The L Boogie: Okay, so…I revised this one just a bit. Just a bit. Mostly I took off some of the stuff in the beginning of it, cause I had an idea that I thought was cool, that I saw someone else do. Then, after some time and a decision to rewrite this…I realized that it's not really in my style to do this. And the person whom which I took the idea off of is, in my opinion, a FAR better writer than I'll ever be. Ever. So…not one of my best ideas. So I edited it out, and did a little tending to this chapter as well. Any who, let's get this crap on the road.

Legal Crapola: If I had a dime for every time I've tried to come up with something witty for my Legal info section…I'd probably be rich. If I got a dime for every one that was witty, I doubt I'd have much more than lint in my pockets. Regardless, I'm poor and sometimes (and currently) broke. So, I'll just say that only the story is mine. Characters and settings are generally owned by Mr. Jin Koboyashi. So there. Now leave me alone, evil blood sucking, money stealing, lawyers…CAN'T GET BLOOD FROM STONE!

Pandemonium Roulette: A School Rumble Fan Fiction

Chapter 2: New Rules to an Old Game

Here he stood, Harima Kenji, once again facing the class room assignment sheets. The scene from the previous year's debacle played over again in his head, as he fervently searched for Tenma Tsukamoto's name amongst the many rosters. This year however, was different. As opposed to last year, he was now at school all for his own purposes. And also, that Tenma would not be in attendance because of her decision to stay with Karasuma.

As he sauntered up the steps and towards the postings, the crowd cleared way, as most people still feared him, even if his reputation as of late had not been as dubious. From his peripheral vision, he recognized a few people he was in class with previously, though could barely remember their names since they weren't really friends…or ever talked…or really even made much for eye contact. Still though, they were his now former classmates, and he started to wonder slightly if he would have anyone in class with him that he could talk to like before.

With a sigh, he checked the first board. A quick scan, and he didn't see his name. Harima gave a slight grunt, then moved onto the next posting. Class 3-B didn't have his name listed under it's banner either. He scratched his head, realizing there were only 3 more listings to go. There was a small commotion going around the 3-C post, so he wandered over to 3-E, where yet again, he name would go undiscovered. The next closest bored revealed nothing new to himself either, other than that Harry Mackenzie, Tennoji, Masakazu Togo, and Lala Gonzalas had somehow stayed together and were apart of 3-D.

A worry washed over Harima, as he had been certain that he graduated. After all, he wasn't haunted for having poor grades this time around. Admittedly, poor grades and his grades weren't far off from one another, however he did get to graduate to the third year.

" Huh. Guess I must be in 3-C…" he muttered.

The commotion was still going on, and as he pushed and threatened his way through the growing crowd, he began to recognize more and more faces gathered around. They were all chatting with one another, and began to seem puzzled. Finally though, he pushed through the confusion where, in fact, he found his name on the 3-C class roster. His name, as well as everyone else from the previous year. The shock of it almost knocked him off his feet, as this sort of thing was absolutely unprecedented.

" What the hell is going on?" he said aloud.

" Yeah, that's what I'd like to know too." exclaimed a female voice.

He turned and standing just behind him was the blond haired perpetual thorn in his backside, Eri Sawachika.

" Oujo…" he slipped.

They both were quick to remember that they were "engaged" in an odd fashion so that Eri may continue to attend school. And while they were getting along much better than previously, they were still both fallible to the others idiosyncrasies.

" Why do you sound so surprised. I should be the one shocked that you graduated…" fired the blond.

" Hey! For your information, I passed with flying friggin' colors. And why the hell do you care?" Harima shot back.

The pair began to give off killing aura's while they bickered, causing the crowd to clear and give the two space. But sudden intervention dissipated the brief squabble.

" Hey you two. Save the lovers quarrels for behind closed doors. Some of us want to figure out what classroom we're heading to so we won't be late." Mikoto Suou interjected as she pushed past the pair.

In tow behind her was Akira Takino, who wore her usual poker face, though she shot a glance to Harima, then to Eri, and that spoke words enough for the Heiress.

" Jeez, would you guys quit it. It's never gonna be like that." Eri argued.

" Just calling it like it is." Akira jabbed, stepping past as well.

" Well don't waste your time. We're all in 3-C." the blond revealed.

" Really? Like…all of us?" Mikoto questioned in response.

" Yeah, like…all of 2-C…except for maybe Tenma…but I think we all knew that was gonna happen." Eri reasoned, getting nods from the other three.

" So…wait…why would they keep us all in the same class? Doesn't that sound sort of unprecedented?" Mikoto asked, semi rhetorically.

" I think I know…" Akira answered, pointing at the lone man standing atop a nearby wall.

Akira pointed and most in the crowd turned to see Togo standing to his full height and over looking the students below.

" Are you surprised to see me…3-C?" he asked, almost maliciously.

A sudden outburst from a bespectacled young man drew the crowds attention within itself.

" MASAKAZU! YOU HAD A HAND IN THIS, DIDN'T YOU!" exclaimed, accused, and otherwise shouted Haruki Hanai.

" And if I did?" Togo called back in a challenging manner.

" I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH CORRUPTING THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM FOR YOUR OWN GAINS! WHAT SORT OF PLAN HAVE YOU COME UP WITH NOW?" Hanai questioned vehemently.

And it started with a quiet giggle, but it crescendoed into a full out cackle.

" I told you that the battle wasn't over. Don't you remember graduation?" Togo asked.

The group briefly reminisced about how he had taken a moment to hijack the microphone as the third year representative and to call out the entire graduating class of 2-C, exclaiming that even though they had lost a few battles, 2-D had yet to lose the war.

" You can't mean…" Eri began to say, before being answered by the man himself.

" That's right! The entirety of class 2-C and 2-D have stayed completely intact, so that we may finally settle things…ONCE AND FOR ALL!" Togo bellowed from his pedestal as the crowd just simply gawked from below.

" You've gotta be kidding me…" said Mikoto, her tone quickly deflating.

" VERY WELL! IF IT'S A BATTLE TO THE DEATH YOU WANT MASAKAZU, THEN WE, THE NEWLY FORMED CLASS OF 3-C, ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE!" Hanai answered, in a madness all of his own.

" Jeez…you gotta be kidding me…" Harima grumbled, deciding not to stick around for any more antics.

Quickly, the crowd began to disperse, leaving only Togo and Hanai to continue to bicker back and forth in a shouting match. In the meantime, the rest of the students went about their daily routines, checking into lockers and meeting with their friends. Harima, however, just decided to head for his new class room and await the seating arrangements. As he was rounding the second floor staircase, he heard a familiar voice call out for him from behind.

" Harima!" she called, in an almost uncharacteristic manner.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to see Yakumo Tsukamoto standing at the base of the stairs, looking up at him in mid ascent.

" Immouto-san…what's up?" Harima asked warmly, walking back down to where she stood.

" Oh, nothing. I just…hadn't seen you in a little while…that's all." she answered with a slight blush.

" Sorry, I've been really busy with some new story boards. When I get them done, I'd like to bring them by. Maybe this weekend?" he asked.

She smiled a bit more, enjoying the fact that he seemed to want to meet up with her for the weekend. But once she saw her blush and smile reflected back in his sunglasses, she felt somewhat embarrassed and shook off the look.

" Sure. That would be fine." she answered him.

" Good, cause this new thing I'm working on is gonna be great. Oh yeah, how are you getting along now that Tenma's gone? Are you alright living alone in that big house?" Harima asked with genuine concern.

" I guess I haven't told you. My friend Sara is staying with me now. It's not too far from the church she goes too, and it's pretty close to school, so it works well for both of us." Yakumo explained.

" Well, if you're happy, then that's all that matters…" he said.

A quick glance at her watch caused her brow to perk in slight alarm, and she gave a quick bow to Harima.

" I'm sorry Harima…the bell is going to ring soon…I shouldn't keep you anymore." she spout, taking a few steps away to let him leave.

" Yeah…I suppose if there's one day I'm not late to class…it outta be today…" jested Harima as he gave Yakumo a wave and returned to climbing the stairs.

Sure enough, as soon as he was through the door, the bell rang and he took a sear wherever available. Soon, Mr. Tani walked through the doorway and stood at the front of the class.

" Well…you're all probably as surprised as I am about this…but I guess that I was assigned to be your homeroom teacher. It was kind of nice learning that I would get bumped up to teaching third years. Of course…" he continued talking while Harima sat back in his chair staring out the window across the room, letting Tani's words bounce harmlessly off his mind.

Finally though, seating assignments were being decided, and so, Harima picked his out of the jar.

" Seat 1-5? First column, fifth seat? Right by the window?" he asked, almost surprised.

" Seems so. But please try to pay attention in class Harima. Otherwise I'll have to move you." Tani warned.

" Yeah, yeah…" Harima muttered as he made his way to his seat.

Of course, he didn't heed the teachers advice and began to just stare out the window while the rest of the class began to file into their newly assigned seats. However, a sudden feeling of overwhelming irritation began to radiate from right behind him, and sure enough, as he turned around, he was greeted by Eri Sawachika's angry amber eyes.

" How could I get so unlucky…" she began to mutter, looking to see Mikoto and Akira seated all the way across the room, leaving her isolated with Harima to her front, Jirou Yoshidayama to her diagonal, and Ryuuhei Suga to her immediate right.

" You gotta be kidding me…you mean I've gotta put up with you right behind me this whole time?" Harima said quietly, unsure of his newly prized seat.

" What are you talking about? I'm the one surrounded by scheming weirdo's while my friends are all across the room from me…god this can't get much worse." Eri complained.

Before shooting his mouth off some more and causing them to quarrel more in their usual manner, he gave her words, some thought before answering…for once.

" Yeah…well…I guess that does kinda suck." he agreed before turning back to face the front.

His sudden agreement with her opinion caught Eri off guard. Certainly, he did have his moments where he could be a decent individual, and even have some depth of character…but it was very rare for him to agree or empathize with her. Quickly, her aura died off and she now sat somewhat meekly in her desk, ignoring the lecture while thoughts ran through her mind.

Time ran on, and eventually, the first day of school ended without too many hitches. Harima tiredly stood up from his desk, and walked past the few students left over on cleanup duty. As he exited into the hall, he heard Eri call him out from across the walk way.

" Hige! Over here." she called.

He wasn't quick to approach, but didn't completely take his time.

" So what's up Oujo?" he asked curiously.

" Well…" she started to say before her feelings, emotions, and rationale' began to fight with one another.

Her face began to redden up slightly. It wasn't like this was a big deal at all…but at the same time…it was. His face contorted into slight confusion as her eyes revealed her uncertainty in her words.

" Just spit it out Oujo…never knew you as someone who couldn't say what was on your mind…" he stated, though mired in both complement as well as insult.

" Yeah, yeah. Anyways, Nakamura and Masaru are both busy doing a lot of work for my Mother today. And I need a ride from school to the store so I can grab some things. Can you help me out?" the blond asked, rather point blank.

Harima took a moment to think. He didn't really have much planned for the afternoon anyhow, and wouldn't have to work till the next evening. Still, he wasn't sure if it was a completely good idea to help her out. After all, he didn't want people getting the wrong idea. Then again though, he was supposed to be her fiancé, and knew that he may not have a choice. Real men didn't go back on their words, no matter what…That idea had been coming back to haunt him more and more since he had agreed to help Eri out.

" To the store, and then your place?" he asked.

" Yeah. If you want, I can give you gas money…or something to eat or whatever. I just need someone to help me run my errands…" she explained, almost pleadingly.

He gave a sigh. It wasn't as though he could be easily bought, but since he began living on his own again, money was tight and the offering of food stoked his stomach into agreeing with the request with a loud grumble. Eri gave a surprised look, moving her gaze from his shrouded eyes to his stomach, and then back.

" Sorry. Didn't really eat lunch today. Trying to budget all the bills and such, so I've cut back on my lunches for now…" he admitted.

She gave him a slightly softer smile, seeing a small weakness in his usually tough exterior. It was a rare moment, but she sort of relished it.

" Jeez Hige, you're hopeless." she joked, getting a slight chuckle out of Harima as well, " If you're that hungry, I'm sure we can work something out. Now let's hurry up and get out of here…"

With that, the pair walked out, chatting in a more friendly fashion all the way to where Harima's bike awaited their adventures in shopping.