Of Pyros, Polka Dots, and Hidden Love

A Gakuen Alice Fanfic by (The Possibly Stoned) Y.N.T. Maria Blanca

DISCLAIMER: If I owned Gakuen Alice, then I'd create a character for Sumire to love, because I think the little cat-dog girl deserves a little someone. And I'd have Natsume and Mikan kiss in the last episode. Since none of that happened, then obviously I don't oven Gakuen Alice.

Author's Notes: Pretty darn speedy huh? Well, let's just say I have a bad reputation for finishing chapter fics (I don't), and I hate leaving people hanging (but I do). So I'm writing this as fast as possibly possible.

Oh yeah, and announcement. I NEED A BETA READER!

Anyway, on with the fic. (gasp I almost typed F-U-C there.)

Chapter Deux: My Name Is Natsume Hyuuga, Total Idiot.

You probably don't know me, or maybe you do, a little, from the insane prattling of this mediocre author.

Hey! Who are you calling mediocre?

You, that's who. Now shut up or I burn you to a crisp. Now where was I…oh yes.

My name is Hyuuga Natsume, codenamed the "Black Cat" for the simple reason that I am forced to wear an Alice control mask to control an Alice I never chose to have and, if given the choice, I would destroy.

I am a delinquent, a dangerous person, and an assassin. I am only, by most standards, a child, manipulated by this accursed academy to do its bidding, in exchange for a life fit for a king. A life I would gladly give up if it meant I no longer had to be a dog of this institution.

Most people, in this situation, if they had my powers, would have possibly incinerated this "academy" and everyone in it, including themselves, by now. I of course have thought of that. I could have saved my friends then incinerated the accursed minds that run this institution, then I could have disappeared into obscurity. It's been done before.

But I can't. Because if I tried, this Academy would destroy or harm the very people I hold dear. I hate this life! I hate this power! I hate everyone and everything…except for a select few.

For instance, my friend Ruka. He's one of the few people who understand me, but he's under threat too. And that's why, when I can, I distance myself from him as much as possible.

Also, there's Yuu and Hotaru. They're the best and brightest in this batch, even more so than me, but I'm a level above them. All because I'm a favorite of that freak with a white mask. I won't even bother to tell you his name. Let's just say that he's the one responsible for my liberated imprisonment.

Then there's Sumire. I'm only going to tell you now, but I care for her. Not love her, no way. She's much to clingy, but she's a comforting presence with her constant hounding. She knows me too well, more than she thinks. It's just that I anticipate her move and catch her before she can catch me.

There's also Iouichi, the only one I dare shower affection on, and not too much. I don't want to tarnish my reputation, but that little baby gets to me, gets to my cringe soft side enough. Even him I stray away from, when I can, when I dare.

I care about my friends too much to see them hurt by my very existence.

Normally I succeed in distancing those I hold dear. Everyone except for one person, one deliciously infuriating little girl who I have no other option but to scorn. At first, I really did dislike her and all her loudness, her pettiness, her immaturity. But after I was kidnapped…and she came back for me…

Well…one can't help liking one Mikan Sakura. And that's why she gets it rougher from me than anyone else. Even then, she won't let go, won't let go of me. Every day she persists on smiling at me, on treating me like I'm just another kid instead of a murderer. That's why I like her, love her even.

Aww what am I saying! I'm turning into a sap! It's just that I can see something in her I can't see in anyone else. Hmm…maybe I'll see more if I look at her a bit longer. But darn Ruka keeps catching me at it…oh well.

She was wearing peaches today…maybe that says something? Hehehehehe…maybe I should get her alone, then maybe…I can get some information. wink

When we last left Natsume, he was calling me mediocre, that fu…oops, K+ fic, I remember now. Anyway, when we last left our "hero", he was in a very sentimental moment. In his journal. Yes, he has a journal. He refuses to call it a diary because that's too girly. And of course, no matter what name you call it, it's still private.

Natsume got up from writing in his…journal, and got dressed. Not that he was undressed while he was writing. No, he just changed into something warmer. It was obviously much warmer indoors than outdoors, due to the heating system (unless it happened to blow and roast your grandmother, an unfortunate incident from Memoirs of a Geisha), so he put on a coat, and decided to go to Central Town, where he overheard Mikan was planning to go.

Well, to anyone else, it would be called "eavesdropping", but to Natsume it was "overhearing"…if there is such a word. Just like we would call what Natsume was in the process of doing "stalking" but to him it was simply "looking" for Mikan.

He found the object of his stalkeresque affections sitting in a Central Town coffeeshop with her two best friends Yuu and Hotaru, who he did think of kindly…though he barely showed it. He entered the coffeeshop with his casual cool, making the members of his and Ruka's fanclub, who had gathered at the coffeeshop to have a "meeting", turn their heads and drool. Of course, in any other circumstance, that wouldn't have been visible. But since this is an anime, well, their drool was mondo sized. Natsume cringed and attempted to look calm and nonchalant. He ordered a coffee and sat down at a table that was strategically close to Mikan's (strategically here meaning "close enough to hear what she and her friends were saying but far enough to seem random"). Of course, the abundance of people in the coffeeshop helped quell suspicions.

Now his plan to silently observe Mikan would have worked (Did I mention that was Natsume's plan? No? Well, now you know.)…until Mikan, spotting her "partner", approached him.

Is it getting hot in here? Or is it just me? Natsume thought, as his face flushed (a word here which means "turned so red it resembled a tomato"). Mikan, being dense, did not notice the effect she had on the flame-wielder, an innocently tried to strike up conversation with, "Hey Natsume, whatcha drinking?".

"For your information it's black coffee, little girl."

"That bitter stuff? Ick."

"I happen to like 'that bitter stuff', and was enjoying it until you came along." Natsume replied. Great, just great, way to charm her Hyuuga. He thought.

"You're so nasty! All I was trying to do was be friendly to you! Anyway, I was just going to ask where Ruka was!" Mikan said angrily. Natsume was shocked (though, true to form, he didn't show it). Ruka? She's looking for Ruka? Does that mean she likes him? Oh god!

"For your information, I don't know. Now back off before I burn your eyebrows off polka-dot-panties girl."

"I have a name pervert! Use it!" Mikan said in a huff, then walked off.

My name is Natsume Hyuuga, Natsume thought, total idiot.

End Notes: Woah…that was longer than the intro I think. Writing for Gakuen Alice is easier than The Mediator…woah…I guess my heart really does lie in anime. At any rate, I hope you like this!

Ciao Bellas!

MB