Something mysterious will happen this chapter and Mikan's courage will be put to test. Hotaru is also protective of her this chapter and she's mostly annoyed and pissed. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice and it's characters.
Chapter 8: Preparation for the Festival part 2
Darkness.
I could only see darkness around me. I walked around more but it was still darkness that greeted me. Where am I? Am I dreaming?
"Hey!"
Suddenly, I heard a voice from somewhere. It was loud and clear but when I look around to see where it came from, I saw nothing.
"What do you want?"
It's a different voice this time. The first voice I heard sounds so familiar to me like I know the owner by heart. The second one gives me the feeling like I should know who it belongs to.
"Ano... ne, am I pitiful?"
Huh? What is this? Why am I hearing this? Who are you? There are so many things I want to ask but I can only stand in the middle of this darkness and listen to those voices. I closed my eyes and stood still.
"Huh? What are you saying?"
Yeah. What is it that makes you say such a thing?
"No, nothing! Forget about it."
What? Why? The voice sounded so sad but controlled. I noticed how the voice tried to suppress the feeling of sadness. The owner of the sad voice doesn't want to worry the other.
"You... Are you being bullied again?"
Bullied, huh? So it's like that. That must be the reason why the other is sad.
"..."
Wait... Why isn't the other voice saying something? Why isn't it comforting the other or insisted what happened? What's happening? Suddenly, I heard a sob. I opened my eyes only to see not darkness but a place full of trees, flowers. It's a garden. The flowers bloomed very beautifully. There are different kinds. The trees matched the scenery as well and leaves, petals danced around with the wind.
I looked around and saw two figures sitting close to each other. One is crying and the other just looked away and stayed silent. Like waiting for something. After a while, the crying stopped and spoke again.
"Thank you... for staying silent and letting me cry it all out. If you had hugged me or said comforting words, I would have relied on you more after this and I don't want that. I want to be able to cry and wipe my tears all by myself like standing up with my own efforts after the fall."
The other figure nodded.
"Tell me whenever you feel like it. I'll listen. Don't mind what they say. You're more than you think you are. You're strong." That is an advice I can relate to.
But who are they? Those two figures. I can't see them clearly. They're all blurred from my vision unlike my surrounding that's clear. I turn my head from side to side to see if I can see anymore person but I saw none. I returned my gaze to the two blurred figures in front of me but to my surprise they're both gone. I turned around and this time the garden disappeared. I'm back in the darkness I was once in.
I decided to lay down on where I was standing since I know that no matter how much I walk, I wouldn't get anywhere in this darkness. I closed my eyes. Who knows, I might wake up from this dream if I try to fall asleep here. Weird, I know but it's worth the try.
Silence went on for a few more before I heard a faint sound. It wasn't talking like the voices I heard earlier but this time it was humming. And this time, it was an unfamiliar voice. Though I was uncertain if I ever met the owner of the voice. I like hearing it. It sounds so comforting. Then I felt so tired all of a sudden as my consciousness slip from me. It was faint but before I completely lose my consciousness, I heard the voice whisper.
Stay away from the dark.
I abruptly sat up. I noticed my heavy breathing and how much sweaty I've become. What was that dream? Those two figures... Who are they? What does those last words mean? I don't know how I can tell but I feel as though those last words are for me. I turned to look at my clock and saw how horribly late I was.
"AHHHHH!" I screamed. Oh no, I'm in charge with our class' activity preparation!
I quickly grab my towel and sprinted towards the bathroom. A quick shower should be enough for a late student, don't you think?
"Sorry I'm late!" I breathed out as soon as I opened the door of our classroom. Some of my classmates paid no attention to me at all and a few greeted me and of course I greeted back. I went towards where my seat is supposed to be and found three vacant seats beside it which is very unusual. At least Hotaru and Ruka-pyon should be here.
"Hey! Where's Natsume, Ruka-pyon and Hotaru?" I asked the person in front of me.
"Imai-san and Nogi-san are in the teachers room. I haven't seen Hyuuga-san at all since morning." He said.
"Ah. Okay, thank you!" I smiled at him then sat down on my chair. Natsume is probably lazing around somewhere. I decided to write down my plans for the festival while waiting for Narumi-sensei and the others.
"Late again. VIP students are so lucky." I heard someone say but I didn't look nor say anything. I just pretended not to hear anything. I knew who it was.
"Yeah, they get to laze around whenever they want. That's why some people get so arrogant and conceited."
"I know right?" Another girl agreed and they laughed their slutty laugh.
Seriously, don't they have something better to do?
"Look, pretending not to hear anything. What an actress! Maybe that's why Imai-san, Ruka-sama and Natsume-sama hang out with her. They don't know her true nature. A pretentious bitch." The girl with blonde hair said and they laughed again. She's also the one who spoke first.
"Oh. How brave of you to describe yourself, Yamada Keiko."
I looked up at the person who suddenly spoke just like the girls who are talking. Hotaru crossed her arms over her chest and she looks annoyed. Ruka-pyon stood beside her not even stopping whatever's coming. Natsume also came with them with the usual bored expression.
"Imai-san..." Said one of Yamada's croonies.
"Get out of my way before I blast your irritating mouths." She said and at once the girls cleared a path for them.
"Be careful with every words that comes out of your stupid mouths. Who knows, maybe someday that will be your downfall." she said and then they walked towards where I am and sat down.
"Don't get the wrong idea, baka. I hate people who talk about how I don't know something." Hotaru said to me after sitting down and I know that everyone heard it too.
"I didn't! I don't know anything." I quickly said to my own defense and grinned at her.
"Baka." She rolled her eyes at me.
Suddenly, the door opened and Narumi-sensei came inside. "Good morning everyone~!"
Some greeted back and some didn't. "So, how's our class doing? Have you discuss what activity you'll be doing for the festival?"
With the mention of the word festival, everyone's attention is on Narumi-sensei. At last.
"Yes."
"Oh~! What activity? And who's in charge?" He asked excitedly.
I raised my hand and Narumi-sensei looked at me in surprise. "Mikan-chan? You're in charge?" I nodded at him. I know what he's thinking that's why I smiled at him in assurance.
I told him our class' plans for the festival and he looked surprise again. "You can't do all that! It's impossible~!" He said.
"It's possible. That's why we'll do a rpg. We can also do Haunted house. I found a way to connect it to the others." I said and he nodded.
"Okay then, we'll start preparing today. Other class will started working yesterday. Do you have any materials?"
"We can always order it from the store." One student said.
"Order it from us. What materials will we be needing?" Another said and we started discussing everything that needed to be discuss.
We started with our plans that day. Luckily, everyone helped. Well, except with the three usual people. Hotaru and Ruka-pyon is understandable. They're preparing for the program with Narumi-sensei and Jinno-sensei. Natsume, however, does not want to do anything and everyone didn't even complain. I tried asking for his help with organizing some things but he...
"Natsume help me with this." I said.
He looked away and said, "Do it yourself."
How cold. After saying that he turned his back from me and went to who knows where. I don't understand him. Sometimes he'll tease me to no end and sometimes he gives me the cold shoulder.
A girl approached me, "Can you please put this in the janitor's room? Narumi-sensei asked me to do this but I have something to do." She said and handed me a sand paper. A black one. She left without waiting for me to reply and I with nothing to do, stupidly did just what she asked me to do.
I left the classroom and headed for the janitor's room. I opened the door and to my surprise, it's open. Usually, it's locked and you had to ask the janitor for the key but I forgot. It seems I don't have to. Though, I find it strange that the room is dark and unlocked.
It happened so fast. One minute I was at the doorway and one minute someone pushed me and locked me inside. With no source of light. I hate this. I'm afraid of the dark. I don't want this. Let me out!
"Let me out! Who's there? Help me! Let me out!" I shouted at the top of my voice.
"Are you stupid or what? Don't you remember? This janitor's room is the old one. They're currently building the new one." I heard a voice of a woman outside.
"Who are you? Let me out!"
"Yeah right. I'll you out when hell freezes over. You can rot in there. No one is passing by here anymore so no one will hear you scream." I suddenly remembered the owner of the voice. Yamada Keiko. Stupid me, I should have known.
"Yamada, Let me out of here!" I screamed and pounded on the door.
"So you've recognize me. Too bad you won't get out of there. Oh, I remembered a rumor about that room. Some say that a student committed suicide in there that's why they decided to build a new one." She said.
"Because the soul of the student is haunting that place. Some students said they saw him. He look so tired. He has broken glasses and he's covered in blood. Searching for someone like him who's been bullied and taking the soul with him..." She said and her voice trailed off and I heard nothing more.
I pounded on the door again. "Yamada!"
No reply.
"Yamada, let me out of here!" I screamed again.
I don't like scary stories. I hate them to the core. And right now, I'm scared. So scared. I can't see anything. And my imaginations are toying with me right now. Is this it? What ny dream is pertaining to?
Stay away from the dark.
I should have known right when the girl gave me a black sandpaper. She's one of Yamada's cronies.
I didn't give up. I continued to pound on the door even though my hands are aching from pain in so much pounding. I'm crying now. My tears don't seem to stop. I'm so scared. So scared! Please, anyone. Let me out! Let me out of here!
I heard a wierd noise and I stopped pounding.
It's just a mouse.
I convinced myself over and over again. I sat down and hugged my knees. I dreamed of the darkness this morning but I wasn't this scared. No. This is reality. That's why this is much scarier because this is real. I stayed like that for who knows how long. Trying to comfort myself every time I hear wierd noises that scared me. I don't know what happened after that.
(End of Mikan's POV)
"She must be so scared right now." Yamada and her cronies laughed.
"Yeah. You're a genius. Inventing that ridiculous scary story. She must be crying right now. I would pay any amount just to see that."
"Yeah! I know, I would. How long has she been there?" Another girl asked.
"Four hours. That should teach her a lesson." Yamada smirked.
"Teach who a lesson?" A voice suddenly spoke from behind them.
"Uh..."
"What a surprise. I caught you again. Didn't I already tell you, your stupid mouths will be your downfall. Now, where is she?" Hotaru asked them in a deadly tone. Ruka and Natsume are with her.
Hotaru, Ruka and Natsume stood in front of the janitor's room with Narumi, Jinno, Yamada and the rest of the class behind them.
"Open this." Hotaru glared at Yamada who got scared and quickly unlocked the door.
"Light." A student took out a flashlight and gave it to Hotaru who gave it to Yamada.
"Why is there no freaking light here?"
"This is the old janitor's room. The light is broken here and the school didn't find the need to repair it." Yamada answered her.
"I know."
The others sweat dropped. Then why are you asking?
"Mikan?" Ruka called out.
No reply.
"If anything happened to that baka, Yamada. You and your friends will never get out of here alive." Hotaru threatened them. Yamada and her group shivered in response.
"Hotaru let's just find her. It's been four hours already." Ruka said to her and Yamada and the others are thankful to him for stopping Hotaru.
Then they caught sight of a figure lying on the floor. Mikan! They went to her and found her unconscious. Hotaru glared at Yamada again.
"Natsume, carry her. Bring her to the infirmary and don't leave her until we get there. Ruka we'll go with sensei to the office. Yamada and the cronies. Office. The others, continue with your work." She said with authority. The others couldn't do a thing but to follow her instructions.
"Why am I the one to carry her." Natsume grumbled.
"Because I said so. Now go." Hotaru said and left with the others leaving Natsume and the unconcious Mikan who is still on the floor.
Natsume sighed and carried her. Traces of crying can be easily seen from her face. They arrived at the infirmary in no time and Natsume placed her down on one of the beds and sat down on the chair beside it. He just had to wait for those two but damn this isn't the right time to sit there and wait patiently.
"What happened to her?" The school nurse asked when she went in but Natsume didn't say a thing and ignored her completely.
"Is he asleep I wonder?" The nurse thought out loud.
She went to Mikan's bed, inhaled and exhaled then smirked. She mouthed 'finally' and took out a syringe. She aimed for Mikan's neck. When the needle is just a few inches from Mikan's neck a voice interrupted her and a hand stopped her from moving. There beside her stood Natsume who is supposed to be sleeping in a sitting position at the opposite side of the bed.
"What are you doing?" He asked in a deadly tone.
"What do you think? She's such a sweet lady. Do you think you can stop me?" She said with full confidence and a wicked smile formed in her face.
"Of course I can. I advice you to leave now if you don't want a scene." Natsume warned her.
Outside, Narumi shouted Mikan's name in panic along with few other students and Natsume and the nurse clearly heard that. The nurse hissed realizing her failure and escaped from the infirmary's window just when Narumi opened the door and ran to Mikan.
"Mikan-chan~!" Narumi wailed.
"Shut up, you'll wake her." Natsume glared at Narumi before going out of the infirmary with Ruka going with him. Hotaru stayed and went to Mikan who is now awake after hearing Narumi's worried voice.
"What happened? Where am I?"
"Don't play I-can't-remember-I-have-amnesia. You're in the infirmary." Hotaru said.
How cruel, they thought.
Mikan mouthed an 'O' and nodded. She remembered now. She got locked by Yamada and her group in the old janitor's room and she lost consciousness from being so scared.
"How are you feeling now, Mikan?" Narumi asked her seriously.
"I'm fine, narumi-sensei." She smiled at him to show how fine she is but the truth is she's been bothered by her dream when she lost consciousness. No scratch that. It was a nightmare. There was a woman lunging for her neck but was thrown away from her by something also she didn't see.
What does it mean? And why does she keep on having strange dreams. The first dream and what it told her... came true. Let's just hope the second one will not.
"Yamada and her friends got suspended and are not allowed to participate in the festival. And if ever we won, they won't benefit from it." Hotaru told her.
"What? Why?" Mikan asked.
"Because it's an offense. Bullying is an offence."
"Can't you hold it off? I mean, we need all the help we could get for the preparation. Everyone wants to win this."
"You are so stupidly kind." Hotaru said and rolled her eyes at her.
"We'll consider it, Mikan." Narumi said and smiled at her.
"Be thankful she's stupid, Yamada." Hotaru said to Yamada and her group who's standing at the doorway. "Hotaru!"
"Eh? Where's Ruka and Natsume?" Mikan asked noticing the absence of the two.
"Busy with something." Hotaru answered her and she nodded in understanding.
"I'm hungry." She said as her stomach growled and she blushed in embarrassment. Everyone laughed at her. "Don't laugh!"
End of Chapter
Done! Thank you for reviewing! And to those who favorited my story. I'll try to update faster.
-MitsukaiYuki
