Note: The bold italic is Chikako's thoughts. Normal italic is the other guy. Adn also, it has been a little over a month since Chikako arrived at Alice Academy, and she already knows about the different ability classes, but not alice types.

Damn it.

Natsume grit his teeth in pain, but anyone who didn't know him would've asked what was wrong. Natsume wasn't fighting criminals, or AAO, or bad guys. He was fighting himself. The Fourth Form Alice.

He was actually very surprised, but didn't show it. He didn't have a drop of blood on him, but he had had to use his Alice for a long period of time to set warehouses on the harbor aflame.

A year or two ago, Natsume would have looked back on his actions and justified them by telling himself, "I'm helping people. I don't kill innocent civilians. I hurt people who would've hurt my friends too. Alice Academy may be using unfair ways to get things done, but they are doing things for the greater good. The greater good…" Not even Ruka knew that the missions had not only a physical toll, but an emotional toll as well.

Sometimes, when Ruka and Mikan buzzed around him making sure this didn't bruise and that didn't get infected, all the Black Cat would think about was the guy who'd never see his family, his girlfriend, his wife, his whole life again. All because of his hands, stained red from what he'd had to do because of the Academy. And then Natsume would forget about himself and blame the Academy instead. It was the only way not to feel guilty.

Now, what excuse could he use? He wasn't on the side for the greater good. No, Natsume had joined the dark side, and they weren't going to let go that easily.

Natsume tasted the telltale metallic taste of blood. He had bitten down on his tongue, hard, to keep from crying out. His chest squeezed painfully. He was on the verge of passing out… he shouldn't have used his alice full blast for 4 minutes straight… how could he take care of Mikan if he wasn't alive? What kind of repayment would it be, for her to try and save him, only for him to use his alice up again and die in thanks? Natsume wasn't that cruel.

And suddenly, the insurmountable pain was gone.

He heard a knock on his door and sighed, heaving himself up from his luxurious, four-poster bed wearily. Before opening it, he hesitated. Who would be knocking at his door right now? Ruka knew to just barge in.

Chikako. She was fidgeting, looking down the hallway nervously. Her eyes were wild, slightly maniacal. Her skin was damp with a sheen of sweat. She calmed down when she noticed him. "Natsume," she said, her voice cracking with anxiety. "Something's happened."

TWO DAYS EARLIER

Yumi was just minding her business when the boy jumped down

A low growl.

Yumi was painting a masterpiece when

A frustrated, "ARRGH!"

Once there was a girl named Yumi who

Chikako crumpled the paper up into a ball and threw it, hitting a young elementary student sitting at another table squarely in the back. The writing project that Narumi had given the class was not turning out well.

Chikako grumbled something incomprehensible and stood up from the table. Crossing her arms in frustration, she stalked off, leaving her scattered papers and unsharpened pencils behind.

And she ran. Somewhere along the way, she paused, gasping for breath, in a strange place where all she could see was dark forest trees. Whatever, Chikako thought. She could figure out how to find her way back when she wanted to come back. For now, she'd be okay.

Chikako sat down heavily on a fallen log, thinking back to her brother. That must've been the reason she couldn't concentrate before. She was thinking about her brother, not because she was an incompetent writer. She had won a writing contest in the fourth grade about a princess with powers who'd saved her kingdom.

How ironic, Chikako thought. Now I'm the one with powers. Although I guess it's too late to save anyone.

"That's not true." A voice, startling Chikako, seemed to come from somewhere within the trees. Chikako felt her walls coming up, guarding her from the newcomer.

"Who's there? Whaddya want?" she asked to the quiet forest air.

The voice, again. "What are you doing out here in the Northern Forest?"

"I asked you first."

A chuckle.

"I suppose you're right."

"Show yourself, or are you too chicken?" An old trick, one that wasn't going to work on the stranger. He laughed quietly, or at least she thought it was a he. It sounded like a he.

"I have a proposal for you." I hope it's not marriage, Chikako thought.

The man again. "Do you know what my alice is?" he asked in a casual drawl.

"What do you think?"

"I'm a psychic." Chikako reared back in surprise. Did that mean he could read what she was thinking at the moment?

Yes, I can. The unwelcome visitor made Chikako scramble to get her mind back into order. What are you doing? Get out!

I can bring your brother back.

A lengthy pause.

I'm listening.

All you have to do is listen to my ideas, and agree.

What do you want me to do?

I want you to join the Dangerous Ability Class. I want you to work for me. Then I'll use an alice to make your brother back alive again.

How do I know you're not lying?

How can you prove anything? There are hundreds of different alices. One could very well be resurrection. It doesn't have to be in this school.

Where will you get the Alice then?

I have my ways.

How cliche.

Are you in? You could bring back your brother, and you'll both play together again, just like old times.

The idea was so alluring that Chikako didn't stop to consider what kind of job she would be doing, if her brother would be alive again, or a ghost, or how the mysterious man even knew her and her brother. Just like old times. They could talk, run around, annoy each other incessantly, prank unsuspecting kids…

"I'll do it," she spoke, aloud this time, just the first reminder that their deal was official.

"Very good. Go to the Dangerous Ability Class at 11:00 tonight. Your first job is today. If you tell anyone about this arrangement, our deal is off, and you will have to work for me without the other part of the deal." Chikako was too giddy to care. A chance, a real chance at seeing her brother again. She was finally going to see him in the flesh, after two long years. Chikako answered,"Okay, whatever!"

And for once, she didn't wonder what she had gotten herself into this time.

To A (Guest): Hi A! I feel like you always send me really great reviews, but I can't answer since you don't have an account, so I'll answer them here!

Thanks for the compliment! I'm really happy that you like my story so much (it makes me wanna jump up and down and squeal like a fangirl). Ha ha, yeah, I thought that since Natsume was always doing perverted things to Mikan in the manga/anime, then why stop?

Okay, so to answer your question, the school isn't under the ESP anymore, but Natsume is staying longer because (as proud as he is), he knows he can't save Mikan alone. He needs his friends (also, from the author's view, I wanted to include Chikako as an Alice Academy student … hee hee!).

I'm not sure what you mean by "treated the way he was with Persona." Do you mean that he's not allowed to leave? Because he's not treated badly. He's treated like a normal student. Alice Academy never let people leave, even before the war, so they're not going to change that. Especially because Z is (kind of) rising again (if you remember that from the last Gakuen Alice chapter, where they were talking about how a group of Anti-Alice people, the "Alice Hunters," are kidnapping peole with Alices), so the Academy isn't letting people out anytime soon. If you don't remember, it's page 16 of chapter 180.

…

Actually, I don't want to reveal my entire plot, so… instead of fully explaining…

You can check out Gakuen Alice manga's page 17 of 56 in chapter 180 on and if you still don't get it, ask me. Once again, thank you for the kind, kind compliments, and I'll try to update as often as I can!

-KawaiiGirl254