Here is my chapter 8. The continuing of the Past. Right after this chapter, it's all about the war between Gakuen Alice and the Anti Alice. Enjoy my 8th. Full Mikan POV.

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Chapter 8: Story of the Past: Erased Memory (Part 2)

Mikan's POV

Natsume? Where are you? I ran into the forest.

'Where in the world is the Forest of Silence?' I thought.

A silent forest…a silent forest…silent forest…SILENT.

Could it be?

The forest banned by the school grounds near the Hospital.

The hospital…when I was in the hospital, I've never heard of chirping of birds from the forest next to the hospital. IT HAS TO BE!

I ran towards the hospital.

RRIIP!!!

DARN!!! I shouldn't have run with my dress. Ugh! Now it's dirty and ripped.

I tore my dress to knee-length, took out my high heels.

I'm definitely not wearing heels in the forest. Here, this should be safe. I thought putting my shoes near a Sakura Tree. But as I lay my heels on the tree, all the Sakura petals fell and turned black as it touched the ground.

Natsume, I hope you're alright. Please be safe. I'm coming.

I left my heels and ran to the forest bare foot.

I reached the hospital in record time.

You have a good brain. You've been very observant of your surrounding haven't you? (Since when?) Tick Tock, Tick Tock. Time is running but you aren't. You've solved the first part of the riddle, what's next? The voice whispered.

"WHO ARE YOU?" I shouted. Looking around everywhere but found nothing.

I saw the light from a room in the hospital lit. OH NO! I must've shouted too loud!! Get out of here. I thought.

I ran to the back of the hospital. The sign that says 'Off Limits' was put up. I didn't care and just pushed the sign away. I'm at the entrance of the forest right now. It's creepy. I'm not in the forest and the wind is blowing hard on me, but the forest didn't make a sound, not a rustle.

I was gazing at the forest. It's green. Not dull green, but beautifully green. The moonlight shines through the spaces in between the leaves. It looks magnificent.

OUCH!!!!!!!! I screamed as I took the first step into the forest and bounced backwards. There's an invisible barrier here. I guess this part of the Academy is strictly forbidden.

What was next on the riddle?

I thought thinking back the riddle. Oh yea! The strange rock thingie. (It's supposed to be sacred rock)I touched the barrier slowly trying to see if there's any opening. There should be one. I hope.

AHA! I thought as I realized I could put through my hand from the barrier. There are like small holes in the barrier. The Alice spell must have been from a long time. It'll wear off soon.

I took out one of Hotaru's inventions. The small transporter, a small shape of a turtle. I threw the transporter in one of the holes. I saw it land safely under one of the trees. I took out a remote control and pressed the big yellow button.

WHOOSH!! The sound of me disappearing and reappearing behind the barrier exactly on top of the transporter.

I'll have to thank Hotaru for this later. WAIT! I stole this from her last week. Aww…sheesh. I thought.

Everyone must be having fun dancing. I'm stuck here trying to save an unknown friend whom I wish to be Natsume.

Rustle…Rustle…

What was that? I turned around. Nothing was there. It was then I saw two piercing red spots on the bushes glaring at me. What are those? I thought. Then the spots sparkle and disappeared.

What was that all about? I asked myself.

Oh right! Natsume! A rock…a rock…..

Goddamn it!!! WHAT FUCKIN ROCK?!?!?!?!?!

Mikan…Mikan…

"OH NOW WHAT?!?!" I shouted.

There was still nothing there.

"This is SO frustrating! Who the damn hell are you, AND WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?!?!" I screamed as loud as I can.

"Mikan?!?!" a voice said behind me.

I turned around… "NATSUME!!!" I shouted and reached to hug him.

WAIT A SEC!! WHAT AM I DOING?!?!

BBURN……sizzle…sizzle…

"KYAAAA!!!" I screamed as Natsume burnt my hair.

I calmed down and started to shed the ashes off of my hair.

"What are you doing here?" Natsume asked. He looked dreadful. His tuxedo was cut into shreds and his face was full of bruises. His lips are drooling with blood.

"What are you-" Natsume was interrupted.

"Save your breath Natsume," A man with a mask approaches behind a tree. "Your mission is yet to be fulfilled," the man said.

"Persona," Natsume said. The man whom Natsume called 'Persona' was staring at me then looked back at Natsume.

"Don't include her in this, Persona. I am all you need right now, so don't think that-"

"My, my, Natsume. A little overprotective are we?" Persona interrupted and walked straight at me.

I couldn't move. I want to run, but I can't. He's eyes are icy cold. His aura is a sense of depression and anger. I looked over to Natsume. He has the same aura as Persona only a slightly less.

"Sakura Mikan, am I right?" Persona asked his left hand cupped my chin. I didn't even realize he was in front of me.

"Uh…I…" I couldn't even speak properly.

"Get away from her, Persona! I'll burn you till crisp," Natsume threatened.

Persona pushed me back and I landed on the ground on my butt. OUCH!

"I'll get her soon, Natsume. You know that very well. Get over with your mission already. Staying here waiting for your report is irritating," Persona said. "Sayonara," he said and disappeared.

I stared at Natsume. He was glancing down on his arms which are covered with blood. I realized that I have the ripped part of my dress and walked over to him.

"Get away from him. Get away from 'him'," Natsume said.

I kneeled and pulled my ripped cloth and shred it into smaller pieces. I took his hand and start wrapping. He pulled his arm back.

"What are you doing?" Natsume yell. I ignore the yell and pull his arm back demanding the arm to be bandaged.

I looked over to his leg and wrapped it too. He seems obedient enough to understand what I'm doing.

"Why?" Natsume suddenly asked. "Why do you exist?"

I was startled. I looked up at him; he was facing upwards to the sky. I did too. It was a full moon. A beautiful one.

"Wakarimasen (I don't understand)," I answered.

He looked at me. I stare at his eyes; it wasn't the eyes that were filled with happiness and joy at the dance. These eyes were screaming to be freed. It's trapped or some sort.

"Why are you here? Why do you exist? Why do you make things harder for me?" Natsume said. His hands turn into fists.

I took a step back. This is definitely not Natsume! I thought.

I stood up.

"In that case, you're not the one I'm looking for. Hmm…Now where are those strange rocks?" I asked myself making a distraction so I won't ask stupid questions to him.

"What?" Natsume asked.

"Hnn? Oh, right. I was given a riddle. They said something about strange rocks. From the looks of it, I'll just have to use my womanly instincts," I said giggling.

"What rocks?" Natsume asked now he's getting up.

"Not telling. Ja ne!" I shouted and ran away from his sight.

RIGHT! Since now I know I'm not looking for Natsume. I need to find those rocks for an answer! I thought.

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"Oooff!" I grunted as I fell to the ground.

"What is this doing here?" I said looking at what I tripped over. It was a log. But I saw something shiny in the log. I picked it up, a necklace. It has a red color jewel on it.

"OUCH!!!" I shouted. It's hot. Burning hot.

"So, you've found it," Natsume walked behind me and said.

"This is….yours?" I asked. I threw the necklace at him. His eyes are normal. The eyes which is always happy to see people. Not the one I saw moments ago.

Natsume caught the necklace and put it in his pocket. "Sorry for leaving you at the dance. I had something to do."

"A mission?" I asked and stood up.

Natsume nodded. "What in the world was that necklace?" I can't help but to ask.

"It's my Alice Stone," Natsume replied. I can obviously tell that I look very blur. "It's a stone which has some of my Alice energy."

Now, even without thinking, I know that I look blur. "My, god Mikan. It's a stone that you can make if you have enough Alice energy," Natsume continued.

"So, could I make one?" I asked joyfully. I absolutely want to make something as beautiful as that.

"No," Natsume replied.

"Why not?!' I whined.

"If you haven't notice, you don't have enough Alice energy," Natsume said.

"But she will," Persona appeared and said.

"What're you doing here?" Natsume asked in an angry tone.

"I came here to finish my mission," Persona said then glared at me.

"You have a mission? Since when?" Natsume asked.

"Since Miss Sakura agreed to follow my riddle," Persona smiled.

WHAT!!! He was the voice that I kept on hearing? But when he speaks the tone was absolutely different. I thought.

"Now, for your mission," Persona smiled at me.

"She's not going anywhere with you," Natsume cut-off.

"You still don't have my report. The Dark Community will take this matter seriously if you don't finish the job tonight," Persona said strictly.

"What job?" I asked Natsume.

"I need…I need to kill one of the members of the Anti-Alices," he looked away when he said that.

"And that person happens to be your father Mikan," Persona smiled evilly. I was lost. He just said my father. But I lost my father years ago and my mom too.

"They're alive. They work for the Anti-Alices. Not by force but by will," Persona said.

I fell on the ground. What he said cannot be true. Oji-san said that mom and dad died in a crash. He wouldn't lie to me, would he? Oji-san, tell me that mom and dad are peacefully living in heaven. Please!

"Well, they're not, now are they?" Persona smirked. He answered my question in my head. Who is he?

"So, now you know another part of the riddle. Your friend is Natsume. But you're saving Natsume from killing your parents, unless you're as cold hearted as he is and you're going to leave your parents fate in his hands," Persona said.

I looked over to Natsume, he's in a trance. He's not moving. What's wrong?

"I stopped his time for a while until you make a decision," Persona answered my question again.

"OK, what do you want?" I asked seriously.

"I need you to make a deal with me," he said.

"Which is?" I asked again.

"Be my pupil until you've mastered your Alice and work for the Dark Community," he said.

"What do I get in return?" I asked.

"Well now, what do you want?"

I looked over to Natsume. He looks sad in a way. So, he was more or less trapped by this man here. No freedom, no happiness. His life span grows shorter each time he uses his Alice anyway. He must use his Alices to finish his missions, which mean his life is shortened each time.

"All right then. I want you to erase all of Natsume's memories of this and make him normal and also give him a longer life span. After that, take me instead," I suggested.

"I'll do so and erase his memory. But I won't erase his memories of me," Persona said.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Your training will take years just like Natsume. I need him as an apprentice for the time being until you have mastered your Alice. I'll let Natsume go when you have reach the time to be my new apprentice," Persona said.

"Wakarimashta (understood). How long will my training take?" I asked.

"A maximum of 3 years. And yes, by then I'll let Natsume go and never disturb him. DO we have a deal?" Persona asked.

"Yes," I nodded.

"Oh, and as for raising his life span. You have to do it on your own," Persona said. "You have an Alice to reduce curses and problems. Like I said, with training you can save everyone and perhaps and possibly everything," Persona said.

As long as it'll save Natsume, I'd do anything, and if I could just be sure that my parents live and I could save them too. I thought.

I saw Persona grinned. It seems like he has read my thoughts again. Then he walked towards Natsume.

He lay his hand on Natsume's head and chanted something. A few seconds later a dark blue light forms around Natsume.

"Dramine…erasoe," he said then the light faded and Natsume fell to the ground.

"I did something else too. I've erased his memories of the Alice Stone. It's too dangerous for him since you've accepted my deal. He might as well use it against me," Persona said.

I nodded. "He'll wake up soon. Like you wished, he'll be a normal Alice student in merely 3 years. Good luck. We'll start your training as soon as possible," Persona said then disappeared.

I carried Natsume on my back and dragged him back to the dancing ground.

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"Oh my god. What happened?" Natsume woke up shaking his head.

"I found you near the woods; you fell asleep for darn sake. And you also owe me a dance," I pointed out.

Natsume looked around at the deserted ground. Everything has been cleared up and everyone has gone to sleep.

"I'm sorry," he said then I pulled him up. He was still looking around then he kneeled. "Would you like to have the last dance with me?" he asked.

I was absolutely confused. I guess he really has forgotten about the part where he has a mission to kill my 'father'. That's good. "Sure, why not?" I said.

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Well, there it is. My 8th chapter. Took me long enough. I'm absolutely sorry for the delay. If anyone's confused, just tell me and I'll try explaining things to you about all the 8 chapters so far. Thank you so much for reading…

BloodyHolly…