Chapter 2
"Do you seek the truth...?"
Ellen has been walking on this fogging path for what seems like forever. "I've been having weird dreams lately." Ellen thought to herself as she kept walking.
She then heard that voice again "If it's truth you desire, come and find me..."
"Where are you?" she asked.
No one answered and she kept on walking. She soon came across a door. She knew someone was inside. Maybe it was the voice? She soon walked in. Once she did she felt a sword in her hand and saw...something. It was hard to see who it was because of the fog. The person said "So...You are the one pursuing me...Hmhmhm...Try all like..."
She began to strike the unknown figure. She didn't know why but, she felt...threaten. So the figure said "Hmmm...It seems that you can see a little, despite the fog..."
She struck again and the figure said "I see...Indeed...That is very interesting information..."
She struck again and the figure still said "But...You will not catch me so easily...If what you seek is "truth," then your search will even harder..."
The fog then became thicker and she couldn't the figure anymore. She still tried find it but, it was useless as she heard the figure say "Everyone sees what they want to...And the fog only deepens..."
Ellen decided to guard, waiting for a big attack to happen. However she only heard the figure say "...Will we meet again...? At a place other than here...Hmhm...I look forward to it..."
Ellen then lose consciousness and woke up in her room. She soon heard Nanako say "Breakfast ready."
She looked at the clock and say it was almost time to get up. She rubbed her head feeling like she had a nightmare. "What was that about?" Ellen thought to herself wondering about the nightmare.
She then let it go as she got ready for school. When she got dressed in her uniform and got her things ready. she went down stairs to see Nanako finishing making breakfast. "Good morning." she said to Ellen.
Ellen sat down on the table and soon asked "Do you do the cooking?"
"I can toast bread...and cook sunny-side up eggs in the morning. Dad can't cook so I buy dinner."
"Well, everything looks great. Thanks."
"Your welcome. Um, you're starting school today, right?"
Ellen nodded and said "Yeah."
"My school's on the way, so...let's go together."
Ellen faintly smiled and said "Sure."
After breakfast, they walked together half and split up at Samegawa flood plain. It was pouring rain today. Ellen then walked on her to school and on her way she saw a boy lose control on his bike and crashed in a pole. Ellen saw him holding his crouch in pain and thought "Wow, that looked painful...I should get to school."
She soon arrived at school. She looked at the building for a moment thinking "Huh, Yasogami High School...I wonder what kind of life awaits me here?"
She went inside and was soon introduced to the class by Kinshiro Morooka as he yelled at the class to be quiet and yells "I'm Kinshiro Morooka, your homeroom teacher from today forward! First things first! Just 'cause it's spring doesn't mean you can swoon over each other like love-struck baboons. Long as I'm around, you students are going to be pure as the driven snow!"
Ellen saw everyone in the class look at each other with uncomfortableness while Ellen thought to herself "Jeez, is this guy a teacher or a priest?"
Morooka continues saying "Now I hate wasting my time, but I'd better introduce this transfer student. This sad sack's been thrown from the big city out to the middle of nowhere like yesterday's garbage and she's just as much of a loser here as she was there so you boys better not get any ideas on hitting on her! Tell 'em your name kid and make it quick."
"My name is Ellen Narukami. It's nice to meet you all." Ellen said with a faint smile trying to be nice.
However her thoughts say "This teacher is going to be the bane of my existence! I just know!"
"Hey! What's with the stupid look you got on, Jordon!? And you, what's with the stupid haircut!? You almost look like a boy. Was that the fashion of the city when you left?" Morooka asked Ellen.
"No, someone put gum in my hair. It's really hard to get gum out of long hair so I just cut it all off before I got here." Ellen simply said.
"Oh come on! It can't be that hard!"
"You lose more hair trying to get it out than getting it cut by a barber." Ellen said.
"Excuse me! Is it okay if the transfer student sits here?" a girl with a green jacket sad with her hand up.
"Huh? Yeah, sure. Ya hear that? Your seat's over there. So hurry up and siddown already!" Morooka said.
Ellen sat down next to the girl and the girl soon leans over and whispers "He's the worst, huh? Rotten luck for you to get stuck in this class...Well, we just have to hang in there for a year."
Ellen only nodded and she could hear others in the class say "Sucks to be the transfer student, ending up in King Moron's class on the first morning here..."
Yeah, he won't think twice about suspending you if you get on his bad side. Then again, we're all in the same boat..."
"Shut your traps! I'm taking roll, and I damn well expect you respond in orderly manner!" Morooka yelled.
The rest of the day was just Morooka bitching about this and that. Ellen was grateful that the day was over so she could head to the library and see what they had. However that wasn't going to happen today as they all soon heard the school intercom say "Attention, all teacher. Please report immediately to the Faculty Office for a brief staff meeting. All students must return to their classrooms and are not to leave the school until further notice."
"Huh, what a bummer. I wish I was in the library when that came on, at least it would have been quiet...oh well...glad brought something to do." Ellen thought to herself as she took out a book. It was a new fantasy book series she was getting into.
She soon heard the school intercom say "Attention, all student. There has been an incident inside the school district. Police officers have been dispatched around the School Zone. Please stay calm and contract your parents or guardians as soon as possible, and quickly leave the school grounds. Do not disturb the police officers. Head directly home. I repeat..."
That made Ellen put her book down and think "Wait? Something happen? Here in a place so small? How odd..."
Ellen put her things away and she was about to walk home by herself when the girl in the green jacket said "Hey, are you going home by yourself? Why don't you come with us? Oh nearly forgot! I'm Chie Satonaka. You know I sit next to you, right?"
Ellen nodded and said "Of course."
"Well, nice to meet you! This is Yukiko Amagi." Chie said turn the attention to her friend.
Yukiko had long black hair and wore a red uniform. She soon said "Oh, nice to meet you...I'm sorry that this is so sudden..."
C'mon, don't apologize like that. It makes me look like I got no upbringing. I just wanted to ask some stuff. Really, that's all." Chie said.
"Ask away then." Ellen simply said.
They were about to leave when the boy from this morning came and said "Uh, umm, Miss Satonaka...? This was really awesome. Like, the way they moved was just amazing to see..."
The boy with brown hair look like death was behind him as he said quickly handing a DVD to Chie "And... I'm really sorry! It was an accident! Please just have mercy until my paycheck! See ya! Thanks!"
He tries to running way but, Chie caught by kicking him in the crouch and she opens up her DVD and yells "What the!? I can't believe this! It's completely cracked...My "Trail of the Dragon"...!"
"I think mine's cracked too...C-Critical hit to the nads..." the boy muttered in pain.
"A-Are you all right?" Yukiko asked.
"Oh. Yukiko-san...Are you worried about me...?" the boy asked.
"He's fine, Yukiko. Let's ditch him and go home." Chie said.
They left him and made it to the gates only to be stop by an odd looking boy with black eyes and messing hair. He said in almost a nervous tone "You're Yuki, right? Y-You want to go hang out somewhere?
"What...? Wh-Who are you?" Yukiko asked looking both shock and confused.
They heard a few boys say "What's up the him? What's school's he from?"
"Never mind that, he's going for Yukiko-san? Man, you'd think he'd at least wait until she's alone to make his move..."
"I bet you can of TaP he gets knocked out."
"No bet. Haven't you heard how difficult the Amagi Challenge is?"
"Morons..." Ellen thought to herself with almost an annoyed look on.
"Um, s-so...are you coming or not?" the odd boy asked.
"I-I'm not going..." Yukiko said.
"...Fine!" the boy yelled and then ran off.
"What an odd boy..." Ellen said.
"Wh-What did he want from me?" Yukiko asked.
"What did he want...? Obviously, he was asking you out on a date." Chie said.
"Huh? Really...?" Yukiko asked.
"You really had no clue? Sheesh...But then again, that was way over the top. It was creepy how he called you Yuki all of a sudden." Chie said.
"...At least he tried. Poorly tired but, tired nonetheless." Ellen said.
"Yo, Yukiko-san. Turned down another lovelorn fool, huh?" said the boy from earlier this morning.
He continued saying "Man, you're cruel...You got me the same way last year."
"I don't recall doing that." Yukiko said.
"Whoa, you serious? So then, you wanna hang out sometime!?" the boy asked existed.
"...I'd rather not." Yukiko said.
"That'll teach me to get my hopes up...Anyways, you two better not pick on the transfer student too much." the boy said.
Then he rode off as Chie yelled "We're just curious, is all!"
"U-Um, I'm sorry for dragging you into this..." Yukiko said to Ellen.
"It's fine." Ellen simply said.
More people started staring and Chie said noticing "C'mon, let's go. Everyone staring."
They started walking home and Chie asked Ellen about why she moved and her life a bit. Chie said after Ellen answered her questions "Ah...so you came here because of your parents' job. Haha, I thought it was something way more serious...There really is nothing here, huh? That's what makes it nice, but there is nothing much we can show to people from outside. Though, there is something from Mt. Yasogami...I think our dyed clothes or pottery or something is kinda famous. Oh wait, and there's the Amagi Inn! Yukiko's family runs it. It's the pride of Inaba!"
"Huh? It's...just an old inn." Yukiko said.
"No way, it's been in all sortsa magazines as a hidden treasure. It's a great inn! It's been going for generations, and Yukiko here is going to take over someday. Their inn actually attracts a lot of visitors to Inaba. It pretty much keeps this town going." Chie said.
"...I don't think that's entirely true." Yukiko said.
"So, tells us, are you always this shy? You don't seem like the person who talks very much." Chie asked.
"That's a first. No one's ask me that before..." Ellen thought to herself.
Ellen thought for a moment then said "I don't think of myself as shy, I just prefer my books. People back at the city are mostly assholes so I've always kept my distance...I guess that's weird for a place like this, huh?"
"I've just never meant some one with that much of an interest in studying." Chie said.
"What kind of books do you read, Ellen?" Yukiko asked.
"All kinds...well expect mysteries. I don't care for them too much." Ellen said.
"How come?" Chie asked.
"I can normally figure out who did it by the tenth chapter." Ellen said.
"Woah...that's-Hey, what's that?" Chie asked pointing ahead.
They walked over to a large group of people near by. They all heard two housewives say to each other "So that high schooler left school early, and as she came down this street..."
"Wow. Who could imagine THAT hanging from an antenna?"
"I wanted to see it too."
"Uh, you got here too late...The police and fire department took it down just a moment ago."
"Well, I think it's terrifying. I can't believe a dead body showed up around here..."
"Wait...What did she just say? A dead body?" Chie said in shock.
"How did this happen? In such a small town, this happens?" Ellen thought to herself.
She then saw Dojima and he saw her and walk to them asking "Hey, what're you doing here?"
"Did something happen?" Ellen asked.
"Well...you could say that. That damn principal. We told him not to let them through here..." Dojima said.
"...You know this guy?" Chie asked.
Ellen nodded and Dojima said "I'm Detective Dojima, her guardian. Uhh...Well, how should I say this...I hope you get along with her, but you three really ought to stop wandering around and head straight home."
They soon see a man bolting pass them and here him hurl farther away. He was a young guy with black hair and eyes. Dojima yelled "Adachi! How long are you going to act like a rookie? You want to be sent back to be sent back to the central office?!"
"I-I'm sorry...Nngh..." said Adachi looking pale.
"He must have saw the body." Ellen thought to herself.
"*sigh* Go wash your face. We're gonna go around and gather information!" Dojima said.
Then they both went off and Chie soon said "Was this what that announcement was about...?"
"Possibly." Ellen said.
"What do they mean...it was hanging from the antenna...?" Yukiko asked.
"Hey Yukiko...? Why don't we go to Junes some other time?" Chie asked.
"Good idea..." Yukiko said.
"Alright then, we're taking off. Starting tomorrow, neighbor, let's do our best!" Chie said.
Ellen nodded and they all went home. Back at the Dojima residence it was just her and Nanako again. Ellen made dinner for a change and Nanako seemed happy about it but, as they sat and watch TV together Nanako said "I wonder if Dad's not coming home again tonight..."
Just as Ellen was about to say something the news came on as the announcer said "Our top story this evening concerns a bizarre case in a quiet suburb. Around noon today, a woman was found dead near the Samegawa River in Inaba. The deceased has been identified as Ms. Mayumi Yamano, a 27 year old announcer at the local television station. The initial results od the Inaba Police Department's have revealed..."
"Ah! The Inaba Police Department! Th-That's where dad's works!..."
"It will be alright." Ellen said trying to give some comfort.
"...I know. That's his job, so this stuff happens."
Nanako still didn't look convinced as the announcer continued saying "The body was found hanging from a large television antenna atop a local resident's roof. Authorities are uncertain as to why the body was in such a state. With the cause of death also uncertain, police continue to investigate whether the death is an accident or a homicide. A thick fog common to the area has slowed their progress, and plans to fully canvass the area are delayed until tomorrow."
"...They're sure are a bunch desperate people no matter where you go. Why did the killer kill the lady here? It would make more sense to kill her in the city. More people to fame but...nah, I'm thinking too much on this!" Ellen thought to herself.
"They found her on the roof? That's scary..." Nanako said looking afraid.
Ellen was about to say something when the Junes commercial came on and she calmed down. After awhile she went to bed hoping this case will be solved soon.
