AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wow... I'm so glad that I really had lots of reviews for this chapter... Anyway, I had to upload as fast as possible for you guys. I guess I had some spare time with me right now... My father is currently here with me, sleeping and well... I don't like him knowing what I'm doing. He'll make a big fuss over it so I'll make my note as quick as possible. I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter...

I'd like to apologize if I have cause grammar mistake or probably character misplace... In short, OOC characters... :p I hope you'll like this chapter... Thanks everyone, especially to: Shiriru004, .xX, Emmoria, oObroken-wingsOo, The Solitude of Sayuri, pinkstarpatricia, mynameisbob, Suzuka Harukaze

To Orsenna: Sorry about that... I should have been more specific about it... Well, that was the nurse... I haven't introduced Mikan in that part yet, making her appear a bit mysterious. The emerald eyes belonged to the nurse...I hope that's clarrified... :D

Thanks everyone!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gakuen Alice and any of it's characters...

REMINDER: If you read this story, please don't forget to leave a review. Thanks! I would really appreciate that... :D

CHAPTER 1: CHALLENGE

Narumi gazed at the Mikan in the bed. He didn't know why the teachers had assigned him to be with her. The idea was not bad, in fact he didn't mind at all since he likes taking care of kids. But the only problem was that Mikan was not like any other students he's faced. She was stoic, hard, dull, and everything about being monotonous.

She was different from all the usual 15 year old teenagers. Student in this age would most likely be bubbly, preppy, talkative and all those things that a normal girl does. But he knew one girl that acts like Mikan but not that much. She was like a business woman. Selling her inventions and everything, after all, she had the Innovation Alice.

Narumi sighed mentally. Upon observing her, it seems to him that she had missed a life of fun. She didn't smile or say anything. Looking there and here was the only thing she did in this classy white room. There was nothing else she did. She stayed in her room, not even planning on jumping out of the window like she had planned the other day.

She was quiet, unnerving, smooth and calm. When she was demanded for answers, she had answered them in a smooth and soft voice. But when it came to her family, she had not said or leaked out any single detail. Not even a syllable. They had all came up with the idea that her family had somewhat died in a tragic accident that she still couldn't accept.

"When can I get out of this wretched place?" she asked, menacingly.

Narumi cringed slightly at her tone. "Not long," he answered without a doubt. "You'll be joining classes this morning after the break."

Mikan turned her head from the window pane to the teacher beside her. Her gaze so innocent that it was hard to believe she had threatened a nurse yesterday. Nevertheless, she had almost killed her if she hadn't been talked to. She was absurdly different and whatever is keeping her emotions at bay was a question.

"Well," Narumi started with a smile. "Since you're special, we'll give you a different uniform but you're not a regular student yet. The principal has not said a word of your status."

"Special," Mikan scoffed mockingly, her hands balling into fists at the sides. "You have no idea what you are talking about."

"That's not true Mikan-chan," Narumi protested. "We all are special in one way, but you get to be something so different."

Mikan didn't argue anymore; instead she turned her head back to where it was before, her eyes faltering from cold and stoic to explicit sadness and pain. She silently placed a hand over the Rosary on her neck. The rosary around her neck was inconvenient. She didn't like it all because it had made her weak, useless, pathetic and nothing.

She didn't like the feeling without using her Alice. It was tormenting. Another reason was the rosary around her neck was choking her. There was a black choker necklace on her neck with the large rosary resting in between her collar bone. She didn't hate the style but they had placed the necklace on her too tight. But I guess that was what choker was, being tight around your neck as if choking you.

[--

"Hey, I heard that there was a girl who had almost killed one of our school nurses yesterday." Yome Kokoro, the student with the mind reading alice gossiped. "Aside from that the teachers were forced to place the Rosary of Control in her, saying that she was a peril to all of us and the school."

"Oh my," Anna Umenomiya, the pink headed girl with the Alice of Baking said in silent shock. "Does this mean she'll kill us?"

"Not most likely Anna-chan," Nonoko Ogasawara, the girl who had the Alice of Chemistry, assured her best friend. "As long as that rosary is in her, then I guess she won't be much of a peril."

"But she almost killed the nurse Nonoko-chan," Anna argued. "I'm sure we'll all be dead!"

The green headed girl scoffed silently. "Nonsense," she retorted. "If she would ever do that then I'm sure Natume-kun will save us. Right, Natsume-kun?" she purred with sparkling eyes.

Natsume glared at the President of Natsume-Ruka Fan club. She was being too annoying during the break. Normally, he would leave and cut classes but was requested to stay for some important reasons. He turned his head away from Sumire and went back to reading his manga.

"Okay Class!" Narumi entered the room with another weird costume. "Good morning everyone," he greeted chummily.

"Good morning Narumi-sensei," the students greeted in unison.

Narumi smiled happily at his 'wonderful' students. "Since this is homeroom period, I would like to introduce you to your new student. She's still… well um… not used to the school campus. So please make her comfortable and greet her."

Everyone started murmur, guessing that it was the psychopath girl who almost killed the nurse. Narumi hushed the students silently before gesturing the girl at the door waiting for his call. Everyone muffled at their words, their eyes now glued to the mysterious girl walking gracefully in the aisle. Her hair was long and auburn in color. It had reached her waist and was carefully tied in a high ponytail. Unlike the others, her uniform was a sailor uniform, black in color. The ribbon was red and there were white linings running on the side of her uniform.

"Everyone, please meet Mikan Sakura." Narumi introduced the new student.

She was gorgeous. She was graceful and beautiful. Her skin was corrosively sensitive and pale. But what attracted them the most was her innocent gaze. Narumi leaned closer to Mikan. "Wouldn't you like to introduce yourself Mikan-chan?" he asked gently.

Mikan stared at Narumi. This man… he was annoyingly good to her. Why was that so? But that didn't matter to her; he was just like the rest of the faculty in this school. Mikan gawk at him with her gaze piercing icily at him.

Narumi gave a nervous smile before turning his head to his students. "Um… Anyway, who would like to be Mikan-chan's partner?" he asked.

No one dared to raise their hands. He assumed that they were all threatened at the way she had act. He wouldn't deny that. In fact, he too admits that she had behaved rather very oddly than usual teenagers. "Well," he smiled, his eyes still rummaging for the 'perfect' partner of Mikan.

Narumi smiled reached his ears as he stared at one particular person. 'In mathematics, a negative and negative makes a positive, they'll thank me for this.' He thought mischievously. "Natsume Hyuuga will be your partner," he happily announced with a smile.

Mikan stared at Natsume with her usual calm and icy look. Natsume didn't even bothered looking at the surprised faces of his classmates. He knew from the beginning that she would be paired with him. Considering the havoc she had created, he was the perfect eye and watch out for the principal and school.

"What!?" Sumire shouted in protest, staring at Mikan who said nothing. Mikan simply stared at them before walking towards the window pane, her eyes longing for the freedom she had tried to attain. "Who the hell are you and why are you being paired with my Natsume?"

Mikan feebly turned her head to her, her hair swaying at the movement. They all froze in silent reverie and hope to be away from her when they saw the Rosary attached to her neck. It dangled silently at the movement Mikan caused.

"I-uh," Sumire stuttered in shock.

Smiling deviously at her stuttering, Mikan turned her head back to the window pane. "Have you lost your art of language?" she mocked gently, not looking at her.

"Argh," Sumire growled, her eyes glaring at Mikan angrily.

Everyone started gathering between the girls. The scene was becoming more of a show that entertains every viewer. The vicious Sumire Shouda, who would not let anyone insult her or takes Natsume and Ruka versus the mysterious Mikan Sakura who had no intentions of being here in the first place. She had been force to be here, brought by the one and only Natsume Hyuuga.

"Don't you know who I am?" Sumire prompted, placing a hand over her chest in defiance of the insult. "I am-"

Her statement had been momentarily. "You name and identity is worthless to me. Knowing you would be a waste of time." Mikan interrupted. "It's a shame you live by being so overly dramatic for some typical boys that don't even give their slightest attention to you."

Sumire stared at Mikan incredulously. The whole class looked at Mikan with silent awe and wonderment. Nobody has ever dared insult Sumire; nevertheless, it was public humiliation. Insulting Sumire was asking for a death sentence. The last person who had insulted her had been miserable. She was humiliated, bullied and was put into peril. But Mikan had been so bold to insult her; in fact, she showed no sign of wavering.

"Please, let us settle this down. There is no need for physical damage." Yu Tobita pleaded silently to the girls.

"It's useless Tobita," Hotaru stated in a monotone voice with her eyes never looking away from Mikan's form. "Anybody who dares provoke Shouda would be in grave danger."

'But this girl had been so calm about it.' Hotaru mentally added. 'Somehow, she does look familiar. I just don't know where I have seen that face.'

"You just didn't insult me," Sumire said, her glittering emerald eyes cowering behind the green fringe she bore. Silently, ears of a cat started protruding on her head. Black yet visible whiskers appeared on each side of her cheeks. "You're going to pay."

Sumire grabbed Mikan's shoulder and turned her rudely. Raising her other hand, Sumire sent a scratch across Mikan's face. It had been cured yesterday and she had to get another cut from a rage cat.

"Woah," everybody said in unison, staring at the red liquid oozing softly at the new laceration of Mikan's face.

Mikan gave a soft chuckle. "Provoking me will only mean your demise, young cat." She said in a soft tone. "You have the guts. I credit you for that, but not the strength."

Before Sumire could retreat her hand from Mikan's shoulder, Mikan pulled it and swiftly gave a palm punch over her stomach. It was so strong that Sumire was sent to the other side of the room, her body creating a crater from the well tarnished wall. Everybody gawk at Mikan who stared at her enemy silently with no emotion spreading across her face. They had all wondered if she had the Alice of Brute Strength. No ordinary person could do that without that Alice.

Ruka and Natsume stared at Mikan in silent shock, their eyes widening in surprise. It was still her first day of school and she was causing havoc like she had yesterday. "Shouldn't you stop her, Natsume?" Ruka asked, knowing what had happened yesterday from his best friend.

Natsume looked at Ruka. "Stopping this would be missing an opportunity to know what her true Alice is." He said nonchalantly before staring at the crater Mikan had caused.

Mikan grunted, her body showing some static from the effects of her Rosary. It had weakened her but not that strong to subdue her. This girl had been so bold to scathe her. This would go unpunished. She would make sure she will learn when to speak within her presence.

"Argh," Sumire scoffed before wiping the trail of blood. "You egoistical psychopath! I don't know who you are but you are a threat to us… You should have been found dead on the streets before the teachers came!"

Mikan closed her eyes silently. The wind from the outside blowing gently, as if feeling the torment soul of the girl within the premises of the classroom. Everyone stayed silent, staring at Sumire in disbelief and bewilderment. They couldn't believe that she had just said that.

"You're right," Mikan stated, startling everyone at her opinion of Sumire's statement. "I should have been dead in the streets; after all, I wasn't worth anything in the start. I was a peril, a threat, a danger to everyone I hold dear."

Nobody said a word. Even if Mikan had a tough exterior, Natsume had felt her wavering when she had said those words. Odd, does she want to die from the start? He thought quietly, putting his book down and staring at the brunette in front of him.

He knew what she was feeling. He had felt that when his sister Aoi had sent his village into flames; he took the liberty of the blame. When he had entered this school, he had receive disgusting looks from students, sympathy from others and etc. He didn't like it. He was a peril to the school and to some students. That was the reason why they had placed him in the Dangerous Ability Class.

Mikan opened her eyes. "I would care less what happened to me in the streets. The pain I was feeling right then was nothing compared to my experience." She said before staring at Sumire straight in the eye. "The world is what they say, 'full of wonders', but that's just plain stupid. The world is abhorred with arrogant and bastards that destroys for their desire. Too selfish and too blind to see."

Everyone averted their eyes to Sumire who had stood up with effort. "Hn," she scoffed. "I don't care what you're feeling and I certainly don't know what your Alice is."

"My alice," Mikan said in silent reverie. "It'll only scare you if you knew."

The electric shock became a little bit brute trying to serve its purpose. Apparently, Mikan was not easy to pull down. Even Natsume can't handle the shocks coming from his mask, but Mikan was different. She had been able to pull through, successfully hiding her expression of pain. The shock was too strong that the people near her felt weak and squeaked at the contact.

"Ha," Sumire mocked. "I dare you to go to the Northern Woods. If you can truly survive the horror in it, then you're considered a regular of this school."

"I don't want to be a regular, being temporary is nice." Mikan answered, turning her back from her.

Sumire gave a chuckle. "You're a coward. You said all of those things about life being abhorred by sadist people but then, you just can't seem to face life itself. You're a hypocrite, nonetheless, a chicken of cowardice."

Everyone laughed at her statement while some had stayed quiet. Mikan's brow crease downward in aggravation. After the blow she had sent her, she still had the bravery to dare her. She was annoying her. Turning her head to the side, she saw Sumire acting like a chicken while the others laughed. This was an insult.

"I accept your challenge Cat girl," Mikan said with a cold smile. "However, if you are to win, what prize will you claim?"

"If I win, I will have Natsume-kun as my partner." Sumire smiled.

"And if I win," Mikan thought silently. "You get to be my slave for a week."

Sumire took a reluctant step backward. A week being slave… for that heartless bastard? But if she wins, she gets to have Natsume as her lifetime partner. Natsume smirked; the girl was not as bad as he thought she would be. In fact, he had enjoyed the show and was quite surprise. But it annoyed him to no end that if Sumire wins, she get to be his partner. That would be very bothersome.

"Deal," Sumire agreed with a smile.

Everyone felt the tension getting thicker. The excitement in the air of this bet flowed like water in the river. The scent of predicament lie low, waiting to find its time to sprout. This challenge would determine who Mikan really was and what her Alice would be. But the question is, was she willing to show her true nature to everyone?

AUTHORS' NOTE: Well this is the first chapter... I don't know when I'll get to write again. This was the only vacant time I have... It's really chaotic in here... I'll try to upload and try to find my vacant time so that I can upload the second chapter... Thanks for your consideration everyone! :p

Please tell me what you think... I'd really appreciate it if you send me some review... Thanks! :p