Disclaimer: Me no own
Disclaimer: Me no own
A/N: hey guys! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews. Im so happy that you love my story and that you look forward to every new chapter. Thanks again!!
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Flashback
"I-I have thought of a name for myself Professor."
Leartes nodded for Mikan to continue.
"My name… my name is Mi-Mis… Misaku Kara."
"It is a beautiful name, Kara…"
"Arigato."
-
In Mikan's room
Mikan was lying down on her bed, enveloped by the warmth of her blanket.
She couldn't sleep. It was almost midnight but she just couldn't sleep. After a long day of training and studying, she was expecting herself to be snoring right now.
"Argh!! What's wrong with me?! Is sleeping that much to ask for?!" with an exasperated sigh she sat up on her bed.
She decided to meditate, at least just to calm herself enough so she could sleep.
She shifted into the lotus position then started clearing her mind.
As she closed her eyes, the calm she was waiting for was probably stuck in a traffic jam way back in Japan.
"Japan, huh?"
That was when memories of the past two years came rushing back…
-
2 Years Ago…
She was at the Professor's study again. She was summoned right after she had lunch in her room.
"Kara."
"Hai!"
"I see that you're responding well to your new name." the professor smiled.
"Yes, I always put to mind that that would be my name from now on. I'm very determined to fulfill my duties Professor and I'm very serious about it."
Leartes couldn't do anything but broaden his smile, not because she was so determined but because of the seriousness on how she spoke. Her kind face was really not suited to being serious. She just looked so innocent and child-like.
"Well, I believe you Kara."
"Thank you Professor."
"Because you're so eager, then why don't we start your schedule of activities tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow? That would be fine" but what Mikan really thought was that with her new schedule, she would be busy enough not to think about those she left behind. The academy, her friends, and her family.
The Professor never stopped wondering what goes on in that mind of hers. She was so energetic when she came in but now she was looking sad again.
"Here's your schedule Kara, you will wake up every 5am in the morning and start your martial arts training until noon."
"Eh?! Martial arts?!"
"Yes, it is imperative for you to learn to defend yourself, to strengthen your body and to discipline your mind that would ultimately lead you to master and control your alice."
"Oh! I see…"
"Some of what you would be learning would be karate, aikido, jeet kune do, and ninjitsu to name some. After your training you would have lunch then you would proceed to the library for your academic lessons. Tutors would be hired for you for every important subject, and I would be teaching you once in a while all there is to know about alices."
"Professor? Why can't I just go to a school near here? The private tutors would be expensive and…"
"Don't mind the expense my dear, it is all worth it."
Mikan blushed. Did they really have that much faith in her abilities? Damn! What if I screw up? She was mentally shaking her head but what she didn't know was that she was actually shaking her head like a lunatic in front of the professor.
"You would do just fine Kara. No need to be so anxious about it. Oh1 and speaking of school, although you will be studying right here, your name will be currently enrolled at the nearest catholic school in the area."
"huh? I don't understand…"
"Your disguise while staying in this manor is that you would be my niece, whose parents died in accident, and that you are studying at St. Martha's School for Girls."
"Why do I have to pretend professor?"
This girl was truly amusing, leartes thought. That naivety of hers would get her in trouble someday…
With a sigh the professor answered her. "Well, we wouldn't want anyone to know that Mikan Sakura, powerful alice user, and hunted by the AAO all over the world is residing here, would we?"
"I'm wanted by the the AAO all over the world?" she gasped.
"Yes, and that is why we have all this necessary precaution. Listen Kara, you are very important to the Academy, your very existence makes the AAO shudder that they have another strong nemesis. So it's either they try to take you to their side, or kill you." Leartes' face suddenly became serious. He hoped that Mikan would understand the gravity of her significance to the Academy.
With a stern look she replied that she would do whatever it takes in return for the Academy's protection of her, now that she still couldn't fight against the AAO alone.
Her schedule also included alice training every weekends and etiquette classes on Sundays. The professor explained that some missions would require her to go undercover in high class places and that she couldn't afford to stick out like a sore thumb in such cases, thus the etiquette classes.
After going through all that was necessary and answering some of Mikan's questions, the professor decided that he should take her to a tour around the manor. Around her new home.
The tour started inside the manor, the library, the den, the living rooms, the dining rooms, the kitchen where they met Maria and Mikan was formally introduced to the household staff as Kara Misaku, niece of the professor.
They also went to the other rooms of the manor. She saw some storage rooms here and there, numerous bedrooms that could be occupied anytime, and the last they went to was the laboratory.
"When you need me and can't find me, you could always try to find me here at the lab Kara."
Mikan was amazed at the lab. It screamed high tech everywhere. It looked like one of those labs in science fiction movies.
Her mouth was still wide open with wonder when the professor cleared his throat. "Hmm… and this would also be where we would be testing your alices Kara, and find out exactly what they are."
"I see. I would want to know too professor…"
After the tour of the lab, they headed outside of the mansion, at its east wing was a large dojo. The professor said that people liked training there because of the tranquility of the area. Behind it was the garage with numerous sleek looking cars inside. But what caught Mikan's attention was a big, shiney, black Harley parked at the corner. She tried asking the professor if it was his, but all he did was smile. Dummy! Practically everything here belongs to him. Duh!
They proceeded to the manor's frontage. Which had a long driveway up to a pair of huge wrought iron gates and a wall of the same matereial and design probably spreading throughout the boundaries of the property.
Next they visited was the garden at the west of the manor. It was large and extravagant. There was probably every species of flowers growing in there. As they were making there way through the garden, someone suddenly popped up infront of Mikan.
"Kyaaaa!!"
"Oh! Hello Harry. I see you've met the new resident of the manor?" the professor smiled.
"Harry?" Mikan asked.
"Oh! Good day to you miss. I'm sorry that I frightened you awhile ago. Hehehe.."
"It's fine sir."
"please! Call me Harry little miss. I'm the manor's gardener and I've been working for the professor for years."
"Then please call me Kara. It's a pleasure meeting you Harry." Mikan smiled back.
"oh! but the pleasure is all mine for meeting such a pretty lady like you."
"A-ano… you don't have to…" Mikan blushed.
"Here, take this." Harry handed her a rose bud. The moment Mikan accepted the flower, Harry waved his hand over it and made it bloom.
"Sugoi! That was great Harry. How did you do that?"
"I have plant alice so its really not an amazing trick." Harry blushed and scratched his head while explaing.
"Well, I think its great Harry. Thank you."
After a few words with the professor, they decided that it was time to move along. Mikan thanked Harry again for the flower and waved goodbye to the tall, brown haired, brown-eyed man.
"Lastly, we have the veranda…" the professor waved his arm over the rear side of the manor. The veranda was a wide open space that was elevated from the ground about a storey high. Its was adjacent to the ballroom they had visited moments before.
Mikan could already envision extravagant parties with men and women wearing beautiful clothes and sipping expensive wine. It was like a vision from a fairytale where the prince meets his princess.
Mikan was still caught up with her imagination of fairytales when she was suddenly knocked of the ground and heard a piercing screm.
"Kyaaaaaa!! You're awake and you've come to visit me!!"
As Mikan opened her eyes she saw the same blond, pretty woman who almost squeezed her to death this morning. And she was doing it again to her now.
"C-can't… b-breath…" Mikan was able to choke out.
"What did you say dear?"
"Kara, this is Kristianna Krosu, she is also my niece. She is a chemist and medical doctor and she assists me in my research."
"Kara? Is that your name? Its so kawaii just like you!!" she was about to jump on Mikan for another bear hug but luckily she was able to sidestep her.
"Hai. I am Kara Misaku, 15 years old. Nice to meet you Kristianna-san"
Mikan bowed low, hoping that showing her respect would prevent her from being clobbered again.
When mikan looked up to see how the woman responded to her, she was surprised to find that she was face to face with her.
"You can call me Aya, we're going to be good friends aren't we Ka-ra." A goofy smile spread across her otherwise elegant and beautiful face.
"H-hai…" Mikan sweatdropped.
After a few more introductions, Aya Lead them to a table hidden under a canopy of white canvas and wrought iron.
"take a seat Kara." Aya showed her a plush iron chair.
"T-thank you Aya-san."
"I told you its Aya and not Aya-san. But Aya-chan would definitely work!" Aya was about to grab Mikan again when the Professor cleared his throat, but maintained his amused axpression.
"Do you mind pouring me some tea Aya?" the professor held out his cup while he smiled.
"But of course Uncle."
"Uncle? Oh yes! Since I'm supposed to be your niece professor, I should call you Uncle too." Yosh! That's the spirit Mikan! Finally you're using you're brain! Hehe.
"Why yes Kara, I think you should. But if it bothers you, you can call me professor."
"Iie. It doesn't bother me at all… Uncle" Mikan said with a wide and warm smile.
"if that is so, then we are one big happy family then!" Aya stood up and clapped her hands.
When Aya stood up, she was able to see the view behind her. Ever since she stepped out to the veranda, she never noticed the view it faced and how breathtaking it was.
"It's the ocean…" Mikan whispered but was still heard by the two people beside her.
"Yes it is Kara. The manor is bordered by a thick forest on three sides but the rear is bordered by a cliff facing the ocean. There is a white sand beach below if you fancy for a swim but I think right now would be too cold for a swim. You should wait until summer comes."
At the mention of summer, something ticked inside Mikan's mind.
"Professor? I mean… Uncle? Would you mind telling me where we are right now?"
A knowing smile spread across Leartes' face. "We are currently sipping tea at the shores of Greece my dear."
"Greece?!"
-
Back to Mikan's Room…
Sheesh! And what a shock that was… I never thought that I was THAT far away from home…
Mikan plopped herself back on her bed. "I guess meditating is out of the question."
After two years of staying here, after two years of perfecting every kind of martial arts she was taught, and after all the knowledge she learned from her tutors… Mikan Sakura aka Kara Misaku still finds it hard to sleep at night.
"Argh! This is driving me nuts."
Just as she was about to throw herself out of bed, she heard a thud.
And another one… It was coming from the room next to hers.
"Demo, nobody uses that room. Its always been locked." She whispered to herself.
Then, she heard feet shuffling at the corridor, and voices in the room beside her.
She gathered the edges of her nightgown and slowly went out of the covers.
If there's one thing that Aya lavished on her was her nightgowns. Aya bought her every imaginable style of bed wear.
Silk, satin, laces, long, short, mid-length… she had everything! But what she particularly liked to wear were the long silk ones. With almost see through material with the bodice made of lace. She always wondered where Aya got them but she was still very thankful for them.
Luckily, she wasn't wearing one of the silk ones or she would definitely not have the guts to go out of her room.
Silently she opened her door to peek out and saw a faint light coming from the open door beside hers.
She stepped out of her door and looked inside of the only room inside the manor she had no access to. She saw the Professor and Aya crouched on the floor whispering in silent voices, their backs to her.
But what numbed her senses, and froze her to where she was standing was the white mask that was on the floor just beside the Professor.
She knew that mask.
She knew who owned it.
She knew the fear she felt whenever she saw it.
And she knew the despair and the hurt that came to her friends right after they saw it.
It belonged only to one man.
The one man she never wanted seeing ever again.
"Persona…"
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A/N: hey guys! sorry for the cliffy! Well at least Persona's coming in to the picture.
I would be doing some more flashbacks on later chapters to explain further how Mikan progressed in the two years she spent with the Professor and Aya. Dont forget to leave a review.