illutia mist: HI, GOOD READERS! I'M BA-

SMACK!

illutia mist: (Rubbing her head) Ouch! What the hell-!

Natsume: (Annoyed) For being noisy and overworking us, freaky author. Now what is this new story?

illutia mist: (Pouts while still rubbing her head) You don't need to hit my poor head that hard…

Natsume: (Arches an eyebrow) I won't repeat my question again. (Showing his fist in front of illutia)

illutia mist: Fine! Fine! This new story is the compilation from me and cerespallas! The main idea is from ceres, which she got from a folklore legend. Satisfied?

Natsume: …I suddenly feel like to hit your head.

illutia mist: (Protecting her head with her arms) Meanie! I'll make you suffer if you do that again!

Natsume: (Rolls his eyes) Yeah, suffer. Like you'll do it…if I knock you out.

illutia mist: (Pointing at him) Knock me out and you won't get the ending!

SMACK!

illutia mist: (Rubbing her sore head again) HEY! I told you!

Natsume: (Walking away) You don't own us, freaky author. Meaning that you don't own Gakuen Alice and its characters and you have no right to command us.

illutia mist: (Mumbles) Why don't you also say that the folklore legend is not us too?

Natsume: (Waving his hand while walking away) Yeah, that too, freaky author.

illutia mist: …Meanie…

Chapter 1: Running from castle

"WHAT?!"

An earth-cracking-high-pitched sound came from a certain place in the calm prosperous country of Insignia. Even the guardian on the front gate could hear that making-ears-bleeding sound.

They knew who the owner of the sound was, but couldn't do anything except shrugging and wondering what happened while guarding the front gate.

The people of Insignia country also turned their head to a certain place, which was the palace, after hearing that sound. But then they just shrugged it off and went back to their daily activities.

Meanwhile, the owner of the voice fumed madly at the man in front of her. Her hazel orbs threw daggers-glare dangerously. Her face was red because of the anger. Her long auburn hair followed her every little movement, swaying smoothly behind her.

Even though she was mad at that time, her beautiful features was still visible.

She was Mikan Sakura, the only Princess of Insignia Kingdom and the only daughter of Narumi, who happened to be the King of Insignia Kingdom.

"Now, now, calm down, my child," said the blonde wavy-haired man in front of her as he raised his hands to calm down his dearest daughter, "It's not good for a young girl like you to be mad like that. Wrinkles will show up faster than it must be."

And this just made a vein popped on her head before she…

BANG!

…Yeah. She banged the mahogany desk in front of her that separated her and the King with her palms.

The King looked at her palms that was gluing on the desk, trying to keep his happy-go-lucky face on. He laughed nervously and said, "Uh…Mikan, you're a good girl, right? Please…"

"NO! WHY SHOULD I DO THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE?! TELL ME THE REASON!!" she shouted furiously, cutting off her father's sentence. She put on the Lord-of-The-Death's face on her should-be-beautiful face.

The King looked at her extremely-angry face, thinking that his daughter was being possessed by the Lord-of-The-Hell at that time. "Well, Mikan…" he started, gulping nervously. "This is for the prosperity of our country."

The brunette narrowed her eyes, thinking that if the reason was non-sense, she should choke or hit her father for this. Well, anything that could realize the stupid king about his stupid plan.

Narumi took a hold on his collar before he answered, "Well…you see…It's because our country can only do farming and theirs can only do breeding…"

Mikan lifted her palms from the desk then crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her irritation had gone down a little. "So?" she asked while raising an eyebrow.

The King got relaxed for a while, seeing that his daughter had calmed down…a bit. "If these two kingdoms combine, we can fill the part that we're lacked of and both countries' prosperity will rise," he explained, trying to convince the brunette. Mikan didn't give any reaction. Instead, she still glared at him with a pout on her face. "Mikan…please…This is for our people…" the King pleaded.

The brunette grew quiet for a while, thinking. Her annoyed expression was still visible on her face.

"Fine," she finally answered, making the king smiled slightly and then she continued, "But just because of our people."

Narumi nodded slightly, still smiling. "Thank you, my dear. I know you'll understand why I'm doing this," he said as he stood up, making the brunette alerted to his next movement.

"No…No…" she mumbled as she watched her father walking around the mahogany desk to her direction with both arms spreading widely, ready to hug his daughter.

"Mikan, you're my dearest-"

He was cut off when Mikan ducked, avoiding his hug. "No hug today, father. Maybe next time," she said as she ran to the balcony and jumped off from the white fence.

"Mikan!" Narumi quickly ran to the balcony, making sure that her daughter was just fine after jumping from the second floor.

But he didn't find anyone there.

"I'm here, father," the feminine girl voice attracted the King's attention to a tree in front of him.

The brunette sat on the branch, legs were crossing on the branch while facing her father.

Narumi sighed in relief, seeing his only daughter was just fine. "Don't do that again, my dear. You gave me a heart attack," he said as he smiled.

Then he realized something.

He observed his daughter in silence for a while then said, "Mikan, I thought I've called an etiquette teacher a month ago to teach you being a good lady. And I believe that she didn't teach you to climb the tree and sit like that."

Mikan rolled her eyes at his statement, the King realized this as one thing that her daughter would do. "You ditched the lesson for a month? When I wasn't at the palace?" he asked as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Forget that etiquette thing, father. It doesn't suit me," she replied in a relaxed tone.

"You know, your soon-to-be-fiancé won't like this," the King reminded her.

The brunette didn't hear him. She hung on the branch with her hands then released her grasp, landing gracefully on the grassy ground. "Whatever, father! I'll see you later!" she smiled brightly at him before she turned to her back and went off to she-knows-where.

Narumi let out a sigh and smiled, watching her running figure. "At least you still smile instead of ignoring me after I told you the decision…" he muttered while staring at the blue sky.

"Ah! Father is really…Haaah…" the 18 year old brunette whined while leaned her back on the trunk of the Sakura tree in the palace garden. She was sitting on one of the branch, hanging her legs loosely on the branch.

Staring to nowhere in front of her, she drowned herself in her thought. 'Haah…My peaceful day has been disturbed by father…' she closed her eyes, 'Why should I marry the Prince of Sulvaria Kingdom?…Oh yeah…If this isn't for our people, I won't do it!'

The brunette opened her eyes again, looking far in front of her and caught a glimpse of an unknown person disappeared at a corner of the palace. Before the person disappeared, she managed to catch a glimpse of the person's raven-colored hair.

'…That person again…Wonder who's that. I always saw the figure walking around the palace recently but I have never met that person,' she thought about it for a few seconds, still looking at the corner where the figure just disappeared. After a few minutes thinking, she shrugged it off and back to her previous activity, gazing to nowhere in front of her.

As the wind blew softly on her face, she got relaxed. And soon, she went to her deep slumber.

KRIIINNNGGGG!!

The phone on the king's working desk was ringing for five minutes long before the windy king finally picked it up. "Hello?" Narumi answered, signing the documents that formed a mountain of paper on his desk.

"King Narumi, it's me," a sound from the other side of the phone was heard.

Knowing who the owner of the sound was, Narumi plastered a smile on his face and greeted, "Ah, King Imai, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine. I called you because I want to talk to you about something…"

"Ah, yes. About the engagement, right? Mikan has accepted it. Do you want to decide when the engagement will be hold?" the King said as he continued to sign the documents.

"No. It's about my son who should be engaged to your daughter."

The topic attracted Narumi's attention from his work. He stopped signing the document as he silenced for a few seconds, trying to absorb what the neighbor's country King just said. "Eh? The Prince?" he asked, making sure that he what he heard just now wasn't wrong.

"Yes. Well, you see, my son was kidnapped by someone just an hour ago. I have commanded our men to search for him, but…"

"But?" Narumi repeated. Curiosity was engulfing him as he waited the King from the neighbor country continuing his speech.

"But if we can't find him, I'm afraid that we should cancel the engagement…"

Narumi grew silenced for a while before he replied, "I see. I'll send some of my men to help you searching for the prince then. I'll tell her that the engagement is delayed until the Prince is found."

"Thank you for the understanding, King Narumi. And thank you for the assistance too. I appreciate it."

The blonde wavy-haired man formed a smile on his lips, "No need, King Imai. We're allies after all."

"Thank you again. Well, have a nice day, King Narumi. Please send my regard to your daughter too."

"I will. I hope you can find your son soon."

And with that, the conversation ended. Narumi put the phone back to its place and immediately called his right-hand, "Kyoji!"

Fulfilling his call, the door to his office opened, revealing a man with black-colored hair and a pair of blue orbs. He wore white suits and black shoes, just like what the King told him to do since he had a promotion two months ago. In the short time, he had impressed the King by doing well on his job, gaining him a trust from the King himself.

"You call me, my lord?" Kyoji asked as he bowed his head a little, still standing by the door.

"I want you to tell the commander to prepare fifty men and send them to Sulvaria kingdom. Their Prince was kidnapped and they need our help," Narumi told him while rubbing his temple. "And if you find Mikan, please tell her that the engagement will be delayed until the Prince is found."

"I understand, my lord. Then I excuse myself for now," the black-haired man bowed his head again and went out from the room, didn't forget to close the door before he left.

The exhausted king put his chin on his palm that was supported by his elbow on the desk. He let out a sigh as he looked at the paper in front of him. "…Maybe I'll take a rest for a while…" he muttered tiredly.

"…Have you heard that?"

The voice woke the brunette up from her slumber. She yawned in silence then rubbed her sleepy eyes, realizing that she had fallen asleep on the tree branch. 'How long I've been slept here?' she thought as she stretched her arms, feeling a little stiff after sleeping on the tree branch for quite a long time.

"What is it?"

Hearing another voice, she shifted her attention under the tree and saw two maids talking about something. 'Hm? Are they taking a break?' she thought while trying to hear what the two talking about.

"I heard from another maid that the Prince from the Sulvaria Kingdom was kidnapped," the blue-haired one said.

'Eh?' the brunette arched an eyebrow, now focusing her attention fully on the conversation.

"Really?" another maid with pink-colored hair said in disbelief.

"Yeah. And King Narumi decided to send a few soldiers to help them searching for the Prince."

"Is that so? What about the engagement then? I heard news that Princess is engaged to the Prince from Sulvaria Kingdom."

The blue-haired girl shrugged her shoulder and said, "Maybe it's being cancelled…at least until they find the Prince."

Mikan kept silenced on the tree branch, thinking about what she had just heard. 'The engagement is being cancelled? Is that true?' she thought, feeling a little happy. But her happiness was gone when she thought again, 'But then…until they find the Prince?'

"Hey! You two! Don't slack off from your work!"

The stern man voice surprised the three girls, including the brunette who was eavesdropping from the tree branch.

"We're sorry, Sir!" the two maids said in unison then went off from the place, leaving the owner of the voice and the brunette who was sitting on the three branch there.

Mikan looked down to see the person that just scolded the maids. And there, she found a familiar face of her father's right-hand person, Kyoji.

The black-haired man looked up to the tree branch. His blue orbs met the Princess' hazel orbs. As their gazes were locked at each other, he smiled and said, "I knew you must be sleeping again on this Sakura tree, Princess. Seeing the two maids chatting here, I guess that you have heard about the news."

Mikan stared at him for a while then nodded. "Then it's true?" she asked, full of curiosity, "That the Prince was kidnapped and my engagement is cancelled until they find the Prince?"

Kyoji nodded then stared back at her, "Yes, Princess Sakura. Your father told me to tell you that the engagement is delayed until the Prince is found."

The brunette shifted her gazes to the ground, still couldn't believe at what she just heard. She felt happy of course, hearing that the engagement was being cancelled. But there's also a little guilt in her heart.

"Where's father?" she asked, still looking at the ground as if it was the most interesting object in that place.

The man stared at her for a while before he answered, "I believe he's still in his office by now."

Without thinking anymore, the Princess of Insignia Kingdom jumped off from the branch. Once her feet touched the ground, she ran to a certain direction, leaving the man standing under the shade of Sakura tree.

Kyoji smiled at the running brunette, knowing where she would go at that time. Even though she didn't agree about the engagement, she cared about her father and their country.

Mikan landed gracefully on the balcony where she just flew off from her father a few hours ago. She used the tree near the balcony to reach there. For her, it's just another shortcut to the king's office.

She walked in silently, checking if her father was still on his office. Inside the room, she found a figure sleeping on the desk. His head was resting on both of his arms. The brunette moved closer to him, wondering if he was really sleeping at that time. She observed him closer and found the tired face of the man, which was happened to be her father and the King of Insignia Kingdom.

'He looked so exhausted…' she thought while staring at the sleeping King.

After staring at the sleeping figure for a few minutes, she shifted her gazes to some papers on the desk. Engulfed in curiosity, she took one and read it.

Her eyes widened.

'What is this? Our country's expenses are this much?' she thought in disbelief, scanning her eyes once again on the paper in her hands.

She looked at the mountain of paper on the desk, took another paper and read it, 'I know that our country can only do farming, so we have to import a few things like egg, wool, and meat. But I never knew that it would be this expensive…'

The brunette shifted her gazes to the sleeping man. 'Is this why father want me to engage with the Sulvaria Kingdom? So we don't have to spend so much on things?' she thought, starting to understand the reason behind the engagement.

She put back the paper on the desk and went to the door. Before she went out from the door, she took a last glance at the king and smiled sadly.

'Don't worry, father. I'll find the Prince.'

Then she closed the door with a soft thud.

"Not this…not this…"

Mikan was in her bedroom right now, struggling in her closet. She threw a few clothes from the closet to the random direction without any care, causing the clothes were scattered on the bed and floor.

A few minutes passed and she hadn't found what she's looking for. She took the last clothes in her hands to the bed then sighed. "Geez…This must be father's work again. He must have told the maid to throw away my casual clothes," she mumbled in irritation, staring at the clothes that filled every corner in her bedroom, "Now I have no clothes to disguise myself."

She put her hands on her hips and tapped one of her feet on the floor, thinking of another way.

Then an idea suddenly popped in her mind.

With a grin on her lips, she went out from the room, leaving her doomed room behind. She went through the corridor, turned on a corner then went down the stairs until she finally reached a small wooden door near the stair on the main hall.

She opened the wooden door, staring at a familiar room in front of her which was filled with delicious smell of food. She spotted a pan that's still being cooked on the stove.

No wonder if there's so much smell of food in the room. It's royal kitchen after all.

After she made sure that no one was there, she went to another room connected to the kitchen. The room had many food supplies. There're vegetable, rice, meat, and many more.

But she didn't intend to take any of it at that time. It's not her purpose for coming to that place.

She approached a wooden cabinet at the corner of the room and opened it. Inside, there're many sacks being kept there. She took two sacks and closed the cabinet then was about to go out from the room when…

SREK!

She directly whipped her head to the source of the sound, surprised. She could feel that her heart beating so fast at that time.

SREK!

The sound was heard again, making her trembled slightly. 'What's that?' she thought as her eyes locked at a certain corner where a pile of half-filled sacks being put together.

Mikan took a few steps forward, approaching the pile of half-filled sacks at the corner. She was just a few steps again from the sacks when suddenly she saw a black thing stuck out from behind one of the sacks.

She blinked.

'What's that black thing that I just saw?' she thought, moving closer. The surprise that engulfed her had gone since a moment ago. Feeling curious, she kneeled in front of the sack, watching the long shape black thing swaying here and there. And on the next second…

GRAB!

She grabbed the black furry thing and pulled it out from the little hole that was created between the wall and the sack. She pulled the thing out from it hiding place, revealing a bigger shape that connected to the long black furry thing. Feeling that the thing was resisting going out from its hiding place, Mikan pulled it a little harder and…

…

She blinked twice, seeing the 'thing' in front of her.

It's black and there's a pair of ruby-colored orbs which was standing out among the black color fur that enveloped its whole surface.

It's a black cat.

"A…cat…?" Mikan muttered in confusion while the thing that she just found struggling to free from her grasp. Too bad for the cat, the brunette was holding his tail, causing him to hang upside down. And this situation wasn't too good for him.

"Who's that?"

'Darn!' Mikan quickly stood up, still holding the black cat's tail upside down in her right hand and the sacks in her left hand. She turned around to her back, just to meet with the royal chef that just went into the room.

"Princess? What are you doing here?" he asked in curious.

"Ah, that's…um…" she rolled her eyes while grinning nervously, searching for an excuse. 'Oh, what should I say?!'

MEOW…

As if a miracle happened, the black cat in her right hand meowed, attracting the two attentions to him.

Then it hit Mikan's head.

"Ah! I saw this black cat on the stair and followed him here! And I intended to pet him!" she said with a bright smile, hoping that the chef would believe her.

"Oh…And what will you do with the sacks in your other hand?" he asked while pointing to the brunette's left hand that was holding sacks.

"Um…This is…for the cat! Yeah! I'm planning to make his bed by using these sacks!" she lied again, smiling nervously. 'Oh, God, please let him believe me! I don't have any excuse again!'

The chef was thinking for a while, staring at their weird Princess. As if the God heard her pray, the chef finally smiled and said, "Do you really want a cat that badly until you want to prepare a bed for him by your own, Princess?"

Mikan nodded quickly, still with a smile on her face. The chef let out a chuckle before he said, "It's okay, Princess. I won't tell anyone about it."

Her smile widened, relieved because the chef didn't aware that she just lied. "Thanks!" she bowed her head and quickly strolled out from the royal kitchen to her bedroom.

'I owe you one, black cat,' she thought while looking at the black cat that was still hanging upside down in her hand, smiling. The cat just looked at her with annoyed face.

"Is this just fine?" the brunette asked the cat that was lying on her bed, hoping the cat would comment on her new looks.

New looks?

Yeah. She did some cutting and sewing on the sacks, turning it into a simple clothes. She needed it for her disguise so she could get out from the palace without being noticed by the palace's residents.

She disguised as a beggar.

The cat stared at her with a bored face. On the next second, he let out a small yawn then put his head on the bed and closed his eyes, making the brunette fumed in irritation.

Without any cue, she lifted the black cat from the bed and embraced it in her arms. Of course, the cat went mad and scratched her bare arms at that time, earning a silent yelp from the brunette. "Little cat, please cooperate with me. I have to get out from here so I could search for the Prince," she whispered at the cat, which surprisingly stopping the cat from scratching her and stayed silent in her embrace. She smiled at this.

Mikan went to the balcony in her room and saw a way down from a tree that grew near her balcony. The black cat suddenly jumped off from her arms to the tree branch and landed on the grassy ground smoothly.

He's a cat after all.

Didn't want to lose from a cat, the brunette jumped to the tree and managed to hang on the branch with her hands. After a few seconds, she let go off her grasp on the branch and landed on the ground smoothly like she always did before.

She was glad that she's not a girly girl like most of the princess did. Since she's still a little girl, she liked playing boys' game, like climbing the tree, playing with frog, etc, etc.

Mikan smiled triumphantly at the cat in front of her before she bent down and carried him in her arms again. She was about to move from her spot when suddenly…

"WHO'S THERE?!"

'Darn it!'

--To be continued--

illutia mist: WOOHOO! 1ST CHAPTER IS FINISHED!! (Lifting her arms to the air)

Mikan: (Clapping) Congratulations, illutia.

illutia mist: (Teary-eyed) Thanks, Mikan! (Whispers) I'm happy that you're not torturing me in this chit-chat room.

Mikan: (Tilting her head) Are you saying something?

illutia mist: (Smiles) Nothing.

Mikan: So, you'll do the 2nd chapter too?

illutia mist: No. Ceres will do it. In the meantime, I can get some rest. And I won't be hit by Natsume in every chapter! YIPPIE!

SMACK!

illutia mist: (Rubbing her sore head…again…) HEH! WHAT'S THAT FO-

Natsume: (Walking away) For can't hitting your head for a chapter.

illutia mist: (Forming a fist in front of her) I'll get you back for this!!

Natsume: (Stops walking then glancing at illutia from the corner of his eyes) If you could. (Then walking away)

illutia mist: (Flailing her arms desperately) Oh yeah! I could!

Mikan: (Shakes her head) That two will never get along. (Smiles) Anyway, thank you for reading, good readers. Please review!

illutia mist: I'LL GET YOU BACK FOR SURE, NATSUME!!

Mikan: (Rolls her eyes) Oh my…