A/N: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of it's characters. Enjoy.
It was thursday, Onee-chan always came to visit on thursdays before and after school. Yuriko-chan and I used to be together all the time, but my alices keep acting up and Mother sent me here to use them at the shrine while Yuriko continued to go to school. It was this or go to Alice Academy and never leave until I graduate. I love mother and Jii-san who took care of me here at the shrine. I waited patiently.
"Good morning, Kyou-chan." Jii-san greeted me, "This is strange. Yuri-chan is usually here by now. Maybe she slept in again?"
This was a possibility, Yuriko always liked sleep. Otherwise she is with her friend Hotaru. They performed in a singing contest last year. I can't meet her since I have a unstable Alice. "Yeah, but she'll come for sure. She told me she had something special she was going to show me." I felt my energy grow thicker with my anxiety.
"Kyou-chan. Your energy tails are visible now, please go inside in case other visitors come." Jii-san instructed, I've accidentally hurt Jii-san once when my energy tails were visible and threw him back when I first moved in here. He doesn't hate me, just cautious when they're visible.
"Okay, Jii-san. I'm just really nervous. I don't get to see Yuriko as often I would like." I sighed, bundling my 9 tails in my arms as I hurried to the listening chamber, aka my room.
Time passed until a old woman, a revisiting worshipper, came. "God, you've treated me well. Therefore I have visited often. My daughter is heavy with child. Please bless her with a healthy birthing, which is estimated to be sometime this week." She prayed aloud, then stood up. I imagined my energy surrounding the elderly woman, to transfer to her daughter. I hope it reaches her.
I was tempted to summon her here, but that would be childish. Jii-san was kind enough to prepare lunch, which was usually my job. I took care of all the shrine's duties to vent my energy, but I couldn't go out with my tails. I listened to people's worries and did my best to grant righteous wishes. Some I had to turn down, like changing someone's mind from breaking up with the worshipper. I was told those wishes were not something I should interfere with, even with winning the lottery. Money-related wishes have been hard to turn down, so when they make a two-way promise, I am really happy to grant them.
It was an hour past time that Yuriko's school was over when Mother came in a rush to the shrine. "Kyouko! Kyouko!" She called frantically. I got up, but was too shocked to respond, my energy swirling inside me in fear. I sensed no visitors were in the premises and finally ran out into her arms.
"Mother! Mother! It's okay, please don't cry." I said frightened. I wanted to see her face, but I couldn't risk my eye alice. I have always worn a blindfold since it manifested itself when mother started being under it's influence. I didn't want to hurt her even more.
She dropped to her knees and hugged me back, despite my tails, "They took her, Yuriko has been taken to Alice Academy." She said softly. "Her friend, Imai happened to be an Alice as well. When they came to take her, Yuriko declared herself an Alice and left with them."
"Let me summon her here. I can use my Alice to bring her back." I said taking a step back.
"No! It was her choice." Mother said bitterly, "She'll hate us if we took her away from her choices. I know it's painful, but please don't summon her back." She stroked my hair.
I felt my tears soak through my blindfold, "It hurts Mother. I am her twin, but she abandoned me for another. She even talked about her when she visited. Doesn't she love me?" I sobbed.
"Of course she does. They'll allow her to send letters every now and then, I'm sure." She reassured me.
I cried it out, when Mother returned home I moved back into my room and stayed in there for the rest of the week. Early Sunday morning came along, Jii-san stormed inside. "Kyouko, the shrine duties are not going to get done that way. I made breakfast, but you are in charge of the rest of the meals. Life is moving on, whether we like it or not. Hurry up and get ready for today." He said strictly.
I realized he was right, I couldn't mope around all my life. Even though I hated my Alices, I will have to learn to control them.
I got up immediately and took a thorough shower, finding every reason to use energy. I went through the routine of eating, cleaning the kitchen, floors, walls, bathroom, shop, weeding the garden, repairing the roof, preparing Jii-san's lunch, and tending to the leaks in the ceiling. I was absolutely exhausted by the time I finished making dinner.
Jii-san was absolutely shocked, "Wow, you've done an excellent job. You even made all the dishes by hand." We usually had some partially pre-prepared food because I wanted to take my time doing my chores and listen to worshippers. This time I summoned a baby walkie talkie to transmit into my earphone and granted wishes that way. "Thank you. I wanted to see how well I can manage the shrine while listening to the worshippers with a baby walkie talkie." I blushed.
"Very fine. You surprise me. Alright, let's eat. Itadakimasu!" Jii-san picked up his chop sticks.
"Itadakimasu." I smiled and started eating.
Worshippers don't connect the heavy aura with me because it mixed well with the shrine's aura. Some take a minute to chat with me, since it's rare for anyone other than Jii-san and my family to see me. The villagers forgot about my existence when I started holing myself here when I was three. I've developed a mental sight of my surroundings, not because I am used to walking around, but because of my energy grants wishes. Including my own. I can read words by feeling them on paper, and have been keeping up with my education through Jii-san's extensive tutoring each monday.
"So, how are you feeling?" He asked me.
"Exhausted. I finally understand the sensation." I said taking a bite of salmon and rice.
Jii-san laughed, "Glad to hear it. Tears don't suit your face very well, Sakura-chan." He called me that because of my long, pink hair and pale complexsion. I chuckled. "I'm rolling my eyes, Jii-san."
"Well you shouldn't be! You're beautiful and sweet like a sakura flower." Jii-san gulped down his water, "Gochisosama!" He got up and headed to the shower. It was his home too.
Jii-san was really sweet. I was going to miss him and Mother. "gochisosama." I whispered before returning to my room.
Eight months passed and no word from Yuriko. She was still at Alice Academy. Without me. We had agreed when we were very little that if we were to ever have to go there we would go together. I knew that in my condition I could not travel to Tokyo. What if I learned to conceal my tails? It wouldn't be too bad if a girl with a "scary" aura was spotted wandering town right?
I practiced hiding my energy for a month before I could make my energy appear and disappear on will and another two months before I could feel semi confident on not using my blindfold. I was ready to see you Yuriko!
I waited until the middle of the night to write my farewell letters to him and Mother. I slipped them by Jii-san's futon and took some of his emergency savings for travel money.
I ran and used my regenerating energy to keep moving it was very difficult with my traditional shrine kimono on. I untied my blindfold. Not a lot of people will be awake at this hour so I should be safe. All I need to do if someone meets my gaze is to think of a happy illusion right? I found my way to the bus and got on the bus an hour later.
There was only two others already on the bus and the driver obviously. I looked at the route and saw that we would arrive at Tokoyo at 8am. It was about 3am now. I'm on my way Yuriko. I noticed a window was stuck open and was keeping the bus freezing cold. I used my energy to heat the bus to a nice temperature. I rested my eyes until the sun woke me from my nap. More people on the bus, I should cover my eyes when I get out. I finally reached Tokoyo and was almost tripped by the flow of people exiting. There was an ocean of people. More people I've seen at one time. I realized I had no clue where the Academy was in the city. I put my blindfold on in a local women's bathroom and used my energy to sense farther than I would usually.
I waved for a taxi and hoped in, "Go to Alice Academy please!" I told the driver.
The taxi dropped me off at a long walkway, "Just keep walking straight, there'll be a gate." The driver told me as I handed him the yen. "Thank you." I smiled then ran down the nice pavement to the gate. It was huge and extravagant. I felt the ground and walls to feel the texture and color.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" Someone yelled from the other side of the gate.
"I am just feeling the wall. I can't see, the taxi driver told me this was Alice Academy?" I said loudly, pretending not to know where he was.
"Yeah, go home. No unauthorized personnel is permitted entrance." The security guard told me.
"My twin sister is in there sir. They took her three days ago. Can you at least pass a message I came to visit?" I asked holding onto the bars.
"No can do miss." He remained strict. I sighed and wandered aimlessly down the walkway until two men came up to me.
"Hey, miss!"
"Yes?" I responded automatically.
"Wow, are you blind?" One asked, "Never Mind, what are you doing here by yourself?"
"I need to get enrolled here, but I don't know how to reach the office since they won't let me through the gates." I said, "And I'm not blind. I see you just fine."
"Ah... So there's a prep school that will guarantee your entrance to Alice Academy. After you've gone there, you'll be accepted into Alice without a doubt!" He said as the other added on, "This prep school is very popular and this class is already full, but you seem very bright, so we will help you out somehow. Here have this pastry." He put a donut in my hand and my stomach growled.
"Thank you. You're too kind. What's the name of this prep school?" I asked.
"Uh, Alice prep. It was organized by the Academy." The first one replied. "Come on let's go!"
"Sorry to disturb you guys, where are you going to take the little kitty-cat?" A luring voice said behind us. I turned and sensed something strange about him, "Who are you?" I asked.
"What are you doing? Don't ruin our chance." The first one said.
"What?" The man asked, "I am a teacher of Alice." His tone was informal and charming. Like he was trying to win them over in an argument.
"That's a lie." The other two men declared. "Let's go. There's no way he's a teacher."
"What are you doing, tricking a cute girl into the car?" The newcomer tsked. "Let. Us. Say. Good. Bye." The two men agreed reluctantly, as if they were shy or overwhelmed from flirting and drove away. Pheromone Alice?
"That was close..." The man sighed, "You look cute in that kimono. Let's get these sunglasses off." He reached to touch the cloth, but I jumped away.
"The sunglasses stays. I don't want to risk scaring you." I said quickly.
"Scaring me? Hm. Anyways, you should... also go home now!" He suggested. I felt the sudden urge to leave, but my energy tried to fight it off.
I wobbled a little bit, "You have a pheromone inclination alice." I said turning to leave. "Will you ask me to stay?" I asked as I started to walk. "I would appreciate it if you heard me out."
"Come back please." He said sweetly. I gladly did so.
"Thank you." I sighed in relief. "I am Kyouko Shirai. I came to find my sister and enroll here."
"Nice to meet you Kyou-chan. I am Narumi." He introduced himself, "You are right. I do have Pheromone Inclination Alice. Why do you have suchh dark sunglasses on? It must've been terribly hard to get here. Will you let me see your lovely face?" He asked, using his ability.
I tried to stop, but my hands started to untie the glasses. "Nng! No... NO!" I grabbed my hair instead, pretending it was the cloth and pulled it, "No show eyes. I can't control it." I felt my energy fluxuating as I felt something inside me unlocked and I stopped, "Please don't do that. I've been this way almost all my life. Last time I looked at someone, they got hurt."
He put on a solemn face and looked down, "Sorry, I got carried away."
I realized what just happened, "It's fine. So... How can I get enrolled here?" I asked.
"I will enroll you since I am a teacher, you have to show proof of your alices before you can be accepted, but I am sure you do." Narumi-sensei said taking a bite out of an apple with a face. I gawked, I had expected to be filling out paperwork and some long process before I got an answer. I pinched my cheeks, "Don't lie! It's as simple as that?!" I said, my energy gathering and flowing visibly.
"I'm telling the truth. " He smiled. "Ah you have tails. What is your Alice, Kyou-chan?"
I blushed willing them to disappear, "I don't have an official name for them, but I-" an explosion sounded and I used my energy tails as a shield to protect us from the concrete debris. A boy in a black cat mask stood on the fenced wall.
"I guess that rumor about an escape is true." Narumi said not particularly bothered with the new hole in the wall. "Good thing I was on the lookout! Hey Kyouko, he's the academy's youngest but most talented student of all. Natsume Hyuuga. His natural born power is fire." I sensed his apathetic aura as he hopped down.
Narumi took out a bean that started growing, "But that was going a little too far, I think." He grumbled as the plant formed into a whip, "Natsume! Don't run away! " He stuck Natsume's mask off as he tumbled onto the hard pieces of concrete. I hurried over, "Are you okay?" I asked him.
He started to get up, a flame in his hand when Narumi stepped on it. "It's useless to try to escape using your alice powers. " He sounded happy, "Before you use your power I'll use mine, and you'll end up being embarrassed as before. Though I would like that." He spoke hearts a lot.
"You crazy teacher...!" Natsume growled trying to escape, but Narumi pulled him close and blew his pheromones over Natsume's face. "This is the rewarding punishment for you." Narumi threw Natsume, who had fainted, over his shoulder and turned to me. "Well, Kyou-chan. Sorry for the turbulence. It's time, we should go. " He took my hand and led me past the gates.
This is... Alice Academy. What kind of place is it really? I am a little shocked by this first experience here. People trying to scam me, copying Narumi's alice, an escapee... How much more weirdness awaits me inside? This is where Yuriko and Hotaru goes to...