Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.

Summary: She was tortured, tormented, and destroyed. Yet when she was given a chance to live in the past, would she finally give in to the bliss?

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Sinful Attempts

Authored by Yamashina Risaki

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Chapter Six

Alice Festival

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"Let me get this straight," His jet black eyes wavered for a moment, "You want me to propose letting students from the Dangerous Ability Class be involved in the festival."

Mikan nodded as a huge grin spread across her child-like face. She insisted, "Rei onii-chan, you just have to send this proposal to the High School Principal with an attachment of a snapshot of me, specifically my face."

His gloved palm found its way towards his forehead as he questioned his mentor's daughter, "What makes you so sure it would work?"

She offered a comforting smile, "Trust me, it will."

And she was right.

All of the students from the Dangerous Ability Class gathered around in the dimly-lit room as soon as they received orders from Persona. One by one they took their seats. Natsume took his place nearest to the huge window. His pair of crimson-tinted orbs fixed upon a certain familiar brunette who entered the room by his side.

His jaws tightened at the sight. Heat started to rise within him, unknowingly. He glared at the man who had made his life living hell ever since the day he picked him and his best friend up at the village. Persona.

"I assume all are here." Persona started coldly, "This year, we, Dangerous Ability Class, will be involved in the Alice Festival."

The mere announcement caused a mini outburst from the students.

"Silence." Persona snapped.

All the students snapped their attention back to their teacher almost immediately.

A sweet, dedicate voice echoed within the spacious room, "The High School Principal had approved your contributions and had made it possible for all of you to be in charge of the special effects during the Festival." Her slender fingers rested upon her pink-glossed lips as she introduced herself to the group before her, "Sakura Mikan desu. Special Ability Class."

"What is a Special Ability Class student doing in this faculty?" If voice could freeze, everyone would have been frozen by the edge of their seats.

Mikan calmly answered, "I am speaking on behalf of the High School Principal, as of today."

Blood red eyes clashed coldly against the pair of fiery amber orbs, as if daring each other to speak more.

"Very well." He muttered. He was sure to make her talk, later.

Once the meeting was over, the source of his frustration was nowhere to be found. Damn that girl. His tracks halted and he felt rage take over when he witnessed her radiant smile towards the person he detests, most. He felt, disgusted. He did not know what came over him as he strode hastily towards those two.

Before Persona could ruffle those brunette bangs, he found his hands being stopped by a furious restraint. His eyes twitched in amusement. Those bold, crimson orbs were ready to kill. They were out for blood. For his, in particular. I've trained him well.The mentor mentally checked, fully aware of the killer intent directed to him.

The fifteen-year-old had grown up with hatred. Hatred for this man. Hatred for this school and his screwed up life. He hated himself for letting go of his sister's hands and for dragging Ruka, his only best friend, into the mess he had created. It was all because of this man.

"Don't. Touch. Her." He sneered.

"N-Natsume-"

The raven lad coldly snapped at his partner, "I will deal with you later."

As much as Persona wanted to make his intentions clear, he smirked, "And what can you do, Natsume-kun?"

Mikan saw those crimson depths flicker in menace. Before she could register his movements, he launched a huge fireball straight at the advisor. And just when Persona was sure he had avoided the fire caster's aim, the ball of fire exploded before him causing him to be blasted against the wall, hard. Natsume charged his fist deep into the dark-haired advisor's abdomen; his other hand gathered a powerful portion of flames in preparation to dive in.

Mikan's eyes widened in horror as she watched her partner charged on like a cold-blooded killer. She hitched and screamed, "Natsume!"

A silent explosion of bright light ray consumed the three of them within an instant.

"Oi!" Natsume cursed. Her body fell limp against his back. She would have gravitated face down onto the cold, marble flooring if not for her partner's one-handed catch.

"Tch." His icy gaze held on the advisor for a short while before he took off a flight down from the window towards the infirmary.

Those eyes were cold and unfeeling.

"Kill me, won't you?!" Her tears stained her bruised face.

Screaming ear-piercingly, she bit her lips as he stabbed the fruit knife straight into her waist. The sound of tearing of her own flesh amplified against her ears. Her screams were muffled and she was restrained. Her breathings were ragged. Her vision was marred.

"I will." His eyes were of a killer, a murderer to be exact, he whispered chillingly, "But now is still too soon."

She was injured and healed so many times she already lost count.

"She's rejecting medication and my Alice," Imai Subaru said, leaning along the bed rail, he continued in a serious tone of voice, "If this goes on, she might shut down. Her systems are in a mess."

Natsume flicked off the flame that was by his finger a moment ago. His head tilted to the right as he held an intense gaze on the sleeping form of the mysterious girl. He had not understood why he had rammed against Persona heads on earlier on that morning. He had been blinded by an unspeakable amount of hatred and anger when he saw her merely standing beside the advisor. There was something else to the trigger too.

His eyes roamed along her flawless neckline towards her blouse. The first two buttons were unbuttoned revealing the space between her breasts, the cleavage. He unconsciously licked his lips, wetting them in process. She was wearing plain white bra underneath the thin fabric of blouse. Her breathings were messed up and beads of sweat were trailing down her forehead to the sides of her face. As she tossed, her hair glued onto her face messily. It was unintended, but she looked really vulnerable, his thoughts added, and breakable, at the moment. Nightmares.

"She's not accepting anything!" The nurse exclaimed, stressed.

"The medicine." No one was aware of how Natsume shifted towards the bedside from the wall he was leaning on seconds ago, but his cold nature surfaced, "Give it to me."

The nurse who was attending to the young lady stood frozen by his gaze. She tried to respond but nothing came out of her mouth. Her shivering hands passed him the portion of medication that was supposed to be fed to Mikan's sleeping form.

Girl you're going to live. He popped the pills into his mouth nonchalantly. His expression was indifferent as he chewed onto the bitter taste, saving every bit within his strong jaws. His hand reached out to hold onto the sleeping brunette's face, forcing pressure to widen her lips apart. The fire-caster leaned forward and weighed against the bed rail by holding an arm out, his lips covered hers almost gently and he pushed the bitter flavour down her throat by letting his tongue explore the depths of her mouth. Her attempts of rejecting failed as he forced the opening of her throat open with his tongue.

She choked upon the medication as it flows downwards into the passageway beside her windpipe. The aftertaste was horrible. Her eyes were forced open as she felt hot tears threatening to fall from her glistering amber eyes.

Her voice was rasped and hoarse, "W-Why are you healing me?"

He stared blankly at the nullifier, "To keep you alive."

The awful sensation of having a lump stuck by her throat caused her hands to move along her neck. She was facing difficulty swallowing. The fact that she can taste the mixture of Natsume's saliva with hers, the brute taste of the medication and mild metallic taste of blood within her mouth made her have the strongest urge to throw out.

And she did. She took off from the bed, falling unceremoniously face down the bathtub as her senses went numb from the violent gush forcing its way up her gut and through the back of her throat. Her head was light and she was not sure if she was the one spinning, or the room. And that she suddenly saw snakes and scorpions around her legs made her scream hysterically in tears. Hallucination.

Her barrier activated unknowingly.

"MIKAN!" It was the last thing she heard before her vision turned dark and felt herself impact onto the icy-cold ground below her.

Natsume's eyes widened alarmingly upon witnessing her fallen form. The piercing scream seconds ago made him kick the door down, brutally, to check on the sick brunette. She lay lifelessly on the floor. His eyes had visibly turned into darker shade of red as he felt her barrier shut him out from her.

Ignoring the gasps from the nurses behind him, he pounded his fists onto the barrier despite knowing it as futile efforts. Her Alices were far more superior to his, almost ancient. He blocked all the thoughts and shut them at the back of his mind. He lunged and punched more ferociously at her barrier. Giving up was not an option, the fire caster gathered fire around both his hands and dove right through the obstacle.

He, however, did not see himself being repelled away, sending him fly backwards onto the mirror beside the door. He was painfully aware of the shattering of glasses above him when he crashed and well down straight from the mirror. He merely grunted a curse under his breath.

Yet he had not expected her barrier to shatter from his hit. Natsume took no hesitation to launch towards Mikan as he saw her barrier weakened and burst into tiny crisp of shimmering pieces.

He gathered her wrecked form into his chest protectively. After taking a brief glance at her sleeping form, he advanced back to her bed and nested her within. He had not realise he was bleeding until the nurse offered to check his injuries by his head. He gruffly accepted her treatment, not leaving his current position by her side.

"We might need to restrain her." Subaru contemplated, "It seems likely for her to trash around in the night and if she holds her barrier up, we may not be able to reach or save her."

The raven haired junior frowned. Restrain? Without thinking, he reached out to stop the doctor, "Don't. I'll make sure she doesn't make a ruckus."

The doctor lifted his glasses and stared down at the fire caster then sighed, "I hope you know what you're getting into."

Natsume glared with his set of jaws firm, "Hn."

"Ring the bell if her condition gets out of control." The doctor warned before signaling his team to clear off from the room.

"Natsume…"

The pair of deadly crimson orbs narrowed and silted at her painful attempt to call out to him. What exactly was she hiding?

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End of Chapter 6

A/N: I have to apologise. I don't update as much as other writers and I stray off to alternate fandoms from time to time. However, I am determined to complete my stories even if it takes ages, or decades. This is Chapter 6, it may be a little too short but I believe it's about the content coverage. I should have mentioned, this story is going to be a long-term investment for mine and my readers' part. Do expect longer chapters after this, the plot is darkening, very soon.

This chapter is definitely dedicated to SweetcharisMia. She was the only reader who reviewed my humble little piece of work. The next chapter is partially on the way, and yes, I have not abandoned, and never will, abandon this little muse I have for this particular plot. It's far too precious. Oh, and about Ruka, I have plans laid out for him.

山科 梨咲