Tren: Well…. Aillas decided that after our last fight in the last chapter's beginning, he need some "alone time" as we were getting "cabin fever. So… I've been forced to bring in another one of my characters to act as muse. Please say hello to…. (drumroll)… FIX!!
Fix: (Yes, that's his name) What the…?? (looks around confused) Where am I??
Tren: You are my current muse until Aillas gets back from wherever he went.
Fix: Aillas went on vacation?? (worried expression) Oh… I hope he gets back alright…
Tren: He'll be fine, don't worry about it. (pats Fix on shouder)
Fix: (sighs) Alright then, Tren, I'll try. Oh… who are they?? (points to YOU)
Tren: The readers.
Fix: AH…. (blush) Uh…. (timid wave)…. 'ello….
Tren: Aw, you're so bashful!! And timid!!!! (glomps)
Fix: ACK!! (falls over from Tren's weight)
Tren: Alright, ya'll. This is Fix, a character out of my short comic I'm working on. Ain't he cute?? Fix is: 5' 11", with messy chin length black hair and icy blue eyes rimmed in violet. He is rather pale, as he is a thief by trade, a game programmer to pay the rent. He has three bands tattooed around his neck, four on his upper right arm. A swirl on that shoulder trails down into a line down his entire arm until it reaches his wrists and it breaks into three barbs that wrap around his hands. All of these are tats. Four lines are on his back and Samon style tats cover the bottom of his feet! SEE!! (pulls Fix's feet out from under him, making him slam into the floor and revealing tattoos.)
Fix: Ooof!!! (get's knocked out cold from head colliding with floor)
Tren: Oops… I'll have to get another muse for the bottom AN section…. MY POOR BABY!!! (hugs)
Nobody knew who the new kid was, though he looked oddly familiar, leaning casually against the chain link fence. Dressed in the swimming trunks (a deep navy blue with white trim down the sides) and a loose, baggy white T-shirt, he didn't look like much. In fact, he was rather slender, and his hair was a mess of striking auburn, short in the back with messy longs strands near the middle and bangs that fell over his nose. To any Otaku, his cut would be compared to Dark Mousy. His eyes were shadowed and hanging from his neck was a gold chain with a medallion. A good luck charm, perhaps?? One thing every girl didn't fail to notice was the fact that he had perfect legs, toned, the muscles taut and sculpted with artisan skill and covered by flawless skin that had been tanned by the summer sun to a warm bronze. Then one kid noticed it. Someone they normally saw was missing.
Keichi. That brat with the waist long hair, femmy build and snide attitude. It wasn't hard to miss him, as he usually sat in the shade, sulking and killing any happiness that might ever come his way. Yeah, the fairy of a classmate seemed to be missing, replaced with this new kid. Imagine their surprise when the teacher called out roll and stumbled across the dreaded name.
"Minamino, Suekeichi??" he prayed that monstrosity of a child wasn't in his class again when there was a response.
"Here."
It was the supposedly new kid, raising one had casually while smiling over and chatting amiably with the girl next to him who suddenly froze up realizing who she was talking too, as though she had just found out he was the Devil and she had already signed her name away for a new pair of jeans. All eyes turned to him until he noticed that he was being watched and gave them a flippant little grin and a two fingered salute.
"Nothing to see here, folks, keep on movin'. Now, what were you saying??" he looked back at the girl and for once, everybody was speechless.
What had happened to the angry kid? What happened to the anti-social psychopath that was renowned for being a jerk and sending teachers to the asylums?? Could it really be the rather classy, definitely cool person who was chatting it up with the cute girl next to him? Then they saw his eyes as he pulled his longer strands away with a rubber band. How could anybody forget those eyes?? Those unnatural eyes…
Pulling himself back together the teacher paced down the side of the pool and finished roll before handing his clipboard to Appoline, who appeared out of nowhere still dressed in the heavy winter clothes.
"You'll be taking their times and such," he informed her gruffly, not happy about having a half-demon in his class, unaware of the other two that were right under his nose, so to speak.
"Alright, sir," she replied meekly, clutching the board to her chest and looking as timid as ever.
"You will all be paring up with a member of this class. I'll read out the names…" he started down the list and then walked off to the bleachers, letting the students get to know them better.
Turning to his partner, Keichi smiled at her warmly and she found herself beginning to blush. If possible, the teen was more perfect up close. No a mean feat, if you asked her. No… his skin was unblemished, his bone structure so delicate she knew many a friend who would kill to have it. He didn't look Japanese entirely, though it was there in the eyes, his nose was more prominent that most, thin and the broken nose "bump" she had seen last year when he was in her social studies class was missing now.
"Hey, sorry I missed you name… it is…??" he waited for her response, giving her an encouraging smile.
"Chidsuru! Chidsuru Matsushida," she stammered, bowing before popping up and giving him a perky little grin.
"Hm… Mind if I shorten it?"
"No, not at all!!!" she hastened, surprised that he was suddenly so polite.
"Hm… Suru-han?" he ventured and she quirked her head. She didn't remembering him having a Kansai-ben… but then again, she didn't remember him ever talking.
"It's perfect, want to get into the water and get warmed up??" she gushed, taking her towel off her delicate hips.
"That sounds good, I'd love to cool down."
In an instant he had peeled off his white t-shirt and executed a perfect swan dive into the water. Popping his head back up, he swam over the side and smiled at her. Immediately, she blushed. His body should have belonged on a god, not a high school student. A real life Adonis was her gym partner!! (Tren: W00t! Keichi shaped up and now he's gonna be a heart throb. Fan girls, here he comes!). Flashing her an enigmatic, cocky little grin he held his hand out to her.
"Wanna come in? The water's just perfect??" Taking him up on his offer, she jumped in, trying to be graceful and almost succeeding. As soon as she went under she realized it was far deeper than she expected and she kept sinking. Then, she felt soft hands slide smoothly over her waist and with ease, she was pulled back to the air, now nose to nose with Keichi, who was the one holding her. A warm flush burned across her face as she stammered a thanks and her teammate smiled with such care, she found herself in doubt again that he was the same person she had seen last year. Where was the classmate from the horror stories?
"You should be careful. I'm sorry though, it's partially my fault that I didn't tell you I was in the deep end," he brushed his nose sweetly against hers before letting go. In a flash he had dove back into the water and was swimming, his body cutting through the water gracefully…
Samui was late coming back from P.E, as he had played the part of lifeguard and took it to be his solemn duty to put away all the gear the class had used. When he came back into the lockers, the sound of water cascading onto the tiling floor met his ears, warm steam billowing around the floor like a fog, a strange mixture of chlorine and mixed floral scents filled the moist air. Curious, and vaguely uncomfortable in the heat, Samui ventured further into the locker room he noticed there was someone turning off the water to the shower and walking out, towel wrapped around his hips.
This figure, as Samui couldn't make out much due to his fogged glasses, padded over to the mirrors which hung over a counter and placed his hands firmly down on it, staring at his reflection before hanging his head. Thick ropes of wet hair hung around his face like a curtain and Samui tried his best to remain silent, his curiosity getting the best of him. Soon whoever it was ran his hands through his hair, leaving rents in the heavy locks and giving a loud groan that sounded almost animal like. Worried at the reason for the noise, Samui spoke.
"Are you alright??" he asked, sounding as brave as he could though he didn't know what the person's reaction would be.
"Huh?!" he started, spinning around to face the blue haired half demon before placing a hand over his heart and sighing and Samui noticed an odd blur covering the person's wrists. Taking off his glasses and rubbing them over his shirt he put them back on and noticed they were tribal bands, tattoos. "Samui, Good Gods, you scared me!!"
Samui knew that voice.
"Keichi???"
"Who else would it be?? I wanted to get the blasted chlorine off of me," Keichi snapped back, his genial personality from before vanished to what Samui assumed to be his true nature.
"Oh…. That makes sense. Are you alright though??"
"What do you mean, 'are you alright?'?" Keichi mimicked Samui's voice all to realistically for the last part, which made him step back, a bit surprised.
"I mean, you sounded in pain for moment."
"I… I'm fine."
Keichi walked off to his locker, rather irritated as he pulled on his boxers and jeans, buttoning the fly. Giving a quick, vigorous rub over his hair with the towel he had recently removed before sighing and pulling on his watch and wristband, covering up the blue marks.
"You don't sound fine," Samui noted, "And what are those blue tattoos for??"
"I AM fine," Keichi snarled back, looking over his shoulder and giving his classmate the distinct impression of an animal raising it's hackles, "As for the tattoos, they're…." He stumbled, at a loss for words before he started up again, nearly barking out the word, "…manacles…"
"Why are they like manacles??"
"DO YOU ALWAYS ASK SO MANY QUESTIONS!?!" he suddenly roared, his hands flying to his temples, the words echoing off the tiles before he settled back down again and lowed his head in apology to the now startled half-koorime.
"They… they are like manacles because they serve as a reminder, that I am bound to a certain fate that I can't escape. That I am bound to THAT side of my family," Keichi's words were bitter as he spat the words out, shoving his shirt on before falling down against the benches near his locker, slamming his own shut.
"I'm sorry, Samui… It's just…I feel uncomfortable."
"Would you mind if I ask why?" Samui walked calmly to his own locker, spinning the dial and removing his own uniform, which was folded crisp and neat, shoes resting on top.
"This… form… isn't my real body… It just feels…" Keichi struggled for words, looking away from his classmate and by the time he looked back, Samui was already dressed and closing his locker once more.
"It just feels like… what??"
"It feels wrong. I don't know how else to put it… Never mind, I'm just rambling," Keichi got up abruptly, picking up his backpack when something clattered out and onto the floor. Looking down, Samui noticed it was rectangular mahogany case, with gold clasps. Frowning, he tried to figure out just what it was when Keichi reacted rather oddly.
Snatching it off the floor, he blushed a deep crimson and shoved it into his bag, suddenly rather embarrassed as he abandoned the mood he was in earlier for a more awkward one and hurried off.
"That's strange… Keichi sure is… odd…" Samui shook his head and sighed. Even if he lived for a hundred years, he didn't know if he'd ever understand that kid…
The next Samui saw of Keichi, he was back to his rather boisterous, dreamy personality, as undisturbed as if nothing had ever happened. Sitting on the table, he feet on the chair, Keichi was reaching into his satchel bag as he looked over at Midori and laughed for a bit and Samui came in on half the conversation.
"… her face!! It was shock! I don't think anybody here even recognized who I am!!"
"Don't blame 'em. You suddenly arrive with an honest to God good personality. They're gonna think something's… wrong," Midori teased, pulling her hair back with a green ribbon as she wrinkled her nose at him and flipped the pony tail over one shoulder and Appoline gave a soft smile.
"What sparked the change?" she asked as Samui took his seat next to her, pulling out his paper bag lunch.
"I decided that I wanted the good type of attention," Keichi replied before giving a sly grin, "Ya know… the…" he licked his lips slowly before continuing, "the reeeeeal good type of attention."
"You disgust me," Samui muttered, getting the innuendo in an instant and rolling his eyes along with Appoline, who was still smiling in a mysterious little way.
"I'd be worried if I didn't," Keichi answered lightly without skipping a beat before digging around in his satchel bag to find his bento box. Lacquered black with silver accents, it was simple but with an expensive air. Unbuckling the strap that kept it together Keichi opened the lid and the most heavenly smell wafted over to each one of them, making them perk up and look over.
"What IS that GLORIOUS smell?" Midori asked, taking a deep breath of the aroma and smiling content. It was complex with layers up on layers of new, different scents she didn't what was what.
"My lunch."
"What is it??" Appoline's voice was nearly drowned out by the crowded room but she knew Keichi's keen ears would pick it up anyway.
"Hm… Well, some Cucumber Salad, Agadeshi Tofu, Inari-zushi and seared Tuna," Keichi pointed at each part of the meal delicately with his chopsticks which were pale bamboo painted with scrolling clouds and foxes, his own little joke.
"Where did you buy it??" Samui asked, looking over the elegantly presented meal. A cook himself, he was curious when new meals and this was far more exotic than the Middle East food he prepared and nothing so far offended his own diet, which forbade pork.
"Buy it?!?" Keichi's expression turned offended as he looked over, eyes wide and Appoline sniggered, she knew Keichi was always touchy on this subject. "I MADE it!! I can cook you know!! My dad can't , so I had to learn! AND… I happen to LIKE it!!!"
Midori was in stitches at his reaction and Samui was surprised. He would have never thought someone as crass as Keichi (not to mention as hyperactive) would ever have the discipline to cook anything past Rice A Roni, or Mac'n'cheese.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you!" Samui shot back, returning to his food as Keichi started on his salad before Midori spoke up, wrinkling her nose in distaste.
"Why is it that your main courses, Agadeshi and Inari, BOTH HAVE FRIED TOFU!! Gross!" Like many people, Midori found tofu disgusting enough, but to have it fried seemed a lot worse. Like if she was fry a twinkie or something.
"Think whatever you want, I happen to find fried tofu to be the greatest gift the Gods have ever graced you ningens," Keichi replied loftily, popping an Inari-zushi into his mouth and biting down, a look of pure bliss washing over his face. "And I've been meaning to tell you guys… It's stuffy here, why don't we eat outside tomorrow??"
"It's Friday tomorrow," Midori said after a few seconds of silence and they all started to laugh.
"Yes, yes it is. Thank the Gods for that," Keichi shook his head before sighing and stretching.
"I gotta go and help out a teacher… so I'll see ya'll later," and with that, he was gone, disappearing into the crowd and Samui shook his head once more.
"I'll never get that guy."
"I don't think we're meant to," Appoline replied sagely before getting up and leaving herself…
"KEICHI!!!!"
After school, they had gathered behind the school when they heard Keichi's name cried out by a female voice and then there was a blur of color and suddenly someone was on Keichi.
A young woman, Samui knew her from his math class. Her arms were around his neck, legs wrapped around his waist and she seemed unperturbed by the fact that she was currently wearing a short skirt. Shaking her head, she sent ripples down her waist long sheets of onyx hair, his nose brushing up against Keichi's in a cute gesture of affection.
"Yui," he replied back softly, slipping his arms around her waist to make sure she wouldn't fall, his hands resting rather low on her back.
"I can't believe I don't have a class with you!!" she pouted, her glossed lip jutting out cutely and Midori rolled her eyes.
"We'll have to make up for it in… extra curricular activities," he replied suggestively, claiming her pouting lip between his teeth and pulling her into a passionate kiss. All three, Midori, Appoline and Samui, couldn't do anything but watch as her hands dug through Keichi's hair and their bodies pressed together.
"Is she you're girlfriend??" Samui asked, surprised at the rather shocking display of public affection, which was only made worse by the fact that he grew up in Israel.
"I better be," Yui replied breathless before sliding off of Keichi and running off, turning around to blow him a kiss.
"Dang, how'd I get so lucky?" Keichi mused, shoving his hands into his pockets before looking over at Samui and shaking his head. "Yeah, she's my girlfriend. For now."
"For… now??"
"Eventually she'll get bored of me. They all do," Keichi replied softly before Midori changed the subject with all the grace of an elephant.
"Hey, Samui, I've been meanin' to ask ya… where are you living now??"
"Well, our house was ruined by the fire… and we couldn't afford insurance… but oddly enough, as I was searching through the papers on the steps, this man came over. He looked expensive, dressed in a sharp suit and such and he handed me this document and key and I had a new house, everything paid for," Samui sounded as though he was still amazed (which he was) and shook his head incredulously as Midori stared at him in awe and Appoline's gaze fell suspiciously to Keichi.
"WHAT??" Midori shot out, "What do you mean? What did he look like?? Did he say anything!?!"
"It's exactly how it sounds. He was dressed in what I could only guess to be an expensive suit and had black hair pulled back into a pony tail and jade eyes and he couldn't have been much older than 25, tops," Samui explained, trying to remember everything about the man, "And all he said was 'the address is on the paper, and this is done entirely on a favor. You owe me nothing' and then turned around, left, and when I went to follow after him, he was gone. Just like that."
"No way!! That's so crazy!! Can I see your new house?" Midori asked, following Samui off and as soon as they were well out of their vision, Appoline turned to face Keichi, a smirk spreading across her face.
"Not only do you single handedly save his siblings from a fire demon and technically die… you buy him a new house??"
"WHAT!? He had no other place to live, and it's not like he knew I was that guy!!" Keichi replied, trying to defend himself and throwing his hands into the air. "Besides!! My company makes millions, billions even!! One measly little urbanite house is NOT gonna put me in the poor house!!"
"Why did you take on that form though??"
"Samui would've noticed who I was, it was the first form I could think of, AND it's not like they know I can shape shift," Keichi replied nonchalantly as Appoline just laughed and started off on her own way.
"You are a mystery, Mr. Katakana," she said lightly before turning the corner and leaving Keichi alone, who just sighed and laughed.
"S'all well that ends well…." He quoted to nobody in particular and then left the school, whistling some long gone tune…
-Tren: Alright then… While poor Fix is being treated for a concussion, I've… mended things with Aillas.
Aillas: Mended?? You paid me to come back because you're afraid of what Audris or Xaiden might do to you.
Tren: (glare) Shut up and take the money.
Aillas: (counting out the bills) Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice. I think I could make a little spending money on this new venture of ours.
Tren: (groans) Not apologizing yet.
Aillas: I know. I'm also not complaining. Ah, Benjamin, I have just the place in my wallet for you and your friends!! (starts to croon to money)
Tren: Getting away from Aillas, I finally got to see the play Wicked.
Aillas: And she won't stop singing the songs from it.
Tren: Because it was SO GOOD.
Aillas: Let's just respond to those reviewers!!
Tren: Right-o!!
-ShadeSpirit: You know of Swing Life Away?? Whoa….. Midori got over his dislike of Keichi because she's not one to hold a grudge past a day. In her mind, he's saved Samui once, his sibling once…. He can't be that bad of guy, he's totally redeemed himself in her mind. And as for what's up with Keichi back, you mean the fact that he doesn't have those scars anymore? That's a secret…
-Vitanie Tora: I'm glad I give you some good reading!! (laughs). As for where Lin is, she's where you least expect her. And as for how much I pay Aillas… well, don't you want to check him out? His picture is posted at www.fantomfox13. Check it out and tell me if you're still interested. And yes, a joint story might help. That's how I get all my typing frustration out. This is a joint story and it helps because this way you have two people coming up with ideas, so there's no way you can run out! Well, good luck at those torture chambers.
-Sugar High Water Uma: Thank you for clapping. Thank you for the energy drink. Is it a Bawls?
-Sabs: Yes I am a freak, and I went to your party, so please don't kick my arse.
-Rose Of Death: Did Keichi dye his hair purple, not yet, but trust me. He wants to.
-Paksennarion: Midori and Samui aren't as hateful, but don't worry. Keichi will mess it up somehow. So, you do want to know what music I listen to? And yes, check those musicians out. They deserve some interest!!
Tren: That's it for this chapter.
Aillas: We'll see you again soon!
Tren: PLEASE REVIEW!!!
Aillas: And cheerio!