Disclaimer: I, personally, don't own "Gakuen Alice" & its characters... But I do own mine.

Before I begin this another splendid chapter, I want to express my gratitude to those who supported me from the first chapter until the very last letter of this fan fiction... (Special Thanks to Icy Fathom!)

"Gakuen Alice: The Dark Side of the Dazzling Sun"

Story By:*~ ZxZ Crimson X Flames ZxZ~*

"Recap from Stage 24: A Beautiful Lie"

Mikan was exceedingly bewildered. Gretta and Kiara were 'friends'? Since when did that happened? From what she knew, the two students were not in good terms when she was still a new student back in Alice Academy America. Although the two persons in front of her used to be her friends, she will not back down to any fight- even it causes all her ties between them to be destroyed...

"You once said that you will be my shield against all odds, my loyal guardian. However, why are you doing this to me?"

BOLD: English

Italics: Thoughts or Flashbacks

Normal: Japanese

"Stage 25: Dark Side of the Dazzling Sun"

...You never know how strong you are; until being strong is the only choice you have...

Quote By: "Unknown"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

My heart thumped the same time as the bullet went through his chest. Without warning, all my senses shut down after witnessing what she had mercilessly done to him. I saw her gazing at his lifeless body with amusement... wicked amusement; evident in her viscous burgundy orbs. After seeing her like that, I can't help myself but to stare at her blankly... A few moments later, I suddenly heard loud screams and cries everywhere... at all distances.

Slowly, After that...

... I blacked out.

Flashback~ what happened earlier.

"December 20, 20XX- 5:00 p.m."

(Gakuen Alice- The Rose Garden)

"Kiara..." Mikan Sakura began anxiously. "Were all the things that happened between us the past five years had gone to waste?"

"Please Mikan... I need you to understand me. My mission is to convince you to join the AAO and I necessitate finishing it at all costs so that Mouri will let my family free." Kiara replied solemnly.

"... Or else, He will kill them like what they did to Gretta's family seven years ago." Kiara gazed momentarily at Gretta's now ice-cold azure orbs.

She closed her eyes for a moment; letting all her bitter memories of the past flow back into her mind slowly.

'I don't want Athelstan to experience what I had been through... It's just too painful that it will leave a scar deep inside his heart...' She forcefully gripped her weapon; after reminiscing her past.

"Enough talking...! We need to take them to Reo immediately." Gretta alleged coolly.

"... Sure."

It's been 4 long hours since the ruthless fight began. It looked like no one will give up unless someone will fall down. However, a few moments later...

"I guess there will be no use of fighting them, right?" Kiara alleged monotonously at no one in particular; withdrawing his poisonous whip.

'I can't do it... It's no use. My family is important for me but I know that even if I win, Reo will still kill them..." Kiara slowly dropped his raven whip causing all those around him to be extremely bewildered.

"Don't give up! I know that Mouri will not-!" Gretta wasn't able to finish her statement after hearing a deafening gunshot within the area. Before they could even react or to trace where it came from... Kiara fell on his knees; clutching his chest very tightly. Natsume and Mikan were very surprised... they were not expecting that this would happen.

"No..." Mikan was utterly surprised by the sudden events taking its place tragically. She didn't know why all these things were happening to her... before she could even say a word, a familiar girl with scarlet locks and crimson orbs appeared from afar.

"... DIE!"

In an instant, Mikan started to charge toward her; gripping her weapon tightly... Only to be interfered by Natsume's masculine arms.

"YOU, I THOUGHT YOU WERE HIS FRIEND! ... But why did you did that to him?" MIkan glared at Juliette intensely. All were surprised after seeing Mikan's reaction... It was their first time seeing her acting like this.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to pull the trigger... I was just trying to protect you, Mikan." Juliette Mackenzie said monotonously. Regret was starting to wash over her.

"... I didn't mean to..."

"You knew that Kiara didn't want to fight anymore but what did you do? You still pulled the trigger?" Gretta replied solemnly before kneeling down against Kiara.

"D-don't... Fight! ... Pathetic...I-i was r-really p-pathe... thic un... til the... end."

"Don't say that. What you did was right and that's not what you call pathetic." Gretta Wreckmeister replied reassuringly; forcing a playful smirk against her gloomy face.

"Plea... se... t-take c-ca... re of... Mi... kan... for me." Kiara replied; looking back at Mikan's anxious auburn orbs.

"I will."

... As if on cue, the Gakuen Alice officials and Persona; together with his troops, arrived at the scene with medical equipments in hand...

"Gretta Wreckmeister, you must come with us in an instant! And Ms. Mackenzie, please come with us too... We would like to ask some questions regarding the incident." Persona alleged coolly; pointing a small gun against Gretta. Juliette just nodded slightly before walking towards the school without looking back at either Kiara or Mikan.

"You don't need to tell me that." Gretta replied back with the same range as what Persona did. But before going...

"Oi, Make sure that you take care of Kiara..." After her daring statement, she went with Persona and the other troops with no regrets at all. Now that Gretta was gone, only Natsume Hyuuga, Mikan Sakura and the other troops were left in the scene.

"You must evacuate the area now. It's too dangerous!" One of the men in black declared before putting a barrier around Kiara Athlestan's body.

"No!" Mikan, using her nullification alice; went inside the barrier and embraced Kiara tightly; Kiara, in return, held Mikan's wrist lightly. "I will not leave you... At least, I did something for you until the very end." Mikan added; stroking the silver locks that were covering Kiara's eyes.

"Mikan... I love you."

That was the last statement that Kiara uttered before closing his pale azure orbs and losing grip of Mikan's hand. And at that same moment, too, Natsume pulled Mikan against Kiara before another barrier was casted yet again around Kiara's body.

Mikan stared into the dazzling presence. It felt as if a million suns were coursed into her veins. She witnessed Kiara being taken by the runes of light that supported the sight's beauty. She had an urge to hold him in her arms until it will be time for her to let go... However, she just gazed into the wondrous sight powerlessly...

Slowly, a tear leisurely ran down through her crystalline-like golden brown orbs... That was all she could do; watch, until it was too late... Her whole body had dazed just as she witnessed her friend fade through the mystifying, incandescent light.

"It's over..."

She fell; sobbing; tears were trickling from her eyes.

"... He's gone."

Mikan remained still for what seemed like hours until she heard a husky voice behind her.

"Are you done?" Mikan gazed into Natsume's eyes for a moment before settling her gaze back at her friend's lustrous presence.

"He's gone, dead... never to be seen again."

"No, he's not dead. Kiara was just..." Mikan's voice was hoarse but she tried not to have any tears fall further.

"He was just what? Stop telling yourself lies. It—"

"No! You don't understand what we've been through! Kiara said that he will defend me even anything bad happens. And I'm sure that he will never fail to carry out that promise for me."

At that very moment, too, Mikan felt Natsume's firm arms wrapped around her.

"... And I'm also certain that if Athelstan is still here, he will not be pleased of seeing you acting like that."

After his statement, suddenly, Mikan's vision started to haze. She fell into Natsume's arms even more.

"Natsume, you will never leave me, right? Natsume gazed back at Mikan. His dazzling crimson orbs sternly stared into Mikan's amber orbs unknowingly.

"No, I won't."

"I love you, Natsume... I really do." Natsume came to a gasp of shock after Mikan said those words. She smiled minutely; seeing Natsume's reaction before slowly falling into a deep slumber.

"I do too..."

"... Mikan, Happy Birthday."

...

..

.

*~5 months later~*

...

..

.

"May 20, 20XX- 8:00 a.m."

(Gakuen Alice- Gymnasium)

"So as conclusion, I, the High school principal of Gakuen Alice, am happy to deliver this wonderful news to you, at this moment. We have not seen any signs of the Anti-Alice Organization in duration of five (5) consecutive months. Despite this fact, we will not let our guard down for any possibilities that the Anti-Alice Organization will attack the Academy again..."

Said Narumi L. Anjo; repeating the words from the letter coming from the higher-ups. After a deep breath with a hint of relief, all students were in celebration after hearing the good news.

"This is just great!"

"At last, I could sleep freely without thinking of AAO!"

A celestial relief was evident in MIkan Sakura's eyes. All had come back to normal, she thought. And of course, her and Natsume Hyuuga's bond became stronger since that overwhelming bittersweet day exactly five months ago...

And as if on cue, the bell suddenly rang. ~

"Students, you may now go to your respective ability classes." Jinno, the Math teacher, declared tranquilly. The students did not waste any time as they promptly abide by his command.

"It's nice to have everything back to normal, isn't?" With her usual monotone accent, Hotaru Imai alleged at no one in particular.

"I agree." Ruka Nogi replied with a smile full of enthusiasm. Both were holding each other's hands when Ruka replied. It seems like there's a new couple that is forming up!

On the other hand, Natsume roughly stood up from his seat, followed by the rest of the gang.

Mikan was just looking at her friends expressionlessly from afar.

'They were acting as if nothing happened at all. I wanted to be happy, too, but I just can't forget what happened on that day. Right now, I am still wondering... If I only had the strength and courage to save HIM at that time, Will he still be right here by my side?'

Her thoughts had suddenly come to a stop when she abruptly felt an arm wrapped around her...

"... Natsume, Don't surprise me like that!"

"Want to join us later at the Central Town? To get your mind off some things a bit..." Natsume, ignoring Mikan's remark, said coolly; muttering the last part of his statement.

"Well, yeah. Sure!" Mikan replied cheerfully; forcing out a bubbly grin like what she was doing before... When things were more normal than what it seems to be now.

"Mikan, if you have any problems, just come to me... anything at all." Natsume alleged; giving Mikan a brief yet passionate kiss.

"Thank you for your concern... But I have nothing to share. Later!" Mikan bid her farewell before swiftly turned her back against her friends. She steadily went outside the enormous gymnasium; leaving the anxious faces of the gang.

'Don't worry; I can fix this myself...'

"May 20, 20XX- 8:30 a.m."

(Gakuen Alice- Special Ability Classroom)

"Mikan! What are you doing here? Persona will be looking for you any moment now." Noda, the Special Ability Class Moderator asked monotonously.

"Oh, don't mind that old man! He only needs me during missions." Mikan smiled reassuringly; fondling with the hems of her skirt causing Noda and Tsubasa Andou; together with the other students to laugh deafeningly.

"Yeah, right!"

"May 20, 20XX- 5:43 p.m."

(Gakuen Alice- The Central Town)

'Hmmm... Where are they?' Mikan Sakura, looking for Natsume and the rest of the gang desperately; inquisitively thought with evident curiosity playing in her amber orbs. 'Maybe now's the time to go back to the dormitory... After all, it's almost six 'o clock.'

Mikan started to walk steadily towards the bus stop. 'Really... Where are they?'

She continued to walk until she spotted a tiny garden by the town park. Colourful assortments of different flowers were amazingly displayed together with the branches and vines. But something else caught her eye...

A single flower stood out above the rest; a hyacinth.

"Kiara."Mikan gently whispered under her breath. The amazing awe of the flower was suddenly shattered as the memories started surge before her. She shook the thoughts away thinking that; 'He's gone now; no way of coming back...'

As she strolled around the garden, a familiar presence passed before her. It felt like her soul was sold to the devil for her dream has just come through.

"... Kiara?"

She was showered, mauled in joy. As the young man turned towards Mikan's direction, she depicted that familiar face, that gentle smile and those similar dark red, caring orbs. But as she was stuttering out to rejoice, ready to give in to happiness...

"Was it really him?"

Out of nowhere, an eerie wind suddenly encircled us...

. . . .

. . .

. .

.

"There was no Black Feather..."

. . . .

. . .

. .

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.THE END.

(It's up to your imagination)

No way! Don't tell me I just finished the story? As you could see, the black feather was the tattoo of Kiara at the back of his neck so...

What do you think...? Was it really him?

Thank you so much for reading this chapter...Still, I hope that all those silent readers will review this chapter!

So please! For the last time... RATE AND REVIEW!

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*~ZxZ Crimson X Flames ZxZ~*