A/N:

d.s: hope you enjoy...xD
remember I don't own Gakuen Alice

:Chapter 1:

I looked out of my window of the classroom.
The sun started to peek through the horizon over the forest.
I checked my watch.
I smoothed out my uniform.
I blew on the hair on my forehead.
Finally, my second year of middle school.
I think blue suits me well.
I don't wear pig tails anymore.
I wear it down now, it doesn't make any "ugly" remarks lighter.
But at least, I'm being myself.
I took a seat in the far back, and placed my head down on my arms.

I've spent the last few years trying to perfect my Alice.
I recently got into an accident.
So I don't use it as often as I used to.
After perfecting my mom's Alice.
It got out of control at one point so I already have my own Alice control item.
I don't hang out with the same people anymore either.
I'm realizing now that I used to be so childish.
So immature, actually trying to get into this school.
Now I regret that the most.
Hotaru never really acknowledged me in the first place, I shouldn't have even tried.
We all had some good times in the past.
But it got different once we started growing up.
Yes, it seems outrageous that we all separated when we get older.
All our senpais grew up also.
And they're pretty busy.
Because once an Alice reaches 20, they have to leave the academy.
Just like Hotaru's brother, Subaru-senpai.
Now he works at a high class hospital.

Hotaru came back from her trip that she had taken years back.
She came back last month.
I saw the shock in her eyes.
All I did was smile.
And I went back to my work.

We all have the same class no doubt.
But we have different groups now.
I have been transferred to the Dangerous Ability class.
They really do help me with my Alice.
And I'm grateful.

Narumi-sensei and Tono-senpai still act like children.
And they keep on teasing me, that I've grown up too fast.
Like they would say, "What happened to the old Mikan-chan?"
Or, "You want to play with us, like in the old days?"
But I would have to decline, because it's for their safety and mine.
They would never understand.
Except if that mind reading kid reads my mind, I believe it's Kokoroyomi, but I've protected my mind with my Nullification.
I've learned how to control my feelings towards others.
As part of my training.
Everyone from what I see, acts the same.
I guess they haven't really changed.
But I have.

As for Natsume.
I don't see him anymore.
He's still doing minor missions.
I have made sure of that.
Do I still have feelings for him?
Yes...
As of now.
But we don't meet up or talk often anymore.
Because, I've been doing missions myself.
To lighten the load for Natsume and Nobara who finally recovered.
No one knows, besides Persona, and a few other hot shots.
But no one else needs to know, not even Narumi-sensei knows.
The missions are not as bad as I thought.
I just "borrow" others Alice.
It's not a big deal.
I return their Alice afterwards.
Nobody knows this but, I made an Alice stone out of mostly everybody's Alice.
Just big enough for my usage.
It won't drain them of their power.
Just a teeny bit, it won't affect them.
Miraculously, I blended all of the stones together to make a bracelet.
It took some time, but Persona helped me mold it with my Alice.

Natsume...
He helps me get through this.
Only him.
Hotaru is there, but not all the time.
I used to need her all the time.
But I have to be independent.
Just in case if she leaves again.
I guess the only person I really hang around with is Tsubasa-senpai and Yo-chan, because he is also in the Dangerous Ability class.
Misaki is still the same as always.
They both hang out often, because of reliable sources.
They are in a relationship.

The only teacher who teaches me is Persona.
He's a really nice guy if you stay on his good side.
But I'm not scared of him.
I've been cured by his power before, using my own Stealing Alice.

Natsume...

I felt a slight movement.
The seat shifted next to me.
I didn't look up.
It shifted again.
I didn't move.
It shifted again, and wouldn't stop.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM, I'M TRYING TO GET SOME REST", I screamed.

He flicked my forehead.
Natsume, with Ruka sitting next to him.
It's rare to see Natsume especially in class.

"Good morning Ruka-pyon", I said ignoring Natsume.
"Idiot, baka", Natsume said shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest.
"Good morning Sakura", Ruka said back to me.
"You let your hair down because I told you to, right", he said, he's been saying that whenever there's a chance.
"You just can't get over it, can you".

Natsume leaned in, closer to me.
He bent down to match my level.

"You look really tired", he whispered in my ear.

I flushed.

"What, no, I was just doing some midnight exercise, that's all haha", I said, not very convincing.
"Alright", he said leaning back into position for class.

Natsume and I did promise to be together forever.
But how long can forever be?
Natsume reached over to touch the bracelet.
But I snatched my hand away awkwardly.
He nodded and took his hand away.
I felt really guilty.
I always feel guilty.
For everything.
Hiding secrets from my friends, I used to have.
Just everything.
I felt warmth on the bracelet.
The color of the bracelet changes with the color of the Alice, of the person's stone. It was the color of coal, black.
Recently, I had received a permit saying that I can exit class whenever I want.
Thanks to Persona.

"Sensei, I have to go", I stood up and said.

Our sensei today was Jinno.
He pushed up his glasses.
His frog croaked.
And he pointed out the door.

I walked out the door, then rushed into the hallway.
I wasn't watching where I was going, and I bumped into someone.
It was Tsubasa-senapi.
No, not now, why is he here?

"Hey Mikan, where are you going", he said recollecting himself, after the bump.

I brushed my skirt.

"To meet up with Persona", I muttered.

He looked surprised.

"Well, why?"

Not even Tsubasa-senpai knows about my missions.

"I just wanted to talk to him about something", I said smoothing my uniform.
"I was just on my way there also, let's go together", he said, already walking away.

I followed him.

We reached the basement of what Himemiya's place used to be.
Persona was waiting there eerily sitting on one of the wooden crates around the place.
The elementary school principal promised Shiki, that he wouldn't send me on missions.
But since it's on my own free will.
I can do anything I want.
And they can't stop me.

Persona dropped down from his perch and walked towards us.
Please don't tell Tsubasa-senpai that I'm doing missions.

"As you might know, Mikan is doing missions", he said.

Oh gee thanks Persona.
I looked at Tsubasa-senpai.
He looked shocked.
I just smiled meekly.
He shook his head and stared back towards Persona.

"Well, it was her choice to do so, to lighten the load for everyone else, she does have your Alice, Tsubasa", he said.

It's true.
My Alice had improved so much.
That even if I have touched another Alice at least once.
My mind can revert that single touch into an Alice stone, and I can put it on the bracelet.

"I'm sorry senpai", I said stepping away.
"Prove it", he said crossing his arms.
"Disbelieving Tsubasa? Be aware on what might happen", Persona said stepping a couple of feet back.

I stepped on Tsubasa's shadow, and wrote something there with a piece of chalk I carry, just in case.
He immediately bent down on the floor and kissed it 3 times.
I snickered.
And stepped off of his shadow.
He wiped his mouth furiously.

"Sorry senpai", I said, the color of the stone changed back into it's mixed color look.

He looked away.

"How long have you been doing missions?"
"A year and a half", it even sounded quite strange to me, for that long.
"Tch, fine", he said.

His smile was fake, no doubt about it.
He was definitely bad at lying.
Well, to me.
Persona stepped forward.

"For this mission, I need both of you, I'll make this quick, I need you 2 to infiltrate *****'s hide out and get the blueprints for their Alice machine, they will use this to capture Alice students and drain their Alice and soul along with it, here are the coordinates, please, be careful, and don't cause such a mess like you did last time Tsubasa, you 2 will be partners from now on", Persona said, disappearing into the eerie black mist around him.

It was midnight according to my watch.
I placed the mask on my face.
I heard Tsubasa-senpai snickering beside me.

"What?"
"A masquerade mask? You look too cute", he said.
"Would you kindly shut up, and don't underestimate the mask, if it changes color it changes my Alice, so you just watch out for what Alice I'm using, or did you forget what Alice is what color", I said testing him.
"Uhh, we can deal with that later", he said.

Yeah, he forgot.
We were hiding in the bushes around the warehouse.

We were on top of the roof of the warehouse.
I used Levitation to remove the crate that was covering the glass top.
Tsubasa opened the latch and I jumped down, I was using Levitation again to support both of us.

"Can you get these on those guys", I whispered behind a crate handing him a bag.
"Seeds?"
"Yes, just throw it or something, it can be anywhere on the body, it'll knock them out on contact, I'll use that time to get into the office over there", I said pointing to the door on the other side.
"Misaki's?"
"I'll apolagize to Misaki-sensei later", I said.

I gave Tsuabasa the signal.
Using Inchou's Alice, I gave myself a map of the place.
With Tsubasa on my tail.
A lot of the guards fell down all around us.
I reached the door, which was surprisingly unlocked.
I burst into the room.
There was someone else inside of the room.

He looked like he was in his early 20's.
He held an eerie grin.

"Alice students? Isn't it a bit early for trick-or-treating, don't you think?", he said walking a bit closer.

I held my ground.

"Why, if it isn't the Shadow Man, and the Final Angel", he said eerily.
"The Shadow Man?", Tsubasa-senpai exclaimed.
"Everyone knows you 2, half of your face would always be covered with what seems like a shadow, and the Final Angel, no one knows your power, but I believe you have the Stealing Alice, and you can do anything with it, you look like an angel, and you always finalize your mission or work without causing much harm, otherwise, it's never you who does the job, what happened to the Black Cat? Is he gone?Apparently you have taken his job", the man said.

He knows too much.
I took away his memories.
Up until the day he decided to make this contraption or whatever it is.
I burned the blue prints with my hands.
And memorized the blueprints by thought.
I made everyone here forget what just happened, and who their working for.

"Well done, I'll contact you both, when another mission comes up, Shadow Man and Final Angel, there's someone who wants to talk to you, apparently thee Ice Queen", Persona said walking away.

He just loves testing my patience.
Nobara came out of the shadows.
It's been a while since we had hung out.
She had gotten in trouble by the elementary school principal for helping us escape a long time ago.
But now she's up and doing missions again.

"Hi Mikan-chan, Tsubasa-senpai", she said in her small voice.

I took off my mask.

"I gotta get to bed, before school starts, see ya", Tsubasa said already going up the stairs.

I looked at Nobara.
The only change I see in her is her height.
But we're still the same height.

"Wow Mikan-chan, you look so different, how's it with Natsume-kun?"

I paused to think for a moment.

"Hmmm, it's doing fine I guess, he's doing missions", I said nonchalantly.
"Aren't you doing missions, Mikan-chan? You can't keep it a secret, especially students in the Dangerous Ability class, Persona tell us everything, no secrets in this class, well except to Natsume-kun, because you asked", she said walking around me.
"Hmm, I figured that would happen, please don't tell anyone", I sighed.
"Of course Mikan-chan, do you know what happened to Luna?"
"Where did that come from? I bet she got punished severely for losing her Alice to me", I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Yes, you keep that in mind, watch out for Natsume, you might have helped his missions get lighter, but he's in danger, because of you", she said flipping her hair out of her eyes.

I stayed silent.

"Don't forget I declared you my best friend a long time ago Mikan-chan, I'm only looking out for you", she said, also disappearing in the darkness.

What is with the dramatic disappearing lately, isn't it easier to take the stairs or something?
It was really quiet.
I guess I was alone.
I heard footsteps behind me.
I looked around, nobody.
Then I was grabbed from behind.
Someone was hugging me.
I blushed.

"Natsume", I gasped.

His face was buried in my neck.

"Is there something that I did wrong", he whispered in my ear.
"N-no, why?"
"Is there any reason to keep secrets from me".
"No, it's just really complicated, I can't tell you", I said.

He was silent.
And he slowly let go.
I felt really bad just then.
Without him, I feel nothing.
I looked away and rubbed my arm.
He led my face to his own, and kissed my cheek.

"No secrets, tell me when you're ready, just don't lie to me, ever", he said.

He walked out, without another word.
What am I going to do?
He said that he would protect the girl that he loved that time.
But if I'm doing missions, he's going to stop me.
And he'll go back to doing missions that will risk his life again.
I can't let that happen.

A/N:

d.s: *wiping sweat*...rate and review... please and thank you...:))