New chapter! And it's longer, so you can thank me now. (silence) Okay, fine! (pouts) Here's the first chapter.
Disclaimer: Shoe, shoe! I know own!
Tapping the desk in front of him, the teacher called this homeroom to attention. "Class, pay attention! We have a new student." That comment brought instant hush, the girls gripping each others hands hopefully and the boys grinning as they considered the possibilities. "Now, she's very new-." the girls groaned and pouted, "-and doesn't know anyone here. I want you all to be kind to her." The boys shared knowing looks and waited.
After a few moments of silence, the shoji door slowly slid open and the new girl walked in. Her appearance made all the boys oogle and the girls pout even more. Tall and slender, she had a full figure that would make even the gayest man drool. Her blonde hair was tied up in high pigtails with pink ribbons wrapped around them, matching the pink streaks tracing through the gold strands. Her full mouth was in permanent pout, making her seem vulnerable, and bright crystal blue eyes looked over a delicate nose. She stood out even more because she wasn't in the school uniform yet. Her eyes were wide and beautiful, her best feature, though there was a level of sadness there that made one think that she would cry at the slightest comment.
"Students, meet Elle Lancaster, your new classmate. Elle, there's an empty seat next to Zoey- Oh that's right, Zoey isn't here today. Moko, please indicate Elle's seat, please." The teacher requested, not noticing the way Elle's eyes narrowed into a clever, knowing look as she heard the name Zoey. Taking her seat, she continued to listen as the teacher proceeded to give the class the daily announcements and warnings. She wasn't paying too close of attention; her duty was to find the Ten and go home, hoping that Lady Ophanimon would keep up her protection so she could become a Royal Knight again and find Dynasmon. Worry always filled her when she thought of her old partner; she hadn't seen him in so long, she was unsure if he had made it as far up the Digivolution cycle as her. Back home, she was Ellemon, the champion form of Crusadormon. However, this was the first time she got that far. She'd been caught as Curaremon, her In-Training form, and her Fractual Code scanned everytime.
Without knowing it, she had started doodling on the back page of the notebook she had brought with her. Looking down at the drawing, she saw a crude sketch of her when she was Crusadormon and Dynasmon. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly forced them away just as the bell rang, signalling the beginning of first period. Hurriedly gathering her things, she hurried in the direction of the gym, where her first class was. For some strange reason, humans had required times for training in completely useless skills. Last she checked, only a limited number of these "sports" could be used for anything important.
The teacher in this particular class was an oversized, loud woman who shoved a gym uniform in her hands and pushed her into the locker room. Ignoring the snotty looks she was receiving, she yanked on the very short green shorts and white sweater. Digging through the mass of shoes up to be borrowed, she found her size after much searching and yanked them on as well. Dreading what was about to happen, she followed the other girls out of the changing rooms, only to find that this class was happening at the same time as the boy's gym class. Appreciative whistles were coming from the more crude boys, and Elle couldn't help but feel disgusted. Female Digimon were never put out on display like this to the males, and she didn't like it now.
The couch and some of the older girls were spreading out mats along with other equiment one often associates with gymnastics. Elle couldn't help but feel relieved. If it had been any other human activity, she would have been making an idiot out of herself, since she didn't know the first thing about them. However, she had found that gymnastics and what they called martial arts paralleled with her training regiment. Now at ease, she listened attentively as the teacher explained that they would be going between stations: balance beams, mats, and then work with the couch herself. Many of the girls groaned, but went to the appropriate station.
Elle was placed first at the balance beam. While standing in line, Elle listened in on two of the other girls in front of her. One was dainty and slim, with long curly black hair, warm eyes, and a Latina complection. The other girl was almost entirely opposite, with straight red hair, bright green eyes, porclein skin, and a tall, stockier frame. Both were getting sidelong looks from the boys and were enjoying the attention.
"Really, you'd think they never saw a lady before." the Latina said, bating her eyelashes at one boy in particular. Her voice had a nice drawl to it, though Elle couldn't place the location.
Before the redhead could respond, the assistant couch called, "Caroline McAlester! You're up!" Pouting, the Latina hurried up to the high beam. Elle noted with a bit of interest that she was pretty good, if she would stop posing for the boys.
"Caroline's a real piece of work, but she can be really nice." The redhead suddenly said to her. "I'm Hitomi Shibamoto, by the way."
"Elle Lancaster." she answered automatically.
Smiling, the redhead said, "You're the new girl that everyone's talking about." She laughed when Elle looked at her with shocked eyes. "Oh, don't be so surprised! Caroline and I are always up with the new people and what everyone thinks of them. Actually, Caroline's concerned that you're going to take away her crown as Valentine's Sweetheart this year."
Snorting in disbelief, Elle said, "Don't worry, she can have it. As a matter of fact, I doubt that I'll be here in time for that." Sensing the question, she hurriedly answered, "I move around a lot, not staying in one place very long. I'll probably be here a few months, tops."
"Ouch." Hitomi said sympathetically, then she got called up to the highbeam. Both Elle and Caroline watched, though when Hitomi was finished Caroline was the only one to offer constructive criticism. Now it was Elle's turn. Taking a steadying breath, she agreeably climbed up on to the thick beam, expertly balancing on both feet. At the assistant's direction, she performed cartwheels, rolls, and flips. None of them were too difficult, though the terms sometimes confused her. When she jumped down, she was surprised by Hitmoi hugging her. "Oh my gosh, that was so good! You have to join the gymnatics squad while you're here!"
Caroline smiled at her as well, "I do declare, you are just marvelous up there! If you are that good on the mats, you'll be a fabulous addition to the team, simply fabulous!"
Elle felt awkward under such high praises. Rubbing the back of her neck, she feebly protested, and reminded the two how little time she had here. Thankfully, the coach's whistle kept them from arguing with her. Hurrying, she moved on to the next station and avoided them for the rest of the class.
She treated the rest of the classes with a slight bit of contempt. She had learned the basics of this world to at least appear up to speed with everyone else, but the information was otherwise worthless to her. Mostly, she thought and daydreamed while those around her chattered like humans do. When the final bell of the day rung, she was relieved to head to the small flat she was "renting".
What stopped her was the sounds of a fight coming from an alley just past the school. Pausing, she listened closer, only to snicker as a girl, probably close to her own age, started cussing out a bunch of guys. Moving closer, she saw that a large group of guys from her own school were ganged up on a girl she hadn't met in any of her classes. The stranger actually threw one of them over her shoulder before they started to overwhelm her. Deciding that she could help maybe this once, she joined in the rubble.
A few minutes later, all the guys were scattered across the alley, bleeding and moaning while the two girls caught their breath. "You... were pretty... good." the girl said.
"Thanks." Elle said shortly.
Standing from her crouched position, the stranger offered her hand, "Name's Sakura Kino. You're Elle Lancaster, right? I saw you around campus today."
"That's right." With a smile, Elle took the offered hand, only to find the following events shocking.
Sakura was a petite girl dressed in the school uniform with short, choppy brunette hair, hard, dark emerald green eyes and tan skin from the summer. However, that had briefly changed. Her haircut was still choppy, but now much longer and with more of a red tint. A strange visor covered her eyes, and she was dressed in bronze armor with green cloth, brown boots on her feet. Sprouting from her back were wings shaped like leaves, each a varied, natural color. Few would recognize her, but Elle did. It was Seasonfloramon, the true Legendary Warrior of Wood. Ophanimon had shown her the true images of the Warriors to be.
Sakura was the Legendary Warrior of Wood.
And voila, the end! Of this chapter, anyway.
New Note: Okay, here's the deal. I had a wrong name in the last sentence of this chapter, so I had to take it down and repost it. Sorry to all of you that reviewed already.