I re did a part of this to fit in the new version of chapter 20 (nothing serious just changed a few words in a paragraph or two in both chapters) so…yeah.
And I don't own Gakuen Alice and I can safely say that I never will.
Deep in Northern Forest
"That day," Hotaru and Ruka looked up sharply at the boy whose eyes were hidden by his raven bangs. "That day when the AAO attacked, you told Mikan what Persona was going to do." He remembered Mikan's words, describing how frightened Hotaru seemed to be which in turn scared her.
"I only said that he would change her…I did not say how." Hotaru said flatly.
"What did he do to her?" He demanded harshly. He finally looked at them with fury clear in his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" Natsume paused as a thought hit him. "You remembered…you knew about our Alices…" Ruka looked down guiltily. Why didn't he tell him? Mikan could have been better protected. They would never have suffered even more…Hotaru noticed this and laid a hand on his shoulder in an uncharacteristic caring gesture.
"It's my fault. I didn't want Persona finding out we regained our memories and I convinced Ruka that we would help better behind the scenes." Hotaru said curtly while returning his angered gaze with her usual stony one. Though inside, it was a different story.
She knew perfectly well that if they had helped them openly, it would have hurt all of them but in the end would it have been better to suffer together then to leave one to suffer alone? Especially one that was so full of life like Mikan. Someone who bounced back even when they just experienced Hell. Someone who would do anything to make the coldest person alive, smile. Even if she had to make a fool of herself to do it.
What happened to the Mikan was too horrifying to comprehend and Hotaru was of two minds of her transformation. On one hand she was glad Mikan was still alive but at the same time wondered if she was better off dead. This was not the Mikan they knew and loved. In fact, she wasn't even Mikan Sakura. She was a stranger who had no qualms slamming -those closest to her- to a wall and nearly killing them.
"What did he do to her?" He repeated, slightly calmer. Hotaru shuddered, to her disgust, when she recalled every vile, evil and inhumane detail of his scheme. Ruka answered him this time.
"He instilled almost every Alice imaginable in her and…," he paused to grasp Hotaru's hand on his shoulder; she still shook while that was mentioned out loud or thought of in her mind, "he manipulated her positive memories to be the worse they can be and…" Hotaru choked back a sob. Natsume didn't like where this was going.
"What else did the bastard do?" She bit her lip so hard that she drew blood while Ruka did the same to his hands. "Natsume…he mind raped her." Ruka said grimly as he pulled Hotaru's shivering form closer to him.
Natsume clutched his fists. That bastard was going to die but slowly and in the most excruciating way possible for laying a finger on his angel. Though somehow, he got the feeling that Persona -being the twisted masochist he is- will actually enjoy it. He started punching the hard bark of an oak tree so hard that his knuckles bleed, leaving bloody marks on the oak's wood.
Punch. Bastard.
Punch. Son of a bitch.
Punch. Fucking asshole.
"You should clean out your mouth, Natsume." Hotaru instantly snapped out of her terrified state and spun round with her trusty Baka Gun that came out of nowhere. The sudden visitor tsked as she easily evaded the shots, much to Hotaru's frustration.
"Imai, stop it." She ignored him and continued shooting round after round of bullets. That was until Ruka made a very startling observation which Natsume was immensely glad for, since Hotaru made it clear she would not listen to him.
"She looks like an adult version of Mikan…" He said quietly. Hotaru stopped, eyes wide letting Yuka stand in one place so they could clearly see her face. Silence took over while everyone except for Natsume stared at Mikan's replica. Natsume couldn't stand to see someone who resembled the one he loved and let down.
'I swear on my life that I will bring you back to the light, Mikan…'
"Yes…I'm her mother." Yuka finally said, getting uncomfortable with their stares. Hotaru snapped out of her stupor, her eyes cold with surpassed anger.
"You left Mikan," Yuka flinched, knowing it was true. "She cried…because she thought her parents didn't love her so they left her." Hotaru's jaw tightened with barely controlled rage. "She wouldn't let anyone see her crying if she could help it. She just…kept on smiling to keep everyone around her happy even though she wasn't." Yuka bowed her head while tears of shame flowed down her cheeks. But at same time she felt pride for her daughter's strength and care for others.
"I don't like Mikan crying…," Hotaru took a deep breath as if to prevent a sniff. She must not lose control! "I told her once, when I caught her crying, that she looked ugly. I told her to smile…to be happy because she has people who care for her even if they weren't her parents." Hotaru paused, closing her eyes, lost in the memory. It was winter and Mikan had been crying because of her icy indifference towards their friendship. She remembered walking back towards where Mikan was kneeling in the snow and wiping a tear away. Mikan wasn't suited for crying…Mikan wasn't suited to be cold hearted and alone either.
"Why did you leave her behind?" Yuka sighed but smiled at Hotaru. She recoiled, surprised. Why was she smiling at her? Shouldn't she be breaking down from guilt? Or be angry at her for saying impertinent things? Yuka smiled as she read her thoughts.
"I have been breaking down from guilt ever since I left her with my father. And I like people who say their mind and don't hide behind sugary words." Hotaru narrowed her eyes. "Mind reading Alice?" she asked stonily. Mikan's mother smiled bitterly. "If only that was my only Alice." She said regretfully.
"You have more then one Alice?" Ruka asked, astounded.
"Yes…yet no." Hotaru's eye twitched. She was not in the mood for riddles.
"She has the Copy & Erase & Nullification Alices," Natsume explained then started the introductions. "Yuka, this is Hotaru, Mikan's best friend, Invention Alice and this is Ruka her boyfriend, Animal Pheromone Alice. You two, this is Yuka." He then proceeded to summarize everything that Yuka told him and Mikan in the Room of Life. When he finished, Hotaru gazed at Yuka with less hostility.
"I understand." Was all Yuka got as an apology, she expected nothing more.
"Yuka, how did you escape that-" Yuka cut Natsume off. "The Doomspell? I was in the Room of Life. It gives protection to those who have or had the Life Alice and their soul mates." Ruka looked at them, puzzled. "What's a Doomspell?"
"It was what killed all those AAO soldiers," Hotaru answered him. "A Doomspell is rare because there's a certainty of people dying while making it," she noticed Ruka quizzical expression, "People die because the Doomspell requires energy from Alices that can kill, there's some kind of machine that they put people into to drain the Alices energies out. However, for some strange reason that no one understands, the people who give up their Alices also sacrifices their lives. Their deaths also fuel the Doomspell, reason unknown." Ruka felt sick; the academy he lived in for almost all of his life actually murdered to make this…monstrosity?
"The process is also very tedious and usually takes up to eight to ten years as there are a lot of different energies that need to become one deadly weapon. A Doomspell can be targeted on a particular group, such as the followers of AAO, in a certain area." Yuka nodded, impressed with her knowledge but turned serious.
"Persona got to Mikan." Yuka stated rather then asked. They nodded grimly. Her brown orbs darkened as she knew instantly what his goal must be.
'I won't let him ruin my daughter's life as well. Even if it means my death.'
"But we think we got through to her,' Yuka faced Ruka, silently urging him to continue. "We talked to her about…how she was and what she did for everyone. Our words hit her pretty hard since she looked like…she was remembering."
"Did she have any earrings on?" At first they looked at her like she had gone mad; her daughter was in danger and all she can think about was what jewelry she was wearing?! Then Natsume recalled Yuka's warning about accepting semi circle jade earrings from Persona…oh shit.
"She did. The ones you told us about." The other two turned even grimmer when they realized the implications. "Persona will have reversed your efforts if that is the case." Mikan's mother confirmed their fears.
"So you mean, no matter how much we make her recall herself she'll just forget because of those damn earrings?" Natsume and Hotaru stared at the normally non-swearing blonde in shock. Mikan's horrifying change was really affecting everybody.
"Then we'll just have to take them off her. Yuka-san, is there any way to take them off?" Hotaru asked tensely when the shock wore off. Yuka bit her lip as she took a painful trip down the memory lane. They watched her hopefully but she sighed in defeat.
"I was never able to take mine off on my own. My teacher was the only one who could." She admitted regretfully.
"Then we'll just have to convince him to take them off for us." Natsume said, while lighting up a fierce fireball in his palm. There was no doubt in anyone's mind on how Natsume was going to convince Persona.
"He won't hesitate to kill Mikan if you do that!" Ruka said sharply. His girlfriend disagreed.
"She has a very rare Alice plus he went through all this trouble to make her…," she grimaced and practically spat out: "perfect. He will not kill her." Yuka added her piece. "Even if he won't kill her he can still torture her, just short of death…" She closed her eyes tiredly and continued her line of reasoning. "And just how are you going to convince him, Natsume? Because if you're going to fight him you will lose."
"I won't." He growled. She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Then why haven't you ever done it before? You could have gotten out of his clutches much sooner." Natsume was getting angrier and angrier and would have burnt her if she wasn't Mikan's mother.
"Because he would have…hurt someone else…" His voice trailed off when he grasped what Yuka was trying to say. "Exactly. I may have just met my daughter a few days ago but I know she will blame herself to death when she finds out that someone died because of her."
He growled in frustration and burnt an unfortunate plant that was next to him. The other occupants had no way of knowing what plant it was as there were no remains. Not a single ash.
"Then what do you suggest we do, Yuka-san?" Hotaru asked quietly. She sighed and pinched her nose. "I don't know…I really don't know…I think we can only really depend on Mikan's spirit and…the Goddess of Life."
"So we can't do anything?" Ruka's voice was strained with worry and self blame. "I did not say that. I said we can depend on Mikan and the Goddess inside her. That does not mean we cannot help her regain her true memories."
"And that will bring back the old Mikan, right?" The others didn't answer Ruka's hopeful question until Hotaru told him softly, "Ruka, I don't think she'll be exactly the same. Think about what he put her through." Ruka hung his head. Of course she wouldn't be the same; he was fool to think that. If only he-
"Don't go blaming yourself, Ruka. We will get her back, maybe she won't be the same but at least she won't be someone she's not. And she wouldn't want you to beat yourself up either." Natsume spoke up sharply. He recognized the symptoms of self blame from when Persona would train him ruthlessly and send him on the hardest missions which he would return from, badly injured. Ruka raised his head and smiled his thanks.
"I must go before they realize I'm still alive and right under their noses." Yuka said as she turned to leave. "Wait." She turned back to look at the speaker. "Is the AAO-"
"I don't know but I do know that Reo does not die easily nor would he have sent all of his organization's troops." She said, predicting what he was about to say before she vanished.
Principal's Office
"Are you sure of your assumptions, Persona?"
"Quite. We got only the groups in the Northern Forest, in the academy and the safety shelters. We were unable to locate the defense group's bodies nor Reo or Yuka." The normally calm principal slammed his fist on his highly polished desk.
"Damn them! With those two, they can easily build another army or attack us by themselves! We don't have the time or enough resources to risk making another Doomspell!"
"If I may make a suggestion, sir." The dangerous ability teacher's eyes glinted with hidden menace. "Shiro Neko should be able to take care of them when they're still weak." The principal rose and walked towards the large window which overlooked the academy which was still being rebuilt but at a very rapid pace.
"Will she be able to take care of them by herself? I remember you saying she would not kill."
"I remedied the situation." The principal's eyebrow rose as he turned to face him. "Oh? How?" Persona smirked behind his mask. "I have my ways, sir. Surely you should know that by now." The principal mulled over his idea as he leaned on the window's glass while watching the various small figures restore his school.
"You must also remember, she's been training all these months and has improved greatly, judging by how she fought against the AAO yesterday."
"That was against subordinates. Then again, she must be really strong to have gotten you rattled up. Or maybe you're just getting old." (chapter 18)
'Must he keep bring that up every time we meet?!' Persona thought as he fought to control the urge to turn the office to dust.
He continued reasoning tensely, thrusting his clenched hands in his trench coat. "She also has a strong Alice that can kill instantly unlike the Kuro Neko's Alices which would need more then one blow, giving the enemy time to recover or leaving the possibility of survival." The principal did not react to his persuading. "With her, at least we can be sure that the targets will be eliminated… permanently."
His employer sat back down and tapped his long fingers on his desk as he considered the pros and cons of this suggestion. He agreed with Persona that her Alice was…reliable for this mission however…will she be able to accomplish and survive the mission alone? Or even worse what if the AAO captures her and turn her against them? There's only one option then.
"She'll go. But Kuro Neko is going with her." 'There is no way that boy will let the AAO get their dirty hands on his girlfriend.' He thought confidently. Persona's thoughts ran in a different direction however.
'Drat! If he goes with her there's a risk of him breaking that seal I put on her and if he's killed then the Alice of Life will disappear…'
"Sir-"
"My decision is made, Persona. Shiro and Kuro Neko will be undertaking this mission as soon as we find out the targets' locations. Leave." His tone left no room for argument, successfully making the silently fuming teacher to leave. The principal smirked as he poured himself a small glass of wine.
'Persona, I don't tolerate traitors. As soon as you have outlived your usefulness, you will be dead by my hand. Unless your aspiring students does it for me. I do hate getting my hands dirty…'
Safety Shelters – Cafeteria
Their fears of their efforts on Mikan being futile were justified as they took in the scene in the silent cafeteria. Everyone was staring, horrified, as they watched Mikan pick Yuu up by his collar alone, as if he weighed nothing.
Her glacial voice made everyone shudder. "Who do you think you are calling me 'Mikan-chan'?" Anna spoke up in his defense. "He's your friend, Mi – I mean Sakura-san. Along with Nonoko, Koko, Ruka, Hotaru and me, Anna." She forced a smile on her face but Mikan's distrustful expression did not change.
"I don't know any of you, liar." The forced smile dropped as tears came down her face. Nonoko ran up and hugged her while saying to Mikan angrily, "What's wrong with you? She's telling the truth!" Mikan leveled her with a second class glare.
"And I'm telling the truth. I don't know any of you." She snorted with contempt and dropped Yuu on the floor. Koko and the boy with levitating Alice helped him up and took him a safe distance from Mikan.
"What's wrong, Mikan-chan? Got dumped when my Natsume finally realized you were just a pathetic no-star who was a waste of his time?" Everyone gasped as Mikan slowly – almost predatorily – turned towards Sumire. Her face was calm almost placid but her eyes showed her true emotions with a first class glare that can easily rival Natsume's death glares which he was showcasing as that very moment. Hotaru had to restrain him with another of her inventions and hissed impatiently: "Don't be an idiot and just watch her. We may learn more of what damage has been done without us getting slammed into another wall." The fact that her victim was Sumire was a bonus but no one said that out loud.
"You sure the no-star isn't you?" Sumire bristled at her dispassionate comeback, not noticing Mikan's enraged glares.
"Me? I'm a one-star. You are just a stupid and useless no-star with a hopeless Alice!" Mikan's eyes were overshadowed by her bangs as she calmly walked to where the cat-dog Alice was standing. People immediately parted when they saw they were in her path. She stopped just a few steps away from the now trembling girl and slowly raised her eyes to her pale face. Now that Mikan was closer, Sumire and everyone near her could see the Special Star badge, glinting brilliantly under the cafeteria's lights. Everyone started pointing and whispering, word was spreading fast to the others on the other side of the room who didn't have a clear view.
"A Special Star? When?"
"I'm more interested in 'how?'."
"I can't believe it."
"Do you think that has something to do with her scary behavior? I mean, look at Natsume." The speaker instantly scuttled away when he noticed the subject of his last sentence was right behind him. The fire he lit in his hand might have had something to do with it as well.
"There's no way that's real, I bet she just faked the badge or she stole it!" Sumire accused, pointing a sharp finger at the shining badge. Mikan's mouth twitched. And an odd expression appeared on her face which no one had ever seen in the past two years they knew her. They didn't know what she was feeling but anyone could tell that Sumire was not going get away unscathed.
"You're either very foolish or very brave. For some reason, I doubt the latter." She looked at her like she was a cat playing with its dinner. Sumire turned an angry shade of red. "How dare you-"
"Say what I think? In case you haven't noticed, I'm higher then you, one-star." She injected disdain in Sumire's status much as Sumire had done with the 'no-star' nonsense. "Therefore I can say anything I like about you without punishment. Unfortunately for you," she snapped her fingers and a shrieking Sumire went hurtling towards the ceiling only to stop, an inch away from having her face refigured.
"You don't have the same luxury so," she snapped her fingers again and a screaming Sumire plunged down towards the floor, much faster then her ascent. Just when everyone thought she was going to become a bloody smudge on the floor, she was bought to a standstill with her nose barely brushing the ground. Mikan serenely walked to where she was still hovering and gazed gleefully at Sumire's wide and terrified eyes.
She just loved it when her enemies were afraid…afraid of her. And she knew she would love it even more when their lives depended on her decision to allow them life or grant them death. A pity she couldn't kill any of the students here no matter how much they annoy her. But…they don't know that, do they? Her smirk became more pronounced with that thought.
"So, I'm afraid you're in for some pain for shooting off your fat mouth." Her hand seem to burst with black fire and she hurled it directly at Sumire. The inky blackness grew and encompassed around her. Mikan sneered as she closed her eyes and clapped her hands once, resulting in Sumire's high pitched screams. The students covered their ears, wept or wet themselves with fear of what Mikan can do to them or from imagining what was happening to Sumire Shouda.
After five minutes, Mikan decided it was time to stop her fun.
Her mouth moved slowly into a satisfied smirk as she surveyed Sumire's crumpled and disheveled form and smugly walked away with a smooth stride, making everyone scurry away as far from her as they can. Hotaru, Ruka and Natsume just watched her leave while still contemplating what they just seen. They walked to Ruka and Hotaru's room and locked the door to talk in private.
"Kami-sama…" Ruka breathed as he tried to remain upright.
"She's another fucking Persona." Natsume snarled while cursing him in his head.
"That's…not," Hotaru choked out. The two boys stared at her in alarm as she burst into tears. "That…isn't…Mikan!" She said between sobs.
"Hotaru…" Ruka walked closer to her and hugged her. Natsume watched and inwardly agreed. It wasn't Mikan.
She wasn't Mikan because…she isn't the kind and soft hearted girl they knew.
She wasn't Mikan because…Mikan would never resort to inhumane torture and enjoy it no matter how badly the person goaded her.
She wasn't Mikan because…the smile that they loved so much…has vanished, taking away the light from her face.
And deep in their hearts they feared...that they can never get it back.
Friend 1: And you said our torture was too much!
Me: It was different…
Friend 2: How was it different, pray tell?
Me: (Sigh) Mikan is a nice girl but Sumire is a different story. My torture is nothing compared to yours!
Friend 1: What did you to her anyway?
Me: Let's just say her WORST nightmares came alive in those five minutes. (Evil grin)
Friend 2 whispers to Friend 1: Remind me not to make her my enemy…
Friend 1 whispers back to Friend 2: I think Persona is starting to rub off on her...she better finish this fic soon before she really loses it...