Opening Note(s): You are not having a nightmare. I repeat: You are not having a nightmare and your brain perfectly functions well. I really have updated. I sincerely hope someone still reads this after being buried for so long.

Just a warning people: my writing's been quite rusty (especially at the shameful, "action" scene) due to lack of practice so please bear with me. :D

—

Rules of Abduction
Written by: Snow Sparkle
Chapter XIV – Final Showdown

—

Rule 14: When a good guy is being teamed up by a bunch of bad guys, it's called dirty and dishonest.
But when a bad guy is teamed up by a bunch of good guys, it's called a beautiful display of teamwork and camaraderie.

—

—

There were six official alice levels. F was the lowest, the level of non-alice; while A was the highest, the most powerful of all.

Then there was a rumor about the seventh level: the S alice. Some scholars though believed that S rank was merely a myth. A few argued that S wasn't a permanent level, it was more like a state of trance, a power so saturated with energy— A trance which gave the user an enormous, incalculable power. There was a downside to this though and this was where most scholars concur: The person, after attaining the seventh level, will break his body, and die.

Some even cruelly joked S stands for suicidal.

Being a B alice didn't make Natsume's situation any easy. Although his alice was considered one of the most dangerous kind, it was still on its fledging, volatile state; as opposed to Persona's which was in its full maturity.

He had an incredibly potent amplifier of course but his plans didn't include him using that amplifier. He knew his alice was still young, he wasn't foolish. If he used the amplifier it might cause his alice to lurch to S rank. The sudden two-level jump would break his body as it was not accustomed to contain such power and might also make him lose his mind and go off his rocker. The probability of going from B to S was particularly low but he wasn't going to bet on something hypothetical. He couldn't risk being a wild, mindless bull if he was to protect Mikan.

He could however risk Persona.

And that was his plan.

He couldn't afford to play honest and go showdown-ing with him with just his alice equipped. It would be too foolish, especially when there were lives at stake. It wasn't like Persona was the type to fight honesty as well.

Although, if there was something he had learned as a pirate, it was to use underhanded methods to get whatever he wanted— That it wasn't always about strength or power or money. Sometimes it was the shrewdness that got things done.

But how could he make Persona touch the amplifier, make him S rank, and watch him destroy himself without endangering the others but himself?

If he used the alice stone, he'd die.

If Persona used the alice stone, he'd die.

Both plans were not cheery to say the least.

"What are you thinking?" Mikan's voice rang like a bell to his ears and immediately breaking his reverie.

He slowly focused his eyes on Mikan's, trying to place why she was again with him.

His eyes then trailed down to her arm and finally down to their intertwined fingers. Inwardly startled, he abruptly pulled his hand away and stuffed it inside his pocket, mentally cursing himself for being a slapdash and for letting his guard down.

Why had he kissed her? On top of that why had he confessed? He shouldn't have. He couldn't have her hoping and pining for him when he knew there was a huge possibility he wouldn't get out alive. It was selfish of him.

Sure it wasn't like he had planned on confessing and kissing her. Well okay, he had maybe thought, somehow considered fleetingly— all right maybe downright wanted to could kiss her again at one point but never to confess. In fact, he hadn't realized he harbored such feelings for her until it came out of his mouth.

She was special, more special than Ruka or anyone else; and that was why he couldn't afford to be selfish.

She had a life before he came, and he had every intention of giving it back to her.

"I'm not expecting anything out of you," Mikan aberrantly said, thoughtful. "In fact, I don't really think you've meant what you said a while ago."

She was looking for some kind of assurance, Natsume arrogantly noticed. And he inwardly grinned for reading her like an open book, which was so damned cute.

Reflexively, he reached atop of her head and stooped down so that her eyes were staring directly into his. There was so much fire and intensity in his eyes that she couldn't help but tilt her face away so she wouldn't have to look and be dragged down to those deep red pools and lose her wits more than necessary— and also, so that he wouldn't see her blushing so profusely.

Natsume enjoyed torturing her however and tilted her chin back.

"Don't fight it," he murmured, teasing, his lips almost touching hers.

Fight what? Mikan wanted to ask, her face all burned up, but as she gazed into his eyes, she slowly nodded and her eyes closed mechanically, waiting for the inevitable.

Maybe you could afford to be selfish, after all, you've been selfish all your life.

Natsume brushed away the stray coffee hairs out of Mikan's adorable, innocent face and felt if he should do this it should be done now or never.

Could you afford being selfish one last time?

Maybe. Could he compromise? He bargained.

His hands slowly touched her cheeks, angling it in a position he wanted. And then tentatively he bent further down, surprising the both of them when he kissed her forehead, softly, lingeringly, affectionately, as if wanting to stretch out this moment.

I couldn't afford being selfish, at least this one last time.

Mikan immediately understood. She broke down into silent tears, hugging and clinging onto him. She knew he was saying goodbye already and there was nothing she could say or do to stop him.

In her final desperation, she bargained, "There must be something I could do."

He smiled wanly. "There might be. But I won't let you," he said, then feeling a little bit roguish again added, "You're better off with that fiancée of yours."

"What?" she squeaked, feeling betrayed.

Sure O'Hara, her ex-fiancée, wasn't half as arrogant as Natsume. What was more ironic was that one of the reasons why Mikan was put off by O'Hara was because he was arrogant.

Except that Natsume was different. Mikan reasoned to herself.

But how could she know for sure though when she hadn't given O'Hara a chance?

A chance to know him better.

A chance to redeem himself.

A chance to see him in a better light.

A chance to spend time and talk about everything, or maybe simply idle and hang-out, just the two of them.

A chance like what Natsume had...

"I don't want to give O'Hara a chance," she said stubbornly, making one of Natsume's brows to rise for he had little idea what made her say that. "Because all I want is you."

As cliché as it was, it got him, and he mentally hit himself for that. Why was he so affected and so warmed-up by her cheap, soap-opera-ish lines?

Simple: Because it was straightforward and honest.

And that's one of the reasons why he liked her so much.

He hadn't noticed he was smiling at her. "Stupid twit," he muttered, pinching her cheek fondly. "I think you're obsessed rather than in love with me."

"Horrible!" she exclaimed, glowering at him. Natsume equally matched her stare, leering down at her.

—

They were so at it that they hadn't noticed someone had sneaked up. An unexpected guffaw came and both Mikan and Natsume hurdled and craned their necks the direction of the laughter.

"Such a player, aren't we, Natsume-kun?" Persona materialized from down the stairway of the dungeon. Natsume immediately secured Mikan, pulling her back. "I was listening for quite a while now and I thought how cute this couple is." He smiled genially. "Too bad it's gonna be one of those like Romeo and Juliet." His smile turned menacing. "A tragedy."

—

For someone whose body was slowly degenerating, Persona was mighty fast as he swooped and latched like a leech on Natsume. Natsume pushed Mikan out of the way. "I'll see to it nothing happens to Juliet though." Persona whispered against his ear and without mercy, released his deadly alice directly on the already weakened Natsume.

"No!" Mikan cried out and was about to join the mêlée when two arms prevented her from doing so.

"Don't Sakura!" Sumire urgently said, trying not o look at Natsume so she wouldn't be compelled on joining the fight herself.

Mikan struggled fiercely. "He's Natsume! Your captain! We must help him! Where are the others? We need reinforcements!"

Sumire wanted to say reinforcements were on their way, and they were, but she was afraid it'd be too late before they've even arrived. "We have to get out. Now."

"And Natsume?"

"Come," Sumire half-heartedly pulled Mikan away. The sooner she could secure Mikan the sooner she could help Natsume.

The two girls watched from the corner of their eyes as Natsume was recoiling in pain due to Persona's alice.

"You can't leave him! He's your captain!"

"Shut up!" Sumire exclaimed. "Do you actually think I'd rather save your ass than Natsume?" She turned misty-eyed. "But the captain has laid down his order: to protect you at all cost."

"You can't get away!" Persona bellowed, using his alice on Sumire. She had chocked down onto the ground, trying to claw the invisible force that seemed to be squeezing the life out of her. The alice had managed to affect Mikan as well and was down in a matter of seconds.

Natsume made use of the distraction and punched Persona squarely on his face and sent him staggering backwards.

"Fool," Persona remarked, groping at Natsume's shirt and heaving him against his body. In spite, Natsume spit on his face, wanting to see Persona at least a bit thrown off. To his horror and disgust, Persona merely traced it out with his finger and licked it clean.

Natsume twisted his face in aversion. "How would you like to taste my vomit as well?"

"Getting chummy with your boyfriend?" Tsubasa commented as he jumped into the fray.

"Hi Natsume," came Misaki's bouyant voice, instantaneously assuming a fighting pose.

"Hotaru?" Natsume inquired.

"Taking Amberlane over with Ruka," Tsubasa duly answered. He was about to add You should have seen her but he was interrupted by Persona's mocking and echoing laughter.

"Oh so you think you can stop me, with your pitifully ranked alices?"

"Well," Tsubasa started, having a cocky grin. They haven't got amplifiers but... "You are outnumbered."

"And who said about using alices?" Misaki chimed in, already charging on to Persona.

Persona caught her fist and ducked gracefully as Natsume came a second after Misaki. Natsume's fist came in contact once again on Persona's face, but not before landing a strike on both Natsume and Misaki, sending them both reeling. Tsubasa, enraged, deftly flew into the air and necklocked Persona. Natsume leaped forward and aimed for his body until suddenly, Persona raised both of his hands and the three of them instantly fell onto the floor, the poison of his alice, deeply seeping into their bodies.

Persona laughed, amused at the way they struggled and squirmed for air. "Why don't you just surrender? You know you're nothing against me."

"...Am I?" Natsume smirked, showing off an alice stone slightly clenched on his fist."

Tsubasa's eyes rounded in horror, recognizing the look of do or die in Natsume's eyes and the alice stone. "Out!" he barked. "All of you out!"

—

There was no time for goodbyes. Tsubasa dragged Misaki who was unsure of what was going to happen but frightened for Natsume. Sumire, who was crying big, fat tears, was trying to drag away Mikan who was crying the same big, fat tears.

Natsume was about to liberate the stone and impel it against Persona, trusting Tsubasa to get everyone out. But as he did so, he realized in horror that the stone was not coming off him and was slowly disintegrating into his body.

How did it end up like this? Why was his body reacting to the stone? It was for Persona! He had tried to let go of the stone but every time, it sent bolts of electricity down his arm and crept to his body, paralyzing himself.

He laughed caustically. So this was his fate? The wages of his sins? Was it through this way that it could be atoned? To be like the star? A body full of energy, so destructive, but still a mindless one?

There was no way he could fight off the power. His body was already beaten and weakened to begin with, it was a miracle he had last this long. The burning heat radiating off his body, he was quite sure, was not his alice.

Then he began to gasp desperately for air— His fire alice consuming all his oxygen. His eyes diluted as he watched Persona grin triumphantly at him, watching his flames eat him. Persona was no fool. He wouldn't use this chance to hammer him, after all, if he approached, the fire would eat him alive as well.

Slowly, Natsume feel down to his knees, still not quite succumbing; but he felt it wouldn't be too long now. His body, not accustomed to the enormous power was starting to break.

Natsume helplessly glanced at his side, hoping that Mikan has escaped. As long as she's safe...

In a last ditch effort, he outstretched both of his hands, focusing all his wayward energy into a single highly condensed ball, aiming it at Persona. But before he could release it, he had blackened out.

—

The Natsume that opened his eyes, wasn't Natsume. He was like a phoenix who had risen from its ashes and had breathed a new life.

Persona, alarmed, as he looked into Natsume's amber eyes and the gigantic amber ball, raised his hand and just like what Natsume did, made a highly condensed ball of purple-black energy and clashed it against Natsume's. Yet the amber ball was too strong and it pushed it back to Persona. Enraged, confused, desperate, and for the first time fearful, willed all of his energy with a battle cry. His mask cracked and broke and a large amount of energy poured out of him.

This was Persona. Evil as he was for others, greedy as he was to some, he was still powerful as ever— jumping to S level without the aid of an amplifier...

It has become the battle of S ranks, the fight for supremacy. But Natsume was too young and inevitably, the purple-black energy penetrated Natsume's. Sumire, who had grown limp long before Persona had executed his energy, had left Mikan to Tsubasa. Tsubasa gaped and Mikan chose this opportunity to run where the two S-ranks were fighting.

She chokingly called on Natsume's name. Outstretching her hand, trying to reach Natsume. She was too caught up on reaching Natsume that she hadn't notice it emit a pure white light— And then, an explosion followed.

Just like that, it was finished.

—

—

Mikan had an odd dream. It was an amber spirit ball floating in the air. She surprised herself however when she had tried to reach it instead of cowering away. The ball nevertheless was mindless of the courage she had exerted and inched away. Miffed, she began chasing it and as it grew farther, the spirit ball began to form a silhouette of a boy she knew so well.

When she woke up, the dazzling light burned her eyes and immediately, Karin, her personal servant, flew to her feet and hurriedly lowered the drapes.

Mikan blinked. Karin? Curious and having a gut feeling, she opened her eyes to see a very familiar room.

Someone stirred from her side and Mikan's eyes immediately watered when she saw the auburn locks of Queen Yuka, tired and no doubt had stayed beside her for who-knows-how-long, sleeping.

Queen Yuka cracked an eye open and almost jumped when she saw her daughter conscious after so many days.

Without further ado, the mother and daughter braced and launched themselves for a tight hug, crying their eyes out dramatically; even Karin, who was merely watching the whole thing started to cry as well.

"Mom!" Mikan wailed and slipped the endearment before she could stop herself. Queen Yuka didn't like to be called 'mom' but rather 'My Queen' or something like that. Yuka didn't bother to correct her however and in fact happy to hear Mikan's sweet, loving endearment reserved only for her.

"Oh Mikan, my princess, my love," Queen Yuka was shaking with silent sobs and was stroking her daughter lovingly. "I am so happy... I've missed you." She then showered and smothered her daughter with kisses on the forehead, the nose, and both of the cheeks. Mikan chuckled weakly at her mother's rare showing of affections.

"I've missed you too mom. I'm sorry I—"

Yuka shushed reassuringly her daughter. "It doesn't matter, my dear. Is there something you want? Are you hungry? Is your body aching somewhere?"

Mikan was still hugging her mother, not wanting to let her go. "I love you Mom..."

Yuka's eyes softened even more and Mikan would have loved to take that picture but settled to committing it to her memory instead. "I love you more."

Mikan chuckled, she could get used to this. "You love me so much you won't force me to marry anymore or anyone?" Mikan quipped.

Her mother to her surprise had responded positively and affectionately stroked her hair. "You are free to marry anyone you love."

Mikan didn't want to introduce the topic about Natsume to her mother yet. She didn't want to push her luck, as she wanted to slowly open it up to her. "Mom, in my journey... I've learned I'm an..." She paused, trying to rack her brain for a euphemism but realized she had to be direct, "An alice."

There came seconds of silence until Yuka sighed resignedly. "I know," she said, somehow a grave look on her face. "Your alice is so unique. It can pull someone else's life force out of the body and solidify it as a stone."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Mikan asked softly.

"You know why, you've met Narumi," her mother had said almost dismissively, having a tinge of pink on her cheeks.

Mikan caught on fast. "Are you two lovers?" Mikan whispered conspiratorially.

"Were lovers," Yuka corrected. "Until my ambition of becoming a queen got in the way and married your father. And don't give me that reproaching look. I loved your father, in fact, unexpectedly, I loved him even more than I've loved Narumi."

"Is there any chance you'd get back together? Narumi-san seems nice."

Queen Yuka shook her head slowly and sighed somehow forlornly. "Some romances are better left behind, no matter how happy and thrilling it was... because it's simply not meant to be..." She looked into her daughter's eyes and for some unexplainable feeling, Mikan knew that her mother was not quite talking about she and Narumi...

Mikan gulped nervously. Mother couldn't have known about Natsume, could she?

"Actually, My Queen," she winced, knowing her mother would have sensed the sudden shift in formality. "I have met a lot of people in the ship. They are all fascinating and nice. One of them is a boy..."

Yuka's eyes grew grimmer and Mikan felt her heart thumping against her chest.

"I know you would probably dislike him mom but please try to like him, I love him. His name's Natsume. I know his background might not impress you but—"

Yuka cut her off with a shake of her head and held her daughter's hands. The grim look looked solemn now, almost apologetic. Instead of saying anything more, Yuka opted to pull out a stone much bigger than an average fist from a drawer and gave it to Mikan.

At first Mikan thought what was the deal with the stone but when Yuka explained she was found clenching it while she was unconscious, images came flooding back to her.

Natsume and Persona, fighting against each other, the purple-black ball crashing to Natsume, she running towards them, she unknowingly activating her alice for the first time, explosion, and then darkness.

Mikan had trouble breathing as she looked at the enormous alice stone. It was dysfunctional, she could tell. No energy was coming out of it as it was a tainted stone. The amber color was composed only of a small fraction and it was being swallowed greedily by the purple-back.

Her hands started to shake and she hyperventilated even more. She didn't want to ask— Didn't want to confirm. She didn't want the inescapable truth that Natsume was gone.

But Queen Yuka's apology as if it was her fault confirmed her fears.

And she had cried, cried so hard.

She remembered everything now.

She remembered his reluctance to promise her to be with her.

She remembered that sweet lingering kiss.

He knew.

He knew it would end up like this.

He knew that in order to beat Persona, he would have to sacrifice himself. And he did that, for her.

Not for the people of Amberlane, as he was apathetic to them.

Not for Hotaru, for she would sure rise to power.

Not for Youichi, he knew he deserved to be punished.

But for his innocent, sweet-smiling Mikan, not for any reason, but just because.

"Stupid," she cried, shaking as she beat her bed. "Stupid!"

It was just like Romeo and Juliet.

Natsume was her first love. Her first kiss.

Her first heartbreak.

—

—

Ending Note(s): Dragon ball anyone? :3

Forgive me for not updating sooner even though it's only a chapter away. I mean I got the draft finished long before but there were gaps and awkward scenes that made me cringe every time I read it... You have no idea how many times I've redone these last two chapters, and even now I think they were insufficient.

I won't promise anything about updating the next chapter... You know how lousy I am keeping promises.

And again sorry for being rusty, maybe some reviews would oil me up? :D