Special Alice (Gakuen Alice / Alice Academy FF)

SA 52 - Wind

{Author}

" Are you going to search for Guren no kimi?!" the Hanahimes questioned with wide-eyed astonishment. Without hesitation, Hotaru and her friends nodded in unison, displaying their unwavering determination.

" What are you people thinking? He might be in the restricted area!" Nadeshiko shouted, her concern evident. Though her anger was palpable, Mikan was startled. Hotaru, however, remained resolute.

" Even if you make that face, I'm not scared," Hotaru responded with her signature stoicism, causing Mikan to break into a nervous sweat. The Hanahimes made an earnest attempt to restrain them from going after Natsume.

Observing the situation, Shizune grew more apprehensive. " If that's the case, I have a bad feeling," she remarked.

" Natsume, he's not been himself since we got here, especially when the mochi-mochiko effect wore off," Mikan explained, voicing her concerns. Ruka, deep in thought, stared into the distance, contemplating the situation.

" We must find him before he gets involved in something dangerous," Hotaru proposed, her analytical mind already at work. Ruka, lost in thought, muttered to himself, " What could be in the middle school section to make Natsume uneasy?"

" Come on, I said it, right? In this Hanahime-den, if you act without permission, if anything happens—" Nadeshiko's lecture was cut short when Youichi, with a gentle poke to her forehead, effectively rendered her unconscious.

" Sorry," he meekly uttered, grabbing Mikan and Misaki by their arms, as Hotaru took the lead in running toward the basement. Ruka and the others quickly followed.

" Wh-what are they doing?" Shizune watched in disbelief as Mikan and her friends ran off, even after the Hanahimes tried to stop them.

" You-chan," Hotaru said, turning to Youichi. With her usual calm demeanor, Hotaru connected an antenna to Youichi and observed a mini-screen that she held.

" We'd better hurry. Natsume's in danger," she declared, prompting Youichi to recount something he had heard.

" One of the girls he really likes is imprisoned where no one can see her, unable to see the light and never to come out for the rest of her life," he thought to himself, his face filled with a mixture of fear and worry. All he wanted was to see Natsume as soon as possible.

" You're trembling, You-chan," Mikan noticed his apprehension. Suddenly, Youichi stopped in his tracks, pointing toward a nearby door. " Here!" he exclaimed.

" Here? Is this the entrance to the basement?" Mikan inquired. Youichi nodded, and they proceeded to walk inside. Upon opening the door, they discovered a dark staircase leading downward.

" Uwaaa! It's too dark! I can't see my feet!" Mikan cried out, clutching the wall for support as she feared tripping on the stairs. All of them carefully descended in the order of Youichi, Hotaru, Misaki, Mikan, and Ruka, ensuring their safety on the dark stairwell.

" Can't you guys light the way?" Mikan trembled with unease. Hotaru, always prepared, pulled out her egg helmet invention. She turned it on, and the eyes on the helmet lit up, casting an eerie glow.

" How did that get here?" Ruka wondered, astonished that such technology was found in the Hanahime-den. Mikan shrieked in fright, her knees quaking at the sight of the helmet's glowing eyes. " EEEKkKK!"

" Geez, idiot, stop making noise for every single thing," Hotaru sighed in exasperation. She stared ahead and used the helmet's eerie light to illuminate their path.

Unbeknownst to them, they were not alone. Someone was watching them, deeming the situation to be rather dull. " Man, these are just some brats. So boring!" he muttered to himself while observing the perceived intruders.

" Oh, that guy and girl look familiar," he murmured, squinting to discern their identities.

" I heard a noise!" Mikan exclaimed, her anxiety mounting as she felt an eerie presence.

" Hmm, yeah," Hotaru concurred, her senses on high alert as they descended further into the dark abyss.

Mikan, frightened by the darkness, shrieked again. " Where's it coming from?! GAAAH!" she cried out in panic. Misaki, annoyed by the constant noise, covered her ears in frustration.

" Ah, geez. I think my ears are bleeding," she sighed. " Just push her down, Ruka-pyon." Misaki's frustration was evident as she recommended pushing Mikan down the stairs.

" But just now!" Mikan protested, still fearful of the staircase.

Suddenly, Mikan felt something behind her, causing her to shriek once more. " EH?!" she screamed as she fell down the stairs, leaving the rest of the group stunned by the unexpected turn of events.

" Sakura?!" Ruka shouted in alarm as he helplessly watched Mikan tumble down the stairs. Hotaru, carrying the dazed Mikan in her arms, shot Ruka a reproachful look.

" Ruka," she said firmly, prompting him to deny any involvement in Mikan's fall.

Their attention was abruptly drawn to the sound of a man's voice. " Hey, I want to get this done quickly so I can come back. HAHAHA! Idiots, don't know where you're looking at!" the voice chuckled. Observing Youichi and his friends staring at an empty space, he remarked, " These are just brats. So boring."

" Oh, that guy and girl look familiar," he muttered, squinting at them to recall where he'd seen them before. 

Sensing that someone was attacking them from the darkness, they readied themselves for an unseen assailant. Mikan and Ruka were struck by the sudden attack and fell to the ground. Youichi felt a presence nearby, calling out to Hotaru, " Hotaru-nee..."

Misaki furrowed her brows, her mind racing to identify the attacker. " With Hotaru's light, we should be able to defend ourselves," she mumbled.

Mikan, however, noticed that the attack was targeting Hotaru. " Hotaru, look out!" she shouted.

Hotaru, acting swiftly, produced a fan and effortlessly countered the wind attack. " Eh?" Ruka blinked in surprise, witnessing her defense with the fan.

" Wow! That was cool, Hotaru! What kind of fan is that?" Mikan exclaimed, hugging Hotaru happily and inspecting her fan.

" This is a blasting fan," Hotaru explained tersely. Ruka, still in awe of Hotaru's abilities, marveled at her capacity to produce such gadgets, even at a party.

" I heard from You-chan. I know who's the guy attacking us, manipulating the wind," Hotaru stated, aiming to keep her friends informed.

" As You-chan mentioned, the attacker possesses a dangerous ability known as Kamaitachi (wind sickle), a wind manipulator." She revealed the identity of the threat.

Misaki's interest was piqued, her gaze fixed on the assailant. Youichi, aware of Misaki's knowledge, turned his attention to her. " It can't be..." Misaki's brow furrowed in deep thought.

The attacker made a violent attempt on Hotaru, who expertly defended herself with the fan. In retaliation, Hotaru took out her "baka gun" and aimed it at the attacker. He desperately dodged her shots, yet her precise aim was challenging to evade.

" When fighting a fool, mercy is unacceptable," Hotaru declared calmly. Her accuracy struck the attacker, causing him to crumple to the floor. However, the attacker retaliated with a powerful wind attack, which shattered Hotaru's egg helmet and left her momentarily disoriented.

" Ah! Hotaru!" Mikan worriedly exclaimed, rushing to Hotaru's side to check on her. Supporting her friend's head gently, Mikan was concerned, as the force of the wind attack had left Hotaru dizzy.

" The final blow! How annoying," the attacker shouted, expressing his frustration. Mikan and her friends turned their attention to the attacker, who was preparing for another assault."Hotaru, run!" Mikan urged, but Hotaru was too dizzy to move.

" Ugh," she grumbled, feeling helpless in her disoriented state.

" Your injury, You-chan, please carry Hotaru," Mikan requested, her concern evident. She glanced beside them, and there they saw the attacker, stunned and immobilized.

" H-he's here!" she shrieked once more, the distress in her voice mounting. Misaki eyed the attacker, recognizing him and causing her brows to furrow. 

However, the attacker, now in close proximity to Hotaru, found himself blushing upon making eye contact with her. " A girl?"