Ending and Beginning

Chapter 16 - With all of you by my side

The best word that could describe the state of Alice Academy is 'CHAOS'. All were confused. The traitors were back! Why did they come back? After having freedom that all wanted, why would they return to the academy? Truly, the Academy was shocked.

~sun~moon~dreams~

Mikan sat together with Natsume, their hands intertwined with each other. They sat at the very back and their eyes held no emotions.

As Mikan held Natsume's hand, she remembered what had occurred as they entered the office of the elementary school principal who immediately called on them the moment they stepped in the academy.

Flashback:

"Well, well, I never thought that the traitors will be back." Kuonji smirked. His small body sitting on an oversized chair behind the wooden desk.

"We are tired of running away and we would like to go back here." Mikan answered.

"And please dare say the reason that I will give you my trust?"

"We will return to the Dangerous Ability Class." Natsume said.

"That is not enough, kuro neko."

"Then," Mikan went forward. "if we were to go out again, don't you think that you'll be n danger?"

Kuonji's brow rose. "What do you mean?"

"I have heard that your clones are slowly disappearing and with those stones inside you, don't you think that someone like us is an advantage for you?" Mikan slitted her eyes knowing that she had already won.

Kuonji narrowed his own eyes as he spoke menacingly. "Know this, Shinigami, the lives of your precious friends lies in me. A simple flick of my hand and they will be gone. If ever, I find that you are lying to me and the things you said that the nullification alice stone placed in me cancels your stealing alice are all lies, their existence will all be over in a blink of an eye."

Mikan straightened her posture and bowed together with Natsume as Kuonji placed their new masks, the exact replica of the former. "Yes sir" they simultaneously said.

End of flashback

~sun~moon~dreams~

As the lunch bell rang, the couple immediately went to a secluded place where those whispers and prying eyes won't reach them. They were scared not for their safety but for their precious friends and they don't want those bothersome whispers to add on their worries.

Unfortunately, the secluded place that they went in to, wasn't really a secluded place. They felt the presence of not one but twelve people. They were about to go away when a voice stopped them.

"Will you run away again, Mikan?" a stoic voice asked.

Though Mikan couldn't see the person a few feet behind her back, she knew too well who it was. She closed her eyes as Natsume held her hand assuringly. Slowly she turned to face the gang. Her hazel eyes were caught by amethyst eyes. Mikan wanted to run and hug her friends but they could not get involve. She hid all of her emotions that wanted to go out. Her stoic face matched the other's. "I'm afraid I do not know what you are talking about, Imai-san."

Hotaru winced at the emotionless voice and face of her very best friend.

Ruka, sensing the discomfort of his love, grasped her hand.

Hotaru tightened her grip on Ruka as she once again tried to speak but she was cut off by Mikan.

"Imai-san, I know that all of you are very angry at both of us for leaving that's why we fully understand if you would like to cut off all ties with us." Mikan was met by a shocked expression of her friends but she continued. "Really, we won't mi-"

Silence befell as Hotaru slapped Mikan.

Mikan held her cheek as Natsume hugged her but he was pushed away by a now crying Hotaru. Hotaru hugged Mikan fiercely as if she was her lifeline. "Baka! Why would I ever cut ties with you? Don't you ever say those words again!"

Unable to hide her emotions any longer, Mikan began to cry. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry….sorry" she kept repeating those words like a mantra as she hugged Hotaru back.

Ruka came and hugged the both of them as one by one, all did the same. Anna, Nonoko, Sumire and Aoi were all crying while the boys, Natsume, Ruka, Akira, Kitsuneme, Koko, Mochu, Yuu and Youichi all had small smiles, relieved that they all got back their friends.

~sun~moon~dreams~

After they all calmed down, Hotaru drilled Mikan with questions.

Mikan looked at Natsume who nodded at her for he, too, knew that they had the right to know.

Mikan began to speak. "I'll show you through the alice of memories that I have copied what had happened from the very start."

They saw the very first time Yuka went to the academy, when Izumi first met Yuka, when she found her SEC alice and Kuonji began to use her, when Yuka met Narumi, when Yuka and Izumi fell in love, when they saw the cursed-boy Persona, when they escaped and Yuka stole Narumi's emotions, when Izumi was killed while Yuka escaped and Mikan was brought to the Alice Academy in America, when Yuka helped Persona, when Natsuki and Mikan fell in love, when Natsuki died, when Yuka helped Natsuki, when Natsuki, Mikan and Natsume were reunited, when Mikan and Natsume joined the organization, when Mikan together with the other pillars gathered alice wielders, when they started their plans and lastly, the talk with the Elementary School principal, Kuonji.

When the memories slowly vanished, it took time for the others to get their selves together.

"I never thought Persona will be one of the good guys." Muttered Koko.

"I am hurt with that statement." A voice, loud enough to hear, declared.

Koko began to shiver as the man, Persona, stepped towards them. Koko began to stutter. "W-w-well, uhm, I-I didn't me-meant i-it that way."

"Stop bullying him Persona." Mikan smirked then all of them chuckled (or in Persona, Hotaru and Natsume's case, they smirked.)

The conversation was cut off as Narumi walked towards them.

He looked at Persona then at Mikan. "You are in the AAO's side aren't you?" he asked in a calm voice.

The other's tensed.

He smiled. "Do not worry; I want to join you also. I wanted to change the academy from the inside but it seems, I had failed." He looked down solemnly.

"My friends have not yet decided if they would go over the AAO's side." Mikan said aloud.

The others looked at her.

"Wasn't it obvious, Baka? We are on your side, no matter what." Hotaru answered as the others nodded in approval.

Mikan's face brightened. She looked at Narumi. "You are more than welcome. We have seen your efforts in changing the academy. Your actions and love for your students leaves us no doubt. That's why I also shared to you the memories."

All looked at her.

Mikan returned the look and shrugged.

Narumi looked at her. "You forgot that I have no emotions, I can't possibly feel love."

Mikan shook her head. "My mother might have said those words but we can only steal alices, no more and no less. You never lost the ability to feel. You must understand that my mother did this because she loves my father and me, who wass in her womb, very deeply. She also loves you so much that she doesn't want you to suffer a life where you would blindly love her with your emotions never returned."

Narumi smiled. "I would have died loving her. That could never be changed. For love is blind and knows no boundaries."

Mikan sighed, and then she smiled. "I was afraid that I would lose all of you, but now I'm confident. With all of you by my side, we will definitely reach our ultimate dreams."

~sun~moon~dreams~~sun~moon~dreams~~sun~moon~dreams~~sun~moon~dreams~

Author's Note: And here I am! At long last!

You know I'm in a very good mood now because exams just finished and all we are going to do for the next two weeks are nothing but go to school and play with each other!

We leave our love behind

As we walk to our separate ways

I wish you could read my mind

Thanks for the memories it says.