Disclaimer: I don't own Kodocha and Robert Cormier. Go ahead. Look it up. I
can prove it.
Author's note: *Whew!* A pretty long breach in the update department, but here it is, the 4th chapter.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
~Crossroads~
By Burnt Rice
Chapter 4: Illusion
Aya Sugita did not know the reason why, but she found illusions very intriguing. She loved the allure and the air of mystery that surrounded a riddle or magic trick. Her parents had taken her to see magic show when she was only four. She recalled the dazzle and the audience's appreciation for the magicians. As she grew older, and learned exactly how the illusions had worked, she had practiced them on her own, and even performed a little for her parents. Aya tried not to let the hobby take over her life, though. Her grades at Crossroads Academy were of utmost importance. The only way she could even attend Crossroads was through an academic scholorship. Her parents could not afford to send her there any other way. She knew that the programs offered at Crossroads would attract colleges, and if she just stuck with the horrid school for only one and a half year more she would escape it's clawing grasp and make her parents proud. But for now, at this moment, in this instant, she was content to fiddle around with a deck of cards that was currently being shuffled in her dexterous hands.
"I turn the top card over.", she whispered to herself. She was sitting on a bench outside of school. "Jack of diamonds. Now, I shall place the Jack in the center of the deck, and then shuffle, so that I have no idea where it is." She imagined that there was an audience of hundreds watching before her. "I tap the top of the deck, and......" Aya paused. She loved this part. She turned the card over. "Voila! Jack of diamonds!"
"Impressive." said a voice behind her. Aya jumped and turned around. She thought she had been alone. There she found Tsuyoshi Sasaki, her boyfriend for almost two months now.
"Hey! You scared me!", cried Aya. She scooted over so that Tsuyoshi would have room on the bench. He sat down, putting an arm around her shoulder. "Sorry about that. I didn't want to interrupt.", he replied. " Where did you learn how to do that? Very cool."
"Here and there. I taught myself how.", said Aya.
"Can you do anything else?"
"Sure."
"Can you teach me how? It looks really cool."
Aya paused before her answer. A good magician never revealed his or her secrets. It was some sort of unwritten law. And even though she really liked, or maybe even loved Tsuyoshi, and had been going out with him for almost two months now, she knew something about him: He was a Vigil. On their dates, Tsuyoshi never mentioned it, and she never asked about it, but the fact had always been there, hanging above their shoulders, like a balloon waiting to burst. She had never approved of what the Vigils did. In fact, she despised it. But the Tsuyoshi she knew wasn't like that. He was sweet, caring, cute, and funny. Aya also knew that until the subject was discussed between them, she could never fully trust Tsuyoshi. In spite of all that, she smiled and said: "Of course!"
~~
Sana walked home alone. Ray was meeting with some kind of producer today, so he couldn't pick her up from school. How dare he!, she silently fumed. Seriously, what type of person does he think he is?! Acting like he's the king of the world....he really pisses me off!
Sana thought for awhile in silent rage, unaware of the fact that as she was walking down the sidewalk, she was knocking over mailboxes and trashcans, and scaring off cute little doggies. And that there was a car following her down the street............
"Hey Sana! I didn't know that you were so violent!"
Sana finally took notice of the car that had been following her from Crossroads. In it was the prettiest guy she had ever seen. If you could call a guy pretty. But that was the only way that she could describe him. I've seen him somewhere before, she pondered. But I can't exactly put my finger on it..........
The car came to an abrupt stop on the edge of the road. Out of it came Naozumi Kamura. He came into step with Sana, and noted with eyebrows raised, "I see how you get your exercise." Sana sheepishly glanced behind her, where there was a trail of various fallen objects, including a mongoose shivering out of fear. "Well.....I just had my mind on something else."
Naozumi wrinkled his nose. "You mean the Vigils?"
"How do you know about...."
She was interrupted. "I'm Naozumi Kamura." The boy stuck out his hand. Sana took it.
"Sana Kurata. I just started at Cross.... wait a minute....I know you! You're the gavel guy! From the Vigils!" Sana put up a mental shield. "What do you want?"
Naozumi sighed. Indeed, he had been sent by Akito to check up on Sana, to get some info. Personally, Naozumi really had been hoping to ask her out, and that Sana wouldn't recognize him. His cover was blown. "You're right. I am the president of the Vigils. But why don't we keep that out of our personal lives? I do have a life out of school, you know." He needn't say anymore. Sana had already brushed past Naozumi, leaving him to his own devices. "HEY!", he called.
"Hey what?!", she replied. "If you're on his side, then I want nothing to do with you!"
"He who?" It hit Naozumi like a ton of bricks. "You mean Akito?" He didn't get a chance to explain himself. Sana had turned the corner, and he knew that if he pursued, he could get into some big trouble, providing that she had a cell phone at hand. He decided that he would wait until tomorrow. Akito could wait one more day, couldn't he?
~~
Akito grumbled. He had been sitting at the phone for nearly an hour. He had already finished all of his homework, and was bored out of his mind. Not that he actually had to do any of it. He had the highest grade point average in the whole of Crossroads, besides that one girl; what was her name again? Akane? Aya? No matter. And besides that, when was stupid Naozumi going to call him? He had assigned the president the job of befriending Sana, and then getting some info on her. Actually, Akito would have personally done the job himself, except for the fact that Sana woudn't give him the time of day. Akito hoped that she wouldn't recognize Naozumi, as he had been in the shadows the whole meeting. Plus, he was every girl's dream guy. Who could resist him? Akito wanted to come up with something brilliant this time. Something no one else has come up with yet. He wanted to show Sana that he wasn't just some two-bit bully. That he was more than that. He wanted more than ever to prove himself to Sana. Wait. Prove himself? No, that wasn't right. He wanted to her to suffer. He wanted payback. No one had ever crossed him before. Especially not a girl. Most girls he knew were pushovers. But not Sana. No, she had to go all revolutionary on him and refuse his wishes. There was something different about her. An air of....confidence? He wondered what type of sushi she liked best. What was he thinking? It's just my hunger talking, he reasoned. So why do my thoughts keep floating back to her?, he asked himself. And where was that stupid phone call from Naozumi?
Akito's stomach grumbled.
~~End Ch. 4
I hope you guys like it! REVIEW! o
Author's note: *Whew!* A pretty long breach in the update department, but here it is, the 4th chapter.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
~Crossroads~
By Burnt Rice
Chapter 4: Illusion
Aya Sugita did not know the reason why, but she found illusions very intriguing. She loved the allure and the air of mystery that surrounded a riddle or magic trick. Her parents had taken her to see magic show when she was only four. She recalled the dazzle and the audience's appreciation for the magicians. As she grew older, and learned exactly how the illusions had worked, she had practiced them on her own, and even performed a little for her parents. Aya tried not to let the hobby take over her life, though. Her grades at Crossroads Academy were of utmost importance. The only way she could even attend Crossroads was through an academic scholorship. Her parents could not afford to send her there any other way. She knew that the programs offered at Crossroads would attract colleges, and if she just stuck with the horrid school for only one and a half year more she would escape it's clawing grasp and make her parents proud. But for now, at this moment, in this instant, she was content to fiddle around with a deck of cards that was currently being shuffled in her dexterous hands.
"I turn the top card over.", she whispered to herself. She was sitting on a bench outside of school. "Jack of diamonds. Now, I shall place the Jack in the center of the deck, and then shuffle, so that I have no idea where it is." She imagined that there was an audience of hundreds watching before her. "I tap the top of the deck, and......" Aya paused. She loved this part. She turned the card over. "Voila! Jack of diamonds!"
"Impressive." said a voice behind her. Aya jumped and turned around. She thought she had been alone. There she found Tsuyoshi Sasaki, her boyfriend for almost two months now.
"Hey! You scared me!", cried Aya. She scooted over so that Tsuyoshi would have room on the bench. He sat down, putting an arm around her shoulder. "Sorry about that. I didn't want to interrupt.", he replied. " Where did you learn how to do that? Very cool."
"Here and there. I taught myself how.", said Aya.
"Can you do anything else?"
"Sure."
"Can you teach me how? It looks really cool."
Aya paused before her answer. A good magician never revealed his or her secrets. It was some sort of unwritten law. And even though she really liked, or maybe even loved Tsuyoshi, and had been going out with him for almost two months now, she knew something about him: He was a Vigil. On their dates, Tsuyoshi never mentioned it, and she never asked about it, but the fact had always been there, hanging above their shoulders, like a balloon waiting to burst. She had never approved of what the Vigils did. In fact, she despised it. But the Tsuyoshi she knew wasn't like that. He was sweet, caring, cute, and funny. Aya also knew that until the subject was discussed between them, she could never fully trust Tsuyoshi. In spite of all that, she smiled and said: "Of course!"
~~
Sana walked home alone. Ray was meeting with some kind of producer today, so he couldn't pick her up from school. How dare he!, she silently fumed. Seriously, what type of person does he think he is?! Acting like he's the king of the world....he really pisses me off!
Sana thought for awhile in silent rage, unaware of the fact that as she was walking down the sidewalk, she was knocking over mailboxes and trashcans, and scaring off cute little doggies. And that there was a car following her down the street............
"Hey Sana! I didn't know that you were so violent!"
Sana finally took notice of the car that had been following her from Crossroads. In it was the prettiest guy she had ever seen. If you could call a guy pretty. But that was the only way that she could describe him. I've seen him somewhere before, she pondered. But I can't exactly put my finger on it..........
The car came to an abrupt stop on the edge of the road. Out of it came Naozumi Kamura. He came into step with Sana, and noted with eyebrows raised, "I see how you get your exercise." Sana sheepishly glanced behind her, where there was a trail of various fallen objects, including a mongoose shivering out of fear. "Well.....I just had my mind on something else."
Naozumi wrinkled his nose. "You mean the Vigils?"
"How do you know about...."
She was interrupted. "I'm Naozumi Kamura." The boy stuck out his hand. Sana took it.
"Sana Kurata. I just started at Cross.... wait a minute....I know you! You're the gavel guy! From the Vigils!" Sana put up a mental shield. "What do you want?"
Naozumi sighed. Indeed, he had been sent by Akito to check up on Sana, to get some info. Personally, Naozumi really had been hoping to ask her out, and that Sana wouldn't recognize him. His cover was blown. "You're right. I am the president of the Vigils. But why don't we keep that out of our personal lives? I do have a life out of school, you know." He needn't say anymore. Sana had already brushed past Naozumi, leaving him to his own devices. "HEY!", he called.
"Hey what?!", she replied. "If you're on his side, then I want nothing to do with you!"
"He who?" It hit Naozumi like a ton of bricks. "You mean Akito?" He didn't get a chance to explain himself. Sana had turned the corner, and he knew that if he pursued, he could get into some big trouble, providing that she had a cell phone at hand. He decided that he would wait until tomorrow. Akito could wait one more day, couldn't he?
~~
Akito grumbled. He had been sitting at the phone for nearly an hour. He had already finished all of his homework, and was bored out of his mind. Not that he actually had to do any of it. He had the highest grade point average in the whole of Crossroads, besides that one girl; what was her name again? Akane? Aya? No matter. And besides that, when was stupid Naozumi going to call him? He had assigned the president the job of befriending Sana, and then getting some info on her. Actually, Akito would have personally done the job himself, except for the fact that Sana woudn't give him the time of day. Akito hoped that she wouldn't recognize Naozumi, as he had been in the shadows the whole meeting. Plus, he was every girl's dream guy. Who could resist him? Akito wanted to come up with something brilliant this time. Something no one else has come up with yet. He wanted to show Sana that he wasn't just some two-bit bully. That he was more than that. He wanted more than ever to prove himself to Sana. Wait. Prove himself? No, that wasn't right. He wanted to her to suffer. He wanted payback. No one had ever crossed him before. Especially not a girl. Most girls he knew were pushovers. But not Sana. No, she had to go all revolutionary on him and refuse his wishes. There was something different about her. An air of....confidence? He wondered what type of sushi she liked best. What was he thinking? It's just my hunger talking, he reasoned. So why do my thoughts keep floating back to her?, he asked himself. And where was that stupid phone call from Naozumi?
Akito's stomach grumbled.
~~End Ch. 4
I hope you guys like it! REVIEW! o