"OK,Prior it's time to go.",Yomi said as she walked into the living room in her uniform carrying school books.
"Alrighty.",I said and flipped off the television.
As we left the house I felt something knocking against the side of my leg.I reached into my left pocket and pulled out the distress beacon the soldiers had given me on Elsea.I had forgotten I even had that.
"What's that?",Yomi said curiously.
"Oh...it's just a distress beacon some guys gave me on another world.",I said nonchalantly.
A second passed before we both registered what I had just said.We looked at each other and smiled widely.
"That's it!",we both yelled with excitement.
"Oh shit!How do I work this thing?",I said as I flipped the tube-like device over and over in my hands.
"Try pressing that.",Yomi said and pointed to the only button on the damn thing.I pressed it and nothing happened.We waited a few moments in tense anticipation,but nothing happened.A bulb was visable at one end of the device and we expected it to turn on or at least show some signs that it was working.Broken.It was broken.
"Piece of crap.",I said and tossed the thing into the bushes on the side of the road.
Yomi patted my shoulder."It's ok.We gave it a shot"
"Yeah.",I said,depressed.Now my only hope lies in fixing my device.Gods knows how the hell I'd manage to do that.
As we walked Yomi began to act strangely,making sniffing sounds.
"Something the matter?",I asked.
"I just realized,",she said,"you reek of chlorine"
I summed up for her the story of Elsea,the night I appeared there,and why I stunk so grandly of pool disinfectant.
"So you just appeared right in Osaka's room in the middle of the night?",she asked with a short laugh.
"Yep yep.",I said,"I told her I was an angel in the hopes she would believe me and not scream like a nut"
Yomi laughed."You appeared in the beast place you could have.Anyone else probably would have called the cops,but Osaka is so dense she believed you"
"Stroke of luck.",I shrugged.
"Guys!Wait up!",called a voice from behind us,quickly followed by Tomo barreling into both me and Yomi,nearly knocking us to the ground.
"Morning guys!",Tomo said cheerfully after she had backed off."You guys do anything naughty after I left?",she said with a giggle.
"No,we did not!And geez Tomo try not to break our bones next time.",Yomi told her in a stern tone.I just wonder if Tomo had noticed Yomi's face had turned the colour of fresh brewed Haerno juice.Oh,for all of those who don't know,it's red.Bright,bright red.
All the way to the school Tomo bothered us both with questions about what we did,what we ate,and why she wasn't allowed to stay.Yomi always responded roughly.Her tone of voice sometimes gave away the fact that she wasn't really angry,but not often.
"Oh,Yomi,I gotta copy your math homework.",Tomo said with a spring in her step.
"Why don't you ever do your own work?",Yomi said,exasperated."Why do I even bother asking that?",she brooded and handed Tomo her math homework.
"Thankees!",Tomo said and dashed off into the school building.
"I have no idea why I let her copy my homework every single day.",Yomi sighed.
"I think I know why.",I grinned.
Yomi shot me an acidic look,but that look didn't last for long.Yomi may yell occasionally,but she truly didn't like to.Her personality was too humble.
We climbed the couple of steps up into the school building.As we entered the school was milling with people of all shapes and sizes.Boys,men,hot chicks,and umm...not-so-hot chicks.I followed Yomi down the crowded hallway until we came to a door with a '3' mounted in bronze on the outside.
"This is Miss Yukari's classroom.She's a bit..eccentric so don't be freaked out.",Yomi told me.
I burst out laughing and I think Yomi understood why.The doorknob clicked as she turned it and we entered.The room was full of nearly twenty kids if my counting skills haven't failed me since I was three.Most of them I didn't know,but the girls I had met the previous day were huddled in a circle talking like any normal high school girls would.
"Where's this Miss Yukari you have been raving about?",I asked Yomi.
"Oh,if she's on time it's a miracle.",she grinned.
We walked over to the clump of girls.
"Hi,guys.",Yomi waved.
"Hi,Yomi!",they said in a sort of off time chorus of voices.They then all turned to me and said."Good morning Mr.Prior"
Maybe they thought I was hot.
"Word up.",I answered.
"How wuz yer night with Yomi?",Osaka asked."Ya didn't make babies or anythin' did ya?",she asked so very innocently.
"No we didn't,Osaka.",Yomi interjected even though she was deep in conversation with Sakaki and not in the least paying attention to either me or Osaka.She certainly had good hearing.Probably makes up for those Coke bottles on her face.
"Oh,Ah didn't really expect ya to.Yomi here doesn't really like that sorta stuff anywho.",Osaka said.
"Well,at least not with dudes.",I thought to myself.
I sat myself in one of the desks and was immediately swarmed with nostalgia.Shit,I had hated school back when I was a teen.Now I had to sit here and deal with it again.Alas,though,I didn't actually have to learn anything,but the experience was bad enough as is.
"So I got to thinkin' last night Mr.Prior.Since yer an angel and all,why dontcha just grow new wings?",Osaka said with a sort of thoughtful look on her face."I heard angels were emortal too.Isn't it cool to live foreva?
"If I could grow new wings,believe me,I would.",I said.This was too easy to fool Osaka.It almost seemed cruel.
"Ah..well that kinda sucks then.I'd like to have wings.What was it like to fly when ya had wings Mr.Prior?",she asked.Her stupidity was cute.
"Well,it was sort of like flying on an airplane.Just without the airplane.",I told her.
"Oh..I hear airplanes can fall outta tha sky if they get struck by lightnin'.What if I'm on an airplane when it gets struck by lightnin'?I'll die!Ohh...",she held her hand to her heart and wandered off mumbling about airplanes falling into the ocean.
The bell rang.Man,that sound is not missed by me.Everyone took their seats,but continued to talk because this famed 'Miss Yukari' had not appeared yet.I slouched in my seat and wondered just how long this day was going to be.I was lost in thought,until Osaka walked up and stood next to me again.
"Y'know Mr.Prior,how does that bell know when to ring every day?Wouldn'tcha think it would get lost sometimes?Days are so big and I know I'd get lost if I wuz a bell.Brring!Ah..maybe I can be a bell"
I just chuckled.If I was younger I'd have tried to pick her up.Her ignorance was amusing.
"What if all the bells in tha world all rang at tha same time?Would our heads explode?",she said and held her chest again."What if bells are smart?What if they are waitin' to jump offa tha walls and attack us?We'll all die!Ohh..I'm gettin' mahself all worried again..",she said and walked to the back of the classroom.Minutes passed and I began to space out.Suddenly,a loud "BANG!" shattered my peaceful world.
I snapped back to attention to see a woman with long,slightly curly brown hair standing at the door with her hand plastering the door practically into the wall.I assumed this was the fabled Miss Yukari.
"Alright...",she panted,out of breath."I couldn't find my socks this morning.So I looked all over my house only to realize that Miss Kurosawa has most of them.I'll kill her.I swear.",she stated as she walked over to sit behind her desk.
She was looking like my kind of woman already.
"Ok,class today...",she stopped midsentence."Who..is this?",she asked,pointing a single finger at me."I was not aware we were going to have a new student...SO HE MUST NOT BELONG HERE!",she exploded,standing up from her desk.She wandered idly over to me.
"And who...might you be?",she asked sweetly leaning over my desk.
"Oh,I'm Prior.You must be the Miss Yukari Yomi was raving about.",I said with a smile.Might as well try to be nice to her.She looked around my age and she was kinda cute.
"Oh,Yomi was raving about me?What exactly did she say?",Yukari said turning and grinning at Yomi from across the room.Yomi swallowed audibly.
"Oh,she said how sweet and caring of a person you are.",I lied,but I said this statement with some enthusiasm.
"Oh really?",Yukari said happily holding her hands close to her face."Maybe Yomi isn't the loser I thought she was."Yukari giggled at this statement.Yomi just shook her head in exasperation.
Yukari coughed."What exactly are you doing in my classroom Mr.Prior? You don't look like a student of this school"
I was about to answer with some other nonsense when Osaka piped up from the back of the room.
"He's a angel Miss Yukari"
"An angel eh?What makes you believe he's an angel Miss Kasuga?",Yukari said to Osaka.
"Ah..he showed up in mah room the other night and..and..he was glowin' and he told me to wear protection and..and I saw him float..and he lost his wings while gettin' dressed and..and..he told me flyin' was like an airplane and.."
"That's enough Miss Kasuga.",Yukari quieted Osaka."It sounds more like he was trying to..how shall we say this..make advances upon you.",Yukari laughed."Then again,It's you Osaka.",Yukari walked back to her desk.
"I saw him float too!",yelled Tomo,standing up.
Yukari leaned back against her desk."Float for me Mr.Prior.",Yukari said with a malicious grin."Prove you're what Miss Kasuga says you are"
"YEA! Do it Prior my boy!",Tomo yelled enthusiastically.
I stood up and nodded.I locked eyes with the fairly pretty beast they call Yukari for a moment.The grin of a champion was pasted upon her face as she looked back at me.It looked like her eyes were trying to steal my soul.
I closed my eyes and concentrated all of my energy on my feet.I willed them to leave the ground.Nothing.I willed harder.Sweat formed on my brow.Nothing happened.I just couldn't do it.
I opened my eyes and took a deep breath."I can't do it.",I admitted.
"Ahhh!C'mon Prior!",Tomo yelled.
"Ah,Oh well.",Yukari said with a smirk."Must have been another one of you girls pipe dreams.No matter though.He can stay.Just don't bother me.",she sat back behind her desk and I sat down in kind.I felt sort of bad after that.I couldn't will even a simple spell like that.I probably made Osaka feel crazy and to tell the truth,Osaka was my favourite.I wanted her as a friend.She was honest and kind.A little dumb,but I didn't mind.I didn't pay attention to a word Yukari said.I barely even paid attention when she would throw things at Tomo or smack her over the head and curse at her for her various outbursts.
After what seemed like an eternity and a half the bell rang.
"Oh,well time for lunch.Peace!",Yukari said and dashed out the door.
I stretched my limbs and yawned as Yomi walked up to me.
"Hey,it's lunch time.I'll buy you something to eat ok?",she told me.
"If it's not too much trouble.I'm freakin' starving.",I said."And I have to pee.",I added as an afterthought.
"Well the bathroom is at the end of the hall.",she pointed down the hall to the right as we exited the room."I'll get you a sandwich and you can meet us on the roof ok?The stairs to the roof are near the end of the hall too.You can't miss them.",she said with a smile.
"Sure.",I confirmed and rubbed my eyes as I walked to the bathroom.As I used the bathroom I thought about how I would probably have to reveal to all the girls at some point that I wasn't actually an angel.It would kind of ruin my time,but the girls were far too nice to me to continue lying to them.
I finished up at the facilities,took a left and began to ascend the stairs to the roof.It wasn't a long walk thankfully.I pushed upon the door at the top and light flooded my senses.The roof was large with a block of concrete in the center that the girls chose to sit upon to eat.I walked over and sat myself down beside Sakaki and Kaorin,the two I knew the least.
"Mornin' girls!",I said to them cheerfully.
"Hi.",Sakaki said with a small smile and Kaorin waved to me.
"How are you on this fine morning?",I asked in my usual dignified way.
"I'm fine.Thank you.",Sakaki answered politely.
"I'm fine too!",Kaorin said quickly afterwards.
These two weren't much for talking.I was about to try and spark up conversation when Tomo yelled,"Here's your sandwich Prior!INCOMING!"and I felt something impact the back of my skull.I looked down onto the off-white concrete to see a cellophane wrapped sandwich lying at my feet.It had somehow caromed off the back of my head and ended up in front of me.I reached down to pick it up and as I did said,"Thanks a bunch,Yomi"
"No problem.",came the reply from behind me.
I unwrapped the delectable looking item and began to chow down.Lettuce,various meats and cheeses,and a excellent helping of mayo flooded my taste buds.Gods I love meat.No sick comments please.
As I ate Sakaki stood up."I have to get going.See you later Mr.Prior.",she said with a sweet smile.
"Me too!",Kaorin said.The statement sounded like it had been made a nanosecond after Sakaki spoke.They certainly were connected at the hip.
They both walked off and down the stairs back into the school.
As I finished eating and crumpled up the cellophane in my hand little Chiyo sat down beside me with a bizzare food I had never in my life seen before.
"Hello Mr.Prior!",she said sweetly and smiled.Gods,I swear she's a robot.
"Mornin' Chiyo.",I said.
"Want some sushi?",she asked me,holding up one of the small odd looking food products.I could identify rice...,but that was about all I could identify.
"Wha...what is it?",I asked curiously.
"Well,there's some red snapper,lettuce,carrots,and I think some legumes in there.",she told me,"It's wrapped in rice and seaweed.I can't believe Yomi didn't feed you sushi yet Mr.Prior.",she said with a giggle.
I thought,"Ah..what the hell.Worst I can do is spit it out."That's what my uncle used to tell me.It still holds true to this day.
"Sure,I'll try some,Chiyo.",I said politely.
Chiyo handed me one of the little round numbers and I popped it into my mouth.As I chewed it I realized something.The damn fish was raw.Who the crap puts raw fish in the middle of a bunch of rice and calls that food?I'm sorry,but it just wasn't what I would call 'good eats.
I swallowed the food with all due effort.
"Tha..that was excellent Chiyo.Thanks.",I said with a small,polite smile.
If she wasn't as cute and nice as she was this is what I would have said,
"What the hell was that?A pile of ass wrapped in fresh shit?You call that food?Get that crap outta here before I vomit outwardly instead of inwardly"
Needless to say,I would have never said that to any of these girls.
"Thank you Mr.Prior!I made them myself!Want another?",she asked and held aloft another of the vile items.
"No thanks Chiyo.I'm full and I don't want to steal all your lunch.",I said with as nice of a smile as I could muster.It wasn't hard to smile at Chiyo because she was always smiling back.
"Oh ok! I'm glad you liked my cooking Mr.Prior.I have to go now so see you later!",she waved gleefully and practically skipped away inside.
I scooted my way across the concrete slab to sit myself next to Osaka,Yomi and Tomo.The three remaining girls out on the roof.Tomo was teasing Yomi by holding her lunch and jumping around the platform,just keeping out of Yomi's reach.Yomi was jumping and cursing at Tomo.Telling her that she was going to rip her eyes out.Osaka was simply staring into space.
"Y'know Mr.Prior.",Osaka spoke up."If I had wings...I could fly offa this here building and fly away foreva' and eva'...",she returned to staring into the sky with an innocent smile of 'My brain is the size of a walnut.
Yomi had finally caught Tomo and was pinning her to the ground whilst grabbing her lunch back from Tomo's grip.Tomo was just laughing her ass off.Not a vicious laugh,but a laugh of happiness.
Yomi stood and brushed herself off."Someday Tomo,someday,I'm going to break every bone in that little body of yours"
"I'm surprised you didn't break my bones with all that fat of yours!",Tomo giggled and poked at Yomi's not-fat-whatsoever stomach.
"Maybe I will next time!",Yomi yelled.
Tomo giggled and sat next to her best friend.Osaka seemed to ignore all the commotion and was simply staring off into space.Maybe she wasn't ignoring it as much as it went in one ear and out the other.
As Yomi ate Tomo still poked fun at her and Yomi returned each comment with a bop on the head.
As this continued Osaka suddenly sprung back into the real world.
"Soory...sometimes I sorta' space out and stuff.It's kinda' fun.",she said.
"Hey,Mr Prior?",Osaka asked me.
"Yes'm?",I returned.
"Wanna come to class with me?",she asked.Her large eyes looking at me for once and not at some random point in the universe.
"Sure.Is it still Miss Yukari teaching?",I asked.
"Nah.",she said with a dismissive wave."It's Mr.Kimura.He's kinda a pervert,but he's ok"
"Sounds interesting.",I said.It certainly did.I guess this school is where all the teachers no one else wants go.
"Bub eye Tomo,Yomi",Osaka said as she stood up.
"See ya!",called Tomo.
"Bye Osaka...dammit Tomo!Let go!",Yomi said as she tried to pull the last of her lunch away from Tomo.
"I'm going with Osaka.",I said over my shoulder as I follwed Osaka to the door.
The two best friends continued to fight over the food.Seemingly oblivious to my statement.I entered the door after Osaka and closed it behind me,leaving the two friends to spend some time together.I'm sure Yomi would appreciate that.