Hello, dear readers, how do you do~? For those who may recognize this, at least in title, this is the same story. Kind of. This a brand new prologue, and the format of going about writing this story will be a lot different from standard. This will be told in a series of one-shots, they all are linked together (though sometimes only through the mere fact they take place in this setting) and there is a plot. Blah, blah, blah... To avoid rambling, I'll stop here. I do hope you enjoy~
P.s. This is being typed from my phone so if there are any mistakes... My bad. Now will let you read, feel free to review if you feel so inclined~
The room, while certainly large and spacious, seemed even bigger, impossibly bigger as the green-haired boy steppedthrough the threshold of the door. It was the school lunchroom, which was currently filled which dozens upon dozens of students between the ages of eleven and thirteen. He stood in the entryway and simply observed his surroundings with large, blue eyes that sparkled with nervous fright. His pale fingers clutched at a notebook, the book slightly bending under the tightness if his hold. Continuing to scan the area, he noticed two things immediately; one, that nearly all the children has their cat ears and tails and two...they were all sitting with someone.
Of course... the ten-year-old thought with bitterness and sadness, they all have their partners. I just have me... The thoughts shocked the boy himself, and he continued to stand there, unnoticed by everyone. It occurred to him that the hollow feeling he felt was loneliness.
Maybe, he would think years later, loneliness attracts loneliness. That really could be the only reason why three heartbeats later as the boy was contemplating leaving the room and going back to an empty, cold dorm room that he now had to call home, a boy came crashing into his shoulder.
"Hey!" The lime-haired boy said, where he had been shoved in the shoulder by another child and lost his balance which resulted into his falling into his butt. His notebook fell from loosen fingertips and then skidded across the tile floor. "Watch where you're going," he grumbled low, but glared up at other boy.
The pusher had by now skidded to a stop and looked back and then down. One hand was still in the running position and the other flopped awkwardly in the air as if he didn't know what to do with it. The male looked other than him, Minoru realized, and he didn't look Japanese or even American. While he did have certain features that were stereotypical of Asians as a whole, like the fact that his dark, dark eyes were slightly slanted, he certainly didn't look like a native. A childlike, foolish hope spread through him, and he pushed aside his race, and grinned. Maybe...maybe he transferred here, too! he thought and ignored the now outstretched hand in favor of using his arms to push himself up.
There was a pause now, both adolescents now consumed by their own thoughts and the general awkwardness of meeting a new person. If he had watched more carefully, or had been older, maybe he would have seen the way the other's eyes constantly shifted from the boy to over on the other side of the cafeteria, as desperate to be somewhere other than there with the stranger. Or, at least, have noticed that he had a bottle of grape juice in his hand that maybe he wanted to drink. But, he didn't and all that was on his mind was replacing the few friends he had that he had been selfishly ripped away from by his uncaring parents.
"I'm Takahashi Minoru," he said finally, just as he was taught. He was standing now, facing the raven-haired boy with a tentative smile.
He just nodded, his gaze now more obviously on something on the other side of the room - or someone. Still, manners made him stop and introduce himself. "My name is Akiyama Gushiken and I am half of unit Heartless." It sounded rehearsed, as if he was used to repeating this phrase.
"O-oh...you have a partner," he said, trying and failing to hide his disappointment. So much for having a friend.
He just nodded and then turned to him and gave a small smile. Even to him it was obvious he was a new student, and was his heavily accented Japanese, he must have been an American. Yet, the words of his Sacrifice rang through his thoughts and made him focus on his current task - and it was not to make friends. What kind of Fighter would he be to let himself be distracted from his task at hand, even if it was as trivial as getting him a grape soda. Still...
"It was nice meeting," the ravenhead boy said, "but I have to get this soda to my Sacrifice." He blatantly ignored the small skipped beat of heart at that that happened every time he was about to say his Sacrifice. "You...you are welcome to...join us if you would like."
"Really?" His head snapped up so fast, it actually hurt though it made no audible sound.
"Yes," he said and then moved to pick up the book that had fallen when he fell. He gulped silently and thought of the order that was given - "Go get me a grape soda, a bottled and not canned, and hurry." Even though it was never spoken, the threat of a punishment had been there and he gulped. It was month since he had began to punishment him for failing him or displeasing him... He hated it, but knew it was not his place to speak up, as a Fighter who did whatever you could to make your Sacrifice happy. But..he knew in a way...it showed how much he cared...how much he... The small flip if his heart brought him back and he felt a faint blush raise in his cheek. Oh, he was so getting punished.
"Come on," he said, and was delighted when the other just nodded and took the notebook that was handed to him. As they began to walk away from the entrance of the school, he asked, "So, where are you from, you sound American..."