Hisao yawned at his desk a couple minutes before class started. Maybe if I just don't answer the door next time, he'll go away. He sighed. Though I guess it's nice that someone's concerned enough to look out for my health. Although I can't help but wonder if it's concern, or just wanting to play a game with someone. Either way, it makes me wonder if I should just "forget" to tell Maru about Lilly's invitation.
His thoughts turned toward the invitation. I feel a little like a kid planning to sneak out of his window at night. Well, maybe that's going a little too far, but when you compare an invitation to a party to six or so hours of lectures, I know which one wins; even with Maru being there.
Appropriately, Maru chose that moment to come into the door.
"...Oh god," Hisao said, thoughts of the invitation momentarily forgotten as he looked at the youth in the doorway. The trench coat Maru wore looked like it had been spray-painted red, and it had a poufy piece of cloth stapled to it as improvised trim. He also wore a tricorne atop his head, along with an eye patch. The look was completed by the fact that he had replaced his other prosthetic arm with what appeared to be a hook. A quick look down confirmed the presence of a peg-leg.
"Yarr," declared Maru. "Avast, ye skalawags! Heave to, and prepare to be barded!" He pulled a piece of wood out from inside his coat, which had the word 'Lute' written on it. He pretended to strum it with his hook hand while making the noise of a chord.
"...Wahahahaha~!" Misha grinned. "Looking for sunken treasure~?"
Hisao looked over at the two girls beside him. Shizune looks very much as though she wants to start crying in frustration. He sighed. "Don't you think you're overdoing this?"
Maru looked upward for a second, and then shrugged. "Probably. But I've really, really wanted to do that. I mean, seriously, you have no idea." He put his fist and hook against his hip, the hook bending slightly as he did so. "I mean, look at me. I'm like, almost the perfect pirate. Didn't have everything together until now, though, so it had to wait."
"Yeah, but..." Hisao shook his head. It's like he really has no sense of decorum at all. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Never mind."
Maru looked at him for a moment, and then shrugged. "Sheesh. Just trying to get a few chuckles. It's ego boosting, and everyone could use a laugh." He grinned. "Besides, I make this look good."
Shizune signed.
"Mister Kobayashi~, to make that look good you would have to put more effort into it than staples and spray-paint~" Misha said.
Maru crossed his hand and hook over his chest. "Argh, ye got me!" He teetered slightly.
Hisao rolled his eyes and facepalmed. I can't help but wonder what goes on in his head. Clearly, he's on a completely different plane of reality than anyone else.
From the hallway came the sound of a lecture in progress. Maru stood to the side, and Mutou entered the room. He stopped in mid-lecture, turned to look at Maru, and sighed. "...Mister Kobayashi..."
"I'm Guybrush Threepwood," Maru said. "Mighty pirate!
Mutou looked at him for a moment. "...How appropriate; you fight like a cow."
Maru sputtered for a moment before breaking out into laughter. "Ahaha, but, hah, opening with a retort, that's not sporting! And you fight like a dairy farmer!"
This exchange makes absolutely no sense at all, Hisao thought as he rubbed his eyes.
Mutou gave a small smile before looking down and frowning. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to confiscate your hook."
"Ah, sure, sure," Maru said as he tugged on it. "Figured as much, honestly." He pulled it out with a popping noise, revealing that the opposite end was apparently a repurposed water bottle.
"...Hm." Mutou took the hook and examined it. "Clever. You can have this back at the end of the day, but I'm going to insist you don't wear this in class again."
"To be fair," Maru said, "the piracy act is probably a one-time deal anyway."
Hisao sighed. Why do I have this odd feeling that Maru has a list of these entrances? It made him shudder to think of what else Maru might have planned.
Mutou nodded, and then glanced at Maru's coat. "...Also, please do something with your coat. I can smell the paint."
"Eheheh..." Maru scratched the back of his head. "...I'll be right back." He hobbled out the doorway.
"...I swear, that guy has a few screws loose," Miki said a few seconds after Maru left the room.
"Mmm," Hisao agreed.
Shizune shook her head and signed.
"A nuisance~? Aww~, but I think he's funny Shicchan~," Misha said.
"He has his moments," Hisao said. But he really tries far too hard, I think.
Shizune rubbed her eyes.
"...H-he..."
Hisao turned his head to look over at the desk behind Maru's.
Hanako looked around at the stares she had brought upon herself, before looking down at her desk, shaking and wide-eyed.
"As interesting as you all seem to find this," Mutou said, "I would like to begin my lesson." The class straightened up at that, and he began to lecture.
Hisao saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and looked down, out the window. A flash of red made its way toward one of the bushes in the school yard. He watched as Maru wrapped the trench coat around the bush, and barely resisted sighing. Somehow, I just know I'm going to see that again. And I won't like it when I do.
A minute or so later, Maru came back in the room, tricorne still on his head. He hobbled over to his desk silently, and nodded at Hanako.
She didn't return his nod, Hisao thought. Strange, I thought she usually did. He turned back to Mutou, even as his thoughts returned to the pair in question. It's sort of strange to think that she would associate herself with someone like Maru, considering how anti-social she seems. Of course, Maru, in spite of his outbursts, doesn't seem entirely the most social person either. Of course, he's also said that he uses his hamminess to get out of trouble; maybe he also uses it for other purposes? It really does seem like he tries too hard, after all. How much of it is a cover for... whatever he's actually like, under all of his posturing? He shook his head and tried to focus on the lecture instead.
Well, at least he didn't decide to go as Stan. Who knows where he'd get a coat that acted like that?
TheMagicManWithThePlan, I have to admit, I tried to make him more of a straight man than he already was. The Abbott to Maru's Costello, if you will. ;) Praegressus, eeh, yeah... still not sure what to do about that. The 4leaf writers (and yourself, frankly) are so much better at it than I am; even trying to mimic the style, it just... lacks something. But hey, glad you prefer my OC! :D WarbirdHD, shit happens? At least this chapter's less canon! ;) logan delaharpe, Hisao certainly does that. It's almost his defining attribute, really. XD
