Fight
Slam!
The noise repeated down the echoing hallway as numerous students slammed their locker doors closed, chatting noisily with other peers and rushing to dart off the campus, as it was the end of the current school day. Flinching at the loud noises occurring around simultaneously, the brown-haired student retrieved a couple textbooks out of her own locker, then slammed the door shut, in unspoken revolt toward her other peers' actions. Smoothing out a wrinkle on her pale blue sweatshirt, she ran a hand absentmindedly through her hair, patting down her bouncy tress.
"Geez," a feminine voice commented from behind her, "Can't you close it just a little bit softer?"
She smirked slightly, her back facing the speaker as she replied, "When everyone else starts doing that themselves, I'll follow suit. But until then…" Turning, she met the grinning face of her best friend. "Hey, Erika."
"What's up, girl?" The sixteen-year-old junior gave her companion a quick hug, then exclaimed, "T.G.I.F.! This week felt like it lasted forever, you know!"
"I agree, glad it's finally over."
"Ooh, oh! Hey, did you hear about the weekend bash?" The two started walking, heading for one of the many double door exits, their schoolbooks tucked snuggly into their arms, neither of them making a move for their backpacks, as to not stop the conversation. Bright sunlight bathed the girls' bared skin in warmth, chatter and discussion floated about their surroundings, and fellow teenagers bustling around the quad looked foreword to their weekend, their two days of freedom from school.
"Weekend bash? You mean the party at that new guy, Cronos Dakinasha's house?"
"House? More like a mansion!" Erika Daweson shut one eye closed in thought. "Well, maybe not exactly as big as a mansion, but definitely too small to call a regular house!"
"He's kinda wealthy, isn't he?" Her friend remarked, her tone sounding albeit dry at the subject topic; she paused to push a door open and step outside, then waited for her companion to follow.
The other female nodded in confirmation. "Have you gone to any of his parties yet? My cousin goes to the school that he came from, and she told me that talk in the hallways say there's always a lot of people that go."
Her acquaintance rolled her eyes, obviously unimpressed. "Figures. The one this weekend, are you going?"
"Hmm, I don't know… For once, old Dalby's giving me a day off," Erika stuck her tongue out at the mention of her strict boss, "I guess I should go. I mean, just to check it out, and see what goes on."
"He just transferred here a couple weeks ago, right?" The auburn-haired student stated, frowning for some reason. "And he's already thrown about, three parties? You can tell he certainly isn't socially challenged the least bit."
"Yeah, no kidding! He's not anti-social, like Ken-" Her friend raised an eyebrow. "Uh, I mean, he isn't anti-social!"
"He's not anti-social," the teenage girl defended. "Just because he isn't as wild or perverted as some of the other dumb jocks here…"
"Okay, sorry, I didn't mean to say that, really," Erika raised her hands up in surrender. "But hey, speaking of him, is he chauffeuring you today again? You gonna get a ride home from him? His car is so cute - a little dark blue convertible, and you said that the only time he ever puts the top on, is when it rains, right?"
"Right." A smile graced the speaker's lips. "He's worked for God-knows-how-long to buy that car, and he's really proud of it. I remember the first day he got his permit, he broke the rules, and took me out for a ride." Her eyes twinkled in joy at the memory. "And he just got his license a few weeks ago, and he doesn't seem to mind picking me up in the morning and sending me to school, then giving me a ride home after."
"Oooooh!" Her best friend giggled, then winked slyly. "Someone's got a little crush on her 'best guy friend'!"
"Oh, Erika! I do not!" She shook her head in denial, allowing the long bangs of her dark hair to thankfully fall over her face, hiding the light blush that was creeping up her cheeks. "We've been friends for like, two years! Why would that change now?"
The pair was nearing the school's parking lot. "Okay then, if you won't admit that you like him, tell me that you'd refuse if he asked you out, or wanted to take you to the prom next week, or offered you his bod-"
"Er-ika!!"
"Come on now, girl! You know half the female population here would jump him if they had the chance! And what's more precious and sweet is a guy who's a virgin, since there's barely any of those left around, with what couples do together these days." She sighed pitifully. "Damn, whatever happened to the old-fashioned days where everyone was supposed to wait until marriage to do that?"
Her companion was glad when the other female started rambling on about how fast practically every student at school was on a first date, and how she herself would wait faithfully for her "right one". The brown-haired teenager tried to pay attention, but her thoughts kept shifting in another direction, her mind subconsciously conjuring up pictures of her closest male friend. His expression when she gave him a hug for the first time a couple years ago; when he was dared to French-kiss her at a party thrown by their friends. The time when she begged and pleaded for him to go to Sadie's Hawkins dance with her at their school and he finally relented and had gone with her.
He had also comforted and soothed her during the times of troubles concerning her other friends… Starless black nights had left her feeling desolate and slightly melancholic, as she pondered and strained herself wondering why such ugly events had to challenge her zoanthrope compatriots. Zoanthrope hatred in her community… all of it was the main prejudicism surrounding her location, tasteless retorts and harsh 'joking' at school. Just because they were different, they were judged based on stereotypes before their personalities were even put to the test. And various anti-human attacks by certain intolerant zoanthropes didn't help the fear factor either, just caused more talk and biased-ness.
She remembered sobbing to her friend once, back when they were both around fifteen, and the business with the beast crest signs and Tabula had just been resolved: "Why are some people like this? So… so cruel! So heartless! I mean, this prejudicism really gets outta hand sometimes, you know!"
"I… I know." He'd said solemnly. "In a way, this is like our reputation in school: if you didn't act one way, nor do certain things like everyone else, you are considered a 'loser', or 'anti-social'. Not 'going with the flow'." His use of loose slang terms had made her giggle, as he usually spoke more formally, sounding mature and older than his age. "But… we have to get through this. Like racism occurred over in the United States a while back, that disease had to take a long time to dissolve and the people slowly began to accept others that were racially different. Same with our dilemma now; humans have to take a long time to accept us, and learn not to fear all zoanthropes just because of judicial stereotypes."
Her best friend… young like her yet was so much wiser. Where had he learned to be like that? When did he turn philosophical? Granted, he didn't have a clue when it came to teenage-related problems, such as difficulty with schoolwork, mentions of drugs, dating, and sex - although he excelled in his biology course his freshman year. She figured that he had to be familiar with all the parts of the human body, male and female alike, including certain… pleasure points. That factor of his extended knowledge secretly appealed to the teenage girl, as she wondered if he would ever put that knowledge to use in the field, but she would never reveal her curiosity to anyone, of course.
"Oh, man, look!" Erika cried out all of a sudden, grabbing a hold of her schoolmate's shoulder while jabbing her in the sides and gesturing her head in the direction of a ring of scholars crowded around a spot in the parking lot. "What do you think's going on over there?"
The other female winced and took a few steps away, rubbing her sore skin. "Dunno, a rave, maybe? Breakdancing? You know what happens sometimes out here."
However, a loud shout followed by angry curses quickly dismissed that possibility - the two friends looked at each other, and said at the same time, "A fight!" Together, the girls simultaneously started running toward the crowd, trying to peek through the small slits in-between snug elbows and hips, shoulders and backpacks, all the while listening to the chitchat spreading throughout the rabble of students.
"Daki! C'mon, cream the weirdo!" A guy nearby yelled vulgarly, pumping his fist into the air.
"Daki?" Erika whispered to her companion in question, who in turned shrugged.
"No way!" A female voice responded. "Kenji-kun, beat that snob up!!"
The auburn-haired teenager blinked in shock. "What? Did she just say Kenji?!"
"Quit prancing around, you cowardly mouse!" A thickly British-accented person from the center of everyone's attention spoke up. "Your charm is as attractive as the way you dance, Ohgami!"
"Can it, you egotistical, overreacting pompous!" was the un-intimidated comeback.
"Hey-!!" The girl shrieked, her light brown eyes widening in surprise as she strained to take a closer look at the two fighters dueling each other. Growling when her five-foot and six-inched height didn't serve her much help, she backed up, then ran foreword and leaped up into the air, over the heads of the spectators, landing inside the premises of the 'ring', receiving a few gasps of awe at her action. Short clapping followed suit, but she modestly waved the attention off, and glanced at the brawlers, releasing a snort of shock as she identified both of them. "Cronos? Kenji??"
One boy, slim with a medium stature and a head of pale jade hair - certainly not an unusual shade of color with the varieties at their school, straightened up from stiff battle pose, and turned to look at the speaker. His foreign tan-yellow attire gleamed sunlight into her eyes, and she flinched albeit, while a smile smoothly formed over his lips and he greeted, "Milady!" A few guys in the crowd laughed good-naturedly at his formal word usage.
Uh huh. "Um, hi Cronos." The girl replied absentmindedly, giving him a brief smile in return, then rushed over to her friend. "Kenji, what's going on? Are you guys fighting?"
The tousled cobalt-haired teenager kept his gaze trained on his opponent, his fists clenched tightly as a challenging glint ignited in his light brown irises. Tall and lean, his short bangs grazed his forehead as he slipped his backpack off of his shoulders and handed it to the female, explaining, "He overreacted over a tiny, unworthy matter."
"And what 'tiny, unworthy matter' would that be?"
"Peasant punk," Cronos Dakinasha snapped, glaring at him. "Scratched my priceless Mercedes Benz with his foolish clumsiness! I would hardly dare call that a 'tiny, unworthy matter'."
Unease flickered briefly in the auburn-haired student's pupils. She knew that the new guy wouldn't stand a chance if he angered and provoked her friend enough to the point where he would forget that his skills were superior, and start using his inhumane skills to his advantage. At least his temper wasn't like his older brother's, but still. Though at sixteen, he was the younger of the two fighters, his uncanny attack speed and tricky evade techniques were heightened due to his years of training in the fighting style of Ninjutsu. Not to mention he was also a zoanthrope, like her. She knew that the battle had to stop if she didn't want to see the poor, unfortunate victim to be sent off to the hospital if they fought more intensely.
Crossing her hands in a "T" motion to signal a Timeout, she stepped in-between the pair, looking at both boys as she began to speak, "OK, guys-"
The newcomer scowled. "Must you involve outside innocents in our dispute, Ohgami? Can you not fight your own battles instead of wailing like a newborn babe to your fellow chums, and make them fight for you, you poor, weak, coward."
The small fire hovering in the back of Kenji Ohgami's eyes suddenly flared up, portraying his steadily growing ire, and his low, silky voice brought even more fear to his female companion; "Don't ever call me a coward."
"Guys!!" The girl protested, but it was too late, as Cronos began to laugh heedlessly, "Why not? You are a coward. You best know your place before you do something that makes someone come and smash your precious little china doll face to pieces, yes?"
"......" The sixteen-year-old released heavy, barely restrained breaths as he glared daggers at his opponent, seemingly piercing holes directly through his body. His deadly look made the commotion in the crowd die down, and his best friend set his backpack on the ground, going over to him and tentatively place her hand on his forearm, "Kenji-"
"Stay back!" He commanded her, stepping in front of her and shifting into his fighting pose, smoothly flipping backwards - the spectators clapped - and gripping his fists in a stiff pose before his face. "Come on, Cronos. Let's see if you're just all talk."
The other dueler smirked confidently and beckoned him over with a taunting wave. "You wouldn't dare, coward."
"I told you…"
Kenji let his sentence trail off as he darted foreword and descended, striking at his opponent's ankles, sliding underneath him when he skid up a few feet into the air. Cronos flailed unrestrained, but quickly recovered and back-flipped, landing onto the ninja harshly, purposely stomping on his shoulder blades before bouncing off and settling to the ground. The mole zoanthrope briefly rubbed his shoulders, then his expression hardened and he ran sideways, jumping into the air, seeming to walk on empty space, and flipped foreword, twisting his leg upward and kicking his opponent in the chin, making him unwillingly step back. The teenage bystanders watching the two clapped and cheered the fighters on, some guys whooping loudly while the girls squealed in excitement.
"Guys-!" The auburn-haired female yelled, pausing to duck when Cronos leapt overhead to kick her friend. "Guys, stop!!"
"Get out of here!!" Kenji ordered distractedly, the attack striking him in the arm, and he gritted his teeth and started dodging the oncoming punches from his opponent.
Heaving an angry hiss, he grabbed the other fighter's wrists in a split second, and threw him over his shoulder, flinging him to the stone concrete floor. The new student landed with a grimace, but hastily arose to a standing position and uppercut the ninja, spinning around in a full-circle, attempting a roundhouse kick. The male zoanthrope twisted away, but the blow still grazed his side; snarling, he dashed foreword at his opponent with his palm outstretched before his face. Cronos immediately responded by running at him as well, raising a fist behind him to get close enough before launching it at the other boy.
"That's enough!!" The girl exclaimed just then, running in-between the two guys to try and stop their fight.
"Milady!" The foreigner was barely able to halt to a stop inches before her.
"Ahhhh!" A shout came from her opposite side. "Uriko, watch out!!"
Instinctively, she sought to drop to the ground, but blinding pain exploded in her back, making her head snap and her mouth fall open, while her eyes slid down to a close. She fell to her knees; losing hold of her consciousness, her body upper turned and her cheek met the floor, and the teenager moaned in agony as she felt slight liquid trickling out of her mouth, then she succumbed to the darkness that came to engulf her.