Disclaimer: I don't own any of the main characters of Gakuen Alice. And some characters and stuff belong to their rightful and respected authors. I don't own anything except for the plot. But if I do.. I wonder how the story would end XD..

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Chapter 4

A certain chocolate brown haired girl stood before the huge gates of Gakuen Alice with her clear azure blue eyes the looked like they were trying to penetrate through the strong irons before her; and if ever she was really trying to, there were absolutely no progress that were done.

"Miss, do you have any business here other than to stand and stare?" The guard's strict query yet slightly polite voice pulled her back to reality that she finally blinked her eyes and turn to the direction of the older man.

"I'm a new student." She answered as she used her left hand to pull out something from her bag pack, a letter to be precise. Once getting hold of the item, she took it out and handed it to the guard. He read the contents until his eyes caught sight of the school's official seal at its bottom.

The guard returned it to her with a bow of his head and she returned the gesture as she accepted the letter back to her care. Then, he turned around as he raised one hand up; and a second later, the gates were opened.

She took a deep breath in and out as quietly and unnoticeable as possible and finally moved from her spot.

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Chocolate brown bangs fluttered as a sigh was directed upwards and the moving pace came to a stop.

So, which building should I go first? The same girl asked herself as she looked at the distant buildings. She was supposed to make an appearance at the principal's office of the High School Department, but to her disappointment, she had no clue on which of those structures was it and no students were still in sight.

She crumpled her eyebrows as her mind debated on which of those buildings would she try first while her left hand gripped unto her bag pack's strap. Her eyes wandered on random places, and surprisingly, she spotted something that caused her to brighten up.. She spotted the first person she ever saw ever since she had stepped in the academy.

Without wasting anymore time, she hurriedly approached he walking blonde before she lost sight of it.

"O-Ohayou Gozaimasu!" She greeted with a bow that made the blonde to stop and to turn to her and as she felt his gaze, she continued, "Ano.. Could you please tell me where the High School Building is?"

The blonde man fell silent for a span of time that made her lift her head up; but only regretted it as an overwhelming amount of nervousness rushed through her veins at the sight of suspicion on his amethyst orbs and that came along with his furrowed eyebrows.

She mentally swallowed as she keep track of her facial expression, "Is there anything wr-wrong, sir?" She politely asked as a sweat ran down her cheek.She tried to block off negative thoughts off her head. There was no way she was found out this soon, right?

Out of the blue, the blonde man shot her a smile, "By any chance, are you Sakura Mikan-chan?"

Mikan blinked at the unexpected yet relieving question, "Ha-Hai.. That's my name. But how did you know me?"

"Great!" He clasped his hands in a more feminine manner as his eyes showed happiness, however he earned a confused look from her and that was his indication to speak again, "I'm Anjou Narumi. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mikan-chan. You're actually in my homeroom class."

As relief defeated all of the previous negativity, the tips of her lips tugged themselves upwards, "Glad to meet you too, Anjou-sensei!" She chimed with a bow.

"Eh. Narumi-sensei would be much preferred." He good-naturedly corrected her.

"Hai!" Mikan obeyed with her smile plastered on her lips.

Narumi then lead her to the said office but she was told to just stay in a separate yet spacious room, it looks more of a receiving area. She patiently waited while her eyes roamed around the closed room to kill some time.

Her blonde teacher came back after some time that came undetermined by Mikan and he then warmly welcomed her to the academy once more. Then, he handed Mikan's Identification Card and dorm room number.

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Mikan-chan, I'll sent a student to fetch you, alright? Narumi's cheerful voice ringed in her ears as she tied her checkered green necktie in front of her dresser. She was still in her white undershirt with a folded right sleeve that reached her elbow that revealed white bandage wrapped around her wrist; and to complete her uniform, it was sported by a checkered green skirt.

"Aww.." She half-hissed in a low tone as her wounded wrist sent a wave of stinging pain that forced her right eye to close itself; her wound barely made a progress on healing itself.

*knock*knock*

Like a bubble was popped in front of her face, she flicked her head to the door and just in time that she finished her tie.

"That must be the student." She uttered as she pulled her sleeve down with a quick bite of her lip when the same pain came to her.

*knock*knock*

"Wait. Coming!" She exclaimed and slips into her black blazer and went to answer the door. She opened it and saw a blonde.

"Ohayou Gozaimasu!" She greeted with a bow "Are you the student that Narumi-sensei sent?" She reconfirmed.

The blonde young lad's eyebrows wrinkled as his cerulean blue orbs darted somewhere else. He looked rather pissed off. "..Yeah. Sort of." He replied as he patted his white rabbit that was obviously came noticeable by her.

"Wow! Cute pet!" She commented that made him look at her and that also went noticed by her.

"Am.. I not allowed saying that?" Mikan uneasily asked.

He drew out a sigh with a shake of his head, "I'm sorry if I'm bending my anger on you. So, firstly—", he faced her with a smile,—let me introduce myself. I'm Nogi Ruka. And you are?"

"I'm Mikan. Sakura Mikan." She extended her hand for a handshake that he accepted "Nice to meet you, Ru-Ruka-pyo-pyon." She stuttered but made her smile star as her wrist hurt again.

"Pyon?" Ruka repeated the weird honorific with a raise of his brow and earned a sheepish smile from her, "Nevermind. Let's go, Sakura-san." He said instead as he dropped the subject.

She nodded in agreement and exited her room. She looked her door with the key securely in her blazer's pocket; and then, they started to walk through the hall in silence.

The blonde was a few steps ahead of her and was continuously patting his white rabbit. His eyes glinted with something that was supposed to be directed to the girl behind him as he would stealthily glance at her once in a while from the corner of his eyes.

"Uh. Ruka-pyon, are you the class representative?" She asked out of the blue that broke the silence.

"..No. I'm just.. told to do so." He replied between paused like he was pondering on the words he would say.

"Oh."

Afterwards, they started to exchange conversation about random topics that pops inside her mind while the other would supply the answers. Ruka had gladly cooled down and he was now treating her in a friendlier manner, while Mikan treated him in the same manner; however, she kept her precautions on what words were coming out of her mouth. And to her relief, she hadn't slip.. yet.

"Here we are." Ruka declared as he stopped on his tracks and spun on his heel to face her.

Mikan glanced up and saw the room's label, "One.. A", and she drop her gaze to the floor, "..Ruka-pyon—", she started as he looked straight to his questioning eyes,—Can.. I ask for a little favore?"

"What can it be?"

She placed some air to her left cheek and released it at her mouth's little opening and stated, "..Can I tag along with you? Since aside from Narumi-sensei, you're the only person I know here.. but its okay if you don't want to." She smiled; open for whatever his answer would be.

"Sure. I don't mind." He replied and her smile developed into a grin.

"Thanks, Ruka-pyon!" She bowed in gratitude.

"Nah. Don't mention it." He stated with a wave of his hand "Though, I need to go now."

"Okay." Mikan responded with the same smile on as she watches him going through the other double door. With his leave, that leaved her alone in the empty hall. It was weird why she hadn't met a single student when they were walking, well being with someone do make you unaware of your surroundings.

Next, she faced the still closed oak double doors as her smile sunk into a small one. Her left hand moved on its own as it landed on her head and her candle-like fingers glided their way down on her silky hair; but it was cut short when they reached the end of it.

Hmm.. Having my hair in this length is fairly convenient.. but still, I miss my long hair already.. she mentally remarked as her fingers clipped some of her chocolate brown tresses. And a topic crossed her mind as she absent-mindedly combed her hair with her fingers..Their ID totally matched with that intruder— Her eyes narrowed – all I have to do is—

The creaking sound from the right door broke her train of thoughts that she masked her emotions right away, and then, Narumi's head popped out, "Ne, You can come in and introduce yourself now."

She blinked, "O-Okay."

He opened the door wider and moved a little to give her a space to pass; the class' noise was oozing out from the door, stressing her. She calmed her self and started to move forward. It seemed that her every step resulted for the noise to decrease but this only made her more anxious.

Mikan finally stood in front and swallowed a lump that was in her throat, "O-Ohayou Gozaimasu! I'm Sa-Sakura Mikan. It's nice to meet you all!" She bowed her had and mentally hit herself from stuttering. She straightly stood and smiled.

The noise stated to increase though as murmurs and chatters filled the air.

A random student raised his hand and inquired, "Ne, Sakura-san, what magic do you use?"

"I-I'm more used on ice magic." She answered, but more questions came that she didn't know which one should be answered first.

As if sensing her new student's distress, Narumi came to her rescue. He clapped his hands thrice and luckily seized his class' growing noise.

"I know that you have question for her but you can freely ask her on you free time, yes?" He told them with a never fading smile "And Mikan-chan, your seat would be.. that one." He motioned his hand.

Her azure blue eyes followed to where his hand was set and she caught sight of Ruka, "Okay Narumi-sensei."

She made her way to her seat briskly while trying to ignore the eyes that were on her. It wasn't easy, though. She sat down and revolved her head to her right where a male student was fast asleep with his hands folded behind his head.. But something caught her attention. The object that was used to cover the sleeping person's face..

A manga! Woah! It's a newly released one Her mind automatically concluded

She stared hard at the manga ..there should be some wind that can at least flip that cover— she hopefully thought but her eyes pouted right after –Geez.. Dreaming is alright and NOT reading that for the meantime is alright— she mentally convinced herself but it was fruitless as her mind frustratingly contradicted –NO! it's NOT alright! That would make me crazy! Urgh! I wanna read one!

And with no other choice, Mikan lazily dragged her eyes away from the tempting manga and to their blonde teacher as to distract herself.. although listening did not help her so much as she was constantly nagged by the said object that resulted for her to send some split-second glances on it through the corner of her eye.

To what felt like eternity, the school bell rung.

"See you tomorrow, my lovely darlings!" Narumi sing-song as he twirled his way out of the room.

As if on cue, the sleeping male student finally made a movement and caused for her to look at his direction but came to regret it as she saw when the manga was pulled off from his face. Her eyes widen in shock and disbelief. Mustering her strength back, she looked away while blinking the shock hopefully off her.

Wh-Why is he here? He's attending this academy too.. Her mind formulated more statements and questions since her seatmate was none other than the raven-haired stranger from months ago..Wait. I have changed my hair style and color, so there a high possibility that he won't recognize me, right? Right, he won't and why would he remember a person like me? Ha! Yes, I'm saved! She remarked to reassure herself even though the uneasiness was still bugging her to no end that she didn't dare to glance back to his manga.

Her attention was caught by a brown haired male teacher who just came in. Silence took place inside the room as he stood by the teacher's table while his eyes scanned the room before he spoke, "Good Morning! I'm Misaki. I know it's your first day of class but as what we usually do every year, please go out of the room since we will be conducting the Star Ranking Test."

Misaki's instruction was obediently followed without a single word of complain.

"Star Ranking.. Test?" Mikan confusingly murmured to herself as she stood up from her seat. She then approached Ruka, "Ne, Ruka-pyon, what do sensei mean about the test?"

"Misaki-sensei was talking about the ranking system of this school. It's ranging from special star down to one star and it mostly involved around your magic capacity but your academic grades affect it too. The higher your rank, the better." Ruka explained and got a nod of understanding from her.

"Ruka-pyon, what's your ranking?" She inquired with a tilt of her head.

"I'm a three star." He replied with a point of a 3-lined golden star on his blazer.

"Hey Ruka." The raven haired young lad suddenly interrupted and sent Mikan to freeze on her spot.

The blonde smiled at him and cleared his throat as the other raised a brow at him, "Natsume, she's our new classmate. Sakura Mikan-san—"and he turned to her—and Sakura-san this is my best friend, Hyuuga Natsume."

Partially breaking free from her reverie, she turned to him without meeting his eyes, "Ni-Nice to meet you, Hyuuga-san." She greeted with a stiff bow of her head.

"Tch." Came his rude reply, if it was even a reply.

"Did you just 'tch'-ed on me?" The chocolate brown haired girl pointed an accusing finger to herself, offended.

Natsume didn't said another word and walked passed her without sparing a single glance at her. After that, they started to follow their classmates with his lead.

Mikan Sakura

Okay. I'm taking whatever my compliment on him that I had in mind when he returned my missing bell. He is NOT one bit FRIENDLY of GOOD. I even doubt if he has a bone of those traits in him.

I wonder how those two became best friends as what Ruka-pyon referred him to be, but I won't be tackling on that anyway. I have more important matters to attend to.

I maintained a step or 2 away from them, I felt like I had to. Weird.

We had been walking in silence to a place I don't know where. Well, my voice cowered somewhere else when I felt the urge to ask my newfound friend. What can I do? When those two had this 'authorative'-like and unsympathetic atmosphere. Well, Hyuuga had most of those actually while Ruka-pyon had little of it.

I noticed from awhile ago and until now that out classmates are walking in, to which I have no idea.

To what looked-like were walking and turning to an endless road, we reached the room and entered it. The room had roughly the same size as our classroom's. I still tailed behind them and caught a glimpse of Misaki-sensei, whose back was facing me, was talking to what I presumed to be one of my new classmates. But I waved it off since the duo was far ahead of me.

Hyuuga finally stopped while Ruka-pyon followed suit. And again, I stood a distant beside Ruka-pyon and my eyes started to roam. My classmates were talking to their peers, as usual.

"Oi. Nogi." A dreading familiar voice entered my ears that I stopped from looking on random places of the room and yanked my head to its general direction. A huge wave of shock came to me.

I was purely surprised when I thought that the sound of that voice is really the same with a person I know. I just hope that I didn't look as shocked as what the image in my mind had given me. My smile stayed.. I think.

"Imai." My new friend acknowledged, and thus, sent me ice cold as a lump came to my throat that holdup my breathing. I'm not hallucination, but I greatly wish I was.

"I can see that you have done the job well within my short absence." She impassively remarked and I met her eyes "So, this is the new student, huh."

Cold beads of sweat run down my back as I mentally swallowed. She couldn't have recognized me already, yes?

"Imai Hotaru. You are?" She introduced herself in a flat tone as she offered a hand share that I openly accepted.

"Sa-Sakura Mikan. It's a pleasure to meet you, Imai-san." I felt relieved that I was still not spotted.. But my wrist is freakingly painful.

"Hotaru would be fine." We broke the gesture as she corrected me.

"O-Okay." Yess! I wanted to rejoice at that.. not until I realized that her eyes were not leaving mine yet.

Uh-oh.

"Have we met before?"

I was about to speak but Misaki-sensei spoke. Somehow, I wanted to thank him.

"Is everyone with your partners now?" His voice was loud enough. I mentally sighed in relief—Err.. wait. Partners? Hey. I wasn't informed about this. So that was why they were walking in pairs awhile ago. But.. How about me?

I glanced at Ruka-pyon and Hotaru. I might consider myself as dumb if I won't comprehend that they were obviously partners. That when I decided to raise my left hand.

"Sakura-san, is it?" I nodded to confirm and brought my hand down "Narumi-sensei seemed to have forgotten on informing you about this. Your partner will be.." He stopped as he check the paper in his hand and looked up from it "..Hyuuga Natsume."

I.. was at a loss for words. This is nuts.

"So I think everything is all fixed and set. Now, I'll teleport everyone to camp." He declared and by a snap of his finger, blinding light from nowhere came.

Shading my eyes with one hand from the said light, I stood as I partly overcame that terrifying moment of truth that was surely too much for me. And when the light gradually faded, I lowered my hand and blinked my eyes to let them familiarize with the normal light again and as I did that, I saw that we were really in a campsite that was in the middle of a thick forest.

Misaki-sensei clapped his hands once and that seized any threat of noise from my classmates, "Everyone listen since I'll only give the instructions once. First off, do you see this card and the deck that comes along with it?" He presented a golden card on his hand while the other had an empty card deck. Some nodded to which I am counted whereas some affirmably talked and he nodded and continued, "You need to collect the cards from the creatures that you will encounter in this field. The cards will directly fly inside the deck to avoid some hassles on this activity. For the scoring: red cards are equivalent to 1 point, blue cards are 5 and gold that represent a boss card is equal to 10. Necessary tools are stored in the bag pack. "He stopped as I saw random lights flickered and it was the bags and I saw from the corner of my eye that Hyuuga received it too.

His eyes inspected if everyone acquired the said bag and spoke again, "The highest possible score is 100. Your ranking depends on this like what I said and some of you know. You are only given the allotted time of 1 hour. Without further ado, let the hunting game.. BEGIN!"

Excited cheers and chats filled the air.. Well, it's noticeable.

I slightly revolted to my left, and just in time, a bag was tossed. I quickly yet successfully caught it; but not without a short hiss that escape from my lips. Aww! My wrist. Arggh! This guy is UNBEARABLE!

I bit my lower lip to contain my anger with a shut of my eyes and opened them again as I wore the bag on. My eyebrow twitched at the sight of him retreating. He looked like he wanted to leave me.. score-less and I'm not letting that happen.

"Hey! Hyuuga wait up!" I yelled as I jogged to his side. Again, I had a step or two away from him.

"Take the teleportation dust out of the bag." He abruptly stated, no, scratch that. It was an order.

"Excuse me?" I need to reconfirm.

"Don't make me repeat myself, idiot." He stopped on his walking pace and looked over his shoulder as he slightly turned his body with the same direction as his head, "Or you want a wonderful zero as a beginning mark because I that will be fine with me."

"Okay! I get the whole point." I dejectedly murmured. I don't want a zero on my first day or even on the following tests. I slip the bag's right strap off my shoulder and let my left hand to search for the stupid dust. When I finally got hold of the purse that obviously contained the dust, I took it out.

"Here." I extended my hand to him and showed it to him but his crimson red eyes shifted from the dust and to my eyes with one of his eyebrows lifted upwards.

"What?" I demanded.

"Use that to teleport me." He again ORDERED.

Wait.

"What about me?"

"Like I care." He uttered with a harsh roll of his eyes.

"You!" I grumbled under my breath while my hand clutched unto the dust's pouch… The nerve of this guy. And the next thing I know, my foot hit his nearest lower leg and my left hand was flying to his face. The teleportation dust was now in my other hand.

Normal POV

A sound of skin hitting to another one lingered on the air as the two stayed unmoving.

Shock stretched on Natsume's features at the sudden yet bold direct attacks but it disappeared within a blink of an eye and that was left unseen his attacker.

Mikan gritted her teeth as she clenched her fist tighter when she realized that another hand caught it. Azure blue eyes clashed with crimson red ones.

"Don't. Try. My. Temper." He warned with a treacherous glowered. He had caught her hand at the last minute she had less expected.

Sense started to knock on her head as she blinked and transported her clenched hand down with her nails digging to her palm. It was too close but he just had to stop it.

The raven haired young lad raised a brow as he waited for to apologize on her actions that.. didn't came. And instead, what came was a glare as he returned the gesture with passion.

Silence engulfed the two for the longest span of time and before Natsume can think of burning the girl to crisps, someone coughed loud enough that cut through their unspoken fight. And they broke their glaring contest and turn to the person who dared to disrupt.

"I believe I have given you a task other than staying in camp." Misaki said but his eyes were darted towards Natsume.

"And Sakura-san He carried on as his eyes met hers—disputes on your first day doesn't look good as a good start, yes?"

"I'm sorry." She lowered her head along with a side-glare to the person beside her but he was unable to witness that since his eyes were narrowed somewhere else.

"Put your quarrels aside and start the given task." He inculcated.

"Hai, sensei.." Mikan obeyed with an unenthusiastic tone while Natsume grunted.

-Mikan's POV-

Misaki-sensei left and I complied with what he said which was, put aside the querrels. I can live with that for awhile. I would be labeled as a failure if I blown my cover in less than 24 hours and I don't want that to ever happen.

Never. Not until I fulfilled what I have come to this academy.

I brought myself to face him and used my left hand to scoop out the dusts and threw it above us without asking him. Why would I?

And within a second.. we are in the middle of..

I blinked my eyes with my anger in some place behind my head, ".. Ruins?"

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Author's note: Hope you enjoyed this long chapter. Sorry if I updated longer than I usually update.. Thanks for adding this story to your favorites, the alerts and review:)

(name*grins* that person will soon be revealed on the coming chaps . Thanks for your review^