kelvin?"

But before Mikan could get a reply, she caught sight of her beloved Hotaru.

Firstly Mikan couldn't believe her own eyes, then she got all teary eyed because of seeing her Hotaru again, but by looking at Hotaru's face, she remembered how she left a lousy letter, and the fact that she didn't say goodbye at all. Yep, by that time Mikan figured that she most likely was going to feel pain. A lot of pain.

So in stead of running toward Hotaru to hug her, like she normally would, she simply started to step back, with a very nervous expression shown in her face.

"Ehe… Hotaru, w-what a-re you d-doing here?" She stammered nervously.

"Did you really think that I was going to sit and wait for getting my revenge? Baka." She stated, but continued rather fast. "Besides, with you gone I don't have a dummy to test my new inventions" the last statement, sounded like she was really up to something vicious, and with that evil glint in her eyes, it was more the less confirmed.

Mikan on the other hand looked like a nervous break-down, gulping a bit. At that moment she really felt like a prey, hunted by a very, very dangerous predator.

"Um, Kelvin-kun it was nice meeting you" she said, then started running.

Kelvin just looked at her for a split second, then at this girl called Hotaru.

"Oh no, you don't!" Hotaru said, at started to run after her, or at least just to the hall, where she had prepared her duck scooter. Mikan was definitely not getting away.

Back in the class stood a speechless Kelvin, who obviously didn't get what was going on, and a class that just looked like a big bunch of idiots.

"Mikan come back here!" Hotaru shouted, obviously pissed by Mikan's actions.

Meanwhile Mikan just hid herself behind some bushes in order to escape the wrath of her best friend. But Hotaru wasn't just anybody, who would fall for such a lousy trick, so naturally she found her; with ease.

"Did you seriously think that I wouldn't find you?"

"Ehe… Hotaru, I'm sorry let me expla-" But before Mikan could finish her sentence, she was shot down several times by the new and upgraded versions of Hotaru's inventions.

"Serves you right Baka, for leaving without telling me"

"So you are the sadistic best friend of hers, that she has been blabbering non-stop about" a voice from behind said.

"And who might you be?" a rather dry and unemotional question came from Hotaru.

"I'm the baka's friend, and partner. Kelvin Takuma and you are?"

"Hotaru Imai, the baka's best friend"

Kelvin then looked at Mikan, who seemed to be rather dizzy, trying to avoid all of Hotaru's invention, but without luck.

"Uh, don't you think she has gotten enough? Kelvin asked while sweat dropping at the crazy inventors mercilessness toward her so-called best friend.

"No, she deserves to suffer a little more"

"Oh"

Later that night Hotaru was sitting on Mikan's bed waiting for her to come out of the shower, which she was currently occupying. Hotaru had already checked out Mikans room, but she couldn't help but look even further; it was definitely different than her old one. Heck, this room was even bigger than her room!
"Hotaru did you unpack?" Mikan asked while walking out of the bathroom, in her baby-blue nightgown.

"Yes"

"Okay, that's good" Mikan said while smiling at her best friend.

"Mikan, come here and sit on the bed with me"

"Okay, but what for?"

"I just have something to ask you about Baka"

Mikan walked over to where Hotaru was seated, and took place right beside her, waiting for her to continue.

"Why did you leave Mikan? Why did you leave without telling me, without telling anyone?" Hotaru asked.

"Hotaru… I-I don't think you would understand it" Mikan stuttered a bit.

"How would you know? Why don't you try explain it to me, and then I will decide if I understand or not!" Hotaru yelled a bit, obviously hurt by Mikans words. Didn't she trust her enough to tell her? Wasn't she her best friend?

"Hotaru.. I don't know what to sa-" Mikan started, but was interrupted by Hotaru. "Don't give me that crap, Mikan! Just tell me what happened" Hotaru wasn't just angry, she was sad too.

'I didn't know Hotaru cared that much. Maybe I should just tell her' Mikan thought while looking at the distressed Hotaru.

"Okay. I will tell you"

Kelvin laid on his bed, thinking of Mikan and her best friend. He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but it somehow made him a little jealous, that this best friend of hers suddenly showed up

He had been used to, for the past month, to be the only one that Mikan concentrated on, and when she didn't; he would make her. He would simply demand her attention, and still he couldn't figure out why.

In the mean time Mikan had told Hotaru all that happened with Luna, with the principal and her mother that she still didn't know anything about. This conversation was a very painful topic for her, so in the process Mikan had started to cry. Hotaru had just looked at her, then hugged her like there was no tomorrow. She had understood that Luna was part of the cause, but she never imagined that there was so much and so many against her. She still felt a little disappointed over the fact that Mikan hadn't told her any of this. But somehow she could understand that Mikan wanted to be stronger, and she was happy that the people at this academy treated her nicely, compared to the Japanese academy. Though Hotaru knew that Mikan had transferred to the DA, she knew that this Kelvin guy would watch out for her. And if he didn't, she would definitely let him feel exactly how evil she could be.

'I better go blackmail that Kelvin guy later. He better watch out for her while I'm gone, or else' Hotaru thought while hugging the crying Mikan.

'Someone is seriously going to pay for hurting my baka, and it won't be pretty.'

"Hotaru I'm going to miss you!" Mikan said while sobbing.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going to miss you too, baka. And remember to answer my calls." Hotaru said, hugging her friend goodbye in the process.

Kelvin just shrugged.

Hotaru had been in Denmark for a week, and it was time for her to go back, much to Mikans dismay.

Kelvin on the other hand was happy that the creepy blackmailer finally had to go home. He had over the past week experienced how cunning and creepy Hotaru could be, and she had even threatened him to watch over Mikan. 'Tch, like she needed to tell me. Stupid witch' he really had some issues towards Hotaru, and somehow it was hard to blame him for it. She had really tested out his tolerance and patience, but each time he nearly snapped, Mikan would interfere and make them stop.

So all in all Kelvin was glad that Hotaru was leaving, but it still pained him that Mikan was sad. But then he would probably just tease her to make her think of something else.

"Tch, Relax Polka, it's not like you won't see her again, so stop crying. You look ugly when you cry" Kelvin said.

"It's not funny Kelvin! Ugh, can't you be just a little understanding?"

"No. And you're gonna stick with me for the next couple of years." Came Kelvin's reply

Mikan just looked grim for a moment but then said "Yeah, but who do you think can be the most annoying of the two of us?" and then smiled a smile at him that resembled that smirk of his.

A/N: DONE!! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated until now, but I had exams two days in a row, and I had to spend some time with my friends too. Thanks to those who have reviewed this story, added it to favourite story, and etc. It really makes me happy in this frustrated time.

Um, sorry for typos and grammars, but I really don't have the time to edit lately, and of course it can happen to anyone. No one is perfect :p

Disclaimer: Don't own.. Goes sulking in a corner.

NEXT TIME:

"Class, we have a new student today or rather a returnee" Narumi said, getting all the students attention.

"Mikan please come in now" Narumi called out to the 15 year old brunette.

"Hai, sensei." Her sweet and cheery voice answered as she entered the classroom.