Hey, Miki231 is back! I kinda hate the ending I put on this chapter, but I didn't feel like continuing onto the next plotline and never finishing it. So, this is the day before the last chapter, when Mikan is first on the campus.
Once again, they are all around 14/15 years old and in the class 2B of the Middle School Division.
Disclaimer: Yeah I don't own anything. Wish I did, too bad I don't.
It was always amusing to walk into her father's office and surprise him at his big, over-sized desk that was purposely put in the center of the room. Not the back or the front or the side; the direct center. It made no sense to Mikan, but since her father was the High School Division's principal, it gave him the right not to make sense at all. Decorated in her outfit from before, Mikan skipped in completely giddy and excited. Her normal personality. She was a cheerful ball of fun. Just don't mess with her. "Hello, father!~" she cried, gleefully coming forward to sit on the front edge of his desk. Buried in piles of paperwork, the High School Division Principal Akira Sakura was nfot the kind of man to be made fun of or to joke around. Because he had to overlook some of the most powerful Alice students and keep them in line, he would never be surprised when his fourteen-year-old daughter would show up. This was no surprise. Mikan was the wielder of the two powerfulest alices in the world, was the strongest agent in both the US and Japan Alice Academies, and it didn't take an idiot to sense her presence. Akira had knew when she showed up the second she stepped onto Japanese terrain.
"Hello, Mikan," he said, not looking up from his papers. He knew that if he had shown a better reaction, he would have been just amusing Mikan. "Back from America already? How was it?" Mikan pouted and glanced over at Persona who was standing stoically by the door. Mikan paused her answer just to irritate her father and took a glance around the room. It was similar to the American President's office. Circular shaped, the desk was in the center and there were bookcases behind it in the gap between the two windows, and there were plush couches around the sides and two armchairs in the front. There was a separate door to the left leading to the Principal's headquarters, meaning a hallway continuing to a bedroom and bathroom etc. From what Mikan could sense, there were a few Alice barriers radiating around the office as well as simmering off of her father's skin. She also knew there was a secret door two feet from the front right corner that was a hidden wall panel that one could smack and it would open. Her father had told her it was some kind of escape hatch or something else idiotic like that. This was the school for the Gifted. More than one person could track someone down. If they couldn't, they were idiots.
"Mikan, if you have nothing else to say other than 'Hello' I suggest you leave and get started on your missions. You're a Special Star just as before--" Mikan whirled on him, eyes widening considerably. Her hands slammed (technically. if *she* had actually slammed down hard, they would go through five floors) on the desk and caused all of Akira's papers to flutter to the ground. "No no no! That won't do! I can't be seen as special since I came back! Give me no star. I'd rather be a no star, it's SOOO much funner!" she said quickly to her father. Akira peered at her through his glasses, obviously losing his patience. He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands together, letting his elbows rest on the chair. The principal was dressed finely in a dark black pressed suit with a red tie. He had his own gold pen sitting in the pocket of his jacket. His black hair was gelled back into a presentable hairstyle. Some grey along the sides of his hair were beginning to show his old age. He was just as strong as ever, however. A brief silence followed Akira staring at his daughter and Mikan staring back innocently. "... Get back to work," he bit out coldly. Akira reached into the inside of his suit jacket and pulled out a small piece of jewelry from the inside pocket. He tossed it to Mikan without looking and returned to his work silently. Catching the jewelry easily, Mikan grinned, turned on heel and skipped out of the office, beckoning Persona after her. The double doors swung shut by themselves and left the Principal in isolation.
Walking down the empty corridors, Mikan busied herself with looking at the walls. A pleasant smile remained on her face, a cheerful look in her eyes. Despite being a strong Alice user, having relation to the two most powerful people in Alice world, and hanging out with the very slavedriver of the Dangerous Ability class, Persona, Mikan was pretty uneffected. She had just come back from America after four years and was ready to relax in her home country. Here she knew just about everyone was weak and she didn't have to worry about anything. She had to FIND OUT that everyone was weak in America. Here, she just knew. It was her home turf. No one could take her down. A smirk formed on her lips as Mikan looked at the different portraits of all the previous principals. She fingered the piece of jewelry she caught. Hmm. Her father did miss her, especially if he gave her this little toy to play with. Persona twitched behind his mask, and let his eyes slide to the young girl next to him. The girl beside him he affectionately called 'Brat' had been his pride and joy when he had trained her. So many years ago, and yet so much she had grown. She was strong when she had left, stronger than him. Here she was back again, still stronger than ever. Persona only felt kindness for this one person. Others could burn in hell for all he cared, because he was already burning.
"Brat." Mikan turned her attention to her big brother, smiling at him. "What?" The simple word, pleasant off her lips, made Persona's cold heart feel warmth for a bit. He knew his little sister, and she could be anywhere but warm, but this was who she was right now. "... Are you going to return to your position?" he asked lowly. The smile he received was dazzling. "Of course!" Now, what job that was, was yet to be revealed. You, as a reader, should already have a suspicion but I think I'll let the story continue before surprising you. "Before all that though, is there anything fun I can do before going to class tomorrow?" Mikan pouted at her Aniki, stopping to face and look up at him. Through the mask, she could smile at his hidden eyes and emotionless face. She knew he was more than that underneath. Persona almost smiled. Almost. His mouth twitched for a second before he spoke. "Tree. Nine o'clock tonight." Mikan smiled bigger at him. "Thanks, Aniki!" she quickly hugged his slim frame and skipped down the rest of the hall, disappearing mid-step. Persona smirked and disappeared at his spot.
A chill ran up Natsume's back just as he slammed his manga shut and looked to the side of him. Persona materialized there, leaning against the tree that Natsume was reading against, a smirk on his face. "Ten-thirty, Kuro Neko. You have a partner." This was why he loved his job. The little kitten looked like he was going to spit fire at him. Natsume glared at Persona, hatred spewing from his core. A string of inappropriate words flew through his head before he finally said, "They better not get in my way. I work alone." Persona had already teleported back to his office, completely unfazed by the Black Cat. Natsume glared at the very spot that violated his special place and set flame to his manga in his anger. Very out of character of him, but that bastard completely destroyed his day. Natsume didn't need a partner. He only needed to get through three more goddamn years at his hellhole and then he would be free. IF they let him go. As the fire flickered in Natsume's eyes, he watched his already finished manga burn, not hurting his hands as the ashes fell. Sighing, he got up and stuffed his hands in his pockets. With a few hours to kill before the mission, Natsume made his way up to his dorm.
Walking down the hall of the Special Stars dorm, Natsume sensed the presence of another person. The aura was weak, and somewhat disguised from what he could tell. Natsume tensed as he continued further down to his room. He could hear a girl whining about something and, as he came to a stop in front of his door, he saw her. She was exiting her room, slamming her door closed for that matter. He watched out the corner of his eyes, hands stuffed in his pockets. It was a new girl in a middle school uniform, a lot shorter than he was. She had long black hair that was tied into a loose side ponytail that hung over her shoulder. She was petite, pretty flat, and her legs weren't anything to talk about. The thing that caught his attention was the sparkling green eyes on her face. They were big, a dark shade of green that seemed to compare to emeralds. He only skimmed over the plain uniform and somewhat short skirt to see a small ring on her right index finger. It was made of all silver and had one emerald-cut sapphire in the middle of it. She also had a weird necklace on that was a C with an X in the middle with a vertical line crossing through it. All in all... she wasn't really that attractive. She was pretty ugly.
The girl seemed to hear his thoughts because she twitched and turned to face him. God if he wasn't blinded by that huge smile she flashed him. Coming closer to him, the girl smiled and held out her hand warmly. "Hi! I'm Mikan Sakura. Apparenly I'll be staying here for a little while until they get my star rank settled." Natsume stared at her with a cold look in his eyes. Who the hell did she think she was, coming up to him like that? And what about her star rank? How could a mere new student be hanging out in the Special Star wing? Normal transfers or new students were placed in a one-star dorm before getting leveled up or down star rank. It was unheard of to have a person be a temporary Special Star. The knowing look in her eyes made Natsume's eyes in suspicion. Mikan smirked on the inside as she kept a solid connection with Natsume's mind. The Black Cat. She knew of him. His suspicions about her were pretty impression, though it didn't take a high level agent like Mikan to realize there was something off about her. She had just come from her Special Star room having teleported there right after talking with Persona. She had found it to actually BE a Special Star room, instead of the No Star place she had requested earlier. Surely her father would be quicker than that to secure her room. Being a Special Star like this for two seconds created tons of suspicion, like the assumptions in Natsume's mind right now.
She had also decided to slip on the little piece of "jewelry" her father had given her, which was a ring that fit perfectly on her right index finger. She was well aware of what kind of alice it held in it. It was actually a piece of technology created by Hotaru Imai that transformed a persons appearance into one that they programmed in. Her chosen appearance was black hair and green eyes. Her body type remained the same. She looked a lot more appalling as a raven-head. She much preferred her auburn locks than this dark mess. It fit the boy in front of her though. His crimson eyes trying to read her movements, Mikan almost laughed. He was rude wasn't he? He wasn't going to politely shake her hand and introduce himself, even though she knew who he was already. "You don't talk much, do you?" she said cheerfully, dropping her hand and putting both of hers behind her back. She almost laughed again when she read his furious mind, minding that his crimson eyes narrowed angrily at her. "Aaaand you have a temper," she continued, giggling. She skipped past him, grinning. It took a few seconds later to A) remember that she had to play it cool and stupid and B) let out a scream when her skirt caught on fire. Mikan had sensed it coming, but the thought had forced her to wait two seconds before peering down at her aflame skirt and let out an ear piercing scream.
Natsume wasn't sure whether to get the girl to shut up or just walk into his room and slam the door. Her scream was loud enough to deafen him. He could feel his ears ringing just from it. If all Alice Academy didn't hear the loud chick, he would be impressed. Being the only Special Star on this level, Natsume was grateful no one would see him wincing in pain from the loudness. "Shut UP!" he shouted over her scream, extinguishing the fire he set to her skirt. She had pissed him off with the temper comment, and now she was annoying the hell out of him with her scream. The girl, whatever her name was, closed her lips and stared at him with huge eyes the size of saucers. Great. She was new, and of course she didn't know who he was. "Stay. Away. From. Me," he pronunciated loud and clear, glaring at her before glancing down at her burned skirt. "What are you, five? That print is so old, Polka Dots." Natsume smirked. By the time the girl had gotten it, and screamed "PERVERT!" at him, he had already walked into his room and shut the door. What a stupid girl.
Mikan screamed obscenities at Natsume's door until she was sure he was gone. Straightening, Mikan smirked and waved a hand over the burnt skirt. It repaired itself through her alice, becoming a bit longer and more concealing her polka-dot print underwear. She was impressed he had such nerve to be so perverted. Even if he took hardcore missions for the Academy, was constantly worried about endangering his friends, Mikan was somewhat impressed with this guy. Rolling her neck, Mikan placed her hands behind her back and sauntered down the rest of the hallway. It was too bad Natsume didn't impress Mikan enough. Peeking at a girl's underwear? Come on, that was so immature. Mikan had to go through so much worse when under missions. Humming, Mikan exited the building and went off in search of new adventures. Perhaps a bit too knowing, a bit too powerful, a bit too strange, Mikan was surely a difference from the boring life in Alice Academy. Especially since the pendant she wore signified her higher stature in Alice Academy International. But that was to be explained in another chapter.
After a REALLY long time, I finally write another chapter! I told you I was very on and off with my fanfics. Thankfully I love you all terribly much and wanted to keep writing for it. It's just suspense after suspense with this, honestly. Tell me what you think of the chapter! Please review. Seeing as my school is starting in two weeks, I'll see if I can get another chapter up before then. If not, I apologize for any delay.