Special Alice (Gakuen Alice / Alice Academy FF)

SA 31 - Sand Jail

{Author}

Mikan frantically shook Misaki awake, urging her to open her eyes. As Misaki slowly awakened and adjusted to the room's light, she found Mikan's eyes filled with concern and worry.

" Are you okay?" Mikan asked, helping her friend sit up. Misaki nodded and offered a reassuring smile, hoping to ease Mikan's anxiety.

" Thank goodness," Mikan sighed in relief, placing a hand on her head. Misaki noticed something white behind Mikan, causing her to squint her eyes.

" What's that?" Misaki inquired, frowning. Mikan turned around to see what had caught Misaki's attention. To their surprise, a white figure, a literal skeleton, was sitting on the ground, huddled with its legs drawn close.

" A SKELETON?!" Mikan screamed, jumping behind Misaki and trembling with fear. Could this skeleton be an Alice as well?

" What kind of place is this?" Misaki muttered, her frustration evident. She looked at Mikan, who was now crying.

" Hotaru wouldn't appreciate you crying," Misaki reminded her gently. Mikan paused, her tears drying as she contemplated this, and then she started laughing instead.

" Just laugh, Mikan-chan. It'll help you feel better," Misaki suggested with a smile. After Mikan regained her composure, two individuals entered the room.

The woman had short hair and a vaguely familiar face, while the man had jet-black hair and wore sunglasses that obscured his eyes. " The intruders," Mikan muttered, just loud enough for Misaki to hear. Was she... Z?

Misaki's eyes widened when the pair effortlessly entered their cell. Mikan recognized the woman as the intruder from before. " I've heard that you possess a nullification Alice, is that correct?" the woman asked calmly, her eyes fixed on Mikan.

" I... I shall not tell you my alice." Mikan furrowed her brows and refused to reveal her Alice. The woman remained unfazed and continued, " Why did you come here?"

" To save my friends," Mikan defended herself. Misaki glanced at the man in sunglasses, whom Mikan had labeled as Z.

The man suddenly turned his attention towards Misaki, making her feel strangely uneasy. Did she know him? There was an indescribable feeling, like something was amiss.

Mikan explained their mission, which was to retrieve Inchou's Alice and obtain the antidote. The woman's eyes widened slightly.

" Hit by the bullet?" she mumbled. Mikan raised her voice, her hands clenched into fists.

" Don't act like you don't know! If this continues, Hotaru's condition will worsen!" she exclaimed. Mikan grabbed Z's arm, her frustration clearly visible. Z seemed taken aback.

" You stole Inchou's Alice, too! Even before Reo's incident, why would you do this?" Mikan cried out. Misaki rose from her sitting position. " Mikan-chan, calm down," she tried to intervene, but Mikan pushed her away.

" You people are the worst! Give back Inchou's Alice and help Hotaru recover, you idiots!" Mikan shouted. The man still kept his attention on Misaki, making her feel uncomfortable.
Suddenly, Z struck Mikan with her pouch, causing its contents to scatter on the floor. Mikan began crying again as Z approached her.

Without hesitation, Misaki collected the scattered items and nervously handed them to the man in sunglasses. " I'm sorry about her," she said, bowing slightly before noticing Z stepping on Mikan.

" I won't tolerate a brat's tantrums. You can't change what has already happened," Z declared, looking down at Mikan, who seemed puzzled.

" Oh, Mikan-chan," Misaki worriedly gasped. Z held Mikan's shoulder, and Mikan seemed to realize something.

" So, it is nullification after all..." she muttered. Misaki gasped, recalling a conversation she and Natsume overheard between Narumi sensei and the teachers on the balcony.

From their vantage point, they had heard the conversation clearly. Misaki was now sure they hadn't misheard it.

" That girl..." Jinno began. "She also has the ability to steal."

Misaki snapped back to the present as Z commented, " The others must have been caught by now," before she and the man in sunglasses left.

" Are you okay, Mikan-chan?" Misaki inquired, helping her friend to stand. Mikan picked up a small tube from the floor.

" Why did she leave this?" Mikan wondered, and Misaki suspected it was the antidote.

" She gave you the antidote," Misaki gasped. Mikan nodded and then collapsed, clutching her side. The skeleton, in alarm, faced the security camera and made peculiar gestures. To no avail, it then picked the lock of their cell.

Misaki and Mikan dashed outside, closing the door behind them, which left the skeleton surprised. " Sorry, skeleton-san," Misaki said as they hurried along the hallway, making sure they weren't seen.

" I'm so nervous!" Mikan confessed, clutching her chest. Misaki glanced around to ensure no one was guarding the area.

" I'll protect you, Mikan-chan. Don't worry," she reassured her friend with a smile. Suddenly, Mikan's Penguin pin began beeping, its antenna pointing in a particular direction.

" So it's a transmitter after all?" Mikan realized. They followed the signal to a door.

" Stay behind me, Mikan. Hotaru said to keep you away from harm," Misaki instructed with a stern tone. " Alright," Mikan responded, holding the small bottle tightly as Misaki reminded her not to lose it.

" Here we go," Misaki muttered as she opened the door. Inside, they found Tsubasa, Ruka carrying Penguin, and Natsume. There were also people they didn't recognize, individuals affiliated with Z.

" What's happening here?" Misaki furrowed her brows. Mikan greeted her friends with a cheerful smile.

" They're safe," Ruka said, sighing in relief. However, Tsubasa senpai quickly stopped them from approaching and warned them of the danger.

It was too late because Mikan was already running toward them. " Mikan!" Misaki shouted in annoyance. Mikan never seemed to listen.

" Idiot!" Tsubasa exclaimed when he saw a man teleport behind Mikan. " Such a headache," Misaki muttered, creating a water wall to prevent the man from reaching Mikan. The man stumbled back in fear.

Out of frustration, she used her water Alice to knock him off his feet, throwing him against a wall where Z's associates were located.

" Ah!" the man screamed in terror. Misaki then approached Tsubasa and the others. Natsume scolded Mikan for not listening.

Ruka's eyes widened. " Natsume!" he cried out as a guy fired something toward Natsume and Mikan. In a selfless act, Natsume pushed her out of harm's way and took the full force of the attack.

" Haven't you learned your lesson, you idiotic girl?" Natsume's anger flared as he panted and bled.

" Oi, you two okay?" Tsubasa asked. Ruka took a worried look at Natsume. " Natsume, the blood..."

Z called out the guy's name. " Shiki." The man who attacked Natsume is Shiki.

Without any choice, Misaki stood in front of Mikan, slowly walking in front since Natsume is already injured. Natsume started speaking. " Don't step ahead of me, I could let you off if you're behind me but I'll get mad if you step ahead." he panted.

He curled his hands into fists. " For now, just stay behind me. I will protect the both of you." he added." Natsume." Mikan gasped. Ruka held her arm helping her up since she fell when Natsume pushed her to safety.

" Eh? Misaki?" Tsubasa called out in worry.

" I'll stay by your side and be your strength, Natsume. I won't even allow you guys to get hurt so much." Misaki gritted her teeth and went in a combat stance.
The guy who was wearing a white coat smirked. " Another brat?" he snickered. The guy took off his eyeglasses. His eyes, his pupils...

Suddenly, Ruka was held back by Z's  sunglass man as Mikan was teleported successfully by the Shiki guy. " Sakura!" Ruka exclaimed.

Z's companion addressed the situation, "For you children, this girl's Alice is the only one that can counter my Alice." His gaze shifted to Tsubasa's legs, which turned into stone without warning.

"Senpai!" Mikan screamed, her shock mirrored by Ruka, Natsume, and even Tsubasa.