Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice! ( and ff I did Persona would have been hotter!)
I am not liable of any alterations to the story! Just fun and creative writing dudes!
Note: Waah! Sorry! Edited it!! I also changed the title. The past title "Full Circle" didn't sound right for me! Though this title might be a bit overused, I think it fits with the plot my sadistic mind is devising right now! (bwahahaha!)
Summary: Persona's death wavered the minds of many Alices. Old questions arise, faces from the past reemerge and their fingers are pointed to none other than Sakura Mikan.Can she prove her innocence or will history repeat itself?
I've been eating too much chocolate. Note: You won't be able to understand if you haven't at least read a summary of the manga. (Which I am obviously following!) This chapter takes place four years after Mikan's second year in the academy. Heck, we all know that their following years will probably be happy years… but I like a much more… controversial ending! XD
Narration
"Them talking"
'Them thinking'
"THEM SHOUTING"
Flashback/Dream
Blood and Chocolate
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Prologue
The weather was frigid and cold; snow flakes lightly descended from the hazy twilight sky, the gentle breeze caught the branches of the Sakura Tree. Though as serene and picturesque the scene looked, the atmosphere surrounding the prominent Alice Academy was heavy as an anvil.
Fifteen-year old Sakura Mikan leaned her back on the Sakura tree, anxiously waiting for his return. A few moments ago, Sakurano Shuuichi had secretly informed Mikan that she was being accused of homicide.
"What?! But that's ridiculous! I never killed anyone!!" Mikan cried out, her fists tightening after hearing the preposterous news from her senior and her former seniors .
"We know that you didn't do anything Mikan, we're certain that it was somebody else… another student. But the academy won't listen to our reasons." Tsubasa, who was surprisingly elected as the new president of the student council, comforted her.
Sakurano Shuuichi,together with Imai Subaru, alumni of the academy often came to the academy to see how things were going… and to help the students (namely Mikan and the other Class B students) stop the academy's bidding. But the academy and the higher ups were monitoring their every move and were now suspicious of them trying to form a rebellion.
The incident referred to the untimely demise of the infamous Persona who had left the Mark of Death to countless victims. Five years ago, he met the end of his career as the Kiken nouryokukei Teacher and lived his life within the walls of the Academy, desolated from the others.
His body was found in the basement of the High School Division where a girl by the name of Yuki Aoi (who was revealed to be Hyuuga Aoi, Natsume's younger sister) was once hidden, blood cloaked his sallow form, and lifeless eyes open as if saying that he was unprepared of his own death.
"But why of all students did they accuse me?" Mikan criedtears of anxiety and fear covered her face.
Subaru took out a sealable plastic bag that contained a bloody knife. "This was found in your dorm room." He said as he placed the item on a table.
Mikan stared at the item before her. Someone had framed her of a crime she had not committed
"This is utterly ridiculous. Mikan was with me the whole time and she would never do such a thing even to the vilest of creatures." Imai Hotaru monotonously said, defending her best friend as she placed her hand on Mikan's shoulder.
"We know that, and we believe that Sakura-san is innocent of the crime. The problem is that the academy thinks otherwise." Sakurano said.
Mikan clung to Hotaru, unsure of what to do. "Will I be able to defend myself?" She asked, expecting a trial from the academy.
Tsubasa nodded. "Yes. There will be a meeting tomorrow concerning this. Outsiders aren't allowed in such things as these so the academy just might cover everything." He said. He placed a hand on his junior's head as he usually did to reassure her that everything was going to be all right.
"Don't worry; all you need to do is tell them the truth. Everyone will support you about the matter."
Mikan sniffed, she felt a thumb wiping away a trailing tear on her face. It was Hotaru's.
"Baka. Stop crying, you're going to get mucus all over my uniform." She said to her with a gentle smile.
Mikan gave her best friend a small smile amidst the crystal tears falling from her chocolate-colored eyes as they proceeded out of the room.
She drew her knees closer to her body to gain warmth. She rested her chin on her knees, waiting anxiously. She didn't care if snow was covering her cold shoulders.
"Baka. What are you doing out here in the cold?" A familiar male voice said to her. Her head jerked up only to see a handsome boy with messy raven black hair and unfathomable crimson eyes. His high school uniform, which he unkemptly wore, was heavily covered with snow.
"Natsume…" She said, drowning in his crimson orbs. At that moment, everything seemed to dissipate from view; only she and the notorious Black Cat were there, staring at each other.
Mikan looked down on the ground, happy that he safely returned from his mission but also nervous of what his reaction would be with the news she was about to bring up. She sighed and looked up at him again. "Th-there's something I need to tell you… It's about…"
"I already know." He interrupted her. "Persona's dead." He said rather coolly, moving beside her and leaned his back against the tree.
Mikan furrowed her eyebrows at him. "You say it like it isn't a big deal! Think of the people who are hurt of the loss!"
Natsume rolled his eyes. "Like who? Me? I doubt that a kot of people praise him for what he is." He said wryly, saying it as though the cold truth was already printed in the hard-bound book of facts.
Mikan shook her head. "No…." She twiddled her fingers and muttered. "…Nobara-san… I mean... I'm sure she cared for him too..."
"Nobara will be fine. She might feel a bit bad about what happened to that bastard, but that doesn't mean that she'll lock herself up forever." 'She has you to thank for that.' Natsume silently added.
Mikan sighed, turning her head to the other side so as not to make any eye contact with the raven-haired enigma. "Yeah… I know that… but… Natsume… do you believe the higher-ups when…" She started, her lips formed a thin frown. She was afraid to know his answer; most of the students of the academy were shooting her pitying looks and nasty glares… especially from some of the Kiken nouryokukei students who were sided with Persona. A pregnant silence filled the air.
"I believe… that the higher-ups in the academy are all fools to believe that you're capable of killing anyone." He replied pragmatically, leaving Mikan silent.
"All you need to do is to stand up for the truth."
"And besides, who would believe that a person with your IQ could kill someone with a powerful Alice like Persona's?" He mocked, receiving a nasty glare from her.
She suddenly laughed. "Thank you Natsume." She said as she stood up from her position.
Natsume raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
"For cheering me up. This may sound weird but… whenever you tease me or insult me… I always feel like the heavy weights on my shoulders are lifted." She said, back to her usual cheerful self. She shivered as the breeze passed.
"I think it's about time we went in before we freeze to death, ne?" She asked gleefully.
"Hn. Who would want to walk back with a baka like you?" He insulted, not moving from his spot.
Mikan pouted before sighing, taking a hint. "Alright, but I do expect you to be back at the dorm before you get frozen stiff. You don't have a jacket, remember?" She said, clinging to her thick coat.
Natsume grunted, "I'm not an idiot like you who sat here all night." He shot back.
Mikan only stared at him, a smile on her face, "Ne Natsume?"
"What?"
"You do know that I'm always here, right?"
He just stared at her, knowing fully well what she meant, but decided to play with it, "Of course. You're two meters away from me." He shrewdly said.
"No! That's not what I meant!" She said. She then imitated his posture; hands tucked in her pockets and a smug look went across her face. "You know that it's okay if once in a while, you would open up to me with any predicament, right?" She said, imitating Natsume's ten-year old voice. It wasn't the exact words he said to her, but the meaning was more or less the same.
Natsume grumbled. "Just go would you? If you catch a cold, I wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully." He said, turning his head to the other side.
Mikan giggled as she skipped down the hill. "See you Natsume." She said smiling at him and waved him her goodbye.
He watched as her figure faded from the distance, snow momentarily ceased to fall. His eyes softened at the spot where she sat a few moments ago. That person's words rang in his head… words that were said four years ago…
"You better not do anything extra, for your sake and that kid's."
His fists tightened. Four years… four years, that person had continued to torment his life and Mikan's. 'Even if Persona was out of the way since elementary… You getting too close to me is still considered suicide…"
Natsume stood there under the Sakura Tree, holding up a tangerine-colored stone in his hand. He tightened his hold on it.
'Mikan… I'll keep protecting you using my way…'
...TBC ...
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A/N: Just posted this to try angst this time!
Some tests are excerpts from the manga itself!
Like I said, the result of eating too much chocolate and studying Economics. Ehem... I know that I'm supposed to update my other fic but rest assured that I'm working on it!! (exams are closing in dudes!)
Tell me what you guys think okay? Okay? Oh and tell me what I got wrong! I'd really appreciate that! ... No flames!!!