The Guardian of Gakuen Alice: Chapter 8

#06: Gakuen Alice (Natsume & Mikan)
...xXx...

Each guardian had recorded everything that occurred in their lands and kept by the current guardian. Currently, Mikan was searching through every scroll regarding the transformation of a human into a guardian. After accompanying her for three days, Kira had left her alone. It had been more than a week since her last visit to Natsume. She knew that he must be worried about her, so before leaving, she had asked Fin to look after him for a while as she would be in the land of earth element for the time being.

"Natsume …" Mikan muttered as she closed her eyes. Not long after that, a knock was heard behind the shoji door. “Yes?”

Kira walked into the room and greeted her, "Good day, Mikan-sama."

Mikan rolled back the scroll she was reading and nodded at Kira. "Good day, Kira."

He smiled. "I heard from the servant, you've been barely eaten since I left. Are you all right, Mikan-sama?"

She gazed at Kira with gentle eyes. "You don't have to worry about it. I'm almost done."

"I see …" he replied shortly then snapped his fingers. A servant came into the room and served them tea. He waited until Mikan sipped her tea before he did the same. "If I may know, Mikan-sama, what are you looking for?"

She had expected that Kira would ask her since it was not a common thing for a guardian to visit another guardians' lands. She put her cup on the table and traced the outline of the cup. "I'm looking for something that is needed for a ceremony."

"A ceremony?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

She smiled but didn't tell him any further, and Kira didn't press the matter, too, as he didn't dare to force the eldest guardian before him to tell him the details.

"How are you doing with Eri?" Mikan asked, changing the topic.

Kira flushed instantly. It shocked and surprised him that the guardian before him knew about their relationship.

Mikan, who saw his flush face, chuckled. "After the law of guardians has successfully changed, you immediately hugged Eri."

His face turned redder.

"I have known this long before the meeting, Kira. Both of you are just too stubborn."

He mentally slapped himself as he remembered that he needed to find out the guardian's feelings about Kazuma-sama.

"We're doing just fine," he replied quickly and carefully asked, "What about you, Mikan-sama?"

She cupped her cup and watched the hot steam that was produced from the warm tea. She looked into his eyes. "Who are you referring to?"

When their eyes met, he felt he had lost his voice for a moment. Her eyes were cold. It was so cold that he could feel the temperature of the room had dropped to several degrees. "My deepest apologies, Mikan-sama." He quickly bowed down at her. He knew that he didn't have the right to ask her about her feelings.

After sipping her tea slowly, she told him, "You, of all people, should know that I don't harbour any romantic feelings towards Kazuma-sama."

Suddenly, he felt ashamed of himself. How could he forget that the guardian before him was like his sister? He should have known her better than anyone else. They were not related by blood, but he was her closest person aside from her mother Yuka-sama. He then realised that after he met Eri, he had forgotten about her. He had left her. Her sigh brought his eyes into her softened eyes.

"It's nobody's fault, Kira," she said so softly that he could barely hear it.

"Is there anything that I can do to help you?" Kira finally asked after a few moments of silence.

Mikan smiled. "Actually, yes."

"What is it?" Kira asked curiously.

"I wish to ask Eri to declare …" She didn't continue her words as Eri, the Guardian of Fire Element, suddenly appeared before them.

Eri blinked. "Mikan-sama?"

"Just the person I wish to see. I wish to talk to you, Eri-chan," Mikan said with a smile.

Eri looked at her soon-to-be husband, who shrugged at her. She nodded at Mikan before joining them. The table automatically shifted, so it would fit 3 people. Not long after Eri sat down, a servant came and served her the same tea.

After a sip of her tea, Eri asked, "What is it that you wish to talk with me, Mikan-sama?"

"I want you to declare a human as one of your children," Mikan stated calmly.

The two guardians that listened to her, turned silent and stared at her in disbelief.

"I assure you, you're hearing the right thing," Mikan assured them with a small chuckle.

Kira, who regained his voice first, asked, "If I may ask, Mikan-sama, for what?"

"There's a human that wishes to become a guardian. The first step is the human must be declared by Eri since she's the current guardian of fire element," Mikan began.

Both guardians listened to her carefully. They knew how the guardian before them cared for humans but turning them into guardian? Is that even possible?

Knowing what they were thinking, Mikan said, "It's possible. As long as this human is declared by her/his element's guardian as one of their children and have the other three main guardians' acceptance, the human can become a guardian."

Silence filled the room until Kira cleared his throat. "Why this human, Mikan-sama?"

Mikan closed her eyes for a while. When she opened her eyes, she calmly told him, "This human is special to me."

From that moment, both guardians finally understood.

...xXx...

'Northern Forest?' Natsume asked himself as he looked around and finally found Mikan, who approached him with a smile.

"Where were you?" he asked immediately, but somehow, the voice was not his.

Mikan smiled at him. "Just finished my task as a guardian."

He felt himself smile. "I missed you, you know that right?"

Mikan's eyes softened. "I know."

He then felt himself walk closer to her. He could feel the softness of her face under a hand that was definitely not his. It was like he was inside of this guy's body that was touching his Mikan. He tried to scream, but his voice betrayed him when Mikan closed her eyes and let this guy kiss her on the lips. He felt his heart break into pieces. Suddenly, he was being pulled out from this guy's body. He watched in dismay as his Mikan was kissed by the silver-haired guy that was wearing a high school uniform. He blinked. A high school student? He scanned the silver-haired guy from head to toe and realised he had never seen the guy before. Then, his eyes widened in horror as he saw the guy slowly pulled down her maiden robe and started kissing her neck. He looked away as he did not wish to see his Mikan being ravished by another guy. 

He glanced at them again when he heard Mikan say, "That's enough, Shiro-san."

The guy reluctantly pulled away from her but not before giving her a chaste kiss. "I'm sorry … I just couldn't control myself when I see you … You're so beautiful …"

Mikan fixed her robe again as she smiled at him. "It's all right, Shiro-san. I can understand. I felt the same, too, but I can't risk your future to be born again vanish because of me."

"I'm willing to take the risk for you, Mikan…" Shiro cupped her face while running his thumb over her cheek.

Mikan shook her head and gently said, "As a guardian, I can't let that happen …"

"Then, I wish to be born again as a guardian, so I could stay with you forever …" Shiro murmured and hugged her tightly.

When they broke the hug, she started, "You know that I won't object if you—"

Her lips were touched by his index finger as he hushed her. "Don't doubt me, Mikan. I truly love you. I won't betray you with other girls just because of lust."

"Thank you," she muttered and hugged him.

Shiro hugged her back and told her that he loved her so much. Suddenly, Shiro looked at him and smiled.

Cold sweats ran down his temple as he tossed to the other side with furrowed eyebrows.

The scene had changed, and he found himself looking at Shiro, who was hiding behind a tree while secretly, looking at Mikan, who was talking to a … guardian? The guardian had a gold crown symbol on his brow. The guardian had long dark brown hair that was tied in a low ponytail. His emerald eyes were wise as he spoke with Mikan. He figured out that since no one could see him, he could step closer to Mikan and the guardian. He stopped a few feet away from them.

"Mikan, you're the eldest guardian among the four main guardians. I'm sure you know what you should do about your human lover," the guardian said gently.

His eyes widened. 'Human lover?'

He glanced at Shiro, who was still hiding, then back to Mikan again.

"Should I end up like my mother if I wish to hold my feelings towards the human, Kazuya-sama?"

Kazuya smiled at her sadly. "I'm afraid the answer is yes. It's an absolute rule that we must not have any contact with the humans under these circumstances."

Mikan closed her pain-filled eyes, and Kazuya patted her head. "Mikan, I know how much you fond the humans, but we are different. We have task that need to be fulfilled unlike the humans."

"To keep the balance of the land," she completed after opening her eyes.

Kazuya nodded in approval. "I'm sure you will find the right person in time and among the guardians."

"Thank you for advising me, Kazuya-sama." Mikan bowed in gratitude.

Kazuya nodded again before slowly vanishing along the wind.

Mikan followed suit after several moments.

When she vanished completely, he felt his arm was gripped by none other than Shiro. Of course, it shocked him.

They stared at each other.

Still staring at him, Shiro said, "You … You will be able to stay with her."

He blinked in confusion, and Shiro continued, "You will be given choices unlike me and choose wisely … my descendant."
He snapped his eyes open and sat up immediately. While trying to calm his ragged breath, he tried to analyse his dream. He had a feeling that just now wasn't a dream. It was more like … the past? Why this Shiro called him his descendant? Should he ask Mikan about this? He was not sure. He sighed and looked out of the glass window of his balcony and whispered his beloved's name.

Prev Chapter 1—The Unknown Saviour Chapter 2—The Land's Guardian Chapter 3—The Invitation Chapter 4—The Meeting Chapter 5—The Child Chapter 6—The Choices Chapter 7—The Requirements Chapter 8—The Ascendant's Memories Chapter 9—The Guardian of Gakuen Alice Next