Death and the Swordsman

Chapter 2

By: Leelei

Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews so far. : ) Yes, Ulrich's going to die, but not for a few chapters. Seeing as how short this chapter is, I think I might post the next one at the same time.

'Shit!' Ulrich cursed in his thoughts like he usually did when he was angry. He checked the time on his cell phone before stuffing it into his pocket as he continued running through the school yard. 'I should've known that idiot wasn't going to come get me!' he continued to fume as he raced towards his Chemistry classroom, hoping Mrs. Hertz would let him in late.

It had become cloudy during lunch, and by then the afternoon was dark and had took on the characteristics of evening. Because of the sudden darkness, Ulrich never saw the raise in the cement from the yard to the pavement, his foot ramming straight into the step and causing him to fall and catch himself with his hands, his books scattering all over the paved path. He seethed at the sharp pain from the scrapes on his skin, but quickly got up collected his schoolwork, hoping that his tongue never became as foul-mouthed as his thoughts were. After he had everything, he ran straight to the classroom.

Mrs. Hertz was already in the middle of the lesson when the door slammed open and Ulrich appeared, catching the attention of the other students in the room.

"Oh, crap!" Odd cried, wide-eyed as he looked up from his doodling and saw the perturbed boy, just then remembering his agreement to wake him up.

"Odd!" Mrs. Hertz reprimanded the blonde boy. "Try to contain your outbursts! And as for you, Ulrich, your tardiness is unacceptable. Please see me after class. Now hurry up and take your seat so we may continue."

"Sorry, ma'am." Ulrich responded as he hurried past her to his and Odd's shared desk. Once he sat down, he dropped his books on the table and pulled out his notebook. Odd opened his mouth to say something, but Ulrich cut him off with a quiet, but harsh whisper. "Odd, I really don't want to talk to you right now, but I want you to know that I'm going to kill you."

"That's what I thought you would say…" Odd said quietly to himself and went back to his own notebook.

After the bell ran for the end of the class, the gray-haired teacher called Ulrich up to her desk as the other students left. Jeremie and Odd waited outside the room for him.

"You know he's going to kill you, right?" Jeremie asked as he shifted his books under his arm.

"Yep," replied Odd as he leaned up against he wall. The door opened and Ulrich walked out, letting it shut behind him. Odd then pushed off the wall, regaining balance on his feet as he waited to follow the other two back to the dorm, the brunette boy smacking him on the back of his head before they left. "Ow!" he exclaimed, rubbing right above his neck. "Okay, maybe I deserved that, but you could've at least let me apologize first, Ulrich."

"It doesn't matter. I still would've hit you." Ulrich shot back as he walked away from the two. Odd shared a glance with Jeremie, who just rolled his eyes and followed.

"So what did Mrs. Hertz say?" Odd asked as he tried to keep up with him.

"Nothing, just that she's not amused with my 'poor participation' and that she's calling my parents to let them know that my grades are slipping in her class." Ulrich replied with a sarcastic tone, keeping his attention forward as he trudged down the hall. "Oh, and that I had better have a good project to turn in tomorrow if I want a passing grade for this marking period."

"Ulrich, have you even started that project?" Jeremie asked as he thought about his own, finished and ready to turn in the next afternoon. He couldn't recall seeing Ulrich work on his.

"…No."

"And yet you're still meeting with Yumi tonight?" asked Jeremie, having overheard them at lunch.

Ulrich stopped as they reached the door to their dormitory, his hand already on the handle. "That's my business, not yours," he retorted coldly with a glance over his shoulder at the younger boy.

"Whatever," Jeremie replied in a careless voice. "She's over there now waiting for us by the tree, though. Aren't you going to talk to her?"

"Tell her not to be late." Ulrich said gruffly as he pulled the door open. "I'm going up to get my library card so I can finish that damn report." The glass had already clinked together before Ulrich looked back to see his friends walking away from the building and towards Yumi. He could also still see her from the landing as he started up the steps, and a guilty feeling washing over him when he noticed her turn away from Jeremie and Odd after they had started talking to her, no doubt having relayed his rude message.

"I'll make it up to her tonight," Ulrich promised himself out loud as he hurried up the rest of the stairs.

Okay, too short to stand alone, I know. I decided to go ahead and post the next chapter, too, since it has the real action starting in it. So I hope you keep reading! : ) (And keep reviewing, too! It's so nice to read those! :D)