Story summary: Feeling belittled by the one she valued most. Mikan decides that she is better off away from the academy and with an offer from the headmaster to prove her worth. Now with training from Naruto Namikaze and Persona. She becomes a formidable opponent of what's to come.
A/N: Yes! I know it's been a really long time, but here we are. I've decided to get back into writing and revamp this story. I thank my two besties (you know who you are!) for helping me with this. Tell me what you guys think? Are you an old reader? New? Welcome! Please do read and review.
WARNING: OOC CHARACTERS… and also OCs are in this story; Major Sasuke and Sakura bashing; minor Natsume bashing Naruto/Gakuen Alice(Anime) Crossover, Possible Spoilers for those who haven't finished reading the manga
Note: Most information on Gakuen Alice is derived from the fandom page and modified to suit this story according to what I remember from watching the anime more than a decade ago. Then again this is a fanfiction so anything goes right?
Disclaimer: I (sadly) don't own Gakuen Alice or Naruto or its characters. Or anything that is known by the readers (songs, brand names of drinks and the like)
P.S. Please see end of the chapter to see the meanings or explanations of the numbered terms.
(Author's Notes)
"Talking"
'Thoughts'
"Flashbacks"/ Flashbacks
demon talking/conscience/mental link talk
Change Scene
(Author's Notes)
"Talking"
'Thoughts'
"Flashbacks"/ Flashbacks
demon talking/conscience/mental link talk
Change Scene
Chapter 1
Mikan awoke from her slumber and checked the time. It was only 04 00 (1) but she decided to just get up and get her training for the day over with. She was currently deep inside the academy's Northern Woods. A place where no one even dared to go, not even the so-called Kuro Neko.
At the start of her training, she and Persona stumbled across an ancient book that linked Alices with the Hidden Nations, where people used chakra. Basically, alices were what was considered bloodlines in the Hidden Nations. Therefore, her original two-year training course was increased to five with additional trainers: namely Namikaze Naruto and Nara Shikamaru and, after training for two years, they discovered many things about her. One of these was the fact that she was a multi-alice: having the alices of nullification, copy, erase and steal.
At first, Mikan didn't want to leave the academy just for training because she knew all too well what would happen to her if she did. Also, she didn't want to leave her friends, but something happened that made her want to do otherwise.
Mikan was walking down the hallway of the academy on the way to the cafeteria, where she was going to meet Natsume. Just earlier, she was called to go to the Board Chairman's Office(2), where she was given an offer. They gave her one day to decide.
She was pulled out of her thoughts when she bumped into Natsume.
"Hey! I was on my way to the cafeteria. What have you been up to?" Mikan exclaimed
"I was called," Natsume answered with a scowl
"Mission?"
His choice to avoid her gaze answered her question.
"Guess I was hoping for too much after moving up to Middle School." Mikan sighed disappointed and angry, "You turned it down, I hope?"
"I tried… but they seem to have found out about us," Natsume responded still refusing to meet her gaze. He was clearly ashamed of something, but what?
"Our friendship isn't exactly a secret, you know."
"They suspect something beyond friendship." Natsume murmured under his breath
Mikan's eyes widened in realization. They were threatening to harm her if he didn't follow their orders, and they probably got the news that she was called in by the Chairman who was one of the good guys but Natsume didn't know that. While she wasn't entirely sure how Natsume really felt about her after all these years, they've come to an understanding that they both treasured each other.
"You do know I can handle them right?" Mikan questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"You don't know them as I do," Natsume answered, avoiding her gaze
"The hell I don't! We're 13 now, Natsume, not 10! We've out-grown our childishness. I've been helping you with missions for two years already despite Narumi-sensei's protests through Persona's backing!" Mikan fumed, itching to slap the boy in front of her, "I know them as well as you do. But apparently, you don't believe in me." She added as she walked away, back to the direction she came from.
"Mikan, wait!" Natsume called out, grabbing her wrist.
"Stop it!" Mikan snapped, pulling her wrist away, "I love you, Natsume, probably more than I originally thought. I decided to trust you. However, it seems that I overestimated how much you actually know me. I'm not a fragile girl acting tough. If I need to leave to make you realize that it isn't an act then so be it." She continued as she walked away but decided to stop and added, "When you accept that I don't need to be protected, maybe we'll be able to work things out and find out what we really are to one another."
As Mikan walked to the chairman's office, she thought of what would happen once she entered. She'd have to endure not seeing her friends: Hotaru, Anna, Nonoko, Ruka, Narumi-sensei, Natsume... she stopped herself. She felt betrayed. The one person she thought she could be herself with and understood her, thought that she was acting for his sake. He probably thought that she went because of the Chibi Principal's (4) threats but in fact, she volunteered. She wanted to fight against the anti-alice organization, Z. This all started because of a stupid feud between – essentially – a father and son (5), both of which were no good so it was a pleasant surprise to find out that she had help from someone who had a bigger sway in the academy.
She reached the doors of the office, pushed through with no hesitation and stood in the middle of the room, directly in front of the chairman's table.
"When do I leave?"
Two years have already passed since Mikan started training. She could feel how much she improved. She could be on par with Konoha's famous, but fucked-up (that inner self thing is kind of disturbing you know), Haruno Sakura, possibly even better.
Persona, was (obviously) teaching her how to control her alices efficiently; though he had some help from friends of his when it came to using her alices in battle. Naruto taught her in kenjustsu, taijutsu, and also added in some gymnastics to help her with flexibility. She was also trained to be prepared for mental attacks (6), interrogation, and of course, jutsus- which meant chakra control. On the other hand, Shikamaru taught her in some war history, strategy, making traps and often just played shogi, and go (which is the practical application of the strategy theories since there was no war going on) and most of the time just relaxing and meditating.
On one occasion, during meditation, she found something that would eventually change her.
Mikan…
Mikan kept her eyes closed but sharpened her senses, she didn't feel another presence around.
Mikan…
Suddenly, Mikan felt her body going numb and felt as if she was falling in an endless pit of darkness. She opened her eyes to see a girl, wearing an off-white – almost grey - kimono that looked exactly like her, only that this girl had sandy blond hair and eyes that looked almost golden that reminded one of a tiger. The girl offered Mikan a hand that she hesitantly accepted.
"Uhm… If I may ask… just who are you?" Mikan asked
"I am you and you are me…" the girl stated cryptically, walking to a wooden chair.
Mikan became confused, what was she? She followed her and stood in front of the blond girl.
"What do you mean by that?" Mikan asked her mind racing to find answers as she thought, pictures of possibilities surrounded the two.
The girl realizing that Mikan was looking for answers gazed at the pictures surrounding them.
'Hmm, so she has met Kurama's jinchuuriki (7), interesting.'
"Mikan, we are inside your mind, you control this 'universe' and your thoughts become visible in here."
"Oh… So does that mean that you are inside me?"
"Yes and no. My appearance now is your true heritage, you may have your mother's coloring now but soon enough when you mature and when your chakra(8) develops further you will slowly look more like how I am now. Though I am not entirely sure about your eye color as it can be blue like your uncle's."
"My uncle?"
"So Serio hasn't told you?" the girl questioned sounding annoyed
Remembering the dark-haired substitute teacher from her elementary days just increased her confusion.
"I don't understand how he's involved in this."
"Then allow me to explain, the ones you know as Persona and Rei Serio are the same person. Serio was your father's – Izumi Yukihira's - charge when he was still alive until he was manipulated by that man you call Chibi Principal which resulted in his death via Serio's alice."
"That still doesn't explain anything."
"I was getting to that. My name is Yuzu (8) of the Kitsune, sister of Kurama, also known as Kyuubi. Your family, the Yukihira family to be precise, are my descendants."
"So, I have demon blood in me? But wait if you're Kurama's sister why aren't you more… orange?" Mikan pondered out loud, studying Yuzu.
"You are faster on the uptake than your father, I had to give him a long-winded explanation when we first met. To answer your second question, there isn't only a single type of fox is there?" Yuzu answered almost teasingly.
"That still doesn't answer your cryptic statement: 'I am you, and you are me'. And how do you know my dad? Were you sealed inside me like Kurama?" Mikan questioned.
"I am but a fragment of my original self, occasionally being able to accompany my descendants depending on our compatibility, similar to an ancestral spirit latching onto a descendant. I was with your father first before his untimely demise, I followed your uncle – Kazumi Yukihira - around – because we were incompatible - until he found out that your mother was pregnant with you, and to my delight we were compatible! So, I decided to accompany you, so to speak. But since it hasn't been long since I last 'latched on' I am slowly being assimilated by your own chakra, as I am in essence, made up of the spiritual aspect of chakra."
"So you'll eventually disappear? What does that mean for my longevity?"
"This situation is unprecedented. You will not be immortal if that's what concerns you but you will age slower than your peers. I'd estimate- barring any major diseases and life-threatening injuries- you could live to maybe 100 or more? Though, I cannot say if it will carry on to your offspring if you ever have any."
"So if you've been with me since I was a child and you will eventually disappear. Why only appear now? Why even bother to show yourself to me?"
"If you hadn't met Kurama, or discovered the Hidden Nations, I would have been fine hiding from you. As it is, I have an opportunity to reunite with my family, albeit for a short time."
"Short?"
"Ah... short is relative, as someone who has lived several hundred years, a few years is nothing."
Mikan slowly processed all the information she just received while Yuzu waited in silence.
"I'm pretty sure spending time with the family isn't the only reason but I'll wait for you. So, for now, can you tell me more about my dad and my family?"
Since that day, Mikan beamed with joy. She has relatives that are alive! While she did have family figures in her trainers and their friends, it's a different feeling to know that you have living relatives, especially as someone who was adopted. She has her uncle, who is currently the high school principal of the academy. Yuzu also had her suspicions that Naruto, via his father, Minato Namikaze, was also distantly related to her and not only because of Kurama; blond hair and blue eyes are quite rare. The prospect that Naruto, who is one of her most trusted people and brother figure, was possibly related to her, brought her immense joy. He was the first one she felt that she could truly trust and be her unabashed self with since Natsume.
Academy grounds
Mikan, wearing a fox mask, stealthily jumped from tree to tree. She was at the edge of the Academy's Northern Woods looking for any signs of an ambush. Her trainers gave her a training mission: collect all the parts of your two guns that are hidden in the school grounds, but remain undetected without using your alices. When she found out that they had disassembled and hid her two guns, she was fuming. So right after they told her the details, they immediately shunshined (10) out of there. Having no choice, she started searching for her guns, thinking that if there was any scratch on any part of her guns she'd kick their asses, brother figures be damned.
She wasn't too worried about being discovered as it was still in the early hours of the morning and most of the students would still be in their dorms. In the event that there would be a wayward student wandering around, a simple henge (11) or genjutsu would steer them away. After all, only alices were not allowed which would mean that shinobi techniques were fair game.
After an hour or so of running around the Academy grounds searching for her guns, she finally found them all, unscratched and gingerly wrapped in different colored papers to blend them into their hiding places.
'It was a good decision to ask Jiraiya-jiji to secretly put some seals on them or I'd be searching all morning for them.'
Jiraiya's seals allowed them to be imbued with her chakra which let her add in some of her elemental chakra when needed. It also served as a homing beacon whenever she forgot where she last placed them.
It's a wonder how you didn't lose them before the seals.
'Shut up Yuzu.'
Since she finished her mission early and didn't have to go back just yet, she decided to assemble her guns at her favorite spot. On the way to the small clearing surrounded by cherry blossom trees, Mikan stopped when she heard steps coming from her destination.
'I better hide, the mission isn't complete until I report back after all.'
Taking to the trees once again to her destination, she detected that there was someone else at her preferred spot. She approached the tree cautiously making sure that she wouldn't get detected by whoever was there, choosing to perch on the highest branch that was wide enough for her to work on.
It was already late March and the cherry blossoms were already in bloom. The petals were falling aimlessly around her. Although she let herself relax, she still wore the mask because she didn't dare risk getting herself discovered not only because she wasn't supposed to be anywhere near here but also because of the consequences the trio would think up for not completing the mission.
Mikan grabbed her phone and headset from the storage seal on her fingerless gloves and played one of her favorite songs as she got to work.
A few minutes after cleaning and assembling her guns and hiding them away, Mikan decided to take a nap before reporting back.
Soon after she dozed off, the person who was sitting at the foot of the tree she was sitting in awoke. He had disheveled raven hair and crimson eyes bleary from sleep. Sensing another presence nearby, he tried to look around for signs of the other person but couldn't find any.
Deciding to brush it off as one of the stray animals of the Northern Woods, he continued to read the manga that he left unfinished when he dozed off but found that he couldn't focus as he was bothered by the continued nagging feeling of a nearby presence.
Giving up on reading, he leaned his head on the tree's trunk opting to watch the falling cherry blossoms. That was when he finally saw the cause of his distraction. Atop one of the branches sat a dirty-blond-haired figure that seemed to be sleeping. Curiously, he decided to climb the tree carefully as not to alert the other person.
He was not careful enough.
Mikan awoke as she sensed another presence nearing her spot. Quickly checking the time she weighed her options. She could stay and confront the person, or she can just shunshin away. Choosing the less troublesome option, she prepared herself to be transported away but was distracted by the realization of who was approaching her.
'Never thought I'd meet him again so soon after returning.'
It isn't exactly soon, you've been living in the cabin for half a year already.
'Yes, but I haven't stepped out of the forest until last month.' Mikan replied, scowling as she chose to resign herself to the confrontation. She sat quietly as he approached.
"Who are you?" Natsume questioned from the nearest branch which was less than a meter away.
"That is none of your concern, Kuro Neko."
He bristled at being called his code name that added to the questions he had in his head.
'Thankfully, I kept my mask on. Though, I sure hope none of them find out about this.' Mikan prayed as she winced at the possible consequences.
"Ally or Foe?" Natsume continued as he prepared himself for an attack while he studied her mask. 'Fox? I haven't heard of anyone with that code name.'
"I answer to someone higher than those that command you." Mikan promptly answered. Deciding that it was best to end the conversation, she shunshined out, leaving but a few snowflakes that promptly dissolved in the spring heat.
Somewhere in the Northern Woods
Mikan arrived at the clearing of the cabin that was her home in the Northern Woods where she found two familiar toads that were as tall her.
"Hey there, Mi-chan! Got any snacks?" greeted the yellow toad named Gamatatsu.
"Yo, Mi-chan! Mission went well?" greeted the orange toad named Gamakichi after teasingly hitting his brother for his greeting.
"Hey there, Gamatatsu, Gamakichi! Is Naru-nii nearby?" Mikan replied to the two giving them a high five (as high of a high five she could give them at least).
"Yeah, he just went in for a bit. We just finished training." Gamakichi answered.
Gaining a mischievous glint in her eyes, Mikan entered the cabin, making sure not to make any noise. Spotting Naruto in the kitchen, she pulled her chakra into herself and directed a small amount to her feet to cushion her steps as she neared her target. Slowly… slowly…
"Hey there, Naru-nii!" Mikan greeted with a loud clap.
"Holy…? Mikan!" Naruto exclaimed, choking on the water he just drank.
His reaction made Mikan laugh out loud as he coughed and sputtered the water.
"Haha! Sorry nii-san, it was just too easy!" Mikan half-heartedly apologized wiping away tears.
"I'm starting to regret teaching you the art of pranking." Naruto sighed, shaking his head.
Regaining his bearings, he waited for his sister to calm down. Naruto then straightened his posture, his presence changing to that of a commander.
"Report." He commanded.
Mikan quickly recognizing the change in tone, straightened her image to that of a soldier, and replied: "Mission completed sir."
"Oh, really now? What's this I hear about a black cat crossing your path though?" Naruto teased, his commanding presence gone as if it wasn't even there.
Mikan groaned as she prayed to whatever gods there were for her brother to have mercy.
"You know I'm just teasing. Don't worry, I won't tell. You'll have to face him soon anyway." Naruto assured her as he grinned while he ruffled her hair. "Now, take your mask off and get ready for lunch. Persona might be coming back anytime soon from his meeting with your uncle."
"What's the meeting about?"
"You'll find out later.
"What about Shika-nii? Will he be back soon?" Mikan wondered.
"He should be back by tomorrow at the latest."
"So what's for lunch?" Mikan asked, checking their refrigerator.
"Persona said he wanted some beef with broccoli, anything you want to add?" Naruto replied, shooing Mikan away.
"Soup maybe? It's my turn to cook dinner, right?"
"Yup! I'll leave that up to you. Is miso soup okay?" Naruto answered, putting an apron on. "Now go wash up."
"Yes, Mom." Mikan teased scurrying away, which made Naruto grin and shake his head in amusement.
Later in the late hours of the evening, after ensuring their charge was asleep, Persona and Naruto drank tea as they waited for Shikamaru to arrive. They needed to discuss what transpired in the meeting Persona attended.
"By the way," Persona started sipping his tea, "did Mikan mention anything about a black cat in her report?"
"Not voluntarily, though she didn't deny it when I teased her," Naruto answered, he understood how Mikan felt – threat of increased training load aside – while a forgiving person himself, it was hard not to feel hurt when someone you believed in let you down – it takes a long time to heal.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when the back door opened.
"Should've expected that the two of you would still be awake." Shikamaru sighed as he entered.
"Yo! Welcome back! Just in time, I was getting bored." Naruto greeted, motioning for Shikamaru to take a seat while Persona just raised his teacup in greeting.
"Troublesome. Let me guess: they want her to start attending school again?"
"Yes, since we've reported that she's fairly competent in using her alices – which was the original purpose of her training trip – they want her back," Persona answered, his eyes betraying his emotions, letting his companions know that he disagreed.
"Since we all agree that we don't want her going back just yet, what's the plan? Shika, got any ideas in that pineapple of yours?"
The three trainers pondered quietly. They understood that there were circumstances that required their charge to be present at the academy. However, said circumstances didn't require her to be visible to the academy population. There was still much they had to do.
"Do they want 'Mikan Sakura' or is her presence enough?" Shikamaru voiced.
"Now that's an idea, she looks very different now. She can pass as another person." Naruto added.
"With how similar you two look, she can pass as your sister." Persona chimed in.
"I can officially adopt her!" Naruto exclaimed getting excited.
"Would they allow it though?" Shikamaru argued. It was doable. but if they insisted on 'Mikan Sakura,' then it would be for nothing.
"Kazumi is very protective of her. He is aware of why she accepted Kaito's (the chairman) offer. I am sure he can convince the other two to accept your proposal." Persona answered.
"But what name would she use?" Shikamaru added, ironing out their plan.
"Let's leave that up to her, though I think it would be best if she used Namikaze instead of Uzumaki. She's got the color to go with it." Naruto answered, happy with how their discussion turned out.
"So we're done here? I'm pooped." Shikamaru replied, eager to get to his bed, already making his way to his room.
"I'll talk to them first thing in the morning. We should all head up." Persona replied as he cleaned up their cups to be washed in the morning.
"Meeting adjourned then." Naruto finalized, only to get a wave and a nod in reply.
Tired, but satisfied with their plan, the three men made their way to their rooms.
Character Introductions
Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze
Nicknames: Naru (by Shikamaru), Naru-nii (by Mikan)
Rank: Jounin (was part of ANBU for 3 years starting at the age of 17)
Age: 20
Birth Date: October 10
Outfit: same as in the Shippuden series only instead of orange it's red.
Hitai-ate: Forehead
Weapons: two katanas placed at his back both black with a red sheen
Shikamaru Nara
Nicknames: Shika (by Naruto), Shika-nii (by Mikan)
Rank: Jounin
Age: 20
Birth Date: September 22
Outfit: (same as the anime)
Hitai-ate: Left bicep
Weapons: Standard Ninja weapons
Persona/ Rei Serio
Nicknames: Aniki (by Mikan)
Rank: Special Jounin
Age: 29
Birth Date: April 13
Outfit: All black cargo pants and shirt covered with a long trench coat and heeled combat boots.
Hitai-ate: only uses it when necessary on his neck
Weapons: guns (of various kinds)
Mikan Sakura
Rank: Chuunin
Age: 15
Birth Date: May 17
Outfit: Wears a fox mask that was passed down to her from Naruto after he retired from ANBU. She wears a grey tank top covered with a loose dark brown short-sleeved romper shorts that opened until below her belly button that is closed with string in a similar way to shoelaces with a light brown trench coat. She wears shin-high heeled combat boots. (Basically think Alice in Resident Evil: Extinction)
Hitai-ate: only uses it inside Konoha on her left bicep
Weapons: She has two gun holsters at her sides and has her kunai holster strapped to her belt behind her with a smaller one strapped to her right thigh. She also has a black katana that has a blue sheen on her back and carries with her two guns.
(1) Military time, if it's more than 12 it's in the p.m. (i.e. 17 00) just subtract 12 to find the hour, less than or equal to 12 means a.m.
(2) Chairman's Office meaning she was meeting someone in a higher position than the principals, someone more along the lines of the owner of the academy.
(3) As mentioned earlier, it's been a decade since I watched the anime and from what I recall the Principal was implied as a bad guy but it was never pointed out, so here I'm following the manga in a sense that they knew that the Elementary Principal was bad news.
(4) Chibi Principal - aka Elementary School Principal Kuonji
(5) father and son - the leader of the AAO is a clone of the ESP's clone so pretty much his son
(6) Mental attacks, statements that make you breakdown affect you emotionally and mentally, genjutsu (they play with your mind and senses that's why) and last but not the least attacks from the Yamanaka Clan. ) Illusionary Techniques
(7) jinchuuriki- human sacrifice, demon container
(8) Yuzu - yes as in the fruit, there seems to be a trend of fruit names in their family so I decided to follow suit.
(9) Kyuubi - Nine Tails
(10) shunshin- body flicker technique/ teleportation jutsu
(11) henge - transformation technique
Thanks for reading, please do leave review
-Kazemi Reikaze