The halls were drowned in silence with only footsteps off into the distance, giving gently pokes to the growing laughter. A stray light emits from the single door to the right side of the hall, lighting up a teen's scraggly face. His left hazel eye looks through the window in the door and watches as a small teddy bear walks up to a young girl.
"Upupupupu. Are you ready for another round? This time, we'll bring despair to everyone who enters our school," the bear said as he was lifted up into the girl's arms. She giggles and sits down with him in her lap. She ran her hand along the bear's head, gently humming a sweet tune to him.
"Aye..?" He scratched his messy brown hair unsure of he just saw. When he sees her head turn towards the door, he ducks and falls to the right. His back hit the doorframe and he grunts. He had to get away from the door; he knew for sure the girl had heard him just now. He stood straight up and turned left down the hall. The pounding of the student's feet against the paved floor broke the silence.
He turned onto the bridge connecting the classrooms to the dormitory. He ran past empty dorm rooms on his way to the only one with an actual nametag. He burst through the door, panting like a dog; his eyes were on a silver haired teen with black streaks and a Shiba Inus whom sat next to him.
"What's gotten you into a run," the silver haired teen started, crossing his legs, "did you find a way to get out?" The brown haired teen shook his head, the bandana sliding off his head. His left hazel eye looked at the other teen, who only shook his head. He walked over and picked up the bandana from the floor and wrapped it back around his friend's head.
"Ya landlubber," he said as he ripped the bandana off, looking into the man's eyes; they were a purple hint, which offset the brown haired teen. "Me saw a sight wit' me own eye! Ther', in the classroom, a youngun an' a bear!"
"Dammit Kou, talk normally. You know I'm not a pirate like you are," the silver haired teen spoke as he grunted his teeth. Kou looked down and away. That was his normal talk.
"Me… I saw in a classroom, while I searching for a way out, a little girl hugging a teddy bear. The bear, though, he was talking to her! He said something about another round. You're smart, right Yomi? Do you have any ideas as to what it could mean?"
Yomi took a second to look the pirate over in front of him. He placed his index and thumb against the bridge of his nose and pinched them together. With a sigh, he sat back down by the Shiba, whom had its head on its paws. He spoke softly as he reached down to pet the little guy. "Hey, Ryuu, sit up boy." Ryuu did.
He looked up at Yomi, then over at Kou. The former rubbed the top of the dog's head and behind his ear. He moved his head in the direction of the scratch and stuck out his tongue. These two were the only ones he had known since first arriving at the school; them and the chew toy that talked.
"Well, from the way I see it, the bear has to be remote controlled, with someone behind it. Obviously, we're not going to be the only ones who have to live in here. Just go and look at the dorm rooms. They each have a theme to them. You have a circus, an animal room, and a stage, just to name a few," Yomi stated, still petting the dog.
"So what, are we getting some more people?" Kou asked, and the other nodded.
The overhead speakers in the room screeched before a high pitched voice came on. "Bing, bang, bong! Attention students! Attention students! Everyone, please gather in the auditorium! I repeat, please gather in the auditorium! Upupupupu." It said, before the speakers turned off.
Kou looked over at the speakers hanging above the bed, then back to the teen sitting in the corner of the room. The latter only shrugged as he stood up. His furry friend got up, but lowered himself into a stretch. "Does this mean there are more people than just us," he asked, only to be ignored by the other. He stared as the latter walked to the door and out to the hall.
There were those footsteps again. Afraid or confused, he knew not. In fact, he thought about going out when he heard them approaching, but couldn't. Especially when he had no way of defending himself. Well, he had his water flower to at least get him a second head start. He sighed and turned around to face his own room.
As his eyes gazed at the wallpaper he set up for himself, he smiled to himself. It reminded him of the days before. Bright lights and loud music, only to make his watchers happy. Even if he pained during his performance, it would still bring a smile upon the children's faces. His big red nose and colorful shoes made it easier to accomplish his task.
He sighed, thinking about those days and how he gave them up. The more important question was why. Why did he decide to give up working at the circus for an education? It wasn't an easy choice, but he managed to persuade himself. Then again, his hadn't convinced himself he made the right choice.
He turned around to face the door again, listening for more footsteps. He heard water in the shower turn on, but nothing came from behind the front door. Defeated, he walked back over to the bed and sat down. He didn't mind the softness of the bed at all. It was like he was on a cloud, watching over the big tents and single stands. That was where his home was, all complete with his brothers.
The footsteps came back to the front of the door. He hopped up and ran over. Deep down, he wanted to open the door for the first time and see who made those echoing steps. Then he thought about the stories he's heard on his old walks through Clown Alley. 'If you hear footsteps beyond the door, don't investigate! The demons of the outside world are walking past for a chance to yank you from your home,' his mother would always say. Why would they have followed him here, though; especially after he handed in the keys to his trailer.
"Yumiko, why are you always at the door? Don't you know it's rude to leave a girl like me alone," a girl called out. He turned around, completely forgetting about the girl in the shower. He looked away when he saw the towel wrapped around her. "I could have been all ready in bed and you wouldn't have even of known!"
"Sure I would have! You're the only thing that can catch my attention, you know?" He responded as he scratched the back of his head. She sighed and grabbed the hola-hoop set next to the door. She stepped in the middle as she pulled it above her head. The shower curtain hanging from the hoop gave the girl's silhouette. She dropped her towel and the hoop. Her starry hat drooped a little as she tilted her head.
"Ta-dah~!" She said as she pulled the blue cape that hung around her shoulders apart. Along with the cape, the rest of her attire was, in fact, blue. "Do you like this attire? Perhaps you like my other uniform better, don't you~?" She squatted down on the spot.
"Well, I like anything you wear, really. I don't have a preference. Everything is beautiful when you wear it," he responded again, "Then again, you're also beautiful without anything on you as well."
She stopped for a second, blushing at his words, before pulling the hoop straight up. With one hand holding the hoop up and the other pulling the hat off, she lets the ring drop down to her ankles. She adjusted the pink tie between her white button down and the black suit jacket. Her hands traveled down her sides and onto her waist. As she pulled down her skirt, she stuck her tongue out when she leaned forward to brush off the bottom.
"This color is more my style; if you're lucky, I'll let you have your way tonight," she mocked, "only if you can make me laugh like you do. Come on, we have to go down to the auditorium."
"Well, I mean, we got a few minutes before we do, can you show me how you do that hoop trick?" He asked shyly, rubbing the back of his head. She stared at him; she nodded and smiled wide.
"Bing, bang, bong! Attention students, this is the final call for all students to report to the auditorium! I repeat: this is the final call for all students to report to the auditorium!"
"Attention dipshit, no one gives a crap!" A black haired youth snapped back at the speakers. He had already been fed up with the fact that he's already stuck there. Before the first announcement came on, he had gotten two girls to go with him. He wanted to go check out the whole school, but no. The little actress had to go on to the stage for her own little purposes.
"Do you know when your time will come? Oh! Woe is me! Why must fate take the good and leave the rest lonely? Is there no justice, no rest for the wicked?" The actress called out from the stage. She dawned on a red dress, with a ribbon tied around the collar, which draped down around her ankles. She walked across the stage and knocked on the air. "Oh, brother, won't you let me in on your little scheme? I don't like being left in the darkness."
He sighed. He had his feet up on the arm of the chair next to him, with his head resting on the back. This wasn't what he thought of when an actress says about practicing while wearing those skintight shorts of hers. He shook his head at the thought. He looked from the stage to the girl sitting next to him, whom looked back at him.
"Blake, what do you think of Natsumi," the girl said, looking back at the actress, "do you think she's cute?" Blake laughed a little to himself. Sure, she was cute, but not enough to really have an effect on him. She looked back at him and smiled, "you must think so; you're blushing!"
"Why do you care? You're a mangaka," he said mockingly. "Can you make yourself useful and get the girl off the stage before anyone else comes in? She's starting to give me a headache."
"Natsumi, can you come down here for a second? I want to talk with you," the girl paused, "Blake and I wanna talk with you about your fashion." The boy next to her sighed and closed his eyes. It's too early for this nonsense. He could hear the footsteps of the actress grow louder before they stopped. He opened his eyes up. His view shot straight up to the girl's face when he noticed that she wasn't wearing the long dress anymore.
"What is it, my darlings?" The actress asked. She had her left hand on the hip of her skin tight, green gym shorts and the other smoothing out her hair. Blake sighed and sat up. His eyes left the girl's face and traveled down her body. The girl's long, black t-shirt nearly drowned the girl's shorts. Blake looked back up at the girl and noticed the hand that smoothed her hair moved to her glasses. "Do you want an autograph or something?"
"Not at all," Blake said. He turned away from the two girls and closed his eyes. Their bickering increased the headache he had been growing. As he sat there, he could only think one thing: "It's way too early for this shit.