Chapter One: The Social Conundrum
One day, in the Ninja Seeking Club Room...
As I walked into the club room, I saw the usual faces of Akari, her smile beaming back at me; Enju, doing her homework; Lily, reading; Myu, reading a horror manga and Yamabuki drawing heaven knows what kind of lewd fantasies. Unfortunately, Ricka and Nanao couldn't make it because as it turned out, Ricka had found an old multi-player Retro-game that had been re-released exclusively online, and had rushed home at the end of the day to play (or, knowing those Nanao, fangirl) it for the rest of the day. To be honest, I was intrigued. Until it turned out to just be some non-lewd archaic battle sim, meh. Johnny had to go back to America for some reason, family issues or something. He'd be gone for a very long time, he didn't make it clear if he was going to come back to school or not. Also, Tengge was off on a break. After all she went through recently, what with escaping from the cave and all, so Mr. Kuzuryu let her. As I am thinking about her, and how her holiday's going, suddenly, Akari speaks.
"Hey Kazuki, how are you?" she asks in her usual, lively tone.
"Eh, not bad, that test could've gone over a bit better, couldn't it?", I reply, honestly.
"Yeah, I guess so. At least you don't have to take the make-up this time" she simply tells me. I suppose that's true. Even if I did get one mark over the line, it's still a major improvement for me. Then, Enju speaks up.
"You should really study more, Kazuki. I understand you need rest, but seven hours straight gaming? Seriously?", She scolds me. Seven hours? SEVEN HOURS? DOES SHE EVEN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GAMERS? I am about to make a retort, when I realise that may just prove her point.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I will. Perhaps you could help me?", I ask back.
"Sure, Kazuki.", she replies. Then Lily looks up from her book and chimes in.
"I'd be glad to help you as well, Kazuki.", she says.
"Thanks guys, I appreciate it.", I simply tell them. I sit down next too Myu. She seems really engrossed in her manga. I turn too her.
"Hey Myu, what'cha reading?" I inquire. Myu seems surprised, because she almost jumps out her seat. However, she soon calms down.
"Oh, h-h-hi Kazuki-senpai. I'm reading 'Heishi no tai Zonbi'. Care to join me?", she says. W... what does that Girl read?
And anyway, where's Cy?
"Myu.", I say.
"Yes, Kazuki-senpai?"
"Where's Cy?", I say in an inquiring tone.
"Uhhh… I actually don't know, Kazuki-senpai.", she states, matter-of-factly.
"Ah. Do you have any idea where she might be?", I ask back.
"Perhaps at home, helping Zina with whatever she's doing at the moment.", Myu says. Great, one less with us. I sigh and stand up.
"Are you okay, Kazuki?", Enju asks, concern on her face.
"Oh, I'm fine, just a little disappointed that no one else could come. Not even C-", as I am speaking the door flies open, almost coming clean off it's hinges and a blur comes slamming into me mid-sentence, knocking the wind and part of my soul away. I fly across the room straight into something soft. What the...
"HELLO ONII-CHAN", yells a very familiar voice. Ah, that's where Cy is. And more importantly, HOLY CRAP I CAN'T BREATHE!
"Hey... Cy", I say, between heavy breaths. At this point, Myu would normally chime in telling Cy that she was hurting me or something. But for some reason she isn't talking. I have no time to worry about this, because I am ten seconds away from passing out.
"Cy... could... you... get... off... me?", I ask. Five seconds.
"Huh? Oh, sure, onii-chan!", Cy replies, and releases her Boa Constrictor-like grip. I breathe a sigh of relief. However, I feels a stare of malicious intent nearby. My hairs stand up. Who could be this angry... and what is this soft thing anyway. I turn around. I am immediately met with the sight of Myu's sizeable breasts. What beauty! Wait... WAIT. If these are Myu's breasts, then my hand is on... no. No. I look down. I only see my arm between her beautiful thighs. Oh. OH. OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. THAT MEANS MY HAND IS-
"KAZUKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII", yells Enju. I know where this is going. She's going to hit me with her lightning, isn't she? I quickly pull myself away.
"PREPARE TO FACE PUNISHMENT, KAZUKI!", she yells again. I look at Myu's face, for some reason. She is so embarrassed, she can't speak. Akari looks sad... almost jealous. Lily looks just as angry as Enju. Yamabuki is so engrossed in her drawing, she hasn't even noticed. Good. If she saw that, then she'd get too many ideas. As I think of these things, I here a crackling. Here it comes... I shoot up and run as fast as I can.
"Wha- COME BACK HERE", says Enju, nearly screaming.
"Wat's wong, Onii-chan?", asks Cy. Oh, you have no idea. You have no freaking idea.
...
After evacuating the club room for about ten minutes to let Enju calm down, I slowly go back. I open the door. Slowly, but surely, it creaks open. I brace myself to run. I push it wide open. I am, for the second time, smashed into by a rock and slammed against the wall. That rock is Cy. Boy, does she know how OP she is? And anyway, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW OHMYGOD THAT HURTS! I can't breathe again. Myu comes rushing out, with worry on her face.
"Cy, Yamabuki didn't mean it seriously! Get of him, you're hurting him!", say says, slightly flustered, slightly worried. Cy releases. Myu calms down.
"Oh my gosh, are you okay Kazuki-senpai?", she asks.
"About as okay as a man who's just been smashed into a wall and winded could be, yeah.", I say, failing miserably to hide the annoyance from my voice.
"I'm sorry about that, I told Yamabuki to take back what she said, but she didn't and, and... hauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu", Myu breaths, obvious sadness on her face. I look down. Cy's looking up at me.
"Hi, Onii-chan. Enju's calmed down now, if yer wondewin." she tells me. Her face looks up at me, the picture of innocence. I look behind her. Yamabuki is drawing something. Wait. Is she drawing me and Cy?
"Cy.", I say.
"Yes, onii-chan?"
"Could you get off of me?"
"Oh, sure!", She says, standing up. I get up as well, and walk back into the club room. For the first time today, I address Yamabuki.
"Hey Yamabuki.", I say. She looks up from her drawing.
"Oh, hey Kazuki.", she says, then looks back down.
"Uh, Yamabuki"
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
…
She actually did it. She actually did it. I would say I'm in shock, but that's about par for the course with her. She is something else, isn't she? As I ask myself this question, I pass a bunch of students on the way home, a bunch of first years. For no apparent reason, I listen in on their conversation (whilst still walking, obviously. I'm not a paedophile).
"Have you heard about that weird kid in 1-A?", says a boy with short, dark hair.
"Yeah, same. Rio, you're in 1-A aren't you. What's she like, what's her name?", says a tall girl with long brown hair and massive breasts. A flat girl, with short Chestnut hair with blond streaks in it, presumably called Rio, responds.
"Oh, you mean Cy?", she says. I am immediately listening intently. What does she have to say about Cy?
"She's totally weird. Really clingy. I don't know why anyone would hang around her. She always shouts out in class, always hugs Myu at the beginning of the day and always annoys me no end. I wish she didn't exist.", says Rio, half-snarling like a dog. I clench my teeth. Come on Kazuki, they're a bunch of first years. Don't get mad at them, don't get mad...
"Totally. She just doesn't belong.", says a boy with a hunched back and long, glossy hair.
"You tell'em, Ren!", says Rio, in a goading tone.
"And her mothe-", he begins to say. I can't listen any more. I'd get too angry. I walk past the first years, who are still bad-mouthing Cy. Suddenly, they notice me and fall silent. I ignore them. As I pass, I hear laughing. I also hear some more talking, but I'm too angry to care at this point.
...
As I walk into my room, I let an angry yell slip out my throat. I can't believe what I just heard. Cy's really perceived like that? I mean sure, she's weird and all, but seriously? 'I wish she didn't exist', WHO WOULD WISH THAT ON ANYONE, ESPECIALLY CY! As I am pacing angrily around my room, I get a phone call. I pick it up. It's Myu. I answer.
"Hey, Myu, what's up?", I say. I try as best as I can to hide my anger, and fake a calm, normal voice.
"Hi Kazuki. I'm really sorry about what happened earlier. I totally forgot Cy told me she was going to be late, and I know she always clings onto you when she sees you. I'm sorry, it's totally my fault. Haaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.", she confesses to me over the phone.
"It's okay Myu, it's not your fault.", I reply, simply.
"B-b-b-but-"
"And I'm kinda happy it happe-", wait. Did I just say that out loud?
"Huh? K-k-k-k-kazuki-senpai w-w-w-w-what exactly do you mean?", Myu cries down the phone. Oh brother, how am I gonna get outta this one?
"Uh, Myu, I don't mean it that way! I was just happy Cy was okay, she wasn't being bullied by Rio or anyt-", I say. Suddenly, Myu cuts me off.
"Rio? You mean Rio Hayashi?", she asks.
"Yes, what about her?", I reply.
"She's the most popular kid in our class. Almost everyone's her friend, save for me and Cy.", Myu tells me. I let this information sink in. I must've been deep in thought, because Myu eventually asks if I'm still there.
"Yes, Myu, I'm still here, just thinking."
"About what, Kazuki-senpai?"
"Tell me, what else do you know about Rio Hayashi?"
"W-w-what's with your sudden interest in her? Do you have a crush on her or something?", Myu asks. I decide to tease her.
"Maybe.", I joke. However, I get a response I don't expect.
"W-w-w-w-w-w-w-what? B-b-b-b-b-but, but, haaaauuuuuuuuuuuu…" Myu trails off. Wait, is she crying? What's that about? I have to quickly change the subject.
"Myu, I was only joking. But seriously, what else do you know about her?", I say, trying to save the conversation.
"Well, from what I know..."
...
"Thank you, Myu. Bye"
"Bye, Kazuki-senpai.", she says. The call ends. I turn off my phone and sit down. What. A. Day. If what I've heard is true, then Cy is about to have a whole world of hurt come her way. I- no, we need to do something. First things first, I need to let the others know. I haven't told Myu yet simply because I don't want to worry her, and I know how Myu can get when stressed. Tomorrow's a Saturday, and I have no plans (as usual). I text Akari, asking if I can come 'round hers. She replies with a simple answer, 'Sure', with a smiley face at the end. I then ask her if she can get the others to come. After a few minutes, she tells me 'Done'. Good. This is an emergency. If what Myu said about Rio... I don't even know what could happen. But it's sure not gonna be pretty. As I try too fall asleep, I can't shake this feeling that something's going to go terribly wrong very soon.
...
The next day, I play some games and eat breakfast before casually making my way to Akari's house. As I am walking there, I spot someone familiar. Myu is casually walking and listening to some music. I call out too her.
"Hey Myu! Fancy seeing you here!", I say. She turns around, surprised.
"Huh? Oh, Kazuki-senpai, hello!", she replies. I catch up to her and walk with her. We chat about various things for a bit, and eventually, the subject of Rio Hayashi comes up.
"By the way, why did you actually want to know that stuff about Rio?", she asks.
"Well..." And I explain to her what happened last evening. Myu looks at my in shock.
"O-o-o-oh no, Kazuki-senpai, whatarewegonnado? Haaaaaauuuuuuuuuuu." she cries. Some passer by notices us. Hold on. I recognize him. Myu seems too know him to, because she looks up in shock.
"R-R-R-Ren?", she says. Wait, REN. That Ren? The one that was bad-mouthing Cy alongside Rio and her gang yesterday? What's he doing here? He takes a short look at the two of us, before running off from us. I hear a snide laugh come out of his mouth after he thinks we're out of earshot. Myu seems to be smaller than normal. What's going on?
"Kazuki-senpai?", says Myu, in a very small voice.
"Yeah?"
"That's Ren Imai. I've known him since first year of Junior High. Unfortunately.", she squeaks. 'Unfortunately'? What could that mean?
"Myu, what's wrong?"
"Ren Imai has bullied me since the first day he's known me. Even though I have you and the Ninja Seeking Club, he still calls me a loner and a social outcast. He has done everything he can too ruin my social life.", she says. My mouth drops. My fist curls. This problem is far more deep rooted and far more malicious than I could've ever anticipated. As me and Myu turn up at Akari's house, we both mentally prepare for the task we have ahead of explaining this situation.
What is going to happen next? How will the Ninja Seeking Club react? How will Cy react? And how are they going too solve this problem? Find out next time on- Moe! Ninja Girls: The Book of Science
Next episode: Make Androids Great Again!