Three days ago

It was a peaceful night for the students of Alice Academy, some are sleeping, doing their homework, preparing for bed, eating or in a mission. It was a normal night just like any other; little did they know about the arrival of a new student.

At the gate of the Academy, there stand a man dressed in black with multiple accessories and half of his face covered because of the silver mask he's wearing. His appearance coincides with the darkness, as if he completes the picture by merely standing there.

A few minutes later a black car stopped at the front gate, the masked man opened the door and a woman went out of the car. She was wearing the school's uniform; a gray long sleeved over shirt and a blue-checkered skirt and tie. She has a medium-length and wavy locks that stretches just above her middle rib. "Welcome back, Mikan." Said the man.

Mikan stretched out her arms and let out a sigh. "Phew! That was a one tiring trip. How many decades since I last stepped into this academy?" She said feeling nostalgic. "Anyway, It's been a long time since I last saw you Persona! You look manlier now!" she said cheerfully while patting his back. A vain popped on his head, "and you're still cheerfully annoying as ever." He said sounding really annoyed. "You're not very cute aren't you." She said before letting out a sigh. "I remember when you were still a child you would always cling to me. Ahhhh, you were still so cute back then." She continued with stars in her eyes.

"Shut up you old hag." Persona replied not sounding really pleased. "Is that how you treat your trainer? You're really not cute at all!" she pouted. "Not cute is fine." He said uninterested. Persona signaled the guards and the gate opened for them, the two walked into the academy.

Northern Forest

"So I see you left my house unscathed." Mikan said taking a sip from her cup. Persona sat across her. "It would be troublesome if you started whining about your things not being in place." Persona replied. "Hey I'm not that spoiled!"

"Anyway, how is the AAO moving?" She said before setting her teacup on the table. "They're being active nowadays but the number of the guards is suspiciously very few."

"I pretty much guessed so, it's only a matter of time until they find out about Natsume or they probably know already. Natsume's turning 19 in less than a year and half, we don't have time to waste." Mikan tightened her grip on her cup. "Natsume's waking up soon, we can't let them get him."

Two days later

Mikan's POV

Tomorrow is the day I'll be attending school. I'll be put in class 2b, the same class as Natsume. Finally I could meet him, after waiting for a decade, I could see him again. It's not the situation I've always hoped for but the pain of not seeing him at all is more unbearable. Ahhhh, God must really hate me huh?

I went out to the balcony to get some fresh air, it's a good thing they kept my house as it is. I want this house at least to not change; this is the only thing I have left, that accompanies me with my fate, trapped in a timeless memory, in an endless loop of tragedy.

I held my arms. No matter how many times this happens I still feel insecure the day before seeing him. How could I not? What guarantee do I have, that he'll love me once again?

These are the moments that those lines ring to my ears; I gazed at the starts before closing my eyes. "Is there no pity sitting in the clouds, that sees into the bottom of my grief?" I chanted loudly, the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. NO. I'm not giving up just yet. I've already come this far.

My thoughts are cut off when I heard a rustle not far from here. I grabbed an outdoor lamp and went down to check. That's weird, there shouldn't be people here, this is the Northern Forest. I went further and I saw a figure of a boy sitting under a tree. I walked closer and when I got a full view of the person, horror filled me, I've seen this scene countless of times already but all the time, my fear never fails me. I dropped the lamp and rushed to the boy. "Natsume!"

Morning

Ahhhh, I feel tired. I haven't slept a wink after I brought Natsume here. It really surprised me; I met him earlier than expected. After I brought him to my house I tended to his minor wounds they were just scratches but there was a fatal one in his left torso, which seemed like a gunshot. After I removed the bullet and performed the first aid, I had the school's student/doctor Imai called to my place to heal him. The doctor left soon after that. Damn that Persona, I told him not to send Natsume to mission for a while.

I went out of the room to get towels and prepare tea. I felt him waking up before I came back to the room. The soon that I opened the door he rushed towards me with a fire in his hand. I used my Alice to kill his flame. A few inches from me, he seemed to have realized who I was so he halted his attack. He faced me and we looked at each other for a few seconds before I went to the table and set the tea. I mean he was staring at me intently of course I'll be embarrassed.

He didn't flinched, he just followed me and went to the opposite side of the table and poured tea for himself. I can't help but chuckle. He never really change, how long has it been since I last felt like this? "How very collective of you, as expected from the cold blooded prince." I said jokingly. He just looked at me and asked. "So what are you doing here? Mikan." He remembered.

Yes. What was I doing here? It would have been a better reunion if what brings me here is not an endless tragedy. I stared into the ray of sunlight outside the balcony. Normally I would have been delighted to see such beauty but remembering the misfortune that is about to come, I just can't. "I told you right? Our fates are intertwined. You can't escape me, Natsume." You can't escape your fate.

I stood up and went to the balcony feeling the wind on my skin. I closed my eyes and let the sunlight touch my skin.

Now pull up the curtains of this never ending tragedy. Once again, let's enter the stage and battle against faith, Pierre.