Special Alice (Gakuen Alice / Alice Academy FF)

SA 38 - Christmas Ball

{Author}

The date was December 24th, and the clock had just struck 5:00 PM at Gakuen Alice. The students had finished preparing for the highly anticipated Christmas ball, and the atmosphere was filled with excitement. Among the students, Mikan was particularly ecstatic.

Her eyes gleamed with wonder as she took in the ballroom's decorations, the various stalls, the delectable cakes, the elegant attire of her fellow students, and the enormous Christmas tree that stood at the heart of the venue.

" Mikan!" Anna and Nonoko laughed as they witnessed Mikan's reaction upon entering the venue. Her eyes sparkled, mirroring the enchantment in her heart.

" Where's Misaki?" Hotaru inquired, dressed in a chic tube dress. Each division had two options for attire, allowing the students to choose the outfit that suited them best. Anna and Mikan wore sleeveless halter dress adorned with white fur at the neck, while Hotaru and Nonoko sported tube dresses.

The ball had a unique theme, combining elements of Christmas and Halloween, which added an extra layer of excitement to the event.

" You're truly amazed, Mikan-chan," Inchou chuckled while wearing attire reminiscent of a wizard.

Hotaru noticed Subaru, her brother, in the vicinity, and Mikan, who was standing between the two, couldn't help but sense the tension between the siblings.

" Eh?" Mikan blinked, her gaze darting back and forth between the two.

With all the students gathered, the opening ceremony commenced. Once again, Natsume and Misaki occupied prominent seats in the front row as the student council president delivered his welcoming speech.

" Look, it's Misaki and Natsume!" their fellow classmates whispered in hushed tones.

Misaki scanned the crowd and locked eyes with Mikan, who was beaming at her with a smile that reached her eyes. Misaki returned the smile, but Natsume decided to stick his tongue out, much to Mikan's irritation.

Once the welcoming remarks concluded, Misaki stood up from her seat, breathing a sigh of relief. " Finally~." Natsume glanced at her, his gaze filled with something she couldn't quite decipher.

Misaki's attire, like Hotaru's, was elegant but simple, and her hair was neatly French-braided to one side.

" What's up?" Misaki laughed, perplexed by the intensity of Natsume's scrutiny.

Natsume nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. " See you later," he said before leaving his seat.

Misaki made her way to Mikan and Tsubasa's group. Tsubasa greeted her with a warm smile, but Tono, who was also present, swooped her up by the waist and lifted her off her feet.

" What-!" Misaki exclaimed, her eyes widening at Tono's bold move. Mikan, Inchou, and Tsubasa sweat dropped in response to the situation.

" He did that to me too," Mikan quickly interjected in an attempt to comfort Misaki.

Tono, his eyes sparkling, gazed at Misaki with delight. " Misaki!" he beamed.

" Let me pamper you tonight!" he declared, his enthusiasm infectious. Tsubasa, on the other hand, had a horrified expression as he intervened, taking Misaki from Tono's grasp.

" Scary," Misaki shivered, hugging herself in a gesture of self-comfort. Mikan placed a comforting hand on Misaki's shoulder.

" Ouch~." Tono hissed while rubbing his head. Tsubasa knocked his head for harassing a small girl. " Pervert." Tsubasa sighed. 

Tono held his hands up before shaking his head. " Lil' brat and Misaki looks adorable, can't help it." he stated. 

"Raging hormones," Misaki's senpai chimed in, prompting Tsubasa to nod in agreement. Misaki senpai then turned her attention to the two young girls.

"You two look cute! Tono's love for women can't be stopped, but geez. They're just kids, can you relax?" Misaki senpai scolded Tono. Misa and Mikan were slightly confused by the conversation.

" I heard my name being called; see you later," Tono excused himself and slipped away from the scene. But not before Narumi, Permy, Ruka, and a little boy named Youichi arrived.

" Hello again, Mikan and friends," Narumi greeted with a glass of grape juice masquerading as champagne in his hand.

" Sensei, give us our presents!" Mikan excitedly exclaimed, pointing out the obvious fact that Narumi was dressed as Santa Claus, complete with the red and white attire.

" Eh?" Narumi exclaimed in puzzlement, as he wondered what the students were talking about.

Ruka had a forlorn look as he observed Mikan, and he occasionally stole glances at her. Youichi clung to Ruka, clearly taken by the sight of Mikan standing in front of them.

" Youichi-chan is so cute!" Mikan giggled, but the little boy responded by giving her the cold shoulder and turning away. " Hmph," he huffed.

Narumi, changing the subject, began to speak. " Everyone's energetic today. It's a good thing that the elementary, middle, and senior divisions have different attire options this time," he remarked, visibly pleased with the festive atmosphere.

" This is much better; it adds variety, Sensei," Misaki said, flashing a smile before moving to stand behind Mikan.

As the conversation continued, the topic of the upcoming masquerade ball came up. " Masquerade ball! One of the chances where students could confess!" Anna and Nonoko gushed, their eyes twinkling with romantic dreams.

Koko and Kitsuneme, standing by Ruka, added to the excitement. " It's your chance, Ruka-pyon!" they cheered, trying to encourage their friend.

Ruka, feeling somewhat overwhelmed, sweatdropped. " Masquerade ball... wearing a mask to hide your expression and dancing with the one you like!" Anna exclaimed. Mikan nodded, her curiosity piqued, as she sat at a table with Hotaru.

" You have to be careful and not mistake anyone for the person you like. If the person says yes, you exchange masks, and you're a couple for the rest of your lives... according to the legend," Nonoko elaborated.

Misaki placed Youichi on the floor. " Seems like the school has a lot of legends," she chuckled, observing the enthusiasm of the other students.

Tsubasa nodded in agreement. " Mhmm, exactly," he concurred.

" But isn't it romantic?" Anna and Nonoko swooned, their hands clasped together in dreamy anticipation.

" Right," Hotaru muttered sarcastically as she continued munching on her food.

" There's another legend that says if your mask accidentally falls..." Koko began, with Kitsuneme chiming in, " You'll lose something important to you."

Ruka chuckled nervously at the legend's implications. " It's just a legend, anyway," Mikan reassured him.

As time passed, the students exchanged their presents. Among the array of gifts, some were quite odd, like vouchers, a signed poster, and a hat that supposedly enhanced hair growth. Others were more thoughtful and traditional.

" What did you get?" they asked each other. Misaki opened her present to find a cat beanie, causing her to chuckle. She also checked out the gifts her friends had received with a smile.