Chapter One - Stealing the Counsellor's Trix
It doesn't look too bad, Balla said. So stop looking like your cat died.
"Otherwise she wouldn't be sitting here while she ordering me around," Shadra said. Balla spun around on Shadra's lap to look up at the black-haired girl.
Hmph, Balla said.
Shadra could compare her cat to one of those English professors very easily. She supposed that it had something to do with what Shadra could envision as an authority figure. More so than her own mother.
She stretched her newly healed arm. Her powers were getting stronger. Well, at least now she could heal.
Which was why she was here. Tokujin Boarding School of Tokyo, Japan, was her mother's idea. A boarding school close by to her mother's hospital. Shadra didn't see why she had to uproot her entire life just so some dying woman who claimed to be her mother could have a chance to get to know her. Feh, that woman had had fifteen years to get to know her. And it was way too late to get to know her twin.
"I guess on the bright side, at least I don't have to live with that woman," Shadra said.
That would bring It out of you, wouldn't it, Balla said.
"Maybe she's just some lousy gold digger," Shadra said, ignoring her cat. "I became a famous beyblader, joined the World Champion team, so now it's worth it to get to know me."
"Why wouldn't it be worth it?" a voice asked.
Shadra and Balla visibly jumped, the black cat falling off her lap in the process. She looked over to find a white-haired boy sitting next to her. His skin was pale like a vampire's (except his was more white than grey) and his doe-like brown eyes immediately drew one's attention.
"Sorry," he said. How much more kawaii can this guy get? Shadra wondered.
"Were you there…" Shadra began asking, completely mortified. Talking to your cat (especially since only four people alive could understand her), in public like your cat was actually answering was… well, it was very embarrassing. "Long?"
"No," the boy said as Balla hopped back onto Shadra's lap. "I just managed to find the main office."
Shadra noticed the British accent, even through the Japanese. A fellow countryman.
"I'm new," the boy explained.
"Me, too."
"Bakura Ryou," the boy said.
Now she was confused. Was it Japanese style or English? And would he consider it rude if she called him by his first name? One thing she had learned in Japan was to call people by their first name, unless otherwise told.
"Um… Which is your first name?" she asked meekly.
"Please, call me Ryou," he said.
"Okay, monsieur Ryou, I'm Shadra Bellona. I mean, Bellona Shadra," she quickly corrected herself. "Sorry, it's my first time in Japan alone."
"You speak Japanese wonderfully, though," Ryou commented.
"Always pays to have Japanese friends," she said.
"Sorry for the wait," the guidance counsellor said at her office door. She didn't say it seriously like most counsellors Shadra had met would have, but more lightly. Sort of like she actually liked her job. Strange.
AND WHY THE HECK WAS SHADRA ALWAYS SENT TO THE GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR FIRST?
Oi, she thought. She must be some psychopath. But then why was Ryou there too? He didn't seem to be mentally disturbed. Maybe in Japan it was customary to visit the guidance counsellor first.
Misonimi Chiaka watched as Tokujin's newest students walked into her office, already back behind her desk. Their luggage was left in the waiting room.
The black haired girl must be Bellona Shadra, transfer student from Great Britain. Barely in the country for a day and already breaking the rules. Cats were definitely not allowed, only goldfish. Shadra was quickly becoming famous in the school. The teachers had read her permanent report, and then the other students had overheard them talking about it. She'd have a tough time fitting in.
Her test scores were very random. In some areas, such as History, she scored high. But in others, like in the computer class, she scored very low. Chiaka even knew of a teacher who refused to let her be around any technology at all.
Chiaka decided that she'd have to keep an eye on the English girl. At least try to find out why her record was nearly black with misdemeanours. And that was only from her last school year. Her last guidance counsellor hadn't been able to figure it out, she seemed a happy enough girl.
Bakura Ryou was a different story. His record was as clean as a whistle. Although, some of his teachers expressed concerns over his frequent transfers and bruises and lacerations. But, they didn't report it as it seemed that the injuries were the result of bullies. Apparently, he wasn't very good at defending himself.
His test scores were more level than the girl's, and he was praised by many of his teachers.
He could steal her Trix any day. Oh! Did she just think that? He was a student, and she was way too old for him! Well, only maybe seven years… ack! She really had to stop this. Oh why did he have to look so cute?
"Ah, Miss? Are you okay?" Ryou asked.
She suddenly realised that both new students were seated and had been for a few minutes. And they'd been silently watching her blush, having no clue why. Hopefully. She laughed nervously.
"Yep," she said. "I'm Misonimi Chiaka. Please call me Chiaka-san."
Shadra looked relieved.
"Welcome to Tokujin."
Chiaka leaned forward in her chair, flustered. What came next in the welcoming speech? Oh darn, for the first time in two years she had forgotten it. That would be put on her memory shelf next to her first less than clean thoughts about a student. Aren't firsts supposed to be a good thing?
"Uh… if you have any problems, just come and talk to me," Chiaka said. "And you already know where my office is, since you're here."
Okay, so she wasn't the best counsellor in the world. She had thought she was pretty darn close until four minutes ago. Why were they staring at her? She could understand looking, but staring?
They must know how horrible she is and are waiting for her next screw up.
"Umm… Schedules! Class schedules," she said, calming down a bit.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Shadra asked.
"Yes, perfectly," she said as she handed them a piece of paper each. "This is very important, so don't lose it. It includes your class schedule, your login and password for the school computers, and your dorm room number."
Chiaka, after spying the books under her desk (don't ask), also handed them to them. "This agenda is the other important thing. Do not lose it! You have to pay a twenty dollar fine if you do."
But why would any student lose it? It was rather cool looking, unlike her old school's dorky agendas. These kids no a days have no appreciation—oh gawd, she was turning old too. Pedophile and ancient. Joy.
"This list the school rules and policies. There's a section in the back to help with assignments and even a handy dandy calendar to keep track of your homework in!"
The new students did not look impressed, although Ryou tried to hide it.
"Or whatever," Chiaka said. Oh boy, wasn't she the geek. Pointing out the school related sections first and completely forgetting the best part of it. "It has a map of the school and grounds."
She saw Shadra perk up at that. Chiaka decided Shadra would probably be the one late for class because she'd have got lost. She suspected Ryou was used to finding his way through a new school, and so would be more adept at it.
"Well, I guess that's it. Your uniforms and textbooks should be in your dorm rooms. You shouldn't have any trouble finding them. Your dorm house is just down the hall, up a staircase or two… It's really close by." Chiaka was about to let them go free until she noticed Balla. "Sorry, no pets any bigger than a goldfish," she said.
"B—but where will she go?" Shadra asked, hugging her cat until it hissed, clearly disapproving. Something passed over her expression, an emotion that Chiaka could not label, then she let her black cat down onto the floor. Perhaps this was what set off her delinquent behavior?
"To your—" Oh, right. How could she have forgotten? Her mother was permanately in the hospital. The woman had sold off any other residence that she had had. Shadra's only home was Tokujin. "Maybe we can get special permission, just this once."
Shadra nodded, smiling.
"Okay, go on to your dorm rooms. Classes start tomorrow, you know."
They complied, saying their goodbyes and grabbing up their luggage.
Classes start tomorrow? Record your homework? Chiaka sighed. If she had known being a guidance counsellor was going to make her this fuddy-duddy, she would have become a festival acrobat.
Ryou and Shadra walked together to their dorm house. Chiaka-san had been right, it was close. Shadra waved goodbye as they stopped at her floor, presumably filled with all girl neighbours.
Ryou's was on the next floor. He started the climb up.
A nice kid, Ryou thought. Except for talking to her self.
/And you played the perfect gentlemen. / Bakura, Ryou's Yami, broke in. Ryou was pretty sure it wasn't a compliment.
Ryou started sighing mentally, then caught himself. Bakura could hear it through their mental link. And apparently, he could listen into Ryou's thoughts.
What else could I have done?Ryou responded. He was pretty sure his Yami could come up with a great snide answer. Never mind.
/I'm bored,/ his Yami complained.
Ryou knew what the meant. At least let me set these in the room.
Bakura took half a minute to mull it over. Ryou took the opportunity to get up the flight of stairs and into the hallway. Unfortunately, his room was opposite of him. He ran for it, not noticing his new neighbour coming out of his room.
WHAM! Ryou bounced back onto the floor. The other guy fell back into a wall.
"Watch it," Bakura growled.
"What? Me? You were the one—"
The blonde boy was cut off by Bakura's glare. With a meek, "Fine, whatever," the boy moved past the white haired teen and hurriedly continued on his way.
Shadra finished unpacking her things, which wasn't much. After being on the road all summer, not being too well off before (her ex-sponsor's gift of designer clothes had mysteriously disappeared), had left her with few possessions.
She flopped back onto her bed, admiring her new room. No roommates, and no crappy cracked walls. This was totally better than her last dorm room. Though, she did miss her ex-roommate just a little.
Her new textbooks (including a pair of computer books she didn't even want to think about) were piled neatly on the desk opposite the bed, and a closet instead of a bureau. There was room for customisation, as she had learned from her agenda, but only to a certain point. Her old school was better in that respect. Some students had gone so far as to actually tear down walls.
I sense an evil spirit nearby, Balla said as she jumped up onto the bed.
Shadra groaned. "Stake or knife?"
Stake, the kitty decided on.
"Goody," she said sarcastically, jumping up. She grabbed her favourite stake, named Mr. Pointy after Buffy the Vampire Slayer's stake, grabbed her shoes and a jacket.
Balla didn't bother following her out of the room. She liked to think that the Master of Time, the fourth foundation of the Earth, could handle a simple undead creature.
Shadra was out into the stairwell. If every night was comparable to this night, than Shadra would be one busy bee. Tokyo, as one of the largest cities in the world, probably had no shortage of demons. Perfect.
"Ahem."
Shadra spun around, nearly falling over because she was on a step, stashing Mr. Pointy into her pocket.
"Oh, just you," Shadra sighed in relief as the vision of Ryou. She had been afraid it was the vampire, or, shudder, a teacher. Last thing she needed was to be given detention on her first day. Not that she knew whether sneaking out at night was a punishable offence.
"And where are you going?" Ryou asked. Shadra frowned. He was acting kind of sinister. Not like he was when she had talked to him. But how well did she actually know him? She'd only just met him today.
"Out," Shadra said.
In one quick fluid movement, Ryou (or Bakura, since he wasn't being so friendly. Only friends call each other by their first name) grabbed the wooden stake out of her pocket and back outside her reach. He held it up, his eyebrow raised.
"It's uh… wooden stick," Shadra said. She really wasn't used to lying. No one cared at her last school.
"Taking your pet stick out for a walk," Bakura said. "I knew you were a loony." He laughed.
He had heard! And he had pretended that he hadn't! That… That…
"I have better things to do then be here with you," Bakura said, closing his eyes and walking past her down the stairs. He tossed the stake over his shoulder and it clattered onto the ground. She slowly kneeled to get it. By then, Bakura was gone. And good riddance, Shadra thought.
To be continued...