Disclaimer: Don't own Gakuen Alice!
Narumi steppped into a class that day with a little child in tow, the newest additon to the small class of twenty-six Alices.
Mikan Sakura, the new student with the Nullifying Alice and the Stealing Alice has just been introduced to the class. Well, barely. She was just brought to class at the last period of the day to get a feel of things.
This enrollment was supposed to be kept under low profile so that the elementary principal wouldn't find out and she would not be classed into the Dangerous Ability types. The two Alices Mikan holds are so rare, so precious, so..USEFUL..The elemenary principal would definitely make good use of it.
Little did Narumi know, the principal already knew this way before he met Mikan. In fact, he was the one who planned their meeting. Narumi together with Hotaru were nothing but a tools to get Mikan to accept the existence of Alices and to force her into enrollment.
Hotaru has always been clueless to the role she plays – a Hostage. Should Mikan fail to comply to the rules or rebel in any manner, Hotaru would be "mysteriously" hurt. Hotaru is more that capable of protecting herself but Principal isn't dumb either.
Hotaru was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
She had been marked by one of the Dangerous Ability senior student and Mikan is the only person with knowledge of this. That mark on the nape of her neck is barely visible. Only with the breath of a sudden breeze against the back of her head will the mark peek out from her raven locks.
It's hard to protect Hotaru from herself.
Persona had clearly stated his expectations the moment she stepped foot into the school. He was rather fond of her like how a Master loves his puppets. To him, she was a precious weapon that he owned. Armed with it, he was capable of rendering any Alice useless or strip any Alice of their ability.
The joyful girl Mikan once was before Alice Academy entered her life, had been replaced by the current cold one. Mikan hopes that by isolating herself from everybody, she can lower the risk of hurting those close to her. It's a foolish thought but there was nothing else she could do, nothing that would endanger her friends at least. Doesn't this sound like somebody we already know?
Narumi sighed. He beckoned Mikan to leave the classroom with him and she rose from her seat to follow. She could feel the stares of the others boring holes into her back. Natsumeis was one of them. He could not stand being kept in the dark, especially when it concerned someone he was suppose to guard.
The reason Natsume was selected as Mikan's partner was pretty obvious. Mikan has the stealing Alice. What if she decides one day that she'll steal the entire Alice-Academy-worth of Alices and become an ALL POWERFUL BLUE-COLOURED GENIE? GASP!
That's practically rubbish.
A possibility, but still rubbish. Although the school thinks otherwise. So here sits Natsume, watching his partner but at the same time, ignoring her as much as he could. Moments later, when Natsume could stand the suspense no more, he stood up and left for the 'toilet'. What the hell are they up to?
"Mikan-chan (Mikan scoffed at this), Persona sensei would like a few words with you…privately. Please see him in the Northern Woods and... please be careful." Narumi added as he walked Mikan in the direction of the Northern Woods. Narumi hated to be the one sending her to Persona. That teacher.. he isn't good with children..not in the least bit. "The woods? Why not the staffroom." Mikan asked. "That's because...it's not important."Narumi said as he stooped down and looked at her with a sollem expression.
Mikan nodded silently, acknowledging his difficulty and her possible imminent danger. Then she made her way there quickly, oblivious to the infamous Black Cat tailing her.
As class B's Homeroom teacher walked away from Mikan, he silently prayed for her safety.
What did he wants this time? I just saw him a while ago and he'd related everything to me already. Mikan thought to herself .
Natsume sat atop a tree watching the new student walk towards Persona, confidently but a little slowly.
"Sensei, you called for me." She stated as she reached a small clearing deep in the woods. A tall man stood before her. Mikan didn't like him already. His ivory skin, jet-black hair and black lips contrasted too much. Many questions ran through her mind. Why is he wearing so many rings.. and earstuds..and what's up with the mask?
"Yes child. I guess you have not been given a star level?" Persona asked, interupting her train of thoughts.
"No, I haven't. Narumi sensei said I'll know it latest by tonight...Right?" Mikan hesitated as a smirk placed Persona's features.
"Yes and no. Because you have been singled out by the Elementary School Principal, I am to assign you your Star Level, my Precious" Persona cooed.
Natsume, still spying from the tree, grimaced at the heavy sarcasm.
"Oh, right. So how do we decide, Sensei?" Mikan asked.
She regretted saying that immediately. Persona moved quickly, and she realised this too late. He grabbed her neck roughly, activating his Alice simultaneously. Mikan felt herself being lifted off the ground until she was on tiptoes.
"URGH!" Mikan let out a gasp. Persona's claw tipped fingers seemed to burn right through her throat, and her entire neck seared with white hot pain. Charred scars appeared where the Death-Mark Alice did its work. They were like bruises, only blacker. She could barely breathe with Persona's iron grip around her neck, constricting it. Her limbs flailed uselessly in the air as she blindly clawed at the hand wrapped around her delicate throat, kicking hard, trying to feel the ground beneath her feet when all she did was kick up a cloud of dust.
"It's just a touch of Poison, Mikan. Surely you can Nullify it?" Persona sneered.
At this moment, Mikan focused on thinking straight. She has an Alice that can overcome this and she plans to use it against this monster. Before she knew it, there was an explosion of bright blinding blue light and Mikan felt Persona release his grip. She fell to the floor, weakened by the poison that spread through her body. Persona cradeled his hand. When his Alice was nullified, it was as if a shockwave had penetrated his arm and Persona had not been warned about this. Mikan felt bruises all over and they seem to seep into her bones like an acid, corroding away bits of flesh, slowly and painfully. She stared at Persona, her widened eyes filled with shock and sorrow.
"Now STEAL IT!" Persona ordered. Gathering all her remaining strength, Mikan forced the Alice in her body into a black stone that began to grow in the palm of her hand. Persona didn't have to tell her to do that, it felt so natural, as if she had always been doing pain grew at first until it became unbearable before it simmered into a pain similar to pouring alcohol over a wound.
Persona snatched the Alice stone from Mikan's limp hand as soon as the bruises were gone. Seeing this, Natsume was horror struck. Persona had not tortured him like this just to check on his power, and since when could people have two Alices?
"Nicely done, my precious." Persona cooed. "I'll give you three stars for that. You can controll your Alices quite well for a new student. Rest well today, my precious. Tomorrow, you will start on missions with the Black Cat."
With that, Persona retreated back into the forest. Mikan curled herself into a ball on the forest floor and panted heavily. She could hardly move her body was tired from using her Alices - she had never used them before. Her chest constricted with every breath and breathing was getting harder by the second.
Who is the Black Cat? What mission? And what just happened?? Mikan was terribly confused and tired.
Ok. No need to panic..I'll just lie here and wait till I feel better. Mikan thought to herself.
But that was not OK for Natsume. Lithely, he jumped down from the tree branch and knelt beside her. "Hey, can you hear me?" He tried. "Yeah." Mikan's voice was a whisper, barely audible. "I'll get you somewhere safer." He said and scooped her into his arms. Mikan was lighter than he thought she was. Mikan looked dead. Her face was a ghostly pale and her skin felt so cold. Mikan didn't struggle.. more like she couldn't. Then he sprinted to the dormitories and into his room.
This girl. She pisses me off. How can she be so….so…. CARELESS!? Why is she so submissive? She'll never survive tomorrow's mission in this state, she'll only become a burden.
Natsume burst through his bedroom window and laid her down on his bed. He grabbed the painkillers prescribed for him by the school doctors and poured a glass of water. Mikan was already getting used to the pain and could tolerate it much better.
"Here, eat this." Natsume said emotionlessly and popped two tablets into her mouth. Mikan swallowed it with some water, her eyes squeezed shut in agony.
Natsume proceeded to remove his necklace. A purple healing stone hung from it and Natsume used it to alleviate some of the pain Mikan was going through as he sat on the bed beside her. Thank goodness she wasn't trying to steal the Healing Alice.
Natsume had seen how her Alices worked and knew that they had the potential to be dangerous. No wonder she was in the Dangerous Ability Type class. Too bad, plunging into darkness when she hasn't even been given a proper introduction. Natsume thought.
The Healing Stone really lives up to its name. Mikan's body slowly relaxed and her face smoothed out into a serene expression.
Natsume heaved a sigh of relief and wore his necklace back on. She really scared him for a moment there. He dabbed the beads of cold sweat from her forehead with his sleeve and placed her in a less uncomfortable position. Mikan, as Natsume had realized, was a ravishing beauty. Her copper locks fell on either sides of her face in two pigtails, framing her pretty face. She looked like nothing had happened at all, so peaceful in her sleep.
Natsume stared out at the window. It was already dark outside and come to think of it, Naru only 'introduced' Mikan at the last period of the day. He turned his attention back to the sleeping Mikan on his bed, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest..
Natsume was also getting a little sleepy. He lay down beside her and turned off the table lamp. Plunging into a different kind of darkness, Natsume closed his eyes. He was really super sleepy now and could hardly keep himself awake. Just before he fell asleep, Natsume heard Mikan mutter something.
"Ho..taru…" Mikan murmured.
Hotaru? That Invention Alice? Mikan knows her? Natsume thought but sleep took him and the question was left unanswered.
"Hey. Wake up little girl." Natsume nudged Mikan's arm that was so conveniently resting on his chest. Mikan was currently in a very awkward position. Hugging our Hyuuga sama with one hand and nuzzling herself in his arm, Natsume knew she slept soundly through the night.
Her eyelids fluttered open.
...
Author's Note: Mikan is cold so should she have a dry humor response or a Mikan-Like-Screaming-At-The-Top-Of-Her-Lungs response? Please Review and Advice me!