Chapter ten. Wow, it's been a while. I didn't think anyone read this anymore, but my newest reviewer (Takuma-Elisabeth) clearly says otherwise ^_^ I'm so happy! So, now that I know people actually read this, I decided I had better get to work! Seriously, reviews make me so happy! T_T ß Tears of happiness. Updates when I think of more plot (Such as now).
The song is by Linkin Park, it's called Faint.
Yeah.
ENJOY, KAY?
X-X-X-X-X
I had left Narumi's house about an hour after the sun had come up, and for good reason. The ball had been moved up to tonight, and there was no way in hell anyone was getting near me. Too bad for Terra, she obviously hadn't hid quite fast enough and was currently swamped by people trying to ask her out, which left me determined to avoid a similar fate. I felt a hand on my shoulder and nearly fell out of the tree, only to have the hand steady me. "Jumpy Ace?" joked the person.
"Fate, you suck sometimes. Just saying." I responded, causing him to chuckle as he steadied me on the branch before removing his hand.
"So, why are you up in a tree? Waiting for a fire fighter to come save you kitty?" He said cheerfully, referring to my cat ears and tail. I proceeded to smack him upside the head.
"Hiding is more like it." I responded, seeing people swarm around the square. It's not just our group that had it bad, but the entire Dangerous Class (well, at least the lot of us that were somewhat likable people at any rate). I felt particularly bad for Natsume, poor kid had a fan club out looking for him. "I am so not getting caught up in that." I said seriously. No way in hell was I going down into that mob. Waiting until they passed by was by far the best option.
Then, all of a sudden, the mob grew quiet and dispersed. Terra had teleported away, smart. I would have to ask her to make me a Teleportation Stone later, they were handy. I quietly hopped off the branch and landed softly on the ground. I hadn't really even been that far up the tree, it was just really leafy. Fate landed beside me a moment later with a soft thump. "I think we're safe no- HOLY HE-" I started to scream, but my mouth was covered by a soft hand. It took me a moment to recognize the familiar scent, but once I did I relaxed. Once I relaxed, the hand was removed from my mouth. "Subaru?" I questioned, turning around to face the principal behind me. He nodded and Shuichi dragged Fate over as well. "Calm down fate, it's just Shuichi." I said bluntly, and he relaxed, allowing Shuichi to release him without the fear of him freaking out and giving away our position.
"We have orders for you from the Senior Division Headmaster, concerning the ball tonight." Shuichi said softly, causing Subaru to hand me a small, neatly folded slip of paper. I had only seen this kind of paper twice before, and I could easily tell it was from the Headmaster: He used a specific paper that smelled like a mixture of aloe and mint. My sharp, catlike senses could tell the difference between the real papers and fakes by scent alone. It was a very subtle scent so even if anyone were to copy it, it would probably be much to strong. Even I could barely smell it with my currently enhanced senses. Subaru snapped me out of my thoughts by adding, "Be in the Senior Division Fashion Department by six."
Then, the two of them left, vanishing into the air. One of Shuichi's Alice's was teleportation after all. Fate just walked up next to me, as I unfolded the note. He read it over my shoulder, before finally saying, "…The hell is he thinking?"
The note informed the two of us, along with Terra, Mira, and Tsuki (we're something of a package deal) that we would be performing a single song at the ball, and that we could sing anything we wished, as long as there were no curse words (as the entire school, and some people who had graduated, would be attending. I mulled this over, before leaning over to Fate. "D'you still have that Linkin Park CD?" I asked, and he nodded. Perfect.
X-X-X-X-X
Fate and I arrived at the Fashion Department at exactly six, only to see Mira, Terra, and Tsuki were already there and being measured for their outfits. They had already been told the song we we're going to sing, and we all knew what it was. Two of the club members saw me and dragged me off to another room and started taking measurements. I giggled a few times when they tickled me by mistake, but all in all it was over rather quickly. It seemed they had already made my clothes, but they needed a few minor alterations.
There was a black shirt, which cut off at the right side of my rib cage, before cutting down diagonally and ending loosely past my left hip, leaving a small area of skin revealed. That particular area had several large, white scars, along with many smaller ones. They too knew the song we were singing, so I figured it was done on purpose. I was also wearing loose black jeans and a spiked collar and belt. My shoes were thin (pretty much non-existent) sandals. All in all they did a very good job.
The department members led me out to the rest of the girls and put a bit of gold eye shadow on me, along with some golden glitter on my clothes. The other girls were receiving similar treatments, and I could hear Fate yelling something about getting the glitter the hell away from him.
Fun times.
X-X-X-X-X
Narumi was standing, talking to some students from Class H. "Have you seen her anywhere?" he asked, somewhat concerned. Alice giggled.
"Don't worry so much Teach, she'll be here soon enough." Naturally Class H knew what was going on. They were my, well our, partners in crime.
"What do you mean?" he asked suspiciously, receiving only giggles in response. Then, the current band stepped off the stage, and the new president, Goshima, stepped up.
"Our next performers will only be performing one song at the request of one of our Headmasters." he said softly into the microphone, causing several people to pause and look up. It was unusual for a Headmaster to be openly involved in anything. Usually they used puppets or had other people take credit for certain things.
Narumi watched as Goshima left the stage, and a new band walked on. They were dressed in almost all black clothing, and had black and silver instruments. His eyes widened as he realized just who was in the band. I fingered my bass guitar and Fate walked up beside me with his normal one. Terra was in the back with the drums, and Mira was playing a synthesizer, which was basically a computer crossed with a piano, so that she could control the tuning of our guitars. Tsuki was handling the lights and such.
"We're dedicating this song to the Dangerous Class." Said Fate boldly into his microphone, causing several people to break out into hushed whispering. "Ready?" he whispered to me, and I nodded, scanning the crowd, but not noticing Narumi, though he certainly noticed me.
"One, Two, Three, Four." counted Terra, as we started strumming a fast beat on our guitars. "I am a little bit of loneliness, a little bit of disregard," I sang into my microphone, sounding surprisingly good to most. Yes, I can sing, though most had already realized that due to our first stunt at the inauguration. "Handful of complaints- but I can't help the fact; That everybody can see these scars." I sang, turning slightly, which caused several people to gasp as the gap in my shirt was revealed, showing at least six of my scars, two of which extended past the skin that the shirt revealed. "I am- what I want you to want, what I want you to feel, but it's like no matter what I do, I can't convince you- to just believe this is real~!" Fate strummed on his guitar, letting out a slightly angry aura. This wasn't just for us, it was for the entire Dangerous Class. This was how we felt. This is how people treated us; now they knew. "So I, let go watching you- turn your back like you always do!" I sang angrily, and several people flinched under my accusing glares. "Face away and pretend that I'm not- but I'll be here cause you're all that I've got!" I sang, throwing my arms up as I paused my strumming for a moment, before the rest of the band sang the chorus as I strummed.
"I can't feel-! The way I did before! Don't turn your back on me! I won't be ignored!Time won't heeaaal- this damage anymore! Don't turn your back on me- I won't be ignoreeeeeed!" They sang in unison, before I took over once more. "I am, a little bit insecure, a little unconfident," I shrugged. "Cuz you don't understand- I do what I can- but sometimes I don't make sense!" I could tell that the Elementary Headmaster would be furious, as would Persona no doubt. Of course, it would be worth it. The entire school was in shock, even some of Class H. Teach them to mistreat us now, to treat us like monsters, to ignore us. They always had, even Narumi had thought I was a monster at first… Even him.. For some reason, that hurt… Just because I was 'Dangerous'… "I am, what you never wanna say- but I've never had a doubt! It's like no matter what I do I can't convince you for once just to hear me out!" several people had the decency to look ashamed at this line. Served them right, I thought. "So I- let go watching you -turn your back like you always do! You face away and pretend that I'm not-But I'll be here cause you're all that I've got!"
This time, I joined in the chorus with the rest of the group, my golden hair matted slightly in the heat of the lights. "I can't feel- the way I did before! Don't turn your back on me- I won't be ignored! Time won't heeaaal- this damage anymore! Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignoreeeeed!"At this point I had to shift my vocal cords and let out a harsh, animalistic roar, before shifting them back and continuing to sing. I'm proud to say several people jumped. "Hear me out now! You're gonna listen to me- like it or not! Right now! Hear me out now! You're gonna listen to me, like it or not! Right noooow~!My single voice started to overlap theirs as the lyrics changed and they stopped singing. "I can't feel the way I did before.." I sang softly, sadly. "Don't turn your back on me.. I won't be ignoreeeeed!"Then the rest of the group jumped back into the song. "I can't feeeeel- the way I did before~! Don't turn your back on me! I won't be ignored! Time won't heal- this damage anymore! Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored! I can't feeeeeeel! Don't turn your back on me- I won't be ignored! Time won't teeeeeeeellllll! Don't turn your back on me- I won't be ignored!" I finished, singing the last line on my own.
The final guitar note rang out in the room, before a deafening silence took over. I could see the youngest Headmaster fuming. The Moral Police couldn't openly act against us, as we were under orders. I could tell no one had expected that though. We all looked out at the crowd one last time before hastily leaving the stage via teleportation. I could have sworn I had seen regret and sorrow in some of those faces, but I knew better than to hope for that. I kept my face carefully blank as the stage vanished from view and appeared back stage. Oh, we would catch hell for this later, but it was worth it. So worth it.
X-X-X-X-X
Narumi had met my eyes once during the performance, and only once. That was all it took to see the well concealed pain in my eyes. That, coupled with the scars on my hip, made him furious. Why did people do that! The Dangerous Class had decent people, just like all the other classes! Then he paused, realizing what that look had meant. He had… He had been like that too… Everyone had, no one outside of our class had ever understood what we went through.
Narumi was starting to get an idea though, and he wanted to talk to me as soon as possible. Being the smart guy that he was, he knew that I would ditch the dance the first chance I got, and most likely head to the empty forest. So, that's where he went, ready to wait.
Not that he would wait long, I was already on my way. I had gotten the make up off my face before ditching the dance, though I was still in my 'band' clothes. I would have to thank the Fashion Division, they had done a great job.
Without them, the impact I wanted wouldn't have come across nearly as well. Though I was just happy that I had managed to rattle some people. Teach them to underestimate us.