Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. Only OCs and my plot.

[o]

Chapter 3

Saito led me to a part of the school that looked like it hadn't been used in years, and judging by her explanation on how this class was kept secret, I figured that it really hadn't been used in that long. Inside the room she led me to were half a dozen people of varying ages. Despite already knowing we were, a quick scan around confirmed that we were the youngest at eleven.

"This is about half of us, including you and me. The rest are out on missions." I looked around the room, thankful for my long bangs to hide behind as I felt others' gazes on me as well.

"Who teaches this class?" I asked as we took a place against the far wall. There were rows of chairs set up in the room but I followed her to the wall, figuring it was best to stay with a relatively-familiar person while surrounded by dangerous strangers.

"We call him Persona. Don't talk to him unless he talks to you first, don't do anything that could upset him. Pretty much, try to be invisible. It's the best way to go through this class." This was all muttered, and I knew it was meant for only my ears. My eyes narrowed at the name as soon as she spoke it, recognizing it as the name of one of the people who had taken me and Ruka to the Academy. The one who took Aoi.

A few more minutes passed and eventually quiet murmurs filled the room, but they were all hushed as the door opened again.

I saw Saito straighten off of the wall as who I assumed was the teacher walked in. Even as chills went through me I couldn't help myself start up the familiar debate on whether this person was male or female. Maybe he's a cross-dresser like Narumi-sensei? Or just a female with a slightly masculine look?

Despite the odd taste in style, the most defining feature of this person was the spiky black hair framing a white half-mask on their face, further hiding their identity, which I remembered well. My eyes narrowed further.

I itched to ask Saito the sensei's gender to distract myself from the images of fire he was causing to flash through my mind but knew by the chills racing up and down my spine that drawing attention to myself right now would be unwise. I felt myself relax when Persona turned and took a seat in the desk in front of all of us, calling for any mission reports.

I was surprised when Saito didn't budge from her spot, now glaring very noticeably at the person in front.

"Don't you have to turn in a mission report?" Because she said she'd been on a mission this morning. Unless she'd been lying.

"No, I already gave him my report." She didn't elaborate any more. Once everyone settled back into their places – a small stack of manila folders now on the desk in front of Persona – he then called for training reports from the assigned 'mentors'.

"You'll get a mentor, too," Saito explained quietly from beside me. "Your mentor will help you adjust to this life, as well as be your training coach while you prepare for missions."

There was silence for a while as Persona flipped through pages, making the occasional disapproving sound. Just as the silence was getting to the point of painful Persona broke it once again.

"Takahashi and Ito, wait outside the door for me. Saito and Hyuuga, stay here. The rest of you are dismissed." My blood froze when hearing my name and I felt Saito stiffen next to me. I watched through lowered eyes as everyone else filed out, studying them all and keeping a slight glare in place for whenever they glanced over in curiosity. Before long we were alone, and as two boys dutifully took their spots outside to wait their turn the door slid closed with a quiet snap.

"Kokutan, Natsume, come here." I noticed how he switched to our first names and couldn't help but think that coming from him it was nothing but a power-play.

We stopped in front of his desk and he stood up, making his way over so he was standing in front of us.

"Hello Natsume." I narrowed my eyes at him, wanting to demand where my sister was, but his attention shifted from me quickly. "Kokutan, you really should get your face taken care of. It might swell." Her eyes narrowed to match mine, the bruise now much darker than earlier and starkly visible against her pale skin.

"What do you want?" she spat, and though Persona's eyes were covered I was sure they had narrowed in return.

"You're just as impertinent as ever. I can see your punishment is being ineffective, as usual." Her gaze didn't falter, but I felt confusion build in me. Punishment? What punishment?

"No matter," Persona sniffed, turning to me once again. "Natsume, I hope your time here has been pleasant so far. I heard from the others that you and Kokutan have been placed as partners in your other classes." I didn't answer. "This works perfectly, as she will also take up the role as your mentor in the Dangerous Abilities class. The two of you share many important traits, and great things may come from the two of you working together." My confusion only grew and I shot a look at the glaring girl beside me. What on earth did we have in common? Then Persona's semi-threatening aura turned icy and a shiver made its way slowly down my spine.

"And if you disobey orders, do anything less than par, and don't visibly progress in your training, I will be sure to pay your dear friend and sister a visit." I grit my teeth, biting back insults. Fear began gnawing itself in the pit of my belly as what he said sunk in and made me realize just how much bigger this was than me. Now, if I don't do my best others could be hurt. He could hurt those I care about.

"Bastard," a voice spat from beside me, and I whirled to Saito with wide eyes. Wasn't she afraid that he'd go after the people she cares about? Persona whirled to her as well, lips pinched in a frown, but he didn't make any threats like I expected him to.

"Perhaps I should extend your punishment. Maybe that'll incline you to hold your tongue." Her expression of hate didn't change at all and after a moment Persona relaxed again.

"Kokutan, report to me after showing your partner around. I have another mission for you and will think until then on how much to lengthen your punishment. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to. Send in Takashi and Ito on your way out." Saito sent him one last withering look then turned on her heel and left calmly, as if none of this had ever happened. Though I noted her chin was pulled up slightly in defiance. I followed quickly.

"He wants you," was all she said to the two still waiting outside the door. They went in after us and shut the door once again. Only then did I feel like I could breathe normally again.

"What was that?" was all I could ask. She continued walking but slid her eyes over to me as I leveled out with her

"That, Hyuuga, is your new life."

…

Unlike Saito's tour yesterday, she actually carried this one through. I wondered if it was because it was Persona telling her this time, or if she just wanted to delay meeting up with him as long as possible.

As we walked down a long hall the air was thick with questions, and I was the first to breach it.

"Is Persona a girl or a boy?" She had expected questions, but this didn't appear to be one of them. Her eyebrows raised and then she began chuckling. I narrowed my eyes, wondering what was so funny. She calmed quickly and we turned a corner.

"That's actually a common concern with new-comers, but they're usually too scared to ask. Well, to answer your question, Persona's very much a male." She slid a door open, switching the light on to reveal a large room and began the tour without further ado.

"This is the gym we'll be training in everyday here-on-out. There are a few gyms for us to use, but this one's my favorite. And since I'm your mentor, you don't really get any say-so." I shot her a look, but she had already shut the light off and exited. I glanced through the door as she shut it and continued on as I reluctantly trailed after her.

"You're not going to let me look around the gym?" Some tour this is. She lifted an eyebrow.

"What's the point? You'll know every part of that gym by next week. No need to spend any more time in there than necessary."

She showed me two more gyms. One was unoccupied like the first she had shown me, but the other one had a few people in there that I recognized vaguely from the class not long ago. Saito explained that this is the general gym, where everyone goes to train. When more people are back from missions they expand to that second gym (there aren't enough people in the class to ever expand to 'her' gym) but that rarely happens.

"So if I'm ever unavailable and you need to train, you can probably find someone to help you in here." After that she showed me a few supply rooms where they kept equipment and weapons for training. With that the tour was over and she was leading me back to the dorms.

"There are more rooms, but you don't need to know where those are until you're ready for your own missions. On a different note, there aren't any more regular classes today so you're now free to do whatever." Good. I needed to talk to Ruka about all of the new developments. And explore the school to find places where Persona might be keeping Aoi. Maybe he had enrolled her in the school as well?

Saito raised an eyebrow, no doubt at my expression, but she didn't address it. With that she turned on her heel to go back the way we came.

"Later," she raised a hand. I didn't return her farewell and instead turned to enter the dorm building. Ruka had told me earlier in class where his room was, and I made my way there.

The room I came to was pitiful next to my special start rooms. Yes, plural. Mine was like a small house while Ruka's undetermined star room was an average boring room, with only a bed, dresser, and small desk. I remembered Persona's threat toward Ruka and Aoi – anger growing in me at the memory – and figured I could probably get away with making a few demands of my own. I'm the reason Ruka's here, and Persona's the reason I'm here, so it's only fair that both of us live in comfort.

A jab went through me when I thought of how Aoi was living. I'd have to make sure he kept her comfortable, too.

The two of us sat on the floor, leaning against his bed, and now that I was alone for the first time with my only friend since getting here I felt the weight of the world settle on my shoulders. I told him about the Dangerous Class, about Persona and the threat made towards him and Aoi. The fear I'd originally felt at his threat grew up in me once again, but I kept it hidden. He was already aware of the rumors already being spread, and the muttered insults and angry looks from the few upper-classmen visiting siblings or friends in the elementary division. He knew that I had hoped to leave the past where it belongs. He knew how much that fire had cost us. How much it had cost me.

He stood up at some point while I spoke and began pacing. When I finished he stopped and turned towards me, but I kept my gaze down. I didn't know what to say to him, and I didn't want him to say anything, either, so we just stayed like that. We were both silent, but my thoughts were raging.

Things used to be good. I'd made a friend, my family was together and nearly healed since mom's death, and we had settled down in another place where no one knew about our alices. And then in a split moment everything had changed. Things had gone from good to bad in the blink of an eye, and I was powerless to do anything about it.

I'd never felt so helpless.

…

I didn't see Saito again until late the next day. Just like yesterday she didn't come out of her room this morning but this time she didn't show up at all, even at lunch. One of the loud-mouthed middle-schoolers had searched me out at one point, somehow hearing the spreading rumors even there and warned me against being a 'bad influence' on their younger sibling. Once he began threatening me I snapped. He left with only half a head of hair, and some minor burn marks. It would've been nice if Saito had been there to scare the upperclassman away but I could take care of myself, as I'd clearly demonstrated. Hopefully no one else would try threatening me now that I they know I'm not using my mentor as a bodyguard. I had gone to my room, looking at the pile of homework on my desk and debating on actually doing it or not when a knock sounded on my door.

Saito walked in without waiting for an answer, and I narrowed my eyes at her. I'd have to make sure to lock my door from now on. The bruise on her cheek had gotten darker, but she must've put something on it for the swelling because it had gone back down to its normal size. Instead of her uniform she was dressed in sweats and a light sweater over a white T-shirt, and she held her left arm to herself – as if protecting it – while holding the door open with her free hand.

"Time to train."

We went back to the empty gym and she switched the lights on once again. I gazed around the room this time in more detail, noting the lack of windows to keep anyone from accidentally catch a glimpse of kids training. Aside from that there wasn't anything that stood out about the otherwise standard gym. I wondered what kind of training she was talking about, since she hadn't said much about the missions that I'd be going on someday. My mouth just about dropped when she emerged from one of the equipment closets with two yoga mats.

"What does yoga have to do with training?" She unfurled her own on the ground, moving her left arm experimentally, and I reluctantly followed her lead as I realized this wasn't a joke. She took her light sweater off and tossed it to the side, showing that her elbow was red and slightly swollen.

"Flexibility. If you can't move quickly and without resistance, you'll be out in a second. You can forget all about Persona's threat because as soon as you go on your first mission you won't come back. Muscle as well. Yoga builds a lot of vital muscles that your other training will hardly touch up on."

She sat down on her mat facing me with her legs spread out wide and I tried to imitate her as she leaned over and grabbed her left toes with both hands easily, wincing a little at moving her injured arm.

"And besides, yoga's a lot harder than people give it credit for."

After a few moments of silence, doing nothing but switch to the next leg, her gaze came to rest on me.

"I heard you used your alice on another student." Of course she did. Is she going to yell at me and say I was wrong to teach him his place? At my narrowed eyes she rolled her own.

"I don't care if you use your alice on others or not. I just want to know what triggered it." She switched to the other leg again, and I followed suit. Well since it didn't seem like she was mad or trying to reprimand me in any way, I figured it couldn't hurt.

"He told me to stay away from his sister, not that I care, and that I was a bad influence. Then he started threatening me with his alice if anything did happen. So I figured I'd show him I'm in the Dangerous Class for a reason."

"Does this have to do with those rumors that have started up about you?" I looked away sharply, focusing on the foot I was currently holding onto. She took that as confirmation.

"I don't really care what you do with your alice, Hyuuga, or anything that you might've done before you came here. But you can't let what others say get to you too much. You're going to go through a lot while you're here, and it's never going to get easier. If your way of dealing with them is using your alice on them, whatever. But don't let what they say weigh you down along with everything else."

I frowned as I thought about her words. They made sense, and I knew with everything else I'd be facing soon I couldn't afford to care what they thought. It would take some practice, but I knew I'd manage it. I glanced at the girl who'd known exactly what to say only to realize she was switching forms and followed suit.

At first I had scoffed at her for suggesting yoga could be anything but easy. I didn't find it so amusing that night while I was taking a cold shower like Saito had instructed, to help with the soreness I'd feel in the morning. And boy did I feel it in the morning. The two of us did nothing but stretches for at least a couple hours last night, and I couldn't help but feel irritated at how she was moving just as easily at the end as she had been at the beginning, while I'd pretty much wobbled to the dorms. Sleep did nothing to help, and I felt even worse now than I did last night.

As we walked from the dorm building Ruka kept shooting me concerned glances, but I ignored them because darn it all I'm fine. Just the same I couldn't help but shoot Saito scathing looks because she didn't seem any worse for wear.

But while we endured homeroom I couldn't help but let my eyes settle on her hands. She didn't seem any worse for wear, but her hands were visibly shaking, and I didn't think it had anything to do with the yoga last night.

Once again, after classes were finished that day we went to the gym to work out. I resisted telling Saito that there was no way on earth I'd be able to do yoga again, but it turned out I didn't need to tell her anyway.

She pulled two soft square pillow-cushions from a pile in one of the closets and handed one to me. She set hers down in middle of the floor and I followed her.

"Today we'll be meditating." I held back a comment on how this was just about as useless as yoga, but my sore muscles reminded me that as far as I'm concerned meditating would end up being just as painful.

She crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knees, closing her eyes. I copied her, having set my cushion next to hers. She began to speak and I was relieved to hear that there wasn't any apparent physical exertion involved.

"Meditation is about gaining control over your head. You can train your body all you want, but unless you have control over your head, thoughts, and emotions, you don't have control over anything." It was silent for a moment, and my thoughts immediately began to stray to different topics. The darkness behind my eyelids kept growing deeper, and I itched to open my eyes. I was distracted when she began talking again.

"For now just focus on training your thoughts. Thoughts are a person's greatest weakness. They cause hesitation, reconsideration, and distraction. On a mission you can't afford to have any of these things, so you must learn to take all thoughts not related to the objective, tie them up, and shove them into a corner of your mind where they can shrivel up and die." My eyebrows lifted in slight amusement at her words, and I couldn't help but go off on my own thought tangent which sprung from the mental image she set.

Something hit the back of my head sharply and I sprang up, eyes flying open to find Saito with one hand resting on the ground and an eyebrow arched.

"Like that. I gave you a lead and you immediately took it. You have to ignore anything and everything and only give attention to the important things, which, right now, is only my voice. Only then will you have control over your thoughts." I relaxed from my guarded pose – sore muscles screaming at me – and sat back down, glaring at her the whole time. She had already gone back to her meditation pose, so it didn't do anything. Felt good, though. After another moment of silence emphasized by the dark beneath my eyelids something occurred to me.

"How did you know I had started thinking anyway?" Can she read minds now, too, or something? A sigh came from her.

"Talking is considered thinking, Hyuuga. And besides, I was bluffing. It's a standard trick that I'll use a lot on you. So don't fall for it again." After that I doubled my effort.

By the time we stopped for a break my brain felt like jell-o, and I hadn't made any progress. Every time I thought that I was doing it right, my thoughts would wander away without my permission. And it irritated me.

Saito took a deep drink of water and I watched how she was still shaking. Her left arm had a white bandage wrapped around her elbow now, strategically so she could still bend it marginally, and the bruise on her face was beginning to yellow at the edges to show it was healing. I didn't realize she had stopped drinking her water until she began speaking, bringing me back from wherever my exhausted mind had wandered.

"Why don't you just take a picture?" she mocked my statement from what seemed like years ago. I opened my mouth to retort, but what came out was a question instead.

"What was Persona talking about when he mentioned your punishment?" Could it be that Persona was the one who had hurt her? She seemed to read my mind again.

"He didn't do this to me, if that's what you're wondering." I was relieved. If Persona was hurting Saito, who knows what he'd do to Aoi. After another moment of awkward silence she finally sighed and began fiddling with her bottle cap.

"It's difficult to keep a bunch of dangerously-enhanced children under your control all the time, making them do things that they'd rather not do. Persona knows this and his way of keeping everyone under his thumb is to hold something over them. Just like he threatened you with your friend and sister, he threatens everyone with whatever's dear to them."

"What does he hold over you?" She stopped messing with the cap and screwed it back onto the bottle.

"That's the problem. He doesn't have anything on me, so he uses punishments instead. That's what he was talking about. After the mission before last I was forbidden to eat." My eyes widened and my fear for Aoi came back full-force. What if he's not letting her eat? Or maybe that's what he'll do if I disobey. I suddenly felt sick and tried to drag myself back from those thoughts.

"That's why you've been shaking." It wasn't really a question, but it easily could've been. She didn't answer either way and instead put down her bottle before standing up. I took another quick sip and followed her back to the cushions. My head was aching at the thought of more time trying to meditate, but to my surprise she grabbed the cushions and put them back where they belong, coming back with the yoga mats from yesterday. My heart fell while my brain just about melted with relief.

She handed one to me.

"I doubt you'll be able to concentrate enough to meditate after our conversation." I grudgingly agreed – though I didn't tell her that – and instead held my mat.

"I'm still sore from yesterday." She snorted, standing on her mat and raising her arms above her head.

"And you're going to continue being sore for a very long time. Now stop whining. We're working out different muscles today anyway."