I do not own Gakuen Alice. But if i did, i would try to be a friend of Luna, that poor girl.

"Oh, look. It's that girl."

"Seriously? That's her? Ugh, she looks even creepier than I thought.

"Her own parents abandoned her, did you know that? That proves how dangerous she is."

"Quick, let's get away from her."

Luna paused and looked back. Two girls older than her by at least 7 years met her eyes. Realizing they had been spotted, they ran off.

Luna looked down. It wasn't anything new. Her alice made people very afraid. Alices were supposed to be special; she remembered someone saying that. But did being special equate to being scary? Because that's how everyone thought of her as. Her parents, kids her age… even the adults were wary of her-

-and they were supposed to help her. Luna bit her lip.

She was a good person! She never hurt anyone. She'd never hurt anybody. Her lip quavered.

Things will get better, she told herself. Much better.

"There she is again."

Already a year has pass by…and nothing had changed. She was still alone. People still feared her. She gripped her hands into tight fists. It wasn't fair! She hadn't ever hurt anyone in her life. She didn't deserve this treatment! She-

Luna looked up. And saw someone who would play a large part in her life.

Yuka Azumi. She was always alone. Luna's heart swelled up with hope. If she was alone, then maybe she didn't have friends either. The two could be friends. Best friend, even. Luna stepped forward and took a deep breath.

"Um, Azumi-san?"

"Yuka-chan!"

Said girl looked up just in time to feel a tackle-hug. "Luna!"

Luna giggled. She stood up, not releasing her tight hold on Yuka. "I was looking all over for you! To think you were here all along…," she shrugged. "Well, now that I've found you, let's do something fun! What do you want to do?"

Yuka sighed and looked down. Luna pretended not to notice. After all, Yuka was her one and only friend. She was there for Luna when others (aside from Sensei) hadn't. It was okay if she was depressed. Luna would simply be there for her then. As she always would be.

Yuka looked up and smile. "Want to go visit Sensei?"

Once upon a time, Luna was always alone. Now, she had a great, beautiful friend for life. For forever.

"Okay!"

"LUNA, STOOOPPPP!"

Luna felt a sudden pain accompanied by numbness. She fell down to her knees. What just happened? She had just been about to punish those girls in front of her, the idiots who still refused to accept after all these years. Even though she was more talented, more valuable than they were. The Principal had said so himself! She had to teach those girls a lesson, had to avenge herself! Nothing was going to stop her, nothing!

So why had she stopped…?

Luna turned around. Yuka, her best friend, her most dearest friend was also on the ground laying behind her. In her left hand was a stone. A huge black stone.

Luna felt a sudden chill run through her body. Though she hadn't exactly understood what had exactly happened, would not for many weeks, she realized what had happened. To think her very own friend would to such a thing…!

"What did you do to me?" she whispered. Her friend paled and shook her head. "No, Luna, I-"

Luna felt numb. "I hate you!"

I'm never going to forgive you!

"Sensei!"

Luna was happy. And she had lots of reasons to be. First of all, she had some new friends. Friends that would never hurt her, would never leave her. Second, she had just finished some of her duties to the Principal. He had praised her, meaning she did them well. And then there was Yukihira-sensei, who had stopped by to visit his old students. Even better, annoying Yuka was no longer around. Yuka, who had turned out to be nothing special.

Yes, she was very happy.

Sensei took a step forward. "Luna," he began in a serious tone, "What's going on? Why are all the middle-school students acting so skittish? Why are all these nasty rumors about Yuka floating around? And why aren't you by Yuka's side?"

Luna tilted her head innocently. "Sensei, didn't you hear? Yuka-chan is a dangerous person. She's famous because of her stealing alice; she's well known for her work outside. No one will go near her." She smiled sweetly. "Even I was one of her victims, you know."

"Weren't you one of her friends?" Luna froze. The two of them, friends…? No. No, they had never been.

"She never regarded me as a friend," she flatly said, "I…always knew that deep down. But still, I clung to her, not wanting to go back to that darkness called loneliness. And now…"

Luna gritted her teeth. "Now she's placed me back there! Worse, she did so by taking away the Principal's attention from me!" He voice became more rushed and passionate. "She took everything from me! Turned me back into nothing! So I took everything away from her!" she turned toward Sensei. "She deserves what she's getting! I did nothing wro-"

WACK!

Suddenly, Luna found herself facedown on the floor. "Oops," Sensei sounded sheepish. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to hit you that hard. But," his voice turned serious," what foolish things are you saying?"

Luna looked up, confused. Sensei tapped her head with his fist. "Haven't you heard of the phrase 'the more you hate, the more you love'?" his voice softened. "Don't you see? You two people, who have been friends for a long time, are not used to arguing with each other. But just because you had a fight doesn't mean…" his voice trailed off. He patted her head. Luna looked down. Was he saying she and Yuka should go back to being friends? After everything that's happened? And how?

"Alright," Sensei abruptly stood up. He looked at Luna and smiled brightly. "Let's go teach that girl a lesson, shall we?"

Luna's head shot up "What? Wait, Sensei-" But he had already left.

"Get your hand off my student."

Sensei stood protectively before Yuka. Before him was the Principal, glaring at him with a look that demanded death.

Luna stood behind the trio, worried. After the stunt that Sensei had pulled to get inside-

-he was bound to be punished, he and Yuka!

…and Yuka? She was worried about Yuka? How was that possible?

"…you must have a death wish." The Principal's voice broke into her thoughts. Luna looked up. The Principal's voice was calm. Too calm. "Do you think you'll be able to live if you continue like this?"

Luna looked at Sensei, terrified-and stared. Her teacher was smiling, as though he had not just been threatened. "Maybe," he grabbed Yuka's hand and turned towards the door.

"But at least I'll be living a longer life than you." The Principal's eyes widened at this. So did Luna's.

Sensei and Yuka then ran away. As Luna watched the two leave, she felt a strange light and warm feeling in her heart. But as soon as she no longer saw their shadows, a sudden cold and chilling feeling settled in her stomach.

It had been three years since Luna and Yuka last interacted. Yuka had been spending more time with her new friends: the Prodigal Pheromone boy, the President of the Student Council, and the Middle School Principal's pet. She looked so happy with them, so relaxed, the way she had never been with Luna (who was not jealous of her new friends).

It made her mad.

How could she be so happy?!

After everything she has been through, everything that has happened to her-

-how was Yuka Azumi able to smile so easily and brightly? How could she still walk into the light?

Luna could not let this continue-she would not walk the path of darkness alone.

She had to pull her former friend down with her…

"It's been a while, Yuka-chan."

Luna approached Yuka, who looked as though she had seen a ghost. "Luna!"

Luna smiled sweetly. "You look like you're having some fun. I never saw that smile on when you were with me." Her smile turned tauntingly innocent. "It's a shame that that smile of yours comes at the cost of others." She saw Yuka's eyes widen in shock, and felt a flash of triumph. "Yuka-chan really does know how to hurt people around her."

Yuka grabbed her sleeve. "W-what do you mean by that, Luna?" Her voice sounded so desperate, so pleading. Tell me! Her face screamed out. And tell her Luna did.

"The reason you've been able to live so happily up until now is because of everyone's sacrifice." She saw Yuka's eyes widen in horror as the implication of Luna's words sank in. "Narumi-kun, Kaoru Igarashi, and Sensei…everyone has been protecting you and been receiving your punishment." Luna felt some sick glee from watching Yuka's face. It was that exhilarating to give Yuka a dressing down. "Everyone has been unhappy because of you-"

A hand grabbed Luna's wrist and yanked her to a stop. Luna whirled around and saw who it was-"Shiki-sempai!"

Shiki glanced down at Luna impassively, but Luna saw the message behind the mask: Stop.

Luna pulled free of his grasp and walked away. As she did, she reflected back to the days of when it was just she and Yuka together alone. A heavy cloud settled over her heat. What was this sensation of regret she feeling…?

Luna's heart had just stopped beating. She was sure of it. How could it still beat, when her favorite teacher was dead. Yukihira-sensei, the beloved teacher of Alice Academy, was dead. Dead. Gone forever.

Luna felt like crying. But the tears wouldn't come. She felt lonelier than ever now.

"Principal!"

It was a few days after Sensei's death. Luna rushed into the room upon receiving an alarm from the Principal. Once she entered the room, she realized two things:

The Principal was in great pain

and

Yuka was in the room standing above him, crying.

"Yuka-chan?" Yuka glanced up at Luna's disbelieving face. She stared and seemed to have come to a decision.

Softly she spoke, "Goodbye…Luna." She disappeared. And Luna felt empty.

"I…only have you two now…please continue to protect me."

The Principal's words infiltrated Luna's mind, piercing through the fog of loneliness.

"Yes, Principal…I will also be by your side." Luna felt no regret over her decision. The Principal was all she had left now. And someday…

One day, I will find you Yuka-chan. We will meet again. For the Principal's sake.

Someday did come. But it came too late.

Luna stood before the scene, horrified at the carnage. Yuka was ling on the ground heavily injured. She was surrounded by so mush blood. Too much blood.

Help her, Fuukitai! Please…!

The Fuukitai responded immediately to her wishes. They rushed towards Yuka's body and began treating her. But from the sounds of it, there wasn't much hope.

Luna trembled. Yuka had to live. She just had to!

Yuka opened her eyes (they were too dead, too dull) and looked straight at Luna. She breathed out two words, a phrase that was too quiet but was heard by the one it was meant for.

I'm sorry, Luna.

"She's not breathing!"

"Her heartbeat has stopped!"

"Check her pulse!"

No, I'm sorry. Luna wanted to say those words; she opened her mouth.

But Yuka's eyes were closed shut. Somehow, Luna knew they would not open. Never again.

"Yu-YUKA-CHAN!"

No, NO!

Luna now understood. She had never been alone. Not really. Everyone who had loved had supported her, cherished her, protected her.

But now everyone was dead. They were all gone. She was alone.

Luna clutched the Principal's body closer to her. No, she was not alone. Even though they were gone…even though Sensei and Yuka-chan were both gone, that didn't mean she was alone.

It meant they were watching out for even. Since a long time ago-and even now.

That was why…

(She stood up)…that was why she could continue living. She'll continue to live until her mission was finished, until their mission was finished. After all…

…she was never alone.