Hellos to old and new readers. (:

This is not the original version the fanfic, but since I was a failure in writing when I wrote this at the beginning, I had the urge to rewrite the entire thing.

Two years, it took me two years to figure out how much I was lacking and the flaws in this. That was because I'm an idiot, both mentally and physically.

Now enough talking about me. I should stop.

Summary
.: A sudden departure of her beloved friend and the death of her grandfather she dearly loved left Sakura Mikan in devastation. With only a friend by her side, how will she escape the grasp of the AAO? Then here comes Narumi, with the world of Alices right behind him. Precious friendships made, old promises broken, and hidden secrets revealed. Sometimes fate is just too cruel and the truth could be a double edged sword.

C h a p t e r 1 ×
◦ Hajimari

My brain refused to process today's new piece of information. I snapped out of it as the classroom became empty except for the two of us.

I stared at my best friend. "Hotaru. . . tell me I'm dreaming."

Her piercing amethyst orbs just stared at me.

"Should I test that with my new invention?" She fished out a foreign technology - no, torturing device, to be exact - and pointed it at me.

"Chill, I wasn't serious," I mumbled. My best friend gave me an annoyed look.

"Hey, Hotaru, why does the school have to shut down?" I whined, crocodile tears making its way up to my eyes. I saw a blur and soon I was sprawled across the wooden floor, pain shooting through my head.

"They don't have enough money to keep running the school. It's common sense, idiot," said Hotaru as she blew away the smoke escaping from her invention.

"And here I thought we can stay in this school until we graduate. . ." My eyes were suddenly burning and soon, droplets slid off my face. I tried to brush them off, but failed miserably. Before I knew it, I was bawling.

"I swear that if you don't shut up soon, you'll go through another level of misery." The same device came into my line of vision as a sickening clicking sound of bullets echoed inside the scrap of metal. As much as I tried to dry my tears, I couldn't. I mean, how would you feel if the school you've been attending since you were in diapers was suddenly shutting down?

This place was filled with my precious memories. Every single inch of this building reminded me of something.

Like the principal's warm, comfortable room, where we spent a merry night chitchatting while a snowstorm was brewing outside.

Like the bulletin board hanging loosely on the wall near the entrance. Right on the middle of the board was a picture drawn by the students in the entire school, dedicated to one of our beloved teachers who passed away due to a car accident.

The classroom right next door, where our class did the haunted house a few years ago, scaring everyone to the point that the boys had peed in their pants right on the spot. Then, the festival got canceled because of the putrid smell of urine coming from our haunted house section. Students were dismissed earlier than usual and our class had to stay behind to clean the room.

The entire hallway of this building, where I competed with Hotaru's robot on who could clean the hallways faster. I ended up running head first into a wall and was unconscious for the rest of the day.

And the mini stage at the back of this tiny school, the most important place I always kept in mind. That was where Hotaru and I became best friends and famous at the same time. It was on that day when Hotaru transferred here. When the dismissal bell rang, she came up to me and invited me to do a duet with her. So then I --

A soft, high pitched voice interrupted my train of thoughts.

"Mikan? Why are you still here?"

My eyes landed on a girl with dark tones of floral lavender hair. Her deep purple shaded eyes stared at me for the next few seconds...

"Hi-chan. . ." I ran up to her and more salty teardrops escaped.

"Mikan," she said, almost in a whisper, "Stop crying; it doesn't suit you."

"It makes you ten times uglier," added Hotaru, monotonously.

I dabbed the end of my sleeves on my eyes. I managed to slip a smile on my face for a second and sniffed. I walked over to the teacher's desk, where a camera sat still.

"How about taking some pictures before leaving?" I suggested. The edges of Hotaru's lips curved up a slight millimeter.

"I don't see why not," laughed Hikaru.

I placed the camera on a desk and set the three second timer on. I grabbed Hikaru's arm and pulled her next to me as I stood next to Hotaru.

"One. . . two. . . three!" The camera clicked and I grabbed it. I zoomed the picture section and when I took a clear look at it, I nearly dropped the camera.

Hotaru was actually smiling like a regular person! Is the world finally ending?

"Pfft. Look at you, Hotaru. Your cheeks look like they got overstretched," said Hikaru.

Hotaru immediately scowled. "At least I don't look like a clown."

I left the two of them bickering and started taking pictures outside the school.

"It'll be the last time I'll ever see this place as it is again. . ." I muttered to myself. I plopped myself on the grass and stared at the setting sun, the warmth seeping into me as I closed my eyes.

I heard my name being called and ran back into the classroom, only to see thoroughly destroyed walls and flying pieces of wood.

"What in the world are you two even thinking?!" I realized that the high pitched scream of a single note came from me.

"Chillax, Mikan. Just Hotaru and her crazy invention going haywire," said Hikaru in a singsong voice as she sat on a wooden piece high up that pierced one of the surviving walls tightly.

"My inventions are flawless and they do not go haywire. At all," growled Hotaru, shooting her Baka Gun at Hikaru. No wait, it didn't look like the Baka Gun. It was bigger and longer, giving off a malicious black glint that was on another level.

Jesus Christ. It was the freaking Baka Cannon.

"I wasn't even part of it, so why did I get hit too?" I whined. One of the teachers saw the damage done in the classroom and we earned ourselves a big smack on the head. Yes, we. Including I.

I dropped my bag on the floor and snuggled the pillows on the couch. Now that I think of it, it's been six years since Hotaru lived with me and three years with Hikaru. Time sure flies by.

"Dinner's ready," hummed Hikaru, coming out of the kitchen with a tray full of plates.

"Finally," yawned Grandfather as he stretched and sat down on the dining table.

"Took you long enough," muttered Hotaru.

"Hey, I don't see you cooking dinner," said Hikaru and that silenced her.

"Let's eat already. I'm starving," I grumbled and with a chorus of our daily routine, we ate.

When dinner was finished, I went to sleep as soon as I could.

In the middle of the night (I never figured out the time, since it was too dark to see) I overheard Hikaru and Hotaru speaking.

Not intentionally, of course, because I just woke up to go to the bathroom. Everything sounded like rushed murmurings at first, but then it cleared a bit.

". . . not telling Mikan. . . Alice Academy. . .?"

". . . already. . . snapping turtle. . . one week. . . worrying. . ."

"But. . . organizations. . . not safe to do. . . Why can't you. . . Please. . ."

". . . No. . . You're. . . Mikan. . . Idiot. . ."

". . . Alices. . . Mikan. . . her dad's. . . who opposes the academy. . . capture. . ."

"Shut up. You're. . . nosy. . .Mikan. . . germs on you."

". . . attends Alice Academy. . . that person. . . hundred percent. . ."

I suddenly had a thought that I was hallucinating. Forgetting about the bathroom, I went back to my room and climbed back to bed.

-

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Gar. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, but at least I think - I think - that there's no spelling/grammar mistakes. Short, but you'll get better than this in the future.

Revision credits and the term 'Jesus Christ' go to my genius friend. And you know who you are. (:

It's quite different from the original beginning, but the idea is still the same.

Well, what did you think of it? PMs or reviews. Any form of communication is welcomed.

Sen