Disclaimer: GA is not mine.

Chapter 4:

She was leaping through the forest, past the trees speedily, all thanks to those torturous training sessions. Her control devices were removed for this mission and she knew it wouldn't be anything easy. The Academy had even forgone the possibility of her overpowering their own people to complete the mission successfully. She slipped into the gates, blending into the shadows. The others from the Dangerous Ability (D.A) class had already infiltrated the compound before her. They had cleared the area for her to enter into the main room in the building. The others were to keep a lookout for her, and to prevent any interference.

Mikan scanned a card that she nicked from one of the guards and entered the room. It was dark, but she could see what she needed just right in front. It was the main system of the building, and she had 2 minutes to shut it down.

Sakura-san,

You are to infiltrate the AAO building and shut down their main system. We received notice that they might be attacking the Academy and we need you to catch them by surprise. I'll see you when you get back, successful.

Mikan tossed the paper into the fire and watched it crackle and turn to ashes.

She had only taken one step, and the lights in the room came on. Someone turned in his chair and faced her. His face was absurdly handsome, and his light brown hair fell just over his eyes. His dark eyes were piercing and his lips curled into a little smile. Mikan was shocked, and she froze on the spot.

"So, you are Mikan Sakura. You're a little beauty, just like your mother was, before she left us and escaped."

Mikan tried to run, but a wind sliced across her arm, leaving her with a gushing cut. She gasped, and stopped moving, riveting her attention back to the man on the chair.

"But turned out we need not have worried. You are every bit as talented as her, with a little bonus from your father."

Mikan pondered for a moment, and decided to take the risk. She moved forward, deliberately slow but ever so graceful. The man eyed her every movement and she could see he was ready to counter any attack she might have been planning to make. But she continued walking and stopped in front of his table, lips curling into a little smirk.

Mikan Mikan, you can do this… Please let me pull this off.

"You want me to join you?" Mikan tried to sound amused.

"Well, yes. And you sure are charming. Why not join us, it'll be much better than the Academy here, you know." He smiled.

"Well…" Mikan blinked and laid her hand on his for a second. She tilted her head to the side, never breaking eye contact.

The man remained calmed but was almost delighted at the contact. She sure knew what was good for her and furthermore, he had never expected this to be so easy. And then he felt it-

For a second, he gasped as Mikan swiped her hand across at the machineries. They crackled and exploded as they both jumped aside. Mikan ran at the door when she felt something cut at her back. She bit her lips and burst through the doors, running out of the building. She held on to the masked man and they teleported back to the forest just outside the Academy. She leapt up to her room through the window by the tree outside the building. She didn't want to leave bloodstains all over the carpet.

Now she understands how Natsume felt after every mission. It was really life or death. She groaned as she sprawled onto the floor, her back stung.

Hotaru sat at her desk in the class next morning, waiting. The bell rang, and Mikan still wasn't here. She had not seen Mikan for the whole day and she knew it was not just her waking up late. She knew Mikan was in the Academy, and everything that had happened these few weeks, even though she didn't even ask. She sighed and hoped Mikan was alright, knowing better than to disturb if Mikan really needed to rest. Ruka was by her side, and he understands her worries. He had spent every night of the four years in the Academy worrying about Natsume's safety, he understood her feelings.

He held her hand tight as they sat together on the bench, giving her his silent assurance. She gave his hand a light squeeze and muttered a soft 'thank you'.

Natsume slammed out of the classroom after Persona told him Mikan went on a mission yesterday, successful but not unscathed. "She was good for a first-timer, but she could have done much better" Persona had said. Obviously not unscathed, she had only been training for a month how could he put her on a mission! He quickened his footsteps to the hostel, almost running to her room. He burst into her newly upgraded room and found her on the floor. He didn't know if she was sleeping or unconscious but lifted her up to the couch.

"Ahh," Mikan woke up, startled. She felt a sharp pain in her back and found herself staring into Natsume's eyes. "Let me down, let me down!" She cried out as he dropped her down onto the cushioned couch. She lifted her hand and emitted a gush of wind from her hands, blowing Natsume back. She could feel the power in the Alice stone weakening, it had only been a brief contact with that guy with the Wind Alice. She gripped her left arm and screamed into the cushion. Natsume stood up and brushed at his clothes and hurried back to Mikan. He gripped her and pulled her up to face him. She had tears in her eyes and her face was contorted with pain.

"It really hurts!" Mikan almost bawled, rubbing her eyes with her uninjured hand.

Natsume almost sighed with relief, she was still normal. He bandaged her arm after cleaning her wound. Those on her back were troublesome though. They squabbled over who to tend to those wounds, with Mikan refusing to let him touch her and Natsume knocking on her head every single time Mikan tried to make another comment.

He lifted her shirt as she laid flat on the couch, grumbling and blushing at the same time. Her wounds were deep and her shirt was coated with dried blood. She bit into his hands when the alcohol came into contact with the cut, hitting the couch in pain. He bandaged the cuts and leant back on it, it sure was tiring wrestling Mikan down. He felt a tug on his hair and he turned around.

"What the-" he snapped.

"Thanks, Natsume. And sorry for your arm. But it really was painful and I didn't even want you to-"

"Ah, shut up. Go to sleep." Natsume sighed.

Mikan stepped off the couch and ignored the sore, dull pain all over her body. It really had been a long day for her. She sat down beside Natsume and too, leaned back on the couch. He looked into her eyes for a moment, and ruffled her hair, sighing. He pulled her closer to him and she laid on his shoulder, and they stayed like this for hours asleep.

Okay, please give some review on the fic thanks (:

Anyway this is sort of a filler chapter, and the next few might be too. Since I'm thinking about how to link the plot now to my ideas, so yeah. Yup (8