Chapter 2
Few days passed since they heard the news of Reo's return and since Mikan had this weird dream. It's very noticeable that Mikan is bothered about something, but no one tried to approach her. They were thinking that maybe Mikan just misses her grandfather so they were giving her time for herself.
The time has come for their Alice test. Mikan was early not because she was nervous but because since the day she had that weird dream she can't seem to get a nice sleep. She is always worried that she might have the same dream again.
The students that are taking the test starts coming. Not long when she arrive Nonoko, Ruka, Natsume, and Hotaru came in, but she didn't notice them because her mind was somewhere else.
"Hi Mikan, you're early" Nonoko greeted her but she didn't answer.
Noticing that Mikan was out of this world, Hotaru put an alarm clock above her desk. It started ringing and Mikan freaked out.
"Ahhhhhhhh" Mikan shouted. "What was that for Hotaru?" she asked.
"You were day dreaming if you haven't noticed. The test will start soon, why don't you try pulling yourself together" Hotaru said to her.
"There's nothing wrong with me"
"Not according to what I'm seeing"
"What are you saying?"
"Ahm, Mikan, we've noticed lately that you are always on your own world. It's not like you to be so quiet. You are not able to notice what is happening around you. Just like now, you haven't even noticed that we arrived normally you will throw yourself to Hotaru or greet us with a smile" Nonoko said to her continuously.
"And Mikan you look really scary. Are you getting any sleep?"
"Yes I'm getting enough sleep and I am fine." She said in a high tone.
"There is no need to be grouchy. We're just asking." Hotaru said to her irritated after hearing Mikan raising her voice.
Before Mikan could say anything the teacher in charge of their exam entered. The exam took 4 hours to finish but everything gone smoothly. They all passed with flying colors. It just shows how much they've all improved.
After the test Mikan left the room without a word. Her friends just watched her go with worried looks.
"Mikan is really down we should do something to cheer her up" Nonoko said. By that time they were already at the cafeteria with their other friends.
"Just leave that idiot alone" Hotaru told them.
"But you see how she is this morning. She's really down."
"Whatever it is that's bothering her, she'll get through it in no time" Sumire said to them.
"Do you have any idea what's bothering her?" Ruka asked Natsume. They were sitting just a couple of table away from Hotaru's group.
"How should I know?"
"Just asking, maybe you know something. You always seem to know what's bothering her."
"Just what do you mean by that?'
"Nothing"
To Natsume's irritation he walked out. Ruka just shrugged his shoulders while watching his friend walked away.
Some place else Mikan were sitting under a tree with closed eyes as if she were sleeping. She keeps on sighing. I need to say sorry to them. I lost my temper back there. I didn't notice that because of that dream everyone around me is affected. I guess I should stop thinking about it. It's just a dream after all.
Mikan decided to look for her friends and apologize but when she opened her eyes she was surprised to see a boy standing in front of her.
"Are you ok?" the boy asked her.
"Yeah I'm fine. Who are you and just what are you doing here?" Mikan asked while trying to stand.
The boy lend her a hand and said " I was just walking around when I saw you I thought there was something wrong with you, but I guess I was wrong. I'm sorry if I bothered you."
"Don't worry I was just going anyway." Mikan started walking away but she remembered something so she turn around "thanks for the hand" she said with her usual smile then continue walking away but not to far from where Mikan was, Natsume were standing watching the whole scenario.
Flashback
After Natsume left the cafeteria he decided to go to the woods to take a nap. He was about to climbed up a tree when he noticed Mikan sitting under a tree and sighing. He decided to walk to her and to ask her what's been bothering her, but before he could reach her someone else got close to her.
They boy didn't say anything but Mikan opened her eyes. He saw that Mikan were a little surprised he was walking towards her again when…
"Are you ok?" the boy asked her.
"Yeah I'm fine. Who are you and just what are you doing here?" Mikan asked while trying to stand.
The boy lend her a hand and said " I was just walking around when I saw you I thought there was something wrong with you, but I guess I was wrong. I'm sorry if I bothered you."
"Don't worry I was just going anyway." Mikan started walking away but she remembered something so she turn around "thanks for the hand" she said with her usual smile.
End of flash back
After Mikan left he saw a smile painted on the boys face. He can't tell what the smile was for but that smile made him worried. Who was that guy? I've never seen him in the academy before. Then he decided to follow Mikan.
Mikan found her friends walking around.
"Hey guys. I'm sorry for what happened earlier. I lost my temper. I was jut preoccupied of how my grandfather is these days. I haven't received any letters lately." She explained to her friends.
"It's ok Mikan we understand" though Mikan has a solid reason for acting the way she did not all of them are convinced. But she didn't bother voicing it out.
"Since it's the last day of vacation tomorrow why don't we go to central town and enjoy" You suggested.
"That's a good idea. We could go shopping, shopping and shopping" Sumire said while waving her money.
They took a rest early that night so that they would be ready for their central town trip. For some reason Mikan felt so relaxed that night. The possibility of having the same dream didn't bother her at all.
It is only 6 in the morning but most of them are awake and already preparing. The bus to central town will arrive at 8 in the morning.
It was 7:30 when Mikan showed up at the bus stop. She was wearing a miniskirt and a haltered top just like most of the girls, her hair was laid down, and there is something about her aura that made her stand out.
She walk towards her friends and greeted them with a smile. She is back to her usual self and as a part of her usual self she start asking how does she look, and just like before when she was wearing a genie costume some people says she looks cute while the others are speechless.
"She looks cute isn't she Natsume" Ruka asked his best friend. They were standing not too far from Mikan's group together with Youichi and their other friends.
"Whatever" he said then looked away.
Mikan noticed the way Natsume looked at her. What's wrong with him? She asked herself. Then she looked at the arriving bus.
They were now heading at central town. The bus was so noisy. There were students laughing while some are fighting.
I hope that fortune teller would be able to tell me something about that dream. Mikan and Natsume were thinking the same thing. It was yesterday before they took a rest that they decided to go to the fortune teller.
The moment they arrive at central town everyone headed their own way. They all gone separate ways but to their surprise most of them ended up at the same place, the fortune teller.
There is already a line when they arrive but not that long and besides they noticed that the fortune telling takes only a minute per person sometimes lesser, but all of them came out satisfied.
Soon it was their turn. Anna came in first, it was then when they realized that the time inside and outside the tent flows at different speed. Anna is then followed by Nonoko then Sumire then Yuu. The next one should be Mikan but Hotaru who was behind her noticed that she's hesitant on entering and decided to go in first.
"I'll go first" that all she said to her.
Though a little surprised, Mikan also felt relived when Hotaru entered.
Hotaru is now inside the tent. The place was dark. The only light inside the tent were a few candles floating in the center of the room. Under the floating candles is a round table with a deck of cards; two chairs facing each other, one was empty and the other one is where the fortune teller sits.
"So the best friend decided to come in first. Please take a seat so we could begin." a very pleasant voice came out of the fortune teller. The lady was wearing a thick dark violet dress covering her whole body except for the eyes and hands.
The fortune teller told Hotaru a lot of things but the only thing that registered in her head was the lady's final words "stay beside her as much as possible, she'll need someone beside her all the time." The reason Hotaru didn't pay much attention to what is being said to her was she is very occupied thinking where she had seen those familiar eyes the fortune teller has.
Hotaru went out of the tent still thinking where she had seen those eyes.
Mikan has no choice but to enter. She is still hesitant but she just said to herself that she needs to do that for her own.
"Too young yet too bothered. Take a sit young lady" said by the fortune teller with a very soft voice. Mikan then took the unoccupied seat.
Mikan noticed that the cards that were placed in the middle of the table are blanks but when she placed her hands above it pictures and symbols started appearing and the fortune telling begins.
"You have a very clouded future ahead of you, as clouded as your mind right now. Tears and blood will flood but all of this will be decided by you. It means that your future is in your hands. You only need to make the right choices. That dream that has been bothering you these past few days can be a part of your future. It all depends on the choices that you will make. And remember that a big change in your life is coming near"
The fortune telling ended yet Mikan was speechless of what she just heard. It seems that going to the fortune teller was not such a good idea. Now she just had more things to worry. She stood from her seat but before she could take a single step the fortune teller grab her arm to stop her.
"Give me your hands" she said.
Mikan opened her hand and gave it to the fortune teller. The lady put a circle shaped silver locket in her hand and said "keep it. You'll find it useful when the time comes."
Though hesitant Mikan took what was given to her just so she could get out because the moment the lady touches her, her heart started beating fast and she felt something warm inside her.
Mikan hid the locket. She didn't bother showing it to her friends or even telling what was told to her. Since Mikan is the last one in her group they decided to start looking around.
Inside the tent, Ruka is sitting and already listening to what the fortune teller is saying. "Are you really willing to sacrifice what you feel for the one you love to benefit a friend? It is a tough decision you need to make soon. Think carefully because every decision you will make will have its own consequences. Be ready for that consequences," those where the words of the fortune teller that registered on his mind.
When he walked out of the tent he was thinking the same thing that Hotaru was thinking. Where have I seen those eyes before? While waiting for his friends to finish he keeps himself busy thinking of the words the fortune teller and the eyes.
Finally it's Natsume's turn.
"Who would expect someone like you would be in a place like this, anyway take your seat." The lady said continuously. Natsume tried to react to what was said to him but it seems like something or someone was stopping him. "Do you know that you're not the only one bothered by that same dream? Someone else came here to know the same thing, an explanation. It seems that you two have the same paths waiting. Which path will you take is up to you. You will find something that you lost long ago but finding it will also cost another lost.. Be careful to everything that you do. Protect what you need to protect. And remember that keeping an eye to what you want is not enough."
The fortune telling ended. Natsume may be a little occupied of what was told to him but he still manages to notice that the eyes of the fortune teller looked like someone he new, but he can't remember who it was.
The day ended and though some of them are a little confused, the day all in all gone well. They we're heading back to the dormitories when Natsume, Ruka and Hotaru realized to whom the fortune teller's eyes resembles.
It's Mikan. They all gazed at Mikan's direction who is clueless of what's happening.
Outside the Academy
"How did it go?" a man's voice echoed in a big dark quite room.
"Everything goes the way I wanted it" said the lady while taking the thick clothes that she was wearing.
"How is she?"
"She looks confused and bothered, but I think she's fine. She has a lot of friends that's looking after her."
"Is that so? But you must remember that place will destroy her one day. We need to get her out before her real powers are awaken"
"I don't think it would be that easy though"
"if she resist the way black cat did, remember that we will need to eliminate her for she will be the cause of our downfall"
The lady look stunned of what she heard but then "when that time comes, I will eliminate her myself for I will not allow her to be a puppet of the academy"
"A puppet like you were before"
"Yes" then she walked away.