a/n1: Soooo this has been a bloody long time coming!

a/n2: If that's pointing the finger at me, you're just as much to blame.

a/n1: *cowers* Button down! I was just saying that this has been a long and arduous process!

a/n2: Do you know what arduous means?

a/n1: Lol, sort of, but that's beside the point! The point is, welcome finally to this story that was a request by a Zeroooooooooo9, who we lost contact with. I hope we make u proud my friend! Alright, without further ado, enjoy!

Warnings: Violence, sex, and bad words!

~O~

Here is what I think my life is like right now: picture a full and leafy shrub that's blooming in its natural habitat. The sun shining on its thick glossy leaves as dew drops cling to it. One day, the plant grows in a shady patch that it's not supposed to, and suddenly a crazy old woman uproots it and carries it off to some unknown terrain.

I plucked deftly at the seat cushion and sighed dejectedly. From the driver's seat, Grandma stiffened. I glanced up in time to see her menacing glare from the rearview mirror. Thankfully, she didn't say anything. She knew as well as I that the topic was well exhausted.

You can probably tell from my admiring tone that she is the crazy woman from my plant story. She insisted that this was the only way I would have a future. I'm convinced she hates me, and wants to make me miserable by uprooting me every few months. Back nearly 150 kilometers in the opposite direction, was a place I'd started thinking of as home, but now...I hated everything. It was all because I had been tricked. Grandma, after hearing my side of the story, wasn't at all convinced of my innocence. But whatever…story of my life.

We sat in thick silence for a while, the wide ocean, rolling green hills, and dense foliage getting thicker as we drove along the interstate. Really, what Gran was doing wasn't all bad. She was sending me to a Private academy that held very prestigious test scores. It was the fact that she denied my innocence in what happened. She's convinced that if I don't finish my last years of high school out at a good school without any trouble, I won't have a future. Instead, I'll turn into the delinquent she's deluded herself into believing I am.

At the next rest stop, she approached me, walking along the little un-manicured lawn and said in clipped tones, "It'll be good for you…"

I merely answered by turning on my heels, stomping back to the car, and slamming the door behind me. Sometimes, I loved her…most times, I didn't. The same could be said for her, I think. Loved me when I was easily ignored, hated me when I got into trouble (which was often). Why couldn't she just leave me be if she hated me so much?

It was well into the evening by the time we reached the hotel. I could still catch a glimpse of the faint glow of a recent sunset over the waters to the west. Very beautiful, I had to admit.

Grandma had already gotten over my little outburst earlier, and was already launching into a one-sided conversation about how she'd already taken the liberty of getting my things sent to my dorm room and ordering my school uniforms. I rolled my eyes. Just like her. Come all this way to set me up in a school of her choice, only to dump me off and watch like a vulture from miles away. I smiled and distracted myself for a while by imagining myself as a hunter with a shotgun tracking Grandma-Vulture's movements across the sky.

"I am an old woman! Don't expect me to carry all your belongings in, boy!" she suddenly screeched, wrenching me from my daydream.

I glowered, but did as I was told regardless. She was only in her late fifties, and in good shape, she just liked to complain and get what she wanted handed to her. But it didn't help to argue with her…she won anyways. You're probably wondering why I'm with her in the first place if I don't like her. Well, Dad skipped town before I was born, and Mom died of mouth cancer shortly after when I was around four. Not really much else to it. I've been bounced from boarding school after boarding school, just so my witch of a relative could live in her little bubble of luxury without having to deal with me.

That night, after a tight-lipped dinner at a nearby restaurant, I tossed restlessly in my bed. What would tomorrow be like? Could it be possible to develop the ability to become invisible and escape? Should I run away and start a life all on my own? No…I just have to suffer through her trials and jump through all her ridiculous hoops until I get to college. Then, I'll go as far away as possible.

I ran a hand through my unruly blonde hair and huffed agitatedly. Grandma was already gone. Back to her own life, so there was no hope of getting a ride for my first day of school. The thing that really sucked was the fact that this stupid school was on top of the tallest hill in this small town. I checked out, and strode out to the street where I caught sight of the prestigious school's white stone roof glinting in the early morning sun as I stood on the walkway to the road, clutching the strap to my duffel bag tightly.

"Guess I better get going…"I mumbled to myself, hoisting said bag a little higher on my shoulder and trudging down to the road to begin my journey.

It didn't take as long as I had dreaded. The trees were a bit deceptive. I would get some time to explore before classes started. It was hard not to gape when I crested the hill. The architecture was brilliant; a sort of gothic French.

As I neared the front courtyard, I could hear the buzz of a crowd and my stomach clenched with anticipation. It was going to be tough trying to blend in without the help of a uniform. And boy was it impressive, I noticed as I caught sight of some upper classmen grouped around a quaint fountain. Sleek black jackets and pants over crisp white collared shirts, secured with skinny black ties. The elegant school emblem embellished over the left breast of every jacket was a tangle of gold swirled around an ornate 'M'. These were the very definition of elite.

Whispers and eyes followed me as I hurriedly made my way through the crowd. Of course, I did the only thing that came to my mind, which was to slip away and duck around the side of the main building as quickly as I could. Longest day of my life, here I come. My head fell into my hands as I tried composing myself. The last thing I wanted to do was show this testosterone, teenage infested, hoity-toity place that I was a weakling.

Cursing my Grandma under my breath, I started once again for the front doors. That was when I heard the distinct crash of breaking glass. You must be thinking that of course, after my track record for unluckiness and trouble, I would have turned and walked away. But no…like the idiot I am, I got up to investigate.

Sure enough, I found the source of the noise. I peered around curiously, but could see no evidence of the perpetrator anywhere near the scene. That's when the situation I was in hit me square in the face. I started and made to run, but a sharp voice calling out stopped me.

"You there!"

I groaned inwardly. My first day technically hadn't even started yet, and already I was going to be labeled as the delinquent. Grandma would be thrilled by the news. Tentatively, I turned and caught sight of an old man with a long white beard barreling around the corner towards me. The first instinct that came to mind was screaming at me to explain what was going on.

"N-no, Sensei, this isn't what it looks-" I began, but was cut off by his own string of words. "It damn well is what I think it looks like!"

I was completely taken off-guard. He brandished a fist sized rock under my nose and bellowed, "You threw this rock at the science room's window! Damn punks coming up here and terrorizing the property just because they weren't able to get admitted! That is no excuse for vandalism, I tell you!"

Wildly, I shook my head and explained that I was enrolled. Thankfully, the anger ebbed slowly from his face as I went on with my story. He still didn't seem entirely convinced of my innocence though. But at least he wasn't acting crazy anymore.

"I suppose it doesn't make much sense for the criminal to stand idly by his scene of crime…but seeing as I don't have any evidence or witnesses to suggest otherwise, I'm going to have to ask you to come with me."

Really…? Dread bubbled up from the pit of my stomach as I trailed after him through the front doors that I had admired earlier and through the halls to an office that was clearly labeled "Principal". To my great surprise, he ordered me to sit across from him at a great wooden desk. Honestly this old coot that swore at me was the Principal?

Once situated, he grinned over at me sitting nervously and said, "Welcome to your new school."

Absolutely nuts, that's what ran through my mind as I sat there gaping over at him. He barely bat an eyelash at my expression, however before continuing, "Although your previous record here shows you to be a bit of a…troubled child, I do believe you told the truth about your innocence. However, I must still issue punishment as per school regulation."

"But, I didn't do anything-" I started.

He held up his hand to silence me, carefully pushing aside my thick manila envelope full of the records of all my mishaps from previous schools. He continued, "Please hear me out. If you complete the set of tasks that I ask you to do, then the incident will be expunged from your record…and your Grandmother won't hear a word of it."

I stared up at him blankly. Was this guy really…blackmailing me? I probably only heard him wrong.

And like he knew what I was thinking, he grinned and said, "You and two other of your…misfit classmates will be restoring the school's pool for student use in the spring. I expect the task to be executed in a timely manner. Do you have any concerns Tamao-san? I'm sure I could explain this just as well to your Grandmother if-"

At the mention of Grandma, I bristled and immediately choked out, "N-no, I understand sir!"

He leaned back in his chair and smiled triumphantly, motioning with his hand to the door as he said, "Alright then, run along and get your schedule and dorm room in order."

A mixture of panic, despair, and nausea overwhelmed me as I sat heavily on my bed a little later. After a few deep breaths, I held my head and muttered, "This is not how I wanted to start my first day…"

Do you feel sorry for me, yet? Just wait. It gets better.

~O~

a/n1: Cheers, a fantastic start to a great story!

a/n2: See you all in the next chappie.