Reviews:
Okibimaru- it's alright if you don't review every single chapter. And here's your update so: mission accomplished.
Shuwazi- you're no longer the only Yu x Ce fanatic anymore. Someone else wanted that pairing too and i already told you it's staying. And last time i called you kurai-shuwazi cuz thats wat the review said. Like this one said shuwazi.
Murasaki-don't worry, you find out lots in confusing little incriments. By they way, who did you think he was?
Ayumi- lol, thats the shortest review ever. And yes, it's funny to leave cliffhangers (at least it is for the author)
I'm-the-Drummer-...grandpa?...
Ayumi-lol, he doesn't currently have his hat though.
Dunrr-thanks for the vote. Thats actually the pairing i was hoping people would ask for. Something about xiao x Xun was hard to write about and Kay prefers this pairing too. So it's all good :)
PyroMystic-thanks for your pairing vote, thats kinda how Kay wanted it to go and i think that pairing is easier to write about.
Calenmarwen-lol, your not the only one who likes this pair. Shuwazi really likes it and she wouldn't let me write any other way. Go take a look at her reviews if you don't believe me.
NOTE: lately, a lot of people have been asking me to put in 'this person' or 'make this happen' and an idea popped into my head. What if other people wrote about their favorite characters in a school situation? It would be cool if there was a whole collection of stories. I wouldn't care if someone wanted to use the same storyline or they could make up a whole new one. Maybe even someone else wanted to use Xun: go ahead. Write more people! Give us something to read while taking a break from writing.
Chapter 25:
The Wu common room was silent. The tension was probably thick enough to swim through. A dying fire crackled in the corner but nobody bothered to put another log into the fire. Xun had always been the one to do that. He always made sure the fire burned strong and warm. But he wasn't there, so the fire was waning. Ning stood and broke the silence with a loud yawn and stretched his hands above his head.
"Well, whose up for breakfast?" Ning asked.
"How can you be so relaxed?!" Tong snapped.
"Hes made his choice. No point in moping around here." Ning shrugged.
Xiao ran back into the dorm room with sobs echoing in the silence. Y u scowled at Ning as Da ran to comfort her sister.
"Could you be a little less blunt?" Yu's voice was clipped.
Ning rolled his eyes and walked out. Other students followed. He did have a point. What could they gain by just sitting there? Some small talk was made but the topic stayed far from the little pyro who had disappeared.
The cafeteria was quieter than usual. Wu was the last to arrive and take their seats at their table. Many took secretive glances at the Shu table. But why was Shu...looking at them?
"He's not there!" Shang Xiang gasped.
"What? He has to be." Ce looked over his shoulder.
"Shes right." Meng affirmed. "Xun isn't there."
"Where is he then" Quan asked.
"He's not with Wei either. If anyone was wondering." Ci added.
Nobody was.
Murmurs grew louder and even the teachers looked uneasy. Did anyone know where Xun was? Zhu Rong entered the cafeteria and spoke quietly with the teachers. After a minute she turned to face the students.
"Would any students with information about the whereabouts of Lu Xun come see me in my office after breakfast. Immediately!"Zhu Rong barked.
She wasted no time walking back toward the hallway. She slammed open the door and there was an odd sound. Almost as if something had been in the way of the door.
Xun stumbled out from behind the door holding his nose tenderly. He spoke quietly with Zhu Rong for a minute before she grabbed his ear and dragged him back down the hallway from which he came. He was wearing no distinctive colours. A black pair of pants and a white button down shirt.
"...Found him." Tong said.
(time passes)
Xun finally escaped Zhu Rong's interrogation after about an hour. He walked out into the quiet main hall and looked around at the splendor you overlooked most of the time. Strange, it seemed more welcoming and less intimidating than his first day. He even recognized some of the large paintings from books in the library.
Movement out the window caught his eye. He looked out to see most everyone from the school outside. Many of them were lounging around but there appeared to be some sort of three way soccer match going on between Wu, Wei, and Shu. Even the heads of houses were playing. Xun akwardly wandered over, not sure if they'd mind it. He stood leaning back against one of the trees and watched the game. He couldn't help noticing Xiao sitting in the shade of a tree while her sister played with her hair. Shang Xiang was amidst the most intense area of the soccer.
"Heads!"
Xun turned to see the ball rapidly approaching his face. He ducked and the ball skimmed his head, hitting the tree and bouncing to drop a few feet in front of him.
"Xun! Pass over here!" Tong called.
Dian Wei dashed forward to try and intercept the ball. Xun pulled it back with one foot and tapped it behind his foot as Dian Wei passed harmlessly. He kicked it to Tong.
"Munchkins on our team!" Ce called dibs. (Wu was currently losing so no objections were made)
Xun didn't argue. It was a given fact that the goal were between set trees in a triangle sort of field. A goalie stood in each 'goal' with Tai as Wu's goalie. Xun took up a position as a midfielder. Wei stole the ball and it was passed to Zhang Liao. Xun managed to get in between and intercepted the ball. Shielding from Liao, Xun spun and dribbled till he came to Zhang He. Passing it to Ning, he ran forward. Tong passed it up and he deflected it around Cao Ren to Shang Xiang. She blasted it into the corner of the goal with many cheers from Wu.
Wu didn't regain posession again for a while. Wei scored on Shu twice and Wu once, then Shu got one in on Wu as well. Wu almost got a goal in on Shu but it was repelled and Shu scored on Wei. It wasn't hot, but the humidity was enough to wipe out anyone.
Xun could feel many eyes watching him. He was glad to be part of the game though. At least nobody could ask about yesterday. Or even about today. At least people seemed to be losing interest in him. Maybe nobody would really care later.
Sun Jian stole the ball from Liu Bei and passed it back to Lu Meng. Meng popped it over Guan Ping's head to drop precisly at Quan's feet. Tapping it to Ce, the play moved toward Shu's goal rather than Wei's. Xun was being marked by Yue Ying and he was having trouble trying to get open. Ce was being marked by two opponents and was losing control, needing a pass option. Xun slid between two talking Shu students, momentarily losing Ying and opening up some space.
Ce passed to Xun. He dribbled around one opponent when he heard a warning shout behind him from Shang Xiang. He looked questioningly over his shoulder to see Yan approaching quickly. Xun braced for impact but stumbled, barely keeping control of the black and white ball. He felt Yan's elbow jabbing into his back a promising a new bruise. A kick to his leg left him sprawled on the ground and Yan easily kicked the ball to his own teammates with a sneer at Xun.
"Wimp."
Xun looked away. He watched as the ball made its way back only to be scored on Wu again. He hit his forehead to the ground, groaning. The game ended for lunch as Xun sat up. He vaguely remembered the call that next goal would win the game for the sake of time. His elbows rested on his knees from his cross-legged position and he buried his face in his hands.
"Xun?"
Xun looked up to see Wei squatting next to him. Zhang stood behind Wei.
"You're not hurt are you?" Zhang asked.
Xun shook his head. He stood slowly, brushing some dirt from the front of his shirt.
"He's got some serious issues." Wei scowled at Yan.
Xun looked over at Yan, and was startled to see Ning storming over to Yan with Tong talking hurridly, almost as if trying to calm Ning down. He heard the shout as Ning shouted at Yan.
"Oh no... this isn't gonna turn out good." Zhang whistled.
Xun stood running over. Tong had one arm barring Ning's way as he and Yan taunted each other in shouts and curses.
"Why the hell can't you leave him alone?! Do you really have to push people around just to make you fell like you actually worth something you (sensory although asteriks's don't work)" Ning shouted.
Zhao Yun was trying to calm Yan down but all his calm words went out the window. Most insults were passed before Ning snapped, shoving Tong out of the way. Yan was already throwing a punch of his own. Xun barely managed to jump in between the enraged boys. The pain in Xun's nose was only matched by that on the back of his head. Ning stepped around him in his dazed state, attacking Yan.
Xun didn't remember much of anything for the next few minutes. His body seemed to be working on it's own as it stumbled to the side, sinking to the ground. Someone's hand touched his shoulder lightly but it didn't register in his mind. Sights blurred together till black reined supreme in his vision.
It took many people to pull Yan and Ning off each other. Both were dragged away from each other and in the excitement, Xun had almost been completely forgotten.
"Dad!"
Sun Jian turned from scolding Ning at Shang Xiang's urgent call. She was kneeling next to Xun's unconcious form, trying to stop the bleeding with her sleeve. Meng and Tong was left to control a still steaming Ning as Sun Jian went to help his daughter. Liu Bei was kneeling on Xun's far side from Shang Xiang and had folded his jacket under Xun's head when his hand came back with blood.
"Roll him on his side. The back of his head is bleeding too." Liu Bei commanded gently.
Some one back called the nurse and she gave orders for Xun to be moved to the clinic. Huang Gai carried Xun and after they took him to the clinic, everyone was shooed out except the Heads of Houses.
In the Wu common room Ning was angrily pacing.
"You should have controlled your temper better." Yu said in a cold voice.
"I'm not as heartless as some people here." Ning glared at Yu.
"But your rash actions got 3 people hurt. Even the one you were fighting for."
Ning was suppressing the urge to punch Yu right there and then. His paces became heavier till the floor began to creak with every step.
"Nobody blames you." Da said softly.
"I guess you haven't talked too prissy-boy over there." Ning thumbed at Yu.
"Everyone is just a little stressed out right now. Maybe we should just go for a walk." Da suggested.
Da took Ning by the hand and led toward the door but they paused in the doorway to let Sun Jian and Huang Gai in.
"How is he?" Shang Xiang asked.
"He's not going to die if thats what you thought. The nurse said his nose is broken and he has a concussion but he'll be fine." Sun Jian said.
"Are you freak'in serious?! Ning broke his nose?!" Tong was mocking surprised as though Ning wasn't capable of such a feat.
"Oops..." Ning rubbed the back of his head. "I bet he's gonna be ticked off when he sees me again."
"Xun? P.O.'d? Is that possible?" Quan tried to sound positive.
"He won't be mad about that. Just watch, he's gonna try and apologize for getting blood on Shang's sleeve." Ci joked.
Xun walked toward the cafeteria, trying not to listen to the clinking of the container of pain pills the nurse had given him that now rested in his pocket. He had woken up only a few minutes ago and was startled just by the fact that he had passed out. Lunch was ending now and the students would just be leaving the cafeteria. Most of the exiting students were staring at the bandage-type-thing across his nose. He could see it in the edges of his vision without looking. Then again, he could see it out of one eye, as the other was swollen. He probably looked horrible right now. He could probably pass as someone who got hit by a truck.
"Xun!" Shang Xiang weaved toward Xun through the crowd.
"Hi." Xun smiled cheerily once she was cloose enough to hear.
She stared at his nose for a moment.
"It's really broken isn't it?" she asked.
Xun nodded, looking down at his feet.
"Well, you just get to hit Ning back later. He already looks like his nose is broken, so you'd be doing him a favor by giving him an excuse." Tong shrugged.
Ning smacked Tong over the head.
"You shouldn't have jumped in the way." Ning added to Xun.
"Sorr-" Xun stopped, looking up from his feet. "No... I'm not sorry that I did that."
Xun voice was stronger and a small spark of determination shone in Xun's eyes. Ning raised an eyebrow.
"You wanted to get hurt?" Ning asked skeptically.
"No, but it wasn't necessary for you to fight with Upperclassman Yan." Xun reasoned.
Ning stared blankly at Xun. He shook his head slowly, putting a hand to his forehead.
"You...you're one messed up kid, pipsqeak." Ning chuckled.
Xun blinked in confusion. Ning walked away without another word and Xun looked around at the others in puzzlement. What exactly had just happened there? Meng ruffled his hair.
"Don't worry about it." Meng advised.
Meng went after Ning. The rest of Wu passed by, clapping him on the shoulder or patting his head as they passed. Only Tai remained. All other students had already passed so that they were now alone in the hallway.
"It's been so long... since I came to Wu. So much has changed though." Xun said softly, a slightly wistful hint in his voice.
"Does your path stray from us now?" Tai asked.
Xun remembered all the though he had put into that. This simple little question. As innocent as it seemed, how had it altered his life so much. It seemed so simple...yet it had troubled him so much...
His wandering led him to the cafeteria. Some Wei students were playing a loud game of cards in the far corner but he found a quiet spot next to the window. It was a nice sunny day... if only his mood could be as bright. At least now he had a deadline. He needed to sit down, and think this out with no distractions-
-!
"Z-!"
Xun didn't finish his sentence. His mouth was covered before he could finish. Dragged swiftly from his seat he was pulled outside and rolled slightly against a wall. Gasping as the wind was knocked out of him. The hand was removed from his mouth and the taller boy peered around the corner, making sure no one had seen the going's on.
"It's been a tad difficult tracking you down I hope you know." the boy laughed.
"Because you weren't supposed too." Xun scowled.
Xun stepped away, his arms crossed. The white-haired boy chuckled.
"You should know me better then that, Yi."
"My name is Xun now."
"Xun?... An interesting change. Perhaps it has something to do with your mother's writing?"
Xun nodded faintly.
"Look, you shouldn't have found me."
"And why not? You forget that I have relatives in town."
"...oh yeah..."
"The least you could have done was leave a message or something. You should have seen Mum. Shes downright furious at you for leaving without a word."
"Y-your mother's m-mad at me?"
"Yeah. Practically spitting flames."
"Oh dear..."
"Not to worry though. She'll be glad to know you haven't gotten into any real trouble. Although your luck hasn't changed one bit."
"Th-thats not nice to say, Zuo.
Zuo Ci laughed.
"In any case, you seem to be having some trouble lately dealing with your house." Zuo implied.
Xun turned to face Zuo with a startled expression.
"H-how do yo-...-! You've been spying on me!" Xun exclaimed.
"You make it sound like I'm a stalker. I've only been keeping an eye on you to keep you out of trouble. That fight though, can't say I saw that one coming." Zuo admitted.
"Go back to Wujun." Xun scowled.
"Actually, I was here to offer you another choice. Perhaps Wujun Academy wouldn't be so bad." Zuo reasoned.
Xun was quiet.
"I can't. Please understand-"
"You're going to have to have to explain for me to understand."
"...it's too long a story."
"I've got time. And you look like you need to get away for a while."
Xun thought for a minute.
"Fine, but I have to get back soon." Xun said.
"No objections from me."
He talked with Zuo long into the night sitting by an old oak tree in the park in town. Xun had so many questions about Wujun and how everyone was doing. Eventually, Zuo convinced him to write a latter that he could give them, promising not to disclose his current location. Even after Xun explained what had happened on the day he left almost three years ago he didn't want to go back to school. Zuo was somewhere around 3 years older than Xun and had always been a sort of teacher to him. Probably the closest he's ever had to an older brother.
Xun hadn't meant to fall asleep. Zuo helped Xun sleepily stumble to the inn room he was staying in. Xun collapsed on the couch and slept till moring. He panicked when he realized how angry everyone back at school was gonna be when he got back.
"Don't stress yourself out. I'll be back in town later in the month." Zuo said as Xun flew out the door.
Xun momentarily poked his head back in the door.
"Thanks, Zuo. For the help."
"No problem. Make sure you hit that Yan kid for me though."
Xun brought his mind back to the present.
"No...I don't think it does..." Xun said truthfully.
Tai smiled slightly.
"That is... if Wu does not wish me gone." Xun said hesitantly.
"You will always be welcome." Tai replied.
Xun smiled appreciativly.
"By the way, did you ever find your hat?"