Disclaimer: Nope. I don't own Gakuen Alice.

Chapter 1

It was a good thing Mikan wasn't afraid of heights. Otherwise she would never look out her window, which was her only way to see the world. The drop down from it to the ground was definitely enough to shatter perhaps all of the bones in one's body. So she didn't get out at all.

This particular morning, Mikan rolled off of her straw-filled mattress, still wrapped in her blanket. The sun had risen an hour ago so it was time to get up. Stumbling across the floor, she lit thepot-belly stove and blew lightly until the straw inside caught fire. Yawning, she sat on the stone floor, her secondhand nightgown pooling around her, and began to undo her braid.

This was a laborious task as her hair was over ten times her own height, even when braided. She had grown it out all her life, and the golden-brown locks had become amazingly long as she neared her sixteenth year.

When it had been unbraided, she washed, combed, and re-braided it. For the average person, this would've taken all day. For the experienced Mikan, it took an hour.

Why did she keep it this long? Well, first one would need to understand her living arrangements.

Wiccaville was where nearly all the witches in the kingdom lived. The village was protected by enchanted walls and gates. Only witch women, as all witches were female, were allowed.

That is, except for Mikan. Mikan was not a witch. She was just a normal human. Yet for as long as she could remember, she had lived her life in the high stone tower in the middle of the village. She had never touched the ground. She didn't know why she was kept in the structure, as everyone avoided telling her. Her only visitors had been the witches who flew up on brooms to see her. And most of them were not very nice. Oh, some were kind enough to give her toys and books to pass the time. Others snarled when she smiled and smacked her for laughing.

Her childhood nanny Himemiya rarely smiled but was still the kindest witch Mikan knew by the time she was nine years old. That was when it was decided she could take care of herself and did not need a nanny. Himemiya still visited, but just like her smiles, they were rare. One witch who had been bringing her food mentioned she had an illness.

Most of the witches who came to see her were there only to bring her supplies. Food was hard to come by when you never left your prison-like home. So were clothes and toiletries. Water actually wasn't much of a problem. There was a small well in one corner that went all the way down to the bottom of the tall tower and then dipped into an underground river. There was a bucket to collect water with, but the casters weren't stupid enough to leave Mikan a rope long enough to reach the base of the tower. The bucket was enchanted so that Mikan merely needed to say "water please" and it would make its way down to fetch the liquid. Then it would come back up and Mikan would pour its contents into her little copper basin.

Today, after she finished her hair, that was exactly what she did to replace the water she used to wash her long mane. She quickly dressed in her worn dress and stockings. With nothing else to do, she plopped down, bundled her hair around her like a blanket, and read her newest book.

It wasn't long before her first and only friend soared in on her sleek broom. Her high-heeled black boots clicked as she slid off her perch on the hovering broom. The corseted dress she wore seemed black at first glance, but shimmered dark green when the light hit the fabric. It complemented her dark green eyes and curly hair excellently.

"Permy!" cried Mikan as she launched herself at the young witch for a hug.

"My name's Sumire, moron! S-U-M-I-R-E! You're lucky I'm feeling merciful, or you'd find yourself a frog. Humph!" Despite the empty threat, Sumire returned the hug before sighing and flopping down on the bed. She winced.

"I forgot how hard your bed is," she wined. Mikan rolled her eyes but beamed. Her witch buddy had been gone for months, traveling the kingdom. Sumire, *cough* Permy *cough*, usually visited her every day, so it had been lonely with her gone.

Sumire had been her friend since they were twelve. Mikan had been bouncing a ball Himemiya had given her when she'd lost control and the ball went out the window. Believing it to be lost forever, she sniffled and started to shuffle towards the book shelf. It was then that a broom-straddling figure swooped in. Mikan's first impression was that it was a doll, with its lacy dress, striped stockings, and head full of curls. But then the figure stomped forward and grabbed her by the collar. Big green eyes glared at her and she noticed a big red bump on the doll's forehead.

"Watch where you drop your junk!" screeched the new face. "If this leaves a permanent mark, you are going to spend the rest of your little life as a snail!"

Mikan just stared. The new girl asked her what her problem was, but Mikan just kept silent. It was then that this angry doll decided she wouldn't stop until she got Mikan to speak. She began flying up and talking Mikan's ear off every day. Mikan didn't speak at first. She kind of liked this little witch, and was afraid that once her goal of getting the brunette to speak was reached, she would stop coming. But Mikan eventually spoke, and Sumire kept coming. And she still came.

"Soooooo…." Sumire cooed, bringing Mikan back to the present, "I finally saw one of the princes. Oh my goooosh! He was drop-dead gorgeous! Mikan, he is like the hottest guy you'll ever see!"

"Any guy I ever see would be the hottest guy I've ever seen," Mikan pointed out absentmindedly. She had never seen a man. The closest she had come were the pictures in her storybooks. The stories were lovely, but she doubted their authenticity.

"Right, sorry," mumbled the witch as she began to play with a part of Mikan's braid. She sat up suddenly and was walking across the floor towards her broom before the brunette could blink. She reached for a bag hanging off the wooden handle.

"I forgot that I got you a present," she said. From the bag she produced a smaller bag, this one full of beautiful flowers from all across the kingdom. "I put a spell on them so that they'll never wilt." She removed one flower, a sakura blossom, and slipped into the top of Mikan's braid, near the nape of her neck. Mikan accepted the remaining flowers with a hug. Sumire also handed her another bottle of her favorite strawberry-scented hair oil.

"I'll just put these in here for safe keeping," she said, leaning down to open a small trunk at the foot of the bed.

"Wait, Mikan! Isn't that where you kee-"

BANG!

Mikan rocked back on her heels from the punch of Mr. Bear. He had been a gift from an old witch, and also was far too violent. Apparently he was meant to be some sort of security system, or perhaps just a cruel trick, instead of a cuddly buddy. Mikan and Sumire struggled to get him back into the trunk.

"Shouda, let's go," called a voice. Outside the window, two witches their age, Luna and Wakako, floated on brooms. Luna had reddish-blond hair and Mikan had to admit she was very pretty. Wakako had purple hair and was also easy on the eyes. That didn't mean anything. Witches had spells to change appearance. They sneered at Mikan before zipping off.

"I should go," sighed Sumire, reaching into her bag once more. "I have one more thing to give you though." She pulled out a velvet, light-green cloak.

"This," she said calmly, "is for when you escape."

Author's Notes:

I hope you like this story (Yes it is based on Rapunzel). Read and review, pretty please. This is my first story, so please be kind. Basically, don't come after me with the torches and such. Constructive criticism is encouraged. By the way, I am having trouble thinking of a name for the kingdom. Feel free to give ideas.