Author's Note: Hi everyone! - This story takes place fourteen years into the future, making Mikan and company 24-year-olds. While some aspects of the story may be confusing, I would like to encourage you to read on as everything will be revealed little by little in the upcoming chapters. As said in the summary, this is a revised version of the first chapter, so to those who read the original version, I highly suggest that you read this one too.
sweatdrops Sorry if the A/N was too serious. This is my first GA fic, so I had no idea how to start it with. Happy Reading! -
Disclaimer: Gakuen ALICE…definitely not mine.
Guinea Pig
by moonstar ruby
"So what do you think?" she asked, her voice soft but urgent. "I was thinking of doing it tonight."
"Tonight?" he repeated in disbelief. "That's just insane...! You do know what tomorrow is, don't you?"
"Of course I do... That's precisely why I want to do this now," she explained.
"Get a hold of yourself for a minute," he advised. "Are you sure you want to do this? What if he wakes up all of a sudden? God knows what he can do!"
A sigh. "I don't want to do this. I need to do this... It's the only way I can find out for sure if it's good enough."
"But it just doesn't seem right! Why can't you do it on me instead?"
"I already told you: you're the only one who knows about this. There's no point doing it on you now."
"But why him? Why not her?"
"That would be too easy. And besides..."
"...I like a challenge," she continued, a smug smile on her lips.
It was his turn to sigh. "Are you sure?"
"Positive," she affirmed.
He sighed again. "I guess there's no stopping you now."
"I guess so."
"Just go easy on him, okay? If he gets really mad - he shook his head - even I can't do anything to stop him."
"Okay, Mr. Worrywart. I won't," she said, planting a kiss on his cheek.
And that, I later found out, was the beginning of my nightmare.
A majestic full moon sat high above the night sky, illuminating the darkness together with the stars. The branches of the smaller trees curtsied politely as playful little crickets chirped to the rhythm of the wind.
Mother Nature was having a little stage show that night, but apparently, Natsume Hyuuga was too busy to notice.
There he was, panting heavily, leaning against a large oak tree. His head was lowered and beads of sweat trickled down the sides of his face.
"Hey, where'd he go?" said a low, drawly voice.
Deep, crimson eyes darkened with frustration as the sound of footsteps drew nearer.
His buddy scowled at him. "Don't ask me, you moron! We lost him because of you!"
Natsume whispered a string of curses to the darkness. Now what? The fire user paused briefly to weigh his options.
One of the men had an Alice that allowed him to see through solid objects. The other one had enhanced hearing abilities. If he decided to stay where he was, he would definitely be spotted once those apes got close enough. But if he ran away...
It's worth a shot, he decided.
And so, heart racing, the fire user sped off into the darkness.
"Hey...I heard something," the second man informed his companion.
"What?"
"Footsteps. This way," he said, chasing after the faint but steady sound.
"Oi! Wait up, Buro!" yelled his moronic companion.
Buro ignored him. This is it. We've got you now, Natsume Hyuuga.
Meanwhile, Mikan Sakura sat alone on a large balcony, watching the stars as they twinkled merrily in the sky.
Why, you ask?
She had read in the newspaper that a meteor shower was scheduled to happen that night. And Mikan being Mikan, she decided she simply couldn't miss the event.
The brunette sighed softly. I wonder where he is right now- she mused as she took another sip of hot chocolate.
Is he alright? The blanket I packed in his suitcase - is it warm enough? Is he shivering in his sleep, or is he fidgeting from the heat?
Just then, she heard a sharp rustling sound from below.
"What was that?" she said loudly, her eyes turning saucer-round.
Mikan gasped.
"A thief?"
She quickly scanned the balcony for a weapon, and her gaze fell on a silver candelabra on the table. She grabbed it hurriedly and in her haste, knocked over the teacup. The cup broke into a hundred little pieces, the sound of breaking glass making Mikan panic even more.
Unknown to Mikan, the stranger hiding in the bushes under her balcony was more baffled than she was.
That's Mikan, alright...But what's she doing here…?
FLASHBACK
Natsume sprinted through the dense forest, turning every which way to evade those we were chasing him. He came upon a fork in the forest trail and randomly turned left. This was how he found himself in an old, beaten road surrounded by lush cherry blossom trees. There was no other way to go but forward, so he followed the trail that he had stumbled upon.
At first glance, the sakura trees seemed to go on forever, but the road wasn't as straight as it looked. It had a lot of twists and turns, just the way Natsume had wanted it.
His luck wouldn't last for long, though, because further ahead stood the giant cherry blossom tree that marked the end of the sakura lane.
But it was too late to turn back now.
As he neared the aforementioned tree, Natsume noticed a large, wall-enclosed house looming from the other side of it. He considered entering the property, but decided not to - after all, one of the men chasing him could see through solid objects. And besides, he couldn't afford to get innocent civilians involved.
Five minutes later...
Nice move, Hyuuga. Turn left at the stupid fork and find yourself trapped with nowhere else to go.
He glared at the thick bushes lining the enclosing wall and sighed.
"Guess there's no other choice. I lost those apes a long time ago, anyway," he muttered, pushing aside the boughs to make room for himself.
And with that, Natsume got on his knees and disappeared behind the unkempt bushes.
Not long after, he heard a loud "What was that?" coming from above him.
The dark-haired fugitive looked up and saw a woman leaning over the railing.
Natsume's ruby orbs widened. Something about those long, brown pigtails on her head made his racing heart skip a beat.
What the-? Is that...is that her he mused, craning his neck and squinting his eyes to get a better view.
Unfortunately, the lady ran to the part of the balcony that Natsume couldn't see. Seconds after she disappeared, he heard a loud, crashing sound - the sound of breaking glass.
A shrill, but muffled shriek followed, as if a third person clapped a hand over the woman's mouth.
What's happening now? he wanted to know, frustration and worry visible in his features. Is somebody else up there now?
Could it be those apes? Did they find her too?
His face darkened. No…I can't drag anyone - especially her into this mess. I better think quick…
Natsume dashed out of his hiding spot and briefly studied the big sakura tree.
A large branch stretches all the way to the balcony, he observed. He took one glance at the gargantuan tree, hoisted himself up the first branch and started climbing from there.
END OF FLASHBLACK
That was Mikan, alright, he thought to himself as he ascended the cherry tree. That voice, that scream, that idiotic clumsiness...it's got to be her.
But what's she doing here? I thought she went back to her hometown after graduation?
Upon reaching the overlapping branch, Natsume pressed his back against the tree's thick trunk. Earlier on, he decided to be move about as stealthily as he could -the last thing he needed was for Mikan to get scared out of her wits. If that happens, he knew for sure that she would let out a screech so loud that it would undoubtedly catch the attention of any person within a 500-meter range.
Especially someone with enhanced hearing Alice, he thought grimly.
Natsume inwardly heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Mikan on the other side of the balcony, her shaking hands clutching a candelabra tightly.
No one's got her after all.
Then he heard the one thing he didn't expect to hear - a sharp snapping sound.
Apparently, the branch he was standing on wasn't as sturdy as it looked.
"W-what's that now?" he heard her say. Her whole body was shuddering and she had turned an anime shade of dead-white.
She's looking this way, Natsume noted as Mikan slowly - very slowly - turned to face the sakura tree.
Another snapping sound was heard, louder and this time.
"AHHH!" Mikan yelled frantically, "IT'S A G-GHOST!"
Oh shoot...what do I do now? he mulled over as he looked at Mikan, the breaking branch, and Mikan again. I guess there's only one way around it...
And besides...
Natsume bent his knees slightly and held unto a stronger branch, his gaze focused on a certain spot on the balcony floor.
...she does have a nullifying Alice...
The fire wielder took a deep breath and leapt into the air...
...just as a frantic brunette ran aimlessly towards the floor area he was looking at a second before.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! - If you have any comments, questions, or (God forbid!) violent reactions…(OK, X the last part /\/\;) please let me know by leaving a review. As said earlier, this my first-ever GA fic, so reviews and constructive criticism (not flames) are very much welcome!
I think I made the original version too short, but I can't help but wonder if this version was too long…sweatdrops
Anyway, I promise to update as soon as I can! I was a reader before I became a writer and I also get a bit impatient with fics that are left hanging for too long. That said...
Till the next chapter, dear reader! -
Don't forget to leave a review:P
