Chapter 4: Hina
Shiro was working out the final documents of all the paperwork for Shura's enrollment in True Cross Academy. Mephisto was beyond thrilled that Shura was going to be attending his academy.
"She will definitely be the youngest one in the Cram School, yet, at seven years of age, but I do believe that she will be quite the shining star!"
Shura beamed at Mephisto with great excitement.
Shiro sighed. His little girl would be going off to school for the first time… and not just any school, but boarding school. There were few emotions he could use to describe how he felt in that moment, but the most prominent that came to mind was… utter fear. Shura, practically unsupervised, surrounded by other students. He couldn't imagine what would happen if she were to get into a disagreement. Teachers weren't too much of a concern as much as students were. He knew Mephisto would never allow her to be expelled. But he couldn't be positive that Shura wouldn't brutally attack her peers should there be even a slight misunderstanding. He had raised her to the best of her abilities, yet….
"Are you positive that this will be a good idea… I mean… Do you think she is ready?"
"Ready?" Mephisto Pheles laughed. "She needs her education, Shiro. She's been out a year already. You want her to become an unintelligent nimrod?"
"Yer kiddin' me, right?" Shura scoffed. "I'm gonna be the best in my class!"
Mephisto smirked at Shiro. Shura looked at her father impatiently.
"Shiro, sign the damn paper things already!" She grabbed his wrist and tried to make him forge his own signature. "I wanna go to my new room!"
Shiro slapped her wrist. She didn't let go.
"Shura, I can't sign anything with you clinging like this." The fiery haired girl let go and slumped into a chair in Mephisto's office, lazily. Shiro signed the last of the paperwork and Shura jumped with glee.
"Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" she squealed hugging Shiro and then jumping up onto Mephisto's desk to hug him. The director's eyes grew wide with fear not wanting the hyperactive girl to break ANY of his fragile knickknacks. "Thanks Uncle Mephisto!"
"Get off the desk…" he said calmly but firmly. She stuck her tongue out at him and hopped off with a boom. "Now then! Here is your dorm room! Shiro, why don't you help her find it."
The two walked into the girls' dorm building. Her room was on the second floor. They opened the door where her roommate, a short middle school girl, sat on her bed reading manga. Shiro placed her suitcase down on Shura's side of the room.
"I should probably help you unpack, eh?" Shiro grinned. Shura shook her head.
"No, I got this!" she grinned confidently.
"I know that you're going to shove everything into the drawers, aren't you?" he sighed.
"Yep!" she giggled. Shiro rolled his eyes and hugged the little girl.
"I'll be around! And Christmas is coming up in a few months. You better send me a list." He scruffled her hair before he walked out.
"Okay, pops!" she smiles. Shiro leaves her as she begins unpacking her suitcase.
Shura got half way through her unpacking but then got bored. She looked over to her middle school roommate. She analyzed the details of this girl. She wasn't very interesting looking, but through the eyes of a seven year old, she was older so she must be pretty cool. The girl had shoulder length brown hair, which was braided back. She had brown eyes as well behind large thick rimmed glasses. Shura noticed that she was wearing a shirt with a picture of one of the characters that was on the cover of her manga on it. She hopped onto her roommate's bed, on her knees, she peered over to the girl, startling her.
"Hey!" Shura smiled, too much excitement in her approach. "What are you reading?!"
"Um…" she looked at Shura nervously. "It's a manga about… love and high school kids."
"That sounds boring. I'm Shura!" she holds out a hand directly into the girl's face.
"Oh… hi." she says softly, still feeling nervous. "I'm… Hina."
Shura grinned kindly as she chuckled lightly.
"That's a cool name!"
"What…" Hina looked at her in slight confusion. "Everyone makes fun of my name… Well they make fun of me regardless but my name is a part of it…." She looks to the side.
"Why would people make fun of you?" Shura asked with concern. "You're totally awesome!"
"You just met me…."
"So? You're my new best friend! I've actually never had a best friend before but… YEAH! So you're the first!"
Hina giggled softly as she smiled sweetly at her new roommate and apparently "best friend."
"Would you like some help unpacking?" Hina asked Shura. Shura looked over to her suitcase.
"Err…" she thought. "Well… I think it's fine. Damn! It's hot in here, ain't it?"
"No, I don't think.. What are you doing?!" she questioned. Shura had begun taking her pants off.
"It's hot!" she insisted. Hina found her behavior odd but she just raised an eyebrow and went back to her manga. But then she noticed something when Shura removed her shirt. There was a red tattoo that traveled from the middle of her chest and down and around her navel. Shura noticed Hina observing her seal. "Oh.. this is to seal my demon powers in so I don't do nothin' bad. It makes me human like you! Oh… but dad says it is supposed to be a secret so don't go tellin' anybody, kay?"
Hina nodded still in shock. Shura looked displeased.
"You still wanna be my friend right? Or am I too freaky." She stuck her tongue out. Hina smiled kindly.
"No," she grinned. "I think that is super cool! Don't worry! I won't tell anyone."
