Special Alice (Gakuen Alice / Alice Academy FF)

SA 71 - Misunderstood

{Author}

Observing Mikan, Permy's gaze shifted to Luna, who was encircled by a group of boys. " What an annoying girl, endlessly flirting and still clinging to Natsume? Who does she think she is?" Permy muttered, shaking her head.

Nonoko nervously remarked, " She might hear you," and discreetly glanced at Luna, who appeared bewildered and surrounded.

" I don't care. She's so strange, and her fan club emerged right after she joined our class. Her Alice might be related to pheromones or something," Permy added, crossing her arms and continuing to observe Luna from a distance.

Suddenly, two of their classmates approached Mikan, who was with Misaki and the others.

" Hey, Sakura! If you use your Alice against Luna, you won't get away with it," one of them warned, giving Mikan a dirty look.

Mikan was taken aback and clearly confused, as she hadn't done anything to anyone, especially Luna.

" Eh? Excuse me?" Mikan blurted out. Misaki snorted and stepped in between the two guys and Mikan.

" Hey, this is probably a misunderstanding. We'll let you two off this time; go back to your so-called queen, Luna. We don't have time for the two of you," Misaki said, smiling sincerely but wanting to smack the guys.

The two guys remained defiant, and one of them pushed Misaki aside, causing her to stumble. " Woah," she exclaimed.

" Careful." Youichi held her shoulders to help her regain her balance. Mikan shook her head at the two guys this time. Misaki was losing her patience, becoming hotheaded ever since Luna joined their class.

" Um, what are you guys saying? You're just jealous that Natsume and Luna are always together. You all know that her body is weak, but you still insist on testing her ability—how cheap!" Mikan exclaimed, defending herself from their false accusations.

" Mikan, it's not like we really wanted to tell you this, but playtime's over. Don't you dare use it on her," the other guy warned. They then walked back to Luna, claiming that they felt great after confronting Mikan.

" Just say the magic word, Mikan-chan... I'll handle it," Misaki said, cracking her knuckles and stepping forward. She sucked on her inner cheek while glaring at the guys.

" Ah? No, calm down!" Mikan sweat-dropped. Youichi, Koko, and Kitsuneme restrained Misaki, who had calmed down somewhat. Misaki observed the guys who had confronted Mikan, while Hotaru sensed an unusual atmosphere around them as she watched.

" Markings..." Misaki mumbled, noticing something near the napes of the guys' necks. She averted her gaze from them and looked back at Mikan, who was being comforted by Inchou, Youichi, Kitsuneme, and Koko.

After practice, as everyone cleaned up and stored the equipment, everything suddenly started levitating and flying around, causing chaos that startled nearly everyone present.

" Sakura!" Ruka gasped as he saw Mikan on the floor, dodging the flying equipment.

" Hotaru!" Misaki suddenly shouted, pointing at the two guys who had approached Mikan earlier. Hotaru used her Baka Gun on the two, stopping the equipment from flying further.

" Where's Mikan?" Misaki inquired. Hotaru and Ruka looked around, but Mikan was nowhere to be seen.

Youichi pointed to the storage room, and all the teachers, along with Hotaru and the others, went over. They knocked on the door and attempted to open it, but it was locked.

The door finally opened after a moment, and Luna emerged, looking like a victim, with disheveled hair and a bleeding lip. She was crying and appeared terrified, followed by Mikan.

Jinno-sensei scolded Mikan, demanding, " Is it true?!" and expressed his anger at the students' violence.

Mikan turned pale after hearing Jinno's shout. " Ah... What is?" she stuttered.

It was claimed that Mikan caused the disturbance and had taken Luna into the storage room to bully her, as she and Luna were not on good terms from stealing her place beside Natsume. The Fuukitai arrived to punish Mikan, but Misaki chuckled loudly, confusing them.

" What's so funny?" Narumi-sensei asked before turning to Jinno, who was already agitated.

Misaki scratched her head before grinning cheekily. " Alright, alright... I came up with the idea myself. I encouraged those two guys, along with Mikan, because I wanted to play a prank on our new student," Misaki said, tilting her head to the side and clasping her hands together.

" Isn't this funny?!" Misaki questioned, her eyes twinkling as if she enjoyed the show. 

" Ashikaga Misaki..." Jinno reprimanded in a stern tone. 

" Okay, okay... I apologize for taking it too far, it really isn't my intention to scare Koizumi-san." Misaki gave Luna a quick look obviously making sure to roll her eyes at her.

" Then, let me take responsibility for my actions," she finally confessed her voice didn't have any sincerity yet the teachers had to punish her somehow.

" But, Misa-chan!" Mikan gasped as Misaki took the blame. Ruka and Hotaru surely didn't believe her lies but kept quiet.Natsume who was watching from a side wasn't pleased at all. Mikan was framed but Misaki handed herself over to be punished. 

" Are you also involved, Imai Hotaru?" Jinno asked but Hotaru kept silent. 

Misaki shook her head. " It's just me, sensei. As I've said I encouraged those three, so I myself will be the only one who'll be punished." she calmly stated wanting the punishment solely. 

Inchou's eyes shook. " Misa-chan, but that isn't..." he muttered. Most of them didn't believe that Misaki was involved since she was with Youichi and Inchou all the time. 

" I apologize to those who got injured, I'll reflect well." Misaki gave a bow to everyone as a sign if respect.Anna glanced at Mikan who was stunned. Misaki lowered her ego to apologize for a thing that she didn't even do. 

" Mikan, please just tell us what happened inside the storage room." Anna pleaded not wanting Misaki to get punished. 

" I don't know who'll still believe in you, since the teachers won't." 

Nonoko nodded her head in agreement. " Please, Mikan... If this goes on-."she got cut off by Hotaru who walked towards Mikan who looked away unable to utter anything from her fright and state of shock. 

" What, Mikan?" she asked calmly and patted the girl's back, soothing her.Permy looked at the girls who hung their heads down. 

" We still believe that you two didn't do anything wrong. What happened back there?" she too wanted an answer to clear the misunderstanding. 

"If you want it to be less painful for those who are close to you... You just need to avoid talking too much." 

" What a shame..." Misaki stated and glanced at Mikan who stayed silent. Wanting Mikan to regret not speaking about what happened.

" Let Misaki go to the Fuukitai, her punishment will be decided there." Jinno finally decided. 

" No--," Mikan gasped, and Misaki was dragged away by the Fuukitai, who grabbed her right arm tightly making the girl wince in pain.

" Misaki!" they exclaimed, watching as she was taken away.

" You haven't heard Mikan's side of the story yet! What if it wasn't true... Sending an innocent girl for punishment...," Misaki-sensei defended, concerned about the girl taking the blame.

Jinno turned away, leaving everyone behind. " Sakura chose to remain silent, which probably confirms that Ashikaga was the cause of the disruption," he said coldly.

" Let's see how well you can protect yourself and those around you," 

Mikan ran toward the direction where Misaki had been taken. Hotaru, Natsume, and Ruka followed behind.

" Mikan!"

" Hotaru!"

" Eh, Natsume?!"

" Even Ruka left!"

They gasped and partially shouted to one another, and Narumi, who had observed them, muttered, " These kids, really."