Author's Notes:
Does anyone here like asparagus? No? Didn't think so. Anyway … the events and circumstances in this chapter are … strange. You don't need to tell me. I already know. Try to enjoy anyway.
Warning:
Suggestive KiyomaroxMegumi ahead!! Why? Because I can.
Disclaimer:
I don't own shit. But we already know that. All I got are my OCs, my computer, and the spilled bag of peanuts lying at the side of my desk. I should clean them up … but they're peanuts. They can do it themselves.
Ch 2: An Interesting Course of Action
"Takamine-kun, ohayo!"
"Ohayo, Mizuno."
Kiyomaro had just reached the front gate of the Mochinoki First Middle School, where Suzume had been waiting very patiently for Kiyomaro. She was standing in front of the gate, looking incredibly winded. Chances were, she had missed Kiyomaro at his home and had sprinted to school in an attempt to meet her beloved Takamine-kun once more before the bell. But that didn't matter. The only thing that Kiyomaro really paid attention to was how Suzume looked particularly (extremely) happy this morning. Did something happen to Mizuno yesterday?
"Oi, Mizuno. Did you happen to hear anything about a new student transferring into this school?"
Suzume's grin, if possible, spread even further across her creasing face. "I know! I'm so excited to meet her!! Who knows what she may be like? Will she be a cheerleader? A dancer? An artist? An athlete? A model? A TEEN IDOL?!"
Kiyomaro blushed. A teen idol? Megumi's image made its way into Kiyomaro's mind. He tried to shove her out of his thoughts; she was very distracting. Plus, if he let her name slip (which was likely; Kiyomaro often found himself engaging in internal conversation, then discovering quickly afterwards that it wasn't internal anymore) and involved himself in the same sentence, there might be a bit of trouble to follow. Wait … Mizuno said that there was a new girl here. So Gash wasn't lying (of course, he would have know this before, had he not decided to slip away from the very useful flashback). Huh. It does make you wonder what she's like.
But Kiyomaro was given no time for this: the bell's rings echoed through the air and bounced off city walls. The student looming around the school walls slowly collected from the outdoors and poured into the classes inside.
---
"My name is Yoko Sekiguchi. I will be a temporary transfer student at Mochinoki First. It's a pleasure."
It was the most hopeless sentence that you had ever heard leave someone's mouth. Each word leaked the essence of despair as her tone spelled E-M-O instead of her actual point. Her face screamed "a dark and painful death awaits you", her cocoa eyes targeting teen after teen like a gun. Every student in that room that had the least bit of common sense was overcome with intimidation. The word "temporary" was a savior. Kiyomaro was no exception. He wiped away a bead of sweat before anyone could see it sink down his troubled expression. Suzume, however, let this all fly right over her head and kept her smile and hopes high as the heavens. What an idiot.
Yoko made her way across the desks, weaving her way in between seats, briefcases, and headed to the only open desk there was: behind Yamanaka. She sank slowly into her seat, staring right through Yamanaka's attic and chalkboard alike; her name, her identity, was being erased off the board, off the face of the Earth. She leaned forward into Yamanaka's ear.
"Boo."
"AH!!" he practically leaped out of his desk. A chain reaction of metallic collisions and painful happenings followed. Perhaps it would have be a good idea to not jump up; Yamanaka had probably forgotten that all the desks and chairs were connected. The sudden excitement brought the students into an uproar, which seriously displeased the teacher watching over the class at the present.
"QUIET!!"
It only took a good shriek from the man to simmer the teens down. Everyone quietly sank into their seats, feeling like they were sinking lower and lower into the punishing pits of Hell themselves (not including Suzume, of course). Yoko inhaled the fear and disturbance as if it were a breath of fresh spring air. Her smirk went unnoticed for the rest of the morning.
---
It took a while for Yoko to pull herself out of her seat. She needed a good stretch; it didn't feel like lunchtime, after all. No, it felt more like bed time, and with each passing moment Yoko became more and more attached to the idea of that thought becoming reality. When she retrieved her bento, she quietly sat down, split her chopsticks, added an "Itadakimasu", and slowly ate the lunch that her grandmother had prepared for her. It would've been nice if she could eat in her old bedroom instead of this gay classroom atmosphere; it was dark, silent, and gave her the confidence (privacy) that she need to detach from the world. The world was such a troublesome place. She sighed. It never should have happened. But it's Tokyo. Tragedies are just bound to-
"Hi there, my name is Suzume Mizuno! Just because you're new doesn't mean you're not welcome! You can come sit next to me if you want!" She smiled warmly at Yoko.
The entire class was shocked. They knew she was dim, but this was absurd. Whether they knew sign language or not, every student in the classroom violently waved their arms in all directions, hoping that Suzume would get the message to stop talking and back away. No good. Kiyomaro sighed. This was absolutely ridiculous. Though all he could do was watch for Yoko's next move, like everyone else.
She shuttered. Yoko hadn't being shown such kindness in a while. Her memories took her back to Tokyo, to behind their favorite tea shop, to Junko …
No …! NO!
Yoko suddenly charged out of her seat and closed in on Suzume's face. "Why the hell should I?! I can sit wherever I want!! I don't need some happy-go-lucky bitch telling me what I can and can't do!! GO AWAY!!"
Suzume could feel herself sink into great disappointment (A/N: join the freakin' club). She thought it was all over …
No, Suzume! Don't give up!!
It must have been the look in her eyes that gave it away. The students felt terrible for Suzume; they knew she was going to try again. But, seeing as though they weren't going to indulge themselves into a hopeless battle, all they did was pray for her survival.
"W-well, if that doesn't make you feel better," Suzume continued. "Then why don't come see my collection of fruits?"
At this Yoko said nothing. Instead, she pushed all of the hair out of her right ear's way and held up her hand. Her fingers counted down:
Five ... Four ... Three ... Two ... One ...
"Lunch is over!!" the teacher had just entered the room. Yoko let down her hand, which was set at zero. Everyone was once again surprised at Yoko's actions, not to mention that they were still recovering from her demeaning outburst. Was she psychic or something? "Everyone please return to your seats."
Kiyomaro glanced at the new student before he shifted his focus to his sensei. She listened to his steps … then timed her fingers to them. Interesting course of action …
---
"Excellent show, Megumi-chan!! Great job!! See you in the A.m.!"
"Arigatou!! You, too!"
The last few words were more shot than said, though. Rushing down the back stage concert halls, Ooumi Megumi was in a hurry. She had no intention of being rude; she simply had someone to meet outside. That was all. She promised Tio that since she had no scheduled events after 4:00, she would spend the rest of the day with her. Her changing room came in sight. Megumi shifted to the right, thrust open the door, and …
"What …?!"
She was seriously caught off guard. There, just a few feet in front of her person, was a demon, one hand on a deep crimson book, the other on hers. He rose from his kneeling position, shaking from the fear of being caught. His clothes were those of a peasant almost, scruffed up kakis, a black see-through tank top (A/N: a sleeveless version of what Shikamaru wears, for those of you who watch Naruto. And yes, I'm referring to Naruto, not Naruto Shippuden), a small, white cloth around his waist, and bandages around his elbows. This was complemented by his shoulder-length hair that happened to be the same shade as his book, and large, unforgiving jade eyes. Megumi didn't know what to do. She was caught between beating the crap out of the kid for stealing her book, and giving the poor thing dinner and a room for the night; she could tell from the fact that the boy was carrying around the book that he had no bookkeeper. Yet. But before she could come to a decision, he sped out of room, the collections of parchment nestled tightly under his shoulders. Megumi paused to analyze what had just happened, then trailed behind the boy as well as she could.
"TIO!"
Tio, who had been patiently waiting outside the back of the building, took the call with great surprise. Megumi sounded very alarmed. Then, the moment she turned to head inside the building to answer the call of distress, the back door swung open with great speed. Tio watched as the demon boy raced out of the concert building. The second she noticed her book beside his, she took off full speed, and accidently found herself traveling along side Megumi. They ran across the back lot.
"Megumi! The book!!"
"I know!! That's why I called!! I just hope we go unnoticed." It took Tio only a few seconds after the words left Megumi's mouth to realize that she was still in her dressy concert wear. It would take a miracle for them to not be detected.
---
Two shadows approached Mochinoki City hillside with a chillingly quick pace; they looked extraordinarily suspicious. The duo was both cloaked in a deep black, for this was their way of avoiding the possibility of a crowd. Not the best way, seeing as though it would matter how they dressed in mid-day, but according to the demon of the two, it was absolutely necessary to remain undiscovered. They, after all, were in enemy territory now. The demon, being the shorter one, stopped in his tracks as he signaled for the figure next to him to do the same.
"This is it. We'll wait here until he's completely drawn out." His voice was rather frivolously toned.
"How do ya know he'll show?" inquired the secondary figure.
"Simple. I sense two, no, three demons in this town. But they aren't proving to be a real threat. I'm just waiting for him to be provoked. If we want to take care of this properly, we'll wait until he's stabilized himself. Then the negotiations shall begin."
The second figure pulled out a hazelnut book from the robes that covered it. "Sounds like fun." They reached the top of the hill; the strangers were now gazing over Mochinoki. "Such a nice view, too. You can see everything from here."
"Tomorrow," the demon continued. "We shall strike."
The taller figure smiled. "That's a long wait." The demon laughed at this. "Those little people better watch out. One false move and ya could wind up a corpse where you stand."
TBC
Please R&R. I'd like to see how well I can write in the eyes of others. Thanks.