This story is rated, M. It contains dark elements, real DARK, where innocent characters will be thrown into the world of torture and angst. NOT for weak stomachs. You are warned.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.

Summary: She was tortured, tormented, and destroyed. Yet when she was given a chance to live in the past, would she finally give in to the bliss?

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Sinful Attempts
Authored by Yamashina Risaki

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Preface
Fallen Grace

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How many days had past since she found herself held captive in Principal Kuonji's cell, down at his mercy? How many months had passed since the last time she was let out of the cell, or seen anyone other than her capturer? It was dark and creepy, everywhere. She could not even bring herself to remember when the last time she had seen light, was.

Her lively chocolate eyes no longer held the same innocence. She was sure one had come to remember her. After all, she had lost count of the number of days she had been held captive. She could remember nothing.

"She was…" Mikan could vaguely make out the low voices behind the curtains as she lay lifelessly on the bed, her bed. It was Hotaru.

"It had been years…" Ruka. His tone had been harsh and soft.

There was no sign of him. Or at least, that was what she had thought and hoped. She felt her body froze as the curtains ripped open, torn. A pair of blood, crimson eyes pierced through her broken form.

"Mikan…" Despite how much his voice managed to calm her senses, she could not bring herself to look into his eyes. Pain. Anger. Hatred. She did not want to see more. She felt her fingers claw into the white, silky sheets beside her. Her voice was choked, lost. There was no way she could greet him like before. There was no way she can manage it. Not now. Not in the future.

But the past.

"Mikan, listen to me," Her eyes were unfocused. Natsume was trying his best to get her listen to what he was trying to tell her, to reach her, "Nodacchi and Kazu had found a way to send you back."

"Back…" Mikan chanted, softly.

A flash of hurt was shown on the ruby-eyed teen, "Yes, back."

"Where to?"

"To the place where everything had cease to exist." Natsume's fist tightened unknowingly within his pockets.

"Natsume?"

He leaned in towards her, and rested his head on hers with looking straight into her amber eyes, passionately, "Just remember that, no matter in which dimension of time we were to exist, I would always love you." Natsume swore, "We will meet. And we will fall in love with each other, all over again." He promised.

"Natsume…" Mikan felt her eyes droop tiredly from the flash of light blind her senses instantly.

And she fell. She felt herself sucked into the other side of the bright light, and thud.

Her eyes snapped open from shock. Her heart was pumping irregularly fast, faster than her usual but her breath died out when her grandfather came rushing into her room with a deadly news.

"Hotaru-chan's transferring to a faraway school!" He exclaimed, half expected his granddaughter to rush out of her room to meet her friend.

It never came.

Her voice was quivering as she confirmed softly, "Gakuen Alice?"

Her grandfather nodded sadly.

"I understand." She rose to her feet. Calmly, she strolled towards her friend's house.

"Hotaru-chan." She called, dryly. She saw the same blonde-haired teacher, who always appeared in her late-night dreams, sitting inside the black vehicle which was currently parked in front of Hotaru's house.

The dark-haired girl turned at the familiar voice of her best friend. Nothing came out of her small, rosy lips. Her eyes widened as Mikan took a cautious step towards her. So swift. So quiet. It was so unlike her.

"Narumi-san." Mikan called out lowly, "How did you find her?"

"Mikan-" Hotaru was ignored.

The blonde-haired teacher smiled at the question, "You must be Sakura Mikan."

Her blood ran cold. It was a déjà vu.

"You must be Sakura Mikan." His voice was hollow as he snaked his hands around her neck, "Despite being his daughter, you looked exactly like your mother."

The air around her thickened as she took in the sight of the car, the nightmare.

"Please…" She whimpered, "Don't take Hotaru away…" Her tears had long formed a pool by the ground when she collapsed onto her knees.

The purple-eyed teacher smiled sadly, "I'm afraid, we can't comply with that, Sakura-san."

"Mikan…" Hotaru was by the brunette's side as soon as she fell.

"No…" Mikan cried, "No, no, no!" She begged, "Please! Don't take her away! Not again… Please…"

"We were ordered to enroll you along with Imai Hotaru by the Head. You will be coming along as well, kid. We're sorry."

Mikan froze. This was not happening to her, again. She shivered, "Why? How? How did you managed to find us?!"

"Your barrier had been strong; it took us almost five years to locate your exact position. Imai-san's, in this case."

"How?!" Mikan roared. If she had not been held back by two firm grips by her wrists, she would have lunged herself at the teacher, "I want to know how?!"

"Stay still, little girl." The tone of the voice had been deadly beside her ears. Deadly familiar. She added to her thoughts. He quietly continued, "Move again and I'll burn you." She felt him loosen his grip around both her wrists as he pushed her into the seat of the car, beside Hotaru.

"Mikan…" Hotaru whispered uncertainly, "We've been together for as long as I could remember."

Her brown eyes widened in realization.

As the clock of the dimension continues to tick, cracks were finally becoming visible. As memories start to flood back to her, both worlds would soon clash, followed by an unavoidable storm.

'What in the world is happening around here?' Mikan surveyed the tall gates surrounding the prestigious school before her. Her mind had not been of much help ever since she realized she saw a different cause and happening instead of her current.

Her mind was definitely in a mess.

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End of Preface

山科　梨咲