Special Alice (Gakuen Alice / Alice Academy FF)

SA 43 - Blackout

{Author}

Two days had passed since their previous adventure, and once again, the students found themselves gathered in their school classroom. This time, it was for a massive clean-up operation. Beyond the classroom windows, snow fell relentlessly, blanketing the world in a serene, wintry landscape. While the snow was undeniably picturesque, the cold air was unforgiving, especially for Misaki, who wasn't accustomed to such temperatures, having preferred to stay indoors with a heater.

" Hey, don't slack around!" scolded one of their classmates as they spotted Mikan lost in thought while she mechanically swept the floor. It was evident that something was bothering her, but she continued to sweep diligently.

Meanwhile, Misaki, along with Koko and Mochiage, was assigned the task of cleaning the windows. The rest of the class was busy unearthing hidden treasures, or rather, forgotten trash from the oddest nooks and crannies.

The clean-up day proved to be an eventful one, revealing a range of strange things concealed for far too long. Among those who had hidden items were Anna and Nonoko, who promptly received a stern reprimand from the teachers.

After three hours of scrubbing, sweeping, and reorganizing, the students took a much-needed one-hour break. Misaki made her way over to where Hotaru and the others were congregated, only to find Anna and Nonoko in tears, still reeling from their earlier scolding.

Hotaru, ever the opportunist, suggested, " Why don't we tell some scary stories? The best storyteller gets a cash prize!" She couldn't help but grin at the prospect of a monetary reward.

Mikan quipped, " Always thinking about money, aren't you, Hotaru?" Her observation was met with laughter and agreement from the others. They huddled together, and even Natsume, Ruka, and Youichi joined the gathering.

Misaki opted to take a backseat during this storytelling session, citing, " Not joining, Misa-chan?" when Mikan questioned her choice.

She scratched her head, hesitating, before replying with a smile, " No, it's not that I dislike scary stories... But I'll just listen to all of you." Her decision was to be an attentive listener rather than an active participant.

The tales unfolded, each one more spine-tingling than the last. As the stories reached their climax, Mikan couldn't contain her fear and broke down in tears. Eventually, this led to the removal of an odd seal that had been placed on her back. This seal had remained untouched, as no one dared to tamper with it before.

The break concluded, and it was time to resume cleaning. Misaki was assigned to clean the corridors. As she started her task, one of her classmates expressed concern for her.

" Don't worry; I'm fine," she reassured them, nodding her head to emphasize her point. As she continued her duties, her thoughts returned to Mikan, who was likely struggling to focus after the frightening stories.

Meanwhile, Natsume approached and directed another student to proceed to their assigned area. Misaki, curious, glanced his way. " Natsume, why are you here? You were supposed to be in Ruka-pyon's group with me."

Natsume replied casually, " They left me out," which prompted Misaki to snort and chuckle at his matter-of-fact response.

Worried that Natsume might face consequences for his change in groups, Misaki reminded him, " Sensei might not be pleased if he sees you're not with your assigned group."

However, Natsume quickly eased her concerns by stating, " He didn't have a choice but to let me switch areas." The relief was evident in Misaki's eyes, but her thoughts returned to Mikan, who was likely still shaken by the frightening stories.

" Wait, won't Mikan be scared after hearing those scary stories? She must be finding it hard to concentrate right now," Misaki worriedly suggested, interrupting her cleaning.

Natsume cast a brief, assessing glance at Misaki before responding, " Does my presence help her? She seems uneasy whenever I'm around."

Misaki chuckled and playfully teased him, " That's right, after you embarrassed her, she probably can't stand you."

Natsume hummed in agreement, but his demeanor remained unchanged. Misaki and Natsume proceeded to clean the corridor as they contemplated their upcoming task, which would involve cleaning numerous rooms inside the building.

As they neared the end of their cleaning duties, the lights began to flicker. Misaki paused in her sweeping and glanced upwards before peering out the window.

" The snowstorm," she murmured, noticing the trees swaying violently and the snow creating a blizzard outside. Eventually, the flickering lights dimmed and died out, leaving everyone in darkness and unable to continue cleaning.

Mikan's shriek echoed through the hallway, Misaki awkwardly scratched her nape hearing Mikan. " I guess she really that scared." 

Inchou's voice resonated across the corridor, calming their classmates. " Everyone, no need to panic. The storm caused the blackout, and the power should be back soon. Stay put."

With their cleaning tools set aside, Misaki and Natsume sat on the floor with their backs against the wall near the window. In the dim light, the room was shrouded in an eerie silence.

" This is so boring," Misaki grumbled through gritted teeth as the cold began to seep in. The heater was also out of commission, and despite her long sleeves, her skirt offered little insulation against the icy chill.

Natsume sat a bit farther from her, but he couldn't ignore the discomfort on Misaki's face. With a subtle movement, he drew closer to her, his arm encircling her shoulders to pull her closer to his side.

" What are you doing, Natsume?" she stammered, confused by the sudden change and feeling her face flush. She couldn't help but be grateful for the warmth he provided.

" Warming you up," he replied, his voice low and tinged with exhaustion. Misaki found herself in an unfamiliar position, snuggled close to Natsume. She was bewildered yet thankful.

" Stay put, weakling. The electricity will be back on in an hour," he informed her. Both of them, nestled in the corridor, gradually drifted off to sleep while waiting for the electricity to return. The silent hours passed, their breaths the only sound amidst the darkness, until the storm outside finally began to subside, and the power was restored to the school.