I DO NOT OWN GAKUEN ALICE

Chapter 1

1 year and 6 months ago

July 15, 2015

"We're almost there, Mr. Nogi," the chauffer informed me, but I was hardly aware of him. Fields and fields of luscious greens distracted me, cattle grazing here and there, farmers tending sheep. As the limo passed by, the animals' heads shot up to look, shock and happiness crossing their eyes. Stay calm, I instructed. The cows mooed and the sheep bleated in consent.

"Is the cottage near the base of the mountain?" I asked, tearing my eyes from the view to lean back comfortably on the back seat.

"Very much so, Sir. You could say the Alps will be your closest neighbor during your stay."

I didn't know then that I would be seeking company as much as water itself. Well, not company in general, just the presence of this particular someone.

You see, what I've always wanted to do was become a vet, escape the city, and live in an isolated location with a few close friends. It was a quaint ideal, a modest life, the perfect life. Yes, I am hermit at heart, one of the many reasons I've stayed a bachelor.

The wooden cottage was soon visible, and I smiled. The Alps loomed behind it and pastures surrounded it, pastures filled with animals, animals, and more animals. The windows of the vehicle could no longer bar the sounds of their eagerness, and they approached the picket fence, which was the only obstacle left standing in their way to get to me.

"Are you doing that?" the chauffer asked, and his tone sounded worried.

"Involuntarily," I replied sheepishly, and quickly added, "But don't worry. They won't harm the car or try anything. They could just feel my presence, and they're excited, I guess."

"Can't say I'm surprised. The Liechti Research Labs hire a lot of Alices nowadays."

I smiled. "You're going to have to teach me how to pronounce that someday."

The limousine halted before the cottage, and Mr. chauffer pivoted on the driver seat so that I had a clear view of him. He was old, with a wrinkly face and greying hair. He grinned at me, and said, "Young master, I doubt I'd see you again 'til the day you need a ride back to the airport."

He got out of the car and opened my door for me. I stepped out to meet the sun's first rays, peeking over the horizon, and I noticed vaguely how tired I felt.

"What's your name?" I asked the man as politely as I could. He helped me carry the bags up to the front porch.

"Nino Baudraz, Sir," he said.

"You've been working here long?"

"Been serving the Liechti Labs for 9 years now," he said proudly. We reached the front door and he dropped my bags beside it. Reaching into his slacks, he pulled out keys and handed them to me. "This is where we part, Mr. Nogi. Don't worry too much about the Liechtis. They're all very nice people and all of their employees are well treated. They even have a daughter, and she's quite a beauty."

I returned his assuring smile with the best one I could muster. He turned and I watched as he got into the limo and pulled out of the lot. I watched him until the car was a small speck in the distance, and suddenly I felt utterly alone. This was what I wanted, but I was at a loss on how to go about it.

The sun had made its way past the line of the horizon, and I went in the cottage, remembering my sleepiness.

Nino had told me on the ride from the airport that someone would come pick me up to have lunch in the actual research base up in the mountain. So I had a few more hours to myself before the real work began.

The escort arrived a few hours later. When Nino told me that someone would pick me up, I most certainly did not think that that someone would pick me up on a helicopter. But there it was; white and big, and whipping my button up shirt and tie hard against my body. The words "Liechti Research Labs" were printed in silver across the side, where it suspended 20 feet above the ground.

"HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO GET UP THERE?" I bellowed as hard as I could, although I doubt the pilot heard me at all. Somehow, thankfully, seeing my distress, they sent a rope ladder down and it suspended in front of me. I started to climb, and when I finally pulled both my feet over the doorway and into the metal floor of the helicopter, I heaved a great sigh of relief.

I heard a man chuckle and looked up to find a dirty blonde-haired man probably in his mid-thirties, grinning.

"We could have parked the 'copter down on the field, actually." The man shrugged. "But where's the fun in that?" He clapped me on the back in a friendly gesture and when he laughed it rocked his whole body in trembles.

"What a warm welcome," I said sarcastically. I quickly sat on the available seat opposite his and clapped the seatbelt shut. Only then did I sigh with ease.

"I hope your work with animals doesn't require much physical activity, or else I feel bad for the poor creatures," he joked playfully, his voice thick with an accent. He held out his hand and I shook it. "Ernst Wyss."

"Ruka Nogi. And no, not particularly."

"Good to hear, Nogi." He had a large built, very muscular and intimidating. He had broad shoulders, stubble on his face and glasses that looked out of place, perched on the bridge of his nose.

"So, uh, Ernst. Where exactly are the research labs?"

"Alps. On the east side of this mountain." He pointed to the looming mass of earth before us. "It's quite classy actually. Painted white and silver, so you wouldn't spot it at first glance. Boss likes it that way; not much intruders and press."

"Not that it stopped the Labs from acquiring credibility," I commented. Flavier Liechti has been featured in every tech magazine and paper there is in the entire world. To say that he was good at what he did was an understatement. He and his team bested everyone else when it came to producing the best technology and most mind-blowing discoveries in the 21st century.

"True." He laughed. We chatted for a few minutes, and he told me more about the Liechti's and the people I'd be encountering. ". . .and then there's Annaliese." He sighed theatrically then chuckled.

"I'm assuming she's the daughter."

"Yup, she's the daughter."

"Really THAT pretty, huh?"

"Don't go falling for her." He chucked again.

I blushed. "I won't," I mumbled.

"My friend, you and I, we are very lucky people," Ernst laid his big, calloused hand on my shoulder and pointed. There on the side of the mountain, surrounded by a vast whiteness, stood the building.

It was more menacing than I imagined, tall, proud, and arrogant where it covered the sky with its pale walls and silver lining. Guards patrolled the lot everywhere I looked, and as the helicopter descended onto the helipad, I noticed a small team of men in lab coats waiting for us near the door that led to the roof.

"Ready?" Ernst asked me. I nodded.

The helicopter landed and we stepped out to be greeted by the people in coats. They each shook my hand, welcoming me to the Liechti team. The last to greet me was an old man with large, aged eyes. He had a friendly smile and his grasp on my hand was soft and welcoming. "Good afternoon, Mr. Nogi," he greeted.

"Good afternoon to you too," I replied, returning his contagious smile.

Beside me, Ernst laughed. "You might wanna add a 'sir' in there somewhere." I looked at him questioningly.

When I looked back, the man whom I've just shook hands with was also smiling, clearly entertained. "I should introduce myself first," he said. "Mr. Nogi, I am Flavier Liechti."

My jaw dropped. I've seen pictures and videos, but I did not expect the famous Swiss billionaire to be quite so elderly. I noted that his skin was loose with age around the hand that had held my own. "Oh…"

Ernst laughed harder.

"Sir," I said, recovering myself, smiling in amusement as well. "I had no idea I'd meet you so soon."

He shrugged. "I hope you understand how important your role is for this research."

"Yes, of course, Sir."

"Let's discuss it while walking. I'm sure you want to see what sort of work we do around here." He beckoned me to follow him and the whole group did as I did, tailing the boss like a bunch of minions. "Now, Ruka-" he paused, raising a brow. "May I call you Ruka?"

"If you prefer that, Sir."

"Alright. Ruka, the reason I hired you, most obviously, is because of your ability. Your Alice."

"I've done my research. Your company deals with animal research and studies. Quite frankly, I didn't like the thought." My brows furrowed involuntarily, and I smoothed them out before Mr. Liechti could notice. "I only signed on when I was assured that you don't mistreat the animals in any cruel tests. But you seem to manage well without a. . .animal whisperer, I guess."

Mr. Liechti chuckled. "Ruka, you're more than just an animal whisperer. I've read your profile. Apparently even in the Alice community your Alice is quite recognized, am I right?"

I felt my cheeks burn, and didn't know what to say.

"What a modest little Alice we got here. That's a first." I looked back to see Ernst grinning down at me. His height is seriously intimidating. He excused himself from the party, explaining to Mr. Liechti that he had some errands to run. He said goodbye to me before leaving.

"Anyway," Mr. Liechti said. "Yes, you're quite right. We didn't see the need until recently. We've found that. . .a most valuable part of our research is being compromised and we need your special abilities to smooth out this little crease of ours."

We were walking along a well-lighted corridor that looked very modern with its metal paneling and ostentatious art hanging here and there. What was most interesting was that on either side of the corridor, the occasional window appeared, each with its unique view. It wasn't a window, exactly. More of a portal. On the other side, experiments were being held, men in lab coats writing on their clip boards, taking note of the data, or doing the actual researching.

"Ruka," Mr. Liechti called out, snapping me out of my reverie. "Have you ever heard of the Ibex?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I'm not familiar."

He waved away my lack of knowledge. "The Ibex, you could say, is the animal of the Swiss Alps. They are excellent mountain climbers, beautiful creatures with horns fashioned to a curve. Most splendid, really. It has inspired several of our designs. They're everywhere here in the mountains, and we've never really paid any particular interest in them. Until, of course, now."

Suddenly the floor shook and there was a rumbling sound. Everyone looked to their left to find that one of the glass windows was stained black with soot. On the other side, black clouds swirled in threatening vapors. We couldn't see anything in the room behind it.

"My God," one of the scientists in our party said. "What was that?"

"Probably Henri. He always manages to blow up experiments," Mr. Liechti said. He sounded irritated.

A palm appeared on the glass. The scientists gasped. Soon a face followed the hand, also black with soot. The man owning the face looked surprised to see a group of his superiors crowding around his lab window. His brown hair was all over the place, looking like that of a cartoon mad scientist's. He smiled apologetically.

"Yup, it's just Henri," Mr. Liechti said. "Leave him." He waved his hand for the group to keep going and they did as their boss commanded. "As I was saying, Ruka. There is this particular Ibex that I'm interested in. If it really is an Ibex. We couldn't tell. It resembled the Ibex but was completely unlike anything I've ever seen before. Silver horns, golden fur, ran with the grace of a gazelle and the swiftness of a cheetah…" He had started to take on a wandering tone. He cleared his throat when he realized he was rambling.

"You want me to catch it," I concluded.

"Catch it?" he asked, surprised. "How do you know?"

"Your description implied it was fast enough to run away from you. And you think I can lure it out."

"Not exactly," he said. "We know where we could find it. It comes to a stream along the mountainside every day. It stays there and just as we net him, or tranquilize him, or something, he runs. And runs. And when he runs, all hope is lost. There's no way we dare shoot the creature." He gives me an apologetic smile when he sees the disapproval on my face. Mr. Liechti clears his throat and continues, "But he comes back every day to that same stream, tantalizing us. The cocky creature."

"He? You know it's a boy?"

"We've christened it with the name Willy. Willy the wily Ibex," he smiled. Then a sudden flash of alarm crossed his face. "Why do you ask if he's a boy? Your Alice doesn't only work on female animals, does it?"

I chuckled. "It works for all genders, don't worry, Sir."

"Very well, that's good," He said relieved. "So I'm assuming you're on board this assignment?"

I didn't get to answer. I was surveying the surrounding windows when my eyes stilled at a particularly interesting scene inside a lab room. Three researchers were crowding around a round pool on the floor of the room. They were all tapping away on their clipboards and didn't take notice of our party. That wasn't what caught my attention though, because a second later - this is going to make me sound crazy - but a second later, a mermaid popped out of the pool! A mermaid! It wore a tight-fitting rash guard and several blinking devices were strapped to its arms, but from the waist below was nothing but a sleek, blue, wriggling tail.

"An actual mermaid!" I said out loud. "How is it possible? Is this the power of another Alice?"

Mr. Liechti stopped to look, and he whipped his head back and laughed. Everyone from our party looked amused as well.

I noticed why when the merlady eased herself out of the pool and the team of researchers helped her out of her tail. Her tail was made out of some silicone material and beneath it she was wearing a sort of tight fitted leggings. Only when the tail was off did my eyes take in the rest of her.

"Yes, she is actually," Mr. Liechti said. "Although not that of the anamorphic type."

Short, dark hair, big, round, purple eyes, and skin paler than any human's. The surprising part was I knew her.

If anyone ever asked me who I thought I would never see again or keep in contact with for the rest of my life, I would answer that it would be this girl standing before me. And here she is. She hasn't changed one bit, still the sight for sore eyes.

Then she looked at me, and I knew she was thinking the same thing I was. That here the two most unlikely people in the world to meet ever again, were looking into each other's eyes. Her mouth parted slightly in surprise, and she mouthed two words.

I wasn't any expert in lip-reading, yet I didn't need to hear her to know what she said. It was my name. "Ruka Nogi." Then her face hardened to its original cold beauty and she went on her way, turning away from me to talk to one of her colleagues as if she didn't recognize me.

I rolled my eyes. I had to hand it to her. Kudos to Hotaru Imai for not changing one bit.

A/N: I Apologize for the late update. I've been quite busy with schoolwork lately. My majors are a pain huhu. Rest assured, I'll be quicker about the updates! Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Please feel free to drop a review my way. :)